and the hardnesse of their hearts And lastly Moses calling to heart that wonderfull vouchsafing of the Diuine majesty first in looking vpon a people which were afflicted with so cruell bondage but especially in looking on him which was afflicted by the afflicted in a lower degree of misery than bondage to make him their Leader to make him Pharaohs God to furnish him with all helpes to grace him with the familiarity of his owne presence how gladly shall hee consecrate all his power and strength to this seruice to Gods businesse with care with resolution with all his heart But we must obserue that albe it be heere written God called him yet in the second Verse we finde the Angell of the Lord appeared to him If we desire to know who this Angell should be which in the sixt Chapter verse 3. calleth himselfe by the name of Iehouah and taketh to him the glory of the eternall Godhead wee may safely with the Fathers take him for the eternall Sonne of God in regard of his person of a Mediator Which person albeit he did after take vpon him when in the fulnesse of time hee tooke our flesh yet he bore the figure and image thereof from the beginning And to this purpose Saint Paul calleth him the a Leader of the people in the desart For albeit he were not yet come yet might his Predestination to that office be of that force that hee might make himselfe knowne to the Fathers vnder no other habite For all the communication they had with God was by no other meanes than of the Messiah which was promised which although he were the eternall Word that is God himselfe yet might he in respect of his future Office and Embassie borrow the name of an Angell And farther be it that the eternall Sonne of God did appeare to Moses yet could not this hinder any thing that hee appeared by an Angell more then that when God appeared to Abraham in the likenesse of three Angels for that there also the Angels speake in the person of God at the time appoynted I will returne vnto thee according to the time of life It is no extraordinary thing for the Prophets themselues which beare Gods message doe sometimes take vpon them Gods person and speake as God speaketh as Elisha second of Kings Ch 6. vers 16. which vseth the same words and Eliah the first of Kings Ch. 21. 20. Onely this may suffice to be gathered from this place that whatsoeuer God speaketh by his Angels is of as much certayntie as if Gods owne mouth had spoken it I if he leaue Angels and chuse Shepheards and Fishermen to doe his message the authority is no lesse then if it had beene thundred from Heauen or vttered by an hoast of Angels or written in the Heauens or spoken from Heauen by the mouth of the Sonne of God from the right hand of God for although the Angels of Gods Church heere on earth be by no meanes to be compared with those blessed mindes for excellency of substance or immortality or purenesse from sinne yet are they not inferiour to them in respect of their message if they be not aboue them in regard of their office which is greater then to sit vpon the Spheares of Heauen and to bring the Sunne to his daily course to vphold the earth to dispose seasons and times to inflict famines and pestilence for to them only is committed the dispensation of the word of Life the power of the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen the Administration of the Sacraments they wash you with liuing water in Baptisme In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost they reach you the flesh and bloud of Christ in the Lords Supper they lift you vp to Heauen by preaching of that powerfull word the least iot and title whereof shall not passe when heauen and earth are passed away and for this cause although an Angell appeared to Cornelius he went no farther then to messenger him to Saint Peter which should tell him what he should doe I when CHRIST himself appeared to Saul and spake to him from Heauen yet he gaue to Ananias this honour that he should be the instrument of his conuersion and of his receiuing the holy Ghost Let no man then now looke to be called out of a bush burning with fire or by a voyce from heauen sithence God doth as vndoubtedly call vs daily out of the mouthes of his Ministers and Preachers and speake by them as familiarly as he did by Moses and if they be Ministers to you of Grace and Life and the riches and glory of the Kingdome of heauen let it not grieue you with good consciences to be Ministers to them of the perishing things of this world neyther despise you them because they are men and sinners as you are for God which deputed them did it not for want of Angels but in calling them he preferreth your nature Hee knowes their vnworthines better then you yet he honoureth them Doe you dishonour them whom God honoureth What then doe you blaspheme the good of your brethren for which you are to giue God thanks I and some there are which load them with disgracefull termes and rayling words such as the Angell sustayned not to giue to the Diuell himselfe The spirit himselfe calleth that blinde and carelesse Minister the Angell of his Church Doe we esteeme them whom the mouth of God calleth Angels as the basest of all men Are you wiser then the holy Ghost or can you constitute a better forme of gouernment in Gods Church then God himselfe hath ordayned Doubtlesse none can set little by the Ministers of Christ but they which haue hated him first Wee cannot reach at his Heauens we cannot touch his Sunne nor Starres nor disorder the least of his workes heere on earth and yet we oppose our selues to that to which God hath giuen a farre more excellent being namely the word of truth the image of his glory the sword of of his Iustice the Scepter of his Kingdome Our second circumstance followeth The Place general out of which Moses is called the Desart c. The Prophet shewing that no man can flie from the presence of God neyther by ascending into Heauen or lying in Hell or dwelling in the Sea c. As hee proueth that if we doe wickedly we lye open alwayes to the vengeance wrath of God so he enforceth that if we doe well nothing can take our reward from vs. What maruell if then God search the Wildernesse for his seruant Moses doth he not vse to search for his seruants the dennes of Lyons and fiery Ouens and the bottome of the Sea and the bottome of the graue For as he reioyceth to bring hidden wickednesse to open punishment so he more delighteth to bring secret godlinesse to open light and glory Although then Moses thou be
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
our selues as grafted in Christ and members of one bodie heere we come as sheepe into ourspirituall fold all linked and combined in the same prayers with one heart and voyce praysing and lauding the name of God And if we consider our communion with the Saints and Angels of God and the Church triumphant which is in Heauen heere we ioyne and meete to glorifie the same God in earth which the Angels doe in Heauen which diuine and celestiall company how can we better represent then in this spirituall randiuouze singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Heauen and earth are full of the maiesty of thy glory c. Thirdly if the zeale of our profession moue heere we professe and testifie the name of God the right worship and the truth of our calling against Turkes Iewes Infidels Sects Aduersaries Men Diuels and all the enemies of Gods truth sounding and ringing out our zeale for the prayse and glory of God that all the world may heere it And lastly if the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ compell vs heere wee assembled are so oft assured of his presence as we come together in his name and when all other places are subiect to abuse our high wayes and fields to riflings and robberies our Markets and Streets to quarrellings to deceiuings our common meetings to wrongfull and fraudulent dealings our Courts to strife and janglings whereas disorders are seene daily in our houses and our secret Chambers can tell of our vncleannesse the reuerence of this place confoundeth lewd sinners and keepeth it at least from all open prophanation and abuse But where is our zeale if it be not in our Temples nay if it be against them Had God holinesse which he might bestow vpon this place and is he so bare of it that now he hath none left Did hee spend all vpon mount Sinai and hath he neuer a blessing left for our Herebs Yes some of that was bestowed vpon Salomons Temple wherefore CHRIST was euen eaten vp with the zeale of that house Which howsoeuer it were shortly to be prophaned and made desolate yet was it holy to Christ as long as it stood But our deuotions are gone out of Gods house to our owne houses we decke and beautifie them because we loue our selues as we would Gods house if we loued God God hath long agoe complayned of this Is it time to build to your selues seeled houses and let my house lie wasle Which being so no maruell that the same vilenesse and contempt which we haue suffered to fall vpon our Churches and Church orders is now fallen vpon our selues I speake not this to grace ceremonies or outward behauiours of Religion otherwise then shadowes to that body shadowes they are to the body of Religion but such as well become the body Onely this I protest if holinesse be gone out of the toes and feete of our Church yet let vs keepe it in the heart still And if wee haue forgotten the place in which we stand let vs not forget the person before whom we stand which is God the Lord the high owner of Heauen Earth which is neere to vs how euer we are farre from him which doth enspire with his spirit not onely the head and honourable parts but the toes and the feete to whom the heart is due and the spirit and all our strength But of how many of vs doth he not receiue the calues of our lips This most high great God sanctifie vs all in our seueral standings before him and grant vs all holy toes holy feete holy knees holy hands holy lippes holy hearts to the glory and prayse of his name in Christ our Lord Now to God the Father Almightie with God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost three persons and one God be rendred all honour prayse power dominion and glory now and for euer So be it Amon. CHRISTIAN PATIENCE The fift Sermon MATTH 5. Vers. 38. 