of How often is our Sauiour called God Thomas acknowledgeth him to be so when he saith vnto him d Ioh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God allnding questionless to the ordinary title which is giuen to God in the old Testament The Lord thy God e Exod. 20. 2. I am the Lord thy God f Leuit. 19. 10. I am the Lord your God g Deut. 4. 2. The commandements of the Lord your God And in a word the same Chapter affords vs the like examples 15. or 16. times So doth h Act. 20. 28. the Apostle Paul call him Take heed to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood Who purchased the Church with his blood but Iesus Christ Him therefore doth the Apostle call God And â—n another place he doubteth not bodly to affirme that Christ is God ouer all to be blessed for euer Of him it is that i Rom. 9. 5. Heb. 1. 8. the same Apostle saith Thy throne O God endureth for â—uer not only calling him God but professing him to â—e that God which in the beginning created heauen Verse 10 â—arth Thou Lord in the beginning laydst the foundation of of the earth I wil end with that in the l Reuel 4. 8. Reuelation The foure beasts ceased not day nor night sying Holy holy holy Lord God almighty But how should we be assured that by this Lord God Almightie Iesus Christ is signified That which followeth will put the matter out of doubt m Chap. 14. 8. which was and which is and which is to come For this â—â—â—he Title which is giuen to our Sauiour twice in the first Chapter of the same booke This also the 24. Elders presently after confirme when worshipping the same partie whom the foure beasts had honoured they speake thus Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory â—ap 4. 11. honour and power for thou hast created all things Aske the holy Apostle S. Paul who is the Creatour of all things Heâ—â— hath answered already that the Lord which laid the foundation of the earth is IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of God The same testimonie of him giueth our Euangelist in the next verse same one Heb. 1. 10. By him were all things made Iohn 1. 3. What should let then but we may conclude that Iesus beeing so often called God in Scripture is in deed very God The like I say of the title Lord by which the 70. translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that name Iehouah which is neuer attributed to any in the Scripture but onely to the true God neither indeede may it in any sort For it signifieth him This is spoken not the Greeke â—ut of the Hebrew word that hath his being of himselfe that giues to all things whatsoeuer being they haue yea it implieth such a being as is alwayes one the same euen eternall without beginning without ending without chaunge without successioÌ„ Now if this name be ascribed to our Sauior by holy Ghost how can it be doubted but that hee is very God And doth not o Iere. 33. 16 Ieremie ascribe it to him when he saith This is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse or as it may better be read He that shall call her is the Lord our righteousnesse It is out of question that the Messiah is there spoken of whom the Prophet called Iehouah The Lord Or if any man will needes apply it to the Church he shall call her The Lord our righteousnesse which yet hath no warrant nor any great reason let him remember that the Church cannot haue this title but onely in respect of Christ her husband and head as she is also called Christ p 1. Cor. 12. 12. As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christ that is the Church of Christ which being considered with her Head Christ is vouchsafed his name because she is his body Let vs come to the new Testament and leauing those places where the Disciples and such as intreate fauour for their curing of our Sauiour call him Lord because neither their word is any warrant for doctrine and it may be sayd they spake to him by that name as wee ordinarily doe when wee say Sir which indeede was common among the Grecians Let vs take such textes onely as can admit neither of these exceptions Of which kinde are the salutations vsed by the Apostles in the beginning of their Epistles q Rom. 1. 7. Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ Where not onely our Sauiour is tearmed Lord but acknowledged to be the Author and giuer of Grace and peace with God his Father But it were a vaine thing to heape vp many testimonies to this purpose No man can look into the writings of the Apostles but he shall see them in euery page Being the Lord then he must needs be God What should I stand vpon euery particular at large Who is the God of glory but Iehouah the great God of heauen and earth For so is he called that appeared to Abraham r Gene. 12. 1. 2 in Genesis The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham s Act. 7. 2. saith the holy Martyr Saint Steuen Aske the enemies of Christ the Iewes and they will tell you with one voice that this was the great God of Israel And yet the Apostle Paul giues this title to our Sauiour Christ where he saith that if the princes of this world had knowen the wisedome of God in the mysterie of our redemption t 1. Cor. 2. 8. They would not haue crucifiâ—d the Lord of glory Hereto belongs that Title u 1. Tim. 6. 15 the King of kings and Lord of lords And whereas some vaine men gouernours of some small part of this little spot of earth doting vpon their owne imagined greatnesse haue either giuen themselues this vnlimited title or accepted it being giuen by the palpable flattery of their base vassals yet alwayes the wiser sort tooke iust occasion thereby rather to scorne their presumptuous folly then to bee drawen into any admiration of their glorious power But the Lord Iesus our blessed Sauiour hath this name by good right as hee of whom â—ll the Kings of the earth hold their Crownes and Prou. 8 15. 16 Scepters By mee x saith hee that is the wisedome oâ— God Kings reigne and Princes decree iustice By mee Princes rule and the Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth y Psal 2. 8. Verse 9. For to him hath God giuen the heathen for his inheritance and the vtmost parts of the earth for his possession He shall crush them with a Scepter of Iron and breake them in peeces like a potters
reason with you a little If a Clocke or Watch a curious peece of worke had vnderstanding to consider its owne nature and to knowe the workeman that forg'd and fram'd it to whose keeping thinke you would it committe it selfe rather then to his that knew â—est how to preserue it because hee deuis'd and made it Is not euery man desirous to haue that gardiner if it may be to looke to his herbs flowers knots arbors and his whole ground the excellencie of whose skill he sees continually before his eyes in the beautie and growth of the things hee hath fashioned and planted And shall not wee rest and relye vpon him that created vs If the skill and strength of some workeman bee inferior to oâ—her of the same trade yet his loue and affection to his owne worke the care of his reputation will make him â—ble aboue his power If that Clocke or Watch I spake of could finde it selfe decayed in any part the teeth of the wheeles or pinions to bee ouerworne the axel to bee growne too thin or any thing to be displaced would it not seeke and call for helpe of the maker I might say â—he like of the garden Who is fitter to amend whatsoeuer is out of order then bee that first set it in that order To whome then should wee seeke for ayde but to him that hauing created vs is therfore able and willing to restore vs to our former if it please him to a better estate Wee see how agreeable it is to reason that he which made man after his owne image and likenes should refresh it being decayed and restore it being lost Wee see also that the same reason teacheth vs that as many as desire to bee made partakers of that for which they were made must depend vpon him by whom they were made Therefore may wee truely say vnto the Lorde b Psal 72. 25. VVhom haue wee in heauen but thee wee haue desired none in the earth with thee But if the hope of so necessarie assured succour bee not sufficient to drawe vs to him that offers himselfe to repaire his owne workemanshippe yet let the consideration of our duetie waigh so much with vs as to make vs yeelde obedience to our Lord and Maker There is nothing more common in the Mouthes of men and children then that God made all other thinges for the seruice of man and man for his owne seruice Yea to whom doth it not seeme vnreasonable that the creature should denie obedience to the Creator Doo you not heare the Lord complayning of this by the c Isay 1. 2. 3. Prophet Isay as of a monstrous and vnnaturall impietie Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lord hath sayde I haue nourished and brought vp Children but they haue rebelled against mee The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters Crib but Israell hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Are wee more brutish then the Oxe more dull then the Asse They relye on them by whome they haue their meate Do wee refuse to rest on him by whome wee haue our whole being If they should be giuen ouer by one maister they would soone bee found by another If the Lord our Creator leaue vs to our selues there is no second that can sustaine vs but wee shall immediately fall to nothing Bee not afrayde then least thou should'st bee sham'd when the foolish world shall condemne thee for beleeuing in Iesus Christ Aske them boldly if the creature may not or ought not to put his trust in the Creator Let them tell thee whether they doe not thinke it iust and reasonable for the workmaister to haue all command ouer the worke Thou find'st they selfe to bee wholly out of frame and order to whome should'st thou goe to bee amended but to him that form'd thee Thou art not able to attaine to the ende for which thou weâ—t created who can better or who will gladlier direct thee then hee that appointed that ende for thee Hee lookes thou shouldst seeke vnto him hee calls thee to come vnto him Hee commaundeâ— thee to trust vnto him As hee hath made thee a man on earth by creation so hee will make thee a Saint in heauen by regeneration What doost thou vexing and troubling thy selfe poore soule with the continuall sight of thy present deformitie I was indeed sayst thou beautifull and glorious but I am deformed and loathsome I had once the liuely image of him that created me true holinesse and righteousnesse but I haue now the ougly pourtrature of him that deceiued mee euen sinne and wickednesse If onely the colour were decayed it might happely be refresht But when the very form is perished there is nothing left to bee repayred O miserable and wretched that I am Not onely to ose that happinesse which can neuer bee recouered out also to fall into that miserie which can neuer be renedied Which way shall I turne my selfe or to whom hall I flee for succour It is high time to minister some comfort when the party is so well prepared to receiue it especially since it may so easily be had Doost thou aske â—o whom thou shalt flee for succour To whome else but to him that offers it As for the feare of I know not what impossibilitie to recouer so great a losse remember by whom all things were made and thou shalt see how much thou art deceiv'd Thou hast lost the perfit beautie thou hadst bestowed on thee in thy creation But hee that gaue it hath not lost his power to bestowe new on thee Is the colour faded Hee can lay on a fresher and set an amiable glosse thereon Iâ— the woole forme be perisht that there remaines no one liâ—e or place of a line to bee discerâ—ed yet hath not hee that created it forgotten what it was Is it harder for him to make thee righteous then it was to make thee Can not hee that created the soule it self enrich it with qualities beseeming such a substance Hee that made the light to shine out of darkenes can make the sowrest crabstocke beare most sweete fruite Hee that created thee when thou wert not can create true righteousnes in thee when thou art most vnholy But let vs consider this worke of the creation more particularly and first that our Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Creator of those inuisible Creatures which we call Angels Looke you for proofe of this point By him were all things made Or if that content you not reade that which followes And without him was nothing made that was made Then if the Angels were not made by him either they haue no being at all or at the least had no beginning of their being The last is vnpossible For they are seruants to the Lord who only is eternall and d Psal 103. 20. Doe his commaÌ„demeÌ„t in obeying the voice of his word And indeed thence haue they their name For what is an Angell but a messenger imployed in the
