all that is therein euermore willing to fight in this quarrell The red sea did ouerwhelme proud Pharaoh and all his host euen all his horses his chariots and horsemen Anno 1588. the sea and fish in the sea fought against the superstitious Spaniard enemy to God and his true religion a wonderfull worke which ought to be had in perpetuall remembrance I say wind and water ouercame that inuincible army prepared for our destruction in such sort that the popish Relator heâ—reof confessed ingenuously that God in that sea-fight shewed himselfe a very Lutheran and meere Protestant The floods and inundations which happened in diuers parts of this kingdome within these few yeeres here should not be passed ouer with dry eyes If the Lord had not according to his infinite greatnes and goodnesse fettered the waters of our seas as Xerxes did the waters of Hellespontus If God had not gathered the waters together on an heape and laid them vp in the deepe as in a treasure house Psalme 33.7 If hee had not spoken to the flood IIitherto sâ—â—lt thou goe but no further and here shall it stay thy proud waues assuredly there had followed a great doomesday to this Iland The waters saw thee O Lâ—rd the waters saw thee and were afraid Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things and blâ—ssed be the nâ—me of his Maiesty for euer and let all the people 〈◊〉 Amen Amen I passe to the shore to drie land which opened and swallowed vp quicke Corâ—â—h Dathâ—n and Abâ—ram In this one Prouince are sundrie rankes of fighting souldiers armies oâ— fell dragons of hissing serpents of roring lions of deuouring wolues of other wilde beasts in the forrest and cattell vpon a thousand hils all which named and all other not named are readie with force and furie to crush the wicked and at Gods alarum to breake them in pecces like a potters vessell Euen the least of these creatures is strong enough if God set them to fight an host of frogges an armie of grashoppers a swarme of flyes able to dismay Pharao and all his people a few rats troubled all the citizens of Hamel a few wormes deuoured Herod a little gnat choked a great man yea the greatest monarch in his own conceit Adriâ—n the Pope The very senselesse creatures haue sense and feeling of the wrong done to God In Siloam as we reade in the Gospell a tower fell vpon eighteene pâ—rsons and slew them In Rome fiftie thousand men were hurt and slaine with the fall of a Theater as they were beholding the games of the Sword-players Anno 25. Reg. Elizâ—b the scaffold about Parisgarden vpon a Sunday in the afternoone fell downe which instantly killed eight persons and hurt many moe A faire warning to such as profane the Sabbath and delight more in the crueltie of beasts then in the workes of mercie which are exercises of the Lords day The time will not suffer me to name much lesse to mufter all the rest of Gods warâ—iers on earth I will only remember one whom I thinke you feare most namely the plague fitly called by the Canonists bellum Dei contra homâ—es the warre of God against men and by the Scripture the sword of God and arâ—oâ—r of his anger In the yeere 1006 there was such an vniuersall plague thoroughout the whole world that the liuing were not able to burie the dead as Sigisbertus and other report Anno 1342. there was in Venice such a pestilence that the hundreth person was scarsly lâ—ft aliue insomuch that the State made a law that whosoeuer would come and dwell at Venice two yeeres he should instantly be made free About the yeâ—re 1522. there died of the plague in Millaine fiftie thousand within the space of foure moneths In Norwich from the first of Ianuarie to the first of Iuly 57104. In Yarthmouth within the space of one yeâ—re 7052. In London and the liberties thereof from the 23. of December 1602. vnto the 22. of December 1603. there died of all diseases as was accounted weekely 38244. whereof of the plague 30578. and from that time to this day the Citie not yet free This last yeere past as appeares in your own bils there died 2262. Lay this heauie iudgement to your heart heare this proclamation againe and againe There is no peace to the wicked As the stones of the field are in league with the righteous and the beasts at peace with the godly they may dwell safe in the wildernes and sleepe in the woods Ezech. 34.25 so contrariwise the stone shall crie â—ut of the wall and the beame out of the timber against the wicked Habacuk 2.11 Their sinne begets their sorrow their faults increase their foes euen their tables are made snares and their iâ—orie beds accusâ—rs and their seeled houses witnesses against them all things which were giuen for blessings are become curses vnto them and that which is most strange beside these two great bands of souldiers one common in earth another select in heauen there is yet a third of rebels euen of the very diuels in hell for albeit they be reserued in euerlasting chaines vntill the iudgement of the great day yet God infinite in his power and wisedome who brings light out of darknesse doth make good vse of these bad instâ—uments It is said in the first of Sam. chap. 16. that the euill spirit of the Lord vexed Saul it was Gods spirit which came vpon Dauid but it was a malignant spirit which was on Saul and yet this spirit is called sâ—â—riâ—us Domini the spirit of the Lord because the Lord sent that euill spirit and suffered it to torment Saul as Augustine and Lombard haue well expounded that place So likewise wâ—e reade in the Gospell that the foule spirits made some dâ—ase some dumbe casting one into the water another into the fire all which actions as they were actions proceeded from God for the Scripture tels vs plainly there is no power but of God Happily some will say the diuels assault the good so well as the bad We wrestle saith Paul against principalities against powers against the prince of darknes for Satan goes about like a roring lion seeking whom he may deuoure Answere is made that God suffers Satan to tempt his children onely to trie them but suffers him to tempt the reprobate so farre as to destroy them the temptations of the good are instruction of the bad destruction vtter ruine of bodie and soule In what a miserable case then is euery wretch irrepentant drawing iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart-ropes heaping vp wrath against the day of wrath For the number of his enemies is without number the number of the blessed Saints is innumerable Apocalyp 7.9 After these things I beheld and loe a great multitude which no
