Christi the law of Christ for tables of stone tables of flesh Writing my law in their hearts For circumcision of the flesh Circumcision of the heart in the spirit For annoynting annoynting You haue an oyntment from him that is holy For washing washing so S. Paul Such were you thieues couetous c. but you are washed but you are sanctified Wee haue for outward the inward sprinkling Let vs draw neere c. sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water For sacrifice sacrifice to offer spirituall sacrifices to God by Iesus Christ. For Altar we haue an Altar We haue an Altar whereof they haue no authoritie to eate which serue in the Tabernacle For high Priest Iesus Christ which is an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech for euer For Lambe Lambe Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Blood for blood The blood of Iesus Christ washeth away our sinnes Temple for Temple The Lambe is their Temple And for all Christ which is our law our circumcision washing sprinkling annoynting saerifice altar our high Priest our passeouer our temple the fulnesse of all in all To whom with God the Father and God the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all fulnesse of praise honour and glory now and for euer AMEN THE VVAY TO ETERNALL LIFE The seauenth Sermon 1 IOHN Cap. 17. Vers. 3. And this is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. WHen the Lawyer stood vp and tempted Christ saying Master what shall I do to inherit eternall life he was made answere him selfe out of the morall law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thy selfe And heere is set downe the vtmost bound of our actions but if any man should aske but what knowledge is required to eternall life our Sauiour himselfe answereth This is eternall life to know the Father to be the onely very God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. So here is the vtmost limit of our knowledge This Scripture then refuteth the vanity of Sciences to which men are by nature most propense and prone and for all Arts Sciences Learning Wisedome commendeth to vs one which is the Art of a Christian to know the true and liuing God These two compasse in and containe within them all Christian duty knowing and doing first we know God then wee loue him for ignotinulla cupido there can be no desire of that we know not after the Greek Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of seeing commeth louing Such as is our knowledge such is our loue If we know God but little we can loue him but a little the more we know him the more we loue him if we know him not at all we cannot at all loue him It is rooted in the nature of all things to desire that which is good and whosoeâ—…er desireth the good doth not rest his desire in any subordinate good for the desire will striue and presse forward for the soueraigne good that good to which all other goodnesse is subordinate neither can it haue rest till it haue attayned to this supreame end of all things Now albeit many desire the good apparant for the supreame good yet the desire in the false entendeth the true good as we see in the heathen people which worshipping false Gods did entend in them the worship of the true and onely God It is another principle in nature for euery thing which hath life to desire and doe all that it can to keepe it selfe from dying for if our life should perish what could the good of life profit vs for no good no not the soueraigne good could any wayes aduantage him that held by no tenure of life to enioy it Here then wee haue the supreame good made manifest to our vnderstanding which good is the true God and to a good eternall wee haue a life proportioned which is eternall that wee may neuer dye to our good nor our good to vs. You shall not then expect that I speake of this Scripture by way of diuision sithence the subiect of my Text is the true and perfect Vnion for other Sciences wee learne first by learning the parts and then the whole This Science wee haue first by being taught the whole the mysterie of the Trinity and then in it all the parts of a Christian life It is all one knowledge for all to know one life for all to seeke one God for all to beleeue in and there is but one way to come to this life which is by knowing the true and onely God I haue heard of a dangerous harbour in our Seas at whose mouth at Goodwins sands out of which the Pilot cannot make forth but hee must sinke in those sands vnlesse he so steere his Ship that he bring two steeples which stand off so euen in his sight that they may seeme to be but one Doubtlesse wee cannot make way in our faith without sinking into endlesse errour vnlesse wee beleeue God the Father and God the Sonne to be the same in substance and the onely true God But is not the holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne one substance and the same true and liuing God yes but he is our Pilot to guide vs in this way Therefore the Scripture saith They that are led by the spirit are the sonnes of God And in another place Walke in the spirit And againe If you be led by the spirit Therefore Christ himselfe saith of the spirit He shall teach you all things If all things then this truth the ground