39. 40. 41. 38 You haue heard that it hath beene said an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth 39 But I say vnto you resist not euill But whosoeuer shall smite thee on thy right cheeke turne to him the other also 40 And if a man will sue thee at the Law and take away thy Coate let him haue thy Cloake also 41 And whosoeuer will compell thee to goe a mile goe with him twaine WHen Moses sent Spies into the Land of Canaan to search the Land and the goodnesse thereof and to bring of the fruit when the Messengers made report that it was a fruitfull Land and flowing with Milke and Honey and represented the fruit thereof which they brought the people were all without doubt moued with a wonderous desire to make forth and possesse that Land but when some of them reported that there were Giants in the Land and that there seemed no possibibility of entrie but by warre and bloud shed see how quickly they were turned VVould God we had died in the land of Aegipt or in this Wildernesse would God we were dead The Preachers of Gods word which are sent of God as Spies to search and inquire into holy Scripture what good things God hath laid vp in the Kingdome of Heauen for those which trust in him when they certifie you that the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard and that the good things which God hath prepared for those that loue him haue not entred into the heart of man who burneth not with desire to enter into the Kingdome of heauen and to be partaker of euerlasting blisse with the Saints in light But when we tell you of losse and hazard of suffering blowes on the cheekes of wrestling of fighting with the Giants of this world and suffering all things to the effusion of bloud for the Kingdome of heauen what a world of menturne backe and start aside Wee bring you to this Scripture as to the waters of strife A maruaile to see the people which all escaped drowing in the Sea were almost all drowned in a little lake There is this difference betweene vs and the murmuring Israelites they said we will goe backe into Aegipt we goe backe but say notso The words of Christ will trie who are his he that taketh not vp his Crosse and followeth Christ is not worthy of him We should beare our Crosse I would we could be contented that our Crosse might beare vs. Euery true Disciple of CHRIST is crucified with CHRIST his hands are nayled he cannot strike his feete are nayled he cannot pursue reuenge he is also fast bound and tied that hee can moue no ber of his body to resist euill If wee mistake not our profession our honor is to be reuiled our gaine our treasure to forsake all our fighting to flie from place to place our glory in our wounds our victory in death What then if all our manners and liues and actions doe crosse this
consciences that as the Father the Son and the holy Ghost are one God so our faith which beleeueth is one faith our knowledge which apprehendeth this mysterie is one knowledge that is with the same obtute of faith I beleeue in God the Father with the same and no other I beleeue in GOD the Sonne and God the holy Ghost And with the same light of knowledge I know one I know all three Neither doth this Vnion rest here to make our faith one and our knowledge one but to make the knowers one for which our Lord prayed That all which shall beleeue in Christ through the Gospell preached by his Apostles may be one as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father that they also may be one in vs. I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one This then we must take for certaine that in reading this Scripture we must of necessitie vnderstand God the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the Sonne as S. Augustine teacheth Ordo verborum est vt cum patre et filio consequenter spiritum sanctum intelligamus quia c The order of the words is saith hee that by consequence wee must vnderstand the holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne for the spirit is the substantiall and consubstantiall charity of both the Father and the Sonne because the Father and the Sonne are not two Gods neither are the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three Gods but the Trinitie it selfe is one God Neither is the Father the same person that the Sonne nor the Sonne the same that the Father is nor the holy Ghost the same that the Father and the Sonne whereas the Father the Sonne and the Spirit are three and this very Trinitie is one God Wee haue then by the grace of Christ in these words A Catechisme or Enchiridion for a Christian man contayning in it all the mysteries of saluation all the articles of our faith For at that very instant that wee beleeue God to be the Father maker of the world almighty the onely true and liuing God wee beleeue the incarnation of Iesus Christ we beleeue in the holy Ghost the resurrection from the dead the remission of sinnes we beleeue the holy Catholique Church the communion of Saints and whatsoeuer is written in the law and the Prophets all the contents of the Gospell This one knowledge hath all knowledge in it for as life in that instant that it is life giueth spirit motion seeing tasting feeling and desire to preserue life so as soone as we haue this knowledge wee haue with it all heauenly wisedome and vnderstanding we need not be perswaded to beleeue the Scriptures wee haue the light the feeling the tast of heauenly things and as the light of this Sunne which directeth my going in one place shineth to mee in all places in the house in the field in the Sea in the Desart and in all deepe places so the light of the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ lightneth to mee all things that were in darknesse leadeth me out of all doubts and errours and illuminateth all things that are in heauen and earth But that you mistake me not I doe not deny when we haue receiued this faith but that we haue our farther growing in Christ and encrease in godlinesse by hearing and reading the word by meditation by prayer by receiuing our daily bread and drinke of life in the Sacraments by walking by motion by exercise and labouring in our most holy faith The thing I entend is to shew that all these spring from this fountaine and moue from the power of this life For our bodily life cannot consist or continue without daily foode therefore it is naturall to life to hunger for it daily and by foode wee receiue strength and in our strength we trauaile and labour and doe the things which belong to this life This then is my purpose to shew that all heauenly gifts and powers of the spirit are of the nature of faith So the Apostle By faith we haue an entrance into this grace wherein we stand But first wee liue by faith The iust shall liue by faith By faith we feed therefore the word of God is most properly called the word of eternall life which is the word of faith which wee preach And this word must be mixed with faith and be as meat digested in the stomack of our soules The word did not profit them in whom it was not mixed with faith By this faith we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood which is the bread of life By faith wee are nourished as said Paul of Timotheus which hast beene nourished vp in the words of faith In faith we grow When your faith shall encrease In faith wee haue our strength Strong in the faith By faith wee stand Thou standest by faith By faith we walke For wee walke by faith and not by sight By faith we worke as Saint Paul saith The worke of your faith in power By faith wee resist Satan Whom resist being stedfast in faith By faith wee fight Fight the good fight of faith By faith we conquer and ouercome This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith See how S. Paul ascribeth to faith all the patience labours workes striuings assurance hope and the victories of the Saints in the whole Chapter which is the eleuenth to the Hebrewes But here the Scripture speaketh of knowledge not of faith No it cannot vnderstand this knowledge without the light of faith For our knowledge of God is the issue and birth of our faith In all earthly things knowledge maketh faith for all the wise men of this world beleeued no farther then they were led by reason but of heauenly things faith maketh the knowledge for these are aboue reason and captiue our vnderstanding Therefore Saint Paul By faith wee vnderstand c. And Saint Peter I beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD. Therefore our faith hath her perfection in this life and knowledge doth surrender to faith heere In the world to come faith shall surrender to knowledge and faith shall bee no more Wee beleeue not heere in part wee know but in part now but wee beleeue all things Then in the life to come vvee shall know all thinges as vvee are knowne Then as Saint Paul and Saint Peter ioyne faith with knowledge so doe wee heere and more then that with Christ himselfe in this Chapter the twentith verse vvee take them both for one for so hee prayeth that they vvhich beleeue in him may bee one euen all that shall beleeue by the preaching of their that is the Apostles word that they be one as hee and his Father are one Now let vs goe forward Hypocrates said truely of the Art of Physicke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and Hatred are attributed to God himselfe which if they were simply and by nature euill should neuer haue beene ascribed to him It cannot then be denied but that Anger is vpon iust causes to be permitted Now let vs see in regard whereof it may be commanded There is a time when Gods honour is defaced and then be angry through iust zeale as Phinehas was with Zimry and Cozby but in this kind of anger sinne not be not ouer iust There is a time when our brother is to be reproued in this reproofe sinne not be not too sharpe and bitter in rebuking and in this place we may well cary with vs the rule of the Apostle Brethren if any man be ouer taken with a fault you which are spiritual instruct such an one with the spirit of gentlenesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tainted First the ve ry insinuation were enough to perswadevs seeing we are al brethren Secondly there is no difference betweene them and vs but in time they may preuent vs in sinning we shall follow them Thirdly because flesh and blood is insolent the Apostle maketh a distinct choyse of the persons exhorted you that are spirituall you which haue your hearts softned with the vnction of the holy Ghost Fourthly the medicine is set downe we must instruct him shew him the nature and measure of his fault and how to amend it Fiftly the ingredience to the medicine is prescribed with the spirit of meeknesse Sixtly we are bound to it by equality of nature considering thy selfe Seauenthly it is worth the noting that whereas before hee sayd in the plurall number brethren you now by a kinde of selecisme he maketh it euery mans case considering thy selfe least thou also be tainted But to goe forward there is a third kinde of lawfull anger when wee must be angry with our selues for sinnes and trespasses by vs committed but yet in this kinde of anger let vs not sinne that is fall into dispaire for there is mercy with God albeit we haue sinned So the first anger in which we are moued against our brother commeth from a Godly zeale the second when we rebuke our brother for his amendment commeth from our loue to God and the third when we are angry and displeased with our selues for our sinnes is our repentance before God We which haue suffred our affections to stoope downe to sinne and haue suffered our selues to be caried and misled by them knowing now that there is necessary vse of them to good shall we not turne them away from actions of vniustice and restore them to the honour of God and the good of our selues and of our neighbour We which haue beene so often angry and sinned is it not now time to learne to be angry and not sinne How happy shall we be if wee can fence and saue our selues with that sword with which we haue wounded so many of our brethren How happy shall we then be when we haue wonne those preturbations from the Diuell which hang downe so low and easie for sinne and by which sinne taking hold doth clime vp higher into our will and vnderstanding I conclude then with Saint Basile Ser de Ira If you will be angry with out sinning and shew forth the lawfull vse of this affection know that one is allured to sinne another enclineth and allureth him conuert your anger against the latter of these two a murtherer of his brethren a father of lies maligne not him that is ensnared entrapped Be angry where is a fault which may beare anger which cannot be a priuate displeasure but a fáult openly tending to the prophanation of Gods feareful name pollution of his Sacraments and seruice Publique scandalous incorrigible and insufferable faults whereby his Christ is dishonoured his good spirit of grace despighted and the whole congregation and family that is in heauen and earth wounded and blasphemed Be angry with those which are angry with God vpon euery light occasion for euery crosse wherewith they are tryed ready to goe backe and to walke no longer with him or if their mouthes be not filled with laughter and pleasure to their hearts desire and their besties with Garlicke and flesh-pots as in the daies of darkenesse breake forth into termes of highest vndutifulnesse saying What profit is there in seruing God Be angry with those that are angry with the Prophets for prophesying right things vnto them Be angry with the Prophets if they seeke their ease if they preach Lies if they preach not the Word Be angry with the Citty if it repent not at the preaching of the Prophets but when they haue pronounced the iudgments of God take them but for fables and like the sayings and doings of the mad man who casteth firebrands and arrowes and mortall things and saith am I not in iest Be angry with dogges which returne to their vomit though they beene purged seauen times and in a word to knit vp all Be angry with your sinnes the diuell lies vanities your selues Now come we to the prohibition which is the second part but sinne not Heere Saint Paul warneth vs of a pit into which our anger may fall namely sinne A pit more daungerous then that into which Ioseph was throwne by his brethren for many fall into this pit which neuer come foorth againe and this the more carefully we ought to shunne how much the more our nature vergeth downewards and our passions haue their selfe aptnesse and pronesse to that which is euill There is in vs almost an insensible difference betweene anger and sinne and Saint Paul cannot name the one but hee must aduise to cause vs shunne the other so secretly so subtily that which is euill is mixed to that which is naturall the motions of our minds were ordained to this end that they should obey reason but they refuse to obey God But the sinne of anger is so far extended and lyeth so many waies that it may seeme a matter of great hardnesse to expresse how diuersly we fall into it It shall suffice for our present purpose to make some briefe obseruations hereof and so to come to our conclusion First Anger bringeth in sinne by rashnesse for what easier way is there to fall then by omitting counsaile and what greater enimie to counsaile then wrath by which when we haue but a little distasted like mouthes of men diseased we relish not of sweet and wholesome counsailes but by heate and distemperature of mind fall into sodaine and violent passions which bring with them shame and confusion and for this cause Socrates when he was angry at his seruant refused to beate him saying He would first whip his anger This was Potiphers fault for when his wrath was kindled by a false suggestion he punished Ioseph with imprisonment albeit his anger tooke occasion from a lie to wrong the innocent I this was Dauids fault when he gaue too hasty credit to false Ziba his accusation and
