estate because she had made an Idoll in a Groue and burnt her Idols Now if the Ceremonies were violated it did belong to the Priests to iudge that and therefore they stood most stifly prefractly for the vpholding of this Law because they were Masters of the ceremonies themselues And albeit they themselues were most contrary to the morall law hipocrites liars slanderours boasters couetous c. yet still they disputed and contended for the Ceremonies to the least tittle And for these they not onely accused Christ when he was with them but after his ascension as Acts 6. When the multitude laid to the blessed Protomartyr S. Stephens charge We haue heard Stephen say that this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and change the ordinances which Moses gaue vs. Now albeit as I haue shewed they accused Christ of breaking the other two yet their onely feare was that he would alter their customes and ceremonies To this Christ answereth nolite putare thinke not so Christ did not transgresse the morall law for hee destroyed and abolished sinne Hee did loose the worke of the diuell Sinne was the diuels worke the law being broken gaue sin strength as S. Paul the strength of sinne is the law Then was the diuels worke strong and sure but Christ by fulfilling the law hath loosed the worke of the diuell Neither did Christ take away the iudiciall law for it tooke him away and hee confessed hee was vnder it So he answered to the full both morall and iudiciall law the law morall by his righteousnesse the law iudiciall with his bloud Nay the law of Ceremonies which was of least moment and shortest time he did not disobey for he was circumcised and presented in the Temple and did not onely become vnder the Ceremonies himselfe but commanded others to do the same as the Leapers whom hee cleansed Yet farther whereas the Baptisme of Iohn was a Ceremonie or Sacrament supererogated to the Ceremonies of the law he sustayned also to be baptized of Iohn and gaue the reason Thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse all righteousnesse of all lawes iudiciall morall and ceremoniall and that in all points to euery little prick and tittle And lastly for the fulfilling of the Prophets it doth appeare not onely by his birth by his life by his doctrine miracles death and passion but by this very slaunder they here put vpon him in accounting him an enemie to the law and Prophets This a Prophet fore-told That he should be counted a sinner and reputed with the iniust which being so how truly doth he say I came not to destroy the law But this another might haue said I came not to destroy the law Christ saith more and that which none can say but himselfe I came to fulfill the law So that but for fulfilling all things which are written in the law and Prophets Christ had not come As then before Christs comming the law and the Prophets did intentiuely looke towards him so Christ being come doth fixe his eyes on them making them the end of his comming And so Christ comes and being come the end of the law and Prophets is come without whose comming the law had beene ridiculous and the Prophets friuolous for they had had no end God forbid that we should thinke that God which made nothing in vaine should make vaine his owne ordinances that the Prophets which spake by his owne spirit should haue proued lyars which yet had so beene if Christ Iesus comming in our flesh had not fulfilled the contents of both Law and Prophets But the question is how Christ fulfilled the law when by his death and the oblation of himself he caused all the ceremonies and sacrifices to cease For S. Paul saâ—…th he did abrogate in his flesh the hatred that is the law of commandements which standeth in ordinances And agayne he put out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs. And the commandement which went afore is diâ—…lled beâ—…e of the weaknesse thereof and vnprofitablenes Caietan answereth that Christ came not in his owne person to cause the ceremonies to cease but did it by his Disciples after his death Some answere otherwise that the law of Moses is taken for those things which were properly brought in by it as Ceremonies and Customes or for the principall contents as the law Morall which is called the great commandement Now those first of Ceremonies were but accessary to the law principall anâ—… for that people onely and but for a time They alledge for proofe the testimony of the Prophet I spake not vnto your Fathers nor commanded them when I brought them out of the land of Aegipt concerning burnt Offâ—…ings and Sacrifices 23. But this thing I commanded and said obey my voyce and I will be your God c. This Scripture they so alledge as if God compulsed by their euill disposition and their pâ—…onenes to Idolatry gaue them those ordinances by which they should be exercised humbled not that they had any necessary vse in themselues and thus they would haue the negatiue part vnderstood I came not to loose the law principall but neyther of these â—…o answere the doubts or cleere this Scripture for Christ came as well to fulfill the law of Ceremonies as the morality and that to euery tittle and poynt Indeed Christ had loosed them if after cancelling them to the letter he should haue said they had no vse in them nor were instituted by God he did not so but exhibited in himself what had bin signed and sealed in them As then the prophesie is iustified when the things foretold are com to passe so did Christ make good iustifie the customs and ordinances of the Law when comming with a body as they required he did in substance and trueth exhibit what they in their shadowes which were dumb shewes and figures of him did