man could number of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands The number of Angels is infinite Thinkest thou said Christ to Peter in the 26 of S. Matthâ—w that I cannot now pray to my father and he will giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels A legion is 3000. footmen and 300. horsemen or as Caluin vpon the place 5000. foote 500. horsemen as Vegetius 6000. in all and â—uery particular Angell able in one night to kill as is recorded in the storie of Sennâ—cherib one hundred eightie and fiue thousand The number of starres in the skie of fowles in the aire of fish in the sea of beasts in the field of diuels in hell are without number How infinitely infinite then is the number of all his enemies in what a fâ—arefull â—state doth hee stand when as God and man Angels and Diuels saints and sinners heauen and earth fish and fowle beasts and birds other and himselfe in a word all that is within him all that is without him all that is about him combine themselues together to maintaine Gods holy warre against him I know there are degrees of sinners as there are degrees in sinne some be fautores some actores a third sort authores Of the first Seneca wittily Nihil interest faâ—eas ne sceleri an illud facias It is in a manner all one to commit and commend a villanie Non caret scrupulo occultae societatis qui manifesto discrimini non occurrit saith Gregorie He is suspected to be an abetter of euill who doth not endeuour to better the euill A commoner then that flattereth a Commander that fauoureth vngodly wretches in a citie le ts in so many strong foes to cut your throtes and ruine your estate Yet actors on the stage be worse then idle spâ—ctators for howsoeuer sinne be commendable because common as Sâ—luiâ—nus complained in his time In hâ—c scelus res deuoluta vt nisi quis malus fuerit saluus esse non possit In plaine English except a man be first bad he cannot be reputed a good fellow Yet horrible blasphemers incorrigible drunkards shamelesse whoremongers makebate pettifoggers malcontent accusants on the one side recusants on the other are the very men and meanes which bring and keepe the dearth and plague so long among you But authors of euill and plotters of mischiefe are worst of all as it appeares euen by Gods owne censure giuen of the first sinne in Paradise where the serpâ—nt had three punishments inflicted vpon him as the originall contriuer the woman two being the mediate procurer and Adam but one as the partie seduced Applie for I can no further amplifie When Phocas had built a mightie wall about his palace for his securitie in the night he heard a voice O King though thou build as high as the clouds yet the citie might easily be taken the sinne within will marre all as see Ambrose notably Grauiores sunt iniâ—â—ci mores praui quam hostes inâ—esti Wicked manners are stronger then armed men If God be with vs who can bee against vs if we stand against God who can withstand him And as God is ablâ— because God so willing to maintaine this warre because my God that is the God of his people whom the wicked persecute for his Grant is faire in letters patent to Abraham and his seed for euer I will blesse them that bleâ—â—e thee and curse them that curse thee Or my God that is the God by whom I speake who dealeth alway with his seruants according to his word The gods of the Gentiles are lying gods and dying gods but my God is the truth and the life who can neither deceiue nor be deceiued Or my God because wee must not only beleeue the Maior of the Gospell but the Minor also saying with Thomas my Lord with Mary my Sauiour with Esay my God If we can gaine this assumption it will bring vs to the most happie conclusion enioying peace of conscience which is an heauen on earth peace of glory which is heauen in heauen Vnto which hee bring vs that hath made peace for vs euen Christ Iesus the righteous to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost as we are bound so let vs heartily yeeld all honour c. Amen The Epistle COLOS. 3.12 Put vpon you as the elect of God tender mercy c. THis Epistle consists of two parts In the first Saint Paul exhorts the Colossians vnto many speciall vertues as tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering c. In the second because it is infinit to insist in euery particular he drawes them and all other duties vnto two generall admonitions in grosse whereof the 1. concernes our theory Let the word of Christ dâ—ell in you plenteously c. 2. our practise whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord c. Put vpon you Christ had two sorts of garments as we read in the Gospell one without seame not diuided at his death and that was a figure of faith which maugre the rents of all heretikes and schismatikes in the Church is but one Another with seames parted among the souldiers and that was a type of loue which seekes not her owne but communicates it selfe to many So the Christian must haue two coates one of faith indiuisible by which he puts on Christ another of loue parted among many by which one Christian puts on another reioicing with them that reioice weeping with them that weep Vpon the point these two coates are but one faith being inside and loue outside faith in respect of God and loue toward the world This Epistle speakes of the outside put on tender mercy quoad affectum kindnesse quoad effectum meeknesse bene vtendo prosperis long suffering bene se habendo in aduersis c. These vertues are both ornamenta and munimenta clothes and corslets Ephes. 6.11 Put on the whole armour of God that yee may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell Seeing we must euery day sight and euery day be seene let vs as well for armour as honour put on tenâ—er mercy kindnesse c. that we may walke vprightly and confidently See epist. dom 21. post Trinit How loue is said to be the bond of perfectnesse and chiefe vertue See epist. dom quinquages As the elect of God Saint Paul builds all these good exhortations vpon one argument drawne ab honesâ—o seâ— debito you are the elect of God holy and beloued chosen and beloued of God before the world through baptisme consecrated solemnly to God in the world wherefore being thus electi selecti dilecti Gods owne workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works it is most meete new men should vse new maners in stead of
to wit the Vncertaintie Of Christs second comming The certaintie that he shall come the vncertaintie when he shall come The certaintie is declared heere by Words Affirmed barely vers 27. They shall see the Son of man come in a cloud c. Enforced with an asseueratioÌ„ verse 22. Verily I say vnto you c. adding further a pereÌ„ptory conclusion vers 33. Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away Wonders vers 27. There shall be signes c. The words are spoken by Christ as it is apparent vers 8. Now Christ is truth Ergo this prophesie cannot be false That which hee foretold touching Hierusalem in this Chapter is in euery particular come to passe why then should this prophesie be thought vntrue concerning the worlds destruction when as that other was true concerning Hierusalems desolation Zachary foretold that the Messias in his first comming should in meekenesse ride vpon an asse and as S. Matthew reports all that was done behold here a greater than Zachary tels vs that the Messias in his second comming shall ride vpon the clouds and shall we doubt of his word who is that eternall Word shall wee beleeue Zachary who was but one of the small Prophets and shal we distrust him who is that great Prophet Ioh. 6.14 But because men will not beleeue him vpon his bare word who made all the world with his word Psal. 33.9 He spake and it was done he doth vse an oth and earnest asseueration in the 32. verse Verily I say vnto you c. Because there is none grâ—ater then â—imselfe he doth sweare by himselfe Truth doth protâ—st by Truth This generation shall not passe till all be fulfilled The word generation hath perplexed as well old as new writers exceedingly Sometime generation in scripture signifieth an age As one generation passeth and another commeth and the truth of the Lord endureth from generation to generation that is euer from age to age Now generation in this acception is 100. yeares So Nestor is said to liue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three ages that is three hundred yeares and therefore some Diuines haue referred this vnto the destruction of Hierusalem only which happened within an hundred yeares after this prophesie so learned Erasmus and Beza construe the place both of them interpreting the word aetas and the translators of Geneua following them in our lesser English Bible This age shall not passe but as well the translation as obseruation is defectiue because Christ saith here This generation shall not passe till all these things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only those which concerne the desolation of Hierusalem but all those likewise which concerne the worlds end Other by this generation vnderstand the nation of the Iewes as Luke 17.25 The sonne of man must be reproued of this generation and Math. 23.36 All these things shall come vpon this generation that is this nation S. Hierom by generation vnderstands all mankinde as if Christ should say the generation of men shall continue till all be fulfilled and then in fine they shall acknowledge that I spake the truth Chrysostome Theophylact Euthymius expound this of that generation onely which seeke God of Gods elect and faithfull people as if Christ should speake thus Albeit there be signes in heauen and troubles on earth yet hell gates shall not preuaile against the Church I am with you alway saith Christ vntill the end of the world The generation of such as beleeue in me shall not passe till all this be fulfilled and therefore let none of my followers be discouraged but rather lift vp their heads in that their redemption is so neere This exposition I take to be both pertinent and profitable because Christ in this Chapter had foretold that his Disciples should be persecuted and brought before Kings and Princes for prosessing his Gospell verse 12. Yet this generation shall not passe but there shall be a Church alway to confesse the faith in despight of the Diuell The Church one day shall passe too but not till these things be done then in the end it shall inherit a better possession in Gods owne kingdome without end Other by generation vndâ—rstand all that time betweene Christs first comming and his last for the whole world being diuided into three generations a time before the law a time vnder the Law a time after the Law the time of the Gospell is Hora nouissima the last houre 1. Epist. Iohn 2.18 and We are they vpon whom the ends of the world are come 1. Cor. 10.11 so that ye shall not looke for another Gospell or another change for the preaching of this Gospell and the world shall end together Other by generation vnderstand not only the Iewes or the Christians or all men only but the whole vniuersall world termed elsewhere the Creature This generation that is this world in which all things are generated shall not end till these signes forerunners of it ruine shall come to passe So Christ interprets himselfe in the verse following Heauen and earth shall passe but my words shall not passe aâ—ay That is howsoeuer the earth be moueable and the powers of heauen shake though both wax old as doth a garment and all things in them are subiect to mutation and change yet Christ is yesterday and to day the same also for euer so that if you will credit Christ either vpon your owne reason and experience or vpon his word and oath beleeue this also that he shall come riding on the clouds with great power and glory to iudge both the quick and the dead Secondly Christs comming to iudgement is shewed heere by wonders in heauen in earth and in the sea which shall be like harbingers of that dreadfull and terrible day There shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Mâ—one and in the earth the people shall be at their wits end through despaire the sea and the water shall rore c. Euery man is desirous to buy the Kalender that at the beginning of the yeare he may know what will happen in the end Merchants and Husbandmen especially that they may see this yeare what dearth or death or other accidents are likely to ensue the next yeare Behold then here Christs Prognostication foretelling by signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres what shall come to passe in the end of our yeares as also what shall betide vs in the new yeare the world to come The Mathematicians of the world neuer mentioned or dreamed of an vniuersall eclipse of the Sunne and Moone together only Christs Almanacke reports this I purpose not in particular to discusse any curious question but only to note in generall that these wonders in heauen and extraordinarie troubles on earth are manifest forerunners of the worlds ruine that as we know Summer is neere when the trees bud so when
