Eighty Sermons, Trinity Sunday · Sermon 44
SERM. XLIV. Preached at S. Dunſtanes upon Trinity-Sunday. 1627.
REV. 4.8.
And the foure Beaſts had each of them ſixe wings about him, and they were full of eyes within; And they reſt not day and night, ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
THeſe words are part of that Scripture, which our Church hath appointed to be read for the Epiſtle of this day. This day, which beſides that it is the Lords day, the Sabbath day, is alſo eſpecially conſecrated to the memory, and honour of the whole Trinity. The Feaſt of the Nativity of Chriſt, Chriſtmas day, which S. Chryſoſtome calls Metropolin omnium feſtorum, The Metropolitane feſtivall of the Church, is intended principally to the honour of the Father, who was glorified in that humiliation of that Son, that day, becauſe in that, was laid the foundation, and firſt ſtone of that houſe and Kingdome, in which God intended to glorifie himſelfe in this world, that is, the Chriſtian Church. The Feaſt of Eaſter is intended principally to the honour of the Son himſelfe, who upon that day, began to lift up his head above all thoſe waters which had ſurrounded him, and to ſhake off the chaines of death, and the grave, and hell, in a glorious Reſerrection. And then, the Feaſt of Pentecoſt was appropriated to the honour of the Holy Ghoſt, who by a perſonall falling upon the Apoſtles, that day, inabled them to propagate this Glory of the Father, and this death, and Reſurrection of the Son, to the ends of the world, to the ends in Extention, to all places, to the ends in Duration, to all times.
Now, as S. Auguſtine ſayes, Nullus eorum extra quemlibet eorum eſt, Every Perſon of the Trinity is ſo in every other perſon, as that you cannot think of a Father, (as a Father) but that there falls a Son into the ſame thought, nor think of a perſon that proceeds from others, but that they, from whom he, whom ye think of, proceeds, falls into the ſame thought, as every perſon is in every perſon; And as theſe three perſons are contracted in their eſſence into one God-head, ſo the Church hath alſo contracted the honour belonging to them, in this kinde of Worſhip, to one day, in which, the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghoſt, as they are ſeverally, in thoſe three ſeverall dayes, might bee celebrated joyntly, and altogether. It was long before the Church did inſtitute a particular Feſtivall, to this purpoſe. For, before, they made account, that that verſe, which was upon ſo many occaſions repeated in the Liturgy, and Church Service, (Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghoſt) had a convenient ſufficiency in it, to keep men in a continuall remembrance of the Trinity. But when by that extreame inundation, and increaſe of Arians, theſe notions of diſtinct Perſons in the Trinity, came to be obliterated, and diſcontinued, the Church began to refreſh her ſelfe, in admitting into to the formes of Common Prayer, ſome more particular notifications, and remembrances of the Trnity; And at laſt, (though it were very long firſt, for this Feſtivall of this Trinity-Sunday, was not inſtituted above foure hundred yeares ſince) they came to ordaine this day. Which day, our Church, according to that peacefull wiſedome, wherewithall the God of Peace, of Unity, and Concord, had inſpired her, did, in the Reformation, retaine, and continue, out of her generall religious tenderneſſe, and holy loathneſſe, to innovate any thing in thoſe matters which might bee ſafely, and without ſuperſtition continued and entertained. For our Church, in the Reformation, propoſed not that for her end, how ſhee might goe from Rome, but how ſhe might come to the Truth; nor to caſt away all ſuch things as Rome had depraved, but to purge away thoſe depravations, and conſerve the things themſelves, ſo reſtored to their firſt good uſe.
For this day then, were theſe words appointed by our Church;Diviſic. And therefore we are ſure, that in the notion, and apprehenſion, and conſtruction of our Church, theſe words appertaine to the Trinity. In them therefore we ſhall conſider, firſt what, theſe foure creatures were, which are notified, and deſigned to us, in the names, and figures of foure Beaſts; And then, what theſe foure creatures did; Their Perſons, and their Action will be our two Parts of this Text. In each of which we ſhall have three Branches; In the firſt theſe, firſt, ſimply who they were; And then, their qualification as they are furniſhed with wings, Each of them had ſixe wings; And then laſtly, in that firſt Part, what is intended in their eyes, for, They were full of eyes within; And in theſe three, we ſhall determine that firſt Part, The Perſons. And then in the ſecond, our firſt Branch will be, Their Alacrity, their ingenuity, their free and open profeſſion of their zeale to Gods Service; They did it, ſayes the Text, Dicentes, Saying, Publiſhing, Declaring; without diſguiſes or modifications. And our ſecond Branch, Their Aſſiduity, That which they did, they did inceſſantly, They ceaſed not day nor night, ſayes our Text; No occaſionall emergencies, no loſſe, no trouble interrupted their zeale to Gods ſervice. And then the laſt is, that that which they did, firſt with ſo much ingenuity, and then with ſo much aſſiduity, firſt ſo openly, and then ſo conſtantly, was the celebration of the Trinity, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come; Which is the intire body of the Chriſtan Religion? That they profeſt openly, and conſtantly, all the parts of their Religion, are alſo the three Branches, in which we ſhall determine our ſecond Part, Their Action.
Firſt then, for our firſt Branch, in our firſt Part,1. Part. Perſons. Rom. 15.4. the Perſons intended in theſe foure creatures, the Apoſtle ſayes, Whatſoever things are written afore time, are written for our learning; But yet, not ſo for our learning, as that we ſhould think alwaies to learne, or alwaies to have a cleare underſtanding of all that is written; for it is added there, That we, through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope; Which may well admit this Expoſition, that thoſe things which we underſtand not yet, we may hope that we ſhall, and we muſt have patience till we doe. For there may be many places in Scripture, (eſpecially in Propheticall Scripture) which, perchance, the Church of God her ſelfe, ſhall not underſtand, till thoſe Propheſies be fulfilled, and accompliſhed. In the underſtanding of this place, what, or who theſe foure creatures are, there is ſo much difficulty, ſo much perplexity, as that amongſt the interpretations of very Learned, and very Reverend, and very pertinent Expoſitors, it is eaſie to collect thirty ſeverall opinions, thirty ſeverall ſignifications of theſe foure creatures.
The multiplicity of theſe Interpretations intimates thus much, that that man that believes the Trinity, can ſcarce turne upon any thing, but it aſſiſts, and advances, and illuſtrates that beliefe; As diverſe from one another as their thirty Expoſitions are, they all agree, that be our foure creatures what they will, that which they doe, is to celebrate the Trinity; He that ſeeks proofe for every myſtery of Religion, ſhall meet with much darkneſſe; but he that beleeves firſt, ſhall finde every thing to illuſtrate his faith. And then, this multiplicity of Interpretations intimates thus much more, That ſince wee cannot give Sonſum adaequatum, Any ſuch Interpretation of theſe foure creatures, but that another, as probable as it, may be given, it may be ſufficient, and it is beſt, (as in all caſes of like intricacy) to chooſe ſuch a ſenſe, as may moſt advance the generall purpoſe, and intention of the place; which is, in this place, The celebration of the Trinity.
