the Church to Rome or Amsterdame or harden them in their prophanenesse and irreligion then turne them to righteousnesse Yet let vs not wrong the age wherein we liue nor slight the graces of God conferred on it I am confident wee may boldly affirme of it that God gaue the word and great is the company of the Preachers neuer any age before in this kingdōe nor at this present any kingdome or country in the world affording so many so able so faithfull Teachers and if many thereby be not turned to righteousnesse it is their owne fault nay it serues to aggravate both their offence and their punishment it takes away all colour from excuse and adds weight to their condemnation And so I passe from the persons rewardable to the reward it selfe the second maine branch of my Text. Though it be not lawfull to worke for the reward yet is it not vnlawfull in our working to cast an eye vpon the reward for the better supporting of our patience and the cheering vp of our faith and hope Thus our Saviour set before himselfe the ioy to come his Apostle the price of the high calling and Moses his servant the recompence of the reward Now in this reward we haue the condition the different degrees in that condition and the perpetuity of those degrees first then of the condition which is shining They shall shine The shining light was at leastwise of all the visible creatures the first that Almighty God made and among them all it is the most beautifull the most cheerefull the most vsefull Now it seemes requisite and suteable that they who shine in wisedome here in the mid'st of a crooked and perverse nation should likewise shine in glory hereafter that they who are filled with the light of knowledge and imparted their light to others in the Church militant should themselues be filled with the light of glory in the Church triumphant We shall then behold him face to face who is the light of the world who lightneth every man that commeth into the world who is the father of lights who is cloathed with light as with a garment and dwelleth in light that is inaccessable which no man can approach or attaine vnto and in his light shall we see light nay in his light shall we bee light They looked vnto him and were lightned Even in this pilgrimage and vally of teares with open face we behold as in a glasse the glory of God and thereby are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2. Cor. 3.18 much more then shall wee be changed into the same image when we behold him not in a glasse but as he is The path of the iust saith Solomon is as the shining light which shineth more and more vntill it be perfect day our shining then is begun here in this life but the perfect day the perfection of this shining is reserued for the next here it is that the day-starre ariseth in our hearts and neuer leaues vs till it turnes vs into starres In which regard the seaven Angels that is the seaven Pastors of the seaven Churches are named starres Rev. 1.16 And the twelue Apostles are represented by a crowne of twelue starres Rev. 12.1 but this was in regard of the present condition the future both of them and all those who by their teaching should be turned vnto righteousnesse our Saviour himselfe resembles to the shining of the Sunne Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sunne in the kingdome of my Father they shall shine and that as the Sunne they shall shine forth as the Sunne when hee darts his beames forth in their full strength at high noone All the shining all the glittering pompe and brauerie of the great Monarchs of this world at their highest festiualls or greatest solemnities is noe more to this future shining of the Saints then is the light of a dim candle to the brightest starre or the shining of a glowe-worme in the night to that of the Sunne when as a bride-groome he marcheth forth of his chamber and reioyceth as a mighty Gyant to run his course When Moses came downe from the mount and from talking with God his face shoone so bright as the Israelites could not behold the brightnesse of it but he was forced to couer it with a vaile that so he might talke with them and of S. Stephen it is said that all who sate in the counsell where he was conuented and arrained looking stedfastly on him saw his face as it had beene the face of an Angel now if it please God thus to conferre such a wonderfull measure of shining glory vpon his seruants here on earth what shall we conceaue he hath reserued for the glorified Saints in heauen at the transfiguration of our Sauiour we read that his face did shine as the Sunne and his very rayment was white as the light which Saint Peter standing by and beholding was so rauished as he talked of building tabernacles for Moses Elias not well knowing what he spake yet was all this but a tipe as it were or shadowe of that glory and Maiesty with which hee was afterward to be invested and to which we shall be conformed for when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him 1. Ioh 3.2 We shall be then like him for that he shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body these vile bodies of ours sowne naturall shall be raised spirituall sowne in corruption shall be raised in immortality sowne in weaknesse shall be raised in power sowne in basenesse shall be raised againe in glory in shining glory answerable to the citty in which they shall be placed whose light is like to a stone most pretious euen to a Iasper stone cleare as Christall the streets thereof of pure gold as trāsparent glasse the foundations of the wall garnished with all manner of pretious stones the Saphyr the Emerald the Chrysolite the Iacinth the Almethyst and the like the 12 gates of 12 entire pearles such shall be the shining glory of the place and that of the inhabitants thereof euery way correspondent thereunto Here we dwell God knowes in a great deale of darknesse the darknesse of error and ignorance the darknesse of sinne the darknesse of misery but then he who brought light out of darknesse shall turne our darknesse into light the darknesse of ignorance into the light of knowledg for then shall we know him as we are knowne of him the darknesse of sin into the light of holinesse resembled by those long white robes spoken of in the 17 of the Reuel◠and lastly the darknesse of misery into the light of happinesse Then shall all teares be wiped of our eyes we shall rest from all our labours and not only so but enter into our masters ioy it is not said that our masters ioy shall enter into vs but we into it in regard of the fulnesse thereof for in
