the former article he ascended into heaven sittes namely in heauen at the right hand of God The place then where Christ Iesus in both his natures as he is God and also man doth rule in full glory power and maiestie is heauen it selfe To which effect Paul saith God raised Christ from the dead and put him at his right hand in the heavenly places And in the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is said He sitteth at the right hand of the maiestie in highest places This point well considered serueth to discouer the ouersight of sundrie Divines which hold and teach that to sit at the right hand of God is to be euery where in all places and not in heauen onely that they might hereby lay a foundation for the ubiquitie of Christs manhood which neuerthelesse the heauens must containe till the time that all thinges be restored The second circumstance is the time when Christ began to sit at the right hand of God the father which is to be gathered by the order of the articles For first Christ died and was buried then he rose againe and ascended into heauen and after his ascension he is saide to sit at the right hand of his father This order is also noted unto us by S. Paul Who shall condemne saith he it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God And S. Marke saith when Christ vvas risen againe hee appeared to his disciples and after he had spoken unto them he was received into heaven and sate at the right hande of God But it may be demanded how this can stand with trueth that Christ should not begin to sit at the right hand of his father before the ascension considering he is one God with the father and therefore an absolute and soueraigne king from all eternitie Ansvver As Christ is God or the word of the father hee is coequall and coeternall with him in the regiment of his kingdome and hath neither beginning middle or ending thereof yet as Christ is God incarnate and in one person God-man or Man-god he beganne after his ascension and not before to sit at the right hand of his father and as S. Peter saith was made Lord partly because as hee was God hee did then manifest himselfe to be that which indeed he was before namely God and Lorde of heauen and earth and partly because as he was man he receiued dominion or Lordship frō the father which he had not before thereby was euen in his manhood exalted to be king of heauen and earth in this sense Christ saith of himselfe all power is given to me in heaven and earth The third circumstance is concerning the person at whose right hand Christ sits noted in the words of the article of God the father almightie wherby is signified that he receiues all the honour power glory of his kingdom frō his father as he that is set at the right hand of a prince receiues the honour authority which he hath frō the prince Now if it be alledged that by this means Christ shalbe inferiour to his father because he which receiueth honor of another is inferiour to him of whome he receiueth it the answer is that in Christ we must consider his person his office in respect of his person as he is the eternall sonne of God he is equal to the father is not here said to sit at his right hād yet in respect of the office vvhich he beares namely as he is mediatour as he is man he is inferiour to the father receiues his kingdom frō him As he is god he is our king head hath no head more then the father as he is mediatour he is also our head yet so as he is under the father as being his head And we must not think it strāge that one the same thing should be both equall and inferiour to another divers respects considered Now in that Christes placing at the right hand of his father argues inferioritie betweene the father and him hence wee learne that they are deceiued which from this article gather that in the glorification of Christ there is a transfusion of the proprieties of the godhead as omnipotencie omniscience omnipresence c. into his manhoode For this is to abolish all inferioritie and to make an equality betweene the creature and the creatour And whereas againe the word Almightie is repeated it is done upon speciall reason because Christes sitting at the right hand of God doth presuppose omnipotencie For in vaine were all power in heauen and earth giuen to him vnlesse he were omnipotent as the father to execute the same And therefore the song of the Elders was on this maner Worthy is the lambe that was killed to receive power and riches and wisdome strength and honour and glory and praise The benefites which redounde unto us by Christes sitting at the right hand of God are two one concernes his priesthood the other his kingly office The benefit rising from his priesthood is his Intercession for us for this is one of the endes why Christ is now exalted in glorie sittes at the right hand of his father namely to make request in the behalfe of all that come unto him as Paul saieth Christ is risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Now that we may rightly vnderstand what his intercession is we are to consider these pointes First to whome it is made secondly in what maner thirdly whether it be made by Christ alone or no fourthly what be the fruites and benefites thereof fiftly the duties whereunto wee are mooued thereby For the first Intertercession is to make suite request or intreatie in some ones behalfe to another and this is done by Christ for vs unto God as Paul saith There is one God one mediatour betwene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus Here at the verie first ariseth a difficultie for in euery intercession there be three parties the person offended the person offending the intercessour distinct from them both Now if Christ the sonne of God make intercession to God for man then he makes intercession to himselfe because hee is true God which cā not be how then shall Christ be mediatour Ans. This point hath so troubled the Church of Rome that for the resoluing of it they haue deuised an errour avouching that Christ is mediatour onely as hee is man not as hee is God which is untrue For as both natures did concurre in the worke of satisfaction so likewise they doe both concurre in the worke of intercession and therefore a more meete convenient answer is this Christ Iesus God-man in both natures is directly our mediatour to the first person the father as S. Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an advocate with the father
people of the land became Iewes Well now behold there is a greater matter among us then this for there is the handwriting of condēnation the law therin the sentēce of a double death of body soule satan as wicked Haman accuseth us seekes by all meanes our condēnatiō but yet behold not any earthly Hester but Christ Iesus the sonne of God is come downe frō heauen hath taken away this handwriting of condemnation cācelled it upon the crosse is now ascended into heauen their sits at the right hand of his father makes request for us in him his father is well pleased yeeldes to his request in our behalfe Now then what must we doe in this case Surely looke as the Persians became Iewes whē they heard of their safety so we in life and conversation must become Christians turne to Christ embrace his doctrine and practise the same unfainedly And we must not content our selues with a formall profession of religion but search into our own harts flie unto Christ for the pardō of our sins that earnestly as for life death as the thief doth at the bar whē the iudge is giuing sentēce against him Whē we shall thus hūble our selues thē Christ Iesus that sits at the right hād of god wil plead our cause be our atturny unto his father his father againe wil accept of his request in our behalfe Thē shall we of Persians become Iewes of the childrē of this world become the sōnes of god Secōdly when we pray to God we must not doe as the blind world doth as it were rush upō God in praying to him without cōsideratiō had to the Mediatour betweene us and him but we alwaies must direct our praiers to God in the name of Christ for hee is aduanced to power and glory in heauen that he might be a fitte patrone for us who might preferre and present our praiers to God the father that thereby they might be accepted and we might obtaine our request So likewise wee must giue thankes to God in the name of Christ for in him and for his sake God doth bestowe on us his blessings Thus much of Christes intercession the other benefite which concernes Christs kingly office is that he sitts at the right hand of his father for the administration of that speciall kingdome which is committed to him I say speciall because he is our king not onely by the right of creation gouerning all things created togither with the father and the holy ghost but also more specially by the right of redemption in respect of another kingdome not of this world but eternall and spiritual respecting the very conscience of man In the administration wherof he hath absolute power to command forbid to condemne absolue and therefore hath the keies of heauen hell to open shutt which power no creature beside no not the angels in heauē can haue For the better understanding of this which I say wee are to consider first the dealing of Christ toward his own Church secondly his dealing in respect of his enimies And his dealing toward his own church stands in 4. things The first is the collecting or gathering of it this is a speciall end of his sitting at the right hand of his father Christ said to his disciples I haue chosen you out of this world the same may truly be saide of all the elect that Christ in his good time will gather them all to himselfe that they may be a peculiar people to God And this action of his in collecting the Church is nothing els but a translation of those whom he hath ordained to life euerlasting out of the kingdome of darknes in which they haue serued sinne satan into his owne kingdome of grace that they may be ruled and guided by him eternally And this hee doth two waies first by the preaching of the word for it is a powerfull outwarde meanes whereby hee singleth and sorteth his owne seruants from the blinde and wicked vvorlde as Paul saith He gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the gathering together of Saints And hence we learne two things The first that euery minister of Gods word and euery one that intendeth to take vpon him that calling must propound vnto himselfe principally this end to single out man from man and gather out of this world such as belong to the Church of Christ and as Ieremie saith to separate the pretious from the vile The second that all those which will be good hearers of Gods worde must shew themselues so farre forth conformable vnto it that it may gather them out of the world and that it may worke a chaunge in them and make them the seruants of Christ and if the preaching of the worde doe not worke this good worke in our hearts then the end will be a separation from the presence of God Christ when he came neere Ierusalem and considered their rebellion whereby they refused to be gathered vnto him wept ouer it and said O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou which stonest the Prophets and killest them that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her wings and thou wouldest not And by this he teacheth that if the preaching of the worde turne not vs to Christ it turnes to our destruction The other meanes of gathering the Church and that the more principall is the inward operation of the spirit whereby the minde is inlightened the heart is mollified and the whole man is conuerted to God And this ordinarily is ioyned with the ministerie or preaching of the word as appeares by the example of Lydia Saint Luke saith God opened her heart to be attentiue to the doctrine of the Apostle And by the example of Paul when Christ saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me at this very speach he is conuerted and said Who art thou Lord what wilt thou that I doe And this is manifest also by experience There is nothing in the world more contrarie to the nature of man then the preaching of the word for it is the wisdome of God to which the flesh is enimitie Here then it may be demaunded how it can be in force to turne any man to God Answer The word preached is the scepter of Christs kingdome which against the nature of man by the operation of the H. Ghost ioyned therewith doth bend and bowe the heart will and affections of man to the will of Christ. The second worke of Christ is after the Church is gathered to guide it in the way to life euerlasting He is the shepheard of his Church which guideth his flocke in and out and therefore Paul saith They that are Christs are guided by his spirit And by Esay the Lord saith those his seruants which are turned from idolatrie he
