darknes What concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols for yee are the temple of the liuing God as God hath sayde I will dwell among them and walke there and I will bee their God and they shall bee my people Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues sayth the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will bee a father vnto you and you shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lorde almightie And in the next Chapter following hee addeth Now therefore beloued seeing wee haue these promises let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite and growe vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God 3 The temple of Ierusalem was called holy because it was not a lodging for men but the house of God wholye dedicated and consecrated to his seruice as were also the vesselles belonging thereto in the same respect called holy Nowe if Baltasar king of Babylon by vsing them in a banquet drinking in them with his princes and concubines dyd prophane them and was for the same soone after rewarded for the same night hee lost both his kingdome and lyfe surely they that shall abandon not the vessels but the temple it selfe and not a temple of stone and of wood but euen theyr bodies and soules that are made the liuely temples of the liuing God to the prophane and filthie vses of the world and the flesh in lieu of dedicating the whole to the holye seruice of God who is with them do most filthily prophane the Temple of God and can expect no other than a most horrible vengeaunce and punishment as the holie Apostle Saint Paule protesteth saying Hee that destroieth the temple of God God will destroie him 1. Cor. 3.17 for the temple of God is holy which you are When a king maketh his entrie into a Towne or Citie hee findeth those streetes where he is to passe made cleane and his pallace hanged howe much rather ought wee whome God chooseth to bee his temple and to make his entrie into vs to bee with vs and to dwell with vs to purifie and cleanse from all filthynesse and vncleannesse and to adorne the place of his habitation with all vertue and holynesse 1. Pet. 1 13 4 Heereunto doth Saint Peter exhort vs saying Gird vp the loines of your minde bee sober and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as hee that hath called you is holie so bee yee holie in all manner of conuersation because it is written Leuit. 11.44 19. 2 Be ye holie for I am holy Where hee sayeth that the loyns of our minds must be girt hee sheweth that as they that weare long garments when they come in foule wayes doo tucke and girte them vp least they should load them with mire by dragging them through the same so wee whose mindes and affections doo so bend to the earth that they doo euen traile thereupon walking thorough this world full of mire and corruption must tucke them vp toward heauen least they shoulde touch such daungerous and damnable mire from the which we ought wholy to retire and separate our selues that we may be made holy to the Lord. If anie man 2. Tim. 2.21 sayth Saint Paul purge himselfe from these filthinesses and corruptions he shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified and meet for the Lord and prepared vnto euerie good worke 5 Iesus Christ prayeth vnto his father to sanctifie vs but how Euen by withdrawing vs from the corruptions of this worlde Iohn 17.17 and guiding vs by his spirite to bee consecrated and dedicated vnto him If therefore we grow not in sanctification we do make vaine the prayer of Iesus Christ so farre as it concerneth our selues In the same prayer hee addeth this protestation For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe Iohn 17.19 that they also maie bee sanctified thorough the truth If our sauiour Iesus Christ sanctified and consecrated himselfe to God his father to the ende his holynesse might stretch vnto vs and so in him and by him wee might bee sanctifyed vnto God wee doo falsely boast that hee is Emanuel God wyth vs conioyned and vnited vnto vs and that wee are members of his bodie vnlesse that separating our selues from the corruptions of the worlde and the flesh 1. Cor. 1.30 wee bee sanctified in him and vnto him And in deede if Christ were of God made vnto vs not onely righteousnesse but also sanctification it is in vaine for vs to boast of iustification wythout sanctification for God beeing wyth vs and vnited vnto vs this vnion must of necessitie engender not onelye our iustification in him but also our sanctification by him 6 It is the holy Ghost dwelling in vs that hath conioyned vs with Iesus Christ that hee may bee E anuel God wyth vs For hee sayth the Apostle Saint Paul that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his And as there can bee no fire without warmth or lyght so cannot God bee by his spirite in vs or with vs but hee will also sanctifie and purifie vs from all vice and corruption Rom. 8.9 that hee may consecrate vs vnto God We beleeue the holy Catholike Church Holy I saie because God is with it causing it to participate in his holynesse Wee are not therefore members of this holy Church vnlesse wee also bee holie As lykewise wee adde that wee beleeue the communion of Saintes that is of the faithfull and children of God But falsely and in vaine shall wee beare the name of Saintes or pretende our selues to bee the faithfull and children of God vnlesse that denying the filthynesse and corruptions of the worlde and the flesh wee bee fully dedicated in all purenesse and holynsse to the seruice of God And in deede when the holy Apostle sayeth Ensue peace and holinesse Heb. 12.14 without the which no man commeth to the Lorde Hee aduertiseth vs that holinesse is as it were the bonde betweene God and vs also that without the same we cannot beholde the face of the Lord. 7 This is the will of God saith Saint Paule euen your sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 that is that wee abstaine from whooredome that euerie one of you shuld know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour not in the lust of couetousnes euen as the Gentiles which knowe not God That no man oppresse or defrande his brother in anie matter for the Lorde is auenger of all such thinges as wee also haue tolde yee before time and testified for God hath not called vs to vncleannes but vnto holines 8 Whereas Emanuel commaundeth vs to sanctifie the sabaoth daie hee therein sheweth vs how much his holynes doth bind vs to amend our liues The
righteousnes What else haue wee therefore to doo but still to haue this name Iesus whereby wee bee aduertised that hee hath saued vs from our sinnes and consequently from eternall death before the eies of our vnderstanding that wee remembring that he hath withdrawen vs out of hell from eternall fire darknesse weeping and gnashing of teeth maye in heart bee feruently inflamed in his loue And that the remembrance that he hath paide so many deadly debts to discharge vs maye more and more inforce his loue Finally let the representation of the death of our olde man crucified with this Sauiour make vs so to abhorre sinne and corruption that we suffer it not to liue in vs to our owne death Thus shall the name Iesus beget in vs a feruent desire to loue him to please him and to obey his commaundement wherein hee willeth vs to amend our liues Acts 10.38 Luke 4.18 Esay 61.1 Iohn 1.16 1. Ioh. 2.27 8 Now let vs come to the title Christ. This name in Greeke as also the name Messias in Hebrue doeth signifie as much as if wee should saie Annointed And by this annointing is meant the fulnesse of the holie Ghost which he hath receiued as Saint Luke noteth and himselfe doth acknowledge where hee applieth to himselfe this saying of Esaie The spirite of the Lorde God is vpon mee for he hath annointed me He was fulfilled to the end wee might be partakers of his fulnesse as Saint Iohn saith who also speaketh of the holy Ghost saying The annointing that you haue receiued from him abideth in you 1. Cor. 3.16 and you need not to bee taught but as the same annointing teacheth you all thinges and it is true and is not lying and as it taught you yee shall abide in him Saint Paul calling vs the temples of God addeth this reason Rom. 8 9. that the holie Ghost dwelleth in vs. This name Christian deriued from Christ and proper to his disciples confirmeth the same For likewise as the same Apostle sayth They that haue not the spirite of Christ are not his But as there is no true or naturall fyre but yeeldeth heate or light so the holye Ghost cannot bee in vs wythout the feeling and shewing forth of effectes beseeming his holynesse And therefore this name Christ aduertising vs that wee are partakers of the annointing of his holy spirite should be vnto vs a mightie and liuely argument to amend our liues And this shall wee the better vnderstand by considering the names attributed to this spirite to represent vnto vs the effectes of the same 1. Pet. 5.2 First hee is called Holy because that of himselfe and in him selfe being holy euen in al perfection it is he that sanctifieth vs by separating vs from the common degree of other the children of Adam to the end we may be dedicated and consecrated to God Whereupon Saint Peter sayth that wee are elect through the prouidence of God in the sanctification of the spirite to obey and be sprinkled with the bloud of Iesus Christ And that as being made the children of God through faith we must be wholy renued Saint Paul teacheth vs that this commeth of the holy Ghost He sayth he that hath raised Iesus Christ from the dead Rom. 8.11 1. Cor. 15.45 shall quicken your mortall bodies with his spirit dwelling in you In this sense is he named the second Adam that proceeded from heauen in a quickning spirite For the Apostle compareth the spirituall life that Christ by his spirit imparteth to the beleeuers with the sensual life that men receiue from the first Adam And therefore we do in vaine boast of Christianitie and the spirit of Christ so long as we are not so renued as to haue nothing in common with the vnbeleeuers that dwell vnder the tirannie of the