sake As also Paule sayth Obey the magistrate for conscience sake As if he sayde that albeit wee coulde escape the punishment of the magistrate yet our conscience condemning vs in the sight of God shoulde restraine vs from offending those whome hee hath appointed to bee ouer vs. It went hard with Abrahams seruants to bee circumcised especially in that they were well stroken in yeeres yet dyd they obey him without replie or gaynsaying And not they onely who were instructed in true religion but also the inhabitants of Sichem poore idolaters in like obedience to theyr king Gen. 17.23 Gen. 34. suffered themselues also to bee circumcised 5 Which is more as Saint Peter admonisheth seruants to bee subiect to their masters albeit froward and peeuish So are subiects bound to obey their magistrate albeit an infidell a wicked man or an Idolater as were they that bare rule in the daies of Saint Paule and S. Peter to whom neuerthelesse they commaunded to yeeld obedience and subiection For as Christian religion doth not subuert the order of policie so the wickednesse and impietie of the magistrate doth not depriue him of his right to command neither doth it exempt the subiects from their dutie to obey And surely so long as in them remaineth the image and ordinance of God euen so long continueth the bond to yeeld obedience to them not as to man but as to God And in this case wee are to consider and diligently to note that albeit euerie thing that happeneth is by the prouidence of God Yet doth the holy Scripture represent vnto vs this diuine prouidence and conduct as it were most expressely and vsually in the vocation and establishment of Kings Princes and Magistrates euen heathen Idolaters tyrants and such as are giuen to all wickednesse iniquitie What tyrannie did Pharao exercise against the children of Israel Exod. 9.16 Yet God himselfe saith that he had exalted him into that estate What a robber a reauar and a tyrant was Nabuchadnezzer Yet Daniel speaking vnto him Rom. 9.17 saith Thou king art a king of kinges For the God of heauen hath giuen thee a kingdome power strength and glorie Dan. 2.37 How tyrannously and vniustly did Saule gouerne as in that hee commanded to slaie all the priestes and enhabitants of Nob 1. Sam. 21. and so diuersly persecuted Dauid to the death Yet had Samuel by the expresse commaundement of God anoynted him king ouer Israel 1 Sam 10.1 As good Princes therefore are giuen by the Lord in his mercie to do good to their subiects so doth he giue wicked Princes to correct some and to punish others and thus the princes whether good or bad albeit of themselues not knowing so much doe seruice vnto God Ierem. 35.9 And in that sence doth the Lord call that great tyrant Nabuchadnezzer his seruant Ezech. 29.18 He giueth him Egypt in recompence for his seruice making his armie to serue against Tyrus Ieremie 26.7 He commandeth all nations to be subiect vnto him and to obey him yea which is more He commaundeth the poore Iewes that were in his captiuitie Ieremie 29.7 to pray to God for the peace of his Citie promising that in his peace they shall haue prosperitie And therefore notwithstandin◠wee hate their tyrannie yet ought wee to loue their parsons in respect of the image of God that they doe beare Prosper in his sentences out of S. August and also for their vocation which proceedeth of the will of the Lorde For sayth Saint Augustine It is one thinge to hate that which they doo And an other to loue that which they are 6 We are therefore to yeelde vnto them subiection and obedience without murmuring or strife against them When the people of Israel asked a King Samuel at Gods commaundement warned them how they should be entreated 1. Sam. 8.11 saying This shal be the manner that is to say the ordinary and customable entreaty for the worde sometime signifieth custome of the king that shal raigne ouer you He will take your sonnes and apoint them to his Chariots and to be his horsemen and some shall runne before his chariot He will also make them his captains ouer thousands and captains ouer fifties and to eare his ground and to reape his haruest and to make his instruments of warre and the thinges that serue for his chariots He will also take your daughters and make them apothecaries and cookes and Bakers He wil take your fields your vineyards and your best Olyue trees and giue them to his seruants And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and giue it to his Eunuches and to his seruantes He will take your menseruantes and your maid seruants c. Heereto he addeth that when they finde themselues thus tirannized they will crye out to the Lord because of their King whome they haue chosen and the Lord will not heare them Whereby he sheweth first that such as finde themselues so oppressed must haue recourse to God by prayers Secondly that albeit God doth not deliuer them yet they must continue and with patience beare their estate and not rebell or raise mutinie muche lesse therefore is it lawfull for them to attempt against the life of the Prince albeit a tyrant and heereof we haue a notable example in Dauid who notwithstanding he was annointed to raigne after Saul yet when Saul tyrannously pursued him would not neuerthelesse attempt any thing against his person but euer restrayned others that would haue slayne him Slay him not said he to Abisay 1. Sam. 26.9 for who can laye his hand on the Lordes annointed and be guiltlesse then he addeth As the Lord liueth either the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to dye or he shall discend into battell and perish The Lord forbid that I should lay my hand vpon the Lords annointed 7 Neuerthelesse albeit God thus defendeth their right and authoritie yet it is not meant that we should forsake him or dispence with our selues by obeying man to disobey him for sith man hath no power as Iesus Christ saith but what is giuen him from aboue it is not meet that man should be obeyed Iohn 19.11 when he commaundeth any thing repugnant to the will of him without whose authoritye he hath no power to commaund 1. Pet. 4.13 Also in as much as it is for the loue of God as S. Peter saith that we must yeeld to be subiect and obey them this loue of God bindeth vs to refuse to obey them in any thing that they commaund contrary to the loue that we owe vnto God and this they ought thēselues to acknowledge confesse as the Apostles shewed to the gouernours of the Iewes Acts 4.19 saying Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge yee We must therefore as they did adde obeye God rather then man and this doth S. Augustin confirme saying
owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath chosē vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising frō death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a hūdred diseases And as the soule is more excellēt thē the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excellētly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1◠that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignorāce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secōd principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giuē his only begottē son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of
