the grace and benefit of life to be double This verily is greater than that which mooâ—d Nathaâ—iâ—l first to beleeue Hee thought it a great matter for Christ to see him vnder the fig tree and sâ— it was indeed miraculous to see a man absent beyond all reach and compasse of humane eies yet a thing that the sonne of God had communicated to others that did the like Elizeus sitting at home within doores did see Gebezi his seruant taking bribes of Nâ—man the Sirian in his iourney But the opening of heauen the carriage of vs to God and the whole businesse of a mediator promised in these words of my text to a true Israelite is of more consequence and difficultie not communicated to Patriarch Prophet Apostle Martyr or any Saint but reserued onely for the sonne of God as a marke of his soueraigntie Verily verily I say vnto you heereafter shall you see heauen open and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man He alludeth to that which Iacob did see in a dreame A ladder stand vpon the ground the top did reach to heauen the Angels of God did goe vp and downe by it and the Lord was at the top thereof A mans dreame should not bee registred for perpetuall memorie if it did not conteine some notable mysterie Hic habent somnia pondus In such cases dreames also haue their weight The ladder heere representeth Iacobs iourney He was then going to his vncle Laban The Angels are his guard ascending to protect him outward descending to bee his guides backe againe and the Lord was at the top of the ladder as a gracious moderator of both Loe then a comfortable safe-conduct for a traueller And because our whole life is a very pilgrimage for we haue no certaine place of abode but we trauell and seeke for it in Hierusalem that is aboue the sonne of God heere vnder the imprese and hieroglifique of Iacobs ladder doth promise vs his meanes and mediation and that is the matter that now we shall treat of Wherein hee doth not draw vs along with naked hopes but first of all consigneth the certainty of his promise with the religion and solemnitie of an oath Verily verily so the Apostle calleth this sacred asseneration When God made the promise vnto Abraham and had no greater to sweare by hee sware by himselfe How Verily I will blesse thee And heere is the same forme Therefore Christi iuramentum est sidei nostrae fundamentum We haue Christ his oath for the foundation of our faith The word or God is as certaine as his oath he is not as man that he should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Heauen and earth may passe but no word of God falleth to the ground all his promises are Yea and Amen So that for the thing it selfe such religious contestations needed not but his oath is added as the Apostle saith that we might haue validâ—m consolationem strong consolation Hee seeth the darknesse of our mindes the leuitie of our affections the manifold sleights wherewith Satan doth abuse vs. Sometimes by aggrauating our sinnes he drowneth vs in a very hell of desperation sometimes bewitching vs with a perswasion of righteousnes he carrieth vs aboue the clouds in pride Cui nomina mille mille nocendt artes The son of God the wisdome of his father that of loue gaue himselfe for vs and had experience both waies of the aduersaries practises and our infirmities to helpe all and to put vs out of doubt interposeth an oath Iurat Deus capit sibi credi O beatos quorum causa Deus curat Et o miserimos si nic iuranti Deo credimus God sweareth then he desires to bee beleeued O happy men are we for whom God sweareth And o thrise vnhappy if we beleeue not God when he sweareth The attestation of the sonne of God teacheth vs that in the businesse of our saluation and in the promises of Christ wee should not be Academies They were a kinde of Philosophers you know that would not be certaine of any thing but doubtfull and vncertaine in all things and that vncertaintie is not sutable with our promises Sic oportet credere quomodo certi sumus de visâ—ilibus adhuc amplius Hic enim aliquando erratur id est in his quae videntur illic autem nequaquam We ought to be as sure in our faith as wee are in the things that we see and more too for in these things there is deceit that is to say in the things that we see but in the other none at all Is it possible that God should become a changeling that his purpose should be frustrate his power infringed his decree reuersed his prouidence deceiued that the merit of Christ should be euacuated the authenticall seale of the holy Ghost cancelled and the oath of the sonne of God to be of none effect All this assurance wee haue And if none of these be possible let the Romanists disable them all with their Academicall doubtfulnesse when as in the meane time they applaud themselues sacrifice to their owne net and burne incense to their yarne but let them eleuate the promises of Christ with their vncertaine hopes and ratifie their owne traditions