the Church to Rome or Amsterdame or harden them in their prophanenesse and irreligion then turne them to righteousnesse Yet let vs not wrong the age wherein we liue nor slight the graces of God conferred on it I am confident wee may boldly affirme of it that God gaue the word and great is the company of the Preachers neuer any age before in this kingdōe nor at this present any kingdome or country in the world affording so many so able so faithfull Teachers and if many thereby be not turned to righteousnesse it is their owne fault nay it serues to aggravate both their offence and their punishment it takes away all colour from excuse and adds weight to their condemnation And so I passe from the persons rewardable to the reward it selfe the second maine branch of my Text. Though it be not lawfull to worke for the reward yet is it not vnlawfull in our working to cast an eye vpon the reward for the better supporting of our patience and the cheering vp of our faith and hope Thus our Saviour set before himselfe the ioy to come his Apostle the price of the high calling and Moses his servant the recompence of the reward Now in this reward we haue the condition the different degrees in that condition and the perpetuity of those degrees first then of the condition which is shining They shall shine The shining light was at leastwise of all the visible creatures the first that Almighty God made and among them all it is the most beautifull the most cheerefull the most vsefull Now it seemes requisite and suteable that they who shine in wisedome here in the mid'st of a crooked and perverse nation should likewise shine in glory hereafter that they who are filled with the light of knowledge and imparted their light to others in the Church militant should themselues be filled with the light of glory in the Church triumphant We shall then behold him face to face who is the light of the world who lightneth every man that commeth into the world who is the father of lights who is cloathed with light as with a garment and dwelleth in light that is inaccessable which no man can approach or attaine vnto and in his light shall we see light nay in his light shall we bee light They looked vnto him and were lightned Even in this pilgrimage and vally of teares with open face we behold as in a glasse the glory of God and thereby are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2. Cor. 3.18 much more then shall wee be changed into the same image when we behold him not in a glasse but as he is The path of the iust saith Solomon is as the shining light which shineth more and more vntill it be perfect day our shining then is begun here in this life but the perfect day the perfection of this shining is reserued for the next here it is that the day-starre ariseth in our hearts and neuer leaues vs till it turnes vs into starres In which regard the seaven Angels that is the seaven Pastors of the seaven Churches are named starres Rev. 1.16 And the twelue Apostles are represented by a crowne of twelue starres Rev. 12.1 but this was in regard of the present condition the future both of them and all those who by their teaching should be turned vnto righteousnesse our Saviour himselfe resembles to the shining of the Sunne Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sunne in the kingdome of my Father they shall shine and that as the Sunne they shall shine forth as the Sunne when hee darts his beames forth in their full strength at high noone All the shining all the glittering pompe and brauerie of the great Monarchs of this world at their highest festiualls or greatest solemnities is noe more to this future shining of the Saints then is the light of a dim candle to the brightest starre or the shining of a glowe-worme in the night to that of the Sunne when as a bride-groome he marcheth forth of his chamber and reioyceth as a mighty Gyant to run his course When Moses came downe from the mount and from talking with God his face shoone so bright as the Israelites could not behold the brightnesse of it but he was forced to couer it with a vaile that so he might talke with them and of S. Stephen it is said that all who sate in the counsell where he was conuented and arrained looking stedfastly on him saw his face as it had beene the face of an Angel now if it please God thus to conferre such a wonderfull measure of shining glory vpon his seruants here on earth what shall we conceaue he hath reserued for the glorified Saints in heauen at the transfiguration of our Sauiour we read that his face did shine as the Sunne and his very rayment was white as the light which Saint Peter standing by and beholding was so rauished as he talked of building tabernacles for Moses Elias not well knowing what he spake yet was all this but a tipe as it were or shadowe of that glory and Maiesty with which hee was afterward to be invested and to which we shall be conformed for when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him 1. Ioh 3.2 We shall be then like him for that he shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body these vile bodies of ours sowne naturall shall be raised spirituall sowne in corruption shall be raised in immortality sowne in weaknesse shall be raised in power sowne in basenesse shall be raised againe in glory in shining glory answerable to the citty in which they shall be placed whose light is like to a stone most pretious euen to a Iasper stone cleare as Christall the streets thereof of pure gold as trāsparent glasse the foundations of the wall garnished with all manner of pretious stones the Saphyr the Emerald the Chrysolite the Iacinth the Almethyst and the like the 12 gates of 12 entire pearles such shall be the shining glory of the place and that of the inhabitants thereof euery way correspondent thereunto Here we dwell God knowes in a great deale of darknesse the darknesse of error and ignorance the darknesse of sinne the darknesse of misery but then he who brought light out of darknesse shall turne our darknesse into light the darknesse of ignorance into the light of knowledg for then shall we know him as we are knowne of him the darknesse of sin into the light of holinesse resembled by those long white robes spoken of in the 17 of the Reuel◠and lastly the darknesse of misery into the light of happinesse Then shall all teares be wiped of our eyes we shall rest from all our labours and not only so but enter into our masters ioy it is not said that our masters ioy shall enter into vs but we into it in regard of the fulnesse thereof for in his
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
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
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
