THE CHRISTIAN SACRIFICE By James Barker of Whethampstead P: Pro: 23: 26: My son give me thine heart, Sacrificium dei cor contritum ct concussum. engraved title page featuring two bearded men or prophets gazing upward toward a sun with the Hebrew tetragrammaton or 'Yahweh' at its centre, and another man with a crown and royal robes gazing upward toward a flaming heart יהוה LONDON printed for Humphrey Blunden near the Rroyall Exchange in Corn hill 1630 To the Right Worshipful, Sir John Garrard, Baronet; The blessings of this life, and that which is to come. SIR, THe end of man's creation was the service and worship of his maker; this (after the fall) began first in Sacrifice, whether by man's election or God's ordination is not revealed: certain it is, not without God's approbation and gracious acceptation; for in the universal deluge, when an end of all flesh was come before him: he made provision for his service by Sacrifice, in giving order to Noah to take into the Ark of every clean beast by sevens. Gen. 7. 2. This manner of service the light of natural reason did teach the Gentiles, and Gods own blessed ordinance continued amongst the Jews, which did serve them as it did others, not only as a testimony of their obedience to God, and dependence on him but (God so appointing) as a Type of that most perfect Sacrifice to be offered by Christ on the Cross: this once offered, at the last put an end to all that went before, and in this one they all expired, all Levitical Sacrifices, but other sacrifices there are, and these the Gospel still retains, there in the law, and here in the Gospel, oblations in * Oblationes enim illic, oblationes autem & hic Iraen. advers. haeres. Vali. l. 4. c. 34. p. 429. both: amongst the people of the Jews, & in the Church of Christ, sacrifices in both: they and we, the Jew and the Christian agree in this, that God will have Sacrifice; those holy offices of piety to God and charity to man, are termed Sacrifices, so that I shall not fear to say there is a Christian Sacrifice; and yet of this of Christians (as of that of Jews) how quickly God grows weary, if the Heart be wanting. The heart is the salt that seasoneth, and the incense that perfumeth the sacrifice; & makes it an odour of a sweet smell, acceptable and pleasant unto God: and that our Religious service may be a Christian Sacrifice: there must concur with an holy action, a devout affection; for admit a strict and precise observation of all circumstances in the action, if there be a fail in this, the labour is but lost in that: this is chief accepted of God, that serving to make a way of discovery for man: and for man's sake, God takes no notice of this without that; dissembling his knowledge of the inmost intentions of the heart, & seeming not to know what it is impossible he should be ignorant of: until by some outward expressions, it be made known unto man. It is not then the inward affection only that (in the Heart) God calls for; as if he excluded the outward action, but the affectionate action, to do what is to be done hearty: what is to be done, I say! for it is not left arbitrary to the heart, to choose what shall be done, or left undone, admitted or omitted: but the action determined, in the well-managing thereof, is required the sincere intention, and dearest affectió of the heart: respecting also the ground as well as the end: either of which neglected in a duty of Religion: makes it an effect of heady zeal, not heedy obedience, for obedie is a Relative: and ever refers to some precept, Canon, Rule, decree, constitution or injunction: conformity, or at least submission whereunto; is that we term obedience, and obedience is better than sacrifice, or it is the best sacrifice; for he that obeyeth, makes a sacrifice of his own heart, and a man's heart is himself * Per obedientiam voluntas propria mactatur. Greg. in ult. mor. Aq. 2. 2. Q. 104. ar. 3. resp. this is the Christian Sacrifice, the project of the ensuing discourse: which I have adventred to expose to the view of this censorious age: where I must not think to speed better; then better than myself have done before me: from the learned I cannot expect that any work of mine should merit praise: yet doubt not, but at their hands I shall find or pity or pardon: of others, I shallbe censured as every man stands affected; but I pass not of their censures: so long as in conscience of obedience to God, I strive in my calling to edify his holy Church: this is my prime aim: And next to this is to tender unto you some token of thankfulness for your many favours, qui beneficia invenit compedes invenit, benefits are of a binding nature, and a kindness received obliges an ingenious nature to requital; but where it exceeds requital, the obliged must not come short of acknowledgement, & a verbal acknowledgement is a poor return for a real kindness: 'tis all we scholars can, our wealth is in words., and words are swift, no sooner loosed from the tongue, but lost by the ear; they may touch on the fancy by the way, but vanish before they recover the understanding: here then the pen must assist the tongue, and words once spoken, after written, and published to the more deliberate view of the eye: remain as monuments in the mind; where they admit a review, until the judictous be fully informed. And herein the disadvantage is mine, in stepping from the pulpit, to the press; for faults which in transitu, are not espied: at gaze are easily discerned; yet here again is my hope, to meet, as with indulgent ears, so with favourable aspects: and then patience and connivance will salve all defects, and so mine infirmities will be either not seen, or not censured: Besides I may say with the Orator, causa ago deorum, I speak in God's cause, not mine own: and so in his name (whose cause I undertake) may challenge acceptance. And thus much I dare boldly say, I have not by wilful neglect betrayed the cause in hand; but have studied omnem movere lapidem; and to follow Solomon so far as my wits would serve, in his plea for God: which howsoever some do take (which do usually mistake what they do not understand) I am confident of your acceptance, whom I know so far a friend to Learning, and lover of Religion, that what so relishes of either, finds kind entertainment with you. Go on, Noble Sir, and season the flower of your years with the timely fruits of grace and virtue. You want not encouragements in the way of goodness, nor need you to look further than your own house: even to him, that immediately went before you (your deceased * Sir John Garrard, Knight & Baronet bequeathed by his last will to the poor of the parish of Whethamstead 20. l. per annum for ever. Father) who made you the executor of a large legacy to the poor. And left you the heir of a fair estate in Lands and Houses: and that which is the chiefest ornament of your mansion house, a most beautiful Chapel, a continual and visible memento, to put you in mind of your daily duty to the God of heaven. And let it not be thought presumption in me, that to these I have added this as a help to your Devotion, and to this mine uncessant prayers for the prospering of your good beginnings: And for the welfare and everlasting happiness of yourself, your virtuous good Lady and whole family; shall never be wanting, the hearty desires of Your Worships in the service of CHRIST sincerely devoted, JAMES BARKER. THE CHRISTIAN SACRIFICE. PROVERBS 23. 26. My Son give me thine heart. THe text is brief, the words few, but full, * Stilo brevis doctrina uberior, &c Sal. in Ep. Euch. episscopo. for many words need not amongst friends: friends in that near Relation, as Father and Son: the title of Father imports Pauca sunt quae mandat sed salutaria etc. Tim. ad ecclesiam cath. Authority, the name of Son Obedience: and where there is Authority and Veleitie, Power to command, and will to Obey, it is but command and it is done: but this is an entreaty, no command: and it cannot be, that a father (who hath power to command) should entreat a Son, and be said nay: this is the easiest request that can be made [My Son give me thine heart] and yet the hardest suit, that can be granted, for he that gives his Heart, gives himself, and all he * Aq. prima secundae. q. 17. art. 9 arg. 1. Idem prima secundae q. 38. art. 5. resp. 3. hath. And now whilst God calls for the heart, let me entreat the ear (your patience and attention) that what I shall speak, passing from the ear to the heart, may set it in a right temper to God-ward, may fit and dispose it for such a sacrifice as God accepteth: all other Sacrifices without Non 'bove mactato Caelestia numin a gaudent. Ovid. Ep. 19 this are in vain, there is none God's delight, but the heart, that he craves; My son give me thine Heart. The words are salomon's, and Solomon here speaks, not in his own name, but in Gods: God by him calls us sons: and he for God requires our Hearts: It is God, that confers the Dignity, and God that requires the Duty: and he doth it in the sweetest terms of Relation, he comes in love, and speaks in the language of a Father. My son give me thine heart. My Son, saith God, and in saying so, he teacheth us what we should say: for God in suing to us, calling us, his Sons, teacheth us, in praying to him, to call him Our Father: and this should serve as a common Rule to all: that none, in any case, dare to approach into God's presence, or mention him, without the Addition of his just Titles. Reverence, and Humility, best pleases him, and becomes us: In some cases he admits Boldness, in any case detestes Rudeness: at the least aford him what he vouchsafeth us, titles of Respect; seeing we are taught to call him, Our Father, because he calleth us, his sons. My son, saith God, here is his Interest, Give me thy heart, there is his Request: And hard it were, that a father should not speed, when he entreats his Son, whatsoever his suit be: the Request is reasonable, and unreasonable, yea more, unnatural were that Son, to deny that Father any thing, to whom he owes all: Indeed he were too facile, that would entrust his Heart with every one: It uses not to be communicated; appropriated for the most part, to some one, or two, and those dearest friends: for careful a man is, to whom he imparts his heart: but from a Father (such a one as God) nothing should be withheld that he would have, thou must render up when he requests: My Son give me thine heart. This is God's suit to Man, and he prefers his suit by way of Petition, and to the Petition he adds a Preface. The Preface is a gentle compellation, My son: the Tenor of the Petition, Give me thine heart. And yet, to call this a Petition is not so kindly a Term: a Father to petition his Son: Is it not a Precept rather: jubet non orat pater, the style of a father, is Imperative, not optative, and the Father that speaks here is in the same mood Bids, but Beseeches too. The law, that was imperative only, presented God unto us, as a Lord, the Gospel is more mild & gentle, & reveals him as a father; & when our Lord became our Father, than was the rigour turned into Love, and in love there is a majesty, as well as sweetness, which not only allures, but awes us: If still therefore we call this a Petition, it derogates nothing from God's Authority; his