and Physician to their unavoidable ruine Exempla hujus Peccati Saul Judas Arrius item Julianus Apostata But it is indeed difficult to judge of this sin Sine rarishmis inspirationiâ—us Beâ— because now in this Age of the Church the spirit of discerning is not so distributed as of old Manasses for many years furiously persecuted the Word of God erected abominable Idols and shed much innocent blood in Jerusalem whereby this sin was incoated but not consummate because at last he came to have Repentance given him Take heed of three things principally 1. Of every beginning of evil of denying Christ though but through infirmity so far Peter was in a dangerous way and it was time for Christ to look at him Satan teacheth his children first to go and then to run 2. Of acting wilfully and willingly against the known Truth of the Gospel there are sins of frailty through impotency and of simplicity through ignorance but take heed of sins of malignity through envy this is Giant-like to war against God 3. Of continuing to sin against conscience A man may sin till it be as impossible for him to repent as to come out of Hell being once plunged there Most justly may it be said of the man committing this sin what once most unjustly by Paul Away with him from the earth its pity that such a one should live There is a sin unto death 1 John 5.16 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him Mat. 12.31 32. but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World neither in the World to come Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins Psal 19 13. let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Sinners By one man sin entred into the World Non intelligendum hoc de exemplo imitationis sed de contagio propagationis Johan Polyand praefat ad Com. Nemo mundus à peccato coram te nèc infans cujus est unius diei vita super terram Aug. Imbecillitas enim infantilium innocens est non animus infantium God at the first created men with their faces as it were turned towards himself that is doing his Will But now they are like him whom a wicked spirit is said to have caught by the pate and wrested his neck about that his face stood behind his back Fixa mutari nescia nam quis Peccandi finem posuit sibi quando recepit Ejectum semel attritâ de fronte pudorem Quisuam hominum est quem tu contentum videris uno Flagitio The three sorts of dead raised by our Saviour aptly resemble saith Augustine three sorts of sinners viz. 1. A sinner is dead in the house like Jairu's Daughter when he doth imagine mischief in his mind 2. Perseverare in malo Diabolicum digni sunt perire cum illo quicunque in similitudine ejus permanent in peccaâ—o Bern. A sinner is carried out in the Coffin like the Widows son of Naim when he brings forth ungodliness both in word and in deed 3. But then is he stinking in the Grave like Lazarus if he sin habitually without any remorse drawing iniquity with cords of vanity and heaping up wrath against the day of wrath One said wittily That the angry man made himself the Judge and God the Executioner there is no sinner that doth not the like The Glutton makes God his Eater and himself his Guest and his belly his God especially in the new-found Feasts of this Age in which profuseness and profaness strive for the Tables end The lascivious man makes himself the lover and as Vives said of Mahomet God the Pandor The covetous man makes himself the Usurer and God the Broker The ambitious man makes God his state and honour his God Of every sinner God may say justly as once by the Prophet Servire me fecisti Isa 43.24 Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins yea with the Salvages of Calecutt they place Satan in the Throne and God on the Footstool If Zions Daughter converse with sinners she ties her self to the bondage of iniquity Deaths Garden brings forth no other flowers but death The Rose of pride buds forth vanity envies wormwood is but bitterness the fair lilly of luxuriousness is but sorrow and contrition the stinging Nettle of careful avarice is but dolouâ— and affliction There is the soul the Daughter of Deity like a Bond-slave led into captivity from danger to danger vice to vice sin to sin thought to thought from thought to consent from consent to delight from delight to custom from custom to hardness of heart from thence to an evil death and from an evil death to damnation We may say of every sinner as Salust said of Catiline Magnâ vi animi fecit sed ingenio malo pravóque Sinners resemble those Monsters that are half like men and half like beasts Sinners may think they see God to favour them but 't is but imaginary as we read of Brutus that he saw his own Angel They are like mad men who imagine many things which indeed are not Wickedness overthroweth the sinner Prov. 13.6 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged It shall not be well with him neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow Eccl 8.12 13. because he feareth not before God The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed Isa 65.20 Guilt of sin The priviledge of greatness neither must nor will be any subterfuge for guiltiness Guilt of sin increaseth as sin is propagated therefore the sorrow of sin comes with much and daily addition For as he is an happy man who can be a beginner in good things having a share in all the good that follows the beginning even when he is gone So cannot he but be a most unhappy man who is a Ring-leader in evil for as it is easie to set fire on an house but not so easie to quench it so he hath begun mischief and all the sins and evils of that unhappy spark committed many Generations after him shall be upheaped on him to his greater condemnation Men may communicate in other mens sins divers wayes By counsel and advice when though another is the hand yet thou art the head and adviser Absalom committed the incest but by the counsel of Achitophel And the daughter of Herodias is the mouth that said Give me John Baptists head but it was by the counsel of her mother By commandment 1. Whether by word Doeg murdered the Priests of the Lord but it was Saul's fact who commanded him The high Priests servants struck Paul but their stroak was their Masters for he commanded it and Paul deals
to the lustre or brightness in gold Godliness to the weightiness or that propension in it which in the motion of it carries it toward the center Holiness respects the nature and quality of the action and engageth to a serious and zealous rectitude in these Godliness respects the end of the action and carries the agent in his intentions herein upon God Besides they are different in their nature in that Holiness is ascribed to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never Godliness He is often said to be holy never godly And the holy Apostle exhorts to these as to two several graces 2 Pet. 3.11 Yet they are never divided in their subject For the holy man is stirred up of God to make God and his glory the soveraign end of all his ways which is Godliness To promote Holiness in the world God useth various engines viz. Precepts or commands Lev. 11.44 45. Motives and arguments 1. God himself is holy and he would have men communicate with him in his darling attribute 2. Men and women are brought into a capacity of being holy by the death of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.17 3. God hath made many great and precious promises unto it wherein he stands engaged to the sons and daughters of men 2 Cor. 7.1 4. God is unable to bear the world in an aversness from holiness Heb. 1.14 5. The beauty and glory of it hence often called by that name 2 Cor. 3.18 Eph. 5.27 6. The peace it brings 7. And joy it begets Examples The Scripture in the memory of those that were holy seems to embalm them with honour to posterity on purpose that being preserv'd the world by them might learn and follow holiness in all succeeding generations It hath the superscription express and image of the glorious God upon it What manner of persons ought we to be 2 Pet. 3.11 in all holy conversation and godliness Civility As there are some things that glister but are not true Gold so some things shining which are not true Grace Civility and Morality are far from true Sanctity Yet herein it is not only possible but easie to mistake Learn therefore to difference them Civility and Morality hath respect only to the outward carriage and comportment but true Sanctity hath respect chiefly to the heart searching into the secret corners the very spirit of the mind So did good David when he prayed Cleanse thou me from secret faults That teacheth a man to avoid gross vices notorious offences scandalous enormities But it is only Holiness which causeth a man to make conscience of the least sins as well as the greatest Serm. 1. de Sp. â— To which Bernard saith excellently Hanc sollicitudinem non facit nisi Spiritus Sanctus qui ne minimam paleam intra cordis quod possidet habitaculum patiatur residere Holiness inlightens a man to look on the same sins which Morality and Civility discovereth with another and a cleerer aspect since whilst the Civil person only abhors them as enemies to his good name and the Moralist as repugnant to reason the Holy man loaths them as breaches of Gods law and offences to his Majesty Thus repenting David and the returning Prodigal looked upon their sins as against and before God Psal 51.4 Luk. 15.21 Civility restraineth sin but Holiness conquereth it Civility lesseneth the actings yet taketh not away the power whereas Holiness though not all at once yet by degrees subdueth the power of corruption Lastly This is the peculiar efficacy of true Holiness that it doth not only irradiate the understanding but inflame the will and affections with a love to God and zeal for his glory In which respect it is that they whom Christ purifieth to himself a peculiar people are said to be zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 The soul hath her senses as well as the body and these must be exercised Heb. 5.14 A Bristol-Stone looks like a Diamond We had need to try the things that differ that we be not cheated and so undone as many a man is by purchasing a counterfeit commodity at an unreasonable rate This I pray Phil. 1.9 10. that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment That ye may approve things that are excellent Honesty By it generally all kind of duties are signified which men are mutually to practise one towards another without doing any uncomely or wicked thing An honest man had rather complain than offend and hates sin more for the indignity of it than the danger He hath but one heart and that lies always open All his dealings are square and above board he bewrays the fault of what he sells and restores the owner gain of a false reckoning He esteems a Bribe venemous and only to be gilded over with the colour of a Gratuity When his name is called in question his Innocency bears him out with courage His Conscience over-ruleth his Providence Finally he hates falshood worse than death He is a faithful client of Truth No mans enemy and it is a question whether more anothers friend or his own But contrariwise too many are like the Dragons of Armenia that have cold bodies and yet cast fire out of their mouths Like the Sea-fish which gapes as if she would swallow up the Ocean but being ript up and her entrails opened there is no water found in her belly Christians in shew Devils indeed In all godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 Liberty Deus operatur omnia in omnibus necessitate infallibilitatis non coactionis Zanar Metaph. Deus efficaciter in homine libero operatur sed tantùm abest quòd hac efficatia tollat libertatem quòd magis eam ponit voluntas non potest cogi servata sua natura Quia eâ—si Deus potest cogere voluntatem meam ut lucrem poenas meorum delictorum tamen hoc non esset ex vi meae voluntatis nec ex coactione intrinsica libera sed ex violentia intrinsicâ— impellentis Deus autem agere solet per concursum influxum naturam agentem modificantem ideo ei non infert violentiam Liberè operari dicitur dupliciter 1. Quoad electionem sic est libera quia potest eligere non eligere 2. Quoad executionem sic potest impedire ab extrinsico per multa impedimenta Quod probatur locis multis Scripturae Cor hominis disponat viam suam sed Domini est dirigere gressus ejus In homine reperitur triplex libertas 1. Prima dicitur libertas à culpa quia in libertate natura est non peccare 2. A poena quia possumus evadere angustias mala quibus premimur 3. A coactione in electione quia possumus liberè eligere Duas priores libertates per peccatum primi parentis amisimus si stemus in puris naturalibus solùm tertia libertas remanet Bern. de grat lib. arbitr Liberty though but bodily is such an inestimable good thing
true things themselves Neither do they fill and satisfie the minde of man Pleasure is like lightning simul oritur moritur sweet and short And dolor est etiam voluptas Men first itch then scratch then smart Learning the more we know the more we would know Honour contents not the poor labourer would be written Yeoman the Yeoman a Gentleman the Gentleman a Knight the Knight a Baron the Baron a Lord the Lord an Earl the Earle a Marquesse the Marquesse a Duke the Duke a Prince the Prince a King the King a Caesar Aut Caesar aut nullus Caesar an Alexander and Alexander would be a God Vnus Pellaeo juveni non sufficit orbis Aestuat infoelix augusto limine mundi All the worlds army consists of two wings 1. Prosperity on the right hand 2. Adversity on the left hand And prosperity assaults more dangerously than adversity for as Anstin Homo victus in Paradiso victorim stercore Job Gregor Mundum oomparat nuci cassae quae si cultro veritatis aperiatur nihil intus invenire quam vanitatem inanitatem Et D. Johannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quo non aliter atquae in Medeae sinu versamur Orbis hic nihil aliud est quà m scelerum officina Publica in quâ vel Lycurgum ad nequitiam commoveri posse videâ—tur The world is so full of evils as that to write them all would require another world as great as it self Nam quid longa dies nisi longa dolorum colluvies Initio vitae cecitas oblivio possidet Progressu labor dolor exitu error omnibus It may be said of an old man as one of a marriner Nec inter vivos nec inter mortuos Epictetus spake more like a Divine than a Philosopher Homo calamitatis fabula infelicitatis tabula Though a King should conquer all the world yet he gets but a needle-point a mote a mite a nit a nothing The world promiseth many things but performes nothing All that is in the world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life That is pleasure profit preferment the worldlings Trinity To the same purpose the Christian Poet Ambitiosus honos opes foeda voluptas Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet Every sin we commit in this world will be as a fury to torment us in the next It was a clear heart that gave so bold a forehead to that holy Bishop who durst on his death-bed professe I have so lived as I neither fear to die nor shame to live Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 John 2.15 Kingdoms Remotâ justitiá quid sunt Regna nisi magna latrocinia quia ipsa latrocinia quid sunt nisi parva regna It was the Pirates answer to the great Macedonian Alexander who had taken him the King asking him how he durst molest the seas so he replied with a free spirit how durst you molest the whole world But because I do it with a little skip onely I am called a thief thou doing it with a great Navy art called an Emperor It is reported that it was a custom among the learned Nations Clem. Alex. l. 7. that he who should be King must also be a Priest so much they adjudged Religion to import the felicity of Kingdomes Hence the Persians counted them most happy that were most godly 8 Paâ— as testifieth Xenophon We may well say with Cicero why should we be inamoured with our selves since we have neither overcome the Spaniards with numbers the French with strength the Carthaginians with craft nor the Greeks with art but onely with Piety and Religion The Poets all acknowledge that the gods all forsook to succour Troy Dii multa neglecti dâ—deâ—e Hisperiae mala lactuosae Plutarch lib. â—e Exilio for the adultery of Paris The neglect of God brings many sorrowful evils to mankinde The Lacedemonian Ambassador commended his countrey to Ptolomy because that with them there was no envy for all were equal nor covetousnesse for all were common nor idlenesse for all did labour Which three will or may be in time the wrack and ruinous down-fall of any land Kingdoms after the manner other things have but their time to flourish in and so again decay For no Kingdom or Empire upon earth were it never so flourishing or great was ever yet so assured but that in the revolution of time after the manner of other worldly things it hath as a sick body been subject to many strange innovations and changes and at length come to nothing Yea and all the States in the world have their critical days and Clymacterical years beginnings and dissolutions at Gods appointment Ruines of Kingdoms may be known before-hand Junius Quast Pol. 5. not by Apodictical and demonstrative necessity but by Topical probability A skilful Physician by the cause of the disease doth fore-judge of the death of a sick Patient what sort it shall be and why then should not a wise Governour of the republick foresee the Sun-setting of a Kingdom yea in every City there are certain pulses from whose faint and languishing motions Suâ—â—onius we may divine fearful fates to hang over them Sith Seneca himself saith that the luxury of banquets and garments are the tokens of a sick City It is reported that before the death and destruction of Domitian a crow cried in the Capitol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are evil So also that vultures renting in pieces the young unfeathered Eagles portended death to Tarquinius superbus It is good for Kingdomes to have their eyes opened that they may see the day-break before the Sun-shine and dark night before the cock-crow The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord Rev. 11.15 and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Not for a thousand years onely as the Millenaries Jews Upon their Nation is that fully verified Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia They were a people signally prosperous incorrigibly flagitious and God hath made them in publique judgements most notorious Abused mercy turns into fury Their dispersion for this sixteen thousand years and upwards is such as that one of their own Rabbines concludeth from thence that their Messias must needs be come and they must needs suffer so much for killing him O the severity of God! and O the obstinacy and misery of this hard-hearted people Such is their stubbornness that they curse us Christians in their daily prayers Maledic Domine Nazaraeis They stick not to say that rather than we should have any benefit by their Messiah they would crucifie him an hundred times over Yea they have been ever such bitter enemies to Christians and so they continue that among the Turks every Visier and Basha of State useth to keep a Jew of his private counsel Blunts Voyage p. 114. whose malice wit and experience
