may be knowne saith he that I also loue the Father behold by me he shall receiue againe many of those that forme he had in a manner lost Therefore seeing this tempest is risen for my sake take me and cast me into the sea and you shall haue a great calme Indeed he did see the assault of the rauening Wolfe and tarrieth not vntill hee had surprised the sheepe but maturely interposeth himselfe in the gap O good sheapheard that giueth his life for his sheepe Peccat iniquus punitur iustus delinquit reus vapulat innocent offendit impius damnatur pius Quod meretur malus patitur bonus Quod perpetrat servus exoluit dominus quod committit homo sustinet Deus It was not nothing that God gaue when hee sent his Sonne vnto vs but gaue vs all things with him who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption And the other three graces may serue for other subiects the gift of righteousnesse belongeth properly to the obedience of Christ as our Text witnesseth By the obedience of one many are made righteous His obedience is not like the oyle which the wise Virgins had that would not serue themselues and others Whosoeuer drinketh thereof shall thirst againe For the iust shall liue by his owne faith But he that drinketh of the water that I giue vnto him shall neuer thirst The soule that receiueth Christ is content with him onely for his obedience is like the widdowes oyle that did runne as long as there was any vessell to receiue it Tam pleno fonti vas inane admouendum It is no short or narrow mantell for that according to the Prophet cannot couer two His righteousnesse is an euerlasting righteousnesse and what is larger then eternitie Nothing Then it will couer him and vs. Et in nobis quidem operit multitudinem peccatorum In te autē domine quid nisi pietatis thesauros diuitias bonitatis Christ being man was mortall also and capable of death but being iust he needes not doe it freely One sinner cannot die for another but he that had no cause to doe it for himselfe doth it not for another in vaine No no the more vnworthily that he dyed that deserued no death the more iustly we liue for whom hee dyed Magna res anima quae Christi sanguine redempta est grauis animae casus qui non nisi Christi cruce potuit reparari Si rursum corruerit peccato duntaxat ad mortē vnde iam reparabit nunquid aut alter Christus aut idem iterum habet crucifigi pro ea Hee held his peace before Pilate because that Court held plea for his death only which the Sonne of God would not decline Pilate had no competent tribunal to enquire of the validitie of his death or what retaliation and amends should be giuen for it that was to be determined in the high court of his fathers iustice And doe you thinke that he is silent there too No beloued There he maketh intercession continually speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel That cryed for vengeance this for indulgence that for iustice this for mercy that for punishment this for remission of sinnes So Lord Iesus so continue thy pietie still and we shal neuer be forced to pay that againe which thou hast payed for vs alreadie If his obedience be sufficient there needes no more if it be not where is the defect Is there any invaliditie in the Fathers acceptation None at all You remember what the good father saies in Gen. 27. when hee touched Iacob and sented Christ Behold the smell of my sonne is like the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed The father may accept that of fauour that is no competent satisfaction Nay nay so the father might haue accepted any part of his obedience and then there had beene no full no reall but a formal satisfaction for sinne and as they say dicis causa The forgiuenesse of our sinne is not for fashion sake S. Paul calls it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say an absolute remission as in the yeare of Iubile And wee haue it by this obedience that was complete and perfect euen vnto death which is the period and last line of all things Whilest Ioseph liued there is no expresse mention that the Israelites increased but after his death as appeareth Exod. 1. So it stood with our Ioseph before he dyed there was but few Israelites The dew fell vpon Gideons fleece onely and all the floore was drye but after his death the dew fell vpon all the floore the fleece alone is now drie and the Israelites of God are encreased and multiplyed ouer all the world by the heauenly dew and influence of this obedience Indeed except the graine of Wheate fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruite you may iudge of his cause by the words of his mouth for after this pretious graine dyed in obedience Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong came sweetnesse out of the obedience of his death the haruest of the Church shooteth vp plentifully in euerie quarter O virtus occulta vnam animam emissam in