So therefore we ſhall doe. And conſidering that amongſt theſe manifold Expoſitors, ſome binde themſelves exactly, rigidly, ſuperciliouſly, yea ſuperſtitiouſly to the number of foure, and that therefore theſe foure Creatures muſt neceſſarily ſignifie ſomething, that is limited in the number of foure, no more, no leſſe, (either the foure Monarchies, or the foure Patriarchs, or the foure Doctors of the Church, or the foure Cardinall Vertues, or the foure Elements, or the foure Quarters of the World, into all which, and many more ſuch, rather Alluſions, then Interpretations, theſe various Expoſitors have ſcattered themſelves) And then conſidering alſo that divers others of theſe Expoſitors out of a juſt obſervation, That nothing is more ordinary in this Book of the Revelation, then by a certaine and finite number, to deſigne and ſignifie an uncertaine and infinite, (for, otherwiſe when we are told, that there were twelve thouſand ſealed of every Tribe, wee ſhould know the certaine number of all the Jews that were ſaved, which certainly is not S. Iohns purpoſe in that place; but in the greatneſſe of that number, to declare the largeneſſe of Gods goodneſſe to that people) conſidering I ſay, that divers of theſe Expoſitors, have extended their interpretation beyond the number of foure, we make accompt that we do beſt, if we do both; if we ſtop upon the number of foure, and yet paſſe on to a greater number too. And ſo wee ſhall well do, if we interpret theſe foure Creatures, to bee firſt and principally the foure Euangeliſts, (and that is the moſt common Interpretation of the Ancients) and then enlarge it to all the Miniſters of the Goſpell, which is (for the moſt part) the Interpretation of the Later men. So then, the action being an open and a continuall profeſſion of the whole Chriſtian Religion, in the celebration of the Trinity, which is the diſtinctive Character of a Chriſtian, the perſons that doe this, are all they that conſtitute the Hierarchy, and order of the Church; All they that execute the Miniſtery, and diſpenſation of the Goſpell; which Goſpel is laid downe, and ſettled and eſtabliſhed radically in the foure Euangeliſts; All they are theſe foure Creatures. And farther we need not carry this firſt branch, which is the Notification of theſe perſons; for, their Qualification is the larger conſideration.
And before we come to their Qualification, in the text, firſt, as they are ſaid to have ſix wings, and then as they are ſaid to be full of eyes, we look upon them, as they are formed, and deſigned to us, in the verſe immediately before the text; where, the firſt of theſe foure Creatures hath the face of a Lion, the ſecond of a Calfe, or an Oxe, the third of a Man, and the fourth of an Eagle. Now, Quatuor animalia ſunt Eccleſiae Doctores, ſayes S. Ambroſe; Theſe foure Creatures are the Preachers of the Goſpell; that we had eſtabliſhed afore; But then, we adde with S. Ambroſe, Eandem ſignificationem habet primum animal, quod ſecundum, quod tertium, quod quartum; All theſe foure Creatures make up but one Creature; all their qualities concurre to the Qualification of a Miniſter; every Miniſter of God is to have all, that all foure had; the courage of a Lion, the laboriouſneſſe of an Oxe, the perſpicuity and cleare ſight of the Eagle, and the humanity, the diſcourſe, the reaſon, the affability, the appliableneſſe of a Man. S. Dionys the Areopagite had the ſame conſideration as S. Ambroſe had, before him. He imprints it, he expreſſes it, and extends it thus; In Leone vis indomabilis; In every Miniſter, I looke for ſuch an invincible courage, as ſhould be of proofe, againſt Perſecution, (which is a great) and againſt Preferment, which is a greater temptation; that neither Feares, nor Hopes ſhake his conſtancy; neither his Chriſtian conſtancy, to ſtagger him, nor his Miniſteriall conſtancy, to ſilence him; For this is Vis indomabilis, the courage required in the Miniſter as he is a Lion. And then ſaies that Father; In Bove vis ſalutaris, In every Miniſter, as he is ſaid to be an Oxe, I looke for labour; that he be not ſo over-growne, nor ſtall-fed, that he be thereby lazie; He muſt labour; And then, as the labour of the Oxe is, his labour muſt be imployed upon uſefull and profitable things, things that conduce to the cleering, not the perplexing of the underſtanding; and to the collecting, the uniting, the fixing, and not the ſcattering, the diſſolving, the pouring out of a fluid, an unſtable, an irreſolved conſcience; things of edification, not ſpeculation; For this is that Vis ſalutaris, which we require in every Miniſter; that he labour at the Plough, and plough the right ground; that he Preach for the ſaving of ſoules, and not for the ſharpning of wits. And then againe, In Aquila vis ſpeculatrix; As the Miniſter is preſented in the notion and quality of an Eagle, we require both an Open eye, and a Piercing eye; Firſt, that he date looke upon other mens ſins, and be not faine to winke at their faults, becauſe he is guilty of the ſame himſelfe, and ſo, for feare of a recrimination, incurre a prevarication; And then, that he be not ſo dim-ſighted, that he muſt be faine to ſee all through other mens ſpectacles, and ſo preach the purpoſes of great men, in a factious popularity, or the fancies of new men, in a Schiſmaticall ſingularity; but, with the Eagle, be able to looke to the Sun; to looke upon the conſtant truth of God in his Scriptures, through his Church; For this is Vis ſpeculatrix, the open and the piercing eye of the Eagle. And then laſtly, In homine vis ratiocinatrix; As the Miniſter is repreſented in the notion and quality of a Man, we require a gentle, a ſupple, an appliable diſpoſition, a reaſoning, a perſwaſive diſpoſition; That he doe not alwaies, preſſe all things with Authority, with Cenſures, with Excommunications; That he put not all points of Religion, alwaies upon that one iſſue, Quicunque vult ſalvus eſſe, If you wil be ſaved, you muſt beleeve this, all this, & Qui non credider it, damnabitur, If you doubt of this, any of this, you are infallibly, neceſſarily damned; But, that he be alſo content to deſcend to mens reaſon, and to worke upon their underſtanding, and their naturall faculties, as well as their faith, and to give them ſatisfaction, and reaſon (as far as it may be had) in that which they are to beleeve; that ſo as the Apoſtle, though he had authority to command, yet did Pray them in Chriſts ſtead to be reconciled to God, So the Miniſter of God, though (as he is bound to doe) he doe tell them what they are bound to beleeve, yet he alſo tels them, why they are to beleeve it; for this is Vis ratiocinatrix, The holy gentleneſſe and appliableneſſe, implied in that forme of a Man.
