whether it be good or bad A sweet speech according to Godsowne heart for as S. Ambrose doth auow whosoeuer speakes a thing which is true speaketh it from the spirit of trueth Not to trouble you with any further discourse the consideration of this one poynt that God is omni-present conteineth in it all other rules for the well ordering of whole life so that if any be deiected in his mind for that he cannot remember the good lessons hee dayly reades in bookes and heares in Sermons let him be con tented againe because this one prescript comprehends omnia media et remedia all meanes and medicines for the curing of his sicke soule but because Gershon a great clearke professeth hee hath sometimes beene foure houres together in working his heart ere hee could frame it to he Diuine meditation of God I purpose to treate first of the meanes how to get it and then of the fruites arising from it For the first euery good gift is from aboue comming downe from the Father of lights and prayer is like the fiery chariot of Elia where by we mount vp and conuerse with God on high It is the key of Paradise gates and the hand of a Christian able to reach from earth to heauen and to take foorth vnsearchable riches ouâ—… of the Lords treasure the Scripture saith as much in plaine termes aske and yee shall haue seeke and yee shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you what soeuer ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will giue it you Feruent prayer then vnto which almighty God denyes nothing is a maine meanes of this holy deuotion and pious exercise Another way to seeke Gods face continually is to haue some remarkeable sentences concerning this argument written in the roomes wee most vse for example that of Solomon Prou. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord in euery place behold the euill and the good Or that of Dauid I haue set God alwayes before me Or that of Paul Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open to his eyes with whom wee haue to doe Or that of Augustine God is all eye Totus oculus qui minime fallitur quià minime clauditur saith Bernard Or that of Lipsius eum nulla vis humana elidet aut acumen eludet God commanded in the 15 of Numb 38. and Deut 22. 12. That his people throughout their generations should make them fringes vpon the borders of their garments and put vpon the fringes of the borders a ribband of blew silke that when they looked vpon them at any time they might remember all the commandements of the Lord and doe them He did inioyne likewise to bind the wordes of his Law for a memoriall vpon their hands and as fronâ—…lets betweene their eyes And these scrolles of paitchâ—…ents wherein the commandements were written are termed by the Hebrew Doctor Tephillim prayermonuments and by Christ Mat. 23. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Interpreters coniecture quasi conseruatoria because they kept and preserued men in awfull obedience to the law and howsoeuer the Pharisees abused these things vnto superstition and vaine-glory yet God assuredly will be well pleased if we shall vse sincerely the like monuments and figures for the like good purposes and ends especially to put vs in mind of his holy presence A third profitable meane to seeke Gods face continually is a particular examination of our selues at our vprising and downe-sitting and if wee find that wee haue walked all the day long in Gods sight to make songs of him and prayse him for his strength and grace If otherwise to be sory for this omission and hereafter to bee more studious of this good worke The last and best helpe to further this deuotion is our vnfeined loue of God for as S. Augustine sayd animus velut pondere amore fertur quocunque fertur ibi est vbi amat non vbi animat A man is where he loues not where he liues as Origene writes of Mary Magdalene visiting Christs Sepulchre ibi non erat vbi erat quià tota ibi erat vbi magister erat So beloued it is with vs al our mind is where our pleasure is and our heart is where our treasure is Matth. 6. 21. If then we loue God aboue all things our hearts will likewise reioyce in his holy Name more then in all things If wee remember the marueilous workes that hee hath done his wonders and the iudgement of his mouth what do we but seeke his strength and his face euermore The fruites rising from this holy deuotion are manifold The first is purenesse of heart which is such an excellent vertue that Solomon saith He that loueth purenesse of heart the King shall be his friend That is the King of glory the King of heauen and earth the King of kings is a louer of him Now that purenesse is attayned by this exercise as Dauid telleth vs in the 10. Psalme reporting the wayes of the wicked man to bee most impure because God is not in all his thoughts and the fathers of our law put these words into the enditement of a malefactour that in committing his foule fact he had not God before his eyes When Christ entred into my soule saith Bernard hee mooued and mollified and wounded mine hard and stony heart he did roote out and destroy throw downe build and plant he did enlighten that which was darke water that which was dry coole that which was too hot and inflame that which was too cold He did exalt valleys and depresse mountains the crooked wayes he made straight and the rough places plaine and so saith he with our Prophet Psalme 103. My soule did prayse the Lord and all that is within mee prayse his holy Name We find in Ecclesiasticall history that Paphnutius conuerted Thais and that Ephram conuerted another famous strumpet from vncleannesse onely with this argument that almighty God seeth all thinges in the darke when all doores are fast all windowes shut all curtaines close And as this exercise causeth vs to repent sin which is past so likewise to preuent sinne which is to come for if once we can contemplate God as present we shall instantly consider him as our Father and so honour him or as our Lord and so feare him and he that doeth either of these will flee sinne as a serpent as for example Ioseph assaulted by his mistrisle to lie with her answered How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God Susanna tempted by the libidiâ—…ous Elders to the like folly gaue the like answere sighing and saying I am in danger on euery side For if I doe this thing it is death vnto me and if I do it not I cannot escape your hanâ—… it is better for mee to fall into your hands and not to doe it then to sinne in the sight of the Lord A learned doctour in â—…ur time
