do vobis My peace I giue vnto you And so in manie passages of holy writ hee is said to bee the sole procurer of our peace For the discipline of our peace was laid vpon him saith Esayas And S. Paul saith that wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And so it appeares plainely that hee is the author and the giuer both of grace and peace And therefore this doth sufficiently proue the diety of our Sauiour Christ Quia Iehoua dat gratiam gloriam because none but God alone can giue either grace or glory but Iesus Christ giues both grace and glory and therefore Christ must be the true Iehoua And so you see the Apostle by both these clauses of this one sentence and by both these titles and both persons of this one God doth shew that both of them is the onely one ioynt autor and giuer of all goodnesse because grace and peace doth proceed from God our father and from our Lord Iesus Christ And because there be many that are called Gods as 1. Angels God stood in the assembly of Gods That there be many which are called Gods 2. Deuils as Dij gentium Daemonia the gods of the Gentiles are Deuils 3. Priests as offerte Dij let the Priests offer And the Gods of the earth are lifted vp 4 Kings as dixi Dij estis I said you are Gods 5. Iudges as the cause was brought ad Deos vnto the Gods and so of others therefore least we should thinke these blessings proceeded from any of these the Apostle saith they come from God the Father from our Lord Iesus Christ And so he differenceth the true God and autor of these blessings from all other Gods in these 2. especiall respects 1. Of himselfe 2. Of vs. De 1. In respect of himselfe he How the Apostle distinguisheth the true God from others Aug. de ciuit likewise differenceth him from all other Gods two waies 1. From the vnitie of his essence 2. From the trinity of the persons for 1. The Apostle sheweth that the autor of these blessings in respect of his essence is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one God and therefore though the Valentinians had their thirty couples of Gods as Irenaeus witnesseth of them and the heathens thirty thousand Gods as S. Augustine out of Varro hath collected yet doe we beleeue in God and not in Gods or as the Nicene creede hath it in one God and doe pray to this one God that he would giue vs grace and peace for we know he can doe it because he is the God of gods causa causarum extra quam nulla causa and cause of causes besides whom there can be no cause of any goodnesse and therefore if he will not we know all other cannot bestow any good thing vpon vs. 2. He sheweth that in this one God there are diuers persons for that not only the Father but also the Sonne is the autor of these blessings and if the Father and the Sonne be the Holy Ghost must needs be also for he proceedeth from them both and is the ineffable bond of both as S. Augustine speaketh and is the worker and conueyer of all blessings from God to man and therefore wheresoeuer the other two persons are expressed this third personalso must of necessity be included Quia opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa because the works of the trinitie without or in respect of outward operations are indiuisible And therefore we say we haue grace and peace from the Father tanquam a fonte as from the fountaine from the Son as from the procurer thereof and from the Holy Ghost as from the conuayer and worker of the same in our hearts and so we see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin Martyr in expos fidei the vnity is vnderstood in the trinity and the trinitie is acknowledged in the vnity as Iustin Martyr speaketh But against this it may be obiected that of these 2. persons the father only is called God the sonne is called our Lord Iesus Christ Tertullian answereth quia nationes a Tertul. l. contra Praxeam f. 389. Why Christ is called Lord and not God in many places multitudine Idolorum transirent ad vnicum Deum vt differentia constitueretur inter cultores vnius plurimae diuinitatis quamuis ex conscientia scimus Dei nomen domini patri filio spiritui sancto conuenire tamen ad quamlibet occasionem effugiendam Deos omnino ne dicimus nec dominos sed Apostolus nos Apostolum sequentes Deum patrem appellamus Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum because the Gentiles from the multitude of Idols which they serued should be drawne to the seruice of the only true God that there might be a difference set betwixt the worshippers of one God and the worshippers of infinite dieties therefore although we certainly know that the name of God and the name of Lord may be fitly and most truly attributed both to the father to the son and to the Holy Ghost yet to auoid all occasions that might breede any suspition or imagination of many Gods we neuer say Gods nor Lords but as the Apostle so we with the Apostle doe call the Father God and our Lord Iesus Christ And Theoph also doth most excellently Theoph. in 1. Cor. 8. f. 966. resolue this question Quum audis vnus est Deus pater vnus Dominus Iesus Christus When thou hearest that there is one God euē the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ lest thou shouldst thinke that the name of God is only to be ascribed to the Father and the name of Lord vnto the sonne thou must know that either of these names and titles are giuen to either person without distinction as Rom. 9. the sonne is called God and Psa 109. the father is called the Lord as the Lord said to my Lord. But he maketh this distinction because he writ to the Gentiles that worshipped many gods that they should not haue any cause of imagination that we haue many gods as they had therefore he doth not call the sonne God least they that were vsed to many Gods should imagine that we had two Gods neither doth he call the father Lord least they should thinke we had two Lords And for this cause saith Theophilact neque spiritus hic vllam fecit mentionē auditorū imbecillitati parcens he makes no mention of the Holy Ghost by reason of the imbecillity and weake capacities of the hearers euen as the Prophets made no direct or plaine mention of the sonne by reason of the weake apprehensions and vnderstanding of the Iewes least they should presently apprehend some carnall natiuity obnoxious to humane affects ad oppositionem igitur vanorum Deorum non filij dixit vnum Deum patrem atque vt opponeret sese mentitis Dominis non patri dixit vnum esse dominum Iesum Christum The Apostle therefore