vncleane spirit which infecteth with all corruptions defilings all those that haue not the spirit of Christ 9 Particularly he is named the earnest pennie of our inheritance As when a man doth purchase an inheritance hee first giueth earnest that is some part of the monie promised Ephe. 1.14 that serueth as a beginning to the paiment of the total summe so God hauing redeemed vs by the bloud of Iesus Christ giueth the earnest penie of his holy spirit that is to saie a beginning of knowledge of the true God of sanctification of loue to God of righteousnes and of peace ioy in the holy spirit attending vntill he finish in vs the communication of that light ioy holynes and glory that we shal haue perfectly in heauen Whereby it appeareth that wee wrongfully boast our selues to be christiās annointed with the spirit of Christ so long as we be not indued at the least with some beginning of this heauenly light sanctification loue of God spiritual peace and ioy which are the earnest of the spirit do not indeuor daily to increse in these spirituall giftes and graces He is also called Water Esay 55.1 44.3 for of the holy Ghost doth Esaie speake saying Come vnto the waters all yee that thirst Againe I will poure my spirite vppon the thirstie and my riuers vpon the drie Then to expound the same he sayth I will poure forth my spirite vpon thy seede Heereby doth hee shewe vs that as raine with the moisture thereof fatteth the earth to make it fruitfull so doth the holy spirite with his inuisible grace make vs fruitfull to produce the fruites of righteousnes as Iesus Christ also declareth saying He that beleeueth in me Iohn 7.38 out of his belly shall flowe riuers of the water of life This saith S. Iohn he spake of the spirit that all they should receiue that beleeued in him As therefore if hearbs watered do stil continue drie we iustly saie they are dead so can we not aduow our selues to be Christians watered with the spirit of Christ so long as in sted of bearing fruit by amendement of life and giuing our selues to good workes we continue drie and withered 10 Sometimes hee is also called Water to signifie his power to purge and cleanse our filth and corruption as Ezechiel sayth I will poure vpon you cleane waters and yee shall bee cleansed Ezech. 36. 25 I will cleanse you from all your filthines and from your Gods of doung And will giue vnto you a new heart and will put into you a new spirite and I will take your stonie heart out of your flesh and will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit into you and cause you to walke in my statutes and to keepe my ordinances and you shall doo them But if we in lieu of amending our liues do abide in our filthinesse and corruption with stonie heartes and keepe not the ordinances of the Lord it is in vaine for vs to intitle our selues Christians watered with the holye waters of his spirit And because that by watering vs with the liquors of his graces hee maketh vs strong
and cheerefull in the seruice of God 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 of the effect heereof is the name of oyle and oyntment giuen vnto him How then can wee saie that we are annointed with the spirite of Christ so long as we doo not amend our slacknesse in the seruice of God growing forward in strength and disposition to imploy our selues cheerfully therein Luke 3.16 11 To conclude hee is called Fire for two considerations First because it is hee that refineth burneth and consumeth our vicious lusts which are as the superfluities and excrementes of our soules and on the other side it is hee that kindleth our heartes in the loue of God and feruent desire to serue and honor him But if we perceiue no effects of this fire of the holie Ghost in vs â—ourning consuming our vice and corruption that by amending our liues wee may growe in purenesse and holynes With what conscience can wee saie that the spirite of Christ is in vs As this spirit cannot be dead neither can it bring forth vicious or corrupt fruit Likewise if wee increase not in zeale and loue to God this want of the operation of the holy Ghost is an assured testimonie of that hee is not in vs Exod. 8.19 21.18 Luke 11.20 Luke 1.66 because wee feele not his fire heating vs in the loue of God Finally the holy Ghost is called the finger and hand of God because that by him hee exerciseth his vertue and that by his inspiration wee are regenerate into heauenly life that wee may no more bee driuen or lead by our selues but bee gouerned by his motion and operation If therefore wee denie not our owne wisedome and the affections of our flesh and so suffer our selues to bee guided and lead by the hand of the holy spirite wee doo wrongfully challenge the name of Christians and boast of the spirite of Christ dwelling in vs. Thus this name Christ aduertising vs that hee hath receiued the holie spirite to make vs partakers thereof according to the measure to euerie one ordained ought to bee vnto vs a mightie inducement and sharpe spurre to mooue vs to amendement of lyfe 12 This vnction of the holy spirite dyd our Lorde Iesus Christ receiue to the end to exercise three offices requisite to our saluation namely to be our king our Priest and our Prophet And this also to represent vnto vs how deeply this name Christ bindeth vs to amend our liues First for the office of king Iohn 18.36 If his kingdome be not of this world as himselfe confessed before Pilat but spiritual we are to correct our false imaginations that leade vs to seeke the world in his kingdome as looking that hee shoulde giue to his seruants great riches honorable offices and other carnall commodities For it is the part of the princes of this world to present earthly kingdoms to those that reuerence them Math. 4.9 but as for our king Iesus Christ hee willeth vs to seeke all the felicitie that hee promiseth in heauen And therefore when wee are persecuted or otherwise afflicted wee must correct this false opinion of thinking our selues miserable or that our king hath no care of vs For contrarywise afflictions should make vs to lifte vp our heartes to heauen the dwelling of our king where hee hath layed vp the treasures ioyes and glorie of his kingdome Secondly sith hee is our king that hee may raigne in vs wee are warned to forsake the worlde sinne and the deuill his enemies so that hee onely raigning in vs mortifying sinne may make vs to denie the world and strengthen vs against Sathan Let not sinne sayth Saint Paul raigne in you Rom. 6.13 Iohn 16.33 Rom. 16.20 Luke 1 74 to obey the lusts thereof And Iesus Christ sayth Bee of good cheere for I haue ouercome the world And the Apostle promiseth vs that God will tread downe sathan vnder our feet Thus this king hauing deliuered vs out of the handes of our enemies bindeth vs as Zacharie sayth Without feare to serue him in righteousnes and holynes all the dayes of our lyfe and so to amend Let vs also remember that the scepter of a good pastor is deliuered vnto him blessedly to guide his sheepe that shall heare his voyce Psalme 2. and by amendement followe him As also hee hath an iron rodde to bruse as a potters vessell all such as shall rebell against him Let vs therefore amend and renounce euerie thing whereat this king may be displeased that we may bee happily gouerned by the sheepehooke of our good shepheard and not brused wyth the iron rodde of this iust king that breaketh those that wythout amendement of lyfe doo continue in vnbeleefe and obstinate in their sinne The kingdome of Sathan from which Christ hath redeemed vs doth consist in darknesse infidelitie and bad conscience and all vice silthynesse and corruption Contrariwise the kingdom of Iesus Christ consisteth in light in knowledge of the true God and his sonne Iesus Christ in faith loue holynes patience and other like vertues These are the true effectes of the spirituall kingdome of Iesus Christ We must therefore effectually shew that wee are transported from the kingdome of Sathan to the kingdome of Iesus Christ But how By amending our liues and growing more and more in faith loue patience and holynesse to bee short in all good workes and vertues required in the subiects of this spirituall king Iesus Christ 13 The second office of Christ is to be our high Priest who offered himselfe a sacrifice vnto God that by his death hee myght satisfie his iustice and so reconcile vs to him Who is there then among vs that representing to himselfe that it is the welbeloued sonne of God and the prince of glorie that giueth himselfe not to a common death but euen to the shamefull and cursed death of the crosse together with the apprehension and feeling of the wrath and terrible indignation of God ingendering in his bodie horrible terrour and mortall anguish in his soule And all this for his enemyes by nature the children of wrath poore sinners and the bond men of Sathan What man is there I saie that meditating vpon these things shall not bee euen rauished in admiration of his incomprehensible loue towardes vs which loue Saint Paul doeth at large and verie often make mention of Is it possible that this name Christ Rom. 5 Ephes 2 representing vnto vs this priest thus offering himselfe in such a sacrifice for vs poore and abhominable sinners and consequently the apprehension of his incomprehensible loue towards vs should not rauish and force our verie soules to loue him wyth all our heartes our mindes and our strength and through feruent loue to obey his commandement of amendement and to abhorre to thinke saie or doo anie thing that may displease this Christ our high Priest 1. Cor. 16. 22 If anie man sayth the Apostle Saint Paul loue not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee had
