example of Christ for to his Father alone doth he addresse himselfe Father saith he the houre is come Giue me leaue to bestow a little paines in proofe hereof For it is now high time to be at downe Popery by all meanes it being of late growne too too impudent as hauing beene but too much countenanced Angells and Saints departed say Papists may be called vpon May be and why not must be Forsooth howsoever they would faine haue the vulgar sort beleeue it yet dare not the learned among them affirme it to be necessary And they haue reason For were it otherwise either it must be because we are so commanded or for that without it wee cannot obtaine our end namely grace and assistance in all our needs But commandement we haue none If we haue let them shew it together with promise of impetration if wee call vpon them or of commination if we neglect it But this they neither doe nor can shew The fittest place for it if any such were had beene where our Saviour the best Doctor teacheth vs how to pray Yet there he sendeth vs neither to Saints nor Angells but only to our Father Had they had any right to our prayers Christ was iust and would never haue appropriated that vnto God which was due also vnto them could they haue beene vnto vs all a present helpe in need I am sure neither would his loue haue concealed it from vs nor his goodnesse haue envied their help vnto vs. Directing vs therefore in this perfect platforme of Prayer vnto no other then our Father it is more then evident his will is not wee should seeke vnto any other Now as it is not necessary in regard of commandement so neither is it in respect of the end For our end namely impetration and obtaining our desires may be attained otherwise How so By the intercession and mediation of Christ Iesus This I trust they will not deny to be of it selfe sufficient every way Certainly without much derogation from the honour of Christ they cannot For he hath expressely promised that whatsoever we shall aske the Father in his name shall be granted vnto vs. So that neither in this respect is such invocation necessary How then Forsooth Pious and Profitable for so they state it But if that only be Pious which is pleasing and acceptable vnto God and no worship bee accepted of him but that which is agreeable to his commandement then cannot such invocation be Pious For as we haue shewed it is no where commanded and not being commanded it is but a superstitious Willworship which the Lord with much indignation reiecteth demaunding who hath required these things at your hands And if it be not Pious then neither is it Profitable but vaine and to no purpose For so saith our Saviour In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men But how vnprofitable and vnavaileable such Praiers are will more fullie appeare if we duly consider how vnfurnished of abilities both Angels and Soules departed are to helpe and steed vs when we call vpon them For to this end three things are necessarilie requisite particular knowledge of all our doings ready will to helpe and power enabling them to helpe vs. First I say Knowledge not of the state of the Church militant in generall for such we deny not vnto the Saints departed much lesse vnto the Angels whom God hath appointed to be the Gardians of his chosen people but of vs all and all our actions in particular yea of the secret cogitations of the heart and the inward sinceritie thereof For Prayer is not alwaies Vocall but sometimes Mentall only such as was that of Hannah and oftentimes consisteth of such groanes and sighes as cannot bee vttered And when it is vttered becomes Vocal speech and whatsoeuer is externall is but the carcase thereof the life and soule thereof is the internall truth of the heart it being nothing else but a powring out of the soule or discharging of the heart before God Which being so I would faine learne if God only be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Scriptures every where teach and it be a prerogatiue peculiar to him alone to trie and search the heart how either Angels or Spirits deceased come to the knowledge of those Prayers that are only conceived in the minde or can discerne with what affection they are delivered They may perhaps say This people approacheth with their lips but whether the heart be neere or farre off that is beyond their skill So is it also particularly to know the outward state and to heare the Vocall Prayers of all men wheresoever throughout the whole world For they are not as God present at once every where but as creatures bounded and measured by time and place so that at one time they cannot occupie more then one place and consequently cannot take notice of all what is done at the same time in every place True it is the blessed Angels of God sometimes attend vpon vs here on earth but ordinarily they wait vpon the throne of God in heaven When they are sent with any message they come vnto vs and when they haue done their errand they returne againe So that as well ascending as descending Iacobs ladder neither doe we know when any of them come vnto vs or how long they stay with vs neither doe themselues alwaies know in what state we are or what wee pray for in particular As for soules departed as it is no part of their office to encomber themselues with our businesses so if we may beleeue Scripture they haue no particular knowledge of them yea they are often taken from among vs to the end they may not be troubled with them And indeed not knowing of themselues as being absent if they haue any such knowledge it must needs be by revelation or relation from others Is it from the Angells then But they know not all our needs as not being alwaies with vs. And what a compasse is it that the Angells come downe hither and then returne backe againe to acquaint the Saints with our needs that they may pray for vs Is it from Soules newly arrived Surely they at their departure are more carefull of themselues and their owne future state then inquisitiue after the state of others And the knowledge they carry hence with them can be but of a few things neere at hand which they haue seene and heard not which were farre distant or of all wheresoeuer and whensoeuer done Besides what a dreame is it that those ancient Saints should then only interceede for vs when by some of these new comers they are particularly informed of vs whence is it then Forsooth from divine revelation what speciall and particular then when we pray Nor so neither saith Bellarmine For then the Church would not so boldly say vnto the Saints Pray for
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
presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore fulnesse of ioy not drops or showres of ioy lightly to bedewe or besprinkle vs but riuers of ioy flouds of ioy euen to bath our selues in And looke as vnwilling as a naturall man would be who enioyes the light of the sunne to returne backe againe into his mothers wombe so vnwilling would a glorified Saint be to returne from this shining glory and fulnesse of ioy to the honours and pleasures of this world The seuerall and different degrees of this reward are clearely represented vnto vs by the difference betweene the brightnesse of the firmament that of the starrs They that be religiously wise though they neuer haue the function nor the gifts to teach shall shine as the one but they who haue both the calling and abilitie to teach and withall a blessing vpon their labours thereby to turne many vnto righteousnesse as the other as the brightest starres for ever and ever I am not ignorant that some learned Divines haue not only doubted of this disparity of glory in the Saints but haue denyed it and disputed against it yet those very men haue confessed it to haue beene agreed vpon by the generall consent of the Fathers which for mine owne part I must professe I am vnwilling to forsake specially where the Scripture and reasons drawne from thence are so faire for it and in the analogie of faith nothing against it That there are diversitie of gifts and withall that we are to covet the best gifts S. Paul hath made it evident and our Sauiour that of the seed which fell in good ground some brought forth an hundred some sixtie some thirty fold and what they teach we find confirmed by daily experience That there are different degrees in grace then there can be no question and I thinke as little that there shall be in glory since grace is but a steppe to glory and glory againe the crowne of grace He who hath told vs that in his Fathers house are many mansions seemes to haue intended not only a multitude in number but a difference in order and so did the ancients vnderstand it Let vs heare one for thē all Apud patrem mansiones multae sunt tamen evndem denarium dispares laboratores accipiunt quia vno cunctis erit beatitudo laetitiae quamuis non vna sit omnibus sublimitas vitae saith the great Gregorie in the last chapter of the fourth booke of his Moralls In my Fathers house are many mansions and yet the labourers who entred the vineyard at different houres receaued every one the same penny because all shall enioy the same happinesse though some be advanced to an higher pitch of glory As in vessells some are bigger some lesser yet all are full to the very brimme and of eyes some are stronger some weaker yet all behold the same sunne of righteousnesse yet shall not all vessells of glory be capable of the same measure nor al gloryfied eyes be fixed vpon their blisfull object with the same strength sed in eisdem mansionibus saith the same Doctor erit aliquo modo ipsa diversitas concors quia tanta vis amoris in illa pace nos sociat vt quod in se quisque non acceperit hoc se accepisse in alio exuleet But in these many mansions there shall be a friendly kinde of diversity because so forceable shall be the charity of the Saints in that eternall peace that what every one hath not receaued in himselfe he shall reioyce to haue receaued in and by another He that gained two talents to his Master and he that gained fiue they are both commended for their faithfullnes both entred into their masters ioy yet as their talents were at first bestowed vpon them according to their seuerall abilities so no doubt but their reward was in some sort proportionable to their severall gaines which partly appeares in this that the talent which was taken from him who had but one was conferred vpon him who had gained fiue and not vpon him who had gained but two It is by all Divines freely acknowledged that there shall be different degrees of punishments in hell in as much as it shall be easier in the day of iudgment for some then for others and some shall be beaten with more others with fewer stripes why not then different rewards or rather different degrees of the same reward in heauen It is true that for the greater terrour the degrees of punishments are thus differenced in Gods iustice according to our deserts yet may it well be that for our better encouragement likewise in his mercy he hath thus proportioned out these different degrees in our reward not for any merit of ours but partly thereby to quicken vs in the way of vertue and godlinesse and partly to shew his truth as in disposing of all things so of his rewards as a man that hath many sonnes and promiseth to proportion out his Legacies to them as they shall shoote neerer or farther off the marke set up by himselfe conditionally that they hitt the butt is in a manner bound to bequeath him the fairest portion who comes neerest the white not for the merit of the sonne but by reason of his owne promise Little is the knowledge God knowes very little which we poore wormes here crawling vpon the face of the earth haue of things that are in heauen farther then in holy Scripture they are revealed vnto vs yet thus much we know that those blessed ministring spirits by their maker called Angels because they are his messengers sent forth to minister for their sakes who shall be heires of saluation are not all of equall ranke some being Cherubins and Seraphins others thrones and dominations some of an inferiour sort and therefore termed Angels only others of a superiour in that regard styled Arch-angels which how to interpret or accord were they all equall for my owne part I must professe I cannot possibly conceaue Now as in the life to come we shall be like the Angels free from the vse and want of those perishable things which this life stands in neede of so likewise it is not improbable but the gloryfied Saints may some way resemble the different orders in the severall distribution of rewards and to come somewhat neerer my text and withall fully home to the poynt in hand There is saith the Apostle one glory of the sunne another glory of the moone another glory of the starres and one starre differeth from another in glory then presently inferres so shall it be in the resurrection as one starre differeth from another in motion in situation in colour in influence in order the starres in their order fought against Sisera so likewise both in bignesse and brightnesse and so shall it be in the resurrection Behold saith our Sauiour I come quickly and my reward is with me to render vnto euery man according as his worke
shall be not propter but secundum opera according to his works according to the matter of his worke so shall be the substance of his reward according to the manner of his worke the kinde of his reward and according to the measure of his worke the degree of his reward As a man soweth so he shall reape that 's for the kind and he that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly he that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully that 's for the degree If a cup of cold water shall not passe without a reward much lesse he whose whole study hath beene to aduance Gods glory in the works of charity and piety There is no question but the confessors who for the profession of the truth patiently endured stripes banishment imprisonment confiscation of the goods and the like and much more the holy Martyrs who chearefully sealed it with their bloud shine more gloriously then ordinary Christians There is no question but the Patriarchs the Prophets specially Abraham the father of the faithfull shine more gloriously then ordinary beleeuers no doubt but Lazarus and Abraham were both in glory yet Abrahams condition was of the two the more eminent There is no question but the blessed virgin the mother of our Sauiour a chosen vessell full of grace highly favoured blessed among aboue women shineth more gloriously then Mary Magdalen or other women There is 〈◊〉 question but the Apostles of Christ who not only laid downe their liues for the testimony of the truth but were in a manner the first founders of Christian religion and the Secretaries of the holy Ghost being specially inspired for the penning and publishing of those sacred Oracles which they recommended to posterity and are now extant for our saluation shine more gloriously then ordinary Professors in which regard our Sauiour at his comming to judgement assignes them twelue thrones as assessors with himselfe in a speciall manner Lastly there is no question but those faithfull Pastors who like sacred lamps spend their oile and consume themselues to ashes to giue others light and to direct them in the way to heauen by their pens and tongues teaching and turning many to righteousnesse shall shine more gloryously then those Disciples who by them are turned but haue neither faculty nor authority to teach and by teaching to turne others Here then is our comfort incouragement that howbeit from men we haue many times very little thankes for our great paines in teaching