keepe them from blame and shame before God seeing he came apparantly into the mids of his owne and his owne receiued him not But be they hote or key cold be they carefull or carelesse be they Gods friends or the Diuels feends be they one or other or neither or all Iohn preacheth to them all at once and teacheth one with another excepting against neither and accepting of al as of one he will graft this science of Christ into the true oliue and if the body cānot nourish it hee will remoue it into the wilde oliue tree he offereth them the sauour of life the Sauiour of the world but if they refuse him he turneth to the Gētiles if the children of the family will not eate their bread giue it to the poore that cry out for hunger at the dores if the true and next legitimate heyre be dead raise vp another heire by adoption if the common directest path be stopped vp all is plaine ground open way in the valley of Bethabara and God is not tide to any man or to any way vnlesse he be his man and it be his way for if once he be Gods chosen seruant and once in Gods booke of life if God shall once say Thou art my sonne and I wil be a father to thee then if euery haire of his head were a Cayn and euery pore of his body a Nymrod though euery drop of his bloud be an Ammon euery blast of his spirit the seuen spirits of Mary Magdalene his haires shal be washed his pores clensed his bloud purged his spirit purified and all his inward and outward man made a liuely sacrifice of a dead a holy oblation of a defiled an acceptable and gratious sauour of a putrified and noisome smell and in a word to Gods children chiefly is this doctrine appertaining which S. Iohn deliuereth here behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world to them specially is it spoken which are written in Gods eternall Register whose faith is euer liuely mouing working neuer idle A foundation surely grounded is not easily remoued but a building vpon sand is soone ouerturned that is bred in the bone wil neuer out of the body but an outward maladie is soone cured a Iewish father maketh a Iewish sonne as the scholler is taught so he beleeueth as the blinde is led so he walketh an owne counteth night as day and the Iewe loueth his owne darkenesse more then the light of Christ and the fault is not in the day but in the oule when Gods holy spirit forsaketh a man he goeth and wandreth he cannot tell whether but is compared to swine that tread vpon pearles to beasts that perish the Iewe will be obstinate in his superstition and wilfull in his blindnes as the Aethiopian will euer be blacke and the diuell a liar at euery hand a reprobate sense may be reproued but neuer amended a peruerse opinion wil very hardly leaue a peruerse and crooked minde superstitious premisses alwaies drawe after them superstitious conclusions Iewish and vncharitable presumptions make Iewish iudgements vnkind and vnchristian thoughts beget vnkind and vnchristian censures a preiudicate minde can neuer determine rightly a purposed inuectiue is commonly more affectionate then reasonable though a voice from heauen approue Christ the Iewish voice in earth will reproue him and his by hooke or by crooke probably or impudently euen Martinlike if the diuell once set in his pawe all the whole house will smell of his rankenes one morsell of leauen leueneth the whole lump of dowe then beware of the leauen of the Iewish Scribes and Pharisees that write vnrighteousnesse and boast of leesings Historians say that the crow and the ape suppose presume their yonglings are faire and so perhaps they are in their kinde but who else will say so besides the crowe and the ape Mercury in his methode imagineth selfe-loue to walke in a gallery beset and hanged with seeing glasses wherein she may view and vaunt hir owne pecock feathers I cannot stand now vpon this common place of wilfull and Iewish obstinacie mixed with hautie and Iewish self-loue the truest historie and poesie in the world is the historie and poesie of the Bible that teacheth the truest and surest beleefe and the truest beleefe neuer refuseth the right sentence or hopeth for more truthes then one faith tempered with charitie pearceth the cloudes and loue among brethren is a sweete smell in Gods nostrels the loue of Iesus is more sweet then the loue of all women for he shall neuer repent himselfe of his loue that loueth Iesus he came to vs as a frend he dwelt with vs as a brother he died for vs as a mother in trauell he rose for vs as a God he ascended for vs as a Captaine a captaine to leade and defend his christian Souldiers to loade and oppresse his Iewish enemies must therefore be loued with the loue of all frendes of all brothers of al children of all creatures of al seruants and souldiers in the whole world from the first day to the last There is but one world but one sunne but one king and but one Messias and Sauiour greater then the world cleerer then the sunne stronger then king great without fault cleare without spotte strong without change the world of ioy the sunne of righteousnes the king of peace let vs goe out of this world and dwell in that world walke in that light obey that king but first follow the counsel of Iohn-baptist and beholde behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sinne of the world and then dwel with him walke with him and obey him Thus for vpon the first part of this text which is the historie Now followeth the doctrine which the wicked heare and marke not or if they marke it they soon forget it if they remember the word it taketh no roote in their hearts or if it be rooted it rotteth and withereth at the last and scarcely bringeth foorth the least tokens of regeneration but geueth leaues and no fruite and is therefore cursed with Christes owne curse as the Fig-tree was cursed for bearing no figges Marke c. 11. ver 13 21. Who then must cheefly wey and examine this sentence of Iohn-baptist Let all those that delight in their saluation behold this lambe of God with louing eye and constantly perswade themselues that he taketh away the sinne of the world let all such as loue their owne liues consider this sentence throughly deepely from which al meditations and prayers are growen and vpon which all the bookes and volumes of holy writers and godly learned fathers are buylded written for as al their works belong to the two testaments the old and the new so the two testamentes are singularly belonging to this one sentence But to leaue the longest and largest obseruations it shall suffice to set downe a compendious and if God will a fruitfull exposition Behold saith the Baptist behold with ioy awake
hath in vs he can doe it because hee is stronger then Satan the prince of the night who like a tyrant holdeth vs in manacles and fetters he is stronger then this iaylor stronger then his prison stronger then his bandes and can redeeme vs and his will alone is greater then all treasure to pay all fees and ransoms whatsoeuer and as he both can and will so he may redeeme vs by the law of propriety and the lawe of propinquity for as by the lawe of propriety ◠king may redeeme his captiuated subiects and a maister his seruants so may Christ redeeme vs which obey and serue him ô Iesus make vs thy true men and as by the lawe of propinquity a father may ransome his sonne and one brother another whether they be fathers or brothers by bloud or religion so may Christ in the same respects of consanguinity and affection ransome vs who by a louing protection is our father by his familiar kindnesse our brother ô Iesus feed all duties and loues in vs. Thus the first and principall causes of our deliuery are iust and lawfull in Christ as the meanes and concurrent causes are allowable in our selues according to S. Chrysostomes collection That our sinnes are taken away by confessing them to God Esay c. 44. v. 21 22. by forgiuing iniuries to men Math. c. 6. v. 14. by almes and liberality Dan. c. 4. v. 24. by continuall praier Iam. c. 5. v. 16. by fasting and turning vnto God Ioel. c. 2. v. 12 18. Yet these are but apprehensiue and declaratiue causes of our iustifying and sanctifying and Christ alone is the consummatiue and perfectiue cause of all as a learned writer distinguisheth briefly and subtilly because he is sufficient and our goodnesse but straw without him as Luther termeth it for so I may best take that word Stramineam which Bredenbachius casteth so fiercely in his teeth Sententia de dissidijs Ecclesiae componendis fol. 35. and perhaps taught Campian to make his gloze Seeing then we receiue this great and incomprehensible benefit by Christ euen the benefit of our deliuery what kinde of deliuery is it which wee enioy Is it a deliuery by voluntary manumission not so for neither the flesh nor the diuell are of that nature to surrender vp any thing with a franke and willing mind but they are couetous and must be constrayned Is it a deliuery by exchange and commutation not so for Christ will neuer leaue or giue any hostages to the diuell Is it a deliuery by a price and payment so it is a deliuerie But this price is paid to God our king not to Satan Gods Iaylor you are bought with a great price saith Paul 1. Cor. c. 6. v. 20. with the precious bloud of Christ saith Peter 1. Epistle c. 1. v. 19. and without shedding of bloud is no remissiō and without death no testament being without force so long as he that made it is aliue Heb. c. 9. v. 17 22. Is it a deliuery by force and compulsion so it is a deliuerie as when a strong man keepeth a house and a stronger then he commeth in and taketh what he wil out of the house Luke c. 11. v. 22. Thus we were in the Lions mouth readie to be deuoured but Iesus brake the iaw of the Lion asunder as Dauid saued his sheepe 1. Kings c. 17. v. 36. thus we were bondmē but now are we free mē as Israël came out of Egypt Exo. c. 12. v. 41. thus we were woful miserable but nowe are wee ioyfull and blessed in our saluation as Ioseph came from prison Gen. c. 41. v. 14.38 Then for whose sake hath he redeemed vs but for his owne for if we liue we are Christes if we die we are Christes if we are his then must we liue after his will not our own will if we are his then must we serue none but him that saued vs Be not the seruants of men saith Paul 1. Cor. c. 7. v. 23. if we are his it becommeth vs not to iudge our brethren who art thou saith the Apostle that condemnest another mans seruant hee standeth or falleth to his owne master not to thee Rom. c. 14. v. 4. So wee are Christes for he hath bought vs not to raigne ouer vs but that we should liue vnder him In that he bought vs he shewed his loue and in that he stayed so long ere he bought vs he approued his wisdome Hee came in good season in the fulnesse of time saith Paul Galat. c. 4. v. 4. in the last dayes saith Esay c 2. v. 2. in the latest times for our sakes saith Peter 1. Epistle c. 4. ver 20. for by that