Hebrew word which signifies to burne in respect of the vehement affection of it so the Poets resembled it est mollis flamma medullis caeco carpitur igni Cant. 8. 6. 7. the Scripture it selfe compares it vnto fire And yet the Latines do affirme plus esse amare quà m diligere that it is more to loue then to wish well but here the Apostle vseth a word which signifieth more then to loue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phauorinus Beloued of God for the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the same thing as Cicero turneth to be contented or that wherein we doe rest our selues satisfied As the father said of the sonne hic est filius meus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is Mat. 3. vlt. my beloued Sonne in quo acquiesco in whom I rest my selfe contented So that heerein wee finde three things 1. An inclination to the thing chosen 1 Ioh. 4. 10. to set our liking on for loue doth include Et iudicium eligentis actionem Sâ—aliger de subtilitate exercit 317. §. 3. seiungentis rem electam ab alijs saith Scaliger The iudgement of the chuser and his action to separate the thing chosen from all other things 2. A desire to be vnited to it as we may see in Matt. 23. 34. Deut. 5. 29. 3. A ioyfull contentment in it as this is my rest for euer here will I dwell for Ps 132. 4. I haue a delight therein And therefore though the loue of God signifieth no affection or passion as it doth in man yet we finde therein 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good will or a decree of hauing mercie 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an actuall beneficence or doing good to them creating them sustaining them and guiding them 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a delighting in them And this loue of God extends it selfe The large extent of Gods loue 1. And in the highest degree towards himselfe 2. Towards all things that be 1. In respect of the will and vnitie of essence the three persons loue each other with an vnconceiuable essentiall loue And therefore God made all things for his owne sake and so the Scripture sheweth the loue of each person vnto the other as the father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his hands and that you may know that I loue the father and as the Father gaue me a commandement so I doe and the Holy Ghost is said to be the loue of the Father and the Sonne In quantum est nexus Patris Filij ineffabilis complexus as S. Augustine speaketh ingenti Iohan. de Combis l. 1. c. 8. largitate perfundens omnes creaturas pro captu earum The bond of both the Father the Son and the suauitie and delight of both filling all creatures with goodnesse according to each ones capacitie 2. He loueth all things that are and Sap. 11. 24. Gen. hateth nothing of the things that he hath made For when he had made all things he beheld them and loe they were exceeding good and in this sense all creatures are beloued of God But you will say God hateth all that Ob. worke iniquitie Psal 4. I answer that in euerie sinfull man there are two things to be considered 1. His nature which is the worke of God and this he loueth 2. His iniquitie which is the worke of man and for this he hateth him or this in him And so you see that God loueth all things that are But you must vnderstand that although Thom. 2. p. q. 20. art 3. in respect of the act of louing he doth not loue one thing more then another because hee loueth all things with one simple act of his will as Aquinas speaketh yet in respect of things loued there is an order in his loue for it is most certaine that of all creatures that hee hath made hee loued mankinde best 1. For that when he made all things hee only made man according to his owne image and likenes and therefore Dauid in admiration of this loue of God to mankinde breaketh forth into such exclamations O God what is man that thou art mindfull of him c. thou madest him lower then the Angels to crown him with glory and honour lower it may bee in regard of his substance Zanch. de natura Dei but higher in respect of Gods Image which is that glory and honour wherewith hee was crowned 2. For that although hee loued the That God loued mankinde â—boue all other creatures Angels with an exceeding great loue yet doe wee neuer read that hee was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit-louer as he vouchsafed to bee called as by a proper name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man-louer as we see Tit. 3. 