fishermen Fishermen Apostles Matthew of a simple publican Paul of a poore tentmaker and all the rest of the Disciples of Christ who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the high priests of the Iewes tearmed them might be endued with such rare giftes and graces and be made the holy Apostles of our Sauiour And finally howe Stephen and Philip of meane Deacons the lowest degree belonging to the ministrie of the Church should become excellent Euangelists and so powerfull in the word and spirit as that the one could confute all the learned Rabbies in the Synagogues of Ierusalem and the other confound that great Sorcerer Symon Magus in Samaria whom the people called the great power of God Act. 6.9 and 8.9 euen as Christ himselfe although deemed of the Iewes a Carpenter or a Carpenters sonne and brought vp homely vnder his poore parents vntill he began to be thirtie yeeres of age as it is in the Gospell Luk. 3.23 was notwithstanding the word and wisedome of God his father in whom were hidden all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge as the Apostle and therefore preached the Gospell with power vnto the poore people But how and why attained he this so great a gift euen as he himselfe rendreth a reason both of his owne absolute sufficiencie and of his heauenly calling Luk. 4.18 When he first began to preach out of the Prophet Esay 61.1 when he thus saith That he preached the Gospell vnto the poore because the spirit of the Lord was vpon him and did annoint him Euen so they did know all things by the especiall grace of the spirit of God which had led him in all truth by the inward inspiration of the holy Ghost who had inlightened their hearts from aboue and by the diuine doctrine of Christ Iesus our onely Rabbi Doctour and Maister and by the painfull ministerie of Iohn himselfe an holy Euangelist and Apostle an heauenly Prophet and Diuine The spirit of God in shewing and setting foorth his vigour and vertue in more full manner and plentifull measure in that golden time of the primitiue Church then in this last and leaden age of the world yea that I may vse Austins words in this floud of iniquitie and frost of charitie wherein there was neuer more preaching and teaching and yet neuer lesse learning nor worse liuing insomuch that I feare mee that may be truly said of most of vs which Paul sometimes said to some of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.4.4 That they haue not the knowledge of God I speake it to their shame And that I of my selfe may say with Peter when our Sauiour Christ being in his Ship bad him cast out his net to make a draught that I haue laboured not one whole night onely with him but manie daies and nights nay manie yeeres and haue caught nothing no not one soule by the baite of the word into the net of the Church of God For to make a triall of this matter by the fruites and effects of the Gospell now so manie yeares publikely and painefully preached amongst vs what profit and proceeding in the course of Christianitie what grouth and encrease of knowledge in the word of God is there found amongst vs May it not be said of vs as the Philosopher of the Athenians That they did degenerate decline The Athenians and by degrees discend from better to worse and from something to nothing at all As that at the first they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wise men and then they became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were louers of wisedome after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iangling Rhetoritians and lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrangling Sophisters So we to haue been for learning in the beginning of the preaching of the gospel Chatechistae teachers of others as euerie housholder ought to be in his owne family Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-conceited of that little knowledge that wee had as that we cared for no more Afterwards Catechumeni such as had need to be taught our selues and lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen starke Ideots altogithèr rude and ignorant And for liuing first Martyrs such as would not sticke to seale the truth with our bloud with the the Saints of God Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zealous but not so hot as that we could abide the firie triall with the Ephesians who forsooke their first loue Apoc. 2.4 Afterwards luke warme neither hot nor colde with the Laodicians Apoc. 3.16 Lastly Libertines according to the common course of carnall gospellours Yea doe not the wisest and chiefest amongst vs that should be presidents and patterns vnto others doe they not as it is in the Greeke Prouerb Prouerb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hauing their hand hart on their halfepennie in contempt of God and all Godlinesse preferre their own priuate profite before the spirituall seruice of God making their money their Mammon and their golde their God contrarie to the precept of our Sauiour in the Gospell Mat. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof and all other things shall be administred vnto you Herein not vnlike the Romans whom the Poet scoffingly taunted with that Hysteron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O ciues ciues quaerenda pecunia primum virtus post nummos And howe doe parents and gouernours bring vp their children and those that are committed to their charge not as Gods darlings according to the counsell of Paul Ephes 6. in the institution and information of the Lord but as young worldlings training them vp in couetousnesse how to get and gaine and that vnrighteously que iure quaque iniuria per fas nefasue by hooke or crooke by right or wrong they care not how Herein likewise semblable to the former profaine people as the Poet also complaineth in his time when he crieth out and saith Hoc monstrāt vetulae pueris poscentibus assem Hoc discunt omnes ante alpha Beta puellae Some because of the impossibilitie which these words seeme to pretend reading this last word of my text not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to diuers copies because it is so found in the Syriacke affirme these words to be vnderstood of the knowledge of men not of the knowledge of things as that they had the spirit of discretion euen that gift of the holy Ghost of discerning of spirits which Paul mentioneth among the rest of the graces of the spirit 1. Cor. 22.10 As that they could knowe Antichristians from Christians to be such by Iohns definition which denie Iesus to be Christ verse 22. False Prophets from true being rauening wolues in seely sheeps cloathing euen by Christs rule of the fruit and effect of their workes Mat. 6.15 Dissembling Hypocrites from syncere worshippers of Esaie and our Sauiours warning euen such as honor God with their lips when their hearts are farre from him Mat. 15.8
Adam foure creations of man who was only formed of the slime of the Earth without man or woman then the second Eue who was made of a ribbe of man only without any woman and then the third of all men in generall both by man and woman according to the ordinarie and common course of nature This foure being by woman alone without man a new thing a strang matter a wonderfull miracle neuer the like seene nor hard of before Yea such a marueile as that the reporte of it made an infant to skippe in his mothers wombe for Ioye the Heauens to speake by a starre to declare the wonder of it the wise men from the East to come from farre to see and be eyewitnesses of it the Angels to singe in the Consort and to shew fourth their gladnesse after it was made knowne vnto them The sheaphards of Bethlem to runne in hast to behould it after it was declared vnto them the auncient father Simeon to desire to die and departe in peace after he had seene his saluation Finally this made the ould Prophetesse Anna when as by the motion of the spirit this thing was reueled vnto her to leaue her prayer to God and to fal to praising the Lord Christ and from fasting to come not only to confesse him her selfe but also to commend him vnto other And such a misterie as none was thought worthie to be messenger of the same not a holy preist nor a deuine Frophet nor a greate Patriarch but an holy Angell and Archangel euen Gabriell that standeth in the presence of God Whose countenance being terrible his garments glorious and his cōming sodaine in visiting the virgin Marie he troubled her and yet his voice being pleasant his words sweete and his tydings gladsome in saluting her comforted her telling her that as she was the beloued virgin of God and handmaide of God so she should be the blessed mother of God and spouse of God And such a miracle as whereby the word did not perish being turned into fleash but fleash least it should perish cleauing to the word that as man is both soule and bodie so Christ might be both God and man not by confusion of nature but by vnitie of person and this conceaued and perceaued not with the Eies of the fleash but with the faith of the harte the only begotten and the first begotten of his Father and the first begotten of his bretheren lying in a manger filling the whole world wrapped in swadling clothes and thundering in the Cloudes sucking on earth the pappes of his mother and yet sitting in Heauen at the right hand of God his Father and is finally such a greate mysterie as that it compriseth the principall Pillour of our faith the most certaine groūd of truth the strongest foūdation of the Church wherein we are to consider first the vnspeakeable loue of God the father towards vs who would not spare his owne and only sonne but freely gaue him to saue vs. And our Sauiour in the gospell God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Secondly his owne incomparable loue in shewing himselfe so kinde and courteous vnto mankind as to suffer himselfe to be cast in his mould to be clothed with his fleash to be compassed about his infirmities which he himselfe commen deth Iohn 15.13 Saying to his disciples greater loue then this hath no man c. Both which their loues our Apostle Paule setteth out most liuelie Rom. 5.8 when he saith God setteth out his loue towards vs seing the while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And thirdly our Sauiour Christs lowly humilitie herein likewise appeareth as Paule also declareth the same as that he being in forme of God and thinking it no robberie to be equall with God made himselfe of no reputation c. Phil. 2.6.7 Here then first we are to know for our instruction the two natures of Christ secondlie the destinction of both his natures 2 natures of Christ as first his diuinitie in that the Apostle calleth him God Three distinctions and then his humanitie in affirming him to be manifested in the fleash Thirdly the Hipostaticall vnion and communitie of of properties in one the same personne of our Sauiour three deepe misteries contained and couched in three words in quibus saieth Beza verie briefly duae ponuntur distinguntur vniuntur naturae Christi whereby three sorts of Heresies are confuted First the Arrirans that denie the diuinitie of our Sauiour Christ secōdly the Marcianits who gaine say Christ to haue a humaine and fleashlie bodie but only an heauenly spiritual bodie thirdly the Nestorians who affirme Christ to haue two persons one of his Humanitie the other of his diuinitie and that his manhoode was deified and changed into his godhead Secondly we are to learne for our edification that we may make vse and take proffit in our life and conuersation by this misterie euen three thinges Austin comprehendeth them together in one sweete sentence Ser. 22. 