suffices Let us hear his Voyce Here we have it and it must command the obedience of our Faith to yield and embrace it 2. It is the great conviction of the worlds Infidelity Had I not spoken to them they had had no sin but now they have heard therefore their sin abides Thus Christ convinces the Pharises The Baptisme of Iohn was it from heaven or from men Their consciences told them If we say from heaven Why did we not believe him Take heed ye despise not him that speaks from heaven To despise the Testimony of Men of Prophets of Messengers went not unpunished If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater He that believes not God hath made him a lyar because he believes not the Record God gave of his Son 1 Ioh. v. 10. A lyar Luther saith It is the greatest Opprobry of the greatest Provocation Call a man cruel unmerciful or proud or covetous the bloud riseth not so much as when ye call him a lyar How must God be provoked when we give the lye to his Truth question his Son authorized by his own Seal Unbelief gives God the lye 3. This Testimony from heaven it seals up our condemnation if it be rejected it makes an Unbelievers Damnation most confessedly just beyond all exception God hath sent his Son and testified of him that in him he offers Grace and Reconciliation What can we plead if upon rejecting this Testimony we be condemned People that live out of the Pale of the Church where this Testimony is recorded are like men that live in an unwholsome Ayr and far from Physicians when they fall sick there is but one way with them But see here is Balm in Gilead a Physician is here make use of him then or you perish wilfully Such Iudge themselves unworthy of eternal life Acts xiii 46. forsake their own mercies Hence we see Christ referrs it to themselves to judge what they deserve for refusing of Christ. Matth. xxi 40. Ask them What will the Lord of the Vineyard do unto those Husbandmen which reject his Son They all answered He will miserably destroy those wicked men Their damnation is just themselves being Judges Enough for the Manner of Expression A Voyce out of the Cloud Come we now Secondly To the Matter and Summ of it What doth God publish What hidden mysterie doth he disclose Even the highest mysterie of heaven That Christ is Mediatour This 't is the prop of our Faith 't is the tydings of Angels nay 't is the Voyce of God himself We count it a common vulgar Truth What Catechise you about Christ Ask who he was We wrong you Oh saith S. Ambrose Non solum incipientum sed perfectorum imo coelestium notitia Filii Dei Now in 〈◊〉 Testimony observe two things 1. A special Designation Hic est This is 2. A special Description My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased First Here is a special Designation This is my beloved Son In it there is a threefold force 1. It is Vox demonstrativa A personal pointing out of our Saviour This is he Before the Patriarchs believed In confuso in more general terms as the Promises were propounded 1. Semen Mulieris to Adam The Seed of the Woman then 2. Semen Abrahae to Abraham Thy Seed then 3. Semen Davidis to David then 4. Semen Virginis All came nearer and nearer but yet they never enjoyed a personal Evidence and Demonstration of Christ. But this Testimony singles him out and points out his Person If now they shall say Here is Christ or There is Christ look not after him We know him personally Iesus of Nazaret We have the concurrence of all specialties and circumstances to fasten our Faith upon him with all certainty And this assurance is required of Christians not onely to believe in the Messias but that Iesus is Christ. 2. 'T is Vox exhibitiva A Voyce betokening an actual and real and present Exhibition The Church before Christ was supported with Promises He shall come He shall be born in the fulness of time I shall see him but not yet saith Balaam The Saints before Christ were all in reversions and expectations They waited for this Consolation They received not the Promises But now the Father brings him into the world the Gospel presents him to the eye of your Faith They before us lived upon Promises but here is the advantage and excellency of our state we live upon Performances Theirs was Gaudium quaerentium ours Invenientium They were in a state of Expectation we in a state of Fruition They saluted the Promises afar off we possess and embrace them The stretchings out of their Faith are nothing so comfortable as the embracings of ours 3. 'T is Vox distinctiva It singles out Christ and separates him from the rest Moses indeed was a glorious Saint Elias a great Prophet the Baptist was much admired of the people they supposed he was Christ but still but servants Christ is the Son To which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son This is the grand Prerogative of Christ. All Excellencies are but serviceable to him Let us honour Moses and Elias and other Saints and reverence them so as that we forget not they be servants and remember who is the Son let us adore him He is the King of Saints Purposely the Apostles 〈◊〉 recall'd from thoughts of Moses and Elias Why linger ye after them Here is the Prince of your Salvation That 's the Designation Come we Secondly To the Description In it three things 1. The Dignity of his Person 2. The Excellency of his Mediation 3. The Authority of his Doctrine First The Dignity of his Person 1. He is Filius a Son 2. He is Filius dilectus a beloved Son 1. He is Filius the Son of God Psal. ii Thou art my Son This is the Foundation of the Church that Christ is the Son of God This the Devils acknowledge Thou art the Son of God And that implyes these Truths 1. Filius ergo ejusdem Naturae The Creator and the creature they are not of the same nature nor the workman and his work but the Father and the Son are of the same nature Man begets a man not one of another kind and God begets God Thou art my Son hodie genui Vera Divinitâ—…s quia vera de Deo nativitas saith Fulgentius 2. Filius ergo distincta Persona The Son is a distinct Person and Subsistence from the Father He is not a Property or Attribute in God oâ—… a Manifestation of him but a true real Person subsisting in himself 3. Filius ergo paris Dignitatis 1. Ejusdem Excellentiae He counts it no robbery to be equal with God He is high in the glory of the Father placed ad dextram at his right hand 2. Capax ejusdem cultus He is to be worship'd with equal honour as his Father is All Knees must bow to Him all Tongues confess Him
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
mystery of his Person that both these Natures should be so strangely and admirably united into one Person that God and Man should be personally one Christ 1. Not by a concord of wills 2. Or by a transfusion of properties 3. Or by assistance of grace but 4. By an inward union and conjunction in Person It is a mysterie that Divines have laboured to express by any possible similitudes and could not do it 2. 'T is Magnum Mysterium This of Christ's Incarnation 't is the grand Mysterie because all other mysteries are subordinate and serviceable to this all sacred truths point at this Truth all like lines meet in this center 'T is the end and drift of all the sacred Prophesies To him give all the Prophets witness Acts x. 43. It was the summe and scope of all their Predictions All the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after as many as have spoken have foretold his Coming Acts iii. 24. Of this Salvation all the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently He is Abraham's promised Seed Moses his great Prophet Samuel's anointed King Iacob's Shilo Esay's Immanuel Ieremy's Man compassed by a Woman Ezekiel's Shepherd Daniel's Holy One Zachary's Branch Solomon's Lilly David's Lord Malachy's Angel All that prophesied looked at him He is the end and body and substance of all their Rites and Ceremonies He was Abel's Sacrifice Abraham's First-fruits Isaac's Ram Iacob's Ladder Moses his Passover Aaron's Rod the Israelites Rock the Patriarchs Manna David's Tabernacle Solomon's Temple all types and representations of his Incarnation All their Kings were figures of this great King all their Deliverers and Judges types of this great Saviour all their Priests were Ushers to bring in this High-Priest of our profession All the mysteries in Scripture were serviceable to this mystery 3. 'T is Magnum Mysterium 't is a great mysterie far exceeding all mysteries in the world All secrets of nature are but elements and rudiments to this Oracle The learnedst men that can search into all natural knowledge stand gazing at this and cry out How can this thing be All mysteries of States they are but meer follies and dotages to this Wisdom The vanquishing of Satan What victory like this The birth of God What Prince's nativity so honourable The laws of the Church the heavenly Oracles What laws so righteous The priviledges of the Gospel What Prerogatives Charters Liberties so ample Other Kings saith S. Chrysostom they govern the bodies this King reigns in the souls of men Other Kings fight with bodily weapons this King with spiritual Other Kings fight against Barbarians Christ against Devils All subtilties of Art but meer daubings and botcheries to this great mysterie That Art can tame Lyons lead about Tygers How do we wonder at this This Mysterie here can change and alter brutish savage barbarous men reduce them to all sobriety and moderation Christs Incarnation shall make the Wolf dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them c. Esay xi 6. That Art is curious that can drive away diseases lengthen and strengthen life How far exceeding is this mysterie that can cure soul-sickness not onely cure sickness but recover from death regenerate and renew a man old and withered nay dead and give life to him Other Arts can alter nature but this doth change it That may polish brass but not turn it into a purer metal Evangelium ferreum vas reddidit aureum 4. 