LXXX sermons preached at the parish-church of St. Mary Magdalene Milk-street, London whereof nine of them not till now published / by the late eminent and learned divine Anthony Farindon ... ; in two volumes, with a large table to both.

PART II.

LUKE XI. 27, 28.

And it came to pass as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lift up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

WE have already handled the circumstantial parts of the Text: We are now to treat of the substantial, the Womans speach, and our Savi∣ours. We begin with the Womans, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, &c. And that the mother of Christ was blessed we need not doubt. For we have not onely the voice of this woman to prove it, but the voice of an An∣gel; Blessed art thou among women;* 1.1 and Thou hast found favour with God, and shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, even the Son of the Highest. And we have her cousins testimony in the very words of the Angel, Blessed art thou amongst women,* 1.2 and bles∣sed is the fruit of thy womb. And we have the witness of a babe unborn, who leaped in the womb, & prophetavit antequam natus est and spake this truth when he could not speak. And indeed, though the womb be not capable of true blessedness (which all the privileges and prerogatives in the world, of Birth, or Honour, or Wisdome, or Strength, cannot reach: for neither the earth nor paradise it self can bring forth this fruit of Blessedness, which is onely at the right hand of God, who begins it here, and com∣pleats it in the highest heavens) yet to be the Mother of Christ carries with it a kind of resemblance and likeness with that which is truly Blessedness. For Blessedness is a state and condition in which is treasured up all the perfection which created substances are capable of, all defects and imperfections (which mingle themselves

with the best things here on earth, and taint and corrupt them) be∣ing quite removed and taken away. As if we seek for Pleasure, we shall find it in Heaven, both pure and fine from those dregs which do here invenom and imbitter it, and make even Plea∣sure it self tedious and irksome. If you would have honour, here it is without burden. Here are Riches, and no fear of loosing them. Here is Life, without vexation, here is Life without end. This the Womb is not capable of; yet we may see a representation of it in the Womb of the Virgin, in the birth of our Saviour; which was not ordinary, but miraculous; where she that brought the Child, had the joy of a Mother, and the honour of a Virgin, had all things but the imperfection of a Mother. I will not labour in this argument. Thus far we may safely go; All generations shall call her blessed, and while we speak of the Mother in her own lan∣guage and in the language of the Son, we have truth and religi∣on on our side. But yet some there be who will not venture so far, and though they allow her blessed, yet bogle at the Saint, as a name of danger and scandal: and because others have drest her up toyishly with borrowed titles they do little less then rob her of her own, and take it to themselves; take it from the Mother of Christ, and give it to a wicked and an adulterous generation. Others, on the contrary side, by making her more then a Saint, have made her an Idole. They have placed her in the House of God as Mother of the family; put into her hands the keys of Mercy, to let in whom she please; called her the Fountain of life, the Mother of the living, and the Raiser of the dead; written books of her miraculous Conception, and Assumption, and of the Power and Majesty she hath in heaven; Of which we may say as Pliny doth of the writings of the Magicians, that they have been pub∣lished non sinu contemptu & irrisu generis humani, not without a kind of contempt and derision of men, not without this insolent thought, that men would be so brutish as to approve, and such fools as to believe whatsoever fell from the pen of such idle dream∣ers. For thus without the least help of the breath of the Spirit, and without any countenance from any syllable in the word of God, they have lifted the holy Virgin up, and seated her in Gods throne, and every day plead her title in the very face of Christendome; and as Tully spake of some superstitious frantick Philosophers, quid∣vis malle videntur quàm se non ineptos, they seem to affect and hug this gross and ungrounded errour, and had rather be any thing then not be ridiculous. But these extremes have men run upon whilest they neglect that rule by which they were to walk; the one upon the rock of Superstition; the other (as it oft falls out in disputes of this nature) not onely from the errour they oppose, but from the Truth it self which should be set up in its place. Be∣tween these two we may walk safely, and guide our selves by the Womans voice and the Angels voice, and call her Blessed, and Saint, though not God; and we may place her in heaven, though we set her not in the throne: BLESSED, as the occasion of so much good. For when we see a clear and sylver stream, we bless the Fountain: And for the glory and quickning power of the beams some have made a God of the Sun. Whatsoever presents it self unto us in beauty or excellency, doth not onely take and delight us, but in the midst of wonder forceth our thoughts to look