3 things to be lerned by this misterie De tempore in these words omnis Natiuitatis schola est humanitatis officina patientiae massa virtutis agonia First humilitie in following him in the like lowlinesse in making our selues equall with them of the lower sort as Paule exacteth secondly Patience whereof he shewes himselfe a president that we should follow his steppes in constantly bearing and abiding all kind of aduersitie and of affliction as Peter admonisheth And finally vertue and especially loue that we should loue one another as Christ hath loued vs as our sauiour himselfe cōmādeth Thus much of these words as hauing a general vew of them but now let vs sift the same more narrowly and perticularly consider them not in waie of ample discourse but in manner of a short suruey as first to declare what manifestation this was and secondly the forme thereof For Paule here saith not only that God was manifested but also sheweth how in the fleash we read in Prophaine Histories that the Gods of the Heathen as first Iupiter the greate Father of these Gods that he did metamorphose himselfe into diuers shapes and formes of sundrie Creatures As into a Bull when he laye with Europa into a swanne when he begat of Leda Castor Pollux and into Amphritrio a man when he begatt of Alcmena Hercules of which the Poet. Nā Deus humana lustrās sub imagine terras And likewise the other Gods that they tooke vpon them the like semblance to the same ends and purposes as Apollo when he changed himselfe into a crowe Bacchus into a goate Diana into a catte Iuno into a Cowe Venus into a fishe and Mercurie into the bird Ibis As Ouid conteineth thē altogether Metamorph. 5. Delius in Coruo proles Semeleia capra Fele soror Phebi niuea Saturnia vacca Fisce venus latuit Cyllenius Ibidis alis But these are but Poets faininges being the Painters out of false
in thy sayinges and cleare when thou art iudged And Math. 11.14 where our Sauiour saith And wisedome is Iustified of her children meaning himselfe So likwise is it taken Luke 7.20 where the Euangelist declareth that the Publicans iustified God for those things that are exactly perfect and exquisitly absolute without any want or default and therefore allowed and liked of all are saied by a common Phrase of Scripture to be iustified Whereby Paule setteth out vnto vs the might and maiestie of our Sauiour not in outward habit and appearance or in externall pompe or power but in inward spirit and deuine vertue in mightie miracles wonderful workes heaueÌ„ly doctrine most glorious greate and other incomprehensible effects by which word and Phrase the Apostle endeauoreth to take away all kinde of weake diffideÌ„ce or distrust which might any way be conceaued in our harts by taking offence at the lowe and base estate of Christs our sauiours maÌ„hood which seemed to be so vile abiect and contemptible as some supposed him to be only a base and silly man As likewise by spirit in this place is not onely meante that mortified and regenerate partes of man which is contrarie to the fleash as it is vsually taken in the scriptures and especially in the Epistle to the Romans but for what soeuer was and is in Christ extraordinarie supernaturall aboue coÌ„mon manhood and mortalitie As if the Apostle Paule had said although he was cloathed with our fleash combred with our frailties coÌ„passed with our infirmities yet none of these did weakeÌ„ the power of his truth the flower of the glorie of his diuinitie or once derogate from the honour of his maiestie As that although he was verie maÌ„ yet not withstanding he was true God although he tooke vpon him the fourme of a seruant yet he thought it no robberie to be equall with his father Phil. 2.7 for in him remaineth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 And he was the brightnesse of the glorie and ingrauen fourme of the substance of God his father Heb. 1 3. As it may appeare throughout the whole historie of the Gospell whereby he is described vnto vs to be mighty indeede and in word for so first he approued himselfe to be God in his birth in that he was borne after the common order and maÌ„ner of men his mother being ouershadowed by the power of the most highest and himselfe coÌ„ceaued by the holy ghost Secondly at his inauguration consecraction after his baptisme when as by the â—iuely voice and diuine oracle from heauen he was pronounced and proclamed to be the Sonne and heire apparent of God his father Thirdly in his temptation when â—s he vanquished Sathan in a Monomachie or single combate and made him voide â—uant from him Fourthly in curing al kind of sicknesses and diseases by taking a way both the cause the effect Fiftly in know â—ng both the thoughts and harts of men as â—t appeareth ofteÌ„times in the Gospel Sixtâ—y in stilling the winde calming the sea â—nd in working other strange signes and wonders Seauenthly in his Passion when as the weakenes of his fleash was succouâ—ed and sustained by the strength of his Godhead Eightly in his Resurection in â—hat he was able to laye downe his life and to take it to him againe Ninthly in asceÌ„ding vp into Heauen for as our Sauiour in the Gospell Iohn 3. No man hath ascended vp into heauen but he that descended downe from Heauen euen the sonne of man which also is in Heauen And tenthly in sending downe the Holy Ghost his blessed spirite which proceeded as well from himselfe as from God his father Insomuch that we cannot but confesse and say with Nicodemus the Pharisie that none can doe such things as these except he came from God or except he were God himselfe without question therefore to be iustified in this place is as Athanasius in his booke De surrectione carnis explaineth it Iustitiam habere nâ—â— humano more sed diuina puritate that is to be iust and Righteous in himselfe and 〈◊〉 himselfe not according to humaine qualitie but by a diuine spirit for so signifieth this Hebrue Phrase in this place and iâ— respect of vs being allone with that which our Apostle hath 1. Col. 1.30 that he is bâ—come our righteousnesse redemption sanctification and saluation being the whole and soâ—â— scope and hope of their faith which by thâ— same spirit doe beleeue putte their truâ—â— in him not resting or relying vpoÌ„ any other meane or merrit what so euer And of this iustifiyng had not only our Sauiour Christ the testimonie of his owne spirit euen the Holy Ghost which was a witnesse vnto Iohn the Baptist wheÌ„ he descended downe vpon him invisibly in the forme of a doue Math 3.16 Which heauenly vision was a diuine oracle and siuely voice of God himselfe which the Lord caused to appeare â—nto him that when he knewe not our Saviour it might be as an infallible token to â—iscerne him from all other as he himselfe â—onfesseth Iohn 1.33.34 And I knewe â—im not but that he sente me to baptize with water he said vnto me vpon whome thou â—halt see the spirit come downe and tarrie still â—ne him that is he that baptizeth with the holy Ghost And I sawe and bare record that â—his is the sonne of God But also the spirit of â—he Saints and seruants of God which giueth â—estimony vnto themselues and their owne â—oules that our Sauiour is their Lord and God â—or so saith Paule in the person of all the electe and faithfull 1. Cor. 8.5.6 Though their â—e that are called Gods whether in HeaueÌ„ or in Earth as there be many Gods and many Lords yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whom are althings and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are althinges and we by him againe 1. Col. 12.3 No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost But to drawe to an Ende for this point and to make our vse of this matter we are heere taught that we should laboure to iustifie our selues both before God and man not externally by carnall and earthly thinges but internally after an heauenly and spiritual manner not with the hypocritical Ieweâ— in Esaies daies 29.13 To drawe neere vnto God with their mouth and honour him with their lippes but in hart to be farre from theâ— And with the Scribes and Pharises in our Sauiour Christs time to be serious obseruers of outward ceremonies and to be far from inward sinceritie Math. 15.8 not superstitiously with the vnfaithfull Iewes and Idolatrous Samaritans to worshippe they know not what nor ignorantly they knowe not how nor blindly they knowe not where but as the true worshippers to worshippe the father in spirit in truth for God is a spirit and they that worshippe him must worshippe him in the spirit and in trueth Iohn 4.23.24 not to
were Aaron and his sonnes so called after they were so consecrated to minister before the Lord in the Priests office Exod. 30.30 And so are the Prophets of the Lord tearmed in those words of the Psalmist in the person of God himselfe Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme the latter being put exegeticos expounding the former as who to be the Lordes annointed euen the Prophets Psal 105.15 Euen so doth this inward pure and precious ointment of the holy ghost of the which the other outward holy oyle was a type and figure consecrate and sanctifie the chosen children of God to bee vnto him spirituall Kings Priests and Prophets as wee are oftentimes so tearmed in the Scriptures As first king and priest so called by Peter A chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2.9 out of the 19. Exod. 6. where the Lord promiseth to his people the children of Israel that he will make them a kingdome of Priests and an holy nation Againe by Iohn he hath made vs kings and priests vnto God euen his father Apoc. 1.6 As also Prophets as likewise Peter I will power out my spirit in the last daies vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie out of the Prophet Ioel 2.28 The elect and the faithfull shewing themselues to be such kings whē the kingdome of God is within them when Christ hath set vp his throne in their hearts and when they rule and raigne ouer sinne by the power of God the sword of the word and the Scepter of the spirit not onely making their appetite to be subiect to their reason and their will to their vnderstanding but also their outward man to be obedient to their inner man and the law of the members to the law of the spirit by macerating their lust and lustful bodies by mortifying their carnall and corrupt affections and by crucifying their fleshie and filthy lusts concupiscences and by giuing their members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse and not as seruants to vncleannes to commit iniquitie Rom. 6.19 And such priests declare they themselues to be when they offer vp those Christian spirituall sacrifices which God requireth of them As first that whole burnt offring which Paul commendeth in giuing vp their bodies a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is their reasonable seruing of God Rom. 12.1 And secondly the sacrifice of righteousnes which Dauid commandeth when he saith Offer the sacrifice of Righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord Psal 4.5 Which sacrifice of righteousnesse is twofold of the hart whereof the prophet A sorrowfull spirit is a sacrifice to God a broken and contrite heart Lord shalt thou not despise Ps 51.17 And of the hands of which the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice the Lord is well pleased Heb. 13.16 And finally such Prophets doe they appeare to be when they search the Scripture as our Sauiour biddeth Ioh. 5.39 when they exhort one another daily while it is called to day as Paul warneth Heb. 3.13 and when they labour to growe vp more and more in grace and knowledge as Peter requireth 2. Epist 3.18 and last verse we see then how