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
tearmes or the vntruth of the proposition For indeed I finde you so variable and vncertaine that I know not well where to finde you Is it the language that seemeth so harsh and jarring to your eares It seemed not so vnto the ancients who made no scruple to speake so Learned Hooker who carefully inquired into this businesse hath obserued to my hands divers passages The Councell of Vaux saith If a Presbyter or Minister cannot through infirmity preach by himselfe he may preach by his Deacon reading some Homily of the Fathers Where note by the way that if reading an Homily bee Preaching Reading of Gods word is much more The Councell of Toledo also calleth the Reading of the Gospell Preaching So doth Isidor and Rupertus likewise the reading of a Lesson in the Church And a right learned Lawyer of our own country hath obserued it also in the Law Quae Prophetae Vaticinati sunt populis praedicare id est legere to preach that is to read vnto the people what the Prophets haue foretold Thus they But if it be so inconvenient to say Reading is Preaching why doe you yourselues call Preaching Reading For doe you not in ordinary speech call your Preachers Lecturers And what is that but Readers And when you would knowe who preaches is it not your manner to aske who reades And the Sermons of a Preacher doe you not style them his Lectures or Readings But to leaue descanting besides that the Originall words as we haue said include both Reading and Sermoning let it in particular be observed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Scripture indifferently vsed for either As namely in one place of Esay it is said The book is deliuered to him that is not learned saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Read this I pray thee but in another place the Lord hath annointed me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preach or proclaime the acceptable yeare Neither is it to bee neglected that from the selfe same root commeth also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scripture Thus the ancients sticke not to call Reading Preaching Neither sticke they to call Writing Preaching Iustin Martyr saith that the very writings of the Gentiles preach iudgement to come Clemens of Alexandria Ambo verbum praedicant c. Both preach the word one by writing the other by voice and the science of Preaching availeth both waies whether it worke by the hand or by the tongue S. Augustine also They who vnderstand these things produnt ea caeteris notific or preach the same vnto others either by speaking or writing Vnto these ancients our moderne writers agree Duplex est praedicandi modus Sermo Scriptio there is two sorts of Preaching Speech and Writing saith Iunius And againe who dare say S. Paul preached not when as he wrote vnto the Corinthians woe is me if I preach not the Gospell Dr Fulke S. Paule did preach the Gospell also by writing Dr Whitaker The Apostles were commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preach or make Disciples tum voce tum scripto both by voice and writing Dr Iohn Reynolds I who now cannot with my voice as heretofore through the infirmitie of my body evangelizo manu ac scriptione preach yet with my hand and writing as well as I can Gomarus There are two kinds of Preaching Enuntiation and writing Zanchie not only approueth it but proueth it too Goe teach all nations saith Christ here is a dutie commanded Lo I am with you to the end of the world this is a promise annexed With whom is he with the Apostles How long vnto the end of the world Therefore must they preach to the end of the world They cannot by word of mouth for they must die By Writing therefore Finally the booke of Homilies and the learned Translators of our last Bible affirme the same The booke of Homilies in the Law written with his owne finger that in the first table in the beginning thereof is this doctrine against Images not briefly touched but at large set forth and preached The Translators The seaventie Interpreters prepared the way for our Saviour among the Gentiles by written Preaching as S. Iohn Baptist did among the Iewes by vocal And thus if either ancient or later Divines knew how to speake fitly it cannot be inconvenient or scandalous to call Reading or Writing Preaching What then Is there vntruth in the proposition If so then haue all those worthies aboue cited spoken not only inconveniently but vntruly also But I beseech you my brethren doe you indeed thinke Reading is no way a publishing or making knowne of Gods will I can hardly beleeue it When God first commanded the law and afterward the Sermons of the Prophets and successiuely the whole Canon of Faith to be written the old Testament in the vulgar language of the Iewes the new in the tongue that then was most generally vnderstood what was his intent and purpose therein Was it not to endoctrinate his Church that we through patience comfort of the Scripture might haue hope When the Septuagint by the speciall providence of God translated the bookes of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greek and the whole body of Scripture vnder Christianity was so carefully turned into all languages was not the one done for the information of those Iewes that were Hellenists and vnderstood not Hebrew and the other for the instruction of such Christians as knew no other but their mother tongue Doubtlesse it was For translation say our last learned translators is it that openeth the window to let in the light that breaketh the shell that wee may eat the kernell that putteth aside the curtaine that wee may looke into the most holy place that remoueth away the couer of the well that we may come by the water Furthermore what is the reason that so many graue and learned men haue in all ages published so many excellent bookes and that Preachers also not content to haue spoken by word of mouth vnto their auditory cause their Sermons to be set forth in print vnto the world Is it not that they who never knewe nor heard them may yet reape benefit by their writing True it is that neither Originall nor Translation nor any booke whatsoever can availe if it be locked vp in a chest or laid on a deske and never be opened or looked into God therefore commanded in the old Testament that the law should be read both publikely privately and Christ hath ordained the same in the new And S. Paul when he wrote his Epistles meant not that they should lie still vnder seale but saith he when this Epistle is read among you cause that it bee read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that yee likewise read the Epistle from Laeodicea And againe I adiure you by the Lord that this Epistle be read vnto all the holy
say ordinarily beget Faith work Repentance and breed sanctity and newnesse of life not so Reading May it please you then to tell vs for our better satisfaction what such coherence there is betwixt Sermons and Faith which is not betwixt it and Reading And what that intrinsicall and proper quality of Sermons is whereby Faith is begotten which is not also to be found in Reading Is it in the doctrine and matter of Sermons It is the very same which wee read Is it in the arguments and motiues whereby they perswade We read either the same or as forcible in the Scripture What then Is it in the vtterance voice gesture behauiour or credit of the Preacher Much lesse for then should we be beholding for our Faith to accidents more then substance to the plausible inticements of humane wisdome rather then the evidence demonstration of the spirit Wherein then lies the vertue Forsooth in Gods blessing for Preaching is the ordinance of God and he hath promised to blesse it But stay my bretheren is not Reading Gods ordinance also And doth God having imprinted in it such an aptnesse and fitnesse ordinarily to beget Faith either curse his owne ordinance or suspend the operation of it so as it shall never worke but only extraordinarily What shall I say When they haue answered what they can vnto the question the summe of all as Hooker obserueth will be this Sermons are and must be the only ordinary meanes but why and wherefore we cannot tell And so I passe from the first argument drawne from the aptnesse and fitnesse of Reading to produce all these kindes of Faith Now in