but the dronken man casting vp the superfluitie of his wine for the ease of his bodie produceth a witnes which cryeth out for vengeance agaynst both body and soul for such excesse prophanation of Gods good creatures as wyll swallowe him vp in the terrible sea of Gods heauie wrath and indignation The dronkard sayth Saint Augustine pouring in his wine Aug. in his booke of repentance 1. Cor. 6.10 1. Cor. 5.11 is swallowed vp of wine and made an abhomination in the sight of God a contempt to the Angels a scorne to men depriued of vertue and a confusion with the deuills Neither is it in vaine that the Apostle Saint Paul denounceth to dronkards that they shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen And to shew how farre wee are to detest and abhorre this vice hee prohibiteth all conuersation wyth those who professing the Gospell doo giue themselues to dronkennesse 10 Is it not meete that dronkardes in the daie of iudgement should yeeld account of Gods goods which they haue abused by dronkennesse whereby they haue made themselues vnprofitable to the seruice of God through the abuse and prophanation of his so good creatures whereby they should haue bene induced rather to praise God and for destroying their bodies with wine which should haue bene to them as phisicke by the sober vse thereof to preserue them as Saint Paul exhorteth Timothie 1. Tim. 5 2â— August in a certain sermoÌ„ to drinke a lyttle in respect of his weake stomacke and vsuall infirmities But what shall we saie to him that forceth another to drinke himselfe dronke Saint Augustine answereth that in the day of iudgement he shall be guiltie both of his owne sinne and of his sinne whome he hath made dronken Little do we thinke vpon these iudgments of God yet can we confesse with our lips that ther is nothing more certaine than death nor more vncertaine than the houre thereof Againe what is to be sayd of such as die in their dronkennesse as we reade of Ela king of Israel Ammon the son of Dauid 2. Kin. 16.9 2. Sam. 13. Dan. 5 Luke 21.34 Balthasar king of Babylon and others Doth not wine cast them as it were quicke into the pit of hell Not without reason doeth Iesus Christ admonish vs to beware saying Take heed to your selues least at anie time your hearts be oppressed with surfeting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that da e come on you at vnawares Be not dronke saith S. Paul with wine wherein is excesse Eph. 5.18 but be ye filled with the spirit As if he shuld saie that as it is dangerous to be filled with wine so in as much as we cannot be without filling he wisheth vs that it be not with wine but with the holy Ghost to the end we may bee made perfect in all spirituall and heauenly graces Rom. 13.13 11 The same Apostle admonisheth vs not to walke in gluttony dronkennes but so as we may be clothed with Iesus Christ thereby shewing that we must not presume of any vnion or coniunction with Christ but with condition that we forsake these corruptions of the flesh 1. Thes 5.7 They that are dronke saith he are dronke by night Thereby teaching that nothing so euill beseemeth the children of God whom he tearmeth the children of the day children of light as darknes which if men euen vnbeleeuers were not past all shame should not be seene in them but by night neither then but vpon condition to acknowledge the truth of the wordes of Iesus Christ Iohn 3.20 Senec. Ep. 84. to Lucill He that doth euill hateth the light And in deed how many things saith Seneca do men in their dronkennes which when they are sober they wil be ashamed of 12 This sole aduertisement might suffice to resolue vs to shun dronkennesse and to practise the counsell of Pythagoras who being demanded how a man might auoide it Pluta against the Stoâ—kes in his Apoth answered By considering what wee haue sayde and done when wee were dronke But because for the most parte our memorie then faileth vs the Lacedemonians in their publike bankets vsed to bring in two or three of their Helots a kind or seruants not much differing from slaues dronken to the end that by the insolencie and filthines of theyr dronkennes theyr youth might learne what a villanous and abhominable vice it is 13 Anacharsis maruelled at the Grecians who at the beginning of theyr feasts drunke in small cuppes but when theyr thirst was ouer in greate ones thereby declaring that it is an vnnaturall course as thirst decreaseth to increase in drinke Yet this corruption reprooued by a Heathen man is in vse among Christians yea and so that some at the first sitting downe will refraine from drinke to the end the better as they tearme it to beare the great blowes that is to drinke the great cuppes that shall come in the end Men woulde neuer bee so greedie and inclinable to this corruption Eras Apo. li. 3 if they woulde bee content to drinke as Socrates sayde such drinke as woulde not stirre vp a desire to drinke with out thirst Yet meane wee not to allowe of the counsell of Lycurgus who to keepe men from dronkennesse commanded to cut downe the vines Lycurgus sayth Plutarch was not so well aduised Pluta of hearing of Poets when seeing some fall to dronkennes and so to sinne he commanded to cut downe the vines It had beene better sayth hee to haue digged wells neere to the vines so by a sober God to haue bridled and corrected that frantike God as Plato tearmeth him hereby noting that we must beware of the strength and licorishnes of wine and a laie and asswage it with water 14 To conclude let vs remember the saying of Salomon Prouer. 23.29 To whome is woe to whome is sorrowe to whome is strife to whome is murmuring to whome are woundes without cause and to whome is the rednes of the eies Euen to them that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde or when it sheweth his colour in the cuppe or goeth downe pleasantly In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent and hurt lyke a cockatrice Thine eies shall looke vpon strange women and thine heart shall speake lewde thinges Let vs heereunto adde his Oration that defended the strength of wine Oh yee men how strong is wine 1. Esd 3.18 it deceiueth all men that drinke it it maketh the minde of the king and of the fatherlesse all one of the bond man of the free man of the poore man and of the rich man It turneth euerie thought into ioy and gladnes so that one remembreth no manner of sorrowe or debt It maketh euerie heart rich so that one remembreth neither king nor gouernor and causeth to speak all things by talents When men are dronke they haue
false Prophet that hauing endeuoured to seduce and diuert the faithfull from the truth but through their constancye cannot compasse his purpose is notwithstanding worthy to be punished so the true Pastors wheÌ„ they haue constantly emploied theÌ„selues to reduce those that be straied into the way of saluation albeit in respect of this constancy they caÌ„not profite yet are they worthie their hire recompence in the sight of God As therefore the springs doe not cease from giuing forth their waters or the riuers their streames albeit no man come to take vp any or to sayle vpon them so must not the Minister cease from preaching admonishing and reprouing albeit in manner no man make profite of his doctrine and admonitions 11 Moreouer albeit many times it fall out that the Pastors by preaching admonishing reprouing and threatning with Gods iudgements do incurre the displeasure of some yet must they not therefore faint but remember what God commaundeth to Esay saying Cry out with open throat spare not lifte vp thy voyce as a trumpet signifye to my people their offences Esay 58.1 and to the house of Iacob their sinnes As also they are to this purpose to marke what the Lord saide to the Prophet Ieremy Gird vp thy loynes and arise that thou maiest tell them all the thinges that I commaund thee feare them not least peraduenture I treade thee downe in their sight Iere. 1.17 It is verye dangerous saith Hierome to desist from preaching the worde of God for any of these three thinges for feare sloth or slatterye yet doe we not say that they must crye out like mad men and seek glory in bolde reprehensions When the Apostles said vnto Iesus Christ Luke 9.54 Lord wilt thou that we commaund that fire come down from heauen and consume these Samaritans that deny thee lâ—dging as Elias did he answered 2. King 10. 12 ye wot not of what spirite ye are euen so there are some that think to imitate the Prophets in bitter and sharpe reprehensions but they are not led by the like spirite For they doe it either to purchase a reputation of zeale and to be thought such as will spare none 2. Tim. 1.7 or for some other peruerse passioÌ„ God saith S. Paul hath not giuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power of loue and of a sound minde thereby shewing that Pastors truely must not feare the apparance of persons to dissemble their sins and offences but must be strengthned by the spirite of Christ to discouer and open their wounds that they may be healed But to this power and boldnesse let them ioyne on the one side discretion and soundnes of minde whereby to be able to yeeld a reason of their power and boldenes and on the other side such loue and charitie that their reprehensions and threatnings may proceede from a hart not prouoked bitter or flowing with reuenge but as hauing compassion on such as doe amisse and seeking by loue to reclaime and reduce them into the waye of saluation Being thus disposed let them sound forth Gods iudgementes Esay 50.7 with all holye boldenesse saying with Esaye The Lord God is my helper and therefore I shall not be confounded for I haue hardened my countenance as a stone and I know that I shall not be confounded yea let them remember the protestation of Micheas saying Mich. 3.8 I am full of power by the spirite of the Lord and of iudgment and of strength to declare vnto Iacob his transgressions and to Israel his sinne 12 This holy constancy must remaine in the seruantes of God to the end that in the defence of the trueth against such as would oppresse it they may ouercome all slaunders and reproches wherwith the Deuill seeketh to quaile their hartes or otherwise to hinder the trueth of their faith and zeale Thus when the Apostles had told Iesus Christ that the Scribes Pharisees were offended and murmured because he saide Mat. 15.12 It is not that which entreth at the mouth that defileth the man he proceeded and shewed theÌ„ that they must not for that desist from teaching and defending