Petition hath the force of a precept, and acquaints us with our duty as well as his desire; call it then still a Petition, or what else you will please to call it, you shall find it hath a double aspect, to God, and to Man. As it Relates to God, it points out his love, and Authority. His Love, in owning us, for his Sons. His Authority, in vouchsafing to become Our Father. As it Relates to man, it points out his Dignity, his Duty. His Dignity, to be the Son of God. His Duty, to do what becomes God's Son. His Love hath exalted us to the dignity of Sons. His Authority calls for the Duty of Sons. And no share shall we have in the Dignity, except we perform the Duty; our Duty it is, to give God our hearts: and then he will give us the Dignity to become his Sons. First, My Son, It had not been much to be called Son, had not God vouchsafed to become the Father: Son is but an usual and ordinary compliment of a superior to his inferior, Son saith Abraham to Dives in Hell: But My Son! comes from the bowels of a Father, and a title of great Dignity it is, when God speaks it. My Son, saith God, and in saying so, he expresses his love, and commends our Dignity: Saint John would have all to note this, and therefore marks it out with an Ecce. 1. John 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. It is his love, his free and unmerited love, that hath thus exalted us; It is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes, marvellous indeed, for a wretched man to become God's son: had it been My servant, it had been honour enough for man; the greatest Saints were ambitious of no greater title, there is Abraham his Servant, and Moses his Servant; Psal. 105. and David in the 116. Psalm ingeminates the title, as if he were delighted with it, and took pleasure to repeat it; O Lord (saith he) truly I am thy servant, thy servant, and the Son of thine handmaid: nay the blessed Virgin, who had the honour to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God: yet her humility looks no higher than a servant, ecce * Luk. 1. 38. ancilla domini, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, nay more yet, he that was Lord of all became a servant, So by Gods own compellation, Esay. 53. 11. So by his own profession. 4. Matth. 20. 28. and no more in the world's estimation, Philip. 2. 7. enough it is for any man, to be reckoned amongst these worthies, to be of God's family, in any Relation: but God thinks it not enough for his Love: It is not therefore, My servant, but My Son. We, that were unworthy to be accounted servants, he hath advanced to the honour of Sons. Not My Servant therefore, but My Son. Nay, not my friend! this privilege had Abraham, the father of the faithful. Ja. 2. 23. for his faith: And the same is promised to Christ's disciples, upon condition of their obedience. Jo. 15. 14. And a great prerogative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Laere. Diog. do vita, etc. Ego sensi animam meam & animam amici mei unam fuisse animam in duobus corporibus. Ang. lib. conf. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ar. lib. 8. 1 th'. it is, to be God's friend, for a friend is alter ego, a second self, and amicorum omnia communia, all things are common amongst friends, no comfort withheld, no secret hid from a friend * Gen. 18. 17. Pet. 1. 4. : yet it is not my friend, but My Son: for God's love which is infinite, knows no bounds, but extends to the highest degree of kindness, and calls man now, not my Servant, not my Friend only, but my Son. To be of God's Court, his servant, is much: to be of his counsel, his Friend, is much more: but to be partakers of the Divine nature, the Son of God, is most of all: of this I may say, as Elizabeth, in a case not much unlike, unde hoc mihi: * Luk. 1. 43. whence is this to me, that I should be called the Son of God. But how the Son of God? Or what Son doth God here mean? Not his natural Son! so is none, but Christ as God; he is both Primogenitus, and unigenitus; his first-begotten, and only-begotten; of the same essence; consubstantial, coaeternal, and coaequal with the father; begotten by an unspeakable Generation, which we may adore, cannot search out; for who shall declare his Generation. Esay 53. 8. Yea Christ as man, by grace of hypostatical, or personal union, is after a special manner, the Son of God, so foretell to be, before he was so; Luke 1. 32. That holy thing that shall be borne of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And so declared to be, when he was so; Matth. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-plea-sed. And thus, is none the Son of God, but only he, who both by nature, and the union of his person, is indeed, the very Son of God. Others there are, whom holy Scripture hath honoured with this title. Adam he was so, by Creation, the immediate Son of God, for God was Father, Mother, Godfather; made him, produced him, named him. Luke 3. The Angels they are so, made in God's image, and styled his Sons. Psal. 89. 6. And so are Kings, by Gods own ordination, and special appointment, the Sons of God. Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods, and all of you are Children of the most high. This title thus taken, is a singular prerogative, peculiar to some special persons. But here, we will take it more generally, as it is a common title, given by God to all the faithful. My Son. Not by natural Generation, for so is none, but Christ as God. Not by grace of personal union, for so is none, but Christ as man. Not by immediate creation, for so was Adam, and the Angels only. Nor by Divine Ordination, for so are Kings and Princes only. But by grace, & adoption, every true believer, is truly the Son of God. The faithful by adoption, are filij designati, appointed by the Father for the Sons of God. Through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus, they are filii facti, made the Sons of God. And by the laver of regeneration, they are filii signati, sealed by the Spirit, for the Sons of God. They are first designed by the Father for heirs. Then really made and accepted by Christ for Coheyres. And finally assured by the holy Ghost of an Inheritance undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved for them in the heavens. God's Sons the faithful are, before they are: so in the purpose of the Vosque & si nondum natos jam tamen designatos filios jam credit. Chrys. Ser. 71. in orat. dominum pag. 306. father, but not so in his Delight: they must declare their predestination, by their conversation, before they can be admitted into God's family: there must concur with the Father's purpose, the purchase of the Son, and the purging of the holy Ghost: when in the Son, and by the Holy Ghost, they are made such, as the father purposed they should be: then he takes delight in them, and owns them for his Sons, and not before: for it is not the father's Adoption, nor the Son's Redemption, that can privilege the faithful from being by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Ephes. 2. 3. without righteousness, holiness, Innocence, and all right to glory; mere carnal men, and so by nature must still continue, for that which is borne of the flesh, is flesh: there John 3. 6. must be a new birth, they must be borne again, and so made new Creatures, before they can become the Sons of God: and here must not be left out the office of the holy Ghost; for as the Son of God could not become the Son of man, so neither can Luke. 1. 35. the Sons of men, become the Sons of God, without the special office and operation of the holy Ghost. Jo. 3. this cannot be the work of flesh and blood, which naturally produces its like, carnal, and sinful; nor the work of man, for parent's peremptores, our parents are our murderers, we derive from them the contagion of sin *: and Non imitatione sed propagatione. with sin an Obligation to eternal death: and so (saith Saint Austin) we are damnati antequam nati, dead in sin, before alive in the world. Man's freedom from this wretched condition, and translation into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, is a work of Grace, God's entire work, so Saint James, Of his own will Tit. 3. 6. Verbum adveniens aqua dat ei virtutem abluendi. Aq. in locum Austin. begat he us with the word of Truth. cap. 1. 18. with the washing of water by the Word: so Saint Paul. Eph. 5. 26. Accedit verbum ad elementum & fit Sacramentum, by the power of the word the Element is made a Sacrament. And that water whose common use was to wash the body from filth, now serves for a holy use to cleanse the soul from sin: to this use, God hath ordained it, and his Spirit accompanies his own Ordinance: which (whilst the eye is fixed upon the sign) the water) carries the mind to the consideration, and so on in a sweet meditation of the thing signified (the blood of Christ) by that the Baptist washes the body, with this the holy Ghost cleanseth the soul: and this cleansing is a changing also, persona tingitur, & natura mutatur: Euseb. Emissen. de Ep. Hom. 3. and this purgation by the blood of Christ, is a preparation for the grace of Christ, which upon is infused into the soul, so St. Cyprian in expiatum pectus & purum desuper se lumen infundit, and being then Cyp. lib. 2. ep. secunda. Donato pag. 69. circa sinem. infused, it giveth to the powers of the soul, their first disposition unto newness of life; which by frequent acts of virtue, is wrought into a habit, and so is Christ form in us: tantae molis erat, such a do there was, this blood and sweat it cost, to Redeem man from slavery and bondage, to repair the decays of nature, to recover the lost heritage, and to restore to the Father his lost Son. And now, brethren, you see your calling, how the sons of Adam are made the sons of God, here's an Alteration which the spiritual eye may easily discover. First here is a change of our estate and condition: when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the blood of his son, who by his death overcame death, which we had deserved; suffered for sin, which we had committed: fulfilled God's law, which we had violated: satisfied his justice, which we had offended; appeased his wrath, which we had kindled: recovered his favour, and made our peace, and by this means we that were by nature children of wrath, by that Grace and favour which Christ hath obtained for us at God's hands are taken in to be the sons of God: for so well pleased was he with the obedience of the natural son, that for his sake, and at his intercession, he is pleased to accept us for his sons; thus Christ became our bail, and surety, undertook for us, and humbled himself to the meanness of a servant, that we might be advanced to the estate of sons. And that our nature may be fit for that estate there's a change of that too; the change of our estate is ascribed to the Credulitas quae deum spiritum proclamavit de carnis substantia mortali in vitalem spiritus sustantium vos mutavit. Chrysol. ser. 71. 