time the greatnesse of sinne which had so many yeares in growing made playne the corruption of mans nature to make man humble by that time the immeasurable mercie of God appeared which spared the liuers of so many ages to make man thankfull by that time the faith of the godly was throughly sharpened and their hope at the highest point after so long a trial therof to make man constant by that time the disease of sinne was so ranke and desperate that mans knowledge and foresight being at an end the glorie and maiestie of God might more aboundantly be seene in curing such a maladie and so vast a sinne to make men obedient yet must wee not be too busie in searching out those thinges which God will haue secrete but take heede of climing too high of wading too farre of too much diligence leste we be smitten as Vzzah was for touching Gods arke and die as Vzzah died for being too bolde 2. Kings c. 6. v. 7. The secrete thinges belong to the Lord our God saith Moses Deut. c. 29. v. 29. and S. Paul teacheth our extreame Quaestionists a good non plus whereof they shall neuer be ashamed Rom. c. 12. v. 3. What neede we any more determinations and conclusions vpon this commendatorie sentence of Iohn effectiue propertie of Christ If Iesus onely taketh away sinne how can the Church say I forgeue sinnes and geue absolution seeing the Church is the expositor and messenger not the Lady and correcter of the scripture she may bid vs hope for remission of sinnes by faith in Christ she may warrant vs that if we repent beleue our sinnes are forgeuen vs but there lie her boundes and that is all she can doe vnlesse she dareth arrogate to herselfe the worke of the holy spirite of God I omitte some conclusions purposely if Christ be a lambe herein we acknowledge his humanitie and bodily substāce or els he cannot be called a lambe and so doeth his incarnation his natiuitie his growing his eating his drinking his sleeping his weeping his groning and other his actions and passions proue and conclude him to be a man The word was made flesh saith Iohn c. 1. v. 14. made not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person not by conuersion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking
3. aduersus gentes and I hope some of the rest as it may please God to worke may reape some good therby as I hartily pray to God they may S. Iohn saith behold the lambe of God and so I still and still say and so must al good christians and euery good christian euer and euer say and not onely say with the mouth but euer and euer thinke euen with the very hart euen in the very bowels of al christian affection and zeale behold the lambe of God that was before the world was that was mistically and as it were in a holy reuerend vaile or shadow prefigured in Moses law that was in aboundance of diuine spirit liuely and zealously foretold by the Prophets that was certainely and effectually preached by the Apostles that is assuredly and infallibly described by the Euangelists that in the whole word of God in the law and the gospell in the old and new Testament euer hath and is and euer shall be preached from generation to generation as the onely true lambe of God as the onely true sauiour of the world as our onely true mediator and redeemer euen Iesus the righteous true God and true man by whom from whom and in whom only we haue whatsoeuer good wee haue otherwise without him remayning in the most wretched most wofull and desperate state of vtter damnation both of body and soule Therfore we that beleeue the law of God and the Prophets of God the gospell of Christ the Apostles of Christ the creation of the world and the saluatiō of the world as God forbid but we should all beleeue as it becommeth the people of God and all good christians to beleeue we that beleeue the Canonical scriptures and desire to be members of the Catholicke church whereof Christ is the head must faithfully and vnfainedly acknowledge this lambe of God to be very God himself to be the promised Messias and onely Iesus to be the onely sonne of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Wee often repeat our Beliefe of the creation of the world by God the Father of the saluation of the world by God the sonne euen the lamb of God of the sanctification of the world by God the holy-ghost one true euerlasting and onely wise God who raigneth in all and aboue all for euer and euer this we often say and should alwaies think as we are in al christian zeale and with all perfect hatred to abhorre those that say or think the contrary Alas a thousand errors and heresies and blasphemies and idolatries and impieties haue ouerflowen the world and wickednes hath stretched out a long arme on euery side from the East to the West throughout the world and round about the world yet Christ still hath numbred his elect the great Shepheard knoweth his sheepe there wanteth not a visible or inuisible congregation of the faithful to make vp Christes militant Church there are many true Christian souldiers euer ready to fight vnder the Ensigne ancient of the lambe of God that neuer bowed the knee to Baal that neuer committed any heathenish or prophane idolatrie that neuer were defiled or corrupted with the filthines of the whore of Babylon that neuer either deuoted themselues to false gods or denied the true liuing God or said in their hearts with the vngodly and godlesse foole there is no God that crie dayly and howerly and euer sincerely and faithfully Behold the lambe of God ô Lord Iesus come quickly thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen thou art God and there is none other God but thou a iust and a sauing God as the Prophet Esay saith c. 45. v. 21. O let vs all cry thus let vs all set our selues against all that write or say or think otherwise Students reade many things euen of God and of Christ and otherwhiles against God and his Christ as for God his Christ here they must folow the direction of a godly iudgement here true christianity must ouerrule false paganisme and desperate atheisme here the spirite of God must confute and confound the spirite of the deuill the spirite of Antichrist the spirite of false Prophets the spirite of deceitfull heretikes the spirite of worldly hypocrites the spirite of blasphemous and impious villaines that care neither for God nor the deuill that measure all by present profite or pleasure without any regard of posteritie and either acknowledge no God or els make thē their gods that feed their owne humor most or most aduaunce their wicked purposes Without this directiō of Gods spirite and without this godly discretion and Christian iudgement to discerne betweene the trueth of God the falshode of the deuill alas how soone may students most of all other be misled and seduced by many wryters of much account among them who had no sence or feeling of this lamb of God or any such christian doctrine but in the aboundance of their owne carnall humor and in their grosse worldly sense tooke vpon them to iudge of all matters as well spirituall as corporall by the only direction of their natural reason or rather fantasticall conceite which otherwhile carried them headlong into all error and blasphemie I will passe ouer those old Atheists Diagoras Protagoras Democritus Philosophers Aristippus and Epicurus Courtiers the 288 sectes of heathenish schollers which S. Augustine mentioneth out of Varro l. 19 de Ciuitate Dei many of the heathen Poets both Greeke and Latin and such like whose godlesse and vnchast opinions are too common among the common sort of Students I would to God Aristotles sensuall naturall philosophie in his 3. bookes de anima of the immortalitie of the soule which that small abstract of Athenagoras doeth sufficiently ouerthrowe to omitte Aeneas and other of greater labour herein and his morall philosophie of mans perfect felicitie l. 1. c. 10. Ethec l. 10. c. 6 7. were not sometime for vaine disputations sake or I wot not how more hotlie mainteined with leaue and liking then were conuenient in our christian scholes and companies seeing such other matters of lesse importance haue with the same Schoolistes been so earnestly and egerly disalowed but if Cassianus be iudged of his angry children they wil out vith their penkniues by and by and haue their peniworths of him that was once ouer them yoong vnskilfull physicians count bodies sometimes past hope that haue as much life in them as themselues with all their inspectiues the wild hart would not haue arrested the sheepe of debt if the woolfe his enemie had not bene iudge hee that maketh an error and the report thereof both one cannot recite it against another but he shall therein be against himselfe one eare and one tale can neuer doe the iudge honesty and how can he determine which knoweth not the controuersie which heareth but one part which maketh suspition a proofe he is extreemely partiall that winketh at a filthy life and will not abide a homely word as if
and atheisme it is the only direction of thy grace and holy Spirite according to thy word that can keepe vs within the bounds of good order of good conscience of good faith of good christianitie of god zeale toward the lambe of God without which zeale what are we but the children of wrath the sonnes of iniquitie the impes of perdition the mēbers of Satan the ministers of Antichrist very wretches and atheists We are called Christians ô make vs true christians ô regenerate a new heart in vs a right christian heart wholly and sincerely deuoted to the lambe of God The kings of France affect the stile and title of most Christian the kings of Spayne haue beene tearmed Catholici our Kings and Queenes of England haue lately beene called Defenders of the faith ô good God make al good kings and all good Queenes throughout al christendome and all their Subiectes most Christian Catholike Defenders of the faith and suffer not any christian or vnchristian foole to say in his heart there is no God there is no such lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world But aboue all other beyond all other woe be vnto thee Antichrist thou great enemie of Christ thou whore of Babylon thou abhomination of desolation thou holy father of infidelitie and reprobation thou vngodly god of perdition and damnation being the head of all euils not for time and influence as Aquinas distinguisheth but for that perfection of malice which is in thee by deuilish effects Part. 3. Quaest 8. Artic. 