of his mouth like an armory stored with cruell instruments of death whose teeth are speares and arrowes and his tongue a sharpe sword his words like hammers his throat like a gaping sepulchre the whole nature set on fire and now this faire Image of God this Microcosinus this little world for beauty and excellence is made a confused Image of shame and confusion so that in the whole nature of things vnder heauen there is not found so vgly mis-shapen a monster as an angry man What should we now say if that deformity might be seene which lurkes within Hence come slaunders deare brethren hence blasphemies cursing swearing lying fightings warres bloudshed euen from wrath the seminary of all mischiefe what Beare hauing broken the Grates is more sauage or outragious then Anger hauing once gotten out of the warde and custody of Reason We grieue not for the euill we haue done but for that we could not doe we will sooner repent what wee promised out of the aduice of Loue than what wee haue menaced in our fury O wretches if we doe not yet conceiue what wrong we doe to others yet let vs pitty our selues Our anger hurteth vs before it can hurt our brother What then gainest thou if thy ovvne minde being darkened reason cast behinde thy vnderstanding led captiue in wracke of thy soule and in confusion of thy selfe thy fury hath preuayled to hurt thy brother Nay what if thou hurt him not but with thy stroke hast lanced his vlcer and let out his impostumation as the enemy of Alexander Pheraeus did What if thou haue deserued of him better by being a bitter enemy than a svveet friend what if by this he become regardfull watchfull of his life What if thy wrongs haue turned to his gaine But were it not so yet by being injustly angry thou dost more absurdly than hee vvhich asked an hundred stripes that his fellovv might haue halfe for thou giuest thy selfe many stripes but art not sure to giue him one Thou dost but venture his vexation thou art sure of thine ovvne Thou makest men his enemies thou hast made God thine enemy Thou fightest against him with that svvord the very poynt whereof thou turnest to thine ovvne heart Thou woundest his fame thou slayest thine ovvne soule Socrates was wont to say when he saw a drunken man Num ego talis Am I such a one Let vs consider whether we be such as I haue said let vs see whether we haue offended God more by not repenting the euill then by committing it whether wee haue cursed them whom we should haue blessed vvhether vvee haue smitten them vvhom vve should haue defended if wee haue turned our compassions into cruelties and our loues into hatreds Let vs consider if wee haue rashly or despitefully slaundered our brethren and giuen the reines to sinne and made our members the vveapons of wrath and reuenge and say Are we such Doubtlesse the sinne of Anger should be so much the more detested of vs hovv much the more it fighteth against Loue and Charity the very Badges and Recognisances of our calling Neither ought vve to abhorre Anger onely as I haue spoken but all priuy and secret consultation vvith it For there is a sort of men which vvould seeme vvisest vvhich dissemble Wrath and giue it strength by delay vvhich harbour Hatred as a treasure in their hearts These doe but as the Lacedemonian Boy vvhich stole a Foxe and hid him so long vnder his cloake till at last hee did gnavve out his heart For vvhere Wrath is most hidden and concealed there is it not onely most filthy and abhominable but more pernicious and to be feared Therefore as Anger is sinne let vs not act our Anger neither openly neither in secret neither with a cause nor without a cause We haue handled two parts First the Permission Secondly the Prohibition Now followes the Exhortation in which we are instructed to confine this passion of our mind that it passe not her bounds Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath Plutarch in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Brotherly Loue writeth that it was the custome of Pythagoras Schollers how euer they had beene at oddes jarring and wrangling in their Disputations yet before the Sunnes set to kisse and shake hands as they departed out of Schoole A custome most worthy obseruation and most fit for the Scholers of CHRIST to end all dissentions and controuersie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the holy kisse of loue GOD forbid that when our liues are mortall that our hatreds should be immortall Nay if we haue entertained Anger as a bad guest let vs send him away quickely and turne him out of doores For he that but toucheth Pitch shall be defiled how much more hee that holdeth it in his bosome We should be glad to apprehend any occasion to shunne that which is euill This short night telleth vs of a long night The setting of this Sunne warneth vs of the setting of our life If GOD to our visible sight be contented to bury this blessed Sunne and â—…his sweet light of Heauen vnder the Earth all night shall we refuse to bury foule displeasure and cursed hatred and sinne How dare we commit our selues to Anger when we sleepe with which we haue no safe conuersation waking Who will deliuer the keyes of his house to a thiefe which will robbe him and lodge him in his secret Chamber and rest with him in bed Cuiuslibet est errare nullius nisi insipientis in errore per seuerare Any man may erre but none but madde men will perseuere in their errour What then can we better doe then redeeme our selues quickely from captiuity The Dogs in Egypt for feare of Crocodiles doe runne and drinke and doe wee drinke downe malice and lie downe and sleepe Doubtlesse hee which hath not maistred the enemie by the light of the day will be lesse able to doe it in the darkenesse of the night But let vs see what fruit may redound to vs from this counsell of the Apostle First we shall avoyde the familiarity of sinne then which nothing is more daungerous and shunne those occasions by which sinne insinuating it selfe into vs preuaileth at last to seeme sweet and pleasing so that it should neuer possibly appeare to vs but in her blacke shape and abhorred nature for the custome and fellowship with sinne lendeth that ougly monster opportunity to dissemble and shrowd it selfe vnder the couering of nature Be the familiarity of sinne as farre from the children of God as light from darknesse let rancor and malice and fury rest in the natures of fierce and sauage beasts whose outward formes and aspects doe threaten violence and cruelty If we iustly auoyde the company of sinners how much more the sinne it selfe How far should we be from harbouring dissention and strife in vs which if we follow the rule of the Apostle must not be named in vs. The
temptations As soone as Christ was declared the sonne of God instantly Satan declared himselfe an open enemy and this euery child of GOD shall proue in himselfe What perill was Saint Paul in whiles he was a persecutour was it not a sweet world to apprehend to binde to imprison whome he listed But when he is conuerted to Christ heare what he saies In Perils of water of Robbers of his owne nation of the Gentiles in perils in the Citty in the Wildernesse in the Sea in perils of false brethren See how the world is changed now he must iourny be weary watch fast hunger for our goodnesse will not free vs from danger it is the cause of danger as we see in Abel Are not men slaine for their goods so the treasure of Godlinesse is the sole cause of the enimies assault he will venture most for the richest booty Thus the wicked haue a trebble aduantage of the Godly First their heauen is heere on earth they are in their owne country they seeke no farther Secondly they haue no such treasure being voyde of grace cantabit vacuus coram latrone vâ—…ator He that hath neuer a peny in his purse neede not feare robbing Thirdly their friends are here the world loueth him So standes it not with the Saints of God whose country is not the world whose treasure is not in the world whose friends are not of the world I will briefly shew three things which belong to a good souldier of Christ. First he must haue a good heart the Deuill fights for the heart who then will be a niggard of an hearts courage in an hearts defence they say mens cuiusque is est quisque a Christian should be all heart For so much as we deduct out of courage and resolution for Gods cause so much haue we forfeited of our being and subsisting to Christ. Doe not Princes when they send treasure by land or sea picke out the most stout resolute the most hardy and ventrous men will they trust cowards We haue grace from Christ as a depositum a treasure committed God hath put vs in trust let not vs basly and cowardly giue it ouer Lucan speaks of Metellus which when Iulius Caesar entred Rome suffring the dishonor of the Citty and the breach of all lawes yet when Caesar brake open the doore of the treasury thrust himselfe betweene and would not let him passe without breaking through his owne sides So the Poet hath Vsque adeo solus ferrum mor temque timere Auri nescit amor pereunt discrimine nullo Amissae leges sed pars vilissima rerum Certamen mouistis opes O cursed gold thy onely loue when state and lawes decay Through fire sword bloody death doth carles make a-way Riches yee vilest part of things for you men kill and slay Shall it be said so the loue of riches feareth not sword nor death O no let onely the loue of Christ contemne death No sacke of a citty is so lamentable as when the Deuill entreth into a soule as when he cries downe with an heart and synks the whole man into ruine and perdition we haue true enemies why haue we false hearts he which hewed vs as I may say out of the dust of the earth was knowne to bring vs to an excellent piece of worke Why then doe wee suffer