the first It is certaine that as the Father hath life in himselfe and light and wisedome and knowledge so he giueth his Son to haue the same in him nay he hath the same of himselfe as he is God No want in the God-head may be imagined nor degrees of hauing but all is perfit and at once yea and from the beginning He therefore being Iehouah and Shaddai all-being and euer-being all-sufficient and euer-sufficient may not be thought to haue asked this question to be better informed for his owne part for he knoweth all and needed not that any should testifie of man for hee knew what was in man Iohn 2. But as in the 12. of Iohn Christ saith This voyce came not for my sake but for yours So may we say of Christs words in my Text that they were not vttered for himselfe but for vs. It was good that the world should be satisfied concerning the resolution of the Apostles to follow Christ whatsoeuer came of it for their honour for our example for the glory of God in giuing such gifts vnto men Therefore doth the Lord bring forth their righteousnesse as the morning and causeth their faith to breake forth into confession They beleeued and therefore did they speake Wee also if we beleeue we will speake and will not be ashamed of him before men lest he also be ashamed of vs before his Father which is in heauen It is worth the remembring that Plutarch in his booke of Isis Osiris writeth of the Peach namely that the Egyptians of all fruit did make choise of that to consecrate it to their great Goddesse for this cause because the fruit thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is like to ones heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the leafe to the tongue Indeed when the heart and the tongue goe together then the harmony is sweete and the seruice pleasing both to God and man Euen as Saint Paul setteth downe the perfitnesse of our duty and consequently of our happinesse With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse with the mouth he confesseth vnto saluation This therefore may seeme to be a speciall cause why Christ demandeth of the twelue whether they would play the Turne-coats as some others did namely to draw forth their confession and profession of their faith As for the other doubt Whether the Elect can fall away the same will easily be cleared if we agree vpon the termes of Elect and falling away namely if we vnderstand by Elect such as are chosen according to the purpose of grace vnto an inheritance immortall vndefiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for them and by falling away an vtter departing from the fellowship of the Saints and an vtter renouncing of the truth reuealed The truly Elect cannot so vtterly become cast-awayes If then man and the world and the Deuill were stronger then God then the gifts and calling of God had repentance then Christ should not loue to the end whom he loueth yea then some should be able to take them out of the Fathers hand All which points and twenty more to this purpose are directly contrary to Gods Word which cannot lye Therefore we conclude that a man truly Elect cannot throughly perish I grant Saul and Iudas were Elect or chosen but it was to an office not to the Kingdome of glory Peter and others fell away but it was for a time not finally they wauered and staggered and felt some eclipse in their faith but the same was neuer extinguished nor rooted vp Christ prayed for Peter and not for him onely but for as many as should beleeue in his Name Iohn 17. that their faith should not faile And can Satan or all the power of hell preuaile against Christs prayer Praedestinatorum nemo cum Diabolo peribit nemo vsque ad mortem sub Diaboli potestate remanebit None of the predestinate shall perish with the Deuill none of them shall remaine vnder the Deuils power euen vnto death as Saint Augustine speakes And in his booke De Catechizandis rudibus Cap. 11. â—erusalem shall be deliuered and none of her shall perish for he that perished was not a Citizen of her Thus he He learned it of Saint Iohn They went out from vs but were not of vs c. Let vs end this point with another testimony of Austin more pregnant and plaine then either of them Horum he speaketh of the Elect si quisquam perit fallitur Deus sed nemo eorum fuerit quia non fallitur Deus Horum si quisquam perit vitio humano vincitur Deus sed nemo eorum fuerit quia nulla re vincitur Deus that is if any of the Elect perish God is deceiued but none of them perisheth because God is not deceiued if any of them perish God is ouercome by mans fault or naughtinesse but none of them perisheth because God is ouercome of nothing Well hauing thus vntyed the two knots or doubts that might seeme to entangle the Text let vs returne to the same againe and see what further we may learne out of it Will ye also goe away Plutarch writeth of Brutus that this was a great content and comfort to him at his end that though he had Crebra transfugia of the common sort many of them forsooke him and turned to the enemy yet none of his friends or neere ones forsooke him On the other side it must needs be a great corrasiue to Caesars heart that Labienus that had done him so worthy seruice against the Galles nine or tenne yeeres together left him in the quarrell betweene him and Pompey took Pompeys part I haue nourished brought vp children they to rebell against me this cuts my gall saith God in effect in Esay What my son that came out of mine own bowels to miniken the matter against me nay to make head against me This is such a matter as would make a man exclaime Be astonied O heauens and blush O earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What thou my sonne said one to his neere one He made resistance against others saith the story but when he saw his owne naturall to draw vpon him then he was weary of his life then he desired to liue no longer Therefore herein appeareth Christs magnanimity that he was not danted for the perfidiousnes of the run-awayes but all the while he had them that were of best note to sticke vnto him he reckoned not for the Apostasie of others Let vs be of the same minde Beloued Suppose all should cowre downe cowardly saue three hundred nay suppose that all should worship the Image that Nabuchadnezzar of Rome putteth vp saue three nay suppose that all should bowe their knees to Baal or worship the golden Calfe saue Elias and Moses should this make vs to goe away Nay greater is he that is in vs then he that is in the world saith our Sauiour And more there bee which be with vs then they
