Oh those glorious Martyrs who so ioyfully suffered such exquisite torments for his names sake Hitherto wee sit quietly vnder our vines figge trees How soone the daies of triall may come who knowes God grant vs to be of like minde whensoever it comes Thirdly from his obedience to yeeld absolute obedience vnto the will of our Father and denying our owne wills to say vnto him not as I will but as thou wilt Away with hypotheticall and conditionall obedience if it make for my profit and advantage or may be without my losse hinderance Say we rather with Queene Hester If I perish I perish and with the three children Wee are not carefull ô Nebucadnetsar to answer thee in this matter Our God whom wee serue is both able and will deliver vs. If not yet know wee will not serue thy Gods Lastly from his loue the best wee can to requite him with loue The debt of loue we owe him is infinite because his loue to vs was infinite Which seeing wee can never repay to the full let vs endeavour what we can and bestow our selues vpon him even our reasonable service of him And thus much touching the first argument whereby he would perswade his Father to glorify him The second is drawen from the highest and chiefest end of all things the glory of God in these words that thy sonne may glorify thee And it may bee reduced into this forme That by which I shall glorifie thee and without which I cannot glorifie thee thou maist not deny vnto mee But by my Glorification I shall glorifie thee and without it I cannot glorifie thee Therefore my glorification thou maist not deny vnto me Of the truth of both these Propositions I am now to speake Which I shall eftsoones performe if first we may know what the Glorie of the Father is For what Glorie is in generall what it is to Glorifie wee haue already spoken of at full and therefore forbeare to speake any further of it That God the Father is Glorious nothing is more evident In Scripture he is called Pater gloriae the Father of glorie Rex gloriae the king of glorie Deus gloriae the God of glorie and so great is his Glorie that it is therefore to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excellent or magnificent glory This glory is the splendor or brightnesse of his perfection aboue all other things The ground thereof is perfection that whereby it appeareth is the Splendor or brightnesse thereof Perfection is cum nihil deest when nothing is wanting Whence in Hebrew it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth All. And it is double either in suo genere in its kinde and so the Sun is said to be perfect because it hath the fulnesse of light or absolute to wit an interminable infinite entire possession of all good and so God only is perfect And this Perfection is againe double Substantiall or Personall The Substantiall is the very Godhead it selfe considered in its Nature together with all the essentiall properties thereof as knowledge wisdome iustice mercy power eternity and the like And this is so the Glory of the Father as it is also the Glory of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost For as the Creed of Athanasius hath The Godhead of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost is one and so the Glory equall and the maiesty coeternall This Perfection exceeds that of the creature infinitely and that in sundry respects For first whereas the Creature hath perfection only in its kind and one is destitute of that which is bestowed vpon another the Father hath the full possession of all Good whatsoeuer is or possibly can be imagined secondly whereas other things haue their perfection only suo modo according their capacity which because they are creatures can bee but finite the Father hath his modo perfectissimo after a most eminent and vnconceivable manner which because he is of infinite capacity must needs be infinite And lastly whereas the creature hath his perfection aliunde from another without him not from himselfe namely God according to that of the Apostle Quid habes quod non accepisti what hast thou which thou hast not receiued the Father hath his from himselfe and of himselfe without dependency or beholdingnesse vnto any other His Personall perfection is his Fatherhood or that whereby hee is the Father And this is proper glory incommunicable even to the Sonne or the Holy Ghost for neither of them is the Father And this glory stands in three things First that he is Prima persona the first person in order In order I say not in dignity for so all three are coequall The Sonne is the second the Holy Ghost is the third but hee neither is not may be called the second or third but only the first Secondly that he is the fountaine and originall of the Deity vnto the Sonne and the Holy Ghost vnto the Sonne gignendo by way of generation vnto the Holy Ghost together with the Sonne spirando by an vnspeakable manner of Proceeding Thirdly and lastly that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnbegotten and proceeding from none so that whereas the Sonne and the Holy Ghost receiue their Personality from him he receiueth his from neither These priviledges are so great that although the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost exceed not one the other either in essence or dignity yet the Father in regard of these is in Scripture by a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or excellency called God This double perfection of the Father is not without its Splendor Brightnesse by which it shineth and appeareth Were it without it it could scarce be called glory Now we know that the Father was neuer without his glory no not then whē things were not as yet created Else how could he be said to manifest his glory For manifestation is of that which is And doth not our Saviour likewise desire to be glorified with that glory which be had with his Father before the world was The Perfection thereof the Father by the Splendor and Brightnesse thereof shineth and appeareth two waies first inwardly to the holy and blessed Trinitie and then outwardly vnto others Inwardly to the Trinitie by intervention of vnderstanding and knowledge For shining internally with the fullest clarity vnto them it cannot but appeare vnto them and appearing they cannot but contemplate and admire it as the Ocean and magazin of all good Outwardly vnto others by workes conformable vnto his perfection as namely of Creation Sustentation Government Redemption and in the end Restauration of all things For in these the goodnesse Wisdome Power Iustice and Mercy of God doe shine and appeare to vs whom it hath pleased God to enable with vnderstanding to see and in some measure to comprehend them But the shining forth of all perfection and the appearance thereof in full strength is
houre is come therefore glorify thy Sonne What Hour vndoubtedly the houre of his bitter passion This appeareth evidently by that of our Saviour Loe the houre is at hand and the sonne of man is betraid into the hands of sinners That also of Saint Iohn They laid not hands on him because his houre was not yet come And yet more plainely by that of our Sauiour where hauing said the houre is come that the Sonne of man should be glorified presently hee speaketh of his death and addeth Father saue mee from this houre but therefore came I into this houre This Houre is here by way of eminence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the or that houre both in regard of the great work that was to be performed therein as also for that it was long before determined by the Father to that worke But now saith Christ that hour is come that is it is instant and at hand And so indeed it was For the same night that hee vttered this prayer hee was betraid and the next day cruelly executed By which it is evideÌ„t that he was not ignorant of the houre but as he foreknew it so he was ready also to enter into it So that in these two words these three things come to bee considered the Houre the worke of the houre the knowledge he had both of the Houre the worke thereof But before I spake of any of them it is reason wee should shew the force of Christs argument how it followes The houre of my Passion is now at hand therefore thou oughtest to glorify mee Some as namely those of the Church of Rome make the reason of the sequele to be the merit of his passion for that by it hee should deserue his glory Now true it is that Christ both did and suffered many things worthy of most large and ample reward Howbeit for ought we can find in Scripture all was for vs with neglect of himselfe There was no perfection but either hee was already possessed of it or it was now due vnto him by vertue of the personall vnion At the first instant whereof all glorie would haue flowen to his Humanity had it not by speciall dispensation beene staid vntill hee was come to the lowest bottome of his humiliation Which being done and the stay remoued it could not but naturally flow vnto him So that how hee should merit for himselfe cannot well be conceiued without empeachment of his glorious Vnion As for those texts they alledge for proofe all of them shew rather ordinem then meritum that his glory succeeded his passion not that his passion merited his glory For as touching that to the Hebrewes Thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquity wherefore God even thy God hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes if it import merit it must be of Vnction and not of finall Glorification which they wil none of indeed cannot be For in the very first instant of his assumption assoone as the Humanity had being the ointment was poured vpon him so that it could not possible be preuented by merit Merit therfore is not the reason of the sequel What theÌ„ Surely the Promise of his Father For it was not the Fathers will that ignominie should alway rest vpon the sonne or that the slâ—â—es as it were of Glory should still be stopt against him Wherefore he promised When he should make his soule a sacrifice for sinne he should see his seed and prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand so that hee should see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied Yea he sware vnto him and repented not of it Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck that is who by performing the office of his Priesthood should passe into his eternall and glorious kingdome And vpon this ground it is that our Saviour affirmeth Christ ought first to suffer and then to enter into his glory And hence also it is that here he saith The houre is come glorifie thy sonne as if he should say more fully thou hast bound thy selfe by promise yea and by oath too that when by suffering I shall haue finished the worke of redemption for which thou sentest me thou wouldest fully satisfie me with glory Now the houre of my passion is come and I am ready and willing to vndergoe it Remember therefore thy promise and performe it For vnlesse thou wilt faile of thy word and fayle of thy word thou canst not because thou art truth it selfe thou must needs glorifie me And thus you see both the reason and necessity of the sequele in this enthymeme Whence we are lessoned first to imitate Christ and with him to ground all our prayers and hopes vpon our Fathers promise For he is omnipotent and can true wil performe Vnto Godlines he hath made the promise both of this the other life Liue we therefore godlily then feare we not boldly to approch vnto the throne of grace and to charge him with his promise both for the one and for the other thou hast promised and therefore glorifie me Againe as Christ could not haue ignominie and shame alwaies to rest vpon him but that obice remoto the stay and let being remoued Glory would surely flow vnto him by reason of the hypostaticall vnion so by vertue of the mysticall vnion we haue with Christ obice remoto assoone as the let and stay is done away it cannot be but that forthwith from him Glorie should bee deriued vnto vs. That let is Sinne. Sinne being crucified and slaine by death when we are ready to yeeld vp the ghost but specially when the day of resurrection is come we may say with Christ Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne Lastly if we will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raigne with Christ in glory we must first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer with him in humilitie Hee bare the Crosse before he could weare the Crowne we are predestinated to be conformed vnto the image of the Sonne And wee also in our flesh must fulfill the remainders of the afflictions of Christ if we will be glorified with him But of this enough Now let vs resume the three particulars aboue mentioned to be considered And first of the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the or that houre that is the houre decreed determined vnto the Passion of Christ. For hee that is the creator of time hath ever reserued the disposition thereof in his owne power And as hee hath ordained of all that shall come to passe euen to the lighting of a sparrow and the fall of a haire so vnto every thing hath hee set a season and a time to every purpose vnder heauen If to every thing and purpose then much more to this worke as being a businesse of greatest weight and consequence And seeing as the
presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore fulnesse of ioy not drops or showres of ioy lightly to bedewe or besprinkle vs but riuers of ioy flouds of ioy euen to bath our selues in And looke as vnwilling as a naturall man would be who enioyes the light of the sunne to returne backe againe into his mothers wombe so vnwilling would a glorified Saint be to returne from this shining glory and fulnesse of ioy to the honours and pleasures of this world The seuerall and different degrees of this reward are clearely represented vnto vs by the difference betweene the brightnesse of the firmament that of the starrs They that be religiously wise though they neuer haue the function nor the gifts to teach shall shine as the one but they who haue both the calling and abilitie to teach and withall a blessing vpon their labours thereby to turne many vnto righteousnesse as the other as the brightest starres for ever and ever I am not ignorant that some learned Divines haue not only doubted of this disparity of glory in the Saints but haue denyed it and disputed against it yet those very men haue confessed it to haue beene agreed vpon by the generall consent of the Fathers which for mine owne part I must professe I am vnwilling to forsake specially where the Scripture and reasons drawne from thence are so faire for it and in the analogie of faith nothing against it That there are diversitie of gifts and withall that we are to covet the best gifts S. Paul hath made it evident and our Sauiour that of the seed which fell in good ground some brought forth an hundred some sixtie some thirty fold and what they teach we find confirmed by daily experience That there are different degrees in grace then there can be no question and I thinke as little that there shall be in glory since grace is but a steppe to glory and glory againe the crowne of grace He who hath told vs that in his Fathers house are many mansions seemes to haue intended not only a multitude in number but a difference in order and so did the ancients vnderstand it Let vs heare one for thē all Apud patrem mansiones multae sunt tamen evndem denarium dispares laboratores accipiunt quia vno cunctis erit beatitudo laetitiae quamuis non vna sit omnibus sublimitas vitae saith the great Gregorie in the last chapter of the fourth booke of his Moralls In my Fathers house are many mansions and yet the labourers who entred the vineyard at different houres receaued every one the same penny because all shall enioy the same happinesse though some be advanced to an higher pitch of glory As in vessells some are bigger some lesser yet all are full to the very brimme and of eyes some are stronger some weaker yet all behold the same sunne of righteousnesse yet shall not all vessells of glory be capable of the same measure nor al gloryfied eyes be fixed vpon their blisfull object with the same strength sed in eisdem mansionibus saith the same Doctor erit aliquo modo ipsa diversitas concors quia tanta vis amoris in illa pace nos sociat vt quod in se quisque non acceperit hoc se accepisse in alio exuleet But in these many mansions there shall be a friendly kinde of diversity because so forceable shall be the charity of the Saints in that eternall peace that what every one hath not receaued in himselfe he shall reioyce to haue receaued in and by another He that gained two talents to his Master and he that gained fiue they are both commended for their faithfullnes both entred into their masters ioy yet as their talents were at first bestowed vpon them according to their seuerall abilities so no doubt but their reward was in some sort proportionable to their severall gaines which partly appeares in this that the talent which was taken from him who had but one was conferred vpon him who had gained fiue and not vpon him who had gained but two It is by all Divines freely acknowledged that there shall be different degrees of punishments in hell in as much as it shall be easier in the day of iudgment for some then for others and some shall be beaten with more others with fewer stripes why not then different rewards or rather different degrees of the same reward in heauen It is true that for the greater terrour the degrees of punishments are thus differenced in Gods iustice according to our deserts yet may it well be that for our better encouragement likewise in his mercy he hath thus proportioned out these different degrees in our reward not for any merit of ours but partly thereby to quicken vs in the way of vertue and godlinesse and partly to shew his truth as in disposing of all things so of his rewards as a man that hath many sonnes and promiseth to proportion out his Legacies to them as they shall shoote neerer or farther off the marke set up by himselfe conditionally that they hitt the butt is in a manner bound to bequeath him the fairest portion who comes neerest the white not for the merit of the sonne but by reason of his owne promise Little is the knowledge God knowes very little which we poore wormes here crawling vpon the face of the earth haue of things that are in heauen farther then in holy Scripture they are revealed vnto vs yet thus much we know that those blessed ministring spirits by their maker called Angels because they are his messengers sent forth to minister for their sakes who shall be heires of saluation are not all of equall ranke some being Cherubins and Seraphins others thrones and dominations some of an inferiour sort and therefore termed Angels only others of a superiour in that regard styled Arch-angels which how to interpret or accord were they all equall for my owne part I must professe I cannot possibly conceaue Now as in the life to come we shall be like the Angels free from the vse and want of those perishable things which this life stands in neede of so likewise it is not improbable but the gloryfied Saints may some way resemble the different orders in the severall distribution of rewards and to come somewhat neerer my text and withall fully home to the poynt in hand There is saith the Apostle one glory of the sunne another glory of the moone another glory of the starres and one starre differeth from another in glory then presently inferres so shall it be in the resurrection as one starre differeth from another in motion in situation in colour in influence in order the starres in their order fought against Sisera so likewise both in bignesse and brightnesse and so shall it be in the resurrection Behold saith our Sauiour I come quickly and my reward is with me to render vnto euery man according as his worke
shall be not propter but secundum opera according to his works according to the matter of his worke so shall be the substance of his reward according to the manner of his worke the kinde of his reward and according to the measure of his worke the degree of his reward As a man soweth so he shall reape that 's for the kind and he that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly he that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully that 's for the degree If a cup of cold water shall not passe without a reward much lesse he whose whole study hath beene to aduance Gods glory in the works of charity and piety There is no question but the confessors who for the profession of the truth patiently endured stripes banishment imprisonment confiscation of the goods and the like and much more the holy Martyrs who chearefully sealed it with their bloud shine more gloriously then ordinary Christians There is no question but the Patriarchs the Prophets specially Abraham the father of the faithfull shine more gloriously then ordinary beleeuers no doubt but Lazarus and Abraham were both in glory yet Abrahams condition was of the two the more eminent There is no question but the blessed virgin the mother of our Sauiour a chosen vessell full of grace highly favoured blessed among aboue women shineth more gloriously then Mary Magdalen or other women There is 〈◊〉 question but the Apostles of Christ who not only laid downe their liues for the testimony of the truth but were in a manner the first founders of Christian religion and the Secretaries of the holy Ghost being specially inspired for the penning and publishing of those sacred Oracles which they recommended to posterity and are now extant for our saluation shine more gloriously then ordinary Professors in which regard our Sauiour at his comming to judgement assignes them twelue thrones as assessors with himselfe in a speciall manner Lastly there is no question but those faithfull Pastors who like sacred lamps spend their oile and consume themselues to ashes to giue others light and to direct them in the way to heauen by their pens and tongues teaching and turning many to righteousnesse shall shine more gloryously then those Disciples who by them are turned but haue neither faculty nor authority to teach and by teaching to turne others Here then is our comfort incouragement that howbeit from men we haue many times very little thankes for our great paines in teaching yea even from those we haue taught and endeavoured to turne nay though â—â—steed of thanks the world frowne vpon vs and raise stormes against vs yet our reward is the contentment of a good conscience in the discharge of our duty here and that shining crowne of glory hereafter laid vp and promised to them who are faithfull to the death who haue fought the good fight and haue finished their course Our trust assurance is that the lesse thanks and reward we haue on earth the greater our reward shall be in heauen and the more that those whome we haue turned vnto righteousnesse shall increase in number in knowledge and in obedience the greater shall the augmentation of our reward be and lastly if in glory we shall know one another as good Diuines probably coniecture for that we shal vndoubtedly know our Sauiour in regard of his humane nature and