And ſo you have this Man compoſed of his foure Elements; this Creature made of theſe foure Creatures; this Miniſter made of a Lion, an Oxe, an Eagle, and a Man; For, no one of theſe, nor all theſe, but one, will ſerve; the Lion alone, without the Eagle, is not enough; it is not enough to have courage and zeale, without cleare ſight and knowledge; Nor enough to labour, except we apply our ſelves to the capacity of the hearer; All muſt have all, or elſe all is diſordered; Zeale, Labour, Knowledge, Gentleneſſe.
Now beſides theſe generall qualifications, laid downe as the foundation of the text,Alae. in the verſe before it, in the text it ſelfe theſe foure Creatures, being firſt the foure Euangeliſts, and conſequently, or by a juſt and faire accommodation, all the Preachers of the Goſpell, which limit themſelves in the doctrine laid downe in the foure Euangeliſts, have alſo wings added unto them; Wings, firſt for their owne behoofe and benefit, and then, wings for the benefit and behoofe of others. They have wings to raiſe themſelves from the earth; that they doe not entangle themſelves in the buſineſſes of this World; but ſtill to keepe themſelves upon the wing, in a Heavenly converſation, ever remembring that they have another Element, then Sea or Land, as men whom Chriſt Jeſus hath ſet apart, and in ſome meaſure made mediatours betweene him, and other men, as his inſtruments of their ſalvation. And then as for themſelves, ſo have they wings for others too, that they may be alwaies ready to ſuccour all, in all their ſpirituall neceſſities. For as thoſe words are well underſtood by many of the Ancients,Revel. 12.14. To the Woman were given two wings of an Eagle, that is, to the Church were given able and ſufficient Miniſters, to carry and convey her over the Nations: So are thoſe words which are ſpoken of God himſelf, appliable to his Miniſters, that firſt, The Eagle ſtirreth up her neſt, Deut. 32.11.The Preacher ſtirres and moves, and agitates the holy affections of the Congregation, that they ſlumber not in a ſenſeleſneſſe of that which is ſaid, The Eagle ſtirreth up her neſt, and then as it is added there, She fluttereth over her young; The Preacher makes a holy noiſe in the conſcience of the Congregation, and when hee hath awakened them, by ſtirring the neſt, hee caſts ſome claps of thunder, ſome intimidations, in denouncing the judgements of God, and he flings open the gates of Heaven, that they may heare, and look up, and ſee a man ſent by God, with power to infuſe his feare upon them; So ſhe fluttereth over her young; but then, as it followes there, She ſpreadeth abroad her wings; ſhe over-ſhadowes them, ſhe enwraps them, ſhe armes them with her wings, ſo as that no other terror, no other fluttering but that which comes from her, can come upon them; The Preacher doth ſo infuſe the feare of God into his Auditory, that firſt, they ſhall feare nothing but God, and then they ſhall feare God, but ſo, as he is God; And God is Mercy; God is Love; and his Miniſter ſhall ſo ſpread his wings over his people, as to defend them from all inordinate feare, from all ſuſpition and jealouſie, from all diffidence and diſtruſt in the merciemercy of God; which is farther expreſt in that clauſe, which followes in the ſame place, She taketh them and beareth them upon her wings; when the Miniſter hath awakened his flocke by the ſtirring of the neſt, and put them in this holy feare, by this which the Holy Ghoſt cals a Fluttering; and then provided, by ſpreading his wings, that upon this feare there follow not a deſperation; then he ſets them upon the top of his beſt wings, and ſhewes them the beſt treaſure that is committed to his Stewardſhip, hee ſhewes them Heaven, and God in Heaven, ſanctifying all their croſſes in this World, inanimating all their worldly bleſſings, rayning downe his blood into their emptineſſe, and his balme into their wounds, making their bed in all their ſickneſſe, and preparing their ſeate, where he ſtands ſoliciting their cauſe, at the right hand of his Father. And ſo the Miniſter hath the wings of an Eagle, that every ſoule in the Congregation may ſee as much as hee ſees, that is, a particular intereſt in all the mercies of God, and the merits of Chriſt.
So then, theſe Miniſters of God have that double uſe of their Eagles wings; firſt, Vt volent ad eſcam, Job 9.26.(as it is in Iob) that they may flie up to receive their own food, their inſtructions at the mouth and word of God; And then, Vt ubi cadaver ſit, ibi ſtatim adſit, (as it is in Iob alſo) where the dead are,Job 39.33. they alſo may be; That where any lie, Pro mortuis, (as S. Paul ſpeaks) for dead, 1 Cor. 13.29.as good as dead, ready to die, upon their death-bed, they may be ready to aſſiſt them, and to miniſter ſpirituall Phyſick, opportunely, ſeaſonably, proportionably to their ſpirituall neceſſities; That they may powre out upon ſuch ſick ſoules, that name of Ieſus, which is Oleum effuſum, An oyle, and a balme, alwaies powring, and alwaies ſpreading it ſelfe upon all greene wounds, and upon all old ſores; That they may miniſter to one in his hot and peſtilent preſumptions, an Opiat, of Chriſts Triſtis anima, A remembrance, that even Chriſt himſelf had a ſad ſoule towards his death, and a Quare dereliquiſti, ſome apprehenſion, that God, though his God, had forſaken him. And that therefore, no man, how righteous ſoever, may preſume, or paſſe away without feare and trembling; And then, to miniſter to another, in his Lethargies, and Apoplexies, and damps, and inordinate dejections of ſpirit, Chriſts cordials, and reſtoratives, in his Clarifica me Pater, In an aſſurance, that his Father, though he have laid him downe here, whether in an inglorious fortune, or in a diſconſolate bed of ſickneſſe, will raiſe him, in his time, to everlaſting glory. So theſe Eagles are to have wings, to flie Ad cadaver, to the dead, to thoſe that are ſo dying a bodily death, and alſo, where any lie dead in the practiſe and cuſtome of ſinne, to be induſtrious and earneſt in calling them to life againe, ſo as Chriſt did Lazarus, by calling aloud; Not aloud in the eares of other men, ſo to expoſe a ſinner to ſhame, and confuſion of face, but aloud in his own eares, to put home the judgments of God, thereby to plough and harrow that ſtubborn heart, which will not be kneaded, nor otherwiſe reduced to an uprightneſſe. For theſe uſes, to raiſe themſelves to heavenly contemplations, and to make haſte to them that need their aſſiſtance, the Miniſters of God have wings; wings of great uſe; eſpecially now, when there is Coluber in via, A ſnake in every path, a Seducer in every houſe; When as the Devill is buſie, becauſe he knows his time is ſhort, ſo his inſtruments are buſie, becauſe they thinke their time is beginning againe; therefore the Miniſter of God hath wings.