pretend and signifie To these He fulfilleth the law when by the efficacy of his diuine spirit he worketh in vs all those things inwardly spiritually as I will shew in my last words which the law which had the shadow of things to come did signifie and thus to take away those figures concerning the letter was to fulfill them because the law it selfe did require this Bring no moe oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination to mee I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabbathâ—… nor solemne dayes it is iniquity nor solemne assemblies Againe I will not reproue thee for thy Sacrifices and thou desirest no Sacrifice Well said Leâ—… 〈◊〉 hostia in hostiam transit sanguine saguis aufertur legalâ—…s festiuitas dum mutatur impletur One oblation passeth into another bloud is taken away with bloud and the feasts of the law are fulfilled when they are changed For what hurt is done to the image of the king by the comming of the King himselfe
in person Shall we gaze now vpon his Image What looseth a childe by growing to a perfect man Doe we complaine after the Sunne is risen that we cannot see the Starres Then this ceasing of the law is not her abrogation but her coâ—…summation For the Arrow moueth while it is shooting at the marke but hauing hit the marke resteth in â—…t So the law which did leuell and shoot at Christ with so many moueable signes and Sacraments doth as I may say cease from her motion of practising them any more hauing attayned to her full end in him the earth bringeth forth fruit of her selfe but first the blade then the eare then after full corne in the eare so did the blade or hearbe spring forth in the law of Nature secondly the eare or culme in the law written but wee haue in the Gospell the pure graine or full corne which is Iesus Christ Therefore as the stalke and eare are of necessary vse till the corne be ripe but the corne being ripe we no longer vse the chaffe with it so till Christ was exhibited in the flesh which lay hidden in the blade and spike of the law these ceremonies had their vse but sithence by this death and passion this pure Wheat corne is threshed and winnowed and by his ascension laid vp in the Garner of Heauen these are of no farther vse By this then it is plaine that the law continued egene and profitlesse and beggarly till Christ came which did indeed and substance exhibite what the law had in figure and vnder promise What iniury is done to a poore man when his debt is payde or what looseth the shadow by the bodies presence We grant that all those shadowes of the law in the times of emptinesse went before Christ f but Christ came in a time of fulnesse euer since they followed Christ. The Iewes were taught by these shadowes that the body should come we know by the same shadowes that the body is come and therefore wee looke into the written law and read it daily that by comparing the Law with the Gospell that is the shadow with the substance we may by these signes and figures and these dimensions know the true body which dimensions the Apostle wisheht that euery true Christian should know to wit what is the length breadth and depth And because he which was made flesh was not man onely but God which is high ouer all he hath one dimension of height which belongs not to a natural body Think we then how should he be counted to euacuate the law or cause emptinesse whose is all fulnesse which came and filled time which was before void and empty which hath fulnesse of power to all power Which hath fulnesse of force fulnesse of truth to whose fulnesse compared not onely the poore figures of the law were empty but the heauens themselues and the Angels in heauen whose is fulnesse of wisedome fulnesse of knowledge to the hidden treasures which is full of the holy Ghost whose is the fulnesse of the Godhead which dwelleth in him bodily Whose is fulnesse of fulnesse euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all fulnesse and that not onely to be in him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dwell and that not for himselfe onely But for vs all of his fulnesse we haue all receiued Little was it for him to fill those empty vessels of the law which were borrowed for a time and to let runne the oyle of his grace and mercy out of that pitcher of his humane nature to pay the poore widowes I meane the Synagogues debt he was not so contented but let it runne still and it runneth ouer and ouer to pay all our debts for he thus abounded superabounded to them to vs to Iewes to Greekes to all the world to all that were to all that shall be Therefore as soone as Christ is borne see how these vessels beginne to fill Saint Mathew no sooner spake of his birth but he filleth one vessell straight this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it might be fulfilled which God spake by the Prophet Isay when he speakes of his going downe to Aegipt He filleth the Prophet Hoseahs measure that it might be fulfilled c Out of Aegipt haue I called my first borne When he speakes of the place of his birth hee fils a third vessell The Prophet Michaiah And thou Bethlem in the land of Iudah are not the least among the Princes of Iudah for out of thee shall come the ruler which shall feed my people Israell When the children were slaine he fils a fourth vessell namely the Prophet Ieremiah Then was fulfilled that which was spoken c. In Rama was a voyce heard mourning weeping great lamentation Rachell weeping for her children Wheresoeuer he goes he fils To Nazareth that it may be fulfilled c. He shall be called a Nazarite Whatsoeuer he saith he filleth That it may be fulfilled I will open my mouth in Parables Whatsoeuer he doth