Heavenly Corruptible and Immortall to bee all one neither shall you ever be able to make the signe and the Thing signified in any Sacrament to be the same Adde herevnto that the Fathers not only say that Bread is a Figure of Christs body but also that when wee are commanded to eat his Body or drinke his Bloud the speech is Figuratiue For as Saint Augustine saith Hee seemeth to command an evill and wicked act it is a figure therefore instructing vs to communicate with his passion c. Now to vnderstand a Figuratiue speech literally is very dangerous for the letter killeth and it is the Death of the soule If therefore Figuratiue and Proper cannot bee the same and in Sacraments when the thing signified is affirmed of the signe the speech be Sacramentall that is Figuratiue it followeth necessarily that the signe and the thing signified are not the same And if not the same then haue you wronged the Fathers saying they are so to bee vnderstood as if they were the same N. N. I will now conclude with two authorities more The first Counsel of Nice one of the foure Counsells allowed by Protestants for sound The words of the Counsell are these Let vs faithfully beleeue with an exalted mind that there lyeth on the holy table the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world which is sacrificed by the Priests I. D. This Canon here by you alleaged came but very lately to light for it is found neither in Ruffin nor in Balsamon nor any of the Tomes of the Counsells heretofore published except those of the newest impression And in them it is set forth in a different letter signifying that it was but newly found and that in the Popes Vatican Library vnder the name of one Gelasius Cyzicenus All which cannot but breed great suspicion and much weaken the authority thereof But what saith the Canon There lyeth on the Table the Lamb of God What Corporally and Really No but Symbolically and Sacramentally Neither doth it say as you translate Let vs faithfully beleeue with an exalted mind that the Lamb of God lyeth on the table But thus Let vs not basely attend the Bread and the Cup set before vs but lifting vp our mind by Faith vnderstand the Lamb of God vpon the table which rather maketh against Transubstantiation then for it For first he plainely telleth vs it is Bread that is there then secondly it commandeth vs to lift vp our mind which needed not if Christ himselfe were there Really on the table where obserue by the way that it is a table not an altar And thirdly that wee are to conceiue Christ Sacramentally to be on the table though Really hee bee there whether wee are to advance our thoughts The last clause of the passage is cut off by the wast and mangled by you I thinke to intimate that the Masse is a Sacrifice truly and properly so called But the words at full are these which is sacrificed by the Priests without being sacrificed manifestly insinuating that it is not Properly a Sacrifice but Representiuely and by way of commemoration Not much vnlike to these words is that of Saint Chrysostome which may serue insteed of a commentarie vnto them teach you that all which the Fathers say speaking of this Sacrament is not alwaies litterally to bee vnderstood What doest thou o man saith he at the houre of the mysticall table Didst thou not promise to the Priest who said lift vp your hearts saying wee lift them vp vnto the Lord And fearest thou not nor blushest that in that very houre thou art found a Lyar The table is furnished with mysteries and the Lamb of God is sacrificed for thee the Priest is troubled for thee a spirituall fire flowes from the sacred table the Seraphins stand by couering their faces with sixe wings all the incorporeall vertues together with the Priest make intercession for thee a spirituall fire comes downe from Heaven the Bloud in the cup is drawne out of the immaculate side for thy purification Thus he N. N. Saint Cyril saith that in this mystery wee should not so much as aske how it can bee done for it is a Iewish word and cause of everlasting torment From which good Lord deliuer vs. I. D. In this mystery wee may not inquire How What of that Ergo Christ is present by Transubstantiation Indeed if the doubt had beene how Bread might be made the body of Christ or how the substance of bread might be turned into substance of his body and then resoluing that it is so Cyril had advised in any case not to inquire How as being derogatory to Gods omnipotence here you had a pregnant testimony for Transubstantiation But Cyril handling those words The bread which I will giue is my Flesh exagitateth the Iewes for demanding How hee could giue his flesh to eat For seeing Christ by his miracles had demonstrated himselfe to be God it was their duty simply to beleeue his words and to know that hee who had spoken them was able to find a meanes by which to make them good and that without such immanity and anthropophagy as they imagined Now if in these Mysteries wee may not be so sawcie malapert as to demand How how cometh it about that your selues take vpon you so magistrally to define it that it is done after an Orall manner and by way of Transubstantiation Your Cutbert Tonstall saith Perhaps it had beene better as touching the manner how it is done to haue left every one that would be curious to his owne coniecture even as it was free before the counsell of Laterane Yet I must doe you to wit that the Question how is not alwaies evill and forbidden The blessed virgin her selfe demanded of the Angell How may this be seeing I know not man And Saint Ambrose This therefore wee say How can that which is bread be Christs body Saint Augustine some may thinke with himselfe how is bread his body Neither did they offend in asking How because firmely beleeuing the thing it was only out of admiration or desire of learning that they moued that Question That How Which is forbidden is that which is demanded ouâ— of Incredulity Such as was this of the Iewes who beleeued not Christ but reiected his saying as requiring some savage or inhumane thing to be done Hence Cyril It had beene meet that they had first set the roots of Faith in their minds and then to haue enquired those things that are to bee â—uquired but they before they beleeued enquired out of season For this cause our Lord did not expound how that thing might be brought to passe but exhorteth that it be sought by faith By all which you may perceiue that these words of Cyril are obiected to little purpose For your words are not Christs words neither hath he taught vs any such Reall Presence by Transubstantiation His words wee stedfastly
man by bread Now the soveraigne prime cause of Faith is God God worketh it by his word The word worketh as a Doctrinall or Morall instrument by way of argument perswasion Before it can perswade it must be revealed God therefore revealeth it and that sometimes without meanes by an immediate impression of light and grace vpon the soule as he did vnto the Apostles on the feast of Pentecost and to S. Paul in his iourney towards Damascus But generally and for the most part he revealeth it mediately and by the intervention of meanes The Ordinary meanes is that which is setled and established to continue in the Church for ever That is the Ministerie of the Church whose office is by all meanes to publish the word whether by Writing or by Speaking and this againe whether by Reading or Interpreting All which if they haue in them an ability and fitnesse vnder God to convey into our hearts the knowledge of his word then vndoubtedly are they all Ordinary meanes to beget faith And such an ordinary meanes among the rest doe I affirme Reading to be Which hauing thus fully explained the tearmes I now come to demonstrate and first in that faith whereby we yeeld assent vnto the Scripture that it is the very word of God The last and highest principle whereinto Faith is resolued and wherevpon it finally stayeth it selfe is the Scripture yet is it not so vnto vs vntill we be perswaded that it is the word of the eternall verity which can neither erre nor lead into errour But how come we to bee perswaded hereof By Sermons I deny not but Sermons are vnder God a sufficient meanes to perswade it But when did you ever heare a Preacher treat of this argument or goe about to proue it Or if any haue done it did they not perswade you to that whereof you were already perswaded Yes questionlesse For besides the testimonie of the Church in the publike reading of the Scriptures as the word of God there shineth forth in them such a Majestie and divinenesse as is not to be found in other writings and when by Reading yet take notice of so many oracles and miracles and predictions and sundry other things farre exceeding the power of nature doth not reason it selfe tell you saith Whitaker that they must needs bee of God The same saith D. Iohn White Many times Pagans and Atheists without the Ministery come to Faith by only Reading whence but being convinced by Scripture it selfe If then the very Reading of holy Scripture may bring vnto our knowledge such remonstrances and