honourable holy and happy the estate of all the children of God is in being made partakers of this heauenly ointment in not onely bringing forth the former blessed fruits and effects as thereby to be made both valiant Champions and victorious conquerours ouer our spiritual and ghostly enemies and contraries to be refreshed and eased in the middest of our afflictions aduersities to be healed and helped of all the outward sicknesses of our bodies and inward sinnes of our soules to present vs as a sweet smelling sauour or odour in the nostrels of the Lord to giue vs a glad heart and a cheerefull countenance both before God and man The spirituall effect of this heauenly ointment and to consecrate vs Kings Priests and Prophets vnto God but also in bestowing vpon vs so high a dignitie priuiledge and prerogatiue as to make vs the elect vessels of such a diuine liquor whereby we may be worthily tearmed not the gally Pots for that is too base a name but rather the Allabaster boxes of so precious an ointment yea and to be no siluer shrines for that is too meane a mettall for such an excellent matter and that not of Danae the Image that came downe from Iupiter but indeede the golden Temples and Tabernacles of the holy ghost the spirit of God which discended downe from Iehoua himselfe This being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which first our Sauiour himselfe is called Christ and we next his members tearmed of the same Christians that glorious title wherein we haue cause to ioie and reioice for this is that precious ointment which Dauid figuratiuely prophesied should first be powred vpon Aarons head which is Christ and then fall downe vpon his Disciples and Apostles which were the goodly ornaments of the golden age of the Church Psal 133. and the beard as it were of Aarons body annexed to the Head Christ and lastly which ran downe to the skirts of his cloathing euen to the Preachers and teachers of the gospell which liue in this last age of the Church which are as it were the hemme of Aarons garment euen the lowest and least members of the Church and last ministers of Christ And not only vnto them but vnto all the number of the elect and faithfull in generall as being purfles and appurtenances of Aarons body the church and partaking as being the communion of Saints in proportion according to the measure of Gods gifts and graces of this holy and heauenly ointment The duetie therefore of vs all and euerie one of vs is this so to prepare our selues as that wee possesse our vessels in holinesse and purenesse As the Apostle warneth vs euen to purge our hearts from all Hypocrisie to cleanse our soules from all iniquitie and to purifie our mindes from all impietie that being washed with the water of regeneration perfumed with the incense of faith and seasoned with the salt of grace and sweetned with the fruits of charitie wee may be found fit vessels and sweet receptacles for so soueraigne an ointment For as new wine as our Sauiour saith in the gospell must be put in new vessels least that both perish so must this precious liquor be powred into new and pure vessels that both may be preserued For euen as the dead flies as Salomon saith doth cause to stincke and putrisie the ointment of the Apothecarie Eccl. 10.1 So doe the carnall affections of our mortall bodies corrupt and contaminate this spirituall ointment of the holy ghost by making it to be vnto vs not the sweete odour of life vnto life but the bitter sauour of death vnto death and to preuent it rather to our destruction and damnation then to conuert it to our soules health and
saluation And thus much of the benefite or blessing which they vnto whom Iohn writeth had receiued euen an ointment Now therefore to that which next followeth of the person who bestowed the same vpon them which is here said to be him that is holy From him that is holy There are many things in the Scripture which haue the name of Holinesse giuen vnto them as they are often so tearmed Holie as the holy Temple the holy Tabernacle the holy lawe the holy catholike Church the holy gospell the holy word of God the holy sacraments the holy Citie of Ierusalem the holy Angels holy Saints holy priests holy Prophets holy ointment holy oyle c. For it were infinit to repeate al and too tedious to note quoate their seuerall places and these but in the inferiour degree of holinesse This Attribute of Holinesse Holinesse more especially and most properly belonging to the lord God himselfe one in substance three in person Holy Father Holy Sonne and Holy Ghost As the Seraphins cried in Esaies vision 6.3 and the foure beasts in Iohns Reuelation Apoc. 4.8 And Ambrose in his song Holy holy holy these being holy in themselues of themselues they holy by them euen by the imputation participation or imitation of their Holinesse These holy essentially they holy accidentally these holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in way of singularitie and excellencie aboue others they in their degree estate as they can be capable of Holinesse And first that God the Father is oftentimes so called in the Scriptures it is euident that we may seuerally make proofe therof Leu. 20.26 Be holy vnto me for I the Lord am holy 144.13 The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Esay 1.4 The holy one of Israel And therefore our Sauiour in his prayer in the gospel calleth him by this name especially Holy Father Ioh. 17.11 And that Christ himselfe is so likewise tearmed it is manifest first by that of the Angel Gabriel in his annunciaation vnto Marie when he saith that an holy thing shall be borne of thee Luk. 1.35 And by the Virgin Marie her selfe in her Magnificat For he that is mightie hath magnified me and holy is his name Luk. 1.49 And by that of Peter Ye denied the holy iust one and desired a murderer to be giuen vnto you Act. 3.14 And this could not the Diuels themselues but cōfesse euen when they were cast out of him that he was euen the holy one of God Mark 1.24 This being verie requisite and necessarie both for himselfe and vs that he being our holy high priest might enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum the holy of holiest for vs. And as saith the Apostle Such an high priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled seperate from sinners c. Heb. 7.26 Lastly that the third person in Trinitie is so tearmed it appeareth being the spirit of God himselfe which cannot otherwise be named without this title of holinesse this being the proper attribute thereof as it is euident euerie where in the gospell when as it is not onely holy in it selfe and of it selfe but also holy by making others holy both holy in cause and holy in effect holy by his owne instinct and holy by inspiring others But now of which of all these which haue the name and title of holinesse doth Iohn here say that these babes had receiued the foresaid ointment Certaine it is that hereby cannot be meant any of the first sort of holy things or holy men which are but in the lower degree of holinesse and which draw and deriue all the holines they haue from the other as being the welspring fountaine of Holinesse For none of these are so good and gracious as to purchase and procure so great glorious an ointment or of such woorth and worthinesse as to giue and bestow so high and heauenly a thing which is farre better and more blessed then themselues no not the Apostles themselues although they were the most holy of all other next vnto our Sauiour Christ himselfe were not able to giue the same For although Symon Magus seeme to aske the holy ghost euen this ointment at the hands of the Apostles as though it were in their power to giue the same Yet it is otherwise if we marke the words of the Scriptures that is that Symon Magus onely offered them money on condition that they would giue him also the same power which they had themselues that vpon whomsoeuer he might lay hands he might receiue the holy ghost Act. 8.19 As Aug. himselfe hath verie well noted there being no mention of giuing but only of receiuing the holy ghost De Trinit lib. 15. cap. 26. He that gaue this ointment must needs be one of the three most holy persons in the Trinitie either God the Father or God the Sonne or God the holy ghost And yet can it not be said that any one of these doth alone giue it because it is indeed the common gift of them all according to that olde Scholasticall rule of diuinitie sound enough A rule in Diuinitie Omnia opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt communia and most certaine it is that as the holy ghost in essence proceedeth both from the Father the Sonne as Athanasius euidently declareth in his Creed Athanasius Creed so the same holy ghost in effect for the gifts and graces thereof are conferred bestowed to the publike profit of the whole Church and to the priuate vse of some speciall children of God by all the three persons in the Trinitie for so Paul 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6 Now there are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit And there are diuersities of administrations but the same Lord. And there are diuersities of operations but God is the same which worketh all in all Albeit because here is one especially pointed at we must finde out which of the three he should be that gaue this ointment vnto them and which is here more especially said to be holy First although it may be said to be God the Father because euerie good and perfect gift commeth downe from aboue from the Father of lights as Iames 1.17 Or that he is the holy one of Israel as Esay 1.4 Or againe to be the holy ghost because this ointment may seeme to be a gift of the spirit and for that most properly he is called the holy ghost Notwithstanding if we marke the circumstances of the text the purpose of the Apostle and the drift and intendiment of the doctrine of the whole Epistle the scope thereof being nothing els but this euen to prooue Iesus to be Christ against Ebion Cerinthus Marcion and Carpocrates with their sectaries which were the Heretikes Scismaticks and Antichrists of this time The same point which Iohn aymeth at both in his gospell and in his Reuelation as it may more euidently appeare by the 22. v. of this Chap. Againe it is