2 Pet. 14. Est in locum. riches of Christ's merit: but this of our nature to the grace of his holy spirit; this change is not in substance, but in quality, and so in quality; though not in substance, the spirit of God altereth our nature, conforms us to the Image of Christ and makes us partakers of the divine nature, but mistake not St. Peter for by nature he understands not the essence of God which is appropriated only to the Trinity of persons and communicated to no man, but the divine Attributes of wisdom, justice, holiness, truth, glory and immortality: and in these we have fellowship with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ, and so are made wise, righteous, holy, merciful, immortal, and glorious like God, in respect of the qualities not equality; our virtues being but a ray of his Son, a spark of his eternal Aq. in 2 Pet. 13. fire, a participation of his fullness, he being an inexhaustible fountain of grace and goodness, filleth our frail vessels, secundum modulum nostrum, according to their capacity; see that what soever grace, the holy Ghost effectually worketh in us, it is first originally in God, and is made ours either by imputation or infusion, our nature is corrupt; I know that in me (saith St. Paul) Ro. 7. 18. dwelleth no good thing: man's goodness is not inherent but either impured, or imparted, and so when God is pleased to participate unto us, his own goodness, there is a change wrought in our nature, new light is put into our minds, new desires into our affections, new obedience into our wills, and a sweet conformity into all our actions, & in this renovation there is no destruction, but a conversion; no subversion of the old substance, but a generation of new qualities; there still remains the same subject, and this alteration of our nature, is a transformation not a transubstantiaton. To this new man, there is not wanting a new name; and names are given to express the nature of things: now no name can so fully, and so fitly notify him, who is made partaker of the divine nature, adopted to the inheritance of glory, and immortality, in the kingdom of heaven, as this of God's son: here than is a change of our names too, there are no more terms of hostility between God and man, the enmity is now abolished, and all such names as carry in them sorrow, shame, and misery are done away; and a new name that imports comfort, glory, and felicity is imposed; and now we are no more enemies but sons; now surely this is good news to hear the father hath found his lost son: an Angel is not an able and sufficient messenger, God him-himselfe bows the heavens and comes down: ecce novum behold a new thing upon earth Esay 43. 19 This is novum and inauditum, a thing never heard of before: God in the flesh revealed it; heaven and earth, God and man reconciled, good tidings! Blessed be the peace maker; God and man made friends, good news welcome be he whosoever brings it, his lips are gracious, and his feet beautiful: whose heart doth not leap for joy, to hear himself (by the everlasting Father) called my Son. And this new name must be attended with a Chrys. ser. 68 in ora. Domi. new life, qui Dei filium credit actu, vita, moribus honestate tanto generi respondeat they that profess themselves the Sons of God, must be answerable to such honourable compellations: this is a high and a heavenly calling, and our conversation must be suitable to our calling: nec degeneret Cyp. ser. 5. de ora. Domi. actus noster a spiritu, ut qui coelestes & spirituales esse caepimus, non nisi spiritualia & coelestia cogitemus, & agamus: we must look unto the Rock from whence we are hewed, and beware we degenerate not from that Royal family where into we are admitted, but we who call God, our Father, should be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, Phil. 2. 15. a godly name and a wicked life agree not: sinners are hardened, and God dishonoured, when he that is called a son of God, behaves himself as a servant of sin: it is very fit that every son of God should imitate his Matth. 11. heavenly father: or if he desire a pattern nearer hand; let him learn of his elder brother, discite à me (saith Christ) learn of me! Frame your lives to his rule, and they will acquit you, convince men, and please God; whilst he sees his name honoured, in your conversation, & their conviction. Old things are past, behold all things are become new: new estate, new nature, new name, new life. Estate happy, the merit of Christ hath purchased that: nature holy, the spirit of Christ hath sanctified that: name heavenly, the love of God hath bestowed that: life godly, the grace of God hath wrought that: happy estate, holy nature, heavenly name, godly life, man is now a son by grace not unworthy to be owned of so great a Prolis tanto non in ficienda parenti. Father. At length, I have brought you to the height of God's love, and Man's Dignity. God's Love never so Et quidem deitatis erga nos dignatio tanta est ut scire nequeat quid potissimum imitari debeat creatura utrum quod Deus ad nostram deposuit servit utem: an quod nos ad suae divinitatis rapuit dignit at 'em. Pet. Chrys. ser. 72. manifest, as in making us his sons, the utmost we could hope for, was pardon, not for preferment: but to debase the natural son, in making him like us: that he might honour us, in making us like him: is love without measure! which we are as unable to conceive as we are unworthy to receive: the expression is too mean, and low, to say it was paternal; a it Et sicut omnem ut scriptum est paternitatem in Coelo & in terris a scipso volvit nominari: sic a nobis patris in se affectum voluit cognosci & quid dicam patris imo potius plus quam patris. a Sal. di guber. dei lib. 4. pag. 121 was more than mother's love, and was, what himself is, infinite. Man never so dignified! who am I? and what is my father's house (saith David) that I should be Son in law to a King? what is frail man, that he should be exalted to the dignity of God's son, called to the hope, and invested with some possession of eternal life: what a happiness is this, above the rest of mankind, who through ignorance and unbelief abide still in misery: and I would to God, he would persuade the hearts of all men, to account this their chiefest honour, to be God's sons, religion is and ever hath been, the honour and safety too, of kingdoms, families, and particular persons: and this of God's son, preferred before the most glorious titles: It was the Religious boast of the Emperor Theodosius, malo esse membrum Aug. de civi dei l. 5. c. 26. eccelesiae quam caput imperij: and in the most magnificent, it is an addition to their honour, to be God's sons: the greatest in the world is nothing, if he be less, the meanest is enough, if he be so much; and so much is every true believer: for to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name Jo. 1. 12. How is it then, this privilege is so slighted and undervalved of many, and carnal alliance and kindred so much stood upon by all: men account their carnal pedigrees, and if they can reckon a great man of their house how they glory in it, whereas there is greater cause of boasting, to be of God's family, then to be descended from the loins of Princes: for carnal affinity is but transitory, it abideth not; Kingdoms and families have their periods; and in death there is a dissolution of all kindred after the flesh, the mightiest man alive, must one day say to corruption, thou art my Father, Job. 17. 14 to the worm, thou art my Mother, and my Sister, but our alliance here by faith; death nor the grave hath no power over; 1 Cor. 15. 55 and as it is begun on earth by grace in our adoption: so shall it not be ended but perfected in heaven, by glory in full fruition: when all the adopted sons shall be like the natural son, and their bodies made conformable to his glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to Phil. 3. 21. subdue all things unto himself. Many excellent things are spoken of you ye sons of God but what man lives, that dares challenge to himself this privilege? seeing every man is a sinner, & if a sinner, no son, for he that is borne of Ro. 3. 23. God sinneth not. 1. Jo. 5. 18. how sinneth not? sinneth not at all? God never gave any such privilege to the regenerate (saith Oecumenius) for the Oecumcinus in locum. best of God's Saints speaks in his own name and others. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. We sinne daily and hourly, the best of us, but the best of us, sin no otherwise 1 Jo. 1. then God's children may sinne. Not totally, with a fullness of consent, quasi ad peccatum vacantes, but over come through infirmity, with strength of tentation. Nor finally, ad mortem, they sin not that is, sin not untodeath that sin, for which the holy Ghost hath said thou shalt not pray, In all their sins there is still place left for their humiliation and Christ's Intercession, so still they are innocent from the great offence, for although many lesser sins do pass them without their knowledge: and many greater sins be committed with their knowledge: yet in the escape of those less, and the committing of these greater, they are patients, not Agents, not obedient to the rule of sin, but overmastered by the rage of sin; here is St. Paul's case just Ro. 7. malum quod nolo facio, they sinne unwillingly, and their unwillingness to sin will appear in their heaviness for sin when the remembrance is grievous unto them, the burden intolerable, then is the weight not charged on them but laid upon him who hath satisfied God's justice, for it, by bearing it on his own body on the tree, for whose sake, lesser and unknown sins charitate absconduntur are in charity covered and our greater and well known sins poenitentia abluuntur are by actual and unfeigned Bernard. repentance purged who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth! who is he that condemneth? thus the sons of God they are sinners and no sinners. No sinners! for being justified by faith they have not only a plenary remission of all sins that are passed actually purchased by the blood of Jesus; but also a preservation from sins to come, effectually promised by the spirit of grace. But sinners! in regard of that inherent corruption, which against their wills, doth lead them captive into actual transgressions. For as there is semen gratiae, a seed of grace, in the regenerate, which will not suffer them totally to sin. So also there is semen peccatia seed of sin which will not suffer them wholly to be sanctified. Christ by his death indeed, hath wholly taken away both reatum & suppliciun, the guilt and eternal punishment of sin: but he hath not absolutely taken away, but noly weakened Concupiscience the root & seed of sin: which though it be not as grace is, an immortal seed, 1 Pet. 1. 23. yet it is as graceis, a remaining seed. 1. Jo. 3. 9 rooted and growing in our nature. It is not a condemning, not a reigning, but a remaining sin, abiding in our flesh and substance; must have no place in our liking, and affections and so it may sometimes somewhat lessen & abate our comfort, but can never destroy our happiness, whilst this body of sin, is kept from reigning in our sinful body and brought into subjection by the wholesome discipline of spiritual mortification, and then this stimueles carnis this throne the flesh like a Serpent without a sting hath motum & morsum, non venenum. It may stir, and bite us; cannot hurt nor kill us: It may bruise our heel, but we shall bruise its head. And thus though we be set in the midst of evil yet God withholdeth not his tender mercies from us but his loving kindness, and his truth continually preserveth us Psal. 40. 11. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work (saith St. Paul and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Sin it makes no change in God; it must in man, God's grace in man, makes man to repent of his sin against God. Man's sin against God, makes not God Repent of his grace towards man. 1 Man Reputes for sin, and his repentance sends him to the throne of grace, to beg pardon for his sin: where we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. 2 God reputes not of his grace if man repent of his sin, wherefore that we may continue in his favour, we must come before him like the publican into the Temple with contrition in our hearts; and like the lost son to his Father with confession in our mouths the Pharisie stood upon his justification, the Christian must not, confession is the way to absolution, and thus although we offend God daily by our sins, yet is he pleased again by our repentance, he reputes not of his grace but is faithful and just, if we confess he forgives. True it is God will not connive at the errors of his children, he will be angry with them for their offences, as a father with his sons; and in his anger visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with scourges: but can a Father forget? can a Mother forget? they may, I will not, (saith God) Esay 49. 15. he will not take away his loving kindness, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail: he hath sworn by his holiness he will not; the foundation of God standeth firm he changeth not, but works a change in man for sin that his purpose according to election might stand * this is his purpose Ro. 9 11. he hath declared by his promise, he hath confirmed his promise by his word, he hath strengthened his word by his Oath he hath sealed all these with the blood of his son, he acknowledgeth this his seal by the witness of his spirit, and his spirit assureth our spirit, that notwithstanding our many frailties we are still sons: And this he doth not, by immediate revelation, but by an undeniable conclusion drawn from the revealed word: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his son: much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Ro. 5. 9 for he living to make intercession for us is able to preserve his own mercies in us. Thus God against all opposition of sin and Satan hath exalted us to the dignity of sons: and if after this advancement through infirmity, we fall into sin: shall we account ourselves no sons because sinners? If we be truly humbled for our sins, heartily loathe them, desire to leave them, constantly purpose to forsake them, & to sin no more, If we bewail sins past, beware of sins to come strive against present Corruptions and by humble confession seek for absolution, it argues we are truly penitent, & where God sees true repentance, he sees no sin: By sin we go from God, and then he disclames us: but by repentance we come again unto him, and whensoever we return he receives us. When the prodigal said I will go unto my Father and say father I have sinned: the father upbraids not his former Riot, but entertains him as his son, this my son was dead but is now alive; though he had lost the duty of a son, yet had not God lost the bowels of a Father: he retained still his fatherly affection, and delict a Ego perdidi quod erat filii, ille qd. patris est amisit. Chry. s. 2. 7 de filio prodigo idem ser. 3. de filio prodigo. 1 Pet. 4. 8. non videt vis amoris love doth cover a multitude of sins * it may stand therefore with the honour of a father, (such an one as God) to own sinners for his sons, provided they have sorrowed hearty for their sins, and then, with God they that have sorrowed are as if they had not sinned; But may it stand with the piety of a father to leave his children in distress, and to expose them to want & misery, If God be their father where is his care over them? his provision for them? or can it be that the sons of the highest should not be so well provided for as the fowls of the air and foxes of the field? sometimes it so falleth out that God hath a strict hand over his own family, concealing from them the good he intendeth to them, and withholding from them these present blessings which in a plentiful measure he poureth into the laps of the men of this world; not that he neglecteth his own whilst he thus regardeth others, as if he had forgotten to be gracious, and shut up his loving kindness in displeasure, but by some troubles in this life, to make their joys more full, with the assured hope of glory and happiness in the life to come: nor is he wanting to them in the things of this life, whereof they have the promise, and shall have the possession too, when Psal. 31. God sees it may be for their good; so still as a loving father he sorts their condition, as may be most for their welfare; sometimes straightening, and sometimes enlarging his hand, either in poverty or riches, want or plenty, sickness or health, adversity or prosperity, they have their share both in the evil and good things of this life, to let them know that those present evils are not the greatest, nor the goods of this life the chiefest, but that there are evils to come more to be feared, and future good things more to be desired, in the patiented expectation whereof they must be content to endure the want of some present good, and the sense of some present evils. It should suffice them to know that not here, but in heaven, where their Father is, their inheritance is, there must their hope be fixed, on that their care placed, and for these temporal blessings they must cast their care upon God, and depend upon his fatherly providence, who knows their wants and will supply them, your heavenly Father knoweth whereof you have need (saith Christ) and Matth. 6. you know it is enough for a father (that is of ability, such an one as is our heavenly Father) to know the wants of his Children, his own goodness will supply whatsoever is needful or convenient. It is not then against the honesty, and it may well agree with the piety of a Father (such an one as God) to own a wretched, if a contrite sinner, for his beloved Son. But all this while, this Title seems to determine the Relation to one Sex; seems, but doth not: for God, who of the woman requires the duty, will his Justice permit her to be excluded from the Dignity? certainly no! the word is not to be restrained to the sex, but extended to so many of the whole kind, as truly believe, whether they be male or female; for God is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes no difference of sexes, ages, nations, professions, degrees, estates or conditions of men, but he that is Lord of all, is rich unto all that call upon him, male and female, Jew and Gentile, young and old, rich and poor, prince and people, bond and free, if true believers, he owns them all without difference for his Children. And yet there is a difference amongst them, both in respect of God's grace towards them, and his grace in them; they are all beloved, but not equally: and that God's grace and favour is more to this, than that man, is not from God's final intention, which is equal and alike to all his chosen [Salvation and Happiness] but as men are said to love more, where they confer more; and to favour most, where they receive most: so God in regard of some outward expressions of love and favour, is said to love one more than another; and in regard of men's apprehension to some, having a greater sense and feeling of his love and favour than others. And for his grace that is in them, whether for the qualification of their persons, or salvation of their souls. If we speak of the former, some are better fitted and enabled for the execution of such offices and duties wherewith by their callings they stand charged, wherein he that is most faithful, is most highly favoured. If we speak of the latter, the more grace God worketh in them, the more gracious he is said to be towards them: and so the stronger their faith, the ferventer their love, the more unfeigned their repentance, the more universal their obedience, the more sincere their conscience, the greater his love unto them, the more he is delighted in them, and such as in his love he hath gifted above their fellows, he usually honoureth above their fellows; and according to the excellency of their graces, is the eminency of their places. And therefore, though all the faithful be God's sons, and in relation to him brethren, and he the common Father of all, yet for all this it will not become an inferior to affront his superior with a jam sumus ergo pares, hail fellow, well met, for his community overthrows not that difference, which nature, civility, and Gods own ordinance hath made betwixt man and woman, and one man and another: nor will either state, or Church, or private families, admit so absurd a parity. To lay all level; no principality in the state, no Prelacy in the Church, no command in families, were to ruin all: an inconvenience, which the seasonable foresight of Almighty God hath (by his own blessed Ordinance) prevented: nor did Christ at his coming (unto whom God committed all rule, and all Authority and Power) divest the Princes of the world of that Regal and Sovereign power wherewith God Per fidem Christi non tollitur or do justitiae sed magis firmatur. Aq. prima secundae. qu. 104. Art. 6 conc. hath invested them, he abolished it not, established it rather. And thus though all men be alike in the first Adam, made of the same mould. And all the faithful alike in the second Adam the Sons of God. Yet the Lord for the singular benefit of mankind hath distinguished How son ser. hab. Oxon. 1602. them in great knowledge, and made their ways and reputations diverse: some of them he hath blessed and exalted, as Kings and Princes. Some he hath sanctified and appropriated to himself, as Priests and Prophets. Some he advanceth above their brethren, and makes their father's children bow down before them; and others he leaves in the common rank: some he hath laden with honours, wealth, promotions, and dignities: and others he hath bestowed in meaner callings: thus wisely hath God ordered the estate of this present world, with the connexion of such variety of parts, begetting a harmony, and bringing a perfect soundness and sweetness to the whole body. Where all the strings are of one sound, there is no music, where all the members are alike, there is no body but a bulk: and even so, there is nothing but discord and deformity, where there are not differences of degrees, estates and callings of men: and where God hath put a difference, let man do so too, that man's estimation concurring with God's ordination, every man may be honoured and respected according to his place and dignity. The stones in a building are not all of one size. The vessels in an house not proportioned all for one use. The members of the body are not all of one fashion, or for one office. There are many stones in a building, many vessels in one house, many members in one body, and in these many, there is variety, not Identity, not many of the same, but of diverse 'sizes, for diverse uses, of several fashions, for several offices; and this variety of parts doth beget an unity in the whole, so we being many (concludes St. Paul) are one body: and in a body composed of multiplicity and variety of parts, there is more beauty greater safety, and this, not only in the natural Connexio totius corporis unam sanitatem unam pulchri tudinem. Tacit. Leo. Ep. 8. cap. 11. body which is man, but in the politic body, the state; and in the mystical body, the Church; beautified and strengthened with the several offices, orders, degrees and callings of men, diversely qualified, making a distinction amongst men of the same Christian profession, for a community of Religion induces not a confusion into Christian common wealths: but confirms them rather in peace and good order: enjoining every one (by an Apostolical Canon) 1. Cor. 7. 