tormento innumerabiles extrahere de inferno hominem mortem corporis suscipere animarum mortem perimere The Apostle giueth a reason of it If one dyed for all then all dyed in that one and it is certus sermo a sure saying that if we be dead with him we shal also liue with him if we suffer we shall also raigne with him Aduersaries may quarrell this imputation but they will neuer bee able to disproue it for by the same meanes that Christ was made sinne for vs are we made the righteousnesse of God in him Now it is out of doubt that he was made sinne for vs not by inherence but by imputation of our sinnes therefore are wee also made righteous not by any inherent righteousnesse but by imputation of his obedience This is the righteousnesse that was prefigured in the old Testament What signified the sweete treitment that was giuen to Iacob and his children in Egypt Why did the gracious King that knew them not before they were brought vnto him make them Denizens of strangers and Citizens of aliens Why did he receiue them not onely into his common-wealth but also into his neere familiaritie and loue Was it for any respect of themselues Alas they brought nothing with them but pouertie and famine Was it not altogether for Iosephs sake whom hee loued If Pharaoh were intreated for those that he neuer knew the Father of mercies will not be inexorable for the people that he hath made If Ioseph could preuaile with a King for his parentage and friends the onely begotten Sonne shall neuer be refused for the
it eminent the deuise held by these three sacred persons for the adorning of it makes it eminent the arrest resolution of their conference that they would make man according to their own image similitude makes it most eminent Can any thing be more excelleÌ„t then the image of him that is authour of all excellencies Nothing certainly but the patterne it selfe And if he be magnified of all things else there is yet more cause that his praise should neuer goe out of our mouthes In prosperitie because he doth comfort vs in aduersitie because he doth correct vs before we were because he hath made vs afterward because he adorned vs when we sinne because he forgiueth vs when wee turne againe because he helpeth vs when we persist because he crowneth vs. To him be all honour and glorie both here and throughout all generations Amen Thus I leaue the Creator with thankesgiuing and come now to treate of the creature In the next Chapter Moyses recordeth mans creation The Lord God also made man of the dust of the earth That none should please themselues too much in the flesh it was made of dust and returneth to dust againe But this Text calleth vs to consider of the qualitie ornament and fashion rather then of the matter or substance of our creation Let vs make man according to our image The Scripture giueth this Image both to the Sonne of God and vnto man not alike for man is not the whole image of God the Sonne is Man is not the essentiall image nor coeternall nor of equall Maiestie with God as Christ is man is the created finite and image of gratuitie not the naturall or ingrauen image made vnto the image of God the Sonne is the verie image of God not made nor created but begotten In the beginning God made man right Hee looked vpon all that he had made and they were very good Besides this generall goodnesse it seemeth here that in particular man had some extraordinarie perfection as it were a Sunne of brightnes shining in him for Moyses relateth not a bare creation but a creation accomplished with the image of God I see you are not vnwilling to heare my poore meditation and discourse hereof let mee begge the assistance of your prayers also then I trust God will guide it to his glorie your better satisfaction otherwise it is a hard province that I take in hand For what experience can we haue of this light that feele nothing but darkenesse within our selues Wee can haue no knowledge of this image by fruition but by want of it And what if the light of Scripture faileth too Verily either my eyes be dimme or there is not much set downe in precise termes wherein Adam his perfection did consist Yet we may happily espy aglimpse thereof in the darknes that possesseth vs. Contraries set together do cleere one another and by the reparation of mankinde some estimate will bee made what dignitie it was from whence he fell Flaccius Illiricus a man otherwise notably learned when he comes to consider the nature and condition as well of originall righteousnesse which is certainely a great part of the image we seeke for as of originall sin dares not say they be accidents lest he should extenuate them So by Flaccius his implication this image must be the very substance of man and then necessarily eyther body or soule Sure not the bodie that is but a lumpe of earth and hath no representation of God at all vnlesse we should make