non irrisit as Bernard speaketh but if the world came vpon him he will be besotted by the world Therefore Thucydides recordeth it as a strange thing in the men of Chius that they were sober for all their prosperity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Euagrius ascribeth this for a speciall praise to Mauritius the Emperour that in his prosperity he retained his ancient piety In our naturall bodies it is thus the more fat the lesse blood in the veines and consequently the fewer spirits and so in our fields abundance of wet breedes abundance of Tares and consequently great scarcity of corne And is it not so with our soules The more of Gods blessing wealth the more weedes of vanity and carnality and the more rich to the world the lesse righteous to God commonly What meant Apuleius to say that Vbi vber ibâ— tuber but to signifie that pride and arrogancy are companions to plenty And what made Salomon to pray against fulnesse but to shew that as they must haue good braines that will carry much drink so they must haue extraordinary soules that will not be ouercome with the world Did not Dauid himselfe in his prosperity say that he should neuer be remoued say or speake vnaduisedly Nay did hee not doe lewdly and wickedly defiling himselfe with his neighbours wife and embruing his hands in his seruitours blood thus adding murder to adultery Did he attempt any such thing in the dayes of want and aduersity No no in his necessity he sought the Lord and gate himselfe vnto his God right earely and offered vnto him the sacrifice of righteousnesse c. And yet we grudge and repine if wee doe not swimme in wealth when wealth through the corruption of our nature doth dull vs and taint vs and make vs vnapt to euery good worke Againe wee shunne pouerty as we would doe a Serpent nay as the gates of hell yet pouerty through the blessing of God doth kindle deuotion and kill sinne in vs euen as Worme-wood or the like bitter things doe kill Moths or wormes This the time will not permit me to stand any longer vpon and therefore I come at once to the second verse and will end the same in a word or two Let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me Mans wisedome strength and riches are vaine and not to be boasted of this much Ieremy hath told vs already and I haue proued vnto you by many reasons But now if you would know what is the thing wherein we may take true comfort and whereof we may safely glory the same is none other thing but piety or godlinesse the true knowledge of God the true seruing of God This hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come this we ought to labor for day and night that we may attaine and hauing attained we may reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious This our Sauiour Christ doth warrant vs to doe by his owne example Luke 10. Who there is said To haue reioyced in the Spirit on our behalfe because we hâ—d our minds illuminated to vnderstand those things that belong to the Kingdome of God and our saluation Euen as else-where he defineth the happinesse of man to consist herein namely To know God the onely true God and whâ—m he hath sent Iesus Christ. Agreeably whereunto Augustine saith Infelix homo qui scit illa omnia Te autem nescit beatus autem qui Te sâ—it etiam si illa nesciat c. Vnhappy is the man that knowes all those things all secular learning if hee know not Thee but happy is he that knoweth Thee although he bee ignorant of the rest But he that knoweth Thee and the rest too is neuer-a-whit the more blessed for the tother things sake but for Thee onely if knowing Thee he glorifie Thee as God So Augustine The knowledge of God therefore that is the one thing that is necessary that maketh a Christian that lifteth vs vp vnto God that coupleth vs vnto him that iustifieth that saueth that worketh all in all Now by knowledge I vnderstand and the Prophet in my Text vnderstandeth not a bare apprehension or sense of the mind that there is a Diuine power greater and mightier then all for so much the most barbarous Heathen were not without They could say Dâ—us videt omnia Deo commendo c. as Tertullian sheweth yea as Saint Iames saith The very Deuils beleeue and tremble they haue a kind of beliefe therefore they haue knowledge butalso a consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens Alexandrin calleth it and perswasion of the heart touching both the Prouidence of God that he worketh all in all all for the best to them that loue him also and especially touching his mercy that hee will grant pardon to the penitent euen to them that craue it for his Sonnes sake and lastly touching his bounty that he will euerlastingly reward as many as are his euen as many as beleeue in his Name This is that sauing knowledge which the world knoweth not neither is it reuealed by flesh and blood but by the Spirit of our Father which is in heauen This is that knowledge whereof the Prophet Esay speaketh By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities This is that knowledge That precious treasure which so soone as a wise man findeth for ioy thereof he departeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth the field Briefely this is that knowledge in comparison whereof Saint Paul counted all things losse euen dung that he might know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable to his death To conclude this is that knowledge which whosoeuer seeketh is Wise whosoeuer getteth is Rich whosoeuer keepeth is Strong nay vertuous nay happy nay twice happy happy in this world he is by faith and happy in the world to come he shall be by fruition This knowledge the Lord vouchsafe to engraffe in them that want it and increase in them that haue it and make fruitfull in all to the purging of our consciences in this life and the sauing of our soules in the Day of the Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be all honour and glory Amen A SERMON VPON THE SIXT OF IOHN THE SECOND SERMON IOHN 6. Vers. 67.68 69 70. Iesus therefore said vnto the Twelue Will yee also goe away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon Peter then or therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of euerlasting life And we haue beleeued and knowne Hebraism for we doe beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Haue not I chosen you Twelue and one of you is a Deuill NOthing morevncertaine then rhe minds of the multitude you cannot tell where to haue
learning said the mother of the Gracchi Do you aske me where be my treasures My treasures be my friends said Constantius the father of Constantine Briefly doe you aske me where be my hands My hands are the poore the blind and the lame whom I keepe of almes said Amadeus Lastly doe you aske what is the Romanes their science or occupation I confesse saith the Prince of Latine Poets Others can paint and carue and play the Orators and play the Astronomers artificially but Tu regere Imperio populos Romane memento c. Hae tibi erunt Artes c. Thine Astronomy and thine Oratory and thy caruing and painting c. must be to keepe in obedience Nations and to be good to them that liue in obedience and as for the proud and refractary to keepe them downe this must be thy Art Euen thus you heare that our Sauiour is not singular in his phrase in this 6. of Iohn touching Eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood but that the same in Analogie is vsed else-where by himselfe and euery where by others And to say the truth why should our Sauiour be thought to speake more properly and naturally when hee saith to vs You must eate the Flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his Blood then when he saith of himselfe My meate is to doe the will of Him that sent me c Yet of the former speech our Aduersaries the Romanists take hold of as did also the Capernaites before them to the later they take no exception It is certaine that it was Scandalum acceptum non datum our Sauiour spake none otherwise then he might doe but these men tooke it otherwise then they ought to doe And who tooke it in ill fashion The Text saith Many of his Disciples when they heard this said This is an heardsaying who may abide it