my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts I will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall teach no more euerie man his neighbour and euerie man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest c. And lastly not to heape vp too many places to this purpose that of Ioel. 2.28 alleadged by Peter Act. 2.17 And it shall be in the last daies saith God I will powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall Prophesie c. As thus the Prophets so our Sauiour in the Gospell Ioh. 14.26 where he setteth downe both the cause and the effect As the Apostle in this place But the comforter which is the holy Ghost whem the Father wil send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all thinges to your remembrance which I haue toulde you And the 15.15 Henceforth call I you not seruants for the seruant knoweth not what his maister doth but I haue called you friendes for all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne vnto you Againe 16.13 Howbeit when he is come which is the spirit of truth he wil leade you in al truth And euen our Apostle himselfe in this selfesame chap. that which he heere affirmeth with all asseuerance ver 27. when he saith Ye neede not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you all things First because as Aug. saith Nihil scire est bruti omnia scire solius Dei quaedam vero scire quaedam nescire hominis These Christians being therfore but men they could not knowe all things Againe they being but Babes as Iohn tearmeth them oftentimes in this Epistle that is new plants in the garden of the Lord young scholers in the Schoole of Christ tender nouices in the house of God and late conuerts to the Gospell such as were freshly Catechised in the Articles of the faith and rawly instructed in the first principles and rudiments of Christian religion who because they could not brooke strong meates were faine to be fed with milke as yet and therefore could not haue such a depth of knowledge as to vnderstand all things being herein not vnlike to the Hebrewes of whom the Apostle saith Heb. 5.12 and 6.1 that they were so farre from perfection that they had need be taught the doctrine of beginnings And againe how could these men know all things when as the verie Apostles of our Sauiour themselues although they had been Christs continual Disciples and were daily taught of him both publikely and priuately by the space of three whole yeares and more bewraied themselues oftentimes in the Gospell to bee meerely and miserably ignorant in many matters and misteries of the common saluation yea euen after they had receiued this ointment that is were inspired with the holy Ghost As Mat. 16.6 when as our Sauiour giuing them a caueat to take heed and beware of the Leauen of the Pharises and Saduces they ignorantly misunderstood him to haue spoken of the materiall leuen of bread and not of the spirituall leauen of false doctrine and heresie Againe when as they could not vnderstand that plaine parable of the tares but must needs haue our Sauiour to expound the same vnto them Matth. 13.36 Notwithstanding our Sauiour had tolde them before that they might marke the better that it was giuen vnto them to know the misteries of the kingdome of heauen but to others it was not giuen verse 11. Againe when as our Sauiour telling them apart by the way as they iournied with him Behold we go vp to Ierusalem and all things shall be fulfilled to the sonne of man that are written by the Prophets for he shall be deliuered vnto the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully intreated and spitte vpon and when they haue scorned him they wil put him to death but the third day he shall rise again They notwithstanding vnderstood none of these things and this saying was hidde from them neither perceiued they the things which were spoken Luke 18.31.32.34 besides many other infirmities wants and errours which were too long to rehearse and by which they made our Sauiour and their Master ashamed of them euerie where mentioned in the gospell yea and the chiefest among them euen Peter and Iohn who were accounted pillars euen by Pauls confession Gal. 2.9 First for Peter although Aug call him Aries gregis Dominici euen the bell-weather of Christs flocke yet what saith the same learned Father of him reckening vp his negligences and ignorances if not greater scapes and fowler faults saying Cum in mari titubasset cum Dominum carnaliter à passione reuocasset cum aurem serui gladio praecidisset cum ipsum Dominum ter negasset cum in simulationem postea superstitiosam lapsus esset De Agone Christiā cap. 30. And for Iohn also although he leaned on Christs breast of which as a learned father saith he squeesed out much matter of profoūd wisdome and knowledge and is called the diuine as being the chiefest Diuine of all other next vnto our Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe And therefore resembled also to an Eagle for soaring aloft aboue the rest of the Euangelists to the highest misteries to the kingdome of heauen Yet how euidently did he togither with his brother Iames declare his ignorant arrogance or his arrogant ignorance when as he asked of Christ to sit either on his right hand or on his left in the kingdome of heauen neither knowing what hee generally asked nor vnderstanding particularly what it is to be on Christs left hand Mat. 20. And afterwards when as he so grossely erred not once but twise euen in the middest of his Reuelations in not knowing an Angel from Christ Iesus himselfe and therefore would haue worshipped the creature for the Creator Apoc. 19.10.22.8 Moreouer the verie Angels themselues knowe not all thinges although they be called Cherubins in the Hebrew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their perfect absolute knowledge aboue all other creatures as it is manifest Ephes 3.10 where it appeareth that the fellowship of the mysterie which from the beginning of the world had been hid in God was but now that is in Christs time and not before made knowne vnto powers and principalities in heauenly places yea and Christ himselfe is said by the Apostles not to be seene of Angels but after a while euen after his manifestation or incarnation in the flesh and then iustified in the spirit then seene of Augels c. 1. Tim. 3.16 Furthermore when as our Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe as he was man knew not all things as he confesseth of himselfe in the Gospell That of that day and houre speaking of the last day of his second comming to iudgement knoweth no man no not the Angels of heauen but my Father onely Matth. 24.36 and as Marke hath neither the sonne himselfe 13.31 And
and Esay 29.13 And this not only by the secret instinct inspiration and operation of the holy Ghost but also by a godly experience which they haue gotten and gathered by hauing their wits exercised through long custome to discerne betweene good and cuill as the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 5.14 which power of the spirit our Sauiour Christ declared when as he called the ruler of the Synagogue Hypocrite who tooke indignation that our Sauiour should heale the people on the Sabboth day Luk. 13.15 And when he called Herod Antipas a fox knowing full wel his subtiltie in sending for him to shew him a signe as he pretended but indeed to put him to death as he intended Luk 13.32 And lastly when as he could discerne Iudas Ischariot from all the rest of his Disciples to be a theefe a betraier and a Diuell Ioh. 6.70 And this gift of the holy Ghost did Peter giue euidence to be in himselfe when as he could separate that paire of hollow-hearted Hypocrites and halfe parting dissemblers Ananias and Saphira from all other the sound christians and faithfull beleeuing brethren in their time Act. 5. As also in Symon Magus whose heart he sounded to the bottome when as he would haue purchased the gift of the holy Ghost for money telling him that his heart was not right in the sight of God but that he was in the gaule of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie Acts 8.21.23 This did Paul likewise shew towards Elimas the Sorcerer in vnfoulding his hypocrisie before his face and saying vnto him O full of all subtiltie and mischiefe the childe of the Diuell and enemy to all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to peruert the straight waies of the Lord Actes 13.10 Which gift of discerning of spirits was not onely found to be in Christ himselfe and his Apostles but also in Moyses himselfe and the Prophets As in Moyses when he knew and vnderstood that Eldad and Medad that prophesied in the host of Israell were the true prophets of the Lord whom Iehosua suspected and misdeemed to haue been false prophets Numb 11. As also Elizeus when he knewe the Hypocriticall minde of Gebezi telling him that his heart was with him when he went to Naaman the Syrian 2. King 5.26 And finally in Iohn the Baptist when as for their horrible Hypocrisie he called the Pharises and Saduces Generation of Vipers and told them what they thought in their hearts by soothing and smoothing vp themselues for that they had Abraham to their Father Mat. 3.9 And not to these onely but to manie other the faithfull and elect about this time was this exceeding gift communicated that necessarily for the strengthening and establishing of themselues being as yet but new-borne babes in the house of God amid so manie vpstart Scismatickes Heretikes and Antichrists in the faith of their profession Two touch stones of the spirit of the word that by the two touchstones the one external of the word the other internall of the spirit of both which they were made partakers and that in great manner and measure they might discerne and make difference between the false Doctour and the true teacher of the Gospell euen to trie before they trust and to touch before they take to examine before they imbrace and to be sure of the soundnesse and synceritie of any doctrine before they beleeue and accept it According to the counsell and commandement of our Apostle afterwards to these men to whom he here writeth in his Epistle that they should in exercising this grace giuen vnto them when he saith Dearely beloued beleeue not euerie spirit but trie the spirits whether they be good or no annexing a reason thereunto of the danger of the time For many false Prophets are gone out into the world A watch-word of warning A token of triall And after this watch-word of warning in the former verse he giueth them a token of triall in the next verse Hereby shall ye know the spirit of God Euerie spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1. Ioh. 4.1.2 c. Yea how behoouefull this was our Sauiour himselfe telleth vs in the Gospell That there should arise false Prophets and false Christs and should shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie elect Mat. 24.24 Luk. 17.14 But not to dwell any longer in this matter howsoeuer these words may after a manner be thus taken fitly according to the Analogie of faith yet is the former sence farre more proper as comming neerest to the meaning of the Apostle and sentence of the Scripture and to the which I my selfe doe in iudgement rather incline being indeed nothing els but an holy Hyperbole All thinges All for manie here taken for many thinges as it is vsuall euerie where in the Scripture As for example and semblably as in this place All Iudca all Ierusalem and all the Region round about Iordan went out into the wildernesse vnto Iohn the Baptist not all and none least which had been vnpossible but manie and all for the most part Mat. 3.4 As likewise Luke in that his definition of the Gospell To be a treatise of all things which Iesus beganne to doe and teach by all meaning the especiall things which were worthy to be written of him and necessarie to be knowne of vs Act. 1.19 For otherwise the whole world could not containe the bookes that should be written of him as Ioh. 21.25 And finally as Paul That God will haue all men to be saued c. All 1. Tim. 2.4 not collectiue but distributiue Non pro singulis generum Rom. 5.14.18 but pro generibus singulorum or els all for many as the same Apostle All men iustified verse 18. and yet but many ver 14. Our Apostle signifying hereby that they had a great encrease and plentifull measure of knowledge yea such and so great as that they needed not any further instruction hauing been alreadie fully informed in all things necessarie vnto their Saluation As the Lord bethanked the like may be saide of many amongst vs in this time of the noon light and sunshine of the Gospell who although they be but hearers of the word yet in comparison of the lamentable ignorance of such blinde guides which haue been heretofore in the time of Poperie in whom was required no more then this Qui bene Can Con Le poterit is praesbiter esse which must needs be the cause of the grosse superstition and palpable darknesse of former ages may be accounted in respect of their learning in the holy Scriptures which they haue gotten by the blessing of God and their owne diligence through their continuall hearing reading conference meditation and exercise in the word not Disciples but Doctors not Scholers but teachers not young nouices but perfect professours in the Church of God being not onely sufficient to render an account of their faith as Peter requireth in