4. cùm apparuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruatoris nostri when the bountifulnesse and loue of God towards man appeared Thirdly for that after the fall of man hee left an exceeding great liberty and bestowed many blessings and benefits as witnesses of his loue to man euen in that relapsed estate and time of disobedience as S. Paul doth most excellently â—ct 17. declare vnto the Athenians which he hath not done to the relapsed Angels who presently vpon their fall were depriued of all tokens of Gods loue 4 For that hee sent his dearest sonne to take our nature vpon him and to be made man like vnto vs and not to take the nature of Angels vpon him as the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth most diuinely obserue when hee saith that non assumpsit Angelos sed semen Abrahae hee assumed not the nature of Angels but hee tooke vpon him the seede of Abraham quid tam pietatis plenum quam quod filius Dei pro nobis factus est foenum What can bee a more signe of loue or more full of piety then that God should giue his only sonne to be made grasse for vs for all flesh is grasse saith S. Bernard Esay 5. For that hee did not onely giue his sonne to take our nature vpon him and so to become of no reputation as the Apostle speaketh but also to bee made a Philip. 2. curse for vs to suffer for vs to be wounded for our sinnes to bee broken for our transgressions and to bee crucified for our iniquities where hee suffered 1. Opprobrium quo nullum vilius the greatest reproach and shame that could be quia morte turpissima condemnemus eum for the death of the Crosse Sap. 2. was accounted the most shamefull most disgracefull death that was for cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon a tree saith the Scripture 2. Supplicium quo nullum maius the greatest paine and torment that could bee 1. In his body in all his senses 1. In his feeling the sharpnesse of the nailes 2. In his hearing their mocks and scornes 3. In his smell their stinking
riches of his grace and by suffering the sinnes of the reprobates he makes his power knowne and by all the Idem l. 1. de predest punishments of the wicked he sheweth his wrath against sinne and his iust iudgement vpon the vessels of reprobation And so you see that God who is properly the author of grace peace and of all things simply good can no waies be said to be the author of the euill of sinne nor of the euill of punishment but only as it tends to good And therefore whensoeuer we commit sinne remember that that is not from God and wheresoeuer wee see plagues and punishments remember these be the wages of sinne and neuer come properly from God but either as a means to make vs leaue our sinnes or to shew the iust iudgements of God vpon vs for our sinnes Oh then beloued brethren how exceedingly How carefull we should be to avoid sinne should we be affraid to sinne for as God doth exceedingly loue the things that proceede from himselfe and are agreeable to his nature so he doth exceedingly hate the things that proceede no way from him but are contrary to his disposition and therefore he hateth sinne with an immortall hatred and he punisheth sinne with euerlasting punishments and therefore ô my soule why wilt thou sinne why wilt thou flie away from God but Quo fugis ah demens Where wilt thou flie or how canst thou hide thy selfe from his all-seeing eye peccata latere erit impossibile peccatorem apparere erit intollerabile to hide thy sins is impossible and for a sinfull soule to appeare is intollerable and therfore S. August tels thee what thou art best to doe returne ô Shulamite returne returne againe to God quia non est quo fugias à Deo irato nisi ad Deum â—placatum for the only way to escape the furie of God when he is angrie is to runne vnto him when he is pleased and to say ô my God ô my Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and I am not worthy to be called thy sonne but thou art rich in mercie thou art full of goodnesse and thou art the fountaine of all grace and therefore I beseech thee forgiue me my sinnes and giue me thy grace through Iesus Christ my Sauiour And so much for the first point i. the authour of goodnesse and the giuer both of grace and peace it resteth that I should speake of the second point i the description of this autor set downe in these words God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ De 2. In these words the blessed Apostle sheweth that not only God the Father but also our Lord Iesus Christ is the author and the giuer of these blessings of grace and peace and of all good things For though these words our Lord Iesus Christ as they are in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken either to shew the Senne-ship of Christ as if the Apostle should say that the author of these blessings is God the Father of vs and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ or else to shew that Christ is also the author and the giuer of these blessings as well as the father as if the Apostle should say that they doe proceed not onely from God the Father but also from our Lord Iesus Christ yet I thinke that the meaning of the Apostle is to shew that grace and peace doe proceed from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ as from ioynt authors and coequall giuers of the same For Hauing shewed in the fourth verse that God was the father of our Lord Iesus Christ in expresse words de filio That grace and peace proceed as well from the sonne as from the father suo concerning his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord it had beene friuolous to doe it obscurely and it had beene superfluous so suddenly to shew the same againe and therefore doubtlesse the Apostles meaning is to shew that grace and peace doe not only proceed from God our father but also from our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Because he the father are both one opera triuitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa and all the outward workes of the blessed trinity are indiuisible i. vnappropriated to one person more then the other but common to