thing which is to teach commanded also the manners of teaching which are to preach with liuely voice and to set forth the doctrine in writing both of them being fit for teaching and this latter most fit for to continue and to transferre doctrines and instructions vnto posterity Daniel Chamier in his Panstratia Tomo 1. Lib. 1. c. 21. num 6. To teach comprehendeth as well the liuely voice as writing So Paul preached the Gospell vnto the Romanes no lesse by writing an epistle vnto thē then teaching them by liuely voice out of the prison And it is the solemne custome of the Fathers when they cite any thing out of the Apostles writings to expresse it in these words The Apostle teacheth yea St Paul ascribeth vnto the Scriptures that they make a man wise Ibid num 7. All men know that a thing may be related two waies both by liuely voice and by writing For as those things which are in the voice are signes of those things which are in the minde so those things which are in the writing are signes of those which are in the voice And therefore the same is both waies equally signified or related Ibid. cap. 22. num 2. Because the liuely voice is vsed to no other end saue to expresse the meaning of the speaker and Scripture doth evidently expresse the meaning of God speaking vnto vs therefore in this respect it is false that the Scriptures are dumb For we no lesse vnderstand that a man is justified by Faith when wee read it in Paul then when Paul himselfe pronounced it with his liuely voice Lib. 6. cap. 5. num 7. The written word is distinguished from the word preached by no substantiall difference For they differ neither in specie nor in genere nor in number but only in accident So for example that Sermon which first S. Peter made vnto the Iewes after the gift of the holy Ghost differeth not from that which we read Act. 2. related by S. Luke saue only as writing is not a liuely voice yet because writing is no other then the image of a liuely voice so little difference letteth not but that I may affirme the Sermon which I there read to bee the same which S. Peter then made Wherefore if it be the same Sermon in number why may not the same bee affirmed of the same and I truely avouch it to bee read in S. Luke Hauing heard these things they were pricked in heart These things I say which both Peter then deliuered by liuely voice and now S. Luke representeth vnto vs. Ibid. cap. 18. num 8. Vergerius an Italian Bishop who had negotiated many businesses for the Pope against Luther vndertaking to write a booke against the Apostates of Germanie for so he tearmed them and diligently seeking out their arguments to confute them was himselfe so overcome by the strength of them that rejecting his Bishopricke and the hope of a Cardinalship hee vtterly renounced all Popish tyranny Ibid. lib. 7. cap. 9. num 17. The meditation of the Scriptures is doubtlesse an Ordinary meanes ordained by God to procure Faith For these things are written that yee might beleeue Ioh. 20. Ibid. lib. 10. cap. 6. num 11. To preach comprehends not only the liuely voice but also writing so that those words Preach the Gospell are thus to be vnderstood intimate the Gospell vnto all nations by what meanes soever it may be rightly intimated whether it bee by liuely voice or by writing D. Davenant B. of Sarumon Coloss. 1.9 pag. 64. They are not carried by an Apostolicall but Antichristian spirit who deny vnto Laicks the Ordinary meanes of begetting wisdome spirituall vnderstanding namely Reading and vnderstanding of Gods word For the law of the Lord is immaculate converting soules the testimonie of the Lord is faithfull giuing wisdome to the simple Psal. 19-7 Psal. 119.130 in English meeter When men first enter into the word They finde a light most cleare And very Idiots vnderstand When they it read or heare Phil Melancthon Enarrat Symboli Niceni In conversion these causes concurre the holy Ghost mouing the heart by the Gospell the voice of the Gospell weighed and considered either when it is heard or when it is read or in godly meditation and the will of man not resisting the voice of God but assenting although with some trepidation Ainsworth Counterpoison p. 116. The Gospell noted to bee the meanes of our calling 2. Thes. 2.14 hee maketh knowne vnto his people outwardly by his word 2. Cor. 5.19 spoken Act. 5.20 and written Ioh. 20.31 and inwardly by his holy spirit Neh. 9.20 1 Cor. 2 10.12 FINIS IOH. 17.1 c. These things spake IESVS and lift vp his eyes to Heaven and said c. ALL holy writ simply and in it selfe considered is of equall worth and dignity the Author the Matter and the Manner being in every part alike Divine Howbeit considered respectiuely and in relation vnto vs one Scripture without impeachment or derogation may iustly be preferred to another For as touching the Matter some Scriptures are more importing vs as containing doctrines of Absolute necessitie to bee beleeued whereas others are so only in the Disposition and Preparation of the Minde And as for the Manner whereas others are darkly and obscurely deliuered some are so attempered and proportioned vnto the weaknesse of our capacity that they are more easie and available for our instruction and edification In both these Respects this seventeenth Chapter of the Gospell after S. Iohn seemeth to me among all other to be the most eminent For if you regard the Matter it containes Doctrines of highest nature and consequence as being the very foundation of the Churches happinesse and the anchor of all her hope If the For me it is so heavenly and divine so powerfull and perswasiue that he must needs be destitute of all spirituall sense and tast whosoeuer with the naked and bare reading thereof is not extraordinarily ravished and affected The serious and due consideration of all which together with the vnspeakable benefit that might grow to the people of God by the right dividing and handling thereof hath at length ouercome and perswaded me to vndertake at times the interpretation of this whole Chapter in this place That so if it please God before I sing my nunc dimittis I may with these treasures satisfie some part of the debt I owe therevnto both for my birth breeding And because these first words now read seeme vnto mee not vnfitting the present occasion or to succeed what I haue already deliuered vpon the like occasions I haue thought good at this time to make entrance therevpon so as it is in the proverb Vnâ fideliâ duos dealbare parietes to dispatch two businesses at once For hauing heretofore vindicated the Dignitie of the Ministrie from the Contempt whereto it is subject by prescribing a soueraign Remedie Defensatiue against it as also hauing demonstrated the power and efficacie of Preaching
glorie thereof one of the Word another of the Flesh. The glorie of the Word standeth in two things first that hee is the eternall Sonne of the eternall Father begotten after an vnspeakable manner of his owne substance and therefore the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his Person A name too excellent for the Angells themselues For neuer did the Father say to any of them Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Secondly that being so begotten hee is consubstantiall and coequall with his Father neither counteth he it robbery to bee equall with him For though he be the Sonne and not the Father yet being of the same Substance hee is one and the same God with him and may iustly challenge vnto himselfe the fulnesse of the Deitie as farre forth as the Father A glory infinitely transcending that of any creature The glorie of his Flesh is likewise double of Assumption and Communication Of Assumption by which it was taken into the divine nature For as soone as it began to haue being in the wombe of the blessed virgin it was prevented from subsisting in it selfe and was drawne into the vnitie of the Person of the Sonne of God eternally to subsist therein The highest dignitie that a creature can aspire vnto That of Communication is whereby glorious things are communicated vnto his humane nature And it is either