writings desired not onely pium Lectorem a courteous Reader of his labours but also liberum Correctorem a free reprouer of his faults but so that they doe it friendly to blame in their iudgement where it is equity but not to blaze my faults vnto the world which is a breach of charity and that they doe as well accept of what is good as except against what is ill herein for I know there be many Momus-like Qui vel non intelligendo reprehendunt Idem contra Faust l. 22. c. 34. vel reprehendendo non intelligunt that doe shew their folly in reprouing others when out of enuy or ignorance they blame that good of others which they haue not or know not themselues And for these there is none other helpe but to be carelesse of their censures and to pray against their wickednesse There be faults escaped in the Printing the most of them be literall as the mistaking of e for ae econtra and such like faults of no great moment especially to him that knowes how hard it is to make things perfect and therefore I hope they shall be either mended with thy pen or pardoned without thy censure for other things I onely desire thy prayers for mee and thou shalt euer finde his paines and prayers for thee which loueth thee and all men in Iesus Christ with all vnfainednesse GR. VVILLIAMS This Treatise cōtaineth 1. The worke done i. e. sin and that is either 1. Originall sinne where is considered 1. What euill it bringeth 2. How it is deriued 2. Actuall sin where is shewed 1. How it is defined 2. How it is increased 1. Inwardly 1. By the suggestion of Satan 2. By the delights of the flesh 3. By the consent of the spirit 2. Outwardly 1. Secretly committed 2 Publiquely aduentured 3. Vsually practised 4. Exceedingly enlarged 3. How it is cōmitted viz. of 1. Ignorance 2. Knowledge 3. Infirmity 4. Malice which is 1. Wilfull 2. Spitefull * And from hence is seene 1. The diuersity of sinners 2. The inequality of sins yet that 1. Euery sinne brings death 2. The sin of any one brings death 3. The least sin of any one brings death 2. The wages to be paid for sin i. e. death which signifieth the curse of God extending it selfe 1. Vpon all creatures 1. Heauenly 2. Earthly 2. Vpon euery man to whom it bringeth a treble death 1. Of the soule whereof it killeth 1. Will. 2. Vnderstanding 3. Memory 2. Of the body where is considered 1. What is meant by death i. e. all miseries 1. In all Ages 2. In all States 3. By all Creatures 2. How farre it extendeth ouer all men 3. How variably it worketh in respect of the 1. Manner 2. Time 3. Place 4. Effects †which are different the cause whereof is 1. The practise of a good life 2. The meditatiō of our death 3. The applic of Christs death 3. Of body and soule in Hell 3. The equity of this wages is seene if we consider 1. That it is iust to punish sinne 2. That God is the iustest Iudg that can bee found to punish sinne 1. Because he loueth righteousnesse 2. Because he iudgeth without respect of persons 3. Because he punisheth euery man according to his desart Where the inequality of Hell punishment is shewed 3. That all the punishment afore-said inflicted for sinne is most iust 1. Not in respect of a sinners will eternally to sinne if he did eternally liue but 2. In a iust proportion of the punishment to the haynousnesse of the sin committed which is seene in respect 1. Of the leuity and easinesse to doe what God commandeth 2. Of the transcendent deformity of sinne which is seene if we consider 1. The Nature of him that is offended 2. The quality of him that doth offend 3. The Nature of the sinne that is committed This Treatise sheweth 1. What God is and how God is knowne what he is two wayes 1. As he is in himselfe so none knoweth God but God himselfe 2. As he hath expressed himselfe to vs and so he may be known 1. By way of negation 2. By way of affirmation 3. By way of superexcellency and so hee is shewed to be 1. An eternall being in himselfe 2. A giuer of being 1. To all creatures 2. To all his promises which should teach vs to labour to be vnited to him to be thankefull and to beleeue all his promises 3. An absolute L. of all things which should teach vs to serue him for 3. especiall reasons 2. What maner of God he is where the nature of God is shewed by three speciall attributes viz. 1. By his Power touching which is handled 1. The number quality of the aduersaries of Gods power which are 1. The Infidels that will not beleeue in him 2. The desperate men that cannot hope in him 3. The vbiquitaries of Germany 4. The pontificialls of Rome 2. How the actiue power of God is to be considered in resp 1. Of his inward operations 2. Of his outward operatiōs and so it must be cōsidered 1. Relatiuely as it respecteth the will and decree of God 2. Absolutely so he can doe all things 1. Which are not contrary to Gods Nature 2. Which imply not contradiction 3. The proofe of Gods omnipotency which is shewed from 1. The Word of God 2. The workes of God 1. In the beginning of the world 2. Throughout the continuance 3. In the end of the world 3. The consent of all Diuines 4. The testimony of many Heathens 5. The confession of the very Diuels 4. The answering to the chiefest obiections 1. Of the Infidels 2. Of the desperate 3. Of the vbiquitaries 4. Of the pontificials 5. The vsefull appl of this do which serueth 1. To confute many heresies 2. To comfort all the Godly 3. To condemne all the wicked 2 By his goodnes and that seauen especial wayes viz. that he is 1. Mercifull which consisteth in 1. Giuing of graces 2. Forgiuing of sinnes 3. Qualifying of punishments 2. Gracious which signifieth 1. Amiable 2. Placable 3. Liberall 3. Slow to anger shewed 1. By Scriptures 2. By examples old and new 4. Abundant in goodnes 1. As he is in himselfe 2. As he is to others 1. Generally to all creatures by 1. Creating all things 1. simp g. 2. rela g. 2. pres thē frō euill 3. enric thē with g. 2. Specially to his elect 1. by dec their elec 2. by their effect cal 3. by the filling of thē with his graces 5. Abundant in truth 1. Essentially truth in himselfe 2. Causally the fountaine of al truth 1. Of things 2. Of the vnderstanding 3. Of expression which is 1. Primar in Scrip. 2 Secondarily from man to man 6. Reseruing mercy for thousands that is 1. Extensiuely 2. Successiuely 7. Forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sin i. e. all kinds of sin 1. Originall corruption 2. Actuall commission 3. Greatest abhom if we repent * The vsefull applic of Gods
me for to Waite till God deliuereth me And fetch my prison'd Soule from hence to liue at libertie IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS The Second golden Candlesticke HOLDING The second greatest light of Christian RELIGION Of the Knowledge of GOD. EXODVS 34.6.7 Iehouah Iehouah Strong Mercifull and Gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and trueth Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne and that will by no meanes cleare the guiltie visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children and vpon the childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation YOu haue heard in my former Treatise the poore and miserable estate of distressed Man The coherence of this with the former Treatise how lamentable hee made himselfe by Sinne I am now to shew you a poole of Bethesda wherein if wee can but bathe our selues wee shall bee made perfectly whole and most comfortably deliuered from all diseases Iohn 5.2 and therefore I beseech you let this Panchrestum this medicine for all maladies be diligently acquired bee most carefully applied to euery sickned soule You shal finde it in Ierusalem i. e. in the Church of God and no where else for extra Ecclesiam non est salus no saluation is out of the Church and you shall finde it by the Sheepe-market i. e. in the place where the sheepe of Christ and children of God doe finde all prouision for their soules that is the Holy Heauenly Scripture and there if you looke you shall finde a porch ample enough for you to enter into this Bethesda in these words which I haue read vnto you The Lord the Lord God or else Iehoua Iehoua Strong Mercifull and Gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and