world made began in time since the creation of the world is an outward action of God voluntary The very same answer may be made vnto the rule wheÌ„ the cause is the effect is the cause eternal therfore the effect to wit y e world For this holdeth in natural things also that worke naturally necessarily but not in things y e worke freely willingly as God did in creating Otherwise euery house must be as ancient as the Carpenter that made it No the relatioÌ„ ther betwixt y e cause the effect beginneth in time after because he is a voluntary cause so is it with God Silly then slack are these conclusions you euidently see and far from demonstrations Thirdly they reason thus That which hath no alteration is not subiect to generation or corruption The heauen hath no alterations for thus many thousand yeares none haue beene obserued Therefore it is not subiect to generation to be made or corruption to cease to be Therefore it is eternall We aunswer that all though it might be truly sayde that many partes of the world are subiect to alteratioÌ„s as the aire the water the earth c and consequently the whole not perpetuall whose parts be alterable Yet with diuinitie we rather say that Generatio physica naturall generation and creation be two things and differ much so do Corruptio physica naturall corruption and violent destruction which a renuing shal follow Therefore although neither generation nor corruption can be without alteration yet things may be created that haue no alterations as Angels stars soules And by diuine power celestiall bodies may be destroyed or at least changed and renued according to the saying Heauen and earth shall passe and againe They all shall waxe old as doth a garment c. Behold I create a new heauen and new earth and with such like For the argument then it may be granted that albeit the world was not Genitus generated as I may say yet it was created by God of nothing and so their purpose faileth for all this cauill also Fourthly they say Time is eternall therefore motus moouing for time is the measure of moouing if motion then a thing moued to wit the world c. For answer wherevnto first the consequence may be denyed for time is not onely taken as philosophy taketh it for measure of moouing according to first and later But sometime it is put simply and absolutely for the continuance of a thing though it be not the measure of the motion of the same So may we call eternitie and that infinite continuance that I may so speake of God who hath bin from euerlasting But this is improperly for indeed the maner that hath taken place in schooles is to call time the measure of mouing Now Aristotle not able by naturall wit to see rightly what difference was betwixt time eternitie or what maner of continuance eternitie was iudged time to be eternall because he saw an eternitie of a moouer which is not so for there may be a mouer eternall to wit God albeit no motus corporis mobilis for God is not corpus mobile as the parts of the world are as philosophie meaneth Now Tempus est mensura motus corporis mobilis non dei according to Philosophy Secondly touching the antecedent that time is eternall it may truly also be denyed And for that which is vsually brought to prooue it that it began with the first moouer in some moment or poynte of time which point being a coniunction of passed and future presupposeth a point passed and so an other infinitely it may be answered that euery point of time is not a continuer ioiner of passed and future but it is also sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amending of time whether it be at the beginning or ending for as for example the point in the line is not euer a continuer of the same line ioyning that which followeth after to that which went before but also a certaine thing both beginning and ending the line So in time there is Nunc initians a beginning and an instant or a present that beginneth with the thing as when the world tooke his beginning then began also such an instant or present there is also Nunc continuans a continuing pointe which is properly called time because Tempus est fluxio à priori ad posterius a going from the first to the later and at last there shall be Nunc terminans an ending point to wit the end of the world now thus created moouing and bâ—ing Nothing therefore helpeth this argument to prooue an eternitie of the world more then the rest did Many mo might be alleadged to this purpose but no better then these and I iudge neither these nor them very pleasant to such as I specially labour to profit because they conceiue not such consequences Wherefore I cut them off and this onely I commend vnto you to be thought of It is impossible euen by the Philosophers owne rules that there should be mo infinites then one Now God is one infinite therefore nothing els in heauen or earth beside But whatsoeuer is else it had a beginning and many things shall haue an ending also The rest by his power shall haue an eternitie giuen them to continue not of themselues 4 How did God create all things Not by or with any labour but by his word for He spake the word saith the Psalme and they were made he commanded and they were