FIVE SEASONABLE Sermons. As they were preached before Eminent AUDITORIES, Upon ſeveral ARGUMENTS.
BY PAUL KNELL Maſter in Arts, OF Clare-Hall in Cambridge.
Sometimes Chaplain to a Regiment of CURIASIERS in His late MAJESTIES Army.
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1660.
WEre not your Regal Clemency and Candour very eminent, the Tenuity of that which here I offer to your Majeſty, might indict me for familiarity. But as the Iſraelites were not to appear before the Lord their God, ſo neither durſt I before my Lord the King, empty-handed. Silver and gold indeed I have none, ſcarce ſo much as that which Solomon ſaith, is like Apples of Gold in pictures of ſilver; but ſuch as I have, I moſt humbly offer to your Majeſty, knowing, that as Artaxerxes did not diſdain two handfuls of ordinary water offered to him by Synaetas; ſo your Royal hand will graciouſly accept one handfull of Sanctuary-water from him, who as in duty bound, hath both actively and paſſively approved himſelfe a faithfull Subject to the King, and a dutifull Son of the Church of England, that hath no better Preſent. One of theſe ſlender Sermons hath already been honoured with your Royal ear at the Hague, they all now humbly crave a glance from your gracious eye at White-hall.
The Inſcription indeed and ſubſcription of this Dedication are ſo vaſtly diſtant, that ſome large Apology ought to intervene. But your Majeſties many important affairs diſpenſe with no further avocation. I humbly add therefore only a ſhort Halelujah and Hoſanna, Bleſsing the Lord by whom Kings reign for ſo ſignally viſiting your ſacred Majeſty, and ſo ſeaſonably redeeming your diſtreſſed People; Beſeeching alſo the ſame Lord of Lords to ſave and defend your Royal Perſon, as with a ſhield, to make your Throne here as the dayes of Heaven, and hereafter to tranſlate You to an Heavenly Throne, which is the due and daily ſacrifice offered up with a true heart fervently by
THE CONVOY OF A Chriſtian. A Sermon PREACHED Before His MAJESTY, KING CHARLES the Firſt OF Ever bleſſed Memory, at Matſon near Glocester, in time of the Siege there on Tueſday, Auguſt 22. 1643.
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1660.
When thou paſſeſt thorow the waters, I will be with thee, and thorow the rivers, they ſhall not overflow thee: when thou walkest thorow the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee.
QUem miſerum video, hominem ſcio, Trouble is the very badge and cognizance of humanity; we are born to it, holy Job ſaith, as the ſparks flie upward, to this end were we born, and for this cauſe2 came we into the world. Or if this be not Finis intentionis, yet it is Finis executionis, I am ſure; if we came not hither on purpoſe to be troubled, yet without great trouble we cannot get from hence, from the Cradle to the Coffin, being like Ezekiel's roul, full of Lamentation, and Mourning, and Woe. There are ſome indeed (I mean the traiterous Reformers of our Age) that live wholly at eaſe in their uſurped poſſeſſions, they come in no miſfortune like other folk, neither are they plagued like other men. But theſe look like the Devils Darlings, or rather like the worlds Baſtards; though we may be men therefore without Trouble, yet without it we cannot be loyal Subjects, we cannot be good Christians; in the world ye ſhall have tribulation, were the words of our departing Saviour to his Church. But he told them juſt before, that in him they ſhould have Peace, and he telleth them in effect the ſelf ſame in our Text, That he will deliver them in ſix troubles, yea, that in ſeven there ſhall no evil touch them, that in Famine he will redeem them from death, and in War from the power of the ſword; let their troubles be external, corporal corrections; let their3 Troubles be internal, ſpiritual deſertions, yet their Jehovah, and their Joſhua will deliver them out of all, When thou, &c. In which words we may obſerve four parts, The Paſſenger, the Paſſage, the Concomitant, and the Conſequent. The Paſſenger is the Church, Cum tranſieris, when thou paſſest. The Paſſage is two-fold, Per aquas, & per ignes, thorow waters, and thorow fire, When thou paſſeſt thorow the waters, when thou walkeſt thorow the fire. The Concomitant or Convoy is Almighty God, Tibi adſum, I am, or will be with thee. The Conſequent is the Churches ſafety, Flamina non operient, flamma non incendet, the rivers ſhall not over-flow thee, the flame ſhall not kindle on thee. And of theſe parts in order. I begin with the Paſſenger, which is the Church, cum tranſieris, when thou paſſeſt.
Had we retained our firſt integrity, we might eaſily have ſtept to heaven, with as great facility, as from one room to another, from the Parlour of an earthly, to the Preſence-Chamber of an heavenly Paradiſe. But ſin hath placed a〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a great gulf between us and heaven; we that were ſometime; near, are now afar off; whoſoever will hereafter enter into Canaan, he muſt undergo a tedious paſſage thorow the wilderneſs.
4There are four Titles that pertain to the very beſt of Adam's ſons, Advenae, Inquilini, Hoſpites, Peregrini, we are Strangers, we are Sojourners, we are Gueſts, we are Pilgrims. But of all four, the laſt, methinks, fitteth our condition beſt: Peregrini, we are Pilgrims; Viatores, we are Travellers; Tranſeuntes, we are Paſſengers; here we have no continuing City, but we ſeek for one to come. Look upon the Patriarch Abraham, the great Grandfather of the Church, and ye ſhall find him, like St. Paul, in journeying often, from Caldea to Charran, from Charran to Canaan, where he ſojourned; the Apoſtle telleth us, as in a ſtrange Countrey, dwelling in Tabernacles with Iſaac and Jacob, he had there none inheritance,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ſaith St. Stephen, no not ſo much as to ſet his foot on: to teach him, and us all, that we muſt not ſet up our ſtaff here, Plus ultra, we muſt go farther, we being but Pilgrims on the Earth. This we know likewiſe to have been the condition of the Iſraelites, who wandered in the Wilderneſs in a ſolitary way, and found no City to dwell in. Their own houſes were Tents, Gods houſe was but a Tabernacle, all portable, to be carryed up and down from5 one place to another; They had neither Tenement nor Temple, till they were ſetled in the land of Canaan, nor have we any certain dwelling place, till we come thither, where the Lamb is the Temple. For while we are at home in the body, we are not properly at home, we are but in via, in the way that leadeth us to it: we are born from above: and therefore there is our Native countrey; all the while we are on earth, we are, as it were, going a pilgrimage to heaven. And the application of this now may be two-fold.
Firſt, Seeing we are but Paſſengers here and Pilgrims, this may ſerve to ſet ſpurs to us, and haſten us towards our Countrey. For no Paſſenger would willingly tarry long upon the way, but maketh all the haſte he can to get him home. So let us think it our greateſt puniſhment (next to this rebellious reformation) that we are conſtrained to dwell with Meſech, to have our habitation among the Tents of Kedar, and therefore let us wiſh with holy David, to have the wings of a Dove, that ſo we might flie home to Heaven, and be at reſt.
Secondly, Though here we are but Paſſengers, yet ſeeing heaven is our home,6 this may comfort us amidſt all our plunderings and perſecutions; all our neceſſities and diſtreſſes. For let a paſſenger meet with never ſo bad entertainment by the way, yet he will not greatly murmure at it; I have better at home, he will ſay, and it will not be long, I hope, e're I get thither. So, as long, Brethren, as there are Quarters taken up for us in Heaven, if we have any Chriſtian Courage, let us not faint by the way, be our uſage never ſo courſe, be our paſſage never ſo perilous, which leadeth me from the firſt part of the Text, the Paſsenger, the Church, to the ſecond, which is her Paſſage, and this I find to be two-fold, per aquas, & per ignes, thorow waters, and thorow fire, When thou paſſeſt thorow the waters, when thou walkest thorow the fire. Her firſt paſſage is per aquas, when thou paſſeſt thorow the waters. Which waters have ſundry acceptions in holy Scripture; the literal is firſt in nature, and muſt be ſo in order. And Hugo Cardinalis will have an Alleotheta here, one tenſe put for another, Tranſieris for Tranſibas, when thou paſſeſt, or ſhalt paſs, inſtead of when thou paſſedſt, or didſt paſs, alluding to the paſſage of Noah in the Deluge, or rather to that of Iſrael thorow the red-ſea. But7 whether theſe or no be the meaning, theſe examples ſuit well with the Text; and of the ſame nature we have ſome other in holy Writ, the example of Moſes, of Elijah and Eliſha, of the Diſciples, and of St. Paul; I ſhall anon touch upon theſe in their proper place, I ſhall here only ſhew you the ſeveral acceptions of theſe Waters: The literal I have briefly pointed at already.
Secondly, By Waters we may underſtand the Enemies of the Church, ſo they are expreſſed by holy David, Pſalm 88.17. They came round about me daily like water, and compaſſed me together on every ſide. And Pſalm 144.7. He prayeth after this manner, Send down thine hand from above, deliver me, and take me out of the great Waters, from the hand of ſtrange children. And Rev. 17.15. The Angel expounding the viſion of the great Whore, which ſat upon many waters, telleth St. John in expreſs words, The waters which thou ſaweſt, where the Whore ſitteth, they are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Thirdly, by waters we may underſtand Hereſies, and doctrines of Devils. So Aretius, and others expound that, Rev. 12.15. Where we read, that the Serpent caſt out of8 his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cauſe her to be carried away of the flood.
Fourthly, and laſtly, by waters, we may underſtand the Abyſs of deſperation. So we may conſtrue that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſalm 69. The waters are come in even unto my ſoul, verſe 1. I am come into deep waters, ver. 2. Let not the water-flood drown me, verſe 16.
The Churches ſecond paſſage is, per ignes, when thou walkeſt thorow the fire: which fire is firſt literally to be taken, and we have examples of ſome in Scripture that found a ſafe paſſage thorow this fire, as Lot, and Iſaac, and the Iſraelites, and the three Children.
Secondly, by Fire, we are to underſtand perſecution and affliction, according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſalm 66. Thou laydſt trouble upon our loynes, Ingreſſi ſumus per ignem, we went thorow the fire. And St. Peter uſeth the ſame Metaphor, Think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery tryal which is to trie you, 1 Pet. 4.12.
The reſult then of all is briefly this, That it is the portion of the Church to paſs thorow fire and water; it is her deſtiny to ſuffer perſecution and affliction.