trueth c. And I hope you will giue the more diligent heede vnto my words Quia speciosi pedes Euangelizantium pacem because as the Pro. Esay sayth the feete of theÌ„ that bring tydings of good things are most welcome vnto vs Esay 52.7 and as the Angell sayd vnto the Shepheards Luke 2.10 I bring you tydings of great ioy which shall be vnto all people For I am now to preach and to expound that gracious Sermon vnto you here which God himselfe hath Preached heretofore vnto Moses in Mount Sinay and it containes the whole discription of Almighty God so farre forth as himselfe thought it fit Chrysost varior loc in Matth. Hom. 9. to reueale himselfe at this time vnto his people and therefore Excutite pigritiam quia non est res leuis quam audituri estis I doe must humbly craue your attention and most diligent obseruation of these things for I thinke that you can neither heart nor reade a sweeter text if God giue me grace to handle it well It is large indeed I must confesse and my allotted time is short and it is as difficult to contract much into a little as to inlarge a little into much yet seeing I cannot speake all that I would I will by Gods helpe speake a little of all as I may The Occasion of these words The occasion hereof is playne enough in this precedent Chapter Moses desired to see God God tells him he cannot because it is as naturall vnto him to be inuisible as to be a God and therefore Saint Iohn sayth Iohn 4.12 no man hath seene God at any time yet to satisfie Moses so much as was fit for his happinesse God sayth that he should see his backe-parts that is hee should vnderstand so much concerning God as the weake vnderstanding of Man could possibly comprehend for hee saw nothing at all after any visible manner but onely heard this voyce describing God and we must know that God hath nâ—ither forepart nor backepart that can be seene with any mortall eyes and therefore this phrase of seeing Gods backeparts is onely vsed quoad captum nostrum after a humane manner and it importeth thus much in effect thou shalt see that is thou shalt vnderstand or see with thine eyes of knowledge my backeparts That God is not to be seene with any materiall eyes that is so much concerning me as thy weake apprehension shall be able to comprehend For First That God is no otherwise to bee seene then with the spirituall eyes of our Faith and vnderstanding it appeareth playne because Moses here saw no visible thing but onely heard a voyce So when God appeared to Elias 1 Kings 19.11.12 there passed before the Lord a mighty strong winde but the Lord was not in the Wind then an Earthquake but the Lord was not in the Earthquake and then came a still soft Voice and the Lord was in the Voyce and so when he deliuered the Law he sayth Ye saw no similitude saue a voyce therefore as God sheweth himselfe none otherwise then by a voyce so he can be seene none otherwise then by the spirituall eyes of our vnderstanding Secondly That by the backeparts of God is vnderstood By the backe-parts of God is vnderstood so much knowledge of God as we are able to comprehend so much knowledge of God as our weake apprehension can conceiue it is apparant in this place for Moses neither saw nor heard any other thing but onely this voyce proclayming these words that I haue read vnto you and therefore this is all one as if the voyce had sayd vnto him this is all that thou canst vnderstand of me that I am such and such a one as I shew vnto thee It is true indeed that I am so glorious to excellent so ineffable and so incomprehensible in my selfe that if I should shew thee my Maiestie and fully declare vnto thee mine excellencie what I am thou wert not able to comprehend it and therefore humano more loqui to speak vnto thee as a man that thou mayest the better vnderstand how farre thou mayest know me I would haue thee to looke vpon a Man and to consider how much more glorie and excellencie shineth in his face then in his backe-partes euen so thou must vnderstand that all this which I shew vnto thee concerning my selfe in comparison of what I am in the excellency of my Maiestie That we can conceiue but the least part of Gods excellencie is but as the back-parts of a man in comparison of his face and fore-parts So farre short is this that thou canst know of me to what I am and yet this least part of my excellency is so much as thou or any man breathing vpon the face of the earth is able to comprehend And therefore the meaning of this phrase to see the backe-parts of God is nothing else but the reuealing of himselfe vnto Moses so farre as Moses was able to comprehend that is a little but not neere all his properties for to be incomprehensible is as proper to God as to be Inuisible Secundum essentiam incognitus secundum maiestatem immensus His Maiestie is immeasurable Thalas apud Paulinum
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
forgiue them without exceeding great repentance Indeed I confesse that such grieuous sinners are in a grieuous case and that it is not likely God would haue vsed such fearefull threatnings but against haynous sinners yet I told you before that no sinne was so great but the Mercy of God is greater and able to forgiue if they be able to repent And therefore Others say that the former clause forgiuing iniquity and transgression and sinne is to be vnderstood of the sinnes of Gods Elect be they great or be they small he forgiues them all and this latter clause not making the wicked innocent to be vnderstood of the sinnes of the Reprobate of what quality soeuer they be for he will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy Exod. 33.19 and whom hee will he hardneth c. And I yeeld this to be true in it selfe but because God onely knoweth absolutely How both sentences are reconciled Ex priori from the causes infallibly who are his and we know it onely Ex posteriori by the effects of Gods fauour and the fruits of his Spirit if we would be assured of the remission of our sinnes and would more certainely know how both these sentences may be reconciled I say briefly that the first sentence is to be vnderstood of the penitent and amending sinners of what quality soeuer their sinnes haue beene and the latter clause of continuall vnrepentant transgressors for God will pardon any sinne if you be sorry for it and forsake it but no sinne if you continue in it For God shall wound the head of his enemies Psal 68.21 and the hayrie scalpe of such a one as goeth on still in his wickednesse saith the Prophet And therefore if any of vs haue sinned yet let vs not continue in sinne for mercy and wrath come from God and if we continually sinne in the time of grace we shall suddenly be destroyed in the day of vengeance Quia non delinquenti sed peccata relinquenti misericors Deus est Because God will not be mercifull vnto them that offend of malicious wickednesse Rom 3.8 and doe still goe on in sinne that grace may abound whose damnation is iust as the Apostle speaketh But thou wilt say thou hopest God will giue thee grace to repent and thou meanest to leaue thy sinnes before thou beest compelled to leaue the world It is true beloued that our sinnes shall be pardoned whensoeuâ—r we repent but we cannot repent That men cannot repent when they will whensoeuer we will because repentance is the gift of God and we haue not God at our command but as a Father truely saith Qui dat paenitenti veniam non semper dat peccanti paenitentiam God which alwayes pardoneth the repentant sinner doth not alwayes giue repentance vnto sinners but as they neglected him Rom. 2.5 so he reiecteth them and suffereth them to heape vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath And therefore though God be slow to anger and suffereth long yet he is full of Iustice and will not suffer euer but at last the fire of his fury will be kindled and then Furor arma ministrat His wrath will quickly afford him weapons and as Lactantius saith Tarditatem irae grauitate supplicij compensabit He will requite the slownesse of his wrath with the seueritie of his vengeance for as the old distich saith Ad veniam tardus Deus est Serior esse solet vindicta Jeuerior