Neyther is the handling worthie of any name although the matter can not be named worthily inough For the matters sake therfore not for the manner of it I shoued it out when I could not holde it in and among others chéefely commend it to your good Lordship whome as God hath made not onely a singular succourer and especiall setter forth of his truth and al good letters but also a publike patrone therevnto and euen a father to our moother and nourice of learning the renounted vuiuersitie of Cambridge that now God be praysed for it flourisheth vnder your protectioÌ„ so he vouchsafe to his glory your ioy and our comfort long to blesse and prosper your honour therin Your Lordships humble to commaundâ—… in Christ Iohn Brigges Sic Deus dilexit mundum c. So God loued the worlde that hée gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perishe but haue Euerlasting lyfe RIGHT Honorable and deare beloued in the Lord Iesus This sentence is the entrie into that portion of Scripture that is appoynted to be red for the Gospell this daye and a parcell of the disputation whyche Nichodemus hadde in the nyght with Christe A shorte sentence and for the vnderstanding plaine and easy but for the contente of the matter a most notable sentence comprehending in briefe wordes both all things and the causes of them all God the Creator and al the world created the mercifull loue of God the miserable perdition of Mankind Gods election without beginning mans saluation without ending the most singular gifte of God without comparison the Eternall life of man without merites To be briefe what is not conteyned in this sentence the whole scope and argument whereof standeth on the causes of our saluation euen the groundeworke and principles of Christianitie the locke and keye of our Religion Whiche being opened all controuersies at this day in question betwene vs and our aduersaries as depending hereon are apparant and soone decided For my playner and easyer processe herevppon I purpose to diuide this sentence into foure parts Wherof the first shal be of gods eternall purpose to the world In these two endes Vt non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternaÌ„ that it shold not perish but haue eternal life The second shal be of the cause that moued Almightye God to this purpose of the worlds saluation that is to say Sic dilexit euen the only ioue of god The thirde part shall be to consyder the meanes that God being thus purposed and moued wrought this benefite by that is to say Vt daret filium suum vnigenitum He gaue his only begotten sonne to worke it The fourth and the last part shall be to consider wyth what effertuall instrument we receyue and apply those causes of our saluation to our benefite that is to wit Qui credunt in eum By a stedfast Faith in hym Wherein are comprehended these foure causes The originall cause and fountain of mans saluation Gods eternall purpose the motiue cause inducyng hym therevnto Gods loue the efficiente and formall cause thereof the Sonne of GOD the 〈◊〉 and instrumentall cause of the same Gods gifte of Faith in Manne Thus this whole sentence So God loued the worlde c. beeing 〈◊〉 and deuided orderly into these foure partes lette vs make oure entrie into the seuerall consyderations of them with faythfull and humble Prayer Precatio You haue hearde deare Christians whereon I purpose to proceede euen on this sentence Sic Deus c. Yee haue hearde what notable matter it conteynethe what is the summe and argument thereof and howe I haue distributed the same Wherof the fyrst part hath to behold the eternal purpose of Almightie God in these endes that the world should not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe This parte hath two things principally to consider Whereof the syrste is these two endes perdition and lyfe eternall The seconde is these two parties God and the worlde God that deliuereth from perdition and giueth eternall life the world that is deliuered from perdition and receiueth eternall lyfe The former is comprehended in these woordes Vt non pereat sed habeat aeternam vitam that it should not perishe but haue Eternall lyfe Whiche wordes are placed last and are the ende of the sentence and lyke wise are the last end that wee shall come vnto But bicause the drifte whereto the sentence tendeth and we also directe the leuell of all oure life is to escape perdition and to obteyne life eternall not vnorderlye it commeth to bee fyrst consydered For although the ende is laste in practise yet in mynde the ende is fyrste of all Hee that is aboute to buylde an house fyrste hath his generall ende and purpose wherefore he wold build and or euer he set on the building he deuiseth his platforme how he shal be able to compasse the same Quis ex vobis c. Which of you sayeth Christ disposed to buylde a Toure sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to