20. to abide in that calling wherein he is called, propounding no new, but persuading a more conscionable use of the old * and if there See Luke cap. 3. verse 10, 11, 12, 13. be any that hath no calling, to get him one, for he that hath no vocation, is of no Religion. There are in the world viri absque jugo, * Anabaptists. unruly men, who stand upon their lawless liberty, which they mis-name Christian; untamed heifers, whom no pales or walls of law or discipline can keep within the bounds of the Church or Commonwealth, who abhor that lawful Authority or Christian Charity should regulate their ill-governed liberty. But surely this is no privilege of God's Sons, a character it is rather of the sons of Belial, * Judg. 19 22. 1. Cor. 7. 21 1. Pet. 2. for Saint Paul in one Epistle, and Saint Peter in another, teach another lesson: thus much in effect; that honour, reverence, obedience, and service unto men: may well consist with the liberty of the Sons of God. The freedom Christ purchased for them is not civil; from the obedience of the magistrate sovereign or subordinate, nor natural from those respects and duties which children own to their parents, wives to their husbands, etc. But spiritual from sin and Satan, death and hell, this and not that is the freedom Christ purchased, and Saint Paul fitly called, the glorious liberty of the Sons of God; from which happy liberty, no believer is excluded: and unto which, the meanest hath as good right, as the greatest; and be men's qualities and degrees, in the world, never so different God comprehends all under one common motion of Sons, nor is it any worldly respect that makes a man ever the more favoured with God; for a man to plead his birth, breeding, wealth, wit, learning, beauty, valour, is more fit for a Coridon to his Alexes, or a Phoebus to his Daphne, than a Christian to his God; It is not the proper man, nor the rich man, nor the witty man, nor the valiant man, nor the learned man, nor the noble man; It is not any of these, (though all these deserve a civil respect) that God is taken with, his affection pitches on the godly man, Psalm, 4. 3. The Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly: and now let no man disdain God's choice, how mean soever in outward appearance, for whom his mercy chooses, his love advanceth to the dignity of his Son, and whom his love hath advanced to the Dignity, from him his authority requires the duty of his Son, and the duty here expressed is, to give God his Heart, which is the second part of my text, My Son, give me thine heart. If we be his Sons, God is our Father, there is his authority over us. And if God be our Father, where is his honour, there is our duty to him. Nobilitas ad virtutem obligat, the greater honour God hath done us, the greater are our engagements to him, and therefore as we have looked up with comfort to the dignity, so now let us look down with care to the duty of God's sons, which is briefly summed up in two words Love and Obedience. Where Obedience is, there is nothing so difficult commanded, that will not with diligence be attempted. And where Love is, there is nothing so precious demanded, that will not with cheerfulness be tendered, here God tries our Love, by our Obedience, that he may see how much we love him, by that which we will do for him. And again, he tries the sincerity of our Obedience by our Love, that he may see how much we will do for him by that which we will cheerfully give him, and as a pledge both of Love and Obedience, he requires the heart. My Son, give me thine heart. Cor tuum, thy heart to God, there is the thing required to testify our Love. Da mihi, Give me, there is the duty to be performed to express our Obedience. The testimony of thy Love to God, is thy Heart to God. A Heart, there is the quid, the thing what it is that God requires, Thine, there is the cujus, the propriety, whose it is. First, the Heart is the thing God calls for; and what is that? This small piece of flesh that beats in our mortal body? No; that were to require our lives: God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice: and craves not our life, but our Love; the Heart is the seat of Love; that our heavenly Father requires of us his unworthy Children, that we love him. And not only our Love, but in calling for the heart, he calls for our fear and service too: for whatsoever the curiosity of some Philosophers have determined to the contrary, the heart is the seat of all the affections and passions: the Gall, Liver and Spleen, give the occasion to stir them up, but in the heart they are seated: the Heart is the Metropolis of the soul: and often taken for the soul with all her faculties. Besides the Heart is Omnis hona dispositio corporis reduci dat quodam modo ad cor ficut ad principium corporalium motionum Aq. 1, 2. q. 38. art. 5 resp. ad 3. arg. Vide Aq. 1 2. q. 17. art. 9 arg. 1. & 2. the first mover of all the Externall actions, and every member worketh according to the motion, inclination and will of the Heart; It liveth first, and dyeth last, and therefore first, and last, and for all, give God the heart, for that is all: All the faculties of the soul; all the members of the body, attend the Heart and follow it: the Heart goes before and draws the whole man after it. And this is God's delight the whole man: he loves Integrity; and in calling for the heart he requires every part: thy head to know him, thy tongue to confess him, thine eyes to observe him, thine ears to attend unto him, thy lips to praise him, thy hands by good works to glorify him, thy knees to bow before him, and thy feet to stand in his Courts. God is not served at all, where any part is withheld from him, or devoted to any other besides him, sincerity and integrity are individual companions, If true devotion lodge in the heart, humble reverence will shine in every part. So sings David Psal. 84. 2. Cor meum & caro mea exultaverunt. etc. My heart inwardly and my flesh outwardly have rejoiced in the living God. Thus the whole man must apply itself to the worship of God, the outward, aswell as the inward man: by the outward 2 Cor. 4. 16 Oecum in locum. man, the learned * understand the body: the inward man by St. Peter is expounded to be the hidden man of the heart: that, aswell as this, this in private, that in public, this with inward and spiritual, that with outward and corporal worship. In private then and in thine own Chamber, common with thine own heart, the testimony of God's spirit and thine own is sufficient. But in public in God's presence Chamber the Temple; it sufficeth not, except the Church may see too: that all may see and bear witness that God is in you of a truth, and this cannot be, except men's external actions do show forth their internal affections. The heart that is unscrutable to man but * gentis corporis Hirom. Gestus est sermo quidem corporis Cic. de Orat. lib. 3. vox animi, the outward carriage of the body, is a fair testimony of the inward disposition of thy mind: and then is discovered what the heart thinketh, by that which the body acteth: for grace in the heart is the light of the body, and this light must shine before men, that they may see aswell as God: And that men may reap the good, & God receive the glory, God's heavenly inspirations, and men's holy desires should empty themselves here, that the Church may outwardly testify, what Ad significandum debitum ordinem mentis humanae in Deum Aq. pri. se. quest. 102. art. 3. inwardly each man should be by such outward worship, as might betoken the Majesty of God, beseem the dignity of Religion, and concur with the celestial impressions in the minds of men. Idem. 2. 2. q. 92. Art. 2. The performance of all Religious services respect God and man, to please him, and edify them: and so must be equally poised with the two theological virtue's Faith and Charity, Faith towards God, and Charity towards men, without faith, it is impossible to please God, and cordi creditur man believeth with the heart, it is the heart that seasoneth our devotion, and faith that seasoneth the heart, directs it to the true object, and in the right end of pure Religion. And as faith seeketh to please God: so charity to approve itself before men, and charity in the performance of a duty unto God hath respect unto the benefit of man too. God sees faith in the internal devotion of the Heart, and therewith he is well pleased. Men see charity in the external carriage of the body, and therewith they are edified. God calls for that, by Solomon in my text, My son give me thine heart, and he calls for this by St. Paul in another text, to present your bodies aliving Rom. 12. 1 sacrifice etc. and then concludes, and not till then your devotion to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, your reasonable service and good reason there is, God should be served both in body, and soul; for at the first he made both, and he once redeemed both, he daily preserveth both, and finally saveth both: and therefore glorify him in both. And thus the Christian offers that Holocaust to God in substance and truth, which the Jews did offer in type and figure, making his approaches into the house of God with David's hymn in his mouth: Introibo Ps. 66. 13. in domum tuam Holocastis, I will go into thy house, with burnt-offerings: but now in God's house there is no use of fire, unless it be the Metaphorical fire of true zeal, for true zeal is God's fire, of which St. Aug. in ps. 66. alias 65 Austin thus, totum meum consumit ignis tuus, nihil mei remaneat, totum sit tibi Let thy holy fire of zeal, O Lord, consume me wholly, and make me thine in every part; all thine, and then is all his when he hath the heart, for as the powers of it are inclined so are the parts of the body moved: there is a league of amity between them, like that between Ruth and Naomi the body like Ruth to Naomi, cleaving to the soul and saying; entreat me not to leave thee Ruth. 1. 16 John 1. 