Christian is dead to sin and aliue to God Dead to sin as Iudicious Melancthon in respect of sinnes imputation and efficacie In respect of imputation for albeit some reliques of old Adam remaine in the new man yet as the Scripture speakes all his offences are couered there is no condemnatiō vnto them which are in Christ. God sees none iniquity in Iacob no transgression in Israel Num. 23. 21. As for sinnes efficacie whereas the motions of sin in an vnregenerate man haue force to bring forth fruit vnto death Rom. 7. 5. He that is borne of God sinneth not 1 Iohn 3. 9. As being a patient rather then an agent in sin saith Bernard or as Primasius he doth not liue to sin but to Christ who dyed for his sin Thus I liue quoth Paul Gal. 2. 20. Yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee Christ himselfe is the life which I now liue In this regard he and I are both one quoth Luther vpō that place this seemes a very strang manner of speaking I liue I liue not I am dead I am not dead I am a sinner I am not a sinner I liue not now as Paul but Paul is dead who is it then that doth liue the Christian our corrupt estate subiect to sin and concupiscence is called the old man But our person reformed in and by Christ is the new man Augustine pithily Christianus est quod ammodo duplex euery single Christiā susteyneth a double person as Hector Pintus vpon our text duplex est in me ego one I that liues according to the flesh and another I that liues according to the spirit As the penitent wanton in St. Ambrose who courted by his old loue Cur non respicis ego sum answered sed ego non sum ego Though you be still the same woman I am become another man I liue indeed in the flesh but not through the flesh or according to the flesh for I am Crucified vnto the world and the world is Crucified vnto mee The truth is I liue by faith in the Sonne of God I am grafted into Christ and the graft doth liue not of it selfe by the sap of the stocke Wee are twigges and Christ is the tree without him wee can doe nothing Iohn 15. 5. But in him and through him all things Philip. 4. 13. Thus a Christian is dead to sinne dead to the law dead to the world actiuely the which exposition is entertained of many learned interpreters but that Iacob is passiuely dead vnto the world as being hated persecuted of the world as the blessed Apostle speakes of himselfe for Christs glory dying daily is the fitter and as I think the fuller glosse comming neerer home to the point and to the pith of the matter intended heere by the spirit And so by this place you may learne the meaning of another hard phrase 1. Cor. 15. 2◅ Baptized for dead that is afflicted and reputed as dead I know there bee diuerse readings and interpretations of that text but vpon an exact inquirie yee shall vnderstand this to be most agreeable to the words to the scope of Saint Paules argument To the words because Baptisme is vsed elsewhere for affliction as Luk. 12. 50. I must be Baptized with a Baptisme and how am I grieued till it bee ended and Math. 20. 22 Mark 10. 38. Ye know not what ye aske quoth our blessed Sauiour to his ambitious Disciples harkening after earthly preferment in his Kingdome Yee must first drinke of the Cup that I must drinke of and be baptized with the Baptisme that I am baptized with that is in the iudgment of Theophilact Euthymius Ardens and many more learned Diuines Ye must of necessity beare the Crosse before ye can weare the Crowne ye must enter into my Kingdome through many tribulations As for the scope Saint Paul in the words immediately following shewes that by baptized hee meant afflicted why are we Christians in Ieopardie euery houre If I haue fought with Beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men what aduantageth it me if the Dead rise not againe Wherefore should Iacob and Israel indure so many losses and crosses fightings without and terrours within troden vnder foote like wormes and reputed as dead men in this world were there not another world where they shall haue fulnesse of Ioyes and pleasures at Gods right hand for euermore So haue yee the first part of our Text explained concerning the weaknesse of the Church in respect of her selfe the second is the consideration of her strength in respect of her Sauiour Who saith feare not I will helpe thee The which is repeated often in this one Chapter and that within the compasse of a few lines not onely to shew the dulnesse of our fraile flesh needing in aduersitie promise vpon promise so well as in prosperity precept vpon precept But to set forth also the fulnesse of Gods infinite rich mercy towards vs vile Wormes It is reported Apo. 7. 