of this world Therefore it is consonant that he as a King praieth not for the world As touching his Priesthood many and manifold are the obiections but they may be reduced briefly to these foure heads The first drawen from the power of his passion The second from the equitie of his will The third from his owne practise And the fourth from Apostolicall exhortation 1. From the power of his passion is obiected that of Saint Iohn He 1. Ioh. 2. 2. is the reconciliation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sinnes of the whole world Why therefore doth hee not pray for the world seeing hee is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world The same Euangelist elswhere answereth it He came indeed vnto his Io. 1. 11. 12 owne but his owne receiued him not But to as many as receiued him to them he gaue this prerogatiue to bee the sonnes of God Their destruction and desertion therefore is of themselues because they do not receiue him The second obiection drawen from the equitie of his will is that of S. Peter where 2. Pet. 3. it is said that he would that all men 2. Pet. 3. should bee saued How then can that bee seeing heere hee praieth not for all men The answer herevnto is that his will is two-fold to wit voluntas Signi and voluntas Beneplaciti His reuealed will and his concealed will He praieth saith Saint Augustine that 's his Aug. in Iohan mercie For he hath mercie on whom hee wil haue mercy He praieth not that 's his iustice For there are vessels Rom. 9. of wrath prepared for destruction The third obiection is taken from his owne practise for hee praied for his enemies father forgiue thē The answer Christ was then the Lambe of God and in his deepest humiliation wherein hee shewed all tokens of meekenesse and mercie but heere in the distinguishment of the sheep from the Goates he is the Lion of the royall blood of Iuda that rendeth in peeces his aduersaries and diuideth the spoile The fourth obiection from Apostolicall exhortation is that of Saint Paul who exhorteth 1. Tim. 2. 1 That praiers and supplications bee made for all men The answer This word All is not to be vnderstood de singulis generum but de generibus singulorum as that also in our Liturgy That it may please thee to haue mercie vpon all men which some haue made an nicetie of is not vnderstood collectiuè but distributiuè as Master Perkins consenteth But that of Cyrill meeteth al obiections and descendeth to the third office of Christ as hee is a Prophet For that ancient Father saith Christ speaketh heere spiritu prophetic◠for obserue the maner In his passion hee praieth for his aduersaries not mentioning his Disciples heere hee praieth for his Disciples and excludeth his enemies Neither is this dissonant from Dauid his tune when he said Let their Table bee made a Psal 6 9. snare bow downe their backs and let that which was for their wealth bee vnto them an occasion of falling and the like for this is no imprecation but a prophecie that so it shal befall the accursed the Lords enemies Augustine is of the same iudgement Christ might saith Augustine haue praied in silence vnto his heauenlie father but hee would not First because he might be an example vnto his Disciples that they might also pray Secondlie that hee might make knowne vnto them the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen to whom they belonged whereof this was not the least to wit That the vngodly had no portion with them of the praier of their Lord and Sauiour But let vs heare Christ himselfe First excluding the reprobates in generall in this verse I pray not for the world and secondly in particular excepting Iudas as you see verse 12. Where you may obserue that he praieth not for his confusedly but particularly for the Lord knoweth who are his Now then ye see that as he is a king he answereth My kingdome is not of this world As he is a Priest all receiue him not albeit he profer offer himselfe vnto all and as a Prophet he foretelleth what shall bee the portion of the wicked to drinke But if any shall bee yet curious and obiect that the person of the Sonne of God suffered which is sufficient I answer that the Pascall Lambe profited the Israelites onely and not the Aegyptians The vse of all this is First that the promises of God doe onelie concerne the faithfull And therefore let men remember that of Saint Augustine Sperando desperando miserè pereunt homines by hoping wickedly and wantonlie all their life in the mercy of God desparing worse in their death by forsaking the liuing Lord men miserably perish The second vse is that albeit Paul preach yet Christ is indeed to some the righteousnesse of God but to others the Rock of offence So that the effect is not in the Preacher but in the disposed auditour Lastly that a Prophet must aswell denounce Gods iudgements as pronounce his mercies So did Hosheah to the Clergie when he cried O ye Priests Hos 5. 1. heare this and to the Laitie Harken O ye house of Israel and to the kings Court Giue eare O house of the king for iudgement is toward you because yee haue beene a snare in Mizpah a net spred vpō Tabor In like manner also doe al the Prophets Fitly therefore heere doth Christ Iesus the very spirit of Prophecy proclaime the wicked world to bee excepted in his holy and heauenly mediation He therefore saith I pray not Durus est hic sermo quia cor nostrum durius Did the sunne stand still at the praier of Iosua did it Josh 10. 