'T is Magnum Mysterium a great mysterie because 't is a mysterie even to all men of the largest capacity the most clear understanding In other truths that may be a mysterie to one man which is but an easie ordinary truth to the mind of another As in Nature some things seem very mysterious and obscure to a vulgar understanding which a learned judicious man can presently comprehend As the Eclipse of the Sun an unlearned man wonders at it as a great secret of nature but a Scholar counts the knowledge of it easie and obvious So in works of Art Aliter judicat peritus Artifex aliter imperitus inspector An unskilful man will account that a curious piece of work which an expert Artificer will judge but ordinary But this Oracle and mysterie with which we have to do it poseth the greatest wits far exceeds the largest understanding Solomon who knew the secrets of nature his large head was too narrow for it He confesses I have not the understanding of a man I have not learned this wisdom It is hid even from the wise and prudent Matt. xi Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of the world 1 Cor. i. 20. All their wisdom falls short of this It fares with the greatest Understanding as it doth with the bodily eye The sharpest eye-sight that can behold all earthly things clearly yet if it look up to the body of the â—…un it dazles and trembles and cannot behold it The least appearance of this mysterie it overwhelmed and surcharged the most enlightned understanding When Christ appeared to Abraham which was but praeludium Incarnationis he falls on his face and trembles When Moses had but a glimpse of this glory I tremble exceedingly saith he When Elijah saw but the back-parts of Christ he hid his face he durst not look on When Daniel approaches near it it layes him for dead It casts Paul into a rapture Peter into a trance Iohn lay as a dead man Excellens objectum destruit sensum This knowledge it is too high I cannot attain to it All humane understandings tremble adore are astonish'd at it 5. 'T is Magnum Mysterium a great mysterie not onely to humane but even to the highest Angelical understanding 't is a great deep mysterie even unto the Angels Those Stars of the morning as Iob calls them are overwhelmed with the splendor of this Sun 'T is a mysterie to them This great Work it was conceal'd from them it lay hid in the womb of Eternity and they still wonder and admire at the greatness of it See this in two places one is Ephes. iii. 10. Unto Principalities and Powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Not onely some inferior Angels as Lombard conceits were ignorant of it but the most illuminated Angels it was a mysterie to them and by the Church they learn it as some conceive that they see and behold in the Church and wonder at the secrets of the Gospel which are there unfolded At the preaching of the Gospel the Angels flock to see the fulfilling of those mysteries represented in the Tabernacle all the curtains being adorned with Cherubs Another place is 1 Pet. i. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoop down and pry and desire to look into these glorious Mysteries This was prefigured in the two Cherubs on
and diligence much exercise and experience to attain unto it Those Arts that have in them many abstruse mysteries are long a learning Oh! the Art of godliness the Trade of piety the Skill of living holily 't is no small matter but very mysterious The Philosopher could say of his Art Ars longa Vita brevis a mans life was too short to attain to the perfection of it How much more is this high Art of Religion the mysterie of godliness It makes David for all his learning to cry out still Teach me Instruct me Make me to understand the way of godliness S. Paul that great Proficient yet professes he fell short Phil. iii. 11 12 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended I have not already attained I am not already perfect but I follow after and press forward if by any means I might attain words of striving and contention How hard a thing is it to attain even to the knowledge of godliness Then how difficult must it be to mortifie thy lusts to subdue thine appetite 'T is call'd a Crucifying Consider it you who think seven years little enough to learn any Trade of life but any little time any poor pains sufficient to learn that which the Saints were practising all their dayes Try thy strength but with one Act but with one Duty of godliness and then tell me If slubbering over a few prayers or coming to Church and yawning out an Amen half asleep half awake be likely to make thee a skilful man in this Trade of piety That 's the first Religion is the mysterie of godliness 2. The second Truth is The Mysterie and the Piety of Religion must go both together We must take both to us not onely content our selves with the mysterie of Christianity but be sure we acquaint our selves with the piety True Religion joyns both together Thus S. Paul describes Christian Religion ' T is a Doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. vi 3. And Tit. i. 1. it is called the Knowledge of the Truth according unto godliness We may as well separate light from heat in the fire as the mysterie and knowledge of it from the piety Indeed first we must get the mysterie then labour for the piety of it First God created light so it is in mans soul. A man is sooner enlightned then sanctified The Sun enlightens in an instant but it begets heat in the Ayr by length of time but they must never be a sunder Blind Devotion would have the piety without the mysterie Oh! Zealous it would be but not with knowledge Oh! A good heart to God-wards no matter for knowledge And prophane Curiosity that would have the mysterie without the piety understand all secrets and mysteries comprehend all Truths but for the holiness of Christianity they have no list to it True Christianity joyns both together True Religion is not like the tree of Knowledge onely pleasant to the eye and a tree to be desired to make one wise Gen. iii. 6. but it must be to us as the tree of Life for Devotion and Practice Religion is not placed in the upper region of the Brain but in the Heart the seat of affection the fountain of action 'T is a sanctifying Truth Holy Father sanctifie them through thy Truth not enlighten them onely Ioh. xvii 17. There is not any Truth so mystical and contemplative but must be drawn into practice There is no mysterie in Scripture but hath its piety As there is not any creature but it is for some use it is not onely beautiful but useful Non tantum visu delectat sed usu prodest so there 's no Truth in Religion but we may and must extract from it Piety Some Truths at first sight seem but dry as to this but as the Licorish stick at first looks like any weed but chew it and you suck sweetness so those mysteries that seem to be most remote from practice have a juice and sap of piety to be suck'd out of them If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. xiii 17. This man shall be blessed in his deed Iam. i. 25. See how Christ checks Curiosity and turns all to Practice Lord are there few that be saved And he said unto them Strive to enter in at the strait gate Luk. xiii 23 24. 1. Piety 't is the end of Christianity 'T is mysterium practicum Not a Science in contemplation but an Art of doing not to make us the wiser but the holier 2. Piety 't is the best keeper of this mysterie The knowledge of Religion 't is a precious Jewel see the Cabinet S. Paul tells us of wherein it must be kept Holding the mysterie of Faith in a pure Conscience 1 Tim. iii. 9. Wouldst thou not erre concerning the Faith Take heed of making shipwrack of a good Conscience Knowledge in this vessel is like the Manna in the golden-pot it is kept sweet In a prophane heart it is like Manna in other vessels that stank and putrified God takes away natural knowledge if we abuse it and live not accordingly When they knew God and glorified him not as God God gave them over to errour and never would call them to the knowledge of the Gospel Rom. i. 21 c. As we try vessels first with water if they will hold and keep it sweet then we pour wine into them They who corrupt natural knowledge God will not trust them with this mysterie Take heed thou divide not the piety from the mysterie In all Truths labour to be better In any mysterie make S. Peter's collection If these things are so What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness We have seen the quality and condition of this mysterie It is a mysterie of godliness Now follows IV. The infallible undoubted certainty of this mysterie It is beyond without all controversie There is a double Certainty 1. A certainty in the thing it self 'T is a most grounded Truth Heaven and earth may sooner fail then the least particle of this Truth It hath the Power and the Truth and the Faithfulness of God nay his Oath to establish it 2. A certainty of perswasion at this the Text ayms See with what confidence and assurance S. Paul seals up this great Truth ' T is without controversie Observe True Faith embraceth these heavenly Truths with all assurance and strength of adhesion and fulness of perswasion 'T is the nature and office of true Faith in matters of God to breed all possible assurance 'T is a Seal He who receives God's testimony of his Son hath set to his Seal that God is true Ioh. iii. 33. Philip shews the assurance of Faith which he requires of the Eunuch Acts viii 37. If thou believest with all thine heart that Iesus is the Son of God Especially in this Truth Iesus God-Incarnate Faith breaks through all controversies and unquestionably must believe 1. This Truth is clearly revealed in Scripture And
