as that which may be knowne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is manifest in his workes the inuisible things of God that is his eternall power and Godhead being seene and considered by the creation of the world The word of God The third preacher is the word of God it selfe wherein God himselfe his goodnesse and glorie is preached vnto vs most plainly proclaimed lowdly and described fully and that so perfectly as neither he will require nor we desire any more knowledge as concerning him wherein we may bcholde him most cleerely better then by the light of nature which is as it were in the night and darkely in comparison and that more cuidently then in the looking-glasse of his workes which is but of steele and therefore diuine in respect when as in this as in a myrrour of Christall God is seene openly and face to face and especially in the word of the Gospell the vaile of the temple being rent and Moyses vaile being taken away As our Apostle 2. Cor. 3.18 Notwithstanding I say all which preachers and proclaimers common criers and publike witnesses which euidently testifie and certifie vs of God yet are we so deafe and dull that we wil not nor cannot heare except the Lord boare our eares with the piercer of his spirit as he did the eares of Dauid as he confesseth of himselfe Psal 40.6 Secondly his Truth is also called here Godlinesse Truth in respect of the subiect matter which it containeth which is indeede nothing els but God and that one God in vnitie of substance and three in trinitie of persons and all that is to be knowne of vs concerning him not concealed in his secret will but reuealed in his manifest word euen that which our Sauiour tearmeth Matth. 16.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the things which are of God and not of men which Peter vnderstood not when he gaue ill counsell to our Sauiour and therefore was worthily reprooued and called by the name of Satan because he sauoured them not And Paul 1. Cor. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of the spirit of God which carnall or naturall man cannot perceaue or conceiue because they are foolishnes vnto them neither can they know or vnderstand them because they are spiritually discerned Againe which Christ nameth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen heauenly things which are opposite and contrarie to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly thinges in the same verse and finally that which Peter calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these words of eternall life Iob. 6.68 which may be said to be the science of all sciences being the knowledge of the only true God and of him whom he hath sent Christ Iesus being of it selfe life eternall Ioh. 17.3 Yea as Aristole tearmeth his Logicke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so may it be called euen not the instrument of all instruments but the instruction of all instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen the hand and holdfast of the power and horne of our saluation Thirdly and lastly it is called Godlinesse of the end or effect because it maketh or ought to make vs to liue a godly life for as first Dauid saith of the Law Psal 19.9 and of the iudgement thereof that they are true and righteous altogither and then Paul Rom. 7.17 that the law is holy and the commandements holy iust and good So Paul of all Scripture which is giuen by diuine inspiration of God That it is profitable to teach to improoue to correct to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may bee absolutely perfect to euerie goodworke 2. Tim. 3.17 but especially of the Gospell which is the grace of God The Gospell that bringeth Saluation vnto all men and teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world 2. Tit. 11.22 which neither the golden sentences of Pythagoras nor the Ethnicke Ethicks of Aristotle nor the prophane Morals of Plutarch nor the vertuous Tables of Cebes nor the studious offices of Tullie nor the wise politicks of Lipsius although they shew the way of liuing well and containe in them notable and excellent precepts of ciuill conuersation in all kind of good manners and behauiour are able to effect but onely this powerfull word of Godlinesse which can conuert the soule and make a man on the earth to be as an Angel in heauen before whom all religions and professions which carrie the name of pietie and Godlinesse are confounded and fall as Dagon did before the Arke of the Lord. For as there is but one God which is which was which is to come 1. Apoc. 3. One Iesus Christ which is yesterday to day and the same also for euer 12. Heb. 8. and one holy spirit which is aboue all thorow all and in all 2. Ephes 6. In comparison of whom all other Gods are but Idols all other Sauiours are but Seducers and all other spirits are but euill spirits of illusion Euen so is there but one word of God only which endureth for euer in respect whereof all other wordes are but winde and vanitie and but one truth of Christ which is great and alwaies preuaileth in regard whereof all other verities are but fables and falshood and but one pure and vndefiled religion which al men are bound to confesse professe in comparison whereof all other religions are but ceremonies and superstitions and finally but one sure and sound Godlinesse which all Christians ought onely to know and practise in regard whereof all other shewes and zeales of Holinesse are but impieties impurities and pollutions euen this Godlinesse which our Apostle here mentioneth and I my selfe now commend vnto you which is neither the abhominable Idolatrie of the Papists nor the absurd Vbiquitie of the Lutherans nor the confused communitie of the Famelists nor the Phreneticall extacie of the Brownists nor the phantasie of the Anabaptists but only the pure diuinity of the Protestants which embrace the synceritie of the Gospell Great is the Mysterie As we haue declared what this Godlinesse is Definition of godlines so let vs now in orderspeake of the definition thereof as it is here set down by our Apostle calling it first a Mysterie in regard of the matter therein contained and secondly Great in way of comparison First therefore of the one and then of the other This word Mysterie in the Originall signifieth an hidden secret and not that which is hidden onely but which is holy also of the Grecke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to teach deepe and diuine doctrine from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceedeth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an instiucter or minister of the word of God and Sacraments and therefore the auncient Lattin Fathers alwaies translate this word Sacramentum tanquam sacrum secretum whereupon the foolish and vnlearned Papists tooke the occasion of that their foule error in making so manie Sacraments for wheresoeuer they found this word Mysterium
the Iudge of the world to giue dome and definitiue sentence both of quicke and dead and that as it were in open court of generall Sessions or assises when as he shall render to euerie man according to his workes vengeance vpon the wicked and reward vpon the righteous destruction and damnation vnto the vngodly but soules health and saluation vnto the Godly Seuenthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Epiphanie not the first Epiphanie when Christs birth was manifested to the wise men of the East by the leading of a starre but when Christs glorie shall be reueiled by the finall eclipse of the sunne the darkning of the moone the falling of the stars and the shaking of the powers of heauen when as the sonne of man shall so come as the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth vnto the West Mat. 24.27 and 29. when as the hearts of all men shal be made manifest Eightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of visitation when as Christ Iesus the great bishop of our soules shall visit the ample diocesse of his Church and shall call all the cleargie before him and cause them to render account of their cures and charges and shall make those shine as starres for euer and euer that shal winne soules vnto God but will remoue those candles out of their candlestickes or els the candlestickes out of their places which either giue no light or bad light or are either dropping candles by their lewd lothsome life or spitting candles by their troublesome and seditious doctrine Ninthly the day of appearing as in this place because that then our Sauiour the sunne of Righteousnesse shall sodenly pearse the cloudes and breake fourth in glorious brightnesse by the shining beames of his heauenly grace fulfilling the heartes of all the faithfull with the cheerefull light and comfortable heate of his diuine presence which haue lien long as it were in Iosephs colde yrons of aduersitie and affliction and languished in Daniels darke dungeon of despaire As the naturall sunne with his gladsome glee after the dismall darkenesse of the wearie night dispelleth and dispierceth the thicke clouds being long looked and longed for at the last appeareth to the chearing and cherishing of all mankind so called an appearing to the comfort and consolation of the good the godly that when they see the least glimpse and glimmering of him to peepe out or appeare they should then lift vp their heads and looke vp because their redemption is at hand for then and neuer till then shall the workeman receiue his wages the labourer in the Lords vineyard his pennie the faithfull seruant the rule of the Lords house the thriftie vser of his talents the gouernment of so many Cities the constant runner his propounded garland the spirituall souldier his promised crowne the little flocke their prepared kingdome the followers of Christ in their regeneration their thrones of iudgement Which time teacheth vs that we should not so doate as to dreame of any crowne throne or kingdome in this life or once to looke for any paradise heauen or other blessednesse in this world nor any time to hope for any happinesse before our chiefe shepheard doe appeare For as there is no heauenly paradise but in Abrahams bosome nor any pleasures for euermore but at the right hand of God nor any true ioies to be found but in the kingdome of heauen so are we not to enter into this paradise to enioy these pleasures and to be partakers of these ioies vntill the day of his appearing In the meane time therefore we must not with the husbandman looke to reape with ioy before we haue sown with tears nor to looke to liue with him before we haue died with him to raigne with him before we haue suffered with him to be glorisied with him before we haue beene crucified with him to sit with him on his right hand and on his left before we haue drunck of the cuppe that he hath druncke of and been baptized with the baptisme that he hath been baptized with to bee crowned with this crowne of glorie before we haue bin crowned with his crown of thorns to be found as fine gold for the treasure-house of the Lord vntill we bee purged and purified in the fire and fornace of affliction to be good corn in the Lords garner before we haue been sifted by Sathan Finally not to sit on his throne before we haue continued with him in his temptations For first must the Church be militant here vpon earth before it can be triumphant in heauen first must we suffer affliction before we can liue Godly in Christ Iesus and to conclude first must we be in tribulation before we can enter into the kingdome of heauen It followeth in the next words Yee shall receiue c. Now come we to the reward which our Apostle Peter promiseth in the person of our Sauiour Christ which is no light thing of small valew or meane account but the greatest gifte and richest reward that can be giuen and receiued a bountie beseeming the person of our Sauiour the bestower and worthy the partie that is partaker Kings and Princes when they liberally conferre gifts and rewards they giue not toies and trifles but great and royall guerdons such as are agreeable to their maicstic and magnificence Aristotle writes of his Magnanimus that he bestowes benefits vpon others freely and franckly and that herecompenceth aboue measure and proportion and that he will not vouchsafe to giue light little things but precious and peerelesse presents But howsoeuer the Philosopher frame such a man according to his owne fantasie as a Phaenix seldome or no whereto be found yet such a one the Scripture describeth God the Father and Christ Iesus his sonne and our Sauiour to be in all respects as first to be the giuer of all things and that liberally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not vpbraidingly and those that he doth giue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good gifts and perfect gifts Iames 2.17 farre surpassing in worth and worthinesse the gifts of any Palatines or Potentates Kings and Keysars Conquerors and Monerches in the world Pharo King of Egypt gaue noble gifts vnto Ioseph when he gaue him his owne signet to weare on his hand fine garments of linnen to put on his backe a chaine of golde to put about his necke and gaue him to wife a Princes daughter and made him Vice-roy of all his land and gaue him his best coach but one to sit in Gen. 41. Saul king of Israel honourably rewarded Dauid when as hee gaue him his royall robe and all his Princely garments vnto his sword his bow his girdle and made him lieutenant generall of all his forces and smally his owne daughter to wife 1. Sam. 18. The Queen of Saba gaue princely presents to Salomon when shee gaue him sixscore talents of golde and an exceeding quantitie of sweete odours and an infinit number of precious stones