each one as well as the other quia in operibus ad extra tres personae operantur simul because in all externall actions they all worke together and therefore whatsoeuer the father doth the sonne doth and what gift or grace soeuer the father bestoweth the sonne bestoweth 2. Because our Lord Iesus Christ became our redeemer to purchase grace and to be our aduocate to procure peace vnto vs. For 1. That he might bring grace vnto vs he receiued all fulnesse of Grace in himselfe without measure and of his fulnesse we all receiue grace for grace and so the Apostle sheweth that in him i. in the man Christ Iesus dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily i. personally and substantially as Hillar l. 8. de Trinit S. Hilarie expoundeth it And therefore S. Iohn saith that the Ioh. 1. Moses only shewed Gods will Christ giues a power to doe Gods will Law came by Moses but grace and truth by Iesus Christ for Moses shewed vs what was the will of God and what should be done of vs but he could not purchase vs the fauour of God nor giue vs any power to performe his will but our Lord Iesus Christ did bring vnto vs the loue and fauour of God and gaue vs grace many gifts of grace whereby in some measure we are inabled to please God and to keepe his commandements because he hath not only made our yoke easie and our burthen light because to beleeue in him which Math. 11. is the yoake whereby we are yoked vnto him is a great deale easier then to performe the law which was the yoke that tied vs vnto God but also worketh faith in our hearts whereby wee may beleeue in him and charitie whereby we may loue him and all other graces whereby we may serue him And this the Apostle sheweth when he saith that he which descended hath Ephe. 4. 8. also ascended vt dona daret hominibus that he might giue gifts vnto men i. not only gifts to wash away their sinnes but also to indue their soules with inherent vertues and graces whereby they might proceed from faith to faith i. from a weake and a little faith to a strong and a liuely faith and from grace to grace i. better and better and from one degree of perfection vnto another vntill at last they grow to be perfect men in Christ Iesus 2. Touching peace the Prophet Esay saith that Christ is the Prince of Esay 9. peace and Christ himselfe saith in me you shall haue peace and therefore he is called our peace and our peace he calleth his peace saying Pacem meam
calleth the father God not to denie the deity of the son and he calleth the son Iesus Christ our Lord not because the father is not Lord also but to shew the vanitie and idle conceit of them that serued any other false and lying Lords Hereby then you see that although when we doe speake of these persons asunder we call either person indiscrimmatim indifferently and without distinction both Lord and God yet when we speake of them both together least the heathens or any other should think we worship many Gods if he called them both Gods we call the father God and the sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and this was requisite then by reason of the imbecillity of the heathens newly conuerted from Idolatry but now those questions touching the vnity of the God-head and the trinitie of the persons are so sufficiently and learnedly handled that men are now we hope of ripe apprehension to know this truth without any such feare of danger as was then in the infancy of the Church and the first publishing of this truth And thus you see the true God and author of these blessings differenced and distinguished from all other false and imaginarie Gods in respect of himselfe 2. He is distinguished and described in respect of vs and that two waies 1. Ab excellentia potestatis quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the excellency of his power because he is God 2. A perfectione bonitatis from the perfection of his goodnes because he is our father and our Lord Iesus Christ The 1. sheweth Gods greatnesse The 2. sheweth Gods goodnesse both which the very heathens ascribed to the true God though they knew him not for they said he was optimus maximus best and greatest How Gods greatnesse and his goodnesse are most commonly ioyned together and why greatest to shew his ablenesse and best to shew his willingnesse to giue vs all good things And we finde these two titles alwaies ioyned together not only by the heathens but also by Christ himselfe and all his Apostles For Christ in lege supplicandi when he teacheth vs how to pray saith Our father which art in heauen The first clause our father sheweth his goodnesse and his willingnesse to helpe vs and the second clause which art in heauen sheweth his greatnesse and his ablenesse to helpe vs. And the Apostles ioyntly in lege credendi when they teach vs how to beleeue doe set downe the same thing I beleeue in God the father Almighty and each one of them seuerally in loge docendi in all their writings doe ioyne these two points together that as the first teacheth reuerence and feare so the other should stir vp boldnesse and loue that we should not be too bold quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he is God nor yet too fearefull quia pater because he is our father For that neither feare without confidence nor confidence without feare can be acceptable vnto God or profitable vnto man because the one breeds presumption the other desperation and so each of them destruction And therefore God doth so order his stile and ioyne his titles together that his greatnesse should keepe vs from presuming and his goodnesse from desparing Whereupon Saint Bernard Bern. ser 52. paruorum saith that these two are the two feet of the Lord whereby he