ad praemia velox Sed pensare solet vt grauiore moram God vseth to come to punish on leaden feet but he payeth home with iron hands he will reach them farre and hee will smite them full And therefore To day if yee will heare his voyce Psal 95.8 harden not your hearts and deferre not your amendment till to morrow for Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit If thou wilt not doe it to day it will be farre harder for thee to doe it to morrow and if thou wilt not doe it at all thou art in a most feareful case for God absoluing will neuer absolue thee that is he will neuer forgiue thy sins because thou wilt not forsake thy sinnes And so much for the denyall of pardon and absolution vnto the wicked CHAP. XII Of a two-fold visitation of God and the full opening of that point how God doth and that iustly visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the children and yet punish none but for his owne sinnes FOr the second GOD saith not onely that he will not absolue the wicked but he addeth further that hee will visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children Touching which we must first obserue that visitare est post longum tempus recordare To visite is after a long time to call to minde to remember That there is a two-fold visitation of God and to see those things againe which we seemed to haue quite forgotten and we finde a two-fold visitation of God First when he seemeth to forget our miseries to sleepe in our afflictions euen sometimes vntil we be almost ouerwhelmed with the raging waues of this world Matth. 8.24 as the Disciples were with the waues of the Sea Yet at last when he seeth his time First God visiteth the afflicted and not when we thinke it sit he will awake as a Gyant out of sleepe and he will asswage the windes and rebuke the Seas and deliuer his people out of all their miseries thus he remembred Noah Gen. 8.1 thus hee visited his people that were in Egypt Exod. 3.7 and thus when wee seeme to be forsaken of God because wee are despised among men Luke 1.68 he will when he seeth time visite vs and redeeme vs oâ—t of our distresse Secondly God visiteth the wicked Secondly When God suffereth the wicked to goe on in sinne and to passe from one wickednesse to another and yet still to flourish like a greene Bay-tree to build them houses to enlarge their possessions and to haue all things at their desire he seemeth to forget their impieties or to haue taken no notice of their wickednesse yet at last as the Prophet speaketh when they least thinke of it He will visite their iniquities with the rod Psal 89.32 Psal 50.21 and their sinnes with scourges Yea he will reprooue them and set before their faces the things that they haue done and then he will seuerely punish all their sinnes and that two wayes 1. In themselues 2. In their children First It is iust with God and so it seemeth iust with men To render vengeance to them that feare not God For this cause we finde 2 Pet. 2.4 He spared not the Angels that offended Nor any man that sinned but thrust Adam out of Paradise destroyed the whole world by the deluge God will punish sinners Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone Corah Dathan and Abiram Saul Nabuchadnezzar Iudas Herod and many more he
making but a mocke of God and of all godlinesse And therefore the Prophet sayth of such sinners that they haue made a couenant with death and an agreement with hell it selfe i. e. neuer to forsake that sinfull course of life till death doth send them quicke to Hell But I could wish that they would be herein false and as they haue broken the couenant of their God That wee should breake the couenant which we haue made with Hell if euer we would goe to Heauen which they haue made with him in Baptisme so they would break this agreement with Hell and cast off these cords from them for the reward of sinne is death and therefore much more of such fearefull sinnes as these bee And so you see the degrees by which sinne is increased CHAP. IV. Of the manner how euery Sinne is committed THirdly hauing seene how sinne is augmented The manner how euery sinne is committed is foure-fold and groweth more and more haynous by degrees like the Cockatrice egge that in a short time prooues to be a destroying fiery Serpent you must now vnderstand the manner how euery sin is committed and that we find to be 1. Of Ignorance 2. Of Knowledge 3. Of Infirmitie 4. Of Malice First The heathen man sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoeuer knoweth nothing sinneth nothing and Diuines say he that knoweth least sinneth least That ignorance is twofold But here you must vnderstand Ignorance to be twofold First Simple when a man therefore knowes not because he cannot learne Secondly Affected when a man therefore knowes not because he will not learne as those in Iob who said vnto God Discede à nobis quia scientiam viarum tuarū nolumus Job 21.14 Depart from vs for we will not haue knowledge of thy wayes and therefore the Prophet complaineth of such ignorant men quod noluerunt intelligere vt bene agerent that they refused to learne that they might doe well quod caeci licet ducem tamen non modo non quaerunt sed oblatum respuunt and that although they were starke blind and could see nothing Bern in ep ad magist Vincent yet not onely sought no guide but refused and contemned them that were offered as Saint Bernard speaketh The first may excuse vs à tanto licet non à toto That simple ignorance doth extenuate the sinne Acts 17.30 1. Tim. from the greater punishment though not from blame as Saint Paul sheweth of the Gentiles saying The times of this ignorance God regarded not and of himselfe That God had mercy vpon him because in persecuting the Church Hee did it ignorantly For this circumstance doth much extenuate a sinne when a man can pleade for himselfe with Abimelech Gen. 20.4 Lord wilt thou slay the righteous Nation As if he should haue sayd O Lord lay not this sinne to my charge for if I had knowne her to be his wife I would neuer haue intended to make her mine And therefore this moued our Sauiour at the time of his passion to say Father forgiue them Luke 23.43 for they know not what they doe Which is as if he should haue said if they knew that I were the Messias the sonne of God and the Sauiour of the world and would notwithstanding crucifie me Luke 24.43 then would I not desire thee to pardon them but now these things are concealed from them and therefore I desire thee that this sinne may not be imputed vnto them And so Saint Peter after he had declared their sinne how They had denied the Holy and Iust and had preferred before him a most vniust and wicked murtherer he deliuereth their comfort that if they would repent and beleeue in him they should obtaine remission and haue their sinnes done away at the time of refreshing Acts 3.17 Because they had done all this through ignorance And so the Lord himselfe sheweth this to be the reason why he spared Niniueh after the denouncement of her iudgement because There were sixescore thousand persons therein Ionas 4.11 which could not iudge betwixt good and bad which could not discerne betwixt their right hand and their left For a simple ignorance in a deuoted and well-meaning man such as Saint Augustine calls fidelis ignorantia a faithfull ignorance or the ignorance of a good faithfull man whose heart like Iehosophat 2 Chron. 