back to the coasts from whence it came. For Virtue is not onely glorious in it self, but casts a lustre back upon generations past, and makes them blessed: it blesseth the times wherein it acts, it blesseth the persons wherein it is, and it blesseth all relations to those persons, and the neerest most. We often find in Scripture famous men and women mentioned with their relations. Arise, Barak, thou son of Abinoam. Blessed shal Jael be,* 1.3 the wife of He∣ber the Kenite. David the son of Jesse; Solomon the son of David. Blessed was Abraham, who begat Isaac; and blessed was Isaac, who begat Jacob; and then thrice blessed was she, who brought forth the Blessing of the world, JESƲS CHRIST a Savi∣our. Therefore was Barrenness accounted a curse in Israel, be∣cause they knew their Messias was to be born of a woman, but did not know what woman should bring him forth. Again, if it be a kind of curse to beget a wicked son, or, as Solomon did, the foolishness of the people.* 1.4 The Historian observes that many fa∣mous men amongst the Romans either died childless, or left such children behind them that it had been better their name had quite been blotted out, and they had left no posterity. And speaking of Tully, who had a drunken and a sottish son, he adds, Huic soli melius fuerat liberos non habere; It had been better for him to have had no child at all, then such an one. Who would have his name live in a wanton intemperate s••t? who would have his name live in a betrayer of his countrey, in a bloudy tyrant? If this curse reflect upon those who have been dead long ago, and is doubled on the living; who look upon those whom they call affectus, their affections, and caritates, their love, as their greatest grief and torment; then certainly a great blessing and glory it is for a parent to have a virtuous child, in whom he every day may behold not onely his own likeness, but the image of God, which shines in the face of every look∣er on, and fills their hearts with delight and their mouths with blessings. If it be a tyrant, a Nero, we wish the doors of his mothers womb had been shut up,* 1.5 and so sorrow and trouble hid from our eyes. Ventrem feri, saith the mother her self to the Cen∣turion who was sent to kill her; Strike, strike this cursed belly that brought forth that monster. But if it be a Father of his coun∣try, if it be a wise, just and merciful Prince, if he be a Titus, we bless the day wherein he was born, we celebrate his Nati∣vity, and make it a holy-day, and we bless the rock from whence he was hewen, the very loynes from whence he came. And therefore to conclude this, we cannot but commend both the Affection of this Woman and her Speech, the one great, and the other loud. For the greatness, the intention of the affection is not evil, so the cause be good; and it cannot move too fast, if it do not erre. If the sight of virtue and wisdome strike this heat in us, it is as a fire from heaven in our bowels. And such was this womans affection begot in her by Wisdome and Power, and both Divine. It rose not from any earthly respect, secular pomp or outward glory, but she hearing Christs gracious words, and seeing the wonders which he did, the fire kindled, and she spake with her tongue. And she still speaketh, that we may behold the same finger of God as efficacious and powerful in Christ to cast out the devil out of us; the devil which is

dumb, that we may speak his praises; and the devil that is deaf, that we may hearken to his words; the devil that is a serpent, that we may lay aside all deceit; the devil that is a lyon, that we may lay aside all malice; the devil that wicked one, that we may be freed from sin; that so we may put on the affection of this Woman, and with her lift up our voice, and say, Blessed is the womb that bare Christ, and the paps which he sucked. And further we carry not this consideration.

