Sancta custodiens veritatem a Righteous and a holy Nation Esay 26. to hold fast this Truth of God not shewing our selues like Rehoboam that found shields of gold but left behinde him shields of Brasse to receiue the cleere Truth from our fathers and to leaue the same darkened vnto our children Secondly As the word of God is the primary and most absolute declared Truth wherein there is no possibility of error Quia dicta Iehouae dicta pura Because the words of the Lord are pure words So the words of men agreeable to their vnderstanding conformed to the Truth of things Iohn 8.44 are secondarily the Truth of God because as euery lye is from the Deuill though it should be vttered from the tongue of a Saint as our Sauiour sheweth so euery Truth is from God though it were spoken from the mouth of a Diuell because the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth Et omne verum à quocunque dicitur à Spiritu sancto est And all Truth whosoeuer speaks it doth spring from the Spirit of God saith Saint Ambrose Euery Truth whatsoeuer whosoeuer saith it proceeds from God A sufficient reproofe for them that will not heare the Word of God but from the mouth of Saints for we are not to respect who speake or what they be that speake but what is spoken and therefore if Balaams Asse should preach me Christ I would willingly be his disciple for Saint Paul tels me that none can say 1 Cor. 12.3 that Iesus is Christ but by the Spirit of God and therefore hee did not so much care who preached nor how they preached so they preached Iesus Christ because he knew that euery truth must needs proceed from the Spirit of Truth â—hat we should say nothing but Truth And therefore this should teach vs to make much of Truth and not onely to beleeue the Truth whosoeuer speakes it but also to speake the Truth euery man vnto his neighbour whatsoeuer comes of it though it should be like Cassandra's Prophesie not beleeued or O dium parere Beget hatred as the Comicke speaketh Quia dilexit Deus veritatem because as all Truth is from God so God loueth all Truth whatsoeuer Corruit in platea veritas And yet we see Quod diminutae sunt veritates à filijs hominum The Truth is troden downe in the street and the faithfull are minished from among the children of men Psal 12.1 we are all like the Cretians alwayes lyars and though the godly man keepeth his promise vnto his neighbour Psal 15.5 though it were to his owne hinderance yet now we seldome think of any promise vnlesse it be for our furtherance to attaine vnto our owne desires so farre are wee from Truth But we must all loue Truth and follow after Truth if we would be children vnto him that is abundant in Truth And so much for the fift Particle of Gods goodnesse Of Gods abundant Truth CHAP. X. Of the large extent of Gods mercy and of the remission of all kinde of sinnes and the vsefull application of the whole Attribute of Gods goodnesse THe sixt Particle of Gods Goodnesse is God is mercifull to all men that hee reserueth mercy for thousands and that as I vnderstand it two manner of wayes 1. Extensiuely 2. Successiuely First he meaneth that his Mercy is not like a carnall Patrons loue which commonly reacheth no further then his kindred he can preferre none else Nor yet like great mens fauours which extendeth no further then their seruants their greatnesse is no greater but Miserationum Dei multitudo numerari Basil in regulis contract q. 15. magnitudo mensurari non potest The mercies of God are so many that they cannot be numbred and so great that they cannot be measured so that he hath enough in store to helpe not onely a few but also many multitudes thousands he hath enough for all being not like Isaac that had but one blessing Gen. 27.38 for he hath many blessings for euery one Secondly Gods Mercie lasteth for all times euen for euer and euer he meaneth that his Mercy is not for any set Period of time which is the property of all other things euen of the greatest Monarchs they haue but their time and when that time is gone they can do nothing which a little before seemed to be able to do all things but Gods mercies are tyed to no time but they continue froÌ„ generation to generation they are like a springing well that can neuer be dryed or like the Lampe that is fed with the oyle of immortality And this the Word reseruing doth most plainely shew that he hath mercy enough in store not onely for the fathers that beleeue in him but also for their children for their childrens children euen vnto a thousand generations of them that loue him and keepe his Commandements Good Parents doe leaue the best patrimâ—ny vnto their children Rom. 11.28 O then what a Patrimony doe good parents purchase vnto their children to haue the Mercies of God reserued and laid vp in store for thousands of them and as the Apostle saith of the Iewes to make them to be loued for their fathers sakes Most happy are those children which haue such fathers as doe feare God and keepe his Commandements And so much for the sixt Particle of Gods goodnesse Reseruing Mercy for thousands Forgiuenesse of sinnes our chiefest comfort Rom 4.7 The seauenth Particle of Gods goodnesse is that he forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne Here is the last but not the least act of Gods goodnesse expressed For herein consisteth all our happinesse Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered And here by these three words God vnderstandeth three sorts of euill 1. By Iniquity is vnderstood originall corruption 2. By Transgression is meant the outward actuall commission 3. By Sinne is vnderstood the height of all abhomination No sinner excluded from hope of pardon The custome of sinning and the greatest sinnes For God depriues not these from hope of Pardon if these come to him with penitent hearts and therefore that none should despaire of his goodnes he sheweth that he can forgiue all these and forgiuing these he forgiueth all But here I must haue leaue to take away the vaile froÌ„ Moses his face and to looke further then the Iewish Tabernacle for as in Ezekiels vision Ezek. 10.10 Rota erat in rota Gospel was in the Law Law in the Gospell as Saint Gregory expounds it so here I finde all this to be Gospell and I see Iesus Christ in euery word for in Christ Coloss 1.14 we haue Redemption through his blood the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and so of all the rest of these Graces wee haue them all by Christ for though the Law came by Moses yet as Saint Iohn saith Grace and Truth yea Mercy and Peace and all the other good
flecti principis ira solet For though Gods anger did burne like fire yet the teares of repentance is able to quench his wrath and therefore Saint Peter when hee sinned Matth. 26.75 in denying the innocent blood hee went out and wept bitterly Ambros in Luc. vt lachryme lauaraent delictum that his bitter teares might wash away his grieuous sin and his true repentance giue life vnto his dying soule Vade fac tu similiter goe thou and doe the like reuiue thy languishing soule with weeping teares and I can say no more quia non inuenio quid dixerit sed quod fleuit for I finde no more but that he wept his teares perhaps drowned his wordâ— but they restored life vnto his dying soule they layd hold on God with Israel and would not suffer him to depart vntill hee had forgiuen him Hierom. in Esayam Nam oratio Deum lenit sed lachrymae cogunt for when words doe but desire him but incline him our teares will compell him to be mercifull vnto vs. How sinne polluteth the soule of man You see then hee that delighteth in sinne slayeth the soule yea it defileth and polluteth the whole soule and it makes it so odious and so detestable that God cannot endure it for hee dwelleth not in a body that is subiect vnto sinne and therefore Saint Chrysostome sayth Wised 1.4 that melius est luto pollui quam peccatis it is farre better to tumble our bodies in the filthiest mire then to touch our soules with the least sinne No dirt so foule as sinne for he which falleth into the mire may in a short time be washed and become as cleane as they that neuer were bemired but hee that once falleth into the puddle of sinne receiueth such pollution as that all the waters in the ocean Sea can neuer wash him cleane nor any thing else in the world saue onely the blood of Iesus Christ which cleanseth vs from all sinnes and this also must be layd hold vpon to effect it Chrysost hom 12. ad Heb. poenitentia diligenti lachrymis euen with the bitter teares of true repentance CHAP. III. How sinne slayeth euery facultie of the Soule ANd further wee must vnderstand that as sinne defileth the whole soule in generall so it polluteth euery facultie of the same in particular Plato saith That there are three speciall faculties in the soule of man and Aristotle from him that in the soule of man there are three especiall faculties The first hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the vegetatiue facultie which of others is called virtus naturalis the naturall vertue of increasing and the seat of this in man he sayth to be the liuer the properties whereof are to nourish and to beget c. The second he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sensitiue facultie whose seate he saith is in the heart and to which hee ascribeth the vitall vertue and the motions of the sensitiue appetite The third hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reasonable facultie whose seate sayth Galenus is the head and whose operations are to imagine to remember to vnderstand to iudge and to guide all voluntary motions And there is none of these but sinne defileth How sinne defileth euery facultie of the reasonable soule and especially aboue all the rest the reasonable soule for in it we find three especiall faculties 1. The will 2. The vnderstanding 3. The memorie And we find all these exceedingly corrupted and defiled by sinne For First The Philosopher sayth that there is no doubt of this Arist aeth l. 10 c. 8. The chiefest perfection of man consisteth in the will of man quin in affectu voluntate perfectio summa consistit But that all or the chiefest perfection of man consisteth in the will and affection of man for the will is not onely the immediate agent of all those actions quae vocantur elicitae which are called free actions as to will to nill to choose to refuse to loue to hate to desire and such like but it is also the effecter of the other actions quae vocantur imperatae which are called compelled actions because the will commandeth all as the mind to thinke and to consider the vnderstanding to discusse the iudgement to approue and all the other faculties of the soule to execute his command so that there is neither sinne nor vertue but the same is first in this commanding will before it comes to any part either of soule or body All actions are adiudged according to the disposition of the will Propertius lib. 2. 10. And therefore are all actions good or badde adiudged and deemed according to the disposition of the will First Good actions haue all their goodnesse from the will for not onely the Poet sayth Quod si dificiant vires audacia certe Laus erit in magnis voluisse sat est That the will is sufficient where the power is wanting but also Saint Augustine sayth Aug. sup Psal 57. that whatsoeuer good thou wouldest doe and canst not doe it God accepteth the same as done and Saint Paul himselfe saith that in such cases God accepteth the will for the deede Gregor moral lib. 10. for God looketh not so much quantum quilibet valet sed quantum velit into what a man is able to doe as into what a man is willing to doe and therefore our Sauiour commendeth the poore widdow and preferreth her before all the rest of the rich men Mar. 12.43 because though her gift was lesser yet was her will better then all the rest for that they of their abundance bestowed what they could well spare but she of her penurie had cast in all that she had and Dauid willing and saying that he would build God an house Ver. 44. 2 Sam. 7. was accepted as if he had built it for seeing God looketh not so much into the outward worke as into the inward intention of the heart Jdem ibid. l. 1â— whatsoeuer is intended by the will in the very heart of man the same is reputed and deemed as done in the eyes of God sayth Saint Gregorie Secondly Euill actions haue the same estimation for si sit voluntas desit potestas c. If thou hast a will to doe euill and hast no power to doe it thou art no lesse guiltie of the deed in the sight of God then if thou hadst done it and therefore he that looketh on a Woman that is with a will to lust after her hath committed adulterie with her in his heart alreadie saith our Sauiour and the very heathen Poet subscribeth vnto the same truth saying Iâ—â—n 13. Haâ— patitur poenas peccandi sola voluntas Nam scaelus intrase tacitum qui cogitat vllum Facti crimen habet Whosoeuer thinketh euill inwardly within his breast must needs bee guiltie of the outward fact The will or desire of sinne deserueth the punishments
