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
the Mercy-Seat looking back upon the Ark and Mercy-Seat and they still desire it They cannot fully comprehend and 't is a ravishing sight to them Strange How dull are we Preach we of Christ made Man 't is milk for babes rudiments for children whereas Angels count it hidden Manna That 's the second it is Magnum Mysterium a great mysterie Now follows III. The quality and condition of this mysterie 't is a mysterie of godliness A short but yet full comprehension of Christian Religion 'T is the Art and mysterie of Godliness And this truth branches it self into two particulars 1. Piety and Godliness it is a mysterie 2. The piety of Religion and the mysterie of Religion must be joyned together We must possess our selves not onely with the mysterie of Religion but also with the piety 1. Piety it is a mysterie and therefore 1. The art of Godliness the skill to live holily it is an high hidden supernatural thing a skill far beyond the reach and possibility of nature 'T is no endowment of nature it is hidden and conceal'd to natural knowledge By nature we are utterly void of this gracious endowment Pharaoh's speech is the voyce of nature Exod. v. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey him I know not the Lord. Thus S. Paul describes our natural condition We are alienated from the life of God Eph. iv 18. without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes. ii 12. This David describes Psal. xiv 2 3 4. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy and call not upon the Lord. We naturally know There is a God there is no man born an Atheist we have some sense of a Deity but we are all born prophane and irreligious without any sense of piety utterly ignorant how to worship and serve him in true holiness That knowledge of God which by nature we have it always breaks out into one of these two Extremes either 1. Into prophanation and so we never worship him or 2. Into superstition and so we misplace his worship in things abominable to him When we know God we worship him not as God Rom. i. His worship depends upon his own will and revelation We know not with what we must serve the Lord till we come thither Exod. x. 26. 2 Kings xvii 26. They know not the manner of the God of this land Holiness it is no invention of nature but a revelation of grace Nature may lead us to civility train us up to morality but spiritual piety and godliness is beyond the reach of nature This wisdom is from above Iam. iii. 17. Hast thou nothing but what thou broughtest with thee into the world thou art utterly destitute of the life of godliness Piety it is a mysterie it is a Secret to nature It gives us a reason why godliness is so scarce so few are acquainted with it That that is natural is usual and common but this is supernatural beyond the reach of nature It is more admirable that any are holy then that all are not Most men live short of the light of nature wonder not that so few are advanced beyond nature to the state of grace Piety is a mysterie therefore 2. To natural men it is and seems to be a reasonless uncouth unlikely thing a meer paradox Tell a vulgar unlearned man of the mysteries of any Art or Science he thinks you speak non-sense he can see nothing in them they seem unreasonable As many mysteries as you acquaint him with so many absurdities he laughs at them 'T is so with all the mysteries of godliness Propound them to a carnal man he will laugh at them perswade him to them he rejects them enforce them upon him he repels them 'T is that which S. Paul observes Our Gospel is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. iv 3. A natural man judges these spiritual truths stark foolishness 1 Cor. ii 14. Therefore the mysteries of the Gospel are called the foolishness of God 1 Cor. i. 25. God hath wrapt them all up in the vail of such mystical obscurity that at first sight they appear odd and unlikely to a carnal man As the Ark though it were within all of pure gold yet the coverings were plain and coorse of hair and goats-skins no outward beauty to be seen Thus Christ the great mysterie is God vail'd up in weak flesh How can this man save us The meanness of his outside scandalized the Jews Is not this the Carpenter They were offended at him Mark vi 3. And Christ knew it how easily men would stumble at the unlikeliness of this mysterie that he pronounceth him blessed that shall not be offended in him Matth. xi 6. Esay liii This is the reason the Prophet gives why so few believe in Christ vers 1. Who hath believed our report He is as a root vers 2. in a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Yea the Doctrine of godliness how absurd seems it to natural reason Regeneration to be born again become a new man Nicodemus cannot conceive it Iohn iii. To be nourish'd to life by Christ's flesh How can this man give us his flesh 'T is an hard saying Joh. vi Self-denial and mortification to be crucified to the world to cross our own wils and wrastle with our selves and to beat down our own bodies a mysterie of piety a folly to nature To hate father mother life it self for Religion-sake how unreasonable Not to live by sense or reason but by faith nature abhorrs it To love our enemies to rejoyce in afflictions to know how to be in want poverty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Paul Phil. iv 12. 