with great assurance Iosua and his house will firmlie beleeue that which the sonne of God hath sworne solemnly And heere is no arrogance but deuotion to beleeue that which is promised so seriously is not presumption but faith we know whom we beleeue and are certaine that hee is true in his promises and most mightie in his performance We boast not of our selues or of any thing that we can doe but wee boast in the Lord. Securus gloriatur qui gloriatur in Domino Hee boasteth safely that boasteth in the Lord. And vpon this assurance we goe on Heereafter ye shall see This heereafter seemes to exclude the former world from the benefit that is heere promised as if there had beene no gate of heauen open vntill the death and resurrection of Christ So the Church of Rome hath imagined and therefore during this Interim the Catechisme published by Pius Quintus according to the Decree of the Tridentine Councell bestoweth all the soules of the faithfull that departed vnder the Old Testament either in Abrahams bosome where they were discharged of all paines and yet held from the sight of God or else in Purgatorie where they had sensible paines and the lacke of Gods presence too Catechismus ad Parocheos pag. 74. Antequam ille moreretur resurgeret Coeli portae nulli vnquam patâ—erunt sed piorum aâ—mae â—ù◠è viuis excessissent vel in sinum Abrahae deferebantur vel quod etiam nunc ijs contingit quibus aliquid diluâ—dum persoluendum est Purgatorij igne expiabantur I will not absolutely disauow Purgatorie but learned antiquity hath taught me that it must haue place heere in this world whilest men are aliue
TWO SERMONS PREACHED BEfore the Kings most excellent Maiesty in the Church of BEAVLY in Hampshire The first the last of August The second the 9. of August BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON Doctor of Diuinitie LONDON Printed for Edward VVhite dwelling at the little North doore of Pauls at the signe of the gunne 1609. To the right honourable Henrie Earle of SOVTHAMPTON Baron of TICHEFIELD Knight of the most honourable Order of the Garter and Gouernour of the Isle of WIGHT BEhold right honourable the Sermons now published which were pronounced by your Lordships appointment in a very sacred presence The gratious allowance which then they receiued from a royall diuine giueth me hope that they will not be vnwelcome to the Church entertaining all meditations with facilitie that aduance Christ her Bridegroome Patron and delight What was intended in them to this purpose he knoweth best that knoweth all things If any thing be attained that shall alwaies be ascribed thankfully to his goodnesse and submitted willingly to her censure With this obedience I haue determined to liue and desire to die In the meane time they come abroad vnder the passe also of your Lordships authoritie as of my honourable Magistrate Were they iust volumes and of any great request your Lordship were more than worthy of them for that heroiacall zeale wherewith you haue adorned our little Sarepta Now making scarse a pamphlet they are the lesse worthy of a noble patron But I haue had true experience that your Lordship accepteth the poore indeuours of our ministerie aboue their worth Therefore recommending them to your Lordships good fauour and your Lordship to the riches of Gods blessing I take my leaue with reuerence and will rest Your Lordships most affectionately deuoted CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON A SERMON PREAched before the King at BEAVLIE in Hampshire ROM 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth IT is not vnknowen vnto you that the Doctrine of free iustification is the principall subiect and matter of this Epistle The Iewes whom the Apostle spake of in the beginning of the Chapter were afraid to come to this righteousnesse of Christ lest they should be iniurious to the Law and offend God that had commanded it so seriously to the Fathers The Apostle answereth that this their feare proceeded from ignorance of Gods righteousnesse and their owne Law and addeth a reason in these words of my Text For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth Quicquid est veteris Testamenti Christum sonat All the Old Testament as Augustine saies sounds of Christ The Ceremonies are nothing but figures of him he is the kernell of the promise they are all in him Yea and Amen and without him no promise hath accomplishment He is the life and soule and perfection and end of all the Commandements And therefore hee that hath Christ and holdeth him by faith hath all that the Law requireth in precepts offreth in promises and shadoweth out in types and figures The points in this text are considerable 1 The prerogatiue that Christ hath aboue the Law he is the end of the Law 2 The benefit thereof for righteousnesse 3 To whom this benefit perteines to euerie one that beleeueth Excellent things are spoken of the Law If thou wilt enter