them that are good traytors beady high minded louers of pleasure more then of God hauing a shew of Godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof from which Saint Paul counselleth to turne away These Men and Brethren These I say are the faithlesse and fruitlesse spirites of vanity the dissolute children of disobedience and cloudes without water who despite the spirite of grace Quench the light of the Gospell and know not whether there bee an holy Ghost or no. But Men and Brethren Hearken whosoeuer offendeth of infirmity offendeth against God the Father who is power and strength and whosoeuer offendeth of ignorance sinneth against God the Sonne who is wisedome and these finnes are pardonable but who so sinneth against the Holy Ghost the spirite of truth and charity his sinnes are irremisible Let him therefore that hath an eare heare what the Spirite sayth vnto the Churches For the Spirites of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophetes Bee men neuer so profoundly learned or so well conceyted of themselues Christ Iesus who was our Reconciliation on earth by his Incarnation Life and Passion is now our Aduocation in heauen at the right hand of God the Father by his continual Mediation and is our dayly Comforter as Saint Bernard speaketh by mouing stirring and inclining our harts to beleeue and our wils and consciences to the obedience of faith and to the endeauour care and study of all sacred duties Are not they then in a most desperate and wofull estate and condition thinke you who despise and despite this Reconciliation Aduocation Mediation Consolation of Gods spirit who continue in that sinne for which there is neyther sacrifice noâ— oblation to bee offered that can doe them or theirs any good who resist the Spirite of Christ albeit it stand at the dore of their hearts and consciences and craue for entrance who grieue the spirite of God by their vile and beastlie liuing and quench out the light thereof by their ouer-flowings of malitiousnesse which otherwise would shine and glitter like the sparkles of a diamond in the middest of our naughtie Natures and in a word who haue in them no gifte grace condition qualitie sparke or resemblance of Gods spirite whatsoeuer they may brag and boast thereof out of their owne deceiueable seemings but only this that their goodnesse so Anabaptistically are they besotted cannot be seen as the holy Ghost is inuisible And no lesse lamentable are the cauils of those which obiect That the Iesuites whom wee so vilifie boast also that they are led by the spirite as if most damnable heretiques did not make the same plea but the practise of the Nobles of Baroa is a satisfactory answere for that and all other cauils of that frie for they searched the Scriptures To see whether or no the thinges were so that they heard the Apostles preach but the spirite of Iesuitisme dare not abide that triall nor any other like spirit of error Another saith there bee so manie that vaunte of the spirit that I knowe not which I should adhere vnto but Saint Paul giueth a rule for that Neuerthelesse saith he wherevnto wee haue already attained Let vs march by the same rule which is the sacred Scriptures that wee may minde the same thing This plainely sheweth vs that we must adhere to none for our direction to God but such as adhere to Gods Oracle the Sacred scriptures and are guided thereby Yea but another vrgeth further and saith wee see that those that professe themselues to bee guided by the Scriptures and by the spirit thereof doe differ What then All men haue not Faith albeit in number and profession they be of the Church as S. Austine speaketh hence it is that they cannot accord For what communion hath light with darknesâ— or Faith with infidelitie Yea euen amongst them that haue Faith some haue a greater and some a lesser portion thereof according to their knowledge by Gods dispensation hence it is oft times that they cannot accord in all things at all times for there is a procession from faith to faith yet all may holde the Fundamentall grounds and principles in blessed diuinitie albeit they differ in some particulars because some haue already attained to that measure of grace which anotherâ— may attaine vnto in some time after This therefore is an infallâ—ble rule of S. Iohn We are of God hee that knoweth God heareth vs Hee that is not of God heareth not vs Hereby knowe we theâ— spirite of Error and the spirite of Truth That is as S. Augustine expounds it If any man take vppon him to expound the scriptures albeit it bee euen by himselfe with inuocation of GOD who assists by his holie spirite and the spiritual man discerneth all things the internall vnction directing him in all things and leading him into all truth To this man wee are bound to hearken and his doctrine to embrace albeit thousands gaine say it as the Councell of Nice hearkened to Paphnutius being but one man against the whole route and rabble of Pseudo Catholiques But if any man vndertake to doe it of himselfe of his owne priuate and singular spirite without warrant and directioÌ„ of Gods spirit which counselleth and guideth by the word onely It is the Spiders webbe the Cockatrice egge the fome of the sea the fume of the bottomlesse pitte wee may vndoubtedly disauow it and defie it I conclude then that this foundation standeth firme sound and may satisfie the soule of any beleeuer to wit that God is manifested in the flesh by beeing baptized as man Iustified in the Spirite by forgiuing sinnes as God Manifested in the flesh by being tempted as man Iustified in the spirite as God by ouercomming for vs the world the flesh and the Diuell Manifested in the flesh by beeing hungry as man Iustified in the spirite as God by feeding thousands aboundaÌ„tly with a very small pittance Manifested in the flesh by enduring thirst as man Iustified in the spirite as God by calling those that are thirstie vnto the waters of Life that they might neuer thirst any more Manifested in the flesh by praying as man Iustified in the spirite by hearing the prayers of others as God Manifested in the flesh by weeping as man Iustified in the spirite by wiping all teares fâ—om our eyes as our God Manifested in the flesh by being sold for thirty peeces of siluer as a man Iustified in the Spirite as God by redeeming the world with his bloud a price pricelesse peerelesse Mâ—nifested in the flesh beeing led as a sheepe to the slaughter as man Iustified in the spirite by triumphing ouer death and hell and by leading captiuity captiue as Godâ— Manifested in the flesh by dying as man Iustified in the spirit as God by rising againe from the dead by ascending into heauen by sitting at the right hand of the Father whence we expecting him to come againe in the end of the world with Maiestie and
Euen because this sacred spirite of the eternall God Rebuketh the world of sinne of righteousnes and of iudgement It rebuketh the world of sinne because the wicked world beleeueth not which is the Sinne of Sinnes as I may so say but is fraught with furious spirits of blind ignorāce and desperatefolly which cast thousands into fires and waters of misperswasion and misbeleefe and these worldlings are caught away with vnpure spirites of sensuall security which possesse them both with dumbnes deafenesse that they can neyther speake of God but in their blasphemous cursinges and swearings nor heare of God without great wearisomnesse and discontent This sacred spirite also rebuketh the world of righteousnesse because sayeth Christ I goe the right way vnto the Father but the world is ledde by witte worshippes will worships and other such deuises of singularity conceited righteousnesse of mans many inuentions Some with Anabaptisme which is the diuell in an Angell of light and some with Iesuitisme which is a subtil slie Antichrist in the Church And this holy spirit rebuketh the world of Iudgement because the Prince of this world is iudged already and the vnbeleeuers his vassalls and slaues are iudged with him and are reserued for the further iudgement and vtter darkenesse of these vnpure spirites that are already in chaines to be brought forth in the great audite of Christ and end of the world For what deuoute soule trembleth not yea shuddereth not with horror to know that Sathan is the God of this world and to conceiue that seuen spirites of euil yea Legions of vncleane spirites may obsesse possesse and hellifie the soule and bodie of one man or of one woman I wonder that the whole frame and fabrique of nature shaketh and quaketh not to beare and heare those hellish and diuelish miscreants that when the seruants of GOD preach solemnely soberly seriously in the power zeale and abundance of their spirit say to them as Festus sayd to Paul This man is beside himselfe much learning makes him mad and say to others as the Iewes to the Apostles when they had receyued the gift of the holy spirit These men are drunke with wine or else take vpon them in the diuelish and damnable pride of their owne hearts to direct the whole world in the misperswasion of their own singular and priuate spirite not in order to God as they pretend but in confusion to the diuell as the ende shewes So did Iohn of Leidon Nipper Doling Chreiton and others of that crew of wretched