'T is more blessed to give then to receive to part with all in hope of gain at the resurrection in another world and above all to look for salvation in a crucified Saviour haec sunt stulta Dei sed decus fidei these are the mysteries of our piety the follies and paradoxes of natural reason No saith the Psalmist The King's daughter is all glorious within Psal. xlv All the glory of Piety and the Church 't is spiritual and heavenly Worldly wisdom that 's in worldly beauty As the Church of the wicked One is glorious with earthly beauty a Crown of gold a purple Robe beset with Precious Stones all earthly ornaments so the Spouse of Christ she is Beautiful but all Heavenly Cloath'd with the Sun Crown'd with the Stars Treading on the Moon all Heavenly and Mystical Piety it is a mysterie high and hidden therefore 3. The attaining of this heavenly Skill and Art of holiness is a matter of much difficulty it requires much search and study much learning
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
they are the pledge of our faith we leave in Gods hand Thus David puts his life into Gods hand My time is in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me Psal. xxxi 15. So our Saviour Father into thy hands I commend my spirit 3. Ob specialitatem modi It is strange being in the fear of death he begs death he flies for his life and yet he flies from it desires to die to escape death True but this suit of his is for the special manner of his death and dissolution 1. Ut non violenta sed placida morte He desires to escape Iezabel's cruelty begs of God to dispose of him to a peaceable death and dissolution Deliver my darling from the power of the Dog Psal. xxii 20. An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is inter beneficia a favour and a blessing to be asked and sought for 'T was granted to Iosiah to die in peace so to Hezekiah Iob accounts it a blessing to die in his nest Iob xxix 18. David desires to fall into the hands of God rather then into the hands of men Blesse God that we can close our brethrens eyes in peace that they are gathered into the barn like ripe Corn by the Sickle of death not by the Sword of an enemie 2. Ut honesta non probrosa morte Take thou my life away let not Iezabel have her will on me 'T is an honest and honourable wish Decorè cadere as Saul That the Philistines mock me not 1 Sam. xxxi 4. Not to have the death of a Dog or the burial of an Ass. 'T is that which the Church bewails Psal. lxxix 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth Those two Witnesses in the Revelations whom spiritual Iezabel slays she suffers their dead bodies to lie unburied in the streets of that great City 3. Ut non in Deum contumeliosa morte sed honorifica moriatur that he might die such a death as God be not dishonoured by it It was the trial of Baals deity that he could not rescue his Priests from destruction Iezabel hath sworn by her false Gods that Elijah shall suffer See now it stands God upon in point of honour to rescue Elias and Elias begs such a death as might not make Iezabel blaspheme and insult over God 'T is the desire of Gods children to die for the greatest advantage of Gods glory That God might be magnified in their bodies by life or death Thus it is said of Christs prediction of Saint Peters death by what manner of death he should glorifie God Is martyrdom the way of glorfying God The Saints run to it Ey but it will make the enemies of God insult the more Elias prayes against it Athanasius fled from it They desire to die for the greatest purpose that their deaths may be precious and rich So much for the first Elias his willingness to die Now follow Secondly The two Meditations that work him to this willingness To speak of one of them onely and that 's an holy satiety Satis est It is enough Take it in these four Expressions 1. Satis vitae meae It is enough Lord I have lived long enough The Saints of God can set a full period they can stint their desires of longer life They wish not an eternity here A worldly man Oh he could part with another life might this life last always No 't is Gods blessing to his children they are satisfied with length of days Psal. xcii 16. 2. Satis mundo They have enough of the world too The comforts of this life the pleasures profits preferments they can stop and stay at them too refusing with Barzillai the offers of preferment How shamefull is it for old men to thirst after riches and honours like the two Tribes content to stay on this side Jordan for the goodness of the Countrey 3. Satis officio He hath finished and fulfilled his course that makes him willing to die he hath accomplished his Ministerie Happy they whose work is done before their day be done The ability of giving a good account of our service is the powerfullest encouragement to be willing to die Thus S. Chrysostom observes in compare of these two places S. Pauls escapal out of Damascus and his readiness to die at Ierusalem Then he had done no service so he was loth to die now Paul the Aged had finished his course then he is ready for bonds and death So Christ till his work was finished hid himself after he offered himself to them 4. Satis miraculosae providentiae 'T is enough for that too He hath been mightily and miraculously preserved