righteousnes What else haue wee therefore to doo but still to haue this name Iesus whereby wee bee aduertised that hee hath saued vs from our sinnes and consequently from eternall death before the eies of our vnderstanding that wee remembring that he hath withdrawen vs out of hell from eternall fire darknesse weeping and gnashing of teeth maye in heart bee feruently inflamed in his loue And that the remembrance that he hath paide so many deadly debts to discharge vs maye more and more inforce his loue Finally let the representation of the death of our olde man crucified with this Sauiour make vs so to abhorre sinne and corruption that we suffer it not to liue in vs to our owne death Thus shall the name Iesus beget in vs a feruent desire to loue him to please him and to obey his commaundement wherein hee willeth vs to amend our liues Acts 10.38 Luke 4.18 Esay 61.1 Iohn 1.16 1. Ioh. 2.27 8 Now let vs come to the title Christ. This name in Greeke as also the name Messias in Hebrue doeth signifie as much as if wee should saie Annointed And by this annointing is meant the fulnesse of the holie Ghost which he hath receiued as Saint Luke noteth and himselfe doth acknowledge where hee applieth to himselfe this saying of Esaie The spirite of the Lorde God is vpon mee for he hath annointed me He was fulfilled to the end wee might be partakers of his fulnesse as Saint Iohn saith who also speaketh of the holy Ghost saying The annointing that you haue receiued from him abideth in you 1. Cor. 3.16 and you need not to bee taught but as the same annointing teacheth you all thinges and it is true and is not lying and as it taught you yee shall abide in him Saint Paul calling vs the temples of God addeth this reason Rom. 8 9. that the holie Ghost dwelleth in vs. This name Christian deriued from Christ and proper to his disciples confirmeth the same For likewise as the same Apostle sayth They that haue not the spirite of Christ are not his But as there is no true or naturall fyre but yeeldeth heate or light so the holye Ghost cannot bee in vs wythout the feeling and shewing forth of effectes beseeming his holynesse And therefore this name Christ aduertising vs that wee are partakers of the annointing of his holy spirite should be vnto vs a mightie and liuely argument to amend our liues And this shall wee the better vnderstand by considering the names attributed to this spirite to represent vnto vs the effectes of the same 1. Pet. 5.2 First hee is called Holy because that of himselfe and in him selfe being holy euen in al perfection it is he that sanctifieth vs by separating vs from the common degree of other the children of Adam to the end we may be dedicated and consecrated to God Whereupon Saint Peter sayth that wee are elect through the prouidence of God in the sanctification of the spirite to obey and be sprinkled with the bloud of Iesus Christ And that as being made the children of God through faith we must be wholy renued Saint Paul teacheth vs that this commeth of the holy Ghost He sayth he that hath raised Iesus Christ from the dead Rom. 8.11 1. Cor. 15.45 shall quicken your mortall bodies with his spirit dwelling in you In this sense is he named the second Adam that proceeded from heauen in a quickning spirite For the Apostle compareth the spirituall life that Christ by his spirit imparteth to the beleeuers with the sensual life that men receiue from the first Adam And therefore we do in vaine boast of Christianitie and the spirit of Christ so long as we are not so renued as to haue nothing in common with the vnbeleeuers that dwell vnder the tirannie of the vncleane spirit which infecteth with all corruptions defilings all those that haue not the spirit of Christ 9 Particularly he is named the earnest pennie of our inheritance As when a man doth purchase an inheritance hee first giueth earnest that is some part of the monie promised Ephe. 1.14 that serueth as a beginning to the paiment of the total summe so God hauing redeemed vs by the bloud of Iesus Christ giueth the earnest penie of his holy spirit that is to saie a beginning of knowledge of the true God of sanctification of loue to God of righteousnes and of peace ioy in the holy spirit attending vntill he finish in vs the communication of that light ioy holynes and glory that we shal haue perfectly in heauen Whereby it appeareth that wee wrongfully boast our selues to be christiās annointed with the spirit of Christ so long as we be not indued at the least with some beginning of this heauenly light sanctification loue of God spiritual peace and ioy which are the earnest of the spirit do not indeuor daily to increse in these spirituall giftes and graces He is also called Water Esay 55.1 44.3 for of the holy Ghost doth Esaie speake saying Come vnto the waters all yee that thirst Againe I will poure my spirite vppon the thirstie and my riuers vpon the drie Then to expound the same he sayth I will poure forth my spirite vpon thy seede Heereby doth hee shewe vs that as raine with the moisture thereof fatteth the earth to make it fruitfull so doth the holy spirite with his inuisible grace make vs fruitfull to produce the fruites of righteousnes as Iesus Christ also declareth saying He that beleeueth in me Iohn 7.38 out of his belly shall flowe riuers of the water of life This saith S. Iohn he spake of the spirit that all they should receiue that beleeued in him As therefore if hearbs watered do stil continue drie we iustly saie they are dead so can we not aduow our selues to be Christians watered with the spirit of Christ so long as in sted of bearing fruit by amendement of life and giuing our selues to good workes we continue drie and withered 10 Sometimes hee is also called Water to signifie his power to purge and cleanse our filth and corruption as Ezechiel sayth I will poure vpon you cleane waters and yee shall bee cleansed Ezech. 36. 25 I will cleanse you from all your filthines and from your Gods of doung And will giue vnto you a new heart and will put into you a new spirite and I will take your stonie heart out of your flesh and will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit into you and cause you to walke in my statutes and to keepe my ordinances and you shall doo them But if we in lieu of amending our liues do abide in our filthinesse and corruption with stonie heartes and keepe not the ordinances of the Lord it is in vaine for vs to intitle our selues Christians watered with the holye waters of his spirit And because that by watering vs with the liquors of his graces hee maketh vs strong