16 Anima intellectiva quamvis sit una secundum essentiam tamen propter sui perfectionem est multiplex in virtute & ideo ad diversas operationes indigit diver sis dispositio nibus in par tibus corporis cui ponitur Aq. prima q. 76. art. 5. risp. ad 3. arg. or toreturn from following after thee, for whether thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge, thy people shallbe my people, and thy God, my God; or as his soldiers did to Josuah all that thou commandest us we will do and whether thou sendest us we will go, for albeit the soul in essence be one, yet to the perfection of it, there are diverse faculties: and for the several operations of these faculties, there must needs be an answerable disposition in the parts of the body to which it is united: for as the fire first kindleth the fuel, and that being kindled nourisheth the fire: and as the body first warmeth the clothes, and then they return a reciprocal heat to the body; so the heart first disposeth the parts of the body, and these parts fitly disposed In divino cultu necesse est aliquibus corporalibus uti ut eis quasi signis quibusdam mens hominis excitetur ad spirituales actus quib. Deo conjun gitur Aq. 2. 2. quest. 81. art. 7. Ecclesiam piis quibusdam coeremoni is elegantibus ritibus & institutis tanquam sponsam ornatam viro suo decorarent Cornal. Agrippa de van. scientiarum cap. 6. affect the heart, and make devotion in the heart, like the fire in the Sanctuary, a flame that goes not out. And even experience itself teacheth us, how merveilously outward form and solemnity in God's service doth help weakness and inbecility in us; persuading the will, inciting the affections, and making some impressions of further knowledge in the mind, winging our thoughts, holding up the heart in her devotions, and giving stength and vigour to such motions which are otherwise apt to languish, and conclude in a lazy wish: but the parts of the body fitly disposed keeps up the heart till Gods will be fulfilled, and man's duty discharged. True it is God hath sometimes excepted against this outward worship, but then when it hath been alone, when the people drew near him with their lips, and their hearts were fare from him. But when or where * Externum cultum non reprehendit dominus imo etiam ab omnibus piis requirit nec enim tantum intus in animo colere debemus, sed etiam coram hominibus testari, etc. Calvin. ap. Mart. in Matth. 15. 8. Jo. 4. 22. show me, was ever God offended with the humble, lowly and reverend gesture of the body in his service, or where did he ever condemn outward Solemnity, when it was joined with inward sincerity, never did he open his mouth against the use of that, but the want of this. The true worshippers shall worship God in Spirit and truth (saith the Son of God) but how in truth, if not outwardly in body, as well as inwardly in heart and spirit, God is rob of his worship, when either is withheld, and when both are not exhibited God's house is made of a house of Prayer, a den of thiefs. And the same spirit that by the Son of God commends inward worship, doth by the servants of God, and those no mean ones neither, (his Prophet Esay, and Esay 45. Ro. 14. 12. his Apostle Paul) command outward worship. As I live (saith the Lord) every knee shall bow unto me, and every tongue shall confess to God. And thus what God hath joined together in his precept, let not us separate in our practice, serve God with the inward worship of the Heart, and with the outward worship of the body also: open impiety cannot away with this, and secret hypocrisy is glad to hear of that; the hypocrite is all for outward piety, the profane for inward sincerity. But it is neither the pretence of inward sincerity that can justify outward impiety: nor a show of outward piety that will excuse inward hypocrisy: be not deceived, Deus non illuditur, God is not mocked, but sitteth in heaven to laugh all those to scorn, who either by hidden projects, or open practice cast scorns upon Religious worship. If any man pretend inward sincerity, let him show it in outward works of piety, men judge of the inward affection, by the outward action. Or if any stand upon outward piety before men, let them show it in their inward sincerity before God, who judges the outward action by the inward affection: and we know (o Lord) that thy judgement is according to right: A man's works may pass currant, and seem right in foro soli, in the judgement of men, when as they are nothing so in foro poli, in the sight of God: for God sees not as man sees; he looks not at the outward appearance, but at the heart: In a duty performed, men see all well, but what saith God, men cry out a Saint, God says a sinner: heaven and earth do not always agree in their judgements: It is our daily prayer, that it may be in earth as it is in heaven, that it may be, and therefore is not: the grant of this petition we must press, that Gods will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, solemnly and sincerely too, that there be an uniformity on earth, and this uniformity, in conformity to heaven, for what shall it avail a man, though the world applaud him, if God and his own heart condemn him: It is therefore Saint Paul's advice, Gal. 3. 23. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. And yet we must not conceit, as if God simply condemned the outward action: nay he approves it so fare as apparently good: he only dislikes this, that it is not done hearty, with a sincere intention, which God finds often wanting in those immediate duties of his worship and service: as prayer without attention, hearing without meditation, fasting without contrition, Alms and no compassion, knowledge without devotion, zeal without discretion, repentance without reformation: and these deficiencies are rather in their agents, than the act, which so far as good apparently God approves, but dislikes them, & dislikes them for this: because they did (bonum non bene) that which was good: good for the matter, but not done in that good & seemly manner, nor directed to that good end which crowneth all our works. For it is not so much the quid, what is done, though that must be justifiable: and we must have a warrant for what we do, or else we sin in what we do. Nor is it the quî, the manner of doing, and yet we must have a Rule and Canon for that too, or else we disobey in what we do; and so with Martha make choice of the worse part, for Obedience is better than sacrifice. For the quid then, we must look up to God, who points us to his word, and that gives direction for the matter of God's service. For the quî, we must have recourse to the Church, who by virtue of that grand Canon of Saint Paul, hath power to determine our liberty, 1 Cor. 14. 40 for the manner of God's worship, in all the circumstances thereof; both for persons, places, and times, for every gesture, posture and behaviour, for preaching, administering, praying, blessing, hearing, receiving, singing, confessing, praising and to dispose of all other accidentals according to decency and good order. And now suppose for the matter, all done as God hath commanded: for the manner, all done decently and orderly as the Church hath enjoined: yet as our Saviour said to the man in the Gospel unum tibi deest, there is something wanting, the intention of the heart that must be right too, for it is that which maketh religious exercises performed, duties of obedience; Saint Ambrose limits all to this quantum intendis tantum facis, when a man in his intention swerves from that true end to which his work in hand should tend he loses his interest in the action; for men to be of the Pharises cut, of whom St. Chrisostome, oculi hominum timor eorum, oculi hominum amor eorum, fearing nothing but the censure of men, loving nothing but the praise of men, this base popularity, is the bane of true piety. Omnia fiant, let all be done that God hath commanded: omnia decenter & ordine, all decently and in order as the Church hath enjoined. Omnia cordicitûs & ex animo all hearty with a pure intention, in the fear of God, and reverence of holy Church: and so all will be done as Saint Paul would have all done: Omnia ad edificationem & omnia ad 1 Cor. 14. 26 1 C. 10. 31. gloriam Dei: All to edification; and all to the glory of God. It is the heart then, that adds a goodness to all we say: and gives perfection to all we do in God's service; were men's words like Herod's, divina oracula the voice of God and not of men: their works like the pharisees admiranda spectacula admired of all: It availeth nothing at all; Act. 12. 22 if their hearts in the mean time be Daemoniorum receptacula replete with guile and iniquity. Good words without the Heart, is plain flattery, and good works without the Heart, is gross hypocrisy; now God is not so weak, to be dilighted with flattering words: nor so unwise to be deceived with hypocritical works: when therefore we draw near unto God it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a true Heart, void of flattery Heb. 10. 22 and hypocrisy: he is not delighted with that, nor can he be deceived with this: he requireth truth in the inward parts the heart is his desire and delight too. My Son give me thine Heart. It is not the Hecatombs of the Gentiles, nor yet the Holocaustes of the Jews, but the Heart of the Christian is the Sacrifice God accepteth the heart is the quid the thing required but the cujus whose it is, comes now to be scanned the text saith, tuum, thine heart, and thine, looks abroad and relates unto man, It is cor hominis the heart of a man, not cor belluinum a brutish and barbarous heart the savage and undomitable heart of a beast, but the corrigible gentle and pliable heart of a man, such a heart that may be wrought upon, not an obdurate stubborn rebellious and impenitent heart, this is no fit present for God, who hath regard to him that is poor, & of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at his word. It must be cor humanum thine heart, O man. Isay 66. 2. And is man's heart so precious a Jewel that God should become a suitor for it. Moses telleth us, that Gen. 6 7. God seethe every imagination of man's heart, that it is only evil continually. Jeremy saith, that the heart is deceitful above Jer. 17. 19 all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? Christ hath taught, that out of the heart proceed Mat. 15. 19 evil thoughts, murders adulteris etc. Shall such a heart be offered unto God, or will the searcher of the heart accept of such an offering? he is a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, neither shall any Matth: 5. wickedness dwell with him, (our Saviour saith) the pure in heart shall only see God; take the Apostles Jam. 4. 8. counsel therefore; and purify the heart and that it may be purified, deal with it as with gold, melt it, or if thou canst not melt it, break it; for a broken and a contrite Ps. 51. 17 heart O Lord thou wilt not despise. It is (you have heard) cor hominis the heart of a man that must be offered; but not the pharisaical heart of the proud man full of hypocrisy, nor the wanton heart of the lascivious man full of vanity, nor the covetous heart of the worldly man full of iniquity, nor the heretical heart of the malicious man full of obstinacy: but the contrite and broken heart of the penitent man full of humility: ad hunc respiciam (saith God) to this man will I have regard Esay 66. 