A Crucifixe Ephe. 5. 2. He hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering The good Politician directed Math. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents The way home Math. 2. 12. And being warned of God in a dreame Semper Idem Hebr. 13. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday Gods bounty Prou. 3. 16. Length of dayes is in her right hand The lost are found Luke 19. 10. For the Sonne of man is come to seeke A Generation of Serpents Psal. 58. 4. Their poyson is like the poyson of Serpents Heauen made sure Psal. 35. 3. Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation The Soules refuge 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according The end of the Contents THE HAPPINES OF THE CHVRCH HEBR. 12. Ver. 22. But ye are come vnto Mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing GOD the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels 23. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust men made perfect 24. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel THEY that make comparisons alteram partem deprimunt vt res alterius emineant debase the one part that they may aduance the honour of the other Our Apostle abates the glory of the Law that he may giue more glory where it is more deserued to the Gospell For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceede in glory The summe of the comparison is spent in these three generalls 1. There were Omnia terrena et externa all things outward and sauouring of earth ver 18. A Mount that might still be touched c. Here all Interna et coelestia spirituall and heauenly 2. There are all Obscura et caliginosa darke and difficult Blacknesse darknes c. Here all Clara et illustria cleare and conspicuous therfore the Prophet called Christ Solem Iustitiae The Sun of Righteousnesse and Iohn Baptist stiled him That light which lightens euery one comming into the world 3. There all were Terribilia fearefull and amazing not onely to the people ver 19. who intreated that the Word should not bee spoken to them any more But euen to Moses ver 21. So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Here all Amabilia et laeta louely as Rachel delightfull as Musike the Gospel is called the Message of peace Our Apostle therefore preacheth a double quantity in the Gospell Magnitudinem Gloriae multitudinem gratiae the greatnes of Glory to worke in vs reuerence the multitude of Grace to worke in vs loue obedience The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Christ Iesus The excellency of Christ aboue Moses is exemplified in the third Chapter of this Epistle Moses verily was faithfull in all Gods house as a seruant But Christ as a Sonne ouer his owne house c. To the words the parts are generally two the Accesse and the Obiect First for the Accesse Yee are come What on your own feet without a Guide No Accessistis hoc est fide Euangelica perducti estis Yee are come that is yee are brought by the faith of the Gospel There is one that brings you God euery person in the blessed Trinity It is Opus Patris No man can come except the Father draw him Opus Filij Draw me we will runne after thee Opus spiritus sancti Let thy good spirit lead me into the Land of righteousnes Man is by nature in Zedechias case blind and lame Blind Non inuenisset viam nisi via inuenisset eum vnlesse the vvay had found him he could neuer haue found the way Lame he may know that the Temple of heauen hath a beautiful gate Grace but cannot come thither till God brings him loo sen his stupified ioynts and put into his hand the Almes of mercy This done he may enter into the Temple walking and leaping and praising GOD. Thus first he giues the Soule eyes vnderstanding then feet gracious affections and now expects that he should come God hath not so done all for thee that thou shouldest doe nothing for thy selfe A Deo sine te factus à te fine Deo infectus A Christo sine te refectus non à te fine Christo nec à Christo sine te perfectus God did create thee without thy selfe thou didst lose thy selfe without God without thy selfe Christ did redeeme thee but neither thy selfe without Christ nor Christ without thy selfe shall perfect thee Potest Dominus inueniri adueniri non praeueniri There may be a finding of God a comming to God but no preuenting of God Haue faith Hee that commeth to God must belieue and that of thine owne for there is no comming on anothers foote Thus that we might come to Christ Christ came to vs. Non de coelo merita nostra sed peccata traxerunt Not our merits but our maladies drew that great Physician from heauen to vs. Yee are not comming but come it is rather a time perfectly past then expectantly future Which plainely demonstrates that this is a description of the Church in her militant estate so well as triumphant Indeed either hath a relation to other a communion to other and the inestimable priuiledges of them both are wrapped vp together The connexion of Glory to Grace is so infallible that they often change names Heauen is called the kingdome of Holinesse and Holinesse is called the kingdome of Heauen Yee are saued by hope and Hee that belieueth hath euerlasting life and is passed from death to life So sure as if they were already in Heauen So Paul Our conuersation is in heauen from vvhence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. The obiect or place of our arriual is described by many excellent and honourable titles First it is called a Mount but is there so much happinesse in that Feriunt summos fulgura montes the highest Mountaines are most danger'd to the violences of Heauen ver 18. There was a Mount burning with fire This is no Mountaine of danger or terror but Sion safe pleasant delightfull Sion the ioy of the whole earth the beloued of GOD the Iohn that leaned on the bosome of Christ. The Lord loues the gates of Sion better then all the dwellings of Iacob But though a Mount though Mount Sion yet it might be a solitary and vnfrecuented Hill like that whereunto the Diuell tooke Christ and shewed him the kingdomes of the world vvhere a man can onely see glory not enioy it Or like that mount Nebo or top of Pisgah whereon Moses might onely stand and behold the Land of Canaan Not so but on this Mount there stands a City a populous Citie and full of buildings like that wherein Christ