yea even from those we haue taught and endeavoured to turne nay though â—â—steed of thanks the world frowne vpon vs and raise stormes against vs yet our reward is the contentment of a good conscience in the discharge of our duty here and that shining crowne of glory hereafter laid vp and promised to them who are faithfull to the death who haue fought the good fight and haue finished their course Our trust assurance is that the lesse thanks and reward we haue on earth the greater our reward shall be in heauen and the more that those whome we haue turned vnto righteousnesse shall increase in number in knowledge and in obedience the greater shall the augmentation of our reward be and lastly if in glory we shall know one another as good Diuines probably coniecture for that we shal vndoubtedly know our Sauiour in regard of his humane nature and the Apostles present at his transfiguration perfectly knew Moses and Elias though they had neuer seene them before if I say we shall then and there know one another it cannot be but a great addition to our happinesse to see and know them in the same state with our selues of whose conuersion vnder God we haue beene the happy instruments The last considerable point in this reward is perpetuitie they shall shine as the starres for euer euer for though the degrees thereof be different yet are â—â—â—y all equall and agree in duration and therefore are they all by the purchaser of them called mansions not houses because they euerlastingly abide or houses not made with hands but eternall in the heauens for here wee haue no coÌ„tinuing citie but we seeke one to come this world passeth away with the lust and fashion thereof but that which is to come is laid vpon sure foundations whose builder and maker is God and as is the maker so is the citie as the citie so the citizens as the citizens so the state of glory all correspondent each to other all euerlasting the shining is for euer and euer without variation without diminution without intermission The moone is sometimes waxing and sometimes waining but with these starres it is not so they are allwayes in the full the sunne it selfe is somtimes eclipsed by the interposition of the body of the moone betweene vs it but with these starres it is not so they neuer loose their light nay those visible starres in the firmament which we now behold shining so brightly shall one day fall from heauen but these starres shall neuer fall Stella cadens non est stella cometa fuâ—t if they fall they were neuer starres and if they be starres they shall neuer fall Euen thâ—â—tarres fixed in the firmament of heauen which are but shadowes and resemblances of these blessed starrs in that ordinary course of nature wherein Almighty God hath set and setled them could neuer of themselues either fall or faile according to that of Siracides At the commaundement of the holy one they will stand in their order and neuer faint in their watches Agreeable whereunto is that of the Prophet Dauid speaking of the kingdome of Christ His seede shall endure for euer and his throne as the sunne before me it shall be establshed for euer as the moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heauen and in another Psalme praise yee him sunne and moone praise him all yee starrs of light He hath established them for euer and euer he hath made a decree which shall not passe Though then at the dissolution of all things Ignea pontum astra petent these starrs we now gaze vp on with a delight mixed with wonder shall by the extraordinary power of that hand which made them be againe vnmade and cast downe from heauen yet these wise these teaching these iustifijng starres resembled by them shall neuer faint but shine in the fulnesse of their strength for euer and euer they shall neuer wander as the planets but remaine for euer as fixed starres to them it shall neuer be said as to Lucifer How art thou fallen from heauen O Lucifer sonne of the morning Esay 14.12 Adam might and did fall from paradise The Angels both might did fall from their first habitation but these starres shall neuer leaue their stations If here they be preserued safe in the right hand of him who is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Reuel 1.16 much more shall they there bee out of gun-shot out of all doubt or feare or possibility of
our minds should continually be taken vp To bend our eyes toward heauen and fixe our hearts vpon earth is a fouler solecisme in religion then that stage-player committed in action who when he said O heaven pointed to the earth and when O earth pointed vnto heaven Eies likewise that are vnchast full of lust how dare they looke vp vnto that holy place or that holy one that dwelleth therein As pure hands so pure eyes are to be lifted vp else shall our prayer be turned into sinne vnto vs. Such hands such eyes wee cannot haue vntill the heart be sanctified If that be cleane the eyes are cleane also and we may boldly advance them towards the throne of grace not wavering or doubting but stedfastly beleeuing wee shall obtaine what we aske The same Spirit that perswades vs to crie Abba Father testifieth of the Fathers loue and warranteth vs with confidence to repaire vnto him Et quid negabit qui iam dedit filios esse What will he deny who hath already vouchsafed vs the Adoption of Sonnes Nay quid negabit qui filium nobis dedit Haueing giuen vs his Sonne how can he but with him giue vs all things Indeed considering our owne vilenesse and the glorious Maiesty of God it is reason wee should cast downe our eyes and approach vnto him with feare and trembling Howbeit as hee said Qui apud te Caesar audet dicere maiestatem tuam nescit qui non audet nescit humanitatem so say I whosoeuer dares to present himselfe before God knowes not the greatnesse of his Maiestie but whosoeuer knoweth his facility and louing kindnesse needs not feare boldly to lift vp his eyes vnto the hils from whence his helpe cometh And if such confidence may be vsed in Private Prayer how much more in the publike congregation of the Saints For a three-fold cord is stronger then a single to draw downe the blessings of God from heaven And so many congregations are so many armies as it were offering such violence vnto the kingdome of God and with such importunatenesse assaulting him that it is impossible for them to be repulsed They therefore are much to be blamed who neglect I had almost said despise the assembly of Gods people preferring their owne private devotions vnto the publike Liturgy of the Church Of whom I say no more but this it is much to be feared least they that doe so pray with more pride and hypocrisie then true devotion when they are at home But de gestu oculorum of the gesture of his eyes so much Sermo oris the speech of his mouth followeth He lifted vp his eyes to heaven and said The Prayer was vocall and yet in regard of God voice needed not The Prayers of Hannah of Moses of Nehemiah were Mentall only yet God heard them If he were such a God as Baall of whom the Prophet Elias jestingly said Cry aloud for hee is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or he is in a iourney or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked then speech happily might be necessarie But our God knoweth what is in man and needeth not that any should testify of man He discerneth the thoughts and intents of the heart and all things are open yea he knowes thoughts long before they be conceiued Neverthelesse this example of our Saviour Christ manifestly sheweth that Vocall prayer is also convenient yea in some cases necessary In publike Prayer and when wee pray with others as now our Saviour did with his Disciples speech is necessarie Else how shall the rest consent and say Amen therevnto Expedient also it is in regard of the Angels both good and evill The good for as our Repentance so our devout Prayers also doe much reioice them The evill for as a Father saith Confitearis Deum apud te vt Diaboli audiant circa te contremiscant propter te confesse God that the Divils may heare which are about thee and tremble because of thee Neither is it inconvenient in respect of our selues And first to discharge the debt we owe vnto God offering vnto him the Calues of our lips For the tongue was created to blesse God withall And as Beleeuing is of the heart so ought we also to confesse with the mouth Againe to stirre vp the more devotion in Prayer For as St Augustine saith Affectus cordis verbis excitatur orantis care of speech restraines the wandring of the minde and the more vehement and significant the words are the more is the heart affected Lastly because of the redundance of the affections vpon the body For as a vessell full of new wine will burst with the working thereof except it be vented so is it with vs in our strong passions vntill they be vttered While David held his peace hee was much troubled his heart was hot within him and the fire burned vntill hee spake with his tongue When his heart was replenished with ioy then his glory that is his tongue also reioiced And our Saviour Christ in the daies of his flesh because of his vehement sorrowes and feares offered vp Prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares And thus you see both what necessity and expedience there is of Vocall prayer But this is not all our blessed Saviour had a further aime in it when he thus prayed He vttered it by word of mouth not only for the present comfort of those that heard him but as I conceiue that it might be registred and recorded as a perpetuall Canon of that glorious Intercession which he maketh for his Church in heauen For although it were deliuered here on earth yet it pertaineth to the state of glory also and therefore would our Saviour haue it registred both that from hence the Saints might deriue sound comfort and consolation vnto their soules and bee furnished of a true patterne of Prayer with what wisdome sobriety and convenient brevitie they are to speake vnto God So that this Prayer is of singular vse in the Church and will bee throughout all generations for ever more But I presse this point no further All which hath beene said touching it I thus apply First it maketh for the comfort of plaine and simple yet honest minded people that although they haue but little skill to set words and formally to deliver their minds yet their Mentall Prayers and short Eiaculations are pleasing and acceptable vnto God God forbid it should be otherwise For in the approach of death when sicknesse hath sealed vp our lips or in the time of persecution when tyrants bereaue vs of our tongues haue we together with the losse of speech lost also ability to pray No verily For though with Moses wee sâ—y nothing yet our thoughts may cry so loud in the eares of God that he may say vnto vs as sometimes hee did vnto Moses Quid clamas ad me why dost thou crie
Prince of Physitians saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time is that wherein season is it may not be doubted but God hath ordained such a time for it as was every way most seasonable And truly did S. Augustin say Omnia proprijs locis temporibus gessit Saelvator our Saviour acted all things in their proper times and places Let vs therefore a little more particularly enquire touching this time and season and here first in what age of the world secondly in what yeare of his owne age thirdly and lastly in what time of that yeare he suffered As touching the age of the world it was not instantly vpon the creation thereof nor yet soone vpon the fall of man but a long time after euen towards the end of foure-thousand yeares and the beginning of the last age of the world called therefore in Scripture the fulnesse of time and the last daies This time was of old foretold by the Prophets For although the incarnation and suffering of the Messias was for a while preached indefinitely without designation of any certaine time as namely vnto Adam and Abraham yet afterward it pleased God to reveale it more definitely as by Iacob the scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a law-giuer from betweene his feet vntill Shiloh come and by Daniel that seauenty weekes after the going forth of the Commandement to restore build Ierusalem being well neere expired the most holy should be annointed and Messias be cut off At the end of which time there was a generall expectation of the Messiaâ— among the Iewes as appeareth by Scripture 〈…〉 that very time he came and suffered in the flesh as by the same Scripture is purposely declared Some that are counted skilfull in Chronologie and the computation of times place the Passion of Christ in the yeare of the world three thousand nine hundred fiftie and three Others I knowe reckon otherwise but the numbâ—â— of yeares where in they differ is so small that it is little oâ— nothing at all to be reckoned of Haply you will demand why it pleased God rather to appoint this time then any other I answer because this time was of all other the most seasonable fitting The time before the fall and while man stood yet in his integritie could no way be fit For as our Saviour saith He came not to call the iust and againe the whole need not the Physitian There being therefore as yet no sicknesse nor wound neither was there any need of physicke or salue Had man persisted in his innocencie Christ had never beene incarnate nor had suffered To haue suffered soone after the fall would also haue beene very inconvenient For it was reason that man sinning by pride should haue a time to humble him to see his miserie to seeke helpe and to exercise his faith The dignitie also of our Saviours person was such and the worke of redemption so important that so much haste could not wel stand with either And if Christ suffering so lately shall at his second comming scarce finde faith on the earth what a scarcity of faith would there haue beene and how cold would charity haue waxed by this time had hee suffered so long agoe and presently vpon the fall For which cause also it was not to bee deferred vnto the last period of the world least in the interim religion and the knowledge of God should quite bee extinguished Besides it 〈◊〉 â—it that some time should be allowed betweene the worke of our redemption and glorification to the end that the power of God our Saviour might bee praised and spread abroad our faith exercised and tried not onely in regard of things past and present but future also and our thankfulnesse testified by our faithfull and diligent serving of him The duest time therefore was by the wisdome of God chosen and Christ came and suffered neither too soone nor too late but in that season when both Iewes and Gentiles were come to their ripenesse the one to be broken off by reason of their incredulitie the other to be grafted in through Gods goodnesse and mercy For as touching the Iewes they were now growne to such an height of impietie that as Iosephus saith had the Romans neuer so little deferred their desolation either the earth would haue swallowed them or a deluge of waters haue drowned them or fire from heaueÌ„ haue consumed them for Sodom was never so abominable As for the Gentiles their fulnesse was now come in they were growne white and ready for the harvest and the calling of them so long delayed was now to be commenced And so much for the age of the world As touching the yeare of his age wherein hee suffered it was if wee may beleeue Irenaeus about the fiftieth which he voucheth to be an Apostolicall tradition But indeed he is fowly mistaken as is generally agreed vpon by all Where by the way may bee obserued what small credit is to be giuen to Fathers in point of tradition The ground of his opinion was that of the Iewes Thou are not yet fiftie and hast thou seene Abraham But they spake at randome and after the manner of disputers grant him more then might well be admitted The common receaued opinion is that hee suffered being three and thirtie compleate in the beginning of his foure and thirtieth Howbeit Scaliger and that as it seemes not without good reason addeth one yeare more and placeth his Passion in the beginning of his fiue and thirtieth For taking it as granted that at his Baptisme he was full thirtie betweene that and his Passion he findes as hee supposeth fiue Passeovers The first in the second of Iohn And the Iewes Passeover was at hand The second in the first of Iohn After this there was a feast of the Iewes which he proueth to be Easter by that in the former Chapter Say not yee there are yet foure months and then commeth harvest The third in the twelfth of Mathew and the sixt of Luke where his Disciples walking through the corne fields plucked the eares of corne The fourth in the sixt of Iohn And the Passeouer a feast of the Iewes was nigh The fift and last was that wherein he was crucified Which being so then Christ being baptized in his thirtieth compleate and dying in the fift Passeouer after his suffering must of necessity be in the beginning of his fiue and thirtieth But about this I will not contend The oddes of one yeare cannot be great Enquire wee rather why hee suffered at this age First because it was vnfit that old age should creepe into that nature which was so neerely vnited vnto the eternall sonne of God Secondly to testifie how dearely he loued vs that was content then to die for vs when as yet he was in the very flowre and vigor of his age Thirdly mystically to teach vs that as hee grew in age and stature and then being come