discharge their Canon-shot that the roaring of the one may lessen the terror of the other In like sort Satan hangs tinkling cymbals in our ears and delights us with the musick and vanities of this world that we may forget the sonnd of the last Trumpet There is a threefold Judgment saith Aquinas 1. Discussionis 2. Condemnationis 3. Absolutionis It 's good for every man to judge himself in the two first He must examine himself and upon examination condemn himself The certainty of Judgment may teach us not to be too curious or careless It is a kind of sacriledge to pry into Gods holy place his secret Sanctuary Non judicium luti sed figuli To determine who shall be saved and who shall be damned is not belonging to the Clay but the Potter in whose power it is to make of the same lump one vessel of honor another to dishonor Austin desired to see three things especially viz. 1. Rome in her glory 2. Paul in the Pulpit 3. Christ in the flesh So let us desire three things 1. The conversion or else confusion of Rome and Babylon 2. The consolation of Israel and all Gods chosen 3. The coming of Christ not in the flesh but unto Judgment Oh that happy and merry Day Act. Mon. said Robert Samuel Martyr It is called Eternal Judgment Heb. 6.2 Because 1. It is of things eternal Eternal life or eternal death 2. The Sentence of that Judgment is eternal Elect and Reprobate go eternally to the place appointed 3. The Judge is Eternal 4. The persons judged are eternal some to enjoy eternal happiness and some to suffer eternal punishment The Judgment it self is not eternal it lasteth not ever but the fruit and event of it is eternal Oh that the cogitation of this Judgment were deeply fixed in the hearts of us all Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat What shall the Fornicator get enduring an ocean of torture for a drop or dram of pleasure The total sum is The breach of all the Commandments If these Accounts be not crost in this life we shall never have our Quietus est in the life to come The times of ignorance God winked at Act. 17.30 31. but now commandeth all men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Eternal Life Electra in Senec. movet hanc quaestionem Mortem aliquid ultra est Cui respondet Aegisthus Vita si cupias mori Ethnicus resurrectionem vel saltem vitam aeternam agnoscit Contemnenda est omnis injuria praesentium malorum Cypr. fiduciâ futurorum bonorum We that have received the first-fruits of the Spirit sigh and sob by these waters of Babylon because we cannot sing the Lords song in a strange land but then we shall sit and shine in the Kingdom of Heaven with Albs of innocency on our backs Palms of victory in our hands Crowns of glory on our heads and Songs of triumph in our mouths Then shall we enter into the Holy of holies then shall we celebrate the Sabbath of Sabbaths then shall we sing the Song of songs which none can learn but those that are redeemed from the earth Vita aeterna est vita vera Prima vita primum bonum ultimum malum Secunda vita primum malum ultimum bonum habet Hug◠de sanct vict The first life hath first good and afterwards that which is evil The second life hath first evil and afterwards good This life Christus 1. Promisit Luk. 12.32 2. Promeruit Rom. 6.23 3. Praeparavit Joh. 14.2 4. Inchoat Joh. 6.47 5. Reddet Joh. 11.25 This is the promise that he hath promised us Dav. in Coloss 1 Joh. 2.25 even eternal life Caelum Heaven is three-fold where 1. Fowles are the airy heaven Gen. 1.30 2. Starres are the firmament Gen. 1.17 3. Souls are the glorious or heaven of heavens 1 Kings 18.27 Heaven is not obtained by chance as the Milesian fisherman got the golden tripos Assurance of heaven is to be got three manner of wayes 1. By faith 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls 2. By conformity to Christ Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be made conformable to the image of his Son 3. By the sealing work of the Spirit Ephes 1.13 After that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise cap. 4.30 unto the day of redemption In the world if a man purchase a Lordship his heart is alwayes there he pulls down he builds he plants Christ hath bought the Kingdom of Heaven for us and hath paid for it at an high rate even with his most precious blood Anselm where he hath prepared mansions for us that are Denisons All our joy therefore should be there Corpore ambulantes in terra corde habitantes in Caelo Nonius chose rather to lose all his honours and fortunes than to quit his Opal Ring to Anthony But a far fairer Jewel is the Kingdom of God so sweet and precious that it deserves the selling of all we have and running into any hazard for it Luther gave his opinion the day before his death that in heaven we shall know one another because Adam knew Eve at first sight Lay up for your selves treasures in heaven Mat. 6.20 where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal Heavens Glory The Christalline walks of that new City are not for muddy feet nor shall lust-infected eyes look within those holy doors Rev. 21.27 There is a room without for such cap. 22.15 a black room for black works God will not set a golden head on earthen feet give the glory of heaven to him that delights in the glory of earth The Angels those Caelestial porters that carry the souls of the Saints as they did the soul of Lazarus to Abrahams bosome have no commission to pull a wicked mans soul to heaven Trajane erected many monuments and buildings insomuch that Constantine the great in emulation was wont to call him Parietaria the Wall-flower because his name was upon so many walls Babels Tower raised an head of Majesty 5164 Heyl. Geog. paces frow the ground having its basis and circumference equal to the height the passage to go up went winding about the outside and was of an exceeding great breadth there being not only roome for horses carts c. to meet and turn but lodgings also for man and beast and as some report grasse and corn-fields for their nourishment Pharos a watch-tower in Egypt was built by Ptolomie Philadelph all of white marble Plin. l. 36. c. 12. The work of those famous Pyramides though it do not appear who were the founders was
Faith and Repentance in his Church when by his powerful operation he converteth the souls of sinners from the errors of their way in an outward apparition then is he said to be sent visibly the Dove appearing at Christs Baptism did intimate the presence and the efficacy of the holy Ghost the cloven tongues like fire in the Primitive Church in the times of the Apostles were a demonstration of his presence and power The manifestation of his graces in Christ and his Apostles at those times discovered his presence But he is not sent thus alwayes but at appointed times and upon special occasions thus that Prophesie of Joel 2.28 was fulfilled He is sent invisibly when no signes are used to declare his presence in our hearts only he that hath him knows he is there Thus was he in the Prophets for he spake by them And every Christian that belongs to the election of grace hath the Spirit sent him thus invisibly he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 And cum gratia Spiritus sancti datur hominibus profecto mittitur Spiritus à Patre when the grace of the Spirit is confer'd on men of a truth the Spirit of grace is sent then of the Father Christ's Spirit comes not to us by a temporal motion but by the temporal motion of the creature is signified the spiritual and invisible sending of Christ's Spirit Again he is sent unto us by the Ministry of the Word the power of God to our salvation and by the administration of the Sacraments By the Word illuminating our understandings before darkned enabling us to judge of spiritual things our judgment before restrained to carnal working saith love hope peace patience temperance with a reformation of our lives and all other vertues in our hearts By administration of the Sacraments confirming our faith in the promises sealing unto us our adoption perfecting in us the assurance of our reconciliation with God and assuring us that we shall be made partakers with the Saints in glory of the full fruition of the presence of God and be put into the possession of that immortal and eternal inheritance in the highest heavens prepared for Gods children before the foundations of the world were laid This sending of the Spirit of the Son either visibly or invisibly by the Word or Sacraments is not a local motion a going from one place to another descending from heaven to earth but his operation and effectual working in the hearts of Gods Saints He is every where filling heaven and earth and therefore not movable from heaven to earth but ubi operatur ibi est where he works there he is and is said to be sent thither Let us now learn how to conceive of God and be assured of his love had he not loved us he had not sent his Spirit to us He sends his Spirit to us and gives us the best things we must not deny any thing unto him thanklesse creatures then we should be And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption And prepare we our hearts to entertain and receive him sweeping clean the secret chambers of our souls making our bodies also fit temples for the holy Ghost to dwell in The firm ground of all Christian comfort and stedfast foundation of all the heirs of eternal blisse is to be the sons of God Men of this world are ever ambitious of honorable titles and use all means to insinuate themselves into the favor of their Prince aiming hereby at a worldly happinesse Thus men of the world to come so I may term the faithful for they are not of this world are ever in action and the bent of their endeavours ever tending to obtain the honorable title of the sons of God What means God hath ordained for them to win his favour by as obedient children use aiming hereby at an eternal inheritance and at the crown of immortality that never fades away which that as sons they by the grace of God their heavenly Father may compasse they cry and pray without ceasing unto him who is willing to hear and able to fulfil their holy desires to the utmost even above what they ask And that they may be the better able to hold out unto the end and to profecute their earnest intentions in righteous things God because they are sons sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts whereby they cry Abba Father There remains now these three Parts to be treated of The place whither the Spirit is sent the effect of the Spirit there and the reason of all this Now that you may receive with pure hearts and blamelesse affection the sincere truth of Gods holy word whil'st ye are reading these lines sequester your sences and your souls from all wandring and evil thoughts and cast away from you all misdeeming conceits as Elias did his Mantle to the earth when he ascended into heaven or as Moses took off his shoes when he trod on holy ground The next Subject of our Meditation is the place whither God sends forth the Spirit of his Son which is our hearts God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts The estate of every true Christian and child of God in this life is partly carnal partly spiritual they have flesh they have spirit the first state comes by nature call'd the state of nature the second by the free and undeserved grace of God Non habeo domine quodignoscâ—s Donatus call'd the state of grace Hence we may consider them two wayes conditioned 1. They are carnally minded 2. Spiritually minded Their purity is not totally and fully unblemisht he that saith he hath no sinne is a lydr and there is no truth in him 1 John 1.8 For they are subject to a twofold Law 1. To a Law in the members which none can put off until they put off their flesh and thus far they are unregenerate 2. To the Law of the mind which is the Law of God call'd the Law of the mind regenerate and illuminated converted unto God by the Spirit wherein the godly do delight Hence ariseth a mortal warre and an unsppeased enmity within man I see faith Paul another law in my members warring against the law of my mind the good that I would do I do not but the evil which I would not do that do I Rom. 7. The flesh lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5.17 and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other and draw like Sampsons Foxes contrary-wayes The Maxime grounded then upon these words to which my former discourse hath relation is that by nature we are destitute of the Spirit of God and by consequence prone to all evil Had there not been a reflection of Gods goodnesse and mercy upon us did he not by supâ—rlour causes and transcendent means work our regeneration and caused us by a second birth which
you The worldlings fear disturbeth the souls quiet and putteth the conscience in a manner out of frame But Jacobs fear which is the fear of God is that to which with David we must be ever devoted Psal 119.38 For take it upon the word of a King Holy and reverend is his Name Psal 111.9 Last of all The setled Christian must fear the Highest Power but as a son a father from whom with Adam he must not flie and quiver 'T is for a godless heathen Emperor through the horror of a guilty conscience to run under a bed at the noise of thunder Gods voice 'T is for a proud Felix to tremble when the last Judgment is urged 'T is for a Simon Magus his heart to quake when rebuk'd for the desire of a Simoniacal purchase It did well enough become desperate Judas in an humour to hang himself out of the way for his treachery to his innocent Master fear and despair did drive him to his wits end But he that is confirm'd in Christianity is of a far better resolution and more gracious temper If he offend as who doth not he is not as are some ungodly high-minded but hath learn'd of the Apostle rather like a good child to fear Nor as others hopeless but is both an importunate suiter unto Heaven for mercy and withall zealously addicted to Pauls exercise Act. 24.16 which is to have a good conscience void of offence toward God and toward men In one word From Jacob's fear in coming unprovided into that place which he imagined to be the house of God Learn we when we come into the house of God Eccl. 5.1 as the Preacher warns us to keep our feet from rushing unadvisedly into it our ears from listning to what doth not become it our tongues from uttering any thing rashly in it our heart from hastily conceiting either superstitiously or prophanely of it the whole man from unreverently abusing it 't is the gate of Heaven And here I make a stand God in mercy grant us his Peace to settle our unquiet minds his Spirit to rule our untamed hearts his Joy to solace our afflicted souls his Grace to rectifie our disordered passions his Fear to restrain our unruly wills That by his Peace we may rest in quiet to his Spirit we may yield obedience with his Joy we may be ever cheered in his Fear we may live and die to live with him for ever To whom Father Son and Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory by Angels by men in heaven in earth world without endâ— Amen ORDINE QVISQVE SVO OR THE Excellent Order 1 COR. 11.3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the bead of Christ is God GOD is the God of order and he will have not only some things but all things done in order he commands order commends order delights in order and will have order both in Substantials and Circumstantials in Reals and in Rituals 'T is the Devil who is the Author of disorder and confusion he knows if order go up his Kingdom must go down and therefore he doth his utmost to hinder it Omne ordinatum pulchrum Cant. 6.10 Order is the glory of all Societies A well-ordered Family Army City are comely sights It makes the Church fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Hence God hath set an Order in heaven an Order in Hell an Order amongst Angels an Order amongst the starres an Order amongst Rational creatures an Order amongst sensitive Creatures the very Bees have a King and ruler over them And as it is the glory so it is the safety Take away this and we shall be all in confusion if there were not an Order in the Sea it would over flow the land and drown all The air would poyson us the creatures destroy us and every man would destroy another It s good then or every man to be bound the best are but in part regenerate and being left to themselves may fall into dangerous sins and errors shall therefore insist upon that which is here by the blessed Apostle propounded viz. A pattern of the most excellent Order This Portion of Divine truth is divided into three heads 1. The head of every man which is Christ 2. The head of the woman which is the man 3. The head of Christ which is God For the First The head of every man which is Christ No man is excluded from subjection unto him in regard of his universal dominion and that imperial power by which he ruleth all creatures after which manner he is the head of every wicked man also and of the Devils themselves which thing they do beleeve and at which they tremble But yet in a more peculiar manner and crytical sence he is the head of every man that is elected to life in regard of his special dominion called Dominium officii the dominion of his office whereby he ruleth in the Church of God in which manner he is the head of every man only that is a lively and real member of his mystical body inseperably united unto him by the inviolable bond of the spirit of grace whether he be Jew or Gentile Barbarian or Scythian bond or free rich or poor Whereupon issues this consequence that Christ being the head of every true member of the Church He is also the head of the whole Church Concerning which these two points are to be handled 1. According to what nature 2. In what respect Christ is the head of the Church As for the first point Christ is the head of the Church according to both natures both his divine and humane both which are two springs whence do flow several Observations In that Christ as God is head I Observe 1. The perpetuity of the Church the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 2. That with all reverent respect obedience is to be rendred by us to Christ in all things 3. That albeit Christ be ascended to his Father and our Father to his God and our God yet is not the Church left destitute of an head on earth for heaven and earth is fil'd with the glorious Majesty of his Deity and the Church with the special presence of his Spirit In that Christ as man is head of the Church I Observe 1. That his affection to us is intimate the sence of our miseries in him accute and he most prompt and inclind to help us in all extremities 2. That we may solace our selves wipe away all teares from our eyes and banish all sorrow from our hearts for that nothing is left Satan to triumph for over us being that Christ in our nature hath overcome Satan As for the second point In what respects Christ is the head of the Church My meditations are grounded upon the relation which the head hath to the members and this consists 1. In a
imputed to them many were the spots and wrinkles of the Saints whilst here militant Sanctity imports among other things a cleansing from impurity whence Isidore Sancti quasi sanguine tincti Saints are so called because they are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanseth from all sin Who were antiently purified were sprinkled with the blood of the Sacrifice so now the Saints with the blood of the Son of God who gave himself for them to God an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour the righteousness and merits of which Sacrifice are made theirs by assignment Assignata est homini aliena justitia quia caruit suâ Bernard saith Bernard The righteousness of another is allotted and assigned unto man because he lost his own conferr'd on him of God Since mans first apostacy and fall from God none could ever be perfect Saints in this world without the perfect rightcousness of Christ which perfects them alone to whom it is imputed who being in Christ Jesus are considered as one mystical person with him who is their Head from whom floweth all perfection by whom remission of sin is compassed and through whom freedom from condemnation eternally is obtained Thus Gods Saints are Saints by Imputation whom I believe in Christ to be no sinners and therefore not guilty of death but just and holy and lords over both sin and death and assured heirs of everlasting life The Saints of God are Saints by Renovation For to whom God sent forth his Son into the world to redeem them God sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts to sanctifie them which Sanctity wrought by the Spirit of grace and Word of God is a quality or qualification newly created in their hearts whereby the Image of God which was lost by the fall of Adam is again restored and the corruption of sin by degrees abolished the working grace of the blessed Spirit never ceasing until by a transcendent operation it mould and frame them to righteousness and true holiness Hence they are called new creatures whose intentions and actions are conformed to the exact rule of hóliness Gods most holy Word and the unerring directions of his renewing Spirit Saints thus by Renovation have in them a twofold grace and righteousness Viz. 1. Inherent grace 2. Actual grace The inherent grace or righteousness of the Saints doth not originally arise out of the principles of Nature but of Gods free grace not of their own industrious acquisition but of Gods favorable infusion Hereby the tyranny of sin was and is suppressed in them and the violence of their natural corruption inclined to mischief by the predominancy of a more effectual grace habituated in them kept in order and subjection Hereby the ruines of our nature are repaired and we by the quickning power of the God of life therein graciously revived Hereby all Gods Saints are disposed and enabled to perform his injunctions and made acceptable in the Beloved without whom inherent grace or sanctity is neither permanent nor operative for in Christ and by Christ alone the Saints are what they are and do what good they do The actual righteousness of the Saints of God is that conformity which their actions proceeding from the habit of grace wrought in them by the Spirit of sanctification dwelling in their hearts have to Gods law This is moral yet the beginning the progression and the finishing of it proceeds from the Supreme Author of all good Nulli sunt conatus nostri ad bonum si non excitentur vani si non adjuventur We never bend our endeavours and forces to the performance of any good thing if not excited and all are but vain if not supported For who is sufficient for these things that God exacts if God enable not His grace is sufficient for us and without it we insufficient for them The Saints work out their salvation with fear and trembling but by the help of God that worketh in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure By the efficacy of his al sufficient working they exercise themselves unto godliness and apply their hearts to his service Hence they are called Vessels of honour and Temples of the Holy Ghost sequestred from all others for the service of the Lord and honour of his holy Name It is to honour and to serve him that the Saints are by Baptism admitted into the Church Nazianzen whence Nazianzen describes Baptism to be Pactum vitae purioris cum Deo A compact made by man with God to lead an undefiled life and not to walk in the way of sinners Sanctity I conceive to be like a Diametrical line in a Circle constituting two distinct Hemispheres of men differencing the good from the bad the Saints from the Wicked whereby we and all men who are the Saints of God now in being are advertised to eschew the society of Atheists Blasphemers Drunkards Adulterers Idolaters and all malefactors and to tread in the pure footsteps of the blessed Saints in their heavenly hemisphere composing our selves to keep within the Compass into which no Devil can have admittance We are men if Saints of another and a better world and must not fashion our selves according unto this It is reported of the people of Lorain Heyl. Geâ—gâ— That they participate of the French Complement and German Drinking I fear it may be reported of too many of us and that report too true That we participate of the French Complement and German Drinking of the Spaniards Oppression and Cruelty of the Italians Whoring of the Turks Atheism of the Jews Avarice of the Papists Superstition of Machiavels Perfidiousness and many others evil heapt up in the pack of mischief But these things become not Saints they stand in opposition to their conditions such men are Antipodes to the Godly walking contrary unto them Wherefore lay aside all uncleanness of the flesh let not the phantastick pleasures of this bewitching world besot your souls neither come you into the assembly of the wicked whom the world may stile but with a false glosse Men of renown Chrysost It is Chrysostom's speech on the 24. of Matthew Sanctorum est non inquirere mansiones ubi clariores sunt viri fed ubi fideliores nec gaudent ubi epulae sunt largae fed ubi storet sanctitas It is not the property of Saints to desire to dwell in those mansions where the more famous men of this world resort but where the more faithful dwell neither delight they to be where dainties are in abundance but where sanctity and holiness doth most flourish Like Moses that chose rather to live miserably with the opressed Israelites than deliciously in the Court of Pharach among swaggering Gallants Be ye thus minded as becometh Saints Set up your rest where Religion flourisheth where Piety is practised where good works performed where Grace reigneth and be ye as they holy and do as they do good otherwise God will