into euerlasting life saith Christ vnto a Lawyer keepe the Commandements So saith Moses Behold this shall be our righteousnesse before the Lord our God If we take heed to all these Commandements to doe them Whereby wee may perceiue that faire and large promises are annexed to the Law What is fairer than righteousnesse What larger than euerlasting life But they are conditionall and not absolute Si potes dicere Feci quod iussisti potes itidem dicere Redde quod promisisti If thou canst say I haue done that which thou commandest thou maist well say Giue me that thou promisest On the other side if the Law be not obserued and that exquisitely too the threats thereof are all as terrible Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all that is written in the Law to doe them Hard conditions of doing and doing all And if you please that wee shall enter into the question whether wee can performe the Law or not Paul answereth that it is a matter not of difficulties for that might be compassed with endeuour but of impossibilitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which was impossible for the Law to doe And hee giueth a reason thereof in the former chapter The Law is spirituall and I am carnall Now these two be contraries For the flesh euermore lusteth against the spirit witnesse the same Apostle not in words onely but in true experience also For hee felt a Law in his members rebelling against the Law of God and leading him captiue When this elect Vessell and great Apostle after he was regenerate for the vnregenerate feele no such strife found this long distance betweene the Law and his owne affections and such defects that for horrour thereof he cried our O miserable man that I am may wee attend any good performance or complement of the Law in others Steuen challengeth the whole Nation of the Iewes You haue receiued the Law and haue not kept it His words carry the strength and sinewes of an argument That which is not kept cannot iustifie But you haue not kept the Law therefore what boast soeuer you doe make thereof that you receiued it from GOD that it was published by Angels and giuen to the Fathers yet doth it not iustifie it giues you no prerogatiue They could not answer this with reason and therefore fell into passion and outrage the text saith When they heard these things their hearts burst asunder and they gnashed vpon him with their teeth Manifest euidence of conuiction Peter calleth the keeping of the Law an importable yoke and contesteth against those which vrged the performance thereof for iustification that they laid a taske vpon the necks of their brethren which neither they nor their fathers were able to beare If the Law could be performed why doth Peter call it an importable yoke If it cannot bee performed why is righteousnesse sought or placed in it For it is not the hearing or hauing but the doing of the Law that iustifieth Sinne as Iohn defineth it is a transgression of the Law And doe not all men sinne It were a sinne for any man to say he hath no sinne and if we confesse our sinnes what do we confesse but that we are transgressors and not performers of the Law Shall we put the matter to a triall and let all the saints in heauen and earth passe vpon the Iurie O Lord let them bee demanded heere in thy presence if it were by their workes or fulfilling of the Law that they were iustified Haue they not all with one voice returned their verdict Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the praise
to hold correspondencie with the law looke for nothing but imperfections to frustrate the law of her end Put off the old man and put on the new wash away all birdlime of concupiscence crucifie your earthly members tame the flesh bring it into true subiection that the law may say goe and it goeth come and it commeth doe this and it doth so then you shall finde no defect in the law O that all weaknesse were so taken away from this sinfull flesh of mine O that all the sores thereof were in this sort healed Should not I then run the way of the Commandements But this the law cannot doe it rather discouereth them and aggrauateth their sinne and makes it out of measure sinfull not vnprofitable for if the disease were light it would be contemned then remedy would not be sought and so no cure Lex data est vt gratia quaereretur gratia data est vt lex impleretur I remember the story of Elizeus in the booke of the Kings He was a Prophet and prophecied as well by his deeds as in his words The Shunamites son was dead it was told the Prophet he sent his staffe by his seruant Goe lay it vpon the childes face but the dead receiued no life The Prophet knew what hee did that the staffe would not be sufficient and therefore came himselfe The law is like to Elizeus staffe though it were appointed and Elizeus sent it to giue life yet did it not giue life For if there had beene a law that could giue life then righteousnesse