there cannot be but one Iehoua one infinit eternall being that both the Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirit Each person of the Trinity is the true Iehoua are called each one of them Iehoua as you may most apparently see if you compare the 6. of Esay and the 9. where the great Iehoua saith vnto the Prophet Goe and tell this people heare and vnderstand not see but perceiue not make the heart of this people fat with the 12 of Iohn 41. Where the Euangelist saith that these words of the Prophet were spoken of Christ when hee saw his glory and spake of him and with the 28 of the Acts 25. Where Saint Paul saith The Holy Ghost spake these words by Esayas the Prophet and if you looke into the first of the Reuelations 8. where Christ assumeth the same name vnto himselfe saying I am Alpha Omega the beginning the ending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was which is which is to come And so into the 8 of Iohn the 58. where our Sauiour alludeth vnto the same Name saying Before Abraham was I am It doth sufficiently proue each one of these persons to be an infinite God subsisting in that one eternall Essence Zanch. de natura dei l. 1. c. 13. p. 35. because it is most certaine that the Name Iehoua is so propper vnto God that it can be ascribed to none else as Zanchius saith But because many other places of Scripture are more plaine and pregnant to proue this great Mystery of godlinesse I will not insist to wring out an apparant truth from the obscurest places Chrysost hom 2 in Heb. and because as Saint Chrysostome saith Nequue ad loquendum digne de Deo lingua sufficit neque ad percipiendum intellectus praeualet Our tongues are not able to speake worthily enough of God and our vnderstandings are not sufficient to conceiue of him as we ought to doe yea and that De deo loqui etiam vera aliquando periculosissimum est It may be dangerous sometimes to speake truths of God for as Euclides being demaunded of one what God did and in what things he most delighted did most truly answere that he knew not well what he did but he was certaine he delighted not in vaine and curious persons Maxim ser 33. That it is not safe to search too farre into the seeing of God so I say that curiosity in this highest point of Diuinity is very dangerous or as Saint Bernard saith to inquire too farre into this point is peruerse curiositie to beleeue it as the Scripture teacheth is infallible security and to see him as he is is most absolute felicity therefore I will wade no further into this depth but I will exhort and desire you all Potius glorificare eum qui est quam inuestigare quid est Chrysost quo supra hom 2. in Heb. Rather most faithfully to serue him which is then curiously to search what he is Ne in hac illicite curiosi in illa damnabiliter inueniamur ingrati least in this wee be found vnlawfully curious Prosper de vocat gentium and in the other most damnably vnthankefull as Prosper speaketh CHAP. II. How God is the giuer of Being to all Creatures and the fulfiller of all his promises AND yet I must note vnto you Zanch de natura Dei l. 1. c. 18. Why Jehoua is twice repeated that here Iehoua is twice repeated not to make Moses the more attentiue as some doe thinke it for the very speech of God at such a time and in such a manner was enough in my iudgement to moue attention but rather to signifie as I take it that as he is an eternall being in himselfe so he giueth being to all things else viz. 1. To all Creatures 2. To all his promises For First In him we liue we moue and haue our being Acts 17.1.28 saith the most learned Apostle of the Gentiles euen in the streetes of Athens and of him and for him and through him are all things Rom. 11.36 saith the same Apostle vnto the Romans the sole Monarchs of the whole World and so GOD himselfe saith Esay 44.24 I am Iehoua that made all things Which is all one as if hee had said As I am called the Creator because I haue made That all things doe subsist in God and created all things so I am called Iehoua Being because I gaue and doe giue their being vnto all the things that are And it is obserued that as in the Hebrew word Iehoua there is nothing but Consonants Iod He Vau Am which without their prickes that doe stand for the vowels can not be pronounced to shew how ineffable How ineffable is God and how vnexpressable the essence of God is So in the Latine word Iehoua there are contained all the vowels a. e. i. o. u without some of which no word can be spoken no name can be vttered and that in it there is nothing but vowels excepting h. which is no letter but the aspiration of the word to note vnto vs That God is the very life of all things that as the vowels together with the aspiration is the life and as it were the soule of euery word so is Iehoua the Lord God the very life and being as it were of euery Creature that can be named because that of him and for him and through him are all things Rom. 11.36 Non quod illa sunt quod ipse est sed quia ex ipso sunt Not that they are the same Bern. in cant serm 4. that he is but because they haue their existence and perfection from him as Saint Bernard saith Exod. 6.3 This place of Exodus explained Secondly when God saith He was not knowne vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob by his name Iehouah it is not to be vnderstood of his essentiall being for so they knew him euen by this very name Iehouah as we may see in the fifteenth of Genesis and the seauenth verse and in the eight and twenty of Genesis and the thirteenth verse of the originall Text and so Tremellius reades it Gerard. l. 3 de nat Dei Neither is it to be vnderstood De gradibus diuinarum patefactionum Of the degrees of the diuine manifestations of God as Gerardus saith because sometimes it is the manner of the Scriptures to say that things are then when they are manifested to be Alsted Lexic Theol. c. 2. as it is said of the holy Ghost Quod nondum erat quia nondum innotuerat That he was not because as yet he had not manifested himselfe to be Iohn 7.39 for so he may be said not to be knowne vnto Moses nor vnto any man else because neither himselfe nor any of his names can be knowne of any man 1 Cor. 13. but onely in part as the Apostle sheweth And the example alleaged of the holy Ghost is mis-interpreted because
will aske touching my former illustration why is power ascribed to the Father Wisedome to the Son Quest and goodnesse to the Holy Ghost whereas all and each of the three persons haue the same power wisedome and goodnesse Saint Augustine answereth that amongst the creatures Resp it is wont to be obserued that in a Father is found a defect of power by reason of his antiquitie in a Sonne is seene ignorance by reason of his youth and inexperience of things and in the name of a Spirit there seemeth to be a kinde of fearefull vehemency Esay 52. as Quicscite ab homine cuius spiritus in naribus eius Whose Spirit is in his nostrils and therefore least the like might be thought to be in these Diuine persons we find power ascribed to the Father wisedome vnto the sonne and goodnesse vnto the Holy Ghost whereas indeed each one of them is of the same power wisedome and goodnesse as the others bee And although the Essence of God can neither be diuided nor distinguished yet the three subsistences or the three diuers manner of being in the Diuine Essence which we call the three persons The three persons are distinguished one from another two waies Father Sonne and Holy Spirit may be distinguished two wayes 1. By their personall actions 2. By their nominall relations First the actions of the persons are either 1. Outward or 2. Inward The outward workes of God are common to each person of the Trinity First all outward actions are called communicable because although after a sort they are appropriated to each person as the Father to send the Son and to create the world the Son to be sent to be Incarnate to redeeme mankind and the Holy Ghost to appeare in the form of a Doue like clouen tongues of fire to worke in our hearts for our consolation and sanctification yet Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa these outward workes of the Trinitie are so indiuisible that we cannot so properly ascribe them to any one but we finde that they may be likewise ascribed to any other for as Nazianzen truly affirmeth of the three persons themselues Non possuÌ„tria discernere quin subito ad vnum referar nec possum vnum cogitare quin trium fulgore confundar So may we say of their outward operations that although they be affirmed of one yet may they presently be referred to all three and so we finde them in many passages of the holy Scriptures as redemption and sanctification to the Father Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.2 Creation and Sanctification to the Sonne Iohn 1.3 1 Cor. 1.2 And creation and redemption to the Holy Ghost Psal 33.6 Ephes 4.30 And besides these outward operations are transient voluntary for that God in these things is Liberrimus Agens A free Agent so that he might haue chosen whâ—ther to doe them or not doe them and therefore in all these workes Election Creation Gubernation Redemption Sanctification Glorification there can be ascribed none other cause but quia voluit because he would for whatsoeuer pleased the Lord that did he in Heauen and in Earth in the Sea and in all deepe places And therefore these outward actions and so likewise those names which are giuen vnto these persons in regard of these actions as Creator vnto the Father Redeemer vnto the Sonne Comforter and sanctifier vnto the holy Ghost are not altogether sufficient to expresse the differences of these persons Secondly the inward actions of these persons are 1. Permanent 2. Necessarie 3. Incommunicable First they are so permanent The inward actions of God are euer in doing that as the Sunne doth alwayes beget his beames and both Sunne and beames doe send forth the heate so the Father from all eternity euer did and now doth and euer will beget his Sonne and both Father and Sonne doe spire and breath forth the Holy Ghost and therefore Origen saith excellent well Origen hom 6. in Ierem. Saluator noster splendor est gloriae splendor autem non semel nascitur deinceps desinit nasci c. Our blessed Sauiour is the brightnesse of Gods glory Sed quotiescunque ortum fuerit lumen ex quo splendor oritur toties oritur splendor gloriae Luke 12. but the brightnesse of glory is not once begotten and then afterwards leaues to be begotten but as often as the light riseth from whence the brightnesse springeth so often doth the brightnes of glory arise And our Sauiour saith he is the wisedome of God but the wisedome of God is the brightnesse of that eternall light Et ideo saluator semper nascitur The Father doth euer beget the Sonne And therefore as the Scripture saith Ante colles generat me Before the Mountaines were laid he begetteth me and not as some doe erroniously read it Generauit me He hath begotten me So the truth is that the Sonne of God is euer begotten and the holy Spirit euer proceeding Secondly these inward actions are no voluntary operations The inward actions are necessary I meane such as that the Father might either beget the Sonne or not beget him and the Father and the Sonne might either spire forth the Holy Ghost or not spire him forth but they be so absolutely necessary that they cannot otherwise be Cyrillus l. 1. c 3. thesauri because it is the property of the nature of God the Father to beget God the Sonne as it is for him to be a God so that he can no more relinquish or leaue to beget the Sonne then hee can leaue to be a God as Saint Cyril sheweth And Thirdly these inward actions are so incommunicable The inward actions are incommunicable that whatsoeuer is proper to the one can no wayes be ascribed to the other Quia hoc est proprium patris quod solus est pater quod ab alio non est nisidse For this is the property of the Father that he alone is the Father Et hoc est proprium filij quod à patre genitus est solus à solo hoc est proprium spiritus sancti quod nec genitus nec ingenitus est sed à patre filio aequaliter procedeus and that he is not from any other but onely of himselfe and this is the property of the Son that he alone is begotten of the Father alone coequall vnto him and coessentiall and this is the propertie of the Holy Ghost to be not made not begotten but from the Father and the Sonne equally proceeding And therefore we say that these incommunicable and proper operations of the persons doe so make the true and reall distinction of the persons that the Father cannot be the Sonne nor the Holy Ghost that the Sonne cannot be the Father nor the holy Ghost and that the Holy Ghost cannot be the Father nor the Son so that in a word all three is the same Essence and yet neither of the three can
other by creation then is the second a creature and therefore but one God vncreated and if one bee from the other by generation then the first gaue the second either a part or his whole substance if a part then is God partible may be diuided which cannot be said of such spirituall indiuidible substance and if the first gaue the rest his whole Essence then haue all the same Dietie and so all must be the same Godhead And so Anâ—isthenes saith it was the opinion of the best Philosophers Plures esse Deos populares vnum naturalem That although the people worshipped many Gods yet indeed there was but one onely God by Nature And therefore against the Valentinians thirty couple of gods Jrenaeus contra Valentin and all others that professe many gods it must needes follow euen from reason it selfe that there can be no more gods but one not specificall but numericall i. e. so absolutely one Tertul. l. contra Hermog e. 17. that he is one alone besides whom there can be none other and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely one for we deny all number in the Deitie vnlesse you meane in the personall proprieties and therefore Gregory Nissen saith well Quod in multitudinem extendere numerum Deitatum eorum duntaxat est Nyssen ad Eustach l. de trin qui laborant multitudinis deorum errore That to extend the number of the Deities into a multitude belongs onely vnto them which doe erroniously maintaine a multitude of gods for the Catholicke faith is this that wee should worship the Trinity in Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity that is Basilius Ep. 141. ad Caesarium the trinity of Persons and the vnity of Essence because all number is to be reiected from the Essence of God saith Saint Basil For the Diuine Essence is so simple and so numerically one that no diuersitie can be giuen whereby the very persons doe differ in regard of the Essence and therefore in respect of this identitie and vnitie of Essence in the three persons of the Godhead our Sauiour saith I am in the Father and the Father in me Iohn 14.10 Wherupon Saint Cyril addeth further for the explanation of the same that we may not say that the Father is from the Sonne nor contained in the Sonne nor the Sonne to be in the Father as we are said to be and to liue in God for that we are onely by the effects of his grace he in the vnitie of his essence i. e. wee are one with God by grace but the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are one by Nature so that whatsoeuer the Father essentially is the Sonne is the same and the holy Spirit is the same That the Essence of God is distinguished into three persons Gen. 1. And yet we must know that this one onely one indiuisible Essence is distinguished into three persons which we call the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for so the Scriptures plainely teach vs as Let vs make man in our image and behold the man is become like one of vs saith the Lord himselfe to shew that in this vnity of Essence there is a plurality of persons and againe the Lord rained vpon Sodom and vpon Gomorrha from the Lord out of Heauen Gen. 19. that is the Sonne rained from the Father as Iustin Martyr Tertullian Epiphanius Cyprian Irenaeus Eusebius Cyrill Sozomen the Councell of Smyrna held in the yeare of Christ 336. Socrates Eccl. hist l. 2. c. 30. wherein Marcus Arethusius against the heresie of Photinus and many others doe so expound that place And so the three men that appeared vnto Abraham and that Heauenly harmony of Cherubims saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboth Esay 6. doe sufficiently declare the Trinitie of persons in the Vnity of Gods Essence Ob. But then it may bee some will say these and the like places are too obscure to confirme the truth of so great a point Sol. Why God did not fully and plainely reueile the mysteries of the Trinitie at the first I answere that God at first would not shew this great mystery vnto all lest that being so prone as they were in the infancie of the Church to fal into Idolatry they should shake off the seruice of the true God therby be drawn to worship many Gods but the more his Church did increase in abilitie to vnderstand the more did God reueile vnto it both this mystery of the Trinitie and also many other mysteries of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascention of Iesus Christ And therefore what hee obscurely shadowed in the time of the Patriarchs hee did more cleerely shew vnto his Prophets and most plainely in the time of the Apostles proclaime the same vnto all people For Christ bad them goe and baptize all men Matth. 28. in the name of the Father and of the Sonne 1. Iohn 5. and of the Holy Ghost And so Saint Iohn saith there be three that beare witnesse in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit And yet these three be but one saith the Apostle For as in one Sunne there are the body of the Sunne the Sunne beames and the heate Aug. de Trinit the beames are begotten of the Sunne and the heate doth proceed both from the Sunne and the Sunne beames but the Sunne it selfe proceeds from none Euen so in the one Essence of God there are the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the sonne is begotten of the Father the Holy Ghost proceeds from both but the Father is of himselfe alone and as the fountaine begets the brooke Jdem de verbis Domim and both the fountaine and brooke doe make the Poole and yet all three is the same water so the father is the Fountaine which begets the Sonne and from the Father and Sonne proceeds the Holy Ghost That there are certaine similitudes of the Trinity to be seene in the creatures and yet is the Deity of all three the same in like manner the fire hath motion light and heate and yet but one fire and in the soule of man there are three faculties the vegetatiue the sensitiue and the rationall and yet but one soule and in all other creatures wee may behold certaine glimpes and similitudes that doe after a sort adumbrate and shadow out this ineffable and inexpressable mysterie for by their greatnesse we may consider the power of the Father by their beauty we may see the wisedome of the Sonne and by their vtilitie we may note the goodnesse of the Holy Ghost God left not himselfe without witnesse no not wholly of the manner of his subsistence if not to proue this blessed mysterie yet at least to illustrate it Thom. p. 1. q 32. art 1. and to proue as Aquinas saith Non esse impossibile quod fides praedicat That those things are not impossible which faith preacheth But it may be some
be the person of the other Secondly from these inward operations of these persons doe proceed the nominall relations of the one vnto the other as father Sonne and Holy Ghost which doe likewise make a true reall distinction of the persons for the Father is not a name of Essence but of relation vnto the Sonne and the Sonne is not a name of Essence but of relation vnto the Father and so the Holy Ghost proceeding is not a name of Essence but of relation to the Father and the Sonne and therefore these names are so proper to each person that the name of the one cannot be ascribed to the other But you wil say that the Sonne is called Father as Esay 9.6 Sol. he is said to be the Father of eternities I answere that the name of Father is taken two wayes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Personally Ob. First Essentially and so in respect of the creatures each person of the Trinitie may be rightly tearmed Father The name of Father is taken two-wayes Secondly personally and so the first person onely is Father because he onely doth beget his sonne And thus you see that although the Diuine Essence is onely one yet that there are three persons in this one Essence not that the Essence begets either Essence or person but because the person of the Father begetteth the person of the Sonne and both Father and Sonne doe eternally spire and send forth the person of the Holy Ghost Athana 2. Dialog de Trinit But for the manner how the Father begetteth the Sonne or how the Father and the Sonne doe spire and send forth the holy Spirit I must answere as Galenus did Galenus l. 15. de vsu partium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a point farre inferior to this which is of infinite profundity How this is done if you enquire you will be taken for one that hath no vnderstanding either of your owne infirmity or of the power of the Creator And the Fathers doe often dehort vs from the curiosity of explaining the manner of diuine mysteries for that worthy Nazianzene saith You heare the generation of the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian orat 1. de theolog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That we should not enquire too farre into the manner of Diuine Mysteries be not curious to know the manner You heare The Holy Ghost proceedeth be not busie to enquire how And in another place he saith Let the generation of God be honoured with silence it is much for thee to haue learned that he was begotten As for the manner how wee grant it not to be vnderstood by Angels much lesse by thee If the Fathers of the Councell of Lateran had followed the councell of this Father they had neuer gone so farre to enquire how Christ is in the Sacrament and so positiuely to conclude it to be by that vnheard vnknowne incredible and impossible way of transubstantiation And therefore if we would not erre with them or beyond them in this point farre more difficult then that let vs not be too curious to enquire how these things can be but let vs faithfully beleeue them to be a Trinity of Persons in the vnity of the Diuine Essence and each person to haue the whole Diuine Essence so communicated vnto it as that all the three persons must needes be co-eternall co-essentiall and co-equall But because the second Person which is the Sonne and which the Euangelist here meaneth by the Word as hereafter I shall shew vnto you was incarnate and made flesh you must giue me leaue to insist chiefly vpon that person and to discusse these three especiall points concerning the same 1. Touching this person how excellent he is 2. Touching this name here vsed why hee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word 3. Touching this worke why he was incarnate and made flesh For the first I will onely shew these three things 1. That for time he is God Three things handled touching the person of the Son co-eternall 2. For nature co-essentiall and 3. For dignity co-equall vnto his Father CHAP. III. Of the Coeternity of the Word with his Father That the Word was before he was made flesh FIrst That this Word was before he was made Flesh the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first vsed here and the second in the fourth Chapter to the Galathians doth make it plaine for that they signifie one that first was and afterwards was made that which hee was not And therefore hee doth not say that the Word was made first and then was made Flesh but that the Word which in the beginning and before all beginnings was in the fulnesse of time was made flesh And this may be further proued by almost infinite arguments as First He is the Sonne of the Father the wisedome and the power of God and therefore either the Father was without a Sonne and then he could be no Father and God was without his wisedome and without his strength or else he was neuer without his Sonne but to say that God was without his wisedome or without his strength Aug. ep 6.6 is most absurd Ergo Non ex tempore genitus est qui cuncta tempora condidit And therefore he was not begotten in time which created all times saith Saint Augustine Secondly He is God for Si Dietas verbi non nostrae est insita carni tum Christus falsi corporis vmbra fuit Either Christ is God or he is no man nor any Sauiour of man and he is no titular God but by Nature God hee is the true Iehoua which was which is and which shall be And therefore euerlasting for thou art God from euerlasting and World without end But That Christ is a true God is proued That he is a true God both apparant Scriptures and vnanswerable reasons drawne from Scriptures doe make it plaine For First from Scriptures First The Scriptures call him the true Ieheua as we may see by the collation and comparing of these places viz. Exodus 3.2.13.4.14.24.20.2 and Acts 7.30.32 1 Cor. 10.4.9 c. And so the Scriptures call him God as Gen. 32.28 Psal 45.7 Esay 7.14 Mathew 3.3 Heb. 1.8 And therefore Saint Iohn saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Word was God And Christ himselfe saith Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ For these words are thus to be expounded that they know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ to be the onely true God because these two persons are but the very selfe-same Essence So Thomas saith vnto Christ My Lord and my God Iohn 20.28 And so we finde the same truth expressed Acts 20.28 Rom. 8.5.1 Iohn 3.16 1 Iohn 5.20 1 Tim. 3.16 Psal 47.6 and in many other places of the Scripture which wee may