And then,Sex alae. their wings are numbred in our Text; They have ſix wings. For by the conſent of moſt Expoſitors, thoſe whom S. Iohn preſents in the figure of theſe foure Creatures here,Eſa. 6.3. and thoſe whom the Prophet Eſay cals Seraphim, are the ſame perſons; The ſame Office, and the ſame Voice is attributed unto thoſe Seraphim there, as unto theſe foure Creatures here; Thoſe as well as theſe, ſpend their time in celebrating the Trinity, an in crying Holy, Holy, Holy. The Holy Ghoſt ſometimes preſents the Miniſters of the Goſpel, as Seraphim in glory, that they might be knowne to be the Miniſters and diſpenſers of the myſteries and ſecrets of God, and to come A latere, From his Councell, his Cabinet, his Boſome. And then on the other ſide, that you might know, that the diſpenſation of theſe myſteries of your ſalvation, is by the hand and means of men, taken from amongſt your ſelves, and that therefore you are not to looke for Revelations, nor Extaſies, nor Viſions, nor Tranſportations, but to reſt in Gods ordinary meanes, he brings thoſe perſons down againe from that glorious repreſentation, as the Seraphim, to creatures of an inferiour, of an earthly nature. For, though it be by the ſight, and in the quality and capacity of thoſe glorious Seraphim, that the Miniſter of God receives his commiſſion, and inſtructions, his orders, and his faculties, yet the execution of his commiſſion, and the purſuing of his inſtructions towards you, and in your behalfe, is in that nature, and in that capacity, as they have the courage of the Lyon, the laboriouſneſſe of the Oxe, the perſpicuity of the Eagle, and the affability of Man.
Theſe winged perſons then, (winged for their own ſakes, and winged for yours) theſe Miniſters of God, (thus deſigned by Eſay, as heavenly Seraphim, to procure them reverence from you, and by S. Iohn, as earthly Creatures, to teach you, how neere to your ſelves, God hath brought the meanes of your Salvation, in his viſible, and ſenſible, in his appliable, and apprehenſible Ordinances) are, in both places, (that of Eſay, and this in our Text) ſaid to have ſix wings; And ſix, to this uſe, in Eſay, with two they cover their face, with two their feete, and with two they flie. They cover their face; Not all over; for then, neither the Prophet there, nor the Euangeliſt here, could have knowne them to have had theſe likeneſſes, and theſe proportions. The Miniſters of God are not ſo covered, ſo removed from us, as that we have not meanes to know them. We know them by their face; that is, by that declaration which the Church hath given of them to us, in giving them their orders, and their power over us; and we know them by their voyce; that is, by their preaching of ſuch doctrine, as is agreeable to thoſe Articles which we have ſuckt in from our infancy. The Miniſters face is not ſo covered with theſe wings, as that the people have no meanes to know him; For his calling is manifeſt, and his doctrine is open to proofe and tryall: But they are ſaid to cover their face, becauſe they dare not looke confidently, they cannot looke fully upon the majeſty of the myſteries of God. The Euangeliſts themſelves, and they that ground their doctrine upon them, (all which together, as we have often ſaid, make up theſe foure perſons, whom Eſay cals Seraphim, and S. Iohn inferiour Creatures) have not ſeene all that belongs to the nature and eſſence of God, not all in the attributes and properties of God, not all in the decrees and purpoſes of God, no, not all in the execution of thoſe purpoſes and decrees; we do not know all that God intends to do; we do not know all that God intends in that which he hath done. Our faces are covered from having ſeene the manner of the eternall generation of the Sonne, or of the eternall proceeding of the Holy Ghoſt, or the manner of the preſence of Chriſt in the Sacrament. The Miniſters of God are ſo far open-faced towards you, as that you may know them, and try them by due meanes to be ſuch; and ſo far open-faced towards God, as that they have ſeene in him and received from him, all things neceſſary for the ſalvation of your ſoules; But yet, their faces are covered too; ſomethings concerning God, they have not ſeene themſelves, nor ſhould goe about to reveale, or teach to you.
And it is not onelyonly their faces that are covered, but their feet too. Their covered faces are eſpecially directed to God; denoting their modeſty in forbearing unrevealed myſteries: Their covered feet are eſpecially directed to you; They ſhould not be curious in ſearching into all Gods actions, nor you in ſearching into all theirs; Their waies, their actions, their lives, their converſations ſhould not be too curiouſly ſearched, too narrowly pryed into, too ſeverely interpreted by private men, as they are but ſuch, becauſe, in ſo doing, the danger and the detriment is thus far likely to fall upon your ſelves, that when the infirmities of the Miniſter, and your infirmities, that is, their faults, and your uncharitable cenſures of their faults, meet together, that may produce this ill effect, that perſonall matters may be caſt upon the miniſteriall function, and ſo the faults of a Miniſter be imputed to the Miniſtery; and by ſuch a prejudice, and conceit of one mans ill life, you may loſe the taſte and comfort of his, and perchance of others good Doctrine too. All that is covered ſhall be made manifeſt, ſayes Chriſt; You ſhall know all their faults, and you ſhal know them then, when it ſhall moſt confound them, and leaſt indanger you, when it ſhall aggravate their torment, and do you no harme; that is, at the day of Judgement. In the meane time, becauſe it might hurt you to know their faults, God hath covered their feet ſo far, as that he would not have your looking upon their feet, divert you from depending upon their mouths, as long as by his permiſſion they ſit in Moſes chaire, and execute Gods Commiſſion. If they imploy their middle wings, which were ordained for them to flie withall, if they do their duties in breaking the bread of life, and diſpenſing the Word and Sacraments, and aſſiſting the ſicke in body, and ſicke in ſoule, though God have, in part, covered their faces, that is, not imparted to them ſuch gifts, or ſuch an open ſight into deep points, as perchance you deſire, yet he hath covered their feet too; he hath for your ſakes removed their faults from your ſurvey, as you are but private men. Take the benefit of their two middle wings, their willingneſſe to aſſiſt you with their labours, and in their other foure wings, be not too curious, too cenſorious, too ſevere, either their face-wings, that is, the depth of their learning, or their feet-wings, that is, the holineſſe of their lives.
