children that God hath giuen him Two things in Ioseph were eminent and perspicuous He deserued well and suffered ill but if comparison be made you shall finde Ioseph and all things hee had inferiour to Iesus Christ Ioseph was innocent in one particular imputation obiected Christ was innocent in all things else Ioseph found fauour with him that kept the prison so his punishment was the easier Christ could turne no way to receiue commiseration The sonne of Iacobs wrongs went no further then to bands and prison the sonne of God had the whip and buffets and a crowne of thornes and spittings and contumelies and all the gall of the Crosse it selfe vae tibi amaritudo peccatorū nostrorum propter quae soluenda tanta amaritudo necessaria est S. Bernard Opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito charitas sine modo If the father to redeeme seruants spared not his only sonne if the sonne for satisfaction of his father offered his life in obedience if both send the Holy Ghost to apply the mercies of the father and obedience of the sonne and the spirit maketh intercession for vs with groanes that cannot be expressed raising vs vp to God with confident pietie and bowing God vnto vs in the clemencie of his mercie if euery person of the Trinitie confer some thing to our iustification who shall disanull it or lay any thing to our charge Shal Sathan Indeed he is an implacable aduersarie and cannot endure that poore man made of the dust of the earth should obtaine that place which he could not hold that was created in heauen But in this cause we haue his owne stipulation against himselfe When he came to the Sonne of God with swordes staues did not the innocent Lamb aske them whom they sought did not they answer Iesus of Nazareth Did not he condition with them that if they sought him they should let his disciples goe did not they admit of this condition and let them all escape S. Matt. is cleare in this point The Disciples all left him and fled away That gratious Lord was thy good meaning euen that was thy sweet condition and the aduersaries consent appeareth manifestly by the seale of their fact For that which was done by his Attornies is reputed to be done by himselfe so when Christ was left alone he onely was taken bound led away put to death that the chastisement of our peace might be vpon him onely for of all people there was none with him Where be they then that will needes bee ioynt-purchasers with Iesus Christ where be they that implore ayde of S. Peter or S. Iames or S. Iohn or any Saint in these affaires When this matter was in hand no creature did assist the Sonne of God all did forsake him euery man Iudge then what iniustice it is to transfer any honour of the battaile to them that sate at the baggage were neuer in the field Wee reade that Dauid did diuide the spoyle indifferently and said As his part is that goeth downe to the battaile so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuffe they shall part alike That Dauid made a law and a statute in Israel vnto this day But it is against law and reason that he which putteth on his harneis should boast himselfe as he that putteth it off Are we not liberally dealt withall to haue the fruite of the victorie and to be exempted from the hazard of fight Liberally brethren liberally O bountifull Iesu Therfore we accept of thy condition with thankes because they sought thee we goe away contented abundantly with the prey and shall euer ascribe the glorie of the victory all our righteousness to thine obedience If Laban pursue vs and accuse vs that we went priuily from him our answer is ready That we came priuily to him and therefore went priuily from him againe A secret cause of sinne brought vs to his subiection and a more secret course of iustice hath withdrawne vs from him if we were sold to him for grammercie yet were wee not redeemed for naught if he say Our father hath enthralled vs may we not answer Our brother hath redeemed vs Why should not righteousnesse come from another when guiltinesse commeth from another It was one that made vs sinners it is one that makes vs righteous prior in semine alter in sanguine it was man that forfeited it is man that satisfied the head for the members Christ for his owne bowels But the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be vpon himselfe what is that to thee Be it Then must the sinne of the sinner be vpon himselfe too and what is that to mee Shall the righteousnesse of the righteous be vpon himselfe and shal not the sinne of the sinner be vpon himselfe too There is no congruity that the sonne should beare the iniquitie of the father and be debarred from the righteousnesse of his brother Let there be indifferencie both wayes and then by man comes sinne by man comes righteousnesse in Adam all are made sinners in Christ many are made righteous And I doe not belong so to the former but that I haue a dependancie