him a muddie God as wee are called earthie by reason of these bodies of clay Againe when the image of God is defaced yet wee see the bodie remaineth whole and entire Anthropomorphites and Iewes may entertaine such opinions Christians will easily conceiue that the bodie can be no image of God Neither is it the soule of man so when a man hath lost the image of God he should loose his soule withall and after his fall man should haue no soule vntill his regeneration and new birth Are not the soules of many wicked ones in hell Surely the image of God shall neuer come into hell but that substance of man onely which is destitute of Gods image The image of God shall be with God in life and euerlasting ioy Let no man imagine that this image is any part of the soule now destroyed and lost by mans fall the other powers of the soule remayning safe and without hurt Forseeing the soule is Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte it cannot be that any part of the soule should be lost but that the whole substance must perish with it yea and this inconuenience would follow for contraries must be sub eodem genere that original sinne which is opposite to this image should be reckoned onely for a part of mans soule so the corruption thereof should not spread it seâ—fe to the whole man but be restrayned only to one part of him and the rest abide sound without infection You see that the image of God is neyther body nor soule nor any part of one or other What then Verily the rightnesse and perfection connaturall and concreated in both A faithfull Secretarie sayth here that man was made to the image of God therefore it was no one portion of him that was made to that image but the whole man If the soule onely had beene made to the image of God then must it be the soule alone that offended the soule onely that is punishable for the guilt of sinne But the Scripture testifieth that it was not the soule alone that offended in eating the forbidden fruit for the eyes also were in that trespasse the eares the hands the heart and the whole body as we see by the sequell The soule certainely is the fayrer subiect and the more beautifull harbour but the bodie was not incapable of the image of God then how should it be the Temple of the Holy Ghost That which receiueth God is capable of his image I wil not be contentious in the cause for the Church of God hath no such custome but it seemeth verie reasonable for that to carrie the image of God before mans fall which is redeemed by the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ and sanctified to beare this image againe And Christ hath redeemed the whole substance of man bodie and soule Know yee not that yee are bought with a price glorifie God therefore in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods therefore the image of God was in both What shall I say of our Regeneration Doth it not shew where the image of God was placed Is it not a restitution and reparation of that which was decayed or lost And we are regenerate both in body soule therefore the image of God was in both If the bodie be renued if it be redeemed if it be the Temple of the Holy Ghost if it looke to be
his credulous temeritie in beleeuing the Serpents promise Irridens vtique Deus non approbans hoc dixit quod putabas te similem fore nostri ergo quia voluisti esse quod non eras desijsti esse quod eras S. Ambr. de Elia ieiun For God speakes it by derision not by allowance Thou haddest a conceit to become like vnto vs therefore in affecting to be more then thou wast indeede thou hast lost euen that excellencie which thou didst receiue When S. Paul writ to Timothie that Adam was not deceiued but the woman he meant not to extenuate the mans offence or to exempt him from the fraude or imposture of the Deuill but to shew whether sexe was more credulous infirme and like to be seduced Herein he concludeth the woman to be the weaker vessell and forbiddeth her to teach in the Church because that when she was yet perfect and sound the Serpent began with her as the easier to be deceiued Saint Paul did thinke that the Serpent would resort to his former instrument and so hold the ministrie in lesse regard for the weakenesse of their sexe Behold S. Pauls proiect in the words to Timothy Here in this Text another matter is in hand No question here whether the man or woman was first in preuarication were that the point the Deuill in his pride would haue the start of both Hee was a sinner from the beginning The propagation of sinne is the thing now considerable and what person it was that brought a succession of sinne throughout all mankinde And as well here as in all other places the Scripture attributeth the matter of propagation not to women but to men Therefore we will dismisse Eue if you please as our Sauiour Christ dismissed the woman taken in adultery not for an innocent but because