turne betime from our sinnes and become the friends of Christ that so we may escape these fearefull iudgements And whereas Christ in this manner gouernes all things in heauen and earth we are bound to performe vnto him three duties reuerence obedience thankfulnes For the first Paul saith God hath exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus which name is his exaltation in heauen in full power and glorie should euery knee bowe We dare not so much as speake of an earthly king vnreuerently what reuerence then doe we owe vnto Christ the king of heauen and earth Dauids heart was touched in that he had cut off but the lappe of Sauls garment when he might haue slaine him because he was the Lords annointed Oh then howe much more ought our hearts to be touched if we shall in the least measure dishonour Christ Iesus our Lord and king Secondly we are here taught to performe obedience to him and to do him all the homage we can The master of the familie in all his lawfull commaundements must be obeied now the Church of Christ is a familie therfore we must yeild obedience to him in al things for al his coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts are iust WheÌ„ Saul was chosen king ouer Israel certain men which feared God whose hearts God had touched followed him to Gibea brought him presents but the wicked despised him the same is much more to be verified in vs towarde Christ our Lord. We must haue our hearts touched with desire to performe obedience vnto him if not we are men of Belial that despise him and refuse to bring our presents vnto him If this obedience were put in practise the Gospell would haue better successe in the hearts of the people and the Lords sabbath would be better kept and men would beare greater loue both to God and to their neighbours then now they doe The third dutie which we owe vnto him is thankfulnes for the endlesse care which he sheweth in the gouerning and preseruing of vs. VVhen Dauid waxed old and had made Salomon his sonne king in his stead all the people shouted and cried God saue king Salomon God saue king Salomon so as the earth rang againe Shall the people of Israel thus reioyce at the crowning of Salomon shal not we much more reioyce when as Christ Iesus is placed in heauen at the right hand of his father and hath the euerlasting scepter of his kingdome put into his hand And we are to shew this thankfulnes vnto him by doing any thing in this world that may tend to his honour and glorie though it be with the aduenture of our liues VVhen Dauid desired to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem three of his mightie men went and brake into the host of the Philistims and brought him water Thus they ventured their liues for Dauids sake and shall not we much more willingly venture our liues to doe Christ seruice in token of thankfulnes for his continuall preseruing of vs Thus much of the highest degree of Christs exaltation in his kingdome now followeth the last point to be beleeued concerning Christ in these words From thenâ—e he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade And they containe a proofe or a particular declaration of the former article For as on earth those that are set at the right hand of kings doe execute iustice in courts or assises for the maintenance of the state and peace of the kingdome so Christ Iesus sitting at the right hande of his father that is being made soueraigne Lord of all things both in heauen earth is to hold a court or assise in which he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Now in handling the last iudgement we are to consider these points I. whether there shall be a iudgement or not II. the time of it III. the signes therof IV. the manner of it V. the vse which is to be made thereof Of these in order For the first point whether there shall be a iudgement or not the question is needefull for as Saint Peter saith There shall come in the last daies mockers which shall walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming which daies are now The answeare is set downe in this article in which we professe that the coÌ„ming of Christ to the last iudgement is a point of religion specially to be held and auouched The reasons to prooue it are principally two first the testimonie of God himselfe in the books of the old and new testament which affoard vnto vs plentifull testimonies touching the last iudgement so as he which will but lightly reade the same shall not neede to doubt thereof The second reason is taken from the iustice and goodnes of God the propertie wherof is to punish wicked and vngodly men and to honour and reward the godly but in this world the godly maÌ„ is most of al in misery for iudgement beginneth at Gods house and the vngodly haue their hearts ease Wicked Diues hath the world at will but pore Lazarus is hunger bitten full of soares miserable euery way This being so it remaineth that after this life there must needes be a iudgement and a second comming of Christ when the godly must receiue fulnes of ioy glorie and the vngodly fulnes of woe and miserie This second reason may stoppe the mouthes of all gainesayers in the worlde whatsoeuer But it may be obiected that the whole world stands either of beleeuers or vnbeleeuers and that there is no last iudgement for either of these for the beleeuer as Christ saith hath euerlasting life shal not come into iudgement and the vnbeleeuer is condemned alreadie and therefore needeth no further iudgement Answ. Where it is said he that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement it must be vnderstood of the iudgement of condemnation not the iudgement of absolution he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie in effect substance three waies I. in the counsel of God who did foresee appoint his condemnation as it is a punishment of sinne and an execution of his iustice II. in the word of God where he hath his condemnation set down III. he is condemned in his own conscience for euery vngodly mans conscience is a iudge vnto himselfe which doth euery houre condemne him and it is a forerunner of the last iudgement And notwithstaÌ„ding all this there may remain a second iudgement which is a manifestatioÌ„ finishing of that which was beguÌ„ in this world therefore the meaning of that place is this he that beleeueth not is alreadie iudged in part but so as the full manifestation thereof shall be at the second comming of Christ. The second circumstance is the time of his iudgement in handling whereof I. we will see what is the iudgement of men II. what is the truth For the first two opinions touching this
Lorde is eternall and this thirde heauen hath alwaies beene the place of the Lords abode and therefore it is also eternall Ansvver True it is that God doeth shewe his glorie and maiestie in the thirde heauen but yet that cannot obtaine his godhead as Salomon saith Beholde the heavens and the heavens of heavens are not able to containe thee Wherefore though God doeth manifest his eternall glorie in this thirde heauen yet it doeth not follow that therefore it shoulde be eternall for he needes no place to dvvell in for hee is every where filling all things with his presence excluded from no place The seconde question where this thirde heauen is Ansvvere There are some protestants say it is euery where and they hold this opinion to maintaine the reall presence of the Lordes body in or about the Sacrament But if it vvere euery where then hell shoulde be in heauen which no man will say but heauen indeed is aboue these visible heauens which we see with our eyes so the Apostle saith Christ ascended on high farre above all heauens c. And againe it is saide of Steven that beeing full of the holy ghost He looked up steadfastly into the heauens and sawe them open and the sonne of man standing at the right hand of God Thirdly it may be demanded why God created this thirde heauen Ansvver God made it for this cause that there might be a certaine place wherein he might make manifest his glorie and maiestie to his elect angels and men for the which cause it was created a thousand folde more glorious then the two former heavens are in which respect it is called Paradise by reason of the ioy and pleasure arising from Gods glorious presence And our Sauiour Christ calleth it the house of God his father because into it must be gathered all Gods children It is called the kingdome of heaven because God is the King thereof and ruleth there in perfect glorie True it is God hath his kingdome here on earth but he ruleth not so fully and gloriously here as hee shall in heauen for this is the kingdome of grace but that is the kingdome of his glorie where he so reigneth that he will be all in all first in Christ and then in the elect both Angels and men Now followes the duties wherunto we are moved principally in consideration of the making of the third heauen First if God created it especially for the manifestation of his glorie unto men that at the ende of this world by the fruition of Gods most glorious presence there they might haue perfect ioye and felicitie wee haue occasion here to consider the wonderfull madnesse of the vvorlde that reigneth euery where among men which onely haue regarde to the state of this life and cast all their care on this world and neuer so much as dreame of the ioyfull and blessed estate which is prepared for Gods children in the highest heauen If a man hauing two houses one but a homely cottage and the other a princely pallace should leaue the better and take all the care and paines for the dressing up of the first would not euerie man say he were a mad man yes undoubtedly And yet this is the spirituall madnesse that reigneth euery where among men for God hath prepared for us two houses one is this our bodie which we beare about us which is an house of clay as Iob saith VVee dvvell in houses of clay whose foundation is dust which shall be destroyed before the moth and as Peter saith a Tabernacle or tent which wee must shortly take downe and wherein we abide but as pilgrimes and strangers Againe the same God of his wonderfull goodnesse hath provided for us a second house in the third heauen wherein we must not abide for a time and so depart but for euermore enioy the blessed felicitie of his glorious presence For all this marke a spirituall phrensie possessing the mindes of men for they imploy all their care and industrie for the maintaining of this house of claye whose foundation is but dust but for the blessed estate of the second house which is prepared for them in the kingdome of heauen they haue no regarde or care They vvill both runne and ride from place to place day and night both by Sea and lande but for vvhat Is it for the preparing of a mansion place in the heauenly Ierusalem Nothing lesse for they will scarse goe forth of the doore to use any meanes whereby they may come unto it but all their studie is to patch vp the ruines and breaches of their earthly cabbine Now let all men iudge in their owne consciences whether as I haue saide this be not more then senselesse madnesse Againe the body is but a tabernacle wherein we must rest as it were for a night as a stranger doeth in an Inne and so away but the second house is eternall in the heavens an everlasting seate of all felicitie And therefore our dutie is aboue all things to seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof as Christ himselfe biddeth us And if the Lorde haue there prepared such a place for vs then wee must in this worlde use all good meanes whereby we may be made worthy the fruition of it also fitte and ready at the day of death to enter into it which at the day of iudgement we shall fully possesse both in soule and body and there reigne eternally in all happinesse with God Almightie our creatour the father the sonne and the holy ghost But some may say how shall a man so prepare himselfe that he may be fitte for that place Ansvver This the holy ghost teacheth us for speaking of this heauenly Ierusalem hee saith There shall enter into it none uncleane thing neither whatsoever vvorketh abomination or lyes The meanes then to make our selues fitte is to seeke to be reconciled to God in Christ for our sinnes past and withall to indeauour to haue an assurance of the free remission and pardon of them all in the blood of Christ. And as touching that part of life which is to come wee must remember what S. Iohn saith Euery one that hath this hope purifieth himselfe meaning that he which hath hope to reigne with Christ in heauen vseth the meanes whereby he may purifie and keepe himselfe from sinne as also he saith after that he which is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not Signifying that all such persons as are truly iustified and sanctified carrie such a narrowe and straite watch ouer the whole course of their liues and conuersations that the deuill can neuer giue them deadlie wounds and wholly ouercome them Now the man that is resolued in his conscience of the pardon of his sinne for the time past and hath a steadfast purpose in his heart to keepe himselfe upright and continually to walke in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies
