The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 1 · Part 3
Of God.
God is the Proprietary of this City. Est vna ciuitas, & vna ciuitas: vnus populus, & vnus populus: vnu… Rex, & Aug.vnus Rex: vna Lex, & vna Lex. There are two Cities, two peoples, two Kings, and two Lawes. For the Cities, there is aReu. 18. 2.Babylon the great, and bGal. 4. 26.Ierusalem the Mother of vsus all. For the peoples, there is the seed of the woman, and of the Serpent, Corne and Tares, Sheepe and Goates, vessels of honour, and vessels of dishonour, Iacob and Esau, Christ and Belial. Nec est tertius, nec ad tertium: there is no third person, nor designement to a third place. For the Kings, there is Christ, cPsal. 2 6.Yet hauehave I set my King vponupon Sion the mountaine of my holinesse: and Satan dEphes. 2. 2.the Prince of the power of the Ayre. The Prince indeed, not Mundi; sed tenebrarum mundi; not of the world, but of the darkenesse of the world, 2. Cor. 4. 4. you hauehave both these Kings together; The god of this world had blinded the mindes of vnbeleeuers, that the light of Christ might not shine vntounto them. For the Lawes, Gods Law is, e2. Tim. 2. 19.Let eueryevery oxe that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. Satans Law is, f1. Ich. 2. 16.the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Gods Law is, Thou shalt not sweare: Satans, thou shalt forsweare. Gods Law, Couet not; Satans, couet all. Nihil praecipit Deus nisi charitatem, nihil Diabolus nisi cupiditatem. God commands nothing but louelove, the Deuill nothing but lust.
Now these two Cities were begun in Cain and Abel: Cain a Citizen of the world, Abel a Citizen of God. Their names signifie their natures: Cain signifies a profession, and he built a Citie: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation, then the children of light. Iniqui mentem in amore praesentis vita figunt. Wicked men set Greg.their whole delight in this present world. What moued Cain to this? Not to be defended against wilde beasts, which Plato sayes first moued men to build Cities; for then Abel would hauehave builded so well as Cain. nor because man is animal sociale, a sociable creature; which Aristotle makes a special motiue hereof: for then the righteous would also hauehave builded. But because Cain was a fugitiue, he builded for a protection against Gods curse; especially because he had no expectation of a better City. Vnlike to Abraham, who gHebr. 11. 10.looked for a City that hath a foundation, whose builder and maker is God. The Greekes say, that Cecropolis built by Cecrops, the Aegyptians that Thebes, the Argiues that Argos, was the first City. But it is manifest, that this City built by Cain was the first. Hee called the name of this City Enoch, but Henoch in the righteous line is the seuenth; hIud. ver. 14.Enoch the seuenth from Adam. So the wicked dedicate worldly possessions in the first place, the righteous in the last. Cain and Henoch had their possession and dedication here. But Abel signifies mourning, and he built no Citie. Our possession is in heauen, this City of God, inuisible to the eye, incredible to the faith of the world, but infallible to all beleeuers.
And for Cain, it is not properly translated, Aedificauit, but Erat aedificator, as Iunius: erat aedificans, as the Septuagint; he began to build, but he finished not: hee was still a runnagate. So all worldlings are but aedificantes; like the Babel-erecters, they but began to reare the tower, but neuer could come to roofe it. This man began to build, saith Christ, but could not make an end. They are perswaded, yea, iPsal. 49. 13.their inward thought is, that they build houses to all ensuing generations; but this their way is their folly. Aedificat mortalis, mors diruit aedificantem: Mortall man builds, and death puls downe both builder and edifice. You hauehave heard it talked of Castles built by day, and still (no man knowes how) pul'd downe againe by night. That fabulous report is mystically true of the worldlings hope: what euer he erecteth in the day of his prosperity, the night of his ruine shall ouerthrow.
