of God for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world they are of the world and therefore speake they of the world and the world heareth them we are of God hee that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of God heareth vs not hereby know we the spirit of veritie the spirit of errour thus much S. Iohn in that place O let vs still and still more and more eschue abandon this spirit of error this spirit of the world this spirit of Antichrist and euer imbrace and acknowledge the spirit of truth the spirit of God the spirit of Christ O let vs for the loue of God for the loue of Christ for the loue of our owne soules euermore seeke the lambe of God follow the lambe of God behold and imbrace the lambe of God looke for the health of our bodies the saluation of our soules the safegard of both not in or from or by any other but only in and from and by the only lambe of God repose our whole beliefe trust and felicity in the lambe of God that taketh away the sin of the world that redeemeth saueth vs wretched and wicked sinners of the world that with his owne precious bloud hath paid the great ransome for the release of our miserable bondage and captiuity vnder the yoke of sinne and hath suffered that great insufferable passion due to vs sinners to bring vs vnto heauen vnto God vnto himselfe sitting on the right hand of the father in all maiestie power and glorie for euer and euer Thus you haue a short confutation of those vngratious worldlings that either with wilfull or no better then beastly violence or with witlesse desperate blasphemy or with fond and obstinate self-loue haue proued themselues the most indiscreet rulers the most vnskilfull writers the most vile and vngodly sinfull men that euer were called men or euer liued in the world I meane first those vngodly antichristian hellish Aristotelists Auerroists Plinians call them in word as they were in deed men of more subtilty then surety which denying the immortalitie of the soule accounting it no better then heat and breath mouing and remouing the body only haue ignorantly and preiudicially denied the finall cause of Christs sorrowfull humiliation and glorious resurrection which saued our soules from damnatiō and death in the nethermost noisome deadly pit the lake of torment the prison of misery and all thraldome world without end and defending the eternity of the world iudging it without beginning and without ending which vndoubtedly was fashioned finished in six daies as we surely proue by the Genesis of Moses the wonderfull prophet of God the wisest lawmaker in Israël the mightiest captaine of armes by the Hexaëmerons of diuers both Greeke and Latin doctors and fathers by our Apostolicke beleefe most stedfastly builded on God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth the sea and all that is in them at whose last comming the earth shall melt away like wax and the heauens shal be folded vp like a garment haue defaced with all their might the maiestie of Christs ascension and denied the eternitie of his last dreadfull iudgement both which wee reuerence and magnifie with all godly loue and Christian zeale hauing visiblie and faithfully seen the one with the Apostles eyes and vnfaynedly looking for the other with liuely heartes with spirituall hunger and thirst with desire to leaue this mad and drunken world to liue infinitely raigne with him in euerlasting life Then I meane those hypocriticall Pharisies those impious Iewes and Iewish confederats succeeding the heathenish infidels and pagans in course and time of yeares but farre before them in all wickednes sinne in euery notorious iniquitie and enormitie that did treacherously and sophistically seeke to vndermine Christ and to take him in his words that in the gall of bitternes and bond of impietie mocked and spitte at him and most grieuously and vniustly disgraced him in spite of heauen and earth of angels and men euen as God had appointed in his secrete ordinance and wonderfull prouidence before the foundation of the world was layd that in the pride and rage of Iudaisme in the height of anger and depth of malice whipped him like an outcast the sonne of God crowned him with thorns like a mad bedlem the innocent lambe of God nay led and perced and wounded him to death like a hurtfull beast the triumphant king of angels and men mightie Sauiour of the world But they soone felt the heauy intollerable hande of God for these so Iewish and diuelish abhominations and when their brasen faces would not blush nor their iron heartes relent the very stones of the temple were riuen asunder the faire vaile was rent in twaine frō the top to the bottom those sensles stones were more soft and pensiue then the Iewes the dead carcases were more tenderly and mercifully affected toward Christ crucified at his one and last exclamation in one hower then the elders of Iury were in all their life time which heard many heauenly admonitions diuers happy promisses sundry blessings and cursings yet liued and died in their gainesayings being at last themselues as stones and carcasses reiected throwne out and troden vpon hauing their children and cities vtterly destroyed and their land layd wast and those mockings and spittings that thorny crowne and vineger and gall those nayles and that speare and that crosse and all the rods and crosses that were laid vpon Christ haue euer since bene laide vpon them being esteemed the most odious abiects of all men the very roges and runnegates of the earth against whom all men haue set themselues euen as they oppose and set themselues against all men like Ismaëites and Edomites more vile in Gods eyes then dunge and clay on the ground and all good and godly Christians are inuincibly confirmed in Christian faith by the shamefull ouerthrow of those Iewish and christians which is come to passe according to the gospell of Iesus Christ for his kingdomes sake and our endlesse comfort and instruction to him therefore be prayse for euer Then I meane the Turkes and turkish religion or rather hereticall superstition that in steed of noble prophets on our side hath but one fugitiue monke but the same one false monke on their part to defend it against our so many learned and constant professours that hath no history for his defence and in that respect condemneth historians that could neuer get any sober and learned orator to maintaine his cause and therfore disaloweth the graces and power of rhetorick that cannot be defended by disputation and therefore forbiddeth all disputations that is forced against his owne will law to prefer Christ before Mahomet our mercifull king before his bloudie captaine for honest and honorable birth for vertuous and wonderfull acts for blessed and heauenly translation himselfe being borne basely and liuing vitiously and dying of lewd causes more like a ruffian