that enemie which will breake downe all our carued workes with Axes and Hammers We want no courage to stout it and braue it in defence of our wicked liues and lewd manners we will beare no reproofe we will maintayne it to the death we are hardie and resolute to follow causes at Law we spare for no cost though our cause be weake our heart is strong A man is not afrayd to challenge his Brother into the field and to seeke to shed his bloud with hazard of his owne life though he fight against God and the iust Lawes armed with vengeance The World hath her Martyres Sinne hath hers What hath Religion Come on deare Christians let vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First challenge the enemies of our faith We onely which stand for the truth of God haue a strong cause Let vs not haue faint hearts We fight against a fugitiue enemy a Runnagate whom our Captayne Michaell hath so wounded that if we but resist him he will flie from vs Our fellow Souldiers are all the Saints of God Martyrs Apostles Prophets Patriarchs euen that royall Army of God our auxiliares copiae our supplies are the Angels in Heauen which pitch their Tents about vs whom if we could see we should say That more are they that fight for vs then they that fight against vs. Our Captayne our Leader is Christ Iesus which combated the enemy in single fight and is ascended vp on high Principalities Powers Mights and Dominations being made subiect to him Come on I say courage for Heauen for Christ for the Crowne of glory What Dwarfe wil feare to bid defiance to the strongest Champion if a Giant will stand by and abet his quarrell Dominus nobiscum The Lord is on our side that Giant of infinite stature Heere what Dauid the Prophet saith Though an hoast of men were gathered against mee yet will not I be afraid See a little Dwarfe in in this Name defie all names and Powers Angels Principalities Life Death Height depth things present things to come counting his daily killing for Christ more then conquering For know we this no man can be ouercome which hath a good cause if his enemy kill him his cause will saue him then come what will we onely which haue this cause of Christ can say of all our enemies as Socrates said of Anytus and Melitus Me vero Anytus Melitus necare possunt nocere non possunt Our enemies may kill vs but they cannot hurt vs. Finally to make our courage lasting and durable let vs behold our Lord Iesus holding ouer our heads the Crowne of glory and saying Vincenti dabo to him that ouercommeth I will giue the Crowne of life The second in a good Souldier is to haue a good hand or arme for we must not be such onely as may not feare our enemies we must make them feare vs as Pelopidas which when one told him We are in danger of our enemies Why said he more then they of vs For why should we feare carnall or couetous or cruell men if the arme of our Faith be extent and strong they shall rather feare vs. I say then Hostem qui feriet mihi erit Carthaginiensis He that strikes an enemy of Gods shal be to me a good Christian. Strike at Atheists downe with proud Goliah pull away the visards of hypocrites and hit them in the faces feare no mans person no not the Giants For wee haue a Sword of that temper and sharpenesse which will diuide and pierce the diuisions of the Spirit and the ioynts
parts as he passed by What then Didst thou see any vnrighteousnes in the Lord VVas there any weaknesse in his arme any crookednesse in his path VVas hee like the sonnes of men whose breath is in their nostrills Thou hast seene Moses his backer parts blessed are they which shall see his face Blessed are they which when the face of the Lord shall be reuealed shall not seek the hills to couer them or the clefts of the rockes to hide them Blessed are they whose rocke is the Lord 2 Sam. 22. 1. whose mercy is to them as the hills on euery side Psal. 125. 2. Blessed are the pure in heart which shall see God strange and mercifull and gracious slow to anger and not making the wicked innocent reseruing mercy for thousands for giuing iniquitie and transgressions visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children and vpon the childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation Let vs come to our seauenth part Put off thy shooes from thy feets By these words God doth stirre him vp and prouoke him to further Deuotion and Reuerence This ceremony of standing bare-foote before GOD is like our kneeling and vncouering in the Church And of all ceremonies this is the end that Gods trembled Majesty may haue a more effectuall working in vs. Moses had shewed a reasonable readinesse to his calling before Here am I he hath yet need to be more stirred vp And if the most noble Prophet of God had need of such preparation no maruell if God doe stirre vp our dulnesse by diuers like meanes when his high worship is required for that which is in some the effect of godlines to others a cause of godlinesse In them which are more perfect reuerence descendeth from their inward worship of God by which the weaker ascend to the inward worship And godly ceremonies are in some tokens of duety to others lessons of duety Afflictions and sorrow come from Repentance by which God doth bring many to repentance Thus we see Ceremonies haue their necessary vses Neyther doe we by lawfull vsing them tie Religion to outward things but rather leade our selues to the inward worship Although wee liue in that age where all markes of outward duety are contemned I would not so much mislike if the inward seruice were not also neglected Wee count it now as profane I will not say to fast or afflict our selues or wearesacke-cloth but to decke and beautifie our Temples VVe say wee must worship GOD in Spirit as if they did not which poured forth infinite treasures in building Churches and beautifying them and which praised God with the Harpe and all instruments of Musicke I say that where the heart is set to serue God it rejoyceth to moue the hands and feete and all the outward parts to doe the same And if we had more outward behauiours of Religion and Deuotion than we vse they might well become vs. But this is little It is a dangerous thing now to praise good workes as if Faith were Faith without them Non sunt parua sine quibus magna constare non possunt S. Augustine saith These are not small things without which greater things cannot consist If a man goe towards the Sunne his shadow will goe before him but if hee goe from the Sunne yet his shadow will follow him What then if our Aduersaries which haue departed from the Sonne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ haue set before themselues the shadow of Signes and Ceremonies Doth this forbid vs which turne to the Sonne of God in sincerity and purenesse of worship to haue it follow vs The Church of the Ievves had Shadowes and Signes without the Truth For the truth was vailed and couered to them vnder these All things were to them vnder Shadowes The Church of Christ vnder the Gospell hath the Truth with Signes The Church Triumphant in Heauen hath the Truth without Signes So the Church of Christ heere on Earth is middle betweene both participating of the Iewish Church in signes and of the Church in Heauen in the Truth Dionis Areopagita de Eccles. Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 5. part 1. And thus we are come to our last part For the place where thou standest is holy ground If we make this the reason of that first come not neare we haue a sufficient warrant to manifest our dutie to God in all places for God filleth all places with his presence Whither shall I goe from thy presence Coelum terram ego impleo I fill Heauen and Earth saith the Lord. In respect of our weaknesse he seemeth to be lesse present to some place but as he is in himselfe he is a like present in all We haue a more awfull regard of God where he sheweth more signes of his excellence but he worketh infinitely aboue our vnderstanding euen there where he sheweth no signe at all But let vs rather construe this of the holinesse of the ground for a reason of that which went next before why he must put off his shoes from his feete We haue this doctrine hence First the holinesse of the place doth witnesse Gods presence secondly it moueth vs to inward reuerence and feare thirdly it telleth vs what we ought to be Shall the place be holy when wee are prophane Where we must not tread amisse must we thinke amisse where Moses must not weare shoes on his feete shall he carry wickednesse in his heart Regard we what men see and despise we the eyes of God for God requireth truth of the inward parts yet so that he refuseth not the worship of the outward parts which if he would euer haue refused he would haue done so heere for God saw Moses heart and none were present but God and Moses heere was no congregation assembled none that might learne by outward ceremony or behauiour and yet God which is a Spirit and worshipped in spirit saith Moses put off thy shoes from thy feete for the place where thou standest is holy ground If Moses stood before God in holy ground where God appeared to him in a bush burning with fire how holy must our standings be before him which haue him not within kenning onely or at a gaze or where wee are forbidden to come but in the middest of vs If Mount Sinai were sanctified for a temporall residence what shall wee thinke of these Mountaines our Temples dedicated to his glory and worship to which hee hath promised a presence for euer If God did discend to the low Bramble-bush and sanctifie it doe you thinke he will abandon his Temples where we daily come together in his name If God haue any place holy vnder Heauen this is that place This place we exempt from all other vses and consecrate to God Heere we meete to acknowledge his diuine presence so often as we come together in his name and we testifie the same by our most solemne and royall assemblies For if wee consider