miscreants who at Munster in their enraged and rebellious route cryed out being led by a cursed spirite of their owne nothing but Depose kill murther meaning those sober and moderate Christians that withstoode their brainesicke fury and Anabaptisticall fanaticall folly and in all that outrage pretended nothing but that they were guided thereunto by the spirite So doe those that are engaged into the spirite of Antichrist and enraged with the poysoned cup of the strūpet of Romish Babylon her spiritual fornication who speak write and practise prepensed wickednesse as did Cardinal Como to Parrie the traytor what time hee intended nay receyued their consecrated host with the saide Cardinall to kill our late Queene Elizabeth of pretious memorie signifying by letter vnto him that the then Pope Gregorie the thirteenth as by the Credentiall note included in the letter he might see doubted not but that the same spirite which moued him to so good a worke as to kill the Queene would certainely assist him to the performance thereof Oh barbarous spirite of brutish Popery So do those that scoffe at the gifts of the Spirite in their brethren saying to those whom they see reuearing and yeelding obedience to the power of Gods grace and counselling others to be guided gouerned thereby Oh Sir you are so full of the spirite that it runs out of your nose Oh sir the spirite moueth you This and the like hellish language I say is an amazement vnto good men to thinke there should be any fo damnably prophane and so desperately wicked especially among Christians who professe in their holy Creede to beleeue in the holy spirite and acknowledge that in the power of that spirit They liue moue and haue their being yea and they feele themselues oft times quickned from the dulnesse of sinne by the same spirit vnto the motion and life of grace wherby they are made vnexcusable And professe further that they beleeue that they shall bee raysed vppe out of their dust and from the bands and fetters of the graue by the operation of this powerfull and blessed spirite vnto eternall glory by that mighty working whereby it is able to subdue all things vnto it selfe This I say is a great consternation and amazement vnto a Christian heart and causeth oft times many good soules to quake and shudder to see and behold such desperate scornings and reprochful contumelies among such as professe they beleeue in God The serious consideration whereof I am perswaded would eftsoones trouble the mindes of many other with grieuous distractions and disturbances had not the holy booke of God in two most pregnant places of the new Testament set foorth to the life both of the Apostacie of faith and irregularity of good manners which the spirit of God prophesyeth should happen in these last and worst ages of the world For Saint Paul teacheth the Bishoppe of Ephesus That the spirite speaketh euidently That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede to spirites of error and doctrines of Diuels The spirites of error are such in whome there is no sound trueth of GOD but mingled and mangled with humane traditions no conscience of good but iustifyings of their owne inuentions The doctrines of diuels are prohibitions of marriage and superstitious abstaining from meates as the Text speaketh And I take those spirits of errors and doctrines of diuels are no where to be foūd in the Christian Church more pregnant for we must not looke for them among Turkes and Pagans because this Prophesie reuealeth what shall happen in the Church and amongst professors of Christ but in the Papacy only which in the later times that is some sixe hundred yeares agoe or thereaboutes vtterly fell away from the verity of the faith of Christ and gaue heede to the spirites of errors doctrines of diuels intending nothing else thereby but the subuersion of the Primitiue purity of Religion and conuersion of the internall beauty of the Church of Christ into an externall and pompous lustre of humane policie And againe Saint Paul sheweth by the euidence of the same spirite That in the last dayes which are these worst dayes of ours should come perillous times wherein men should bee louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affections truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of
Iesus Christ how wonderfull are thy workes in all the world For out of the mouthes of Preachers sometimes very babes and suckâ— lings thou hast ordained strength that thereby thou mightst make thy power the more to be knowne in suppressing the rage and fury of Sathan the enemie of all mankind by such weake and feeble instruments And this thou hast done O Lord of thine vnspeakable mercy in Christ considering that we are but dust and cannot endure the presence of an Angel to speak vnto vs much lesse are wee able to behold thee in thy glorious brightnesse Nay O Lord no man can see thee and liue Eternally therefore blessed be thy goodnes O God for ordaining so sacred and so â—afe a meanes for our â—nowledge and acknowledgeâ—ent of thee and of him whome â—hou hast sent Christ Iesus our Lord For it hath pleased thee 〈◊〉 put thy word into the mouthes 〈◊〉 men to publish it vnto vs. Thou hast clothed their hearts â—ith thy righteousnesse to furâ—â—sh them with grace Thou â—ast added the power thereof 〈◊〉 thy sacred spirite to guide vs to all truth thou hast shewâ—â— the effects thereof in the sanâ—â—itie of our liues good works 〈◊〉 thy great glory Thou hast giuen vs the ioye â—ereof in the songs of holy ones 〈◊〉 our solaâ—e and the end thereâ—â— in the saluation of our sinfull â—ules and bodies to our eternall â—â—licitie in heauen O Lord who can sufficiently â—â—â—toll thy Maiesty for this thy â—â—rpassing fauour towards vs â—et vs entreate thy goodnesse for Christ his sake to stirre vp and â—uicken â—our dull hearts to a thankefull acceptance of this thy blessing Make vs to loue the preaching of thy word that sacred Ambassage from heauen that wee may bee throughly reconciled vnto thee Make it the sauour of life vnto vs and let iâ— in no wise bee the sauour of death vnto vs or any of vâ— Make vs to thinke reuerently of these whom thou hast seperated and sent to be the lighteâ— and guide of this world cause vs to esteeme of them preciously to loue them heartily to pray for them effectually and to heare them with all possible respects fulnes as people knowing that 〈◊〉 that hearetâ— them heareth thee hee that receyueth them receyueth thee hee that regardeth them regardeth thee and hee that doth for them doth for thee as people knowing it is thy Word they preach thy holy will they teach thy heauenly worshippe and diuine seruice they entreat â—s to embrace as people knowâ—â—g that the glorie thereof is â—â—ine the good thereof is ours â—â—en to the sauing of our selues â—â—d children in both worlds O King of Heauen giue vs â—â—ermore of this Manna the â—ngels foode of this water of 〈◊〉 of this celestiall treasure of â—is fruite of life of those songs 〈◊〉 Sion of this speech of Canaâ—â—â— of this salt of the earth of â—â—is light of life of this dew of â—ermon of this name of Iesus 〈◊〉 this eternall Gospell by the â—eaching of thy holy will As â—e heare it O Lord let it diâ—ill into our soules as thy holy â—â—â—ction Let it stirre our harts 〈◊〉 thy power Let it bowe our â—ils to thy obedience as thy â—â—unsell Let it sanctifie our 〈◊〉 as thy ordinance let it â—â—epare vs throughout for thee 〈◊〉 Lord and for the glory of thy â—ace for euer Humble our hearts with the remembrance what wretches we were without this reuelation of thy Sonne Say vnto vs you were dogs and might not eaâ—â— the childrens breade you were hogges and might not haue these pretious pearls cast vnto 〈◊〉 you were as vncircumcised Pâ—listines as cursed Canâ—anitâ—â— as diuelish Samaritans as Heâ— theniâ—h Pagans as Turkish Iâ—â—â—â—dels But I haue washed purgâ—â— purified and sanctified you wiâ—â— my grace I haue called you my name and I will blesse yoâ— for euer O Lord God Graunt thâ—â— wee may eate but the crumâ—â— vnder thy table that wee 〈◊〉 touch but the hemme of thy vâ— sture that thou wilt but speaâ— the Word onely and we wretches shall liue shall bee healeâ— shall bee happie to thy prayse 〈◊〉 euer Say Lord vnto our soules am your saluation So shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bee gladde all our 〈◊〉 so shall wee study to set 〈◊〉 thy honour and will vow 〈◊〉 sacrifices of thankefulnesse 〈◊〉 of soule and body in our 〈◊〉 and children for euer O heare vs King of Heaâ—â—â— and grant these blessinges 〈◊〉 thine to be continued vnto vs 〈◊〉 to our seed to al our generatiâ—â— for the merites of thy deare â—â—ne Christ Iesus our most â—â—â—â—acious Redeemer Amen GOD BELEEVED on in the World Explication THat the World should beleeue in God is the mystery of mysteries First that the World should beleeue in GOD in the vnitie of his essence and Trinity of existence Then to beleeue God in the verity of his written word And lastly to relye vpon God in the assurance of his loue for his promise sake this I say to know is eternall life and for the World to know it is a world of wonders For how should the World come by this sauing knowâ—edge 〈◊〉 Take the World as in â—oly writ it sometimes signiâ—ies the reporbate of whome Christ sayth I pray not for the â—orld that is for the reprobate of the world these beleeue not Take it Cosmographically for the frame of heauen and of earth contayning the firmamentary and elementary regions these parts are not â—apable of such mysteries â—ut vnderstand it of the Eâ—ect people of God inhabiâ—ing within the limites of the knowne Christian world and â—else where dispersed and scattered vpon the surface of the whole earth as it is taken in this place and then this mystery will bee reuealed vnto vs. For otherwise as the world 〈◊〉 more generally taken for the people of the world It is altogether set vpon wickednesse The World receyues not the Spirite of truth The Worlde knownes not God The world is at defiance with God as may plainely appeare by the contrariety betwixt God and the woâ—ld The spirit of God being loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnes faith meekenesse and temperance The Spirite of the World being adulterie fornication vncleannes lasciuiousâ—es idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions hypocrisies enuyings murthers drunkennesse reuellings How could it euer be thought that these thinges so contrariantly opposit should euer accord Yet behold this great mysterie for this malignant contrariant exorbitant refractory World is conquered by holy saith in the bloud of Christ and multitudes of millions in the World albeit not of the World Liue loue and beâ—eeue in God amidst the furious cruell and deadly rage â—atred and bloudy cruelty of many miscreants and infidell worldlings So that now God hath purchased by faith a world of people to himselfe called out of the vniuersall masse and multitude of people in the World to know and acknowledge him to be their God and Sauiour This is the sence of these words And the sacred
the Apostle Sapere ad sobrietatem The iolly Counceller that learnedly argues titles of land pleas of debt dammages of clyent cause may hereby bee counselled to call to minde what claime or challenge he hath to heauen what plea hee ought to make for his owne debt which hee oweth to his Creator and if the damnage or wrong of his Clyent were his owne what plea what care what diligence would â—e vse to redres himselfe The disturbed yea oft times the poore miserable distracted Clyent that is delayed crossed encumbred snibbed many times ouerborne may herewithall endeuour to qualifiè and settle his wearyed and perplexed heart and looke vp vnto the master of requests in heauen and to referre his cause vnto the Iudge of the world Christ Iesus who iudgeth righteously And if his cause goe well with him yet hereby hâ—e may bee caused to remember in what passe his case is with God and to know who it is that lets a man see his desire vpon his enemies All what soeuer they be if they will be pleased to be aduised may herein see as in a viewe what Creation is that tendeth to saluation And so to abandon from their holy intentions all needelesse controuersies and fruitlesse contentions according to the reference of the prefixed context For the lamentable Controuersies about Religious Godlinesse are so many in number and so intrâ—cate in nature that the studious labours of any one man were he neuer so well qualified cannot sufficiently no not all the time of his life so much as enter into all the ambiguous laborinths thereof much lesse bee euer able to compose or conclude them For it falleth out in this kind as it doth in the quirks and quiddities of law cases and that 's a thousand pitties for the more lawyers retained oft times the more suites pleas counter pleas demurrers in Law and many other such like quaint deuises so the morewriting of controuersies the more subtilâ—ies euasions distinctions personall aspersions mistakings with all maleuolent stirrings and striuings to make good either part Such also hath beene the rotten condition of mankinde that when one hath once hatched brought foorth neuer so absured an opinion yet he findeth wits in the world ready to deuise trickes and shifts by nice distinctions and doubt full differences to mainetaine withall possible glosses the absurdities and shadowes thereof Besides if we consider the impossibilitie of composing and reconciling the controuersies of the setimes by reason of the auerse and setled resistance of the opponents both foraine and domestick together with the irreconciliable natures of the things controuerted and questioned and the little hope of any meanes to bee expected either from them that striue or from others their well-wishing neighbours or from both to reconcile and pacifie the furiousrage of either partie wee may euen despayre of expecting any certaine and setled ende of these miseries vntill the Lord Iesus come himselfe from heauen in his second and most glorious aduent and Consume with the spirit of his mouth all the gaynesayers and impostors of his sacred truth and abolish with brightnes of his comming all the mistie fogges of misperswasion and mis-beleefe Doubtlesse therefore in the meane while the best and most assured way for vs that loue and looke and long for Christs comming to finde rest to our distressed soules amidst such perplexed distractions and laborinths is to haue recourse to the pillar and foundation of all Christian faith the director to heauen which is the written word of God the one and onely way to the word begotten wherein many places wee shall finde couched in in few words the summe and substance of all our hope and happinesse in Christ both in nature grace and glory and that summe of Christianitie in so compendious an abridgment oft times reported that the shortest memorie may recount it and so playnely set downe that the weakest capacitie may conceiue it Such is this Scripture prefixed in which as in a running stream in some place the Elephant may swim for deepenes and in other the Lambe may wade for shall ownesse Leauing therfore behind vs the hellish afronting of all Godlinesse to the damned Athiest that sayth in his hart There is no God which some Achrists of Spaine I would they were not in England most Lucian-like and Iulian-like haue tearmes to the griefe of many good harts their Peccadillos or little sinne and appropriating the circular Diuinity of Temporizers-who goe in a Maze to painted Hypocrites Who are euer learning and neuer come to the acknowledgement of the Trueth because they feele not the power thereof nor endeauour to practise it together with all neutralizing staggerers and Cassandrian Courtiers who neyther cleaue to God nor to Baal but are like Ephraim a cake on the harth not turned which needes must be dough on the one side and burnt on the other hote in their singed zeale and lue warm in their fringed hypocrisie lastly abandoning from vs all nouell sectaries who eyther with the â—nostiques and Donatists challenge to themselus an impropriation of all reformed doctrine and discipline or with the Cathari boast of a Monopolie of perfect sincerity or with the rare illuminates of the world the Iesuites Iesuini Scofiotti Presbyteri Sanctae Luciae Reformati Sacerdotes or by what other titular denominations soeuer they bee tearmed who vndertake to haue the onely direction for all Christendome in ordine ad Deum or with the Capucini who aspire the onely mortification forsooth in a patched Capouch and with them vtterly forsaking all other rabbles and swarmes of monasticall and secular nominals who neglect the truth and the light thereof Let vs flie homeward with the distressed doue into the Arke which is the holy Scriptures to saue our selues from the general deluge and cataclisme of ambiguities questions and ouerflowings of vngodlinesse which assault vs here in this life the Ocean and sea of sorrow and hide from vs the brightnesse of Iesus Christ with the mists of impietie and fogs of vanity And let vs call to minde that all vnderstanding in Godlinesse is eyther Opnion Faith or perfect Knowledge Opinion beeing like the Twilight neyther certaine nor euident Faith as the dawning certaine but not euident and perfect Knowledge as the Sunne-shine both certaine and euident Opinion beeing the Conduite pipe of all controuersies the mother of heresies the seede of schisme and the heade of a Foxe and perfect knowledge onely proper to our triumphant and glorious estate in Heauen wee must here in this Life walke by faith This faith must haue a foundation to build vpon What 's that must it bee built on the Church that 's to generall so the Sarazens or Hagarens rather as Zozomene obserued a thousand yeares agoe haue their Masters Vppon the Fathers that 's too rusticall so the Iewes haue their Rabbins Vpon the Pope that 's too Phythagorical so the Gentiles had their Philosophers of their seuerall sects Vpon suddaine and fancifull