extreme vengible reformatiues these new metrapolitanes that haue pasports and inuestitures of the deuils good holines to Nymrodize and Iudaize their filles these that care not if heauen fall downe and earth rise vp so they haue their willes and get themselues a day and a name being now wearie of their right surnames and christian and wishing to bee their owne godfathers or nicknamers for here is their great theme and maxime of pure and purpure misrule I warrant you largely and illuminately handled here is the goale and price they runne at and long for here is that crucifige which they cried so long here is a correctiue Leiger and Factor for their new-shapen worships their humors of all sortes here is their vpright patrico or Abraham man as they tearme him at a beck at an inch with his dieu garde that can and will at a dead lift proue it good by his lawes and canons by his reasons and senses by his fathers and brothers and sisters by his angels and perhaps paredrall diuels that bare such a sway in their booke Nemith vel legum Orci Inferorum That Hazael and Ioas princes were base kings and as it were flattering dogs to call the ecclesiasticall prophet Elisaeus their lord and father 4. Kings c. 8 v. 12. c. 13. v. 14. that the third Semicenturion or captain of king Ochoziah with al his fifty men was but a swaine to fall on his knee and do the ecclesiasticall prophet Elias reuerence and cal him his good lord 4. Kings c. 1. v. 13 14. that king Benhadad Naaman the captaine and the rest in holy Chronicle did amisse to call prophets their fathers and lords themselues being noble and mightie men 4. Kings c. 5. v. 17. c. 8. v. 9. that God did not well to make Moses that was but a lawgiuer and counseller the God of Pharao a king drad soueraigne Exod. c. 7. v. 1. that al men in the earth which haue called the heads rulers of the church their lords in bookes in sermons in other meetings shall for that idle word giue account at the last day but not for calling other mē their lords that our Church is maymed vnlesse we turne 7. into 4 and yet so we mayme it more that our bishops are blasphemers and traitors vnlesse they set downe 4. sortes of churchmen by those texts where S. Paul setteth downe 7. seuerall things Prophecie Office Teachers Exhorters Distributers Rulers Mercymen Rom. c. 12. v. 6 7 8 c. where he setteth downe nine gifts of the spirite wisedome knowledge faith healing great workes prophecie discerning of spirits diuersities of tongues interpretation of tongues 1. Cor. c. 12. v. 8 9 10. where he setteth downe fiue orders with the fruits of them apostles prophets euangelists pastors teachers c. Ephes c. 4 v. 11 12. that deacons must not teach wisdome but pastors that elders must not teach knowledge but doctors that pastors must not meddle with goods but deacons that doctors must not deale with manners but elders that wisedome knowledge manners accounts these foure things belong not to euery pastor to euery doctor to euery elder to euery deacon because euery one in himself belike and in other men must not looke to the soule and bodie to the mind and māners to the inward and outward man that our confessors and martyrs of late time men as carefull of euery worde they spake as men might be and specially that most innocent and righteous preacher M. Bradford was ouerseen in being so dutifull and curteous to call the Bishops lords that these our Eliae Elisaei Moses our spirituall captaines and fathers should not be called lords nor charret strength of England any more though they euer were and wil be so that teachers must be poorer then their inferiours and schollers that the magistracies for none or least causes must bee contemned and ouerthrowne that the sheepherd must not be richer then a sheepe and Christ put from his See in the church because he is not corporally resident that laughing and reioycing vpon supposed faults betokeneth Gods spirit that the watchman in the tower must be kept of the meanest that saueth me best and al that he may in conscience be fostered that standeth stifly in a lewde cause that Philemon did not owe himselfe to Paul his spirituall father v. 19. that physicians of the bodies shall be in great account for healing an outward maladie that would cast into the graue and looking to the mortall part of man and our ghostly and heauenly physicians of the soule must be out of account for preseruing the immortall part of a man and curing the inward diseases that otherwise would cast downe to hell that the minoritie of Saul and the Iudaisme of Paul must preiudice the ones title and roialtie and the others doctrine and diuinitie that Edgars and Iustinians and the first Williams or third Edwards Henries lawes or Magna charta should set their lawiers aflote in wealth in magnificencie in all ability and Gods lawe descending from heauen vpon the holy mountaine Sinai in all maiestie and honorable reuerēce the prophets words writtē by the wisest spirit of the whole world euē Gods own holy Ghost the gospell of Christ that hath by Gods prouidence conquered heauen and earth as I coulde easily shewe vnto you if puritanisme were not and the spirituall true decretals of the Apostles which keepe all men from follies and lawmen from iniuries these 4. chartae maximae of God himself that hold vp euen the foure corners or quarters of heauen ouer our heads that else for our sin would contrarie to all philosophicall quintessences fall vpon vs shall set their students their barresters their counsellers and iudges at an eb or in a drought in more penury in greater want and contemptible estate Such reasons and conclusions which either must be vpholden with many other like inconueniences and mischiefes or else these nouelties and quarrels must be cast downe are more fit for the oration of Catiline with the coniuration of Lentulus Cethegus once in Rome then for reformation of our English church which is not of the same manner of spirit that Elias was for so our Sauiour teacheth his Apostles in the gospell of S. Luke c. 9. v. 55. euen as this commonwelth is not in such distresse by Gods fauourable goodnesse wherein it liueth for according to the times God raiseth vp diuerse graces in the world as those regions were at that day vnder persecution when notwithstanding the prophet was thus highly honoured and reuerenced of princes which if it were otherwise in deede then it was yet in right what argument call you this by your reformatiō what consequence is this in your witcraft your new logicke which desire to seeme so logical and sensible wittie men To set worldly magistrates vp on height for good seruice done to their prince and countrie duly and iustly to thrust downe these magistrates of magistrates as
within vs and coole faith by continuance maketh vs stiffe and halfe dead with sinne and altogither vnfit to be our owne martirs in affection or other mens in example let vs beloued stirre and raise vp our fainting soules to a liuely zealous faith let vs good Countrymen quicken our senseles senses with good woords and good workes as effects of good faith that we be not starke dead in sin and rather seeke the saluation both of our soules senses that lasteth for euer then the delight pleasure of either that vanisheth away like a smoke that wasteth like a snaile that withereth like grasse and neuer continueth in one stay Then where shall we seeke this saluation but in the booke of life and in which part of that booke is it sooner found then in the gospel the law of grace what guide or teacher in the gospell can shewe vs a better pathway then Iohn-baptist who was sent frō God as the forerunner of the Christ saith S. Marke in his gospell c. 1. v. 2.3 to tell vs the way the truth and life the eternall word Iesus Christ For Iesus is the way because his doctrine and precept telleth vs the right and ready way to euerlasting life Iesus is the truth because without error he may alwaies and in truth must alwaies be followed in all our iudgements and consultations that we may walke in the light not in darknes Iesus is the life of our liues because without him we are as dust in the winde and straw in the fire and by him we passe through the greatest difficulties and euen the very seas of all deadly dangers and