flesh and bloud and in cases where wee haue no lawfull meanes of assistance to beare and ouercome with meekenesse and patience all bitter injuries It is a hard kinde of striuing and a stranger victory let vs prepare our selues to this First let vs consider that when we suffer injury it is not by chance or by the vnbrideled lust of our Aduersaries but of the goodwill of God permitting it so to be eyther to punish our sinnes or to encrease our Faith or to exercise our patience whereas wee are assured that our haires of our heads are numbred and we shall not loose one of them Secondly let vs interpret these sent from GODS loue For such suffered all the Saints all the Prophets and CHRIST the Sonne of GOD and all his Apostles He that hewed timber out of the wood was knowne to bring it to an excellent piece of worke So was Ioseph hewed in the Stockes and in the Prison God brought him to an excellent piece of worke to make him Lord of Aegypt so was Iesus Christ hewed and squared on the Crosse with Hammers and Nayles and Speares of this excellent worke see where hee sitteth at Gods right hand Thrones Powers Dominations Angells subjected to him Thirdly let not our eyes be onely vpon the atrocity of the injury offered But consider we how many wayes wee our selues haue offended GOD and our Neighbours for which wee may justly suffer So the Emperour Mauritius when Phocas slew most cruelly before his face his Wife and his fiue Children speaking not one word to the enemy no not in such a bitter wrong but considering his owne sinnes continued still crying till the Sword sundered his head from his body Iustus es Domine iusta iudicia tua Thou art righteous O Lord and iust are thy iudgements Fourthly let vs consider that wee our selues daily aske forgiuenesse for talent sinnes as I may call them For the least sinne wee haue committed against the Diuine Maiestie infinitely excelleth the greatest trespasse our brother can doe vs. Why then should not we forgiue our brother peny-farthing offences Put on meekenesse gentlenesse patience suffering one another forgiuing one another euen as Christ hath forgiuen you Fiftly see how Saint Paul dehorteth from reuenge Mine is vengeance I will recompence saith the Lord which being so wee doe not hurt our enemies by taking the Sword out of GODS hand which will not suffer the wicked to be vnpunished but we draw downe vengeance and deriue the course of his Iustice which he aymed at our enemies vpon our owne heads Sixtly let vs consider that it is not Reuenge but Long-suffering Meekenesse Gentlenesse which can doe vs good The meeke shall inherit the earth So Dauid when Shimei rayled on him Smite suffer him perhaps God will looke vpon mee and render me good for the euill hee hath done mee this day It is a notable Sentence of Saint Pauls Godlinesse is profitable to all things which hath the promise of this life and of the life to come For the vngodly and disobedient to this Gospell which follow their owne lusts and breake out by impatience into actions of Reuenge these are they that ruinate their Families which tease on the hatreds and wickednesses of other men to their owne destructions these waste themselues and their friends and their goods by eager strife and dissention these fall from honour and high estate when the meeke and patient besides their hope of future blessednesse with God in Heauen doe heere on earth liue in all peace and quietnesse Their names continue their houses stand their posterity encreaseth they keepe their leafe and greenenesse like the trees planted by the waters side when they see of their enemies the Roote and Stocke consumed But my seauenth and last reason which ought to moue vs against our owne impatience to meekenes and sufferance I take from Christs words to him I say What better what greater reason can we haue Doe not Princes command their subjects hard and terrible things which yet they obey as the Prince of the Moschouites and the great Duke of Litarauia will command their Nobles to ride downe from a steepe Rocke and precipitate themselues into the Sea Doe not Leaders and Generalls of Armies command the Souldiers to fight where is no possibilitie of being saued as Ioab did Vriah Doe not Maisters set their Seruants to hard taskes and enjoyne them vile and base seruices which they durst not gainesay Doe not Fathers put their Children to the Schoole where they are vnder hard Tutours and beare stripes and are restrayned of their will and libertie Behold heere the LORD of Lords the KING of Kings whose rule is ouer all whose Kingdome hath no end he which is able to restore vs a thousand fold hee which will crowne our wrongs and glorifie our sufferings hee commandeth that we suffer the euils of men with patience which of vs shall presume to lift vp his owne sinfull lust aboue the diuine commaundement Heere our Captayne and forerunner Christ sendeth vs into an hard fight but most honourable to be the first that shall beat downe sinne and rebellion in our owne hearts to captiuate our owne will to vanquish our owne reason Are we not his Souldiers is not our life a spirituall warfare fight we not all vnder his banner When we entred the Sacrament of our calling when we tooke oath against the world and the Diuell was the flesh left out Heere our Lord and Master for so we call him and so he is enioyneth vs a vile worke as may seeme but indeede it is but as Hercules to beat downe monsters as burning Wrath pale Enuy cankred Malice and by throwing out sinne to cleanse that Augias stable of our hearts Be the action what it may it as our honour to doe what our Master commandeth Abraham did so when he was enioyned to Sacrifice his only sonne An harder taske then to take a thousand blowes on the cheeks And lastly heere the father of our soules sendeth vs to Schoole to taste the rod of Discipline Let it not grieue vs to taste his fatherly correction whether he whip vs by friends or enemies by neighbours or strangers by men or diuels For we participate but of that correction of which euery child which the Father loueth doth taste which although it be grieuous for the time yet it bringeth with it most excellent fruit And thus we haue the sense of the Scripture cleared from doubt and the reasons set downe which may mooue vs to patience and obedience to what we are commanded I haue shewed also that the authority of the Magistrate contrary to that which was obiected out of diuers Authors is not onely heere no wayes impeached but rather confirmed and maintayned Now because many which seeme not to meddle with priuate reuenge doe cloake their malice vnder the lawfull vse of lawes and Magistrates let
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
hinder his fulfilling of it If Christ should breake the law who could keepe it he doth not onely fulfill it in himselfe but in vs. For hee that is in Christ keepes all lawes and hee that is without Christ breakes all lawes How then can it be that he which makes peace in heauen and earth with God and man without whose comming the law of Ceremonies had been but a meere shadow and an absurd and darke figure without whose fulfilling the law morall had had no farther honour then to hang vp written in Tables of stone and neuer beene written in any heart I by whom the law iudiciall had her full force and vertue For by mee Princes raigne euen by Christ the wisedome of his Father which is God and King for euermore how can it be that hee should breake the law How can it be that God should not be God that truth should not be truth that hee which saues vs all from the curse of the law should be himselfe a transgressour of the law Nolite putare Doe not thinke so Why should wee say so why should wee beleeue so why should wee beleeue so which ought not thinke so Wee are law-breakers Know say it Let all men protest it let all the world confesse it If we had not broken the law Christ should neuer had neede to come to fulfill it Christ came to fulfill that law which wee haue broken and shall wee count him a dissolueâ—… of the law though many beleeue