who are in authoritie would alwayes have before their eyes that charge which Iehoshaphat gave unto his Iudges 2. Chron. 19.6 And he said to the Iudges Take heed what yee doe for yee execute not the judgement of man but of the Lord Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be with you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neyther respect of persons nor receiving of reward The scond use is generall for all Christians If God be one the mediator one then should we likewise be one So the Apostle reasoneth Eph. 4.4 There is one bodie one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all whereupon followeth the conclusion set downe vers 3. that we should endevour to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace So say I There is one God and one Mediator and therefore should wee who worship this one God through this one Mediator be one as they are one But how should we be one One in opinion one in affection First I say one in opinion all holding rhe same things beleeving the same things teaching the same things worshipping God after the same maner for looke how commendable varietie is in all other things it is as much to be abhorred in religion even those who have held the greatest falsehoods hold that there is but one truth I never read of more then one hereticke that held all heresies true Philastrius relateth the opinion of one Rhetorius who said that all religions did well and which is much like unto this there was in the same age a foolish franticke fellow named Postellus wrote a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein hee taketh upon him to reconcile all the religions of all nations and calleth it Concordiam Orbis Yea and little better are those who would make a reconciliation betweene the Papists us being altogether indifferent in things most different They are kind-hearted Philistims that would bring the Arke of God and Dagon under one roofe they are of his mind that Turonensis writeth of who said It is best of all si illa illa colantur neque esse noxium si inter gentilium aras Dei ecclesiam quis transiens utraque veneretur They are as one saith the ghosts of that heretick Apelles whose speech it was That it is sufficient to beleeve in Christ crucified and that there should be no discussing of the particular warrants and reasons of our faith Or the brood of Leonas one of the Courtiers of Constantius and his Deputie in the Seleucian Councell who when the Fathers hotely contended as there was good cause for the consubstantialitie of the Sonne Get you home said be and trouble not the Church with these trifles These things seemed but trifles unto carnall men yet were they matters of great importance and so be the differences betweene us and the Papists of such weight as thereupon dependeth the truth of Gods worship the life of his Church the salvation of our soules And therefore no hope of peace but though manie meanes of reconciliation have beene used yet never anie could prevaile The Emperours Ferdinand and Maximilian travelled painfully herein and by their appointment Cassander a great and learned Papist drew a proiect to shew his iudgement so did Fricius and the Interimists but all was in vaine for Babylon could not be cured her grapes were become as the grapes of Admah and her vine as the vine of Tseboim And as she could not be reformed so we could not admit of anie agreement by meeting in a middle course For the truth it is on high saith Leo they may ascend to us but for us to goe downe to them it is neyther safe nor honest Now it is no more plaine that the Citie of Rome hath descended from the seven hills on which it was seated in old times unto the Martian plaines that lye below than it is that the Church of Rome hath fallen away from that faith which once was commended in her Bethel is become Bethaven the faithfull citie is become an harlot her silver is turned into drosse so that unlesse wee would betray the truth wee we cannot yeeld to them in anie thing wherein they dissent from us but if there be anie agreement amongst us they must come out of Babell that is wholly renounce their owne parts and ioyne hands with us whereof there is but little hope when we consider what small effect Reformation hath taken in this kingdome these yeares past As king Ioash asked Iehoiada the high Priest 2. King 12.7 and the other Priests why they did not repayre the ruins of the Temple so may our truly religions King question us that are the Priests why the Temple of the Lord is so long in repayring in this land nay what is the cause that the ruines of the Temple grow greater everie day more falling away from the truth than that are reclaymed from errour Surely the causes hereof are manifest give me leave to observe unto you such as I hold to bee the chiefe things that continue this people in their blindnesse and hinders reformation The first is their custome and long continuance in errour there being nothing harder than to breake an ignorant man of his custome De doctrinâ Christ l. 4. c. 24. S. Augustine comming to Cesarea where the people had an ancient custome once a yeare for certaine dayes together to divide themselves into parts and throw stones one at another whereby manie were slaine found it an exceeding hard matter to disswade them from it This is noted by that Father to have hindred the reformation of the Donatists Some were bound not by truth but by an hard knot of obdurate custome Epist 48. c. And surely this is a people of all other most zealous of their ancient customes Secondly the societie and alliance whereby they are linked one to another restrayneth them being ashamed and afraid