RELIGION AND LOYALTY MAINTAINED Against all Modern Opposers IN A TREATISE ON The 29th of May 1681. being Trinity-Sunday and Anniversary Day of His Majesties happy Birth and King and Kingdoms Restauration By HENRY ANDERSON M.A. Vicar of Kingsumborne in Hampshire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear God Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 LONDON Printed by J. M. for Will. Abington near the Wonder-Tavern in Ludgate-street and Will. Clark Book-seller in Winchester 1684. TO THE High and Mighty MONARCH CHARLES II. By the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Most Dread Soveraign AMongst the multitude of Sacrifices which daily offer themselves to your Sacred Majesty of the richer sort if this mean Oblation of a Turtle find your Royal Aspect speaks only the Grandeur and Heroick Greatness of England's Monarch who darts the diffusive beams of your Goodness throughout your Realms on your Liege People by your auspicious and most gentle Government being cherish'd by the gracious Rays of Soveraign Power as the obscure parts of the Earth are by the radiations of the Sun These happy Influences like the Dew of Hermon descend upon all that are not guilty of Disloyalty and trample not on Regal Power in abstracting their Allegiance for such are no longer Subjects but Rebels that despise Dominions and speak evil of Dignities contemning the bright and splendid Crown of Soveraignty Sacred and Divine is Royal Majesty as it is a reflection of that above and it is the Glory thereof to protect things Sacred therefore it looks so high and prefixes so mighty a Name which can give a sufficient value to things in themselves both mean and worthless however imperfect your favour is able to supply and give it life if the production be not unworthy you Royal Patronage yet it is not improper to lay it at the feet of Majesty because the Holy Trinity that Theological Mystery is the Article of our Creed and it can't take a more rever'd Sanctuary for its safety than the Defender of the Faith whose prudent and Princely Conduct crowns all our Felicities with a calm Tranquillity in Church and State therefore let us serve the Lord our God and Charles our King whom he hath raised up unto us Long long may you flourish with a Crown of Glory on your head and a Scepter of Triumph in your hand bathing your feet in the blood of your Enemies and live to be as you are the delight and glory of your People and we trust under your shadow being not only to Moses a Protection but to all the Tribe of Levi that wait at the Altar and the great Argosie the Ship Royal of the Church would have dash'd against the rocks and been swallowed up by the quick Sands or by the malignity of cross and contrary Winds of a pretended Religious Crew who delight in Blood and Treason unless your Sacred Majesty who as a Guardian Angel that sits at the Stern by some propitious gales from Heaven had guided and conducted her to the fair Havens of Peace As Protection so it humbly craves Acceptance because goodness is the honour of Greatness and that Persian Monarch was not more famous for accepting a little water from the hand of a loving Subject than your Sacred Majesty is renown'd through Britain's Orb for your gracious Clemency to all and particularly to the Offerings of the Sons of Aaron though this Piece blushes at the confidence of its Dedication as not worthy the approach of Royal Presence or Majesty's judicious Eye being like the straw and brick of Egypt very inconsiderable in regard of the polishing carving and Cedar-work of the Temple performed by a Bezaleel and Aholiab that can curiously work in Gold yet I contribute my Mite and cast my little into the Treasury but with such humility presented as speaks Loyalty and not presumption shewing the World in all expressions of a grateful mind and emanations of the greatest affection where Duty binds me to pay the Fealty and Homage of my Obedience Celebrating the Memory of this Day * May 29. with ebullitions of Joy and Satisfaction as it carries the propitious Star of Royal Birth with a Constellation of Blessings to the Kingdom in a happy and peaceable Restauration Almighty Goodness setled us on our old Basis and by a Miracle of Providence restored to us our Prince Religion and Government for which Mercy we magnifie the Glorious and Eternal Trinity humbly beseeching the Father Son and Holy Ghost to continue to your Regal Majesty a long and prosperous Reign over us with an affluence of Health and Wealth Triumphs and Conquests here and when you shall put off the Glories of a Temporal Soveraignty and lay down your mortal Diadem you may exchange it for an immortal Crown eternal in the Heavens being incircled with the Rays of Glory and Happiness in a Life that never pays Tribute to Death So prays Your Majesty's most humble obedient and Loyal Subject Henry Anderson THE HOLY TRINITY ASSERTED AND MONARCHY MAINTAINED Against all disloyal Opponents in a Treatise on the 29th of May 1681. being Trinity-Sunday and Anniversary Day of His Majesties happy Birth and King and Kingdoms Restauration Psal 73. vers 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee COntentment is the universal Center to which all the thoughts actions and contrivances of Men tend the point to which they are all directed is satisfaction This is the great spring to all the various motions of Mankind and however distant and contrary their ways and courses their inclinations and constitutions are yet here they all meet and concenter in this one reconciling object Contentment and satisfaction is that which the Learned seeks to obtain in his industrious quest after Knowledge This Jewel the Merchant seeks in his dangerous Voyages the ambitious in his passionate pursuit of Honour the covetous in his unwearied heaping up of Treasure the wanton in his pleasing Charms of Beauty the Conquerour in his earnest desires of Victory and the Politician in his deep Designs But alas the misery of Man is That he would find that in the variety of the Creatures which is no where to be found but in the unity of the Creator the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost For absolute content dwells not here below It is not in Granaries fill'd with plenty in ambitious Haman's state and grandeur in Samson's lovely Dalilah's in Nebuchadnezzar's Rule over the World it must arise from no other spring but God the Holy Trinity alone who is the only Principal of Being and Fountain of true content And King David draws a right line to the immoveable Center and directs the Soul to the true Zenith of happiness God himself Whom have I Heaven but thee God alone is the purest Truth the chiefest Good and final End of intelligent Beings which speaks the excellency of Christianity in reference to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sublimity
he applied himself especially to them to enable them for the high Mysteries of the Gospel and service of the Church by the reception of the Holy Ghost Joh. 20.22 23. Mat. 18.18 and a power of binding and loosing sins And Christ having founded his Church he left it in the hands of his Apostles therefore let us look into this pure stream of Antiquity and primitive Age of the Church In the first Synod there is no prelation of one or subordination of another but all the Apostles have equal vote and choice in the Substitution or Election of Matthias Acts 1. In that other about Circumcision all decree send and judge alike Acts 15. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us By which it is evident there is no Preeminence or Superiority but an Unity and Identity of Power according to that excellent Saying of S. Cyprian * Hoc erant utique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab unitate proficiâ—citur Lib. de Unit. Eccles The other Apostles are the same that S. Peter was to let us know that they and their Successors are pari authoritate pari consortio endowed with an equal fellowship of honour and power The Apostles now considered in their Apostolical dignity order of Priesthood and Authority of Preaching the light will display it self and chase away the darkness from us 1. In Apostolick Dignity then is no Principality by the Law of Christ for as they were all sent together Mat. 10. Acts 2. so they were all inspired at once the cloven Tongues like as of fire sate on each of them and they were all filled with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gifts of the Holy Ghost which argues equality and that they are all Fellow-equals in Apostleship Rev. 12.14 The wall of the City saith S. John had twelve foundaâ—ions and in them the Names of the Lamb's twelve Apostles therefore no Primacy or preeminence of dignity being all Foundations of Evangelical Doctrine upon which the height of the Ecclesiastical Edifice is raised and Militant Church is built They are all Foundations and Rocks after Christ because they were all chosen to preach the Gospel and plant the Faith in every part of the World They were all immediately instructed by Christ they had all most ample and universal Jurisdiction throughout the whole Empire of the Church all endowed with an equal Authority as S. Cyprian expresseth it of honour and power which beats down the Rampire of defence and shews the Fortress of folly of the Romanists in their new erected Fort in challenging a Scepter of Supremacy and condemns the arrogant Usurpation of the See of Rome who will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishop in another mans Diocese and in appropriating that to himself which is common to him saith a Reverend Prelate with all the Bishops of Christendom 2. As to the Order of Priesthood there is no Supremacy of power to one above another in the Colledge of the Apostles because they could all equally consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ And the greatest favours to lapsed Mankind are the Sacraments where the visible corporeal Elements are the means by Faith to convey unto us spiritual Graces nay the whole Treasure of Christs Merits acquired on the Cross are made truly ours by a due reception of the blessed Eucharist for the holy Sacraments are the pledge of Glory and earnest of Immortality and the consecrated Symbols are the seeds of an eternal Duration springing up in us to Life eternal nourishing our spirits with Grace which is but the Prologue of Glory In the Divine Mysteries there is no Superiority as to Consecration it being not personal but publick not proper to S. Peter only but common to all the Apostles and consequently speaks an equal fellowship of honour and power as to order of Priesthood 3. As to the Authority of Preaching the Commission is equal Joh. 17.18 As my Father sent me so send I you which may extend not only to Jurisdiction and Ordination but Apostolical preaching Our Lord and Saviour being to ascend into Heaven commanded his Apostles saying Go ye teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 baptizing them in the Name of the Sacred Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost This commandment they put in execution and it was fulfilled Rom. 10.18 Their sound went into all the Earth and their words into the ends of the World S. Peter to the Jews S. Paul to the Gentiles no division or limitation of Jurisdiction but a distribution to all Provinces for the more commodious preaching of the Gospel Those ancient Worthies that first propagated Christianity had neither Diocese nor Parish but the wide World before them then all planting the same Doctrine every man had a care of all the Churches they went forth and preached every where * Mark 16.20 Eusebius and other Ecclesiastical Historians give us the recital and specification of the Nations and Countries S. Peter preach'd in Judea Antioch Galatia Cappadocia Pontus in Asia Bithynia and Rome S. Andrew in Scythia Europaea in Epirus Thracia and Achaia S. James the Son of Zebedee in Judea and Spain S. John in Judea and Asia the less S. James the Brother of our Lord in Jerusalem S. Philip in Scythia and Phrygia S. Bartholomew in the farther India and Armenia the great S. Matthew in Ethiopia S. Thomas to the Parthians Medes Persians Brachmans Hyrcanians Bactrians and Indians S. Simon in Mesopotamia S. Matthias in the higher Aethiopia And S. Paul and Barnabas in many Countries of Europe and Asia the Lord working with them What mean now these domineering Nimrods of Rome absolutely out of the plenitude of their Power to lord it over their Brethren as if they were â—specially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods portion and inheritance and all Christian Churches were in a state of subordination unto them whereas they are only Fellow-labourers and Workers together with us in the Vineyard of Christ Are ye Ministers of Christ so are we The Clergy are Branches of an Apostolical and holy Stock therefore let all Aaron's Sons who ascend the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are devoted to the Altar as Gods Priests consecrate themselves to God and Religion that we and they may do the work of an Evangelist and with alacrity and chearfulness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give our selves to prayer and the ministration of the Word shewing the Divinity of our Function not in great swelling words of vanity in an affected Predominancy Rule and Superiority over the Christian World so much contended for by the Souldiers of the Camp of Rome This in the words of Nazianzen * Nazian Orat. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to commend a goodly Statue from the shadow it casts and to pass by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those perfections which deserve our chief commendations i. e. sanctity and holiness of life which extol Gods praises and then
have I in Heaven but thee All the Blessings that we do enjoy are the sweet influences of Heaven upon us Spiritual or Temporal First Spiritual Blessings in heavenly places arise from no other Spring and are Irradiations of the Trinity and the great kindness of Heaven to Mankind in relation to these Souls of ours The Father Son and Holy Ghost have all done their parts for them The Father gave his only Son the Son gave himself left his Glory and endured the bitter Death of the Cross meerly to keep our Souls from perishing The Holy Ghost is become as it were our Attendant waits upon us with continual offers of his Grace to enable us to do that which may preserve them These things all the Persons work equally and inseparably in respect of the Cause and Effect It is a Rule in Divinity That all the Works of the Trinity ad extra are common to the whole Trinity God the Father Son and Holy Ghost do co-operate and work together for what one doth all do yet in congruity we attribute a distinct Act in regard of the Order and Object 1. The Father Creates Gen. 1.1 In Order the original of Action is ascribed to the Father Joh. 5.17 19. 2. The Son Redeems Gal. 3.13 The Nature and Manner of Working to the Son Joh. 1.3 Heb. 12. 3. The Holy Ghost Illuminates 2 Pet. 1.21 The Efficacy and Power to the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 11.12 The Father is to be adored as altogether of Himself The Son to be glorified as that Consubstantial Word The Holy Ghost to be magnified as that Co-essential Spirit eternally proceeding from Both. The Three Persons in the Trinity is the Object of our Faith and we daily owne it in our Creed 1. We believe in God the Father who made the World 2. In God the Son who redeem'd all Mankind 3. In God the Holy Ghost who sanctifies all the Elect People of God An Unity of Essence and a Trinity of Order Ordo Originis though not Regiminis Co-ordinativus though not Sub-ordinativus of Priority though not Superiority a First a Second and a Third though not a higher lower and lowest Deut. 6.4 1 Cor. 8.6 for the Lord our God is one Lord the Godhead or Essence of God is one undivided * This Tradition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a point of great discourse amongst the Ancients it was the great Principle on which Parmenides founded his divine Idea's delivered by Plato Platonicae ideae ortum habuerunt ex Parmenide cujus magnum principium fuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and many one in the Architype Idea God many in their individual Natures or otherwise it relates to the Unity of the Divine Essence and the Plurality of Persons for the Platonists speak much of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Trinity Parmenides who followed Pythagoras is brought in by Plato philosophizing on that old Axiom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One and Many and determined thus That God was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. one Divine Essence he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one immutable Being he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Eternal