walketh in all his waies and fastneth both these feet vpon euery sinner that truly turneth vnto him For the goodnesse of God only would animate the wicked to presumption and his greatnesse only would terrifie euen the godly to desperation Psal 128. and therefore Dauid excellently saith that he would not sing of mercie alone nor of iudgement alone but his song should be of mercie and iudgement together that so in respect of Gods iustice he might retaine feare and in respect of Gods mercie he might conceiue hope But as the consideration of Gods goodnesse doth breed in vs fiduciam faith to proceed boldly to the throne of grace so I would to God that the consideration of his greatnesse would breed in vs deuotion and reuerence to worke our saluation with feare and trembling For we are all ready enough to lay hold on his goodnesse but we are farre enough from any true feare of his greatnesse Sinners lay hold on that only that serue their turne to goe on in sinne and therefore the Prophet saith that supra dorsum Dei fabricauerunt peccatores prolong auerunt iniquitatem they laid all their sinnes vpon Gods backe and multiplied their sinnes by reason of the multitude of his mercies they make God all of mercies only mercifull and neuer remember that he is iustus verax iust and Psal 102. true as well as good and gratious And therefore they adde sinne vpon sinne and despise the goodnesse and long sufferance of God and neuer Rom. 2. thinke that his goodnesse is vsed to lead them to repentance and not to incourage them in their wickednesse and so they heape vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God And thus much of these titles ioyntly it resteth that we should speake of them seuerally And 1. Of the title that expresseth Gods greatnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Damascen saith that there be two What the word God doth signifie principall names of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the being or he that is or I am as himselfe said to Moses and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God And of this latter he giueth three speciall etymologies and deriuations 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of running or compassing about because by his prouidence ouer all things attingit a sine vsque ad finem disponit omnia suauiter Iob 28. Sap. 8. 1. he beholdeth all things vnder heauen and disposeth all things orderly and thus Plato Proclus and the rest of the Platonists doe interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the prouidence of God 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of seeing because he seeth all things and all things are patent vnto his eies and nothing Heb. 4. in the world can be hidden from him the very thoughts of our hearts are seene of him a phrase worth the nothing that it is not only said Christ knew the thoughts of men but that he saw their thoughts quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of his al-seeing eie 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of burning Deut. 4. 24. Two properties of fire and consuming in respect whereof he is called fire And that in a double respect 1. In regard of his wrath and hatred 1. To consume against sinners In which sense Moses saith Deus ignis consumens est your God is a consuming fire To burne the wicked like stubble and to consume the vngodly vnto ashes 2. In respect of the brightnesse of 2. To cherish his Maiesty to cherish and comfort the godly in this sense Saint Iohn 1 Ioh. 1. saith God is light and in him is
they are distinguished And they are 3. viz 1. Their dilection 2. Their vocation 3. Their sanctification Secondly the desire of the Apostle and the delights of the Saints are expressed 1. From the number of blessings requested they be two 1. Grace 2. Peace 2. From the fountaine from whence they flow i. From God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Of these by the assistance of God in order First touching the number to whom the Apostle wisheth these blessings two things are to be obserued 1. Declaratio amoris the manifestation of the Apostles loue How Ministers should loue their people 2. Restrictio gratiae the restriction of the grace of God 1. In that he writeth to all and wisheth grace and peace to all Saints he sheweth how largely his loue extended it selfe to the Romans quòd effuso animo eos omnes complectitur saith a Bucer in hunc locum Bucer he loued all remembred all and excepted none of all a speciall point required in Gods Ministers S. Augustine tels vs b Aug. de Doct. Christ li. 3. ca. 10. that nihil praecipit Deus nisi charitatem nihil culpat nisi cupiditatem God commandeth nothing but charitie and forbiddeth nothing but cupiditie It is therefore necessarie in all especially in vs for if we could speake with the tongues of men and Angels i. so many languages as men vse to speake more then Mithridates could that had 22. languages as Volateran Volateran li. 17. saith and so diuinely and truly as the Angels of God more mellifluously then Origen cuius ex ore non tam verba quà m mella fluere videntur out of whose mouth the honey did seeme to flow as the Magdeburgenses out of Vincentius Magd. cent 3. col 269. doe report yet would our preaching be no better then sounding brasse or tinckling cymbals for when our auditors are not perswaded we teach them out of charitie we can neuer perswade them to beleeue the veritie but as Theocritus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocrit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quae minimè sunt pulchra en pulchra videntur amanti every thing comes well from him to whom we are well affected And therefore what S. Augustine saith