maruelous consideratition that subiects had sinned and the Lord must be beaten that seruantes had offended and the maister must die that the guilty should be spared the innocent punished and yet Gods iustice not impeached On the other side if he had not beene God almighty how could he haue encountred and conquered the deuill hell sinne death and all the great enemies of our saluation that were too strong for mā to battell with all if he had not beene euerlasting God how could he by temporall suffering haue discharged vs of eternall torment and how should the merite of his suffering haue reached to those that liued long before long after his death if he had not beene infinite God how should the father haue accepted so many sinners in him and him for so many sinners which he was angry withall and how should he be present with his people throughout the world therefore it was necessary he shuld be both God and man that being man he might be sufficient to suffer whatsoeuer was due from God do whatsoeuer was being God he might be all sufficient to make that acceptable and effectuall which was suffered and done for vs. Therfore this is a great mistery that God was manifested in the flesh 1 Hereof comes that neere coniunction that is betweene Christ and his Church set forth in the Scripture by many similitudes he is called the head and we the body not Col. 1. his naturall body but his misticall body as all true Christians are the body of Christ so euery one is a member of his body not hipocrites for they are no more true members 1. Cor. 12 of Christes body then a brasen noase or a woden leg is a member of a mans body but true christians that are by faith and the spirit of regeneration vnited to Christ for though Christ be in heauen and we in earth yet as the foote which is a great way distant from the head is by certaine sinues and vaines springing from the head ioyned to the head so Christians are by certaine spiritual vaines as faith hope loue c. ioyned vnto Christ he is also called the husband the Church is called his wife therfore as the wife looses her owne name and beares the name of her husband so we loose our owne name and beare the name of Christ and are called christians and as a Acts. 14. wife is indowed with the goods of her husband so are we with the riches of Christ He is called the vine we the branches Iohn 15. from whom we receiue spiritual iuce and vertue to bring forth fruite acceptable to God profitable to men for as Adam did not only make vs guilty but also corrupt vs so Christ doth not onely make vs innocent but also sanctifieth vs. 2 Hereof comes that misticall and spirituall aliance and kindred that is betweene Christ and his people therefore he calles those that doe his fathers will his mother Mat. 12. his brother and sister how poore or base soeuer they be in the world yet if they be of the right streine of christianity they be of the most royall blood and more honorable then they which come of the houses of Valoys of Austria or any earthly discent because they haue God for their father the Church for their mother Christ for their elder brother and are made kings and Queenes of heauen as one saith Those that be noble by their first birth in the worlde doe become vnnoble by vices so those that be vnnoble by their first birth may become noble by a new birth and by vertues therefore Peter calles the faithfull a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2. 3 Hereof comes that mutuall exchange that is betweene Christ and vs hee was made with vs the sonne of man that wee might be made with him the sonnes of God he by imputation and communication tooke on him our sinnes and miseries that they might be imputed to vs his vertues and merites as the Apostle saith he 2. Cor. 5. was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God by him This is a great mistery that his pouerty should be our fitches that his bondage 2. Cor. 8. 9. should be our liberty that his condemnation before Pilate should be our iustificatibefore God that his stripes should be the Rom. 8. 2. cure of our woundes that he should bee Esa 53. 5. ioyned with theeues and robbers that we might be ioyned with Saints and Angels Luk. 23 Gal. 3. 13 that his curse should be our blessing that he should ouercome death by dying and that his death should be our life that hee He. 2. 14. should discend into hell that is into hellish tormentes that he might lift vs vp to Mat. 26. heauen and happinesse Therefore we are saide to be crucified with him to be buried Gal. 2. 19 Rom. 6. 4 Col. 3. 1. Ephe. 2. 6 with him to be quickned with him Eph. 2. 5. to be raysed vp with him Col. 3. 1. to be ascended into heauen with him for at the first Adam was not a priuate but a publike person in whome all mankinde was included so Christ the second Adam was not a priuate but a publike person in whom the whole Church is to bee considered therefore in Christes death and satisfaction in Christes resurrection and iustification in Christes ascention and glorification we must see the death resurrection and ascention of the whole Church for as he hath done and suffered all these things for the Church so the Church hath done and suffered all those things in him and shal at the last receiue the fruite of those things by with him this is a great mistery that God is manyfested in the flesh therefore he is called our Sauiour which is set foorth in his Mat. 1. 