Being This Plato discourseth in his Philebus at large shewing how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One was Many and Many One. And it is not only good Philosophy but sound Divinity the Godhead considered diversly for the manner of Being is Three Persons in One Essence the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.7 The Father is the First Person of the Trinity having Foundation in none of Personal Substance 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not begotten to the Father The Son is the Second Person of the Trinity having Foundation of Personal Substance of whom he is eternally begotten Joh. 5.26 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Begotten to the Son The Holy Ghost is the Third Person in the Trinity having Foundation from the Father and the Son from both which he especially proceedeth Joh. 14.26 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proceeding to the Holy Ghost Here is a threefold Unity of Persons in one Nature of Natures in One Person of Natures and Persons in One Quality In the First is one God In the Second one Christ In the Third one Spirit All this Unity is but to usher in a single Deity S. Paul concludes all with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is one God Eph. 4.6 And the Soul carrieth an Image of the Unity of the Godhead and Trinity of Persons in that there is one Soul with three Faculties of Understanding Will and Memory Let us all now lift up our heart and voice and praise God chanting forth the Anthem of the Seraphims for the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ the Second Person of the Trinity concluding with S. Basil's Liturgy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O God our God who hast sent this heavenly Bread the Food of all the World Our Lord Jesus Christ to be to us a Saviour a Redeemer Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the Company of Heaven we laud and magnifie thy glorious Name evermore praising thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory Secondly As Spiritual so Temporal Blessings are the product of Heaven This Day is a signal Instance and carries with it the Pomp of Blaze and Splendour as it is the Anniversary of His Majesty's happy Birth and Nativity And that Divine Providence that brought him this Day into the World hath led him by the hand of his visible goodness Ever since he entred the porch of life and walked upon the pavement of the Earth he has had the Royal Charter of Heaven and enjoy'd the testimony of Gods special care even a Writ of Protection 1 Chron. 16.22 Touch not mine Anointed do my Prophets no harm His Life hath been a continued Series of Divine Favour The Adversary hath not been able to do him violence the Son of wickedness could not hurt him but he hath smitten down his Foes before his face cloathed them with shame and wounded them that hated him The great Majesty of Heaven was a Helmet of Salvation unto him a strong Tower of Defence against his cruel Enemies Domestick and Foreign at home and abroad First Cruel Enemies at home who invested their Sword with the Authority of Law and made themselves after the Image of a King and usurp'd the Seat Royal chang'd the Kingdom into a State and Monarchy into a Common-wealth This was in the time of our late Troubles and Confusions when Monarchy was shaken off Religion and Property were lost and Laws and Liberty were with no small violence invaded being as in the days of Jeroboam whoever would 1 Kings 13.33 were consecrated Priests of the high places And when Souldiers turn'd Preachers every act of Providence that seems to favour their Designs shall be the voice of God Every opportunity to do mischief to such as they
Trinity is a fairer Object for Contemplation For in the Glass of the Trinity we may behold all Felicity it will be joy to mans Soul health to his body beauty to his eyes musick to his ears honey to his mouth perfume to his nostrils whole happiness to every part Therefore let us no longer doat upon this Mole-hill of Earth or prize its artificial complexioned Pleasures Structures of Cedar and Vermilion Garments and Embroideries of Aholiab Tables of Delicacies Couches of Ease and Ivory all things here below are but Bracteata Foelicitas Copper leav'd with Gold If we do but behold the Pavement of Heaven stuck with Stars as so many sparkling Diamonds how despicable and mean is the stateliest Palace of the greatest Monarch If the Hangings be so precious what must we think of the Room If the Frontispiece be so glorious what are those better parts yet unseen Magnum mirabile sub tanta Majestate O think then what Treasures what Riches what Excellencies are in those Courts above where the Gates of the New Jerusalem are beyond the Orient Majesty of Pearl and Streets more splendid than pure Gold where there is no need of the clear Light of the Moon nor the bright Beams of the Sun What ineffable Glory is in God the Light of those heavenly Tabernacles Consider but the Eternal Joys of that place and how heartless and dying is the best of worldly pleasures Nay were the whole World turned into a Seraglio of Delight and every Region into an Arabia could every Field become a Paradise and every Object that we meet with bring with it a Magazine of pleasure had we all the Enjoyments this Life could triumph in yet without God we should find them dismal Fruitions Heaven doth as far surmount all these things as the Celestial Sphere doth this Earthly Globe And so the Proposition is made good That Heaven is a fairer Object than Earth for our Contemplation even the glorious and Eternal Majesty of the holy Trinity that is enshrin'd in an Unity of Essence And Pythagoras that old Samian Philosopher made Unity the Original of all Things and the Cause of all Good in the World And the Fathers under the Allegorical vail of that Unity discover an undivided Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if That and God were so inseparably linkt together that the thought of man could not possibly part them asunder 'T is a pious Exhortation that S. Pâ—ul gives the Ephesians to holy Concord and unity of Spirit Eph. 1.4 and lays it down with a triple Argument knowing that a â—hree-fold cord is not easily broken and admits of no separation at all unless they would seem to dissolve their Religion There is one Lord whom Christians obey and therefore no distraction by service There is one Faith whereby they believe and therefore no division by Creeds There is one Baptism whereby they get entrance into the Church and therefore no distinction by initiative Grace and these three are more peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Trinity of Unities wherein God by the Ministry of the holy Apostle appears to his Church as it were in the shape of three Angels Silence now ye warbling Birds Consorts of the World be still and hear the Harmony of the Royal Prophet sung in an admirable Air tune the Instruments of your hearts unto it Thou art my portion thou art my riches I love the beauty of thine House which is no other than thine own Essence and the sole aim of my desire is the place of thy Glory The Diadems and honours of this world are of a short standing and nothing comparable to that Royalty which is everlasting and to that Kingdom which knows no end This World is an Ark wherein are clean and unclean Beasts a Park where Goats and Sheep live together a Net where good and bad Fish are found But in Heaven nothing that is impure or imperfect can have entry there In that fair place Solomon's wisdom will appear folly his knowledge ignorance Absolom's beauty shall be there deformity Samson's strength shall pass there for feebleness and the riches of all the Kings of the Earth shall be there as poverty The longest term of life in our Forefathers will appear a death for in Heaven it is in triumph above the reach of dull mortality A man may enjoy the light of the Sun and walk in its glittering rayes and now and then give a glance upon it though we cannot keep our eye fix'd upon its globe to behold its glory we may behold its beams refracted through a cloud but we may lose our sight by gazing on it in its naked beauty for according to an Axiom in Philosophy Excellens objectum laedit sensum Pliny prying into the Mountain Vesuvius to discover the fiery irruptions of Natures Kiln procured his death by his too bold attempts into the mysteries of Nature Surely it cannot