We come next to our Saviours gentle Corrective, IMO POTIUS, Yea, rather. And this, Yea rather, comes in seasonably. For the eye is ready to be dazled with a lesser good, if it be not diver∣ted to a greater, as he will wonder at a storm that never saw the Sun. We stay many times and dwell with delight upon those truths which are of lesser alloy, and make not any approch towards that which is saving and necessary; we look upon the excellencies of Christ, and find no leisure to fall down and worship him; we be∣come almost Christians, and come not to the knowledge of that truth which must save us and make us perfect men in Christ Jesus. The Philosopher will tell us that he that will compare two things together, must know them both. What glory hath Riches to him who hath not seen Virtue, as Plato would have her seen, naked, and not compassed about and disguised with difficulties; disgraces and hardships? What a brightness hath Honour to bind that hath not tasted of the Favour of God? What a Paradise is carnal pleasure to him that a good Conscience never feasted? What a substance is a Ceremony to him that makes the Precepts of the Law but shadows? How doth he rely on a Priviledge who will not do his duty? How blessed a Thing doth she think it to bring forth a Son that can work miracles, who knows not what it is to conceive him in her heart who can save her? Therefore it is the method of Wisdome it self, to present them both unto us in their just and proper weight, not to deny what is true, but to take off our thoughts, and direct them to something better; that we may not dote so long on the one as to neglect and cast off the other. From wondring at his Miracles Christ calleth us to the contempla∣tion of the greatest miracle that was ever wrought, the Redemp∣tion of a sinner; from his Miracles to his Word, for the keeping of which they were wrought. For to this end Christ manifested him∣self by signs and wonders, that we might manifest our selves to be his by our obedience, that where he is there we may be also; which is blessedness indeed.* 1.6 When our Saviour told Nathaniel he saw him under the figg-tree, Nathaniel calls him the Son of God and King of Israel. This was as it were the spring and beginning of his faith; and our Saviour makes much of it, and cherisheth it; Doest thou believe because of this? thou shalt see greater things then these; This is as the watring of it, the crowning of his first gift with a second. He shall see the heaven opening, and the Angels ministring unto him at his passion, resurrection and ascension. In my Text the Woman had discovered Christ's excellency, and Christ discovers to her his will, his Fathers will, the doing of which will will unite her unto him whom she thus admired, and make her one with him, as He and his Father is one. Blessed parents! yea, rather Blessed thou, if thou hear my word, and keep it. This is a timely grace, to lead her yet nearer to the kingdome of heaven: The lifting up of her voyce

was too weak to lift up those Everlasting gates? This was a season∣able Reprehension shall I call it, or Direction? It hath something of both, but so little of the rod that it is rather a staff to uphold the woman, and to guide her in the wayes of Blessedness. Blessed is the womb that bare thee, it is a truth, but a dangerous truth to dwell on: Yea; rather, points out to another truth upon which we may look with more profit and advantage; Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. That magnifieth my Mother; but this will make him that observes it my brother, and mother and sister. Et major fraternitas fidei quàm sanguinis, Faith and Obe∣dience keep us in a neerer relation to Christ then Bloud.

And now we if we look into the Church, we shall find that most men stand in need of a Yea, rather, who will magnifie Christ and his Mother too, but not do his will; will do what they ought to do, but leave that undone for which that which they do was or∣deined. Lord, how many Beatitudes have we found out, and seldome touch upon the right! FELIX SACRAMENTUM! Blessed Sacrament of Baptisme! The Father begins his book so de Baptismo. It is true; but there is an IMO POTIUS, Yea, rather blessed are they that have put on Christ. Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Sup∣per! It is true; but yea, rather blessed are they that dwell in Christ. Blessed Profession of Christianity! yea, rather blessed are they that are Christs. Blessed Cross! The Fathers call it so. Yea, rather blessed are they that have Crucified their flesh with the affecti∣ons and lusts. Blessed Church! Yea, rather blessed are they who are members of Christ. Blessed Reformation! Yea, rather blessed are they that reform themselves. The greatest debate is concerning these. What degladiations, what tragedies about these! And if every phansie be not pleased, the cry is as if Religion was breathing out its last, when Religion consists not principally in these; and these may seem to have been passed over as pledges of love as well as commands, and were passed over to this end. For we are bapti∣zed, that we might put on Christ. We come to his Table, that we may feed on him by faith. The Cross is magnified, that we may take it up. The Church was reformed, that we should purge our selves not onely of superstition, but also of prophaneness and sacri∣lege, and those sins for which the name of Christ is blasphemed a∣mongst the heathen. The Philosopher indeed tells us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that in respect of variety of circumstances it is a hard matter many times to make our choice, or in our judg∣ment to prefer one thing before another. And in some cases this is true; but in this particular we speak of all the difficulty rises, not from the object, or from the understanding, but from the will. For we will choose that which is easie rather then that which is best; that which will fit our humour, rather then that which will save our soul: And therefore we have need not of gentle but cor∣roding physick; of an Imò potiùs to be pressed home upon us again and again in the sharpest accent. For when a man hath followed his thoughts to those pleasing objects which they so readily fly to, when he hath run his compass, and fastned on that which flatters his sense, and called it Blessedness, he runs further and further from Blessedness, and holds nothing of it but the name. Thou maist wash at the Font, and yet pollute thy self; thou maist eat at Christs Table, and not be fed; thou maist be of the Church, and yet be Anathe∣ma;

of the reformed Church, and yet be worse then an Infidel. Blessed are all these, because they help to make us blessed, and are appointed as means for that end: But IMO POTIUS, Yea rather, must draw them home, and settle us in this Fundamental Truth, Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Which is the Resolve, and Conclusion of the whole matter; and with it we shall conclude.