should haue come by the law Now wee are all like to the Shunamites childe dead in sinne Come then Elizeus and raise the dead send not thy staffe by any seruant but come thy selfe Come come O pittifull and sweet Samaritane heale this poore hurt creature powre in wine and oile The Priest saw it and passed by the Leuite looked vpon it but no offices of the law had compassion Come therefore come courteous Samaritane for there is mercy with thee Binde vp my sores set mee vpon thine owne beast but leaue me not with any Host or In-keeper For whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none on earth that I desire in comparison of thee Numquid possunt sanare languores meos Therfore take charge of me thy selfe Say vnto me o thou preseruer of mankinde say vnto my soule I am thy saluation but say it so that I may heare Open mee the gates of righteousnesse and I will enter therein That which the law could not doe because it was made weake through our flesh God sent his sonne to doe He sent Christ to be the end of the law He sent no seruant about it Moses indeed was faithfull in all his house but his tongue was heauy and not eloquent enough to treat of such a cause Esaies lips were vncleane Ieremie was a childe and could not speake all the Prophets were tongue-tied and the Angels themselues were vnable to entertaine the matter for vs. When Angels were fallen could Angels mediate their owne restitution Then can they neuer bee competent for vs that were insufficient for themselues To be vmpeere betweene God and man to make appointment and transaction of their differences to sustaine the wrath of the one and the miseries of the other and that a mediatour must doe is certainlie beyond the capacitie and compasse of euery creature Verily none but God can plead with God the son with the father God mercifull with God iust God pleased with God offended May I craue your honourable leaue and patience to informe you of a sharpe contention and it shall not bee impertinent to this businesse that I treat of Truth and righteousnes contend for the punishment of mankinde with peace and mercy pleading for his deliuerance Whole Adam saith Iustice must die because whole Adam hath offended And if regard be not had of my sister truth and my selfe yet may not the word be infringed that is gone out of the mouth of God In what day soeuer thou shalt eat of this fruit thou shalt die the death Mercy maketh answer that if the matter should go so and no commiseration taken but that whole mankinde must be condemned then why were Peace and I brought into the world to bee cut away so soone againe Reply was made by Truth that Mercy had zeale indeed but not according to knowledge For in pittie towards mankinde shee is cruell to Iustice and mee that are her sisters desiring to haue him spared and vs abolished For it is not possible for vs to consist without this punishment The controuersie is difficult and happily some doe wish for Salomon to decide it But a greater than Salomon was there yet that could not hold them from bitternesse till Peace had reprooued both sides and told them that contention was vnbeseeming vertues and sisters All this while the Iudge was stooping downe and writing vpon the ground The tenour of his writing was this as Peace did read it The one side sayes that all mankinde must die or else Righteousnesse and Truth cannot liue The other side sayes that in case mankind die Mercy and Peace must perish with them This is my sentence Fiat mors bona habet vtraque pars quod petebat All wondered at the wisdome and integritie of the decision But the remedie was as hard as the disease That death should bee made good it was impossible vnlesse such a one should vndertake the businesse that was not indebted to death And where should he be found Verily none can giue aid but he that gaue counsell And so they had recourse vnto the sonne of God who turning to his father said Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou wouldest not haue but hast fitted mee vp a body for this death In the volume of thy booke it is written of mee that I should fulfill thy will O my God I am content to do it So he put his owne decision in practise Then Mercy and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other Hee was that ladder that Iacob did see joining heauen and earth together Where the law ended in cursing and imprecation because it was not obserued there Christ began and redeemed vs from the curse of the law and was made a curse for vs. He did heerein as in the matter of Tribute when it was demanded although he were free as the sonne of a King yet because wee will leaue none offense Goe Peter take this peece of twenty pence and pay for me and thee O bone Domine Iesu O good Lord Iesus wilt thou indeed pay for thee and me for that which thou saidest vnto Peter thou sayest vnto euery one of thy Church take it and pay it for thee and me And for theâ—e the paiment is soone made because thou wast born free But my sinne is great and is not my redemption plenteous I haue transgressed the whole law and haue not I fulfilled it too a little But