the Apostles present at his transfiguration perfectly knew Moses and Elias though they had neuer seene them before if I say we shall then and there know one another it cannot be but a great addition to our happinesse to see and know them in the same state with our selues of whose conuersion vnder God we haue beene the happy instruments The last considerable point in this reward is perpetuitie they shall shine as the starres for euer euer for though the degrees thereof be different yet are â—â—â—y all equall and agree in duration and therefore are they all by the purchaser of them called mansions not houses because they euerlastingly abide or houses not made with hands but eternall in the heauens for here wee haue no coÌ„tinuing citie but we seeke one to come this world passeth away with the lust and fashion thereof but that which is to come is laid vpon sure foundations whose builder and maker is God and as is the maker so is the citie as the citie so the citizens as the citizens so the state of glory all correspondent each to other all euerlasting the shining is for euer and euer without variation without diminution without intermission The moone is sometimes waxing and sometimes waining but with these starres it is not so they are allwayes in the full the sunne it selfe is somtimes eclipsed by the interposition of the body of the moone betweene vs it but with these starres it is not so they neuer loose their light nay those visible starres in the firmament which we now behold shining so brightly shall one day fall from heauen but these starres shall neuer fall Stella cadens non est stella cometa fuâ—t if they fall they were neuer starres and if they be starres they shall neuer fall Euen thâ—â—tarres fixed in the firmament of heauen which are but shadowes and resemblances of these blessed starrs in that ordinary course of nature wherein Almighty God hath set and setled them could neuer of themselues either fall or faile according to that of Siracides At the commaundement of the holy one they will stand in their order and neuer faint in their watches Agreeable whereunto is that of the Prophet Dauid speaking of the kingdome of Christ His seede shall endure for euer and his throne as the sunne before me it shall be establshed for euer as the moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heauen and in another Psalme praise yee him sunne and moone praise him all yee starrs of light He hath established them for euer and euer he hath made a decree which shall not passe Though then at the dissolution of all things Ignea pontum astra petent these starrs we now gaze vp on with a delight mixed with wonder shall by the extraordinary power of that hand which made them be againe vnmade and cast downe from heauen yet these wise these teaching these iustifijng starres resembled by them shall neuer faint but shine in the fulnesse of their strength for euer and euer they shall neuer wander as the planets but remaine for euer as fixed starres to them it shall neuer be said as to Lucifer How art thou fallen from heauen O Lucifer sonne of the morning Esay 14.12 Adam might and did fall from paradise The Angels both might did fall from their first habitation but these starres shall neuer leaue their stations If here they be preserued safe in the right hand of him who is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Reuel 1.16 much more shall they there bee out of gun-shot out of all doubt or feare or possibility of
even of that which is only by Reading which is the first office of the Ministery method and order would that in the next place I speake of Prayer which is the second And herevnto am I also invited by this Text. For to forbeare further prefacing this seuenteenth Chapter containeth in it a most heauenly and divine Prayer which our blessed Saviour and Mediator addresseth vnto his Father in behalfe of Christ mysticall as the Fathers tearme it that is the whole Church consisting both of Head and Members The Parts thereof are two a short Preface prefixed by S. Iohn and the Corps or body of the Prayer The Preface is my Text wherein relation is made of an Act invested with certaine circumstances The Act is Prayer The Circumstances are three Quis Quando Quomodo Quis the Orator who prayes Iesus These things spake Iesus and lift vp his eyes Quando when he prayes after he had spoken these things These things spake Iesus and then lift vp his eyes Quomodo after what manner he prayed The Manner is externall and standeth in two things in gestu oculorum and in Sermone oris In the Gesture of the Eyes He lifted vp his eyes vnto heaven in the Speech of his Mouth He said Of these things breefely plainely as it shall please God to assist Of all duties vniversally required of all men Prayer seemes to mee the most noble So noble that by it all the whole worship and service of God is in Scripture vsually denominated And although the Houses of God be consecrated to other vses as well as it yet are they not called Houses of Preaching or Houses of Sacraments but Oratories or Houses of Praier Prayer as Damascen expresseth it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mounting or flying vp of the soule vnto the throne of Grace It is the Sweet incense that sweet smelling sacrifice that savoureth so pleasingly in in the nostrills of our God It is that strong cord that draweth downe all blessings and graces from Heauen vpon vs. The importunity whereof of Iacobs makes vs Israels wrestlers prevailers with God that if wee will hee cannot goe from vs vntill he hath granted vs his blessing For it hath annexed vnto it the gratious promise of impetration Aske and yee shall haue seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Neither is there any thing so difficult or impossible with man but by Prayer it may be obtained By Prayer Abraham when hee was farre stricken in yeares and the wombe of his wife Sarah was now dead obtained a sonne of God even Isaackâ— By Prayer Iacob escaped the fury and danger of his brother Esau. By Prayer the children of Israell were delivered from their cruell servitude and bondage in Egypt By Prayer Moses stood in the gap pacified the wrath of God that he destroyed not his people By Prayer and the lifting vp of his hands the same Moses overthrew the host of the Amalekites By Prayer Iosua stopped the course of the Sunne and God was obedient vnto the voice of a man By Prayer Sampson revenged himselfe vpon his enimies and ruined the house of Dagon vpon the Philistines By Prayer Solomon obtained an incomparable measure of Wisdome from God By Prayer Hezekiah being at the point of death had fifteene yeares more added to his life By Prayer Daniell stopped the mouths of Lions the three children quenched the fiery fornace that not a haire of their head perished Ionas was discharged out of the whales bellie and the prison gates opened of their owne accord to enlarge St Peter It is a Panchreston available for all things It cureth diseases dispossesseth divils it sanctifieth the Creatures vnto vs vnlocketh the gates of heauen and procureth the coming of the Holy Ghost It is seasonable for all times fit for all places necessary to all persons without it no businesse whatsoeuer we vndertake can thriue or prosper It extendeth it selfe farre and wide to the benefit of all and in that regard excelleth Faith For the iust man shall liue not by anothers but by his owne faith and therefore we say I beleeue But Prayer is an act of Charity which seeketh not her owne but the good of others also and therefore wee pray Our Father Had not St Stephen prayed for his persecutors haply St Paul might still haue continued in his Pharisaisme And had it not beene for the continuall teares of holy Monica perhaps her sonne Augustine had perished in his Manicheisme Infinite are the brands that prayer hath pulled out of the fire vnspeakable the benefits it hath procured vnto others But what speake I of men It makeeth wondrously to the â—â—â—â—ing forth of Gods glory Could wee of our selues command all good wee would neuer become sutors for any thing but according to the counsell of Seneca fac te ipse faelicem wee would make our selues happy But by making our addresses vnto him we acknowledge our selues to bee Mendicos Dei Gods beggars every way insufficient in our selues and that we depend for all whatsoever either we are or haue vpon his alsufficiency alone which maketh so much to the advancement of Gods bounty and inexhaustible goodnesse as nothing can doe more you see beloued brethren how large a field I haue to expatiate in and how easie it is to overflow the bankes in the commendation of this holy exercise but that I remember how my Text limiteth me vnto the aboue named circumstances And therefore leauing this generality I come vnto them in particular The first circumstance is Quis the Orator who prayes Iesus These things spake Iesus and lifted vp his eyes That Iesus was very frequent in Prayer all the Evangelists with one consent testify Sometimes he went vp into a mountaine to pray sometimes he retires himselfe into a solitary place to pray sometimes he prayeth by himselfe alone at other times he takes some of his Disciples with him some times he spendeth whole nights together in Prayer when he was baptized he prayed and now that the time of his Passiâ—n is at hand he is carefull to prepare himselfe by making this heavenly Intercession to his Father In a word the whole course of his life seemeth to haue beene no other then a continuall practice of this duty This Duty I say for indeed so it was hee being a Priest and it being the office of a Priest to pray Wherefore hee that bestowed that Honor vpon him even then when hee annointed and consecrated him chargâ—â— him therewith Thou art my sonne saith he this day haue I begotten thee Aske of mee According to which Charge now being made a Priest after the order of Melchizedek In the dayes of his flesh he offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death And although he be now set at the right hand of his father crowned with glory and maiestie yet being a Priest for ever he never ceaseth in such sort as becometh