she is not here impleaded Adam is the man which the Apostle now chargeth Wherewith is it For gluttonie or intemperance of his throate No there was affluence of all other delicacies in Paradise to satisfie such desires Is it for his curiositie and vaine loue of knowledge Neyther For although that be a fault to be wise beyond sobrietie yet could it not haue brought so heauie a sequele What was it then He affected that fruite Non vescendi libidine sed animositate exultandi not in any lingering desire to the meate but in a kind of lustinesse to breake out What greater lustinesse then that this childe of the earth was not content to be like vnto God vnlesse he might also be equall with him Quid huic deerat quem misericordia custodiebat docebat veritas regebat iustitia pax fouebat Sed heu ad multam insipientiam perniciem sibi ac posteris suis descendit de Hierusalem in Hiericho Siquidem incidit in latrones à quibus legitur despoliatus Annon despoliatus qui domino veniente nudum se esse conqueritur nec vero poterat revestiri vel ablata sibi recipere vestimenta nisi Christus amitteret sua O venenum quod non curatur nisi veneno Saint Paul heere frameth two inditements against him the one for disobedience the other for transmitting his sinne By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Obserue the right valuation and true qualitie of Adam his trespasse that it was not any light errour but an absolute prevarication of both Tables a disobedience to God and a grieuance vnto men Primordialis lex est data in paradiso quasi matrix omnium praeceptorum That first Law saith Tertullian giuen in Paradise was the summe and comprehension of the whole diuine Law that was published afterwards Therefore in the breach thereof all manner of offences are conteyned But if the fruite were good why should it not be tasted if it were euill what did it in paradise The fruit certainely was good but obedience better because the whole law is performed with obedience Indeed nothing is more expedient for the soule then obedience And if it behooue euery soule to obey the seruant his Lord the childe his father the wife her husband all to obey the Prince how much importeth it man to obey God for rebellion is as execrable as witchcraft which is a manifest reuolt and disauowing of God and he hateth nothing more then the disobeence of his commaundements That now is this one mans case As by the disobedience of one man c. If I should here discusse where his disobedience began first whether in his minde or in his body some happily would say as S. Augustine writeth That it were more worth our labour to seeke remedie to get out then to argue how or by what part we came first into the pit of sinne And that God willing shall not bee omitted in the fit place but reserued to another time In the meane while Quod si quisquam dicat If any man thinke saith S. Augustine that the bodie is the first cause of all sinnes certainely he hath not well considered the whole nature of mankind Indeed the bodie that is corruptible aggrauateth the soule and the earthy mansion keepeth downe the minde Vt vidi vt perij vt me malus abstulit error Oftentimes our right eyes offend vs because they roll they wander they are regenerate but in part and death entreth into the soule 〈◊〉 that window Si oculus tuus fuerit nequam totum corpus est tenebrosum If thine eye be euill thy whole body is full of darkenesse Shut that window in the name of God make a couenant with it turne it away that it behold not vanitie Giue not your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne Surgit ira noli dare irae linguam ad maledicendum noli dare manum aut pedem ad feriendum non surgeret ista ira irration abilis nisi peccatum esset interius sed tolle illi regnū non habeat arma vnde contra te pugnet discet etiam non surgere cum arma non coeperit inuenire S. Aug. Tract in Ioh. 41. The bodily members are the instruments they are not the originall of sinne Will you haue a proofe thereof in the matter we handle It is not to be doubted but this one man and the woman too had seene the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill formerly without any lust or desire to taste the fruite the faith that he then bare to God was a guardian to his heart and that to all his senses But after his heart had once reuolted from faith and loyaltie all the outward senses were corrupted with it instantly Euerie man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne Concupiscence and is entised Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth the act of sinne but the beginning is from the mind within Out of the heart come euill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies slanders Non potest fieri saith S. Augustine vt habeat mala facta qui habet cogitationes bonas