arguments as convince the minde that it is the word of God certainely it is an ordinary meanes to beget this faith for what can be more ordinary then arguments and demonstrations But the former is true as we haue proued therefore the latter also If so then much more is it apt and fit to beget that Faith whereby we yeeld assent to those articles which are built vpon Scripture especially if two things may be granted first that it is perfect secondly that it is facile easie to be vnderstood That it is all-sufficient and containeth whatsoeuer is necessary either to bee beleeued or done vnto saluation none but a Papist will deny And surely if it be defectiue either it is from God or from the pen-men Not from the pen-men for they were but hands and could not but write what the head indited to them If from God then either because he could not or because he would not perfect it To say he could not is to derogate from his wisdome and power to say hee would not is to detract from his loue and to taxe him of envie But what need mee to spend more time in this point seeing I now deale against those who challenge vnto it such a perfection that nothing may be done no not to the taking vp of a straw without warrant from it The Scripture then is perfect is it also facile and easie to bee vnderstood Aristotle saith of his Acroamaticks that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 published in that they were writtē not published because of their darknesse In the books of Heraclitus there was so great obscurity that he was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obscure May wee iustly say the same of the Scriptures and the pen-men thereof Surely it cannot be denied but that some things are difficult yet as there are deepe places where the Elephant may swim so there are shallow where the Lamb may wade and as there is harder meat which the strong man may chew so there is milk also which the infant may suck And I boldly affirme that all fundamentall points and duties necessary to salvation are in Scripture so clearely delivered that if they were written with a sunbeame they could not bee more cleare God hath spoken so that not a few but all may vnderstand saith Hierom. Hee speaketh to the heart both of learned and vnlearned saith Augustin Scriptures are so plaine as they need not to be expounded saith Iustin Martyr They exceed no mans capacity saith Cyril of Alexandria They are easie not to the wise onely but women and boyes saith Chrysostome And againe They are easie to bee vnderstood to the Servant to the Countryman to the widow to the stripling to him that is very simple The same say all our Divines against Papist The Scripture saith Whitaker may easily be vnderstood of any if he will And Zanchie will a Father speake obscurely to his children in things concerning their salvation that they shall need to seeke interpreters No verily But God being wise was able to expresse himselfe and being good he would and it was necessary to speake plainely in things so necessary If then to come to a conclusion Scripture containe all what is necessary and that in such plaine tearmes that whosoeuer readeth may easily vnderstand how can it be but Reading should be an apt and fit meanes and consequently an ordinary meanes to beget this Faith For if once we beleeue that Scripture is the word of God we cannot but yeeld assent vnto those verities that are so plainely deliuered therein and which we knowe to bee witnessed by the truth it selfe The same doe I also affirme of that Faith which wee call iustifying and of the fruits thereof Repentance and New obedience that the Reading of Scripture is an apt fit meanes to beget that also For it presenteth vnto vs store of strong motiues to perswade sweet promises to allure terrible threatnings to affright notable examples to imitate and the like then which there cannot be a better outward meanes and there needs no more but the inward concurrence of Gods spirit to worke a perfect conversion Read among other places the 28 of the book of Deuteronomie and then tell mee whither the Sermons of any man nay whither the tongue of men and Angels be able to perswade more effectually Sermons you
vnto me Multi sonant voce â—orde muti sunt many sound aloud saith St Augustine with their voice that are dumb in their heart And the contrarie thereof is as true Multi sonant corde voce muti sunt many are silent with their lips yet loud with their affections The common rime though it bee not very elegant yet carries good sense with it Non vox sed votum non cordula musica sed cor non clamans sed amans cantat in aure Dei not the voice but the vow not the harp but the heart not lowing but louing musicke for Gods eares Secondly it serueth for instruction that although Mentall prayer may be available without vocall yet is not vocall so without Mentall For as the body without the soule so words without concurrence of affection are dead The Iewes drew neere vnto God with their mouth honoured him with their lips but the heart being removed farre off it is expressely said they called not vpon his name All Bablers therefore are here condemned who hope to be heard for their heathnish battologie Such are all they who pray in a language they know not like vnto Parrats or the Cardinalls Iay that could repeat the whole Creed but vnderstood never a word thereof A thing vtterly repugnant to nature to Scripture and the practise of all antiquity and is rather the dotage of a drunken braine then the serious exercise of true piety Such also are all they who vnderstand but attend not what they say suffering their thoughts to range about impertinent businesses as if a little lippe labour were enough for God The Schoolemen haâ—e a rule that a generall intention without particular attention is sufficient But it is a profane rule the Gentiles Hoc age shall rise vp in iudgement against it and condemne all those that practise it Lastly it may serue for direction how in what manner to mould and forme our Praying For as our Preaching so our Praying also must be conformed to his example Now if you please to search into it you shall finde this Prayer for the Matter most heavenly for the Method most orderly for the words most expresse and significant and for the length no way tedious as wherein is to vse the words of St Augustine Non multa locutio sed multa precatio not much talking but much praying Every thing is carried with deepe wisdome and advisednesse nothing rashly or tumultuarily Not a word but breatheth forth perfect holinesse and charity and to bee briefe nothing but what every way may become the son of God himselfe Oh that our Prayers might alwaies bee framed according to this patterne How acceptable would they then be to him to whom they are addressed But indeed wee imitate it not as wee ought For on the one side some of vs present vnto God I know not what curious contriuing of words as if he were sooner to be taken with the froth of humane wit then with Christian gravity and simplicity Others on the other side and those God wot sillie ones though they know neither what to say nor how yet least they should seeme destitute of the Spirit of Prayer they presume on the sudden without any meditation to poure out whole floods of words without one drop of sense spinning out their prayers to an enormious length forgetting that God being aboue in heaven themselues here on earth their words should bee both weighty and few Would a man preferre a petition to his Prince without due consideration of all things before hand But these loue to be too homely and familiar with God and I cannot better compare them then to little children who would faine tell a tale to Father or Mother not knowing either what it is or how to vtter it My advice vnto these should be first that they would no longer overweene themselues mistaking the Lips of Calues for the Calues of the lips Then that vpon knowledge of their owne inability they content themselues with short Ejaculations and such Prayers as graue and learned men haue provided for them Lastly that Humility and Charitie be their ordinary Prayers For besides Mentall and Vocall there is also Vitalis Oratio the Prayer of a godly life which cries as loud vnto God for a blessing as Abels murder or notorious sins doe for vengeance Without which though a man roare like Stentor and multiply words as the sand God turneth the deafe eare and will not vouchsafe to heare him But of this as also of the whole Preface thus much Howbeit before I conclude I must craue leaue to addresse a few words vnto you also my Lord who are the Angell of this Diocesse You haue heard what foule abuses there are both of Preaching and Praying it belongeth vnto your Lordship to see them redressed Some are silent and say nothing it were good their mouthes were opened Some insteed of Gods truth broach their owne perverse opinions it were fit their mouthes were stopt Others with their rude behauiour and outcries disgrace Preaching these might be taught a little more civility And others weaken the power of Preaching with too much