answerable vnto the soule is Christ the Mediator who therefore in six hundred places of Scripture is said to be our life And himselfe saith of himselfe I am the resurrection and the life and againe I am the way the truth and the life Secondly as the Soule so hath Christ also life in himselfe As the Father saith he hath life in himselfe so hath he giuen vnto the Sonne also to haue life in himselfe and S. Paul saith that the Spirit of life is in the Sonne And S. Iohn This life is in his Sonne And againe This life was in him and the life was the light of men Thirdly as the soule hath not only life in it but also a quickning power so hath Christ also So S. Iohn As the Father so the Sonne quickneth whomsoeuer he will And S. Paul The first Adam was made a living soule and the second Adam was made a quickning spirit Fourthly as the soule vntill it be personally vnited quickneth not so neither doth Christ vntill he be mystically vnited Of this Vnion I cannot now speake I shall hereafter when I come to those words That they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me In the meane season thus S. Paul I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me that is I liue by Christ vnited vnto me And S. Iohn He that hath the Son that is he that is vnited vnto him hath life but he that hath not the Sonne that is is not vnited vnto him hath not life Fiftly as the Vnion of soule and body makes and constitutes Man so vpon our Vnion with Christ are we made new men Christian men spirituall men yea as is aboue proued very Christ. So speaketh S. Paul in the place alleadged and elsewhere yee are of God in Christ Iesus that is by being in Christ yee haue receiued of God a new essence or being Sixtly as from the naturall being of man comes naturall life so from the spirituall issues spirituall life Because I liue saith our Saviour yee to wit who receiue of my spirit and so are spirituall men yee I say shall liue Seventhly and lastly as from humane life proceed humane operations so from the spirituall proceed spirituall actions This hath beene already shewed wherevnto I now only adde that of S. Paul If Christ be in you the body indeed is dead vnto sinne but the spirit is life vnto righteousnesse And thus you see how and after what manner spirituall life is conveyed vnto vs from Christ. It is further added that this life is not only from Christ but that he is the donour and giuer thereof It is from him but by way of gift For so it is said that he may giâ—e So also elsewhere The bread of God is he which commeth downe from heauen and giueth life vnto the world And S. Paul the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Wherevpon S. Peter calleth it the grace of life And the scripture every where imputeth the whole worke of our salvation from the beginning vnto the end thereof vnto meere grace Now as he saith Gratia non est gratia nisisit omnimodo gratuita grace is not grace vnlesse it be every way of free gift And certainly if it be not of free gift it is of merit and due preparation in our selues But I beseech you what merit what preparation of himselfe was there in Adam vnto life while as yet he lay like a dead lump of clay before his maker What in Lazarus when he had beene quatriduanus foure dayes in the graue and began to putrifie and corrupt Surely none at all No more can there be in vs who before we receiue this life are vtterly dead in trespasses and sins If the creature disposed not himselfe vnto his creation nor man vnto his generation nor the science vnto its incition how can we prepare our selues either to our renovation or regeneration or ingrafting into the mysticall body of Christ In a word can sinne be a disposition or preparation vnto Grace I trow no. Yet whatsoeuer we doe before we are new creatures and liue the spirituall life is at the best but splendidum peccatum a gay and glittering sinne For the agent is altogether sinfull and carnall and whatsoeuer is of flesh is flesh Doe we gather grapes of thornes or figgs of thistles or good fruite of an evill tree No verily For such as the tree is such fruit it yeeldeth Good it cannot yeeld till it be made good Made good we are not till wee beleeue Till we beleeue therefore can wee doe no good If so then what is not of Faith is sinne and pleaseth not God And what pleaseth not him cannot dispose vnto grace Being then without merit and disposition vnto grace it must needs follow that as spirituall life is by Vnion so it is also by way of gift from Christ. The vse of all may be first to teach vs that all they who are not vnto Christ mystically vnited are spiritually dead and what actions soeuer proceed from them notwithstanding all the specious and goodly shew they make are not living actions For being not acted by the spirit of Christ they are not like vnto bodies animated by a humane soule but vnto such dead bodies rather as are raised vp by magicians and are stirred and moved only by the spirit of Satan These may seeme to liue but indeed liue not And if spirituall life bee the only blessed life then must these needs bee in a most ruefull and miserable case Secondly it teacheth vs that if we desire to liue this wee must indeavour by all meanes to be vnited vnto Christ. He is come vnto vs that we might haue life yea and that we might haue it in abundance If we come not to him it is our fault if we liue not And iust cause shall we giue him to complaine of vs as he did of the Iewes yee will not come to me that yee might haue life Our comming is by Faith By it Christ dwelleth in our harts and by it is the iust man said to liue This purgeth and purifieth our soules and produceth in vs the works of charity which are the right operations of Spirituall life Thirdly seeing we liue by Christ it is reason we should also liue vnto him For as S. Augustin saith every thing should liue to that by which it liueth as the body because it liveth by the Soule ought to liue vnto the Soule Hence therefore is it that S. Paul would haue all that are dead vnto sinne to reckon themselues aliue but aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Hence also he affirmeth that none of vs liveth to himselfe but that we liue vnto the Lord and that himselfe through the law is dead to the law that he might liue vnto God But most
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
judgement vpon the Conscience and to be the executioner of his lawes or finally hee bindes the Conscience in vaine and to no purpose To say that man is in such sort Lord of the Conscience is vnreasonable because his knowledge and power reach no farther then the outward man To say that man may command God is sacrilegious aduancing man aboue God Lastly to say that he bindeth in vaine and to no purpose is withall to say that their opinion is vaine and that man hath no such power at all To shut vp all in a word vnlesse a man may with as much security obey man as God man who is subject to error and injustice as God who is free from both vnlesse we be all as deeply bound to study the laws of men and to knowe them as we are Gods and to subject our selues as absolutely vnto them it is altogether vnconceauable how humane lawes can bind the Conscience equally with diuine This point being thus cleared it is euident that by conscience in this place wee are with St Peter to vnderstand Conscientiam Dei conscience towards God and to interpret this of St Paul yee must bee subiect for conscience by that of the same St Peter Submit your selues vnto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake as if he should say because God hath bound you to be subiect For God hath laid this obligation vpon man appeares by the very institution of Magistracie For although St Peter call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane creature yet his meaning is not that it is not from man but for man and his benefit otherwise S. Paul expresly affirmeth that it is the ordinance of God and Solomon that by him kings raigne The reason mouing God to institute the same was partly his soueraigne Lordship ouer man by right of creation by which he may order and dispose of him at pleasure partly the great loue he beareth vnto humane society which his infinite wisdome saw could not so well be maintained if euery man should be left to himselfe and orderly gouernment were not setled among them Herevpon hee ordained some to be in authority some to liue in subiection commanding the one to rule according to justice and equitie the other to submit themselues with all lowlinesse and humility as I meane touching subiection hath in the first part which is the Dutie beene sufficiently declared Now man being thus by the commandement and ordinance of God bound Conscience cannot bee free but as man shall either subject or not subject himselfe so is Conscience bound to testifie for or against him and to excuse or to accuse him If then yee breake the commandement of God and refuse to be subject there is one who will surely accuse you and will not spare a witnesse whose testimony is omni exceptio ne majus better then a thousand witnesses that will testifie against you even your Conscience But to whom will it accuse Vnto that great and dreadfull Iudge of the whole world whose wisdome can not be deceaued whose justice cannot be corrupted and the execution of whose sentence cannot be avoided And what will the sentence be Perpetuall imprisonment in the bottomelesse dungeon of hell therein eternall torments both of body and soule which although it be not presently executed vpon you yet the worme of conscience instantly will begin to gnaw vpon your soules fill you so full of vnspeakable horror and anguish that your life shall be but a death and this world a hell vnto you But if on the contrary side yee shall for the Lords sake and in obedience to his ordinance yeeld