created Liberrime sine vlla coactione noÌ„ necessitate absoluta sed necessitate coÌ„sequentiae nempe suae voluÌ„tatis Freely without any coÌ„straint not by an absolute necessitie but by a necessitie of consequence to wit of his owne good wil. Solo nutu sine vlla mutatione aut fatigatione Onely with his beck without any change or wearines in hâ—mselfe which is the highest and excellentest kinde of working 5 Whereof Not of his essence neither of any former matter coeternall with himselfe but of nothing for if by him all things were made surely beside him nothing is excepted from making no not that first matter wherevpon all things were made But you will say man was made of the dust of the earth fishes and fowles of the water woman of man and then how were all things made of nothing Damascene answereth Deus fecit omnia ex nihilo alia quidem immediate alia mediate God made all things of nothing but some immediatly others mediatly His meaning is that God made first of nothing a matter a first matter whereof he made all other things Now that first matter is made of nothing immediatly but the rest that were formed of that matter were formed of nothing mediatly because they were made of that which was made of nothing and so secondarily or mediatly as I say then of nothing But then you will say againe Ex nihilo nihil fit Of nothing nothing is made And I answere you that so it is
the same Again to consent to that which is wickedly deuised of others and to make a particular concept a general iudgement action and worke at last Great cause therfore that mens lewd deuises should be restrained from being published since both the deuisers wishe and mans great corruption is so prone to yeeld a wicked consent and folowing of the same Caiphas counsell when it once sounded of Christs death was quickly harkened vnto and from that daye forward consultation had together howe they might accomplishe the same Whosoeuer broched it first that the people should aske Barabbas and refuse Iesus it was soone receiued liked folowed of such ignorant spirits and giddy heads That a sort should combine together and kill the Apostle had a beginner and how quickly pleased the plot such other bloudye mindes and spitefull hearts How soone imbraced Lots yoonger daughter the counsell of the elder to do so vile a thing That vnbrotherly conspiracie against Ioseph was soone yeelded vnto when once it was vttered Lye vpon thy bed said Ionadab and faine thy selfe sicke when thy father commeth to see thee pray him that thy sister Thamar may come make thee some meate c. You know the counsel you know the consent to the same also how ready it was how wel liked Ahitophels deuise that Absolon should enter into his fathers concubines left to keepe the house though it were horrible yet how it pleased was imbraced cannot be forgotten A sort of green heads Oratores noui stulti adolescâ—tuli new orators fooles yoong counsellers laid a plot for Rehoboam Salomons sonne to folow he liked it he folowed it and cast away the counsell of the aged experienced learned and faithful counsellers to his father but it cost him the setting on hee bought it deere and had I wist came as euer it dooth when it was too late Thus might we runne on a large and long course if I woulde But it shall not neede one example moe shall suffice and then an end of this note Doe you remember the murmuring against Moses and Aaron in the booke of Numbers how began it had it not a Captaine then a second then a third then a number once broched that Moses and Aron tooke too much vpon them that others were equall with them and therfore should be in like authority that the people wronged and so foorth soone was it liked soone was it catched soone was it prosecuted of proud mindes that would be aloft and knew not to obey But what was Moses Aron that they should be thus vsed of their brethren Surely the Lords faithfull ministers his chosen serauants they were whose cause when he had thus exercised them with a trial he tooke into his own hands his ielousie on their behalfe began to burne and till hee had shewed a iudgement that should make all eares to tingle that heare of it all hearts not forsaken of God to feare how they doe the like hee neuer left them Conclude we then vpon all those that sinne some be wicked to broache a wickednesse and thousands weake to folowe the same when once they heare it yea though it be to builde a Tower against God it neuer was nor euer shall be either godly pollicie or christian dutye to suffer mens braines to broche what they list and others to folow vnquiet deuises hatefull to God and hurtfull to his Church in a high degree 6 It followeth in the text That we may get a name see the madnes of the world euer to neglect heauen and seeke a name in earth where nothing is firme nothing continueth but fadeth away and perisheth as a thought This madnesse the Prophet Dauid mentioneth in his 49. Psalme and laugheth at it saying They thinke their house and their habitations shall continue for eâ—eâ— euen from generation to generation and call the lands by their owne names This their way vttereth their foolishnes yet their posteritie delight in their talke