9Noah's Ark was a notable repreſentation of the Church, that was toſſed upon the waves in the general inundation, ſo is this in the worlds troubled ſea which cannot reſt. The Diſciples Ship, in the Goſpel, was another figure of the Church, that was covered with waves, almoſt overwhelmed with a raging Tempeſt; ſo this is filled with the ſcornfull reproof of the wealthy, the deep waters of the proud are ready to run even over her ſoul. The Church is a Ship, the world is the Sea, a Sea of glaſs mingled with fire, Rev. 15.2. Of glaſs, there is the brittle and inconſtant condition of the world; mingled with fire, here are the troubles of the Church, St. Peter's fiery Tryal. Troubled alas! ſhe is, and ſo hath ever been. Look upon Jacob, look upon Joſeph, look upon David, look upon the Son of David, the time would fail me to tell you of the Prophets and Apoſtles, of the Martyrs, Confeſſours, and other holy men of God, how they paſſed thorow the waters, how they walked thorow the fire, how they had Trial of cruel Mockings and Scourgings, yea, moreover alſo of bonds and impriſonment, how they were ſtoned, as Saint Stephen, how they were ſawn aſunder, as the10 Prophet Iſaiah, how they were ſlain with the ſword, as the Apoſtle St. Paul, how they were beneaded, as St. John Baptiſt, how they were hanged, as Tomkins and Chaloner, Yeomans and Bourchier, how they wandred about in deſerts, and mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth, in ſheepskins, and Goat-skins, being deſtitute, afflicted, tormented. Thus we ſee that all which will be loyal to God and the King, all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution. Till our Saviour came into the ſhip, the Sea was calm and quiet; but when he was once aboard, there ſtraightway aroſe a mighty Tempeſt. So long then as thou art without Chriſt, or without God in this world, the Devil will make fair weather round about thee; but when once Christ Jeſus is, as it were, come aboard thy ſoul, then will Satan raiſe a ſtorm to try if he can make ſhipwrack of thy faith; when thou haſt liſted thy ſelf a ſouldier to fight under thy Saviours and thy Soveraigns banner, then look for a whole ſhewer of fiery arrows from the wicked one, for the Meſſenger of Satan to buffet thee, with St. Paul, both by inward temptations, and outward tribulations, by private ſuggeſtions, and publick perſecutions,11 the Devil will ſtrive to ſplit thee againſt the rock of deſperation. But take this for thy comfort, that although thou art dangerouſly toſſed, yet thou ſhalt not be caſt away, for even He that upholdeth the Heavens is thine upholder. Which leadeth me from the ſecond part of the Text, the Churches Paſsage, thorow fire and water, to the third, which is the Concomitant or Convoy, Almighty God, I am, or I will be with thee.
I that am the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, I that fill all places, and am contained in none; I that am about thy path, and about thy bed, and ſpie out all thy wayes, I will be with thee.
But what need then is there of this promiſe? For we may ſay it without Blaſphemy, that God muſt ſtill be with us, it being as impoſſible for him to deny his Omnipreſence, as to deny himſelf, he can ſooner ſeparate heat from fire; he did that in Nebuchadnezzar's furnace he can ſooner ſeparate light from the Sun: He did this at our Saviours expiration: The Creator can better do any thing, than divorce or divide his preſence from his Creatures, for herein not only our well-being, but our very being doth conſiſt, ſhould he ſubſtract his12 preſence from us, we muſt return into our firſt nothing. He is not far therefore from every one of us, as St. Paul told the Athenians, nay, he is neerer to us, than we are unto our ſelves, I will be with thee. But, ye know, there is a twofold preſence of Almighty God. Firſt, His general preſence, which is his univerſall power and providence, whereby he governeth and diſpoſeth all things, both in Heaven and Earth, and under the Earth, according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſalm 139. If I climb up into heaven, thou art there; if I go down to hell, thou art there alſo: If I take the wings of the morning, and remain in the uttermoſt parts of the ſea, even there alſo ſhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand ſhall hold me. Secondly, There is Gods ſpecial preſence, whereby he is preſent with his Elect only; either to prevent their Troubles, or elſe to comfort and ſupport them. And chiefly is he with his ſervants in his Temple, at his publick Worſhip, which may eaſily be explained by an example. The King is, or ought to be by his Power in all parts of his Dominion; yet he is ſaid to be there eſpecially, where his Courtiers, where his Retinue is: In like manner the King of Kings by his unbounded Power and Providence is at all13 times, in all places, yet we may know him to be with us after an eſpecial manner in the Temple, from the Retinue of heavenly Courtiers that are there attending on him. For it was not for Ornament only that the Walls of Solomon's Temple were carved round about with Cherubims, but alſo to ſignifie that the holy Angels are ever about us at our publick ſervices. And if Angels be there, much more is the King of Saints, Tibi adſum, I am, or I will be with thee.
There are three things eſpecially that will continually be with us; The Air, our Conſcience, and Almighty God. We may as well be without our being, as without our breath; take but away this from us, and take away us too. The Air leaveth us not till death: Our Conſcience, this goeth further with us, it remaineth with us after death to all Eternity. Do not therefore the leaſt ſin, though none be with thee but thine own conſcience, for this will accompany thee to thy death-bed; nay, this worm will live for ever. And thy conſcience is not more inſeparable from thee then thy Creatour; whiſper never ſo ſoftly he will hear thee; hide thy ſelf never ſo cloſely, he will ſee thee; run away never14 ſo ſwiftly, he will ſtill be at thine elbow, Tibi adſum, I am, or I will be with thee.
But I ſhould not ſpeak ſo much of Gods general preſence, his ſpecial preſence is that which I muſt here inſiſt upon. That preſence which he promiſed his Patriarchs and Prophets, that preſence which our Saviour promiſed his Apoſtles, Lo; I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Mat. 28. ult. Alway, there is no Intermiſsion. To the end of the world, that is, world without end, here is no Termination. We may have men for our companions that will forſake us in diſtreſs; or if they ſtick to us all our life, they muſt leave us in our death. But if God be our Companion, if God be preſent with us, it is not diſtreſs, it is not death ſhall ever part us; nay, death ſhall unite us more neerly than ever we were before; we ſhall alway be with him, he will alway be with us, Tibi adſum, I am, or I will be with thee.
But if God be thus alway preſent with his Church, we may then expoſtulate here, as Gideon once did with the Angel, Judg. 6.13. Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? Why is the blood of his dear ſervants ſhed like water on every ſide? Why ſuffereth he the Turk15 Turk and Pope to drink themſelves drunk with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jeſus? I anſwer, though ſeemingly God abſent himſelf from his Church for a ſeaſon, yet never will he finally forſake her. Seemingly, I ſay, for indeed he abſenteth not himſelf at all, it is but in our apprehenſion that he is ever from us; if we can but believe it, he is preſent with us alway, Tibi adſum, I am, or I will be with thee.
And the Application of this now may be twofold. Firſt, Here is comfort for all that mourn in Sion, and with good Hezekiah, turn their face to the Wall. Let them be caſt into priſon as Joſeph was; Let them be caſt into a dungeon as Jeremy was; let them be caſt into a den, as Daniel was; let them be caſt into the water, as Moſes was; let them be caſt into the fire, as the three Children were; let them go thorow fire and water, famine and ſword, never ſo many dangers, never ſo great diſaſters, yet ſo long as they have God with them, this will ſweeten all their pills, in the multitude of the ſorrows, which they have in their hearts; his comfortable preſence will refreſh their ſouls. Secondly; Seeing God is ſtill with us; this ſhould teach us16 likewiſe to be ſtill with him, ſeeing he vouchſafeth to keep company with us on earth, therefore our converſation ſhould be with him in Heaven. When we are lying down to ſleep, to him we ſhould commit our ſpirits; when we wake up likewiſe, we ſhould be preſent with him. It was Jacob's vow, Gen. 28. That if God would be with him, then the Lord ſhould be his God. We need not ſpeak ſo doubtfully, for God is certainly with thoſe that fear him, not only by his general, but alſo by his ſpecial preſence, to direct and protect them, to deliver and to defend them, which leadeth me from the third part of the Text, the Concomitant, Almighty God, to the fourth and laſt, which is the Conſequent, the Churches ſafety, Flumina non operient, flamma non incendet, the rivers ſhall not overflow thee, the flame ſhall not kindle on the.
I propounded four acceptions of theſe Waters, ye ſhall ſee that the Church paſſeth ſafely thorow them all.
Firſt, Thorow waters, taken in the literal ſenſe, as we may ſee by ſundry examples. The firſt may be that of Noah.
Sin had once ſo ſoiled the earth, that God was fain to lay it a ſoak; it was ſo17 foul, that nothing would cleanſe it but a flood. There were Gyants in ſin, as well as in Stature, the wickedneſs of man was great in the earth. And Abyſſus abyſſum, this depth of ſin called for as deep a deluge, the flood-gates therefore were pluckt up, the windowes from on high were opened. And what diſtreſs of Nations was there then with perplexity, the ſea and the waves roaring, and mens hearts failing them for fear? Methinks I ſee how abruptly their Marriage-feaſts are diſſolved, what haſte they make out adoors, that they may get up into trees; how ſome climb the tops of mountains, Tamen ultra pergere tendunt. But the waters continually following them at heels, when all hope that they ſhould eſcape drowning was taken away; methinks, I hear them curſe the day that ever they were born, and wiſh, if it were poſſible, that they might be metamorphoſed into fiſhes. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, when the flood was brought in upon the world of the ungodly. For though it rained, as if heaven and earth would have come together, though the waters were ſo grown, as to over-top the higheſt mountains, yet heavens great Palinurus preſerved Noah in this Ocean, Elumina non operient,18 the rivers ſhall not overflow thee.
The Children of Iſrael may be a ſecond example, whoſe preſervation was indeed far ſtranger than Noah's; for Noah had a ſhip, the Iſrealites had none, which made them think that there was no way in the world with them but drowning, Mars in the rear, and Neptune facing of them; they thought that one of theſe muſt needs devour Iſrael with open mouth. But He that brought light out of darkneſs, brought ſafety out of their greateſt danger: what they feared would be their deſtruction, this God made their preſervation, for rather than Iſrael ſhould miſcarry, Jordan ſhall forget his fluid nature, the floods ſhall ſtand upright as an heap, and the depths ſhall be congealed in the heart of the Sea. Gods people need not fear the waters; the waters ſaw them, and were afraid, and therefore ran away with might and main, to make way for them. The waters indeed faced, as if they had known the Iſraelites from the Aegyptians, drowning the hoſte of Pharaoh, but inmmuring the hoſte of Iſrael, Flumina non operient, the rivers ſhall not overflow thee.
Moſes may be a third example to this19 purpoſe. There were never two crueller Tyrants than Pharaoh and Herod, one drowned the male Children, the other cut their throats. But as Chriſt eſcaped from Herod, ſo from Pharoah Moſes, whoſe Parents durſt not long entertain him in their houſe, when he was but a quarter old, they ſhipt him in an Ark of ruſhes. But how properly may that of the Pſalmiſt be applyed to him. Pſalm 27.10. When my father and my mother forſook we, then the Lord taketh me up. Or rather indeed the Lady did this, even Thermutis, the King of Aegypt's daughter, Flumina non opertent, the rivers ſhall not overflow thee.
And to theſe examples, I may add Elijah's and Eliſha's paſſage over Jordan, the Diſciples with our Saviour in the ſhip, and St. Paul's moſt dangerous voyage toward Rome; all corroborating and confirming this Aſſertion in our Text, Flumina non operient, the Rivers ſhall not overflow thee.
The Lord ſitteth above the water-flood, Pſal. 29.9. I remember a ſtory of one that wondered why any man would go to ſea, ſeeing ſo many die at ſea, to whom one replyed, he might wonder as well, why any man will go to bed, ſeeing ſo many di•in20 their beds. Dii maris & terrae, may be put into Gods royal Title, His way is in the ſea, and his paths in the great waters; he that was able without a ſhip to walk ſafely on the ſea, muſt needs be able to ſave thoſe that go down to the ſea in ſhips: while they are following their honeſt vocation, they may be aſſured of his protection, he ſhall give his Angels charge over them to keep them in all their wayes, the Angel of the water mentioned, Rev. 16.5. This Angel ſhall be their Pilot, and conduct them to their wiſhed haven. Flumina non operient, the Rivers ſhall not overflow thee.