temptations which S. Iohn speaketh by a metaphore metonimy of the effect for the efficient c. 14. v. 6 in him we passe safely from the first day in the beginning of all yea before all measure of times euen vnto this day as S. Augustine writeth largely to Deogratias against Porphyrius in his 49. Epistle Wherefore in these and other respects heare and read I beseech you beloued Christians what the blessed and right honourable Prophet that most noble preacher Iohn-baptist hath taught vs of Iesus Christ in the gospell according to S. Iohn c. 1. v. 29. The next day Iohn seeth Iesus comming to him and saith Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world This text is short but sweete and weighty as the sunne in heauen seemeth little but is great and mighty in operation all bodies die without the sunne and all soules and bodies perish without the effect of this Scripture Philosophers thinke that the sunne and a man maketh a man but diuine philosophy wil thinke speake and conclude that this sonne of God the sunne and light of mankind maketh and saueth and crowneth man with glory in that he wipeth out and washeth away the sinne of the world the sunne is the hart of heauen the captaine of the stars the eye of the world this worde is the hart of the Bible the cheefe of al words to which our eares must giue eare and on which our eyes must alwaies looke For in this verse are cōtained the lawes of Moses and Israël with the prophecies of all prophets both great and small in that Iohn calleth Iesus the lambe of God and the fruit of the new Testament both in the Euangelists Apostles springeth and groweth from this ground in that he is said to take away the sinne of the world Then was Simplicius but a hellish iudge to count the tales of Aegypt and the tables of Moses alike and Galen was but a prophane humorist and Lacuna his shadow little better to mislike the creation of man and misreport the wonders of the red sea ignorantly then are the Pelagians peruerse and miserable disputers which denie and euacuate the baptisme of infants because Christ alone washeth and purgeth thē like them which would hinder the beginning of a thing because it shall at last be made perfect or say you must not vse an instrumēt because there is a principall or warme your self at a fire because the sun is the chiefest workemaster of heate warmnes But to let passe all dilating cōparatiue amplifications of words sentēces togither with other necessary occasiōs of discourse Marke beloued what is here written with the finger of God pen of the holy ghost the next day Iohn seeth Iesus cōming to him and saith and tell me if euer you heard a more louing a more gratious and cōfortable saying behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world O bountifull Iesu ô sweete Sauiour ô mercifull annointed of God the Father what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the sonne of mā that thou so regardest him our bodies are brim full of sinne wickednes as the stables of oxen asses ouerladen and ouercharged with dunge and filthinesse the goodnesse of our soules is like a mēstruous rag as Esay witnesseth c. 64. v. 6. whose word is as an inuiolable seale a sure bond What is then within vs worthy of thy loue ô Christ or what is without vs worthy of thy liking ô son of Dauid ô son of God ô sunne and light of heauē earth we looke vpon thee with Iohn-baptist ô that we could alwaies looke vpō thee we see thee come to vs as did Iohn-baptist ô neuer turne thy backe vpon vs but euer come to vs stay with vs euer we reioyce in thy name that thou art a lambe to vs and a lion of Iuda to the enimies that thou dischargest the debts of the righteous and leauest the wicked in the debtbooke to be arrested and imprisoned till they haue paide the vttermost farthing we looke on thee with ioyfulnesse ô Iesu as infants looke vpon a light the wicked see thee with dazeled eyes as the Sodomites groped in the darke Genesis c. 19. v. 11 we walke in thy sun-light and are comforted we are blacke and sunburnt with walking we are black ô Iesu but louely before thee the wicked are parched with thy beames thy heat maketh their heads to ake their harts to pant their spirits to faile them that they may as it were call for butter out of a lordly dish milke out of a bottle with Sisara or some other delight which their sensuall soules long for and afterward be nayled to the earth with the hammer of one deceitfull Iahel or other close enimie in their sleepe and securitie or come to such like sudden and vile death And this in effect is the generall summe and chiefe purpose of this text Of the ioyfull estate of the godly by seing Christ and The wofull fall of the wicked by turning frō him Now to proceede in the playner exposition of euery portiō and particularity of this verse we see in it both a briefe History and a blessed Doctrine The History is that when Iohn saw Iesus comming to him he gaue out among the people his iudgement of
thy seruants to do any thing and we will do any thing with all our power and giue vs after this Battle which we dayly maintaine and wage against the diuell and his two great Bassaes the world and the flesh that hire and those wages that are prouided and ready told out for all them that fight a good fight vnder thy Insigne for thy Church yesterday in the field to day in the Cittie and to morow in both till they die to themselues and liue to thee Esai cap. 40. vers 10 ô how happie how right happie how onely happie are they which liue with thee this day and the next day and for euer Thus much of the circumstance of time contained in this word The next day the first part of this history The second part is the circumstance of the Place where the baptisme of Iohn-baptist was celebrated and published among the Iewes in which respect and consideration I may reason thus In matters of greatest importance and weight the manner of historians is to set downe the place of the action and actor to make their histories credible seing all that is done is done in some place but the baptisme of Iohn is a matter of greatest importance weight and therefore the place of the baptisme must be named and so it is named in this chapter and called Bethabara in the verse going before Yet Chrysostome in his 16. homily vpon this gospell turneth both verses into one as though it were necessary to ioyne the verse of the place with the verse of the speaker but to omit this grammaticall point of ioyning parting verses S. Ierome in his translation if that translation be truly fathered vpon Ierome miscalleth the place Bethania for Bethania is not beyōd Iordan as this place is said to be neither is there any other Bethany but one Suidas inuenteth a newe place Thabara which is not seene in all that countrie besides this one proofe or rather reproofe P. Martyr addeth another sure one and concludeth that the place of Iohns baptisme was neere vnto Iordan but Bethania far from that riuer yea so much farther from the desert where Iohn baptized Then seing Bethania is but 15. furlongs that is two miles within one furlong southward from Ierusalem as is specified in this gospell c. 8. v. 18. it cannot be the desert of Iudaea which is at the neerest by Stellaes map 80. furlongs that is ten miles eastward frō Ierusalem where Iohn-baptist abode seing Bethany is on the foreside of the riuer and Bethabara on the farre side the glose cannot put the one in the others roome vnlesse it can put twelue miles into one hem seing Bethany is the towne of Martha and Mary whether Christ went and lodged c. 