8. Some thinke thee to be the Turke as Melancthon in his common place on the fourth commandement some the Pope as Chemnisius in his Examen some both Draconites c. 8. Dan and Maior vpon the Epistles to the Thessalonians some neither as they which coūted Nero or one of the tribe of Dan or Luter to be he But god knoweth the prophesies of Ierem. touching the fall of Babilon in the 5. ca. throughout the prophesie of Daniel touching the king of lust and self-will c. 11. v. 36. c. 8. v. 23. and the reuelation of S. Iohn touching the same fall c. 17 18 19. and the description of the great whore the mother of the abhominations of the earth drunken with the bloud of the saints and the bloud of the martyrs of Iesus together with that declaration of Antichrists comming before the day of Christ sette downe by Saint Paul 2. Thessal cap. 2. vers 4 8. and other like Textes are by the censure of the soundest iudgementes examining all circumstances and appendices of that Text and that Reuelation most sensibly and visibly verified in the See of Rome and in the Pope the great bishop of that See whose intolerable pride tyrannising ouer all the kings and princes of christendome and exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God is gone before and whose ruinous shame foloweth after when it shal please God inuincibly to establish the kingdome of Christ Dan. c. 2. v. 45. and vtterly to ouerthrow desolate this kingdome of Antichrist the man of sinne the sonne of perdition the aduersary of Christ as God sitting in the temple of God and bearing himselfe for God as S. Paul writeth of him in the same epistle to the Thessalonians Let any indifferent diuine not ouer partially and vnreasonably transported with blind affection to that see vprightly and sincerely discusse the proper effects and accidents of Antichrist and I assuredly beleeue he shall not finde the like concurrence of those actions and qualities in any other creature but in the Pope whose doctrine discipline and whole regiment is notoriously knowne and whose corrupt liues displaid to the world in that high degree of their intollerable abhomination euen in the temple of God reueale a very incarnat Antichrist whose ecclesiasticall supremacie had nigh hand abolished all good ecclesiasticall doctrine and discipline But this common place of Antichrist and the whole anatomy of his ecclesiasticall doctrine and discipline requireth a larger discourse and may minister plentiful matter not of one treatise but of many treatises and whole volumes as already hath done to many notable learned men and some diuines in England I for this time am to leaue Antichrist with those other profane diuelish Atheists accounting no better of him then of them but rather abhorring detesting him in greater measure then any of them or then al they together by how much hee hath beene a greate enemy to the lambe of God more then any other I hasten to the rest yet I beseech you marke what the Prophet Esay saith against the idols of the deuil and for the lambe of God c. 46. v. 1. c. Bell is fallen Nebo is broken downe whose images were a burden for the beastes and cattle to ouerlade them and to make them weary they are sunke downe and falne together for they cannot ease them of their burden therefore must they goe away into captiuitie So farre against idolatrie then Christ the lambe of God speaketh prophetically as it were in his owne person v. 3. Harken vnto me ye house of Iacob and ye that remaine of the house of Israel whō I haue borne from your mothers wombe and brought vp from your natiuitie It is I euen I which shall beare you vnto your last age I haue made you I wil also nourish you defend you and saue you And seeing our last mention was of Antichrist marke also I pray you how the same Prophet in the very next Chapter or rather God by his Prophet more particularly and specially menaceth Babylon that is Rome v. 1. But as for thee thou daughter thou damsell Babilō sit down in the dust sit vpō the ground there is no throne ô thou daughter of Chaldaea for thou shalt no more be called tender and pleasant thy filthinesse shall be discouered and thy priuities shal be seene for I will auenge me vpon thee and will shew no mercie vnto thee as I doe vnto other Our Redeemer is called the Lord of hostes the holy one of Israel sitte still holde thy tongue get thee into some darke corner ô daughter of Chaldaea for thou shalt no more be called Lady of kingdomes I was so wrath with my people that I punished mine inheritance and gaue them into thy power neuerthelesse thou shewedst them no mercie but euen the very aged of them didst thou sore oppresse with thy yoake and thou thoughtest thus I shal be lady for euer and besides all that thou hast not regarded these things nor remembred what was the ende of the Citie Ierusalem Heare now therefore thou delicate one that sittest so carelesse and speakest thus in thy heart I am alone and without me there is none I shall neuer be widow nor desolate againe yet both these things shall come vnto thee vpon one day namely widowhood and desolation they shall mightily fal vpon thee and so forth as consequently followeth in the same chapter to the same effect of much trouble mischiefe ruine
right rightly from me the octonarium of Ramus and the sesquiamus of Freigius and the methode of Thessalus may well incourage and helpe forward but they cannot furnish a man thoroughly in so much as themselues come short of their promisses Lia had one maide to attend vpon hir but Philosophy must haue Grammar Rhetoricke Logicke these three generall instruments of al learning at the least Rachel had but one wayting maide whereas diuinitie must haue al arts and maides to serue hir in hir haruest and vintage as Hyperius and all doctors haue decreed Iacob despised Lia in comparison of Rachel but no wise diuine can or will contemne the helpes furtheraunces of philosophy that deserue to be loued and regarded for there Ladies and seruice sake God made Lia fruitefull and Rachel barren but he neuer loued philosophy or blessed it more then diuinity and of the two in his vaine Rachel seemeth to be philosophy rather then Lia and when the impostures of the world and the flesh which Hyperius calleth Laban shall at their pleasure haue the bestowing of philosophy and diuinity then will Haruey beleeue his worde that this History hath litle or no vse in it without an allegory Therefore let those suttle tropological commentators and such conceited scrupulous interpreters say and essay what they will let them please themselues in there glozing and dreaming we are to make neither more nor lesse of a true narration then it is in truth As for the vncertainty of time here is a certaine time appointed and the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine word Postero die and our English worde are all one signification vnlesse perhaps some Syriack tounge can do more for them then Tremellius could who translateth it The next day neither can the Carthusianisme of Dyonisius Rikel amend him a writer most learned as learning was then accounted saith Pantaleon For if we remember that the Euangelists are historians and that the historian ought alwaies definitely to set downe the certaine times if he speaketh of times the certaine daies where he speaketh of daies the certaine yeares when he speaketh of yeares to keepe iust reckonings in times and seasons auoide confusion in Annales in Diaries in Chronologies they cannot or dare not say that this holy history hath straied aside which hath in it the warrant of Gods spirit or deliuered that after the fashion and phrase of our vulgar fables On a time there was once there was such rude stuffe which is most artificially regularly enrolled by the wisest artificer doctor in the whole world for where is a better and more infallible register then the booke of God the booke of bookes and therfore by a Synecdoche Generis pro specie named the Bible more full of precepts thē the turks Alcoran more certain for doctrine thē the Iewes Thalmud more religious euery way then Abetilis of the Aethiopians or Preto-Ioanans more diuine then al libraries besides Therefore as the forme of an historie confuteth this deformed interpretation so the matter substance of a history ouerthroweth their typicall exposition for one and the same history is not two histories as there is one truth not two truthes of one and the same thing in this word of their making the gratious and penitent seeth at last with the eies of his minde his sauiour comming to him is a generall doctrine and note of all mankinde and in this worde of Gods writing the next day Iohn seeth Iesus comming to him is a speciall history and sight of Iohn alone so that vnlesse al mens sight and one mans sight be al one and but one this exposition cannot hold as may otherwise appeare by this instance and like comparison If the text saith Christ rideth on the foale of an asse Math. c. 21. v. 5. And these profound clarkes say the godly Christian rideth on humility If the text saith Paule shaketh the viper frō his hand Act. c. 28. v. 5. they say Gods children cast the vice of murder out of their hāds cā both these be probable without a simile or a mitigatiō of the metaphore parable seing that against al logical consequēce either of diuine or humane reason they set downe that for text which is not in the text ad to Gods word a dānable presumptuous sin out of a particular report they gather an vniuersal against nature out of a certaine and necessary propositiō a contingent and vnnecessary which is sometimes false against art as the murdering of the Aegyptian by Moses can shew for the one Acts c. 7. v. 24. and Dauids vaunting himself in numbering his souldiers for the other 2. Kings c. 24. v. 2.10 Then let vs leaue our owne deuices as S. Ierome did his allegorized Abdias in his ripe age to bring other by his example from their fabulosities and fooleries in waighty and sincere matters of religion and content our selues with the holy writ of God neither mending nor patching that which is sound and perfit lesse our mending be marring and we proue our selues more witty then wise nor pull or detract one title from it as clippers and counterfaiters of that inestimable coyne which in Gods church and among Gods people ought onely to be currant If the Euangelist writeth the next day we must read the next day if he saith Iohn seeth Iesus wee must say after him Iohn seeth Iesus and neither make a day the yeares of all ages from the creatiō to the latter day nor change Iohn and Iesus which are personall and sensible men into accidentall and intelligible qualities of penitence and comfort as it pleaseth those glozing allegorizers and quod-libetaries to descant for the example not the thought of Iohn can do vs good and God send grace that his example here may bee sincerely delyuered attentiuely read diligently practysed and constantly maintained both of all hearers and speakers in conuenient time Is it not told vs that Iohn-baptist notwithstanding the iudiciall apprehension and straight examination of the Iewes going and running immediatly the day before vttereth boldly his demonstratiue profession of Christ but why doth he hazard himselfe so confidently and couragiously among such as went about so suttelly and dangerously to intrap him because he loued Gods message more then he feared mans a blessed and godly zeale But the Iewes will hate him and bring him before their rulers yet the loue of God is aboue their hatred he is the rule and ruler of all rulers a heauenly and vndoubted wisedom But the Pharisees are learned mē wil suspect him of vanity in affecting singularity and accuse him of secrete sedition in peruerting the discipline of the state and condemne him for an erroneous and counterfait messenger of the Messias who shal not they say come these many yeares Yea verily they say no more then they thinke and Iohn will say vnto them he is already come and this is the promised Messias which I commend vnto you