Secondly, By Waters we underſtand the Enemies of the Church; neither ſhall theſe waters be able to overflow her. The ſeed of the Serpent will ſtill be warring with the womans ſeed; the Dragon and his, againſt Michael and his Angels. The Church of Christ will ever be maligned by the Synagogue of Satan; but though theſe waters ſwell, yet they ſhall not prevail againſt her. David's enemies were daily in hand to ſwallow him up; but theſe waters of the proud had bounds, which they could never paſs. Hezekiah was both Invaded and beſieged by the Aſſyrians; but21 how ſtrangely was he preſerved from him that had drunk ſtrange waters, and who with the ſole of his feet had dried up all the rivers of beſieged places. I have not time to ſhew you all the particular preſervations of Gods people, how he hath ſaved them ſtill from the reproof of thoſe that would have eaten them up.
And from this experience of Gods former, together with the promiſes of Gods future favour, we may draw this application, we may here put on the reſolution of holy David, not to fear, though the earth be moved, and though the hills be carried into the midſt of the ſea, though the waters thereof rage and ſwell, and though the mountains ſhake at the tempeſt of the ſame. Let the Heathen never ſo furiouſly rage together, and let the people imagine a vain thing; let the Rulers ſtand up, and take Counſel together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Anointed, and againſt his Church; Let Gebal, and Ammon, and Ameleck, the Philiſtines, with them that dwell at Tyre; let Gog and Magog, Antichriſt and Mahomet, the Pope and the Turk, nay, let all the devils in hell be confederate againſt the Church, yet ſtill ſhe ſhall be ſafe, the ſon of wickedneſs ſhall not hurt her, the22 gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt her, Flumina non operient, the rivers ſhall not overflow her.
Let me apply this more particularly to my Soveraign Lord the King. The floods have riſen, as David ſpeaketh, the floods lift up their voice, the floods lift up their waves. But theſe floods of ungodly men I truſt ſhall not overflow him, though the waves of the ſea are mighty, and rage horribly, yet the Lord (that's one good turn) which dwelleth on high, is mightier, and he will ſend down from the high to fetch him, he will take him out of many waters; he will make theſe Traitors, according to our common phraſe, as weak as water, as water ſpilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up; he ſtills the raging of the ſea, & the noiſe of his waves, and the madneſs of the people; from the waters of ſtrife, he will bring the King to the ſtill waters, he will deliver him from the ſtrivings of the people, and he will make him the head of the heathen, the fierceneſs of theſe wicked men ſhall turn to his praiſe, and the fierceneſs of them he will certainly refrain, Flumina non operient, the rivers ſhall not overflow thee.
I have ſeen, ſaid Solomon, and ſo have23 we, Servants upon horſes, and Princes walking as ſervants upon the earth; but I hope we ſhall not much longer ſee this ſight. Water is a good ſervant, but a bad Maſter; God therefore, I truſt, will ſhortly deliver us from the Tyranny of an arbitrary Anarchy, from the Soveraignty of our fellow-ſubjects, Flumina non operient, the rivers ſhall not overflow us.
Thirdly, By Waters, we underſtood Hereſies and doctrines of devils; neither ſhall theſe waters overflow the Church. The Devil is ever changing Gods Truth into a lie; if God have ſaid, ye ſhall, Satan will ſay, ye ſhall not die. And God ſendeth ſome ſuch ſtrong deluſions, that, as Eve did, they believe a lie; the Dragons flood of errours quite drowneth them in perdition. But the Church ſhall not miſcarry for all this Dragon-water, the earth (as it is Rev. 12.) ſhall ſwallow up the floods; The Earth, that is, the earthly minded, the ungodly of the world, ſhall ſwallow up the flood, that is, ſhall approve of, and entertain theſe wicked errours. Not a little of this water hath been emptied into the river Tyber, the Church of Rome hath ſwallowed down a great part of this Dragons flood. The reſidue hath been ſwallowed24 by Pelagians and Antinomians, Donatiſts and Novatians; Marcionites and Manichees, Socinians and Arminians, Presbyterians and Independents, Browniſts and Burtoniſts, Sciſmaticks and Separatiſts, Familiſts and Anabaptiſts, while we that are right Proteſtants take in none but living water, drawing the water of Truth out of the well of ſalvation; the flood of errour ſhall never ſurround or overwhelm us, Flumina non operient, the rivers ſhall not overflow us.
Fourthly, and laſtly, by Waters we underſtand the Abyſs of deſperation, neither ſhall theſe waters overflow the Church. One while the devil telleth men that God is made up of all mercy; another while, that his Mercy is not ſo great as their ſins; firſt, he would flatter them into Preſumption, then he would fright them into deſperation. And when he hath brought them to this latter ſtate, then they are apt to drown themſelves, like that Lunatick, which oft-times fell into the water, Mat. 17.15. But the Lord, ſaith St. Peter, knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. He will not ſuffer them to be tempred above that they are able, ſaith St. Paul, but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that they may be able to bear it.
25Art thou come therefore into deep waters, ſo that the floods are running over thee? Hath Satan brought thee to the very brink of deſperation? why, yet he ſhall never be able to bring thee any further, if thou belong to Chriſt; he could not drown the ſilly ſwine without Chriſts leave; (and thy Saviour will never licence him to do thee ſuch a miſchief) he is but like a dog in a ſtring, like a Dragon in a chain, ſo that thou maiſt aſſure thy ſelf, he can do thee no hurt without Gods ſpecial warrant and commiſſion. Though thou walkeſt therefore thorow the valley of deſpair, yet fear no evil, for there is a way to heaven juſt by the gates of Hell. It is the nature of clay to dam up the eyes, yet our Saviour put clay upon the blind to make him ſee. It is the nature of water to put out fire; yet Elijah poured water upon his ſacrifice to make it burn. God many times bringeth about his ends by means, which to our thinking, are quite contrary. As he letteth ſome therefore ſoar with Icarus upon the wings of preſumption (I mean the Rebels of our age) ut lapſu graviore ruant, that their down-fall may be the greater, the heat of Gods wrath melting them, as wax melteth at the fire, and they precipitating26 head-long into the ſea of deſperation: So God ſuffereth others ſometimes to fall into deſpair, that the depth of miſery may invoke the depth of mercy, he throweth them as it were balls againſt the ground, to make them bound the higher. When thou thinkeſt therefore he hath quite left thee, then he is neareſt to thee; when thou walkeſt thorow the brook of deſpair, then he will lift up thy head, his rod and his ſtaffe ſhall conduct thee thorow theſe Stigian waters, Flumina non operient, the rivers ſhall not overflow thee.
1. And ſo ye have the ſafety of the Church in her firſt paſſage, which was, per aquas, thorow the waters. Ye ſhall ſee her ſafety likewiſe in her ſecond paſſage, which is, per ignes, thorow the fire, when thou walkeſt thorow the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee.
Non combureris, thou ſhalt not be burnt, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. It hath therefore been the practice of perſecutors in al ages to burn up al the Bibles that they could lay hands on, knowing this to be the ready way for them to deſtroy the faith of Chriſt. But how ſtrangely hath the Bible ſcaped even in the moſt fiery perſecutions! though ſome part27 of it may be loſt, as the prophecy of Enoch and the book of Jaſher, yet there is ſo much left ſtill, as containeth in it all things neceſſary to ſalvation, God would never ſuffer all of it to be made fewel for the fire, Non combureris, thou ſhalt not be burnt. Neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. The damned in hell are ever burning, never burnt, but who can dwell with thoſe everlaſting burnings? They could with a good will put up that petition, Hic ure, hic ſeca, that God would cut them all in pieces, and then burn them up to very nothing. But ſhould they make many ſuch prayers, there would none of them be heard, they ſhall not be burnt, The flame ſhall not kindle on them.
But to come nearer to the Text we propouded ſome examples out of the Scripture, of men that paſſed ſafly thorow fire literally taken the Firſt may be Lot.
2. God uſually proportioneth the puniſhment to the ſin.
Sodome burned in luſt, and was therefore burnt with Fire, but though brimſtome and fire were rained upon the Sodomites, yet God delivered Lot out of the midſt of the overthrow, Non combureris, thou ſhalt be burnt.
28The ſecond example may be Iſaac, who came very neer the fire, behold the fire and wood, nay, behold he is laid on the Altar upon the wood. Yet for all this, God ſuffered not Abraham to do him any hurt, he made an offer to offer up Iſaac, and the will went for the deed, Non combureris, thou ſhalt not be burnt.
The third example may be the Iſraelites in whoſe company the fire was kindled, there went out a fire from the Lord, and conſumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incenſe, Num. 16.35. But though the flame burnt up the ungodly mutiniers, yet every obedient Iſraelite eſcaped, Non combureris, thou ſhalt not be burnt.
The fourth example may be the three Salamanders, in the furnace Dan 3. who though they walked thorow the fire, yet their coats were not changed, nor ſo much as the ſmell of fire had paſſed on them. And this laſt example is without example; I never heard of any fire-proof before, for Fire is of a moſt devouring and conſuming nature, turning all combuſtible things into aſhes that come neer it, yet the children of the fire, the ſparks hurt not theſe three children, with the ſhields of their faith they quench'd the violence of fire, when they walked29 thorow the fire, they were not burnt, neither did the flame kindle upon them.
And to theſe I might adde, though ſomewhat out of order, the example of Abraham, whom God brought out of Ur of the Caldees, Gen. 15.7. Now Ur, as Huge obſerveth, ſignifyeth fire, the Greek word, from which our Engliſh word ſeemeth to come, hath but one Letter more; and therefore the Hebrews had a tradition, that becauſe Abraham would not worſhip the Fire, as the Caldeans did, he ſhould have been caſt into the fire, had not God given him notice of it, and ſo preſerved him.
But though Ʋr ſignifie fire, yet the ordinary Gloſſe taketh it not for a common, but a proper Name, for the Name of the town or village where Abraham dwelt. This example therefore cannot claim kindred of the Text: I might more properly bring in our preſervation from the Powder-treaſon, but I will rather anſwer a queſtion that may riſe from our Text: for is this promiſe alwayes performed? Thou ſhalt not be burnt, the flame ſhall not kindle on thee. What ſhall we ſay then to that fiery perſecution in Queen Maries dayes, when there were ſo many Bethels in this Kingdome, ſo many Cities wherein mens bones were burnt?
30I Anſwer, it is true that the Church of Christ, this Church in particular hath endured the fiery triall. But as Rex non moritur, ſo Eccleſia non comburitur, as the King is never buried, ſo the Church is never burnt, James may die, and ſo may Charles, (yet God maintaine his life) but the King (let rebels do what they can) never dieth: So Latimer may be burnt, and Cranmer may be burnt, but the Church is never burnt. If Pagans ſhould prevail ſo farre (which God forbid) as to burne up all the Chriſtians; or if Puritans ſhould prevaile ſo far (which God forbid too) as to burne up all the Proteſtants, yet I verily believe that out of their very aſhes, God would raiſe up a new Phoenix, Cinis Mariyrum ſhould be Semen Eccleſiae, the aſhes of an old ſhould be the ſeed of a new Church, ſhe ſhall not be ſo burnt, as to be quite extinct, neither ſhall the flame ſo kindle upon her.
