darkenesse that they testified of the former darke times to wit That God left not himselfe without witnesse he writeth most soundly in this argument Et Pater natus sic Spiritus est Deus vnus Non plures tres sunt non tria tres idem that is Both the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost are one God not more Gods three Persons nor three things three and yet the same thing Thus they And as Saint Paul saith of Epimâ—nides This testimony is true so may we say of all these mens sayings I could produce an hundred such testimonies if it were needfull from the first vnto the last that they are faithfull and true But now if you aske with Nicodemus How may these things be Iohn 3. How can God haue a Sonne how can he that is a Sonne be God I answere that this is a secret that the very Angels if they did desire to behold cannot comprehend so saith Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let the generating of God be honoured with silence It is a great matter for thee to know or learne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as for the maner how wee will not allow the Angels much lesse thee to conceit Will ye needs haue me tell you how The Father knoweth that did generate The Sonne knoweth who was generated that which is aboue this is hidden by clouds which it is a hard thing for thy dull sight to pierce thorow Thus Nazianzen godlily modestly wisely To the like purpose speaketh Hilary The mystery of this generation I doe not know nec requiro that is neither doe seeke after and yet I will comfort my selfe with this Archangeli nesciunt c. The Archangels doe not know it the Angels haue not heard it the worlds dâ—e not vnderstand it the Prophet hath not perceiued it the Sonne himselâ—e hath not vttered it cesset dolor querelarum that is Be not longer grieued nor complaine of the matter Thus much we are to beleeue and God forbid that we should liue longer than we doe beleeue it that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ â—s the Sonne of God and therefore God For if he that is begâ—tten of man is man then he that is generated of God is God by the very light of reason euen very God as Saint Iohn calleth him 1 Iohn 5. Euen God blessed for euer as Saint Paul calleth him Rom. 9. This also you are to vnderstand that in this generation nothing corrupt oâ— carnall or after the maner oâ— this world or temporall is to be imagined God forbid God forbid but that the Father did beget or generate that is did truely communicate his substance vnto the â—onne that is that whereby the Sonne is a Sonne after an vnspeakeable maner nay after an incomprehensible maner I say aboue all conceit or reach of man or creature and before all time yea and before all eternity The same may be further considered of by the adiunct or property that followes namely that he is called the Character of his Person that is the stampe print and forme of him Would you see the forme or fashion of a mans seale the print in wax doth shew it that is his character Would you see the image of a mans minde his speech doth declare â—t that his character index est enim sermo saith one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith another So would you see the Image of God the Father looke vpon the Sonne in him you may see him he is his Character you know what is written Iohn 14. when Philip had said to our Sauiour Lord shew vs the Father it sufficeth Iesus answered and said Philip he that hath seene me hath seene the Father c. Thus it is No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him How by his words of doctrine reuealing Gods will by his works of wonder manifesting Gods power but specially by taking our nature vpon him in becomming man thereby he manifested himselfe and consequently his Father vnto vs by vniting his manhood vnto his God-head in identity of Person as from euerlasting his God-head was vnited to the Father in identity of nature By this meanes it is come to passe that he said well that said Irenaeus reporteth it to be the saying of some ancient Father Bene qui dixit ipsum immensum Patrem in filio mensuratum that is The Father which is immense or that cannot be measured is measured in his Sonne The Sâ—n as he is God is the Stampe of his Fathers Person and is the same in nature The Son as he is man is the Stampe of his Fathers power wisedome and will but different in nature For he is not man alone nor God alone but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man-God God-man in whom are hid all the Treasures of wisedome and knowledge nay in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily that is really truely substantially Scrutari hoc temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vita est vita aeterna that is To search this too curiously is rashnesse to beleeue it is godlinesse to know it is life and life euerlasting Christ then is the Image of God begotten of his Father that is hauing that whereby he is a Son communicated vnto him by the Father before all worlds as he is man made after the image of God as all men be but in a farre more excellent degree of perfection beyond all comparison And indeed if our Sauiour Christ had not bin both God and man he had not bin a fit Mediator I meane he had not beene a fit Person to reconcile man and God together for as Fulgentius well saith Deus verus viuus imò Deus veritas vita c. that is God being true and liuing or rather being truth and life eternall if he had not beene true man he could not haue tasted of death and if the same that tasted of death had not beene true God and life eternall he could not haue ouercome death Thus Fulgentius To which purpose I could produce many other Fathers of like note and worth as also I could reckon vp many other causes why it was necessary for our Mediator to be both God man but the time being past I cannot stay longer vpon that point and for that that remaineth of my Text I thinke it better to leaue it vnhandled than to handle it insufficiently Praestat de Carthagine tacere quà m pauca dicere To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen Amen A SERMON VPON THE TVVENTIETH OF THE PROVERBS THE TVVELFTH SERMON PROVERBS 20. verse 8. A King sitting in the Throne or Seate of Iudgement scattereth away or fanneth away all euill with his eyes Hebr. Melec iosheb
shall we despaire of any particular man that he belongeth to God and that he may be reclaimed O no let vs teach let vs improue let vs admonish let vs rebuke with all long suffering and gentlenesse and then God will doe that which seemeth good in his eyes he will in time giue them grace to repent that they may escape out of the snares of the Deuill though presently they be led captiue of him after his will they may be graffed in saith Saint Paul if they abide not in vnbeleefe for God is able to graffe them againe Goe thy wayes saith a Reuerend man to Austins mother for it cannot be that Filius tantarum lachrymarum pereat That one that is so much prayed for should perish Peter excluded not Iudas out of his Calendar of hope no more should we doe any that commeth about Christ. This is my third note Fourthly let me answer a false glosse of the Rhemists for they like bryers take hold of our garment and hinder our proceeding to that which followeth When company say they vpon this place draw vs to reuolt let vs say thus Lord whither or to whom shall we goe when we haue forsaken thee To Caluin Luther or such and forsake thee and thy Church with the vnfaithfull multitude c. Touching Caluin and Luther I answere first that though we doe not glory in them for we are forbidden by the Apostle 1. Cor. 3.21 to glory in men whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas c. Yet is there no cause why we should be ashamed of them for he that was least learned of the two was more learned then an hundred of their chiefest Prelates take them one by one and he that was lest vertuous of the two had more vertue in him then forty of those Prelates that might be named put it all together I know that they escaped not the tongues of the wicked nor the pens neither of them that were hired to deuise whatsoeuer slanders they could against them as also our Sauiour himselfe