vnderstand how to bee godly Such are they that haue Iacobs voice in prating of Godlinesse but Esâ—us hands in practising vnhappinesse Such are they that professe a Linzie woolsâ—y Religion beeing hatefull to God because they are not reall hatefull to the World because they are religious albeit they be but in shew and hurtfull to themselues because they are hypocrites and deceyue themselues with seeming Godlinesse These are such as are misled with the mysterie of iniquity such a one was Pope Paul the third who at his end sayde Now shall I know three things whereof I doubted all my life to witte whether there bee a God or Hel or whether the soule be immortall O damned Infidell Such another was Leo the teâ—th who accounted the Gospell of Christ a Fable and shewing his Fauouriâ—es saide See what heapes of treasure I haue gathered by that fable of Christ O wretched miscâ—eant The doctrines that pleaseth those that are thus misled with the mystreie of iniquity are traditions amphibolous equiuocations mentall reseruations and the like deuises Their Religion is policy their faith eyther implicite or wauering like that of Lucius consisting of words or wonders with Moses Egyptius as Ruffinus recordeth would not admit of nor endure that Lucius should lay his handes vpon him but tolde him that hee would rather beleeue his eyes then his eares that is he would rather embrace the Religion which is seene then that which is only heard And for them that without blushing say There is no God and blot out all Religion with one dash or with Zenaherib Holofernes and Phâ—raoh scoffe at Godlinesse or with Rufus entertaine the Religion of the place where they liue what euer it be or turne Religious godlinesse into worldly policie by practising as I sayde Machiauels Prince Bodins Commentaries Lipsius Politiques and such like Discourses That of Saint Paul is verified of them For if oâ—r Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that beleeue not lest the light of the glorious Gospell of Chrict who is the Image of God should shine vnto them For to these it is euen yet a hidden mysterie And in such fearefull case are all light headed Zebuls scoffing Iebusites scorning Cains vile Iulianists impious Lucianists and contemners of all piety religion and godlinesse But Beleeuers consider That the vngodly shall bee turned into hell and all the Nations that know not god and the whole creation on groneth to bee deliuered from such burthens as these miscreaÌ„ts are Who tread vnder foot the son of God and account the bloud of the new testament as an vnholy thing whereby they are sanctified and do despite the spirit of grace And Beleeuers see euen by the veâ—y glimpse of right reason that nothing but man maketh account of greatnes God doth not for with him is no respect of persons Nature doth not for the children of Princes are borne naked as wel as the Cottagers and death assayleth the Court as well as the cart Goodnes onely is that wherein God delighteth and good men tender it as their breath Godlinesse beeing the gracious mother and goodnesse the holy daughter Lastly they that beleeue know that godlinesse hath the promise of this Life to be gracious in Christ and of that to come to bee glorious in Christ and therefore it is the onely thing they desire to know It is the one thing necessaâ—ie they practise it is the Manna of their soules the ioy of their hearts the touchstone of their actions the Gynosura of their affections the Dauids harpe for their â—ares the Word for theyr mouthes the Mirrour for their liues the path for their feet the station for theyr watch the salue for theyr griefes the Key of Heauen and the Heauen on Earth To thee therefore O Lord doe I lift vp my heart in the mercies of thy Sonne Christ Iesus Doubtles O holy and heaueÌ„ly father man disquietâ—th him selfe in vain for thou didst make him righteous but he after the vanity of his owne hart which is falne from thee haue sought many inuentions Thou O God canst not please vs with thy patieÌ„ce nor humble vs with thy present and future iudgements nor allure vs with thy gracious promises Such is the peruersitie of our infirm natures such is the pâ—euishnes of our corrupt condition such is the euil of guilt action that we haue in vs Thy lessous are al of peace and wâ—e runne counter into controuersies euery day deuising to our selus an opinion a fancie a faction and to make good these what stone do we not mouâ— what corner do we not raâ—sâ—ckâ— what earnestnes and acrimonie do we not apparantly reueale or else like some stupid or dul beast we haue no sence or feeling at al of thee or of thy greatnes but liue onely to liue and to delâ—ght our selus with our selus in our grosse mistakings If we pretend religion Satan tempteth vs with faction if puritie with hypocrisie if zeale with vncharitable ioaloâ—sie O Lord some yeares haue I liuâ—ed wretched man that I am among other of thy seruants knew not whether there were a Iesus a Christ an holy Ghost or no So besotted haue I bin with the loue of the world so befooled with mine own fancie so plunged into the darke deepeues of the diuel and so transported with the fashions of others who know as little and vnderstand as little or lesse then my selfe But now O Lord God loâ—king backe into the misery of my selfe I shudder and tremble seeing a far of a mystery wherof as yet I could neuer attain the knowledge albeit I haue obserued many of my brethren with great diligence and zeale to abound in all Godlinos forwardnes saÌ„ctiâ—ony gladly hearing frequenting conferring following after the light that shined vnto them in the darknâ—s of this Life yea aduenturing their liues their liuelyhoodes their credite and esteeme among the sonnes of men and accompting all things else as dung in respect of the knowledge and seruice of their heauenly Maister To me O Lord among other the rest of thy seruants this is a great mysterie that haue felt in my selfe no minde no meaning thereunto What shall I doe O Lord in this my misse led and misperswaded estâ—te I now perceiue O Lord by that glimpse of right reason which maketh euery man vnexcusable and by that sparke of light which enlightneth euery one that coÌ„meth into the world that my sinnes my sinnes my great and griâ—uous sinnes like to some huge mountaine haue vpreard themselues betweene me and this most glorious light dimming vp mine eyes that I cannot see and damming vp that heauenly splendor which should enlighten mee and haue set such a controuersie betweene thee and me that my soule is like vtterly to bee diuâ—rced from thy loue vnlesse thine eye of pittie consider me O looke vpon mee deere and tender hearted Father
of my soule in musing on this so holyâ— and so happy a mysterie which I doe adore in the retirednesse of my spirit continually and the fire of thy zeale O Lord encreaseth in my heartâ— and the flames thereof bursts forth and I crie to thee O King of heauen and of earth that thy goodnesse would vouchsafe me a blessing among thine holy ones in whose flesh thou art manifested by the power of thy spirit of sanctification and other graces of thy goodnesse For O my God I haue perceiued sinne and Sathan a long time to haue ruled and raigned in my flesh In my heart by auersenes from thee in my vnderstanding by misled iudgments in my wit by wayward purposes froward desires in my fancie by foolish imaginations designes and my thoghts by rebellious affections in mine eyes by adulterous wanderings in mine eares by itching after vanities in my forhead as in the whores brow by impudent outfacings in my mouth by blasphemous swearings and curses and in my whole masse of nature by lewde and loose conditions Now therefore I come vnto thee O Sauiour of mankind the Phisition of soule and body and lie groueling in mine owne dust before thy footestoole humbly praying thy goodnesse for thy Christ his sake that thou wouldest vouchsafe to manifest thy selfe by thine almighty power in my flesh in my wretched flesh in my rebellious and rotten flesh in mine haughty naughty and hellish flesh That it may by thy thy power become a vessell of holinesse of puritie of grace and of glory To this blessed ende mortifie in me O Lord the deedes of the flesh adulterie fornication vncleanesse laciuiousnesse Idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife sedition heresies enuyings murders drunkennesse reuellings and sucâ—h like and in stead thereof manifest in me O God thy selfe by bestowing vpon me a principall portion of thy Spirit in loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meckenesse temperance and what else thy holy wisedome knowes fit for me in my vocation and ranke Restraine sinne that it may not raigne in my mortall body and Sathan that hee may not rage ouer me Set vp thy selfe O God aboue the heauens and thy glory aboue all the earth That thy beloued in whom thou art manifested by thy graâ—ious spirit of sanctification may euer praise and magnifie thy Great name amiddest the Congregatigations And I the vnworthyest of all thy creatures shall euer bee telling of thy goodnesse towards me for redeeming me with thy bloud for sanctifying mee by thy grace for vniting thy selfe mystically vnto mee thine humbled Votarie and for sauing mee from those many and manifold euills of the flesh whereinto thousands are faine also had not thy gratious assistance O Lord vpheld my weake and feeble flesh â—N Lord there hath no sinne beene committed since Adams fall vnto this day by any the sonnes and daughters of men but I had done the like if thy sweete fauour in Iesus Christ had not preuented mee O Lord then let mee liue in thee let mee wholly resigne my selfe vnto thee that neither sinne nor Sathan nor shame nor confusion may come neere my dwelling but that thou mayest dwell in mee here by thine owne spirite of