to part with their acquaintance This is noted by S. Basil to be the thing that hindred the conversion of the Arrians in his time Epist 70. There is saith he small hope of reducing them to the truth who are linked to hereticks with the band of long amitie and S. Austin yeeldeth the same reason why the Donatists in his age could not be reclaimed Epist 48 ad Vincent How many saith he being moved with the truth would have beene good Catholicks and yet deferred it fearing the offence of their friends So have I heard manie say in this kingdome If such and such men would goe to Church I would goe also but if I should begin I should have the ill will of all the country Thirdly the busie trafficking of Priests and Iesuites for the maintenance of their great goddesse Diana by whom they have their living What skilfull workemen they are and how cunningly they keep them in blindenesse were long to relate this I hope is sufficiently knowne
A TREATISE TENDING TO VNITIE IN A SERMON PREACHED AT DROGHEDAH ON WHITSVNDAY being the ninth of Iune 1622. before the Kings Majesties Commissioners for IRELAND By Henry Leslie Quoties dicimus toties judicamur Hierom. DUBLIN Printed by the Societie of Stationers 1623. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD CHRISTOPHER by Gods providence Archbishop of Ardmagh Primate of all Ireland and Metropolitan and one of his Maiesties most honourable Privie Councell MOST REVEREND IT was by your Graces direction that this Sermon was preached and now by the same appointment it is published that the world may see it contayneth nothing but truth and is free from undiscreet raylings wherewith it was charged by them who dare adventure to censure us before they heare us Now these my small labours and the labours of some few dayes being the first fruits of my weake engine I here present unto your Grace to whom I owe my selfe and all I have much more my service with the labour of my hands head and heart as most bounden Indeed this small offering is no more equivalent to my debt than a mole-hill is to a mountaine But whatsoever my barren ground can afford shall be ever at your Honours command to which most humbly I prostrate my selfe praying alwayes that God would be pleased to continue your Grace long unto this poore Church of Ireland that like another Nehemiah you may build up the walls of this decayed IERUSALEM Your Graces most bounden Chaplaine HENRY LESLY A TREATISE TENDING TO VNITIE I. TIM II. V. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Iesus VNder the Old Testament they observed the Feast of Pentecost in remembrance of the Law given at Sinai so it hath beene the practise of the Church under the New Testament to keep the like Feast at the same time in remembrance of the Gospell which came from Ierusalem For if the Law should be thus honoured which is the ministration of death 2. Cor. 3.7 how much more the Gospell which is the ministration of life and that not written in tables of stone as was the Law but in the tables of our hearts by the holy Spirit for this Spirit did descend upon the Apostles in a visible shape on the day of Pentecost Act. 2 according to Christs promise that hee would send unto them another comforter Ioh. 14.16 17 26. even the Spirit of truth Ioh. 16.13 1. Cor. 2.10 to leade them into all truth to teach them all things even the deepe things of God So that those great and secret mysteries which under the Old Testament were shut up from the people like unto the Sanctuarie into which entrance was seldome made are now made open to the understanding of all the faithfull for this Spirit hath revealed them unto the Apostles and the Apostles in their writings have cleerely taught them unto us Even in these few words which I have read behold a bundle of these mysteries but obscurely known in former times now plainly set forth unto us as the mysterie of the Godhead of our reconciliation to God of Christs mediation and of his incarnation There is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus The words containe the summe of the Gospell and chiefe heads of our Christian faith catechising us plainly in sixe maine grounds and principles of Religion I. That there is a God else how should he be one II. that this God is one there is one God III. that this one God is reconciled and made one with us by a mediator for there is a mediator betweene God and men IV. that this mediator is one and one mediator V. that Christ Iesus is this one mediator VI. that Christ Iesus is a man the man Christ Iesus There is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus Thus hee leadeth us by the hand from those things which are most commonly knowne and received to these that be lesse manifest everie one of these principles revealing unto us a greater mysterie and further degree of knowledge For the first that there is a God is acknowledged by all men The second that this God is one is not so commonly knowne as the former for the Gentiles worshipped a multitude of gods yet is it generally confessed not only by the Church but also by the wisest of the Heathen The third that this God is reconciled to us by a mediator exceeds the knowledge of all Gentiles whatsoever who had nothing but the light of nature for it is not knowne by nature but by revelation from God yet is it granted by manie false teachers Papists Iewes and also others who receive but a parcell of Gods word But the fourth that this mediator is one is lesse manifest yet for it is refused by the Papists yet received by the Iewes But the fift that Christ Iesus is this one mediator doth exceed their faith also yet is it acknowledged by manie Heretickes