perfourme it least after he hath layde the foundation and is not able to perfourme it all that beholde hym begynne to mocke him saying This man began to buylde and was not able to make an ende Or what Kyng going to make battaile againste an other Kyng sitteth not downe fyrst and casteth in his mynde whether he be able with tenne thousande to meere him that commeth against him with twentie thousande c. What man hauing a iourney to goe first considereth not the place whether the entent wherefore and the manner howe he wil trauaile thether and then he setteth on his Iorney and last of all commeth there This is the differnce of the foole and wise as our Prouerbe sayth to looke or we leape As Esope telleth of the two Froggs that in a dry Sommer sought for water and when they came to a deepe pit Here sister sayth the one is a good place for vs to abide in here is water inough nay softe quod the other Frog let vs viewe a litle ere we leape in if water shoulde faile here also howe should we get out again The wise therfore geue this councell Quicquid agas prudenter agas respice finem Whatsoeuer thou doest doe it warily and forecast the ende therof Beholde howe Christ commendeth the steward whiche otherwise was a wicked man for this his industrie in prouidyng for the ende O that the children of life were halfe so wise so prouident and forecastyng as the children of this worlde in their generation be O that rashe youthe amongst vs wolde consider this order in their vnaduised enterprises being caried aware in the headstronge wilfull delight of present pleasures and will not se the wretched ende Qui ducit ad interitum that hurlethe them headlong into destruction and all bicause they wolde not forsee the sequele and ende thereof Voluptates specta abeuntes non accedentes Looke not on pleasures face but
my bodye and refresh my spirites then the rest of my body and the refreshing of my spirits is a greater matter than is my lying downe to sleepe I buylde an house what moueth me to doo suche cost to shelter and shrowde me from wynde and weather from heat and colde from danger and enimie and to defend and keepe me and myne then this my defence is a greater cause than my house buylding is And eueÌ„ so God loueth a man why loueth he him bicause he is a good man then the goodnesse of the man is a greater cause than the loue of god And thus in conclusion not onely the greater cause of mans saluation is in man and the lesser cause in God but also that little cause in God is referred to mannes goodnesse also And so the cause in God is cleane swalowed vp lyke a drop in the sea â–ª a beane in a Monks hoode a mouse in a cheese nay rather a ciphre in Algorisme the loue of God in the cause of mans saluation And yet for fashions sake the name of Gods loue of Gods grace of Gods mercie of Christs merits must be pretended but when all is done the woorke of man is the efficient is the formall is the finall and principall cause of mans saluation As Bonauenture sayeth that although the death and resurrection of Christe take away our sinnes and iustifie vs attamen neutri attribui potest propriè causalitas iustificationis habet tamen aliquam causae proprietatem scilicet per modum meriti interuenieÌ„tis ê“ reducitur ad causam materialeÌ„ formalis enim est gratia hoc est charitas c. Neuerthelesse the causing cause of Iustification can not proprely be attributed eyther to Christes death or to his resurrection although it hath some propretie of a cause that is to wit by the meanes of merite commyng betwene which is reduced to the materiall cause for the formall cause is grace that is to say charitie Heere is a name of grace but when the name is expounded it falleth out he ment not the loue and free fauour of God but charitie that is mans loue the very contrary in this poynt vnto grace and free fauour of god And so mans loue is the formall cause of mannes saluation but it muste bee called forsoothe the grace of God. Heere is agayne the Passion and Resurrection of Iesus Christe sayde to take away synnes and to Iustifie vs What can be a godlyer saying and truer than this Who could find fault with this Who woulde require more yf they meane as they say Why haue thei then another meaning What is that Forsoth the death and Resurrection doth it but not proprely as any cause therof Lo here is the cause cleane takeÌ„ away nay not so but it is not a cause properly how is it theÌ„ it hath yet some propertie of a cause This is a contrarie tale to it selfe at lest it hath som propertie of contrarietie But what kynd of propertie of a cause hath the deth and resurrection of Christ to take away sinnes and to iustifie man Forsoothe in this consideration by the meanes of mans desert and good works coÌ„ming betwene and being a stickler in the matter But how commeth it betwene as a small cause Nay as the material