2. and to his offering. But this tuum in my text looks nearer home, and points out the owner here, and the owner here is a son. It is cor filii, thine heart my Son, and a son's heart is a loving and dutiful heart: the servant doth his duty aswell as the son but he for fear, this for love, that constrainedly this most willingly, his obedience is not mercenary, and arises from love not hire; as the dog serves his Master pro osse & offa: for a bone and a bite, but as a son his Father in reverence and love: It is the loving and tender heart of a son that is here required, thine heart, my Son. And first my son! thine heart, tuum; that is proprium cor, thine own, in thine own power, and in thine own possession, it must be thus thine: If lent to vanity thou must recall it, if bound to sin thou must release it, if sold to Satan thou must redeem it, thine heart must be released from sin; recalled from vanity, and Satan dispossessed; and then, when it is purged and purified, set at liberty and enlarged, and so made thine, when none other hath any interest in it, or can lay any claim unto it, but that it is thine own; not enthralled to Satan's tentations, not entangled in carnal lusts, not distracted with worldly cares, when it is no more the heart of a sinner but of a son; then such it is as God would have: thine own heart. Again thine heart my Son, that is cor unicum & simplix, one single heart: for one man hath but one heart: Solomon tells us the fool hath none heart Prov. 17. 16. But David the Father of Solomon sets out the wicked with a heart and a heart Psal. 12. 2. in Saint Hieroms' translation: with a double heart in our allowed translation the context tells us whom he means he that doth one thing and intendeth another saith one thing but thinketh another, this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sent. Theog man the scripture cries out upon voe duplici cordi: nor will God have any thing to do with him: the Prophet discovers him Psal 55. 21. by his fair tongue and false heart, the words of his mouth are smother than butter, having war in his heart, Judas like, he ushers in his treason with a kiss, and like to Joab makes a smiling face and a friendly salute the prologue to a mortal stab, the double hearted man is dangerous and uncertain for when his mouth speaks safety, his heart speaks ruin; and there is one that understands the language of the heart: & for that any man hath said in his heart, that is, hath entertained envious and malicious thoughts against the godly, treacherous and rebellious thoughts against Church or State, he must be answerable to God for these thoughts, for even these thoughts come within the compass of the law's transgression; of God's law, but not of man's, man's law punishes only the notorious: God's law takes notice of the heart: And so God Psal. 5. 9 knows though men do not; the thoughts of the heart: that their inward parts are very wickedness albeit the mouth be muzzled that it dare not speak it: and the hands bound that they cannot effect it for when he speaks his thought it is ruin to the godly, when shall he dye and his name perish. Destruction to the Church, down with it, down with it, even to the ground. Desolation to the State, come and let us make Jerusalem a heap of stones. Thus the malicious or double-hearted man, like Esay 5: 8. Ps. 36. 4. Ps. 139. 3. the covetous, would be alone upon the earth, for mischief ever delights to be solitary; never considering that God is about his bed, and about his paths, and espieth out all his ways: God understandeth his thoughts afar off, nor is there a word in his tongue, but lo, O Lord thou knowest it altogether: God sees, and abhors to see a false Heart under a fair Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas. tongue, for this with God is a double sin: the Heart is his delight, but it is simplex cor, a single heart, a Heart without guile and hypocrisy, the faithful are called Doves, and innocence and simplicity are the properties of a Dove: and yet for protection from injury, for the prevention of evil, and preservation of piety; It is best to take our Saviour's counsel, and join to the Doves Matth. 10. 16. heart the Serpent's head: for harmless simplicity, and Christian policy may well stand together: for Christian policy is to true Religion as sugar to fruit, keeps & preserves the sent & taste: and often causes that they who distaste them raw and uncompounded, sweetly to relish them thus fairly ordered: thy heart for God then, and although it be Corsapiens, let it be simplex, a wise and wary, but a single harmless heart; and the good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary. 2. Chron. 30. 19 Lastly here is one property more of the Heart, it must be totum or integrum, thy whole Heart, like the true mother of 1 King. 14. 8. 2 King. 23. 25. 2 Chron. 22. 9 2. Chron. 31. 21. the child, his fatherly affection will not admit a division: It was the commendation of David, Josiah, Jehosophat, and Hezekiah, in the old Testament, that they sought the Lord with all their heart: and it is Christ's commandment in the new Testament, that we love him with all our Heart: for to love God with all the Heart, is in effect as much as to give him the Heart: but not the whole heart, there is something more in the heart than Love, for Discretion, Perception, Consideration and Meditation, are affirmed of the Heart: And all these are acts of the understanding, and God is said to bless Solomon, & to give him an understanding heart. 1. K. 3. 12. & the Heart is said to be the seat ofwisdom, so that God in calling for the heart, requires the understanding to know him, as well as the affections to love him, and he hath not the whole heart, except he have both; I will not dispute whether of the two is more useful for us, or acceptable to him; he requires both, we can lack neither, nor can the one well subsist without the other, and the heart is not perfect where either is wanting; Knowledge begetteth Love, & Love increaseth knowledge, if knowledge preceded not, it is a natural instinct, not Love, for how can we love God before we know him; It is a true Rule, Invisa diligere possumus, incognit a nequaquam. Aug. apud Amb. de spiera. ser. 15. ignoti nulla cupido, no knowledge, no love: It is the knowledge of the worth of the object of our love that spurs on the affections; the judgement of the understanding goes before, and there followeth the election of the will, that discerns; this chooses: the understanding, by discourse, examines the object, and having found it [utile & jucundum] right and good: commends it to the will, which readily embraceth it under those terms, 1. Jo. 4. 7. and so the better we know God, the more we love him, and the more we love him the better we know him, Love and be wise than the Apostle makes use of one word to signify both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Col. 3. 2. by this manner of speech giving us to understand that our love to God must not be an irregular passion, but a well ordered affection: for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the word cometh signifieth the mind or understanding, to teach us that our love must not be directly bolted out from the will but must pass by the understanding: and have there allowance, before it break forth, therefore first you must labour to know God, and that knowledge will reform your love, love him entirely and that love will inform your knowledge, for knowledge without love is vain, knowledge 1 Cor. 8. 2. puffeth up, it is love that edifieth: had a man all knowledge if he have not love it is nothing, 1 Cor. 13. 2 the holy Scripture advanceth it above its fellows, gives the pre-eminence to it, determins all in it, as the perfection of all virtues: and it is love that moves them all to their proper Acts: that maketh faith believe hope rely, patience endure, temperance abstain, humility submit. Yea in love there are two passions, desire and fear. A desire to please God in all things. A fear to offend him in any thing. The fear to offend God begets an awful reverence to his dreadful name. The desire to please him incites to a cheerful obedience of his heavenly will, and the trial of obedience is the performance of our duty, & the duty here enjoined is, Give. God that gives all requires something not by way of requital or compensation, for so man hath nothing to render him for all his benefits: but by way of thankfulness or gratulation, and so it is fit, very fit, that some present be tendered and given to him, that hath given all to us and lo what it is, the heart that must be given, My Son give me thine heart. And shall we then call this donum, and not debitum, our free gift, and not our bounden duty. Is it not he, that hath made us and not we ourselves: and so he may challenge our hearts as his own jure creationis by the right of creation as the maker of them. It is he that hath redeemed and bought us at a dear rate the life of his Son: pretio empti estis magno saith St Paul and thus the heart it his jure redemptionis by right of purchase as the Saviour and redeemer of it. Besides in Baptism we devoted ourselves wholly to him and so jure pacti by right of sale or covenant the heart is his; and yet he saith give, as if it were ours, whereas he may justly take it as his own, may; but will not: he that made thee without thee, will not save thee without thee, and though Salvation be the free gift of God and a work of grace, yet there must concur the act of man's will who if he would be saved must work out his own Salvation with fear and trembling. It is certain, God can by violence take the heart of man but he will have it freely given: drawing by fair means the will of Qui fecit te sine te non salvabit te sine te Aust the flesh into conformity to the law of the spirit. But doth not he who here saith give, in the 4 chapter of this book verse twenty three, say keep thy heart with all diligence, and how can a man do both give and keep, for by a gift there is transitus rei ad alium, a thing is made over to another: And yet in temporal things, we know, the same thing may be both given and kept when a man makes over his right to another retaining the use to himself for a time: but God in this case will admit of no such reservation nor will he be content to accept of the heart in reversion, he will have it in present, the very actual and real possession, and when once Hieroms' trans. the heart by faith and obedience is consecrated to God, he bids keep it, not from him, but for him, the word is serva * save it for him, sell it not to another: omni custodia serva, with all manner of keep: with watching, fasting, praying: with watching, that Satan with his tentations ensnare it not, with fasting, that the flesh with its lusts entangle it not; with praying, that the world with its cares distract it not: and thus to keep it, is absolutely to give it. Or if thou wilt not absolutely give it, yet da mutuò lend it God, bring it to his house, and let him have the use of it here, It may be the pleasures of God's house may so affect thine heart, that what at first thou didst barely lend, afterward thou wilt most cheerfully give: And even present thyself before thy heavenly Plautus in. Tri. father with the son in the comedy: pater adsum impera quod vis neque tibi ero in mora. Father command me what thou wilt, lo here I am ready to do thy will and this the heavenly father kindly accepts from his Terent. in And. son, and with the father in the comedy commends him for it; facis ut te decet cum isthoc quod postulo, impero cum gratia. Or if thou will not freely give yet lend it God whilst thou art here: remember that God is in this place though you know it not and when you come into this place it is with intention to meet your God, or else you might aswell keep away, and meet him you must not without your heart, that is his Benjamin, and his charge is like that of Joseph to his brethren Gen. 43. you shall not see my face except your brother be with you, let not us have occasion to say unto you as Isaac to his father Gen. 22. 