facta enim de cogitationibus procedunt It is not possible that a man exercised in good thoughts should be much tainted with ill actions for all actions proceed from our thoughts Then keepe thine heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life Therefore I cannot hold with them that make all the sinnes of the soule to proceede from the bodie so the wicked Angels wanting bodies should want sinne too and the spirits of the damned assoone as they bee sequestred from their bodies should cease also from their sinne It is but a Poets opinion concerning soules puritie Igneus est ollis vigor Coelestis origo Seminibus quantum non noxia corpora tardant Terrenique hebetant artus moribundaque membra Virgil is no classicall authour in matters of doctrine the Fathers of the Church are more authenticall S. Bernard speaking of the soule saith otherwise Prior reparanda est quam constat corruisse priorem Anima siquidem corrupta in culpam fecit quoque vt corpus corrumperetur in poenam So S. Augustine resolueth the doubt that the corruption of the flesh which ladeth the soule was not the cause but the punishment of the first sinne and it was not the corruptible flesh that made the soule sinfull but it was the sinne of the soule that made the bodie corruptible Est mens primum veteris hominis membrum primus peccati administer nativa prauitate infecta suggestionum Sathanae capax hinc motus praui mali de malo quamvis nihil accesserit vltra his mens impellit voluntatem quae tunc altera peccati ministra efficitur concupiscentias parit tunc tandem corpus ab animo impulsum totum accenditur huc atque illuc transuersum rapitur omnes sensus adeoque omnia corporis tyranni arbitrio se sistunt ad perpetranda omnia quae imperat hinc fructus amari qui Gal. 5. recensentur The minde is the first member of the old man and minister of sinne infected certainly with originall prauitie and capable of Sathans suggestions from hence come ill motions which are euill and proceede from euill if there were nothing else but with these the minde stirreth the will which is then made another minister of sinne and bringeth forth concupiscence then the bodie being summoned by the mind is kindled is transported hither and thither so the senses and all parts of the bodie offer themselues at the tyrants pleasure to do all his commands thereout spring those bitter fruits that are rehearsed in the fift of the Galathians Whether it were the one or the other that the bodie were in disobedience before the soule or the soule before the bodie whether the blinde did leade the lame or the lame were guide to the blinde behold now both are fallen into the ditch and ouershadowed not with a cloud but with a verie night of darkenesse In this one mans disobedience we see that verified which Christ saith in the Gospel They that doe euill shun the light because their workes are euill He is no sooner fallen then he becommeth Lucifuga affecteth darknesse and flyeth to the couert to hide himselfe His body and the parts thereof are the same that they were before but then they were seene with glorie and now they are couered with shame his wil is auerse his heart is full of feare and distrust his very minde is darkened which should be the light the watchman the Centinel both of body and soule and if the light thereof be turned into darkenesse O how great must that darkenesse be Greater verily then the darknesse of Egypt which was not so vniuersall but that there was light left in the land of Gosen where the children of Israel were But here after mans disobedience darkenesse preuailed ouer all No power of the minde no part of the bodie free or cleere hee is not absolutely depriued of naturall faculties and endowments of reason iudgement will as if he were become a blocke but they are depraued and decayed he knowes still marie it is but in part and what part his mind doth vnderstand but humane things not diuine earthly not heauenly businesse his will doth affect also and desire what sure bodily pleasures or delights not spirituall ioyes Wist ye not that when the fountaine of all goodnes was forsaken nothing would remaine but sinne when the father of lights was left that darkenesse would couer all Sine tuà luce ô lux beatissima non est veritas adest error adest vanitas non est discretio adest confusio adest ignorantia non est scientia adest caecitas non est visio adest invium non est via adest mors non est vita S. Aug. Solil cap. 3 Without thy light ô blessed light there is no truth all is error all is vanitie there is no distinction all is confusion all is ignorance there is no knowledge all is blindnesse there is no sight all impassible there is no way all is death there is no life When he beleeued that which the Deuill promised was hee not very worthie to finde that which God threatned You haue heard the mans disobedience to God It resteth now to shew how also he offended his neighbor therein namely by transmitting sinne to his