Here are the two Cities: Omnis homo vel in coelis regnaturus cum Christo, vel in infernis cruciandus cum Diabolo. Aug.EueryEvery one shall eyther reigne with Christ in Heauen, or be tormented with the Deuill in hell. But how then is it said, that k2. Cor. 5. 19.God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himselfe? therefore the whole world is reconciled. But Saint Iohn contradicts it, Mundus positus in maligno, l1. Iohn 5. 29.the whole world lieth in wickednesse: therefore the world is not reconciled to this Citie. Heere qui bene distinguit, bene doeet; a proper distinction doth cleare this difficulty. The world is sometimes taken for good, then Denominatio sequitur meliorem partem: often for euill, then Denominatio sequitur maiorem partem. In a word, saith Augustine, Amor Dei constituit Ierusalem, amor mundi Babylonem. The louelove of God intitles vsus to Ierusalem, the louelove of the world to Babylon. Thus may wee distinguish the Citizens: for Bonos vel malos mores faciunt boni vel mali amores: Our good or bad loues, make our good or bad liues. There is no man which belongs not to one of these two Cities: No? To which of them belongs the Hypocrite? to Babylon? his face is toward Ierusalem. To Ierusalem? his heart is with Babylon. His misery is great: because hee weares Gods outside, the world will not be his mother: because he weares the worlds inside, God will not be his Father. Hee hath lost eart… for Heauens sake, and Heauen for earths sake. We hauehave some such rushers into authority vncalled, vicious correctors of vice, that vndertake to cleanse the Augean stables, perhaps somewhat the sweeter till themselues came in: officious Scauengers of iniquitie. If with this lome they dawbe ouer their owne debauchednesse, they are like dung, which is rotten and stinking of it selfe, yet compasseth the ground, & makes it fruitfull. Or like the shepheards dogge, that hunts the stragling sheepe to the fold, yet is a dogge still, and hath his teeth beaten out, lest hee should worry them. Will you heare to what City hypocrites belong? The wicked seruant shall hauehave mMat. 24. 51.his portion with hypocrites, where shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. So then the Hypocrites home is the city of weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But in this blessed City God is King, Christ his aHebr. 1. 6.eldest Sonne, the elect are his younger bRom. 8. 29.brethren, his Viceroyes are Kings, Angels his Nobles, cRom. 13. 4.Iust Iudges his Magistrates, d2. Cor. 5. 20.good Preachers his Ministers, e1. Thes. 4. 3.holines his Law, the godly his Subiects, fMat. 6. 32.Prouidence his gouernement, gMat. 5. 34.Heauen his Court, and hRom. 6. 23.saluation his recompence.
Further obserue, that if this City be Gods, then so are all things in it. Whence I inferre, that all sacred things in this City beeing Gods, must not bee violated. For the things in heau…n they are safe enough, out of the Incrochers reach: but the holy things of this militant City are vniuersally abused. Sacrilegium, quasi sacrilaedium, a profaning that is holy. Now holinesse is ascribed to Persons, Places, or Things. Sacriledge may be committed, saith Aquinas, 1. Uel in Personam, against a person, vvhen one Ecclesiasticall man is abused. nLuk. 10. 16.Hee that despiseth you, despiseth me. 2. Vel in locum, against a place, when the Temple is profaned. oMark 11. 17.My house is called the house of prayer, but yee hauehave made it a den of thieues. 3. Vel in Rem, when things dedicated to holy vses are peruerted. pMala. 3. 8.You hauehave robbed me in tithes and offerings. Simon Magus would hauehave bought a qAct. 8. 19.power to giuegive the holy Ghost … imposition of hands. Hee would hauehave giuen money for it, no doubt to hauehave gotten money by it. No Spirituall things are to bee barterd for money. Now Spirituall things are of foure sorts.
1. Essentialiter, the gifts of Gods Spirit, iustification, sanctification, rGala. 5. 22.louelove, peace, patience, goodnesse, faith: Charismata salutis: which make those that hauehave them spirituall.
2. Causaliter, The Word and Sacraments, which are the conduct-pipes to conuey our soules those graces, from the fountaine of all grace, Iesus Christ: sIoh. 6. 63.The words that I speake vntounto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
3. Effectualiter, as power to heale, to worke miracles, to excommunicate, to absolue: gifts not imparted to secular hands, but committed with the keyes to the Church.