is no other then a head without a body And this you see for whom he prayes as also in what order why in such order he prayes for them Whence briefly we may obserue first to what height of honour it hath pleased Christ to advance his Church in that hee hath made her not only Christian by vertue of her Spirituall vnction but also Christ by reason of her mysticall vnion with him then which what higher dignitie Secondly that in all things Christ is to be preferred even to our very liues yea our soules and their saluation as Moses and S. Paul sometime did because hee is of infinite more worth and desert then all Thirdly that Christ is the Principle of all good and that the life both of Grace and Glory is to be deriued from him alone If we seek it from Saints or Angells or any other creature they will but deceaue our hopes in the end as water torrents that passe away doe the trauellers of Temah and Sheba Lastly that as in hell the rich glutton could not finde so much as one drop of water so out of Christ not a drop of grace is to be had Carefully therefore are wee to labour that wee may be in him Being in him we cannot but be partakers of all goods together with him Neither need wee feare the losse thereof for he hath receaued it for vs and our life is hid with Christ in God And thus much of the second part Pro quibus for whom he prayes Come we vnto the third Quid orat what he prayes for first what to himselfe then what to his Church To himselfe he prayes for Glorification rendring divers reasons why it should be granted vnto Him Of all which we will speake in their order but first of the thing demanded Glorifie thy Sonne Glorie is no other then the splendor claritie brightnesse or shining of a thing resulting and rising from the perfection eminency or excellency it hath aboue other things For example the Glory of God is the perfection of his nature and attributes infinitely surpassing and out-shining the perfection of all creatures Among the creatures the Glory of the Sunne Moone and Starres is their incomparable brightnesse aboue other lights Of Princes their peerlesse soveraignty and state aboue the subject Of Man the soule and speech by which he excelleth the brute and dumb creature Of the Church her speciall priviledges aboue all other societies And so in other things So that Glorie is no other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greatnesse ioined with beauty or goodnesse Not every beauty or goodnesse but that which is exochally or eminently so In regard whereof in Hebrew it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weight as causing those that behold it as it were to sinke vnder the burden thereof Wherevnto S. Paul as it seemes alluding ioyneth an exceeding weight with Glorie In the Chaldee it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pretiousnesse as being of greatest worth and value in which respect the Apostle ioyneth Riches with Glory In Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fame opinion from the effect thereof because in the minde it begetteth due estimation of it and in speech honourable mention In regard whereof it is defined by some Clara cum laude notitia an apprehension thereof together with praise by others laus consentiens bonorum or vox hominum incorruptè judicantium praise giuen by good men or the report of them that iudge rightly thereof Of which againe by and by Such is Glory Now to Glorifie imports two acts the one of bounty and liberality the other of Iustice. That whereby Glory is conferred bestowed where it is not or is augmented and increased where it is not in the full measure And so God is said to glorifie the creature according to that of the Psalmist Grace and glory God will giue This whereby the glorie that is is acknowledged ascribed vnto the thing that is glorious yea whereby it is made knowne manifest to others to the praise and honour thereof And so the creature is said to glorifie God And in this latter sense wee finde these three words of Praising Honouring and Glorifying in Scripture ordinarily to be vsed although in proper speech each haue its severall and peculiar notion For Praising is that act where by in words we giue testimonie of the vertue or goodnesse of a thing So the Philosopher Laus est oratio magnitudinem virtutis indicans praise is a speech declaring the greatnesse of vertue Honouring is an higher degree where by not in words only but by outward gestures and signes also we testifie of the excellence goodnesse of a thing Glorifying is the fruit or effect of both For in praysing by words and honouring by signes wee cause the goodnesse and excellencie of a thing to spread it selfe vnto the knowledge of many Whence insteed of glorificatio divers say clarificatio deriuing gloria from clarus as if it were claria to import the making of a thing illustrious to shine abroad St. Basil therefore defining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to glorifie by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and S. Augustin by gloriosum dicere to say a thing is glorious say something but not all For as we haue shewed it steps further and includes more within it And thus you see in generall both what glory is and what it is to glorifie by which as by a threed we may easily be guided to that particular which here our Saviour craues when he saith Father glorifie thy Sonne For vndoubtedly he prayes that his father would bestow vpon him what glorie he wanted if he wanted any and the manifestation of that glorie which already he had if he had any or should haue therefore Wherefore to make all plaine we will enquire three things First What glory he was presently possessed of secondly what glory yet he wanted and thirdly how hee would be glorified Of these in order and first of the first That Christ now presently was possessed of glorie though haply not as yet in the full measure cannot bee denied For although the Prophet say that hee had neither forme nor comelinesse nor beautie yet indeed he was the fairest of all men full of grace and truth Outwardly and in the eye of naturall men beauty he had none he seemed a Worme rather then a Man but inwardly and to them that were spirituall hee both was and appeared glorious and they beheld his glory not as of man but as of the only begotten of the Father Omitting therefore this as granted of all hands let vs rather enquire touching his glory what it was It was double the glorie of his Person and the glory of his Office The glory of his Person againe is double For being the word made flesh so consisting of two distinct natures the Word and the Flesh though the Person be but one yet is there a twofold
glorie thereof one of the Word another of the Flesh. The glorie of the Word standeth in two things first that hee is the eternall Sonne of the eternall Father begotten after an vnspeakable manner of his owne substance and therefore the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his Person A name too excellent for the Angells themselues For neuer did the Father say to any of them Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Secondly that being so begotten hee is consubstantiall and coequall with his Father neither counteth he it robbery to bee equall with him For though he be the Sonne and not the Father yet being of the same Substance hee is one and the same God with him and may iustly challenge vnto himselfe the fulnesse of the Deitie as farre forth as the Father A glory infinitely transcending that of any creature The glorie of his Flesh is likewise double of Assumption and Communication Of Assumption by which it was taken into the divine nature For as soone as it began to haue being in the wombe of the blessed virgin it was prevented from subsisting in it selfe and was drawne into the vnitie of the Person of the Sonne of God eternally to subsist therein The highest dignitie that a creature can aspire vnto That of Communication is whereby glorious things are communicated vnto his humane nature And it is either Personall or Habitual Personall is that whereby as the nature of man is truely giuen to the Person of the Sonne so the Person of the Sonne is truely communicated vnto the nature of man Wherevpon because in the Person of the Sonne is the fulnesse of all perfection and all the essentiall attributes of the Deitie as namely Omniscience omnipotence omnipresence and the rest therefore doe wee say that all these attributes and that fulnesse of perfection are communicated also vnto the Manhood Howbeit not Physically and by effusion as if the same properties which are in God should formally and subiectiuely be in man as heat transfused from the fire is inherent in the water For that which is infinite cannot bee comprehended of that which is finite How then Personally in the sonne of God So that by reason of the hypostaticall vnion there is such a reall communion betweene them that the sonne of man is truly the Sonne of God and consequently also Omniscient omnipotent omnipresent and the rest The want of due consideration hereof was it that bred that monster of Vbiquitie and that great quarrell betwixt vs and the Saxon Churches Communication habituall is that whereby the fulnesse of grace was bestowed vpon him to be subiectiuely and inherently in his Flesh. And this is the glory of his Vnction For the spirit of the Lord rested vpon him the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. By this Spirit was he annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue his fellowes yea he receiued the spirit without measure or limit both for the essence vertue thereof intensiuely and extensiuely to all effects and purposes both for himselfe and others So that in his Will there was perfect iustice without taint or staine in his Minde perfect wisdome and knowledge both Beatificall whereby he saw God farre more clearly then any other as being more neerely vnited vnto him and Infused whereby he knew all heauenly and supernaturall verities which without the revelation of grace cannot bee knowne yea Acquisite and Experimentall also whereby hee knew all whatsoeuer by the light of reason and nature might bee knowne So that he was ignorant of nothing which hee ought to know or might make to his full happinesse And this was his Habituall glory Now the Glory of his Office breefely was to be the Mediator betweene God and Man An office of so high a nature that it could bee performed by none but only him who was both God and Man For herevnto it was necessary that he should be a Prophet a Priest and a King A Prophet as an Arbiter to take knowledge of the cause quarrell depending betweene them and as an Internuntius or legate to propound expound the conditions of peace that are to be concluded vpon A Priest to be an Intercessor and to make interpellation for the party offending and then to be a Fideiussor or Surety making satisfaction to the party for him A King hauing all power both in heauen and earth to keepe and preserue the Church so reconciled in the state of grace to tread downe vnder his feete all the enimies thereof Wondrous Glory and farre aboue that of any creature And this is the Glory he was already possessed of Wanted he yet any further Glory yes verily and that in regard both of his Divine and Humane nature Of his Divine for the Word had now emptied himselfe of his glory Emptied himselfe I say not simply and absolutely for he could no more in such sort abdicate his glory then cease to be himselfe it being essentiall vnto him and his very selfe but oeconomically and dispensatiuely vailing couering it vnder the cloud of his flesh For if as St Leo saith the exinanition of the divine Maiesty was the advancement of the servile forme vnto the highest pitch of honour then by like proportion the advancement of the servile forme was the exinanition of the divine Maiesty This Exinanition or Emptying of himselfe was in his Incarnation conception nativity obedience actiue to the law of nature as being the sonne of Adam and to the law of Moses as being the sonne of Abraham Passiue in suffering hunger and cold and wearinesse a thousand sorrowes wherevnto the infirmity of his flesh was subiect In this state Christ now stood neither had he as yet recovered the Glory whereof he had emptied himselfe nay he was not as yet come to the lowest degree of his humiliation For though they were instant and nere at hand yet his agonie his sweating of bloud his arraignment his crosse his death his emprisonment in the graue were not yet come All which did more more eclipse the glory of his Deity so that this Glory of the word as yet he wanted In regard of his Humane nature hee had not yet deposed humane infirmities as hunger thirst feare sorrow anguish and the like Neither had hee obtained incorruption impassibility immortality nor that glorious purity strength agility clarity of the body which he expected together with the fulnesse of inward ioyes and comforts in the Soule Adde herevnto that the actions of his mediation namely of his Prophecy Priesthood and Kingdome had not nor could not bee hitherto performe gloriously but only in such an humble manner as suted with the state of humiliation in which presently he stood To make all plaine though as the Schoole speaketh he were Comprehensor in termino affectione iustitiae yet he was viator extraterminum