Yea further that Many went backe walked no more with him ver 66. If the vulgar Gnain Haarets had cauilled with a few of the better sort only or if they had kept their dislike to themselues or if they had contained themselues within words it had bin another matter Mortui non mordent so words be but wind Verba dum sunt and so Muti non mordent But now for his owne Disciples to doe it and not a few of them but many and not within themselues but to vtter it openly and to proceed from words to deeds and de facto to fall from him as it made their sinne the more sinfull so it might make Christs Passion the more passionate though all his passions were sanctified and alwayes without sin Well after much preparation ridding of the way all necessary for the clearing of the occasion we are come at the length to the Text it selfe Wherein note with me three things A question An answere A reply The Question and Reply are moued by our Sauiour the Answere by Peter The Question is tentatory Will â—ou also goe away I haue deserued better of you The Answere is partly indignatory Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life He seemed to take it ill that their fidelity was questioned pa rtly Protestatory Wee beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Lastly the Reply is Expostulatory Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill As if he said Ye are not all sound at the heart yee are not all the men that you would be taken for For the first namely the Question As all haue not faith 2. Thess. 3. So all haue not continuance in the faith You ranne well who did let you that you did not obey the truth Gal. 5. and chapter 3. Are you so foolish that after you haue begun in the spirit you will end in the flesh So it is No man is crowned except he striue lawfully that is except he hold out a conquerour to the end And No man putting his hand to the plough and looking backe is meete for the Kingdome of God Therefore the Grecians significantly call end and perfection by one and the same word And Cyprian speaketh sensibly Quicquid ante finem fuerit gradus est quo ad fastigium salutis ascenditur non terminus quo iam culminis summa teneatur That is Whatsoeuer is before the end it is a step whereby we clime to the top of saluation but it is not the vppermost griece whereby the highest point of the top maybe taken hold of A man may be tumbled downe from the ladder as well when hee is within a round or two of the top as when he is in the midst or below the midst and a man may make shipwracke when he is within a ken of land as well as when he is a thousand miles off What had it profited Peter to haue escaped the first and second watch if they had stucke at the Iron-gate and had not passed thorow that also And what did it benefit Samson to haue withstood and eluded Delilahs temptation three seuerall times when in the fourth he gaue ground and was ouer-come Who maketh account of land Oates that shead before the Haruest or of fruit be it Apple or Peare that falls from the tree before it be ripe If you heare these things happy are ye if ye doe them saith Christ and if you receiue the Word once with gladnesse happy are ye say I if you continue in liking of it It is not an ordinary or light sinne to fall from the Grace of Christ neither was it a small fault of these Disciples hauing beene once enlightned and tasted of the good gift of God to forsake Christ in the open field and to turne to him the backe and not the face No maruell therefore if Christ seeme so to wonder as he doth at their back-sliding if he be so carefull to admonish the twelue that they follow not their steps but be warned by their falls Will yee also gâ—e away As if he said Though Israel sinne yet let not Iudah transgresse You are they that I haue framed and fashioned for my seâ—fe the graffe of mine owne setting the shaft of mine owne Quiuer that I may bee glorified therefore though all should be offended because of mee yet be not you offended though all should goe backe yet be not you as they that withdraw themselues vnto perdition for surely your punishment should be so much the heauier by how much Gods mercies in so calling and trusting you haue been the greater To this effect our Sauiour Now here a couple of questions may be demanded the one touching our Sauiour himself the other touching his Elect. Christ demandeth of them what their minde was doth not this somewhat question his omniscience Againe he asketh them whether they would forsake him doth not this call in question the stablenes of Gods counsell touching the Elect These be the two questions which I will answere in a word or two Touching
resolute Peter answered and said The next note is like to it namely That we be forward yea and formost too in a good cause As Peter doth not straine courtesie nor pause to see whether any other would speake and ease him of his labour but as though the waight of it lay vpon his shoulders hee dischargeth himselfe of it valiantly and hardily The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer saith Saint Paul and so The Lord loueth a forward Confessor say I. Thou commest to see me the last of all my friends saith Octauius to Tully in Appium And 2. Sam. 19. Dauid reproueth the Elders of Iudah for that they were behind to bring the King againe to his house he meaneth that they were hindmost and lag On the other side Shimei that had abused Dauid so villanously for words that no man was euer abused worse by any for hee called him man of blood and man of Belial yet because he was the first of the house of Ioseph that came downe to meete him after his restitution to his Kingly Estate Dauid thought himselfe bound to pardon him and so assured him of his life by an oath So much it importeth a man what he doth well to doe quickly and to doe it betimes then there is thanke with God thâ—n it is accepted of man Euen as Dauid setteth forth his forwardnesse saying I made haste and prolonged not the time to keepe thy righteous iudgements and Saint Paul his When it pleased God to reueale his Sonne in me immediatly I communicated not with flesh and blood but went about that worke And Iames and Iohn being called Math. 4. forsooke their ship and their father forthwith and followed Christ And Luke 19. Zacheus being bid to come downe from a tree came downe in haste and receiued him Now as this haste and forwardnesse is necessary and to be vsed by all so especially by them that are Ring-leaders and Captaines of the flock In their countenance there is hope and despaire in their courage there is life and death If L. Martius had not bestirred himselfe and shewed an vncontrolable quicke resolution and an vndauntable fiery courageousnesse after the ouerthrow giuen to the two Scipio's all had beene lost in Spaine the name of a Romane had beene no more in remembrance This one example for hundreds for matters of warre So if Nasica had not presently vpon the hurly-burly stirred by the Gracchi obiected himselfe as a Bulwarke against their seditious complotments the Common-weale had beene drencht in the gulph of sedition out of which it would hardly haue popped vp for the hearts of the valourous would haue failed them for feare and the hearts of the turbulent would haue been strengthened Thus one example out of hundreds for matters of peace So if Saint Peter vpon the reuolt of so many