vpon earth which shall not see death and therefore we doe all sinne For death is the reward of sinne or else some should be equal vnto Christ and die without guiltines It is cleare and manifest that many die before any act of guiltinesse be committed as infants therefore they must haue the guiltinesse of their death deriued from others That the Apostle auoweth here to be originally from Adam As in one person there be diuerse members which be all guiltie when the person is conuicted so in the nature of mankind there be many persons as it were seuerall members and parts thereof and when the whole was corrupted euery particular communicating therewith must needes haue the same tainture And as a cankred roote doeth send foorth cankred boughes a masse of leauen leuened loaues the egges of a Cockatrise venemous serpents so Adam entring into disobedience begetteth disobedient children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an ill bird worse chickins The holy Ghost is my warrant that Adam did beget a sonne not according to the image of God whereunto he was created himselfe for that was then abolished but in his owne image when it was fowly degenerated Iudge now whether we doe beare the punishment of another mans transgression or are guiltie in our owne faults If one mans disobedience brought such an Iliade of sorrowes what must our guiltinesse be that haue added many and many actuall transgressions to his originall corruption Much euery way too too much Let no man then qualifie Adams sinne or his owne with vaine excuses as if his disobedience had not bene capitall but veniall and a trifle to eate of an apple The lesse the thing was that God did forbid the more easily he might haue forborne and kept the commandement No no there is not any thing light not any thing little not any thing of small regard in disobedience and disobedience of God and of such a God as he had shewed himselfe to Adam all is heynous all horrible all heauie all a talent of lead Yet in this passage I will commend a caution vnto you and wish diligent heed to be taken of two extremities That we neyther extend our corruption too farre lest we depraue the glorie of our Creator nor eleuate it too much lest wee depresse the benefite of our Redeemer The Scholemen and Church of Rome runne too much on the left hand and offend in the latter whilest they goe about to make originall sinne that is the venome which Adam hath conveyed vnto vs to be but a light and superficiall accident easily remoued and as they termed it in their late Councell of Trent not true sinne but only the froth and scumme of sinne Session 5. can 6. When originall sinne is thus extenuated consider I beseech you what and how little it is that they leaue to the redemption and benefit of Christ Not actuall not any great or enormious sinne such must be holpe by our owne penance prayers almes and satisfaction Nor my foule spots of originall sinne that they account to be but an abilitie or disposition to sinne and a matter of nothing So by their doctrine the Sonne of God watched and prayed and fasted was tempted with hunger thirst buffets scourges indignities and with a most painefull and shamefull death for a matter of nothing What is contumelious to the gratious benefit of our redemption if this be not Is not this to giue a thousand to our Redeemer and ten thousand to our selues Illyricus runneth vpon the rocke which is on the other side and goeth too far on the right hand perswading that the sinne which Adam hath conueyed to vs to be our very substance Sure there cannot be any thing added to the disease in this kinde but that which must detract from the Creator our substance is of his building And is it not a strange amplification of the disease that brings dishonour instead of glory to the Physitian If original sinne be of mans substance must it not needs haue tainted Christ it is most certaine that he tooke our whole substance how could he be true man without the substance of man This sinne which is transmitted to vs all is no part of mans nature but a deprauation of it spreading it selfe ouer all creeping into our marrow and most hidden entrailes There is a secret poison within vs like vnto the graines of Mustard seede little in the beginning but groweth to a great tree There want no subtile practises without vs according to the depthes of Sathan insinuated so couertly that they are scarce marked from whence they come nor whither they tend I would I were able to distinguish them vnto you but I cannot deliuer that which I haue not receiued There is morbus Mentis and morsus Serpentis malum innatum and malum seminatum pactus Cordis seminarium hostis They are not one but agree in one both are the sower fruites of this mans fatall disobedience Thereby hee receiued the one admitted the other and transmitted both vnto vs all And they are sufficient eyther for conception or production of sinne So by one mans disobedience wee are all made sinners Peraduenture some