togither in thy holy sacrament of baptisme and each of them help other in faith the one as instrumētall the other as principall and increase it greatly in aboundance of godly works and because such is our corruption that we are all ouer dead flesh and fainting spirit giue vs in mercy that grace for thine owne names sake as may not be hindered with the lusts of our fleshly natures but passe freely and flow plentifully in all our actions as the riuer Iordan runneth through those miry lakes Samachonitis and Senezar and yet remaineth vndefiled at Bethabara though it mingled it selfe before with defiled waters a parable of a regenerate man it findeth the laudable water againe which was missing for a time it riseth runneth from the corruptiō wherby it stayed a time it breaketh companie with those infected fens and neuer feareth the words of Solinus of Sigonius or any other controller any more being now a perfit conuert in Bethabara and now by Gods will not the worse for that former ill companie and neighborhood O Lord our gouernour how excellent and wonderful are thy workes in all the world Psalm 8. euen the God of Israël he shal giue power strength vnto his children blessed be God Psal 68. yea if they walke through the valley of the shadow of death seeme to die as a shadow looketh like a body yet will they feare no euill Psal 23. for euery valley shall be exalted Esai c. 40. v. 4. Much might be spoken comparatiuely of this riuer to the comfort of sinfull and miserable men but it is sufficient here to note in a word that the fardest side of this riuer from Ierusalem is named a place beyond Iordan so the Euangelist writeth by a prosopopoea in the person of one dwelling in Ierusalem and in his owne person abiding at Ephesus when he wrote this gospell and accounting contrariwise the banke of the riuer which is nighest the citie before Iordan because they of Ierusalem and of the West countries went ouer and beyond Iordan to Iohns baptisme Thus much of the circumstance of place the second part of this history The third part is the circumstance of the person here mentioned and is either iudging and iudged or hearing and standing by the iudgement is giuen by Iohn it is giuen of Iesus and receiued of the Iewes which stand about him of Iohn it is written he seeth Iesus of Iesus it is said he commeth to Iohn and of Iohn it is said he said to his disciples and the rest so that the whole assembly in Bethabara and all other which heard his saying euer since that day to this or shall heare it to the worlds end were and are and must be auditours of the Baptist and witnesses of his blessed word In the sight or obiect of Iohn as it is here set downe two considerations are worthy the marking one is the phrase of speach the other is the certainty of the history for nothing is more certaine in actions then that which is seene neither am I so sure of that which I know by another as of that I know of my selfe Pluris est oculatus testis vnus quà m auriti decem Qui audiunt audita dicunt qui vident planè sciunt saith Plautus in his Truculentus against those braggers which wil be credited by telling of warly acts that they neuer saw among them that are as wise as themselues though Apuleius in the entrance of his Florida would turne that sentence another way and make one eare worth ten eyes in discerning a mans wit more by hearing him speake then by seing him moue because Socrates said to one Speake man that I may see what thou art yet heare to the eare boroweth of the eie his word of knowledge and certainty and I warrant them both they trusted their owne experience more then other mens and with this certainty S. Iohn approueth his doctrine 1. Epist c. 1. v. 1 2 3. and thus doth S. Peter reason for himselfe Acts c. 4. v. 20. and thus in questioning de facto no better answer then I saw it so Dares Phrygius a Troian of Antenors faction is more credible then Homeronida made about 280. yeares after the war so that Autopsia of Dioscorides is more credited thē Plinies great Acroamaticals and Salust writeth the more effectually of Numidian wars betweene Iugurth the Romans because he had trauailed the countrie and viewed the places of their conflicts and to omit Thucydides Caesar and other which did the like S. Ierome writeth to Rogatian that he went to Iury and walked through it that he might more easily perceiue the Acts of the Bible in a surer sort according to that auncient rule without eyes we can haue no Chorography or Chronology and without these two Historie is stone blind being properly named of seing which the greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The phrase hath it in an enallage or exchange of time by putting the present time for the time past for this was not written when Iohn saw Iesus but threscore yeares afterward at the least Iohn seeth videt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which proprietie and idiome hath a great and liuely grace in a history while wee suppose that to be in present doing which is already done and past it is a mans nature commonly to marke and perceiue things presently obiect to our senses with more integritie lesse doubtfulnes then either to remēber things ouerpassed or foresee things to come euen as the functions duties of the body are more easily performed then the duties and offices of the mind Thus it pleaseth the spirit to apply his phrase to our capacitie in this text and many other and chiefly to descend in matters of knowledge and of faith in attributing members and affections and actions vnto God in describing the ioyes of heauen and the paines of hell as all doctorall Fathers write and as it appeareth in all art and reason lesse if he should ascend and speake proportionately to the immeasurable proportion of his wisedome wee could no better vnderstand his owne proper phrase then these our eyes can looke into the sunne as a good and gratious prince wil talke plainely and simply with his plaine and simple subiects and a louing teacher perspicuously to his yong scholers Concerning the vse of the history Iohn first seeth and then saith what hee ought to say To teach vs not to speake at auenture whatsoeuer cōmeth to the tongues end but to tread and trie our ground circumspectly do that we ought in reason and right not what we list in affection daliance let thy eyelids direct thy waies before thee Prouer. c. 4. v. 25. the wise mans eyes are in his head saith the Preacher c. 2. v. 14. Looke with Iohn-baptist and then speake with Iohn-baptist vnlesse you will spreaken you cannot tel what and be like those mighty new wits that would be doctors of the law and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither
whereof they affirme 1. Timot. c. 1. v. 7. but haue erred from all lawe of religion and honesty and are turned vnto vaine iangling and euen very piperly scurrility like that cursed Cham from whom al wicked sects began or worse then he toward their reuerend Fathers and spirituall Lords delighting to see and lay that naked which blessed Sem and good Iaphet in all modesty desire to couer from their owne and others eyes Genes c. 9. v. 22 23. Of which kind of creatures those inward cynaedi S. Paul warneth al godly christians and not vnlike those lothsome mannermongers that count it finenesse to note filthines and thinking others senses worse then their owne will not sticke to say looke here smell there foh feele or see I pray did you euer know the like whereas they should say smell not vnto it looke not on it or rather not once note it of which thankelesse remembrancers and needlesse inquisitors their good master Galateo biddeth them in the authoritie of his greyheaded courtiership not to take example like hogges that runne from the hearbs to a new muckhill for feare of breeding offence to no purpose as I would be sory to breed disliking in any elderly learned well spokē man be it Aretius probl theol de Matrimonio or Bishop Ponet c. 6. of his Apolog. or other his friends for naming the author that here saith well and elswhere perhaps amisse Then see and touch with Thomas the apostle and then beleeue with Thomas the apostle who was so ready and resolute to go die with Christ his Lord Iohn c. 11 v. 16. and yet too would prouide to stand on a sure ground when time was for all that resolution and then became more incredulous and scrupulous then other in his happy foresight vntill he had a manifest answere in seing and touching which might stop all Antichristian obiections in latest times Many haue desired to see and touch Christ in the flesh to see their intelligible felicity in sensible proofe as namely S. Augustine did like a good harty subiect that wisheth to see the Prince of his country of whom al good men speake and himselfe thinkes most honorably yet blessed are all such as speake and beleeue and haue not seene Iohn c. 20. v. 29. the rather because they which report this vnto thē report no more then they haue seene and heard Acts c. 4. v. 20. The Apostles eyes were the eyes of Christians God grant our eyes may be as cleere and steady as their eyes were their eares were our eares ô that we could shut them from vanitie and open them to verity as they did that the word of Esai be not found in vs they shall see with their eyes and not perceiue they shall heare with their eares and not vnderstand c. 6. v. 9. but that first we may see him and then like him and then loue him and then know him within without Intus in cute his deity and humanity and conuey the image of his countenance into our harts by the most quick and hot spirit of his word and law that our veines and marow and so consequently by them all other partes may be fired and inflamed with this light of man Morning star and Sunne of the day loadstar alwaies euen Iesus Christ and make vs in colour and nature like to himself as one neighbour grape taketh colour of another God being the husbandman and Christ the vine and Christians the branches and their works the grapes Vuaque conspecta liuorem traxit ab vua saith Iuuenal Satyra 2. The ghostly and bodily forefathers desired to see this day and they liued and died in this hope Luke c. 10. v. 24. the prophets foresaw his comming both Esai c. 2. 