excellent saying And therefore the Prophet addeth Blessed are all they that waite for him And the testimonies of Scripture that doe confirme this point are almost infinite Ionas saith That he knew God was a gracious God Ionas 4.2 and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenting him of the euill Therefore he would not goe to threaten destruction because he knew God was so ready to spare And the Prophet Dauid Psal 78. in the 78. Psalme and in the 106. Psalme and in many other places Psal 106. doth most fully and plainely set downe this truth Examples of Gods slownesse to punish sinne But the examples of Gods patience and long sufferance makes it more plaine For when Adam sinned hee came not presently but staid to the coole of the day before he would call him to account and when Adam was called Gods wrath did not appeare to be kindled for he said no more but Adam where art thou Gen. 3.9 v. 11. And when he appeared he said but hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I said vnto thee that thou shouldest not eate thereof Ionas 4.8 lest thou diest So when Ionas was angry vnto death for the gourd that sprung in a night and withered in another the Lord said no more but Ionas doest thou well to be angry So when Iudas betrayed the Sonne of God into the hands of sinners he said no more but Iudas betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse So when the old World had so defiled it selfe that it made God sorry in his heart that euer he made man Gen. 6.6 yet would he not suddenly destroy this Augaeum stabulum but gaue it 120. yeeres to repent Verse 3. So he gaue to the Niniuites forty dayes and to the Israelites in the Wildernesse forty yeeres throughout all which time Psal 78.3.8.39 he was so mercifull that hee forgaue their misdeeds and destroyed them not nor would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise So for Iericho there were more dayes spent in the destruction of the same then in the creation of the whole World for the World was made in sixe dayes but Iericho was to be compassed seauen dayes before it should fall How God spared the whole World and so spareth vs notwithstanding all our wickednesse to this very day And so for this whole World notwithstanding the wickednesse of so many generations of men it stands vnpunished to this very day as if iudgement were forgotten or God were loath to be moued to be angrie And for our selues alas how many times doe we offend our God neglect his Sabboath blaspheme his name contemne his Word and abuse his seruants and yet still God stayeth his anger from vs and spareth vs when we spare not him And whence comes this but onely hence that our God is slow to anger for Si quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittat Iupiter If God should punish vs as often as wee offend him wee should all perish and soone come to a fearefull end But it is obserued by many Diuines writing vpon those words of the Prophet The act of punishing is least agreeable to Gods Nature that God should rise as in Mount Perasim and should be wrath as in the vallie of Gibson that he might doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act that the act of punishing is the furthest from God and least agreeable to the nature of such a soueraigne goodnesse for as the motiue of shewing mercy is within him and therefore is he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father of mercies as if mercy did as naturally proceede from him Mercy proceedeth naturally from God as the Childe doth issue from the Father So the motiue of executing iudgement and reuenge is without him in our sinnes and therefore is he neuer called the Father of vengeance but is as it were compelled either to punish vs or to be vniust in himselfe Quia abyssus abyssum inuocat because the greatnesse of our sinnes doth still crie for vengeance against the sinners God is compelled to punish And therefore many times when the Sword is drawne and the hand ready to strike yet mercy steppes in and as the Angell cried to the foure Angels to whom power was giuen to hurt the Earth and the Sea saying Hurt not the Earth nor the Seas nor the Trees Apoc. 7.2.3 till we haue sealed the seruants of God in their fore-heads Or as the Angell said vnto Abraham Lay not thine hand vpon the Lad Gen. 22.12 neither doe thou any thing vnto him So doth mercy say to God stay yet a while O Iustice and destroy them not vntill I haue tried them one yeere more whether they will bring forth any fruits of repentance or not for how shall I deliuer vp Israel Hosea 11.8.9 or why should Ephraim be destroyed Mine heart is turned within me and my repentings are â—indled together And therefore O doe not execute the fiercenesse of thine anger but stay a while to see what they will doe and so mercy stayes the hand of Iustice Our turning from our sins doth perfectly turne away Gods wrath from vs. and many times gets the victory and when it can moue vs to turne to GOD it turnes all the weapons in the Armory of Heauen like the Raine-bow which is a Bow indeed but without an Arrow with a full bent but without a string and with the wrong side towards vs as if now hee meant to shoote at Christ for our sinnes and not at vs which are the sinners And thus God which is euer ready and willing to shew mercy and compassion is still loth and slow to suffer his anger to be kindled to worke our woe and destruction And both these are excellently represented vnto vs in a twofold passage of the Scripture Luc. 15.10 the one in the Father of the prodigall Childe who runnes to meete his returning wandring sonne to shew vnto vs Didacus stella in Luc. 15. Quod non sit lenta neque tarda diuina misericordia ad subveniendum compunctis corde That the mercy of God is neither slow nor slacke to helpe and releeue repenting soules but is alwayes ready and willing to receiue them into his fauour and therefore cucurrit he ranne when he saw an occasion to shew mercy Gen. 3.8 God is quicke to shew mercy slow to punish the other in God seeking Adam in Paradice who walked with a slow pace as the originall word imports to shew how loth he was to be too quicke in indignation and therefore ambulauit He did but walke and come with a slow pace because he is slow to wrath yea when nothing will preuaile to recall vs from our sinnes but that he must punish vs yet as a compassionate Iudge pronounceth sentence against a malefactor with weeping eyes Qui fruitur paena ferus est legumque videtur
as hee which beleeueth in Christ as sayth the Apostle and prouideth not for his familie hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell and as he which professeth Christian Religion and with his knowledge and Faith and Baptisme hath no good maners no holinesse of life and conuersation which may expresse the liuelihood of this doctrine but hath onely a certaine shew of Religion hauing denied the power thereof is farte worse then an Infidell so is he which sinneth wittingly through knowledge by so much worse then he is which sinneth through ignorance as an inexcusable sinne is worse then that which hath a iust excuse And so Saint Isidore sayth Jsidorus de summo bono l 2. that tanto maius peccatum esse cognoscitur quanto maior qui peccat habetur according to the quality of the offender so is the qualitie of the offence Criminostor culpa est vbi honestior status the greater the man is which sinneth the greater is the sinne which he committeth for as Plato sayth that ignorantia potentum robustorumque hominum hostilis atque teterrima res est the ignorance of great and mighty men is a most vile and hatefull thing Why the sins of great men of eminent place are the greatest sins because it may bee very hurtfull vnto many so may we say that the sinnes of great men and of those that are in place and authoritie are exceedingly sinnefull and doe deserue the greater condemnation not onely because their sinnes are exemplarie sinnes as the old verse sayth Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis and as the prouerbe is like Priest like People Matth. 6.23 but also because in them is required the more eminent vertue wee should bee the light of the world and the great men should be the defenders of the distressed and the helpers of the needy and therefore Si lumen quod in te est tenebrae sunt ipsae tenebrae quatae erunt If thou which shouldest be at patterne of all vertue committest sinne how great is thy sin and if they which should be Patrons of the poore Preachers become robbers of the Church and they which should be Releeuers of the needy become oppressors of their neighbours how intollerable is that cruelty Surely though these things should be but small sinnes in others yet in vs they are horrible transgressions Chrysost hom 24 in c. 7. Matth. Quia impossibile omnino nobis est ad ignorantiae praesidium aliquando confugere Because it is vnpossible for vs to finde any excuse for our selues And therefore though Gentlemen and Courtiers Citizens and worldlings doe leade their liues in lewdnesse and turne the graces of God into wantonnesse and thinke it no great sinnes but either the infirmities of their youth or but the custome of their times yet in vs that are the Preachers of Gods Word or in those that are the Gouernours of the people the least sinne or mis-cariage of our selues which perhaps alijs ignoscitur nobis imputatur is but a veniall sinne in others and shall be pardoned will be found a haynous sinne in vs for which we shall be surely punished Bern. l. 2. de consid ad Eugen. for so Saint Bernard saith Inter seculares nugae nugae sunt in ore sacerdotis sunt blasphemiae Triffles are but triffles among secular men but in the mouth of the Priests triffles proue to be blasphemies and therfore the wise man saith that the meane and the simple man shall obtaine mercy Wis 6.6 when the wise and the mighty shall be mightily punished CHAP. VI. How euery sinne and the least sinne of euery one bringeth death YOu haue heard the diuersity of sinners and the inequality of sinnes and therfore I might now proceed vnto the second part which is the reward of sinne but that I may not forget to obserue that the Apostle saith indefinitely the reward of sinne is death to teach vs these three speciall lessons 1. That euery One sinne brings death 2. That the sinne of euery one brings death 3. That the least sin of any one brings death for First He sayth the reward of sinne is death not of sinnes That any one sinne is sufficient to bring death vnto the Sinner 1 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 20 9. Sueton. in vit Caesar One is inough if there were no more For as one leake in a shippe is sufficient to sinke it and one vaynes bleeding is inough to let out all the vitall spirits and one wound may kill Golias and Amasa as well as 23 did Caesar So one proud disdainefull thought may cast Lucifer out of Heauen one Apple may cast Adam out of Paradise and one sinne may bring death vpon any one of the sonnes of Adam And therefore seeing the puritie of God can abide no sinne and his iustice will so seuerely punish euery sinne Gen. 3.24 we should not giue way to any sinne for though we keepe the royall Law James 2.10 yet if we fail but in any one point we are guilty of all not that he which committeth any one sin committeh all sinnes but that he is as guilty of death by that one sinne as if hee had committed all sinnes and God can as easily spie out one sinne in man though he had no more as well as he could spie out one man amongst his guests which had not on his wedding garment Matth. 22.12 Secondly as One sinne so the sinne of any one brings death That the sin of any one man be he great or small brings death Gal. 3.10 Jerem 22 24. for cursed is euery one whosoeuer he be that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law for to doe them saith the Lord and the soule which sinneth that soule shall die saith the Prophet and Coniah if he offend though he were as the Signet on Gods right hand yet will God cut him off saith the Lord. But what haue not Kings and Princes Lords and Ladies great men Knights and rich men haue not they any priuiledge to haue their pleasures nor any prerogatiue to commit any sinne must they haue no more liberty then the poorest peasant Yes that they haue for when the meane men cannot offend but presently they shall be reprooued and it may be punished whereby many times they are brought to repentance and are themselues cleansed and haue their sinnes pardoned the great men The dangerous estate of Great men because many of vs dare not reproue them for feare to offend them and so to be offended by them may goe on in their sinnes without controulement they may doe it without feare though with the more danger for though it be true of a poore fearefull Preacher dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas that he dares not reprooue these mighty men yet with God there is no respect of persons but Veniam laeso numine nullus habet If Moses the Prince of Gods people
of vs. 118 All the excellencies of Christs man-hood were created excellencies 146 God expressed to Moses what he is three manner of wayes 121 Examples of Gods mercy in seeking after sinners 181 We should carefully examine whether we loue God or not 189 Examples of Gods slownesse to punish sin 194 Good examples a great meanes to further godlinesse 360 Three sorts of men excluded from the Paschall Lambe 682 Excellency of diuine truth 215 EK The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether rightly translated created or not 287 FA. THree faculties of the soule of man 53 Euery faculty of the soule defiled by sinne ibid. Fathers how they extoll the power of God ibid. Faith seeth what reason perceiueth not 176 God called Father of mercies neuer called Father of vengeance and why 195 Faults of some not to be ascribed vnto all 221 God the Father alwayes begetteth the Sonne 275 The name of Father taken two wayes 278 God the Father of Christ not as he is our Father 291 The Father how greater then Christ 300 Father sent not Christ by way of command 301 Christ the fairest among the sons of men 353 Family from whence Christ descended 396 c. Faults of the Disciples Christ would not reueale 466 Faith foure-fold 647 Iustifying faith the properties of it 648 FE That we should feare our Lord. 131 That we should aswell feare Gods iustice as hope for his mercy 244 Feare is two-fold 355 Feare and sorrow how they differ 449 What Christ feared 450. 