of all truth the knowledge of the Father and and the Sonne because the spirit searcheth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen the deepe things of God Neither ought wee more to doubt that the spirit is God because hee brings vs to Christ then that Christ is God because hee brings vs to the Father No man commeth to the Father but by the Sonne for then wee should likewise doubt whether the Father were God because he brings vs to Christ Euery man that hath heard and learned of my Father commeth to me And no man can come to mee except it be giuen him of my Father For this is that clarification of which our Sauiour speaketh in the first verse Father clarifie thy Sonne so doth the Sonne glorifie the Father verse 4. and the holy Ghost which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne clarifie both the Father and the Sonne that all three persons may be glorified of vs all and that nothing may be more cleare illustrious to our faith then this summe and ground of all truth The Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie is to be worshipped So hence we may ascertaine our
consciences that as the Father the Son and the holy Ghost are one God so our faith which beleeueth is one faith our knowledge which apprehendeth this mysterie is one knowledge that is with the same obtute of faith I beleeue in God the Father with the same and no other I beleeue in GOD the Sonne and God the holy Ghost And with the same light of knowledge I know one I know all three Neither doth this Vnion rest here to make our faith one and our knowledge one but to make the knowers one for which our Lord prayed That all which shall beleeue in Christ through the Gospell preached by his Apostles may be one as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father that they also may be one in vs. I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one This then we must take for certaine that in reading this Scripture we must of necessitie vnderstand God the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the Sonne as S. Augustine teacheth Ordo verborum est vt cum patre et filio consequenter spiritum sanctum intelligamus quia c The order of the words is saith hee that by consequence wee must vnderstand the holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne for the spirit is the substantiall and consubstantiall charity of both the Father and the Sonne because the Father and the Sonne are not two Gods neither are the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three Gods but the Trinitie it selfe is one God Neither is the Father the same person that the Sonne nor the Sonne the same that the Father is nor the holy Ghost the same that the Father and the Sonne whereas the Father the Sonne and the Spirit are three and this very Trinitie is one God Wee haue then by the grace of Christ in these words A Catechisme or Enchiridion for a Christian man contayning in it all the mysteries of saluation all the articles of our faith For at that very instant that wee beleeue God to be the Father maker of the world almighty the onely true and liuing God wee beleeue the incarnation of Iesus Christ we beleeue in the holy Ghost the resurrection from the dead the remission of sinnes we beleeue the holy Catholique Church the communion of Saints and whatsoeuer is written in the law and the Prophets all the contents of the Gospell This one knowledge hath all knowledge in it for as life in that instant that it is life giueth spirit motion seeing tasting feeling and desire to preserue life so as soone as we haue this knowledge wee haue with it all heauenly wisedome and vnderstanding we need not be perswaded to beleeue the Scriptures wee haue the light the feeling the tast of heauenly things and as the light of this Sunne which directeth my going in one place shineth to mee in all places in the house in the field in the Sea in the Desart and in all deepe places so the light of the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ lightneth to mee all things that were in darknesse leadeth me out of all doubts and errours and illuminateth all things that are in heauen and earth But that you mistake me not I doe not deny when we haue receiued this faith but that we haue our farther growing in Christ and encrease in godlinesse by hearing and reading the word by meditation by prayer by receiuing our daily bread and drinke of life in the Sacraments by walking by motion by exercise and labouring in our most holy faith The thing I entend is to shew that all these spring from this fountaine and moue from the power of this life For our bodily life cannot consist or continue without daily foode therefore it is naturall to life to hunger for it daily and by foode wee receiue strength and in our strength we trauaile and labour and doe the things which belong to this life This then is my purpose to shew that all heauenly gifts and powers of the spirit are of the nature of faith So the Apostle By faith we haue an entrance into this grace wherein we stand But first wee liue by faith The iust shall liue by faith By faith we feed therefore the word of God is most properly called the word of eternall life which is the word of faith which wee preach