7. behold the fire and the wood, but where is the Lamb for a offering, here are your bodies your ears to hear, your knees to bow, your tongues to give praise (and well it were if in this place these parts were so well disposed) but where is the heart for a offering: Oh let not your hearts be in your fields in your houses in your shops, in your coffers, running after covetousness and vanity when your bodies are in the Church, let no covetous voluptuous, ambitious or malicious thoughts divert your heart from God's service but lend him your hearts whilst here you are. Or if it will not be lent yet da pretio sell it him, he is so taken with the heart, that he will have it at any rate; the blessings of this life, & that which is to come, glory & immortality; yea if it cost the glorious kingdom of heaven, & the death of God's natural son stake but the heart & take all. Or if thou wilt not dare pretio, sell it him, nor give it him, nor lend it him: if neither the exhibition of present blessings, nor the promise of future happiness can win the heart to the reverence of God's holy name nor'to the obedience of his heavenly will, why then your blood will be upon your own heads, God hath done his part your destruction is from yourselves, he would, but ye would not, nay quoties voluit how often would he, alluring by his mercies persuading by his Ministers who in his name and in his stead do second Solomon in his suit for the heart My son give me etc. And must God for all this go without the Heart, for us (it seems) he may, but for his own names sake he will not: for, as he alone is the searcher and knower of the heart, so he alone can rule it: turn and alter it: as it seemeth best to his godly wisdom: yet he compels it not: persuades it rather, & so winning: are his persuasions, that they have the force of a law, & the most Volunt as non cogit ur stony & stout heart cannot stand out, when he bids yield; & still it is not compulsion but persuasion, monendo & movendo with such motions & monition he works upon it, non compellendo sed suaviter inclinando, not violently compelling but sweetly inclining it, for when the stiffness and stubbornness of the Heart rejecteth kindness, he works it by afflictions & punisheth not in anger, but in love: and Rev. 3. 19 so his punishments are chastisements, not judgements levamina non gravamina, gracious not grievous or if for the present they be somewhat grievous (as no affliction for the time is joyous) yet in the event they are gracious, working the Heart to Obedience conforming it to Gods will, and making it pliable to yield when God calls Give me thine heart. But if for all this men's Hearts be so stiff that they will not yield, than God brings them into great extremities, and presses them with manifold necessities, that (like Noah's Dove to the Ark) in the want and weakness of other means they may fly to him who is totius necessitatis remedium a sure supply of all wants, and yet necessities and extremityes may break the heart not bend it, except Gods holy spirit be with it. It is the effectual and lively worker of grace in the heart, melting and framing it to such a temper, that it becomes obedient to the heavenly calling: and when once the Heart is thus won then ever after the least signification of God's heavenly pleasure is a forcible command, and every motion from him is a powerful motive to us, resigning our hearts most willingly: when he requests so lovingly My son, give me thine heart. And now at last I am come to the last word of mytext, Me, mihi, mi fili, to me my son, mihi patri, to me thy father, thy heavenly Father, thy heart to me: and here we have the equity of his demand, which seems at first sight to cross the law of equity, whose rule is, suum cuique, to give every man his own, how then shall we think Gods demand equal and just, which runs in this style, tuum mihi? thine to me. Amongst men indeed, where the Relation is no higher than between neighbour and neighbour, the law of equity is violated, when one man usurps that which is another's, for God's law forbids every man to covet any thing that is his neighbours, nor can conveniency grant a dispensation for the breach of God's law. But betwixt God and Quod homo habet Dei ac domini sui munus est. ac per hoc in his quae offeruntur ab homine homo non suum reddit dominus suum recipit. Tim. ad Cath. Ecele siam. l. 1. pag. 366. man, the case is altered, for God in justice may require that which is thine to be given to him, for nothing thou hast is so thine, but that it is Gods also, of all thou hast, thou hast only the use; the right is Gods, thou the possessor, he the owner, and so in demanding what is thine, he calls but for his own, nor is it against equity for God to demand what is thine, seeing what is thine in keeping, is his indeed; but against justice for man to refuse to give what in right he hath no reason to withhold from the true owner: and therefore from God to man, da mihi tuum, give me that which is thine, is an equal demand. But God hath no need of any thing a man hath, all the beasts of the forest are his, and so are the cattles of a thousand hills, etc. His Ocean needeth not our drop, his all-sufficiency man's wealth: mistake not, his request is not to supply his own necessity, but first that we should make some expressions of our duty, and by presenting him with part of our substance, thereby to acknowledge Nemini dubium est, quod ea quae dei dono accepimus ad dei cultum referre debeamus. Tim. ad Eccl. cath. lib. 1. we hold all from him. Secondly to show our obedience to his blessed ordinance, which enjoineth to honour the Lord with our substance. Thirdly for his poor children's sake, whose case he makes his own. And so if God stand in need of nothing man can give, yet Christ doth, not Christus merus, sed Christus mysticus. Not the person of Christ, for God hath put all things in subjection under his feet, and exalted him to be Lord of all. But the body of Christ Totus Christus est caput & corpus. Aust. his Church, that labours under many wants, and God expects the necessities of his Church should be supplied of that which is thine, his Temples beautified, his Ministers maintained, his poor members relieved, and what is given to any of these God acknowledges as given to him, so that when God becomes a suitor unto man, it is not for himself, but for his Church, he makes his Church's case his own, and when a man gives to his Church, he offers to God, the time was when the forwardness of the giver prevented all suit: and then so much was given, that now God needs not to turn beggar for his Church, give him that which is his own, that which the piety of former times hath endowed his spouse with, and then she may say as Esau to Jacob, I have enough my brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself. Gen. 33. But yet I have not done with tuum mihi, thy goods, thy body, thy life, omne tuum, all thou hast to God, when by that thou hast, thou mayst do him service, keep nothing back. But above all that is thine, thine heart to God: any thing else thou hast God commends into thine hand, & gives thee liberty to dispose of it. Corpus terrae, thy body Terram terra tegat, daemon, peccata resumat, mundus res habeat spiritus astra petat. to the earth, earth it is, and to earth it must return, commend it therefore to the consecrated bed of dust, to sleep with its fathers, until by the last trump it be awakened to a joyful resurrection. Bona amicis, leave thy goods to thy friends, to the Saints upon earth, and such as excel in virtue, and forget not to transport a part before thee in pious and charitable uses, remember thy friends in heaven as well as thy kindred upon earth. Peccatum Dia bolo, thy sin to Satan, he was the first suggester of it, and a daily tempter to it, stop his mouth with a tolle quod tuum est & vade, let him gain nought from thee but thy sin, that is his, and bid him take his own and be packing, but Cor mihi, thy heart for God, we must breathe out our souls with David, In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum, into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit, all other parts at times convenient may labour about the things of this life: but sur sum corda, the Heart must never look so low heaven is Col. 3. 2. its hope, and her conversation must be as high as her hope, where her fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and from this fellowship she must not stray: when the eyes are abroad in the world, the heart must still be fixed in heaven, and let nothing remove it from that station, keep it there, and it keeps the whole man upright: whilst the Heart is devoted to God, there is no violence, bribery or injustice in the hand; no lust, covetousness or envy in the eye: the ear is not open to vanity or blasphemy: there is no Idolatry in the knee, no bitterness or falsehood in the tongue, no guile in the lips, no impiety to God, no injury to man, and this is the blessed fruit of the heart's devotion: thy Heart to God then. Other Competitors there are for the Heart. The world cries Cor mihi, give me thine heart and thou shalt have wealth and honours. The flesh cries, Give it me, and thou shalt have ease and pleasures. Give it me (saith Satan) and thou shalt have all these, the riches of the world, and the pleasures of the flesh, give him but the heart, and he will give all, how comes he thus munificent, Paracelfus tells us, he is but a beggarly spirit, and therefore let him not delude the heart with vain hopes, or deceive it with false shows, he promises all; but can give none; Matth. 4. suppose him able to make his promise good, yet all he promises, even the whole world, is not a valuable price for the heart, and will any man be so adventerously foolish, as to sell upon trust, at an under rate; and to Satan too; so bad a paymaster, the veriest huckster in the world; Give it him! it is lost for ever, but in Gods keeping it is sure enough: and this is not all the heart gains by being devoted to God, not safety Domine quia fecisti nos ad te irrequietum est cor donec requiescat in te. Aug. only, but satiety too, he fills the heart, and contents it to the full, cheering it on earth with his grace, and crowning it in heaven with his glory, even for his Christ's Jo. 1. 14. sake, whose is the fullness of grace and glory; to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, three Persons, but one LORD GOD Almighty, Be ascribed all might, majesty and dominion, now and for ever. Amen. FINIS. IMPRIMATUR. Jan. 26. 1638. GUIL. BRAY. Good Reader, with thy pen amend the faults escaped in the press thus, ERRATA. Page. 8. line 5. blot out the. p. 12. l. 20. blot out 4. p. 30. l. 1. read so. p. 33. l. 20. r. qui se Dei filium. p. 37. l. 6. blot out for. p. 38. l. 18. 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