affectione commodi that is though in regard of holinesse and righteousnesse he were already peâ—â—â—â—y blessed and arrived at his end yet by reason of thâ—â—pprehension of those vnpleasing and afflictiue evills which now were and yet were more to be vpon him the ioyes delights of heauen were not imparted to him So that the fulnesse and complement of Glory he had not yet attained Which being so the third and last enquirie how hee would be glorified may easily be resolued For as appeares by what we haue said he desires the dispelling and remouing of all those thicke mists and clouds which hitherto eclipsed his Deity that is the deposition not of his Humane nature for that is now become an essentiall part of his Person and shall continue therein vnto all eternity but of all humane infirmities and that low condition to which he had humbled himselfe to the end the glory of his Deity might at length appeare and shine forth most perfectly He desires furthermore that his Father would be pleased to glorifie him by preseruing and supporting him in the last act of his tragedy I meane his bitter agonie and passion by loosing the sorrowes of death and raising him from the graue by taking him vp into heaven setting him at his right hand crowned with maiesty and power and finally by conferring vpon him all glorious endowments both of soule and body and ioyning him vnto himselfe not only by the affection of perfect iustice but of comfort and delight also Hee desires lastly to bee glorified by the full manifestation of his Glory both that which already he had and that which yet he was to haue that not only Iewes but Gentiles also by the mission of his holy spirit and the preaching of his Apostles might know him to be the eternall Sonne of God of the same substance with the Father and no way inferiour vnto him Man also but such a man as is assumpted 〈◊〉 the vnitie of the second person in the Trinitie slaâ—â—â—â—ed and condemned yet iust and innocent dead and buried yet raised vp againe and liuing humbled low yet exalted high even to the highest top of all as hauing a name given him aboue every name And that these things being generally knowne of all he might be magnified and adored of all and at the name of Iesus all knees might bow both of things in Heaven and things in earth and things vnder the earth and every tongue might confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father And thus you see how our Saviour would be glorified The consideraâ—ion of all which may be vnto vs of singular vse and comfort For first seeing Christ who cannot be denyed what ever he demands hath prayed for his glorification what vanity is it for any man to thinke or hope that he can hinder or obscure it Let Iewes persecute him put him to death set a watch about his sepulcher to keepe him down yet can they not let but hee shall reviue and rise againe Though tyrants by open violence oppose the profession of his name and Hereticks by Sophistrie seeke to vndermine it and Antichrist assault it both waies by violence and sophistrie yet maugre all their cunning and malice his Father shall surely glorifie him Yea he is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angells preached vnto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received vp into glory Onely now it remaines to expect and pray for his returne in glory Secondly the Glorification of Christ is the pledge and earnest of our Glorification For had not he risen ascended and beene receiued vp into glory neither should wee The gates of death had beene bard vpon vs and of heaven shut against vs we should haue beene covered with eternall shame and ignominie But now Christ like another Sampson hath broken through the gates of death our head is risen and wee in him Hee is ascended and gone from vs but gone to prepare a place for vs that where he is there we may be also and behold that his glory and beholding it be made like vnto him bearing his glorious image For as now because hee is full of grace wee of his fulnesse receiue even grace for grace so being full of glory of his fulnesse wee shall also receiue even glory for glory Memorable is that saying of Tertullian As he hath left vnto vs the earnest of his spirit so he hath receiued from vs the earnest of our flesh and hath caried it into heaven as a pledge that the whole summe shall one day be reduced thither Rest therefore secure oh flesh and bloud yee haue livery seizan of heauen and the kingdome of God already in Christ. Thirdly Christ so earnestly suing for his Glorification it is our duty by all meanes both to procure and further his Glory which if wee cannot doe in such sort as his Father doth yet are wee to performe it in such a sort as we may If not gloriosum faciendo by bestowing glory vpon him yet gloriosum dicendo by praising and magnifying his glory By faith we are to be assured thereof by confession to acknowledge it by our holy Christian life to testify that the faith of our hearts and the confession of our mouthes accord and agree together and as much as lies in vs to labour that others may glorifie Christ together with vs. Fourthly and lastly as Christ did so are wee warranted by his example to pray for our owne Glorification that God would be pleased to perfect that glory vpon vs which here by grace he hath begunne in vs. Hence is it that the Saints are said not only to loue but also to long for the second comming of Christ as knowing that till then it cannot be obtained that the Church also so earnestly prayes Turne my beloued and be like the Roe or young Hart vpon the mountaines of Bether and againe yea come Lord Iesu come quickly But may we with Christ desire that the Glory begun in vs be manifested vnto others we may For wee are commanded to provide things honest in the fight of all men and to let our light so shine before men that they also may see our good workes Only wee must take heed that wee affect it not from men principally nor make it our maine end for this would be the foule sinne of Vaine-glory but that with Christ wee seeke it of our Father in the first place and to the end that being glorified of him hee may be glorified by vs. For not hee that commendeth himselfe or is commended of others is approued but hee whom God commendeth And so much for Quid what our Sauiour craueth to himselfe Now that he may not be denied his request he presseth his Father with sundry weighty and important reasons all which God willing we will handle in their order The first is drawen from the circumstance of time thus The
reserued vnto that day When the creature shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God and vnto Faith whereby wee see onely as in a mirrour intuitiue beholding of the face of God by vision shall succeed And this is the glory of the Father Now to gloriâ—ie him cannot bee to giue or adde glory vnto him For as we haue shewed he is absolutely Perfect and lacketh nothing and his propertie is to giue vnto all but to receiue from none It is therefore to manifest his glory to make it publikely known throughout the world as if our Sauiour had said Father vnlesse thou glorify me the brightnes of thy glory will exceedingly be eclipsed obscured but if thou glorifie me then shall the Glory bee greatly manifested by me and I shall make it knowne farre and neere among the sonnes of men This being the meaning of these tearmes let vs now examine both the Propositions of the argument aboue propounded trie the truth of them The Maior is That by which I shall glorifie thee and without which I cannot glorifie thee thou maist not deny vnto me An evident and vndoubted truth else never would Christ haue said it especially in a matter so much concerning him For if as Solomon saith the lip of vanity becommeth not a Prince much lesse would it become him who is the wisdome of the Father and very truth it selfe And if nothing can concerne him more then his owne Glorification then certainely to speake sleightly and impertinently in a matter of such moment would haue argued much weaknesse And indeed it is so apparently true that our Saviour only affirmes it without vouchsafing it any confirmation at all as if hee knewe that his Father neither would nor could deny it Neuerthelesse the truth thereof may yet further appeare First by the continuall practise of all the Saints conformable vnto this of Christ. For in all their addresses vnto God they ever vrged him with his Glory as the strongest argument to perswade when the Lord had threatned to smite the people of Israel with the pestilence and to disinherit them because of their murmuring and incredulitie Moses thought nothing would sooner moue him to commiseration and pittie of them then the impeachment otherwise of his honour For saith he the nations which haue heard the fame of thee will speake saying Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware vnto them therefore hath he slaine them in the wildernesse As if he should say thou maist not doe it because it will discredit both thy truth and power Againe Daniel when the seauenty yeares of Iudahs captivity were neere at an end entreateth the Lord to remember them in mercy and to returne theÌ„ backe againe into their owne country But what argument vseth he to perswade For thine owne sake saith he because the citty and thy people are called by thy name As if he should say least otherwise thy Glorie by failing in performance of thy promise towards thy people should bee called into question what Psalme almost is there in which the Prophet David presseth not vpon God this reason Returne O Lord deliuer my soule oh saue mee for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall giue thee thankes Bring my soule out of prison that I may praise thee the righteous shall compasse mee about for thou shalt deale bountifully with mee Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble It were infinite to quote particular passages In a word did not our Saviour when he taught vs to pray direct vs ever to conclude with this argument For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory And did not St Paul according to this direction end his Prayer with ascribing Glory vnto God in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all ages If then others haue mightily prevailed with God in vrging him with his Glorie shall we thinke that the Sonne of God can be lesse prevalent with his Father pressing him with the same argument Father glorifie me for so I shall bee able else not to glorifie thee Secondly the manifestation of the Fathers Glory is the architectonicall and soueraigne end of all things This he himselfe principally intended in all his works this he set vp as a marke for all to ayme at The Lord saith Solomon made all things for himselfe even the wicked for the day of evill The predestination also of the Saints and their adoption to be children by Iesus Christ was as S. Paul testifieth to the praise of the glory of his grace yea of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for euer Amen For to the praise of the glory of his Power all things were created To the praise of the glory of his Wisdome all things are ordered and gouerned To the praise of the glory of his Mercy are wee ransomed in Christ from the bondage of misery And to the praise of the glory of his Iustice are impenitent sinners reprobated and condemned And reason it should bee thus For as out of him all things were educed as being the fountaine and prime cause of all so vnto him it was fit all things should be reduced as vnto the last and chiefest end of all Right even as out of the sea all riuers flow and then reflow back againe vnto it Neither indeed was it possible to be otherwise For God being in himselfe blessed and all-sufficient cannot rest in any thing that is extrinsecall and without himselfe In himselfe therefore he must find it and what other can that be then his Glorie His Glorie therefore did he necessarily propound vnto himselfe as the soueraigne end of all his actions and vnto it here doth our Saviour subordinate his owne Glorification So that hence also the truth of our Maior plainely appeareth that vnlesse the Father will be without his Glory and without his Glory he neither will nor can be he must needs grant to his Sonne that without which hee cannot glorifie him Thirdly and lastly the glory of the Father is most deere and pretious to him It is vnto him as the apple of his eye which at no hand may be touched yea as his very selfe because it is himselfe Hence it is that hee is so iealous of his glory neither can endure that it should be giuen to any other And hence it is also that he threatens never to hold him guiltlesse whosoeuer taketh his name in vaine yea that he will most severely bee revenged of all those that any way dishonour him Because saith S. Paul when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were thankfull c. therefore God also gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their bodies
