our being Acts 17.28 Secondly he is life and that especially by Regenerating and by Conserving us because by the Sacraments and words he workes and as I may so speak begets in us a Spirituall life According to that of S. John Jesus answered verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God and so forward John 35. And in the 6. chap. and 33. v. c. For the Bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven c. And John 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly St. Paul hath this expression to the Galathians I am Crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 And in his Epistle to the Romans he saith How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Rom. 6.2 and v. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Read Rom. 8.12 13. Thirdly and Lastly Christ is the life Resuscitando Glorificando by raising us again and by glorifying us This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day John 6.40 And again I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye John 11.25.26 St. Paul saith whom he justifyed them he also glorifyed Rom. 8.30 And which is more Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body c. Philipians 3.21 The fruit which we may gather from hence is this If Christ be the life we should seek it in and through him only without whom we shall never obtain it And we should not so much mind this present life which we have in common with beasts reprobates and as Eurip. saith Non vita sed calamitas est It is not a life in comparison but a calamity and differs nothing from death if we believe the Phylosopher a life that is as brittle as Glass frail and Momentany Vt hora sic vita It is a life which passeth away as an hour upon the Diall insensibly But mind we that spirituall life of regeneration and sanctification which is the life properly and by which we live to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. A life wherein sin doth not reign in our mortall body that we should obey it in the lusts thereof neither yield we our members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin Rom. 6.12 13. When the Emperour Nero had finished his house which he called Domum Aureum the golden house he said now I begin to live like a man But this is most true we never begin to live like Christian men till we live the life of Regeneration and Sanctification And now if Christ be our life death will be to us advantage As St. Paul hath it When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Coloss 3.4 And that true and eternall life which we here possess by faith and hope We shall at length have the full fruition of it in Heaven That of the Apostle is worthy of all acceptation For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we dy we dy unto the Lord whether we live therefore of dy we are the Lords Rom. 14.8 Who is he then that will not from his heart breath forth and say O my Lord Jesus Christ thou art truly the way because no man cometh unto the Father nisi per te but by thee thou art the truth because no man knoweth the Father nisi per te but by the Thou art the life because no man liveth nisi per te but by thee Be thou to me the way by which I may come to thee and the Father Be thou to me the truth by which I may know thee and the Father be thou to me the life by which I may here live in thee by faith in believing and there in heaven by fruition Let this ever sound fresh in our ears Ambularevis ego sum via fallinonvis ego sum veritas Morinoâ— vis Ego sum vita Hoc dicit salvator tuus non est quo eas nisi ad me non est quo cas nisi per me Aug. Tract 22 Johannum Wilt thou walk I am the way Wilt thou not be deceived I am the truth Wouldst thou not dye I am the life This thy Saviour saith thou hast not where to go unless unto me nor how to go but by me Secondly if Christ be the life then it follows there is a resurection of the body at the last day From this flower may the Bee suck honey the Spider poyson Now in the first place may the people of God with the Eunuch depart home rejoycing with much harmony in their Souls Cura thymo pleno their thighs are now laden with sweetness O the rare contentment of a child of God in the privation and want of all external comforts With Jacob he may well truly say few and evill have the dayes of my life been As for this world he doth but breath in it that is all Yet prithy erect thy self banish thy sad thoughts no violence is perpetuall a storm lasts not alwayes The poor Ship that 's long tossed too and fro with a tempest gaines the wished Port at last The Ark that was hurried on the flood hath a Dove with an Olive branch in her mouth to imitate the falling of the waters Haec non durabunt aetatem as that learned Bishop Jewell said of the Marian persecution These things will not last an age Chear up sweat heart Gods rod is but a love kiss and our afflictions are but tokens of his indulgency Look back to former Ages and the Church is often in a cloud her throws like a woman in Travell have been thick and painfull Sicut unda sequitur undam and have followed as one wave upon the neck of another Yet mark the result of all her end is peace at the last Wait then with patience and thou shalt see the salvation of God who ever trusted in him and was confounded Behold a most ample compensation For thy light afflictions thou shalt have an exceeding an eternall weight of glory in another World Forget not the Text I am the life c. A day therefore will come when thy sorrows will have an end and breath out their