20.32.33 is vpright towards God though he faile in many particular duties is either passed ouer in mercy as was the superstition of our forefathers Acts 10. or else is illuminated with knowledge in Gods appointed time Psal 50. vlt. as we reade of Cornelius and as the Apostle sheweth and the Psalmist promiseth To him that ordereth his conuersation right will I shew the Saluation of God Bosq de finibus bonarum l. 2. conc 12. p. 123. But the 2. that is affected ignorance Scaelus adcusat grauius non excusat augetque non minuit supplicium it doth inlarge the sin increase the punishment and it should treble the same sayth Bosquierus First For committing the sinne Secondly For neglecting to learne and Thirdly For affecting ignorance for when things are not knowne because men will not learne such ignorance is without excuse Quia aliud est nescire aliud est nolle scire Bernard in ep ad Valent Chrysost nescire ignorantia est scire noluisse superbia est Because this refusing to know is rather Arrogancie then Ignorancie as Saint Bernad sayth Gregor in Moral And therefore of such ignorant men quibus fuit inveniendi facultas si fuisset quaerendi voluntas Which had the meanes to know How dangerous a thing it is to be wilfully ignorant of the will of God if they had had the desire to learne the Apostle sayth si quis ignorat ignorabitur if any man know not God the same shall not be knowne of God for as the blinde and lame were not to enter into the Temple so the iudge biddeth vs educere foras populum caecum occulos habentes to bring forth and shut out of his kingdome those men which haue eyes and cannot see and which haue eares and doe not heare that is which are borne to know but will not learne and which are capable of discipline and yet will remaine vntaught Cokus de iure regis ecclesiastico And so in humane lawes we find the same truth Nam tantum abest vt ignorantia excuset c. For it is so far from reason that ignorance should any wayes excuse the fault of him which might know the truth that hee ought necessarily to haue knowne but through his negligence or wilfulnesse would not learne the same as that there is very great reason that he should be the more seuerely punished because that to be ignorant of those things which a man ought to know but will not learne non pro ignorantia sed pro contemptu haberi debet is rather to bee
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
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
transgression doe you now and euer hereafter follow Mary Magdalen in your true conuersion for she loued much because much was forgiuen her Luke 7.47 and she liued most strict and religiously in her age because shee had liued so loosly and so dissolutely in her youth for as Dyonisius and Egesippus doe record she betooke her selfe to a most solitary life sequestred from all worldly pleasures in the mountaine Balma full thirty yeares together in all which time shee gaue her selfe to meditation fasting and prayer and as Iosephus writeth could neuer indure any company for now she had giuen a perfect bill of diuorce vnto all wantonnesse and had disrobed her selfe of all her sumptuous weedes and alluring paludaments and chose rather to suffer a short affliction and to endure a hard penance with the Children of God Heb. 11.25 then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Secondly That we should neuer despaire of any mans conuersion That seeing the grace of God to moue and incline our hearts must be the first agent in the conuersion of our soules and that God hath his owne times and houres and moments to call vs into his Vineyard some at the sixth some at the ninth and some at the eleuenth houre we should not despaire of the conuersion of any one for as to commit sinne is the death of the soule so to despaire is the stepping downe to the lowest Hell Isidor de summo bono and therefore seeing God is multus ad misericordiam of much mercy to forgiue many sinnes and of great mercy Esay 55. to forgiue great sinnes let vs neuer despaire of the eternall and omnipotent mercy of God for though thy sinnes were as haynous as Mary Magdalens yet one word of Christs mouth is able to cast out all Diuels though they were as odious as Peters yet one looke of Christs fauour is able to worke grace and repentance in thy soule and though they were as many as Manasses and as red as scarlet yet one drop of the bloud of Christ is able to wash them all away and to make thy crimson soule as white as snow and therefore returne O Shunamite returne and call to God for grace say vnto the Lord that it is time that he haue mercy vpon thy soule yea the time is come And so much for the deuotion of the women Part. 3 PART III. CHAP. I. Of the Angels seruice vnto Christ and how terrible they be to the wicked THirdly The Office of the Angels is here plainely expressed for though Saint Marke saith hee was a young man yet Saint Matthew saith he was an Angell for Angels many times assumed outward formes The Angels often appeared like men but were neuer made men to performe some offices and deposed the same againe after the finishing of their worke and so they vsed those formes as one vseth his garments to put it on and off at his pleasure and not as our Sauiour did for Christ really vnited himselfe to the forme that he assumed and assumed it neuer to depose it and therefore they are said onely to appeare like men but Christ is said to be made many This Angell then being sent to comfort and not to astonish these women he tooke vpon him the forme of a man which is a forme most customable that he might not affright them and hee tooke the forme of a yong man which is a forme most amiable Aug. in Psal 104. that he might delight them and he is called an Angell Ab officio non natura In respect of his office not of his nature Nam ex eo quod est spiritus est ex eo quod agit Angelus est For in that which he is he is a Spirit in that he is sent as a Messenger he is an Angell saith Saint Augustine and therefore hee is a Spirit ab essentia in respect of his being he is a yong man à forma in respect of the forme wherein he appeared and hee is an Angell ab officio in respect of that duty and office which he was now to discharge The office of the Angell here expressed is three-fold And I finde the same here to be three-fold 1. In respect of Christ 2. In respect of the Keepers 3. And principally in respect of the Women First The Angels are excellent in all things but for three things most excellent First Purity of substance Matth. 18.10 for they alwayes behold the face of God into whose presence no impure thing can approach Secondly Readinesse of obedience for the Prophet speaking of their seruice saith He rode vpon Cherub and did flie Psal 18.10 hee came flying vpon the wings of the winde Thirdly Feruentnesse of charity for Heb. 1.7 hee maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire whereby they burne in loue not onely one towards another but also towards vs poore miserable men for they reioyce at our conuersion Luke 15.10 and being conuerted they become our Guardians in our conuersation Psal 91.11 to preserue vs in all our wayes that we dash not our foot against a stone And these three things were shadowed in those Cherubims 1 Kings 6.23 made by Salomon to ouer-shadow the mercy seate for they were made of fine gold to note their purity 2 Chron. 3.12 with their wings spread to note their celerity and with their faces looking one towards another to note their charity And yet for all their excellency when God brought his first begotten Sonne into the world he commanded them all to doe him seruice saying Worship him all yee Angels and so they did Heb. 1.6 for when he was to be conceiued the Angell brought tydings vnto that blessed Virgin when he was borne How the Angels alwayes did seruice vnto our Sauiour Christ the Angels told the same vnto the shepheards when his life was sought for by Herod the Angell reuealed the same vnto Ioseph and warned him to flie into Egypt when Herod was dead the Angell bad Ioseph returne into the land of Iury when Satan had left tempting him the Angels came and ministred vnto him when his soule was exceeding sorrowfull vnto death the Angels attended to comfort him and here when his Body was to be raysed from death the Angel descended to rolle away that mighty stone which his aduersaries had laide vpon his graue Non propter impotentiam Christi sed propter obedientiam Angeli Not that Christ was vnable to doe it himselfe for he that is able to shake the earth and of the stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham shall we thinke him vnable to lift vp a stone but to declare his soueraigne authority ouer these creatures of soueraigne dignity he needs but say vnto his Angel Doe this and he doth it And therefore if the Angels which neuer offended him be euer so ready to doe him seruice how much more willing should we be to serue him for to