of euery Christian I may truly say of euery Preacher Vniuersa inutiliter habet qui vnum illud quò vniuersis vtatur non habet He hath all things in vaine that hath not charitie whereby he may rightly vse all things I wish therefore with all my heart that all we Preachers would study what lyeth in vs to lay aside all maliciousnesse all suits and contentions whereby our Ministerie is made vnfruitfull and liue in loue and peace with all men whereby I assure my selfe wee should purchase more spirituall gaine by loue then all the wealth of the world would be vnto vs that we should get by Law 2. In that he writeth to all beloued The restriction of sauing grace Gorram in hunc locum of God called Saints it sheweth the restriction of grace fidelibus tantùm non alijs to the faithfull only and to none else saith Gorram Non Romae simpliciter manentibus sed Deo duntaxat dilectis Not to all the inhabitants of Rome but to all the Saints that were in Rome saith Theophylact and so Theoph in hunc locum S. Chrysost also and all the rest of the Fathers qui dictorum intelligentiam expectant ex verbis potius quà m imponunt as S. Hillarie saith in another case Hilar. de Trin. l. 1. which rather seeke the true meaning of Gods Spirit from the words then impose a false glosse vpon the text to corrupt the truth doe from hence collect a restriction of grace to the Saints of God and not to the sonnes of Belial Euen so the Prophet Esay calling Esay 55. 1. euery one that thirsted to come to the waters meanes none but those that thirsted And our Sauiour inuiting all that were weary and heauie laden to come vnto Matth. 11. vlt. him to be eased meanes none but those that were weary and the like we finde almost in euery passage of the Scriptures This restriction therefore of Gods grace doth sufficiently confute Pelagius Hemingius Huberus and all the rest of the Arminian broode touching the doctrine of vniuersall grace who say that God would haue all men to be saued and therefore gaue his Sonne to die for all and so offereth sauing grace vnto all that all men might be saued if they would them selues beleeue in Christ and perseuere in faith according to the condition of the Euangelicall promises and doe further vnderstand these Euangelicall promises to be so offered and indefinitely left in the power of man as that he may either of his owne will receiue them and be saued or reiect them and be condemned But for the fuller vnderstanding of this one point I will examine these two points 1. Whether God by his absolute will would haue all men to be saued 2. Whether he gaue Christ Iesus to die for all men that they might be saued To the First I answer negatiuely To the Second affirmatiuely Of the first I say then it is not the absolute Whether God wold haue all men saued will of God that all men should be saued or haue sauing grace giuen vnto them for if it were I demand the reason why they are not saued for Voluntati eius quis restitit Who hath Rom. 9. euer resisted his will If they say that the cause hereof is not in the will of God that offereth grace but in the frowardnesse of mans will that refuseth grace I answer with S. Augustine that Sic velle nolle in Aug. de corrept gratia cap. 7. cap. 14. volentis nolentis est potestate vt diuinam voluntatem non impediat diuinam potestatem non superet So to will or nill is in the power of him that willeth or nilleth as that it neither hindereth the diuine will of God nor especially surmount the power of God For otherwise it were to make the will of God depend vpon the will of man and to subordinate the first cause vnto the second which is contrary to the lawes of Nature And as S. Aug. speaketh it were to make the weake and the peeuish will of man of more power and might then the omnipotent will of God whereof S. Ambrose saith Voluntas S. Ambros in 5. Luc. eius potestas eius his will and his power are both a like because he can doe whatsoeuer he will doe for if God would haue men to be saued and men by their nilling or refusing will not be saued then certainly Dei voluntas superata S. Aug. in Euchrid ad Laurent ca. 97. est hominum voluntate infirmissimis nolendo impedientibus non potest facere potentissimus quod vult The will of God and his desire is ouercome by the will and deniall of man so that by the nilling
no darknesse at all And therefore God appeared to Moses in a flame of fire to Exâ—d 3. shew that he would cherish and comfort that poore people which were so much distressed and tormented of the Egiptians these be the two properties of fire to cherish or consume for nothing is so comfortable as fire if it be before vs nothing so violent if it be vpon vs so nothing is more comfortable then God vnto the godly nothing more terrible vnto wicked Tu terribilis Deus extunc ira tua who is able to abide his wrath And to these three deriuations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanch addeth a fourth That Zanch de nat Dei it may be deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by changing δ. into θ. which signifieth feare because of all nations he should be feared And indeed Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor feare makes vs know there is a God when a mans conscience telleth him that euery good shall be rewarded and euerie euill must be punished And so you haue the significations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God take it how you will it serueth 1. To shew vs qualis est Deus that The greatnesse of Gods Maiestie should teach vs to feare him God is a great and terrible God that seeth all things disposeth all things and rewardeth all things according to their iust deserts 2. To teach vs quid sit nostri officij