455 c. Whom we neede not feare 538 God in what sence to be feared 539 Magistrates and parents in what sence to be feared 538 Feare brought into the world by sinne 540 God how he ought to be feared 541 That we ought to feare in euery state of grace lapse and recouerie 441 FI. Fire and sinne cannot be concealed 20 Fire and sinne not resisted will necessarily increase 22 Christ in what respect sayd to be the first begotten Sonne of God 291 That we should striue to be the first in Gods seruice 590 Apostles onely filled with the holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost 658 Fiue kindes of kisses 460 FL. Flesh apt to conceiue sin 14 Flesh taken for the corrupted qualitie of man 8 Flesh of Christ made by all the three persons of the Trinity 325 Flesh diuers kindes 339 Our flesh assumed by Christ 369 Flesh of Christ how said to be Deified 369 How said to doe diuine operations 389 Christ how flouted by all men 481 482 Flesh the tenderer the more sensible of paine 483 FO Forgetfulnesse an infernall Fiend 60 To forbeare to punish sinne increaseth the number of sinners 90 Fore-sight of good and euill is not the cause of punishment or reward of either 95 Heathens fâ—lsly ascribed to Fortune what is true of God 139 To forgiue sinne the greatest worke of Gods power 140 God able to forgiue sinnes ibid. In the forgiuing of sinnes many particulars to be considered 183 God forgiuâ—th all sinnes or no sinne 184 God cannot forget to be mercifull ibid. Foâ—giuenâ—sse of sinnes our chiefest comfort 224 That wee ought to forgiue one another 236 And to foâ—get all iniuries ibid. Our foâ—e fathers how they exceeded vs in deuotion 731 To be in the forme of God is to be very G â— 280 To lay a good foundation the best way to teach 392 Fortitude of the women seeking Christ 521 Christ in heauen forgetteth not his seruants on earth 629 Foure points handled touching the power of God 13â— Foure sorts of men erre about the doctrine of Gods power 135 Foure speciall graces bestowed vpon the elect 204 Foure kindes of redemption 500 Foure sorts of ascenders 609 Foure-fold end of Christs ascention 639 Foure points considered about the gifts of God 640 Foure signes of fulnesse 665 Foure-fold feales or signes wherewith Saints are sealed 669 Foure sorts or receiuers of the Sacraments 680 FR. Christ assumed all our humane frailties 351 Friends of Christ how dearly he loued them 488 God expecteth not the like fruits from all men 602 The Saints are freed from all their enemies 636 Christ freeth vs from Satan to place vs in his owne seruice ibid. We are not freed from Satan to doe what we list 637 FV. Fury of the wicked restrained 178 All men are full of somethings 665 GA. WHy Christ went to the garden of Gethsemane to bee taken and what befell him there 441 Gaufredus Clareuallensis what he said 613 GI Gifts of God of two sorts 192 641 Hee giueth spirituall gifts to the godly ibid. And temporall gifts to the wicked ibid. Gifts of God are free gifts 640 Diuersly bestowed 523 Euery man should be contented with the gifts God giueth him 523 Diuersity of gifts among the Apostles and Fathers ibid. Gifts requisite for Preachers 641 Gifts to edifie the Church how giuen 657 Speciall gifts of God whereby the elect are saued vnpossibly to be knowne 646 Gifts of prayer the chiefest of all Gods graces 730 Gifts of the Magi what they shewed Christ to be 413. GE. Generation of Christ two-fold 288. Gentiles were not altogether ignorant of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 311 What they writ of this name of Christ 312 313 Gentiles how they might come to the knowledge of this word 313 3â—4 Gentiles expected the comming of the Messias 316 412 Generality of Christ his suffering 483 GO God how said to bee the Father of Spirits 6 Goâ—ly mens sinning differ in three things from the wicked 35 36 Godly life maketh a happy death 82 God loueth righteousnesse 90 No respect of persons 91 Most iust ibid. Iudgeth euery man according to his desert 92 How great and how mighty he is 102 How ineffable 125 A most faithfull performer of all his promises 127 How he guideth and gouerneth all things 138 Of his owne nature most intelligible 120 To vs incomprehensible 120 121 That there is but one God proued many wayes 269 270 God onely to be prayed vnto 710 Christ no titular but a true God by nature proued 278 279 280 c. To deny the God-head of Christ what a hainous sinne 305 God-head of Christ suffered not but sustained the man-hood to suffer 438 485 The godly how they doe ascend 614 Loue of goodnesse should make vs hate sin 66 Goodnesse of God to man how incomprehensible 101 103 Good and godly men ought to be cherished and promoted 110 Goodnesse what it is 196 Goodnesse of things two-fold 197 God good to all things 197 Perfectly absolutely and vniuersally good 198 Nothing absolutely good but God ibid. Goodnesse of God two-fold 198 Generall goodnesse of God seene in two things 198 All things made good in their kinde 199 Good for some vse yet not vniuersally good ibid. Goodnesse of God withholdeth the wicked from many sinnes suspendeth our iust deserued punishments 200 How it extendeth it selfe to all men 201 Yet not alike good to all men 202 Gods speciall goodnesse seene in two things 203 It preserueth the Saints
our death what it doth 82 Mediators two sorts 296 Mediator betwixt God and man to bee like God and like man 320 Christ a perfect mediator 341 Theesame measure of effectuall grace must worke the same effect in all men 209 Our meaning is accepted where meanes are wanting 232 Meditation of Christs Passion what it effecteth 421. 422 c. Most acceptable vnto Christ 421 Expelleth sinne 423 Kindleth our loue to God 424 Supporteth our hope 426 The same measure of grace not giuen to all men 602 Meanes to bring vs to our end decreed as well as our end 654 The Apostles receiued not the same measure of grace 667 The same measure of fruits God expecteth not from all men 668 Melchisedech who he was 330 No inhabitant of Canaan 330. 331 That he was Iesus Christ the Son of God in the shape of man proued 331 c. Memnons heresie 343 Merit of Christs suffering how to bee considered 502 All men of note vnder the old Testament types of Christ 258 To hope for mercie and to neglect Gods seruice vaine presumption 717. Mercie and peace how they pleaded for man 319 Mercie in God what it signifieth 180 Mercie of God how it sought Adam and many more when they sinned 180 c. Mercie of God magnified 182 It consisteth chiefly in three things 182 It is euerlasting two waies 184 The best stay to relie vpon 185 How it qualifieth punishments 186 Found in all places and in all creatures 188 Mercie of God two-fold 188 How God is onely mercifull to them that loue him ibid. It proceedeth naturally from God 195 How it pleadeth for sinners ibid. How largely it extendeth it selfe 223 Mercies of God innumerable and immeâ—surable 223 Lasting for euer and euer ibid. Mercie of God teacheth vs to bee affrayd to sinne 225 God more mercifull then we are sinnefull 226 We ought to imitate God in the workes of mercie 228 Mercy how scarce among men ibid. Workes of mercie of two sorts 232 Motiues to perswade vs to be mercifull 223 Mercie makes vs like to God ibid. Scarce amongst vs. ibid. That it is no mercie to spare wicked men 235 Messias expected by the Gentiles 316 MI. Able ministers what a great gift 643 We ought to pray for our ministers 737 Ministers subiect to the greatest miseries 74 The manifold miseries of all Ages 68 Of infancie 68. Of child-hood 68. 69. Of youth 69. Of man-hood 70. Of old age 70 71 The miseries of al estates 71. Of the poore 72. Of the rich 72. Of meane men 73. Of the nobilitie ibid. Of the common people ibid. Of the Magistrates ibid. Of the Ministers 74 How Christ suffered all miseries 260 MO. Christ how mocked vpon the Crosse 481 MV How Christ multiplied the loaues of bread 174 To murmure against God what a haynous sinne 139 MY Mysterie of clothing Christ in white explained 473 Mysterie of the Trinitie why not fully reuealed at first 272 Misteries of faith how farre past the reach of a naturall man 59 NA NAture is wholy defiled 4 Nature can neuer procure the gifts of grace 64 Nature teacheth vs to punish sinne 90 Nature notable to shew the reason how the world should be made 138 The nature of all things good 197 Nature relieueth the part most distressed 451 To the nature of God what things are repugnant 152 Two natures in our Sauiour Christ 363 Confirmed 365. 366. By nature wee are alike indifferent to all sinnes 204 Abstract names of all excellencies most proper vnto God 122. 294 Jehoua the essentiall name of God 123 Name of God taken two waies 296 All names of dignitie in the old Testament types of Christ 258 Christ came from Nathan and not from Salomon 398 NE. Negatiue precepts 365. 230 Necâ—ssitie three-fold 491 How it was necessarie for Christ to suffer 493 Nestorius his heresie 374 Wherein he affirmed the vnion of the two natures of Christ to subsist 375 His heresie confuted 376 How he was deceiued about the person of Christ 619 NI Christ borne in the night time and why 406 NO Nominall relation of the three Persons of the Trinitie maketh a true distinction of the persons 278 Nouatus his heresie 112 Why hee thought sinnes of recidiuation should not be pardoned 593 OB. MAny obseruations about the manner of his crucifying 489 Obstinate sinners how hardly reclaimed 463 Obedience of Christ seene in the incarnation of Christ 358 Obiections of the Arrians against the eternall God-head of Christ answered 284. c. OF We offend God for trifles 105 Officers not to be made but of the best and godliest men 109 Office of the Word to declare the minde of God 312 What we should offer vnto Christ 415 OL. Old age described and the miseries thereof 71 ON One sinne brings death 3â— OM. Omnisciencie cannot be communicated to any creature 156 OP Oppressing the poore what a fearefull sin 240 To oppose the knowne truth what a horrible sinne 240 The euill that oppresseth man is two-fold 321 OR Originall corruption how traduced 4 Hard to be expressed 5 Order obserued by God in all things 324 PA. HOw painefull to walke in the wayes to hell 100 Christ made passible the first degree of his passion 438 Patience and mercy of God shewed by two passages of Scripture 196 Patience necessary to retayne the truth 218 No sinner excluded from hope of pardon 224 Good Parents leaue the best patrimonie vnto their children 224 Christ the perfect patterne of all vertue 260 Meditation of Christs passion what it effecteth 421 422. c. Cause of passions two fold 443 Passions of man how they inuade him will he nill he but not Christ 444 Passions of man how they blinde and distract him but not Christ 445 Our Parents neuer to be forgotten 488 All the particulars of Christ his passions vnpossible to be expressed Patience in suffering more respected of God then our suffering 520 Patience what an excellent gift 655 Patience two-fold 655 Christ set vs downe a perfect patterne of prayer 718 PE. Chiefest perfection of man consisteth in the will of man 53 Perplexities of the wicked at their death-time 80 A most earnest perswasion to forsake sinne 87 God a faithfull performer of all his promises 227 358 Each person of the Trinity a true Iehoua 123 124 Three persons in the one essence of God 272 The three persons of the Trinity distinguished two waies 274 Person of Christ how alwaies abused by Satan and all heretickes 304 What is true of the person of Christ is not alwaies true being restrayned to the body of Christ 344 Christ conceiued a perfect man in the first moment of his conception 337 Christ was in all respects a perfect man 340 Peters infirmities manifold 467 Why suffered to fall 468 How restored by Christ ibid. Persecutors of Christ how plagued 558 Petition of the theefe on the crosse how soone granted 487 People how they desired the death of Christ 495 Person of Christ how excellent he was
of God for if thou beest a man full of sinnes here is a God full of mercy and in verie deede this is our chiefest comfort for be we Kings Nobles rich or poore yet after all our pompe and power when wee see our selues and consider our owne sinnes when death approacheth and sickenesse seizeth vpon vs wee must all say with king Dauid Miserere mei deus haue mercy on me O God according to the multitude of thy mercies or with poore Bartimaeus Marc. 10.48 haue mercy on me O Iesu thou sonne of Dauid Et hoc tutissimum est and this is the safest course for all sinners as Bellarmine wisely acknowledgeth totam spem totamque fiduciaem in sola misericordia dei reponere to place all our trust and confidence in the sole mercie of our most mercifull God for otherwise who dares present his best workes to bee iudged without mercie because as Saint Augustine sayth Vae laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutiat eam Deus Woe to the purest life of the holiest Saint if God should discusse the same without mercy And therefore after wee haue gone with the prodigall childe Luc. 15.13 into a farre countrey of wickednesse after we haue wasted all our goods all our graces and haue committed all our sinnes yet let vs not despaire Gen. 4.13 and say with Caine My sinnes are greater then can be pardoned but let vs rather returne vnto our Father and say with the prodigall childe Luk. 15 21. Father I haue sinned against Heauen and against thee and I am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne Yet I pray thee make me as one of thy hyred seruants or else let vs cry with Saint Augustine Aug. l. Meditat. saying O bone Domine noli attendere malum meum ne obliuiscaris bonum tuum O good Lord doe not remember my wickednesse lest thou shouldst forget thine owne goodnesse but consider O my God that although Ego admisi vnde me damnare potes tu non amisisti vnde me seruare soles I haue committed that for which thou canst damne me yet thou hast not forgotten that whereby thou art wont to saue me and though my sinnes be many yet thy mercies are more and the more thou forgiuest vnto me the more it will expresse thy goodnesse and the more bound I shall be to be thankefull vnto thee For hee loueth much Luk 7.47 to whom much is forgiuen saith our Sauiour Christ How God qualifieth punishments James 2.13 Niceph l. 17. c. 3. For the third that is the qualifying of punishments we finde that in his greatest anger against sinne mercy reioyceth against iudgement and that as Nicephorus saith Vindicta gladium misericordiae oleo semper acuit He steepeth his sword of vengeance in the oyle of mercy and he doth alwayes punish lesse then our iniquities deserue Ezra 9.13 as Ezra saith And this he doth not onely vnto the elected Saints but also to the reprobates and to the diuels themselues For First Touching the Saints it is apparant that their punishments doe proceed from mercy for when they are afflicted in this life Heb. 11. they are chastned of the Lord that they should not be condemned of the world Secondly touching the reprobates both men Angels both here and hereafter the mercy of God abateth much of that punishment which they haue most iustly deserued For Ruffin eccl hist First Here God being not like vnto Theodosius that put all the Thessalonians to the sword for the offence of few nor like that angry Goddesse Pallas Quae exurere classem Virgil. Aeneid l. 1. Argiuum atque ipsos voluit submergere ponto Vnius ob noxam That would destroy the whole Nauie of the Argiues for the onely offence of one onely Aiax but if it be lawfull to vse the comparison as the Persian Generall spared Delos for Apollo's sake So God in this life spareth whole multitudes of wicked men for a few good mens sake Act. 27.24 as he spared the liues of all the people that were in the ship with Saint Paul for the loue that he bare vnto this blessed Apostle and as he would haue spared fiue wicked Cities Gen. 18.32 if but ten good men had beene found therein and sometimes hee spareth the sinnes of the wicked for the very loue he beareth to the persons of the vngodly and though they still sinne against him yet doth he still spare them to see if his patience Rom. 2 4. and long sufferance will at any time lead them to repentance Secondly hereafter Quia non datur summum malum August in Enchirid cap. 12.13 That God in the strictnesse of his Iustice might inflict more punishment vpon the damned soules then he doth quoniam malum non inhaeret nisi in subiecto bono Because the being both of reprobates and diuels is euer good therfore the mercy of God pittieth that good and cannot be seuered from it but still loueth the same euen in its greatest torments and in that respect doth euer mitigate some part of that torment which the sinner iustly deserued and which God in the rigor of his Iustice might rightly haue inflicted on him But you will say the Scripture teacheth that they shall be punished in measure and that they shall haue iudgement without mercie And therefore how can they be said then to haue the least iot of the mercy of God Luke 16.24.25 Diues being denyed one drop of water to coole his tongue I answere that they shall neuer be eased of the least iot of that punishment that is once inflicted vpon them but I say that God neuer imposeth so much torments on the damned as in the strictnesse of his Iustice he might iustly doe and yet are they said to haue iudgement without mercie because the greatnesse of their insufferable paines doth swallow vp all sense and perseuerance of mercy and makes them thinke that God could not possibly inflict greater torments on them then they endure Zaâ—â—h de nat Des l. 4 c. 4. q. 4 p. 378. Whereas indeed if they perceiued it it is most certaine that they are not punished according to the height of that measure of punishment which their sinnes deserued and which God iustly could inflict vpon them but that in them also the Apostles words must take place that mercy reioyceth against iudgement Psal 25.10 And therefore well might the Prophet Dauid say that all Gods pathes are mercy Psal 145 9. and that his mercy is ouer all his workes because there is no place which can be imagined wherein there is not some impression of Gods mercy nor any Creature that can be named which can say that he doth no way taste of the mercy of God for God pittieth his owne workes euen then when he punisheth our workes that is our sinnes And yet here we must obserue that the mercy of God is twofold 1. Generall 2. Speciall For