was both traduced while he liued and written against when he was dead But if it be enough to accuse who shall be innocent and if professed enemies and mercenaries their euidence shall be admitted what Naboth shall not be condemned This may content indiferent men that they did not mure themselues vp in Cloysters where Mendacia vuliu stâ—gâ—tia pariâ—tibus tegebantur Where hypocrisie and secresie made all whole but in luâ—e Reipub. they did liue they were for fame as Cities set vpon an hill that could not be hid they liued in famous Vniuersities and Cities th' one Geneua specially commended for the gouernment thereof by Bodin no partiall man themselueâ— alwayes in labours preaching or writing continually alwayes attended alwayes obserued and yet they had nâ—uer their names called in question for dishoâ—esty Called in question Nay their liues were proposed by all that knew them for a paterne for others to follow and they found as many all their life time that did reuerence them for their vertue as did honour them for their learning And shall these mens names be cast in our teeth by way of reproch whom yet we neuer esteemed otherwise then for seruants not as Lords ouer the house nor yet as Lords ouer our faith but as faithfull and learned men by whose labours wee haue profitâ—d Thereâ—ore though wee be not to build our faith vpon them nor vpon any other but on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head Corner-stone yet there is no cause for all their twiting why we should not honor them shewing themselues to be friends of the Bride groome and discerning the Bride-groomes voyce rather then the very heads of their Church yea the chiefe head and Top-gallant of their Church speaking like the Dragon and vttering words of blasphemy which are not agreeable to the wholesome doctrine of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ reuealed and set forth in his holy Word But this wee may examine particularly in the Aetiologue following namely in these words Thou hast the Words of euerlasting life In the meane time out of the Interrogation which implyeth a deniall and a refusing of other courses we haue learned thus much namely to professe Christ boldly to professe him readily and with the formost to professe him charitably not excluding others yea and to hearken to those worthy seruants of God whom he hath raised vp in these latter dayes for the cleering oâ— the doctrine of the Truth and the reuealing of the man of Sinne notwithstanding the disgraces and contumelies which not the true Church but the Church-men of Rhemes and the Chaplaines of Rome doe throw vpon them And let so much be spoken of these words Simon Peter answered and said Lord to whom shall we goe It followeth Thou hast the words of euerlasting life Which because the houre is already spent I purpose not to handle at this time To God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost be rendred all praise and thankesgiuing from euery one of vs now and euer-more Amen A SERMON VPON THE SEVENTH OF ESAY THE THIRD SERMON Preached vpon Christmas day ESAY 7. verse 14. Behold a Virgin or the Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne and she shall call his Name Immanuel WHEN Phaeton was to get vp into the Suns Chariot that is as it is interpreted by the learned when he vndertooke to meddle with great matters and such as exceeded the reach of the common sort he had a certaine sacred ointment giuen to him to preserue him from scorching and burning Tum pater ora suisacro medicamiue nati conâ—igit rapiosae fecit patientia flammae The holy Law-giuer Moses writeth that when himselfe was to deliuer vnto the people the Law of the Highest hee was first admitted to talke with God withall his face was made to shine And the Prophet Esay witnesseth that before he was to be sent to prophesie he had his hips sared with a liue coale taken from the Altar And the Euangelist likewisereporteth that before the Apostles Elders ioyned in commission with them that were set on worke about the Gospell to carry the same to the Gentiles they had the gift of the H. Ghost shed vpon them in the forme of clouen tongues So to be short Simeon Metaphrastes writeth that at such time as Saint Iâ—hn was busie in penning of the Gospell the holy Ghost made apparant signes of his presence by thundrings and lightnings and the like And why was this For two causes First to resolue the Apostles and Prophets then and the Church to the end of the world that the doctrine deliuered by them came not by priuate motion nor from themselues but that they should so write as the holy Ghost should giue them vtterance and therefore that their writings should be holy sound and true A second reason was to teach them and vs how necessary the gift of the holy Ghost yea and a
naturally Wheat doth encrease by sowing first the blade then the stalke then the eare c. but yet the Learned know that it hath not only rained downe wheat diuers times but it hath beene found growing in the knee of a child So naturally it must be the hand of a man and ioyned to the body that must write and he that will haue bread must haue flowre kneaded and baked and he that will haue shields must haue the Smith to forge them and he that will haue a well must digge deepe for it c. And yet who knoweth not of the fountaine of water that the drye iaw-bone of an Asse yeelded to Samson Of the writing of the tenne Commandements And of that on the wall before Belshasar without the hand of man Of the feeding of Elias by Rauens and of the same Manna which came downe from heauen Now shall any man bee so vnreasonable as to say Because these and the like things cannot bee done by man therefore they cannot bee done by the higher powers or Because he neuer saw the like done in all his life therefore the like was not done in any age Then by the same reason Because there are no kniues in this Land made of other matter then of metall therefore I may deny that in the Indies the sauage people make their kniues of Flint stones as also the manner was in old time among the Iewes which yet they that haue trauelled thither doe most constantly auouch or because salt is not otherwise had among vs but by boyling of bryne therefore wee may discredit such as haue deliuered it in writing for a truth that in diuers parts of Sicily and else-where they haue their salt for digging euen as we haue stone or cole Or briefly because with vs there iâ— no water to bee had but from fountaines or from brookes or from the like therefore I will condemne it for a fable that there should be in one of the Canaries a Tree of that miraculous vertue that the very leaues thereof be a Well-spring of water yeelding and powring it downe as from a conduit nay as from a great spout in such aboundance that there is sufficient for the Inhabitants and for all commers For as in these matters we beleeue more then we haue seene in our Country vpon the report of them that haue made tryall thereof else-where vpon their report I say by word of mouth so why should wee not as well beleeue their writings of old that haue registred such strange and prodigious things done before time though wee in our time haue had no experience of the like Thus much for answer to them that are hardly brought to beleeue miracles and so that a Virgin should conceiue except they could see the like done in their time But now to answer them more familiarly What if without any miracle at all euen by the demonstration of naturall experiments the same may bee made probable will they then relent and giue ouer their obstinacy Surely as Tertullian thought good to demonstrate the Resurrection by the Phoenix which repaireth himselfe by his ashes and as Austine thought good to demonstrate our Regeneration by the Snake which casteth his slough from yeere to yeere and as our Sauiour Christ himselfe borrowed an example from the wind to shew the secret and inuisible working of the holy Ghost So if we shall take vpon vs by familiar and naturall examples to shew the possibility of a Maidens conception I hope it will be well enough taken especially since I meane not to stand vpon it but onely to touch it and not to inforce beliefe from the