be inferiour to the father yet doth it not hinder but that he may be equall to him as he is the second person in trinitie or as he is God by one and the same Godhead with the father IV. He that is made of God to be this or that is not God but Christ is made of God as Paul saith Christ is made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes c. Answer Christ is said to be made not because there was any beginning of his Godhead or any chaunge or alteration in his person but because in the eternall counsell of the father he was set apart before all times to exequute the office of a Mediatour and was withall in time called and as it were consecrated and ordained thereunto in his baptisme he is made therefore in respect of his office but not in respect of his person or nature V. God hath no head Christ hath an head as Paul saith God is Christs head Answ. God that is the father is head of Christ not as he is God simply but as he is God incarnate or made manifest in the fâ—esh and in respect of the office to which he willingly abased himselfe VI. Hee which giues vp his kingdome is not God Christ giues vp his kingdome Then saith Paul shall be the end when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the father Answer Christ is king two waies as he is God and as he is Mediatour as he is God he raignes eternally with the father and the holy Ghost but as he is Mediatour in the ende of the worlde when all the companie of the elect are gathered his kingdome shall cease not simplie but in respect of the â—â—tward manner of administration for the exequution of civill and ecclesiasticall functions shall cease And whereas in the same place it is said that Christ shalbe subiect vnto God eternally after the ende it must be vnderstood partly in regard of the assumed manhood partly in respect of his mysticall bodie the Church most neerely ioyned vnto him in heauen VII The first borne of euery creature of many brethren is a creature not God but Christ is the first borne of euery creature of many brethren Ans. He is called the first borne by allusion to the first borne in the old testament for as they were principall heires hauing double portions allowed them the chiefe or gouernours of the familie so Christ is made heire of the world and the head of Gods familie which is his Church elected and adopted in him And againe he is called the first borne of euery creature because he was begotten of the substance of his father before any creature was made and therfore it is not here said that he was first created but first begotten By the reasons which haue bin alleadged as also by the insufficiencie of the contrarie arguments it is more then manifest against all heretikes that Christ is very God Yet to stoppe the mouthes of all Atheists to satisfie all wauering doubtings minds I will adde one reason further The gospel of S. Iohn was chiefly penned for this end to prooue the dietie of Christ among other arguments alledged this is one that Christ gaue a resolute a constant testimonie of himselfe that he was the sonne of God very God now if any man shall say that sundrie persons since the beginning of the world haue taken vpon theÌ„ that falsely to be gods I answer that neuer any creature tooke this title honour vpon him to be called God but the fearefull iudgements of God were vpon him for it In the estate of mans innocencie the deuill tolde our first parents that by eating the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and euill they should be as gods knowing good euill now they beleeued him affected diuine honour but what came of it surely Adam with all his posteritie is shut vp for it vnder eternall damnation Herod likewise araied in royall apparell sitting on the iudgement seate made an oration to the men of Tyre Sidon who gaue a shout saying the voice of God not of man Now because he tooke the glorie of God to himselfe did not returne it to him to whoÌ„ it was due immediatly the angel of the Lord smote him And so if Christ had bin but a meere man not very God as he auouched vndoubtedly the hand of God would haue bin vpon him likewise for his confusion but when he suffered for vs and bare the punishment due for our sinnes he most triumphed And the iudgements of God were vpon Herod Pontius Pilate Caiphas vpon all those that were enemies to him and to his church afterward that partly in life partly in death Wherefore seeing that God can not abide that his glorie should be giuen to any creature seeing for that cause he takes reuenge on all those that exalt themselues to be gods it remains that the testimony which Christ gaue of himselfe that he was God is vnfallibly true without all question to be beleeued of vs. And to conclude I would haue all the deuils in hel with the cursed order of Lucians Porphyrians and Atheists whatsoeuer to answer this one point howe it could come to passe that Christ by publishing the doctrine of the Gospell that is as contrarie to mans reason will and affections as water to fire should winne almost the whole world to become his disciples and to giue their liues for him vnlesse he were God indeed as he confessed himselfe to be There be sundrie speciall reasons wherefore it was necessarie that Christ should be God I. There is none which can be a Sauiour of bodie soule but God I euen I am the Lord and besides â—e there is no Sauiour And I am the Lord the God from the land of Egipt and thou shalt knowe no God but me for there is no Sauiour beside me II. There must be a proportion betweene the sinne of man and the punishmeÌ„t of sinne now the sinne of man in respect of the offence of the maiestie of God is infinite in that he is infinitely displeased with man at the breach of his lawe therefore the punishment of sinne must be infinite and hence it followeth that he which suffereth the punishment beeing man must withall be God that the manhood by the power of the Godhead may be supported that in suffering it may vanquish death and make a satisfaction III. He that must be a Sauiour must be able 1. to deliuer men from the bondage of their spirituall enemies namely sinne and Satan 2. to restore the image of God lost by the fall of Adam and to conferre righteousnes and life euerlasting 3. to defend them from hell death damnation the flesh the deuill the world 4. to giue them full redemption from all their miseries both in bodie and soule and to place them in eternall happines all which none can doe
alone when these things are taken away then we shall vtterly forsake Christ in like manner The second point is that Herod desires Christ to worke a miracle He can be content to see the works of Christ but he can not abide to heare his word to beare his yoke Like to him are many in these daies which gladly desire to heare the Gospell of Christ preached onely because they would heare speach of some strange things laying aside all care and conscience to obey that which they heare Yea many in England delite to read the strange histories of the bible and therefore can rehearse the most part of it and it were to be wished that all could doe it yet come to the practise of it the same persons are commonly found as bad in life and conuersation yea rather worse then others Let vs therefore labour that with our knowledge we may ioyne obedience practise with our learning and as well to be affected with the word of Christ as with his works The third point is that Herod derides Christ and sends him away cloathed in a white garment This is that Herod whome Christ called a foxe who also when hee heard Iohn Baptist preach did many things heard him gladly How then comes Herod to this outrage of wickednes thus to abuse Christ Answer We must knowe that although Herod at the first heard Iohn preach yet withall hee followed his owne affections and sought how to fulfill the lustes of his flesh For when Iohn told him that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brother Philips wife he cast him in prison and after cut off his head for it after which offence he is grown to this height of impietie that he now despiseth Christ cānot abide to heare him Where we learne that as we are willing to heare Gods word preached so withall we must take heede that we practise no maner of sinne but make conscience of euery thing that may displease God Thou maist I graunt be one that feares and fauours Iohn Baptist for a time wallowing in thy old sinnes but after a while yeilding to the swinge of thy corrupt heart thou wilt neuer heare Iohn nor Christ himselfe but hate and despise them both This is the cause why some which haue beene professours of religion heretofore and haue had great measure of knowledge are now become very loose persons and can not abide to heare the worde preached vnto them the reason is because they could not abide to leaue their sinnes Therefore that wee may begin in the spirit and not end in the flesh let euery one that calls on the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie Now follows the second pollicie of Pilate For when he saw the first would not preuaile then hee tooke a newe course for he tooke Iesus into the common hall and scourged him and the souldiers platted a crowne of thornes and pur it on his head and they put on him a purple garment and saide Haile King of the Iewes and smote him with their roddes And thus he brought him foorth before the Iewes perswading himselfe that when they sawe him so abased and so ignominiously abused they vvould be content therevvith and exact no greater punishment at his handes thinking thus to haue pacified the rage of the Ievves and so to haue deliuered Christ from death by inflicting vpon him some lesser punishment This pollicie is as it vvere a looking glasse in vvhich vve may behold of vvhat nature cōdition all plotts pollicies of mē are which are deuised practised vvithout the directiō of Gods vvord In it we may obserue 2. things the first is the ground thereof vvhich is a most silly simple or rather sensles argument For he reasoneth thus I finde no fault in this man therefore I will chastise him and let him goe A man vvould hardly haue thought that one hauing but his common sense vvould not haue made such a reason much lesse a great iudge sitting in the roome of God But in him vve may behold see the ground of all humane pollicie vvhich is beside the vvord of God namely the foolish and blind reason of men The 2. thing to be considered is the proceeding and issue of this pollicie Pilat must either vvhip Christ beeing innocent or put him to death vvhich are both sinnes and great offences Novve hee maketh choice of the lesser vvhich is to whippe him and is perswaded that he ought to doe so whereas of two sinnes or euils a man ought to doe neither And in doing this Pilate begins to make a breach in his conscience and that is the fruit that all politicks reape of their deuises which proceede by the light of their owne reason without the word of God By this example we are admonished of two things first that before we enterprize any businesse wee must rectifie our iudgements by Gods worde Dauid was a most wise King and no doubt had withall a graue and wise councell but yet he preferred the word of God before all saying Thy testimonies are my counsellers Secondly in our proceedings we must keepe an vpright pure and vnblameable conscience as Paul exhorteth Timothie to haue the mysterie of faith in a pure conscience giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that a good conscience is as it were a chest or cupboard in which we are to keepe and locke vp our religion and all other graces of God as the most pretious iewels that can be and that if we suffer this chest to be broken vp all our riches and iewels are gone But let vs yet view the dealing of Pilate more particularly he whippes Christ puts on him a purple garment puts a reede in his hand sets a crowne of thornes vpon his head and causes the souldiers to mocke him and spit in his face Now in this that Christ standing in our roome was thus shamefully abused we must consider what was due vnto euery one of vs for our sinnes namely shame and reproch in this life and in the life to come endles confusion And we see the confession of Christ to be true which he made to Pilate that his kingdome was not of this world for if it had beene so they would haue put a crowne of gold vpon his head and not a crowne of thornes nothing at all beseeming an earthly king and in stead of a reede they would haue put a scepter into his hand and in stead of buffetting and spitting on him they would haue adored him falne downe before him Againe whereas Christ our heade in this world ware no other crowne but one made of thornes it serueth to teach all those that are the members of Christ that they must not look for a crown of glory in this life because that is reserued for the life to come And if we would then weare the crown of glorie with Christ we must here in this life weare a crown of thorns as he did for as