12 2. Reg. 20. 11. Mat. 26. 45. retire ten degrees in the Dial of Ahas at the word of Ezechias And was it darkened at the passion of Christ Iesus No maruell then if now it had stood still and neuer againe mooued or retired to the vtmost corner of the world and neuer returned or beene vtterly darkened and neuer giuen any light againe seeing the light of the world and the Sonne of God said I pray not for the world Ex. 19. 18. Did Mount Sinay tremble at the giuing of the Law and the walles Iosh 6. 20 of Iericho fall downe when the Priests sounded their Trumpets and did the earth quake at the passion of Iesus Christ as fainting vnder such an hideous burthen Mat. 26. 51 that the wicked and accursed sonnes of men should execute the Lord of life No maruell then if the whole frame and fabrik of heauen of earth had not beene dissolued into their ancient Chaos when Christ Iesus by whom all things were made shall say I pray not for the world But the heauens the earth are reserued vnto 2. Pet. 3. 7. the second and glorious comming of the Lord and are now preserued and susteined only for
and also ab illo malo from the deuill and all his designements Lastlie it is the perfection of the church if we respect the time to come for hee is the ancient of daies not to bee antiquated by length of time He is the perfection of our soules and bodies in the resurrection and in a word our exceeding great reward So he praieth verse 24. That we may be where he is that we may behold his glorie which was from euerlasting Of this knowledge of the power of Christs praier manifold is the holie and deuine vse practise 1. Of hope which quickneth vs. For while we pray heere on earth wee knowe and beleeue assuredly that Christ praieth for vs and pleadeth our cause as an aduocate in heauen In his humiliation hee praied for vs in his exaltation then assuredlie oh Angelicall Manna 2. Of reuerend boldnesse which the spirit of God exhorteth Seeing Heb. 4. 14. 15. 16. then that wee haue a great high Priest which is entered into heauen euen Iesus the Sonne of God Let vs hold fast our profession for wee haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin Let vs therfore goe boldly vnto the throane of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede 3. Of resolution if the praier of Elizeus was powerfull to restore 2. Reg. 4. 36. Act. 20. 12. to life the Sonne of the Shunamite and of Paul to bring againe the breath of Eutychus Why should not wee resolue to trust in the Lord albeit hee kill vs for he killeth and maketh aliue againe he laies vs in the dust and raiseth vs vp to euerlasting and euerliuing glorious felicitie 4. Of confirmation for heere are all the blessings of Garazim and the dew of Hermon which falleth vppon the hill of Sion which is Gods Church where the Lord promiseth his peace and blessing for Zach. 2. 5. euermore this is not murus aheneus but murus igneus not a wall of Brasse but of fire wherein is not onely protection but terrour and vtter destruction Protection to Gods Children a terrour to their enemies euen a far off but if they bee so foole hardie as imagining their skins to be thunder proofe and approach to hurt his church they and theirs shall bee vtterlie consumed 5. Of precedent wee ought also to pray for our selues and for our brethren for that is a countermure against all assaults of Sathan and therfore Christ our Sauiour so aduiseth vs Pray continually Luk. 18. Lastly of direction Christ praieth to God the Father immediately wee therefore in his name onely ought to send out our praiers not to Saint or Angell for that is an iniurie to the whole Trinitie First to God the father who is the obiect of our praiers so himselfe speaketh Call Psa 50. 15. vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare you 2. To God the Sonne for he is the one and onely mediatour of our praiers There being but one God and one mediatour betweene God and man 1. Tim. 2. 5 which is the man Christ Iesus 3. To God the holy Ghost for he is the breath of our praiers Wee in our selues knowing not what to pray for Rom. 8. 26 nor how to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes vnutterable Now let vs descend from the person which is the Sonne of God vnto the parties which are the Sonnes of men First as they are designed by titles of fauour honour Secondly as they are distinguished by notes of separation from the world I pray for them which are my Sonnes by adoption my Saintes by calling my Princes and Priests by conuersation my beloued by decree my baptized by institution my Illuminates by purpose and mine Associates by promise His Sonnes so Saint Iohn stileth Iohn 1. 12. them As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to bee the Sonnes of God An heauenlie priuiledge The Sons of men become the sonnes of God by knowing acknowledging Iesus Christ The same diuine in words of admired demonstration pointeth this out saying Behold what loue the father hath giuen to vs that wee wretches should be called the Sonnes of God And because the Euangelist thought it not enough that wee should be so called he addeth further Deerely beloued now are we 1. Io. 3. 