fault where it is vpon our selues and vpon our owne Sinnes for though the many multitude say it was a good world with them When they sacrificed vnto the Queene of Heaven yet the King of Heauen knowes what a wofull time it was for Man when the Crucifixe was kissed with the kisses of their Mouthes and Iesus Christ was crucified againe with the workes of their hands and when they changed The trueth of God into a lye and Worshipped and serued the creature made a god with their owne hands Rom. 1.15 More then the Creator who is blessed for euer Amen And if we would be free from plagues free from punishments let vs free our selues from sinne I know that feare of Poperies comming againe with superstitions hath spread it selfe ouer the face of this whole Iland but alas Wee feare where no feare is for I dare confidently affirme that it neuer was his Maiesties minde nor the purpose of the State to bring in Idolatry and superstition into this land againe Cantic 5.3 for We haue washed our feete and shall we foule them againe But the secrets of State is more then either I can perceiue or most of you well vnderstand Or if they did yet were it vayne Quia non est concilium contra Dominum because no deuice of man can subuert the truth of God vnlesse our sinnes doe prouoke our God Reuel 2.5 Nulla nocebit aduersitas si nulla dominetur iniquitas Gregor Cyprian to remoue our Candlesticke and to take away our light and therefore though all the Iesuites of the world and all the Cardinals of Rome nay though all the Deuils of Hell should doe their worst against vs yet if we feare our God and forsake all Sinne the diuels may haue all their seruants before they all shall be able to hurt any one seruant of the Lord quia non plus valet ad deijciendum terrena paena quam ad erigendum diuina tutela 1 John 4.4 because He that is in vs is greater then he that is in the World and is more able to preserue vs then the Prince of darkenesse is to destroy vs. That wee should turne to the Lord our God And therefore if you thinke Poperie to be euill and would be free from superstition neuer feare the State nor lay the blame on others but leaue your sinnes and Turne to the Lord your God with all your hearts and with all your soules and you shall see the Saluation of the Lord which hee will shew vnto vs this day Exod. 14.13 for the Egyptians whom you haue seene and feare you shall see them againe no more for euer the Lord shall fight for you and you may be sure no euill shall happen vnto you it shall not come nigh your dwelling for the onely way to escape all punishments is to forsake all sinnes Neither doe I say this as if we could be cleane from sinnes for I know it was Nouatus his error and we must all know it for an error Hieron adversus Pelag. that a Christian after Baptisme doth not sinne and it was but a Pellagian conceite before him inuented by Pythagoras that the exercise of Vertue rooteth out all the seede of Vices Matth. 7.18 for a Bad tree cannot bring foorth good fruit and in some things sayth the Apostle I feare I may say as it is in our last English translation in many things wee Sinne all Iames 3.2 1 Iohn 1.8 And if wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. But I say this that we should haue a feruent desire not to sinne and to say with the Prophet O that my wayes were made so direct that I might keepe thy Commandements and that wee would endeuor pro virili to the vttermost of our abilities not to sinne and labour alwayes with the Apostle Acts 24.16 to keep a cleere conscience in all things both before God and Man Thirdly Seeing all miseries death and damnation are as iustly inflicted vpon the sinner as the poore Souldier may iustly claime his little stipend we should not complaine against God Sueton. in vita Vesp C. 10. with Vespasian Immerenti sibi vitam aripi that he tooke away his life without any fault of his or without any fayling on his part but we should with the Leuites in Nehemiah with Daniel with Ieremie and with all the rest of the men of God commend the Lord and condemne our selues saying surely thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs thou hast dealt truely Nehem. 9.33 but wee haue done wickedly And thus I haue shewed thee O man quid sit malum what is euill and you haue heard a large discourse of Sinne and the most lamentable effect and wages of Sinne And now it is a thousand to one that the first thing many one of vs will doe is to goe home or perhaps afore wee goe home to sinne some to sweare some to their whores some to be drunke some to deceiue and most of vs to some sinne or other But if euer any of you doe for those sinnes receiue this pay remember I haue told you what you should haue Death for the wages of Sinne is Death and I can doe no more but pray to God that he would giue vs grace to forsake Sinne that we may escape Death through Iesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost three distinct Persons of that one eternall in diuided Essence be giuen as is most due all prayse and glory for euer and euer Amen A Prayer O Blessed God which hast created Man we doe acknowledge that thou hast made him righteous but he sought out many inuentious and hath most grieuously sinned against thy diuine Maiestie and thereby hath most iustly pulled vpon himselfe and all his posteritie all miseries death and damnation But thou desirest not the death of a Sinner but rather that hee should turne from his wickednesse and liue And therefore we doe confesse our sinnes we doe detest our sinnes and we doe most humbly pray thee euen for thy mercies sake to bee mercifull vnto vs to deale with vs not according to our offences but according to thy Grace to giue vs Grace to serue thee that so we mâ—y be deliuered from our iust deserued punishment and be receiued into thine euerlasting fauour to prayse and magnifie thy blessed Name for euer and euer Amen A wearied loathed Life I leade content with onely Sadnesse To see my selfe opprest with Sinne and with this worlds Madnes I alwayes striue with wicked Sinne yet doth my Sinne preuaile I therefore hate my Selfe because my Sinnes I cannot quaile And I doe likewise wish for Grace that I might neuer offend But truely serue my Master Christ and please him to my end And yet I see this tyrant Sinne and wicked men doe wrong me To Hell the one to Miserie th' other still would throng me But reason bids
and more fauour to deliuer me from my miserie then onely to remaine with me in my prosperity c. And therefore if we be free from troubles it is Quia bonus Deus Israeli from the goodnesse of God that preserueth vs if we be punished and afflicted repose thy trust in God Forti animo mala fer nec bis miser esto dolore and bee not deiected to adde griefe vnto griefe but thinke it is because it is good for vs to be afflicted and if we be deliuered from our afflictions and preserued from that poyson of despaire and other euils that they bring on others it is from this goodnesse of God Rom. 8.28 which worketh all things together for the best for them that loue him What the grace of Iustification is Secondly the grace of Iustification is that infused Faith which hee worketh in the hearts of his Elect whereby they doe lay hold and apply vnto themselues all the merits of Iesus Christ and doe by that imputatiue righteousnesse of him stand iustified in the sight of God What the grace of Sanctification is Thirdly the grace of Sanctification is that whereby we are heartily sorry for all our fore-passed sinnes and doe euery day indeuour more and more to liue in all holinesse and righteousnesse to the prayse and glory of God What the grace of Glorification is Fourthly the grace of Glorification is that whereby we liue holily in this life and shall liue happily in the life to come because as Aquinas saith God glorifieth his Saints Per profectum virtutis gratiae per exaltationem gloriae By making them holy here on Earth and bringing them to the happinesse of Heauen All these graces and what grace soeuer else is dependant vpon any of these are â—rought in the Saints by this speciall goodnesse of God Rom. 8.30 for whom God did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified This is the golden way and the royall degrees of Gods goodnesse whereby the Saints of God are saued And therefore if any of vs doe finde these graces in our selues let vs not ascribe them to our selues but to the grace and goodnesse of God for this is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent Philip. 1.29 saith our Sauiour Christ And it is giuen to beleeue That if there be any goodnesse in vs we should ascribe it all to God saith the Apostle And herein let vs admire with reuerence and acknowledge with all thankefulnesse his speciall and his singular goodnesse towards vs more then towards others which perhaps naturally are aswell if not better deseruing then our selues for had he bestowed faith and repentance vpon them they would haue beleeued on him and serued him euen as we doe and had hee not bestowed these graces on vs wee should haue beene poore and naked of all goodnesse euen as they are But then here it may be obiected that if we doe no good but what God giueth vs to doe and that the very reprobates would beleeue in God and serue him if God would bestow those effectuall and powerfull graces vpon them which he bestoweth vpon his Saints then it must needes follow that the wicked are not altogether so culpable for the omission of those required duties because God giues them not the grace and ability to performe them Quia nullus actus potest excedere potentiam agentis Because no act can exceede the power of the Agent And therefore whosoeuer limiteth the power is the cause of the intermission of the consequent act and of the euent that floweth thereby And therefore God circumscribing our ability must needes be the cause of our deficiency To this I answere Sol. that we ascribe all the goodnesse of the Saints vnto the grace and goodnesse of God to magnifie Gods goodnesse and to vilifie our owne basenesse to shew that wee haue nothing in the World whereof to boast And we thinke our Sauiours words sufficient to confirme this truth where he saith A man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him from aboue Iohn 15.5 That of our selues we can doe nothing that is good And againe Without me ye can doe nothing And we say that the wicked would doe these things if God would giue them I say not sufficient but effectuall grace to doe them because it is vnpossible but the same measure of effectuall grace should produce the same measure of effects for if God would worke in them that sanctifie which he doth in his Saints how could they resist his will Or is it possible that this will of man should withstand the will of God no wayes And I see no reason why any man should except against this truth but that hereby they feare that imputation of iniustice which as they thinke must needes light on God if hee should condemne them for not seruing him and yet not giue them the grace or ability to serue him or at least wise of partiality if he without any manner of desert of the one more then the other should notwithstanding choose the one sort and inrich them and leaue the other sort and condemne them But to this I answere that if God should require such duties as are not due to him or command them to doe that which they neuer receiued power from him to fulfill we might perhaps thinke him vniust in his demands For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawes must be made according to the rule of mens ability to performe them or if God did take away this power againe from the Agent then might he likewise be said to be the cause of the deficiency of the subsequent act but if God requires nothing at our hands God taketh not the power of seruing him from any man but that which is our duety to doe what he made vs able to performe and we through our owne default and wilfulnesse Male vtentes potestate Abusing this ability which God hath giuen vs like those that spend their wealth on whores which they should imploy to mainetaine their Wiues and Children haue lost this power that wee had receiued and brought vpon our selues an ineuitable impotency the very Law of humane reason will here take part with God against vs Non habere excusationem c. that he hath no excuse for himselfe which is the cause of his owne impediment as a Father saith And therefore seeing man lost the power of seruing God by his owne fault in offending God and that God is not bound to restore it againe God in not giuing it is no efficient cause of their not seruing him but as the Sunne is the cause of darkenesse Non per se sed per accidens Not because properly it effecteth darkenesse but accidentally by reason of its departure from vs So is God onely the cause why the wicked serue him not not because he worketh any