the Word they feed all Nations by two and two to signifie the calling of two people Jew and Gentile Rom. 3.29 The Jews thought that God was confined unto them Is he the God of the Jews onely is not he also of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also Therefore our Saviour sent them as well to the Gentile as to the Jew They are likened to the bells of the High-Priest they depend on the vertue of the Eternal Priest after the order of Melchisedeck Psal 19. Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as the Psalmist reports there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard their sound went into all the carth and their words unto the ends of the world They are like the middle bar in the midst of the boards in the Tabernacle which reach from end to end Exod. 26.28 They are the Chariots of the Lord Bernard who by saith hope and charity carry the Trinity through the world Non corporis praesentiâ sed mentis providentia saith Bernard not in bodily presence but in the wisdom of the mind providing for future things like Ezekiels chariot going to the four corners of the world Quae regio in terras nostri non plena laboris Thus Christ sent Now a little of the Apostles sending That they should go unto the Gentiles and we unto the Circumcision Nihil hîc statuunt Apostoli quod non ante statuit Deus Here the Apostles ordain nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a Greek Father that was not preordained of God It was Gods own voice to Ananias Paul is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel Act. 9.15 Paul was Gods chief Hearld the Gospels loudest Trumpeter It was Gods own voice unto Paul himself I will send thee far unto the Gentiles Act. 22.21 It was Gods voice unto the Prophets and Teachers that were at Antioch Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Act. 13.12 Whereupon they immediately went and preached unto the Gentiles And here note the wisdom of God Paul a Gentile full of wisdom was sent here unto the Gentiles who sought for wisdom Peter a Jew excellent for working miracles sent unto the Jews who sought always for miracles and signs a sign of their infidelity all working togeher for the good of his elect of one mind when farthest asunder Now seeing the Jews have rejected the yoke of Christ and the Gentiles of whom we are a part have taken it on them We may say of them as they sometime of us We have a little sister and she hath no breasts Amazon-like she hath one breast the Old Testament but wants the other the chief breast the New Let us pray for them as they did for us that they may hear Christ crying out aloud to the Church Cant. 6. Return return O Shulamite return return that we may look upon thee and see as it were the company of two Armies the one of Jews the other of Gentiles all one Church one flock We pray thee then O Heavenly Father to call the uncalled Jew and Gentile to comfort the comfortless and to make an end of these dayes of sin wherein we live and cause our Saviour to appear in the clouds for our full and perfect Redemption Do it for his sake that died for us To whom with Thee and thy Holy Spirit be given all glory As it was in the beginning so now and ever shall be world without end Amen FINIS Deo soli Gloria ERRATA PAg. 5. lin 18. read earth p. 6. l. 17. r. us p. 7. l. 13. carnal p. 9. l. ult place p. 11. l. 1. then Marg. r. via p. 13. l. 46. ipse p. 14. l. 35. recusat vivere marg r. diligere p. 15. l. 6. that l. 10. replenisht l. 14. through marg absit p. 16. l. 16. loquentes p. 17. l. 37. Jerusalem p. 18. m. infimis p. 23. l. 42. Man p. 25. l. 9. vertue l. 10. godliness p. 27. l. 5. offence p. 28. l. pen. to p. 31. l. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marg in uudis p. 32. l. ult with p. 34. l. 6. parvae l. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 37. l. 34. conversationis l. 36. distraction l. 48. Spirit l. 49. Bernard p. 46. l. 43. good p. 50. l. 7. eum p. 53. l. 1. know p. 72. r. generatione l. 44. in p. 73. l. 41. Spirit l. 45. add of p. 74. m. ille p. 77. l. 51. grants p. 78. m. vocis p. 79. l. 19. nothing l. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 80. l. 24. add may p. 81. l. 27. add are p. 84. l. 49. r. sapientissimum p. 96. l. 14. through p. 100. l. 50. either p. 106. l. 19. r. Divesses p. 107. l. 16. parts l. 47. his p. 108. l. 47. she p. 109. l. 44. indifferent p. 113. l. 16. get l. 19. then marg ornamento p. 114. l. 7. vox l. 30. placed p. 115. marg calce p. 129. Mercury p. 130. l. 23. add in l. 31. mercies marg vulgatissima p. 131. m. introspicere p 134. l. 30. r. thence p. 135. l. 52. commends p. 136. m. egerint p. 140. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 142. m. ratis p. 148. l. 19. r. columna es A TABLE Of the Principal THINGS contained in the EXERCITATIONS A. ADam's fall what misery to mankind Pag. 4 Angels rejoyce at the good of Gods Church Pag. 18 What to be admired in God Pag. 20 Ardency in prayer how grounded Pag. 79 80 Ground of our Adoption Pag. 81. Benefit of it Pag. 81 82 Gods dearest children subject to Afflictions Pag. 117 God sends not Angels but Men-Angels to preach the Word why Pag. 128 Apostles called Pillars why Pag. 147 forward B. THe glory of our Saviours Body and Soul in his state of Exaltation Pag. 58 Brittle estate of man Pag. 85 Bishop what Pag. 126 Baseness of the Popish Clergy Pag. 135 Blessedness Pag. 136 C. GOD would have mens hearts prepared for Christ Pag. 4 Christ ordered our High-Priest by Covenant Pag. 6 Purity of Christs conception Pag. 12 Peace of Conscience what it produceth in man Pag. 31 32 Civil peace Pag. 33. Peace with the Creatures Pag. 38 Converts stand upon firmer terms in Christ than before their first declination Pag. 40 Christs cruel conflict upon the Cross Pag. 59 The best in this life partly carnal Pag. 71 Comfort unspeakable a benefit of the Spirit Pag. 75 Crying of the Spirit in our hearts Pag. 77 forward Crying in prayer what ibid. and forward Calling not to be neglected Pag. 87 Christ the Head of the Church how Pag. 104 forward Pag. 145 Cross of Christ Pag. 137 Conflict and Conquest of Saints Pag. 141 forward D. CHrist must die a cursed Death Pag. 8. His Dignity Pag. 15 16 A Doxology Pag. 18 Our divisions cause Papists insult Pag. 37 The
This fire of the Spirit must be fetcht from heaven Lumen de lumine from the Father of lights who giveth his Spirit to them that ask it By water because of its clensing cooling 2. Ezek. 36.25 Joh. 3.5 refreshing and fructifying vertue and quality Indeed many are washed with the water of baptism that are not washed with this water Simon Magus of whom it is said Fonte quidem lotus sed non in pectore mundus Let us ever say with the woman of Samaria But with more sensibleness than she did Lord ever give us of this water then shall we be clean and fit for the holy Jerusalem He is said to proceed from the Father and the Son Joh. 15.26 to shew the Essence and Nature that he is of for as the spirit of man must needs be truly of mans nature and is the most formal and essential part of man So and much more it must be thought of the Spirit of God upon whom no composition falleth And this in effect is the Apostles Argument What man knoweth the things of a man 2 Cor. 2.11 save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God That is none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God who is in him and of his own Essence and Nature That was a sweet promise I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 The best thing upon the basest What can God do more for his people This is to give them all good things in one so many are the benefits we receive by the Spirit Eph. 5.9 Delicata res est Spiritus Dei therefore we must observe and obey his motions We should lay our selves as instruments open to the Spirits touch submitting to his discipline as Paul did who said I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Which requires a great deal of self-denial Serpents they say can do no hurt in water no more can that old Serpent where the holy Spirit dwells This is the Instructer which teacheth us the Spirit of life which quickens us the Advocate which speaks in us the Comforter which relieves us and the everlasting Fountain and Spirit of truth from whom all truth and celestial riches do flow unto us Your Father which is in heaven Mat. 7.11 Luke 11.13 Eph. 4 â—â— will give good things to them that ask him Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption De Sacrâ Scripturâ I Will not stand to search how ancient Writing is Exod. 24. wherein some have lost time and labour I know that many do make God the first immediate Author of it and do affirm that the first Scripture that ever was was Gods writing of the Law in two Tables But because we find that Moses wrote all the Word of the Lord and Josephus doth report a tradition of the Hebrews for writing and graving before the flood I hold it probable that both Scripture and Sculpture are as ancient as the Old World However we see the care that God hath taken for the publishing of his Will to the Church which he hath done both sufficiently that we need no more knowledge for eternal life than what is contained in Scripture and so clearly that the Word giveth understanding to the simple Scripture is twofold 1. Inward called Scriptura Cordis 2. Outward called Scriptura Testimonij The inward Scripture of the heart is that which the Spirit of God immediately writeth in the fleshly tables of the hearts of all the Sons of God and by this all that are to be saved are taught of God Jer. 31.33 Hebr. 8.10 2 Cor. 3.3 The outward Scripture of the Testimony is that which was inspired by the Holy Ghost and committed to writing by the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to preserve and transmit sound and saving doctrine by their pens to all Posterity Of this latter Moses was the first writer in the world as may be proved by the Evangelist Luke 24.27 Hence we conclude that our Religion grounded in these writings is the old Religion even as old as the day of mans creation and fall whereas all other Religions are but of yesterday nay the gods themselves worshipped by Heathens and Turks were long after the time of Abraham There is no Question more worthy satisfaction in Divinity Appâ—llatur ab Arminio Instrumentum Religio tis than that which enquireth into the Authority of Scripture 1. For all Religion depends upon it and wavering in this principle openeth a wide door to beastly Epicurism Devilish Atheism and all contempt of Religion and Justice 2. If the heart be not perswaded that the Scriptures be of God it will easily reject hearing reading practise and all the means of salvation 3. The doubting of this cutteth off all faith Rom. 14.23 and the comfort and strength of faith for a man must first believe Gods Word to be true Titubabit sides si Scripturarum vacillat authoritas Aug. before he can believe it to be true to him and what comfort in temptation without the Sword of the Spirit or what peace in terrour of Conscience without the Word which is the Well of salvation 4. The doubting of this cuts off all self-denial mortification and sound repentance for who will abandon his carnal delights and pleasures and undertake the strict course of godliness that doth doubt whether the Scriptures be the Word of God or not But it is clear that the Scriptures are the Word of God 1. The Lord professeth them to be his own words Isa 55.11 Mic. 2.7.2 The Prophets begin with the Word of the Lord and the Apostles 1 Cor. 11.23.3 The matter of the Scriptures they treat of the great works of the eternal God as Creation Providence justice and mercy both temporal and eternal c. Speaking of great mysteries above the reach of humane wisdom yea of things contrary to natural wisdom Searching the heart and discovering the thoughts Hebr. 4.12 And containing most ample and large promises of a blessed and eternal happiness by faith in the Messiah Amongst us Stephen Langton Arch-bishop of Canterbury first divided the Bible into Chapters in such sort as we now account them Robert Stephens into Verses Goodw. Catal. pag. 109. But not much commended by Scultetus who saith Imperitissimè plerunque dissecans which Covenant none could make or can make good but only God himself blessed for ever 4. Concerning the Instruments and pen-men of Scripture Their extraordinary calling infallible assistance 1 Pet. 1.11 unblameable conversation 2 Pet. 2.21 sincerity and uprightness in writing sparing neither others nor themselves their stile together with their joint-consent
threatening this sendeth forth a warm gale a South-wind of Promise The office of the Law is to accuse and terrifie of the Gospel to heal and comfort Finally the Law is a killing Letter but the Gospel a quickning Spirit Great and many are the blessings brought upon the world even upon the heads of those who unfainedly believe the Gospel Viz. 1. Reconciliation with God not only of God unto us but of us unto God which is the staying or taking away that enmity against God and those hard thoughts of him which lay burning and working in our inward parts together with kindling of a spirit of love towards him and the raising of an honourable opinion in us of him in the stead thereof 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.21 2. Justification or righteous-making in the sight of God setting us free from all guilt demerit and imputation of sin whatsoever Act. 13.38 39. Rom. 3.21 22. 5.9 3. Adoption or relation of Son-ship John 1.12 13. Rom. 8.14 15. Gal. 3.26 4.6 7 c. 4. Mortification of the body of sin and death which is in us The Gospel ministers wisdom and strength to do it Rom. 6.3 4 5. Col. 3.3 5. 1 Pet. 4.1 5. Our vivification to a more excellent life an inspiration of a new principle of vital motions and actions far more honourable and august than our former Rom. 6.4 Jam 1.18 Eph. 2. 6. Peace with God that of Conscience also Rom. 5.1 Act. 10.36 Rom. 10.15 Eph. 3.17 7. Redemption and deliverance from the wrath and vengeance to come 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 1 Thes 1.10 8. The Gospel lifts not up the world with the hope and expectation of a Redemption or deliverance from the wrath which is to come but of an investiture and possession also of the glory which is to come Yea it carries on them who believe so far in the ways of righteousness and peace until they be ready to enter into the city of the great King Col. 1.12 Act. 20.32 Hence the Gospel must needs be a doctrine of â—oy Many of the Jews whom the thunders of Sinai the terrours of the Law moved not John Baptist wins with the Songs of Sion To which put pose S. Cyril mystically interpreting those words of the Prophet Micah 4.4 That every man should sit under his vine and under his fig-tree observeth that Wine is an emblem of joy the Fig-tree of sweetness and by both is shadowed that joy which the Evangelical doctrine should produce in those who sit under the preaching of it Indeed those doctrines which reveal God and Christ can only give solid comfort unto the soul and these doctrines are no where made known but in holy Writ and they are most clearly delivered in the Gospel The Gospel holds forth the New Covenant that constellation of Promises so called not simply but in respect of the discovery of it as we call some places the New world Unto this Covenant the Sacraments are the Broad-seal and the Spirit is the Privy-seal This Covenant was a great chearer to Davids heart 2 Sam. 23.5 He hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure Which is all my salvation and all my desire Also Christs Testament and last Will And this is the comfort of Gods elect that Heaven is conveyed unto them by legacy All that God requires of us is to take hold of his Covenant and to receive his gift of righteousness And this also he hath promised to cause us to do writing his law in our hearts c. And truly the Gospel is chiefly promissory yea it is a Promise and that such as hath many Promises in the womb of it and those as the Apostle Peter calls them 2 Pet. 1.4 exceeding great and precious not of temporals but spirituals nay eternals Fellowship with God remission adoption eternal life what not are the choise and precious benefits which the Gospel revealeth and offereth to us So that it is a treasury of divine riches a storehouse of the souls provision a Cabinet of heavenly pearls all things truly good and justly desireable being contained in and conveyed to us by it Besides the preaching of the Gospel is the bell whereby we are called to eternal glory As by the sound of a trumpet the people were called together in the time of the Law so this is the Silver-trumpet sounding in our ears whereby we are called to the Kingdom of Heaven The common opinion is and the most antient Copies say as much that Matthew wrote his Gospel eight years after Christ Mark ten Luke fifteen and John forty two Plato when ready to die blessed God for three things 1. That he made him a Man 2. That he was born in Greece 3. That he lived in the time of Socrates David Chytraus also blessed God for three things 1. That he had made him a Man and not a Beast 2. That he had made him a Christian and not a Pagan 3. That he had his education under those excellent Lights Luther and Melancthon Austin wished but to have seen three fights 1. Romam in flore Rome in the flourish 2. Paulum in ore Paul in the Pulpit 3. Christum in corpore Christ in the flesh But greater is our happiness in enjoying the Gospel Vers 17. Mat. 13.16 Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear For verily I say unto you that many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things whiâ—h ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them We have the Turtles voice the joyful sound the lively Oracles The Sea ab out the Altar was brazen and what eyes could pierce thorow that Now our Sea about the Throne is glassie like to Chrystal cleerly conveying the light and sight of God to our eyes All Gods Ordinances are now so cleer that we may see Christs face in them and be transformed into the image and similitude of Christ Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace Luk. 2.10 Rom. 10.15 and bring glad tidings of good things Repeâ—t ye Mark 1.15 and believe the Gospel Christs Humiliation Incarnation The Scripture tells us how that man comes four ways into the world Aug. Serm. 20. de Temp. 1. By the help of man and woman so all are usually born 2. Without any man or woman and so the first man was created 3. Of a man without a woman and so was Eve made 4. Of a woman without a man and so was Christ born So that Christ birth differs from the birth of others He that was more excellent than Angels became less than Angels Vt nos aquaret Angelis minoratus est ab Angelis He that laid the foundation of the earth and made the world was himself now made Factor terra factus