God wherein euery one must be well instructed that would be partaker of humane felicitie and happinesse All which doth most apparantly proue that the Gentiles had so much knowledge of the true God as not onely was able I say not with Clemens Alexandrinus to bring them to saluation but to make them without excuse in the day of retribution because that they knowing God glorified him not as God but also as doth exceed the knowledge of many which make profession of Christianity and will no doubt rise in iudgement to condemne them in the latter day And as we see many of them vnderstood many things concerning the most true and euerlasting God so we finde some of them haue deliuered some things concerning this word and Son of God Heron. in ep ad Paulinum for though S. Hierome speaking of this word saith Hoc doctus plato nesciuit This word eloquent Demosthenes was ignorant of it 1 Cor. 1.19 because it is written I will destroy the wisedome of the wise Aug. l. 5. c. 3. de haeresibus and cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent Yet Lactantius saith that Zeno affirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word to be the maker of this vniuerse and that Mercurius syrnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrice great did often describe the power and Maiestie of this word and Saint Augustine affirmeth that the said Trismegistus did compose a booke whose title was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e the perfect word and that therein he left written Monas genuit monada in se suum reflexit ardorem Which is as much as if he had said the Father begate the Sonne or the minde begate the word and from both proceeded the Holy Spirit Idem l. 7. c. 9. confess and l. 7. Confess c. 9. hee saith that he saw certaine books of the Platonists wherein he found though not in the same words yet the very selfe-same matter proued by many reasons that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God Saint Cyrill also saith that the Philosophers haue affirmed the essence of God to be distinguished into three subsistences Cyrillus l 8. cont Iulian. and sometimes to haue deliuered the very name of Trinitie and Theodoret doth affirme that Plotinus and Numenius haue collected out of Plato that there are three eternities Bonum mentem vniuersi animam i. e. Goodnesse which answereth the Father that is the fountaine of the Deity the minde which signifieth the Sonne and the soule or life of this whole vniuerse Gen. 1.2 which is the holy Spirit that as in the beginning of the creation he presently moued vpon the waters to sustaine the same Clemens Alex. l. 5. strom so euer since he spireth and preserueth euery liuing thing and Clemens Alexandrinus saith that Plato in his Epistle to Erastus and Coriscus hath manifestly spoken of the Father and the Sonne and so Eusebius likewise and Eugubius and many others haue collected out of their writings that this name of the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Seneca Traged Oedip. was not altogether vnknowne vnto the Gentiles but that as Oedipus in the Poets knew that he had a Father though not who he was so they did conceiue a certaine kinde of knowledge and vnderstanding though vndigested and imperfect ouershadowed as it were with humane reasonings concerning this eternall word God enough to saue them if they beleeued in him or else to make them without excuse if they knowing though not simply Verum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed aliquid veri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This true word but something of this word did neglect and not seeke further into the knowledge of the same And this knowledge they might attaine vnto How the Gentiles came to haue any knowledge of the Word God either by 1. The illumination of God himselfe 2. The diuination of the diuels 3. The traditiō of their elders 4. Their owne exceeding diligence to seeke and search after the knowledge of diuine mysteries For First the Apostle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.19 what may bee knowne of God that is his eternall power and Godhead God hath shewed it vnto them and as the Deitie it selfe 1 Cor. 13.12 might bee contemplated in his creatures as in a glasse or read by them Basilius hom 11. hexam as in a booke as Saint Basil saith So no doubt but he left therein certaine impressions of the Trinitie of his persons Ph. Mornaeus de veritate relig c. 5. Rom. 1.16 which though they could not fully attaine vnto the knowledge thereof no more then an vnskilfull Arithmetician can finde the iust summe that cyphering characters doe import yet they might perceiue something thereby and know that there was such a thing to be knowne And thus much God himselfe might shew vnto them not as Clemens Alexandrinus thought thereby to bring them vnto saluation because saith he Phylosophy was vnto them as the Law was vnto the Iewes a Schoolemaster to bring them vnto Heauen but that as the Apostle saith They knowing this God and not glorifying him as God nor seeking to be saued by this God might be without excuse in the sight of God August de cognit verae vitae c. 37. Secondly The very Diuels might make knowne the same vnto them for the Diuels beleeue that there is a God and they know him to be but one God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One in himselfe one in all things and they know him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most High and Omnipotent God neither doe they know the Father onely but they know Christ also for the euill Spirit said vnto the Sonnes of Scaeua Acts 19.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus I know and they know him to be the Son of God God himselfe as Sozomen out of this verse of Sybill doth declare O lignum foelix in quo Deus ipse pependit I may thee call a happy Tree whereon a God to hang I see And they know the sacred mystery of the Trinity for by them this disticke was related vnto a certaine Egyptian that desired to know this truth Serapis ad Thulem Selneccerus l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principio Deus est tum Sermo Spiritus istis Additur aequaeua haec sunt tendentia in vnum The Father Sonne and Spirit all three Are one God of the same eternitie Aug. in Expos Ep. ad Rom. And so the Diuels knowing these things might suggest them and reueale them though aenigmatically and darkely vnto the Sybilles which as Saint Augustine saith were none of Gods Prophets from the Sybils they might bee spread vnto their Priests from the Priests vnto the Phylosophers Poets and Orators and from them they might be divulged and spread vnto the lowest ranke of the vulgar people Neither must we thinke that Sathan did it with intent to doe them
dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne for this is all one as if he had said that the word heretofore was vttered by other mens mouthes but now after he was made flesh he spake and reueiled his Father vnto vs by his owne voyce and with his owne proper mouth for so Tertullian saith that he which spake vnto the Fathers was this word GOD and so Saint Paul sheweth when hee brings in God saying The Word is neere vnto thee euen in thy mouth Rom. 10.8 and in thy heart and then he expoundeth this word of Christ saying This is the Word of Faith which we preach for they preached Iesus Christ so Saint Iohn himselfe seemeth to shew this reason why he had called Christ the Word when he saith John 1.18 The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared for this is all one as if he had said This onely begotten Sonne is therefore the Word because he declareth the minde of God vnto vs so when he saith what we haue heard of the Word of life i. e. he is therefore the Word because we haue heard him and so when he saith There be three that heare witnesse in Heauen 1 John 5.7 the Father the Word and the Spirit for why should he say the Word when as the name of Father required that he should rather say the Father the Sonne and the Spirit but because the Sonne as the word of the Father doth beare witnesse vnto vs of his Fathers will and therefore seeing it was the office of the Word to declare the minde of God it belonged vnto the Word to be made Flesh that he might be heard and seene of vs. But then it may be obiected that the Holy Ghost should be incarnate as well as the Sonne for Saint Basil saith Ob. Whether the Holy Ghost is termed the Word that the Holy Ghost is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word as well as the Sonne and that hee is therefore called the Word because hee is the interpreter of the Sonne euen as the Sonne is the interpreter of the Father for he shall teach you all things saith Christ and to proue this he citeth those words of the Apostle that we should take the sword of the Spirit which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of God and those words in the first Chapter to the Hebrewes that Christ beareth vp all things with the word of his power Basilius l 5. c. 11. contra Eunom Sol. or his mighty Word that is his Holy Spirit saith Saint Basil To this Aquinas answereth that Saint Basil herein speakes improperly for that the Sonne of God alone is properly called the Word and that Saint Paul by the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God doth not vnderstand the Holy Ghost but the word which came vnto the Prophets and was left vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and that the words of the Author to the Hebrewes are to be vnderstood of the command of Christ as if the Apostle had said that Christ beareth vp all things and gouerneth all things by his mighty command or according aâ— himselfe defineth Victorinus in l. aduers Arrium and would haue all things to be as Victorinus saith or else that Christ sustaineth all things by his mighty word that is after an Hebrew phrase by himselfe which is the mighty Word of his Father Maldonat in Iohn 1. as Maldonate saith Secondly the Word was made flesh Propter ordinem seruandum Secondly because God would obserue good order in all things because God which is the God of order would keepe good order in all things As First that the world might be repayred by the same instrument by which it was created but the Father made all things by his Word therefore he would redeeme mankinde by his Word Secondly that he which was the essentiall and vncreated image of God might restore that created image of God which was corrupted in vs. Thirdly that the naturall Sonne of God might make vs the adopted sonnes of God Fourthly that the Sonne by his example might teach vs the obedience of sonnes Thirdly because God would shunne all inconueâ—iences that might arise if he had not beene incarnate Thirdly the Word was made flesh Propter vitandum inconueniens because God would auoide all absurdities that otherwise might seeme to ensue for if the Father had beene incarnate then there had beene two Fathers and two Sonnes the Father in the Deitie had beene the Sonne in the Humanitie and the Sonne in the Dietie had beene the Father of the Humanity and neither of them had beene of himselfe without beginning but he that was the beginning of the Sonne in the Deitie had had his beginning from the Sonne in the humanitie but now he that is from the Father in the Deitie is likewise from the Father in the humanitie and he that is the Sonne in the Deitie is likewise the Sonne in the humanitie and if the Holy Ghost had beene incarnate then there had beene two sonnes one in the Deitie and another in the humanitie Et nomen filij ad alterum transiret qui non esset aeterna natiuitate filius And the name of Sonne had passed to another which was not a Sonne by an eternall natiuitie and therefore in all respects it was fittest and agreeable to all reason that the Word should be incarnate and made flesh as Saint Augustine saith But against this it will be obiected Ob. that seeing Opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa The outward workes of the Trinitie are indiuisible and common to each person so that whatsoeuer any one of them doth it is done by each one and that this is an outward worke of the Trinitie common to each person each person being an agent in this action the Fathers power the Sonnes wisedome and the Holy Ghost his goodnesse all concurring in this incarnation For First how can the Creator and the Creature That all three persons were the makers of the flesh of Christ especially a creature relapsed from God be ioyned together without great power the power of ioyning the disagreeing elements was very great the power of ioyning them to a created spirit was greater but hypostatically to ioyne a creature disioyned from his Creator vnto an vncreated spirit must needes be the greatest power that can be And therefore this incarnation of the Word could neuer haue beene done without the infinite power of God Secondly how can the first and the last be vnited together without great wisedome for this Word was the beginning yea before the beginning of all things and Adam was the last of all Gods creatures And therefore the Word God and the flesh of man could neuer be vnited without infinite wisedome Thirdly how can the Creator communicate himselfe so neerely vnto his Creatures without the greatest goodnesse that can be for it was a great benignity and kindnesse of
people and say hearing yee shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing yee shall see and not perceiue Acts 28.25 26. and therefore our Sauiour biddeth vs to goe and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost But it is obiected as Nazianzen saith that he is no where called God but the holy Ghost or the spirit of God Nazian orat 5. de Theol. and therefore he is not God I answer briefely that this is false for Saint Peter said vnto Ananias why hath Satan filled thy heart Acts 5.3.4 to lye to the holy Ghost thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God And therefore seing the spirit of God created all things and being created preserued them as Moses sheweth Gen. 1.2 the spirit of God moued vpon the waters i. e. to cherish and to retayne them together and now in like manner hee sanctifieth and preserueth vs as Melancthon sheweth in that godly wish which he maketh Spiritus vt Domini nascentia corpora fouit cum manus artificis couderat ipsa Dei Sic foueat caetus qui Christi oracula discunt accendatque igni pectora nostra suo And especially seeing that the holy Scripture doth more plainely testifie the same almost in euery place wee say that the name of the Holy Ghost is first taken for the Essence of God Secondly The name of the Holy Ghost is taken for the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost as where the Prophet saith Take not thy holy spirit from me Psal 51.11 2 Cor. 13.5 and where the Apostle saith Know you not that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates And againe Rom. 8.9 you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if the spirit of God dwell in you and so when it is said that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost we must vnderstand it of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost And these gifts and graces of Gods Spirit are excellently deciphered and set downe vnto vs vnder the properties and conditions of those formes and figures wherein the Holy Ghost did appeare vnto vs and that is if I doe rightly collect them three speciall times The Spirit of God appeared in the likenesse of fiue speciall things First vnto the Israelites 1. In a pillar of cloud by day 2. In a pillar of fire by night Secondly at the Baptisme of Christ he descended vpon him like a Doue Thirdly At the day of Pentecost he appeared 1. Like the rushing of a mighty winde 2. Like clouen tongues of fire First like a cloud First He appeared in a pillar of cloud to shew vnto vs that as the cloud betokeneth 1. A shadowing from heate 2. A sending downe of raine As 1 King 18.45 the Heauens were blacke with cloudes and windes and there was a great raine so the Spirit of God doth ouershadow vs from the heate of the wrath of God it cooleth and refresheth our scorched soules and as the raine maketh the barren earth fertile and fruitfull In what râ—spect the holy Ghost is like vnto waters so doth the graces of Gods spirit make our barren hearts plentifull in all good workes for the Holy Ghost in many places is compared vnto water because that as water 1. Mollifieth the hard earth 2. Fructifieth the barren ground 3. Quencheth the greatest heate 4. Cleanseth the foulest things and so forth So doth the Spirit of God In what respect the Holy Ghost is like vnto water 1. Soften our hard hearts 2. Fructifie our barren soules 3. Quench the heate of lust 4. Clense vs from all our sinnes And so make vs to become fit temples for himselfe to remaine in vs. Secondly He appeared in a pillar of fire Secondly like fire to shew his consubstantiality with the Father and the Sonne saith Nazianzen because God is fire and so appeared in the fiery bush from whence it may be came that custome among the Chaldeans which afterward spread it selfe among many other Nations of the Gentiles to worship the fire for their God whereas indeed they should haue worshipped that God which is fire and did appeare like fire to teach vs that as the fire hath in it saith Oecumenius 1. Calorem 2. Splendorem 3. Motionem 1. Heate to warme mollifie and purifie In what respects the Holy Ghost is like vnto fire 2. Splendor to giue light and to illuminate 3. Motion to be alwayes working Euen so the Spirit of God First Warmeth and heateth the hearts of the godly with a feruent and a fiery zeale of all godlinesse he mollifieth their hard and stony hearts and it consumeth all the drossie substance of sinne and so purifieth their soules from all wickednesse Secondly Iohn 6.13 He illuminateth their hearts with the knowledge of God for he bringeth them into all truth and he maketh their light to shine before men that they seeing their good workes Mat. 5.16 doe glorifie their Father which is in Heauen Thirdly He maketh them alwayes to be in action and neuer idle but as it is said of Christ euer going about doing good Thirdly He appeared like a Doue Thirdly like a Doue when he descended vpon our Sauiour Christ at his Baptisme first because as Bonauenture saith he came not then to strike our sinnes by the zeale of his fury but to beare them and to take them away through the meekenesse of his Passion but on the other side Greg. hom 30. in Euang. hee descended vpon the Apostles like fire because in these which were simply men and therefore sinners he would kindle a spirituall feruency against themselues and cause them to punish those sinnes in themselues by repentance which God had pardoned vnto them through his mercy and secondly he descended on Christ like a harmelesse Doue and not like vnto tongues of fire because Christ was not to be taught Cyrillus hierosol Catech. 7. which is signified by the tongues for his lippes were full of grace nor to be sorrowfull for his sinnes which is signified by the fire because in him there was no sinne but his Doue-like properties were to be shewed that hee was innocent Iohn 1.29 meeke and lowly in heart for as of all the beasts of the field the little silly Lambe is in most respects best qualified and therefore is Christ called the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world In what respect the Holy Ghost is like a Doue so of all the fowles of Heauen the Doue in most respects is most excellent for she is annunciator pacis the messenger and proclaimer of peace shee brought the Oliue branch vnto Noah she wanteth gall she hath no bitternesse in her she neuer hurts with her bill nor clawes she is full of loue and yet she neuer sings any wanton tune but woo woo is her matutinus vespertinus cantus her mournfull morning and euening song and
of twelue Starres is the Symbole of her faith containing twelue articles of her beleife And fourthly her paine to be deliuered is that earnest desire and loue which euery Christian soule hath to increase and multiply the number of Gods children And so the holy Ghost hauing descended vpon the Apostles and remaining in their hearts it caused them first to beleeue and to compose that crowne of twelue Starres which is the glory of euery Christian soule i. e. the twelue Articles of our faith as the Church receiueth it Secondly to forsake all the world and to follow Christ as S. Peter sheweth Thirdly Matth. 19.27 to lead a most vpright and a godly life as Saint Paul auoucheth Heb. 13.18 And fourthly to labour incessantly night and day to send out their voyces into all lands and their words vnto the ends of the world as now the whole world testifieth And so you see how in the first beginning of the Church the gifts of the holy Ghost were visibly and abundantly giuen vnto these seruants of Iesus Christ according as it was prophecied long before Ioel 2.28 that he would powre out his Spirit vpon all flesh and so their sonnes and their daughters should prophesie But CHAP. VI. How the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit are now giuen vnto vs and how wee may know whether wee haue the same or not SEcondly Christ doth now giue his Spirit otherwise vnto the Pastors of his Church How God bestoweth his graces vpon vs sufficiently for the edifying of the same but through great paines and diligent searching after knowledge for now we must not looke for Exthusiasmes nor thinke to attaine vnto learning and knowledge by reuelations but orando quaerendo bene viuendo by earnest praiers by continuall watching and tumbling and tossing of many bookes and by wearing and wearying out our selues in reading musing and writing of many lines we must seeke to attaine to a little learning and when wee haue done all we can wee can get nothing but what this blessed Spirit please to giue vs for except the Lord build the house the builder laboureth but in vaine so except he doth blesse our studies Psal 127.1 all our paines and industry will proue no better then Aethiopum lauare to wash a blacke Moore a breaking of our braines but an attaining to no true knowledge But we may be certaine that if we do our duties in all humility to seeke and search for grace our God will most surely giue vs grace yea and the same graces though not in the same manner or according to the same measure which hee did giue vnto his Apostles And as here it was apparantly seene that these Apostles had the gifts of this Spirit by these signes and effects of this Spirit so wee may most certainely know if we will diligently search whether we haue these gifts and graces of Gods Spirit or not by the works that we doe and by the things that we finde in our selues for Si iniurias dimittimus The signes whereby we may know whether we haue the Spirit of God or not quod denotat columba si paenitentiae lachrymis irrigamur quod nubes si desiderium habemus rerum aeternarum quod ignis si magnalia Dei annuntiamus quod lingua tum habemus signum praesentiae Spiritus sancti If we water our couch with our teares and bee truly sorry for our sinnes which is signified by the cloud if we be purged from all the drosse of sinne and be eleuated to desire and loue heauenly things which is noted in the fire if wee bee carried against the naturall streame and current of our owne corruptions which is shewed by the winde if we remit and forgiue all wrongs done vnto vs and bee meeke and gentle vnto all men harsh and sullen vnto none which are the properties of the Doue and if we zealously preach and pray and talke of God and of his will his grace and goodnesse towards vs and render thankes and praise vnto him for the same which is the office of a fiery tongue then we doe with the Apostles shew the effects of Gods Spirit and we may to our endlesse comforts assure our selues that the Spirit of God is in vs. 1 Cor. 3.85 But if we finde none of these things no hatred of sinne no loue of vertue no loathing of the vanities of this world no lifting vp of our hearts to heauen no meekenesse with men no praising of God but rather finde our selues cleane contrary defiled with sinne deboist in our liues iniuring men offending God blaspheming his name with wicked oathes and breaking his Sabboths with great contempt then wee should not onely wonder to see the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit in others as the people did when they saw what had happened vnto the Apostles vpon the day of Pentecost but we should rather bewaile and lament the want of the same in our selues for it is vnpossible that they should haue any part or portion of Gods Spirit that doe shew no signe nor fruit of Gods grace And therefore euery man should try and examine himselfe whether he finde in himselfe the fruits and effects of Gods Spirit or not For First the holy Ghost being like water if he be in you That we should diligently examine whether we haue Gods Spirit or not Psalme 1.3 then you are washed and cleansed from all filthinesse and you are like the trees that are planted by the waters side and doe bring forth their fruits in due season but if you bee like a barren and drie ground where no water is or like fruitlesse trees that beare nothing but leaues then certainely the Spirit of God is not in you and you are fit for nothing but to be hewne downe Matth. 3.10 and to be cast into the fire Secondly the holy Ghost being like fire if he be in vs hee illuminateth the eyes of our vnderstanding and hee giueth light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death that they may walke without stumbling in the way of peace but if our vnderstanding bee so darkened that wee neither know God nor the will of God then certainely the Spirit of God is not in vs 2 Cor. 4.3 for if our Gospell be hid saith the Apostle it is hid to them that are lost that being depriued and void of Gods Spirit are filled with the spirit of darknesse A most fearefull saying against them that vnderstand not the great mystery of godlinesse that they haue the marke of lost ones and if hee be in vs then we must needes be feruent and zealous to doe all good seruice vnto God as Apollo was who is said to be hot in spirit or as the twelue tribes were who serued God night and day instantly Act. 18.28 c. 26.7 saith the Apostle but if we be cold and carelesse to serue the Lord then surely we are destitute of this Spirit of God for