posteritie By his disobedience many were made guiltie Here I doe willingly call you to remembrance that Adam did not sinne as an ordinarie person for so his sinne had rested in himselfe and determined there It was Iobs perswasion in his owne particular Though I had indeed erred mine errour remaineth with me Doth it not hold good correspondencie with the rule of Iustice The soule that sinneth that soule shall die Adams case is not so it is extraordinarie As God had beautified the whole nature of mankind with excellent gifts in this one man vpon the condition of his loyaltie and obedience so was he resolute to bereaue it of them all in him againe assoone as he began to be refractorie or disobedient Who can distaste this iustice or finde any harshnes in it when both were propounded vnto the man vpon equall termes Hereby also it may appeare that Adam sinned not as a priuate man but as the common root or stocke of mankind as a publique person and father of vs all When sinne had once got hold of his person must it not needes taint vs all that are partakers of his nature Because we were all enclosed in his loines when he sinned hee branded vs all with the prints and tincture of his rebellion So this disobedience rested not in Adam but became hereditarie it was not personall in him alone but naturall to vs all and a matter of succession It made him a trespasser vs all sinners with him whether Pelagius will or no. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None is free not a childe of a day olde though Anabaptists be mad for it We doe all die neither doth there liue a man
or immortality because they were altogether outward in the power of God Another Item the Apostle giueth vs that seeing our sinne commeth from our selues God is not authour thereof Dauid speaketh truely of the holy One of Israel Thou art not a God that louest wickednesse Psal 5. Were it not strange then for him to be authour of that which he doth not loue S. Iohn reduceth all the sinnes in the world to three heads the concupiscence of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life These the same Apostle saith are not of the father but of the world Sinne is a thing repugnant to the nature of God and contrarie to all his properties It cannot stand with his goodnesse for being the chiefe and soueraigne good he cannot be authour of euill seeing euerie one affecteth not that which is opposite but that which is conformable and agreeable to his nature And God is light and in him dwelleth no darkenesse at all Againe it were some impeachment of his power to be authour of sinne for without any euill God is able to doe what good he will The wisedome of God will not admit him to be authour of sinne Good is the proper obiect that draweth euery one his desire as the Philosopher disputeth truely and euill is neuer desired nor sought after but through error when that which hath but the face and outward appearance of good is mistaken for it which hath the true nature of good indeed So God cannot be the author of sinne vnlesse you derogate some thing from his wisedome And O Lord thine eyes be cleere thou canst not see euill If he were authour of sinne hee should diuert and turne men away from himselfe and that were a plaine deniall of himselfe not fit not possible to comply with his truth Neither can it hold correspondencie with his mercie for he pittieth and is mercifull to them that sinne therefore he cannot be author thereof To be short it will not sort with his iustice for hee punisheth sinne because he is iust and then he cannot be authour of it but he must needes be vniust And is there any vnrighteousnes with God That is an absurditie to be detested not confuted God forbid God forbid saith Elihu vnto Iob that wickednesse should be in God or iniquitie in the Almightie He sent his sonne to take away the sinnes of the world and to dissolue the workes of the Deuill therefore he createth them not for if I build againe the things which I haue destroied I make my selfe a trespasser Inventor vitij non est Deus Angelus illud Degener infami conceptum mente creavit Sinne as S. Iohn defineth it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a depriuation of that rightnesse which the law requireth in our actions and God which calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Ens is causa essendi non deficiendi of being and not of fayling Seeing God is Ens men of indifferent iudgement may see that non esse ad Deum non pertinet Lux non potest gignere tenebras Sol illuminat sua natura sed non inducit tenebras recedente vero Sole sponte sequuntur tenebrae Ita Deus qui natura sua bonus est si recedat a nobis hoc est iustis de causis gratiam suam nobis subtrahat vel vt puniat nos vel vt alijs gratia sua magis sit conspicua sponte peccatum sequitur Nec necesse est vt causam peccati alibi inquiramus quum interiorem habeamus