the Athenians That they used their wisdom as men do their artificial teeth for shew only And that they did scire quae recta sunt sed facere nolle Know what was right but had no mind to do accordingly The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom That is Psal 111.10 it must necessarily go before wisdom not that it is any cause essential but after it must necessarily follow wisdom that is all kinds of wisdom Viz. 1. Prespicere to know those things which are before us It is the beginning of our knowing of God 2. Despicere to look into our selves to know our own excellency by creation our excellency by regeneration and lest we should presume our weakness in both 3. Circumspicere to be wise towards our neighbours Hoc est verè sapere ea discere in terris Hieronimus ad Paulinum quorum scientia nobis perseveret in coelis Difficile sanè est veram sapientiam invenire Chrys in Job 18. si quando ad legendum scripturus addâ—cimur tum grave secularium rerum onus incumbit viam inundat siquid profecimus aufert Si sapientia veritas non totis animi viribus concupiscatur Sedul Minorit in praescript advers haeres inveniri nullo pacto potest at si quaeratur ut dignum est subtrahere sese atque abscondere à suis dilectoribus non potest Wisdom can behold the face of affairs which way it looks in the glass of others relations The soul of Wisdom is Prevention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decernendum est sapientiâ quo quâ tendamus sed post jacturam quis non sapit Sapiens ipse fingit fertuna sibi errando discit Yea wise men make greatest benefit of their greatest adversaries Mens una sapiens plurium vincit manus Pallus and Mercury will effect that Briarius may wonder at strong Wits supply the defect of weak hands Supernal and supernatural wisdom is such as can neither be fathomed nor found out by humane abilities or by natural reason Luciosi qui hebeti sunt visu saith Vives Those that are weak-sighted and sand-blind if at any time they look wishly upon any thing with desire to see it the better they see it so much the worse and nothing so well as they did before Think the same of the most acute and perspicacious Naturalist when he comes to look into the things of God he is not only sand-blind but stark blind 1 Cor. 2.14 Therefore with Gods heifer must all those plow that will find out his riddles 1 Cor. 2.10 A man that is truly godly and spiritual is the wisest man because he hath the most excellent and profound reason he hath a mass of rationality that the world knows not of We may say of a godly man as the Heathen said of a learned man A learned man hath four eyes and the vulgar have but two so a godly man hath three eyes and a natural man hath but two and scarce that A natural man can reason things but it is with a corrupt or natural eye whereas a Saint can reason with a spiritual eye And therefore you shall have godly persons usually when they are described in Scripture they are called wise men as it is often in the Proverbs The wise man and the fool are put in opposition the one to the other the wise man is the godly man and the fool is the sinful man let him be as wise as he will be Men that are only carnally wise are only like Moles that dig dexterously under ground but are blind above ground Soul-light is not enough to make us truly wise but there must also be Spirit-light The whole man is corrupted and therefore the wisdom of man is corrupt also There is a maim in the Intellectuals and higher faculties and not only in the Sensual appetite All the discourses of the Understanding till it be sanctified are but sottish and foolish And therefore as James intimates if Wisdom be meerly natural 't will be presently devilish A Christian should be wise for the Kingdom of Heaven but 't is sad to be wise for the World and to be a fool for Duty to be serious in trifles and to trifle in serious matters And as sad when it tendeth only to gratifie the senses when vain men rack their wits and employ their understandings to rear up their lusts sacrificing their time and care and precious thoughts upon so vain an interest And worst of all when men make use of their wit to contrive mischief and hatch wickedness Such have not only somewhat of Beast but Devil in them as Christ said by Judas Joh. 6.70 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom Prov. 3.13 and the man that getteth understanding If any of you lack wisdom James 1.5 let him ask of God that giveth unto all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world 1 Cor. 3.18 let him become a fool that he may be wise Folly A Fool is a sapless person as the word imports without the sap or juyce of wisdom Stultus à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emarcuit Dicitur propriè de floribus flaccescentibus decidentibus postquam omnem humorem amiserunt goodness and honesty Or one of a base and vile spirit fallen below all noble or holy resolutions Throughout the book of Proverbs the fool and an ungodly man as a wise man and a godly man are Synonoma's words signifying the same thing Sin is the greatest folly in the world being a declining from the rule of right reason both from spiritual reason and from natural Jer. 8.9 True wisdom is to walk by a right rule to a right end But while we sin lust in some degree or other is the rule and self is the end In both which we join hands with folly and are the companions of fools Quâ ratione vocetur impius stultus Amâ—s 1. Privativè 2. Positivè Privativè Non quia destituitur facultate ingenii prudentiae naturalis Sed 1. Quia deesse solet ipsi divinae voluntatis cognitio 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Quia illorum quae cognoscit efficax illa approbatio quâ saperent ipsi spiritualia deest Rom. 8.5 3. Quia deest illi subjectionis obedientiae affectus etiam in iis quae aliquo modo probat Rom. 8.7 4. Quia non cavet sibi à periculis maximis Pro. 7.7.22 23. c. 14. v. 15 16. 5. Quia non tantum destitutus est sapientià verâ sed ejus etiam incapax est Pro. 17.10.16.27.22 Positivè 1. Quia pravis perversis opinionibus est imbutus Non enim abrasa tabula est mens ejus sed quasi atramento omnium errorum obducta Pro. 24.9 2. Quia hâc suâ conditione delectatur in illâ sibimet placet Pro. 1.20.8.5.9.6.12.15 3. Quia oblatam sapientiam repellit odit Pro. 13.19 4.
all the secrets of his heart Quicquid est in corde sobrii est in linguâ ebrii A Drunkard saith Aug. abominatur à Deo despicitur ab Angelis deridetur ab hominibus destituitur virtutibus confunditur à daemonibus conculcatur ab omnibus The foulness of Drunkenness will appear if we consider our selves as 1. Men. 2. Civil men 3. Christian men He that hath this sin hath lost himself That 't is good to be drunk once a moneth is a common flattery of sensuality supporting it self upon Physick and the healthful effects of Inebriation Dr. Brown But at least for dementation sopition of reason c. though American religion approve and Pagâ—n piety of old hath practised even at their sacrifices Christian morality and the doctrine of Christ will not allow The Turks do so detest this sin that in October Anno 1613. they observing their feasts of Bairan which is our Easter the which they observe twice a year Turk Hist fol. 1332. a Turk having drunk wine too freely the drinking whereof is forbidden amongst them although they love it well and drink in private was apprehended and carried before the Grand-Visier who seeing the fact verified inflicted this punishment upon him to have boiled Lead poured into his mouth and ears the which was speedily executed It were well if Drunkards would consider what Anacharsis hath told them That the Vine beareth three grapes The first of pleasure the second of drunkenness and the third of misery and mischief Or what Mahomet did his followers That in every grape there dwelt a Devil Or rather what David Psal 11.6 fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Not in rioting and drunkenness Rom. 12.13 Prudencè A wise man standeth like a Center unmoved while the circumference of his estate is drawn above beneath about him He is his own Lawyer the treasury of knowledge the oracle of counsel blind in no mans cause best-sighted in his own his Passions are so many good servants which stand in a diligent attendance ready to be commanded by Reason by Religion and if at any time his Passions do rebel he can first conceal their mutiny and then suppress it Both his eyes are never at once from home but one keeps house while the other roves abroad for intelligence He desires to know much but most of all himself not so much his own strength as his weakness neither is this his knowledge reduced to the Theory but practise of affairs Prudentiae tres partes secundum Tullium 1. Memoria de praeterito Prudens q. Porrò videns 2. Intelligentia de praesenti 3. Cautela de futuro A prudent man his wisdom begins in the right knowledge of God and ends in the right knowledge of himself Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge Prov. 13.16 His wisdom is to understand his way Cap. 14.8 He looketh well to his going Vers 15. Rashness Philip of Maecedon would have revenged the death of his son Demetrius by putting to death his son Perseus And Alexander because his favourite Ephestion dies hangs up his Physician Dogs in a chase bark at their own masters and so do men in their passions let flie at their best friends We must not too far engage our selves upon every instigation then we do but lean on broken reeds and build our hopes on sandy foundations Avoid Temerity By making more haste than good speed men do but brew their own sorrow Consider 1. That rashness doth nothing well And The hasty man we say never wants woe A man going in haste easily slideth 2. A note of a man fearing God is to carry his matters with discretion 3. The Law rejected a blind sacrifice the Gospel requireth a reasonable and all sacrifices must be seasoned with the salt of Discretion 4. Rashness and temerity lays us bare and naked to the lashes of God of men and of our own consciences Watch carefully against thine own rashness in 1. Judgment 2. Affections 3. Speeches 4. Actions 5. Passions Deliberandum est din A man may else cut off his own right hand with his left quod stutuâ—ndum est semel Bulaam though the Angel met him with a drawn sword yet he would needs on And what was the issue He died by the sword of Israel though he seemed a friend to Israel Not to be warned is both a just presage and desert of ruine Plutarch makes report of one who unadvisedly casting a stone at a dog hit and hurt his own mother So many there are who ignorantly and inconsiderately contending against Babel do grievously wound the Church of God and do more wrong to their cause than to their adversaries The fool rageth Prov. 14.16 and is confident Be not rash with thy mouth Eccl. 5.2 and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God We ought to do nothing rashly Act. 19.36 Modesty The heaviest cars of corn stoop most toward the ground Boughs the more laden they are the more low they hang and the more direct the Sun is over us the less is our shadow Even so the more true worth is in any man the less self-conceitedness is in him John Baptist thought not himself worthy to lay his hand under Christs feet when Christ thought him worthy to lay it on his holy head in baptism Who am I said Moses when he was to be sent for Egypt Whereas none in all the world was comparably fit for that embassage Non socum in aliis innumerabilibus rebns multa me latent Epist 119. c. 21. said Austin Not only in innumerable other things am I utterly unskilful but even in the holy Scriptures themselves my proper profession the greatest part of my knowlege is the least part of my ignorance Ego in parvo tuguriolo saith Hierom cum Monachis Epist ad Aug. i.e. cum compeccatâ—ribus meis de magnis statuere non audeo I in my little Cell with the rest of the Monks my fellow-sinners dare not determine of great matters This is all I know Quod quaeris inâ—us habes Nè te quaesiveris extra Pers that I know nothing said Socrates And if I would at any time delight my self in a Fool I need not seek far I have myself to turn to said Seneca And certainly the lower a man is in his own eyes the higher he is in Gods God values us according to our abasements The Church was black in her own eyes fair in Christs He that shall humble himself Matâ— 23.12 shall be exalted Vain-glory. If the Vain-glorious glory in his devotion he gives not alms but upon record and if he have once done well God hears of it often for upon every unkindness he is ready to upbraid him with his merits He can fulfill the Law with ease and earn God with superfluity If he have parted with a little sum to pious uses Hierom was wont to call
suffered for me We are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 Luk. 17.10 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants Rom. 3.20 We have done that which was our duty to do Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight The Church true and false Ecclesia WHen the Original world was overwhelmed with waters Ecclesia Coetus est hominum è turbâ reliquorum mortatium â—vocatus advitam aeternam none were saved but such as were in the Ark when Sodom was burnt with sire none were saved but those of the family of Lot when Jericho was destroyed none were preserved but those which were in the family of Rahab These are figures shadowing to us that when the Lord comes to cut down the wicked to cast them for ever into the wine-presse of his wrath Salvation shall belong to the houshold of faith even that family whereof God in Christ Jesus is the Father Ecclesia 1. Invisibilis 2. Visibilis But when we say Extra Ecclesiam non est salus it is not ment of a visible but of the invisible or universal Church which is the whole company of the elect in heaven in earth and not yet born for the visible Church or particular Congregations it may be said there are many Wolves within and Sheep without Therefore it is not satisfactory to us to be gathered out of the general masse of mankind into the fellowship of the Church visible but we must examine how we are in the Lords floor whether as Chaffe or Corne for a day of winnowing will assuredly come wherein the Lord shall gather his good Corne into his Garner and the cast Chaffe into unquenchable fire Many would deal with the Church as Amnon with his sister Tamar first ravish her then defile her and then turn her out of doors The Church of God in this world is like a man of war at sea whose Master is Christ whose Mast his Crosse whose Sails his Sanctimony whose tackle patience and perseverance whose cast-peeces the Prophets Apostles Preachers Premuntur justi ut pressi clament clamentes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent Deum Quint. Curâ— 1.8 whose Mariners the Angels whose Fraught is the souls of just men whose Rudder is Charity whose Anchor is hope whose Flag in the top of her is Faith and the word written in it is this Premimur non opprimimur we are cast down but we perish not 2 Cor. 4.8 The Church Militant is sometime fluctuant as the Ark of Noah sometime movable as the Ark in the Wildernesse sometime at rest as the Ark in the Temple In persecution in removes in peace What is the colour of the Church saith one but black her armes but the Crosse her song but the note the oppressed servant in Aristophanes sung I suffer affliction For the world is a Sea a threshing-floore a Presse a Furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church the Ship the Wheat the Grape the Gold and afflictions the winds the waves the flaile the fire O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted Isa 54.11 Yet Built upon the rock that the gates of Hell shall not prevail aaginst Mat. 16.18 And Glorious things are spoken of thee dicta praedicta O City of God Psal 87.3 Saints The word signifies a thing or person separated or set a part from common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dedicated to a special especially a holy use Holinesse in the general nature of it is nothing else but a seperation from common and dedication to a divine service such are the Saints persons separated from the world and set apart unto God The Church in general which is a company of Saints is taken out of and severed from the world The Church is a fountain sealed and a Garden inclosed so also every particular Saint is a person severed and inclosed from the common throng and multitude of the world 2 Cor. 6.17 Or thus A Saint is an holy one or a person called to holinesse having the perfect holinesse of Christ put upon him by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holinesse poured into his heart by the spirit of sanctification Unless even ancient professors saith a Divine look very well to themselves they may take a great deal of pâ—ins and when all comâ— to all after all their praying fasting hearing c. they may be found to be nothing in the world but men that walk after the flesh that is according to the refined and well educated Principles of old Adam Men may be Ishmaels brought up in Isaach's family and yet be built upon Mount Sinai when all is done Now the way that God judgeth of all men is as they are the Children either of the old or of the new Adam and not as men do according to such a proportion of strictness in their lives for the Pharisees went beyond many weak Professours in common righteousness Saints therefore are not to be judged according to some kind of holinesse they may come up to but according to the Principles they walk by either as they walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit And thus Paul distinguisheth Saints and others 2 Cor. 5.16 Saints are called Eagles for their 1. Delight in high flying 2. Sharp-sightednes and stedfast looking into the sun of righttousness 3. Singular sagacity in smelling out Christ and resenting things above 4. Feeding upon the bloody sacrifice of Christ Mat. 24.28 Saints must walk in a divers way to a world of wicked people as Noah did really reproving their darkness by his light Solus ipse diversâ ambulavit viâ Chrys their pride by his lowliness their vain-glory by his modesty their ostentation by his secret devotion Not onely Planet-like keeping a constant counter-motion to the corrupt manners of the most but also shining forth fair with a singularity of heavenly light spiritual goodness and Gods sincere service in the darkest mid-night of damned impiety True Saints of God are earthly Angels So Chrysostom calleth Paul Angelum terrestrem And Dr. Taylor Martyr blessed God that ever he came in company with that Angel of God John Bradford Aâ—â— Mon. Saints may be called Heaven and that in a double respect 1. Because God is said to dwell in the Saints they are his habitation And wheresoever God dwells he makes a Heaven 2. Because the Saints not onely those of Heaven but they on earth have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 So that as carnal and earthly minded men are called earth because their hearts and conversations are fixed to the earth so spiritual and heavenly-minded men may be called Heaven because their hearts and conversations are fixed in heaven Thus Saints are glorious wonderful magnificent Princes in all lands of an excellent spirit more excellent than their neighbours A Crown of glory a