passe then look vp for your redemption draweth neere But how neere now no man or Angel can tell Esay saw God in his throne and the Seraphims stood vpon it couering his face with two wings and his feet with two wings his face keeping vs from the secrets of Gods eternall predestination in the beginning his feete not disclosing when he will come to iudge the world in the end The certaiâ—tie then of this vncertaintie may teach vs not to bee curious or carelesse not curious for why should we presume to know more then other men more then all men more then Angels more then Christ himselfe It is a kinde of sacriledge saith Sâ—lâ—ianus to breake into Gods holie place and prie into his secret sanctuarie and to know more then he would haue vs to know Christs Apostles were his Secretaries his especiall fauourites and followers from whom hee kept nothing which was for their good and yet he said vnto them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power The glorious Angels abound with much knowledge naturall experimentall reuealed hauing farre better meanes of knowledge then wee forasmuch as wee know the Creator by the creatures whereas they know the creatures by the Creator Opus habet humana anima quasi quodam vehiculo Creaturae vt adcognitionem Creatoris assurgat Cùm è contrà longè perfectius angelica natura in Creatore notitiam habet creaturae Angels alway behold the face of God in heauen in which as in a glasse they see much more then is possible for vs on earth to discerne Let not then an heauie lump of clay presume to know more then heauens heralds and yet Christ to satisfie further our curiositie saith in the 13. of Marke that himselfe knowes not that day and houre Now the disciple is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord It is enough for the disciple to be as his master is and the seruant as his Lord. He is a foole that will be wisâ—r then Wisedome it selfe but Christ as man was either ignorant of it or else had no commission to reueale it or as Aqâ—in Dicitur nescire quia non facit scire Hee is said himselfe not to know because he would not haue vs to know Such as will enquire more touching that text may see Sixt. Seâ—en Bib. sent lib. 6. annot 105. Soarez Conimbricen traect 3. in Mat. Bellarm. lib. de anima Christ 1. cap. 5 sect â—am de quarto Iansen concord cap. 124. Maldonat in Matth. 24.36 I will end with the saying of Augustine Ne nos addamus inquirere quod ille non addidit dicere Let vs not seeke the things that are too hard for vs but that which God hath commanded let vs thinke vpon with reuerence Secret things bâ—long to the Lord reuealed things vnto vs. Secondly this vncertaintie of Christs second comming may teach vs not to be carelesse Nam ideo latet vltimus dies vt obseruetur omnis dies God would haue vs ignorant of the last day that we might be vigilant euery day This vse Christ makes in the words immediatly following my text and Matth. 24.42 and Mark 13.33 It behoueth vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come to bee more watchfull because Satan is growne more wrathfull Apocal. 12.12 as Lysards cut in peeces Threat with more malice though with lesser might And euen in dying shew their liuing spight The Father of mercies and God of compassion increase our faith and fill our lampes with oyle that when the Bridegrome shall come wee may meete him and enter with him into the wedding where there is ioy beyond all ioy pleasure without paine life without death euery thing that is good without any thing that is euill Amen The Epist. 1. COR. 4.1 Let a man this wise esteeme vs euen as the Ministers of Christ c. THe people of Corinth in Pauls age like the people of England in our time were very factious and humorous extolling some Preachers and despising other indiscreetly without either iudgement or loue S. Paul therfore rebukes sharply this insolent rashnes and sheweth in this scripture 1. What euery man should iudge verse 1. Let a man c. 2. What he should not iudge of the Preachers in which point he doth 1. report verse 2. 2. reproue their fault and that two wayes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of correction I passe very little to be iudged of you c. vers 3.4 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of direction He that iudgeth is the Lord and therfore iudge nothing before the time vers 5. Let a man Whereas the Corinthians ascribed either too much or too little to their teachers our Apostle shewâ—s a meane Let a man this wise c. neither magnifying them as Christ for they are not Masters but Ministers and yet not vilifying them as ordinary seruants in Gods house for they are stewards and that of Gods own secrets Albeit Paul plant and Apollos water only God giueth increase Paul planted in preaching Apollos watered in baptizing some plant by their words other water by their works some plant by doctrine other water by their exhortation some plant by speaking other water by writing but in all God is all He that planteth is nothing he that watereth is nothing that is no great thing no principal agent but a subordinate instrument wherefore let not a man boast in 〈◊〉 Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Ceâ—has or the word 〈◊〉 or death whether theâ— be things present or things to come euen all are yours and â—e Chriâ—ts and Christ Gods If then the Preachers are yours and you are Christs and Christ Gods as of him and through him and for him are all things so vnto him and not vnto men giue all the praise and glory Let a man esteeme vs not as Christ but as the Ministers of Christ not as Lords but as stewards in Gods house now stewards administer not their owne goods but their masters and one day must account for them and therefore ye must haue and we behaue our selues as accountants Antichrist then is not the vicar of God but a factor of Satan in preaching his owne Decrees and equalling them with the diuine law But albeit Preachers are seruants yet are they not meane but high stewards and this is an exceeding great dignitie to be Christs mouth Christs voice Christs messengers Christs angels in so much as he that receiueth them receiueth him and he that despiseth them despiseth him as ambassadours speaking from him and for him as our Apostle elsewhere They be not only common ambassadors but legati à latere stewards of his hidden secrets not only dispensatores ministeriorum as in the vulgar Latine but according to the originall mysteriorum administers of his
been in effect As Paul sheweth in the like case For if there bee first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Illud pro facto reputat Deus quod homo quidem verè voluit sed non valuit adimplere 3. We must pay generally owe nothing to any whether he be friend or foe rich or poore stranger or neighbour restore all to all If any man corrupting or corrupted in secular offices hath iuiured many whom he doth not know then his best course is to restore to God that is to the Church and to the poore Touching these and the like questions of debt the learned may further examine Thomas Catetan Aragon Emmanuel Sa. with many moe but the best Schooleman in this argument is thine owne conscience For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne That is all thou condemnest in thine heart for sinne to thee is sinne satisfie then all other so far that thou maiest satisfie thy selfe owe nothing to any Yet this precept hath his except But this that yee loue one another here then obserue first a difference between ciuill debts and religious A ciuill debt once paied is no more due but charitie being payed is still due debetur etiam reddita when a man dischargeth other debts accedit ad eum cui datur sed ab eo recedit a quo datur But in paying the debt of loue the more we giue the more wee haue Reddendo multiplicatur habendo enim redditur non carendo cum reddi non possit nisi habeatur nec haberi potest nisi reddatur Imò etiam cum redditur ab homine crescit in homine Et tanto maior acquiritur quanto pluribus redditur As Augustine doth excellentlie glosse this text peruse the cited Epistle for it is short and sweet of worldly wealth it may be said truely bonum quo communius eo minus but in spirituall riches it is quite contrarie honum quô communius eô maâ—us or as the Philosopher eo melius in the words of Salomon He that scattereth encreaseth in this except then I note with Gorran The Matter in the word diligatis The Manner in the word inuicem The Priuiledge in the word nisi The matter is to loue the manner mutually to loue the priuiledge continually to loue Owe nothing but loue for hee that loueth another fulfilleth the law This is the first reason enforcing the former exhortation and it is taken from the worthinesse of the thing Loue is the fulfilling of all the law which he prooues by this induction Thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not lust and if there be any other Commandement it is all comprehended in this saying namely Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Loue doth no euill vnto his neighbour in deed forbidden in the 6.7.8 Commaundements in word forbidden in the 9. in thought forbidden in the 10. Loue then is the complement of the whole law concerning our dutie to God and man For our loue to man ariseth originally from our loue to God Amicum in Domino inimicum pro Domino We loue our friend in the Lord our foe for the Lord. This saith Luther is the shortest and longest diuinitie the shortest as touching the words and sentence but as touching the vse and practise it is more large more long more profound and more high than the whole world I shall often handle this common place especially Epistle on Quinquagesima Sunday I come now to the second argument from the fitnesse of the time verse 11. This also we know the season how that it is time that we should awake out of sleepe for now is our saluation neerer c. The summe of it is that wee must be more studious in performing our dutie now than heretoforeÌ„ when wee did first beleeue for wee must goe forward and grow vpward from grace to grace from vertue to vertue till we be of full growth in Christ Iesus or as it is here till we haue Put on the Lord Iesus A violent motion is quicke in the beginning but slow in the end a stone cast vpward is then most weake when it is most high but a naturall motion is slow in the beginning but quicker in the end for if a man from a Tower cast a stone downeward the neerer to the Center the quicker is the motion and therefore when a man at his first conuersion is exceeding quicke but afterward waxeth euery day slower and slower in the waies of the Lord his motion is not naturall and kinde but forged and forced otherwise the longer he liueth and the neerer he comes to the marke the more swiftly would he run the more vehemently contend for that euerlasting Crowne which he shall obtaine at his races end The night is passed and the day is come Some by night vnderstand the life present and by day the world to come in this life many things are hidden as in the darke but at the last and dreadfull day the bookes and registers of all our actions shall bee laid open and all things appeare naked as they are to God men angels diuels If we make but twelue houres in our night and sixe ages in the world as vsually Diuines account then fiue thousand yeeres that is ten houres of the night were past when Paul wrote this and since that almost sixteene hundred yeeres that is an houre and an halfe and a quarter so that now there can remaine but some few minutes and then the terrible day of the Lord will come When the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Wherefore seeing the end of this night and beginning of that day is at hand let vs cast away the works of darknesse c. Other more fitly by night vnderstand the time of ignorance by day the time of knowledge by night the law wherein our Sauiour Christ was onely shadowed by day the Gospell wherein he is openly shewed and so saluation is nearer because clearer Our Apostles argument then is like that of Iohn the Baptist Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Matth. 3.2 The Gospell is the day Christ is the light faith is the eie which apprehends this light and therefore seeing the day is come let vs cast away the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light Sinnes are called the workes of darkenesse The foole maketh a mocke of sinne as Abner called fighting a sport Let the young men arise and play before vs so many men make sin their ordinarie pastime but our Apostle termes it a work and the wiseman a wearie work too Wis. 5.7 We haue wearied