and Luxurie let him take heed lest he meet with a wind that shall take off his Charriot-wheeles as Pharaoh was punished drowne horses and chariots Riders not in the Red-Sea but in that infernall Lake vvhence there is no redemption Let all these Riders beware lest hee that rides on the wings of vengeance with a sword drawne in his hand that will eate flesh and drinke bloud that will make such haste in the pursute of his enemies that he will not bait or refresh himselfe by the way lest this God before they haue repented ouertake them Gird thy sword vpon thy thigh O most mighty and in thy maiestie ride prosperously c. and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things Then shall the Lord remember the children of Edom in the day of Ierusalem and reward them as they serued vs. Loe now the end of these Riders There are the workers of iniquitie fallen they are cast downe and shall not be able to rise Zach. 10. The riders on horses shall be confounded 2. For vs though passion possesse our bodies let patience possesse our soules The law of our Profession bindes vs to a warfare patiendo vincimus our troubles shall end our victory is eternall Heare Dauids triumph Psalm 18. I haue wounded them that they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder my feete Thou hast subdued vnder mee those that rose vp against mee Thou hast also giuen me the neck of mine enemies c. They haue wounds for their woundes and the treaders downe of the poore are troden down by the poore The Lord will subdue those to vs that would haue subdued vs to themselues and though for a short time they rode ouer our heads yet now at last wee shall euerlastingly tread vpon their necks Loe then the reward of humble patience and confident hope Speramus et Superamus Our God is not as their God euen our enemies beeing iudges Psal. 20. Some put their trust in Chariots and some in horses But no Chariot hath strength to oppose nor horse swiftnesse to escape when God pursues They are brought downe and fallen we are risen stand vpright Their trust hath deceiued them downe they fall and neuer to rise Our God hath helped vs wee are risen not for a breathing space but to stand vpright for euer Tentations persecutions oppressions crosses infamies bondage death are but the way wherein our blessed Sauiour went before vs and many Saints followed him Behold them with the eyes of faith now mounted aboue the clowds trampling all the vanities of this world vnder their glorified feet standing on the battlements of heauen and wafting vs to them with the hands of encouragement They bid vs fight and wee shall conquer suffer and we shall raigne And as the Lord Iesus that once suffered a reprochfull death at the hands of his enemies now sits at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places farre aboue all Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominations till his enemies bee made his footestoole So one day they that in their haughty pride mercilesse oppressions rode ouer our heads shall then lie vnder our feete Through thee will wee push downe our enemies through thy Name will wee tread them vnder that rise vp against vs. At what time yonder glorious skie Coelum stellatum which is now our seeling ouer our heads shall be but a pauement vnder our feet To which glory he that made vs by his Word and bought vs by the bloud of his Sonne seale vs vp by his blessed Spirit Amen THE VICTORIE OF PATIENCE With the expiration of Malice PSALME 66. 12. VVe went through fire and through water but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place I DID not in the former Sermon draw out the oppressing cruelty of these Persecutours to the vtmost scope and period of their malice nor extend their impium imperium to the furthest limit and determination therof There is yet one glimpse of their stinking candle before the snuffe goes out one groane ere their malice expire We went through fire and water The Papists when they heare these words went through fire and water startle and cry out Purgatory direct proofes for Purgatory With as good reason as Sedulius on that dreame of Pharaohs Officer Gen. 40. 10. A vine was before me and in the vine were three branches sayes that the Vine signifies St. Francis and the three branches the three Orders deriued from him And as a Pope on that of Samuel Behold to obey is better thâ—…n sacrifice and stubbornnesse is as Idolatry inferres that not to obey the Apostolike See of Rome was Idolatry by the witnesse of Samuel Or as one writes of St. Fraâ—…cis that because it is said Vnlesse you become as little children you cannot enter into the kingdom of heauen he commanded one Massaeus to tumble round like a little childe that he might enter Or as when the contention was betwixt the Seruices of Amâ—…se and Gregorie which should take place by the common consent both the Masse-bookes were layd on the Altar of S. Peter expecting some decision of that doubt by reuelation The Church dores being opened in the morning Gregories Missal-booke was rent and torne into many pieces but Ambroses lay whole and open vpon the Altar Which euent in a sober exposition would haue signified the Masse of Gregory cancelled and abolished and that of Ambrose authenticall and allowed But the wise Pope Adrian expounds it thus that the renting and scattering of Gregories Missall intended that it should be dispersed ouer all the Christian world and onely receiued as Canonical Or as that simple Fryer that finding Maria in the Scripture vsed plurally for Seas cryed out in the ostentation of his lucky witte that he had found in the olde Testament the name of Maria for the Virgin Mary But I purpose not to waste time in this place and among such hearers in the confutation of this ridiculous folly Resting my selfe on the iudgement of a vvorthie learned man in our Church that Purgatory is nothing else but a Mythologie a morall vse of strange fables As when Pius the second had fent abroad his Indulgencies to all that would take Armes against the Turke the Turke wrote to him to call in his Epigrams againe Or as Bellarmine excused Prudentiuâ—… when hee appoints certaine holy-dayes in hell that hee did but poetize So all their fabulous discourse of Purgatory is but Epigrams poetry a more serious kinde of iest Wherein they laugh among themselues how they couzen the world and fill the Popes coffers Who for his aduantage Ens non esse facit non ens fore So that if Roffensis gather out of this place that in Purgatory there is great store of water Wee went through fire and water We may oppose against him Sir Thomas More who proues from Zachary 9. that there is no water at all I haue sent forth
shall manumit and set free our soules from the prison of the body there shal be a second meeting Many haue come from east from west farre remote in place and haue met with Abraham and Isaac and the holy Patriarches which liued long before them in this world in the kingdome of heauen So already in Mount Sion are the Spirits of iust men made perfect The purer part is then glorified and meets with the triumphant Church in blisse This meeting exceeds the former in comfort 1. In respect that our miseries are past our conflict is ended teares are wiped from our eyes The very release from calamitie is not a litle felicitie So Austin meditates of this place negatiuely Non est ibi mors non luctus c. There is no death nor dearth no pining nor repining no sorrow nor sadnes neither teares nor feares defect nor lothing No glory is had on earth without grudging emulation in this place there is no enuie Non erit aliqua inuidia disparis claritatis quum regnabit in omnibus vnitas charitatis None sâ—…all malice anothers glorious clearnesse when in all shall be one gratious dearenesse God shall then giue rest to our desires In our first meeting we haue Desiderium quietis in this second Quietem desiderij Here we haue a desire of rest there we shall haue rest of desire 2. In regard that we shall see God behold him whose glory filleth all in all This is great happinesse for in his presence is the fullnesse of ioy at his right hand are pleasures for euer We shall not only meete with the spirits of iust men made perfect but also with him that made them iust and perfect Iesus the mediatour of the new couenant euen God himselfe 3 Our last meeting which is called the Generall assembly and Church of the first borne written in heauen is the great meeting at the end of the world When our re-vnited bodies soules shall possesse