the truth and purenes of doctrine So S. Paul declareth that wheÌ„ Peter came to Antioch Gal. 2.11 he resisted him to his face for he deserued to be reproued in that by his exaÌ„ple he enduced the Gentiles to playe the Iewes And by his writinges wee may perceiue how earnestly hee opposed himselfe agaynst those false Apostles that sought to mixe the necessitie of the ceremonies of the lawe with the doctrine of the Gospell Theodo Eccl. hist l. 2. c. 16 17. Wonderfull also was the constancie of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in defending the Godhead of Christ against the Arrians whose furious persecution and most impudent slanders he ouercame and was therefore iustly tearmed The bulwarke of the truth Him dyd Liberius Bishoppe of Rome most vertuously second in this constancie for being most sharply vrged both by the reproches and threatnings both of the Emperor Constantius of Eusebius the Eunuch and of Epicterus the Bishop to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius after many couragious answeres to the instances of the Emperour he chose rather to be banished than not to defend the iust cause of Athanasius And this his constancie thus much by the waie dyd the Romane women followe who when they had procured the Emperour to call him home agayne vnderstanding that hee should be ioyned in the ministery with Felix who had bin aduanced to his place did with one consent crie out One God one Christ one Bishop and thereupon Felix withdrew himselfe from Rome 13 Basil the great whom Theodoret tearmeth Theod. Eccle. hist l. 4. c. 19 The light of the world shewed the like vertue For when the Emperour Valens an Arrian had expelled the faithfull pastors out of all the Churches and was come to Cesarea in Cappadocia where Basil was Bishop the gouernour of the towne sent for him and hauing honourablie receiued him hee spake louingly vnto him and exhorted him to frame himselfe to the time and not to bring so many Churches into daunger for some small difference in doctrine promising him in the Emperours name all friendship and great benefites But hee stoutly answered that such perswasions were fit for yong men that toke plesure in such things but that such as are brought vp in holy learning cannot indure that one title of the truth shoulde bee endangered yea that they vse not to refuse anie kind of death in defence of the truth And heereupon dyd Denis Bisâ—oppe of Alexandria iustly condemne both the deede of Nouatus who ioyned with those that denyed that there was anie place for repentance or saluation for sinners and his excuse when hee alleadged that hee was inforced and compelled thereto And to this purpose is the Epistle that hee wrote vnto him verie notable Denis wisheth health to his brother Nouatus If thou wert as thou saiest Eusc Ecc.
to help the poore than that a Church-robber or theefe shoulde carrie it awaie Wyll not God saie Why hast thou suffered so many poore to starue when thou haddest golde wherewith to buy them foode Why hast thou suffered so many poore people to be lead into captiuity and hast not redeemed them Why hast thou killed some It had bene better to haue preserued the vessels of liuing creatures then of dead mettals What answere may we make to all this For if we saie I feared the Church should haue wanted ornaments God wil answere The Sacraments craue no gold as they are not bought with golde so doo they not agree with golde The redemption of prisoners is the ornament of the Sacraments 26 Socrates writeth of Atticus the Bishoppe that hee was so affectionate and carefull to the poore Socrat. Eccle. hist l 7 c 25 that hee prouided not onely for the poore of his owne parishes but also sent money to the Townes rounde about to releeue the want of theyr poore This Bishoppe writing to Calliopius and sending to him three hundred peeces of golde to distribute to the poore exhorted him to distribute it to those that were ashamed to begge but not vnto such as for fylling theyr paunches gaue themselues wholy to beggerie Whereto hee also addeth that in the distribution of this money hee should not tie himselfe to those onely that professed Christianitie but that hee shoulde lykewise haue a care to feed the hungrie not to neglect such as hetherto had not consented to Christian religion And as it seemeth hee heerein taught vs to practise the commandement of Saint Paule namely to doo good vnto all but especially to the householde of faith Gal. 6.10 Tripart hist l. 11. c. 16 Socrates Eccl. hist l. 7. c. 21 Yet dyd Acace Bishoppe of Amyde goe farther for hee seeing a number of Persian prisoners among the Romanes in great necessitie called together his Cleargie and when hee had made vnto them an excellent exhortation wherein hee declared that God needed neyther dishes nor cups because hee neyther eateth nor drinketh hee made money of all wherewyth hee payed theyr raunsomes and furnished them of all theyr necessities for theyr returne to theyr king who so wondered at such a benefite that hee intreated and obtayned of the Emperour Theodosius that hee might bee sent to see him And in deede this was a testimonie of great charitie thus to releeue euen the enemyes Cyprian Epist 36. of the new edition Cyprian also declared a maruellous zeale care and charitie in this poynt as wee may perceiue in many of his Epistles But among the rest writing to the Cleargie of his Diocesse hee sayth Bee verie carefull for the widdowes the sicke and the poore yea if there bee anie straunger among you releeue him wyth my portion which I haue lefte wyth Rogatian our companion in Priesthood Epist 5 Agayne as concerning the releefe as well of those who hauing freely confessed the truth are in prison as also of such who beeing afflicted wyth neede and pouertie doo neuerthelesse perseuere in the truth I beseech you let them not want anie thing Epist 6 Agayne Bee euen as carefull as yee may of the poore who abiding steadfast and constant in the faith haue not forsaken the flocke of Christe that by your dilygence they maye bee prouided of all their necessities least the same which the tempest of persecution coulde not worke in them be brought to passe by the necessitie that may enforce them And as hee sayth in another place Least there shoulde bee anie want as concerning care for those that want nothing belonging to glorie in that they haue constantly confessed Iesus Christ Epist 57 Thus wee see therefore howe carefull pastours ought to bee of the widowes the sicke the needie and such as are prisoners for the faith 27 But because no man is able to discharge all dueties required in pastours Moreouer that theyr labour lyberalitie and fauour is in vaine wythout Gods blessing they are specially to imploye themselues in feruent and continuall prayer wherein they are chiefely to craue his holye spirite together wyth all the gyftes and graces thereof requisite for the due discharge of theyr ministery whether for the preaching of the worde or for anie other parte of theyr office and duetie And in deede if no man can call Iesus Christ Lorde but by the holie Ghost who I praie you is able to open his lippes to preach foorth the mysteries of the heauenly doctrine wythout the assistance of the same holy Ghost Who can bee in constancie wisedome zeale and charitie sufficient to guide the house of God and to maintaine orders in the same but hee in whome the Lorde worketh most mightily At the verye same instant sayth Augustine that the pastour goeth to preach before hee open his lippes to giue his tongue lybertie to speake let him lifte vp his thirstie soule vnto God Aug. of Christian doctrine l. 4. c. 15 and so water the people wyth the same which himselfe hath dronke and poure foorth vppon his flocke that that hee is full of for albeit a man may saie much of all things appertaining to faith and charitie and after diuerse manners yet what man is hee that knoweth what is fit and necessarie for the time present eyther for vs to speake or for others to heare from vs but onely hee who seeth and knoweth the heartes of all Or who is it that maketh vs to speake that which wee shoulde and in manner as wee ought but onelie he in whose handes both our wordes and our selues do remayne And therefore as it is true that hee that woulde both know and teach ought carefully to learne what hee is to teach and to studie howe to vtter it well as beseemeth a preacher so neuerthelesse hee must thinke euen at the verie instant when hee is to preach that it best beseemeth a minister to remember the same which our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath spoken namely that wee shoulde not take care howe or what to speake for it shall be giuen vs euen when we are to speake Also that it is not wee but the spirite of the Father that speaketh in vs. If therefore the holie spirite speaketh in those that suffer tribulation and persecution and are deliuered for Iesus Christ his sake why not also in those that doo teach them that learne Iesus Christ And in another place the same Augustine also sayeth That hee that is to preach Aug. of Christian doctrine l. 4. c. 30 Hester 14.13 ought to praie vnto God to put good wordes into his mouth For if Queene Hester when shee was to speake to king Assuerus for the bodily health of her Nation prayed vnto God to giue her conuenient wordes how much rather ought the Preacher to praie vnto God to giue him grace to speak well when hee is to preach the word and doctrine of the euerlasting saluation of the people 28 Saint Paul an