he fils This when he but rideth vpon an Asse this was done that it might be fulfilled c. Tell ye the daughter of Sion behold thy King commeth vnto thee meeke sitting vpon an Asse Whatsoeuer is done to him maketh for this filling if they beleeue not the Scripture is fulfilled I haue blinded this peoples heart If they hate him the Scripture is fulfilled they hated me without a cause See how this Oyle neuer ceaseth running But what shall I speake of such fillings when he filleth all that is written not onely by speaking but by silence For when he spake not before Pilate a Scripture is fulfilled He was brought as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the Shearer so he openeth not his mouth I he fulfilleth the Scripture not onely by liuing but by dying and the manner thereof which was so necessary that himselfe had neede to say all this was done that the Scripture of the Prophets should be fulfilled I our Sauiour sheweth that hee was bound to the law to suffer and die Ought not Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory And therefore as you haue seene from the instant of Iudas his betraying beginning to enter his passion he gaue vs the alarum in that 56. verse of Math. 26. so when he hangeth on the Crosse false witnesse hanging betwixt theeues his drinking of gall parting his garments in all these the oyle runnes in all these the Gospell saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this last when Iesus hauing finished all these cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is finished and so the oyle ceased for the vessels of the law were full they could hold no more Well then may Christ say I came to fulfill the law For by thus comming he hath fulfilled all So the Law and the Prophets wâ—…re that
whereas Izhak was required to a sacrifice to an honorable death he hanged his Sonne IESVS CHRIST on the Crosse to die for vs a death most vile and accursed Izhak was offred by his Father CHRIST was crusified by his enimies Pitties and compassions did follow Izhak to his sacrifice But CHRIST was slaine with bitter taunts and reuiling and shakings of the head He that offred Izhak would haue redeemed his life with all the good and treasures of the World they which kill the Lord of life rather then they will spare him say his bloud be vpon vs and our children And a secret place was chosen to hide Izhaks shame but the Sonne of God was put to a most cruell and reprochfull death in the face of the world If this suffice not God the Father offereth to vs yet his Sonne IESVS CHRIST to euery heart that is grieued to euery soule that is vexed He is offred to vile sinners to vnworthy receauers he is offered so truly so fully so franckely as no heart can conceaue no thought can compre hend God grant that our hearts may conceaue him and our soules receaue him Amen FINIS THE CHRISTIAN Souldier The third Sermon 2 TIM Chap. 2. Vers. 3. 4. 2 Thou therefore suffer affliction like a good souldier of Christ. 3 No man going on warfare entanglech himselfe with the things of this life WE see how Saint Paul exhorteth his Sonne Timotheus for after he had stirred vp his faith in the chapter before verse 6. and warned him what a treasure he had in his keeping verse 14. complaining how many had reuolted and turne away from the profession verse 15. Now he exhorted him to suffer affliction as a good souldier of Christ teaching him that this life is a warfare so the Scripture hath foure parts 1. the state of a Christian in the words in generall going in warfare to which we may annexe how different this warfare is from all others in the 2. place 3 what we ought to be in this warrefare the Latine translation hath laborantes laboring the originall hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer euill as a good souldier of Christ 4. what we ought not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ensnaring or intangling our selues with the busines of this present World Some considering this worlds euils with a worldly regard nakednesse pouerty troubles crosses dangers haue iudged it a prison or place of vexation others looking into the apparant good as honour riches pleasures with which the world doth not onely allure but rauish her louers haue deemed it a Paradise or place of delight But they which view it ouer with a spirituall eye and attend the danger of their soules the hazard of their country the multitude of their spirituall enemies say Militia est potius quid enim concurret horae momento aut cita mors venit aut victoria laeta It is a kinde of warring for we encounter on euery side in the moment of an houre either quick death commeth or ioyfull victory For Saint Paul which fought from his Youth vp euen to Paul the Aged counted it but a momentary fight This horae momentum is mans whole life which be it all spent in hazard of fight hath the comparison but of an eyes twinkling to the purchase of the victory and life eternall And in this moment of an houre we are all lost or saued That our life is a warfare we are taught by the Sacrament of our calling in Baptisme where we take an oath to fight against the Flesh the World and the Diuell There we remember our first presse-peny of grace and haue professed our selues souldiours of Christ to fight vnder his Banner Our Sauiour Christ chargeth the watch in his Gospell Watch and Pray that you fall not into temptation And giueth this charge not onely to the leaders and captaines of his band but to euery common souldier that which I say to you I say to all Watch. We haue our munition out of Holy Scriptures which are like Solomons Tower where hang a thousand sheildes and all the weapons of strong men The Apostle sounds