and that my name might be declared thoroughout all the earth But because it may seeme strange that God should so harden the heart of Pharaoh that resisting his will and commandement to suffer the people to depart he should be swallowed vp in the sea and the people of God be so deliuered What doth Saint Paul alleadge in iustification of God Euen againe his will saying that in this horrible iudgement executed against Pharaoh and in the incomprehensible grace shewed to the people of Israel God shewed mercy to whom he would and hardned whom he would If anie man therefore should demaund whereof it commeth that God vouchsafeth to saue these men by causing the Gospel to be preached vnto them conuerting them by his holy spirit giuing them faith and shewing mercie vnto them either wherfore he causeth not the gospel to be preached to others or giueth them not saith but rather hardneth them Saint Paul admonisheth vs to aunswere Such is Gods will he sheweth mercie to whome hee will and hardneth whom he will And therefore let it content vs to vnderstand that it is his will as also he willeth nothing but in iustice and wisedome And this onely reason ought more to satisfie and content vs than all the expositions and reasons that the most subtyll heads and spirits in the world are able to inuent And in deed the reasons of the holy Ghost are stronger than the reasons of men and whatsoeuer theyr knowledge is yet must they not presume to haue more knowledge than the holy Ghost and this must wee alleadge in defence of the iustice and glorie of God 10 This doth the Apostle also represent vnto vs in that hee addeth For hauing propounded this obiection and replication Why doth hee yet complaine Rom. 9.19 For who can resist his will hee laboureth not to propound the discourse of man in the iustification of God but stayeth vpon three pointes First hee sheweth that the onely remembrance that wee are men ought to restraine vs from arguing with God Secondly that God wyth his creatures may doo what hee will And thirdly that the manifestation of his glorie must swallowe vp all replications and murmuring For first he aunswereth O man who art thou which speakest against God Thereby signifying that where men dare replie and thus accuse God of vnrighteousnes because they vnderstand not his reasons the same doth proceed of this that they remember not that themselues are men either what man is in regard of God If a childe of eight or tenne yeeres olde hearing a philosopher discourse of the greatnesse and course of the Sunne should argue against him and maintaine that the same were no greater than a platter neither of any swifter pace than a snaile would the philosopher stand vppon the deliuerie of the reason of his discourse vnto him No for the childe could not bee capable to conceiue it But hee woulde tel him Thou art yet a child Euen so is man in comparison of God infinitly lesse in knowledge than is a child in comparison of the most excellent philosopher in the world Wee must therefore with Saint Paul maruell how man dareth striue or dispute with God and in reason to stop his mouth we may saie vnto him O man Iob 9.3 32. who art thou that speakest against God If man would dispute with God sayth Iob hee could not answere him vnto one thing of a thousand And therefore hee after addeth saying God is not a man as I am that I should answere him if we come together to iudgement neither is there anie vmpier that might take notice of our cause or laie his hand vpon vs both The same doth God also note where hee speaketh to Iob in a whirlewinde and sayth Who is this that darkneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge Gird vp now thy loines like a man I will demand of thee Iob. 38.2 and declare thou vnto mee When therefore wee heare these replications wherefore doth God complaine of vs that we are so hardned eyther that beeing hardned wee doo offend him more and more Seeing it is his will to harden vs wee cannot stande against him Let vs aunswere with Saint Paule O man who art thou Shall man that knoweth himselfe so to bee take vppon him to dispute wyth God 11 As for the second point the Apostle confirmeth the same that hee had before spoken namely that God hath mercie vpon whome he will and hardneth whome hee will declaring by the similitude of a potter that hee hath power and authoritie so to doo And in deede Hath not the potter power of the claie Rom. 9.21 to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Yes euen so much that the earthen vessell cannot saie to the potter Why hast thou made mee thus What iniquitie is it then to suppose that God hath not as much power ouer his claie namely ouer man his creature as man hath ouer the earth which the creator hath giuen vnto him Men with this reason I will doo wyth mine owne what I please doo stoppe the mouthes of theyr equals How much rather then may God so doo whose wyll is euer conioyned with wisedome and iustice whereby hee cannot doo anie thing but in wisedome and iustice If anie man list to replie that there is great difference betweene the earthen vessell to dishonor and the reprobate because the vessell feeleth no euill but the reprobate shall feele most horrible and eternall torments We aunswere that the Apostle well inough knew that and yet iudged the similitude to bee verie fit and sufficient to iustifie God as in deed it is greate reason that hee should employ his creatures as he will for the manifesting of his glorie in them 12 And it is the third point which the Apostle toucheth where hee sayth What if God woulde to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen Rom. 9.22 suffer with long patience the vesselles of wrath prepared to destruction and that hee might declare the riches of his glorie vppon the vessels of mercie which hee hath prepared vnto glorie Hee here doth declare first that God doeth so hate and detest sinne that immediatly and without delaie hee woulde swallowe vp sinners were it not that in patience hee suffereth and beareth with them yea and endueth them with many bodily goods but they vpon obstinacie and wyth vnpenitent heartes abusing this patience doo heape vp for themselues wrath in the daie of wrath Rom. 2. 5 and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Secondly that God doth thus in patience tollerate the vessells of wrath prepared to perdition that hee may afterward shew his wrath against sinne in the horrible and eternall punishment thereof as also his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee will as it is shewed in the similitude of the potter Lykewise he declareth that the purpose of election tendeth to let men know the riches of his glorie in