cause also of his saluation And so maÌ„s charity is the formal cause mans merits are the material cause Grace is named The deathe and resurrection of Christe is named but it is no cause properlie and if it haue anye propretie of a cause it is onely by reason of mannes merites goyng betweene Is not thys a proper doctrine Whether will not this doctrine presume to goe Why maye not the Papist say as well that manne is the cause of God as to say that mannes merites are the cause of Gods loue Is not the loue of God euen GOD hymselfe Quicquid dicitur de Deo Deus est The Wisdome of God is God the power of God is God and the loue of God is god And so Sainâ—…t Iohn dothe saye Deus est charitas qui maner in charitate in deo mâ—…net deus in eo God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Nowe if mannes goodnesse bee the cause of Gods loue is it not then the cause of God also What is prâ—…de if this bee not pride Where is Adam and Eue that woulde become like Gods if they be not here Where is that proude kyng of Babylon that sayde with Lucifer I wyll aâ—…cende aboue the cloudes I wil be like the most high but in this doctrine Where is that man of sinâ—…e that would exalt himself aboue all that is called God if not in this blasphemous presumption of the Papists Qui quaerentes suaÌ„ iustitiaÌ„ stabilire c. That seking to set vp their owne righteousnesse are not subiect to the righteousnesse of god But let this diuelishe doctrine goe wyth the diuell downe the lane from whence it came and let vs humbly receyue the doctrine of Iesus Christe that the cause whiche moued God to saue the worlde was onely in him selfe for his owne sake for his owne goodnesse and most merciful fauour for his tender loue that of his owne accorde good nature be vouchsafed to beare the worlde and not for any cause of goodnesse in the worlde were it neuer so little a cause For how little so euer thou ascribest to thy selfe thou takest from God thou robbest God of his glory and of his glorie God is a iealous god neyther will he part stakes with any other for any part or parcell therof Oh sayth the Papist it is a very little thing a small modicum that wee require and modicum non nocet a litle hurteth nothing an inche breakes no square That is not true modicum nocet modicum A little hurteth a litle yea and that a great deale in this case wherin on the one part God is all in all will haue all the glorie of it as right requireth if he haue not al he wil haue none There is no halting betwene God and Baal no agreement betwene God and the diuell no felowshippe wyth light and darkenesse And what is manne else but darkenesse â–ª but mancipium Sathanae the boÌ„dsclaue of Sathan before God lighten and deliuer him On the other part the diuel will not bee contente with a little grauÌ„t him neuer so litle in the beginning as good giue him all for in the ende he will striue to haue all giue him an inche hee will take an elle giue him but his little toe he will thrust his foote his leg his body after and seuen diuels more for company and the ende of that man shal be worse than the beginning Obsta principijs serò medicina paratur Stoppe therfore the beginnings otherwise it will be too late to seeke for healpe Take away the cause else the effect wil neuer be taken away Man will euer
the worlde may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me What a ioyfull state what a notable gift is this Christe reioyceth in his gifte let vs reioyce in our gifte God repenteth hym not of his gifte GOD graunte vs so to keepe and enioy this gifte that Christ may be ours and wee may be his for euer And then as God hath giuen all power to Christe Sicut dedisti ei potestatem omnis carnis As thou O Father sayeth Christe haste gyuen power of all fleshe vnto the sonne Vt omne quòd dedisti ei det eis vitam aeternam That all that thou haste giuen to him he maye giue them eternall lyfe So sayeth Christ for the assurāce of his good wil herein Pater quos dedisti mihi volo vt vbi sum ego illi sint mecum vt videant claritatem meam quam dedisti mihi Father those that thou haste gyuen mee I will that where I am they be also with mee that they may see the glorie thou haste giuen vnto me Thus being giuen to Chryste and Christe to vs hee will bee with vs till the worldes ende and wee agayne worlde withoute ende shall bee wyth hym and followe the Lambe and reygne in that euerlastyng lyfe of glorye whereof hee hathe made a gloryons purchase for vs and of hys free gyfte shall giue the same vnto vs Thus mutche then also for the thyrde parte the meanes that God wrought it by the efficient and formall cause of oure saluation Dedit vnigenitum filium suum He gaue his only begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour The fourthe parte THE fourthe parte is of oure receipte hereof whereby wee applye this effectually to oure benefite