perfect glory and raigne with our Sauiour for euer When as no mountayne or rocke shall shelter the wicked from doome terrour so no corruption detayne one bone or dust of vs from glory We shal be caught vp together in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall we be euer with the Lord. Who We. There is a time when the elect shall meete in one vniuersalitie Though now weare scattered all ouer the broad face of the earth dispersed and distressed yet we shall meet There is now a Communion of Saints 1. As of all the members with the Head all haue interest in Christ. For he is not a garden flower priuate to few but the Rose of Sharon and the Lillie of the valleys common to the reach of all faythfull hands So Iude calls this our common saluation 2. So of one member with another euen of the Church triumphant with this militant They sing Hosanna's for vs we Halleluia's for them they pray to God for vs we prayse God for them For the excellent graces they had on earth and for their present glory in heauen We meete now in our affections to solace one another and serue our God there is a mutuall sympathie betweene the parts If one member suffer all suffer with it But this meeting shal be voyd of passion and therfore needlesse of compassion though loue shall remaine for euer This Instruction is full of comfort We part here with our parents children kinred friends death breakes off our societie yet there shall be a day of meeting Comfort one another with these wordes Hast thou lost a wife brother child you shall one day meete though not with a carnall distinction of sexe or corrupt relation which earth afforded No man carries earth to heauen with him the same body but transfigured purified glorified There shall be loue hereafter not the offals of it A wife shall be knowne not as a wife there is no marriage but the Lambes Thou shalt reioyce in thy glorified brother not as thy brother according to the flesh but as glorified It is enough that this meeting shall affoord more ioy then we haue knowledge to expresse This giues thee consolation dying with griefe thou leauest those thou dearely louest Yet first thou art going to one whose loue is greater then Ionathans that gaue his life to redeeme thee And well pondering the matter thou art content to forsake all to desire a dissolution that thou mayest be with Christ. Yet this is not all thou shalt againe meet those whom thou now departest from and that with greater ioy then thou hast left in present sorow This comforts vs all if it be a pleasure for friends to meet on earth where Satan is still scattering his troubles of dissention what is it to meete in heauen where our peace is free from distraction from destruction where if there be any memorie of past things meminisse iunabit it shall rather delight vs to thinke of the miseries gone and without feare of returning It is some delight to the merchant to sitte by a quiet fire and discourse the escaped perills of wrackes and stormes Remoue then your eyes from this earth whether you be rich for whom it is more hard or poore for whom it is easier and know it is better liuing in heauen together then on earth together So then run your race that in the end you may meet with this blessed societie the Congregation of Saints in glory We yea All we In this world we must neuer looke to see an vniuersall Church but at that generall day we shall All meete In heauen there are none but good in hell none but bad on earth both good and bad mingled together I confesse that the Church militant is the Suburbes of heauen yea called the Kingdome of heauen because the King of heauen gouernes it by his celestiall lawes but still it is but heauen vpon earth In Gods floore there is chaffe mixed with the wheat in his field cockle with corne in his net rubbish with fish in his house vessells of wrath with those of honour The Church is like the moone somtimes increasing somtimes decreasing but when it is at the full not without some spottes Now this mixture of the vngodly is suffred for two causes either that themselues may be conuerted or that others by them may be excercised Omnis malus aut ideo viuit vt corrigatur aut ideo vt per illum bonus excerceatur 1. For their owne emendation that they may be conuerted to embrace that good which they haue hated So Saul a persecutor becomes Paul a professor Mary Magdalen turpissima meretrix fit sanctissima mulier a putrified sinner a purified Saint Zacheus that had made many rich men poore will now make many poore men rich when he had payed euery man his owne and that now he iudged their owne which he had fraudulently got from them Behold halfe my goods
that herafter we may meete in glory I am a companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts Death may breake off for a while this gratious meeting but our glorious second meeting shall triumph ouer death it shall be Generall it shall be eternall Wherin In the vnitie A perfect vnitie is not to be expected in this life it is enough to enioy it in heauen Indeed the Church is euer but one There are threescore Queenes and fourescore concubines and virgins without number My doue my vndefiled is but one shee is the onely one of her mother Though a kingdome haue in it many shires more Citties and innumerable Townes yet is it selfe but one because one King gouernes it by one law So the Church though vniuersally dispersed is one kingdome because it is ruled by one Christ and professeth one faith There is one bodie one spirit one Lord one faith So much Vnitie now But that vnitie which is on earth may be offended in regard of the partes subiectuall to it What familie hath not complained of distraction What fraternitie not of dissention What man hath euer beene at one with himselfe There must be diuisions sayth Paul are and must be by a kind of necessitie But there is a twofolde necessitie One absolute and simple God must be iust a necessitie of infallibilitie The other exhypothesi or of consequence as this there must be heresies Satan will be an aduersarie man will be proued a necessitie vpon presupposition of Satans malice mans wickednesse But woe vnto them by whom offences come we know not the hurt we bring by our diuisions Thus sayth the Lord of Hostes. Zach. 8. Loue the truth and peace Some loue peace well but they care not for truth These are secure worldlings let them alone in their sinnes and you would not wish quieter men Pacem quaerunt Pietatem fugiunt they seeke peace but they flie righteousnesse as if they would disvnite those things which God hath ioyned together righteousnesse and peace Righteousnesse and peace shall kisse each other Others loue truth well but not peace Let them fabricke a Church out of their own braines or rather a discipline to manage it and they will keepe within verges of the maine truth They cannot be content to haue good milke but they must chuse their spoone to eate it with They are wanton children and worthy the rod of correction let them be whipt onely discipline may mend them I would our eyes could see what hurt the breach of vnitie doth vs. Scilurus his arrowes taken singly out of the sheafe are broken with the least finger the whole vnseuered bundle feares no stresse We haue made our selues weaker by dispersing our forces Euen the encouraged Atheist walkes to Church in the lane of our diuisions and is still no lesse an Atheist then the deuill was a deuill when