to distinguish the God of the Old Testament from the God of the New They counted them a Carnal people feeding only upon earthly promises No their estate was spiritual and the promise heavenly and all partakers of one glorious Messias 4. Conceive them ut Assessores Iudicii This Transfiguration is a representation of his last Comming in glory Then these Saints Moses and Elias shall assist his Judgment The Law and the Gospel shall then appear against their contemners and give in evidence against prophane sinners Oh! we think to see Christ only all in mercy No know Moses will appear and his Law shall be charged upon thee and the doctrine of the Prophets Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust Ioh. v. 45. That Law of holiness is not abolished but is in full strength yet till Christ shall forgive it thee Moses grew not weak or sickly but continued in full vigor till God buried him so the Law hath an eternal obligation and force upon thee and will accuse thee till Christ dischargeth it As many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. ii 12. 3. These two Moses and Elias appear respectively to the Apostles who were now present at this Transfiguration for three reasons 1. To correct an errour in them They dreamed of Christ's Kingdom to be earthly and temporal The appearance of these Citizens shews the nature of this Kingdom Heavenly Citizens must have an Heavenly King Should Christ raign here what would become of Moses and Elias the Saints departed They are banish'd from this Kingdom No sure they must sit down with Abraham in that Kingdom Ye are come unto the heavenly Ierusalem and to the spirits of just men Heb. xii 22. 23. The consideration of these Citizens must raise us to the acknowledgment of an heavenly Inheritance They sought a City to come 2. To confirm a truth They had made a noble Confession of Christ's Divinity See how Christ confirms them now by the acknowledgment here of two glorious Witnesses As Christ to Nathaniel Believest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree thou shalt see greater things then these Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Ioh. i. 50. 51. They shall have Moses and Elias two great Witnesses to confirm it to them Thus God honours and rewards and confirms the Faith of his servants 3. To enforce a duty Moses and Elias assist him in glory These were the most laborious and faithful servants of Christ and how are they now honoured It urgeth upon them that holy imitation Moses he was Faithful in the house of God Elias he was Zealous and Jealous for his glory Both ventured their lives in God's Cause Moses encountred Pharoah Elias Ahab Both Zealous in God's Worship now they appear in rest and glory These great Zelotes were most eminent Favourites It chalks out to the Apostles the way of getting high into Heaven Those who labour and toyl in his work burn in Zeal for his Glory pledg their lives in his Cause give up the fullest account and improvement of their pains these are his choyse ones these follow the Lamb where ever he goes As David's Worthies they were alwayes about him placed in greatest command stand upon Record so here these who encountred Gyants Pharaoh Ahab Iezabel these are they who are highly honoured 4. These two appear respectively to the people and their judgment of Christ. There were three opinions common among the Jews of Christ 1. A blasphemous opinion 2. A more moderate opinion but yet unworthy of him 3. A partial and superstitious opinion All these are corrected by this Apparition 1. They had a blasphemous opinion of him that he was an Impostor a transgressor of the Law a blasphemer This man blasphemeth Matth. ix 3. See here Moses and Elias justifie him bear witness to him associate and protest their Communion with him Had he been a transgressor a profaner of the Sabbath Moses would not have owned him much less honoured him Had he been a blasphemer as they charged him Elias who burnt in Zeal for God's glory would he have a-dored him Now then that these Saints of such authority among the people do they acknowledg him Surely he is no transgressor no blasphemer 2. The people more moderately yet most unworthily judged him to be but some Prophet Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Some say that thou art Iohn the Baptist some Elias and others Ieremias or one of the Prophets Matth. xvi 13 14. That was the best they thought of him A great Prophet is risen up among us Luc. 7. 16. This was well but yet too low for Christ. The Devil can be content we should yield him thus much if we stay there The Turk's attribute so much to him No here we see the main Prophet Elias he adores him as Lord of the Prophets to whom all Prophets ministred ushered in foretold All the Prophets were enlightned by him all were sent by him Elias and Samuel and all stoop to him 3. The Jews had a superstitious opinion of Moses that none could exceed him They would not allow Christ to be Moses his equal Thou art his Disciple but we are Moses Disciples We know that God spake unto Moses as for this fellow we know not whence he is Ioh. ix 28 29. See here Moses whom they dote upon he gives precedency to Christ he vails and bowes and prostrates to him Thus the Jews superstitiously advance some Saints to prejudice Christ. Abraham Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the Prophets are dead whom makest thou thy self Ioh. viii 53. Whereas Abraham desired to see one day of Christ so did Moses Many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see Luk. x. 24. that is Christ in the flesh As S. Paul of himself What is Paul what is Apollos So what is Moses in compare with Christ So much of the Persons 1. Duo Two 2. Duo homines Two men 3. Hi duo These two Moses and Elias Next is Secondly The Manner of their Presence They appeared in Glory In it two things 1. It is a real Appearance 2. It is a glorious Appearance I. It is a real Appearance not an apparition of fancie or some Vision to the mind but a true real personal Appearance of these two Saints 1. It is propounded and sealed up with a word of certainty and assurance Behold importing not onely admiration but evidence and assurance 2. The eyes of the Apostles give evidence of this Appearance It is said When they were awake they saw his Glory and the two men that stood with him And S. Peter and S. Iohn affirm they were eye-witnesses of all this Glory 3. The Actions ascribed to these men are real and bodily talking speaking all bodily
no revelation or instruction on these Prophets part The Lord hath purposely estranged us from all entercourse 'twixt us and the Spirits departed There is no need of Moses and Elias to speak from heaven we have Moses and Elias and all that they can say behoofeful for us in their Books and Writings Ye are come to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Testament Heb. xii 23 24. He is the onely Mediatour III. The Matter of this Conference His decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem Had some the reporting of this Conference it should have been of some other matters May be of the Succession of Times and Kingdoms of the rising and falling of Monarchies These the Prophets were acquainted with but these they talk not of Others would have reported some Seraphical discourse of the nine Orders of Angels and those Hierarchies or some great discourse of Limbus Patrum or of the souls in Purgatory No such matter it is here De morte Christi Of Christ's decease But 1. Why do they conferr about this 2. How do they talk of it 3. Why do they conferr about the death of Christ 1. This is the grand necessary fundamental Work of Christ for his Church If such a Synod as this meet it is not for trifles but they talk of the Common Salvation of the Church That is the Capital Truth the ground-work of all our Faith and Salvation This takes up their discourse Nay it is the Meditation of God His ancient thought from Eternity was busied about this That Christ should dye for our Redemption 2. This they talked of as a thing that was a great grief and offence to the Apostles A little before Peter abhorred to hear of Christ's death It bred in them 1. Scandalum tristitiae They were very sad 2. Scandalum dubitationis It troubled their Faith how the Messiah should suffer We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel Luk. xxiv 21. but he is dead Purposely Christ and these Saints conferr about this To acquaint the Apostles with this Mysterie that so it must be and that our salvation depended upon it 3. This they talked of as the thing that both Law and Prophets prefigured and foretold All their Sacrifices were Representations of his Death all their Prophesies Predictions of it Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer Luk. xxiv 46. In this sense He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world 4. This they talked of as the matter of Christ's greatest Glory and Renown They being to Adore Christ and to put Honour upon him they invest him with his Garments dipp'd in Blood Isa. lxiii 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed Garments from Bozrah This that is glorious in his Apparel travelling in the greatness of his strength mighty to save What Honour like this to dye for his Church to be the Sacrifice of the World the Ransom of Mankind the Conquerour of Hell the Purchaser of his Chosen Quapropter Wherefore God also hath given him a Name which is far above every name Philip. ii 9. Absit therefore saith S. Paul ut gloriarer nisi in Cruce Christi God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Christ Galat. vi 14. 