Personall or Habitual Personall is that whereby as the nature of man is truely giuen to the Person of the Sonne so the Person of the Sonne is truely communicated vnto the nature of man Wherevpon because in the Person of the Sonne is the fulnesse of all perfection and all the essentiall attributes of the Deitie as namely Omniscience omnipotence omnipresence and the rest therefore doe wee say that all these attributes and that fulnesse of perfection are communicated also vnto the Manhood Howbeit not Physically and by effusion as if the same properties which are in God should formally and subiectiuely be in man as heat transfused from the fire is inherent in the water For that which is infinite cannot bee comprehended of that which is finite How then Personally in the sonne of God So that by reason of the hypostaticall vnion there is such a reall communion betweene them that the sonne of man is truly the Sonne of God and consequently also Omniscient omnipotent omnipresent and the rest The want of due consideration hereof was it that bred that monster of Vbiquitie and that great quarrell betwixt vs and the Saxon Churches Communication habituall is that whereby the fulnesse of grace was bestowed vpon him to be subiectiuely and inherently in his Flesh. And this is the glory of his Vnction For the spirit of the Lord rested vpon him the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. By this Spirit was he annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue his fellowes yea he receiued the spirit without measure or limit both for the essence vertue thereof intensiuely and extensiuely to all effects and purposes both for himselfe and others So that in his Will there was perfect iustice without taint or staine in his Minde perfect wisdome and knowledge both Beatificall whereby he saw God farre more clearly then any other as being more neerely vnited vnto him and Infused whereby he knew all heauenly and supernaturall verities which without the revelation of grace cannot bee knowne yea Acquisite and Experimentall also whereby hee knew all whatsoeuer by the light of reason and nature might bee knowne So that he was ignorant of nothing which hee ought to know or might make to his full happinesse And this was his Habituall glory Now the Glory of his Office breefely was to be the Mediator betweene God and Man An office of so high a nature that it could bee performed by none but only him who was both God and Man For herevnto it was necessary that he should be a Prophet a Priest and a King A Prophet as an Arbiter to take knowledge of the cause quarrell depending betweene them and as an Internuntius or legate to propound expound the conditions of peace that are to be concluded vpon A Priest to be an Intercessor and to make interpellation for the party offending and then to be a Fideiussor or Surety making satisfaction to the party for him A King hauing all power both in heauen and earth to keepe and preserue the Church so reconciled in the state of grace to tread downe vnder his feete all the enimies thereof Wondrous Glory and farre aboue that of any creature And this is the Glory he was already possessed of Wanted he yet any further Glory yes verily and that in regard both of his Divine and Humane nature Of his Divine for the Word had now emptied himselfe of his glory Emptied himselfe I say not simply and absolutely for he could no more in such sort abdicate his glory then cease to be himselfe it being essentiall vnto him and his very selfe but oeconomically and dispensatiuely vailing couering it vnder the cloud of his flesh For if as St Leo saith the exinanition of the divine Maiesty was the advancement of the servile forme vnto the highest pitch of honour then by like proportion the advancement of the servile forme was the exinanition of the divine Maiesty This Exinanition or Emptying of himselfe was in his Incarnation conception nativity obedience actiue to the law of nature as being the sonne of Adam and to the law of Moses as being the sonne of Abraham Passiue in suffering hunger and cold and wearinesse a thousand sorrowes wherevnto the infirmity of his flesh was subiect In this state Christ now stood neither had he as yet recovered the Glory whereof he had emptied himselfe nay he was not as yet come to the lowest degree of his humiliation For though they were instant and nere at hand yet his agonie his sweating of bloud his arraignment his crosse his death his emprisonment in the graue were not yet come All which did more more eclipse the glory of his Deity so that this Glory of the word as yet he wanted In regard of his Humane nature hee had not yet deposed humane infirmities as hunger thirst feare sorrow anguish and the like Neither had hee obtained incorruption impassibility immortality nor that glorious purity strength agility clarity of the body which he expected together with the fulnesse of inward ioyes and comforts in the Soule Adde herevnto that the actions of his mediation namely of his Prophecy Priesthood and Kingdome had not nor could not bee hitherto performe gloriously but only in such an humble manner as suted with the state of humiliation in which presently he stood To make all plaine though as the Schoole speaketh he were Comprehensor in termino affectione iustitiae yet he was viator extraterminum
only vpon misprision as some worthy divines haue obserued not well distinguishing betweene Essence and Subsistence whereof that is finite this infinite For Christs humanity though according to its essence or Naturall being it bee not every where but determined vnto one place yet in respect of his Subsistence or Personall being it is every where and circumscribed in no place For proper Subsistence of its owne and in it selfe it hath none only the Subsistence of the Sonne of God is communicated vnto it which is infinite vnlimited Secondly if this Power of Christ though finite yet be incommunicable and cannot passe from him to any other what presumption what arrogance is it in him who not being Christ yet dares say with Christ Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terrâ all power is given me both in heaven and in earth Who therevpon takes vpon him to forge new Articles of Faith and to obtrude them vpon the Church vnder paine of damnation who also takes authority vnto him to make lawes equally binding the conscience with Gods lawes that without any relation vnto divine law at all Who finally for to reckon vp all the blasphemies of this sort would bee infinite pretends a power to dispence with the law of God to grant indulgences for sin to free men from the punishment inflicted by God vpon them for sinne Certainly whosoever challengeth these things to himselfe can be no lesse then Christi aemulus even Antichrist himselfe whose proud vsurpations vpon the power of Christ shall one day bee recompenced with equall shame and confusion The rather because thirdly whereas the power of Christ is not secular but spirituall hee claymeth both and so assumeth to himselfe more then euer Christ did Ecce in potestate nostrâ imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Lo saith Pope Adrian the empire is in our power to bestow it where we please And hence I suppose it is that insteed of the old style Vicarius Christi the Vicar of Christ they now begin to stile him