who notwithstanding denied the humane nature of Christ So that the sixt and last that Christ Iesus is a man is most hid and privie as being the proper faith of the true Church As every one of these principles revealeth a further degree of knowledge so also a greater measure of comfort The first that there is a God to whom wee may have recourse in the day of trouble is a great comfort to us but if there were manie Gods so that wee knew not to which of them we should runne for help our comfort were but small therefore the second principle shewes that this God is onely one But albeit there be a God and onely one God yet if we be at enmitie with him wee have greater cause to feare than to reioyce in the third place therefore hee removeth this feare shewing that there is a mediator by whom man is reconciled unto God But yet if there were not one but manie mediators and wee knew not to whom rather to betake us what better should we be therefore in the fourth hee taketh away this doubt also affirming that there is one mediator But though there be but one mediator yet what if he be unknowne to us wee are still as before therefore the fift position leades us by the hand unto the particular person Christ Iesus who is this one mediator But what of all this if Christ Iesus be only God and so as strange to us as the pattic it selfe with whom we are at enmitie therefore to make our ioy full the sixt principle tells us that hee is a man A man and so neare unto us not in place for hee is contayned within the heavens according to his manhood but neare unto us in blood for he is a brother of ours bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and neare unto us in affection for he hath compassionate bowels he is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 and was in all sorts tempted
nothing finally that he condemneth those whom he reiected for their sinnes he is iust because he payeth them that which hee oweth This is the first reason why God electing one reiecting another while all were alike cannot be said to be a respecter of persons Secondly for further cleering of Gods iustice let us consider that God electeth some reiecteth others citra cujusquam injuriam for as S. Austin saith Sic alius gratis honoratur ut alius debito non fraudetur though some be bountifully rewarded yet others are not wronged Indeed a Iudge in iudgement favouring one more than his cause deserveth by how much hee gratifieth the one partie by as much he damnifieth the other and therefore he is a respecter of persons But though God favour some so farre that whereas they deserve damnation he calleth them unto salvation yet the rest fare not the worse for this the glory of the elect addeth nothing to the paine of the reprobate the wicked receive their owne measure neither more not lesse than they should have done though none had beene saved Finally God electing some and reiecting others is free from respect of persons because he is not moved to favour the one more than the other by anie cause or condition in themselves but meerely by his owne good will and pleasure And it is well observed by some that when it is said in Scripture that God is no respecter of persons the word persona signifieth not the man himselfe but some externall qualitie which being considered might procure unto him eyther favour or hatred as beautie or deformitie nobilitie or basenesse riches or poverty and such like These outward qualities God doth no wayes respect in men he regardeth not mens riches more than their povertie Iam. 2. nor their freedome more than their bondage Col. 3.11 neyther doth hee so distinguish betweene the Iew and the Grecian that only for respect of the nation he embraceth the one and reiecteth the other Act. 10.34 but of everie nation of all sorts and conditions of men he chooseth some So that if yee consider God even in this respect as an absolute Lord using his libertie over his creatures wherein he seemeth most partiall unto carnall minded men yet yee see that he is without all respect of persons one and alike unto all Next God may be considered as the God of all in which respect he created all things conserveth all things doth good unto all but with great difference and inequalitie for though he have made all things good yet their essentiall goodnesse doth not exclude an inequalitie of degrees which was so requisite for the perfection and ornament of this Universe for in a great house are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of vvood and of earth 2. Tim. 2.20 The Potter albeit of the same lump of clay yet must not make all his vessels the same but some for honest uses some for baser imployments because men stand in need of both so God albeit he have made all things good and given unto them all powers fitting the condition of their natures and sufficient for their owne ends and operations yet he hath made some of a farte more noble condition than others for unto some things he hath given only beeing unto other things beeing and life unto others beeing life and sense and unto others beeing life sense and reason yea and a supernaturall light to see manie things that cannot be understood by naturall reason so that there is great difference inter Vermiculos in coeno Angelos in coelo And as there is inequalitie to be seene in the creation so also in the preservation for though Gods providence bee extended unto all things even unto the Fowles of the heaven Matth. 6.26 to the grasse of the field ver 30. to the hayres of our head Matth. 