and the ministers of his Gospell bycause they carry a lanterne before other to lead to guyde theÌ„ For seing we be al blynd in the myddest of darkenesse God lyghteth vs by the lyght of hys worde which is spoken to vs by his ministers Yet he garnisheth Iohn the Baptiste particularly with thys title of honour bycause that by his ministery God gaue a much more excellent lyght to hys Church 27 There is but one good and that is God Mark 10. A good man bryngeth forth good out of the treasure of hys hart Luke 6. IT is true that men be they neuer so excellent cannot deserue so honorable a title as to be called good no not y â— Angels For they haue not one only droppe of goodnesse of themselfe But they haue from God whatsoeuer they haue y â— is good Besyde be it in men or be it in the Angels goodnesse is but begonne in theÌ„ it is not perfect Yet we must vnderstand what y â— meaning of our Lord Iesus Christ is when he sayth to the yong man whye doest thou call me good There is none good but God he will not affirme there y â— he is God but he bryngeth thys yong man in to beleue hys doctryne He had already a certayne affection to obey but Iesus Christ wil haue hym mount hygher to heare this holy doctryne as froÌ„ the mouth of the liuyng God and not of a mortal man For as men are wont to make of diuels Angels so without discretion men cal them good teachers which haue no true or good felyng of God And so ar the gyftes of God prophaned It is no maruel then y â— Christ sendes thys yong man to God to the end he may geue authority to his doctryne Yet there is no inconuenience in callyng a man good wheÌ„ God hath chaunged hys hart whiche by nature was ill and when he hath prynted in hym some of hys goodnesse So the goodnesse shalbe alwayes Gods and the man also shalbe good Yet it shal not be of hym selfe But in that God hath made him such So it is sayd that a good man bryngeth forth goodnesse from the good treasure of hys harte Thys sentence admonysheth y â— faythful which made profession to be Gods seruauntes to examyne and aduise theÌ„ diligently what they set forth Nothing wil coÌ„me oute of the sacke but what is in it as the prouerbe sayeth The naughtye hart cannot but beare witnesse of it self by prophane words and by wicked wordes So a hart fearyng God sends forth fruites worthy a ChristiaÌ„ man But we must returne to thys poynt that the hart cannot bee good but by the onely goodnesse and grace of God and out of this self roote the good fruytes also shall sprynge 28 Mark. â— Touching the day and houre none knovveth it no not the Angels that are in heauen nor the sonne him self none but the father All povver is geuen me in heauen and in earth Math. â— IF all power bee geuen to our Lord Iesus as wel in heauen as in earth it semeth there is nothyng no not in heauen hyd or vnknowen vnto hym But by the way we must note to what purpose he spake thys Christ willyng to appoynt hys Apostles to Preache the Gospell fyrst spake to them of hys power A meane or common authoritye had not in thys case sufficed But it was mete that he which sent to haue eternal and happy life to be promysed in hys name should haue an Empyre souerayne and in very dede diuine to thend y â— al the world might be brought in awe of hym and that hys doctryne which shoulde be published should bee able to â—ame al loftynes and to bryng downe al mankynde the Apostles had neuer bene persuaded to take on theÌ„ so hard a charge except they had bene very certaine that their warrante was placed in heaueÌ„ being of soueraine power He calles himself Lord and kyng as wel of heauen as of earthe bycause that in that he bringeth men so true obedience by the preaching of his gospel he hath established and appoynted the throne of his Kingdome on earthe And in that he regenerateth his faithful into a new lyfe and calleth them to the hope of saluation he openneth the heauens to the end to lyft vp to happy immortalitye with the Angels those which before not only crepe in y â— world but also were plunged in the dark bottomlesse depth of death True it is that Christ euerlastingly hath had with his father al power and autority and that of his own right but yet it is sayd that it was geuen him to weâ—e in our flesh Then he is apointed gouernor iudge soueraigne Prince ouer al the whole Church but it was not clearly knoweÌ„ tyl after hys resurrection For then at the laste he was adorned with the markes of a soueraigne King and receauing a name aboue al names hee had also the endes of al things in his handâ— to dispose them at his good pleasure But whilest he is yet in our mortal flesh it