first we must beleeue Christ to be that Iesus vers 11. that great Prophet who is the Messias and Sauiour of the world For the second wee must professe and confesse this faith hauing Hosanna in our mouthes and crying Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest vers 9. For the third we must spread our garments in the way cut downe branches from the trees and straw them in the passage vers 8. that is forsake all and follow Christ profering and offering our selues whollie to his seruice or as the Epistle doth expound the Gospell seeing our saluation is neere the night past and the day come let vs cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light c. I am occasioned here iustly to direct their ignorance who do not vnderstand and correct their obstinacie who will not vnderstand the wisdome of the Church so fitly disposing of the Gospels and Epistles as that often the one may serue for a Commentary to the other As heere S. Matth. Behold thy King commeth And S. Paul Our saluation is nigh and the day is come S. Paul doth aduise not to make prouision for the flesh and S. Matthew reports how the people accompanying Christ spread their garments in the way S. Paul commands loue in all men S. Matthew commends loue in these men who gaue such entertainment vnto Christ. The whole Gospell is a liuely picture of the Church in which are foure sorts of persons especially 1. Christ who is King and head verse 5. and 12. 2. Prophets who loose men from their sinnes and bring them vnto Christ verse 2. and 7. 3. Auditors who beleeue that Christ is the Messias openly professing this faith Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid vers 9. and manifesting this faith also by their works in obeying the Ministers of Christ verse 3. and performing the best seruice they can verse 8. 4. Aduersaries who much enuy Christs kingdome saying Who is this verse 10. Concerning Christs seueritie toward those who played the Merchants in the Temple See Gospell Dom. 10. post Trinit Epist. ROM 15.4 Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime they are written for our learning c. THis Scripture containes in it three things concerning the Scripture What it is written Shewing the Scriptures authority When aforetime Shewing the Scriptures antiquity Why for our learning Shewing the Scriptures vtility For the first things only told passing thorough many mouthes are easily mistold it is long ere we get them and we soone forget them Almighty God therefore commanded that his Law should be written in bookes and engrauen in stone that the syllables thereof might alway be in our eyes so well as the sound in our eares and that for two causes especially 1. That the godly man might exercise himselfe therein day and night 2. That the wicked might neither adde to it nor detract from it In like maner albeit the sound of the thundring Apostles went out thorough all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world yet the Spirit of wisedome thought it meete that there should be a treatise written of all that Christ did and said and that from point to point entituled The Booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. The Scripture then is a Bible because written and the Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many respects excelling all other bookes especially for the maker and matter in so much that S. Paul saith If an Angell from heauen preach otherwise let him be accursed And Iustin Martyr goes yet further If Christ himselfe should preach another God or another Gospell I would not beleeue him Ipse non crederem Domino Iesu. This doctrine makes against vnwritten verities of Papists and fond reuelations of Anabaptists and factious interpretations of Schismatikes and impudent conceits of Libertines all which equall their owne phantasies with the Scriptures authority The Papists and Schismaticks are all for a speaking Scripture the Libertines and Anabaptists are all for an infused scripture the true Catholicks only for the written scripture to the Law and to the Testimony Thy word is a lanterne vnto my feet and a light vnto my paths The second point to be considered is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scriptures written aforetime being the first booke so well as the best booke for as Tertullian was wont to call Praxeas hesternum Praxean so we may terme the most ancient Poets and Philosophers in comparison of Moyses vpstart writers Omnia Graecorum sunt nâ—ua heri As Galaton painted Homer vomiting Reliquos verò poetas ea quae ipse euomuisset haurientes to signifie saith Aelian that he was the first Poet and all other as well Greeke as Latine but his apes In like maner Moyses is called by Theodoret Oceanus theologiae the sea of Diuinitie from whom all other writers as riuers are deriued The which point as it is excellentlie confirmed by Theodoret Clemens Iosephus and others so it is ingeniously confessed euen by the heathen Historiographers Eupolemus lib. de Iudaeaâ— regibus auoweth Moyses to be the first wise man Plato that a barbarous Egyptian was the first inuentor of Arts Appion Ptolomey Palaemon haue granted the same and vpon the point Strabo Plinie Cornelius Tacitus and others as â—icinus reports lib. de religione Christiana cap. 26. To demonstrate this more particularly The Troian war is the most ancient subiect of human history but Trâ—y was taken in the dayes of Dauid about the yeare of the world 2788. and Homer flourished anno 3000. whereas Moyses was borne anno 2373. Secondly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confutes the Marcionites and Manichees and all such as reiect the old Testament For the place to which the text hath reference is taken out of the 69. Psalme verse 9 that the scriptures of Moses and the Prophets are written for our instruction It is plain by Christs iniunctioÌ„ Search the Scriptures as also by that of our Apostle 1. Cor. 10. These things happened vnto them for ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come If all little histories then much more the great mysteries are our scholemasters vnto Christ Let vs examine therefore the third obseruable point concerning the Scriptures vtilitie Whatsoeuer things are written afore time they are written for our learning The Scripture saith Paul is the peoples instruction the Scripture say the Papists in the vulgar tongue is the peoples destruction The Scripture saith Paul doth make the man of God absolute the Scripture say the Papists in a knowne language makes men hereticall and dissolute but the Bible makes men heretikes as the Sunne makes men blinde and therefore Wickliffe truly To condemne the word of God translated in any language for heresie is to make God
we see these things come to passe we may be sure that the kingdome of God is nigh for as a man that is dying hath many phantasies euen so saith Chrysostome the world declining shall haue manifold errors in so much if it were possible Gods elect should be deceiued Matth. 24.24 Aristotle could not conceiue the world should haue an end because he thought and taught it had no beginning but diuine Plato who liued in Egypt and read as it is supposed the bookes of Moyses acknowledged the worlds creation and so subscribed to the worlds destruction holding this axiome Quod oritur moritur That which hath a beginning hath an end Whatsoeuer hath an end had a beginning the which is to be construed of compounded elementarie substances subiect to generation and corruption as all things in this world are For as we reade in scripture Some things haue a beginning but no end as Angels and the soules of men Some things haue no beginning but yet haue an end as Gods eternall decrees One thing to wit Ens Entium Almighty God hath neither beginning nor end who only hath immortalitie of all other things the first and the last and yet in himselfe there is neither first nor last Some things haue both a beginning and end as the world which had a creation and is subiect to corruption The world passeth away and the glory thereof and then when as the powers of heauen shall be shaken and the element shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp then the sonne of man shall come in a cloud with power and great glory Now this certainty of Christs comming to iudgement affordeth abundant matter of comfort to the godly affordeth abundant matter of terror to the wicked affordeth abundant matter of instruction to both Comfort to Gods elect for when these things come to passe then saith Christ in 28. verse Lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere Now you are prosecuted and persecuted deliuered vp to the Synagogues and cast into prison but at that great assise there shall be a generall goale deliuery and you that haue done good shall goe into euerlasting ioy and your enemies who haue done euill into euerlasting fire Heere ye mourne but hereafter all teares shall be wiped from your eyes here ye sow in hope but then ye shall reape with ioy when as ye shall see the sonne of man comming in the clouds c. As God is the God of comfort so his booke is the booke of comfort Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime they are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope The very soule of all the Bible is the Gospell and the summe of all the Gospell is the Creede and the maine point of all the Creed is that article concerning our resurrection and hope of eternall glorie when Christ shall appeare The Church then hath well aâ—nexed that Epistle to this Gospell as a consolation against desolation By the booke of comfort wee know that our Redeemer liueth and that he will come againe to iudge and reuenge our cause We beleeue that an eternall kingdome was secretly granted vnto vs in our election openly promised in our vocation sâ—aled in our iustification and that possession shall bee giuen in our glorification when as the Iudge of the world shall say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world When the Lord himselfe shâ—ll descend from heauen with a shout and with the voyce of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God we shâ—ll be caught vp in the clouds to meete him and so shall euer be with him And therefore pray wee daily Thy kingdome come Come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen Now as this is comfortable to good men so most terrible to the wicked as Christ vers 26. Their hearts shall 〈◊〉 them for feare They shall seeke death in those daâ—es and shall not finde it And as it is Apocal. 6.16 They shall sâ—y to the mountaines and rocks fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe This hath been their day wherein so farre as they could they haue done their will the next is the Lords day wherein they must suffer his will a day of anger a day of trouble and heauinesse a day of destruction and desolation a day of obscuritie and darknesse a day of clouds and blacknesse The reprobate shall see the sonne of man in the clouds aboue to condemne them beneath hell mouth open readie to deuoure them before the diuels haling them behinde the Saints and all their dearest friends forsaking them on the left hand their sinnes accusing them on the right iustice threatning them on all sides the whole world made a bone fire terrifying them to goe forward insupportable to goe backe impossible to turne aside vnauailable no maruell then if at the worlds end men be at their wits end Thirdly this administreth instruction vnto all for as it is in the Epistle Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our instruction And this is so good a lesson that if we could obserue it well wee should neede no more teaching so saith the Wiseman Remember the last things and thou sâ—alt neuer doe amisse The last things are foure Death Iudgement Heauen Hell But the chiefe is iudgement for all the rest attend it Death is vsher to iudgement going before Heauen and Hell executioners following after Death would not bee so fearfull if iudgement did not follow Hell would not be so painfull if iudgement went not before without it heauen would not be desired nor hell feared Hee then that remembers the last day remembers in it all the last things and he that remembers the last things cannot do amisse Wherefore let vs euer embrace that godly meditation of S. â—â—â—rome Whethâ—r I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I doe else I thinke I hâ—â—re the last trâ—mpe Arise yeâ— dead and come vnto iâ—dgement The consideration of the worlds destruction is a suffiâ—ient instruction to keepe good men in honest courses to terrifie bad men from euill waies Italians in a great thunder vse to ring their bels and discharge their cannon shot that the roring of the one may lessen the terror of the other In like sort Satan hangs tinckling cymbals on our eares and delights vs with the vanities and musicke of the world that we may forget the sound of the last trumpe and so that day be seene before foreseene of most As it is certaine that Christ shall come so most vncertaine when he shall come for he speakes of the time not definitly but indefinitly vers 25. Then there shall be signes vers 27. Then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in a cloud vers 28. When these things come to