Vicedeum the Vicar of God for that by this they may perhaps wrench in his temporall power which by the other they could not inasmuch as Christ neuer had it Lastly therefore seeing Christ contented himselfe with his spirituall power only reiecting that which is secular let not vs looke after outward pomp or state in his kingdome nor iudge of the Church by such deceitfull notes Rather let vs iudge of it by the lawes thereof and by the rule of Faith professed therein As the power of Christ is Spirituall so is his kingdome also and therefore by spirituall markes and notes to be discerned But to proceed The second point is in quos ouer whom or how farre his authority extendeth It is saith my text Over all flesh This word Flesh is diuersly vsed in Scripture Among other significations vsually it is put for Mankinde As where it is said that God saw all flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth that is all men And againe All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower in the field And yet againe Except those daies should bee shortned no flesh that is no man should be saued And so is it to bee vnderstood in this place Christ hath power ouer all flesh that is ouer all mankinde Now he that saith all excepts none All men therefore of what age sexe degree condition or qualitie soeuer are vnder the power and iurisdiction of Christ. And as touching the Saints and those that are members of his mysticall body it is questionlesse For to them he is Caput a head to rule and governe them a Husband to order and direct them a Shepheard to feed and ouersee them Hee hath bought them with his most pretious blood he hath conquered them out of the hands of Satan and all that hated them hee rules by the scepter of his word and guides them by the manuduction of his blessed spirit And as he hath many waies made himselfe Lord ouer them and testified his authority and power by his mighty operations in them so haue they freely and voluntarily submitted and resigned themselues vnto him Power therefore hath he over these as over his obedient and louing subiects But question may be made touching reprobate and wicked men whether hee haue any authority and power over them yea or no. For as the Psalmist saith They band themselues and take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed saying let vs breake their bands asunder and cast their cords from vs. And our Saviour in the parable Nolumus hunc regnare super nos we will not haue this man raigne ouer vs. But notwithstanding all this reluctation and resistance yet power and authority hath he ouer them still Rebellious subiects they may be yet subiects they are Will they nil they Dominabitur in medio hostium hee shall raigne in the midst of his enimies If they will not submit vnto the gentle scepter of his word he hath an yron rod in his hand wherewith to breake and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell And those his enimies that would not hee should raigne ouer them bring them hither will he say and slay them here before me Authority then he hath though they acknowledge it not and ouerrule them he will resist they neuer so much Overrule them I say either to their salvation by converting them or to their confusion by delivering them vp vnto their owne lusts In a word whether they be good or evill how high or low soeuer they be he is Lord of them all Rex regum dominus dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords yea Dominus tum mortuorum tum vivorum Lord both of quicke and dead But what Hath he power only of men and not of other things Yes questionlesse For saith David Omnia subiecisti pedibus eius thou hast put all things vnder his feet And the Apostle applying it vnto Christ addeth In that he put all in subiection vnder him hee left nothing that is not put vnder him Our Saviour Christ also himselfe affirmeth that all things are deliuered him of his Father yea that al power is giuen him both in heauen earth Particularly in heauen ouer the blessed Angels For saith S. Peter he is gone into heauen and is on the right hand of God Angels and authorities and powers being made subiect vnto him Hee is vnto them a Head and Mediator though not of Redemption as vnto man yet of Confirmation in the state of grace and though not to deliuer out of misery yet to preuent their falling into misery Hence it is that they are reckoned in the number of those that pertaine vnto the Church that they minister both to the Head thereof and it also reioycing at the conversion of a sinner and desiring throughly to
and yet life continues As touching Power that is Gracious habits imprinted vpon the soule and enabling to operate I distinguish againe For some of them either in themselues or vs argue defect and imperfection and pertaine only to the condition of this present life such as are Faith Hope and Repentance and the like Others import perfection pertaine also to the next life among which excells Charity The former in the end of this life cease For we beleeue because we see not and hope because we possesse not and repent because we sinne But when wee see possesse and are free from sinne then Faith Hope and Repentance vanish away As for the latter they never cease but continue with vs evermore Yet here againe are we once more to distinguish For these habits may be considered either in regard of Substance or Degree In regard of degree we confesse they may suffer abatement For Faith may fall from its Plerophorie oâ— fulnesse to an Oligopistie or lower degree thereof and Charity also may remit much of its fervor So that in this respect a man may be said to bee moribundus declining as it were vnto death But in regard of Substance or Being we confidently affirme in such sort as is aboue said that they never perish and the spirituall man neuer dieth To winde vp all in a word actus intermitti potest gradus remitti sed habitus ipse nunquam potest amitti the act may suffer intermission for a time the degree abatement or remission but the habit or life it selfe never loosing or amission The question being thus clearely stated let vs now proceed to proofe That the life of Grace in all them that are giuen vnto Christ by the Father is eternall might be proued by many arguments All what I haue to say shall be reduced to one If the life of grace at any time fayle and the elect of God spiritually dye either it is through the deficiencie of the Procreant and Conservant causes of life or the efficiencie power of the contrary corrupting causes But it is neither through the one or the other Ergo neither doth the life of Grace at any time fayle nor the elect of God die The Major proposition needs no proofe For a third cause cannot be named and therefore of necessitie it must bee one of the two if there be any The Minor therefore I am by all meanes to fortifie and to maintaine that neither the Procreant and Conservant causes fayle nor the contrary corrupting causes prevaile The efficient and preseruing causes of spirituall life is as wee haue shewed the holy and blessed Trinitie the Father through his Sonne by the powerfull operation and working of the holy Ghost These if they fayle either it is because they cannot or because they will not continue this life To say they cannot is no lesse then blasphemie and contrary both to Scripture and reason For