7. 9. 11. 35. 42. 49. 53. 60. 65. and also Ieremy c. 31. v. 33. c. 32. v. 40. c. 33. v. 20. and other and they which go afore him crie and say Hosanna thou sonne of Dauid blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord hosanna thou which art in the high heauens Mark c. 11. v. 9 10. and all such as are true in hart shall be glad and say Saue vs we beseech thee O praise the Lord Hosanna Alleluïa Thus was blind Bartimaeus glad to heare him by whom he might receiue his sight and by and by he saw the light of heauen Mark c. 10. v. 49 52. thus was Simeon glad and willing to die when he had seene this saluation and consolation of Israël which was prepared to be the glory of all people Luke c. 2. v. 30. Thus the angell of the Lord bad the sheephards go to Bethleem and see their Sauior with him an army of heauenly souldiers that praised God said Glory to God in heauen and peace in earth goodwill toward men so notably they were stirred vp and euen rauished with this blessed sight v. 12 13. thus the wisemen of the East euen where all men are of quicke and winged wittes as Herodianus iudgeth lib. 1. and most of all other the wisemen selected from the rest with great wonder saw the starre of Christ which was neuer seene in their Vranoscopies before and went euen from Persia to Bethleem to see himselfe more diuine then the starre not caring for all those parasanges furlongs that were betweene their owne country and Iudaea but still and stil feeding vpon their heauenly meditation at last came vnto him and worshipped him with ioy and gladnes with their myters in their left hands and their presentments of gold of myrre and of frankincense in their right Myrrham homo rex aurum suscipe thura deus saith Claudian in his Epigrams O man take myrrhe ô king take gold ô God take incense Math. c. 2. v. 2. Thus the famous queene of Saba and all the world in those dayes came from farre countries to heare the wisedome of Salomon 1. Kings c. 10. v. 1 2 24. and behold a greater then Salomon is now in Bethabara Thus Iacob the sonne of Isaac sawe a ladder stand vpon the earth the top whereof did reach to heauen and he called that place the gate of heauen Gen. c. 28. v. 12 17. but we see not in a vision as he did we see in the noone day the son of the hiest before vs we see apparantly the sonne of God before our eyes Cuius aspectus decens saith Salomon in his Song c. 2. v. 14. and whose aspect is more happy may England say then all the trines and sextiles and coniunctions and fortunate aspects of the beneuolent starres To be briefe in this one word seeth is the fond and fantasticall heresie of Marchion with the heresie of Manes manifestly ouerturned and condemned for euer of which two Marchion thought Christes body a phantasticall one that is like such bodies as we seeme to see in our sleepe which are but thoughts Epiphanius haer 42. l. 1. tomo 3. The other as fanatically
Concerning the proposition or prophecie of Esay c. 35. v. 5 6. it must need be true in both parts because it came from God himself as may euidently appeare by the distance of time betweene him and Christ No man could tell afore by any possible art of men what should come to passe 800. yeares after vnles he had withall bene supernaturally and incomprehensibly inflamed and informed by the diuine influence and breath of Gods holy spirit As prognostical sciences may foresee and stand vpon probable grounds necessary too sometimes so God can by his omnipoteÌ„cy turne the adiuuant mediat causes as he turneth the waters in the south hath the hartes and thoughts of kings and gouernaunce of all things in his hand to throw them at his pleasure on euery side yea and ouerthrow them when he thinketh best euer still holding his woord vpright making it infallible as himselfe So that not all the impudent lies of Mecha Mahomets countrey or of Medina Talnabi the place of his Sepulchre not all the magicall feates of other men reckoned in Picus Mirandula in Cardane and other such can once preuaile against this argument seeing that as some men in phisicke haue wrought some like cures yet neuer any one performed them with a word of his mouth only as our Messias did in most wonderfull maner incomparablie whereupon that old prouerbiall verse was rightly made Christus vim verbis vim gemmis vim dedit herbis Verbis maiorem gemmis herbÃsque minorem Christ gaue a power to the stone and the flower in works of physicke but his almightie word is more powerable then all herbes and stones And this is one of the three corner stones of our building and faith for that antichristian fabulous report of Vespasians miraculous cure is but a dreaming deuise in honor of the idol Serapis it is answered in it self and euen iudged by the Autors Suetonius owne words a very toy vix fides ne auderet tentauit by the words of Tacitus irrideri aspernari metuere or a delusion of Satan the fire of deceites like that in Pharaos Magicians Exod. c. 7. v. 11. and that in the counterfette cranke at Saint Albons in Hartfordshire deluding many with fayned woonderments til Humfrey the good Duke of Glocester descryed him neither doubt I but that Cythraeus Mone-alethia of Suetonius is most false herein and the rather because Tacitus in his 20. lib. Annal. as forward and more hote in Antichristianisme then Suetonius telleth the strange healing of one man blinde and another withered of one hand by Vespasian but Suetonius of a blinde bodie and a lame of one legge neither doeth his manu aeger and this debili crure agree better or preuaile more with an aduised Reader for trusting their report which besides disagreeth with it selfe in the agent not onely in the patients while Suetonius saith nicely how hee healed the legge with an only touch of his heele calce contingere but Tacitus grosly with stepping and treading vpon it pede vestigio calcaretur then the witnesse of the two false Elders against Susanna preuayled with Daniel the Israëlites when one Elder accused her of whordome committed in her garden vnder a Lentiske tree the other telling the same tale answered that shee lay with the young man vnder a Mirtle tree and by dissenting from themselues were iudged to die the death which was appoynted for her and were iustly stoned To leaue this common place of comparisons the second proofe and groundworke may be squared and fastned in this sort That the Prophetes word foretelleth which is Gods owne word when it proueth true must be reuerenced as the trueth for God is only true and in him is no maner or shadow of falshode But the Prophets word foretelleth which is Gods owne word that the Messias shall come within a time appointed this proueth true for Daniel c. 9. v. 25 26. writeth thus After 69. weekes that is 483. yeares the Messias shal be cut off reckoning a week not of seuen daies but of seuen yeares as it is vsed in Genesis c. 19. v. 27. and in Leuiticus more plainly c. 25. v. 8. in which time thus definitelie appointed shortly after Christ came in the flesh and liued died in the flesh as is easily proued in this or the like computation from the second yeare of Darius Longimanus when the kings commandemeÌ„t went forth to bring againe the people and to buylde Ierusalem Esdras c. 4. v. 24. Agge c. 1. v. 1. to the beginning of Alexanders Monarchie were 144. yeares according to the account of Metasthenes the Persian from the beginning of Alexanders raigne to the incarnation of Christ were 309. yeares by the iudgement of Iosephus and from Christs incarnation to his baptisme were about 30. yeares c. 2. v. 23. of S. Luke so in all from the prophecie of Daniel to Christs baptisme are 483. yeres after which time for by the text it must bee after not then as some great Clarkes haue iudged amisse Christ was cut off from his people and suffered death vpoÌ„ the crosse Therefore Christs comming in a time appointed must be reuerenced for a trueth and vnlesse the Iewes will obstinately and peruersly both against their owne knowledge and conscience resist the authority of trueth in this agreement of Daniels weekes Christs yeares which is inuincible they must by force of al reason be constrained euen against their selfe-willes with shame and confusion to confesse acknowledge that their and our and the worlds Messias is come in the flesh For who cannot see that this prophecie of Daniel is most infallibly true in the effect seeing Christ liued and died among men in the compasse of the yeares of this diuine prophesie in some sort prefigured by Ieremias 70. yeares c. 29. v. 10. After which time God promised deliuerie to his people and not vnfitly resembled by our sunday called septuagesima which is about 70. dayes before the passion of Christ the true Easter Lambe after which passion we were deliuered from bondage Besides these two apparant proofes there is a third which for trueth may goe with the first and is grounded vpon the foundation of Gods owne word Genes c. 49. v. 10. and spoken by Iacob to his sonnes vpon his death-bed where wonderfull wordes are heard otherwhile When the Scepter shall be taken from Iuda then the Shiloh commeth and bringeth all felicitie in his name and acts But at Christes comming the Scepter was taken from Iuda and geuen by the Lords Romans to Herod a Proselite who vexed them and slue them most greeuously 30. yeares before his comming abrogated their lawes made them woful and miserable captiues so that a man could not say the Scepter of Iuda or the lawgeuer of Iudaea therefore Christ is that Shiloh because the effects of the Iewish thraldome and the effectes of Christ comming are so ioynty mette together according to Iacobs prophesie But this argument is