and that my name might be declared thoroughout all the earth But because it may seeme strange that God should so harden the heart of Pharaoh that resisting his will and commandement to suffer the people to depart he should be swallowed vp in the sea and the people of God be so deliuered What doth Saint Paul alleadge in iustification of God Euen againe his will saying that in this horrible iudgement executed against Pharaoh and in the incomprehensible grace shewed to the people of Israel God shewed mercy to whom he would and hardned whom he would If anie man therefore should demaund whereof it commeth that God vouchsafeth to saue these men by causing the Gospel to be preached vnto them conuerting them by his holy spirit giuing them faith and shewing mercie vnto them either wherfore he causeth not the gospel to be preached to others or giueth them not saith but rather hardneth them Saint Paul admonisheth vs to aunswere Such is Gods will he sheweth mercie to whome hee will and hardneth whom he will And therefore let it content vs to vnderstand that it is his will as also he willeth nothing but in iustice and wisedome And this onely reason ought more to satisfie and content vs than all the expositions and reasons that the most subtyll heads and spirits in the world are able to inuent And in deed the reasons of the holy Ghost are stronger than the reasons of men and whatsoeuer theyr knowledge is yet must they not presume to haue more knowledge than the holy Ghost and this must wee alleadge in defence of the iustice and glorie of God 10 This doth the Apostle also represent vnto vs in that hee addeth For hauing propounded this obiection and replication Why doth hee yet complaine Rom. 9.19 For who can resist his will hee laboureth not to propound the discourse of man in the iustification of God but stayeth vpon three pointes First hee sheweth that the onely remembrance that wee are men ought to restraine vs from arguing with God Secondly that God wyth his creatures may doo what hee will And thirdly that the manifestation of his glorie must swallowe vp all replications and murmuring For first he aunswereth O man who art thou which speakest against God Thereby signifying that where men dare replie and thus accuse God of vnrighteousnes because they vnderstand not his reasons the same doth proceed of this that they remember not that themselues are men either what man is in regard of God If a childe of eight or tenne yeeres olde hearing a philosopher discourse of the greatnesse and course of the Sunne should argue against him and maintaine that the same were no greater than a platter neither of any swifter pace than a snaile would the philosopher stand vppon the deliuerie of the reason of his discourse vnto him No for the childe could not bee capable to conceiue it But hee woulde tel him Thou art yet a child Euen so is man in comparison of God infinitly lesse in knowledge than is a child in comparison of the most excellent philosopher in the world Wee must therefore with Saint Paul maruell how man dareth striue or dispute with God and in reason to stop his mouth we may saie vnto him O man Iob 9.3 32. who art thou that speakest against God If man would dispute with God sayth Iob hee could not answere him vnto one thing of a thousand And therefore hee after addeth saying God is not a man as I am that I should answere him if we come together to iudgement neither is there anie vmpier that might take notice of our cause or laie his hand vpon vs both The same doth God also note where hee speaketh to Iob in a whirlewinde and sayth Who is this that darkneth the counsell by wordes without knowledge Gird vp now thy loines like a man I will demand of thee Iob. 38.2 and declare thou vnto mee When therefore wee heare these replications wherefore doth God complaine of vs that we are so hardned eyther that beeing hardned wee doo offend him more and more Seeing it is his will to harden vs wee cannot stande against him Let vs aunswere with Saint Paule O man who art thou Shall man that knoweth himselfe so to bee take vppon him to dispute wyth God 11 As for the second point the Apostle confirmeth the same that hee had before spoken namely that God hath mercie vpon whome he will and hardneth whome hee will declaring by the similitude of a potter that hee hath power and authoritie so to doo And in deede Hath not the potter power of the claie Rom. 9.21 to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Yes euen so much that the earthen vessell cannot saie to the potter Why hast thou made mee thus What iniquitie is it then to suppose that God hath not as much power ouer his claie namely ouer man his creature as man hath ouer the earth which the creator hath giuen vnto him Men with this reason I will doo wyth mine owne what I please doo stoppe the mouthes of theyr equals How much rather then may God so doo whose wyll is euer conioyned with wisedome and iustice whereby hee cannot doo anie thing but in wisedome and iustice If anie man list to replie that there is great difference betweene the earthen vessell to dishonor and the reprobate because the vessell feeleth no euill but the reprobate shall feele most horrible and eternall torments We aunswere that the Apostle well inough knew that and yet iudged the similitude to bee verie fit and sufficient to iustifie God as in deed it is greate reason that hee should employ his creatures as he will for the manifesting of his glorie in them 12 And it is the third point which the Apostle toucheth where hee sayth What if God woulde to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen Rom. 9.22 suffer with long patience the vesselles of wrath prepared to destruction and that hee might declare the riches of his glorie vppon the vessels of mercie which hee hath prepared vnto glorie Hee here doth declare first that God doeth so hate and detest sinne that immediatly and without delaie hee woulde swallowe vp sinners were it not that in patience hee suffereth and beareth with them yea and endueth them with many bodily goods but they vpon obstinacie and wyth vnpenitent heartes abusing this patience doo heape vp for themselues wrath in the daie of wrath Rom. 2. 5 and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Secondly that God doth thus in patience tollerate the vessells of wrath prepared to perdition that hee may afterward shew his wrath against sinne in the horrible and eternall punishment thereof as also his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee will as it is shewed in the similitude of the potter Lykewise he declareth that the purpose of election tendeth to let men know the riches of his glorie in
cause them to denie a God which is the principall and fundamentall argument of all the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles especially considering that if this foundation should bee false all the rest were but lies and vanitie Likewise these men that registred the holy Scriptures neuer labored after the glorie of man by ostentation of anie new inuention For al of them euen from Moses to the Apostles haue had one the same matter subiect of their writings namely this selfe same diuinitie Neither haue they sought after glorie reputation nobilitie of descent or vertues but haue set downe as in sundrie places we may perceiue euen their owne infirmities and transgressions yea somtimes matter of reproch to themselues to their posteritie Prophane writers do ordinarily tend to magnifie the vertues valiant actions of men to the end to giue thē the praise But the holy scripture euery where tendeth to glorifie God euen in euery thing that may becōmendable in man Shewing that al victories deliuerance aduancemēt to dignitie vertue to be briefe that all goodnes cōmeth of God not of man 5 As concerning the contents of the holy scripture it is the same that only laieth open the verie fountaine of mans corruption that sheweth how great and pernitious it is The multitude and grieuousnes of his sins The horrible punishmēt that they deserue not only in this world but in the world to come Only this holy Scripture teacheth the assured remedy against these horrible inconueniences so that man feeling himselfe worthie of all misery euen of eternall death doth notwithstanding find himself cōtent ioyfull in the midst of the tribulations of this life blessed in the assured expectation of an incomprehensible eternal felicitie This Scripture laboreth wholy to humble man and to exalt God It exhorteth man to renounce wickednes to apply him selfe to righteousnesse to despise present and temporall goods that he may aspire to those that be spirituall inuisible and eternall To be briefe it teacheth as well true holinesse and pietie towards God as true loue peace and concord among men earnestly exhorting them to these duties Who is it then that ought not to haue a feeling of this in his owne conscience that this holie scripture proceedeth from God 6 Moreouer in other bookes we find counsels exhortations and reasons to perswade Heer we haue expresse and precise commandements wherby it appeareth that a superior speaketh that giueth commandement to his inferior namely God to man The holie Scripture prescribeth a Law not onely to the bodie or in externall causes but also to the spirite cogitations and affections of the soule It is therefore the spirit of God that speaketh who onely hath dominion ouer the soule and knoweth the affections and passions of the same In this holie Scripture we find promises and threates of eternall weale and woe as well to the soule as to the bodie It is then the Eternall and the Almighty that both promiseth threatneth This holy Scripture teacheth vs the same thing which the creation of the world doth namely that there is a God almighty all-wise most good and beneficiall He therefore that is the Auctor of the creatures is also the Auctor of the holie Scripture In this Scripture we find predictions of matters which mans vnderstanding could neuer foresee yea the verie time of the performance of the same is many times noted sometimes a hundred yeares a thousand yea three thousand before they came to passe Yet are they alwaies fulfilled in their due time of necessitie therefore God must be the Auctor of the same 7 Again all the Philosophers together in their many volumes haue neither said nor taught so righteous so holie and so necessarie matter as doth this holie Scripture in the ten wordes of the law yea euen in these two short sentences That we should loue God with all our hart with all our strength and with all our soule our neighbour as our selfe From God onlie therefore must this doctrine proceed The style likewise of this Scripture is simple and