Omnipotence is an essentiall attribute of the Deitie so that he can no more cease to bee almightie then cease to be himselfe and loose his being In the Creed is this title ascribed vnto the Father how-be it not exclusiuely For the Sonne and the holy Ghost being coessentiall with him they are coequall also in might and power The sonne by the word of his power created all things together with his Father and by the same word vpholdeth all things And to the holy Ghost power also is attributed even the same power whereby things were created and wonders aboue the reach of nature are wrought If it bee said that the Sonne by taking our nature vpon him made himselfe inferiour to his Father I confesse it and withall that his mediatorie power is lesse then his Fathers Neverthelesse all power is giuen him both in heauen and earth such a power as no creature besides is capable of and which was giuen to this very ende that he might both giue life continue it vnto eternity Vnto which had it not beene sufficient without question greater had beene giuen for the Father may not fayle of his end Of the power of God therefore there can bee no doubt but that he is mighty to saue able to make vs stand able to keepe vs so that none vnlesse he will can take vs out of his hands What say we then to his will For as in him that is by vertue of the first life wee liue so if either hee withdraw himselfe from vs or suffer others to withdraw vs from him we cannot subsist Surely as he is able so if we may beleeue Scripture hee doth stablish vs in Christ we are kept by the power of God to saluation and our life is hid with God in Christ. But enquire we a little deeper into this mystery And first the will of the Father appeareth many waies By Election vnto life which being absolute not conditionall is immutable For the foundation of God standeth sure hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who are his And the names of all the elect are written in the booke of life out of which they can neuer be blotted For they are ordained vnto life and appointed by God to obtaine salvation through Christ. By his loue also which is the cause of Election I haue loued thee saith he with an eternall loue a loue which as it is without beginning so shall it likewise be without ending Nay if the loue of a mother is more to her child when she beareth it in her armes then while it was in her womb we may not think but the loue of the Father continueth at least as great towards vs when we are new borne of him as it was when we were yet but conceaued as it were by election Thirdly by donation of Christ to the elect For what greater testimonie either of his loue or of his will to saue then this So God loued the world saith Christ that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Fourthly by donation of vs vnto Christ. For it is the will of the Father that of those he hath giuen him he should loose none And here it is said that he hath giuen vnto the Sonne power over all flesh that to as many as he hath giuen him hee should giue vnto them everlasting life And lastly by the couenant made with vs. It is a couenant oâ— salt an euerlasting couenant And I will betroth thee vnto me foreuer saith God And againe This is my couenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is vpon thee my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from hence forth and foreuer And thus you see the Father is willing what the Sonne His willingnesse also appeares many
Adam the tenour whereof runnes thus Hoc fac vives Doe this and thou shalt liue hee gaue it not vnto the person of Adam alone but vnto all those that were in his loines even to all his posterity who had the law printed in their hearts by nature In like manner when Christ commanded the Gospell of Faith and repentance to be preached he limited it not vnto a few but said vnto his Apostles Goe teach all nations and goe into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto every creature Neither from the law nor from the Gospell was any man excepted God is no accepter of persons the hand that swaies a scepter and that diggeth with the spade are both alike vnto him Idem ius Titio quod Seio one rule vnto all whether they be high or low noble or base rich or poore learned or vnlearned bond or free young or old of what state age sexe or condition soever they be God hath not strowed the way to Heaven with roses for great ones to dance vpon and with thornes for the meaner sort to tread vpon neither hath hee appointed a spacious and broad way for some and a strait narrow way for other some to passe vnto life everlasting by For the waies of the Lord are strait waies and as betweene two points there can be but one strait line drawne so can there bee but one strait way that leadeth vnto life Vno quisque modo bonus est mutisque nefandus a man may be wicked many waies but he can bee good only one way A thousand byâ—pathes are there which lead vnto destruction and but one only right path that leadeth to salvation For there is but one body and one spirit and one hope in which all are called one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of vs all in a word one Blessednesse which is the end and one Religion which is the way to that end through which way every man of necessity must passe that meaneth to arriue at that end Now I beseech you all that heare mee this day of what place soever you be whether high or low that you will be pleased every one to apply this individually and singularly vnto himselfe and to take notice that none of you can come after Christ but only by the same way Every one must deny himselfe every one must take vp his crosse daily every one must follow Christ or else yee cannot possibly come after him There is none of you so meane whom God overseeth or neglecteth none so great whom he priuiledgeth or exempteth And thus much of the generality of the Counsell The Forme of words in which the Counsell was deliuered is if any will let him which as wee haue said importeth the liberty of them that are counselled For it is as if our Saviour should thus haue said Behold I tell you all plainely no man can come after me vnlesse hee deny himselfe take vp his crosse daily and follow me Now if any will thus come after me I giue him good leaue let him doe so for my part I will neither force him from me nor after me if he come he shall come willingly If any will let him First therefore Christ putteth off and forceth no man from him For God would haue all men to be saved and to come vnto the knowledge of the truth neither is he willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God nay he sweares as he liues hee will not the death of a sinner but that the wicked turne from his way and liue And certainly seeing man is the creature of God and creation is the first emanation issue as it were of his loue it cannot be that hee should delight in his destruction He made not death as the wise man saith and when he inflicts it alienum opus facit he doth a worke not so pleasing him for he had rather shew mercy then execute iudgement Hence is it that he standeth at the doore of our heart and knocketh yea that he continueth knocking vntill his head be filled with dew and his lockes with the drops of the night that he requesteth vs so louingly to giue him