so manie pregnant and proper wits diuert their mindes from the studie and profession of Diuinitie and why also the multitude make so vile an account of the word and the ministers therof loathing that which they ought to loue and contemning them whom they ought to honour As being the cause also of so manie superficial diuines leane cleargions and speaking preachers who thinke they haue a sufficient Librarie if they haue a bible Caluins Institutions and Peter Martyrs Common places in English and knowledge and learning enough if they can Paraphrastically post ouer in haste a whole Psalme or Chapter at once like vnto him that with light foote runneth ouer a quackmire for feare of falling in ouer head and eares and can speake extempory and that many houres togither neither tying themselues to text nor time But if we will beleeue Austin we shall finde diuinitie to be a more deepe studie and the Scriptures themselues to be more hard and profound Tanta est enim Christianarum profunditas literarum as he saith in his Epistle to Volusian vt in eis quotidie proficerem sieas solas ab ineunte pueritia vsque ad decrepitam senectutem maximo ocio summo studio optimo ingenio conarer addiscere c. That is that such and so great is the depth and profunditie of Christian knowledge in the holy scriptures as that a man might daily profit therein and encrease his knowledge more and more yea if he should doe nothing els but studie them euen from his childhood to his olde age hauing the greatest leasure vsing the most diligence endued with the sharpest wit and holpen with the best memorie giuing this reason thereof in the words following Tam multa tamque multiplicibus mysteriorum vmbraculis opaca intelligenda proficientibus restant So manie and manifold mysteries remaine behind to be vnderstood of them that haue alreadie profited therein that not only in the words but also in the matter of the Scriptures such depth of wisedome lieth hid therein vt annosissimis acutissimis flagrantissimis that euen to the most auncient most wittie and most studious for their infinite desire of learning may be said that which the same Scripture hath in another place when a man hath made an end then doth he begin againe signifying hereby that he that is the greatest Rabbi and profoundest Doctour in the Vniuersities is but a scholer and that of the lowest forme in the schoole of Christ And that therefore euerie wise Christian be he neuer so skilfull in the Scriptures although he be so cunning with the Scribes Pharises as that be can tell how often euerie word and euerie letter is contained in the Bible may with sage Solon although an Heathen say truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that he shall neuer cease to learne vntill he leaue to liue and this not onely in respect of the whole Scripture in generall is this mysterie of Godlinesse for the subiect matter that it containeth great in quantitie as I haue already declared but also in regard of this special graund mysterie of the manifestation of God in the flesh and of euerie one of those particular branches which depend and follow vpon the same The which when I seuerally consider I must needes crie out and say with the Poet Ingenium fateor transcendit copia rerum Materia vires exuperante meas For as concerning the first it is so great a mysterie The greatnesse of the mysterie that it not only passeth the reach of mans reason but farre surpasseth the capacitie conceit of Angels themselues to comprehend the depth length breadth and height thereof containing many miracles and comprising many mysteries in it and vpon which dependeth the whole summe of our saluation and the compleat worke of our redemption and after the which in consequence and coherence followeth all the rest of the Articles of our faith all the promises of the Lord all the mercies of God the Father all the merits of Christ Iesus his sonne all the fruits and effects of the holy Ghost and finally all the blessings and benefites which are bestowed vpon the Church as shall be declared more at large hereafter in the due place The second his iustifying in the spirit it containeth in it the mysterie of the Hypostaticall vnion as in one person to be two natures the Humanitie and Diuinitie of our Sauiour to be both God and man whereby he is become our only mediator which darke mysterie none can vnderstand but by the gift of wisedome nor perceiue but with the eies of faith The third seene of Angels a mysterie no lesse then the former that flesh should be beholden of spirits man to be admired of angels principalities to testify of a wretch and powers to beare witnesse of a worme and no man The fourth he preached vnto the Gentiles as incredible a thing as if a great Monarch of the world should send his chiefe nobles with honourable ambassage to bruit beastes offering and proffering holy things to dogges and precious pearles to swine The fift beleeued in the world like the other as impossible a matter for dumbe and deafe blocks stocks and stones first to heare and then to beleeue and to become the children of Abraham And finally the fixt receiued vp into glorie the last miraculous mysterie but not the least misticall miracle for ignominie to become glorious flesh to be made spirit and earth to be taken vp into heauen All which when a man considereth hee must needs say Great art thou O Lord and great are thy workes in wonderfull wisedome hast thou made them all But not onely is this mysterie great in matter in respect of quantitie as Loue is said to bee the greatest comandement Mat. 22. but also for qualitie as charitie is said to be the greatest vertue For first for whole godlines which containeth in it the great promises and punishments the great mercies and iudgements of the Great Lord which he describeth out vnto vs the great Citie of the great King the great doome of the great day the great signes of the great Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnalia Dei the great things of the great God such as the eie of mā hath neuer seene the care of man neuer heard the heart of man could neuer conceiue such as faith only apprehendeth hope only taketh holde of the spirit onely perceiueth and grace onely receiueth foretold of the Prophets fulfilled of our Sauiour promised in his word performed in the life to come here in desire there in deede of which now the elect haue but onely a tacke and tast but hereafter shall haue a ful fruition and plenarie possession great in ioy great in pleasure great in comfort great in countenance finally great euerie way and in euerie respect And secondly for this speciall mysterie and coherents thereof what thing greater then the Incarnation of Christ then the manifestation of God in the flesh and what greater then the
fables as shadowes of some other truth as that these mortall creatures supposed Gods and Idolles of the Gentles were in a manner conuerted into such brute beasts by their vncleane actions Againe we finde in the holy scriptures that Satan transformed him selfe in to an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11.13 that the true Angels of God haue oftentimes takeÌ„ vnto them the shapes forms of men in which they haue appeared when they haue beene sente from Heauen downe into the earth and whereby they haue not only spoken vnto men but also eaten and druncken with men Yea we shall reade in the ould Testament and new in manie places that the Lord God himselfe appeareth vnto his saints and seruants in diuers semblances and fashions but especially in the forme of fire As when he appeared vnto Moises in the flame of a firie bush Exo. 3. Vnto the Children of Israell when he led them throughe the wildernesse in a Pillour of fire Exod. 13. and vnto the disciples and Apostles when the Holy Ghost descended in the shape of fire clouen tounges whervpon Austin vseth these words Hoc enim ele mentum est magnum sacramentum De Symb ad Catech lib. 3. cap. 9. As also the Lord some times to haue shewed himselfe in other formes as God the Father in the shape of a man when he came to Abraham sitting at the Oake of Mamre Gen. 18. And God the Holy ghost in the forme of a Doue when he appeared to Iohn Baptist after Christs baptisme Math. 3. But none of these before mentioned did keepe those shapes and seÌ„blances which they tooke or seemed to take vpon them but forsooke them immediately after they had perfourmed what they would by that meanes But our Sauiour Christ Iesus wheÌ„ he was thus manifested in our flesh he tooke it not vpoÌ„ him for a time but perpetually euen to be our eternall mediatour both God and man world without end and to continewe a preist for euer after the order of Melchesidecke And here we are to note how properly the Apostle writeth when he here setteth downe that God was manifested in the fleash and not the Godhead speaking as the logitians say in the contract but not in the Abstract being true in the one as appeareth but not in the other as in the Contract because it containeth in it the whole person of Christ consisting of both natures but not in the Abstract for that it considereth the seuerall nature of his diuinitie only which in noe wise can be manifested in the fleash nor be confounded with his humanitie vnlesse we will runne into Eutiches errour and thinke that his manhood was not taken only but also absorpt and consuÌ„pt of his Godhead which is a foule Heresie so that it appeareth euidently what maner of manifestation this was Now therefore only in a word or two lette vs speake of the forme it selfe into which god is here said to be manifested so to passe on to the nexte branche of this misterie because we haue dwelt verie loÌ„g in this alreadie which forme is here said to be in the fleash that is in humaine nature As that which was immortall inuisible incomprehensible and infinite should take vnto it a kind of nature which was mortal uisible comprehensible and finite yea which might be seene touched and handled and like vnto vs in all respects sinne only excepted not by conuerting the Godhead in to manhood but by conioyning the humaine nature to the diuine vniting them both in one person of Christ our mediatour euen as Iohn 1.1 witnesseth that which we haue hard that which we haue seen which we haue looked vpon our hands haue handled of the word of life neither tooke he any other fourme either of any Creature vpon the earth or of any power in heaueÌ„ noe not of any Angell but of the seede of Abraham onely Heb. 2.16 And why because as the Apostle in the same chapter rendreth the Reason for as much as the children were partakers of flesh bloud he also himselfe tooke likewise parte with them Vers 14 Here then flesh is not taken for the naturall vitiousnesse of mans corruption as it is often times taken in the scriptures especially in the Epistle to the Romanes for the vnregenerate parte of man contrarie vnto the spirit for then should our Sauiour Christ be subiect vnto sinne as we are which were blasphemie to affirme but for the whole naturall and true essence and substance of a mortal man both of reasonable soule and of humaine fleash subsisting and not of body only least we fall into the Erronious opinion of the Apollinarists And thus much of this maine branche of this greate misterie now of the nexte Iustified in the spirite As this is an annexioÌ„ vnto the words going before so is it an amplification of the former misterie as if the Apostle Paule had said although Christ the sonne of God and God himselfe was manifested in the fleash as he hath set downe more at