wallow and therefore beholding the goodnesse and seueritie of God on them to whom hee giues no grace seueritie but towards thee to whom he bestoweth his gifts goodnesse if thou continue in this goodnesse doe thou praise thy God and pray for them that for his sake that is ascended vp on high and hath led captiuitie captiue God would be pleased to bestow his gifts and graces vnto men that so all men may ascribe and giue all praise and glory vnto him which was and is and shall be through him which was dead and is aliue and liueth for euermore Amen A Prayer O Most gracious God which hast giuen thine only Sonne Iesus Christ to die for our sinnes to rise againe from the dead to ascend vnto Heauen to prepare a place for vs and to send vs thy holy spirit to fill our hearts with all heauenly graces which are necessarie for the gathering of thy Church and the sanctifying of our soules to prepare vs vnto eternall life we most humbly beseech thee to giue vs that grace to be truly thankfull vnto thee for all thy graces Increase our faith stirre vp our hope and kindle our loue both towards thee and towards all men for thy sake and because all graces are begotten increased and preserued by the hearing of thy Word and receiuing of thy blessed Sacraments we pray thee O Lord to giue vs grace to heare thy Word attentiuely to beleeue it faithfully and to receiue thy Sacraments worthily that so being filled with thy spirit we may despise all worldly vanities and haue our conuersations in Heauen while we liue on earth and at last bee receiued into that Kingdome which thou hast prepared for them that loue thee through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS The Seuenth Golden Candlesticke HOLDING The Seuenth greatest Light of Christian REIGION Of the duty of CHRISTIANS 1 THESSAL 5 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brethren pray for vs. I Haue shewed thee O man The coherence of this Treatise with all the other Treatises how man behaued himselfe towards God offending his Maiesty with hainous sinnes and I haue shewed thee what God hath done for sinfull man how hee sent his onely begotten Sonne to be made man to suffer paine and sorrow and to die a cursed death for man thereby to ouercome all our enemies sinne death and hell to arise from the dead to assure vs of our deliuerance to ascend into heauen to prepare a place for vs and to send his holy and blessed Spirit into the hearts of men to fit them with the gifts and graces of the same to prepare them for heauen that the poore man might bathe himselfe in the poole of Bethesda and be made perfectly whole that the wandering sheepe might bee reduced and brought home vpon this mans shoulders and that sinfull man might be reconciled and revnited vnto God againe And therefore now Quid nisi vota supersunt what remaineth sauing onely prayers to render thankes vnto God for this great kindnesse and to aske those things that hee requisite for vs and to teach vs how to doe the same I haue chosen to treate of this short Text Brethren pray for vs. It is a Text independent either of precedent or subsequent matter and it containeth points of piety points fit to bee preached and fitter to bee practised by your sacred Maiesty by the worthiest Nobles by vs Priests by all men and therefore da veniam Imperatâ—r I humbly craue attention but a short time to dilate vpon this short Text Brethren pray for vs. I may say of it as Saint Hierome said to Paulinus of the Catholike Epistles of Saint Peter Saint Iohn Saint Iames and S. Iude Eas breues esse pariter longas that they were short in words but full of matter for herein our blessed Apostle as was said of that famous Hystorian Verborum numero sententiarum numerum comprehendit in this paucity of words hath couched plenty of matter the parts are two The diuision of the Text. 1. A most friendly compellation Brethren 2. A most Christian request or exhortation pray for vs. Out of the first I note two things 1. His affection whereby we are taught to liue in vnity 2. His discretion whereby wee may obserue a Christian pollicy not such as is abusiuely though commonly so termed in the world but such as is ioyned with true piety And in the second I obserue likewise two things 1. The action pray which is a worke of piety 2. The extention for vs which is an act of charity And so you see that from this short Text we may learne 1. Vnity 2. Pollicy 3. Piety 4. Charity Brethren pray for vs. CHAP. I. Of the diuers sorts of Brethren and how this teacheth vnitie FIrst Brethren is verbum amoris a word full of loue Of the vnity of brethren but it is diuersly taken in the Scripture For First Aug. ser 61. de tempore sometimes Omnem hominem per fratrem debemus accipere saith Saint Augustine we ought to vnderstand euery man by the name of brother as he that hateth his brother i. e. he that hateth any man is a man-slayer Secondly Sometimes it signifieth those of the same nation as Moses went out vnto his brethren Exod. 2.11 and saw an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew one of his brethren Thirdly Sometimes cognatos Scriptura dicit fratres Aug. l. 1. locut de Gen. Math. 12.4.7 Mar. 3.32 the Scriptures calleth our kinred by the name of brethren as behold thy brethren stand without desiring to speake with thee Fourthly Sometimes it is put for the sonnes of the same parents as Heua bare againe his brother Abell and Caine said Am I my brothers keeper Gen. 4.2.8.9 v. Fiftly 1 Cor. 1.26 Sometimes we vnderstand those of the same religion and profession as you see your calling brethren Et sic fratres dicti Christiani and so all Christians are called brethren saith Saint Augustine and so Saint Paul meaneth in this place Brethren pray for vs for otherwise he was an Hebrew of the seed of Israel of the Tribe of Beniamin 2 Pet. 1.10 and they were Grecians of Thessalonica the Metrapolitane City of Macedonia built by Philip king of Macedon and so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. ser dom in monte fol. 343. of his victories obtained in Thessaly in which respect also he called his owne daughter Thessalonica as Suidas saith but they were all Christians and therefore brethren and therefore the deerer one to another because Christian brethren Quia maior est fraternitas spiritus quam sanguinis because the fraternity or brother-hood of Christians which is in respect of the Spirit that begetteth vs with the same immortal seed in the wombe of the same mother the Church to bee brought forth and brought vp as children to the same Father which is in heauen is a great deale more excellent then the brotherhood of flesh and bloud Nam
like King Therons Coursers that were neuer weary of running that so they may escape all the fiery darts of Satan and finish their course with ioy when they shall receiue that Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him And thus dearely beloued you see that although man for his sinne was eiected out of Paradise and subiected to all miseries yet through the mercy of God in sending his Sonne to be made man to suffer for man to ouercome the diuell sinne and death to raise himselfe from death to ascend to Heauen to send his holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his heauenly graces wee shall if we beleeue in him and serue him praise his Name for all his blessings loue one another and pray one for another attaine vnto euerlasting happinesse Vnto the which happinesse the Lord of his goodnesse bring vs all through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed as is most due all Glory and Honour and Praise and Thankes and Power and Maiesty and Dominion both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer O Eternall God and our most gratious Father wee most humbly beseech thee for Iesus Christ his sake to forgiue vs all our sinnes which we acknowledge and confesse to be more in number then the sands of the Sea which cannot bee numbred cleanse vs O Lord with the bloud of Christ and plant in vs those heauenly gifts and graces whereby wee may be inabled to serue thee as we ought to doe in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life increase our faith stirre vp our hope and kindle our loue and our charity both towards thy selfe and all men for thy sake giue vs patience to vndergo without offending thee whatsoeuer miseries this wicked world shall any wayes heape vpon vs blesse our gracious King the Prince and all the royall issue blesse all the Ministers of thy Church and all the Magistrates of this Common-wealth Grant O Lord thy grace vnto thy Ministers that they may faithfully preach the Word of truth and sincerely liue a most vpright and a godly life grant to the Magistrates thy grace O God to defend right without remissenesse and to punish vice without maliciousnesse and because we are all thy creatures the workes of thy hands made by thee preserued by thee and inioying all we haue life and liuelihood from thee O Lord be mercifull vnto vs all and remember that we are but dust consider O consider that we are but as grasse not able to doe what we would not able to doe any thing that is good vnlesse thou dost it in vs O then let our soules liue and wee will praise thy Name we will magnifie thee for euer and euer for all the blessings that we haue receiued from thee our Creation Redemption Sanctification Preseruation and our assured hope of Glorification and all other graces whatsoeuer through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Soliloquie of the Author O Eternall God thou hast created me and I haue offended thee thou hast redeemed me and I still continued vnthankefull vnto thee and yet thou hast heaped many blessings vpon me and giuen me grace to be desirous to serue thee and according to my poore and weake ability to shew forth these lights vnto thy Church I confesse O Lord whatsoeuer is ill herein is onely mine and whatsoeuer is good is truely thine and therefore I desire thee to pardon mine euill and to make me thankefull for thy good and so to accept that worke done by thy grace that it may be crowned with thy glory I doe not long for any worldly thing the whole world lyeth in wickednesse but I desire my soule may be married vnto thee to liue with thee for euermore and therefore O blessed God seeing that as I haue none in heauen so I haue none in earth but onely thou to be my helper I beseech thee to be my redeeming kinsman to preserue my wearied body from the malice of this world and to preferre my disconsolate soule vnto euerlasting ioyes through Iesus Christ mine onely Sauiour Amen IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS THE TABLE AB ABstaine from sinne is from God 205 God neuer absolueth vnrepentant sinners 242 Absurdities God shunneth in all things 324 Absurdities of the Lutheran doctrine touching the communication of properties 377. c. Absurdities following the high-Priest saying that the Disciples stole Christ away 564 Nature not able to shew the reason how the world should be made 138 God able to doe what he will 147 To hinder what he will not haue done ibid. To doe more then he did or doth or will doe 148. 149. c. Phrases of being able or not able how to be vnderstood 158 God able to produce any thing of nothing 163 God able to forgiue all sinnes 164 God not able to doe contrary to what hee decreed 165 Not able to doe things contrary to his Nature 165 Gods ability to helpe vs a great comfort to the godly 177 Absurdities of the doctrine of transubstantiation 174 God able to saue men without the Incarnation of his Sonne 320 None able to know God as hee is in himselfe 120 Abstract names of all excellencies most proper vnto God 122 Goodnesse of God abused by the wicked 225 Abuse of Christ not paralelled in any age 474 AC To be an Accepter of persons what it is 210 We should acknowledge whence wee haue all our goodnesse 211 Inward actions of God euer in doing necessary incommunicable 275 Christ how falsly accused by his enemies 471 Whereof accused before Pilate and how false those accusations were 472 Acts meerely voluntary no sinnes 15. 32 Actuall sinne what it is 10 All actions adiudged according to the disposition of the will 55 Act of punishment least agreeable to Gods nature 195 No act can exceed the power of the agent 209 Actors in the Tragedy of Christ his Passion who they were 421 Gods free actions not curiously to be searched into 555 Chiefest Acts of Dauid types of Christ 617 AD Adam sinning we all sinned 3 Adams fall brought on vs a two-fold euill 3 What God commanded Adam how small a thing it was 98 Adamant how mollified 5â—6 Aduersity makes the Saints more resplendent then prosperity 207 Aduersity and affliction not simply good ibid. AE Aescilus how he came by his death 613 AF. Affirmatiue precepts how many viz. 248. 230 Christ why afflicted by God 496 Affections of Christ how they differ from ours in three respects 444 AG. Agony of Christ what was the cause thereof 443 The seuerall ages of the world 402. 403 Agents that there be three sorts 162 Christ borne in the sixâ— age of the world and why 403 Age of man diuided into foure parts 68 AL. How all we haue is from God 129 All men taste of Gods goodnesse 201 How all men may be said to hate the Preachers 435 Alcestes how deerely she loued her Husband 425 AN. Anabaptists heresie what
i. e. God for diuers speciall reasons as 1. Because hee onely is omnipresent 2. Because hee onely is omniscient 3. Because hee onely is omnipotent 3. The place whereto pray 1. Generally euerywhere 2. Specially the Church and that for fiue speciall reasons 4. The time when to pray 1. With our heart and affect alwaies 2. With our voyce at the appointed times 1. For our priuate prayers 2. For our publ prayers ‡ Where the neglectors of publique prayers are sharpely reprehended 5. The manner how to pray 1. In humility 2. In faith 3. In zeale 4. With constancy 5. In charity 6. In piety 6. The motiues to perswade vs to pray 1. In respect of God because prayer is an essentiall part of Gods seruice 2. In respect of our selues 1. To obtaine our request 1. Whatsoeuer we aske 2. More then we aske 3. Better then we aske 2. To preuent iudgements 3. To preserue al spiritual graces 4 To weaken finne 5. To sanctifie the creatures 6. To ouercome all creatures 7. To preuaile with God 1. When hee is pleased 2. When hee is angry Where is shewed that the gift to pray is the most excellentest grace that God bestoweth on man 2. The charity of the Apostle in shewing how we should pray one for another where is shewed that we must pray 1. Specially for our selues 2. Generally for al men for three speciall reasons and more particularly †; 1. For Kings and all Magistrates 2. For our ministers and that for three speciall reasons 1. Because we owe this dutie to pray for them 2 For our owne good 3. To helpe them ‖ to discharge that great charge which is laide vpon them where is shewed the dangerous estate of Ministers whatsoeuer they doe An Jntroduction to the whole BOOKE WHen Almighty God had decreed from all eternity to make certaine creatures partakers of his felicity he did in that very period of the decreed time by his eternall Councell create of nothing all the things that are subsistent and thereby he shewed himselfe to be as all Gentiles confest it optimus maximus the very best of all that is good and the very greatest of all that is great and as Pliny saith well especially hauing but the light of nature to enlighten him Plutarch in Panegyrico Traiâ—n dict he did herein shew himselfe to be prius optimus quam maximus because hee which was so eminently good that he could not be bettered did all this for them that were iust nothing but alas behold a relapsed creature from his most indulgent Creator and see how this goodnesse of God abused by the creature became through the iust iudgement of GOD an euitable cause of all miseries vpon all transgressors for wee not contented with that blessed state wherein wee were established did spurne against our God by a most ambitious vsurpation of his very Deity and so aspiring vnto a blessed life as we thought we brought vpon our selues a most accursed death as we all finde yet God still desiring to shew himselfe a God of mercy he promised to send a Sauiour to redeem vs Gal. 4.4 by taking our nature vpon him and suffering in our flesh whatsoeuer we deserued for our sinnes and to this end when the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law subiect to the curse of the Law which was death of body buriall in the graue and discention into hell that he might free vs from eternall death and then to rise againe the third day to ascend into heauen and to send his holy Spirit into our hearts to worke in vs faith to apply all this vnto our selues and all other graces whatsoeuer that might fit vs and bring vs vnto euerlasting life And this is the summe of all that is contained in this booke to know our selues to know God to know Iesus Christ borne dead raised ascended and now raigning in eternall glory to guide his Church and to confound his foes for euermore Perhaps this worke may seeme as the water boughs of a fruitlesse tree a superfluous branch vnto the Church of God I willingly submit it to the iudgement of Gods children they must all confesse it is the last houre of the worlds age wherein iniquity is increased impiety is enlarged and all charity is almost abandoned all things growing worse and worse by continuance Et satanas tanto feruentior ad sauitiam quanto se sentit viciniorem ad paenam and Satan hauing the greater rage to driue vs to transgression by how much the neerer he perceiues himselfe to destruction And therefore let men say what they will yet seeing we may truly demaund of them Quid audiam verba cum vidiam contraria facta What booteth all our knowledge seeing we doe nothing that we know nor know nothing indeed as we ought to know I say that it cannot be amisse to do what wee can to expresse those things that may best make for our happinesse and I know these points are necessary to be knowne Aetas parentum peior auis tulit nos nequiores mox daturos progienem visiorem Horat. car 3.6 Greg Moral l. 34. c. 1. and most profitable to be practised by all Christians Reade them then and I will pray to God that he will giue thee grace Faeliciter currere faelicius in Christi pietate cursam tuum consummare to vnderstand what thou readest to beleeue what thou vnderstandest and to practise what thou beleeuest that so thou mayest attaine vnto euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Courteous Reader these errours and the like if you meet them I pray you correct them Pag. Lin. Errata Corrige 5 19 predicatum praedicatum 7 24 as some deleatur 15 21 infelicitas infaelicitas 18 13 predicatum praedicatum 22 30 nay no. 23 36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28 21 occulos oculos 29 20 Athenienes Athenienses 31 15 gnostrickes gnostickes  praemit premit 37 1 equalities equalitie 38 2 quaâ—a quantae  at as 44 9 seruat deleatur 45 10 meritrix meretrix 47 23 á as 71 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 71 6 presentes praesentes 77 12 laethi lethi 81 18 soules sculles 84 16 are is  27 elephat elephante 86 37 it in 93 4 dilicijs delicijs 102 18 diliciae deliciae 128 14 future tens for the present present tens for the future 263 7 conquari conqueri 326 25 impleueâ— impleuit 452 4 faerox ferox 463 1 progeniere progenuere 471 26 eterchangably interchangably 480 25 penae poenae 482 25 manibus maenibus 462 10 Querentis quaerentis 559 35 tum tam 571 12 fugentes fugientes 579 7 eo eos 669 31 honestatatis honestatis 676 34 lepido tepido 692 after effusion of v. their deerest bloud to defend that in the field which they with the diffusion of c. 707 1 propter praeter Marginall faults P. Err. Corrige