1. 2 the Sonnes of God but yet it is not manifest what wee shall bee If then we be sonnes some vertue together with the seede is transfused Bonus sanguis non mentitur Honourable blood cannot counterfeit Whereupon the spirit of God warneth vs that we shew our selues as Sonnes not as bastards for Heb 12. 8 whome hee praieth not 2 I pray for them which are my saints by calling whome I haue purged by my blood and sanctified by my spirit The blood of Iesus 1. Ioh. 1. 7 Christ purging vs from al our sinnes And Paul testifieth that Iesus Christ was declared mightilie to be the sonne of God by the spirit of sanctification Rom. 1 not onely in himselfe which was powred out on him without measure but also vppon euerie one of his in some measure We ought therefore to bee holy as our heauenlie father is holie wee beleeuing also a communion of Saints which is seene by faith and not by eie 3. I pray for them which are my Princes my Priests by conuersation So Peter entituleth 1. Pet. 29 them ye are of the Royall Priesthood Royall therefore Princes Priesthood therefore Priests Princes in swaying their affections Priestes in sacrificing their pleasures and in offering their daily sacrifices to God for themselues others In euerie true christian there shineth a certaine princely maiestie seasoned and sorted with a Priestlie modestie and humilitie Chrysostome saith they are knowne by their gate by their looke by their vesture by their voice Their going princely being shod with the Eph. 6. 15. shoes of preparation of the Gospell Psal 131. 1 Their lookes Princely being lifted vppe vnto the hils from whence commeth their helpe Their vesture Priestlike al glorious Psa 45. 13. within Their voice Priestlike soft and milde as Iacobs voice and these are those for whome Christ heere praieth 4. I pray also for them which are my beloued by decree Beloued before they were Iacob haue I loued Beloued when they were children Hos 11. 1 when Israel was a childe I loued him Beloued when they were men Zorubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel shal be as the signet vpon Hag. vlt. my right hand Beloued when they are not Right deere in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints yea albeit Beggers yet beloued for angels attend them in after death Luc. 16 22 to carrie and conuey them to rest 5 I pray for them which are my Baptized outwardly by
They compassed mee againe and againe but in the name of the Lord I shal destroy them yea when they came and swarmed about me like Bees they are quenched as a fire of Thornes that choaketh them for in the name of the Lord I shall destroy them I pray that haue both a Deuine and humane nature A diuine nature to help and a humane to commiserate and condole therein hauing a simpathy of our miserie and moane I came out of the land of the liuing to bring you happines that sit in the shadow of death I bring you rich promises and precious of the glorie and grace of God the father whereby you are also made partakers 2. Pet. 1. 4 of that heauenly nature not in substance as Seruetus grossely imagined but in qualitie whether therfore you respect my name or my nature saith Christ I am both willing and able to succour and saue them that seeke mee Onelie this you must dulie remember that your glorious name of Christians auaileth not vnlesse you bee also partakers of the gratious nature for euerie one that calleth on 2. Tim. 2. 19. the name of Christ must depart from iniquitie And thus much of the person Now let vs goe on to the pious practise Secondlie I pray He praieth as a man hee giueth as a God saith Saint Augustine vpon this place August in Iohan. Much might here bee said of praier and not to much for it is the pretious Iewell and peerelesse pearle of our christian profession but I tie my selfe to my parts proposed to wit to shew the power thereof in others and the speciall propertie in him by whom and through whom others had and haue their power The power of praier in others both in the old Testament and in the new is as myraculous as marueilous In the old Moses and Aaron are called vpon by Pharaoh a reprobate at that time when the plagues punishments of God lay vppon him and his people that they should pray vnto their God for him and their praiers were the meanes to take away and ease those distressed people frō those vexations torments No charming of his fanatical Enchanters no violence of his desperate souldiers no magnifience of his vaine Pyramides although aduanced to heauen could ought preuaile but prayer onely yea powerfull praier in the Faith of Gods seruants Exod. 8. 9. stands in the gap and turnes away the plagues euen from Aegipt It rained not in three yeares and a halfe and the praier of Elias openeth 1. Reg. 18. the buckets of heauen loseth the bands of Orion and the bottles of the clouds as Iob calleth them when no other remedie nor means could be found vnder heauen A seelie and distressed yet faithfull woman Anna the Mother of Samuel openeth not 1 Sam. 1. her mouth in vocal praier but in mental eleuation vnto her God she obtaineth the desire of her heart euen a Sonne at the hands of God when as Ely the Priest imagined shee had beene drunke and rebuked her but she yet continued in her earnest and powerfull petition and preuailed In the new Testament also another reprobate Simon Magus paraleling Pharaoh in the old had this knowledge of the power of praier That when Peter had denounced against him the fearefull threats of Gods iudgements Oh saith he Pray you to the Lord for me Act. 8. 