Rursus labefacta cadebat religio then hee thought it could not bee that there should bee any God because he cared not as he thought for the righteous people Euen so I must needes confesse that when I consider the sincerity of that Religion which wee teach the summe of it plainely expressed in the Scriptures and the end of it tending onely to the glory of God I doe assure my selfe that we haue amongst vs the very Truth of God but on the other side when I consider Quomodo commutauerunt veritatem Dei in mendacium How many of vs doe change this Truth of God into a lye when they doe liue cleane contrary to what they Professe and some of the best of vs euen of the Teachers of this Truth doe leade our liues not onely as they doe whom we daily condemne for such intollerable corruptions vnbeseeming Christians but also in many things as Pagans who know not God It makes me often muse and Nicodemus-like to aske how can these things be John 3. to haue the Truth amongst vs and yet to haue such pleasure in vanity and to seeke after leasing Psal 4. For our Sauiour prayeth for his seruants that God would sanctifie them through the Truth Iohn 17.17 and yet behold the fruits of our Sanctification It was said of old Mos est praelatis praebendas non dare gratis ô Monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi vos estis Deus est testis turpissima pestis Sed bene nummatis aut corum sanguine natis And now the world saith of some of vs Wee sell our Churches we purchase Lands we raise our sonnes to worldly honours we suppresse whom we lift though neuer so good we raise our friends though neuer so bad and what not What should I say any more what say they can Rome doe more or what more doe we then the Heathens doe or as our Sauiour saith Doe not the Publicans and Sinners euen the same and if these things be done in a greene tree If this be the life of vs that are as the light of the world what shall we say of others which by Profession are lay secular men I take God to witnesse before whom I stand and by whom I shall be iudged that I haue admired and often grieued at my heart not onely to heare what perhaps the aduersaries of the Truth or some lewd dissolute men that neither loue God nor his Ministers but are euer ready to speake the worst of all for the offence of few might falsely say against vs but also to see how dissolute how worldly and how conformable to the world boone companions fashionable to all Companies a great many of vs doe liue Nec Iouis imperium nec Phlegetonta timent And therefore I wonder not that the simple are brought to their nonplus to see Truth and Wickednesse thus linked together in the same persons Rom. 1.18 But when I consider what the Apostle saith that the Gentiles did hold the Truth in vnrighteousnesse I must needs acknowledge that wicked men may haue the theoricke knowledge of the Truth and teach this Truth vnto others and yet be castawayes themselues for so our Sauiour saith that many shall come in the last day and say Lord open vnto vs for we haue prophesied in thy Name and done many great workes through thy Name to whom the Lord shall answer I know you not depart from me you workers of iniquity Rom. 3.3 Besides as the Apostle saith of the Iewes What if some did not beleeue shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid c. 10.16 or what If all did not obey the Gospell or that some of the branches be broken off Shall this hinder the saluation of the rest God forbid So I may say of vs What if some of vs what if many of vs euen the best of vs should be as the world saith we are should that preiudice the rest and especially the Truth of God God forbid I hope I may boldly say it that the world cannot say nor any man in the world deny it vnlesse he putteth on the face of the father of lies but as we haue had many Reuerend and faithfull Bishops many graue and painfull Preachers that haue spent their strength in the expressing and sacrificed their deerest bloud in defending this Truth so wee haue still many worthy and godly Bishops and many holy and heauenly Ministers Parcite paucorum diffundere crimē in omnes Spectetur meritis quilibet apte suis that doe most vprightly walke in the Truth of God and shall these be condemned and reproached for the offence of others Shall all be blamed for the offence of few No God forbid let euery horse beare his owne burthen for euery man shall be iudged according to his owne workes And therefore though as in the field of Gods Church there are Tares as well as Wheat so in our Priestly dignity there are many amongst vs that are not of vs of whom I vnderstand what I said before that are like Statuae Mercuriales which shew the way to others but walke not one steppe themselues or like those skilfull Cookes that dresse good meate for others but taste not a bit thereof themselues or rather that feed not the flocke at all but feed themselues vpon the flocke of Christ and gather wealth to themselues in steed of gayning soules to God yet let GOD be true and euery man a lyar and let not the wicked life of some men scandalize this eternall Truth of God we haue it now amongst vs It was purchased by paines preserued by blood and most gloriously continued to this very day and I doe assure my selfe that as there were seauen thousand men in Israel which bowed not their knees to Baal 1 Kings 19.18 so there be many thousands of men in England that if they wanted Inke to defend that Diuine Truth which we doe Professe would maintaine the same with their deerest blood and I boldly set it downe that if Satan should be let loose to persecute the Saints of God I doe vnfainedly wish my burning bones might first giue light vnto all them that desire to walke in this Truth But we haue more cause to pray to God to defend the Defendor of this Truth not onely by his Royall Authority whereby wee doe inioy this Truth in a blessed peace but also by his owne Diuine Penne and industry whereby he shewed himselfe Esse quod est to be of the Truth indeed rather then any wayes in the least manner to feare or suspect the disturbance of the same for God who is abundant in Truth will preserue his owne Truth for euermore And therefore seeing that though some of vs be wicked yea though all of vs should be wicked and depriue our selues of happinesse which I hope our greatest enemies will not dare to say yet doth not that make the Truth of God of none effect Let vs be Gens
therefore hee must needes haue two natures in him according to one whereof he was before Abraham and according to the other he was after Abraham And further Vigilius l. 2. cont Eutych Philip. 2. we finde the same confirmed and confessed by all antiquity for Vigilius writing vpon those words of the Apostle who being in the forme of God tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant saith Mirum est c. It is a wonder to thinke why some are afraide to say that Christ had two natures when as the Apostle saith that he had two formes and the great oecumenicall Councell of Calcedon wherein were 630 Bishops Concil Calced Act. 5. in Symb. fidei left this confession vnto all posterity Confitemur in nouissimis diebus filium Dei vnigenitum in duabus naturis inconfuse immutabiliter indiuise inseparabiliter agnoscendum nunquam sublata differentia propter vnionem We confesse that the onely begotten Sonne of God which came in the last dayes to be incarnate is now to be acknowledged to be and to subsist of two natures i. e. Diuine and humane inconfused immutably inseperably and vndiuidedly vnited together and that the differences or distinction of these natures is neuer to be abolished and taken away by reason of the vnion of the same All the actions of Christ doe manifestly shew the two natures of Christ And so in very deed we finde all the actions of our Sauiour Christ while he liued here on earth to make inanswerable proofe of the same truth for as Saint Augustine saith Iacebat Christus quantum ad carnem mortuus in sepulchro mortuos suscitans in inferno vitam tribuens vniuersis in caelo Christ according to the flesh lay dead in his graue yet did he then in Hell i. e. in respect of his soule according to his Godhead raise the dead here on earth Aug. sup Mat. 5. contra Foelicem and giue life to all them that were in heauen Quia vt nec mundum dimittens ad coelum ascendit ita nec coelum deserens venit ad nos sed vno atque eodem tempore totum totus impleuit Because that as now he hath not left the world though he be ascended into Heauen so then he did not leaue the Heauens when hee came to be made flesh on earth but was wholly at one and the selfe-same time in all places replenishing and filling all things And Gregorie Nazianzen doth most excellently shew how the properties of both his natures concurred together and might be easily discerned in him from the very beginning of his dayes Luc. 2.7 to the last end of his being here on earth for he is borne of his mother and wrapped in swadling clouts as being a man but a starre doth manifest him Matth. 2.11 and the wise men adore him as being a God Matth. 3.16 he is baptized in Iordan as being a man but the Holy Ghost descends vpon him from Heauen as being a God he is tempted of the Deuill Mar. 1.12 as he is a man but he ouercomes and expels the Diuels Iohn 4.6 as he is a God he trauels and is thirstie he is hungry and is weary as he is a man but he refresheth the wearie hee feedeth the hungry Iohn 7. and he giueth drinke vnto the thirstie as hee is a God Matth. 24.26 he sleepes in the ship and his Disciples awake him as he is a man but he rebukes the windes and stilleth the rage of the Seas Matth. 8.20 as he is a God he is poore and needy and hath not an house to put his head in as he is a man but he is rich and mighty and cannot be contained in the heauens as he is a God he his sorrowfull and sad he weepes and he prayes as he is a man but he heareth our prayers and comforteth the sorrowfull Matth. 26. as hee is a God he is subiect to infirmities as he is a man Iohn 14. but he healeth all our infirmitie as he is a God he is whipped and crucified as hee is a man but he renteth the vaile of the Temple Esay 53. and causeth the Sunne to hide his face for shame to see him crucified as hee is a God he saith Eloi Eloi Lamasabachthani My God my God Matth. 27.46 why hast thou forsaken me as he is a man but hee saith vnto the theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise as he is a God Luke 23.43 he dyeth and is buryed and lyeth in his graue as he is a man but he ouercommeth Death and destroyeth the Diuels Matt. 27.50.60 and raiseth himselfe vnto life againe as he is a God and being risen he appeares vnto his Disciples and eates and talkes with them Luke 24. v 15. 31. as he is a man but he vanisheth out of their sight and ascendeth vp vnto Heauen as he is a God and so now the Heauens doe containe him and he sitteth there on the right hand of God Psal 68.4 as he is a man but he sustaineth the Heauens and rideth vpon the same as vpon an horse as he is a God and so Fulgentius saith Fulgent ser de Epiphan Iste puer in praesepi quidem paruulus collocatur sed magnus in coelo mirabiliter operatur permittit se manibus in terra portari sed praecipit sibi coelestia famulari That little child is laid in a cratch i. e. as he is a man but he doth wonderfully worke in heauen i. e. as he is a God and he suffereth himselfe to be carryed in their armes as he is a man but he supporteth all things and commandeth all the hoast of Heauen to doe him seruice as he is a God And therefore it is most apparant that the person of Christ so subsisteth Vt cum in homine Christo videtur veritas hominis Idem de persona Christi l. 2. ad Tamrisi in eodem Deo Christo cognoscatur paternae veritas deitatis as when we see the veritie of the Manhood in the Man Christ Iesus we must know and acknowledge the eternall Deitie in the same God Christ Iesus because he is still a perfect God and a perfect man and of these two natures subsisting in one person inconfused But against this Eutyches and his followers What the Eutychian heretickes say against this truth haue and doe most impiously affirme that in Christ after his Incarnation there is but one onely nature made of the Word and of the flesh by the conuersion of the Deitie into the humanitie because the Euangelist saith that the Word was made flesh euen as when the Water was made Wine it was no more Water but was presently conuerted into Wine Nazian in Ep. ad Clidonium or else by the conuersion of the flesh into the Deitie because Gregory Nazianzen and Gregory Nyssen say that Caro Christi est deificata the flesh of Christ is now deified and to confirme