been in effect As Paul sheweth in the like case For if there bee first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Illud pro facto reputat Deus quod homo quidem verè voluit sed non valuit adimplere 3. We must pay generally owe nothing to any whether he be friend or foe rich or poore stranger or neighbour restore all to all If any man corrupting or corrupted in secular offices hath iuiured many whom he doth not know then his best course is to restore to God that is to the Church and to the poore Touching these and the like questions of debt the learned may further examine Thomas Catetan Aragon Emmanuel Sa. with many moe but the best Schooleman in this argument is thine owne conscience For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne That is all thou condemnest in thine heart for sinne to thee is sinne satisfie then all other so far that thou maiest satisfie thy selfe owe nothing to any Yet this precept hath his except But this that yee loue one another here then obserue first a difference between ciuill debts and religious A ciuill debt once paied is no more due but charitie being payed is still due debetur etiam reddita when a man dischargeth other debts accedit ad eum cui datur sed ab eo recedit a quo datur But in paying the debt of loue the more we giue the more wee haue Reddendo multiplicatur habendo enim redditur non carendo cum reddi non possit nisi habeatur nec haberi potest nisi reddatur Imò etiam cum redditur ab homine crescit in homine Et tanto maior acquiritur quanto pluribus redditur As Augustine doth excellentlie glosse this text peruse the cited Epistle for it is short and sweet of worldly wealth it may be said truely bonum quo communius eo minus but in spirituall riches it is quite contrarie honum quô communius eô maâ—us or as the Philosopher eo melius in the words of Salomon He that scattereth encreaseth in this except then I note with Gorran The Matter in the word diligatis The Manner in the word inuicem The Priuiledge in the word nisi The matter is to loue the manner mutually to loue the priuiledge continually to loue Owe nothing but loue for hee that loueth another fulfilleth the law This is the first reason enforcing the former exhortation and it is taken from the worthinesse of the thing Loue is the fulfilling of all the law which he prooues by this induction Thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not lust and if there be any other Commandement it is all comprehended in this saying namely Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Loue doth no euill vnto his neighbour in deed forbidden in the 6.7.8 Commaundements in word forbidden in the 9. in thought forbidden in the 10. Loue then is the complement of the whole law concerning our dutie to God and man For our loue to man ariseth originally from our loue to God Amicum in Domino inimicum pro Domino We loue our friend in the Lord our foe for the Lord. This saith Luther is the shortest and longest diuinitie the shortest as touching the words and sentence but as touching the vse and practise it is more large more long more profound and more high than the whole world I shall often handle this common place especially Epistle on Quinquagesima Sunday I come now to the second argument from the fitnesse of the time verse 11. This also we know the season how that it is time that we should awake out of sleepe for now is our saluation neerer c. The summe of it is that wee must be more studious in performing our dutie now than heretoforeÌ„ when wee did first beleeue for wee must goe forward and grow vpward from grace to grace from vertue to vertue till we be of full growth in Christ Iesus or as it is here till we haue Put on the Lord Iesus A violent motion is quicke in the beginning but slow in the end a stone cast vpward is then most weake when it is most high but a naturall motion is slow in the beginning but quicker in the end for if a man from a Tower cast a stone downeward the neerer to the Center the quicker is the motion and therefore when a man at his first conuersion is exceeding quicke but afterward waxeth euery day slower and slower in the waies of the Lord his motion is not naturall and kinde but forged and forced otherwise the longer he liueth and the neerer he comes to the marke the more swiftly would he run the more vehemently contend for that euerlasting Crowne which he shall obtaine at his races end The night is passed and the day is come Some by night vnderstand the life present and by day the world to come in this life many things are hidden as in the darke but at the last and dreadfull day the bookes and registers of all our actions shall bee laid open and all things appeare naked as they are to God men angels diuels If we make but twelue houres in our night and sixe ages in the world as vsually Diuines account then fiue thousand yeeres that is ten houres of the night were past when Paul wrote this and since that almost sixteene hundred yeeres that is an houre and an halfe and a quarter so that now there can remaine but some few minutes and then the terrible day of the Lord will come When the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Wherefore seeing the end of this night and beginning of that day is at hand let vs cast away the works of darknesse c. Other more fitly by night vnderstand the time of ignorance by day the time of knowledge by night the law wherein our Sauiour Christ was onely shadowed by day the Gospell wherein he is openly shewed and so saluation is nearer because clearer Our Apostles argument then is like that of Iohn the Baptist Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Matth. 3.2 The Gospell is the day Christ is the light faith is the eie which apprehends this light and therefore seeing the day is come let vs cast away the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light Sinnes are called the workes of darkenesse The foole maketh a mocke of sinne as Abner called fighting a sport Let the young men arise and play before vs so many men make sin their ordinarie pastime but our Apostle termes it a work and the wiseman a wearie work too Wis. 5.7 We haue wearied
