that borrowest this booke Tibi to thee that passest by and Tibi to thee that comest in to euery one seuerally sparing none but plucking them secretly by the sleeues Tibi to thee beloâ—geth to harken vnto the doctrine of truth Tibi to thee that printest that they may be sold to thee that sellest that they mâ—y be bought to thee that buyest that thou maist readâ— to thee that readest that thou maist vnderstand to thee that vnderstandest that thou maist beleeue to thee that beleeuest that thou maist practise to thee that practisest that thou maist continue to thee that printest sellest buyest readest vnderstandest â—eleeuest practisest continuest and perseuerest in the word of truth is this worke of truth committed And thus we commit all to God our selues with all God saue England and the King and people thereof God blesse Worcester and the Bishop thereof God send vs all his grace Suckley in Worcestershire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nouemb. the 6. Anno Dom. 1604. Yours in all dutie and true loue Iohn Racster THE TRVE ART of liuing well MATTH CHAP. 10. VER 16. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and innocent as doues IN the sâ—cond Epistle to Timothie the third Chapter and first verse the Apostle prophecieth of our times This know saith he that in the last dayes shall come perillous times There is none that doubteth but that these wherein we liue be the last dayes and therefore it is more then certaine that these be the perillous times wherein as saith Nazianzen especially to men of our profession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be whole labyrinths of cares whole faires of affaires whole seas of troubles whole worlds of wickednesse which daily oppresse vs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All goodnes ebbing hideth it selfe all naughtinesse bare-faced blusheth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our ship that is our soule saileth in the night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is asleepe if not in the ship yet in the soules and consciences of men In the 29. of Genesis Rahel that is ouis a sheepe beareth Beniamin that is lupum rapacem a rauenous wolf in the 49. of Genesis but it cost her her life for her labour the sheepe died in trauell with the wolfe Genes 35. But in the beginning of this verse the words immediatly going before my text there is a greater danger not partus but pugna luporum not the birth of one but the battaile of manie wolues of your soules Ecce ego mitto vos Behold I send you tanquam oues as sheepe in the middest of wolues which could not be without daunger of death And therefore as a wise captaine in these words he warneth and armeth vs and them against the dangerous conflict in this perilous time Estote igitur Be ye therfore wise as serpents but innocent as doues where there is not a word that hath not suum pondus his weight nay euery word is pondus it is a weight for without this euery man hath his Tekel that is euery one is weyed in the ballance found too light Dan. 5. 27. But if wisedome be in the one scale that is in our vnderstanding and innocencie or simplicitie in the other that is our will we shall weigh somewhat in the ballance that is in the estimation of Christ our Sauiour The one is the weight of iudgement Be ye wise as serpents and the other the weight of iustice and innocent as doues And as we see in a case of weights all of them be contained one in the other so likewise the parts of this text stand like weights one within another For first here be two precepts or commaundements Be ye wise as serpents this is the first precept And innocent as doues this is the second And these two precepts haue two vertues in them the first is wisedome prudentes wise as serpents The second innocencie innocentes innocent as doues And these two vertues haue two examples Sicut serpentes as serpents this is the first example or patterne Sicut columbae as doues this is the second patterne or example Two precepts two vertues two exaÌ„ples all of them one within the other waight-wise For first for the former precept there is Estote Be ye this is the precept then prudentes wise here is the vertue and then sicut serpentes as serpents here is the example Againe for the later precept first we must repeate Estote Be ye and this maketh the precept then innocentes innocent that is the vertue and then sicut columbae as doues this is the example Be ye therefore wise as serpents and innoceÌ„t as doues Estote Be ye To euery commandemeÌ„t there be annexed two estates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the commanding and commanded estates and these two estates require two conditions the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authoritie in the commander and the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abilitie in the commanded and these two iointly together make good euery coÌ„mandement potestas authoritie in the superiour to command and potentia power in the inferiour to do that which is commanded and these two be comprised vnder this one word Estote Be ye First for potestas the authoritie of the commander it is Christ that saith Estote Be ye and he is their and our Lord. Ioh. 13. Ye call me Lord and maister and ye say well for so I am and therefore he hath good authority to command Nay he is silius the sonne of God and in this regard he saith Mat. 28. Data est mihi omnis potestas all power or authoritie is giuen me both in heauen and earth Secondly for potentia the ability of the Apostles and all true Christians to obey this commandement Estote prudentes Be ye wise that also is taken from their maister for the words of Christ are able to make men wise nay they are able to make the sonnes of men the sonnes of God Ioh. 1. 