21 1. Tim. 2. 5. name Iesus he is called our mediatour to make intercession for vs where by the way noate that the Popish booke called the Ladies Psalter made by Bonauenter is blasphemous because it appoints other mediators besides him he is called our Lord to 1. Cor. 8. 6. Ioh. 10. 9 defend gouerne vs he is called our dore and way to bring vs to the father he is called our Phisition to cure our spirituall diseases Mat. 9. 12 and to restore vs to health he is called Iohn 10. 11. Iohn 6. our shepheard to gather vs into the Church he is called the bread of life to norish vs to life euerlasting he is called our Ephe. 2. peace to pacific our conscience he is called Tim. our hope because he is all in all vnto vs. Therefore it is said we are complet in him Col. 2. 16 and therefore Paule saith I desire to know Cor. nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified Phil. 3. 8. I count all things dung that I may winne
that do beleeue he laid not downe our nature againe when he had wrought our redemption but carried it with him into heauen as one saith when Christ went away from vs hee lefte vs his pawne that is his spirit to assure vs hee would come againe to vs and tooke with him our pawne that is our flesh to assure vs we should come to him according as hee saith in Iohn I goe to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may bee also This is the misterye that the sonne of God came downe to the earth tofetch vs vp to heauen that after hee had sanctified our humayne nature in himselfe he might glorifie vs with himselfe as Paul saith He Phil. 3. shall change our vile body that it may be made like his glorious body which how excellent an estate it is no toung is able to expresse As the worst is past with Christ so the best is to come with Christians for he would not haue come from glorye to basenesse but to haue drawne vs from basenesse to glory therefore let vs be content with our Sauiour Christ himselfe to passe by the crosse to this crowne where we shall receiue the end of our faith which is the saluation 1. Pet. 1. of our soules The necessities of Religion or Mans Renouation IOHN 3. 3. Iesus answered except a man be borne againe he cannoâ— see the kingdome of God 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. OVr Sauiour Christ being excellent and famous when hee was vpon the earth many resorted to him to heare his doctrine and see his miracles and among the rest there was one Nichodemus who was a Pharisie a teacher and Ecclesiasticall ruler among the Iewes that came to him but secretly by night fearing the displeasure of the rest of his sect who loued not Christ nor his disciples as some looking Iohn 9. too much to men haue a kinde of fleshly shame or bashfulnesse in well doing and the higher any man is lifted vp in wealth authoritye or society with great men the stronger impediments he hath to keepe him from Christ But when he comes to our Sauiour Christ he salutes him reuerently and calles him Rabbi a title and saluation then commonly vsed to learned men and he saith to him we know speaking of himselfe his company thou art a teacher sent from God for no man could doe those miracles which thou doest except God were with him he knew him not to be the Messtas but tooke him for some speciall Prophet the rest of the Pharises asked him by what authority he did those miracles seeing he was not approoued by them that were the gouerners of the Church but Nichodemus being somwhat wiser then the rest confesses he had authority sufficient from God In the former chapter they required a signe of him to confirme his calling if it were extraordinary as Moses confirmed his calling by turning his rodde into a serpent and Elias by deuiding Iordâ—â— with his mantle but Nichodemus confesses there were signes ennow for saith he No man could doe those things that thou doost except God were with him Now although our Sauiour Christ might haue taken exception to his maner of comming by night and reprooued his feare of men and ignorance that he knew him not to be more then a Prophet yet letting passe these wordes that I haue read he beginnes with the chiefe point and that which was the cause of those faultes in him which was the want of grace and therefore saith Except a man be borne againe c. As if he should say although thou doost call me maister and thereby professest thy selfe to be a scholler yet I doe not account thee fit for my disciple except thou beest borne againe For by the kingdome of heauen heere is not ment the kingdome of glory in the next life as some haue taken it but the kingdome of grace in this life that is the true Church as it is taken in the fift of Mathew the Church is called Mat. 5. 