things which for the present seeme harsh and bitter vnto vs will in the end proue to our great aduantage Thirdly For the manner of Christ his birth it is recorded Of the manner of Christs birth how meane it was in many respects that it was very poore and meane meaner then ordinary or extraordinary base for he was borne of poore Parents they trauelled on foote they had not an Asse to ride on in a poore Towne little Bethlehem which is by interpretation An House of Bread but such a poore House of Bread that there was scarce any bread in the House And then being come from darkenesse into light Non poterat verbum fari verbum This word could not speake a word but hee was wrapped in poore swadling cloutes it may be his Mothers ragges and then laid in a poore lodging euen in the Manger and so he was indeed made lower then the Angels for he was consorted and laid among the Beasts that perish Quia non erat locus in diuersorio Because there was no roome in the Inne for these poore innocent people among the drunken swaggering companions for these will be sure to haue roome Et pauper vbique iacet And the poore shall bee thrust out of doores And yet Christ was well contented he desired no better Why Christ would be born so meanely Psal 22.6 but chose indeede to come after this meanest manner First To fulfill the Scriptures for the Prophet Dauid said in the person of Christ I am a worme and no man a very scorne of men and the outcast of the people And the Prophet Esay saith He should grow vp as a roote out of a dry ground i. e. wrinckled and almost withered for want of radicall moysture He hath neither forme nor comelinesse and when wee shall see him there is no beauty Esay 53.2.3 that we should desire him he is despised and reiected of men Secondly To teach vs true humility Descendit quo inferius non decuit vt ascenderet quo superius non poterat For he made himselfe of no reputation that he might be exalted Phil. 2.9 and haue a name giuen him about all other names to shew vnto vs Luke 18.14 that Whosoeuer humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Thirdly To condemne the courses and desires of worldly men for they desire nothing so much as wealth honours and promotions and yet all the Monarchs of this World with all their pompe and power with all their riches and greatnesse cannot reconcile one soule to God They must let that alone for euer But Christ poore stript and naked hath so pleased God that through him God cannot be displeased with vs for it is goodnesse and not greatnesse to be void of sinne and not to be full of riches that our God respecteth Fourthly To procure true riches vnto vs for so the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 8.9 that Christ though he was rich yet for our sake he became poore that we through his pouerty might be made rich Fiftly To shew the difference betwixt his first and his second comming for now he came in pouerty but then hee shall come in maiesty Math. 16.27 He shall come on the glory of his Father with his Angels The Earth shall burne the Heauens shall melt and all the powers of the same shall be shaken And therefore seeing as Emyssenus saith Talis tantus sit horror venientis quis poterit terrorem sustinere iudicantis That comming of his shall be so terrible as that all the wicked crue of damned sort shall exceedingly howle and cry and pray the mountaines to fall vpon them and to hide them from that fearefull day let vs make the right vse of this his first comming that wee may escape the terror of his second comming And so you see the manner of his birth weakely poorely and meanely That we should be well contented with any state And this should teach vs to be euer contented with our poore and meane estate for if the Sonne of God who made all things and whose all things are All the Cattle vpon a thousand hilles was well contented and made choyce of this low estate why should we be discontented with the same for wee are vnworthy of the very Bread wee eate and of the very Light of Heauen wherewith we are illuminated we are very base and miserable beggars begging of God the very crummes that wee eate Math. 6.11 saying Giue vs this day our daily bread and yet such is our pride and haughtinesse that wee are ready to snatch it out of his hands and not to stay while he giues it vs Such is our disdaine and discontentednesse that the daintiest fare will scarce please vs and such is our desire and ambition that euery man still cryeth with the Daughters of the Horse-leech More more Our eyes are neuer satisfied with seeing nor our eares with hearing nor our hearts with enioying the vanities of this World But alas Beloued Beware of murmuring Wisedome 1. 11. which is nothing worth and let the same minde be in you herein as was in Christ Iesus If you would be happy remember how he came Phil. 2.5 Math. 8.20 poore and meane remember how he liued meane and miserable for He had not an House wherein to put his head We haue more then that and remember how hee was entertained cold and comfortlesse Math. 10.24.25 for He came amongst his owne and his owne receiued him not And therefore seeing he found such cold entertainement in the world why should wee looke for any better or be any wayes discontented at the like for The Seruant is not aboue his Master but it is enough for the seruant to be as his Master is CHAP. III. Of the testimonies which proue that Christ the Messias is borne THirdly Of the witnesses that testifie the birth and comming of the Messias For the testimony and witnesse whereby he was approued and confirmed vnto the world to be incarnate and made Flesh for to be the Sauiour and Redeemer of the World I finde the same especially to be two-fold 1. The Creatures 2. The Creator First The testimony of the Creature is three-fold 1. The Angels of Heauen 2. The Starres in the Skies 3. Men on Earth First An Angell said vnto the Shepheards Luke 2.11 Vnto you is borne this day in the City of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord And immediately there were not sixe Cherubims as Esayas saw nor foure and twenty Elders Esay 6.2 as Saint Iohn saw but a multitude of heauenly Angels that by their heauenly Halelu-iah did confirme the same And therefore the truth hereof is infallible because the Angels though they bee mutable by nature yet they be now cōfirmed by grace Isidorus l. 1. c. 12. de summo bono Ne à veritate voluntatem auerterent That they cannot lye nor fall away from truth as Isidorus saith Secondly The gentile Prophet Baalam prophesied that there
of him yet would not be be offended He doth here accumulate and heape one sinne vpon another for First He fled with the rest and left our Sauiour all alone First he fled Secondly He waxeth cold Secondly he waxeth cold in loue not onely through the coldnesse of the night but also through feare which driueth away the bloud and causeth the same to hide and to congeale it selfe as it were in some secret corners as the Poet saith Gelidusque per ima cucurrit ossa tremor Virgil. Aeneid 2. A trembling feare makes all the members cold and especially through want of loue and affection vnto Christ Nam si amore in deum corda inflammareÌ„tur perparum aut nihil vis frigorum corporibus esset nocitura Frigora ne possim gelidâ— sentire profundi Qui calet in câ—pido pectore praestat amor Ouidius ep Leand. Heron. For as carnall loue driueth away all cold as Leander saith vnto Hero So much more he that burneth with the heauenly loue of Christ will scarce feele any outward cold and therefore Christ saith vnto his beloued spouse My head is full of dew and my lockes with the drops of the night and yet because he loued her he patiently bore it all but Peter it may be hearing the wicked seruants relating how one had cast him downe to the ground another had thrown him into the brook of Cedron and a third had smote him vpon the cheeke then begins to waxe pale and fearefull and to forsake his first loue and therefore he had need to warme his hands at the high Priests fire when his heart was cold in the loue of God Thirdly hee denieth and forsweareth his Master Thirdly He denyed Christ with a lie with an oath with a curse and that presently at the voyce of a Woman a silly wench not any of the greatest Ladies but a poore seruing-maide that kept the doores O quantum mutatus ab illo Hectore What dost thou Peter deny Christ who then will confesse him for thou saidst Matth. 16.16 that he was the Sonne of the liuing God and dost thou now sweare thou knowest not whence he is Why Christ suffered Saint Peter for to fall And yet Christ though to humble him now that was so arrogant before and to teach vs to be afraid to fall for if so great a pillar fell how much easier may we be hurled downe if we be not wary to erect our hope that if with this Apostle through infirmity we do fal we shold not despaire with Iudas but still vpon our repentance trust in God Matth. 14.31 yet as formerly when he walked vpon the water and began to sinke Christ vpheld him with an outstretched arme so now when he walked through the pathes of death and was well-nigh swallowed in the gulfe of perdition Christ looketh vpon him with the eyes of mercy and saueth his soule by his compassionate grace for he causeth the Cock to crow Numbers â—2 28 the dumb beast like Balaams Asse to reproue the iniquity of the Apostle and as not respecting his owne indignity so much as his seruants infelicity How mercifully Christ preserueth Saint Peter hee looketh backe on him that had forgot himselfe and thereby reuiuing his memory to thinke vpon his masters words he sent him out to weepe bitterly that so he might restore him mercifully Fourthly Hee is falsly accused How Christ is falsely accused of his enemies and charged with the things that he neuer knew that he neuer said for they sought false witnesses for true witnesses they could haue none and there came many witnesses against him but they could not agree some saying one thing some another yet at last comes two sonnes of Belial children of their Father the Diuell that peruerting our Sauiours sence and changing his words said they heard him saying that he could destroy that Temple made with hands Marke 14.58 and build another in three dayes then the high-Priest adiured him by God to tell them what he was and when Christ did meekely and mâ—ldely say the truth he furiously rent his cloathes and said hee blasphemed against God as if God could or would blaspheme himselfe then all the foolish Clearkes of this wicked Priest did say Amen Et quae sibi quisque timebat Vnius in miseri exitium conuersa tulere And approuing what they knew not How all consent to crucifie Christ as a iust reward for sauing many of their wretched liues they all consent to put him to an accursed death and then followeth their acclamation Crucifie him crucifie him their saying is doubled and redoubled he must be put to death there is nothing else will satisfie these bloud-thirsty men and therefore he is now to be kept by the base Sargiants and the most barbarous Souldiers as a condemned man and to make themselues merry as at a banquet of Wine or as if they had beene at an enterlude play What grieuous things Christ suffered after he was condemned by Cayphas to passe away this tedious night they doe eterchangeably sport at him and first they mocke him secondly they beat him thirdly they spit in his glorious face and so make that face which the Angels desire to behold to become so deformed by reason of their blowes and spitles that it seemed as in a leprosie Esay 53.4 and as hauing neither forme nor beauty fourthly they hoodwinke him fiftly they beat him with their hands and fists sixtly they scoffingly say prophesie vnto vs who hath strocken thee O sweet Iesus Christ Quis cladem illius noctis quis funera fando Explicet aut possit lachrymis aequare dolorem Who is able to expresse thy bitter sufferings to declare thy heauy thoughts and to shew forth all thy griefe which thou endurest throughout all that long and tedious night And yet though he could haue easily stayed their fury and haue suddenly strucken them all starke dead with the least word of his mouth he opened not his mouth but he did patiently suffer whatsoeuer they did violently offer vnto him and when they had done what they would they consulted and consented to send him vnto Pilate How and whereof Christ was accused before Pilate And here before Pilate they doe accuse him of two speciall things First Of his impiety against God because as they sayd they found him peruerting the Nations and people of the Iewes and teaching them strange and pernitious doctrines breaking the Sabbaoth condemning their traditions and no wayes obseruing Moses his Law Secondly Of iniquity against man no lesse then high Treason against their soueraigne Emperour because he denyed to pay tribute vnto Caesar and said that himselfe was King And the more to induce Pilate to beleeue them to incense him against Christ they said that he began in Galilee because Galilee had brought forth many seditious and rebellious persons Act. 5. as Iudas Galileus Theudas and others and because Pilate