He is stiled elsewhere the Lord of hosts and therefore all creatures as his warriours are ready pressed to reuenge his quarrels and to fight his battels His souldiers against the wicked are either celestiall or terrestriall all the Creatures in heauen and on earth In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Gen. 1. and all that therein is Exod. 20. And in this acception according to the Bible which is a lantern vnto our feet and a guide vnto our paths I finde three heauens as Paul saith he was taken vp into the third heauen the 1. Airy 2. Starry 3. Glorious Airy heauen is all the space from vs vnto the firmament so the birds which flie betweene vs and the starres are called in holy writ the fowles of heauen In this heauen are meteors haile wind raine snow thunder lightening all which are at Gods absolute command to serue such as serue him and to fight against them that fight against him As when the wicked old world was filled with cruelty The windowes of heauen were opened and the raine was vpon the earth forty daies and forty nights insomuch that this one souldier of the Lord destroied all his enemies euery thing that was vpon the earth from man to beast onely Noah Gods holy seruant remained and they that were with him in the Arke whom the raine did not hurt but rather helpe for the deeper the flood the safer the ship the water had peace with Noah and his company but open warre with all the rest of that old world So likewise the Lord out of heauen rained fire and brimstone vpon the Sodomites and hailestones out of heauen vpon the cursed Amorites at Bethoron and they were moe saith the text that died with the haile then they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword But what need we looke so far the great wind this yeere the great frost the last yeere sensibly demonstrate this point What a wracke on the sâ—a what a worke on the earth occasioned by the one what a dearth and so by consequence what a death ensued vpon the other If God cast forth his ice like morsels who is able to abide his frost Psal. 147.17 To step higher the second heauen is the firmament coelum quasi coelatum because it is ingrauen as it were enameled with glorious lights as Moses in the first of Genesis God made two great lights the greater to rule the day the lesser to gouerne the night he made also the stars and placed them in the firmament of heauen Now this heauen declares the glory of God and the firmament shewes his handy worke though they want vnderstanding and are dumbe yet they trumpet forth his worthy praises in such sort that there is neither speech nor language but their voice is heard among them And as they speake for God as schollers so they fight also for God as souldiers for the starres in their course fought against Sisera Iosua 5.20 and when Duke Iosua fought against the wicked Amorites he said in the sight of Israel Sunne stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon and the Sunne abode and the Moone stood still vntill the people of God auenged themselues vpon their enemies the Sunne abode and hasted not to goe downe for a whole day Iosua 10.13 O Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in all the world When I consider the heauens euen the works of thy hands the Sun and the Moone which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the son of man that thou shouldst thus regard and gard him The third heauen is called by Philosophers empyreum by Diuines the glorious heauen by scriptures heauen of heauens or heauen aboue the visible heauens In this heauen Almighty God hath two sorts of tall wariours Angels Saints Angels are heauenly souldiers ministring spirits of God instruments of his mercy toward the good executioners of his iudgements vpon the bad When Iosua was about to sacke Iericho an Angel appeared vnto him as a Captaine with a drawne sword to fight for his people When Zenacherib and his innumerous host came against Israel the Angel of the Lord in one night slew one hundred eighty and fiue thousand 2. Kings 19. The first borne of Egypt slaine by an Angell Exod. 12. blasphemous Herod smitten with an Angell Acts 12.23 To conclude this argument Angels at the last and dreadfull day shall binde the tares that is make fagots of the wicked and cast them into hell fire As they pitch their tents about Gods elect being the Saints guard and nurses as it were to carry them in their armes lest at any time they hurt their foot against a stone so contrariwise speedy messengers and Ministers of Gods anger vnto the reprobate Now for Saints albeit they be milites emeriti as the Romans speake souldiers discharged the field past fighting past sighing for all teares are wiped from their eies euen so saith the spirit they rest from their labours and their good works follow them Apocalyp 14.13 Theâ— be past warfare and now liue in eternall welfare crowned as conquerors in heauen where there is neither militia nor malitâ—a Though I say their fight be ended and they rewarded with an immortall crowne of glory yet for as much as there is a communion of Saints a fellowship betweene the triumphant Saints in heauen and the militant Saints on earth the blessed soules departed and deliuered out of the miseries of this sinfull world howsoeuer they be secure for themselues yet are they carefull for vs as our Churches in their Harmonie speake de foelicitate suà securi de nostrà salute soliciti they wish well vnto vs and pray still for vs in generall albeit they know not our wants in particular Howsoeuer they fight not any longer against Gods enemies with pen or pike with paper or powder yet they continually fight against them with push of praier as Saint Iohn expresly The soules of them that were killed for the word cried with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true dost not thou iudge and reueâ—ge our blood on them that dwell on the â—arth Albeit they contend not with earthly weapons yet they maintaine Gods quarrell with heauenly wishes in generall against Satan and his kingdome out of zeale and heat to Gods cause not out of any spleene or hate to any of the wicked in particular I dare not say so for wheâ—e the spirit hath not a pen to write the Pastor must not haue a tongue to speake not the people an eare to heare but that the blessed soules in heauen pray for vs against our enemies in generall is an article of faith and an euident truth of the Bible I come from Gods selected band in heauen to the common band the host of his creatures on earth the which containes both sea and land and