They have ſix wings to theſe ſeverall purpoſes;Singuli ſenas and ſinguli ſenas, ſayes our Text, every one of them hath ſix wings. For, for the firſt couple, the face-wings, howſoever ſome of the Miniſters of God have gifts above their fellowes, howſoever they have gained the names of Doctores Seraphici, and Doctores illuminati, (with which titles they abound in the Roman Church) yet their faces are in part covered, they muſt not think they ſee all, underſtand all; The learnedſt of all hath defects, even in matter of learning. And for the ſecond couple, the feet-wings, howſoever ſome may make ſhift for the reputation of being more pure, more ſanctified then their fellowes, yet the beſt of them all need a covering for their feet too; All their ſteps, all their actions will not endure examination. But for the laſt couple, however there may be ſome intimation given of a great degree of perfection in matter of knowledge, and in matter of manners, (for in thoſe creatures which are mentioned in the firſt of Ezek. (which alſo ſignifie the Miniſters of God) there are but foure wings ſpoken of, ſo that there are no face-wings, they have an abundant meaſure of learning and knowledge, And the Cherubim (which may alſo ſignifie the ſame perſons) have but two wings, no covering upon face or feet; to denote, that ſome may be without any remarkable exception in their doctrine, and in their manners too) yet for the laſt couple, the two middle wings, by which they fly, and addreſſe themſelves to every particular ſoule that needs their ſpirituall aſſiſtance, the Miniſters of God are never in any figure but repreſented. Better they wanted face-wings, and feet-wings, (diſcretion to cover either their inſufficiency in knowledge, or their infirmity in manners) then that they ſhould want their middle-wings, that is, a diſpoſition to apply themſelves to their flock, and to be alwayes ready to diſtribute the promiſes of God, and the ſeals of his promiſes, the Word and Sacraments, amongſt them. And this may be conveniently intended in their wings.
Now as they were Alati, Oculi.they were Oculati in our Text; They have eyes as well as wings; They fly, but they know whither they fly. In the doctrine of Implicite Obedience in the Roman Church, To beleeve as the Church beleeves, or as that Confeſſor which underſtands not what the Church beleeves, makes you beleeve the Church beleeves, In their doctrine of that which they call Blind Obedience, that is, to purſue and execute any commandement of any ſuperiour, without any conſideration; In both theſe there are wings enow, but there are no eyes: They fly from hence to Rome, and Roman Juriſdictions, and they fly over hither againe, after Statutes, after Proclamations, after Baniſhments iterated upon them; So that here are wings enow, but they lack thoſe eyes by which they ſhould diſcerne betweene Religion and Rebellion, betweene a Traytor and a Martyr. And to take our conſideration from them, and reflect upon our ſelves, They that fly high at matter of myſterie, and leave out matter of edification, They that fly over Sea for plat-formes of diſcipline, and leave out that Church that bred them, They that fly cloſe to the ſervice of great mens affections and purpoſes, and doe the work of God coldly, and faintly, They may be Alati, but they are not Oculati, They may fly high, and fly faſt, and fly far, and fly cloſe in the wayes of preferment, but they ſee not their end; Not onelyonly not the end that they ſhall come to, but not the end that they are put upon; not onelyonly not their owne ends, but not their ends whoſe inſtruments they are. Thoſe birds whoſe eyes are cieled, and ſowed up, fly higheſt; but they are made a prey: God expoſes not his ſervants to ſuch dangers; He gives them wings, that is, meanes to doe their office; but eyes too, that is, diſcretion and religious wiſdome how to doe it.
And this is that which they ſeeme to need moſt,Pleni. for their wings are limited, but their eyes are not; Six wings, but full of eies, ſayes our Text. They muſt have eyes in their tongues; They muſt ſee, that they apply not blindly and inconſiderately Gods gracious promiſes to the preſumptuous, nor his heavy judgements to the broken hearted. They muſt have eyes in their eares; They muſt ſee that they harken neither to a ſuperſtitious ſenſe from Rome, nor to a ſeditious ſenſe of Scriptures from the Separation. They muſt have eyes in their hands; They muſt ſee that they touch not upon any ſuch benefits or rewards, as might bind them to any other maſter then to God himſelfe. They muſt have eyes in their eyes; ſpirituall eyes in their bodily eyes; They muſt ſee that they make a charitable conſtruction of ſuch things as they ſee other men do, and this is that fulneſſe of eyes which our Text ſpeaks of.
But then eſpecially,Intus. ſayes our Text, They were full of eyes Within: The fulneſſe, the abundance of eyes, that is, of providence and diſcretion in the Miniſters of God, was intimated before: In the 6. verſe it was ſaid, That they were full of eyes before and behind: that is, circumſpect and provident for all that were about them, and committed to them. But all is determined and ſummed up in this, that They were full of eyes within. For as there is no profit at all (none to me, none to God) if I get all the world and loſe mine own ſoul, ſo there is no profit to me, if I win other mens ſoules to God, and loſe mine owne. All my wings ſhall doe me no good, all mine eyes before and behind ſhall doe me no good, if I have no proſpect inward, no eyes within, no care of my particular and perſonall ſafety.
And ſo we have done with our firſt generall part, the Perſons denoted in theſe foure creatures, and the duties of their miniſtery; in which we have therefore inſiſted thus long, that having ſo declared and notified to you our duties, you alſo might be the more willing to heare of your owne duties, as well as ours, and to joyne with us in this Open, and Inceſſant, and Totall profeſſion of your Religion, which is the celebration of the Trinity in this acclamation, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which is, which was, and which is to come.
To come therefore now to the ſecond Part,2 Part. and taking the foure Euangeliſts to be principally intended here, but ſecundarily the Preachers of the Goſpel too, and not onelyonly they, but in a faire extenſion and accommodation the whole Church of God, firſt we noted their Ingenuitie and openneſſe in the profeſſion of their Religion, they did it Dicentes, Saying, declaring, publiſhing, manifeſting their devotion, without any diſguiſe, any modification.
In that ſong of the three Children in the Fornace,Dicentes. O all ye works of the Lord, &c. there is nothing preſented ſpeechleſſe: To every thing that is there, there is given a tongue; Not onelyonly all thoſe creatures which have all a Beeing, but even Privations, Privations that have no Beeing, that are nothing in themſelves, (as the Night, and Darkneſſe) are there called upon to bleſſe the Lord, to praiſe him, and magnifie him for ever. But towards the end of that ſong, you may ſee that ſervice drawne into a narrower compaſſe; You may ſee to whom this ſpeech, and declaration doth principally appertaine; For after he had called upon Sun, and Moone, and Earth, and Sea, and Fowles, and Fiſhes, and Plants, and Night, and Darkneſſe, to praiſe the Lord, to bleſſe him, and magnifie him for ever, Then he comes to O ye children of men, Primogeniti Dei, Gods beloved creatures, his eldeſt ſons, and firſt-borne, in his intention; And then, Domus Iſrael, O ye houſe of Iſrael, you whom God hath not onelyonly made men, but Chriſtian men, not onelyonly planted in the World, but in the Church, not onelyonly indued with Reaſon, but inſpired with Religion: And then again, O ye Prieſts of the Lord, O ye Servants of the Lord, thoſe of Gods portion, not onelyonly in the Church, but of the Church, and appointed by him to deale between him and other men: And then alſo, O ye ſpirits and ſoules of the righteous, thoſe whom thoſe inſtruments of God had powerfully and effectually wrought upon, upon thoſe eſpecially, thoſe men, thoſe Chriſtian men, thoſe Prieſts, thoſe ſanctified men, upon thoſe he calls to bleſſe the Lord, to praiſe him, and magnifie him for ever. This obligation the holy Ghoſt laies upon us all, that the more God does for us, the more we ſhould declare it to other men; God would have us tell him our ſins; God would have us tell other men his mercies; It was no excuſe for Moſes that he was of uncircumciſed lips; Exod. 5.12. Ier. 1.6.No excuſe for Ieremy, to ſay, O Lord God, behold I cannot ſpeak, for I am a child. Credidi, propterea locutus ſum, is Davids forme of argument, I beleeved, and therefore I ſpake. If thou doſt not love to ſpeak of God, and of his benefits, thou doſt not beleeve in God, nor that thoſe benefits came from him.
