Miscellanea philo-theologica, or, God, & man A treatise compendiously describing the nature of God in his attributes, with a lively pourtraiture of his wisedome in ordering, and disposing of the celestiall, and terrestriall bodies. Containing much variety of matter ... and apt applications singular for brevity, and perspicuity. By Henry Church.

[Sect. 2] Secondly, of the life of the creatures.

THere is a vegetive life of Trees, and Roots, and Hearbs, part in the Earth, part in the Ayre: there is a sensitive life of Beasts, Fowles, and Fishes; there is a rationall life of Angels, and Men: the Angels life is most excellent of all Creatures being spirituall, holy without wearinesse, or want, or labour, or misery; a glorious and immortall life. The life of man hath three degrees: first, in the wombe; secondly, in the world; thirdly, in Hea∣ven. The life in the wombe is secret in the conveyance, and secret in the continuance. Ecclesiastes 11.5. The life in the world is a life of action: Rom 2.6. The l••fe in Heaven is a life of vision, or contemplation. John 17.24. Matth. 5.8. Then shall we be as the Angels, Mat. 22.30. which doe behold the face of God. Mat. 18.10. The life in the wombe is secret, and little can be said of it: The life in the world is either common to all, being a life of nature; or speciall to the Saints, called a life of grace.

Of the the life of Nature.

The life of Nature is exercised about such things as the strength of Nature can act: All men attaine not to the same operatio••s, nor is the same man alwayes alike: some men excell others in their actions, and the same man excells himselfe in time by exercise and experience. This naturall life is exercised in the severall faculties of the soule, as Understanding, Will, Memory, and Af∣fections. Some by study and industry attaine to the knowledge of the heavenly Spheares, and celestiall Orbes whi h we doe call Astronomy. Some have knowledge of the terrestriall Globe, which is called Geography: These say, that the World is divided into foure parts, A∣frica, Asia, Europe, and America. Some attaine to A∣rithmaticke, others to Musick instrumentall and vocall,

and excell the melodious birds: Some attained to Prin∣ting after they had long used Writing. First men wrote on ashes with the Finger, as some report; then on barks of Trees with Knives, then on stones with Iron, then on Parchment with Canes, lastly, on Paper with quills. Their Inke at first was the juyce of a Fish, then the juyce of Mulberries, then they used Chimney-soote: now men use Gumme, Gaules, and Copperas. Man in this life of Nature acts on the Stage of this World divers acts of Wisedome, Art, and Invention; many Martiall inven∣tions, and warlike exploits; rares Cures in Physick, and shews great cunning in Navigation; policy in govern∣ments, curious Art in Workmanship, profoundnesse in Rethoricke, deepe Arguments in Logicke; I give a Compendium, it requires a Volume.

Of the life of Grace.

The life of grace none live, but those that are quick∣ned from a spirituall death. Ephes. 2.1. Naturall men are spiritually dead: When God converts a soule, hee puts a new life into it; that now a man lives to God in∣tentially, spiritually, and constantly.

1. Intentially, a man intends and purposes to live to God, whose servant he is. 1. Cor. 6.20.

2. Spiritually; this life of grace is godly and religious, holy, heavenly, and spirituall. Rom. 8.1. This life of grace makes them spirituall minded and affected, spiri∣tuall and heavenly in duties, as in prayer, hearing, rea∣ding, and receiving the Sacraments, &c.

3. Grace makes us to live to God constantly; against this life of grace heresies, nor afflictions, nor pleasures can prevaile: Acts 11.23. they cleave fast to the Lord. A man that lives to God, would not change the condition thereof with a worldly man, though he were a Lord, or Prince. This life of grace is a life of knowledge, which doth change him: 2. Cor. 3.18. A life of joy, which

doth strengthen him: Nehemiah 8.10. A life of hope, which doth purge him. 1. John 3.3.

This life of grace is most excellent, most honourable and most comfortable.

1. Most excellent in conveyance, they have it deri∣ved from Christ: He is the fountaine from whence spiri∣tuall life comes:* 1.1 It is the life of the most excellent per∣sons. This life makes Gods children excell others; o∣thers live onely a life of nature, but they live a life of grace; they have grace to restraine them, grace to re∣new them, grace to comfort them, grace to streng∣then and quicken them.

2. The life of grace is most honourable: Two things doe bring honour, one, to doe that is hard; the other, to doe that which is profitable. Hee that lives a life of grace, doth hard things; he subdues himselfe, workes out his salvation, increases dayly his assurance, edifies his brethren, and in this imployment is honourable. He that lives to God, is one of his servants, hath admit∣tance into his favour, is beautified with graces and ver∣tues, such honour have his Saints.

3. This life of grace is most comfortable; the comforts of naturall men are but as the light of the Moone, infe∣riour at the best, and alwayes mutable. Those which doe live to God, are neare him, and the light of his countenance shines upon them: And hence it is, that they have more joy than worldly men. Psal. 4.7. They have communion with God, this makes Heaven joy∣full; their actions are godly, and be as seeds of joy; they are the most comfortable people, and have the greatest grounds of joy; they have a sweet possession, and a large reversion.

Of the life of glory.

The life of grace ends in a life of glory: the people of God shall be glorious, and shine in the Kingdome of

their Father. This life is called Eternall life. Marke 10.30. Iohn 3.16. This life the Scriptures reveale; we are to beleeve it as an article of our Creed, we beleeve ever∣lasting life: were there not such a life, the professors of the Gospell, and the Martyrs had beene of all others most miserable. 1. Cor. 15.19. The Heathen Poets ghessed at it, comparing it to the Elizean fields.

This life of Glory is a blessed life, having the enjoy∣ment of God the chiefe good, the onely good: There is joy, pleasures, riches, rest, blessed company; there is no interruption of happinesse, no sinne, no sicknesse, no want, no sorrow, no teares: 'Tis a glorious life.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prov. 12.26. Psal. 16.3.