number of his twelue Apostles First he appeared vnto Mary Magdalen apart Marke 16.9 First to Mary Magdalen and why where wee must obserue that he appeared first vnto a woman that no woman should thenceforth be any wayes reproached by any man for their first transgression and seduction of man quia vt culpam vire transfudit transfudit etiam gratiam Ambros l. 10. in Luc. 24. Beda in cap. vlt. Luc veterisque lapsus aerumnam resurrectionis indicio compensauit because that as a woman was the first instrument of death so she was the first messenger of life and brought the first tidings of the resurrection of Christ which is the surest argument of the saluation of man And hee appeared to this woman first August meditat cap. 35. quia Dominum prae caeteris dilexit ideo prae caeteris videre meruit because she loued him aboue all therefore she obtained to see him before all She loued much saith our Sauiour and she saw him first saith the Euangelist and therefore no doubt but he shewed himselfe to her first because shee loued him most whereby wee see that with God there is no respect of persons no difference of sects but whosoeuer loueth him man or woman young or old that person shall be respected of him for I will loue them that loue me saith the Lord and therefore whosoeuer feareth God and worketh righteousnesse whosoeuer loues him most and seekes him first he may be sure he shall be first found of him And secondly he appeared to this woman first because this woman was most memorious and mindfull of him and of all those mercies and benefits wherewith Christ had inriched her soule Hieron ep de quest hedibiae and therefore he was most mindfull of her But who this Mary Magdalen was it is easier questioned then answered for Theophylact Stapulensis and others Ambros l. 10. in Luc. 24. Albertus in Luc. 7. doe auouch that there were three Mary Magdalens Saint Ambrose saith there were two Albertus Aquinas in Iohn 12. and Roffensis de tribus Magdalenis Whether there were more Mary Magdalens then one do constantly affirme there was but one and shee they say was a Noble woman one of the bloud-royall of the Tribe of Iuda the daughter of one Syrus and Eucharia a sister vnto Lazarus and Martha which diuided the inheritance of their father betwixt them three Lazarus had all the possessions that were in Ierusalem Martha had Bethany and Mary had Magdalum Castrum the Castle of Magdala from whence she was called Mary Magdalen For my part I confesse curiositie is to be auoided yet the truth is to be imbraced and Maries face is not like Moses face so vailed with mysteries but that wee may without danger inquire who she is and therefore to say what I thinke I am of St. Ambrose minde that at least there were two if there were no more Mary Magdalens for Saint Iohn saith that Mary Magdalen stood at the Sepulcher weeping Ioh. 20.1.11.18 and that Iesus appeared vnto her and said touch mee not here is a Mary Magdalen all alone and Saint Matthew saith that Mary Magdalen and the other Mary came vnto the Sepulcher and were instructed by the Angels that Christ was risen and therefore they departed and went away with ioy Matth. 28.1.9 and it is not said that Mary Magdalen staied behinde but that both went for he names but two and as they went to tell his Disciples Iesus met them and they came and held him by the feete and worshipped him and therefore no doubt but there must be two distinct Mary Magdalens for shee whereof Saint Iohn speaketh was alone and staide by the Sepulcher weeping and was denied to touch Christ because as Saint Ambrose saith she doubted Why Mary Magdalen was not suffered to touch Christ and did not as yet fully beleeue the truth of his resurrection but shee whereof Saint Matthew speaketh was accompanied with the other Mary and returned with the other Mary and met him in the way and held him by the feet and worshipped him Christ suffering her to doe this because she beleeued him to be risen from the dead Now which of these Mary Magdalens was the woman to whom Christ first appeared Marke 16.9 Saint Marke plainly sheweth that it was she out of whom he had cast seuen deuils a great sinner and a great louer of our Sauiour Christ the chiefest sinner of all these women and the first seeker of our blessed Sauiour for she came alone while it was yet darke before the day light Iohn 20.1 by the light of grace but the other Mary Magdalen came with Mary the mother of Iames and Salome at the rising of the Sun Marke 16.2 long after her A great comfort and a raâ—e patterne for all sinners her sinnes repented of and relinquished were no hinderance of her to see our Sauiour first but because her sinnes were great we see her repentance was very great The great care and diligence of this Mary Magdalen her care was great her loue was great for shee wept and washed our Sauiours feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head a true token of inward sorrow she powred a boxe-full of precious ointment vpon his head as hee sat at meate an apparant argument of her outward works shee rose earely shee sought him carefully and she wept bitterly not with those vndiscreet women for Thammyse which was a brazen image with leaden eies that being molten with heate did seeme to weepe Ezech. 8.14 and so caused the women to sympathize in teares and to weepe as is thought for Adonis but shee weepes for Adonai for her Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ a rare example of great pietie and therefore though shee had offended much yet because shee sorrowed much she loued much she had much forgiuen her and much loue shewed vnto her for he which is first and last did shew himselfe first vnto her O that they which walke in her sinnes would tread in the same steps of her repentance Secondly he appeared to all the women together Secondly to the three women returning homeward as they returned homewards from the Sepulcher to teach vs that neuer any truly sought for Christ but with these women they should be sure to find him Thirdly he appeared to Simon Peter alone Thirdly to Simon Peter alone Chrysost 1 Cor. 15.5 the first among the men saith Chrysostome for when the women told the Disciples that Iesus was risen Peter and Iohn ranne both vnto the Sepulcher and though Iohn came there first yet Peter entred first to note vnto vs not onely that mysticall truth which diuers of the Fathers haue obserued viz. that the Synagogue of the Iewes like Iohn that came first to the monument but would not enter had the first meanes to come to Christ and yet refused to come vnto him for it commanded the precepts of the Law
beleeue the testimonies of the Apostles to moue and perswade men to giue credit vnto their testimony yet me thinkes the plainenesse of their declaration and the smalnesse of their expectation of any manner of profit or reward in the World for the testifying of these things should be sufficient to make all men beleeue them For First All the World may see First Their plainenesse they sought not with any tricks of wit to set a faire die vpon a bad cloth nor with any glozing speeches fine sentences subtile arguments or any such like sophisticall wayes to procure credit vnto themselues and to draw men to beleeue fabulous inuentions but their proceeding is plaine carrying nothing with it but a declaration of simple truth nakedly reported without any manner of humane subtilty to confirme it And Secondly All the World may see Secondly their desire what they aimed at by their testimony they looked for no gaine in the World but the gaine of Soules no credit by their writing no profit by their preaching but onely that men would beleeue the truth to saue their owne soules If the man whom they had affirmed to be dead and to haue risen againe to life had still continued with them and had beene in expectation to be some great Monarch of the world it might be said they auouched his rising from the dead in hope to be raised by him to some eminent place in the world but you see they looke for no such thing neither by their testimony to raise him to any humane honour nor by him to be raised or to be any wayes rewarded in this life themselues vnlesse it be to be afflicted and persecuted vnto death for this testimony of Iesus Christ This was the best that they could expect and therefore the testimony of these men must needs be faithfull and true to proue more then abundantly sufficient that Iesus is the true Messias and that being dead he raised himselfe to life againe the third day And yet CHAP. VII Of many other circumstances that doe infallibly prooue the Resurrection of Christ and so consequently this Iesus Christ to be the true Messias and Sauiour of the world The circumstantiall proofes of the Resurrection of Christ THirdly Besides all this there be many other circumstantiall proofes and declarations of this same truth God not desirous to make men beleeue so great a matter as is the eternall saluation of all the world without more then abundantly sufficient witnesse And therefore First the great earth-quake First At the very instance of his Resurrection and descending of the Angels as Caietan saith there was a very great earth-quake Caietan in Math. 28. the earth either dancing for ioy that Christ was risen or trembling for feare that men would not beleeue this Resurrection of Christ Secondly the sudden courage of the Apostles Secondly The Apostles and Disciples hearts were presently changed for whereas a little before they durst not peepe out of doores because they did but waueringly thinke that this was hee which should haue redeemed Israel they doe now couragiously compasse the whole world and confidently teach and auouch there is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby men may be saued but the name of Iesus Thirdly Many that were dead rose from their graues Thirdly the apparitions of the raised bodies and appeared vnto many of their acquantance in Ierusalem to testifie vnto them and to assure them of the Resurrection of Christ Diues thought if one was sent from the dead his brethren would beleeue him and behold here are many sent and yet the Iewes the brethren of Christ will not beleeue them Fourthly Pilate himselfe that condemned him to death Fourthly the testimony of Pilate did testifie of his Resurrection vnto life in a letter that he wrote vnto Tiberius Caesar and therefore Tiberius desired the Senate to admit Christ into the number of their gods for it was their custome saith Tertullian Vt nisi homini deus placeret Tertull. l. cont gentes c. 5. deus non esset That God should be no God vnlesse he were approued of men and because they refused to receiue him God not suffering the Arke and Dagon to stand together vpon the same Altar nor Christ and Beliall to be worshipped together in the same Temple Tiberius was incensed against the Romans God working all things together for the best for them that loue him that he gaue free leaue and liberty vnto all Christians to beleeue and professe the Name of Iesus Christ Fiftly Iosephus the most learned among the latter Iewes saith Fiftly the testimony of Iosephus Iosephus antiq l. 8 c. 9. Sixtly the sufferings of the Martyres that cum Pilatus eum in crucem agendum decreuisset c. After Pilate had crucified him he appeared vnto his followers the third day according as the Prophets had fore-shewed Sixtly All Martyres haue most boldly confessed this truth and haue most constantly suffered in defence of this truth Tertullian doth most excellently shew the difference betwixt the Martyres and Malefactors saying Mali apparere deuitant deprehensi trepidant accusati negant condemnati maerent Euill doers are loth to be seene being taken they tremble being accused they deny it being condemned they deplore themselues but with the Martyres there is no such matter for they are neither ashamed of their profession neither doe they grieue at their apprehension but if they be noted for Christians they reioyce at it if they be accused they confesse it if adiudged to die they deeme it better then life and therefore saith he Quid hoc mali est cuius reus gaudet cuius accusatio votum est cuius paena felicitas What euill is this when the guiltie of the fact reioyceth in his accusation and is made happy in his condemnation Zephan 2.11 Seauenthly the confession of Christ his enemies Seauenthly The very enemies of Christ yea and his greatest aduersaries did confesse and iustifie this truth of Christ for as the Prophet said that the Messias should famish all the gods of the earth so Christ did spoyle them all and stopped the mouthes of all infernall spirits that by their lying oracles they could speake no more but against their wils to confesse that hee was the Holy One of God and that this Galilean had ouercome them all as Iulian that great Apostata to his great cost at last confessed saith Nicephorus Eightly the heauy punishments of Christs persecutors Eightly The great plagues and punishments that were presently inflicted and haue still to this very day continued vpon all the persecuters and denyers of Christ doe sufficiently proue the Resurrection of Christ and that Christ to be the true Messias for Pilate being accused by the Iewes was inforced to appeale from Vitellius the chiefe Gouernour of Syria Ioseph antiq l. 18. c. 11. and to goe to Rome to defend himselfe before Caesar who before Pilate came there was dead and