the purpose of his creation referring to himselfe his essence life feeling vnderstaÌ„ding He manifestly seeth that among al other cretures ther is not any created for it self but to serue other yet himself being endued with vnderstanding is so folish as to think that he is created not for any greater then himselfe but euen for himselfe onely 3 To the end therefore that we may Amend our liues we must be better aduised and vnderstand wherefore we liue The holy Scripture teacheth vs that there are three principall ends of mans life First that he should glorifie God Secondly that hee should attaine to life euerlasting And thirdly that he should referre euery part of his vocation to the seruice of God But as the knowledge of God is a requisit necessary directioÌ„ of our liues to these three ends so are we especially to exercise employ our liues in the knowledge of God to the end that knowing him we may referre our liues to the ends aforesaid As concerning the first and soueraine dutie which is to glorifie God it consisteth in this That with our mouthes we confesse in our works we doe shew that in our harts we accompt him to be as he is as he declareth himselfe towards vs. This doth S. Peter teach vs where hee saith that We should shew forth both in words and workes 1. Pet. 2.9 The vertues of him that hath called vs out of darknesse into his maruailous light But what are these vertues That hee is a God almightie all good all wise mercifull holy righteous and true As Dauid where he exhorteth all men to praise God for a reason why addeth Psal 117. For his mercy is multiplyed vpon vs and his truth endureth for euer That for the glorifying of God we must in our hearts acknowledge in our words confesse and in our deeds declare him to be the same as hee is it appeareth by the foure principall points wherein the seruice and glorifying of God doth consist and where to the same may be referred namely that we repose our whole confidence in him that we obey him according to his will that we call onely vpon him in all our necessities and that we acknowledge al goodnesse to come from him This ought to be the principall end of our life 4 God hath set open two most large schooles wherein hee reuealeth himselfe vnto vs that we may glorifie him as is aforesaid First the creation of the world Secondly the redemption wrought by Iesus Christ As touching the creation God where hee might haue contented himself with his glory which he had from al eternitie vouchsafed notwithstanding to reueale himselfe to man to the end that he knowing him might confesse and magnifie him He therefore created man to his owne Image and likenesse to the end that by the beames of his brightnesse holinesse righteousnesse and truth together with the dominion vnto him graunted ouer al creatures he might be led to the knowledge of the son of righteousnesse goodnesse holinesse wisedome and power to loue him to put his trust in him to obey his will to call vpon him to acknowledge that all goodnesse proceedeth from him and so to glorifie him And whereas notwithstanding the fall of man God neuerthelesse doth communicate with vs causing vs to feele the wonderfull effects of his goodnesse wisedome and power continually and in all seasons withall Act. 17.21 considering that in him onely we are we liue and wee haue our motion It were a most monstrous case that we should not referre to his glory our knowledge and feeling of him which we gather in the communication of so many his graces whereof he is both author and preseruer 5 Moreouer the creation of man was as it were his triumphant entrie into this godly pallace of the world built only for him to the end that the continual contemplâ—tion of the wisedome goodnesse and power of God shining in the frame of this world might be to him a continuall argument to know and glorifie the creator thereof Rom. 1.19 And this doth Saint Paul note saying What soeuer may bee knowen of God is manifest in man For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes There to adding that men by the same neither knowing nor glorifying God as God should bee without excuse Heerein manifestly declaring that the creation and building of the world ought to draw vs in dutie to know and glorifie God And because God principally sheweth his power and wisedome in the heauens the same are many times called the throne and habitation of the highest Esa 66.1 Act 7.48 Psal 19.2 In that sence doth Dauid say The heauenâ— declare the glory of God as most apparently shining in them and proceeding forward in this matter he attributeth to theÌ„ a speech heard and vnderstood throughout the world wherby they preach this glory of God Too great therefore is our ingratitude if making our selues dease we will not heare these heuenly heroulds when they summon vs to acknowledge and glorifie God in them and with them Psal 19.4 6 To this purpose this also is worthie the noting That God where he might haue created the world in one day did neuerthelesse employ sixe dayes distinctly as it were to giue vs leasure to contemplate the worke of euery day Gen. 1. Moreouer that to the creation of euery daies worke himselfe gaue testimonie that it was good What ingratitude is it in vs if we shall not both diligently contemplate his workes and getting a tast of the wisedome and goodnesse of God in the same yeeld vnto him al glory and praise Sith therefore that he hath created vs for his glory and the world to be a mirrour to behold the same also that we can not liue but that continually we must both see and feele in Gods creatures his power wisedome and infinite goodnesse toward vs the principall end of our liues ought in the creation of vs to his image and the framing of the world for our vse to teach vs more and more to know God that we may serue and glorifie him 7 The second point which yeeldeth yet greater knowledge of God and more strictly bindeth vs to glorifie him is the contemplation of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ Colos 1.15 and of our regeneration the blessed fruite of the same Christ is called the image of the inuisible God yet not in respect onely of his diuinitie but also of his humanitie What a representation of Gods wisedome doth there shine in the vnion of his humaine nature with his diuinitie that in one person there may be together very God and very man What a testimonie of Gods holinesse is his dislike of sinne and his iustice to punish it sith to exempt vs from the punishment due to our sinnes hee laide the same and with all rigour executed it vpon his