Disciples and staggering peraduenture of some of the Apostles had hanged the wing as they speake or let fall his Crest who doth know but that many by his example would haue beene drawne away to obiect cowardize or amazed distraction Therefore blessed be God that gaue such strength vnto him for by his strength many were confirmed Let vs thinke of this Beloued specially we that are or should be men in Christ let vs reproue them that cannot abide wholesome Doctrine and let vs confute such vpon occasion and modestie and in order as are contrary-minded and teach contrary to the truth that is the Scriptures For the Scriptures are true and whatsouer is repugnant to the same is false-hood Let vs not draw backe and say Why doth not such a one speake and why doth not such a one but rather as in a common fire let euery man bring his bucket of water to quench it let euery one presently put his hand to the worke and helpe to beare anothers burden and then he shall be blessed in his worke This is my second note That not onely we professe boldly but also that we doe it presently The third note shall be shorter then the second namely that we be charitable What in Gods name might one say what meanes Saint Peter to be so liberall to vndertake for others He knew what himselfe would doe but he did not know what others meant Cato refused to vndertake for Catulus his honesty and none of better note for vertue then Catulus Cato therefore was a wise man So Ieremy saith The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it So Saint Paul What man knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man that is in him Paul was an Apostle as well as hee How then could Saint Peter say boldly To whom shall we goe but vnto thee Hee should rather haue said To whom shall I goe To make the matter short I answere in a word that Saint Peter sheweth hereby his great charity which thinketh none euill and his brotherly loue which conceiteth another as himselfe The better a man is the lesse euill he suspecteth to be in another the worse a man is himselfe the more naught he suspecteth to be in another It is written of Nero by Suetonius that persuasissimum habuit He was verily perswaded that there was no continent man vpon the earth What maruell he was most vicious and most abominable himselfe On the other side Solon that carryed a naturall heart to his Parents could not be induced to thinke that there was any vse of a Law to be made against murderers of Fathers Mothers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speakes that which is free from naughtinesse is slower to suspect naughtines As it is written for example of Francis the fiâ—st that carrying a generous minde himselfe he thought he should be intreated with like generousnesse by his enemy As on the contrary side the brethren of Ioseph that had vsed cruelty themselues were no sooner brought within their brothers danger specially their father being dead but they said It may be that Ioseph will hate vs and will pay vs againe all the euill which we did vnto him Now St. Peter was not like to these later bad ones but to those former good ones or rather better then they He knew whom he beleeued and he knew that his owne heart was established and his faith built vpon the Rocke Christ and therefore thought that others would be as forward as he and as firme as he Hee neuer thought that any of the Apostles would play the Traytor or that Iudas would be other then Iudas that is a Confessor He knew peraduenture that he was a Theefe and bare the bagge c. but yet who would not looke for reformation vnder such a Censor and Master This made Peter to say not in the singular number To whom shall I goe but in the plurall To whom shall we Let vs be slow to anger slowe to iudge swift to pity swift to hope Saint Paul hoped of the whole Nation of the Iewes that in time they should be saued Rom. 11. And
saith Saint Paul In nothing doe I feare mine enemies neither am I ashamed or weary of the Gospell it will haue the preeminence it will preuaile in the end maugre all aduerse power and policy We see therefore that the first part or major of Saint Pauls reason is firme namely that wee are not to bee ashamed of that which is powerfull Now for the Minor or second part of the Argument namely that the Gospell is the power of God That that I say is no lesse cleere it will many wayes appeare First à pronunciatis Saint Paul that could not lie hauing the seale of his Apostleship and of infallible truth from the holy Ghost sayes it is so in my Text therefore it is so euen a Diuine power and powerfull Instrument able to conuert soules to God Secondly à genere The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute c. Which cannot be done without the power and Word of the Lord which without exception is liuely and sharper then a two-edged sword Then the Gospell which is a part of the Word of God that must be powerfull Thirdly à fortiori The Law that was giuen by Moses and written in tables of stone that was powerfull it gaue light to the blind wisedome to the simple conuerted the soule c. Psal. 19. Therefore the Gospell which was deliuered by our Sauiour Christ and had more precious promises and a greater largesse of the holy Spirit that must needs be powerfull Fourthly ab exemplo Did not all wonder at the gracious words that proceeded out of our Sauiours mouth when he interpreted to them the Gospell of the Prophet Esay for euen before the Apostle were borne the Gospell was it was from the beginning Was there any of the Synagogue that could resist the Spirit whereby Saint Stephen spake for he was full and so was his Doctrine of the holy Ghost and of power Doth not Saint Pâ—ul say that if all prophesie that is preach and expound the Gospell and there come in one that beleeueth not or is vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and is iudged of all and so the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so he will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely that God is in you indeed 1. Cor. 14 Lastly Ab effectis more plainely As the lightning commeth out of theEast shineth to the West Math. 24. And as the Sunnes going forth is from the end of heauen and his compasse vnto the end of the same and none hid from the heate thereof Psal. 19. So the efficacy and working of the Gospell was so sudden and so wonderfull that Saint Paul could say for his part only that from Ierusalem round about vnto Illyricum he caused to abound the Gospell of Christ Rom. 15. And for his time that the Gospell was come vnto all the world and was fruitfull euen as it was among them These wonderfull effects it wrought euen while the Apostles were aliue what maruell then if shortly after thâ— faith was so generally spred that Arnobius could say Nationibus sumus in cunctis We Christians are in all Nations And an hundred yeeres before him Iustin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That which the soule is in the body that wee Christians are in the world the soule is scattered through all parts of the body so are Christians in all Cities of the world c. And betweene them both Tertullian in his book against the Iewes that I speake of no more saith Euen the Getulians Moores Spaniards Galles Britannorum inaccessa Romanis lâ—ca And the Britans Land which the Romanes could not haue any footing in the Sarmatians