Pastor is a steward in Gods house and a steward must not onâ—ly prouide meat enough but also prepare it in due season otherwise saith Bernard it is not dispensatio but dissipatio This ought to be their first and last care for Iohn in prison euen at deaths doore was most carefull to commend his schollers vnto the best Tutor and this paterne fits all parents as well as Preachers In a word all superiors that they be watchfull for the good of such as are vnder them If there be any that prouidâ—th not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith and is worse then an infidell If such as neglect their families in temporall things be worse then infidels how bad are they who neglect them in spirituall things vsing no paines in their life nor care at their death that their seruants and children after their departure may be brought vp in instruction and information of the Lord But that which is especially noted out of those circumstances is Iohns humility who was not vaine glorious or factious or any way desirous to draw disciples after him but rather to send them vnto other who could better instruct them If all our Preachers were like Iohn there would be much lesse diuision and much more deuotion in the Church An itching shepheard must necessarily make a scabbie sheep He sent When the Pastor is restrained of his libertie let him not cease to prouide for his flocke when the Master of the family cannot come to Church himselfe let him send his seruants vnto Christ. Two For mutuall society because two are better then one if one fall the other may lift him vp if one forget the other may remember and yet not mo then two lest turba should proue turbulenta lest many heads should make many Creeds As Iosuah sent two to spie the promised land so Iohn sent two to spie the promised Lord. Art thou he that shall come At the first sight hereof some may suppose that Iohn did doubt whether Christ was the true Messias or no for otherwise he would neuer haue sent his disciples with this question Art thou hee that shall come c. But if you call to mind that which is written before that Iohn baptised Christ in Iordan and how hee saw the holy Ghost descending vpon him and how he pointed him out with the finger This is the Lambe of God Or if you shall aduisedly consider what followeth after this question of Iohn in this present Chapter what honourable testimony Christ gaue of him that he was not a reed shaken with the wind that is an inconstant man one that preached Christ to be come and now to make question of his comming that he was a Prophet yea more then a Prophet if I say we note the text either precedent or consequent it will appeare more manifest then light at noone that Iohn himselfe did no way doubt of Christ and therefore to let passe all other expositions I follow with the whole streame of late writers that old interpretation of S. Hâ—erome Chrysostome Theophylact Euthymius Hilary Rupertus all which are of this opinion that Iohn Baptist made not this doubt in regard of himselfe but in the behalfe of his doubting disciples as yet not throughly perswaded that Christ was the Sauiour of the world and therefore did he send them vnto Christ that by occasion of Christs answere hearing his words and seeing his wonders they might be fully satisfied and in fiâ—e saued A candle being put in a close roome will shew forth it selfe thorow the little cranies of the wals and chinckes of the window Iohn was a burning and shining lamp and therefore though he was shut vp in prison yet notwithstanding shined in his humility wisdome loue zeale before men euen like the Sun giuing the greatest glimpse at his going downe Goe and tell Iohn Why tell Iohn He knew before that Christ was the Messias he might haue said rather I tell you not Goe you and shew Iohn but Christ would take no notice of their vnbeliefe lest hâ—e should shame and discourage them too much What you haue heard and seene What you haue heard of others and seen your selues for as S Luke reports at that very time bâ—fore their eies our Sauiour cured many of their sicknesses and plagues and of euill spirits and vnto many blind men he gaue sight as if hee should reason thus I haue made the premises it remaineth onely that ye gather the conclusion he that inlightneth the eies of the blind and openeth the eares of the deafe bindeth vp the broken hearted aâ—d preacheth good tidings vnto the poore c. hee is assuâ—edly the Messias of the world But I doe all these therefore goe tell Iohn what yee haue heard and seene the blind receiue their sigâ—t the lame walk c. Ye know the tree by his fruit Non ex â—elijs non ex floribus sed ex fructibus Here then we may lâ—arne to teach ignorant people with our workes as wâ—ll as our words that all men may see so well as hâ—aâ—e what we are Yea but why did not he shew them in plaine termes but demonstrate by miracle that he was the Mâ—ssias He told the woman of Samaria before shee did aske why then did hee not tell them when they did aske Chrysostome giues this reason because Christ knew the woman of Samaria would easily belieue therefore hee vsed a bare word onely but the disciples of Iohn were hard of beliefe and therefore he â—hought it best to teach them by works and not by words I haue greater witnesse â—hen the witnesse of Iohn for the works which the Father hath giuen me to finish the same works that I doe beare witnâ—sse of me that the Father hath sent me Wherefore though yee beleeue not me yet beleeue â—he works Go shew what ye haue seene the blinde receiue their sight the lame walke the leapers are cleansed and the deafe heare the dead are raised vp c. These works which I haue done the like whereof were neuer done testifie that I am hee who should come and so will your master Iohn that he looke for none other This answere was thought sufficient by Christ which is wisdome it selfe Go and shew Iohn the things that ye haue heard and seene But if Christ now will finde any faith among our Atheists he had neede to come with new miracles I might haue said with more then miracles lest our searching wits finde the reason of them or otherwise conclude them to be but our ignorance of the cause Men and Gods as it is in the fable of the golden chaine were not able to draw Iupiter downe to the earth and yet Iupiter was able to draw them vp to heauen so we must submit our reason vnto faith and not faith vnto reason And as they dâ—parted Iesâ—s began to
creature not a Creator therefore not to be worshipped adored as God If good men on earth and glorious Angels in heauen haue refused alway to bee reputed Christ what shamelesse Idolaters are they who say heere is Christ and there is Christ this is Christ and that is Christ The second question is Art thou Elias To which Iohn answers No. Yet Christ saith he is that Elias An Angel from heauen hath answered this obiection Luk. 1.17 Iohn Baptist is Elias in power not in person indued with the like temperance like wisdome like courage Now the Pharisies imagined that Elias himselfe should come not another in the spirit of Elias and therefore Iohn according to their meaning answered truly that he was not Elias How Iohâ— and Elias parallel see Beauxamis Harmoâ— Euangel Tom. 1. fol. 101. Ludolphus de vita Christi part 1. cap. 19. Postâ—l catholic Con. 2. Dom. 4. Aduent Whether Eliâ—s shall come before the great day of the Lords second comming see Luther postil maior in loc and his Maiesties Premonition from the 62. pag. to the 80. The third question is Art thou a Prophet To which Iohn answered also negatiuely Christ said he was more then a Prophet himselfe that he was lesse then a Prophet There are three degrees of humility 1. To submit our selues vnto our betters 2. To giue place to equals 3. To yeeld vnto inferiours All these were found in Iohn he submitted himselfe to superiors affirming that he was not Christ he gaue place to equals answering that he was not Elias he did yeeld to his inferiors in saying he was not a Prophet Yea but Iohn out of his humilitie must not tell an vntruth his father Zacharias in the Benedictus cals him the Prophet of the most high and Christ more then a Prophet Chrysostome Theophylact Euthymius and other Greeke fathers are of opinion that the Pharisies imagined Iohn to be that Prophet spoken of by Moses Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet like vnto me from among you euen of thy brethren vnto him ye shall hearken The which text must bee construed either of the whole Colledge of Prophets or else of Christ the chiefe of the Prophets and therefore Iohn answered directly that he was not that Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet Rupertus and other Latine Doctors affirme that the Pharisies in this interrogatory desired to know whether his office were like that of Esay Ieremias Amos and the old Prophets vnto which Iohn might answere well that he was not such a Prophet for their office was to foreshew Christ by some works or foretell him by some words vel dictis praesignare vel factis praefigurare saith Rupertus But Iohns ambassage was not to foretell that Christ should come but plainly to tell that Christ was come Thou shalt be called the Prophet of the most high not to prefigure but to goe before the face of the Lord. A Prophet â—s a Preacher of the Gospel not as a Priest of the Law Hitherto Iohn Baptist answers negatiuely shewing what he was not neither Christ nor Elias nor a Prophet Wheâ—ein hee did not satisfie the messengers of the Iewes fully That therefore they might returne a more perfect answere they further importune and presse him to know what he was What saiest thou of thy selfe The which is the fourth interrogatory To this Iohn affirmatiuely declaring what he was I am the voice of a Crier c. There were two chiefe prophecies of him one that he should be that Angel of the Lord and this that he should be the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse Here then Interpreters obserue Iohns humility giuing himselfe the meanest title not Christ not an Angell not a Prophet but onely vox clamantis c. Wherein he liuely describeth a good Preacher of the Gospell hee must be the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse to make straight the way for the Lord. The word of God is a proclamation in writing common to all and the Minister is the voice of the Crier to giue notice to the people that the matter of the proclamation concerneth them and euery one of them Acts 13.26 Men and brethren and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluatioÌ„ sent To you God raised vp his Sonne Iesus and hath sent him to blesse you by turning euery one of you from your iniquities Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A Preacher therefore must cry from the bottome of his heart the which is prefigured Ezekiel 3.1 Sonne of man eat this roll and goe and speake vnto the house of Israel Vtter nothing to the people but that which thou hast first digested thy selfe The voice A word is first conceiued in the heart then vttered by the voice yet we heare the voice before wee know the word so Christ the eternall Word was before Iohn and all other Preachers In the beginning was the Word and that beginning was before all beginning yet the world knew not the Word till it was preached by the voice of men and Angels albeit the word in it selfe be before the voice yet vnto vs the voice goeth before the word He that commeth after me was before me Christ then is the Word and euery Preacher of Christ is a voice the which one word confounds all such as being called thereunto doe neglect their dutie of preaching In euery voice specially a Church voice three commendable qualities are required that it bee cleere sweete and high Cleere for as Hierome said Omnia in sacerdote debent esse vocalia All things in a Diuine should preach his apparell preach his diet preach his whole life preach An example in word in conuersation in spirit in faith in purenesse Such a voice was the Baptist his preaching was of repentance and he liued as a penitent as he did boldly speake the truth so constantly suffer for the truth on the contrarie bad manners and false doctrine make harsh and hoarse the loud voice Couetous Iudas had an hoarse voyce filthie Nicolaes an hoarse voyce Simon Magus an hoarse voyce Peter in denying his Master through extreame coldnesse of feare had an hoarse voyce too for a time Manicheus Arius Pelagius all Hereticall Schismaticall Atheisticall teachers are hoarse voyces in Gods quier Iâ—le solus praedicat viua voce quipraedicat vita voce Secondly the Church voice must be sweet euery seed is not to be sowen at euery season in euery ground and so it is in Gods husbandrie The voyce therefore must aright diuide the word which it sings and saies obseruing time and keeping it selfe in tune speaking to the proud boldly to the meeke mildly to all wisely The bels hung on Aarons garment were of pure gold hereby signifying that Aarons voyce should bee no founding brasse no iarring cymball but a sweete ring prouing sweetly reprouing sweetly