will say that this man by whom sinne came was receiued into fauour againe And what question soeuer others may make my opinion is verily according to charitie that Adam was saued and had present forgiuenesse of his sinne Then you will aske how he should transmit that sinne to his posterity that was remitted to himselfe Saint Augustine answereth that the Saints children discend from their parents by carnall generation not by spirituall regeneration But Adams sinne was forgiuen I graunt it yet that was not a matter of nature where the fountaine of generation rested the forgiuenesse of his sinne was a matter of Grace in the power of GOD not in Adams flesh For how was his sinne forgiuen not by taking sinne absolutely away from him but by not imputing it vnto him This imputation was not in Adams power but in Gods good pleasure therefore he could not transmit it to his posteritie He transmitted onely his owne tainture and mortalitie You know how the Husbandman doth purge and cleanse the seede that hee casteth into the ground he thresheth it from the straw winnoweth it from the chaffe siftieth it from all hoore and so soweth bare and cleane corne yet it commeth vp not pure corne but ioyned with straw and couered with eares How so Because it had these purifications not naturally but outwardly by the paines and endeuours of the Husbandman And as it was amongst the circumcised Iewes their children were borne with the foreskin againe vncircumcised because their circumcision was not inward or naturally in the parent but added outwardly by humane violence So it stood with Adam though his sinne were forgiuen yet because his righteousnesse was altogether in Gods imputation not in his owne nature he transmitted sinne and mortality which he had in himselfe and could not transmit righteousnesse
or immortality because they were altogether outward in the power of God Another Item the Apostle giueth vs that seeing our sinne commeth from our selues God is not authour thereof Dauid speaketh truely of the holy One of Israel Thou art not a God that louest wickednesse Psal 5. Were it not strange then for him to be authour of that which he doth not loue S. Iohn reduceth all the sinnes in the world to three heads the concupiscence of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life These the same Apostle saith are not of the father but of the world Sinne is a thing repugnant to the nature of God and contrarie to all his properties It cannot stand with his goodnesse for being the chiefe and soueraigne good he cannot be authour of euill seeing euerie one affecteth not that which is opposite but that which is conformable and agreeable to his nature And God is light and in him dwelleth no darkenesse at all Againe it were some impeachment of his power to be authour of sinne for without any euill God is able to doe what good he will The wisedome of God will not admit him to be authour of sinne Good is the proper obiect that draweth euery one his desire as the Philosopher disputeth truely and euill is neuer desired nor sought after but through error when that which hath but the face and outward appearance of good is mistaken for it which hath the true nature of good indeed So God cannot be the author of sinne vnlesse you derogate some thing from his wisedome And O Lord thine eyes be cleere thou canst not see euill If he were authour of sinne hee should diuert and turne men away from himselfe and that were a plaine deniall of himselfe not fit not possible to comply with his truth Neither can it hold correspondencie with his mercie for he pittieth and is mercifull to them that sinne therefore he cannot be author thereof To be short it will not sort with his iustice for hee punisheth sinne because he is iust and then he cannot be authour of it but he must needes be vniust And is there any vnrighteousnes with God That is an absurditie to be detested not confuted God forbid God forbid saith Elihu vnto Iob that wickednesse should be in God or iniquitie in the Almightie He sent his sonne to take away the sinnes of the world and to dissolue the workes of the Deuill therefore he createth them not for if I build againe the things which I haue destroied I make my selfe a trespasser Inventor vitij non est Deus Angelus illud Degener infami conceptum mente creavit Sinne as S. Iohn defineth it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a depriuation of that rightnesse which the law requireth in our actions and God which calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Ens is causa essendi non deficiendi of being and not of fayling Seeing God is Ens men of indifferent iudgement may see that non esse ad Deum non pertinet Lux non potest gignere tenebras Sol illuminat sua natura sed non inducit tenebras recedente vero Sole sponte sequuntur tenebrae Ita Deus qui natura sua bonus est si recedat a nobis hoc est iustis de causis gratiam suam nobis subtrahat vel vt puniat nos vel vt alijs gratia sua magis sit conspicua sponte