2. That foure bad Angels had power to hurt the Earth and the Sea when wee heare of their number Foure wee may feare and when wee heare of their nature bad Angells wee may feare more When we doe read of a datum est power and authority giuen vnto them of God to hurt wee may feare most of all But when wee finde their power limited that they must not hurt Gods seruants wee need not feare at all I saith the Lord whose power is I am and stile I will Alas man of himselfe is not able to doe any thing hee liues and moues and hath all his being in me my grace sustaineth him by which hee is whatsoeuer is his He speakes optatiuely would to God I will if God will But I the Lord Indicatiuely Imperatiuely I will bee thou cleane I will ease you I will strengthen thee I will helpe thee I the Lord who make the mountaines to skip like Rams the litle hills like young sheepe I who measure the Waters with my little finger and the Earth with three of my fingers and the Heauens with my spanne Esay 40. 12. Before whom all the Nations of the world are but as a drop of the morning dew that falleth vpon the ground Wis. 11. 19. I that am all in all vpholding all things by my power I the Lord against whom there is no wisedome neither vnderstanding nor counsell Pro. 21. 30. No Wisedome of men or Vnderstanding of deuills or counsell of Angells is able to preuaile No Wisedome in Heauenly things or vnderstanding in Earthly things or counsell in any thing against me Neither is my will inferiour to my power for I am thy Redeemer I was borne for thee I was circumcised for thee I fulfilled all righteousnesse for thee I dyed for thee I rose againe for thee what could I haue done more for thee which I haue not done I haue so loued thee that I gaue my selfe for thee to bee both an offering
but in this matter all our care must be cast vpon the Lord who being a iealous God will not giue his glory to another nor his prayse to grauen images Esay 42. 8. O Nabuchodonosor we will shew by deeds that it is better to obey God then man In reason as well as in religion a true proposition is to bee granted a false to bee denyed only the doubtfull and probable to bee disputed humane demonstrations and diuine testimonies are without controuersie the lawes of the Medes are not alterable much lesse the commandements of God questionable So Balum answered the seruants of Balack If Balack would giue me his house full of siluer and gold I can not gâ—…e beyond the word of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more So Ioseph answered his want on mistresse How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God The breach of the â—…east commandement in the second table concerning our neighbours is a sinne but a transgression of the first table concerning our duty to God a greater offence For as Bernard and other diuines obserue God hath in old time dispensed with some precepts of the second table as in bidding Abraham to kill his sonne Isaac contrary to the 6 commandement and in suffering the Fathers to haue many concubines contrary to the 7. commandement and in aduising his people to rob the wicked Egyptians of their iewels contrary to the 8 commandement Put God who can not deny himselfe neuer yet dispensed with any commandement of the first table touching his true worship and holinesse and therefore Shadrach Meshach and Abednego delighting in the law of the Lord and exercising themselues in it day and night and vnderstanding that it saith expresly thou shalt haue no other gods and thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image resolued instantly constantly that they would neither serue the false gods of Nabuchodonosor nor yet adore his golden image Cyprian the blessed Martyr in the like case gaue the like answere for being tempted to forsake the trueth of religion he replyed as Augustine reports in re tam sancta nulla deliberatto telling the Proconsull Paternus to his beard I am a christian and a Bishop I know no gods but one that is the true liuing God who created heauen and earth and all that is therein So Martyn Luther in the spirit of Elias by fire from heauen vsed to say that the principles of faith are like a Mathematicall poynt which admits neither ademption nor addition in such a case quoth hee God assisting I am and euer will bee stout and sterne herein I take vpon mee this title Cedonulli So the good Ignatius of his age Dr. Rouland Taylor when his friends aduised him as Peter did his master pitty thy selfe answered I shall neuer be able to doe God so good seruice as now I know that the papacy is the kingdome of Antichrist and that all the doctrine thereof euen from Christs crosse be my speed vnto the end of their apocalyps is nothing else but idolatry superstition errors hypocrisie lyes So the renowned Prelate Iohn Iewel I deny my learning I deny my Bishopricke I deny my selfe only the faith of Christ and trueth of God I can not deny with this faith or for this faith I trust I shall end The schismaticks in loosing their liuings and the Papists in loosing their liues are both exceeding resolute but it is not the crosse but the cause that makes the Martyr the Romanists are not questioned for seruing the true God but for their worshipping their false gods and for adoring 〈◊〉 lord god the Pope they bee not conâ—… as they say because Iesuites but on the 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our blessed Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2â—…8 Whose foote stood vpon 〈◊〉 and the top reached vp to heauen But the papists haue 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 saints and angels at the foote with the merits of their owne works and so they make Christ Iesus our only mediatour 1. Tim. 2. 