large Phil. 2. Yet did th◠〈◊〉 most glorious shine and signe of diuine power and Godhead manifestly appeare and shew fourth it selfe which here is called spirit as the same is expressed more plainely First by our Apostle Romans 1.4 when he saieth that he was declared mightily to be the son of god touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the deade as being one notable and notorious action of his supernaturall vertue Secondly by Peter 1.3.18 by an other semblable acte euen the worthy worke of his passion As that he was put to death according to the fleash but was quickned in the spirit And thirdly Iohn 1.14 that the word became fleash and dwelt amongest vs and we sawe the glorie thereof as the glorie of the only begotten sonne of the father full of grace and truth So that to iustifie in this place is not to make or pronounce one Righteous or iust which is not so indeede as this word is taken Luke 16.15 in those words of our Sauiour vnto the Pharisies Ye are they which Iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your harts c. And Luke 18.14 in that conclusion of the parable and difinitiue sentence of our sauiour between the Pharisie and the publican wheÌ„ he saith that the one departed â—oÌ„ rather Iustified theÌ„ the other And finally as it is taken so often in the Epistle to the Romans where our Apostle handleth that cheife pointe of our Religion euen our Iustification but especially Chap. 3.28 In those words Therfore we coÌ„clude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe But this word here signifieth to approue shewe forth or declare a man to be such an one by certaine signes and sure tokens by infallible Arguments and euident demonstrations such as cannot be refelled or refuted As Psal 51. in those words of the Prophet Dauid Against thee alone O Lord haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purporteth a restoring againe or receiuing a dignitie or honour of which he was partaker before when he thought it no robberie to be equall with God his Father as our Apostle Phil. 2. or els finally as the Phrase wil beare a recouering againe of his fathers fauour as being accepted againe and receaued into the bosome of God his father from whence he descended when he tooke vpon him our flesh And yet the word being all on with that which al the Euangelists vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his assūption being nothing els but a volūtary ascentiō a passion in him in respect of his humanitie yet an action of him in regard of his diuinitie that as he saith of him selfe as he had power to lay downe his life and power to take it againe vnto him euen so as he had power to descend to take vpon him our flesh so likewise had he power to ascend to resume againe vnto him selfe his owne glorie being caught or rapt vp in a cloude as he was man and yet taking vnto himselfe the winges of the morning to flie vp into his holy sanctuarie as he was God as a worme in respect of his incarnation in creeping on the earth but an eagle in regard of his ascention in mounting vp into heauen That as a captaine conquerer and Consull of Rome when he had vanquished any enimie won any cittie or subdued any contrie was wonte to ride in triumph with a royall Pompe before him and a greate traine behind him vp into the Capitoll the gates whereof were wide open to receaue him Euen so our Sauiour Christ Iesus after he had ouercome Sathan his grand enimie and by death as the Apostle saith subdued him that had the power of death and with all vanquished the graue and hell and did triumph ouer them Saying as it is in the Prophet Esay and Osee and the Apostle Paule Death is swallowed vp in victorie O death where is thy stinge O graue where is thy victorie and so ascended on highe and led captiuitie captiue and made a shew of them openly hauing his mightie armes of heauenlie souldiars with him As the Psalm 1. discribeth them The chariotes of the Lord are twentie thowsands of Angels and he is in the middest of them as in his holy place of Sinaie and vnto whom the gates of the Capitoll of heauen stoode open as being gladde and readie to receaue him into glorie as the Prophet Dauid expresseth the same Psalm 24. When he saith in the person of the Lord God Lifte vp your heades O yee gates and be yee lifte vp yee euerlasting dooers that the King of glorie may come in Here then as our heade is exalted highly and aduanced vnto his glorie so shall we also his members be partakers of the same honour for if we die with him we shall liue with him if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him For as his Father appointed vnto him a kingdome so hath he appointed vnto vs a kingdome Iohn 5. As the father hath crowned him with glorie and worshipe Psalm 8. So will he being the greate shephard of the sheepe giue vnto vs an incorruptible crowne of glorie as he sitteth with his father in his throne so will he cause vs to sit with him in his throne whē as our vile bodies shall be made conformable to his glorious bodie of mortall becomming immortall of corruptible becomming incorruptible of carnall spirituall of naturall supernatuall of earthly Heauenly finally of temporall eternall in the kingdome of heauen where they shall reape and receaue fulnesse os ioye and at the right hand of God haue full fruition and plenarie possession of surpassinge Pleasure for euer more Which God the Father hath prepared of his mercie and Christ Iesus purchased by his merite for vs those which haue beene promised vs from the beginning of the wotld and shall be perfourmed vnto vs after the ende of the world in the Celestiall Paradise where the Sunne shineth not nor the Moone giueth noe light and yet where the Sunne setteth not nor the Moone changeth not but where only the glorie of God and the Lambe giueth light Ap. 21.24 Where there is pleasure for euer without paine victorie without skirmish triumphe without warre perpetuitie without time desire without default sweenesse without varietie and varietie without sacietie where there is Ioye with out gesture Knowledge with out discipline and conference without speache where there is rest with out motion partaking without enuie and vnderstanding without reasoning vbi lex veritas pax charitas modus aeternitas as Austin FINIS THE FRVITS OF HYPOCRISIE MATTH 23. v. 5. All their workes they doe to bee seene of men THese wordes which I haue reade vnto you as also those in the verse immediately going before are a confirmation in particular pointes of that reason contained in the last words of the third verse of which I haue spoken at large heretofore So that hauing before said that these Scribes and Pharises did far otherwise leade their liues then they did teach and preach now he addeth for the more certaintie and assurance of that which he affirmed before that if they had any good thing in them at all in show and in semblance that the same was altogether vaine and trifeling false and fained because they had noe other thing in their purpose and intente but palpably to please men as it here appeareth to set out and shew forth themselues These Scribes therefore and Pharises did either most manifestly transgresse the Law of God or els did so notoriously dissemble that they seemed to be altogether honest and holy when they were nothing so nor so hauing a foule visage vnder a faire visarde for as all is not gould that glistereth so all are not perfect that appeare so nor all good and godly that giue an outward glosse of integritie and sanctimonie For as Tullie saith Frons vultus oculi saepe mentiuntur oratio vero saepissime and as the Poet. Fallit enim vitium specie vertutis vmbra So that oftentimes counterfaite in the militant Church here on earth such is the deceite of sinne the fashion of this world goeth for currant such are the cloakes and coulours of hypocrisie for euerie hypocrite is like the Camelion that can chang himselfe into euery coullour at commande and like to Protheus who can Metamorphose himselfe into euerie fourme forth with and lastly like vnto the wethercocke that can turne it self according to euerie wind And here may we behould and see the nature of sinne in generall that it is neuer single of it selfe but hath alwaies some companions and copartners conioyned with it not vnlike the serpēt Hydra a monster of many heads and to the beast mentioned in the Apocal. On which the whoore of Babilon is said to sitie hauing many heades and many hornes But more particularly of the sinne of
examples to the people non corpore sed animo non via sed vita non exeundo sed exemplo that is that they would shew themselues patterns and presidents platformes and examples vnto the people in good life godly manners and vertuous behauiour which how necessarie and behoouefull it is Example to them that beleue in 6. things Paul himselfe signifieth when as he chargeth Timothie to be an example vnto thē that beleeue in six things First in the word that is in the doctrine of the Gospel Secondly in conuersation that is in keeping the same and expressing the obedience thereof in all Christian demeanour Thirdly in loue which signifieth what manner of conuersation he requireth euen all deeds of mercie works of charity which are contained vnder loue which is the complement of the law and the accomplishment of the Gospell the olde commandement of the Lord God and the newe commandement of Christ Iesus and containeth in it our two principall dueties both to God and man vpon the which two things doe hang both the law and the prophets Fourthly in the spirit that is in the gifts and graces fruits and effects of the spirit with which both preacher and people ought to be endued Fiftly in faith that is in stedfastly beleeuing the truth of Gods word and certaintie of his promises and in wholy relying vpon the mercies of God the Father and the merits of Christ Iesus his sonne our Sauiour the onely badge and cognisance of true Christians who are onely thereby discerned from Turkes Saracens Moores Indians Barbarians and Infidels whatsoeuer Sixtly and lastly in puritie which is the perfection of all religion when as God is serued and feared in soundnesse and sinceritie simplicitie and singlenesse of heart without all doubting deceit and dissembling which may be as six rules of obseruation and imitation included although not expressed in these wordes of our Apostle To the which if we adde a seuenth particular vertue to make vp a perfect number which is humilitie I hope we shal fully attaine to the meaning of the holy Ghost in this place for that Peter here would especially that they should be types and mirrours of humilitie it is as cleare as the noone-day by the former part of the Antithesis or opposition in the words going before for in steede of the lordly lowlinesse which he wisheth them to abhorre before he commendeth vnto them lowly humilitie as principally requiring the same at their hands and signifieth vnto them that they shall not shew themselues to be Lords ouer Gods heritage if they make themselues examples of meeknes and mildnes modestic and moderation vnto their flocks The like exhortation also doth Paul make to Titus that aboue all things hee shew himselfe an example of good works with vncorrupt doctrine and this generally then particularly how with grauitie and integritie of life and with the wholesome word which cannot be reprooued For doctrine to what end or effect euen twofolde as a double fruit redounding from thence as first to the shame blame of his aduersaries and his own good name and fame that they which withstand may be ashamed hauing nothing concerning you to speake euill of Tit. 2.7.8 Herein following the steps of our Sauiour Christ Iesus who before warned his Disciples and in them al the ministers and preachers of the word of what degree or place soeuer that the light of their life doe shine forth before men c. for these two ends for the good of men and the glorie of God when he saith Let your light so shine before men c. Mat. 5.16 But more especially to this particular vertue of humilitie which our Apostle principally aimeth at in this place Mat. 11.29 Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart c. wishing them to shew themselues examples of humilitie vnto the people as he declared himselfe a president of meeknesse and lowlinesse vnto them and that in heart and not in tongue in deed and not in word in truth and not in shew for the learned ministerie ought so to consult with their science that they correct their conuersatiō according to an vpright conscience and so to frame and fashion their whole life and manners that they being in holy as