lust thereof being onely certaine in being vncertaine Secondly things of this world are not satisfactory they doe not fill and content the mind of man The eye cannot be satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing all things haue an emptinesse and extreme vanity purchasing vnto the possessors nothing but anguish and vexation of spirit and the reason hereof as Viâ—aldus obserues is because the heart of man is made like a triangle and the world round as a circle Now a circle cannot fill a triangle but there will be some corner empty There is nothing can fill the mind of man but the blessed Trinitie when God the Father the most ancient of daies shall fill our memory God the Sonne who is wisdome it selfe shall fill our vnderstanding God the holy Ghost who is contentation and loue shall sit in our will then all the powers of our mind will be at rest when as they shall inioy him who made them But the things of this world afford no perfect and absolute contentment and therefore ne vos configurate seculo isto fit not your selues according to the worlds figure which is a circle but be ye renewed in your mind which is a triangle representing the sacred Trinitie Take a view with the Wise man of all worldly things in briefe doth any pleasure satisfie No pleasure is like lightning Simul oritur moritur it is sweet but short like hawking much cost and care for a little sport The prodigall child wasted both goods and body yet could not haue enough at the lest not enough hogs meat Virgo formosa supernè Desinit in turpem piscem malesuada voluptas Doth learning that incomparable treasure of the mind satisfie No The more a man knoweth the more hee knoweth that hee doth not know so that as Salomon said Hee that increaseth knowledge doth increase sorrow Doth honour content a man No The poore labourer would be written Yeoman the Yeoman after a few deare yeeres is a Gentleman the Gentleman must bee Knight the Knight a Lord the Baron an Earle the Count a Duke the Duke a King the King would Caesar bee and what then is the worlds Emperour content No. Vnus Pellaeo iuueni non sufficit orbis Aestuat infoelix angusto limine munde One world is not enough for Alexander and therefore he weepes and is discontent as if hee wanted elbow roome In the state Ecclesiasticall the begging Frier would be Prior the Prior an Abbat the Lord Abbat a Bishop the Bishop an Archbishop the Metropolitane a Cardinall the Cardinall Pope the Pope a God nay that is not enough aboue all that is called God 2. Thes. 2.4 This made Bernard wonder O ambitio ambientium crux how dost thou paine yet pleasure all men Doe riches content No the more men haue the more men craue and that which is worst of all they are the greatest beggers when they haue most of all He that loueth siluer shall not bee satisfied with siluer As the poore man crieth out Quid faciam quia non habeo so the couetous wretch as fast complaineth Quid faciam quia habeo Luke 12.17 Those drinks are best that soonest extinguish thirst and those meates which in least quantity doe longest resist hunger but here the more a man doth drinke the more thirstie so strange in some is this thirst that it maketh them dig the pits and painfully draw the water and after wil not suffer them to drinke This saith Salomon is an euill sicknesse and a great vanity when a man shall haue riches and treasure and honour â—nd want power and grace to ioy in them Thus you see the world is like a butterflie with painted wings vel sequendâ— labâ—mur vel assequendo laedimur either we faile in pursuing it or else wheÌ„ we haue caught it it is so vaine that it giueth no contentment Herein is the true difference betweene earthly things heauenly things the one are desired much but being obtained they content little the other are desired little but once gained satisfie much and therefore Lay not vp treasure vpon earth where the moth and canker corrupt and where theeues dig thorow steale for these things are neitheâ— vera nor vestra but lay vp treasure for your selues in heauen If ye will not heare the words of Scripture behold the works of nature mans heart is broad aboue narrow beneath open at the top close below to signifie that we should inlarge and spread our affections toward heauen and heauenly things and draw them to as narrow a point as possibly we can concerning earth and earthly things and so by the fashion of our heart we may learne not to follow the fashion of the world Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind We are formed by God deformed by Satan transformed by grace 1. Sacramentally by baptisme 2. Morally by newnesse of life which our Apostle meanes in this place That which followes in the text is expounded Epist. for the next Sunday The Gospel LVKE 2.42 The father and mother of Iesus went to Hierusalem after the custome of the feast day c. THis Gospell is a direction how parents ought to carrie themselues toward their children and how children also should demeane thâ—mselues toward their parents the one by the practise of Ioseph and Mary the other by the paterne of our Sauiour Christ. Parents care touching their children concernes their Soule Bodie Their soule that they bee brought vp in instruction and information of the Lord that is in godlinesse and ciuilitie by the one they shall keepe a good conscience before God by the other they shall obtaine a good report among men the which two conscience and credit must chiefly be sought after in this life For the bodie Parents ought to prouide competent sustenance and maintenance guarding their persons and regarding their estates all which is performed here by Ioseph and Mary toward Christ. First for the soules institution they did instruct him by precept and example precept bringing him to the Temple that he might be taught and that not only this once but often as often as law did require So Iuuencus expressely Ad Templum laetis puerum perducere festis Omnibus annorum vicibus de more solebant This should teach al parents how to teach their children especially that they send them vnto the publike Catechising in the Church and that according to Canon and custome for the common Catechisme which Authoritie commands is fit and full as containing all the vertues necessarie to saluation and the meanes whereby those vertues are receiued and conserued The principal vertues of a Christian are Faith Hope Charitie The Creede is necessarie for faith as teaching vs what wee haue to beleeue The Pater noster is necessarie for hope teaching vs what we are to desire The ten Commandements are necessary for charitie teaching vs what we
imploy them and so multiplie them vnto the Donors glorie who gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edificatioÌ„ of the bodie of Christ. If any giâ—â— lâ—t him doe it with singlenes With an vpright intention not to bee seene of men or to gaine much by giuing a little for that is not simplicitie but duplicitie Or because Paul speakes of Deacons publike guardians of the poore such as wee call Almoners and ouerseers he would not haue them deale subtilly for their own benefit but simply for the common good distributing the Churches beneuolence committed vnto their charge without respect of persoâ—s according to the seuerall necessities of the Saints Let him that ruleth doe it wiâ—â— diligence The slothfull and idle person is the diuels shop there he workes euer busie when men are lasie Wherefâ—re doe that which is in thine hand with all thy power especially take heed that thou doe not the worke of the Lord negligently That which Christ said of our redemption euery Christian must say of his particular vocation It is meate and drinke for me to doe my fathers will Vnto diligence there are two maine motiues 1. In regard of God who bestowes his gifts for this end that they may be well imployed in his holy seruice 2. In respect of our selues for vnto euery one that hath it shall be giuen and hee shall haue abundance and from him that hath not euen that hee hath shall be taken away The priuate duties are Generall Hate that which is euill cleane to that which is good Particular concerning our Faith Be feruent in spirit continue in prayer Hope Reioyce in hope be patient in tribulation Charitie in Giuing due respect to Superiours In giuing honor go one before another Equals Be kind one to another with brotherly loue Inferiours Distributing to the necessity of y e saints harboring the distressed equalling our selueâ— to theÌ„ of the lower sort Forgiuing Blesse them that persecute you c. All which offices are to be performed Freely Fully Fitly Freely with cheerefulnes and compassion Be merie with the merie weepe with such as weepe Fully without sloth or dissimulation Let loue be without dissimulation Fitly Applie your selues to the time for there is a time for all things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth fit the place better then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Luther postil Erasm. Martyr in loc His meaning is not that we should alter our manners and religion according to the time like the Polypus and Camelion for in the beginning of this chapter hee doth aduise the contrarie Fashion not your selues according to to the world But that we should apprehend the best hint to doe good in the Church euermore redeeming the time Ephes. 5.16 so shall we be sure to serue God in obseruing the time The Gospel IOHN 2.1 There was a mariage in Cana c. MAriage is honorable saith Paul Honoured of God the Father Sonne Holy Ghost Father instituting it at the purest time in the best place for it was his first ordinance in Paradise when man was innocent Honoured of God the Sonne by his presence and first miracle wrought as the text saith at a wedding Honoured of God the holy Ghost who did ouershadow the betrothed virgin Mary Christs mother Honoured of the whole blessed Trinitie both in Deede for in the worlds vniuersall deluge maried persons and couples onelie were deliuered Gen. 7. Word comparing it to the kingdome of heauen and holinesse to a wedding garment calling it a great mysterie representing the spirituall vnion betweene Christ and his Church Honoured by the primitiue fathers as a fruitfull seminarie which fils earth with men and heauen with Saints Honoured of Iewes honoured of Gentiles honoured of all except heretikes and Papists herein appearing rather like diuels then Diuines as Paul tels vs 1. Tim. 4. The Papists in making mariagâ— a sacrament seeme to commend it more then wee but in affirâ—ing that holy Prâ—esthood is prophaned by this holy sacrament is to honour it as the Iewes honoured Christ in clothing him with a purple robe Mariage is a sacrament and yet a sacrilege So Bellarmin plainly Coniugia post solennia vota non coÌ„nubia sed sacrilegia so the rest of that vnchast generation generally such as vow first chastity then marry begin in the spirit and end in the flesh mad men saith Luther not vnderstanding what is the spirit or what is the flesh For in single life to burne with lust when one concubine wil not serue to commit villany with many strumpets are manifest workes of the flesh on the contrary for a man to loue his owne wife to gouerne his family to bring vp his children in instruction and information of the Lord are fruits of the spirit We might rather say that in heat of youth as Augustine speakes inquietâ adolescentia to vow single life were a sinne for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Sed de talibus perpetuae virginitatis votis fides nulla nulla in sacris literis est litera Saint Ambrose writes peremptorily that all the twelue Apostles had wiues except Saint Iohn and almost all the Romish Postils obserue that Iohn was the bridegroome at this wedding If this annotation bee true why doe they condemne mariage in Priests If false why doe they suffer it for currant as well in their accurate new writers as in their olde fustie Friers If any desire to be further satisfied in this curiositie let him reade Maldonat vpon the first of Saint Iohn in the preamble and Cardinal Baronius annal Tom. 1. fol. 94. In this historie foure things are regardable 1. The occasioÌ„ of the miracle want of wine at a wedding described by circumstances of Time the third day Place in Cana a town of Galile Persons Guests inuited as Christ and his disciples Gossips comming of their owne accord to further and helpe the businesse 2. Certaine passages of speech vpon this occasion betweene Christ and his mother vers 3.4 3. The miracle it selfe vers 6.7.8.9 4. The consequent and effect of the miracle vers 11. And the third day These circumstances of time place persons are set downe to confirme the truth of the miracle The time was the third day mystically there are three daies of the world the first before the law the second vnder the law the third after the law The world was instructed before the law by the Patriarks example by the writings of the Prophets vnder the law but in the third day which is the gospels acceptable time by Christ and his miracles or literally the third day from his being in the wildernes as Euthymius or the third day after his conference with Nathaniel as Epiphanius or the third day after he