subjectiō vnto the higher powers and vnder them liue dutifully in all godlinesse and honestie then shall your consciences testifie nothing but good of you and excuse you vnto God he shall justifie and acquit you your soule shall bee replenished with vnspeakable peace and comfort so as yee shal haue a heaven vpon earth and in heauen it selfe in due time such ioyes as nor eye hath seene nor eare heard nor ever entred into the thought of man To conclude and summe vp all if either we will keepe a good conscience that we may both here and ever be blessed or will avoid the sting of an euill conscience and the miseries that attend vpon it wee must of necessity be subject Yee must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience And thus haue I finished the second part also which is the Necesstie of the dutie It only remaineth now to adde a word or two by way of vse and application There is a generation of whom both St Peter and St Iude speake that despiseth all gouernment and speaketh evill of Dignities cleane contrary vnto the doctrine of my Text which commandeth all to be subject and to honour and obey the Magistrate But these are not all of the same kinde for some despise it out of an erronious judgment others out of an euill habit and custome They that despise it vpon errour are either Anabaptists or Papists The Anabaptists a fanatical fantastical sect vtterly mislike all gouernment and subjection among Christians It is not without cause that S. Iude calleth such kind of people Dreamers for so indeed they are and their dreame is this that Sin is the cause of Subjection and although it were ordained and allowed to the Iewes because they were but infants yet fits it not vs Christians that are in the state of perfection Shall I dispute against this dotage and shew that even among those blessed spirits that are free frō sinne still persist in the truth there are Thrones Dominations Powers Principalities Angels and Arch-angels That if man had continued in his integritie yet government should haue beene inasmuch as man naturally is sociable and disciplinable the morall law commands to honour father and mother the end of gouernment is Peace with Pietie and Honestie and one man euen then should haue stood in need of another That finally there is now as great a necessity thereof as was among the Iews and that the new Testament would neuer haue commanded Subjection or to pray for Magistrates if it were a sin for a Christian to be a Magistrate But I will not vouchsafe them the honour to dispute with them let it suffice in this honourable auditory barely to affirme first that a Christian safely may be a Magistrate secondly that none is fitter then he because no man better knowes the dutie of a Magistrate then he Lastly that no man can so compleatly and perfectly performe the office of a Magistrate but hee because no man vnderstands the true religion which he is to maintaine and by which he is to gouerne but he As for Papists although they doe not thus reject all government yet doe they many waies both in doctrine and practise avile and abase it For first they giue vnto the Pope a supremacie ouer Princes euen vnto Deposition and depresse
given him of his Father he may giue eternall life This I say properly and directly for accidentally he may be vnto some a rocke of offence and the savour of death vnto death namely to all those that shall presume to rise vp against that authority and power which his Father hath giuen him For the further vnfolding of this point foure things are here to bee observed Quid Vnde Quibus Quamdiu Quid what the gift is it is Life Vnde whence it is from the Sonne that hee may giue Quibus to whom it is giuen to as many as thou hast giuen him Quamdiu how long the gift lasteth it is eternall life And of these in order though not according to their worth and desert for who is sufficient for these things yet as it shall please God to enable and assist First Quid what is the gift It is Life Life is double Naturall and Spirituall Naturall is that which things liue by power of nature But this is not heare meant For the Father bestowes this generally on all men whereas the life here intended is to be conferred only on those whom the Father hath given vnto the sonne The Spirituall is likewise double Sinfull or Holy Sinfull is that whereby men liue vnto sinne But because they that so liue are dead vnto righteousnesse the wages thereof is nothing but death neither can this be here meant For this is to be counted rather a Death then a Life whereas the Life here-spoken of is the end wherefore so great power was giuen vnto Christ and so cannot bee but a happy and blessed life The Holy life is therfore here vnderstood a life which none can liue vntill he be dead vnto sinne and elevated by grace aboue nature even that life which in Scripture is called the new life and includeth in it both the life of grace and the life of glory Now because this Spirituall life is denominated Life from the proportion it holds with Naturall life especially that of man vnlesse we first know what this is distinct knowledge of that we cannot well haue any This we cannot know but by the direction of Naturall Philosophy For Naturall life is a terme properly belonging vnto it and the rule of Logicke teacheth that looke to what art the termes doe belong from thence are wee to fetch our demonstrations I must craue pardon therefore if I search a little into it Howbeit I resolue to be very briefe and to trouble you with no more then is necessary for clearing of what is intended Life is of some defined by motion and operation And so seemeth Aristotle to define it where he saith Vivere est intelligere sentire to liue is to vnderstand heare see touch and the like But this definition is more popular then proper For life is one thing the operations of life another and they differ as the cause and the effect Yet because it is best discerned by the operations thereof therefore haue they thought good so to describe it For those things are said to liue which any way moue themselues Moue I say for those things which moue not liue not And moue themselues by an internall principle of their owne For neither doe those things liue which are acted only by an extrinsecall and forreine principle such as was that statue or engine of which the Poet Duceris vt nervis alienis mobile signum and such as are also clocks and watches and the like devices The same Philosopher therefore elsewhere speaking more accurately of this matter defineth life by Being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee to liue is to be Which is not yet Simply to be vnderstood as if whatsoeuer had being had also life but respectiuely vnto things that liue for their life is their being And so much doth the Philosopher himselfe insinuate saying more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life to things that liue is being But such a Being as naturally moueth it selfe Whēce it is not vnfitly defined by one to bee essentia parturiens actiones such a being as is in trauell with action This naturall life is threefold Vegetatiue Sensitiue and Intellectual The Vegetatiue is in Plants that Being whereby they grow and receaue nourishment The Sensitiue is of Beasts Fowles and Fishes that Being whereby they see heare touch tast smell and moue from place to place The Intellectuall is of Angels and Spirits that Being whereby they vnderstand and will These all of them are iointly and together in man For with plants hee hath growth and nourishment with beasts fowles and fishes sense and lation with Angels and Spirits vnderstanding and will Wherevpon it is that the Philosopher maketh the life of man a rule to all the rest And therefore is to be defined Such a Being as is able to produce all these operations but specially those that are Rationall because they are most properly Humane To come then to an issue by all that hath beene said it appeares that to the constitution of the natural life of man and generally of all natural life three things are required Esse Posse Operari being ability and operation Being that there may bee ability and ability that there may be operation For no life where no operation no operation where no ability no ability where no being And such is the naturall life of man Proportionably wherevnto as to me it seemes Spirituall life may thus be defined Such a new or spirituall being as enableth to produce spirituall or supernaturall actions In which definition all those three things necessarily required vnto life are as you see comprehended And first Being not naturall but spirituall superadded vnto nature Superadded then when we are first ingrafted and incorporated into Christ. For no sooner doe we subsist in him but forthwith old things passe away and all things are made new From thence forth become we new creatures new men renewed in the inner man and in the spirit of the minde hauing new hearts new affections new senses all new In a word then are we made Spirituall men not only conformed vnto but also transformed into the image of Christ himselfe Secondly abilitie For together with our new being we receaue also the Spirit of power whereby as while we were out of Christ wee were able to doe nothing so now being in him we are able to all things For then the holy Ghost is pleased to infuse and imprint on our soules the gratious habits of Faith Hope and Charity and the rest and all to facilitate the performance of spirituall duties Lastly Operation without which abilitie is but vaine For to what end is power if it be never brought forth into act Operate therefore it doth and bringeth forth the fruits of spirit loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance and the rest All which S. Paul reduceth vnto three Pietie Sobrietie Righteousnesse