praecipua laudatio est c. This is one of the chiefest commendations of God that he hath no meane nor measure in him for his power his vertue his Maiestie How the Fathers doe extoll the power of God cannot be contained in place determined by time expressed in words nor conceiued in our best vnderstandings our sence is too narrow our wit is too blunt and our tongue too mute to performe so great a taske because as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 145.3 There is no end of his greatnesse And therefore Saint Augustine saith excellently well Demus Deum multa posse nos intelligere non posse That we must grant that God can doe many things Aug. ep 3. ad Volusian which we must confesse wee can neither search out the cause nor vnderstand the things because the power of God is not to be straitned within the compasse of our shallow apprehensions How great a sinne it is to say any thing derogatory to the Power of God And therefore we ought to take great heed that we neither say nor conceiue any thing derogatory to the power of God for if it be ordained by humane Lawes that he which should offend the Maiestie of a King though but a man should leese his head for his offence Quis finis contemnentium diuinam omnipotentiam erit Bernard in cant What should become of those that contemne or speake against the Diuine Omnipotency of God saith Saint Bernard Fourthly the very Heathens Poets Phylosophers and all of the learneder sort haue confest as much as is sufficient to proue the Omnipotent power of God Homer Odyss 3. p. 65. for Homer brings in Minerua speaking vnto Telemachus and saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is as much as if shee said That God can doe what hee will and none can hinder him because as one saith Ille potest solis currus inhibere volantes How the very Heathens haue extolled the Omnipotency of God Ille velut scopulos flumina stare facit He can hold still great Phoebus wayne as he did in the days of Ioshua at he did at thered Sea And stoutest streames he can restraine For though as another saith Astra regunt mundum These sublunary Creatures are generally guided by the influences of the higher Orbes yet to conclude the verse he saith Sed regit astra Deus The God of Heauen doth rule the Heauens and rideth vpon the same as vpon an Horse And therefore an Indian Gymnosophist being demanded by Alexander what God did answered What he will Et quod nulla creatura facere potest And what no mortall man nor any other creature can doe for they daily saw how by his strength vnlikely matters haue come to passe the greatest imaginations haue beene dissolued with a blaste and dying hopes haue beene reuiued from their graues and therefore they all concluded that Ludit in humanis diuina potentia rebus It was an easie matter for Gods power to deale with all Creatures as he listed and How the very Diuels haue confest the Power of God Fiftly the very Diuels doe acknowledge and confesse and obey the power of God For Apollo being demanded of one by what meanes he might with-draw his wise from Christianitie He answered That he might easier flie through the Ayre or write in the Sea then plucke her away from Christ because God was so powerfull to preserue her Heydelf de Deo c. 2. and the Diuell so weake to striue against him and being requested by Augustus to informe him who should succeede him in his Empire hee saide Peucerus de Oracul p. 251. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Hebrew Childe hath inioyned me to silence and I must hence-forth obey his voyce And so the Scripture saith That the vncleane Spirits were obedient vnto Christ and as the winde and the waues so did they yeeld and doe whatsoeuer Christ commanded them Much more might be said to confirme this point Quid satis est cui Roma parum but all is but to light a candle before the Sunne And therefore seeing I am no wayes able to speake what I ought to expresse this truth I will proceede to see what the sonnes of darkenesse can say against this truth And as I distributed the adversaries into foure Classies so I finde their obiections to be foure-fold Obiect The Obiections that are made against the truth of Gods Power answered Sol. That there be three sorts of Agents First the Naturalists say that Ex nihilo nihil fit Of nothing nothing can be made And therefore God is not so powerfull as to be able to produce things of nothing and to create this Vniuerse out of no subsistent matter To this I answere that there be three sorts of workers 1. The lowest 2. The middlemost 3. The highest or else 1. Artificers 2. Nature 3. God First Artificers can doe nothing but of some body composed of the first matter and a substantiall forme into which they doe induce an accidentall forme as the Baker out of his Dowe makes Bread or the Potter out of his tempered clay makes his Potts Secondly Nature or naturall Agents can likewise produce nothing into being vnlesse there be first some matter or subiect whereunto it induceth a naturall forme so from any naturall seede is composed the fruit of each seede in his kinde as from the seede of man is ingendered man and so of all other things whatsoeuer And in these two sorts of Agents the axiome is most true That God can produce any thing of nothing that of nothing nothing can be made but of the third agent that is God it is most false for as he did create all things of nothing so he can yet as easily of no being produce any being as he can change any compleat being into another And therefore to argue from the creature vnto the Creator or from the faculty of the inferior agent vnto the faculty of the superior as the Artificer cannot doe it therefore Nature cannot doe it or Nature cannot doe it therefore the God of Nature cannot doe it is most absurd and foolish Euery Childe can perceiue the weakenesse of this childish reasoning Secondly Obiect the desperate men doe obiect against their owne soules that Gods Iustice is so strict that it requires euery sinne and the least sinne to be punished with eternall death and their sinnes are not onely few and small but most infinite in number euen as Manasses saith My sinnes are more innumerable then the sands of the Sea and most haynous for quality euen as Caine saith My sinne is greater Quam vt venia merear Gen. 4.13 Then I can deserue pardon or they be greater then can be pardoned And therefore say they God cannot pardon our sinnes but we must die and die eternally for our sinnes To this I answere first Sol. that it had beene very good for them they had reasoned
so before they had sinned for that perhaps might haue preserued them in the feare of Gods Iustice and now from the despaire of his mercy But seeing they did not I say secondly that it is most true that the least sinne of man can neuer be pardoned without an intermedium a meanes wrought That no sinne can be pardoned without satisfaction or interposition of satisfaction betwixt the sinne of man and the iustice of God therefore did the wisdome of God deuise and decree that by the death of one righteous man in whom there should be no sinne and who for his worth should be of that inestimable value as to be infinitely more then counteruailably sufficient to pay for all sinnes the Iustice of God should be satisfied and euery sinner that would lay hold vpon his death might thereby be freed from all his sinnes of what number or nature soeuer they be And to this end he sent his onely begotten Sonne Gal. 4.4 That the death of Christ is a sufficient satisfaction for the greatest sinnes made of a Woman and made vnder the Law to die for our sinnes and to redeeme vs that were vnder the Law from the eternall curse of that Law And his death is of that inestimable value that Saint Cyprian saith Modicam guttam sanguinis Christi propter vnionem hypostaticam pro redemptione totius mundi sufficisse 1. Circumcisione 2. Oratione 3. Flagellatione 4. Coronatione 5. Clauorum in fixione 6. Lancea The least droppe of his bloud by reason of that hypostaticall vnion with the God-head had beene sufficient to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole World And yet we reade that he shedde his bloud not once but often sixe