God to serve In the sixe dayes of the weeke manie men vvalke verie painefully in their callings but when the Lordes day commeth then every man takes license to doe what hee will and because of the princes lawes men will come formally to the Church for fashions sake but in the meane time how many do nothing else but scorne mocke and deride and as much as in them lieth disgrace both the worde and the ministers thereof so that the cōmon saying is this oh he is a precise fellow he goes to heare Sermons he is too holy for our cōpanie But it stands men in hand to take out a better lesson which is if we will haue God to be our father wee must shewe our selues to be the children of God by repentance and newnesse of life he can not be but a gracelesse child that will lead a rebellious life flat against his fathers minde Let us then so behaue our selves that we may honour our father which is in heauen and not dishonour him in our liues and callings rather let us separate our selues from the filthinesse of the flesh loathing those things which our father lotheth and fleeing from those things which our father abhorreth And thus much for the duties Now follow the consolations which arise from this point But first we are to know that there are three sortes of men in the world The first are such as will neither heare nor obey the word of God The second sort are those which will heare the word preached vnto them but they will not obey both these sortes of men are not to looke for any comfort hence Now there is a third sort of men which as they heare Gods worde so they make conscience of obeying the same in their liues and callings and these are they to whome the consolations that arise out of this place doe rightly belong and must be applyed unto First therefore seeing God the father of Christ and in him the father of all that obey and doe his will is our father here note the dignitie and prerogative of all true beleeuers for they are sonnes and daughters of God as saith S. Iohn So many as received him to them he gaue a prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name This priviledge will appeare the greater if we consider our first estate for as Abraham saith We are but dust and ashes and in regard of the deprauation of our natures we are the children of the deuill therefore of such rebels to be made the sonnes of God it is a wonderfull priviledge and prerogative no dignitie like unto it And to enlarge it further he that is the sonne of God is the brother of Christ fellow heire with him and so heire apparant to the kingdom of heauen and in this respect is not inferiour to the verie angels This must be laid vp carefully in the hearts of Gods people to confirme them in their conversation among the companie of vngodly men in this world Secondly if a man doe indeauour himselfe to walke according to Gods worde then the Lord of his mercie will beare with his wants for as a father spareth his owne son so will God spare them that feare him Now a father commaunds his child to write or to apply his booke though all things herein be not done according to his mind yet if he find a readinesse with a good indeavour he is content and falls to praise his childs writing or learning So God giueth his commandement and though his servants faile in obedience yet if the Lord see their heartie indeavour and their vnfeigned willingnesse to obey his will though with sundry wants hee hath made this promise and will performe it that as a father spareth his sonne so will he spare them If a child be sicke will the father cast him off nay if thorough the grievousnesse of his sicknesse he can not take the meat that is giuen him or if he take it for faintnesse pick it up againe will the father of the childe thrust him out of dores no but he will rather pitie him And so when a man doth indeauour himselfe through the whole course of his life to keepe Gods commandements God will not cast him away though through weakenesse he faile in sundry things and displease God This prerogatiue can none haue but he that is the child of God as for others when they sinne they doe nothing else but draw downe Gods iudgements upon them for their deeper condemnation Thirdly hence we learne that the childe of God can not wholly fall away from Gods fauour I doe not say that hee can not fall at all for he may fall away in part but hee can not wholly and so oft as he sinnes he depriues himselfe in part of Gods fauour David loued his sonne Absolon wonderfully but Absolon like a wicked sonne played a lewde pranck would haue thrust his father out of his kingdom And David although he was sore offended with Absolon shewed tokens of his wrath yet in heart he loued him and neuer purposed to cast him off Hereupon when he went against him he commanded the Captaines to intreat the yong man Absolon gently for his sake And when he was hanged by the haire of the head in pursuing his father then David wept and cried O my sonne Absolon my sonne Absolon would God I had dyed with thee Absolon my sonne And so it is with God our heauenly father when his children sinne against him and thereby loose his loue and fauour and fall from grace he forsakes them but how farre Surely he shewes signes of anger for their wickednesse yet indeed his loue remaines towards them still and this is a true conclusion the grace of god in the adoptiō of the elect is unchāgeable he that is the childe of God can neuer fall away wholly or finally On the contrary that is a bad and comfortlesse opinion of the Church of Rome which holdeth that a man may be iustified before God and yet afterward by a mortall sinne finally fall from grace and be condemned Fourthly the child of God that takes god the father for his father may freely come into the presence of god haue liberty to pray unto him We know it is a great priviledge to come into the chamber of presence before an earthly prince and fewe can alwaies haue this prerogatiue though they be great men yet the kings owne sonne may haue free entrance speake freely vnto the king himselfe because he is his sonne Now the children of God haue more prerogative then this for they may come into the chamber of presence not of an earthly king but of Almightie God the king of kings and as they are the sonnes of god in Christ so in him they may freely speake unto God their father by prayer And this ouerthrowes the doctrine of such as be of the Church of Rome which
heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and powers c. euen by the power of his father well as this power was made manifest in the head so must it be in the members thereof Euery child of God shall hereafter see and feele in himselfe the same power to translate him from this vale of miserie in this life to the kingdome of heauen Wherefore to conclude we haue great cause to be thankefull and to praise God for this priuiledge that he sheweth his power in his children in regenerating them in making them die vnto sinne and to stand against the gates of hell to suffer afflictions patiently as also that he translates thē from death to life And euery one should shew his thankfulnes in labouring to haue experience of this power in himselfe as Paul exhorteth vs in his epistles to the Colossians Ephesians yea read all his epistles we shal finde he mentioneth no point so often as this namely the mightie power of God manifested first in Christ secondly in his mēbers and he accounteth all things losse that he might know Christ the vertue of his resurrection This point is the rather to be marked because his power in the matter of grace is not to be seene with eye fewe there be in respect that haue felt the vertue thereof in themselues for the deuill doth mightitily shew his cōtrary power in the greatest part of the world in carrying them to sinne and wickednes Secondly hence we learne that which Paul teacheth namely to know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God God is almightie therfore able to do whatsoeuer he wil he is also a father therfore is willing to doe that which is for our good But some will say we are subiect to many crosses yea to sinne what can our sinnes turne to our good Ans. If God almightie be thy father he wil turne thine afflictions yea thy sinnes which by nature are euill beyond all exspectation vnto thy saluation And this God will doe to all such as be obedient vnto him yet no man must hereupon presume to sinne Thirdly whereas we beleeue that God is a mightie father it serues to confirme Gods children in the promises of mercie reuealed in his word The chiefest whereof is that if men will turne from their sinnes and beleeue in Christ they shall not perish but haue life euerlasting I know some men wil make it an easie thing to beleeue especially those which neuer knewe what faith meant But such persons neede no meanes of confirmation of faith therfore let all those which haue tasted of the hardnes of attaining vnto it learne how to stablish their wauering hearts in the promises of God by the consideration of these two points God is a father and therefore he is willing he is also almightie and therefore he is able to performe his promises He that will be truly resolued of Gods promises must haue both these setled in his heart and build on them as on two foundations It followeth Creatour of heauen and earth We haue spoken of the title of the first person of his attributs now we come to speake of his effect namely the creation but before we come to it we are to answer a certaine obiection which may be made At the first it may seeme strāge to some that the worke of creation is ascribed to the first person in Trinitie the father whereas in the Scripture it is common to them all three equally And first that the father is Creatour it was neuer doubted as for the second person the Sonne that he is Creatour it is euident all things are made by it that is by the Sonne who is the substantiall word of the father without it was made nothing that was made And againe it is said that God by his Sonne made the worlde As for the holy Ghost the worke of creation is also ascribed vnto him and therefore Moses saith the spirit mooued vpon the waters and Iob saith his spirit hath garnished the heauens How thē is this peculiar to the father being cōmon to al the three persons in trinitie I answer the actions of God are two-fold either inward or outward The inward actions are those which one person doth exercise towards another as the father doth beget the sonne this is an inward action peculiar to the father for all inward actions are proper to the persons from whome they are So the Sonne doth receiue the godhead frō the father the holy Ghost frō thē both these are inward actions peculiar to these persons So likewise for the father to send his sonne it is an inward action proper to the father cannot be cōmunicated to the holy Ghost the sonne to be sent by the father onely is a thing proper to the sonne not cōmon to the father or to the holy Ghost Now outward actions are the actions of the persons in the Trinitie to the creatures as the worke of creation the work of preseruatiō of redemption These all such actions are cōmon to all the three persons the father createth the sonne createth the H. Ghost createth so we may say of the works of gouernment of redemption of all outward actions of the persons to the creatures But some again may say how then can the work of creation being an outward action of God to the creature be peculiar to the first person the father I answer the work of creation is not so proper to the first person the father as that it cannot also be common to the rest for al the three persons ioyntly created all things of nothing onely they are distinguished in the manner of creating For the father is the cause that beginneth the worke the sonne puts it in execution the holy Ghost is the finisher of it And againe the father createth by the sonne by the H. Ghost the sonne createth by the holy Ghost frō the father the H. Ghost createth not by the father nor by the sonne but frō the father the sonne And this is the reason why the work of creation is ascribed here vnto the father because he alone createth after a peculiar manner namely by the sonne and by the holy Ghost but the sonne and the holy Ghost create not by the father but from him Thus hauing answered the obiection we come to speake of the creation it selfe In handling whereof we must withal treat of the Counsell of God as being the cause thereof of the Gouernment of the creatures as beeing a worke of God whereby he continues the creation And the order which I wil obserue is first to speake of the Counsell of God and secondly of the exequution of his Counsell which hath two speciall branches the first the creation the second the preseruation or gouernment of things created The Counsell of God is his eternal vnchangeable decree