the alarum Arme arme take the whole armour of God from the heads helmet to the feete We must lie open at no place for our enimie is a Serpent if he can but bite the heele he will transfuse his venime to the heart and to the head And in one side we see the faithfull in perpetuall agony striuing wrestling fighting now receauing in the buckler of their faith the dints of affliction and temptation now charging the enimy as in open fight For which cause the Apostle doth not onely encourage others to fight a good fight but desireth to be seene in the fore-front hauing the same fight which you haue seene in me And therefore summeth vp all his labours for CHRIST and his Gospel in these few words I haue fought a good fight On the other side we see so many multitudes led captiues vnder diuers lustes of whom the Deuill hath his will and hath taken them as an easie pray as Saint Paul saith at his pleasure Now enimies of the crosse of Christ. He that warreth vpon an other doth he not entend to make him tributary and make his people his seruants So doth Satan warre against CHRIST and being not able to vanquish him doth yet preuaile to draw from him such as were his sworne seruants causing them to fight vnder him for wages of damnation Lastly that we may be out of doubt that our life is a warfare our Sauiour saith the kingdom of Heauen suffreth violence the violent possesse it So that nothing is more cleere then this point we must haue warre for our country we must win it by force and violence Whether it be because the earthly man doth seeke it because from beneath he aspireth to it because he wrestleth not onely against outward enemies whether Carnall or Spirituall wickednesse but against his owne will and desire and loue and against himselfe to attaine this kingdome whether it be that the short compasse of our life draweth vs with that swiftnesse that we must reach with violence at that which with such violence is taken from vs or that the aboundance of the heauenly treasure so enflameth with desire the hearts of Gods chosen that they contemne all dangers and runne through all lets and euils to win it or lastly for that the Amalekites of this world while we are here fainting and weary in the way smite vs for that here be Caananits which must be expulsed before we can attaine the land of Promise and Sehons and Oggs Giants of monstrous stature to appale and affright vs. But say the kingdome of Heauen suffreth violence and what can we get here but by violence Seeke we then with the same violence the things in heauen with which wicked men doe seeke the things of this world Heere we can
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life is short the Art is long the experience is full of danger How miserable then were the state of simple men if it were of like hardnesse to haue the knowledge of eternall life as to learne Physicke or Astronomy or Rhetorique or any other Art But heere the Art is short and our life compared is long and the practise is secure and full of pleasure heere is the whole science to know God the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ And this wee obtayne not by learning but by beleeuing not by discourse as seeking but by obtute as seeing wee haue it not by acquisition but by infusion not by diuision but by vnion not as I haue said in all other Sciences first the parts and then the whole but first the whole and then the parts This the superabundant mercy of God hath prouided for the simple the ignorant vnlearned that no man may pretend difficulty or hardnes in the way of life eternal but that it may be as easily learned of the simple as of the wise All other Arts whether mechanicall or liberall haue their misteries by themselues diuers Arts haue diuers misteries for diuers men and all kept secret this Science of Sciences hath but one mistery for all men in the world which is preached and published to all the world the same of bond the same of free the same of old the same of young the same of the learned the same of the ignoran tthe same of men the same of women the same of Iewes the same of Greekes one mistery for high and low rich and poore all people one with another and this is it to know God the Father c. well then might Saint Paul call it common saluation and Saint Iude common faith and S. Peter write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To them which haue obtayned like precious faith for as in this bodily life nature by one and the selfe same way worketh in all alike and that same which is the cause of life in one that liueth is the cause of life in all that liue wherefore it is held a maxime in Philosophy that Nature is one in all things so in our spirituall and eternall life there is but one mistery and in it one cause of vitality in all that are saued that God may be all in all I one in all which worketh in all and we all one in God I haue foure arguments by which I may shew that it is a matter of no great hardnesse or which requireth long time to learne the science of a Christian My first I take from that principle of Nature in which there is in all men a desire and appetite ingenite and inly rooted of the soueraigne good Omnia appetunt borum for when to this desire ingrafted the good desired shall be manifestly obiected out of the vnderstanding conuicted by euidence of the light of Gods word how quickly will the desire assent and rest satisfied For now she is filled and at the end of her appetite and cannot possibly desire farther If then the straying and erroneous desire of Heathen people in ignorance after the true God being misled in the blindnesse of their vnderstanding did like men which being almost drowned in