but be dangerous to be too inquisitive into the Mysteries of the Trinity which ought rather to be religiously ador'd than curiously search'd into and requires not the natural Opticks or Eye of Reason but of Faith Reason can't â—ore delight in a demonstration than Faith does in revealed Truth As the Unity of the Godhead is clear to the Eye of Reason so the Trinity of Persons that is three glorious Relations in one God is as certain to an Eye of Faith Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.1 the evidence of things not seen saith the Apostle 'T is an Eye that can behold an absent Object A hand that can fasten upon what is not can grasp things in their first possibilities and the bare will of the Deity to produce any thing and gives us the knowledge of that Theological and stupendous Mystery even the Trinity in Unity or that the Deity which is essentially one is substantially three * See Zanchy de tribus Elohim uno Jehova lib. 1 cap. 2. The Soul imprisoned in a body can but darkly conceive of spiritual Beings those that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the greatest apprehensions do but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have some broken and scatter'd notions which can't represent heavenly Truths in their proper Species so vast is the disproportion between Divine Mysteries and a finite Understanding for humane Wit knows not things here below how then can it be satisfied in the search after Divinity If he whom our Saviour cured of his blindness saw men as trees walking in what shâ—â—e shall they discern Evangelical Truths who have yet the scales upon their eyes Now there is a Curtain drawn if we are so bold to lift it up we may justly be struck with blindness even in those things which before were exposed to our view It is enough that God makes us of his Court though not of his Council That we may be free though not to rifle his Cabinet yet to sit at his Table no matter whether on the right hand or left in his Kingdom
of its object which is not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Universe or boundary of the World but God the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence all goodness flows the rest repose and tranquillity of all Creatures Aristotle in his Metaphysicks saith That God is vivens aeternus optimus a living eternal and transcendent Good Plato in his Book de Legibus saith That God is bonus causa bonorum omnium good and the cause of all good things And Cicero contemplating God in the happy fruition of himself saith Ea est Dei vita quâ nihil beatius nihil omnino bonis omnibus affluentius cogitari potest nihil enim agit nullis occupationibus est implicatus nulla opera molitur suâ potentiâ virtute gaudet habet exploratum fore se semper tum maximis tum in aeternis voluptatibus i. e. Such is the life of God than which nothing is more happy nothing in the world can be thought to abound with more good things he is implicated in no busieness he undergoeth no labour but enjoyeth his own power and virtue and knows certainly that he shall be always in transcendent pleasures God is the Haven of Eternal Felicity where till we arrive in ouâ— Spirits we are mazed in endless wandrings tortur'd on the rack of self-vexation * Cor humanum in desiderio aeternitatis non fixum nunquam stabile potest esse sed omni volubiâ—itate volubilius de alio in aliud transit quaerens requiem ubi non est In his autem caducis transitoriis in quibus ejus affectus captivi tenentur veram requiem invenire non valet quoniam tantae est dignitatis ut nullum bonum praeter summum bonum ei sufficere potest S August our desires know no shore or bottom And there is no man but feels his Soul too big for terrestrial things too noble to glut it self with base corporeal pleasures and the Understanding too sublime a faculty to subject it self to a brutish appetite these things are never able to fill its vast capacities but only the glorious Trinity its Maker and leaves no room for sorrow to creep in For the heart of man is triangular which the whole circle of the world cannot fill as Mathematicians say but all the corner will complain of emptiness for something else Nothing can fill the heart oâ— man but God Nothing can satisfie it but the Divinity it self There is no thing can give rest to the Soul but only him that made it for the heart of man iâ— like the Needle of the Compass it hatâ— a natural trembling to the Pole even the fruition of bliss And then will the Soul be pleased when it lies down in the lap of Eternity and the Triple Angle of mans heart satisfied being united to God the fountain of happiness where the Angels sun themselves for ever and the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity shall be in full revelation and that inconceivable joy shall be open'd to you which changes not as the Moon eclipsed as the Sun nor set as the Stars Holy David having traveâ—â—ed and coursed the whole world in his thoughts for a resting place like Noah's Dove finds not amidst the swelling Tides of this world whereon to stay his feet returns back again to the Ark with this Olive-branch in his mouth Non est mortale quod opto He finds no sanctuary but in Heaven no safe repose but in the Almighty Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee The Royal Prophet seems to be now under the storms of grief and trouble and placed as it were inter suspiria lachrymas between sighs and tears yet he anchors his hopes upon Providence and chearfully looks up to Heaven fetching comfort from thence with a full assurance of Divine favor and in all pressures or difficulties whatsoever takes himself to his Harp and plays this divine Anthem Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee The words being Musical I shall follow the Allegory and in it observe these Two generals viz. The disposition of parts and the opposition of the notes on both The disposition of parts are Aspiratum and Lene high and low First High in a rational expostulation Whom have I Heaven but thee Secondly Low in a positive determination And there is none upon Earth I desire besides thee In the expostulation there are these notes in a divine Climax First Quem in Coelis Whom have I in Heaven Secondly Quem praeter te Whom have I besides thee Thirdly Quis mihi Who is for me First Quem in Coelis Whom have I in Heaven The Holy Trinity is the Ocean of all true felicity the comfort the joy and bliss of Souls How should we long after thee and the fruition of that happiness which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee In that most glorious state these operations are most specially recommended and spoken of by the Scriptures viz. Vision Dilection and Fruition They shall be possessed with such a sweet trinity of sight love and joy that the Soul will confess being in an ecstasie of wonder and amazement that it could not believe those things which now it sees with its eyes in that it can look no way but it beholds unspeakable glory And the Soul solacing it self with infinite content cryes out Here will I dwell and abide for ever Psal 132.14 Now whilst others lay up treasures on Earth in Heaven is my Exchequer Our Souls will be irregular like the Planets in their Epicycles and whilst we are in the Sphere of flesh and cloathed with mortality sailing in the Sea of this world there will be winds to create storms but in Heaven there is a perpetual calm no tempest in it the Soul will joy in Gods Everlasting rest And this is the divine elevation of David's spirit Whom have I in Heaven but thee It is the glory and honour of the Soul to be originally from Heaven How suitable and how natural is it for the rational Soul which comes down from Heaven to look thither and tend towards the source and fountain of its Being Os homini sublime dedit coelúmque tueri jussit How hard a thing is it to keep the flame from pointing upwards And with what unwearied â—â—â—igence do the Rivulets seek out 〈◊〉 the main Ocean Such an eager pursuit such strong propensions nay far stronger may be justly expected in the Soul towards Heaven seeking the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things above To seek there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an habitation not made with hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eternal in the Heavens in as much as the End is incomparably greater and the Agent more noble and active for the heavenly Faculty having capacities so wide and mighty Energies was surely not created to serve mean or narrow designs it was not given to scrape