malum culpae whosoeuer resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God poenae they that resist shall receiue to themselues damnation submit our selues is good because the Magistrate is the minister of God for our good for the good of peace protection iustice religion the like For this cause we pay tribute quia ministri Dei sunt in hoc ipsum seruientes iucundo wee must obey for conscience the which vnto the disobedient is a perpetuall hell but vnto such as obey Gods ordinance is a continuall feast No power but of God An argument from the Author of authority all higher powers are from the highest power vnto whom all creatures must be subiect It happeneth often that potens the ruler is not of God Ipsi regnauerunt non per me They haue set vp Kings but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew it not And the maner of getting kingdomes is not alwaies of God Alexander 6. obtained the Popedome by giuing himselfe to the diuell Phocas by sedition got his Empire Richard 3. came to the crowne of England by butchering his Nephewes and other of the blood Royall yet the power it selfe is euer from God By me Kings reigne Thou couldest haue no power saith Christ to Pilate except it were giuen thee from aboue The powers that be are ordained of God Insinuating that the Magistrate is not from God after any common manner as all things are but after a more speciall fashion ordained The Lord is the God of order and order is the good of euery creature with whom it is better not to be then to be out of order Whosoeuer therfore resisteth If there be no power but of God and nothing done by God but in order he that resisteth authoritie resisteth Gods ordinance So the Lord himselfe said to Samuel They haue not cast thee away but they hauâ—â—ast me away that I should not reigne ouer them And hee might haue said of Princes as hee doth of Preachers He that despiseth you despiseth me For hee said of both Ego dixi dij estis As God is a great king so a king is as it were a little God He therefore that resisteth the Prince resisteth him that sent him almightie God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1. Tim. 6.15 There are two binders of the conscience 1. Proper Gods law 2. Improper mans law Gods holy word hath absolute and soueraigne power to binde the conscience for God is Lord of conscience creating it and gouerning it and only knowing it The lawes of men improperly binde conscience not by their owne vertue but by the power of Gods law which here and elsewhere commands obedience to princes He therefore that willingly with a disloyall minde breakes any wholesome lawes of men is guiltie of sinne before God Non enim habendae sunt pro traditionibus humanis quandoquidem fundatae sunt in generali mandato liquidam habent approbationem quasi ex ore Christi So S. Augustine notably Hoc iubent imperatores quod iubet Christus quia cum bonum iubent per illos non iubet nisi Christus They that resist shall receiue to themselues damnation It may be construed either of temporall punishment or eternall iudgement Of temporall for the wrath of a King is like the roring of a lion he that prouoketh him vnto anger sinneth against his owne soule By the lawes of England a traitor conuicted and attainted hath his iudgement to be drawne from his prison to the place of execution as being vnworthie to tread any more vpon mother earth and that backward with his head downward for that hee hath been retrograde to naturall courses after hanged vp by the necke betweene heauen and earth as deemed vnworthie of both his priuie parts are cut off as being vnprofitably begotten and vnfit to leaue any generation after him his bowels and intrals burned which inwardly had conceiued and concealed such horrible treason then his head cut off which imagined the mischiefe last of all his whole bodie quartred and made a prey for the birds of the ayre as one said of a Romish treacherous Iesuite Sic benè pascit aues qui male pauit oues How Rebels haue ruinated vtterly themselues and their families all histories are full of tragicall examples acquirunt sibi damnationem as it is in the vulgar they doe not only receiue but pull vpon themselues heauie iudgements Againe this may be construed of eternall damnation as is manifest in Chore Dathan and the rest of that conspiracie who went downe quicke to hell If murther be fitly termed a crying sinne then treason may well bee called a roring sinne For as he that robs a scholer is said to rob many so the traitor that murthers a Prince kils many sometime the whole State the which assuredly cries aloud to the Lord in such sort that it awaketh him and often calles him to speedie iudgement He is the minister of God for thy wealth If hee be a good Prince causa est he is the cause of thy good temporall and eternall if an euill Prince he is an oâ—casion of thine eternall good by thy temporall euill Si bonus nutritor est tuus si malus tentator tuus est If a good king he is thy nurse receiue thy nourishment with obedience if euill he is thy tempter receiue thy triall with patience So there is no resistance either thou must obey good gouernours willingly or endure bad tyrants patiently Magistrates are Gods ministers ergo subordinate to God If then higher Powers enioyne things against him who is higher then the highest It is better to obey God then men Hic saith Augustine contemne potestatem timendo potestatem In that thou fearest Gods power feare not mans power as Iulians souldiers would not worship Idols at his command yet when he led them against an enemie they obeyed most readily Distinguebant dominuÌ„ temporaleÌ„ à domino aeterno tameÌ„ subditi erant propter dominum aeternum As al power is from God so for God and therefore when the Prince commands against truth it is our dutie to be patient and not agent For this cause pay ye tribute Subsidies are the Kings stipend or pay for he is the minister of God and great seruant of the State So S. Paul expressely Seruing for the same purpose not to take his owne ease but to wake when other sleepe taking such care that al men else may liue without care Magnaseruitus est magna fortuna nam ipsi Caesaricui omnia licent propter hoc ipsum multa non licent Erasmus wittily Miserosesse principes si intelligant sua mala miseriores si non intelligant A Prince must be like Iob eyes to the blinde and feete to the lame Be ye wise therefore ye Kings Intelligâ—te Reges Intelligere est intus legere they must
loue of God in electing the fellowship of the holy Ghost in comforting is far from them so long as they continue in their sinnes and vnbeliefe so long they be traitours enemies rebels vnto the King of all Kings he proclaimes war and they can haue no peace Thinke on this ye that forget God Yee that ioine house to house and lay field to field till there be no place for other in the land ye that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and are mighty to powre in strong drinke Ye that speake good of euill and euill of good which put light for darknesse and darknesse for light c. Agree with your aduersary quickly while you are in the way seeke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is nigh O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee Suffer the words of exhortation harden not your heart but euen in this day heare the voice of the Crier confesse thy rebellion and come in to the Lord thy God for he is gentle patient and of much mercy desire of him to create in thee a new heart and to giue thee one drop of a liuely faith one dram of holy deuotion a desire to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Suffer not thine eies to sleep nor thine eie lids to take any rest vntill thine vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and sinne couered vntill thy peace be made with God and thy pardon sealed O pray pray that thou maist haue this peace O pray pray that thou maiest feele this peace for it is the third kinde the peace of conscience betweene man and himselfe There are foure kinds of conscience as Bernard hath well obserued 1. A good but not a quiet 2. A quiet but not a good 3. Both good and quiet 4. Neither good nor quiet The two good belong properly to the godly the two bad vnto the wicked whose coÌ„science is either too too quiet or else too too much vnquiet in neither peace non est gaudium impijs as the Translators of the Septuagints reade non est gaudere impijs There is no ioy to the wicked Somtime their conscience is too too quiet as Paul speakes euen feared with an hot iron when habit of sin takes away the sense of sinne when as men are past feeling in a reprobate sense giuen ouer to worke all vncleannes euen with greedinesse Ephes. 4.19 This is no peace but a numnesse yea a dumbnesse of conscience For at the first euery mans conscience speaks vnto him as Peter to Christ Master looke to thy selfe Her prick-arrowes as the shafts of Ionathan forewarne Dauid of the great Kings displeasure but if wee neglect her call and will not lend our eares while she doth spend her tongue this good Cassandra will crie no more Now it fareth with the maladies of the minde as it is with the sicknes of the bodie When the pulse doth not beate the bodie is in a most dangerous estate so if conscience neuer prick vs for sinne it is a manifest signe our soules are lulled in a deadly sleepe That schoole will soone decay where the monitor doth not complaine that armie must necessarilâ—e be subiect to surprise where watches and alarums are not exactly kept that towne is dissolute where no clocks are vsed â—o likewisâ—â—ur little citie is in great perilâ— when our conscience iâ—â—ill and sleepie quiet but not good tunc maxime oppugnaris si tâ— nescis oppugâ—ari saith Hierâ—me to Heliodore None so desperatly sicke as they who feele not their disease Saint Augustine notably Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum and Bernard Ideo dolet charitas mea quòd cùm sis doleâ—dus non doleas inde ma is miseretur quòd cùm miser sis miserabilis tamen non es and Hierome to Sabinian Hoc plango quòd te non plangis When the strong man armed keepes â—is hold the things that are possessed are in peace Where Diuines obserue that vngodly men already possessed with Satan are not a whit disquieted with his temptations As God is at open war so the diuell is at secret peace with the wicked but yet saith Hierome tranquillitas ista tempestas est This calmâ— of conscience will one day prooue a storme For as God said vnto Cain If thou doest ill sinne lieth at the doore Where wickednesse is compared to a wilde beast which dogs a man wheresoeuer hee goeth in this wildernesse And albeit for a time it may seeme harmlesse for that it lieth asleepe yet at length except men vnfainedly repent it will rise vp and rent out the very throte of their soules A guiltie conscience being once roused and awaked thoroughly will make them like those who lie on a bed that is too strait and the couering too short who would with all their heart sleepe but cannot they seeke for peace of minde but there is no peace to the wicked sâ—iâ—h my God As the coÌ„science was heretofore too too quiet so now too too much vnquiet As godly men haue the first fruits of the Spirit and certaine â—asts of heauenly ioyes in this life so the wicked on the contrarie feele certaine flashings of hell flames on earth As there is heauen on earth and heauen in heauen so hell on earth and hell in hell an outward hell and an inward outward in outward darknesse mentioned in holy Scripture where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth at this feast as Bishop Latymer wittily there can bee no mirth where weeping is serued in for the first course gnashing of teeth for the second Inward hell is an infernall tormenting of the soule void of hope faith and loue this hell the diuels haue alwaies in theÌ„ and reprobate forlorne people carrie about theÌ„ insomuch that they can neither disport themselues abroad nor please themselues at home neither comforted in companie nor quiâ—ted alone but in all places and times Erinnys conscieâ—tiae so Melancâ—hon calles it hellish hags and infernall â—uries affright them Auâ—ustine in his â—narration of the 45. Psalm thus liuely describes the wofull estate of a despairing sinner Fâ—giet ab agro ad ciuitatem à publico ad domum à domo in cubiculum He runnes as a mad man out of the field into the citie out of the citie into his house from the common roomes in his house to his chamber from his chamber into his studie from his studie to the secret closet of his own heart ecce hosteÌ„ suum inuenit quo confugerat seip sum quò fugiturâ—s est and then last of all he is content least of all himselfe being greatest enemie to himselfe The blinde man in the Gospel newly recouering his sight imagined trees to be men and the Burgundians as Comiâ—aeus reports expecting a battell supposed long thistles to be launces so the