vnperfectnesse and amazement of their sense will catch at stickes and stones and weeds in the bottome of the water and hold them fast to death thinking by these to get out so they hoping to seeke euasion from eternall death in that deezinesse and confusion of apprehension did catch at gods of stickes and stones and beasts and creeping things in stead of the true and liuing God How much more shall we be perswaded and euicted by euidence of faith and enlightned in our vnderstandings from God himselfe hold by him So hold all that beleeue The Apostle hauing caught hold heere will not loose his hold for any creature in Heauen or earth or life or death saying What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ and hauing summed vp all other good or euill that may be imagined concluded in the last verse that none of these shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in which is Iesus Christ. By this good see how fast holy Iob holdeth Though he slay me yet will I stay in him Thus doth the Spouse gripe her husband I tooke hold of him and left him not How fast did all the legions of Martyrs clutch and gripe this true God and Iesus Christ in banishment in bands prisons rackes in torments in drownings burnings in all cruell deaths while their skins were stript ouer their heads while their flesh was pulled off with fiery pinsers while their bodies were a grinding betweene the teeth of cruell beasts and this hold haue all that beleeue in God in the houre of death So then heere the foule of men cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue found I haue found I haue found This is that treasure which was hid from the world which when a man hath found For ioy thereof he holdeth it and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field For who taught the poore man to set so much by that treasure did not the selfe beauty and riches and worth thereof Who neede tell any man that Gold is Gold or a Pearle a Pearle such a treasure is the true God which being once found by knowledge will cause vs to e count all things as doung that we may gaine him I may shew this secondly by the euidence of the diuinity which rising as a Sunne to our vnderstanding in that instant that he is risen doth make day For which cause God is called the Father of light and is said to dwell in light Againe to be light it selfe which rising to the world by his sonne Iesus Christ lightneth euery man which commeth into the world so this knowledge what is it but Lumen vultus Dei the light of Gods face Our apprehension of this truth is to see light in Gods light which is as much as Saint Peter in other words The day-star rising in our heart Therefore as soone as I beleeue in Iesus Christ it is day and all that beleeue are called light of it selfe and children of the light How hatefull then to vs ought be the doctrines of them which seeke to obscure to vs this blessed day which say we drinke not because we drinke of the fountaine which denie that we see because we see by the Sunne which deny that we be in life because we hold by the head A third argument I draw from the manner of teaching of the holy Ghost which is our Teacher as shall be shewed in the last place of this knowledge of the Father and the Sonne and maketh euery Scholar perfect in this mistery in the twinckling of an eye Euerie man that hath learned this mistery is áocibilis Deo taught of God himselfe and there is
I am the Way the Truth and the Life Whom shall we beleeue of the Way but the way it selfe whom of the Truth but the truth Whom of Life but the life What then haue you done O deepe deceiuers and seducers which haue sought by all the Art and cunning of the Diuell to bring men out of this way to stop the road-way the high way to the kingdome of Heauen and to round and circle vs about by merits by freewill by traditions by reliques by Purgatory by faith implicite by questions of prayers for the dead Which for beleefe in GOD bring men to Romanam Catholicam for faith in Iesus Christ to Papa non potest errare the Pope cannot goe out of the way When Ennius sought his friend at his house and asked his seruant where his Master was the Master said to his seruant Tell him I am not at home which speech Ennius ouer-heard but tooke the answere from the seruant Next day the same man comes to Ennius his house and asked his seruant where his Master was Ennius spake aloud tell him I am not home What saith he will you deny your selfe with your owne tongue Why not said Ennius I beleeued when but your man tolde me you were not at home and will not you beleeue mee which say so my selfe The Ministers and seruants of Christ should shew Christ to all that seeke him but if there be any such as that seruant which denied his Masters presence when hee knew where hee was yet Christ is not like Ennius hee cannot denie himselfe Behold to those wicked trayterous Iewes when they sought him Whom seeke you Iesus of Nazareth I am he and will he denie himselfe to his friends This then is all wee require of you Beleeue Christ of Christ. When Zaccheus was too little and could not see Iesus he climed vp a tree but that wee may see him Christ hath climed the tree of the Crosse himselfe and there was lifted vp to draw vs to him If this be not enough hee hath mounted vp aboue the highest heauens to the right hand of the most high and mighty God Far aboue Angels and thrones and powers and principalities and euery name that is named Why then permute this one knowledge and faith in him for all knowledge all doubts all disputes all wisedome of men for heare what he saith this is eternall life to beleeue c. Thus wee are made to vnderstand not onely that the Scriptures are