19 the kingdome of heauen because the lawes whereby it is gouerned are from heauen the guiftes wherewith it is endued are from heauen the persons that are members of the true Church are Cittizens of heauen and because the Church is as it were the suburbes thorowe the which we must enter the Kingdome of heauen It is as if our Sauiour Christ should say thou hast made a iourney to heare me and thou hast vsed good wordes vnto me but that is not enough thou canst not bee accounted a true member of the Church except thou hast good thoughtes and good workes aswell as good words except thou beest borne againe that is generally made better both in thy minde and manners Let vs marke our Sauiour dooth not flatter him though he were a great man but seekes to profit him some doe much extoll small things in great men if they will heare a sermon or two giue courteous wordes and entertainement to a minister they greatly commend them although their mindes and manners be as vnformed as their naturall parents left them but we must follow our Sauiour Christes example to Nichodemus except they bee borne againe and reformed in hart and hand aswel as in toung except they be indeed generally sanctified aswel as they seeme to be so in some perticular it is nothing worth although they would goe twenty mile to heare the choisest Preacher in the country except they doe reforme themselues by the word conforme themselues to that which is taught therein they be no Christians This doubtlesse was an vnpleasant answer to Nichodemus for howsoeuer a naturall man can be content to haue something added to him yet he likes not to haue all condemned that is in him and to haue his estate called into question But our Sauiour Christ not regarding what would please him but profit him condemnes his first birth and telles him he must of necessity be borne againe neither doth he speake of Nichodemus in perticular but of all men in generall for saith he Except a man be borne againe and not of men onely but women also for that which was Nichodemus his condition is the condition of all by their first birth the Potter would not breake his pot to make it againe except it were ill made so God would not regenerate men except they were euill generated Therefore our Sauiour Christ dooth in these words both condemne our first birth and vrge the necessity of a new birth as if he should say except a man in the time of his life become better then hee is by his birth except a man be againe begotten of God who is a better father in the wombe Iam. 1. 18 of the Church that is a better mother by the worde that is immortall and better 1. Pet. 1. 23. seede and so becomes a new creature and hath better qualities he shall not haue a better inheritance It is as if he should say as a man is by
that are lost c. But these is one of the assaults of the diuell that we must wrastle against for the Scripture forbids vs to haue familiarity with the deuil the enemy of mankinde neither will this be any colour that they goe not to the diuell but to a witch seeing God forbiddeth that also Leui. 20. 6. And Leui. seeing though not themselues yet the witch hath familiarity with the deuill and they haue familiarity with him in his instrument and it is all one to take counsell from the deuill at the first hand and at the second hand there is a curse pronounced against them that seeke to witches Our Sauiour Christ rebuked Sathan when hee spake the trueth because we would not receiue it from him no more should we seeing whensoeuer he speakes either he lyes or speakes the trueth to deceiue I cannot better compare this seeking to the deuill by witches then to those that seeke mony at the handes of biting vsurers I say byting vsurers who haue no respect to the good of the borrower but to their owne aduantage to wrap the partie in bondes till they ouerthrow his estate for howsoeuer it seemes a benefit that serues their turne to know that they seeke at the handes of the deuill or witches which yet is not so commonly but in foolish conceit only yet it turnes to their great hurt and damage bringing their soules further into thraledome Saul went to the witch of Endor to 1. Sam. 18. call vp Samuell but it was not Samuell but a sinnelesse conceite it was the deuill in the likenesse of Samuell for they would not bury Samuell in a mantle that was his ordinary attyre but they did bury him doubtlesse in a lynen cloath as the manner was but this practise of Saul hastened 1. Cro. 10. 13. his distruction As the deuill hath great knowledge so hee hath great agility and nimblenesse to passe from place to place for though hee be not infinite but finite yet he compasses the whole earth as it is sade in Job and that in short time some Iob. 1. men haue beene saide to sayle about the worlde in three yeares the Sunne that is a bodily substance as wee see compasses the worlde in 24. houres how much more the deuill that is a spirite therefore wheresoeuer a man dwelles hee must looke to bee assaulted of this enemie hee tempted Adam in Paradise Iob in the land of Vz our Sauiour Christ in the wildernes the sea cannot hinder him stone walles cannot barre him as it may other enemies but hee hath a spirituall passage and spirituall accesse to euerye place and euerye person Wickednesses As the deuill is a spirite so he is a wicked spirite they were at the first created good as were the other Angelles but the Apostle saieth they kept not their first estate but fell and became Iude. diuelles therefore as in the Scripture the other Angels that stoode are called elect and holy Angels so they that fell are called euill