Christ is holy they righteous as he is righteous and perfect as their heauenly father is perfect their flock may imitate them as they themselues are followers of Christ and that as the word is a rule and square vnto them so they to be a line and leuell a platforme and scantling vnto others Yea they ought to endeuour so to be endued with all the vertues of our Sauiour that if it were possible they might obtaine to his perfection and attaine vnto the measure of his age and fulnesse as Paul exhorteth Eph. 4.13 that all their workes might be nothing els but oracles and their workes miracles that although they be men yet they may liue as Angels and albeit they haue their habitation here on earth yet to haue their conuersation in heauen that they may be called Gods for practising the word as they are tearmed Gods for preaching the Gospell Ioh. 10.35 For they being as Cities scituate vpon an hill as our Sauiour as watchmen placed in a tower as Ezech and as candles set vpon candlesticks as Iohn in the Apocalip ought especially to shew themselues as lights vnto the feete and lanthornes vnto the pathes of the people who are carried with full force and swift streame to follow the steps of their guides and gouernours for as it is in the Prouerb Regis ad exemplum c. Such as the king is such are the commons as the magistrate so the multitude as the ruler so the residue as the Pastour so are the people and as the minister such is the meanie who thinke it lawfull and laudable to treade the same pathes with their teachers who ought to conduct them in life as they doe instruct them in learning In which respect all ministers and preachers ought carefully to looke vnto themselues that they direct their waies according to Gods will and word sith their sinnes are farre greater and more grieuous yea more hainous and horrible then the trespasse of any other being no single solid sinne but double Sinne by example two folde and therefore dangerous and damnable Nam bis peccat qui exemplo peccat For sinne by example is twofold first by sinning himselfe secondly by causing others to fall by following his folly Herein resembling Sathan or Lucifer the great Dragon who when he forsooke his first estate and came tumbling downe out of heauen fell not himselfe alone but drewe downe with his taile as a traine a great number of starres with him Wherupon the best Schooleman verie wittily saith in this behalfe That Magistrates and Ministers when they sinne they doe Peccare in quid essentialiter but all others but in quale accidentaliter But good God what ministers what manners in
King 1.10.10 And king Salomon himselfe was most bountiful when he gaue Hiram king of Tyrus 20. Cities in the land of Galilee 1. King 9.11 And when he gaue to the Queene of Saba whatsoeuer she would aske besides that he gaue of his kingly liberalitie 1. King 10.13 And finally when as hee gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones and gaue Caedars as the wilde fig-trees which grow in great plentie on the plaine 1. King 10.27 Mordecay the Iew was highly honoured of Asuerus when he caused him to weare his owne royall apparell and to ride on his owne horse in the streets of the Citie and made Hammon a great Prince to proclaime before him Thus shall it be done vnto the man whom the King will honour Ester 6.11 Daniell the Prophet was greatly exalted of King Darius when as he made him chiefe ruler ouer 120. gouerners Dan. 6.1 The wise men of the East which might seeme to be great states or Potentates by their great giftes offered vnto our Sauiour precious presents euen gold incense and mirrh Mat. 3.11 Constantine the great that renowmed Emperour and Monarch of all the world greatly promoted and enriched the Church when as he bountifully bestowed vpon the same most liberall collations and donations large rents and reuenues ample landes and possessions and with al princely priuiledges and prerogatiues As also diuers others Godly and christian Kings and Queens in the like royall beneuolence and benificence haue followed his excellent example in shewing themselues foster fathers and noble nourcing mothers vnto the Church Finally many earthly princes haue notably exalted diuers of their wel-deseruing subiects and seruants by giuing vnto them great mannors and honours high degrees honourable dignities euen Lordshippes Earldomes and Duchies to make them the second persons of the Realmes but yet so as they alwaies reserued and preserued their owne crownes thrones and kingdomes vnto themselues But our Sauiour Christ Iesus who is the king of all kings the most mightie Soucraigne Monarch of heauen and earth who so farre surpasseth all worldly princes as the sunne doth the moone or starres heauen the earth and the creator the creature being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil calleth him a giuer of great things bestoweth nothing vpon those whom hee will prescree and promote honour and exalt but a crowne throne or kingdome surinounting them in greatnesse of reward as hee exceedoth and excelleth them in essence and power And no maruell is it if our Sauiour giue nothing els but a crowne as thinking all other things to be base for him to bestow vpon those to whom he promiseth any reward when as all principalities dominions and kingdomes are at his commaund and appointment and at whose feete all kings and princes shall lay downe their crownes mounds and scepters as hauing receiued the same before at his hands of which he so often ascertaineth assureth the elect and faithfull in his Gospell as Iob. 14. Feare not little flocke for my heauenly Father will giue you a kingdome Luk. 22. As my Father hath appointed vnto me a kingdome euen so doe I appoint vnto you Mat. 19. ye shall sit on twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Finally neuer doth our Sauiour or his Apostles offer and profer in the name and person of Christ any reward vnto the righteous but it is either a crowne a throne or kingdome as it may appeare euerie where in the Gospels of the Euangelists and Epistles of the Apostles So gracious alwaies is God in his gifts so rich in his rewards and so bountifull in all his benefites and blessings so that in this if euer in any thing that Prouerb of the Poet is found most true Non libet exiguis rebus adesse Ioui As likewisein respect of vs that receiue the same he giueth this so great a guerdon euen to crowne vs with mercie and louing kindnesse in bestowing vpon vs of his owne gracious good liking more then we could expectare vel expetere require or request deserue or desire hope to haue or dare to receiue at his hands of his fauourable vouchasasing to make that account and regard of vs as to deeme and esteeme vs woorthy of no meaner a reward then of a crowne and that therefore because we haue attained to that dignitie to be called the sonnes of God by the election of the Father the redemption of the spirit whereby we euen loath and neglect al worldly things whatsoeuer and account them with Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as doung be they neuer so godly and glorious in the sight of flesh and bloud but onely to aime at the high price of the calling of God in Christ Iesus As whose heroicall spirits should disdaine al their temporanie and transitorie trash and trumperie toies and trifles but to crie and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Achilles whē he followed Hector in Homer and againe Neque enim leuia aut ludicra petuntur with Aeneas pursuing Turnus in Virgil for seeing all the faithfull are Eagles as the Scripture tearmeth them they must neither creepe on the earth with the Serpent nor sit on dunghils with the Rauens but soare aloft for their pray and where the carkasse is thither must they resort as our Sauiour in the Gospell euen to aspire and ascend vp where he himselfe is to sit with him in his throne For as it is in the Prouerb Aquila non capit muscas The Eagle will catch no flies that is regard little and light things but as he is the Prince of birds so will he be crowned as a King and Soueraigne But if we shall then receiue a crowne what manner of crowne shall it be Diuers sorts of crownes For there is diuers sorts of crownes there is Ciuica corona a crowne made of Oaken bowes which was giuen of the Romans to him that saued the life of any citizen in battel against his enemies Secondly Obsidionalis which was of grasse giuen vnto him that deliuered a town or citie from sicdge Thirdly Muralis which was of gold giuen vnto him that first scaled the wall of any towne or castle Fourthly Castrensis which was likewise of golde giuen vnto him that first entred the campe of the enemie Fiftly Naualis and that also of gold giuen vnto him that first by valour bourded the shippe of the enemy Sixtly Oualis which was of Mirtle which was giuen to those captaines that subdued any towne or Citie or that woon any fielde casily without losse or shedding of bloud Seuenthly and lastly Triumphalis which was of Laurell giuen to that chiefe Generall or Consul which after some notable victorie and conquest came home triumphing But all these or the most of them were rather garlands then crownes yea the verie best of those that were of gold rather coronets then crowns and if crowns rather crowns of honor then of glorie This crowne therefore that our chiefe Shepheard shall giue and the faithfull elders of the Church
euerie Christian but also both apt to Catechise the ignorant and able to confound the aduersarie as Paul requireth in euerie Pastor So that now if euer in this last age of the Church is as it were the ripest haruest of the Lord the complement of the auncient prophesies and the fulfilling of the former promises There remaineth now no more but this euen the expecting of the comming of the Lord of the haruest himselfe of whom all the elect and the faithfull may reape and receiue that reward of their knowledge which our Sauiour himselfe hath set downe in the Gospell euen life euerlasting which God the Father grant vs Iohn 17. who hath promised the same vnto vs in his word Christ Iesus giue vnto vs that hath purchased the same for vs by his bloud and the holy Ghost bestow vpon vs who hath confirmed the same by this vnction To whom being three persons and one immortal inuisible and onely wise God be all praise honour glorie power dominion and maiestie both now and for euer Amen FINIS A FESTIVALL SERMON ON THE NAtiuitie of Christ 1. TIM 3.16 And without controuersie great is the misterie of godlinesse which is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleened on in the world and receiued vp into glorie THE Apostle Paul writing to his scholer Timothie whether Elder or Euangelist Doctour or Pastour Byshop or Archbishop of Ephesus in the primitiue church after he had described vnto him in most liuely flourishing and orient colours the office both of a Byshop and Deacon the two most necessarie functions in the Churh of God established by Christ with all the adiuncts properties qualities duties and complements belonging vnto them both from the beginning of this chappter vnto the 15. verse thereof and to what end and purpose euen that Timothy might know how to behaue himselfe in Pauls absence in the house of God Which house of God because he mentioned it he taketh occasion to define the same euen to be the Church of God the pillour and ground of truth And taking his hint as it were from the last word of the definition in the verse immediately before which is truth he taketh the like occasion to define the same truth and so as it were descending downe from one thing vnto another The parts of this text first defineth what that truth is although he call it by another name euen Godlinesse and then setteth downe the parts of it But before we come either to the one or to the other he prefixeth a Preface before So that this text might seeme to consist of three parts Preface of a Preface in the first words Without controuersie of a definition of Godlinesse or truth in the next A definitiō Great u the mysterie of Godlinesse and finally of a description A description or rather an enumeration of the parts thereof being six in number Which is God manifested in the slesh iustafied in the spirit c. So that if you will you may call this text a short summe or symbole of our faith or an halfe creed containing 6. Articles or a small Catechisme consisting of 6. parts or a breuiarie of christian religion comprehended in 6. principall points or an Epitome of the Gospell comprised in 6. Aphorismes of diuinitie to conclude it may be tearmed the tree of truth which hath 6. branches The tree of truth the