11. v. 1. and Bethabara a plaine field beyond Iordan except we turne a field into a towne we must read Bethabara not Bethania and so doth Chrysostome read so doth Theophilactus read and so doth Origen read so doe our best old and new doctors read Wherefore auoiding that old errour in Chorography we rightly name the place of Iohns baptisme Bethabara which is beyond Iordan This place is the common highway and passage from Syria to Palestina by ferry and therefore a most populous and much frequented place saith Gualter this is the place which the Israëlites went through right ouer Iericho with their puissant triumphant captaine Iosua while the water of Iordane was miraculously driuen backward on the right hand and on the left and therefore a famous and wonderful place Iosua c. 3. v. 16 this is the place where the inhabitants of mount Ephraim tooke the princes of the Madianites by the appointment of Gedeon both Oreb and Zeb and therefore a victorious and renowmed place Iudges c. 7. v. 24 25 a place both for the former excellencie and present vse most fit for Iohns baptisme wherby we enter the highway to heauen in which we tread the path that leadeth vs against our spiritual enimies by which we ouercome the kings of this worlde and the chiefest in the waies of the ayre These and other like causses might be prouidently foreseene of the Baptist besides these he knew that he ought to teach his doctrine in the promised and holy land Luke c. 1. v. 16 that his discipline chiefly respected the Iewes where Christ should come after him that his cries should be most heard in the desert of Iudaea that the more he persuaded the Rabbies of Ierusalem the more his doctrine should preuaile and as it were take roote among the people that the neerer he kept to that famous cittie in some open place the further he was from suspition of corner opinions and scismaticall conueyance for heresies being in a sort inward maladies and cankers 2. Timoth. c. 2. v. 17 go like a sicknesse from house to house from dore to dore but true religion seeketh no starting holes saith S. Bernard and wisdome standeth without in the high streete in the entrings of the gates in the tops of high places saith king Salomon and lifteth vp hir voice in the plaine of Bethabara So God sendeth his word as he giueth other his good benefits the light of the firmament the dew of the element the springs of the waters the fruites and gifts of nature and the insitions or graftes of grace are vniuersall and common to men he openeth his hands and filleth all things with plenty saith the kingly prophet Psal 145. v. 16 And as the Baptist preacheth here in an open great auditory so did other saints of God and embassadors of the Almighty at other times both to resemble with their whole imitation the property of God whose cognisance they carried in their harts and to make this one good the better by parting and dispensing it among a multitude for in no place were the acts of the twelue Apostles the seuen Deacons more seene then in open synagoges and on festiuall daies Acts c. 2. v. 6. c. 3. v. 6 7. c. 4. v. 10. c. 5. v. 12. c. 7. v. 2. c. 8. v. 12. c. the Prophets call the heauen and earth not one parcell or corner of heauen and earth to heare their prophesies and instructions Esai c. 1. v. 2. Ierem c. 6. v. 9. c. 22. v. 29. Michae c. 1. v. 2. And Ieremy againe is commanded to crie in the eares of Ierusalem to awake them frō their sleepe of sinne that all the citie may giue eare c. 2. vers 2. God speaking to Ezechiel calleth him sonne of man as if in him he spake to all mankind c. 2. v 1 3 6 8. c. Oseas and Amos and the rest call all the Israëlites c. 4. v. 1. c. 3. v. 1. Ionas is sent to all Niniue c. 1. v. 2. other men of God cal vpon whole townes whole prouinces all nations at once Ioel c. 1. v. 2. Abdias v. 1. Nahum c. 1. v. 15. Sophony c. 2. v. 1 4 c. Zachary c. 2. v. 7. God giueth his
the ordinary meanes of all persuasion for as he tolde them before of Christs power and honour in confessing himselfe vnworthy to loozen his shoe v. 27. that he might make them stand in awe and feare of him the best way to moue some kinde of natures which must be constrained and compelled by authoritie and shame or els cannot obey so now he commendeth the goodnesse the mildnesse the meekenesse and mercifull loue of Iesus to allure and drawe the rest vnto him by faire meanes and as the proudest Pharisee should reuerence him for his glory so the poorest Publican would imbrace him for his clemencie yet cannot the Paganes or enemies of Iesus take from this poore title any occasion of contemning him and disdayning his gouernment not any second Iulian or Lucian or counterfet Martin for that true Martin Luther and that truer Martin Bucer and that Saint Martin the Bishop and that Martin Chemnisius were learned and good men of God and full of zeale they were set and planted against Baal and Bell and Antichrist by imitation of Elias of Daniel and the rest can despise this lambe of God with confocations and paltripolitanes and pitomes and pistles and such cacozelies he is vtterly deceiued he enterfires and ouer-reaches too much The Practise or the Fox of popish prelates and the liues or lambe of Christian Prelates are as farre asunder as the tales of mort Arthur and the bookes of Moses as the golden legend of Iron Saints and the Actes of the Apostles as the scenes of Dauus and the Psalmes of Dauid as the writings of Martin the workes of an honest man that is sober toward the world and godly in respect of heauen I say no arte or mart of such husie-bodies mote-spiers can iustly neglect and abase this lambe of God because hee is the lion of the Tribe of Iuda Reuel c. 5. v. 5. because he is the ruler of the world Esay c. 16. v. 1. because a thousand thousands of Angels and foure and twentie Elders fall downe before him sitting on the Throne and ascribe all wisdome all riches all strength all blessings to him for euer and euer Reuel c. 5. v. 12 13. yea euen that famous and renowmed golden fleece of Iason were it the Philosophers stone or the treasures of those coūtreies or the goodliest arte or thing in the world is vile and abiect as dung in the presence of this eternall lambe though those iolly heathen galoping wits magnifie it neuer so stoutly And the least proximitie of his bodily much more of his ghostly vertue and sauour is more effectuall and soueraigne against the heate of sinne and flesh then all Agnus castus of Galen in the world ministred in leaues in decoction in powder or any way els to worke an effect like the name The calfe in Dan and the calfe in Bethel hath been broaken nowe Iesus is himselfe that fatted and prepared Calfe which is slayne to make them good cheere that will repent and returne to the Father the Memtiphical God the bul Apis which those calues imitated as some thinke is destroyed from Egypt and the mighty prince of Nilus his regions reioyceth in the bloud of king Dauids ofspring and in the spirit of Peter and Paul and all Paynims idols and euery other beast must giue place and praise to this best and liuing lambe of God let the mountaines leape like lambs let the litle hils skip like yoong sheepe seeing God hath sent so mighty and gentle a lambe among vs which is a lion to the wicked and impenitent resisters a lambe to the godly and humble soules Then what doth this lambe seeing he is so mighty and maruelous and what good commeth to vs by his goodnesse that he is so good he is a lambe whose offering is our iustification he taketh away the sinne of the world and herein