expresly thus saith he we iudge that if one died for all thē were all dead that he died for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe You will say how are we to liue vnto Christ I answere as the body liueth vnto the Soule The Body liueth vnto the Soule when it is serviceable and obedient therevnto especially when it followeth not the sway of inordinate passion but the direction of right reason In like manner we liue vnto Christ when we serue and obey him not living after the flesh but after the spirit For not they that walke after the flesh are in Christ but they only who are lead by the spirit of Christ. S. Peter expresseth it by liuing not to the lusts of men but to the will of God And by and by setteth down the Iusts of men to be the will of the Gentiles namely lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquetings abominable idolatries and the like Vnto all which he opposeth liuing according to God in the spirit Fourthly and lastly hence we may learne humility to ascribe nothing to our owne selues For what are wee in nature but stinking carkasses If we liue it is by the meere grace of Christ. Come vnto him of our selues to be quickned by him we could not It was his Father that drew vs vnto him Not vnto vs therefore not vnto vs but vnto the Father through Iesus Christ bee ascribed the whole praise and glory thereof for evermore And thus much of the second point Vnde whence this life is The third point is Quibus vpon whom it is conferred and bestowed Vpon those saith my Text and all those whom his Father hath giuen him Who are they For of them Christ very often speaketh All saith he that my father giueth me shall come vnto me And againe This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which hee hath giuen me I should loose nothing And yet againe My Father which gaue them me is greater then all And so also sundry times in the sequele of this present Chapter For clearer vnderstanding hereof therefore we are to knowe that there is a double donation by which men are said to be giuen vnto Christ the one Common the other Singular The Common is that whereby the Father hauing given vnto the Sonne all power both in heauen and earth deliuereth all things also into his hand giuing as it were liverie and seizing of them that from thenceforth hee may dispose of them at his pleasure And thus all men whatsoeuer both elect and reprobate are giuen vnto him But this is not here meant as by and by shall appeare Another donation therefore there is more speciall and singular whereby the Father deliuereth vnto the Sonne some of the creatures as vnto a head to be his members or to persist in our present similitude giueth them as a body to the soule to be acted and quickned by him that is to be ruled and ordered not only by the Scepter of his Power but of his Grace and sanctifying Spirit Now who are these Surely not all flesh for all are not vnited to him and so liue not by him Who then They that are elected and chosen vnto life of whom it is said Multi vocati pauci verò electi many are called but few are chosen And that these are here meant plainely appeareth by and by where he saith I haue manifested thy name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the world that is not to all but some only selected and culled from the rest And againe Thine they were and thou gauest them mee How thine By free election and now mine by speciall donation And yet againe I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast giuen me for they are thine Where you see the world distinguished from them that are given him and excluded from being the Fathers together with them Whence it followeth necessarily that the donation here meant is not of all but those only who in speciall sort are the Fathers namely his chosen and peculiar ones For the better vnderstanding hereof and that you may knowe how and in what order the Father is pleased to proceed in this gracious worke thus I take it you are to conceaue thereof First the Father seeing all mankind by the fall of Adam to bee corrupted and in the state of damnation out of his meere mercy and loue decreed not to loose the whole race of man but to renew and repaire againe his image in some of them to the praise of the glory of his grace prouided yet alwaies that his iustice for sinne be fully satisfied Secondly for the satisfaction of his iustice he further decreed to send his sonne into the world that taking our nature vpon him he might therein suffer whatsoeuer was due to sinne and so mediate a peace betweene God and vs. Then thirdly out of the corrupt Masse of mankinde he selecteth and chuseth some particulars even such as he pleaseth with a purpose infallibly to bring them to everlasting life And in regard of this act it is that our Saviour saith tui erant they were from al eternity thine and againe tui sunt by the constant continuation of the same purpose they are still thine In the fourth place those that are thus elected the Father giueth vnto the Sonne to accomplish his purpose vpon them and by vertue of the power and life giuen him to quicken them vnto eternall life Being thus giuen wee are now Christs Wherevpon also the Church is bold and saith My welbeloued is mine and I am his and S. Paul directly affirmeth that we are Christs And being Christs fiftly lastly he actually enliues quickens them raising them vp from the death of sinne and convaying into them the spirit of life in such sort as wee haue formerly declared But doth Christ bestow life vpon all them that are so given him yea verily my text expressely affirmeth it that he should giue eternall life to as many as thou hast giuen him This was the very end wherefore the Father gaue them to him And shall we thinke that the Father tooke not order sufficient for the attaining of his end God forbid For because he would not faile of his end therefore did he giue so great power vnto his Sonne Such power that nothing except he would could plucke them out of his hands and so much life that if hee would hee might giue it in abundance Shall we say that the Sonne though he hath power yet wants will Farre be such blasphemy from vs. For he testifieth of himselfe that hee came downe from heauen with this resolution not to doe his owne will but the will of him that sent him and now that he is come that he seeketh not his owne will but the will of the Father
rutilat palea â—umat in the same fire gold glifters and chaffe smokes pari mâ—tu exagitatum et exhalat horribiliter coenum et suaviter fragrat vnguentum with the same agitation and stirring mire sends forth a loathsome stench and ointment a sweet savour In like manner the same afflictions are vnto the wicked arguments of Gods wrath an act of revenge the satisfaction of iustice an earnest penie of eternall torment and if they take away life a firy thunderbolt driuing them downe into hell but vnto the Godly the chastisements of a louing father corrosiues vnto the flesh exercises of their vertue wormewood vnto the teat to weane them from the pleasures of this world and if they bring death with them a firie chariot transporting them vp into heaven So that in the same punishment neither is the same end intended nor the same effect wrought tantum interest non qualia sed qualisquisque patiatur so materiall is it not what the paines are as what the partie is which â—uffereth What shall we say then This that Abrahams argument is rather passionate then demonstratiue yet such as holy men oftentimes vse in their devotions to God and that without sin Cast mee not off from thee saith David Why not Because I am the workemanship of thy owne hands The reason followeth not for many such haue beene cast off True yet is it a motiue of affection for what pittie is it for one to cast away his owne workemanship So in this case Oh saith Abraham destroy not the righteous with the wicked rather preserue the wicked for the righteous sake Why so Because the iudge of the whole World should doe righteously It followeth not as we haue shewed True not necessarily yet pittying the Sodomites and hauing no better plea for so bad a people he vsed it to stirre affection alas that the righteous should be consumed with fire brimstone from heauen together with the wicked and that by him who is the iudge of the whole world should doe right But whatsoever become of the Consequence and whethersoever it were either defect of iudgement or abundance of passion that framed it sure I am the Antecedent which he layes for his foundation is sound good The iudge of the whole world should doe right and of this briefly and in a word In all states and commonwealths for the better ordering of them and that vice may be suppressed and vertue maintained and every man peaceably and quietly enioy his owne Iudges are in severall places ordeined to heare all causes and according to iustice and equity to determine them Among these there is one who is soveraigne and aboue all vnto whom appeale from all other may be made from whom no appeale vnto any vnder heaven may be made But how many villanies are there committed in the world which never come to the knowledge of the magistrate and so escape without punishment How many noble and vertuous actions are there done whereof no notice is taken or if it be yet the authors neither are nor will be knowne and so passe vnrewarded Iudges themselues doe they not oftentimes either vpon errour and mistaking as men or for fee and favour as corrupt men pervert iustice If appeale be made vnto the supreame power what redresse many times none at all they being the worst of all men witnesse Sardanapalus Caligula Nero Heliogabalus and the like All which considered it cannot bee imagined but that there must needs be an vniversall iudge over the whole world to call all men of what degree soever to account and to render vnto every one according