shall be saved and no other Ye see brethren what a large field I haue to expatiate in but the time forceth me to be briefe In other Churches vpon whom the Crosse now lieth heauily this theam perhaps requires a larger handling yet is it not vnseasonable in this our peace to touch it in a few words in regard of the hopes of our enimies and our owne feares if need be to prepare vs for the Crosse. And thus much of the second counsell The third and last is let him follow me This many happily would thinke and many indeed doe thinke to be all one with comming after Christ for what is it to follow but to come after Were it so then were I here to make an end But I suppose there is a farther matter intended in it and therefore let me intreatâ— your patience to adde a word or twaine concerning it Wee are to follow Christ non pedibus sed affectibus not with our feet but with our hearts and affections and we are to follow him Docentem Ducentem both teaching leading vs. For it might be demanded if we must deny our owne selues that is our reason and wills with all their ability and power who then shall direct vs who shall guide vs For our minds being blind we cannot of our selues see the way and our wills being in bondage vnto sin we cannot walke in the way Wherevnto Christ readily returneth this plaine answere Follow me I will be your Teacher I will be your Leader First then Christ is our Teacher even hee who is every way most sufficient to teach He is the eternall word of his eternall Father the very Truth it selfe and the substantiall Wisdome of God He is made of God the grand Counseller of the Church the Angell of the covenant the Apostle of our profession the only Prophet and Doctor of the Church He came out of the bosome of the Father and knoweth all his counsells in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and he hath received the Spirit without measure Being therefore such a Teacher him are we to follow and we are to follow his teaching Audiendo credendo by hearing and beleeuing whatsoever he saith The divine oracle from heaven expressely commandeth vs to heare him This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased heare yee him And our Saviour affirmeth that whosoever are his sheepe heare his voice and will not heare the voice of any other implying that whatsoever heareth him not is none of his sheepe But it is not sufficient to heare vnlesse we also Beleeue that is assent to all that he saies assuring our selues that whatsoever hee affirmes is true and whatsoever he commands is iust To beleeue is the first ground of Christianity He that beleeueth not cannot vnderstand the mysteries thereof O portet discentem credere he that will be a scholler must beleeve his Master if hee will not hee deserues to bee turned out of schoole Christ will not be argued with be it aboue reason or seeme it against reason yet will he be absolutely beleeued And reason for being God who neither can deceiue nor be deceived his bare word is more certaine then a thousand demonstrations Certainely they are none of Christs sheepe that doe not Beleeue and without Faith it is impossible to please God to be iustified in his sight or to obtaine life everlasting Therefore whosoever will come after Christ must thus follow him docentem teaching So must he also Ducentem follow him Leading Hee leadeth and guideth vs two waies Spiritu Exemplo inwardly by his Spirit outwardly by his example By his Spirit first For as Saint Paul saith As many as are lead by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God but if any haue not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Now as the word of Christ sounds outwardly to the eare so doth the Spirit of Christ speake inwardly to the heart He helpeth our infirmities and after a secret and vnconceivable manner suggesteth and putteth good motions into our minds exhorting and persuading vs to the practice of all holy and good duties Which direction of the spirit we are to follow Obediendo by obedience Not to obey the good motions of the Spirit is to resist him to greeue him and to quench him but to cherish the sparke that he hath kindled in vs and to yeeld obedience vnto his holy inspirations and perswasions this is indeed to follow him Which if we doe not wee are yet in the flesh and if wee bee in the flesh we are not in Christ Iesus for they only are in Christ who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit As Christ leadeth by his Spirit so doth hee also goe before vs by his Example Longum iter per praecepta breve efficax per exempla the way of precept is long and tedious but of example short and effectuall But whose example are we to follow Mans It is not safe for be he neuer so good yet may he erre himselfe and mislead vs. Gods That indeed is safe because he cannot erre nor misguide vs but he is invisible cannot be seene Therefore he became man that being visible in the flesh he might giue vs example Which we are to follow imitando by imitation For as Augustine saith Summa religionis