10.30 yet he hath greater care of some things than of other By how much the creature commeth nearer unto God by so much the higher place it hath in the order of his providence so saith Christ that God hath a greater care of men than of Fowles Matt. 6.26 c. or of Lillies And there is good reason for it for it is only for mans sake that God hath care of these things for his sake they were made for his sake it is that they are continued and therfore God much more must have a care of man himselfe But albeit Gods goodnesse be not extended in like measure to all his creatures yet is he not a respecter of persons because as I said before his gifts are no debt but free grace and he doth not wrong anie of his creatures And lastly he is not moved to be more bountifull to some than to others by anie cause and condition in themselves but meerely by his owne good will and pleasure There is a third consideration of God as he is the God of his owne people the Father of his children the Saviour of his bodie the Head and Husband of his Church and in this respect Gods actions doe respect onely those that are of his owne family He hath not done so unto everie nation as he hath done unto them for he begetteth them he saveth them he ruleth them he quickneth them But howsoever Gods speciall love and favour be extended unto them all yet here also wee must acknowledge an inequalitie It is true that God communicates spirituall life to all his members indifferently insomuch as the least is a member of his bodie so well as the greatest in this respect all parts are peeres But yet there are diverse functions diverse gifts diverse measures of gifts and so by consequence for fashion and function and imparitie First I say there are diverse functions for as wee have many members in one body and all members have not the same office Rom. 12.4 so it is with the mysticall bodie of Christ there are manie members and all have not the same office but some are as the head some as the eyes others as the hands 1. Cor. 12.21 others as the feet Christ ascending on high gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 Againe there are diverse gifts namely extraordinarie gifts which are not necessarily required in everie one to salvation as the gift of prophesie and discerning of spirits the gifts of miracles of tongues and of interpretation of tongues Of these and such like saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 12 ver 4.8.9.10 There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge to another the gifts of healing c. the like is Rom. 12.6 Finally there are diverse measures of saving graces and of such gifts as are absolutely necessarie to salvation for all have not the same measure of knowledge but some are babes and some are men of full age all have not the same measure of faith for
mediator making them two persons He was condemned in the third generall Councell at Ephesus where it was decreed that the blessed Virgin was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of God because there was but one person that was both God begotten of the Father and man borne of his mother and in the Councell of Chalcedon which was the fourth generall to shew that his person was but one against Nestorius they used two adverbes saying that his natures were united 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without division without separation which the Fathers expresse by sundry similitudes Iustin useth the similitude of the soule and the bodie which are so united that they make but one person Damascen the similitude of an hote iron which being but one thing subsisting hath in it two distinct natures the fire and the iron everie one whereof hath his severall action concurring to one worke the heate burneth the iron cutteth Even so the mediator being one person hath two distinct natures everie one whereof hath his severall action concurring to the work of mediation But the most significant similitude is that of a Vine tree and a bough graffed into the Vine for even as that bough hath no being or subsistence of it selfe but both groweth and liveth in the stocke of the Vine so the humane nature of our mediator having no subsistence of it selfe is as it were ingraffed into the person of the Sonne who is the true Vine and is wholly supported and susteined by it therefore there be not two persons but one the humane nature being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 void of all personalitie or subsistence and assumed by the Sonne of God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a person subsisting of himselfe and by himselfe Againe as his person so likewise his office is indivisible for he received an unchangeable Priesthood which cannot passe from him unto any other Heb. 7.24 So that besides him there is no other mediator neyther can be For in a true and sufficient mediator there must be foure properties which are not to be found in anie but him 1. The word of God must reveale and propound him to the Church that in conscience wee may be assured that praying to God in his name we shall be heard but there is no Scripture that mentioneth anie other mediator but onely one 2. Hee that is mediator betweene God and man must partake of both natures for a Mediator is not of one Gal. 3.20 So then he that is Mediator betweene God man must not be of one nature he must be both God and man hee must be God that hee may speake to God for us he must be man that hee may speake from God to man Mediatorem inter nos Deum saith S. Austin mortalitatem habere opportuit transeuntem beatitatem permanentem but there is only one that is both God and man 3. A mediatour must be perfectly iust for such an high Priest became us who is holy blamelesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Heb. 