consisteth our sanctification in that he died for vs we are iust and free from the curse of lawe in that he acquiteth vs we are holy and blamelesse in Gods sight whose eye-lids trie the children of men he hath taken our weaknesse vpon his shoulders and hath sustained our griefe saith Esai c. c. 53. v. 5. hee hath cast our sinne into the bottom of the sea saith Michaeas c. 7. v. 19. He hath himselfe borne in his body our transgressions on the tree saith Peter 1. epistle c. 2. v 24. he is the full propitiation for our sinne saith Iohn 1. epistle c. 2. v. 12. he is our aduocate to the father our mediator our intercessor in counselling vs in guiding vs in defending vs he is euer and onely to be loued feared obeyed loued because he hath bought our loue so deerely feared because he may in equitie forsake vs obeyed because none can direct vs more safely Then what huge and monstruous sinne was that which the sonne of the immortall God could onely beare what a vile and excessiue what a deadly fierce what a damnable and heauy sinne was it which Iesus alone was able and none other to take away Adam might say he taketh away sinne Noah might say he taketh away sinne al ages before Christ and since Christ might say with the Baptist tollit peccatum that is saith Caluine fert and aufert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Schoolemen confesse that he onely doth this by forgiuing vs that is past by helping vs against present sinnes by bringing vs to heauen where sinne hath no place they should not denie that tollit belongeth to all times not onely to the supper of Christ or any one time seeing in true faith he was the lambe euer as in true sense he was the lambe once for euery time is present with God and eternity is but to day with him who begat his sonne from euerlasting and yet said this day haue I begotten thee Psal 2. v. 7. and tollit not tollet saith Theophilus Quasi semper hoc ipso faciente as if it were the nature of Christ to purge sinne as of Helleborum to purge the head which naturall history like all other is alwaies written in the present time so Angelica preserueth from the plague at all times and Iesus taketh away sinne at all times so Herbagrace driueth away venimous serpents and Iesus driueth away diuels so Christ said of the future time as if it had then bin present I lay downe my life Iohn c. 10. v. 15. And as euery thing hath his definition in the present time to signifie a perpetuity of that property so this definitiue word of the lambe of God is deliuered and receiued by the present time as the inseparable effect and property of the lambe alwaies abiding and alwaies present as is the present time for Christ was an high Priest not after the order of Aaron which was for a time so long as he which offered liued but after the order of Melchisedech which cōtinueth a priest for euer without beginning without end offering himselfe in
of other antichristian and diabolical lambs such as are commonly called Agnus Dei but are in trueth Agnus diaboli lambs of the Pope lambes of Rome lambs of the deuill lambs of hell the very creatures of the deuils great vicar vpon earth the very impostures and counterfets of the deuils in hell deuises more hotly then either wisely or religiously vsed among vs of late yeares in the Popish bootlesse and godles busines Alas miserable vanitie alas poore follie alas blinde deuotiō alas heathenish idolatrie alas hellish blasphemy call them what ye list call them Agnus Dei call them indulgences call them pardons and as ye list these are no lambs of God they are lambs of the deuill these take not away the sinne of the world they foster drowne the world in sin they hasten the world to damnation they cary the world headlong into hell they are capital enemies and arch-rebels to the lambe of God to the blessed and heauenly and sweete lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Many like enemies and many like rebels there be to this lambe of God all the sonnes and daughters of sinne all the masters and apprentices of sinne all the teachers and schollers of sinne all the traines and practises and enormities of sinne all the transgressions and waies of sinne whatsoeuer they bee named or howsoeuer they bee practised against God or man against the first or second table all such waies and meanes of sinne are secrete and open enemies or rebels to this lambe of God that taketh away sinne that abolisheth the sinne of the worlde that notwithstanding so infinite many legions and huge armies of so strong and mightie enemies of so obstinate and obdurate rebels still and still taketh away the sinne of the worlde Sinne sinful men may striue but they striue against the streame the flesh and fleshly men may kicke but they kicke against a brasen wall the world and worldly men may rebell but they rebell against the Lord of Lords the King of Kings the conqueror of conquerors the almighty ouerthrower of all rebels and rebellious attempts the diuell and diuelish men may rage but they rage in vaine they rage against him that hath power to maister and tame all the diuels in hell with a word that hath already preuayled against hel-gates that hath vanquished all the force all the might and maine of Satan that hath triumphed ouer sin the flesh the world and the diuell and hath gotten the victory the most glorious the most blessed the most happie triumphant victory ouer his enemies ouer all his enemies aduersaries and foes of all sortes Behold this lambe of God this puissant this mighty this almighty lambe of God this onely victorious and triumphant lambe of God that maugre sinne taketh away sin maugre the world redeemeth the world maugre all the spite of Belzebub and all the feends in hell restoreth his elect to their God prepareth them for heauen and heauen for them O almighty goodnesse and all good mightinesse ô wonderfull and vnspeakable mercy ô exceeding most heauenly compassion ô most louing most deere and tender most bountifull and mercifull lambe of God that takest away the sin of the wicked world that easest vs of this grieuous and intollerable burden that payest our huge debt and raunsome that in exceeding singular pitty didst vouchsafe to suffer those most horrible and vnspeakable passions and agonies that wee in our owne persons were corporally and spiritually to abide as most wretched damnable sinners that of so wofull and miserable creatures makest vs thine owne bretheren sonnes of God fellow lambes of God heires of God inheritors of his kingdome Behold this lambe of God still and still behold this lambe of God let vs all altogither both now and euer and alwaies and euer behold this blessed most sweet lambe of God vnto whom we are so infinitely beholding in that he hath generally taken away the sinne of the world in that he hath particularly taken away our sinne euen the sinne of you and me and of vs all who therfore continually is euermore to be glorified of you and me and of vs all O what an ineffable heauenly act was this ô most diuine incomprehensible mercy of mercies ô the very greatest effect of God the very greatest effect of man the very greatest diuinity and humanitie of God and man Could we sufficiently could we in any measure of sufficiency consider our former most miserable most wofull most damnable state and accordingly compare that most wretched state with the most blessed state wherein wee are now established by the exceeding incōparable goodnes of this most blessed lambe of God Lord God what should our liues be what would our selues be but liuely sacrifices