And this word must be mixed with faith and be as meat digested in the stomack of our soules The word did not profit them in whom it was not mixed with faith By this faith we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood which is the bread of life By faith wee are nourished as said Paul of Timotheus which hast beene nourished vp in the words of faith In faith we grow When your faith shall encrease In faith wee haue our strength Strong in the faith By faith wee stand Thou standest by faith By faith we walke For wee walke by faith and not by sight By faith we worke as Saint Paul saith The worke of your faith in power By faith wee resist Satan Whom resist being stedfast in faith By faith wee fight Fight the good fight of faith By faith we conquer and ouercome This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith See how S. Paul ascribeth to faith all the patience labours workes striuings assurance hope and the victories of the Saints in the whole Chapter which is the eleuenth to the Hebrewes But here the Scripture speaketh of knowledge not of faith No it cannot vnderstand this knowledge without the light of faith For our knowledge of God is the issue and birth of our faith In all earthly things knowledge maketh faith for all the wise men of this world beleeued no farther then they were led by reason but of heauenly things faith maketh the knowledge for these are aboue reason and captiue our vnderstanding Therefore Saint Paul By faith wee vnderstand c. And Saint Peter I beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD. Therefore our faith hath her perfection in this life and knowledge doth surrender to faith heere In the world to come faith shall surrender to knowledge and faith shall bee no more Wee beleeue not heere in part wee know but in part now but wee beleeue all things Then in the life to come vvee shall know all thinges as vvee are knowne Then as Saint Paul and Saint Peter ioyne faith with knowledge so doe wee heere and more then that with Christ himselfe in this Chapter the twentith verse vvee take them both for one for so hee prayeth that they vvhich beleeue in him may bee one euen all that shall beleeue by the preaching of their that is the Apostles word that they be one as hee and his Father are one Now let vs goe forward Hypocrates said truely of the Art of Physicke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and Hatred are attributed to God himselfe which if they were simply and by nature euill should neuer haue beene ascribed to him It cannot then be denied but that Anger is vpon iust causes to be permitted Now let vs see in regard whereof it may be commanded There is a time when Gods honour is defaced and then be angry through iust zeale as Phinehas was with Zimry and Cozby but in this kind of anger sinne not be not ouer iust There is a time when our brother is to be reproued in this reproofe sinne not be not too sharpe and bitter in rebuking and in this place we may well cary with vs the rule of the Apostle Brethren if any man be ouer taken with a fault you which are spiritual instruct such an one with the spirit of gentlenesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tainted First the ve ry insinuation were enough to perswadevs seeing we are al brethren Secondly there is no difference betweene them and vs but in time they may preuent vs in sinning we shall follow them Thirdly because flesh and blood is insolent the Apostle maketh a distinct choyse of the persons exhorted you that are spirituall you which haue your hearts softned with the vnction of the holy Ghost Fourthly the medicine is set downe we must instruct him shew him the nature and measure of his fault and how to amend it Fiftly the ingredience to the medicine is prescribed with the spirit of meeknesse Sixtly we are bound to it by equality of nature considering thy selfe Seauenthly it is worth the noting that whereas before hee sayd in the plurall number brethren you now by a kinde of selecisme he maketh it euery mans case considering thy selfe least thou also be tainted But to goe forward there is a third kinde of lawfull anger when wee must be angry with our selues for sinnes and trespasses by vs committed but yet in this kinde of anger let vs not sinne that is fall into dispaire for there is mercy with God albeit we haue sinned So the first anger in which we are moued against our brother commeth from a Godly zeale the second when we rebuke our brother for his amendment commeth from our loue to God and the third when we are angry and displeased with our selues for our sinnes is our repentance before God We which haue suffred our affections to stoope downe to sinne and haue suffered our selues to be caried and misled by them knowing now that there is necessary vse of them to good shall we not turne them away from actions of vniustice and restore them to the honour of God and the good of our selues and of our neighbour We which haue beene so often angry and sinned is it not now time to learne to be angry and not sinne How happy shall we be if wee can fence and saue our selues with that sword with which we haue wounded so many of our brethren How happy shall we then be when we haue wonne those preturbations