first we must beleeue Christ to be that Iesus vers 11. that great Prophet who is the Messias and Sauiour of the world For the second wee must professe and confesse this faith hauing Hosanna in our mouthes and crying Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest vers 9. For the third we must spread our garments in the way cut downe branches from the trees and straw them in the passage vers 8. that is forsake all and follow Christ profering and offering our selues whollie to his seruice or as the Epistle doth expound the Gospell seeing our saluation is neere the night past and the day come let vs cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light c. I am occasioned here iustly to direct their ignorance who do not vnderstand and correct their obstinacie who will not vnderstand the wisdome of the Church so fitly disposing of the Gospels and Epistles as that often the one may serue for a Commentary to the other As heere S. Matth. Behold thy King commeth And S. Paul Our saluation is nigh and the day is come S. Paul doth aduise not to make prouision for the flesh and S. Matthew reports how the people accompanying Christ spread their garments in the way S. Paul commands loue in all men S. Matthew commends loue in these men who gaue such entertainment vnto Christ. The whole Gospell is a liuely picture of the Church in which are foure sorts of persons especially 1. Christ who is King and head verse 5. and 12. 2. Prophets who loose men from their sinnes and bring them vnto Christ verse 2. and 7. 3. Auditors who beleeue that Christ is the Messias openly professing this faith Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid vers 9. and manifesting this faith also by their works in obeying the Ministers of Christ verse 3. and performing the best seruice they can verse 8. 4. Aduersaries who much enuy Christs kingdome saying Who is this verse 10. Concerning Christs seueritie toward those who played the Merchants in the Temple See Gospell Dom. 10. post Trinit Epist. ROM 15.4 Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime they are written for our learning c. THis Scripture containes in it three things concerning the Scripture What it is written Shewing the Scriptures authority When aforetime Shewing the Scriptures antiquity Why for our learning Shewing the Scriptures vtility For the first things only told passing thorough many mouthes are easily mistold it is long ere we get them and we soone forget them Almighty God therefore commanded that his Law should be written in bookes and engrauen in stone that the syllables thereof might alway be in our eyes so well as the sound in our eares and that for two causes especially 1. That the godly man might exercise himselfe therein day and night 2. That the wicked might neither adde to it nor detract from it In like maner albeit the sound of the thundring Apostles went out thorough all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world yet the Spirit of wisedome thought it meete that there should be a treatise written of all that Christ did and said and that from point to point entituled The Booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. The Scripture then is a Bible because written and the Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many respects excelling all other bookes especially for the maker and matter in so much that S. Paul saith If an Angell from heauen preach otherwise let him be accursed And Iustin Martyr goes yet further If Christ himselfe should preach another God or another Gospell I would not beleeue him Ipse non crederem Domino Iesu. This doctrine makes against vnwritten verities of Papists and fond reuelations of Anabaptists and factious interpretations of Schismatikes and impudent conceits of Libertines all which equall their owne phantasies with the Scriptures authority The Papists and Schismaticks are all for a speaking Scripture the Libertines and Anabaptists are all for an infused scripture the true Catholicks only for the written scripture to the Law and to the Testimony Thy word is a lanterne vnto my feet and a light vnto my paths The second point to be considered is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scriptures written aforetime being the first booke so well as the best booke for as Tertullian was wont to call Praxeas hesternum Praxean so we may terme the most ancient Poets and Philosophers in comparison of Moyses vpstart writers Omnia Graecorum sunt nâ—ua heri As Galaton painted Homer vomiting Reliquos verò poetas ea quae ipse euomuisset haurientes to signifie saith Aelian that he was the first Poet and all other as well Greeke as Latine but his apes In like maner Moyses is called by Theodoret Oceanus theologiae the sea of Diuinitie from whom all other writers as riuers are deriued The which point as it is excellentlie confirmed by Theodoret Clemens Iosephus and others so it is ingeniously confessed euen by the heathen Historiographers Eupolemus lib. de Iudaeaâ— regibus auoweth Moyses to be the first wise man Plato that a barbarous Egyptian was the first inuentor of Arts Appion Ptolomey Palaemon haue granted the same and vpon the point Strabo Plinie Cornelius Tacitus and others as â—icinus reports lib. de religione Christiana cap. 26. To demonstrate this more particularly The Troian war is the most ancient subiect of human history but Trâ—y was taken in the dayes of Dauid about the yeare of the world 2788. and Homer flourished anno 3000. whereas Moyses was borne anno 2373. Secondly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confutes the Marcionites and Manichees and all such as reiect the old Testament For the place to which the text hath reference is taken out of the 69. Psalme verse 9 that the scriptures of Moses and the Prophets are written for our instruction It is plain by Christs iniunctioÌ„ Search the Scriptures as also by that of our Apostle 1. Cor. 10. These things happened vnto them for ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come If all little histories then much more the great mysteries are our scholemasters vnto Christ Let vs examine therefore the third obseruable point concerning the Scriptures vtilitie Whatsoeuer things are written afore time they are written for our learning The Scripture saith Paul is the peoples instruction the Scripture say the Papists in the vulgar tongue is the peoples destruction The Scripture saith Paul doth make the man of God absolute the Scripture say the Papists in a knowne language makes men hereticall and dissolute but the Bible makes men heretikes as the Sunne makes men blinde and therefore Wickliffe truly To condemne the word of God translated in any language for heresie is to make God