7.26 As the Apostle shewes that they could not be high Priests who had need to offer for their owne sinnes as well as for the sinnes of the people Heb. 7.27 so they cannot be mediators who had need of a mediator for themselves Now none is perfectly iust but onely one The Saints in heaven howsoever they be fully iustified sanctified glorified yet in themselves they are sinners and therefore must needs stand before God by the mediation of another So that S. Austin reasoneth well that he is the only true mediator pro quo nullus interpellat sed ipse pro omnibus 4. A mediator must be a propitiator that is bring something to God that may satisfie his iustice for our sinnes therefore S. Iohn having told us that we have an advocate with the Father he addeth and he is a propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2.2 But there is none other that is a propitiation for our sinnes therefore but one Mediator But the Papists thinke to escape this by a rotten distinction of mediators of redemption intercession There is but one mediator of redemption say they but manie mediators of intercession even all the Saints in heaven Whereunto I say 1. That these foure properties are especially required in an advocate and mediatour of intercession rather then in a redeemer but they are not to bee found in anie but in one 2. The Apostle here affirming that there is one mediator meaneth rather a mediator of intercession for throughout this whole chapter hee is speaking of prayers and intercessions 3. And this distinction is idle because none can bee an advocate or mediator of intercession but he that is our redeemer for the word Advocate is borrowed of Lawyers and signifieth him onely that doth pleade the iustice of his clients cause A stranger in the Court may become a petitioner to the Iudge and entreate favour for the guiltie person but advocates are Proctors and patrons of their clyents therefore he alone is our advocate who being our redeemer can pleade his iustice bestowed upon us and Saints though they be petitioners to God in our behalfe yet because they redeemed us not they cannot be our advocates to pleade the iustice of our cause It is sure that Ministers pray for the people and that ex efficio yet S. Augustin reproveth Parmonian Lib. 2. cont ep Parm. c. 8. for placing the Bishop mediator betweene God and the people 4. The Saints do not so much as intercede for us namely particularly for it is as impossible for them to be intercessors as redeemers for he who is an intercessor for us must heare our prayers know what things we stand in need of and understand our verie secret wants and groanes But this none but God can doe as Salomon confesseth 1. King 8.39 Thou only knowest the heart and Eccles. 9.5 The dead know nothing at all Therefore is it said of Iosiah that he was taken away by death that he might not see the evill that was to come which cannot be true if so be that Iosiah being a Saint in heaven did see and know the particulars that were done upon the earth Finally this the Church doth acknowledge unto God Esa 03.16 Abraham is Ignorant of us and Iacob knoweth us not Upon which place S. Austin reasoneth verie well If so great Patriarches were Ignorant what became of the people which were borne of their loynes how is it like that other dead can be present to understand mens affaires Lastly this distinction is overthrowne by themselves for they make Saints mediators of redemption as well as of intercession Aquinas doth avow a. 2â—â— q 83. ar 4. that our prayers are effectuall by the merits of Saints And yee know what is the doctrine of their whole Church for humane satisfactions namely passionibus sanctorum expiari delicta as Bellarmine saith Bellar de indulgen l. 1. c. 2. which is
a blasphemie worthie the tearing of garments Thus they sometimes make Saints mediators of redemption sometimes they denie it and so contradict both themselves the Apostle here affirming that our mediator is one As hereby hesignifieth that the mediator is one only not manie so likewise that hee is immutable and unchangeable one and the same yesterday to day and for ever So saith the author of the booke of Wisedome speaking of this Mediator that uncreated Wisedome Being one she can doe all things And the Apostle Heb. 1.12 applyeth that place of the Psalme to him Thou art the same and thy yeares shall not fayle He is one and the same objectivé subjectivé effectivé Objectivé the same in his word for he who yesterday was shadowed in the Law is to day shewed in the Gospell Idem subjectivé the same in his person and in his attributes and office in his person the same before and after his Incarnation for taking upon him our nature he was no more changed thereby than a man is by putting on a vesture Homo quippe Deo accessit non Deus á se recessit home factus naturam suscipiende nostram non amittende suam as the divine Poet verie sweetly Ille manet quod semper erat quod non erat esse incipiens He did not leave off to be what he was but he begun to be what he was not Againe he is the same in his attributes in his power in his office being alwayes the Lord of his people the shepheard of his flocke the head of his Church the mediator betweene God and man Finally he is idem effectivé the same in his workes in his goodnesse in his grace he who yesterday was a mediator for Abraham Izaac and Iacob is to day a mediator for us he is as well now the light of the Gentiles as he was before the glory of his people Israell Last of all by this that he is one is signified that he is without all respect of persons one and alike to all not the mediator of the Iewes onely but of the Gentiles