to his workes reward to whom reward and punishment to whom punishment is due This iudge whosoever it be must needs bee of infinite knowledge of infinite wisdome of infinite power Of infinite knowledge to take notice of all the actions of all men whensoever and wheresoever Of infinite wisdome to discerne the sinceritie or hypocrisie of every action and according to the degree of good or evill in them so to proportion iudgement Of infinite power to see the sentence notwithstanding the greatnesse of any yet to be duly executed Of this knowledge this wisdome this power who is there in the world but only God and therefore who can be this vniversall iudge of the whole world but only hee Hee it is whom Abraham vnderstands here when he saith Should not the iudge of the whole world doe right as appeares by that of Saint Paul alluding herevnto Else how shall God iudge the world and this is so cleare a point in Christian religion that he is no lesse then an infidell that beleeues it not As cleare a point is it that this iudge in all things doth right I or as wee haue shewed he is essentially iust and whatsoever he doth of the necessity of his nature must needs be so So that as the Sunne cannot possibly bee the cause of darknesse nor the fire of coldnesse nor a sweet fountaine send forth bitter streames no more can be who is iustice it selfe doe any thing that is vniust Hence is it that in scripture he is stiled the righteous Iudge and that Saint Paul saith Absit Farre be it from vs to say there is vnrighteousnesse with God This notwithstanding some Atheist happily who thinkes the Intelligence that moues the wheeles of this nether world to bee not Divine Providence but Blinde Fortune only will obiect and say If there be such a generall iudge of the whole world and he so iust a judge how comes it to passe that so many wicked men liue and die without punishment As for example that bloudy and sacrilegious tyrant of Sicilie Dionysius Him as Cicero saith never did Iupiter dart with his thunderbolt nor Aesculapius kill with a miserable and lingring sicknesse but he died quietly in his bed and in triumphant manner was brought into his graue and the power which by horrible wickednesse hee had gotten he left to his sonne as a iust and lawfull inheritance To this I answere first if men could see the secret stripes and lashes which a guilty conscience inwardly giues the soule of the wicked they would never thinke that they escaped without punishment For certainly Qui peccâ—t paenam meruit qui meruit expectat qui expectat iam dedit he that sins deserues punishment he that deserues it lookes for it whosoever lookes for it already feeles it Secondly if God here in this world publikely should reward the good and punish the wicked men would thinke there were no other happinesse nor misery then that of this life As therefore God sometimes holdeth his Sessions here on earth iudging the wicked and causing publike execution to be done vpon them that men may know there is a God that iudgeth the earth so sometimes he reserueth them vnto the generall affizes of the last day to teach vs that besides temporall there is an eternall reward and punishment to be expected after this life
our charge and withall in a provident and honest care for those who belong vnto vs and depend vpon vs The fourth and last and chiefest in the knowledge of the true God and in the serving of him in a true manner with a perfect heart and a willing minde which is the summe of Davids Catechisme composed for the vse of his sonne Solomon For intellectuall wisedome S. Paul himselfe was brought vp at the feet of Gamaliel a famous Lawyer that he had well studied the Greeke Poets appeares by his quotations of them vpon severall occasions and had he beene altogether ignorant of Philosophy he could not at Athens at that time the most renowned Vniversity of the world haue incountred the Philosophers both of the Epicureans and the Stoicks being sects of contrary opinions but bending and banding there forces both together against him The first fruits of the Gentiles who by the conduct of a starre came from Persia to adore our Sauiour excelled no doubt in this kinde of wisedome Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Aegyptians and so we may presume was Daniel in that of the Caldaeans once we are sure that Solomon even in this kinde of wisedome out-stripped all the Children of the East hee was perfectly skil'd in all the properties of vegetables of foules of fishes of beasts and creeping things whereas then the Apostle giues the Colossians a caveat and vs in them that no man spoile vs through Philosophy his meaning is not to checke true Philosophy whereof singular vse may no doubt be made in Divinitie but the errors of Philosophers or their erroneous application of acknowledged truths true Philosophie it selfe being indeed nothing else but a beame of the divine wisedome the dictate of right reason subordinate to supernaturall revelation which I am confident he neuer intended to gaine say or disswade Of Morall wisedome the same Apostle speakes Ephes. 5.15 Walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise and againe walke in wisedome toward them which are without Col. 4.5 Of Ciuill our Saviour Be wise as Serpents but innocent as Doues wise as Serpents for the iust defence of your selues but innocent as Doues that you doe not iustly offend others Of spirituall the Prophet Dauid the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome as good vnderstāding haue all they that doe thereafter And as wisdome excelleth among all other vertues so doth this kinde of wisedome among all the other kinds Velut inter ignes Luna minores As doth the Moone to vs when in a cleare night shee fills her circle among the lesser starres the rest if they serue as dutifull hand-maids to her may be very vsefull but in case they should rebell against her they may proue dangerous hurts rather then helps as a knife in the hand of a child or a sword of a mad-man As then those other kinds of wisedome if rightly applyed are not to be excluded out of my text so this kinde is it which without all doubt is chiefly vnderstood and which we are chiefly to labour for and that we may so labour for it as we come to the end of our desires the meanes to attaine are these Frequent and fervent prayer to which S. Iames directeth vs If any lacke wisedome let him aske it of God without wavering and it shall be given him A diligent and serious study of the holy scriptures whereby David professeth himselfe to haue beene made wiser then his enemies his teachers his ancients A conversation comfortable to our knowledge To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the saluation of the Lord A good vse of afflictions schola crucis schola lucis the schoole of affliction is the schoole of wisedome And lastly a daily meditation of our mortality of the shortnesse of our liues and the certaine vncertainty of our deaths Teach vs O Lord to number our dayes that so we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome And as these are the meanes to attaine it so the fruits of it are good workes which our Saviour calleth oile in our lampes and therevpon those Virgins who provided oile in their vessells for the supply of their lampes are by him termed wise and S. Iames more particularly specifies those fruits The wisedome saith he which is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy good fruits without partiality without hypocrisie It is so pure as it is likewise peaceable without partiality and without hypocrisie And as these be the pretious fruits so the end of this wisedome is saluation from a Child thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise to saluation In reference both to the fruits aud the end thereof the wise Solomon hath given vs in the third of the Proverbs a singular description of this kinde of wisedome yet not single but accompanied and attended on with the other kinds Happie is the man that findeth wisedome and the man that getteth vnderstanding For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver and the gaine thereof then the fine gold Shee is more precious then rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her Length of daies is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace Shee is a tree of life to them that lay hold vpon her and happie is every one that retaineth her Happie is the man that findeth her so he beginns and happie is the man that retaineth her so he ends yea thrice happie shall he be in his life in his death after death in the course of his life shee shall bring him true contentment in the houre of death true comfort and after death true happinesse The first act issueing from wisedome is teaching which though it be not expressed in the English text yet is it necessarily implyed if not primarily intended in the originall word and in some translations we haue it expressed in the very body of the text it selfe as namely in that of Iunius and Tremellius Erudientes teaching or teachers Some there are who desire wisedome for their owne private contentment only this is vaine curiositie some that they may be knowne to be wise this is vaine glory some that they may rise to honour by it this is vaine ambition some that by it they may grow rich this is vaine covetousnesse some that they may profit themselues in the way of godlinesse this is Christian providence and lastly some that they may doe good not only to themselues but to others by teaching and this is Christian Charitie This the Angell foretells in the Chapter here goeing before They that vnderstand among the people shall instruct many and againe in the latter part of the verse immediately following my text many shall runne too and froe and knowledge shall be increased This the Apostle exhorts