is the naturall sonne of Neri and the legall sonne of Iechonias Now Saint Luke sets downe the naturall descent of Christ from Dauid by Nathan and Saint Matthew the other descent which is legall by Salomon whome Christ succeeded in the right of the kingdom being borne the king of the Iewes none that could possibly be named hauing more right to it then he By this discent of Christ we haue occasion to consider that Christ was euen in his birth the most excellent and noble man that euer was descending of the eternall father as he is the sonne of God and as he man descending of the Patriarks and of the renowmed kings of Iudah And this his nobilitie he conuaies in part to his members in that he makes them the sonnes of God a royall priesthood and a peculiar people to himselfe inriching them also with the reuenewes of the whole world and with the title and right to the kingdome of glorie in heauen as their inheritance And withall Christ beeing the liuely patterne of true nobilitie by his example men of blood are taught not to stand so much on their pedigree and their ancetours as though nobilitie stood in this that man descends of man but to labour with all that they may to be the sonnes and daughters of God by regeneratioÌ„ in Christ. This in deede is the ornament of the blood the best part in the noble mans skutchin and the finest flowre in his garland And though a man be neuer so noble or great an estate yet if he be not a repentant sinner he is base and vile and his nobilitie stinks in the nostrils of God Christ in his genealogie doth not so much as vouchsafe to name those his ancetours that ruled wickedly and hereupon Saint Matthew omitteth three kings of Iuda Achaziah Ioas Amaziah whereas neuerthelesse hainous offendours that repented are mentioned as Ruth and Thamat and Bathshabe Thus much of the incarnation of Christ Now followeth the third and last point which is to be considered in the description of Christ namely the estate of Christ after his birth which is two-fold the estate of humiliation and the estate of exaltation The estate of humiliation is the condition of Christ the Mediatour in which he abased himselfe euen to the death of the crosse that by that meanes he might performe the office of a priest in making satisfaction to the iustice of his father This estate agrees to the whole person of Christ according to both natures For first of all his manhoode was abased and humbled in that it was made subiect to the infirmities of mans nature as also to the miseries and punishments which were due vnto man for sinne Secondly his Godhead was abased not as it is considered in it selfe For so it admits no alteration or chaunge But in respect of the flesh or manhoode assumed vnder the which as vnder a vaile the Godhead lay hid from the first moment of the incarnation to the time of his resurrectioÌ„ without any great manifestation of his power and maiestie therein The order of these two estates must be marked First is the estate of humiliation and then in the second place followes the estate of exaltation As Christ saith of him selfe O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue c. ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glorie And here we for our part must learne a lesson The same which was true in Christ the head must be verifyed in all his members they must also haue their two-fold estate First in this life the estate of humiliation secondly after this life the estate of glorie And as Christ first entred into the state of his humiliation and then into glorie so it is with his members first they must be abased in this life and secondly exalted in the worlde to come He that will raigne with Christ and be exalted must first suffer with him and be humbled hee that will weare the crowne of glorie must weare first a crowne of thornes they that will haue all teares wyped from their eyes must here first in this life shed them And the children of God before they can sing the song of Moses and of the seruants of God and of the lambe must first swimme through the sea of burning glasse wherby it is signified that those which after this life would sing songs of praises to Christ must in this life be cast into a sea of miserie And if this be true then we may heare learne that it is a wretched case for a man in this life to haue perpetuall ease rest and quietnes both in bodie and soule goods and good name for we see by Christs example that through aduersitie we must come to happines and if a man would haue rest and peace in the life to come then in this life he must suffer trouble persecution and sorrow Indeede in the iudgement of the world they are blessed that alwaies liue at rest but before God they are most miserable and as oxen which are made fat in the best pasture readie for the slaughterhouse euery day Secondly here is an excellent consolation for those which professe the Gospell of Christ in the time of trouble and persecution they must reioyce because the state of humiliation in this life is a signe that they are in the plaine and right way to saluation and glorie A man is to take his iourney into a farre countrey and inquiring for the way it is told him that there are many plaine waies but the straight and right way is full of woods and hills and mountaines and great daungers now when he is traueiling and comes into those places he gathereth certenly that he is in the right way so the child of God that is going to the kingdome of heauen though there be many waies to walke in yet he knowes that there is but one right way which is very straight and narrow full of trouble sorrow and persecution full of all manner of crosses and afflictions and when in this life he is persecuted and afflicted for good causes whether in bodie or in minde if he be content to beare his crosse it agreeth plainly that he is in the right way vnto saluation for thorough many afflictions wee must enter into the kinâ—dome of heauen The humiliation of Christ is first of all set downe in the Creede generally and secondly by his parts or degrees Generally in these words suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Where we must consider two things the passion it selfe and vnder whome it was For the first that we may the better conceiue the passion in his owne nature seuen speciall points must be opened I. The cause efficient The principall cause of the passion as it is the price of our redemption was the decree and prouidence of God as Peter saith expressely that Christ was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God The impulsive cause that mooued God to worke
this First of all we must set it before our eyes as a looking glasse in which we may cleerely behold the horriblenes of our sinnes that could not be pardoned without the passion of the sonne of God and the vnspeakeable loue of Christ that dyed for vs and therefore loued his owne enemies more then his owne selfe and lastly our endles peace with God and happines in that considering the person of our redeemer who suffered the pangs of hell we may after a sort finde our paradise euen in the middest of hell Secondly the meditation of Christs passion serues as a most worthie meanes to beginne and to confirme grace specially when it is mingled with faith and that tâ—o waies For first it serues to breede in our hearts a godly sorrowe for our sinnes past when we doe seriously with our selues consider that our owne sinnes were the cause of all the paines and sorrowes and calamities which he suffered in life and death When any man had sinned vnder the Law he brought vnto the temple or tabernacle some kinde of beast for an offering according as he was prescribed laying his hande vpon the heade of it and afterward slaying it before the Lord. Now by the ceremonie of laying on the hand he testified that he for his part had deserued death and not the beast and that it beeing slaine and sacrificed was a signe vnto him of the sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the crosse for his sinnes And hereby we are taught that so oft as we remember the passion of Christ we should lay our hands as it were vpon our owne heads vtterly accusing and condemning ourselues euermore keeping this in heart that Christ suffered not for himselfe but for our offences which were the proper cause of all his woe and miserie And as Christs passion was grieuous and bitter vnto him so should our sinnes likewise be grieuous and bitter vnto vs let vs alwaies remember this otherwise we shall neuer reape any sound benefit by the passion of Christ. Againe the passion of Christ is a notable meanes to stirre vp in our hearts a purpose and a care to reforme our selues and liue in holines and newnes of life on this manner Hath the Sonne of God so mercifully dealt with me as to suffer the curse of the whole law for my manifold iniquities and to deliuer me from iust and deserued damnation yea no doubt he hath I am resolued of it if I should goe on in mine old course I should be the most vngratefull of all creatures to this my louing Sauiour I will therefore by his grace returne and reforme my life And in this very point of reformation the passion of Christ is set before vs as a most liuely patterne and example to follow For as much saith Saint Peter as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same minde which is that hee which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Where hee teacheth that there must be in vs a spirituall passion answearable to the passion of Christ. For as his enemies did lade him with miseries euen to the death of the crosse so should we lade our owne flesh that is the corruption of our natures with all such meanes as may subdue and weaken crucifie and kill it To the doing of this three things especially are required First we must consider that the corruption of our rebellious natures is like the great and mightie Goliath and the grace of God which we haue receiued like young and little Dauid and therefore if wee desire that grace should preuaile against corruption we must disarme the strong man and strippe him of all his weapons which is done by giuing all the members of our bodies to be instruments of the seruice of God in righteousnes and holines Secondly we must indeauour to keepe in the corruption of nature as it were choking and smothering at the heart that by it neither the worlde nor the deuill preuaile against vs. And this must be done by hauing a narrow regard vnto all the powers and faculties of bodie and soule setting a watch before our eyes eares lippes and all other parts of the bodie that are in any action the instruments of the soule and aboue all as Salomon saith by countergarding the heart with all diligence By the outward senses of the bodie as through open windows the deuill creepes into the heart and therefore our duetie is to stoppe all such waies of entrance Thirdly when originall corruption begins to rebell either in the minde will or any of the affections then must we draw out the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and incounter with that hidious gyant laying load vpoÌ„ him by the iudgements and threatnings of the law as it were beating him down with clubbes as Paul speaketh And if it fall out that concupiscence beginne to conceiue and bring foorth any sinne we must cruise it in the head dash it against the ground as a bird in the shell least it growe vp to our vtter confusion These are the dueties which wee should learne by the passion of Christ. But lamentable are our daies in which all for the most part goes contrarie for commonly men are so farre from killing and subduing the rebellion of the naturall concupiscence that all their studie and care is howe they may feeede and cherish it and make it stronger then the mightie Goliah But let vs for our parts be conformable to Christ in his passion suffering in our flesh as he suffered in bodie and soule for vs. And let vs daily more and more by the hand of faith apprehend and applie to our hearts and consciences the passion of Christ that it may as a fretting corasive eate out the poyson of our sinnefull natures and to consume it Now followeth the second point concerning the passion of Christ which is vnder whome he suffered namely vnder Pontius Pilate And Christ may be said to suffer vnder him in two respects First because he was then the President of Iurie For a little before the birth of Christ the kingdome of the Iewes was taken away by the Romane Emperour and reduced into a Province Pontius Pilate was placed ouer the Iewes not as king but as the Romane Emperours deputie And this circuÌ„stance is noted in the historie of the Gospell here specified in the Creede to shew that the Messias was exhibited in the time foretold by the Prophets Iacob foretold that Shilo must be borne after the scepter is removed from Iuda Isaiah saith that the familie of Ishai shall be worne as it were to the root before Christ as a branch shall spring out of it Againe Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilate as he was a iudge whereby we are giuen to vnderstand of a woonder namely that Christ the sonne of God King of heauen and earth was arraigned at the barre of an earthly iudge there condeÌ„ned