betweene themselues This spirituall punishment is the greatest of all iudgements in this life and is vsually attended with eternall shame and confusion of face in the next And reason it is that they who sleight that which God holdeth so deare should themselues be sleighted of him and seeing they disdaine to glorifie him that he by iust vengeance should glorifie himselfe vpon them So dealt he with Pharaoh Nabuchadnetzar Antiochus Herod and other proud tyrants and so will hee one day deale with all those that set so light of his Glory Is then the glory of the Father so deare and pretious vnto him Is he so iealous and charie of it that he will not haue it in any case touched or blemished Then surely that which maketh for his Glory and without which the Sonne cannot glorifie him may not bee denied him And so much for the Maior The Minor Proposition is But by my glorification I shall glorifie thee and without it I shall not be able to glorifie thee This though it be as true as the former yet the truth thereof is not so evident as of that For it may bee obiected that our Saviour now praying for his Glorification implies therein that he was not as yet glorified For wee vse not to sue for what we are already possessed of but only giue thankes for it Yet by and by he saith Ego glorificauite I haue already glorified thee on earth As he was God he had from all eternity glorified him in heauen As he was Man he had here on earth glorified him by his doctrine life obedience miracles And if wee as yet vnglorified doe glorifie him how should not the Sonne much more be able to doe it Vnto all which I thus answer breifly that glorifying is double either Inchoate or Compleate As touching the Inchoate it is true that as the Father had in part already glorified him as in particular by the raising vp of Lazarus so had the Sonne also in part glorified the Father But as touching that which is Compleate neither had the Father as yet so glorified the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father Wherefore as our Saviour is to be vnderstood here to pray for his perfect Glorification so are we to conceiue it also of the Fathers as if hee had said more fully vnlesse the Father perfectly glorifie the Sonne neither can the Sonne perfectly glorifie the Father For as God declared the glory of his power in deliuering Israel out of Egypt by a mighty hand with many signes and wonders yet had his mercy and truth yea his power also beene much impeached had hee not proceeded according to promise to settle them safely in the land of Canaan so the Father although he had begun to shew his glory in the incarnation of his Sonne and all other his noble acts yet if he did not goe on to cōsummate and perfect his Sonnes glory by supporting him in his last combate raising him from death taking him vp into heaven and setting him at his right hand with all power and authority the glory of his goodnesse wisdome mercy iustice and omnipotence would bee exceedingly blemished But when once the Sonne shall be so glorified then shall he by vertue of the power giuen him powre forth of his spirit vpon the sonnes of men subdue the world vnto his obedience trample all his enimies vnder his feet and recover the kingdome vnto his Father Whereby it will manifestly appeare that hee is the eternall Father very God the author of life and saluation sweet in his goodnesse true in his promise iust in retribution wise in all his actions and most powerfull also in his executions And so much likewise of the Minor The vse whereof may serue first for confutation For it answeres a vaine quarrell of the Arrians against the coequalitie of the Sonne with the Father The Father say they must needs be greater then the Sonne because the Sonne saith Pater clarifica filium father glorifie thy sonne and he is greater who giues then he who receaues glory Wherevnto I answer in the words of S. Augustin Quòd si ille qui glorificat c. If he that glorifieth be greater then he whom he doth glorifie let them grant that they are equall who glorifie one the other For it is written that the Sonne also glorifieth the Father I saith hee haue glorified thee on earth So also elsewhere saith our Saviour the spirit shall glorifie me And there being in the holy and blessed Trinitie such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Circuminsession as whereby each Person dwelleth in other it cānot be but each of them should knowe and knowing mutually and eternally glorifie one another Secondly it serues for information that as Christ our head referred his owne Glorification vnto the glory of his Father so we that are his members should doe the like and in all things seeke to glorifie our Father Nay if Christ to the praise of the glory of his Fathers grace was content to become sinne and a curse for vs how much more are wee bound in euery thing to intend his glory of whom hee exacteth no such thing It is the rule of the Apostle S. Paul Whether yee eat or drinke or doe any thing else doe all to the praise and glory of God All whatsoeuer either we are or haue we haue receiued of him and it is he who by Christ hath redeemed vs both bodies and soules let vs therefore glorifie him both in bodies and soules for they are his Thirdly and lastly seeing our Saviour vrgeth his desire to glorifie his Father as a speciall argument to perswade him to grant his request it may serue for singular comfort vnto vs that as long as our actions respect Gods glory and are ioined therewith they cannot but be accepted He will surely blesse them and giue them good successe sith his glory cannot be divided from them A holy life glorifying God is a vitall prayer Though wee heare no speech from it yet it cryeth aloud in the eares of God and saith Father thou maist not deny to glorifie me for through the whole course of my life I study nothing more then to glorifie thee And thus much of our Saviours second motiue drawne from the highest and most soueraigne end of all the Glory of his Father Vers. 2. As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that he should giue eternall life to as many as thou hast giuen him His third reason is drawne from the Power bestowed vpon him by his Father thus Thou hast giuen him power over all flesh to the end he should giue eternall life to as many as thou hast giuen him Ergo thou oughtest to glorifie thy sonne The Antecedent of this Enthymeme is deliuered in the Text in expresse tearmes The Consequence is only insinuated implied For clearing whereof it may please you to obserue with mee first that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated as is not a
only vpon misprision as some worthy divines haue obserued not well distinguishing betweene Essence and Subsistence whereof that is finite this infinite For Christs humanity though according to its essence or Naturall being it bee not every where but determined vnto one place yet in respect of his Subsistence or Personall being it is every where and circumscribed in no place For proper Subsistence of its owne and in it selfe it hath none only the Subsistence of the Sonne of God is communicated vnto it which is infinite vnlimited Secondly if this Power of Christ though finite yet be incommunicable and cannot passe from him to any other what presumption what arrogance is it in him who not being Christ yet dares say with Christ Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terrâ all power is given me both in heaven and in earth Who therevpon takes vpon him to forge new Articles of Faith and to obtrude them vpon the Church vnder paine of damnation who also takes authority vnto him to make lawes equally binding the conscience with Gods lawes that without any relation vnto divine law at all Who finally for to reckon vp all the blasphemies of this sort would bee infinite pretends a power to dispence with the law of God to grant indulgences for sin to free men from the punishment inflicted by God vpon them for sinne Certainly whosoever challengeth these things to himselfe can be no lesse then Christi aemulus even Antichrist himselfe whose proud vsurpations vpon the power of Christ shall one day bee recompenced with equall shame and confusion The rather because thirdly whereas the power of Christ is not secular but spirituall hee claymeth both and so assumeth to himselfe more then euer Christ did Ecce in potestate nostrâ imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Lo saith Pope Adrian the empire is in our power to bestow it where we please And hence I suppose it is that insteed of the old style Vicarius Christi the Vicar of Christ they now begin to stile him Vicedeum the Vicar of God for that by this they may perhaps wrench in his temporall power which by the other they could not inasmuch as Christ neuer had it Lastly therefore seeing Christ contented himselfe with his spirituall power only reiecting that which is secular let not vs looke after outward pomp or state in his kingdome nor iudge of the Church by such deceitfull notes Rather let vs iudge of it by the lawes thereof and by the rule of Faith professed therein As the power of Christ is Spirituall so is his kingdome also and therefore by spirituall markes and notes to be discerned But to proceed The second point is in quos ouer whom or how farre his authority extendeth It is saith my text Over all flesh This word Flesh is diuersly vsed in Scripture Among other significations vsually it is put for Mankinde As where it is said that God saw all flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth that is all men And againe All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower in the field And yet againe Except those daies should bee shortned no flesh that is no man should be saued And so is it to bee vnderstood in this place Christ hath power ouer all flesh that is ouer all mankinde Now he that saith all excepts none All men therefore of what age sexe degree condition or qualitie soeuer are vnder the power and iurisdiction of Christ. And as touching the Saints and those that are members of his mysticall body it is questionlesse For to them he is Caput a head to rule and governe them a Husband to order and direct them a Shepheard to feed and ouersee them Hee hath bought them with his most pretious blood he hath conquered them out of the hands of Satan and all that hated them hee rules by the scepter of his word and guides them by the manuduction of his blessed spirit And as he hath many waies made himselfe Lord ouer them and testified his authority and power by his mighty operations in them so haue they freely and voluntarily submitted and resigned themselues vnto him Power therefore hath he over these as over his obedient and louing subiects But question may be made touching reprobate and wicked men whether hee haue any authority and power over them yea or no. For as the Psalmist saith They band themselues and take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed saying let vs breake their bands asunder and cast their cords from vs. And our Saviour in the parable Nolumus hunc regnare super nos we will not haue this man raigne ouer vs. But notwithstanding all this reluctation and resistance yet power and authority hath he ouer them still Rebellious subiects they may be yet subiects they are Will they nil they Dominabitur in medio hostium hee shall raigne in the midst of his enimies If they will not submit vnto the gentle scepter of his word he hath an yron rod in his hand wherewith to breake and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell And those his enimies that would not hee should raigne ouer them bring them hither will he say and slay them here before me Authority then he hath though they acknowledge it not and ouerrule them he will resist they neuer so much Overrule them I say either to their salvation by converting them or to their confusion by delivering them vp vnto their owne lusts In a word whether they be good or evill how high or low soeuer they be he is Lord of them all Rex regum dominus dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords yea Dominus tum mortuorum tum vivorum Lord both of quicke and dead But what Hath he power only of men and not of other things Yes questionlesse For saith David Omnia subiecisti pedibus eius thou hast put all things vnder his feet And the Apostle applying it vnto Christ addeth In that he put all in subiection vnder him hee left nothing that is not put vnder him Our Saviour Christ also himselfe affirmeth that all things are deliuered him of his Father yea that al power is giuen him both in heauen earth Particularly in heauen ouer the blessed Angels For saith S. Peter he is gone into heauen and is on the right hand of God Angels and authorities and powers being made subiect vnto him Hee is vnto them a Head and Mediator though not of Redemption as vnto man yet of Confirmation in the state of grace and though not to deliuer out of misery yet to preuent their falling into misery Hence it is that they are reckoned in the number of those that pertaine vnto the Church that they minister both to the Head thereof and it also reioycing at the conversion of a sinner and desiring throughly to