it and some say and some sweare it yet doe not you thinke it That we may not thinke so we haue two reasons 1. The negatiue nolite putare Thinke not so 〈◊〉 The affirmatilte quia veni implere I came to fulfill the law Of the negatiue First The law and Prophets are in substance the selfe fame thing wherefore the writings of the Prophets are called the law The Euangelist saith as it is written in the law they hated me â—…thout a cause Where hee speaketh not out of the law but out of the Prophet And thus wee may take the law for the whole Scripture of the olde Testament The law was a dumbe Prophecie the Prophecie a speaking law The law we resemble to Zacharias which being stricken dumbe made signes and tokens The Prophets to the same Zacharias when his mouth was opened Yet the same things which the Prophets expressed testifying more plainely in words the law witnessed though more obsourely To wit the Prophet saith of Christ that hee should be as a Lambe before the shearer not opening his mouth The law signifieth the same in the Paschall Lambe or the Sheepe going to sacrifice And although the law doe not speake of his Priesthood of his anointing with the holy Ghost of his Passion of his Baptisme of his Innocencie c. yet it doth shadow him in signes and tokens in Aarons annoynting in his royall roabes in his Priesthood and pointeth to his Passion in the daily sacrifice of the blood of beasts his Baptisme in the red Sea his innocence in the Lambe without spot The law and Prophets were one 1. Because they came from one for the same God which spake the Law spake by the Prophets putting his word in their mouthes 2. Because they were both ioynt-promisers of Christ the law in dumbe shewes the Prophets by speaking 3. Because they ended in one being as shall be shewed both fulfilled in Christ and heere I will take them both for one namely for those fiue Bookes of Moses which the Iewes call Torach because the question which is of the Ceremonies of the law and their practise is there more of purpose and principally set downe and the law hauing in it implicitly the Prophets which were her interpreters may stand for both But howsoeuer the law be to be taken by it selfe without the Prophets and if by it selfe whether iudiciall or ceremoniall or morrall of Christ it is true I came not to destroy the law Christ himselfe saith I came not to take away the law If the Law could speake it would say I was not giuen to take away Christ. But Lex soluit Christum the law tooke away Christ when he was crucified and died and was buried for to these he was a debter by the law And Christ tooke away the law when by his death it was expired and ceased I but Christ by thus dying hath attayned to his fulnesse of power and glory and spread his saluation ouer all the world And the law by thus ceasing hath her fulnesse to haue her perfection and consummation of all that was signified and written If then the law were Christs end why should not Christ be the end of the Law If he obayed the law and was vnder it why should not the law obey Christ and be vnder him Thus then are these words to be vnderstood I came not to destroy the law that is to make it voyd or of none effect But take this soluere in any sense whether of omitting any thing which was contayned in the Law or committing any thing which was contrary to the law for as it is all one to offend in one and in all so hee that omitteth the least commaundement prescribed in the Law is guilty of omitting the whole Law And therefore Christ in the words next following will haue all the Law fulfilled to the least iot or tittle and point Till heauen and earth passe away one iot or tittle of the Law shall not scape till all be fulfilled And now little should we beleeue of Christ if we should not beleeue this Many which came before Christ did breake the Law I all from our Father Adam were transgressours of the Law yet none were euer sent or came into the world to this end If then the end of Christs comming had beene to loose the Law needes must Christ in his comming haue had a worser end then any that were before him Nolite putare God forbid we should so thinke Christ was accused for a breaker of all lawes Of the Law morall when hee was termed a drunkard and a sinner Of the breach of the iudiciall Law when he was accused of mouing the people and forbidding to pay tribute Of breaking the ceremoniall Law when he was accused for violating the Sabboth And whereas in the whole decalogue there was but this one commandement ceremoniall Here they stouted and wrangled more then for all the rest The law morall was as I may tearme it Magna charta the great commandement The Law of Ceremonies was a Law of iots and titles compared The iudiciall Law was middle betweene both by which the Kings did gouerne the State yet so that the Kings did punish those which offended against the Law morall as well in breaches of the first Table as of the second as you may see the first Booke of Kings cap. 15 vers 13. Where Asa put downe his mother Maachah from her
sealed Booke of which none was found worthy in Heauen or Earth to open the seales but you may see the Lambe take the booke and open the Seales when he saith This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares When first the seales of ceremonies were put to the law written the finger of God was seene So Pharaohs wise men confessed when they said Digitus Dei hic est the finger of God is here After when God sent his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ into the world the same finger of God was seene If I in the finger of God doe east out Diuels and then did the Lambe of God pull open the whole booke of the law when the fire of his passion melted like waxe his flesh and bloud that we might see in him ouery least impression of those figures and signes and characters to the least shadow and all their contents So now the least we can imagine of Christ is to haue but fulfilled the Law and the Prophets which for the law of signes hath not onely in truth and fulnesse of satisfaction exhibited all but more then the ceremonies did or could signifie and for the predictions of the Prophets hath not onely made good all things whatsoeuer the Prophets spake of him but more then they were able to speake for the ceremonies which did require to be fulfilled in spirit and truth they were all contayned in lesse then fiue bookes but if it should be written what Christ was made and spake and wrought and suffered and testified in their fulfillings The Euangelist saith The a whole world were not able to contayne the bookes As for the Prophets we must consider they spake of Christs birth miracles teaching of his death and passion of his Priesthood his righteousnesse glory kingdome c. Yet were they but poore and niggardly interpretours of that which Iesus Christ in his owne person did represent They did tell vs of this Sunnes rising to the world but how farre inferiour was their relation to this Suns rising No meruaile for how could such a bottomlesse Ocean empt it selfe out of those narrow conduits of the lips of men Therefore they spake of the light but darkely for when we saw the face of that glorious one how rude was their draught Little things increase by fame but of the onely begotten sonne of God we may say as the Queene of Saba said of Salâ—…mon It was a true word that I heard in mine owne land of thy sayings and wisedome Howbeit I beleeued not this report till I came and had seene it with mine eyes but loe the one halfe was not told mee for thou hast more wisedome and prosperity then I haue heard by report Right so may we say it was true O Christ Iesus which wee heard by the Prophets of thy wisedome and power and maiesty and glory but we beleeued not their report but when we saw thee come and shew thy selfe to the world loe the one halfe was not told vs. What could the Prophet Isaas say more then yee heauens send the dew from aboue and let the clouds drop downe righteousnesse But how bare and poore is the conception of the dew in the ayerie cloud to the incarnation of the Sonne of God in the Virgins wombe and what comparison with Canaan to Heauen the drowning of Pharaoh with the vanquishing of the Diuell what is their red Sea to the bloud of Iesus Christ what Iosuahs Sunne standing in Heauen to the Sonne of Gods descending into the world and dwelling with men To this purpose did the holy Prophet pray Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law He did not desire to haue his eyes open to see the Passeouer eaten or the bloud of Goats and Rammes sprinkled or sprinkling with Water or Sabbaths or Feasts for to these his eyes were opened he saw them well The wonder of the law is lesus Christ signed and sealed to the world vnder those egene and poore signes which is Vere admirabilis Deus his name is Wonderfull Counseller the mightie God c. and in him onely we wonder at the Counsell of God which hath by him vnclasped that darke booke of Ceremonies and Riddels of the law and