also Germans and Scythians doe beleeue in Christ before whom the Gates of all Cities are throwne open and none are shut against him before whom also the Iron lockes are broken and the brazen Gates are opened that is the hearts of very many that were holden fast locked by the Deuill are now vnlocked by the faith of Christ. Thus Tertullian You see therefore how the Gospell did shew it selfe plainely to bee the power of God by the hasty generall spreading of it The same may appeare also by the strength of the forces that it did ouercome and throw downe If it had had to doe with Infants lately weaned from the brest that had receiued no former impression that were not seasoned with this or that liquor it had beene no mastery to haue brought them to the faith of Christ who were not rooted or grounded in any other nor could make resistance to any perswasion Argilla quiduis inuitaberis vda saith he And no hard matter for Turkes to make our Christian children Mahumedists when they snatch them from their parents in their tender yeeres before they can discerne betweene good and euill as it was no matter for the Spaniards to conquer the naked Indians Benzo an Italian traueller that had beene long in those Countries reporting that he durst be one of the twenty fiue that would fight with ten thousand nay twenty thousand of them Salmacida spolia sine sanguine sudore But now to encounter not ignorance onely but error not easily taken out of a deepe die strong illusions of Satan long-continued-will-worship generally-receiued superstition Oracles enchantments Idolatries and the same flourished ouer by wit and eloquence counteâ—anced by authority strengthened by miracle vpholden by Tyranny What could this be lesse then the wisedome of God and the power of God who was mighty in his Gospell and through his Gospell specially since it had to wrestle not with flesh and blood onely but with Principalities and Powers euen with the whole Host of hell When the Centurion saw the earthquake and the things that hapned at our Sauiours Passion hee confesseth saying Truely this was the Sonne of God Nay the Sorcerers Exod. 8. when they saw the dust turned into Lice vpon Aarons smiting the ground they readily acknowledged that it was the finger of God Nay Protogenes in Plinie vpon the sight of one small line drawne in his painting Table sâ—pposed presently that Apelles was in Towne Therefore we cannot escape iust reprehension to speak the least if being compassed with such a cloud of witnesses and hearing such a volly of reasons prouing and demonstrating the power of the Gospell wee shall not iustifie the assertion of Saint Paul and euen as the people cryed out vpon proofe that Helias made The Lord he is God The Lord he is God So we may exclaime The Gospell is the power of God It is so it is so What are we to learne hereby that the Gospell is the power of God Truly we of the ministry thus much that howsoeuer many times when we looke vpon the froward opposition that the world vseth to make and vpon our owne wants we begin
the Angels in heauen But let not him that girdeth on his armour vaunt as he that putteth it off neither let any man promise himselfe too much fâ—r his owne policy There is no wisedome there is no counsell there is no vnderstanding against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battell and so cunning and slights and vnderminings are vsed but the victory and successe commeth of the Lord. Thus much our Traitors felt to their woe and we found and doe find to our vnspeakeable comfort No Nation vnder heauen more bound to God for wonderfull deliuerances O that we could once learne to be thankefull to God for the same Thankefull I say not in word or in tongue onely but in deed and in truth If he that sinneth would sinne no more I meane commit no more crimes â—or what man is he that liueth and sinneth not but serue the Lord in feare and reioyce before him in trembling If euery one of vs would set his heart vpon righteousnesse chusing the thing that is pleasing to God seeking euery one not his owne good but his brothers good and doing euery one not his owne will but the will of our Father which is in heauen c. then should our prosperity be as the floods our safety as the sand of the Sea then should no euill come neere our dwelling and the sonne of wickednesse should not hurt vs our enemies should be smitten before vs all their turning of deuices should be but as the Potters clay they should still be confounded and abashed and at their wits end and ready to tâ—are their flesh with their teeth as our Traytors were whâ—n they heard their plot was defeated but contrariwise vpon our King should his Crowne flourish and peace should be on our Israel all our life long Thus much the Lord vouchsafe to effâ—ct and if there be any remnant of rage or of malice in our forraine enemies if we haue any or in our domestique Vnderminers as I feare we haue too many He vouchafe to crosse restraine and disappoint making them and their deuices like the vntimely fruite of a woman that neuer seeth the sunne or like the Spiders webbe or Cockatrice egges that either maketh no cloth or tendeth to the destruction of the deuisers Euen the Lord our God mercifully grant and worke this for â—esus Christ his sake To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and thankes-giuing for euer Amen Amen A SERMON VPON THE TVVENTYNINTH OF IOB THE SEVENTH SERMON IOB 29. verse 14. I put on righteousnesse and it clothed me my Iudgement was as a Robe and a Diadem IOB that worthy seruant of God so pious and righteous euen in prosperity that the Deuill himselfe could not find a hole in his coate Iob 1. so patient and constant vnder the crosse or rather vnder a world of crosses that he is set forth by Saint Iames for a patterne and example of patient enduring Iames the 5. so gracious and inward with God that the Prophet Ezechiel ranketh him among them that found especiall fauour in Gods sight euen with Noah and Daniel Ezek. 14. Briefely so rich in all spirituall knowledâ—â— â—nd endued with such a principall measure of Gods spirit thaâ— Moses himselfe disdained not to become his Interpreter as some of the Ancients haue thought But as is probably conceited had his hand in the publishing of his Booke as Saint Peter had his in the publishing of Saint Markes Gospell by the report of Saint Hierom. This Iob I say so qualified so approued so graced so priuiledged is the Pen-man of the words which I haue read vnto you and therefore the same ought highly to be regarded and obserued for the excellency of his person that spake so as no doubt he was moued by the holy Ghost Now as Christ saith in the Gospell This voyce came not for my sake but for yours And as Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians These things haue I figuratiuely transferred to myselfe and to Apollo for your sakes that yee might learne in vs not to thinke of men aboue that which is written So we ought to perswade our selues that Iob telling vs so much as he doth in my Text touching his vpright carriage in his place of Gouernement did it not so much to magnifie himselfe no nor to iustifie himselfe except it were against his Backe-biters as to set before vs as it were in a glasse what are the speciall duties of them that be in place of gouernment I put on righteousnesse and it clothed me c. As if