first and lowest branch toucheth the earth and the highest and top branche reacheth to the heauens not vnlike to a pleasant fountain or welspring that deuideth it selfe into six streames But of these things seuerally as they lie in order in the text Without controuersie It is the common course and custome of the holy ghost and of the holy prophets and Apostles the penclearkes and secretaries of the spirit of God thorow out the whole Scriptures whensoeuer they mention anie matter of waight or moment whither it be wonder or miracle strange in our eies and hard to be beleeuede or oracle and misterie darke to be conceiued and obscure to be vnderstood or an heauie iudgment and punishment to be powred vpon the wicked or a gratious benefit and blessing to be bestowed vpon the Godly or any other thing that doth most neerely concerne our soules health and saluation before they pronounce the one or denounce the other to the comfort and consolation of the elect and to the terror and horror of the reprobate to prefixe a preface before the same for to rouse vp their heauie soules to waken their sleepie hearts to quicken their dull spirits and to stirre vp their deafe eares heedfully to heare and reuerently to regard that which followeth that they might make vse and take profit in faithfully beleeuing and willingly allowing and approuing that which God commendeth and commaundeth in his word As namely that most ordinarie preface both in the olde new testament Ecce Behold as also that so common among the Prophets Thus saith the Lord likewise that so often in the Gospell of our Sauiour I say vnto you and verily I say vnto you and againe verely verely I say vnto you And finally that which is so vsual with Paul to keepe our selues within the compasse of our Apostle and of his Epistle yea this first Epistle to Timothy It is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receiued 1.15.3 1. and 4.9 But this which is here vsed passeth all the rest being an affirmation of the Apostle with all asseuerance and a confirmation with all assurance Signifying hereby that the matter which followeth is without all doubt question or controuersie yea as the word it selfe purporteth in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc est certum compertum concessum confessum ab omnibus as being certaine sure granted and confessed of al men and that therefore it is to be attended on diligently receiued carefully kept saithfully Against which if any obiect that this is not onely not granted of some but a so vtterly gainsaied and not onely doubted of but flatly denied of manie as first of Atheists who neither acknowledge God nor Christ Secondly of the Iewes to whom this misterie is an offence Thirdly of the Gentiles to whom this Godlinesse is foolishnesse Fourthly Turkes and Saracens to whom this truth is a fable Fiftly of Heretikes to whom this doctrine is nothing els but errour and falshood As namely of the Martionites that denie Christ to be manifested in the flesh of the Arrians that denie him to be iustified in the spirit of the Saduces that say there are no Angels nor spirits and therefore that Christ could not be seene of Angels As also some Infidels who neuer yet heard of Christ and likewise many worldlings which neuer as yet beleeued on Christ And lastly of the Apellites Christolites and Carpocratians which gainsay Christ to haue been taken vp and ascended into heauen but onely his Godhead and Diuinitie and
in the Scripture or Sacramentum in the Fathers straightway they being of a light credit beleeued that therby was meant a Sacrament and therefore besides our two currant sacraments which Christ himselfe instituted they haue coyned fiue other which are counterfait making them al to be in number seuen wherin they shewe themselues guiltie of high treason against the diuine maiesty of God in daring to be so bolde as presumptuously to counterfait his sacred seales and sacrilegiously to take vpon them the person of God himselfe in robbing Christ of his Honor and making newe Sacraments in his Church and to conclude in ignorantly abusing this word contrarie to the true sense and meaning therof For if that were certaine that Mysterium shuld alwaies signifie a Sacrament Misterium that should there be manie more Sacraments then they themselues make sith the same is so often vsed in the olde and new Testament but especially in the Gospell for then should the kingdome of God be a Sacrament Mar. 4.11 and the calling of the Gentiles a Sacrament Rom. 11.20 the preaching of the word a Sacrament Eph. 6.19 The iniquitie of Antichrist a Sacrament 2. Thess 2.7 Faith a Sacrament 1. Tim. 3.9 The name of the whore of Bablyon a Sacrament Apoc. 17.5 And finally Godlinesse in this place a Sacrament And many more besides these which we cannot stand to repeate because in the Greek they are said to be mysteries which how absurd and foolish it is those whom God hath induced with a wise hart of vnderstanding and knowledge may easily perceiue and discerne And how iniurious they are against vs in calling vs Sacramentaries for syncere vsing and rightly receiuing the Sacrament of the Supper according to Christs owne institution and instruction when as they rather deserue the same name in stamping out by the mint of their owne braine more and other Sacraments then our Sauiour ordained in his Gospell as we worthely also tearme them sacrificers in that they seeme daily to offer in their Idolatrous masse a bloudy sacrifice propitiatorie both for the quicke and the dead But the vnskilfull and superstitious Papists make not so honourable account and holy regard of this word Mysterie and that for want of iudgement in the reading of the Scriptures and the Fathers for vnto them may it be said in this respect as our Sauiour in the Gospell vnto the Scribes and Pharises in the like Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God as on the contrarie part the vulgar sort doe prophanely and irreligiously abuse the same in tearming their vile and illiberall artes their Mechanicall sciences Manuall craftes by the name of Mysteries they both running into extreamities the one in enhauncing it too high the other in debasing it too lowe when as indeede to keepe the golden meane we are to deeme so high of it as to iudge it to be some heauenly and supernaturall thing and therefore according to the phrase of the Scripture and meaning of the holy ghost we are to learne to call anie difficult and diuine secret by this name as our Apostle tearmeth Godlinesse in this place signifying hereby not onely generally that the whole Scripture and the word of God contained both in the olde and new Testament is a mysterie in this sense and therfore likened of Hierome not only to a shallow fourd wherein a lambe may wade but also to a deepe sea wherein an Elephant or Tyger may swimme Whereupon our Sauiour in respect of the profunditie thereof willeth vs Iohn 5.39 to search the Scriptures the word in the Greeke which he there vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a diligent seeking and enquiring being a Metaphore or borrowed speech taken from Didoppers or duckers vnder the water which flock not aloft but diue downe to the bottome to finde and fetch any thing vp called in Lattin Vrinatores ab vrino which is deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or els from Miners which doe not pare the ground but digge deepely manie fadomes into the earth for the gold siluer pearles precious stones or other mettals and minerals which there lurke lie hid As our Sauiour calleth the Doctrine of the Gospell the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen Mat. 13.11 and therefore in another place he telleth his Disciples that he had manie other things to speake vnto them which were as then too heauie to carrie and too hard to bear away for them which were not as yet able and stable pillours of Christs Church but weake and young nouices in Gods house for there is not onely in the Scripture milke fit for babes which are vnexpert in the word of Righteousnes but also strong meate which belongeth to them which are of age and perfect which through long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne betweene good and euill as the Apostle Heb. 5.13.14 Wherupon Peter also he saith of the Epistles of Paul a part of this Scripture that there are manie things in them that are hard to bee vnderstood which many peruert euen to their owne damnation for as in humane learning and secular arts and sciences there are manie matters verie hard to be known and learned as the Axiomes of the Logitians the Principles of the Mathematitians the Aphorismes of the Physitians the Maximes of the Lawyers the Problemes of the Philosophers the Emblemes of the Poets euen so are there in the Diuine knowledge of godlinesse manie difficult things to be vnderstood the Apocrypha of the olde Testament the Apocalips of the new Testament and as prophane Authors make mention of the leaues of the Sibyls the Oracles of Apollo the riddles of Sphinx which no block-headed dunces like Dauus but onely pregnant wits as Oedipus can expound and declare So are there in the holy writers manie darke speeches and hard sentences as the Prouerbs of Salomon and the Parables of our Sauiour the visions of Esay Ezechiel and Daniel and the Reuelations of Peter Paul and Iohn which passe in obscuritie Democritus depths Heraclitus darknesse Aristophanes cloudes Platoes members Aristotles meteors and Metaphysicks and Scipioes dreame and which no naturall man by the helpe of reason but only the spirituall man by the gift of wisedome can conceiue and perceaue as our Apostle before So that I say not onely generally in regarde of the whole Scripture Godlines is Godlinesse here called a mysterie but also particularly in respect of these speciall mysteries hereafter named and set downe in their order whereof the chiefest is the first euen the greatest mysterie of all others vpon which all the other depend as consequences and coherents euerie one of them containing in them matter of great maruel and wonder in the eies and eares of flesh and bloud incredible and impossible surpassing the reach of humane reason and surmounting the mediocritie of mans wit as shall bee shewed at large when we come seuerally to discourse of them And thus much of the former part of this definition of Godlinesse that
iustification of Christs diuinitie and his declaration to be God what greater then the testimonie of elect Angels what greater matter then the publishing of the Gospell the conuersion of the Gentiles and the ascention of our Sauiour Farre greater then any mysteries that were before time mentioned in the olde Testament then the creation of the wide world then the inundation of the earth then the deliuerance of the Israelites out of Egypt then the promulgation of the Lawe and the returne of the Iewes out of the captiuitie of Babylon which are all notwithstanding great miracles and most meruailous in our cies And as this misterie is great first in respect of the cause and secondly in respect of the matter both for quantitie and qualitie not onely generally but also particularly as we haue shewed at large So thirdly is it called great in respect of the effect thereof for that it maketh them great which vnderstand and beleeue this mysterie which make vse and take profit by it As first generally Godlinesse this mysterie made Moyses verie great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaos seruants and in the sight of the people Exod. 11.3 This made Dauid haue a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth 1. Chron. 