5. This they talked of as the main matter of heavenly discourse What do Moses and the Prophets Angels and Archangels talk and discourse of They wonder at and Adore the death of Christ and Redemption of the Church 6. This they talked of in care and solicitude for the Church on earth They themselves are in Glory Ay but their brethren yet as the two Tribes fight for their brethren Securi de se Soliciti pro nobis But 2. How do they talk of it Reduce all to these three heads 1. Praedicentes Foretelling him of it Not but that Christ foresaw it himself but this Dispensation he used to know it by Scriptures and these Revelations 2. Gratias agentes Adoring him for it magnifying his goodness as the twenty four Elders Thou art worthy to receive Honour and Blessing for thou hast Redeemed us 3. Orantes ut acceleret Begging the accomplishment Peter solicits him not to dye Moses and Elias they solicit him to finish that glorious work upon which their Salvation and the Salvation of the whole Church depended Use. 1. Christus in gloria meditatur de morte His Glory makes him not forget his Death How should we season all our thoughts of joy with thoughts of our departure 2. Do these glorious Saints talk of Death Oh! let it take up our thoughts let it be much in our meditations THE FOURTH SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 31 32. Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his Glory and the two Men that stood with him WE have seen in general the summ of this Conference about Christ's Decease Now look upon it more particularly and with accommodation to our selves So we discover four Particulars 1. Here is Colloquium de Morte They talk and conferr of his Death and Passion 2. Here is Natura Conditio Mortis T is exodus a deceasing or departure 3. Here is Susceptio hujus conditionis It is a fulfilling 4. Here is Circumstantia susceptionis It must be at Ierusalem First Here is Colloquium de Morte Christ puts himself into this premeditation of Death for two purposes 1. As a moderation of his present Glory and Majesty into which he is advanced Being thus magnified by his Father and raised to an high pitch of Glory he seasons it with this deep and serious meditation of his Death and Passion The thoughts of our end and dissolution are never unseasonable but yet they are most sutable and seasonable in our greatest advancements and prosperity When you abound with all outward comforts then allay and moderate thy joy with this mortifying Meditation I must lye down in the grave Thus Christ interchangeably In his Humiliation he refresheth himself with the expectation of Glory When he stands at the Bar Ye shall see saith he the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power and coming in the clouds of heaven Matth. xxvi 64. And so before his Passion O Father glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Ioh. xvii 5. Contrarily being in the state of Glory he puts himself into the cogitations of Death When the Graecians came to visit and do honour to him he discourseth of his Passion Except a corn of Wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone Ioh. xii 24. Naturally Abundance and worldly prosperity raises our thoughts too high makes us forgetful nay to abhor the mention of death Greatness like Ahashuerus will have no mourning nor sackcloth Esther iv 2. to appear before him As
their ears and believe with their hearts and should be saved As on Saul and his servants a Sleep from God fell upon them so a sleep from Satan falls upon many till they be robbed like Sampson of all that they had Hae sunt radices 2. Qui sructus What doth this deserve 1. It justly provokes God to sleep We hear that God hath his sleep He awaked as one out of sleep Psal. lxxviii 65. Now God sleeps when he is to us as one that sleepeth that is hears us not regards us not As Baal It may be he is asleep call aloud Thou that sleepest when God speaks to thee how dost thou deserve that God should sleep and turn away and not regard thee 2. It justly provokes upon our selves even a spiritual sleep Esay tells us of a Spirit of slumber Isai. xxix 10. The Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed your eyes Rom. xi 8. God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear unto this day This is a fearful judgement for a man to be spiritually asleep to have our senses closed up against all spiritual Inspiration our Understandings overcast our Memories bound our Motions fetter'd our Tongues muzzled not able to call upon God not able to avoid any danger to foresee any occurrent 3. It justly deserves even Eutychus his judgement Acts xx 9. who fell into a dead sleep Our prophane customary use of it provokes the hand of God against us Consider what S. Peter saith Their punishment sleeps not and will one day upbraid them Can you not awaken one hour Then Ex lethargicis fient Phrenetici Aug. They shall awaken out of a lethargie and fall into a phrensie So much De Humana Infirmitate II. This sleep of the Apostles conceive it ut Carnalis Indispositio it is a representation of our carnal Indisposition It represents our incapacity for any heavenly Revelation Christ reveals himself in Glory the nature of man in our corruption is so dull and uncapable that it is utterly unfit to reach those mysteries Naturally our understanding is most dull and unteachable in these spiritual Truths In civil and common truths we are quick-witted and apprehensive but in the things of God the greatest manifestation doth not affect us The natural man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. ii 14. As the eye of man to see the earth and ordinary things is sharp enough but let it look upon the Sun then it is dazled Aristotle compares us to Owls-eys that are quick-sighted in the dark but blind in the Sun-shine No as they say besides Objectum Gloriosum there must be Lumen Gloriae else it is not seen So there must be Lumen Gratiae God must open our understandings or else we cannot discern spiritual things See this in the Pharises Nicodemus the woman of Samaria Christ tells her of Living water for her life she cannot conceive any other then water of ordinary use Such is our blindness that by nature we are utterly uncapable of these spirituals III. Conceive it ut Supernaturalis Consternatio The terrour of this glorious Vision it hath amazed them so overcome their spirits that they are sunk into astonishment We find the best of Gods Saints thus wrought upon by Gods appearance Abraham Gen. xv 12. God appeared to him and a deep sleep fell upon him and lo an horrour of great darkness fell upon him So Ezekiel i. 28. At the Vision of God he fell down upon his face So Daniel x. 8. When he saw the Vision there remained no strength in him for his comeliness was turned in him into corruption and he retained no strength vers 9. And when he heard the voyce of his words then was he in a deep sleep on his face and his face toward the ground So S. Iohn seeing the glory of Christ he was struck with astonishment And when I saw him saith he Rev. i. 17. I fell at his feet as dead This Dread arises 1. Out of the disproportion 'twixt Humane frailty and Gods glory Excellens objectum destruit sensum The Sun in its strength dazles the eyes of man much more must the glory of God The Angels hide their faces We shall surely dye because we have seen God Iudg. xiii 22. 2. Secret guiltiness of frailty and corruption makes every appearance of Gods Majesty fearful Not onely wicked men as the Souldiers at the appearance of the Angel Matth. xxviii have been confounded but the holiest men do tremble and fear at Gods appearance Their hearts tell them they are Stipula in igne as Stubble ready to be consumed in this flame of glory Even our God is a consuming fire And if Saints be thus affrighted and confounded what terrour shall seize upon the wicked and damned Reprobates at his great Appearance If this comfortable Transfiguration were so dreadful to the Apostles how shall they approach near him when he shall come against them in flames of fire Oh! then shall they call to the Mountains to hide them and the Hills to cover them If glimpses of Glory be dreadful what will the ugly appearance of Hell and vengeance be Who can dwell with devouring fire Who can dwell with everlasting burnings Thus we have considered the Apostles in their weakness Secondly Let us consider them in their more attentive view and contemplation of his Glory It is a good rule Lex vigilantibus non dormientibus prodest So every manifestation of Christ it cannot affect them who shut their eyes against it Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Ephes. v. 14 The Sun may shine but they who close their eyes cannot see it Outward Revelations profit not except an inward Inspiration awaken us to behold them When they were awake 1. They saw his Glory First they sleep then they are awakened then they behold him It figures out unto us the order of our enjoying the face of God First we must all sleep the sleep of Death our Mortality cannot admit of that Vision then when we shall awaken out of that sleep we shall arise renewed strengthened and see his Majesty Now Faith represents him The eye of Faith must be clozed by Death then at our Resurrection we who sleep in the dust shall be raised and stand before him Psal. xvii 15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness 2. They saw the two men that stood with him Saw them that is knew them But how could they know those whom they never saw 1. Some Papists tell us They had seen their Pictures So Stella c. 2. May be Ex Colloquio that is the best learning of Moses and Elias 3. Rather Ex lumine
