third will he raise vs vp and we shall stand in his sight may not the head of the Church and his onely Sonne challenge it much more Adde vnto this his tender loue to his small weake and distressed Church when the faith of his owne Disciples was going out I will not beleeue saith one wee had thought saith another this had beene hee that should haue redeemed Israel verily it was time to rise to strengthen these bruised reeds and cherish these smoaking flaxes vpon the day God was to giue sentence vpon men for sinne hee staid till the heat of the day was ouer in the third of Genesis Gen. 3.8 but vpon this day being to preach remission of sinne hee rose betimes while it was darke It was the loue of God and his tender affection to the Church which he had so lately and so deerely bought made him rise so soone and appeare so often the same day to minister comfort to distressed soules The summe of which comfort followeth That remission of sinnes might be preached Remission of sinnes which springeth naturally out of his resurrection The 2. fruit as repentance out of his passion for as Christ died for our sinnes that sinne might die in vs by repentance so did hee rise againe for our iustification which consists in remission of sinnes this is the summe of the Gospell defined in the first to the Romanes Rom. 1.16 to bee the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue for as the power of darkenesse shewed neuer more in force then at his death so was the power of light at his resurrection that our Sauior Christ could go downe into the depth of death with so many milstones about his necke with the sinnes of the world vpon his backe and that hee could there shake them all off Rize vp the Sonne of righteousnesse like a Giant leaue all our sinnes in the bottome of the gulfe neuer to rise vp in iudgement to our condemnation This I say is the remission of sinnes and this is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue And that we may beleeue it The mini stration we must preach it that Repentance and Remission of sinnes might be preached How shall ye beleeue in him of whom ye haue not heard how shall ye heare without a Preacher In the tenth to the Romanes Thankes be to God you heare Rem 10.14 and I make no doubt but you would bee glad to heare the glad tidings of saluation the remission of sinnes preached for it makes you happy Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinne is couered but I beseech you consider the tenor and order of this commission you must heare of repentance before remission else wee shall build the roofe before wee lay the foundation for as sure as Christ did suffer before hee rose so must you suffer the passion of repentance before you can be iustified by remission Pardon me Right Honourable and well-beloued It is my taske to prouide the sharpe sauce the sowre hearbs of Repentance before you can tast and truely relish the Paschall Lambe at Easter you must weepe and mourne with Christ at the Crosse before you can reioyce with him at the resurrection you must put on sackcloath before Scarlet humble your selues before God before you can triumph with him that came from Edom in redde coloured garments from Bozra Esay the 63. and the first Thinke not that that austere doctrine of repentance did end with Iohn Baptist or that you can banish it out of the Citty into the wildernesse for as Iohn Baptist did beginne his preaching Matthew the 3. In the same manner did Christ begin his when Iohn was cast into prison Marke the first Repent and beleeue the Gospell for the kingdom of God is at hand So by his Example are we directed and so by his name are we authorized to preach to you 2 In his name 1 If you aske by what authority wee doe these things The authority my text is our warrant we come in his name At whose name euery knee doth bow both of things in Heauen and in Earth vnder the earth we are the Ambassadors of Christ the annointed King of Kings 2 If you take exception to our weakenesse beeing earthen vessels full of frailty men of polluted lipps like your selues Though of our selues wee are no more in vs then empty pitchers or Rams hornes yet we come in the name of our graund Captaine Christ who by the shining lampes of his Gospell in our empty pitchers can put our enemies to flight in the name of the praise of the high God who by blowing of these hornes with the powerfull spirit of his mouth is able to ouerthrow the walls of Iericho nay the very gates of Hell 3 If you thinke we take too much vpon vs that we are busie-bodies that we are they that trouble Israell disturb the Conscience more then needes we are sent in his name who hath laid this Oportet vpon vs So it behooued Christ to suffer and so it behooueth vs to preach equally are these two applied together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So it behooued Christ to suffer who if he had not suffered euerlasting woe had lyen vpon you and so it behoueth vs to preach wee haue receiued the ordinance of God by imposition of hands we be set apart for this businesse wee haue put our hands to the plough there is a necessity lies vpon vs we may not be scared away with a white cloath Woe vnto vs if wee preach not the Gospell 4 If our message of repentance be vnwelcome because it sets your