First the generall mercy of God is that which extends it selfe towards all and ouer all Gods works but That God is onely mercifull to them that loue him Secondly the speciall mercy of God is onely extended vnto the godly and wholly denyed vnto the wicked for so the Lord himselfe saith I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy that is not vpon all but vpon some whom I will and who are those the Scripture sheweth Exod. 23 36. for Moses saith Miseretur Iehoua seruorum suorum The Lord will repent himselfe or be mercifull vnto his seruants Deut. 32.36 Psal 103.3 and the Prophet Dauid saith that as a father pittieth his owne children so will the Lord be mercifull to them that feare him Exod. 20.6 and so God himselfe saith I will shew mercy on them that loue me but they that feare him not that serue him not that loue him not he will deale with them in his furie and his eye shall not spare them Ezek 8 18. neither will he be mercifull vnto them That the wicked haue no part in the speciall mercie of God And therefore though God be mercifull vnto the wicked and sheweth many singular effects of his mercy vnto them as to create them and to preserue them from many euils yea from many sinnes which otherwise they would fall into and to bestow many gifts and graces vpon them yet haue they no part nor portion in this speciall mercy of God because as the Lord himselfe saith of the wicked Mal. 1.10 Non est mihi voluntas in vobis God hath no pleasure he hath no delight in them And no maruell for seeing the mercie of God springeth from the loue of God as may be collected from the words of those Iewes who seeing how Christ sighed and mourned and wept ouer Lazarus Iohn 11.36 said presently Behold how he loued him and as the Apostle plainely sheweth in the 3. of Titus and the 4. verse and 1 Tim. 1.2 It is most apparant that where there is no speciall loue of God there can be no speciall mercy of God That God loueth not the wicked but the speciall loue of God is onely extended vnto the Saints and chosen children of God and not vnto the wicked reprobates as might be easily shewed from those especiall effects of this speciall loue of God such as are their eternall election their effectuall vocation their singular preseruation and the bountifull donation of many heauenly gifts and graces which he giueth not vnto the reprobates as I purpose by Gods helpe more fully to declare in some other place and therefore the speciall mercy of God is onely shewed vnto Gods Elect and none else for he will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy Rom 9 18. and whom he will he hardeneth Well then That we should carefully examine whether we loue and serue God or not beloued Brethren seeing the speciall mercy of God pertaineth onely vnto the Saints let vs all examine our selues and if we finde we feare not God we serue not God wee may assure our selues that although we daily feele many infallible arguments of Gods generall mercy and fauour towards vs yet are we destitute of the least assurance of this speciall mercy of God I know many deceiue themselues herein Psal 69.23 and make those things which should be for their aduantage to be vnto them an occasion of falling when as continuing in sinne they notwithstanding doe appropriate vnto themselues this speciall mercie of God which indeed is onely proper vnto those Saints that feare him for though after a generall manner he is mercifull vnto all to make them and to preserue them and to bestow many blessings vpon them yet after this speciall manner to forgiue their sinnes and to bring them to eternall life he is onely mercifull to them that feare him to them that loue him to them that serue him as the Scriptures doe most plainly shew vnto vs And therefore I would aduise all wicked men either to serue the Lord or not to thinke that they haue any part in this mercy of God for I doe here confidently assure them that if they doe still continue in sinne they shall not taste of this Cup of mercy but shall be forced to wring out euen the dregs of thâ—t red Wine of the wrath and indignation of God Psal 75.8 And so much of the first Particle of Gods goodnesse Mercifull CHAP. VI. Of the Grace of God and what the same chiefely signifieth What is meant by the word Gracious THe Second Particle of Gods Goodnesse here expressed is that hee is Gratious a word very large and ample in signification and it is diuersly taken but chiefly it signifieth one that is 1. Amiable 2. Placable 3. Liberall First It signifieth that affability and louelinesse of person whereby the beholders are inflamed with the loue and sweetnesse thereof for when Christ is said to haue increased in wisedome Luk. 2.52 First he that is louely is gracious and stature and in fauour or in grace as the originall hath it with God and man the meaning is that he grew to be more and more amiable and beloued both of God and men and therefore we may say that a sweet affable amiablâ— man is a gracious man Secondly he that easily remitteth offences is gracious Secondly it signifieth that readinesse of minde to forgiue all the offences done against one and to receiue the offender into his fauour againe for when Noah Mary and other are said inuenisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud deum to haue found grace with God it signifieth that they found him fauourable vnto them both in remitting of their offences Gen. 6.8 and in receiuing them into his fauourable countenance Luke 1.30 and therefore we may rightly say that he which easily receiueth offenders into his fauour is a gracious man Thirdly a bountifull man is a gracious man Gen. 33.5 Thirdly It signifieth a bountifull giuing and bestowing of any gifts for so the Scripture sheweth all the gifts of God whether temporall or spirituall to be the graces of God as Iacob said vnto his brother these be the children Quos Deus gratificatus est mihi which God of his free grace and fauour gaue vnto me and so it is said of Barnabas that when hee saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace of God Acts. 11.23 i. e. the gift of God bestowed vpon the beleeuers he reioyced and therefore a liberall and a bountifull man may be truely said to be a gracious man Now in all these respects wee finde God to bee most gracious For First It is said of Christ That God is gracious in all respects Psal 45.3 that he was fairer then the sonnes of men and that his lips were full of grace yea so full of grace that all men wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth And indeed howsoeuer
conuenient but then thou withheldest me from consenting and so when I had will I wanted ability and when I had ability I wanted opportunity and all this was from thy blessed goodnes that preserued me To abstaine from sinnes is from God And therefore if we doe abstaine from drunkennesse lewdnesse or any other sinne let vs not robbe Gods grace to ascribe it to the goodnesse of our Natures but let vs truely acknowledge it to proceed from the goodnesse of God that preserueth vs rather then the rest for had God preserued the wicked from their sinnes they would haue abstained from them euen as we doe and had he not preserued vs we should haue runne into the same excesse of riot euen as they doe Our abstaining from sinne is not from our selues Secondly he doth not onely preserue vs from the euill of sinne but also from many plagues and punishments that hee suffereth other men to fall into for so the Psalmist saith that Mis-fortune shall slay the vngodly Psal 34.16 but GOD preserueth the righteous that not one of his bones shall be broken And againe he saith that although Gods plague should be so great and so hot against the wicked as that a thousand of them should fall beside the righteous and ten thousand on his right hand Psal 91.12 yet it should not come nigh him because God doth so command his Angels to preserue them in all their wayes that they dash not their foot against a stone Thus he preserued Noah out of the flood Lot out of Sodome How God preserueth the godly from many plagues and punishments Wisd 10 4.6 Moses and Aaron out of the hand of Pharaoh and the three children out of the fiery furnace and thus at all times he preserueth his little flocke and faithfull children out of many miseries and dangers And we haue in a large measure tasted of this goodnesse for as Noah had been drowned in the flood and Lot had beene consumed in Sodome had they not been preserued by this speciall goodnesse of God How mercifully God deliuered vs in Anno 1588. and from the Gun-powder treason so except the same goodnesse had beene on our side When men rose vp against vs in 88. and in the Gun-powder Treason especially it had not failed but our soules had been put to silence and we should haue bin swallowed vp of our miseries I need not instance any particular deliuerance of priuate men each man doth best know that himselfe and for mine owne part I haue so aboundantly seene the goodnesse of God herein that I can neuer thinke how gratiously God preserued me so many times from so many and so mighty enemies Qui oderunt me gratis which hated me freely without a cause God he knoweth my simplenesse but exultauit cor meum Psal 13.21 eructauit verbum bonum O how plentifull is thy goodnesse vnto them that feare thee and that put their trust in thy mercy If any man hath found experience of the like or any other preseruation from any euill let him neuer thinke it is from any chance or fortune but solely from this goodnesse of God for seeing we are all the sonnes of Adam No man priuiledged from common calamities all sinners and that no man hath a pattant of exemption or a priuiledge of immunity to be free from common calamities and yet we see one break his legge another his necke one slaine another drowned one diseased another disgraced one leese his estate another his libertie a third his life and it may be vniustly too and we our selues deliuered from these or the like miseries how can we choose but see the aboundant goodnesse of God in our deliuerance from these calamities which we daily see incident to other men Ob. But here it may be some will obiect how doth God shew more speciall goodnesse vnto his Saints by deliuering them from plagues and punishments rather then the wicked when as we see they are more commonly plagued and scourged then the wicked be as the Prophet Dauid plainely sheweth vnto vs. Sol. I answere that although God many times preserueth his seruants from the punishments of the wicked yet doth he not alwayes deliuer them from all afflictions but doth often menace them The Saints in their afflictions doe most of all perceiue the goodnesse of God and sometime whip them too with the rod of correction And yet this goodnesse of God is no lesse seene to reflect vpon them in these showers of aduersitie then at any other time in the Sun-shine of prosperity For When the wicked in their afflictions doe gnash with their teeth and consume away 1 Sam. 28.7 through griefe despaire and so grow worse and worse as Saul did from Samuel vnto the Witch and from the Witch vnto the Diuell The godly in their afflictions are more humbled more deiected in themselues and more earnest suppliants vnto God to helpe them Premuntur iusti vt pressi clament clamantes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent Deum Quintus Curt. lib 8. and to deliuer them out of their distresse for the righteous are therefore often pressed that they might cry and crying might be heard and heard might glorifie God And so as Alexander was Semper bello quam post victoriam clarior More famous in his warre then in his Peace the Saints of God doe euer grow better and better in their afflictions and as the Poet saith Saepe tulit lassis succus amarus opem They gather honey not onely with the Drones from the Hiue but also with the Bee from the Thistles and as a Pearle in the darke they doe shew more lustre and more tokens of their goodnesse Faith Hope Charity Patience and many other graces in their afflictions then euer they did or could haue done in their exemption and freedome from all miseries And all this is not because afflictions and punishments makes them better but because God preserueth them and deliuereth them from all the hurts and euils that otherwise these afflictions would bring vpon them as well as vpon other men and giues them grace to make a right vse of these their iust deserued chastisements for so the Prophet saith Psal 34.18 Many are the troubles of the Righteous there is their iust deserts but God deliuereth him out of all there is Gods goodnesse towards him yea more a great deale in deliuering him out of these troubles then if he had preserued him from the hauing of any troubles at all For as that man is to be commended as most valiant which hath beene in Warres and receiuing many wounds at the hands of great and many enemies hath victoriously escaped them all rather then he which neuer fighting with any hath kept himselfe safe and free from any danger so he that deliuereth mee from the hands of mine enemies and preserueth mee from fire and water from all troubles and afflictions doth shew a great deale more loue vnto me
Sancta custodiens veritatem a Righteous and a holy Nation Esay 26. to hold fast this Truth of God not shewing our selues like Rehoboam that found shields of gold but left behinde him shields of Brasse to receiue the cleere Truth from our fathers and to leaue the same darkened vnto our children Secondly As the word of God is the primary and most absolute declared Truth wherein there is no possibility of error Quia dicta Iehouae dicta pura Because the words of the Lord are pure words So the words of men agreeable to their vnderstanding conformed to the Truth of things Iohn 8.44 are secondarily the Truth of God because as euery lye is from the Deuill though it should be vttered from the tongue of a Saint as our Sauiour sheweth so euery Truth is from God though it were spoken from the mouth of a Diuell because the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth Et omne verum à quocunque dicitur à Spiritu sancto est And all Truth whosoeuer speaks it doth spring from the Spirit of God saith Saint Ambrose Euery Truth whatsoeuer whosoeuer saith it proceeds from God A sufficient reproofe for them that will not heare the Word of God but from the mouth of Saints for we are not to respect who speake or what they be that speake but what is spoken and therefore if Balaams Asse should preach me Christ I would willingly be his disciple for Saint Paul tels me that none can say 1 Cor. 12.3 that Iesus is Christ but by the Spirit of God and therefore hee did not so much care who preached nor how they preached so they preached Iesus Christ because he knew that euery truth must needs proceed from the Spirit of Truth â—hat we should say nothing but Truth And therefore this should teach vs to make much of Truth and not onely to beleeue the Truth whosoeuer speakes it but also to speake the Truth euery man vnto his neighbour whatsoeuer comes of it though it should be like Cassandra's Prophesie not beleeued or O dium parere Beget hatred as the Comicke speaketh Quia dilexit Deus veritatem because as all Truth is from God so God loueth all Truth whatsoeuer Corruit in platea veritas And yet we see Quod diminutae sunt veritates à filijs hominum The Truth is troden downe in the street and the faithfull are minished from among the children of men Psal 12.1 we are all like the Cretians alwayes lyars and though the godly man keepeth his promise vnto his neighbour Psal 15.5 though it were to his owne hinderance yet now we seldome think of any promise vnlesse it be for our furtherance to attaine vnto our owne desires so farre are wee from Truth But we must all loue Truth and follow after Truth if we would be children vnto him that is abundant in Truth And so much for the fift Particle of Gods goodnesse Of Gods abundant Truth CHAP. X. Of the large extent of Gods mercy and of the remission of all kinde of sinnes and the vsefull application of the whole Attribute of Gods goodnesse THe sixt Particle of