without affectation and yet it penetrateth and pierceth the hart and conscience far more deepely then the writings of the most excellent Orators in the world Whence should such efficacie proceed 1. Cor. 2.4.5 but from the spirit of God which is the Auctor thereof This is it that S. Paul expresly noteth saying Neither stood my woord and preaching in the entising speech of mans wisdome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power That your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 8 This holy scripture propoundeth vnto vs the history from the beginning of the world with the doctrine euer since continued among both Iews Christians yet which is wel worthy to be marked we find no contradiction or disagreement either in the histories or doctrine that may not easily be vnfoulded and reconciled But as for other books they begin their Histories two or three thousand yeares later And what discorde do we find in their writinges both in their histories and in their doctrine Againe there are no books for the maintenance and confession of the doctrine whereof both men and women euen by thousands from age to age Princes marchants artificers learned and vnlearned haue voluntarily resolued euen with cheerfulnes to abandon fathers mothers husbands wiues children goods dignities yea life it selfe and suffered torments that cannot be sustained by any one that is not holden vp by some diuine power Yet heer may you behold Martirs that is to say authentical witnesses that this holie scripture proceedeth from God This also is the reason why of all other bookes the Deuill an enemie to God and to the saluation of mankind hath most endeuored to falsifie to corrupt and to abolish this holie Scripture therby as it were confessing that proceeding from God it is repugnant to him necessarie for mans saluation And yet hath the same bin miraculously preserued and kept in his integrity euen with the danger of their liues that were guardians thereof yea which is more euen by the Iewes themselues the sworn enemies to Iesus Christ of whom the Law the Prophets do beare witnes And therfore S. Augustin compareth them to Stationers who in their shops do keep many books but for the vse of other men They haue bin preserued therefore vndoubtedly by his only prouidence who was their Auctor And to this purposeis the example of the time of Antiochus most notable For in his daies 1. Mac. l. 57 59. namely in the hundred and fiue fortieth yeare of the Grecian Monarchie did they deface and burne all the books of the Law that could be found and yet within two yeares after 1. Mac. 3.37 48. euen in the hundred and seuen fortieth yeare of the said Monarchy was the book of the Law foūd again among the Iewes Yet who did euer obiect either to the Iewes or Christians
owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath chosē vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising frō death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a hūdred diseases And as the soule is more excellēt thē the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excellētly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1◠that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignorāce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secōd principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giuē his only begottē son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of
of our Lord Iesus Christ at the least once a yeere they seperated not themselues from the Idolaters and heathen shewing some testimonie of their Christianitie Let them that we speake of therefore consider by what title they may be called Christians sith they neuer communicate in the supper of Iesus Christ Neither may they replie as some doe that in ioyning with one Church they condemne all others for it is true that all assemblies that entitle themselues the Church of Christ are not so yet to acknowledge or alow of none for feare of condemning of the rest is to denie and condemne Christ in not condemning those who calling themselues Christ are Antichrists If a man bring a payment in golde where among there bee some peeces that seeme light or counterfaite thou doest not straight say I will take none least by taking so much as I take to be waight and currant you should complaine that I reiect the rest but thou wilt bring thy ballance and touch-stone and then wilt thou take so much as thou findest to be waight and currant and boldly refuse the rest Let these men therefore set before their eyes the markes of the true Church as their touch-stone and scales and by them consider where they are thereto also adioyning prayer to God that he will direct them by his holy spirit and so knowing the true Church and ioyning themselues therto Amend their liues by communicating in the holy supper of the Lord. Of our dutie to assist at publique Prayer Chap. 5. AS concerning publique or common prayer Gen. 17.7 Act. 9.14.21 2. Tim. 2.19 Psal 14.4 Esa 56.7 Mat. 21.13 Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 18.19 considering that thereby the holy Scripture signifieth the whole seruice of God also that his seruants are called people calling vpon God it alreadie appeareth that such as despise the same do cut off themselues from the degree of Gods seruants Where God calleth the temple the house of prayer he sheweth that the principall part of that seruice which he requireth of vs is that wee should assemble to pray and call vpon him as indeed these publique praiers are of great efficacie For albeit all priuate praiers directed to the heauenly father in the name of Iesus Christ haue promise to be heard yet is it not without cause that Iesus Christ aduertiseth and promiseth vs that if two faithfull doe agree vpon earth whatsoeuer they demaund of their heauenly father it shall be graunted This is a fauour as it were peculiar to the Church and noted by Dauid where he saith Praise waiteth for thee in Sion Psal 65.2 and vnto thee shall the vow be performed Herein he sheweth that the praiers of the Church signified by Sion are so sure to bee heard that God who heareth them looketh for praise in theÌ„ as indeed it is his dutie whose prayers are heard to yeeld thankes praisings to God And truely as when a whole Burgeoysie of a Citie doe come before their Prince and with one voice craue pardon for some offence or begge some grace or fauour the Prince will be more moued then if they being absent some one maÌ„ should speake for the whole Euen so wheÌ„ the whole Church assembled together doth with hart and minde in the presence of God accoÌ„panie the praiers which the preacher as the mouth of the congregation poureth forth let them be assured that those praiers do penetrate the heauens and that God is moued to heare them Not that he is subiect to passions as we but that by the feeling of our affections hee vouchsafeth to assure vs of his mercy goodnes toward vs. WheÌ„ Amb. de paenitent diuers how few so euer saith S. Ambrose are assembled together being vnited they are great And the praiers of a gret multitude cannot possibly be coÌ„temned 2 Likewise all people and nations in the world euen the Idolaters haue euermore had their assemblies therein publique prayers This sence or feeling being grauen in all mens harts that haue any religion that they ought to call vpon their God that it is an honour that God requireth at their hands and the true meanes to purchase his blessings toward them But in Christian Churches there is also this farther reason That their publique praiers are as it were a publique renouncing of all sects and societie with Idolaters and prophane people an acknowledgement and confession of the true God a publique sanctification of his name to his glory And therefore Act. 16.13 as the Iewes in old time so since haue the Christians euermore very carefully obserued this dutie of pietie and seruice to God as appeareth by the writings of the Apostles Prophets and by al Ecclesiasticall histories And to this purpose doth S. Luke rehearse that Paul and his companions being at the towne of Philippos came forth vpon the Sabaoth day and went to the riuers side where they vsed to pray This vndoubtedly was some out corner where the faithfull vsed secretly to meete to call vpon God So that albeit euery man priuately might haue prayed in his house Act. 21.5 and so haue auoided both the paine and daunger yet knowing that in dutie they were to separate themselues from Idolaters and the efficacie of the praiers of the congregation they ouercame the feare of the danger met in that place especially to pray and with one consent to poure out their praiers to the Lord. When S. Paul and his companions departed from Tirus all the congregation with their wiues and children brought them out of the towne and kneeling with them on the shore prayed Shall wee in these daies find this zeale among Christians No men will bee ashamed to imitate it and to kneele downe vpon a shore to pray to God publikely And yet the faithful of those times neuer did it without both reson fruit It is therfore a holy ordinaÌ„ce of God a most profitable exercise to come together to call vpon the Lord. As also it is ytâ—uty of al faithful carefully to come to such praiers that they may be pertakers of the fruits of the same especially in time of gret calamities or vpoÌ„ feare or liklihood therof We should eueÌ„ extraordinarily come together to call vpon God as we read that the prophet Ioel in the name of God coÌ„maunded Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast Ioh. 2.15 cal a solemne assemblie gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the children and together cry vnto the Lord in praiers feruent and extraordinarie old and young none exeÌ„pted And as euery one in respect of himself is therto bound so is it not enough that he faithfully employ himselfe only vnlesse he sollicit exhort others according to the prophesie of Zacharie saying The enhabitants of one Cittie shall say to another Vp let vs goe and pray before the Lord and seeke the Lord of hoasts I will go also Zach. 8 21. 3 Neither is it inough that in body we