est imitari quem colis It is a chiefe point of religion to imitate him whom wee worship But wherein are we to imitate him In creation of the world in redeeming mankind in meriting for others In working miracles and the like as it is reported of that mad Salmoneus Qui nimbos non imitabile fulmen Aere cornipedum cursu simularat equorum who would needs counterfeit Iupiters thundring and lightning by driuing his chariot over a copper bridge darting torches at the faces of men No if wee would burst our selues with pride we cannot imitate God in these things Potestas subiectionem maiestas exigit admirationem neutra imitationem saith Bernard the power of God requireth subiection his maiesty admiration neither imitation How then Appareat Domine bonitas tua cui possit homo quia ad imaginem tuam creatus est conformari let thy goodnes o Lord appeare wherevnto man being created after thine owne image may be conformed To be breefe wee are to imitate Christ in all those holy duties which hee commandeth and whereof he hath made himselfe an example They are all summed vp in one word Obedience this hee commanded this he practised And he practised it both actiuely and passiuely and in both is he to be imitated He obeyed the law of his father the Morall law as being the sonne of Adam the Ceremoniall as being the sonne of Abraham And this actiuely exampling vs to walke even as he walked in all duties by God enioyned vs. It would bee too long to particularize in all those
shall be not propter but secundum opera according to his works according to the matter of his worke so shall be the substance of his reward according to the manner of his worke the kinde of his reward and according to the measure of his worke the degree of his reward As a man soweth so he shall reape that 's for the kind and he that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly he that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully that 's for the degree If a cup of cold water shall not passe without a reward much lesse he whose whole study hath beene to aduance Gods glory in the works of charity and piety There is no question but the confessors who for the profession of the truth patiently endured stripes banishment imprisonment confiscation of the goods and the like and much more the holy Martyrs who chearefully sealed it with their bloud shine more gloriously then ordinary Christians There is no question but the Patriarchs the Prophets specially Abraham the father of the faithfull shine more gloriously then ordinary beleeuers no doubt but Lazarus and Abraham were both in glory yet Abrahams condition was of the two the more eminent There is no question but the blessed virgin the mother of our Sauiour a chosen vessell full of grace highly favoured blessed among aboue women shineth more gloriously then Mary Magdalen or other women There is 〈◊〉 question but the Apostles of Christ who not only laid downe their liues for the testimony of the truth but were in a manner the first founders of Christian religion and the Secretaries of the holy Ghost being specially inspired for the penning and publishing of those sacred Oracles which they recommended to posterity and are now extant for our saluation shine more gloriously then ordinary Professors in which regard our Sauiour at his comming to judgement assignes them twelue thrones as assessors with himselfe in a speciall manner Lastly there is no question but those faithfull Pastors who like sacred lamps spend their oile and consume themselues to ashes to giue others light and to direct them in the way to heauen by their pens and tongues teaching and turning many to righteousnesse shall shine more gloryously then those Disciples who by them are turned but haue neither faculty nor authority to teach and by teaching to turne others Here then is our comfort incouragement that howbeit from men we haue many times very little thankes for our great paines in teaching yea even from those we haue taught and endeavoured to turne nay though â—â—steed of thanks the world frowne vpon vs and raise stormes against vs yet our reward is the contentment of a good conscience in the discharge of our duty here and that shining crowne of glory hereafter laid vp and promised to them who are faithfull to the death who haue fought the good fight and haue finished their course Our trust assurance is that the lesse thanks and reward we haue on earth the greater our reward shall be in heauen and the more that those whome we haue turned vnto righteousnesse shall increase in number in knowledge and in obedience the greater shall the augmentation of our reward be and lastly if in glory we shall know one another as good Diuines probably coniecture for that we shal vndoubtedly know our Sauiour in regard of his humane nature and the Apostles present at his transfiguration perfectly knew Moses and Elias though they had neuer seene them before if I say we shall then and there know one another it cannot be but a great addition to our happinesse to see