take heed ye despise not him that speaks from heaven 4. Respectively to my Successour to whom Christ should give place look for no more Hear Him This is the last time There is no other means of salvation The Law was imperfect insufficient therefore it is abolish'd but surely they wil reverence my Son His Gospel it is Evangelium aeternum Nobis non opus est curiositate post Christum nec inquisitione post Evangelium 5. Respectively to all that he shall teach His Patent it is general no man was ever so authorized but his Commission was limited Christ hath an universal Charter We must question nothing not doubt of any point of his Doctrine not in some cases but to all purposes 1. Quamvis supra rationem in mysteriis 2. Quamvis contra carnem in officiis 3. Quamvis ultra spem possibilitatem in promissionibus 4. Quamvis contra Mosen Elian in lege abroganda That 's for the Designation of the Person Him Next is Secondly the Act or Duty prescribed Hear Him 1. Hear Him Not think of gazing upon him and erecting up Tabernacles He honours Christ most not who imagines some voluntary service of his own but who hears him believes him obeys him The obedient Ear honours him Acknowledge him as my Son listen to him and believe in him this is the truest honour we can do to Christ. Peter like Martha was troubled to entertain him we must like Mary sit at his feet and Hear Him 2. Hear Him Adore him not onely as my Son believe in him not onely as your Saviour In quo complacitus sum but Hear Him as your Law-giver Christ comes with Commandments and Duties and expects our attention to them as well as to his Promises Set him up as thy Lord and Ruler and resolve to serve Iesus thy Lord. THE SEVENTH SERMON ON S. MATTH xvii 6 7 8 9. Vers. 6. And when the Disciples heard it they fell on their face and were sore afraid Vers. 7. And Iesus came and touched them and said unto them Arise be not afraid 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 c. Vers. 6. And when the Disciples heard it they fell on their face and were sore afraid THis sixth Verse sets out the Effect that this Voyce from heaven wrought in the Apostles It casts them into a Passion of Horror and Amazement In it two things 1. The Impression of this Passion They were sore afraid 2. The Irruption of it into the body They fell on their face First The Impression of this Passion They were sore afraid Of this we will take a double consideration 1. Ex parte Dei Why God stirs up in them this great amazement 2. Ex parte eorum What occasioned it in them I. Consider it in respect of God Purposely God affects them with this rather then with any other Passion for divers reasons 1. Ut altiùs imprimeret in memoriam Those lessons that are fastned into us with extraordinary fear take deepest apprehension in us stick fastest in us Those Truths are dearest to us that cost us dearest Fear and horror and temptation are the most profitable Schools to learn in As a mother loves that child most that she brought forth with the greatest pain and sorrow 2. To teach them the fittest and best way to make use of Christ. He hath now propounded him to them and to drive them to this refuge and sanctuary to make them see their great weakness and insufficiency out of him and need to shelter themselves in him he purposely affrights and terrifies them While we are at ease no fears or terrors seise on us we sit loose from Christ but if Gods Glory once fears us then we run to the horns of this Altar When men are prick'd in their consciences then they cry out What shall we do to be saved So the Jaylor Before conversion Love is too weak an attractive to our servile nature Fear works more powerfully Lot must be affrighted out of Sodom and constrained to fly for his life The pursuing of the avenger of bloud must make the man-slayer to fly to the city of Refuge Some save with fear pulling them out of the fire Iude vers 23. 3. This fear at the voyce of God was sent upon them to enforce them to this particular duty to hear Christ. The voyce of God out of Christ is terrible but Christs voyce it is a comforting voyce It is the gracious goodness of God and a merciful respect to our infirmity not to speak to us from heaven by his own glorious voyce that would amaze us but to speak to us more humano Christ Incarnate and so men of our quality and condition are the most fit means to speak to us Deut. v. 26. the people desire that Moses may speak unto them in Gods name Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and do it So the Apostle Heb. xii 19. They that heard the voyce of God intreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more vers 20. For they could not endure it Nay Moses himself did exceedingly fear and quake vers 21. Yet how perverse are we Oh we think if God from heaven would speak unto us we would believe Alas How unable are we to bear it If men speak we fleight it Is not Iesus one of us His brethren and sisters are they not all with us Matth. xiii 56. If he speak himself then he is too terrible if by men then too contemptible They are offended at him 4. They are cast into this great dejection and fear to humble them lest the glory of these heavenly Visions should too much puff them up Naturally we wax proud upon any extraordinary favour As Haman being alone called to the Banquet with the King how proud was he upon it The Lord to keep down our spiritual pride after high favours usually exercises us with low abasements Thus Paul lest he should be lifted up with those Revelations he was buffetted by Satan To this purpose 1. Sometimes God humbles us before he pleases to reveal himself to us Thus Abraham was cast into a great horror before God appeared to him So Esay Ezekiel Daniel So Paul before he was called to be an Apostle he was cast down to the earth Humility is the fittest preparation to receive any favour or Revelation from God It makes us sensible 1. Of our weakness that it is not our strength that attains to these Revelations 2. Of our unworthiness To me who am less then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. iii. 8. 2. Sometimes after God hath vouchsafed us some extraordinary favour then he abases us and casts
's store up then and provide against it lay up against a dear year fence out Gods Judgments when they shall besiege us keep them out from entring upon us These and such as these are the thoughts of carnal men Ey but this Scripture offers more grace The piety of the Prophet hath other apprehensions of Judgments and farr other resolutions for the undergoing of them And this Piety in the Prophet appears in two degrees that make it more remarkable 1. Here is the low degree of the affliction he takes it at the worst he supposeth himself not onely in some necessity but in extremity in want of all outward things He saith not Onely if I have food and raiment though but hard fare and coarse clothing it shall suffice He submits not onely to Agur's portion Neither riches nor poverty but food convenient to sustain nature He stops not at Micaiah's diet Bread of affliction and water of affliction No he knows how to undergo the loss of all things Let poverty come upon him as an armed man and spoil him of all yet his heart will hold up he is not dismayed Ey here is Piety in the strength and highest improvement That will not capitulate with God how much it will suffer and no more but will resolve to bear the heaviest burthen submit to the sharpest affliction and undergo it holily 2. The Prophets Piety is seen in another degree that 's the high degree of affection with which he will entertain this great affliction 1. He makes not onely use of his patience he will suffer patiently and meekly he will not murmure at it 2. He resolves not onely to be content with it and well pleased with this condition that 's a degree higher Patience suffers it but Contentment feels it not Contentment is an Autarchie it feels no want But the Prophet rises higher 3. He knows how to rejoyce in affliction Joy that 's the affection that belongs to happiness and felicity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. In the day of prosperity rejoyce but in the day of adversity consider saith Solomon Eccles. vii 14. Sad thoughts one would think are then seasonable No here the Prophet can rejoyce in the day of adversity Nay more as S. Paul exhorts Rejoyce in the Lord always again I say rejoyce Phil. iv 4. So here this Feast of Joy hath two Courses 1. I will rejoyce in the Lord. 2. I will joy in the God of my salvation TWO SERMONS PREACHED UPON EASTER-DAY ON EASTER-DAY The First Sermon JOB xix 25 26 27. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me THis Text is a Prophesie and Prediction of our Saviour Christs glorious Resurrection the great benefit and mysterie of our Religion which the Christian Church doth this day celebrate A Sacred Truth requiring not onely the Assent but the Devotion and Adoration of our Faith The work of this day layes the greatest proofs of Christs God-head and Divinity He was declared to be the Son of God by the Resurrection from the dead Rom. i. 4. And when God was to bring his Son back from the grave this and the like Prophesies as Ushers attended him and proclaimed before him as Pharaoh before Ioseph Abrech Bow the knee Let all the Angels of God worship him Let every knee bow before him Let every tongue confess him Let every soul receive and embrace him 'T is true the incredulous unbelieving Jews labour to obscure and deface this and all other Prophesies of Christs Resurrection and by a mis-construction to draw it away to another sense They answer all these Prophesies as Esay complains of them chap. xxx 10. They say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things but prophesie to us deceit The Jews they pervert the Text and some other Expositours mistake it and draw down the height and mysterie of this speech to an inferiour sense But generally the most Ancient and most Orthodox Interpreters do fasten their Meditations upon this Text as a clear and undoubted prediction of our Saviours Resurrection And this sense we embrace and so apprehend the words as a Prophetical prediction and faithful confession of our Saviours victory and triumph over the power of death And it is of good use to look back to these Prophesies even after their fulfilling As the Angel spake this day to the women at the Sepulchre Come see the place where the Lord was laid The emptiness of the grave proved that he was risen So even after Christ is risen it is of use to our faith to review these Prophesies Come see the place that foretold his rising again the fulfilling of these Texts will greatly confirm our faith of his Resurrection As in your purchases and possessions though you be already seized and stated in them yet ye desire to get in all former Conveyances to strengthen your tenure So though you be possess'd of this dayes benefit yet these Prophesies are as our fore-fathers records we claim these Testimonies as our Inheritance our Faith holds by them To reflect upon these Prophesies will confirm our belief in all other Truths as yet to be fulfilled Impleta credimus impleri videmus implenda confidimus saith S. Augustine It will put Davids Song into our mouths As we have heard so have we seen Heard it foretold Seen it fulfill'd We may sing with the Psalmist All the wayes of the Lord are Mercy and Truth Mercy in Promising Truth in Performing We may confess with Solomon Blessed be the Lord who spake it with his mouth and hath with his hand fulfilled it We may open our Text as Christ did This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears our Faith may safely set to its Seal That God is true For the words themselves they report unto us a memorable remarkable Prophesie of the Resurrection of a double Resurrection 1. Here Iob fore-sees and fore-tells the Resurrection of Christ. He tells us That Christ who by his Death Redeem'd him hath again obtain'd an endless Life That after his fall by Death he is recovered and got up again stands and shall stand last upon the earth 2. He Prophesies of his own resurrection That though he were now in a dying condition death had already seiz'd upon him yet he knew there was hope in his death that he should be raised from the grave of corruption to an everliving and blessed state and condition Now surely this is a Text of Scripture worthy of all acceptation much to be set by both for the clearness and evidence of it and also for the date it bears and print of Antiquity 1. 'T is a clear Prophesie there is not a fuller more express description of the Resurrection in all
change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. iii. 21. Neither Lazarus nor the rest in Scripture are exact patterns of our resurrection They rose to dye again they were rather bayl'd and repriev'd from the grave for a time not fully discharged Lazarus rose with his grave-cloaths on him still cloath'd with mortality Christ left the grave-cloaths behind him he is the example of our resurrection An example is not a casual resemblance but that which hath a similitude drawn from it by an intended imitation So onely Christs Resurrection is the example of ours Hence S. Paul saith We are planted into the similitude of his Resurrection Rom. vi Christs Resurrection hath an assimilative virtue draws our resurrection into the similitude of it self As the Prophet Elijah applyed every member of his living body to those of the dead child and so recovered him 'T is Exemplum Resurrectionis 3. Christs Resurrection 't is a good ground of ours 't is Principium effectivum nostrae Resurrectionis Vivo ego vos vivetis there is the derivation of our living again Iohn xiv 19. The Jews fondly say that there is something in Spina dorsi that doth not putrefie in our dead bodies and that is the cause of our resurrection No 't is not Robur dorsi but Virtus Capitis the influence of our Head Christ that shall convey life to us We are to look upon Christs resurrection as the fountain and original of ours He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Basil. Christ did not rise as a private person for himself but as a publick principle of all our resurrections Hence he calls himself The Resurrection and the Life S. Paul calls him Primitias dormientium The First-fruits dedicate the whole Crop so our resurrection 't is dedicated by Christ. Tertullian calls our resurrections Appendices resurrectionis Dominicae It was represented as on this day When he rose the graves of many Saints were open'd and they rose with him As at Kings Coronations when they receive the Crown they enlarge prisoners dispense honours advance their favourites Non tam Christusin carne nostra quâm caro nostra in Christo. As Ioseph's advancement was the advancement and safety of all the Hebrews and all the Jews were honour'd in the preferment of Hester so all the body of the Church was raised in Christ. Indeed he entred the grave as our Surety and lay under the arrest of death for our debt that being discharged he hath effected not so much his own as our enlargement That 's the second Fundatio Resurrectionis 3. Here in this Profession of Iob's is Realitas Resurrectionis his Faith believes and expects a true real substantial bodily resurrection Nay here is not onely a reality but an identity he shall have a body and the very same body 1. He expects a true real body Not as some Hereticks that turn'd this high mysterie into a moral Allegory Why the soul by sinning neither dyes nor sleeps but is immortal not capable of a resurrection Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they rise saith the Prophet Esay Chap. xvi 19. 2. And as there is a reality so here is likewise a perfect identity we shall receive the same bodies not new bodies created for us In my flesh shall I see God these eyes shall behold him 1. Else it were not a resurrection Quod cecidit hoc resurgat quod mortuum est reviviscat saith the Father And 2. Justice and Equity would have it so The body is partaker in sin as well as the soul. Famula in culpa must be Socia in poena saith Salvian If the Master mourns the Servant that attends him follows him in black If the soul the principal in sin if that suffers the body that 's accessory must share in the punishment 3. The grand pattern and Example of our resurrection confirms it Christ rose not onely with a true body Feel me a spirit hath not flesh and bones but with the same body Cicatrices Corporis were Indices Resurrectionis 4. Mercy delights to have it so It will pour forth a redundant reward upon soul and body God will not forget the labour of love that the body hath undertaken That flesh which thou hast chastised and mortified those hands that have been lifted up in prayer reach'd out to the poor employed in good works those eyes that have shed tears of repentance He shall wipe tears from those eyes Utique iisdem oculis qui flebant quique adhuc flerent nisi indulgentia Divina siccaret Nay not an hair of our heads shall perish Si sic custodiuntur superflua tua in quanta securitate est Caro tua S. Augustine This flesh this body shall be raised and glorified We have seen the first thing observable the several Truths profess'd and acknowledged by Iob in this faith of the resurrection Now follows Secondly Pietas fidei the Motions and Evidences of Piety his faith expresses 1. Here is Fortitudo fidei here appears the great strength of his faith that foresees and forecasts all the future difficulties and hindrances of his expectation and overcomes them all and is resolute against them He considers death and the consequences of death rotttenness and corruption Can a body when it is wasted and consumed in the Grave ever rise again Yes yes saith Iob Nothing is impossible to an omnipotent God I know whom I have trusted and he is able to effect it A weak Faith is glad to look off from these difficulties and shrinks back at them As Martha considering Lazarus was four days dead and began to putrefie her faith began to fail her it was too late now to remove the Grave-stone But Faith in its strength considers all these urges these impossibilities 〈◊〉 and yet overcomes them As Elijah in his dispute with Baals Priests took all the disadvantages to himself Pour on water and again Pour on more water Faith shall fetch fire from Heaven to enflame the Sacrifice so saith Iob Let me die and not and putrefie in the Grave nay let the fire burn my body or the Sea swallow it or wilde Beasts devour it yet it shall be restored to me Death shall be praedae suae oustos like the Lion that kill'd the Prophet and then stood by his body and did not consume it Iob's faith laughs at impossibilities is asham'd to talk of difficulties with Abraham considers not his own dead body but believes above and against hope knew God would restore it 2. A second print of Piety is Alacritas fidei the great alacrity and cheerfulness of his faith against present discouragements See how cheerfully he views the horrid face of death now seizing upon him looks upon his ulcerous body the skin consumed and eaten with Worms Tertullian saith he play'd with the Worms he surveys all the ghastly appearances and approaches of death confidently comfortably through this faith of the Resurrection This blessed assurance