entrance Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled promising so bountifully that if wee shall open vnto him he will come in vnto vs and sup with vs and wee with him and threatning vs that as if we come vnto him wee shall finde refreshment so if wee draw backe his soule shall haue no pleasure in vs. Neither let vs thinke but that God meaneth seriously in all this for otherwise he should but mocke and deceiue vs pretending one thing and intending another and which I tremble to speake playing the hypocrite and dissembler with vs. Besides this he should make vs the ministers of the Gospell no better then false witnesses vnto him testifying things that are vntrue and which he never purposed whereas God being omnipotent needeth not our lye and being truth it selfe will not compasse his end by a lye Finally if Christ with his hands should push from him those whom by his word he inviteth to him then they that come not are the more excusable for every one may plead for himselfe that he suffered violence and Christ himselfe hindred him whose force no creature is able to withstand Christ then forceth no man from him If so whence then is it that many who are invited come not I answere the fault is in themselues they will not come I called saith Wisdome yee refused I stretched out my hand no man regarded yee set at naught all my counsells and would none of my reproofe And againe I called saith God and yee did not answere I spake and yee did not heare but did evill before mine eyes and did chuse that wherein I delighted not Wherefore he protesteth by the prophet Osea Perditio tua ex te Israell thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israell and complaineth by the prophet Ezechiell why will ye dye ô house of Israell as if he should say if yee dye it is because yee will needs dye They refused to harken saith Zacharie and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law In like manner in the new testament How often would I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not Marke the words I would therefore Christ forceth no man from him yee would not therefore the fault is in our selues The Pharisees and Lawyers saith St Luke reiected the counsell of God against themselues our Saviour testifieth of the Iewes that they would not come vnto him that they might haue life
vs and why should not we willingly take vp our Crosse for him As touching the last which is our Following of Christ know wee it is our safest course absolutely to resigne our selues into his hands He is farre wiser then we are as being the very wisdome of his Father and therefore knoweth both what is best for vs and how to provide for vs better then we our selues Againe his loue is far greater then ours either is or can be towards vs. The heathen Poet even by the light of nature could say Charior est illis homo quam sibi Man is more deare to God then to himselfe but the light of revelation demonstrateth it more fully in that out of his infinite loue he gaue his only sonne for vs. His loue then being such it cannot be but that hee is most willing to doe vs the best good hee can Now what his wisdome and loue resolue concerning vs his power is able to effect for he is omnipotent and nothing is impossible vnto him What then should let but that it is our safest course to make a perfect surrender of our selues vnto him If we be left vnto our owne selues wee are ever in danger and in the end shall surely perish but being Christs and following him wee can neuer miscarry nor doe amisse All these things being duly weighed considered are sufficient to make vs willing willing I say to deny our selues to take vp our crosse daily and to follow Christ. Vnto which Willingnesse if wee further adde our owne Endeauour doing what lieth in our power confecta res est we shall surely come after Christ that is bee his schollers here and raigne with him for ever hereafter Without trauell and labour nothing can bee had in this world much lesse will the kingdome of heauen be obtained with sitting still and doing nothing No it must suffer violence violent men must take it by force which whosoeuer shall doe he shall never fayle of it Christ will instruct him by his word guid him by his spirit protect him with his providence gard him with his Angels and ever pursue him with his grace vntill he haue brought him vnto the end of his hopes even the eternall saluation of his soule Vnto the which the Lord bring vs all for his Christs sake AMEN FINIS AN APOLOGIE OF THE IVSTICE OF GOD. OXFORD Printed by I. L for E. F. 1633. GEN. 18.25 Be it farre from thee from doing this thing to slay the righteous with the wicked that the righteous should be even as the wicked bee it farre from thee should not the iudge of the whole world doe right ALthough the good in regard of Gods knowledge and their owne affection are chosen out of the world separated from the wicked yet are they not remoued out of the world but still remaine therein mixed with them in place and conversation So that the Church of God while it is militant here on earth is no other then a floore wherein is both chaffe and wheat a field both of corne cockle a net containing both good and bad fishes a flocke consisting both of sheep goats and shall so continue vntill the fanning time come vntill the harvest be cut vntill the net be drawne to the shore vntill the high shepheard survey his flocke but they shall eternally then be divided one from another be ranged into severall places the one into a place of refreshment everlasting ioy the other into a place of torment everlasting woe In the meane season both good and bad being embarked as it were together in the same vessell how can the good escape the common shipwracke of humane calamitie Or being enwrapt in the same punishment with the wicked how is God iust Abraham the father of the faithfull a man of deepe vnderstanding in the mysteries of Gods providence yet stood astonished hereat in Sodoms case where righteous Lot and for ought hee knew divers other holy men dwelling he marvelled how it might stand with the iustice of God in the destruction thereof to involue both righteous and wicked together and therefore saith according to my Text Bee it far from thee from doing this thing A point as you see of great importance and as will evidently appeare by the sequele every way worthy our present consideration which was the cause why I made choice thereof at this time God grant vnto vs the assistance of his blessed spirit that wee may handle it as it deserueth and that it may bee vnto vs as profitable as it is pertinent All that I haue now to say touching these words may be reduced vnto these three heads Gods action Abrahams affection Abrahams argument Gods action how hee dealeth with these mixt societies consisting both of good bad Abrahams affection how hee standeth affected towards them Abrahams argument which so much swayed his owne affection and whereby hee would perswade God also to be of his minde Gods action is intimated implied generally through the whole Text in the words going before it in the twentieth and one and twentieth verses wherein God acquainted Abraham how he meant to proceede with Sodom and Gomorrha Abrahams affection is plainely declared in the Deprecation he maketh vnto God for them His argument is expresly set downe in these words