Gods Goodnesse is God is mercifull to all men that hee reserueth mercy for thousands and that as I vnderstand it two manner of wayes 1. Extensiuely 2. Successiuely First he meaneth that his Mercy is not like a carnall Patrons loue which commonly reacheth no further then his kindred he can preferre none else Nor yet like great mens fauours which extendeth no further then their seruants their greatnesse is no greater but Miserationum Dei multitudo numerari Basil in regulis contract q. 15. magnitudo mensurari non potest The mercies of God are so many that they cannot be numbred and so great that they cannot be measured so that he hath enough in store to helpe not onely a few but also many multitudes thousands he hath enough for all being not like Isaac that had but one blessing Gen. 27.38 for he hath many blessings for euery one Secondly Gods Mercie lasteth for all times euen for euer and euer he meaneth that his Mercy is not for any set Period of time which is the property of all other things euen of the greatest Monarchs they haue but their time and when that time is gone they can do nothing which a little before seemed to be able to do all things but Gods mercies are tyed to no time but they continue froÌ„ generation to generation they are like a springing well that can neuer be dryed or like the Lampe that is fed with the oyle of immortality And this the Word reseruing doth most plainely shew that he hath mercy enough in store not onely for the fathers that beleeue in him but also for their children for their childrens children euen vnto a thousand generations of them that loue him and keepe his Commandements Good Parents doe leaue the best patrimâ—ny vnto their children Rom. 11.28 O then what a Patrimony doe good parents purchase vnto their children to haue the Mercies of God reserued and laid vp in store for thousands of them and as the Apostle saith of the Iewes to make them to be loued for their fathers sakes Most happy are those children which haue such fathers as doe feare God and keepe his Commandements And so much for the sixt Particle of Gods goodnesse Reseruing Mercy for thousands Forgiuenesse of sinnes our chiefest comfort Rom 4.7 The seauenth Particle of Gods goodnesse is that he forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne Here is the last but not the least act of Gods goodnesse expressed For herein consisteth all our happinesse Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered And here by these three words God vnderstandeth three sorts of euill 1. By Iniquity is vnderstood originall corruption 2. By Transgression is meant the outward actuall commission 3. By Sinne is vnderstood the height of all abhomination No sinner excluded from hope of pardon The custome of sinning and the greatest sinnes For God depriues not these from hope of Pardon if these come to him with penitent hearts and therefore that none should despaire of his goodnes he sheweth that he can forgiue all these and forgiuing these he forgiueth all But here I must haue leaue to take away the vaile froÌ„ Moses his face and to looke further then the Iewish Tabernacle for as in Ezekiels vision Ezek. 10.10 Rota erat in rota Gospel was in the Law Law in the Gospell as Saint Gregory expounds it so here I finde all this to be Gospell and I see Iesus Christ in euery word for in Christ Coloss 1.14 we haue Redemption through his blood the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and so of all the rest of these Graces wee haue them all by Christ for though the Law came by Moses yet as Saint Iohn saith Grace and Truth yea Mercy and Peace and all the other good
that we haue John 1.17 we haue them all through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thus by the helpe of Gods Spirit wee haue thus farre sayled through the boundlesse Ocean of Gods goodnesse and in all this we can shew you no more then little drops of raine or small sparkes of fire What wee should learne from this doctrine of Gods goodnesse in comparison of the huge elements of fire and water so great is his goodnesse and so vnable is our small vnderstanding to apprehend the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse It should teach vs First to be afraid to sinne for there is mercy with God First to be afraid to sinne that he may be feared or if we haue sinned to make vs presently to forsake our sinnes and to be sorrowfull for our offences for the mercy of God leadeth vs to repentance saith the Apostle And herein is the difference betwixt the wicked and the godly mans application of Gods goodnesse First the wicked considereth how gracious and how mercifull the Lord is as well as the best but he maketh the worst vse of this that possible can be for he saith vnto himselfe Ezek. 18.32 that the mercy of God is great and he desireth not the death of a sinner which is most true but then he inferres a most damnable consequence How the wicked doe abuse Gods goodnesse Rom. 2.5 that therefore he may the more boldly goe on in sinne or at least with the lesse feare offend his God and so he maketh the grace and goodnesse of God to be as an horse to carry away his sinnes or as his sole incouragement to goe on in sinne and therby he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath because as the wise man saith Mercy and wrath come from God and his indignation falleth downe vpon sinners But Secondly the godly considering the goodnesse of God doe thereupon exceedingly feare to sinne because they are loath to offend so good a God The consideration of Gods goodnesse is a meanes to preserue the good men from sinne that hath beene so gracious and so bountifull vnto them and if at any time through their infirmitie they doe offend him they will presently returne to God because they know God is euer ready to receiue them and so they make the consideration of Gods goodnesse to be a hinderance of their sinning and offending God and to be a furtherance of their repenting and returne to God And I would to God wee would all make this vse of the Mercy of God and say with that Christian Poet Ah miser an summi quoniam propensa parentis Ad veniam est bonitas in scelus omne ruis Ah wretched men that we are shall we abound in sinne because God abounds in goodnesse God forbid for that were to turne the grace of God into wantonnes and to abuse his goodnes for our destruction and not to vse it for our saluation And therefore the better God hath beene to vs the more wee should bleed to offend that God we should call to minde if wee can wherein God wronged our names that wee should so often at euery word almost abuse the most sacred name of God or when hee was hard to vs that we should so hardly deale with him as by our sinnes we doe to render him euill for good and hatred for good will Secondly neuer to despaire of Gods Mercie Rom. 5.2 Secondly this Doctrine teacheth vs neuer to despaire of Gods Mercy for where sinne aboundeth grace superaboundeth i. e. though thy sinnes be neuer so great neuer so many yet the Mercie of God is greater and therefore thou art deceiued Caine to say Gen. 4.13 Thy sinne is greater then can be forgiuen thee for though my sinne were greater then euer hath beene committed yet it is not greater then God can forgiue me or though I were neuer so full of sinnes yet is God more full of mercies because no sinnes of man can exceede the Mercy of God Chrysost hom 19. in Gen. as Saint Chrysostome saith and therefore though my sinnes were neuer so many euen as many as haue beene committed in the world since the beginning of the world Esay 44.22 yet seeing the Lord can put them all away like a cloud and though they were neuer so haynous euen as red as scarlet yet seeing the Lord can make them as white as snow I ought neuer to despaire of the grace and Mercy of God Quia semper inueniam Deum benigniorem quaÌ„ me culpabiliorem Because I shall be sure to finde God more Mercifull then I am sinfull as Saint Bernard saith Bernard ser 1. Et quia vberior Dei gratia quam precatio nostra semper plus tribuens quam rogatur And because God is euer reâ—dier to forgiue then we are to craue pardon and doth alwayes bestow more then vsually we desire as Saint Ambrose saith Ambros super Luc. l. 5. Et deserentes se non deserit And doth not alwayes leaue them which forsake him as Saint Gregory saith Sed impios quaerit qui eum non quaerebant But doth oftentimes seeke for those wicked men Greg. ho. 22. super illud Ecce caeperunt excusare c. that neuer sought for him And this is the chiefest end and the rightest vse of the Mercy of God for as Medicamentum propter vulnus The salue is made for the wound and not the wound because I haue a salue so the Mercy of God is taught to heale our wounded soules and not to incourage vs to wound our soules with sinne saith Saint Augustine But here it may be obiected Ob. that there is a sinne against the Holy Ghost which cannot be pardoned and therefore all sinners cannot from hence conceiue hope of pardon I answere first Sol. What the sinne against the holy Ghost is Beza ho. 28. de pass Dom. That sinne is called irremissible three wayes that although we may partly know what this sinne is viz. A willing witting malicious totall apostacie yet I say we can neuer discerne where it is Sine rarissimis inspirationibus Without some rare and speciall inspiration as Beza saith which few or none can now say he is sure of Secondly I say that a sinne may be called irremissible three wayes First Priuatiuely when the sinne by congruence of merit deserues damnation though by the congruence of Gods Mercies it may be pardoned and so are all sinnes irremissible if we consider their iust desert Secondly Contrarily when the sinne doth not onely deserue punishment but also opposeth pardon and refuseth all the meanes of remission and so is the sinne against the Holy Ghost irremissible because it not onely not seeketh but also reiecteth and opposeth pardon Thirdly Negatiuely That there is no sinne in the world but God can forgiue it when the sinne can no wayes be remitted and so in my iudgement is no sinne vnpardonable For though in regard of our impenitency and perpetuall
obstinacy in resisting the holy Ghost as S. Steuen said of the stiffe-necked Iewes this sinne shall neuer be forgiuen as our Sauiour saith yet in regard of Gods infinite Mercies which both for number and greatnesse doe exceed all sinnes and in respect of Gods power which is able to doe all things and to subdue all things vnto himselfe I say this sinne and all sinnes are pardonable and can bee forgiuen if we could repent and aske forgiuenesse of the same else should our sinnes be more infinite then Gods mercies which is impossible And therefore whatsoeuer thy sinnes haue beene neuer so great neuer so many sinnes of darkenesse sinnes of Death sinnes more in number then the sands of the Sea yet if thou hast but that grace to wish for grace if thou doest it from the bottome of thy heart despaire not of the Mercy of God but call and cry and say vnto him Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner 1 Iohn â— 7 and the bloud of Iesus Christ shall cleanse thee from all sinne Esay 42.3 for a bruised reed he will not breake and a smoaking flaxe he will not quench O Lord who is a God like vnto thee What a haynous sinne it is to despaire of the Mercie and goodnesse of God It is sayd of Iudas that he sinned more in despayring of the mercy of God then in betraying of his Sauiour Christ for the betraying of his master was but the corruption of man but the despairing of Gods mercy was a denyall of this goodnesse of God and so to make God cruell at least not so good as he was euill then which a greater indignity cannot be imagined against the Diuine Maiestie and therefore whatsoeuer our liues haue been as bad as Salomon 2 Chron. 33.1.2 c. or worse then Manasses yet let vs vs not adde this vnto all the rest of our sinnes which alone will proue vnto vs worse then all the rest to despaire of the grace and goodnesse of GOD Heb. 4.16 but rather let vs in the name of Christ draw neare vnto the Throne of Grace and we may be sure to finde mercy against the time of neede Thirdly to imitate God in all these particulars of Gods goodnesse Thirdly This Doctrine teacheth vs to Imitate God herein in all these speciall points of goodnesse For though there be many inimitable workes of God wherein it is a sinne to attempt to doe the like as Mundos fabricare mortuos suscitare inter fluctus ambulare To create worlds to raise the dead to walke among the waues and the like yet we are commanded to be holy as he is holy and to imitate him in goodnesse that so wee may bee the Children of our Father which is in Heauen And therefore First to bee Mercifull Luke 6.36 Ouid. de ponto cleg 9. Staâ—â—us in Thebaide First we should be mercifull as he is mercifull Regia crede mihi res est succurrere lapsis And as another saith Pulchrum est vitam donare petenti It is a pleasant thing to be pittifull But the man of bloud or the sonne of cruelty can neuer be the Childe of the God of mercy for Iob 6.14 Matth. 26.11 he that hath no mercy hath cast away the feare of the Lord saith holy Iob. And yet alas mercy is now gone out of our Countrey The poore are euer with you saith our Sauiour and neuer so many poore as now That there is a great want of Mercy amongst vs. for in Court and Countrey in Church I am sure we are almost all beggars and yet we may labour not onely all night with the Apostles but all the dayes of our life and get nothing because we haue nothing to giue such is our time that if euer that saying was true it is now true Si nihil attuleris ibis homere foras Most is sold soules and all little is giuen either in Church or Common-wealth and all is spent vpon our selues and vpon our friends and not vpon the painful seruants or poore members of Iesus Christ 2 Sam. 24.23 It is said of Araunah that being but a Subiect as a King he gaue vnto the King but we goe like Princes in soft rayments and we fare like Kings Luke 16. daintily euery day and we giue like bankerouts not a bit to the poore not a penny to the painefull But O beloued Mutemus vitamsi volumus accipere vitam We must change this course of life if euer we looke for eternall life And we must remember the afflictions of Ioseph and put on the bowels of mercy and compassion if euer wee be the Children of this God of mercy Secondly we should be gracious that is amiable 2. To be gracious and affable and curteous one to another rather like Titus Vespasian that was Deliciae generis humani The delight of mankinde delighting onely in doing good and not like Cinicke Diogenes or carping Zoylus that were vnsociable and vnfit for any societie Thirdly we should be slow to anger for 3 To be slow to anger Eccâ—es 7.11 Prou. 14.29 Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles but he that is slow to wrath is of great wisedome because as the Poet saith Furor iraque mentem praecipitant Wrath and fury doe so blind the minde and iudgement of man Ne possit cernere verum That as Cato saith He cannot discerne betwixt good and euill And therefore Euripides saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoeuer precipitately fostereth anger must needes fall into an euill end because nothing can more preiudice man in the whole course of his life then the poysonous weede of wrath and the bitter fruits of hasty anger Fourthly we should abound in all goodnesse 4. To abound in all goodnesse for the more good we doe the more excellent and the more god-like we shall be for good cannot proceede but from God and cannot tend any where but to God And wee are all Trees in Gods Vineyard well planted well fenced and well watered for our Land is good our Law is good our Seruice and our Sermons good And therefore we should be good and bring forth good fruits Math. 3.10 meete for repentance or else we shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire for though it be very true that hee is a good man S. Chrysost in serm de virt vit which doth no euill yet is it as certainely true Malum esse non fecisse bonum That he is an euill man which doth not good because there are priuatiue sinnes not to doe good as well as positiue sinnes to doe euill And therefore the Iewish Rabbines that haue beene curious to account all the Commandements in Moses Law Munster in precept aff neg haue found 365. negatiue ones iust as many as there be dayes in the yeere and 248. affirmatiue ones iust as many as there be limbes or bones in a mans body not only to
