blemish and staine vnto their blood So that that which God accounteth the greatest honour is accounted by man a great impeachment of honour and seldome findeth in the minde due estimation As little loue findeth it also in the affection Saint Paul earnestly chargeth all men to loue those men that are set over them in the Lord that is their Ministers yea to bestow vpon them not some small measure but abundance of loue And why for their workes sake saith he as if he had said more fully because by the paines they take for you they deserue much loue so that if you will not amorem impendere freely vouchsafe them your loue yet are you bound amorem rependere to requite their labours with loue Alexander the Great was wont to say hee was more beholding to his Master Aristotle then his Father Philip for that he had his being only from the one and his well-being from the other And surely if wee owe loue vnto our naturall parents as authors of our temporall life how much more is due vnto our spirituall parents who haue begotten vs by the immortall seed of the word vnto a blessed and eternall life Moses blessing Levi calleth him the man of Gods mercies and anciently the Ministers of the Gospell were stiled the beloued of God Doth God set his mercies and his loue vpon them and dares man deny his vnto them What dares not sinfull man doe He denied it There is one Micaiah saith Ahab the sonne of Imlah by whom wee may enquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophecie good concerning me but evill Our Sauiour Christ in the charge hee giueth his twelue Apostles foretelleth them that they shall be hated of all men for his names sake What he foretold them they by experience found true being euery where persecuted euen to the death The reason because they were the light of the world and the whole world lieth in evill every one that doth evill hateth the light because it discovereth and reproueth his deeds Verit as odium truth begets hatred according to that of St Paul Am I therefore become your enimie because I tell you the truth Vnlesse we soe pillowes vnder mens elbowes wee cannot please them if we please them not neither can wee haue their loue Et hinc illae lachrymae hence the bitter cold that nips vs every where But how little wee are either esteemed or loued will yet more appeare by the outward fruits For as is the internall honour of the minde and affection so is the externall also in Word in Gesture in Deed. Honour in Word is honourable mention whereby wee speake nothing but honour of a man And this also wee iustly chalenge to our selues for it is written Thou shalt not speake evill of the Ruler of thy people True it is Ministers are not Angels but being made of the same mouldes with other men are subiect to the same infirmities Neverthelesse he playes but Chams part that laughs at his fathers nakednesse Shem and Iaphet will not see it but goe backward and couer it The exorbitancies of a Minister saith Constantine the great ought not to be knowne vnto the people hee for his part would rather couer them with his purple robe For as the Councell of Chalcedon saith Delicta Sacerdotum communis est turpitudo the sinnes of the Priests are the common shame of the Church True Charity would couer a multitude of them but to blaze and divulge them is to spread abroad the infamie of our Mother And yet this is the ordinary practise of these daies the Ministrie is the common butt against which they shoot the venomous arrowes of their tongues In all meetings at all tables the Minister vsually is the subiect of their talke and it is couâ—ted among many a speciall mark of true religion zeale with open mouth to publish the faults shall I say of inferiour Ministers Nay of the cheefest fathers of the Church Wherein also like butchers flies they lightly passe ouer the whole and sound places and seize only vpon gals and sores that is if they meete with an infirmitie that they are alwaies buzzing about as for their graces and vertues they are wrapped vp in deep silence Physitians if they doe but one good cure grow famous thereby though they kill twentie besides we how many good things soeuer be in vs yet one leane Cow swallowes vp the seauen fat and the least weaknesse is sufficient to disgrace all Weaknesse say I Nay that which is counted weaknesse in others is traduced as wickednesse in vs our frailties are furies and every mole-hill is made a mountaine So ready are they to speake the worst of vs and so loath to say any thing that may credit our Calling If they will scarce vouchsafe vs a good word is it likely they will afford vs any Reverence in Gesture Yet Obadiah the gouernour of king Ahabs house meeting with the Prophet Eliah fell on his face before him Cornelius the Centurion vpon S. Peters comming to him fell downe at his feet Euen king Saul before him whom he conceaved to be Samuel stooped with his face to the ground bowed himselfe