and know them in the same state with our selues of whose conuersion vnder God we haue beene the happy instruments The last considerable point in this reward is perpetuitie they shall shine as the starres for euer euer for though the degrees thereof be different yet are â—â—â—y all equall and agree in duration and therefore are they all by the purchaser of them called mansions not houses because they euerlastingly abide or houses not made with hands but eternall in the heauens for here wee haue no coÌ„tinuing citie but we seeke one to come this world passeth away with the lust and fashion thereof but that which is to come is laid vpon sure foundations whose builder and maker is God and as is the maker so is the citie as the citie so the citizens as the citizens so the state of glory all correspondent each to other all euerlasting the shining is for euer and euer without variation without diminution without intermission The moone is sometimes waxing and sometimes waining but with these starres it is not so they are allwayes in the full the sunne it selfe is somtimes eclipsed by the interposition of the body of the moone betweene vs it but with these starres it is not so they neuer loose their light nay those visible starres in the firmament which we now behold shining so brightly shall one day fall from heauen but these starres shall neuer fall Stella cadens non est stella cometa fuâ—t if they fall they were neuer starres and if they be starres they shall neuer fall Euen thâ—â—tarres fixed in the firmament of heauen which are but shadowes and resemblances of these blessed starrs in that ordinary course of nature wherein Almighty God hath set and setled them could neuer of themselues either fall or faile according to that of Siracides At the commaundement of the holy one they will stand in their order and neuer faint in their watches Agreeable whereunto is that of the Prophet Dauid speaking of the kingdome of Christ His seede shall endure for euer and his throne as the sunne before me it shall be establshed for euer as the moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heauen and in another Psalme praise yee him sunne and moone praise him all yee starrs of light He hath established them for euer and euer he hath made a decree which shall not passe Though then at the dissolution of all things Ignea pontum astra petent these starrs we now gaze vp on with a delight mixed with wonder shall by the extraordinary power of that hand which made them be againe vnmade and cast downe from heauen yet these wise these teaching these iustifijng starres resembled by them shall neuer faint but shine in the fulnesse of their strength for euer and euer they shall neuer wander as the planets but remaine for euer as fixed starres to them it shall neuer be said as to Lucifer How art thou fallen from heauen O Lucifer sonne of the morning Esay 14.12 Adam might and did fall from paradise The Angels both might did fall from their first habitation but these starres shall neuer leaue their stations If here they be preserued safe in the right hand of him who is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Reuel 1.16 much more shall they there bee out of gun-shot out of all doubt or feare or possibility of
Scripture vnto all which I briefly answer thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I looked that they should punctually conclude Ergo Reading is no kind of Preaching but they insteed hereof substitute another conclusion Reading is not all that Preaching that is required in a Minister which who denies For wee freely confesse more is required then ability to Read except only then when sufficient Ministers or there where sufficient maintenance cannot be had In such a case better a Reader then none to publish Gods word to baptize children to administer the Communion and to performe other necessary duties which but by a Minister may not be done As for the descant vpon this plainsong what did Christ command no more then to come with a book in ones pocket and to read fairely from what spirit it proceeds I will not say sure I am it is a stale popish iest Thinkest thou saith Stapleton vnto Whitaker when Paul preached vnto the Gentiles to convert them hee deliuered them the booke of the old Testament or recited and read the same vnto them But besides testimonie of Scripture they vouch the authority of the booke of Homilies and Canons whereof the one distinguisheth Readers from Preachers which were great wrong vnto them if they be Preachers The other forbiddeth Ministers to preach in private whereby I may not so much as read a chapter in my house if Reading be Preaching This argument I thinke themselues make as little reckoning of as they doe of the authority whereon it is grounded For it is a plaine fallacy of Equivocation and they must needs be very blinde if they discerne it not For when our Church putteth a distinction betwixt Readers and Preachers shee vnderstandeth Preaching in the strict and speciall signification for one kinde of