24 that none of these thinges which you haue spoken come vppon mee See Simon Magus went thus far in religion that he knew there was no spedier harbinger of trust could bee sent to stay and stop the passage of those fearefull plagues but the Praier of Gods seruants Peter is caught put in prison deliuered to foure quaternions of Souldiers by mightie and malitious Herod He sleepeth betweene two souldiers bound with chaines the keepers before the doore yea the verie night before hee should bee brought foorth to the people What meanes is there now for Peter to escape Behold the power of praier Earnest praier was Act. 12. made of the church to God for him saith the Scripture This so preuaileth that it procureth an Angell to bee sent from heauen chaines cannot detaine him nor Prison nor Souldiers cōfine him nor keepers restraine him nor the Iron gate of the city stay him but it openeth of it owne accord and Peter is brought safe to his friends Maruellous art thou O Lord and glorious in thy works but aboue all in thy mercie which thou shewest vs in the priuiledeges Act. 4 31. of thy Church and chosen The Apostles being ioyned together in heartie and holie prayer the verie place where they were assembled shooke and trembled for the maiestie of Gods presence was there Consider then that the verie earth whereon we liue and mooue quakes at the powerfull operation of praier If then praier bee so powerfull in those who had their power by Christ who heere praieth How much more powerfull and pretious is his praier who is so gratious with God his Father that a voice was heard from heauen saying This is my welbeloued Sonne Matt. 3. 17 in whome I am well pleased And againe a second time a voice from heauen answereth I haue glorified Ioh. 12. 28 it and I will glorifie it againe when as the people that stood by thought it had thundred Yea and an Angel is sent from heauen Luk. 22. 43 to comfort him when hee was to enter into that great and greeuous conflict of his bloodie agonie yea right powerfull must his praier be that was iustified euen Mat. 27. 19 24 by his enemies Pilates wife writeth Haue nothing to doe with that iust man Pilate himselfe washeth his hands from the guilt of that innocent The Centurion inured to carnage blud butchery pronounceth Assuredly this was 54 a iust man The verie variable and hundred headed giddie multitude returne knocking their breasts in remorse of conscience for shedding that pious and pretious guiltlesse blood of Iesus Christ For our knowledge then hence wee inferre that this praier of Christ is the Foundation Firmament and Perfection of the Church The foundation of the Church if wee looke backwards for it was elected in Christ before the world was This Chapter witnesseth it verse 5. That Christ was with the father Ioh. 17. 5 before the world was That hee came out from the father vers 8. And that the father loued him before the foundation of the world verse 24. It is the firmament and assurance of the Church if we respect the time present for the calling of God is without recalling the Golden Chaine testifieth it Whome he hath elected before all time he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth in time So in Rom. 8 the 15. verse he praieth not that the father would take them out of the world but being in the world preserue them from the euil therof both a malo culpae from the euill of sinne a malo penae from the euill of punishment for sinne
institution Inwardly being washed from their blood with that clean water which Ezekiel speaketh of washed Ez. 16. 9. in mine owne pretious blood which maketh their garments white contrarie to al other blood which staineth for so haue the Saints washed themselues and Apoc. 7. 14 their robes washed also in the lauoure of the new birth wherby Tit. 3. 5. they are regenerate to life euerlasting 6 I pray for them which are mine Illuminats by purpose which once were darkenes but now are light in the Lord for I enlighten euerie one that commeth into the world but not any that loueth the world These dwell in Goshen where is alwaies light and all other sit in darkenesse and in the Aegiptian shadow of death These mine Illuminates are pure in hart being purified by faith they therfore see God in a three-folde mirrour 1. They see him in his word in the mirrour of Iesus Christ 2. They see him in his works with Mat. 5. 8 another eye then the worldling doth in the great displaied book of heauen and earth 3. And lastlie heereafter shall see him face to face in heauen with Iesus Christ and the holie Angels 7 I pray for them which are mine Associates by promise partaking of mine owne name beeing Christians Act 11. 