malam voluntatē ad quam accedit suggestio Diaboli Light cannot breede darkenesse the Sunne lightneth properly and induceth not darkenesse but when the Sunne goeth away darkenesse followeth of their owne accord So it is with God who is good in himselfe when hee withdraweth his graces from vs vpon iust causes eyther for our punishment or to make his goodnesse more conspicuous vnto others when God hath retyred himselfe from vs vpon any occasion sinne is at hand by and by to take place of it selfe Let vs therefore lay the blame of sinne vpon the Deuill that deuised it and vpon our selues that consented vnto him let vs not charge God foolishly but magnifie and praise him for his infinit goodnesse and mercies in abolishing the workes of the Deuill and beseech him to beate downe that crooked Serpent more and more vnder our feete euen for his Christ his sake AMEN FINIS THE SWEET MYSTErie of mans Reparation ROM 5. VERS 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous THE last Sabbath I discussed the former part of this Text vnto your most honourable houshold and now by the assistance of God his holy Spirit your Princely patience doe purpose to vnfold the second Three points are here to be cleared first who this obedient person was secondly the manner of his obedience thirdly the validitie As to the first This age doth not affoord such plentie of obedience as may make the person here spoken of doubtfull or ambiguous If bare profession were good obedience Christ would neuer haue told the Iewes that Publicans and Harlots should goe into the Kingdome of God before them Saul neuer intending obedience pretends it all in vaine Some Philosophers left all they had that when they were rid of worldly cares they might haue the more libertie to follow vanitie Et nolebant censu abundare terreno vt abundarent magis sensu suo S. Bern. If some certain religious people haue deuoted themselues to obedience their vowes make the title fayrer but not the obligation stronger S. Bernard decyphered such vanities long agoe Sine defectu pauperes sine despectu humiles sine labore diuites esse volunt Holy and obedient people indeed that will be poore without want humble without contempt rich without labour and obedient without any reknowledgement of allegiance They will not be like vnto other men therefore sauing our Aphorisme against retaliation and Christian charitie that nothing be done in reuenge if other men wil be as peremptorie againe not to be like vnto them there shall be no great cause left as I suppose for Church or Common-wealth to complaine The importunitie of their challenges makes mee to put difference in those that be obedient the person that our Text speaketh of is obedient vnto God these pretenders are obsequious vnto men to S. Frauncis Benedict Dominick Ignatius Loyola and their superiours But why should Christians that are borne of God take names from men Non ad hominis nomen ambulo Christi nomen teneo Perirem si essem de parte Pauli quomodo non perirem si essem de parte Donati His obedience stood in performing his fathers will theirs is exercised in vpholding mans inuentions or if they labor in obeying God it is but in part and he was obedient perfectly his person was infinite theirs
children that God hath giuen him Two things in Ioseph were eminent and perspicuous He deserued well and suffered ill but if comparison be made you shall finde Ioseph and all things hee had inferiour to Iesus Christ Ioseph was innocent in one particular imputation obiected Christ was innocent in all things else Ioseph found fauour with him that kept the prison so his punishment was the easier Christ could turne no way to receiue commiseration The sonne of Iacobs wrongs went no further then to bands and prison the sonne of God had the whip and buffets and a crowne of thornes and spittings and contumelies and all the gall of the Crosse it selfe vae tibi amaritudo peccatorū nostrorum propter quae soluenda tanta amaritudo necessaria est S. Bernard Opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito charitas sine modo If the father to redeeme seruants spared not his only sonne if the sonne for satisfaction of his father offered his life in obedience if both send the Holy Ghost to apply the mercies of the father and obedience of the sonne and the spirit maketh intercession for vs with groanes that cannot be expressed raising vs vp to God with confident pietie and bowing God vnto vs in the clemencie of his mercie if euery person of the Trinitie confer some thing to our iustification who shall disanull it or lay any thing to our charge Shal Sathan Indeed he is an implacable aduersarie and cannot endure that poore man made of the dust of the earth should obtaine that place which he could not hold that was created in heauen But in this cause we haue his owne stipulation against himselfe When he came to the