what our duties are to feare and tremble to offend this great and terrible God and to be affraid of his iudgements because it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God 2. Though God be a burning fire Exod. 3. yet he consumeth not presently for though the bramble bush burned because God was in it yet it consumed not because his goodnesse preserued Exod. 3. it euen so though in the first place we see his Maiesty and his title of feare and reuerence yet in the second place if you but looke a little further you shall see his lenitie and his titles of loue and boldnesse not one but many like a boundlesse Ocean that would extoll it selfe in goodnesse aboue himselfe Our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ Now these titles are to be considered two waies 1. In respect of the Father 2. In respect of the Sonne In both which respects the loue and goodnesse of God is most abundantly shewed vnto vs 1. In that he is our Father 2. In that he is our Lord and Sauiour Of these in order These two words Our Father containe the sum of the Law and the Gospell Our Father De 1. The titles that doe expresse the goodnesse of the first person are two 1. Pater Father 2. Noster Our Father The first is verbum fidei a word of faith The second is verbum spei charitatis a word of hope and charitie and therefore in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father are contained both 1. Lex operandi the law of workes Basil obseru 2. Lex credendi the law of Faith i. both the Law and the Gospell For 1. To loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength and our neighbour as our selues is the summe of the Law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour but the name of Father vt explicat ita excitat Eliensis in orat domin charitatem as it sheweth the loue of God to man so it stirreth vp and kindleth the loue of man towards God the word noster Our Father sheweth the fraternity and brother-hood of vs all as being the children of the same father and therefore should loue one another euen as brethren ought to doe so here is our loue to God and our neighbour 2. The sum of the Gospell is faith working by charity but Father is a word of faith a word of boldnesse and Our is a word of community a word of charity And therefore as the whole world is described in a little mappe saith Synesius so in these two little words are most closely included the sum of the Law and the Gospell And therefore I will handle them more particularly And first of the word Father then of Our Father De 1. God is said to be a Father God is a Father in two respects in two respects 1. Respectu filij in respect of his sonne Christ Iesus 2. Respectu creaturarum in respect of all his creatures 1. In respect of his Sonne Christ Iesus he is alwaies a Father from all eternities Quia ille semper Pater Aug. to 10. ser 33. in apend de diuersis ille semper filius ac proinde Pater nunquam non Pater filius nunquam non filius he is alwaies a Father the Sonne is alwaies a Sonne and therefore the Father was neuer no Father and the Sonne was neuer no Sonne Sed sicut semper Deus it a semper Pater habens semper filium quem semel genuit ex sua aequalem sibi natura but was as he was euer a God so he was euer a Father hauing euer a Son which he once begat of his own nature coequall vnto himselfe saith Saint Augustine 2. In respect of his creatures he is said to be a Father 1. Generally of all his creatures God is said to be the Father of all his creatures 2. Particularly of man the chiefest of his creatures 1. Seeing all creatures haue their being from him he may be well called the Father of them all quia Pater dat esserei And therefore Iob calleth him Iob 38. Pater pluuiae the father of the raine And Saint Iames calleth him Pater luminum the Father of the Iam. 1. lights And so in respect of creation he is the Father of all things 2. He is the Father of men after a more speciall manner then he is of all other creatures whatsoeuer and that two waies 1. In respect of their generation 2. In respect of their regeneration For 1. Whereas of all other things he did but say fiat lux let there be light and producat terra let the earth bud forth and of all other things he spake the word and they were made he commanded they stood fast yet when man was to be created he said Let vs make God is more properly the Father of men man as consulting with his wisdome in our owne image and likenesse as more properly to be our sonne then any other creature and so he breathed in the nostrils of man the breath of life and man became a liuing soule And therefore the very Heathens doe ascribe to the soule of man both maxima vis maximus honos the greatest power and the greatest honour and the prince of Philosophers telleth vs it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an infusion celestiall and no naturall traduction and therefore doth alwaies seeke to mount vp super altitudines terrae aboue all earthly things haerere origini