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God And therfore all they that heare the word of God and beleeue it haue power also in some sort to do it For Christs coÌ„mandement is not Dictum a meere word but it is Dictum factum a word done it gineth ability of doing to all those that hearken vnto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his word and his deed goeth together And therefore no doubt this verie word Estote Be ye was his act to make them wise And he continueth the same in the 20. of Iohn for to those that in this place he saith Estote Be ye wise to those in that place he saith Accipite Receiue the holy Ghost and with him Tetigisse is Docuisse if the holy Ghost do but touch the heart it teacheth it wisedome and all goodnesse Thus you see the equitie of this Estote this commandement for so I had rather call it then an exhortation consisteth in two things in the authority
as the second circumspicere to looke round about vs but it is introspicere to looke into matters And this worke of discretion introspicere to looke into things is of two sorts the one is generall to looke into all things discernere and to discerne betweene vertue and vice betweene bad and good the other is more particular to looke into the good pretium rerum aestimare to esteeme of euerie thing as it is woorth The first worke of discretion is to discerne betweene good and bad for there be certaine vices that beare the face of vertues Crueltic is couered with the name of iustice remisnes called lenitie couetousnesse is cloathed like thrift pride like liberalitie so that a man may be deceiued in them but he that is so discreet as to discerne betweene good and euill shall neuer incurre the danger of the curse Isa 5. Wo be vnto you that call euill good and good euill darknesse light and light darknesse And he that is thus wise shall see and acknowledge in the abundance of teÌ„porall commodities great want in the ioy of earthly pleasures much sorrow in the inioying of worldly glory much ignominie in the glorie of fleshly beautie great deformitie And this is the first worke of discretion The second is the good being separated from the bad pretium rerum aestimare to iudge of the good as euerie parcell is worth and this also is an high point of wisdome to know the price of things and requireth the whole knowledge of all diuinitie for there is none can prize anie thing without the knowledge of the thing and there is no true knowledge but in diuinitie And therfore that we may know truly how to prize all things wee must haue the knowledge of all Diuinitie and that is set down by S. Augustine in two words or syllables Nouerim te nouerim me Giue me grace ô Lord saith he that I may know thee that I may know me Nouerim te that I may know thee to be the creator of heauen and earth Nouerim me that I may know my selfe the worke of thy hands and may in discretion demeane my selfe towards thee as one of thy creatures Nouerim te that I may know thee to be the redcemer of mankinde Nouerim me that I may know my selfe to be a grieuous sinner therupon in discretioÌ„ make meanes to be redeemed by faith and repentance Nouerim te nouerim me that is nouerim te in me that is Giue me thy grace ô God that I may know thee me that I may know thee in me that is that we may know the gifts of God that be in vs that wee prize not our selues at a lower rate then God hath set of vs. God hath giuen vs immortall soules which be more worth then all this transitorie world besides he hath promised vs eternal life which is better theÌ„ many worlds nay he hath bought vs and putchased all this for vs with his most precious bloud euerie drop wherof is worth ten thousand worlds And therefore seeing hee hath paid so deare a price for vs let vs in discretion learne to know our owne worthinesse and neithâ—r sell our selues for nothing as did Ahah who sold himselfe to worke wickednes in the sight of God neither let vs sell our heritage to wit euerlasting life for a thing of nothing a temporarie commoditie a momentarie pleasure a mease of pottage as did Esau But let vs with S. Paul account all things as losse and doung in comparison of the crosse of Christ and the benefits therof And so we shall rightly looke into and iudge of the price of things if we thus discreetly looke into matters For the mind of a discreot maÌ„ is like the beasts that were about the throne that had eyes ante and retro before and behind Reu. 4. 6. nay like the bodies of those beastes that were full of eyes within Reuel 4. 