is sayd that the sonne him selfe knoweth not when the day shal be of hys fearful comming In asmuchas he is God nothing is vnknoweÌ„ vnto him He hath bene euer God neyther hath his Manhode taken any thing froÌ„ hys diuine maiesty The two natures were vnseparably ioyned together in hym but it was in such sorte that neither of both lost their property Chiefly the Diuinitie rested and shewed not it self as often as it was expedient that the nature of man did that which belonged to it to accomplish the charge and office of a Mediatour Wherfore ther is no absurdity or inconuenience in thys that the sonne of God who knew al yet according to the conceyte and vnderstanding of hys manhoode there was some thing which he knew not for otherwise he coulde not haue bene subiecte eyther to griefe or to carefulnes or haue bene like vnto vs. A man may reply y t this caÌ„not be spoken of the soÌ„ne of God that he was ignoraunt bicause ignorance is the punnishment of sinn and he sinned neuer It is also spoken here of the heauenly Angels that this day is hidden from them wil any say that this ignorauÌ„ce procedeth of sinne Though they haue in no wise offeÌ„ded yet are they in somwise ignoraunt As touching the sonne of God he hath so put on mans fleshe that he hath taken on hym the paynes due for sinne And where he knew not of y e later day according to his humain nature that doth no more take away any thing from his â—â—nne nature thaÌ„ his being mortal dyd 29 You haue the poore vvyth you alvvays but me you shall not haue alvvayes Math. 26. I am alvvayes vvyth you vntil the ende of the vvorld Math. 28. THe Lord Iesus speaketh of hiÌ„self in both places touching y e first alowiÌ„g y â— which Mary had don he shewes how this seruice plesed hiÌ„ y t is not y â— he toke pleasure in the 〈◊〉 which had bene
poured out vpon him for the good â—auours sake but in 〈◊〉 respecte of hys burial bycause that by such a 〈◊〉 he woulde geue them to vnderstand that his graue shuld be filled with good sauour as be did spred sauour of life and saluatioÌ„ through al the world But sith that the truth of this figure hath bene perfectly accomplished and the sonne of God when he came out of the graue performed with the good sauoure and quickening smel of hys death not only one house but the whole world It wer a folly to begin again to do that which should be without cause or profite And therfore he sendeth vs back to the pore to the end we shuld not excuse our selfe as though we could no more occupye ourselues in his seruice for once he requyred such seruice as that which Mary did to hym But nowe seeing he is mounted into y e heauenly glory ther is neyther golde nor siluer nor precious oyntments nor sumptuousnesse whatsoeuer they be which we may offre vnto hym to do hym acceptable seruice Now wher he sayth you shal not haue me alwais with you that is to take froÌ„ vs al excuse as though he said that froÌ„ thence forward he would nomore take pleasure in that which once he woulde haue done to him He maketh a distinctioÌ„ betwene y â— ordinary seruice which must be euer vsed among the faythful and that extraordinary seruice whyche had an end when he went vp into heauen Wil we bestow our money wel in true Sacrifice and in holy offering Let vs bestow it to relieue the necessity of the poore and neady For our Lord Iesus sayth that he is no longer wyth vs in this world to be serued with pompes and outward preparations And we know yea and we feele by the experience of faythe that Christ is presente with vs by his strength gostly grace But he dwelleth not visibly among vs 〈◊〉 of vs earthly honor He saith 〈◊〉 you vnto the end of the world He had â—â—yd that he was appoynted Kyng of heauen and of earth Afterwarde vs promiseth to assist his Apostels whom he had enioined a hard office charge warning them not to loke vpon that which they could do of themself but to leane vpon his strengthe and inumerble power The maner of this presence which the Lord promiseth to his faithful must be vnderstode spiritually for it is not nedeful that he should not coÌ„e downe from heauen to succour vs seeing he can help vs by the grace of hys holy spirite stretching forth his hande to vs from the highest of the heauens As touching hys humayne nature it is certaine that there is an infinite distaunce betweene hym and vs. But he not onely spreads the efficacy of his spirite through al the worlde but also he dwelleth truely in vs. Moreouer thys promisse is not made only to the Apostels for it reacheth euen to the end of the world Very true it is that he promyseth hys ayde chyefly to hys ministers