so manie pregnant and proper wits diuert their mindes from the studie and profession of Diuinitie and why also the multitude make so vile an account of the word and the ministers therof loathing that which they ought to loue and contemning them whom they ought to honour As being the cause also of so manie superficial diuines leane cleargions and speaking preachers who thinke they haue a sufficient Librarie if they haue a bible Caluins Institutions and Peter Martyrs Common places in English and knowledge and learning enough if they can Paraphrastically post ouer in haste a whole Psalme or Chapter at once like vnto him that with light foote runneth ouer a quackmire for feare of falling in ouer head and eares and can speake extempory and that many houres togither neither tying themselues to text nor time But if we will beleeue Austin we shall finde diuinitie to be a more deepe studie and the Scriptures themselues to be more hard and profound Tanta est enim Christianarum profunditas literarum as he saith in his Epistle to Volusian vt in eis quotidie proficerem sieas solas ab ineunte pueritia vsque ad decrepitam senectutem maximo ocio summo studio optimo ingenio conarer addiscere c. That is that such and so great is the depth and profunditie of Christian knowledge in the holy scriptures as that a man might daily profit therein and encrease his knowledge more and more yea if he should doe nothing els but studie them euen from his childhood to his olde age hauing the greatest leasure vsing the most diligence endued with the sharpest wit and holpen with the best memorie giuing this reason thereof in the words following Tam multa tamque multiplicibus mysteriorum vmbraculis opaca intelligenda proficientibus restant So manie and manifold mysteries remaine behind to be vnderstood of them that haue alreadie profited therein that not only in the words but also in the matter of the Scriptures such depth of wisedome lieth hid therein vt annosissimis acutissimis flagrantissimis that euen to the most auncient most wittie and most studious for their infinite desire of learning may be said that which the same Scripture hath in another place when a man hath made an end then doth he begin againe signifying hereby that he that is the greatest Rabbi and profoundest Doctour in the Vniuersities is but a scholer and that of the lowest forme in the schoole of Christ And that therefore euerie wise Christian be he neuer so skilfull in the Scriptures although he be so cunning with the Scribes Pharises as that be can tell how often euerie word and euerie letter is contained in the Bible may with sage Solon although an Heathen say truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that he shall neuer cease to learne vntill he leaue to liue and this not onely in respect of the whole Scripture in generall is this mysterie of Godlinesse for the subiect matter that it containeth great in quantitie as I haue already declared but also in regard of this special graund mysterie of the manifestation of God in the flesh and of euerie one of those particular branches which depend and follow vpon the same The which when I seuerally consider I must needes crie out and say with the Poet Ingenium fateor transcendit copia rerum Materia vires exuperante meas For as concerning the first it is so great a mysterie The greatnesse of the mysterie that it not only passeth the reach of mans reason but farre surpasseth the capacitie conceit of Angels themselues to comprehend the depth length breadth and height thereof containing many miracles and comprising many mysteries in it and vpon which dependeth the whole summe of our saluation and the compleat worke of our redemption and after the which in consequence and coherence followeth all the rest of the Articles of our faith all the promises of the Lord all the mercies of God the Father all the merits of Christ Iesus his sonne all the fruits and effects of the holy Ghost and finally all the blessings and benefites which are bestowed vpon the Church as shall be declared more at large hereafter in the due place The second his iustifying in the spirit it containeth in it the mysterie of the Hypostaticall vnion as in one person to be two natures the Humanitie and Diuinitie of our Sauiour to be both God and man whereby he is become our only mediator which darke mysterie none can vnderstand but by the gift of wisedome nor perceiue but with the eies of faith The third seene of Angels a mysterie no lesse then the former that flesh should be beholden of spirits man to be admired of angels principalities to testify of a wretch and powers to beare witnesse of a worme and no man The fourth he preached vnto the Gentiles as incredible a thing as if a great Monarch of the world should send his chiefe nobles with honourable ambassage to bruit beastes offering and proffering holy things to dogges and precious pearles to swine The fift beleeued in the world like the other as impossible a matter for dumbe and deafe blocks stocks and stones first to heare and then to beleeue and to become the children of Abraham And finally the fixt receiued vp into glorie the last miraculous mysterie but not the least misticall miracle for ignominie to become glorious flesh to be made spirit and earth to be taken vp into heauen All which when a man considereth hee must needs say Great art thou O Lord and great are thy workes in wonderfull wisedome hast thou made them all But not onely is this mysterie great in matter in respect of quantitie as Loue is said to bee the greatest comandement Mat. 22. but also for qualitie as charitie is said to be the greatest vertue For first for whole godlines which containeth in it the great promises and punishments the great mercies and iudgements of the Great Lord which he describeth out vnto vs the great Citie of the great King the great doome of the great day the great signes of the great Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnalia Dei the great things of the great God such as the eie of mā hath neuer seene the care of man neuer heard the heart of man could neuer conceiue such as faith only apprehendeth hope only taketh holde of the spirit onely perceiueth and grace onely receiueth foretold of the Prophets fulfilled of our Sauiour promised in his word performed in the life to come here in desire there in deede of which now the elect haue but onely a tacke and tast but hereafter shall haue a ful fruition and plenarie possession great in ioy great in pleasure great in comfort great in countenance finally great euerie way and in euerie respect And secondly for this speciall mysterie and coherents thereof what thing greater then the Incarnation of Christ then the manifestation of God in the flesh and what greater then the
King 1.10.10 And king Salomon himselfe was most bountiful when he gaue Hiram king of Tyrus 20. Cities in the land of Galilee 1. King 9.11 And when he gaue to the Queene of Saba whatsoeuer she would aske besides that he gaue of his kingly liberalitie 1. King 10.13 And finally when as hee gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones and gaue Caedars as the wilde fig-trees which grow in great plentie on the plaine 1. King 10.27 Mordecay the Iew was highly honoured of Asuerus when he caused him to weare his owne royall apparell and to ride on his owne horse in the streets of the Citie and made Hammon a great Prince to proclaime before him Thus shall it be done vnto the man whom the King will honour Ester 6.11 Daniell the Prophet was greatly exalted of King Darius when as he made him chiefe ruler ouer 120. gouerners Dan. 6.1 The wise men of the East which might seeme to be great states or Potentates by their great giftes offered vnto our Sauiour precious presents euen gold incense and mirrh Mat. 3.11 Constantine the great that renowmed Emperour and Monarch of all the world greatly promoted and enriched the Church when as he bountifully bestowed vpon the same most liberall collations and donations large rents and reuenues ample landes and possessions and with al princely priuiledges and prerogatiues As also diuers others Godly and christian Kings and Queens in the like royall beneuolence and benificence haue followed his excellent example in shewing themselues foster fathers and noble nourcing mothers vnto the Church Finally many earthly princes haue notably exalted diuers of their wel-deseruing subiects and seruants by giuing vnto them great mannors and honours high degrees honourable dignities euen Lordshippes Earldomes and Duchies to make them the second persons of the Realmes but yet so as they alwaies reserued and preserued their owne crownes thrones and kingdomes vnto themselues But our Sauiour Christ Iesus who is the king of all kings the most mightie Soucraigne Monarch of heauen and earth who so farre surpasseth all worldly princes as the sunne doth the moone or starres heauen the earth and the creator the creature being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil calleth him a giuer of great things bestoweth nothing vpon those whom hee will prescree and promote honour and exalt but a crowne throne or kingdome surinounting them in greatnesse of reward as hee exceedoth and excelleth them in essence and power And no maruell is it if our Sauiour giue nothing els but a crowne as thinking all other things to be base for him to bestow vpon those to whom he promiseth any reward when as all principalities dominions and kingdomes are at his commaund and appointment and at whose feete all kings and princes shall lay downe their crownes mounds and scepters as hauing receiued the same before at his hands of which he so often ascertaineth assureth the elect and faithfull in his Gospell as Iob. 14. Feare not little flocke for my heauenly Father will giue you a kingdome Luk. 22. As my Father hath appointed vnto me a kingdome euen so doe I appoint vnto you Mat. 19. ye shall sit on twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Finally neuer doth our Sauiour or his Apostles offer and profer in the name and person of Christ any reward vnto the righteous but it is either a crowne a throne or kingdome as it may appeare euerie where in the Gospels of the Euangelists and Epistles of the Apostles So gracious alwaies is God in his gifts so rich in his rewards and so bountifull in all his benefites and blessings so that in this if euer in any thing that Prouerb of the Poet is found most true Non libet exiguis rebus adesse Ioui As likewisein respect of vs that receiue the same he giueth this so great a guerdon euen to crowne vs with mercie and louing kindnesse in bestowing vpon vs of his owne gracious good liking more then we could expectare vel expetere require or request deserue or desire hope to haue or dare to receiue at his hands of his fauourable vouchasasing to make that account and regard of vs as to deeme and esteeme vs woorthy of no meaner a reward then of a crowne and that therefore because we haue attained to that dignitie to be called the sonnes of God by the election of the Father the redemption of the spirit whereby we euen loath and neglect al worldly things whatsoeuer and account them with Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as doung be they neuer so godly and glorious in the sight of flesh and bloud but onely to aime at the high price of the