incredulous but to draw assent from the flexible This therefore I say which yet is not my saying alone but Origens and Basils and Ambrose his too for the most part that in certaine birds and fishes and beasts the Lord hath drawne as it were certaine pictures and resemblances of this mysterie to condemne the incredulity of the incredulous and to make Faith more probable to vs. And what be those vnreasonable creatures that conceiue without the male Truly of fowle the Vultur as Tertullian remembreth besides the other Authors which I named euen now For fish the Erythinus as Pliny reporteth for beasts certaine Equae Hispanicae remembred almost by euery writer also for Insects the Bee Now he that worketh these strange things in these creatures and by these creatures euery yeere could not he or is it improbable that he should doe the same once in man-kind and the same for the saluation of man-kind especially since both Prophesie did fore-tell it and Story doth auow it to haue beene done Thus as the Apostle became a â—â—w to the Iewes to winne the Iewes and to them that were without Law as though hee had beene without Law himselfe to win such So to the vnbeleeuer I haue made my-selfe as it were an vnbeleeuer and leauing the authority of the Scriptures which are all-sufficient haue dealt onely by naturall experiments to proue if by any meanes I might satisfie them This dealing doth not want its warrant as I haue shewed already nor yet hath it beene voyd of fruit For Arnâ—bius and Lactantius their Bookes haue done good though they reasoned but from the light of Nature and that I may trouble you onely with one example Bartholomew Georgeniez writeth that disputing with a Turkish Professor in the yeere 1547. he made euen the mysterie of the Trinitie seeme probable by this rude comparison of the Sun that hath forme and brightnesse and heat in it and yet is but one and made the Turke with admiration to exclaime Allah Allah Therefore all such shadowing out of mysteries is not vtterly to be reiected if wee hap to deale with such who care not for the Scriptures A Virgin shall conceiue You haue heard first that a Virgin must be here meant or else it is no signe or miracle Secondly that it is such a miracle that â—hough it be aboue reason yet is it not contrary to reason and therefore the more easie to be yeelded vnto by them that haue any reasonablenesse or equity in them Now let vs see which kind of Virgin the Lord made choice of to make his Mother for surely shee did not chuse him but he chose her as Christ said to his Apostles You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you The Mother of our Sauiour was to be a Virgin that is no question and for many causes too First to fulfill this Prophesie A Virgin shall conceiue and beare Immanuel Secondly to fulfill these Types The first Adam was made of the hands of God of the earth vncorupted vndelued vnplaned So the second Adam Christ was to be made by the finger of the holy Ghost of the blood of a Virgin vnstained and vnpolluted This may be esteemed for one Type Another this The Manna and the Water in the Wildernesse that I meane which issued out of the rocke was made immediatly by the hand
the first It is certaine that as the Father hath life in himselfe and light and wisedome and knowledge so he giueth his Son to haue the same in him nay he hath the same of himselfe as he is God No want in the God-head may be imagined nor degrees of hauing but all is perfit and at once yea and from the beginning He therefore being Iehouah and Shaddai all-being and euer-being all-sufficient and euer-sufficient may not be thought to haue asked this question to be better informed for his owne part for he knoweth all and needed not that any should testifie of man for hee knew what was in man Iohn 2. But as in the 12. of Iohn Christ saith This voyce came not for my sake but for yours So may we say of Christs words in my Text that they were not vttered for himselfe but for vs. It was good that the world should be satisfied concerning the resolution of the Apostles to follow Christ whatsoeuer came of it for their honour for our example for the glory of God in giuing such gifts vnto men Therefore doth the Lord bring forth their righteousnesse as the morning and causeth their faith to breake forth into confession They beleeued and therefore did they speake Wee also if we beleeue we will speake and will not be ashamed of him before men lest he also be ashamed of vs before his Father which is in heauen It is worth the remembring that Plutarch in his booke of Isis Osiris writeth of the Peach namely that the Egyptians of all fruit did make choise of that to consecrate it to their great Goddesse for this cause because the fruit thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is like to ones heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the leafe to the tongue Indeed when the heart and the tongue goe together then the harmony is sweete and the seruice pleasing both to God and man Euen as Saint Paul setteth downe the perfitnesse of our duty and consequently of our happinesse With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse with the mouth he confesseth vnto saluation This therefore may seeme to be a speciall cause why Christ demandeth of the twelue whether they would play the Turne-coats as some others did namely to draw forth their confession and profession of their faith As for the other doubt Whether the Elect can fall away the same will easily be cleared if we agree vpon the termes of Elect and falling away namely if we vnderstand by Elect such as are chosen according to the purpose of grace vnto an inheritance immortall vndefiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for them and by falling away an vtter departing from the fellowship of the Saints and an vtter renouncing of the truth reuealed The truly Elect cannot so vtterly become cast-awayes If then man and the world and the Deuill were stronger then God then the gifts and calling of God had repentance then Christ should not loue to the end whom he loueth yea then some should be able to take them out of the Fathers hand All which points and twenty more to this purpose are directly contrary to Gods Word which cannot lye Therefore we conclude that a man truly Elect cannot throughly perish I grant Saul and Iudas were Elect or chosen but it was to an office not to the Kingdome of glory Peter and others fell away but it was for a time not finally they wauered and staggered and felt some eclipse in their faith but the same was neuer extinguished nor rooted vp Christ prayed for Peter and not for him onely but for as many as should beleeue in his Name Iohn 17. that their faith should not faile And can Satan or all the power of hell preuaile against Christs prayer Praedestinatorum nemo cum Diabolo peribit nemo vsque ad mortem sub Diaboli potestate remanebit None of the predestinate shall perish with the Deuill none of them shall remaine vnder the Deuils power euen vnto death as Saint Augustine speakes And in his booke De Catechizandis rudibus Cap. 11. â—erusalem shall be deliuered and none of her shall perish for he that perished was not a Citizen of her Thus he He learned it of Saint Iohn They went out from vs but were not of vs c. Let vs end this point with another testimony of Austin more pregnant and plaine then either of them Horum he speaketh of the Elect si quisquam perit fallitur Deus sed nemo eorum fuerit quia non fallitur Deus Horum si quisquam perit vitio humano vincitur Deus sed nemo eorum fuerit quia nulla re vincitur Deus that is if any of the Elect perish God is deceiued but none of them perisheth because God is not deceiued if any of them perish God is ouercome by mans fault or naughtinesse but none of them perisheth because God is ouercome of nothing Well hauing thus vntyed the two knots or doubts that might seeme to entangle the Text let vs returne to the same againe and see what further we may learne out of it Will ye also goe away Plutarch writeth of Brutus that this was a great content and comfort to him at his end that though he had Crebra transfugia of the common sort many of them forsooke him and turned to the