the second place I dispute ex concessis from that which is yeelded and granted by the adversarie First it is granted by Hieron and we haue proued it by the testimonie of M. Fox to be true that many of our forefathers in the blinde time of Popery were converted to the true Faith by reading only This say they was extraordinary but I infer that therfore it was ordinary For if reading be excluded sermōs be the only ordinary means it will follow that the Church at that time was without the ordinary meanes for wholsome Sermons then were not to bee had But it is a strange point in Divinity that the Ordinary meanes should at any time fayle in the Church and I presume when that fayleth the Church of God will fayle also If so then is there some other ordinary meanes besides Sermons and what can that bee but the written word and the Reading thereof It is further granted and that rightly that whosoever readeth the Scriptures or heareth them read is therevpon bound to beleeue And this is so cleare a truth that Whitaker could not forbare to charge his adversary Stapleton with much folly for holding the contrary Sic tu planè desipis saith he Art thou so very a foole as to thinke that the word of God hath no authority or bindeth no man to beleeue but then when it is preached Certainely if the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles was to be beleeued when it was deliuered by them in their Sermons it is as much now to be beleeued when it is convayed vnto vs by way of writing and reading Wherevpon saith Caluin Although the Apostles be dead yet their doctrine liueth flourisheth and it is our dutie to profit by their writing as much as if themselues were now publikely speaking before our eyes Vnlesse therefore Gods word cease to bee his word when it is read an obligation in reading is laid vpon vs to yeeld all credence and obedience vnto it Now God bindeth not but by a commandement He commandeth therefore to beleeue by Reading What Doth he command vs to beleeue by a meanes that is vtterly vnable and vnfit to worke beleefe And doth hee daily and hourely tye our Faith vnto that which hee meanes not to blesse vnto that end but once as it were in an age and extraordinarily Questionlesse seeing God hath ordained that his holy Scriptures be ordinarily read both in publike and private and hath bound vs all to beleeue whensoeuer we either read them or heare them read it cannot be but that Reading is an ordinary meanes to beget faith and that God will alwaies vouchsafe to blesse his owne ordinance to the same end In the third place I vrge the testimonie and authoritie of holy writ But happily so doing I may be counted in the number of those vile men who like venomous spiders suck poyson out of the sweetest flowres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the die is cast and angry speeches may not hinder me from maintaining truth by the word of truth When all Israell saith Moses is come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse thou shalt read this law before all Israell in their hearing Gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and obserue to doe all the words of his Law Here in expresse tearmes the Reading of the law is commanded and it is particularly commanded to this end that men may learne thereby What the feare of God and obedience to the Law God therefore hath appointed Reading to be an Ordinary meanes of conversion It is answered that such Reading is meant as was accompanied with interpretation So they dreame indeed but in the text there is no mention of interpretation Neither is it likely seeing now the whole law was to be read at once as is aboue said and the scantling of time would hardly beare any exposition Howsoeuer sure I am the holy Ghost ascribeth the effect vnto Reading and I thinke hee both knewe and meant what hee said In the Prophecie of Ieremie God commandeth the Prophet to write all his Prophecies in a booke that all the house of Iudah might heare them read for it may bee saith God that hearing they may returne every man from his evill way that I may forgiue their iniquity and their sinne According to this commandement Ieremie dictates all the Prophecies vnto Baruch Baruch writes them and being written reads them in the house of the Lord. Here againe Reading is commanded by God and to the same end that the people thereby might bee moued to repentance To this they answer first that God speaketh after the manner of men True when he saith it may be as if he knewe no more then man what the effect would bee Yet is it plainely intimated that Reading is an ordinary meanes of repentance Secondly say they Ieremie had preached the same before and so they are Sermons that are commanded to be read Be it so Yet then the very Reading of Sermons may worke Repentance which the Preaching of them could not To say nothing that these Sermons written were Gods word both for matter and manner so that if the Reading of them might be
beseech you beloued brethren tandem hoc agamus let vs at length attend the businesse which Christ hath charged vs withall What errand hee hath put into our mouthes that and no other let vs freely deliuer And let vs striue to deliuer it in such manner as may make most to our end that is the building vp of men in their most holy Faith This shall we the better doe if we looke vnto Christ and what forme he vsed A better precedent can we not possibly follow for neuer spake man as he did Him did the holy Apostles make their patterne and by vertue thereof converted the world vnto the Christian Faith If we looke vnto any other and for the pleasing of them forme our Sermons after the humour of those whose humour we should rectifie neither shall we please God nor happily in the end them A certaine Painter hauing with all his skill drawne two pictures as like as possibly hee could reserued the one in his chamber and set forth the other on his stall to the view and censure of all that passed by and whatsoeuer they misliked he would with his pencill alter according to their iudgement vntill it was growne every way deformed At length setting forth his other picture by it and the people commending it as an exquisite peece condemning the other as a deformed monster yet that quoth hee I drew according to your judgement this according to my owne art and skill Certainely certainely if we shall attend the seuerall censures of our auditors and patch vp Sermons according to their liking monstrous and enormious must they needs bee Much better were it therefore by our owne art our art being learned from the example of Christ and his Apostles to frame all our Sermons so shall wee gaine many soules vnto Christ and purchase to our selues true praise with God and in the consciences of all good men What though this way we cannot make so much shew of learning and eloquence Yet therein shall we be like the Apostle S. Paul whose preaching was not in the entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit Yea like vnto Christ himselfe who though hee were rich yet made himselfe poore that he might make many rich In a word let vs duly remember that although we be dispensers of heavenly treasures yet is it the pleasure of God wee haue them in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may be of God and not of vs. But of what Iesus spake enough After he had spoken these things then hee lift vp his eyes and prayed Not but that without Prayer he was able to effect what he prayed for For being perfect God and the absolute dispencer of all grace wee cannot without fearefull impiety thinke that out of infirmitie he seekes that by request which of himselfe he could not accomplish No but as Ambrose saith though he were Potestatis author Lord of power yet would be Obedientiae Magister the teacher of obedience by due performing his owne dutie For as we haue said he was a Priest and the duties of Priesthood are three Docere Orare Sacrificare to teach to pray to sacrifice As for the first he hath already carefully taught them and giuen them the words which his Father gaue him As touching the third hee was now ready to offer vp himselfe as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of the world for so saith he by and by Father the houre is come Betwixt these two intercedit intercessio he maketh humble suit that both the one