heauen sic cadauer mortui officioso gestu precabatur and so the dead corpse by this officious gesture did seeme to pray O how happie was the soule of that man without the body when as the body without the soule seemed so deuout O that it might be so with me that I might euen weary and weare out my selfe in prayer that whensoeuer my master commeth he should finde me so doing 3. Praises and thankesgiuing are very Thankfulnesse is the only thing God requireth at our hands acceptable sacrifices vnto God For who so offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me saith the Lord and therefore the Apostle saith Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lips which confesse his name Where I desire you to obserue that the Apostle would haue vs alwaies to offer this sacrifice vnto God in other sacrifices we may haue a cessation but this must be done without intermission and no maruell nam Gregor cùm Deus nunquam cessat benefacere ideo semper debet homo gratias agere for seeing God euer bestowes blessings and graces vpon man therefore man should neuer cease to render thanks vnto God saith S. Gregorie And therefore holy Dauid would euen at midnight praise the Lord for his righteous iudgements for it becommeth well the iust to be thankefull and therefore vaetacentibus de te Domine Woe to Aug. in confess them that are mute in rendring thanks and praises vnto God for this is all that we render vnto God for all the benefits that he hath done vnto vs euen to take the cup of saluation and to call vpon the name of the Lord. 4. Releeuing of the poore is another sacrifice Releeuing the poore is most pleasing vnto God Phil. 4. 18. that we are to offer as the Apostle sheweth for I was euen filled saith he after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you an odour that smelleth sweet and a sacrifice pleasant and acceptable to God and therefore we should neuer forget to bestow almes vpon the poore quia manus pauperis est gazaphylacium Christi for the hand of the poore is the storehouse of Christ Non memini me legisse mala morte Chrysostom mortuum qui opera charitatis libenter exercuit And therefore whatsoeuer we bestow vpon them we lend vnto the Lord and lay it vp in store for our selues against the time of need And this our Sauiour sheweth when hee saith vnto the godly Come ye blessed of my father c. For I was hungry and you gaue me meat I was thirsty and you gaue me drinke c. 5. True repentance is not of least account with God for the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit a broken and a contrite heart â— God wilt thou not despise But here you must vnderstand that true repentance consisteth not only in a baâ—e confession I haue done such a fault and I am sorry for it but it must haue also true contrition a broken and a contrite heart saith the Prophet for it is most certaine that vbi dolor finitur ibi deficit Aug. de verb. poenitent c. 13. poenitentia where there is no true griefe and sorrow for sinne there can be no true repentance as Saint Augustine speaketh And therefore I wish that my head were full of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for my manifold sinnes and transgressions quia oratio Deum lenit lachrymae Ierom. in Esaiam cogunt that as my prayers should moue him so my teares might compell him to haue mercy vpon me These and such like are the true sacrifices that euerie Christian man as a true Priest is bound to offer vnto God 3. As a Prophet euery Christian man We should be expert in the knowledge of God and of his will should dispell from himselfe the mist of ignorance and increase in all manner of knowledge and vnderstanding that he may know what the good and acceptable will of God is for there is nothing more vnbeseeming a christian then ignorance of those things that concerne Gods will and his owne saluation The Philosophers indeed could pierce the secrets of nature the Iewes had wit enough to make a large shekell and a small Epha and so haue we all to know the things of this life Yet all this can but with Adam teach vs a way to run away from God to make vs erie with the Babylonians as the Prophet speaketh thy wisdome ô Babel hath caused thee to fall and in the end to ouerthrow vs as the Poet saith of himselfe Ingenio perij qui miser ipse meo And therefore Christ which is the way the truth and the life that hee might bring vs to eternall life hath giuen vs his word and annointed vs with his grace and powred on vs of his spirit that we might in some measure vnderstand his word and know his will and edifie our selues in our most holy faith and that we might know that this is eternall life Iohn 17. euen to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ This is nobilissima scientiarum scientia The excellency of diuine knowledge nobilissimorum the most excellent knowledge in the world and the fittest knowledge for the noblest men of the world Scientia Prophetarum Dei a knowledge that the Magitians of Egipt the Philosophers of Athens the Rabbines of the Iewes and all the worldly wise men are ignorant of it but the true Prophets of Christ the true Christians doe onely know it Now the only way to get this knowledge is to search the scriptures for they testifie of me saith our Sauiour and by them saith S. Ierome plenam potes Dei Ieron ad Demeâ— Idem in prâ—â—em in Isaiam intelligere voluntatem thou maist vnderstand the whole will of God At ignoraÌ„tia scripturaruÌ„ est ignorantia Christi but the ignorance of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ and to be folded and swadled in all errors as our Sauiour sheweth Matth. 21. 29. And therefore if wee would bee true Christian Prophets let vs euer bee conuersant in the word of God and because the Scripture licet omnibus accessibilis Aug. epist 3. ad volus paucissimis tamen penetrabilis though they be accessible vnto all all may haue them all may heare them yet are they vnderstood but of very few we should pray to God that he would open the eies of our vnderstanding that we may Ps 119. 18. see the wondrous things of his law and that we may throughly know the whole will of God and then we should pray for grace to doe the will of God while we are in this mortall life that wee may liue in peace with God in the euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord who is blessed for euermore Amen Iehouae Liberatori FINIS Christ saith God delights not in much