to wit the Vncertaintie Of Christs second comming The certaintie that he shall come the vncertaintie when he shall come The certaintie is declared heere by Words Affirmed barely vers 27. They shall see the Son of man come in a cloud c. Enforced with an asseueratioÌ„ verse 22. Verily I say vnto you c. adding further a pereÌ„ptory conclusion vers 33. Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away Wonders vers 27. There shall be signes c. The words are spoken by Christ as it is apparent vers 8. Now Christ is truth Ergo this prophesie cannot be false That which hee foretold touching Hierusalem in this Chapter is in euery particular come to passe why then should this prophesie be thought vntrue concerning the worlds destruction when as that other was true concerning Hierusalems desolation Zachary foretold that the Messias in his first comming should in meekenesse ride vpon an asse and as S. Matthew reports all that was done behold here a greater than Zachary tels vs that the Messias in his second comming shall ride vpon the clouds and shall we doubt of his word who is that eternall Word shall wee beleeue Zachary who was but one of the small Prophets and shal we distrust him who is that great Prophet Ioh. 6.14 But because men will not beleeue him vpon his bare word who made all the world with his word Psal. 33.9 He spake and it was done he doth vse an oth and earnest asseueration in the 32. verse Verily I say vnto you c. Because there is none grâ—ater then â—imselfe he doth sweare by himselfe Truth doth protâ—st by Truth This generation shall not passe till all be fulfilled The word generation hath perplexed as well old as new writers exceedingly Sometime generation in scripture signifieth an age As one generation passeth and another commeth and the truth of the Lord endureth from generation to generation that is euer from age to age Now generation in this acception is 100. yeares So Nestor is said to liue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three ages that is three hundred yeares and therefore some Diuines haue referred this vnto the destruction of Hierusalem only which happened within an hundred yeares after this prophesie so learned Erasmus and Beza construe the place both of them interpreting the word aetas and the translators of Geneua following them in our lesser English Bible This age shall not passe but as well the translation as obseruation is defectiue because Christ saith here This generation shall not passe till all these things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only those which concerne the desolation of Hierusalem but all those likewise which concerne the worlds end Other by this generation vnderstand the nation of the Iewes as Luke 17.25 The sonne of man must be reproued of this generation and Math. 23.36 All these things shall come vpon this generation that is this nation S. Hierom by generation vnderstands all mankinde as if Christ should say the generation of men shall continue till all be fulfilled and then in fine they shall acknowledge that I spake the truth Chrysostome Theophylact Euthymius expound this of that generation onely which seeke God of Gods elect and faithfull people as if Christ should speake thus Albeit there be signes in heauen and troubles on earth yet hell gates shall not preuaile against the Church I am with you alway saith Christ vntill the end of the world The generation of such as beleeue in me shall not passe till all this be fulfilled and therefore let none of my followers be discouraged but rather lift vp their heads in that their redemption is so neere This exposition I take to be both pertinent and profitable because Christ in this Chapter had foretold that his Disciples should be persecuted and brought before Kings and Princes for prosessing his Gospell verse 12. Yet this generation shall not passe but there shall be a Church alway to confesse the faith in despight of the Diuell The Church one day shall passe too but not till these things be done then in the end it shall inherit a better possession in Gods owne kingdome without end Other by generation vndâ—rstand all that time betweene Christs first comming and his last for the whole world being diuided into three generations a time before the law a time vnder the Law a time after the Law the time of the Gospell is Hora nouissima the last houre 1. Epist. Iohn 2.18 and We are they vpon whom the ends of the world are come 1. Cor. 10.11 so that ye shall not looke for another Gospell or another change for the preaching of this Gospell and the world shall end together Other by generation vnderstand not only the Iewes or the Christians or all men only but the whole vniuersall world termed elsewhere the Creature This generation that is this world in which all things are generated shall not end till these signes forerunners of it ruine shall come to passe So Christ interprets himselfe in the verse following Heauen and earth shall passe but my words shall not passe aâ—ay That is howsoeuer the earth be moueable and the powers of heauen shake though both wax old as doth a garment and all things in them are subiect to mutation and change yet Christ is yesterday and to day the same also for euer so that if you will credit Christ either vpon your owne reason and experience or vpon his word and oath beleeue this also that he shall come riding on the clouds with great power and glory to iudge both the quick and the dead Secondly Christs comming to iudgement is shewed heere by wonders in heauen in earth and in the sea which shall be like harbingers of that dreadfull and terrible day There shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Mâ—one and in the earth the people shall be at their wits end through despaire the sea and the water shall rore c. Euery man is desirous to buy the Kalender that at the beginning of the yeare he may know what will happen in the end Merchants and Husbandmen especially that they may see this yeare what dearth or death or other accidents are likely to ensue the next yeare Behold then here Christs Prognostication foretelling by signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres what shall come to passe in the end of our yeares as also what shall betide vs in the new yeare the world to come The Mathematicians of the world neuer mentioned or dreamed of an vniuersall eclipse of the Sunne and Moone together only Christs Almanacke reports this I purpose not in particular to discusse any curious question but only to note in generall that these wonders in heauen and extraordinarie troubles on earth are manifest forerunners of the worlds ruine that as we know Summer is neere when the trees bud so when