Homer that God is the Father of Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Angelical Beings and of the Souls of men of Spirits hath inspired into our immortal Souls an infinite appetite that no finite excellency created comfort or earthly thing can possibly fill Gold Silver Riches Honours Crowns Kingdoms are no fit matter or adequate object for such an immaterial and heaven-born Spirit to repose and feed upon with delectation and contentment but it would still be transported with a passionate disquietness ‖ Non satiat animum nisi incorruptibilis gaudii vera certa aeternitas S. August until it fasten and fix upon an object infinite both in excellency and endlesness wherein is contained the whole latitude of Entity and Goodness the ever blessed and only adored Trinity Which doth convince men That compleat happiness in this Life is a meer Speculation and it is not to be had in the valley of tears but in the possession of superlative Felicities let us therefore besiege Heaven with our united forces * Mat. 11.12 Faith is instrumentum ad scandendum coelum and Prayer is clavis coeli the Key that opens the Cabinet where the Jewel lies no other Artillery but this can batter the Citadel of the great King for Heaven it self can't be proof against Petitions often darted towards it but the violenâ—â— will take it by force Faith and Prayer and raise such batteries against Gods gates that we may break open those everlasting doors and take the Treasures of Eternity Livy tells us That the Gauls when they had tasted the Wines of Italy were so much taken with the pleasantness and lusciousness of them that they would not after rest contented with a bare Commerce and Trade thither but fixed their resolutions by Conquest to get possession of the Land that brought it forth Thus the Antepasts of Glory do but provoke the desires and erect the appetite of the believing Soul he is so far from being satisfied by foretastes or comfortable intercourse which it enjoys in part with the blessed Trinity by the Word Sacraments and other holy Ordinances that they do but augment his thirst after a plenary fruition out of the during Well-springs of Life and Immortality therefore his resolves are by a holy violence and conquest to get a possession in that spiritual Canaan from whence these Grapes are brought as Prelibations that he may drink of that Wine of the Kingdom and of those Rivers of pleasure Whom have I besides thee Thou O God dost far surpass all the contents of Israel as light doth pitch'd darkness thou art the joy of my heart and my portion for ever aim then at delights which transport Souls ravish Angels and force Seraphims into ecstasies Thirdly Quis mihi Who is for me Who pleads my cause in Heaven not any Saint or Angel nor yet the Holy Virgin * The Church of Rome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more Worship to the B. Virgin But the Church of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the glory of religious Worship is not to be given to any Saint or Angel though never so blessed and glorious S. John falling at the feet of the holy Angel with an intent to worship him Rev. 22.8 9. met with a timely prohibition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See thou do it not if that Spirit no less humble than glorious bright had not given him to know that he was hiâ— fellow-servant that honour belongs to our Master only and not to me worship God Here let us remember those excellent words of S. Austin Tutiùs jucundiùs loquar ad meum Jesum quà m ad aliquem sanctorum Spirituum Dei I can speak safer and more pleasantly or chearfully to my Lord Jesus than to any of the Saints and Spirits of God If praying to Saints or Angels or the Holy Virgin had been a useful piece of Christian devotion that during above 4000 years that God had a Church in the World not one example saith the Reverend Dr. B. in his Missale Romanum is recorded in Scripture of any Holy man who ever called upon any created Saint or Angel And how is it like or possible that the universal Church in after times should learn either new ways towards Heaven or new ways of true help and comfort which neither Patriarchs nor Prophets nor Apostles ever taught or knew As the Pagans took the Idea of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demonology from the Scriptures account of the true Messiah so in like manner the Papists received the original Idea of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint-worship from this Pagan Demonology as 't is evident from 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rarely demonstrated by Mede in a Treatise called The Apostasie of the latter Times but thou O Lord. And do not some dote on Images ‖ Lactantius says in relation to Images Dubium non est quin religio nulla sit ubicunque simulacrum est Where-ever an Image is meaning for Worship there is no Religion for it robs God of honour who will not have his glory given to another nor his praise to graven Images promulgated by his own holy Law The Greek Church speaks emphatically We do not forbid Pictures the Art is noble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but their adoration and worship we detest as forbidden by the Holy Ghost in holy Scripture Hab. 2.18 19. lest we should ignorantly adore Colours Art and the Creature instead of our Creator They worship the Creature saith S. Paul Rom. 1.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides the Creator so it should be read if we worship any Creature besides God worshipping so as the worship of him becomes a part of Religion is a direct Superstition therefore it is good reason that the Watchmen who stand upon the Lords Tower and tell what of the night should decry the darkness of Idolatry and Superstitition and warn the people that they may neither be taken into the whirlpools of danger nor carried down the stream of ungodliness but walk in the ways of Scripture and Christianity contending for that Faith which forbids all worship of Images with the Romanists and others on Imaginations with Factionists who fall into the heat of contention the fire of Schism How few are in the right way of Gods prescriptions which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord our God is one Lord. Unity is written in the high Court of Bliss in Letters of Glory and ought it not to be in golden Characters or capital Letters here below to be seen and read of all men and be set as a Copy for others to write after Christians should live on Earth as Angels do in Heaven not disagreeing among themselves Many that would be lookt upon as living stones in the spiritual building go about to demolish so fair a structure by bringing into the Temple the noise of axes and hammers and when they may be sharers in the
unanimitas Erasm Paraph. in Act. 1. being conjoyned together in one Communion and Fellowship in the mystical Body of Christ And we can't be joyned to Christ our Head except we be glued with charity one to another For he that is not of this Unity is not of the Church of Christ which is a Congregation or Unity together and not a Division The Churches unity which is by one Spirit from one Head is but one in all and though many Members Eph. 4.15 16. yet but one Body As Gregory ‖ Gregor Mor. l. 19. c. 14. speaks Sancta Ecclesia sic consistit in unitate fidelium sicut corpus nostrum unitum est compage membrorum In the structure of the natural Body all its parts conspire for the good and benefit of the whole There 's such a Symmetry and proportion as that the Members are joyn'd by Nerves Veins Arteries and Ligaments to their Head from whence they receive strength and sensation and by virtue of this union to the Head retain a Fellowship and Community among themselves So it is in the Body Politick the King's Majesty the Golden Head of our Land the Honourable Council the Eyes of it the Nobles Lords and Barons the Shields and Shoulders thereof the Reverend Bishops and Clergy the Chariots and Horsmen of Israel the Tongues of the Land the Judges those grave Sages the Hands of our Land for the Execution of Justice the flower of our Gentry and Commons the Feet of our Land Head Eyes Tongues Shoulders Hands Feet all even all should concur for the general good and publick safety and in both for Gods Glory and Worship that we may lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty because peace is the foundation of happiness and lustre of any Government and the fiercest Enemy of peace is dissention in Religion therefore unanimity is a work worthy of every ones best endeavours and of absolute necessity to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bene esse of the Church it is the Life and Soul of it Ecclesia nomen est consensûs concordiae And that multiplication of Unities Eph. 4.6 one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of us all declare that we should be all of one mind in the Lord all keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace It is a good thing when Unity and Concord Peace and Religion go hand in hand two gentle Companions as full of love as they are of innocence and it is a great pity that two of so near alliance should suffer ever an injury of a Divorce examine their descent the root of both signifies to bind Religion is a bond between God and man Peace is a tye between man and man Christian and Christian And one would think the very name of Christian should have a greater efficacy and power to still and suppress disorders in the Church than that of Quirites was presently to hush and allay the commotions in Caesars Army because the Church is a spiritual Building made up of Souls cemented with love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostome speaks It is a Body compact and knit together in one and the same Orthodoxal Verity which was once given to the Saints in the holy Apostles days and in all Substantials maintained by the holy primitive Fathers for which we ought as S. Jude tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contend earnestly even all that owne and profess the same Faith in sincerity The irrational prejudice of many Schismatical Sectaries against the present Discipline would soon be removed if they do impartially weigh the purity and simplicity of the Doctrine of the Church of England A Church that teaches no other Doctrine but what Christ and his Apostles delivered derives none of its Principles from the impure Fountain of vain and uncertain Tradition but a sure word of Prophecy is that Spring that sends forth all her Doctrines So that all her Articles all the parts of her Worship all her Canons and Constitutions are by derivation pure and holy Add unto this the innocency and decency of her Ceremonies the regularity and Decorum in her Offices and Administrations the integrity and candour of her Manners and Principles It holds no Tenets nor teaches * Lib. Can. discip Eccl. Angl. injunct Regin Eliz. Anno Domin 1571. Can. de Concionatoribus any thing pernicious to Salvation or dissentaneous to the rule of Faith in purity of life and holiness of conversation every way consonant to the Doctrine and Discipline of primitive times in the first and purest Ages of the Church And what Faith can be the foundation of a more solid peace the surer Ligaments of Catholick Communion or the firmer Basis of a holy Life and of the hopes of Heaven hereafter than the measures which the holy primitive Church did hold and we after them Therefore we may conclude the Religion of our Church certainly Primitive and Apostolick and the best Transcript and Original Copy of Christianity that is left in the World And there needs no better demonstration for bringing of men into the unity of Faith and the knowledge of the Son of God or establishing a Community among us than purity of Doctrine and of Worship in the Service of God by Prayers * The Liturgy of the Church of England or publick Form of Divine Worship though contemned and depraved by its malicious Adversaries out of a Spirit of contradiction and singularity who do preach or speak perverse things against the Discipline and Government of our Church out of their own Fanatical asseverations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Basil and the novel imaginations of their own brains yet it is notwithstanding religious and holy and recommends to us the wisdom and simplicity purity and spirituality of Christian devotion It is a compound of Texts of Scripture exhortations to repentance Psalms Hymns Doxologies Lessons and Creeds Forms for the Administrations of the holy Sacraments Comminations against impenitent sinners all mixed and diversified with great care to quicken attention and stir up devotion Praises and Sacramental Celebrations which are the great characters and confirmation of true Christians Communion with the blessed and glorious Trinity with God with their Saviour and the holy Spirit and by the Grace of these with one another for the holy Word of God the Scripture of the Old and New Testament which stream from the Fountain of our Saviour is the only Standard * The Authority of the holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any man or Church but wholly upon God 2 Pet. 1.19 21. 2 Tim. 3.16 1 Joh. 5.9 1 Thess 2.13 who is Truth it self the Author thereof and consequently the Supreme Judge by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Councils Opinions of ancient Writers Doctrines of men and private Spirits are to
fragrant odours breathes forth sweetness in the nostrils of all those who hold Fidelity to the Scepter to be the best cognizance for the Coat of a Subject But for the ungodly Principles and bloody Practices of implacable men and barbarous Miscreants plotting unnatural and hellish Conspiracies against the Person Crown and Dignity of Sacred Majesty let them be as Oreb and Zeb Zeba and Zalmana that perished or else remain as Pilate in the Creed a curse to all posterity Discontented Pride has made more Schismaticks than Conscience if this hath slain its thousands that hath killed its ten thousands Many are zealously affected to Truth but for want of sound knowledge or meek and humble hearts they are full of violence their capacities are over-cast with a cloud of ignorance that intercepts their view and blunts the point of the brightest ray their understanding sends forth to discover any Errour of the Church but breaks out in a clamorous storm of passion * Clamoris plena doctrina Haereticorum quae non in sensu sed in multiloquio clamore versatur S. Hieron Here I may recite the words of S. Austin against the Letters of Petilian the Donatist changing Evangelium into Ecclesia quae mitiùs pertuli◠Regum flammas The Church better endured the flames of Tyrants than the tongues of Schismaticks Nam illis incendentibus unitas mansit vobis loquentibus manere non potuit for while the◠burned Unity remained but while these rail the Church must needs be divided for Schisms and Divisions set up the Kingdom of Satan the Prince and subtle Commander of the Air the potent Adversary of Mankind who holds his Supremacy and Dominion by Variance and Enmity and all his Agents subordinate to him Nihil speì nisi per discordias habent as Tacitus speaks No Logick or Reason can batter down the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong Holds of prepossessed false Opinions neither the determination of general Councils nor unanimous consent of Primitive Traditions nay the Scripture it self must strike Sail to their Judgments as if the Oracle of the Word would only admit of their corrupt Glosses and false Annotations which Irenaeus * Advers Haeres l. 4. c. 43. joyns together scindentes elatos sibi placentes Schismaticks proud ‖ Mater omnium Haereticorum superbia Aug. de Gen. contr Manich. l. 2. c. 8. and self-pleasing men This was one of the Originals of Arrius his cursed Heresie his pride and envy against Alexander the good Bishop of Alexandria as Theodoret * Theodor. Eccles Hist lib. 1. cap. 2. reports Pelagius also and his Associates who though they did acknowledge the name of Grace ‖ Gratiae vocabulo frangens invidiam offensionemque declinans Aug. de Grat. Christ l. 1. c. 37. to decline envy and avoid the curse of the great Council of Carthage yet still they did but shelter their proud Heresies under Equivocations and Ambiguities What store of this Coin is minted at Rome to advance and support the Grandeur and Greatness of the Papal Monarchy who dams up the clear waters of Antiquity * The Reverend Bishop Taylor in his Disswasive from Popery pag. 124. saith The Roman Emissaries endeavour to prevail amongst the ignorant and prejudicate by boasting of Antiquity and calling their Religion the old Religion and the Catholick So by insnaring others by ignorant words in which is no truth their Religion as it distinguishes