affectione commodi that is though in regard of holinesse and righteousnesse he were already peâ—â—â—â—y blessed and arrived at his end yet by reason of thâ—â—pprehension of those vnpleasing and afflictiue evills which now were and yet were more to be vpon him the ioyes delights of heauen were not imparted to him So that the fulnesse and complement of Glory he had not yet attained Which being so the third and last enquirie how hee would be glorified may easily be resolued For as appeares by what we haue said he desires the dispelling and remouing of all those thicke mists and clouds which hitherto eclipsed his Deity that is the deposition not of his Humane nature for that is now become an essentiall part of his Person and shall continue therein vnto all eternity but of all humane infirmities and that low condition to which he had humbled himselfe to the end the glory of his Deity might at length appeare and shine forth most perfectly He desires furthermore that his Father would be pleased to glorifie him by preseruing and supporting him in the last act of his tragedy I meane his bitter agonie and passion by loosing the sorrowes of death and raising him from the graue by taking him vp into heaven setting him at his right hand crowned with maiesty and power and finally by conferring vpon him all glorious endowments both of soule and body and ioyning him vnto himselfe not only by the affection of perfect iustice but of comfort and delight also Hee desires lastly to bee glorified by the full manifestation of his Glory both that which already he had and that which yet he was to haue that not only Iewes but Gentiles also by the mission of his holy spirit and the preaching of his Apostles might know him to be the eternall Sonne of God of the same substance with the Father and no way inferiour vnto him Man also but such a man as is assumpted 〈◊〉 the vnitie of the second person in the Trinitie slaâ—â—â—â—ed and condemned yet iust and innocent dead and buried yet raised vp againe and liuing humbled low yet exalted high even to the highest top of all as hauing a name given him aboue every name And that these things being generally knowne of all he might be magnified and adored of all and at the name of Iesus all knees might bow both of things in Heaven and things in earth and things vnder the earth and every tongue might confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father And thus you see how our Saviour would be glorified The consideraâ—ion of all which may be vnto vs of singular vse and comfort For first seeing Christ who cannot be denyed what ever he demands hath prayed for his glorification what vanity is it for any man to thinke or hope that he can hinder or obscure it Let Iewes persecute him put him to death set a watch about his sepulcher to keepe him down yet can they not let but hee shall reviue and rise againe Though tyrants by open violence oppose the profession of his name and Hereticks by Sophistrie seeke to vndermine it and Antichrist assault it both waies by violence and sophistrie yet maugre all their cunning and malice his Father shall surely glorifie him Yea he is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angells preached vnto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received vp into glory Onely now it remaines to expect and pray for his returne in glory Secondly the Glorification of Christ is the pledge and earnest of our Glorification For had not he risen ascended and beene receiued vp into glory neither should wee The gates of death had beene bard vpon vs and of heaven shut against vs we should haue beene covered with eternall shame and ignominie But now Christ like another Sampson hath broken through the gates of death our head is risen and wee in him Hee is ascended and gone from vs but gone to prepare a place for vs that where he is there we may be also and behold that his glory and beholding it be made like vnto him bearing his glorious image For as now because hee is full of grace wee of his fulnesse receiue even grace for grace so being full of glory of his fulnesse wee shall also receiue even glory for glory Memorable is that saying of Tertullian As he hath left vnto vs the earnest of his spirit so he hath receiued from vs the earnest of our flesh and hath caried it into heaven as a pledge that the whole summe shall one day be reduced thither Rest therefore secure oh flesh and bloud yee haue livery seizan of heauen and the kingdome of God already in Christ. Thirdly Christ so earnestly suing for his Glorification it is our duty by all meanes both to procure and further his Glory which if wee cannot doe in such sort as his Father doth yet are wee to performe it in such a sort as we may If not gloriosum faciendo by bestowing glory vpon him yet gloriosum dicendo by praising and magnifying his glory By faith we are to be assured thereof by confession to acknowledge it by our holy Christian life to testify that the faith of our hearts and the confession of our mouthes accord and agree together and as much as lies in vs to labour that others may glorifie Christ together with vs. Fourthly and lastly as Christ did so are wee warranted by his example to pray for our owne Glorification that God would be pleased to perfect that glory vpon vs which here by grace he hath begunne in vs. Hence is it that the Saints are said not only to loue but also to long for the second comming of Christ as knowing that till then it cannot be obtained that the Church also so earnestly prayes Turne my beloued and be like the Roe or young Hart vpon the mountaines of Bether and againe yea come Lord Iesu come quickly But may we with Christ desire that the Glory begun in vs be manifested vnto others we may For wee are commanded to provide things honest in the fight of all men and to let our light so shine before men that they also may see our good workes Only wee must take heed that wee affect it not from men principally nor make it our maine end for this would be the foule sinne of Vaine-glory but that with Christ wee seeke it of our Father in the first place and to the end that being glorified of him hee may be glorified by vs. For not hee that commendeth himselfe or is commended of others is approued but hee whom God commendeth And so much for Quid what our Sauiour craueth to himselfe Now that he may not be denied his request he presseth his Father with sundry weighty and important reasons all which God willing we will handle in their order The first is drawen from the circumstance of time thus The
reserued vnto that day When the creature shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God and vnto Faith whereby wee see onely as in a mirrour intuitiue beholding of the face of God by vision shall succeed And this is the glory of the Father Now to gloriâ—ie him cannot bee to giue or adde glory vnto him For as we haue shewed he is absolutely Perfect and lacketh nothing and his propertie is to giue vnto all but to receiue from none It is therefore to manifest his glory to make it publikely known throughout the world as if our Sauiour had said Father vnlesse thou glorify me the brightnes of thy glory will exceedingly be eclipsed obscured but if thou glorifie me then shall the Glory bee greatly manifested by me and I shall make it knowne farre and neere among the sonnes of men This being the meaning of these tearmes let vs now examine both the Propositions of the argument aboue propounded trie the truth of them The Maior is That by which I shall glorifie thee and without which I cannot glorifie thee thou maist not deny vnto me An evident and vndoubted truth else never would Christ haue said it especially in a matter so much concerning him For if as Solomon saith the lip of vanity becommeth not a Prince much lesse would it become him who is the wisdome of the Father and very truth it selfe And if nothing can concerne him more then his owne Glorification then certainely to speake sleightly and impertinently in a matter of such moment would haue argued much weaknesse And indeed it is so apparently true that our Saviour only affirmes it without vouchsafing it any confirmation at all as if hee knewe that his Father neither would nor could deny it Neuerthelesse the truth thereof may yet further appeare First by the continuall practise of all the Saints conformable vnto this of Christ. For in all their addresses vnto God they ever vrged him with his Glory as the strongest argument to perswade when the Lord had threatned to smite the people of Israel with the pestilence and to disinherit them because of their murmuring and incredulitie Moses thought nothing would sooner moue him to commiseration and pittie of them then the impeachment otherwise of his honour For saith he the nations which haue heard the fame of thee will speake saying Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware vnto them therefore hath he slaine them in the wildernesse As if he should say thou maist not doe it because it will discredit both thy truth and power Againe Daniel when the seauenty yeares of Iudahs captivity were neere at an end entreateth the Lord to remember them in mercy and to returne theÌ„ backe againe into their owne country But what argument vseth he to perswade For thine owne sake saith he because the citty and thy people are called by thy name As if he should say least otherwise thy Glorie by failing in performance of thy promise towards thy people should bee called into question what Psalme almost is there in which the Prophet David presseth not vpon God this reason Returne O Lord deliuer my soule oh saue mee for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall giue thee thankes Bring my soule out of prison that I may praise thee the righteous shall compasse mee about for thou shalt deale bountifully with