the Euangelist speakes not there of the person of the holy Ghost nor yet of the inuisible bestowing of the gifts of the holy Ghost for so they euer knew him to be and his gifts to be giuen vnto the Saints and therefore they did vse to pray with the Psalmist That God would renew a right spirit within them Psal 50.11.12 But the meaning of the Euangelist is that the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost were not as yet plentifully visibly and miraculously giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified for that according to the prophecie of Dauid Psal 68.18 Christ was first to ascend vp on high and to leade captiuity captiue and then in that manner to bestow gifts on men But these words that he was not knowne vnto them by his name Iehouah are to be vnderstood of the performing and accomplishing of those promises which he made vnto them of the giuing of the Land of Canaan vnto them and their posterity for the words going before I haue appeared vnto them by the name of Almighty God and the words immediately following and I haue established my couenant with them to giue them the Land of Canaan the Land of their pilgrimage wherein they were strangers doth make it sufficiently plaine that the meaning of the holy Ghost is this videlicet that although by the creation of the World and the destruction of the same and so by the restauration and the continuall preseruation of the World and of themselues especially in all their pilgrimage Vide Zanch. de nat Dei l 2. c. 13. hee had sufficiently shewed himselfe vnto them to be Almighty yet by the giuing of the Land of Canaan vnto them and their posterity he had not shewed himselfe a fulfiller and accomplisher of his promise because that same promise of giuing them the Land of Canaan though it was faithfully made vnto Abraham yet was it not fully accomplished vntill the dayes of Iosuah And therefore God hereby would giue Moses That God is a faithful performer of all his promises and vs all to vnderstand that as he is an eternall Iehouah or being in himselfe and the giuer of being vnto all Creatures so would hee performe and giue being vnto all his promises and as hee was now mindfull to accomplish this promise which hee made with Abraham of giuing the Land of Canaan so would he be as mindfull to performe that great promise which hee chiefly aimed at and intended by this viz. of giuing eternall life vnto Abraham and all his faithfull Children for wee must vnderstand that whatsoeuer was done or said vnto the Patriarchs and Fathers of the Old Testament 1 Cor. 10.11 Omnia in figura contingebant illis They were but Types and Figures and had relation vnto farre more excellent things and therefore the chiefe meaning of God herein is that although he had but promised vnto Adam that the seede of the Woman should breake the Serpents head Gen 3 15. Gen 22.18 and vnto Abraham that in his seede all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed and should through the said seede be brought to possesse and enioy the euerlasting Canaan and had not as yet performed the same in their time yet as now hee intended by him and especially by Iosua to giue vnto the posterity of Abraham the temporall Land of Canaan as their owne eyes should immediately see so he would as certainely in his due time by and through Iesus Christ whereof Iosua was but a type and figure giue vnto all the faithfull sonnes of Abraham the possession and inheritance of the spirituall Canaan that is eternall life and then they should all see and perceiue him to be as true a Iehouah that is as true a performer and giuer of being vnto this his promise of their redemption and eternall saluation as they doe see him and know him to be an eternall being in himselfe and the giuer of being id est The Creator of all the things that be or as the Children of Israel doe see him to performe his promise of giuing the Land of Canaan vnto the posterity of Abraham And so much for the most especiall things that we may obserue out of this name Iehouah CHAP. III. Of the vsefull instructions that we may gather out of the former Doctrine WEll then beloued Brethren let vs apply this truth vnto our selues and first seeing that good is no good which wanteth perpetuity as Nazianzen saith and that God onely is that eternall being which hath and giueth immortality it teacheth vs where to seeke for our eternity Indeed of our selues we shall be euer for though God made vs Ex nihilo How wee may attaine vnto immortality Out of nothing yet he did not make vs Ad nihilum To returne to nothing There may be a dissolution of soule and body for a time but there cannot be an annihilation of neither because they must be re-vnited againe to remaine for euer but euer without God in eternall misery and therefore seeing it is a deadly immortality to be immortall onely for immortall torments we ought to ascend to him and be vnited to him if wee would be happy and desire to make our immortality profitable vnto vs. 1 Pet. 2.11 Heb. 13.14 Why then should we place our rest on Earth where we be strangers and pilgrimes and haue no continuing Citie and not rather crie to God Claud l. 2. in Eut. Eripe nos tandem seruilibus eripe regnis Reuel 6.10 How long tarriest thou holy and true or when commest thou O good God to free vs E lutulentis manum operibus from this more then Egyptian bondage in this wicked world and to bring vs Lord vnto thy selfe where we shall haue a most hapâ—â— bâ—ing and a most glorious Kingdome without ending For here alas Mille parit luctus mortalibus vna voluptas We haue a thousand bitter sighes for euery little smile Et praeterit iucunditas non redditura manet anxietas non peritura And our little pleasure will soone vanish and yet leaue a sting and a torment that shall neuer be finished but in thy presence there is fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.12 and at thy right hand there is pleasure for euermore Secondly seeing we and all things else haue our being from God Iupiter est quodcumque vides quocunque moueris Lucan l. 9. That we ought to be thankfull vnto God because we hâ—ue all things from God For whatsoeuer we are or wheresoeuer we are we are all and haue all from God Why then should we be so vngratefull and so vndutifull as we are vnto God For had we not had our being all the titles of honours all the confluence of wealth and all the pompous things that we haue from Parents Kings Masters Friends or whom you will had auailed vs nothing nay had wee not had these things from God wee had had nothing at all because hee gaue them their being
and that indeede we were preserued to that end that we might serue him as Zacharias telles vs That wee were deliuered from our enemies that wee might serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Wee ought to endeauour what lyeth in vs to serue this Lord and we should the more ioyfully doe it because as Philo saith Philo in l. de Regno 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To serue the Lord is not onely better then liberty but also more excellent then all Soueraignty And Hugo de prato setteth downe three especiall reasons to perswade all men to serue the Lord. Hugo de prato ser 6. de temp 1. Because we owe our seruice vnto God 2. That we may obtaine a good reward from God 3. That we may escape the punishment of them that neglect to serue God for Three speciall reasons to perswade vs to serue God First The Lord hath made vs redeemed vs preserued vs inriched vs with all that we haue and therefore What reward shal we render vnto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done vnto vs vnlesse we will be contented to take the Cuppe of saluation and to call vpon the name of the Lord and so dedicate our selues wholly to the praysing and glorifying of his name Secondly if we will serue him we shall be sure to haue in this life his grace to guide vs his Angels to guard vs his holy Spirit to comfort vs and whatsoeuer he knoweth to be needfull for vs and in the life to come wee shall haue eternall happinesse wee shall haue the Crowne of euerlasting glory Thirdly if we will not serue him but say Nolumus hunc regnare super nos We will not haue him to be our Lord and Master but wee will serue our selues and the lusts of our owne flesh then you must know what he will say to such Those mine enemies that would not serue me bring them hither and slay them before me nay if you will despise my Statutes and abhorre my iudgements so that you will not doe all my Commandements I also will doe this vnto you I will euen appoint ouer you terror consumption and the burning ague that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart and you shall sow your seede in vaine Leuit. 26.15.16.17 and I will set my face against you hee manes here in this life and at the last dreadfull day they shall be bound hand and foote and cast into that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euermore There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And therefore to discharge our duty to attaine vnto eternall felicitie and to escape this endlesse miserie let vs serue the Lord with feare and reioyce vnto him with reuerence And blessed are all they that serue him Psal 2.11 And so much for the first Part What God is or of the Essence of God PART II. Of the Nature of God Part. 2. or what manner of God he is CHAP. I. Of the power of God and how many sorts of Aduersaries there be which doe oppose the Truth of this Doctrine of the power of God YOu haue heard what God is IEHOVA that is an Eternall being in himselfe and a giuer of being vnto all the things that doe subsist and now we are diligently to consider The nature of God or what manner of God he is for I find that God doth here expresse himselfe vnto Moses by three especiall attributes 1. His Power to make vs beleeue in him 2. His Goodnesse to make vs loue him 3. His Iustice to make vs feare him 3. excellent points to bee throughly knowne to be euer learnt neuer to be forgotten for The first attribute of God i. e. His Power First the Doctrine of Gods Power is the very Anchor of our Faith and the foundation of all Christian Religion for hence proceede all Heresies because the Heretickes know not the Scriptures nor the Power of God and hence proceeds all Faith because we beleeue with the blessed Virgin Stella in Luc. c. 1. p. 36. b Quia potens est that God is able to doe all these things which Reason is not able to comprehend and therefore here immediately after Iehoua he addeth E L Jeron tom 3. p. 95. in ep ad Marell which the Septuagint turned and translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD and Aquila searching into the Etymologie of the word interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Strong saith Saint Hierome and so Zanchius euery where Tremelius and some other Latine versions and the old English Translation reads it strong How needfull is the Doctrine of the Power of God Psal 62.11 and so in Lege credendi in the Symbole of our Beliefe as soone as euer he sheweth himselfe to be he sheweth himselfe to be Almighty and so the Prophet Dauid saith God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that Power belongeth vnto God And surely this Doctrine of GODS Power is so vsefull for all Christians and so necessary for the vnderstandâ—ng of the Scriptures that among all the Attributes of God this deserueth first to be discussed because there is almost no page of Scripture Zanch. de nat Dei l. 3. c. 1. wherein there is not some mention made of the Power of God and the ignorance or not rightly vnderstanding of this Truth is the cause of so many Infidels and Heretickes in the world and therefore I must craue leaue to insist a little vpon this point of Doctrine of the Power of God And for Method sake I will diuide my whole discourse of this point into these foure heads 1 I will set downe the number Foure points handled touching the Power of God and the qualitie of the Aduersaries of this Truth 2 I will explaine this point and shew wherein and how farre this Power of God extendeth 3 I will sufficiently confirme the truth hereof and answere to whatsoeuer is or can be said against it 4 I will briefly shew the vsefull application of the whole Doctrine For the first the Aduersaries of this Truth which doe either exceedingly erre or be mightily deceiued are almost infinite but I may reduce the chiefest of them into these foure sorts whereof two by impayring and denying his Power doe vnto him the greatest wrong that is Foure sorts of men doe erre about the Truth of this Doctrine of the Power of God 1. The Infidels that will not beleeue in him 2. The desperate men that will not hope in him Because they thinke he cannot do those things which in very deed are most facile and easie for him to doe And the other two by mis-vnderstanding the extent of his Power doe not shew much lesse indignitie vnto God then the former and they are 1. The Vbiquitaries of Germany 2. The Pontificials of Rome Which say hee can doe those things which indeed are agreeable neither to the Power nor to the Truth of
3. thes 1. but that through their contempt and diffidence and abuse of Gods goodnesse by turning the graces of God into wantonnesse they make them all like the vntimely fruit of a woman which perisheth before it seeth the Sunne or like the grasse vpon the house toppe that withereth before it be plucked vp How God is not alike good vnto all men Secondly Though it is most certaine that God is good vnto all yet is it as certaine that hee is not alike good vnto all but as the master of a house is good vnto all that are vnder him and so prouideth for them all men and beasts yet is there a gradation of his loue and goodnesse towards them in as much as he loues his wife and children better then he doth the rest of his familie so God is good vnto all but in a more speciall manner he is good to some rather then vnto others so among the Angels he was good vnto them all in that he made them and indued them with most admirable gifts of nature but he shewed more goodnesse vnto them which he preserued by his grace that they should not fall into condemnation then hee did vnto those which hee suffered to runne into destruction and so among men 2 Tim. 4.3 though he be the Sauiour of all men and doth good vnto all men yet is he specially good to them that beleeue or as the Prophet Dauid sayth Psal 73.1 to them that are of a right conuersation And therefore speaking of Gods goodnesse towards men wee say that although God be good vnto all in respect of his generall goodnesse yet in respect of his speciall goodnesse he is onely good vnto his Church vnto his Saints and chosen children he is good to them that feare him that put their trust in his mercie And this speciall goodnesse of God towards his Saints is chiefely seene in these two things which he extendeth and exhibiteth vnto them and not to others 1. In the decreeing of our eternall election Gods speciall goodnesse towards his Saints is seene in two things Aug. de fide ad Pet. c 35. cont Jul. Pelag. l. 5. c. 3. c. 2. In the executing of this decree for our saluation First God foreseeing all the whole race of Adam in the state of sin wherin they had fallen did before the foundation of the world intend purpose to assume into his fauor a certain number of men out of all that masse of corruption on whom hee would confer more speciall fruits of his goodnes then he meant to do on all the rest that they might be the speciall vessels of his mercie and goodnesse and made fit to follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth And this election of some and not of all is sufficiently shewed in many passages of the holy Scriptures as in Ephes 1.4 Matth. 20.16 where our Sauiour saith God electeth some men and not all Many are called but few are chosen and Ioh. 13.18 I know whom I haue chosen and so the Fathers Schoole-men and all are all of the same iudgement that God decreed to glorifie some and not all Secondly As he shewed his goodnesse towards them more plentifully then the rest in thus purposing to saue them rather then the rest so he doth farre more plentifully shew the same vnto them in the executing of this decree of election and in bringing of them vnto eternall saluation And this hee doth two wayes 1. By effectually calling them 2. By giuing and conferring many singular graces vpon them First though God sent his Sonne to die for all men That God effectually calleth none but his Elect. that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting and sends his Preachers to call all men to beleeue in him yet is all this ineffectuall to all those that are not inwardly called by Gods Spirit Quia inanis est sermo docentis nisi intus sit qui docet For we finde many called and often called by the Preachers of the Word which yeeld not obedience vnto the Faith of Christ Matth. 20.16 because as our Sauiour sheweth they are not chosen vnto life But whom God hath decreed to saue he doth inwardly effectually call by his Spirit and when we do outwardly Preach the Word he doth graciously open their hearts as hee did the heart of Lidia Act. 16.14 that they should imbrace and beleeue the same And this Saint Paul sheweth when he saith that whom God did fore-know and predestinate them he called i. e. Inwardly and effectually and so powerfully that when hee doth so call them 1 Sam. 3.10 they doe presently answere Loe I come or with Samuel Speake on Lord for thy seruant heareth And thus he calleth none but those whom he hath decreed to saue for so our Sauiour saith That no man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne reuealeth him i. e. thus effectually by his Spirit And therefore God sheweth more goodnesse vnto them then hee doth vnto all others in that he doth more graciously call them rather then all others Secondly when he hath thus effectually called them he bestoweth many speciall and singular graces vpon them which he doth not vpon all others as chiefly Of certaine speciall graces that God bestoweth vpon his Saints 1. The grace of Preseruation 2. The grace of Iustification 3. The grace of Sanctification 4. The grace of Glorification First the grace of Preseruation is that which keepeth and preserueth these chosen and peculiarly beloued Saints of God from many euils both of 1. Sinne. 2. Punishment For First though as I shewed you before the goodnesse of God preserueth the wicked many times from committing many horrible sinnes which otherwise they would doe yet doth he after a more speciall manner guide the godly with his counsell Psal 73.24 as the Psalmist saith that they runne not with the wicked into the same excesse of riot How God preserueth the Godly from many sinnes Fot seeing by nature we are all equally indifferent to all sinnes how comes it to passe that wee abstaine from may abhominations and haynous impieties that wicked men doe practice is it from our selues or from the goodnesse of our Nature or is it not rather from the goodnesse of God that giueth his holy spirit vnto vs that as he preserued Noah from partaking with the wickednesse of the old world Gen. 6 9. and Lot from following after the abhominations of the Sodomites Gen. 19.7 Gen. 39.8.9 Ioseph from consenting to the lewd inticements of his Mistresse Elias from the Idolatry of Israel and the like so he might preserue vs from those lewd actions that the wicked doe Aug. Soliloq l. 16. Saint Augustine makes it plaine For Tentator defuit saith he Satan was away and time and place was wanting to doe the deed but this was thy goodnesse to preserue mee the Tempter came in time and place
God to communicate himselfe vnto all creatures by his presence and it was a greater kindnesse to communicate himselfe to all the godly by his grace but it is the greatest of all to vnite himselfe hypostatically by his spirit vnto our flesh And therefore this could not be done without infinite goodnesse and so in this respect we find this worke of the incarnation ascribed to each person for the Father sent me saith our Sauiour and I came into the world saith he of himselfe and the Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouer shadow thee whereby thou mayst conceiue saith Gabriel vnto the blessed Virgin And therefore seeing the whole Trinitie was the Maker of this Word flesh how can it be but that the whole Trinitie should be incarnate and made flesh Sol. That the Son onely assumed our Flesh I answere that this worke of the words incarnation is to bee considered 1. Inchoatiue 2. Consummatiue As it was inchoated and begun As it is consummated and finished In the first sense it is common to all the three persons of the Trinitie for it was made by them all three but in the second sense it was proper onely vnto the Word because it was assumed onely by the Word Aug. in Enchyrid C. 38. as Saint Augustine sheweth for as if three Maides should spinne and make a garment and then put it vpon one of them to weare all three should be the makers yet but one should be the wearer of the same Euen so though the Father did appoint Christ a body and this body was conceiued by the Holy Ghost yet neither the Father nor the Spirit did assume that body but only the person of the Sonne of God and therefore Saint Augustine saith truly Idem Ser. 3. de temp that Impleuet carnem Christi pater spiritus sanctus sed maiestate non susceptione The flesh of Christ was filled with the Maiestie of the Father and of the Holy Ghost but it was onely vnited to the person of the Word Ob. But then againe it may be obiected that seeing the nature of the Father and the nature of the Sonne be the very same for they be both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the very selfe-same essence as I haue sufficiently shewed vnto you before and the whole diuine essence is in euery one of them therefore how can it be but the Sonne being incarnate the Father should be incarnate also Sol. To this we answere briefly that although the nature of the Father and the nature of the Sonne be the very same yet Aliter est in patre aliter est in filio This very selfe-same essence is otherwise or after another manner in the Father The diuine nature limited in the person of the Sonne was made Flesh and after another manner in the Sonne and therefore we say that the Diuine nature simply considered cannot be said to be incarnate Sed natura diuina determinata limitata in persona filij But the diuine nature limited and determined in the person of the Son And this Saint Augustine doth most excellently expresse against the Iewes saying O Iudae Cytharam respice c. Behold O Iew the Harpe when it yeelds sweet and pleasant tune there be three things that seeme to concurre alike the skill the hand and the string and yet there is but one sound heard Ars dictat manus tangit chorda resonat The Art or skill directeth the hand toucheth and the string onely soundeth Tria pariter operantur they doe all three worke alike and yet neither the skill nor the hand doe yeeld the sound but onely the string Sic nec pater Operatio in tribus constat sed quemadmodum ad solam chordam soni redditio sic pertinet ad solum Christum carnis humanae susceptio nec spiritus sanctus susceperunt carnem tamen cum filio pariter operantur So neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit did assume the flesh and yet they did all agree in the working and making of this flesh but as the string alone doth yeeld the musicall harmony so the word alone did assume the flesh the worke is seene in all three but as the sound of the musicke pertaineth vnto the string alone so the assumption of our flesh pertayneth to the word alone and if any incredulous Iew with Nichodemus demaunds how this Word should be made flesh of a Virgin without the helpe of man let him tell me how Aarons rod Aug. de incarnat Dom. cont Iudaeos being a drie sticke could blossome and beare ripe Almonds and I will tell him how the Virgin did conceiue and beare a Sonne but he cannot tell the former though the lesser miracle and therefore no wonder that I cannot expresse the latter which is so ineffable a mysterie saith Saint Augustine And so you see the first Branch of this Text touching the person who was made the Word the Sonne the second person of the blessed Trinity fully discussed BRANCH II. CHAP. I. Of Christ his apparition before his incarnation and of the conception of Christ the manner of it and the reasons why hee was so conceiued 2. Branch Tres misturas fecit omnipotens illa maiestas in assumptione carnis nostrae ita mirabiliter singularia singulariter mirabilia vt talia nec facta nec facienda sint amplius super terram SEcondly We are to consider what hee was made Flesh for the Word was made Flesh Saint Bernard saith God did three workes three mixtures as hee calleth them in the assumption of our flesh so singularly wonderfull and so wonderfully singular that the like were neuer made before nor shall be made hereafter vpon the face of the Earth Coniunct à quippe sunt ad invicem Deus homo mater virgo fides cor humanum For now are ioyned together God and our Flesh a Mother and a Virgin a diuine Faith and a humane Heart for the Word and Soule and Flesh haue met and made but one Person These three are one and this one is three not by the confusion of substance but in the vnity of person This is the first and most super-excellent mixture or coniunction The second is a Virgin and a Mother a thing so admirable so singular that since the World beganne it was neuer heard that shee which brings forth a Childe should be a Maide and that shee should be a Mother which still remaines a Virgin The third is Faith and Mans Heart Inferior quidem sed non minus forsitan fortis an inferior copulation but perhaps not deseruing much lesse admiration For it is a wonder to see how the Heart of Man can yeeld Faith and beliefe vnto these two and to beleeue that God should be made Man that shee should remain a Virgin which had borne a Sonne for as Iron and a Gally-cup can neuer be coupled together Bernard Ser. 3.