26 At Antioch they were first called Christians now heere and in all the Christian world Saint Ambrose his iudgement of these Associates was so deere that hee reades that place Gal. 5 24. Qui sunt Christi in the nominatiue plurall not as it is vulgarly taken in the genitiue singular As if hee should obserue that so manie Christians are so many Christs by reason of this holy and heauenlie vnion and Association The vse then blessed Brethren is that wee seeke and endeuour by all might and meanes to correspond these gratious glorious and ennobled titles Otherwise what are wee with these pretious titles but like the boxes and pots of the Apothecarie which outwardly haue some goodlie exotique inscription when within is some vnwholesome vnsauory drug or like the Mahumetanes which at this day call themselues Sarasins as if they came of Sara the free woman when as indeede Zozom Eccles Hist 6. 38. they are Hagarines of Hagar and Ismael as Zozomen a thousand yeares agoe obserued which appeareth euen yet by their wicked and dissolute condition at this day Or like those that row in a bote sit with their faces toward you but row the bote backward so some make semblance of going on in a direct course and christian carriage when their actions and proceedings are directlie contrariant With such I may expostulate and say what hast thou to doe with the name of Sonne when like a bastard thy condition is to shame thy father and dishonor thy mother Thou causest God whome thou boastest to bee thy father to bee contemned and the Church thy mother to be despised What hast thou to doe with the name of Saint when as thou art a Slaue to sinne and a bondslaue to sathan what hast thou to doe with the title of Prince or Priest when as thou canst finde in thine heart nay boast of it that thou art an agēt against Prince Priest in the vilest actions Or why boastest thou of the honour of beloued when as thou art hatefull to God good men or of thy Baptism seeing thou art of that folish Pro. 30. 12 fond generation that are pure in their own conceit and art not clensed baptized from their vncleannes Or of thine Illumination when as thou gropest at mid-day as did the ancient heretikes the Gnostikes who imagined that they had an impropriatiō of Gods spirit that none had true knowledge but they and as the Anabaptists Iesuits with the late foūded order of the confoūded congregatio Oratorij who at this day in this glorious light of the Gospell of Christ grope in Cymmerian darknesse and gape after vnwritten reuelations Lastlie what haue you to doe with the name of christian when as ye are indeed Cretians of whome that of Tit. 1. 2. Epimenides is fully verified The Cretians are alwaies liars euil beasts slow bellies But I am perswaded better things of you my brethren Attend you therefore as Sonnes and if ought afflict you call and crie vnto your heauenlie father who doth tender you as Sonnes and as Saints resolue that here we haue no abiding Citie but we seek one to come let your conuersation bee therefore as they that looke for so glorious an estate in heauen And as Princes and Priests Psal 119. 164. Dan. 6. 10. with Dauid seauen times a day and with Dauid three times a day Pray praise the Lord. You that are the beloued of the lord let neither life nor death separate you from that vnspeakeable loue nor the power of darkenesse nor the gates of hell for none of all these preuaile against the beloued of the Lord. And as truely Baptized children and washed in the righteousnes of Christ say with the spouse in the Can. 5. 7 Canticles I haue washed my feete how should I defile them I will by no meanes wallowe againe in the mire You are illuminated of the Lord by the pretious eye salue of his truth being blind and darkned before through the ignorance that was in you Giue glorie therfore vnto the Lord as the blind in the Gospel who were restored to their sight And lastly as true christians associated to Iesus Christ bee zealous in the Lords seruice as were the Christians in the primitiue church who being in persecution and dailie subiect to bloudie butcherie yet praied and praised the Lord in the dens caues of the earth as Plinius Secundus euen their aduersarie in the time of Traianus the emperour testifieth of them But you blessed brethren haue your oratories open your pulpits frequented with free and gratious passage let not the feruencie of these distressed Christians rise vp against you in the day of iudgement who are thus blessed euerie way and beloued euerie day of the Lord of heauen and of earth that he may pray for you and so you may be euermore blessed in the surpassing fauour of Iesus Christ Remember also that as you are thus designed by titles of fauour and honour that you also shew your selues both to your owne soules to others as the people that are distinguished and separated from the men of this world For our Sauiour heere in this place saith I pray not for the world but for them which discretiue But distinguisheth demonstrateth that you are not of the world albeit you are in the world That you are not of the world three infallible notes of separation must declare And here let no man traduce this word Separation for I vnderstand not thereby anie Anabaptisticall or Brownish seperation but the same that Paul meneth though in a diuers matter For as he speaketh of Separation or setting apart of Preachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ro.