c. That saying of Iuuenal is known Mors sola fatetur quantula sunt â—ominum corpuscula onely death acknowledgeth of what power mens bodyes bee such are our minds so greedye of a name and so blinde in the true course to attaine the same whereof wee had speeche before Thys sinne of ambition and vayne glorye pricked the heartes of our first parents to the very death It is not rooted out of their posteritie nor euer will But yet lesse and more it pricketh although all bee not euill in this respect alike Would God this vngodly and vntowardlye regarding and desiring of a name had not beene before and were to this day a cause to make many reiect the truth of God which they should imbrace For times past what said our Sauiour in the 5 of Iohn Howe can you beleeue which receiue glorie one of an other and do not seeke that glorie that is onely of God For times present I content my selfe with that confession openly at Paules crosse that amongst some other causes which kept one in such disobedience to God and hir Maiestie this was one chiefe one the tickling of vaine glory Which cause said he I am sure dooth detayne most of the contrary side meaning Papists in their peruerse obstinacie howsoeuer they bragge that they seeke nothing by theyr dealings but the glory of God c What I could saye I doe not let them that take bad courses examine their owne hearts why they do it and remember how deepe hee that made the heart seeth into it Yea let others also looke that be no Papists if this hidden conceipt to get a name doe not make them tread awrie and if secret thoughts giue secret sentence on my side against themselues because conscience will speake true though not euer alowde that others may heare remember his saying that sayd it well Melius est de media via recurrere quam semper currere male Better it is to returne backe when we haue gone halfe waye then still to go on and that ill 7 They will build they say to saue them that they be not dispersed But behould the issew this very thing is the cause of their dispersion both farre and wide a sunder So crosse shall God turne the counsels of flesh against his glory liking and will For euen that which the wicked feareth shall come vpon him saith the spirite of God As in example one for many beside this place Christ may not be suffred to liue and goe on least the Romains came vpon them and tooke awaye both their place and the nation But euen this conspiracie put in practise brought that which they feared vpon them most trulye iustly and heauely to thâ—ir vtter ouerthrâ—w and subuersion by Titus and Vespasian There is no strength there is no counsell wisdome or pollicy against the Lord. If fleâ—h deuise wayes to establish it selfe without his feare the folly of flesh shall soone appeare
not as by any vnder instrument and inferiour meanes as wickedlye the Arians would conclude but as by his substantiall power and vertue And againe as wee saye the fyre shyneth and the light of the fyre also shyneth so all which the Father dooth the Sonne also dooth Thus much of this poynte 2 What was created Heauen and earth say these words of Moses heere And Heauen and Earth and Sea and all things that are in them say the Apostles in an other place But that the generalitie bee not mistaken you must remember that needefull limitation which the Apostle addeth when hee sayth All things that were made By him all things were made and without him was made nothing That was made By which clause is made a plaine distinction of things created from things vncreated Nazianzene Epiphanius with other of the old writers rightly concluded vpon it against the Arians that as the Father was not made nor created so neither Sonne nor holy Ghost were But especially this clause discerneth and distinguisheth the workes of God and good creatures from sinne and death and such like which were not things made but came otherwise not things positiuely as I may speake of themselues but a priuation destruction and horrible deprauation of the order first made by God Thus teacheth Iohn when he maketh Satan the author of lyes and saith then he speaketh of his owne Againe when he saith the concupiscence of the flesh is not of the Father but of the world and in the next Chapter He that committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning And as for death By sinne came death saith the Apostle and the rewarde of sinne is death c. When it is sayd therefore that God made all things remember to adde this all things that were made as S. Iohn dooth and so shall you exclude from the worke of God all sinne death deformitie confusion tyranny calamitie and such like which being neuer made by God are crept in by Satans malice and mans corruption as breaches and blots of Gods order 3 When In the beginning saith Moses heere and much a doo haue curious heads made about these words But if we haue that reuerent feare in vs that all men ought to haue toward the word of God they are plaine inough for if he had said in the end God created heauen and earth would we not streight haue conceiued that hee created them last to wit in the worke of the sixte day And why should we not as easily conceiue him when he saith in the