Preaching namely interpreting or making of Sermons And in this sense it is most true Reading is not Preaching and very simple must he be that holdeth bare Reading to be the making of a Sermon But when we say Reading is Preaching we vnderstand Preaching in a more large and generall signification as by and by you shall heare wherevnto because they speake not they speake not to the purpose Furthermore this doctrine say they is a maintainer of Idlers and dumb dogs and soule murtherers what not Pax mifrater good words I pray you for these are but the evaporations of a hot braine Farre be it from vs by any meanes to maintaine any such kinde of Cattle Wee wish with all our hearts that not only all Ministers but all the people of God could prophecie Howbeit were there not an idler nor dumb dog nor soule-murtherer as these men are pleased to tearme them in our Church yet if publicke Reading continue and I hope it will continue so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth Reading will ever bee a kinde of Preaching In the meane season I could wish that they who are so eager against dumbe dogges would sometimes remember to turne the edge of their tongues against bawling curres also with whom the Church of God is as much pestered as the other those I meane who behaue themselues so audaciously confidently in the pulpit yet haue neither the learning nor the wisdome to speake humbly discreetly and to the purpose One argument yet remaines Preaching was before the word written but before writing Reading could not be Reading therefore cannot be Preaching Pardon me my brethren if I call a spade a spade and in plaine English say this is a meere Popish argument For in like manner reasoneth Charron a French Papist to proue that Faith is not taught by Writing or Reading The Scripture saith he came but late into the world and the world had beene without it for the space of two thousand fiue hundred yeares namely all the time from Adam to Moses If then in the meane while the Faith was published to the world and receaued by it it could not bee by the word written or read which then was not but onely by the word preached and heard But in the same sort as Francis Iunius confronteth Charron so will I answere these men First although before Moses no part of the Canon was written yet happily there might be other godly and holy bookes penned out of which the true faith might be learned Secondly grant that at that time nothing at all was written yet the argument followeth not The world was a long time without Scripture Ergo neither now is it the purpose of God to teach by Writing or Reading For contrarily seeing it hath pleased God of his goodnesse at length to commit his word vnto writing it is manifest that he now intends men should learne the knowledge thereof even by Reading also Wherefore I conclude that as before Writing there was happily but one kinde of preaching namely speaking to the eare so now since the time that Gods word hath beene written there are more kindes then one namely speaking to the eye too Thus hauing remoued these rubs as it were out of our way let vs proceed in Gods name to maintaine the truth propounded that Reading is a kind of Preaching wherein I must intreat you againe againe not to mistake me as if I held bare Reading to be all that Preaching which is required in a Minister or that it is the making of a Sermon that is the expounding of a Text deducing of doctrines and particular application of the same by way of exhortation Farre be such vanitie and folly from mee What then Surely by Preaching generally I vnderstand the publishing or notifying or making knowne of Gods word Which seeing it may be done by sundry waies meanes as inwardly outwardly publikely privately by word by writing by speaking by reading by Catechizing by conference and the like I boldly affirme that there are diverse kinds of Preaching and that Reading is one of them And least any man should thinke I stretch the word Preaching too farre bee it knowne vnto you that I doe no more then Martin Bucer sometime Divinity Reader in Cambridge as he is cited by D. Whitgift hath long since done before me for as he granteth that there are sundry sorts of Preaching so among them he reckons Reading for one And whatsoever some punies avouch to the contrary I dare engage all the poore skill I haue in languages vpon it that the originall words vsually translated Preaching as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the new are not in Scripture no nor in other writers restrained vnto the mouth or scholying vpon a Text but are of far larger extent and capacitie even such as wee haue aboue deliuered So that to come to an issue when we say reading is a kinde of preaching our plaine meaning is that it is a way or meanes by which the word of God is pubâ—lished and made knowne Which being so what is it my bretheren that so much offendeth and angreth you Is it the inconvenience of the
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