curiosity these might be persuaded to a little more simplicity As for Publike Prayer it is too much neglected and despised and I feare the scandalous liues of Ministers is in part the cause thereof For although the efficacie as of the Word and Sacraments so of it also depend not vpon the quality of the Minister but Gods ordinance and the blessing of Balaam though a false Prophet were availeable yet the people are not so considerate but the lewd liues of Hophni and Phinees may soone bring the Sacrifices of God into contempt with them Your Lordship therefore may be pleased to haue a speciall eye vnto the reformation hereof And seeing the remisnesse of Heli will not effect it by rigor and severity to procure it that so the liues of your Clergy being answerable vnto their high calling exemplarie to their flock the Liturgy of the Church may recover its ancient credit and dignitie to the glory of God the honour of the Ministry and the building vp of Gods people in their most holy Faith which the Lord grant for his Christs sake V. 1. Father the houre is come glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne may glorifie thee Hauing dispatched the Preface wee are now to enter vpon the Corps or Body of the Prayer wherein you may be pleased to obserue with mee other three particulars Quem Pro quibus Quid to whom for whom and for what he prayes For vnto these three heads as I conceaue the whole prayer may conveniently bee reduced Of them therefore in order as it shall please God to assist And first of the first Quem orat to whom hee prayes This appeareth by the very first word of the Prayer Father the houre is come glorify thy sonne It is his Father to whom he prayes even the first Person in the Trinity For although
to his full consistence and strength declined not so we should also grow from faith to faith from grace to grace till we come to our full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ never more afterwards to feele any decay Lastly to shew as St. Augustin probably conjectureth in what age or stature we shall rise againe how young or old soeuer we die namely in that wherein Christ himselfe dyed and rose againe And so much touching the yeare of his age The time of the yeare wherein he suffered was the day of the feast of Passeouer even the fifteenth of the month Nisan For the evening before he eate the Passeouer with his Disciples which by the law of God ought to be done vpon the fourteenth of Nisan the next day after he dyed Here perhaps it will be objected that the Iewes began not their Passeouer till after Christ was crucified as plainly appeares Before the feast of Passeouer supper being ended saith St Iohn And againe It was the preparation of the Passeover and about the sixt houre And yet againe they themselues went not into the hall of iudgement lest they should be defiled but that they might eate the Passeouer Wherevnto I answer that by this it seemes to mee more then manifest that Christ and the Iewes did not both eate the Passeouer at once but our Saviour the euening before and the Iewes the euening after he was crucified What then Did Christ as Lord of the Passeouer prevent the due day prescribed by his Father So some say but very vnprobably For Christ came to fulfill the law therefore without doubt he precisely obserued it How then Surely the Iewes fayled not he For the day of the Passeover and the weekly Sabbath falling immediatly this yeare one after the other they according to their old custome translated the Passeouer vpon the Sabbath and obserued both on one day But our Saviour preferring his Fathers order vnto humane traditions tooke order it should be prepared for him on that very day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which as St Luke saith the Passeouer ought to be sacrificed So that as we haue said the feast day it selfe was the day of his suffering Then which no time could be more cōvenient or seasonable For as by other Leviticall ceremonies so was he also typed by the Paschal lambe And therefore what time more fitting the sacrifice of the true Lambe then that which presently followed vpon the slaying of the typicall Wherevnto St Paul alluding for euē Christ saith he our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Adde herevnto the assertion of some that as Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same day he was created sinned so the same day after the revolution of some yeares mans sin by the death of Christ was done away and hee againe created anew Which if it could clearely and infallibly bee demonstrated would argue a speciall providence of God in the dispensation of this day Adde lastly that at this time all the Iewes wheresoeuer were to appeare at Ierusalem to celebrate this feast before the Lord and that in this regard also it was fit he should at this time suffer that more publike notice might be taken thereof and it the better be divulged and spread abroad And thus also you see in what time and season of the yeare he suffered The consideration of this circumstance of time may serue first to convince the Iewes of obstinate incredulitie For if God haue by his eternall decree determined a set houre vnto the comming and suffering of the Messias that houre be now many hundred of yeares past then is Christ already come or God fayleth of his purpose But that such a precise houre was set and that God cannot fayle of his purpose the Iew knoweth well enough Obstinate therefore needs must he be still denying that the Messias is come Secondly it may serue to confirme and settle our Faith in the truth of the promised seed For they that came before or after the appointed houre could not be the true shepheard but theeues only and robbers But Iesus the sonne of Mary came and suffered in that very time and in him were fulfilled all whatsoever was by the Prophets foretold concerning the Messias He therefore is the true Christ neither are wee to looke for another Thirdly not whithstanding this appointed time wee are to remember for our further consolation that Iesus Christ is yesterday and to day and evermore And therefore as he was virtually the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world so the vertue of his death and passion reacheth downe to these times also and evermore will be available to the iustification of a sinner whosoever shall bee provided of true Faith thereby to apprehend it Fourthly as vnto this particular of Christs passion so vnto other things also as namely our vocation conversion repentance hath he appointed a due time This is called the acceptable time and our Hodie to day which if wilfully we neglect we may with Esau seeke the blessing with teares and never after recover it Take wee heed therefore while it is called to day that we harden not our hearts but harken vnto his voice and duely obey it that wee may be admitted into his rest Lastly as God out of his deepe wisdome so are wee in imitation of God to doe all things in due season For as nothing is contented out of its proper place so nothing is welcome or gratious that is done out of due season It is not every word how true soever that is like an apple of gold with pictures of silver but that only which is Seasonable Learned is the tongue of that man that speaketh a word of comfort in fit time and thrice blessed is hee who like a tree planted by the rivers of waters bringeth forth his fruite in his proper season And thus much touching the time when Christ suffered The next point to be considered is the worke of that houre what worke will you say The bitter passion of our Lord and saviour Iesus Christ. what Passion The suffering of that punishment which was due to sinne for the satisfaction of his Fathers iustice What was hee a sinner and deserved such punishment No by no meanes For as touching Originall sinne the passage of that was so stopped vp in his conception by the Holy Ghost that it could no way enter into him And for Actuall sinne there was not so much as guile found in his mouth But hee was to suffer for our Sinnes and to satisfie his Father We had eaten sower grapes and his teeth were set on edge yea but what iustice is this that Titius shall sinne and Sempronius be punished The cause is not alike For Christ vndertooke to be our Surety and to satisfie all our debts And to this end the Word became Flesh that being otherwise impassible hee might in it suffer the punishment due vnto vs. But might not God if he had beene so