wicked in the darke conceit euery thistle to be a tree euery tree a man euery man a diuell afraid of â—uery thing they see yea many times of that they doe not see Polydore Virgil writes that Richard the 3. had a most terrible dreame the night before Bosworth field in which hee was slaine hee thought all the diuels in hell halled and pulled him in hideous and vgly shapes Id credâ— non fuit somnium sed conscientia scelerum I suppose saith Polydore that was not a fained dreame but a true torture of his conscience prâ—saging a bloodie day both to himselfe and all his followers The penner of the Latine Chronicle de vitis Archiepiscoporum Cantuariensium in the life of Archbishop Hubert records a will of a couetous oppressor in this forme Lego omnia bona mea domino regi corpus sepulturae animam diabolo The godly mans will alway runnes in this stile Terram terra tegat daemon peccata resumat Mundus res habeat spiritus astra petat I bequeath my bodie that is earthly to the earth my sins which are diuellish vnto the diuell my goods that are worldly to the world my soule that is heauenly to heauen but this vnhappie wretch in great despaire yeelded vp his coyne to the King whom hee had deceiued and his soule to the diuell whom he had serued It is written by Procopius that Theodoricus as he was at supper imagined he saw in a fishes head the visage of Symmachus a Noble man whom hee had vniustly slaine with which imagination he conceiued such terror as that he neuer after enioyed one good houre but pining away ended his vnfortunate daies Cardinall Crescentius the Popes Vicegerent in the Chapter of Trent on a time writing long letters vnto Rome full of mischiefe against the Protestants and cause of Religion had a sudden conceit that the diuell in the likenesse of a huge dogge walked in his chamber and couched vnder his table the which affrighted him so much as that notwithstanding the counsell and comfort both of friends and Physitians hee died a disconsolate death To conclude this argument the diuell Iudas out of the hell of his conscience was Bailiffe Taylor witnesse Iurie Iudge Sheriffe deaths-man in his owne execution Thus as you see the wicked haue no peace with man no peace with God no peace with themselues The very name of peace betweene man and man is sweete it selfe more sweete like the pretious ointment vpon the head of Aaron that ranne downe vnto his beard and from his beard to the skirts of his clothing Yet the peace of conscience is farre sweeter a continual feast a daily Christmas vnto the good man as the rich Epicure Luke 16. so the godly fareth deliciously euery day The man that trusteth in the Lord is fat saith Salomon he feedes himselfe on the mercies of God and merits of Christ. And so the peace of God passeth all these for it passeth all vnderstanding without which one gift all other are rather curses then blessings vnto vs. As Cyril excellently Dominâ— priuante suo gaudio quod esse potest gaudium It is the consolation of Israel and solace of the Church Reioyce greatly ô daughter Sion shout for ioy ô daughter Hierusalem for behold thy King commeth vnto thee That God is our God that Christ is our Christ that the King of all Kings is our King that he is reconciled vnto vs and we to him is a ioy surpassing all ioyes a iubilation as the Scripture termes it which can neither be suppressed nor yet expressed sufficiently How wretched then are the wicked in being debarred of all this sweete of all this exultation of all these iubilees of ioy for if they can haue no peace abroad no peace at home no peace with themselues no peace with other no peace with man no peace with God assuredly the proposition is most true There is no peace to the wicked Yea but you will say there is none good except God all of vs are gone astray if we say wee haue no sinne the truth of God is not in vs. Of what kinde of wicked is this then vnderstood Answere is made that this onely concernes incorrigible malicious impenitent senselesse sinners For when once men feele their sinnes and repent for their sinnes grieuing much because they can grieue no more then in such as sinne aboundeth grace superaboundeth all things worke for their good euen sinne which is damnable to other is profitable to them occasioning repentance neuer to be repented Remember the speech of God to Rebecca The greater shall serue the lesser Albeit our spirituall enemies are stronger and our sinnes greater then we yet they shall serue for our good the greater shall serue the lesse God who can bring sweet out of sower and light out of darknesse shall likewise bring good out of euill Such offenders haue peace with men so far as is possible with all men indeuoring to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Secondly being iustified by faith they haue peace toward God in Christ Rom. 51. Lastly Christ dwelling in their heart they want not peace of conscience but abound with ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 When sinners are rather passiue then actiue in sinne when it is rather done on them theÌ„ of them albeit their conscience accuse them of the fact yet it doth not condemne them of the fault and so there is all kind of peace to the penitent no kind of peace to the wicked impâ—nitent saith my God Hitherto concerning the thing proclaimed I come now to the person proclaiming in these words saith my God The subordinate proclaimer is Esay the principall God himselfe As heretofore the Prophet so now the Preacher is not onely the mouth of God as Luther cals him but as Iohn Baptist said of himselfe The very voice of God For albeit we speake yet it is Christ who by vs and in vs calleth vnto you 2. Cor. 5.20 See Epist. dom 3. Gospel dom 1. and 4. in Aduent If then the Lord hath said it let no man doubt of it Heauen and earth shall passe but not a iot of his word shall passe he is not like man that he should lie or like the Sonne of man that he should deceiue Yea that we might the better obserue it Almighty God hath spoken once and twice as it is in the 62. Psalme For the Lord had made this proclamation once before in the 48. chapâ—er at the last verse So that as Augustine in the like case verba toties inculcata vera sunt viua sunt sana sunt plana sunt One text repeated twice pressed againe and againe must needs be plaine and peremptory And assuredly beloued if we further examine the person of this Chiefe we shall finde him able to make this war because God and willing to maintaine this war because My God
He is stiled elsewhere the Lord of hosts and therefore all creatures as his warriours are ready pressed to reuenge his quarrels and to fight his battels His souldiers against the wicked are either celestiall or terrestriall all the Creatures in heauen and on earth In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Gen. 1. and all that therein is Exod. 20. And in this acception according to the Bible which is a lantern vnto our feet and a guide vnto our paths I finde three heauens as Paul saith he was taken vp into the third heauen the 1. Airy 2. Starry 3. Glorious Airy heauen is all the space from vs vnto the firmament so the birds which flie betweene vs and the starres are called in holy writ the fowles of heauen In this heauen are meteors haile wind raine snow thunder lightening all which are at Gods absolute command to serue such as serue him and to fight against them that fight against him As when the wicked old world was filled with cruelty The windowes of heauen were opened and the raine was vpon the earth forty daies and forty nights insomuch that this one souldier of the Lord destroied all his enemies euery thing that was vpon the earth from man to beast onely Noah Gods holy seruant remained and they that were with him in the Arke whom the raine did not hurt but rather helpe for the deeper the flood the safer the ship the water had peace with Noah and his company but open warre with all the rest of that old world So likewise the Lord out of heauen rained fire and brimstone vpon the Sodomites and hailestones out of heauen vpon the cursed Amorites at Bethoron and they were moe saith the text that died with the haile then they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword But what need we looke so far the great wind this yeere the great frost the last yeere sensibly demonstrate this point What a wracke on the sâ—a what a worke on the earth occasioned by the one what a dearth and so by consequence what a death ensued vpon the other If God cast forth his ice like morsels who is able to abide his frost Psal. 147.17 To step higher the second heauen is the firmament coelum quasi coelatum because it is ingrauen as it were enameled with glorious lights as Moses in the first of Genesis God made two great lights the greater to rule the day the lesser to gouerne the night he made also the stars and placed them in the firmament of heauen Now this heauen declares the glory of God and the firmament shewes his handy worke though they want vnderstanding and are dumbe yet they trumpet forth his worthy praises in such sort that there is neither speech nor language but their voice is heard among them And as they speake for God as schollers so they fight also for God as souldiers for the starres in their course fought against Sisera Iosua 5.20 and when Duke Iosua fought against the wicked Amorites he said in the sight of Israel Sunne stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon and the Sunne abode and the Moone stood still vntill the people of God auenged themselues vpon their enemies the Sunne abode and hasted not to goe downe for a whole day Iosua 10.13 O Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in all the world When I consider the heauens euen the works of thy hands the Sun and the Moone which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the son of man that thou shouldst thus regard and gard him The third heauen is called by Philosophers empyreum by Diuines the glorious heauen by scriptures heauen of heauens or heauen aboue the visible heauens In this heauen Almighty God hath two sorts of tall wariours Angels Saints Angels are heauenly souldiers ministring spirits of God instruments of his mercy toward the good executioners of his iudgements vpon the bad When Iosua was about to sacke Iericho an Angel appeared vnto him as a Captaine with a drawne sword to fight for his people When Zenacherib and his innumerous host came against Israel the Angel of the Lord in one night slew one hundred eighty and fiue thousand 2. Kings 19. The first borne of Egypt slaine by an Angell Exod. 12. blasphemous Herod smitten with an Angell Acts 12.23 To conclude this argument Angels at the last and dreadfull day shall binde the tares that is make fagots of the wicked and cast them into hell fire As they pitch their tents about Gods elect being the Saints guard and nurses as it were to carry them in their armes lest at any time they hurt their foot against a stone so contrariwise speedy messengers and Ministers of Gods anger vnto the reprobate Now for Saints albeit they be milites emeriti as the Romans speake souldiers discharged the field past fighting past sighing for all teares are wiped from their eies euen so saith the spirit they rest from their labours and their good works follow them Apocalyp 14.13 Theâ— be past warfare and now liue in eternall welfare crowned as conquerors in heauen where there is neither militia nor malitâ—a Though I say their fight be ended and they rewarded with an immortall crowne of glory yet for as much as there is a communion of Saints a fellowship betweene the triumphant Saints in heauen and the militant Saints on earth the blessed soules departed and deliuered out of the miseries of this sinfull world howsoeuer they be secure for themselues yet are they carefull for vs as our Churches in their Harmonie speake de foelicitate suà securi de nostrà salute soliciti they wish well vnto vs and pray still for vs in generall albeit they know not our wants in particular Howsoeuer they fight not any longer against Gods enemies with pen or pike with paper or powder yet they continually fight against them with push of praier as Saint Iohn expresly The soules of them that were killed for the word cried with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true dost not thou iudge and reueâ—ge our blood on them that dwell on the â—arth Albeit they contend not with earthly weapons yet they maintaine Gods quarrell with heauenly wishes in generall against Satan and his kingdome out of zeale and heat to Gods cause not out of any spleene or hate to any of the wicked in particular I dare not say so for wheâ—e the spirit hath not a pen to write the Pastor must not haue a tongue to speake not the people an eare to heare but that the blessed soules in heauen pray for vs against our enemies in generall is an article of faith and an euident truth of the Bible I come from Gods selected band in heauen to the common band the host of his creatures on earth the which containes both sea and land and