4. Per annectionem, such are spirituall Liuings and endowments: these are not to be profaned in buying and selling. Selling is like the sinne of Gehesi; buying, like the sinne of Simon Magus. Anathema danti, anathema accipi…nti. There is a curse to the giuer, and a curse to the receiuer. Now Sacriledge to these holy things of God is committed three waies.
1. Quando ausertur sacrum de sacro: when a holy thing is taken from a holy place: as the consecrated vessels out of the Temple. Foelix seeing the costly Chalices Constantinus and Constantius had bestowed on the Church, maliciously scoffed, What stately plate is there for the Carpenters Theodoret.Son? But he that had so base a conceit of Christs bloud, did himselfe nothing night and day but vomit bloud, till his vnhappy soule was fetched from his wretched carkase. Wee hauehave too many of those, that like Belshazzar, with the riches of the Church hauehave furnished their cup-bords of Plate.
2. Quando non sacrum de sacro, when a common thing is stolne from a sacred place. As if a thiefe breakes open a Church to steale some priuate treasure hid in it. So the Church-wardens may defraud the poore of the money in the boxe. It is the poores, not sacred to the Church, yet is it sacriledge to embezzel it.
3. Quando sacrum de non sacro, when a holy thing is taken out of a common place: as when the Church is robbed of her possessions and endowments. O the merciemercy of God, what shall become of England for thus robbing Gods Citie! Our Patrons are like those Christ whipped out of the Temple; yea worse: for they bought and sold in the Church, these buy and sell the Church it selfe. tProu. 20. 25.It is a snare to the man that deuoureth that which is holy. A snare hath three properties. 1. It catcheth suddenly: Vzza did but touch the Arke, and presently fell down dead. 2. It holds surely, u2. Chr. 26. 19.Vzziah will offer Incense, but the Leprosie (which was his plague) held him to his dying day. 3. It destroyes certainely, the earth swallowed Corah and his confederates, when the rest escaped.
The Prophet bestowes a whole Psalme against this sinne, Psalme 83. The Center of it, vponupon whom all the lines and proiections of his inuectiues meet, are those ver. 12. that say, Let vsus take to our selues the houses of God in possession. He calls them Gods enemies, tumultuous, proud, God-haters, ver. 2. Crafty enemies, with their plots, tricks, subtilties; much like our Impropriators legall▪ iustifyings. ver. 3. Confederate enemies, combining themselues to annihilate a Church; Come, let vsus cut thē off from being a Nation. ver. 4. endeuouring to extinguish the very Name of Israel; breaking downe the pale, that the xPsal. 80. 13.Bore the depopulator, and the wild beast the corrupt Patron, may waste and deuoure it. They would plow vp the Vniuersities, and sowe them with the seed of Barbarisme. Now marke how hee prayes for them. ver. 9. Doe vntounto them, as vntounto the Medianites: yIudg. 7. 22.who were by the trumpets and lampes so terrified, that they drew their swords one vponupon another: so that these by the trumpets of the Law, and lampes of the Gospel, might be awaked. As to Sisera & to Iabin at the brooke of Kison: aIudg. 4. 9.that great Captaine, whom God deliuered into the hands of a woman. ver. 11. Make their Nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea all their Princes as Zebah, and Zalmunna. All Princes, yet died violent and ignominious deaths, and became like dung for the earth. Doth he stay here? No, ver. 13. O my GOD, make them like a wheele, and as the stubble before the vvind: Infatuate all their plots, turne their braines, and disperse their stratagems. Is he yet satisfied? No. ver. 14. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth on fire the mountaines; so persecute them with thy tempest. Hee vseth imprecations to open the floud-gates of Gods wrath; that like fire it might consume them, either naturally as fire burnes the wood, or miraculously, as it enflameth the Mountaines. ver. 16. Fill their faces with shame. If this be to take Gods houses in possession, who dares lay sacrilegious hands vponupon them? Yet for all this, those men did not what they desired. Let vsus take, ver. 12. they said it, they did it not. Perhaps no thanks to thē, they would if they could. We hauehave done it, taken, inhabited, inherited: as Elias said to Ahab; b1. King. 21. 19We hauehave killed, & also taken possession. His tithes, his offerings, all his holy rites, yea his very Churches: we hauehave gotten them, and led them captiue away, bound in chaines of yron, conueyed by deedes, grants, seales, fines, as if you would make sure, they should neuer returne to the owner; God is robbed of them for euer.