but sit with thee eating and drinking at thy table in thy kingdome Hitherto ye haue heard Christs prerogatiue and the benefit therof The last point remaineth to whom this benefit belongs to euery one that beleeueth Why then say the Iesuites the promises of Christ are conditionall as well as the promises of the Law The law sayes Doe this and liue Christ sayes Beleeue only and all things are possible to him that beleeueth Heere is a condition in the one as well as in the other If time would giue me leaue I could shew that the promises of Christ are absolute and without condition but let vs now admit that they are conditionall as well as the promises of the law yet haue we many aduantages in this condition of Christ that are not in the law 1 Is it not much easilier to beleeue the promises of the one than to doe the workes of the other 2 Againe the law is stoicall and curious not content with our endeuours vnlesse wee haue done all and done it most exactly Christ is milde and gentle he striueth not lifteth not vp his voice quencheth not smoaking flax bruseth not a shaken reede but enterteineth euery true faith though it be as little as a graine of mustard seed though it be neuer so vnperfect 3 The law is solitarie teacheth vs what to doe but giueth vs no meanes to doe it whereupon the Apostle cals it a dead letter Christ is neuer solitarie but accompanied with the grace and influence of his holy spirit which hee sends into our hearts to illuminate to regenerate to giue vs faith to comprehend him And therefore when he giueth vs the condition which he requireth of vs his condition is most gracious and the condition of the Law is grieuous Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth If Christ bee the end of the law to euery one that beleeueth then did he not fulfill the law for himselfe but for those that doe beleeue As he was God he was not subiect to the law and as he was man also he was Lord of the law Duplici iure sayes Bernard filius Dei regnum possidet coelorum Semel quia filius 2. quia passus atque hoc secundo modo nihil illi fuit opus mihi autem dedit omnibus credentibus The sonne of God hath two titles and rights to the kingdome of heauen The first is by inheritance because he is sonne the second is by acquisition because he suffered of this second title he had no vse or need himselfe but hath giuen it to me and all that beleeue This will easily be yeelded that hee suffred for vs but the other point is controuerted that hee fulfilled the law for himselfe and for his owne righteousnesse As God he needed not and as man also hee was Lord of the Sabboth The sonne of man is Lord of the Sabboth and so consequently of the whole law Eadem est ratio partium totius If Lord of the law as man then needed hee not to be subiect but hee made himselfe So the Apostle writeth to the Galathians but he addeth the reason of Christ his subiection that hee might redeeme vs that were vnder the law When the humane nature in the very moment of conception thereof was vnited inseparably to the Godhead what felicitie did it want in that vnion which might be supplied by his actuall righteousnes fulfilling of the law What was not the law to be performed of euery man or was not Christ a man The law verily was enioined to euery humane person but Deus verbum as Augustine sayes non suscepit personam sed naturam hominis and this nature hauing no subsistance at any time of it selfe but assoone as it began to bee it was personated as they say in the schooles of the diuinitie could not bee brought into necessarie subiection of the law without manifest iniurie to that person that susteineth it Others write that Christ must fulfill the law to make himselfe a meet high Priest and they doe not consider his natiue innocencie that hee brought with him into the world which being neuer teâ—erated was sufficient to qualifie him to the office of Priesthood Was he not by that natiue integritie holy harmlesse vndefiled separated from sinners And these be all the qualities that the Apostle to the Hebrewes requireth in his highâ—Priesthood Seeing then hee had all these by the sacred conception which wee professe I may conclude that all which he did beside in fulfilling of the law was as the text noteth for righteousnesse to euery one that belleeueth and as it is in 8. Rom. that the exquisite righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs. So he sayes himselfe Eâ—o procis sanctifica meipsum It is for them and not for mine owne behoofe that I sanctifie my selfe As it is in a glasse that hath not his brightnesse and reflexions for himselfe but that others may haue the vse and benefit of it so is Christ the end of the law for righteousnesse not to himselfe or for his owne benefit