and are instrumental to Christ in that great work like as the Apothecary is to the skilful Physician in curing his patient of a deadly disease They that made Angels or Saints Saviours as Papists do Lib. adve s haeres do as Iraeneus saith abscindere devidere Jesum à Christo Christum à salvatore salvatorem à verbo verbum ab unigenito Vnto us is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Him hath God exalted with his right hand Luke 2.11 Acts 5.31 to be a Prinâ—e and a Saviour for to give Repentance and forgivenesse of sins To the onely wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and ever Amen Apostles The chief office to which the Apostles were designed by Christ Apostolatus eraâ— functio quae post fundatus semel Ecclesias succâ—ssionem non admisit sed cum ipsis Apoâ—tolis desâ—it Down was to bear witness of him that they might be enabled to the faithful discharge of it he promised he would and accordingly did after his ascension cause them to receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon them If we look upon them with a carnal eye their condition was mean and low there was nothing in them that might render them worthy of so high a Prerogative they were poor rude illiterate despised fisher-men In this respect it is the Apostle saith We have this treasure not in golden or silver but in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 Yet they were to be the first Publishers of the Doctrine concerning Christ come in the flesh yea they were not onely to be the first declarers but in some kind or other sufferers for the truth of that which they did declare And therefore had need to be furnished as aforesaid They were men of holy and exemplary lives Phil. 2.15 men that did shine as lights in the world by their good conversation men whom those grand Apostates and enemies of Christianity could charge with nothing but simplicity It is said that Andrew water'd Achaia James the elder Spain the younger Hierusalem Thomas India Philip Syria Bartholomew Armenia Matthew Aethiopia Simon Mesopotamia Thaddeus Aegypt Matthias Judea John the Evangelist Asia And Peter Pontus Galatia Cappadocia c. Or if you will have what other histories record Thomas preached to the Parthians Medes Persians Germans Simon Zelotes in Mauritania Affrica Brittannia Judas called Thaddaeus in Mesopotamia Mark in Aegypt Bartholomew to the Indians And Andrew to the Scythians Thus their sound went into all the earth Rom. 10.18 and their words unto the ends of the world Paul is pictured with a sword in one hand and a Bible in the other Durandus to shew what he was before and after conversion Let Ministers of the Gospel remember it is their duty as well as it was the Apostles to bear witnesse to Christ and therefore be true and faithful asserting only the truth of the Gospel And let people receive with faith what is by them attested with truth that as there is fidelitas in teste so there may be fides in auditore these faithful witnesses may find beleeving eares These men are the servants of the most high God Acts 16.17 which shew unto us the way of salvation Presbyter Talem verè esse decuerat Ioseph Mat. tormentis fortior torquentibus durabilior securior quoque imperantibus ipso etiam pro crematus est igne violentior In laudem Eleezari sub Antiocho Martyris Hodie quidem gravitur advigilatur nequis Presbyter ordinetur qui corporis aliqua parte sit mutilus nè de honestetur Ecclesia Erasm in vit Origen Vtinam pari studio advigiletur ne quis ad hec honoris recipiatur nisi cui mens sit integra mentem turpitur mutilam habet cui deest S. literarum cognitio turpius qui nullo pietatis amore ducitur paulo post totus inclinatur in mundum à Christo praetâ—r titulum alienus The Athenians had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a solemne examination of the Magistrates whether fit to govern or no and of Orators whether of good practice and report otherwise they were dispriviledged and not suffered to speak or plead publikely In Ordination of Presbyters all possible care and caution is to be used Lay hands suddenly on no man 1 Tim. 5 2â— Minister of the Word Wilt thou leap into Moses chaire or rather into Christs Chaire and hast not gifts in some comparable measure to teach the people out of it Certainly one day it will be said to all saucy and insufficient Ministers Friends how came you hither Who made you the dressers of my vineyard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that have no skill to dresse it who made you dividers of my word that mangle it and cannot cut aright who made you builders of my house that know not how to square a stone or frame a piece of timber for my house Dancers have their Schoole saith Nazianzen fidlers and Musicianers are trained up to it and is the Ministry such a light thing that whosoever will as it was in Jeroboams time may be a Minister It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The greatest Doctors in Divinity must be Scholars all the dayes of their life and who is sufficient for these things A Minister must look to three things viz. 1. Qualification for the work 2. Mission or call to the work 3. Execution and discharge of the work To unsent Preachers we may use the Spanish Proverbs Observe what hast that man makes to leave his wits behind him Such bablers do no more good than they Act. 19.13 The Apostle holds it for impossible that any should preach that are not sent let such look to it as run before they are sent presse into pulpits without a Call thereunto Let them remember Nadab and Abihu with their strange fire Core and his complices with their dismal usurpations and Vzzah and Vzziah with their exemplary punishments If they do not they shall smoke and smart for it In Physicis aâ—r non facit seipsum ignem Aquin. sed fit à superiori No man might come uncalled to the King of Persia upon pain of death What then shall become of such as come without a Call to the King of heaven Christ would not let the Devil preach him Quia extra vocationem because as one well noteth he had no calling to such an office A Minister ought to wear out himself in the Lords work both to spend and be spent for the good of souls Some have conceived by that text Joh. 8.57 that Christ had so spent himself in winning souls and weeping over the hardnesse of mens hearts that he seemed to the Jews to be much elder than he was Corruptio optimi pessima Wo to those Ministers that with Elies sons cover black sins under a white Ephod Such are fit for no place but Hell as unsavoury salt is fit for no place
therefore the Jews called it a Sabbath of Sabbaths or Regina Sabbathorum the Queen of rests 4. Gods own distinction raining no Manna that day 5. Other holy dayes were memorative or figurative only but this was both memorative and figurative which Bellarmine marks 6. Other feasts might be transferred to it but it might be transferred to none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. The whole Week takes denomination from it and is called a Sabbath Luk. 18.12 that is in the Week Now our Christian Sabbath or religious rest is called a Sabbath-day by our Saviour Mat. 24.20 Called therefore also the Lords day Rev. 1.10 as one of our Sacraments is called the Lords Supper and the Table of the Lord because instituted by him Yet with grief be it spoken it is so observed by some that it may more fitly be stiled Dies Daemoniacus quà m Dominicus Alsted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. But let every one of us sanctifie it that is keep it spiritually rejoycing in the meditation of Christs law more than the rest of our bodies For external rest alone may be called the Sabbath of the Oxe or of the Ass but the internal or secret rest is true consecrating of a Sabbath It is observable that though upon all days Christ was operative and miraculous Dr. J. T. yet chose he to do many of his miracles upon the Jews Sabbath And many reasons doubtless did concur and determine him to a more frequent working upon those days of publick ceremony and convention amongst which these may be two 1. That he might draw off and separate Christianity from the yoke of Ceremonies by abolishing and taking off the strictest Mosaical Rites 2. And that he might do the work of abrogation and institution both at once So that he hath dissolved the bands of Moses in this and other instances principally in the sacred command for the Sabbath-day that now we are no more obliged to that rest which the Jews religiously observed by prescript of the Law Col. 2.16 For that which now remains moral in it is that we do honour to God for the Creation and to that and all other purposes of Religion separate and hallow a portion of our time Concerning the Lords day which now the Church observes it was set apart in honour of the Resurrection And he who keeps that day most strictly most religiously he keeps it best and most consonant to the designe of the Church from whence it had its positive institution the ends of Religion and the interest of his soul The works that may be done on the Sabbath are those of Piety Charity Necessity In Scripture he that gathered sticks was paid home with stones Num. 15. The first blow given the German Churches was upon the Sabbath-day which they carelesly observed And Prague was lost upon that day Sanctifying the Lords day in the Primitive times was a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servâsti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Sabbath The answer was returned Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian and may not do otherwise That holy man Johanna Dâ—ùsius when the Sabbath-day approached put upon him his best apparel and welcomed the Sabbath going forth to meet and salute it with Veni Sponsa mea Come my sweet Spouse He was glad of it as the Bridegroom of the Bride Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Exod. 20.8 Kingdom of God There is the Kingdom of God's 1. Power 2. Grace 3. Glory For the first His throne is lofty and dominion large It being his powerful government generally over the whole world and every particular in it even unto the sparrows on the house top and hairs on our head which he preserveth and disposeth of according to his own will and royal decree Of this Psal 103.19 Psal 145.13 Mat. 10.30 Hereunto Devils and all creatures whatsoever are subject The second signifies his special gracious government and rule over the Elect whose hearts he enlightneth and guideth by his Spirit effectually moving them to believe his promises and do his will Of this Luk 17.21 Rom. 14.17 And by the third understand his blessed and glorious estate wherein he reigneth with millions of Saints for ever and ever full of heavenly majesty and felicity Of this 1 Cor. 6.9 Luk. 22.16 Called heavenly 2 Tim. 4.18 Now of these two latter the one is the means the other the end for grace is the way to glory holiness to happiness Therefore Seek ye first the kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 and his righteousness Gods Presence There is a twofold presence of God in his people 1. Felt and perceived 2. Secret and unknown Sometime God is not only present with his people but also makes them sensibly perceive it as Simeon and therefore his mourning was turned to mirth and his sobs to songs Again sometime God is present but not felt and this secret presence sustains us in all temptations it ever leaveth life in our souls like the tree wherein life remains when the leaves are gone Fear thou not Isa 41.10 for I am with thee Church-Order and Discipline Order THe Church of God is not a Den of Confusion but an House of Order Ceremonies are of two sorts some are typical others are of order Those are abrogated not these saith Peter Martyr The Ceremonies of the Law were primò mortales postea mortuae Légalia faerunt ante passionem Domini viva statim post passionem mortuae hodie sepulta Augâ— postremò mortiferae So that to leave Christ for them or to join Christ with them is the plain way to destruction Yet such is the nature of misguided zeal that under colour of weeding out Superstition it will pluck up by the roots many plants of Paradise and acts of true Religion God is the God of order therefore it is good to have respect in the Church to things both real and ritual For Ordine servato mundus servatur at illo Neglecto pessùm totus orbis abit Order being kept the World is kept but when That is neglected all the World 's gone then Faith and Order that is saith one Doctrine and Discipline these two make the Church fair as the Moon cleer as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Our Saviour caused the people whom he fed to keep order in their sitting on the grass they sate down rank by rank as rows or borders of beds in a garden so the Greek imports whereupon an Expositor noteth Ordinatim res in Ecclesia faciendae Order must be observed in the Church Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 Reproof Wise men ever take a freedom of reproving especially when vice is bold and daring for when Modesty dies Vertue is then upon the vanish Seasonable speech falling upon a prepared heart hath oft a strong and sweet operation Friends as Bees are killed with the honey of Flattery but quickned with the
Relique but God had sent instead of it one of the very coales with which St. Lawrence was broiled to death It were well if such deceivers were served in their kinde as one Verconius was in the time of Alexander Severus who pretending that by his familiarity with Alexander he could prefer peoples petitions and so got their money Fumo pereat qui fumum vendidit Reusn was upon his being convicted before the Emperour adjudged to be hanged up in a chimney and so perish with smoke for that he sold smoke to the people Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving 2 Tim. 3.13 and being deceived Miracles True Miracles do as far exceed naturals as naturals do artificials Miracula quae sunt à Deo multis nobis distinguuntur à fiâ—tis miraculis damonum A Miracle is ever above beside or against nature and second causes such as whereof there can be no natural reason possibly rendred no though it be hid from us Therefore the Devil himself he may juggle and cast a mist but he cannot do a true Miracle Miracles are called Signa quia significant Prodigia quòd porrò dicant Some call them Praedicidia because they do praedicere aliquid mali But there are also Miracles of mercy The Gospel at the beginning was adorned with many Miracles Because 1. It seemed strange to the world a new Doctrine 2. It seemed repugnant to the Law of Moses instituted by God 3. It could not be proved and confirmed by natural Reasons But now since the famous Miracles of Christs Resurrection Ascention into heaven of the sending of the holy Ghost the spreading of the Gospel over all the world we must not still curiously gape after Miracles Those wherewith God honoured the Gospel at the first were sufficient for the confirmation of it to all posterity The rich man in hell would fain have had a Miracle for the saving of his brethren Lazarus must be sent from the dead to them but it was answered him they have Moses and the Prophets Qui adhuc prodigia ut credat inquirit magnum est ipse Prodigium that is enough if we will not believe for the preaching of the Word all the Miracles in the world will not save us He that now requireth Miracles for the confirmation of his faith is himself a great Miracle saith Austin Manna ceased when they came into Canaan as if it would say ye need no Miracles now ye have means Yet the Gospel at this day hath many Miracles There were seven Miracles at Christs death but the conversion of the thief was the greatest in it all the rest were included though they be not observed men are metamorphosed and changed by it Of proud they become humble of Devils Saints Men are raised from the death of sinne by it they that were blind in the knowledge of Christ are come to a clear sight in matters of Religion they that were lame and could not walk in the way to the kingdome of heaven are made to run cheerfully in it They that were dumb and could not speak for Christ are made to speak wisely and boldly in his quarrel There be counterfeit Miracles Miâ—anda non miracula 1. Sometimes they seem to be that which they are not as blood in the Papists breaden god a meer cousenage 2. They may be wrought by a natural cause which men see not nor can comprehend At best Miracles make not a man just or righteous but famous Fulgen. As Mahomets iron chest hanging aloft by loadstones The Lamp in Venus Temple burning continually by the stone Asbestus which was found in Arcadia 3. If they be to confirm falshood Whereas a true Miracle is effected by the power of God exceedeth the bounds of Nature and is for the confirmation of the Truth Let us then take heed of curiositie or enquiries farther than Gods Word An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign Mat. 1â— 39 Errour Errours in Theologie and Philosophie crept in for that men of sublime wit sought truth in their own little world and not in the great and common world saith Heraclitus Novelties in Divinity are to be avoided that of Tertullian being true Primum quodque verissimum As glasses cannot strengthen one another but may easily break one another and bubbles in the water deface one another So false holds and errours may destroy one the other but they can in no wise establish one the other Errour is fruitful Usque quáque fidei venâ—na non cessant spargere Aug. and ever declining from bad to worse Witnesse Pharisees Hierom deriveth their Pedigree from Pharez mentioned Mat. 1. But he is deceived It being most like they took their name either of Pharash to expound Or as some will of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expandere concerning which in the next page they being Interpreters of the Law or of Pharesh to separate they being highly conceited of themselves and apt to say unto others stand farther off for I am holier than thou Josephus saith they seemed to outstrip all others both in height of holinesse and depth of learning They went very far in works of Piety for they made long prayers in works of Charity for they gave much almes in works of Equity for they tithed mint anise and cummin And in works of courtesie for they invited Christ often In a word they were the most exact and accurate sect of that religion as St. Paul who once was one of them beareth them witnesse But though these persons did seem t' have taken up their seats in heaven aforehand yet wrong ends being propounded and these things rested in their best works were but beautiful abominations and their practice a smooth way to Hell These did make broad their Phylacteries c. which were ribands of blew silk Or as some say scrowles of Parchment Vanissimi profectò Pharsaei illi qui cum ipsi non servarent in Cordè mandata at membranulas decalogi complicantes quasi coronam capiti facientes Phylacterium ex suà proprietate custoditorium est Bod. upon which the Law being first wrought or written they bound it upon their garments The summe is God had commanded them to bind the Law to their hand and before their eyes wherein as Hierom and Theophylact well interpret it he meant the meditation and practice of his Law They saith a learned Author like to the foolish Patient which when the Physician bids him take the prescript eats up the paper If they could get a list of Parchment upon their left arme next their heart and another scrole to tye upon their forehead or if these be denied a red thread in their hand thought they might say with King Saul Blessed be thou of the Lord I have done the commandment of the Lord. Thus they went about as it were clothed with the Word of God but his Word was far from their hearts neither did it appear in their