also There is neyther Iew nor Greeke there is neyther bond nor free there is neither male nor female for all are one in Christ. Gal. 3.28 He is peace to him that is neere and peace to him that is farre off Esa 57.19 that is as the Fathers expound it peace to the Iewes that are neere and peace to the Gentiles that are farre off This one blessed peace-maker hath made attonement for both and appeareth daily in the sight of God to pleade our pardon as a faithfull Advocate and high Priest S. Augustine saith that his armes were stretched out upon the crosse to signifie this That hee was now to embrace not an handfull of people as he did before the nation of the Iewes but as manie as his armes were able to containe that now hee was to breake downe that partition wall which for a long time had bene between Iewes and Gentiles and become one to all There is one Mediator But as yet we know not who is this one Mediator therefore lest the Iewes should say that it were their long looked for Messias or the Turkes their Mahomet or the Friers that it were S. Francis or S. Dominick or finally all Papists who construe it of the Virgin Mary for there is more mention of her in their prayers than of Christ and the propheticall Psalmes of Christ are transferred unto Mary and what else is magnifically spoken of him in Scripture even the first promise that was made of this Mediator Gen. 3.15 translated as spoken of her in their most approved Bible ipsa conteret caput tuum although as their owne Iesuite Ribera confesseth the Hebrew text the Chaldee paraphrase the Septuagints translation and all good Latine copies reade ipse conteret For this cause the Apostle in the fift place leades us as it were by the hand to the verie person describing him by his proper name and surname Iesus Christ he is this one Mediator who therefore is called the Angell of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 and the covenant of the people Esa 49.8 the Mediator of the new covenant vvhose blood speaketh better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 Our peace Eph. ◠14 The way and the doore by which we have accesse unto the Father Ioh. 14.6 The way into the holiest of all Heb. 9.8 finally an high Priest who came by a more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands and who not by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his owne blood entred in once into the holy place having obtayned eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.11 I come to the last head that Christ Iesus is a man The man Christ Iesus Homo verus but not homo merus he is a true man as having 1. the substance of a true body and soule 2. the essentiall and naturall properties of soule and bodie 3. the infirmities also and such defects as be naturall I say such as be naturall to exclude two sorts of infirmities 1. these which doe not universally follow the nature of man but are onely personall appertayning to some particular men and arising from private causes particular iudgements as to be borne a foole to be sicke of an ague consumption leprosie and such like diseases 2. Sinnes which be infirmities indeed but not naturall but rather contrarie to nature because they belong not to nature as it is whole but as it is corrupt Neither of these Christ tooke upon him because it behoved him to be like man in generall not like to this or that man in particular againe like unto man in generall in all things except sinne Heb. 4.15 It behoved Christ to be like unto us a man as we are whether we consider him as he was our Suertie or as our high Priest or as our Ransome or as our Redeemer or as our Mediator or finally as he is our Physitian In all these respects it behoved him to be a man 1. Because he was our Suertie to make satisfaction to God for our debt and the iustice of God requires that satisfaction be made in the same nature that finned 2. Because our high Priest For every high Priest is ordeyned to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man also have somewhat to offer Heb. 8.3 now if he had remained God only he should not have had anie thing to offer 3. Because our Ransome for as hee was the high Priest so he was the sacrifice he must offer up himselfe for us He was our suertie to satisfie for us and his satisfaction behoved to be passive and penall yea it must extend it selfe unto death for without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 but remayning God onely hee could not have dyed 4. Because our Redeemer for by the Law he that redeemeth another must be his brother or kinsman one that hath the right of propinquitie unto him Levit. 25.48 and therefore the
unto our State that they have beene the chiefe causes not only of the peoples unconformitie in religion but also of all their treasons rebellions The people are like the Sea and the Priests are like the winde the sea of it selfe would be calme if the winde did not set it in agitation so would the people but for the Priests The fourth cause is the want of a sufficient Ministry In manie places there is no Minister at all in manie places a Minister as good as none even a dumb dogge that cannot barke an idoll shepheard who is not apt to teach not able to confute in other places a lewd and scandalous Minister whose not Gospel-like behaviour is a stumbling blocke to them that are without Even as the Prince of Cuba in India said he would not goe to heaven Span. col p. 1â— if the Spaniards went thither because he thought that could be no good place where such cruell tyrants were so manie of this countrey will not be of our religion because they thinke that can be no true religion which hath so