diuine nature that created them or no. First the Euangelists authority is enough to put the matter out of question For hee that being directed by the spirit of God could not erre would neuer haue brought this for a proofe thereof if it coulde iustly be excepted against Yet because as I haue shewed there might bee other reasons of this speech and some doubt therefore whether it were the Euangelists purpose to proue that or no let vs take some other course for our full satisfaction To which end let vs alwaies remember that Moses x Gen. 1. 1. in the beginning of the Scripture laies this as a maine foundation of religion that God created heauen and earth Who can doubt then â—ut it is a sound reason to proue our Sauiour to be God that All things were made by him For if it be truâ— that God was the maker of all things whomsoeuer wee finde to haue made all things him we knowe thereby to be God Therefore the Apostle Paul preaching to the heathen and perswading them to forsake their Idolles and to turne to the liuing God shewes who he is by this effect of creation VVe preach vnto you saith the y Act. 14. 15. Apostle that vee should turne from these vaine Idols vnto the liuing God which made heauen and earth and the sea and all things that in them are Worship him * Reuel 14. 7. saith an Angel from heauen that made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters By this doth a 1. Chro. 16. 26 Dauid distinguish the true God froÌ„ Idols All the Gods of the people are Idols but the Lord made the heauens Is not this the proofe of the power of God whereby he magnifieth himselfe and amazeth b Io. 38. 4. 5. c. Iob with the brightnesse of the glory thereof By this doth Ezechiah coÌ„clude that he is the true God Thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made the heauens and the earth Will you heare the c Isay 3. 16. 48. 12. 13. Lord himselfe I am I am the first and I am the last Surely my hand hath laâ—d the foundation of the earth my right hand hath spanned the heauens when I call them they stand vp together Let d Heb. 1. 10. the Apostle Paul end this controuersy who to proue our Sauiours Godhead brings the place of the e Pâ—a 102. 25. Psalme Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes From hence then we may certainly and necessarily conclude that the Word the promised Messiah our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ is true God For by him were all things made and nothing can be made but by God onely This f August in Ioâ— tract 1. the Arians denied because they sawe themselues driuen to confesse that all things were made by Christ whom they will not ackâ—owledge to bee God equall to the Father Therefore they deuis'd this shift that our Sauiour did indeed creat all things yet not as a principall worker but as an instrument And to this they say the Euangelist directed vs when hee sayd that All things were made g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him For that by which a thing is done is an instrument in the doing of that thing and not the doer of it If these men had not blinded their owne eyes with a preiâ—dicat conceite against Godhead of our Sauiour they might easily haue seene the fondnesse and falsenesse of this blasphemous exception The folly of it I shew'd before when I made it manifest that it is all one to say All things were made by him and Hee made all things The falsenesse of it may appeare thus The scripture sayeth the same of God which is here affirm'd of Christ that this or that was by him and yet I hope they will not dare therefore to conclude that God in those matters was not a principall efficient cause but an instrumentall For example h Rom. 11. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle sayth That all things are by God What As an instrument who is then the principall essicient that imployes God as his instrument i 1. Cor. 1. 1. 2. Cor. 1. 1. Eph. 1. 1. Col. 1. 1. The same Apostle affirmeth of himselfe that hee was called to bee an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God If the will of God bee but an instrument wee are content to require no more honour for our Sauiour so you allowe him to bee one with God in nature as the Will of God is which indeede is God himselfe What say you k Gal. 1. 1. to that place where the Apostle pleades for the authoritie of his Apostleshippe because it is by Iesus Christ and God the Father I doubt mee wee shall hardly finde any principall efficient at all where both the Father and the Sonne are instruments How absurdly then not onely impiously doe the Arians conclude from this word by that our Sauiour Christ is not God But you brethren haue beene better instructed then to giue eare to such blasphemies that I holde it altogether needlesse to bring any father proofe of the matter then I deliuered in my last exercise or to vse any word of exhortation to beleefe in him whom wee cleerly discerne to be God al-sufficient To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost the same God the most mightie and gracious Creator of all thinges let vs alwayes remember to ascribe all glorie power and dominion and to performe all obedience for euer Amen THE FOVRTH SERmon vpon the first Chapter of IOHN Verse 4. In him was life and that life was the light of men 5 And the light shineth in darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not IT is a cleere truth in natural reason and a rul'd case in diuinitie that as all thinges proceede from God as the first cause of their being so they are all referr'd to God as the last ende why they are In him l Acts. 17. 28. sayeth the Apostle wee liue and moue and haue our being And to conuince the Heathen by the light of nature hee addes As also certaine of your owne Poets haue sayd m Aratus in Phaenomen For wee are all his generation To whom then doe wee owe our selues and whatsoeuer wee are or haue but to him onely Witnesse for nature the wisest of all the Philosophers the Stoikes for diuinitie he n 1 King 4. 29. â—0 that was wiser then the wisest of the Heathen o Pro. 1. 12 16. 4. Salomon the preacher King ouer Isreal in Ierusalem The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yet so for his owne sake that p Psaâ— 8. 34. the Prophet is forced to cry out When I behold the heauens the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast crealed what is man say I that thou art mindefull of
shame they dare not Were they not priuie to â—hem They were done in their open Synagogues oftentimes But I knowe not how I am slipt ere I was aware into that which particularly concernes the Iewes with whom I must deale in the next verse to which I now come Hee came to his owne and his owne receiued him not Kindnesse offered requited with vnkindnesse Both so great that the holy Ghost hauing spoken of them in generall in the very last verse repeates them heere in particular and that with speciall amplification Hee had sayde before Hee was in the world Therefore hee might haue beene knowne of men He addes now Hee came to his owne Therefore hee should haue beene intertained But the world knewe him not He was a straunger to them who lookt not for any such guest His owne could not plead such ignorance They had heard of him they longed for him For all this They receiued him not Is it credible Is it possible It is too true Hee had very meane or rather very bad intertainement at their hands Wee may not passe ouer the matter so sleightly Let vs see the particulars First his comming to his owne then his reiecting by his owne For the cleerer interpretation of the text wee must examine what is meant by His owne because the vnderstanding of that concernes both partes of the verse That being knowne in the former parte wee must consider his comming in the later his reiecting Hee came to his owne Our Rhemists who account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their differing from vs a high poynt of their popish obedience would not translate as wee doe To his owne but must needes haue a farther tricke Into his owne By which translation first they must of necessitie vnderstand the place to which he came or else they speake but ill fauoured English For no man that knowes what belonges to our Language will say Into if hee spake of persons but to them vnlesse hee meane to signifie such a comming as is spirituall into the hearts of men or into the midst of a multitude neither of which in this place canne bee intended by the Euangelist Secondly though the place bee signified yet may our translation very well bee allowed I appeale in this case as to all men that canne speake English so to these Rhemists who translate so in other places From that hower say they the Disciple tooke her to his owne Ioh. 19. 