waies First by his profession of conformitie and obedience to his Fathers will whereof wee haue already spoken sufficiently Wherein seeing he fayleth not and it is his Fathers will as we haue shewed that he should giue them eternall life vndoubtedly it is his will also Secondly by giuing himselfe for vs. For if then hee was content with the expence of his dearest blood to ransome vs whē we were his enimies how much more now is it his will pleasure to saue vs hauing of enimies made vs friends and begun the spirituall life in vs Thirdly by conioyning vs vnto himselfe in so straight a bond of vnion that we are of his bone and of his flesh For it may not bee imagined that he hateth his owne flesh but loueth all the members of his body so dearely thas as long as hee is able hee will surely preserue them aliue Fourthly by his mediatory intercession For as he prayed for Peter that his faith might not faile so he intended the same vnto all beleeuers as appeareth in the sequele of this prayer where he saith I pray for them also which shall beleeue in me through their word and requests his Father also to keepe them Which hee would never haue done but that he earnestly desired their preservation in life Fiftly by his care and desire that wee should every way be conformed to him that as he died and rose againe and from thenceforth dieth no more so wee should first dye to sinne and then liue to righteousnesse and afterward spiritually never dye more Lastly by sending vnto vs the holy Ghost to lead vs into all truth to comfort vs and to consecrate vs vnto him both Soules and Bodies FINIS A GODLIE DISCOVRSE OF SELFE-DENIALL OXFORD Printed by I. L. for E. F. 1633. LVKE 9.23 And he said to them all if any will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow me THese are the words of our blessed Lord Saviour Iesus Christ and they containe in them Counsell of singular importance given vnto all those that purpose to come after him Vpon what occasion it was giuen is not so fully recorded by our Evangelist S. Luke but what is defectiue in him is perfecty supplied by two other Evangelists S. Mathew and S. Marke by Saint Mathew in his sixteenth Chapter by S. Marke in his eighth It was this Our Saviour had signified vnto his Disciples not obscurely and darkly as at other times but in expresse and plaine tearmes that he was ere long to goe vp to Ierusalem and there to suffer many things of the Elders chiefe Priests and Scribes and at length to bee put to death by them Herevpon S. Peter being as the Fathers obserue of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more hot and hastie then the rest of his fellowes presently takes his Master aside consulting only with flesh blood begins to schoole him Master pittie thy selfe this may not be vnto thee But Christ turning about and looking vpon his Disciples first in the hearing of them all sharply rebukes him Get thee behinde me Satan thou art a scandall vnto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that are of men and then addressing his speech as my Text saith vnto them all he giueth them this wholsome and soueraigne Counsel If any of you be disposed to come after mee hee may not with Peter follow his owne carnall reason nor presume by his advise and counsel to guide and direct me nor finally must he timorously and fearefully shrugge and shrinke at the mention of the Crosse no hee must resolue to deny his owne selfe to take vp his Crosse daily and to follow me otherwise it is but in vaine to thinke of comming after me This was the occasion of the Counsell and this is the context and coherence of the words in this history In them it may please you further to obserue with me these three particulars First the Parties to whom the counsell is giuen secondly the forme of words wherein it is deliuered and lastly the counsell it selfe The Parties Hee said vnto them all the forme of words If any will let him the counsell Let him deny himselfe take vp his Crosse daily and follow me In the first yee haue the generalitie of the Counsell He said vnto them all in the second the Liberty of them that are counselled if any will let him in the last the conditionall necessitie of the counsell if any will come after me he must of necessity deny himselfe take vp his cross daily and follow me Of these in order as God shall assist and the time permit The Parties to whom the Counsell is giuen are All He said vnto them all What All All his Disciples as it seemeth by S. Mathew for saith he Then said Iesus vnto his Disciples But S. Mark further affirmeth that hee gaue it to the multitude also When saith hee hee had called the people vnto him together with his disciples hee said vnto them And these are St Lukes All all the Disciples all the People all the present auditory The present auditorie will some say Thē it concernes not vs who were none of that auditorie Yes vs as well as them for although Christ at that time spake only to them that were present yet the holy Evangelists haue written it for vs also Yea it is clear that our Saviour intended it vniversally vnto all men for that which Matthew and Luke deliver hypothetically and conditionally thus if any will come after me let him the same Saint Marke vttereth in a Categoricall and simple forme thus Whosoever will come after mee as if hee should say Every man without exception So that as our Saviour elsewhere said What I say vnto you I say vnto all Watch in like sort is hee to bee vnderstood here that what he spake vnto his auditorie then was generally meant vnto all mankinde if any whatsoever he bee will come after me he must deny himselfe take vp his crosse daily and follow me I haue seene an end of all perfection saith David in his hundred and nineteenth psalme but thy word is exceeding broad Broad as in sundry other respects so especially in this that it stretcheth and reacheth vnto all men There is no speech nor language saith the same David in the nineteenth Psalme where the voice of the Heavens is not heard their line is gone out throughout all the earth their words vnto the end of the world The Sunne which God hath placed therein goeth forth from the end of heauen and compasseth about vnto the ends of it and nothing is hid from the heat thereof This doth the Apostle Saint Paul in his tenth to the Romans apply vnto the word preached by the Apostles plainely implying that no man in the world of what condition soever is priviledged from the authority thereof When God first gaue the law vnto
it But before we come particularly vnto them we must needs premise a word or two touching the condition and enquire what it is to come after Christ. Among divers interpretations two there are which to me seeme most likely The first is if any will come after me that is if any will be my Disciple Thus S. Luke himselfe seemeth to expound it where speaking in a manner to the same purpose he saith whosoeuer beareth not his crosse and followeth mee cannot bee my Disciple Wherevnto reason also agreeth for Schollers vse not to goe before their Masters but to come after them whence vsually they are called Followers as the Followers of Plato the Followers of Aristotle In this sence then it is as if our Saviour should say If any will be my scholler But hee meanes a scholler not titularlie and in name only like Apothecaries boxes quorum tituli habent remedia pyxides venena which containe in them poisons hauing the titles of remedies but really and truely one that is so indeed and to speake plaine English a â—rue Christian. The second interpretation is if any will come after me that is if any will arriue at that end to the which I am aspiring before him namely eternall glory Neither is this vnlikely for Christ is the author and finisher of our Faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse despising shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Hee by his blood hath consecrated a new and liuing way for vs into the holy of holies whether he is ascended before vs there to prepare mansions for all such as will come after him And in this sense it is as if our Saviour should say if any will come to eternall life and glory after me Now whether of these two sences shall we take I suppose both for first the circumstances of the Text admit both secondly both agree with the analogie of faith thirdly the safest rule is not to straighten but to enlarge the meaning of the holy Ghost as much as may be and lastly what God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Now no man can bee a Citizen of heauen vnlesse he be a Disciple of Christ here on earth The Schoole of Christ and the kingdome of heaven are contriued like Marcellus two Temples of Vertue and Honour For as none could enter into the Temple of Honour but he must first passe through the Temple of Vertue so neither can any man passe into the kingdome of glory but by the schoole of grace He that will be glorious there must first be gracious here There is no salvation but only by the Mediation of Christ his Mediation stands in his Priesthood Kingdome and Prophecie Hee is not a Priest to one a King to another and a Prophet to a third but he is all three vnto a man or he is none at all vnto him for Christ is not divided Whence it followeth that whosoeuer will be saued Christ must bee a Prophet vnto him and he must be a Disciple vnto Christ. The meaning then of this condition is as if our Saviour more fully and plainely had said If any will be my Disciple and by being my Disciple will come vnto the kingdome of heaven after me Now let vs descend in due order vnto the counsels and consider both the substance and necessity of them First of the first Let him deny himselfe What is that God saith the Apostle is faithfull he cannot deny himselfe that is he cannot say and vnsay for his promises are not Yea and nay but Yea and Amen neither can he say otherwise of himselfe then he is for he is truth it selfe cannot lye Must we thus deny our selues God forbid For then how can we resemble our heavenly Father and be perfect as hee is perfect for he neither doth nor can deny himselfe And seeing Christ is the expresse image of his Father and wee are to be conformed vnto the image of Christ it cannot be that he should advise vs to bee so vnlike either to his Father or himselfe as in this sense to deny our selues No this we leaue to cheating Priests and Iesuits who haue devised a new doctrine of Equivocation and Mentall Reservation If yee aske of a Priest art thou a Priest Hee will confidently and boldly deny himselfe and say I am no Priest reseruing in his minde of Baal or of Apollo which speech and reservation put together make vp they say one entire and true sentence I am no Priest of Baal or Apollo And this is the starting hole which these Foxes haue provided for themselues in the time of danger But O thou thrice blessed Lord and Saviour Christ and O yee blessed and holy Apostles and Martyrs of Christ how simple and ignorant were yee that yee knewe not this doctrine Had you knowne it how easily might you haue avoided those many troubles vexations and torments that yee endured Thou O Christ being demanded whether thou were the Christ mightst readily haue answered I am not with this reservation such as yee looke for yee Apostles and Martyrs of Christ being questioned whether yee were Christians might easily haue replyed we are not reseruing only in your mind such as yee slander vs to be devourers of young children incestuous and the like But the schoole of Machiavel and Loiola was not yet opened and Christians hitherto were trained vp only in the schoole of Christ all were of the minde of that Bishop who as Augustin saith was Firme both in name and deed who being demanded by persecutors for a Christian whom he had hidden answered roundly and without all Equivocation neither is it for a Christian to lie nor for a Bishop to betray a Christian and therefore I will not tell you I feare me when these Deniers of theÌ„selues shall appeare before Christ at the last day mentall reseruation will hardly excuse them and because they would not be knowne to be the Priests of Christ for so they pretend neither will Christ knowe them to bee of his flocke But of this enough being but by the way To Deny then in this place is not litterally and properly to be vnderstood but thus to disclaime to renounce to reiect to despise to make no reckoning and to take no notice of When our Saviour threatneth that hee will deny them before his Father in heauen whosoeuer shall deny him before men what meaneth he but this Hee will renounce them and not owne them for his Even as it is said of Levi to his great honour He said vnto his Father and to his mother I haue not seene him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knewe his owne that is he regarded them not nor tooke any notice of them But what must wee thus Deny Our selues He saith not Father Mother Brother Sister Wife children Friends Honour Wealth Pleasure and yet these things must be denied too but hee
hatred he beares vnto him so the divill to testifie how much hee hates God himselfe spends all his fury vpon him that beareth the image of God Hence is it that he is so wroth with the woman and from this Wrath is it that hee still persecutes her casts out floods of water to overwhelme her and maketh warre with the remnant of her seede which keepe the commandements of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ. As Satan so Satanicall and wicked men are deadly enimies vnto the Saints and holy members of Christ. Qui male agit odit lucem he that doth evill hates the light Now the whole world lyeth in wickednesse and therefore cannot endure the light either of Christs truth or their life If they were of the world the world would loue his owne but because they are not of the World but chosen out of the world therefore the world hateth them They thinke it strange that the Saints run not into the same excesse of riot with them What marvell then if hating them and being separated in life and conversation from them they continually stirre vp persecutions against them But it will bee said why doth not God hinder them being able Doth he not loue his Church yes he loues her as the apple of his eye and because her therefore he permits them For as our Saviour saith As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten the Apostle to the Hebrewes whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiueth Whereby it appeareth also that God not only permitteth but hath a hand in the afflictions of his children himselfe delivering them over vnto their adversaries to correct them Yea the Apostle S. Paul yet farther saith that wee are appointed to afflictions predestinated to be conformed vnto the image of the sonne of God as in other things so also to suffer with him that we may be glorified together The ends which God propounded to himselfe herein are partly his owne glory partly our good His owne glory in the manifestation of his iustice power and wisdome Iustice in that he beginnneth iudgement at his owne house not sparing them whom he loues most dearely nor suffering them to recover paradise so easily who had abandond it so wilfully Parvo parari tanta res non debuit it was not fit that such a peece should be won without striking any stroke His power in preseruing such earthen vessels notwithstanding all the knocks and blowes laid vpon them not suffering the bush to consume though flaming and all on fire yea multiplying his Church the more they are slaine and making the bloud of his Martyrs the seede of his Gospell and finally in her greatest distresses and extremities delivering her most miraculously His Wisdome in proportioning the body to the head for it was not fit that Christ should weare a crowne of thornes and we be clothed in purple and fine linnen and fare sumptuously every day but as he entred into glory by the crosse so should wee aspire to the same end by the same way As God in the afflictions of his Church respected his owne glory so also hee intended our good and benefit It is good for me saith David that I haue beene afflicted Hee chastneth vs for our benefit saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes First by the crosse he fanneth away from the church paleaâ— levis fidei the chaffe of those that are vnstable in the faith For the seede that falleth in the stony ground that is he that