seuerall times at least and that not sparingly but abundantly it trickled downe to the ground In which respect the Psalmist saith Luke 22.44 Psal 130.7 that with God there is Copiosa redemptio Plenteous redemption or satisfaction enough in store to pay for the sinnes of any one be they neuer so great be they neuer so many And therefore there is no sinne so great no sinnes so many but God can and that without any impeachment of his Iustice easily remit it if we can but lay hold vpon the death of Christ and he can worke this faith in vs to beleeue in Christ if we can but beleeue he can doe it as our Sauiour shewed vnto him that came and said Domine si quid potes Sir if thou canst doe any thing Marke 9.23 saying Si potes credere If thou canst beleeue thou mayest easily see that I can doe that which thou requirest and all things else whatsoeuer they be they be possible for me to doe them onely beleeue and thou shalt see it Thirdly the Vbiquitaries say hee that can doe all things whatsoeuer can make the Body of Christ to be in euery place wheresoeuer but God can doe any thing whatsoeuer Ergo. He can make the Body of Christ to be euery where and so inuest the manhood of Christ with Diuine properties I answere to the minor proposition Nam qui indefinitè deum omnia posse dicit non tantum bona sed etiam horum contraria mala quae diabolo conueniunt comprehendit Theod. Dialog 3. that he can doe any thing that is possible to be done or that hath the possibility of being but not all things whatsoeuer they be For he that saith God can doe all things simply and indifinitely hee comprehendeth not onely the good but also all the contrary euill which are properly belonging vnto the Diuell and not to God saith Theodoret And therefore I say that there be two sorts of impossible things which God cannot doe First some things ex hypothesi in respect of the constant truth of Gods decree and the immutability of his will God can doe nothing contrary to what he hath decreed and thus God could not conceale from Abraham what he intended to doe vnto the Sodomites nor doe any thing vnto Sodom vntill Lot was deliuered from them because God had decreed to reueale all that vnto Abraham and to preserue that righteous man from the destruction of the Sodomites and thus all things are said to be impossible for God to doe which doe contradict the Eternall purposes and decrees of God because he is a God that changeth not Mal. 1. and that cannot alter the things that are gone out of his mouth Secondly some things are simply impossible for him to doe God can doe nothing that is contrary to the nature of God Propter constantem Dei naturam By the reason of the constancy and immutability of Gods Nature Thus God cannot be said to doe any humane Acts because he is an Eternall Spirit nor to sin because he is the chiefe good nor to doe any contradictory because he is Truth it selfe As I shewed vnto you before But against this it may be obiected First that God can doe Ob. 1 any humane act for he is said to draw nigh vnto vs Iames 4.8 and to depart from vs and so to performe many other such like humane acts Ergo these things are not impossible for God To this some men doe answere Sol. that humane acts are not to be ascribed to Gods Nature because he is an incorporeall substance and yet they are not to be secluded from his Power but are all performed through it because God worketh all things in all his creatures for in him we liue and in him we moue Act. 17.28 saith the Apostle But indeed when these or the like things are spoken of God they are to be vnderstood metaphorically as the Sunne is said to enter into the house when his heate and beames doe shine therein so God is said to draw neere vnto vs when we doe perceiue the influence of his grace and goodnesse All humane Acts are done by the power of God not by the Essence of God and so I say that although humane acts are done of vs through the Power of God yet they cannot be done by the Essence of God Secondly they may obiect that God can doe euill First because Ob. 2 the Philosopher saith Potest Deus studiosus praua facere Arist Topic. l. 4. c 5. Gen. 22.2 Gen. 11.2 2 Sam. 16.10 secondly because God commandeth many euils to be done as Abraham to kill his sonne the Israelites to robbe the Egyptians Shemei to curse Dauid and such like and thirdly because the Apostle saith that he worketh all in all Ergo He can doe euill Sol. To these I answere First that the Philosopher saith this not positiuely but according to the opinion of the vulgar or That whatsoeuer God doth or biddeth to be done is no sinne Secondly I say Quod potest Deus praua facere sed minime praue That God can doe those acts which done of vs were euill but done by him are no wayes euill for sinne is the offending of his
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
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
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
things for vs. euen for euer For this Incarnâ—â—e Word this God and Man Christ Iesus hath performed all things that are necessary for our saluation he liued for vs he dyed for vs he rose againe for vs and he became the Phisitian and the medicine both of our originall and actuall sinnes For against the corruption and guilt of originall sinne the pure birth and vndefiled conception of Christ is a sufficient salue and against the guilt of actuall sinne the Sanctitie and innocent life of Christ tâ—at was without any spot of sinne is a sufficient remedy and against the punishment either of originall or of actuall sinnes tâ—e most pretious death of Christ is a sufficient satisfaction Quia iniusta mors iustam vicit mortem Aug. ser 101. de tempore liberauit nos iuste quia pro nobis occisus est iniustè Because his vniust death hath iustly ouercome our death and he hath most iustly deliuered vs because he was most vniustly slaine for vs. That good examples are meanes to further godlines Besides the Word being made flesh we haue his life as a most perfect patterne to frame our liues thereby for wee are all like Apes apt to imitate and we say the life of our Minister would more moue vs to godlinesse then his doctrine and no doubt but it would doe much to them that hate not their Minister because he will not be as deboyst as themselues for a good example to good men is as a light set vpon a Candlesticke that all they which come into the house Iohn 3.19 may see the light although to euill men Christ an infallible patterne for men to imitate it moues them to the more indignation and wrath because it makes their sinnes appeare the more exceedingly sinfull and will be a iust witnesse against them in the day of wrath for that seeing the light of a good life shining amongst them they hated the same because their deeds were euill And therefore if we would be led by examples and would not erre let vs lay the the example of Christ before our face for this is a true looking glasse that is euer laid open before euery man and will neuer deceiue nor flatter any man and it is not onely a patterne for our practice but the continuall inspection and looking into the same is also in some measure an efficient cause Cyrillus l. 4. c. 5. and impulsiue motiue to incite vs to the imitation thereof and to the performance of all godlinesse because Christ is the giuer of all such graces whereby men do liue a godly life as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 4.7 That we may boldly come to God Moreouer Christ hauing vnited his Deitie with our humanitie and hauing so well tempered his Maiestie with humility we may the more confidently and boldly draw neere vnto the throne of grace for that as his Deity confoundeth so his humanitie comforteth our faint and feeble soules and as his Maiestie amazeth so his humility animateth vs to come vnto him and to seeke of him whatsoeuer is needfull for vs. And further this Word being made flesh Naturam humanam nobilitauit He hath so innobled our humane nature as Saint Augustine saith that we which were wormes and no men are now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pertakers of the Diuine nature and as it were Gods and no wormes so that