And Alexander the great when hee saw Iaddua the high Priest alighted from his horse and humbled himselfe with much reuerence vnto him But Constantine a greater then he when he entred into the Synode of Nice bowed himselfe very low vnto the Bishops there assembled and sate not downe vntill they desired him Yea the very Gentiles themselues stood in such awe of their Priests that they durst not vtter an obscene word much lesse misbehaue theÌ„selues in their presence What thinke you Shall not these one day rise vp in iudgement against vs Christians to condemne vs For now adaies every petty Gentleman lookes for much duty from vs and takes it indignely if we stand not bare before him worship him with cap and knee If wee expect the like againe forsooth wee are growne too proud it is honour enough for vs if they doe but looke vpon vs. Precedencie is any mans rather then the Ministers euery Mammonist euery younger brother euery vpstart of the first head must haue the place from vs. To the gay cloathing euery one saith Sit here in the best roome but vnto vs Stand thou there or sit here vnder my footstoole Thus children behaue themselues proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable The last honour we claime is bountifull and liberall maintenance For the labourer is worthy of his hire and the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne must not bee muzled No man warreth at his owne charges and hee that feedeth a flocke liueth by it Even the Egyptians and other Gentiles prouided for their Priests God himselfe appointed Triths vnto Levi the morality of which I dispute not at this time besides Citties
bee made acquainted with the mystery of the Gospell In earth also hath hee power not only ouer men as is aboue declared but also as the Psalmist witnesseth over the beasts of the field the foules of the ayre the fishes of the sea and whatsoever passeth through the paths thereof Whence it is that the creature being sensible of the vanitie wherevnto it is now subiect longeth and waiteth for his second comming in hope then to be freed from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Even the divels themselues and whatsoeuer is vnder the earth is subiect vnto him While he liued here on earth he cast them out commanded and restrained them at pleasure yea to others also he gaue power to cast them out in his name It is hee that hath the keyes of hell and death and by force of them he reserueth the sinning Angels in euerlasting vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Finally vnto him is put in subiection not only this present world but that also as S. Paul saith that which is yet to come If all this be so will some say and Christs power bee so large why is it here restrained only vnto all Flesh that is vnto Mankinde I answere that these words are not to be vnderstood exclusiuely as if his power reached no further then vnto man but principally and especially and that for two causes First because he tooke flesh and therein suffered not for Angels or any other creature but only for vs men according to that in the Nicene Creed who for vs men and our saluation came downe from heauen and was incarnate Wherevpon saith the Apostle Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but tooke on him the seed of Abraham Secondly for that as all things in the first creation were made for man so in the recreation and restoring of man it was fit that power should be giuen ouer all things for man Wherevpon saith the Apostle All things are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods The consideration of this large power of Christ extending it selfe not only over all flesh but all other things also for our benefit should teach vs in any caâ—e not to rebell against our Liege Lord but as becommeth dutifull and loyall subiects with all humblenesse to submit our selues vnto his soueraigne authority That which he requireth at our hands is according as S. Paul teacheth first to confesse with our tongues that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father aduancing him aboue all powers thrones and dominations whatsoeuer and neuer to be afraid or ashamed to professe our selues to bee his Christian seruants notwithstanding any danger might accrew vnto vs thereby And secondly to bow the knee at the name of Iesus that is in heart to honour to adore to worship him to loue and feare him to put all our trust confidence vpon him and in one word to obey him And to this end we are to vse all possible meanes to settle and confirme this faith in vs that he is our Lord and hath absolute power and authority ouer vs and then diligently to study and enquire what his lawes are that so wee may both knowe what he commands and wherein we are to obey For the ignorance of the law excuseth not and it is good to see with our owne and not with other menseies For how doe we knowe whether they will direct vs But