of Saluation ▪ For bee a gyfte neuer so franke neuer so liberall neuer so ryche in it selfe yet if it bee not taken what auayleth it to the refuser Bee a playster neuer so excellente if it be not suffered to be layde to the sore it healeth not If a medicine haue neuer so greate vertue of helping the sicke if it be not receiued it recouereth him not if meate be neuer so much a strengthening to the body if it be not eaten and disgested in the stomack it norisheth not If a pardon be neuer so gracious free if the giltie renounce it it saueth him not Euen so this most excellent gifte of God Iesus Christ this souerain plaister of our woūds by whose stripes we are healed this phisition of our soules that hath raised vs from death to life this bread of life that cam down from heauē that al that eate his fleshe and drinke his blood should haue life euerlasting this true and only pardoner of all our offences If he and his pardon and his meate and his medicine and his plaister and his gifte be refused and not receaued what profit get these refusers by him Nay to them he is Lapis offensionis a stone whereat men stumble a rocke whereat they be offēded Behold this Child saith Simeon is set to be the fall and vprising againe of many in Israell and for a signe which is spoken against To the Iewes offence to the gētils folly To bothe of them that refuse him euen the sauiour of death to death So that none but the receauers haue these benefits by him Who then are the receyuers hereof Omnis qui credit in eum saithe Christe All that beleue in him All those that put their trust and confidence not in themselues nor in any other thing or person but only and altogither in him that is in Iesus Christe those onely receyue the benefit of this gift Al that beleue on him Here are three speciall words in the consideration of this receit that would require to be diligently weighed than time will now permit me hauing ben so large in the other that I muste needes for shame be briefe in this last part The first of these three is this worde All comprehending the persons to whome this gifte is offered The seconde Qui credunt is a restraint of this word Al to them that beleue comprehendyng the persons that receyue it and the meanes wherby they take it that is beleefe or faith The thirde in eum sheweth the person on whome they shoulde beleue and is the ground foundation forme scope and direction of theyr beleefe Of this word All I haue already spoken somewhat to shewe howe farre it stretcheth and howe it is restrayned Of it selfe it is a generall worde and excepteth nothing but by that whyche followeth it is straighter laced and that with a very precise bounder wherby so many euen at the fyrste choppe are quite dashte out that this worde All is restrayned to a maruelous small numbre in cōparison of All those that are none of all these which receyue this benefite Howbeit bicause this gift is offered by the preaching of the woorde vnto all to all nations tongs and people to all sortes ages sexes degrees and all kynde of persons what so euer And that the worde of God beeing thus generally proclaymed to all neuer returneth agayne in vayne as God by his prophet Esay testifieth but euermore more or lesse some receiue this gifte so freely by the worde offred vnto them and that this some is of all these sortes and kyndes of persons whose numbre althoughe to vs as appeateth in the seuenth of the Reuelation it be greate and infinite although to the world and those that treade the broade path it be a small number and a very little stock although to God smal or great it be determinate and appointed Firmum fundamentū Dei stat habens signaculū hoc cognouit Dominus qui sunt eius The sure foundation of God standeth fast ▪ hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who are his yet bycause wee are not deuisers of Gods priuie councel but voyces of criers and proclaimers of Gods open offer therfore so farre as our commission stretcheth we trauel to all we cal all we preache to all we teach all we exhort all we reproue all we labour to win all we exempt none we driue away none we debarre it from none nor none from it we bid none despaire but all to truste and beleue in God and to take this gift thus freely offered to them whereof wee be appointed the bringers and the offerers In omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum their voice sayth the Prophet hath gonouer all the yerthe not that we know not before that a great many wil not receiue it Domine quis credidit auditui nostro Lord who hath beleued our preachings But we know not who these shall be that will refuse it nor who those shall bee that shall receiue it we know not who shal be saued nor who shall be damned but this we know all those shal be saued that beleue and he that beleueth not so cōtinueth shal be damned Here ther fore foloweth the