teach vs Psal 103.1 35.10 that all parts of man at all times of the yeere are to be imployed in Gods seruice but also to shew vnto vs that wee are not onely to abstaine from euill 1 Cor. 15.58 but also to doe good because not onely the riotous and wastfull Steward that imbezelled his Masters goods but also the idle and thriftlesse seruant that did no good with his Masters goods shall be bound hand and foote and be cast cut into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And so we reade of Diues that he is tormented in flaming fire Non quia tulit aliena sed quia non dedit propria Not because he did euill to any but because hee did not good to poore Lazarus Luke 18 11. And therefore we should all striue not onely with the Pharisee to be truly able to say that we thanke God we are not Adulterers Swearers Extortioners Drunkards Raylers Lyars or such like but also as Saint Peter bids vs to adde vnto our Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 Vertue and to our Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godlinesse and to Godlinesse Brotherly kindnesse and to Brotherly kindnesse Charity and so to goe on from one grace vnto another vntill at last we doe attaine vnto the perfection of goodnesse for assuredly to doe good will be our chiefest comfort Rom. 2.7 in life in death and after death for glory and honour and peace shall be to euery one that doth good and God himselfe will say vnto him Euge serue bone Well done thou good and faithfull seruant Math. 25.23 enter thou into thy Masters ioy Fiftly we should loue the Truth and say the Truth euery man vnto his Neighbour yea and so accustome our selues to Truth Vt mentiri lingua prorsus ignoret 5. To accustome our selues to say the Truth That our tonguâ—s should not know how to lye for as God is Truth so Truth makes vs the Children of God And therefore Pythagoras being demanded wherein men become likest vnto God answered Cum veritatem exercent Stobaeus Ser. 11. When they accustome themselues to say Truth I doe not know two more excellent things Zach. 8. Veritatem pacem diligite and more comfortable for the life of man while hee liues here in this World then Peace and Truth Peace to free vs from all euill and Truth to preserue vs in all good And yet I feare me we may now take vp the Prophet Esayes complaint that Truth is fallen in the streete yea and as Ieremy saith Is perished and cleane gone Esay 59.4.14 Jerem. 7.18 for though as Euripides saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is a simple speech that requires neither welt nor guard yet now we doe so cunningly and craftily adorne lyes That there is a great want of practising to say the Truth amongst vs. and falshoods that we make them passe currantly for Truth and he that cannot dissemble and deceiue his Neighbour is accounted but a foole that cannot liue in the World So that now it is growen into a common speech to say We know not whom we may trust and we doe verifie that ancient saying Multis annis iam peractis Nulla fides est in factis Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Many yeeres past and gone Faith in deeds there is none Hony in mouth words sweete Gall in heart deceit in deede But if we will haue any part in this God of Truth we must neither vse to speake a lye nor to conceale the Truth for Qui veritatem occultat qui mendacium prodit vterque reus est ille quia prodesse non vult iste quia nocere desiderat Aug. in l. de Agon christiano He that conceales a Truth and he that inuenteth lyes are both alike culpable in the sight of God the one because hee will not doe good the other because hee desireth to doe euill And though Veritas odium parit The Preachers of Truth shall finde little grace with men as Saint Ambrose saith yet must we not hide the Truth for any feare nor yet speake a falshood for any gaine but in all things we must hold fast the Truth Heraclid in sua hist Theat Zwing if we will be like vnto this God of Truth It is reported of one Idor an Abbat that for three things he was most excellent First that he neuer lyed at any time Secondly that he neuer spake euill of any man Thirdly that hee neuer spake any thing without great necessitie I onely wish we were all like him herein 6. To abound in the workes of mercy Sixthly we should reserue mercy for thousands that is to abound in the workes of mercy and compassion and that towards all men either in action or affection for where effecting meanes are wanting God neuer reiects a charitable meaning whereas the doing of good without good will or a large giuing with small charitie proues to be of no validity because he giues but externally some things without himselfe and not internally De semetipso From his heart And thus our mercy should extend it selfe to thousands because wee haue alwayes those before our eyes that haue neede of mercy and that in a double respect The outward workes of mercy are principally sixe 1. Of a corporall necessitie 2. Of a spirituall miserie The Schooles auouch the first to consist chiefly in sixe points 1. Visiting the sicke 2. Feeding the hungry 3. Clothing the naked 4. Redeeming the Captiue 5. Intertayning the Stranger 6. Burying of the Dead And for the second I see not lesse formes of pitty then there be deeds of Charity or acts of iniquity In the first respect the rich may be mercifull and shew pitty vnto the poore and in the second respect the rich may be pittied by the poorest men in the World because none are more lamentable then those that are poore and naked and destitute of the true spirituall riches And therefore in both respects we ought euer to shew mercy and compassion vnto our distressed Brethren Now in mercy there are two speciall acts Sinners are the men that are chiefly to be pittied 1. To see their miseries 2. To helpe their infirmities 1. To see with our eyes and then to helpe with our hands or at least to pitty with our hearts Diues saw Lazarus full of sores and we see men now full of sinnes and yet he did not pitty him nor these will not be helped by vs for if either by reprehension or instruction or by the mildest manner of aduising them yea or by most humbly requesting the Spirituall Lords That it is dangerous to seeke to redresse the dangerous estate of great men and temporall Potentates of this age to looke into their miserable estate wee would seeme to pitty them or make any attempt to helpe them they would make vs all to be
pittied our selues therefore onely lamenting that any of our Lords Spirituall should be so much temporall as in any thing to follow the steppes of this world and our Lords temporall so little Spirituall in seeking the Kingdome of Heauen as they vse to doe I will turne my speech to perswade all men to remember the afflictions of Ioseph and to bee mercifull vnto the poore distressed members of Iesus Christ And although I might easily insert many motiues Motiues to perswade vs to be mercifull Matth. 18.33 to perswade all men to be mercifull as that it is a due debt which wee owe vnto our brethren as our Sauiour sheweth oughtest not thou to haue had compassion on thy fellow euen as I had pitty on thee and the great benefit that we shall reape by being mercifull because He that hath mecy on the poore lendeth vnto the Lord Molissima corda humano generi dare se natura fatetur quae lachrymas dedit and the Lord will recompence him that which hee hath giuen and many more forcible reasons to perswade all men to practise Mercie yet I will chiefely commend this same viz that hereby wee become most like vnto our heauenly father for wee say that child is most like his father which doth neerest represent him in his face and countenance and the mercy of God is called the face and countenance of God as the Prophet Dauid sheweth when he sayth God bee mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs Psal 6.7.1 and shew vs the light of his countenance and be mercifull vnto vs and therefore in shewing mercy wee become most like vnto God and thereby we do best please our heauenly Father which reserueth mercy for thousands But now the mercifull and pittifull men are minished from among the children of men they are dead and gone and vnmercifull Naballs are stept vp in their stead who thinke all too little for themselues and euery little too much for the poore It might bee easily prooued that the most powerfull men are the least pittifull vnto the poore and that they which haue most money haue least mercy In former times they sold their lands and gaue the money vnto the poore but now they sell the Poore and begger many to buy them lands and liuings and as the Prophet sayth To ioyne house to house and land to land vntill there be no place for the poore to dwell â—mong them For behold the Stranger the Fatherlesse and the Widdow how vnmercifully they are dealt withall the Stranger is strangely lookt vpon the Orphans goods is vniustly detayned and the poore Widdowes wrongfully molested It is with vs as with the fishes in the seas whereof Alciat sayth Pisciculos aurata rapit medio aequore sardas That the little sprats being vnder the water are chased and deuoured by the great-ones and if for feare they spring out of the sea they are presently swallowed of the Sea-mues euen so the poore are oppressed at home by their rich neighbours and if by Law they seeke to be releeued they are presently consumed by the greedie Lawyers and so pauper vbique iacet they doe herein but leape out of the frying-panne into the fire But let these vnmercifull men take heede for the Lord is the auenger of all such and when their teares runne downe their cheekes they goe vp into Heauen Ecclus 35 15. Psal 10.14 and the Lord will heare their crie and will helpe them And therefore it were well for vs if wee would striue Luke 6.36 to imitate God herein and to bee mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull And yet I must tell you that although we must be mercifull vnto all we must know how to be mercifull vnto euery one For as there is an vndeserued misery Arist rhet l. 1. c. 8. wherein mercy is alwayes to bee shewed so there may be a iust calamitie wherein iustice sometimes must be executed and therein as Saint Ambrose sayth est crudelitas parcens misericordia puniens to spare is crueltie to pitty impietie because among Godly men to spare wicked and vnparaleld varlets Claudian de 6. consul honorij Violentior armis Omnibus expugnat talis clementia gentem It would be the ruine of the righteous and the cherishing of such serpents Natura me clementem respublica seuerum fecit as would most maliciously poyson vs and therefore Mercy and Truth must goe together and so shewing mercie we shall be sure to obtaine mercie Seauenthly Wee should bee readie and willing to forgiue one another 7. To be most ready to forgiue one another euen as God for Christ his sake hath forgiuen vs. For how shall we thinke that God will write our sinnes in the Sands if we will write our brothers faults in marble or that he will forgiue vs a thousand pounds i. e. iniquitie transgression and sinne if wee will not forgiue our fellow seruant an hundred pence i. e. some small offence conceiued and conceited against vs And yet now Scribit in marmore laesus It is strange to see what memories wee haue perpetually to keepe in mind the least conceiued indignitie done vnto vs O we can neuer forget it we wil forgiue him but we cannot forget him hee shall come into my Pater-Noster but not into my Creede i. e. into my Prayer but not into my fauour a strange distinction which Aristotle neuer found in all the bookes of Nature That wee should forget whatsoeuer we remit vnto our neighbours and I am sure cannot be found in all the booke of God It was inuented in Hell by that prince of subtill Sophisters to bring many a soule into Hell for when God forgiueth our sinnes doth he not say that he will blot them out of his booke there is no reading of them any more doth hee not say that hee will put them out of his remembrance There is not the least thinking of them to bee in the least manner offended with vs for them and doth he not say he will put them away as a cloude Esay 1.18 and hee will wash vs as white as snow and then will talke together walke together with vs and be as louing and as friendly vnto vs as if we had neuer offended him there is not the least signe that euer he was offended with vs and when hee threatneth the wicked abusers of his most holy name doth hee say any more but that he will not hold them guiltlesse that is Exod. 20.7 hee will not forget their abusing of him but hee will remember it when they thinke least of it and haue perhaps quite forgot that euer they did it and I thinke you will say this is a fearefull saying and therefore to say I will forgiue him but I le thinke on him is but a fruitlesse forgiuenesse of a reuenging minde or at least of an vnreconciled heart And therefore though I say not we should repose trust of state or life in mine
aduersarie without good tokens of sincere reconciliation because as Salomon sayth wee must not too hastily or vnaduisedly trust a reconciled enemie yet I say that in our owne hearts and soules wee must so forgiue him whatsoeuer is past as neuer to remember it neuer to thinke on it as to bee a meanes in the least manner to disturbe our charitie towards him to hinder him of any good or to doe him the least euill whatsoeuer but as we are towards all others to be in as perfect loue charitie towards him as if he had neuer offended vs yea and to be so readie and so willing to imbrace his loue and societie as wee are to imbrace the loue of any other if wee thought his heart to be as vpright towards vs as wee know our owne 2 Kings 10.15 to bee towards him as Iehu sayd vnto Iehouadab And thus if we be mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abounding in all goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy to the vttermost of our abilitie for all men and be ready to forgiue one another euen as God forgiueth vs and as in our daily prayers wee desire God to forgiue vs then shall we be happy and blessed and be the children of the most highest And so much for the second attribute of God here expressed that is his Goodnesse CHAP. XI Of the Iustice of God how iust is God in all his workes and especially in the not absoluing or cleering of wicked vnrepentant sinners 3. Attribute i e. Gods Iustice WE haue seene come small sparkes of Gods boundlesse incomprehensible goodnesse wee are now to consider the last part of his discription i. e. his Iustice and seueritie against sinne and sinners an act neuer vsed vntill we abuse his goodnesse and therefore left last to bee expressed to see if by the first we will bee reclaymed if not God will not bee vanquished but not holding the wicked innocent hee will visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the Children and vpon the childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation It is obserued by diuines that God sheweth himselfe to worke and to doe things in many respects especially 1. As the absolute Lord and owner of all things 2. As the God or maker and preseruer of all things 3. As the Father and Husband of his Church 4. As the Iudge and Iust rewarder of all men And in all these wayes Zanchius de iustitia dei l. 4 c. 5. q. 2. p. 398. God is sayd to be iust righteous but his Iustice in all these manner of working is not the same for First As the absolute Lord of all things whereby hee chooseth or reiecteth giueth or denieth his grace to whom het will the Iustice of God herein is the Will of God as our Sauiour sheweth saying May not I doe what I will with mine owne Matth 20.25 or as the Apostle sayth Hath not the potter power ouer the clay of the same lumpe to make one vessell vnto honour and another vnto dishonor Rom. 9.21 And in all these things there is no iniquitie with God but he is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works his Will is the rule of iustice and must needs be iust because he hath ius absolutum a most absolute right ouer all things Whatsoeuer God doth is iust and all things that are iust are iust because hee doth them and therefore all those acts must needs be iust