calling of God in Christ Iesus As whose heroicall spirits should disdaine al their temporanie and transitorie trash and trumperie toies and trifles but to crie and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Achilles whē he followed Hector in Homer and againe Neque enim leuia aut ludicra petuntur with Aeneas pursuing Turnus in Virgil for seeing all the faithfull are Eagles as the Scripture tearmeth them they must neither creepe on the earth with the Serpent nor sit on dunghils with the Rauens but soare aloft for their pray and where the carkasse is thither must they resort as our Sauiour in the Gospell euen to aspire and ascend vp where he himselfe is to sit with him in his throne For as it is in the Prouerb Aquila non capit muscas The Eagle will catch no flies that is regard little and light things but as he is the Prince of birds so will he be crowned as a King and Soueraigne But if we shall then receiue a crowne what manner of crowne shall it be Diuers sorts of crownes For there is diuers sorts of crownes there is Ciuica corona a crowne made of Oaken bowes which was giuen of the Romans to him that saued the life of any citizen in battel against his enemies Secondly Obsidionalis which was of grasse giuen vnto him that deliuered a town or citie from sicdge Thirdly Muralis which was of gold giuen vnto him that first scaled the wall of any towne or castle Fourthly Castrensis which was likewise of golde giuen vnto him that first entred the campe of the enemie Fiftly Naualis and that also of gold giuen vnto him that first by valour bourded the shippe of the enemy Sixtly Oualis which was of Mirtle which was giuen to those captaines that subdued any towne or Citie or that woon any fielde casily without losse or shedding of bloud Seuenthly and lastly Triumphalis which was of Laurell giuen to that chiefe Generall or Consul which after some notable victorie and conquest came home triumphing But all these or the most of them were rather garlands then crownes yea the verie best of those that were of gold rather coronets then crowns and if crowns rather crowns of honor then of glorie This crowne therefore that our chiefe Shepheard shall giue and the faithfull elders of the Church
of their money goods and Iewels multiplying his cattel in exceeding number encreasing his offpring with a faire issue beholding his posteritie vnto the fourth generation and finally in crowning him with honourable olde age and fulnesse of daies Iohn the last Chapter So our Sauiour Mat. 13.12 Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue aboundance but whosoeuer hath not shall be taken away euen that which he hath As we may see in Elizeus the Prophet vpon whom for his willingnes and forwardnesse in accepting that holy function and for his faithfulnesse and zeale in following the same and for his earnest and feruent praier was doubled vpon him the spirit of Elias 2. Kings 2.9 but otherwise in Saul from whom the good spirit of the Lorde was taken away and an euil spirit of God was sent to vex him 1. Sam. 16.14 Of both which we haue a double euident demonstration First in the parable of the Virgins of the which the first fiue being wise vsed well their lampes by trimming preparing and filling them with oyle against the comming of the bridegroome and therefore were receiued into the wedding but the other fiue foolish abused their lampes in suffering them to go out for want of oyle and for not watching the time and season of the bridegroomes comming and therefore were worthely thrust out of doores Secondly in the similitude of the talents wherein is declared that first he that had fiue talents occupying with them and gaining other fiue to his masters profit and againe he that receiued two to get other two to his masters vse and that therefore they had not onely the praise of good and faithfull seruants but also the reward of their weldoing in being made rulers ouer much because they were found faithfull in little and were bidden to enter into their masters ioye But as for that other euill and slothfull seruant which had but one talent who wrapt it vp in a napkin went and hid it in the earth accusing his masters hardnes His Lord did not onely reprooue him of idlenesse and bereft him of his talent bestowing it on him that had tenne talents yeelding that for a reason before remembred mentioned of our Sauiour Mat. 13. but did also cast him as an vnprofitable seruaunt into vtter darkenesse where is weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25. The vse hereof in a word is thus much vnto vs all vpon whom God in any manner or measure hath bestowed any temporall benefits and blessings or spirituall gifts and graces that we take heede that we neither disuse them idly nor abuse them vainely nor misuse them vnlawfully but wisely and warily carefully and circumspectly to vse them to the honor and glorie of God to the good of our neighbour and brother and to our owne soules health and saluation As for those in generall that haue the world at will that they follow the precept of the Apostle in vsing the world as thogh they vsed it not and particularly for those that haue riches that they make themselues friends of the vnrighteous Māmon for those that haue wit and wisedome that they be wise not in their generation but vnto regeneration for those that are indued with knowledge that they be not therby puffed vp but that they vse it vnto edification and so foorth of the rest For we are all of vs from the highest to the lowest but Gods stewards of such gifts graces and other good things which he lendeth vs and letteth vs haue for the tearme and time of our life to be disposed not according to our will and wish but for his aduantage and aduancement of the which we shall all at the last day of iudgement be called to a reckening when as our Sauiour shall say vnto euerie one of vs as the Lord vnto the vnrighteous steward in the Gospell Redde rationem villicationis tuae Render an account of thy Baylieweeke when as Iustice with equitie and iudgment with seueritie shall be ministred vnto vs. And thus much of the two former points of this first principall part of my text Of this hauing and of the persons that are heere said to haue Now therefore let vs go forward to the next that is to the thing that they are here said to haue which is said to be an ointment But ye haue an ointment Of many kindes of ointments read we in the Scriptures Manie kindes of ointments The first whereof as far as I can remember is that of Iacobs with which he annointed the Pillar which hoerected at Zuz when he consecrated and named it Bethel the house of God The second Bethel Gen. 6.28.18.31.13 that of Moises the oyle of holy ointment which God commanded him to make for matter of the principall spices namely of pure mirrh sweete Cynamon sweet Calamus Cassia and oyle oliue for forme after the art of the Apothecarie for vse to annoint the Tabernacle therewith The holy ointment the Arke of the testimonie the table the candlesticks the Altar of incense with all their implements yea and Aaron himselfe with his sonnes with an inhibition of not annointing any mans flesh therewith nor to make any composition like vnto it Ex. 30. Of the which ointment Dauid Psal 133. to the which brotherly loue is by him resembled where he calleth it the precious ointment which was powred on Aarons head The priests ointment and ranne downe on his beard and so to the skirts of his cloathing The semblable or the selfesame was that oyle or ointment with which the Kings and Priests of Israel were wont ro be annointed As that viole of oyle with which Samuel annointed Saul 1. Sam. 20.1 The Kings ointment And that horne of oyle with which the same Prophet annointed Dauid 1. Sam. 16.13 And that box of oyle with which one of the children of the Prophets annointed Iehu 2. Kin. 9.1 And finally as that ointment with which Elias annointed Elizeus 1. Kin. 19.16 Other ointments likewise we reade of as of a feasting ointment of which Dauid Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me thou hast annointed my head with oile and my cuppe runneth ouer Psal 23.5 Where the Propheticall king or kingly prophet reckening vp his outward blessings princely pleasurs with which God had enriched him at his royall banquets among his ful dishes of delicates and plentifull bowles of wine for which he gaue the Lord thanks he had likewise no want of euerie precious ointment both for the refection of his body and the refreshing of his spirits all which he acknowledgeth to proceede from the diuine prouidence of God After the manner of the great Kings and Keysars of the world who for their more magnificēce at their pompous feasts wherein is all excesse are woont to haue three sorts of costly ointments as sumptuous as may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being liquid they vsed to drinke
Ioh. 3.5 Except a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Where the latter word spirit is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and expoundeth what should be meant by water going before The spirit being like vnto water not onely in mollifying and resoluing our obstinate hearts and making them of hard soft and of stone fleshie but also in purging and purifying both our bodies and our soules from the contagion contamination of all worldly wickednesse As it is likewise represented by diuers other things in sundrie other places of the Scriptures but to nothing more commonly and fitly then to an ointment As Psal 45.7 God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes First in type of Salomon Secondly in truth of our Sauiour Psal 92.9 I am annointed with fresh oyle Dauid of himselfe Esay 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me repeated of Christ and applied to himselfe Luk. 4.18 Dan. 9.24 The annointing of the most holy or holy annointing meaning our Sauiour Messias or Christ annointed who therefore is called Messias in the Hebrew and Christ in the Greeke which signifieth nothing els but annointed Likewise Acts 10.38 where Peter saith That God annointed Iesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost and 2. Cor. 1.21 where Paul certifieth the Corinthians that God had established them togither with him in Christ and had annointed them and least they should doubt with what he afterwards declareth in the verse following 22. euen the spirit with which they were sealed and whose earnest they had receiued in their hearts And so finally in this place and in the 27. verse of this Chapter where the holy Ghost is twise tearmed togither the Annointing by our Apostle when he saith But the annointing which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things which as it is most commonly cōpared vnto and called by the name of an ointment so hath it the nature of an ointment and expresseth all the qualities properties and effects of an ointment That as materiall annointing hath these six vses Six vses of ointment 1 to prepare the body to fight 2 to refresh 3 to heale 4 to cause a cheerefull countenance 5 to make vs sweete smelling 6 to consecrate Kings Priests and Prophets So this our spirituall ointment to be as profitable to so manie ends and purposes Simile as first euen as wrastlers champions and martialists that giue themselues to valerous and venturous exercises of the body before they come into the Lists to trie the maisterie or to performe the combate or fight are woont before to annoint their bodies all ouer to supple their ioints and to soften their sinewes to make them apte and able to shew forth such feates of armes and actiuitie as are expected at their hands as was the custome in the