betweene themselues This spirituall punishment is the greatest of all iudgements in this life and is vsually attended with eternall shame and confusion of face in the next And reason it is that they who sleight that which God holdeth so deare should themselues be sleighted of him and seeing they disdaine to glorifie him that he by iust vengeance should glorifie himselfe vpon them So dealt he with Pharaoh Nabuchadnetzar Antiochus Herod and other proud tyrants and so will hee one day deale with all those that set so light of his Glory Is then the glory of the Father so deare and pretious vnto him Is he so iealous and charie of it that he will not haue it in any case touched or blemished Then surely that which maketh for his Glory and without which the Sonne cannot glorifie him may not bee denied him And so much for the Maior The Minor Proposition is But by my glorification I shall glorifie thee and without it I shall not be able to glorifie thee This though it be as true as the former yet the truth thereof is not so evident as of that For it may bee obiected that our Saviour now praying for his Glorification implies therein that he was not as yet glorified For wee vse not to sue for what we are already possessed of but only giue thankes for it Yet by and by he saith Ego glorificauite I haue already glorified thee on earth As he was God he had from all eternity glorified him in heauen As he was Man he had here on earth glorified him by his doctrine life obedience miracles And if wee as yet vnglorified doe glorifie him how should not the Sonne much more be able to doe it Vnto all which I thus answer breifly that glorifying is double either Inchoate or Compleate As touching the Inchoate it is true that as the Father had in part already glorified him as in particular by the raising vp of Lazarus so had the Sonne also in part glorified the Father But as touching that which is Compleate neither had the Father as yet so glorified the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father Wherefore as our Saviour is to be vnderstood here to pray for his perfect Glorification so are we to conceiue it also of the Fathers as if hee had said more fully vnlesse the Father perfectly glorifie the Sonne neither can the Sonne perfectly glorifie the Father For as God declared the glory of his power in deliuering Israel out of Egypt by a mighty hand with many signes and wonders yet had his mercy and truth yea his power also beene much impeached had hee not proceeded according to promise to settle them safely in the land of Canaan so the Father although he had begun to shew his glory in the incarnation of his Sonne and all other his noble acts yet if he did not goe on to cōsummate and perfect his Sonnes glory by supporting him in his last combate raising him from death taking him vp into heaven and setting him at his right hand with all power and authority the glory of his goodnesse wisdome mercy iustice and omnipotence would bee exceedingly blemished But when once the Sonne shall be so glorified then shall he by vertue of the power giuen him powre forth of his spirit vpon the sonnes of men subdue the world vnto his obedience trample all his enimies vnder his feet and recover the kingdome vnto his Father Whereby it will manifestly appeare that hee is the eternall Father very God the author of life and saluation sweet in his goodnesse true in his promise iust in retribution wise in all his actions and most powerfull also in his executions And so much likewise of the Minor The vse whereof may serue first for confutation For it answeres a vaine quarrell of the Arrians against the coequalitie of the Sonne with the Father The Father say they must needs be greater then the Sonne because the Sonne saith Pater clarifica filium father glorifie thy sonne and he is greater who giues then he who receaues glory Wherevnto I answer in the words of S. Augustin Quòd si ille qui glorificat c. If he that glorifieth be greater then he whom he doth glorifie let them grant that they are equall who glorifie one the other For it is written that the Sonne also glorifieth the Father I saith hee haue glorified thee on earth So also elsewhere saith our Saviour the spirit shall glorifie me And there being in the holy and blessed Trinitie such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Circuminsession as whereby each Person dwelleth in other it cānot be but each of them should knowe and knowing mutually and eternally glorifie one another Secondly it serues for information that as Christ our head referred his owne Glorification vnto the glory of his Father so we that are his members should doe the like and in all things seeke to glorifie our Father Nay if Christ to the praise of the glory of his Fathers grace was content to become sinne and a curse for vs how much more are wee bound in euery thing to intend his glory of whom hee exacteth no such thing It is the rule of the Apostle S. Paul Whether yee eat or drinke or doe any thing else doe all to the praise and glory of God All whatsoeuer either we are or haue we haue receiued of him and it is he who by Christ hath redeemed vs both bodies and soules let vs therefore glorifie him both in bodies and soules for they are his Thirdly and lastly seeing our Saviour vrgeth his desire to glorifie his Father as a speciall argument to perswade him to grant his request it may serue for singular comfort vnto vs that as long as our actions respect Gods glory and are ioined therewith they cannot but be accepted He will surely blesse them and giue them good successe sith his glory cannot be divided from them A holy life glorifying God is a vitall prayer Though wee heare no speech from it yet it cryeth aloud in the eares of God and saith Father thou maist not deny to glorifie me for through the whole course of my life I study nothing more then to glorifie thee And thus much of our Saviours second motiue drawne from the highest and most soueraigne end of all the Glory of his Father Vers. 2. As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that he should giue eternall life to as many as thou hast giuen him His third reason is drawne from the Power bestowed vpon him by his Father thus Thou hast giuen him power over all flesh to the end he should giue eternall life to as many as thou hast giuen him Ergo thou oughtest to glorifie thy sonne The Antecedent of this Enthymeme is deliuered in the Text in expresse tearmes The Consequence is only insinuated implied For clearing whereof it may please you to obserue with mee first that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated as is not a
Iesus whom yee haue crucified both Lord and Christ. Howbeit this power the Father giues not as the former Donatione naturali by naturall donation sed gratuitâ by free voluntary gift And therefore as notwithstanding the former he was co-equall with the Father so in regard of this hee is subiect to the Father Wherefore in this respect hee saith Pater major me est my Father is greater then I and though he be Lord of all yet the Father calleth him his Servant And the Schoole in regard of his humane nature saith that he is Subiectus sibi ipsi subiect to his owne selfe But it will be obiected that Christ obtained his kingdome by conquest how then could he receaue it from his Father by gift Wherevnto I answere first that the right title he had was from the gift of the Father before he went about to conquer it secondly that the power also whereby he conquered it hee receaued from the gift of his Father In regard whereof the Father sticketh not to challenge the conquest vnto himselfe Sit thou saith he vnto the Sonne on my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footstoole Which yet is thus to bee vnderstood that the Father by the Sonne and the Sonne vnder his Father by power receaued from him hath subdued and mastered all his enimies But when receaued he this power from him and how long was he to hold it He receaued it then when hee receaued his vnction His Vnction he receaued in the instant of his Incarnation For assoone as the Personall vnion began so soone was he annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes that is with the fulnesse of all such graces as were fit for the menaging of so great power as wisdome counsell zeale of iustice strength and the like And no sooner was he annointed but presently hee was a King Melchizedeck a king of righteousnesse wise to doe iudgement iustice It is true he suppressed this power for a time For the Word emptied himselfe of his glory and his humane nature was to suffer many things Wherevpon it is said He could doe no miracle in his owne country nor might not send his Disciples into the way of the Gentiles It was as a sword in the sheath or as Dauids authority before Sauls death At times indeed he shewed some tokens thereof as in stilling the Sea commanding spirits raising the dead and the like yet the execution thereof could not be plenarie till after his resurrection and when he was set at the right hand of his Father Licet Christus quantum ad divinitatem c. saith Lira Although Christ according to his divinity had from all eternity this power in heauen and earth and authoritativè by way of authority had it he also as man from the first instant of his conception yet executivè by way of execution hee had it not before his resurrection but would be subiect to possibility for our redemption But how long was this power to continue with him Forever For as he was a priest so also was he to be a King for ever after the order of Melchizedecke Thy throne ô God saith David is for ever and ever a text which Saint Paul to the Hebrewes applyeth vnto Christ. And Daniel His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe a way and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed And the Angell Gabriell Hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob forever and of his