5. but halfe a mediatour and halfe a Sauiour halfe a mediatour because the Saints are ioynt patrons with him and halfe a Sauiour because themselues are ioynt purchasers with him in the worke of their saluation Irenaus writeth of certaine humorous fellowes who called themselues Emendatores apostolorum apostle-menders and so these men are correctors of the scriptures accounting Saint Paul a very Lutheran for teaching iustification by faith only So likewise Schismaticks in our Church are not questioned for articles of doctrine but for poynts of discipline for matter of ceremonie not substance As then Aristides who dyed of the bite of a weazell exceedingly lamented because it was not a lyon so the brethren of diuision and other of their alliance may grieue that they do not smart for the lyoÌ„ of Iuda but for a siely weasel latelyâ—…rept out of the Alps which at the first crouded in among vs at a little hole but since being pampered at the tables of diuerse rich men is growen so full and pursie that many will rather forsake Gods plâ—…gh and looke backe to the world then acknowledge he came in at so narrow an entrance Manners as it is in the prouerbe makes the man and so it is the matter that makes the Mâ—…rtyr as the 3 children in our text O Nabuchodonosor wee are not carefull to answere theâ—… in this matter Yea but iâ—… is the King that 〈◊〉 and the proclamation of a King is like the roaring of a lyon and with him as wee find in the forepart of this chapter are ioined the Nobles Princes and Dukes the Iudges the receiuers and all the gouernours of the prouinces why then are Shadrach Meshach and Abednego recusants and singular in their opinions especially considering on the one side their danger and on the other side their duty Lawyers and Diuines and great clearkes in other professions often are ready to speake good of euill and euill of good prostituting their tongues and pens and wits and wils all that they haue goods honour bodies soule to serue the times and turnes of Princes If the King bid kill they kill If he say spare they spare If hee bid smite they smite If hee bid make desolate they make desolate beating downe mountaines and walles and towres amplifying or extenuating euery thing for the pleasing of his humour and aduancing of his honour It is thought by St. Hierome and other that the golden Image set vp here by Nabuchodonosor was his owne Statua so vaine was his impiety that being dust and ashes as a clod of clay in the hand of the potter he did notwithstanding ambitiously desire to bee worshipped as a God opposing as it were this image which himselfe made to that image which appeared vnto him in a dreame by Gods appointment and immediatly his plot tooke for as we read in this chap. at the
7. verse all the people nations and languages fell downe and worshipped the golden image Dauid often said thou art my king O God but a meere Courtier on the contrary thou art my God O King It is court language to terme the followers and flatterers of Nabuchodonosor his creatures But beloued it is not any person in any place who may either preiudice a trueth or priuiledge an errour If it bee true doe as they say though a pharisee bee teacher Mat. 23. 3. If false hold him accursed though an Angel be preacher Gal. 1. 8. That which is bad in it selfe by defending is made worse causa patrocinio non bona peior erit as Augustine writes of Petilian contradicting the trueth vbi respondere conatus est magis ostendit quod non potuit respondere The more hee would answere the more hee shewed hee could not answere That which is crooked none can make straight saith Ecclesiast as there be some diseases which are called Dedecus medicorum a shame to Physicians so there are some questions which are Dedecus theologorum a shame to Diuines The religion of the Gentiles hath no constant confession or beliefe but leaueth all to the strength of argument on the contrary the religion of Mahumet interdicteth all argument and inioynes a strict confession only but holy religion doth both admit and reiect disputation with difference Dubious Problems may be discussed in 〈◊〉 schooles and accuratly handled in the pulpit to but euident oracles and articles of faith are simply to bee beleeued Litigando saith one pithily res non dirimitur sed perimitur If Nabuchodonosor as King command to worship false gods obey passiuely not actiuely suffer his will as being in higher power but doe the will of God as being higher then the highest here say with the three children O king we are not carefull to answere thee in this matter The 1. reason on which they ground their resolutioÌ„ is Gods omnipotency behold the God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fiery fornace Nothing saith Tertullian is impossible to God but that hee will not for whatsoeuer pleaseth him hee doth in heauen and in earth and in the sea and in all deepe places Psal. 135. 6. To compasse his designes he doth vse sometime weake meanes sometime no meanes sometime contrary meanes Weake meanes for it is not hard with the Lord to saue with many or with few 1. Sam. 14. 16. He can as easily blow downe the walles of Iericho with the sound of Rams horns as with the thunder of roaring canons Sometime he workes without meanes as he created all thinges of nothing and Christ immediatly cured many maladies without any medicines The Centurions seruant was healed with his bare word â—…ayrus daughter with the touch of his hand the woman which had a bloody flux twelue yeares by touching the hemme of his garment only Mat. 9. 