and aske them whetâ—â—r they haue not all toâ—â—â—e necessarie for theyr trades and occupations notwithstandiâ—â— whatsoeuer hinderaunce of their pouertie Is not this a meere â—olly to excuse themselues by pouertie in this case and yet to haue no want of things necessarie for theyr occupations 〈◊〉 hee had cause to complaine when there were no bookes but such as were in written hand and consequently dere howe much more bitterly might hee compâ—aine of the negligence and slouth of our dayes in all this great plentie and abundance of good bookes that by the helpe of printing maye bee had for so lyttle money Chri. his third sermon of Lazarus Seest thou not sayeth hee in another place the worke-men in mettalles the Golde-smith the Siluer-smith and all others that exercise anie occupation keepe all theyr tooles readie and in good order Albeit hunger compelleth and pouertie pincheth yet will they rather beare all than sell anie necessarie or needfull toole of theyr occupation to feede themselues withall yea many had rather borrowe vppon vsurie than pawne foorth anie one toole and good reason For they knowe that by pawning foorth theyr tooles they do depriue themselues of all ordinarie meanes to get theyr liuings and contrarywise that by keeping them they maye with profite discharge theyr debt But as hammers stithes and pinsers are the tooles of theyr occupations wherewyth to get theyr liuinges so the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles and all the bookes of the holy Scriptures are the tooles of Christianitie wherewith to obtaine saluation and life euerlasting And as artificers with theyr tooles and instrumentes doo finish their woorke so by the reading of the holye Scriptures our soules are corrected formed and renewed Which is more Artificers cannot transforme earth or woode into siluer or golde onelie they can by theyr arte and workmanshippe giue forme and shape vnto thinges but by the reading of Gods worde thou maist of a wooden or earthen vessell make a vessell of golde or siluer as the holy Apostle Saint Paule teacheth saying In a great house are not onely vesselles of golde and of siluer 2. Tim. 2.20 z. 1 but also of woode and of earth If anie man therefore purge himselfe from these hee shall bee a vessell vnto honour sanctifyed and meete for the Lorde and prepared vnto euerie good worke Thus concluding his speech hee sayth Let vs not be neglygent to buy books For euen the sight of them as he addeth shall put vs in minde of our dueties as well to withdrawe vs from sinne and iniquitie as to cause vs to perseuere in holynesse and righteousnesse and to praie to God to giue vs grace so to doo 3 What excuse shall wee pretende in the sight of God when in this abundance and easie meanes to get bookes by the helpe of printing wee are so loth to buy them and so carelesse of reading them thereby shewing our selues most vnthankefull and vnworthie that fauour and grace at Gods hande considering withall that wee are so often and earnestly exhorted to our dueties in reading and meditating vppon his woorde Let the word of Christ sayth Saint Paule dwell in you plenteousâ—ie in all wisedome Colos 3 1â— teaching and admonishing one another Hee speaketh to the Collossians both to men and women and willeth that this doctrine of the Gospell should be so familiar vnto them that it might take roote in them whereby to be instructed both for themselues to teach others We haue sayth Saint Peter a most sure worde of the Prophets 2. Pet. 1.19 to the which yee do wel that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Hee compareth the writings of the Prophets to a candle shining in the darke and therefore exhorteth vs to take the same to bee our light Psal 119.105 Ephes 6.17 as Dauid also sayth The woorde of God is a light to my steppes Saint Paule calleth Gods worde the swoord of the spirite wherewith he willeth vs to bee armed to fight against the deuill But how shall wee take this swoord in hande vnlesse wee become diligent readers of the holy Scriptures wherwith after the example of Iesus Christ Math. 4. Rom. 15.4 to resell the temptations of the deuill saying It is written It is written If as Saint Paule sayth all that is written is written for our learning that wee maye haue hope by patience and comfort in the Scriptures Shall not wee make vaine the prouidence of the heauenlye goodnesse which hath giuen and preserued the Scriptures for vs if we doo not with diligence reade in them to the end thereby to bee comforted and strengthned in patience 2. Tim. 3.16 hope and faith If all holie Scripture be giuen by inspiration from God and bee profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse ought not wee diligently to exercise our selues in reading and meditation thereof to the end to reape such excellent fruit of the same 4 Men are flatterers and wee are blinde in our owne corruptions whereto we are naturally affected and therefore it is most necessarie that wee shoulde often heare God speaking vnto vs in the holy Scriptures instructing improuing correcting and exhorting vs to our duties When the young man mentioned by Saint Luke asked of Iesus Christ what hee should doe to obtayne euerlasting lyfe Luke 10.26 Christ aunswered What is written in the Lawe How doest thou reade Thereby shewing that the Lawe is written for vs to reade that in it wee maye knowe what wee are to doo in discharge of our duetie towarde God When the cursed rich man prayed Abraham to sende Lazarus to his brethren Luke 6.29 hee aunswered They haue Moses and the Prophets let them reade them He thereby taught vs that wee must reade the Scriptures and in them learne the meanes to escape euerlasting tormentes with that cursed riche man and neuer hope of anie mans comming from death to teach vs. Dauid a most excellent Prophet was well instructed in the Lawe yet the hundreth and nineteenth Psalme doth at large declare Psal 119 Dan. 9.2 Act. 17.11 how diligent and carefull hee was in reading and meditating Daniel notwithstanding his many reuelations lefte not off the reading of the bookes of Ieremie Saint Luke highlye commendeth the Birrheans because they were of better stomacke than the Iewes at Thessalonica to receiue with al readines the word preached by Saint Paul and dayly to conferre the scriptures to know whether it were so so the better to gather knowledge by the conference of the Scriptures with the truth which they had heard that they might bee the rather confirmed therein This zeale and diligence of the Birrheans shall rise vp in iudgement agaynst vs euen against vs who hauing heard the preaching do no farther endeuor by reading the Scriptures to confirme our selues more and more in the heauenly doctrine preached vnto vs. Act. 8 Queene Candaces Eunuch might wel as it seemeth haue exempted
waie euen so are the ministers of the word bound to al these the like duties toward the members of their Church And in case they be negligent herein they shall surely feel the iust reproofe vengeance of God as wee reade of the pastors of Israel to whome by the Prophet Ezechiel he obiecteth saying The weake haue ye not strengthned the sicke haue yee not healed neither haue yee bound vp the broken nor brought againe that which was driuen awaie neither haue ye sought that which was lost Ezech 34 4 18 Agayne as it is the pastors duetie not onely to preach the word but also to administer the Sacraments so are they carefully and faithfully to beare themselues in the vse and administration of the same to the glorie of God the edification of the Church First as concerning the outward forme of administration as well of Baptisme as of the holy Supper of the Lord they are to followe the ordinance of Iesus Christ himself that alwayes they may with a good conscience protest with Saint Paule where hee speaketh of the holy supper and saie that they haue deliuered to the Church the same that they receiued from God And as for those whome they should admit to the Sacrament concerning Baptisme they ought to baptise the children of the Christians 1 Cor. 11 23 as in olde time the children of the Iewes were circumcised by the expresse commandement of God But if anie who being growen in yeeres haue not bene baptised but craue Baptisme him ought they first to catechise and instruct and heerein in olde time they were greatly exercised wheÌ„ the Church was to be gathered from among the Gentiles as wee reade of Origen that hee vsed extreame diligence in catechising so that considering the great number that came to him to bee instructed whereby hee had scarce leasure to breath for from morning till euening one after another Eus lib. 1. c. 15 they came to bee catechised that hee might the better performe this dutie with some ease he chose Heraclas to catechise the nouices while himselfe instructed such as were somwhat entered into the knowledge of the doctrine 19 Saint Augustine hath written a whole Tract of the manner how to catechize the first beginners in Christian religion Augustine of Catechising the ignorant c. 7.19 26. Idem ca. 8. 