17.8 This also made Daniel of great reputation with the people Dan. 13.64 Euen as Alexander Pompey and Constantine the great so called for their great Artes atchieuements but particularly this great mystery of the Gospel this manifestation of God in the flesh for so saith our Sauiour whosoeuer shall obserue and teach anie of the commandements of the Gospell the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 And especially the precept of humilitie and therein to follow the president of our Sauiour and be as a little child Humilitie the same shall be the greatest in the kingdome of heauen 18.4 This made Iohn the Baptist great as the Angell foretolde that he should be great in the sight of the Lord Luk. 1.15 and not onely great but the greatest Prophet that was borne of women And yet such and so great is the effect of this misterie that it maketh him that is the least in the kingdome of heauen to bee greater then he 7.28 This made Marie great as she confesseth her selfe saying he that is mighty hath magnified me and therefore her soule magnified the Lord as it is in her Magnificat Luk. 2. Is this mysterie then of Godlinesse considered either generally or particularly Great that we may adde an edge to that which hath been spoken great in respect of the soueraigne Author thereof which is God great in regard of the subiect matter therof the word and will of God finally great in respect of the soule sauing effect therof to be great in the kingdome of heauen Then if thou wouldest be brought to God if thou care for thine owne saluation it thou desire euerlasting blisse renownce all other false religions forsake all other vain professions make account of no other fond mysterie there is but one way without wandring and that is Christ but one veritie without errour and that is the Gospell but one life without death and that is in heauen This great mysterie in this text is that life this truth is that veritie and this Godlinesse is that way Haec via sine deuio haec veritas sine dubio hac vita sine taedio as saith a learned Father To this mysterie let all new inuentions vnwritten verities and humane doctrines giue place the Cabala of the Iews the Alcaron of the Turke the obscurities of the Gnosticks the profundities of the Valentinians the illuminations of the Catharists and the traditions of the Catholiks all which must needs vanish away as the mistie cloudes before the sunne and be scattered as the dust before the winde and finally be consumed as the rods of the charmers of Egypt by Aarons Rodde euen as all the Oracles of the Heathen ceased at the comming of Christ and all the religions were put to silence by the preaching of the Gospell and the euill spir it s of Sathan which possessed men were throwne out by the power of the spirit of the holy Ghost To this religion therefore only ought all the faithfull christians to giue their assent and consent which no Tyrant could euer extinguish were he neuer so mightie or malitious nor hereticke confute were he neuer so learned or subtile nor anie enemy conuince were he neuer so powerfull or politicke which may be for a time yclouded or ecclipsed but shall neuer wholy loose her light and pressed and depressed for a while but shall neuer finally be oppressed and lastly may be assailed and assaulted but neuer vtterly vanquished To conclude therefore leaue all other Doctrines and cleaue onely to this mysterie forsake all other professions and betake thy selfe onely to this Godlines cast away all other falshoods and holde fast this truth and let neither the buffetings of Satan the baites of the flesh the pleasures of sinne nor the golden apples of the world cause thee to let go thy holde but holde it fast for euer euen to the end God manifested in the flesh Thus much of this great mysterie of truth or godlinesse as it is here generally defined of the Apostle now of the particular parcels and branches thereof in their due order But first of the maine branche out of which the rest doe grow and flow contained in these words Man hauing lost his first perfection forsaken his former puritie and made himselfe subiect to corruption in the beginning breaking Gods commandements euer after transgressing the lawe of the Lord and neuer ceasing to sinne in thought word deed not onely our first parents the Authors of our iniquities causers of our infirmities and originall rootes of our pollution but also all the children of men in their generations in all times and ages of the world as being the spawne of those rebels the corrupt fruites of such rotten trees the bitter water of vnpure fountaines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foules of the same feather birdes of the same brood sinners of the same stampe sinning sonnes of sinfull parents according to that prouerbe of the Prophet The fathers haue eaten sower grapes and their childrens teeth are set on edge For as the Apostle Paul saith out of the Psalmist There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh after God they haue all gone out of the way they haue been made altogither vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one c. Rom. 3. And as the Prophet Esay From the sole of the foote vnto the crowne of the head there is nothing whole therein but wounds swellings and soars full of corruption 1.6 And finally as the Lord God himselfe All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are onely euill continually Gen. 6.5 And therefore man to deserue nothing els but condemnation
curse and death as first condemnation for so the Apostle By the offence of one the fault came on all men vnto cōdemnation Rom. 5.18 Secondly curse for as saith the same Apostle out of Deut. 27.26 Cursed is euerie man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Gal. 3.10 Thirdly death for according to the commination of the law whosoeuer shall not performe euerie iote and tittle of the lawe shall die the death and the conclusion of our Apostle The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. And the last with condemnation curse and death not temporall or for a time but perpetuall and for euer because man himselfe was neuer able to beare and abide as the Lord himselfe knew who seeth all his frailties and infirmities and yet it being necessarie that man hauing sinned man should suffer for that the sentence of condemnation should not be reuersed nor curse of the lawe reuoked nor the doome of death redeemed but that one must needes die for the people and one for all and not that man alone as being sufficient because all men had trāns gressed nor a beast being too base to satisfie for so great and so manie trespasses nor an Angell as being too weake for such a punishment and passion It pleased God the Father of his gratious goodnesse to send downe his onely begotten sonne out of his owne bosome and it liked also Christ himselfe the sonne of God yea God of God light of light verie God of verie God of his owne intire loue to vouchsafe to discend downe from the highest heauen vpon the earth and to be incarnate incorporate and compassed about with our claiey mould to take vpon him our vile and seruile nature and to be manifested vnto the world in our weake fraile and wretched flesh and to be borne of a silly simple and sinfull woman to performe for man all obedience and to reforme his disobedience to ransome sinne and redeeme his transgression by his body to saue our soules and by his owne death to purchase our liues by his owne crucifying to take away our curse by his owne condemnation to obtaine a common saluation and by his owne sacrifice to make a generall satisfaction for all other vnto God his father O magna gratia magna dignatio And this is that great wonderfull mystery which is so notably set out by the Euangelists in the Gospell which when we consider our spirite must needes be rauished our senses benummed our Witts captiuated and all our outward and inward parts and powers to be astonished that the word should be come fleash Iohn 1.14 and to be made of the seede of Dauid according to the fleash Rom. 1.3 and being in the fourme of God and thinking it noe robberie to be equall with God should make himselfe of no reputation and take vpon him the fourme of a seruant and be made like vnto men and be formed in shape of a man Phil. 2.6.7 which is such a misterie that I may vse Austin words in an other matter Yet fitly applied to this purpose Vt altitudine ipsa rerum superbos terreat profunditate attē tos teneat veritate magnos pascat vtilitate paruulos nutriat in his 5. lib Genesi ad Lite Chapit 3. that with the depth thereof it terrifieth the arrogant which thinke they can conceiue all thinges with the hardnesse thereof it will make men attentiue and studious which otherwise would be idle and negligent and with the truth thereof will exercise the most perfit and able which thinke all matters easie and plaine and lastly with the pressire and fruitfulnesse thereof will nourish the simplier sorte which like younge sucklinges can hardly brooke anie stronge meates and not onely such a misterie but such a greate misterie as what could be greater saith the same Father that a virgin should cōceaue a sonne without the seede of man What greater then that God should be borne of a woman and what finally greater then this that she that confesseth herselfe a lowly handmaid should become the mother of her owne maker Where vpon Austin saieth vpon the Magnificat Misterium incarnationis verbi super omnia constat esse ineffabile Wherein are not only manie but also greate miracles as that a virgin should become a mother God a man Greate miracles and the Creatour a Creature that truth should come out from the Earth that Righteousnesse should looke downe from Heauen that maiestie shuld take vpon it Humilitie that he that is the Auncient of daies and was for euer before all daies and created euery day should be borne in a daie to deliuer vs from the euill of euerie day that he by his birth should bestow vpon his mother the gifte of fruitfulnes yet not take away from her the vertue of virginitie that he that in the beginning of the world made the first Adā according to his own Image and similitude should make himselfe afterwards in the ending of the world according to our similitude and likenesse descending downe vnto vs by that which he tooke of ours deliuering vs by that which remained in himselfe conceiued by the holy Ghost not of the substance but by the power thereof not by generation but by benediction Finally not by propagation but by sanctification and his Mother conceauing him not by man but by God not by seede but by the spirit not by humaine meanes but by the ouer shadowing of the most highest So that as he was borne without Carnall copulation so was he brought forth with out mortall corruption And as he was first borne of his Father before al worldes without a mother and did create the world so secondly was he borne of his mother in the world without a father that he might consecrate by his deuine Maiestie inuisible by his humaine birth visible in them both wonderfull of the one as impossible to be expressed the Prophet saith And who shall declare his generation Esaie 53. Of the other as necessarie to be knowne and credible to be beleeued The Euangelist And the birth of Christ Iesus was after this māner Math 1. Before he was borne abiding in the bosome of his father and yet filling the wombe of his mother in the time of his birth the euerlasting Father in heauen and yet a Young infant vpon the Earth after birth a light shining in the world as Iohn and yet dwelling in the light that cannot be attained vnto as Paule of which his birth and of the manner and ende thereof Austin hath these sweete words Vt Sponsus processit de thalamo suo vt gigas exultauit ad currendam viam speciosus vt sponsus fortis vt gigas amabilis et terribilis serenus seuerus pulcher bonis asper malis that is he went forth as a bridegrome c. Which manner of his bringing forth was farre more strāg then any other birthes of mankind that were before then that first of