I null good works as superfluous and unnecessary No God forbid Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall be saved but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.24 For as we are not saved propter opera for our works we are saved and shall be one day judged accordingly secundum opera according to our works See Matth. 25. v. 34. to the end But I would not have men big with their works high conceited of them stand in competition with God fondly to imagine their works meritorious in so doing they derogate from the free Grace of God and the death and passion of Christ who saith in my Text I am the way c. Alio nobis non opus est ostiario mediatore vel ministro saith Chrysost We need no other door-keeper or Mediator or Minister 16. Hom. in Matth. Our Justiciaries then and conceited Pharisees like Players over act themselves These indeed have good things in them but as we use to say fools have them in keeping Should we call them Papists they would spit at it and yet verily in a sence they are all one in this particular just like the two Elders in Susanna they seem to take leave one of another and presently meet at one door He that saith I am the way saith likewise I am the door of the Sheep John 10.7 And as no man cometh unto the Father but by him so by him also we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom 5.22 What impudence can out face that of the Apostle For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of Workes least any man should boast Eph. 2.8 9. And the same Apostle elsewhere saith speaking of free election And if by grace then is it no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work Rom. 11.6 Let the Church of Rome then tells what tale they please I hope beloved it is no article in our Creed To pray to Saints and ascribe merit to our works is the next way to make us devils I am sure they never had these puddles from the pure fountain of Gods holy word Pride is one of the seven deadly sins but of two spirituall pride is the more dangerous and must expect a fall That man who is big with the timpany of his own worth will hardly acknowledg Christ to be the way This is so stiff an Oak that it will break rather then bend and with Naball it is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to it 1 Sam. 25.17 But to conclude the first particular Let this serve for admonition to all that truely fear God without procrastination to address themselves to Christ who is and none but he the true and living way to bliss to know him and his Father is eternall life John 17.3 Wherefore as the Apostle sometime said in another sence so let us all say whether shall we go thou hast the words of Eternall life And so I come to the second branch in my Text. As Christ is the way in like manner he is the truth I am the truth First he is the truth Complendo by way of accomplishment for in him as by a lively voice and promise whatsoever was spoken and typified concerning the Messiah by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began are fulfilled Acts. 3.21 see v. 24. and. Acts. 10.43 In like manner the whole Hierarchie of the Leviticall priesthood is accomplished in him the Antetipe which the Epistle to the Hebrews throughout plainly sheweth Thus the Apostle speaking of the Law saith that it was but a shadow of things to come Hebr. 10.1 Secondly he is the truth Promittendo by way of promise So Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth And David thus speaks Ps 119.43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth And Ps 33.4 For the word of the Lord is right Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away Luke 21.33 St. Peter having spoken of the frailty and vanity of man and flesh positively concludes that the word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 Thirdly he is the truth Operando by operation because by the holy Ghost through the word of truth he shall guide us into all truth Jo. 16.13 And Chapt. 8.31.32 If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free And v. 36. I the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed This may first serve to inform us that Christ is the true Messiah that undoubted Seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.8 That seed of Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed Gen. 12.3 He who was to save his people from their Sins Matth. 1.21 he in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Let us then who are Christians acknowledge him alone to be our Saviour although the Jews wickedly blaspheme Parati sunt adlegendam caeci vero ad intelligendum duri ad credendum Aug. Serm. 35. de Temp. and fondly phancie themselves of a Messiah to come Of whom the Father truly speaks they are ready to read but blind to understand and hard to believe Secondly if Christ is the truth it followeth whatsoever is propounded to us against without or besides Christ to embrace and follow is a meer lye St. Paul calls it the Spirit of errour 1. Tim. 4.1 Our Saviour himself saith There shall arise false Christs and false prophets Math. 24.24 That is to say false Doctors and Teachers as Tertuil expounds the Text. Qui pseudoprotae sunt nisi falsi praedicatores Qui Pseudo-apastoli nisi adulteri Evangelizatores Qui Antechristi nisi Christi rebelles de prescript haeret cap 4. Who are false prophets but false preachers Who are false Apostles but adulterate Gospellers Who are Antechrists but rebels of Christ These come in sheeps cloathing Matth. 7.15 Having a shew of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 a shew of wisdome Coloss 2.23 Who by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the Simple Rom. 16.18 Yea they shall show great signs and wonders that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Matth. 24.24 And indeed whom have they not deceived If ever that saying was true it is now Where God hath his church there the devill hath his chappel We have almost as many Conventicles as Churches and a multitude resort unto them Let but one sheep run astray and the whole flock will soon follow Et affabilissermo blandum haereticorum eloquium sunt sagena et laquens quibus pisces