hath no root in himselfe dureth but for a while and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended And so the chaffe flying away the heape of corne remaineth more cleane in the garner of God as Tertullian speaketh Againe by it are wee much bettered for as a Corrosiue it frets away our ranke flesh and as a fire it purgeth away the drosse of corruption and refines vs. It worketh repentance of sinnes past it preventeh future sinnes it quickneth the spirit of grace within vs and maketh vs more carefull to obserue Gods commandements Thirdly it honours vs greatly by making our vertues knowne vnto the world For as the valour of a souldier is best seene in the battle and the skill of a pilote in a tempest so is the fortitude and patience of a Christian best discerned in tribulation Spices brayed yeeld the sweetest smellâ— as the broaching of heresies tries how much we know of God so the fire of persecution discouereth how much we loue the truth of God Fourthly it weaneth vs from the loue of this world and worketh in vs a longing to be dissolued and to bee with Christ which otherwise wee would hardly doe even as children would hardly forbeare sucking vnlesse the teat bee striken with wormewood or some other bitter and distastfull iuyce Lastly si compatimur etiam conregnabimus if wee suffer with Christ wee shall also raigne with him Exceeding great shall be our reward in heaven saith Christ. Here on earth shall we reape the peaceable fruite of righteousnesse and in heaven an exceeding weight of glory wherewith our sufferings are no way to be compared Thus by Scripture experience malice of adversaries divine ordinance it plainly appeares that every one that will come after Christ must of necessity beare his crosse I adde farther he must not only beare it but hee must take it vp also and that Daily He must not only endure it with patience but also willingly ioyfully thankfully Willingly for so did Christ who foreseeing it and hauing power to avoide it yet would not Nothing that is forced pleaseth God but only that which is voluntarie Ioyfully so did the Apostles reioycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ and our Saviour commanded vs in the midst of persecutions to reioyce be exceeding glad Nor but that affliction is in it selfe and for the present greevous not ioyous but inasmuch as it is for Christs sake and to giue testimony vnto the truth Thankfully in regard of the benefit and reward we reape thereby So did Moses esteeme the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt And it is reason wee should thanke the Chirurgion that cures vs as well for his Corrosiues as his Lenitiues Neither must wee only take vp the crosse willingly ioyfully thankfully but also daily that is with constancy and perseverance He fighteth not the good fight that finisheth not his course It is not sufficient to beare out a brunt or two vnlesse hauing done all we stand God regardeth not so much the beginning as the end Finis coronat opus it is the end that crowneth the worke The reward is promised non pugnanti sed vincenti not to him that fighteth but to him that overcometh In a word he that continueth to the end
of Christ and his religion shall never faile The heavens shall sooner loose their influence and the starres their light then the Ministry of the Church be without its strength and vertue Neither the open violence of tyrants nor the secret vnderminings of Antichrist nor hell it selfe shall ever be able to let or hinder it And thus much of the Efficacy and Operatiue power of the Ministry The authority and jurisdiction annexed therevnto is exceeding great and ample I stand astonished at the consideration thereof for among the sonnes of men there is none comparable to it Among the sonnes of men say I Nay among the Angells of God saith Chrysostome For neither to them nor to Kings or Princes but only to the Ministers of the Gospell are the keyes of the kingdome of heaven giuen These only haue power to open the kingdome of heauen to all that beleeue and to shut the gates against those that continue in incredulity These haue authority to binde and loose to remit and retaine sinnes to enter men by baptisme into the visible Church to admit them or withold them from the holy communion to cut off notorious sinners from the body of the Church by excommunication to deliuer them over to Satan and if they proue incorrigible by anathema maranatha to separate them from the Church vntill the Lord come Adde herevnto that whatsoever they doe here on earth by vertue of the keyes the same is eftsoones ratified by God in heauen according to that of our Saviour whose sins soeuer yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes soeuer yee retaine they are retained and againe whatsoeuer yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Now as the Iurisdiction of the Ministrie is wondrous great so is the extent thereof exceeding large For it stretcheth it selfe without exception of condition or degree vnto all men If I should say Angels also perhaps I should not say much amisse Else what meaneth that of the Apostle vnto Principalities and Powers in heauenly places is made knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God For seeing the Church maketh nothing knowne but by the Ministrie and the Angels come to the knowledge of the manifold wisdome of God by the Church it seemeth that they also are in some things informed by the Ministrie And thus at length to summe vp all that hath beene said you haue clearely demonstrated not only that the Science we professe is of all other the most transcendent and operation of our Ministrie the most effectuall but also that the authority and jurisdiction therevnto annexed is of all other the greatest and largest Out of all which I hope I may be bold to inferre the conclusion principally intended that our calling is therefore of all other the most worthy And is it so indeed that the Ministry is of all callings the most noble and honourable Then belike they that are advanced therevnto are accordingly to be esteemed Without question they are Reason telleth vs it ought to be so God commandeth that it be so The more strange it seemes that whereas all other sorts of men are regarded answerably vnto their places Ministers only are vilipended and least set by For that so it hath ever beene the monuments of former ages sufficiently testifie Noah was mocked of the old world Lot of the Sodomites Aaron of Korah Dathan and Abiron David of Michol Micaiah of Ahab and his false Prophets Elizeus of the children and Iehus captaines and generally all the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord by the Iewes In the new Testament Christ himselfe was set at naught the Apostles when they were filled with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost were flouted at as full of new wine St. Paul when he discoursed most profoundlie before the Athenians of the mysteries of Christian religion was counted of them but a vaine Babler and vniversallie all the Apostles every where were no better reckoned of then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offals off scourings of the world doe not we Ministers now a dayes drinke of the same cup or are we not baptized with the same baptisme wherewith Christ and his Apostles were yes verily Contempt pursues vs also and perhaps the more the more inferior we are vnto them Giue me leaue to shew it in particular if for no other cause yet to confound the hypocrisie of these times wherein men loue not to be but to seeme to be and to take religion on them rather then into them howbeit briefly for what pleasure can either you take in hearing or I in discoursing of so sad a theme The Honour due vnto the Ministrie is double Internal External Internal in the Minde in the Affection In the Minde honourable estimation in the Affection Loue. External in Word in Gesture in Deed. In Word honourable mention in Gesture reverent behaviour in deed liberal and bountifull maintenance All these Honours doe we iustlie claime as due vnto vs yet are they all most shamefully denied vs. For as touching the first it is as cleare as the sun at noone-day by what hath beene already said that the Calling of the Ministry is in it selfe aboue all other the most honourable Expresse testimonie of Scripture vnanswerable arguments deduced from it haue sufficiently manifested the same Now wee know that reason would that every thing be valued according to the worth thereof and very simple doe wee count him that sets no better price vpon silver then lead vpon gold then copper vpon emerauds and diamonds then pibble stones Which being so it followeth that the Ministry of the Gospell being indeed so pretious a jewell as in the iudgement of all accordingly to be esteemed and very foolish or froward must hee needs be that disesteemeth or vndervalueth so invaluable a treasure And yet how many are there in these daies who despise this sacred function and set it at nought some happily through ignorance not knowing the worth thereof but others out of profanenesse preferring a messe of pottage before a birth-right An evident signe and token whereof this may bee among others that those of the better ranke either for wealth or gentility count themselues too good for the Ministry and hold it a foule disparagement to bestow their children that way No that is an employment fit for poore mens children only Or if at any time they vouchsafe to designe their sonnes therevnto they are but of the yonger sort ard such as they finde altogether vnapt for any other calling for otherwise the law or marchandise or some trade of more advantage swaies them and carries them cleane away Nay even those that are of good parentage and equall vnto others if once they enter into the Ministry they hold them abased thereby and the very name of a Priest shall bee cast into their teeth as a notable
you never so vprightly yet if either you want a talent or hauing one you employ it not it profiteth you nothing Againe haue you never so rich a talent and employ it never so diligently yet if your life answere not your doctrine it availeth you nothing Either through your inability or idlenes or wickednes you murther the soules of men and God will require their bloud at your hands What he hath giuen you he will surely take from you and when it is gone you cannot but grow worse worse vntill you rise to the height to impiety and plunge your selues into the bottomlesse pit of everlasting perdition It is a fearfull speech of Saint Chrysostome Quis vnquam Clericum lapsum paenitentem vidit Who ever saw a Minister recover himselfe after his fall by repentance And indeede it is but seldome seene For the sins that are single in others being double in him and an idle word in an others mouth being as it were blasphemy ' in his God punisheth him more rigorously then hee doth others When once he giueth over the conscience of his calling the spirit of God departeth from him as hee did from Saul and then looke what degree of excellency hee held before into the same degree of basenesse he degenerates afterwards The strongest wine turneth into the sharpest vineger and the noblest Angells sinning became the vgliest Divells In like manner is it with vs. And if wee who are the Salt of the earth once loose our savour wherewithall shall we be seasoned Wee are thenceforth good for nothing neither for the land nor the dunghill but only to be cast out and troden vnder foot of men Take wee heede therefore that wee dishonour not God least he dishonour vs for our God is a jealous God and his honour is as deare vnto him as the apple of his eye If wee beare both Vrim and Thummim in our breastplates and carry our selues in his sight both as Good Ministers and Good men neither shall wee any way dishonour him neither shall wee be causes of contempt vpon our selues but shall exactly and perfectly obserue this Apostolicall charge See that no man despise thee Yea but will some say when yee haue done all yee can doe and haue performed the will of God on earth as the Angells doe in heauen yet can you not escape contempt from all but some will still despise you Grant it Yet for all this Ne pudeat Evangelij let vs not be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ. for it is the power of God vnto salvation If it proceede of Ignorance because they know not the worth of the Ministry let vs say with our Saviour Christ. Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe If parents beare much with froward children and Physitians with their franticke patients why should not wee pardon much more vnto those whose soules wee hope by the grace of God to saue If it be of wilfulnesse then let vs put on the greater minde and with the Emperour Severus While wee are carefull of doing our duties little care what others say of vs. Let them spit against Heaven as long as they list it will surely fall downe in their owne faces againe Their perverse judgements are to bee neglected ad honesta vadenti contemnendus est hic contemptus of all them that aime at a Crowne of Glory this contempt must be contemned If wicked and sinfull men should honour vs wee had reason to suspect our selues least all were not well with vs but if they despise vs wee haue cause to thinke the more honourably of our selues God ceaseth not to be good though it seeme not so vnto some Neither is the Sunne darke because blind eyes see not the light thereof Let ignorant lewd wretches thinke as they please yet maugre them all our calling is of all other the most honourable and wee our selues if wee be both Good Ministers and Good Men deserue of all double honour Which if wee cannot obtaine of some yet shall wisdome still bee iustified of her owne children Our owne consciences the Saints of God his blessed Angells shall honour vs yea as the Prophet speaketh wee shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and our God shall be our strength with him is our reward Hee will make vs rulers over many things heere and in the next world enter vs into eternall Ioy. For as Daniel saith with whose comfortable words I conclude this exercise They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever FINIS THE DOVE-LIKE SERPENT OXFORD Printed by I. L. for E. F. 1633. MAT. 10.16 Be yee therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues FOR the better guiding and ordering of our actions in regard of those offices which we are to performe each vnto other our Saviour in the Gospell hath giuen this exact perfect rule Doe as you would be done vnto Which rule the Emperour Alexander Severus though a Heathen so approued and admired that he caused it to be engraven in his Palaces and all publike buildings and in publike executions also the Crier was commanded to proclaime Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris doe not to another what yee would not haue done to your selues Breefly so much was this sentence applauded and esteemed that at length it was related as a maxim or principle into the Ciuill law But here happily some will say that it would not be amisse to practise this rule towards all if a man might finde the like measure of charity from others againe but if others offer wrongs and indignities vnto me may not I returne like for like For the better direction of our affections in such cases our Saviour here prescribeth another most excellent and absolute rule Bee yee wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues a sentence worthy to be engrauen not only in Princes Palaces and places of publike iudgement but euen in the hearts and consciences of all true Christians For it is as if he should say in regard of the evils yee may otherwise suffer Be yee wise as Serpents but in regard of your owne practise bee yee innocent as Doues And of this Text at this time it beeing as I suppose both seasonable and profitable yet breefly considering the many and important businesses to succeed All I haue to say touching these words may bee reduced to two heads first Christs counsell secondly the limitation of the practise of it Christs counsell is Be wise the limitation Be innocent both expressed by way of allegory or Similitude the Counsell be wise as serpents the limitation Be innocent as Doues The meaning of all yee shall the better conceaue if yee giue me leaue in the person of Christ thus to paraphrase it I doe indeed aduise you for avoiding of danger and securing of your selues