also on the latter if I pertaine to the one by the flesh I reach also to the other by faith Why should I haue anie surplusage from the sinner if it be for my generation behold my regeneration to oppose against it and there is no oddes saue that the former is carnall the latter spirituall that more conspicuous to the flesh this more certaine because of faith Amongst other properties of Faith this is not the least that it neuer varieth as the parable of the seede teacheth vs. If true faith could faile the elect might perish which is impossible for Christ saith That none can take them out of his hand If faith should fayle the elect might be often regenerated who are borne of incorruptible seede and as the seede is so must the regeneration be therefore once a new creature and euer a member of Christ Faith cannot faile because He that is borne of God sinneth not neyther can he because the seede of God abideth in him Ioh. 5.18 How should faith be variable that hath Gods promise I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not go from me that hath the efficacy of Christs praier Keepe them in thy trueth Ioh. l7 and I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luc. 23. Montes mouebuntur colles nutabunt misericordia autem mea a te non recedet et faedus pacis meae non nutabit dicit miserator tuus Iehouah You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordained you that you goe and bring forth fruite and that your fruite remaine Christo sic eos ponente vt eant fructum offerant fructus eorum maneat quis audeat dicere forsitan non manebit The giftes and graces
Father and Sonne work not without their loue their gladnesse and essentiall power which is the Holy Ghost If all these persons doe concurre and ioyne together in the worke of mans creation we see the persons that are spoken vnto and the pluralitie comprehended vnder faciamus Againe by the conclusion of their decree that this excellent creature should be stamped with the print of their owne image you may discerne the vnitie of their substance because all three haue but one image ad imaginem nostram And indeed there can be but one thing that is infinite Will you make more then one Consider first where they shall be conteyned for one infinite must be conteyned euery where and fill all places But God is infinite therefore there can be but one God Other things increase by multiplication so doth not the Godhead whatsoeuer is added to it doth not multiplie but diminish it It is not good for man to bee alone therefore God made him a helpe meet for him With God it is contrarie good for him to be alone and necessarie too otherwise hee cannot be such as the Scripture describeth him three sacred persons without confusion and one blessed Deitie without diuision Noli intellegere vt credas sed crede vt intelligas intellectus enim est merces fidei Vnderstand not that you may beleeue but beleeue that you may vnderstand for vnderstanding is thereward of faith The worke of creation belongeth to none but to this Godhead alone Ierem. 10. Let the gods perish that made not heauen and earth And on the other side he that did it the Angell would haue adored Worship him that made heauen and earth It is attributed to the Father partcularly Act. 4. Thou O Lord God which hast made heauen and earth c. doubtlesse against thy holy Sonne Iesus Herod and Pontius Pilate gathered The like is ascribed to him also in the articles of our faith where we professe a Beliefe in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth and yet wee hold firmely that the workes of the Godhead Quoad extra be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actions common to the whole Trinitie wherein all three persons doe so concurre and keepe correspondencie that euery one hath neuertheless some peculiar operation apart As for example The incarnation of the Sonne of God was an action or common worke of the whole Trinitie yet the Father had a peculiar part in it namely to send his Sonne And the Sonne againe had his parte to take flesh and to combine it into the vnitie of his person which is not communicable to either of the other two persons for neyther Father nor Holy Ghost could be incarnate It was not the Nature of God that did take the Nature of man for then all three persons must haue beene incarnate The Word onely being the second person in Trinitie was made flesh and tooke the seed of Abraham the person onely was incarnate which is peculiar to the Sonne alone and cannot bee communicated to the Father or Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost had another part in that businesse he came vpon the blessed Virgin ouershadowed her and by purifying that part of her substance built vp a bodie fit for the Word So we doe say in this worke of creation It was a common action of the whole Trinity and neuerthelesse for distinction and order sake we say That there was one operation