kingdome there shall be no end Yea but doth not the Apostle say that when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power then the kingdome shall be delivered vp by him to God even the Father and that then the sonne himselfe shall also be subiect vnto him It is true hee saith so But we are further to know that the kingdome of Christ containeth in it two things the mediatory function of his Kingly office and his Kingly glory That he shall lay aside for then there will be no further necessity nor vse thereof He shall not need to fight any more with the prince of darknesse nor to governe his Church as formerly by the word and sacrament For God as he is now something in vs so then shall he be all in all vnto vs. But this hee shall hold for ever as being by the acts of his mediation iustly acquired and according to covenant bestowed vpon him by his Father As therefore the Father even now raignes although he haue delivered the kingdome to the Sonne even so then shall the Sonne also raigne although he deliver vp his kingdome vnto the Father And thus hath Christ omnem potestatem in omnia in omnia secula all power over all things and vnto all eternity The vse of this point briefly may be this First seeing Christ vsurped not this power but receiued it by lawfull donation from his Father therefore neither should wee presume vpon any office or place vntill wee be lawfully called therevnto Should we runne without sending wee should but incurre the displeasure of God be authors of much confusion and mischiefe in the Church Secondly seeing he receiued this power together with his Vnction it may lesson vs not to affect any calling till wee be annointed with sufficient gifts for the discharge thereof Go teach baptize all nations saith our Saviour to his Apostles but withall he furnisheth them with cloven tongues and filleth them with the Holy Ghost To adventure on a businesse without due abilities as it proceedeth from abundance of boldnesse so will it be recompenced with equall measure of shame Lastly seeing his power continueth for ever and of his kingdome shall be no end wee may take knowledge that it will bee in vaine for any to oppose themselues vnto it Hell gates shall never be able to prevaile against it how much lesse the policies of mortall men or their strongest attempts For that which is eternall is invincible and can never be destroyed And thus much of the third point A quo from whom The fourth and last is Quorsum to what so great power was given him For wee may not thinke that God doth vse magno conatu nihil agere with much a doe to effect nothing And if nature which is but the creature of God doe nothing in vaine and wise men ever propound some end vnto their actions much more ought we to iudge so of him who is both the author of nature and wisdome it selfe An end therefore was intended and that doubtlesse of highest consequence For otherwise what need so great power and glory to atchieue it If in the creation dixit factum est the word was no sooner said but the thing was done yet here not words no nor so great power without his glorification will not serue the turne this it seemes is of a higher straine then that What then may it be This that to as many as are
expresly thus saith he we iudge that if one died for all thē were all dead that he died for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe You will say how are we to liue vnto Christ I answere as the body liueth vnto the Soule The Body liueth vnto the Soule when it is serviceable and obedient therevnto especially when it followeth not the sway of inordinate passion but the direction of right reason In like manner we liue vnto Christ when we serue and obey him not living after the flesh but after the spirit For not they that walke after the flesh are in Christ but they only who are lead by the spirit of Christ. S. Peter expresseth it by liuing not to the lusts of men but to the will of God And by and by setteth down the Iusts of men to be the will of the Gentiles namely lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquetings abominable idolatries and the like Vnto all which he opposeth liuing according to God in the spirit Fourthly and lastly hence we may learne humility to ascribe nothing to our owne selues For what are wee in nature but stinking carkasses If we liue it is by the meere grace of Christ. Come vnto him of our selues to be quickned by him we could not It was his Father that drew vs vnto him Not vnto vs therefore not vnto vs but vnto the Father through Iesus Christ bee ascribed the whole praise and glory thereof for evermore And thus much of the second point Vnde whence this life is The third point is Quibus vpon whom it is conferred and bestowed Vpon those saith my Text and all those whom his Father hath giuen him Who are they For of them Christ very often speaketh All saith he that my father giueth me shall come vnto me And againe This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which hee hath giuen me I should loose nothing And yet againe My Father which gaue them me is greater then all And so also sundry times in the sequele of this present Chapter For clearer vnderstanding hereof therefore we are to knowe that there is a double donation by which men are said to be giuen vnto Christ the one Common the other Singular The Common is that whereby the Father hauing given vnto the Sonne all power both in heauen and earth deliuereth all things also into his hand giuing as it were liverie and seizing of them that from thenceforth hee may dispose of them at his pleasure And thus all men whatsoeuer both elect and reprobate are giuen vnto him But this is not here meant as by and by shall appeare Another donation therefore there is more speciall and singular whereby the Father deliuereth vnto the Sonne some of the creatures as vnto a head to be his members or to persist in our present similitude giueth them as a body to the soule to be acted and quickned by him that is to be ruled and ordered not only by the Scepter of his Power but of his Grace and sanctifying Spirit Now who are these Surely not all flesh for all are not vnited to him and so liue not by him Who then They that are elected and chosen vnto life of whom it is said Multi vocati pauci verò electi many are called but few are chosen And that these are here meant plainely appeareth by and by where he saith I haue manifested thy name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the world that is not to all but some only selected and culled from the rest And againe Thine they were and thou gauest them mee How thine By free election and now mine by speciall donation And yet againe I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast giuen me for they are thine Where you see the world distinguished from them that are given him and excluded from being the Fathers together with them Whence it followeth necessarily that the donation here meant is not of all but those only who in speciall sort are the Fathers namely his chosen and peculiar ones For the better vnderstanding hereof and that you may knowe how and in what order the Father is pleased to proceed in this gracious worke thus I take it you are to conceaue thereof First the Father seeing all mankind by the fall of Adam to bee corrupted and in the state of damnation out of his meere mercy and loue decreed not to loose the whole race of man but to renew and repaire againe his image in some of them to the praise of the glory of his grace prouided yet alwaies that his iustice for sinne be fully satisfied Secondly for the satisfaction of his iustice he further decreed to send his sonne into the world that taking our nature vpon him he might therein suffer whatsoeuer was due to sinne and so mediate a peace betweene God and vs. Then thirdly out of the corrupt Masse of mankinde he selecteth and chuseth some particulars even such as he pleaseth with a purpose infallibly to bring them to everlasting life And in regard of this act it is that our Saviour saith tui erant they were from al eternity thine and againe tui sunt by the constant continuation of the same purpose they are still thine In the fourth place those that are thus elected the Father giueth vnto the Sonne to accomplish his purpose vpon them and by vertue of the power and life giuen him to quicken them vnto eternall life Being thus giuen wee are now Christs Wherevpon also the Church is bold and saith My welbeloued is mine and I am his and S. Paul directly affirmeth that we are Christs And being Christs fiftly lastly he actually enliues quickens them raising them vp from the death of sinne and convaying into them the spirit of life in such sort as wee haue formerly declared But doth Christ bestow life vpon all them that are so given him yea verily my text expressely affirmeth it that he should giue eternall life to as many as thou hast giuen him This was the very end wherefore the Father gaue them to him And shall we thinke that the Father tooke not order sufficient for the attaining of his end God forbid For because he would not faile of his end therefore did he giue so great power vnto his Sonne Such power that nothing except he would could plucke them out of his hands and so much life that if hee would hee might giue it in abundance Shall we say that the Sonne though he hath power yet wants will Farre be such blasphemy from vs. For he testifieth of himselfe that hee came downe from heauen with this resolution not to doe his owne will but the will of him that sent him and now that he is come that he seeketh not his owne will but the will of the Father
prepared for you from the foundation of the world vnto the which kingdome the Lord bring vs all for his Christs sake Amen FINIS AN AMVLET OR PRESERVATIVE against the contempt of the MINISTERY OXFORD Printed by I.L. for E. F. 1633. TIT. 2 15. See that no man despise thee BEing in regard of the present oportunity to addresse my speech at this time vnto you principally reuerend Fathers and beloued brethren of the Clergie I haue by the direction I trust of Gods blessed spirit made speciall choice of this Text as affording matter both of great importance and euery way concerning you That the office and calling of the Ministery is of all other the most honourable worthy euery one of vs presumeth That of all other it is generally most obnoxious and subject to contempt wee all by lamentable experience feele How it may be freed from this contempt and againe recouer its ancient dignitie is a point of high nature and well worth the hearing And this is the very purpose intent of this Apostolicall charge For as St Pauls care that Titus be not despised implies the honour of his calling and his feare least he be despised argues it is subject therevnto so his charge vnto Titus to looke vnto it that hee be not despised evidently shewes both where the cause of this contempt mostly lies and how our selues if wee list may preuent it So that this Text may not vnfitly be called An Amulet or Preservatiue against the contempt of thâ— Ministery And it offereth as you see vnto our mediâ—ation these three particulars first the dignity of the Ministry secondly the contempt of the Ministry thirdly the redresse of this contempt Of which while I discourse vnto you plainely according to my poore abilitie breefly in regard of the businesses to succeed lend mee I beseech you blessed brethren both the assistance of your prayers and the encouragement of your fauorable attention And first as touching the Dignitie of the Ministrie cui non dictus his Hylas What tongue or penne almost hath not