Caesar in Iudea Where we must obserue the wonderful prouidence of God in that not onely the Iewes but the Gentiles also had a stroake in the arraignement of Christ that that might be true which the Apostle saith God shut vp all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all The fourth point is the matter of their accusation they accuse our Sauiour Christ of 3. things I. that he seduced the people II. that he forbad to pay tribute to Caesar. III. that he said he was a King Let vs well consider these accusations especially the two last because they are flat contrarie both to Christs preaching and to his practise For when the people would haue made him a King after hee had wrought the myracle of the fiue loaues and two fishes the text saith he departed from among them vnto a mountaine himselfe alone Secondly when tribute was demaunded of him for Caesar though he were the kings sonne and therefore was freed yet saith he to Peter least wee should offende theÌ„ go to the sea and cast in an angle and take the first fish that commeth vp and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of twentie pence that take and giue vnto them for thee and me And when he was called to be a iudge to deuide the inheritance betweene two brethren he refused to doe it saying Who made me a iudge betweene you Therefore in these two things they did most falsely accuse him Whereby wee learne that nothing is so false and vntrue but the slaunderer dare lay it to the charge of the innocent the tongues of the slaunderers are sharpe swords venemous arrows to wound their enemies their throats are open sepulchers the poyson of aspes is vnder their lipps If a man speake gracious words his tongue is touched with the fire of Gods spirit but as Saint Iames saith the tongue of the wicked is fire yea a worlde of wickednes and it is set on fire with the fire of hell therefore let this example be a caveat for vs all to teach vs to take heede of slandering for the deuill then speakes by vs and kindles our tongues with the fire of hell The fifth point is the manner of their accusation which is diligently to be marked for they doe not onely charge him with a wonderfull vntruth but they beseech Pilate to put him to death crying Crucifie him Crucifie him in so much that Pontius Pilate was afraid of them where wee may see how these shameles Iewes goe beyond their compasse and the bounds of all accusers whose dutie is to testifie onely what they know Now in the matter of this their accusation appeares their wonderfull inconstancie For a little before when Christ came to Ierusalem riding vpon an asse shewing some signes of his kingly authoritie they cut downe braunches from the trees and strawed them in the way crying Hosanna Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord but nowe they sing an other song and in stead of Hosanna they cry Crucifie him Crucifie him And the like inconstancie is to be found in the people of these our times They vse to receiue any religion that is offered vnto them for in the daies of King Edward the sixth the people of England receiued the Gospell of Christ but shortly after in Queene Maries time the same people receiued the wretched and abhominable doctrine of the Church of Rome And not many yeares after when it pleased God to bring againe the light of his glorious Gospell by our gracious Prince the same people turned from poperie and imbraced the true religion againe And thus with the Iewes one while they cry Hosanna to Christ receiue his Gospell and shortly after they cry Crucifie him Crucifie him by imbracing idolatrous poperie Let vs therefore learne in the feare of God by the ficklenes of the Iewes that sing two contrarie songs in so short a space to acknowledge our inconstancie and weakenesse in the matter of religion whereby if God leaue vs but a little to our selues wee shall straight way forsake Christ his Gospell and all Thus much of the accusation Now followeth Christs examination before Pontius Pilate for when the Iewes had thus falsely accused him then Pontius Pilate tooke him and brought him into the common hall and asked him this question Art thou a King Nowe Christ beeing thus examined made as Paul also testifieth a good confession The summe thereof stands in foure heads The first is that he confesseth himselfe to be a King not such an one as they accused him to be yet a true King Whence we may learne diuers instructions First that euery Christian man in the midst of his misery afflictioÌ„ hath one that is most sufficieÌ„t euery way to defend him against all his enemies the world the flesh the deuill For this king can doe whatsoeuer he will therfore when the legion of deuils would enter into a herd of swine they could not without his leaue And when the Centurions daughter was dead he but spake the word and she arose And when Lazarus was dead and had liâ—n in the graue foure daies he but said Lazarus come forth he came forth bound hand and foote Yea euen hell and death giue place to his word nothing can resist his power And therefore he that is a true member of Christ needes not to feare any enemies be they neuer so great or so many And againe as Christ is able so is he readie and willing to saue and defend all that beleeue in him For he it is that gaue his life for his subiects which no king will doe and shedde his bloud for their redemption which hee would neuer haue done if he had not desired their saluation Secondly when as Christ is a mightie king which can doe whatsoeuer he wil let al such amoÌ„g vs that haue hitherto liued in ignoraÌ„ce by reason of ignoraÌ„ce liue in their sinnes at length begin to come vnto him do him homage with peniteÌ„t hearts fal down before him otherwise if they continue in their old rebellions let them know whosoeuer they be high or low that he hath a rod of iron in his hand to bruise them in pieces their soules shall smart for it as both Pilate Caiphas the rest of the Iewes were with a full cup rewarded for crucifying the Lord of life And if Christ cannot draw thee in this life from thy crooked waies be sure at the houre of death he wil breake thee in pieces like a potters vessel This must wee learne in regarde of the first point that hee saide plainly He was a King Now follows the second part of his confession namely that his kingdome was not of this worlde Where hee sets downe what kinde of king he is he is no earthly king his kingdome standes not in the power of men nor in earthly and outwarde gouernement but his kingdome
sins the vvorld crucifies Christ againe For look as Pilates souldiours with the wicked Iewes tooke Christ and stripped him of his garments buffetted him and slue him so doe vngodly men by their wicked behauiour strip him of all honour and slay him againe If an infidell should come among vs and yeelde himselfe to be of our religion after hee had seene the behauiour of men hee would peraduenture leaue all religioÌ„ for he might say surely it seemes this god whome these men worship is not the true God but a god of licentious libertie and that which is moâ—e whereas at all times we ought to shew our selues new creatures and to walke worthie of our Sauiour and redeemer and therefore also ought to rise out of our sinnes and to liue in righteousnes and true holines yet we for the most part goe on still forward in sinne and euery day goe deeper then other to hel-ward This hath beene heretofore the coÌ„mon practise but let vs now learne after the example of Christ being quickned and reuiued by his grace to endeauor our selues especially to come out of the graue of sinne and learne to make conscience of euery badde action True it is a Christian man may vse the creatures of God for his delight in a moderate and godly manner but Christ neuer gaue libertie to any to liue licentiously for he that is free is yet seruant vnto Christ as Paul saith and therefore we must doe nothing but thâ—t which may be a worke of some good dutie vnto God to which ende the Apostle saith Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the deade and Christ shall giue thee life If this will not mooue vs yet let the iudgements of God draw vs hereunto Blessed is he saith the holy Ghost that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power where mention is made of a double death the first is the separation of soule bodie the second is the eternall condemnation of soule and bodie in hell fire Would we now escape the second death after this life we must then labour in this life to be partakers of the first resurrection that on this manner Looke what sinnes we haue liued in hertofore we must endeauour to come out of them all and leade a better life according to all the commandements of God but if ye will haue no care of your owne soules goe on hardly and so ye shall be sure to enter into the second death which is eternal damnation Secondly we are taught by the example of Saint Paul to labour aboue all things to know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection And this we shall doe when we can say by experience that our hearts are not content with a formall and drowsie profession of religion but that wee feele the same power of Christ whereby he raised vp himselfe from death to life to be effectuall and powerfull in vs to worke in our hearts a conversion from all our sinnes wherein we haue lien deade to newnes of life with care to liue godly in Christ Iesus And that we may further attaine to all this we must come to heare the word of God preached and taught with feare and trembling hauing heard the word we must meditate therein and pray vnto God not onely publikely but priuately also intreating him that he would reach forth his hand and pull vs out of the graue of sinne wherein we haue lien dead so long And in so doing the Lord of his mercie according as he hath promised will send his spirit of grace into our hearts to worke in vs an inward sense and feeling of the vertue of Christs resurrection So dealt he with the two disciples that were going to Emmaus they were occupied in the meditation of Christ his death and passion and whiles they were in hearing of Christ who conferred with them he gaue them such a measure of his spirite as made their hearts to burne within them And Paul praieth for the Ephesians that God would inlighten their eyes that they might see and feele in themselues the exceeding greatnes of the power of God which he wrought in Christ Iesus when he raised him from the dead Thirdly as Saint Paul saith If we be risen with Christ then we must seeke the things that are aboue But how and by what meanes can we rise with Christ seeing we did not die with him Ans. We rise with Christ thus The burgesse of a town in the parliament house beareth the person of the whole towne whatsoeuer he saith that the whole town saith whatsoeuer is done to him is also done to all the towne so Christ vpon the crosse stood in our place bare our person what he suffred we suffred when he died all the faithfull died in him and so likewise as he is risen againe so are all the faithfull risen in him The consideration whereof doth teach vs that we must not haue our hearts wedded to this world VVe may vse the things of this life but yet so as though we vsed them not For all our loue and care must be for things aboue and specially we must seeke the kingdom of God his righteousnes peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost VVe must therefore sue for the pardon of sinne for reconciliation to God in Christ for sanctification These are the pretious pearles which we must seeke and when we haue found them we must sell all that we haue to buie them hauing bought them we must lay them vp in the secret corners of our hearts valuing and esteeming of them as better then all things in the world beside Thus much of Christs resurrection containing the first degree of Christs exaltation Now followeth the second in these words He ascended into heauen in the handling wherof we are to consider these speciall points I. the time of his ascention II. the place III. the manner IV. the witnesses V. the vses thereof For the first the time of Christs ascension was fourtie daies after his resurrection when he had taught his disciples the things which appertain to the kingdome of God And this shews that he is a most faithfull carefull king ouer his Church procuring the good thereof And therfore Esay saith The gouernment is on his shoulder the Apostle saith he was more faithfull in all the house of God then Moses was Hence we gather that whereas the Apostles changed the sabbath from the seuenth day to the eight it was no doubt by the counsell direction of Chist before his ascension likewise in that they planted Churches and appointed teachers and meete ouerseers for the guiding and instruction hereof we may resolue our selues that Christ prescribed the same vnto them before his asceÌ„sion for these such like causes did he ascend no sooner Now look what care Christ at his ascensioÌ„ had ouer his church the same must al