whyche for that they are weake and needy in euery condition coulde not execute the lest part of their office Seing then their charge is as troublesome and harde as it is healthful assuredly they haue more neede than all other of the assistance of oure Lorde Iesus to the end they may haue the victorye of al the assaultes and battayles of thys world as in these dayes it is shewed vs by playne experience that christ worketh wonderfully by a secret manner so that y â— gospel hath his course though Sathan lay many lettes in the way But generally al the faythfull ar partakers of thys promisse to the ende no man shuld be discoraged as though he were forsaken Let vs then make thys conclusion that although Christ be departed into heauen yet he is not so departed butte that hee euer is and wil bee to the ende with vs. He hath taken away the presence of hys body from our sight but he leaueth not the whylest to assist hys faythfull which muste yet liue in thys worlde but hee gouerneth the worlde wyth a more presente strength Thys promysse of hys continuall assistaunce was accomplyshed by hys asceÌ„tion in which as y â— body of y â— soÌ„n of god was lifted vp aboue al y â— heaueÌ„s so his power and efficacy is spred beyond al the bouÌ„des of heauen and of earthe So then these two things may wel be said that the sonne of God is no more amoÌ„g vs and yet he is among vs and shal be euer vntil the ende of the worlde He is here no more according to the presence of hys humaine nature but he is here acording to the presence of his Maiesty For a few dayes the Church had hym present in his flesh now not seing him with bodily eyes shee possesseth hym by fayth 30 Thy vvyll be done on earth as it is done in heauen Math. 6. Appeasing by the bloud of hys crosse the thinges vvhiche be as vvell in heauen as in earthe Colloss 1. WE desire by this petition contained in the Lordes prayer that al creatures may truely and perfitly obey God on earth as his â–ª Angels in heauen do and execute his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts al his holy ordinauÌ„ces without any gayn saying and not seeke to dysplease hym in any sorte Lyke as they know that ther is nothing better than that which God wylles so they do readily obey hym And this is the cause why they abide stil and are not subiect to chaunge and corruption and why they haue quietnes and continual happinesse To weete bicause they are in al and altogether agreeing to the wyl of God Seeing then there is nothyng in them that w tstandeth the holye and good wyl of God nothing that turnes them awaye from his holye decrees nothing that can be desired or wyshed biside his good pleasure it can not be but they enioy soueraine rest and true blessefulnesse Syth it is so that the Angelles of heauen synce their creation haue euer in al things and altogether yelded vnto God true obedience by that meanes there hath neuer bene strife or hatred betwene him and them how commeth it to passe that they had neede to be reconciled For in the fyrst Chapiter of the Collossians mentioÌ„ is made not onely of men which are meant by the things which be on earth but also of Angelles which are meant by thynges that are in heauen If hereupon a man woulde say that the Angels haue bene sette at one with men and so the heauenly creatures are at one againe with earthly things This is not that which Saint Paul meaneth here for he sayth expressely that God hath recoÌ„ciled theÌ„ to himself The maner of maÌ„s reconciling to God is this that before while they were estraunged from hym by sinne they should haue felte him to be a Iudge to their ruine and condemnation if the grace of the Mediatoure had not coÌ„me betweene to appease hys angre So the attonemente made betwene God and men is that
e equitie of God who is not a God willing or allowing iniquitye And yet a man might thinke y t this were signifieng by these words y â— God wil visite y t iniquitie vnto the thyrde fourth generatioÌ„ What hath he deserued y â— is not yet If a maÌ„ consider y â— coÌ„dition of mankind thys doubt shal easely be soyled No maÌ„ can loke for any thing els but y t the wrath of God shold fal on hys head and y t shoulde coÌ„me to passe of very right for we ar al sinners and vnworthy of y t fauour of God If God leaue vs as we are what occasion haue wee to complayne to hym It is not ynough to saye that children shall abyde temporall paynes for the synnes and offences of their fathers For thys is farther extended the reuenge or punishment which he threateneth here can not bee restrayned to the presente life but as it is a signe of his loue wheÌ„ he