with his owne sword And as for humane learning it is not only lawfull but in some cases necessary For as Logick teacheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man can demonstrate passing from one kind vnto another but looke to what science the tearmes of the question belong from thence only are proofes to be drawne Which being so how can I handle the question of Freedome of will without naturall Philosophy whereunto that tearme belongeth And how can I better demonstrate that the law Morall is written naturally in the heart then by the testimony of those men who were never by grace elevated aboue nature Wherefore if there be any who condemne the vse of humane learning in Sermons it is saith Gregory Nazianzene because them selues are ignorant and would not haue their ignorance espied If this be your mind will some yet say what is it then your dislike First I dislike that that should be called eloquence which is not so as being neither approved by the precepts of those who haue written of Oratory nor exampled by the practise of those who haue bin esteemed the most famous Orators When holy Spiridion heard Triphyllius call that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Saviour called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though both words signified the same thing yet be sharpely rebuked him saying doest thou think thou canst speak better then Christ himselfe What would he haue said thinke you if hee had heard Coton the French Iesuite preach of the Escalados of vertue and the Barricados of greedy desire and call Iesus Christ the Dolphin of heauen Surely it is the language not of Babylon but of Canaan which the holy Ghost hath sanctified for the preaching of the Gospell Secondly I mislike that frothie conceits and wittie vanities should be counted learning For true learning is substantiall and reall bettering the vnderstanding and making the heart wise but these toyes stand only in seeming tickling the eare making the head giddy but neuer feeding the soule Learning you may call it if you please howbeit as Saint Paul saith it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 science falsely so called which he would haue his Timothie carefully to avoid Thirdly and lastly it displeaseth me that herein they propound to themselues not Gods glory or the edification of the Church but their owne praise applause To what end else this vaine ostentation of wit eloquence reading and all variety of learning Wherein first they prevaricate with Christ pretending to woo the soules of men vnto Christ but indeed intending to win reputation to themselues Secondly they fayle the hope and expectation of their brethren who repairing to them for instruction receaue no more benefit by their Sermons then Caligulas guests did by his golden banquet which onely delighted the eye but neither pleased the palate nor satisfied the stomacke Wise and wholsome is the counsell of S. Hierome when thou teachest in the Church non clamor populi sed gemitus suscitetur stirre you vp not the applause but the grones of the people lachrymae auditorum laudes tuae sint let the teares of the auditory be thy praises If thou canst with Peter pricke the people at the heart and make them say Men and brethren what shall we doe If by discoursing of righteousnesse temperance and iudgement to come thou canst make Felix tremble thou shalt both glorifie God and procure honour vnto thy selfe But if neglecting the glory of God thou ayme at nothing but thine owne praise and commendation God will surely poure downe contempt vpon thee For his mouth hath spoken it Them that honour me will I honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Thus to avoid contempt it is necessary we be good Ministers It is necessary also that we be Good men Although intruth I see not how a man can be a Good Minister vnlesse withall he be a Good man For if he defined rightly who said that an Orator is vir bonus dicendi peritus a good man skilfull in pleading what should let but I may as truly say a Good Minister is vir bonus docendi peritus a good man well able to teach And if the Goodnesse of a man be principally discerned in the honest discharge of the duties of his Calling hardly can that Minister bee a Good man who doth not faithfully execute the office of his Ministrie Neuerthelesse to speake distinctly of them it is necessary as wee haue said for the avoiding of Contempt not only to be Good Ministers but also Good Men practising in our selues what wee teach vnto others and framing our liues answerable to our doctrine This was typed by Aarons Vrim and Thummim which hee was to carry in the brest-plate vpon his heart for the one betokened light and verity of doctrine the other vprightnesse and integrity of life The same was also signified by the golden bells and pomegranates hanging round about vpon the hemme of his priestly vestment for the bells are no other then the sound of wholsome preaching and the pomegranats then the fruits of good liuing As it was typed in the old Testament so is