and the other might be effectuall to the eternall saluation of all those whom his Father had chosen out of the world and giuen vnto him And thus as in Christs Priesthood so also in his practise Preaching and Prayer were vsually ioyned together What Christ therefore hath conioyned let no man dare to put asunder The dispensation of the Word and Prayer are by the ioint testimonie of all the Apostles the two principall offices of the Ministery Hardly therefore can they bee divorced without maiming or mangling thereof As in Preaching we are the mouth of God vnto the people so by Prayer ought we to bee the mouth of the people vnto God By the one we teach them the will of God by the other we blesse them in the name of God As we are bound to plant and water by Preaching so are we by Prayer to mediate vnto God for increase For that will affect but coldly except this quicken and inflame it It is not the Word or Prayer severally but the Word and Prayer ioyntly that both sanctifieth the Creature vnto vs and the people vnto God Whence it followeth also that as the Minister is to Preach and Pray so are the People to Heare and Pray For Preaching is to no purpose without Hearing and to what end Praying in the Congregation if none concurre with him Heare therefore they must that they may beleeue for Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God And Pray they must both for their Pastors faithfully and diligently to dispense the word of truth amongst them and for themselues that God would open the eares of their hearts also that what they heare may be even the savour of life vnto life vnto them This condemneth all those who either out of a disrespect of Preaching are all for Prayer such as were the ancient Euchetae and too many also amongst vs now adayes or out of a contempt of Common Prayer are all for Preaching seldome presenting themselues in the Church vntill the Preacher be in the Pulpit No marvell if the Hearing of the one be fruitlesse seeing they despise the Prayers of the Church by which the blessing is obtained and if the Prayer of the other be vneffectuall seeing they little regard Preaching by which it is to be guided But here happily it will be demanded whether of the twaine Preaching or Prayer is the more noble A question much debated of late and with too much faction and vehemence Wherevnto this I haue to say that if the cōparison be intended betweene Preaching and the Prayer of private men without doubt Preaching is the more excellent For it is publike and therefore more profitable A publike embassage from God and therefore more honourable then a private supplication vnto God To say nothing of the more solemne promise made vnto it of shining as the brightnesse of the firmament and the starres for ever and ever Yea but Preaching is subordinate to Prayer and the end is more worthie then that which is subordinate thereto Nay but it is preordinate rather as the Intelligences are to their orbs or Prudence vnto vertuous actions Or if it be subordinate yet is it in order to the chiefest good as the kingly office is vnto meaner trades for the publike weale and the Mediation of Christ to the salvation of man for the glory of Gods grace which yet are not therefore inferiour But if
world make a flourish to the contrarie expressely confesseth that the Spirits of the Patriarchs and Prophets before the comming of Christ were not so worshipped and called vpon as the Apostles and Martyrs now are because as yet they were detained in those infernall prisons where they had not the beatificall sight of God Now if the Patriarchs then saw the face of God as farre forth as the Saints doe now as indeede they did the argument is so much the stronger if yet all that while they were never called vpon In the new testament likewise we finde no warrant for it even by their owne confession And Salmeron the Iesuite rendreth reasons thereof For saith he the Iew that never had called vpon any of the Patriarchs or Prophets would hardly haue beene drawne to pray vnto those newer Saints the Gentiles would haue thought that insteed of those many Gods which they had forsaken a multitude of other Gods had beene put vpon them As for the times after Christ and his Apostles it was long before it crept into the Church and when it entred it was but the opinion of some private men and not the publike doctrine of the Church All the Fathers which proued the Deitie of the Sonne of the holy Ghost by this dutie of Invocation must needs if they will not contradict themselues be against it So must they also and they are not the least or meanest part of them who held that the Faithfull hence departed are not admitted into heauen but continue elsewhere in some secret receptacles without the vision of God vntill the day of iudgement For vpon that vision even in the iudgment of our aduersaries their particular knowledge of all things here done on earth dependeth vpon this againe their Invocation In a word whensoeuer or howsoeuer it began as it grew on so was it still opposed and neuer gate publike strength vntill the blinde times of superstition overswaied true devotion The cafe then standing thus that Invocation of Saints and Angels is neither necessary nor pious nor profitable but rather impious and extreamely dangerous as being derogatory to the glory of God the honour of Christs Mediation and that no ground or warrant at all can bee found for it either in the old or new Testament or in the writings and practise of those holy Fathers who flourished when the Church was in her primitiue puritie the case I say thus standing our safest course will be to follow the precedence and direction of our blessed Saviour and with him to addresse our selues vnto our heauenly Father and to none other It is he alone who at all times can both heare and helpe Neither is he more able then ready and willing to grant our requests if we come vnto him in his sonnes name Night and day he stretcheth out his armes towards vs he invites vs with all louingnesse to come vnto him hee chargeth and commandeth vs in all our needs and necessities to direct our prayers immediatly vnto him Let vs not therefore sollicite any other mediators or spokesmen for vs as if we doubted of his fatherly goodnesse and affection towards vs but let vs rather come directly with all boldnesse vnto the throne of grace to the end we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to be holpen in due season So to doe is not Presumption but Faith and Dutie And so much for the first part of our Saviours prayer Quem orat to whom he prayes The second is Pro quibus orat for whom he prayes Hee prayes for the Church mysticall as some tearme it or as it may more fitly be called for Christ mysticall that is the whole body consisting both of the Head which is Christ and all the rest of his members That it may more fitly bee called Christ mysticall we haue the warrant of S. Paul who expressely calleth it so As saith he the bodie is one and hath many members and all the members of one body though they be many yet are one body euen so is Christ Where by Christ nothing can be meant but the whole consisting both of Head and Members Had the Church as it s distinguished against the Head beene vnderstood hee would haue said as St Austin obserueth ita Christi so is Christs that is the body of Christ or the members of Christ but hee saith ita Christus even so is Christ vnum Christum appellans caput corpus calling both the head and the body one Christ. The same doth St Austin elsewhere also obserue vpon those words of the Apostle He saith not and to seeds as speaking of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ. Now saith he some perhaps will say if Christ be the seed of Abraham are we so also Remember that Christ is the seed of Abraham and if by this wee also are the seed of Abraham then are we also Christ. Vnto this warrant of Scripture adde we the reason thereof that Christ and his Church being twaine and yet constituting but one mysticall body it is fit the denomination of the whole should be taken from the better and more worthy part which is Christ and not the inferiour which is the Church But of this by the way For Christ mysticall then doth our Saviour pray but first for himselfe and then for his members For himselfe from hence vnto the ninth verse for