9. Idem cap. 1 15. And the same should all ministers of the worde diligently reade to the end to learne what they are chiefly to teach in catechising Also howe to teach each one according to his calling that is the learned after one manner and the ignorant and simple after another The same which hee writeth of the dutie of Catechising which was in vse in his dayes might at this daie make vs to blush for shame considering the small instruction now practised among Christians euen by those of the reformed Churches And this I speake not in respect of the administration of Baptisme for it is giuen to babes but because that afterward there is such neglect of the instruction in the heauenly doctrine whereby they might make profyte of theyr baptisme and bee prepared to the participation in the holye supper of the Lord. And in deede as in olde time they instructed the new conuerts to Christianitie so long that they were able to make confession of theyr faith before the Bishoppe and the people that they might bee baptised so they that were baptised in their infancie when they came to the age of discretion were by theyr parents presented to the Bishoppe to bee examined according to the forme of the Catechisme then in vse and to make like confession of theyr Christianitie as dyd the Heathen conuerts at theyr baptisme And when these children had thus made profession of theyr faith the Bishoppe layde his handes vpon them and prayed to God to giue them his holie spirite and so dismissed them 20 It were to bee wished that the lyke order were perfectly re-established and better obserued in the reformed Churches that thereby youth might bee instructed and consequently better prepared to receiue the holy communion As also for those who hauing professed another doctrine and religion doo desire to ioyne with the reformed Church and to bee admitted to the communion It is meete the minister should haue some knowledge of theyr instruction and manners to the ende hee might receiue such as are capable catechise those that need instruction admonish others who by theyr offensiue conuersation doo shew themselues vnworthie to be admitted to the holy supper of the Lord. But as for such as are alreadie admitted as members of the Church communicants in the holy supper they are to bee exhorted according to the doctrine of S. 1 Cor. 11 28 Paul to proue themselues so to be still receiued vnles by some scandalous behauior shewing themselues rebellious against admonition and giuing small likelyhood of amendement they manifestly doo declare that they doo vnworthily eate and drinke of the Loâ—des cup to theyr owne condemnation 21 To alleadge that by offering themselues to the Lords table they testify that they will allow the doctrine and liue like Christians as the onely example of Iudas crieth out to the contrarie so will experience declare that there may bee abuse Luke 22.21 1. Cor. 11.29 Heb. 13 And therefore seeing that they which communicate vnworthily do eate drink their iudgement the ministers that are to render account to God for the soules to them committed must not so neere as they may admit anie to communicate vnworthily to his damnation for otherwise themselues also should bee guiltie of their bloud before God Chrisost vpon Mat. hom 3. and of the prophaning of the holy supper of the Lord. And therfore was S. Iohn Chrisostom bitterly offeÌ„ded with such priests and pastors as for feare of the mightie and rich durst not put back anie that came Their bloud sayth hee shall bee required at your hands if you feare mortal man he wil despise you if you fear God man will honor you Let vs not be therfore terrefied with scepters diadems or purple for here haue we a greater power For my part I will rather offer my bodie to the death and suffer my bloud to be shed than I will be partaker in such pollution Saint Ambrose shewed himselfe verie constant resolute in this dutie Zozom Eccle. hist l. 7. c. 24 Zozom Eccle. hist l. 6. c. 34 when he put the Emperor Theodosius from the coÌ„munion yea euen thrust him out of the Church because of the innocent bloud that at his commandement was shed at Thessalonica As also we reade of the Emperor Philip the successor of Gordian who beeing a christian and purposing to ioyne with others at the last watch of Easter was by the Bishop commaunded to ioyne with the penitents because of many euils which he had committed whereto hee readily obeyed confirming his deuotion by action as Eusebius saith 22 As therefore the
talke with their parents and feele a feruent desire to be soone there euen so we if we remember that in heauen we haue treasures of eternall riches an vndefiled inheritance immortall and incorruptible which is reserued for vs a heauenly father that loueth vs in his welbeloued son our elder brother Iesus Christ in glory the angels holy spirits in ioy and that wee their fellow burgesses haue our portion in all these goods and are euen vpon the point to be really in heauen with them why should we not be rauished with a feruent desire to be lifted vp thether and with S. Paul to say I couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 what letteth vs when wee feele how hardly wee are entreated and what mortall wounds our soules doe daylye receiue by offending God through their corruptions to say with S. Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death Shall not the very feeling of so grieuous and so many bodily afflictions whereto we are subiect in this strange land cause vs seruently to pray to be deliuered from the same 2. Cor. 5. 1. especially considering that we know as S. Paul saith that when the earthly habitation of this lodge is destroyed wee haue a building in God euen an euerlasting house in the heauens which is not made with mans hand And in this respect we that abide in these earthly dwellinges doe groane vnder our burdens for we desire to bee clothed with our habitation which is in heauen as knowing that remaining vpon earth wee are absent from the Lord for we doe walke in saith and not by sight albeit we trust loue rather to be estranged from this body and to dwell with the Lord. 7 Howbeit attending vntill we may be really there both in body and soule let vs be there in spirit let vs be conuersant in heauen and begin to feele the felicity wherof we shall hereafter haue full and perfect fruition in this conuersation with God with the angels and with the holy spirits let vs more and more learne the language and maners of heauen to the end wee may resemble the angels saints there dwelling When Moses had conuersed with God forty daies vpon the mountaine Exod. 34.29 at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with the heauenly glorye so will it bee with vs by then we haue for twenty or thirty yeares bene conuersant in heauen we shall become heauenlye and spirituall both in worde and deed euen as by experience wee see that when a countryman hath dwelled some twenty or thirty yeares in the Court he forgetteth his country speech and course of life and groweth to be as good a courtier as if he were borne in the Court Our earthly talke and communication our worldly course of life and the corruptions of the flesh that beare but too much swaye in vs doe but ouer manifestlye shew how little we are conuersant in heauen and consequently doe testifie that we account our selues Burgesses of earth and not of heauen That wee may therefore amend let vs continually thinke that heauen is our true countrey that wee are Burgesses thereof that there we haue our parents and blessed brethren the treasures of ioye and glory an immortall and incorruptible enheritance and that we are at the very point of going thither to take possession as in truth wee doe euery houre looke for the time of our departure let this holye meditation make vs to conuerse in heauen and to liue as heauēly people setting our harts vpon our treasure let it euen make vs to forsake the speeche habit fashions and manners of those among whom wee are for a short time strangers that we may enure our selues to the language and holy life of the burgesses of heauen and angels with whom we shall liue for euer Let it withdraw our affections from all that we must leaue at our departure out of this forrain country least otherwise we lose the incomprehensible goods that are prepared for vs in our heauenly and eternal country let it cause vs to renounce al that might detaine vs in this country replenished with misery and calamity that cheerefully we may aspire to our country which aboundeth in ioy glory and al felicity Let it enforce vs to say with Dauid Woe is me that I remaine in Mesech Psal 120.5 and dwell in the tentes of Keder That is to say among barbarous nations that loue not the Burgesses of heauen let the hard vsage of the prince of this world in this strange country make vs to couet to liue among the blessed Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen let all our thoughtes words cōmunication testifie that in spirit we are already there yea let all our works be preparatiues and pathes to lead vs therinto and to these ends let vs ouercome all that might break of or hinder our so happy iourney from earth to heauen 8 We must moreouer remember that we are pilgrimes and trauellers and therefore for the attaining to the place whereto wee are trauelling wee must beware of three points First of turning backe againe Secondly of turning either to the right hand or to the lefte Thirdly of standing still The offending of God and transgressing his commaundementes is a going backe againe for as in walking after his woorde and in his feare wee goe to God to heauen and to euerlasting life so by sinning in liewe of going forwarde wee slippe backe and drawe toward death as we haue before more at large declared We cannot therefore turne backe that is to saye offend God but with this condition that wee shall fall into ruine and euerlasting perdition much like vnto him who flying from his enemies that pursue him in liewe of sauing himselfe in some towne turneth backe towardes them and so putteth himselfe into their handes neither are we without many and mighty enemies that pursue vs and labour to make vs to turne backe by offending God and these must wee fight against Deerely beloued saith the Apostle Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstayne from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule Let vs diligently note that hee heere saith not against our goods to rob vs of them neither against our bodies to murder vs but against our soules to induce thē to offend God so to drawe them into euerlasting damnation And heereof haue we a notable example in the person of Iob Iob. 1. he was a iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill and so walked in the waye to heauen but Satan would withstand him and therefore commenced warre against his soule but how true it is he seemed as if he would haue fought against his goods in causing them to bee taken away against his children in procuring their death and against his body in vexing it most cruelly yet was it properly the soule that he assaulted as himselfe