27. Heere is the same word for into and more reason because the speech is of Saint Iohns receiuing the Virgin Marie into his house yet they translate as we do here to his owne The like example wee haue else where They returned vnto their owne The Disciples at Tyre hauing 〈◊〉 â—1 6. brought Paul and his company to the Sea side and seene them shipt returned to their owne houses To or vnto which are all one but not into Therefore there was in their iudgement no necessitie of reiecting our Translation in this text and forging a new But let the Translation passe the sense of the wordes is more worth our labour The Originall Greeke and the vulgar Latine make difference betwixt the wordes His owne in the former and the same in the later part of the verse The Greeke keepes the same word in both but alters the gender The 〈◊〉 Latine chaungeth the word too aswell as the gender Both the one and the other direct vs to expound the first of the place and the last of the persons Neither our translation nor the Rhemists expresse this difference If they had added to their into his owne Countrey or place or some such worde to make the Euangelists meaning more plaine I would haue thought they had rather indeauoured to bee vnderstood then striuen to dissent Well let vs then by his owne in the former clause conceiue that Saint Iohn notes the place whither our Sauiour came Thus remaines a great doubt whether this place bee the worlde in generall or the Land of Iudea in particular Not to trouble you with any long discourse of this point it seemes most likely to mee with reuerence of other mens iudgement that the holy Ghost in this verse speakes particularly of the Iewes Of the worlds ignorance and carelesnesse in not taking knowledge of so rare and extraordinarie a personage hee had spoken in the former verse and amplyfied their sin by nothing that he whom they did not know was their Creator as the miracles he wrought in their sight manifestly testified If this were a fault in the world as it was a most greeuous fault what was it for the Iewes to refuse him Should that bee obserued by our Euangelist and this past ouer without nothing especially since his whole story shewes that our Lordes Chryso hom 7. in loa Cyprâ—n ad Quâ—rin lib. 1. cap. Cyril in loa â—b 1. ca. 11. life and miracles were as it were shutte vp within the Land of Iurie Besides the worde in this later verse leades vs to the Iewes Hee came to his owne Comming to them argues more then Being in the worlde Ignorance was iustly imputed to the world Not receiuing is a sinne more fittely to bee charged vpon the Iewes If wee consider the wordes vsed by our Euangelist I thinke wee shall finde small reason to call the worlde Christs owne For although it bee true that the earth is 〈◊〉 24 1. the Lords c. and that our Sauiour was the maker of it and the whole worlde yet who euer obserued that the world was so appropriated to GOD or to the second person in Trinitie The possession that God promised to giue him is not in regard of Creation but 〈◊〉 â— 8. 〈◊〉 â—unc locum of Mediation whereas they that expound this place of all the world make Christs right thereunto consist in the title hee hath to it as the authour of it Now that is ordinarily sayde to bee a mans owne which is proper to him after some speciall manner otherwise then other thinges are But what canne wee imagine to which our Sauiour hath not as good clayme by his interest of Creation as to the worlde How then should this bee tearmed His owne and as some sren lib. cap. 11 auncient writers haue exprest the word His owne proper But if wee apply it to the Iewes euery man knowes that whereas all the worlde was GODS August in Ioa. tract 2. Iuâ—sua propra hee tooke the Land of Iewry into his especial protection And howsoeuer all nations were his by creation yet hee chose the Children of Israell to bee his peculiar people so that they and their Country were his owne not by nature but by grace indeede yet in such sort that hee made his aboade visibly amongst them aâ— hee did not in any part of the world beside The examples I alledged before wherein these wordes were vsed by the holy Ghost shew plainely that by His owne his particular place of habitation and his
bee ignorant that hath had any desire to learne vnlesse like a man that lyeth in a ditch and streâ—cheth out his hands calling for helpe to all them that passe by hee refuse to set one finger to the ground for the raysing of himselfe Doo wee then despise so great an happinesse Though wee could bee so vnthankefull to God and yet that were monstrous yet howe canne wee bee so iniurious to our selues What shall I say Or vpon what shall I lay the blame It would bee verie strange and haâ—sh to most men if I should accuse them of not beleeuing Who would not be foreman of the Iurie to finde him guilty who would make daintie to giue sentence against his life that doth not beleeue whatsoeuer is deliuered in the Gospell Not beleeue sayeth one Hee is worse then a Turke or a Iewe that beleeues not I confesse it seemes scarcely credible to my selfe that any man professing religion should not beleeue But I holde it altogether vnpossible that a man should indeede bee perâ—waded in his heart that by beleeuing in Christ hee shall become the sonne of God and yet should bee altogether carelesse of beleeuing It is not vnlikely that wee haue a generall opinion of the â—uth of the Scripture but either wee neuer markt or neuer considered this and such like points that we might be throughly rooted and grounded in the bleefe therof O that I might intreat so much of you all and euery one as that you wold be pleased to bestow a little time â—n the meditation of this prerogatiue I make no question but if once you did stedfastly beleeue it you would neuer giue ouer till you had made your selues sure of so happy and blessed an estate The Prophet Esay considering a little the backewardness of the Iewes in receiuing saluation by the promised Messaih and a great forwardness to other matters reproues them for it in this sort Wherefore doe yee lay out siluer saith hee and not for Isay 55. 2. bread And your labour and are not satisfied May not we insâ—ly take vp the like complaint against the peruersenesse and vnto wardnesse of this age Doe not men beate their braines spend their spirits breake their sleepe wast their time shorten their liues by carking caring for the momentary trash of this world We rise erly we go late to bed we fare hardly we cloth our selues simply we toile moile like horses al for nothing What is all the wealth in the world to the riches in heauen What are all the possessions of the earth to the inheritance of that kingdome What is all the honor that the world can heape vpon a man in comparison of being the Sonne of God If it continue with thee as long as thou continuest aliue yet leaues thee when thou diest whereas that heauenly preferment abides with thee attends vpon thee after death or rather lifts thee vp and carries thee aliue to heauen For what though this sinfull earthly carcasse be destroyed yet the soule mounts immediatly vp to heauen taking possession of that inheritance and inioying it with al freedome comfort in assured expectation of proportionable glory wherewith the body in due time shall be clothed and beautifyed And doe wee still lie groueling vpon earth Wee shewe thereby whose children wee are vpon thy belly shalt thou goe said the Lorde to the olde serpent the Diuell and dust shalt thou eate all the daies of thy life See Gen. 13. 14. if wee doe not as much as may bee resemble him in this curse Wee roote and digge into the earth like Moles and feed vpon the white and yellow clay which with infinite labour and no small daunger we rent out of the very bowells thereof yea a shame to bee spoken though wee are not ashamed to doe it our immortall soule that hath nothing in it of any affinity with earth imploies her vnderstanding bestowes her affections perswades incourages strengthens thrusts forward her seruant body to so wearisome and so fruitlesse a labour Think you that a miserable wretch wheÌ„ he sits in his counting house looking ouer his bonds when his vsury mony will come in let them be as many thousand pouÌ„ds as they are hundred pence can take half that comfort in his trash that a poore Christian doth in his meditation when hee finds himselfe to be the Sonne of God Set thy selfe vp to the chin in the heapes of thy gold tumble and wallow in the midst of all thy pe lfe shouell it vp by bushells into quarter sacks stuff thy chists as full as thou canst till the sides and bottome are ready to fly out reccon vsury vpoÌ„ vsury to the vtmost farthing but heark doost thou not heare a fearfull voice that cries out vnto thee O foole this night they shall fetch away thy soul from thee then whose shal these Luk. 12. 20. treasures be that thou hast prouided What a man of thy state and aboundance in a moment come to nothing quaking and trembling at the very thought of it in the midst of al thy wealth Wouldst thou do so couldst thou do so if thou knew'st thou wert going to a most glorious kingdome in heauen Is it possible any man of indifferent discretion should be loth to change a Chamber in an other manâ— house for a royal palace in his own Realme and gouernment But why should I so much distrust your capacities or suspect your aflections I see you are able to compass great matters and haue strong desires to those things you like if I may but entreate so much of you as to vouchsase a little time to the meditation of this prerogatiue I make no doubt but you will both conceiue and affect it I doe not goe about to depriue you of any naturall faculty but as it were to lead you to the right vse of it I seeke not to roote out your affections but to grift vpon them such seions as may bring forth pleasant and lasting sruit Is thy vnderstanding great Here are greate mysteries in the search whereof thou maist imploy it For what wit what iudgement what conceit is able to sound the depth or valew the worth or comprehend the extent of this honour To bee the Sonne of God Is thy capacity but weake What is plainer what is easier then to vnderstand that by beleeuing in Christ thou shalt bee made the Sonne of God and ioynt heire of heauen with Christ Yea this doctrine wil teachthee how to satisfy thy most insatiable desires Doth ambition prick thee forward with loue of honour Why wilt thou not set thy minde on that which is true honour indeed The foolish vanity of men hath bewrayed itselfe that the conquest of the whole world would not suffice them All the autority and glory that the Emperours of Rome attain'd to could not quench their thirst of honour but that some of them would needes be worshipâ— as Gods If they could once haue attained the dignity of being the