he said Others made it their care to strowt it and to stout it and to braue it in costly apparell as though thereby they would procure respect and esteeme to their place but my delight was to doe Iustice and Iudgement to helpe them to right that suffered wrong to relieue the oppressed that is as farre as was possible and as much as lâ—y in me to helpe euery one to his owne This was my Robe and my Diademe and my Crowne of reioycing This I take to be the meaning and summe of my Text. Now for the explicating of the words I doe not thinke good to make a long discourse vnto you of Robe and Diadem as Hierome doth some-where of Ephod and Ephod-Bad to tell you either wherein the Robe of them of the Eâ—st differed from the Gowne of the Romanes and the Cloake of the Grecians or what was the stuffe of the Diadem and the forme and making thereof These things might rather make a shew of reading then cause godly edifying Onely I will endeauour to helpe the ignorant to vnderstand what is the difference betweene Iustice and Iudgement lest they be deceiued For Iustice and Iudgement be not one and the same thing though they be ioyned together in my Text as also they be in halfe an hundred places of the Scripture as I thinke Neither yet doth Iudgement signifie Discretion in this place as it doth when we say Such a thing is done with iudgement No the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is seldome or neuer so taken in the old Testament But these be the differences betweene Iustice and Iudgement Iustice is the vertue or good quality Iudgement the exercise and practice of it Iustice is considered as inherent in our selues Iudgement hath relation vnto others euen to them with whom we haue dealing Briefely Iustice is the letter of the Law and tenor of right Iudgement is taken often for the qualifying of it by conscience and equity On these three points hang all the speciall differences betweene Iustice and Iudgement Hauing thus holpen some of you for the better vnderstanding of the words we will come now to the matter and take it before vs as it lieth for this shall be my method and all the diuision that I will make I put on Righteousnesse c. In the Scriptures if you obserue them you shall finde the qualities of the
written in the volume of Gods Booke to runne to and fro to heare the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said one Nil scire in vita iucundissimum said another Who liueth so merry as the ignorant man Mihi sex dies saâ—is sunt vitae septimum orco spondeo Better a short life and a merry then a long life and a weary Whose Iudgement long agoe was prepared and their damnation sleepeth not as Saint Peter speakes Doe they indeed prouoke the Lord to anger and not themselues to confusion of faces Who euer was fierce against him and preuailed Who euer despised the least of his Commandements and escaped vnpunished or is it not the euerlasting will of God that we should beleeue in him the onely God and whom he haâ—h sent Iesus Christ And how this but by forsaking our houses that is our naturall and imbred ignorance and by standing in the wayes that is by resorting to the Churches where Gods honour dwelleth and where he hath set his Name and where his voyce soundeth Where the dead body is thither the Eagles resort Be they Eagles or not Dawes rather that refuse to resort to Christ Iesus pointed out before our eyes in the preaching of the Gospell and among vs crucified in the breaking of the Sacrament My Sheepe heare my voyce Be they Sheepe or not rather Goates that despise them that come vnto them in Christs Name and bring his Word with them because forsooth they be not in Communion with him of Rome He that gathereth not with me scatters doth he say He that gathereth not with the Pope Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I am in the middest of them doth he say In the name of any Romish Priest yet Peter and Iâ—hn refused not to goe into the Temple at the set houre of prayer euen when Scribes Pharises did most shamefully pollute it And Saint â—aul reioyced when Christ was preached any manner of way though they that preached did it not sincerely But to whom doe we preach that they may heare Behold they stop their eares like the deafe Adder that they may not heare Behold the Word of the Lord is vnto them as a reproach they haue no delight in it Shall we say as the Prophet doth Ieremy 6. I am full of the wrath of the Lord I am weary of hâ—lding of it nay rather wee will pray yet against their obstinacy that the god of this world may no longer blind their hearts and that the partition-wall which they haue wilfully built betweene them and vs and the couering which by Gods iust Iudgement remaineth ouer their minds vntaken away may be remoued As for you Beloued which are of the day and to whom the Sunne of righteâ—usnesse hath so long shined be neuer weary of well-doing neither count ye it wearinesse to serue the Lord for surely the righteous Lord tryeth the very hearts and reines He seeth whatsoeuer is done by any in the chamber of his Imagery and noteth and billeth those that despise Rulers and speake euill of those that be in authority and that say to the Parliament as the Iewes did to Aaron Make vs gods to goe before vs Let vs haue our Imâ—ges againe in our Rood-loft and our Masses on the Altar and our god in the Pix or else we will doe so and so vnto them and worse too This is to doe that which Agesilaus did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to send a message of Intreaty vpon a Speares-point This is to deale as Cesars Conspirators dealt They fell vpon their knees before him and besought him of fauour for one of their Fauorites but withall they pluckt by force the Robe from his backe to make way for their Poniards Quid facis scelerate Casca cryed Câ—sar Thou wicked Casca what meanest thou by that And so may we aske What Deuill bewitched the hearts of our Rebellious ones sonnes of Belial to attempt things beyond all degrees of comparison enormous mischieuous bloody What King and Queene Prince and Peeres Iudge and Prophet Prudent and aged Honourable and Counsellour and Eloquent man to be destroyed and all at one blowe as it were and with one blast This would make a man cry out in Esaiahs words Who hath heard suâ—h a thing who hath seene such things Or with Ieremy O yee heauens be astonied at this be afraid and vtterly confounded saith the Lord. To end this point Note with me here the depths of Satan as Saint Iohn speaketh or rather the demonstrable Tyranny of him and his Vicar Generall with open face I meane how they worke and raigne in these Children of disobedience They that could not be moued or wonne by many yeeres perswasion by the authority of two Soueraignes to stand in the wayes of God to stand in thy Gates O Ierusalem nay to put one foote into the Church in the time of Diuine Seruice Lo at the voyce of the man of sinne or to approue their seruice and deuotion to him they are easily perswaded to blow vp with one blast and to bury in one heape both their King and their Countrey and whatsoeuer ought to be holden neere and deare and to thinke that they did God good seruice thereby But their god is he that is described 2. Thessal 2. Who is an Aduersary and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God who hath the key of the bottomlesse Pit not of the Kingdome of