20. Sometimes hee doth vse contrary meanes as Christ opened the eyes of one that was borne blind by annoynting them with clay and in the work of our redemption hee gaue life not by life but by death and that a most accursed death Opâ—…imum fecit instrumentum vitae quâ—…d erat pâ—…ssimum mortis genus And in our effectuall vocation hee calleth vs by the preaching of the Gospel vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and vnto the Grecians foolishnesse In reason more likely to draw men from God then to win and woe men to God Sampson in slaying a thousand Philistines with the iaâ—…bone of an asse was a type hereof as Prosper obserues insinuating that Christ by the foolishnesse of preaching should confound his enemies and â—…aue such as beleene which occasioned that blessed Apostle to call godlinesse a great mystery 1. Tim. 3. 16. It is true that God can neither dye nor lie because these are not acts of power but defects of infirmity Dicitur enim omnipotens saith Augustine faciendo quod vult non patiendo quod non vult God is able to doe whatsoeuer hee will and more then hee will too more by his absolute power then hee will by his actuall and as God can doe what hee will haue done so hee will doe whatsoeuer is best vnto those that loue him and therefore Shadrach Meshach and Abednego further added he will deliuer vs out of thine hand O King They speake concerning his power most absolutly but concerning his pleasure which is secret with an If conditionally but if not and the reason hereof is playne because God in his infinite wisedome suffers his people many times to be murthered and martyred by the hands of vngodly men 1. To manifest his prouidence who brought light out of darknesse and life out of death and ordereth all wickednesse for his owne good endes and glory making the blood of his Martyrs the seed of his Church 2. To shew his omnipotency for if he should neuer vse ordinary meanes but alwayes extraordinary miracles in deliuering his seruants out of their troubles it would be thought an act of fate rather then of fauour done not by his might or mercy but ascribed only to nature and necessitie 3. To try his seruants obedience faith humility patience magnanimity perseuerance for men vndoubtedly shew their loue to God in their doings more then in their sayings in their sufferings more then in their doings in Christs cause to suffâ—…r death is the way to heauen on horsebacke quoth blessed Bradford 4. For the good of his people for that hee doeth hereby hasten their immortality receiuing them into an euerlasting habitation and making them partakers of a better resurrection It is sweetely sayd that persecutors are goldsmiths to make crownes for the Martyrs and Martyrs in the iudgement of the Fathers shall haue greater crownes then other And therefore the finall determination of these worthles vnto Nabuchodonosor is briefly this If our god will deliuer vâ—… out of thine hand O King our hearts are ready to glorifie him in our liues If not our hearts are ready to glorifie him in our deaths If he will accept this our burnt offering his shal be the glory but ours the good O King be it 〈◊〉 vnto thee that wee will not serue thy gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set vp And as they sayd they suffered the which is an actuall commentary vpon Christs iniunction â—…f any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe They did in the quarrell of God not only forsake 〈◊〉 their houses and lands and goods or suâ—…s their father mother wife and children brothers and sisters but also se their own selues euen that which was most themselues their owne souâ—…es and 〈◊〉 loosing them here that they may find them and saue them hereafter in a better estate Queene Hester in the like case had the like resolution If I perish I perish in the like case St. Paul had
Indices that the old writers are now no Fathers but their children no doctours but their schollers as reuerend Iewel obiected against his aduersary Dr Harding You haue sent them to schoole you make them speake your mind and not their owne 3. B Iewel Melancton and other of our most accuratly learned Diuines euidently shew that Popish opinions are nouell vnknowne to the Rathers for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christ Yea but say the Papists if our doctrine be so new tell vs I pray when and where these tares were sowen among the wheat in Gods field tell vs in what age Purgatory Prayer for the dead Indulgences Auricular confession and other assertions of Popery crept into the Church Answere is made by Christ Mat. 13. 25. While men slept the malicious enemie sowed tares among the wheat and it was not discerned vntill the blade was sprong vp and had brought foorth fruite Answere is made by S. Iohn In the forehead of the Whore of Babylon is written a Mysterie So S. Paul cals the working of Antichrist a Mysterie of iniquitie because the man of sinne doth couertly and cunningly wind his abominations into the Church of Christ. Answere is made by Polititians obseruing that corruptions are bred in ciuill bodies as diseases in naturall bodies at the first they bee not discerned easily but in their growth insensible they proceed till it come to passe which Liuie said of the Roman State Nec vitia nostra nec remedia ferre possumus We can neither indure the malady nor the medicine Was it not so in the Empire of Rome and might it not bee so in the Church of Rome S. Paul saith Heresie frets as a Gangrene the which is not curable till it bee knowne and when it is knowne hardly curable Answere is made by common experience when I see the finger of a Dyall remoue from one to two shall I bee so mad as to thinke it stands still where it was because I could not perceiue the stirring of it or when I behold the Lillies of the field in their glory shall I say they did not grow to the height of this beauty because I did not sensibly see how they did grow Answere is made by themselues the Rhemists acknowledge many barbarismes and incongruities in the vulgar latine text Issidorus Clarius a Spanish Monke professed he found in it 8000 faults it is plaine they were so manifest and so manifold as that the councell of Trent and after it Pope Sixtus Quintus and Clement the 8. tooke order for the correcting of it I would know then of a Papist in what yeare this and that absurdity crept into their text as Marke 8. 