of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the Holy Ghost The Father as Basil writeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father the commaunding cause the Sonne the working cause and the Holy Ghost the finisher The Father createth by his will the Sonne by his operation and worke the Holy Ghost by giuing life and motion The beginning of the worke is in the Father and hee createth all things by his Wisedome or Word and the Holy Ghost nourisheth hatcheth houereth ouer the creatures to infuse life and motion into them In the Creed and wheresoeuer else the Father is called creator of heauen and earth it doeth not exclude the Sonne and Holy Ghost out of this businesse but sheweth the manner and order of the action and which person hath precedence Is not the creation which was the first outward work of the God-head fitly attributed to the first person that is of himselfe and of no other Surely this work sorteth best with the Maiestie of the Father But that doth not exclude the other two persons as if they had no part in the matter of creation 1. Cor. 8. the Sonne is called the onely Lord. How Surely not to infringe the Fathers power but to exclude Idols and fained gods So is the creation giuen to the Father to exclude creatures and vaine gods not for derogation of any thing from Son and Holy Ghost Act. 14. Wee preach vnto you that you should turne from these vaine idols vnto the liuing God that made heauen and earth They were ioyned therefore in the creation of all things else But the Holy Ghost did so direct the Secretarie of this busines that here it is conspicuous the first reuelation of the Trinitie appeareth in the creation of man that he might so worship and acknowledge God Besides other things that be extraordinarie here different from his former course there hee spake the word and they were made he commanded all things else were created here hee taketh a greater worke in hand because he ordereth all aboue the vulgar there he left the beasts and trees vnto the earth to be fashioned here he taketh the worke into his owne handes and frameth man himselfe he performeth the office of a true parent he made the body he infused the soule Illius est totum quicquid sumus There hee biddes other things come out of the earth aliue instantly here the producing of man hath a priuiledge and is not done so suddenly there was nothing but producat terra here the businesse is not passed ouer with a bare mandate but we haue the summons of a Councell Faciamus hominē O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of this Councell O great Senate where all things were determined Circumspect where euerie occurrent was foreseene Holy where nothing was done vpon aduantage Iust where place is not left for any complaint What could escape such a consultation where the Father aduiseth with his Wisedome considereth seriously with his holy Spirit not for difficultie that was found in this businesse more then in the rest Naturae imperat possibilitati non obtemperat What was hard to him cui velle est fecisse whose will was powerfull that hath done whatsoeuer he pleaseth both in heauen and earth Whereto then serueth this deliberation Verily to teach vs that our creation was eminent The skilfull hand of great Besaleel the cunning artificer of all the world makes
or immortality because they were altogether outward in the power of God Another Item the Apostle giueth vs that seeing our sinne commeth from our selues God is not authour thereof Dauid speaketh truely of the holy One of Israel Thou art not a God that louest wickednesse Psal 5. Were it not strange then for him to be authour of that which he doth not loue S. Iohn reduceth all the sinnes in the world to three heads the concupiscence of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life These the same Apostle saith are not of the father but of the world Sinne is a thing repugnant to the nature of God and contrarie to all his properties It cannot stand with his goodnesse for being the chiefe and soueraigne good he cannot be authour of euill seeing euerie one affecteth not that which is opposite but that which is conformable and agreeable to his nature And God is light and in him dwelleth no darkenesse at all Againe it were some impeachment of his power to be authour of sinne for without any euill God is able to doe what good he will The wisedome of God will not admit him to be authour of sinne Good is the proper obiect that draweth euery one his desire as the Philosopher disputeth truely and euill is neuer desired nor sought after but through error when that which hath but the face and outward appearance of good is mistaken for it which hath the true nature of good indeed So God cannot be the author of sinne vnlesse you derogate some thing from his wisedome And O Lord thine eyes be cleere thou canst not see euill If he were authour of sinne hee should diuert and turne