k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grecians so call the Letters sent from one to another such as those are but also from l 1. Thes 5. 27 S. Paul himselfe who according to common custome calls them by that title So doth m 2. Pet. 3. 1. 16 Saint Peter tearme his owne and the Apostle Pauls writings But of these and the other titles of the Actes and Reuelation an other time if God will This book and the other three of the same kinde are called Gospells n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word in the Original signifieth as much as good tidings or a message of some good applied by the holy Ghost to the doctrine of the Gospell according to the manner of the seauenty two interpreters who translating the olde Testament out of the Hebrew into Greeke exprest o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preaching of saluation by p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of the same nature and kinde q Esai 52. 7. How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feete of him r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that declareth publisheth peace c. saith the Prophet where the Greeke hath ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euangelize peace as it is alleaged by the t Rom. 10. 15. Apostle and applyed to the preaching of the Gospell And that the doctrine of saluation by Christ is signified by that name it may farder appeare by u Gal. 3. 8. the same Apostle where hee sayth that the Scripture preached the Gospell to Abraham saying In thee shall all nations bee blessed But what neede many proofes in so playne a matter Especially since the first messenger of that ioy after our Sauiours birth the holy Angell deliuers his embassage in the very same tearmes x Luke 2. 10 Beholde y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bring you glad tydings of great ioy Yea our Sauiour himselfe hath authorized and as it were sanctified the vvord to that purpose by saying * Matth. 26. 13 Verilie I saie unto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shal be preached throughout all the world there shall this also that shee hath done bee spoken of for a memoriall of her If any man demaund yet farder reason for applying this title to the History of our Sauiour Let him hearken what a Marke 1. 1. Saint Marke sayth The beginning of the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST Vpon this warrant from him these foure bookes are lawfully and worthily called the foure Gospels Now it hath seemed good to them that haue translated the new Testament out of the originall greek into other languages to retein the greek word in their seueral translatiōs either wholly without any change as the Syriack doth or else framed after the fashion of their speech So is it in the Latine French Italian Spanish b Printed 1555 the old Flemish yea in the Scotish to only our ancestors the Saxōs haue vsed their liberty to express the meaning of it in their owne tong and haue changed Euangelie into Gospell And yet they haue not made this alteration in the Titles where they keepe the Latine altogether but in those parcells which were shared out for the seruice of some speciall daies in c Math. 4. 23. 26. 14 Marke 1. 1. 14. 9 the text it self where the Greek word is vsed by the Euangelist The word then both in the Originall and in our english giueth vs to vnderstand that the matter of these Histories or bookes called Gospells is a message of ioy and gladnesse yea of suchioy and gladnesse as neither eye hath seene care hath heard nor the heart of man is able worthily to conceiue And shall I need to vse any one word of exhortation for the stirring of vs vp to heare these ioyfull newes of peace and saluation This is that kingdom of Heauen which in the daies of our Sauiour Christs preaching d Mat. 11. 12 suffered violence while multitudes ran together in heaps thronging thrusting to heare such gladsome tydings If the Examples of men bee of small force to moue vs yet let the testimony of Angells waigh some what with vs e Luk. 2. 10. Behold saith the Angell I bring you glad tydings of great ioy that shall be to all the people And that we might the rather be perswaded thereof we haue not only thereport of this one Angell but the practise and example of a whole army of Angells f Ver. 13. 14 Praising God saying Glory be to God in the high heauens peace on earth towards men good will Shall the holy Angells of God whom these things in a manner concerne not so triumph and glory for this happy newes wondering at the infinite mercy of the Lord and reioycing for our glorious felicitie and shal we for whom all this is done remaine senselesse carelesse At the least let this dulnesse and deadnesse work so much with vs as to make vs see how vnworthy we are of so vnspeakeable loue how vnwilling to receiue the gracious meanes of saluation prouided for vs and offred to vs yea thrust vppon vs by the Lord that will not suffer vs to perish Is it possible wee should be so vnthankfull to God so vnkinde to our selues so iniurious to our posterity as to neglect driue away from vs and them the onely meanes of our and their euerlasting saluation Do you thinke those reprobate spirits the Diuells if the Lord had vouchsafed them so great a mercie would so desperatelie haue resused it or so faintlie accepted of it Say not to mee you are contented to bee saued by Iesus Christ when you shew your selues so retchless backeward to learne how you may bee saued by him Giue mee leaue to reason a little with you If an estate in some temporall possession were bestowed on you by waie of Legacie woulde you satisfie your selues or woulde it serue the turne for you to professe that you accepted of the gifte woulde you stay at home and waite till the Executours should drawe you out to goe take possession No no you would seeke from one Court to another make all the friends you could bestowe your paines time and charges to haue liuery and seisin of a fraile and vncertaine in heritance But in this bountifull and large graunt of interest to heauen we haue not so much care as to knowe what clayme or title wee haue to it And yet it is a mystery g 1. Tim. 3. 16 Great is the mystery of godlinesse h 1. Cor. 2. 8 which none of the Princes of this world haue knowen The excellencie and gloriousnesse of it inflames i 1. Pet. 1. 12 the Angells with a desire to look into it and do we set light by such wonderfull knowledge let it suffice vs hitherto in our ignorance we haue beene so carelesse Now at the last let vs put on other mindes and by our continuall diligence as it were make amendes to our selues for so
vessell Therefore are they aduised and charged to kisse the Son least he be angry to their destructiō Verse 12. There is good cause then why he should be stiled the Lord of lords and King of kings What though he be the Lambe meeke and tender yea bound and slaine yet * Reuel 17. 14. shall he ouercome the 10. kings that fight against him For he is the Lord of lords and King of kings yea a Reuel 19. 16. he hath that name written vpon his garment vpon his thigh The king of kings and Lord of lords His glory his strength shew him to be no lesse And can we doubt whether hee bee God or no If I should recite the Attributes or Epithets which being proper to God are belonging to our Sauiour Christ If I should but name those admirable effects of his which are aboue the strength of any and all creatures the time would sooner faile me then varietie of matter which doth offer it selfe to me so plentifully that it is harder to find where to make an end thē what to say Do you wonder at the eternity of God as a thing not to bee reacht vnto by the conceit of man Behold him that is b Reuel 1. 8. A Ω the beginning the ending which was which is and which is to come What say I was is is to come Thus indeed hath it pleased our gratious Sauiour to speake of his eternall being to our capacity But let vs heare him speake more like himselfe that is more like God c Iohn 8. 58. Before Abraham was I am This is a speech better beseeming his maiesty For nothing can be properly said of him concerning his being but onely that he is That which was either is not at all or at the least is not in all respects the same that it was That which is to come as yet either hath no being at all or surely no such being as is signified it shall haue in time to come But what stand I repeating that which before I deliuered Let vs passe from this infinitenesse in time which wee call eternitie and come to another like attribute which wants a name but belongs to quantity and might be tearmed Immensitie if our eares and vnderstanding were acquainted with it As eternity signifies the infinitenesse of God in time so doth Immensitie in greatnesse d Isai 61. 8. Thus saith the Lord The heauen is my throne and the earth is my footstoole There is no number of yeeres that can expresse the Lords Eternitie no compasse of place that is able to containe his Immensitie e Psal 139. 7 Verse 8. Whither shall I flee from thy presence saith the king of Israel that had choice enough of roome wherein to hide himselfe If I ascend into heauen thou art there If I he downe in hell thou art there Let me take the wings of Verse 9. Verse 10. the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the Sea yet thither shall thy hand leade me and thy right hand shall hold me But what need many particulars Hee that is present in heauen and in earth can be shut out of no place whatsoeuer our Sauiour is ascended into heauen yet is he still present with his children here in earth f Matth. 28. 2◠Behold I am with you till the end of the world By his power you wil say not by his presence Doubtlesse an infinite power such as protecteth the Church of Christ cannot be in a finite nature Let vs heare him speake more plaine g Matth. 18. 20 Whersoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Or if this also may applied to power yet that place is without exception h Iohn 3. 13. No man ascendeth vp to heauen but he that came downe frō heauen the Son of man which is in heauen He came downe frō heauen because being God he became man he was for all that still in heauen because being man he ceased not to be God Therefore also while he was aliue on earth before his passion he doubted not to auouch that hee was euen then in heauen i Iohn 17. 24 Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold that my glory Where is that to be seene but in heauen For so hath our Sauiour said himselfe before in that prayer And now glorifie me thou father with thine Verse 5. owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Not as if heauen or neuer so many heauens were able to conteine that his infinite glory which can be no way bounded by any meanes but because there i◠shews it self most apparātly Shal I need to add hereunto his power or rather Almightinesse k Reuel 1. 8 I am A Ω the beginning the ending saith the lord which is which was which is to come euen the Almighty And twice afterward in the same booke he is called l Reu. 4. 8. 11. 17. The Lord God Almighty But if the Scripture had not said any such thing of him yet his admirable works sound out his power glory The heauens m Psal 19. 1 sayth the Prophet declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth the worke of his hands Yea the signs which he did in the sight of his friends enemies were so high aboue the power of man that they may assure vs n Ioh. 20. 31 that our Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Sonne of God But of these in the Gospell oftentimes hereafter if it please God euen God the Sonne IESVS CHRIST of whom we speake But ere I proceed any farder I must againe encounter the Arians who bend all their forces to ouerthrowe the God-head of our Sauiour Christ Do you not perceiue say they that although hee be called God yet he is not so indeed by nature but by fauour Haue you not obserued that in the second clause where the true God is spoken of there the article is added in the text o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word was with the God as you would say The true God but here in the third part the same article is omitted as if the holy Ghost would haue vs know thereby that he hath his God-head such as it is onely by grace and that diuers from him that is the true God O that foolish men should take such paines to kick against the prickes and to procure their owne destruction Can there be more force in the omitting of one poore letter to make you denie our Sauiours diuine nature then in so many reasons to wring out of you a confession therof p Origen in Ioa. lib. 2 Too much curiosity in an opinion of this learned obseruation hath deceiued you Is not Iesus Christ the true God because the article is not added Or is the article neuer omitted where