peccatum sequitur Nec necesse est vt causam peccati alibi inquiramus quum interiorem habeamus malam voluntatē ad quam accedit suggestio Diaboli Light cannot breede darkenesse the Sunne lightneth properly and induceth not darkenesse but when the Sunne goeth away darkenesse followeth of their owne accord So it is with God who is good in himselfe when hee withdraweth his graces from vs vpon iust causes eyther for our punishment or to make his goodnesse more conspicuous vnto others when God hath retyred himselfe from vs vpon any occasion sinne is at hand by and by to take place of it selfe Let vs therefore lay the blame of sinne vpon the Deuill that deuised it and vpon our selues that consented vnto him let vs not charge God foolishly but magnifie and praise him for his infinit goodnesse and mercies in abolishing the workes of the Deuill and beseech him to beate downe that crooked Serpent more and more vnder our feete euen for his Christ his sake AMEN FINIS THE SWEET MYSTErie of mans Reparation ROM 5. VERS 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous THE last Sabbath I discussed the former part of this Text vnto your most honourable houshold and now by the assistance of God his holy Spirit your Princely patience doe purpose to vnfold the second Three points are here to be cleared first who this obedient person was secondly the manner of his obedience thirdly the validitie As to the first This age doth not affoord such plentie of obedience as may make the person here spoken of doubtfull or ambiguous If bare profession were good obedience Christ would neuer haue told the Iewes that Publicans and Harlots should goe into the Kingdome of God before them Saul neuer intending obedience pretends it all in vaine Some Philosophers left all they had that when they were rid of worldly cares they might haue the more libertie to follow vanitie Et nolebant censu abundare terreno vt abundarent magis sensu suo S. Bern. If some certain religious people haue deuoted themselues to obedience their vowes make the title fayrer but not the obligation stronger S. Bernard decyphered such vanities long agoe Sine defectu pauperes sine despectu humiles sine labore diuites esse volunt Holy and obedient people indeed that will be poore without want humble without contempt rich without labour and obedient without any reknowledgement of allegiance They will not be like vnto other men therefore sauing our Aphorisme against retaliation and Christian charitie that nothing be done in reuenge if other men wil be as peremptorie againe not to be like vnto them there shall be no great cause left as I suppose for Church or Common-wealth to complaine The importunitie of their challenges makes mee to put difference in those that be obedient the person that our Text speaketh of is obedient vnto God these pretenders are obsequious vnto men to S. Frauncis Benedict Dominick Ignatius Loyola and their superiours But why should Christians that are borne of God take names from men Non ad hominis nomen ambulo Christi nomen teneo Perirem si essem de parte Pauli quomodo non perirem si essem de parte Donati His obedience stood in performing his fathers will theirs is exercised in vpholding mans inuentions or if they labor in obeying God it is but in part and he was obedient perfectly his person was infinite theirs
of God are without repentance Of Dauids faith and Peters and others that fell into enormious sinnes I say with Tertullian Caepit arescere sed non exaruit mota fuit sed non amota concussa sed non excussa Adam peraduenture may be thought to haue lost faith and grace wholly till he was restored againe but if it were so his losse inferreth not ours because wee haue gained a better estate by Christ then we lost in Adam for his Garden and Paradise we haue heauen for his mutable felicitie we haue an vnchangeable inheritance for his image of God we haue the same image againe in more glorious fashion not seuered from God as it was in him formerly but now inseperably coupled to the Sonne of God O necessarium Adae peccatum ô felix Adae culpa quae talem ac tantum meruerit habere redemptorem Here is all the aduantage that Adam hath if there be any aduantage in that which is euill his disobedience is generall and vniuersall not in power alone but in acte too it maketh all sinners The obedience of Christ hath a potentiall vniuersalitie and is sufficient to make all righteous but actually it iustifieth the faithfull onely By the obedience of one many are made righteous The reason of this difference is manifest Adams disobedience is deriued by propagation so reacheth vnto all Christ his obedience is beneficiall to so many as haue their hearts open to receiue it by faith because it comes of grace And that is not common vnto all for then it should be turned into nature Communis est omnibus natura non gratia natura non putetur gratia sed si putetur gratia ideo putetur gratia quia ipsa gratis concessa est Saint Augustine alloweth no vniuersalitie