saying Then did he see it and counted it he prepared it also and considered it And vnto man hee said Behold the feare of the Lord is true wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Hereby we see that as they that doo know Iesus Christ and walk in the feare of God are truly wise so they that haue not this wisdome are very fooles albeit they thinke themselues wise in that beeing esteemed wise men as concerning the world they are in deed foolish Christians in the sight of God 6 These seuen aforesaid follies do euidently declare that wyth great reason the holy Ghost warneth vs in the first sermon of Iesus Christ and of Iohn the Baptist that for the good and due Amendement of our liues the knowledge and feeling of our naturall follies ought to admonish vs to be more wise circumspect and better aduised hereafter For as in beleeuing that there is no God In thinking better of man than of God In thinking to liue euer so not to liue as if we should die In not knowing wherefore we liue and so liuing at randon not for the seruice of God and our neighbours but for our selues In iudging Gods children in respect of their outwarde tribulations to bee accursed and the wicked thorough their prosperitie to be blessed Beleeuing our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill rather than God our perfect and faithfull frend To be short in thinking our selues wise because we are wise as men and yet are ignorant and fooles as Christians Being I saie possessed of all these follies the same are against vs so many ropes and strong chaines in the hands of our enemy the deuill wherwith to pull vs on to sinne and to make vs continually to offend God to heape iniquitie vppon iniquitie and consequently to turne awaie from God from heauen from life euerlasting glory to folow after satan and so to cast our selues into the hel fire in to death into euerlasting damnation And contrariwise if beleeuing there is a God and esteeming him to be as he is all wise almightie all iust and true we doo loue feare and put our whole confidence in him If beleeuing that we must die and that shortly we doo applie our harts to wisdome liuing as we would euen at death wish wee had liued If knowing wherefore we doo liue we do referre the whole course of our liues to the glory of God to our saluation and to the seruice of our neighbors If iudging of mans felicitie or miserie not by the outward apparaunce but by the testimonie of God in his word we doo euen perceiue that the children of God albeit in tribulation are blessed and the wicked though in prosperitie accursed If renouncing the pernitious counselles of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill we doo listen vnto and beleeue the counsels and admonitions of our God To conclude if considerding that all discretion knowledge and wisdome of man without the knowledge of Christ and the skil of saluation be but folly Also if vnderstanding that we be but fooles men deuoid of knowledge so long as wee are not wise and well aduised Christians therefore wee conuert and returne to God and walke in the waie that shall bring vs to heauen to life and to euerlasting glorie If I saie we doo thus conuert and amend our liues according to the will of God we shall finally become inheritours of his kingdome through his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The end of the first Booke VVHEREIN MAN IS TO AMEND The second Booke That man knowing Idolatrie and superstition ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the same Chap. 1. WE haue before declared that the greatest Folly wherewith man is possessed is the offending of God And contrariwise that the beginning of all knowledge wisedome resteth in walking in his loue feare and obedience Also that as all men are naturally inclined to this Folly namely to offend God so we ought by amending our liues heereafter to become more wise and better aduised Now are we more particularly to vnderstand Wherein we are principally to amend The first point therefore to be intreated of consisteth in this That man hauing obtained knowledge of the truth ought to renounce all Idolatrie in no wise to participate in the same Many there are who with their bodies assisting at Idolatrie and superstition do neuerthelesse maintaine that they deserue not to be reproued because they disallow the same in their hearts These men should remember that sith Christ suffered both in body soule for the redemption both of our bodies and soules reason would that wee likewise should glorifie him as Saint Paul saith both in our bodies souls which are his And in deed inasmuch as man consisteth both of bodie and soule we are to cleanse both bodie and soule of all pollution that we may as Saint Paul admonisheth fulfill our sanctification 1. Cor. 6.9.20 1. Cor. 7.1 It is therefore a most sacrilegious and intollerable diuision to giue ouer our bodies to the seruice of the deuill when we say that we reserue our soules to God Will the worst husband among men bee content that his wise prostituting her bodie to whoredoome shall saie for excuse that she reserueth her heart for him S. Paule saith our bodies are Christes members and that applying them to whoredome we take them from the body of Christ make them the members of an harlot But the holy Ghost calleth Idolatrie whoredome he therefore that with his bodie assisteth at Idolatry dismembreth himselfe from Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6 and maketh himselfe a member of the Idoll 2 In this consideration doth the Apostle exhort the Corinthians to flie from Idolatrie and least they should reply as these men do saying We disallow it in our hearts we know that the Idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 10 he addeth I speake as vnto those that haue knowledge not to the ignorant Then doth he bring them back againe to their owne iudgment the feeling of their owne consciences by the vse of the supper For as the communicants by eating the bread and drinking the wine haue a participation in Christ and are made his members so they that be assistants in the sacrifice of the Idols and doo eate of that that is sacrificed vnto them are made partakers of the Idols euen of the deuil as he expresly saith because that which is sacrificed to Idols is sacrificed to the deuill But saith he afterward yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils yee cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils And to the end to preuent all replication he addeth Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger than he And this he saith to shew vs that notwithstanding whatsoeuer we aledge that we do not apply our harts therto or that we know that the Idol is nothing yet in that we assist with our bodies
earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens He hath made the earth by his power c. Wherein we are to note that albeit Ieremie writ al his prophecies in Hebrew yet this one sentence is set downe in the Caldean or Babilonian speech therby admonishing the captiue Iewes to disaduow Idols to cōfesse the true God plainly sensibly in a language knowen to the Idolaters If this confession bee required of these poore captiue Iewes how can these men be excused who being at libertie to depart from among the Idolaters do assist at their Idolatry thereby to giue the world to vnderstand that they also are Idolaters therefore dare not vtter one word in reproofe of the Idols 9 Sith therefore that the first sermon both of Christ of Iohn the Baptist do notably proclaime Amend your liues Let all such as haue attained to the knowledge of the truth resolue with thēselues to renounce all Idolatrie superstition vtterly to denie all assistance participation whatsoeuer therin either in hart or body Let them remember that all abandoning of their bodies to Idolatrie is a prophanation of the temple of God That the yeelding of the body to the deuill reseruing the hart to God is intollerable sacriledge That the denial of the true God the worshipping of the deuill is detestable hipocrisie That thereby they blaspheme Iesus Christ honor the Idol that they giue offēce to their neighbours as well by confirming some in their errors as by inducing others to follow their examples But especially let them remember that their pretended excuse will redound to their double damnatiō For if he who thinking to worship God yet of ignorāce throgh worshiping an Idoll offendeth deserueth death surely then he that boweth his body to worship that which he knoweth to be an Idoll 1. Con. 10.20 Luk. 12.47.48 yea a very deuil as S. Paul calleth it offendeth in far greater measure deserues greter punishmēt And so doth Christ himself pronounce concerning the disobedient seruant who knowing his masters wil not doing it Exod. 20.5 shall be beaten much more grieuously thē he that was ignorāt therof And indeed it is not only a simple sinne and transgression as in the ignorant but more contempt and misprision against the maiestie of the law-giuer as God in many places complaineth of his people that they haue dispised him Rom. 5.20 yea euen hated him as himselfe faith in his law And hereto likewise may be referred the sentence of the Apostle where hee saith That God gaue the law that sinne might abound because the knowledge of the law taking away ignorance maketh the transgression to be conioyned with contempt and despising of God 10 The more therfore that we know the inconuenience of Idolatrie the more we are to detest abhor and flie from it and neuer flatter our selues in the presence of God who knoweth our hearts It is but a foolish enterprise to vndertake to deceiue the Lord or to thinke to prosper by offending him We feare the losse of our goods dignities countrie and life if we go not to masse with other men and counterfeate our selues to bee Idolaters as they are yet we feare not to loose the treasure and inheritance of heauen life euerlasting and the kingdome of God by polluting our bodies in Idolatrie euen by the assured testimonie of our owne hearts We are not to order our duties after the easements of our flesh but according to the word of God The meanes to obtaine safetie and felicitie consisteth not in prouoking God to wrath by seruing of Idols but if we desire his mercie and fauour towardes vs wee must renounce and denie our selues and the world that wee may worship and serue him onely Let vs obey S. Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 5.21 Psal 97.7 1. Cor. 6.20 My little children keepe your selues from Idols And let vs remember that the holy Ghost pronounceth woe to all those that worship Idols And contrariwise blesseth all those that adore and glorifie God both in hart and minde That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie vnlesse we also ioyne with the Church of Christ by frequenting Sermons communicating in the Sacraments and comming to common prayer Chap. 2. AS repentance and Amendement of life consisteth in this that we forsake sinne and applie our selues to goodnesse So it is not enough that we keepe both bodies and soules from Idolatrie and superstition vnlesse that also seperating our bodies from Idolaters we adioine our selues to the Church of Christ by hearing his word receiuing the Sacraments calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ The titles that the holy Ghost attributeth to this Church do euidently declare vnto vs of how great importance to the glory of God saluatiō of mankind this duty of ioyning with the true Church is First it is in many places called the kingdom of God yet not without great cause For as this kingdome consisteth in euidēt assured knowledge of the true God of his Son Iesus Christ in faith righteousnes peace and comfort of the holy Ghost in sanctification to be briefe in euerlasting life glory So is it in the church wherin God manifests himself reueales his truth pleasure To the mēbers therof he giueth faith righteousnes holines peace ioy and finally life glory euerlasting Contrariwise the kingdom of Sathan cōsisteth in ignorance Mat. 13. infidelity corruptiō vice sin iniquity in a bad conscience trouble of mind dispaire death damnation The members therfore of Christs Church are the kingdome of God retired from the power dominion of Sathā to the end that God may raigne in them by his spirit the scepter of his word as contrariwise al that are without the Church do belong to the kingdome of Sathā as S. Paul also doth say of the excōmunicate that they be deliuered to Sathā who raigneth without the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Cor 6.9.10 Luk. 13.28 Act. 1.47 This likewise is confirmed in that the same title of the kingdom of God wherby the Church is signified is also attributed to that blessed glorious estate which the elect shal enioy after the resurrection Wherin we are taught that theris such a cōiunction betweene the Church that glorious kingdom of Iesus Christ that it is as it were the suburbes gate thereinto wherupon also al they that refuse to ioyne with the Church can pretend no portion in this kingdom of heauē For the path to felicitie importeth an ascention frō the kingdome of God vpon earth to the kingdome of God in heauē And that doth S. Luke note saying that God did dayly adioyne vnto the Church those that should be saued thereby signifying that such as refuse to adioyne themselues therto do minister no occasion to imagine that they haue attained the way to saluation and life euerlasting 2 By another title are the