his members from thence vnto the end of the Chapter If any demand a reason of this order I answere first Christ is the more worthy person For hee is Emanuel God-man appointed by his Father to be the Head of the Church and in all things to haue the preheminence And therefore as he hath in our Creed before the Church so in this Prayer also he deserues to haue precedencie Secondly hee knew it could not goe well with his Church vnlesse first it went well with himselfe For vnder his Father he was to be the fountaine of life and grace the vniversall cause of all good vnto his Church and to this end was hee to be annointed of the Spirit without stint or measure So that vnlesse the ointment be poured vpon Aarons head it cannot descend vnto the beard and from thence vnto the skirts of his garment And vnlesse Christ be first replenished himselfe we cannot of his fulnes receiue either grace for grace or glory for glory That therefore it might goe well with vs he prayes first for himselfe But then in the next place he maketh sute for his Church as if without her welfare it could not be well with him For as for her he was incarnate so without her hee counts himselfe imperfect For so it must needs be if as St Paul saith she be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all The reason because he is her Head And therefore though he fill all in all yet without her he wanteth of his owne fulnesse because he
Now the power here meant not being that Essential must needs be this Oeconomicall For other power hee hath none and this he hath receiued thereby to giue eternall life But let vs enquire a little farther into the nature of this power There is a double created Power the one Secular and Mundane the other Heavenly and Spirituall Is this Power of Christ Secular and Mundane Surely such a Power the Iewes expected in their Messias and the Apostles themselues were for a while swaied with the like hope concerning Christ. And now also some Papists there are who for the easier advancement of the Pope therevnto would faine haue it so because as here hee saith Power so else where our Saviour saith All power is given vnto me But for these Bellarmine himselfe may suffice to confute them For saith hee every kingdome is acquired by one of these waies either by Inheritance or Election or Conquest or Donation But Hereditary kingdome Christ had none For although he were descended from David and so was of the blood royall yet that he was next of blood vnto the crowne doth not appeare And besides as touching the kingdome the seed of Iecon David had long before determined in Ieconiah neither was any of his race ever after King King also by Election he was none as appeares by that of Iohn that when he perceiued they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed from them into a mountaine himselfe alone And when he was requested to divide the inheritance betweene two brothers he refused for said he Man who made me a iudge or a divider over you Neither was he so by conquest for he neuer made warre vpon any mortall Prince but only on the prince of darkenesse Nor finally by Donation from God for my kingdome saith he is not of this world and againe my kingdome is not from hence as if he should say a King I am but no secular King Neither did he at any time exercise any kingly power but â—ame rather to minister and to be iudged then to iudge to be ministred vnto Furthermore Kingly authority was neither necessary nor profitable vnto him but superfluous and vnprofitable For the end of his comming was the redemption of mankind wherevnto temporall power was not necessary but only spirituall And whereas it was his office to perswade from the loue of worldly glory wealth and pleasures vnto the contempt thereof temporall power would haue beene not only vnprofitable but also a great let and hinderance therevnto Lastly all the Prophets foretell only of a spirituall and eternall kingdome which should be restored to Israell But temporall is not eternall and how can such a kingdome bee said to be restored seeing it continued still in the hands of the Romans vntill by them they were rooted out from being a nation vpon earth Secular and worldly power therefore our Saviour had none What then Heavenly and Spirituall And this appeareth first by the end of Christs comming and the authority bestowed vpon him For this was Spirituall namely to deliver mankind from spirituall Egypt and Babylon the bondage of Sinne and Satan and to bring them vnto the eternall fruition of God wherein standeth everlasting life Secondly by the meanes appointed for the atchieving of this end For the weapons of his warfare are not carnall but spirituall Outwardly hee worketh through the eare by the preaching of the Gospell inwardly vpon the spirit conscience by the power of his divine spirit wherevpoÌ„ saith the Apostle St Paul The kingdome of God is not meat drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost In a word what more frequent in Scripture then to call this power of Christ the kingdome of Heaven Which what other doth it import then that it is no way earthly but altogether heavenly and spirituall But you will say wherein standeth this Spirituall authority of Christ I answere in two things whereof the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the enacting of wisdome and good lawes For without lawes no kingdome or state can stand And to him alone it belongs to command lawes who is the soveraigne The soveraigne in this kingdome is Christ. He therefore is Legislator the law maker yea as St Iames saith Vnus legislator the only law maker And by vertue of this power hee prescribeth vnto the subiects of his kingdome both credenda what articles we are by Faith to beleeue facienda what duties we are in life to performe All which least any should pleade ignorance he hath caused publikely to be proclaimed both by word and writing And to perswade the readier obedience to them after the manner of all law-makers he annexeth both promises and threatnings promises of rich and plentifull reward to them that shall be obedient threatnings of rigorous and severe punishment to all that shall be rebellious and disobedient To descend to farther particularity would bee infinite I forbeare therefore and passe to the other part of his power which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous iudgement For lawes without due execution are vaine and to no purpose duly executed they will not be vnlesse there be a superior to looke vnto it As therefore Christ is the Lawmaker so is he also Iudge ordained by God according as we beleeue in the Articles of the Creed to be the Iudge both of quick and dead A soveraigne Iudge from whom lies no appeale A righteous Iudge who accepteth the person or none but pronounceth sentence precisely according to the worke According I say to the worke For herein standeth his power of judicature namely in dispencing rewards and punishments according to the observation of his lawes or the transgression of them which ever he doth vpon due cognizance of the cause and conviction of the party A power farre aboue the reach of any other creature and incident only to him who subsisteth in the person of the sonne and that by vertue of such personall vnion So that as the Priesthood of Christ is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot passe from him vnto another by the same proportion his kingly power is so proper vnto him as it is vncommunicable to any other whatsoever And thus much of the first poynt Quid what is given Whence wee may obserue first seeing the Power of Christ as he is man be farre aboue all created Powers yet is not infinite it makes against all those who either swallow vp the humane nature into the divine and so turne it into God such as were some of the ancient Heretikes and among them the Eutychians or who shed and poure out all the divine attributes and so the omnipotence and infinite power of God into the humanity such as are if yet now adayes such there be some of the rigider divines in Germanie If there be such I say For perhaps all the late quarrell risen betwixt them and vs grew
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