of grace The winde bloweth not euerie where but where it listeth Neyther can all heare but those that haue an eare to heare Neyther haue all faith but those that are predestinated vnto life neyther is it in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that hath mercie Quare hunc trahit non illum noli iudicare si non vis errare This continuance and soliditie of faith sortes well with S. Peter with S. Paul and such as were guides we are farre inferiour to those shining lights and may not expect the like grace of righteousnesse Thus some Rabbins of the Societie would beare the world in hand that where sanctification is not alike there iustification cannot be equall and so robbe poore sinners of comfort that need it most Doe they not withall steale one moletie of our iustification from God and transfer it to workes It was a harlot and not the true mother that cryed Nec mihi nec tibi sed diuidatur Tutiores viuimus si totum deo damus If Christ were a changeling if he were one to S. Peter and another to S. Paul fauourable to the Centurion Matth. 8. and difficult to the Ruler Ioh. 4. Flexible to the woman of Canaan for her faith that was heroicall and immoucable to the faint faith of the father that cryed Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe Marc. 9. there were some colour for this inequality of iustification because he is made of God righteousnesse vnto vs. But seeing Iesus Christ is yesterday to day and the same for euer Heb. 13. seeing he is God and doth not alter Mal. 3 the same and his yeares doe not faile Psal 102. seeing he is euerlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9. And that which is eternall must needs be free from all variation Let no man imagine his iustification to be greater or lesse according to the strength or imbecilitie of his faith The poore lost sheepe that was brought home vpon the shepherds back had no great strength of faith to walk And they that did looke vnto the brasen Serpent were not all alike sighted yet they all had one and the same benefite of health The difference of degrees and measure neither increaseth nor abateth the nature or being of anie thing A small droppe is as well and truely water as the maine Sea a little sparke is as truely fire as the mightiest flame the hand of a little childe may receiue a pearle as well as the pawe of great Goliah and a weake faith euen a graine of Mustard seede may be a true iustifying faith as well as the full perswasion and height of assurance It is not the qualitie of faith that makes vs righteous that is but the worke of one commandement that is inherent in vs that would giue vs matter of boasting But the obiect of faith namely Christ imputed vnto vs is that which makes vs righteous A counter that is not worth three pence of it selfe when it stands in the right line is reckoned for tenne thousand pounds so is the valuation of our righteousnesse taken not for the perfection of faith that is but a three pennie counter in respect of righteousnesse but from the line of Christs obedience The Publicans righteousnesse stood not in the perfection of vertues fot he cryed Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner and he went home iustified How S. August Nihil boni fecisti datur tibi remissio peccatorū It stood in remission of sinne And is not forgiuenesse of sinne graunted to all alike If there be any difference they should haue greatest iustification that haue most forgiuen What is it then that can make inequalitie in our iustification Is it the lesse for the multitude of sinnes No S. Paul giues vs sweeter diuinitie Where sinne doth abound there grace exceeds it in aboundance Or is it lesse for the infirmitie of our faith Neither there S. Peter relieueth vs when he sayes We haue obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 1. like pretious faith with the Apostles Do you think that the strangers which dwelt here there thoroughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bythinia had puritie of faith eyther amongst themselues or with S. Peter No sure there will euer be a diuersitie in graces Why then doth hee call their faith like pretious Forsooth because that by faith we doe all possesse the same Iesus Christ with his righteousnesse and obedience So he saies we haue obtained like pretious faith by the righteousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ. If Iesus Christ his righteousnesse his obedience make our faith like pretious then God puts no difference as touching adoption and iustification betweene them and vs And therefore for conclusion we beleeue thorough the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they doe It is plaine by the Text that all righteousnesse is inclosed in the obedience of Christ His doctrine is the fountaine of wisedome his iustice the worke of righteousnesse his life the mirrour of temperance his death the standard of fortitude And in vaine doe yee labour in the pursuit of any vertue if you seeke it anie where but