the Pope himselfe is not exempted from this generality saith Bernard And. God hath made Kings rulers not only over Souldiers but over Priests also saith Pope Gregory In the old Testament Aaron was subiect vnto Moses and Priests and Levites to the Prince in the new Testament Christ himselfe submitted himselfe vnto the secular power and St Paul appealed vnto Caesar at whose iudgement seat hee saith hee ought to be iudged In a word the law of nature requireth Subiection of all the law of Moses requireth the same so doth the Gospell too and therefore let every soule be subiect vnto the higher powers And so much also of the Subiect As touching the Relation or Duty that from the higher Powers to the inferior is Rule Government of which neither was it my purpose neither doth my Text occasion me now to speake but from the inferiour to the superiour it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subiection Yee must bee subiect This Subiection is not a point but hath latitude and includeth within it sundry duties all which notwithstanding as I conceaue may be reduced vnto three answerable vnto those three eminencies and excellencies that are in the Magisâ—rate For there is in the Magistrate first the eminencie of person and degree then the excellency of power and authority and lastly the dignity of his worke and operation and every one of these deserueth accordingly to be requited with a seuerall dutie First then there is in the superior powers an eminencie aboue others in regard of their persons as being the vicegerent and lieutenants of the King of heauen and earth not as other men but after a peculiar manner in maiestie and dominion bearing the image of God the God of heaven as Daniel saith hauing giuen vnto them a Kingdome power strength and glory In which respect they are stiled in Scripture Principalities and Powers Dominations and Dignities the Lords annointed yea Gods Dixi Dij estis I haue said yee are Gods This eminency and excellency in the Magistrate is to be answered with Honour and Reverence from vs. My sonne feare the Lord and the King saith Solomon Feare God honour the King saith Peter Honour thy Father and thy Mother saith the fift commandement not those naturall parents onely which haue begotten vs but Patres patriae the fathers of the country also This Honour and Reverence as I vnderstand includeth within it a triple act first of the minde in a due estimation and valuing of their place and dignity secondly of the will in an humble inclination thereof vnto them because of their excellency thirdly of the body in outward behaviour carriage towards them as rising vp in their presence baring the head bowing the knee reverent speaking vnto them and such like according to the manner of the country where wee liue Neverthelesse of these three the second is the principall and most proper act of Honour for a man may know the worth of a thing and yet bee no whit affected towards it as the Gentiles knew God yet glorified him not as God and outward demeanure comporement what shew of reverence soever it haue yet may proceede of scorne and derision as was that of the Iewes towards Christ. But if vpon apprehension of the Magistrates worth and excellency the heart be inclined and duly affected therewith all externall acts of reverence will surely follow of themselues Such a one will ever set the best construction on all their actions interpreting nothing sinisterly he will conceale their errours and infirmities and with Sem and Iaphet going backward cover them hee will not suffer them either in their persons or actions to bee traduced or dishonoured but will carefully defend or excuse them In a word hee will not somuch as entertaine an evill thought against them so farre is he from saying or doing ought that may detract from them And so much of the first duty Honour and Reverence The second eminencie in the magistrate is the excellency of Power and Authority whereby he enacteth and ordaineth lawes for the well government of the common-wealth commanding that which is good forbidding that which is evill advanceing the well deseruing and punishing those that either transgresse or neglect his commandements briefly hauing the greatest power that can be on earth ius vitae atque necis power of life death Now vnto authority who seeth not that Obedience is due Put them in minde saith Saint Paul to obey Magistrates and indeede to what end is authority and power to command if every man notwithstanding might refuse to obey and doe what he list But here wee are to be advertized that as the Magistrates authority is not infinite so there are bounds set vnto our Obedience Princes though they be soveraignes in regard of their subiects yet are they viceroyes in regard of God Regum timendorum in proprios greges Reges in ipsos imperium est Iovis Kings command their people and God them Omne sub Regno graviore Regnum est every Kingdome is vnder a greater Kingdome If then they command vnder God wee must obey if against God wee must say with the Apostle it is better to obey God then man Hand over head to yeeld a Monkish and blind obedience vnto them is to advance man into the throne of God and to giue vnto another the glory only due to him withall to incurâ—e the fearfull curse threatned vnto Israel for obseruing the wicked statutes of Ahab and Omri True it is wee must giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars and so must wee giue vnto God the things that are Gods If any aske quis prohibet who forbids in such cases to obey Say maior potestas a greater power If they threaten answere with Saint Augustine Da veniam tu carcerem ille gehennam minatur thou threatnest the body with imprisonment hee both body and soule with hell fire Only take heede first that thou be not lead by fancies and imaginations but be sure that they command against God secondly that denying obedience thou doe it in all humility without scandall or contempt lastly that yet thou be content to obey passiuely and whatsoever they shall command within the sphere of their activity and not against God that thou bee ready also to obey actiuely And so much of the second duty Obedience The third and last eminency in the magistrate is the dignity and excellency of his worke which is exceeding great For he is the Minister of God for our wealth saith Saiâ—t Paul and thereunto he applyeth himselfe Hee is custos vtrivsque tabulae the guardian and keeper of both the tables of the law that vnder him wee may lead a godly and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty Were it not for him every one would doe what seemed good in his owne eyes and men like wolues would pray one vpon another but now by him every man enioyes his own violence is repressed
judgement vpon the Conscience and to be the executioner of his lawes or finally hee bindes the Conscience in vaine and to no purpose To say that man is in such sort Lord of the Conscience is vnreasonable because his knowledge and power reach no farther then the outward man To say that man may command God is sacrilegious aduancing man aboue God Lastly to say that he bindeth in vaine and to no purpose is withall to say that their opinion is vaine and that man hath no such power at all To shut vp all in a word vnlesse a man may with as much security obey man as God man who is subject to error and injustice as God who is free from both vnlesse we be all as deeply bound to study the laws of men and to knowe them as we are Gods and to subject our selues as absolutely vnto them it is altogether vnconceauable how humane lawes can bind the Conscience equally with diuine This point being thus cleared it is euident that by conscience in this place wee are with St Peter to vnderstand Conscientiam Dei conscience towards God and to interpret this of St Paul yee must bee subiect for conscience by that of the same St Peter Submit your selues vnto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake as if he should say because God hath bound you to be subiect For God hath laid this obligation vpon man appeares by the very institution of Magistracie For although St Peter call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane creature yet his meaning is not that it is not from man but for man and his benefit otherwise S. Paul expresly affirmeth that it is the ordinance of God and Solomon that by him kings raigne The reason mouing God to institute the same was partly his soueraigne Lordship ouer man by right of creation by which he may order and dispose of him at pleasure partly the great loue he beareth vnto humane society which his infinite wisdome saw could not so well be maintained if euery man should be left to himselfe and orderly gouernment were not setled among them Herevpon hee ordained some to be in authority some to liue in subiection commanding the one to rule according to justice and equitie the other to submit themselues with all lowlinesse and humility as I meane touching subiection hath in the first part which is the Dutie beene sufficiently declared Now man being thus by the commandement and ordinance of God bound Conscience cannot bee free but as man shall either subject or not subject himselfe so is Conscience bound to testifie for or against him and to excuse or to accuse him If then yee breake the commandement of God and refuse to be subject there is one who will surely accuse you and will not spare a witnesse whose testimony is omni exceptio ne majus better then a thousand witnesses that will testifie against you even your Conscience But to whom will it accuse Vnto that great and dreadfull Iudge of the whole world whose wisdome can not be deceaued whose justice cannot be corrupted and the execution of whose sentence cannot be avoided And what will the sentence be Perpetuall imprisonment in the bottomelesse dungeon of hell therein eternall torments both of body and soule which although it be not presently executed vpon you yet the worme of conscience instantly will begin to gnaw vpon your soules fill you so full of vnspeakable horror and anguish that your life shall be but a death and this world a hell vnto you But if on the contrary side yee shall for the Lords sake and in obedience to his ordinance yeeld subjectiō vnto the higher powers and vnder them liue dutifully in all godlinesse and honestie then shall your consciences testifie nothing but good of you and excuse you vnto God he shall justifie and acquit you your soule shall bee replenished with vnspeakable peace and comfort so as yee shal haue a heaven vpon earth and in heauen it selfe in due time such ioyes as nor eye hath seene nor eare heard nor ever entred into the thought of man To conclude and summe vp all if either we will keepe a good conscience that we may both here and ever be blessed or will avoid the sting of an euill conscience and the miseries that attend vpon it wee must of necessity be subject Yee must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience And thus haue I finished the second part also which is the Necesstie of the dutie It only remaineth now to adde a word or two by way of vse and application There is a generation of whom both St Peter and St Iude speake that despiseth all gouernment and speaketh evill of Dignities cleane contrary vnto the doctrine of my Text which commandeth all to be subject and to honour and obey the Magistrate But these are not all of the same kinde for some despise it out of an erronious judgment others out of an euill habit and custome They that despise it vpon errour are either Anabaptists or Papists The Anabaptists a fanatical fantastical sect vtterly mislike all gouernment and subjection among Christians It is not without cause that S. Iude calleth such kind of people Dreamers for so indeed they are and their dreame is this that Sin is the cause of Subjection and although it were ordained and allowed to the Iewes because they were but infants yet fits it not vs Christians that are in the state of perfection Shall I dispute against this dotage and shew that even among those blessed spirits that are free frō sinne still persist in the truth there are Thrones Dominations Powers Principalities Angels and Arch-angels That if man had continued in his integritie yet government should haue beene inasmuch as man naturally is sociable and disciplinable the morall law commands to honour father and mother the end of gouernment is Peace with Pietie and Honestie and one man euen then should haue stood in need of another That finally there is now as great a necessity thereof as was among the Iews and that the new Testament would neuer haue commanded Subjection or to pray for Magistrates if it were a sin for a Christian to be a Magistrate But I will not vouchsafe them the honour to dispute with them let it suffice in this honourable auditory barely to affirme first that a Christian safely may be a Magistrate secondly that none is fitter then he because no man better knowes the dutie of a Magistrate then he Lastly that no man can so compleatly and perfectly performe the office of a Magistrate but hee because no man vnderstands the true religion which he is to maintaine and by which he is to gouerne but he As for Papists although they doe not thus reject all government yet doe they many waies both in doctrine and practise avile and abase it For first they giue vnto the Pope a supremacie ouer Princes euen vnto Deposition and depresse