which are done by him which is iustice it selfe and that pure fountaine from whence all springs of iustice doe proceede for it is a sure rule that God cannot bee sayd properly to doe things because they are iust but that those things are iust because hee doth them therefore Abraham thought it a iust thing to sacrifice his sonne because it was Gods Will to require it so that in this respect the Will of God is the Iustice of God Secondly As the God of all things that is the Creator Esay 46.4 Preseruer and guider of all things the goodnesse of God is sayd to be the Iustice of God Thirdly As he is the Husband of his Church 1 Tim. 4.10 and the Father of his Elect the mercie of God in giuing Christ and the obedience of Christ in satisfying the Law for vs is sayd to bee the Iustice of God Fourthly As a Iust-Iudge the Iustice of God is the distributing of reward vnto euery man according to his iust desart and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustitia is quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bipartitio a parting to euery one his owne due deserued portion and it is called iustia distributiua a distributiue iustice And this is that which is meant in this place when hee sayth that by no meanes hee will make the wicked innocent but will visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children and it is here set downe two speciall wayes Gods distributiue Iustice is here expressed two wayes 1. Negatiuely by the negation of absolution vnto the wicked not making the wicked innocent 2. Positiuely by the expression of the greatnesse of the punishment which shall be inflicted vpon them but visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children For the first he saith that absoluing hee will not absolue the wicked and alas We are all gone astray Psal 14.2.4 wee are all become wicked and there is none of vs that doth good no not one and therefore what shall we doe if God will not doe this fatherly fauour to absolue vs Nay he sayd euen now that he would doe it that he would forgiue iniquitie and transgression and sinne and therefore now with the same breath to say he will by no meanes cleere the wicked seemeth strange Aug. de ciuitate dei l. 8. c. 3. I answere that for the cleering of this point alij atque alij aliud atque aliud opinati sunt as Saint Augustine sayth in another case diuers men haue made diuers answeres Some say that sinnes must be distinguished as into sinnes of humane infirmitie and simple ignorance as when we doe the things we would not doe or many times wee doe the things wee know not to bee euill and these sinnes God is alwayes ready to forgiue because he remembreth that we are but dust and cannot doe the things wee would doe or into sinnes of wilfull ignorance when men will not vnderstand that they may doe well but doe make a couenant with death Esay 28.15 and an agreement with hell it selfe Job 2◠14 and doe say vnto God depart from vs for we will not haue the knowledge of thy wayes and into sinnes of obstinate malice from whence proceede those horrid and horrible fearefull sinnes that doe exceedingly prouoke the wrath of God as That idolatrie is a most horrible sinne First Idolatrie which is either the worshiping of the true God with false worship or the giuing of the true-worship onely due to the true God vnto the creature
speake and therefore I will rather bathe my selfe in those fountaines of Gods admirable loue wherby he imbraced Mankinde the Epytome of the whole world and especially the Church of Christ the epytome of this epytome before it was created and pittyed the same when it was fallen and promised to restore it and to reuiue it when it was dead and to shew his mercy vnto it Gods promise touching the Incarnation of the Word Gen. 3.15 when it was in miserie for he said first in Paradise that the seede of the woman should breake the Serpents head And afterwarâ—s to Abraham that in his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed and then to Dauid Gen. 22.18 that of the fruit of his body he would raise one to sit vpon his seate And so more and more cleerely vnto the rest of the succeeding Prophets and I will chiefely insist vpon that chiefest token of Gods loue Psal 132.12 and that greatest argument of Gods goodnesse towards vs the most mercifull fulfilling of these gracious promises so much desired and so long expected by all the blessed Patriarchs and Prophets and all the rest of the holy men of God for when the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne made of a woman Gal. 4.4 made vnder the Law to redeeme them that were in bondage vnder the Law that we might receiue the adoption of children And this my Text doth fully and plainely shew vnto vs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Word was made flesh The most excellent speech that can be vttered is euer measured saith Fulgentius by these two properties breuity and suauitie and here is both in this Text few words full of matter and the sweetest matter that euer was heard God made Man and therefore I may say of these words that they are all in all and as Saint Hierome saith of the Catholike Epistles of Saint Peter Hieron ad Paulin Saint Iohn Saint Iames and Saint Iude Breues esse pariter longas That in these few words are contained all words all things all matters For the summe of all knowledge is Diuinitie this is the Lady and Mistresse all other Arts and Sciences are but seruants like Penelopes handmaides helpes and meanes to bring vs to the speech of this chaste mistresse the summe of all Diuinity is the Scripture for this is sufficient to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.17 Rom. 1.16 being instructed to all good workes the summe of the Scripture is the Gospel for the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth and the summe of the Gospell is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word that is made flesh for these things i e. the Gospell are written That you might beleeue Iesus Christ to be the Sonne of God Iohn 10.31 and that in beleeuing you might haue eternall life Christ the Word the sum of all things This is Verbum abbreuiatum That contracted word into which all words are reduced as the Riuers into the Seas from this Word they came vnto this Word they tend and within this Word they are all contained for he is the First hee is the Last he is α Legis ω Euangilij The beginning of the Law and the end of the Gospell Velatus in Veteri reuelatus in Nouo Testamento Veyled and shadowed in the Old reueiled and exhibited in the New Testament All the men of note and all the names of dignity were but types of this eternall Word promised in that preached in this there shewed vnto the Fathers in Types here manifested vnto vs in Truths for the Tree of Life the Arke of Noah the Ladder of Iacob the Mercy seat the Brazen Serpent and all such mysticall Types and typicall Figures that we reade of in the Old Testament what were they else but Christ obscurely shadowed before he was fully reueiled and so all the men of Note Noah Isaac Ioseph Moses Aaron Iosua Sampson Dauid Salomon Kings Priests Prophets Titles of Dignities Names of Honour or whatsoeuer else was ascribed to them to expresse their Soueraignty Omnia in figura contingebaâ—t illis 1 Cor. 10.11 Esay 9.6 Aug. in Soliloq c. 31. they were onely vsed to expresse those transcendent excellencies which these personall types did adumbrate and shew most properly to belong vnto this King of Kings This mighty Counsellor and this Prince of Peace For as Saint Augustine tels vs that hauing gone through all creatures and inquired of them for God each one of them did answere I am not he Iohn 1.20 Sed per ipsum sum quem quaeris in me But I haue my being from him whom thou seekest in me so if we would runne ouer the whole classie of the Patriarchs and Prophets to inquire for Christ wee should finde that they would euery one of them answere with Iohn Baptist I am not the Christ but doe looke and expect for him and trust in him as well as you And to speake all in a word the whole word of God containeth nothing else but this Word God for the world being not worthy and our weakenesse being not able to behold the brightnesse of his comming all at once and so God himselfe being not willing suddenly in an instant Christ would not roueile himselfe vnto the World all at once to shew wholly so rich a Iewell he did at sundry times and in diuers manners sometimes in types sometimes in prophesies before his Incarnation sometimes in parables sometimes by similitudes and sometimes by his myracles in the time of his Apostles before his Ascention and since that time plainely with open face reueile himselfe and cause himselfe to be preached vnto all people so that in very deed we might if we had our spirituall eyes alwayes opened Behold and find this word God either couertly shadowed or else plainely expressed almost in euery page in euery verse in euery line in euery word of the whole Word of GOD. And therefore vnhappy is that man To know Christ is the onely thing that makes vs happy which though he knoweth all things else knoweth not this Word but happy and blessed is that man which knoweth this Word though he know none other words in the world and he that knoweth this Word and knoweth all other things together with this Word is neuer a whit the happier for the knowledge of all other things but he is onely happy for the knowledge of this onely Word for this is eternall life to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 and as one truely saith Haec est nobilissima scientiarum scientia nobilissimorum scire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factum carnem This the noblest of all Sciences and the fittest Science for the noblest men to know that the Word was made flesh Nam omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus Because we haue all things in Christ and Christ is all things
of the grace and fauour of God and causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impulsiue cause in respect of God was his great loue and tender compassion towards mankinde so lying in misery vnder the tyranny and bondage of the Diuell and the performing of his promise Gen. 3 15. which he made vnto Adam Abraham Isaac and Iacob that the seede of the Woman should breake the Serpents head And therefore because he would not alter the thing that was gone out of his mouth Luke 1.72 nor suffer his truth to faile hee remembred his holy Couenant and the Oath that hee sware vnto our Fathers and at the fulnesse of time he sent this Word to be made flesh Secondly The finall cause in respect of vs was the restoring of mankind vnto the fauor of God againe And therfore we professe in our Creede Concil Nic. that for vs men and for our saluation he came downe from Heauen Matth. 20.28 and was made man And so our Sauiour saith Iohn 12.46 that he came not to be serued but to serue and to giue his life a ransome for many Aug. in Joh. gloss in 1 Tim. 1. And Saint Augustine saith Non eum de coelo ad terram merita nostra sed peccata nostra traxerunt It was not our goodnesse but our wickednesse our sinnes our grieuous sinnes that brought downe Iesus Christ out of Heauen And so Hugo saith Hugo in l. de sacrament Nulla causa veniendi fuit nisi peccatores saluos facere tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla est causa medicinae There was no cause that he should come to vs but to saue vs for where there is no wounds where there is no diseases there is no neede of medicines there is no vse of playsters because the whole neede not the Physician To shew the errour of Osiander who saide that if man had not sinned this Word had beene incarnate because there was nothing that could bring him out of Heauen or to moue him to be made man but onely to bring vs into Heauen and to make vs the Sonnes of God through him And the finall cause in respect of God was his owne glory for hee made all things for his owne sake and he gaue his Sonne for vs that wee might ascribe all praise and thankes vnto him And therefore the Angels said vnto the Shepheards Luke 2.14 Glory be to God on high peace vpon Earth and good will towards men And reason good that seeing wee haue peace with God God should haue glory and praise from vs. Why God decreed the Incarnation of the Word for the saluation of man Gen. 1.26 But here first it will be demanded as Saint Augustine saith Quare non potuit Dei sapientia aliter homines liberare c. Why could not the wisedome of God deuise and the power of God effect some other way to deliuer and saue sinnefull men then by sending his Sonne to be made man to be borne of a woman and to suffer such shamefull things of shamelesse sinners To this Saint Bernard frameth this witty answere that as in the creation of man God did as it were consult with his wisdom how to make him when he said Let vs make man in our image So after the transgression of man there was as it were a consultation in Heauen what should become of man for truth and Iustice stood vp against him and said that man had sinned and therefore man must die Cap. 2.17 or else that they must needs be violated for thou saidst say they to God In what day thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death But Mercie and Peace rose vp for man and said Quo quisque est maior magis est placabilis ira regia crede mihi res est succurrere lapsis It is a royal thing to releeue the distressed and the greater any one is the more placable and gentle hee should be and that God himselfe had said he was the God of Peace and the Father of Mercies and therefore they concluded that although man had sinned yet man must be pardoned or else they must needes be abandoned therefore the wisedome of God became an vmpire and deuised this way to reconcile them that as one man had sinned and thereby destroyed all men So Vnus homo nobis patiendo restituet rem Bosquier de pass domini ser 13. p. 793. One righteous man should suffer for all men and so Iustice should be satisfied and then all that beleeued in that man should be pardoned and so Mercie should be shewed Then all thus contented God looked downe from Heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke after God Psal 14.4 but they were all corrupted and become abhominable and there was none that did good no not one and therefore the wisedome of God that had found out this way was contented to performe this worke himselfe and to be made man that mercy might bee extended and to suffer death for man that Iustice might be satisfied and so in him Mercie and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other But Saint Augustine Aug. de trinit l. â—3 c 10. Gregor moral l. 20. c. 26. and Saint Gregory doe more solydly answere saying Omnia Deus poterat si voluisset That in regard of his wisedome God could haue deuised another way and in regard of his power he could haue performed the saluation of man without the incarnation of his Sonne But if he had done it otherwise it would no doubt haue likewise displeased our foolishnesse for God appeared visibly saith Saint Augustine that he might prepare vs to inuisible things and therein hee displeased the couetous man How hard it is for the wisedome of God to please foolish man because he brought not a body of gold he displeased the lasciuious because hee was borne of a woman he displeased the Iewes because he came so poore and the wise men of this world because he erecteth his Kingdome by the foolishnesse of preaching and so he should haue displeased man what other way soeuer he had inuented to saue man for the wisdom of God is not sufficient to satisfie the foolishnes of men Aug. de annunt Domini ser 3. And therefore he that knowes all things best Sic voluit ruinam vasis fragilis reformare vt nec peccatum hominis dimitteret impunitum quia iustus erat nec insanabile quia misericors So God would repaire the ruine of fraile and fickle man that neither the sinne of man should escape vnpunished because God is iust nor yet miserable man remaine vncured because he is mercifull and although he could otherwise haue saued man Quantum ad potentiam medici in respect of the power and skill of the Phisitian yet he saw there was no fitter way to doe it Quantum ad medicinam