And the Application hereof now may be briefly thus. Seeing God will not ſuffer his Church to be finally burnt up by others, this may teach us (as it were) to ſet on fire our ſelves, not with the fire of lust, it is better to marry than ſo to burn; nor with the fire of wrath, rather heap coals of fire upon the head of the enemies; but let it be31 with the veſtal fire of devotion and affection, let our hearts burn within us with love to God and men. So ſhall neither the ſun burn us by day, nor the moon by night, the Lord ſhall preſerve us form all evil, it is even he that will keep both our bodies and our ſouls, when the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat, when the earth, and the Works therein ſhall be burnt up, he will preſerve and keep us from everlaſting fire, and exalt us to his Coelum empyreum, his fiery heaven, there for ever to behold him, whoſe eyes are as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto fine braſs, as if they burned in a furnace: And ſo ye have the ſafety of the Church in her paſſage thorow fire literally taken. Ye ſhall ſee her ſafety likewiſe as ſhe paſſeth thorow the fire of affliction and perſecution; When thou walkeſt thorow this fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee.
It is the nature of fire Congregare homogenea, and Segregare heterogenea, to bring together things of the ſame kind, and to ſeparate things of divers kinds; A Refiner therefore is wont to bring his Myne to the fire, and by this means he ſevereth the ſilver from the droſs, which is likewiſe32 wiſe the very practice of Almighty God, it is the Prophet Malachie's ſimilitude word for word, Mal. 3.3. He ſhall ſit as a Refiner and Purifier of ſilver, and he ſhall purifie the ſons of Levi, and purge them as gold and ſilver. And the ſweet Singer of Iſrael harpeth upon the ſame ſtring, Pſa. 66.9. Thou, O God, haſt proved us, thou alſo haſt tried us, like as ſilver is tried. Non ſicut foenum, ſed ſicut argentum, non in cineres convertiſti, ſed ſordes abluiſti, ſaith St. Austin, God trieth us not with a conſuming, but with a cleanſing fire, turneth us not into aſhes, only taketh away our ſullage and our aſhes from us, purely purgeth away our droſs, and taketh away all our tinne. God purgeth men by affliction, as the Iſraelites were to purge the ſpoil of the Midianites. Numb. 31.23. Every thing that may abide the fire, ye ſhall make it go thorow the fire, and it ſhall be clean. God trieth men by affliction what metal they are made of, they that endure this fiery tryal, they are good gold, they are Gods Children; they that endure it not, they are but droſs, they are but Caſt-awayes. Good men are like Shadrach, Meſhack and Abednego, though they walk thorow the fiery33 furnace of Affliction, yet they are not burnt up, no not ſo much as ſinged; but wicked men are like the ſouldiers that bound and caſt them in, when they are yet but at the mouth of the fiery furnace, when the fire of Affliction but beginneth to ſeize upon them, it prevaileth againſt them, and conſumeth them in a moment.
Good men are, in this, like clay, the fire of Affliction ſtrengthneth and confirmeth them; but wicked men are like wax, as wax melteth at the fire, ſo do the ungodly periſh in the fiery tryal; Affliction to them is like the fire that burneth up the wood, and like the flame that conſumeth the mountains; God maketh them like a fiery oven in time of his wrath, the Lord deſtroyeth them in his diſpleaſure, and the fire conſumeth them. Affliction maketh wicked men a great deal worſe, as water becometh much colder after heating, than ever it would have been, if it had never been heated. As for the Righteous; it is not ſo with them. God burneth them indeed throughly, as the bricks of Babel were, but this is only as a Potter frameth his veſſels in the fire, that ſo they may be veſſels unto honour, and for the Maſters34 uſe, though they walk thorow the fire, yet they are not burnt, neither doth the flame kindle upon them. When Job's wife heard of all the evil that God had brought upon her husband, ſhe grew ſo mad, ſo out-ragious and impatient, that ſhe would fain have perſwaded him to make away with himſelf, what, ſaith ſhe, all that ever thou hadſt taken away from thee? Is this the reward thou haſt for thine integrity? Well, ſerve God, who will, I would ſerve him no longer, make good the devils words, if thou wilt be ruled by me, do, as he ſaid thou wouldeſt in ſuch a caſe, even curſe God and die, Job 2.9. But ye have heard of the patience of Job, ſaith St. James, let his wife therefore ſay what ſhe will, he will have none of her counſel, thou talkeſt like an Aſſe, ſaith he, thou ſpeakeſt like one of the fooliſh women. And indeed (as he goeth on) ſhall we receive good at the hand of God, and not receive evil alſo? Shall we receive health and not ſickneſs, wealth and not poverty, peace and not War, honour and not diſhonour, liberty and not reſtraint? yea, my brethren, if we be Chriſtians, we muſt reſolve to endure all. And if we do this, then we may aſſure our35 ſelves, that although we ſow in tears, yet we ſhall reap in joy, though God have long ſuffered wicked men to ride over our heads, though we have gone thorow fire and water, yet God in his good time will bring us and our Soveraign out into a wealthy place, he will caſt theſe rods of his anger into the fire, and then mercy ſhall embrace us on every ſide, our light affliction, which is but for a moment, ſhall work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; which God of his infinite mercy grant, &c.
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE Meſsiah.
A Sermon PREACHED Before His MAJESTY, KING CHARLES the IId. AT THE HAGUE in HOLLAND, on Sunday May 29. old ſtile 1649.
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1660.
And when he had ſpoken theſe things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their ſight.
THat which is ſpoken of the Sun in the firmament, Pſal. 19.6. St. Austin upon that place applieth unto the Son of Righteouſneſs, His going forth is from the end of heaven, there, ſaith he, is Chriſts deſcenſion from the boſome of his40 Father; and his circuit unto the ends of it, here, ſaith he, is his aſcenſion to the place from whence he came. And our Saviour himſelf hath much ſuch another paſſage, John 16.28. Which place may not unfitly be compared unto a Circle; I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world, there is the ſemicircle: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father, here is the compleat Circle.
And by this we may ſee what agreement there is between the material Sun and the Mystical. The Sun in the firmament is appointed to light the day: ſo as long as I am in the world, ſaith our Saviour, I am the light of the world, John 9.5. The Sun, though in the firmament, ſtoopeth to lighten us below: So, though our Saviours dwelling were in heaven, yet he humbleth himſelf to behold us here on earth. The Sun ariſeth, and the Sun goeth down, and haſteth to the place where he aroſe, Ecleſ. 1.5. So the Sun of Righteouſneſs came from one hemiſphere, from light inacceſſible, from the place of bleſſed Saints and Angels, that he might ſhine unto the other hemiſphere, to us their forlorn Antipodes, to us mortals that ſat in darkneſs, and ſhadow of death.
41But as the Sun maketh haſt to the place where he aroſe, dwelleth not alway with us, but returneth again according to his circuits. In like manner the Sun of Righteouſneſſe having lightned his Apostles underſtanding by his Doctrine, and having warmed and cheared their hearts by his promiſe of ſending them the Holy Ghost, having given them the word of reſolution, of inſtruction, and of benediction, he took his leave of the earth, and returned into heaven, And when he had ſpoken theſe things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their ſight.
This Text then is a deſcription of our Saviour's Aſcenſion, wherein there are ſix particulars to be conſider'd, four plainly expreſſed, two neceſſarily implied. The firſt is Quis, the Perſon that aſcended, which was Christ, he that deſcended was the ſame alſo that aſcended, He was taken up. The ſecond is Quando, the Time of the aſcenſion, which may be conſidered two wayes, in reference to his Reſurrection, forty dayes after that, or in reference to his laſt exerciſe, the reſolving his Apoſtles doubts, the inſtructing, and the bleſſing of them, immediately after this,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when he had42 ſpoken theſe things. The third is Ʋnde, the Place from whence he aſcended, which by comparing Acts 1.12. with Luke 24.50. we ſhall finde to be that part of mount Olivet next to Bethany, he was taken up from thence. The fourth is Quo, the Place whither he aſcended, which was heaven, he was taken up thither. The fifth is Quomodo, the manner of his aſcenſion, ſet down here two wayes, Firſt Poſitively, he was taken up. Secondly Expoſitively, a cloud received him out of their ſight. The ſixt and laſt are Teſtes the Spectatours, or the witneſſes of his aſcenſion, which were the Eleven Apoſtles, while they beheld he was taken up, &c. And of theſe in order.
I begin with the firſt particular, Quis, the Perſon that aſcended, Chriſt, He was taken up.
He that was from the begining, nay, he that is the beginning, Alpha, and Omega, the beginning and the ending; He that is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Imamnuel, God with us, he that is one in Trinity and Duality, he that made on Perſon of two Natures, And which of theſe natures then was aſcended? It was his Humane nature, as may eaſily be gathered from thoſe words of the Angels to the Apoſtles, Acts. 1.11. The ſame Jeſus43 which is taken up from you into heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner as ye have ſeen him go into heaven. Now we know that our Saviour ſhall come to judgement, as he is man, according to that of St. Paul, Acts. 71.31. where he ſaith that God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteouſneſſe, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given aſſurance unto all men, in that he hath raiſed him from the dead. Our Saviour therefore aſcended according to his humanity. The Royal Pſalmist ſeemeth to ſay indeed that his Divinity aſcended, Aſcendit Deus in Iubilo, Dominus in voce tubae, God is gone up with a ſhout, and the Lord with the ſound of the trumpet, Pſal. 47.5. As for his Humamity, our Saviour ſeemeth to ſay that this was in heaven before, Ioh. 3.13. No man hath aſcended up to heaven, but he that came downe from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. But to theſe and all other ſuch objections I anſwer with Theodoret, the Divine and Humane nature of our Saviour being Hypoſtatically united into one Perſon,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, thoſe things, which are proper to either of his Natures, are attributed44 and communicated to his whole Perſon, Thus St. Paul ſaith, that God was manifeſted in the fleſh, and that God was received up into glory, 1 Tim. 3.16. Notwithſtanding therefore theſe objections, the Perſon that aſcended was Chriſt Ieſus according to his Humanity, He was taken up.
He, it is not ſaid She was taken up; The Papiſts have Aſcenſion, or rather Aſſumption-day for the bleſſed Virgin Mary, which they annually celebrate upon the fifteenth of Auguſt, whereon they ſay, She was taken up corporally into heaven. But this is as true as that the Diſciples ſtole our Saviour out of his grave: I am very ſure there is not the leaſt mention of any ſuch thing in Scripture, and where the Holy Ghoſt hath no tongue to ſpeak, nor pen to write, there muſt we have no eare to hear, nor any heart to believe. Not the Woman therefore Chriſt's mother, but the man Chriſt Jeſus himſelf He was taken up.
And ſo I paſſe from the firſt part of the Text, the Perſon aſcending, which was Chriſt, to the ſecond part, Quando, the Time of his aſcenſion, which we are to conſider firſt, in reference to his Reſurrection, forty dayes after that, then he was taken45 up. But here two queſtions may be moved, Firſt, Why Chriſt did aſcend ſo ſoon? Secondly, ſeeing ſo ſoon, why no ſooner?