and oblations of continuall most zealous praises and duties and thankes world without end with continuall most harty endeuour to reforme and frame our-selues to his gratious will for his euerlasting glory to whom we owe all obedience al glory and al dutifulnes world without end who therfore with the father and the holy ghost one almighty and onely wise God be continually more and more praysed and glorified with al praise and glory for euer and euer world without end Amen Parasceue autoris ex Augustini epistola 106. ad Paulinum Quae enim potuerunt magna acuta ingenia cogitare aut inopiae est tacendo vitare aut arrogantiae contemnendo praeterire I Haue in that measure of Gods spirit grace which it pleased him of his mercifull goodnes to bestow vpon me vttered so much out of this text concerning the lamb of God as I thought cōuenient and requisitiue for the very plaine true sincere effectuall and christian explication or exposition of the same As I pray God euen God the lambe of God make me euer more and more able out of the same scripture and euery like scripture still and still to preach the lambe of God the same blessed lamb of God that taketh away the sinne of the world In the handling and declaring of which text both for the Historie and the doctrine with other circumstances therevnto appertaining my whole treatise hitherto hath bin demonstratiue or declaratiue by way of plainest confirmation and commendation Now more fully to prosecute this matter I purpose by Gods help to enter into a more schollerly discourse by way of Confutation or Reprehension as commonly in cases of doctrine discourse this inuectiue or elenchticall is to follow that other demonstratiue or declaratiue manner of proceeding as one great part of confirmation I would to God many yoong youthes and some other had no more neede of this kinde of confutation then I could wish but seeing I feare me there is great neede thereof with some I trust my good purpose will be the better liked of the better sort vnto whom I wish my self neere both to heare and see them as Lactantius did because he could not be one of them c. 1. l.
a rhetoricall rule were more precious then a morall neyther Irenaeus nor Epiphanius nor other old or yoong schollers are blasphemous for repeating the blasphemies of written heresies he that knew Alipius well did not once thinke him guilty of theft because he studied in the place and by chaunce handled the hammer and other tooles that a robber left there S. Augustine would not accuse him more in his confessions to God then those hasty fellowes which tooke them out of his hands and handled those instruments more then he had done he is strangely wise that feareth shadowes and yet taketh his enemy by the hand that strayneth at a gnat and swalloweth a camell that condemneth an heresie in one schoole and yet commendeth it in another that thinketh no mans gowne whole cloth but only his owne as Aristotle iudged all writers erroneous beside himselfe He was without doubt in some points an excellent philosopher but sometimes euen his naturall reason faileth and our common sense confuteth his common sense but the particulars of his questions and disputations wherein he transcendently exceedeth other men are not very fit for this place Come to supernaturall and diuine matters and alas what are his Metaphisicks where he maketh any mention of god or gods but either absurd Paganisme or intollerable Atheisme If we doubt hereof let vs search better l. 12. metap c. 7 6 8 9 10. and not fondly goe about to excuse or salue the matter by distinction of a Philosophicall truth and a Theologicall truth or by any like fruitlesse suttilty and quiddity of the schooles there is but one perfection truth of one the same matter that truth must be fet out of the diuinitie and highest schooles euen into the philosophy and lower schooles wheresoeuer heathenish philosophy is cōtrary or contradictory to Christs diuinity as Viues speaketh more instantly l. 5. cor art Beware lesse any man spoile you through philosophy and vaine deceipt after the traditions of men and after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ saith S. Paul Colos c. 2. v. 8. We must not be miscarried with the plausible name of Aristotle or Philosophy no more then of Therapontigonus of Pyrgopolynices or such but must christianly consider what becommeth Christians to beleeue most christianly defend that which may be warranted by good christianity whereby in our infancy we were incorporated into the church and in our last end hereafter shal be receiued into the triūph of heauen Aristotle no doubt had a notable high reach in many controuersies of common reason notwithstanding his errors of the number of spheres the order of planets the saltnes of the sea the cause of fountains the time of the rainebow the Salamanders quality the proportion of mans body and other particulars noted by Viues Greuinus Albertus Bessarion Bodinus the rest but Christ knoweth how far he was frō the true knowledge of a regenerate minde a more perfit reason directed and reformed according to Gods owne philosophy in the only fountain of all truth cōcerning matters of beleefe the very perfit truth it selfe for they which knew not God nor his word that is the bread of life vnderstanding and the water of wisdome without which none can liue saith Iesus c. 15. v. 3. nor glorified him as God became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenes filling their hungrie schollers with swines meate in steade of the childrens bread Luke c. 15. v. 16. as Gabriel Biel applyeth that text in his initial oration against philosophical curiositie and ignorance and for christian profession to his prelections de canone missae when they professed thē selues wise they became fooles saith S. Paul that great Doctor Rom. c. 1. v. 21 28. But no maruell though before Christes comming the heathenish Philosophers hauing no conference with the people of God preferring Athens before Ierusalem and the kingdome of Macedonia or Persia before the kingdome of Israël no maruell though such Philosophers before Christ had no sense or but very little feeling of God and Christ considering how many great Scholers and famous writers euen since the incarnation of our Sauiour Christ according to his humanitie euen since this Christian Philosopher S. Iohn cried out Behold the lamb of God haue either blindly of ignorance or spitefully of malice or diuelishly of impiety and wickednes not only not acknowledged this lambe of God or any such saluation or redemption of the world by this lambe of God but also denied and defaced blasphemed this most innocent and most righteous lambe of God I let passe the rabble of Scribes and Pharisees and Iewish Rabbines and other hypocrites that not regarding Christs vnmatchable starre or Gods irrefragable voice from heauen either with hand or with heart did conspire the bitter most intollerable passion of this most innocent lambe of God and so vniustly and vnmercifully crucified the most mercifull Sauiour of the worlde We are taught by S. Paul not to take heede of any Iewish fables or commandementes of men turning from the truth Tit. c. 1. v. 14. He that readeth of their Thalmud or doctrine may soone see their blasphemies against God in fayning him euery day to weepe once to be angry once then the creste of the cock is white and pale in accusing him of sinne when hee made the Moone lesse then the Sunne of a lie when he calleth the Sunne a greater light and the Moon a lesse against Christ in supposing that