now 2 Pet. 1.4 That we attaine to a farre better state in Christ then we lost in Adam Bernard ser 1. de Epiphan our nature being repayred it is exalted farre aboue the dignitie of its first originall and it hath obtained to a farre better state in Christ then it had and lost in Adam because Adam was but is the image of God but wee are ioyned and made one with God as Saint Bernard saith and therefore foelix culpa quae talem meruit redemptorem happy was that fault as it happened vnto vs which brought foorth such a Sauiour to be made partaker of our flesh that wee might be partakers of his Spirit as Saint Gregory speaketh Secondly more particularly That both our bodies and our soules shall be saued in that he was made a true and a perfect man consisting both of body and soule we may assure our selues of the saluation both of body and soule for as our sinnes deserued damnation vnto both so the assuming of both by this Word hath brought deliuerance vnto them both And in that he was made subiect vnto all our humane frailties passions and miseries being made in all things like â—nto vs sinne onely excepted Heb. 2.17 c. 4 15. we may as I haue already touched before conceiue thereby an exceeding comfort for as Queene Dido said vnto the distressed Troians Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco Experience of miseries hath taught mee to succour all those that are miserable euen so Christ hauing felt all infirmities We may be sure of comfort in distresse and suffered more miseries then any of vs can endure will be mercifull and compassionate towards vs when hee seeth vs in distresse for he became like vnto vs that he might be mercifull vnto vs and he was tempted and suffered that he might be able to helpe and succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. saith the Apostle And therefore seeing wee haue not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but is a pittifull and a compassionate Redeemer if we be inuolued in miseries and doe suffer all kindes of infirmities wants scornes sickenesse paines or whatsoeuer else let vs goe boldly vnto the Throne of Grace and beg confidently his mercy and grace Heb. 4.16 to helpe vs in the time of neede for as hee which in our Creation formed vs according to the Image of God was contented now by his incarnation to take vpon himselfe the Image of man So wee which by our transgressions made our selues like vnto the Diuell shall bee most happy and blessed if as Christ became like vnto vs in flesh so we doe endeuour to become like vnto him in the graces of his most blessed Spirit And so much for the second point that he was made Flesh BRANCH III. CHAP. I. Of the distinction of the two Natures of Christ how each of them remaineth entire inconfused and the obiections made against this truth sufficiently answered Branch 3. THirdly We are to consider how this Word was made and still is Flesh which manner may be collected out of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was made Flesh Touching which wee must well obserue these two speciall points Two things to be considered 1. The distinction 2. The vnion of the two natures the Word and the Flesh that is the Deity and the humanity of our Sauiour Christ First The distinction of these two Natures is most excellently shewed by Saint Paul where hee saith That in Christ there are two distinct natures Rom. 1.3.4
the Spirit had first taught him so when the Spirit said vnto Ezekiel Ezech. 2.1.2 Sonne of man stand vpon thy feet the Spirit himselfe did set him vpon his feete before he could stand and so the Prophet Ieremy saith Lam. 5.1 Turne vs O Lord and we shall be turned and so the Apostle after he had said Worke out your owne saluation with feare and trembling lest that any man should mistake him and thinke that he hath any manner of power of himselfe to doe the same hee sheweth immediately that all such power is from God Phil. 2.13 That we can doe no good but what God worketh in vs. because it is God that worketh in vs both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to will and to effect and so Saint Augustine saith Da domine quod iubes iube quod vis Giue vs O Lord power to performe what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt and so I might heape a cloud of witnesses to proue that neither this woman could nor any other man can turne to God or performe the will of God vntill God himselfe doth enlighten them assist them inable them and draw them to doe it That God compelleth not his seruants to doe any good And yet we must not so vnderstand it as that he doth it violently by way of coaction but sweetly and gently by way of insinuation for he draweth vs Leui spiritu non dura manu by an inward sweet influence and not by any outward extreame violence for the will is no will if it be compelled and therefore as Satan cannot force vs to sinne but onely by way of suggestion so God will not compell vs to grace but onely by way of inclination and a sweet secret operation of his Spirit vpon our wils and affections How God worketh our willingnesse to doe good without which notwithstanding as I shewed you before wee shall neuer be able to seeke for Christ to come to God and therefore to expresse both the necessity of such helpe and the manner of Gods working it in vs our Church excellently saith Lord haue mercy vpon vs and incline our hearts not to compell them but incline them to keepe this Law Why the wicked seeke not God And therefore hence it is apparant that the reason why all men doe not seeke for Christ and serue their God is because God in Iustice leaues them and doth not thus incline their hearts to seeke for him for if he did it how could they withstand it Rom. 9.19 for who hath euer resisted his will If then you will say the fault is in God Ob. that all men doe not seeke for God because hee doth not moue and incline their hearts to seeke after him I answere that this is a false conclusion Sol. laide vpon no good foundation for in the actions of the wicked he doth not driue them to sinne nor hath the least finger in their iniquity but he onely leaueth them to their owne inuentions and so the Prophet saith Thy destruction is from thy selfe Hosea 13.9 and he is a debtor to no man that he should be bound to sustaine him and therefore if to the one he sheweth fauour and doth incline his heart to leaue his sinnes and to seeke for Christ Illi facit indebitam misericordiam He doth it freely out of his mercy if to the rest hee doth not this he cannot be reprooued of any fault Quia illis facit debitam iustitiam because he doth but iustly leaue them And therefore I cannot sufficiently wonder at those men eminent in place and excellent for words that lessening this helpe and fauour of God which is the α and ω the beginning continuing and finishing of all the good things that are in the Saints of God would I know not for what cause ascribe more power and ability vnto man then is in any of themselues And yet I may cease my wondring because as the Sodomites groped for the doores in the cleere day Gen. 19.12 and the Iewes notwithstanding all the inuincible and vnanswerable apparant arguments to proue the comming of the Messiah would neuer beleeue it to this very day So that subtile Serpent still striueth to darken our eyes many times that we cannot see the cleerest light And so you see the action of these women and how they came to be so full of zeale and deuotion Two speciall obseruations from the former doctrine Out of which we may obserue these two speciall points for our instruction That many Women haue beene found most zealous and religious in the seruice of God First that many women were made Instruments of great goodnesse for though Sathan hath much blemished the beauty of this Sexe by making them his often Instruments to worke mischiefe as Eua to seduce Adam Dalila to intrap Sampson Iezabel to infatuate Achab and many others to further many Heresies so hath God much honoured them in making them partakers of great mercies and often instruments of his glory as Mary to conceiue him Elizabeth to prophesie of him Hanna to reioyce to see him Mary Magdalen to annoint him Martha to