makes him look Death in the face undauntedly Alass we how doth any appearance of death affright us If we see but another man die the cold sweat and the pale face and the pangs of death upon him how doth it dismay us Iob finds all these in himself and speaks comfortably of them 'T is S. Augustin's pious counsel Si times mortem ama resurrectionem If thou beest afraid of death acquaint thy self with the hope of the resurrection If a man go to prison and be able to say I know I shall be bayled I have one who will quit my debt and enlarge me such an one fears not the Prison Let death arrest us Christ shall enlarge us We are prisoners of hope Zech. ix How cheerfully did Iacob take his journey when God spake to him Gen. xlvi Fear not to go down into Egypt I will go down with thee and I will surely bring thee up again This hope made Iob not onely not to fear death but even to desire it Chap. xiv Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave then he asks this question If a man die shall he live again Yes saith he Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That 's the second Alacritas fidei 3. There is yet another print of Piety Sancta expectatio Fidei What is the thing his Faith longs for at the resurrection It is the seeing of his Saviour the beholding of God the enjoying of his Redeemer In my flesh shall I see God and mine eyes shall behold him 'T is that that makes the resurrection comfortable not that we shall live ever but be ever with the Lord. It was small joy for Absalom to dwell at Ierusalem and not be admitted to see the Kings face 2 Sam. xiv Heaven is not Heaven but a place of confinement without this glorious and blessed Vision Though Moses and Elias vanish on Mount Tabor yet to see Christ in glory is abundant happiness Do occidere heliace the glory of the Sun swallows up the glory of the lesser Stars Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom do I desire in comparison of thee Psal. lxxiii The good women at the Sepulchre this Day saw a Vision of Angels but that contented them not till Christ himself appeared Iob knew he should enjoy the society of Saints and Angels sit down and feast it with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but here is the height of his happiness I shall see my Saviour Heaven as it is Coenaculum sponsi the Guest-chamber for the supper of the Lamb 't is a place of comfort but as it is Thaelamus sponsi the Bride-chamber of the Lamb where the Spouse enjoys him whom her soul loves it is the place of blessedness Thirdly the last thing remains that 's Beneficium fidei the use and benefit Iob makes to himself of this Meditation And the benefit is threefold suitable and seasonable to a threefold condition in which Iob now was 1. Iob was overlaid and opprest with affliction Suitable to this condition this Meditation affords Vim sustentaetivam it supports his spirits amidst all his afflictions Here is the patience of the Saints mockings and scourgings and bonds and imprisonments they endured them all because they expected a better resurrection Heb. xi That blessed day will make amends for all It was this hope that sustained S. Paul kept him from fainting 2 Cor. iv Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also with Iesus and for this cause we faint not Thus also he comforts and cheers up other Christians If in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable But there is a Resurrection after this life we have hope in Christ and therefore of all men most happy This assurance will stand by us when all things else fail It was Esau's confession Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right do to me But to be Filius resurrectionis that Birth-right will relieve us at our last agony and support us comfortably Iob felt the good of this Meditation and he insists upon it Here is Masticatio fidei he chews it in his mouth and sucks out the sweetness of it 2. You may see Iob in another condition transported with passion and suitable to that this Meditation it had Vim quietativam a great virtue he found in it to settle and compose him In the Verses going before his spirit is stirred within him he is full of complainings and murmurings and quarrellings with God and expostulations See how he rebukes and allays these storms and tempests with this Meditation O my soul keep silence unto God for of him comes my salvation Thus David stills discontents Why art thou so troubled O my soul Why art thou so disquieted within me I shall yet praise him The day shall come that I shall see his countenance and for ever enjoy him Mortale mori is one ground of settlement against these perplexities and Iob makes use of it Chap. xiv but Mortuum reviviscere is satisfaction with advantage that will calm and quiet all his complainings 3. Lastly behold Iob in another condition he is charged by his friends with the sin of hypocrisie and then this Meditation it hath Vim apologeticam 't is his defence and apologie against that accusation Against all their surmises and suspicions of his integrity this he opposes for his justification It is God that justifies me who are ye that condemn me 'T is Christ that is dead and now risen again he shall judge and acquit me O! hypocrisie shrinks at the thought of death trembles to hear of a resurrection These painted Sepulchres till then make a goodly shew they are the beautifullest parts that are in the Church but when the Vault shall be open'd and all secrets disclosed nothing will appear then but horrour and confusion rottenness and corruption But truth and integrity appeals unto that great Trial knows that the Name that 's written in Heaven shall one day be cleared from slanders on earth My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high That 's the great avowment of Iobs truth and integrity till then it matters not much what the world says of us Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi there lies an appeal of all mens censures to that days trial before the great Tribunal A joyfull appearance before which He grant unto us who as this Day overcame death for us and opened unto us the Gate of eternal life even Jesus that hath delivered us from the wrath to come To whom with the Father c. ON EASTER-DAY The Second Sermon ROM viii 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you IN this Context and passage
gives over till it hath placed us in Glory 1. Here is the fat Calf kill'd for us the holy Lamb of God redeeming us from condemnation 2. Here is the Ring put upon our finger the Seal and Pledge of his Spirit and 3. Here is the choyce Robe of Glory and Immortality that we are invested with 'T is a Connexion II. It hath the use and force of an Illation But if He deduces and proves our Resurrection out of former antecedent principles and priviledges The raising and glorifying of our bodies 't is an appendix and deduction from some other things Our Resurrection is not so much a principle as a conclusion of Faith and it must be inferred not by an Enthymeme but by a Sorites it hangs not upon one principle but upon many Not conclude Praescivit ergo glorificavit but He hath redeemed he hath called he hath mortified and sanctified therefore he will raise us and at last glorifie us These assurances are not immediate and clear in themselves but are contained in their causes We must not presently affirm I shall be saved my body shall be raised but it must be lawfully concluded out of warrantable grounds If I be justified If I be sanctified If the Spirit of God dwell in me make sure of these these are Evidences and Arguments and Pledges of our Resurrection That 's the second it hath the force of an Illation III. It hath the force of a Caution and necessary Proviso And so it makes our Resurrection conditional But how can that be 1. Our Resurrection 't is absolute and necessary ex exigentia Iustitiâ—… 't is appointed for all men to come to Iudgment Heb. ix The Resurrection shall bring the prisoners from the Jayl to the Bar. True and yet it is conditional That there shall be a Resurrection 't is grounded on Gods Justice but the resurrection to Life that 's capable of a limitation and condition If I may attain to the resurrection of the dead saith S. Paul Phil. iii. 11. That there shall be an Assizes and Jayl-delivery is settled by Law but how the prisoners shall speed whether pardon'd or condemned there is hazard in that On Pharaâ—…h's Birth-day both Butler and Baker shall come out of Prison but whether to Advancement or Execution is not so certain But then 2. This resurrection to Life hath a certainty in it Gods purpose hath determin'd it Christs merits have purchased it True and yet it is conditional Not any promise or mercy on Gods part but supposes and requires conditions on ours We cannot immediately from Gods purpose or Christs merits leap into heaven but there are pre-requisite conditions and subordinate means for our actual fruition I strive if by any means I may attain to the Resurrection Phil. iii. The ladder to heaven hath many staffs and steps and degrees many Iffs and Conditions to be observed 3. Our Resurrection 't is Articulus Fidei a fundamental Article of our Faith and yet limited with an If. Though in it self never so infallible yet a personal and comfortable apprehension for our selves depends on Condition Let our Resurrection be never so certain in it self yet extra studium Sanctitatis 't is not certain to us Without Holiness no man shall see God Heb. xii He that hath this Hope purifies himself as he is pure 1 Ioh. iii. So then for conceiving of this condition we will take of it a double Consideration 1. Let us consider it in the several