the temple of Ierusalem was not so rased and destroyed but that three or foure cubites were vntouched and those stones left one vpon another where a Rabbine might sitte and studie the Thalmud against heauen by deuising a hole in the North-parts which is vnfinished to trie by way of chalenge if any can match Gods worke and make it vp Whereupon certaine new Buylders with new wittes haue set a Chappel with the high end to the North that their faces being turned that way in prayers time God at their humble suit may himselfe make vp that hole after so many yeares triall of other defectiue efficients Nowe they saide all euill comes from the North because that part is open which being stopped the euill may perhaps be stopped and thus they builded If our Emanuel like well of this dedication who may or dare call it mis-went or mis-set and what new founder wil not follow this patterne by the counsell of that Quidam in Munster he that seeketh riches goeth and looketh toward the North perhappes hereby to obtaine an increase of yerely reuenues by praying that way for dayly bread or to be contrarie vnto Mahomet whose face is toward the South as other Christians are contrarie to the Iewes in looking towards the East O happie times and happie men that reuiue Homer and Auerroes and other renowmed Pagans to make them builders and Architects in Christes Church wee are too common and vulgar now but they are so
of the deuill then a prophet of God as themselues confesse vnawares in their vaine Alcoran and doltish bible His more then triple Dodecamechany to the finall ruine of that tyrannicall kingdome and satanicall iurisdiction in Turky and to the building vp of Gods house in new Sion to the benefit of his housholders his children and seruaunts if they could once be so christianly wise to forgiue their owne quarrels and forget that is past and euer hereafter serue God please him by fighting his battels with a perfit loue and vnanimity among themselues with a perpetuall hatred and magnanimity against such enemies the souldiers of the flesh the sonnes of transgression now more then halfe wearied with their religion and euer remayning in suspition and ielousie one of another Now God for his owne sake make them euer like Oreb and Zeb and like to the princes of Zeba and Salmana the God of our fathers confound their huge armies and militar powers that they may fall vpon their owne swordes that their armes of flesh may be broken that all their beastly cruelties practised against good christians from Mahound to this present day may returne vpon themselues that they goe hence and be no more seene that their name may perish from among the children of men that we and all our posteritie may sing with the seuenth Angel mentioned in the Reuelation and with those great voices in heauen the kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christes and he shal reigne for euermore c. 11. v. 15. but the Saracens shall not ouerrule him the Paganisme of Sergius shal not deuour the Christianisme of the Apostles seeing the gospell is dispensed in all parts of the earth as much more then the Alcoran howsoeuer Luter in a furious imitation of Micheas hath rapt out the contrarie as if hee desired rather the name of a Prophet among the infidels then of a frend to Christians Then I meane the blasphemous high-minded swelling Greekes both Iulianists and Lucianists both Emperors and Schollers both mighty and learned men whose naughty ende hath prooued their beginning naught whos 's owne words of euident treason against God haue iudged and condemned them who are in account among godly wise men as the poysonous flyes or as dead dogs who haue vanished like a vapor and beene consumed like a smoke to nothing euen as it pleased the Lord so are these thinges infallibly come to passe by whom is reserued for their last sentence for their vngracious schollers for their frendes and fauourites a lake of brimstone a gnawing worme a consuming fire mingled with percing cold for euermore for thus were the Iewes cursed for their malicious blasphemie against Christ in the time of his earthly and corporall humiliation neither can these and other like them be in better estate which crie out and rayle against him in these dayes of his eternall heauenly exaltation as S. Augustine reasoneth truely vpon a text of S. Matthew And what is become of those wicked Romans which I thē named but shame and discredit reproach and confusion among all vertuous well disposed christians they might for their stile and phrase haue purchased our lyking for their graue and politike gnomes haue beene in good account among good men whereas now their malcontentship against Christianitie and their hauty and scornfull attemptes against Gods annoynted together with their disdainfull termes against our Christian profession and professors haue cast their works into great contempt that might els haue been in greatest price because no honest man will in confcience approue false famous libels or any graue man can scarcely euen in reason beleeue a lyer when he speaketh trueth much lesse when he telles his owne tales or any man shall not measure but like for like and vpon compulsion compare themselues with their enemies these sodaine slidinges with the others wilfull fallinges these suborned reproches with the others iudiciall penalties true conuictions vnchangeable executions If they had beene of so vpright a nature or of so ciuill nurture to report all well of them which did nothing ill or hurtfull to any but were innocent lambs of God they might haue otherwise then now they are beene reckened with the best sort of best writers and gotten our subscriptions as well as their owne friends commendations but seeing their venim was so great and aboundant to thrust out their stinges and spyt out their ranknes at godly and heauenly minded Christians they bewray the stocke and broode they came frō euen the spawne of that old serpent and seede of Satan and make vs al in good consciences freely to denounce and proclayme them enuyers deceyuers falsifiers to brand them with the marke of strong theeues for robbing Gods church to set them in the blacke booke of damned soules for defying and diffaming Gods owne militant teachers and messengers which preach the trueth which spend their liues in defence of the word which offer themselues a dayly sacrifice vnto him that gaue himselfe once a pure and perfect oblation for thē and all which honour both spirituall and temporall fathers without any grudging because of Gods ordinance and for conscience sake which studie and pray continually for the perpetuall glory honour of Gods Church Gods house Gods visible throne which perswade some and exhort all men to vertue to deuotion to loue of God and loue of man which drie vp their harts and braines day and night euen to the decay of their owne health and strength to heale the wounded and afflicted conscience to confirme and stablishe the faith of their countrey to abandon vncharitable disobedient opinions to bid men take heede of furious tedious self-will to remember they are as Gods small sheepefold in the midst of a Wolues forrest to bee as doues among themselues without harme and subtile serpents when the aduersarie commeth to magnifie God for his manifold benefites and to holde out the hand when he geueth his blessings and euer to behold and worship the blessed lamb of God that washeth away the sinnes of the earth But alas there are many strange errors abroad in the earth and there are too many headstrong mainteyners of old paradoxes and newfangled nouelties which either renew those antiquated trifles or giue them a colour a deuise and glosse of the makers which are their craftes maisters and bondslaues such men are girded and wrapped in with splene and brought vp cheefly in the chapters De contradicentibus and so wedded and giuen to alter all statutes and turkisse all states that they are become plaine turkish and rebellious vnnaturall countrimen and vnkind neighbours they doe not behold and follow the harmeles lambe of God that euer most gratiously helpeth offenders and bringeth them from deadly traines I haue hitherto tolde of open knowne and professed enemies I haue already confuted those notorious and famous antichristians such as with a wild and wide throate or infamous tongue and pen haue without al manner of colourable or