note of similitude but importeth a reason or cause In regard whereof Euthimius expoundeth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had said forasmuch or because Secondly that the word Power is in the originall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwixt which two there is great difference For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth power of right or authority and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power of might or ability Which although they may and oftentimes doe concurre in the same person yet many times they are divided For some there are who haue right and authority but want might and ability and others there are who haue might and ability but want right and authority These for want of right doe not iustly what they can doe and they for want of might cannot doe that which otherwise they might justly doe These things duly considered the reason of the Consequence will easily appeare For if God haue given him authority as indeed hee had hee ought withall to giue him ability For that without this is fectlesse and to no purpose and it sits not with the wisdome of God to doe things in vaine This were with Herod and the Iewes to set a crowne on his head to put a reed in his hand to clap a purple robe on his backe to make a mock king of him As therefore he hath giuen him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right and authority so must hee also giue him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength and ability But Ability hee can haue none nor giue life to them that are giuen him which is the end propounded vnto him except his Father glorifie him This appeares thus The glorification which the Sonne desires stands especially in his Resurrection Ascention Session at the right hand of his Father and Returne to iudgement If then he rise not againe we are yet in our sins as St Paul saith and haue no right either in the first or second resurrection Death hath still power vpon vs yea vpon Christ himselfe and vtterly bars vs from eternall life Againe if he ascend not neither can wee The way vnto heauen is not opened neither are there any mansions there prepared for vs. And what life can there be if we be excluded from those ioyes aboue Thirdly if hee sit not at his Fathers right hand then can he not gloriously interceed for vs with his Father nor send his spirit vnto vs nor governe vs by his spirit nor subdue our enimies vnto vs without which wee cannot be partakers of that life Lastly if hee returne not againe to iudge both the quicke and the dead then can hee not according to promise returne any more to take vs home vnto himselfe that where he is there we also may be to behold that his glory and by beholding to bee made like vnto him wherein standeth our eternall life And thus you see the necessity of this Consequence Thou hast given mee power Therefore must thou glorify mee Come wee now to the Antecedent In which for the fuller handling thereof we may obserue these foure particulars Quid In quos A quo Quorsum Quid what is given him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power In quos over whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over all flesh A quo from whom from his Father thou hast giuen Quorsum to what end that he may giue eternall life to all that his Father gaue him Of these in order First Quid what hath the Father given him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power that is as we haue aboue shewed Right and Authority over all flesh This is double for it is either Essentiall or Oeconomicall Essentiall is that which he hath qua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is the Word In regard whereof being God coequall with his Father looke what Power the Father hath he hath the same also inhering in him namely an infinite vnlimited independent and soveraigne power And this because it is of his very essence so that hee can no more be without it then not be God therefore doe I call it Essentiall And yet as I take it this is not heere meant For the end of the Power heere spoken of is to giue eternall life Now to purpose an end implies Election Deliberation and so an indifference before choice so that it is arbitrary not necessary But this Essentiall power of Christ is not arbitrarie but necessary as proceeding not of choice but of the necessity of his nature and therefore cannot be here meant The Oeconomicall Power then is that which he hath quà Emanuell as he is God-man and hath taken vpon him the forme of a servant For the Man Christ Iesus is our Mediatour therefore our King it being one office of his Mediation to be a King And hence it is that our Saviour affirmeth that authority is giuen him to execute iudgement because he is the sonne of man or as some expound it quatenus as he is the sonne of man In this nature also it is said that the government is vpon his shoulders that he is made a Governor to rule his people Israell This Power because he hath not as the former of the necessity of his nature but only of voluntary dispensatiō therefore I call it Oeconomicall And because it is Oeconomicall therefore is it not infinite vnlimited as is the Essentiall but Subordinate vnto it True it is the humane nature subsisting in the Word the very Word together with all the divine attributes are cōmunicated vnto it so that it may be said the man Christ is Omnipotent hath infinite power But this must cautelously be vnderstood not that the Manhood hath in it formally subiectiuely such infinite power but only personally and by grace of Vnion Otherwise the humane nature being finite is no more capable of infinite power then it is to be God which is impossible The Power then which the Manhood of Christ hath residing in it is finite and created but yet such as is farre greater then of any creature besides For to which of the creatures besides is the Subsistence of the sonne of God communicated If to none then can they not haue such power as hee that subsisteth in the Deity Whence the holy Apostle affirmeth of him that he is advanced farre aboue all Principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come againe that God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name which is aboue every name that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in Heauen and things in earth things vnder the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Lord. And yet againe that hee is made farre greater then the Angells inasmuch as hee hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they Read the rest of that Chapter for all makes to this purpose
vs and why should not we willingly take vp our Crosse for him As touching the last which is our Following of Christ know wee it is our safest course absolutely to resigne our selues into his hands He is farre wiser then we are as being the very wisdome of his Father and therefore knoweth both what is best for vs and how to provide for vs better then we our selues Againe his loue is far greater then ours either is or can be towards vs. The heathen Poet even by the light of nature could say Charior est illis homo quam sibi Man is more deare to God then to himselfe but the light of revelation demonstrateth it more fully in that out of his infinite loue he gaue his only sonne for vs. His loue then being such it cannot be but that hee is most willing to doe vs the best good hee can Now what his wisdome and loue resolue concerning vs his power is able to effect for he is omnipotent and nothing is impossible vnto him What then should let but that it is our safest course to make a perfect surrender of our selues vnto him If we be left vnto our owne selues wee are ever in danger and in the end shall surely perish but being Christs and following him wee can neuer miscarry nor doe amisse All these things being duly weighed considered are sufficient to make vs willing willing I say to deny our selues to take vp our crosse daily and to follow Christ. Vnto which Willingnesse if wee further adde our owne Endeauour doing what lieth in our power confecta res est we shall surely come after Christ that is bee his schollers here and raigne with him for ever hereafter Without trauell and labour nothing can bee had in this world much lesse will the kingdome of heauen be obtained with sitting still and doing nothing No it must suffer violence violent men must take it by force which whosoeuer shall doe he shall never fayle of it Christ will instruct him by his word guid him by his spirit protect him with his providence gard him with his Angels and ever pursue him with his grace vntill he haue brought him vnto the end of his hopes even the eternall saluation of his soule Vnto the which the Lord bring vs all for his Christs sake AMEN FINIS AN APOLOGIE OF THE IVSTICE OF GOD. OXFORD Printed by I. L for E. F. 1633. GEN. 18.25 Be it farre from thee from doing this thing to slay the righteous with the wicked that the righteous should be even as the wicked bee it farre from thee should not the iudge of the whole world doe right ALthough the good in regard of Gods knowledge and their owne affection are chosen out of the world separated from the wicked yet are they not remoued out of the world but still remaine therein mixed with them in place and conversation So that the Church of God while it is militant here on earth is no other then a floore wherein is both chaffe and wheat a field both of corne cockle a net containing both good and bad fishes a flocke consisting both of sheep goats and shall so continue vntill the fanning time come vntill the harvest be cut vntill the net be drawne to the shore vntill the high shepheard survey his flocke but they shall eternally then be