Shall not the iudge of the whole world doe right Which being a question propounded negatiuely is to be vnderstood as an affirmatiue proposition thus The judge of the whole world must needs doe right Of these things briefly and in order The actions of God in this case are not alwaies one the same but as his Wisdome is to vse the Apostles word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of variety so are his actions also manifold yet alwaies iust For iustice is vnto God not accidentall as it is vnto man but essentiall and inseparable so that hee can no more doe that which is vniust then cease to bee that which eternally and necessarily hee is namely God First then so great loue beareth God vnto his deare Saints and children that the wicked among whom they liue oftentimes fare the better for them and their temporall prosperitie and deliuerance from dangers is to be imputed vnto them Was not wicked Cham preserued in the Arke from that deluge which overwhelmed the whole earth for his good father Noahs sake Were not the sinfull Sodomites reskued out of the hands of their enimies by the sword of Abraham for righteous Lots sake If fiftie if fortie if thirtie if twentie nay if but ten iust men might haue beene found in Sodom had they not escaped that fearefull storme of fire brimstone which after fell from heauen vpon them even for tennes sake What speak I of ten One Moses standing in the breach before God turned away his wrath so that he did not destroy his people Israel And God himselfe by the Prophet Ieremie saith thus Run to and fro by the streets of
with their territories and sundry other things of great value The Ministrie of the Gospell is more excellent then that of the Law lesse therefore cannot be allowed vs. Tithe is too little saith S. Augustin else how doe wee exceed the Pharisees who tithed all If we minister spirituall things reason will that we receaue of your temporalls The law of the Gospell requireth him that is taught to impart to him that teacheth of all his good And reason For as S. Paul saith to Philemon you owe your selues vnto vs. And vnlesse you vnder value too much the eternall saluatioÌ„ of your soules yee can never sufficiently recompence the benefit yee receaue of vs. It is manifest then that an honourable salarie is due vnto vs. But how I beseech you are wee paid our due Poorely God wot witnesse the multitude of impropriations the selling of benefices the detention of tithes or the false and repining paiment of them with the like It was once said What shall wee giue the man of God but now every one saith Come let vs take the houses of God in possession When Moses built the tabernacle he was faine to stay the people from giuing they were so forward but now would God wee could stay their hands from robbing the tabernacle Many there are who call for a learned Ministry in every parish yet keepe to themselues that which should maintaine the Minister A strange perversenesse to desire no benefice may be without a cure and yet to require a cure without a benefice Yea but they are content to allow a Competencie True But if they may be our â—arvers I presume it will bee after the rate of Cratis in his Ephemeris ten pound to the Cooke a groat to the Physitian ten talents to the Parasite one to the Curtizan and to the Philosopher three halfepence For every little is too much for vs but enough is superfluity Et quorsum perditio haec what need all this wasts The poverty of the Apostles they often remember but the bounty of Christians then they vtterly forget If they will haue vs follow the one why refuse they to imitate the other Let them sell all they haue and lay downe the prizes at our feet and then haue with them whensoeuer they please But I presse these points of Honor no farther for me thinkes I heare some say these words would haue sounded better in some advocates mouth in ours they may seeme to proceede of ambition or covetousnesse Wherevnto I answere first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if wee speake not for our selues who will and if wee doe alas what are wee All other sorts of men are allowed to defend themselues and must wee alone suffer wrong and say nought Secondly so to censure is a spice of the contempt wee speake of for indeede wee seeke herein not so much our owne honour and advantage as Gods glory and benefit Gods glory whose ordinance nay who himselfe by contemning vs is contemnâ—d They haue not reiected thee but mee saith God to Samuell Yee haue robbed me in tithes and offerings saith hee by Malachie He that despiseth you despiseth me saith Christ. And lastly He that despiseth despiseth not man but God Your benefit For to deny submission to those who rule over you and watch for your soules is vnprofitable for you saith the Apostle For first as Barnard saith Cuius vita despicitur restat vt praedicatio contemnatur if once our persons grow despicable little will our preaching availe If our preaching availe not neither can you beleeue nor be saued Secondly to contemne a Minister is a fearfull sinne otherwise Hoseas would never haue vsed this aggravation the people were as they that contended with the Priest Lastly God punisheth it accordingly with temporall punishment as vpon the Iewe with seaventy years captiuity with spirituall that hearing they shall heare seeing see yet neither perceiue nor vnderstand and vnlesse they repent with eternall also both in body and soule But of the contempt of the Ministry enough let vs now inquire the redresse thereof See that no man despise thee saith my text A strange speech For doe we steere at the helme of other mens affections Or haue we the command of their actions Why then doth he charge vs to looke to it that we be not despised Surely because wee our selues are mostly the causes thereof and for that it lies much in our owne hands both to prevent and redresse it To make this appeare obserue with me the words immediatly going before my text These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority see that no man despise thee Obserue with me againe what Saint Paul saith to Timothie These things command and teach let no man despise thy youth but be an example vnto beleeuers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Which two places being duly pondered and considered it is manifest that the Apostles meaning here is no other then this if we will not be contemned wee must not carry our selues contemptibly and that to avoide this contempt two things are necessary first that we be Good ministers secondly that we be Good men for if wee faile in eyther it cannot possibly bee avoided but wee must bee despised To avoide Contempt then first wee must be Good Ministers and to this end two things are requisite first a talent secondly due employment of the talent By talent I vnderstand fitnesse and ability And that this is necessary appeareth first by the act of God for hee never designeth any to a calling but hee furnisheth him before hand with sufficient gifts If Moses must be the chiefe governour and lawgiuer of Israell he shall be learned yea even in all the wisdome of the Aegyptians aend mighty both in words and deeds If Bezaleel and Aholiab must build the Tabernacle hee will fill them with his spirit in wisdome in vnderstanding in knowledge in all manner of workemanship in gold silver brasse stone timber and what ever else was needfull Esay being to doe an errand for the Lord hath his lipps first touched with a cole froÌ„ the altar Iesus the sonne of Mary being ordained to bee the Messias of the world is annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes and receiueth the spirit without measure Finally the twelue Apostles being to carry the name of Christ through the world were first baptized with fiery tongues and replenished with the holy Ghost at Ierusalem The same appeareth also by the ordinance of God in his Church For the Priests lips saith Malachie should preserve knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts Saint Paul also saith that a Bishop must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach and able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince gainesaiers