sufficient to saluation but that the Scriptures abound and more then abound to instruct our vnderstanding We reduce all the precepts of the law and whatsoeuer is else written in the Prophets to loue and all our knowledge is comprehended and endeth in the knowledge of Christ. This is the knowledge of the treasure so the Apostle saith of the knowledge of Christ In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge This is knowledge to the full For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily But he is full wee are empty no hee is our fulnesse Of his fulnesse we haue all receiued grace for grace For as loue is the fulnesse of the law so faith in Christ is the fulnesse of the heart That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith that you being rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth length depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that you may be filled with all fulnesse of God See what perfect Schollers the faith of Christ makes vs the head is the bodies fulnesse Christ is our head by whom wee holde by faith and we are his body and as S. Paul saith That God the Father of glory reade from the seauenteenth verse to the last hath appointed Christ ouer all things to be head of the Church which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all See how Christ is our fulnesse and how he counteth vs his fulnesse for the head cannot haue his fulnesse without the body Grow we vp in this head receiue we from him the fulnesse of the body till we meet altogether in the vnity of faith and knowledge of him For this faith as I haue shewed was sufficient for the thiefe to be assured to be in Paradise and to omit the rest for all the Martyrs in the primitiue Church to be euerlastingly with all honour recorded For there was neuer any piece of story nor point or pricke of letter recorded that euer yet was seene or to be found that any of those Martyrs in the primitiue Church shed their blood for any of those points or articles which are controuerted betweene vs and the Church of Rome either for Purgatory or Prayers for the dead or any other Sacraments or for infallibility of errour in the Pope or traditions or merits or free will or transubstantiation or whatsoeuer is disputed betweene vs but onely for this eternall life the confession of the Diuinitie and humanity of Iesus Christ. And to this Pope Leo bringeth testimonie in his sixe and twentith Epistle to Theodosius Augustus which liued neere about the fiue hundreth yeere after Christ his words are these Prae â—…culis hâ—… et tota acie mentis aspicite 〈◊〉 Petri gloriâ—… et commâ—… cum ipso oâ—…ium Apostolorum coronaâ—… câ—…ctorumque maâ—…tyum palmas quâ—…bus alia non fuit â—…ausa patiendi nisi confessio verae diuinitatis et humanitatis in Christo. Haue before your eyes and consider with all the sight of your minde the glory of blessed Peter and the crownes of all the Apostles and the palmes of all the Martyrs which had no other cause of suffering but the confession of the true Diuinitie and humanity in Christ. Happy were you O blessed Martyrs to whom it sufficed both for temporall death and life and glory eternall to confesse Iesus Christ to be the Sonne of the true and liuing GOD you had no torment but of your body you kept your faith vndaunted and vnshaken and so yeelded your blessed spirits to GOD. It is not allowed for sufficient for vs to beleeue in God to confesse Iesus Christ and to cleaue to him is to vs imputed for heresie wee are counted separated from the body because we hold by the head and traps and snares are laid for vs in the word and Sacraments in our faith in iustification Wee are tortured with wrests and wrenches of disputations we are martyred in our mindes and consciences and may iusâ—…ly complaine that of the Apostle For this are wee reiected and persecuted because wee trust in the liuing God For this being Christians wee are persecuted by Christians If all the tyrants in the world did seeke our bloud we would kisse death being of the Church our owne fellowes kill vs and hauing suffered the same things for the same cause in which the first holy Martyrs suffered we are
and learne to examine and iudge and condemne your selues What then Either doe those things which you haue beleeued or else confesse against your selues that you haue not beleeued at all For Christ is the end of our faith which is the beginning of a godly life We that haue heard Christ preached are beyond hearing and are come to doing This then remayneth Loue one another frequent diuine Prayers visite the sicke releeue the poore receive the Sacraments auoid contentions lay aside idle questions haue peace and concord one with another giue glory to God It is not hard to know what to doe but to doe what we know Wee may learne that in one Sermon which all our life is not enough to put in practise They which gathered Manna aboue their measure which was an Homer full it stanke and turned to wormes This doth our lusting and greedinesse of knowledge vvhen our measure is full and vvee are not content breede Schismes and factions and make vs stinck one in anothers nosthrils VVhy doest thouseeke far Why search for hidden thinges this one Homer full I beleeue in God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ is able to sustaine thy soule to eternall life In this thou hast the substance sweetnesse of all whatsoeuer lyeth eyther hidden or scattred in the volume of the Scriptures The whole Scrptures are Manna but that which feedeth my soule to life eternall is this faith in Christ As then he that had filled his Homer full had beene ridiculously absurd to thinke he should want because he saw so much lye