commandement when hee appointed the foundations of the earth Then was I with him a nourisher and I was Ver. 30. dayly his delight reioycing alway before him But least any man should be so obstinate that this testimonie cannot resolue and satisfie him I will adde hereunto the witnes of q Psal 102. 25. another Prophet who calling vpon the Sonne of God speaketh thus of him Thou hast afore time layd the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thy hands If you doubt whether this bee spoken of the Sonne or no the holy Ghost shall assure you that it is by the pen of Saint r Hâ—b 1. 10. Paul who alleageth this place and applyeth it to our Sauiour Christ Of whome also hee had affirm'd a little before that God made the world by him It may be some man would knowe the reason why our Euangelist being to describe our Sauiour as the Creator of the world doth not vse the same kinde of speech which Moses doth and which also is common in the Scripture to that purpose Why doth hee not more particularly recite the things that were created by him and set out his glory therein at large as Moses doth I will tell you in as few words as I can And first I say of both questions together that therefore Saint Iohn did not speake either so or so largely as Moses had done before because Moses had so done and his purpose was not the same that Moses had in his writing More particularly and more plainely I say farther of the former doubt first that it is true and manifest that whereas Å¿ Gen. 1. 1. Moses named expresly the heauen and the earth our Euangelist sayeth in generall All things It is also cleere and certaine that ordinarily in the Scripture where God is spoken of as a Creator there the same things are mentioned Wee heard erewhile seuerall places to that purpose you may finde more at your leasure Wee preach vnto you sayth t Act 14. 25. the Apostle Paul to the men of Listra That yee should turne from these vaine things to the liuing God which made heauen and earth So u Isay 37. 16. sayth Hezekiah Thou art God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made the heauen and the earth So x Ier. 32. 17. Ieremiah Thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power yet saith our Euangelist By him were all things made Why so As well because by these words all that Moses sayd might and would easily be conceiv'd as also for that he would haue euen those things to be vnderstood whereof Moses had made no expresse mention Therefore also doth y Col. 1. 16. the Apostle Paul speake otherwise of the creation then Moses where hee sayth of our Sauiour Christ By him were all things created which are in heauen and which are in earth things visible and inuisible whether they bee Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers then follow the very wordes of our Euangelist All things were created by him Thus hath Saint Paul taught vs how to expound Saint Iohn All things visible and inuisible Of the later Moses sayth nothing expresly but rather by his particular description of the visible parts of the world seemes to tell vs that hee spake of them onely So might our Euangelist also haue been vnderstood if hee had so spoken whereas now wee are to expound him of both according as the Apostle directs vs. But why doth not Saint Iohn as the least follow Moses course and describe the particulars at large Because Moses was the first that euer writ that historie of creation and writ it of purpose to giue knowledge of it to all posteritie But our Euangelist neither needed doe that which which was perform'd so excellently so long before by another and intended not to set out the historie but rather to apply it to the present occasion Hee had also a more worthy matter to handle whereunto hee hasted the redemption of the children of God by the promised Messiah our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Giue mee leaue I pray you a little to consider the glorie of our heauenly redeemer and to insult ouer all such miscreants Iewes and Turkes as despise his gratious offer of saluation and refuse him as not worth the trusting in Whom dost thou contemne whose helpe doest thou thinke scorne of Canst thou not beleeue in him when thou considerest him in the Virgins wombe yet beleeue in him when thou beholdest him in the bosome of God what could he be but mortall that was made of mortall flesh Nay rather what could hee bee but immortall that made both flesh and spirit Thou sayest Hee is accursed that maketh flesh his arme and can hee be blessed thinkest thou that refuseth to make God his strength Shall the clay say to the potter Thou art of no power Shall not so presumpâ—uous a Clod of bak't earth bee broken all to peeces and beaten to dust That thou liuest mov'st breath'st that thou art that thou canst bee thus vnthankefull it is his and only his goodnes What doost thou plotting and deuising to ouerthrow his religion Beholde hee will take a way thy breath from thee and then all thy thoughts shall perish Doest thou not quake and tremble at the fearefull sound of the thunder that hee made Doest thou not flee away hide thy face from the flashes of lighting that come from him * Osc 2. 8. Doost thou not knowe that it is hee that giues thee Corne and Wine and Oyle and multiplies thy siluer and thy golde which thou wastest in making warre against him How long wilt thou proceed to harden thy wicked heart to thine owne destruction The weakest and meanest of his creatures a Exod. 8. 19. 25. Flies and Lice are stronger then all thy bandes of Ianizaries If the meditation of our Sauiour Christs Almightie power in creating all things will preuayle nothing at all with them but to 〈◊〉 urage them the more let vs leaue them to his iust indignation and apply the knowledge of this doctrine to the encrease of our owne faith and comfort And first let vs hearten our selues against the reproches and scornes of the weake and ignorant world They beleeue not in Iesus Christ Noe maruaile For they see him not but in the wombe in the manger on the Crosse in the graue They see but a peece a it were or rather the bark only of the tree of life But we to whom the same Lord that created the eyes of our bodies the naturall light of our vnderstanding hath giuen also the supernaturall light of faith beholde him a farre off euen beyond the beginning of the world and looking through the rinde of his humane nature see the pith and substance of his euerlasting Godhead not what it is but that it is Why shuld it be thought strange for men to relie wholly vpon him that made them Let me
the lesse because they are generally so well knowne to all men and describ'd somewhat largely in the hystorie of the creation Yet thus much I may and must say that if wee did more aduisedly consider either the whole frame of the world how each part serueth and beautifieth other or the particular creatures euerie one by themselues wee should discerne the power and wisedome of the Creator in a farre more excellent sort then euer yet wee sawe it But I will not enter into so large a fielde least the varietie of most admirable workemanshippe make mee forget my selfe and stay mee too long in the course of my present iorney to the ende of this whole verse Onely I will commend to your priuate meditation for this purpose the later ende of the booke of Iob from the beginning of Chapter 38. to the ende of 41. Where the Lord himselfe from heauen thunders out a wonderfull description of his diuine power and wisedome in the varietie of his workes and the incredible strength of some speciall creatures to the vtter confusion of m August de â—aeros cap. 46. the wicked Maniches who blasphemously gaue the glorie of these wonders to an Idoll of their owne senselesse deuising and setting vp But they that haue either the light of true reason or the direction of the holy spirit cleerly see and willingly acknowledge that the least and meanest creature in the world could neuer haue beene but by the infinit power of God and being is a sufficient proofe of that power by which it is This I speake the rather because n Aâ—crroes aly some learned fooles being inforced by the light of nature to discern the Creator in the creatures and yet being not willing to assent to the truth of Religion in the Scripture haue presumed to denie both the creation and prouidence of God in the smaller and inferiour creatures and in ordinary matters of no great moment Why so Because forsooth they were too base for God to make or meddle with O the nicenesse of vaine men As if the Sun that shineth out of the heauens were defiled or abased by casting of his beames vpon any place though neuer so homely or vncleanely But of the prouidence of God vpon some fitter occasion hereafter For the creation of such small and meane creatures wee haue authoritie of Scripture to assure vs they are GODS workemanshippe and strength of reason to proue that they are worthie to bee acknowledged for his And for Scripture what better warrant can wee desire then the testimony of the holy Ghost by o Gen. 1. 20. Moses in the report he makes of the first creation God said Ver. 24. Lette the waters bring foorth in aboundance euery creeping thing that hath life And of the earth afterward God said Let the earth bring foorth the liuing thing according to his kind cattell and that which creepeth There is not any creature in the Sea or on the Land of lesse woorth then that which creepeth Is it not a part of the Serpents punishment to go on his belly p Gen. 3. 14. Because thou hast done this thou art accursed aboue all cattell and aboue euery beast of the field vpon thy belly shalt thou goe and dust shalt thou eate all the daies of thy life Is there any baserfood then the dust of the earth And yet that is the ordinary meate of such thinges as craul vppon the land As for those that creepe in the water mudde and slyme is their ordinary sustenance Yet are both the one and the other created by the Lorde Therefore also haue they their part in praising and magnifying their heauenly creator q Psal 148. 10. Beasts and all Cattell creeping things and feathered foules Yea they are not only the creatures of God but howsoeuer for a time they were ceremonially vncleane by nature cleane good So did the Lord himselfe teach and informe r Act. 10. 10. Peter by a voice from heauen The holy Apostle was hungry and while meate was dressing for him fell into a trance wherein he saw a vessell come downe from heanen in which were amongst verse 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. other creatures creeping things Then there came a voice to him willing him to kill and eate Is not this a sufficient proofe of their creation and cleanness They came now downe from heauen and Peter was will'd to eate of them But Peter remembring that they were forbidden to bee eaten as vncleane began to excuse himselfe The Lord to cut of all obiections answers him againe The thing that God hath purified pollute thou not This was so done thrice saith the Text. Why so often but that all doubt of their vncleannesse might be cleane taken away Well say you let them be cleane forvse especially in acase of necessity yet they are not worthy to be held for the creatures of God Not worthy and yet haue being mouing and life Any one of these were sufficient to make them shew some part of his greatnesse from whom they are Take the least of the 3. Is there not an infinit difference betwixt not being and being Or can any power lesse then infinit giue being where there is none Do not all things as it were speake sound out the excellency of being when they feare and striue against nothing more then least they should not bee What hath made some profane wretches that had no hope of life after their death in this world to wish that they might liue though it were but in the forme nature of Todes or Spiders It is an old and true obseruation euen of the heathen that euery thing is naturally desirous to continew its being by all meanes possible But these fond wise men shall be condemned by some like themselues Let vs heare Pharaohs in chaunters giue in their verdict When they all crauled with lice saw that God who had suffered the Diuel for a time to deceiue them with vaine shewes would no longer endure his and their damnable presumption they cried out to Pharaoh Å¿ 〈◊〉 3. 19. This is the singer of God Surely if making lice of dust be not dishonourable to God but the wretched sorcerers are inforced to acknowledge his power in them what madnes is it to deny him the creation of the smallest and meanest things Yet I would not be so vnderstood as if I thought that euery kinde of such creatures was made at the first creation within the compass of those six daies It is enough for vs to beleeue and acknowledge that all things had their being from God both for their nature and their properties and that no kind of creature hath bin is or shal be at any time bred but according to the appointment of the Lord and by the meanes which he from the beginning ordained fitted to that purpose Thence it is that diuerse liuing creatures are daily bred of dust mudd slyme and such like Not as if these