thy faith and thy church vnlesse their apostasie heresie and Martinisme preuaile and those goods which as thy Apostle S. Iames teacheth vs came from aboue by former good instruments be rauened and bribed and pulled away by these wicked instruments these mad dogs these infamous libellors from our feet and heads from our tables and studies from our mouthes and hearts to feede hounds to dresse whores to multiplie helhound and whore-hound ruffians swearers harebraines vnlesse we be desolate and forsaken without our owne patrones without tutors of our own without our owne Iudges as other men haue all of their owne without the possession and fruition of our own or rather of thy goods to the derision of thy omnipotent power to the contēpt of thy reuerend word to the ouerthrow of thy catholicke and apostolick church of thy faithfull and true bishops and priests which haue authority euen frō the great commission of thy holy spirite to be chargeable to the hearers and professors of the faith 2. Thessal c. 3. v. 8 9. in the dayes of this life and haue a more singular praeeminence then any other in the life of the resurrection Dan. c. 12. v. 3. which are the chiefest pillars in thy common-wealth that being in honor and reputation and enuironed with many godly Centurions defenders with many louing Dauids meeke Mosees and liberall Salomons the whole glorie and euery part thereof shall redound to thee ô father of heauen now in the last times and yeares of the world and continue euermore by thy mightie will as it did in the beginning of the law and the dayspring of the gospel when true zeal was earnest in enriching thy flock and tyrannie onelie occupied in empouerishing it when it was true religiō to confirme the estate of thy preachers and execrable atheisme to enfeeble them when it was esteemed for right diuinitie to obey God more then man for prophane Iudaisme to serue God and Mammon much more to serue Mammon and God after the Iewish cōstruction and antichristian manner that triumpheth in the name of bloud which is but aërie of seede which is but fierie of elementarie and minerall accidents which are but earthie and watrie of those bodilie blunt and sharpe properties and casual endowments which make the life tedious vnto men of this world and odious to thy maiestie in the world to come vnlesse they be consecrated to thy blessed lambe and dedicated to the vse of thy holy Church whose internall prosperitie first then externall is regarded of all good men howsoeuer these new putfoorths dronken textuals brainsick templaries monstrous protesters play the verball sophisters throughout their whole generations Now deere Christians let vs labour continually to bee deere to God let vs not vndoe the whole bodie for the faults of some parts let vs not for a worldly hope lose a heauēly certainty for accidentall shadowes essential substāces for indifferent ceremonies necessary lawes the good wheate for the cockle in the fields the fruitful trees for the fruitles hawty brāble in the woods for the fraile loue of a man the endles loue of our God his lambe that teacheth vs only to flie from the sin not the goods of the world but vse them godly and canonically Let vs I beseech you dulie consider the word of the Lord of hostes vnto Zachary his prophet which biddeth vs Execute true iudgement and shew mercy and compassion and that none imagine euill against his brother in his heart cap. 7. vers 9. Let vs daily and instantly pray vnto God to illuminate our knowledge with his heauenly empireall light to establish our faith to multiplie his gifts and graces vpon vs that wee sing with the spirit and with the vnderstanding as S. Paul our great doctor hath said If God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all as a lambe to death how shall he not with him giue vs all euen all things also Rom. c. 8. v. 31 32. Let not vs make our selues worse then the heathen or reuerence our religious fathers bishops lesse then they did their holy men accounting their priests and pastors for nobles princes and their princes nobles for priests pastors of the people as Homer nameth metaphorically Agamēnon the prince of Graecians the pastor of the people Hector the prince of Troians the bishop of men as Sophocles and the other graue and sententious Tragedians call their prophetes princes and namely blinde Tyresias for being a prophet is called a king euen of a king as Virgil familiarly knowne to yoong schollers calleth Anius a king and a priest or as Moses rather telleth vs in his diuine iudgement that Melchisedech was the prince of Salem and the priest of God Genes cap. 14. v. 18. and S. Paul to preuent glossary cauils nameth him king plainely by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the ground or foundation of the people whereon they build their cōfidence and strength Iesus being the corner stone Heb. c. 7. v. 1. and who hath not heard of the kingly prophete Dauid of Hermes that was a philosopher a priest a king and therof was among other Aegyptian princes named Trismegistus or thrise excellent Let not vs English men make our selues worse affected towarde Gods Church then our forefathers haue beene before vs whereof some leauing their crownes some their royalties some their riches deuoted themselues wholy to the orders of the Church and bestowed their liues and liuelihoods vpon Gods ministrations and seruices as some readers know very well besides diuers examples of other forraine chronicles iudging the name of a diuine better then of a man and the title of Gods priest as ioyfull and honorable with men and Angels as that which is the very best of all titles Let him that is taught in the word minister vnto him that teacheth in all good thinges who goeth a warfare at his owne cost who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof who feedeth a flocke and suffereth another to deuour the milke saith S. Paul the mightie Apostle and Bishop of the Gentiles Galat. cap. 6. vers 6. what true Christian man will once doe otherwise vnto an other then he would in that others place á paribus causis should be done to him saith Christ the almightie Sauiour Math. c. 7. v. 12. Let vs not follow Aërius the hereticke whose opinion concerning the equalitie of Bishops and Priests Epiphanius confuteth l. 3. haer 75. but rather satisfie our selues with the confutation thereof in that place then seeke new shifts for him and starting holes for that sentence of S. Ierome pronounceth a bishop to be a priest because they are diuers orders as a man might say in that phrase without confounding the degrees the same man which is a doctor is a maister but it doth not by conuersion iudge a priest to be a bishop a maister to bee a doctor Or if the