divided one from another be ranged into severall places the one into a place of refreshment everlasting ioy the other into a place of torment everlasting woe In the meane season both good and bad being embarked as it were together in the same vessell how can the good escape the common shipwracke of humane calamitie Or being enwrapt in the same punishment with the wicked how is God iust Abraham the father of the faithfull a man of deepe vnderstanding in the mysteries of Gods providence yet stood astonished hereat in Sodoms case where righteous Lot and for ought hee knew divers other holy men dwelling he marvelled how it might stand with the iustice of God in the destruction thereof to involue both righteous and wicked together and therefore saith according to my Text Bee it far from thee from doing this thing A point as you see of great importance and as will evidently appeare by the sequele every way worthy our present consideration which was the cause why I made choice thereof at this time God grant vnto vs the assistance of his blessed spirit that wee may handle it as it deserueth and that it may bee vnto vs as profitable as it is pertinent All that I haue now to say touching these words may be reduced vnto these three heads Gods action Abrahams affection Abrahams argument Gods action how hee dealeth with these mixt societies consisting both of good bad Abrahams affection how hee standeth affected towards them Abrahams argument which so much swayed his owne affection and whereby hee would perswade God also to be of his minde Gods action is intimated implied generally through the whole Text in the words going before it in the twentieth and one and twentieth verses wherein God acquainted Abraham how he meant to proceede with Sodom and Gomorrha Abrahams affection is plainely declared in the Deprecation he maketh vnto God for them His argument is expresly set downe in these words Shall not the iudge of the whole world doe right Which being a question propounded negatiuely is to be vnderstood as an affirmatiue proposition thus The judge of the whole world must needs doe right Of these things briefly and in order The actions of God in this case are not alwaies one the same but as his Wisdome is to vse the Apostles word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of variety so are his actions also manifold yet alwaies iust For iustice is vnto God not accidentall as it is vnto man but essentiall and inseparable so that hee can no more doe that which is vniust then cease to bee that which eternally and necessarily hee is namely God First then so great loue beareth God vnto his deare Saints and children that the wicked among whom they liue oftentimes fare the better for them and their temporall prosperitie and deliuerance from dangers is to be imputed vnto them Was not wicked Cham preserued in the Arke from that deluge which overwhelmed the whole earth for his good father Noahs sake Were not the sinfull Sodomites reskued out of the hands of their enimies by the sword of Abraham for righteous Lots sake If fiftie if fortie if thirtie if twentie nay if but ten iust men might haue beene found in Sodom had they not escaped that fearefull storme of fire brimstone which after fell from heauen vpon them even for tennes sake What speak I of ten One Moses standing in the breach before God turned away his wrath so that he did not destroy his people Israel And God himselfe by the Prophet Ieremie saith thus Run to and fro by the streets of
rutilat palea â—umat in the same fire gold glifters and chaffe smokes pari mâ—tu exagitatum et exhalat horribiliter coenum et suaviter fragrat vnguentum with the same agitation and stirring mire sends forth a loathsome stench and ointment a sweet savour In like manner the same afflictions are vnto the wicked arguments of Gods wrath an act of revenge the satisfaction of iustice an earnest penie of eternall torment and if they take away life a firy thunderbolt driuing them downe into hell but vnto the Godly the chastisements of a louing father corrosiues vnto the flesh exercises of their vertue wormewood vnto the teat to weane them from the pleasures of this world and if they bring death with them a firie chariot transporting them vp into heaven So that in the same punishment neither is the same end intended nor the same effect wrought tantum interest non qualia sed qualisquisque patiatur so materiall is it not what the paines are as what the partie is which â—uffereth What shall we say then This that Abrahams argument is rather passionate then demonstratiue yet such as holy men oftentimes vse in their devotions to God and that without sin Cast mee not off from thee saith David Why not Because I am the workemanship of thy owne hands The reason followeth not for many such haue beene cast off True yet is it a motiue of affection for what pittie is it for one to cast away his owne workemanship So in this case Oh saith Abraham destroy not the righteous with the wicked rather preserue the wicked for the righteous sake Why so Because the iudge of the whole World should doe righteously It followeth not as we haue shewed True not necessarily yet pittying the Sodomites and hauing no better plea for so bad a people he vsed it to stirre affection alas that the righteous should be consumed with fire brimstone from heauen together with the wicked and that by him who is the iudge of the whole world should doe right But whatsoever become of the Consequence and whethersoever it were either defect of iudgement or abundance of passion that framed it sure I am the Antecedent which he layes for his foundation is sound good The iudge of the whole world should doe right and of this briefly and in a word In all states and commonwealths for the better ordering of them and that vice may be suppressed and vertue maintained and every man peaceably and quietly enioy his owne Iudges are in severall places ordeined to heare all causes and according to iustice and equity to determine them Among these there is one who is soveraigne and aboue all vnto whom appeale from all other may be made from whom no appeale vnto any vnder heaven may be made But how many villanies are there committed in the world which never come to the knowledge of the magistrate and so escape without punishment How many noble and vertuous actions are there done whereof no notice is taken or if it be yet the authors neither are nor will be knowne and so passe vnrewarded Iudges themselues doe they not oftentimes either vpon errour and mistaking as men or for fee and favour as corrupt men pervert iustice If appeale be made vnto the supreame power what redresse many times none at all they being the worst of all men witnesse Sardanapalus Caligula Nero Heliogabalus and the like All which considered it cannot bee imagined but that there must needs be an vniversall iudge over the whole world to call all men of what degree soever to account and to render vnto every one according to his workes reward to whom reward and punishment to whom punishment is due This iudge whosoever it be must needs bee of infinite knowledge of infinite wisdome of infinite power Of infinite knowledge to take notice of all the actions of all men whensoever and wheresoever Of infinite wisdome to discerne the sinceritie or hypocrisie of every action and according to the degree of good or evill in them so to proportion iudgement Of infinite power to see the sentence notwithstanding the greatnesse of any yet to be duly executed Of this knowledge this wisdome this power who is there in the world but only God and therefore who can be this vniversall iudge of the whole world but only hee Hee it is whom Abraham vnderstands here when he saith Should not the iudge of the whole world doe right as appeares by that of Saint Paul alluding herevnto Else how shall God iudge the world and this is so cleare a point in Christian religion that he is no lesse then an infidell that beleeues it not As cleare a point is it that this iudge in all things doth right I or as wee haue shewed he is essentially iust and whatsoever he doth of the necessity of his nature must needs be so So that as the Sunne cannot possibly bee the cause of darknesse nor the fire of coldnesse nor a sweet fountaine send forth bitter streames no more can be who is iustice it selfe doe any thing that is vniust Hence is it that in scripture he is stiled the righteous Iudge and that Saint Paul saith Absit Farre be it from vs to say there is vnrighteousnesse with God This notwithstanding some Atheist happily who thinkes the Intelligence that moues the wheeles of this nether world to bee not Divine Providence but Blinde Fortune only will obiect and say If there be such a generall iudge of the whole world and he so iust a judge how comes it to passe that so many wicked men liue and die without punishment As for example that bloudy and sacrilegious tyrant of Sicilie Dionysius Him as Cicero saith never did Iupiter dart with his thunderbolt nor Aesculapius kill with a miserable and lingring sicknesse but he died quietly in his bed and in triumphant manner was brought into his graue and the power which by horrible wickednesse hee had gotten he left to his sonne as a iust and lawfull inheritance To this I answere first if men could see the secret stripes and lashes which a guilty conscience inwardly giues the soule of the wicked they would never thinke that they escaped without punishment For certainly Qui peccâ—t paenam meruit qui meruit expectat qui expectat iam dedit he that sins deserues punishment he that deserues it lookes for it whosoever lookes for it already feeles it Secondly if God here in this world publikely should reward the good and punish the wicked men would thinke there were no other happinesse nor misery then that of this life As therefore God sometimes holdeth his Sessions here on earth iudging the wicked and causing publike execution to be done vpon them that men may know there is a God that iudgeth the earth so sometimes he reserueth them vnto the generall affizes of the last day to teach vs that besides temporall there is an eternall reward and punishment to be expected after this life
the dispenser whereof is this great iudge of the whole world who nor can nor will doe otherwise then right In that day saith the Scripture shall the Lord himselfe come downe from heauen with a shout and a throne shall bee set in the clouds and the auncient of daies shall sit thereon whose garment is white as snow and the haire of his head like the pure wooll his throne is like the firy flame and his wheeles as burning fire a fiery streame shall issue and come forth before him thousand thousands shall minister vnto him and ten thousand thousands stand before him the iudgement shall be set and the bookes opened Then shall the Archangells trumpet sound and the dead shall rise and the Angells shall goe forth and gather both good and bad together and we all must appeare before the tribunall of Christ that every man may receiue the things done in the body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evill and the wicked shall goe into everlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall Goe too now yee Epicures yee Stoicks yee Philosophers that are so wise in your owne conceit and account the preachers of iudgement no better then Bablers goe too yee mockers and scoffers of this last time who say where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation non alium videre paeres aliumue nepotes the world which our ancestors saw of old is the same which wee their posterity see now Goe to I say eate drinke make you merrie crowne your heads with rose buds before they be withered delight your selues in the tabâ—et and harpe enioy the pleasures that are present let not the flower of life passe by walke in the waies of your owne heart and in the sight of your owne eyes but yet know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement I remember that a gallant of this stampe some time said vnto a reverend Prelate what if there bee no iudgement to come are you not then a very foole to barre your selfe from the pleasure of this present life to whom the Prelate and what if there be a iudgement to come are not you then a very foole for the short pleasures of this present life to barre yourselfe from those eternall ioyes of the life to come Thou vaine man art thou infallibly certaine thou shalt not come to iudgement is there no scruple no doubting remaining in thee to the contrary I know thou wouldest faine haue it so that thou maist sinne withall impunity howbeit I am sure thy Conscience doth so counterchecke thee that thou canst not but doubt thereof In a case so doubtfull vnto thee what folly nay what madnesse is it for time to hazard eternity and for a few fading pleasures to adventure thy selfe vpon endles woe and misery The wise heathen could say Longum illudtempus cum non ero magis me movet quam hoc tam exiguum the long time which shall be after this life doth more affect me then this short life If it bee possible let it affect thee also if not sit still in the chaire of scorners scoffe on thy fil and seeing thou wilt not beleeue that fire is hot vntill it burne thee thou shalt one day be convinced that there is a iudgement when thou shalt feele the intollerable torments of those flames that never shall be quenched In the meane season let vs who haue better learned Christ and know the terror of the Lord let vs I say prepare our selues against this great dreadfull day of the Lord giuing all diligence that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse And to this end let vs alwaies haue it in mind and with Saint Hierom ever be meditating therevpon Quoties diem illum considero saith he toto corpore contremisco siue enim comedo siue bibo siue aliud facio semper videtur tuba illa terribilis sonare in auribus meis Surgite mortui et venite ad iudicium as often as I thinke of that day I tremble every limbe for whether I eate or drinke or doe any thing me thinkes I heare that terrible trumpet sounding in mine eares arise yee dead and come to iudgement If any thing in the world will make a man sober and keepe him within his bankes it is the consideration hereof Thinke of this I beseech you and thinke of it seriously all yee that heare me this day Yee Iudges of the land be yee wise and learned serue the Lord and kisse the sonne doe right to the poore and fatherlesse deliver the poore and needy and saue them from the hand of the wicked doe nothing vniustly accept no mans person execute iustice without bribery and partiality for your selues must come vnto iudgement and as you iudge so shall yee be iudged Yee lawyers and advocates see that yee entertaine none but good causes sell not breath only for your fees spin not matters out at such a length for your owne advantage in every cause deale conscionably and honestly for your selues shall need an advocate in that day to speake for you quando plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba when a good heart shall farre more availe then cunning and plausible words Yee Priests and Levites of the Lord feed yee diligently the flocke whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers strengthen the weake heale the sicke binde vp the broken bring againe that which was driven away seeke that which is lost be instant in season out of season thrice happy are you if your Lord when he cometh finde you so doing for you shall stand in iudgement and hauing iustified many yee shall shine as the starres for ever and ever And yee the rest of my brethren whatsoeuer whether gentle or vngentle rich or poore take heed to your selues also and for these outward vanities of birth and wealth see that yee neither despise nor envy one another In that day not the first but the second birth will be regarded and a good conscience will bee more esteemed then a full purse Watch therefore be sober flee vngodlinesse and worldly lâ—sts and follow after righteousnesse piety faith loue patience meekenesse doe good and be rich in good workes laying vp in store a good foundation for your selues against the time to come that ye may obtaine eternall life Then shall yee not need with guilty reprobates to hang downe your countenances and to request the hills to cover you from the wrath of the terrible iudge for ye shall earnestly long for his speedy comming and at his appearance shall yee lift vp your heads for ioy knowing that your redemption draweth neere and that now is to bee pronounced that more then ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my father inherit yee the kingdome
with their territories and sundry other things of great value The Ministrie of the Gospell is more excellent then that of the Law lesse therefore cannot be allowed vs. Tithe is too little saith S. Augustin else how doe wee exceed the Pharisees who tithed all If we minister spirituall things reason will that we receaue of your temporalls The law of the Gospell requireth him that is taught to impart to him that teacheth of all his good And reason For as S. Paul saith to Philemon you owe your selues vnto vs. And vnlesse you vnder value too much the eternall saluatioÌ„ of your soules yee can never sufficiently recompence the benefit yee receaue of vs. It is manifest then that an honourable salarie is due vnto vs. But how I beseech you are wee paid our due Poorely God wot witnesse the multitude of impropriations the selling of benefices the detention of tithes or the false and repining paiment of them with the like It was once said What shall wee giue the man of God but now every one saith Come let vs take the houses of God in possession When Moses built the tabernacle he was faine to stay the people from giuing they were so forward but now would God wee could stay their hands from robbing the tabernacle Many there are who call for a learned Ministry in every parish yet keepe to themselues that which should maintaine the Minister A strange perversenesse to desire no benefice may be without a cure and yet to require a cure without a benefice Yea but they are content to allow a Competencie True But if they may be