tombes as Christ aptly Sepulchra quasi semipulchra exteriùs nitida interius foetida Before God but not before men as the male-content and vndiscreet professor by whose euill example the name of God is often blasphemed Neither before God nor men as the shamelesse ruffins and Atheists of the world whose glory is their shame delighting in doing euill and boasting of iniquitie reputing dishonestie no dishonour but the top of their gallantrie So Saint Augustine writes of himself before he was a saint Vbi non suberat quô admisso aequarer perditis fingebam me fecisse quod non feceram ne viderer abiector quô eram innocentior Both before God and men as Elizabeth and Zaâ—harie who were iust before God and vnreproueable before men so must euery Christian abstaine so farre as hee can from all appearance of euill yet this honest care of our cariage must not be to please men but only to praise God As S. Peter interprets S. Paul Haue your conuersation honest that they which speaâ—e euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Let your light saith Christ shine before men not onely that they may see your good workes but also that seeing they may glorifie your father which is in heauen Vt hoc ipsum quod homo per bona opera placet hominibus non ibi finem constituat vt hominibus placeat sed referat hoc ad â—audem Dei propterea placeat hominibus vt in illô glorificetur Deus As wee may not conceale from our enemie wisedome and knowledge which are good so much lesse render euill Recompence to no man euill for euill A Magistrate may punish a malefactor and so pro malo câ—lpae render malum poenâ—e But this is not to recompence euill for euill but good for euill because corrections are directions as well to the seer as sufferer the flesh is destroyed that the spirit may be saued A Magistrate then may render euill for euill but a priuate man out of a priuate grudge may not auenge himselfe but rather giue place to wrath The which may be construed of our owne wrath The which may be construed of aduersaries anger The which may be construed of Gods iudgement Of our owne wrath as Ambrose Resiste irae â—i potes cede si non potes An hastie cholerick man is like one that dwels in a thatched house who being rich in the morne through sudden fire is a begger ere night It is extreme folly to doe any thing in furie but wisedome to giue place and space to wrath It was an excellent decree of Theodosius enacted by the counsell of S. Ambrose that execution after a seuere sentence should be deferred thirtie daies vt ira decocta durior emendari possit sententia that all heate of contention allaied if need require the seueritie of the censure might bee qualified and moderated Secondly this may bee construed of our aduersaries anger for as thunder and gunnes hurt not any thing which yeelds vnto their fury but only that which is hard and stiffe so the raging and roring of our foes are best quelled by patience Turne to the brauling curre and he will be more fierce but ride on neglecting him and he will soone be quiet You may turne the prouerbe Veterem iniuriam feres do vitas nouam Thirdly this may bee construed of Gods iudgement and that most fitly for to God onely vengeance belongs and he will auenge our cause The malitious man in reuiling thee doth treasure vp wrath against the day of wraâ—h and therefore giue place to Gods wrath Cast all your care on him â—or he â—â—reth for you Yâ—a but may we not coâ—plaine to the Magistrate for redresse of iniurie yes surâ—ly for he iâ— Gods lieutenant on earth and therefore the vulgâ—r Latine vâ—smâ—tipsâ—s dâ—fendeâ—tes is inâ—uâ—ficient as our Diuines haue well obserued and the Rhemistâ— haue well mâ—nded it râ—ading as we doe reuenge or 〈◊〉 not â—our sâ—lueâ— For we may be so wise as serpents in defending our sâ—lues howsoeuer so innocent as doueâ— in â—ffending other Hee that commits his cause to the Magistrate giues place to diuine iudgement for all superiour powers are Gods ordinance but whosoeuer auengeth his owne quarell steps into the Princes chaire of estate yea Gods owne seate dethroning both and so disturbes heauen and earth Here then is no place for duell a fault as it is vsed in England the Low Countries especiâ—llâ— France for euâ—ry punctilio of honor falsely so called against not only the rules of reason and religion as Bernard notably Quis hic tà m stupendus error quis furor hic tà m non ferendus nullis stipenâ—ijs militare niâ—i aut mortis aut criminis Nam occisor lethâ—â—â—ter peccat occisus aeternâ—liâ—er perit but euen â—gainst the first principles of that art As a Christian may warre in loue so a Christian must iarre in loue so contend with his aduersarie before the lawfull Iudge that the partie cast in the sâ—ite may bee bettered if not in his money yet in his manners and Satan onely conquerâ—d Vt qui vincitur 〈◊〉 incat vâ—nus taâ—tummoâ—o vincatur diâ—bolus Otherwise when wee sue for our rigâ—t out of rancor and malice we commit not our case to God and his deputie the Pâ—ince but make them both our deâ—uties our instruments of reuenge the which is such an horrible crime that Paul calles it a mâ—sterie of iniquitie 2. Thess. 2.7 I say this secret exalting of our selues aboue all that is called God vsing Soueraignes as seruants in our priuate quarels is to play the diuell and the Pope We may not then dissemblingly but simply giue place to wrath An hard saying and therefore Paul doth sweeten it with a louing tearme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dearely beloued as if hee should speake thus It is my loue that I write so much against malice not for your hurt but for your eternall good If you will not beleeue me beleeue God himselfe who saiâ—h in his holy word Vengeance is mine I will repay sâ—ith the Lord. God doth reuâ—nge the quarell of his children vpon the wicked in this and in the world to come In this life so the children who mocked his Prophet Eâ—â—â—â—â— were rent in peeces with beares 2. King 2. So when Hierusalem had killed the Prophets and stoned such as preached vnto her Almightie God was wâ—oth and sent foorth his warriers and destroyed those murtherers and burnt vp their citie Matth. 22.7 Three shamelesse ruffins accused Narcissâ—s a reuerend and holie Bishop of a most hainous crime confirming their accusation with imprecation the first wished if it were not so that he were burnt the second that he might dye of the iandise the third that he might lose his eyes And afterward in processe