8. The fourth and last degree or kinde of this wisedome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato speaketh that that directeth all the rest which determineth what wheÌ„ where and how any matter is to be brought to passe and it shall be called by me Direction because it directeth all the rest And this kinde beareth the name of the Genus is deuided by Tully in the second of his Rhetorickes as the whole into these parts Prudentiae tres sunt partes there be three parts of wisedome memoria intelligentia prouidentia Memoria est per quam animus repetit illa quae fuerunt Memorie is that by which the mind recalleth those things that are past Intelligentia per quam ea prospicit quae sunt Vnderstanding or insight is that whereby the minde spieth those things that now are Prouidentia per quam futuri aliquid videtur antequaÌ„ factum est Prouidence is that whereby the minde descrieth a thing to come long before it be done and all these saith Seneca when they be in course and order be the worke of direction Praesentia ordina order saith he things present futura prouide prouide for things to come Praeterita recordare remember things past And what is this but the work of direction in euery one of these Order remember prouide things present past to come me thinketh that I heare the voice of a maister of a familie giuing direction to his familie S. Bernard setteth out this matter most elegantly by three particles vnde vbi and quo whence where and whither and all this is brought in with a Considera consider which implieth discretion Considera vnde venis consider whence thou comest erubesce and blush for shame vbies where thou art ingemisce and sigh for sorrow quo tendis whither thou goest contremisce and quake for feare Quake for feare when thou considerest of the desolation of the graue whither thou goest sigh for sorow wheÌ„ thou hearest the wickednesse of the world where in thou art blush for shame when thou seest the basenesse of the earth from whence thou art taken the earth that bare thee breedeth wormes to deuour thee the world that keepeth thee keepeth wolues to destroy thee the graue that expecteth thee hath darknesse to couer thee of our selues we can sing no other song then that that hath bene sung alreadie though toanother tune in another case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Miser per miseruÌ„ à misero ad miserum Miserable man goeth froÌ„ the miserable earth by the miserable world to the miserable graue neither is there anie remedie to be found for all this but in the house of wisedome neither haue we any wisedome but by direction neither is there anie better direction in the whole Scripture then in this place Estote igitur prudentes sicut serpentes Be ye therefore wise as serpents For here you haue heard the commandement of wisedome Estote Be ye and the vertue it self prudentes wise and now you shal heate the example and see the patterne Sicut serpentes As serpents
minister of grace telleth vs touch not tast not handle not Col. 2. 21. But the law of libertie saith Arise Peter kill and eate Act. 10. 13. The things that God hath purified pollute thou not Act. 10. 15. The old Testament saith many things are vnlawfull in so much as to weare a garment of wollen and linnen and to plow with an oxe and an asse is vnlawful Deu. 22. 10. 11. and that many beasts manie foules many fishes are 〈◊〉 11. vnlawfull to be eaten But the new TestameÌ„t as here you may see telleth vs that Omnia mihi liceÌ„t all things are lawful to me I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that nothing is vncleane of it selfe Rom. 14. 14. Non quaero quo vescaris sed quo delecteris I demand not what thou doest eate but wherewith thou art delighted saith S. Augustine And S. Paule reporteth vnto vs that the Iewish ceremonies be 〈◊〉 4. 9. now impotent and beggerly rudiments and that one word which is Domino to the Lord will serue for all so all be done in the Lord and to the Lord all is well Rom. 14. 6. He that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the day obserueth it not to the Lord He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giueth God thanks and he that eateth not eateth not to the Lord giueth God thanks And this In Domino in the Lord or to the Lord as it requireth our obedience with ioy our ioy with thanksgiuing all things in good order and our order to be subalterne to the ordinance of God so doth it ipso facto exclude all coÌ„trarietie subcontrarietie to God that our law case may alwayes haue a reference to our law-giuer Wherefore we must take heed that we be not contrarie to the Lord in doing any thing opposit to the expresse word of God neither be subcontrarie vnto him in resisting the substitute of God who hath a commission from God for the right ordering of these matters vnder God for here goeth out the date of this licence Omnia mihi licent All things are lawfull for me This was a common saying among them which they tooke vnto themselues as a special warrant of Christian libertie froÌ„ the chiefe Iustice of peace Iesus Christ who hath made peace between heauen and earth God man And indeed it seemeth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spokeÌ„ of all externall indiffereÌ„t things as to eate to drinke to weare this or that apparell is lawfull for me yet is it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vniuersally to be vnderstood True it is Omnia licent but yet not omnibus personis omni tempore omni loco all things are lawfull but not to all men at all times and in all places neither yet which is a principal matter omni modo in euerie forme or manner As for example to eate flesh is lawfull but not in time forbidden by the law of our country for si adres medias praeceptum Pet. 2. 13 accedat fiunt necessariae to buy sell is lawful but not in the Church 〈…〉 t 21. 12 〈…〉 ut 6. 13 〈…〉 od 20. 7 to sweare is lawfull but onely before a Iudge to end some controuersie to sleepe is lawfull and natural but not in 〈◊〉 20. 