This Resolve of Wisdome it self, as it doth cool and moderate our affections towards the outward and temporal favours and blessings of God, towards those of his right Hand, and those of his left, so it doth intend and quicken them towards that which is Blessedness in∣deed.* 1.7 It sets us up a glass, that Royal Law, that perfect Law of li∣berty, which if we look into, and continue in it, being not forgetful hearers, but doers of the work, we shall be blessed in it. We may seek for Blessedness in the field abroad, in outward favours and privi∣leges, but loe here it is found. Blessedness, like Christ himself, is a α & ω, the first and the last; the end, and yet the first mover of us in these wayes which lead unto it. Christiano coelum antè pa∣tet quàm via; Heaven is first opened to a Christian, and then the way; and he that walks in this shall enter into that. Now what is Blessedness but a state of perfection, and an aggregation of all that is truly good, without the least tincture and shew of evil, as Boethius speaketh. This cannot be found but in the most perfect Good, even God, who is Perfection it self, whose pleasure, whose delight, whose paradise is in his own bosome. This he opens, and pours a part on his creature; of which we do in a manner take possession, and tast of its pleasant fruits, when we keep his word and law, which is nothing else but a beam of that law which was with and in God from all eternity; and by which, as we are made after the image, so are we transformed into the similitude of God. Thus Plato himself calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, our assimilation to, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, our union with God, in whom alone those two powers of the soul, those two horsleaches, which ever cry, Give, give, the Under∣standing, which is ever drawing new conclusions, and the Will which is ever pursuing new objects, have their eternal Sabbath and rest. Hic Rhodus, hic saltus; This is the end, and this is the way. Our Saviour here seems to make two, Hearing, and Doing, but indeed they are but one, and cannot be severed; for the one leads into the other, as the Porch into the Temple. It is the great er∣rour of the times, conjuncta dividere, to divide those duties which God hath joyned together: to have quick ears, and withered hands; to hear, and not to do; to let in, and let out; nay, to let in, and to loath. And in this reciprocal intercourse of hearing and neglecting many spin out the thread of their lives, and at the end thereof look for Blessedness. And certainly if Blessedness would dwell in the ear, there would be more blessed on earth then in heaven. And if an open ear were the mark of a Saint, what great multitudes, how many millions, are there sealed to be kept unto salvation? But to hear is not enough; and yet it may be too much, and may set us at a fadder distance from Blessedness then we had been at if we had been deaf. Our Ear may turn into a Tongue, and be a witness against us. For that plea which the hypocrites make,* 1.8 We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets, is a libel and an accusation, and draws down

a heavier sentence upon them? For he bids them depart from him, who would work iniquity after they had heard him in their streets. Blessed are they that hear the word of God, reacheth not home; and therefore there is a conjunction copulative to draw it closer, and link with Obedience; Blessed are they that hear the word of God, AND keep it. So this conclusion will necessarily follow, That E∣vangelical Obedience and the strict observation of the doctrin of Faith and Good works is the onely and immediate way to Blessed∣ness. For not the hearers of the word, but the doers, shall be justified,* 1.9 saith S. Paul.