mee Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble It were infinite to quote particular passages In a word did not our Saviour when he taught vs to pray direct vs ever to conclude with this argument For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory And did not St Paul according to this direction end his Prayer with ascribing Glory vnto God in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all ages If then others haue mightily prevailed with God in vrging him with his Glorie shall we thinke that the Sonne of God can be lesse prevalent with his Father pressing him with the same argument Father glorifie me for so I shall bee able else not to glorifie thee Secondly the manifestation of the Fathers Glory is the architectonicall and soueraigne end of all things This he himselfe principally intended in all his works this he set vp as a marke for all to ayme at The Lord saith Solomon made all things for himselfe even the wicked for the day of evill The predestination also of the Saints and their adoption to be children by Iesus Christ was as S. Paul testifieth to the praise of the glory of his grace yea of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for euer Amen For to the praise of the glory of his Power all things were created To the praise of the glory of his Wisdome all things are ordered and gouerned To the praise of the glory of his Mercy are wee ransomed in Christ from the bondage of misery And to the praise of the glory of his Iustice are impenitent sinners reprobated and condemned And reason it should bee thus For as out of him all things were educed as being the fountaine and prime cause of all so vnto him it was fit all things should be reduced as vnto the last and chiefest end of all Right even as out of the sea all riuers flow and then reflow back againe vnto it Neither indeed was it possible to be otherwise For God being in himselfe blessed and all-sufficient cannot rest in any thing that is extrinsecall and without himselfe In himselfe therefore he must find it and what other can that be then his Glorie His Glorie therefore did he necessarily propound vnto himselfe as the soueraigne end of all his actions and vnto it here doth our Saviour subordinate his owne Glorification So that hence also the truth of our Maior plainely appeareth that vnlesse the Father will be without his Glory and without his Glory he neither will nor can be he must needs grant to his Sonne that without which hee cannot glorifie him Thirdly and lastly the glory of the Father is most deere and pretious to him It is vnto him as the apple of his eye which at no hand may be touched yea as his very selfe because it is himselfe Hence it is that hee is so iealous of his glory neither can endure that it should be giuen to any other And hence it is also that he threatens never to hold him guiltlesse whosoeuer taketh his name in vaine yea that he will most severely bee revenged of all those that any way dishonour him Because saith S. Paul when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were thankfull c. therefore God also gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their bodies
Yea to two Righteousnesse and true holinesse And if we will proportion them vnto the operations of the naturall life then first answerable vnto the Intellectuall life there is in the Vnderstanding a spiritual apprehension and knowledge of the things of God at least so farre forth as is necessary and in the Will a holy pursuit of that which is good and eschewing of that which is evill Secondly vnto the Sensitiue a wise direction of all the affections vpon the right obiect and a due moderation of them together with a sanctified vse of the senses as seeing hearing tasting and the rest and a right employment of all the members of the body no more to be the instruments of iniquitie vnto sinne but the weapons of righteousnesse vnto God Lastly vnto the Vegetatiue an earnest desire of nourishment by the Word and Sacraments and a continuall growing from grace to grace vntill we come to our full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consistence in Christ Iesus Wherevnto when we are once aspired then beginnes the life of Glory consisting in a glorious being glorious abilities and glorious operations Not that it is another life differing in substance from the life of grace but the same in an higher degree of perfection For Glory is no other then consummate and perfect Grace The excellencie whereof as yet we knowe not but this we knowe that when Christ shall appeare we shall be like vnto him for wee shall see him as hee is And of spirituall life what it is so much For the donation of this life power over all flesh perfect glorification were as my text insinuateth necessary vnto Christ. It is therefore of great consequence and imports vs farre more then our naturall life For that is but our Being this is our Wel being that is nothing but life this is a happy aud blessed life Some sonne of Belial perhaps will deny this esteeming it a sullen sad and miserable life What pleasures say they what delight therein And as for sorrowes besides those the spirituall man as man is subiect vnto as he is spirituall hee hath his proper and peculiar crosses For he is in continuall combate not with flesh and bloud but with Principalities and powers and the rulers of the darknesse of this world and spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places A traiterous Doeg also hee carries about within him ever plotting how to betray him As the two twins in Rebeccas wombe so in him the flesh and the spirit are continually warring one against another that oftentimes as she Why am I thus so he with much anguish cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In a word the feares and horrors and inward perplexities of conscience which times he feeles are intolerable and outwardly he is scorned despised persecuted and troden vnder foot of all So that if it be a life it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a liuelesse life or as it is said of the bow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may â—eare the name of life but in effect it is no other then death But all this notwithstanding I affirme that this spiritual life is of all other the most comfortable blessed For true blessednesse standeth in two things a freedome from the true evill and a possession of the true good The true evill is sinne because it is opposite vnto the nature will of God who is the cheefest good and therefore is iustly attended with another evill which is Gods wrath and eternall damnation Now the naturall maÌ„ that liueth not this spirituall life lieth still in sinne and is liable vnto the wofull consequences thereof and therefore in the mids of all their pleasures must needs be most miserable But the spirituall man no sooner receaues his new being and with it his new life but he receaues also pardon of all sinnes past peccata semel dimissa nunquam redeunt sins once pardoned never returne againe to iudgement It is true if afterward he sinne againe as who sinneth not hee incurreth the wrath of God and deserueth condemnation Yet vpon a new act of faith and repentance wherein God out of his meere grace never fayleth him he receaveth actuall pardon for them also So that to them that are in Christ Iesus and liue not after the flesh but after the spirit there is no condemnation at all Yea blessed are they saith David because their iniquitie is forgiuen and their sinne couered Now sinne being remoued which onely seperateth betweene God and man the spirituall man is restored againe into the grace and fauour of God wherein standeth the true good This David saw and therefore said Many say vnto me who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. And because vnto the complement of true blessednesse knowledge thereof is necessary for according to the old Senarie Non est beatus esse se qui nesciat hee is not happy who knowes not himselfe to be happy therefore hath it pleased God to giue him the earnest of the spirit by which they may and doe knowe what things God hath vouchsafed to giue them Whence issueth and proceedeth first a contentment with our present state bee it neuer so meane For being possessed of the true good the want of these temporall goods cannot much affect vs. Secondly Christian courage both actiue and passiue to adventure vpon and vndergoe any thing rather then to forgoe the good we are possessed of Thirdly tranquillity and peace of minde even in life and death For knowing that being iustified from our sinnes by Faith wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord how can wee bee without that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Lastly hope that maketh not ashamed For out of the experience of the present favours of God we gather assurance that we shall not fayle of those eternall ioyes promised vs in heauen The expectation whereof sweetens vnto vs even the bitterest sorrowes of this present life replenisheth our soules with vnspeakable comforts So that howsoeuer carnall and worldly men deeme of it the spirituall life is the most cheerefull and blessed life and a very heaven vpon earth Out of this definition of spirituall life wee may learne first that as by the operations of naturall life wee easily discerne who liues it so may wee as easily by spirituall actions iudge who liues the spirituall life By their fruits saith our Saviour yee shall know them Doth any man heare see talke walke argue and the like hee liues Lies he senslesse without breath or motion he is dead In like manner he whose workes are only carnall and sinfull or at the best but ciuill and morall is though aliue vnto sin yet spiritually dead Were he spiritually aliue hee would proceed further to the acting of holy and spirituall operations Which wheresoeuer they be truly and sincerely acted