The firſt queſtion may be, why he aſcended ſo ſoon after his reſurrection, why he deferred not his aſcenſion till the laſt day, that we might have been taken up together with him? To which I anſwer two wayes. Firſt, that Chriſt ſhould aſcend ſo ſoon, was not convenient in reſpect of him. Secondly, That he ſhould aſcend ſo ſoon, was not expedient in reſpect of us. Firſt, That he ſhould aſcend ſo ſoon, was not convenient in reſpect of himſelf. And that firſt in reſpect of his glorified body. Heaven was the moſt convenient place for his incorruptible and immortall body.
Earth is a very Golgotha, a region of corruption, a place of dead mens skuls. Though Christ's body therefore could not have ſeen corruption, had it continued ſtill on earth, yet the fitteſt place for ſuch a body were the incorruptible heavens. Again, it was convenient that Chriſt ſhould aſcend ſo ſoon after his reſurrection, that he might manifeſt and declare the truth of his Divinity. Earth is a region of death,
Quocunque aſpicias nihil eſt niſi mortis imago,46 All that ever came hither, have, or muſt die once; and I aſſure my ſelf that Lazarus, and all the reſt that were raiſed, either by the Prophets, or by our Saviour, or by his Apoſtles, died twice; ſhould Chriſt therefore after his reſurrection have continued here longer than he did, men would ſcarce have taken him to be God, but have miſtaken him for a meer Man; and they would have thought that Chriſt, like Lazarus, had been to die the ſecond time. Thus ye ſee, it was convenient in reſpect of Chriſt, that he ſhould aſcend ſo ſoon after his reſurrection as he did. Ye ſhall now ſee, that this was expedient in reſpect of us. And the expediency of it we have from Chriſt's own mouth. John 16.7. It is expedient for you, ſaith he, (and what he ſaith to them, we may apply to us) that I go away; and he giveth his reaſon in the very next words, If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will ſend him unto you. And John 7.39. we read, That the Holy Ghoſt was not yet given, becauſe that Jeſus was not yet glorified. Had there been no Holy Thurſday, had not our Saviour aſcended from his Apoſtles on the fortieth day, there had likewiſe been no Whitſunday, the Holy Ghoſt had not47 deſcended upon the Apoſtles on the fiftieth day.
Again, Had Chriſt remained ſtill upon earth, he had not been ſo proper an object of our faith, which is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉The evidence of things not ſeen, Heb. 11.1. Thy Fides will not well ſtand with thy Vides; we do not properly walk by faith, when we walk by ſight, Apparentia non habent fidem, ſed agnitionem, ſaith St. Gregory, fruition putteth a period unto faith, and therefore Credimus ut cognoſcamus, non cognoſcimus ut credamus, ſaith St. Auſtin, we come to knowledge by faith, and not to faith by knowledge; the nature of faith is to be exerciſed about things abſent, wherefore though we have known Chriſt after the fleſh, ſaith St. Paul, yet now henceforth know we him no more, 2 Cor. 5.16.
The ſecond queſtion may be, ſeing Chriſt aſcended ſo ſoon, why did he aſcend no ſooner? Why did he not make one aſcending for all? As ſoon as he roſe out of the grave, why did he not aſcend immediately into heaven? To which I return a threefold anſwer. Firſt, This was not convenient in reſpect of Chriſt. Secondly, it was not convenient in reſpect of his Diſciples. Thirdly it was not convenient in reſpect of48 us. Firſt, that Chriſt ſhould aſcend ſo ſoon, was not convenient in reſpect of Himſelf, for we know what a tradition the Jewes have among them untill this day, namely, that his Diſciples ſtole him away, while the ſouldiers were aſleep. Had not Christ therefore ſhewed himſef alive after his paſſion, though not to all the people, yet to certaine ſelected witneſſes, the tradition of the Jewes might have paſſed for currant truth, it might have been doubted to this day, whether he had been riſen from the dead or no. Secondly, that Chriſt ſhould aſcend immediately after his Reſurrection, was not convenient in reſpect of his Diſciples, whoſe faith was almoſt quite ſhipwrack'd at his death; they little thought he would make his word good to riſe again, and therefore the relation of the woman ſeemed to them as an old wives tale, they believed it not; nay, when our Saviour himſelf appeared unto them, they would ſcarce believe that it was he, but were terrified and affrighted, ſuppoſing that they had ſeen a ſpirit. It was fit therefore that Chriſt ſhould be converſant awhile with theſe raw Schollers, both to confirm their faith touching that truth of his reſurrection, and alſo to inſtruct them in thoſe things49 that were pertaining to Gods Kingdome. Thirdly and laſtly, that Chriſt ſhould aſcend immediately after his reſurrection, was not convenient in reſpect of us. For his Diſciples were not properly Apoſtles till after his reſurrection, a good while; if they were Apostles, their Dioceſs was very narrow, though they were Apoſtles to the Iews, they were no Apoſtles to the Gentiles, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, ſaid our Saviour to them, but only to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael. Had not Christ then after his reſurrection enlarged their Commiſſion, we had not heard, I doubt, unto this hour, whether there had been a Chriſt or no. For his Apoſtles would not have been like the Mechanicks in our dayes, they would not have run about the world, and preached without Commiſſion; without an Ite, Praedicate, go, and preach, how ſhould they have preached, except they had been ſent? Our Saviour therefore delayed his aſcenſion into heaven to furniſh his Apoſtles with a Catholick Commiſſion, that ſo their ſound might go out into all Lands, and their Words unto the ends of world.
And ſo ye have the Time of Chriſts aſcenſion in reference to his Reſurrection. 50Be pleaſed now to conſider it in reference to his laſt exerciſe, which was the Reſolving of his Apoſtles doubts, the Inſtructing, and the Bleſſing of them, by and by after this〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when had ſpoken theſe things.
The Church of Rome keepeth much ado about Theſe things, ſhe would hereby have her unwritten Traditions to be underſtood.
But though all things are not written, which our bleſſed Saviour ſpake, yet all things neceſſary to ſalvation, I am ſure, are written; the Goſpell were imperfect, ſhould Traditions be entertained. So that we are not to heed mens inventions, but only Christ's inſtructions, He was the way, and he ſhewed all men the way that they ſhould walk in, as he ſhewed it his Apoſtles here, when he had ſpoken theſe things.
Theſe things, that is, Firſt when he had reſolved their doubts. They asked him whether he would at that time reſtore the kingdome to Iſrael, Act. 1.6. To which he returned them a ſhort anſwer, that it was not for them to know the times, or the ſeaſons, which the Father hath put in his owne power.
And this firſt may teach the Laity to bring their Queries, their Queſtions to the Clergy,51 the Prieſts lips muſt preſerve knowledg, and they muſt ſeek the Law at his mouth, Mal. 2.7.
And as the People muſt bring their queſtions, ſo the Paſtour muſt reſolve them. And to this end St. Paul would have him〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, apt to teach, 1 Tim. 3.2. he muſt be both able and alſo ready to teach, and reſolve doubts, our Saviour aſcended not till he had done this, till he had reſolved his Apoſtles doubts,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when he had ſpoken theſe things.
Theſe things, That is, Secondly, when he had throughly inſtructed his Apoſtles in the way to heaven. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end, he preached unto them, till he departed from them, till he was taken up into heaven.
And herein he was firſt a patterne to all that are Preachers of his Goſpel, who, having ſet their hand to his plow, ought never to look back.
The Levites at fifty years old were freed from the ſervice of the Tabernacle. But no age will exempt or diſcharge us of our office, we muſt not ceaſe to exerciſe it, till we are juſt putting off this Tabernacle, though we are never ſo ſuperannuated, though we are ſuch as Paul the Aged, or52 though ſo feeble, that like St. Iohn we were fain to be carryed to the pulpit. For as the Echo repeateth only the laſt part of the voice; ſo the people are apteſt to remember the laſt part of the Sermon, and the laſt Sermon beſt: And therefore St. Peters reſolution was, that he would not ceaſe to be a Preacher, till he ceaſed to be a man, as we read 2 Pet. 1.12, 13.15. I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of theſe things, though ye know them, and be eſtabliſhed in the preſent truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this Tabernacle, to ſtir you up by putting you in remembrance; moreover, I will endeavour that ye may be able after my deceaſe to have theſe things alwayes in remembrance.
And as this affordeth a leſſon for Preachers, ſo doth it for Parents and Maſters, who ought to give their children and ſervants good inſtructions in their health, but then to do this eſpecially, when they lie upon their bed of ſickneſſe, when they have the ſentence of Death in them, when they are ready to depart out of this world, the beſt Legacies they can then give them are godly admonitions. For the words of a dying friend, like thoſe of our Martyred53 Soveraign) live with us till our death, they are as goades, and as nailes faſtned by the maſters of Aſſemblies, every ſillable ſeemetha ſentence to us, their words make a deep impreſſion in our minds and memories, when therefore ye are going the way of all the earth, do as religious Ioſhua then did, call for your families, and charge them to perſevere in pious duties, to fear the Lord, and to ſerve him in ſincerity and truth: Charge them alſo as a dying David charged his Son Solomon, to know the God of their Fathers, & to ſerve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. And after your benediction, give them St. Paul's valediction, Finally (as he took leave of his Corinthians) Farewell, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace ſhall be with you. Or let our bleſſed Saviour himſelf be your patterne and enſample, who ceaſed not to inſtruct his Apoſtles, till he was taken from them〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when he had ſpoken theſe things.
Theſe things, that is, laſtly when he had bleſſed them, ſo we read Luke 24.50, 51. he lift up his hands, and bleſſed them. And it came to paſſe while he bleſſed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 54Thus Iacob, when he was a dying, bleſſed both the ſons of Ioſeph, Ephraim and Manaſſeth, Geneſ. 48.16. and Heb. 11.21. Nor did he bleſſe them only, but alſo all the twelve tribes of Iſrael, every one, according to his bleſsing he bleſſed them, Gen. 49.28. This was alſo St. Paul's cuſtome to cloſe all his Epiſtles with a benediction. And thus likewiſe the New Teſtament is concluded. The Old Teſtament endeth with a threatned curſe, leſt I come and ſmite the earth with a curſe Mal. 4. ult. But the New Teſtament endeth with a bleſſing, The Grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt be with you all. Revel. 22. ult.
And this may ſerve to teach the Miniſters not to diſmiſſe the aſſembly without a bleſſing, and the aſſembly to have ſo much patience as to tarry till it be pronounced. It may indeed teach all ſorts of people, Soveraign and Subject, Clergy and Laity, not to part company at any time without a Dominus Ʋobiſcum on both ſides, the Lord be with you, the Lord proſper you, we wiſh you good luck, in the name of the Lord.
Herein indeed lies the difference between our bleſſings and our Saviours, Our benedictions are in the Optative mood, we55 do but wiſh them, but our Saviour's benedictions (as that Royal Martyr hath an expreſſion in his prayer for a bleſſing upon the Treaty) our Saviours benedictions, I ſay, are Imperative, he commands them, he aſcended not till he had done this,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, When he had ſpoken theſe things.