from the Religion of the Church of England being neither the old nor the Catholick Religion but new and superinduc'd by Arts known to all who with sincerity and diligence have looked into their pretences and opens the sluce to the puddles of Novelty is visible by Indulgences and Pardons consecrated Grains and Prayers for the Dead Pope ‖ Primus indulgentiarum nundinas primus in Purgatorium extendit indulgentias Agrip de Vanit Scientiarum cap. 61. Boniface VIII who lived in the Reign of King Edward the First of England was the first that instituted the Merchandise or Sale of Pardons and extended them to Purgatory for the Doctrine of Purgatory is the Mother of Indulgences The vast Treasure issuing †Sixtus the Fourth was wont to say Papae non deerunt pecuniae quamdiu ipsi manus erunt calamus The Pope could never want money so long as his hand could hold a pen. thence is solely possessed by the Pope and no other Patriarch in the World It is a matter of meer interest and advantage and if these Silver Shrines were not the Crafts-men of Rome would quickly fall If there were no gain saith a Reverend Prelate to be reaped from them their chief Champions would be ashamed of the great Diana that they worship When the Truth of God and the Death of Christ the Kingdom of Heaven and the Fire of Hell the Souls of Men and Salvation of the World shall be made basely serviceable and contributary to the boundless pride and ambition of the Pontificality and See of Rome who seeks to abuse Antiquity and to patronize their own Errours subjecting Religion into Maxims of humane Policy * All their Policy tends to maintain their archieved Majesty and Greatness whereby his Holiness shall be estated not only in the City of Rome but also in the Seigniory of the whole West not in Spiritualibus only as Vicarial Head but also Lord Paramount in Temporalibus as Monarch of the Church in having all power upon Earth at his will and the Crowns of Kings to stand or fall at his pleasure and the ancient integrity of the Apostolick Faith into Innovations and a new Belief as Gregory Nazianzen ‖ Gregor Nazian Orat. in Arianos said of the Arians their refined Doctrines meer Novelties new-broach'd Heresies For at the Council of Trent they adjoyn'd new Articles of Faith to those twelve which the Apostles set down for a sufficient Summary of sound Doctrine whilst the Sacrifice of Mass Corporeity of Presence the Doctrine of Purgatory Invocation of Saints Worship of Images and the like were commanded to be embraced and received with the same pious affection and reverence as the holy Scripture under no less penalty than Damnation and to be believed for fear of Anathema O Roma * Rome once the Emporium of the World and Mart of Christian Faith when it enjoyed all the happiness this life is capable of it grew exorbitant That State which seem'd above foreign casualty laboured with its own happiness and from its height and glory found way to ebb again Roma diu titubans variis erroribus acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput à Româ quantum mutata vetustâ es Nunc caput es scelerum quae caput orbis eras For a Nation or People to receive Christianity and true Faith from Christ himself or the Apostles matters nothing unless they do still retain the same Theological and Divine Principles Some can talk over the series and descent of all times with such
igni remedium 't was this fire of holy Zeal and Christian Loyalty or Charity which out-burn'd that of Malice and Envy And in the midst of the fiercest flames that Barbarism and Cruelty could invent paid the Tribute of a peaceable subjection to their Murderers and made unforced acknowledgments of the Right they had to their obedience And the Church of England teaches no other Doctrine than what was taught by the Prophets and Apostles themselves i. e. Obedience and Submission to Kings and Governours In the Prophecy of Obadiah they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saviours or Deliverers In Ezekiel's language they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shepherds to feed and rule the People In S. Paul's they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's Ministers nay Elohim Exod. 22.28 Gods by Office and Deputation to govern the affairs of men on Earth The Apostles also charged those whom they employ'd in setling of the Churches to put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers Tit. 3.1 and to obey Magistrates And S. Peter's Exhortation is Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 not only unto the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as supreme but unto Governours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being sent by him Rebellion then is as the sin of Witchcraft and Disobedience as the iniquity of Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 For whosoever disobeys the Viceroy affronts the Soveraign they fight against God and attempt to cross the Decrees of Heaven and frustrate the Counsel of the most High who says Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reign And it is the assertion of Plato That a Kingdom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Good which imprints on our minds a double instruction to Fear God and Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 First to adorn the Christian Religion with holiness and piety of life It is Religion that ennobles man erects his affections and estates him in a happiness above Nature alters his very being and puts him in opposition to what he was before Religion is the most effectual instrument to reform mens lives and bring them into an hatred of their vices which all Moralists especially the Pythagoreans after all their industry despaired of What Reports Diogenes Laertius and Valerius Maximus make of Polemus the Convert of Zeno are but mean and low things if compared with the Acts and glorious Success of Christianity whose virtue and influence upon mens Consciences inables them to subdue Self overcome their Vices check the impetuous force of their Passions and withstand their own carnal and sensual Inclinations the greatest and most noble Conquest As the Lustre of Christianity was thus bright and glorious in the Primitive Constitution so was the honour of its Professors that they were of such piety and integrity that their Adversaries confessed that their Religion was their only ruine Let us therefore be so stedfast in our Religion unshaken in our Faith so constant in our Devotion and holy and unspotted in our Lives that Wisdom may be justified not only of her Children but Enemies also which lays the greatest obligation on us to live the most holy and religious life towards God For were we more holy and righteous in our ways and did we walk in newness of life we should more convince the World of the Truth of our Religion Psal 93.5 Holiness saith the Psalmist becomes O Lord thine house for ever No garment becomes the Church so well as the garment of Holiness It is Sanctity that is the Churches Glory It is the Ephod of Purity that is the Churches Excellency Our first Creation set before us as Hieroglyphicks before the Egyptians whose very Shapes and Figures were Doctrinal and by a kind of Oratory preach'd the Spectators Duty What else means the Image of God in the Soul but that it might continually act and work according to the Pattern viz. Godliness after whose Likeness it was created according to Holiness and Perfection which it brought down from Heaven that reflecting still upon the same Image it might be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 For a holy life and Christian works are the very way to the glorious Vision and Fruition of the great God in an everlasting blessed Life Therefore Fear God Rom. 6.22 and honour the King which is the best Christian practice and brings me to the next gradation in our Discourse viz. to crown our Zeal with Loyalty to the King for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wears Gods Image and beautifies the World * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. ad Praefect indoct Dei enim imaginem habet Rex sicut Christi Episcopus S. Aug. Vet. Test quaest 35. with Order and Government whereby so many millions of men do breathe the life of peace and comfort For sooner might a heap of Ants be brought to an uniformity in motion and those little bodies that play up and down the Air in a careless posture to a regularity