beginning to meane nothing but first of all to wit the first day and so leaue all vngodly quirkes to a vaine heart that shall weepe for such wickednes one daye In principio say the best interpreters that is Certo ac definito tempore atque adeò in principio temporum non ab aeterno In the beginning that is in a certaine and definite time and euen in the beginning of time not from euerlasting In principio scilicet creandi In the beginning to wit of creating â—aith very rightly Abben Hezra God created heauen and earth And let these graue lights of graue and learned men sway more with vs then a thousand subtilties which as Syrach speaketh are fine subtilties but vnrighteous This creation of it in the beginning conuinceth the falshood that it is eternall So do many things mo beside this and namely that computation which is generally receiued of all men of the yeares which it hath indured and which be now past since the creation But neuerthelesse on go some with their blinde concepts and would prooue the contrary For first say they if we grant the world had a beginning then was God idle euer before but that is absurd therefore it was not created but was eternall We may answer them first that the rule which they harpe vpon in this argument namely that Perfectissima causa non est otiosa the most perfect cause is not idle Non est vera dea gentibus voluntariis is not true of such things as worke by will or willingly as the most excellent Carpenter may forbeare his worke and action a time If they thinke that God was alone therein they shew themselues carnall and speake carnally For how should he be alone more then then now vnto whome all things are present though they be future and things that are not as if they were Hierom vpon this occasion citeth that saying of Scipio Nunquam minus solus qùam cum maxime solus Neuer lesse alone then when I am most alone And cannot this be true much more of God that he is not alone without these creatures which he made Could he say it when his countrey was lost his wife and children freends and louers that yet all his good was with him and cannot the Lord say it much more that his good standeth not in the presence of creatures but before euer they were and now that they are yet all his is with him without them Christ sayth hee is not alone not in respect of any company of man or creature but in respect of his Father whome he saith to bee with him Nowe shall Christ not bee alone in respecte of hys diuine coniunction with hys Father and shall it not be alike with the Father in regard of his sonne and with the holy Ghost in regard of them both and with eache of them in respect of others Surely that inseperable vnitie of the Trinitie denyeth to euery person a possibilitie to be alone And that insearchable mysterie of the fruition of his owne glorye is other manner of company if I may so speake then all the creatures of this world can yeeld him O but yet say they what did God euer before Verely saith Austen he made Hell for such busie braines vnreformed harts and toongs that will so curiously enter into Gods secrets How much better would the words of the modest and godly Apostle become them O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God howe vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who was his counsellâ—r c. Secondly they reason thus The moouer the thing mooued be relatiues and the one supposeth the other But God the moouer was euer therefore the thing mooued to wit the world But we answer them to this also truly that if there be a moouer actually then there must needes also be a thing mooued But God though he were from euerlasting himselfe yet did he not actually mooue in respect of these outward creatures which are without his essence but onely was Mouens potentia It is farre differing therefore to speake of one as was said before that worketh by wil and freely to speake of a thing that worketh naturally it is no absurditie to say y t the relation betwixt the first cause the
haue come to passe as now we know and see Happy is that hart that is contented with Gods will and prayseth his name for well and woe 12 Then the seruant tooke foorth a golden abilement c. Where we may see how although hee was perswaded that this was the woman whome God had apoynted for wife vnto his mayster yet doth hee vse ordinary meanes as gifts of golde to procure her to consent Therefore wee see the children of God do neuer reason thus if God haue apoynted the matter it skilleth not what I doo but they vse the apoynted meanes and leaue Gods counsells to himselfe Our Sauiour fled into Egipt from Herods tyranny and yet God had apoynted that hee should not so dye And in the Acts of the Apostles they toke broken peeces of the Ship and so got out yet foretould that they should not perish with many such examples in the scripture Agayne wee may note it heere that such golden attiring as this and Iewells are not simply condenmed in all women But it is the manner or measure or calling that maketh things not alowable Confer this with Peter and Paule forbidding brodered heyre c. as also with the third of Esay and interpret one by an other Mayster Cranmer in hys booke