enemy yet none of his friends or neere ones forsooke him On the other side it must needs be a great corrasiue to Caesars heart that Labienus that had done him so worthy seruice against the Galles nine or tenne yeeres together left him in the quarrell betweene him and Pompey took Pompeys part I haue nourished brought vp children they to rebell against me this cuts my gall saith God in effect in Esay What my son that came out of mine own bowels to miniken the matter against me nay to make head against me This is such a matter as would make a man exclaime Be astonied O heauens and blush O earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou my sonne said one to his neere one He made resistance against others saith the story but when he saw his owne naturall to draw vpon him then he was weary of his life then he desired to liue no longer Therefore herein appeareth Christs magnanimity that he was not danted for the perfidiousnes of the run-awayes but all the while he had them that were of best note to sticke vnto him he reckoned not for the Apostasie of others Let vs be of the same minde Beloued Suppose all should cowre downe cowardly saue three hundred nay suppose that all should worship the Image that Nabuchadnezzar of Rome putteth vp saue three nay suppose that all should bowe their knees to Baal or worship the golden Calfe saue Elias and Moses should this make vs to goe away Nay greater is he that is in vs then he that is in the world saith our Sauiour And more there bee which be with vs then they
of God without the concurrence of any second cause So the true Manna which came downe from heauen and the true Water of life which whosoeuer drinketh of by faith shall neuer perish Christ Iesus I meane he was none otherwise to be conceiued but by Gods working Other Types might bee alleaged as of Aarons Rod which blossom'd without maÌ„s setting or watring of the Gate mentioned by Ezechiel whereat no man entred c. But the former be sufficient and therefore I will not trouble you with the latter A Virgin she ought to be we heare for the excellent Prophesies sake and to expresse the Types which were of it and so no â—â—ubt shee was as testifie Mathew and Luke and as we are bound by our Creed to beleeue Borne of the Virgin Mary c. But what manner of Virgin was shee the fairest the richest the noblest of all the daughters of the East Alas these things though they be much set by in the world yet with God they be but vile euen as dongue Hee is not a respecter of persons as the Apostle saith that is hee respecteth not these outward things in any hee lookes not vpon the outward appearance neither vpon the countenance neither vpon the height of ones stature as God saith to Samuel but if any feare God and worke righteousnesse he is accepted of God Act. 10. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Esay 66. He that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him c. Iohn 14. These and the like vertues doe please the Lord a thousand times more then either beauty or wealth or parentage or friends or the like for if he had respected these he would haue gone into the Kings Court not vnto Nazareth to one that was sued vnto and wooed by Princes not vnto such a one as was thought but a fit match for a Carpenter briefly to such a one as had Kings for her kinsmen and Queenes for her kinswomen and her familiars and withall great store of men-seruants and maid-seruants great store of gold and siluer and not to one that was destitute and vtterly voyd of all these outwards comforts and which could leaue her Sonne none inheritance no not the breadth of a foote Yet behold here the good pleasure of the Lord and his free election happy vnto the blessed Virgin most happy but to the eyes of all the world admirable This poore Maid so base in her owne eyes so little regarded in her neighbour-hood so generally obscure to all the world was called to that honour that neuer woman was called vnto nor shall be For she was made of God to kindle that Light within her which enlightneth euery one that commeth into the world to conceiue Him in her wombe that brought forth the whole world with a word of his mouth to giue him nourishmentâ— who openeth his hand and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnesse to moue and carry him about in whom we all liue moue and haue our being In a word she was made to bring him forth whose beginning was from euerlasting to swaddle and bind him who bindeth the earth together that it can neuer be remoued to giue him sucke that giueth her breath to help him that must saue her to be his Nurse Mother that was her Father Creator and Redeemer yea the Creator Redeemer of all the world And was this Beloued a small thing a small dignity preferment and had not her cousin Elizabeth cause to say vnto her Blessed art thou amoÌ„gst women and her selfe to reioyce with a spirituall reioycing for that henceforth all generatioâ—â—hoâ—â—d call her blessed And why this Because of her outward endowments No for you haue heard that these are no inducements to make God to fansie any body Or for her inward graces and vertues Indeed meekenesse gentlenesse humility chastity temperance piety c. which same were found in the blessed Virgin and did abound are such things as God did neuer despise or abhor Abhorre nay they smell more sweetly in the nostrils of the Highest then euer did the Garment of Esau vnto Isaack or then euer did the precious oyntment of the Priest that ranne vnto the beard euen vnto Aarons beard nay then euer did the same Reach nichoach the same Sacrifice the same smell of â—est wherewith the Lord shewed himselfe well pleased being offered by Noah Vertues therefore and good life be well liked in all and therefore in a person so accepted with God as was the blessed Virgin they must needs haue beene singularly well liked But was it for the worth and merit of them that she was so aduanced as she was O no for then man might boast of that which he hath receiued which yet the Apostle denies that he may 1. Cor. 4. Then flesh might reioyce in Gods sight which yet St. Paul denyeth that it may 1. Cor. 1. Then Election were of workes which yet the Apostle proueth to be of grace that is free and not of workes Rom. 11. Yea then the blessed Virginshould not haue sung My spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour But My spirit reioyceth in God my debtor Then she should not haue said For he regarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the low â—state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my vertue of humilitie yea and my other vertues Thirdly then she should not haue said His mercy is ouer them that feare him but His Iustice is toward them that obey him thorowout all generations Fourthly then the Angell should not haue said Feare not Mary for thou hast found fauour with God but Triumph Mary for thou hast had thy deseruing Lastly then the Church should not sing as it doth at the end of that Canticle the rest Glory be to the Father to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost but Glory be to the blessed Virgin and Inuocation and Offering and Pilgrimage and whatsoeuer seruice may be named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too for she prepared her heart to grace and so merited Ex congruo and she vsed the grace giuen as she ought to doe and so merited Ex condigno And lastly she obserued not onely the Commandements of God but also his Counsels and so merited for her selfe and for others too euen for all â—hem that will be her Beads-men Thus should â—heir song be agreeable to their Doctrine if they would deale plainely and if of the aboundance of their heart their mouth would speake And iâ—deed so they haue sung and taught in these later corrupt times nor soundly but superstitiously not superstitiously but blasphemously They haue made her their Aduâ—cate their Spokes-woman their Patronesse and is that the worst They haue made her Gods Almner Gods Steward Gods Treasurer which containeth in her the treasures of Wisedome and Power and Mercy and dealeth the same at her pleasure was this the worst They hâ—ue