a gift that we haue receiued from God All that wee haue is from God because as Saint Iames saith Euery good thing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights Secondly the Spirituall gifts of God are of two sorts 1. To edifie the Church 2. To sanctifie our soules First Those gifts which he gaue to edifie the Church Ephes 4.11 the Apostle setteth downe in the eleuenth verse saying Hee gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists The gifts that Christ bestoweth to edifie his Church and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the same for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ wherein we see that by the gifts whereof the Apostle speaketh in these words are vnderstood either 1. The Ministers of the Church or 2. The gifts wherewith the Ministers are indued or rather as I take it 3. Ministers indued and qualified with such gifts as are necessary for the gathering together of his Church which are specially The gifts 1. Of Tongues Gifts requisite for Preachers 2. Of Knowledge 3. Of Charitie 4. Of Constancy and Perseuerance 5. Of Contempt of all worldly vanities 6. Of perfect power First The gift of tongues First languages and readinesse of speech i. e. that as by the confusion of tongues the world was diuided at the building of Babell so by the helpe of the Preachers tongues the world might bee revnited and made one sheepe-fold in the building of Gods Church Secondly that these men might not offend in their tongues Thirdly that they might be the better able to teach profound and heauenly doctrine which they that want the tongues or languages cannot so easily attaine vnto And fourthly that none might bee able to resist the words of their mouthes Luke 12.11 as our Sauiour saith I will giue vnto you a mouth or tongue which your aduersaries shall not be able to withstand Secondly Knowledge Iohn 16.13 Perfecta virtus non est sine cognitione veritatis Bernard Secondly the gift of Knowledge whereby they might know all truth not of politicke and state matters but of all truth necessary for this office to edifie the Church which is the chiefest knowledge that wee should aime at or else all truth euery way because they should know him which is all truth i. e. Iesus Christ and I desire to know nothing else I will bee contented to be accounted a foole in all things else so he will giue me this gift only to know him alone Thirdly Charity 1 Cor. 8.1 Hugo de S. Vict. misc l. 1. tit 73. Thirdly the gift of Charity Quia quaerentes verum non bonum non inuenient summum bonum because knowledge without charity puffeth vp and the seeking to know the truth and not labouring to be good will neuer bring vs to the chiefest good and because of all men wee are most hated and standered and haue all occasions offered vs to make vs hate all wicked men therefore God diffuseth this gift of loue and charity into our hearts that notwithstanding all our indignity we doe still loue them better then they doe loue themselues and doe spend our whole time to doe them good and are ready to lay downe our liues for the brethren Fourthly Constancy Fourthly the gift of constancy and perseuerance because as knowledge and euery other gift without charity is nothing worth so charity and all other workes without perseuerance will auaile vs nothing Reuel 2.10 because wee must bee faithfull vnto death if wee would haue the crowne of life and therefore God doth giue vs this gift of Constancy to continue so in our vocation that neither want Rom. 8.39 nor contempt nor life nor death nor any other thing shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Fiftly contempt of vanities Fiftly the gift of contemning worldly vanities for seeing it is the property of the world to esteeme of vs no better then of the scumme and off-scouring of the world euery one of vs except hee be great in wealth and honours is contemned of his owne kinred of his owne people in his owne house where hee dwelleth and of those very men whom he teacheth and for whom as a burning light he consumeth himselfe that they should not bee consumed with sinne therefore the Lord giueth vs this gift and spirit contemnere contemni to despise all contempts and to regard none of the vaine and variable things of this wicked world Sixtly the gift of perfect power Sixtly Perfect power that to the penitent and deiected to the humble and contrite hearts they might open the gates of heauen and let them in in despight of all the deuils of hell and that against the obstinate and rebellious sinners Matth. 16.19 they might close and shut the same that notwithstanding all their wealth and wit their strength and power they may be excluded out of the ioyes of heauen And so these are the gifts Ministers indued with these gifts which God giueth vnto his Church for the gathering together of his Saints And indeed What a great gift it is to bestow able ministers vpon this Church howsoeuer the world vilipendeth them and as the Prophet saith doth make but a iesting song of them yet if we truly obserue it wee shall easily finde it that among all the gifts of God which he now giueth vnto men from heauen the sending of faithfull and able Ministers indued with these gifts to discharge their duties is the chiefest gift and doth obtaine the chiefest place for alas without them what were we vnbaptized still wallowing in our sins and filthinesse vntaught still inuolued in ignorance vnvnited to Christ still chained in the hands of Satan without profession without religion without God And therefore it was not without cause Matth. 9.38 that our Sauiour exhorteth vs to pray vnto God that he would send forth labourers into his vineyard for otherwise hee knew that in a very short time it would grow wilde and in stead of grapes to bring forth wilde grapes in stead of mercy and iudgement to bring forth cruelty and oppession and in stead of piety and religion to bring forth nothing else but idolatry and superstition It is reported of Phillip King of Macedon that he sent vnto the Athenians to send him all their Orators of Athens and he would euer liue in league and peace with them and the wise Senators being ready to deliuer those learned men into the hands of their mortall enemy Demosthenes said vnto them that on a time the Wolues said vnto the Sheepe that they conceiued no ill thought against them but only for retaining those dogs which were their deadly enemies and oftentimes barked against themselues which were their feeders and therefore if they would deliuer vp their dogs into their hands they should free themselues from their barking and they would
737 TI. No time mispent that is spent to know the person of Christ 305 Christ how made in time 400 Of the time when Christ was borne ibid. How time hath his fulnesse 401 The particular time of the words incarnation 402. Titillation and thoughts of sinne is sinne 14 TO Torments of Hell how intollerable 86 Not equall to all the damned 93 Not suffered by Christ 581 TR. That we doe not traduce sinnes from our parents 246 Transubstantiation hath a double contradiction 173 How full of absurdities ibid. Defenders of Transubstantiation how agreeable to the false prophets whereof our Sauiour biddeth vs to beware 548 What the Author thinketh of Transubstantiation 549 Treason of Iudas what it should teach vs. 463 Mysterie of the Trinity why not fully reuealed at the first 272 How darkly shewed in the creatures 273 Trismegistus what he said of the word 312 Morall truth what it is 312 Truth in vs not as it is in God ibid. Physicall truth what it is ibid. God is truth two wayes 213 All truths how they doe proceed 213 Truth of things of vnderstanding of words 213 214 Diuine truth measureth all things 214 Expressed truth is two-fold 215 Truth how excellent it is ibid. How like the light 215 How it expelleth errors ibid. Sheweth what euery thing is ibid. How it begets vs to God 216 God true in himselfe in his workes and in his words 216 The primarie expressed truth contained in the holy Scriptures 215 Truth to be sought whatsoeuer it cost 217 To be defended with the losse of all that we haue 217 How alwayes handled on earth ibid. How at last it will preuaile 218 How euery truth proceedes from God 222 How God loueth it ibid. How it should be alwayes spoken 222 231 How hardly found in these dayes 222 231 Truth makes vs like to God 231 Truth and iustice how they pleaded against man 319 TV. To turne from sinne turnes away all the wrath of God 195 TW Twelue apparitions of Christ after his resurrection 565 Twelue wonders in the Manna of the Israelites 703 Two things further the sinnes of the parents to continue in the children 246 Two-fold will in Christ 296 Two sorts of Mediators 296 Two reasons shewing why Christ was made flesh 320 Two things to be done for man before he could be saued 321 Two things to be considered touching the conception of Christ 333 Two signes of a true Teacher 466 Two reasons moued Pilate to condemne Christ 478 That there is a two fold hope 649 Two kindes of prayer 700 TY. Giuing of Canaan to the Israelites a type of giuing heauen to vs. 127 The three women seeking Christ a type of the Church 519 520 Typicall testimonies that Christ should rise the third day 554 To liue vnder the tyrannie of sinne how lamentable it is 635 VA. VAnities of the world how soone they passe away 129 Christ despised all vanities 260 Vaine-glory how it tainteth many of the Clergy 525 Valentinus his heresie 343 VB Vbiquity cannot be communicated to any creature 156 Vbiquitie of Christ his body ouerthrowne by the assertion of the Angell 543 Obiections of the Vbiquitaries answered 168 388 VE Veniall sinnes or the least sinnes bring death 41 Vertue is of an admirable beauty 47 Christ a patterne of all vertue 260 VJ. Victory of Christ ouer Hell Death Sinne and Satan 634 Villanies of Satan to be shewed and why 392 Villanies done to Christ not paralelled since the world began 474 Vineger how giuen to Christ to drinke 482 Christ why borne of a Virgin 334 The blessed Virgin still continued a Virgin to her death 336 Visitation of God two-fold 243 To visite what it signifieth 243 God visiteth the afflicted ibid. God visiteth the wicked 244 VN Vnderstanding of Adam in Paradise how excellent 57 58. Our Vnderstanding now how darkened through sinne 58 How quicke and sharpe in naturall things 59 How blockish in all Diuine mysteries ibid. Our vnderstanding of God very small 121 Vnion of Christ his natures expressed by a simily of Iustin Martyr 371 Wherin the Nestorian heretickes auouched the same to consist 375 Wherein the Lutherans affirmed it to consist 377 Wherein it doth truely consist 378 Vnion of the two natures inconuertible indiuisible c. 379 Vnion of things three wayes made 380 Vnion of Christ his natures substantiall 381 Ineffable ibid. What benefits it bringeth 282 283 c. We must be vnited to Christ if we will ascend to Heauen 627 Vnity of brethren 689 Want of vnity amongst vs. 691 Vnrepentant sinners shall neuer be absolued 242 VO Voice of the creature three-fold 705 WA WAight of sinne feared by Christ 545 Christ how he walked vpon the waters 388 Warre how lawfull 702 All wants supplied by Christ 262 Way to Heauen how said to be hard 98 And how easie 99 Three wayes of knowing God 120 Three wayes of expressing what God is Wayes of wickednes how hard and difficult 99 121 Best way to teach is to lay a good foundation 392 Way to saue man could neuer haue beene found but onely by the wisdome of God 393 WE Wealth what discommoditie it bringerh 524 WH White clothing of Christ what it signified 473 White an argument of innocency 478 WI. Wicked men delight in committing sinne 36 They are greedy to doe it ibid. And they haue their full content when they haue done it ibid. How they should be afraid to offend Gods power 179 They haue no part in the speciall mercy of God 188 Wicked men not loued of God 189 They are with held from many sinnes by the goodnesse of God 200 To giue vnto the wicked power to serue God God is no waies to doe it 210 The wickednesse of professors of the truth ought no waies to disparage the truth of God 219 220 The wicked how they abuse Gods goodnesse 22â— How punished in their children 245 That they shall be punished 244 Not euery sinne of the wicked is visited vpon their children 247 The wicked how they doe deceiue themselues 517 How it hapneth that they seeke not God 5â—1 How they are terrified and punished by the Angels 536 How they are said to ascend 6â—0 How still captiues vnto Satan 635 Wife of Pilate how she iustified Christ 475 Will of God reuealed in our consciences and in the scriptures 11 Wilfull sinners 33 How fearefull is their state ibid. They can pleade no excuse ibid. The will commandeth all the faculties of the soule 53 Will to sinne deserueth the punishment of sinne 55 Our will cannot be compelled by Sathan nor by any other outward enemie 55 57 Our owne will is the cause of all our woe 55 How our will to doe good is quite killed by sinne 56 It is drawne to sinne by our owne corruption 57 How it is guided by the iudgement 57 How we may be said to haue free-will 57 To will to sinne euer is a temporarie act 97 God cannot will things contrarie to his nature 153 To will a thing we