deserueth with no other then equal disdaine and contempt For it hath abundantly beene manifested to the world that as in the goodnesse of our cause wee are every way superiour vnto you so in all kinde of learning both Humane and Divine wee are no way inferiour to the best of you Howbeit seeing I am put in good hope by some of your best friends that you carry a minde prepared to imbrace the truth if at any time it shall bee discouered vnto you and your selfe haue freely professed vnto mee that your meaning is not any way to contest with me but only to be instructed by me I am content laying aside all advantages whatsoever to enter the lists with you by framing vp a short yet full answere to endeauour your best satisfaction God grant that as it is intended so it may redound first to his glory and then to the reducing of your straying soule from the servitude of Babylon into the liberty of Ierusalem which is from aboue and the right Mother of all true Beleeuers N. N. Catholike grounds for the Article of the Real Presence I. D. This title prefixed vnto your Writing intimateth that you craue resolution in the article as you terme it of the Real Presence and the Grounds thereof For the better performance whereof and to cleare the way of all rubs before vs you may be pleased to know that we denie not either the Presence or the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament Not the Presence For seeing therein his Body is delivered receaued eaten as the Scriptures testifie and that can no way be deliuered receaued eaten which is every way absent we cannot but beleeue with the heart confesse with the mouth that Christ is present Nor the Reall presence For seeing Eating betokeneth our Vnion and Incorporation with Christ whereby we are so closely joyned and joynted vnto him that wee are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones certainely vnlesse wee will question either the power of Faith or whether God be able to worke such an effect we cannot well doubt but that the Presence is True and Real not Imaginarie and Fained According herevnto S. Chrysostome Christ offereth himselfe vnto vs in these Mysteries not onely to bee seene but also to be touched and felt And S. Augustin We cannot with our hand feele Christ sitting in heauen but by Faith we may touch him Agreeing therefore in the Thing that there is a Real Presence wherein lies the difference betwixt vs It lies partly in the Manner of Presence and partly in the kinde of Change whereby the Presence is wrought As touching the Manner of Presence wee acknowledge it to bee double the one Sacramentall the other Spirituall The sacramentall is a Relatiue Presence of the thing signified vnto the signes partly for that they are significatiue represent Christ vnto vs even as the word spoken vnto the eare represents the thing signified thereby vnto the minde and partly because they are Exhibitiue God in them offering vs his Sonne vpon condition of Faith And in regard hereof it may also well be called a Pactionall presence The spirituall is a presence of Christ vnto the Faith of the Receauer or which is all one vnto the Receauer by Faith whereby we seeke him not here on earth in with or vnder the Accidents of bread but aloft in heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of his father For where the carcase is thither saith Christ will the Eagles resort Whence S. Chrysostome He must climbe vp on high whosoeuer commeth to this Body And S. Augustine How shall I convay my hand into heauen that I may hold him sitting there Send thy faith thither and thou holdest him Now if any farther demand how this sacramentall and spirituall presence is wrought I answere it is done by a Change in the Elements of Bread and Wine By a change I say yet not of their Nature and Substance but of their Vse and Vertue For they are now no longer common but consecrated Bread and Wine ordained by Christ to bee effectuall symbols and Pledges of our Vnion and Communion with his Flesh and Bloud So saith Theodoret The visible symbols hath hee honoured with the name of his Body and Bloud not changing their nature but adding grace vnto nature And so the rest of the Fathers But all this little contents you except withall we yeeld you a Corporall and Locall Presence of Christ vnder the Accidents of Bread and Wine and that by way of Transubstantiation Transubstantiation a terme as lately devised so also inconvenient Lately deuised for it is but foure hundred yeares old or thereabouts bâ—ing forged in the Lateran councell vnder Innocent the third Inconvenient for properly it imports a Productiue kinde of Conversion by which one Substance is produced out of another or whereby one Substance is turned into another such as was the turning of Water into Wine by the power of Christ at Cana in Galilee But you vnderstand thereby an Adductiue kinde of Conversion by which as Bellarmine defineth it the Body of Christ which before was only in heaven is now also vnder the Accidents of Bread So that more fitly it might haue beene tearmed Cession or Succession or Substitution or Translocation or some such like rather then Transubstantiation the meaning you giue vnto it being no other then a succeeding of Christs Body into the roome of Bread vpon the abolishing of the Substance thereof Yet is it not so much the Newnesse and Inconvenience of the terme as the Impietie of the Doctrine intended thereby which we condemne For it crosseth the truth of Scripture ouerturneth the Articles of Faith destroyeth the Nature of a Sacrament gainesayeth the perpetuall consent of antiquity and implieth in it innumerable contradictions all which God willing shall in due place be demonstrated In the meane season hauing thus briefly stated the Question I come now to examine the particulars of your Writing and whether the passages you quote in such abundance reach home to that Corporall and Locall Presence which you hold or passe no farther then that Sacramentall and Spirituall Presence which we maintaine N. N. The first ground that Catholike men haue for these and all their mysteries of Christian Faith that are aboue the reach of common sense and reason is the Authority of the Catholike Church by which they were taught the same as Points of Faith revealed from God I. D. If by the first Ground you vnderstand the first introduction vnto Faith I grant the Authority of the Catholike Church to be the first ground that by it wee are taught the same But if thereby you meane as vndoubtedly you doe that highest Principle into which all the Mysteries of Faith are finally resolued and by which the Mind is staied and freed from farther doubting I deny the Catholike Church so to be the first ground For as Bellarmine truly writeth Faith beginneth from
Body And wee are stedfastly to beleeue that the Humane nature was so assumpted by the Deity that although they both constitute but one Person yet they still remaine two distinct Natures and each of them retaineth its Essentiall Properties If then as the Apostle saith Christ be made like vnto vs in all things sinne only excepted and our Bodies cannot bee without Dimension of length breadth and depth together with circumscription proportion and Distinction of parts one from the other and the like then neither can the Manhood of Christ be without them Neverthelesse you fancy vnto Christ in the Eucharist such a Body as is vtterly deprived of them all For thus saith your Angelicall Doctor and what he saith is the generall Tenent of the Church of Rome In the Body of Christ in the Sacrament there is no distance of one part from another as of the eye from the eye or the head from the feete as it is in other organicall bodies For such distance of parts is in the true Body of Christ but not as it is in the Sacrament for so it hath not dimensiue quantity O miserable Christ that art driven into such narrow straits that the whole bulke of thy Body should be emprisond and as it were frapt together in every little crum and point of the hoste And more true and seasonable may the complaint now be then it was of old that the Sonne of man hath not so much as a place wherein to rest his head But seeing as Thomas saith The true body of Christ hath distance of parts and the Body of Christ in the Sacrament hath not distance of parts I marvaile what should let but that I may boldly inferre the conclusion Ergo the Body of Christ in the Sacrament is not his true body Againe it is an Article of the Faith that Christ being ascended into Heauen hath quitted the earth and now sitteth at the right hand of his Father This the Scriptures testifie The poore saith Christ yee shall haue alwaies with you but mee yee shall not alwaies haue And I leuae the world and goe vnto the Father And againe Now am I no more in the world but these are in the world and I come vnto thee Hence saith St Peter The heauens must containe him vntill the time that all things bee restored And then as the Angell said This Iesus that is taken vp from you into Heauen shall so come againe as you haue seene him goe into Heauen The Fathers saith the same Origen According to his divine nature he is not absent from vs but he is absent according to the dispensation of the Body which he tooke As man shall he be absent from vs who is every where in his divine nature For it is not the manhood of Christ that is there wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in his name neither is it his manhood that is with vs at all times to the end of the world nor is his manhood present in every congregation of the faithfull but the Divine vertue that was in Iesus Tertullian In the very pallace of Heaven to this day sitteth Iesus at the right hand of his Father Man though also God flesh and bloud though purer then ours neverthelesse the same in substance and forme wherein he ascended Ambrose Neither on the earth nor in the earth nor after the flesh are wee to seeke thee if wee will find thee Augustine Mee shall you not alwaies haue He spake this of the presence of his Body For touching his Maiesty providence vnspeakable and invisible grace it is true that he said I am alwaies with you to the end of the world But as for the flesh which the word tooke which was borne of the virgin fastned to the crosse laid in the graue you shall not alwaies haue mee with you And why Because hee is ascended into heauen and is not here there hee sitteth at the right hand of the father Cyril of Alexandria He could not be conversant with his Apostles in the Flesh after hee was once ascended to his Father And Notwitstanding he be absent in the flesh yet by that only meanes the power of his Godhead he is able to saue his Finally Gregory the Great The word incarnate both remaineth and departeth he departeh in Body and remaineth in his divinity Thus the Fathers And hence is it that so often in their writings they exhort vs not to settle our thoughts here on earth but to send vp our Faith into heauen and thither to follow him in heart whither wee beleeue him to be ascenâ—â—d in body Now what you The cleane contrary that the Body of Christ is still present with vs here on earth and as ordinarily as he is aboue in heauen Nay more then so For there he is confined circumscribed to one place as also he was here in the daies of his Flesh when he liued among the Iewes but now by your Doctrine he may be and is in more then a thousand places at once even when and where you will For you haue power to reproduce him as often as you list then to keepe him with you as long as you please at least vntill the mouse devoure him or he begin to corrupt and putrifie But is it impossible will you say for the Manhood of Christ to be present in many places at once Impossible if we may beleeue the Fathers neither can you produce any one of them that saith the contrarie If the argument of the Fathers aboue quoted be good Hee is in heauen Ergo he is not in earth then can hee not at one time bee both here and there too And doth not St Cyril expresly say he could not be coÌ„versant with his disciples in the Flesh after he was once ascended to his Father St Augustine likewise Christ according to his bodily presence could not be at once in the Sunne and in the Moone and on the crosse And againe The Body of Christ in which he rose againe can bee but in one place but his truth is every where diffused Vigilius a blessed Martyr and Bishop of Trent The flesh of Christ when it was in the earth was not in Heaven and now because it is in hauen certainly it is not in earth And by and by Forsomuch as the word is every where and the flesh of Christ is not every where it is cleare that one and the same Christ is of both natures that is every where according to the nature of his divinity and contained in a place according to the nature of his humanity Finally Fulgentius One and the same sonne of God having in â—â—m the truth of the divine and humane nature lost not the properties of the true Godhead and tooke also the properties of the true Manhood one and the selfe same locall by that he tooke of Man aâ—d infinite by that he had of his Father
one and the very same according to his humane substance absent from heauen when he was in earth and forsaking the earth when he ascended to heauen And a little after how could he ascend but as a locall and true man evidently employing that he cannot be a true man who is not Locall and circumscribed in one place And indeed if the Body of Christ be aboue in Heauen and in many places here on earth at one time as at London Paris Rome else-where and not in the severall spaces betweene either it will follow that there are as many distinct bodies of Christ as there are places wherein it is or that his Body is many hundred miles off and separated from it selfe either of which is most vnreasonable and absurd For as Saint Paul saith there is but one Lord and heauen and earth are many miles asunder Besides it would follow that the Body of Christ is out of that which containeth it consequently that that which containeth it containeth it not which is a meere contradiction Nay if that Mathematicall principle be true as vndoubtedly it is that those bodies which touch the same point doe also touch one the other it will necessarily follow that the Priests fingers which touch the Body of Christ in London must needs at the same time touch his fingers who holdeth the same in Rome And so shall not only the Body of Christ be in divers places at once but by vertue thereof those things also that are many hundred leagues a sunder shall actually touch one the other Vnto these and the like absurdities for the saluing of them you haue nothing to oppose saue only the Omnipotence of God to whom nothing is impossible But withall you forget that this hath beene the ordinary refuge of the heretiks who as Tertullian saith faine what they list of God as if he had done it because hee could doe it whereas we should not because hee can doe all things therefore beleeue he hath done it but rather search whether he haue done it or no. True it is God is omnipotent but by doing what he will as Augustine saith not by suffering what he will not Whence also some things he therefore cannot doe because he is omnipotent He cannot deny himselfe saith Saint Paul and it is impossible that he should lye And This impossibility saith Ambrose is not of infirmity but of maiesty because his truth admitteth not a lye nor his power the note of inconstancie So that whatsoever is repugnant to the Nature and Truth of God because he is Almighty he cannot doe And such are all contradictions both the parts whereof cannot possibly be true at once but if the one be true the other must needs be false Hence it is held for an vndoubted Maxime in Schooles that God cannot doe those things that imply contradiction the reason because so he should be false himselfe Now this Doctrine of yours implies in it innumerable contradictions as by and by shall be demonstrated among the rest this that the same Body at the same time shall in heauen haue shape quantity distinction of parts circumscription and all other essentiall properties of a Body and yet in the Sacrament shall be destitute of them all Both of which if vpon presumption of Gods Omnipotence you will needs still beleeue I must plainely tell you that to build on his Power with impeachment of his Truth is not Faith but Infidelity Thirdly it destroyeth the Nature of a Sacrament For proofe whereof I will vse no other grounds then those which your owne men and Bellarmine in particular haue laid for me To the constitution of a Sacrament of the new Testament three things among sundry other saith he are necessarily required First there must be a Signe that is as Saint Augustine defineth it a thing which besides that shape or kinde that it offereth unto our sences of it selfe causeth some other thing to come into our minde Whence it followeth both that the Signe is something knowne and that it is a thing differing from that which it signifieth or whereof it is a signe Secondly that this signe must be sensible or visible For a Sacrament is intrinsecally and essentially a ceremony of Religion and a Ceremony is an externall act Wherefore the