Remember that when thou waſt a child, and preſented to God in Baptiſme, God gave thee a tongue in other mens mouthes, and inabled thee, by them, to eſtabliſh a covenant, a contract between thy ſoule, and him then. And therefore ſince God ſpake to thee, when thou couldſt not heare him, in the faith of the Church; ſince God heard thee when thou couldſt not ſpeak to him, in the mouth of thy ſureties; Since that God that created thee was Verbum, The Word, (for, Dixit, & facta ſunt, God ſpake, and all things were made) Since that God that redeemed thee was Verbum, The Word, (for The Word was made fleſh) Since that God that ſanctified thee is Verbum, The Word, (for therefore S. Baſil calls the holy Ghoſt Verbum Dei, quia interpres Filii, He calls the holy Ghoſt the Word of God, becauſe as the Son is the Word, becauſe he manifeſts the Father unto us, ſo the holy Ghoſt is the Word, becauſe he manifeſts the Son unto us, and enables us to apprehend, and apply to our ſelves, the promiſes of God in him) ſince God, in all the three Perſons, is Verbum, The Word to thee, all of them working upon thee, by ſpeaking to thee, Be thou Verbum too, A Word, as God was; A Speaking, and a Doing Word, to his glory, and the edification of others. If the Lord open thy lips, (and except the Lord open them, it were better they were luted with the clay of the grave) let it be to ſhew forth his praiſe, and not in blaſphemous, not in ſcurrile, not in prophane language. If the Lord open thy hand, (and if the Lord open it not, better it were manacled with thy winding ſheet) let it be, as well to diſtribute his bleſſings, as to receive them. Let thy mouth, let thy hand, let all the Organs of thy body, all the faculties of thy ſoule, concurre in the performance of this duty, intimated here, and required of all Gods Saints, Vt dicant, That they ſpeak, utter, declare, publiſh the glory of God. For this is that Ingenuity, that Alacrity, which conſtitutes our firſt Branch. And then the ſecond is the Aſſiduity, the conſtancy, the inceſſantneſſe, They reſt not day nor night.
But have the Saints of God no Vacation?Aſsiduitas. doe they never ceaſe? nay, as the word imports, Requiem non habent, They have no Reſt. Beloved, God himſelfe reſted not, till the ſeventh day; be thou content to ſtay for thy Sabbath, till thou maiſt have an eternall one. If we underſtand this, of reſt meerly, of bodily reſt, the Saints of God are leaſt likely to have it, in this life; For, this life, is (to them eſpecially, above others) a buſineſſe, and a perplext buſineſſe, a warfare, and a bloody warfare, a voyage, and a tempeſtuous voyage. If we underſtand this reſt to be Ceſſation, Intermiſſion, the Saints in heaven have none of that, in this ſervice. It is a labour that never wearies, to ſerve God there. As the Sun is no wearier now, then when he firſt ſet out, ſix thouſand yeares ſince; As that Angel, which God hath given to protect thee, is not weary of his office, for all thy perverſeneſſes, ſo, howſoever God deale with thee, be not thou weary of bearing thy part, in his Quire here in the Militant Church. God will have low voyces, as well as high; God will be glorified De profundis, as well as In excelſis; God will have his tribute of praiſe, out of our adverſity, as well as out of our proſperity. And that is it which is intimated, and eſpecially intended in the phraſe which followes, Day and night. For, it is not onelyonly that thoſe Saints of God who have their Heaven upon earth, doe praiſe him in the night; according to that of S. Ierome, Sanctis ipſe ſomnus, oratio; and that of S. Baſil, Etiam ſomnia Sanctorum preces ſunt; That holy men doe praiſe God, and pray to God in their ſleep, and in their dreames; nor only that which David ſpeaks of, of riſing in the night, and fixing ſtationary houres for prayer; But even in the depth of any ſpirituall night, in the ſhadow of death, in the midnight of afflictions and tribulations, God brings light out of darkneſſe, and gives his Saints occaſion of glorifying him, not only in the dark, (though it be dark) but from the dark, (becauſe it is dark.) This is a way unconceiveable by any, unexpreſſible to any, but thoſe that have felt that manner of Gods proceeding in themſelves, That be the night what night it will, be the oppreſſion of what Extention, or of what Duration it can, all this retards not their zeal to Gods ſervice; Nay, they ſee God better in the dark, then they did in the light; Their tribulation hath brought them to a nearer diſtance to God, and God to a clearer manifeſtation to them. And ſo, to their Ingenuity, that they profeſſe God, and their Religion openly, is added an Aſſiduity, that they do it inceſſantly; And then alſo, an Integrity, a Totality, that they doe not depart with, nor modifie in any Article of their Religion; which is intirely, and totally enwrapt in this acclamation of the Trinity, (which is our third, and laſt Branch in this laſt Part) Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
For the Trinity it ſelf,Trinitas. it is Lux, but Lux inacceſsibilis; It is light, for a child at Baptiſme profeſſes to ſee it; but then, it is ſo inacceſſible a light, as that if we will make naturall reaſon our Medium, Pſal. 18.11.to diſcerne it by, it will fall within that of David, Poſuit tenebras latibulum ſuum, God hath made darkneſſe his ſecret places; God, as God, will be ſeen in the creature; There, in the creature he is light; light acceſſible to our reaſon; but God, in the Trinity, is open to no other light, then the light of faith. To make repreſentations of men, or of other creatures, we finde two wayes; Statuaries have one way, and Painters have another: Statuaries doe it by Subſtraction; They take away, they pare off ſome parts of that ſtone, or that timber, which they work upon, and then that which they leave, becomes like that man, whom they would repreſent: Painters doe it by Addition; Whereas the cloth, or table preſented nothing before, they adde colours, and lights, and ſhadowes, and ſo there ariſes a repreſentation. Sometimes we repreſent God by Subſtraction, by Negation, by ſaying, God is that, which is not mortall, not paſſible, not moveable: Sometimes we preſent him by Addition; by adding our bodily lineaments to him, and ſaying, that God hath hands, and feet, and eares, and eyes; and adding our affections, and paſſions to him, and ſaying, that God is glad, or ſorry, angry, or reconciled, as we are. Some ſuch things may be done towards the repreſenting of God, as God; But towards the expreſſing of the diſtinction of the Perſons in the Trinity, nothing.