him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him That his gratious reguard of man whom the Lord sets in the next place to himselfe may the better appeare as the first worke of Creation was for his seruice so the second of Regeneration was for his saluation This wee learne of our Euangelist q Ioh. 20. 31. who tels vs that the ende of writing the Gospell was That wee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that by beleeuing wee might haue life through his name See I pray you how Saint Iohn hath loyned these two endes together the former is the glorifying of Iesus Christ as the Sonne of God the later the procuring life to men by faith in him According to these two endes the Euangelist hath framed this beginning of his Gospell First r Ioh. 1. 1. 2. he describes Iesus Christ vnto vs as hee is in himselfe God euerlasting Then hee shewes what hee is to vs. A creator of vs when wee were nothing a Sauiour to vs when Ver. 3. wee were worse then nothing Of the former points we haue heard out of the three former verses now of the Ver 4. 5. later out of these two that follow Whereof wee may sitly make these two parts a description of the Messiah as the aâ—tor of Life in the fourth verse and the former part of the fift His intertainment by men in the later part of the same verse In the description oâ—r Euangelist declareth first what hee was in the nature of his mediation verse 4. then what in regard of the effect verse 5. Concerning the nature of that his office two points are to bee considered First that In him was life 2. that That life was the light of men The effect is that The light shineth in darkenesse But how was this light intertaind Or rather this light found no entertainement The darkenesse comprehended it not Now for the better vnderstanding of these points First according to my custome I wil examine the words then expound the meaning of the Text. For the wordes in the first clause for I will take euery one seuerally by it selfe we must consider both what life the Euangelist speaks of and why hee speakes in that manner saying In him was life Why hee sayth In him was life rather then He was life why was rather then Is seeing it is as true and plaine that Hee is life as that life was in him But what is this life hee speakes of Looke not that I should trouble you or my selfe with refuting or so much as reciting the diuers strange interpretatioÌ„s of Heretickes foolishly grounded vpon that manner of reading which couples the former part of this verse with the later ende of the third That which was made was life in him I shewed in my last exercise that if this had beene intended by the Euangelist hee would rather haue said All things that were made were life in him Surely the manifold and different expositions that so many heretickes haue made of these wordes so read and the absurd errors and blasphemies they haue gathered from them may well seeme a sufficient reason to discredite such a kinde of reading as hath no better warrant then the coniectures of men Howsoeuer the vulgar Latine retaine it with the mislike of many learned Papists Å¿ August in Ioa. tract 1. Ambrosde fide lib. 3. cap. 3. and in Psal 36. Theophyl ad Ioa. 1. The Manichees deuis'd two senerall and almost contrarie interpretations of them The Arians a third The Macedonians a fourth Heracleon a fist and euerie one of these an erroneous doctrine sutable to his exposition Yea t Origen lib. 3 in Ioan. the best sense that is giuen of the words so read is so curious and sub till that it rather shewes the witte and learning of the Interpreters then the meaning of the Writer And perhaps it were but lost labor for the greatest part of this auditorie to take paines and spend time in striuing to make them vnderstand it Wherefore leauing those nice points to another kinde of exercise and auditorie let vs take the wordes plainely and simply as they offer themselues to bee conceiv'd of all men Who if they haue any knowledge at all of the Scripture or of religion by reading or hearing by this word life vnderstand one of these two things Either the naturall life whereby all liuing creatures are sayd to liue or the spirituall life by which they that are regenerate by the spirite of God liue spiritually in this world by grace and in the world to come by glorie Let vs see some examples of the word in these senses out of the Scripture For the naturall life wee haue the very beginning of it in Moses u Gen. 1. 20. God saide Let the waters bring foorth in abundance euerie creeping thing that hath life And afterward Let the earth bring foorth euerie liuing thing according Ver. 24. to his kinde Of man it is particularly written that x Gen. 2. 7. The Lord God breathed in his face breath of life and the man was a liuing soule So sayth y 1. Cor. 15. 45. the Apostle alluding to that place The first man Adam was made a liuing soule This is that life which the Lord threatned hee would take away by the floud Behold * Gen. 6. 17. sayth hee I will bring a floud of waters vpon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life vnder the heauen In this sense the word is not so common in the newe Testament I thinke not once in this whole Gospell in other places some times a Luk. 8. 15. Though a man haue abundance his life standeth not in his riches b Act. 17. 25. God giueth to all life and breath in all things c 1. Cor. 15. 19. If in this life onely wee haue hope in Christ And as this signification of life is rare in the new Testament so is the other for spirituall life in the old yet now and then vnder the title of this present life the life to come is also implyed Behold d Deu. 30. 15. 19. 20. sayeth Moses I haue set before thee this day life and good death and euill Afterward life and death blessing and cursing And in the next verse The Lord thy God is thy life and the length of thy dayes In the Psalme oftner and playner e Psal 16. 11. Thou wilt shewe mee the path of life f Psal 36. 9. With thee is the well of life So in g Pro. 2. 19. the Prouerbes All they that goe vnto her returne not againe neither take they hold of the wayes of life h Pro. 6. 23. Corrections for instruction are the way of life That one booke affordes vs more examples of this kinde then all the olde Testament beside But the new is full of them euery where i Mat. 7. 14. 18. 8. The way is narrow
signified who can doubt but the light in this later part is of the same nature It is so doubtlesse and therefore wee shall neede to stand the lesse while vpon the proofe thereof Yet because it is for the most parte otherwise vnderstood and that one especiall ground of interpreting that life to bee the supernaturall or spirituall life was fetcht out of this place I thinke it will not bee amisse to say somewhat for the better clearing of the matter First then the light here spoken of must bee conceiued to bee such as the Scripture otherwhere ordinarily signifieth by the same word For it were strange and against reason to giue the worde such a sense in this place as it hath not any where else in the whole volume of the Bible I denye not but it is possible that some one place may haue a word in such a meaning as is not elsewhere to bee found But this I say that hee which will aduenture vpon any such vnvsuall and rare exposition had neede bee sure that the place will not admitany ordinarie interpretation of the word Here is no such necessitie All things are agreeable to the Euangelists purpose and circumstances of the text if wee take the word light in that sense which it commonly beares euerie where in the Scripture Let vs inquire then how it is ordinarily taken Surely for that supernaturall light which the Lord reuealeth for the making knowne of the meanes whereby hee hath appointed to bring vs to saluation It were too much to recite all I will name some principall places by which you may iudge of the rest With thee is the well of life sayth l Pâ—â—l 36. 9. the Prophet and in thy light shall wee see light Life and light both in one verse both of one nature both supernaturall m Psal 42. 3. Send out thy light thy truth let them leade me The light of nature is neuer called the light of God the truth of God is that which himselfe hath reuealed by his word But what doe I expounding it The next wordes put the matter out of doubt Let them bring mee vnto thy holy Mountaine and to thy Tabernacle Can naturall wisedome guide vs thither Canne the light of humane learning shew vs that way n 1. Cor. 1. 21. The world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome It is the word of God o Psal 119. 105 that is a lanterne to our feete and a light to our pathes p Pro. 6. 23. Salomen beares witnesse to the same truth The commaundement is a lanterne and instruction a light Therefore doth q Isay 2. 5. the Prophet Esay exhort the Israelites to walke in the light of the Lord. And in r Chap. 60. 1. another place he comes neerer to the light that Saint Iohn in this place holds out vnto vs. Arise O Ierusalem sayth hee be bright for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen vpon thee For beholde darkenesse shall couer the earth and grosse darkenesse the people but the Ver 2. Lord shall arise vpon thee And his glorie shall be seene vpon thee And the gentiles shall walke in thy light and Kings at Ver. 3. the brightnesse of thy rising vp What is this darkenesse but the ignorance of the way to saluation What the light but the manifesting and shewing of that way by the ministrie of the Gospell Å¿ Chap. 9. 2. The people that walked in darkenesse haue seene great light they that dwelt in the land of the shadowe of death vpon them hath the light shined Which prophecy as the Euangelist sayth was then fulfild t Mat. 4. 