all the world knowes that yee are also innocent as Doues we hope wel If yee should be wise and not innocent in what danger were wee poore sheepe whose liues and liuelodes after a sort are in your hands Respect of persons the weight of gifts would make our right to be too much sleighted and we should be but as a prey vnto Wolues Oh therefore let that holy Doue which sometime descended vpon that Innocent Christ Iesus inspire you also with Doue-like innocency that yee may haue both pure hearts and pure hands In the scripture yee are called Gods be yee then as Gods and resemble him And as he neither taketh bribes nor accepteth the persons of men so neither doe you and seeing be hath not chosen the noble or mighty of this world let them not sway you against the righteous cause of the poore Bee you wise as Serpents to discerne where the right lieth and innocent as Doues in doing euery man right Yee Lawyers and aduocates that are so learned in the Law even as wise as Serpents are yee innocent as Doues also I cannot speake vpon knowledge hauing euer liued a monasticall as it were and retired life but the generall voice of the world is No cause so good that you will entertaine without a fee no cause so bad but for your fee you will entertaine selling your tongues to defend vniustice labouring with your best skill to deceaue the Iudge by niceties and tricks to oppresse the iust cause and to overcome truth for falsehood How many are there who after they haue spent most of their thrift and that in iust sutes complaine as the Comicall Poet did My Comedie was the better but my adversaries had the better Actors And thus yee wax in wealth though yee wane in conscience not caring how much yee loose within so yee may abound in riches For as the world iudgeth your end is not to discharge a good conscience by helping your brother to his right but how you may prevaile in your cause be it right or wrong for the filling of your purses So that Serpents yee may be but Doues yee are not and hardly shall a man finde among you one that is both wise and innocent Yee Nobles and Gentles of the land that looke vpon your poore brethren like Anakims as if they were but Grashoppers in comparison of you are you both Wise Innocent or neither It may be some are both perhaps so many as the gates of Thebes or the mouthes of Nilus But as Samuel said vnto Saul standing vpon his innocencie What meaneth then the bleating of the sheep in mine eares and the lowing of the Oxen So may I say vnto you what meaneth the exclamation of the country vpon cruell oppressions intolerable fines racking of rents and the like How wise you are I knowe not but sure I am these are not the fruits of innocencie and so you are not both wise innocent But how many among you are neither nor wise nor innocent Learning and knowledge yee disdaine to haue your selues and yee despise them that haue it◠swaggering swearing smoking of Tobacco carowsing hunting hawking are almost become essentiall to a Gentleman so that perhaps he defined not much amisse who said A Gentleman was a beast riding vpon a beast with a beast on his fist hauing beasts following him and himselfe following beasts And yet forsooth this Gentleman that is nil nisi Cecropides nothing but descended of Trojan blood otherwise hauing not one commendable quality in him will not sticke to outbraue the best and beare him selfe as farre better then other men So did a horse some time I am better then thou for I come of a better fire I feed on better provander I haue richer furniture then thou but quoth another horse vnto him if thou hee better then I come and run with me in like manner say I if yee boast your selues to be the better men let it appeare in the vertues of a man Wisdome and Innocencie Sed lingua quo vadis whither strayest thou ô my tongue I will say no more least I transgresse against the first part of my Text not being so wise as a serpent and yet haue I beene bold to say thus much because I would practise the second part and discharging my duty bee as innocent as a Doue To conclude therefore all in a word I could wish that what Christ hath ioined together no man would put asunder and that as Righteousnesse and Truth so Wisdome and Innocency may kisse each other to the end that being Wise as Serpents our Innocence may bee safe and being Innocent as Doues our Wisdome may bee sauing Neuerthelesse of the two it is better to be Innocent without Wisdome then to be Wise without Innocency lesse Wise so that more honest For as Tertullian saith Praestat minus sapere quà m peius errare quà m fallere better is it to be lesse wise then sinfully wise and to stray our selues then to lead others out of the way The holy Ghost in Scripture is resembled to a Doue appeared in the shape thereof the divell is compared to a serpent and vsed it for his instrument Illa à primordio divinae pacis praeco the Doue in the beginning brought an Oliue branch in her mouth and preached peace vnto the world ille à primordio divinae imaginis praedo the serpent in the beginning plaid the theefe and robbed mankinde of the image of God The Serpent is accursed of God to creepe vpon his belly and to licke the dust of the earth all his portion is in this life but the Doue hath wings giuen vnto her euen the wings of innocence couered with silver and whose feathers are like vnto the yellow gold whereby as David saith she may fly away from hence and bee at rest For when shee hath travelled over the world by reason of the deluge of vanities wherewith it is ouerwhelmed can finde no resting place here below then may shee betake her to her wings and mount vp aloft into heauen where our Nöe euen Iesus Christ our blessed Saviour and redeemer will be ready to stretch forth his hand and to receaue her into the arke of eternall glory and blessednesse Vnto which the Lord bring vs for his Christs sake FINIS SVBIECTION To the HIGHER POWERS OXFORD Printed by I.L. for E. F. 1633. ROM 13.5 Yee must needs be subject not only for Wrath but also for conscience ALthough I doubt not but a graue and learned Divine may without presumption take vpon him to informe and advise and ciuill Magistrate in the duties of his calling the science he professeth being architectonical and all other sciences euen that of gouernment being subordinate therevnto yet is it not my meaning at this time to aduenture so high I knowe mine owne insufficiencie and you my Lords are as Angels of God My purpose rather is to addresse my speech vnto those of inferiour place and to aduise them vnto that which
to mee seemes more necessary Subiection and Obedience More necessary I say for notwithstanding the negligence and corruption of Magistrates common wealths haue a long time subsisted and continued but without Subjection and Obedience they cannot And wisely was it answered by a certaine Lacedemonian vnto Theopompus imputing the long continuance and flourishing of the Spartan state vnto the skilfull gouernment of the Magistrates that it was rather to be ascribed vnto the ready and willing Obedience of the people Howsoeuer it is euident I am sure in experience that it is most necessary and my Text in expresse tearmes avoucheth it Yee must needs be subiect not only for Wrath but also for Conscience For the better husbanding of the time and that I bee not prevented thereby I will not spend any part thereof in depending my Text vpon the former words of this Chapter but will consider it as a perfect and entire sentence in it selfe Therein may it please you to obserue with me two parts A dutie the Necessitie of the same The Dutie is Subiection yee must be subiect Which being a word of Relation I must needs consider with it both the correlatiues that is to say 1o. the Obiect or to whom Subjection is to be yeelded 2o. The Subiect or by whom it is to be yeelded 3o. the Relation or Dutie it selfe subiection As for the Necessity it is expresly affirmed Yee must needs be subiect and that for two causes first because of Wrath secondly because of Conscience And these are the limits within which I meane to bound my selfe at this time not enlarging my speech in any part as easily I might but only in regard of the weighty businesses succeeding summa sequens fastigia rerum First therefore of the Dutie and therein also first of the Obiect to whom subiection is to be yeelded Who that is our Apostle plainely resolueth in the first verse of this Chapter Let every soule bee subiect to the higher powers