9. the Sermon time to weare apparel not forbidden but for a Minister to go like a ruffian or not to vse decent habiliments in the Church is a thing offensiue and not so lawfull neither is the manner alwayes allowable as animo contradicendi with a gainsaying minde and purpose to feast on good Friday and fast at Christmas which thing is reproued by Caluin himselfe Not that Instit lib. c. 19. sect either he or we put or place any religion in the things themselues either in obseruing of a day or not in eating or abstaining from flesh in wearing or not wearing of this or that kind of apparell or such like but because as one saith Sunt in homine veluti mundi duo quibus varij reges variae leges praeesse possunt Two worlds as it were be in a man one resembled in the soule the other in the bodie two kings ouer these two worlds Christ and Christ his deputie the lawfull magistrate two kinds of lawes correspondent to all the rest Ciuil or positiue law of the countrey from the king thereof spirituall eternall of the Church from Christ her head The spirituall kingdome of Christ yeelding vnto the politique or ciuill kingdome of the Lieutenant of Christ some authoritie here on earth for ordering gouerning the Church in these indiffereÌ„t and external things and omitting some matters willingly as of purpose to be ordered by him although in elementis in the elements or simples of our profession and in the infancie of the Church being at that time a meere Church separated froÌ„ the bodie politique Beda his rule is both true and certaine licita tractanda erant non praescripto legis sed consilio charitatis Lawful things were to be vrged not by the strictnesse of the law but by the counsell of charitie yet in mixtis coÌ„positis in the mixt and compound the states being incorporated the commaundements compounded in the florishing and established state of the Church the Kings commaundement being backed and seconded by God himselfe and his Church being committed vnto him there is euen in these indifferent things some conscience to be made and some religious order to be obserued Neither thinke I that any man ought so stifly to stand or sticke vpon Christian libertie herein whereas there being but three parts of ChristiaÌ„ libertie the last and least of all the rest consisteth and is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in things indifferent a plain rule of the Apostle is broken and a manifest commandement of God contemned in resisting Rom. 1 Exod. 2 authoritie euen in these indiffereÌ„t matters This therefore was the error of the Corinthians which the Apostle propoundeth in his owne person and taxeth them for by a concession that they thought that this was Christian libertie that they might at all times in all places or occasions vse or not vse these indifferent things And this is a point of discretion in the Apostle that he doth not by an inuectiue sharply reproue them but speaking in his own person he most wisely teacheth what they should do in these cases But in that he doubleth it Omnia mihi licent All things are lawfull to me and againe Omnia mihi licent All things are lawful the reasons may be thâ—se either because they did oftentimes rehearse this saying that all things were lawfull to them or else because of the double dammage which happened vnto them hereby First in that they prouoked the Lord Gods displeasure against themselues in that they were partakers of the table of diuels Secondly in that they hurt and destoryed the weake coÌ„sciences of their
Abraham If you were the sonnes of Abraham you would do the worke of Abraham Ioh. 8. 39. 40. 41. Stellae coeli the starres of â—om 4. heauen saith the promise the sonnes or citizens of heauen saith the practise Nostra conuersatio est in coelis Our conuersation is in heauen saith S. Paule Phil. 3. 20. These be the attendants and this is the attendance that this king requireth not the dust of the earth for they were the Pharises but the stars of heauen for they be the faithfull and yet both the seed of Abraham The next point that cometh in and offereth it selfe to be considered in this place is the coronation of this great king wherein a principall matter as you know in euerie coronation it is materiall is vnctio the annointing of the king this annointing is described vnto vs in the 45. Psalme verse 7. first in the author and act of annointing because God euen thy God hath annointed thee and secondly in the qualitie of the oile with the oile of gladnesse and thirdly in the quantitie thereof aboue thy fellowes In all which points is pointed out vnto vs nothing else but the spirituall annointing of Christ with grace which is there called the oile of gladnesse and that the oile of gladnes is grace and signifieth grace in that place it is plaine by the effect which is set downe in the first wordes of that verse to be the loue of righteousnesse and hatred of wickednesse and all this is the worke of grace And that Christ was and is annointed with this spirituall oile the speciall grace of God that is plaine both by his conception Luke 1. 35. The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most highest shall ouershadow thee and also by his life Luk. 2. 40. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was filled with wisedome and the grace of God was with him And further that hee was annointed with spirituall oile the speciall grace of God aboue his fellowes that is easily declared in three points The first grace of God that Christ had aboue all his fellowes all the children of God is gratia capitis he hath grace to be the head whereof the whole Church is the bodie Ephes 5. 