but for the vse and commodity of euery one that beleeueth Thus I haue deliuered you Christ the end of the law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth Hee is a high Priest according to the order of Melchâ—sedeth And wee read nothing of the exercise of that Priesthood but only that he blessed Abraham to giue vs to vnderstand that the whole Priesthood of Iesus Christ doth consist in blessing Hold him therefore and let him not goe vntill hee haue giuen you a blessing which hee hath already graciously begun heere in this world and will multiplie it aboue all that you can desire in the Kingdome of Heauen Whereunto wee doe all with heart and voice say Amen Euen so be it Lord Iesus who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liuest and raignest one God blessed for euer FINIS A SERMON PREAched before the Kings most excellent Maiestie in the Church of BEAVLY in Hampshire Iohn 1. chap. last verse Verily verily I say vnto you heereafter shall ye see heauen open and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man WOrds of great asseueration and therefore of great importance What can more import vs that were exiled out of Paradise and beequeathed to the earth than to haue heauen open that were sequestred and retired from the societie of Angels than to haue their sweet haunts againe and their ministry too than to haue ingresse and egresse and familiar intercourse with God Placet cunctis sâ—curitas sed ei magis qui timuit lucunda omnibus lux est sed euadenit de potestate tenebrarum incundior Transisse demorte ad vitam vitae gratiam duplicat Safety is pleasing to all but more to him that was afraid Light is comfortable to euery man but more to him that is escaped out of the power of darknesse To haue pâ—sâ—ed from death to life makes
the way that carrieth vs to that high Country The Lion of the Tribe of Iuda is our Conuoy stronger than the armed man our guide hath the key of Dauid openeth and no man shutteth I haue enough sayes Iacob Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue I will goe see him ore I die We also haue enough and more than Iacob had therefore goe masters goe that we may see him too The spouse in the Canticles compareth him to a Roe or a yoong Hart Behold he commeth leaping by the mountains and skipping by the hils he is the sonne of God and thereby higher than the highest heauens that is beyond our reach For God dwelleth in light that none can come neere to Therefore because he would be low enough for vs he became man also and stood vpon the ground Hee tooke nor the Angels he came leaping by those mountaines and skipping by those hils but hee tooke the seed of Abraham and desired to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a louer of men rather than a louer of Angels He professeth it in the 8. of the Proverbs My delight was to bee amongst the sonnes of men I had thought O Lord that thy delight had beene amongst the Host of Angels but seeing that of thy pittifull clemencie and admirable be â—ignitie thou makest it thy delight to be amongst the sonnes of men I will not interrupt thy pleasure but pray for thy prosperitie Good lucke haue thou with thy delight O thou most mighty Now if you aske me why he tooke our nature and not the Angels that were fallen as well as wee Multum est à me abyssus est profundum Crucis est The Well is deepe and I haue not any thing to draw withall If it were lest Angels might so bee thought to restore themselues because of their excellencie wee must commend the wisdome of his prouidence If it were because man did not sinne of malice and without intisement as the Angels did but in a kinde of weaknesse and by their instigation we magnifie his iudgements that are examplerie vpon the principall and fauourable to vs poore seduced accessories Criminosius est decipere quà m decipi peccatum excogitare quam facere Iâ— it were because all mankinde was lost through Adams preuarication but not all the Angels in Lucifers Apostasie we praise his goodnesse that would not quench our sparke Let curious men discusse the causes it is fittest for vs to admire the worke Let them dispute and let vs cry O altitudo O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the height and depth of Gods iudgements O the loue of God towards mankinde Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him Iacâ—bs ladder reached vp to heauen but it stood also vpon the ground Such must the mediators condition be The mediator betweene God and man must haue something like vnto God and something like vnto man lest if hee were altogether like vnto men he should be a stranger vnto God or if hee were like to God euery way he should then be farre from men and so no mediator The sonne of God appeared to Adam after his fall and the man ran away and hid himselfe in the trees of the garden Heere was nothing but the terrour of a Iudge no flesh taken no placabilitie of a mediator Hee appeared many