from the Diuell which hang downe so low and easie for sinne and by which sinne taking hold doth clime vp higher into our will and vnderstanding I conclude then with Saint Basile Ser de Ira If you will be angry with out sinning and shew forth the lawfull vse of this affection know that one is allured to sinne another enclineth and allureth him conuert your anger against the latter of these two a murtherer of his brethren a father of lies maligne not him that is ensnared entrapped Be angry where is a fault which may beare anger which cannot be a priuate displeasure but a fáult openly tending to the prophanation of Gods feareful name pollution of his Sacraments and seruice Publique scandalous incorrigible and insufferable faults whereby his Christ is dishonoured his good spirit of grace despighted and the whole congregation and family that is in heauen and earth wounded and blasphemed Be angry with those which are angry with God vpon euery light occasion for euery crosse wherewith they are tryed ready to goe backe and to walke no longer with him or if their mouthes be not filled with laughter and pleasure to their hearts desire and their besties with Garlicke and flesh-pots as in the daies of darkenesse breake forth into termes of highest vndutifulnesse saying What profit is there in seruing God Be angry with those that are angry with the Prophets for prophesying right things vnto them Be angry with the Prophets if they seeke their ease if they preach Lies if they preach not the Word Be angry with the Citty if it repent not at the preaching of the Prophets but when they haue pronounced the iudgments of God take them but for fables and like the sayings and doings of the mad man who casteth firebrands and arrowes and mortall things and saith am I not in iest Be angry with dogges which returne to their vomit though they beene purged seauen times and in a word to knit vp all Be angry with your sinnes the diuell lies vanities your selues Now come we to the prohibition which is the second part but sinne not Heere Saint Paul warneth vs of a pit into which our anger may fall namely sinne A pit more daungerous then that into which Ioseph was throwne by his brethren for many fall into this pit which neuer come foorth againe and this the more carefully we ought to shunne how much the more our nature vergeth downewards and our passions haue their selfe aptnesse and pronesse to that which is euill There is in vs almost an insensible difference betweene anger and sinne and Saint Paul cannot name the one but hee must aduise to cause vs shunne the other so secretly so subtily that which is euill is mixed to that which is naturall the motions of our minds were ordained to this end that they should obey reason but they refuse to obey God But the sinne of anger is so far extended and lyeth so many waies that it may seeme a matter of great hardnesse to expresse how diuersly we fall into it It shall suffice for our present purpose to make some briefe obseruations hereof and so to come to our conclusion First Anger bringeth in sinne by rashnesse for what easier way is there to fall then by omitting counsaile and what greater enimie to counsaile then wrath by which when we haue but a little distasted like mouthes of men diseased we relish not of sweet and wholesome counsailes but by heate and distemperature of mind fall into sodaine and violent passions which bring with them shame and confusion and for this cause Socrates when he was angry at his seruant refused to beate him saying He would first whip his anger This was Potiphers fault for when his wrath was kindled by a false suggestion he punished Ioseph with imprisonment albeit his anger tooke occasion from a lie to wrong the innocent I this was Dauids fault when he gaue too hasty credit to false Ziba his accusation and
battell wonne whos 's first let is because that ardor pugnandi that alacrity of the minde and heate to fight which should be in a Souldier begins to cease This we see in many worldlings which beganne with a zeale and feruor of the spirit but that heate and burning of the spirit is now abated and retarded They grow colder and colder to heauenly things till at last they shrinke and fall away If they be not starke cold yet they are not hot and of such we may heare the Apostle complayne Demas hath for saken me Secondly being made rich they grow timerous For the nature of these earthly things is to beget diffidence and feares and jealousie because our worldly riches haue many suiters and many competitours which seeke by flattery and sleight to vndermine our estates and pilfer away our happinesse so many enemies not onely of rust and mothes but of a Theeues which breake through and steale so all our study and care is now deriued from heauen to guard and watch these base gatherings that we may justly complayne Our feete are set in the snare What snare In the snare of the Diuell Saint Paul telleth vs b in laqueo Diaboli So these first stole away our zeale and we beganne to faint now they haue taken away our courage and we are turned cowards And now for feare wee durst not speake the truth especially if wee should offend some great person To omit other feares wee will change our