The Marriners Card and Compass OR THE BEST WAY TO ATTAIN HEAVEN Amidst a Sinfull and Crooked GENERATION By WILLIAM HARVEY Minister of the Word AUGUST Vae etiam laudabili vita hominum si remotâ misericordiâ discutias eam Haec via ducit in urbem LONDON Printed in the Year 1659. To the right Honourable ANN Countess Dowager of SCARSDEL And To the rest of that Noble Family Grace Mercy and Peace c. Madam THe world for the most part is like the Cypress-Tree long and fruitless and like Tullies strange Soyl for all the sweet showres that fall upon it it 's still dry as dust The cause of it is either ignorance or negligence want of Knowledge in the will of God or Non-Improvement I have endeavoured to remove these Obstructions and to take the rubs out of the way There are but two extreams Presumption and Desperation which like Scylla and Charybdis make shipwrack of all the vesseds they met with Where these waters break out they beat down all before them They are alike dangerous faith Chrysost For Presumption falls him that standeth and Desperation after a fall admits no rising This small Tract Madam by Gods assistance will inform the one and reform the other It will be an eye to the ignorant and a spur to the negligent for it treats only of Christ and as the Star the Wise men will conduct them to him But I am loth to take too large a survey in so small a piece of ground They that write must not forget that Rule of the Orator ut titulum legant to read the Title of their Books least like the gates of Mindus it proves bigger then the City it self I was ambitions to dedicate it to your Honour that it might kiss your hand which hath been so often open to men of my calling and condition and in particular to my self the meanest of them who serve at the Altar Now the God of Heaven be your continual guard and guide his Blessings in a plurality light upon your Honour and your whole Family as the dew on Gideons Fleece This shall alwayes be the unfeigned Prayers of Your Honours most humble and grateful Servant William Harvey JOHN 14. 6. I am the Way the Truth and the Life THese words are an answer to the precedent verse and they are Allegoricall rately adorn'd partly metaphorically and partly Meronymically and they are brought in to inform Thomas and the rest of the Disciples more fully in the way of Salvation We know not saith Thomas whither thou goest and how can we know the way Our Saviour presently resolv's him in the words of my Text. I am the way the truth and the Life Aurea Sententia A golden Sentence The wife men of the East opened their treasures and presented unto him guifts even Gold Frankincence and Myrrh but he presents unto us guifts more precious in that they fit the Soul in her divine progress to Heaven and as the Angels Lazarus carry it into Abrahams bosome But I will come to the severall branches of the Text. And they are three Via veritis vita The way the truth and the Life First Christ is the way docendo by way of teaching because he alone instructs in the way to happiness The Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 and Christ is our Schoolmaster who brings us to Heaven he is that pillar of a cloud and fire leading us the way to the Heavenly Canaan Exod. 13.21 St. John saith No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 1.18 He is the true Mercuries finger that directs the poor wandring traveller the right way to his heavenly Mansion None but he can fit us for that blessed Academy above were we shall all be Fellow-Communers with the Saints and blessed Angels Secondly he is the way promerendo by way of Meriting Conerning this notable is that of St. Paul Rom. 5.16 17 18 19. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and the guift of righteousness shall reign in Life by one Jesus Christ c. read the Text. He alone is that Sampson who hath broken the Cords of our Sins from us by which we were so fast bound and with that woman in the Gospell even bowed together That strong man Satan by him is overcome and his armour wherein he trusted taken from him and his spoiles divided Luke 11.22 The Apostle to the Colossians saith In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our Sins Col. 1.14 and v. 20. Having made peace through the blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself To omit a cloud of witnesses St. Peter positively thus Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts. 4.12 And thus he is the way promerendo by way of merit Thirdly He is the way applicando by way of application And that in Severall respects First by his word so the Psalmist Thou wilt shew me the path of Life Ps 16.11 And in another Psalme I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which you shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye Ps 32 8. Secondly by his Sacraments by which God hath not only saved us according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternall Life Titus 3.5 6 7. But also he doth Confirm unto us as by undoubted Seals and assurances the way of Salvation righteousness and eternall Life So the Apostle speaking of Abraham And he recieved the sâ—gne of Circumcision a Seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also Ro. 4.11 Thirdly By holy and fervent prayers According to that of St. Paul Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father c. chap. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him And to the Romans he saith For ye have nor received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adâ—ption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 To this purpose we are commanded in our Pater Noster to supplicate Almighty God in that sweet Epithete and name of Father Our Father c. * ut vere credamus eum nostrum verum parrem nosque ejus veros filios esse ut eo confidentius plena fiducia adcum accedamus eumque invoeemus quemadmodum videmus liberos certa fiducia aliquid aparentibus suis potere Luth in