blesseth hys seruauntes children so when he leaueth the sede of y â— wicked in hys curse it is a witnesse of his vengeance on them In thys maner seing al y t nature of man is worthy of condemnatioÌ„ they to whoÌ„ God sheweth no fauour can loke for nothyng els but the destruction which is prepared for theÌ„ What caÌ„ a father forsaken of the holy ghost do but liue wickedly Lykewyse his sonne forsakeÌ„ of God what can he do but followe y e trace of perditioÌ„ And they y â— shal folow what shal they do but goe after into y e same ruyne By thys meanes a maÌ„ may see y t euery one perysheth by hys own iniquitie not by y t vniuste hate of God Touching y t the chyldren are punnyshed for the offences of their fathers it is bycause they followe theÌ„ and though they be warned yet they amende not But as touching that Ezechiell sayeth in hys 18. Chapter that the sonne shall not beare the wickednesse of hys father that was a coÌ„mon prouerb in y e mouth of the Israelites that their fathers had eaten sower things and their teth weâ— on edge with it They signified therby that their fathers had coÌ„mitted y â— fault and that they endured y e il and puÌ„nyshment w tout deseruing it But the Prophet Ezechiel pronouÌ„ceth y t they suffer for their owne faultes and y t it is in no sort agreing w t the iustice of God that the iuste and innocent childe should be puÌ„nished for y â— faults and offences of another Neither is it ment by this sentence y t he visiteth the iniquity of y e fathers in their childreÌ„ for touching that the curse falleth vpoÌ„ their head it is bicause they follow y â— condicions and the tracte of those that wente before them And therfore are punished as their fathers were And althoughe God leaue them in cursednesse before they come into the world yet he doth theÌ„ no wroÌ„g neither caÌ„ they accuse him of vnrighteousnesse 103 Psalm 5. Thou shalt destroy theÌ„ that speak Lies Genesis 12. Abraham Lied and vvas not destroyed GOD so often forbidding Lieng in the holy Scriptures and witnessing that Liars are not welcome vnto him sheweth sufficiently how he wil punish al Liars for seeing y â— truth is in such sorte natural to him that w tout it he wer not God 〈◊〉 should he leaue Lies vnpunished seeing they he altogether contrarye to his righteousnesse and truth And hereupon we gather that a man ought not to excuse any maner of Lie with what fayre color soeuer a maÌ„ couer 〈◊〉 It is not inough to reiect or condemne Lies that ar domageable or ioined with forswearing but those also that are called pleasaunt Lies or Lies for recreation or those that may serue to saue the lyfe of anye â—an As â—ruth cannot be but of God so a Lie what one soeuer it be caÌ„not be but of the Diuel In this place of the fyft Psalme Dauid speaketh more specially he setteth forth the iudgemente of God vpon those that geue themselfe to deceyte Lieng and vnrighteousnes And therwithal he coÌ„forteth the faithful to the end that as often as they shal haue occasion to beare the oppression of the vnryghteous they should wythdrawe themself toward God whoe abhorreth all vnryghteousnesse For it is a good consequent God hateth al the vnryghteous it followeth he will punishe al the vnryghteous But as touching Abraham who lied saieng Sara his wife was his sister Truly a man can not excuse his fault for God had had other meanes to saue his life than by his endangering his Wifes chastitis by help of a Lie Hee excuseth him selfe after that he hath not lied and that he forged nothing contrary to the truth This was surely a great fault for it was not loÌ„g of him that his Wife was abaÌ„doned ouer to adultry If he were carefull of his life which thing was lawfull for him and right at y e least he should haue cast his care on God True it is that the prouidence of God letteth not the faithfull from prouidyng for them selfe but it ought so to be done that they passe not the limites which God hath set for theÌ„ It is their certayne that Abraham offended but what reason were it to put thys holy patriark in y e ranck of y e wicked whiche haue al their delite in dealyng deceiptfullye wyth theire neighbors lying yea before y e eies of god Abrahams ly Isaacks hys sonnes the lyes of al other faythful are worthy of blame yea and of punyshment but wher faith hath place there is also forgeuenesse of sinnes And God suffereth not a faythful soule so to straye in such impietie y t at the last dystruction shuld followe yet notwithstandyng y e grace that is geueÌ„ to the faythful shal not let the truth of thys sentence that will destroye al Liars 104 Thou hast layd the earth from the beginning O Lord and the heauens are the vvoorkes of thy handes they shal perysh but thou art euerlasting Psalm 21. Hebre. 