Chrysostome doe proue not only this but the Resurrection also of our Bodies by the truth of Christs Flesh in the Sacrament for that our Flesh ioyning with his Flesh which is immortall shall bee immortall also I. D. The truth of Christs Flesh in the Sacrament and the Coniunction of our Flesh with his Flesh neither is nor ever was by vs denied And therefore to heap vp Fathers for the proofe thereof is but to spend your labour to no purpose That you should proue is the Presence of Christ by Transubstantiation Which hitherto you haue but little aymed at In the Sacrament say these Fathers our Flesh is ioyned to Christs Flesh Ergo our Flesh shall rise againe The Antecedent is true and the sequele is good But what ioyning doe they meane The taking of Christs flesh into the mouth They neuer dreamt of it And if it were so it would follow that all they that eat Christ Sacramentally among whom how many Reprobates are there shall rise againe vnto life everlasting For I hope you will not say that the sacred Flesh of Christ doth quicken any vnto everlasting death How then is it By eating him not only Sacramentally but also spiritually and by Faith For by this meanes Christ becomes the food of our soules which redounding vpon the Flesh by making it the Temple of the Holy Ghost and an instrument of righteousnes fitteth and prepareth it to a glorious Resurrection Hence our Sauiour He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath life everlasting and I will raise him vp at the last day And the Apostle S. Paul If Christ bee in you the Body indeed is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse But if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you And that this is the meaning of the Fathers appeares by that they say Our bodies come not into corruption but partake of life by being nourished with the body bloud of the Lord. For that our bodies in litterall sense should be nourished with Christs body is to make it the food of the belly not of the minde then which saith Bellarmine nothing can bee deuised more absurd And what I pray you is Nourishment properly Only to take meat into the mouth No but the alteration and conversion of the substance thereof into the substance of that which is nourished which to affirme of the Body of Christ is horrible impiety Of force therefore must the Fathers be vnderstood to speake of such a Nourishment by the body of Christ as is spirituall Now if the Nourishment be spirituall such is the Eating also and it is as absurd to say that the soule is nourished by bodily eating as that the body is nourished by spirituall eating Will you haue all in a word The things that wee eat with our mouth in the Sacramēt are not the causes but the pledges of our Resurrection So saith the great Councell of Nice We must beleeue these things to be the symbols or pledges of our Resurrection N. N. And the same S. Irenaeus doth proue farther that the great God of the old Testament Creator of heauen earth was Christs Father For proofe whereof hee alleageth this reason that Christ in the Sacrament did fulfill the Figures of the old Testament and that in particular wherein bread was a figure of his Flesh which he fulfilled saith Irenaeus making it his Flesh indeed I. D. The Marcionites whom Irenaeus confuteth taught that the God of the old Testament was not the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and that the Creator was knowne but the Father of Christ was vnknowne Against this hee endeauoureth to proue that the Father of our Lord was he who created the world That this he intendeth manifestly appeareth by those words where hee saith Others saying that another besides the creator is his Father and offering vnto him those creatures that are here amongst vs shew that he is greedy and covetous of that which is anothers And among other arguments this he vseth for one Bread and Wine are the creatures of the Creator of the world which creatures Iesus Christ vseth in the Sacrament the one to be his Body and the other to be his Bloud and therein are they offered to his Father Ergo the Creator is his Father Were he not his Father he would never haue takē that which belongs vnto another or whervnto he had no right and convert it to his owne vse So that here your Author hath notably deceaued you For Irenaeus proueth Christ to bee the sonne of the Creator not by his omnipotence in turning Bread and Wine into his Flesh and Bloud a thing that neuer came into his thought but from his right and title to the Creatures which maketh nothing for Transubstantiation Touching the Figures of the old Testament and how they prefigured our Sacraments we haue spoken enough already N. N. What is so sacrilegious saith Optatus Milevitanus as to breake downe scrape and remoue the altars of God on which your selues haue sometimes offered and the members of Christ haue beene borne c. What is an altar but the Seat of the Body and Bloud of Christ And this monstrous villanie of yours is doubled for that you haue brokē also the chalice which did beare the Bloud of Christ himselfe When the mixed chalice and the Bread broken taketh the word of God the Eucharist of the bloud and body of Christ is made Bread receauing the calling of God is not now common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things one earthly another heavenly the earthly thing is the old forme of bread the heavenly is the body of Christ newly made vnder that forme Let vs now consider also the persons to whom this Commandement was giuen they were those twelue Apostles whom Christ at his last Supper taught the new Oblation of the new Testament giuing them authority by this precept to consecrate to make present and to offer to God his body and bloud I. D. Where little or nothing is objected the answer is soone made Optatus saith that the altar is the seat of Christs body and bloud and that the chalice beareth his bloud Irenaeus saith that after consecration the Eucharist of the body and bloud is made that in it there is a heavenly thing and the Apostles had authority to make present the body of Christ. Ergo the body and bloud of Christ is really corporally locally and by way of Transubstantiation present in the Sacrament A poore and silly consequence which all the wity our author hath wil neuer be able to make good For those words of the Fathers may be salued and verified if Christ be Present any other way And Present hee is Sacramentally to the signes and spiritually to the Faith of