times to the fathers in humane shape to giue them a taste of his future incarnation heere was great contentment if it might haue had continuance but hee layd downe that shape againe When the fulnesse of time came hee combined the godhead and our nature so firmly together with the glue of his person that man could neuer flie from God againe and God would neuer be seuered from man Opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito charitas sine modo A worke that cannot be exemplified grace that was neuer merited and loue vnstinted An admirable coniunction wherein God was made man sinners righteous and our Iudge becomes our aduocate So now I will deliuer him vnto you as the ladder that Iacob did see high enough because he was God low enough because he was man strong enough to carrie vs to God because of a Iudge hee is become an aduocate and of perpetuitie because the personall vnion cannot be dissolued Some doubt may bee of his bredth I am not sent he saith but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel That is too narrow for vs that be Gentiles But vnderstand it of order and not of election that hee was sent to the Iewes first that they might haue the precedence and first fruits of his ministerie and then you shall finde this narrownesse temporarie For after he had performed all things and was risen againe when the maturitie of time was come hee dilated his bosome to receiue vs Gentiles and made himselfe a passage broad enough for all the world It is a small thing that thou shouldest bee my seruant to raise vp the Tribes of Iacob and to restore the desolations of Israel I will also giue thee a light to lighten the Gentiles that thou maist bee my saluation to the ends of the world Behold the bredth and height and length and depth loe all the dimensions of a perfect and accomplished ladder Search now and run thorow heauen and earth in your thoughts and you shall not finde any other nâ—me wherein all these properties doe concurie and meet together saue only in the person of Iesus Christ The other two persons that are in heauen the Father and the Holy Ghost could not be incarnate made low enough also for the office of a mediator without manifest solecismes and incongruitie How farre vnbeseeming had it beene the greatnesse of the Father if the Sonne or Holy Ghost had sent him Therefore as the first person in order and fountaine of all diuinitie he did abide in his maiestie and sent the Sonne And Father and Sonne both sent the Holy Ghost not to bee incarnate for so there must haue beene two Sonnes one Sonne of God in Heauen and another Sonne of mâ—n in earth and not one Sonne in both And then wee should confesse and worship not a trinitie but a quaternitie of persons which God keepe farre from the saith of Christians Why then doth Christ call the Holy Ghost an aduocate Alâ—um Paâ— mâ—daâ— vobis I will giue you another Aduocate And Paul doth second that translation when he saith The Spirit doth make intercession for vs with sighs and groan as that cannot be expressed Yet there be two differences that make the mediation of the Sonne of God eminent aboue all the groanes of the Holy Ghost the one for the time the other for the manner 1. The Sonne of God maketh intercession for vs before the wrath of God bee appeased the groanes of the Holy Ghost come after 2. The Sonne of God interposeth himselfe as a
Redeemer with a sufficient price in his hand In the daies of his flesh he offred vp praiers and supplications and himselfe too with strong crying teares and was heard because of his reuerence The Holy Ghost neuer offred vp any thing Hee comes only as a Comforter not as a Redeemer as a monitor to vs not as a mediator for vs. He comes to helpe our dulnesse to raise vs vp to giue heat to our affectâ—ons to indite our praiers and that also is the benefit of the Sonne that sâ—nds him Ye haue receiued the Spirit whereby yee crie Abba Father that when our praiers are conceiued by the spirit and offred by the Sonne they may euer bee auaileable and neuer take repulse with the Father O quench not this spirit grieue it not but cherish and entertaine euery motion thereof Is it not a faithfull remembrancer sent vs by the Sonne of God Come holy Spirit and let it bee thy good pleasure to remember vs in this thy fauourable influence take away stumbling blocks out of my soule which is the kingdome of Iesus Christ that he may raigne there alone as hee should doe Couetousnesse comes and challengeth gouernment pride would be a king lust sayes shee will raigne ambition backbiting enuie and wrath striue in mee which of them should haue the greatest sway I dull and heauy creature resist as I am able I withstand as farre as I am aided I claime Iesus to be my Lord I defend my selfe for him because I am his right I hold him for my God him for my Lord Come therefore holy Spirit and scatter these Vsurpers in thy power Draw vs all after him draw vs