than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or popular sort if they were not held in by the reins of Government whither would the fury of mens passions lead them if they were not bounded with Authority if the rapacity of these Orbs were not slack'd by the course of the higher Spheres and subdu'd to an awful subjection Religion would quickly feel a heavy Destiny and the World be drown'd in blood as it was once in water The Sword of Authority is put into the hand of the King by Almighty God To the like sense also is that of Nestor to Agamemnon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jove lent thee thy Scepter and Jurisdiction On this account speaks Themistius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God sent Regal Power from Heaven Holy Athanasius also confesseth the Power of Kings to be of God and their impiety not to be punish'd by man Ad Antioch quaest 55. Sicut in toto mundo Deus Rex est Imperator potestatem exercet in omnibus As God is King and Emperour over all the World and exerciseth his Power in all Creatures so the King and Prince is over all earthly men The Lord saith Athanasius Athanas apud Epiphan Haeres 68. to Constantine judge between thee and me since thou givest way to my false accusers against me Let us send our prayers and tears saith S. Cyprian * Mittamus precâ—s lachrymas cordis ad Deum legatos S. Cypr. lib. 4. Epist 4. to the persecuted Christians as Messengers and Ambassadours of our hearts unto God Lactantius speaking of Obedience to Princes says They are to be defended not by killing but by dying not by cruelty but by patience Gregory Nazianzen lived under five Emperours Constantius Julianus Valens Valentinianus and Theodosius in all which time he could find no remedy against the Tyranny Heresie and Apostasie of Princes besides prayers and tears speaking of Julian's * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazian in Julian
varieties as pain and grief pleasure and sadness so that the greatest happiness that the world can afford is not able to fill the unlimited desires of the heart but God only For the world the Fools Paradise is full of Vipers the obscure print of unsound joys a dream'd sweetness and a very Ocean of gall and so there is nothing on Earth that I desire besides thee Mundo utamur use we may but not adore the Creature we may look upon fair this picture as the work of the Almighty but not esteem it for a Deity or a God like the foolish Egyptians or those Persians that gave veneration only to the lustre of their Jewels The Christian account as to Divine Arithmetick is cast up for another world Psal 90.12 to be a Denizen of the New Jerusalem an Heir of Eden a Peer of Paradise a Pearl of Vertue a Star of Glory Although we are Sojourners here * A Christians life is a meer pilgrimage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are all strangers and pilgrims therefore let your conversation be in Heaven and well may I with S. Paul advise you so to do because it is the chiefest Principle in Christianity for as the Stars move in their several Orbs and the Planets in their Circles so a Christians Sphere is above in Heaven there he performs all his regular motions however we are Muncipes Coeli Freemen of Heaven Inceptors in Happiness Probationers for Glory and have the priviledge to be called and own'd by God as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fellow-Citizens of the Saints walk therefore worthy of this honourable City whereof you are Members and worthy of the Parents from whom you descended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Thucydides * Thucydid l. 4. A Christian is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that lives in the Confines of Heaven so that whilst he is here on Earth he wants but the courteous hand of Death to put him into possession and give Livery and Seisin of that above 2 Cor. 5.1 Heaven then is my home the Creator my Father the Judge my Advocate the Spirit my Consolation therefore there is nothing on Earth that I desire besides thee The opposition of Notes on both being the second general now appears First In primacy of Order King David is the glass in which we may behold Christian practice In his thoughts Heaven takes the precedency of Earth Whom have I in Heaven but thee O Lord This is his first care to seek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of God here is the primum mobile that moves his heart his will and his affections Heaven then the desire on Earth follows after and it is honour enough for this vile Earth to wait upon Heaven Let us not now chaffer Heaven for Earth as sottish Indians truck away Ore for glass and for the gaudy nothing of this life hazard our immortal Souls to everlasting flames and for the toyes and vanities of this world lose an Eternal Kingdom and for a glorious mortality bid adieu to Heaven which ought to have the precedency in our heart and affection Open our eyes O Lord that we may see those glorious rayes that stream from the Divinity and so beautiful an object will be enough to draw and attract our hearts unto thee echoing forth the Anthem of the Text Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Secondly Take it in the sense of the Verbs habeo desideravi habeo in Coelis I have in Heaven desideravi in terris I desire on Earth Here we tire our selves with a restless fancy still wandering through the Creation but never finding any satisfaction but in Heaven there are all things that may delight us and solace the faculties of our Soul For God is a plenitude of light to the understanding a multitude of peace to the will Eternal joy and consolation to the memory And in Heaven all our desires shall be satisfied with fruition and those excellencies will always supply new and fresh desires to the Soul which in the beatifical vision shall enlarge into that vast and infinite satisfaction that it shall be lost in the enjoyment and most happily plunged in that fruition which we shall never fully understand but be still more and more happy in having pleasures so great as to transcend our knowledge How glorious is that Sun that sets not and how clear is that day that is not chased by the darkness of the night Heaven is that resplendent residence and of this bliss there is such a fulness that our heads are too thick to understand it or if we were able to understand it yet our hearts are too narrow to give it entrance or if our hearts could hold it yet our tongues are too stammering to express and utter it * Mens deficit vox silet non mea tantùm sed Angelorum S. Ambrose If the Heaven were fuller of Stars than it is and if this lower World were adorned and illuminated with as many Lamps as 't is capable of yet would they never be able to supply the absence of one Sun Neither can the sons of men with all their Lamps and Torches of Reason make up the least shadow of Glory the least appearance of Heaven There 's such depths such Pleonasms such Oceans of perfection in a Deity as it exceeds all intellectual capacity for it is such as eye hath not seen ear heard nor yet enter'd into the heart of man to conceive what the Almighty the great Being of Beings hath prepar'd in Heaven for those that fear him And though some vessels contain more than others yet all shall be full there shall be no vacuity or want in any Lastly Take it in the diversity of the prepositions cum praeter nothing with nothing besides thee O Lord Heap up all the riches of the world into one pile till they reach the Stars and charm all the delights of the world into one Circle and enjoy them freely yet there is a desire in man which looks above them for whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is nothing on Earth that I desire besides thee The Organ of a Christian Ear is not for Earth its musick is mixt with too many discords 't is Heaven it aims at the Angels with whom it would consort and the melody of the superiour powers that yields the most absolute concord This is the Psaltery that King David sings to and is the true Ela of a Christian Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is nothing on Earth I desire besides thee How miserable are they then whose pleasures only divert them from God their Maker and have no other Apology for their Neglect of Heaven than what Sin can make that court the World and for a fading Embrace exchange a Diadem of Bliss a Crown of Glory And here let us raise our Thoughts from Earth to Heaven because the glorious