it expresly commanded in the new St Paul instructing Timothie and Titus how a Bishop should be qualified requireth of him that bee bee not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blamelesse and faultlesse Neither so only but that in all things he shew himselfe also a patterne of good workes And with him agreeth St Peter who chargeth those that are Elders that they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samplers vnto their Flock And whensoeuer in Scripture a Minister is commanded to teach or feed the people of God it is intended if we may beleeue ancient Fathers that they doe it by all meanes and therefore not only by preaching sound doctrine but also by leading an exemplarie life If all the faithfull must shine with good workes as lights in the world how much more they who by office are the very lights of the world He was a wise naturall man who said Longum iter per praecepta breue efficax per exempla the course by precept is long and tedious but short and effectuall by example And he was no foole that said he had rather see one Calanus willingly put himselfe into the fire then heare a Philosopher read a hundred Lectures of patience For indeed as St Bernard saith validior est vox operis quam oris workes perswade more powerfully then words And therefore with Gregory Nazianzen doe I say to thee ô Minister whatsoeuer thou be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either teach me not at all or let thy holy life teach me why drawest thou me thus with one hand and puttest me off with the other They iested anciently at those who were Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their sayings but not in their doings And the Poet could say Odi homines ignauâ operâ
the limitation of this wisdome for it is not boundlesse and infinite but as vnto the sea so vnto it also terms are set which it may not passe Pone modum Prudentiae set a measure to thy wisdome saith Salomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not wise aboue that thou oughtest to be wise saith Saint Paul And the Philosopher makes it an extreame of Wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be wise aboue measure What then is the measure what is the limit of wisdome Be Serpents saith our Saviour yet Doues be wise yet innocent Be yee wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues Bee innocent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word derived from the privatiue particle ae and the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifying simple without mixture or from the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a horne signifying Harmelesse or Hurtlesse The Syrian translation turnes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect entire vpright Tota innocentia saith Augustine ad vnum verbum Iustitiae redigitur innocence is nothing else but justice and elsewhere Innocentia est quae nemini nocet nec nocere velit innocence is that which neither doth nor will hurt any Be innocent then and innocent as doues Not as serpents in the winter time which though they sting nor then being benumb'd with cold yet are full of venome but as Doves which are vtterly void of malice and haue no desire to hurt For the nature of the Doue is described in this one Distich Est sine felle gemit rostro non laedit vngues Possidet innocuos puraque grana legit shee is without gall mourneth hurteth not with her bill hath harmelesse clawes and feeds on pure graine So that all these things considered Doue-like innocencie consisteth in these three things first to doe no hurt secondly to doe all good thirdly to doe both with all sincerity To doe no hurt that we be not vitious to doe all good or else we are not vertuous and to season all with sincerity or else it is counterfeit vertue and so double iniquity And these duties are to be performed not only to those that are of the house-hold of faith by reason of that mysticall vnion that is betwixt vs and them in Christ but generally also vnto all men being made of the same moulds and vnited into the brotherhood of the same bloud So then Innocency is vnto Wisdome as Hercules pillars beyond which it may not passe and our Saviour alloweth men to be wise with Innocence and for Innocence but not against it But what if by Innocence I cannot escape the danger must I still persist in mine Innocence If Iobs wife may be judge she will say Doest thou still continue in thine vprightnesse Blaspheame God and dye But Iob telleth her in so saying shee is but a foolish woman For the law of God is eternall immutable inflexible and the breach thereof is sinne and the least sinne is greater then the greatest of other evills as being most repugnant vnto the nature of God and therefore most odious vnto him In regard whereof the true Saints of God would not for a million of liues forgoe their Innocencie David though he had both opportunity and power yet would he not to secure himselfe lay hands on Saul according to the ancient proverbe saith he let wickednesse proceede from the