the good of the elect for whose sake onely this world continueth that their number may bee full and accrue vnto the Lord. Blessed be the maiestie of our God for euermore But O Lord may we be so bold as to enquire a reason why thou that diddest sacrifice thy selfe for the sinnes of the world wilt not pray for the world Surely blessed and beloued in the Lord I will not conceale that from you which the Lord hath reuealed He praieth not for the world the first reason may be drawne from a mandatorie prohibition The second from the Communion of Saints The third from distinction of diuine knowledge and the fourth from Christs owne foreknowledge First therefore as Mat. 12. there is a sinne irremissible so there are sinners not to be pardoned nor prayed for Concerning which sinne the prohibition is 1. Ioh. 5. 16 There is a sinne vnto death I say not 2. Cor. 4 4 that thou shouldest pray for it Secondly it is said That the Deuill is the God of this world What Communion then hath Christ with Belial or light with darkenesse 1. Ioh. 5. 19 Thirdly GOD hath giuen this knowledge vnto his Children that they know themselues to be of God and the whole world lieth in wickednesse What then hath 1. Cor. 4. 9. 13. Christ to doe with the stoole of wickednesse Fourthly Christ foresaw that this world should murther his Saints make theÌ„ the gazing stocke of the world account them as the riffe raffe of the world and treade them vnder foote as the of â—couring of all things Secondly Christ foresaw that the wicked world should deale more cruelly with the coate of maintenance of the Church then did the Romish Souldiers with Christs coat who cast lots for it but this world diuides and rents and teares it into peeces and well is he that can get a peece albeit it profiteth him not nay although all the rest he hath be cursed for it That coat which the souldiers cast lots for was without seame wouen from the top to the bottome The souldiers were wise who saw if it were diuided it would roue and be to no benefit they therefore became aduenturers who should haue all But this politike world which seeketh to deuoure religion delaieth not the time in lotterie but euery one snatcheth and catcheth some by violence as wilde beasts and Boares of the forrest and cormorants of the world some by craft and subtiltie as Foxes nip the blossoms of the Lords vine vntill it die againe Thirdly Christ foresaw that the wretched world should not onely vnmannerlie exclude the Lord of life out of doore albeit hee knocketh and desireth entrance but also that it wold deale clownishly with him as did the inhumane Gergesens who willed him to depart out of their Coasts The vse of this exception is that wee enter into no associations and leagues with this wicked world for it is deliuered vp into three fearefull traditions or rather desertions First vnto the lusts of a wicked heart Secondly vnto vile affections Thirdly Rom. 1. into a reprobate sense The Psalmograph therfore bids vs haue nothing to doe with the stoole of wickednesse which imagineth mischiefe as a Law And the Apostle proclaimeth the Lords will saying Come 2. Cor. 6. 17. 18. out from among them and seperate your selues saith the Lord and touch none vncleane things and I will receiue you and I will be a father vnto you and you shall bee my Sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie But let vs consider farther First who are here designed by the world and secondlie why they are so described Concerning the first who are signified by the world As the passion of Christ so the praier of Christ sufficient for all but not effectuall to all sufficient for all it is the current of the fathers That one drop of the blood of the sonne of God was sufficient to expiate the sinnes of the whole world but albeit the sonne of God did sweate bloud in an Agonie yea not drops but clots of bloud and that in such quantitie that it trickled downe to the ground to blesse the earth which was accursed Yea and seas of pretious bloud issued in his glorious passion from his hands and feete yea and from his verie heart yet there is a cursed and wretched He. 10. 29. generation which treade vnder foote the Sonne of God and count the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing despise the spirit of grace Of these the blessed Apostle telleth the Church Phil. 3 18. 19. of Philippi weeping That they are are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose God is their bellie whose glorie is their shame whose end is fearefull damnation which minde worldly things Rightly therefore are they designed by the world So doe the ancient interpret world For I will not detaine you with the manifold acceptions of this word world and the promiscuous vsage thereof I pray not for the world That is saith Bernard for them that wholly addict and addresse themselues to the world I pray not for the world That is saith Ierome for the wicked and euill men of the world I pray not for the world That is saith Augustine for these that follow and pursue the concupiscence of the flesh In all this wee may inferre that the world here is directly opposed to the disciples and followers of Christ Iesus and so Saint Iohn taketh the world in his Gospell where hee saith Christ came into the world and Iohn 1. 