religion and profession too rather than suffer losse But say we are not brought to this triall See the rich mans feare when he comes to die I meane not his which hath riches but his which loues riches I say when he comes to the last stroke and should be ful of fortitude for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now it is come to the crowne What can wee stirre such men vp with the view speculation of heauenly things of which their hearts haue beene so long naked and dispossest Now is the time of feare the thiefe is come which begins to dig through the wall all is full of trouble and terrour When that soule which was the least part of their goods is swallowed vp of Despaire When one poore Ague shakes all the frame of the house as it would sinke all downe into hell when they await the heauy doome of the Physition as the thiefe doth the Sentence of the Iudge when that strong enemy I meane their owne fleagme and spittle hath so wofully besieged their life when groanes and stitches and burnings and shakings begin to hale and pull those fat Bulls out of their rich pastures thus doe they perish that haue renounced this warfare for the Kingdome of Heauen and wrapt and snared their soules in the loue of this present world whose condition was worse then that of Swine to whom life was giuen in stead of Salt to keepe them from stinking and now see what followes we haue lost our courage and our enemies haue found it we haue deuised to tie our selues so fast that they may take vs and carry vs whether they will take we heede then least that which is most dangerous the enemy set not vpon vs while we are sub sarcinis vnder our burthens For that I may conclude wee gather not the spoyles heere for they are not earthly things but Ioy Loue Truth Peace a of conscience and the fruits of the Spirit with the Kingdome of Heauen and life eternall of these rich booties doe our enemies robbe vs and these are gathered in Heauen Againe in this life the fight is not ended No man is crowned vnlesse he haue lawfully ariued Shall we seeke to triumph before the victory Lastly the Souldier must not take the spoyles but the Generall must distribute them which viewes the whole Armie ouer and sees who fight best in their seuerall ranckes and Stations so doe earthly Princes to them which haue deserued bestin the warres To some they giue gifts to some honour and Knighthood to some Lands to some the seate of Iudgement and so doth our Lord IESVS CHRIST looking downe from heauen on such as striue and wrestle for his name and glory to some gifts Him that ouercommeth will I cloth in white aray to some Lands and possessions Goe to thou faithfull Seruant be thou ruler ouer ten Cities to some honour he that shall doe these things and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdome of heauen Some he maketh Iudges You which haue followed me in this generation shall sit vpon twelue Seates and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell Let these giue vs to consider what our calling is we should fight for the truth but how many fight against the truth as Heretiques with what vehemency of spirits raysing vp all mans reason and force of arguments seeking with allmalice subtilty with extreame rage and cruelty the detorsion of the word of God from it's end vrging Scripture against Scripture Which abuse we seeing may iustly crie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are wounded and shot through with our owne feathers Our enemies haue said Mutemus clipeos Danaumque insignia nobis aptemus Let 's change our Bucklers while t is night And vnder Greekish Ensignes fight We should fight for God but how many fight against him Atheists Blasphemers Swearers which by their liues doe beare witnesse against God which neuer vse his trembled name but when they sweare and blaspheme as if they would spit him out of their mouthes Such we haue which open their mouthes wide against Heauen we heare them say Our tongues are ours who are Lords ouer vs We should fight against the Diuell we fight for him when we will not confesse our sinnes but iustifie them and say to the Prophets face Nay but I haue not sinned Thus doe we absolue Sathan and condemne CHRIST this makes the Ministers of God as welcome to vs as Eliah was to Ahab Hast thou found mee O mine enemy And as Michaiah was to the same Ahab he neuer prophesieth good to me but euill We should fight against the world but we stand in the worlds defence as couetous men will they suffer the least diminution of their riches nay rather perish mercy dye Almes-giuing waste zeale be forfeited all the treasures of Grace to the vttermost wracke of saluation the losse of Heauen to boote What Counsell what Law can we not finde to recouer an earthly losse But Gods laws are not cared for All our striuings buildings plowings saylings doe obey Hell and the Diuell If we could rippevp the hearts of such we should finde written in them The God of this present world We should fight against the flesh wee are for the the flesh as gluttons adulterours drunkards which in the combate betweene the flesh and the Spirit doe take the flesh her part which contrary to the rule of Saint Paul doe castigare spiritum chastise and subdue