and wicked spirytes the diuell is called an vncleane spirite he is called a lier and a murderer Iohn 8. And as he is a wicked spirit so he temptes men and women to wickednesse he tempted Adam and Eue to pride and rebellion Gne 3. he tempted Iob to blasphemy for though he afflicted him in his goodes and bodie yet his purpose was to draw him to blasphemy Iob. 1. as appeares by his wordes to the Lord dooth Iob feare thee for naught but touch him and hee will curse thee to thy face he tempted Ahabs falce Prophets King 22. to lying he tempted our Sauiour Christ to Mat. 4. distrust and presumption he tempted Ananias and Saphira to hipocrise and dissembling Acts. 5. he tempted Iudas to couetousnesse Mat. 26. and theft So he temptes all men to one sin or other and some time to one sinne and somtime to another He will tempt men to continue in ignorance and not to heare sermons nor reade good bookes if he preuaile not that way he will tempt them with error that they should belieue lyes insteed of the truth if he cānot preuaile that way he wil tempt thē to holde the truth in hipocrisie if he cānot corrupt their religion he will seeke to corrupt their conuersation make them leaprous christians he wil tempt men to iniustice as he did Achab to vnmercifulnesse as he did Diues to vncleanenesse as he did Herode to intemperance as hee did the prodigall childe if hee cannot preuaile to drawe men neither from religion nor good conuersation he will tempt them to be proud of their knowledge and proud of their vertues that will mare all the good things that are in them as he did the Pharises The diuell hath diuers nets to take men withall he hath ease wherewith hee hath intrapped Dauid he hath pleasure wherewith he caught Salomon he hath the beauty of women wherewith hee vanquished the two iudges spoken of in Susanna hee hath profit whereby he inthralled Iudas hee hath euill company by which hee indangered Iehosaphat hee hath euill examples wherewith hee corrupted the Isralites they would haue a king like other nations He doth endeuor and that by all meanes to draw all men to wickednesse Alexander was not so vnsatiable to conquer the world corporally as he is to conquer the worlde spiritually Alexander fought to conquer but one age but the diuell all ages If he were an aduersary that had any goodnesse in him we might expect some gentle handling by yeelding to him but he is a wicked aduersary such a one that delightes in bloud therefore in the Scripture hee is called a Lyon and a Dragon full of cruelty those that he ouercomes hee will tyrannize ouer them and bring them to greater miserye then can bee imagined for this cause take the whole Verse 13. armour of God c. as if he should saye seeing we haue a battell to fight and not with one enemy but with many not with bodily enemies but spirituall not with weake enemies but strong not with simple enemies but subtill not with honest gentle enemies but wicked and cruell and seeing euery Christian euen the weakest woman must passe these perils and pikes of the diuelles temptations arme your selues thorowly the Apostle hauing told vs of the danger shewes vs the remedy hee hath exhorted to the same thing in verse 11. before and now hee repeates it againe giuing vs to vnderstand there is necessity in vsing this remedy and that there is no remedy but this Wise men will be prouided against all enemies especially against domesticall and dangerous enemies that euery houre waite their opportunitie to hurt them and if men be so carefull to take heede of corporall enemies that can but kil the body how careful should we be to take heede of these enemies that seeke to destroy the soule auoide them we cānot but prepare our selues to withstand them we may or else the Apostle
would neuer haue thus often and earnestly willed vs to put on the whole armour of God Some Christians when they do but heare how this man and that women is troubled and tossed with terrible and tedious temptations of Saâ—han are discouraged before it come at them but when they beginne to feele the diuelles assaultes and bickeringes in themselues they conclude they shall neuer be able to holde out but God hath not left his Church in such a desperate estate but hee hath prouided meanes of escape from their enemies therefore here the Apostle willes vs to vse it Armour of God He telles vs againe it is the armour of God that must doe it the armour of men will not doe it it is not humane power pollicie or ciuility that can withstand this enemy but the munition that comes out of the Lordes armourye for though the diuell be strong yet there is a stronger as the Apostle sayeth 1. Ioh. 4. 4 Greater is hee that is in you then hee that is in the world though his ingens and artillery be sharpe and dangerous to hurt vs yet there be instruments and weapons of greater force to preserue vs. This armour hee sets downe in the 14. 15. 16. 