earthly Sauiour vnder whom they should haue riches and plenty and peace and protection in the world when the Messiah himselfe telleth them that they shall not be free from the very Magistrates which shall most injustly handle and persecute them For by the Magistrates all that professed Iesus Christ were smitten spoyled of their goods banished most cruelly tormented and killed by Kings by Gouernours by Deputies Lieutenants Iudges by Edicts Proclamations Lawes Decrees Counfailes all vniust and cruell things were done to the Martyres of Christ. We see how needfull it was for the Church that Christ should say vobis dico to you I speake for they that cannot keepe this saying cannot be Christs Disciples If now then brethren we haue Christian Magistrates which shield vs from wrong yet let vs learne this lesson if God should put vs vnder Antichristian authority which may doe vs wrong and still consider that albeit we are now in Sanctuary in a peaceable state in a quiet and protected Church yet we haue taken vpon vs that profession which must not stinch or shrinke when highest iniustice and extreamest vexation shall be inflicted And as we ought to prepare our selues against the greatest thunders and stormes of persecution so let not little puffes and flawes of iniuries remoue vs from our hope for what bastard Christians are we if with lesse patience we suffer a light disgrace or contemptible iniury then those holy Martyrs endured the shedding of their bloud We know it is a diuine and heauenly blessednesse to suffer wrong if Gods word did not protest so we may heere it out of the mouth of an heathen King Regium est audire male cum facias bene It is kingly honour to heare euill when thou dost wel Doubtlesse euen they which fight but for an earthly Country do glory in their wounde as Cicero in his fragments hath of one Salustine which had his face most fowly scathed in fight quo ille de honestamento vultus maxime gloriabatur of which deformity and dishonesty of his face he most gloried and boasted Will a man that hath long beene perilously tost in a dangerous Sea care if the ship split and teare in pieces if he may grapple with the shore So did not that braue souldier Tarchon Frangere nec tali puppim statione recusa arrepta tellure semel Since now I haue attain'd the shoare Let ship be all to pieces to are Let our bodies rent and split so we may land our soules in Heauen let vs not care what we suffer but for what we suffer for God for Christ Iesus for glory and life in Heauen Now let vs reason thus doe priuate men do vs wrong let vs seeke the Gods on earth to the Magistrates do these Gods on earth oppresse vs let vs appeale to God in Heauen for God hath not giuen authority so to men that he hath reserued none to himselfe God sitteth in the assembly of Gods he indgeth among Gods Doe we stand vpon the deerenesse of our flesh and goods O how much dearer should our soule and life in Heauen bee But who can endure so many iniuries Then tell me if we cannot sustaine the shaking of the leaues how shall we endure the cutting downe of the tree For we owe to Christ not only these but the forsaking of all deniall of our selues If then things of small moment cause vs to renounce the word we make open protestation that we will neuer die for Christ where then now shall we finde such as will foresake all when in vs such slight and momentary euils poize downe all our faith in Christ When thou hast a grieuous ach or sicknes in thy body thou doest not preferre before enduring the paine to die presently to the flesh and rather then we will beare a little griefe or bitternesse in our soule doe we preferre to die to God Then let vs seeke another reremedy there is one thing that can cure all euils whatsoeuer The loue of God in Christ. This Saint Paul opposeth to life to death to Angels to Principalities to Powers to things present to things to come to height to depth to all creatures whatsoeuer saying What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ And doe not we speake to Christians And in such a multitude of these which professe Christ is there such a fewst of them which follow him Are we still like leane Bulls in the rich and plentifull Pastures of the Gospell but the Apostles are dead and those great lights of examples the Patriarches the Prophets the holy Martyrs and wee haue their Sepulchers with vs yet let their hope their zeale their fayth their constancy their Patience liue I speake with more vehemencie because I know not what concernes vs more then this Scripture our Houses our Liuings and Estates and Children our Liues our selues are not so much ours as this In your Patience you shall possesse your soules Loe we stand vpon being or not being vpon the hauing or loosing our soules The God of loue and peace giue vs all the spirit of Meekenesse of Hope and Patience that in the sweet loue of Iesus Christ we may ouercome all hardnesse of heart all bitternesse of tentation Amen THE FVLNESSE OF CHRIST The sixt Sermon MATTH 5. Vers. 17. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law I came not to destroy but to fulfill it THE Iewes feared the dissolution of their State and Lawes and Customes and the destruction of their Temple and would make Christ the Author for such a brute was blowne abroad whether the Predictions of the Prophets which spake against their Feasts and Sabbaths and Sacrifices gaue them to vnderstand or that the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ in so many Signes and Wonders and powerfulnesse both of Word and Workes caused them to thinke hee would make some change or that hating him they would cast on him an aspersion of malice as an enemie to the lawes and religion established or that it was fatall to the Sinagogue which was so neere to her last period to haue some vniuersall notions and presagements of her dissolution Whether it were any of these or all the fame went currant of Christ that hee would make an alteration but of the dissolution of their state and policie Christ was no more the cause then the man which is murthered is cause that the malefactour is executed As for the law and religion hee was so farre from taking them away that the cause of his comming was onely to fulfill them as hee saith I came to fulfill the law So that vnlesse the fulfilling of the law be a repealing of the law Christ cannot be said to abrogate the law The Iewes themselues transgressed the law and made the ordinance of God voyd by their traditions They might haue accused themselues but they accuse Christ and stand so in feare that he will disanull it that they doe as much as in them lieth
infinite difference bewixt Gods teaching and mans teaching which driueth away our sinnes as the winde the mist which ouercommeth our ignorance as the light the darknesse which consumeth our euils as fire the wax and the Sunne melts the Snow which couereth our nakednesse as the Heauens couer the earth which createth our newnesse as he created heauen and earth of nothing See the Apostles being taught by the spirit which were idiots and simple men as was knowne to all men are not onely at the instance repleat with all heauenly knowledge themselues but are made the onely Doctors and Teachers of all the world beside And cannot that Son which made those silly fishermen the lights of the world by one whole infusion of faith lighten my closet and chamber I meane the secret corners of my heart Heare we what Saint Paul saith God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. But you will obiect the Apostles had the gift of that knowledge by miracle and those gifts were extraordinary and now they cease euery man that will haue knowledge now must eyther learne of others or seeke it in his booke I deny not but that those gifts which are gratis data giuen freely and not gratum facientia as is the distinction of the Schoole-men not iustifying or making a man acceptable to God of which sort were the gifts of tongues and vnderstanding all Scriptures I say I doe not deny but they are ceased and were giuen onely to the Apostles and Ministers and some others by imposition of the Apostles hands in the primitiue Church for these are not giuen them which receiue them for their owne saluation but for the saluation of others and we haue the vse and collation and benefit of the same gifts being by their preaching brought to the knowledge of God but this I say the gift of faith which is giuen vs by which we are inwardly regenerate and know God though it be ordinary and shall be euer in Gods Church to the end of the world yet is it of higher power and greater miracle for regeneration of euery Soule that is grafted in Christ speaketh as much to the prayse of Gods power and glory as the creation of heauen and earth made of nothing and this is wrought in vs by which wee are made the sonnes of God in the same instant as was that knowledge extraordinary and by God immediately and by Gods free gift and in all that are saued alike absolutely necessary for all that are saued Lastly we can shew this by examples of them which beleeued Zaccheus a Publicane an Heathen man the first houre he beleeued heareth Christ say vnto him This day is Zaccheus a childe of Abraham The Thiefe is admitted to Paradise for one confession Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Christ our Lord replyeth Verily verily I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The soule and bodie-sicke Woman in one houre goes away sound thy faith hath made thee whole The Eunuch in that houre that he beleeueth Iesus to be the sonne of God is baptised Three thousand are conuerted to Christ at one Sermon and that same day were added to the Church This ground of Scripture was there