he stood among the sonnes of God It is the nature of our controuersies to fight peremptorily at both ends whiles truth and pietie is left in the middle and neglected Whiles men haue contended about the body of Religion some haue thought it quite dead as no doubt Moses body was when the Archangell disputed with the Deuill about it As one sayd of his Donatists Betwixt our Licet and your Non licet many soules stagger and excuse their irresolution by our want of peace Indeed this is euentually one good effect of many controuerted poynts the way is cleansed for others though not for themselues Theeues falling out true men come by their goods Two flints beaten together sparkles out fire and by the wrastling of two poisons the health is preserued So are some vnited to the truth by these diuisions of peace But others are more vnsetled they condemne all for the dissension of some our comfort is God doth not so The diuisions of a few and that about the huske of Religion Ceremonie cannot redound to the condemnation of a whole Church In Gods iudgement it shall not we must care little if in theirs Doe not we know that Satan by his good will would allowe vs neither Truth nor Peace but if we must haue one will he not labour to detaine the other If he can keepe vs from Truth he cares not much to allow vs peace The wicked haue securitie the deuill lets them alone What fowler sets his ginnes for tame birds that will come gently to his hand But if we embrace the truth then haue at our peace Shall the Prince of darknesse bee quiet when his Captiues breake loose from him The good are soonest tempted Inuidia fertur in magnos It was the king of Syria his command to his 32. captaines Fight neither with small nor great saue only with the King of Israell It is the Deuils charge to his souldiers fight against none but the godly that fight against mee Dauid was safe among his sheepe and Moses leading a priuate life No man layes snares for his owne birds nor the Deuil for such as are taken captiue by him at his will But pax conscientiae is bellum Satanae and this iust warre is better then an vniust peace Let all this giue condemnation to peace-haters and commendation to peace-louers There are some quite gone not diuerse but aduerse to vs with these warre and no peace for they haue no peace with Christ. Sinewes cut in sunder can neuer be knitte nor can there be Integralis vnitas in solutione continui They will be gone let them goe I would we were as well ridde of all those whose soules hate vnitie The Christians of of the first age were nether Albinians nor Nigrians the report of faction was scarce heard Athanasius on whose shoulder our mother the Church leaned in her sharpest persecution to take her rest reioyced that though the aduersary hate was violent the loue of brethren was sound Peter was commanded to put vp his sword euen when Christ was at his elbow to heale the greatest wound he could make why doe we smite and hurt that haue not such meanes of cure King Richard the holy warriour hauing taken a Bishop in coate-armour in the field was requested by the Pope calling him his Sonne to release him The King sent not him but his coate to the Pope and asked him An haec esset Filij sui tunica whether this was his sonnes coate alluding to the coate of Ioseph which his brethren brought to their Father The ashamed Pope answers Nec his Sonnes vndertakes wit conscience prepares scrupâ—… and Peace suffers And now 〈◊〉 â—…hey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnum but 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ake their malice on but to dissolue and vndoe the vnited strength of all â—…her the sceâ—…r must stoope to the miter or no peace Betweene the rootes of Iudah and Leui by Moses law the separations and distances were 〈◊〉 â—…de that neither need to crosse anothers walke nor 〈◊〉 â—…clipse anothers dignitie The rod of Moseâ—… was
sayth Christ my workes beare witnesse of me We may thus vnderstand God ex operibus his actions preach his will 3. God speakes by his Sonne Hebr. 1. God who at sundry times and in diuers manners spake in tâ—…me past vnto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daves spoken vnto vs by his Sonne Hee is therefore called the Word Ioh. 1 The sacred Scriptures and sayings of the Prophets giuen by the inspiration of God for no prophecie is of private interpretation it came not by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost are called Verbum Domini the word of the Lord. But to distinguish God the Sonne from those words he is after an eminent sort called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word or That excellent word As also hee is called not a light but That light not a lambe but â—…hat lambe Not a vocall word formed by the tongue beating the aire for hee was before eyther sound or aire But the mentall and substantiall word of his Father but Ipse Paterâ—… 〈◊〉 effigies lumenque a lumine vero According to that of Paul The brightnesse of his glory and expresse image of his person 4. GOD speakes by his Scriptures Whatsoever things were writen aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Scripta sunt they are written Things that go onely by take or tradition meete with such variations augmentations abbreuiations corruptions false glosses that as in a Lawyers pleading Truth is lost in the Quaere for her Related thinges wee are long in getting quicke in forgetting Therefore God commanded his law should be written Litera scripta manet Thus God doth effectually speake to vs. Many good wholesome instructions haue drop'd from humane pennes to lesson and direct man in goodnesse But there is no promise giuen to any word to conuert the soule but to Gods word Without this Antiquitie is noueltie Noueltie subtletie Subtletie death Theologia Scholastica multis modis sophistica Schoole Diuinitie is little better then meere Sophistrie Plus argutiarum quam doctrine plus doctrina quà m vsus It hath more quicknesse then soundnesse more fauce then meate more difficultie then doctrine more doctrine then vse This Scripture is the Perfect and Absolute rule Bellarmine acknowledgeth two thinges requireable in a Perfect Rule Certaintie and Evidence If it bee not certaine it is no Rule if it bee not euident it is no rule to vs. Onely the Scripture is both in truth and euidence a perfect rule Other writings may haue canonicall veritie the Scripture onely hath canonicall authoritie Others like oile may make cheerefull mans countenance but this like Bread strengthens his heart This is the absolute Rule And as many as walke according to this Rule peace be on them and mercie and vppon the Israel of God O that wee had hearts to blesse GOD for this mercie that the Scriptures are among vs and that not sealed vp vnder an vnknowne tongue The time was when a deuout Father was glad of a piece of the new Testament in English when he tooke his little Sonne into a corner and with ioy of soule heard him reade a chapter so that euen Children became Fathers to their Fathers and begate them to CHRIST Now as if the commonnesse had abated the worth our Bibles lie dusty in the windowes it is all if a Sunday-handling quite them from perpetuall obliuion Few can read fewer do reade fewest of all read as they should God of his infinite mercie lay not to our charge this neglect 5. GOD speakes by his Ministers expounding and opening to vs those Scriptures These are