Then when Abraham went up to the great ſacrifice of his ſon, he left his ſervants,Gen. 22.5. and his Aſſe below: Though our naturall reaſon, and humane Arts, ſerve to carry us to the hill, to the entrance of the myſteries of Religion, yet to poſſeſſe us of the hill it ſelfe, and to come to ſuch a knowledge of the myſteries of Religion, as muſt ſave us, we muſt leave our naturall reaſon, and humane Arts at the bottome of the hill, and climb up only by the light, and ſtrength of faith. Dimitte me quia luceſcit, Gen. 32.26.ſayes that Angel that wraſtled with Iacob; Let me go, for it growes light. If thou think to ſee me by day-light, ſayes that Angel, thou wilt be deceived; If we think to ſee this myſtery of the Trinity, by the light of reaſon, Dimittemus, we ſhall loſe that hold which we had before, our naturall faculties, our reaſon will be perplext, and infeebled, and our ſupernaturall, our faith not ſtrengthened that way.
Thoſe teſtimonies, and proofes of the Trinity, which are in the old Teſtament, are many, and powerfull in their direct line; But they are truly, for the moſt part, of that nature, as that they are rather Illuſtrations, and Confirmations to him that believed the Trinity before, then Arguments of themſelves, able to convince him that hath no ſuch Preconception. We that have been catechized, and brought up in the knowledge of the Trinity, finde much ſtrength, and much comfort, in that we finde, in the firſt line of the Bible, that Bara Elohim, Creavit Dii, Gods created heaven and earth; In this, that there is the name of God in the plurall, joyned to a Verb of the ſingular number, we apprehend an intimation of divers perſons in one God; We that believe the Trinity before, finde this, in that phraſe, and form of ſpeech; The Jews, which believe not the Trinity, find no ſuch thing. So when we finde that plurall phraſe, Faciamus hominem, That God ſayes, Let us, us in the plurall, make man, we are glad to finde ſuch a plurall manner of expreſſing God, by the Holy Ghoſt, as may concurre with that, which we believed before; that is, divers perſons in one God. To the ſame purpoſe alſo is that of the Prophet Eſay, where God ſayes,Eſay 6.8. Whom ſhall I ſend, or who ſhall goe for us? There we diſcerne a ſingularity, one God, (Whom ſhall I ſend?) and a plurality of perſons too, (Who ſhal go for us?) But what man, that had not been catachized in that Doctrine before, would have conceived an opinion, or eſtabliſhed a faith in the Trinity, upon thoſe phraſes in Moſes, or in Eſay, without other evidence? Certainly, it was the Divine purpoſe of God, to reſerve and keep this myſtery of the Trinity, unrevealed for a long time, even from thoſe, who were, generally, to have their light, and inſtruction from his word; They had the Law, and the Prophets, and yet they had no very clear notions of the Trinity. For, this is evident, that in Triſmegiſtus, and in Zoroaſter, and in Plato, and ſome other Authors of that Ayre, there ſeeme to be clearer, and more literall expreſſings of the Trinity, then are in all the Prophets of the old Teſtament. We take the reaſon to be, that God reſerved the full Manifeſtation of this myſtery, for the dignifying, and glorifying of his Goſpel. And therefore it is enough that we know, that they of the old Teſtament, were ſaved by the ſame faith in the Trinity, that we are; How God wrought that faith in them, amongſt whom he had eſtabliſhed no outward meanes for the imprinting of ſuch a faith, let us not too curiouſly inquire. Let us be content, to receive our light there, where God hath been pleaſed to give it; that is, in thoſe places of the new Teſtament, which admit no contradiction, nor diſputation. As where Chriſt ſaies,Mat. 28.19. Goe, and teach all Nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt. And where it is ſaid, There are three that beare witneſſe in heaven; The Father, 1 Iohn 5.7.the Word, and the Holy Ghoſt; and theſe three are one. There are Obumbrations of the Trinity, in Nature, and Illuſtrations of the Trinity, in the old Teſtament; but the Declaration, the Manifeſtation thereof, was reſerved for the Goſpel.
Now, this place, this Text, is in both, It is in the old, and it is in the new Teſtament; here, and in Eſay; And in both places, agreed by all Expoſitors, to be a confeſſion of the Trinity, in that three-fold repetition, Holy, holy, holy. Where (by the way) you may have uſe of this note; that in the firſt place, (in the Prophet Eſay) we have a faire intimation, that that uſe of Subalternation in the ſervice of God, of that, which we have called Antiphones, and Reſponſaries in the Church of God, (when in that ſervice, ſome things are ſaid or ſung by one ſide of the Congregation, and then anſwered by the other, or ſaid by one man, and then anſwered by the whole Congregation) that this manner of ſerving God, hath a pattern from the practiſe of the Triumphant Church. For there, the Seraphim cryed to one another, or (as it is in the Originall) this Seraphim to this, Holy, Holy, Holy; ſo that there was a voice given, and an anſwer made, and a reply returned in this ſervice of God. And as the patterne is in the Triumphant Church for this holy manner of praiſing God, ſo in the practiſe therof, the Militant preſcribes; for it hath been alwaies in uſe. And therefore, that religious vehemence of Damaſcen, (ſpeaking of this kind of ſervice in the Church in his time) may be allowed us, Hymnum dicemus, etſi Daemones diſrumpantur; How much ſoever it anger the devil, or his deviliſh inſtruments of ſchiſme and ſedition, we wil ſerve God in this manner, with holy cheerefulneſs, with muſique, with Antiphones, with Reſponſaries, of which we have the patterne from the Triumphant, and the practiſe from the Primitive Church.
Now as this Totality, and Integrity of their Religion which they profeſſe, firſt, with an Ingenuity (openly) & then, with an Aſſiduity, (inceſſantly) hath (as it were) this dilatation, this extention of God into three Perſons, (which is the character and ſpecification of the Chriſtian Religion; for no Religion, but the Chriſtian, ever inclined to a plurality of Perſons in one God) ſo hath it alſo ſuch a contracting of this infinite Power into that one God, as could not agree with any other Religion then the Chriſtian, in either of thoſe two eſſentiall circumſtances; firſt, that that God ſhould be Omnipotent, and then, that he ſhould be Eternall; The Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
All the Heathen gods were ever ſubordinate to one another;Omnipotens. That which one god could not, or would not do, another would, and could; And this oftentimes, rather to anger another god, then to pleaſe the party. And then there was a Surveyor, a Controller over them all, which none of them could reſiſt, nor intreat, which was their Fatum, their Deſtiny. And ſo, in theſe ſubſidiary gods, theſe occaſional gods, there could be no Omnipotence, no Almightineſſe. Our God is ſo Omnipotent, Almighty ſo, as that his Power hath no limitation but his owne Will.Tertul. Nihil impoſsibile niſi quod non vult, He can do whatſoever he will do; And he can do more then that; For he could have raiſed ſons to Abraham, out of ſtones in the ſtreet.