all to be beleeued No more did Saint Paul require of the Iaylour but this Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine household This was eternall life this is eternall life this euer shall be eternall life to beleeue c. Thus we haue the way of life made compendious and playne and that â—…um necessarium that one thing which is necessary cleere and euident at the first opening of the Scriptures for as God hath so ordered for our bodily life that those things which make not for necessity but for lifes beauty onely and ornament are abstruse and hard to finde and stâ—…ut vp in the bowels of the eaâ—…th or hidden in clests of the Rockes or in the bottome of the Sea as Pearles and Gold and pretions stones because they are neyther necessary nor fit for all men but those things that are of lifes substance and are necessary for our being and sustenance are ready and offer themselues to euery mans hand as ayre and water and corne and fruits of the earth so many things with which the Spouse of Christ may be adorned and beautified he buried as it were in deepe and prefound sense of Scripture which yet many by continuall meditation and study doe dig forth like pearles and precious stones but that without which our soules life cannot haue her being or subsisting those things which are the very bread and drinke of our soules viz. to know the true God and Iesus Christ whom the father hath sent that I say is so plaine perspicuous and easie to finde in holy Scriptures that we cannot misse of eternall life vnlesse we will deny our selues to it What then was thy purpose O Sauiour Christ to set downe this one rule and ground for all to end all controuersies to stay all disputation to take away all doubts to cut off all schismes and factions to build vs sure vpon the rock to set the marke of all trueth high in the tower of the Scriptures to make plaine the way to Heauen When a way is vnknowne to a farre country where is much treasure many will seeke it some by climbing Mountaynes some will venter the Desart some will seeke passage by Sea some by Land and some by East and some be West but when discouery is made of a passage and the way is knowne being made playne and easie no man will seeke dangerous circuits and windings but passe by the knowne way For this way to eternall life was vnknowne to the world some climbed vp by the steepe of their owne workes some wandred in the desarts of mens doctrines some had blinde Phylosophers for their guides some seducing Southsayers some were led by the light of the creatures some sounded the deepe of mans reason Iesus Christ hath made this way straight and knowne and discouering the neerest cut or passage sayth this is it haec est to beleeue the Father of Christ the onely very God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Now that we may not doubt let vs stand and inquire of the passengers let vs aske our Father Abraham this was his way as our Lord Iesus said Abraham desired to see my day and saw it Let vs aske the Prophets To him all the Prophets beare witnesse Let vs enquire of the law The Law was our Schoolemaster to Christ. Aske the Apostles all the blessed Martyrs this was the onely poynt they sealed with their bloud that Christ was God Aske our Lord Iesus I heare him say
and the marrowes But if the Sword be neuer so sharp what hurt can it doe if there be no hand to strike If Dauid haue neuer so smooth a stone in his scrippe if he want a Sling to throw him out how can hee hit Goliah in the forehead Plutarch writeth of Coriolanus in his life that he vsed his weapons so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the vse made him so familiar that they seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they had beene borne with him or grafted into his hands This benefit we haue from being conuersant in Scriptures that we are able with ease to dart out and sling the word to hit our enemies in their fore-heads For which vse Saint Paul commends Timotheus Because of a childe hee was exercised in holy Scriptures and the word of God in such is like the Arrow in the hand of a Giant which draweth with that vnresistable force that it will diuide the very soule and spirit I should thinke it too little in such a case to haue a strong arme onely both our armes must be strong and practised that our enemy may not know our right hand from our left Plato to good purpose in his Republ. counsailed men to be Ambodexters for this vse in fight And for this Hector is commended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of fighting well I know the Art With left and right to hurle a Dart. But if this be required in any fight it is in ours which haue enemies on both sides on the right hand and on the left therefore Saint Paul exhortes vs to haue a the weapons of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left that which