of wrath It is truely a forger of fraude and mother of hypocrisie for ambition disguiseth it selfe into a thousande fourmes and shapes to the ende to deceiue others and by abasing them to exalt it selfe How dyd Absolon beeing reconciled to his father Dauid flatter the people taking one by the hand 2. Sam. 15.6 kissing another speaking kindly to all offering to fauour them in theyr businesse and to procure their dispatches And to what end was all this Euen to steale the hearts of the people as the holy Ghost saith to turn them from his father Dauid so beating a path to come to the kingdom Ambition is the ape of Charitie Charitie is patient for eternall goods Ambition endureth all for temporall honour Charitie is courteous to the poore Ambition to the rich Charitie endureth all things for the truth Ambition for vanitie Moreouer as Saint Barnard sayeth that it is a spring of Enuie so Saint Augustine calleth Enuie the daughter of Ambition And truely the ambitious man euer enuyeth the prosperitie of others either of those that are greater than hee because he is not so great as they or of his inferiours least they should attaine to his greatnesse or of those that are his equals because they be equall with him Num. 16 2. Kin. 1 1 2. King 15 1. King 16. Iud. 9.5 2. Sam. 15 18. Platina in his life Agayne there is no iniquitie or crueltie so hainous but Ambition wyll vrge a man thereto What mooued Corah Dathan and Abiron to murmure agaynst Moses and Aaron and to stirre vp sedition Athaliah to murther all the kings seed that shee myght raigne Sellum Zembri and many others to murther their Lords and princes Abimelech to murther his seuentie brethren the sonnes of Gedeon Absolon that hypocrite and ingratefull person to driue his owne father from his kingdome and with his armie to prosecute him and to destroie him Pope Siluester the second to consent to giue himselfe to the deuill that hee might attaine to the papacie To be short there is nothing so deuillish but man by Ambition may be vrged thereto 6 The second kinde of Ambition which we cal Arrogancie Pride is no other but a meere sacriledge against God in that man attributeth to himselfe the glorie of those graces which hee hath receyued from God And this arrogancie may be considered in two sortes first when man glorifyeth himselfe in the giftes and graces of God secondly in that hee seeketh and taketh the glory of another reioycing when it is attributed to him and sorrowing when it is denied him Concerning the first man is so vnthankfull to God as if he giue him either knowledge wealth dignitie vertue or anie other commendable or excellent gifte hee attributeth the same to his owne industrie in hew of giuing the glorie therof to God hee assumeth it to himselfe and waxeth proude thereof Saint Paul was a chosen vessell to preach the Gospell yet doth he confesse that himselfe was in daunger of beeing exalted aboue measure through the abundance of reuelations 2. Cor. 12.7 1. Cor. 8.1 1. Cor. 1.26 had not God prouided a remedie Againe where he sayth that knowledge pulleth vp he noteth this to be a common infirmity among al men namely of the increase of Gods giftes to take occasion of pride In this consideration as hee writeth to the Corinthians doth God vsually call the poore contemptible simple and fooles to the knowledge of the Gospel rather than the rich mightie noble and wise to the end that if anie will glorie he should glorie in the Lord thereby declaring that if God should call the rich the mightie the noble and the wise they in liew of giuing the glorie praise Ephe. 2. â— and thanks to God would assume it to themselues The same doth he also say in another place Ye are saued by grace through faith that not of your selues neither of workes least anie man should boast himselfe Wherein he also noteth that if by good works we should obtaine saluation albeit their goodnesse proceed from God yet would wee boast of our saluation as if by our owne works we purchased the kingdome of heauen 7 Among all other reasons why God doth not at full sanctifie vs in this life albeit hee hath made vs his welbeloued children by faith in Iesus Christ is to bee obserued our inclination to pride And in deede if wee doo boast of friuolous matters as of fine dancing leaping running gallant garments and other like vanyties what would wee doo if in this life God should indue vs wyth all holynesse and other vertues How proude and glorious would wee become Truly it would be our vtter ruine for the arrogancie and pride that woulde spring thereof woulde prouoke Gods wrath against vs to depriue vs thereof as vnthankfull persons and to punish vs as sacrilegious wretches that robbe God of his glorie In Prospers sentences In this respect doth Saint Austen saie that humble confession in wicked workes is better than proud ambition in good And therfore he sayth farther Ibidem The first vice that conquered man wil be the last to conquer for when man hath ouercome all other vice and iniquitie then is the greatest danger least the soule finding it selfe victorious should boast more in it selfe than in God 8 But let vs proceede to other the giftes of God Gen. 16.4 1. Tim. 6.17 Agar finding her selfe with childe by Abraham grew so loftie and proude that shee despised her mistres Saint Paul admonisheth Timothy to charge the rich men in this world that they bee not high minded thereby declaring that riches vsually doo ingender pride To this effect wee reade that Assuerus sitting vpon the throane of the glorie of his kingdom made a feast to all his princes and officers that hee might boast vnto them of the riches of the glorie of his kingdome Gen. 16.4 1. Tim. 6.17 Hester 1.4 and the honour of his great maiestie Also that Haman the Iewes enemy hauing sent for his friends and his wife reported vnto them the glorie of his riches Hester 5. and boasted the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the king dyd magnifie him aboue all the princes and seruantes of the king Nabuchadnezzer walking in the royall pallace of Babylon Dan. 4.27 boasted of his greatnesse saying Is not this great Babel that I haue builte for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie Thus doth the vnthankfull and sacrilegious person boast of the giftes and graces of God attributing to himselfe the praise due to God onely 9 The second point of this arrogancie and pride consisteth in seeking and accepting the praise due vnto others and in taking pleasure therein And this also is a verie common and dangerous plague Saint Augustine sayth that it is not inough that we couet not the honour either that wee make but small account thereof when it