as also in his Epistle to Titus Put them in minde to be subiect to principalities and powers and to obey Magistrates yee must then be subiect to the higher powers yee must be subiect to Magistrates What Powers What Magistrates the Ecclesiasticall or Civill or both Surely vnto the Ecclesiasticall Magistrate subiection is due for as S. Paul saith the Elders that rule well are worthie of double honour specially they that labour in the word and doctrine And againe Obey them that haue rule over you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules Howbeit in this place not he but the Civill magistrate onely is vnderstood for he only beareth the sword forcing to obedience executeth vengeance on him that doth evill receaveth tribute and custome as it is in the fourth and sixt verses which are things no way belonging vnto the spirituall power Peter must not strike with this sword Peter must pay this tribute mony Yee must needs then be subiect to the Civill Magistrate But what Civill Magistrate For he is either supreme or subordinate The supreame to say nothing of other states and polities in a Monarchie is the King in whom the Maiestie and soueraigne authority primarily and originally resides euen as the light is radically in the sunne being as Tertullian speaketh Homo solo Deo minor onely inferiour vnto God à Deo secundus post eum primus ante omnes super omnes second vnto God after him the first before all and aboue all independant vpon any other subiect to the controle of no superiour power Subordinate Magistrates are they who deriue their authoritie from the soueraigne as starres doe their light from the sun For it being too heauy a burden for one man by him selfe alone to gouerne so great a multitude soueraignes haue beene forced to devolue some part of their charge vpon others and to honour them with some part of their authority for the discharge thereof Moses the soueraign iudge of the Israelites sitting alone from morning to euening to iudge the people Iethro his father in law told him plainely the thing thou doest is not well advising him to authorize vnder him certaine men that were of courage feared God loued true dealing and hated couetousnesse to be rulers ouer the people This counsell Moses followed and God approued and vpon the same ground in all nations ever hath beene practized Now then if question be demanded to whether Magistrate Subiection is to bee yeelded the Soveraigne or the Subordinate I answere to both Let every soule saith Saint Paul be subiect to the higher powers he speaketh indefinitely without exception of any But Saint Peter expresly speaketh of both and for both Submit your selues to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whither to the King as supreame or vnto governors as vnto them that are sent by him Yet here is it to be obserued that although Subiection bee due to both yet not alike to both but to the Soveraigne first in the highest degree because the fulnesse of power originally rests in him and vnto the Subordinate next and in inferiour degree because they haue it but in part and at the second hand And these againe because they are not all stars of the same magnitude but one differeth from another in glory and Moses hath appointed some to bee rulers of thousands some of hundreds some of fifties some of tens to every one subiection is due not in the same measure but according to their seuerall places and the power which they haue receiued And so much for the Obiect The Subiect by whom Subiection is to bee yeelded is whosoeuer relatiuely is opposed to the Higher Powers Now to the Supreme and highest power every man without exception is opposed even Subordinate Magistrates themselues For as in Logicke that Genus which they call Subalterne though it be a Genus in respect of those Species that are vnder it yet in regard of the Genus aboue it is but a Species even so Subordinate Magistrates what place soeuer they hold in relation to their inferiour in respect to the Soveraigne or King they are but meere subjects and owe subiection as far forth as any other And as when the sun appeareth all other starres are eclipsed and loose their light riuers when they fall into the sea forgoe their names so in the presence of the Prince all inferior power and authority is swallowed vp and vanisheth into nothing But both vnto the Prince and to his Substitutes all private men to whom the Soveraigne hath committed no part of his power are so opposed therefore must be subiect vnto them There is no exemptiō of any Let every soule saith the Apostle be subiect speaking vniversally Neither meaneth he by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every soule Psychicos only that is animal and lay-men as some Papists expound it but all men indifferently Apostles Evangelists Prophets Monks as Chrysostome Theodoret Theophylact and Oecumenius affirme Nay
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
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
is of God by which words the vse of meanes is no way excluded For whether it please God to worke by meanes or without meanes his Providence ever ordereth and disposeth all The selling of Ioseph the spoiling of Iob the rayling of Semei the incest of Absolon the crucifying of Christ and the like sins though they were committed by men and through the temptation of Satan yet God chalengeth the doing of all to himselfe Not that he wrought all by an immediate hand of Providence for this were to make him the author yea the only author of Sinne then which there cannot bee a greater blasphemy but because of the concourse of his Providence with the meanes permitting directing and determining all So that to come to an issue although it be granted that in all lots the whole disposition is of God yet it followeth not but in some lots as namely some Games at Cards and Tables wit skill industry may be vsed vnder God for obtaining the victory Whence also it followeth necessarily that all lots so disposed of by God are not therefore meere lots But you will not let this passe so N. N. It s of Gods disposing or of thine or of Fortunes disposing chuse which thou wilt I care not If it be of Gods disposing 't is that I would haue it s that the Scripture will haue If it be of thy disposing I know thy dishonesty If it be of Fortunes disposing then there were fortune Which if thou wilt doubt of I leaue God to confute thee DEFENCE These are now the second seething of these cole-worts and you doe not well to cloy our stomakes so soone againe with them To avoide tautologie therefore I referre you for answere to what is already said where I haue shewed that in sundry Games both at Cards and Tables not only God but man also disposeth and that without Dishonesty yea and Fortune too if you will not quarrell with the word but vnderstand thereby a Casuall accident or Chance not ordered by mans forecast or providence Where you say you will leaue them who doubt if there be fortune to Gods confuâ—ing it may please you to remember that God ordinarily reformes mens errours not by his owne immediat Magistry but by the Ministry which he hath ordained And therefore you much forget your selfe to neglect the performance of your Ministeriall duty and to leaue vs poore soules vnto Gods extraordinary instruction N. N. It doth cause contentions to cease for it disposeth the thing in controversy whether it be mony or victory whose it shall bee Let no profane Iester vent his wit here or blaspheame the word of God by saying that there Gaming doth rather cause contentions such as are braulings oaths curses blasphemies and the like and therefore doth not cease contentions but cause contentions it is not the Lot but their vnlawful vnholy vse of it that causeth this DEFENCE That a Lot stinteth contentions or controversies is not denied for the applying of a casuall event for the determining of a doubt is the very forme of a lot Neverthelesse in diverse Games as is already said both at Cards Tables it is not the Lot only but it and art also that disposeth whose the mony or the victory shall be As for the obiection if it bee not a Chimera of your owne braine some merry Gentleman I thinke made it to dally with you and to sport himselfe withall Wherevnto your answere is no lesse pleasant that not the lot but the vnlawfull vnholy