33. Confusus est in stead of Confisus est and Luke 15. 8. Domum euertit for Domum euerrit Againe Gabriel Biel a great Doctour doth acknowledge that he can not tell when the receiuing of the communion in one kind began to be first vsed nor how Alphonsus de Castro confesseth also that albeit hee had taken great paines to know when and how the people began to receiue first in one kind yet could not find it out Gregorie Valent a Iesuit of eminent note writes plainly quando caeperit minime constat and therefore what need wee tell them at what time this Popish errour was first sowen It is not enough that wee now discerne the tares among Gods wheat and proue that there was no such darnell in Gods field for many hundred yeeres after Christ I say no such stinking weedes as the single Communion of the priests halfe Communion of the people worshipping of the bread creeping to the Crosse kissing of Images exemption of Clergie men from secular obedience supremacie of the Pope the which are the most essentiall poynts of all the Romish Catholike beleife If by Fathers there they meane the reuerend Doctours assembled in the first Orthodoxall and holy Councels our plea still is the same that not wee but they remoue the bounds For albeit wee doe not with Gregorie conceiue the first foure generall Councels as the foure Gospels Yet we reuerence them and acknowledge that they conteine wholesome and godly doctrine and we thinke of other Councels honorably that write thus It seemed good vnto the holy Ghost and vs But not so well of those that write It seemed good to vs and to the holy Ghost Our opinion is Councels gathered together by the commandement of Princes are so necessary for Christs mysticall body the Church as Physicke is for a mans natuturall body the same two endes being of them both either to preuent or to cure maladies But the Papists as their champion Bellarmine doth auow de sacrament lib. 2. cap. 25. Hold a contrary Tenet namely that the firmnesse of all ancient Counsels and of all Canons in the same depend only vpon the present Churches authothority that is in plainer termes vpon the doctrine deliuered in the Councell of Trent the which as Dr. Fulke Gentiletus and other profound diuines account rather a conuenticle then a councell in respect of a great many remarkeable nullities especially for this one that it was not free 1. The place was not free nor yet so much as fit according to the canon law 2 The party who called the Councell was not free being contrary to reason and all the rules of equity both Accuser and Iudge 3. The President of the Councel was not free being a sworne vassall of the Pope 4. The Prelats assembled in that Conuenticle were not free but most of them such as had not only the marke of the beast in their foreheads but also the markes of the beast in their purses vpstart titular Bishops and were pentioners of the Pope created only for this seruice 5. The Spirit that gouerned the councell was not free for that it was vpon occasions euer and anone sent in a Cloakebag from Rome the time will not serue me to report how the Papists haue not only corrupted but also corrected diuers good canons of ancient Councels I referre the learned to the word Councell in the table which is annexed to that exquisite worke called the Protestants appeale I will at this time name but one Bartholomeus Caranza their abbreuiator of their Councel relating the Canon in the Councel of Laodicea forbidding the worship of Angels changed angelos into angulos that is Angels into Corners which according to the prouerb are no shelter for trueth and this is a trueth that if no Angels then no Saints are properly to be worshipped and inuocated Will our aduersaries admit for the Fathers here mentioned the medling Diuines I meane such as flourished betweene the old doctors and new writers Answere is made by them in their Index expurgatorius no for say they we are faine to beare with many errours in Catholike Writers we lessen and extenuate them and make the least of them by some
his merite Luke 18. For blessed is the man that feareth alway but hee that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prouerbs 28. 26. Seeke not to the strength of your owne purse doe not sacrifice to your owne net make not gold your hope saying to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence for riches auaile not in the day of wrath noâ—… helpe in the time of vengeance Seeke not to the blessed spirits of iust men in heauen for Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Esay 63. 16. They doe not vnderstand our wants in particular howsoeuer vndoubtedly solicitous for our good in generall grant they did clearely see what we lacke and that they be so well able as willing to helpe yet because the Scriptures afford neither precept nor promise nor paterne for inuocation in this kind seeking to the dead saints is an open iniurie to the liuing God at the best it is wil-worship at the worst adoring of old saints is an adopting of new sauiours To summe vp all in a word with our Prophet in the 73 Psalme verse 14. Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire in comparison of thee all other hopes and helpes are miserable comforters in respect of thee which art a present helpe in trouble vnder the shadow of thy wings will I reioyce my soule hangeth vpon thee mine eyes are euer looking vnto thee to the throne of grace will I goe boldly that I may find mercy thou Lord art my strength and onely refuge thy face will I seeke euermore Hugo Cardinalis vnderstandeth here by Gods face that happinesse which is euerlasting in heauen They who seeke for Gods temperall blessings onely seeke his hinder parts as it were but they who first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof are sayd to seeke his priora because potiora the multitude who followed Christ in the 6. of S. Iohn for loaues and not for loue sought Gods hinder parts only but the blessed Apostle who sayd I forget that which is behind and endeauour my selfe vnto that which is before following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesu sought Gods face euermore Temporall goods as riches and honour are the blessings of Gods left hand but length of dayes that is euerlasting life the blessings of his right hand Prouer. 3 16. New creatures in Christ and new men are like the new Moone when the Moone decreaseth it is close aboue open below but when it increaseth it is open aboue close beneath euen so beloued if our mindes as nature framed our hearts are close downeward vsing the world as if wee vsed it not and enlarged vpward in seeking the things aboue then as S. Paul speakes our conuersation is in heauen and as Dauid here we seeke Gods face for euermore Arnobius and diuers moe by Gods face doe vnderstand Christ Iesus as being the brightnesse of Gods glorie and expresse character of his person Heb. 1. 3. And as our Prophet Psalm 67. vers 1. The light of his countenance God is manifested in his sonne as a man is knowen by his face for no man saith our Lord commeth vnto the Father but by me Iohn 14. 6. I am the way the trueth and the life non est quà eas nisi per me non est quò eas nisi ad me as Augustine sweetely Christ is the beginning of blessed and heauenly vision and therefore the way the meane and therefore the trueth the end and therefore the life No man knowes the Father saue the Sonne and to whomsoeuer the Sonne will open him It is true that we may see Gods hinder parts by the light of nature for the power of God is manifested in the creation of the world the heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke but we cannot see Gods face that is the most vnsearchable riches of his mercy but in by his Son only none know the Father that is a distinction of the Persons in the Sacred Trinity but by the reuelation of God the Sonne in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2. 3. Or none know that God is their Father but by the spirit of the Sonne crying in our hearts Abba Father Galat. 4. 6. Wee speake the wisdome of God in a mysterie quoth Paul which none of the Princes of this world knew Hoc magnus Plato nesciuit eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit saith Hierome deepe Plato was altogether ignorant eloquent Demosthenes was vtterly silent in this argument they being secretaries of nature groped after God and found out also so much of him as may serue to condemne them but wee blessed are the eyes that see the things which we see seeking God in his Sonne in whom he is well pleased vnfainedly beleeue that he is our Father and that we are his children and further his heires euen heires annexed with Christ in his kingdome of glorie Rom. 8. verse 16. 17. The Turke seekes not God aright for that he seekes him in Mahumet the Iew seekes not God aright for that he seekes him in a Messias which is yet to come the Popeling seekes not aright for that he seekes him in moe Mediatours then one the Hereticke destroying either the natures of Christ or offices of Christ seekes not God aright the carnall Gospeller and worldling seekes not God aright for although he professe Christ in word yet in his workes he denieth him and the power of his Gospel as Augustine pithily the difference betweene an Hereticke and a bad Catholicke is briefly this the one is an Hereticke in his faith and the other is an Hereticke in his manners Lord shew vs the light of thy countenance that is indue vs with true knowledge of thy word and with a liâ—…ely faith in thy Sonne which is thine owne Image that so wee may seeke thy strength and see thy face euermore It is euident by the first of the Chronicles 16. Chap. That Dauid was authour of this Hymne and that it was indited for Asaph to be sung when the Lordes Arke was placed in the mids of the Tabernacle that Dauid had pitched for it and therefore most expositours interpret here Gods face to be Gods Arke by which hee declared his poweâ—… and presence fauour and goodnes toward his people So we read 2 Chron 6. 41. Psal. 63. 3. Psal. 78. 61. Psal. 132. 1. Arise O Lord into thy resting place thâ—… and the Arke of thy strength The like is sayd of Gods holy Temple that it was his house Esay 56. 7. His amiable dwelling place Psal. 84. 1 Yea the very chamber of his presence Psal. 95. 2. Let vs come before his presence with thankesgiuing And they who worshipped in the Courts of the Lord are sayd to stand and appeare before him as Deut. 16. 16. Three times in the yeere shall all