wherein euery one being a pray vnto Satan runneth and casteth himselfe headlong into death and euerlasting destruction But the end of the ministery tendeth to assemble from this dissipation the elect in Iesus Christ to make them pertakers of that saluation that is in him And this doth the other similitude of the building of the body of Christ confirme for as they which are seperate from Christ our life are in death so the meanes to reuiue and saue them resteth in this that we be builte and engraffed into the body of Christ that we may be saued in him and thereupon doth S. Luke say that by the preaching of the Apostles God did dayly adde to his Church such as should be saued In this sence also are Ministers called Fathers Acts 2.42 engendring children to God because he vouchsafeth so to vse their ministery 1. Cor. 4.15 that they who by nature are the children of the deuill doe become the children of God and heires of euerlasting saluation The principall end therfore of the holy ministery is to withdrawe men from death and destruction Cipri in his Ser. of fall and to make them partakers of saluation and life euerlasting And therfore as S. Ciprian saith The shepheard can receiue no greater hurt then in the hurte of his flocke and this doth S. Paul sufficiently shew in his owne person saying I feare least when I come 2. Cor. 12.20 I shall not finde you such as I would and least my God abase me among you and I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned alreadye and haue not repented of the vncleannes and fornication and wantonnes which they haue committed 3 And indeede as they which shal be saued by their ministery shal be as S. Paul calleth them their crown Phil. 4.1 glorie ioy in the day of the Lord they that shal win most to righteousnes shal shine as the Starres for euer so contrariwise Dan. 13. 3. the bloud of such as shall perishe through their owne negligence shall be required at their handes as the Lord doth protest by the Prophet Ezechiell saying Sonne of man I haue established thee to be a scoute ouer the house of Israel thou shalt giue eare to the worde of my mouth Ezech. 3.17 and shalt warne them from me When I shall say to the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou giuest not him warning neither dost admonish him to departe from his wicked way that he may liue the same wicked man shall dye in his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at thy handes Heb. 13.17 Prosper of Contemplatiue life li. 1. God also establisheth Pastors ouer his flocke as the Apostle saith vpon condition to be accomptable vnto him for them in the day of iudgement If he saith a good old father to whom the dispensation of the word is committed be afraide or ashamed to reproue offenders albeit for himselfe he lead a holy life yet shall hee perishe through his silence And so what shall it auaile him not to be punished for his owne sinne when he shal be punished f r the sinnes of others 4 Now to satisfie this end of the saluation of men by the ministery the first principall duty consisteth in preaching the worde of God Rom. 1.16 which S. Paul therfore calleth the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue and this is it that hee teacheth in the sentence before alleadged saying Take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto learning for in doing thus thou shalt saue both thy selfe and those that heare thee The same maye wee also note in the other sentence 1. Tim. 4. 16. where the Lord saith I haue ordained thee a light to the Gentiles that thou maist be a saluation to the ends of the earth Acts 13.47 And truely how are the ministers the light of men to saue them but by preaching Christ also if it be so that we be saued by faith that faith commeth by hearing the word of God likewise that we cannot heare without a preacher It followeth the duty of the minister is to preach so to saue Rom. 10. Marc. 16.15 In this sence doth Christ commaund his Apostles to goe preach throughout the world adding this that he that beleeueth shal be baptised shal be saued for this cause doth S. Peter commaund them to feede the flock of Christ cōmitted vnto thē 1. Pet. 5.2 And S. Paul so earnestly cōmendeth this duty to Timothy and in his person to al Ministers 2. Tim. 4.2 Preach the worde saith he be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine yea he adiureth him in the name of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge both the quick and the dead in his apparition and kingdome 2. Tim. 4.1 to employe himselfe in this duetie whereby he declareth that they cannot neglect this dutie but they must hainouslye offend God and feele the vengeance of the soueraigne Shepheard of the sheep whē he shal appeare in iudgement as S. Paul also saith Woe be to me if I preach not The same Apostle saith If any man desireth to be a Bishop 1. Cor. 9.6 1. Tim. 3.1 he desireth an excellent worke But all titles and professions be knowen by the workes proper vnto them as hee is knowen to be a tailor that cutteth out and soweth garmentes he a shoemaker that maketh shoes hee a phisition that imploieth himselfe in curing of sicknesses and so of others And so likewise is a Bishop a Pastor and a Minister knowne in that he preacheth and teacheth the word of God 5 Howbeit as the Phisition who ordeineth a potiō which in liew of health procureth death is not a Phisition but a murderer so is it with the Pastors that doe preach lyes in stead of trueth and the inuentions and traditions of men in stead of Gods word and therfore did Iesus Christ enioyne his Apostles to teache men to obserue all that he had commaunded them Mal. 28.20 and the same doth Ieremy note Ier. 1.6 saying The Lord stretched foorth his hand and touched my lips and said vnto me Beholde I haue put my words in thy mouth The same doth the Lord also teach to Ezechiel saying Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman ouer the house of Israel Ezech. 3.17 and 33.7 Thou shalt hearken to the woorde of my mouth and shalt warne them from me This duety is very plainely and expresselye by the Lord commended vnto al Prophets and Ministers in that speaking to Moses he saith Deut. 18.18 I wil raise them vp a Prophet like vnto thee from among their brethren and I will put my woordes into his mouth and he shall saye vnto them all that I shall commaund him 1. Cor. 11.23 It is therefore their duety to propound nothing to the Church either in doctrine or for the seruice of God but what they haue