of Dauid the kingdome of Israël the kingdome of Christ euen as Dauid himselfe fought most manfully for the establishing of that kingdome in the name of the liuing God ouercomming valiantly not onely mighty champions and huge Gyants in that defence but also vanquishing and subduing his other foes the enemies of God in infinite numbers before him behinde him and round him as appeareth notably in the bookes of Kings in the Chronicles and in his owne Psalmes And to omit the handling of militar vertues it is most certaine that no man is more carefull to doe his dutie then a christian cōscience no man more harty in doing it then a christian faith no mā more trusty then christian charity no man more conscionable more faithfull more charitable then a true christian man and that secretary of hell not only of Florence is forced to confesse in some places l. 1. disp c. 11. vpon Liuy and elswhere but most emphatically in his proeme to L. Philip Strozza by vehement and zealous interrogation In whom ought there to be more feare of God then in a warriour which euery day committing himselfe to infinite perils hath most neede of his helpe A right Italian sentence a notable word a fit preserue against the other venims which this Spider gathered out of old philosophers and heathen authors for that is the wit and disposition of our reformatiue age to gather precepts from those things which our forefathers in their learning iudged no better then obiections and to study those matters for practise which were first taught them for their safety by knowing and auoiding them and to gather common places of mens certaine and supposed errours omitting their vertues and commendations But I cannot now stand to debate any such particular point or seuerall branch of Antichristianisme he is already confuted sufficiently by the generall testimony of all good consciences and by the vniuersall harty consent of all godly and manly christians as it may also please God at his gratious pleasure to worke in many other not yet regenerate that now account too well of him Be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Gala. c. 6. v. 7 8. Gods works are great and mighty and wonderful and exceeding admirable euen aboue the capacitie of the wisest and profoundest minde in the world yet are his mercies aboue his works and the depth of his mercies far more wonderfull then the height of his works O mercifull Lord open the infinite fountaines fludgates of thy vnspeakeable mercies and touch the harts of so many as are not vtterly obdurate and reprobate with the finger of thy holy spirit euen to the final reformation of the prodigall sonne and ioyfull recouery of the lost sheepe so farre as it is possible for strayed sheep to haue any portion in the sheepefold of the lambe of God Thy holy seruants and prophets assure vs of the most happy condition and blessed estate of the kingdome of Israël the kingdome of Dauid the kingdome of Christ ô let thy kingdome come and let thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen As for such vncircumcised Philistines such blasphemous Goliahs such rebellious Achitophels such vnnaturall Onans such wicked and desperate Atheists as I haue named if any such remaine vpon the earth as I feare me there are too many and haply some among Christians and haply some amōg schollers sauouring too much of these vngratious schollers Lord God either speedily reforme thē in the aboundance of thy mercy so farre as they haue not cōmitted that great vnpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost or vtterly confound them with the yron rod of thy iustice and teach other by their example to tremble at the mighty maiesty of their Lord God Let them feele the force of the liō of the tribe of Iuda that would not see the goodnes of the lambe of God let them tast the insufferable torments horrors of damnation that refused to enioy the most comfortable blessed estate of saluation thy mighty stretched out arme is not weakened or shortened teach them to feare their God either like good children or like cursed creatures dreading the horrible punishmēt due to their horrible sins It hath pleased God in all ages by the mouth of his Prophets vnder the law and by the mouth of his Apostles vnder the gospell to winne infinite thousands to vnfayned repentance and to the faithfull worship of the true God as manifestly appeareth partly by the ancient histories and prophesies of the old Bible partly by the gospell and Acts of the Apostles in the new Testament In the primitiue Church the number of conuerts and confessors and zealous Christians and martirs was infinite paganisme idolatrie blasphemie infidelitie and heresie gaue place to christianitie the mighty power and firie operatiō of the holy-ghost is exceeding wonderfull innumerable multitudes were dayly and continually gayned to the church as Augustine by the zealous and eloquent deuout and learned Sermons of S. Ambrose was reclaymed from his heathenish philosophy and manichisme and became a good Christian a zealous doctor a godly Bishop a reuerend father as his bookes of confessions doe testifie from the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the fift booke vnto the end of that worke I might declare the like conuersion of infinite other but his example is most famous and the matter it selfe most euident the kingdome of darkenes stouped to the kingdome of light Satan yeelded to Christ the world the flesh and the deuill were cōquered by the lambe of God and great hope appeared of the very vniuersall establishment and catholick peace of the Israëticall kingdome But Satan cannot sleepe long hee and his hellish angels must play their parts the malice of the deuill lyeth in continuall wayte to intrap and intangle the soule of man Satan is a cunning and strong aduersarie and euer striueth to increase his Synagogue and route of infidels of Atheists of Gyants of Heretikes of Apostataes of Schismatiks in euery dangerous and pestiferous kinde that iniquitie might haue the vpper hand Alas his malice and craft preuayle too much ô God when thou seest thy gracious time confound all his pestilent craft and malice good lambe of God take away the sinne of the world euen this horrible and abhominable sinne of the wicked world thy goodnesse is aboue all the naughtinesse of the world we are not to limit or restraine thy omnipotencie ô good God be mercifull vnto vs wretched sinners euen where our sinnes deserue hell fire and vtter damnation The world is wicked the flesh is frayle the deuill is busie man is man and man is subiect to all imperfections and vices to all infirmities and sinnes to all lewdnesse and naughtines euen to that great and most horrible sinne of blasphemie infidelitie
or will any peeuish vaine and factious tongue on that side once say for his life that maister Reformer knoweth in his wisedome better then did Salomon what is best belonging and behouefull to the Church Christs beloued spouse or may the zealous bounty of Christian Emperours the deuoute giftes of noble and godly Princes the liberall adoptions of magnificent and mightie men bestowing worldly goods on heauenly vses and bequeathing mortall heritages to immortal seruices may these lawfull and iust and successiue possessions priuiledges and charters and codicilles of ecclesiasticall endowmēt and maintenance be once abrogated ought all these liberties and prerogatiues to be made voyde to be disanulled and brought vnder then which none can be or should stand in more full strength and vertue for Bishops and vnder them Elders ought no lesse to bee reuerenced of all christened soules in the churches then fathers are of their children in the familie as Heresbachius writeth in his Christiana iurisprudentia But the liuing Lord of heauen and God of peace the God of our forefathers and king of all kinges preserue and arme his owne christian children from that outrage from that desolation from such abhomination standing in the temple of God where it ought not frō such heathen turkish martinish and carterly brutish rauine and make vs like his owne Moses like his owne Salomon like all his owne godly gouerners and Christian Princes and other good men of his owne in all ages not like any other vnlike them that maintaine seminaries of schisme and malignitie that hatch the Cockatrices egge and weaue the spyders webbe and woulde make men beleeue they are for their eating and wearing which in finall proofe would eate vp and weare them out to the poysoning and vndoing of thēselues of the whole Realme and of the whole world too as may easily appeare to them which can compare consequents and antecedents together Then looke not to them but looke into Gods owne holy and faultlesse booke the onely chiefe doctor and reformer of gouernment that is by Gods gracious prouidence more common among vs then it was with grandfathers in England by print by translation by expositiō meditatiō in which booke we know the euer lasting will and testament of God more then they did wherin we learne all that pertaineth to our direction and instruction for all spirituall and temporal iurisdictions and regiments whatsoeuer Here you haue and you reade or may haue and reade the Oecomenickes and Politicks of the Hebrew common-wealth which is the most auncient and excellent of all other as Sigonius wryteth in the yeares of his best and ripest iudgement when he had intreated vpon the Athenian and Roman common-wealth in his younger dayes and by which the most and best Nations of the earth haue bin taught and ruled to this present day in all good counsels in all great affayres in euery good intendment or order in personall and actionall and reall causes In this heauenly and righteous booke the same hande of Moses which gaue the Hebrews lawes from aboue and said Thou shalt not steale from the Clergie or Laitie thou shalt not couet thy neighbors house or any thing that he hath in the church or out of the church doth also institute and ordeyne that the measure of the sanctuarie should be much more then the measure of the congregation and the weight as much more againe the sanctuarie seruing God and his ministers the Elders of the Leuites and the high Priest set ouer them the other belonging to the people of Israël and other tribes only among themselues who reckoned in their accounts to the tribe of Leuie two for one and double for single as the sicle and talent of the Sanctuary was as much more as the sicle and talent of the congregation the cubite much more euen a hand breadth which is named a great cubite Ezech. c. 41. v. 8. c. 43. v. 13. Exodus c. 30. v. 13. Leuit. c. 27. v. 25. Num. c. 18. v. 16. Cenalis tomo 5. fol. 87 88 89. and tomo 9. fol. 133 134 c. Whose zealous example and godly deuotion all good men and women that loue God and his rulers ought readily to followe yea much more willingly and earnestly in this light of the trueth that shineth out among vs nowe then other did in time of ignorance next past whose reddinesse notwithstanding was more forwarde then our least we learning more and doing lesse then they be beaten with more terrible and wofull stripes according to Christs owne sentence in Luke c. 12. v. 47. Neyther yet Moses the soueraigne teacher and Lord of the Hebrews staied there but God bad him command the people of Israël and in them all true Israelites for euer to giue the cleanest the purest the fattest and lustiest of the sacrifices of lambs and goates and other cattell the tenths and first-fruites of all fruite vnto Gods vses Gods seruices Gods seruitors and euery thing that belonged to the church and sanctuary both liuing and dead both agent and instrument to bee appointed in the best and goodliest manner that could be deuised beside other certaine and determinate prescriptions giuen indefinitely by God himselfe agreing with that eternall statute of S. Paul 1. Cor. c. 14. where lastly he chargeth them in the name of the holy spirit which he verily beleeued to be in him both to keepe a good order alwaies and specially to haue a special care of adorning and bewtifying it with all seemely supplements or additions euen as the circumstance of the place or the time or the person may deserue and require In this consideration when the Hebrews vsed mettals for the sanctuary they were cleere and pure in the highest degree their wood must euer be that durable Sethim and the best or smoothest their oyle the sweetest and cleanest their frankincense the brightest their odors pleasantest their sacrifices males without blemish their flower similage and no meaner their fruits of the fairest trees the place of offring without all foulnesse the fatte must be the Lords and if any man eat it he shal be cut of from his people their musick choicest of all sorts harpes and trumpets and cymbals and organes and psalteries and other instruments together with lowde harty voices their vestures and garments of finest linnen and finest silke furnished with gold and precious pearle their workemen the most famous and cunning that could be gotten the churchmen without deformities of body comely and cleanly as it euidently and notably appeareth in Exodus from the 25. chapter to the 32 and in Leuiticus almost throughout and much elswhere For seeing these outward and momentany goods are not our but the good blessings of our God lent and giuen vs for his vse and glory then iudge I pray to whom they may so rightly or truly belong by way of dispensation as to Gods owne spirituall and temporall ministers which in all earthly and heauenly businesse and actions serue him and his