all can though full of shifts tell handsomely how to elude this Argument Here their unbloody sacrifice hath a deadly wound There can be no oblation of Christ without the suffering of Christ Dr. Thomas Taylor in his Caveat against offences affirms No Protestant ought to be present with his body at Popish Mass with pretence of keeping his heart to God nor can without scandal 1. For the Pretence 2. For the Presence it self For the Pretence No man can give his heart to God at that time he gives his body to an Idol For 1. Body and soul make but one man and one man can have but one faith one Lord and Master one God one Worship 2. God requires not the whole heart onely but the whole man and strength and he that created both body and soul requires them both to be glorified in 1 Cor. 6.20 3. She is no chast wife that gives any other man the use of her body with Protestation she keeps her heart to her husband 4. God will have no such heart reserved for him he will have no part of a divided man He is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth not in spirit and falshood For the Presence A number of scandals are infolded 1. Here is a denial of Christ and of the faith which were it in the heart it would be confessed in the mouth Here 's a dastardly joyning with the enemy against Christ For he that is not with him is against him And what union between Christ and an Idol 2. A scandal in his own conscience allowing himself in that which he condemneth Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14.22 His bodie allowes what his heart condemnes He is a man damned in himself His body and soul are at fight one with another and both at fight with faith and truth 3. A scandal to others an occasion by such wicked example to draw others into the snare and so far as he can to destroy such as for whom Christ hath died Rom. 14.15 Let none object Naaman the Syrian craving leave to bow in the temple of Rimmon and the Prophet bade him go in peace 2 King 5. For among many answers The text shews 1. That Naaman confessed it a sin And how then can any hence prove it to be none 2. That he prayed twice against it And what thou prayest thou must do 3. He professeth he will never worship any now but the true God 4. He craves the Prophets prayers that he may never be drawn contrary to his purpose To which part the Prophet saith Go in peace not giving him leave to bow before Rimmon but promising his prayers he bids him farewel 5. Naaman might have pleaded a calling yet that would not serve nor satisfie his conscience How much less theirs that plead only for new-fangledness and a rash running out of their way so sinning without a cause Nor let any say Those were Heathen Idols the Mass is not so bad it hath some good things in it concerning God and Christ For the Mass is as gross Idolatry as ever the Heathens committed who never worshipped a baser thing than a piece of Bread And let them tell us a difference between bodily fornication of Heathens and Christians and we will conceive the same in the spiritual whoredom of Pagans and Papists But let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Come out from amongst them and touch no unclean thing I wish Travellers in forein Nations would observe this Experience shews how alluring the Antichristian Harlot is how many are daily won to her Idolatry Many that have frequented their Masses conceiving it no great harm to be present there if they can pretend to keep their heart to God proving Neutrals Samaritans and Cakes half-baked have had their hearts given up to horrible delusion infection and final destruction Have not they now kept their hearts well to God think we We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ Heb. 10.10 once for all Acceptance Sincerity cannot fail of Divine acceptance where endeavours are vigorous The poor Widows mite was above the rich mens magnificence Willingness of mind contributes much to the worthiness of the work Hiparchian was graced as well as Musaeus though the best of his measures was but piping to the Muses God as the Philosopher said in his Apology accepts of our few ears Senâ—e Epist 29. ad Lucillum being scattered with a good mind into his Garner since we are not able to bring handfuls into his barn Sic minimo capitur thuris honore Deus For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath 2 Cor. 8.12 and not according to that he hath not Tabernacle By it was signified the Body of Christ As the High-Priest came into the first Tabernacle and by it passed into the Holy place so the Deity of our Saviour Christ came into his sacred Humanity and by it entred into heaven It was a Type not only of Christ who dwelt among us full of graces and truth Joh. 1.14 but of the Church built by Christ 1 Cor. 3.9 and also of every true Christian Eph. 2.10 The Curtains were coupled with Loops so should Christians by Love Exod. 26. The Taches made them one Tabernacle so should we hold the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace It was Goats hair without and Gold within God hid his Son under the Carpenters son and the Kings daughter is all glorious within Rams-skins covered the Ark from the violence of wind and weather shadowing out Gods protection to his his people The Vail was made with Cherubims to note the special presence and attendance of the holy Angels in the Assemblies of the Saints And the Hanging for the door of the Tent shadowed him that said of himself I am the door It is observable that the Holy place in this Tabernacle hath an Epithite to abase it withall Heb. 9.1 The Apostle calls it a Worldly Sanctuary 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because it was made after the manner of the world For as God stretched the Firmament as a vail and curtain to separate the things above from them beneath so the Sanctuary had a vail that made a separation between the first and second Tabernacle 2. Because it was made of worldly matter as of hair silk c. 3. Because it was not eternal as our Sanctuary of Heaven is there our High-Priest appeareth for us before God But a frail brittle and mortal Sanctuary as the world is Which was a figure for the time then present Heb. 9.9 c. Noah's Ark. By the description set down Gen. 6. the Ark in shape was like to a Coffin for a mans body six times so long as it was broad and ten times so long as it was high And so fit to figure out Christs death and burial and ours with him by mortification of the old man
pravitate versamur Damnatus home antequam natus As soon as ever we are born we are forthwith in all wickedness And Austin man is condemned as soon as conceived Our great Grandmother Eve did not bring forth before she had sinned therefore corruption is conveyed by the impurity of the seed being in it incoativè as fire is in the flint Therefore man is at his birth overspread with sin as with a filthy morphew In ancient times and the custome in some places remains to this day great men and Princes kept the memory of their birth-dayes with feasting and triumph Gen. 40.20 And Herods birth-day was kept Origen in his fragments upon Matthew affirms that the Scripture gives no testimony of any one good man celebrating his birth-day I say an ancient and commendable custome if in honour of God for his mercy in our creation education preservation c. But indeed Our sospitator while we reflect upon our birth-sin we have little cause to rejoyce in our birth-day The birth-day of Nature should be mourned over every day the birth-day of Grace is our joy and glory and is worthy to be rejoyced in Eternity which is the day of glory is one continued triumph for our birth-day in grace Behold I was shapen in iniquity Psal 51.5 and in sinne did my mother conceive me Bastard The Greeks call such children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are subject to contumelies The Hebrews call them brambles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a one as Abimelech Judg. 9.14 as growing in the base hedge-row of a concubine Nothus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spurius quasi ignotus Judg. 11.1 It is an ignominious thing to be a bastard Bastards are despised by all many brands of infamy are set on them by the Law 1. A bastard properly is not a son Qui nati sant ex prostibulo planè incerto patre sed certissimâ infamiâ Abraham was Pater when he had Ishmael but not filii Pater till he had Isaac so that he cannot inherit his fathers lands unlesse he be made legitimate by Act of Parliament 2. A bastard may be advanced to no office in Church or Common-wealth without special licence favour and dispensation A bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23.2 even to his tenth generation Children Children if good are a great blessing what can more rejoyce our hearts than to see our children It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blessed misery saith he the work of Gods hands framed and fitted for Gods building But if otherwise to be childlesse is a mercy saith Euripedes and Aristotle concludeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no blessing unlesse it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to have a numerous issue unlesse they be vertuous It is said that Pasiphaes issue were ever a shame to the Parent None are so ready to drink in false Principles and corrupt practices as young ones Plato reporteth of one Protagoras that he gloried of this that whereas he had lived sixty years in all he had spent forty of them in corrupting of young people What a wretched childe was that who when his father complained that never father had so undutifull a childe as he had Fâ—l Holy state answered yes my gâ—ardfather had That regenerate men may have unregenerate children Regeneratus non regenerat â—ilios â—arnis sed generat ut Oleae semina non Oleas generant sed Oleastros Idem Mat. 19.13 Austin illustrates thus 1. As corn that is never so well winnowed brings forth corn with chaffe about it 2. And the circumcised Jew begat uncircumcised children so holy parents do beget unholy children begetting their children not according to Grace but according to Nature for grace is personal but corruption is natural It is our duty to present our little ones to Christ as well as we can 1. By praying for them before at and after their birth 2. By timely bringing them to the Ordinance of Baptisme with faith and much joy in such a priviledge 3. By training them up in Gods holy fear A populous posterity is the blessing of God Let us not take too much thought for providing for them God hath filled two bottles of milk against they come into the world He that feedeth the young ravens will feed our children if we depend on him Lo Psal 127.3 children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward Boy Girle Si puellam viderimus moribus lepidam atque dicaculam laudabimus exosculabimus Haec in matronâ damnabimus persequemur Puerilitas est periculorum pelagus childhood and youth are vanity Eccles 11.10 Education Erasm de vitá c. Origenis pag. 1. Refert nonnihil ubi nascaris sed magis refert à quibus nascaris plurimùm verò à quibus a teneris instituaris Education consisteth in three things viz. 1. Religion 2. Learning 3. Manners Touching the former David and Bathsheba joyned together to season the tender years of Solomon with sweet liquor of celestial Piety Chrys Hom. 2. By the meanes of Hanna Samuel came presently from the corporal to the spiritual Dugge Evince taught Timothy the holy Scriptures from his childhood Hierom would have Lâ—ta to teach her daughter Paula the Canonical Scriptures Ad Letam beginning with the Psalmes and ending with the Canticles the Psalmes as the easiest and sweetest the Canticles as the hardest To this end catechizing is very requisite For education in learning Pharaoh's daughter trained up her adopted son in all the learning of the Egyptians Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel Aristippus that famous Philosopher was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by his mother The eloquent tongue of Cornelia was a great means of the eloquence of the Gracchi her two sons Philip procured two Schoolmasters for his son Alexander Plu. Aristotle for his Teacher and Leonides for Directer and Informer And Constantine procured three several Tutors for his three several sons One for Divinity Euseb the other for the Civil Law the third for Military Discipline Concerning behaviour we must bring up our children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in instruction and information that may formare mores frame their manners and put a good mind into them as the word imports Let not these things be delayed Thou mayest be taken from thy children or they from thee who then shall teach them after thy departure Moreover Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit adorem Testa diu great trees will not easily bend and a bad habit is not easily left Besides dye cloth in the wooll not in the webb and the colour will be the better the more durable Train up a childe in the way he should go and when he is old Prov. 22.6 he will not depart from it Espousals Contracts or espousals before marriage were a very ancient and laudable custome both amongst
the same that ever as foul loathsome pernicious c. Then such and such events will follow upon such and such courses Ye can discern the face of the skie but can ye not discern the signs of the times Mat. 16 3. Judgements We must reverence the judgements of God When Daniel pondered in himself the fearful fall of Nebuchadnezzar that such a faire and beautiful tree that reached to heaven should be cut down he held his peace by the space of one hour and his thoughts troubled him When the Angels were to blow their trumpets there was silence in heaven they were stricken with a kinde of astonishment and could not speak The wicked that have no portion in Christ may tremble but the holiest men of all must fear and reverence the judgements of God Doth the lion roar and shall not the beasts of the forrest quake And the consideration of these temporal judgements inflicted on sinners should scare us from sin The water wherwith the old world was drown'd the fire and brimstone that consumed the Sodomites the casting of Jesabel that filthy strumpet out of a window and the eating of her by dogs the hanging of Absolom by the hair of his head the fall of the Tower of Siloam upon eighteen persons and the falling of the carkasses of the Israelites in the wildernesse Though we fear not Hell because we see it not yet let us fear the arrows of Gods wrath which he may shoot a◠us in this world and pierce us thorough If we will not fear him because he can kill the soul which is the greatest yet let us fear him because he hath infinite wayes to destroy our bodies He can make the Pox to eat up the body of a whoremonger He can make the body of an ominous and malicious person to consume away to the very bones He can wash away the flesh of a drunkard c. Arrius the Heretick as he was casing nature all his entrails came forth whereupon he immediately died The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth Psal 9.16 Tumult The word in the Hebrew which is sometimes used for tumult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strepitus belli vel strepitus aquarum inundantium signifieth an inundation or multitude of waters which over-run their banks with violence and roaring Hos 10.14 The people are a most dangerous and heady water when once it is out Siditious tumults do soon bring all into a miserable confusion Intestine commotions may undo a people as a man may die of an inward bleeding When the multitude is in a rage they are like unto a tiled house that is on fire there 's no coming near the house the tiles do so flie about your face so it is in tumults there 's no coming neer to talk to them to convince them but they are ready to flie presently upon you What havock made the seditious in Jerusalem Josephus Speed a little before the last destruction of it The Guelfs and Gibellines in Italy Wat Tiler and his complices here Ac veluti in magno populo cum saepè coorta est Virgil. Aen. l. 2. Vbique pavor plurima mortis imago Seditio saevitque animis ignobile vulgus Jamque faces saxa volant furor armae ministrat For the avoiding of this remember that rule Prov. 24.21 subjects may doubtlesse signifie what is good for the State and what is amisse but to make any alteration in the State either Civil or Ecclesiastical belongs to the supreme Magistrate But none so insolent and cruel as the vilest of the people when they are got together in a head It is God alone that can asswage these tumults others may stir striefe but God onely can stint it Qui terram inertem Horat. qui mare temperat Ventosum urbes regnaque tristia Divosque mortalesque turbas Imperio regit unus aequo As God alone hath the sea it self that brutish creature at his beck and check so also hath he Devils and masterlesse men who seek to subvert Government and to lay all level He it is that stilleth the noise of the seas Psal 65.7 the noise of their waves and the tumult of the people Warre Mars the reputed God of War was feined to be the sonne of Juno onely without company of her husband Nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur Lucan l. 10. for when Juno was greatly displeased with her self that Jupiter by streining his head without company of a woman did bring forth the Goddesse Minerva she by the counsel of the Goddesse Flora touched a certain flower in the field of Olexius by vertue whereof she immediately conceived the god Mars The Romans painted him fiery sometimes in his chariot Rosin Antiq. sometimes on horse-back with a Javelin in one hand and a scourge in the other He was called Gradivus à gradiendo from his furious marching The Jews within the City of Jerusalem fought one against another they had civil wars Ioseph de Bel. Iud. but when the enemy approached they both joyned forces against them and came out very peaceably Nevertheless when they had repell'd their enemy the Romans they came to the City and fell presently to war again among themselves so that there were more slain by civil wars than by their foraign enemy Signes and tokens are Pranuncia bellorum Gods messengers to forewarn a sinful Nation of ensuing wars As in Rome before Sempronius went out to war against the Picents aedes salutis the Temple of health and safety was dissolved by a thunderbolt Three wolves brought a dead carkasse half eaten with hideous cries into the Market-place Before Hannibal vanquished Flaminius the sun seemed to be lessened At Arpi bucklers were seen in the heavens At Sardinia the Sun fought with the Moon To Jerusalem before the destruction thereof by Titus the Moon was eclipsed twelve nights together The Angels Templi Praesides with a loud cry left the Temple A star like a sword appeared over the City Chariots running in the skie armed men fighting in the air To Italie when Lodowicks force procured Charles the Great to enter into Puglia three Suns appeared invironed with clouds and horrible thunder And in Arosso were seen images sweating drums and trumpets men and horses in the air The Lord preparing us by these either for present repentance or speedy destruction One of Xerxes men boasting the Persians would let flie such a flight of arrows as should darken the Sun It was answered by one of the Grecian Captaines it was well for then they should have the benefit of fighting in the shadow Non quaeritur Pax ut belium geratur Aug. sed bellum geritur ut pax acquiratur Yet Peace betwixt ambitious Princes and States is but a kinde of breathing Sir W. R. For the rusty sword and empty purse do onely plead performance of Covenant And surely its good to hold that weapon in the scabbard that hath
is cast out of one Paradise to make himself another It is charged as a foul fault upon those Sensualists Jam. 5.5 That they had lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton Musical instruments are called The delights of the sons of men Eccl. 2.8 because the Musick of instruments is proper unto men whereas the musick of voice is in birds also But it is good to remember that old age will come and then All the daughters of musick shall be brought low Eccl. 12.4 Nam quae cantante voluptas Juvenal Devil Quasi do evil Or a Divellendo for he would pull men from God Or of duo two and bolus a bit because he makes but two bits of man one of his body the other of his soul Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à trajiciendo because he striketh thorow with his darts Or because he is the Calumniatour Accusing 1. God to man 2. Man to God 3. Man to man 3. Man to himself The Divel is Leo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a roaring lyon and lyes in wait for the Church but Christ her invincible champion Diabolus in pace subdolus in persecutione violentus Cypr. Eos quaerit dejicere quos videt stare is ever at hand for her help who is Leo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lyon of the tribe of Judah that delivereth us from the wrath to come The first Adam was conquered of the serpent by gluttony pride and avarice By gluttony when he did eat the forbidden fruit by dride desiring to be as God and by covetousnesse being discontent with his present estate So the second Adam is assaulted by the same serpent with gluttony If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread With Pride the Devil taketh him up into the holy city and setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple and saith cast thy self down c. And with Avarice for he taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them and saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Whereas Scripture saith the Devil was a murtherer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 We are not to understand from the first absolute beginning for then he had no being nor from his own beginning for at his creation he was good But so soon as ever man was he was resolved to destory him and so with reference to the intention he is so called As the Vulture feeds best upon the most stinking carrion so the Devil upon the most corrupt hearts Hence he is called the unclean spirit Mat. 12.43.1 Affectione because he loveth uncleanness 2. Persvasione because he perswades men to it 3. Habitatione because he inhabits unclean hearts he finds them foul he makes them worse Wheresoever the great Turk sets his foot once no grasse grows they say ever after Sure it is no grace grows where Satan dwels Christ casts the Devil out of the poor sinner where he did possesse for these causes especially justified by law viz. Because 1. He payes not the rent Jacobs de Vorag 2. He suffers the house to decay 3. He imploys it to base uses 4. God himself will dwel in it A Conjurer expels the Devil not by constraint but by consent and therefore when he is cast out by wicked men it is by compact and he will be sure to gain by the bargain But Christ is stronger than he and therefore casts him out by main force The Panther hath a pleasant smel and beautiful skin but a foul face and when she would prey upon beasts which come to gaze on her she hides her head Mentitur ut sallat vitam pollicetur ut perimat So the Devil he is also a very turn-coat At Lystra he appeared like a Comedian At Athens like a Philosopher At Ephesus like an Artificer to Saul like the old Prophet who could have spoken more gravely severely divinely than the fiend did But as when one commended the Popes Legate at the counsel of Basil Sigismund the Emperour answered Tamen Romanus est So when Satan comes commended to us under what name soever let us cry out yet he is a Devil The Devil is restlesse in mischief Non dormitat saith one Semper-vigil ille Synagoge sua Episcopus he is vigilant and diligent restlesse and unquiet as Cain As Pliny saith of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth the sting Bernard in a rapture was before the judgment-seat of Christ Est leo si fugias si stas quasi muscaâ—recedit and Satan impleading him Saith he Thou hast been so and so Answ 'T is true vile I have been but Christ hath a double title to Heaven both as heir and meriting the one of these he keeps to himself but the other he hath given me The readiest way to kill the serpent is to break his head The Devils head is cut off if we resist his first assault For as David slew Goliah by hitting him in the forehead so we must gather stones out of Gods brooke that is his holy book and sling them at the Devils head And know if the Devils without Christs leave had no power to enter into the Gaderens swine much lesse over Gods own sheep Satan is so vext at mans devotion that Origen saith In Num. Hom. 27. there is no greater torment to the Devils than to see man addicted to the Scriptures In hoc eorum omnis slamma est in hoc uruntur incendio Chrysostom saith we may lash or scourge him by sasting and Prayer And indeed the Prophet calls it a charm or inchantment Isa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26.16 When the Devil would assault a poor soul the best way is to imitate Christ Inhoneflum enim est bonestam matronem cum meretrice litigare who stands not arguing the case with him but cuts him off short with a vehement check and reproof turning him over to his Father to give him his duâ— Saying The Lord rebuke thee Zech. 3.2 It is not fit saith Chrysostâ—m for a Matron to scold with a Strumpet Your adversary the Devil as a roaring lyon walketh about 1 Pet. 5.8 9. seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Salt It is observed that Nature hath prudently mingled salt with all things that they may not easily putrify Greges enim pecorum urinam salsissimam essundere videmus in omnes stirpes salem infusum saith Bodin Yea Theat Nat. there is indeed in every thing we eat a natural and concealed salt which is seperated by digestions Dr. Brown Bâ—eud Epid. as doth appear in our tears sweat and urines although we refrain all falt or what doth seem to contain it Certainly the Spirit as salt must dry up those bad humors in us that breed that never-dying worme and as fire must wast our corruptions which else will carry us on