S. Augustine and of Franciscus Arias in his tract Depraesentia Dei cap 2. Who by Gods face vnderstand Gods presence So the Scripture by the face of the wind and by the face of frost and fire meaneth as you know the presence of these things as in Psalme 68. Like as waxe melteth ante faciem ignis before the fires face So let the vngodly perish at the presence of God So Hagar is sayd to flee from the face of her mistresse Sara Gen. 16. 8 So Pharaoh to Moses Exod. 10. 28. Get thee from mee Looke thou see my face no more So Adam is sayd to hide himselfe from Gods face Gen. 3. 8. and Satan Iob 1. 12. Egressus est à facie Domini that is he departed from Gods presence to seeke then euermore Gods face is nothing else but seriously to consider and contemplate that he is alwayes present with vs in euery thought word and deed Plutarch aduiseth vs so circumspectly to demeane our selues as if â—…r enemies alwayes beheld vs Seneca counselleth vs to liue so well as if Cato Laelius or some reuerend Person of great wisdome and account ouerlooked vs Thalis Milesius in the coÌ„mitting of any sin wished vs when we are alone to be afraid of our selues and of our owne conscience which is in stead of a thousand witnesses te sine teste time saith Ausonius S. Paul exhorteth women to cary themselues in Gods house reuerently because of the Angels as being assured that the glorious Angels in heauen obserue their behauiour But our text teacheth vs yet a better way then all these which is to seeke Gods face to remember that God searcheth vs out knowing our downe-sitting and our vprising and that he standeth about our paths and about our beds and spieth out all our wayes A pious exercise highly commended in the Scriptures and in the Fathers and by the practise of holy men in all ages The Scriptures in reporting that Enoch and Noe walked with God intimate that those holy Patriarchs had set God alwayes before them and that they liued so religiously tanquam sub eius oculis as vnder his obseruing and all-seeing eye they walked as St. Luke recordeth of Zacharias and Elizabeth in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe they considered the wayes of God and turned their feete vnto his Testimonies as our Prophet speaks of himselfe Psal. 119. 59. They did endeauour and set their hearts to haue not only good credit before men but alâ—… with S. Paul to keepe a cleare conscience before God In this sense God sayd to Father Abraham walke before mee Gen. 17. 1. And Abraham againe concerning God the Lord before whom I walke Gen. 24. 40. So the Prophet Elias and Eliseus speake The Lord God in whose sight â—… stand The text inioyning vs always to pray poynts at this duty that wee should seeke Gods face continually for our desires and thoughts are the voyces and wordes by which our soule speakes If then at any time wee lift our hearts vnto the Lord wee may be sayd and that truely to pray which occasioned Diuines to terme prayer an humble familiarity with God He that will alwayes conuerse with God must alwayes either reade the Scripture saith Augustine or else pray for as often as we read his word he talketh with vs and as often as we pray we talke with him When our Prophet sings in 123. Psalme Vnto thee lift I vp mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heauens He doth vnderstand not eyes of his flesh only but eyes of his faith also seeing him which is inuisible Heb 11. 27. But the spirit by the mouth of Solomon as yet speakes more plainly Prou. 3. 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge God and he shall direct thy goings in omnibus vijs cogita Deum as the vulgar latine runnes in euery thing thou takest in hand thinke on God or as our translation haue respect vnto him as Tobie to his sonne Set God alwayes before thine eyes behold him as a Iudge and so shame to sinne before the Iudges eye behold him as thy great reward and so faint not in doing good Behold him as authour and finisher of thy faith and so runne with patience the race which is set before thee Behold him as the Donor of euery good and perfit gift and so confesse that he worketh all thy works for thee by whose grace thou art whatsoeuer thou art S. Augustine beginneth his heauenly meditations in this stile Domine Deus meus da cordi meo te desiderare desiderando quaerere quaerendo inuenire inueniendo amare amando mala mea redâ—…mpta non iterare O Lord giue me grace from the very bottom of mine heart to desire thee in desiring to seeke thee in seeking to find thee in finding to loue thee in louing vtterly to loath my former wickednes And in his soules soliloquies or priuat talke with God he prayeth in like manner O Lord who knowest me giue me grace to know thee O my comforter shew me thy selfe let mee see thee which art the light of mine eyes mirth of my spirit ioy of my heart life of my soule It is a good Motto thinke and thanke God there is no moment of time wherein God cares not for vs and therefore saith a Bernard no moment of time wherein we should not seeke him especially when we come to his house to call vpon his Holy Name for how prayâ—…s hee to God who prates in his heart to the world intende quoth the same Father 〈◊〉 qui intendit tibi Christ promised to be with vs in our deuotions euen in the middest of vs Mat. 18. 20. but as Eusebius Emisenus obserueth how shall God bee in the mids of thee if thou be not in the mids of thy selfe If the aduocate sleepe how shall the Iudge awake No maruaile if thou loose thy sute when as in praying thou loosest thy selfe Hilary writing vpon the words of the Psalmist all my wayes are before thee notes that the Prophet making his course before Gods eye to whom all hearts are open and no secrets hid walked not in the counsell of the wicked nor stood in the way of sinners his feete did not goe downe to death and his steps take hold of hell but his whole pilgrimage was a seeking of the Lord and as S. Paul phraseth it he did so runne that he did obteyne Seneca though he were not a Doctour in Diuinity yet he wrote in his 10 Epistle lib. 1. Diuine-like to this purpose Sic viue cum hominibus quast deus videat sic loquere cum Deo quasi homines audiant So conuerse with men as if God did euer see thee so conferre with God as if men did euer heare thee and in another Epistle God is neere to thee with thee within thee so it is Lucilius that a sacred spirit resideth in vs as a custos and obseruer of all that we doe