14. when our Sauiour preached the Gospell in Galilee Therefore also is hee himselfe called A light u Luke 2. 32. A light to bee reuealed to the Gentiles And himselfe called his Apostles x Mat. 5. 14 The light of the world Yea all Christians truly inlightned by Iesus Christ are called the children of of light The children of this world y â—â—uk 16. 8. saith Christ are wiser in their generation then the children of light To conclude God himselfe is said to be * Iam. 1. 17. the father of lights from whom euery good and perfect gift commeth To be light and that without all kinde of darknesse a 1 I Ioâ— 1. 5. God is light and in him is no darknesse Them that beleeue b I. Pet. 2. 9. He hath called out of darknesse into his maruelous light But what stand I reciting so many particular places The new Testament is full of the like As for the other signification of the worde that by light natural reason or knowledge should be meant I am certainly perswaded that it is not once to be found in the whole course of the scripture What other proofe of this point shall I neede then that they which expound this place of such naturall light can alleadge no text but one that may seeme to make any thing for that purpose And the most that can be gathered out of that too is but a seeming or shew c Psal 4. 6. Lordlift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs Who is so desirous to haue light taken for reason that he can thinke the Prophet speaks of it in that place He compares the wishes of worldly men with the desires of the faithfull Many say who will shew vs any good Who will teach vâ— how we may gather goods But what doe the godly pray for That the Lord would giue them an increase of humane wisedome Indeede this praier had not bin vnfit for a Philosopher who knew nothing better nor esteemed any thing more then such manner of knowledge But the thoughts of Gods children are raised higher and their happinesse is of an other kinde The knowledge and fauour of GOD are the matters they labour for That is the light which they would haue to shine vpon them and in them without which they account themselues to bee in palpable darknesse though they had more knowledge of all other matters then al men in the world beside This was fit to bee opposed to the vaine wishes of carnall worldlings If then the worde be ordinarily taken for supernaturall or spirituall light seldome or neuer for the naturall light of reason and humane knowledge how should wee vnderstand it in this place but according to the generall vse of it in the scripture for that light which we receiue from God by reuelation Whereof that wee may be the better perswaded let vs consider the signification of the worde as it is commonly vsed by d Ioh. 3. 19. 20. 21. this writer This is condemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light So in the two next verses What is this light not naturall reason nor any knowledge obteined by it but the mysterie of redemption which carnall men cannot fancie because it ouerthrowes all opinion of any
his power and skill to mine own helpe It is all one as if I had a boxe of most precious oyntment in my hand which I knew to bee very soueraigne but vnderstood not how it is to be applyed To shut out this excuse remember what Iohn Baptists office was He was sent to beare witnes of the light that all men through him might beleeue Cal to minde how faithfully Ioh. 1. 7. Act. 19. 4. he demean'd himselfe in it Iohn verily baptized with the baptisme of repentance saying vnto the people that they should beleeue in him which should come after him that is in Iesus Christ This being the estate of matters among the Iewes while our Lorde was here vpon the earth were they not iustly to be blam'd for not beleeuing Or could they plead ignoraÌ„ce for excuse It is true indeed that they knewe him not to bee the Lorde of life But this ignorance proceeded of wilfulnesse and preiudice What can they say for themselues Did they not knowe such an one was to come They had it continually in their mouths it was the hope of their life the ioy of their heart the glory of their nation whereof they were not a little proude But they knewe not that this was hee But they might haue done nay they could not haue chosen but haue knowne if they had not wilfully shutte their eies against the light of his miracles and stopt their eares against Iohns testimony of him Therefore doth our Euangelist worthily charge them with not beleeuing in his name whom Iohn testified and his owne works declared to be the Sauiour that was promised to Israell This then is the point that the Euangelist offers to our consideration in these wordes that the Iewes beeing the peculiar people of GOD to whome the Redemption that was to bee wrought by the Messiah first and principally appertained refused to accept him for their Sauiour It were infinite almost I will not say to set out but to set downe the seuerall iniuries they did him the indignities they offered him through the whole course of his life and ministerie amongst them His daily working of miracles was imputed to vaine glorie as if hee sought by them to make himselfe famous in the eies of the world This vile conceite his owne kinsmen had of him Depart hence say they and goe into Iudea Ioh. 7. 3. 4. that thy Disciples may see the workes that thou doest For there is no man that doth any thing secretly and he himselfe seeketh to bee famous If thou doe these things shew thy selfe to the world Yea that diuine power by which hee cast out Diuels was maliciously absurdly and impiously Mat. 12. 24. ascribed to Beelzebub the Prince of the Diuels His familiaritie and kindnes in conuersing with them and applying himselfe to their humours as farre as lawfully hee might was laden with the reproach of gluttony and drunkenness Behold a man which is a Luke 7. 34. glutton and a drinker of Wine a friend of Publicans and sinners What should I speake of the monstrous blasphemies they often vttered against him That Hee was a Samaritan that hee had a Diuell Yea they Ioh. 8. 48. were not ashmed nor affraide O the admirable patitience of God waiting for their repentance to iustifie themselues to his face in such horrible profaneness Say wee not well I quake to repeat it that thou art a Samaritan ver 52. and hast a Diuell And least any thing should bee wanting to the height of all impretie they adde by and by after Now know we that thou hast a Diuell The Diuell himselfe his profest enemie that coÌ„fest he knew him to be the Son of God His owne people for whose sake he came into the world knew that hee had a Diuell What should I say or imagine Whence should so deâ—estable damnable a speech proceed Are men Are the Iewes Are Christs owne people worse then the Diuell But I will not presse these things too farre because they are a degree beyond the not receiuing of him whereof the Text speakes If they had behaued themselues toward him in generall as kindely and dutifully as some in particular did now and then vpon occasion all had bin nothing as long as they receiued him not by beleeuing in his name Saul woulde haue offered sacrifice to God I take it at the best of the fattest and fairest of the Amalakites cattell But obedience is better then sacrifice He should haue hearkened 1. Sam. 15. 22. to the voice of the Lord by Samuel and haue slaine them all What shall wee giue the Lord say the people Thousands of Rammes ten thousand riuers of Oyle The first borne the first fruit of our bodies Doe iustly saith the Mic. 6. 7. 8. Prophet Loue mercie So much doth it concerne a man to humble himselfe to the will of God But this beleeuing was a matter of very great importance because vpon it depended all hope of deliuerance by the Messiah All disobedience and sinne is liable to damnation but yet there is possibilitie of forgiueness though the transgression bee exceeding great Onely this one sinne of not beleeuing makes a man vtterly vncapable of any Ioh. 3. 29. fauour as long as hee continues in it In the maladies of the bodie though the meanes of Physick be not vsed yet oftentimes the strength of nature ouercomes the malice of the humour and recouereth the Patient It is not so in the diseases of the soule where the corruption euery day increaseth the fault once coÌ„mitted as it were the hurt receiued admits no cure but by pardon An easie cure I confesse a ready So much the greater was their obstinacie and folly that I may speake of them as fauourably as may be that would not imbrace so certaine and so present a remedy But this will the better appeare when wee vnderstand more fully what it is to beleeue in Christ In the meane while I will onely put you in minde to consider a little with your selues of this matter I am out of doubt euery one of vs condemnes the Iewes and not withouâ— cause Let vs take heede that we giue not an heauy sentence against our owne selues thereby We haue offer of saluation by the same meanes wee doe or may know more then they could of the particulars thereto belonging and namely of that which is required on our part to beleeue in his name It is not our assenting to the truth of the doctrine in generall our particular knowledge oâ— the course of mans redemption our magnifying the ministers of the Gospell as the Iewes did Iohn Baptist our mislike detestation of Popery that can be sufficient to the sauing of our soules I grát we go beyond the Iews in acknowledging thus much in approuing of it But there is more required to the pardon of our sins obtaining a right to heaueÌ„ We must beleeue in the name of Chr if we do not it shall profit
sacrifice without which there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes to bee had Heb. 9 22. Phil. 2. 10. Neither is that honour Saint Paul speakes of to bee giuen to the name as if the sound of those letters so set together deserued any speciall reuerence or as if Iesus were of more excelleÌ„cy theÌ„ Christ For as I sayd once before then ought wee to esteeme the name of Iesus the sonne of Nun and of the other Iesus the sonne of Iosedeck more then of Christ the sonne of God Surely if any name require bowing of the knee it is that which God gaue himselfe euen Iehouah and the other of the same kind Eheieh Iah But the person is meant when the name is mentioned and the office of being a Sauiour is that to which all honour is due in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth by Angels and men not the Name of sauing which was common to our Lord with other men Why then doth the Euangelist vse this kinde of speech To beleeue in his name would hee thereby note our Lords power vpon which euery one that will bee saued must rest that hee may bee deliuered out of the handes of sinne and death This may seeme the likelier because that miracle of curing the cripple was wrought by the name of our Lord. In the name of Iesus Act. 3. 6. 16. Christ of Nazareth say Peter and Iohn rise vp and walke And where they giue account of their dooing His name hath made this man sound But I rather perswade my selfe that Saint Iohn followes the Hebrewe phrase by which ordinarily the name is vsed for the person Ahraham called on the name of the Gen. 13. 4. Lord. That is Abraham worshipt God and offered vp sacrifize vnto him for as yet that glorious name Iehouah was not knowne I hold it altogether needlesse to Exod. 3. 