of the Sacrament sayth those places of Peter and Paule be denyalls but by comparison and not simply But I neede not to speake in this matter We are too apt to take more then is alowed when men are but carefull not to restrayne what is alowed Both are extremities and the middle way is the good vertue euer commended 13 The seruant bowed himselfe when hee saw how all fell out And we are to marke in it how Gods children should not only pray in their wants but also be thankefull in their wealth for so doth this seruant He begged Gods assistance and now that he euidently seeth it he voweth himselfe and blesseth the Lord for it But God forgiue vs our vnkindnesse in this behalfe for if ten of vs be clensed nine of vs neuer returne to giue thanks 14 In the 31. verse and so on it pleaseth the Spirit of God to note Labans kindnesse and good intertainment of this seruant when once he had heard of him by his sister and no doubt it is euer thus done to commend vnto vs curtesy and gentlenesse and to bring vs in dislike with currishnesse and hardnesse But when meate was set before him the seruant will not once taste of it till he haue done his message more carefull a great deale of his maysters businesse then of his owne belly Where are such seruants in these dayes 15 When you come to the seruants tale I pray you note how hee leaueth out that which happely might haue offended them namely how Abraham his mayster gaue him in charge in no case to bring back his Sonne amongst his kindred agayne It sheweth such a wisedome and discretion in a good seruant when hee doth his message as is euer to be followed of all that reade it And it sheweth also that although no vntruth be to be auoutched yet neyther is all truth euer and at all times to be declared 16 WheÌ„ the seruaÌ„t had thus shewed how all things had hitherto fallen out euen by Gods mighty merciful directioÌ„ yet leaueth he libertie to the parents friends if you marke it to dispose of their child sister as they would So see we in those days how the godly abhored to wring mens children from them by indirect meanes if the parents were vnwilling to bestow them for 17 In the answere of Laban and Bethuel vnto the seruant when he had ended his tale marke the nature or manner of the godly both for vnderstanding and affection Touching the first you see they tast a good tale when it is tould them and discerne God in his works And touching the second they seeing the matter was of God gaue answere thus Wee can say vnto thee neyther euill nor good behould Rebekah is before thee take her and go Both these are very speciall graces where God doth graunt them but rare graces wee must needes confesse in our dayes in comparison of the greater number For how many sauour nothing whatsoeuer you say out of Gods booke vnto them but are in this matter euen voyde of all capacitie though in worldly causes quick inough Then for affection how many wilfully striue in minde against that thing that yet in conscience they are conuinced to be the will of God So that where is the man or woman almost we may say among many that hearing Gods will tould them and made rather more manifest then this was heere by the seruant is stricken moued and touched with it inwardly yeeldeth vnto it and sayth Sir I can neyther say good nor euill vnto you this thing is of the Lorde that you tell mee I see his will and farre be it from me to resist him no my hart is ready and I am content to doo it c. Yet thus doo Gods children as heere you see Let vs folow it then and folow it euer when a good tale is tould vs. 18 Then the seruant bowed againe toward the earth vnto the Lord wherein still marke the constant pietie of the seruant who still still is thankfull and boweth to God Agayne in the verses folowing note the custome of those dayes to giue gifts to the Bride and to her friends See also how it is lawfull to be honestly merry when once our busines is done and charge discharged for now the seruant eateth drinketh which he would not do before c. 19 In the morning the seruant would be gone abhorring to loyter and linger in his busines as all good seruants doe But 〈…〉 tarie a little with 〈◊〉 said 〈…〉 goe which may discouer a 〈…〉 freâ—nds if 〈…〉 For what do many of vs when we heare the worde of God declared to vs by some plaâ—â—â— euidence so that we are mooued with it I say what do we Surely euen as these friends did ouer night go take Rebekah c. That is we consent and yeelde and we are all in a heate and haste to promise all obedience to that which wee heare and a man would thinke wee were wonne for euer But after a while what do we Truely euen as you see these friends in the morning we are well cooled or rather euill cooled our heate and haste is past and nowe the mayde must tarrie ten dayes that is nowe wee will delaye and deferre what before wee promised and purposed with all speede So the longer the worse when it should bee euer the better if wee were not euill 20 But the seruant sayth againe Hinder me not seeing the Lorde hath prospered my iourney c. Many seruants if they had beene in his place would haue taried and feasted and taken good cheere and excused the matter well enough that the maids