and that my name might be declared thoroughout all the earth But because it may seeme strange that God should so harden the heart of Pharaoh that resisting his will and commandement to suffer the people to depart he should be swallowed vp in the sea and the people of God be so deliuered What doth Saint Paul alleadge in iustification of God Euen againe his will saying that in this horrible iudgement executed against Pharaoh and in the incomprehensible grace shewed to the people of Israel God shewed mercy to whom he would and hardned whom he would If anie man therefore should demaund whereof it commeth that God vouchsafeth to saue these men by causing the Gospel to be preached vnto them conuerting them by his holy spirit giuing them faith and shewing mercie vnto them either wherfore he causeth not the gospel to be preached to others or giueth them not saith but rather hardneth them Saint Paul admonisheth vs to aunswere Such is Gods will he sheweth mercie to whome hee will and hardneth whom he will And therefore let it content vs to vnderstand that it is his will as also he willeth nothing but in iustice and wisedome And this onely reason ought more to satisfie and content vs than all the expositions and reasons that the most subtyll heads and spirits in the world are able to inuent And in deed the reasons of the holy Ghost are stronger than the reasons of men and whatsoeuer theyr knowledge is yet must they not presume to haue more knowledge than the holy Ghost and this must wee alleadge in defence of the iustice and glorie of God 10 This doth the Apostle also represent vnto vs in that hee addeth For hauing propounded this obiection and replication Why doth hee yet complaine Rom. 9.19 For who can resist his will hee laboureth not to propound the discourse of man in the iustification of God but stayeth vpon three pointes First hee sheweth that the onely remembrance that wee are men ought to restraine vs from arguing with God Secondly that God wyth his creatures may doo what hee will And thirdly that the manifestation of his glorie must swallowe vp all replications and murmuring For first he aunswereth O man who art thou which speakest against God Thereby signifying that where men dare replie and thus accuse God of vnrighteousnes because they vnderstand not his reasons the same doth proceed of this that they remember not that themselues are men either what man is in regard of God If a childe of eight or tenne yeeres olde hearing a philosopher discourse of the greatnesse and course of the Sunne should argue against him and maintaine that the same were no greater than a platter neither of any swifter pace than a snaile would the philosopher stand vppon the deliuerie of the reason of his discourse vnto him No for the childe could not bee capable to conceiue it But hee woulde tel him Thou art yet a child Euen so is man in comparison of God infinitly lesse in knowledge than is a child in comparison of the most excellent philosopher in the world Wee must therefore with Saint Paul maruell how man dareth striue or dispute with God and in reason to stop his mouth we may saie vnto him O man Iob 9.3 32. who art thou that speakest against God If man would dispute with God sayth Iob hee could not answere him vnto one thing of a thousand And therefore hee after addeth saying God is not a man as I am that I should answere him if we come together to iudgement neither is there anie vmpier that might take notice of our cause or laie his hand vpon vs both The same doth God also note where hee speaketh to Iob in a whirlewinde and sayth Who is this that darkneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge Gird vp now thy loines like a man I will demand of thee Iob. 38.2 and declare thou vnto mee When therefore wee heare these replications wherefore doth God complaine of vs that we are so hardned eyther that beeing hardned wee doo offend him more and more Seeing it is his will to harden vs wee cannot stande against him Let vs aunswere with Saint Paule O man who art thou Shall man that knoweth himselfe so to bee take vppon him to dispute wyth God 11 As for the second point the Apostle confirmeth the same that hee had before spoken namely that God hath mercie vpon whome he will and hardneth whome hee will declaring by the similitude of a potter that hee hath power and authoritie so to doo And in deede Hath not the potter power of the claie Rom. 9.21 to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Yes euen so much that the earthen vessell cannot saie to the potter Why hast thou made mee thus What iniquitie is it then to suppose that God hath not as much power ouer his claie namely ouer man his creature as man hath ouer the earth which the creator hath giuen vnto him Men with this reason I will doo wyth mine owne what I please doo stoppe the mouthes of theyr equals How much rather then may God so doo whose wyll is euer conioyned with wisedome and iustice whereby hee cannot doo anie thing but in wisedome and iustice If anie man list to replie that there is great difference betweene the earthen vessell to dishonor and the reprobate because the vessell feeleth no euill but the reprobate shall feele most horrible and eternall torments We aunswere that the Apostle well inough knew that and yet iudged the similitude to bee verie fit and sufficient to iustifie God as in deed it is greate reason that hee should employ his creatures as he will for the manifesting of his glorie in them 12 And it is the third point which the Apostle toucheth where hee sayth What if God woulde to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen Rom. 9.22 suffer with long patience the vesselles of wrath prepared to destruction and that hee might declare the riches of his glorie vppon the vessels of mercie which hee hath prepared vnto glorie Hee here doth declare first that God doeth so hate and detest sinne that immediatly and without delaie hee woulde swallowe vp sinners were it not that in patience hee suffereth and beareth with them yea and endueth them with many bodily goods but they vpon obstinacie and wyth vnpenitent heartes abusing this patience doo heape vp for themselues wrath in the daie of wrath Rom. 2. 5 and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Secondly that God doth thus in patience tollerate the vessells of wrath prepared to perdition that hee may afterward shew his wrath against sinne in the horrible and eternall punishment thereof as also his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee will as it is shewed in the similitude of the potter Lykewise he declareth that the purpose of election tendeth to let men know the riches of his glorie in