olde grecian Olympian games and the late Romaine Circenses ludi and therefore as they were tearmed Athletae of their striuing so were they called Alyptae of their annointing So the souldiers of Christs campe his Church that weare and beare his badge his crosse and fight vnder his banner his gospell that are daily to wrastle by temptations with the common enemies of the elect and faithfull not flesh and bloud but powers principalities and worldly gouernours in heauenly places Sinne death hell Satan with all their complices and adherents in the field of this world being annointed with this ointment neede no other coate-armour nor compleate harnesse to defend themselues with for hauing this they are rightly garnished with all the gifts and graces of the holy ghost and are fully furnished with that perfect Panoply of proofe which Paul commendeth to all Christians Eph. 6.12 c. Euen the helmet of saluation the breast-plate of righteousnesse the girdle of veritie the showes of the preparation of the Gospell the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit The prophane Poets prate much of their hellish riuer Stix that whosoeuer is drēcht or dipt in the same his body as plated with steele is so surely fenced that neither the force of fire nor sword could any wise hurt or harme it As they report of their Achilles whom they affirme thereby to be made impregnable and inuincible which is indeed but a fabulous fiction and a shadowe of this vndoubted true and certaine effect of this diuine ointment that whose soule soeuer shal be annointed herewith shall be so safe and sure from all diuelish temptations suggestions and prouocations that Satan notwithstanding all his Machines and methodies that I may vse the verie wordes of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and maugre all his power and policie with all his firie dartes shall not be able to fasten one wound or venue vpon him without the which our Sauiour himselfe euen the Prince and captaine of our saluation had not been sufficiently armed to haue withstood the fierce assaults of the temptour our graund enemy in that his Monomachie or single combate which hee had with him in the wildernesse For then and not before as saith the Euangelist Luk. 4.22 returned Iesus from Iordan when the holy ghost was come downe in a bodily shape vpon him like a Doue and 4.1 was led by the spirit into the wildernesse when as he was full of the holy Ghost Secondly The 2. vse Simile as common ointment doth relieue refresh and reuiue the bodies of men that are ouerwrought and ouerwearied with worke for-swat and for-swunck with labour finally toiled and turmoiled with ouermuch trauell So doth this extraordinarie ointment of the holy Ghost coole and comfort the elect and faithfull in this life aster we haue been tormented with the troubles and tribulations of this world scorched with the parching heate of persecution and singed or rather burnt in the fire and furnace of affliction with which the three children in the middest of Nabuchodonosors furnace were so preserued Dan. 27. that their garments were not scorched their skinnes not touched nor the haire of their heads so much as singed notwithstanding the infinit heate thereof And with which Iohn the Euangelist was so protected Iohn the Euangelist Ante portam latinā that when he was cast into an hot boiling cauldron of scalding oyle by the commandement of Domitian before the Latine gate of Rome he came foorth safe and sound without any hurt or harme at all of his body the same indeed being of greater force in this respect then the Nasturcium of the Persians The Persians Nasturcium wherewith they were wont to recreate themselues againe after that in their long hunting they were welny faint with labour and famisht with hunger which by the way I take to be a more precious and soueraigne plant then our common Cresses although it be vulgarly deemed the same Of more vertue then
curse and death as first condemnation for so the Apostle By the offence of one the fault came on all men vnto cōdemnation Rom. 5.18 Secondly curse for as saith the same Apostle out of Deut. 27.26 Cursed is euerie man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Gal. 3.10 Thirdly death for according to the commination of the law whosoeuer shall not performe euerie iote and tittle of the lawe shall die the death and the conclusion of our Apostle The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. And the last with condemnation curse and death not temporall or for a time but perpetuall and for euer because man himselfe was neuer able to beare and abide as the Lord himselfe knew who seeth all his frailties and infirmities and yet it being necessarie that man hauing sinned man should suffer for that the sentence of condemnation should not be reuersed nor curse of the lawe reuoked nor the doome of death redeemed but that one must needes die for the people and one for all and not that man alone as being sufficient because all men had trāns gressed nor a beast being too base to satisfie for so great and so manie trespasses nor an Angell as being too weake for such a punishment and passion It pleased God the Father of his gratious goodnesse to send downe his onely begotten sonne out of his owne bosome and it liked also Christ himselfe the sonne of God yea God of God light of light verie God of verie God of his owne intire loue to vouchsafe to discend downe from the highest heauen vpon the earth and to be incarnate incorporate and compassed about with our claiey mould to take vpon him our vile and seruile nature and to be manifested vnto the world in our weake fraile and wretched flesh and to be borne of a silly simple and sinfull woman to performe for man all obedience and to reforme his disobedience to ransome sinne and redeeme his transgression by his body to saue our soules and by his owne death to purchase our liues by his owne crucifying to take away our curse by his owne condemnation to obtaine a common saluation and by his owne sacrifice to make a generall satisfaction for all other vnto God his father O magna gratia magna dignatio And this is that great wonderfull mystery which is so notably set out by the Euangelists in the Gospell which when we consider our spirite must needes be rauished our senses benummed our Witts captiuated and all our outward and inward parts and powers to be astonished that the word should be come fleash Iohn 1.14 and to be made of the seede of Dauid according to the fleash Rom. 1.3 and being in the fourme of God and thinking it noe robberie to be equall with God should make himselfe of no reputation and take vpon him the fourme of a seruant and be made like vnto men and be formed in shape of a man Phil. 2.6.7 which is such a misterie that I may vse Austin words in an other matter Yet fitly applied to this purpose Vt altitudine ipsa rerum superbos terreat profunditate attē tos teneat veritate magnos pascat vtilitate paruulos nutriat in his 5. lib Genesi ad Lite Chapit 3. that with the depth thereof it terrifieth the arrogant which thinke they can conceiue all thinges with the hardnesse thereof it will make men attentiue and studious which otherwise would be idle and negligent and with the truth thereof will exercise the most perfit and able which thinke all matters easie and plaine and lastly with the pressire and fruitfulnesse thereof will nourish the simplier sorte which like younge sucklinges can hardly brooke anie stronge meates and not onely such a misterie but such a greate misterie as what could be greater saith the same Father that a virgin should cōceaue a sonne without the seede of man What greater then that God should be borne of a woman and what finally greater then this that she that confesseth herselfe a lowly handmaid should become the mother of her owne maker Where vpon Austin saieth vpon the Magnificat Misterium incarnationis verbi super omnia constat esse ineffabile Wherein are not only manie but also greate miracles as that a virgin should become a mother God a man Greate miracles and the Creatour a Creature that truth should come out from the Earth that Righteousnesse should looke downe from Heauen that maiestie shuld take vpon it Humilitie that he that is the Auncient of daies and was for euer before all daies and created euery day should be borne in a daie to deliuer vs from the euill of euerie day that he by his birth should bestow vpon his mother the gifte of fruitfulnes yet not take away from her the vertue of virginitie that he that in the beginning of the world made the first Adā according to his own Image and similitude should make himselfe afterwards in the ending of the world according to our similitude and likenesse descending downe vnto vs by that which he tooke of ours deliuering vs by that which remained in himselfe conceiued by the holy Ghost not of the substance but by the power thereof not by generation but by benediction Finally not by propagation but by sanctification and his Mother conceauing him not by man but by God not by seede but by the spirit not by humaine meanes but by the ouer shadowing of the most highest So that as he was borne without Carnall copulation so was he brought forth with out mortall corruption And as he was first borne of his Father before al worldes without a mother and did create the world so secondly was he borne of his mother in the world without a father that he might consecrate by his deuine Maiestie inuisible by his humaine birth visible in them both wonderfull of the one as impossible to be expressed the Prophet saith And who shall declare his generation Esaie 53. Of the other as necessarie to be knowne and credible to be beleeued The Euangelist And the birth of Christ Iesus was after this māner Math 1. Before he was borne abiding in the bosome of his father and yet filling the wombe of his mother in the time of his birth the euerlasting Father in heauen and yet a Young infant vpon the Earth after birth a light shining in the world as Iohn and yet dwelling in the light that cannot be attained vnto as Paule of which his birth and of the manner and ende thereof Austin hath these sweete words Vt Sponsus processit de thalamo suo vt gigas exultauit ad currendam viam speciosus vt sponsus fortis vt gigas amabilis et terribilis serenus seuerus pulcher bonis asper malis that is he went forth as a bridegrome c. Which manner of his bringing forth was farre more strāg then any other birthes of mankind that were before then that first of