our â—arvers I presume it will bee after the rate of Cratis in his Ephemeris ten pound to the Cooke a groat to the Physitian ten talents to the Parasite one to the Curtizan and to the Philosopher three halfepence For every little is too much for vs but enough is superfluity Et quorsum perditio haec what need all this wasts The poverty of the Apostles they often remember but the bounty of Christians then they vtterly forget If they will haue vs follow the one why refuse they to imitate the other Let them sell all they haue and lay downe the prizes at our feet and then haue with them whensoeuer they please But I presse these points of Honor no farther for me thinkes I heare some say these words would haue sounded better in some advocates mouth in ours they may seeme to proceede of ambition or covetousnesse Wherevnto I answere first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if wee speake not for our selues who will and if wee doe alas what are wee All other sorts of men are allowed to defend themselues and must wee alone suffer wrong and say nought Secondly so to censure is a spice of the contempt wee speake of for indeede wee seeke herein not so much our owne honour and advantage as Gods glory and benefit Gods glory whose ordinance nay who himselfe by contemning vs is contemnâ—d They haue not reiected thee but mee saith God to Samuell Yee haue robbed me in tithes and offerings saith hee by Malachie He that despiseth you despiseth me saith Christ. And lastly He that despiseth despiseth not man but God Your benefit For to deny submission to those who rule over you and watch for your soules is vnprofitable for you saith the Apostle For first as Barnard saith Cuius vita despicitur restat vt praedicatio contemnatur if once our persons grow despicable little will our preaching availe If our preaching availe not neither can you beleeue nor be saued Secondly to contemne a Minister is a fearfull sinne otherwise Hoseas would never haue vsed this aggravation the people were as they that contended with the Priest Lastly God punisheth it accordingly with temporall punishment as vpon the Iewe with seaventy years captiuity with spirituall that hearing they shall heare seeing see yet neither perceiue nor vnderstand and vnlesse they repent with eternall also both in body and soule But of the contempt of the Ministry enough let vs now inquire the redresse thereof See that no man despise thee saith my text A strange speech For doe we steere at the helme of other mens affections Or haue we the command of their actions Why then doth he charge vs to looke to it that we be not despised Surely because wee our selues are mostly the causes thereof and for that it lies much in our owne hands both to prevent and redresse it To make this appeare obserue with me the words immediatly going before my text These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority see that no man despise thee Obserue with me againe what Saint Paul saith to Timothie These things command and teach let no man despise thy youth but be an example vnto beleeuers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Which two places being duly pondered and considered it is manifest that the Apostles meaning here is no other then this if we will not be contemned wee must not carry our selues contemptibly and that to avoide this contempt two things are necessary first that we be Good ministers secondly that we be Good men for if wee faile in eyther it cannot possibly bee avoided but wee must bee despised To avoide Contempt then first wee must be Good Ministers and to this end two things are requisite first a talent secondly due employment of the talent By talent I vnderstand fitnesse and ability And that this is necessary appeareth first by the act of God for hee never designeth any to a calling but hee furnisheth him before hand with sufficient gifts If Moses must be the chiefe governour and lawgiuer of Israell he shall be learned yea even in all the wisdome of the Aegyptians aend mighty both in words and deeds If Bezaleel and Aholiab must build the Tabernacle hee will fill them with his spirit in wisdome in vnderstanding in knowledge in all manner of workemanship in gold silver brasse stone timber and what ever else was needfull Esay being to doe an errand for the Lord hath his lipps first touched with a cole froÌ„ the altar Iesus the sonne of Mary being ordained to bee the Messias of the world is annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes and receiueth the spirit without measure Finally the twelue Apostles being to carry the name of Christ through the world were first baptized with fiery tongues and replenished with the holy Ghost at Ierusalem The same appeareth also by the ordinance of God in his Church For the Priests lips saith Malachie should preserve knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts Saint Paul also saith that a Bishop must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach and able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince gainesaiers
justice is executed religion is maintained and humane society preserued To procure these things and to attend the publike good as it is a worthy so it is also a difficult worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee may not sleepe all night that hath taken charge of a common-wealth and they that haue worne it haue both felt and confessed that a Diadem is no small burthen so that it is not without cause that in the holy tongue the same word signifieth both an honour and a burden For this worthy worke so difficult vnto the Magistrate so profitable vnto vs what duty are wee to returne Even hearty thankfulnesse and all possible requitall Verball thankes are due yet are they alone too sleight a reward for so great a worke wee are farther to requite him in our liuelodes with tribute and custome as the Apostle chargeth and that not niggardly and only to supply his necessities but bountifully and proportionably vnto his state and dignity Nay because otherwise wee can never make him full satisfaction and were owe even our very selues vnto him even our selues must wee bestow vpon him and bee ready to doe him service with the expence not only of liuelode but of life also Dignus est operarius mercede sua the labourer is worthy of his hire But aboue all wee must ever remember to make our addresses and prayers vnto God for our Kings all that are in authority vnder them that God would giue them to vse the words of Tertullian vitam prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum a long life a secure raigne safety at home valiant armies abroad faithfull counsellors good subiects and a peaceable World And thus haue I finished the first part of my text which is the Duty Subiection The next part followeth which is the necessity thereof for it is not an arbitrary duty nor left indifferent vnto our choice whether wee will be subiect yea or no but necessity is laid vpon vs yee must needs be subiect saith our Apostle or as it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of necessity yee must be subiect But what May not a man refuse to be subiect if he list Doubtlesse he may How then is it necessary as you say not arbitrary For clearing of this point it may please you to remember that there is a double Necessity the one Absolute and Simple the other Hypotheticall and Conditionall Simple Necessity is that which cannot otherwise be being infallibly and immutably determined vnto one and such necessity of subiection is not here meant for it is manifest by experience and the more is the pitty that too many too often refuse to be subiect Conditionall necessity is that which Simply considered may bee otherwise but such or such things being supposed cannot be otherwise and this Necessity is here vnderstood as appeareth by the very text yee must needs be subiect not only for wrath but also for conscience as if he should say if either yee will avoide wrath or else will keepe a good conscience of necessity yee must be subiect So that wee are bound to Subiection by a double tie the first is Humane the second is Divine the Humane is the Wrath of the Magistrate yee must needs bee subiect because of wrath the Divine is Conscience towards God yee must be subiect also because of conscience And of these two briefly Wrath is a passion seated in the Invading part of the soule of man whereby hee desireth to keepe off or to remoue whatsoeuer is nociue hurtfull vnto him that by way of invading and assaulting him who either would doe or hath done vs hurt For as man naturally desireth to preserue and keepe that good whereof hee is possessed and to obtaine that farther good which he seeth to bee convenient for him so if any goe about to bereaue him of the one or to barre him from the other presently the bloud begins to boyle about the heart and anger so inflames him that he cannot let him alone but must needs resist him and set against him with all his might Hence is it that the philosopher calls anger cotem fortitudinis the wheâ—stone of courage and divers define it