Adam the tenour whereof runnes thus Hoc fac vives Doe this and thou shalt liue hee gaue it not vnto the person of Adam alone but vnto all those that were in his loines even to all his posterity who had the law printed in their hearts by nature In like manner when Christ commanded the Gospell of Faith and repentance to be preached he limited it not vnto a few but said vnto his Apostles Goe teach all nations and goe into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto every creature Neither from the law nor from the Gospell was any man excepted God is no accepter of persons the hand that swaies a scepter and that diggeth with the spade are both alike vnto him Idem ius Titio quod Seio one rule vnto all whether they be high or low noble or base rich or poore learned or vnlearned bond or free young or old of what state age sexe or condition soever they be God hath not strowed the way to Heaven with roses for great ones to dance vpon and with thornes for the meaner sort to tread vpon neither hath hee appointed a spacious and broad way for some and a strait narrow way for other some to passe vnto life everlasting by For the waies of the Lord are strait waies and as betweene two points there can be but one strait line drawne so can there bee but one strait way that leadeth vnto life Vno quisque modo bonus est mutisque nefandus a man may be wicked many waies but he can bee good only one way A thousand byâ—pathes are there which lead vnto destruction and but one only right path that leadeth to salvation For there is but one body and one spirit and one hope in which all are called one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of vs all in a word one Blessednesse which is the end and one Religion which is the way to that end through which way every man of necessity must passe that meaneth to arriue at that end Now I beseech you all that heare mee this day of what place soever you be whether high or low that you will be pleased every one to apply this individually and singularly vnto himselfe and to take notice that none of you can come after Christ but only by the same way Every one must deny himselfe every one must take vp his crosse daily every one must follow Christ or else yee cannot possibly come after him There is none of you so meane whom God overseeth or neglecteth none so great whom he priuiledgeth or exempteth And thus much of the generality of the Counsell The Forme of words in which the Counsell was deliuered is if any will let him which as wee haue said importeth the liberty of them that are counselled For it is as if our Saviour should thus haue said Behold I tell you all plainely no man can come after me vnlesse hee deny himselfe take vp his crosse daily and follow me Now if any will thus come after me I giue him good leaue let him doe so for my part I will neither force him from me nor after me if he come he shall come willingly If any will let him First therefore Christ putteth off and forceth no man from him For God would haue all men to be saved and to come vnto the knowledge of the truth neither is he willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God nay he sweares as he liues hee will not the death of a sinner but that the wicked turne from his way and liue And certainly seeing man is the creature of God and creation is the first emanation issue as it were of his loue it cannot be that hee should delight in his destruction He made not death as the wise man saith and when he inflicts it alienum opus facit he doth a worke not so pleasing him for he had rather shew mercy then execute iudgement Hence is it that he standeth at the doore of our heart and knocketh yea that he continueth knocking vntill his head be filled with dew and his lockes with the drops of the night that he requesteth vs so louingly to giue him entrance Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled promising so bountifully that if wee shall open vnto him he will come in vnto vs and sup with vs and wee with him and threatning vs that as if we come vnto him wee shall finde refreshment so if wee draw backe his soule shall haue no pleasure in vs. Neither let vs thinke but that God meaneth seriously in all this for otherwise he should but mocke and deceiue vs pretending one thing and intending another and which I tremble to speake playing the hypocrite and dissembler with vs. Besides this he should make vs the ministers of the Gospell no better then false witnesses vnto him testifying things that are vntrue and which he never purposed whereas God being omnipotent needeth not our lye and being truth it selfe will not compasse his end by a lye Finally if Christ with his hands should push from him those whom by his word he inviteth to him then they that come not are the more excusable for every one may plead for himselfe that he suffered violence and Christ himselfe hindred him whose force no creature is able to withstand Christ then forceth no man from him If so whence then is it that many who are invited come not I answere the fault is in themselues they will not come I called saith Wisdome yee refused I stretched out my hand no man regarded yee set at naught all my counsells and would none of my reproofe And againe I called saith God and yee did not answere I spake and yee did not heare but did evill before mine eyes and did chuse that wherein I delighted not Wherefore he protesteth by the prophet Osea Perditio tua ex te Israell thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israell and complaineth by the prophet Ezechiell why will ye dye ô house of Israell as if he should say if yee dye it is because yee will needs dye They refused to harken saith Zacharie and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law In like manner in the new testament How often would I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not Marke the words I would therefore Christ forceth no man from him yee would not therefore the fault is in our selues The Pharisees and Lawyers saith St Luke reiected the counsell of God against themselues our Saviour testifieth of the Iewes that they would not come vnto him that they might haue life
were crept into the Church as needed Reformation and many worthy men that feared God earnestly wished and longed for it yet because it could not be obtained at the hands of those that then swayed in the Church it is true some Heroicall spirits of our side not without the singer of God attempted it and by Gods blessing effected that which the Saints of God reioyce to see and none but Superstitious and Idolatrous Papists greeue and repine at Howbeit they never tooke vnto themselues the name of Reformers but ascribed the whole worke vnto God and wee blesse his holy name for vsing them as instruments therein In regard whereof I see no reason why wee hauing reiected and pared off all those errours wherewith you had corrupted the true religion may not tearme our selues Reformed Catholikes as well as you still retaining them and resoluing to settle vpon your dreggs call your selues by the name of Roman Catholikes But a Roman Catholike you say you meane to keepe your selfe during life and it is likely you will doe so indeed First to avoide the imputation of inconstancie if you should returne to vs againe secondly because I see how obstinately you refuse to beleeue whatsoever wee say though never so strongly proved You adde that so doing if otherwise your life hinder not as you hope it shall not you shall enioy everlasting life after this Wherein I Will not be your Iudge You are servant vnto another and for me you shall stand and fall to your owne Master Only I would advize you not to be too confident For first whatsoever your life bee as I haue said it is as hard for you to attaine everlasting life in a Church so fearfully infected with so many pestilent and deadly heresies as it is for a man to escape with his life in a pest-house Secondly adhering vnto the Church of Rome conforming your selfe vnto the practise thereof you must needs make your selfe guilty of horrible idolatries many waies Whereof vnlesse you timely repent it cannot be but such a life must needs hinder your salvation Lastly although perhaps to many simple people that liue in Spaine or Italy where such meanes of knowledge cannot so well be had it may please God to be mercifull and gracious if they hold the Foundation and bee willing to know if they had the meanes yet I feare much of our English Recusants who liue in the bright sunshine of the Gospell and haue the meanes daily offered vnto them least their obstinacy in reiecting thereof and refusing to see worke vnto them in the end everlasting destruction Certainly if any of you be saued it is not by those doctrines wherein you differ from vs but those only which you hold in common with vs. Especially for that when you lye vpon your death-beds and perceiue that shortly you must yeeld an account of all whatsoever you haue done in the flesh you then thinke it good with all speed to turne Protestants that is to renounce all your owne works as insufficient to iustify you before God and to put your whole affiance vpon the mercies of God through the merits and obedience of Christ alone both for Iustification and Salvation For indeed this is a sure and a safe way even by the confession of Bellarmine himselfe By reason saith he of the vncertainty of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaineglory it is the safest course to set our whole affiance on the mercy and goodnesse of God alone And the like safety doe others of your side yeeld vs in other things also as namely in forbearing to make any image of God in worshipping none but the holy Trinity in praying vnto none saue only God in Christ in the marriage of Ministers and other such