Legati a latere dispencers of the mysteries of heauen Ambassadors for CHRIST as if God did beseech you through vs so wee pray you in Christs stead that you would be reconciled to God This voice is continually sounding in our Churches beating vpon our eares I would it could pierce our consciences and that our liues would eccho to it in an answerable obedience How great should be our thankfullnesse God hath delt with vs as hee did with Eliah The Lord passed by and a great strong wind rent the mountaines and brake in pieces the rockes before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind After the wind came an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake After the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire And after the fire a still voyce and the Lord came with that voyce After the same manner hath God done to this Land In the time of K. Henry 8. there came a great and mightie Wind that rent downe Churches ouerthrew Altarages impropriated from Ministers their liuings that made Lay-men substantiall Parsons and Clergie men their vicar-shadowes It blew away the rights of Leui into the lappe of Issachar a violent wind but God was not in that wind In the dayes of King Edward the sixt there came a terrible Earthquake hideous vapours of Treasons and conspiracies rumbling from Rome to shake the foundations of that Church which had now left off louing the Whore and turned Antichrist quite out of his saddle Excommunications of Prince and people execrations and curses in their tetricall formes with Bell Booke and Candle Indulgences Bulls Pardons promises of heauen to all traytors that would extâ—…rpate such a King and kingdome a Monstrous earthquake but GOD was not in the Earthquake In the dayes of Queene Mary came the Fire an vnmercifull fire such a one as was neuer before kindled in England and wee trust in Iesus Christ neuer shall be againe It raged against all that professed the Gospell of Christ made bonefires of silly women for not vnderstanding that their ineffable mysterie of Transubstantiation burnt the mother with the child Boner and Gardiner those hellish bellowes that set it on flaming A raging and insatiable fire but God was not in that fire In the dayes of Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie came the still voyce saluting vs with the songs of Sion and speaking the comfortable things of Iesus Christ and GOD came with his voyce This sweete and blessed voyce is still continued by our Gracious Soueraigne GOD long preserued him with it and it with him and vs all with them both Let vs not say of this blessing as Lot of Zoar Is it not a litle one nor bee weary of Manna with Israel lest GODS voyce grow dumbe vnto vs and to our woe wee heare it speake no more No rather let our hearts answere with Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruants heare If wee will not heare him say to our soules I am your saluation wee shall heare him say Depart from mee I know you not So sayth wisedome Because I haue called and yee refused I will therefore laugh at your calamitie and mocke when your feare commeth The gallant promiseth himselfe many yeares and in them all to reioyce
This is not to be vnderstood of offence onely giuen to the Ministers of the Church but to signifie that a woman throwing off the vaile of modestie and token of subiection to her husband doth make euen the Angels of heauen witnesses of her dissolute contumacie The Angels are present with thee when all men on the earth are absent from thee I aske thee when thou pollutest the marriage bed attemptest an homicide plottest a treason forgest a vvriting wouldest thou then haue the Angels present with thee or absent from thee If thou desirest them present why dost thou offend them by thy turpitudes If absent thy protectors are gone and the diuels would easily confound thee Nonfacias coram Angelis Dei yea coram Deo Angelorum Do not that thing before the Angels of God yea before the GOD of Angels vvhich thou wouldest shame to doe in the sight and presence of an earthly man Yet let vs marke here by the way that albeit the Angels deserue our reuerence yet they desire not our adoration Indeed the euill Angels request it it was a speciall boone which the Diuell begd of Christ to fall downe worship him But the good refuse it See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant saith the Angell to kneeling Iohn As we vsually come too short in our due reuerence to the Angels so the Papists goe too farre in vndue adoration They haue a set prayer for it Angele Dei Custos mei me tibi commissum lege superâ—…a semper rege custodi guberna This sacrilegious honour those holy spirits refuse they take no charge of such superstitious soules Accipiunt commissum non arripiâ—…nt inconcessum Honorandi non adorandi sunt Angeli Let them be honored but not adored Loue and reuerence the Angels onely worship God and Iesus Christ. 3. This declares to vs the excellent company that is in heauen Were the place lesse noble and maiesticall yet the company it affords is able to make the soule right blessed We are loth to leaue this earth for the societie of some friends in whom we delight yet wee are all subiect to mutuall dislikes Besides the meeting of those good friends againe in heauen there be also glorious Angels There is nothing in them but is amiable admirable nothing in possibilitie of changing our pleasures There thou shalt see and conuerse with those ancient Worthies Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Fathers of the Primitiue times all of them out-shining the starres where our loue shall be as eternall as is our glory There wee shall liue familiarly in the sight of those Angels whom now we receiue good from and see not Yea there is the fountaine of all felicity that Sauiour of ours whose grace onely brings vs to the blessed vision of the whole Trinitie Neither can there be a higher happinesse then the eternall fruition of Iesus Christ. Let this teach vs all to blesse our God that hath thus aduanced vs. Man is corporeall dust O that this clay of ours should come to dwel with those incorporeal spirits We shal be as the Angels of God in heauen Sicut non ipsi like Angels though not Angels in nature Communicatione spei non speciei we haue now a communion of hope with them hereafter of glory To this place O thou Creator of men Angels bring vs through Iesus Christ. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heauen Our Apostle hath spoken of the Churches glory typically and topically now he describes it materially First the Essence of it what it is The Church Secondly the Propertie of it what kind of Church it is Generall or Catholike Thirdly what are the parts of it of whom it consists Of the first borne written in Heauen The Church This word is taken in diuerse significations For the materiall Temple 1. Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church I heare there are diuisions among you For the faithfull domestikes of one Familie 1. Cor. 16. 19. Aquila and Priscilla salute you vvith the Church that is in their house For the professors of one Prouince The Church of Corinth of Ephesus c. For some famous company of Beleeuers gathered together in one place 1. Cor. 14. 4. He that prophecieth edifies the Church For an Ecclesiasticall Senate or Synode Mat. 18. 17. If he shall neglect to heare them Dic Ecclesiae tell it vnto the Church For the whole number of the Elect. Mat. 16. 