indicauit And so he did sufficiently honour both sexes the men by assuming the forme of a man and the women by taking his flesh from a woman that as a woman was the meanes to make man a sinner so she might be the instrument to bring him a Sauiour but he would be borne of such a woman that was a Virgin because it became not God to haue any mother but a maide and it beseemed not a maide to haue any sonne Barrad l. 7. c. 10. but a God saith Barradius And so he was made of a woman Why Christ was borne of a Virgin of a woman that was a Virgin and of a Virgin without the helpe of a man and that for diuers reasons As First because that woman was a Virgin by whom sinne entred into the world Jrenaeus l. 5. c. 19. as Irenaeus thinketh and all probability confirmeth Secondly because God had promised that the seeds of the woman Gen. 3.15 that is of the woman onely without the helpe of man should breake the serpents head Esay 7.14 and therefore Esayas saith Behold a Virgin shall conceiue and beare a sonne Thirdly because he was to be most pure without any the least spot or contagion of sinne which hee could not haue beene if he had beene borne after the vsuall manner of men for as Adam so all the posterity of Adam begetting Children doe beget the nature of man Iohn 3.6 together with the guilt and corruption of nature And therefore our Sauiour saith Whatsoeuer is borne of flesh that is after the vsuall manner of flesh and bloud is flesh i. e. fleshly corrupted and defiled Fourthly Because this Word had a naturall Father in Heauen and therefore hee was to haue none in Earth lest thereby hee should be said to haue two Fathers Fiftly Because he was to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedecke who was without Father and without Mother to shew that Christ should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Mother as he was a God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Father as he was a Man And so I might collect many other reasons why this Word being to be made Flesh would be made of a Virgin but I will proceed Secondly Touching the Agent Of the manner how Christ was conceiued and the manner of the act how this substance should be framed and this Child should be conceiued without the helpe of man Saint Luke doth most plainely and fully declare vnto vs saying Luc. 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouer-shadow thee Which words are not to be vnderstood so as if he were begotten spermaticcos per concubitum By any carnall effusion of seminall humour as Iansenius seemeth to imagine nor of the Essence or substance of the Holy Ghost as some Heretickes haue said for so the Holy Ghost being God should haue begotten him not man but God Quia omne generans generat sibi simile Because euery begetter begets his like and John 3.6 that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But hee was conceiued by way of manufacture that is by the handy worke or operation or by the vertue of the Holy Ghost whereby the Virgin did conceiue as Iustine Martyr saith Just Martyr Apol. 2. pro Christianis Aug Ser. 3. de temp Basilius ser de natiuitate or else by the energeticall command and ordination of the Holy Ghost as Saint Augustine saith or by the benediction and blessing of the Holy Ghost as Saint Basil saith whereby that part of the Virgins bloud or seede whereof the body of Christ was to be framed was so clensed and sanctified that in it there should be neither spot nor staine of originall pollution for otherwise the seede of that blessed Virgin before it was sanctified by the Holy Ghost was tainted and infected with sin and then was so composed framed that it became a perfect Christ The manner of Christ his conception is ineffable And because wee should not search too much into this mystery to know the manner of this conception it is said that the power of the Almighty should ouer-shadow her To teach vs that as we cannot perfectly see nor know the things that are couered or ouer-shadowed from our eyes so we cannot perfectly know the manner of this conception Scio quod verbum caro factum est sed quomodo factum sit nescio miraris quia ego nescio omnis creatura ignorat I know that the World was made Flesh but how he was made I know not neither is it any wonder that I know not because euery creature is ignorant of it Chrysost Hom. 5. saith Saint Chrysostome And therefore as the Prophet Dauid saith of himselfe I am fearefully and wonderfully made Psal 139 13. So we may say of this Sonne of Dauid that he is most wonderfully made for First His Mother was sanctified with the fulnesse of grace with the ouer-shadowing of the Holy Ghost and with the inhabitation of the Sonne of God And therefore Saint Bernard saith that shee was Sine pudore faecunda sine grauamine grauida sine dolore puerpera Great with Childe without breach of chastity a Mother and yet a Maide a Woman and yet escaping the curse of all Women for the Law had accursed them all Virgins because they were barren Luc. 1.25 and the married Wiues because they should beare in sorrow Gen. 3.16 but the blessed Virgin escaped both Quia virgo genuit dolorem non sensit For that shee conceiued without sinne and was deliuered without paine as Saint Augustine sheweth by the example of the Sunne that shines through a glasse and yet breakes it not and of the fire that Moses saw in the bush and yet consumed it not but whether shee felt any paines or not I cannot tell onely this wee may be sure of that the greatnesse of her ioy and gladnesse to bring forth such a Sonne might well swallow vp the greatest paine and griefe And as shee conceiued a Virgin That the blessed Virgin continued still a Virgin so shee continued a Virgin as all the most iudicious Writers haue affirmed for it is neither piety to speake nor reason to thinke that Ioseph being so iust and so godly a man as the holy Scriptures doe testifie of him and being eighty yeeres old when hee was espoused vnto Mary as Epiphanius saith should haue any desire to know her whom hee knew did beare his Sauiour or that shee especially should yeeld to the desire of any man after she had conceiued brought forth a God Secondly Though the substance and the parts of other men in ordinary generation be framed successiuely by degrees for the seminall humor first becomes an Embryo then a body inorganicall then are the liuer heart and braine fashioned and then the rest one after another perfected and it is at least forty dayes
manner and the matter wherein the true vnion of these natures chiefly consisteth it will easily appeare if we doe but obserue that all this may and doth agree with all the Saints and faithfull seruants of God for First God dwelleth in his Saints as in his Temples for We are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 6.19 and the Spirit of God dwelleth in vs saith the Apostle Secondly The Saints are one with God by will and affection 1 Cor. 6.17 Math. 6.10 for the Apostle sheweth vs plainely that he which is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit and wisheth rather that Gods will may be done then his owne as they doe daily in their prayers Thy will be done Thirdly That the Saints are Gods Instruments as be many times the wicked also whereby God worketh many excellent things the same Apostle sheweth where he saith That although there be diuersities of operations 1 Cor. 12.6 Rom. 15.19 yet it is the same God which worketh all in all Fourthly That the Saints are called The Sonnes of God and some of them also said to be Gods 1 Iohn 3.1 by the participation of many graces and titles which God hath giuen vnto them it is most plaine Psal 82.6 for I said you are Gods and the Children of the most High And so the Apostle sheweth Gal. 4.6.7 Gal. 4.6.7 and so in many other places And therefore seeing all the faithfull seruants of God may be truly said to be vnited vnto God in respect of the cohabitation of God in them and of their will and affection agreeable to the will of God and of the working of God in them and the bestowing of his names titles dignities and graces vpon them and that the vnion of this Word with our Flesh i. e. of the Diuine Nature with the humanity is farre otherwise then the vnion of the Saints with God it must needes follow that although it be true that there is a most perfect vnity of cohabitation affection operation and participation betwixt the two Natures of Christ yet this is not all but the vnion of them consisteth in a farre more excellent respect then any and all of these And therefore Secondly Brentius Smidelinus What the Lutherans teach concerning the vnion of the two natures of Christ and the rest of their Lutheran followers doe affirme this vnion of both these Natures to consist in the communication of the properties of the Deity to the humanity of Christ so as they are really transferred and the humanity inuested with the diuine properties And therefore they doe conclude that in respect of this reall communicating and transferring of attributes the manhood of Christ is omniscient omnipotent omnipresent and so forth But how grâ—sse this error is and how derogatory to the truth of Christian Doctrine it will easily appeare if we doe but consider those intollerable absurdities that of necessity must needes follow the same for First The absurdities that must needes follow the Lutheran Doctrine The Father and the Sonne should be hypostatically vnited one to the other and so be made one person for that it is most certaine as themselues must and doe confesse that the Father hath and doth communicate all his essentiall attributes and properties vnto the Sonne and therefore if the vnion of these two Natures consisteth in the communicating of properties the Father and the Sonne must be vnited into one person but this is most horribly absurd Therefore the other Secondly The whole Trinity should be incarnate because all the essentiall attributes of the Deity are common to the whole Trinity and to each person of the Trinity Thirdly The two natures of Christ could not be hypostatically vnited because there are certaine diuine properties which cannot be said to be communicated to the humanity of Christ as to be increated to be infinite to want beginning of time to be Ens independens an independant being and certaine things which Christ in respect of his Flesh had not before his passion and resurrection as to bee impassible immortall and such like Fourthly If this vnion consisted in the communicating of the properties then this transfusion of them must be reciprocall that is as the diuine properties are transfused into the humanity so the humane properties must bee likewise transfused into the Deity And then it must needes follow that as Omnipresency Omnisciency Vbiquity and such like are transfused into the humanity so passibility mortality and such like should be really transfused into the Deity but it were most absurd to say that the God-head is capable of humane fraileties And therefore it is as absurd to say that the Manhood was inuested with diuine Excellencies as they are Diuine And Fiftly If this were true then the humanity should be no humanity at all because freed from humane fraileties and inuested with diuine properties And therefore to expresse truly wherein this vnion consisteth Wherein the vnion of the two natures truly consisteth is shewed Thirdly We say that the vnion of these two Natures consisteth in the communicating of the subsistence of the Word with the humane nature that it assumed i. e. of the very being of the Word with the being of our Flesh so that it is an hypostaticall or personall vnion that is such an vnion as that both natures doe make but one person of Christ euen as the soule and body doe make but one person of man Jn Ep. Alex. Concilij anathem 2. for so saith the Councell of Calcedon the Councell of Lateran the Councell of Toledo Saint Cyril and all the Oxthodoxe Fathers that writ thereof Si quis non confitetur carni secundum subsistentiam vnitum Dei patris verbum anathema sit Whosoeuer confesseth not the eternall Word of the Father to be vnited vnto our flesh according to his subsistence let him be accursed And further wee say that the vnion of these two natures i. e. the God-head as it is limited to the second person of the Trinitie and the Manhood of Christ is 1. Inconuertible 2. Indiuisible 3. Inconfused 4. Inseperable Sixe speciall things obseruable in the vnion of the two natures of Christ 5. Substantiall 6. Ineffable First Inconuertible because neither the Diuine Nature is turned into the humanity nor the humanity into the Deity Secondly Indiuisible because the Natures are so vnited into one person that they can neuer be separated vnlesse we diuide the person of Christ which is most hereticall Thirdly Inconfused because the Natures remaine still intire without confounding either their Essence or their properties or their willes or any other operations whatsoeuer and therefore excepting onely his subsistence which is one that we make him not two persons with Nestorius we do affirme that in Christ there are two natures two willes two naturall proprieties and operations intire and vnmixed that we may not confound them with Eutyches for sith the natures are neither confused How the properties
Quem dixerunt regem Iudaeorum erat Creator Angelorum quem viderunt paruum in praesepio erat immensus in coelo Whom they had called King of the Iewes was the Lord and Maker of the Angels and whom they saw little and poore in the cratch was rich and immeasurable in Heauen Quod non capis quod non vides Fulgentius ser de Epiphania Thom in hymn Animosa firmat fides Praeter rerum ordinem Their faith did shew them that he was their God And so that starre which sent forth these three fore-named beames of light into the hearts of these Wise men did send from thence by reflection three other beames of light for our instruction for here we see this starre wrought in them First Illumination and Faith in their hearts What effects the Starre wrought in the Wise men for when they saw him they beleeued in him Secondly Confession and Inquisition in their Mouthes for when they lost him they made diligent search and inquisition after him saying Where is he that is borne King of the Iewes Deut. 6.16 Thirdly Diligence and Obedience in their Actions for they made hast to goe vnto him and when they came they came not empty-handed but they brought vnto him Gold Frankinsence and Myrrhe Aurea nascenti fuderunt munera regi Thura dedâ—â—e deo myrrham tribuere sepulchro And so herein these Wise men were wise indeed not because they had all the wisedome of the Gentiles but because they did thus seeke and find him In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Oh that it were so with vs that wee did know him beleeue in him goe vnto him search and seeke him and offer him our selues and ours to doe him seruice Pro myrrha lachrymas auro cor porrige purum Pro thure ex humili pectore funde preces And we shall not neede to fetch gold from Ophire What we shold offer vnto Christ but the gold of a pure Faith which will abide the fiery tryall neither shal we need to goe to the Apothecaries to buy their Frankinsence or Myrrhe but the sweet perfume of deuout prayers and the bitter teares of godly sorrow for out vngodly sinnes these are the most acceptable sacrifices vnto Christ And as the fore-named witnesses which were primitiae Martyrum the first fruits of his witnesses both of the Iewes and Gentiles doe testifie this truth vnto the world so to these are added the testimony of Iohn the Baptist for he was sent to beare witnes of that light Iohn 1.8 and he testified and bare witnesse of him that he was that Lambe of God John 1.29 which taketh away the sinnes of the world And because we should the better beleeue him and his testimonie herein he sheweth how he came to know him to be the true Messias euen by the testimony of the Spirit of truth for I knew him not saith he but he that sent me to baptize with water i. e. the holy Ghost said vnto me vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost and I saw saith he and bare record that this is the Sonne of God Iohn 1.33 And then the testimony of all the Euangelists the Apostles the Fathers the Martyres and all the holy Men of God which haue testified and sealed this truth vnto vs some with their words some with their workes and some with their deerest blood That God himselfe testified Christ to be his sonne Matth. 3.17 Secondly if these testimonies of the creatures be not sufficient to proue Iesus the Sonne of Mary to be the Eternall Sonne of God we find God himselfe the Creator of Heauen and Earth testifying the same for though the testimony of Iohn was sufficient Iohn 5.35 to satisfie any man because he was aburning a shining light in whom the Iewes themselues were willing to reioyce for a season as our Sauiour witnesseth yet Christ needed not to receiue testimony from man John 5.36 because he had a greater witnesse then that of Iohn euen the Father himselfe which sent him he bare witnesse of him and with an audible voyce he proclaymed the same twice from heauen saying first at the Riuer Iordan and then on Mount Thabor Matth. 7.5 that he was his Beloued Sonne in whom hee was well pleased John 5.36 And these are sufficient witnesses Quia dicta Iehouae dicta pura Because the words of the Lord are pure words as the Psalmist saith Or if any Athiest will not beleeue these Diuine Oracles let him beleeue his owne eyes If he will beleeue neither Angels Men nor GOD let him beleeue himselfe Matth. 7.16 for the very workes that I doe testifie of me for the workes of euery man doe testifie of him what he is because that is a sure rule of our Sauiour By their fruits you shall know them But then you must not vnderstand their workes as they are reported to bee for so wee are and may be many times deceiued for Iohn came Matth. 11.18 neither eating nor drinking and they said he had a Diuell and our Sauiour came eating and drinking and they said behold a Glutton and a Wine-bibber And the Prophet Dauid saith They laid to his charge things that hee neuer knew So the Christians of the Primitiue Church that were as carefull as men might possible be for their liues to leade a strict and an vpright life yet is it incredible almost to thinke what wicked reports were raised of them and therefore not the workes of man as they are by enuy or malice bruited to be for what will not enuy say but as they are in deed and verity doe manifestly shew what any man is and therefore Christ saith vnto the Iewes If you were the sonnes of Abraham Iohn 8.39 you would doe the workes of Abraham and Saint Iames saith Iames 2.18 Shew me thy Faith by thy Workes for the workes of a man truely considered is an infallible argument to shew what he is so the workes that our Sauiour did while he did liue on earth doe sufficiently proue him to be both God and Man and so his very enemies testified saying He hath done all things well Mark 7.37 he maketh both the deafe to heare and the dumbe to speake and those that doubted of him whether he was the true Messias or not said Iohn 7.31 When Christ commeth will he doe more miracles then these which he hath done and the works that he doth now raigning in heauen doe sufficiently proue him to be the Maker Preseruer Heb. 10.12.13 and Redeemer of men for he sitteth on the right hand of God Rom. 8.34 1 Cor 15.35 Matth. 11 6. making intersession for his Saints and ruling till he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete And therefore I conclude as I began that the Word was made flesh and blessed is he that
is not offended in him Why then O thou incredulous Iew wilt thou not receiue thy Sauiour is it because he came poore without any shew of worldly pompe why that should make all men the rather to imbrace him and the more thankefully to acknowledge him because that he which might haue come in Maiestie Cum caelestibus Attended on by Angels would come in pouerty and haue his bed made cum iumentis among the beasts that perish that so by his comming poore we might be all made rich through him and therefore O Iew I doe aduice thee that as thy Fathers accomplished the decree of God in condemning him so doe thou according to the will of God in beleeuing on him and thou shalt be happy for he that beleeueth in him shall neuer perish To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all Honour Thankes and Praise both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer O Eternall God who as in all things else so more especially in giuing thy dearest Sonne co-eternall coequall and co-essentiall vnto thy selfe to be made flesh subiect to our humane frailties and in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted hast shewed thy goodnesse and thy loue to man to be like thy selfe infinite and incomprehensible we most humbly beseech thee to giue vs grace to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ to be the onely true God whom to know is eternall life through the said Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS The Fourth Golden Candlesticke HOLDING The Fourth greatest Light of Christian RELIGION Of the Passion of the MESSIAS LVKE 24.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus it behoued Christ to suffer YOu haue heard dearely beloued how miserably man is distressed by sinne The coherence of this Treatise with the former Treatises how he may be releeued onely by the Mercy of God and how this reliefe is applied vnto vs by the Incarnate Word for he is the true Samaritan that doth helpe the wounded man he is the blessed Angell that doth stirre the poole of Bethesda and giue vertue vnto the water to heale our sores to helpe our soules But alas this Angell as yet is but descended and the waters are not troubled and this Samaritan is but alighted and the poore semi-dead Traueller is not set vp vpon his horse to be carryed towards his Inne that is hee hath not yet entred into the waters of tribulations to saue our soules from drowning in Hell neither hath he put our sinnes vpon his backe that we being freed from the burthen might walke on towards Heauen this resteth yet behind and this Tragedie is yet vnheard and therefore though he much humbled himselfe by his Incarnation yet is that nothing it is but the beginning of sorrowes in respect of his sore and bitter Passion For to redeeme our soules from sinne the deepe waters must enter into his soule and all our sinnes must be laid vpon his backe and for our sinnes It behoueth Christ to suffer Hic labor hoc opus est And this is that which we are now to treat of Thus it behoued Christ to suffer CHAP. I. Of the manifold vse and commodities that we reape by the continuall meditation of the sufferings of Christ Three things that mooue attention THere be three speciall things that doe vse to moue attention 1. An eloquent Author 2. An important matter 3. A compendious breuity And all these three doe here ioyne and meete together in this Text of Scripture For First the Author of these words is Christ Luk. 11.49 First the Author of these words is Iesus Christ the wisedome of God Wisedome it selfe so incomprehensibly wise that all men wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth Secondly the summe of these words is the Tragedy of Iesus Christ Secondly the matter is the Tragedie of himselfe the laborious life and the dolorous death of the Sonne of God the chiefest Tragedy of all Tragedies for the Catastrophe hereof hath the effusion of bloud and the mourning not onely of the Sufferer or Parents and Friends but of Heauen and Earth and all the whole world farre more dolefull then the mourning of Hadadrimmon in Valley of Mâ—gyddo The Actors of this Tragedy are Kings Vice-Royes Dukes Scribes Pharises High-Priests Elders of the people The Actors of this Tragedy the Apostles themselues and others all great Christ the King of Kings Herod the great King Pilate the Vice-Roy Annas and Cayphas high Priests Peter and Iudas great Apostles and those that were mute as the Sun the Earth the Stones the Vaile of the Temple and the very Graues did by apparant signes most dolefully bewayle the nefarious death of the Son of God yea more the Angels mourned and the Diuels trembled to behold the same The Theater on which it was acted was Ierusalem The Theater was Ierusalem the very midst and heart of the earth as some imagine according to that saying of the Psalmist Operatus est deus salutem in medio terrae GOD hath wrought saluation in the midst of the Earth Heere is the place where it was acted Hic hic mors vita duello Conflixere mirando Here life and death did striue for victory and here the beholders were men of all Nations Hebrewes Greekes and Romans and the time was their most solemne feast wherein all did â—eete to eate their Paschall Lambe And therefore if there be any Theame that may challenge our eares to lysten and our hearts to meditate vpon the same it is this for this is one of those things that was once done that it might be thought of for euer that it might be had in euerlasting remembrance And the continuall meditation thereof is 1. Acceptable vnto Christ 2. Profitable for vs. For First The continuall meditation of Christs passion what it doth if the rod of Moses which wrought so many miracles in Aegypt and the Manna which fed the children of Israel 40. yeares in the Wildernesse and the Booke of the Law which was deliuered vnto Moses vpon Mount Sinai were to be preserued in the Arke First It is most acceptable vnto Christ as testimonies of Gods loue throughout all generations how much more should we keepe the remembrance of the Crosse of Christ of the Body and Bloud of Christ and of the glad tidings of saluation which we haue by the death of Christ in the Church of God for euermore Our Sauiour gaue but two Sacraments vnto his Church and one of them is chiefely instituted to this end for a remembrance of his suffering for as often as you eate this Bread and drinke this Cup Luc. 22. you shew the Lords death vntill he come 1 Cor. 11.1 And the remembrance of Christs death saith Saint Chrysostome Est beneficij maximi recordatio Chrys hom 8. in Matth. caputque diuinae erga nos charitatis Is the commemoration of the greatest benefit that euer we receiued