like and yet this is not all for here must be Flesh to though neither seene felt heard nor vnderstood If it be so let all men iudge For I blush to say more in a point so cleere Secondly we confesse that as God can produce any substance of nothing so he can multiply any one thing into a thousand things Matth. 14.17 as he did the fiue loaues to feede fiue thousand men besides women and children but that he should make that which is numerically one Mar. 6 36. to be fiue thousand things and yet to be but one thing John 6.5 at the very same time that it is fiue thousand things and that that one thing should be but in one place and yet at the same time should be in fiue thousand places we say there cannot be a greater contradiction How Christ multiplied the loaues of Bread for as when the loaues were multiplied if he multiplied them in number he did not multiply them to bee more then fiue and yet to remaine but fiue or if he multiplyed them in quantity which I rather thinke he did not make them to be of a greater quantity and yet to remaine of the same lesser quantity that they were before for this is meerely contradictory to be more in number then fiue and yet to be but fiue or to be augmented in quantity and yet to be but the same in quantity but when any part thereof was diminished he still multiplyed the remaining quantity into the same quantity as it was before or greater as he diâ— the meale in the barrell and the oyle in the cruse of the Widdow of Sarepta in the dayes of Elias 1 King 17.16 That it cannot be that one body should be but in one place and yet to be in a hundred places at the same time And herein is no contradiction euen so if God should multiply that one body of his Sonne to be fiue thousand bodies it cannot be that it should be one and fiue thousand both at once or if hee should cause that body which is in one place to be in fiue thousand places all at once it cannot be that it should be in fiue thousand places and yet but in one place as euery child almost may easily perceiue And therefore seeing it is apparant that Christ hath but one true naturall and Phisicall body else we shall make Christ to be no Christ and that it cannot be that that one should still remaine one and yet be fiue thousand millions of bodies and that that one must still remaine in one place Act. 3.21 as Saint Peter sheweth and yet should be at the same time in many millions of places I hope it is as plaine that these things are meerely contradictory and so simplie impossible to be done as that the Sunne doth shine at noone-day But they instance D. Hall relates it How they relate lies to boulster vp their errors that one Xauier as Tursellian reports it was at the same time seene both in a Ship and in a Boat and I read it alleadged out of Bellarmine that hee relates the like of Saint Antony of Padua that he was seene Preaching in a towne of Italy and at the same time was seene in another place and therefore a body may be commeasured to its place and yet be in other places at the same time To these Instances I say not onely with Plautus Plaut Amphyt Tun'id dicere audes quod nemo vnquam homo vidit nec potest fieri tempore vno homo idem duobus vt locis simul sit How dares any man say that which neuer any man did see nor can be that at the same time one man should be in two seuerall places but I say also with Aquinas of the locality of Angels Thom. in Mag. l 1. d. 32. q. 1. art 1. that by the same reason that he might be in two places he may be in a thousand places at once and therefore if Xauier or Antony was in one place it must needs be the Diuell that was in the other place to teach such lies to delude the credulous But yet still they will reply that we must not conceiue of Diuine things and especially of Gods Power by the rule of humane reason For subtill Philosophy doth many times obscure pure Diuinity and Aristotles Bookes of Nature haue caused many a Doctor to corrupt the Scripture for he made Aetius to follow Arrius saith Socrates Socrat. l. 2. c. 28. Eccles. hist and therefore we must attaine vnto the knowledge of these things not by the reason of man but by the rule of Faith That Faith seeth what Reason cannot conceiue which Philo calleth Fidem oculatum so well-eyed and so sharpe-sighted that as the Eagles eye being aloft in the cloudes can notwithstanding espie Sub frutice leporem sub fluctibus piscem Vnder the waues a Fish and vnder the shrubs a Hare so Faith here in earth can notwithstanding search into the deepe things of God in Heauen and can most perfectly see those things which humane sence can no way perceiue Aug. ep 3. ad Volusian To this I answere with Saint Augustine that wee confesse God is able to doe as he hath done many things which we are not able to vnderstand in all which we beleeue them without searching the reason of them because in such things as Saint Augustine saith Ratio facti est potentia facientis The whole reason of the deede is the Power of the doer but as for the ioyes of Heauen though it passeth all vnderstanding to know positiuely what excellent things are there yet negatiuely wee doe certainely know what is not there for there is no sorrow no sickenesse no euill and as we know not perfectly what God is yet wee doe certainely know what hee is not for hee is not the Sunne Danaeus Isagog de Deo the Moone nor any other creature whatsoeuer Euen so though we know not the height or greatnesse of Gods Power what infinite things he can doe aboue what we can speake or thinke yet we know many things that he cannot doe which I haue shewed vnto you before And therefore that bread should be transubstantiated into flesh and yet remaine bread that accidents should subsist without their subiects that Christ should sit in Heauen and lie in the Bread which we doe eate that hee should be visibly there and inuisibly here and that hee should be one and many continued and discontinued intire in one one place and at the same time intire in a thousand places and such like assertions which doe ouerthrow We beleeue not the assertions of the Iesuites not because we know not how they may be done but because we know they cannot bee done not onely the humanity of our Sauiour Christ but also the order of things and the very principles of Nature and doe exceede the bounds of all sence and reason and repugne indeede the very
truth of God wee can in no wayes beleeue them not because we know no reason how they may be done for so we beleeue many things as all the mysteries of our Faith but because we haue many reasons euen out of the Word of God to assure vs that these things cannot be done And so much for the chiefest obiections that are vsually made against the truth of this Doctrine of Gods Power CHAP. IV. Of the vsefull application of this Doctrine of Gods Power YOu haue seene the truth of this Doctrine of the Power of God it may serue for many especiall ends As first for the confutation of a world of errors and the cutting downe of many infinite heresies especially those whereof I haue already spoken and therefore I neede not say any more of them in this place Secondly this Doctrine of Gods Power A great comfort to the godly that God is able to deliuer them Math. 10.16 Dan. 3.17 may serue for the consolation of the godly for they are inuironed with many enemies they are sent as Sheepe into the middest of Wolues and they are hated of all-men for Christ his sake but as the three Children said We know that God is able to deliuer vs from the burning fiery Furnace and from the hands of all that hate vs and to preserue vs blamelesse vntill the day of the comming of Christ And therefore though we be beset with enemies on euery side Bosquier de incruent victor Christi p. 567. especially the World Tanquam Syrena dulcis Like the alluring Mermaides The flesh Tanquam Dalila blandiens Like a false flattering Dalila and the Diuell Tanquam Leo rugiens Like a roaring Lyon that doe seeke by all meanes to destroy vs Presentemque viris intendunt omnia mortem Virgil. Aeneid l. 1. Reuel 2.10 Yet we neede not feare any of those things that we shall suffer Quia non plus valet ad deijciendum terrena paena quam ad erigendum diuina tutela Because all the power of darkenesse is not so able to suppresse vs as our gracious God is to support vs for otherwise Si Diabolus nocere posset quantum vellet aliquis iustorum non remaneret If either Satans malice or the hatred of wicked men or the furie of bloud-thirsty Tyrants might preuaile against the godly seruants of Christ so much as they would then not a righteous man could remaine vpon the face of the Earth but God can put a hooke in their nostrils and say vnto them as he sayes vnto the Seas Hitherto shalt thou goo and no further Rom. 8.31 And therefore If God be with vs we neede not feare who be against vs Quia maior est qui est in nobis quam qui est in mundo 1 Iohn 4.4 Because as Saint Iohn saith He is greater and stronger which is in vs then he that is in the W rld Euen so we haue the lusts of our owne flesh the messengers of Satan 1 Pet. 2.11 that doe buffet vs and fight against our soules and make vs many times when it compells vs to doe the euill that we would not doe â—nd to leaue vndone the good that we would doe to crie out with the Apostle Rom. 7.19 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death or who shall preserue vs vnto eternall life And to say with the Poet O terque quaterque beati queis ante ora patrum contigit oppetere O happy had wee beene had wee died before wee had sinned but if we cast our eyes to looke vpon Gods Power we may be presently comforted because the Saints of God though they be shaken and sifted and winnowed like wheate yet are they kept not by their owne strength for so they should soone faile 1 Pet. 1.5 but by the Power of God saith Saint Peter through faith vnto saluation And this indeed is the sole comfort of all Christians that we shall neuer perish Iohn 10.28.29 because our Father which gaue vs vnto Christ is greater then all and none is able to take vs out of his Fathers hands This is that Foundation which remaineth sure and therefore happy is that man which buildes vpon this Foundation Thirdly this Doctrine of Gods Power may serue for the reprehension of the wicked for he can destroy all the workers of iniquitie Math. 10.28 and cast both body and soule into Hell fire And therefore will ye not feare to offend so great a God Remember I beseech you what he hath done to the old World to Sodome That the wicked should feare to offend thiâ— powerfull God Deut 29.19 and Gomorrah to Cora Dathan and Abiram to Pharaoh Iudas and many more remember that he can doe whatsoeuer hee will doe and remember what he saith Hee will doe vnto them that heare the words of the curse of the Law and yet will blesse themselues in their hearts saying We shall haue peace And let these things moue you to be humbled before the mighty â—and of God and to cause you here to feare his power 1 Pet. 5.6 that hereaâ—ter you may not feele his anger For Heb. 10.31 it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God and they that now goe on in sinne and make but a sport of iniquitie without either beleeuing his truth that he will punish sinne or fearing his power that he can punish them shall then finde and feele that it had beene better for them neuer to haue beene borne or to haue had a milstone hanged about their neckes and to haue beene cast into the middest of the Sea then to haue broken the least Commandement oâ— this powerfull and Almighty God And so much for the first attribute of God here expressed that is his Power and now followeth the second attribute which is Gods Goodnesse CHAP. V. Of the Mercy of GOD and wherein the same chiefly consisteth YOu haue heard of the Power of God 2. Attribute i. e Gods goodnesse we are now to see how God proclaimeth his Goodnesse according as he had promised before I will make all my goodnesse to passe before thy face Exod. 33.9 A Doctrine farre more comfortable then the former for not hee that can but he that will helpe vs is best vnto vs and hee that is willing to doe what he can though it be but little is farre more deere vnto vs then he that can do much but will do nothing but the power of God sheweth that he is able and this goodnesse of God proueth that he is willing to releeue vs and therefore the goodnesse of God is the anchor of our hope and the foundation of all our comfort and it is well coupled with the former attribute for in vaine were his willingnesse to helpe vs vnlesse he were able and in vaine were his ability to helpe vs vnlesse hee were willing the former being but a fruitlesse wish and the latter but a gracelesse