Conscience vpon the racke till you haue made a penitent confession of your sinne Remember wee come in his name who suffered greater torment for you to teach you mortification by his passion the sacrifice of a broken heart made acceptable to the bloudy sacrifice of his Sonne 5 And then but not till then behold we come in the name of him who rose from the dead to raise vp your soules by the spirit of consolation In the name of him who rose the third day betimes to bring speedy comfort to a troubled spirit 6 To conclude wee come in the name of Christ the Lord annointed whose name is a sweet oyntment powred out to cure your soules by gentlenesse we come not by force of armes compelling but by forcible perswasions alluring Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem yea wee beseech you in the name of Christ that you would bee reconciled vnto God So did Paul intreat the Corinthians and so doe wee desire you for the commission is without limitation extending to all Nations Among all Nations Before his death 3. The extent It was onely to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell but when the stone which the builders refused at his Death was become the cheefe corner stone at the resurrection then were two walles knit together the Iew and the
ship in prophanesse as well as superstition 2 Many come within the compasse and suffer vs to cast our nets ouer them but they runne themselues so deepe into the mudde that the nette cannot get vnder them In the 33. Eze. 33.31 of this Prophecy verse 31. Sonne of Man my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for eyther they make themselues merry or else their heart runnes after couetousnesse They runne into the mudd of pleasure and pelfe of this world that wee cannot catch them 3 Now the third and best sort are caught and so long as the nette is dragged the same way that they swimme they come currently forward but when they perceiue how they be restrained of their former liberty and how their consciences are intangled in this net they giue a ierke and breake net and all Wee had neuer more neede to sit and mend our nets for let vs twist them as soundly out of holy writ and weaue them as strongly as possibly we can Psal 2.3 these sonnes of Belial who cannot abide a negatiue will breake them They will heare vs preach out of the two Tables while the bellowes hold they will deuoure whole Gomers of Manna and yet neuer the better liking but Aarons rod they cannot endure to heare of it though their soules haue surfeted neuer so much of sinne though their Consciences be neuer so dangerously wounded as much of the Samaritanes oyle as you will to heale it presently and draw a skinne ouer it but for that sharpe wine to scoure the wound for that Corasiue Diuinity to eate out dead workes for the Churches Physicke by Contrarie they will perish before they can take it After they haue suffered their mindes to wander after their eyes in the corners of the world and to feede vpon vnlawfull vanities tell them of afflicting their soule and crucifying their affections and lusts of confining their thoughts vnto deuotions and the Meditation of vnpleasing obiects Death Hell Anger to come of Dauids daily Vowes of striuing of labouring of watching vnto Prayers with all perseuerance Ephes 6.18 After they haue corrupted themselues in the seruice of Mammon tell them of Zaccheus his restitution and Almes-deedes for all their mis-deedes that all may bee cured by the contrary and made cleane vnto them Luk. 11.41 Luk. 11.41 After they haue pampered their flesh and fulfilled the lust of it tell them of the Corinthians reuenge vpon themselues for so offending such a gracious God 2 Cor. 7.11 of Pauls not beating the Ayre 1 Cor. 9.26 Psa 102.9 Luk. 7.38 but beating downe his body of Dauids ashes for Bread and mingling his drinke with weeping of the sinfull womans Poenitent Bath and her Towell and of that destruction of their flesh that their spirits might bee saued in the day of the Lord Corin 5.5 Doe but shew them this rod they are presently gone and Aaron is not able to hold them except Moses helpe him To heare of Discipline either voluntarily inflicted by themselues or necessarily imposed by others is detestable If there must needes bee a Rod they will chuse Moses Rod though it turne Serpent and sting them like a Scorpion rather then Aarons though it bud and blossome and would become in the end neuer so fruitfull and comfortable to their soules It was Aarons rod and not Moses which God commanded Moses Num 17.10 and not Aaron to preserue in the Arke The first time that I finde this Rod missing in the Arke of God was in Salomons dayes 1 Kin. 8.9 in the happy and peaceable dayes of Salomon and then was Plenty Peace and Liberty the abuse whereof brought an iron rod for want of Aarons Rod Rehoboams Scorpions the renting of the Tribes leading into captiuity turned Salomons Canticles into Ieremies Lamentations and all for want of Aarons rodde for if wee would iudge our selues wee should not bee iudged 1 Cor. 11.31 O Cherub Protectour vouchsafe to looke downe into this Arke of God consider the want of this rod in these quiet peaceable Salomons dayes Aarons rod is missing in the Arke of God our Church in her book doth still complaine of the want of this