holinesse that hereafter I may obtain the happinesse of thy glorious kingdome through Iesus Christ mine onely Lord and Sauiour Amen GOD IVSTIFIed in the Spirit Explication GOD manifested in the Spirit not as man iustified whose sinnes are remitted for Christ his sake whose vnrighteousnesse is couered with Christ his merits whose wretchednesse is not imputed for Christ his obedience as Saint Augustine diuinely discanteth vpon the 32 Psalme but iustified in the spirit by diuine iustice such as is properly to God only In which sence his iudgements are sayde to bee iustified that is they are true and righteous al together albeit to vs they are secret and vnsearchable His wisedome is sayde to bee iustified of her children that is it is knowne to bee true and infallible wisdome In this phrase spake Dauid to God saying That thou mightest bee iustified when thou speakest and cleare when thou iudgest That is that no liuing creature could taxe implead or touch the resolutions and performances of Gods decrees with any the least preiudice or impeachment of iniquitie for they were euer most iust and sacred albeit they are vnknowne to vs Is there any vnrighteousnesse with God sayeth Paul In this phrase also Saint Peter vrgeth the Iewes that they had denyed The holy one and inst and desired a murtherer to be giuen them The manner of this Iustification was in the spirit that is to say Hee was iustified in that which was in his sacred person diuine and aboue the humane nature So S. Paul teacheth the Church of Rome affirming that albeit hee was the sonne of Dauid according to the flesh yet was hee declared to bee the Sonne of God with power according to the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead which seemeth vnto mee to intend two arguments to this purpose The first is that neuer any in our flesh liued spotlesse and voide of sinne but Christ onely There is the iustifying Spirite of Sanctification The second is that neuer any of himselfe but Christ Iesus loosed the bandes of death and arose from the fetters of the graue There is the Iustifying Spirite of power in the Resurrection and euen in this very phrase Athanasins speaketh to witte That Christ was iustified not after the manner of men but by diuine puritie To this end that he should bee honoured and worshipped not as a meere man albeit hee was truly man but as the eternall God in our flesh This therefore is the Catholique Faith which whosoeuer doth not beleeue cannot bee saued That Iesus Christ is knowne by his power in the spirite to be the very son of God against the Maâ—cionites Gods sonne by nature not by grace against the Arrians that hee was begotten of the Father against the Bonosians that froÌ„ euerlasting against the Natiuitarians that hee was God of himselfe against the Donatists and that hee was coequall with the Father and consubstantiall against the Macedoans This Iustification of the Sonne of God was declared in the spirit of power and in the spirite of purity as I haue sayde out of Saint Paul to the Romanes In the power of the Spirit it was declared against al the powers of darkenesse which flesh and bloud could not abandon For besides the generall cessation of Oracles at his comming the particular Idols were euery where defaced and confounded Astorah of the Sydonians Melchom of the Ammonites Chemosh of the Moabites Belzebub of Ekron Remphan of the Sirians Dagon of the Philistines Moloch of the Egyptians and many others were in all places of the world put to vtter confusion Because the God of this world which is the diuell was cast out and the stroÌ„ger man surprised the strong man dispossessed him dispoiled him and vtterly
vanquished him Insomuch that the very diuels cry Torment vs not before our time and aske leaue to goe euen into sordid swine Thus was he iustified in the power of the Spirite in â—anquishing the powers of darkenes His Iustification was also declared by the spirit of power against his enemies as appeared by the fower Herods Asâ—alonita Archelaus Antipas and Agrippa who being Tyrants and persecutors of Christ in his infancy and of some of his followers there appeared vppon them the strong hand of God that brought them to pittifull and lamentable confusions But most notably and most notoriously the Iustification of the same God Christ Iesus our Lord in the Spirit of power appeareth most euidently euen at this day to the viewe of the whole christian world in his continued iudgements vpon the whole nation of the Iewes who were subuerted and vtterly ouerthrowne by the Romans at the very time of the yeare wherein they crucified Christ which was about Easter For at that very time of their great festiuity the Romanâ—s came and besieged Hierusalem And as from Mount Oliuet they appreheÌ„ded Christ so from that Mouâ—t was their City entered and surprised And as they hurried the Lord Iesus from Pilate to Herod so they were hurried vp and downe during the siege from Iohn to Simeon and from Simeon to Iohn two notable villaines that did mutinize within the City to their vnspeakeable torment vexation and vtter subuersion And as they whipped the Lord of Life and attired him in despicable maner in contempt and scorne Euen so they were whipped vp and downe the holy City in great villany and reproach by the Romane souldiers And as the Lord Iesus was solde for thirty peeces of siluer by Iudas a Iew euen so thirty of the Iewes in the sacking of the City were solde for one peece of siluer by the Souldiers And euen yet the hand of Gods power to iustifie his sonnes innocency is not shortned but stretched out against them still The holy bloud of Christ crying against them and against their children as they themselues desired for vengeance They liuing as a forlorne and scattered people vpon the surface of the earth without Priest or Prophet King or Scepter comfort or compassion In a word tell me who did euer striue against the Messias and did prosper or band himselfe against Christ or Christian and was not confounded Christ was also iustified by the spirit of sanctifying puritie beeing pure and spotlesse in himselfe both in body and soule for there was not any guile in him and also pure in his redeemed people effectually In himselfe pure his conception pure by the holy Ghost his birth pure of a Virgin his life pure both in word and deed in life and death pure for hee offended not no not so much as in his tongue and he is perfect that so offendeth not In his redeemed people pure by the effects of the same iustifying spirite For whereas all the whole world else is set vpon wickednesse hunting eyther with profite as with a bloud-hound or else beeing befooled or besotted with pleasures as theyr Helena these two beeing as it were the two Poles wheron the whole world else is turned the spirite of Christ hath wrought in those that are his â—uch a measure of sanctification that they minde and breath nothing but Heauen and heauenly things If it thuÌ„der that say they is the voyce of our heauenly Father If they cast their eyes to those visible heauens there say they is the curtaine or base court of our inheritance among the Saâ—nts If they heare musicke Oh say they what harmony do the Angels make in Heauen If they behold the earth and the glory therof they say If God haue prouided such a place of pleasure for vs on earth in this our prison What glory is that hee hath layde vp for vs in heauen In all occurrences of their life they sauour nothing but of God and goodnesse In a Word they liue not but Christ liueth in them For this is indeed the true beeing of Christians wholy to giue ouer themselues to bee guided by Gods holy iustifying Spirite Their life is to liue in the Spirite their passages are to walke in the spirite If they resolue their station is in the spirite If they bee deuoute They pray in the Spirite Al their whole seruice of God is to Worship him in spirit and truth Otherwise those that haue not this spirite that is are not guided thereby are none of his For as in the creation of the World The spirite of God moued vpon the waters So certainely now in the Regeneration and new birth of the Christian World the Spirite of God moueth vpon the affections of our harts to turn the riuers in the south that is to turne the streame of our actions and courses of our life to the Ocean the liuing God For hee hath made vs for him selfe and therefore our hearts are neuer quiet vntill wee returne vnto the Lord our God againe When Christ therefore speaketh hee speaketh by the spirit to the Churches for the Scripture sayth Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what the spirite sayth to the Churches The Comforter also of Gods Church is the spirite which is Gods gift vnto his and doth Witnesse with the spirite That wee are the sonnnes of God There is the certainty of the subiect of our Faith The spirite doth make intercession for vs with sighes vnutterable There is the breath of our prayers and doth helpe our infirmities There is the stay and pillar of all our happinesse The first Adam being a liuing soule but the second Adam a quickning spirite For they are quickned in whom this blessed spirite dwelleth both toward God in the spirite of faith and holy vnion and in the spirite of zeale being rauished for the hope of Heauen as appeared in the blessed Martyres and also quickned towardes others in the spirite of charity keeping the vnity of the spirite in the bonde of peace in the spirit of meekenesse and placabilitie being easie to bee entreated for Christs sake Quickened in themselues in the Spirit of sanctification purging themselues for their assured hope of Heauen and in the spirit of sinceritie Doing iustly in all their actions with all men To this purpose the earnest of the Spirit is giuen the Elect euen in this life neuer to be taken away but to bee made vp for that is the 〈◊〉 of an earnest and the pledge of the spirite as an hostage to secure them the seale of the promise to sanctifie them and the spirit it selfe being the Doctor of trueth to leade them into all truth that their sensuall part may bee guided by right reason theyr reason ordered by faith and their faith illuminated sanctified and ledde on by the Spirite of God Indeede to them that seeke not after God this directioÌ„ of his most holy spirite is hateful and the reason is very plaine
great glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead Come Lord Iesus Come quickly O holy spirit of purity and power assist my weake and feeble spirit to bee lift vp vnto thee in prayer Oh righteous God and most merciful Father in Iesus Christ to whome the spirites of the iust are always and euery where lift vp remember mee in thy great goodnes For I acknowledge and confesse vnto thee my many and manifolde infirmities wretchednesses and wickednesses both in the sinnes of my body and also in the sinnes of my soule Now a long time O Lord I haue bin grieuously teÌ„ptead with the spirits not of infirmitie only which dwell in my flesh but with foule filthy spirits of pride ambition enuie worldly pollicie other vile vaine deceitfulnes of mine own heart and oft times with lothsom and vgly spirits of lust adultry gluttony druÌ„kenes wantonesse many other such like euills which haunt me daily eyther in thought word or deed and seeke to harâ—our in my polluted flesh giuing me no rest nor respite but are still seeking and daily assayling to ruinate and run ouer me and are dayly fighting and troubling me I haue sinned O Lord I haue sinned I haue done euil in thy fight and these euills are punishments vnto mee for the same It is I Oh Lord it is I and it seemeth to me that it is none but I that euer sinned so hainously against thee I seeme to my selfe of all others to be the most miserable most distressed and most wretched creature on the earth What shall I doe O Creator of heauen and of earth Thou preseruer of mankinde whether shal I flye from these vgly Monsters that thus pursue my soule and daylie seeke to preuaile against me I know not where to be safe from them but onely to flye vnto thee Oh Lord who onely canst still the raging and the roaring of the great waters when they arise and swell who onely canst chaine the Diuell when hee is â—rampant and ready to deuoure and who onely canst cast out the vncleane spirite with a worde that they neuer enter any more Now therefore come I to thee O King of Saints shewing to thee my malady my misery my moâ—rning how I lye here among the graues of the deade and torment my selfe being possessed with the rage and hell of my misdeedes and crie after thee O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee and deliuer mee by the power of thy might by thy stretched out arme and by one touch of thy sacred goodnesse that it may dispossesse Sathan the strong man of his hold that it may heale me and cast out the vncleane spirites and may vtterly abandon sinne shame and Sathan farre from me and from my dwellings Take from mee for Christ his sake mine owne wretched spirit of infidelitie pride mallice and vnconstancie and grant vnto me O Lord in steed thereof thy blessed spirit of truth humilitie charitie and perseuering constancy Oh take from me O Lord mine owne spirit of vncleanenesse couetousnesse flouthfulnesse and bestow vpon me in steed thereof thine holy spirit of purenesse liberalitie and of all carefull and Christian circumspection Take from me deare Father mine owne spirit of crookednesse wherwith I haue beene vexed and bowed together for many yeares and grant mee thy Spirit of power to raise me vp and thy strength that I may resist sinne in these dayes of my combating that I may so resolutely deuoute my selfe to theâ— and to thy sacred seruice that I may neuer more hearken to subtill and enticing spirits of pleasure of errors of impietie O sacred spirit that didst moue vpon the waters in the creation of the world now moue the streames and fountains of my life in my regeneration and new birth Shake the very foundations of my soule that the image of Christ Iesus may bee repayred in me which I vile wretch by my sinnes haue miserably deformed and defaced O blessed spirit help mine infirmities heale my imperfections compassionate my miseries and make intercession for me with sighes vnutterable which will haue no nay That I may feele my selfe comforted by thee the spirit of consolation in all the wayes of godlinesse that I may perceiue my selfe to bee led on into all truth and veritie and may at the last assure mine owne spirit by thy blessed testimony that I am a child of thy gratious adoption O blessed Iesus that wast declared mightely to be the son of God by the powerfull spirit of sanctification and by rising from the dead that didst vanquish vtterly abandon all the powers all the houres of darkenesse and spirits of error and misbeleefe remoue farre from mee all heathenish Pagan and Popish idolatrie all confidence in any creature all flattering of mine own-selfe that the pure light of thy reuealed truth may shine into my heart that I may euer worship thee in spirit and truth as thou hast commanded And O God make my life holy innocent modest and honest in thy sight that I may see my heart repayred and renued by thy spirit of grace to walke before thee in godly and sincere integritie of conuersation all the remainder of my wretched dayes So am I assured Sathan shall neuer circumuent me nor the world deceiue me or mine owne flesh intice mee or enforce me from thy holy and sacred directions but if I fall I shall rise againe if I turne away at any time I shall returne againe So shall I euer magnifie thy name and multiplie prayses vnto thy maiestie and ascribe vnto thee honor and praise all my life long Grant these mercies vnto me O father of comfort and power for thy couenants sake made vnto mankinde in the iustification of thy Sonne Christ Iesus both for the sanctitie of his life for the suffering of his death and for the continuall intercession and mediation of his eternall priesthood hee now sitting at thy right hand for vs in Maiâ—stie and great glory and remaining a Priest for euer after the order of Mâ—lchisedech Behold vs wretches O holy Ghost whose soules cleaue vnto the ground quicken vs with thy might and lift vs vp from the grossenesse of our corruption to our spirituall beeing in Iesus Christ that wee may liue in the spirit loue in the spirit pray in the spirit and bee led thereby continually into all good actions being thereby purged and purified both in our spirits soules and bodyes from all dead and damnable workes of the flesh the world and the diuell That so at the last wee may through thy fauour O God bee perfectly vnited vnto thee in the spirit of sanctification in this life and in the euerlasting spirit of thy power be brought to our glorification in the other life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen GOD SEENE of Angels Explication THis Manifestation of God in the flesh and iustification in the Spirit was so apparant and the glory thereof so great that it filled heauen and earth with the brightnesse of
it for it was as well seene of Angels as of men Seene of Angels that is knowne of good Angels and acknowledged of euill Angels who felt the power thereof Of Angels those heauenly souldiers whose creation both for the time and place whose apparition whether it be reall or imaginary onely whose motion whether it be in time or at an instant whose locall sight whether it bee definitiue or may bee in many places at once whose tongue whether it bee a proper and peculiar Idiome among themselues onely or communicable to others whosetuition whether it be according to the Egyptian and Platonicall deuises seuerally limited ouer particular Countries Prouinces cities whose number whether it be deuided into three Hierarchies and into nine orders and other such like curious Queeres if any desire to know I referre the in quisitors thereof to Abbas Tritemius Agrippa Dionysius and others My purpose in this discourse beeing not to make knots but to endeauour to vntie them rather and not so much to satisfie the brain with curious contemplacions as to desire to sanctifie the heart with diuine meditations shall endeauoâ—r and tend to open more profitable lessons and therefore first I shew vnto you that Angels are spirituall essences created of nothing formed most neere to the â—mage of God ordayned of God to minister to himselfe to take care of his elect people and to enioy eternall happinesse with him being endued with most royal robes of excellent wisedome righteousnesse and sanctitie The Scripture both Canonicall and