unconscionable professors and Ministers And the chiefe cause of this want of a sufficient ministry is lacke of maintenance for as there could be no Physitian in Lacedemon because there was no rewards so neyther can there be sufficient Ministers here for want of maintenance for our great Nebuchadnezzers will not allow us so much maintenance as to keep life and soule together We would be content with Davids order albeit a verie unrighteous one to divide with Ziba but covetous Ziba taketh all away both small and great both Tythe and offering He will be both Lord and Parson and Vicar and it is pittie that he is not brought to be Curate too The last thing I will observe that hindreth the reformation of this land is the miseducation of our youth all of them being brought up beyond the Seas or else taught at home by Popish Schoolemasters who are no more carefull to teach them the Romane tongue than they are to instruct them in the Romish faith Thus have I discovered the causes of our sicknesse hoping that we shall receive some helpe and comfort by your meanes For I doubt not right Honourable but what was the intent of Iehoshaphat in sending his Commissioners 2. Chron. 17. the same was the purpose of our gracious Soveraigne in sending you namely for the repayring of the Temple and that the people might be taught in the Law of the Lord for the like choyce of Commissioners hath beene made some nobles some Priests and Levites some learned Scribes and the like charge hath beene given unto you that ye looke to the good of the Church And therefore though I may not seeme to prescribe yet give me leave to entreat you that yee would take into your chiefest care the miserable estate of this Church and as yee have heard the causes of her ruine so ye would labour to remove them by applying of fit remedies which in my weake iudgement are these Whereas custome and continuance in error is a maine hinderance unto reformation the remedie against this is That some compulsion be used for olde sores are not cured without cutting and lancing And feare is that which will overcome custome as may appeare by the Antiochians who though they had a custome to wash themselves in the Bathes yet the King forbidding them they all left for feare of his displeasure Whereupon S. Chrysostome doth conclude after this maner Hom. 14. ad pop Antioch Loe you may see that where feare is there our wonted custome is left presently feare easily overmasters custome though it be never so ancient The same Father in another place maketh mention of one Hom 7. ad pop Ant. who had got an ill-favoured fashion of moving his right shoulder when hee went which yet he corrected by laying a sword over it in such maner that it should be in danger of cutting if so it moved and so by feare of incision he taught his shoulder better manners and motions In like maner should you who have authoritie deale with those who are blinded with long custome in error For saith S. Austin si doceantur non terreantur vetustate consuetudinis obdurati ad capescendam salutis viam pigrius surgent You are the second servants of our Lord sent forth with this commission Compell them to come in that my house may be full Yee must compell them by lawes and punishments as Artaxerxes writeth unto Esdras Whosoever will not do the law of thy God and the Kings law let him have judgement without delay whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment Thus King Asa enacted that If any vvould not seeke the Lord God of Israel he should be slaine 2. Chron. 15.13 So Iosiah compelled all that were found in Israel to serve the Lord their God 2. Chron. 34.33 Epist 48. Constantine the great as S Augustine witnesseth decreed against the Sacrifices of Pagans upon paine of death against wilful heretickes upon confiscation of their goods The godly Emperour Theodosius Decem libris auri mutotaretur Aug. ep 50. being moved therunto by the zealous Bishop Amphilochius banished all the Arrians out of his dominions and Theodosius the yonger set a fine of ten pounds of Golde upon the Donatists who were the Recusants of that age which as S. Augustine witnesseth had a verie good successe For saith he thereby many of them were moved to professe Religion and though at first they did professe it meerely by compulsion yet afterwards they professed onely for devotion These were the proceedings of godly Kings and Emperours against such as would not conforme themselves to the true worship of God established by the lawes of the land In alledging whereof let no man thinke that I would seeme to prescribe rules to Authoritie farre be that from me or that I would persivade extraordinarie severe courses to be taken with a blinde and misled people God is my witnesse I seeke not theirs but them my only purpose is to iustifie the law of this land and practise of our Church and that our people may see what a milde government they live under if they will but consider how their Fines besides that they are so neglected in the execution that the hundreth man is not charged with them are even in themselves a great deale lighter than those punishments which formerly have beene inflicted by godly Magistrates upon offendors of the like nature But especially they must confesse that they are gently entreated if they will remember what was the proceedings of their Church against us for in former ages they proceeded against the Waldenses and the first reformers of our Church and even at this time they doe proceed against Protestants in other countries not with mulcts and imprisonment but with sword fire and fagot They fyne them indeed but it is with fire as witnesse their houses of