any will celebrate Christs Natiuity aright he must put off concerning the conuersationin times past the old man which is corrupt with the deceiuable lusts of error and be renued in the Spirit Verily for this cause Christ was borne that we should be borne againe he would be borne againe that we might walke in newnesse of life The conclusion is this that as Saint Peter saith It is sufficient for vs to haue spent the time past of our life after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse c. And as it is in Exodus This moneth shall be vnto you the beginning of moneths so we endeauour euery one of vs euen at this present to cast away the workes of darkenesse and to make an end of those things whereof we haue cause to be ashamed and hence-forth to follow righteousnesse and holinesse and charity and brotherly kindnesse and loue towards them that call vpon the Lord with assurance of heart This is the feast of solemnity that the Lord requireth this will please the Lord better then thousands of Rammes or ten thousand riuers of oyle Let vs now come to the Third generall part concerning the wonderfull vniting of two natures in Christ and what comfort and fruit we may reape thereby And shee shall call his name Immanuel That we may speake in some order and so you remember the better what shall be spoken this course wee will take First we will speake of the party that was to giue the name because it is said here She shall call c. Secondly of the giuing of the name or calling She shall call Thirdly of the name it selfe Immanuel and what mysterie and Doctrine and comfort is contained therein The two first parts I will dispatch very briefly The last which indeed is the very kernell not onely of this Text but also of the whole Scripture I will dwell the longer on and euen spend the chiefest part of the time that is allowed me for this taske For the first it may be demanded why this honour should be atributed to the mother to giue the name to the Child since Adam gaue names vnto all creatures and not Eue if she were then made And when Rachel tooke vpon her to call her second sonne Ben-oni her husband crossed it saying His name shall be called Ben-iamin And to be short Elizabeths naming of her sonne was not yeelded vnto by her kinsfolke vntill they had knowne the fathers pleasure who called for writing tables and wrote His name is Iohn This for examples So for precepts you know what Saint Paul saith to Timothy I permit not a woman to vsurpe authority ouer the man And to the Corinthians I will that you know that Christ is the Head of euery man and the man is the womans head c. The preeminence therefore being in the man and this being accepted a matter of excellency and preeminence to giue the name it would seeme that too much was giuen to the blessed Virgin to haue this giuen her I answer That if it were a matter of preeminence indeed and so much to be reckoned of as many wise gossips with vs doe make reckoning of it striuing for the same at the Font as they would doe for the wall or for an vpper-seat If I say the matter were of importance and argued superiority and so not to be challenged by the women without the leaue of the man c. Yet for all that since the bleâ—sed Virgin was conceiued with child of the holy Ghost and of none other and so not subiect to man for her Child it is no maruell nor no wrong that the whole honour if it be any honour of naming the child be ascribed to her For the rule that is in the Decretall is true being taken out of Beda Quod non est licitum in Lege necessitas facit licitum Necessity maketh that lawfull which the Law dissalloweth as our Sauiour Christ himselfe defendeth Dauid for eating the shew-bread in the extremity of his hunger Forasmuch therefore as the blessed Virgin was mother and father too as it were for any earthly father that our Sauiour had by good reason is this honour ascribed to her being the onely earthly partie that had interest in his nature And verily for this cause especially doe I thinke it to be said in my Text She shall call and not He shall be called or the like to shew the miraculousnesse of Christs Incarnation as being to take nature of his mothâ—r without a father This point is not so waighty and therefore I wiâ—l not stand longer vpon it lest I should seeme to bestow in Lenticula vnguentum The second point was of calling or naming Shall call his name Here likewise it may be demanded why the Prophet should tell the Iewes that the promised seed the Messiâ—h should be called Immanuel that is to say God with vs and not say plainely He shall be God and man both since it is not so materiall what or how one is called but what he is I answer granting indeed that with men it is so they be not alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their nature or disposition doth not agree with their name neither to good nor to euill It hath been an obseruation of the Popes that none were worse then they that called themselues by the most gracious names as that Vrban whom they called Turban for his turbulent nature and for troubling the whole world That Innocent that they called Nocent Non est Innocentius imò Nocens verè That Benedict whom they called Maledict and A re nomen habe Benedic Benefac Benedicte aut rem commuta Maledic Malefac Maledicte This for Popes The like writeth Epiphanius of Noëtus the Heretike that like as we vse to call our Dog though he be but a Curre by the name of Lyon and the Furies Eumenidas that is gentle by a kind of Antiphrasis c. So saith he this Hereticke was called Noëtus that is wise when indeed he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very foole and senselesse in matters of Faith Thus Epiphanius But indeed what should I bring you one example out of one writer when all writers in all ages do afford many They were not all white that were called Albini nor black that were called Nigri nor wise that were called Catones or Catilines nor little that were called Pauli nor faire-spoken that were called Aemylij c. Thus of Romans So they were not all honorable that were called Cleons nor the best that were called Aristophanes nor the fairest that were called Calliae c. Thus of the Grecians So for the Hebrewes Rehoboam signifieth an enlarger of the people and he you know had tenne Tribes fallen away from him at a clap So Absalon signifieth a peaceable father and was there euer any more rebellious child whom though his father would haue had to escape yet vengeance Gods vengeance would not suffer him to liue The
good his doctrine by miracles being a new doctrine and therefore the miracles which were wrought by the Apostles and Prophets could not serue to strenghten it but onely by the sword and an arme of flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they be the words of the Alcoran that is he came not to giue the Law by miracles but by the sword and how then can such a doctrine be embraced by any saue such as are plainely bewitched or out of their wits for to vse onely naturall reason to naturall men how can God be thought to be of one mind for twenty or fiue and twenty ages together for so long he gouerned the Church by Propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine then vpon the suddaine change his minde vpon the starting vp of a Start-vp neither learned nor wise nor vertuous onely he had a great Army and had some successe against the Emperour Scilicet illum expectabat liberanda veritas a likely matter that the truth should be held captiue till Mahomet set it at liberty No no the strength of Israel the God of the whole earth is no changeling neither is there with him any shadow of change He is Amen that is true and stable and though heauen and earth perish yet no tittle of the Law or Gospell shall fall to the ground till all be fulfilled God hath spoken in these last dayes by his Sonne He hath spoken by him it is not said that he will speake by any after him that will oppugne him or correct him Therefore away with Mahometisme It is enough to say of it as the foresaid Tertullian said vpon the like occasion Nobis curiositate non est opus post Christum Iesum nec inquisitione post Euangelium that is Hauing Christ Iesus we need not be further curious and hauing the Gospell we need not be further