scattered in the mountaynes and in the plaine fields so should we be dangerously deceiued if we should not thinke that the knowledge of God the Father and his Sonne were sufficient for vs to eternall life because there are so many things contayned in the holy writ which our vnderstandings haue not gathered This was Saint Peters Homerfull Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God This was Saint Paul his Homer full I esteemed to know nothing but Christ and him crucified This measure they delt to all that beleeued Wee preach Christ. Then let vs not onely take our sufficient sustenance from this liuing bread which descended downe from Heauen and which cryeth in all our eares This is the will of the father that he that beleeueth in mee should haue euerlasting life but let vs take out of this word euen our compleat armour and learne to fight with this sword against all our enemies all our euils and the gates of hell and the Diuell If your aduersaries deny you to be of the true Church and will seeke to examine your hold say you hold in Capite in Fee by fayth in Iesus Christ you hold by the head and whosoeuer holds by the head is a true member of Christ his body If they obiect but the Church is built vpon an hill confesse it and shew them the hill the diuinitie of Iesus Christ that hill of Peters Tu es Christus This hill heere haec est vita aeterna Why hop you so high O ye hils This is Gods hill this hill is Iesus Christ himselfe which is God and God is not onely a Rocke and an high Hill to those that serue him but they that trust in him shall be rockes themselues and high and stedfast as mountaynes as Saint Peter was If they will offer to make your faith void by vrging their succession of Popes and Priests as if your Ministers had beene at a fault in their succession and ordination or if home aduersaries as Familists or Brownists or Barrowists vrge and prâ—…sse your Ministers as not lawfully called answere these hence The Scripture is not carefull to answere in this poynt it is the succession of true doctrine which concerneth vs not of men for God will not haue our life in him depend vpon a quirke or misse in mens callings but on faith in Christ. Of this I am seased and am interessed in life eternall I will no more dispute of the meanes to it then I will of my faith did they which preached Christ to mee preach of pride or enuy or contention or gaine this is my sure gaine Christ is preached of this I am assured No man can say Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost As true as I beleeue this Article so truly I know God the Father in heauen was my teacher This I know Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God in him God dwelleth of this I am assured Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus Christ is borne of God This record all the diuels in hell shall neuer ouerthrow o God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne and he that hath the sonne hath life This is a serious poynt to haue life eternall to haue God my teacher to haue God dwell in mee to be borne of God vpon this will I build I will not tamper about successions Farther if as now it is vsuall with too many any seeke to seduce you or trouble your faith with questions of Canons or Church-order or Discipline or such like say that you had rather build straw and stubble vpon the foundation then set the foundation vpon straw and stubble In these words is the foundation the ground it selfe of all true Religion we will not tamper about reparations or couerings this is the body it selfe I fight not for the shadow Heere is the compleat armour of a Christian I will not passe how it be guilded or enamelled Finally in trouble in sorrow in sicknesse in persecution in prison in danger by Sea in danger by Land in feare against height against depth and whatsoeuer may seeme to shake our faith or wound our conscience or discomfort our spirit hold we vp this confession that our Sauiour Iesus Christ is God and man Let vs say to Death it selfe this is life eternall to Satan this is the onely true and liuing God to Sinne this is Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God oppose wee to hell and hell gates this faith in Iesus Christ which hath opened to vs Heauen and Heauen gates To whom with God the Father and God the I holy Ghost three persons and one God be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory now and for euer Amen FINIS a 〈◊〉 4. 1. b Iohn 6. 〈◊〉 â—…at 4. 4. c Iohn 6 〈◊〉 d Cor. 2. 4. Hom 〈◊〉 in Mâ—… a Mat. 21. 〈◊〉 b Mat. 9. 36. c Luk. 13. 37. d Esa. 63. 3. e Ier. 8. 8. f Psa. 〈◊〉 6. g Nom. 25. 1â—… h Eâ—… 7. 1â—… i Mat. 3. 14. k Pro. 26. 10. * Gen. 37. 22. l Gen. 39. m 2 Sam. 16. 4. n 2 Sam. 14. 20. o 1 Sam. 28. Aeneid 7. p Rom. 12. 24. a Luke 23. 5. b Luke 2â—… 13. c Eccles. 7. 1â—… d Math. 5. 44. a Rom. 3. 15. b Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Psal. 57. 4. b Prou. 25. 18.