not altogether hang vpon the almes basket of their Counsell but vnderstand of themselues in some measure those things which concerne their places Erudimini qui quia indicatis Wherefore yee must needs obey Because all powers are of God because they bring with them the good of order because it is a sinne to disobey because iudgement temporall and eternall accompanie this sinne because gouernment is the meane of our weale because Kings are hired by tribute to serue their seruants and care for their subiects It is necessarie wee should obey both ex necessitate finis praecepti for hereby wee shall doe that which is acceptable to God and profitable to our selues acceptable to God enioining obedience profitable to our selues enioying the good of gouernment that we may leâ—de a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie Not onely for feà re of vengeance but also because of conscience Thus all must obey bad men for feare good men for loue The Kings Bench compels the one for he beareth not the sword in vaine but the Chancerie moues the other and therefore the Papists and Schismatikes are not good men in pretending conscience for their disobedience to the Ciuill Magistrate For as a learned father of our Church obserues excellently Tutâ conscientiâ praestari possunt quae propter conscientiam praestanda sunt A man may doe that with a safe conscience which he must doe for conscience Tribute to whom tribute Soueraigne Sublimities on earth are Gods among men in respect of their attributes and tributes Almightie God himselfe expects and receiues at our hands his immediate rents as prayer and thanksgiuing the rest as tithes and tributes hee doth accept being faithfullie paied vnto his Stewards and Vicegerents It is very remarkable that our Sauiour neuer did any miracle about honour or money except that one for giuing tribute to Caesar. For â—e must giue to Caesar the things which appertaine to Caesar honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute but how much is not defined by Christ or Paul They leaue that as Bishop Latymer obserues to Caesars Counsell for to determine Wherefore let all such as are in Commission for the subsidie remember that excellent speech of Saluianus Illâ—d indignius poenalius quòd omnium onus non omnes sustinent imò quòd pauperculos homines tributa diuitum premunt infirmiores ferunt sarcinas fortiorum res diâ—ersissimas dissimilimasque patiuntur inuidiam egestatem inuidia est enim in solutione egestas in facultate The Gospel MATTH 8.23 And when he entred into a ship his Disciples followed him c. SAint Matthew reports in this scripture two miracles one wrought by Christ in the water another on the land The first is both an Historie The first is both an Mysterie The word of God is a two edged sword hauing one edge saith Tertullian in the sense of the matter and an other in the sound of the words or as Ludouicus Viues obserueth being sharpe in a literall exposition and sharp in an allegoricall sense Most Interpreters therefore note that the ship heere mentioned is a type of the Church militant tossed in the world which is most like the sea with stormes of persecution vntill Christ the Master of the ship who seemes to sleepe for a time doth awake by the prayers of passengers and makes a calme In the storie two things are to be considered especially the shipping of Christ In the storie two things are to be considered especially the sailing of Christ. In his shipping two points obseruable 1. That he entred himselfe 2. That his Disciples followed him In the sailing two principall occurrences are to bee noted also the raging of a tempest stilling of a tempest The tempest is said here to be Sudden Behold there arose The tempest is said here to be Great so that the ship was couered with waues and Christ who was to comfort and help all was asleepe In the stilling of the tempest foure things are regardable 1. Christ awaketh His Disciples came and awoke him saying Master saue vs c. 2. The Disciples are rebuked Why are ye fearfull O ye of little faith 3. The tempest calmed He rebuked the windes and the sea 4. The beholders of this miracle wondred saying What manner of man is this c. Iesus entred into a ship As the superstitious Papists in latter daies assigned seuerall Saints for seuerall seruices as Apollonia for the toothach for hogs S. Anthony for horses S. Loy for Souldiers S. Maurice for Seamen S. Nicholas c. so the grosse idolatrous Heathen in old time marshalled their gods into seuerall rankes allotting Heauen for Iupiter Hell for Pluto the Sea for Neptune Christ therefore to shew their vanitie and to manifest himselfe to be the sole Commander of the world so soone as he had wrought miracles on the land in healing the leper vers 3. in curing the Centurions seruant vers 13. in casting out diuels vers 16. in helping al that were sick vers 17. he comes now saith Origen to shew wonders on the sea Wee neede not then exhibit supplications either vnto the no gods of the Gentiles or moe gods of the Papists importuning the virgin Mary for euery thing as if her sonne Iesus were still a babe not able to helpe For if we be schollers he is our saint Gregorie the God of wisedome if souldiers he is our Mars the God of hosts if wee desire to liue in quietnesse he is the God of peace if mariners he is our Nicholas and Neptune that enters into the ship and calmes the tempest If we ascend vp into heauen hee is there if we descend downe into hell he is there also if wee take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vâ—termost parts of the sea yet thither shall his hand lead vs and his right hand hold vs hauing all power ouer all things in all places and doing whatsoeuer hee will in heauen earth sea Psalm 139.6 Saint Mat. vers 18. of this chapter and saint Marke cap. 4. vers 36. intimate another reason why Christ entred into the ship namely to shun the multitudes of people for as the sunne though a most glorious creature oculus mundi the worlds eye is regarded little because it shineth euery day so ministers the light of the world are eclipsed much by the grosse interposition of earth It is true that familiaritie breeds contempt and as true cuius persona despicitur eius praedicatio contemnitur and therefore clergie men as Christ heere must vpon occasions often withdraw themselues à turbâ turbulentâ Bartholomaeus Angâ—icus mentioneth a lake in Ireland in which if a staffe be pight and tarieth any long time therein the part that is in the earth is turned to iron and the part in the water to stone onely the part aboue the water remaines in his