things as it is easy to demonstrate but that it is now high time to come to a conclusion Only I would haue you carefully to obserue that even they who perswade you to stick close vnto the Popish Faith sticke not themselues to acknowledge the Protestants Practise both in life and death to be many waies the more safe And thus much in Answere vnto this second Schedule It remaineth that I earnestly intreat you in the name of the Lord Iesus and as you tender the everlasting salvation of your soule that you would please to bethinke your selfe a little better of your present estate then heretofore you seeme to haue done You haue suffered your selfe now a long time to be lead vp and downe in the mist of I know not what generalities a path which they that loue to deceiue vse much to tread in They tell you of Vniversality Antiquity Succession Consent and the like and you presently beleeue them But what security haue you in so doing for infallible they are not If they bee matters of so great consequence it were good you knew thē yourselfe that you need not trust the vncertaine reports of others Know them your selfe you cannot vnlesse you acquaint your selfe with all the records of former times and search into them with much diligence and attention for otherwise you may herein also soone bee deceiued But this would proue too long and tedious a course for you and alas the well is deepe and you haue not wherewith to draw What then Surely you haue a shorter way if you would follow it For as Moses saith The commandement is neither too high for you nor farre off You need neither to mount vp into heaven nor to passe beyond the seas for it It is very neere vnto you For you haue at hand the Scriptures of God search them and therein shall you surely finde eternall life By them and no other did the ancient Fathers confute all the heresies of their times vnlesse happily they had to deale with such Hereticks as reiected the Scriptures And to this end were they written that the man of God might bee made perfect and wise vnto salvation Yea but they are obscure darke equivocall ambiguous subiect to divers constructions and each sect pretendeth to confirme their errours by them Strange that they should be the testament of our Father and the instrument of contract betweene Christ and his Spouse and yet they should bee drawne vp so perplexedly and doubtfully that by them neither can the children certainly know what legacies are bequeathed to them nor the Spouse what conditions are agreed vpon betwixt her and her husband But marke what farther followeth hereof For if the Scriptures bee indeed such as you say then haue not Papists any certain ground at all for their Faith Yes will you say the Church But shee speaketh not by her selfe but her heralds and particular messengers and I would faine know what assurance you can haue that they passe not beyond their commission or deliuer not some other errant besides that they are charged withall The Authority also and Vnerring power of this Church had neede to bee most soundly demonstrated I doubt of it how can you
fearfull ends And indeede to what end hath God put into the heart of man this passion of feare but to decline and avoid all such euills as would destroy him or afflict him Take away feare and men will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despise all danger and run headlong into all mischiefe but feare is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a preseruing nature as saith the philosopher inclining and perswading man carefully to keepe himselfe from dangers If then to come to an issue yee will not worke mischiefe vnnaturally vnto your owne selues if yee will avoide the Magistrates fury if yee will not incurre the rigour of the law nor fall vpon the edge of the sword of justice yee must needs be subiect But what need will some man say so much to feare the Wrath of the Magistrate May not a man hide his counsells so deepe and carry his actions so cunningly that nor witnesse nor Iudge shall know them If they come to light and bee discouered doth not greatnesse breake through lawes as wasps doe through cobwebs May not judges jury witnesses by friends fauour bribes be corrupted Are pardons impossible to bee obtained from Princes Nay suppose the worst that the penalty of the law can by no meanes be escaped what care they for fines and amercements who are content to beggar themselues to enioy their pleasures What for shame and ignominy who are growne impudent in all wickednesse What for death who count it worse then death not to liue as they list and to bee barred from their desires For there haue beene who haue said moriar modo regnet let mee dye so he may be King and aut Caesar aut nihil an Emperour or nothing To all this I answere briefly first trust not vnto secrecy but remember what wise Solomon saith Curse not the King no not in thy thought neither the great one in thy bedchamber for the foule of the Heaven will carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall declare the matter Secondly hope not for impunity many as great as gratious as wealthy as thou haue failed thereof and how knowest thou but one time or other thou maist meete with one who will accept nor thy person nor thy fee but will say vnto thee with Saint Peter thy mony perish with thee Lastly if any haue so farre put off naturall affection as not to feare Wrath chusing rather to fall into the hands of justice then to be restrained from his wickednesse let such a one know that what Wrath cannot yet Conscience should worke in him For here it must freely bee confessed that Wrath of it selfe is not sufficient it striketh at the branches not the roote and endeavoureth to reforme outward actions but reacheth not vnto the cause which is inward corruption Which remaining in vs Wrath happily may make vs more wary in offending but cannot worke in vs a loue of goodnesse and a desire not to offend at all Wherefore God in his deepe wisdome hath thought it good to binde vs vnto subiection not by a single but double tie and vnto Wrath to adde Conscience Yee must needs be subiect not only for wrath but also for conscience Conscience is that facultie or power of the Practicall vnderstanding in man whereby he is priuy to all his actions whether they be immanent and conceaued within as thoughts or emanant and issuing forth as his words and workes This Conscience is then said to be bound when by him who hath power and authority ouer it it is charged to performe its dutie that is to beare witnesse of all our actions vnto God and according to the qualitie of them to excuse or accuse vs for that these are the duties of conscience plainely appeareth by that of S. Paul their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing or excusing This charge is then laid vpon the Conscience after that by the same authority man himselfe is bound for man being free Conscience also is free but man being bound by a law Conscience stands bound also But who is the binder of the conscience God without question He is the Law-giuer saith S. Iames that can both saue and destroy and he as S. Iohn saith is greater then the conscience But can the Magistrate also by his lawes binde the conscience Papists attribute vnto vs the Negatiue that they cannot themselues hold the Affirmatiue that they can and warrant it by this my Text Yee must bee subiect for conscience Vpon this plaine song sundry of them descant very pleasantly but none plaies the wanton more then Doctor Kellison who inferres that we despoile Princes of authority and superiority and giue subjects good leaue to rebell and revolt that we bring Iudges and Tribunall seats and all lawes into contempt that no Prince can rely on his subjects no subjects on their Prince or fellow subjects in a word that wee take away all society and ciuill conversation To all which I answere breefly First suppose the maine ground were true yet neither can they proue it out of my Text nor doe such absurdities follow therevpon Out of my Text they cannot proue it for that only affirmes that the Conscience is bound but determines not that mans lawes bindeth it Neither doe such absurdities follow for albâ—it wee should deny man to be the binder yet doe wee freely professe that the Conscience is bound which is enough But we answer farther that they much abuse vs for we deny not rem that they binde onely wee differ from them in modo maintaining that they binde not in such manner as they teach They hold that mens lawes binde non minùs guà m lex divina equally with Gods lawes so that were there not any law of God binding to Subiection yet mans law of it selfe and of its owne power would binde This we deny teaching contrarily that humane lawes binde the Conscience not immediatly but mediatly not primarily but secundarily not in themselues of their owne power but in the force and vertue of Divine law Divine law I say whether that which is imprinted in the heart by nature or that which is revealed vnto vs by Scripture both which command Subiection This truth in fâ—w words thus I demonstrate First if mans law immediatly binde the Conscience then is euery transgression thereof without farther respect vnto Gods law a mortall sinne But so it is not for according to St Iohns definition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin is a transgression of the law meaning not mans but Gods law only in regard whereof St Augustine saith more expresly Sin is dictum factum concupitum any saying doing or coueting against Gods law Besides if man of himselfe without respect vnto Gods law can binde the conscience then either is he Lord of the conscience and may himselfe conuent it examine it take its testimonie and accordingly proceed to sentence either of life or death both vpon body and soule or he hath power to command God to sit in