wicked but my hand shall not be vpon him Though he kill me yet will I trust in him saith Iob. If I perish I perish saith Hester when shee was to doe a necessary but dangerous duty Wee are not carefull to answere thee in this matter neither will wee worship thy Idolls say the three children though threatned otherwise to be cast into a fiery furnace And the prince of Conde being commanded of three things to chuse one either perpetuall imprisonment or death or to goe to Masse Masse quoth he I never will the other two I leaue to the Princes pleasure But what speake I of Saints Even heathen men acknowledge that Innocencie is to be held notwithstanding all outward evills It is better saith Socrates to suffer then to doe wrong There are some things saith Aristotle to which a good man must never suffer himselfe to be constrained but rather endure all extremities yea death it selfe Wherevpon Socrates I would rather dye a thousand times then forsake my station And another the veriest coward in the world am I to doe evill and yet another it is not the part of a vertuous man to say this I will not suffer but this I will not doe And Fabritius obtained that honourable testimony of his enimy Pyrrhus that the Sunne would sooner goe out of his course then hee stray out of the way of honesty So that by the testimony both of nature and grace the law of innocencie is no Lesbian rule flexible to all occasions but according to the old saying Fiat justitia ruant caeli justice must be done though vpon doing the same heaven and earth come together If this be so will some men say how then can wee be both wise and innocent at once Very well for as Ambrose saith individuum justitiae prudentiae contubernium wisdome and innocence are inseparable companions For first a man cannot be truly innocent except hee be wise For in all vertuous actions Prudence of necessity must be the director seeing it is the eye of the soule without which nothing can be done cum electione modo vpon choice and in measure Wherevpon saith Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is impossible to bee good without wisdome Secondly neither can a man bee wise without innocence For although there be a wisdome equivocally so called by reason of the resemblance it hath with the true wisdome being able both to finde out and to menage convenient meanes vnto worldly and evill ends yet this Saint Paul calleth the wisdome of the flesh and Saint Iames an earthly sensuall and divelish wisdome But the true wisdome is from aboue therefore pure peaceable easy to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without judging and without hypocrisie that is in one word innocent Hence is it that the Scripture tearmeth Sinners Fooles because they are not innocent and the feare of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the top of wisdome because it is Innocent Hence also it is that Moses telleth the Israelites their wisdome consisted in obseruing the commandements of God and that David saith by them hee became wiser then his teachers wiser then the ancients And the same David hauing advised Princes and Iudges to bee wise and learned addeth presently kisse the sonne intimating thereby that wisdome cannot be without religious innocence So that as innocence cannot bee without wisdome so neither can a man bee wise without innocence And here in the very light of nature accordeth also with scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle it is impossible for a man to be wise and not good
justice is executed religion is maintained and humane society preserued To procure these things and to attend the publike good as it is a worthy so it is also a difficult worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee may not sleepe all night that hath taken charge of a common-wealth and they that haue worne it haue both felt and confessed that a Diadem is no small burthen so that it is not without cause that in the holy tongue the same word signifieth both an honour and a burden For this worthy worke so difficult vnto the Magistrate so profitable vnto vs what duty are wee to returne Even hearty thankfulnesse and all possible requitall Verball thankes are due yet are they alone too sleight a reward for so great a worke wee are farther to requite him in our liuelodes with tribute and custome as the Apostle chargeth and that not niggardly and only to supply his necessities but bountifully and proportionably vnto his state and dignity Nay because otherwise wee can never make him full satisfaction and were owe even our very selues vnto him even our selues must wee bestow vpon him and bee ready to doe him service with the expence not only of liuelode but of life also Dignus est operarius mercede sua the labourer is worthy of his hire But aboue all wee must ever remember to make our addresses and prayers vnto God for our Kings all that are in authority vnder them that God would giue them to vse the words of Tertullian vitam prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum a long life a secure raigne safety at home valiant armies abroad faithfull counsellors good subiects and a peaceable World And thus haue I finished the first part of my text which is the Duty Subiection The next part followeth which is the necessity thereof for it is not an arbitrary duty nor left indifferent vnto our choice whether wee will be subiect yea or no but necessity is laid vpon vs yee must needs be subiect saith our Apostle or as it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of necessity yee must be subiect But what May not a man refuse to be subiect if he list Doubtlesse he may How then is it necessary as you say not arbitrary For clearing of this point it may please you to remember that there is a double Necessity the one Absolute and Simple the other Hypotheticall and Conditionall Simple Necessity is that which cannot otherwise be being infallibly and immutably determined vnto one and such necessity of subiection is not here meant for it is manifest by experience and the more is the pitty that too many too often refuse to be subiect Conditionall necessity is that which Simply considered may bee otherwise but such or such things being supposed cannot be otherwise and this Necessity is here vnderstood as appeareth by the very text yee must needs be subiect not only for wrath but also for conscience as if he should say if either yee will avoide wrath or else will keepe a good conscience of necessity yee must be subiect So that wee are bound to Subiection by a double tie the first is Humane the second is Divine the Humane is the Wrath of the Magistrate yee must needs bee subiect because of wrath the Divine is Conscience towards God yee must be subiect also because of conscience And of these two briefly Wrath is a passion seated in the Invading part of the soule of man whereby hee desireth to keepe off or to remoue whatsoeuer is nociue hurtfull vnto him that by way of invading and assaulting him who either would doe or hath done vs hurt For as man naturally desireth to preserue and keepe that good whereof hee is possessed and to obtaine that farther good which he seeth to bee convenient for him so if any goe about to bereaue him of the one or to barre him from the other presently the bloud begins to boyle about the heart and anger so inflames him that he cannot let him alone but must needs resist him and set against him with all his might Hence is it that the philosopher calls anger cotem fortitudinis the wheâ—stone of courage and divers define it to be appetitum vindictae desire of revenge How truly and philosophically I despute not sure I am revenge vsually waites vpon wrath and our Apostle ioynes them both together a revenger saith he to execute wrath Now the Magistrates duty is to procure the publike good videre nequid respub detrimenti capiat to provide that the common suffer no detriment or harme If therefore any shall hinder the publike good or shall worke any disadvantage or dammage vnto the state the wrath of the Magistrate ought to burne against such a man And as God when his lawes are broken or himselfe any way dishonoured waxeth angry with man so these Gods on earth these vicegods when men by contemning their authority and denying them due subiection goe about to disturbe and set combustion in the state haue iust cause to be angry and to seeke revenge vpon them But Wrath and desire of revenge in him that wanteth power is vaine and foolish according to that of the Poet Quid stulti proprium non posse velle nocere it is the property of a foole wanting ability to desire to doe hurt but in him who hath not only will but strength and power also to be revenged it is dangerous and terrible Fulmen est vbi cum potestate habitat iracundia it is no lesse then thunder and lightning when anger and power meete together And such is the wrath of the Magistrate the wrath of a Prince is as the roaring of a lyon and the anger of a King is as messengers of death saith Salomon For lawes haue ever beene backed with severe penalties as mults imprisonment banishment dismembring torments death yea cruell kindes of death as appeareth by the lawes of all other nations and those of Moses also whereof God was author The reason is because men are wild beasts and would desperately breake through all lawes were they not so curbed restrained bona est ars terrere ne pecces it is great wisdome to terrify to the end that men sinne not But what are lawes vnlesse they bee duly executed Surely but scarcrows and bugbeares therefore vnto the Magistrate is the due execution of them committed and into his hand is the sword of Iustice put not to let it ly rusting in the sheath but to draw it forth against offendors and that first for the satisfaction of iustice that the party delinquent may receiue condigne punishment and then for the example of others that Israell may see and feare For although paena ad vnum the penalty light but on one yet metus ad omnes it is intended for the terror of all not to walke in those waies which leade vnto so