18. Vpon this Rocke I will build my Church Acts 5. 11. Great feare came vpon all the Church 1. Tim. 3. 15. Which is the Church of the liuing GOD the pillar and ground of truth Here first let me premise three circumstances concerning the Church 1. Though it be a Generall Assembly yet it is but one There be threescore Queenes and fourescore Concubines and Virgins without number but my Doue my vndefiled is but one shee is the onely one of her Mother Indeed there be two parts of this One Church Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on Earth The Triumphant part is a company of Iustified spirits triumphing ouer the flesh vvorld and diuell spirits I say for bodies are not yet ascended They haue two happy priuiledges 1. To reioyce in the conquest ouer sinne and death the most righteous man liuing is in praelio in a continuall warfare But so are the other for Saint Iohn saith There was warre in Heauen This must be vnderstood of heauen on earth vvhere there is no truce with Satan Pax cum Deo bellum cum diabolo We haue peace with God but on this condition that warre with the diuell Therefore so runne the promises Uincenti dabitur To him that ouercomes shall be giuen Palmes to shew that they had been warriours are now conquerours 1. To praise God continually and to sing Amen Blessing and glory thankesgiuing and honour be vnto God for euer and euer The militant part is a company of men liuing vnder the crosse and desiring to be with Christ. They suffer and this is their way to glory through much tribulation entring into the kingdome of God They desire dissolution being willing rather to be absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord not simply and absolutely desiring death but first that they might leaue sinning and so cease to displease God and then to come neerer to their blessed Sauiour whose loue hath rauished their hearts Now this militant Church may haue many parts as the Ocean sea is but one yet distinguished according to the Regions vpon which it lies So there is the Spanish Ocean the English Ocean the German Ocean There is a Church in England a Church in France a Church in Germany yet there is but one militant Church Multa Ecclesiae vna Ecclesia saith S. Augustine One Sunne many beames one Kingdome many shires one tree many branches 2. We must note that Christ is the alone head of his
errors I beleeue saued for others Nescio quid dicere I know not what to say They haue damnable heresies as that of Free will of Merites c. yet the persons that of weakenesse defend them may be saued God pardons euen wilfull errors if they be truly repented Therefore I belieue that many of our forefathers went to Heauen though through blindnesse Now indeede they are more inexcusable because our sound is gone out among them There are Seducentes and Seducti the wilfull blind lead the wofull blind vntill both fall into the ditch If they will not see there is no helpe no hope If simple ignorance mislead there is hope of return but if affected it is most wretched Our office is to helpe them with our prayers and let vs pray for them as Paul for his Ephesians That the eyes of our vnderstanding beeing enlightened they may know what is the hope of Gods calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints Many of them haue ready hearts but they want eyes wee haue open eyes God grant vs ready hearts The first borne which are written in heauen This is a description of the persons of whom the Church consists The Church it selfe is a number of men which God hath set apart by an eternall decree and in time sanctified to become reall members of it They are written in heauen there 's their eternall election and they are the first borne that is 〈◊〉 borne there 's their Sanctification For the two parts of the description Their Primogeniture and Registring in Gods booke are but borrowed speeches whereby God would ratifie the euerlasting Predestination and saluation of his Church That as the First borne is not to bee defeated of his inheritance and the Enrolled names are neuer to be obliterated so certainly shall they inherite eternall life The first borne Some vnderstand by the first borne not all the Elect but onely the Patriarchs and such ancient Saints the noble primitiue parts of the Church Caluin Then this should haue beene referred onely to the Church triumphant in heauen but the Catholike Church is here expresly meant which coÌ„prehends also the Saints vpon earth therefore they also are first borne Besides they are said to be written in heauen which had beene a superfluous speech of those who are already in heauen they that are there need no writing Unusquisque Electâ—…est Pimogenitus But this seemes to infringe the Primogeniture of Christ to whom that Name is by speciall title and right giuen Primogenitus inter multos fratres saith Paul he is the First begotten among many brethren Primogenitus vniuersae creaturae the first borne of euery creature Primogenitus mortuorum the first borne from the dead He is the first borne as he is the Sonne of God and as hee is man As he is the Sonne of God in respect of time before all things the beginning of all in respect of dignity because hee is the foundation of all good to his Church Of his fulnesse haue we all receiued and grace for grace As he is man he is the first borne not in respect of time but of excellency and vertue In respect of his miraculous conception the first that euer was conceiued without sinne and by the ouershadowing of the holy Ghost In respect of his birth he was the first borue of Mary Shee brought forth her first borne Sonne and called his name Iesus In respect of his resurrection when GOD raised him out of the graue he is said to beget his Sonne Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee And lest the interpretation of birth onely should be deduced from that place Saint Paul expressely applies it to his resurrection Acts 13. 33. God raised vp Iesus againe as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Lastly in respect of his preeminence hee is the first borne from the dead that in all things he might haue the preeminence So the priuiledge of primogeniture is singularly and indiuidually his How then are the faithfull heere called the first borne To answer this we must know that God hath sonnes by nature and by grace Christ by nature onely all the elect by grace Christ is a Sonne begotten not made we are sonnes made not begotten in respect of nature Christ as God is begotten not borne as man he is borne not begotten We see the priuiledge of Christs primogeniture from his let vs looke to ours for from him wee haue it The elect are called First-borne in three respects 1. Because they are vnited to the first borne For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Hee that is made vnus cum primogenito may be well called primogenitus one with the first borne is a first borne 2. Because they are culled and called out of the world Many wicked are created before them but they are elected in Gods decree to life before the other for the wicked are not chosen at all Esau was Isaaks first borne but Iacob was Gods first borne Many of the worlds first-borne haue beene reiected Israel laid his right hand vpon Ephraim the younger and his left vpon Manasseh the elder Reuben thou art my first borne but thou shalt not be excellent Cain Adams first borne Ismael