And indeed there is no way but this. For first, God hath fit∣ted us hereunto. For can we imagine that he should thus build us up, and stamp his own image upon us, that we should be an habi∣tation for owls and Satyrs, for wild and brutish imaginations? that he did give us Understandings to find out an art of pleasure, a method and craft of injoying that which is but for a season? Was the Soul made immortal for that which passeth away as a sha∣dow; and is no more? or have we dominion over the beasts of the field, that we should fall and perish with them? No, we are ad majora nati, born to eternity; and in our selves we carry an ar∣gument against our selves if we keep not Gods word. Indeed Faith, in respect of the remoteness of the object; and its elevation above the ken of Nature, may seem a hard lesson, yet in the Soul there is a capacity to receive it: and if the other condition, of Obedience and Doing Gods will, did not lye heavy upon the Flesh, the more brutish part, we should be readier scholars in our Creed then we are. If we could hate the world, we should be soon in hea∣ven. If we would imbrace that which we cannot but approve, our infidelity and doubtings would soon vanish as a mist before the Sun. Augustine hath observed in his book De Religione, that mul∣titudes of good moral men, especially the Platonites, came in readily, and gave up their names unto Christ. But the Agenda, the precepts of practice, are as the seed, and the heart of man as the earth, the matrix, the womb to receive it. They are so proportioned to our Reason that they are no sooner seen but ap∣proved, being as it were of neer alliance and consanguinity with those notions and principles which we brought with us into the world. Onely those are written in a book, these in the heart: At the most, the one is but a Commentary on the other. What pre∣cept of Christ is there which is not agreeable and consonant to right Reason? Doth he prescribe purity? The heart applauds it. Doth he bless Meekness? The mind of man soon says, Amen. Doth he command us to do to others as we would others should do to us? We entertain it as our familiar and contemporary; Doth he pre∣scribe Sobriety? We soon subscribe to it: for what man would pro∣fess himself a beast? And hence it comes to pass that we see some∣thing that is good in the worst, that we hear a panegyrick of Vir∣tue from a man of Belial, that when we do evil we are ready to maintein it as good, and when we do an injury we call it a bene∣fit. For no man is so evil that he desires not to seem good? There is, saith Basil, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the the Soul of man, a na∣tural distast of that which is evil. But Virtue, though it have few followers, yet hath the votes of all. Temperance; the drun∣kard will sing her praises. Justice; every hand is ready to set a Crown upon her Head. Valour is admired of all, and Wisdome

is the desire of the whole earth. So you see Gods precepts are proportioned to the Soul, and the Soul to God's precepts, which hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a formative quality, a power to shape and fashi∣on and to bring forth something of the same nature, a creature made up in obedience, in holiness and righteousness. Christs exhor∣tation to Prayer begets that devotion which opens the gates of heaven, his command to take up the cross begets an army of martyrs; his command to deny our selves lifts us up above our selves, to that Blessedness which is everlasting.

Secondly, as the precepts of Christ are proportioned to the Soul, so being embraced they fill it with light and joy, and give it a tast of the world to come. For as Christs yoke is easie, but not till it is put on; so his precepts are not delightful till they are kept. Aristotle's Happiness in his books is but an Idea, and Hea∣ven it self is no more to us till we enjoy it. The precepts of Christ in the letter may please the understanding part, which is al∣waies well affected and inclinable to that which is apparently true, but till the Will have set the Feet and Hands at liberty, even that which we approve we distast, and that which we call honey is to us as bitter as gall. Contemplation may delight us for a time, and bring some content, but the perversness of our Will breeds that worm which will soon eat it up. It is but a poor happiness to think and speak well of Happiness, as from a mount to behold that Canaan which we cannot enjoy. A thought hath not strength and wing enough to carry us to bliss. But when the Will is sub∣dued and made obedient to the Truth, then Gods precepts, which are from heaven, heavenly, fill the soul with a joy of the same nature, not gross and earthy, but refined and spiritual, a joy that is the pledge and the earnest, as the Apostle calls it, of that which is to come. When the Will is thus subject, and framed and fashioned according to the rule and pattern which God hath drawn, it cloths it self as it were with the light of heaven, which is the original of this chast delight. Then what a pearl is Wis∣dome? what glory is in poverty? what honour in persecution? what a heaven in obedience? Then, how sweet are thy words un∣to my tast!* 1.10 yea, sweeter then honey unto my mouth, saith David. In quibus operamur, in illis & gaudemus: for such as the work is, such is the joy. A work that hath its rise and original from hea∣ven, a work drawn out according to the law which is the will of God, begun in an immortal soul and wrought in the soul, promo∣ted by the Spirit of God and the ministery of Angels, and breath∣ing it self forth as myrrh or frankincense amongst the children of men, will cause a joy like unto it self, a true and solid joy, ha∣ving no deceit, no carnality, no inconstancy in it, a beam from heaven, kindled and cherisht by the same Spirit; a joy which re∣ceives no taint nor diminution from those sensible evils which to those that keep not Gods word are as Hell it self, and the onely Hell they think of, but giving a relish and sweetness to that which were not evil if we did think it so, making Poverty, Disgrace, and Death it self as fewel to foment and increase it; upholding us in misery, strengthning us in weakness, and at the hour of death and in the day of judgment streaming forth into the ocean of eternal Happiness. Blessedness invites, attends and waits upon Obedience, and yet Obedience ushereth it in, being illix misericordiae; it invi∣teth