which is not a reward os merit but of mercie not of debt but of fauour as it appeares here by the persons Of whom God the Father Through whom the Steward God the Sonne To whom to the labourers yet so that the last be paied first and the first last When euen All our time of labouring in the vineyard is termed in this and other places of holy writ a day Behold now the day of saluation Exhort one another while it is called to day Now our whole pilgrimage on earth is called a day in two respects especially 1. For the shortnesse of our life 2. For that after this our day is spent wee shall no longer worke All our time is but a day and that a short day a winters day for our eternal night is infinitly longer then our temporall day and alas it is but a little part of this little day that we worke Multum temporis eâ—ipitur nobis plus subducitur plurimum effâ—uit exigua pars est vitae quam nos viâ—imus It is the least part of our life that we truly liue for wee spend our youth which is our morning in toyes and vanities and our old age which is our afternoone for the most part is lost in carking and caring for things of this life so that there remaineth only the noone of our day As Epaminondas aptly we must salute young men with good morow or welcome into the world old men with good night because they bee leauing the world only those of middle age with good day Let vs examine then how we spend our noone Though honest men vse not to sleepe at noone yet all wee being labourers in Gods haruest and vineyard ordinarily sleepe almost halfe our time Other houres we waste in eating other in playing and that which is worst of all most of all in sinning all which time wee cannot properly bee said to liue for as the scripture teacheth vs plainly bad workes are not the workes of light but of night and darknesse a day mispent is lost amici diem perdidi Similis Captaine of the guard to the Emperour Adrian after he had retired himselfe and liued priuatly seuen yeeres in the countrey confessed that hee had liued only 7. yeers and caused to be written vpon his tombe Hic iacet Similis cuius aetas multorum annorum fuit ipse septem duntaxat annos vixit So many religious men haue numbred their yeeres not from the day of their birth but of their new birth from their beginning of their regeneration and repentance reputing all that time lost which was idly misspent in the market of the world so that whether we consider our life of nature or life of grace our whole time may well be called a short day Secondly a day in regard of our eternal night in which we cannot worke for there is no grace in the graue nor health in hell I must worke the workes of him that sent me saith Christ while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke When euen is come the Lord of the vineyard shall say to his steward call the labourers and giue them their hire This euen is either euery mans end or else the worlds end the particular houre of our death or the general day of iudgement at both which as well the loiterer as the labourer shall receiue his reward The next point to be discussed is what Giue them their hire The word hire doth exceedingly trouble the Papists for they cannot or at least will not vnderstand how eternal life may be both a reward and a gift whereas it is demonstrated in holy Scripture that the immortall crowne of glorie is called a reward secundùm quid only but a gift simplicitè◠if we compare life euerlasting to the worke and looke no further it is called a reward Matth. 5.12 Great is your reward in heauen but examine the first original from whence the worke it selfe also proceedes and all is meerely and wholly gift eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord whereas the blessed Apostle said the wages of sinne is death If there were any merits in our workes the sequell of his speech should haue been The wages of righteousnesse is eternall life hee saith not so but the gift of God is eternall life and so by that which he doth not say as also by that which he doth say sheweth that there is no place for merit If then it be of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no grace Gratia non erit gratia vllo modo nisi sit gratuita omniâ—odo Grace is not grace in any sort if it be not free in euery sort In this controuersie the scriptures and fathers and many learned Papists are on our side God saith in the law that he will shew mercy to such as keep his commandements Ergo rewâ—â—â— is giuen of mercy to them that fulfill the law Christ saith in the Gospell It is your fathers pleasure to giue youâ— kingdome And Paul The sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory in the life to come The most iudicious and the most indifferent for both parties among the fathers is Augustine who repeates in his works often this one golden sentence Deus coronat dona sua non merâ—aâ—â—â—â—râ— God crowneth his owne gifts not our merits according to that of Dauid Hee crowneth vs with compassion and louing kindnesse Eternall life should be rendred as due vnto thee if of thy selfe thou hadst the righteousnesse to which it is due But of his fulnesse wee receiue not onely grace now to liue iustly in our labours vnto the end but also grace for this grace that afterward wee may liue in rest without end Haec est gratia â—ratis dâ—â—a non meritis operantis sed miseratione donaxâ—iâ— Origen saith he can hardly be perswaded that there can be any worke which by debt may require reward at Gods hand in as much as it is by his gift that wee are able to doe or thinke or speake any thing thatiâ— good Marke the Hermite saith He that doth good 〈◊〉 â—â—ng reward thereby serueth not God but his owne wâ—â—◠〈…〉 the words of my text The Lord of the vineyard 〈…〉 hire not as paying a price to their labour buâ— powâ—ing forth the riches of his goodnesse to the◠〈…〉 chosâ— without works that euen they alâ—o who 〈…〉 with much labour and haue receiued no mâ—re 〈…〉 may vnderstand that they haue receiued a 〈…〉 not wages for their worke So Saint 〈…〉 in Rom 8. Greg. Magnus in Psalm 〈…〉 1. dâ— interpell cap. 1. in Luc. lib. 8. c. 17. Fulgentius ad Monimum lib. 1. Many learned Papists agree with vs also both in their positions and practise Bernard in his sermon vpon the Annunciation said that the merits of men are not such as that life eternall