Rod Vntill saith Shee the discipline of the Primitiue Church may bee restored againe which thing is much to bee wished c. In steede whereof is a Commination against sinners as much regarded of the people as Bell Booke and Candle But had we that discipline which the Fathers of the Primitiue Church had who respected not so much the multitude of professours as the truth of their deuotion had we I say that seuere discipline in these dissolute daies which they had and power to execute it and grace to vse it aright men would quickly bee weary either of those sinnes which they now commit with greedinesse or of that counterfeit profession of Christianity This is the Fan that Iohn Baptist speaketh of Mat. 3.12 which would purge the flower and seuer the chaffe from the good corne for want of this there is no triall or manifestation either of faith by workes or of Repentance by the exercise of mortification but as by a vaine dead faith so by a slight vnsound Repentance wee deceiue both our selues and others so consequently there is no feare no awe no remorse of conscience And were it not that the mercy seat is aboue the Arke that the inuincible mercy and long suffering of God in Christ is aboue all his workes wee should soone feele the want of this Rod. But the seat of God amongst vs is a mercy seat and his oracles is the comfortable voyce of the Gospell of Christ which defendeth vs and the whole Church It was the voyce of him that dwelt in the Bush which preserued the Bush from burning though it was all of a flaming fire and it is the voyce of the Gospell of Christ which hath preserued this Church from fire and powder The annoynted therefore as he hath already with his Cherubs quill so let him euer after with both his wings defend protect and couer this Gospell so long as the heauens couer the earth with his owne wings they be his let him then suffer none to plucke them lest the Church of God bee left naked and vncouered They be a paire of wings let him keep them in their due proportion Moses and Aaron bee brethren it were vain to contend for seniority who was the elder brother they are brethren God leadeth his people by the hand of Moses and Aaron If we see any one Psal 77.2 hee or shee beat their hands one against another presently we imagine there is a distempered person let the annoynted Cherub to bring vs in temper prune and proportion his owne wings that in their due places and bounds they may bee both stretched out to protect the Church of Christ 4 Thus far we haue presumed to ascend yet one step higher to conclude with the voyce of the
claues where Obserue that the maine grunsels of that Church are vpon such places which are full of Metaphors As Purgatory is kindled out of that of the 1 Corin. 3. Wood Hay and Stubble 1 Cor. 3.12 and confirmed by the Metaphor of the Minister Iayler and Prison out of which they cannot come vntill they pay the vttermost farthing So the supremacy is founded vpon the Metaphor of the Rocke and keyes wee may climbe vp by a Metaphor well tentered higher then the boughes will well endure 1 Tibi Dabo Claues Aedificabo Dabo A promise here is made of that after was performed 2 By Keyes is expressed the chiefe authority in the Church It is fetcht from Esay 22.22 Esay 22.22 spoken to Eliakim to be steward in the steed of Shebne The key of the house of Dauid will I lay vpon his shoulder so hee shall open and no man shall shut and hee shall shut and no man shall open This key Christ had as the Master Reuel 3.7 in the third of the Reuelation and this say they committed he to Peter As the Master Christ had it so he commits it to the Apostles as stewards 1 Corin. 4.1 1 Corin. 4. Let euery one so thinke of vs as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards so the same word is vsed in Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull Steward But Tibi now is Vobis True 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was first promised to Peter vpon his confession but if the same be performed after to all that is heere promised to Peter Luk. 12.42 is not the point then at an end 1 What is more in Key then a Metaphor of binding and loosing two metaphors one to explane another yes Caiet an and Stapleton say there 's more in keyes then binding and loosing we leaue them to Bellarmine hee confutes Caietan in that by the generall consent of Fathers What can the keyes doe but open and shut We shut men out of heauen by sinne by the Grace of the Gospell they are admitted So by sinne we are bound and bound ouer to eternall condemnation in the chaines of darkenesse By the Gospell we are loosed from sinne to the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God 1 In the keyes then the power is promised 2 The function is declared so saith the Catechisme vpon the Councell of Trent challenge them therfore vpon their Oath Sacram Scripturam nunquam nisi iuxta vnanimem consensum Patrum accipiam aut interpretabor This Scripture being taken according to common consent and interpretation of the Fathers as the Bull of Oath made by Pope Pius the fourth and annexed to the Councell of Trent doth witnesse all shall be well at length 2 What is heere promised to Peter that is not giuen to all Iohn the 20. and the 23. verse Sicut me pater As my Father hath sent me