entertaine him and these three gracious Women to be the first seekers and the first seers of him after death and the first witnesses of his Resurrection vnto life I might reckon many other women that trusted in God and were famous in their generations and as Lampes shining in the world whereof some were faithfull Martyrs of Iesus Christ some bountifull entertainers of the seruants of Christ some able to conuert their vnbeleeuing Husbands and some to instruct their Housholds in the feare of God as that elect Lady vnto whom Saint Iohn writeth And I might speake of Sara 2 Ep. Iohn v. 1. Rebecca Debora Iudith Abigaile Bathsheba Hester Dorcas Loyse Phaebe Claudia Maxima Monica Pulcheria Gorgonia Trasilla and many more But seeing when it was granted to no man to be the father God vouchsafed to accept a woman to be the mother of Christ this onely thing is sufficient to shew how abundantly he loued and how worthily hee deserueth the loue of women Wherefore elect and blessed Ladies deare and Christian women let vs blesse that God which hath so honoured and blessed you let vs remember that honour is deceitfull and beauty is vanity Prou. 31.30 but the woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised and therefore imitate not that gracelesse Iezabel that painted her face with diuers colours Esay 3. and defiled her minde with haynous sinnes nor those daughters of Ierusalem which the Prophet Esay describeth and who tooke such delight in their tinckling ornaments and trumperies of vanities and did loue to sit at ease in Sion but imitate that good daughter of Sion whose beauty and glory is within Psal 45.14 and those Elect Ladies and blessed women whose praise is in the Gospell And if at any time heretofore you haue followed Iezabell and those dainty Dames in
fault where it is vpon our selues and vpon our owne Sinnes for though the many multitude say it was a good world with them When they sacrificed vnto the Queene of Heaven yet the King of Heauen knowes what a wofull time it was for Man when the Crucifixe was kissed with the kisses of their Mouthes and Iesus Christ was crucified againe with the workes of their hands and when they changed The trueth of God into a lye and Worshipped and serued the creature made a god with their owne hands Rom. 1.15 More then the Creator who is blessed for euer Amen And if we would be free from plagues free from punishments let vs free our selues from sinne I know that feare of Poperies comming againe with superstitions hath spread it selfe ouer the face of this whole Iland but alas Wee feare where no feare is for I dare confidently affirme that it neuer was his Maiesties minde nor the purpose of the State to bring in Idolatry and superstition into this land againe Cantic 5.3 for We haue washed our feete and shall we foule them againe But the secrets of State is more then either I can perceiue or most of you well vnderstand Or if they did yet were it vayne Quia non est concilium contra Dominum because no deuice of man can subuert the truth of God vnlesse our sinnes doe prouoke our God Reuel 2.5 Nulla nocebit aduersitas si nulla dominetur iniquitas Gregor Cyprian to remoue our Candlesticke and to take away our light and therefore though all the Iesuites of the world and all the Cardinals of Rome nay though all the Deuils of Hell should doe their worst against vs yet if we feare our God and forsake all Sinne the diuels may haue all their seruants before they all shall be able to hurt any one seruant of the Lord quia non plus valet ad deijciendum terrena paena quam ad erigendum diuina tutela 1 John 4.4 because He that is in vs is greater then he that is in the World and is more able to preserue vs then the Prince of darkenesse is to destroy vs. That wee should turne to the Lord our God And therefore if you thinke Poperie to be euill and would be free from superstition neuer feare the State nor lay the blame on others but leaue your sinnes and Turne to the Lord your God with all your hearts and with all your soules and you shall see the Saluation of the Lord which hee will shew vnto vs this day Exod. 14.13 for the Egyptians whom you haue seene and feare you shall see them againe no more for euer the Lord shall fight for you and you may be sure no euill shall happen vnto you it shall not come nigh your dwelling for the onely way to escape all punishments is to forsake all sinnes Neither doe I say this as if we could be cleane from sinnes for I know it was Nouatus his error and we must all know it for an error Hieron adversus Pelag. that a Christian after Baptisme doth not sinne and it was but a Pellagian conceite before him inuented by Pythagoras that the exercise of Vertue rooteth out all the seede of Vices Matth. 7.18 for a Bad tree cannot bring foorth good fruit and in some things sayth the Apostle I feare I may say as it is in our last English translation in many things wee Sinne all Iames 3.2 1 Iohn 1.8 And if wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. But I say this that we should haue a feruent desire not to sinne and to say with the Prophet O that my wayes were made so direct that I might keepe thy Commandements and that wee would endeuor pro virili to the vttermost of our abilities not to sinne and labour alwayes with the Apostle Acts 24.16 to keep a cleere conscience in all things both before God and Man Thirdly Seeing all miseries death and damnation are as iustly inflicted vpon the sinner as the poore Souldier may iustly claime his little stipend we should not complaine against God Sueton. in vita Vesp C. 10. with Vespasian Immerenti sibi vitam aripi that he tooke away his life without any fault of his or without any fayling on his part but we should with the Leuites in Nehemiah with Daniel with Ieremie and with all the rest of the men of God commend the Lord and condemne our selues saying surely thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs thou hast dealt truely Nehem. 9.33 but wee haue done wickedly And thus I haue shewed thee O man quid sit malum what is euill and you haue heard a large discourse of Sinne and the most lamentable effect and wages of Sinne And now it is a thousand to one that the first thing many one of vs will doe is to goe home or perhaps afore wee goe home to sinne some to sweare some to their whores some to be drunke some to deceiue and most of vs to some sinne or other But if euer any of you doe for those sinnes receiue this pay remember I haue told you what you should haue Death for the wages of Sinne is Death and I can doe no more but pray to God that he would giue vs grace to forsake Sinne that we may escape Death through Iesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost three distinct Persons of that one eternall in diuided Essence be giuen as is most due all prayse and glory for euer and euer Amen A Prayer O Blessed God which hast created Man we doe acknowledge that thou hast made him righteous but he sought out many inuentious and hath most grieuously sinned against thy diuine Maiestie and thereby hath most iustly pulled vpon himselfe and all his posteritie all miseries death and damnation But thou desirest not the death of a Sinner but rather that hee should turne from his wickednesse and liue And therefore we doe confesse our sinnes we doe detest our sinnes and we doe most humbly pray thee euen for thy mercies sake to bee mercifull vnto vs to deale with vs not according to our offences but according to thy Grace to giue vs Grace to serue thee that so we mâ—y be deliuered from our iust deserued punishment and be receiued into thine euerlasting fauour to prayse and magnifie thy blessed Name for euer and euer Amen A wearied loathed Life I leade content with onely Sadnesse To see my selfe opprest with Sinne and with this worlds Madnes I alwayes striue with wicked Sinne yet doth my Sinne preuaile I therefore hate my Selfe because my Sinnes I cannot quaile And I doe likewise wish for Grace that I might neuer offend But truely serue my Master Christ and please him to my end And yet I see this tyrant Sinne and wicked men doe wrong me To Hell the one to Miserie th' other still would throng me But reason bids