Adam foure creations of man who was only formed of the slime of the Earth without man or woman then the second Eue who was made of a ribbe of man only without any woman and then the third of all men in generall both by man and woman according to the ordinarie and common course of nature This foure being by woman alone without man a new thing a strang matter a wonderfull miracle neuer the like seene nor hard of before Yea such a marueile as that the reporte of it made an infant to skippe in his mothers wombe for Ioye the Heauens to speake by a starre to declare the wonder of it the wise men from the East to come from farre to see and be eyewitnesses of it the Angels to singe in the Consort and to shew fourth their gladnesse after it was made knowne vnto them The sheaphards of Bethlem to runne in hast to behould it after it was declared vnto them the auncient father Simeon to desire to die and departe in peace after he had seene his saluation Finally this made the ould Prophetesse Anna when as by the motion of the spirit this thing was reueled vnto her to leaue her prayer to God and to fal to praising the Lord Christ and from fasting to come not only to confesse him her selfe but also to commend him vnto other And such a misterie as none was thought worthie to be messenger of the same not a holy preist nor a deuine Frophet nor a greate Patriarch but an holy Angell and Archangel euen Gabriell that standeth in the presence of God Whose countenance being terrible his garments glorious and his cōming sodaine in visiting the virgin Marie he troubled her and yet his voice being pleasant his words sweete and his tydings gladsome in saluting her comforted her telling her that as she was the beloued virgin of God and handmaide of God so she should be the blessed mother of God and spouse of God And such a miracle as whereby the word did not perish being turned into fleash but fleash least it should perish cleauing to the word that as man is both soule and bodie so Christ might be both God and man not by confusion of nature but by vnitie of person and this conceaued and perceaued not with the Eies of the fleash but with the faith of the harte the only begotten and the first begotten of his Father and the first begotten of his bretheren lying in a manger filling the whole world wrapped in swadling clothes and thundering in the Cloudes sucking on earth the pappes of his mother and yet sitting in Heauen at the right hand of God his Father and is finally such a greate mysterie as that it compriseth the principall Pillour of our faith the most certaine groūd of truth the strongest foūdation of the Church wherein we are to consider first the vnspeakeable loue of God the father towards vs who would not spare his owne and only sonne but freely gaue him to saue vs. And our Sauiour in the gospell God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Secondly his owne incomparable loue in shewing himselfe so kinde and courteous vnto mankind as to suffer himselfe to be cast in his mould to be clothed with his fleash to be compassed about his infirmities which he himselfe commen deth Iohn 15.13 Saying to his disciples greater loue then this hath no man c. Both which their loues our Apostle Paule setteth out most liuelie Rom. 5.8 when he saith God setteth out his loue towards vs seing the while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And thirdly our Sauiour Christs lowly humilitie herein likewise appeareth as Paule also declareth the same as that he being in forme of God and thinking it no robberie to be equall with God made himselfe of no reputation c. Phil. 2.6.7 Here then first we are to know for our instruction the two natures of Christ secondlie the destinction of both his natures 2 natures of Christ as first his diuinitie in that the Apostle calleth him God Three distinctions and then his humanitie in affirming him to be manifested in the fleash Thirdly the Hipostaticall vnion and communitie of of properties in one the same personne of our Sauiour three deepe misteries contained and couched in three words in quibus saieth Beza verie briefly duae ponuntur distinguntur vniuntur naturae Christi whereby three sorts of Heresies are confuted First the Arrirans that denie the diuinitie of our Sauiour Christ secōdly the Marcianits who gaine say Christ to haue a humaine and fleashlie bodie but only an heauenly spiritual bodie thirdly the Nestorians who affirme Christ to haue two persons one of his Humanitie the other of his diuinitie and that his manhoode was deified and changed into his godhead Secondly we are to learne for our edification that we may make vse and take proffit in our life and conuersation by this misterie euen three thinges Austin comprehendeth them together in one sweete sentence Ser. 22. 3 things to be lerned by this misterie De tempore in these words omnis Natiuitatis schola est humanitatis officina patientiae massa virtutis agonia First humilitie in following him in the like lowlinesse in making our selues equall with them of the lower sort as Paule exacteth secondly Patience whereof he shewes himselfe a president that we should follow his steppes in constantly bearing and abiding all kind of aduersitie and of affliction as Peter admonisheth And finally vertue and especially loue that we should loue one another as Christ hath loued vs as our sauiour himselfe cōmādeth Thus much of these words as hauing a general vew of them but now let vs sift the same more narrowly and perticularly consider them not in waie of ample discourse but in manner of a short suruey as first to declare what manifestation this was and secondly the forme thereof For Paule here saith not only that God was manifested but also sheweth how in the fleash we read in Prophaine Histories that the Gods of the Heathen as first Iupiter the greate Father of these Gods that he did metamorphose himselfe into diuers shapes and formes of sundrie Creatures As into a Bull when he laye with Europa into a swanne when he begat of Leda Castor Pollux and into Amphritrio a man when he begatt of Alcmena Hercules of which the Poet. Nā Deus humana lustrās sub imagine terras And likewise the other Gods that they tooke vpon them the like semblance to the same ends and purposes as Apollo when he changed himselfe into a crowe Bacchus into a goate Diana into a catte Iuno into a Cowe Venus into a fishe and Mercurie into the bird Ibis As Ouid conteineth thē altogether Metamorph. 5. Delius in Coruo proles Semeleia capra Fele soror Phebi niuea Saturnia vacca Fisce venus latuit Cyllenius Ibidis alis But these are but Poets faininges being the Painters out of false
in thy sayinges and cleare when thou art iudged And Math. 11.14 where our Sauiour saith And wisedome is Iustified of her children meaning himselfe So likwise is it taken Luke 7.20 where the Euangelist declareth that the Publicans iustified God for those things that are exactly perfect and exquisitly absolute without any want or default and therefore allowed and liked of all are saied by a common Phrase of Scripture to be iustified Whereby Paule setteth out vnto vs the might and maiestie of our Sauiour not in outward habit and appearance or in externall pompe or power but in inward spirit and deuine vertue in mightie miracles wonderful workes heaueÌ„ly doctrine most glorious greate and other incomprehensible effects by which word and Phrase the Apostle endeauoreth to take away all kinde of weake diffideÌ„ce or distrust which might any way be conceaued in our harts by taking offence at the lowe and base estate of Christs our sauiours maÌ„hood which seemed to be so vile abiect and contemptible as some supposed him to be only a base and silly man As likewise by spirit in this place is not onely meante that mortified and regenerate partes of man which is contrarie to the fleash as it is vsually taken in the scriptures and especially in the Epistle to the Romans but for what soeuer was and is in Christ extraordinarie supernaturall aboue coÌ„mon manhood and mortalitie As if the Apostle Paule had said although he was cloathed with our fleash combred with our frailties coÌ„passed with our infirmities yet none of these did weakeÌ„ the power of his truth the flower of the glorie of his diuinitie or once derogate from the honour of his maiestie As that although he was verie maÌ„ yet not withstanding he was true God although he tooke vpon him the fourme of a seruant yet he thought it no robberie to be equall with his father Phil. 2.7 for in him remaineth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 And he was the brightnesse of the glorie and ingrauen fourme of the substance of God his father Heb. 1 3. As it may appeare throughout the whole historie of the Gospell whereby he is described vnto vs to be mighty indeede and in word for so first he approued himselfe to be God in his birth in that he was borne after the common order and maÌ„ner of men his mother being ouershadowed by the power of the most highest and himselfe coÌ„ceaued by the holy ghost Secondly at his inauguration consecraction after his baptisme when as by the â—iuely voice and diuine oracle from heauen he was pronounced and proclamed to be the Sonne and heire apparent of God his father Thirdly in his temptation when â—s he vanquished Sathan in a Monomachie or single combate and made him voide â—uant from him Fourthly in curing al kind of sicknesses and diseases by taking a way both the cause the effect Fiftly in know â—ng both the thoughts and harts of men as â—t appeareth ofteÌ„times in the Gospel Sixtâ—y in stilling the winde calming the sea â—nd in working other strange signes and wonders Seauenthly in his Passion when as the weakenes of his fleash was succouâ—ed and sustained by the strength of his Godhead Eightly in his Resurection in â—hat he was able to laye downe his life and to take it to him againe Ninthly in asceÌ„ding vp into Heauen for as our Sauiour in the Gospell Iohn 3. No man hath ascended vp into heauen but he that descended downe from Heauen euen the sonne of man which also is in Heauen And tenthly in sending downe the Holy Ghost his blessed spirite which proceeded as well from himselfe as from God his father Insomuch that we cannot but confesse and say with Nicodemus the Pharisie that none can doe such things as these except he came from God or except he were God himselfe without question therefore to be iustified in this place is as Athanasius in his booke De surrectione carnis explaineth it Iustitiam habere nâ—â— humano more sed diuina puritate that is to be iust and Righteous in himselfe and 〈◊〉 himselfe not according to humaine qualitie but by a diuine spirit for so signifieth this Hebrue Phrase in this place and iâ— respect of vs being allone with that which our Apostle hath 1. Col. 1.30 that he is bâ—come our righteousnesse redemption sanctification and saluation being the whole and soâ—â— scope and hope of their faith which by thâ— same spirit doe beleeue putte their truâ—â— in him not resting or relying vpoÌ„ any other meane or merrit what so euer And of this iustifiyng had not only our Sauiour Christ the testimonie of his owne spirit euen the Holy Ghost which was a witnesse vnto Iohn the Baptist wheÌ„ he descended downe vpon him invisibly in the forme of a doue Math 3.16 Which heauenly vision was a diuine oracle and siuely voice of God himselfe which the Lord caused to appeare â—nto him that when he knewe not our Saviour it might be as an infallible token to â—iscerne him from all other as he himselfe â—onfesseth Iohn 1.33.34 And I knewe â—im not but that he sente me to baptize with water he said vnto me vpon whome thou â—halt see the spirit come downe and tarrie still â—ne him that is he that baptizeth with the holy Ghost And I sawe and bare record that â—his is the sonne of God But also the spirit of â—he Saints and seruants of God which giueth â—estimony vnto themselues and their owne â—oules that our Sauiour is their Lord and God â—or so saith Paule in the person of all the electe and faithfull 1. Cor. 8.5.6 Though their â—e that are called Gods whether in HeaueÌ„ or in Earth as there be many Gods and many Lords yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whom are althings and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are althinges and we by him againe 1. Col. 12.3 No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost But to drawe to an Ende for this point and to make our vse of this matter we are heere taught that we should laboure to iustifie our selues both before God and man not externally by carnall and earthly thinges but internally after an heauenly and spiritual manner not with the hypocritical Ieweâ— in Esaies daies 29.13 To drawe neere vnto God with their mouth and honour him with their lippes but in hart to be farre from theâ— And with the Scribes and Pharises in our Sauiour Christs time to be serious obseruers of outward ceremonies and to be far from inward sinceritie Math. 15.8 not superstitiously with the vnfaithfull Iewes and Idolatrous Samaritans to worshippe they know not what nor ignorantly they knowe not how nor blindly they knowe not where but as the true worshippers to worshippe the father in spirit in truth for God is a spirit and they that worshippe him must worshippe him in the spirit and in trueth Iohn 4.23.24 not to