so send I you A larger commission cannot bee giuen in plaine words much lesse in a metaphor Then sicut me Pater misit The Father sent mee to open heauen to the penitent so send I you The Father sent me to preach liberty to the captiues and to them that are bound Esa 61.1 the opening of the prison so send I you Whose sinnes ye remitte they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained If this power were giuen by breathing Christ breathed no more vpon Peter then on the rest for ought we know If the Apostles were made Bishops by laying clouen tongues on their heads we finde no more vpon Peter then the rest If the Apostles be the twelue foundations wee finde not Peter greater then the rest If twelue precious stones in the Reuelation the first is esteemed no more precious vnlesse in our estimation Bellarmine vrged by Caluin Cal. lib. 4. Instit c. 6. Sect. 1. Bell. de Rom. pont l. 1. c. 9.2 Cor. 11.28 How Scripture still giueth the chiefe power to the Apostles equally without preferring Peter before the rest yeeldeth the Bucklers Summa potestas ecclesiastica non solum data est Petrosed etiam alijs Apostolis Omnes poterant dicere Instantia mea quotidiana solicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum fuit enim in illis Ecclesiae primordijs necessarium ad fidem toto orbe terrarum celeritèr disseminandam vt primis praedicatoribus Ecclesiae fundatoribus summa potestas concederetur Mortuis autem Apostolis Apostolica authoritas insola petrisuccessione permansit Is it come to this that their labour was alike that they were all equally the chiefe Preachers that they were all in the same degree founders of the Church and the disseminators of the Catholique Faith The streame of the texts and the current of Antiquity interpreting the same hath driuen him to that Ingenuity What doe wee contending about Peters supremacy amongst these texts Wee had thought hee would haue fetched it from Peter Peter neuer had it search it then from Linus or Clement he that succeeded Peter we do not know who it was 1 Obserue they vrge it as Ius Diuinum and perswade weakelings that of Conscience vnder paine of condemnation we acknowledge our selues members of that Vniuersall Bishop and that out of Scripture Scripture doth not once mention him much lesse giue any preheminence to him aboue the rest 2 Bellarmine belabors al the texts Super banc petram Tibi dabo claues c. as if still Peter had something more then the rest he hath spun such a thred in this point that no spiders thred is more subtill Peter had the grant but neuer to enioy it one houre It was to begin in his successors but after his death So they must haue it from Peter else not Iure diuino else not as the Vicar of Christ or from him yet Peter neuer had it himselfe Somewhat there was which was giuen to Peter in these Texts but to begin after his death and after the death of all the rest It is worth examining for wee neuer came to the maine point till now Goe on with these texts which they presse but you shall finde this to be the issue of all TRACT VII IOHN 21.16 Feede my sheepe LEt vs handle this text occasionally hauing the last Tearme propounded the maine point The Quere whereupon the resolution of mindes vnresolued in Religion do depend to wit whether a man stand bound in conscience to forsake this present Church in which we are baptized and Catechized to bee reconciled to the Church of Rome vnder paine of eternal condemnation so they propound it to their disciples Concerning which I haue made these demands 1 Wee demand some cleere euidence for our Conscience else it were not onely rashnesse but a great sinne in so great a matter that the Church of Rome is the onely Church wherein is saluation 2 Whereas to this testimony of the Church that is of Rome for other they will acknowledge none that shee alone is the onely true Catholicke Church we take exception in this point to
owne defence and in commiseration of a masterles people vers the 11. O Lord why does thy wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought out of the land of Aegypt with great power and a mighty hand See how they be put off from one to another God will not owne them Moses cannot they be their owne they be themselues I haue seene this people and behold it is a stiffe-necked people saith God to Moses in the 9. verse and What did this people to thee that thou brought such a sinne vpon them saith Moses to Aaron verse 21. Thou knows this people that they are euen set on mischiefe saith Aaron to Moses vers the 22. Thus doe their sinnes fall vpon their owne heads they lost the glory of being Gods people they lost the honour of being the Children of Israell euen the Nobles of the Children of Israell cap. 24.11 Though men be neuer so well discended vice does taint the bloud it staines Nobility especially this of resisting gouernment they bee left to themselues alone a degenerate multitude they be neither Gods Children nor the Children of Israell this and the like are the fittest appellations of such a sinfull people 2. The occasion which mooued this people thus to doe was taken and not giuen Moses was absent what then was hee not about publique businesse receiuing Lawes and Ordinances from God for the gouerning of them such Lawes as no nation vnder heauen