Abrahams first borne were cast off Thus saith the Lord Israel is my sonne euen my first borne The Lord had first chosen that nation to be his people yet afterward reiected them and accepted the Gentiles so that the elder serue the younger But Gods first borne are neuer refused whom hee hath predestinated to be sonnes hee hath also called to bee heyres So that this primogeniture is not in respect of generation but of regeneration Though they be not primò conditi they are primò reconditi Flesh and bloud hath no worke in this birth nor the will of man but the will of God Of his owne will begate he vs with the word of trueth that wee should be a kinde of first fruits of his creatures The Spirit begets of immortall seed grace in the wombe of the Church the meanes of this Birth being the Word Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God Out of that vniuersall apostacie God sent his Sonne to beget some first borne to himselfe 3. Because the priuiledges of the first borne are theirs These were many as we may find in allusion to the Law 1. The excellency of strength Reuben my first borne my might and the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignitie and the excellencie of power Man decayes and the children of age are not so strong as the children of youth therefore the first borne are called the beginning of power and the excellency of strength True it is that there 's no
Elias tell Ahab of his Idolatries Iohn Baptist Herod of his lusts and then Thou art mine enemie The vngodly may pretend other causes but this is the true one The Pope refused to confirme an Archbishop elect when no insufficiencie could be found against him onely because of his age not considering that himselfe being older did manage a greater place But if the Archbishop was able to trauell to Rome and backe againe to England sure he was able to haue sate in the Chaire of Canturbury Age was the exception but the truth was the Archbishops honestie that he carried not with him to Rome a golden bottle to quench the Popes thirsty soule as many others dâ—d who returned home with as much wit as they went forth but not with so much money Such was the Popes pretense against Reimundus the good Earle of Tholouse that hee was an Hereticke but when his iust purgation and iustifying of himselfe would not pacifie his vnmercifull Holinesse nor get peaceable possession of his owne lands it was euident to all eyes that the Popes desire was not so much to haue the Earle part from his Heresie as from his Heritage Persecutors plead castigation of errours but they meane subersion of truth But great peace is prophecied to the Gospell Esa. 11. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard lye quietly by the kidde c. And Micaâ—… 4. They shall beate their swords into plowshares and their speares into prâ—…ing hookes nation shall not lift vp a sword against nation neither shall they learne warre any more I answere God will either restraine the furie of these sauage beasts and turne Esaus threats into mildnes when hee meets Iacob Hee that sittes in heauen laughes at their combinings Or many Tyrants shall be conuerted to the faith of Christ subiecting their Crownes and laying downe their Scepters at the feete of the Lambe Or it may intend that outward vniuersall peace which was through all the world when Christ was borne in the dayes of Augustus But most specially that peace of conscience and Communion which shall be among the Saints who shall lay aside all querelous differences and be made one by the bloud of Iesus But when the Gospell came to vs in Queene Elizabeths dayes of so blessed memorie we also had much peace We had with Gloria in excelsis Deo sung also Pax in terris The iron gates of warre were shut vp and the long tossed Arke of our Church had an Oliue branch of flourishing peace bestowed on it The fury of an Aduersary was not knowne but Righteousnes and peace kissed each other Yet was not this peace without great Fires 1. There was a great fire of Anabaptisme a grosse peruerse and sottish sect that hadde washed off their Font-water as vncleane and thought it not enough to run out of Babylon vnlesse they ranne also out of themselues out of their wittes This combustion could not be well quenched onely we were happily rid of it by the shifting ground For when the flames were suppressed in England they burst out beyond Sea 2. There was a great fire of Brownisme an Ignis fatuus fastning on abundance of crude and squalid matter could not easily be extinguished It was blowne vp with the Bellowes of pride and because it might not haue the owne swinge it fell to direct rayling They say the Church of England may be their mother but is none of Gods wife why doe they not call her plaine Whore For such is a mother that hath children and no husband But these the whiles are braue Sons who care not to proue themselues bastards that their mother may be noted for an Harlot But the shame be their owne Integritie hers who hath not defiled her bed though they haue shamed her wombe But whiles they call her Saint Iohns Beast in the Reuelation let them beware least they proue themselues Saint Pauls Beast to the Phil. chap. 3. ver 2. Dogs Surely God neuer will leaue peaceable spirits in England to go dwell with railers at Amsterdam 3. There was a raging fire of the Papists who to mainetaine their spirituall fire of superstition made vse of materiall fireto set a whole land in combustion How vnspeakeable were their treasons agaynst that gratious Princesse which yet if we gather vp into one volume we shall find their last equalling all which should haue beene a fire a fire indeede such a one as hell it selfe could onely belch out But blesse we our God that with sweete showres of mercie rayned it out These fires haue beene kindled in a Land of peace though many teares haue beene showred vpon them earnest prayers sent vp to heauen for their quenching Yea and will be still so long as that crowne-shorn generation can transport their burning quils into England and their great Antichrist the Successor not of Peter but of Romulus sits on that fierie Chaire So long as hee is suffered to tyranize ouer nations to depose Kings and dispose Kingdomes who praies Peter and Paule as if they neuer had taught subiects to obey their Soueraignes to eradicat and cast out an Emperour from his royaltie Whereupon he conferred the Empire vpon Rodolphus with this blasphemous verse Petra dedit Petro Petrus diademâ—… Rodolpho All Kingdomes were to Peter giuen by Christ And Peter may dispose them as he list But as Cardinall Benno affirmes that when this Hildebrand would needs solmnly excommunicate the Em perour his Chayre burst in pieces being but newly made of suffâ—…cient tymber so if it were throughly broken to fitters neuer like Iericho to be rebuilded then and not till then Princes may raigne in peace From all this we may obserue 1. That this fire was kindled in Christs time and hath burned euer since For if this rage stroke at the head it will not fauour the members If the sawcie Deuill durst meddle and incounter with the Captaine he will not feare to set vpon a meane souldiour Remember sayth Christ the word that I sayd vnto you The seruant is not greater then the Lord if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you We cannot expect that immunitie which our Sauiour neuer found In the securest and most quiet state of the Church we haue found this that sedition hath trode on the heeles of peace and persecution beene borne into the world with the feete forward for hast 2. That the godly must maintaine this fire for there must be in them no deficiencie of fewell They must hold fast integritie though this be the matter whereuppon this fire workes No peace must be had with them that haue no peace with God I deny not peace in ciuill affaires but in conforming our manners to theirs For righteousnesse must not yeeld to iniquitie Christ must be borne and being borne must raigne though Herod rage and the Deuill foame and all Ierusalem be troubled at it Dagon must yeeld to the Arke not the Arke to Dagon the