point should moue us all to repent us of our sins past to reforme our selues throughout to be plentifull in all good works And undoubtedly if wee seriously thinke upon it it will holde us more straitly to all good duties then if with the Papistes we held iustification by workes Furthermore in this triall tvvo things must be skanned I. how all mens workes shall be made manifest II. by what meanes they shall be examined Of the manifestation of euery mans vvork S. Iohn speaketh And I saw saith he the deade both great and small stande before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of these things which vvere written in the bookes according to their workes God is saide to haue books not properly but because al things are as certen and manifest to him as if he had his Registers in heauen to keepe rolles and recordes of them His bookes are three the book of Prouidence the book of Iudgement the book of Life The book of his providence is the knowledge of all particular things past present to come Of this the Psalmist speaketh Thine eyes did see me when I vvas vvithout forme for in thy booke vvere all things vvritten vvhich in continuance vvere fashioned vvhen there was none of them before The booke of iudgement is that whereby he giues iudgement and it is two-folde The first is Gods knowledge or prescience in which all the affaires of men their thoughts wordes and deedes are as certenly knowen and set downe as if they were put in bookes of record Wee may forget our sinnes but God keepes them in a register he knovves them euery one The seconde booke is euery mans particular conscience which also brings to remembrence and testifies what men haue done and what they haue not done The booke of life is nothing els but the decree of Gods election in which God hath set downe who be ordained to life eternall Now the opening of these bookes is a thing wherin the endlesse power of God shall most notably shewe it selfe For when we shall stand before the iudgement seate of Christ he then knowing all things in his eternall counsell shall reueale unto euery man his owne particular sinnes whether they were in thought worde or deede and then also by his mightie power hee shall so touch mens consciences that they shall a fresh remember what they haue done Now indeede the wicked mans conscience is shut up as a closed booke but then it shall be so touched and as it were opened that he shall plainly see and remember all the particular offences which at any time he hath committed his very coÌ„science shall be as good as a thousand witnesses whereupon hee shall accuse and utterly condemne himselfe The consideration of this ought to terrifie all those that liue in their sinnes For howsoeuer they may hide them from the worlde yet at the last day God will be sure to reveale them all Now after that mens workes are made manifest they must further be tried whether they be good or euill And that shall be done on this maner They that neuer heard of Christ must be tried by the law of nature which serues to make them inexcusable before God As for those that liue in the Church they shall be tried by the Law and the Gospell as Paul saith As many as have lived in the law shall be iudged by the law And againe At the day of iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of our hearts according to his gospell And By faith Noah builded an arke whereby he condemned the olde world If this be true then we must in the feare of God heare his word preached taught with all reuerence make coÌ„science to profit by it For otherwise in the day of iudgement when all our workes shalbe tried by it the same word of God shall be a bill of indiâ—ement and the fearefull sentence of condemnation against us Therefore let us be humbled by the doctrine of the lawe and willingly embrace the sweete promises of the gospell considering it is the onely touchstone whereby all our wordes thoughts workes must be examined The sixt pointe in the proceeding of the last iudgement is the giuing of sentence which is twofolde the sentence of absolution and the sentence of condemnation both which are to be obserued diligently that we may receiue profit therby And first of al Christ shal begin his iudgemeÌ„t with the seÌ„teÌ„ce of absolutioÌ„ which shews that he is ready to shew mercy slow to wrath In this sentence wee are to consider foure pointes I. a calling of the elect to the kingdome of heauen II. the reason thereof III. a reply of the elect IV. the answere of Christ to them againe The calling of the elect is set downe in these wordes Come yee blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And the wordes are to be obserued one by one Come ye blessed Though Christ now sit in glorie and maiestie in iudgement yet hee ceaseth not to shew his tender affection of loue unto his chosen And this ouerthroweth the opinion of the Church of Rome which would haue us rather to come vnto Christ by the intercession of saints then by our selues immediatly because he is now exalted in glorie and maiestie But mark when he was heare on earth hee saide Come vnto me all yee that are heavy laden and I vvill ease you And when hee shall be most glorious in maiestie and power at the day of iudgement hee will then also say Come ye blessed of my father and therfore we may resolue our selues that it is his will now that we should come unto him without any intercessioÌ„ of saints Yee blessed of my father The elect are here called the blessed of God because their righteousnes saluation and all that they haue springs of the meere blessing of God Nothing therefore must be ascribed to the workes of man Inherit that is receiue as your inheritance therefore the kingdome of heauen is Gods meere gifte A father giueth no inheritance unto his sonne of merite but of his free gifte whereupon it followes that no man can merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes The kingdome that is the eternall estate of glorie and happinesse in heauen therfore in this life we must so use this worlde as though we used it not all that we haue here is but vaine and transitorie and all our studie and endeauour must be to come to the kingdome of heauen Prepared Here note the unspeakeable care of God for the faithfull Had he such care to prouide a kingdome for his children before they were then wee may assure our selues he will haue greater care ouer them now when they haue a being For you that is for the elect and faithfull Hence it appeares that there is no uniuersall election whereby God decrees
that all and euery man shal be saued Indeed if he had said Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for all but received of you it had beene something but he saieth onely Prepared for you and therefore all were not chosen to saluation The reason of this calling is taken from workes as from signes in these wordes For I vvas hungry and yee gave mee meate c. When he saith for I was hungry hee meanes his poore members upon earth and thereby he signifies unto us that the miseries of his members are his owne miseries Thus the Lord saith in Zachary He which toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye And when Saul was going to persecute them that called on the name of Christ in Damascus hee cried from heauen Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And this is a notable comfort to Gods Church and people that they haue an high priest that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and if hee accompt our miseries his owne miseries then no doubt hee will pity our estate and make us able to beare the worst And yee gave mee meate Here wee note that the principall workes of men are those which are done to the poore members of Christ wee are indeed to helpe all in as much as they are our verie flesh and the creatures of God the rule of S. Paul being remembred Doe good to all but especially to those that are of the houshold of faith Many are of mind that the best works are to build Churches Monasteries but Christ tells us here that the best work of all is to relieue those that be the liuing members of his mysticall body The third point is the reply of the saints to Christ againe in these wordes Lorde when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee c. They doe not denie that which Christ auouched but doe as I take it standing before the tribunall seat of God humble themselues hauing stil an after consideration of the infirmities and offences of their liues past Here note then that it is a Satanicall practise for a man to bragge of workes and to stand upon them in the matter of iustification before God And wee must rather doe as the saintes of God doe abase our selues in regard of our sinnes past The last point is the answere of Christ to them againe in these wordes Verily I say unto you in as much as yee did it to the least of these my breethren you did it to me A most notable sentence and it serueth to teach us how wee should and ought to behaue our selues in doing workes of mercie which are duties to bee perfourmed in this life We are not to doe them of any sinister respect as for praise of men or commodity but wee must propound unto our selues the party to whome wee doe any good and in him looke on Christ and so doe it as unto Christ and for Christes sake onely and this is a good worke indeede Christ saith Whosoever shall give a cup of cold water to a disciple in the name of a disciple shall not loose his reward It is but a small gift but yet the maner of doing it namely in the name of a disciple that is in respect that he is a member of Christ doth make it an excellent worke of mercie It is a speciall marke of a childe of God to shew mercy on a christian because he is a christian If any would know whether he be a christian or no let him search himselfe whether he loue a man and can doe good unto him because he is a childe of God and a member of Christ For this is a plaine argument that he also is the childe of God Many can loue because they are loued againe but to loâ—e for Christ his sake is a worke of Christ in us and a speciall gift of God The sentence of condemnation followes in the seconde place and it containes foure points I. the reiection of the ungooly II. the reason of their reiection III. the defence which the wicked make for themselues lastly the answere of Christ to them againe The reiection of the wicked is uttered by a terrible sentence Away from mee yee cursed into hell fire The use hereof in generall is twofold First it serves to awake and excite all men and women in the worlde whosoeuer they be that shall heare it to looke unto their owne estates It is wonderfull to see what great securitie reigneth euery where in these our daies Men goe on in sinne from day to day and from yere to yere without repentance nothing at all fearing the sentence of condemnation at the last day like unto many which for the obtaining of other mens goods are neither by the feare of arraignment or imprisonment kept in good order The occasions of securitie are twofolde I. the prosperitie of the wicked who of all men liue most at ease without trouble either in body or in minde II. Gods patience and long suffering as Salomon saith Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men is fully set in them to doe evill But to avvake all those which liue in this securitie they must remember that howsoeuer the Lord God doth now deferre his iudgement yet there is a day wherin he wil no way shew mercy long suffering when they shall heare this fearfull senteÌ„ce of condeÌ„nation pronounced against them Away from me yeâ— cursed The second use is to the godly It serues to nurture them to keep theÌ„ in awe before god no doubt this was a principall cause why this sentence was here penned by the holy ghost A wise master of a family will checke his seruant and if the cause require correct him in his childes presence that the childe it selfe may learne thereby to feare and stand in awe of his father so Christ the most carefull and wise gouernour of his Church hath set downe this sentence of condemnation against the wicked that the children of God in this world whensoeuer they shall heare or reade the same might be mooued thereby to stande in great feare of God and more dutifully perfourme obedience to his commaundements Away from me Here wee may learne what a blessed thing it is for a man to haue true fellowship with Christ in this worlde For in the day of iudgement the punishment of the wicked is to be cut off from him and driuen away from his presence Now hee that would haue fellowship with God after this life and escape that punishment must seeke to haue it in this life and hee that will not seeke to haue fellowship with him in this life shal neuer haue it after in the day of iudgement Again let us mark that it is nothing to draw nere unto Christ with our lippes if the heart be not with him for such as come nere with the lippe and haue kept aloofe in the heart