cIer. 5. 29.Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall not my soule be auenged on such a Nation? What familie, that hath had but a finger in these sacriledges, hath not beene ruinated by them? They hauehave beene more infortunate to the Gentry of England, then was the gold of Tholossa to the followers of Scipio. Remember the Prouerbe; Hee that eates the Kings goose, shall hauehave the fethers sticke in his throate seuen yeeres after. Iustinian said; Proximum sacrilegio crimen est quod maiestatis dicitur. Treason is a petty sinne in respect of sacriledge. Augustine seemes to giuegive the reason: Tantò grauius est peccatum, quantò committi non potest nisi in Deum. It is so much the more haynous, because it cannot be committed, but immediately against God himselfe. Well then, as the Philistines made haste to send home the Arke; and the Aegyptians to rid 1 Sam. 5. 11. Exod. 12. 31.themselues of Gods people; so let vsus restore to God his dues with all speed. Otherwise, as hee smote the Philistines with Emrods secretly, and the Aegyptians with plagues publikely: so onelyonly himselfe knowes what he hath determined against vsus. With what face canst thou expect an Inheritance from Christ in heauen, that detainest from Aug.Christ his Inheritance here on earth? Let vsus not so Iewishly with the spoyles of Christ, purchase fields of bloud.
It is much, if at all this any guilty soule tremble: but howsoeuer, like Pharaoh, when the thunder and lightning are done, they are where they were. O this is a difficult Deuill to be cast out.
eMark. 12. 17. Aug.Render vntounto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods. Reddite Deo sua, vt Deus restituat vobis vestra. Returne vntounto God that which is his, that God may allow you that which is yours. Wee pay to the King Impost, Subsidies, and Fifteenes; so giuegive we all these in a resemblance to God. The Lords impost for all his blessings, is our gratitude. fPsal. 116. 12.What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of saluation, and blesse the Name of the Lord. If wee forget to pay this Impost, the commodity is forfeit; God will take it backe. Our Subsidies are according to our parts. The subsidies of our eyes are our teares: he that payes not this tribute of raine, shall want the sun-shine of mercy. The subsidies of our mouthes are our praises. Tibi omne os confitebitur. gPsal. 51. 15.Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. The subsidies of our eares are attention to his word. hLuk. 10. 39.Mary sate at Iesus feete, and heard his word. The subsidies of our heads are meditations of his power, iustice, mercy, truth. iGal. 1. 2.The blessed man doth meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night. This reduceth Christianity to practice: a rare habite; and yet it is as possible to be good without it, as to swallow and neuer chew the cudde. A Sermon without consequent meditation may come to be remembred againe in hell. The subsidies of our knees are geniculations. kEph. 3. 14.I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. lAct. 7. 60.Steuen kneeled downe & prayed, &c. If our knees be too stout to pay this tribute, heauen gate will be too low for our entrance. The subsidies of our hands are almes to the poore: the due paiment of this interest shall blesse and increase the principall. mLuk. 6. 38.GiueGive, and it shall bee giuen you. To the King wee pay Fifteenes, to God Tenths: these he hath separated to himselfe. The honest Pharise could say, Tyth and be rich: the dishonest Christian sayes, Tyth and bee poore. But what men get by this detinie, shall be their fatall destiny: they shall leaue the gold behind them, but carry the guilt with them to euerlasting fire. Robbe not this Citie militant, lest God turne you from the City triumphant.