1. The earth abydeth for euer Ecclesias 1. WHEN it is sayed the earth abydeth for euer it is in respect of meÌ„ y t their vanitie might be rebuked and their pride beaten downe One generation passeth and another coÌ„meth on and the earth serueth for a continual dwelling place for men euen to the ende of ages The seasons haue their ouerturnings and the nightes follow after the dayes there are diuerse chauÌ„ges and wonderful which a man seeth to com ordinarily and al that doth not make the earth to waste or to stir oute of her place The â—louds of the sea rore and swel as it were to swallow al vp and yet the earth ceaseth not yearly to bring forth her frutes and to serue meÌ„ for their abode Such is Gods excelleÌ„t workmanshyp such is his wonderful goodnesse toward mankinde For how commeth it that the earth is aboue the waters but that God would of purpose prepare a lodging for men The Philosophers
myscheuous desyre to slaunder they aske thys question whoe besyde God only can forgeue synnes But although this came out of malicious mouthes yet moste true it is that onely God hath power authoritye to forgeue synnes as he onely can condemne so only he can quyte But whē in thys 20. Chapter of Saint Iohn Christ geueth charge to hys Disciples to forgeue synnes he geueth not ouer vnto them that which is propre to himselfe It is propre vnto him to remytte and forgeue synnes whiche honour he resygneth not to them in asmuch as it belongeth to hym but he wil haue thē beare recorde in hys name of the forgeuenesse of synnes and offences so that it is he y e reconcileth men to God To bee shorte it is he alone to speake fytly that forgeueth synnes by hys Apostles and ministers Howe commeth it then to passe that hee aduaūceth so hyghly their dignitie seing that he appoynteth them only for witnesses and declarers and not for authors of the benefyte Thys is done for the greate establishyng of oure fayth As in dede there is nothyng that more profyteth vs than that we resolue and persuade our self that our synnes cōme not into Iudgement or accompt beefore God Zachary in the first Chapter of Saint Luke calleth thys knowledge of y ◠forgeuenesse and pardon of synnes the knowledge of synnes Nowe seyng the good pleasure of God is such to vse the witnesse of men for to allowe thys forgeuenesse of synnes then wee shall quyet our selues when wee shall knowe that it is God himselfe that speaketh to vs in the person of hys ministers For thys cause Saint Paule saieth we exhorte you to be reconciled to god as if Iesus Christ hymself made obtestation by vs. The faythfull then ought to be so resolued that what they heare touchīg the forgeuenesse if synnes is ratified and ought nolesse to esteme the reconcilyng or attonement whiche is declared vnto them by the voyce and worde of men than if he hymself stretched his hand to them Now marke two things which it behoueth vs to remēber First that a treasure is offred vs but it is in little vessels those are men which are sente vs to offer and open thys treasure vnto vs in the name of another not as theyr owne ryches but as hys that sente them vs. Nexte that we oughte to esteeme thys treasure no whyt the lesse bycause it is in dyspiseable vessells but rather wee haue occasion to geue thankes vnto God in that he hath dealte so fauourably with men that they represente hys person and the person of hys Sonne when they heare wytnesses of the forgeuenesse of synnes so God onely forgeueth synnes yet he confyrmeth that whiche men appoynted by hym declare vnto vs touchyng the forgeuenesse of synnes 99 Call no man on earth your father for ther is but one that is your father vvho is in heauen Mat. 23. Honour thy father thy mother Exod. 20. THe Lord Iesus had shewed before y ◠thys honor belonged to no other to be called Lord but to God only If this seme to hard forasmuche as he himself hath appoynted men to be our Masters teachers y ◠answer is easye True it is y e Christ hymself whē he yet dwelt on the earth chose his Apostles appoynted thē to y ◠offyce of teachyng and if the stryfe be for the title it is very certayn that when Saint Paul named hymself the Master teacher of the Gentils hys mynde was not wickedly to steale from Christ the honour y ◠belonged vnto hym Neyther is Christes meanyng any thyng ells but to bryng euery man vnder hym from the greatest to the smallest to reserue his right wholly to hymselfe He careth not then with what tytle they be adorned which haue the charge of teachyng only