sole of his foote vnto the crowne of his head Esay 1.6 there was nothing whole in him but wounds and swellings and soares most full of grieuous paines And in all this his great and grieuous sufferings we must know them to be the sharper in respect of the tendernesse of his body and the senciblenesse of his spirit because as Aristotle saith Quo complexio nobilior quo mens dexterior Aristot l. 2. de anima c. 9. co tenerior esse solet caro The more noble our complexion and the more quicke and nimble is our apprehension the more sencible is our flesh of the least paine and correction but the flesh of Christ of all other men must needes be the most tender The tenderer our flesh and the quicker our spirits the more sensible wee are of paine because as I shewed you before he was soly begotten of a pure Virgin and his minde must needes be most intellectiue and most apprehensiue of all paine because he was of that age which is most sensitiue and therefore the sufferings of Christ in all respects must needes be most insufferable And yet all this was but the least part of his sorrowes not neere the halfe of his sufferings for hee was to wrestle with the wrath of God that was due to vs for our sinnes yea hee was to tread the fiercenesse of the wrath of God Reuel 15.5 And there can be no conflict in the World so great as to grapple with an angry God for the Prophet Dauid speaking hereof Psal 76.7 saith Thou euen thou art to be feared and who can stand in thy sight when thou art angry The Earth trembled and quaked Psal 18. v. 7. 15. the very foundations also of the hilles shooke and were remoued because he was wroth yea the springs of waters were seene and the foundations of the round World were discouered That the sufferings of Christ were a great deale more then are expressed by the Euangelists or then can be conceiued by any man at thy chiding O Lord at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure And if his anger and displeasure be so great O who can endure the height of his furie who can ouercome by suffering the fiercenesse of his wrath And therefore to shew how vnspeakeable and how dangerous a tâ—ing it is for any man to define what the vnspeakeable sufferings and the incomprehensible feelings of Christ were both in the Garden of Gethsemane before his Iudges and especially vpon the Crosse in Mount Caluarie the Fathers of the Greeke Church in their Lyturgie after they had recounted his bloudy sweate his shamefull crowning his spitefull handling and all the other particular sufferings which are recorded by the Euangelists they doe most excellently conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By thine vnknowne sorrowes and by those infinite sufferings incomprehensible to vs though most sensibly felt by thee Haue mercy vpon vs and saue vs O Lord our God And in all this he truly suffered not imaginarily as some haue imagined Sed vere languores nostros ipse tulit But he truly bare our infirmities and carried our sorrowes Not as the Priests of the Law Leuit. 10.17 which were likewise said to beare the sinnes of the people i. e. typically in the figure but truly in the fact hee bare the punishment of them all and that not in outward appearance as malicious Marcion held it Tertull. contra Marc. l. 4. 8. Aug. de haeresibus ad Quodv heres 46. and afterwards the Manichees maintained it as Saint Augustine saith but as he was a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 physically and truly so hee endured and suffered all these sorrowes Vere sicut verus homo Most truly as being a true naturall man as Aquinas saith He did most sencibly and feelingly suffer them all for it was not with him as it was with the three Children in the third of Daniel Dan. 3 27. who were cast into the fierie Furnace and yet came out not hauing their hayre singed nor their coates changed nor the smell of fire had passed on them but as Plutarch reports of Coriolanus hee can yet shew his wounds that he suffered and make demonstratiue expressions of his sorrowes farre beyond the apprehension of any man to conceiue them But if any man demand how Christ being God could suffer any paine seeing the Deitie is subiect to no passion Heinsius P. 81. Heinsius answereth that Christ suffered not in respect of the diuine nature which he had as God but in respect of his humane nature which he had as he was Man for though the Deity was in the sufferer yet was it not in the suffering How the Godhead suffered not but sustained the manhood that it might suffer though it was in the Body of Christs passion yet was it not in the passion of Christs Body but as I shewed vnto you before Page 438 the humanity onely suffered and the Deity sustained it that it might suffer because the impotency of the one required the omnipotency of the other Christ being a man that he might suffer and being a God that he might be able so to suffer such insufferable things And therefore we say that Christ in respect of his Deity remained still intire vntouched invulnerable impassible and that very then when his humanity suffered and was dead the Deity liued impassibly and rent the vayle of the Temple sealed vp the Sunne-beames vnder a signet of Cimmerian Cloudes caused the Earth to tremble the Centurion to auerre that Christ was the true and essentiall Sonne of God and raysed vp the interred Carkasses from their graues And we say that it was the humane nature of Christ that stood and suffered vpon the Crosse and in the anguish of its passion breathed out that dolefull complaint euen to the Godhead hypostatically vnited vnto it as well as to the Father and to the holy Spirit saying My God my God Math 27.46 why hast thou forsaken me And although the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the distance betwixt these two Natures be so great and the disparity be so euident as that the one was passible and mortall the other impassible and immortall yet are they so combined and vnited in our Sauiour Christ that although he is not one nature yet is he but one person one Christ one Redeemer and when the humanity suffered and was buried yet was it not neither could it be possibly cast off or forsaken by the Deity vnto which the linkes and ligaments of Gods loue had so strictly and eternally obliged it by an hypostaticall and indissoluble vnion Thus Christ though he was God yet as man Dixit multa gessit mira pertulit dura dura verba duriora verbera durissima supplicia He bore and suffered an incredible paine and vnsufferable sorrowes Esay 53. so great and so grieuous that Esayas may well call him virum dolorum No sorrow like the sorrowes of Christ
How the want of loue is the cause of many mischiefes in the world I onely pray it may neuer be so with any Christian soule that we make not the truth of God with all reuerence be it spoken as a Packe-horse to support our vile desires I am sure if there were more loue and charity among Christians lesse faults lesse errours would appeare to bee in the Church of God then now there seemes to be 1 Cor. 13. for charity suffereth all things beleeueth all things and is euer willing to make faults and errours lesser then they be whereas the want of loue will make the worst of euery thing euery errour to be an Heresie and euery infirmity to be hainous impiety nay want of loue will make sinnes where God made none We ought to loue all men and to hate all vices in whomsoeuer they be and make vertues to be vices whereas perfect charity will neuer hate the man though he be full of iniquity and therefore my conclusion of this point is that as Christ hath loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs so let vs loue Christ and loue one another for Christ his sake and he that doth these things shall neuer fall Part. 4 PART IIII. CHAP. Of the manner of Christs suffering how he suffered all that I haue shewed so as the Prophets fore-told and as the Apostles had seene the same with their eyes The incomprehensible manner of Christ his sufferings FOurthly Hauing heard of the person suffering Christ of the chiefest things that he suffered which are recorded by the Euangelists and of the necessity of that suffering in respect of those causes which did necessitate the same wee are now to cōsider the maner how he suffered expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to suffer that is so humbly so louingly so meekely so patiently and so euery way in respect of himselfe as that neither the tongues of men nor Angels are neuer able by any like to expresse it by any words to declare it That all predictions touching the Messias were all accomplished in Iesus Christ or by any apprehensions or thoughts of man to conceiue it And so in regard of men as the Prophets had foretold and the Apostles had already seene for so it pleased Almighty God before the comming of the Messias to fore-tell almost euery thing that should happen throughout all the whole life of the Messias euen from the first moment of his conception vnto the very last act of his Ascention that so all men might beleeue in him in whom they saw all those predictions fulfilled none other for the Prophet Esay had said that a Virgin should conceiue and beare a sonne Esay 7.14 Mich. 5.2 Hos 11.1 Esay 9.1 Micheas said that hee should be borne in Bethlehem-Iuda Hoseas foretold of his flight into Egypt and to be briefe the place of his dwelling in the borders of Nepthali the manner of his liuing Healing all manner of infirmities Cap. 53.4 and preaching the glad tydings of saluation and almost euery one of the least particulars that should happen vnto him at his death Zach. 2.9 as how he should be sold and betrayed by his owne Disciple Psal 41 2. how all his followers should flie from him how craftily and maliciously he should be apprehended Esay 53.10 how falsly he should be accused how basely he should be handled buffeted whipped and spitted vpon how vniustly hee should bee condemned and how cruelly he should be fastned vnto the Crosse to die an accursed death and as most accursed betwixt the wicked and how he should be generally mocked his garments taken from him and haue Gall to eate and Vinegar to drinke and what not all was fore-shewed that should happen vnto the Messias and therefore it behoued Christ so to suffer because it was prophesied that he should so suffer And as the Prophets did fore-shew how the Messias should suffer so the Euangelists and Apostles testifie how Christ did suffer all and euery one of those things that were written of him for they were eye-witnesses of the same 1 Iohn 1.1 and soth ey testifie vnto vs that which was from the beginning which we haue heard and seene and our hands haue handled of the Word of life that testifie wee vnto you i. e. that all the things that were written of him which was promised from the beginning wee haue seene them fully accomplished fulfilled in him which liued and conuersed amongst vs and which we preach vnto you Iesus Christ S. Mathew recollects 32. seuerall Prophesies that he saw fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ Saint Iohn addes many other and so doe the rest diuers more So that whosoeuer would with the men of Berea search the Scriptures from the first Booke of Moses vnto the last Prophet Malachy and marke out all the things that were spoken of the Messias that was for to come we shall if we doe but looke finde them all recorded in the writings of the Apostles and Euangelists to be most fully fulfilled in the person of Iesus Christ A sufficient condemnation to all Iewes that still looke for another Christ for why should not they beleeue their owne Prophets they said the Messiah should suffer these things Christ suffered them so as they were prophesied who then can be the Messias but he in whom all these prophecies were fulfilled but Saint Paul tels vs why they will not beleeue in him Why the Iewes beleeue not in Christ Rom. 11. because partly blindnesse is come vpon them vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in And now Lord if it be thy will open their eyes that they may see this truth and circumcise all infidelity from their hearts that they may beleeue thy Sonne Iesus Christ to be the Sauiour of the world And as this condemneth all vnbeleeuing Iewes so it confirmeth all true Christians in the faith of Christ and I wish to God that as the seeing of all these things fulfilled in Christ makes vs all to beleeue in Christ so the suffering of all these things for vs would make vs all to praise this our Lord Iesus Christ for his goodnesse to feare him in all our wayes to loue him with all our hearts and to serue him truly and faithfully all the dayes of our life O blessed God grant this vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake To whom with thee O Father and the Holy Spirit three distinct persons of that one indiuided essence be ascribed all praise and glory both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer O Most blessed God that hast giuen thy dearest and thine onely Sonne not onely to be made man subiect to all infirmities but also to suffer all miseries throughout his whole life and in the end to be put vnto a most shamefull painefull and accursed death by wicked men for sinnefull men that hee suffering what wee deserued wee might be deliuered from thy wrath we most humbly beseech
office of this Angell here expressed to serue Christ to affright the souldiers and to delight these women to teach them to direct them Reuel 4.8 and to preserue them in all their wayes for as they neuer cease to serue the Lord so they neuer cease to preserue the Saints vntill they cease to serue their God and therefore to vse Saints Bernards exhortation Quantum debet hoc verbum inferre reuerentiam afferre deuotionem conferre fiduciam How ought this doctrine to moue vs and worke in vs reuerence for their presence confidence for their custody and obedience vnto God for so great an argument of his beneuolence vnto man as to giue his Angels charge ouer vs Et quam cauté ambulandum and how warily ought we to walke seeing the Angels of God are euer present with vs when all the men of the world are absent from vs It is reported of a godly Virgin that being often sollicited by a gallant vnto vnlawfull lust at last she yeelded that if hee met her at such a place he should haue leaue to worke his pleasure with her both came to the place appointed and the place was full of people then the mayden told him that now if he pleased he might vse her as he would he answered that now for shame he durst not doe it in the sight of so many men and women then she replyed and thinkest thou that I dare doe that in the presence of God and his holy Angels which thou darest not doe in the sight of mortall men and I wish euery one of vs did so that is to be ashamed to doe those things in the sight of God and his holy Angels Psal 139.2 Velleius paterculus which we are afraid to doe in the presence of men for they alwayes see vs though wee see not them they are about our beds and about our pathes and spie out all our wayes and therefore as Marcus Drusus when one told him he could build him an house of such a forme as that no man might see what he did therein answered that hee liked better of such an Architector as could build his house so as that euery one passing by might plainely see what was done therein so I wish to God that euery one of vs would striue and labour so to liue as it becommeth vs to doe in the sight of God and of his blessed Angels And so we see the Resurrection of Christ fully and plainely shewed vs to the eternall praise and glory of God and to the endlesse ioy and happinesse of all Christians through the said Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all power and dominion both now and for euer Amen A Prayer O Blessed God which gauest thine onely Sonne Iesus Christ to suffer death for our sinnes to descend into Hell to destroy our enemies and to rise againe for our iustification and so to declare himselfe mightily to be the Sonne of God and the true Sauiour of all men We most humbly beseech thee to raise vs from the death of sinne from all our sinnes and to giue vs grace to beleeue in thee to be thankfull vnto thee and to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life that when we shall be laid to rest in our graues we may rest in assured hope to be raised vp by Christ to liue with him for euermore through the same Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS The Sixt Golden Candlesticke HOLDING The Sixt greatest Light of Christian RELIGION Of the Ascention of our SAVIOVR and of the Donation of the HOLY GHOST EPHES. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore he saith when hee ascended vp on high heeled captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men AFter that the blessed Apostle Saint Paul had by many arguments proued vnto the Ephesians that they should earnestly studie The coherence of this verse with what goeth before and most carefully labour to preserue the vnity of the Church of Christ he seemeth in the seuenth verse to answer a certaine obiection that might bee made viz. seeing the graces the gifts and the offices which God hath bestowed vpon his Church are so many and so manifold so diuers and so vnequall some hauing many graces some but few some one gift and some another how can it be that this vnity can be so faithfully preserued therefore the Apostle sheweth that the diuersity and inequality of gifts is not onely no hinderance but is indeed a great furtherance to cherish and preserue the same First Because all these gifts do flow from the same fountaine Iesus Christ Secondly Because they are all giuen and imparted for the same end and purpose that is to gather together the Church of Christ into the vnity of faith The first reason he proueth out of this Prophesie of Dauid who speaking of the Messias triumphing ouer his enemies saith Thou art gone vp on high thou hast led captiuity captiue and receiued gifts for men And The second reason he confirmeth at large in the verses following where he sheweth that Christ gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers and all to this end that is for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the boâ—y of Christ till wee all come into the vnity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God Two things contained in this verse And therefore we finde contained in this verse two speciall points First A confirmation of the Apostles alledged reason that all graces doe flow from Christ in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore he saith Secondly A Propheticall prediction of the Messias in these words When he ascended vp on high he led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men That the Scripture is the best warrant for all Preachers For the first I meane not to stand long vpon it I will onely note this one thing that all we the Teachers of Gods people according to the example of this Apostle nay of Christ himselfe and of all Christs true Schollers should not teach any positiue point of doctrine vnlesse we can either directly or by necessary consequence proue and confirme the same out of the Sacred Scriptures for whatsoeuer hath not authority from the word of God Eadem facilitate refellitur qua probatur may as well be reiected as receiued Hieron in Matth. c. 23. saith Saint Hierom and whatsoeuer is therein contained it requires absolute faith without doubting because as Hugo Cardinalis saith Quicquid in sacris literis docetur veritas est sine fallacia quicquid praecipitur bonitas est sine malicia quicquid promittitur faelicitas est sine miseria Whatsoeuer is caught in the Scripture it is truth it selfe without fallacy whatsoeuer is commanded it is purely good without the commixtion of any euill and whatsoeuer is promised it is perfect felicitie without the least