extreme vengible reformatiues these new metrapolitanes that haue pasports and inuestitures of the deuils good holines to Nymrodize and Iudaize their filles these that care not if heauen fall downe and earth rise vp so they haue their willes and get themselues a day and a name being now wearie of their right surnames and christian and wishing to bee their owne godfathers or nicknamers for here is their great theme and maxime of pure and purpure misrule I warrant you largely and illuminately handled here is the goale and price they runne at and long for here is that crucifige which they cried so long here is a correctiue Leiger and Factor for their new-shapen worships their humors of all sortes here is their vpright patrico or Abraham man as they tearme him at a beck at an inch with his dieu garde that can and will at a dead lift proue it good by his lawes and canons by his reasons and senses by his fathers and brothers and sisters by his angels and perhaps paredrall diuels that bare such a sway in their booke Nemith vel legum Orci Inferorum That Hazael and Ioas princes were base kings and as it were flattering dogs to call the ecclesiasticall prophet Elisaeus their lord and father 4. Kings c. 8 v. 12. c. 13. v. 14. that the third Semicenturion or captain of king Ochoziah with al his fifty men was but a swaine to fall on his knee and do the ecclesiasticall prophet Elias reuerence and cal him his good lord 4. Kings c. 1. v. 13 14. that king Benhadad Naaman the captaine and the rest in holy Chronicle did amisse to call prophets their fathers and lords themselues being noble and mightie men 4. Kings c. 5. v. 17. c. 8. v. 9. that God did not well to make Moses that was but a lawgiuer and counseller the God of Pharao a king drad soueraigne Exod. c. 7. v. 1. that al men in the earth which haue called the heads rulers of the church their lords in bookes in sermons in other meetings shall for that idle word giue account at the last day but not for calling other mē their lords that our Church is maymed vnlesse we turne 7. into 4 and yet so we mayme it more that our bishops are blasphemers and traitors vnlesse they set downe 4. sortes of churchmen by those texts where S. Paul setteth downe 7. seuerall things Prophecie Office Teachers Exhorters Distributers Rulers Mercymen Rom. c. 12. v. 6 7 8 c. where he setteth downe nine gifts of the spirite wisedome knowledge faith healing great workes prophecie discerning of spirits diuersities of tongues interpretation of tongues 1. Cor. c. 12. v. 8 9 10. where he setteth downe fiue orders with the fruits of them apostles prophets euangelists pastors teachers c. Ephes c. 4 v. 11 12. that deacons must not teach wisdome but pastors that elders must not teach knowledge but doctors that pastors must not meddle with goods but deacons that doctors must not deale with manners but elders that wisedome knowledge manners accounts these foure things belong not to euery pastor to euery doctor to euery elder to euery deacon because euery one in himself belike and in other men must not looke to the soule and bodie to the mind and māners to the inward and outward man that our confessors and martyrs of late time men as carefull of euery worde they spake as men might be and specially that most innocent and righteous preacher M. Bradford was ouerseen in being so dutifull and curteous to call the Bishops lords that these our Eliae Elisaei Moses our spirituall captaines and fathers should not be called lords nor charret strength of England any more though they euer were and wil be so that teachers must be poorer then their inferiours and schollers that the magistracies for none or least causes must bee contemned and ouerthrowne that the sheepherd must not be richer then a sheepe and Christ put from his See in the church because he is not corporally resident that laughing and reioycing vpon supposed faults betokeneth Gods spirit that the watchman in the tower must be kept of the meanest that saueth me best and al that he may in conscience be fostered that standeth stifly in a lewde cause that Philemon did not owe himselfe to Paul his spirituall father v. 19. that physicians of the bodies shall be in great account for healing an outward maladie that would cast into the graue and looking to the mortall part of man and our ghostly and heauenly physicians of the soule must be out of account for preseruing the immortall part of a man and curing the inward diseases that otherwise would cast downe to hell that the minoritie of Saul and the Iudaisme of Paul must preiudice the ones title and roialtie and the others doctrine and diuinitie that Edgars and Iustinians and the first Williams or third Edwards Henries lawes or Magna charta should set their lawiers aflote in wealth in magnificencie in all ability and Gods lawe descending from heauen vpon the holy mountaine Sinai in all maiestie and honorable reuerēce the prophets words writtē by the wisest spirit of the whole world euē Gods own holy Ghost the gospell of Christ that hath by Gods prouidence conquered heauen and earth as I coulde easily shewe vnto you if puritanisme were not and the spirituall true decretals of the Apostles which keepe all men from follies and lawmen from iniuries these 4. chartae maximae of God himself that hold vp euen the foure corners or quarters of heauen ouer our heads that else for our sin would contrarie to all philosophicall quintessences fall vpon vs shall set their students their barresters their counsellers and iudges at an eb or in a drought in more penury in greater want and contemptible estate Such reasons and conclusions which either must be vpholden with many other like inconueniences and mischiefes or else these nouelties and quarrels must be cast downe are more fit for the oration of Catiline with the coniuration of Lentulus Cethegus once in Rome then for reformation of our English church which is not of the same manner of spirit that Elias was for so our Sauiour teacheth his Apostles in the gospell of S. Luke c. 9. v. 55. euen as this commonwelth is not in such distresse by Gods fauourable goodnesse wherein it liueth for according to the times God raiseth vp diuerse graces in the world as those regions were at that day vnder persecution when notwithstanding the prophet was thus highly honoured and reuerenced of princes which if it were otherwise in deede then it was yet in right what argument call you this by your reformatiō what consequence is this in your witcraft your new logicke which desire to seeme so logical and sensible wittie men To set worldly magistrates vp on height for good seruice done to their prince and countrie duly and iustly to thrust downe these magistrates of magistrates as
Strawe with Leyden and his mate that the Nobilitie must returne back to auncient pouertie and deuide their summes and goods among their needy secular brethren and be reformed for company into a wofull and distressed case till euery one hath inough to liue thereby in some trade without beggery and woe because the first Nobles in this realme and all other liued so at the first in the primitiue Nobilitie following the sunne and moone and all lightes which the higher they are the lesse shadowes they make without such costly traynes and deepe expences and so many good morrowes whilest hūdreds starue for want of that they cast away But they neuer consider that none shoulde want if either those numbers would labour in their vocations soberly and painfully or many other beside Noblemen could doe their dueties neighbourly and willingly toward the impotent creatures the obiects of mercie they remēber not that idlenes destroyeth more then pouerty and that infinite men die or come to nought by their folly not by misorder of superiors by not obeying them not by any fault of them of their owne stonie obdurate wilfulnesse not otherwise O vnthankefull wretchednesse and wretched vnthankfulnes ô disobedient tongues against the law impenitent soules against the gospell ô forgetfull and vngratefull iniquitie ô creatures marprelates most vnkind and barraine of iustice distributiue as Sir Thomas Elyot proueth solemnly l. 3. c. 2. in his gouernour where he thus exclaimeth against thē which dislike the names and ceremonies that appertaine to reuerence and obedience together with the costly rewards ornaments of vertuous and godly men Ought they not to fal prostrate on the ground with fasting and prayer to glorifie God for his most louing and fatherly care for his princely prouidence for his bountifull goodnes euer more and more bestowed vpon vs and them ought they to refuse Gods gracious liberalitie to looke backward whē he looketh forward to thinke they can haue too much of Gods blessings to restraine that which is giuen only to a godly honest end for the sustenance of learned and religious men in schooles churches for the reuerence and safegard of the chiefest sober staied men and fathers approued and constant in learning and manners of life not for martinish whelpes that can neither speake well nor do well thrust in by them that now are offended with their dignities as Palamedes and Iosephs bretheren and Aesope were accused for hauing that which was thrust vppon them iniuriously O vos nefarij gnauiterque impudentes libelli nulla est Ecclesiae Anglicanae macula cuius autores fautores non sint vestri laici martinistae as the deuil cast sores vpon Iob and then