inquisitiue thus he The same reason doth militate against the Romanists who although they seeme to attribute much to the Gospell in words yet in effect they deny it For they are not content with the written Word but they stand vpon vnwritten supposed verities which they may multiply at their pleasure as well as they doe magnifie them making them to be of equall authority with the written Word so doe they of Trent speake insomuch as if we will beleeue them we shall not know what to beleeue nor what to affirme For whatsoeuer is questioned betweene them and vs touching either Purgatory or prayer for the dead or praying to Saints or praying in an vnknowne tongue or touching the Masse or Chrisme or the Ceremonies of Baptisme c. All these points and an hundred more which they can no more finde in the written Word than they can finde water in fire fire in a poole of water they poast ouer vnto Tradition appealing vnto it which is as much as if they should turne vs to seeke them vpon the backe-side of the booke For what is Tradition else but the report of men and what are men all men sauing they which were priuiledged with the priuiledge of infallibility the Apostles and Prophets I meane which neither were deceiued in matters of faith neither could deceiue but deceitfull vpon the weights and in plaine English lyers I meane subiect to error and mistaking We must take their credit for doctrines affirmed by them to haue beene preached by Christ and his Apostles fifteene or sixteene hundred yeeres agone when they cannot be beleeued touching that which themselues or their confellowes preached two or three yeeres since except there be notes kept of it nay he hath a good memory that can repeat in the after-noone as much as he heard in the fore-noone Behold we count them for no better than mad-men that will make claime to a piece of land for the which they haue nothing to shew but bare words as I heard my neighbour say this or that or mine vncle or my father c. whereas the party that they would get it from hath Euidences and Records ancient and faire without any shew of rasure without any suspition of forgery And can we thinke our Aduersaries to be well in their wits that would wrest from the Laity the Cuppe of the Lord against so faire a Record as this As oft as yet shalt â—ate of this bread and drinke of this Cuppe c Thus Saint Paul writing to the Church of Corinth consisting of Laickes as well as Ecclesiastickes also from the Cleargy they would wrest marriage against this Record Marriage is honorable in all in all persons not in all things onely as it appeareth by the Anâ—uhesis Adulterers and Fornicators he doth not say Adulteries and Fornications And againe To auoide fornication let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband if Ministers be men then they may be married So further from the vnâ—earneâ— they would wrest the vse of the Scriptures they will not suffer them to vse them in their mother-tongue vnlesse they haue a Licence by as good reason they might forbid them to looke vpon the Sunne or to drawe in the ayre without a Licence contrary to the Commandement Deut. 3â— When aâ—l Israel shalt come to appeare before the Lord thy God c. thou shalt read this Law before all Israel that they may heare it c. He was to read the Law therefore it was written he was to read it before all Israel therefore it was written for all Israel So in the Gospell When a young man would know what he might doe to attaine eternall life our Sauiour answered him saying What is written in the Law 〈◊〉 readest thou Behold he doth not send him to the â—radition of the Fathers but to the written Word that he should beleeue and liue according to that rule But now forâ—ouâ— Aduersaries iâ— ye hap to conferre with them or shall haue a desire to looke into their bookes you shall find that the claimâ— that they make by the Scriptures for any thing of moment in Controuersie betweene them and vs either touching the head of the Church or the visibility of the Church or the keyes of the Church c. is but dicis causâ for fashion-sake their sure-hold and fortresse they fly vnto is Tradition Now what is this else but to bring all things to their owne Consistory as they say and to make themselues Iudges in their owne cause and to measure themselues by themselues as the Apostle speaketh yea and to symbolize with those Heretickes whom Ticonius allowed by Augustine for this speech noteth thus to speake Quod volumus sanctum est that It is holy because we would haue it so and so it is true because they say it is a Tradition But well speaketh the same Augustine Contra insidiosos errores Deus voluit ponere firmamentum in Scripturis c. Against deceitfull errors God thought it good to place a sure foundation in the Scriptures against which no man dares to speake that would be counted a
Christian Thus Augustine And to the same purpose Chrysostome who liued but a little before him Where haue ye read this saith he Forasmuch as he hath not read it written but speaketh of himselfe it is euident that he hath not the holy Ghost And to be short Irenaeus who liued before them both shall be instead of all others To sticke vnto the Scriptures which containe Lat. are a certaine and an vndoubted truth that is to build ones house vpon a strong and firme Rocke Thus he whereby â—e â—heweth that they that build their faith vpon any other foundation as namely vpon Tradition they build it but vpon sand which will not abide the least blast oftentation nor the least push of strong reasoning but will soone fleet and fall to the ground To shew the vanity and vncertainty of Tradition let this one Story that I shall recite vnto you suffice and then I will proceed to that which remaineth In the Primitiue Church by the report of Eusebius there was a sharp contention and betweene such as would not be counted babes or obscure fellowes but Fathers and Pillars touching the celebrating of Easter The Easterne Church went one way and the Westerne another And what was the cause of their iarre The Easterne Church pretended a Tradition as from Saint Iohn the Euangelist that he forsooth should command it to be kept vpon such a day The Westerne Church a Tradition as from Saint Peter that he should ordaine it to be kept such a day vpon a Sunday by all meanes What shall we say to this were Saint Peter and Saint Iohn diuided that yea should be with them nay and nay yea No but their Disciples misse-heard them or misse-remembred them or misse-reported them and hereupon they brake forth into quarrell Now iâ— in the best times when many that had heard the Apostles or Apostolicke men were yet aliue when the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost as the miraculous curing of the sicke and the casting out of Deuils c. were yet to be seene in many by the testimonies of Iustine Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian c. if this were done say I when the Church was yet a Virgin as it were by the iudgement of Polycrates in Eusebius what can we looke for in the latter perillous times when she had abandoned her selfe to Spirituall fornication I meane not onely to superstition but also to Idolatry Is any mans word to be taken that Christ spake thus or thus by his Apostles when he hath not their writing to shew Thus much against Papists Traditions now in the words that follow I pray you obserue with me how Angelically or rather Diuinely the Apostle doth mount and causeâ—h his speech to grow Sermo crescit in describing the Sonne of God by his estate by his Acts by his Nature Person c. He hath taught vs saith the Apostle by his Sonne would ye know what Sonne Not an ordinary Sonne such as we are but the Heire and Owner of all things nay the Creator of heauen and of earth nay the very brightnesse of Gods glory and the ingraued forme or expresse Image of his person distinguished onely in person not separated or diuerse in nature nor inferiour to him Is this all No he preceedeth bearing vp all things by his mighty power therefore not onely the Creator but also the preseruer of the world Is that all No it had beene to small purpose at least to small benefit to vs if God should make vs and preserue vs onely