vnwillingnesse in them to serue him but because hee denieth his grace vnto them whereby they might be inabled to serue him and this deniall of his grace is no iniustice in God because their owne sinnes haue made this separation betwixt GOD and them God is not bound to giue the wicked power to serue him and makes euery man like vnto Turnus soule Fugit indignata per vmbras To hide himselfe from this shining light And God is a debtor to no man that hee should inlighten any but whom it pleaseth him Secondly I say that this extending of his speciall goodnesse vnto some and not to others is no accepting of persons in that sence which the Scripture saith God is no accepter of persons For First Saint Augustine tels vs that Ibi est acceptio personarum vbi quae aequalibus ex aquo debentur inaequaliter distribuuntur There is the acception of persons What it is to be an accepter of persons where those things which are equally due to all men are vnequally distributed to some men but where those things which are due to none are freely giuen vnto some and vnequally distributed vnto those yet herein is neither partiality nor iniquity because as our Sauiour saith God may doe with his owne what he will Math. 20.15 and giue the same to whom he please And thereby Huic facit misericordia tibi non fit iniuria He doth but shew mercy vnto the one and he doth no iniustice to the other Secondly the meaning of the holy Ghost in saying that God is no accepter of persons is not that he chooseth not one man rather then another for so hee chose Iacob and hated Esau Mal. 1.2 but that he chooseth not any man in regard of the outward indowments or naturall gifts or any other thing that is in that man rather then in other men as not Achitophel for his wisedome not Absolon for his beauty not Sampson for his strength God chooseth no man for the loue of any thing that is in man not Diues for riches nor Iacob for any thing that was in Iacob more then in Esau for whom he chooseth he chooseth meerely out of his meere grace and goodnesse towards the one rather then the other as he himselfe plainely sheweth I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy Exod. 33.19 And so you see how abundantly God is good eternally in himselfe generally vnto all and more especially vnto his Saints Oh then let vs not be like the Aegyptians that found out the streames of the Riuer Nilus but knew not the springs from whence they issued Let vs not be ignorant of that spring and Fountaine from whence wee receiue so many benefits That we should acknowledge all our goodnesse to proceede from God and so many streames of goodnesse for this were but like the Swine to eate the Acornes that fall on the ground and neuer to behold the Tree from whence they fall or to beare the name of God written in our hearts by the Pen of Nature and yet to be like the Athenian Altar wherein was ingrauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the vnknowne God but rather in all things whatsoeuer wee haue or inioy health wealth or prosperity spirituall or temporall grace let vs with Saint Iames acknowledge the same to descend from aboue and to proceede vnto vs from this abundant goodnesse of God And for the same Iames 1.17 let vs ascribe vnto God the honour due vnto his name to worship him with holy worship And so much for the fourth particle Of the abundant goodnesse of God CHAP. IX Of the superabundant truth of God THe fift particle of Gods goodnesse is that hee is abundant in truth Now truth saith Anselmus is as Time or as Light which though but one yet is it diuersly distinguished So Truth saith the Phylosopher is variously considered and that either Arist aethic l. 4. c. 7. Moral l. 1. c 33. What morall Truth is 1. Morally 2. Physically In the first sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is a vertue euenly placed betwixt arrogancy and simulation or as Cicero defines it and which Saint Augustine holds to be the best definition of it Veritas est per quam immutata quae sunt quae fuerunt quae futura sunt dicuntur Truth is that i. e. that vertue whereby things past things present and things to come are immutably related as they are And this Truth though it be in God or rather from God because he alwayes saith and relateth things immutably as they be yet is it not in him as in vs because in vs truth is a morall vertue whereby as by an habite we are propense and inclined to shew forth the things as they be but in God it is not as a quality but an essentiall property whereby he is what he is and can no more leaue to be or to relate Truth then he can leaue to be a God What Physical Truth is In the second sence Veritas cuiuslibet rei est proprietas sui esse quod stabilitum est ei The truth of euery thing is the propriety of his being or as Saint Augustine saith Verum est id quod est That is true which is Illud enim omnes verum dicunt esse quod tale reuera est Aâ—gust Soliâ—â—que l. 2. c. 5. quale esse videtur c. For all men saith he â—ffirme that to be true which is indeede as it seemes to be and that to be false which is not as it seemes to be as the Image of a man in a glasse seemes to be a man and is not and therefore though it be a true image of a man yet is it a false man And so hee is a false friend which seemes to be a true frâ—end and is not A most heauy sentence against them which say They are Iewes Reuel 2.9 and are not but are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Christians but serue not God and which seeme to be iust and honest men but inwardly are rauening Wolues because they being not what they seeme to be doe deceiue themselues and the truth is not in them And therefore 1 Iohn 1.6 Nihil prodest illis nomen vsurpare alienum vocari quod non sunt It will auaile them nothing to vsurpe a wrong name and to be called what they are not for though they may deceiue the World yet Christ which is truth it selfe and knoweth all truth will tell them at the last day that he neuer knew them that is Math 25.12 to be true Christians which they seemed to be but were not And thus God is truth and that two wayes 1. Essentially in himselfe 2. Causally in all things First God is essentially true yea trueth it selfe as Moses and as our Sauiour sayth quia est quod est Deut. 32.4 because he is that which he is and that which he seemes to be and thus properly
nothing can be sayd to be trueth but God because nothing is or can be sayd to be of himselfe but God Secondly As God is essentially truth so hee is causally truth Iohn 14.6 The manner how all Truths doe proceede from God that is the fountaine of truth from whence all other channells of truth doe flow for this is the order of all veritie First The trueth of all things is conceiued in the Idea and notion or practicke knowledge and vnderstanding of God from all eternitie because all things had their being in the diuine vnderstanding before they had their being in themselues then Secondly This truth floweth to the things existing in themselues which are therefore true because they are adaequated and conformable to that truth conceiued in the minde of God concerning them then Thirdly This truth of things passeth to the vnderstanding both of Men Angels when the vnderstanding is adaequated and conformable to the things conceiued as they are in themselues i. e. when we truely vnderstand things to be as they be then Fourthly This truth conceiued in the vnderstanding proceedeth vnto expression either by words or writings when our expression of things is agreeable to that conception which wee haue of them in our vnderstanding that is when we speake or write as we thinke And therefore whensoeuer our words doe any wayes swarue from our minds and vnderstanding they cannot be true quia mendacium est contra mentem ire because a lye is to goe against our owne mindes or to say otherwise then wee thinke sayth Saint Augustine and a truth of words is the adaequation and conformitie of the tongue with the minde and vnderstanding and whensoeuer we vnderstand any thing otherwise then it is there can bee no trueth in that vnderstanding because the truth of the vnderstanding is the adaequation of the same to the things existing and being in their naturall causes and whensoeuer things doe any wayes swarue from that aeternall notion and conception of them in the minde and vnderstanding of God they cannot therein be true because the truth of all things consisteth in their adaequation and conformitie to the truth eternally conceiued of them in the diuine vnderstanding How the diuine vnderstanding is the rule that measureth all Truths But when our words are agreeable to our mindes our minds and vnderstandings to the things conceiued and those things to the minde of God then are they true because as the Schooles truely teach Intellectus diuinus est mensurans non mensuratus c. the diuine conception of things is that which measureth the trueth of all things and is not measured it selfe by any thing Et res naturalis est mensurata mensurans and euery naturall thing thus measured by the notion of God doth measure the truth of our vnderstanding and our vnderstanding measured by the truth of things conceiued doth measure the truth of our words And so you see Truth to be primatiuely in God as the light in the body of the Sunne and thence to be deriued in res existentes into the things wherein it resteth subiectiuely like vnto the light of the Moone and the starres which they receiue from the Sunne and so to passe into the vnderstanding terminatiuely like the reflection of the light of the Moone and the Starres vpon these lower orbes and lastly to our words or writings expressiuely like vnto the manifestation of things by that light which shineth vpon them Now this verum declaratiuum this expressed trueth is to bee considered two wayes 1. Primarily 2. Secondarily First As it is directed by God and guided by his Spirit so as therein there can be no cōmixtion of error and in that respect it is called the diuine Truth because it is wholy Truth and expressed by the Diuine Spirit for as Saint Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.21 The holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost This is Theologicall Truth and it is wholy contained in the holy Scripture Coloss 1.5 which is therefore called The Word of Truth And this Truth though I might alledge many other reasons to proue the worth and the excellency thereof yet is this sufficient in stead of all that besides what Zorobabel saith of it it is in many passages of the Scripture compared vnto the Light as the Psalmist saith Send forth thy Truth and thy Light And that especially in three respects for as the Light is 1. The dispeller of darkenesse The excellency of the diuine Truth 2. The shewer of things 3. The effecter of generable Creatures So is Truth for First As the Light when it ariseth chaseth away all darkenesse and suffereth not the same to adhere vnto it whereupon the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 6.14 Truth expelleth errors What agreement is there betwixt light and darkenesse Euen so this Truth when it shineth dispelleth and driueth away all errors and ignorance from the mindes of all wherein it resteth And therefore Father Zachary saith That Christ which is Truth it selfe when hee came to preach this Word of Truth came To giue light to them that sit in darkenesse Luke 1.79 and in the shaddow of death i. e. To disperse those mysts of ignorance and errours which had ouer-shadowed the whole face of the Earth Secondly as the Light when it shineth displayeth it selfe and pierceth euery transparent body though neuer so solid and maketh all things manifest what they are for in the darke Ephes 5.13 Truth sheweth what euery thing is there is no certainty of colours white from blacke is scarce discerned there is no certainty of things Gold cannot be knowne from Copper but when the Light shineth it presently sheweth what euery thing is Euen so though while we are ignorant of Gods will euill may be deemed good and good euill yet when this Truth of God shineth i. e. this Word of God is Preached it maketh knowne euery thing what it is it sheweth the true God from the false the true seruice of God from the false superstition of men the true Church of Christ from the false Synagogue of Satan and the true members of Christ from the false hypocrites of the World Hence it is that the wicked cannot abide the Truth John 3.19 Because their workes are euill and by the preaching of the same their workes are manifested to be so And therefore Saint Paul saith That the Preachers of Gods Word are oftentimes become enemies vnto the wicked Gal. 4.16 because they tell them the Truth Truth begets vs vnto God Thirdly As the Light when it ariseth doth so heate and hearten euery thing that it is most truly said Sol homo generat hominem The Sunne and Man begets a Man Euen so this Truth of God and the Preaching of the same is the onely meanes whereby we are regenerate and begotten againe to be the Sonnes of God as the Apostle sheweth And this is that Truth whereby God sheweth himselfe to