14. heape vp many examples in a matter out of question Nothing is more common then to haue the name of God taken for God himselfe Let him that hath no light Isay 50. 10. sayth the Prophet Isay trust in the name of the Lord and stay vpon his God The later expounds the former To trust in the name of God is nothing else but to stay or rest vpon God So that the name of God and God himselfe signifie both one thing His name also is often put for his worshippe as when the Priests are sayd to despise Mal. 1. 6. the name of the Lord the meaning is that they prophane his worship as a matter of no worth But this caÌ„not bee intended by the Euangelist For the better vnderstanding of whose meaning after the exposition of the words wee must consider how this verse dependes vpon the former which wee may thus reasonably conceiue The Euangelist in the next wordes before shewed the vnkindnesse and vnthankfulnesse of the Iewes in refusing him that made offer of himselfe vnto them His own receiued him not A strange vnkindnesse that a man so full of grace and power so holy in his life so gratious in his words so mighty in his deedes and that to the benefit of them among whome heeliued should notwithstanding all this bee so peremptorily reiected But was this all I grant it is not nothing to bee iustly condemned of such vnciuill and vnnaturall dealing But there is worse behind to shew the folly of these men in being occasion to themselues of so great a losse If an olde man of fayre lands and great wealth should seeke to bee intertained of his neer kinsmen or friends and not bee receiued would not all the world charge them with extraordinary vnkindnes and condemne them of singular folly for depriuing themselues of so goodly an inheritance and so great an estate as they weresure to haue enioyed by receiuing of him Such was the case in the Iewes refusall of our Sauiour As if Saint Iohn should haue sayd His owne to whome hee came receiued him not but if they had receiued him they had thereby beene made the sonnes of God For that prerogatiue hee gaue to as many as by faith entertained him So that our Euangelist in this one verse both implyes the vnrecouerable losse of the Iewes and all other that refuse him and expresseth the inualuable gaine of all that receiued him whether they were Iewes or Gentiles It seemes a small matter perhappes to many a man not to beleeue in Iesus Christ yea some men thinke it little better then simplicitie and basenesse to rest vpon him If these wretches knewe what is lost by refusing him what is gotten by receiuing him they would run after him with all the haste they can possibly make and imbrace him with both their armes But I will leaue these points to bee amplyfied anone when I haue handled the doctrine that our Euangelist teacheth vs in this place which is briefly this that whosoeuer beleeues in Iesus Christ hath by that beleeuing the honour to bee the sonne of God And because the matter is of so great importance containing the glorie of a true Christian and the meanes of attaining to it let vs I beseech you stirre vp our selues with all diligence to know and doe that which will certainely bring vs to the height of all true felicitie To which purpose I wil diuide my whole discourse into these two parts The prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God The meanes of obtaining it In the former I will first shewe what it is that is heere vouâ—chsaf't vs To he the sonnes of God Secondly that it is a prerogatiue which is amplyfied by the generality of it that it belonges to all that beleeue The later part offers two things to be considered touching the meanes That this prerogatiue is giuen that on our part beleeuing in Christ is required Many other points will fall in here and there but I content my selfe with propounding these that are most generall and easie to bee discerned in the Text. The first point concerning our being the sonnes of God requires that I should shewe some reason why the Euangelist makes choyse of this benefit aboue the rest that being declared I will come to the exposition of the point it selfe Many and excellent are the blessings which it hath pleased God of his infinite mercy to bestow vpon vs in his sonne Iesus Christ He saues vs from our sinnes He reconciles vs Mat. 1. 21. Rom. 5. 10 1. Cor. 1. 30. to God He is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse and redemption When should I make an ende if I should recite euerie particular The question is why Saint Iohn passing ouer all other benefittes receiued by him mentions this rather theÌ„ any other What if we say he made especial choise of this because it is the greatest Surely wee shall say no more then is true and not vn likely For how could the Iewes be more iustly coÌ„demned the hearts of all men more inflamed with the loue of faith or the kindnesse of our Lord more
God Let mee reason with thee a little and take that I shall say in good parte For I doe it not to weaken thy perswasion but to strengtheÌ„ thy faith Hast thou euer confidered this point seriously and debated it aduisedly with thine owne heart Dost thou truly discerne and acknowledge that thou art naturally the child of the Diuell What Doost thou start at this Doe I seeme to wrong thee in abasing thy estate so much Thou art content to say thou art a sinner and it may bee thou doost indeed thinke thy selfe to haue deserued the wrath of God but thou canst not abide to haue it thought that thou wert at any time the Sonne of the Diuell This opinion would disgrace thee too much and affright thee too sore It were a harde matter for thee indeed euer to beleeue that God woulde make thee his Sonne if thou hadst this perswasion of thy selfe that thou art the childe of the Diuell I I am naught saist thou as other men are and I haue neede of Gods mercy and I hope hee will bee as good to mee as to any other But neuer thinke to make me beleeue that I am so bad Then indeed I had small cause to hope for any fauour at the handeâ— of God Tell me I beseech you Are not these the very thoughts of your hearts Doe you not thus flatter your soules If you knewe throughly what you are it were vnpossible you should so easily beleeue what you may bee But perhaps though you are not willing to knowe the worst of your selues in your estate by nature yet you are desirous to vnderstand the vttermost of the honour you may aâ—taine to by grace Well let vs conferre of this a little How many weekes or daies or houres haue you spent in the search of this Adoption which is vouchsaf't you in Christ Haue you learnd what it is to bee a Sonne Haue you made any estimate of the inheritance that is promised Doe you knowe the difference betwixt a seruant and a Sonne Is not al your trust in the plea of seruants If I doe my good will saith one I knowe God will accept of it What though I be ignorant of the mystery of my redemption Alas I am no Diuine no Scholler not booke learned God lookes for no such greate knowledge of mee I can tell that I must loue God aboue all things and my neighbour as my felfe If I doe this I am sure God will bee mercifull to mee and I shall goe to heauen O the blindnesse the wilfull blindnesse of ignorant men How long will yee despise the kind offer of the Lord When will yee begin to consider what honour he hath vouchsaf't you When will you haue any care to vnderstand your own happinesse The Lord God would haue you his Sonnes you wil continue obstinatly in the conditioÌ„ of seruants Hee would bestow heauen vpon you as an inheritance you will needes haue it as wages Hee offers to giue you title to it by adoption you striue to lay clayme to it by your owne purchase Would you choose to be seruants rather then Sonnes if you had any knowledge of these 2. estates You haue heard somewhat of the ioyes of heauen and you haue accordingly a plaine confused motion of the good estate of them that are there From hence ariseth a kinde of desire to bee partakers of those pleasures and by the flattery of selfe loue some manner of perswasion that ye shall enioy them But yee are as farre from knowing what it is to bee the sonnes of GOD as I shewed you were from beleeuing that you are the Children of the Diuell Is it any wonder then that wee make so light account of it who can desire that hee knowes not Where mens treasures are there also their hearts are Mat. 6. 21. Who is there that had not rather bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter then the brother of Iesus Christ To whome doth it not seeme a greater honour to bee the sonne in lawe of Saul then the adopted sonne of God A Lordshippe vpon earth is counted more worth then a kingdome in Heauen O the basenes of our thoughts O the error of our iudgement O the vilenesse of our affection wee bury our selues in the earth liker wormes then men Wee esteeme more of the pleasures of sinne for a season then of the euerlasting Heb. 11. 19. ioyes of God in Heauen Wee haue greater desire to the vaine titles of worldly honour then to the high prerogatiue of the sonnes of God prophane Esau Gen. 25. 32. that sold his brithright for a messe of pottage was a holy man in comparison of vs. Hee was driuen to the sale by a kinde of necessitie Wee by wantonnesse depriue our selues of this dignitie Hungeâ— made him part with that which was demaunded of him Fulnesse makes vs despise that which is offered to vs. It was in his conceite but a temporall possession that hee should haue enioyed It is an eternall inheritance that wee might possesse He remained Isaacs sonne still though hee lost his birth right wee by neglecting the prerogatiue of sonnes are vtterly shut out of Gods presence and fauour It were som what yet if we might be seruants For there is no place in the house of God that is not honourable But the case stands so with vs that we must either be sonnes or nothing I am sory the time cuts me off that I cannot follow and presse these matters as the worthiness and necessitie of them requires The Lord vouchsafe a blessing vpon that which hath bin spoken and prepare vs to a farder meditation of it in hearts to his owne glorie and our present and euerlasting comfort in Iesus Christ To wnome with the Father c. THE NINTH SERmon vpon the first Chapter of IOHN Verse 12. But to as many as receiued him to them he gaue the Prerogatiue c. THere are two thinges that ordinarily make men colde and negligent as in the pursuit of that they haue some minde to so in the desire of that which is offered ignorance of the worth thereof and a conceite that to them it will bee of small vse or profit To what end shoulde a man spend his time and labour in the search of that which when hee hath found it is not worth the taking vp and carrying away Or though perhaps it bee of some value in it selfe yet if I know not how to make any benefit of it I were as good spare my paines as lose my labour That neither of these two hinderances might holde vs from receiuing Christ by faith that we might become the sonnes of God and heires of euerlasting life in heauen In my last exercise I shewed both the excellency of this prerogatiue in it selfe and the inualuable profitte that would arise to vs thereof What greater honour can there possiblie bee imagined then to bee heyres apparant to the kingdome of heauen what higher aduancement can the conceite of men or