twelue tribes of the people that he might euermore haue theÌ„ in remembrance the skirts hemmes of his robes being hunge with belles of gould and pomegranets in signe that his life should giue forth a greate sound and good sauor all abroade and that his voice should ring and be hard a loude among the People and therefore also the Lord requireth Leuit 21. That noe preist should be maimed or deformed but whole and sounde Vpon which place Theoderite hath these wordes in his thirtie question A sacris arcentur corpore vitiati saith he vt per affectiones non sponte susceptas ea quae a voluntate proficisci debent pro hiberentur Oculorum enim occaecatio inopiam cognoscendi significat auris amputatio in obedientiam naris ablatio facultatis discernendi priuationem manus abscissio in agendo socordiam atque ita in reliquis Hereby signifying that he cannot be a perfect minister that faulteth or faileth in any anie one of these deuties not so much standing vpon the deformites of the bodie as respecting the giftes of the minde which he hereby signifieth and insinuateth as also is meante by the vnblemished sacrifices that were required which also the verie Heathen did regarde especially both in their Priests and offerings for as Ieremie Ad Fabiolam saith Corporis Vctia ad animum reâ—eruntur Ideoque talibus praeditos corporibus ad rem Diuinam Esse ineptos Besides this how often hath our Sauiour commanded his Disciples in the Gospell as concerning good life and godly couersation How often also hath Paule giuen the same to Tymothie in charge As the other Apostles to other Pastours and Teachers of the word All which of the Preists in the lawe of the Disciples in the Gospell doe as well concerne vs as them as being spoken to all alike As that in the Tim. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is a pure harte a good conscience and vnfained For as he describeth a minister in the third Chap of the same Epist He must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as the Apostle requireth in a Deacon and therefore much more in a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as he requireth in the fourth Chapter That he haue a good report of those that are without least they fall into the rebuke and snare of the diuell and in the same chapter That he be vnto them that beleeue an example in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in saith and in purenes as Peter in the 1.5.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as tipes patternes presidents and examples vnto your flockes of which the Lord hath made you ouerseers as Paule againe lastly warneth vs in the same fourth Chapter last verse Take heede vnto thy selfe and vnto thy doctrine for in so doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and those that heare thee least that preaching vnto other thou thy selfe become a reprobate 1. Cor. 19. last verse So that hereby we are all to learne what is our dutie that take vpon vs to preach the word of God vnto others that we our selues first giue example of good workes who as we call others we our solues may first leade and shewe the way to others and be deafe our selues whoe should giue good example and if we bid others goe and we our selues stand still and if we pipe and sing to others and we our selues be not delighted therewith what doe we els but moke God condeme them for as the Poet saith Turpe est Doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum and as another saith Quid didicisse viam prodest quia pergere nolis Turpior ignaro factus es ipse sciens But lette such loose and dissolute ministers remember that Agens Theologia contrarie to Aristotles opinion of felicitie as saith Barnarcinus Ochinus Tanto maior est contemplante quantum domina serua etuiua fides mortuae anticellit dialogue 2.20 Better is he that hath actiue the hethat hath contemplatiue Diuinitie let them remember that which Austin saith to their sham evenit indoctum vulgus et rapit caelum The common people winning away as it were by violence the Kingdome of Heauen from them being like Astronomers and Starregasers which alwaies are pointing at it but neuer possesse it or sette foote in it and being in the pulpitte as one a stage bearing the partes and taking vpon them the persons of good men but afterwardes become their owne men againe when as Christ saith in the eight of Iohn if ye would abide in this my saying then should ye be truely my disciples which our Sauiour speaketh to all in generall and therefore much more vnto the minister it was the saying of Prophaine Protagoraes in the Pagane Plato herein agreing with mischeivous Machiueli he is as a madde man that cannot counterfaite Iustice but contrarie wise godly Paule he saith That the wrath of the Lord is reueiled from Heauen vpon all them that hould the trueth of God in vniustice Let all Preachers therefore imitate the patriarch Iacob in taking vnto them both Lea and Rachel that is both life and learning manners and knowledge science and conscience together that I may vse the Allegorie of a Iewish Rabbie who likneth Action vnto Lea and contemplation to Rachel Lea seeming to be deformed or rather not so well fauoured in comparison to Rachel which was most beautifull workes and deedes more harde and laborious then bare speculation when as they doe other wise they shall shew themselues like vnto Iacobs wiues maides Biltha and Zilpha Who did bring forth children which were free they themselues being bound and likewise being themselues most sinnefull children of God did make others good and Godly themselues continuing badde and wicked But would to God they would call to mind whensoeuer they goe aboute to reprehende and reproue the sinnes of the people that which the Heathen Tullie hath in his thirde of his Tusculan Est propruim stultitiae aliorum vitia cernere obliuisci suorum And againe in an other place Omni vitio carere debet is qui in alium paratus est discere And would they would remember that which they reade of that famous Lawgiuer Licurgus who gaue noe lawes but those which he first practised himselfe They may happelie deceaue the ignorant and simple people who as Horace saieth 1. lib. Epist Vertutem verba esse putant vt ligna lucum But beloued the Lord is not mocked who is the searcher of the Hartes and reines And is not as Mercurie to whome onelie tongues are offered and sacrificed but requireth all both inward and outward partes and powers yea holy man perfect and absolute in euerie good worke whose sacrifice is a sorrowfull soule and a contrite harte whose worship consisteth in spirit and trueth and whose offeringes are the fruites of the spirite euen all diuine vertues whatsoeuer wherefore Cyprian saieth verie well in this behalfe Vt Musici cor cum chordis ita ministri mens cum monitionibus conueniret Which cannot be
shewes by their bendinges and bowinges mocking and mowinges windinges and turninges and such like vnseemly gesture by their adoration eleuation and exaltation the shamelesse shaueling that celebrateth this Sacrifice or rather committeth this sacriledge not without most horrible blasphemie dealeth with the baked God which they call an host euen as a cat doth with a mouse who after they haue dalied with it daÌ„dled it towsed tossed it two fro vpward and downeward forward and backward at the last the iest turning into earnest he choppeth it vp at one bitte flesh bloud bones and all To conclude their whole religion consisteth of nothing els but of raggs and reliques ringing and singing censing and sancting shaning and shriuing thereby shragging the purses of the poore people and all this in shew of sanctimonie and sinceritie and being indeede nothnig els but deceite dissembling And lastly in those their goodlie deedes of Charitie which carrie the greatest shew of good workes when as they build Churches erect monasteries found collegies Hospitalls Frieries and nunneries and other Religious howses where by they indeauour to merite their Saluation and get wordly commendation to be hallowed in heauen of God and honored in earth of men what doe they els but shew themselues to be Hypocriticall and Pharisiecall dissemblers and what are those their good deedes anie thing els but Splendida peccata being without faith seeing that as the Apostle saith what soeuer is not of faith is sinne for all their good intent for although as Austin saith Intentio facit opus bonum yet must we take therewithall that which followeth after Sed fides dirigit intentionem For as the same Apostle saith in another place Without faith it is vnpossible to please God So that for all their greate costs and charges thus vainegloriously bestowed howsoeuer perhappes praise worthie before men yet without regard and guerdon before God they may be likened to the woman which had the bloodie flixe meÌ„tioned in the Gospell who had spent all her substance and bestowed all her goods vpon Phisitions for remedie of her disease but could not be healed orhealped of anie and noe marueile seeing that the best workes that anie regenerat man in the world can doe with the liueliest faith the strongest hope with the colourablest intente and to the best ende that may be can not purchase anie sparke of grace or droppe of mercie by deserte at the hands of God for as our Sauiour saith in the Gospell When we haue doune all that we can yet are we vnprofitable seruants What then shall be come of those glorious workes of the Papists which they bouldly affirme to merite being died and tincte in the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ and therefore must needes be acceptable and gratious in the sight of God euen they shal be in accompt vnto the Lord as was Iesabell vnto Iehu who although shee cleared her eyes and painted her face with ruddie coullours and other pleasant hewes thereby to seeme faire to escape the furie of Iehu yet for all that did he according to the commandment of God perfourme the Iudgement of the Lord vpon her with out anie regard of her beautie or anie other respect whatsoeuer But to leaue the Papists and to come neare ourselues here present if anie shall in this congregation vse to frequent diuine seruice and sermons seeming to be a zealous Professour of the Religion now sette vppe by publike Authoritie for feare of incurring the daunger of the Lawe prouided in this behalfe or els to be well esteemed of and deemed of his neighboures as an ordinarie liuer and ordinarie professour in the towne and parish where he dwelleth and not for the truthes sake as a faithfull Christian and his conscience cause verily he is nothing els but a carnall gospeller and a time seruer nothing at all differing in this from the dissembling Pharisies and Hypocriticall papists in dallying with God and making a mocke of his word then the which their can be no wickednesse worse noe sinne more hainous nor noe vice more odious in the sight of God for as Tully saith in the first of offices Totius Iustitiae nulia pars capitalior est quam â—arum qui tum quum maxime fallunt id agunt vt viri boni esse videantur In consideration of which dissembling nature and deceitfull minde of man in generall Seneca he crieth out in his Hippolitus in the person of Theseus which may also be truely verified of this our dowbling and coulourable age Ouita fallax abditos sensus geris animisque pulchram turbidis faciem induis pudor impudentem calat audacem quies pietas nefandum vera fallaces produnt simulantque molles dura For of what degree estate and order of men in this time may not that of Homer be truely sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is as Chytreus Translateth these words Qui bona dicebant animis praua struebant Who speake roses but sauour of wormewoode Their words being sweeter then honie softer then butter smoother then oile but hauing warre in their hartes hauing a shew of godlinesse a semblance of zeale in outward profession and deuotion but vtterly denying the power thereof in their life and conuersation But let all such in this behalfe follow the good holesome counsell of a heathen Philosopher euen Plato in his Epist to Dion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as Tullie saith in his second booke Denatura Deorum of the worshippers of the heathen Gods much more may it be said of the seruice of the only true and euerlasting God Cultus Deorum est optimus idemque castissimus atque sanctissimus Plenissimusque pietatis vt eas semper pura integra incorrupta mente voce veneremur And as our sauiour himselfe saith in the fourth of Iohn God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite and trueth And as he saith in another place not euerie one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingedome of heaueÌ„ but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen And thus much for these words which I haue reade vnto you FINIS