appeares in a certaine letter of Benno to the Cardinals that this Hildebrand preaching in the Pulpit did so promise and prophecie the death of Henricus that he bid his auditors no more to take him for Pope but to plucke him from the Altar if the sayd Henry did not dye or were not deiected from his kingdome before the feast of Saint Peter then next ensuing But the euent proued the Pope a lyer in the Pulpit and therefore I hope tooke from him all impossibillitie of lying in Cathedra Indeed he laboured tooth and naâ—…le by policie and sorcerie by his friends and fiends to â—…ect this innumerable were the plots of his treason One among the rest is obseruable in the letter of the said Cardinall Benno that he had hired a villaine obseruing the place in the Church where thâ—… Emperour vsed to pray to cary vp to the roofe of the Church a great number and waight of stones with purpose to let them fall downe on the Emperours head at his deuotion and to knocke out his braines but the traitour being busie to remoue a stone of an vnwonted hugenes to the place the planke whereon he stood broke downe they come both to the floore of the Church the stone for it seemes his owne impietie made him the heauier to fall first to his center fell on him and quash'd him to peeces But what speake I of their particular treasons a priuate treachery was but like the French Torney at Chalons Parvum bellum a litle warre wee areto consider their great Firâ—…s which they haue kindled in the Christion world when the Princes would neuer haue broke mutuall peace had not the Deuill set on the Pope and the Pope set on them to this eger contention But lightly as Mars and money made them Popes so Mars and Symonie held them rich Popes And now through Sathans helpe they haue brought it about that as at first no Pope might be chosen without the Emperour so now no Emperour must bee chosen without the Pope Both the swords are their claime and they will haue them both or they will lift them vp both against the deniers and where the sword spirituall may not be admitted they will make way for it with the sword temporall It is fit they say that they should beare temporall rule that follow neerest to God but the Pope and his Clergie follow neerest to God therefore are the fittest men to rule It is answered if God behere taken for that God which S. Paul speakes of the Belly they follow nearest indeed From the other and onely true God they are farre enough If they were not they would vse onely spirituall warre against the kingdome of Satan and not meddle with temporall war against the kingdomes of Christian Princes Plead what they can from the wrested Scriptures and misunderstood Fathers yet Frustra Apostolica authoritas pratenditur vbi Apostolica Scriptura contemnitur in vaine is Apostolique authoritie pretended where Apostolicke Scripture is dispised or peruerted Non cripit mortalia qui regna dat coelestia That God warrants not the taking away of earthly kingdoms that giues the kingdom of heauen 2 The second generall fire he kindles is error and Heresie a burning riuer of poyson that Cup of abomination which he reacheth out to the world in the hand of that great Babilonian Whore To maintaine this fire he cals Councells enacts lawes teacheth many Parliaments the promulgation of bloudy Statutes and wheras other lawes of Princes tending to the ruine of iniquitie are euer neglected those that are made against Christians haue beene most seuerely executed And least the Deuill in this should appeare like himselfe the Prince of death and darknes heesits thundring in the Popes mouth like an Angell of light and so directs him that vnder In Dei nomine Amen he vnmercifully condemneth his brother So that the vsurpation of a diuine dispensation must burne the poore members of Christ at the fierie stakes Now this fire he kindleth by two malicious courses 1. By obscuring the light of the Gospell from mens eyes and hartning their affection to darknes So that the children of the night haue so doted vpon Ignorance that they hate and persecute all the meanes and messengers of illumination Shine the Sunne neuer so bright the Papists will see by nothing but Candle-light Therefore it may be they are permitted tapers torches and candles to content their carnall deuotion that they might not spiritually desire the Light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ who is the image of God And if euer their caliginous minds spie the least glimmering of zeale or feele a litle turning from their former impieties the shrine picture or Image of some Saint hath the glory of their conuersion A very blocke shall haue the praise rather then God But wee can hardly beleeue they are conuerted from darknes to light that fetch their illumination out of a stone It is recorded that at Amesbary when Queene Alinor the wife of King Henry 3. Lay there a man that fained himselfe to haue beene long blind came to her and told her that he had now his sight restored a-againe at the tombe of King Henry her deceased husband The mother easily beleeued it but her sonne Edâ—…rd the first knowing this man that hee had beene euer a dissolute wretch and vile impostor diswaded her from giuing faith to it protesting that he knew so well the iustice of his Father that if he were liuing he would sooner pull out both the dissemblers eyes then restore sight to any one of them So certainely those Saints to the vertue of whose dead bones these hypocrites attribute the glory of their conuersion and enlightening would if they were liuing rather say these men had no eyes of grace at all then that any light was giuen them out of their dead dusts or painted resemblances This is Sathans first proiect to cast a thick cloud of inuincible ignorance betweene mens eyes and the cleare Sunne 2. By hindring all those that haue a commission to preach it Zach. 3. He shewed me Ioshua the high Priest standing before the Angell of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist â—…m A dore is opened but there are many aduersaries sayth â—…he Apostle Will you heare the principall aduersarie We would haue come vnto you euen I Paul once and againe but Satan hindered vs. The good minister hath no aduersarie in his calling but he is of the deuils raising And herein he is either a wolfe or a foxe effecting this either by open preuention or secret peruersion 1 Openly he opposeth not onely his Principalities infernall but also Powers terrestriall against it What preacher euer beganne to sing with a cleare brest the songs of Sion for many hundred yeares vnder the Popes reach but instantly Pope Cardinals Fryers Deuils cursed him with belles and candles and were readie to burne him in flames Saeuit mundus cùm oftenditur