And ſo I paſſe from the ſecond part of the Text, the Time of Chriſt's aſcenſion, to the third, Ʋnde the Place from whence he aſcended, which was that part of Mount Olivet next to Bethany, as will appear by comparing Act. 1.12. with Luke 24.50. So that here we have three ſteps, Firſt he aſcended from a Mountain, Secondly from Mount Olivet, Thirdly from that part of it next Bethany.
Firſt, he aſcended from a Mountaine, And why ſo? He ſtileth himſelfe the Lilly of the valleys, Cant. 2.1. Why then did he not aſcend from the valley of Iehoſhaphat, he ſhall from heaven come thither at the day of judgment, Ioel 3.12. Why then did he not from thence go into heaven? Was it to ſhew that he is the God of the mountaines only, and not alſo of the valleyes: or was it that he might be a little neerer to heaven, and by this meanes56 ſhorten his way thither? No ſuch matter, but he aſcended from a mountaine, chiefly for two reaſons.
Firſt, to teach us, ſaith L•rinus, that we ſhould alway uſe meanes, where they may poſſibly be had. He could at all times have, walked upon the water, but he would not, when he came where ſhipping was, he went aboard. He could have ſatisfied the multitude without food, he could have taken,•way their Hunger with a word,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be ye filled; but he would not, he fed them at one time with ſeven, at another time with five loves, uſing meanes, though inconſiderable and weak. He could have cured him that was born blind with an Epphatha be opened, but he would not, he bade him go to the pool of Sil•••, and waſh. All to teach us that we ſhould not neglect meanes, and look for miracles. When we are ſick we muſt ſend for the Phyſician, not look for Gods help without his.
When an houſe is fired, we muſt caſt water on it, not hope that God will quench it by a ſhower. When perjured rebels have uſurped the Crown, to recover this out of their hands, we muſt put on, not only the armour of God, but the armour57 of man too, we muſt not only have the ſword of the Lord, but of Gideon. For to look for help from God, and uſe no meanes, is not to truſt in God, but even to tempt him. And that we might avoid this, our Saviour would not aſcend from a Valley, but rather choſe the mediation of a Mountaine.
Secondly, he aſcended from a mountaine, to teach us that as mountaines raiſe and elevate our bodies, ſo they ſhould likewiſe elevate our ſouls, they ſhould put us in mind of heaven and things above. VVhenſoever therefore we go up an hill, we ſhould be thinking upon God's hill, and we ſhould fix our cogitations upon him, who was tranſfigured upon a mountaine, mount Tabor, crucified upon a mountain, mount Calvary, and aſcended from a mountain, even from mount Olivet.
And why from this mountaine of all other? The reaſons ſeem to be chiefly two, Firſt, that as upon this mountain he ſhewed himſelf to be a frail man, ſo he might there ſhew himſelf to be the mighty God too, as he manifeſted the weakneſſe of his humanity upon this mountaine, by his agony and bloody ſweat, and by his groveling on the ground; ſo he might likewiſe manifeſt the58 power of his Divinity upon the ſame mountaine: by his glorious aſcenſion from thence into heaven, Secondly, the Olive-tree is the emblem and hierogliphick of Peace; good reaſon then that our Saviour ſhould aſcend from mount Olivet, ſeeing he is our Peace, the very Prince of peace, this was the Legacy that he bequeathed to his deareſt friends, Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give unto you.
And as Christ aſcended from a mountaine, and from mount Olivet, ſo laſtly from that part of it next Bethany.
Now Bethany, by interpetation, is the houſe of affliction, and fom Bethany our Saviour went unto his Paſſion, for juſt before his apprehenſion, he was in Bethany in the houſe of Simon the Leper, Math. 26.6. he went from the ſame place to his Croſs, and his Crown. And ſo muſt we, we muſt not think to go a delicjis ad delicias, as St. Jerome ſpeaketh, from the jollity of this world to the joyes of heaven, no, if hereafter we will have good, we muſt here have evill things. Per anguſta ad auguſta, through heavineſs to happineſs, Per varios caſus, per tot diſcrimina rerum, through many tribulations we muſt enter into the Kingdome of God, Acts. 14.22.
59Lift up therefore the hands which hang downe, and the feeble knees. For what if thou art impriſoned, and, as it were buried alive in thy bed of languiſhing? What if ſickneſſe have taken ſuch hold upon thee, that thou are not able to look up? What if thou art feeble and ſore ſmitten, ſo that all the night thou waſheſt thy bed, and watereſt thy couch with thy teares? Why, yet let this conſideration be inſtead of an handkerchief to wipe thine eyes; conſider that thy Saviour (and thy Martyred Soveraign) went from Bethany to Bethel, from the houſe of affliction to their Fathers houſe, and if thou haſt faith and patience, thou ſhalt do ſo too, thy bed of ſickneſſe, or if it be thy ſcaffold, or thy gibbet; this ſhall be the ſame to thee that Bethany was to thy Saviour; thou ſhalt from thence be tranſlated and exalted into Abraham's boſom, thy light affliction, which is but for a moment, ſhall work for thee a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory.
And ſo I paſſe from the third part of the Text, the Place, from whence Christ aſcended, to the fourth, Quo, the Place whither he aſcended, which was Heaven, he was taken up thither.
61In the firſt chapter of Ezekiel's Propheſie, we read of four living Creatures, and every of theſe creatures had four faces, the face of a man, the face of an Ox, the face of a Lion, & the face of an Eagle. Whereunto Expoſitors reſemble four actions of our Saviour, his Nativity, his Pasſion, his Reſurrection, his Aſcenſion.
At his Nativity, he was like a man, more than like, he was a man indeed, man of the ſubſtance of his mother, born in the world. At his Pasſion, he was like an Ox, offered up for us in ſacrifice upon the Altar of the Croſſe. At his Reſurrection, he was like a Lion, even a lion of the tribe of Judah, he brake the bonds of death; becauſe it was not poſſible that he ſhould be holden of it. At his Aſcenſion, he was like an Eagle, he ſoared up into heaven.
Into heaven? But did he go no higher? St. Paul ſaith, he aſcended farre above all heavens, Eph. 4.10 But for anſwer to this, we muſt obſerve that the Scripture maketh mention of a threefold heaven. Firſt the Air is called Heaven, he commanded the cloud above, and opened the doores of heaven, Pſa. 78.23. Secondly, the celeſtial orbes and ſpheres, are heaven, the Sun, Moon, and60 Starrs are called Exercitus coeli; the host of heaven, Dent. 4.19. Thirdly and laſtly, the place of bliffe is heaven; the Lord hath prepared his ſeat in heaven, Pſal. 103.19. which diſtinction of heaven, St. Paul ſeemes to allude unto, when he ſaith, that he was caught up into the third heaven, 2 Cor. 12.2. Now where the Apoſtle ſaith that Christ aſcended far above all heavens, we are to underſtand it of the Orbes Celeſtial, he aſcended above the Orbes Celeſtial, above all viſible and materiall heavens.
But here then perhaps that of the Philoſopher may be objected, in the firſt book, De coelo,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, without, or above heaven there is no place, now it is eſſential to every body to be in ſome place or other, quod nuſquam eſt, non omnino eſt, if Chriſts body therefore be in no place, it will be ſo far from being every where (as Lutherans would have it) that it will ceaſe to be at all. To which I anſwer, that to ſpeak phyſically and ſtrictly, there is indeed no place above the viſible heavens; But though there be not Locus, yet there is Ubi, though there be no place, yet there is a certaine ſpace, (as I may ſo ſpeak) and it is ſufficient for a body glorified to be in ſuch a ſpace, which our Saviour notwithſtanding62 calleth a place, I go to prepare a place for you. Ioh, 14.2.
And this was indeed the chief reaſon why he aſcended into heaven. Adam's ſin ſhut him out both of the earthly and the heavenly Paradiſe, there was no place for him in Eden, nor for his poſterity in heaven. But the doores of heaven were opened upon Holy-Thursday, when Chriſt had overcome and trampled upon death by his reſurrection, he did open the kingdome of heaven by his aſcenſion. Not as if heaven were ſo faſt ſhut before, that none could enter in, no not in ſoul, till Chriſt aſcended thither in body, the Papiſts might have ſome kind of ground for their Limbus Patrum, if this were ſo. That cannot therefore be the meaning of it; there were glorious manſions prepared for us from the foundation of the world, as it is Math. 25.34. But though places of glory were from the beginning prepared for us, yet the plenary and the perfect preparation was made by Chriſts aſcenſion.
And ſeeing our Saviour Chriſt is aſcended corporally into heaven, this earneſt may aſcertaine us of our aſcenſion, our Head being aſcended, we ſhall alſo aſcend that are his Members. It may be objected63 perhaps that fleſh and blood cannot inherit incorruption. I anſwer, it is true that our bodies, as they are now, are not capable of going to heaven; they muſt therefore be crumbled to very duſt and aſhes, and new moulded by him that made them at the firſt, before ever they can be admited into that holy place. And as our bodies muſt be refined, ſo likewiſe muſt our ſouls. Heaven is a City of pure Gold, no unclean thing muſt come into it. We muſt therefore lay aſide every weight, and the ſinnes that do ſo eaſily depreſſe us; David could not go with Saul's armour, nor can we aſcend to heaven with the weapons of unrighteouſneſſe. If then we will aſcend thither at our death, we muſt begin our aſcenſion in this life, if we hope to go to heaven, when we take our farewell of the earth, then while we are here on earth, our converſation muſt be in heaven. For anima magis eſt ubi amat, quàm ubi animat, ſaith St. Bernard, the Soul is rather where it loveth, than where it liveth; If therefore we love the Lord Jeſus, let our affection be with him, where our heavenly treaſure is, there let our hearts be alſo, where the Load-ſtone is, that way let the Iron tend, where the carcaſe is,64 thither let the Eagles reſort; by religious meditations, and by aſſiduous ſupplications let us aſcend unto that place whither our bleſſed Lord and Maſter is gone before.
St. Auſtin would rather have been in hell with Chriſt, than be in heaven without him. How then ſhould our hearts be inflamed with love of heaven, now we are ſure that our Saviour is aſcended thither? How ſhould we contemn, though not abdicate the world, uſe it, I mean as though we uſed it not? Seing Chriſt hath left it, we ſhould ſtrive to leave it too, dying daily as St. Paul did, though not in deed, yet in deſire, having a deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Christ, our ſoules muſt be athirſt for him, our fleſh alſo muſt long after him, with an How long Lord Jeſu•, when ſhall we come unto thee? And ſo I paſſe from the fourth part of the Text, the Place whither Chriſt aſcended, to the fifth, Quomodo, the Manner of his aſcenſion, ſet down here two wayes, I begin with the Poſitive part of it,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he was taken up.
Taken up, why ſo? Did he not go up of himſelf? Lazarus was taken up, carried by Angels into heaven. And theſe carried65 up Elijah too, the charet and horſes of fire were holy Angels, the Charets of God, ſaith David, are twenty thouſand, even thouſands of Angels, Pſal. 68.17. But though they were carried up, yet Chriſt went up of himſelf, in his aſcenſion; of all circumſtances, Quibus auxiliis, came not in, Christ went up of himſelf, he aſcended by his own power. Why then doth our Text ſay that he was taken up? as if he had been ſome way aſſiſted in his aſcneſion up to heaven?