all heauens we must learne the way of him if wee would ascend to heauen for hee came downe from heauen and he is gone vp into heauen and now he sitteth in heauen vpon the right hand of God CHAP. II. That Iesus Christ the Sonne of God is hee that is meant by the Prophet Dauid and Saint Paul to haue ascended vpon high Quest BVt who is he of whom it is written that hee ascended vp on high for many ascend as you heare but which is he that is here meant I confesse the 68. Psalme Resp Psalme 68. wherein these words are first written is literally to be vnderstood not of any triumph for the slaughter of the hoste of Senacherib which was done in the time of King Hezekias as the Iewes doe most fabulously dreame when the very Title of this Psalme that ascribeth it vnto Dauid doth sufficiently confute this vanity nor yet for any of the victories of Dauid which he obtained against his bordering enemies the Ammonites Literally these words were spoken of the Arke of the Couenant the Moabites the Idumeans and the Philistines as some would haue it but of that great and glorious pompe which was then done and shewed when King Dauid with great ioy and triumph did bring the Arke of the Couenant into the hill of Sion and therefore these words thou art gone vpon high Mollerus in Psalme 68. doe signifie that the Arke which formerly had layne in an obscure place was transported from one place to another was now ascended and seated in a most illustrious and conspicuous place euen in the Kingly pallace and these words thou hast led captiuitie captiue to signifie those enemies which formerly had spoiled and wasted diuers Countreyes but now being vanquished by King Dauid were led captiue in this triumph for so it was the manner of those times as Plutarch doth excellently declare in the life of Paulus Aemilius and the other words thou hast receiued gifts for men Plutarch in vita Pauli Aemilij doe signifie those spoyles that were freely offered for conditions of peace and were triumphantly carried about in this pompous showe for the greater solemnitie of the same and then as the manner was among the chiefftaines when they triumphed Bellica laudatis dona dedisse viris to bestow warlike gifts vpon worthie men were bestowed on seuerall men in seuerall manner as Sigonius sheweth Sigon l. 2. de antiquo iure pro. Yet I say that mystically this Psalme is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a tryumphall song penned by King Dauid vpon the foresight of Iesus Christ arising from the dead and with great ioy and triumph ascending vp into Heauen Mystically these words were first spoken of Christ ascending vp into Heauen and thence sending his holy spirit vnto his Apostles and Disciples and hauing ouercome all his enimies collecting by the ministerie of his Preachers his Church and chosen seruants together and so guiding and defending them heere in this life vntill he doth receaue them into eternall glorie for so the authoritie of Saint Paul interpreting them and all other Diuines with one consent doth compell vs to vnderstand them and to know that that pompous shew and tryumph of King Dauid was but the praeludium and type of this triumph of our Sauiour Christ whereof the Apostle speaketh in this place and it was an vsuall thing for the Prophet Dauid in all his chiefest and most glorious acts so to behold the Proto-type that is the Messias whose type he knew he was and so to accommodate all his actions vnto what the Messias should doe that all men might perceiue these things to be done not through any humane inuention All the chiefest acts of Dauid were types of Christ but as he was moued and guided by the inward inspiration of Gods spirit and that for the instruction and edification of the whole Church when by these outward perspicuous acts of Dauid as by certaine visible lectures all men might see and reade those things that should be done by Iesus Christ And therfore I say that the person prophesied of by King Dauid and here spoken of by Saint Paul to haue ascended vp on high is our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who hauing vanquished and ouercome sinne death Hell and all our enemies did most gloriously ascend vp to Heauen in the presence of all his Apostles and Disciples and thence sent the holy Ghost to replenish and fill their hearts with all spirituall gifts and graces and this will more fully appeare vnto vs out of the second point which is the action or the motion of this person set downe in the word ascendit when hee ascended vp on high CHAP. II. A fuller declaration of the person ascending and of the time place and manner of his ascention Saint Paul collecteth two things out of the word he ascended YOV haue heard of the person ascending who he is Iesus Christ we are now to consider of his ascention out of this word ascendit when hee ascended vp on high but first we must obserue that our Apostle out of this Word he ascended doth collect both the humiliation and the exaltation of Christ First the humiliation of Christ First his humiliation in the 9. v for that he saith he ascended what is it but that hee descended first into the lower parts of the earth wherein the Apostle would haue Dauid when hee forespake of the glorification and the ascention of Christ into Heauen to haue foreseene his humiliation and descention from Heauen to bee incarnate and made man Secondly the exaltation of Christ Secondly his exaltation in the tenth verse hee that descended is the same also that ascended farre aboue all heauens for these two verses are read by a parenthesis and are added by the Apostle for the fuller explication of those hidden mysteries that are included in the word he ascended First touching the descention the Apostle setteth downe two things 1. The descent it selfe that he descended 2. The extent of his descent into the lower parts of the earth The first sheweth vs that hee was first in Heauen Christ first descended i. e. was incarnate before he could ascend i. e. according to his God-head or else he could neuer haue descended out of Heauen and that he descended to be incarnate and mâ—de man before the man Christ could ascend vp into Heauen and therefore the Prophet Dauid fore-seeing the ascention of the man Christ must needs foresee the humiliation of the Sonne of God to be made man The second is a point more controuerted for first some doe expound the lower parts of the earth to signifie his mothers wombe because the descent of the Sonne of God is nothing else but his incarnation and that was done in his mothers wombe and because the Prophet Dauid vseth the like saying of himself I was formed beneath in the earth i. e. in my mothers wombe In inferioribus terra secondly
Triumph of Christ Part. 3 PART III. CHAP. I. Of the speciall ends why Christ ascended into heauen and of the gifts which he giueth to edifie the Church THirdly touching the bounty of Christ set downe in these words and he gaue gifts vnto men we must first reconcile the difference betwixt the Prophet and the Apostle about the same for Dauid saith thou hast receiued gifts for men and Saint Paul saith he giueth gifts to men and I answer that if we vnderstand it literally Dauid receiued gifts which for feare of his power were freely offered vnto him and if we vnderstand it mystically of Christ we finde the saying of both to be true for the Apostle speaketh of the things which Christ doth as God sending forth the holy Ghost and bestowing gifts on men and the Psalmist speaketh of him according to that which the same Christ doth in his body August in Psal 67. p. 289. a. i. which is his Church Thus no doubt saith Saint Augustine but as he is persecuted in his Church so accepit in membris qua dona membra eius accipiunt he receiued and receiueth gifts in men for whatsoeuer is done to them that beleeue in him the same is done to him or else we may say that the Son of God as he was man receiued those gifts from his Father which hee was afterwards to distribute and to giue vnto his Church for so we reade that he being exalted and hauing receiued of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost Act. 2.33 hee hath shed foorth this which we now see and heare and so the originall word which the Psalmist vseth signifieth to receiue that which wee must presently distribute saith Mollerus Mollerus in Psal 68. and therefore the difference is soone ended and the matter in both is true he receiued gifts and he gaue those gifts to men for wee finde as Bonauenture tels vs that our Sauiour ascended for foure speciall ends Christ ascended for foure speciall ends First to receiue his kingdome as himselfe intimateth vnto vs in the nineteenth of Luke and the twelfth verse Secondly to make vs the more earnestly to long for him Quia abijt occultat se Deus vt ardentius quaeratur à nobis because God doth therefore hide himselfe from vs that he may be the more earnestly sought of vs saith Saint Bernard Bernard in cant Thirdly to prepare a place for vs for though in respect of Gods purpose it was prepared for vs before the beginning of the world yet in respect of the effecting and bringing to passe the said purpose it was specially prepared for vs by Christ because he remoued all hinderances and made way for vs to enter into glory 1. by appeasing his fathers wrath 2. by cleansing our consciences from dead workes 3. by opening vnto vs the gates of heauen and 4. by making continuall intercession for vs As Bonauenture speaketh Fourthly to send downe his holy Spirit vnto vs Ioh. 16.17 for so our Sauiour saith It is expedient for you that I goe away Quia nisi dederitis quod amatis non habebitis quod desideratis for vnlesse I goe away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you Tertul. l. de carne Christi for now saith Tertullian Graetum quoddam commercium inter coelum terram existit celebratum a most gratefull exchange and a friendly louing bargaine was made betwixt heauen and earth that to the inhabitants of heauen should be giuen the flesh of Christ and to vs on earth should be bestowed the comforts of Gods holy Spirit and so the Spirit of God should remaine with vs on earth and our flesh should dwell with them for euer in heauen and then all things to be common betwixt vs eternally and therefore he did not send his Spirit vnto vs before he had ascended into heauen Why Christ would not bestow his gifts on men before his ascention non propter impotentiam sed quia habuerunt corporalem prasentiam not in respect of any impotency that he could not doe it but because we had his corporall presence and because as the raine doth not descend vntill the mist and dew doe first ascend so the gratious raine of Gods Spirit did not fall vpon Gods inheritance to refresh it when it was weary vntill this fruit of the wombe which was as the dew of the morning had first ascended into heauen but as when that little cloud like a mans hand 1 Kings 11. did rise out of the sea there was a sound of much raine so when that humble flesh of Christ was ascended out of this world into heauen then he gaue gifts vnto men Aug. de verbis domini p. 63. b. 1. to 10. But what are these gifts which he giueth Saint Augustine saith it is his holy Spirit Tale donum qualis ipse est such a gift as himselfe is for he gaue himselfe and he giues a gift equall to himselfe because the gift of Christ is the Spirit of Christ but heare the Apostle saith hee gaue gifts and not a gift and therefore though I doe confesse that this holy and blessed Spirit is the author and fountaine of all gifts by whom wee haue remission of sinnes subiection of our enemies and all other gifts of grace and glory sealed vnto vs yet I say that the Apostle herein meaneth not so much the spirit himselfe as the gifts and graces of his Spirit And therefore that wee may the better vnderstand the fulnesse of this point of the bounty of Christ we must consider these foure speciall things Foure points to be considered 1. What manner of gifts they are 2. What gifts are here meant 3. How he doth bestow them 4. On whom he doth bestow them First that the gifts of God are free gifts For the first wee must know that they were gratuita free gifts so the words dedit dona he gaue them and he gaue them as gifts doe sufficiently declare or otherwise si praememeruisti tum emisti non gratis accepisti if thou hadst done any thing to deserue these gifts then hadst thou bought them and not freely receiued them and God had sold them and not giuen them and so they had beene praemia non dona rewards for thy good deedes and not gifts of his meere grace but this point is so cleere that I neede not stand on it Matth. 10.8 Freely you haue receiued saith our Sauiour freely giue for euery one may take of these waters of life freely and may haue these gifts Esay 51.1 like Esayas milke without money or moneyes worth For the second wee must note that the gifts of God are either 1. Temporall Secondly the the gifts of God are of two sorts 2. Spirituall First The temporall gifts he gaue vnto all sorts of men aswell before as after his ascention for wee must note that euery thing which we haue is
Thirdly for a sensible and a well-pleasing suffering of all afflictions wants pouertie losses persecutions malice contempt contumelies pouertie death it selfe and that not for any game of worldly good for so worldings suffer much losse of sleepe labour and toyle to get a little wealth the drunkard many a fall and some hurts for the loue of his pleasant wine and the enuious man many a blow and some wounds perhaps to wreak his malice vpon his aduersarie and yet in these men which doe thus suffer much that they may doe euill nec miranda nec laudanda est patientia quae nulla est admirandâ— duritia neganda patientia Aug in l. de patientia c. 5. their patience is neither to be admired nor to bee commended because it is a suffering for ill ends but our suffering must be for to shew vnto the world that rather then we will in the least degree dishonor God or make shipwrack of our faith and good conscience we are most willing to indure whatsoeuer shall be imposed vpon vs. All these kindes of diuine patience the holy spirit of God worketh in the hearts of the godly to make them patiently to waite for good Iob. 1.22 and quietly to suffer all euill and all this without grumbling or charging God foolishly CHAP. III. Of the formes wherein the holy Ghost appeared and why and how the Apostles are said to be filled with the holy Ghost FOr the third that is The gifts of edifying the Church how giuen how God bestoweth these gifts vnto men we must vnderstand that as his gifts be diuers so he doth diuersly bestow them for First those gifts which are giuen for the edifying of his Church he gaue them after two speciall manner of waies 1. Abundantly and visibly in the infancie of his Church 2. Sufficiently and inuisibly euer since First the Scripture tells vs Acts 2.1 2 3 4. that when the day of Pentecost was come they were with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heauen as of a mightie rushing winde and it filled all the house where they were sitting and there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like as of fire and it sate vpon each of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and beganne to speake with other tongues as the spirit gaue them vtteranee Out of all which we may chiefely obserue these three speciall poynts 1. Who were filled 2. With what they were filled 3. The effects of their filling First Saint Chrysostome saith that all the companie both of men and women were filled with these graces Cyprian ser de spiritu sancto Saint Cyprian saith the whole multitude of the beleeuers that were gathered together were replenished with this spirit Saint Augustine Saint Gregorie and Lorinus saith that all the Apostles and Disciples were filled with the holy Ghost Hieron in epitaph Paulae but Saint Hierome and Theod. Beza and others do affirme that none but the Apostles onely were replenished with these gifts howsoeuer the matter is not great it deserues not contention though it may afford discussion for mine owne part I thinke all that were there Who were filled with the holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost were not replenished because it is said many of the beholders wondered and others derided at this there sudden alteration which certainely they would neuer haue donne because there had beene none to doe it if they had bin all filled and I cannot easily yeeld that the Disciples were filled with these gifts because the promise of sending downe the holy Ghost was onely made vnto the Apostles as we may easily collect out of the fift verse of the first Chapter and because Saint Peter with the other Eleuen doe onely stand vp to answer for themselues as we may plainely see in the fourth verse of the second Chapter and especially because some antient copies haue bin found which doe expressely say that all the Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost And 1 Cor. 13.32 God can blesse or preserue his seruants in the midst of the wicked This sheweth how the spirit of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets and that as God can powre downe his plagues vpon multitudes of men and yet preserue one free in the midst of thousands as the Prophet Dauid sheweth so he can powre down his spirit vpon one in the midst of millions of men and hee can bedewe that one with his grace like Gedeons fleece while all the rest are drie Iudges 61.38 and destitute of the same which doth exceedingly commend the wise dispensation of almighty God and affoord a great comfort vnto the Saints of Christ that although they liue in the midst of a most crooked and peruers generation yet they may see how God can preserue them as the lilie in the midst of the thornes and indue them with his grace when all the rest of the world flowes with sinne Secondly they are sayd to bee filled with the holy Ghost where we must obserue these two things 1. The thing wherewith they are sayd to be filled 2. The filling of them with that thing First they are said to bee filled with the holy Ghost and we finde that the name of the holy Ghost is taken two wayes 1. For the essence of the holy Ghost 2. For the effects and gifts of the holy Ghost First it is taken for the essence of the holy Ghost as by the spirit of the Lord were the heauens made That the holy Ghost is a true God by nature and in this sence all creatures are filled with the holy Ghost because they liue and moue in him for the spirit of the Lord filleth the world and containeth all things saith the wise man And yet some haue bin so bolde as most impiously to affirme that the holy Ghost was but a created qualitie or a godly motion in the hearts and mindes of righteous men But the very works of the holy Ghost as creating all things as Iob sheweth the spirit of the Lord hath made me Iob. 33. and the breath of the Almighty hath giuen me life and as the Prophet Dauid more expressely affirmeth saying that by the spirit of the Lord were the Heauens made and all the Host thereof by the breath of his mouth Psal 33. and here assuming on him visible formes and sitting vpon each one of the Apostles onely and none els which no created qualitie could possibly doe and especially the comparing of Esayas words with the words of Saint Paul will sufficiently confute this damnable error and most manifestly shew vnto vs this holy spirit to be the true and eternall God Esay 6.9 for whom Esayas calleth the Lord of Hosts which said vnto him Goe tell this people heare yee indeede but vnderstand not and see yee indeed but perceiue not Saint Paul calleth the holy Ghost saying well spake the holy Ghost by Esayas the Prophet saying Goe vnto this
therefore the Holy Ghost descended on Christ like a Doue Matth. 3.16 to shew these Doue-like qualities of this Lambe of God and to teach that we must be thus qualified like Doues if we would haue this heauenly Doue this Holy Spirit of God to remaine within vs for on them that are otherwise this Doue hath not yet descended Fourthly like a mighty winde Fourthly He appeared like the rushng of a mighty winde for a true winde it was not saith Oecumenius but the Spirit of God Qui à spirando flando dicitur which from blowing or breathing is called spirit is said to appeare First Like the winde and that for these fiue reasons Iohn 9. â— First As the winde bloweth where it listeth so the graces and gifts of Gods Spirit are giuen to whomsoeuer it pleaseth him for he will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy Exod. 33.19 In what respect the Holy Ghost is like vnto winde Secondly As the winde scattereth the dust and driueth away the chaffe from the corne so the graces of Gods Spirit doth winnow the consciences of the Saints and driue away all wicked thoughts and cogitations from their hearts Thirdly As the winde carrieth away the ship against the maine streame so will the grace of Gods Spirit carry a man against the current of his naturall inclination for if Socrates by the sole helpe of morall instructions was able to bridle his loose disposition how much more shall those men bee restrained from all lewdnesse which are led by diuine inspiration Fourthly As the winde cooleth and recreateth all those that are scorched with the heate of the Sunne so doth the grace of Gods Spirit recreate all those distressed people that are scorched with the heate of afflictions or burned with the concupiscence of their sinnes Fiftly As the winde will passe vnresistably so will the grace of Gods Spirit worke it owne â—ffect and all the power of darknesse is not able to resist it and therefore Secondly It is said 1 Kings 10.11 that he appeared like the rushing of a mighty winde because that as the mighty winde in the first booke of Kings the 10. and the 11. did rend the mountaines and brake the rockes before the Lord so the grace of Gods Spirit and the Word of God is mighty in operation Why the Holy Ghost is compared to a mighty winde able to shake the stoutest and the proudest man and to breake in pieces the stoniest heart Indeed our people do esteeme our words none otherwise then winde which makes vs spend so much winde to little purpose to weary our selues and scarce to waken them but here let them know that the Spirit of God like Aeolus which shutteth vp the windes in his bagges can when he pleases let out the same in a mighty manner to amaze the consciences of the stoutest Peeres and either to driue away their sinnes Exod 10.19 Psal 1.5 as it droue away the Grashoppers and Locusts that ouerspread the land of Egypt or else to driue them away like the Chaffe from off the face of earth Fiftly He appeared like clouen tongues of fire First Like tongues for though the tongue Fiftly like clouen tongues of fire i. e. such a tongue as is set on fire from Hell as Saint Iames saith is many times the instrument of the Diuell to doe much mischiefe to blaspheme God and to abuse men yet Vt non debent oues odere pelles suas quia induunt eas lupi As the sheepe should not hate their skins because the Wolues doe many times put them on so ought none that is wise reiect that which is good because it is often abused by the bad therefore seeing as Pittacus saith the tongue as it is the worst member in a wicked man so it is one of the best members in a godly man Iames 5.6 Why the Holy Ghost appeared like tongues the Holy Ghost did appeare like tongues First Because as a Father saith Symbolum est lingua spiritus sancti à patris verbo procedentis The tongue is a symbole of the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Word of the Father for as the tongue hath the greatest cognation and the neerest affinity with the Word and is moued by the Word of the heart to expresse the same by the sound of the voyce saith Saint Gregory Iohn 16.14 so the Holy Ghost hath the neerest affinity that may be with the word God and is the expressor of his voyce and the speaker of his will that receiueth of him and reueileth all vnto vs. Secondly Because as the tongues are the sole instruments of knowledge which conuayes the same from man to man for though the soule be the fountaine from whence all wisedome springeth yet the tongue is the channell and the conduite pipe whereby this wisedome this knowledge is communicated and transferred from man to man so the Holy Ghost is the sole Author and Teacher of all truth Christ is the wisedome of God but the Holy Ghost is the Teacher of this wisedome vnto men 1 Cor. 1.21 and it pleased him by this onely way to conuay this wisedome of God vnto men for seeing the world by their wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God through the foolishnesse of Preaching to saue those that beleeue Why he appeared like clouen tongues Secondly He appeared like clouen tongues because all tongues and all languages are alike knowne and vnderstood of God and because this Spirit can teach all men all languages and the gift of tongues is a gift of God Why he appeared like clouen tongues Thirdly He appeared like clouen tongues of fire they were ignitae non politae fiery tongues and not fine polished tongues because the Spirit of God delighteth rather in the zealous and the feruent tongues of Saint Paul and Apollos that warme the heart then in those eloquent tongues of Cicero and Demosthenes that delight the eares for this is the desire of Gods Spirit to kindle the hearts of men and to set them on fire with the loue of God and our brethren So when our Sauiour preached vnto the two Disciples that trauelled towards Emaus they said Did not our hearts burne within vs Luke 24. while hee talked with vs by the way This is the effect of the tongue of the Holy Ghost to worke zeale and feruency in the hearers And so you see the thing wherewith they were said to be filled that is the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost CHAP. IIII. Of the filling of the Apostles with those gifts of the Holy Ghost and the signes of their fulnesse SEcondly They are said to be filled with these gifts and Dydimus saith that wee cannot be filled with any creature Quia deus solus implet creaturas Because nothing but God can replenish and satisfie his creatures Vnus pellaeo Iuueni non sufficit orbis The whole world is not able to content vs so large