then vnto faith and knowledge are we to ioyne practice yeelding vnto him absolute constant and cheerefull obedience and that not only actiuely but if need bee passiuely also even with the expence of our dearest blood Neither need we to make question of doing any thing he commandeth For his scepter as Dauid â—aith is a right scepter and whatsoeuer he commandeth is iust It is also easie and not hard to be done For my yoke saith he is easie and my burthen light and his commandements â—aith S. Iohn are not greiuous The law indeed of workes is a rigorous law and vnsufferable Wherefore by S. Paul it is called a killing letter But the law of Christ is a law of grace requiring only repentance from dead workes beleefe in him that hath merited forgiuenesse of sinne and sincere â—ndeauour of new obedience God accepting the will for the deed To this therefore if wee willingly submit our selues we shall finde first Protection from him and he is the stronger man against all our enimies then provision in all our needs and necessities lastly rest to our soules by peace of conscience here and eternall refreshment in the next world Nay we our selues also shall haue power over the nations and raigne with him as kings world without end But if through stiffeneckednesse wee refuse the yoke and pull backe the shoulder rebelling against him knowe we that he who sitteth in heauen will laugh vs to scorne the while and in the end recompence vs with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth All those that will not bow vnto him with the yron mace in his hand will he breake them to powder and hew in peeces all such as would not haue him to raigne over them Let vs therefore betimes serue the Lord with feare and kisse the sonne least he be angry and we perish from the way when his anger is kindled but a little O how blessed are all they that put their trust in the Lord. And thus much of the second point in quos over whom he hath power The third is A quo whence or from whom he hath his power Not of himselfe but from some other for thou hast giuen saith our Saviour Who is that He to whom he speaketh He speaketh to his Father Father glorifie thy Sonne It is his Father therefore of whom he receaued it and receaued it by gift And indeed the power hee hath quâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is the Word hee hath receaued from his Father and that by gift donatione naturali ab aeterno by naturall donation and from all eternitie For as hee is God of God and light of light so is hee also Lord of Lord the Father being the origen source and fountaine of the Deitie If so then the power he hath qua Emanuel as he is God-man must needs be much more from him I saith God haue set my king vpon my holy hill of Sion And that it is the Father speaking so of his Sonne appeareth when by and by he saith Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee So saith our Saviour also Omnia mihi tradita sunt à Patre all things are deliuered vnto mee of my Father And againe The father loueth the sonne and hath given all things into his hands And S. Iohn Iesus knowing that the father had giuen all things into his hands And finally S. Peter God hath made that same
he mortify the deeds of the body In a word to this end hath the grace of God appeared vnto all men and instructed vs that we denying all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts might liue soberly iustly godly in this preseÌ„t world By all which it is cleare that all our corrupt lusts affections must be denied if we will be disciples in the schoole of Grace yet is it further to be observed that wheÌ„ the Apost saith we must deny all worldly lusts he meaneth fleshly lusts as they haue reference vnto the world to the profits pleasures of this present life So that in comparison of Christ when they let and hinder vs from comming after him whatsoeuer in the world is most deare pretious vnto vs must be despised and trodâ—n vnder foot We must with the holy Apostles be content to forsake all and to follow him If wee loue father or mother or sonne or daughter more then him we are vnworthy of him Nay if any come vnto him and hate not his father and mother and wife and Children and brethren and sisters yea his owne life also or as some thinke it may not vnfitly be translated his owne soule he cannot be my Disciple Wherefore as Hierom saith if Father or Mother shall lye in the way to hinder thee from comming after Christ bee not afraid to tread vpon the gray beard of thy Father and to trample vpon the belly of her that bare thee rather then to be barred from coÌ„ming vnto him As therefore to conclude this point a young man in the iudgement of Aristotle is an vnfit auditor of Morall Philosophy even so the meere Animall man by the verdict of Iesus Christ is vtterly vnmeet to be scholler in Christian Philosophy If hee will make himselfe meet for Christs schoole hee must of necessity