I anſwer, the Text ſaith that he was taken up for this reaſon, to ſignifie and ſhew his obedience to his Fathers Will, for otherwiſe he might have aſcended upon the very day of his reſurrection, every glorified body being of that agility and lightneſſe, ut ubicunque volet eſſe anima, ibi ſtatim erit corpus, whereſoever the ſoul would be, there is the body ſtraight. But though Chriſt might have aſcended ſooner, yet he would not till his heavenly Father ſaw good, for which reaſon the Text ſaith that he was taken up.
And this may teach us not to lay violent hands upon our ſelves, thinking to get ſo much the ſooner into heaven. If we be in poverty, or ſickneſſe, in impriſonment, or baniſhment, yet we muſt not make away with our ſelves, nor muſt we repine or be66 impatient that we are let into heaven no ſooner, that we have ſo long ſought for death, and cannot find it, but we muſt tarry the Lords leiſure, we muſt not be our own carvers, all the dayes of our appointed time we muſt wait, till our change come; following the example of our bleſſed Lord and Maſter, who ſubmitted himſelf in all things to the Will of his heavenly Father, and therefore he aſcended not when firſt he might, but when his Father would have him taken up.
And ſo ye have the manner of his aſcenſion poſitively ſet down. I now proceed to the Expoſitive part of it, in theſe words, A cloud received him out of their ſight.
He maketh the clouds his charet, Pſal. 104.3. Not that this cloud did any way help to lift him up, but he uſed the Miniſtery of a cloud chiefly for two reaſons. Firſt to declare and manifeſt his Divinity. Angels miniſter to men, but clouds after this manner, miniſter to God only. And the clouds were ſervants to our Saviour more than once. At his transfiguration, when he gave his Diſciples a glimpſe of his Divinity, a bright cloud overſhaddowed him. Mat. 17.5. So likewiſe at the day of Judgement clouds ſhall miniſter unto him, He ſhall come in the67 clouds of heaven with power and great glory, Mat. 24.30. As therefore in Herauldry it argueth a good familie, when a man hath clouds in his Coat of Arms; ſo in this place, it is an argument of Chriſts divinity, that he hath a cloud to ſerve him, his bearing is all Nebuly, a cloud received him out of their ſight.
A cloud, I ſay, received him. His body then is not every where, as Lutherans would perſwade us; that which is contained in any thing, muſt needs be leſs than the thing which doth contain it. The body of Chriſt was once contained in a virgins womb, and here a cloud received him. And it received him out of ſight, which maketh good that ſaying of our Saviour to his Diſciples, A little while and ye ſhall not ſee me, Joh. 16.16. And that was indeed a ſecond uſe of this cloud, namely, to take off the Apoſtles from curioſity. Had it been neceſſary for them to know any further what became of their departing Saviour, this cloud, that received him out of ſight, had not been thus interpoſed. But to ſhew them that they had corporally ſeen him long enough, and that hereafter they were not to ſee, but to believe, to exerciſe their faith, and to abate their curioſity, a cloud received him out of their ſight:
68God alloweth us not to pry inquiſitively into hidden myſteries. When the Lord deſcended upon Mount Sinai, there was a thick cloud upon the mountain, to keep the people from gazing, leſt they periſhed, Exod. 19. which was alſo one main uſe of this Cloud at Christ's aſcenſion, that his Apoſtles, namely, might not gaze after him as he aſcended into heaven.
We muſt walk by faith now, and not by ſight. For the Spouſe of Christ hath a two-fold eye, the eye of faith, and the eye of glory. As Jacob, therefore married firſt of all blear-eyed Leah, before he could obtain beautifull Rachel; ſo we muſt fee Chriſt on earth, with the tender eye of faith, before we can in Heaven have the fruition of his glorious God-head. For he is not ſo gone up into heaven, but that we may ſee him ſtill on earth: We may ſee him in his Word, we do not only hear of him there, but we even ſee him. When we ſtedfaſtly believe what we hear out of Gods Word, we fare not only as if it were related in our ears, but indeed verily acted before our eyes. And as we may ſee Chriſt in his Word, ſo we may alſo ſee him in his Sacraments, eſpecially69 in the bleſſed Sacrament of his holy Supper, and yet even in that Sacrament he is under a Cloud too. The Papiſts indeed would fain diſpel and diſſipate this cloud, telling us, that he is corporally and viſibly there preſent, handle and ſee, they bid us, that it is even he himſelf. But this Herefie is confuted ſo at large; that a bare denial of it might now ſuffice: yet let me me urge againſt it one Text of Scripture, which is Mark 7.19. Where our Saviour ſaith, that Whatſoever entreth into the belly, goeth out into the draught. And what horrid blaſphemy were it to ſay thus of Christs bleſſed body? We can eat Chriſt with no other mouth, but that of our faith; not can we ſee him here with the eye of our fleſh, but of our faith. And faith indeed is the moſt perfect perſpective, when all is done. As Abraham therefore ſaid to the damned rich glutton in another caſe, If they believe not Moſes and the Prophets, neither would they believe, though one ſhould come unto them from the dead. So he that believeth not the New Teſtament, the Hiſtory of our Saviour Chriſt, would not believe that he were the Meſsiah, though he ſhould ſee him face to face; he that believeth not St. Luke relating the manner of70 Chriſt's aſcenſion, would not have believed his own eyes, though they had been witneſſes of his Aſſumption, though he had been preſent upon Mount Olivet, when Chriſt was taken up into heaven, When a cloud received him out of the Apoſtles ſight. We muſt endeavour therefore by faith to ſee Chriſt in his Word and Sacraments; the exerciſing of this faith was one principal reaſon, Why a cloud received him out of their ſight. And as our Saviour, ſo our martyred Soveraign was taken up in a cloud too. Never was Royal Majeſty ſo diſguiſed, or under ſo thick a cloud, but that cloud was a triumphant Charet, wherein he was carried up into heaven: the rebellious fools that murthered him, accounted his life madneſs, and his end to be without honour: But yet honourable in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. And in ſpight of all their villany, He is among the children of God, and his portion is with the Saints.
And ſo I paſs from the fifth part of the Text, the manner of Chriſt's aſcenſion, to the ſixth and laſt, which are Teſtes, the Spectators or Witneſses of his aſcenſion, which were the eleven Apoſtles,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, while they beheld.
The aſcenſion of our Saviour was not71 ſeen of all the people, but of certain Witneſſes choſen before of God, even of thoſe who did eat and drink with him after he roſe from the dead.
The adulterous generation of the Jews ſought altogether after ſignes; Shew us a ſign from heaven, come down from the Croſs, that we may ſee and believe. But our Saviour would be the object of mens faith, not of their ſenſe: Now ſaith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; if the Jewes therefore will believe Chriſt's aſcenſion, they have the Apoſtles, let them hear them, they were eye-witneſſes of his Majeſty, He was taken up while they beheld.
While They, it is not while He beheld, for unus Teſtis nullus teſtis, one witneſs is as good as none: In the mouth of two or three witneſſes ſhall every word be establiſhed, Mat. 18.16. And yet Pluris eſt oculatus teſtis unus, quam auriti decem, one eye-witneſs is more worth than ten of thoſe that go by hear-ſay. Had the Apoſtle told the Jews that they heard Christ ſay, he would aſcend at one time or another, O how ridiculous had they been! who would have given any heed to this report? That the Apostles therefore might preach no uncertain72 Tradition, they were made ſpectators of Chriſt's aſcenſion; he aſcended in their preſence, He was taken up while they beheld.
Behold him then they did, and indeed how could they chuſe but behold him? It was one of St. Austins three wiſhes, that he might ſee Chriſt in the fleſh. And this was the wiſh of many others long before St. Auſtins time, many Prophets and Kings deſired to ſee thoſe things, and could not ſee them.
The Angels ſeemed to reprove the Apoſtles for their ſtedfaſt looking after their Maſter, Ye men of Galilee, why ſtand ye gazing up into heaven? Acts 1.11. where the Apoſtles, methinks, might have expoſtulated with the Angels after this manner, Thrice bleſſed Spirits, why ſhould ye ask us this? Ubi amor, ibi oculus; we could even look out our eyes, yet not be ſatisfied with ſeeing; our eyes naturally turn upward, and ſhall they not do ſo, eſpecially to ſee ſuch an object as this is? Think it not ſtrange that we are ſo loth to loſe this ſight, it being that which ye your ſelves ſo much deſire to ſee. But the Angels reproved not the Apoſtles love, it was their curioſity which they reproved; they would have them take off their eyes, and pry no further, for aſmuch as one day they ſhould ſee that ſame73 very ſight again; and not only they, but alſo all of us ſhall ſee him, we know that our Redeemer liveth, and that we ſhall ſee him not with other, but with theſe ſame eyes. Which may teach us to take heed of wanton luſtful eyes, to make a Covenant with our eyes, not to look laſciviouſly on a woman, to turn away our eyes, leſt they behold vanity. For how will ever thoſe eyes dare to look on our Chaſt Saviour, which have been eyes full of adultery? as St. Peter ſpeaketh.
To conclude all therefore in one word, let us circumciſe, not only our hearts, but even our eyes too, let theſe often ſee themſelves here in their own tears, and they ſhall have the honour hereafter to ſee Chriſt, they ſhall behold his preſence in Righteouſneſs, and we ſhall be ſatisfied with it, ſatisfied for plenitude, for in his preſence is fulneſs of Joy; and ſatisfied for perpetuity, For at his right hand are pleaſures for evermore. Of which God in his appointed time vouchſafe to make us all partakers, for the interceſſion ſake of his dear Son, who now ſitteth at his right hand.
ISRAEL AND England PARALELLED.
A Sermon PREACHED Before the Honourable Society OF GRAYES-INN, Upon Sunday, Apr. 16. 1649.
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1660.
You only have I known of all the Families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities.
THE firſt verſe plainly ſheweth us who are meant here in the ſecond, even the Children of Iſrael, and the whole family that came out of Egypt. Neither are theſe laſt words to be counted a Tautologie, for after the revolting76 of the ten Tribes from the houſe of David, Iſrael was one Kingdom, Judah was another, wee'l go no farther back to clear it, than the title of this Prophecy, which runneth thus, The words of Amos, which he ſaw concerning Iſrael, (that is, Iſrael and Judah) in the dayes of Uzziah, King of Judah, and in the dayes of Jeroboam, the ſon of Joaſh, King of Iſrael: Now though but ten Tribes were revolted from David, yet all twelve Tribes were revolted from God, the children of Iſrael, and the whole family that came out of Egypt.
〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Ceſar once ſaid to Brutus, will Gods children of Iſrael and Judah be ſuch Rebels? Ingratum ſi dixeris, &c. ſo an heathen could conclude, that ingratitude was the abſtract and abridgement of all ſin, as if it had been〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the great offence. And even unreaſonable creatures will not be guilty of unthankfulneſs; The Ox knoweth his owner, he will not gore him, and ye remember the gratitude of that Lion in the Roman ſtory, nay, (to go one ſtep lower) Non ingratus ager, that which hath not ſo much as ſenſe, is not unthankfull, the Earth doth not entomb, or alway keep the ſeed cloſe Priſoner, but moſt thankfully79 returneth it to the ſower with increaſe. Yet the land of Iſrael proved a barren Common, whereon nothing but weeds, nothing but unthankfullneſs would grow; where as the Inhabitants ſhould not ſo much as have rendred evil for evil, they continually rewarded God evil for good: He did not faſter multiply his benefits upon them, than they did their tranſgreſſions and rebellions againſt him. And ſhall I not viſit for theſe things, ſaith the Lord, ſhall not my ſoul be avenged on ſuch a Nation as this? Yes, ſeing fair means will do no good on them, I will try what foul will do, foraſmuch as they have forſaken me, and not walked in my judgements; having broken my Statutes, and not kept my Commandments, I will therefore viſit their offences with the rod, and their ſins with ſcourges. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities.
In which words, any one will ſay, there are two general Parts. Commemoratio beneficij, the rehearſing or calling to mind of a former benefit, You only have I known of all the families of the earth, and Comminatio ſupplicij, the threatning of a future judgement,80 therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities.
But before I come to handle the parts in their order, it will not be amiſs to premiſe ſome brief explication of the words.
Firſt then, you only have I known. I ever thought that God had been Omniſcient; but our Text ſeemeth to deny it, In Jury is God known, and God knoweth none but thoſe of Jury, you only have I known of all the families of the earth.
But we muſt obſerve that this word Know, hath divers acceptions in the Holy Scripture. I ſhall inſtance but in three.
Firſt to know, is to behold, to diſcern and overlook. Thus God knoweth the whole world, and all that therein is, thus he knoweth all the fowls upon the mountains, and the wild beaſts of the field are in his ſight: thus there is not a word in our tongue, nor a thought in our heart, but he knoweth it long before, even long before we ſpake or thought it.
Secondly to know, is to approve, or to allow of. Thus the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, that is, he approveth81 of it. Pſalm 1. ult. As for the ungodly (ſuch as are the Reformers of our age) it is not ſo with them, our Saviours word to theſe will be〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I never knew you, that is, I never liked your doings, Luke 13.27.
Thirdly, and laſtly, to know, is to bleſs, to pity, or ſhew mercy to. And the phraſe ſeemeth to be borrowed from a cuſtome among men, who ſeldome ſhew any kindneſs, but to perſons that they know, Ignoti nulla cupido, a ſtranger can ſcarce get any thing of them, but ill words; David's ſervants were ſtrangers to Nabal, and therefore the Churl would give them nothing; Shall I take my bread, ſaith he, and my water, and my fleſh, and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be? 1 Sam. 25.11. No; few or none will relieve any, but only ſuch as are well known to them. And to this cuſtome God ſeemeth to allude here in our Text, You only have I known, that is, I have bleſſed you only, on you have I multiplied my favours and loving kindneſſes, on you only, or at leaſt chiefly of all the families of the earth.
And in this ſenſe is the word Known uſed, Pſalm 31.7. I will be glad, and rejoyce82 in thy mercy, for thou haſt conſidered my trouble, & cognoviſti, and haſt known my ſoul in adverſities. Thou haſt known, that is, thou haſt pitied, thou haſt had compaſſion on my ſoul, cognoſcere eſt miſerari, ſo Agellius expoundeth the place. And Solomon hath a paſſage that may be referred to this purpoſe, Prov. 12.10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beaſts, ſo we read it, Novit juſtus, &c. ſo it is in the Latin verſion; but〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ſo it is in the Septuagint, a righteous man hath mercy on the ſouls of his beaſts. If now we put the Latin and Greek together, we ſhall find that to Know, is to ſhew mercy to. In which ſenſe the word is likewiſe uſed here in our Text, You only have I known of all the families of the earth.
But if the Commemoration muſt be ſo conſtrued, why followeth there a Commination: becauſe God hath been ſo good to Iſrael, is it therefore that he threatneth them? This indeed ſeemeth ſomewhat ſtrange. But if we take middle, and both ends, theſe things will ſoon be reconciled; You only have I known of all the families of the earth, we muſt hair here a while, Deſunt nonnulla, there ſeemeth to be ſomewhat wanting, but it cometh in at the end of the83 verſe, we may paraphraſe therefore upon the Text after this manner, the words are, in effect, as if Almighty God ſhould have ſaid, I have nouriſhed, and brought up children, and (like our pretended Parliament) They have rebelled againſt me, deſtruction and unhappineſs is in their way, and the way of peace have they not known. I have known them, but they have not known me, The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters crib, but Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not conſider. I threaten them, not for the good I have done to them, but for the notorious evil they have done to me; You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities.
Idcirco, therefore. Sin is the Cauſa impulſiva, that which moveth, and as it were, compelleth almighty God to puniſh. The Prophet Jeremy putteth the Queſtion, Lam. 3.39. wherefore doth a living man complain? and he giveth an anſwer to it before the verſe be out, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins, that is, a man is puniſhed for his ſins; and therefore one old tranſlation readeth it thus,, let him murmur at his own ſins, theſe, theſe are the only cauſe of all his ſufferings, Idcirco, Therefore, Therefore I. Shall there be evil in the City,84 and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6. Siracides telleth us indeed of Spirits that are created for vengeance, and theſe evil ſpirits many times lay on ſore ſtrokes, but they have Gods commiſſion, at leaſt permiſſion for what they do; they do this to pacifie the wrath of him that made them, Eecleſ. 39.28. As all puniſhment is for ſin, ſo it is from God. But how can this conſiſt with Gods goodneſs? yes, the very next particle will ſhew us, for he ſpeaketh not in the preſent, but in the future tenſe, I will, he giveth Iſrael warning of his intention, before he proceedeth to execution, that if they had any grace, they might repent, and ſo prevent the Judgement threatned; And he threatneth them but after a mild and gentle manner, he threatneth, not to plague and conſume them, but only to puniſh and correct them, You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities.
And ſo much for the connexion and explication of the words. It is high time now to come nearer to the parts. I begin therefore with the firſt, which is Commemora•io beneficii, the rehearſing of a former benefit, in theſe words, You only have I known85 of all the families of the earth. And that we may know how well God dealt with the people of Iſrael, we may obſerve that he beſtowed upon them two ſorts of bleſſings, Privative and Poſitive ones. I begin with the firſt, Gods Privative bleſſings.
The children of Iſrael were for a long time bound Apprentices in Egypt, where they were grievouſly oppreſſed by Pharaoh and his Task-maſters, who compelled them, not only to make brick, but it ſhould ſeem by the ſtory, they would have them make ſtraw too. From which intolerable ſervitude, God ſet them free at laſt, he eaſed their ſhoulders from the burthen, and their hands were delivered from making of pots. He brought forth his people with joy, and his choſen with gladneſs, and gave them the lands of the heathen, and they took the labours of the people in poſſeſſion. As for Pharaoh and his Hoſt, they were overwhelmed in the red ſea, they ſunk down to the bottom as a ſtone. After this God made good his word to Joſhua, not ſuffering a man to ſtand before him all the dayes of his life. And what ſhall I more ſay? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barach, and of Sampſon, and of Jephthah, and of David, what marvellous deliverances86 God wrought for his people, diſcomfiting their enemies both by theſe Worthies, and by other Champions; the Sun, Pſal. 19. is compared to a ſtrong champion; and rather than Iſrael ſhall be worſted, inſenſible champions ſhall fight for them, the Sun ſhall ſtand ſtill in the midſt of Heaven; the Starrs in their courſes ſhall fight againſt Siſera; ſo mightily did God deliver his people, even the ſons of Jacob and Joſeph.
And as God beſtowed many Privative bleſſings upon Iſrael, ſo many Poſitive bleſſings too: And theſe were of two ſorts, Temporal and Spiritual. I begin with the firſt, Gods Temporal bleſſings, which are recorded, Iſa. 5.1, 2. My beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. And he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choiceſt vine, and built a Tower in the midſt of it, and alſo made a wine-preſs therein. It will be no digreſſion to touch briefly upon each of theſe particulars, the Situation of the vineyard meeteth us Firſt, which was in clivo uberrimo, in a very fruitful hill. The hill of Sion was a fair place, and the joy of the whole earth, Iſrael had a goodly heritage, Canaan flowed with milk and honey. And the fruitfulneſſe of it87 is deſcribed at large. Deut. 8, 7, 8, 9.
Next to the fruitfull ſituation, Gods Fencing of the vineyard followeth. He made a Wall about it, ſaith the Margin, and Mat. 21. it is ſaid, he hedged it round about: Now an hedge ſerveth for two uſes, for diſtinction and for conſervation; Iſrael was hedged about both wayes; for diſtinction they had the Law, by this they were diſcerned from other Nations, what Nation is there ſo great, ſaith Moſes, that hath ſtatutes and judgments ſo righteous, as all this Law which I ſet before you this day? Deut. 4.8. other Nations dwelt as it were in a Champian countrey, without a hedge, without a Law; but Iſrael was encloſ'd, & hereby diſtinguiſh'd from all other people. God dealt not ſo well with any other Nation, neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes. And as Iſrael had an hedge for distinction, ſo they had another hedge for conſervation, which was the providence of God, and the protection of his Angels, The hills, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, ſtand about Jeruſalem, even ſo standeth the Lord round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.
In the next place, God gathered the ſtones out of his vineyard. VVhereby we are to underſtand the wicked Nations, according88 to that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 80.10. Thou haſt brought a vine out of Egypt, Expuleras gentes, thou haſt caſt out the heathen, God gave away their land for an heritage, even for an heritage unto Iſrael his people; That is the next thing preſented to us, he planted it with the choiceſt vine, the vineyard of the Lord of hoſts was the houſe of Iſrael, and the men of Iudah were his pleaſant plant.
The next obſervable is Gods building of a Tower in his vineyard, and Turris, authoritas eſt ſacerdotalis, ſaith Aretius, the Tower in Gods vineyard, is the office and authority of Gods Miniſters; for as watchmen from a tower overlooking all the coaſt, give notice when any corporal enemies are approaching; ſo Gods Miniſters, who are the watchmen of his Church, theſe give her warning of her ghoſtly enemies, ſo that neither the Boar of the wood can waſte her, nor yet the wild beaſts of the field devour her.
In the laſt place, God made a Wine-preſſe in his vineyard, whereby the juyce of good living was to be, as it were, preſſed out of the people. But to explain all this in three words. By the Fence, by the Tower by the Wine-preſſe, by all this care and coſt beſtowed89 upon the vineyard, there is ſignifyed Gods abundant love toward his people Iſrael, ſo that he could not poſſibly do any thing elſe for them, having done more for them already than for all the world beſides, You only have I known of all the families of the earth:
And as God beſtowed upon Iſrael, many Temporal, ſo alſo many Spiritual bleſſings, which are mentioned by the Apoſtle, Rom. 9.4, 5. where ſpeaking of the Iſraelities, he telleth us, that to them pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the ſervice of God, and the promiſes theirs were the Fathers and of them, as concerning the fleſh, Chriſt came. It will not be amiſſe likewiſe to examine briefly theſe particulars. And firſt to the Iſraelites pertained the adoption, they were culled out of all nations to be Gods peculiar people