10 the world receiued him not So that nothing can be more contrariant to Christ and true Christians then these that are heere designed by the world which will appeare vnto vs most euidently in the part following wherein wee may examine the resemblance why they are signified by the world Which is first in respect of the parts Secondly in regard of the causeâ— of the world First in the parts both Firmamentarie and Elementary In the Firmamentarie parts of the world they are fitly resembled vnto the Eclipses and Meteors In the Elementarie parts to their corruption and rebellion Secondly in the causes to two onely the Materiall and the formall cause As for the other as they know not so they care not to know or consider But let vs returne to the Firmamentary part In the Firmamentary world there bee Eclipses of Sunne and moone For wheras the Moone receiueth her light from the sunne it hapneth that in the full the Moone being in the head or taile of the Dragon vnder the Madix of the sunne that the Iohannes de Sacro busto de Sphaera earth will be enterposed between the sunne and the Moone so that the shadowe of the earth falling vpon the bodie of the Moone causeth her not to bee seene in our sight Such is the Eclipse of the wicked in this world For by the Moone is resembled the church which is alwaies eclipsed vnto the vngodly by the shadow of
But their precedent generation hath denounced a woe against saying Woe be vnto them that either wash or clippe the coine whereon the Lord hath set his stampe Yea your ancestours commonly vsed these words in their donations Let their Ex aribiuis â—alleg Gland accouÌ„t be without fauor in the day of the Lord whether they be our heires or successors who shall dare to diminish or alter the lands reuenues and inheritance that we haue consecrated to the Lord. If the iudgement of your elders be required this impious and iniurious surprising of Church estates hath beene condemned both by Christian bishops and also by Christian Emperors who euer were willing rather to lay downe their liues then that the prosperity of the church should bee impeached or the goods thereof wickedly imbeazeled or diuerted from the godly intendments of her well disposed benefactors But you see beloued that Christs Church hath bene surprised and dispoyled of her possessions that whereas the Psalmist saith The earth is the Lords The men of the earth with their earthly mindes haue left our Lord as the Iewes no place to rest his head so they no land to set his foot vppon Hence are your lacklatines your lacklearnings which you fondly and furiouslie obiect vnto the reuerent Beaupeers of the church the Bishops whereas you your selues haue made such priests by robbing the Church as church-Pyrats by famishing the Church-men in taking away their bread and liuelihood by vsurping the possession of others For who should serue your foure pound fiue pound twentie nobles cures if such were not ordained to holde your plough your Church and parish would lie fallow yea that poor pittance which is left to maintaine a few better qualified persons is so caught and dailie vndermined by bare weather beaten desperate courtiers forlorne Gentlemen Cyclopâ—cal scatizers that al wisdom godlie policie of the reuerend Bishops and faithfull councellers of state vsing their best endeuors vtmost fidelitie is little enough to retaine it so far are they from any hope of a succession or godlie deuoted generation who would studie to promote the wealth of the Church But let this generation know that the world is giuen vp to a reprobate sense and if they follow it they also are in no better estate Good Lord where is the blessing and fruite of the ancient time Happie is he that preacheth to an attentiue eare and to an intelligent heart and an obedient soule Worthy Ridley in one sermon to that famous renowned Christian Prince Edward the sixt preuailed that Christ-Church hospitall the Hospitall of Saint Bartholomews in Southwarke and Bridewell were at once erected But now in an hundred Sermons the ministers of Christ must become like to the Friars Mendicants and yet not so far preuaile euen in this place with this Hono. citie us to purchase entertainement I hope I shall be the last that euer shall mention it And to conclude my blessed brethren seeing that al the things of this world are accursed without Christ seâ— before your eies Paul and Dauid as presidents and motiues to exhort you to resolution Paul was crucified to the world Gal. 6. 14. and the world to him and accounted all things as losse and dung for the lucre Phil. 9. 