men away from himselfe and that were a plaine deniall of himselfe not fit not possible to comply with his truth Neither can it hold correspondencie with his mercie for he pittieth and is mercifull to them that sinne therefore he cannot be author thereof To be short it will not sort with his iustice for hee punisheth sinne because he is iust and then he cannot be authour of it but he must needes be vniust And is there any vnrighteousnes with God That is an absurditie to be detested not confuted God forbid God forbid saith Elihu vnto Iob that wickednesse should be in God or iniquitie in the Almightie He sent his sonne to take away the sinnes of the world and to dissolue the workes of the Deuill therefore he createth them not for if I build againe the things which I haue destroied I make my selfe a trespasser Inventor vitij non est Deus Angelus illud Degener infami conceptum mente creavit Sinne as S. Iohn defineth it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a depriuation of that rightnesse which the law requireth in our actions and God which calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Ens is causa essendi non deficiendi of being and not of fayling Seeing God is Ens men of indifferent iudgement may see that non esse ad Deum non pertinet Lux non potest gignere tenebras Sol illuminat sua natura sed non inducit tenebras recedente vero Sole sponte sequuntur tenebrae Ita Deus qui natura sua bonus est si recedat a nobis hoc est iustis de causis gratiam suam nobis subtrahat vel vt puniat nos vel vt alijs gratia sua magis sit conspicua sponte peccatum sequitur Nec necesse est vt causam peccati alibi inquiramus quum interiorem habeamus malam voluntatē ad quam accedit suggestio Diaboli Light cannot breede darkenesse the Sunne lightneth properly and induceth not darkenesse but when the Sunne goeth away darkenesse followeth of their owne accord So it is with God who is good in himselfe when hee withdraweth his graces from vs vpon iust causes eyther for our punishment or to make his goodnesse more conspicuous vnto others when God hath retyred himselfe from vs vpon any occasion sinne is at hand by and by to take place of it selfe Let vs therefore lay the blame of sinne vpon the Deuill that deuised it and vpon our selues that consented vnto him let vs not charge God foolishly but magnifie and praise him for his infinit goodnesse and mercies in abolishing the workes of the Deuill and beseech him to beate downe that crooked Serpent more and more vnder our feete euen for his Christ his sake AMEN FINIS THE SWEET MYSTErie of mans Reparation ROM 5. VERS 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous THE last Sabbath I discussed the former part of this Text vnto your most honourable houshold and now by the assistance of God his holy Spirit your Princely patience doe purpose to vnfold the second Three points are here to be cleared first who this obedient person was secondly the manner of his obedience thirdly the validitie As to the first This age doth not affoord such plentie of obedience as may make the person here spoken of doubtfull or ambiguous If bare profession were good obedience Christ would neuer haue told the Iewes that Publicans and Harlots should goe into the Kingdome of God before them Saul neuer intending obedience pretends it all in vaine Some Philosophers left all they had that when they were rid of worldly cares they might haue the more libertie to follow vanitie Et nolebant censu abundare terreno vt abundarent magis sensu suo S. Bern. If some certain religious people haue deuoted themselues to obedience their vowes make the title fayrer but not the obligation stronger S. Bernard decyphered such vanities long agoe Sine defectu pauperes sine despectu humiles sine labore diuites esse volunt Holy and obedient people indeed that will be poore without want humble without contempt rich without labour and obedient without any reknowledgement of allegiance They will not be like vnto other men therefore sauing our Aphorisme against retaliation and Christian charitie that nothing be done in reuenge if other men wil be as peremptorie againe not to be like vnto them there shall be no great cause left as I suppose for Church or Common-wealth to complaine The importunitie of their challenges makes mee to put difference in those that be obedient the person that our Text speaketh of is obedient vnto God these pretenders are obsequious vnto men to S. Frauncis Benedict Dominick Ignatius Loyola and their superiours But why should Christians that are borne of God take names from men Non ad hominis nomen ambulo Christi nomen teneo Perirem si essem de parte Pauli quomodo non perirem si essem de parte Donati His obedience stood in performing his fathers will theirs is exercised in vpholding mans inuentions or if they labor in obeying God it is but in part and he was obedient perfectly his person was infinite theirs