deny himselfe which is the first Counsell The second is let him take vp his crosse daily The Crosse properly is a tree or engine of wood framed into such a forme where vpon malefactors were wont to bee executed and put to death The manner was either with cords to bind them or which was more vsuall with nailes to fasten them hand and foot vnto it and there to suffer them to languish and pine away vnto death in regard whereof they were wont aunciently to call it vltimum supplicium the extremest and greatest punishment because the basest sort of people only and such as were servants or slaues were in this manner executed therefore was it also termed servile supplicium a servile punishment This cruell and slavish death did our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ suffer to free vs from eternall death and to procure vnto vs everlasting life Wherevpon those pressures tribulations afflictions persecutions that doe befall a man not for his wickednesse but for righteousnesse sake for the profession of the Gospell of Christ are in the language of Canaan called the Crosse because they are the remainders of the afflictions of Christ which he in his body that is the Church doth yet still suffer And this is the Crosse which is here meant But it is further said His crosse Not that Crosse which a man frameth vnto his owne selfe or rashly pulleth vpon himselfe as sundry Martyrs in the primitiue Church seemed to doe whom yet I dare not censure because I know not with what spirit they did it For we may not like Coecias draw stormes and clouds vpon our owne heads and our Saviour himselfe advizeth vs when they persecute vs in one Citty to fly into another Then only are we bound to beare the crosse when without denying the truth we cannot avoid it Our Crosse then is that which is imposed vpon vs by God whether it be poverty or ignominy or imprisonment or banishment or whipping or racking or torment or death of what kind soeuer For God layeth not the same crosse on all but one Crosse on one and another on another as hee in his wisdome thinketh best But whatsoever the crosse is which God appointeth vnto a man that is his crosse And this crosse saith Christ must be taken vp It was the manner that he that was cruciarius to bee crucified was to beare his crosse or some part thereof vnto the place of execution So did Christ vntill meeting with Simon of Cyrene they compelled him to beare his crosse But malefactors beare it against their wills our Saviour willingly which was the very forme of his suffering and he requireth all those that will come after him to doe so too For to take vp the crosse imports not only a patient bearing of it when it is laid vpon vs but also a ready and voluntary vndergoing of it And this also saith our Saviour must bee done daily that is at all times and continually Not but that the Church hath sometimes her lucida intervalla her good daies for the rod of the wicked resteth not alwaies vpon the lot of the righteous and after stormes and tempests God sendeth calme Halcionian times How then Thus. Whensoever God sendeth the crosse vnto any he must actually take it vp in the time of peace and when there is no crosse though actually he cannot yet must he take it vp in the preparation and disposition of the mind And this is the substance of the second Counsell Let him take vp his crosse daily The Necessity of it if wee will come after Christ is easie to be demonstrated What more manifest in the Scripture then this that the Crosse is an vnseparable companion of the Church The Church is Lilium inter spinas a lilie among thornes Christ without his crosse is but a Chimoera so is the Church also without afflictions Many are the troubles of the righteous saith David In the world yee shall haue tribulations saith our Saviour Christ. Through much tribulation must we enter into the kingdome of God saith Saint Paul and againe All that will liue Godly in Iesus Christ shall suffer persecution Search the records of all times from the beginning of the world downe to this present and you shall find that Persecution hath ever attended vpon the Church Not to speake of particular persons the bondage of Egypt the captivity of Babylon the tyranny of Antiochus the ten bloudy persecutions of heathen Emperours the barbarous cruelties of Antichrist finally the fire the sword the massacres of this last age wherein our Fathers lived and we our selues yet liue doe make it more then manifest And indeed as long as Satan continueth to be malitious against vs how can it be otherwise Knowing himselfe to be eternally reiected and without redemption he beareth an eternall hatred against God And because he cannot wreake his teene vpon him being out of his reach he turneth his malice against mankind and among them those principally who by Christ are conquered out of his hands For as the Panther raging vpon the picture of a man bewrayes the