8 of Christ And Dauid wondred That any man should desire ought in heauen but the Lord or esteeme any thing in earth in respect of his God Let vs not then bee like sucking babes who rather cleaue to their nurse then to their owne naturall mother This world is our drie nurse the Church is our true mother Let vs then that are able to receiue strong meat learne to distinguish But if for al this you despise this counsell set at naught these aduertisments and addict your selues wholly to the world listen and heare how the world will deale with you in the end Serue it neuer so long yet as Churlish Laban dealt with Iacob in bringing foule Leah to his mariage bed insteed of faire Rachel so the world wil promise you gladsomnes but will performe loathsomnesse will promise you the finest and gaiest speciousnes but will performe with you in deceitfull spitefulnes Let the experienced say if by the world they found any thing but worldly care in gaining the world wordly fear in retaining it worldly sorrow in losing it Yea this is the meede of their life and in their death insteed of Tumulus giue them cumulus an heape of stones as had Achan who touched the execrable thing so these haue some painted Sepulcher or some specious or pompous funerall and there is Catastrophe the guerdeÌ„ that the world affords them But you beloued and blessed in the Lord lift vp your hearts to him that praieth for you in whome you are the Sonnes the saints the Princes and Priests the Beloued and the Baptized the Illuminates and Associates of the highest by whose sufferings you are seperated and distinguished with works of saluation from the residue of the world through whom God dwelleth in you by the liuerie and seison of his gratious spirit in this life and will after this life is ended be in full possession of you both in soule and bodie eternallie in the glorious rest of heauen To moue you now therfore to are solution to leaue this world all worldly fleshly and diuelish practises of the worldlings and such as are ex diametâ—o contrariant to all heartie and vnfained Christians to cleaue vnto the Lord that doth thus pitie you in praing for you honour you in making choice of you froÌ„ among others and in gracing you by vouchsafeing to receiue you as pledges of his fathers loue and accounting you as his own I cannot propone a more forcible motiue to stir vp and quicken your hearts to a sad serious thankfulnes then to put you in minde that you certainely are the people that Christ hath praied for euen you I meane the faithfull of this Land and state who haue sought the Lord in sinceritie and hearty deuotion And that I may not now in the Epilogue of this my weake endeuour send you farre backe I shal desire you to looke and with open and displaied eies beholde the louing kindenes of the Lord toward our kingdome and countrie euen in the memory view of our whole nation and all Christendome How escaped we the furious and mischeeuous complotments of manie weightie and malitious deadly enemies in all the peaceable raigne most happie and neuer enough admired gouernment of that deere Lady our late soueraine Qu. Elizabeth of pretious memorie Did not Christ pray for vs when all those secret designements popish thunder Cardinal conspiracies Iesuiticall proiects and domesticall treacheries were discouered set vpon the stage Did not Christ pray for vs when our state tottered at the decease of our late Soueraigne and to the wonder of al the Christian world did as an earthquake shake settle in a moment when all nations about vs stood looking at the things likely to ensue What frustrated the Popish prophecie of Worthing toÌ„ the Iesuit when forespeaking as he hispaniolized traitor wished That the fall of one Ladie would be the raising of an other Meaning that the death of Ladie Elizabeth would bee the Diadem of Izabella Infanta Eugenia Clara who brought to scorne also the surmise of Weston the Iesuite another false prophet who seeing his fellow WorthingtoÌ„s spel take no effect went on and tooke longer time as the manner of bankrupts is and said That the sinnes of England were not ripe at the death of Weston de tripl offic Queen Elizabeth But when England had fulfilled the measure of her sinnes as the Ammorites did then would the Lord vtterly destroy vs. Which Gen. 15. 16 prophecie of his doubtlâ—s intended the powder Treason which if it had beene effected then had Weston deserued to haue been notified with a red letter in the list of Anabaptisticall prophets But then euen then also Christ Iesus praied for vs and Worthington with his coopse-mate Weston are found lyars and we our prince and people are maruellously and miraculously deliuered from the sulphurous blast complotted at Rome proiected at Rhemes fortified at Doway practised in England yea and that which was some certain yeeres in intendment and purpose was frustrated in a moment Oh then seeing not onely the whole land but euen the very particular person here present can capitulat in specie what great things the Lord hath done for them where in we now reioice let it be sufficient for me to commemorate in generall and for euerie one of vs in indiuiduo to commune with his owne heart and write this lesson there with the pen of a Diamond that neither day nor night tide nor time weale nor woe may obliterate or blot out the character of his diuine lesson and angelicall consolation but resolue that our whole life bee a deuoted sacrifice of thankfulnes seruice to the liuing God of eternal maiestie through Iesus Christ our faithful intercessor to whom with God the father God the sanctifying spirit be rendred al power praise might and maiestie this day and euermore Amen The very God of peace sanctifie you 1. Thes 5. 23. throughout and I pray God that your spirits soules and bodies may bee kept blameles vnto saluation through Christ Iesus this day and euermore FINIS