though wee be vnwilling and make vs willing draw vs that are slothfull and make vs cheerfull Shed out and powre foorth the oile of thy gladnesse vpon vs and we shall run in the sauour of thine ointments We are soone weary and changeable draw vs after him lest wee begin to take our vagaries after other louers After other louers Quem inuenirem qui me reconciâ—aret tiâ—i An â—undum mihi fuit ad Angelos Qua prece Quibus Sacramentis Whom should I finde that should reconcile mee vnto thee Should I make any way to Angels With what praiers With what mysteries Sure Angels are not strong enough to carrie vs to heauen and men are too weake yet there bee Giants now as were after the flood that hauing got such morter and bricke say Come let vs build a tower whose top may reach vp to heauen Videte quas scalas imo quae praecipitia ipsi sibi parauerint ad ruinam Marke what ladders yea rather what downfals they haue gotten themselues for their owne ruine for Angels are creatures not able to stand of themselues without the support and benefit of the sonne of God If their abilitie had beene sufficient the diuels would neuer haue lost their places The rest are called elect Angels and Christ is the ground of all election Verily Paul calleth him the head of principalities and powers in whom they doe all consist Qui dedit â—aâ—so homini vt surgeret dedit stanti Angelo ne caderet Hee gaue man that was fallen power to rise and Angels that stood grace that they should not fall and so he was beneficiall to both raising vp the one and confirming the other And if I should commit my cause to such an aduocate as hath need of a patron himselfe it were a right tower of Babel and no scale of heauen The holiest men in the world are too weake to carry vs to heauen by their intercessions Doth this appertaine vnto man O Lord God Adam was perfect both in body and soule yet of too too base a condition to stand in the presence of God without the interuention of a mediator The tree of life which was giuen him is a cleare testimony heereof What needed he any Sacrament of Christ if hee could haue stood of himselfe And then mee thinkes it is plaine enough that seeing Adam could not mediate his owne cause in his integritie no saint though in heauen is able to vndertake for vs in this common miserie Mary began to be a mediator for wine at the marriage in Cana but assoone as Christ repressed her boldâ—esse she desisted soberly and gaue a wholesome charge to the waiters which may well hold the nature of a rule amongst all posteritie to attend vpon Christ alone When the Saints themselues doe send vs vnto Christ shall wee leaue him and in our superstitious affections hang vpon Saints If you do looke for nothing but that which happened vnto Baals Priests They cried from the morning vntill the euening sacrifice and there was neither voice nor one to make answer not any that regarded Tell vs Paul what you did thinke when you were in such a strait that you knew not what to chuse whether to be dissolued and to be with Christ which was better for your owne particular or to abide in the flesh which was more profitable to the Philippians Were you not then verily perswaded that after your death the Church could make no vse of your praiers What then Is the saints loue diminished in heauen where all their graces be increased No sure loue falâ—eth not away But the loue of the saints in heauen is not alwaies in action It is there rather in Maries contemplation than in Marthaes exercise Or if it be in action it is like to Peters when hee had a taste of it in the transfiguration of Christ The loue of his brethren was not decaied but hee was so rauished and pleased with the sight of that which was present that he thought of nothing but the fruition thereof Bonum est nobis esse hic It is good being heere Hee thought not of his brethren that were absent he desired but three Tabernacles for those that were present Can the Saints that be in heauen heare our praiers from earth Haue they any dispensation of vbiquitie Haue they any indowment of omniâ—cienâ—iâ— Can they search our hearts Doe they see and foresee our wants For who will commit his body to such a Physician that knowes no more of the infirmities thereof than he himselfe doth tell him Can they open the gates of heauen for vs Can they conquer death for vs All this a mediator must doe Ego alium noui â—eminem qui hâ—c potuerit nisi Dominum meum Iesum Qui cerse in morte viuebat qâ—â—pâ—re fractus in cruce in diuinitate stabat â—m â—aâ—r◠〈◊〉 nâ—bisâ—um supplicans in altero cum patre propitiaâ—s homo manifestus Deus absconditus I know not any that can doe this but onely my Lord Iesus that liued in death who being brused vpon the Crosse in bodie stood in his diuinitie with the father suppliant with vs in the one and giuing a largesse to vs with the Father in the other a visible man and a hidden God Will you see how hee did liue in death Consider