his owne honour What hadst thou lost Abraham if thou hadst not lost Izhak how vnmercifull hadst thou beene if thou hadst beene mercifull The World had lost an Example we had lost our lesson the Faithfull had lost a father and God a sonne Wee see now how well it is said of Samuell Toobey is better than Sacrifice For Abrahams sacrifice God refused and accepted his obedience and to his obedience sealeth the Couenant True for a wicked man may offer sacrifice none can obey but the good He that sacrificeth offereth the bloud of Bulls and Goates hee that obeyeth maketh a sacrifice of his owne heart we see Obedience is no dtsputant no framer of Excuses For if the Captaine command the Souldier a piece of seruice Must hee tell him why Is it not enough for the Centurion to say to his Seruant Doe this and hee doth it Must the Subiect obey his Prince in nothing but when he is of his counsell But if with men it were so yet with God it may not so be of whom it is sufficient for vs to but know that wee are commanded to obey whatsoeuer his will and pleasure is For this reasoning with the Commandement cast our father Adam out of Paradise it threw Saul downe from the kingdome and had Abraham done the like had he not when he saw the Commandement euen contrary to Nature and Reason suffered the Commander to be wise and dispute for him hee had ouerthrowne his Faith It was judiciously said by a wise man of latter dayes that if hee were enioyned by his superiours to put forth into the Sea in a ship which had neyther maste nor tackling nor any furniture or prouision he would doe it And being asked what wisedome were that Sir answered The wisedome must be in him that hath power to command not in him which is bound to obey How farre are we from such obedience which hauing expresse commandement in Gods word doe ouerthrow all with our worldly wisedome and the reason of our flesh How likely is it that we will offer to God Izhak our joy which will not sacrifice the Ramme that is mortifie our sinfull lusts and the desires of our flesh We forfeit our obediences to God in cheape almes and costlesse praiers and sweet loues and wholesome dueties Wee serue him neyther in deede nor word nor substance nor shew of holinesse but hauing broken all the bands of our obedience to God doe not onely not offer to God but daily take from him fayning and counterfeiting new wayes of ease and liberty to serue God in such as sound pleasing to the eares of our flesh if God enjoyne any thing which crosseth our appoyntments with the world wee slide backe and shake off the Word like the Capernaits saying Durus est hic sermo this is an hard saying who can bide it How farre then is our life differing from the liues of all Gods Saints which serued him in wants in afflictions in fasting in being tempted in continuall exercise and triall of their Faith Their scope was obedience ours skill their indeauour was onely reformation of their life our vertue nothing but hearing they in the practise of their Religion wearied chiefly their knees and their hands wee our eares and our tongues We are growne as in many things else to a kinde of intemperancy which onely Sermons exexcepted hath put all other duties of religion out of course Well we must know that our duty to God consisteth not onely in hearing these This is required of vs all to be followers of the faith of our Father Abraham if not in actuall renouncing all that we haue yet in a will ready and prepared thereto as often as it shall please GOD to put vs to the triall Let vs then see how a mind deuoted and consecrated to the seruice of God may put I will not say all lesser temptations but euen this tryall which was laid on Abraham himselfe to flight First who doth aske this the great God of Heauen the Diuine Maiesty Is not this an vnspeakable mercy and vouchsafing shewed to me that he will aske of me any thing Againe who requireth this of me He indeed which first gaue me that which now he asketh from me See how louingly God dealeth with me he willeth me to giue it and I doe nothing but repay it for I haue nothing but what I first receaued from God no not my onely Sonne But of whom doth he aske him Of me his most vnworthy seruant Whatsoeuer I haue is vnworthy and too little for him not my Sonne onely but my heart Nay but why he doth demand him not to take away my Sonne which I onely loue but to giue me many moe He will recompense my little sorrow of forsaking him with a doubled and trebbled ioy of receauing him againe Thus I loose a little comfort in Izhak to finde a greater in God And doth not God daily offer to me He offereth me Land Gold Siluer Sheepe Camels Oxen he offereth me Grace he offreth me Life he offereth me Himselfe shall I giue him nothing backe againe But Abraham is now old and striken in yeares So much fitter to sacrifice a Sonne which hath made so continuall a sacrifice of himselfe But he must substitute his Sonne to die in the place of a Beast We are neuer more glorious and honorable then when we make ourselues vile before God This was Dauids case when Michol despised him in her heart for vilenesse like a Foole. It was before the Lord and I will be yet more vile then thus But God may make choyse of many more sacrifices The beasts of the field are his and the cattle of a thousand Mountaines And is not my Sonne his and might not he take him away without asking But this is contrary to Nature and Fatherly affection But Abraham had learned that Gospell Whoseeuer loueth Sonne or Daughter more then Me is not worthy of Me. But my Sonne is innocent So much the fitter to be sacrificed to God and to beare the type of his Sonne CHRIST What then is the report of men or the racke of three daies iourny or the making to my selfe a ruthful spectacle or the sprinkling of his bloud but a farther meanes to engraue and record my obedience to God Thus we see the tentation is avoyded by obedience and recompensed with comfort vnspeakable Whereas all these griefes which did rent and wound Abrahams heart were sent to open and enlarge his breast and make more roome for ioy in his heart And this maketh for our consolation that now at last the Law of God may enter into our hearts and mealt and dissolue our bowels into tendernesse and compassion seeing the same God which spared our Sonne I meane Izhak when he was to be offered to him when his onely begotten sonne IESVS CHRIST in whom he was well pleased was to be offred for vs spared him not but