armour and weapons of a Christian souldier Eph. 6. Adde the Cannon-shot of deep sighs proceeding from a penitent heart the Arrows of bitter Tears and the two-edged sword of the Eternal Word Heb. 4.12 We are not to encounter with flesh and blood nor to fight with the Unicorns of Assyri◠nor the Bulls of Bashan nor the Beasts of Ephesus Neither absolute Atheists nor dissolute Christians nor resolute Ruffians But we are to war with Principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses that are in high places Let Christians gather courage and be of good comfort What if the Serpents brood do bite the Beasts of Ephesus yell the fat Bulls of Bashan push gore and the Red Dragon rage storm march in hellish fury Christ is thy Captain and stronger than they all He can charm the old Serpent take away his sting and grind all our enemies to powder Put on the whole armour of God Eph. 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye may be able to stand against the wile◠of the Devil Temptation There are three things wherein the greatest exercise of a Christian life confists 1. Prayer wherein man is seeking unto and working his heart towards God 2. Meditation wherein he is preparing himself by holy thoughts and divine considerations for his nearer addresses unto God 3. Temptation wherein he wrestles and strives with those enemies of his soul And truly mans life is a continual temptation Yea sometimes the violence of Satan's and the Worlds temptations are such that a child of God is weary of life instance in Job 10.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fastidit tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His soul would gladly be rid of the body that it might be beyond the reach and assults of the Devil and his assistants While we breathe in this Pilgrimage our life cannot be without sin and temptation because our progress is made through temptation Temptation is nothing else but Exploratio per experientiam saith Parisiensis Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pierce through Tentare est prop iè experimentum sumere de aliquo Diabolus semper tentat ut noceat in peccatum praecipitando secundum hoc dicitur proprium officium ejus tentare Aquin. Temptations are either 1. Good or 2. Ill. Of the good there are two 1. Men tempt and prove themselves 2. God tempts and proves men by sending afflictions Of ill temptations of suggestion there are three 1. Men tempt men 2. Men tempt God 3. Satan tempts men There are also temptations of 1. Affliction 1 Jam. 3.12 2. Persecution Mat. 13.21 Luk. 8.13 3. Concupiscence Jam. 1.14 The temptations of Concupiscence and the temptations of Sathan differ thus 1. The temptations of Satan are usually to things against Nature or against the God of Nature as Blasphemy Self-murther Sodomitry c. 2. They are usually sudden and fierce and violent like lightening leaving not a man time for deliberation 3. Those evils that are instantly disliked and in no measure assented to or approved So that a man doth not sin in the temptation till he be in some degree drawn away by it Again the Deviltempts 1. Either by way of seducement in which he excites our concupiscence rubs the fire-brand and makes it send forth many sparkles carrying us away by some pleasing object in this our concupiscence carrieth the greatest stroke Jam. 1.15.2 Or by way of grievance injecting into us horrid and hideous thoughts of Atheism Blasphemy Self-murther c. And herein himself for most part is the sole doer to trouble us in our Christian course and make us run heavily nowards heaven In every temptation there is an appearance of good whether of the body Omnis tentatio est assimilati◠boni Schoolm mind or state The first is the lust of the flesh in any carnal desire The second is the pride of the heart and life The third is the lust of the eyes To all these the first Adam is tempted and in all miscarried The second Adam is tempted and overcometh The first man was tempted to a carnal appetite by the forbidden fruit to pride by the suggestion of being as God and to covetousness in ambitious desire of knowing good and evil Satan having found all the motions so successful in the first Adam in his innocent estate will now tread the same steps in his temptations of the second 1. The stones must be made bread here is a motion to a carnal appetite 2. The guard and attendance of Angels must be presumed on here 's a motion to pride 3. The Kingdoms of the world must be offered here to covetousness and ambition Satan usually keeps his greatest and most violent temptations unto the last He tempts most at death One coming to visit a sick friend asked Hath Satan been with you yet The party answered No To whom the other replied Look to it he 'll have a bout with you ere you die When he thinks we are at the weakest then he cometh with his strongest assaults The Lord by Jeremy saith unto Jury c. 4.14 How long shall wicked thoughts harbour◠in thee He asketh not wherefore they come but wherefore they stay For many good men are oftentimes overtaken with evil thoughts but yet will not yield their consents thereunto Yet let a Giant knock while the door is shut Turpiùs ejicitur quà m non admittitur hospes he may with ease be still kept out but if once open that he gets in but a limb of himself then there is no course left to keep out the remaining bulk Intorto capite sequetur corpus We may admit if not pull in more with one finger than after thrust out with both shoulders Let us therefore be sober and vigilant 1 Pet. 5.8 Put on the whole armour of God Eph. 6. and resist him Jam. 4.8 Comforting our selves both in the example of Christ Heb. 2.16 4.15 and of Christians 1 Pet. 5.9 in Gods care for us 1 Cor. 10.13 and promises made to us in temptations 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Isa 27.1 Rom. 16.20 And let us be earnest in prayer Tactu qualitativo that either Satan may not tempt us or that he may not touch us at least as Cajetan expounds it 1 Joh. 5.18 with a deadly touch so as to alter us from our gracious disposition Simon Luk. 22.31 32. Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may fift you as wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Demoniack If God chastise us with his own bare hand Lunaticus speculum miseriae humanae malitiae Satanae Pareus in Mat. 17.15 Act. 16 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vteres Pytlones or by men like our selves let 's thank him and think our selves far better dealt with than if he should deliver us up to the publike Officer to this Tormentor to be scourged with scorpions at his pleasure The Seventy Seniors usually call those who are possessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Devil spake
to be the chief good or deny him to be God He is holy too as he is man time was when he stood at defiance with the world John 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sinne He did as every Minister should do vivere conscionibus concionari moribus live Sermons as well as preach them What an ancient Monke said of Saint Dunstane sometimes all Englands Metropolitane is more true of him he is vir totus ex virtutibus factus a man wholly composed of grace who according to Saint Peters report did no sin 1 Per. 2 22. neither was there guile found in his mouth The Devil who is Antonomastically stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tempter Matth. 4.3 with all his black Art could not infect his righteous soul he was free from yeelding to his temptations not from his tempting for as saith the Apostle We have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Hebr. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin He was holy not only legally as were the Leviticall Priests consecrated to the sacred services of the most high but morally too in a most absolute and exact conformity to the Divine Law hence is that speech of Russinus on the Creed Russinus Aquilei in Symbol Apostal Nil ibi turpe putandum est ubi sanctificatio spiritus inerat we must not have so much as a thought of any foulnesse of evil to be there where the holy Ghost took full possession by a total sanctification Where the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily Acts 3.14 't were impiety to imagine that the least unholinesse had any being there 'T is his peculiar title to be called the holy one and the just To make this his holiness clear as the Sun free from any cloud of black aspersion that a captious spirit might raise the Apostle addes three other Attributes which serve as a demonstration not to be contradicted he is harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners The first quits him of all natural pravity wherewith the sons of Adam are originally infected the other of all blemishes of actual trespassing which defile the man the last of that guilt which through the transgression of the Law sinful men are subject In his conception he was without sinne so was he in his nativity thus harmless in his conversation upon earth he was blameless and unreprovable in the sight of God thus undefiled every way guiltless not incurring the least displeasure of his heavenly Father thus seperate from sinners For such an High-Priest became us He was harmless and innocent Aug. and that in his conception in his birth wherefore Saint Augustine speaking saith that Genus humanum Christus assumpsit non autem crimen humanum Christ in being the Son of man assumed the nature of man not the sin of man for his untainted Virgin-Mother blessed among women highly favour'd of the most high was overshadowed with the power of the highest by the coming of the holy Ghost upon her by which power she so miraculously conceived beyond the course of nature in her sacred womb that therein the Son of God became the Son of man the Word was made flesh But that son of man that flesh was without contagion that body which was prepared for him to be Domus divinitatis the house of the divinity as it is termed must needs have been sanctified for that holy use It was the work of the Spirit to purify that selected substance thereby to make it fit to be united to the second Person of the Trinity Sent. l. 3. D. 3. A. Wherefore saith Lombard that flesh which God vouchsafed personally to unite unto himself of the immaculate Virgin Sine vitio concepta sine peccato nata est was conceived without any pollution and born without any sin Yet was it not of an heavenly or of an aerial nature or of any other save of that same Cujus est omnium hominum care saith the same Author whereof is that flesh of all men But it was not so framed in the woman as ours it was sanctified by divine power ours is infected by natural Propagation Nam corporis nestri habuit pollutionem peccati non habuit said Origen his flesh had the nature of our body not sin the corruption of our nature Origen in Rom. 8. the Apostle averres that he was made in the likenesse of man Phil. 2.7 Like unto us in all things sinne only excepted That man to use Saint Hilaries phrase grounded on the Apostleo words Non fuit caro peccati Hilar. in l. 10. de Trinit sed similitudo carnis peccati was not the flesh of sin or sinful flesh but the likeness of sinful flesh Great is the difference betwixt similitude and identity 't is true that as he took our nature upon him so our infirmities wherein he was like to us but they were such as were void of evils none of them in him being defectus culpae Aquin. Sum. as the Schoolmen speak Criminal failings or weaknesses worthy blame but necessary consequences of our nature Whereupon Aquinas notes out of Gregory the great upon that part of the Angels discourse with the blessed Virgin That holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God That to distinguish betwixt his and our holiness it was foretold Christ should be born holy as for us we are not born holy but of unholy made holy but he is not made holy of unholy but born holy hence called Acts 4.27 The hely child Jesus In conclusion should any now demand of me in what manner I conceive the Word was made flesh without sin in what manner precisely the conception the assumption the union was effected whereby our nature in Christ was elevated to the perfection it attained unto in him With Chrysostom I ingeniously professe Chrysost in Rom. 1. Hom. 5 I know not 't is a mystery to be adored to be believed not to be curiously searcht into This much I know that there have been four wayes of making man One was the making man without either man or woman so was Adam made the second was to make man without a woman so was Eve made the third was to make man both by man and woman so we their posterity are made the last way was to make man without man by woman only and so was Christ made man who notwithstanding was not polluted by being in the Virgins womb no more than the Sun in the firmament receives infection from any place it shines upon here below From this transcendent purity of our High-Priests conception and birth whereby he is harmlesse there is aforded us a double comfort 1. By it the faithful are justified from the unholinesse of their impure conceptions Tales nos amat Deus quales futuri sumus ipsius dono non quales sumius nostro meritro Concil Arausican secund Canon
heartily cry in a low straine of humility Pecoav◠against thee thee 〈◊〉 O Lord have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight If we can confidently set up our whole rest in our Redeemers alsufficiency we may presume that according to his promise he will extend his mercy and his favour unto all of us For this very purpose did he send his Son unto us that he might be well pleased with us in him in whom alone he is well pleased and was content from all eternity with the death of his Son to manifest in the fulness of time his good will towards men This is the reason why the Prophet Isaiah cals the year of Christs Nativity Isa 61.2 or the whole time of the Gospel The acceptable year of the Lord for the Lord accepts of us in him and no otherwise than as we are in him and being in him he gives us of his good will a secure conduct through all the various casualties of mortality wherefore saith the holy singer Thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.22 with favour wilt thou compasse him as with a shirld To make good this his good will further unto us he hath together with his Son made us a deed of gift of all things Rom. 8.32 For he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all would not but with him also freely give us all things Should I go about to describe the immense amplitude of my Gods liberality my words would rather extenuate than enlarge it not being able to reach to so holy a slrain as the excellency and worth thereof requires His love beside his gifts is boundless without all limits of time from eternity to eternity I use the Apostles words as wanting of mine own for a fit expression he did praedestinate us before the foundation of the world unto the Adoption of Children Eph. 1.5 6 7. by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Whereupon it is to be infer'd that without Christ there is no hope of mercy God in him expresses his good will to us in him we are elected by him called through him saved In solo dilecto suo Jes◠Christo Robertus Stephous in glos Deus charos sibi reddit quotquot in hoc selegit faith Stephanus in his gloss as many as God hath selected out of the world to be a peculiar people to himself are indeared unto him in his dear Son So that every one that belongs to the election of grace according to the dispensation of his immortal riches may truly say as Abraham did to Sarah it may be well with me for thy sake and my soul shall live because of thee The Lord when he looks upon his Son and on us in him remembers mercy You may be pleased to call to mind what use the rain-bow serves for which is a pregnant figure of Christ our Saviour whereby we are inform'd to use the words of a reverend Prelate that when either the dark blackness of ugly sin Dr. Babington Bish of Worcester in Gen. 9. or the thick clouds of grief and adversity do threaten unto us any fearful overthrow we should clap our eyes upon our rain-bow Christ Jesus and be assured that although that blacknesse of sin be never so great yet in him and by him it shall be done away and never have power to undo us Although those mists and fogs of adversity be never so thick yet shall they by him as by a hot and strong sun be disperst and never able to drown us The greatest rain we know shall end ere it come to such a flood again and so shall these things before we fall Ecce signum behold Christ is put for a sure signe and token of Gods good will towards men But now I will close neerer and shew what in his good will he hath done for our souls I can pass by Gods sending of his Son as presupposed being the occasion of this blessed ditty but I can never pass by our restitution unto grace by him the greatest act of good will that ever was for when sin had overblackt us with such deformities as left no part cleare when we stood in direct point of diameter to his holyness and could not avoid the sentence of condemnation through his tender mercy the day-spring from on high did visit us and the light of his countenance did shine upon us to give light unto us that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the wayes of peace Whereby we now stand on firmer and fairer terms of happiness and prosperity than before our first declination There is a more established safety in the condition we have by Christ in Christ than in that first wherein we were lest unto our selves For we fell from that first from this last we cannot and being fallen from that a better a surer cannot be compassed but by him Soul and body were so debilitated through the corruption of our degenerated nature and we so desperately praecipitate in sinful deliberations as that we could not help our selves in this time of need Potui per me sancte Pater offendere sed non valui per me placare saith Aug. in his Manual O my God I could easily offend thee Aug. Manuale cap. 8. by my self but by my self never appease thee nor expiate my offence God therefore unwilling to strive with man for ever who for ever without his mercy he found inclin'd to mischief in a relenting affection remembring we are but dust Pathetically pities our case and in his good will sends us a Redeemer for which the Angels sing Beleeve me O ye servants of my God beleeve me my God can as soon cease to be God which is impossible as cast away his eyes of pity and mercy from us but like as a father pitieth his children Psal 103. so doth the Lord the Workmanship of his hands Blesse the Lord O my soul saith David and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies Boys Postil Ephes 3. The love of God saith one in his Postils is like a Sea into which when a man is cast he neither seeth bank nor seeleth bottom Accordingly saith the Apostle The length the breadth the depth and the height of this love passeth all humane knowledge And as his love is thus without all measure greater by infinite degrees than that of Jonathan to David so are his favours innumerable It was a Martyrs speech worthy registring to posterity To