hys wil was to kepe al mē w tin these boundes that no mā should vsurpe any rule ouer y e fayth of hys brethren Nowe in the same sense the honour of the name father belongeth to God for men haue not geuen to themselfe that name but it hath bene graunted them of God And it is not ynough to saye that men which haue children are fathers according to the fleshe and that God alone is father of the spirites True it is that sometime a mā shal finde thys distinction in y ◠scriptures as in the. 12. Chapter to the Hebrues But seing Saint Paule calleth hymself very often a spiritual father it behoueth vs to see how this agreeth with y e words of our Lord Iesu loe then what we must say The honour of father is falsely geuen vnto men when by that name the glorye of God is darkened that is when a mortall man seperates hymself from God to be accompted a father seyng that al degrees of kyndred depend of God only by Christ and those degrees are so knytte together y ◠to speake fytly God is alone the father vnto al. The whilest God willeth and commaundeth vs to honour our fathers to reuerence them to obeye them and to loue them and thys commaundement is confyrmed by threates and by promysse The threate is that al stubborne dysobedient children to their fathers should be punyshed by death The promysse is that they that shal honour and obeye their father shal liue long on the earth Yet notwithstandyng we muste haue thys resolution before our eyes that a man neuer ought to turne aside from the will of God Nowe touchyng that the fathers haue rule ouer theyr children it is for thys reason bycause God hath chosen them impartyng to them some parte of hys honour The subiection then that children owe vnto their fathers ought to bee vnto them as a stayre to leade them to the reuerence and obedience of God whoe is the chiefe father But if the fathers wil make their children to withstande God they are nomore theyr fathers but straungers whiche woulde tourne them from thys true obedience which they owe to their true father 100 Abraham beeleued in God and it vvas imputed to him for ryghteousnesse Gene. 5. VVas not Abraham oure Father Iustifyed by hys vvoorkes vvhen he had offered hys sonne Isaac vpon the aulter Rom. 4. SAINT Paule to the Romaynes the. 4. Chapter to shewe that Abraham was not Iustifyed by hys workes maketh thys argument If Abraham were Iustifyed by hys woorkes he maye beaste of hys deserte but so it is that he hath nothyng whereof to boast beefore God It followeth then that he was not Iustifyed by his workes But thys is hys glorye the thing he may boaste of that he embraced the goodnesse of God by fayth Fayth maketh a man to cōme oute of hym and leadeth hym to God So the glorye of Abraham was not in hys woorkes nor in the worthinesse of hys person but in the mere goodnesse and grace of God For when a man will trulye boaste hymselfe he must bryng nothyng of hys owne but the knowledge of hys owne myserye throughe whiche he
seruauntes to steale away from theyr maisters or to vse any force toward their masters so to shake of the yoke of bondage from theire neckes But he aduiseth them not to be trobled as though their state of lyfe did take from them the Christian liberty 5 VVhen I held my peace my bones vvoox olde Psalm 23. In cryeng and groning my bones vvaxe olde Psalm 23. ALthough there be some litle shew of contrariety in these words yet they may be easily agreed The poore sinner is spoken of who feeleth himself cast out of the fauour of God And the Prophet speaketh not here of a cōmon kinde of trial but of an extreme rigor by whych y e sinner is vtterly ouerthrowen As in dede if we be not drawē by forcible means we neuer aduaūce our self w t a very earnest desire to seeke to be at one w t God Therfore whether y e sinner seke ease by holding his peace saying nothing or by crieng and brayeng his bones neuer lyn to waxe olde nor all his strength to wast on which syde soeuer he turne him and by what soeuer wil or affectiō he be led Let his mouth be shut vp that he say nothing let him haue it open to bray and fil the aire with cries To be short let him do all that semeth hym good to finde ease of his grief yet it auailes him nothing tyll he be come agayne into the fauour of God 6 Thy God is one only God Deutero 6. I haue appointed thee the God of Pharao Exod. 1. THIS is very true y ◠there is but one God the same very God onli God y ◠by his sō Iesus Christ shewed himself only wise only almighty and wholly good at whose hand alone we must loke for safety all maner of good things He is y e true God whō faith discerneth frō the vayn folish