Apocripha notifie their natures by certaine proper names attributed vnto theÌ„ The sacred Canonicall Scripture noteâ—h two of most eminent imployment Gabriel signifying the power of God imployed in the message of this manifestation and Michael signifying Who is as God imployed in the debellation of gods our enemies The Apocrypha Scripture hath these fowre Raphael which is power of healing Vriel named so of the light Ieremiel called so of the mercie of God and Shealtiel designing the prayse of God The Canonicall Epistles of Saint Paul to the Churches of Ephesus and Colossi declare their nature by fiue tearmes of puissance calling them Thrones as attendants on Gods tribunall to doe and execute his decrees dominations as being authenticall hauing powerfull warrant for what they do principalities as guiding guarding their seueral limited especially appointed princedoms powers as hauing effectuall working ouer inferiors Mights as being Gods great guard who is the Lord of hosts angels generally in the whole body of the Scripture which noteth their generall imployment being Gods nuntioes emissaries messengers A thousand thousand of which stand before him 10000. minister vnto him Such are their names such are their natures such are their general imploymeÌ„ts And as for their conceited hierarchies of angels assisting Seraphins Cherubins thrones Angels coÌ„manding dominations principalities powers angels executing Michael Gabriel Raphael are rather fancies theÌ„ verities rather imaginations then conclusions of diuinity As for their number wee are sure it is numberlesse For Daniel saith A thousand thousand stand before him and ten thousand minister vnto him where a difinite number is put for an indefinite Christ himself also testifies it saying I can euen now pray vnto my Father and he will giue me more then twelue legions of Angels and the spirt of God witnesseth That wee are come to innumerable company of Angels Oh this is a singular comfort vnto vs for hence we know that more are with vs then against vs as Elisha sayd to Gihazi This Misterie of Godlinesse is sayde here to bee seene of these glorious spirits the Angels so that wee see Godlines is Angelicall Seene that is perfectly knowne for what we see we auerre confidently against all gainesayers to be true for we auouch with asseueration that we saw it with our eyes Seene intellectually as the Lattins speake they see in their mindes Speake on my son that I may see thee In which sence also the Angels who are childrens Gardians are fayde alwayes to behold the face of their Father in heauen Vnto naturall sight three things are required First the power of seeing then the light as the meanes of seeing and a visible forme for the obiect To this intellectual Angelicall knowledge or fight are three things also requisite First their intellectuall power of knowledge giuen theÌ„ by their Creator in their creation then the reflection of Gods light as the meanes of their knowledge and the sacred body of Christ Iesus as the visible obiect to delight them The knowledge then of Angells is twofold the one naturall whereby they see and know God in the vndeuided Trinitie to wit the Father Sonne and holy Ghost one in essence and three in existence and all the creatures of God in this blessed vision The other knowledge of things is two fold First by a matutine knowledge as Saint Angustiue calleth it knowing and seeing all things in the Word by whom all things were made and afterwards by a view of the creatures in themselues For the Angells see the creatures in God and men see God in the creatures Playnely thus Euclides Archimides or some such like skilfull Mathematitian first seeth and knoweth the length and breadth and all the demensions of the lines and euery turning tryangle and particular parcell of his draught and circle in his minde and cogitation and afterwardes seeth and knoweth the same lines angles and Circles in the table dust or earth wherein hee draweth those proportions semblably the Angels see and know all things reuealed vnto them First in God and then in the Creatures in God as in their mindes in the Creatures as in the reuealed obiects For Angels haue a naturall knowledge wherein they were created euen as many as continued their stations in the truth and seruice of their Creator and they haue also reuealed knowledge from God in seuerall particulars as to the Angell Gabriel was made knowne in particular the Incarnation of the Messiaâ— And they haue also an experimentall knowledge of Gods wisdome in the mysterie of his sonnes Incaâ—nation euen by the reuelation of preaching in Gods church as Paul witnesseth Vnto mee sayth he who am lesse then the least of al Saints is this grace giuen that I should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mysterie which from the beginning of the world hath beene hid in God who created all things by Iesus Christ to the eâ—tent that now to the principalities and powers in heauenly places might bee knowne by the Church the manifolde wisdome of God And this is most apparant in the sight and certaine knowledge that the Angels of Heauen had of the particulars touching this blessed mysterie for before Christs incarnation the time of the sixtie two weekes which was the time from that prophesie to his passion was seene and known to an
a thousand sorrows to euery good beleeuing heart to conceyue that albeit God in his aboundant mercies hath thus reuealed himselfe vnto vs in the manifestation of our flesh among vs by the power of this Almighty spirite aboue vs and by the testimony of Angels about vs yet there should bee of them that professe Christianity such as are worse then the Sect of the Saduces for the Sadduces yet acknowledge that Angels were the good motions stirred vp in vs but these neither acknowledge God good motions nor diuels but are copartners with the Diuell against Michael and his Angels and are become Combatants against Christ and his Christians Hath not Sathan thinke you sifted such to the bran and winnowed such to the chaffe by his damned motions that he hath made them good for nothing and left in them nothing but the dregs and remnants of himselfe as namely the eagernesse and greedy desire of hauing and the cursed sins of despite and malice for they haue taken the Diuell at his word when he shewed them the Worlde and the glory therof and said vnto them All this will I giue you they immediately fall downe and worship him Or else shew themselues to be of the diuels pedegree by the grosnes of lying by the fulnes of impurity by the subtilty of sorcery or as was sayde by the mischiefe of helsish malice All which dregs of the diuel hide the sonne of God from those children of disobedience and nothing remaineth for theÌ„ except they repent but the fearefull sentence of Depart from mee yee cursed into hell fire prepared for the Diuel and his Angels Whereas if the sonnes of meÌ„ would consider but what losses they sustaine hereby me thinkes it should recall euery good mind but of an ordinary vnderstanding to a far better dispositioÌ„ For we Christians lose by such wickednesse the honour of beeing such euill Angels Iudges Why doe not yee know that we shall iudge the Angels that is doe ye not know that we shall be assessors with Christ in the day of iudgment and condemne the diuell and his angels We lose the sight of Christs mysticall body in the glory of his Saints Which the Angels of heauen desired to behold We loose the victorious triumph of Gods Saints for shortly Sathan shall bee beate downe vnder our feet Let vs then rayse vppe our selues to his glorious assotiation of the Angels in our seruice of God knowing that there are more with vs then against vs and that our Lord Christ Iesus shal appeare in the end of the world with this holy Angels in Maiesty and great glory to iudge all mankind And I adiure you before Iesus Christ and his Elect Angels that yee diligently and duely consider these things For yee are not come vnto the mount which might not bee touched and that burned with fire nor vnto blacknes and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voyce of words which voyce they that heard entreated that the Word should not bee spoken vnto them any more But yee are come vnto Mount Sion and vnto the City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to aninnumerable company of Angels and to the generall assemblie and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirites of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediator of the New Testâ—ment and to the bloud of sprinck lings which speaketh better thinges then that of Abell Oh blessed Lord let mee see thy face for thy face Lord will I seeke Incomparably blessed are those sacred Spirtes O holy heauenly Father who euer attend thy glorious Maiesty and stand before thee â—ight day to behold and see thee in thy displaied glory They are in the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand where are blessings for euermore They are euer delighted with the sight of thinâ— vnsearchable wisedome of thine vnutterable glory and vnspeakable mercy They are free from the assaults of sinne or Sathan for no euill commeth neere thy dwelling O miserable wretches that wee are on earth subiect to Sathans slâ—ights the fleshes frailety