23. Col. 2. 19. The second grace thâ—t Christ hath aboue all his fellowes is gratia originalis tustitiae the grace of originall righteousnes we all are conceiued and borne in originall sinne but he without sinne in originall holinesse and righteousnesse and therefore he is called in the first of S. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy thing which shall be borne of thee borne holy and doth liue holy for euer in which sence he is called by Dauid Deus iustitiae the God of righteousnesse of Paule is he said to be Homo iustitiae 1. Cor. 1. 30. who of God is made vnto vs wisdom righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption The third wherein Christ surpasseth all his fellowes all Christians who through his grace are made also the children of God is gratia hypostaticae vnionis the grace of his hypostaticall vnion whereby God and man are made one Christ hauing vnited in one person the two in some respect otherwise contrarie natures of the Godhead and the manhood Phil. 2. 6. 7. Gratiâ capitis in the grace of the head gratiâ originalis iustitiae in the grace of originall iustice and gratiâ hypostaticae vnionis in the grace of hypostaticall vnion in these three annointings in these three graces Christ excelleth all Christians and all kings Christians and others And the reuersion of these three graces and the ouerplus of these three ointments of Christ addeth or implieth three essentiall points in the office of all kings First as Christ is the head of the Church so vnder God the king is supreme head of his kingdome in all causes Secondly as Christ hath originall iustice so all the offices of iustice all the ministers of iustice and all the acts of iustice in the whole realme be originally in the king and come originally from the king Thirdly as in the person of Christ both the natures be vnited so in the office of the king both estates be combined and he himselfe being the Lieutenant of God in his office after a sort may iustly be said to be ioyned vnto God The second thing that is done at the coronation of this king is the proclamation or title proclaimed and that is not Rex Franciae the king of France nor Rex Asiae the king of Asia nor Rex terrae the king of the whole earth but Rex magnus super omnes Deos a great king aboue all Gods Psal 95. 3. Rex regum Dominus dominantium that is blessed and Prince onely king of kings and Lord of Lords 1. Tim. 6. 15. Nay when he is crowned the trumpets of heauen nay the Angels of God nay the Spirit of God giueth him this title Rex gloriae the king of glorie and Dominus exercituum the Lord of hosts Psal 25. There be two gifts of God which in a summe or in an epitome do set downe vnto vs all God his gifts the one is the gift of God his grace the other of his glorie Grace is present at the coronation of Christ our king but glory is the crown it selfe which lasteth for euer Now if anie desire to know this and to see this he desireth an excellent thing but let him not be too busie for seare his eyes be dazled for feare of presumption and so of confusion One there is that seemeth to set downe twelue things or marks whereby the greatnesse of the glorie of the Saints in some sort may be vnderstood but we will acknowledge our owne weakenesse shallownes and vnworthinesse and not seeke to be wiser or seeme to see more then the Apostle Paule though caught vp into the third heauen could euer attaine vnto for he confesseth the things which eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans hart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him And if for all them that loue him these incomparable good things be prepared then how much more for his owne only begotten Son in whom he is well pleased be these infinite incomprehensible glorious good things not prepared onely but also powred out vpon and this in generall though what they be our shallow braine and weake capacity cannot comprehend is the crowne of glorie fitted to the king of glorie and by him bestowed likewise vpon the vessels of gloric Iustine Martyr rather telling what it is not then what it is in fower priuatiue words doth as neare as another set out this crowne of glorie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first depriueth vs of passion the scond of corruption the third of sorow the fourth of mortalitie For this letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a priuatiue in euery one of these words but yet a priuatiue of our priuations
which is an excellent infinite good thing we being infinite euill and corrupt to be depriued of all our priuations and to be refined from all our corruption is an vnualuable benefite and blessing of almighty God and not onely this our euill shall be taken from vs but also this his goods shall be bestowed and conferred vpon vs and this is that that inferreth the next point in the next word Tuus thine that appropriateth this king vnto vs to euerie one in particular Rex tuus thy king for what was said to Sion as to the whole Church that is said to euery citizen of Sion euery member of the Church in particular Eccerex tuus Behold thy king We are his and therfore he is ours he our God we his creatures he our redeemer we his redeemed he our Lord we his seruants he our king we his subiects Quod sumus that we are we are of him Quod sumus filij in that we are sonnes we are it in him If thou hast anie grace it is his gift if