vse causeth Contention meaning thereby as I conceaue it the vsing of it in Games which is a meere begging of the thing in question that it is vnlawfull to vse lots in gaming Besides you are to know the lots in gaming are not in themselues causes either of Peace or of Contention Not of Peace for this proceedeth from a farther compact made betweene those who referre themselues to a lot Otherwise howsoever the lots fall if such mutuall obligation be wanting the quarrell is not stinted Not of contention for those outrages you speake of rise only from the corruption of them that play as either their ambition that they cannot endure to bee beaten or their covetousnesse that vexeth them when they loose their wealth or the like Take these corruptions away and let moderate and temperate men only play and you shall haue neither Braulings nor Oths nor Curses nor Blasphemies nor the like furious behaviour amongst them And thus much in answere to those reasons whereby you would proue Cards and Dice to bee meere lots N. N. I come now to proue that it is vnlawfull to vse Lots in Gaming or light matters My reasons for it are these First Gods servants haue neuer vsed it but it vrgent great and weighty matters As for example in the choice of Kings Priests 1. Sam. 10. in the division of lands Iosh. 14. To knowe who was in fault that Israel fell before their enimies Ios. 17. to knowe whether Ioses or Mathias were to succeed Iudas Act 1. DEFENCE Vnto this assertion I oppose the contrary affirming that it is lawfull to vse Lots in gaming or light matters nay farther that the most serious businesses are lest fit for lots the lightest most fit For what thing is there in the world more vncertaine then a meer Chance What that lesse regardeth right or wrong true or false good or bad fit or vnfit What matter soeuer be to be decided the Lot is indifferent to either side and cares not which way it fall And hence it is that by lot neither doth the Church trye the fitnesse of her Ministers nor the Lawyer the right of his Clients cause nor the Physitian the state of his patient Neither is it the manner of wise men to referre any thing vnto a lot vntill by their wisdome and providence they haue so disposed of all things as it is not much materiall which way the lot fall Were the question referred to a lot of any great consequence of great consequence also must the fall of the lot be and if it fall amisse great inconveniences must needs ensue thereof But if wise men so order and cast their businesses as it is indifferent vnto theÌ„ howsoeuer the lot fall that cannot bee of any great moment which they referre vnto a lot But I forget that I stand rather in the place of an Answerer then Replier and therefore I come directly to your Arguments Your Argument standeth thus That which the Servants of God never vsed but in vrgent great and weightie matters is not to bee vsed in gaming or light matters But the Seruants of God neuer vsed Lots but in vrgent great weighty matters Ergo Lots are not to be vsed in gaming or light matters The Major it seemes you take for granted for you goe not about to proue it The Minor you endeauour to confirme by certaine examples out of holy writ which we will by and by examine In the
Heavenly Corruptible and Immortall to bee all one neither shall you ever be able to make the signe and the Thing signified in any Sacrament to be the same Adde herevnto that the Fathers not only say that Bread is a Figure of Christs body but also that when wee are commanded to eat his Body or drinke his Bloud the speech is Figuratiue For as Saint Augustine saith Hee seemeth to command an evill and wicked act it is a figure therefore instructing vs to communicate with his passion c. Now to vnderstand a Figuratiue speech literally is very dangerous for the letter killeth and it is the Death of the soule If therefore Figuratiue and Proper cannot bee the same and in Sacraments when the thing signified is affirmed of the signe the speech be Sacramentall that is Figuratiue it followeth necessarily that the signe and the thing signified are not the same And if not the same then haue you wronged the Fathers saying they are so to bee vnderstood as if they were the same N. N. I will now conclude with two authorities more The first Counsel of Nice one of the foure Counsells allowed by Protestants for sound The words of the Counsell are these Let vs faithfully beleeue with an exalted mind that there lyeth on the holy table the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world which is sacrificed by the Priests I. D. This Canon here by you alleaged came but very lately to light for it is found neither in Ruffin nor in Balsamon nor any of the Tomes of the Counsells heretofore published except those of the newest impression And in them it is set forth in a different letter signifying that it was but newly found and that in the Popes Vatican Library vnder the name of one Gelasius Cyzicenus All which cannot but breed great suspicion and much weaken the authority thereof But what saith the Canon There lyeth on the Table the Lamb of God What Corporally and Really No but Symbolically and Sacramentally Neither doth it say as you translate Let vs faithfully beleeue with an exalted mind that the Lamb of God lyeth on the table But thus Let vs not basely attend the Bread and the Cup set before vs but lifting vp our mind by Faith vnderstand the Lamb of God vpon the table which rather maketh against Transubstantiation then for it For first he plainely telleth vs it is Bread that is there then secondly it commandeth vs to lift vp our mind which needed not if Christ himselfe were there Really on the table where obserue by the way that it is a table not an altar And thirdly that wee are to conceiue Christ Sacramentally to be on the table though Really hee bee there whether wee are to advance our thoughts The last clause of the passage is cut off by the wast and mangled by you I thinke to intimate that the Masse is a Sacrifice truly and properly so called But the words at full are these which is sacrificed by the Priests without being sacrificed manifestly insinuating that it is not Properly a Sacrifice but Representiuely and by way of commemoration Not much vnlike to these words is that of Saint Chrysostome which may serue insteed of a commentarie vnto them teach you that all which the Fathers say speaking of this Sacrament is not alwaies litterally to bee vnderstood What doest thou o man saith he at the houre of the mysticall table Didst thou not promise to the Priest who said lift vp your hearts saying wee lift them vp vnto the Lord And fearest thou not nor blushest that in that very houre thou art found a Lyar The table is furnished with mysteries and the Lamb of God is sacrificed for thee the Priest is troubled for thee a spirituall fire flowes from the sacred table the Seraphins stand by couering their faces with sixe wings all the incorporeall vertues together with the Priest make intercession for thee a spirituall fire comes downe from Heaven the Bloud in the cup is drawne out of the immaculate side for thy purification Thus he N. N. Saint Cyril saith that in this mystery wee should not so much as aske how it can bee done for it is a Iewish word and cause of everlasting torment From which good Lord deliuer vs. I. D. In this mystery wee may not inquire How What of that Ergo Christ is present by Transubstantiation Indeed if the doubt had beene how Bread might be made the body of Christ or how the substance of bread might be turned into substance of his body and then resoluing that it is so Cyril had advised in any case not to inquire How as being derogatory to Gods omnipotence here you had a pregnant testimony for Transubstantiation But Cyril handling those words The bread which I will giue is my Flesh exagitateth the Iewes for demanding How hee could giue his flesh to eat For seeing Christ by his miracles had demonstrated himselfe to be God it was their duty simply to beleeue his words and to know that hee who had spoken them was able to find a meanes by which to make them good and that without such immanity and anthropophagy as they imagined Now if in these Mysteries wee may not be so sawcie malapert as to demand How how cometh it about that your selues take vpon you so magistrally to define it that