opened the contents of saluation in the light of-the Gospell giuing vs for the Letter the Spirit for shadowes the body truth for figures fulnesse for emptinesse for darkenesse light for bondage freedome for death life for Moses for Eliah for Prophets for Men for Angels One Iesus Christ which raigneth in Heauen But I most conclude onely I will alledge two places which the Apostle hath to shew Christs fulfilling of the law for we will giue the Ceremonies leaue not onely to demand impletion of their greatest and most important signes let them racke themselues to their least shadow and demaund satisfaction for euery tittle and poynt And in like sort wee will not onely make euen with the Law morall to mens vnderstanding but to satisfie the vtmost demaund of GODS iustice in rigour stretching the Law to punish not onely the act and deede but the entent and thought as Christ doth in this Chapter till sinne be shaken as I may say out of the wombe of concupiscence and that first cradle in which it was rocked S. Paul saith of Christ Who hath put out the hand-writing of ordinances which was against vs and contrarie to vs hee tooke it out of the way and fastned it to his crosse Ergo hee hath satisfied the condition of the law for hee could not cancell the band till hee had paid the debt For the law when it stood vnfulfilled was in her whole strength and vertue but now by Christ his death the law is made voyd and of none effect Then the lawes demaund hath beene fully satisfied Now euery obligation doth witnesse against it selfe that when the condition is performed it is voyd though it it be not actually cancelled it mattereth not then though Christ did not actually naile the law of ordinances to the Crosse this was enough to disanull the lawes whole vertue and power when to all the lawes demaund hee made in himselfe full tender vpon the Crosse before so many witnesses God and Angels and Men. Here then wee must conceaue the band is cancelled where the debt is discharged Againe the same Apostle that which was vnpossible to the law c. God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs. Then it is too little to say Christ hath fulfilled the law or that by satisfying he hath freed himselfe for he hath done it for vs and in vs and our faith in Christ doth not take away the law but establish it when all these things are spiritually performed in vs which the lawes signes and figures did protend So wee haue for the law a law legem
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life is short the Art is long the experience is full of danger How miserable then were the state of simple men if it were of like hardnesse to haue the knowledge of eternall life as to learne Physicke or Astronomy or Rhetorique or any other Art But heere the Art is short and our life compared is long and the practise is secure and full of pleasure heere is the whole science to know God the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ And this wee obtayne not by learning but by beleeuing not by discourse as seeking but by obtute as seeing wee haue it not by acquisition but by infusion not by diuision but by vnion not as I haue said in all other Sciences first the parts and then the whole but first the whole and then the parts This the superabundant mercy of God hath prouided for the simple the ignorant vnlearned that no man may pretend difficulty or hardnes in the way of life eternal but that it may be as easily learned of the simple as of the wise All other Arts whether mechanicall or liberall haue their misteries by themselues diuers Arts haue diuers misteries for diuers men and all kept secret this Science of Sciences hath but one mistery for all men in the world which is preached and published to all the world the same of bond the same of free the same of old the same of young the same of the learned the same of the ignoran tthe same of men the same of women the same of Iewes the same of Greekes one mistery for high and low rich and poore all people one with another and this is it to know God the Father c. well then might Saint Paul call it common saluation and Saint Iude common faith and S. Peter write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To them which haue obtayned like precious faith for as in this bodily life nature by one and the selfe same way worketh in all alike and that same which is the cause of life in one that liueth is the cause of life in all that liue wherefore it is held a maxime in Philosophy that Nature is one in all things so in our spirituall and eternall life there is but one mistery and in it one cause of vitality in all that are saued that God may be all in all I one in all which worketh in all and we all one in God I haue foure arguments by which I may shew that it is a matter of no great hardnesse or which requireth long time to learne the science of a Christian My first I take from that principle of Nature in which there is in all men a desire and appetite ingenite and inly rooted of the soueraigne good Omnia appetunt borum for when to this desire ingrafted the good desired shall be manifestly obiected out of the vnderstanding conuicted by euidence of the light of Gods word how quickly will the desire assent and rest satisfied For now she is filled and at the end of her appetite and cannot possibly desire farther If then the straying and erroneous desire of Heathen people in ignorance after the true God being misled in the blindnesse of their vnderstanding did like men which being almost drowned in vnperfectnesse and amazement of their sense will catch at stickes and stones and weeds in the bottome of the water and hold them fast to death thinking by these to get out so they hoping to seeke euasion from eternall death in that deezinesse and confusion of apprehension did catch at gods of stickes and stones and beasts and creeping things in stead of the true and liuing God How much more shall we be perswaded and euicted by euidence of faith and enlightned in our vnderstandings from God himselfe hold by him So hold all that beleeue The Apostle hauing caught hold heere will not loose his hold for any creature in Heauen or earth or life or death saying What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ and hauing summed vp all other good or euill that may be imagined concluded in the last verse that none of these shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in which is Iesus Christ. By this good see how fast holy Iob holdeth Though he slay me yet will I stay in him Thus doth the Spouse gripe her husband I tooke hold of him and left him not How fast did all the legions of Martyrs clutch and gripe this true God and Iesus Christ in banishment in bands prisons rackes in torments in drownings burnings in all cruell deaths while their skins were stript ouer their heads while their flesh was pulled off with fiery pinsers while their bodies were a grinding betweene the teeth of cruell beasts and this hold haue all that beleeue in God in the houre of death So then heere the foule of men cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue found I haue found I haue found This is that treasure which was hid from the world which when a man hath found For ioy thereof he holdeth it and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field For who taught the poore man to set so much by that treasure did not the selfe beauty and riches and worth thereof Who neede tell any man that Gold is Gold or a Pearle a Pearle such a treasure is the true God which being once found by knowledge will cause vs to e count all things as doung that we may gaine him I may shew this secondly by the euidence of the diuinity which rising as a Sunne to our vnderstanding in that instant that he is risen doth make day For which cause God is called the Father of light and is said to dwell in light Againe to be light it selfe which rising to the world by his sonne Iesus Christ lightneth euery man which commeth into the world so this knowledge what is it but Lumen vultus Dei the light of Gods face Our apprehension of this truth is to see light in Gods light which is as much as Saint Peter in other words The day-star rising in our heart Therefore as soone as I beleeue in Iesus Christ it is day and all that beleeue are called light of it selfe and children of the light How hatefull then to vs ought be the doctrines of them which seeke to obscure to vs this blessed day which say we drinke not because we drinke of the fountaine which denie that we see because we see by the Sunne which deny that we be in life because we hold by the head A third argument I draw from the manner of teaching of the holy Ghost which is our Teacher as shall be shewed in the last place of this knowledge of the Father and the Sonne and maketh euery Scholar perfect in this mistery in the twinckling of an eye Euerie man that hath learned this mistery is áocibilis Deo taught of God himselfe and there is
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