and the worlds wickednesse Debarred are we from thy glorious light O King of Heauen and shut vp hâ—â—e in the darkenes of our own ignorance and lye in the very shadow of death Restrained are wee from the ioyfull fruition of the companie of those stiall attendants the Angels Saints that euer doe thee seruice without ceasing O blessed Lord how happy were wee the miserable inhabitants of thy footstoole if thou wouldest vouchsafe vs that fauour for Christ his sake as to deliuer vs out of the prison of this body out of the fetters of sinne and out of the snares of the Diuell that wee might serue thee without feare in thy Court of Heauen continually Consider good Father our miserie and forasmuch as in Christ Iesus thou hast giuen vs a light of thy selfe in the mirror of thy mercy and mystery of Christian godlinesse Leaue vs not comfortlesse but grant vs for his passion sake a glympse of thee euen in this Life while wee are here that our soules may be rauished with holy desires and neuer be satisfied vntill we come vnto thee our God to enioy thy selfe in glorious maiestie To this blessed end Oh tender hearted Father arme vs with helpe from heauen in all the occasions of our life For thou knowest O Lord that wee war not against flesh and bloud onely which are intestine and home-bred enemies but against principalities powers and spirites of errors and darkenesse in high places Thou knowest O Lord that they are many mighty and malitious Thou knowest our frailety our feeblenesse and our folly Helpe vs then deare Father out of all the temptations and snares of the diuell Let thy guard of good Angels and holy ones stand with vs to assist staÌ„d ouer vs to protect vs giue theÌ„ a charge O Lord to keepe vs in all our wayes Let them stand at our right hand to guide vs for the best Let them goe before vs dayly with thy preuenting mercy as they did before the hoast of thy Israel Let them comfort vs in the good as they did thy Iosuah Let them supplie our wants if neede require as they did thy Eliah Let them deliuer vs out of prison as they did thy Peter saue vs in shipwracke as they did thy Paul Let them alwayes be ayding vnto vs in our sicknesse and in all the weakenesse and temptations thereof yea in the last breath of our life and aâ—ter death Let them traÌ„sport vs into Abrahams boâ—ome as they did thy Lazerâ—â— And graunt vnto vs O Father for Christs sake this grace that while wee liue here we may endeauour to do thy blessed will as the angels doe in heauen That wee may euer â—praise thee for thy goodnesse sing vnto thee for thy mercies magnifie thee for thy graces and multiplie
our daily thankefulnes for thine vnspeakeable fauours both towardes our bodies and towards our soules sowards our selues and children in this lise and in that to come Cause vs O Lord to tremble at thy fearefull iudgements that didst not spare the Angels that sinned but hast reserued them in chaines of darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day O Lord if thou diddest not spare them for one sin what shall become of vs that haue sinned dayly against thee and do multiplie our iniquities as the haires of our head and as the sands of the sea shores which is innumerable O Father haue pitty vpon vs forgiue vs sweete Father forgiue vs for Christs sake and giue vs thy grace that wee may conâ—ert and turne vnto thee with all our hearts that those blessed spirites the Angels may haue ioy in our conuersion and repentance and we may ioyâ—e with them in the celebration and honour of thy great and glorious name for euermore O let vs bee partakers of that grace with thy blessed Angels which winneth infallibly holdeth inseparably and leadeth indeclinably into the wayes of eternall blessednesse Grant vnto vs these mercies O God of mercies for Christs sake our onely Mediator So shall wee that are thy people of thy pasture sheepe of thy flocke and Church of thy Redeemed as thy holy ones of heauen be euer telling of thy praise and magnifying thy goodnesse in Christ Iesus world without end Amen GOD PREACHED vnto the Gentiles Explication THis Mystery of Godlines you see hath been Manifestedin the flesh Iustified in the Spirit Seene of Angels that is It hath bin manifested vnto vs in the persoÌ„ of Christ in the power of Christ and in the knowledge seruice and ministration of the blessed Angels of Christ. What can we then say for our selues Haue not wee heard of this great mystery of godlines Hath it bin hidde in a corner from vs or whispered in the eare or beene knowne to a few or published to a handful of people in some angle or corner of the world Haue the Iewes onely had this made knowne vnto theÌ„ Assuredly God hath beene Preached There is the promulgation or proclamation of this mysterie God hath beene Preached to the Gentiles There is the large extent of this promulgation God preached vnto the Gentils For it hath pleased God by that which the world calleth the foolishnesse of Preaching to make knowne vnto the world his vnsearchable wisdome and the riches of his glorious grace in Christ. Preaching being the gift of the holy Ghost the spirit of prophesie the glad tydings of peace of good things and of saluation caused Esayas an Eâ—angelicall Prophet of the Lord to say That the very feet of them that brought this newes vnto the world were beautifull Preaching being the embassage of our reconciliationwith God in Christ the holy ordinance of God for the ordinary meanes of our sanctificatioÌ„ by grace in this world and the cleeare publication of our assured glorification in the other world caused Paul to say Woe is me if I preach not the Gospell so necessary it was for him and all beleeuers Preaching to youth is as Ezechiel his cleane water to asswage the heate of their concupiscence and to purge the old leauen of malitiousnesse It is as Solomon his wine to strengthen and glad the harts of the ancient It is as Saint Peter his milke for children to nourish and feede them vp to godlinesse It is as a soueraigne bath to heale all beleeuers with what disease of sinne soeuer they be ill affected and it is an antidoâ—e or counterpoyson against all the venome of our rottennes For Preaching is the celeâ—â—all chariot wherein the graâ—es and gifts of the holy ghost â—â—â—e continually conueyed â—nto vs. So Christ testifieth when â—â—e prayeth thus Sanctifie them O Father â—â—rough thy truth thy Word is â—â—uth And that we may not â—oubt what this Word is Saint Peter preacheth it That we are â—orne againe not of corruptible â—eede but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liueth and â—bideth for euer For all flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for euer and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached vnto you Moreouer this Mysterie of Godlinesse God preached vnto the Gentiles Saint Peter had shewed vnto him in his practise of preaching For it is sayd While Peter yet preached these words the holy Ghost fell on all them that hard the Word Obserue this saying The gift of the holy Ghost fell on the auditors as Peter was a preaching Out of doubt preaching is the heauenly talent left vnto the ministers of the Gospell by their Maister Christ where withall they must negotiate and wherein they must imploy themselues vntill hee come againe vnto his great audite in the end of the world And the preaching of this mysterie is the power of our God the glory of our Preachers to the saluation both of Preachers and people Preaching hath the power of edification through God in Christ and worketh â—ightily in those that God â—ath set apart and designed â—o that businesse for the builâ—ing vp againe of those ruines which hath beene battered downe by sinne and Saâ—han For the brused reede it must not breake nor the smoking flaxe it must not quench if God in Christ direct it but whereas knowledge puffeth vp this buildeth vp vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Preaching is the voyce of God whereby hee preacheth and publisheth his holy will and last testament by men vn-the sonnes of men In a word Preaching is the Manna from heauen to feede our soules the dewe of Hermon to water our barrennesse the lampe and light of God in the darkenesse of this world for our direction the sword of truth to cut asunder the Gordian knots of heresie schisme and controuersie for our satisfaction the wall of fire by Gods promise to encompas vs from enraged beasts for our protectioÌ„ the reuelatioÌ„ of the rock of our faith to build vpon for thetestification of our ful assurance in Christ the touchstone of our coÌ„uersatioÌ„ for our tryalls in all cases of conscience the key that openeth heauen to the â—eleeuers and shutteth heauen to impenitents by Gods dispensation It is the Dauids harpe the musicke thereof so delighteth the soule that it doth not faint neither is altogether wearyed with the tediousnes of our banishment in this world It is the pricelesse antidote more pretious then Nepente or Molâ—â— so much famoused by the ancient for 〈◊〉 expels by the power of â—â—e spirit which accomâ—nyeth it all euills and 〈◊〉 diuells It followeth next to whom his Mystery was preached â—uen to the very heathen Genâ—les Preached vnto the Genâ—iles Now it comes to be consiâ—ered that the time was when â—he dewe of heauen fell onely â—on the