declare our selues to be those of these last daies perillous times which Paule foretould should be in the world hauing ashew of Godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2. Tim. 3.5 not to loue one another in tougne in word only but indeede and in truth as Iohn exhorteth vs for such externall shewes and semblances such outward facing and gracing with such deepe dissembling and hollow harted hyprocrisie God vtterly hateth and abhorreth wheÌ„ as we dally with God himselfe double with men deceaue our owne soules as may well be said deceauing and being deceaued making this world as it were a Theator the Church a stage themselues as actours and players in seeming to be that which they are not in disguising theÌ„selues as it were with the side Robes broad Philactaries and loÌ„g fringes of the scribes and Pharises vice masking vnder the visour of vertue profainenesse lurking vnder the couerture of holynesse and falsehood hiding it selfe vnder the coulour of truth and veritie which is not to follow the steppes of our Sauioure who would only as it is here sette downe be iustified in the spirit and thus much of this second branch of this tree of truth now of the thirde Seene of Angels After that our Apostle had sette downe in the wordes going before that double heauenly misterie of our Sauiour Christ that he was manifested in the fleash and iustified in the spirit he doth amplifie the miracle of that misterie and the power of God by a notable circumstance of greate waight and moment confirming and establishing the same by the witnesse and testimonie of high and Heauenly powers as in matters of greatest importance are requisit to be eye and eare witnesses not persons of base and meane estate and credit but such as are of worthie estimation and reputation not mortall men of the inhabitances of the earth who would be astonished at the wonder of so greate a worke that Christ should become a man but eueÌ„ the immortall Angels the host of heauen who were excedingly glad and reioyced to see the same within finite admiration praysing the name of God being such a newe and strang thing vnto them as they neuer wisht nor thought of before for althoughe it be to begraÌ„ted that these Saints and seruants of God which stand in the presence of God and behold the face of God doe know manie of the secrets of God as being indewed with an excellent knowledge in heauenly mysteries there fore are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as seeing and perceauing much and therfore did no doute vnderstand that the world should at length be redeemed and saued and that Christ in time should be borne and finally should suffer and be slaine for the sinnes of mankind As we reade that the Angell Gabriell did foretell the same vnto the Prophet Daniell 9. Dani. Notwithstanding most sure and certaine it is that they know not euerie misterie miracle of God nor all the secrets of the Lords whole deuine counsels and therefore not euerie particular circumstance of time place and person belonging to the incarnation passion and resurrection of our sauiour neither yet knewe they the meanes and howe these thinges should be brought to passe Insomuch that all be it they sawe not this at the first yet at the last the Lord vouch safed to reuele the same vnto theÌ„ and not onely to make them behoulders thereof but also messengers and ambassadours of so glad tidinges and reioysers of so greate a grace bestowed vpon mankind As was Gabriell not onely the foretellour of these happie newes in general tearmes vnto Daniell as is before declared but also as legate a latere froÌ„ the lord God himselfe the signifier and certifier of all the particular circuÌ„staÌ„ces beloÌ„ging to his incarnation vnto Ioseph Marie Zacharie and the shephards as it may appeare in the beginning of the gospell as first who should be his forerunner euen Iohn the baptist the sonne of Zacharie and Elizabeth Secondly how he should be conceaued euen by the holy ghost Thirdly who should be his mother euen the virgin marie Fourthly the place where he should be borne euen in BethleÌ„ the least of all the cities of Iuda Fifthly his name whereby he should be called eueÌ„ Iesus because he should saue the people from their sinnes with many other specialties sette downe at large by the Euangelists all which when it was perfourmed as the angell had prophesied and had beene fullfilled as Gabriell had fore shewed to Ioseph Marie Zacharias and the sheaphards of Bethelem not only he himselfe but the Angels of God likewise were rapte and rauished as it were with ioy when they saw it brought to passe which made also an host of heauenly souldiers to ioine in consort and to praise God and say Glorie be to God on highe on earth peace and good will towards men Luke 2 13.14 The cause of this their exceeding gladnes being this not only for the common saluation of maÌ„kind and generall grace that had appeared vnto all but for that the Lord vouchsafed both to shew them that fauour as to make them the spectatours of so notable a miracle to giue them that honour as to take them as witnesses of so greate a misterie for the strengthning of our faith enlarging of our hope the ascertaning and assuring of our soules and consciences in the vndouted truth thereof and these as witnesses in the higher degree as in the nexte wordes he descendeth to the testimonie of these that are of lower accompt euen of men here note the Proprietie of the speech the pregnancie of the Phrase which it pleaseth â—he blessed spirite of God in holy and heauenly wisedome here to vse when as the Apostle saith that he was seene of Angels and not that Angels did see him signifying hereby not any vertue in themselues in this respect but Gods vouchsafing toward them Seing that is said to appeare vnto one which is not in the behoulders power to see it As when one hath a stone before his eies which he looketh vpoÌ„ we say not a stoÌ„e is seene of him but he seeth a stoÌ„e the like of the sunne the moone the light the rest of the visible creatures of God here in the world the common and continuall obiects of our sight so that not of their owne nature nor by their owne power nor through any abilitie that was in them did they see the lord Christ but only by Gods gift grace and goodnes was the incarnate word reueiled vnto them and many other misteries which were before vnknowne of them whereupon Beda saith Quod in natiuitate apparuit Angelis claritas quae non aâ—tea in veritate visa est hominibus that is that after the natiuitie of our sauiour there appeared a clearer brightnesse in the angells then euer indeede appeared before vnto men and that in two respects first in regard of the ministerie of the Apostles secondly in respect of the knowledge of the people
their inward hartes being the searcher of the reines saying they gaue their almes before men to be seene and praised of men and caused a trumpet to be blowne before them like Hypocrites in their sinagogues and in the streets And againe when they stoode praying in their sinagogues and in the corners of the streets to be behoulden of men vsing Polulogies and Battologies that is vaine repetions much babblings for which as our Sauiour here telleth they had the guerdon and reward they liked and looked for that is the vaine praise and commendation of the common people Moreouer when they fasted they like Hypocrites looked sowerly and. disfigured their countenance that they might seeme vnto men to fast euen as the Heyre is said to weepe at the death of his father As it is in the Prouerb Haeredis luctus sub larua risus est As it appeareth in the same chapter And againe by deuouring widdowes howses vnder a coulour of long prayers as it is in this Chapter Further by tithing mint comming and Annise and leauing the greater matters of the law vndone as iudgemēt Mercie and fidilitie by making cleane the outside of the cuppes and platters but within being full of briberie and excesse And therefore are likened of our sauiour and that worthely to whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but within are full of deade mens boanes and all filthinesse they appearing outwardly Righteous before men but within full of Hypocrisie and iniquitie So that we see these words most fully confirmed vnto vs that horrible vice did raigne and rule in those Scribes and pharisies and noe maruaile for a learned writer saith Vt quemadmodum semper in Cerimoniis magis sunt operosi Hypocritae quam qui solidam rerum-substantiam tenent Ita factum est vt qui a vera pietate disciuerant longe plus ostentationis sibi asciuerant quam qui fideles for as Diogenes Laertius saith as the Grecician horse did therefore deceaue the after wise Troians because it came in forme of Minerua and as Lysimachus preuailed more by his foxes pelt then by his Lions skin and lastly as Pirrhus was wonte to say that he won more by his Orators policie then by the power of his armie Crocodiles neuer hurting more then when they weepe most Syrenes neuer harming more then when they singe sweetest Scrpentes no where rather lurking then where the grasse is greenest So the diuell neuer destroyeth more soules then when he taketh vpon him an Angell of light So Hypocrites neuer worse neuer more vile and vitious then when they put vpon them the visoure of vertue And lastly so these Scribes and Pharisies then were indeede rauening woules when they did put on sheepes clothing So that it is most true which Salomon saith in the Prouerbs The wicked man when he counterfaiteth him selfe good then is worst of all whereupon Austin saith on the 63. Psalm Simulata aequitas non est aequitas sed duplex iniquitas quia iniquitas est simulatio Wherefore and if there be any such among vs men pleasers vaine glorious ambitious and such like as these Scribes and Pharises were let them remember that all those woes denounced of our Sauiour in this Chap. and in manie other places of the Gospell against these Hypocrites are not denounced in vaine But let them remember what our Sauiour also saieth That except our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnsse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye shal neuer enter into the Kingdome of Heauē that which Paule affirmeth 1. Gal. 11. That those that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is mē pleasers cannot please God nor be the seruants of God But much more the Lord will punish the ministers of his word in this wise offending whose words without workes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wounders and woūds who when they ought to be light are darkenesse when salte vnsauerie and lastly when they ought to be guides had neede to be guided and gouerned themselues who as they vse not their handes whē they doe no good indeede although they doe as Iuglers doe shew knackes of Legerdemaine seeming to do those feates which they doe not by casting a mist before mens eies so that it were noe matter at all if they were toungtied had there lippes glued together sith they doe more hurte by their speaking then they could doe by their silence Non enim ita in cident animae verba vt opera as Chrisostome Hom. 30. in Acts Apost Cap. 14 quoniam si habueris non solum non proderis loquendo sed etiam plus oberas vtilius fuerit tacere quid ita quia sic mihi proponis opus vt si esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insomuch that the people might verie well put their Pastour to rebuke in replying against him and saying with the Poet. Quid verba audiam cum facta videam And againe with Tullie in another place in the same sence Quorsum persuadere nobis conaris quod tibi probare non vis So that we see that this vntowardnesse perversenes of the ministerie in not putting in practise that which they know maketh this blessing of the Gospell oftentimes but halfe a blessing this grace but halfe a grace this light noe light at all and I pray God they make it not a darkenesse yea this blessing noe blessing this grace noe grace this light noe light at all and I praye God we make it not a curse in the end extreame darkenesse worse thē that of Egipte How often hath the Lord God commanded in the Law by the mouth of Moyses his greate Prophet that his Preistes should be holy as is in the 19. Exod. Let the preistes which come vnto the Lord be sanctified least that the Lord forsake them And when they come to the Alter of the Holy let them not bring vpon them the offence least they die againe Leuitic 21. That man in whom there shall be found any spot or fault he shall not come to offer any gifts vnto God And therefore the purging of woundes began first at the Preists Esay 1. So likewise in purging and correcting all sorts of men first the purgation ought to beginne with them as it is writen in the Prophet Ezechiell First beginne with the Sanctuarie For as the Psalm saith Holinesse becommeth my house for euer For when as in the Sacrifices the Preist had for his share the bracelet that couereth the harte as Origen writeth signifying thereby that he should be a man of councell who had also allotted vnto him the right shoulder and the tongue in token that he should be prompt and readie to good workes and eloquence to declare the Lawe of God besides hauing one his breast a tablet wherein was embrodered with letters of gould Vrim and Thummim in token that he should be a man both perfect in life and plenteous also in the trueth of the Lord twelue stones being sette in the same tablet and therein engrauē the names of the