the vessells of mercie which hee hath prepared to glorie To be short hee teacheth vs that the declaration of his wrath agaynst sinne and consequently of his holynesse and iustice in punishing the same also of his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee will and lastly of his great mercie to the elect do all serue to the manifesting of the glorie of God As nothing therefore doth better beseeme God than the manifesting of his glorie so for the iustifying of God and the shutting of the passage agaynst all such blasphemies it sufficeth with the Apostle Saint Paul to maintaine that his glorie shineth in his mercie to the elect in his iustice against the vessels of wrath prepared to perdition and in his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee wyll For such as are not content wyth this reason doo shew themselues to bee enemies to the glorie of God Besides that this phrase of speech which hee heere vseth when hee sayeth Who is it doeth shew that in whatsoeuer God doth for the manifesting of his glorie man is not to murmure or replie especially considering that it was and is the purpose of all Gods workes Prou. 16.4 For hee hath made all things for himselfe sayth Salomon euen the wicked for the daie of his calamitie 15 The same Apostle in another place verie notablie confirmeth the premises saying God hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe Rom. 11.32 that hee might haue mercie on all The purpose of Saint Paule in this place is to shew that the Gentiles were vnbeleeuers euen vntill the resurrection of Iesus Christ and the Iewes after it to the ende that the Gentiles beeing conuerted by the preaching of the Gospell might confesse that hauing so long remayned in vnbeleefe plunged in idolatrie and giuen ouer to all wickednesse Ephe. 2 1◠euen as Saint Paul sayth without Christ without God and without hope It was vndoubtedly a worke of meere wonderfull mercie of God to receiue graft them into the Church by preaching of the Gospell Likewise that the Iewes after their incredulitie which hath now continued aboue fifteene hundred yeeres receiuing the Gospell whensoeuer it shall please God to call them thereto may also confesse that theyr saluation proceedeth neither from the worthines of theyr ancestors neyther from the merites of their works but from the soueraigne and meere mercie of God Beholde here a number both Iewes and Gentiles reprobates vesselles of wrath whome God hath shut vp in rebellion and vnbeleefe in whose iust perdition Gods mercie shal the more shine vpon a small number of his elect If anie man list heereat to take occasion to murmure in that hee cannot comprehend Gods iudgements let him with Dauid remember that they are wonderfull deepe And in lieu of labouring and seeking to finde out the reason of them let him in maintenance of Gods iustice with Saint Paul crie out and saie O the deepnes of the riches Psal 36.7 both of the knowledge and of the wisedome of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen vnto him first Rom. 11.33 and hee shall bee recompenced For of him and thorough him and for him are all thinges to him bee glorie for euer Amen Heere wee see how the Apostle by the tenour of this exclamation beating down the pride rash presumptiō of man teacheth vs to containe our selues in all sobrietie modestie and humilitie in the sight of God to reuerence his iudgements which hee hath sayd to bee incomprehensible In our selues to feele that there is in God a depth of wisedome which swalloweth vp mans vnderstanding to confesse that he is not bound to his creature to acknowledge that it is not possible for vs to comprehend his waies and finally that in this wonderful worke we must glorifie God for euer How horrible therefore are the blasphemies of those that dare accuse God of iniquitie and vniustice because hee openeth not vnto them the treasures of this heauenly wisdome wherby they may vnderstand the reasons of his incomprehensible iudgements workes waies which cannot possibly be found out 14 The prophet Esaie rehearseth that hee receiued from God this commandement Go saie vnto this people ye shall heare in deed but ye shall not vnderstand Esay 6.9 ye shall plainly see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie shut their eies least they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale thē This is a commandement that seemeth verie strange for it doth not only foreshew the hardning of the heart of the Iewes and consequently their destruction but also that preaching shall be the occasion to blind them and to harden their hearts Shal we therefore saie that God is the author of their hardnes blindnes sin and destruction that proceed therof God forbid And therefore note what S. Paul said to the vnbeleeuing Iewes It was necessarie the word of God should first haue bene spoken to you Acts 13.46 but seeing ye put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles Moreouer wherefore hath God wrought in the harts of some by his holy spirit giuen ouer others to hardnesse of heart and blindnesse True it is that as a iust iudge he hath punished the wickednes of vnbeleeuers in hardning them yet must we ascend to the eternall decree of God who hath elected those whom he would to conuert them giuen ouer the others to be hardned Now albeit thou canst not vnderstand why he hath chosen those rather than the other why he causeth the doctrine of saluation to be preached to some with such efficacie of his holy spirit that thereby they do conuert beleeue but vnto others without any efficacy of his spirit wherby they harden thēselues so increase their condēnatiō also how God hardneth yet is no author of the hardnes of hart either of the sins that thereof doo proceed yet see thou reuerence the incomprehensible iudgements of God and consider what went before this commandement giuen vnto Esaie Esay 6. Hee saith that hee sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throane and lifted vp and the lower parts therof filled the temple The Seraphims stood ouer it couering their faces with two wings and crying one to another Holy holy holy Lord God of hoasts the whole world is ful of his glorie This teacheth vs to humble our selues before this holy most holy one and to reuerence the iudgements of this king that sitteth vpon the throne Iohn 12. 42 as most holy and most righteous and in the execution whereof shineth his glorie Whereuppon Saint Iohn hauing alleadged this sentence of Esaie touching the blinding and hardning of the Iewes expresly doeth note that the Prophet spake