is the capacitie of mans desire And yet we finde that in some sense euery man may be truely said to be full for nature it selfe abhorres vacuity Rom. 1.29 and therefore the wicked are said to be full of all vnrighteousnesse full of sinnes full of worldly cares and being full of these things they must bee voide of grace and empty of goodnesse their braines empty that they vnderstand nothing their memory empty that they remember nothing and their hearts empty that they practise nothing that is good All men are either full of sinnes or of grace But as the vessell that is full of water must be emptyed of that water before it can be filled with Wine or as thy hand full of Counters saith Saint Chrysostome must be emptied of the Counters before thou canst fill the same with gold so must wee empty our selues of sin before we can be filled with grace we must cast away the cares of this world before wee can be satisfied with the ioyes of Heauen and therefore the Apostles did forsake the world and left all things to follow Christ and then hauing emptyed themselues of all worldly vanities to follow Christ they were presently filled with these heauenly graces of Christ Hugo de Prato apud Discip Now as Hugo de Prato saith there be foure speciall signes of fulnesse 1. Not to murmure 2. Firmely to stand 3. To receiue no more 4. To flow ouer And wee finde this to be true in each sort of them that are full For First The wicked which are full of all vnrighteousnesse First They are dumbe and open not their mouthes to giue thankes to God for any thing and if God knocketh on these vessels with the fingers of his blessings yet we shall not heare the least sound of any thankefulnesse they are full of sinnes and therefore they cannot speake of grace Secondly They are so constant in their wickednesse Mens immota manet that as a full vessell cannot easily be remoued so all the preaching in the world cannot make them to alter their lewde and wicked courses Thirdly They are so full of sinnes that there is no roome in them for grace because nothing can receiue but his fulnesse Fourthly They corrupt others and speake of wicked blasphemy and their talking is against the most highest and so their sinnes doe flow and ouerflow the whole Countrey to shew indeed that they are full and more then full of sinnes Secondly The Apostles and Disciples and all good Christians being replenished with Gods Spirit they haue the same properties but in a farre different sense For First If God should knocke on these vessels with the fingers of afflictions with any plagues or troubles yet they murmure not at any thing they open not their mouthes whatsoeuer they suffer but they reioyce in tribulation that they are counted worthy to suffer any thing for the Name of Christ Act. 5.41 Secondly They stand constant in their profession that neither life nor death can remoue them from their most holy Faith Rom. 8.35 And yet here you must not thinke that the constancy of standing while a man is full of Gods Spirit doth imply a necessity of continuing full with the said graces for though the Holy Ghost sate vpon the Apostles and they stood firme while hee sate on them or remained in them yet for their sinnes if they take not heede 1 Sam. 16.15 this Spirit may be taken from them as he was from Saul and their Candlestickes may be remoued as they were from the seauen Churches of Asia and he that standeth may soone fall if he doth not warily looke vnto his wayes for though the gifts and graces of God be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance i. e. The sauing graces once giuen are neither finally nor totally taken away but the common graces are oftentimes taken away from the wicked by reason of their wickednesse though the sauing grace of God being once receiued by the Elect can neuer after totally be extinguished yet those gifts and graces which are commonly giuen as we see many times to the bad as well as to the good or else for the edifying of the Church may wholly cease and be extinguished as we reade of Nicholas the Deacon on whom the Spirit sate and was one of them that were filled with the Holy Ghost if Saint Augustine Saint Gregory Lorinus and others iudgement be to be followed and yet fell from the faith as Bonauenture collecteth against Saint Chrysostome But from hence it is well concluded that as all or most of the Apostles and Disciples that were here filled did continue vnto the end as our Sauiour requireth so it sheweth that we should be all not like the Aegyptian dogges at Nilus Qui bibunt fugiunt Which for feare of Crocodiles doe take a snatch of the Riuer and then slinke away but very carefull to giue attendance euery man in his calling Donec venerit vntill our Master commeth and neuer to slinke away Thirdly They forsooke all and followed Christ Matth. 19.27 There was no roome in their hearts for worldly vanities and they deemed them but as dung and drosse as the Apostle calleth them Fourthly Hest 10.6 in Apocryph As the little Well in Hester grew into a great Riuer and flowed ouer with great waters so now the Apostles being filled with the Holy Ghost they powre out the graces of God ouer all the face of the earth to renue it as the waters of Noah preuailed to destroy it for now they speake with other tongues as the spirit giues them vtterance And yet here we must obserue that although they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and that from them all the graces of Gods Spirit did flow and ouerflow the earth yet they had not all the same measure of grace That the Apostles receiued not all the like measure of grace and therefore that grace could not flow in the same measure from them all for as Richardus de sancto Victore doth well obserue there is infusio defusio effusio gratiae A giuing of a quantity of some grace and there is a filling with a fulnesse of grace and there is a superabundancy of grace or there is a small and a middle and a superordinary measure of grace and so we finde it both in the Preachings and in the Pennings of these Apostles for Iames staide onely in Ierusalem and the maior part of the rest preached ouer all the world Iude writ but one Epistle and that one a very short one and most of them writ nothing at all but Saint Iohn and Saint Paul writ very much That we must not expect the same measure of fruites from all men and therefore of those as well Preachers as others which haue receiued grace not onely to sanctifie themselues but also to edifie the Church we must not expect the same measure of fruits from all For young men and the
meaner Schollers cannot doe so profoundly as the grauer Diuines can doe and the older men cannot doe it so often as the yonger sort can doe and yet neither must be contemned for if the young men had had the time of the aged no doubt but they would doe as well as the aged Aristotle Et si senex haberet oculum inuenis videret vt iuuenis And if the ancient men had the strength bodies of yong men it is not vnlikely but that they would still take paines as young men Neither doe I say this to vphold sloath or negligence in any Age for to our vttermost ability as I said before we must all continue constant vnto death but to reproue our partiall Age that adoreth the Sunne rising in the East and applaudeth the quicke wits and many Sermons of youth but make none account of aged Paul and the best labours of declining age Philemon v. 9. vnlesse with the Israelites they can make vp the same tale of Brickes as they did in youth though they haue neither Straw nor Stubble neither sight of eyes nor strength of bodies to performe it and to shew how euery man should doe his best Iuxta mensuram Donationis Christi according to that measure of grace which he hath receiued from Christ And so much for the filling of the Apostles with the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost CHAP. V. Of the effects and fruits of their filling with the Holy Ghost and how this Spirit sealeth them and sheweth them to be the true seruants of Iesus Chist THirdly For the effects of their filling it is said The fruits and effects of the holy Ghost that they began to speake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them vtterance First They began to speake because the Spirit of God is neuer idle but where it sees cause will speake though it should cost the speakers life Secondly They spake with other tongues i. e. not as carnall men talking of fleshly or worldly matters nor as wicked prophane wretches belching forth Blasphemia in deum Blasphemies against God but as regenerate and sanctified men they shew forth magnalia dei the wonderfull workes of God And hereby all men might know whether they were the seruants of Christ by this Spirit of Christ for as our Sauiour saith of the false Apostles the same is true of all Apostles Matth. 7.16 by their fruits you shall know them for as in whomsoeuer the spirit of Satan is you shall see that he will reueale them by their lewd words and by their wicked works which are the workes of darkenesse so in whomsoeuer the Spirit of God is hee will seale them and marke them with a foure-fold marke saith Bonauenture that is signo 1. Veritatis credendorum 2. Honestatatis morum 3. Contemptus mundanorum 4. Charitatis Dei et proximorū 1. With true Religion The holy Ghost sealeth vs with a four-fold seale 2. With an vpright conuersation 3. With contempt of vanity 4. With perfect charity First It worketh Faith in their hearts for this is the fundamentall root of all other graces and therfore the Apostle well obserueth out of the Prophet that a man first beleeueth Faith is the root of all graces and then speaketh for we haue beleeued saith he and therefore haue wee spoken whereas if they had not beleeued they would neuer haue spoken of the wonderfull workes of God and therefore the holy Ghost did first worke faith in their hearts and then it caused the same to speake and to expresse it selfe by this preaching of the works of God And Secondly of good workes which are Secondly because the verity of our faith is euer knowne by the sinceritie of our life therefore these signes shall follow them that beleeue Gregor de 7. pec Magdal First to suppresse sinne First They shall cast out Deuils i. e. vitia voluptatis they shall suppresse all sinnes as Saint Gregory expounds it because euery sinne is as bad as the Deuill Secondly They shall speake with new tongues i. e. vtter forth verba vtilitatis Secondly to praise God holy and heauenly words and because our naturall tongues were like the poison of Aspes these may well be called new tongues when they doe sing a new song Thirdly to bridle their lusts Thirdly They shall take vp serpents i. e. concupiscentias sensualitatis the biting and poisonous concupiscences of our sensuall flesh shall be though not quite taken away from them yet they shall bee taken vp in their hands as Hercules is said to haue held the two serpents which Iuno sent to deuoure him in both his hands while hee was but a childe in his cradle and they shall be so restrayned and held fast that they shall not be able to doe them violence Fourthly to beare all iniuries Fourthly If they drinke any deadly poison it shall not hurt them i. e. iniurias aduersitatis if they must swallow downe lies and slanders yet for all the malice and the mischiefe of the wicked non inflammantur per superbiam non suffocantur per maliciam non disrumpuntur per inuidiam they shall neither swell with enuy nor burst with malice nor any wayes perish through their indignity Luke 21.19 but in their patience they shall possesse their soules And Fiftly to doe good vnto all men Fiftly They shall lay hands on the sicke and they shall recouer them i. e. adiutoria charitatis remedia iniquitatis they shall exercise such deeds of charity that by their good counsels and admonitions they shall recouer many a languishing dying soule Thirdly of contempt of vanities and bring them backe againe to sauing health And Thirdly because these things cannot be practised vnlesse the pompe and pride of worldly vanities be quite contemned and troden vnder feet therefore the Spirit of God worketh in them a minde to forsake all worldly things And Fourthly Fourthly of charity Rom. 5.5 because no worke is good vnlesse it proceedeth from the root of charity therefore the Spirit of God diffuseth this loue into the hearts of his seruants that they wish no euill to any man but are ready to doe good euen to them that hate them And these foure seales and signes of Gods Spirit are expressed in the twelfth chapter of the Reuelation where Saint Iohn saw a woman clothed with the Sunne Apoc. 12.1 and the Moone vnder her feet and vpon her head a crowne of twelue Starres and she being with childe cryed trauelling in birth and paine to be deliuered For this woman signifieth the Church of Christ or euery faithfull Christian soule And first her Sun-like shining is the brightnesse of her good workes and heauenly conuersation which doth so shine before men Matth. 5.16 that they glorifie God which is in heauen Secondly the Moone vnder her feet signifieth her contemning and trampling vnder feet all the vaine and variable things of this sublunary world Thirdly her crowne
how can a man carry fire in his bosome Prou. 6.27 and not be burnt so how can we haue the fire of Gods Spirit in our hearts and not bee feruent to all good works Thirdly the holy Ghost being like a Doue if hee bee in vs then we are meeke and lowly in heart for this heauenly Doue remaineth in none but those that are Doues but if with the Ducke that flying aloft among the wilde Duckes did presently alight and so brought them all with her into her owners net whereof Alciat saith Alciat de Anate Perfida cognato se sanguine polluit ales Officiosa alijs exitiosa suis They doubting not her trayterous heart at all Did flie with her and downe with her did fall We doe deceiue our friends and wrong our neighbours then surely this Doue-like spirit of God is not in vs for this holy spirit of discipline flieth from deceit Wisdome 1. Gal. 5.22 and the fruit of this spirit is all meekenesse gentlenesse and goodnesse Fourthly the holy Ghost being like winde if hee bee in vs then all the dust of vanitie is scattered from our hearts and our soules are carried against the streame of naturall desires to wish and long for heauenly things And Fiftly the holy Ghost being like tongues if he be in vs then our tongues will be like the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.2 Matth. 12.14 and our talking will be of the most highest Quia ex abundantia cordis os loquitur loquela tua te manifestum facit because a religious heart will euer expresse it selfe by a godly and a religious tongue Rom. 10.10 for as with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse so with the tongue confession is made vnto saluation but if wee talke laciuiously and speake all words that may doe hurt if the poyson of aspes be vnder our lippes and the holy name of God or the good fame of men be euill spoken of through vs then surely surely If we haue not the spirit we ought to seeke him this holy spirit of God is not in vs. And if he be not in thee then I aduise thee to seeke him while he may be found for the time will come when he cannot be found Bern. ser 75. in cant i. e. cum optauerimus salutem in medio gehennae quae facta est et praedicata est in medio terrae when wee shall wish for saluation in the midst of Hell which was wrought and is preached in the midst of the earth and therefore now while it is to day we ought to seeke vnto him and to pray with the Prophet Dauid yea and to pray earnestly that God would renue his spirit within vs Psal 51.10 and stablish vs with his free spirit for whosoeuer hath not the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 the same is none of his the same hath no comfort in the world no assurance of his saluation no Faith no Hope no God no good But if by these infallible rules thou findest that thou hast the spirit If we haue the spirit of God we ought not to grieue him and canst say with that worthie Martyr of our Church I haue it I haue it as hee went vnto the stake to be burned then remember what the Apostle speaketh grieue not the spirit quench not the spirit spill not this water lest that spilling this oyle thy lamp goeth out and then 1 Thes 5.19 thy last end will be farre worse then thy beginning and it had bin better for thee Luc. 11.26 2 Pet. 2.21 neuer to haue knowne it then to turne aside from the holy Commandement for as Sampson and Saul hauing the spirit of God liued honorably and did performe most worthie exploits A fearefull thing to be depriued of Gods spirit Iud. 16.10 1 Sam. but hauing lost the same by their sinnes they became in their liues most miserable and in their deaths most lamentable euen so it will happen from the Lord vnto all backe-sliders vnto all them that quench the spirit therefore I say grieue him not quench him not How Preachers may know whether they haue the gifts to edifie the Church But because the chiefest of these gifts for the collecting and the edifying of the Church is the gift of tongues whereby the Ministers are inabled for the preaching of Gods Word therefore we that are Preachers should here chiefely looke whether we haue this gift of tongues or not for Psal 45.2 First if our tongues be the pens of a readie writer that wee can readily speake of the things that we haue made vnto the King and Preach the Word of Truth in season and out of season Secondly if these our tongues be not double tongues but clouen tongues i. e. able to diuide the Word of God aright and to giue vnto euery man his owne portion in due season Luke 12.42 that is mercie and comforts vnto the repentant soule and woes and iudgement vnto the obstinate transgressors and to teach Faith and workes loue to God and man Thirdly if these our clouen tongues be of fire that is vsed rather to gaine soules then to get applause or to gather wealth to draw men to glorifie God Numb 12.21.30 1 Sam. 25.36 and not to magnifie our selues then we may be assured we haue receiued a part and portion of these gifts and graces of Gods spirit But if we be like those great clarks which they say are rare Schollers but neuer man was heard to be the better for their learning they haue it in them like the fire in the flint-stone but it neuer comes out of them they are lothe to preach they are lothe to write for then perhaps they should not be deemed so learned as now they are iudged to be for a foole holding his peace may be thought to be wise or if we be like Baalams Asse that neuer spake but twice in all her life or vse to preach as Naball feasted once a yeere when they receiue their rents or if wee would preach and cannot but it were better for vs not to preach at all then to preach so idly and so foolishly as we doe or if we preach more for profit or the praise of men then for the glorie of God then assuredly we doe proclayme vnto the world that we haue not yet receiued these gifts of fierie clouen tongues from God Vsher de Christ ecccles Vrbanus writes vnto Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterburie Monacho feruentissimo Abbati calido episcopo lepido Archi-episcopo remisso and so it was sayd of Alexander the sixt De vitio in vitium de flamma transit in ignem They grew worse and worse as they did grow greater and greater and I pray God it be not true among vs that high preferment spoyle not many a Preacher I say no more but so you see how the gifts which are giuen for the edifying of Gods Church were giuen vnto the Apostles and how euer since they
spoken or written by the best of men And this is the narrowest way to expresse him and yet we can reach no further for as he is in himselfe he is as I said before a light of an infinite brightnesse 1 Iohn 1 5. in whom is no darkenesse at all and as the Apostle saith Hee dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto 1 Tim. 6.16 no Eagles eye can fully look vpon the brightnesse of his light no vnderstanding can comprehend the incomprehensible excellency of his Maiestie and therfore we must rest our selues contented to know him so as we are able to conceiue of him and to expresse him so as our slender speech will giue vs leaue Casman in thest de Deo And thus we finde three speciall wayes of expressing what he is First by way of negation by remouing from him what we finde in the creatures or what euer is said of any of them Aug in l. de cognit verae vit de verbis dom ser 38. as when with the ancient Philosophers wee say God is not the Sunne not the Moone not a Man not mooueable not finite c. this is the best part of our Knowledge of him as Saint Augustine saith when we know rather what he is not That there are three especiall wayes of expressing what God is then what he is For as a curious Statue is composed and perfected by hewing and cutting something still from it and not by adding any thing vnto it So is our God knowne of vs by denying him to be such and such things as are common to the creatures and by paring away humane conceits from him when we goe about to conceiue what he is Secondly by way of affirmation and perfection as when wee do analogically and in respect of certaine similitudes ascribe vnto God the best and most excellent things that can be found in any creatures and so we say he is great strong faire mercifull iust c. Thirdly By way of supereminency and transcendent excellency as when we ascribe to God whatsoeuer excellencies that are spoken or may be spoken of him farre aboue all the excellencies of all other creatures whatsoeuer and so we doe referre and reduce all excellencies vnto him as vnto the common cause of them all or as vnto the fountaine from whence all these little channels of excellencies doe flow And therefore we say not onely in the concrete that God is iust mercifull wise strong good That the abstract names of all excellencies are onely proper vnto God and such like but also in the abstract that he is iustice mercy wisedome strength and goodnesse it selfe which cannot be said of any creatures for that all the best excellencies of the chiefest creatures are but as little sparkes in respect of a huge infinite fire or as a few drops of raine in comparison of the whole Ocean Sea if we should compare them to the excellency of God Nay we should find their wisedomes follie their strength weakenesse their beauty baldnesse and all their goodnesse to be nothing in respect of the goodnesse of God for he chargeth his Angels with folly and the Heauens are not cleare in his sight saith holy Iob. A description of God by way of 1 Negation 2 Affirmation 3 Supereminencie Now according to these three wayes God is described to be an immortall inuisible incomprehensible spirituall infinite eternall Essence the cause of all causes and the Author of all excellencies Here is a boundlesse Ocean and a very large description of God and I may sooner loose my selfe in the prosecuting of the same then to finde him fully as he is in any place which is fully and truely in euery place Aug. de trinitate But I remember that excellent rule of Saint Augustine Cauendum est ne dum de deo cogitamus non possumus inuenire quid sit aliquid de eosentiamus quod non sit We must take great heed least in seeking to know what God is we thinke him to bee what he is not and therefore that I may not erre in this point I will say no more but with himselfe which knowes himselfe best that he is Iehoua this he is and this is his Name for euer and as the old saying is Conueniunt rebus nomina saepe suis of all his Names this is the onely Name that doth expresse the Essence and the Nature of God for all other Names are but adiuncts expressing Qualis est essentiae Of what manner of being hee is as Eternall Omniscient Omnipotent or else qualis non est what he is not as Immortall Inuisible incomprehensible or deriued from the roote of this as Eheich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some would haue it but Iehoua Nomen tetra grammaton This Name of foure letters the most Venerable and Ineffable Name amongst the Iewes as Galatinus saith deriued of Haiah Galat. l. 2. c. 9. The name Jehoua is the most proper Name of God as the Hebritians note which signifieth Esse an euerlasting being Est solummodo proprium essentiale nomen Dei is the onely proper and Essentiall Name of God Because all the other names of God whereof Saint Hierome collecteth nine besides Iehoua and such as are deriued from the roote thereof are names attributed vnto him in respect of his workes either internall as Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and such like which are names attributed vnto him Hieron in epist ad Marcell in respect of the inward operations of God or else externall as El Shadai Lord Creator and such like which are names attributed vnto him in respect of his outward workes as Galatinus sheweth And therefore when Moses desired to know the Name of God God nameth himselfe Eheich Ascher Eheich Exod. 3.14 which the Sept. translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am that I am putting the present Tense for the future Tense is my Name and it is all one as if hee had said more plainely Hee that was hee that is and hee that euer shall be For if you looke neuer so farre backe you shal neuer finde where his being began or if you inquire neuer so curiously into the time to come you shall neuer finde likelihood of his ending for Thou art God from euerlasting and world without end saith the Psalmist and so Yesterday to day 1 Tim. 1.17 and the same for euermore saith the Apostle and in this respect he is called the King of Ages which hath made the times Esay 57.15 and doth inhabit eternity Moreouer it is obserued that in this name Iehoua besides many other Mysteries that the more curious searchers into the same doe collect there is not onely shewed the being of God but also the manner of that being that is the three manner of subsistings in that one simple and eternall being or the Trinity of persons in that Vnity of Essence And I confess that seeing