him without the camp bearing his reproach for here we have no continuing City Heb. 13.13 14 15. but we seek one to come by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name who is the Author and finisher of our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour glory power and dominion in heaven and in earth by men and Angels both now and for ever world without end Amen The Necessity of CHRISTS PASSION AND Resurrection ACTS 17.3 Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead GLory which is the proper scope of a noble disposition and the intended end of honourable intents did Christ make to be the necessary consequence of his fore-running passion His life seem'd to the worlds eye inglorious in that he affected not popularity so did his death to those that knew not the mystery of our Redemption By general judgment he was reputed the most unhappy breathing he was rejected and despised of men Yet in this his rejected and contemptible condition was sowen his immortal happiness which indeed was sowen in weakness but was raised in power sowen in dishonor but raised in glory For as by the eternal constitution of the Almighty he ought to have been brought to the lowest degree of misery by suffering divers and fearful punishments so ought he not perpetually to abide in that state but at length to be elevated thence to the highest pitch of glory In order to which as Christ must needs have suffered so also must he rise again from the dead The point now by divine assistance to be discust is part of Christs exaltation a theame of an high nature And herein first of the person exalted Christ Christ was exalted according to both natures 1. In regard of his Godhead 2. In regard of his Manhood The exaltation of the Godhead of Christ was the manifestation of the Godhead in the Manhood mightily declaring therein that he was the Son of God Which manifestation was altogether active no way passive the effects produced by him having no other proper agent but God For who could overcome Satan death the world the grave but God And albeit the Divine nature be thus exalted yet it is without all manner of alteration For to speak properly in it self it cannot be made the subject of exaltation but as it is considered joined with the Manhood into the unity of one person For albeit Christ from the very time of the assumption of our nature whereby he was incarnate was both God and man and his Godhead all the time he liv'd dwelt in his Manhood yet from the hour of his Nativity unto the hour of giving up the Ghost and a while after the Godhead did little shew it self The glorious majesty of his Deity whiles he was in the for me and low state of a servant lay hid under the vaile of his flesh as the soul doth in the body when a man is sleeping And in the time of his passion the brightness of the glory of the sun of righteousnesse was obscured as the sun running in the height of heaven oftimes over clouded or eclipsed by a darker body thereby in 〈◊〉 humane nature to undergo the curse of the law and perfect the work of our redemption in subjecting himself to the death even the cursed death of the crosse But as soone as this work was finished and happily accomplished he began by degrees to make known the power of his Godhead in his Manhood And so to rise again Secondly Christ was exalted in regard of his Manhood which consisteth in these two things In depositione servilis suaâ—conditionis in laying down and quitting himself from all the infirmities that 〈◊〉 mans nature which he submitted himself unto except sin so long as he remained in the state of a servant he was subject to weariness to hunger to thirst to fear to death from all which in this state of exaltation he is perfectly delivered his natural body is a glorious body those wounds and stripes which in his body he suffered for our sins remain not in him as testimonies of that compleat conquest to be obtained over his and our enemies But are rather quite abolished because they were a part of that ignominious condition wherein our Saviour was upon the crosse whereof in his glorified state he is not to be partaker Yet if they still remain as some think they do they are no deformity to the glorious body of the Lord but are in him in some unspeakable and to us unknown manner glorified In susceptione donoxum in receiving such graces and qualities of glory as bring with them ornament beauty perfection happiness exceeding the or 〈◊〉 beauty perfection and happiness of any other creature in heaven or earth 〈◊〉 to his soul and body As for his soul look upon the intellectuall part you shall find a mind enrich with as much knowledge and understanding as well in respect of the act as the habit as a creature can possibly be capable of the measure of it being more than all men and Angels put together have Look upon his will and affections you shall find them furnished with the fulness of grace and compleatly adorned with the invaluable riches and incomparable gifts of Gods holy Spirit As for his body it is not now subject to dissolution from being natural it is become spiritual not by the destruction of the essence but by the alteration of the qualities Aquinas Est ejusdem naturae sed alterius gloriae said Thomas for God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption The nature and essential proprietles of a true body as length breadth thickness locality still remain in him the addition of glory and brightness not changing the nature of it so that it is free from all bodily imperfections and made bright and glorious a resemblance whereof was his transiguration on the mount Matth. 17. where his face did shine as the sun and his rayment was as white as the light the purity whereof is unblemished the agility whereof such as is indifferent to move upward or downward the brightness thereof cannot be obscured nor the strength thereof match't by any creature For by his power he shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Hhil 3.21 according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself These gifts of glory in Christ's body are not infinite but bounded within limits because his humane nature being but a creature and therefore finite could not receive infinite graces and gifts of glory To make then infiniteness ubiquity and omnipotency incommunicable attributes of God attributes of Christ's glorified body is to destroy the nature of a body and say that the body of Christ is transformed into the Deity or Deified and that he is all
was only guided by an ordinary providence as men now a dayes undertaking journeys stay with their friends at their pleasure guided ordinarily by Gods hand Holy Fear THE FENCE OF THE SOUL GEN. 28.17 And Jacob was afraid AS Esau was coming into the world Jacob had him fast by the heel Rebecca received blows within her by their struglings which that acted ended But here ended not their strife that presaged as a future supplanting so a more inveterate quarrel Esau was first born so he obtained the birthright of nature Jacob came after yet got the birthright of grace The mother was glad to be well rid of both she was much joyed to see them set at liberty who inclosed in the prison of her bowels pain'd her As these agreed not in the womb so not in the world There the division began when together in restraint here it continued and by their enlargement was enlarged The divine Oracle told Rebecca that the elder should serve the younger 't was his love to the one his hate to the other both free This prediction must have been accomplish'd but not without some difficulty First Jacob upon an advantage buyes the Birthright which Esau in a necessity scornfully deem'd unprofitable Grace made Jacob lay about to purchase what Nature denied him It was inevitable the God of Nature determin'd it that way not the other Thus Jacob though a plain man got the start of Esau though a cunning hunter A gracious simplicity ever outstrips worldly craft in the affairs of piety Now having got thus far there wanted nothing to make good his bargain to confirm his interest but his Fathers blessing which he by his Mothers direction hunting after obtained by subtilty whilst Esau hunting after venison came short of through his pleasure The Mother saith Reverend Hall shall rather defeat the Son and beguile the Father than the Father shall beguile the chosen Son of his blessing Jacob must have been blest God decreed it and was Who no sooner went away full of the joy of his new blessing but in comes Esau who sweating for his reward finds nothing but an unexpected repulse Hereat Esau's blood is up and storms he hates Jacob in his heart as Cain did Abel in his hate vows his death nothing hinders it but lack of opportunity Yet Jacob needed not to fear the wrath of an earthly brother whilst sure of the love of his Heavenly Father None needs to be terrified by Man that is in league with God However it behoved the Mother to be as sollicitous in preventing mischief from falling on her beloved Darling as in surreptitiously procuring him a blessing Had he miscarried all her hopes had perish'd Jacob therefore must go one way or other if he stay till his Father die he must die with him and go the way of all flesh 't was Esau's resolution If he go whither his Parents would he is secure this way as well it might is preferr'd To this purpose a new project is set on foot Jacob must have a wife not of the daughters of Heth as Esau these made Rebecca weary of her life but of his own kindred Isaac forthwith calls Jacob to him blesseth him gives him a charge and commands him away to Laban his mothers brother where the Lord did destine him a mate meet for him Away he hyes doubtful and comfortless in the way the earth he made his bed the stone his pillow after this fort he rested his wearied limbs The sun was set his eyes were bound up in the chains of sleep yet there a Vision of Angels is presented to him through the glass of his imagination and Gods promise renewed in a true dream Never was Jacob's heart so light with joy as when his head was heaviest with sleep At length he awakes his thoughts are summon'd up together fear creeps apace on him the place seems dreadful the presence of Divine Majesty whereof he was sensible adds lustre to the place which adds affrightment to his heart The premisses considered his conclusion of the Place is this This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven Hitherto have I followed Jacob in his way and with him here will I rest a while This holy Patriarch upon mature deliberation could not but conceive himself happy that he hapned on this holy place Here the demonstration of Gods joyful presence with him and gracious providence over him together with the free promise of safe conduct to him abated the swoln discontents of his suspitious thoughts it never came into his head he should have here that familiar manifestation of the God of Isaac as was vouchsafed him But Gods goodness ever was ever is beyond mans expectation How easie were it for Jacob to miscarry in his way did not the Supreme Power protect him how open did he lie to infinite dangers lying in the open field did not the Lord secure him 'T was the work of that same Mercy that guided him to that place to preserve him safe there where although he was afraid at the first sight after his sleep was over Musculus Buxtorf Heb. Radix yet was his fear without distraction The clearness of his judgment discerning Gods intention in that mystical vision sentenceth the place venerable So Musculus renders the Hebrew text Quà m venerandus est iste locus and Buxtorf How reverend is this place Here I might treat 1. Of Jacob's Fear 2. Of the Dreadfulness or reverence of the place where he was partaker of the Heavenly vision 3. Of the Titles Jacob assign'd the place All meriting points but the first is only intended The Soul which by nature is disfurnished of grace is exposed to dangers as disposed to evil by reason whereof it is subject to fears within to fears without Perils like a circle compass us about we stand tanquam in centro as in the centre of this world every line drawn from the circumference strikes us to the heart and so affrights us Turn which way we will terror meets us fears encounter us Hereat the naked soul appal'd yields unless informed of a better friend than our own wits which always are not about us But Gods gracious presence apprehended in our deepest agonies of fear brings us off undaunted by the light of whose grace we discover things in their native colours which whilst unknown amaze us disturb us Some things trouble us more than they ought to do some which not at all for the anticipating or avoiding whereof that rule holds infallibly true Rebus est demenda persona pull off the masque of things then we shall not so fear them To be quite rid of this passion while we live is impossible Christianity or regeneration qualifieth its force takes it not away Some impression will be left in the mind yet not so deep as will make us despair of succour For all the variety of Creatures Casualties Changes that appear dreadful there is variety of Aid flowing
Socer and after banished into France with his wanton Herodias died an Exile The Jews that persecuted Christ and his Apostles what punishments they had their lamentable wars and more lamentable destruction is a sufficient testimony Herod Agrippa that put James John's brother to death was put to death by vermine as his Grandfather was If we take a slight view of the Ten Persecutions Nero who robb'd Peter and paid Paul Peter of his life Paul with death was his own death kill'd himsel Domitian that banished John into Pathmos and crucified Simon Bishop of Jerusalem that put Publius Bishop of Athens to death was killed and his statues and monuments taken quite away Trajan that caused Simeon Bishop of Alexandria to be crucified and Ignatius Bishop of Antioch to be devoured of wild beasts suffered many miseries in his time Tiber overflowed all Rome Pantheon burnt with thunderbolts Cities in Asia shaken with grievous Earthquakes and the whole Empire almost wasted by a most wretched dearth Adrianus in whose Persecution Alexander Bishop of Rome with Hermes his wife children and household to the number of twelve hundred and fifty persons were burnt all in a furnace and Theodorus a Deacon had his tongue cut out of his head his hands and feet cut off afterwards beheaded and was cast to dogs at this time there were ten thousand crucified in Mount Ararat round with thorns and their bodies pierced through with darts at last he died doubting of the life to come Antoninus Verus and his brother Luâ—us persecuted Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and Justin the Philosopher put to death but in their time there did an unheard of Plague spread over a great part of their Empire Severus a most severe Emperor in persecuting the Christians caused Irenaeus Bishop of Lions and Calixtus Bishop of Rome to be martyred but after he himself was slain and the Roman Empire afflicted with Civil wars Maximinus who martyred Hypolitus Bishop of an head City in Arabia was killed by his soldiers Decius in whose reign another Bishop of Antioch suffered death died miserably in the Scythian war suffocated in a fen In the persecution under Valerian died Cypriun Bishop of Carthage that Caesar of the Christian But he was vanquished by Sapor King of Persia and served instead of a footstool when the Persian took horse I had almost forgot one thing A Judge in the time of Severus condemned one Agapeius a youth of fifteen at whose execution the Judge fell down from his seat and cried his bowels burnt within him and so died Dioclesian and Maximian raised a Persecution which like a flood ran over all the Roman Provinces Syria Tyre Egypt c. But at last Dioclesian in his old days poyson'd himself and Maximian died a dogs death he was hang'd up for a sign of Gods wrath by Constantine Thus in these Ten Persecutions Gods Ministers run through fire and water as the Prophet David speaks of the afflictions of Gods children and were not spared But God spared not to punish those wicked Emperors the raisers of them Then after Julian the Apostate plays the devil but God the Lord of Hosts for the Persian got the honor of the day and Julian wounded sprinkling his blood up toward heaven died blaspheming Vicisti tandem puer Galilee Vulence seduced by the Arrians made havock of the Church but being taken of the Gothes in a Cabin whither he fled was burnt there I could proceed The Mahumetan Persecution I need not insist on Only The Saracens they are vanished Selymus the first Turkish Emperor rooted out of that Nation and the Turks they never are at ease but at continual war whose end by the judgment of the more learned is at hand Neither need I and therefore will not insist on the Persecutions continued under the Popes in Italy Germany Spain France England and in the Eastern tract of the world But who knows not the state of that Church from whom are hidden what deaths many and most of them died Take one for all Boniface the 8. of whom it is reported He came in like a Fox he reigned like a Lion and died like a Dog Let these Examples be as so many arguments to induce Gods Ministers howsoever persecuted to rejoice for Blessed are you when for Christs sake ye suffer persecution for yours is the kingdom of heaven Mat. 5. They that will not receive your crying aloud without sparing shake the dust off your feet against them Sodom and Gomorrah shall be in a better case at the last day than they Mat. 10.14 cap. 11.22 cap. 12.42 It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Siaon than for them The Ninevites and the Queen of the South shall rise up in judgment against them Therefore tell them their own soundly and fear not Though ye be among scorpions as the Lord said to Ezekiel spare not for fear of the ensuing dangers For whosoever spareth incurs his own destruction and the destruction of the people both shall be overwhelmed in the flood of Gods wrath both shall sink into the gulf of everlasting perdition both being as the Prophet Jeremy speaks sifted in the sieve of vanity Yea Press things home to the Conscience and spare not though no hope of amendment of their life appear God bids thee and duty birds thee because God bids thee 1.2 Though ye will not be believed as Jeremy was not where Azariah Johanan and all the proud men said to him Thou speakest falsly Yet cry aloud and spare not leave the event to God Go saith he to Ezekiel and tell this people whether they hear or hear not If they do they shall have life if not judgments are prepared for scorners and stripes for the back of fools Prov. 19. ult For if they heir not you when you cry from God to them God will not hear them when they cry to him or you for them Jer. 7.16 Now God Almighty enable embolden and encourage all his Ministers to cry aloud to those whose minds are wandring that their hearts may turn to God to those that are in pursuit of their own wicked lusts that they may be reclaimed to those that are afar off that they may hear and return homeward to God to those that are asleep in sin that they may awake to righteousness to those that stop their ears that they may open them with gladness to those that hear carelesly that they may hear diligently to those that are dead in sins that they may arise and be quickned with the life of grace to the life of glory Again As we must take heed of our Doctrine so we must take heed of our Lives that we be unspotted of this wicked world Mundamimini qui fertis vasa Domini Ye that carry the vessels of the Lord be clean The Breast-plate of the Priest had this inscription HOLINESS TO THE LORD signifying that we should have Holiness imprest in our hearts Remember the Orders ye have taken they are holy Holy Orders Be ye not then defiled with the contaminating and for did customs of the world but