17. and 18. verses following verity he compares to a souldiers girdle that will fence vs against all Sathans temptations to hippocrisie herisie and lying righteousnesse he compares to a souldiers brest-plate that will fence vs from all Sathans temptations to iniustice and â—â—iury hope he compares to a souldiers helmit or head-peece that head-peece that will fence vs from his temptations to discontentednesse fainting and wearynesse faith he compares to a souldiers shielde or buckler that will fence vs from Sathans temptations to diffidence and dispaire the knowledge of the worde hee compares to a souldiers sworde that will fence vs from the temptations of ignorance and disobedience prayer he sets in the last place not that it must be vsed last but first and last therefore for breuitie sake he putteth it insteade of all the rest for the Scripture in other places makes mentioÌ„ of other vertues necessary to arme vs against other vices as humility that will fence vs against the diuels temptations to pride and vaine-glory temperance that will feare vs against his temptations to ryot and excesses in meate drinke apparrell recreation or any thing chastity that wil fence vs against his temptations to vncleanenes and adultery loue that will fence vs against his temptations to hatred and reuenge brotherlye kindenesse that will fence vs against all his temptations to morosotie and strangenes meekenesse that will fence vs against his temptations to wrath and waywardnesse patience that will fence vs from his temptations to murmuring vnlawful meanes vsing heauenly mindednesse that wil arme vs against all Sathans temptations to prophanesse and worldlinesse But the Apostle dooth onely set downe these few that he nameth in this chapter either because these vertues were most wanting in the Ephesians as his manner was to speake fitly to the persons and purpose or els because these were sufficient to answere to the partes of a souldier from whence he takes his metaphor The Papistes appoint other armour to withstand and driue away the diuell as crucifixes Agnis dies a part of Saint Iohns Gospell about a mans necke crosses made on the forhead and brest holy water ringing of belles but these neuer came out of Gods armory If this were the armour to withstand the diuell withall the Apostle forgotte himselfe that he tould vs not of it neither here nor else where Againe if this were good armour for that purpose the wickedest man might withstand the diuell aswell as the godliest man for who cannot make a crosse on his forhead weare a crucifixe about his necke sprinkle himselfe with holy water c. But that this is not the armour against the diuell appeares hereby that those who haue beene most superstitious in these things haue beene and are the vassels of Sathan and carryed at his pleasure to Idolatry heresie blasphemy adultery and such haynous sinnes But the furniture wherewith we must withstand the deuill is the armour of God that is prescribed to vs in this chapter in the rest of the Scripture that is the gifts and graces of regeneration and sanctification as sound knowledge vpright hartednesse vnfained faith and hope a iust and chaste minde an humble spirite sober and louing affection and a good conuersation it is that which the Apostle hath set downe in a word in the 4. chapter put on the new Ephe. 4. man which is after God created in righteousnesse and true holynesse and this is the cause that the diuell dooth carry men to many and dangerous sinnes because they haue no grace nor deuine power to resist him the cause that he carries men to hipocrisie and lyes is for that they want the girdle of vertue the cause that he carries them to iniustice and wrong is they want the brest-plate of righteousnesse see the cause that he carries men to any other vice is because they want the contrary vertue And marke he wills the Ephesians and vs the secoÌ„d time to put on not a part but the whole armour of God if a souldier be naked he may easily be hurt any where if he be armed but in some place he may be wounded on that part that lacketh but the Apostle would haue vs to bee wholely armed that wee may be foyled no where neither in our iudgement in our affection nor in our conuersation the cause that some of Gods seruantes haue taken dangerous falles hath beene the want of some of their armour how coulde Salomon haue beene so foyled as hee was if hee had not wanted sobrietye had Dauid receaued such a view of Sathan thinke wee if hee had put on chastity Some thinke if they haue a little knowledge they are christians good enough alas that is but one part a man may haue knowledge what to beleeue what to doe and what to suffer and yet be farre enough of from the practise of it a Christian must be a generall man therefore saith the Apostle Peter Ioyne vnto your faith vertue to vertue â— Pet. 1. knowledge and to knowledge patience and to patience temperance and to temperance godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and to brotherly kindenesse loue For there is no vertue or gift of regeneration but we shall haue occasion to vse diuers times in our life One being aduised by his friend to ride with a weapoÌ„ answered what needes that seeing a man shall meete with a thiefe but once in seauen yeares but saith he if a man want it that once it is once too much but we shall meete with this enemy euery day and shall finde by experience that all our Christian preparation is little enough to maintaine our pure religion and keepe our Iam. 1. selues vnspotted of the world that yee may be able to c. Without this