heauen and is worthily called Abaddon sonne of perdition actiuely and passiuely His contentment they sought and his will they did and therefore their root shall be as rottennesse and shall not escape the vengeance of the Lord. Simeon and Leui brethren in euill the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations In their wrath they would haue slaine a man nay a Realme of men and in their selfe-will or for their pleasure they digged downe a wall Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell But God be thanked that euery one here can say as it followeth in that Chapter Into their secret my soule came not my glory was not ioyned with their assembly And as many as cannot say so and as many as yet say in their hearts as Tully did to one of the Conspirators against Cesar Vellem inuitasses me ad Coenam iam nihil â—uisset reliquiarum I would I had beene acquainted with the plot I would haue dealt so surely that they should haue beene dispatched euery mothers sonne Let the Crowes or Rauens of the Valley picke out their eyes as it is in the Prouerbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the Vulturs deuoure them to vse the Poets Phrase If they die in the City let the Dogs deuoure them and if in the fields the Fowle And that because they sought the destruction of so many Innocents endeauoured to set vp what God had throwne downe to throwe downe what God set vp Wee haue shewed sufficiently that though it be a
to vnhonest embracings with the Macedonian Gentlewomen and that they paid full dearely for itcost them their liues though they were Embassadors This is to be seene at large in Herodotus and what Writer doth not afford many such examples Therefore if you will haue incontinency banished out of your City doe your best to banish drunkennesse first of all for that is the mother of fornication so Chrysostome calleth it vpon the 13. to the Romanes yea it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother City of all mischiefe so saith Athenaeus there was an Oracle giuen to them of Lacedemon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Couetousnesse will be the ouerthrow of Sparta and nothing else This was a Prophesie for the time to come There is a complaint in Plinie for the time present and past Latifundiâ perdiderunt Italiam Italy is vndone by large seuerals We may take vp the like complaint against drinking that Multifundia I meane multum infundendo the powring in of much liquor is the shame of this Kingdome already and will be it is to be feared the vtter vndoing of it How can it choose when it doth so much hurt publikely and priuately Publikely for whence are quarrels blading wounds without cause and many times vntimely death bee they not hence euen of Choler that boyleth in their gall inflamed by wine whence breaking of houses and Robberies but to supply wants occasioned for the most part by lauish spending If it were not for drunkennesse or too much drinking neither needed Iustices of the Peace so much to be troubled for granting of Warrants of Peace nor their Clarkes with Recognizances nor the Honorable Iudges themselues against their clement nature be forcedto sentence so many to death as many times they doe For drunkennes causeth foule behauiour and foule behauiour bringeth on a foule end To be short it maketh many vnprofitable which otherwise might be seruiceable both in Church Common-weale Priuately it starueth many a family if the goodman of an house be so giuen yea causeth much brabbling betweene man and wife if either of them be so giuen yea causeth many a parent to breake his heart or her heart if their child be so giuen What a griefe was it to Nouellus Torquatus his father if he liued that his sonne was such a quaffer as he was and that he got thereby the name of Tricongius What a shame to Bonosus that he should be called after his death Amphora To Diotimus of Athens that he was called being yet aliue Infundibulum Some man will say To what purpose is this inuectiue against drunkennesse except you know and would tell vs what is good against it as if a Physician should tell his patient in what danger he stood and in the meane time should administer nothing vnto him I answere that there is Balme in Gilead there is helpe for it if yet euery man will doe his best for the remouing of it The best thing that I know is first to lay to our hearts the commandement that is in my Text Be not drunke The Apostle commandeth this in his Name that hath power to giue life and to destroy Secondly that we take heed vnto the exhortation that speaketh to vs as vnto children Take heed to your selues lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with â—urfetting and drunkennes Thirdly that you sit not too long at the table but that you follow the counsell of the wise Grecian and to rise vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly that you thinke that the Law that Minos made for Creete whereof Plato maketh mention in his Dialogue called Minos is very necessary for them of this Land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to drinke one to another His Maiesty hath beene graciously pleased to set forth his Proclamation against Combatants it may please God also to moue his Royall heart to proclaime against Compotants against such as drinke healths thereby to ouerthrow their owne health and while they drink healths to the great Ones they may shew some small affection but they doe them no good for the very prayer of a drinker is abominable Tephillash shotheh tognabah so saith Baal Turim and it is not contradicted by Christians how much more then is their drinking Lastly in my iudgement it were very profitable yea necessary that in euery City and Towne there should be certaine persons appointed in Cities some of the chiefest Aldermen that are of speciall reputation for piety grauity in Towns also and Villages some of the most substantiall Parishioners and these Censors should haue power not onely to enter into tippling houses to take forth such as they finde drunke or to haue lyen soking any long time and to commit them to Ward till they be sober and doe edormiscere villum but also such as are scandalous in the streets reeling to and fro not like a drunken man as it is in the Psalme but starke drunke and swinishly â—umbling in the gutter these also would be especially punished by Censors because they sinne openly that the euill being taken away God may be intreated toward the Land Why should the name or office of a Censor be odious vnto vs albeit I stand not vpon the name let such be appointed that will proceed as farre-forth as the common Law or locall ordinance will warrant and I haue my desire It was not refused by the Romanes when they were at the proudest but being free they subiected themselues to the yoke of discipline euen the most noble of them did So I could tell you that a great politician and a very wise man findeth this fault with the Venetians that hauing such a world of Officers as they had yet they had neuer a one that looked to mens behauiour to see the publicke peace were not violated on the other side the same authour commendeth a City that shall be namelesse at this time though he were not of the same sound Religion that is practised in that City that by their discipline they kept men in such awe and order that seldome whiles any grosse offencâ— is committed and sinne seemeth there rather to be preuented than punished But what is the Common-wealth the better if one City be reformed for one sinne of drunkennesse when the whole head is sicke and the whole heart is heauy when from Dan to Beersheba from one end of the Land to the other all the foundations of the earth be out of course Shall the righteousnes of a few diuert a common destruction or shall it deliuer the righteous themselues in the euill day what good then will it doe Much verily First a booke of remembrance shall be written before the Lord for them that feare the Lord and thinke on his Name and in the day of death they shall haue enough and in the day of publike calamity they shall either be deliuered as Rahab in Iericho Ieremy in Hierusalem in Nebuchadnezzars time the Iewes that were turned Christians in