made his lightheaded wife to vpbrayde him and tell him of that he had against his will It must needs be that offences should come but woe bee to them by whom they come and woe be to you that curse those things which your selues haue caused Math. cap. 18. vers 7. But happie are they that auoid the curse by keeping the right way by not coueting that which belongs only to churchmen contenting themselues with their owne not cōtending for sacred goods and possessions without which interserted among other the whole body of the kingdome would soone prooue a huge monster of ataxy and anarchy with a mouing earth and an immoueable heauen in Copernicus guise neither true astronomer herein nor theonomer howsoeuer he seemeth a reformer to some that are open at all times to receiue all that falleth or commeth next to hand yea if it were in their heat when they haue not their wils to curse God and die to lift fooles on horsebacke and set kings on foote to conuert with our deriuatiue cōuerts the belles into guns the leads into pellets the mother cathedrall churches into close chambers the fonts into basons the organes in water pipes and then themselues into diuels the realme into hell though God hath aboundantly besides their desert indewed them with all kinde of principall and necessary prouision for peace and warre that they might not haue euill eyes because he is good vnto other Math. c. 20. v. 15. How can they be the members of Christ that are the lims of Satan and make a sport of mocking those chiefe men of learning and sober life men casting aside all rayling and vnlearned innouations and as sufficient for their places of gouernment as euer any haue beene in England and notwithstanding the superlatiue of Erasmus concerning the fathers in his dayes How can they be true subiects that tell the Parlement they are starued with their Seruice booke wherein is the most perfit order and matter of diuine prayer and thankesgiuing set downe for all men that rend and cut in peeces hir Maisties irreprehensible Statutes inacted in the first yeare of hir gracious raigne c. 2. spurning them and abusing them rebelliously O good God we beseech thee if they be of thy flocke which haue erred and strayed thus desperatly from thy way of peace and righteousnesse lyke lost or diseased sheepe to open their eares and eyes and harts that they may at length by thy prouident fauourable goodnesse heare see and know what they are doing and vndoing for they are as deafe and blinde and dead in sinne without thee as the Iewes were that stoned thy protomartyr Steuen as the Libertines and Cyrenians were that persecuted thy disciples not otherwise able then with raging wordes hundreds of headlong sectaries to resist their power but onely thought they did well for want of thy spirit and through ignorance of thy holy worde Acts c. 6. v. 10. c. 7. v. 60. Thy primitiue Apostles count it in thy euangelicall histories a glory to thy name increase of thy gospell thy faith thy loue thy church when any maintenance and reuenew was bestowed on them and thy faithfull disciples and laid downe at their hands and feet 1. Cor. v. 16. v. 17. when any zealous patrone or other deuout person by thy fatherly loue and oeconomie was sent to help their christian brotherhoode and felowshippe in thy battels and heauenly embassages the more they receiued the more they reioyced they prayed daily for them which ministred to their wants Philip. cap. 4. v. 18. they were then enrolled among the godly Christians that intertayned and maintained thy Saints the laitie then striued among themselues who should be greatest in christian deuotion in liberality in patronage in loue and such like vertues which vphold mankind 1. Thessal 6.5 v. 12 13. they were such as should be saued saith the Euangelist S. Luke that were added and that added to the church Acts c. 2. v. 47. they were called brethren because they fed of the same table of the same milke of of the same store Acts. c. 21. v. 7. Rom. c. 1. v. 13. and shall their deriuatiue successors ô mercifull God ô bountifull Iesu count it for a dishonor to thy name and a decrease of thy Gospell a decay of thy loue
thy faith and thy church vnlesse their apostasie heresie and Martinisme preuaile and those goods which as thy Apostle S. Iames teacheth vs came from aboue by former good instruments be rauened and bribed and pulled away by these wicked instruments these mad dogs these infamous libellors from our feet and heads from our tables and studies from our mouthes and hearts to feede hounds to dresse whores to multiplie helhound and whore-hound ruffians swearers harebraines vnlesse we be desolate and forsaken without our owne patrones without tutors of our own without our owne Iudges as other men haue all of their owne without the possession and fruition of our own or rather of thy goods to the derision of thy omnipotent power to the contēpt of thy reuerend word to the ouerthrow of thy catholicke and apostolick church of thy faithfull and true bishops and priests which haue authority euen frō the great commission of thy holy spirite to be chargeable to the hearers and professors of the faith 2. Thessal c. 3. v. 8 9. in the dayes of this life and haue a more singular praeeminence then any other in the life of the resurrection Dan. c. 12. v. 3. which are the chiefest pillars in thy common-wealth that being in honor and reputation and enuironed with many godly Centurions defenders with many louing Dauids meeke Mosees and liberall Salomons the whole glorie and euery part thereof shall redound to thee ô father of heauen now in the last times and yeares of the world and continue euermore by thy mightie will as it did in the beginning of the law and the dayspring of the gospel when true zeal was earnest in enriching thy flock and tyrannie onelie occupied in empouerishing it when it was true religiō to confirme the estate of thy preachers and execrable atheisme to enfeeble them when it was esteemed for right diuinitie to obey God more then man for prophane Iudaisme to serue God and Mammon much more to serue Mammon and God after the Iewish cōstruction and antichristian manner that triumpheth in the name of bloud which is but aërie of seede which is but fierie of elementarie and minerall accidents which are but earthie and watrie of those bodilie blunt and sharpe properties and casual endowments which make the life tedious vnto men of this world and odious to thy maiestie in the world to come vnlesse they be consecrated to thy blessed lambe and dedicated to the vse of thy holy Church whose internall prosperitie first then externall is regarded of all good men howsoeuer these new putfoorths dronken textuals brainsick templaries monstrous protesters play the verball sophisters throughout their whole generations Now deere Christians let vs labour continually to bee deere to God let vs not vndoe the whole bodie for the faults of some parts let vs not for a worldly hope lose a heauēly certainty for accidentall shadowes essential substāces for indifferent ceremonies necessary lawes the good wheate for the cockle in the fields the fruitful trees for the fruitles hawty brāble in the woods for the fraile loue of a man the endles loue of our God his lambe that teacheth vs only to flie from the sin not the goods of the world but vse them godly and canonically Let vs I beseech you dulie consider the word of the Lord of hostes vnto Zachary his prophet which biddeth vs Execute true iudgement and shew mercy and compassion and that none imagine euill against his brother in his heart cap. 7. vers 9. Let vs daily and instantly pray vnto God to illuminate our knowledge with his heauenly empireall light to establish our faith to multiplie his gifts and graces vpon vs that wee sing with the spirit and with the vnderstanding as S. Paul our great doctor hath said If God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all as a lambe to death how shall he not with him giue vs all euen all things also Rom. c. 8. v. 31 32. Let not vs make our selues worse then the heathen or reuerence our religious fathers bishops lesse then they did their holy men accounting their priests and pastors for nobles princes and their princes nobles for priests pastors of the people as Homer nameth metaphorically Agamēnon the prince of Graecians the pastor of the people Hector the prince of Troians the bishop of men as Sophocles and the other graue and sententious Tragedians call their prophetes princes and namely blinde Tyresias for being a prophet is called a king euen of a king as Virgil familiarly knowne to yoong schollers calleth Anius a king and a priest or as Moses rather telleth vs in his diuine iudgement that Melchisedech was the prince of Salem and the priest of God Genes cap. 14. v. 18. and S. Paul to preuent glossary cauils nameth him king plainely by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the ground or foundation of the people whereon they build their cōfidence and strength Iesus being the corner stone Heb. c. 7. v. 1. and who hath not heard of the kingly prophete Dauid of Hermes that was a philosopher a priest a king and therof was among other Aegyptian princes named Trismegistus or thrise excellent Let not vs English men make our selues worse affected towarde Gods Church then our forefathers haue beene before vs whereof some leauing their crownes some their royalties some their riches deuoted themselues wholy to the orders of the Church and bestowed their liues and liuelihoods vpon Gods ministrations and seruices as some readers know very well besides diuers examples of other forraine chronicles iudging the name of a diuine better then of a man and the title of Gods priest as ioyfull and honorable with men and Angels as that which is the very best of all titles Let him that is taught in the word minister vnto him that teacheth in all good thinges who goeth a warfare at his owne cost who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof who feedeth a flocke and suffereth another to deuour the milke saith S. Paul the mightie Apostle and Bishop of the Gentiles Galat. cap. 6. vers 6. what true Christian man will once doe otherwise vnto an other then he would in that others place á paribus causis should be done to him saith Christ the almightie Sauiour Math. c. 7. v. 12. Let vs not follow Aërius the hereticke whose opinion concerning the equalitie of Bishops and Priests Epiphanius confuteth l. 3. haer 75. but rather satisfie our selues with the confutation thereof in that place then seeke new shifts for him and starting holes for that sentence of S. Ierome pronounceth a bishop to be a priest because they are diuers orders as a man might say in that phrase without confounding the degrees the same man which is a doctor is a maister but it doth not by conuersion iudge a priest to be a bishop a maister to bee a doctor Or if the