travailed in this argument Or what can herein bee said which hath not beene already said And to say all that may be said in this short scantling of time is impossible I omit therefore that Scripture expresly calleth Priesthood an Honour and affirmeth Elders to be worthie of double honour charging all to haue them not onely in honour but also in singular reputation Neither will I stand to reckon vp all those titles wherewith Ministers are honoured as Stewards Fathers Rulers Men of God Gods Embassadors the light of the world the salt of the earth Saviours Starres Angells Nor lastly will I spend time in mustering vp all those honourable personages who haue borne this office as the First borne of euery family before the Law vnder the Law the house of Aaron in both mighty Kings as Melchizedeck and Solomon and finally vnder the Gospel Christ himselfe the King of Kings and Lord of Lords These things I say and sundrie other of like nature although demonstratiuely prouing the Dignity of the Ministry yet of purpose I passe by as obvious and vulgarly vrged Onely at this time these three points as the choicest among the rest would I command vnto your serious consideration First the excellency of the science we professe secondly the efficacy and powerfull operation of our Ministry thirdly the authority and iurisdiction annexed therevnto For if the Science we professe be architectonicall if the execution of our Ministry bee most energeticall if our authority and iurisdiction bee the amplest and greatest then is our Calling of all other the most noble and worthy Let vs therefore enquire if these things be so and first the excellencie of the science we professe As the wise man saith of a vertuous woman Many daughters haue done worthily but thou surmountest them all so say I all Arts and Disciplines in their kinde are good as issuing from God the fountaine of all goodnesse but Divinity is transcendent and as Gregory calleth it ars artium the science of sciences For whereas the preeminence of one science before another standeth in two things either that it is more worthie in it selfe in regard of the matter it teacheth or more certaine and infallible in regard of the manner of knowing this Divine science farre excelleth in both For as touching the matter the very gleaning of Ephraim is better then the vintage of Abiezer the meanest part of this heauenly knowledge is greater and nobler then all whatsoeuer is comprehended within the whole circle of humane Sciences For these taken at the highest aspire not aboue Nature contemplating only such Verities and directing vnto such goods as are connaturall vnto vs and being naturall are also finite and so cannot satisfie the vast and infinite desire either of the mind or will But the obiect of this Diuine science is meerely supernaturall the speculatiue part whereof contemplateth the first and highest verity even God himselfe â—â—e infinite beautie and glory of his nature the incomprehensible Trinitie of Persons his wonderfull workes and operations creating all things of nothing sustaining all he created by his mighty word ordering and gouerning all by his most wise prouidence but specially redeeming mankinde from Sinne death and hell into the glorious liberty of sonnes by the incarnation and passion of the Sonne of God A mystery so profound that not only the naturall man knowes it not but euen the blessed Angells longed to be acquainted therewith and knowing stand amazed and rauished with admiration thereof Neither is the Practicall part any way inferior vnto the speculatiue for that also directeth vnto the first and highest Good euen Good in vision and fruition of whom standeth our eternall blessednesse shewing also what the way is which leadeth vnto this soueraigne End namely Repentance from dead works Iustification by Faith in Christ Regeneration by water and the Holy Ghost vnfaigned study and practise of new obedience in Pietie towards God Iustice towards all men and temperance towards our owne selues Thus the subiect matter of our science so farre surpasseth that of other Disciplines as supernaturall excelleth naturall heauen earth eternitie time the boundlesse wisdome of God the narrow compasse of mans reason and they are vnto it but as Hagar vnto Sarah hand-maides vnto their Lady and Mistresse As is the matter so is the manner of knowing also that of highest price and value this most certaine and infallible Vnto the truths of other sciences wee yeeld assent either induced by authority of humane testimonie or inclined by probability and likelihood of reason or convinced by the light and evidence of demonstration The two former breed but a morall or coniecturall certitude both obscure nor excluding all doubt nor securing vs of the truth The third though it haue greater evidence clearnes yet hath it no more theÌ„
much strengthens and confirmes you I. D. By Catholike you still meane Roman for Catholike Roman are now growne convertible tearmes a mystery that the Primitiue Church never so much as dreamed of But what No outward face in England for so many hundred yeares together but Roman What face then I pray was it which it bare some 650 yeares since when the Saxon Homilie of Aâ—lfrick Abbot of Malmsbury not only agreeing with Bertram in this matter of the Sacrament but also for sundry passages expresly translated out of him was publikely appointed to be read vnto the people vpon Easter day before they receaued the Communion Or when the Bishops at their Synods deliuered vnto their Clergie the same doctrine out of two other writings of the same Aelfrick the one whereof saith thus That housel is Christs body not bodily but spiritually Not the body which hee suffered in but the body of which hee spake when he blessed the bread wine to housel the night before his suffering and said by the blessed bread this is my body and againe by the holy wine this is my blood c. The other likewise saith thus The Lord which hallowed housel before his suffering and saith that the bread was his owne body and the wine was truely his bloud halloweth dayly by the hand of the Priest bread to his body and wine to his blood in spirituall mystery as we read in bookes And yet notwithstanding that liuely bread is not bodily so nor the selfe-same body that Christ suffered in nor that holy wine is the Saviours bloud which was shed for vs in bodily thing but in spirituall vnderstanding Both bee truely that bread his body and that wine also his blood as was the heavenly bread which we call Manna that fed forty yeares Gods people and the cleare water which did then run from the stone in the wildernesse was truly his blood as Paul wrot in one of his Epistles Thus he Tell mee now good Sir was the face of the English Church Roman when such doctrine so crosse vnto Transubstantiation was by publike authority deliuered to the Clergie and commanded to be read vnto the people or was it at that time other then a Roman face truely Catholike and Orthodoxe You haue heard I suppose of those Christians whom anciently they tearmed Wâ—ldenses and Leonists Your Ranerius saith of them that they had beene of very long continuance even from Pope Sylvesters time or as some say ever since the Apostles so Vniversall also that there was scarce any country wherein they abounded not finally that where other Sects most fearefully blaspheamed God these made faire shew of religion liued honestly among men beleeued all things rightly touching God and all the Articles contained in the Creed onely they blaspheamed hated the Church of Rome What Was the face of this Church also Roman How so being so opposite vnto it Certainely it was rather the face of our Church For as your Poplinerius testifieth they differed very little from vs and in this point of the Sacrament they perfectly agreed with vs. It is true they were charged with many foule opinions but enviously and maliciously as appeareth by the publike Confessions of their Faith and by the testimonie of Cardinal Sadolet others who by commission were commanded to examin it It is true also that they were most barbarously and bloudily persecuted by the Roman Synagogue But what saith Michael Cesaenas who flourished some 250. yeares since There are two Churches the one of the wicked flourishing in which the Pope doth raigne the other of the godly afflicted Whence it plainely appeareth that there hath heretofore beene another face of the Church besides Roman if not visibly glorious yet at leastwise visibly persecuted You adde it is vncharitable to thinke that all this time there was no knowledge of the meaning of Scriptures and Fathers vntil Luther brought in the true light True neither is there any man that saith so Neverthelesse bee it spoken to the glory of God and the honour of the present times the meaning both of Scriptures and Fathers was never better knowne shall I say never so well knowne as now This I haue elsewhere proued both by the causes thereof and the testimonie of your owne men As for your nine hundred yeares questionles they were not the learned'st times The knowledge of languages quickly decayed and blindnesse and barbarisme crept in apace insomuch as by the testimonie of Genebrard Bellarmine Baronius there was never age more Vnlearned and vnhappy then the ninth Century wherein were no men famous either for wit or learning and whosoever studied the Mathematicks or Philosophie was presently counted a Magician Neither were some of the after times over much amended when the chiefest of their Schooles scarce knewe whether Saint Paul wrote in Greeke or in Latine as Ludovicus Vives saith and to haue skill in Greek was suspicious but in Hebrew almost heretical as Espencaeus But blessed be God who in the midst of these blindest times hath still preserued the light of his truth and though envy burst and split at it blessed be his holy name for that greater light of his Gospel which we haue receaued both by Luther and since Luther Hee was a noble champion of Christ Iesus and gat so much ground of the Papacie as I hope will never be recouered againe vntill by the brightnesse of our Lords comming it be vtterly destroyed If England in these latter times haue yeelded such learned men of your side you may be pleased to knowe that it hath afforded on our side also as learned Clarks in the knowledge of tongues all kind of literature whatsoever as any in your Church wheresoeuer if not excelling them Yea but yours were content to forgoe all their meanes and hopes for their conscience And did not ours trow you doe so also in Q. Maries daies Nay did not Archbishop Cranmer and sundry other Bishops to speake nothing of those of inferiour ranke chuse rather to loose their present honours and estates and themselues cruelly to be martyred in the fire then to perish their coÌ„sciences by subscribing vnto the Romish Apostacy As for your vnkle whose domestical example so much confirmes you I thinke hee was a man of no great note sure I am of no great fame either at home or abroad Yet were his deserts far greater I am not vnprovided of a domesticall example able every way to match him yea and over-match him too My mothers Brother I mean that vnvaluable Iewel whose name is renowned throughout all the Churches Who being Fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford and Bachelour in Divinitie possessed also of a Benefice neere the Vniversitie and by reason of his eminence in learning as likely to rise as any yet hee readily forsooke Fellowship Friends Benefice Hopes and all for Christs sake and put himselfe into a voluntary exile all the raigne of Q. Mary