to be bountifull sixtly to be faithfull and true in all his promises and so forth Secondly In respect of our selues we ought to seeke vnto God by prayer because of the necessity and vtilitie of prayer for Mat. 7.7 this is the onely way to obtaine good things aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde saith our Sauiour and you haue not because you aske not saith the Apostle Iames 4.3 Prayer how auaileable it is for men And if we aske and pray we shall finde the same profitable First to obtaine whatsoeuer we aske more then we aske and better then we aske For First hee will giue vs whatsoeuer wee aske as our Sauiour sheweth Hetheâ—to you haue asked nothing but now Ioh. 16.23 Whatsoeuer you aske the Father in my name he will giue it you For though there be many semblances betwixt vs and Lazarus he being a beggar full of sores and we beggers full of sinnes Luke 16.21 and he desiring to be refreshed with the crummes of bread which fell from the rich mans boord Prayer obtaineth whatsoeuer we aske and wee hauing neede to be relieued with the crummes of mercy that fall from our masters Table yet herein we are in a farre better case then Lazarus was it was his hard hap to knocke at the doore of a cruell and a miserable Caityffe that would at no time open vnto him nor yet giue him any thing the least thing the crummes of bread that hee desired to saue his life but we knocke at the doore of a most kinde and mercifull Father who saith Aske Matth. 7.7 and you shall haue Seeke and you shall find Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you that you may enter into eternall life And so we finde the Publican did but aske for mercy and hee had it and went home more iustified then the Pharisee Luke 18.14 and Stephen did but knocke at the doore of Heauen and presently the heauenly gates were opened vnto him Act. 7.56 and he saw Iesus standing at the right hand of God and so whosoeuer truely and humbly besought Christ for any thing we neuer reade in all the Gospell that he was denyed it But it may be some will say I haue often called vpon God Ob. and he heareth not I haue asked and he granteth not and therefore how doth hee performe his promise to giue vnto vs whatsoeuer we aske I answere Sol. that God sometimes makes as though he heareth not not because hee resolueth to deny vs Why God deferreth to giue vs what we desire but he deferreth to grant our requests either First to let vs further know our owne wants and miseries which if he would helpe at the first wee should neuer perceiue it to the full Secondly to trie our faith and patience whether we will continue constant in relying on him though he kill vs as Iob speaketh or if he presently relieue vs not whether we be ready to kill our selues as desperate Saul hath done Thirdly to kindle in vs the feruor of greater deuotion and desire to obtaine the things that we perceiue wee want Et quod a nobis auidius desideratur eo de nobis suauius laetatur Greg in Moral Quia desideria dilatione crescunt because delayes doe increase desires Et diu desiderata dulcius obtinentur and the more earnestly we desire any thing the more ioyous it is being obtained and therefore as Laban kept Iacob a long while from his yongest daughter whom he loued best that his loue might be the more increased continually towards her so God oftentimes holdeth vs for a time in suspence that so he may the more sharpen our appetite and inflame our desire more and more to the thing that we doe desire And this the Prophet Dauid knew when he said I cry vnto thee in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season and yet this is not to be thought folly in me as the Septuagint reades it For though the world perhaps might deeme it a point of great simplicity to call and cry to him that makes as though he heareth not by regarding not our prayers as it seemeth by not granting our requests yet he knew this folly of the faithfull to be farre wiser then all the wisedome of the world because as the same Prophet Dauid speaketh The Lord is a sure refuge in due time of trouble God knoweth best when to relieue vs. he is a sure refuge in trouble but especially in due time of trouble because as we know our troubles so the Lord knowes the due time to helpe vs out of our troubles when we our selues doe not well know the same And therefore if we call vpon God and God maketh as though he heareth not yet let vs not say Deus meus quare me dereliquisti My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but let vs still call and cry to God and say vnto our soules Quare dereliquisti deum Why hast thou forsaken God and giuen ouer to pray vnto him when it is an infallible rule that nunquam deus deserit hominem quovsque homo deserat deum that God neuer denies to heare man vntill man giues ouer and ceaseth to pray to God Or else I answere as Saint Iames saith that you aske and receiue not because you aske amisse Aut propter verbum aut non propter verbum either not for Christ his sake or not according to the word of Christ not as I shewed thee before in humility Why God denieth what we aske in faith in charitie in piety but as the Church in the Canticles sought him whom her soule loued and found him not because she sought him in her bed that is carelesly and negligently shee sought him where he was not Christ being not so easily found especially vpon beds of Downe but rather in the Temple where his Father found him or vpon the Crosse where the thiefe did finde him or in the bramble bush where Moses saw him so many men doe seeke many times and finde not because they seeke amisse it may be for worldly things where as they should first seeke for the Kingdome of Heauen as our Sauiour teacheth and then all other things should be giuen vnto them and they knocke and it is not opened vnto them because they knock amisse it may be too late when the doore of grace and of mercy is shut for otherwise it is most certaine that neuer man asked any thing at the hands of God but hee had his request granted vnlesse he fainted and grew weary of asking because the words of Christ must hold infallible Whatsoeuer you aske the Father in my Name he will giue it you Yea Secondly if we pray vnto him he will giue vs more then we aske for the Centurion besought Christ onely to speake a word that his seruant might be whole but he had not onely the word wherby his seruant was healed but also
227 IV Iudas what benefits he receiued from Christ 458 Why chosen to be an Apostle 459 Why made the Purse-bearer ibid. Why he betraied Christ ibid. Why he gaue them a signe 461 How sought to be reclaymed by Christ 461 462 What his treason should teach vs. 461 His arrogancie and iniquitie how great 461 Why he kissed Christ 461 That it is a iust thing to punish sinne 90 Iustice is often peruerted with men 91 God iudgeth all men according to what they haue actually done 95 Euery one according to his desert 92 God most iust proued 91 God in the strictnes of his iustice might inflict more punishmeÌ„t vpon the damned 187 Whatsoeuer he doth is iust 237 Iustice of God taken diuers waies 237 Iustice of God requireth a day of iudgement 245 How it stands with God iustice to punish the fathers sinnes vpon the children 245 Iustice and truth how they pleaded against man 319 That we should as well feare Gods iustice as hope for mercie 244 Iudgements of God must be threatned when his mercies doe not allure vs. 696 Iustification what it is 208 Christ Iustified by his enemies 429 KI KIngdome of heauen could be giuen by none but by God 321 Kisses that there be fiue kindes 460 Kings and Magistrates to be prayed for and why 734 KN. God knoweth best when to helpe vs. 724 Knowledge most necessary for Preachers 642 Adams desire of knowledge brought ignorance vpon vs all 58 Sinnes of knowledge most fearefull inexcusable sinnes 29 And yet we doe what we know to be fearefull sinnes 29 The excellencie of our knowledge makes our sinnes the more horrible 30 All knowledge of God extinguished by sin 64 Three wayes of knowing God 120 We are not able to know him as hee is in himselfe 120 Knowledge of Gods power the foundation of our faith 134 We know many things negatiuely as what God is not which we know not positiuely 176 We know what God cannot doe though we know not what he can doe 176 To know Christ the onely thing that makes vs happy 259 It suppresseth all vices 261 The Gentiles had a measure of the knowledge of God 311 The diuels know God and the mysterie of the Trinitie 314 Knowledge of Christ two-fold 356 Knowledge of Iesus Christ the chiefest knowledge in the world 391 The diuell chiefly laboureth to corrupt it 391 We know not what is good for our selues 726 LA. LAbour vndertaken vpon hope of reward 1 Labourer presently to haue his pâ—ay ibid. Law of nature and of all nations teacheth to punish sinne 90 Lawes of men like a spiders web 91 Law of God like an yron net ibid. Lawes must bee made according to rules of mens abilitie to keepe them 210 Law in the Gospell 224 That the law was not created 286 To keepe Gods lawes made Dauid wiser then his teachers 571 Law of God giuen to be kept not to be talked of 600 Languages and readie speech requisite for preachers 641 LE. Letters how vsed by the ancient to signifie diuers things 473 LI. God the verie life of all things 125 Life of Christ a continuall suffering 437 A good life what it effecteth 601 Bad life what euill it doth 601 The wicked are lifted vp to bee throwne downe 612 Life of Christ a continuall suffering 437 LO Loaues of bread how multiplied by Christ 174 God onely absolute Lord. 131 Lord and Iehoua equiualent ibid. Lord taken two waies ibid. Men may be called Lords 131 Our Lord should bee feared and serued for three speciall reasons 132 Christ most properly called Lord. 132 Logos what it signifieth 306 Why vsed by the Euangelist 310 The best knowne name of Christ among the Iewes 311 God loueth not the wicked 189 Loue of God in giuing Christ to be incarnate how great it was 303 To loue God is not to offend him 305 Loue of the Father seene in giuing Christ to be incarnate 357 Loue of Christ seene in his incarnation 359 Our loue to God increased by the meditation of Christ his Passion 424 Loue of God to mankinde moued him to giue his Sonne to die for man 498 How great his loue was to man ibid. Loue of Christ to man how vnspeakable 499 How deerely we ought to loue Christ 508 To loue one another how wee are bound vnto it 511 Want of loue the cause of all mischiefe in the world 511 We ought to loue all men ibid. Loue of money what it doth 565 Loue shewed foure wayes 693 That there is a gradation in the loue of God 684 Man lost a two-fold good 321 LV Vntamed lusts what an odious sinne 240 Saint Lukes words he shall be called the Sonne of God how vnderstood 248 Lutherans what they teach concerning the vnion of the two natures of Christ 377 Lutheran doctrine what absurdities it brings foorth 377 MA. MAn following his vocation is the safer from Satan 13 Man receiued power to beget man like himselfe 7 Manner how euerie sinne is committed fourefold 26 Sinnes of malice haue two violent properties 32 Malice of Satan restrayned 178 Man what a poore and a miserable thing 104 Manhood described and the miseries therof 70 Manner how the Father begetteth the Sonne or the Holy Ghost proceedeth is ineffable 227 Manner of diuine mysteries not curiously to be searched into ibid No man truly rich 281 Malice of Hereticks seene in denying the God-head of Christ 305 Not to marrie with wicked sinners 109 Mankinde produced three waies before Christ his time 333 Manner how Christ was conceiued 335 It is ineffable 336 Christ made a perfect man 340 Marcion his heresie 343 Macedonius his heresie ibid. Manichaeus his heresie ibid. Manhood of Christ seene by the sufferings of Christ 343 Word made flesh why the Euangelist saith 369 How one thing may be made another thing three waies 37â— Manhood of Christ how adored 383 Mary rightly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of God 385 Mary of what Tribe she was 397. 398 Mathew and Michoa how reconciled touching the place of Christ his birth 407 Magi what they beleeued Christ to be 4â—3 Man of al creatures most subiect to sufferings 434 Malice of Satan Christ prayed against 456 Malchus how he vsed Christ 467 Masters that are ill make ill seruants 467 Malice of the Iewes against Christ 495 517 Manner of Christs suffering incomprehensible 5â—2 Mary Magdalen a sinnefull woman 529 How shee liued after her conuersion 533 Mary Magdalens how many there were 568 Why not suffered to touch Christ 568 Magistrates in what sence to be feared 538 Manhood of Christ how said to bee euerie where 5â—4 Martyrs how constantly they professed Christ 577 Manna had twelue wonders in it 703 ME. Memorie what an excellent facultie it is 60 Wherein it excelleth all other faculties ibid. God recommendeth all his benefits vnto it ibid. How defiled by sinne 61 How faithfull to record vaine and vile things ibid. How faithlesse to retaine good things 61 What we should alwaies remember 62 Meditation of
502 The women how peaceably they came to the graue 522 Peace the badge of Gods children ibid. Person of Christ still one and most simple 618 619 Men easier wonne by perswasion then by compulsion 694 People to what naturally inclined 698 Peace what an excellent thing it is 701 PH. Philosophers saw and confessed the blindnesse and ignorance of men 59 Philosophers wonderfull diligent to seeke out all knowledge 315 Philip King of Macedon what he required of the Athenians 644 Phrases of being able and not able how vnderstood 158 Phrases true of vs not true in the same sence of Christ 364 PI. Pilates wife how she iustified Christ 475 Pilate how in censed against Christ 472 How cruelly he handleth him 475 How vrged by a three-fold argument to crucifie him 476 477 Why he condemned him 478 Sinners chiefly to be pittied 232 Pilate what he writ to Tiberius of Christ his resurrection 577 PL. Place where Christ was borne Bethelem and why 407 A placable man is gratious 190 Mercie how it pleadeth for sinners 195 Plato and his followers what they thought of the word Christ 313 Fittest place to pray is the Church 711 Place whence Christ raysed himselfe both in respect of his body and soule 550 c. Place from whence and into which Christ ascended 623 691 c. Place whence and into which we must ascend 630 PO. Pouertie an intollerable burthen 72 Knowledge of Gods power the foundation of our faith 134 How needfull it is 135 Power and authority not the same 143 Power two-fold 143 Passiue power what it is ibid. Actiue power of God what it is and how manifold ibid. Atheists deny the power of God 136 Denied by Philosophers 136 Power of God proued 137 By the creation of the world 137 By the gouernment of the world 138 By Scripture 159 By the workes of God ibid How it appeared at all times 160 How extolled by the Fathers 161 By the Heathens 161 Confest by the diuels 162 Power why ascribed to the Father 273 Power of God chiefly seene in forgiuing sins 140 Power of euery creature is a receiued power and limited 144 Power of God considered two waies 144 The proper power of each person 145 The common power of God ibid. Power of God so proper to God that it cannot be communicated to any creature 145 Power of God absolute in three respects 147 Ordinarie power of God guided by the decree and will of God 148 Gods absolute power proued 149 How farre it extendeth 151 Diuersly answered 152 c. Power of God a great comfort to the godly 177 Preserueth the Saints from sinne 178 It should terrifie the wicked 179 Power of seruing God not taken away from vs by God 210 Perfect Power most requisite for Preachers 643 Our posteritie perpetuated by our seruing of God 399 PR Prayer of Christ on the Crosse how effectuall 487 What Christ prayed against 456 457 Prayers made vnto Christ 283 Prayer of two kindes 700 Prayer in respect of the forme manifold 707 That we should pray to none but God 707 Euery where 711 Prayer two-fold 714 We should alwaies pray in heart 715 How we ought to pray in humilitie in faith 718 c. When we pray we should cleanse our selues from all sinne 721 Prayer an essâ—ntiall part of Gods worship 722 The chiefest part of Gods seruice 729 How auaileable for men 723 To obtaine whatsoeuer we aske more then we aske better then we aske 723 725 c. How powerfull it is 727 This onely preuaileth with God and appeaseth his wrath 728 The