Gods Mercy, and draws it so near as to bless us, and it makes the blessing ours, not ex rigore justitiae, according to the rigour of justice, as I call that mine which I buy with my money. For no obedience can equal the reward. And what can the obedience of a guilty person merit? but ex debito promissi, according to Gods promise, by which he hath as it were entailed Blessedness on those who hear his word, and keep it:* 1.11 and God is not unrighteous to forget our work and labour of love. Oh let neither our obedi∣ence swell and puff us up as if God were our debtor, nor let us be so afraid of merit as not to keep Gods word. Let not our an∣ger against Papists transform us into Libertines, and let us not so far abominate an errour in judgment as to fall into a worse in practice; let us not cry down Merit, and carry a Pope, nay Hell it self, along with us, whithersoever we go. Let us not be Pa∣pists; God forbid: And God forbid too that we should not be Christians. Let us rather move like the Seraphims, which having six wings, covered their face with the uppermost,* 1.12 and not daring to look on the majesty of God; and covered their feet with the lowest, as acknowledging their imperfection in respect of him; but flew with those in the midst, ready to do his will. Let our obedience be like unto theirs: Let us tremble before God, and abhor our selves: but between these two let the middle wings move, which are next to the Heart, and let our hearty Obedience work out its way to the end.

For conclusion; Let us not look for Blessedness in the land of darkness, amongst shades and dreams and wandring unsetled phan∣tasmes. Phansie is but a poor petard to open the gates of hea∣ven with: Let us not deceive our selves. To call our selves Saints will not make us Saints; to feign an assurance will not seal us up to the day of redemption. Presumption doth but look towards Blessedness whilst Disobedience works a curse, and carries us irre∣coverably into the lowest pit. What talk we of the imputed righteousness of Christ, when we have none of our own? what boast we of Gods grace, when we turn it into wantonness? The imputed righteousness of Christ is that we stand to when we are full of all iniquity: and this we call appearing in our elder brothers robes and apparel, that, as Jacob did, we may steal away the blessing. Thus the Adulterer may say, I am chast with Christs chastity; the Drunkard, I am sober with Christs temperance; the Covetous, I am poor with Christs poverty; the Revenger, I am quiet with Christs meekness; he that doth not keep his word, may keep his favour; and, if he please, every wicked person may say that with Christ he is crucified, dead and buried. As Calvisius Sa∣binus in Seneca thought he did do himself what any of his Ser∣vants did; if his servant were a good Poet, he was so; if his servant were well-limb'd, he could wrestle; if his servant were a good Grammarian, he could play the Critick. And so if Christ fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights, we fast as long, though we never abstain from a meal: If Christ conquered the devil when he tempted him, we also are victorious, though we never resist him; If Christ opened not his mouth when he was haled to the slaughter, we also are as sheep, though we open our mouth as a sepulchre. And therefore as Seneca speaks of that rich man, Nunquam vidi hominem indecentius, I never saw a man whose

Happiness did less become him: so most true it is, This obedience is but an unbeseeming garment, because it had no other artificer but the Phantasie to spin and work and make it up. Beloved, if we keep God's word, he will keep his, and impute righteousness to us though we have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God! What talk we of applying the promises, which he may do who is an ene∣my to the cross of Christ. If we keep his word, the promises will apply themselves. And indeed applying of the promises is not a speculative, but a practick thing, an act rather of the Will then of the Understanding. When the Will of man is subject to the will of God, this dew from heaven will fall of it self. Ʋpon them that walk according to the rule shall be mercy and peace, and upon the Israel of God. To conclude; If we put on the Lord Jesus, if we put him on all, his Righteousness, his Obedience, his Love, his Patience, that is, if we keep his word, he will find his Seal upon us by which he will know us to be his, and in this his likeness he will look upon us with an eye of favour, bless us here with joy and content, and so fit and prepare us for everlasting blessedness at the end of the world, when he shall pronounce to all that have kept his word that blessed welcome, Come ye Blessed children of my Father, receive the king∣dome and Blessedness which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke 1.28. v. 31, 32.
• * 1.2

  v. 42.
• * 1.3

  Judg. 5.
• * 1.4

  Eccl. 47.23.
• * 1.5

  Job 3.10.
• * 1.6

  John 1.49.
• * 1.7

  James 1.25.
• * 1.8

  Lvke 3.26.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 2.13.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 119.103.
• * 1.11

  Hebr. 6.10.
• * 1.12

  Isa. 6.2.