way soeuer he strikes we may ward him whether he charge vs on the right hand of prosperitie or on the left of affliction Whether he fight before as a Lion or sleight it behinde like a Foxe whether he assaile vs without b with his men-beasts or within by feares and temptations whether hee reach at vs from aboue by Presumption or from beneath with Despaire I pray God wee be not found such as Milo which when he looked on those armes with which he had wrestled before for the price at the games of Olympus could say of them At hij iam mortui sunt See these armes are now dead The third thing wee require in our Souldier of Christ is a good eye For what vse is there in battell of either courage at heart or strength of hand to him which is blind See this woful experience in Pagans Heathen people which haue profused zeale and constance to fight for hell in the darkenes of their vnderstanding And this is plaine in our aduersaries whom might zeale persistance resolution onely commend wee might take for vndoubted Souldiers of Christ had not blindnesse of heart turned all those weapons and powres of the spirit to fight against God Iudas when that rich Oyntment was bestowed on Christ said c Ad quid perditio haec But we when the whole forces of our soules and spirits are bent and planted to demolish the truth of the Gospell of Christ To what end serueth this waste Therefore in one word our Sauiour saith If thine d eye be wicked all the body is darke For if we misse in the goodnesse of the cause and the rightnesse of intention all is lost And it is to be noted that he saith not Eyes but thine eye For one of our eyes the left eye it mattereth not if that be out the worldly wisedome For I take it Christ intends the right eye For the Diuell would make a couenant with vs like Naash the Ammonite vpon this condition that he may thrust out our right eyes He careth not how quicke-sighted we be to the world onely hee desires to GOD and his truth to make vs starke blinde O eternall God looke vpon vs and visite vs with light from heauen for the earth is full of darkenes and cruel habitations And in this case the word of God is to vs as those Perspicils were to Nero in which he saw the trickes and cunning of the Fensers and their secret wards and thrusts and the conueyance of their Art From hence may wee see that great Fenser and the mystery of iniquities and learne to shunne his fiery darts God grant wee may see in his light I remember Homer when hee speaks of Aiax fighting in a blacke mist vnder a darke cloude how he makes him cry to God for light with such vehemency of passion as I know not if he expresse the like in all his Workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue Father saue the sonnes of Greekes from this darke pitchy night Make cleare the uyre dispell the mist and kill vs in the light Giue vs O Lord the light of Grace remoue from vs all darkenesse of Vnderstanding and kill vs in the light of thy sonne IESVS CHRIST My last part followeth What wee should not be Wee must not be intangled with worldly businesse I take not any of these words metaphorically spoken but in the first and proper sense for bodily fights are but shadowes to this of the spirit which is the onely true fight and say we must borrow words for our better vnderstanding to expresse spirituall things in their kinde earthly things doe lend heauenly things words but heauenly things doe lend earthly things signification So they which fight but for earthly things doe not till they haue gotten the victory meddle with the things of this world much lesse should we which goe in warfare for heauen For this implication or stopping at things in the way is a let to the victory which if it came but single and by it selfe were farre more to be desired of a good souldier than any thing which can be had without it But the victory brings in these spoyles with it and whatsoeuer else mans heart can desire especially this victory after which shall be no more warre no enemy left and the purchase shall bring with it all spoyles riches honour security peace triumph glory and blisse eternall If we could consider the benefit and fruit of this victory all the Kingdomes of the earth could not serue to make one fetter to tie vs heere and those greene cords of the loue of riches and worldly pleasure and honour which so binde our desires we should breake as Samson did his Bands like to Towe when it hath felt the fire So absurdly then doe they which neglect this end to which they are called and lie ensnared with impediments of emoluments which lie in the way as if a man being shewed where a rich treasure lay should neglect to digge it forth contenting himselfe with the Rushes and Bennets which grow vpon the ground I will content my selfe onely to resemble these men to such as catch at the spoyles before the enemy is ouerthrowne or the