thou hast any goodnesse it is his grace Nam de plenitudine eius omnes bibimus for of his fulnesse we all haue drunke What then is his fulnes euer a whit the emptier because all haue drunke thereof not at all for in him is plenitudo sontis the fulnesse of the fountain in vs there is plenitudo vâ—sis the fulnesse of a vessell and therefore according as in other nay infinitely aboue the nature and excellencie of all other fountains though all the vessels be filled with grace from the fountaine yet is the fountaine of grace neuer a whit the emptier Thus hast thou possession in him and yet he full of power in himselfe notwithstanding thus hath he bestowed a benefite vpon thee in that he is thine and thou doest owe a dutie vnto him in that he is thy king which requireth thy obedience and that in such sort as he is thy king To him that is the king of our countrey we must do such seruice as our countrey lawes commaund vs to him that is our spirituall king we owe spirituall obedience and to him that is our heauenly king we must performe that dâ—tie that is required of all those that shall be made citizens of the kingdome of heauen that is inwardly to serue God in spirit and in truth Yea but he speaketh but to Sion onely Tell the daughter Sion Behold thy king and therefore it seemeth that none but the Iewes had this interest in him Yea but this title was written ouer his head at his death Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes in three languages Hebrew Greeke and Latine to signifie that as well Grecians and Romaines or anie nation else that trusteth in his name haue this interest in him as well as the Iewes that he will be thâ—ir king For he is not a Iewe that is one outward neither is that circumcision that is outwardly in the flesh but he is a Iew that is one within and Rom. 29. that is circumcision that is inwardly in the heart as the Apostle Paule witnesseth Yea but how could any haue this interest in him seeing he is God To this a certaine auncient diuine answereth that fuit in eo sublimit as diuina cum infirmitate humana diuine excellencie with humane infirmitie he is Rex the king in that he is the great God he is tuus thine in that he was made weake man Whereby we may see that we may prepare the way to the next point how farre Christ humbled himselfe that he might be ours Belowe the nature of God is the nature of Angels belowe the nature of Angels is the nature of man below the nature of man is the punishment due to mans nature peruerted and depraued First therefore Christ humbled himselfe below himselfe below his diuine nature in that he was made lesse then himself Phil. 2. againe he humbled himself below the Angels in that he could suffer which the Angels can not and therefore it is said in another place Minuisti cum pauso minus Angelis Thou hast made him a litle lower then the Angels Thirdly he descended lower then the nature of man in that he was a reproach among men vermis sum non homo I am a Psal 22 worme and not a man Esa 53. 2. Non est ei species neque decor He hath neither forme nor beauty Fourthly he humbled him selfe euen vnto punishment Now there be three degrees of punishmeÌ„ts there is poena valdè ignominiosa a verie shamefull death as that of hanging which belongeth to malefactors there is poena valdè laboriosa a verie painfull death as to be fleyed as was S. Bartholomew or to be broiled as was S. Laurence and there is poena a punishment that is both these both verie shamefull and verie painfull and this is the death of the crosse both shamefull as being the death of theeues painfull as tormented in the most neruous and sensatiue partes Wilt thou now trie thy state in him and see his estate in him selfe then must thou ascend vnto him by the same steppes or degrees by the which he hath descended vnto thee he is thy punishmeÌ„t remoued because he bare the punishment due vnto thee he is thy man in that he was made man for thee he is thy Angell in that he is the messenger of God for thy saluation he is thy God in that he made thee he is thy king in that he is thy God thy punishment thy man thy Angell thy God thy king Thy punishment to free thee from paine thy man to shield thee from shame thy Angell to bring thee vnto God thy God to guide thee with his grace thy king to giue thee of his glorie And thus much of the first point which is the height of his estate now followeth the second which is the lowlinesse of his heart Mansuetus meeke This is the verie receptacle and vessell whereinto God vseth to powre all his graces Humilibus dat gratiam God giueth grace to the humble Iam. 4. Sicut enim aqua ad loca ima ita gratia ad corda humilia currit saith S. Augustine as the water runneth to the lower places so grace floweth to the lowly heart And in his tenth booke De verbis Domini speaking of Marie Magdalene he saith Quanto humiliùs sedebat tanto ampliùs capiebat the lower that she sate the more was her receipt of grace at our Sauiours feete she receiued more grace then in the kings throne Iacob when hee was lowest euen on the ground and when he was weakest euen disarmed of al his senses by sleepe then was he greatest in Gods fauour for then he saw a ladder reaching from heauen to earth the Angels descending and ascending theâ—upon Gen. 28. Confluit aqua ad humilitatis conuallem the water floweth to the lowly vallies and therefore high places are drie wheÌ„ low are full of water light things of no worth as feathers mount with the wind but