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
treated vpon yet the manner which is or should be vsed in Sermons by explaining that which is hard deducing of doctrines and applying them home vnto the conscience doth more speedily and easily informe the vnderstanding and beget Faith as he that is taught by one that is his crafts master shall sooner attaine to knowledge then he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hath no other helpe then his owne industrie I adde farther that whosoever neglecteth or contemneth Sermons neglecteth and contemneth the ordinance of God and consequently God himselfe neither may such a one looke for a blessing from God vpon his Reading or whatsoever other meanes hee vseth So that my desire is by all meanes to encourage all and by no meanes to disharten any from the frequent hearing of Sermons Howbeit I may not so advance Sermons but that I must giue Reading the due also Never more need Among Papists the Stewes passe vnpunished but to read privately in the Bible is death their publike reading is in a tongue vnknowne whereby they make God a Barbarian to the people Smith a Puritan a Brownist an Anabaptist a Se-baptist what not saith that Reading is but a ceremonie and that our Saviour read indeed to fulfill all righteousnes but when he had done shut the book to put an end to the ceremonie Hee saith farther that Reading is the Ministerie of the letter so of death and that it is vnlawfull in worship to hold a booke before the eye Our brethren of the faction haue not only said it but also printed it that Reading is not feeding but as evill as playing on a stage and worse too And is it not the manner of many neglecting publike Service and Reading to send their servants or children to see whether the Preacher be ready to goe into the pulpit For till then they list not come and so according to the Frenchiest turne all Gods worship into a meere preachment To say nothing that they tie your Faith vnto the Preachers mouth and deny vnto Reading all power to beget it the contrarie whereof you haue now heard sufficiently as I am perswaded demonstrated vnto you Behold therefore blessed bretheren behold the largenesse of Gods bountie and goodnesse in making the meanes of your saluation so facile and easie vnto you He hath made every one of you capable of reading there is none but may learne to read if he will It is as easie as to learne to play at tables or cardes and a little of the time which some spend in Alehouses and idle exercises would soone make them perfect schollers therein But were it difficult to read yet haue you eares and you may daily heare Gods word both publikely and privately read vnto you in your mother tongue if so you please It is hid from none but those that will not seeke it saith Chrysostome and it is exposed and made obvious to every one least any should perish for want of ability to finde it It is not so high aboue thee as Moses saith that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp for vs to heauen and bring it to vs Neither is it so farre from thee that thou shouldest say who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs and bring it vnto vs But the word is very nigh thee if thou wilt but open thy eyes thou maist read it at thy pleasure or if thou wilt but lend an eare thou maist when thou wilt heare it read vnto thee Let no man thinke himselfe abandond of God or destitute of all meanes as long as hee hath free liberty to read or heare the written word Neither yet let any man say vnto mee what need Sermons if reading be sufficient For it is as if he should say what need two eyes if a man may see with one No my brethren God is more bountifull and liberall then so and as he hath provided more kinde of stuffes for our backe then one and more kinde of meats for our belly then one so hath hee ordained more meanes of Faith and Salvation then one Among them if you will let Sermons bee the principall yet is it not the only meanes but reading is a meanes also For as St Hierome saith The Scriptures of God teach the people not only by the eares but by the eyes also and hee that sanctified sounds and words vnto the eares hath also sanctified letters and characters to the eye and blessed be the name of God for both Courage therefore Christian brethren courage buy you bibles and read them diligently and when they are publikely read vnto you listen vnto them carefully It can not be but so doeing yee shall reap wonderfull benefit Iosephus writeth of the Iewes that they were all generally very skilfull in the text of Scripture It is reported of Alphonsus the wise and learned King of Arragon that hee had read ouer the whole Bible fourteene times besides the Glosse and other commentaries vpon it Yea diverse women as Gorgonia sister to Gregory Nazianzen Paula Eustochium Salonia Celantia with others by frequent reading became marvelous ripe in Scripture And Gregory the great tells vs of a man vtterly vnlearned that could not so much as read who notwithstanding bought himselfe a bible and entertained one in his house to read vnto him whereby saith he iuxta modum suum plene didicit Scripturas according to his measure he perfectly learned the Scriptures though otherwise he were a man altogether vnlettered Courage therefore againe Christian brethren courage search the Scripture as our Saviour counselleth delight in the law of God meditate therein night and day with David and you shall vndoubtedly aspire to the same degree of sauing knowledge that they haue done before you Be you men be you women be you learned be you vnlearned be you of what trade or condition of life soever God will deny his gratious assistance to none of you vnlesse you bee defectiue to your selues Only as he that will reape true comfort by the holy communion must come with due preparation therevnto so must you also come to the reading of the word in praeparatione animi with a ready disposition to loue and embrace the truth when it shall be discouered vnto you For vnto those that receiue not the loue of the truth God will send strong delusions that they shall beleeue lies Wherevnto if you adde your humble and devout prayers vnto God according to Gregory Nazianzens counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pray and search and shall say with David Aperi oculos Lord open mine eyes doce me iustificationes tuas teach me thy statutes then will the lambe of the tribe of Iudah come and open the booke that is sealed by it giue vs such a measure of sanctifying knowledge grace as may suffice to bring vs to the state of eternall blessednesse and glory which the Lord grant vs all for his Christs sake TESTIMONIES OF SVNDRY moderne writers touching the efficacy of
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