inuētiōs of mē embracīg him w t an assured certainty it neither boweth nor wauereth Yet for all that a man may also say Many are called Goddes not of their own being but by partaking of dignity insomuchas God hath made thē his vicars Deputies in som particular office as it is sayd in the. 83. Psalme I haue sayd you are Goddes For he speaketh ther to Princes Gouernors of y e earth By y e self reasō y ◠scripture calleth the Angels Goddes for y ◠the glorye of God shineth in the world through thē Now this tittle conueyed ouer from God as wel to Angels as to men declareth what God doth by thē what charge and office he hath geuē thē And y t is in such sort that no parte of Gods glory is therby minished For he doth not so impart his force strength to creatures as in y ◠meane season any of his power is taken frō him He doth not so work by thē that in y e mean time he resigneth his own power He wil not haue his glory so shine in thē y ◠the whilest it be darkned in himself 7 All flesh shall see the Saluatiō of God Esai 40. The vvicked shall not see the glory or magnificence of God Esai 26. IN y e the Prophet Esay saith al flesh shall see y e saluation of God his purpose is to shew y t the work of y e redēptiō of y e Church shal be so glorious that all mē shal opēly see y t God is y e author of such a deliuerance it shall make visible his Maiesty Power But y e wicked vnbeleuers haue no eyes mete so to considre it as it may profit thē The Lord by sūdry meanes maketh his power his iustice bounty shine and yet y e unbeleuing proud occupy not their spirits and wits about it So although al may behold y e glory of Iesus Christ neuerthelesse few haue knowen it bycause of their blindnesse There haue bene but few that haue had their eyes opened by the holy Ghost to see this glory in our Lord Iesus 8 I vvyl harden the hart of Pharao Exod. 4. Pharao hath hardened his hart Exod. 8. LYKE as God hath kept vnto himself this liberty to haue mercy on whome it seemeth good to hym and that therin we can finde out no cause aboue his will so also hee refuseth as manie as he will and therin his wil sufficeth for all reasons Saint Paul handling this argument in the. 9. Chapter to the Romaines allegeth that which God had sayd to Moyses before I wyll haue mercy on whomsoeuer I wyll haue mercy On the contrary syde he proponeth that which the Scriptures say to Pharao Exod. 9. I haue stirred thee vp euen to thys selfe purpose that in thee I may shew my power that my name may be renowmed through all the earthe Then after he concludeth y ◠God hath mercy on whom it semeth good to him and hardeneth whom he wil. The lord affirmeth that it is himself that stirred vp Pharao to this very ende that being vāquished and subdued whylest he stubbournly resisted the power of god hee shoulde serue for an instruction to teache howe inuyncyble the arme of God is Then in that he hardened the hart of Pharao he is not only vnreproueable but also in hys wysedome and equity wonderfull And when it is sayd that God hardeneth it is not only me it therby that God suffereth but also that his Godly wrath worketh for al outward things which serue to bild the reprobare are euident tokēs of his angre And Sathan himself which inwardly worketh strongly is so Gods minister that he doth nothing out by the commaundement of God Yet not withstāding this also is true that Pharao hath hardened his heart God truly doth harden but he doth wel iustly that which he doth ◠an hardeneth himself but what he doth he doth stubbournly agaynst the will of God who calleth him to repeniaunce and saluation This we may see playnly by the exhortation which y t holy Ghost maketh in the. 95. Psalme when he sayth If to day yee wyll heare his voyce harden not youre heartes He declareth that our stubbournesse and rebellion agaynst God commeth out of none other fountayn than of our wicked will whē we shut y e dore against his grace We haue alredy by nature a hart of stone and this hardening is naturall vnto vs euen frō our mothers wombe and onely God may soften and amend our hardnesse Notwithstandinge in that wee refuse the voyce of God that proceadeth of our wilfull obstinacy and not of any constraynt that commeth from els where or from without vs. Euery man may be a witnesse of this to himself Wherfore it is not without iust cause that the holy Ghoste reproueth all vnbeleuers forsomuch as stubbournly they wythstand God neyther is 〈◊〉 any beside themselues that taught them to rebell Pharao may well scrue for a notable crample hereof So God remaineth iust the naughty and hardened mā is Iustly punished 19 Encrease and