Fathers every-where teach that Sacraments are certaine Footsteps or Manuductions vnto things spirituall Invisible Thirdly that the signe must hold due analogie and proportion with the thing signified according to that of S. Augustin If Sacraments had not a certaine similitude of those things whereof they are Sacraments they were altogether no Sacraments And hence is it that the Fathers call them Anti-types that is things of like Forme and liuely expressing that which they present These things being thus granted out of them I frame this argument That which destroyeth the signe in the sacrament by confounding it with the thing signified making it invisible and insensible and holding no analogie or proportion with that whereof it is a signe destroyeth the nature of a Sacrament But your doctrine of the Reall Presence by Transubstantiation doth all this Ergo it also destroyeth the nature of the Sacrament The Major or first Proposition is by you as wee haue now shewed yeelded vnto vs and cannot bee denied The Minor or second Proposition I thus proue in every particular And first that it destroyeth the signe For if any remaine either it is bread or the Accidents of bread or the body of Christ for there is not a fourth But bread it cannot bee for the Element is not a signe vntill it be consecrated and bread is no sooner consecrated but forthwith it ceaseth to be And if it be not then neither is it a signe for of that which is not nothing can be affirmed Againe the Accidents of bread as Colour Savours measure and the like are not it For besides that it is impossible that Accidents should haue any subsistence without their subiect the Being of an Accident being to be in its subiect it is very strange and vnconceauable if they could how the meere Accidents of bread should represent and signifie the body of Christ. The rather because the signe was ordained by Christ to bee a helpe vnto our Faith and to lead vs as it were by the hand vnto the thing signified Whereas the Accidents of bread without the substance thereof are rather lets and hinderances vnto vs and with no more reason can bee called signes of Christs body then a darke cloud that keepeth off the light of the Sunne from our eyes may bee called a signe or Representation of the Sunne Adde herevnto that such a signe is required as is materiall and elementall according to that of S. Augustin The word being added to the element it is made a Sacrament So Hugh so Bellarmin so the rest Now to call Accidents by name of Elements is a new straine of Philologie vncouth
possibly be true at once For truth evermore agreeth with truth and never crosseth it and whatsoeuer resisteth or contradicteth truth is Falshood Hence the rule and the infallible rule of your owne Schoole that God cannot doe those things that imply contradiction For contradiction is not in the bosome of God seeing he is essentially Truth it selfe And being not yea and nay but yea and Amen hee cannot say yea is nay or nay is yea And if hee cannot say it neither can he will it to be so If he cannot will it neither can it be so For what God cannot will cannot bee done Neither doe we herein derogate from the Power of God for whatsoeuer is against his Truth is against his Power and therefore as St Augustine saith Powerfully hee cannot doe it Which being so let vs see whether this Doctrine of yours imply such contradictions or no. First you say that Bread is made the Body of Christ and yet that the Body of Christ was before Bread was made his Body Now if to vnmake that which never was imply contradiction by the same proportion to make that which already is implies it also That which is not made as yet is not and that which is already made is and is and is not be direct contradictories Is it possible to kill a dead man Or to beget the child that is already borne As impossible is it to make him of Bread who was long before he is pretended to be made Secondly to be locally in a place and not locally in a place is a contradiction But that Christs Body is locally in heauen you all confesse and that at the same time he is not locally in the Sacrament you likewise acknowledge Can you reconcile this contradiction Besides what confusion of speech is this Christ is in a place but not locally or as in a place As if a man should say such a one is reasonable but not reasonably or as reasonable and learned but not learnedly or as learned How then Certes as vnreasonable and vnlearned Thirdly I hope you will not deny vnto Christ as much power as you grant to every pettie Masse-Priest But you grant power vnto them to reserue the consecrated Hoste vntill the next day yea vntill it beginne to corrupt and putrify If then our Saviour instituting his supper the even before his Passion had deliuered vnto his Apostles any part of the Eucharist to be kept vnto the end of the next day I demand whether the Body in the Pixe should haue beene scourged crucified thrust through and slaine together with that which was fastned to the Crosse If no as your Church concludeth then haue we here another contradiction Christs Body is at the same time scourged and not scourged crucified and not crucified thrust through and not thrust through slaine and not slaine Fourthly you say that the Body of Christ is contained vnder the Accidents of Bread yea that the whole Body is in every the least crum of the Hoste Yet you say it is much greater then that which containeth it and elsewhere besides the Accidents You say also that Christ at his last supper ate himselfe and swallowed downe his owne body into his stomacke so that his stomacke containing himselfe hee was both within and without himselfe Which in effect is a meere contradiction the Accidents the stomacke containeth and not containeth Christs Body is contained not contained Fiftly you confesse that the Body of Christ then when hee celebrated his Supper did see and heare and moue and breath was weake and passible and subiect vnto death Yet you say that the same time the Body of Christ in the Eucharist could neither see not heare nor moue nor breath but was vtterly insensible impassible and without infirmitie And is not this a manifest contradiction If you say he is passible in the Sacrament but after an impassible manner you shall pardon vs if we answer it with no other then laughter For it is as if you should say the crow is blacke after a white manner or that the world is square after a round manner Sixtly before Transubstantiation was invented it went for currant in Philosophie that the very essence and being of an Accident is to be in the subiect Yet you say that in the sacrament the Accidents of Bread are in no subiect But for an Accident to be and not to be is a contradiction for not to be in is not to be As well may you say a substance subsisteth not or the shining shineth not or the liuing liueth not as that the Accident doth not accidere or befall the subiect Seauenthly every creature is measured by time and place If therefore it bee a contradiction to say such a thing is and yet is in no time it is as cleare a contradiction to say such a thing is and yet it is limited in no place Neverthelesse you say that the body of Christ in the Sacrament occupieth no place Againe if it be a contradiction to say that a man at the same instant of time liueth in the fifteenth and sixteenth hundred yeare of Christ because there is a great distance betweene them and they are not the same number as palpable a contradiction is it to say the Body of Christ is at once both in Heauen and Earth seeing earth is not heauen nor heauen earth and there is such a vast space betwixt them Eightly Aristotle maintaineth that vacuity or emptinesse is impossible if you should grant it infinite contradictions would follow But your doctrine establisheth it For what is vacuitie but a space vnfilled by a Body I aske then when the Cup is consecrated wherewith is it filled With wine So indeed it seemeth but after consecration you say it is not Wine that which is not there filleth it not With bloud then Nor that For that which filleth the Cup must every way be as large as the hollow surface of the Cup. But the bloud is not so for it wanteth Dimensive quantitie Unlesse therefore the Accidents help and they cannot being no Bodies the Cup must needs bee empty and void which cannot but imply contradiction For voidnesse as the Philosopher saith is the root of infinite contradictions Ninthly and lastly if one and the same Body may be in mo places then one at once why not in a thousand And if in a thousand why not in a thousand thousand millions If so then a little point or droppe continuing still in the same Quantitie may occupie as much space as the greatest mountaine or the whole Ocean For so many may the severall places be that all put together may make a greater space then which what plainer contradiction Vnto these few I might easily adde six hundred other as grosse absurdities as that Christ at the same time is to himselfe both neere and farre off aboue beneath within and without before and behind at his right and at his left hand that he is also elder and younger sooner and
the question be of Preaching and the publike prayer of the Church God forbid that I should set or foment any such quarrell betweene them By the eager preferring of the one vnto the other both may easily be vilified The overmagnifying of Prayer hath heretofore shut Preaching out of the Church and the oueraduancing of preaching hath almost excluded prayer And it may be it is Lasinesse that speaketh so much for all praying and vaineglory that is so earnest for all preaching But dares any man thus quarrell the prophecie and Intercession of Christ I trow no for they are both alike infinite in worth and dignitie Preaching and prayer are answerable vnto them why then should we imagine such an inequality betweene them If when we preach we speake in Gods name vnto the people when we Pray we speake in Christs name vnto God for the people They are not subordinate one vnto the other but both coordinate vnto the same maine end Ioyned together they are as it were a familiar Dialogue betweene God and vs wherein God discouereth his will vnto vs and we say with S. Augustine Da quod jubes jube quod vis giue grace to doe what thou commandest and command what thou wilt They are the Angels of Iacobs ladder our Prayers are Angels ascending vp vnto God for vs and our Sermons are Angels descending downe with a blessing from God vpon vs. In a word they are both necessary and of singular vse in their place and therefore let neither be vndervalued but both haue their due honour So shall God bee glorified in his Ordinances and we enioy the benefit intended to vs by them But of the second circumstance when hee prayed so much The third and last is Quomodo How and in what Manner he prayed The Manner here expressed is onely externall Not that this Prayer wanted the internall Forme of truth and sincerity in the Heart For he was a true Israelite in whom was no guile Ye◠he was Truth it selfe forso he saith I am the way the truth and the life And being Truth he taught others to worship God in Spirit Truth and condemned all those who drawe neere to God with their lips their heart being farre off from him But by this outward comportment our blessed Saviour expresseth his inward affection and thereby lessoneth vs to take heed that wee presume not to appeare before God with holy countenances and hollow hearts For he is the tryer and searcher of the reynes and iudgeth not of the heart by the outward appearance but of the outward appearance by the heart Vnto these Hypocrites that dissemble both with God and man and who loue to take religion on them but not to haue it in them giue me leaue to say in the words of S. Chrysostome O Hypocrite if it bee good to be good why wilt thou not be that which thou wilt seeme to be And if it be evill to be evill why wilt thou bee that which thou wilt not seeme to be If it be good to seeme to be good it is better to be so if it be evill to seeme to be evill it is worse to be so And therefore either seeme as thou art or be as thou seemest to be But to returne to the Manner it is as we haue said Externall and double ingestu O culorum Sermone Oris Of the Eyes first He lifted vp his eyes to Heauen Elsewhere hee vsed a contrary gesture and prayed groueling vpon his face Neither doe we read that the Saints in their Prayers alwaies vsed the same situation and posture of body Steven praied kneeling the Publican stood David watered his couch with his teares lying therein Elias making request for himselfe sate although Tertullian thinke it vtterly vnlawfull to pray sitting So that as S. Augustin obserueth that the certaine site of the body when we pray is not prescribed in Gods word so as the minde be present and performe its intention to God The Iewes indeed were commanded to looke vnto the Temple and Daniel obserued it But that was typicall and the date of the Ceremonies is expired Now therefore the best rule is this In publike Prayer to conforme our selues vnto the vsuall and appointed gesture for avoiding of scandall in private deliberate Prayer to chuse such as wee thinke fittest for the present to affect the minde in suddaine eiaculations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wherein the motion of Gods spirit shall then find vs. But although religion lie not in gestures and no one posture of the body be of absolute necessity yet I know not how these three naturally loue to accompany our affection in Prayer the Knee the Eye and the Hand The bent Knee betokening our humble subiection vnto God and reverend feare of his presence The Eye either deiected and cast downe in token of humiliation for sin or erected and lifted vp to heaven as here in token of our Faith and Hope that we looke confidently to haue our desires granted of God who dwelleth in Heauen The hand also lifted vp as ready to receiue what wee hope from aboue shall be granted vnto vs. Whether Christ at this time vsed all these three gestures or no is vncertain for the Text saith not that he bent his knees or lifted vp his hands but only that he lifted vp his Eyes And whether did he lift them To Heaven And why thither Because there his Father dwelleth who is the giver of every good gift In regard whereof he taught vs also to say Our Father which art in heauen Et vbi pater ibi patria where his Father dwells there is his country and the place of his everlasting abode where he longs to rest himselfe And therefore no marvaile if thither hee lift vp his Eyes A certaine Separatist from this Gesture collecteth thus yee must lift vp your eyes therefore ye may not pray on a booke Must lift vp what necessity I pray Did our Saviour forget himselfe when he fell on his face Or the Publican doe amisse when he stood aloofe off not daring to lift vp his eyes to Heaven Certainly which way soever the Eye looketh Sursum Corda the lifting vp of the heart is the sacrifice which God accepteth But what is it vtterly vnlawfull to pray on a booke why then haue learned and Godly men compiled so many bookes of Prayer to this end and what vniformity is there like to be if in the publike Liturgy there be not a certaine forme of Praier But God is the God of order not confusion and will they nill they to pray devoutly on a booke is more pleasing vnto God then their proud and schismaticall praying without booke From this lifting vp of the eyes wee may with better reason learne when we make our addresses vnto God to abandon earth and to entertaine nothing but heauenly cogitations The naturall erection of our countenances intimates both where our Hopes should lye and with what contemplation