Explicat Catechet that as Mart. Luther expounds it We might believe him to be our true Father and we his very Sons and that we should come unto him more confidently in a full assurance and might call upon him even as we see Children with Confidence beg any thing of their Parents For which cause he is said to be our advocate 1. Ep. John 2.1 And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous c. And by St. Paul our Mediator 1. Tim. 25. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus Fourthly and lastly per exemplum by example in shewing us the way how to live in mutual love and amity one with another For this we have a fair copy to write by John 13.15 For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you and what is that even a low descention a rare bird on the earth nigro simillima Cigno like unto a black Swan hear it If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet what said I washed your feet O rare humility ye also ought and all the reason in the world to wash one anothers feet v. 14. Secondly In shewing us how we should undergoe and suffer afflictions and persecutions in this life Herein likewise he hath beaten our way before us 1. Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps And now I come to application If Christ be the only way to happiness as is clear by the premises then by consequence all who affect and follow any other way beside without and against Christ cannot be saved Let the Turke dream of an Elizium and fancy what carnall pleasures he please in another world he will find one day he built but Castles in the Air and instead of sports and pastimes feel the torments of a damned Conscience then will he curse his Mahumet the day wherein he was born and the womb that bare him Quantum mutatus ab illo How is the man now changed when he seeth all his hopes frustrate and for a World of happiness falls into a deep confus'd Tophet where the breath of the Lord like a river of Brimstone doth kindle it Isaiah 30.33 No man cometh unto the Father but by me saith the Way in my text and if he gains heaven without Faith on Christ farewell thou Queen of Sciences sacred Divinity the Holy Scriptures then are but meer Riddles But O God! thy word is truth and all men besides are liars We know and believe He that believeth on â—he Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shal not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him John 3.36 And Verissimum est this is most true Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also 1 John 2.23 And again He that honoreth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him John 5.23 Where are our Jews now and Antitrinitarians those brethren in evill as Jacob said of Simeon and Levi If the great Turk cannot be saved what will be come of them 3. Mutato nomine change but only the name and there is not a pair of sheares between them Poor Jew wert thou as rich as he of Malta thou canst never obtain true happiness 'till thou believest in that God whom thy Fathers crucified All thy priviledges and prerogatives which thou so much gloriest in without faith in him will prove so many plummets of lead to sink thy floating soul to Hell Thou saist thou hast Abraham to thy Father and thinkst that shall carry it a meer flourish What armes canst thou shew of his to prove thy pedegree Hear what our Lord said to thy Country-men of old Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad John 8.56 The touring Eagle ownes no bird for hers that cannot out-look the Sun Where is thy faith to make thy words good The Philosopher stared upon a Star when he fell into a pit In the next place I must say something to our Roman Catholicks who like water-men look one way and row another these set too great a price on their works and where natural beauty fails there they seek to repair by Art What with their Saints and what with their works Christ the only and true way is forgotten We confess the Mother of our Lord was a holy Virgin a rich and pure Cabinet wherein was inclosed that most precious Jewel God-Man the true Catholicon by whose blood all the diseases and maladies of our Souls occasioned by sin were perfectly cured and she now a glorious Saint in Heaven yet to make her a Saviour is high Sacriledge O my soul come not thou into their secret unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united Hear and blush to hear it Marie is the Mediatrix of our Salvation Maria est Mediatrix nostrae salvationis c. Bernardinus in Mariali of our Conjunction Justification Reconciliation Intercession Communication Mark what result that Den of Thieves the Council of Trent give of the Saints in general Sanctos suppliciter invocare ad eorum oratione opem auxiliúmque confugere bonum utile est Humbly to invocate the Saints and to fly to their prayers for help and safeguard is good and profitable But again see how they make their works sit cheek by jowl with the merits of Christ This is all one to compare a stinking candle burnt to a snuff with the most transcendent light and glorious rayes of the Sun Behold what a train they have in this particular and with what rabble this Idol is ushered up Certainly these fellows must have a good purse to maintain so great a retinue Some by observing the prescription and rule of as they call them S. Dominick Frances Benedick and others the Saints S. Bridget and S. Clare c. others by their tedious peregrinations to this or that Saint others by their Vigils Masses Rosariorum preculis by their Rosary of short prayers others by their abstinency and fasting ciborum delectibus their choyce dishes others by a spontaneous whipping themselves others by their Alms-deeds pity so good a pail of milk should be spilt aliisque commentitiis pietatis operibus and by other counterfeit works of godliness they truly though vainly think to obtain Salvation and more then ordinary reward in Heaven But haec non est via neque est haec civitas this is not the way neither is this the city as Elisha said to the Syrians 2 Kings 6.19 This is not the way to Heaven neither will it ever bring any to that great city the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God Revel 21.10 I speak not this to discourage a holy walking with God in a mans general or particular Calling or that