And as their gods were not Omnipotent,Aeternus. ſo neither were they Eternall. They knew the hiſtory, the generation, the pedegree of all their gods; They knew where they were born, and where they went to ſchoole, (as Iuſtin Martyr ſayes, that Eſculapius, and Apollo their gods of Phyſick, learnt their Phyſick of Chiron; ſo that the Scholars were gods, and their Maſters none) and they knew where their gods were buried; They knew their Parents, and their Uncles, their Wives and their Children, yea their Baſtards, and their Concubines; ſo far were they from being eternall gods; But if we remit and ſlacken this conſideration of Eternity (which is never to have had beginning) & conſider only Perpetuity (which is never to have end) theſe gods were not capable of a perpetuall Honour, an Honour that ſhould never end. For, we ſee that of thoſe three hundred ſeveral Iupiters, which were worſhiped in the World, before Chriſt came, though the World abound at this day with Idolatry, yet there is not one of thoſe Idols, not one of thoſe three hundred Iupiters celebrated with any ſolemnity, no, not knowne in any obſcure corner of the World. They were mortall before they were Gods; They are dead in their Perſons: and they were mortall when they were Gods; They are dead in their Worſhip. In reſpect of Eternity (which is neceſſary in a God) Perpetuity is but Mobilis Imago (as Plato cals it) a faint and tranſitory ſhadow of Eternity; and Pindarus makes it leſſe; Idolum Aeternitatis; Perpetuity is but an Idol compared to eternity; And, an Idol is nothing, ſayes the Apoſtle. Our ſoules have a bleſſed perpetuity, our ſoules ſhall no more ſee an end, then God, that hath no Beginning; and yet our ſoules are very far from being eternal. But thoſe gods are ſo far from being eternall, as that, conſidered as Gods (that is, celebrated with Divine worſhip) they are not perpetual.Pſal. 48.14. Pſal 102.11. But God is our God for ever and ever; ever, without beginning; and ever, without end. My dayes are like a ſhadow that fadeth, and I am withered like graſſe; but thou O Lord doſt remaine for ever, and thy remembrance from generation to generation; It is a remaining, and it is a remembrance; which words denote a former being. So that God, our God, and onelyonly he, is eternall.
To conclude all, with that which muſt be the concluſion of all at laſt, this Eternity of our God is expreſſed here in a phraſe which deſignes and preſents the laſt Judgement, that is, which was, and is, and is to come. For, though it be Qui fuit, Which was, and Qui eſt, Which is, yet it is not Qui futurus, Which is to be; but Qui venturus, Which is to come; that is, to come to Judgement; as it is in divers other places of this Book, Qui venturus, Which is to come. For, though the laſt judiciary Power, the finall Judgement of the World, be to be executed by Chriſt, as he is the Son of Man, viſibly, apparantly in that nature, yet Chriſt is therein as a Delegate of the Trinity; It is in the vertue and power of that Commiſſion, Data eſt mihi omnis poteſtas; He hath all Power, but that Power that he hath as the Son of man, is given him. For, as the Creation of the World was, ſo the Judgement of the World ſhal be the Act of the whole Trinity. For if we conſider the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, in both his Natures, as he redeemed us, God and Man, ſo it cannot be ſaid of him, that He was; that is, that he was eternally; for there was a time, when that God, was not that man; when that Perſon, Chriſt, was not conſtituted. And therefore this word, in our Text, which was, (which is alſo true of the reſt) is not appropriated to Chriſt, but intended of the whole Trinity. So that it is the whole Trinity that is to come, To come to Judgement.
And therefore, let us reverently embrace ſuch proviſions, and ſuch aſſiſtances as the Church of God hath ordained, for retaining and celebrating the Trinity, in this particular contemplation, as they are to come to Judgement. And let us at leaſt provide ſo far, to ſtand upright in that Judgement, as not to deny, nor to diſpute the Power, or the Perſons of thoſe Judges. A man may make a pety larceny high treaſon ſo; If being called in queſtion for that leſſer offence, he will deny that there is any ſuch Power, any ſuch Soveraigne, any ſuch King, as can call him in queſtion for it, he may turne his whipping into a quartering. At that laſt Judgement, we ſhall be arraigned for not cloathing, not viſiting, not harbouring the poore; For, our not giving is a taking away; our withholding, is a withdrawing; our keeping to our ſelves, is a ſtealing from them. But yet, all this is but a pety larceny, in reſpect of that high treaſon, of infidelity, of denying or doubting of the diſtinct Perſons of the holy, bleſſed, and glorious Trinity. To beleeve in God, one great, one univerſall, one infinite power, does but diſtinguiſh us from beaſts; For there are no men that do not acknowledge ſuch a Power, or that do not believe in it, if they acknowledge it; Even they that acknowledge the devill to be God, beleeve in the devill. But that which diſtinguiſhes man from man, that which onelyonly makes his Immortality a bleſſing, (for, even Immortality is part of their damnation that are damned, becauſe it were an eaſe, it were a kind of pardon to them to be mortall, to be capable of death, though after millions of generations) is, to conceive aright of the Power of the Father, of the Wiſdome of the Son, of the Goodneſſe of the Holy Ghoſt; Of the MercieMercy of the Father, of the Merits of the Son, of the Application of the Holy Ghoſt; Of the Creation of the Father, of the Redemption of the Son, of the Sanctification of the Holy Ghoſt. Without this, all notions of God are but confuſed, all worſhip of God is but Idolatry, all confeſſion of God is but Atheiſme; For ſo the Apoſtle argues, When you were without Chriſt, you were without God. Without this, all morall vertues are but diſeaſes; Liberality is but a popular baite, and not a benefit, not an almes; Chaſtity is but a caſtration, and an impotency, not a temperance, not mortification; Active valour is but a fury, whatſoever we do, and paſſive valour is but a ſtupidity, whatſoever we ſuffer. Naturall apprehenſions of God, though thoſe naturall apprehenſions may have much ſubtilty, Voluntary elections of a Religion, though thoſe voluntary elections may have much ſingularity, Morall directions for life, though thoſe morall directions may have much ſeverity, are all frivolous and loſt, if all determine not in Chriſtianity, in the Notion of God, ſo as God hath manifeſted and conveyed himſelf to us; in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt, whom this day we celebrate, in the Ingenuity, and in the Aſſiduity, and in the Totality, recommended in this text, and in this acclamation of the text, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.