it is done after an Orall manner and by way of Transubstantiation Your Cutbert Tonstall saith Perhaps it had beene better as touching the manner how it is done to haue left every one that would be curious to his owne coniecture even as it was free before the counsell of Laterane Yet I must doe you to wit that the Question how is not alwaies evill and forbidden The blessed virgin her selfe demanded of the Angell How may this be seeing I know not man And Saint Ambrose This therefore wee say How can that which is bread be Christs body Saint Augustine some may thinke with himselfe how is bread his body Neither did they offend in asking How because firmely beleeuing the thing it was only out of admiration or desire of learning that they moued that Question That How Which is forbidden is that which is demanded ouâ— of Incredulity Such as was this of the Iewes who beleeued not Christ but reiected his saying as requiring some savage or inhumane thing to be done Hence Cyril It had beene meet that they had first set the roots of Faith in their minds and then to haue enquired those things that are to bee â—uquired but they before they beleeued enquired out of season For this cause our Lord did not expound how that thing might be brought to passe but exhorteth that it be sought by faith By all which you may perceiue that these words of Cyril are obiected to little purpose For your words are not Christs words neither hath he taught vs any such Reall Presence by Transubstantiation His words wee stedfastly
vehemently as justly they might if this were his Tenet But there are who defend him affirming that it was but out of a mistake For acknowledging in Christ a threefold Righteousnesse Actiue passiue Essentiall of the Word for the Righteousnesse of God is not Accidentall but his very Essence hee holdeth that we are justified not only by the imputation of the Actiue and Tassiue Righteousnesse of Christ vnto vs but also by the admission of vs vnto the participation of the Divine nature as St Peter speaketh that is of his Essentiall Righteousnesse to the end that receiuing of his fulnesse wee might be replenished with all divine qualities and graces The reason why he so much vrged this doctrine was because he had obserued that many out of a perswasion they had to be justified and saved by the merits and obedience of Christ imputed to them cared not to haue any righteousnesse in themselues and vtterly neglected the practise of holy duties Wherefore hee taught that the Actiue and Passiue Righteousnesse of Christ imputed availed not either to the remission of sinnes or the purchasing of Gods favour vnlesse they were also made partakers of the divine nature for the avoiding of sinne and the leading of a holy and vertuous life This as it seemes was all Hosiander held If he held farther then this and his adversaries vnderstood him aright I am no Patron for him The last quarrell is touching our English translations of the Bible Wherein that divers things were amisse it was never denyed of vs. For being an humane act and humanity being subiect vnto errour it could not bee avoided but that some faults what through ignorance what through negligence what through other infirmities might passe vnheeded and vnobserved If the former translations had beene faultlesse the Church of England would never haue thought of setting forth a new as now it hath done Which it did not as if those aberrations were so dangerous and prejudiciall vnto the substance of Faith but out of a holy desire that our English streames as neere as may be might runne with the same purity that is found in the Hebrew Greeke fountaines So that her meaning was not as our late learned Translators say of a bad Translation to make a good for this had beene in a manner to acknowledge that our people hitherto had beene fed rather vpon husks and akornes then the flower of wheat but to make a good one better or out of many good ones to make one principall good one not justly to be excepted against But tell me in good sooth you that so busily object vnto vs our quarrels in this point is your Vulgar translation even that which your Trent Councell hath made authenticall and is every where read in your Churches free from errour Or are there no bickerings and contentions among you concerning it If it be faultlesse what needed other translations as that of Pagnine Vatablus and Arias Montanus How cometh it to passe that Valla Stapulensis Erasmus Vives Budaeus others finde so great fault with it wishing it were amended or another made in roome of it Nay that Isidorus Clarius a Spanish Monke should finde to the number of eight thousand faults and euery one as hee professeth changing the meaning of the text Pope Sixtus the fift did not thinke all was well when he went about to correct the faults thereof with his owne hand And who would haue thought but all had beene well when he set it forth so corrected charging that none should afterwards be published with any change addition or detraction of the least particle And yet some two or three yeares after this Pope Clement the eight finding all not perfectly amended alters addes detracts yea contradicts his predecessors edition For example where Sixtus saith there was not a citty which did not yeeld Clement saith which did yeeld Againe where Sixtus hath They built vpward to the horse-gate Clement hath from the horse-gate And where Sixtus reads iustice Clement reads Vniustice This for a tast whereof whosoever will haue his fill let him see Doctor Iames who hath written at large of this argument Wherevnto I might adde the barbarismes and solecismes of that translation together with those knowne and manifest faults which yet they suffer to passe in every print as Evertit for Everrit she overturned â—he house for she swept the house consum masset had perfected for consumpsisset had wasted or consumed Saeculi of this world for Sacculi of the bagge praescientiam foreknowledge for praesentiam presence sixe hundred like or worse errors But I forbeare for brevities sake only I cannot but acquaint you with the reasons hereof for they are feriall and pleasant Faults saith the Iesuit Mariana are still left in the vulgar edition first because there is no danger in them to faith and good manners Secondly least the novelty of an exact amendment should offend the eares of them that were enured vnto them Lastly that they might reverence the old edition and tread in the steps of their Ancestors who out of a holy kind of piety tolerated those errors Heare also what the same Mariana saith touching your bickerings about this matter Some Catholikes and those also in Spaine taxe the vulgar edition as defiled with many foule faults appealing every foot vnto the fountaines whence those rivers haue issued vnto vs contending that as often as they differ from them they are to be corrected by comparing them with the Greeke and Hebrew bookes men puffed vp with the skill of languages making a mocke of Ecclesiasticall simplicity whose boldnesse and temerity in pronouncing deserueth to be curbed On the contrary side others more in number through the hatred of their adversaries thinke it great sinne once to touch the vulgar edition and count them in the number of impious ones who adventure to correct the least word or to expound any place otherwise then the vulgar interpretatioÌ„ will beare whom certainly wee are not to follow men of little spirit filled with darknesse conceiuing too narrowly of the Maiesty of our religion who while they defend the block-houses as it were of opinions as articles of faith seem to me to betray the chiefest tower it selfe most shamfully to violaâ—e brotherly charity Therefore avoiding these extreames and by-waies which lead vnto a downe-fall wee haue resolved to hold the midle way c. Thus you see that there are as violent contentions among your selues about translation as there is amongst vs and that wee may justly say vnto you Physitian heale thy selfe before you haue to doe with the diseases of others N. N. Good Mr Downe calling to mind that you told me craving some certaine rule to know the true sense of Scripture that the true sense of Scripture is easy to bee vnderstood as much as appertaineth to Salvation I demand then if the doctrine of Baptisme be necessary If so then is some part hard