and delivered hitherto he will not thrust himself upon more miraculous ways 'T is enough Lord now end my life Non vult oneri esse misericordiae divinae he will not be burthensome to the mercy of God The Apostles were sparing of miracles for their own selves wrought none in their own hehalf they valued not life at the rate of a miracle accounted themselves less then an ordinary mercy For this Christian Brother of ours whose blessed death and departure we are now met together not so much to lament and bewail as to celebrate and honour much very much may be spoken of him to the glory of Gods rich grace in him and the enbalming of his name with a precious memory But the applause and welcome that the Saints and Angels give to him in heaven and those blessed Euge's that the Authour and finisher of his faith hath received him with are the true and full commendation that his soul rests in Onely in a few words Know that the death of this good man as it is in Gods eyes so in ours it must be honourable and precious And because Bernard's Rule is true Preciosa mors Sanctorum quam commendat vita pretiosa You all witness with me who have lived with him that his carriage hath been such as becomes a man professing the fear of God What his life was from his minority most of you know better then my self Onely I have had always the report of it to be upright and unblameable I found him at my coming the chief credit and improvement of the worthy pains of my reverend Predecessor at whose feet he a long time sate as a good proficient And since my being here I have remarkably taken notice of him as a great encouragement of mine unworthy labours His piety and course of godliness hath witness of all men and of the Truth it self Which was 1. Timely and not put off with delays He often blessed God that called him so timely not suffering him to linger till the evil day That had not been so comfortable 2. It was observable to his own heart It was not wrought secretly but as he imparted to me Piety found him averse and it was not without some enforcement used that he was drawn to that Sermon which gave the first successfull knock at his heart 3. It was constant witness his diligence and timely forwardness to repair to the House of God his attention reverence devotion there observed by others who preached occasionally 4. It was judicious not groundless but intelligent able he was to give a reason of his Faith He was exercised in the study of the Scriptures and grounds of Religion able to speak understandingly 5. It was substantial not languishing away in circumstances and trifles He professed in his sickness that the disputes about In-conformity were of no use for piety and that the power of Religion was not in them 6. It was diffusive 1. Into all his life 2. Into his family and children 3. Into his friends and familiars 4. In an unquestion'd honesty to all men 7. It was solid and strong bearing him up in this long tedious and oft-times very sharp and violent sickness 1. The apprehensions of his faith were constantly quick and comfortable he felt not the least nibling of Satan 2. His patience was admirable and heroical 3. His charity in spending himself in fruitful conferences and perswasions to those about him was great and bountiful 8. It was crowned with Perseverance which God did not onely secretly bestow upon him but with feeling and assurance he triumphed in it One of his last speeches was Sathan may as well pluck God out of Heaven as pluck my soul out of his keeping FINIS Errata PAge 31. line 15. read pactional p. 75. l. 36. r. 1 p. 132. l. 2. r. any p. 165. l. 16. r. negativè p. 188. l. 3. r. not p. 190. l. 34. r. loads p. 203. l. 25. r. she p. 204. l. 5. r. us p. â—…06 l. 21. r. Jerem. p. 243 l. 23. r. Hear p. 245. l 27. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 289. l. 45. r. Author p. 301. l. 41. r. of p. 303. l. 44. r. Bona. p. 328. l 33. r. the. l. 38. r. heart p. 330. l. 6. r. sacrifice p. 351. l. 28. r. Accent p. 353. l. 33. r. loaves p. 377. l 15. r. twiâ—…s l. 16. r. upbraids p. 393. l. 23. r. know ye not p. 396. l. 41. r. there l. 20. r. choice and disparity
the summe and upshot of all sacred Truth What 's the use and end of Scripture To make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. iii. To acquaint us with the mysterie of godliness 'T is the grand text of all Sermons 't is the argument and theme of all Theological discourses 't is the marrow and kernel of all discourses 't is the drift and center of all the meditations of Saints and Angels I. For the nature of it 't is Mysterium 'T is the title of the Gospel Mark iv 11. Unto you it is given to know the mysterie of the Kingdome of God that 's the Gospel 1 Cor. ii 7. We speak the wisdom of God in a mysterie a mysterie which was kept secret since the world began Rom. xvi 25. Now to understand the nature of it A mysterie is Sacrum Secretum occultam habens intelligentiam An holy Secret the understanding and knowledge of which is close and conceal'd And then is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the summe of Christianity a mysterie It carries with it these conditions 1. Is it a mysterie then it is in it self full of secrecy and obscurity naturally unknown vayl'd up in great reservedness It is called an hidden mysterie a mysterie hid from ages and generations Col. i. 26. A mysterie 1. Hidden in God Ephes. iii. 9. lock'd up in the closet of his breast in his secret purpose and counsel 2. Hidden in Christ Colos. ii 3. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome 3. Hidden in the Scripture that 's vayl'd up with many mysteries a book in it self seal'd up with seven seals no man or Angel is able fully to open it Revel iii. 18. 4. Hidden in those types and shadows and ceremonies of the Law 5. Nay even the Gospel though that brings this mysterie to some light yet it is but imperfectly discovered still a great part is hidden there is no clear discovery We know but in part Faith sees not clearly Adhuc manifestat se nobis sicut vult non sicut est Bern. Adhuc Iosephus loquitur per Interpretem He doth not yet fully disclose himself to us In heaven adipe frumenti saginantur nudo satiantur grano We must be content Sacramenti cortice carnis furfure Preachings and Sacraments they are but the husk and the bark the bran and the chaff not the clean Corn winnowed and cleansed Still it is hidden 2. 'T is mysterium therefore the knowledge of it is a matter of Revelation not to be known by the light or benefit of nature but it is of supernatural discovery The eye of nature cannot see it nor the ear of nature hear it nor did it ever enter into the heart of a natural man but God hath reveal'd it to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. ii 9 10. All other knowledge hath some prints and foot-steps in nature but this is a meer novelty to nature Animae creationem intelligunt Daemones Animae redemptionem ignorant Angeli Herein it exceeds the perfection of the Law that 's written in our hearts by nature the light of reason discovers the truth of the Law but the Gospel is not inbred in us it must be reveal'd and discover'd by God himself Non potest doceri nisi à donante nec addisci nisi à suscipiente We cannot see the Sun but by the light of the Sun nor know Christ till himself discover himself S. Paul prayes that they may have the Spirit of Revelation 3. 'T is in it self a mysterie therefore the discovery of it is a matter of dispensation an arbitrary voluntary discovery to whom God pleases and as much as he pleases This Christ acknowledgeth Matth. xi 25 26. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight This will answer all questions And that of his to Christ Ioh. xiv 22. Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not to the world For natural knowledge He enlightens every man that comes into the world Ioh. i. 9. But this knowledge he dispenseth at pleasure less to the Iews more to the Christians To the Prophets it was the light of a Candle to the Apostles the light of the Day-Star Hereafter we shall see the Sun in his shining beauty 4. 'T is a mysterie therefore the Revelation of it is a special favour To communicate his secret thoughts the mysteries of his Will 't is a fruit of greatest love You are my friends saith Christ for I tell you all things S. Iohn learnt it in the bosom of Christ and he was the beloved Disciple he lay in the bosom the seat of Affection and of Secrets too One dram of this Knowledge is better then the knowledge of all the secrets of nature Which if it be a Mysterie then 1. Reverenter adeundum we must not approach to the looking into these Mysteries but with much fear and reverence The Heathens exacted all reverence to their false counterfeit mysteries They commanded all prophane men to stand off not to come neer their sacred mysteries Carelesness and profanation 't is the greatest opposite to the mysteries of Religion How hath God exacted holiness and reverence in all that draw neer to be partakers of his sacred mysteries Put off thy shoos it is holy ground When God came down on the Mount they were all to wash and cleanse themselves 't was death to come irreverently Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire for an unhallowed approach Levit. x. The Lord will be sanctified in them that come nigh him vers 3. The men of Bethshemesh for an irreverent approach to the Ark the Type of our mysteries were slain even many thousands of them Of the two Superstition less offends God then Profanation 'T was the great Charge God laid upon the Iews and for which he threatned to remove his Worship from them to the Gentiles because they prophaned his Worship polluted the Table of the Lord and made the meat of it contemptible Mal. i. 12. All the appurtenances belonging to this mysterie are to be reverenced the Place the Time every Utensil Is it a mysterie then 2. Castè sobriè tractandum we must handle this mysterie chastly and soberly The mysteries of Religion are not sleightly or vainly or sportingly to be handled but heedfully soberly with all awful attention 1. The Minister who speaks of them how holily must he handle them 1 Pet. iv 11. Let him speak as the Oracles of God It was the charge of the Priests in the Old Law Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord Esai lii 11. All those legal Pollutions that caused an irregularity in the Priests made them uncapable of ministring and they are all enforcements of that purity and sobriety that are required in the Servitours and Dispensors of these sacred mysteries This made Moses refuse Send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send Exod. iv 13. And Esay