to be appetitum vindictae desire of revenge How truly and philosophically I despute not sure I am revenge vsually waites vpon wrath and our Apostle ioynes them both together a revenger saith he to execute wrath Now the Magistrates duty is to procure the publike good videre nequid respub detrimenti capiat to provide that the common suffer no detriment or harme If therefore any shall hinder the publike good or shall worke any disadvantage or dammage vnto the state the wrath of the Magistrate ought to burne against such a man And as God when his lawes are broken or himselfe any way dishonoured waxeth angry with man so these Gods on earth these vicegods when men by contemning their authority and denying them due subiection goe about to disturbe and set combustion in the state haue iust cause to be angry and to seeke revenge vpon them But Wrath and desire of revenge in him that wanteth power is vaine and foolish according to that of the Poet Quid stulti proprium non posse velle nocere it is the property of a foole wanting ability to desire to doe hurt but in him who hath not only will but strength and power also to be revenged it is dangerous and terrible Fulmen est vbi cum potestate habitat iracundia it is no lesse then thunder and lightning when anger and power meete together And such is the wrath of the Magistrate the wrath of a Prince is as the roaring of a lyon and the anger of a King is as messengers of death saith Salomon For lawes haue ever beene backed with severe penalties as mults imprisonment banishment dismembring torments death yea cruell kindes of death as appeareth by the lawes of all other nations and those of Moses also whereof God was author The reason is because men are wild beasts and would desperately breake through all lawes were they not so curbed restrained bona est ars terrere ne pecces it is great wisdome to terrify to the end that men sinne not But what are lawes vnlesse they bee duly executed Surely but scarcrows and bugbeares therefore vnto the Magistrate is the due execution of them committed and into his hand is the sword of Iustice put not to let it ly rusting in the sheath but to draw it forth against offendors and that first for the satisfaction of iustice that the party delinquent may receiue condigne punishment and then for the example of others that Israell may see and feare For although paena ad vnum the penalty light but on one yet metus ad omnes it is intended for the terror of all not to walke in those waies which leade vnto so
is of God by which words the vse of meanes is no way excluded For whether it please God to worke by meanes or without meanes his Providence ever ordereth and disposeth all The selling of Ioseph the spoiling of Iob the rayling of Semei the incest of Absolon the crucifying of Christ and the like sins though they were committed by men and through the temptation of Satan yet God chalengeth the doing of all to himselfe Not that he wrought all by an immediate hand of Providence for this were to make him the author yea the only author of Sinne then which there cannot bee a greater blasphemy but because of the concourse of his Providence with the meanes permitting directing and determining all So that to come to an issue although it be granted that in all lots the whole disposition is of God yet it followeth not but in some lots as namely some Games at Cards and Tables wit skill industry may be vsed vnder God for obtaining the victory Whence also it followeth necessarily that all lots so disposed of by God are not therefore meere lots But you will not let this passe so N. N. It s of Gods disposing or of thine or of Fortunes disposing chuse which thou wilt I care not If it be of Gods disposing 't is that I would haue it s that the Scripture will haue If it be of thy disposing I know thy dishonesty If it be of Fortunes disposing then there were fortune Which if thou wilt doubt of I leaue God to confute thee DEFENCE These are now the second seething of these cole-worts and you doe not well to cloy our stomakes so soone againe with them To avoide tautologie therefore I referre you for answere to what is already said where I haue shewed that in sundry Games both at Cards and Tables not only God but man also disposeth and that without Dishonesty yea and Fortune too if you will not quarrell with the word but vnderstand thereby a Casuall accident or Chance not ordered by mans forecast or providence Where you say you will leaue them who doubt if there be fortune to Gods confuâ—ing it may please you to remember that God ordinarily reformes mens errours not by his owne immediat Magistry but by the Ministry which he hath ordained And therefore you much forget your selfe to neglect the performance of your Ministeriall duty and to leaue vs poore soules vnto Gods extraordinary instruction N. N. It doth cause contentions to cease for it disposeth the thing in controversy whether it be mony or victory whose it shall bee Let no profane Iester vent his wit here or blaspheame the word of God by saying that there Gaming doth rather cause contentions such as are braulings oaths curses blasphemies and the like and therefore doth not cease contentions but cause contentions it is not the Lot but their vnlawful vnholy vse of it that causeth this DEFENCE That a Lot stinteth contentions or controversies is not denied for the applying of a casuall event for the determining of a doubt is the very forme of a lot Neverthelesse in diverse Games as is already said both at Cards Tables it is not the Lot only but it and art also that disposeth whose the mony or the victory shall be As for the obiection if it bee not a Chimera of your owne braine some merry Gentleman I thinke made it to dally with you and to sport himselfe withall Wherevnto your answere is no lesse pleasant that not the lot but the vnlawfull vnholy vse causeth Contention meaning thereby as I conceaue it the vsing of it in Games which is a meere begging of the thing in question that it is vnlawfull to vse lots in gaming Besides you are to know the lots in gaming are not in themselues causes either of Peace or of Contention Not of Peace for this proceedeth from a farther compact made betweene those who referre themselues to a lot Otherwise howsoever the lots fall if such mutuall obligation be wanting the quarrell is not stinted Not of contention for those outrages you speake of rise only from the corruption of them that play as either their ambition that they cannot endure to bee beaten or their covetousnesse that vexeth them when they loose their wealth or the like Take these corruptions away and let moderate and temperate men only play and you shall haue neither Braulings nor Oths nor Curses nor Blasphemies nor the like furious behaviour amongst them And thus much in answere to those reasons whereby you would proue Cards and Dice to bee meere lots N. N. I come now to proue that it is vnlawfull to vse Lots in Gaming or light matters My reasons for it are these First Gods servants haue neuer vsed it but it vrgent great and weighty matters As for example in the choice of Kings Priests 1. Sam. 10. in the division of lands Iosh. 14. To knowe who was in fault that Israel fell before their enimies Ios. 17. to knowe whether Ioses or Mathias were to succeed Iudas Act 1. DEFENCE Vnto this assertion I oppose the contrary affirming that it is lawfull to vse Lots in gaming or light matters nay farther that the most serious businesses are lest fit for lots the lightest most fit For what thing is there in the world more vncertaine then a meer Chance What that lesse regardeth right or wrong true or false good or bad fit or vnfit What matter soeuer be to be decided the Lot is indifferent to either side and cares not which way it fall And hence it is that by lot neither doth the Church trye the fitnesse of her Ministers nor the Lawyer the right of his Clients cause nor the Physitian the state of his patient Neither is it the manner of wise men to referre any thing vnto a lot vntill by their wisdome and providence they haue so disposed of all things as it is not much materiall which way the lot fall Were the question referred to a lot of any great consequence of great consequence also must the fall of the lot be and if it fall amisse great inconveniences must needs ensue thereof But if wise men so order and cast their businesses as it is indifferent vnto theÌ„ howsoeuer the lot fall that cannot bee of any great moment which they referre vnto a lot But I forget that I stand rather in the place of an Answerer then Replier and therefore I come directly to your Arguments Your Argument standeth thus That which the Servants of God never vsed but in vrgent great and weightie matters is not to bee vsed in gaming or light matters But the Seruants of God neuer vsed Lots but in vrgent great weighty matters Ergo Lots are not to be vsed in gaming or light matters The Major it seemes you take for granted for you goe not about to proue it The Minor you endeauour to confirme by certaine examples out of holy writ which we will by and by examine In the