them nothing more vnconstant then their mindes and hearts you cannot tell when you haue them nothing more vngratefull or a worse esteemer of mens deserts you cannot make account of any recompence ftom them humorous clamorous vnrespectiue these haue beene their proper adiuncts Looke but vpon two or three examples Regium est cùm bene feceris malè audire It was the complaint of a great King that is It is the Fate of Kings to be rewarded with euill speeches for their good deseruings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was said of another King Agamemnon deserued wel of the Graecians but hee was rewarded with bands or cruell death for his labour Neither haue Gods people beene free from these faults None e uer more faithful in Gods house then Moses none deeper in Gods Booke none more graced with miracles none more carefull of the peoples good c. Yet if any feare of hunger or thirst or enemies c. doe assaile them presently they are ready to returne into Egypt and to that end to elect another Captaine in place of Moses as you may see in Exodus and the Booke of Numbers so great interest had he in them I skip ouer Samuel Dauid Ieremy and other Kings and Prophets and righteous men Come we to Saint Paul and his Galatians his I call them because he had begotten them in the Gospell and as a Nurse cherisheth her children so was he tender among them but when he came to reape fruit from them hee found that he reckoned without his Hoast and so was disappointed of his hope At the first I grant they receiued him as an Angell of God euen as Christ Ieâ—us they were ready to pull out their owne eyes and to giue them to him if they would doe him good but after they had harkened once to seducers which turned them away from the simplicity of the Gospell then was Saint Paul no longer a Father vnto them but an enemy and in stead of plucking out their owne eyes they seemed forward enough to pull out Saint Pauls to doe their false apostles pleasure so great hold had he of them Neither did they better intreat the Lord of the house Christ Iesus himselfe for these were but his seruants It is true the Father said They will reuerence my Sonne and indeed so he well deserued for hee went about doing good and healing all that were possessed of Deuils or visited with any other sicknesse for God was with him He spake so diuinely as never man spake his enemies being witnesses yea the people wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth and flocked betimes to heare him and hung as it were vpon his shoulders Thus Christ might seeme to say of them My beloued is mine and I am hers I haue married her to my selfe in righteousnesse iudgement and mercy But all this was but Hony-moone or as the hasty Summer fruits within a while they became rotten and corrupt and forgate their first loue Nay for a word spoken which that they did not vnderstand was their owne fault onely they gaue him the back and became Apostates Looke a little higher vpon the 51. verse and so downeward Because Christ said that he was the Liuing Bread that came downe from Heauen And Except yee eate of the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke of his blood you haue no life in you Hereupon groweth a quarrell and such a quarrell as will not be taken vp by any Apologie or mediation but they must needs part yet all Lawes and common reason also will allow a man to interpret his owne meaning and when he professeth that he speaketh figuratiuely and spiritually he ought not to be taken properly and carnally When Christ affirmeth and auerreth that the words that he speaketh are Spirit and life that is are spiritually to be taken and then they will giue life as Augustine full well expoundeth Spiritualiter intelligenda sunt Intellexisti spiritualiter Spiritus vita sunt Intellexisti carnaliter Eâ—iam sic illa Spiritus vitae sunt sed tibi non sunt Hast thou vnderstood them spiritually Then they be Spirit life Hast thou vnderstood them carnally Euen so also they be Spirit and life but to thee they be not Should not this content indifferent men though neither himselfe nor others had spoken so before But now it hath beene an vsuall thing with Christ by a kind of Anagoge to deduce matters from the currant carnall â—ense to an heauenly vnderstanding and therefore with more equity may he be allowed here You know Math. 12. when one said to him Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand withouâ— desiring to speake with thee He answered and said Who is my mother and who are my brethren And stretching out his hand vpon his Disciples he said Behold my mother and my brethren for he that shall doe the will of my Father which is in heauen he is my brother sister and mother Thus Christ. Now I aske Was Christ ashamed of his kindred By no meanes for he taught others to honour father and mother and not to turne away their eyes from their owne flesh therefore himselfe would not be found defectiue in that duty But this is that that Tertullian saith Hoc dicto vsus est ad excutiendam importunitatem ab opere reuocantium That is By this saying he would meete with and shake off their importunity or vnseasonablenesse that withdrew him from his worke and therefore I say that he denieth that simply in shew which hee denieth not but in comparison indeed namely that if any hinder him in his heauenly vocation hee would not take him for his kinsman So Iohn 4. My meate is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke Had he no other meat at any time Yes hee did hunger and thirst and eate and drinke as other men doe but in comparison of this he cared not for the other this was meat and drinke to him So the Prophet Esay Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauy burdens and to let the oppressed goe free c. To deale thy bread to the hungry c. There was another bodily fasting or pinching of the belly but that was nothing to this spirituall One. So another Prophet Rent your hearts and not your garments And another Circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts c. Neither doe the Scriptures only vse to speake thus but ordinary wise men also whether they were in the Church or out of the Church What dost thou meane to angle for Trowtes and Gudgeons or the like Thy angling is Castles and Towres and Forts c. said Cleopatra to Marcus Antonius Doe you aske me where be my Iewels My Iewels are my husband his triumphs said Phocions wife Doe you aske me where be mine ornaments My ornaments be my two sonnes whom I haue brought vp in vertue and