chiefest of all Gods gifts and graces 703 We ought to pray in prosperity as well as in aduersity 732 We ought to pray for all men 733 That we should practise what we know to be good 600 Practise onely proueth vs christians 601 Preachers charge how great it is 739 Their state how dangerous 740 Preachers why hated of all men 435 Preachers three sorts of them 697 How wickedly many of them doe liue 220 And how zealously many of them doe liue 220 221 Predictions concerning the Messias all accomplished in Christ 512 Presence of the Angels should preserue vs from sinne 603 No personall presence of Christ to be expected before the day of iudgement 547 God can preserue his seruants in the midst of the wicked 658 Prerogatiues of the blessed Virgin in bearing Christ 336 Preseruation from plagues not to be ascribed to chance 206 Preseruation from sinne from God 204 Pride how it spoileth many one 614 How euery house is full of it 358 Priests to be made of the best men 109 High Priests did what they could to hinder the resurrection of Christ 563 Euery Priest should be perfect in all parts 341 Priests either the best or the worst men 460 Price of our ransome is the bloud of Christ 501 Prouidence of God how admirable 408 409 Prouidence of God disposeth all things 138 139 Gods promises should neuer be doubted 130 Gods promise touching the incarnation of the word 257 To be proud of goodnesse the worst pride in the world 614 Prouidence to foresee things what an excellent gift 653 The boundlesse goodnesse of Gods prouidence 257 Prouidence of God prouiding afore-hand to preserue vs from heretickes 350 Properties cannot passe their owne subiects 157 Properties of each nature of Christ how indifferently predicated of the whole person of Christ 384 Properties of the manhood how ascribed to the God head So properties of the Godhead how ascribed to the man-hood 385 386 PV Publique sinnes are doubly sinnes 21 Publique sinners are publiquely to testifie their repentance 65 Publiquely to be punished 37 Publique prayers how dangerous to neglect it 7â—7 They should neuer be missed 716 To punish sinne a most iust thing 89 God punisheth onely sinnes done 97. and no man for the sinnes hee neuer did 95 Punishment should be answerable to the offence 107 Punishment of sinne should make vs to forsake sinne 66 Christ vndertooke the punishment of all others 448 Punishment how qualified by Gods mercies 186 Punishment of the damned qualified by Gods mercies 187 Once inflicted neuer mitigated ibid. How slow God is to punish sinne 194 Acte of punishment least agreeable to Gods nature 195 God is compelled to punish 195 Our punishment often suspended by the goodnesse of God 200 God will punish sinners 244 Wicked men shall be punished in their children 245 How this punishment may stand with Gods iustice ibid. Punishment either corporall or spirituall 249 Godly often punished in the corporall punishment of the wicked 250 Humane lawes doe often pun sh the children for the parents faults 250 Punishment spirituall and eternall differ ibid. The punishment of Christ was imposed on him by God and why 496 All men not fit for all purposes 602 Iudas why made purse-bearer 359 Not the purity of the Virgine but the working of the holy Ghost caused Christ to be conceiued without sinne 339 QV. The quality of sinne according to the quality of
power Prou. 25.11 but both ioyned together it is like apples of gold in pictures of siluer And therefore as before he had shewed his power that hee was able to helpe vs so now hee sheweth his goodnesse that he is most willing to releeue vs And to shew how plenteous his goodnesse is he expresseth the same by seauen speciall and seuerall particles I will handle them by Gods helpe as they lye in order The first particle of Gods goodnesse here expressed is that hee is Mercifull Touching which we must vnderstand that Mercy in God is no passion nor any griefe of minde conceiued through the miserie of another Cicero in 4. Tusc Senec. de clem Aug de ciuit Dei l. 9. c. 5. Jer. 31.20 as mercy is commonly defined to be vnlesse you vnderstand it per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 improperly spoken onely for our better apprehension as when he saith My bowels are troubled for Ephraim Or as it is ascribed to the Sonne of God Christ Iesus who doth indeed condole our miseries and sympathize in our afflictions because he is man as we are and subiect to all like passions as we be sinne onely excepted Heb. 2.17 But mercy in God signifieth a propensitie and a readinesse of minde to helpe not onely the miserie but also the wants and all the defects of man Mouet enim pium iudicem fragilitas considerata peccantium Cassiod in Psal What mercy in God signifieth For he remembreth that we are but dust and therefore he pittieth our frailties and he helpeth our infirmities yea hee cryeth and calleth and seeketh after vs when wee by our sinnes doe runne away and flie apace from him For When Adam by the wisedome that he got by the Serpent had found him a way to runne away from God and so to fall into the depth of despaire and as a man without helpe without hope voide of grace and full of sinne to become free amongst the dead excluded from God and exiled from the Land of the liuing a slaue of Satan which makes me abhorre to thinke of it and a fire-brand of eternall destruction which makes me tremble for feare of it yet then behold the neuer-dying mercy of the God of all mercy did presently finde the meanes to bring him backe againe by repentance and to make him an example of his mercie to many babes that were as then vnborne for he thâ—t doth neither slumber nor sleepe would not suffer him to lye and sleepe in sinne but presently runnes after him that was running from him and cries Adam where art thou Gene. 3.9 and what is become of thee and he did this not because he knew not where Adam was which knoweth euery thing but because he would haue Adam to know where himselfe was in a state destitute of all grace and replenished with all miseries that so finding himselfe in the depth of such miseries hee might the more earnestly seeke vnto God for mercies So he did to Dauid Examples of Gods infinite mercies in the speedy seeking after his Saints when they hâ—d sinned against him 2 Sam. 24.10 Jonas 1.4 when Dauid had offended him in numbring Israel hee stirred vp his heart that it presently smote him that he might not be smitten of God so to Ionas when hee began his iourney to flie from God he sent the windes to flie after him and as a purseuant to arest him and to bring him backe againe to him who otherwise would haue posted to hell so to Peter when he denied his Master and swore that hee knew him not to whom a little before hee had sworne thâ—t hee would die with him he looked backe vpon him to bring him backe againe to repentance and hee caused the Cocke to crowe Matth. 26.74 the dumbe Beast to crie vnto him to send him out to crie vnto God for mercie and to weepe so bitterly for his sinnes vt lachrymae lauarent delictum that God seeing his sorrow and teares might bee inclined to heare his prayers and so he doth vnto vs all when we doe fall and sinne and sleepe and sinne he sends his Preachers still to call vs and his owne spirit into our hearts to moue vs to repentance not to bee repented of and to promise to shew compassion on vs and to receiue vs into his grace if wee would shew our contrition and promise to leaue and to forsake our sinnes O then that this mercifull seeking of vs That the goodnesse of God seeking after vs should moue vs to seeke vnto God would make vs to seeke vnto him while he may bee found and that this calling after vs to recall vs from our miseries would make vs call vnto him for mercie for if wee doe seeke and pray for Grace wee may assure our selues that our Saluation is neerer then wee thinke but if we still continue in sinne we may be sure our damnation is neerer then we feare for the day of grace passeth away and the night of death commeth when no man can worke and therefore while it is to day let vs heare his voyce John 9.4 so louingly calling vs so carefully seeking vs so mercifully offering to receiue vs to kisse vs with the kisses of his mouth to deliuer vs froÌ„ the shadow of death and to bring vs vnto the land of euerlasting life such is the neuer-dying streames of the mercie of God it is like a boundlesse Ocean there is no end of his goodnesse and therefore Saint Bernard in admiration thereof crieth out vnto God saying Quam diues es in misericordia magnificus in iustitia munificus in gratia Domine Deus noster O how rich art thou in Mercy how magnificent in Iustice and how bountifull in Grace O Lord our God Nam tu munerator copiosissimus remunerator aequissimus liberator pijssimus For thou art a most liberall bestower of Heauenly gifts thou art a most righteous rewarder of humane workes â—nd thou art a most gracious deliuerer of all that trust in thee Yea and besides all this Tu gratis respicis humiles tu iustè iudicas innocentes tu misericorditer saluas peccatores thou doest freely exalt the lowly thou doest iustly deliuer the innocent and thou doest most mercifully saue those sinners that doe put their trust in thy sufferings and therefore Quis similis tibi O Lord our God who is like vnto thee that when there was not a righteous man vpon the face of the earth August in p. 48 not one that did good no not one thou sentest one from Heauen that by him wee might bee all brought vnto Heauen So great is the Mercy of God towards vs poore wretched Men. And it is obserued by Diuines that the Mercy of God consisteth chiefely in these three things viz. In Wherein the mercie of God doth chiefely consist 1. Giuing of Graces 2. Forgiuing of sinnes 3. Qualifying punishments The first extendeth it selfe vnto all creatures the second
vnto his Saints and the third both to Saints and sinners both to the best of Men and to the worst both of Men and Angels For the first the Prophet Dauid sayth the earth is full of his mercie quoniam bonus est vniuersis because all creatures taste of his goodnesse Psal 147.9 Hee openeth his hands and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnesse and he feedeth the young Rauens that call vpon him and therefore omnia in te sperant domine the eyes of all things doe looke on thee O Lord and thou giuest them their meate in due season For the second that is the forgiuing of sinnes Many particular points to be considered in the forgiuing of sinnes we shall the better vnderstand it if we doe though but briefely consider these few particulars as First Who forgiueth God omnipotent who hath no neede of sinners Et qui nec melior si laudaueris nec deterior si vituperaueris Aug. in Psal 1 Who forgiueth and which is so eminently good and so immutably blessed as thâ—t all which thou canst doe cannot better him Quia summe perfectissime bonus because he is so good that he cannot bee better nor any thing that thou canst say or doe can make him one iot the worse as Saint Augustine speaketh Secondly What hee doth forgiue crimen laesae maiestatis 2 What God forgiueth sinne horrible sinne and high treason against himselfe a thing so haynous that it would require a whole treatise to expresse it Thirdly To whom hee doth forgiue this 3 To whom he forgiueth to his owne creatures and seruants that doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebell and make warre like those slaues whereof Iustine speaketh that made warre against their Masters against him that made them Psal 69.9 that feeds them and that blesseth them euen then when they curse him Fourthly How he doth forgiue all this 4 How he forgiueth by laying all vpon his Sonne The rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon mee sayth Christ yea by slaying his innocent Sonne to saue vs his wicked seruants for the Scripture sheweth that the Sonne of God was made the Sonne of Man that the sonnes of sinne might bee made the sonnes of God the Lord of glory was vilified that the sonnes of shame might be glorified and the Lord of life was deliuered vnto death that the sonnes of death might be restored to life and thus as the Christian Poet sayth Deus emit sanguine seruos Mercari exiguo nos piget aere Deum God shed his bloud to purchase those That for his loue giue not a rose So strange is mans vngratitude vnto this most mercifull God Fiftly How often he doth forgiue vs euery day 5 How often he forgiueth and that many a time God knoweth and none knoweth but God for who can tell how oft he offendeth septies in die cadit iustus Prou. 24.16 the iust man falleth seauen times a day sayth Salomon and if the iust man falleth seauen times then certainely the wicked falleth seauenty times seauen times by their leud thoughts wanton lookes idle words cursed oathes wicked lyes and sinnefull workes 6 After what manner he forgiueth Sixtly After what manner he forgiueth all this so aâ— that he forgiueth all neuer to recall them neuer to remember them for as the Distich sayth Larga dei bonitas veniam non dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum te lachrymante dabit He forgiueth all or none at all Et semel remissa nunquam redeunt and sinnes once remitted are neuer after questioned for I the Lord change not Malac. 3.6 and my gifts are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance and therefore sinnes once remitted are neuer after to be found Iere. 50.20 for the iniquities of Israel shall bee sought for and there shall be none and the sinnes of Iuda and they shall not bee found Esay 44.22 Ezâ—ch 18.21 but they shall euer bee forgotten for I will doâ— away thy transgressions as a cloude and thy sinnes as a myste and I will put away all thy wickednesse out of my remembrance sayth the Lord that is they shall bee cleane forgotten as a dead man out of minde or as the thing that had neuer beene Psal 77.10 And yet the Prophet Dauid sayth quod non obliuiscetur misereri Deus that God cannot forget to be mercifull for though the wrath of the Lord endureth but the twinckling of an eye Psal 136. yet as the same Prophet sayth and that seuen and twenty times in the same Psalme the mercie of God endureth for euer and so it is euerlasting and that as the Schooles obserue two manner of wayes The mercie of God is euerlasting two wayes Gab. Biel. in sent dist 1. q. 5. First Essentially for God is mercy quia in Deo nihil est quod non sit ipse Deus because the Diuine essence identificat sibi omnia quae sunt in diuinis doth identifie to it selfe all things that are in the Dietie and so God hath not things as qualities but is the things that are spoken of him as his essence and therefore mercy being of himselfe and euer himselfe it must needs be eternitie it selfe Aug. sup Gen l. 5. Secondly Relatiuely as it respects the creatures and makes impression on them Quia omnia priusquam fierent in notitia facientis erant because the creatures had their being in God according to his eternall purpose as the Apostle sayth from all eternitie Ephes 1.4.9 and 11. v. quia nihil noui accidit deo because no new thought can happen to the minde of God and so euer they needed mercie to continue and to accomplish that their intended being and therefore thus ex parte ante the mercy of God is euerlasting because it is from all eternitie now since they had their being and so long as they shall haue their existence in there naturall causes they doe and euer shall neede his mercy and therefore also thus ex parte post his mercy is euerlasting because endlesse And therefore Let the house of Aaron now confesse Psal 117.3 that his mercy endureth for euer and Let the house of Iuda now confâ—sse that his mercy endureth for euer and therefore also let vs all confesse that as the Prophet sayth he cannot forget to be mercifull O most excellent argument of exceeding comfort hee can forget our sinnes as I sheâ—ed you before but he cannot forget to be mercifull Can a Woman forget her owne childe Improbus ille puer crudelis tu quoque Mater Virgil in Egl. If she should that child were very vnhappy and that Mother full of crueltie yet because some Progne-like haue done it therefore Though a Woman should forget her owne child yet will not I forget you sayth the Lord. Well then here is a comfort vnto vs all That the chiefest and the surest comfort of euery man is ro relie vpon the mercie