Particulars 2. Then in the Summary drift and purpose of it I. Take it asunder into Particulars If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you Here we have a description of the Holy-Ghost by a three-fold Reference 1. In reference to God the Father so he is called The Spirit of Him that is of God the Father The Holy-Ghost is the Spirit of the Father 2. The Holy-Ghost is described with reference to Christ as it was the Spirit of the Father raising Christ from the dead 3. He is described in reference to us by a gracious habitude and relation to us he is said to dwell in us 1. Here is a blessed relation he is the Spirit of the Father 2. Here is a glorious operation He raised up Iesus from the dead 3. Here is a gracious Possession He dwelleth in us 1 rst Look upon the first Reference the Holy Ghost is here called The Spirit of the Father These relations in the sacred Trinity are incomprehensible He dwells in the thick darkness Sanctius reverentius haec creduntur quà m discutiuntur 'T is safer to meditate on the gracious relations of God to us then of those mysterious relations within himself The light in the air is easier seen then the body of the Sun Briefly therefore the Holy Ghost is both the Spirit of the Father and of the Son proceeds alike from both of them The denial of this truth by the Greek Church caused that great Schism 'twixt the Eastern and Western Churches and if we will believe Bellarmine this errour was remarkably punished by God the City of Constantinople being on the Feast-day dedicated to the Holy Ghost sackt and overthrown However the Christian faith acknowledges the Holy Ghost to be the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son Sometimes he is called the Spirit of the Father Iohn xv 26. He is called the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father Luke xxiv 19. The same Spirit is called The promise of the Father Both in procession and in mission his being and his sending come both from the Father Again sometimes he is called and that in truth and propriety of speech the Spirit of the Son Rom. viii 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Gal. iv 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts As the Spirit is the promise of the Father so likewise he is the promise of the Son Iohn xvi He promised to send them the Holy Ghost the Comforter This procession from the Son was sweetly and aptly represented by that outward Sign and Ceremony which Christ used in giving the Holy Ghost Iohn xx 22. He breathed on them and said unto them Receive the Holy Ghost Spiratio 't is ab intra it shewed the Spirit proceeded from him The Apostles they gave the Holy Ghost but not spirando it proceeded not from them Christ gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Basil speaks he by authority they ministerially S. Paul expresses it Gal. iii. 5. They ministered to them the Spirit The Holy Ghost then being the Spirit of the Son as well as of the Father why then is he here called the Spirit of the Father 1. Quia pater fons Deitatis the Father is the fountain and original of the Deity and doth communicate it both to the Son and to the Spirit Hence Divines compare the Father to the Fountain from whence the
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
they do not fill with any good nourishment Therefore the Apostle places all in love If any man think that he knows any thing he knows nothing yet as he ought to know but if any man loves God the same is known of him 1 Cor. viii 2 3. That 's worth something And as it is doing not knowing onely so it must be Amor operans not loquens tantum not a love that will vanish into a verbal Profession Such there are of whom S. Iohn speaks He that saith he loves God 't is love and lip-labour both of one value 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Thou sayst thou lovest God shew me thy love by thy works of love otherwise God rejects it Isai. xxix 13. This people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart far from me Ye know Dalilahs expostulation with Sampson How canst thou say that thou lovest me and wilt not do this for me that I require No Gods law 't is Objectum practicum 't is the matter not of our knowing or speaking onely but of our doing and practising Religion 't is a practical art serves not to make us the wiser onely but the better also 'T is an holy art of Living well and not of knowing and speaking onely I have lifted up my hands to thy Commandements which I have loved Psal. cxix 48. lifted up his hands not his eyes only saith David and again Verse 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet not to mine eyes onely to gaze and look on it 2. Herein is love that we keep his Commandements It puts another qualification on our love 't is amor reverentialis not a love of equality but a love of subjection and inferiority such a love as the Inferiour bears to his Superiour that hath a power to command him such a love as the Israelites Servant professes to his Master I love my Master and will not leave his service When we hear of loving God we dream of equality and familiarity Oh! God is our friend Christ is our brother we have fellowship with them both and so we think we may carry our selves fellow-like towards them No the Text tells us He is still our Commander and our love we bear to him must be a love joyned with reverence the love of a Son to his Father the love of a Servant to his Master the love of a Subject to his Soveraign lowly and submissive such as is the love of an inferiour to him that is farr above him and superiour to him 3. Herein is love that we keep his Commandements This shews that our love to God must be Amor regulatus a love regulated and restrained to what God commands us The onely matter of religious love and service to God is what he hath required and commanded us to do Id utique Deo dignum quod ipse Deus sibi fatetur acceptum that is onely accepted which God hath prescribed Ye are my friends saith Christ if ye do what I command you Ioh. xv 14. In this case our own inventions are but presumptions and superstitions Hence it is that Love is call'd The Royal Law because God hath appointed in what things we must shew our love to him I told you the love we owe to God 't is not a love of equals but of inferiours and so must be submissive and guided by his will not by our own Indeed for the forwardness and chearfulness of our love so it must be voluntary Nothing is so free as Love Non tantum servire Deo meo debes sed adulari Tertul. But yet for the expressions and performances of it he hath strictly bounded it within the compass of his Commandments Saul thought he had shewed great love in reserving the fat Cattel for Sacrifice But what said Samuel Hath the Lord such pleasure in Sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requires at thine hands Offer to him not thine Inventions but his own Prescriptions 4. Herein is love that we keep his Commandements This shews our love to God must be Amor extensus universalis our love to God must be intire and universal of as large extent as all Gods Commandments As before ye heard of a Restriction so here we meet with an Extension Love must be the fulfilling of the Law Rom. xiii We must not be partial in the Law of God as Malachi speaks Quod propter Deum fit aequaliter fit The love of God looks at every Commandment and makes conscience of it Thus David professes the intireness of his obedience I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right The least Commandment carries a divine authority with it A good Christian sues not to God 〈◊〉 Naaman to Elisha for a dispensation In this the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servant this sin I must live in this Commandment 〈◊〉 make bold with What saith S. Iames He that offends in 〈◊〉 is guilty of all Not that the same degree and measure of love and obedience is required in all there is a difference and disproportion There are some Commandements more essential to piety and substantial some but accessory and circumstantial some are the main parts and duties of Religion others but Appurtenances Now where God layes most weight there we must expect most care The love of God 't is called The great Commandment Matth. xxii It must be preferred before the love of any creature But yet the love of God in a due proportion extends it self to every duty it will make us shun every sin 1. The smallest sins This love will keep us not onely from outragious impieties but from smaller transgressions As true love to our friend will with-hold us not onely from doing him a mischief but from doing of him the least displeasure 2. It will make us avoid even secret sins not onely such sins as may dishonour God by a publick scandal but love will not offend the eyes of his Holiness when he sees in secret 3. Love to God will make us avoid our dearest sins most delightful most profitable it will not onely sindg off hairs but cut off our hand That 's the second Particular Proceed we now Thirdly To the last Particular in the Text What is the disposition and inclination that he which loves God finds in himself to Gods Commandments He snuffs not at them as heavy and burthensome impositions accounts not the law of God as an heavy yoke His Commandments are not grievous Indeed in some respects 't is most true Gods Commandments are exceeding heavy There is in them not onely magnum pondus they are weighty and ponderous but they are also magnum onuâ—… heavy and burthensome See the truth of this in three Particulars 1. Take the Law of God at its full height and pitch of perfection so it hath a great difficulty in it yea in a manner an impossibility in it to