had the like did hee not acquaint them with all this before hee went more then Gouernours are bound to doe In the 24. chap. verse 14. Moses told them all the words of the Lord How far was he gone but into the mountaine leauing them at the foot He left them not alone without Iudges cap. 24.14 whosoeuer hath any matter let them come before them Yea but he tarried long before he came downe How long not six weekes in all So impatient so quickly haue they forgot the couenant made at their parting cap 24.3 All things that the Lord hath sayd we will doe repeated againe in the seuenth verse and ratified with sacrifices Is the impression of thunder and lightning so soone worne out will not the twelue pillers erected at his going at the foot of the hill bee sufficient remembrances for six weekes absence Children of Israel well might he call them children and Moses their nurse to carry them as sucklings in his bosome which he conceiued not euer crying and complaining neuer satisfied taking occasion where none is giuen There was great difference for a quiet contented heart when Moses was a Shepheard and when hee was the Gouernour of this people Nec abnuendum si dat imperium Deus nec appetendum 3. Moses is gone they wote not what is become of him 3 The Instrument or they will not know the power is in them somewhat some exployt must bee done and who must countenance the matter but Aaron One highest in authority and that should be holiest in life hee must bee the man and so hee was Omnis caro foenum If Aaron Moses Vicar amongst the people If Peter Christs Vicar in the Church who should bee Summi Pontifices If these fall so fowle that one denies his Lord the other preferres a Calfe before him let the Church of God neuer be built vpon that Rocke but vpon that which Aaron prefigured and that which Peter discouered in the sixteenth of Matthew Mat 6.16 Aug. vlt. D. tract in Ioh. Super hanc quam confessus es petram sayth S. Augustine vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed will I build my Church God in Aaron would teach Israel that hee who was thus captiuate to sinne himselfe could not deliuer captiues from sinne by his sacrifices as the Apostle prooues at large in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Moses died in the wildernesse Aaron fell fowly in the wildernesse the mortality of the one and infirmity of the other were as Schoole masters of Christ the Lambe of God and Lord of life to deliuer vs from sinne and death 4. 4 The meanes But let vs not as the manner of the world is lay more imputation vpon Aaron then there is iust cause his infirmity was great yet was he no voluntary agent but a forced Instrument they assembled themselues against him tumultuously and vrged him in threatning manner vp make vs Gods True it did not excuse him more then Pilate who feared a tumult Matthew the 27. Hee should rather haue died a thousand deaths then haue yeelded yet see what pretty policies he hath to stay the businesse 1. Hee calles for golden eare-rings of their wiues sons and daughters in the second verse thinking women would by importunity bring any thing to passe rather then part with their iewels and ornaments there was some hope that either the couetousnesse of men or the pride of women might so farre preuaile that some domesticall dissention might hinder this great conspiracy against the God of heauen But as Sathan will not cast out Sathan so one sinne is hardly wrought against another especially those diabolicall sinnes of pride and idolatry There was no cost spared for all the people plucked off their iewels not one from another but from themselues in the third verse their Idoll was their Iewell they neuer yet bestowed such cost vpon the true God that brought them from the bondage of Pharaoh nor on Moses their Gonernour as now vpon the image of a Calfe 2. When there is no remedy he takes the Iewels casts them into the fire fashions a Calfe carueth it made a grauing toole to goe ouer it built an Altar proclaimed an holy-day whil'd the time that Moses might come downe or some accident befall to stay their fury so vnwilling was Aaron but they forced him 5. What to doe Make vs Gods to goe before vs Gods seruice is a reasonable seruice in the 12. of Romanes Rom. 12.1 but the seruice of sinne is most vnreasonable especially this of Idolatry that a God can be made that Aaron a sinnefull man can make a God that hee can giue it life and motion to goe before them Is it possible the people should bee so senselesse This poynt then will beare two Queries 1. What Gods they meant should bee made Make vs Gods 2. To what end to goe before vs. Some thinke they meant onely a sensible resemblance of the true God or an image to which some Diuine power might vpon consecration bee annexed but I doubt they troubled not their heads with such differences 1 They called them gods in heathen tearmes they were weary of one God and now they must haue a plurality though Elohim be vsually translated in the singular number yet in this place I take it plurally because St. Stephen does so reade it in the seuenth of the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7.40 Make vs gods Idolatry implies plurality a plurality a nullity dicite plures dicits nullum two infinites there cannot be eyther