and there stay but that which is a greater matter for vs he hath redeemed vs by purging vs from our sinnes yea and for the full consummation of his victory and our Redemption he sitteth at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places from thence to oppugne our spirituall enemies and from thence to reach-out his hand to helpe vs and supply vs. And what can be spoken more fully more richly more comfortably Christ called the two sonnes of Zebedee sonnes of Thunder Augustine speaking of a certaine Sentence of Ambrose exclaimeth ô sensum hominis Dei ex ipso haustum fonte gratiae Dei that is O sense of a man of God drawne out of the very fountaine of the grace of God! Hierome calleth Hilary a Rhodan that is a most swift riuer of Eloquence Theodoret calleth Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an Ocean of Diuinity I cannot tell what I may call this third verse else but a very depth of mysteries a fountaine of Water of life that can hardly be sounded to the bottome I find that the Iewes haue a booke which they call Tseâ—ormor that is a bundle of myrrh that they haue another which they call Tsemach Dauid that is The branch of Dauid that they haue another also which they call Orach Chaiim that is the path-way of life False titles the bookes be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they doe not deserue such glorious names But surely he that should say that this one verse deserueth all these Elogies and Titles should not speake a whit out of the way For it is no lesse than a bundle of most fragrant odoriferous flowrs refreshing the inward man and preseruing the whole soule from putrefaction it describeth also the true branch you know Christ is called so by the Prophet Zechary so expressely that fewe places of the Scripture may be compared with iâ— Lastly it sheweth the path of life namely wherein our true Life consisteth to wit in the Sacrifice and bloody Offering oâ— Iesus Christ which purgeth vs from all our sinnes But let vs come to the particulars that remaine yet to be handled The first is that God hath made hiâ— Sonne Heire of all things This place is abused by two sorts of Hereticks Anabaptists and Romanists I will but point at their errâ—rs The former vrge Christ is made heire of all things therefore faithfull Christians onely they meane specially such as be of their stampe haue interest in the things of this world all others are but vsurpers and therefore may lawfully be stript of them But they should know that the heauens euen the heauens are the Lords the earth hath he giuen to the children of men to the children of men promiscuously he doth not say precisely to the children of God indeed he that made Abraham and Isaack rich which were faithfull and the Fathers of the faithfull made also Laban and Nabal which were prophane he that causeth the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the iust did and doth the same for the vniust Briefely he that gaue Caesar a mercifull Prince gaue before him Marius a cruell Tyrant Caesar was not to be iustled with being chosen by the people and Marius was to be stooped vnto while he had Lawe on his side Now whereas they would make their claime by Christ Christ was heire of all things therefore they rightly beleeuing in Christ are the onely true heires
them we must not be euery one a wolfe to his neighbour according to the Prouerb Homo homini Lupus but euery one as it were a God vnto him Homo homini Deus forasmuch as God hath made all of one blood to dwell vpon the face of the earth And as the Prophet saith Haue we not all one Father hath not one God made vs why doe we transgresse euery one against his Brother c This much and a great deale more we are to learne hereby that the Son of God is our maker Now from his Diuine estate acts the Apostle riseth higher to his Diuine Nature and Person in these words Who being the brightnes of his glory and the expresse Image of his Person c. The Iesuits that write the life of their Founder Ignatius Loiola report that Christ forsooth appeared to him at the Eleuation as he was at Masse in a Church at Venice as I remember and there he discerned the Hypostaticall vnion of two natures in Christ and the reall distinction of the three Persons in the God-head Doe you beleeue them Noâ— nor I thinke their owne disciples doe beleeue them more in this than they beleeue their Saint Thomas of Aquine telling them that the Crucifixe commended him in these words Bene scripsisti de me Thoma Thomas thou hast written well of me well for their kitchin but not well for their conscience for the edifying of it in holy faith in holy doctrine Miserable companions was it not enough for them to be grieuous to men but they must grieue our God also Esay 7.13 was it not enough for them to beguile the people with lying vanities but they must abuse them also with lying miracles or apparitions saying with the lying old Prophet 1 Kings 13. An Angell spake vnto me in the word of the Lord when there was no such matter and with the false Prophets Ieremy 23. I haue dreamed I haue dreamed But what saith the true Prophet in the same place The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame let him deliuer it for a dreame and for no better and hee that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord God hath no need neither doth he like that one should make a lye for his sake Iob 13. Neither that his truth should abound to his glory by any mans lye Rom. 3. This one part of my Text doth more clearely open the truth and may more soundly settle our consciences than a thousand Legend-tales The Apostle saith that Câ—rist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the brightnes of his glory It is well translated as well as it might be in so few words but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth somewhat more than brightnesse euen such a bright thing as hath a lustre cast vpon it from some other thing For as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie the act or quality of singing but a song the song it selfe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie the act or quality of imagining but the thing that appeareth to the imagination â—pectâ—um visum so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the thing that hath brightnesse in it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which receiueth his brightnesse from another So then now you see what a fit word the Apostle made choice of euen such an one as then which none could haue beene deuised by many yeeres study more pregnant to expresse the euerlasting generation of the Sonne of God For though Christ be the true light that enlightneth euery one that commeth into the world yet as he iâ— the second Person in the Trinity hâ— hath this light of his Father and he is as God of God so light of light euen a light springing from the Father For this cause he is called by Saint Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Day-spring or Sunne-rising yea he is called so by Philo the Iew in his booke of the câ—nfusion of tongues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Father of the world Gr. the Father of things that be made his Sonne to spring forth or arise as the morning or Sunne doth a strange testimony of one that was borne Iew and dyed Iew. For though Hierome doth reckon him among Ecclesiasticke writers yet we doe not finde that he ioyned himselfe to the Church of God or turned Christian But the truth is that he liued in the time that the Apostles did and therefore might learne of them to write more piously as Theodoret I remember doth obserue that the Philosophers that wrote after the Gospell was promulgated did correct many of their errors and euery where inserted many Sentences sauoring of truth and godlinesse But to returne to Christ the true Light He sprang from the Father but not as our light doth from the Sunne in time but before all beginnings neither yet as a quality our light is a quality but as being a substance and the Authour of all substance being neither was he euer separated from the Father as the light of the Moone is separated at the least to our appearance from the Sunne in the night and the light of