Sonne of God with swordes staues did not the innocent Lamb aske them whom they sought did not they answer Iesus of Nazareth Did not he condition with them that if they sought him they should let his disciples goe did not they admit of this condition and let them all escape S. Matt. is cleare in this point The Disciples all left him and fled away That gratious Lord was thy good meaning euen that was thy sweet condition and the aduersaries consent appeareth manifestly by the seale of their fact For that which was done by his Attornies is reputed to be done by himselfe so when Christ was left alone he onely was taken bound led away put to death that the chastisement of our peace might be vpon him onely for of all people there was none with him Where be they then that will needes bee ioynt-purchasers with Iesus Christ where be they that implore ayde of S. Peter or S. Iames or S. Iohn or any Saint in these affaires When this matter was in hand no creature did assist the Sonne of God all did forsake him euery man Iudge then what iniustice it is to transfer any honour of the battaile to them that sate at the baggage were neuer in the field Wee reade that Dauid did diuide the spoyle indifferently and said As his part is that goeth downe to the battaile so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuffe they shall part alike That Dauid made a law and a statute in Israel vnto this day But it is against law and reason that he which putteth on his harneis should boast himselfe as he that putteth it off Are we not liberally dealt withall to haue the fruite of the victorie and to be exempted from the hazard of fight Liberally brethren liberally O bountifull Iesu Therfore we accept of thy condition with thankes because they sought thee we goe away contented abundantly with the prey and shall euer ascribe the glorie of the victory all our righteousness to thine obedience If Laban pursue vs and accuse vs that we went priuily from him our answer is ready That we came priuily to him and therefore went priuily from him againe A secret cause of sinne brought vs to his subiection and a more secret course of iustice hath withdrawne vs from him if we were sold to him for grammercie yet were wee not redeemed for naught if he say Our father hath enthralled vs may we not answer Our brother hath redeemed vs Why should not righteousnesse come from another when guiltinesse commeth from another It was one that made vs sinners it is one that makes vs righteous prior in semine alter in sanguine it was man that forfeited it is man that satisfied the head for the members Christ for his owne bowels But the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon himselfe what is that to thee Be it Then must the sinne of the sinner be vpon himselfe too and what is that to mee Shall the righteousnesse of the righteous be vpon himselfe and shal not the sinne of the sinner be vpon himselfe too There is no congruity that the sonne should beare the iniquitie of the father and be debarred from the righteousnesse of his brother Let there be indifferencie both wayes and then by man comes sinne by man comes righteousnesse in Adam all are made sinners in Christ many are made righteous And I doe not belong so to the former but that I haue a dependancie also on the latter if I pertaine to the one by the flesh I reach also to the other by faith Why should I haue anie surplusage from the sinner if it be for my generation behold my regeneration to oppose against it and there is no oddes saue that the former is carnall the latter spirituall that more conspicuous to the flesh this more certaine because of faith Amongst other properties of Faith this is not the least that it neuer varieth as the parable of the seede teacheth vs. If true faith could faile the elect might perish which is impossible for Christ saith That none can take them out of his hand If faith should fayle the elect might be often regenerated who are borne of incorruptible seede and as the seede is so must the regeneration be therefore once a new creature and euer a member of Christ Faith cannot faile because He that is borne of God sinneth not neyther can he because the seede of God abideth in him Ioh. 5.18 How should faith be variable that hath Gods promise I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not go from me that hath the efficacy of Christs praier Keepe them in thy trueth Ioh. l7 and I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luc. 23. Montes mouebuntur colles nutabunt misericordia autem mea a te non recedet et faedus pacis meae non nutabit dicit miserator tuus Iehouah You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordained you that you goe and bring forth fruite and that your fruite remaine Christo sic eos ponente vt eant fructum offerant fructus eorum maneat quis audeat dicere forsitan non manebit The giftes and graces