all that is therein euermore willing to fight in this quarrell The red sea did ouerwhelme proud Pharaoh and all his host euen all his horses his chariots and horsemen Anno 1588. the sea and fish in the sea fought against the superstitious Spaniard enemy to God and his true religion a wonderfull worke which ought to be had in perpetuall remembrance I say wind and water ouercame that inuincible army prepared for our destruction in such sort that the popish Relator heâ—reof confessed ingenuously that God in that sea-fight shewed himselfe a very Lutheran and meere Protestant The floods and inundations which happened in diuers parts of this kingdome within these few yeeres here should not be passed ouer with dry eyes If the Lord had not according to his infinite greatnes and goodnesse fettered the waters of our seas as Xerxes did the waters of Hellespontus If God had not gathered the waters together on an heape and laid them vp in the deepe as in a treasure house Psalme 33.7 If hee had not spoken to the flood IIitherto sâ—â—lt thou goe but no further and here shall it stay thy proud waues assuredly there had followed a great doomesday to this Iland The waters saw thee O Lâ—rd the waters saw thee and were afraid Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things and blâ—ssed be the nâ—me of his Maiesty for euer and let all the people 〈◊〉 Amen Amen I passe to the shore to drie land which opened and swallowed vp quicke Corâ—â—h Dathâ—n and Abâ—ram In this one Prouince are sundrie rankes of fighting souldiers armies oâ— fell dragons of hissing serpents of roring lions of deuouring wolues of other wilde beasts in the forrest and cattell vpon a thousand hils all which named and all other not named are readie with force and furie to crush the wicked and at Gods alarum to breake them in pecces like a potters vessell Euen the least of these creatures is strong enough if God set them to fight an host of frogges an armie of grashoppers a swarme of flyes able to dismay Pharao and all his people a few rats troubled all the citizens of Hamel a few wormes deuoured Herod a little gnat choked a great man yea the greatest monarch in his own conceit Adriâ—n the Pope The very senselesse creatures haue sense and feeling of the wrong done to God In Siloam as we reade in the Gospell a tower fell vpon eighteene pâ—rsons and slew them In Rome fiftie thousand men were hurt and slaine with the fall of a Theater as they were beholding the games of the Sword-players Anno 25. Reg. Elizâ—b the scaffold about Parisgarden vpon a Sunday in the afternoone fell downe which instantly killed eight persons and hurt many moe A faire warning to such as profane the Sabbath and delight more in the crueltie of beasts then in the workes of mercie which are exercises of the Lords day The time will not suffer me to name much lesse to mufter all the rest of Gods warâ—iers on earth I will only remember one whom I thinke you feare most namely the plague fitly called by the Canonists bellum Dei contra homâ—es the warre of God against men and by the Scripture the sword of God and arâ—oâ—r of his anger In the yeere 1006 there was such an vniuersall plague thoroughout the whole world that the liuing were not able to burie the dead as Sigisbertus and other report Anno 1342. there was in Venice such a pestilence that the hundreth person was scarsly lâ—ft aliue insomuch that the State made a law that whosoeuer would come and dwell at Venice two yeeres he should instantly be made free About the yeâ—re 1522. there died of the plague in Millaine fiftie thousand within the space of foure moneths In Norwich from the first of Ianuarie to the first of Iuly 57104. In Yarthmouth within the space of one yeâ—re 7052. In London and the liberties thereof from the 23. of December 1602. vnto the 22. of December 1603. there died of all diseases as was accounted weekely 38244. whereof of the plague 30578. and from that time to this day the Citie not yet free This last yeere past as appeares in your own bils there died 2262. Lay this heauie iudgement to your heart heare this proclamation againe and againe There is no peace to the wicked As the stones of the field are in league with the righteous and the beasts at peace with the godly they may dwell safe in the wildernes and sleepe in the woods Ezech. 34.25 so contrariwise the stone shall crie â—ut of the wall and the beame out of the timber against the wicked Habacuk 2.11 Their sinne begets their sorrow their faults increase their foes euen their tables are made snares and their iâ—orie beds accusâ—rs and their seeled houses witnesses against them all things which were giuen for blessings are become curses vnto them and that which is most strange beside these two great bands of souldiers one common in earth another select in heauen there is yet a third of rebels euen of the very diuels in hell for albeit they be reserued in euerlasting chaines vntill the iudgement of the great day yet God infinite in his power and wisedome who brings light out of darknesse doth make good vse of these bad instâ—uments It is said in the first of Sam. chap. 16. that the euill spirit of the Lord vexed Saul it was Gods spirit which came vpon Dauid but it was a malignant spirit which was on Saul and yet this spirit is called sâ—â—riâ—us Domini the spirit of the Lord because the Lord sent that euill spirit and suffered it to torment Saul as Augustine and Lombard haue well expounded that place So likewise wâ—e reade in the Gospell that the foule spirits made some dâ—ase some dumbe casting one into the water another into the fire all which actions as they were actions proceeded from God for the Scripture tels vs plainly there is no power but of God Happily some will say the diuels assault the good so well as the bad We wrestle saith Paul against principalities against powers against the prince of darknes for Satan goes about like a roring lion seeking whom he may deuoure Answere is made that God suffers Satan to tempt his children onely to trie them but suffers him to tempt the reprobate so farre as to destroy them the temptations of the good are instruction of the bad destruction vtter ruine of bodie and soule In what a miserable case then is euery wretch irrepentant drawing iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart-ropes heaping vp wrath against the day of wrath For the number of his enemies is without number the number of the blessed Saints is innumerable Apocalyp 7.9 After these things I beheld and loe a great multitude which no
by their example to bee solicitous for the good of the corne to come to Christ and to pray that faithfull labourers may be sent into Gods haruest Paul was grieued because some cockle grew in Philippi Dauid was grieued because the Heathen had broken into Gods inheritance Christ was grieued because Gods house was made a denne of theeues and so Christians in our time should bee grieued because Satan hath sowed such offences and scandals among the professors of the Gospell Secondly this parable makes against the Brownists in their criticall doctrine hypocriticall coÌ„uersatioÌ„ It condemnes their doctrine for there was is and euer shall be darnell in Gods field tares among wheate bad among good in the visible Church I confesse the Church militant may be called the suburbs of heauen our Sauiour here termes it the kingdome of heauen because the King of heauen doth heauenly gouerne it with his holie word and blessed Spirit but it is not heauen in heauen it is but heauen on earth and therefore in this heauen are many fire-brands of hell the children of the wicked whose end is damnation and vtter confusion in vnquenchable fire Wee may not therefore leaue Gods flower because there is some chaffe neither breake Gods net because there are some baggage fish neither depart out of his house because there be some vessels of wrath neither runne out of his field because there growes some cockle but as Augustine determined against the Donatists accurately Non propter malos boni deserendi sed propter bonos mali tolerandi We must not forsake the good for the bad but rather tolerate the bad for the good Almightie God would haue spared a whole citie for tenne good mens sake let vs not then condemne a whole Church for tenne wicked mens companie Ecclesiam tenco â—lenam tritico palea emâ—ndo quos possum tolero quos emendare non possum fugio paleam ne hoc sim non aream ne nihil sim In Gods house there are not onely vessels of gold and vessels of siluer but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour It is our dutie to striue that we may be golden vessels and as for earthen we must leaue them to God in whose hand is a rod of iron to breake them in peeces like a potters vessell I will say to the Brownist as Augustine to the Donatist Accusa quantis viribus potes si innocentes fuerint nihil eis tanquam frumentis oberit ventositas tua si nocentes non debent propter zizania frumenta deseri accusa quantum potes vinco si non probas vinco si probas si non probas vinco iudice te ipso sin probas teste Cypriano qui docuit horreum non esse deserendum ob paleas Hee might haue said teste Christo commanding here Let both grow together vntill the haruest Wee may not iudge before the time calling out of our immoderate zeale for fire from heauen to consume the tares but expect hell fire to burne them vp and that for two reasons especially that the bad may be conuerted and the good exercised Omnis malus aut ideo vinit vt corrigatur aut ideo vt per illum bonus exerceatur He that is now cockle may proue by Gods especiall grace corne weed not the field therefore presently lest while ye gather the tares ye plucke vp also the wheat Saint Peter was an apostate S. Matthew a Publican Zacheus an oppressor Paul a Saul Iustin Martyr was a Gentile Saint Augustine a Manichee Martin Luther a Monke Tremellius a Iew Leo Africanus a Mahumetan if all cockle had then been rooted vp at the first Gods field would haue wanted much good wheat the Church manie good men yea all men for Adam in Paradise was a tare when he disobeied Here the Gospell and Epistle meet againe For if we may not root vp the tares it is very requisite that we put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long sufferance forbearing one another and forgiuing one another c. Againe the cockle must grow for the cornes exercise There must be heresies among you that they which are approued among you might be knowne If Arius had not bin borne qui posuit cum Trinitate personarum Trinitatem substantiarum and Sabellius on the contrary qui posuit vnitatem personae cum vnitate essentiae the questions about the blessed Trinitie would neuer haue been determined so sufficiently by those great lights of the Church Athanasins Augustine Hilary c. If superstition had not a long time growne in Gods field among thâ— wheat principles of the true religion especially the point of iustification by faith onely would neuer haue been so well vnderstood If Anabaptists and Brownists had not contended against the Church it would haue gone worse with the Church as Augustine said of Rome Maegis nocuit Romanis Carthago tam cito euersa quà m priùs nocuerat tà m diù aduersa The counsell is good Sic viue tanquam inimici semper te videant for the Church as Christ must suffer and ouercome in medio inimicorum in the midst among all her enemies Psal. 110.2 Secondly this makes against the Brownists in their hypocriticall conuersation It is said here that so soone aâ— the malitious man had sowne tares among the wheat hee went his way Not that he departs from hypocrits and heretikes but he putteth on another face when hee doth a worke of darknesse he transformes himselfe into an Angell of light He is no more blacke nor browne but a white diuell saith Luther And therefore when it is obiected against the conformable Clergy that heretikes and schismatikes are graue men and good men our answer may be that the diuell is now gone rauening wolues are in sheeps clothing Tares are so like good corne that they cannot be discerned vntill the blade spring vp and bring forth fruit Fitches haue many fetches hypocrites are like Goodwin sands in dubio pelagi terraeque neither of both and either of both as occasion shall serue Gentilem agunt vitam sub nomine Christianô They play the Turkes vnder the names of Christians oues visu vulpes astu there is no more diuell appearing but all is now the spirit of God and secret reuelations euen from heauen Thirdly this parable makes against the Papists in the question of their religions antiquity putting to death of heretikes Purgatory We protest and that vnfeinedly that no Church ought further to depart from the Church of Rome then she is departed from her selfe in her florishing estate Shew then say the Papists in what age the tares were sowen among the wheat When and where purgatory praier for the dead indulgences auricular confession and other new tricks of Popery crept into the Church Answere is made for vs here by Christ While