the Sunne from the Moone in the day but He is and was alwayes in the Father and the Father in him and both in the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost in both Vnum non vnus tres non tria that is One thing not one Person three in number not three in nature So saith Prosper Aquitanicus that worthy Scholler of that excellent Master Augustine Cum Pater in Veâ—bo sit semper in Patre Verbum Sitque iâ—â—m Verbi spiritus atque Patris Sic de persoxis tribus est tibi non dubitandumV num vt docta fides confiteare Deum that is For as much as the Father is alwayes in the Word and the Word in the Father and one and the same Spirit common both to the Word and to the Father thou must in such O learned faith he meaneth a man that hath a learned faith be farre from doubting of the three Persons that thou doe confâ—sse one God So said Nazianzen before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I doe no sooner think vpon one but I am compassed about with the light of three I doe no sooner distinguish the three Persons but I am brought backe vnto one God-head So before them both Iustine Martyr or a learned ancient man bearing his nâ—me in the best times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Sonne being a light shone forth out of light by way of generation The holy Ghost being also a light went forth out of light not by way of generation but of proceeding So Mathew of Vandome though he liued in a very corrupt age yet that you may acknowledge it to be true which the Apostles affirme Acts 14. Euen that that is verified of the later times of
Athenians for they hauing gotten Pausanias within their danger who had done them many despights yet calling to minde the good seruice he had done against the common enemy at a place called Plataea they let him escape and bid him thanke that place Well-fare also the Spaniards who hauing taken Peter of Nauarre a famous Engineer who had fallen from them to the French and layed him vp in prison in one of the Castels at Naples when they remembred that they had taken the same Castell before by his prowesse they could not finde in their hearts to doe him any violence but suffered him to depart But Saul and his Court are like those Iewes whom Christ reproues Iohn 10. Many good workes haue I shewed you from my Father for which of these doe you stone me As if he should haue said Suppose I had giuen you some probable cause of discontent by a word spoken should that make my good deeds to be forgotten as namely my giuing sight to your blind hearing to your deafe life to your dead c. were this honesty So Abigail suppose thou hadst giuen him some cause of offence as by departing the Courtwithout leaue when thy life was sought for by eating of Shew-bread and taking away a consecrated sword this when thou wast in necessity fleeing to the Land of the enemy when thou couldest not be safe in thine owne Country should this make thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy worthy deeds thy martiall acts offensiue and defensiue to be forgotten and thy selfe to be reputed and condemned for a Traytor This were hard extreme hard Abigail might thinke and we might say and therefore Saul to be condemned of most enuious ingratitude Now if it be such a fault for King Saul to rise vp against Dauid and to persecute him and to seeke his soule who was but his seruant and his subiect what is it then for the subiect to practise against his Soueraigne and to seeke to destroy him This is not so much ingratitude as inhumanity nay impiety For a kinde of piety is due vnto the Prince his person ought to be sacred vnto vs yea his Estate yea his authority yea his honour He is a kind of God vpon earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That which is Soueraigne is thought to be God in some sort Now a King is a liuely Image of God said the Heathen man therefore not onely he that resisteth shall receiue damnation because he resisteth the ordinance of God but also he that offendeth against the Maiesty of a Prince with his tongue he offendeth against the Maiesty of God himselfe for this cause it is said in Exodus Thou shalt not raile vpon the Iudges or Magistrates Elohim neither shalt thou speake ill of the Ruler of thy people that is the King especially And Salomon in the booke of the Preacher Curse not the King no not in thy thought c. for the fowles of the ayre shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall vtter the matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is If any man be disposed to fight against God let him dare to fight against my King If any will presume to fight against my King let him presume to fight against God also In which words he seemeth to confound fighting against God and fighting against the King as though they were almost alike hainous Now if euery striuing against the Prince be most vnlawfull and deserueth seuere punishment what is it then to doe some act of hostility against him as for example to blow the Trumpet of sedition as did Sheba to leuy an Army against him as did Absalom to lift vp the hand against him as Achitophel counselled I confesse that there haue beene Princes that haue beene more tender in their eares than in their bodies and whereas they haue pardoned such as had borne armes against them yet they would not pardon such as had beene ouer-lauish of their tongues It is not because a wound that is made with a weapon a plaister may heale but for the gash that is made with the tongue there is no balme in Gilead nothing will cure it so throughly but the scarre will remaine For all that this is but the conceit of some few and more superficiall than solid for words be but wind and neither breake bones nor skinne nor hurt any others but them that are content to be hurt but blowes make a dent that will not so easily be healed vp Therefore the Tenet is that they that doe some acte of hostility be viler Traitors than they that stay themselues at words Now of these kinds of Traitors there haue beene too many found in all ages and Countries and against as worthy Princes as euer raigned Who might compare for policy with Augustus for vertue with Traian yet how many Treasons in their time though in their time Rome was as flourishing as euer it was before or after So to leaue Heathenish times Were not Constantine Theodosius Iustinian Charles Otho so great that they had the name of Great giuen vnto them by common consent as well for their worth as for their power and had not all these their hands full by meanes of seditious practisers As for Lewes surnamed the Pious his portion was by much worse than any of the former for his owne sonnes that came out of his bowels made head and warre against him and tooke him prisoner and kept him in prison certaine yeeres But as 2 Sam. 14. When the woman of Tekoa was demanded by Dauid whether Ioabs hand were not in the businesse that is whether he did not set her on worke confessed and denyed not but said plainely He did So if you will consult impartiall Story it will tell you that either the beginning of that hurly-burly or the progresse had much life from him of Rome who threatned to excommunicate the Prelats that remained faithfull to the Father Now if this were done in a greene tree when the leaues of piety and vertue yet remained I meane before Satan was let loose and men had abandonned themselues vnto all kinds of outrages and villanies what then might be expected in the later decaying ages when Satan had his full swinge what maruell I say if two hundred yeeres after Gregorie the seuenth stirred vp against Henry the fourth Rodolpho a great Prince of Sweden sending him the Imperiall crowne with a verse that euery Scholler hath in his mouth Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodolpho And not content herwith he lastly stirred vp against the said Emperour his owne sonne alluring him with faire promises of this life and of that that is to come to rebell against his father In those dayes was nothing but warres and rumours of warres a Post went to meet a Post and a Messenger a Messenger as the Prophet speaketh and the Powers of heauen and earth seemed to be moued and mens hearts to faile with feare