with a preposition that ruleth an accuseth or ablatiue case but with a datiue case on this manner Beleeve Moses David the Prophets and it doeth not import any affiance in the creature but onely a giuing of credence by one man to another Secondly they alleadge that ancient fathers reade the article on this manner I beleeve in the holy Catholike Church Ansvver Indeed some haue done so but by this kinde of speech they signified no more but thus much that they beleeued that there was a Catholike Church Thus hauing found what words are to be supplyed let us come to the meaning of the article And that wee may proceede in order let us first of all see vvhat the Church is The Church is a peculiar company of men predestinate to life everlasting and made one in Christ. First I say it is a peculiar company of men for Saint Peter saieth Yee are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people He speakes indeede of the Church of God on earth but his saying may be also extended to the whole Church of God as well in heauen as in earth Now because there can be no companie vnlesse it haue a beginning a cause whereby it is gathered therefore I adde further in the definition predestinate to life everlasting Noting thereby the ground and cause of the Catholike Church namely Gods eâ—ernall predestination to life euerlasting and to this purpose our Sauiour Christ saieth Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers will to give you the kingdome signifying thereby that the first and principall cause of the Church is the good pleasure of God whereby hee hath before all workes purposed to aduance his elect to eternal saluatioÌ„ Therfore one saith well only the elect are the Church of God And further because no companie can continue and abide for euer vnlesse the members thereof be ioyned and coupled togither by some bonde therefore I adde in the last place made one vvith Christ. This union maketh the Church to be the Church and by it the members thereof whether they be in heauen or in earth are distinguished from all other companies whatsoeuer Now this coniunction betwene Christ and the Church is auouched by Saint Paul when hee saieth Christ is the heade to his bodie vvhich is his Church and vvhen he ascribes the name of Christ not onely to the person of the sonne but to the Church it selfe as in the Epistle to the Galatians To Abraham and his seede vvere the promises made hee saieth not and to his seedes as speaking of many but and vnto his seed as speaking of one vvhich is Christ that is not the redeemer alone but also the Church redeemed For Christ as hee is man is not the onely seede of Abraham And this definition of the Church is almost in so many words set downe in the Scriptures in that it is called the Family of God partly in heauen and partly in earth named of Christ and it is also called the heavenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all and the celestiall Ierusalem and the congregation of the first borne Nowe for the better understanding of the nature estate and partes of the Church two pointes among the rest must be considered the efficient cause thereof Gods predestination and the forme the mysticall Vnion In handling the doctrine of Predestination my meaning is onely to stande on such pointes as are reuealed in the worde and necessarie tending to edification And first I will shewe what is the trueth and secondly the contrarie falshood In the trueth I consider foure things I. what Predestination is II. what is the order of it III. what be the partes of it IIII. what is the use Predestination may thus be defined It is a parte of the counsell of God whereby hee hath before all times purposed in him selfe to shevve mercie on some men and to passe by others shevving his iustice on them for the manifestation of the glorie of his ovvne name First I say it is a parte of his counsell because the counsell or decree of God universally extends it selfe to all things that are and Predestination is Gods decree so farre foorth as it concernes the reasonable creatures especially man Now in euery purpose or decree of God three things must be considered the beginning the matter the ende The beginning is the will of God whereby he willeth and appointeth the estate of his creatures and it is the most absolute supreme and soueraigne cause of all things that are so farre foorth as they are having nothing either aboue it selfe or out of it selfe to be an impulsiue cause to mooue or incline it and to say otherwise is to make the will of God to be no will Indeede mens willes are mooued disposed by externall causes out of themselues borrowed from the things whereof deliberation is made because they are to be ruled by equitie and reason and a mans bare will without reason is nothing Now Gods will is not ruled by any other rule of reason or iustice but it selfe is an absolute rule both of iustice and reason A thing is not first of al reasonable iust theÌ„ afterward willed by god buâ— it is first of all willed by God thereupon it becomâ—s reasonable and iust The maner of his purpose is a decreed manifestation of two of the most principall attributes of the godhead mercy and iustice that with a limitation or restraint of mercy to some of the creatures iustice to some others because it was his good will and pleasure And wee are not to imagine that this is a point of crueltie in God for his verie essence or nature is not iustice alone or mercie alone but iustice and mercie both togither and therfore to purpose the declaratioÌ„ of them both upoÌ„ his creatures ouer whome he is a soueraigne Lorde that without other respects upon his very will pleasure is no point of iniustice The supreme end of the counsel of God is the manifestatioÌ„ of his own glory partly in his mercy partly in his iustice For in coÌ„mon equity the end which he propouÌ„ds unto him self of al his doings must be answerable to his nature which is maiesty glory as I haue said iustice mercy it self And because Pauls disputation in the 9. to the Romans giues light sufficient confirmation to this which I now teach I will stand a litle in opening resoluing of the same FroÌ„ the 1. verse to the 6. he sets downe his griefe conceiued for his brethren the Iewes therwithall that it might not be thought that he spake of malice he doth onely in close and obscure manner insinuate the Reiection of that nation This done in the 6. verse he answeres a secrete obiection which might be made on this manner If the Iewes be reiected then the worde of God is of none effect that is then the couenant made with
euery one effectually whether he be of the Church or not at one time or other wheresoeuer or howsoeuer he liue as in the like case if men should be told that whether they liue in the market towne or no there shall be sufficient prouision brought them if they will but receiue it and accept of it who would then come to the market Vniuersall grace hath three parts Vniuersall Election vniuersall Redemption vniuersall Vocation Vniuersall Election of all and euery man is a witlesse conceit for if men vniuersally be appointed to grace without exception then there is no Electing or choosing of some out of mankinde to grace and if some alone be appointed to grace as it must needes be in Election then is not grace vniuersall And it is flat against the word of God For Christ auoucheth plainly that fewer be chosen then called and as afterward we shall see all are not called And he further saith that all which are giuen vnto him shall be one with him and haue life euerlasting but all men shall not be one with him and haue life euerlasting and therefore all men are not giuen to Christ of the father that is ordained to saluation And the Scripture saith that all mens names are not written in the booke of life and that the kingdome of heauen was not prepared for all And whereas men build this their vniuersall Election vpon the largenes of the promise of the Gospel vpon the like ground they might as wel make an vniuersall decree of Reprobation whereby God decrees all men to be damned indefinitely vpon this condition if they doe not beleeue Now if vniuersall Reprobation be absurd as it is indeede then vniuersall Election must take part therewith As for the Vniuersal redemption of all euery man it is no better then a forgerie of mans braine There shall be many in the day of iudgement of whome Christ shall say that he neuer knew them Againe he saith He which beleeveth not is alreadie iudged and the wrath of God abides vpon him But if all were effectually redeemed and onely condemned for not beleeuing in Christ it should haue beene said that they are alreadie iudged and that the wrath of God not abides but returnes vpon them Christ makes no intercession for the worlde and therefore his redemption is not effectuall to all men For the intercession is the meanes of applying the satisfaction If it be said that by the world is meant onely contemners of grace it appeares to be otherwise in that Christ opposeth the world to them which are the fathers and are giâ—en to Christ by him thereby signifying that by the world he meanes all suâ—h as are not the fathers and were neuer giuen to Christ. And he laies downe his life for his sheepe nowe the sheepe haue all these brands or markes they heare his voice they know him they follow him they shall not perish none shall plucke them out of Christs hands and these are onely such of whome Paul saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And if this should be true that Christ was crucified and died no lesse to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the damned then for the sinnes of Peter and Paul and the rest of the Saints it followes necessarily that all their sinnes are forgiuen considering that remission of sinne depends inseparably vpon satisfaction made to Gods iustice for sinne and satisfaction doth necessarily abolish all fault Wee graunt that Christs death is sufficient to saue many thousand worlds we graunt againe it is euery way most effectuall in it selfe but that it is effectuall in or vnto the person of euery man that we denie For if it were thus effectuall then it should be applied to the person of euery man as to Caine Iudas Nero Heliogabalus c. euen as the plaister is laide to the sore beeing applied Christs righteousnes should be imputed for the iustification and sanctification of all and euery man and thus some iustified before God and sanctified should after goe to hell and be damned whereas Dauid neuer so much as dreaming of this diuinitie saith that they are blessed which haue the pardon of their sinnes and Paul that they which are iustified haue peace with God But let vs heare what reasons may be alleadged to iustifie the Vniuersalitie of redemption I. Ezechiel 33. vers 11. As I liue saith the Lord J will not the death of the vvicked but that the vvicked returne from his vvicked vvay Ansvveare The place is to be vnderstoode not simplie but in respect of the twaine God rather wills the repentance of the sinner then his death Againe he wils not death as it is the destruction of his creature and so this place may be vnderstoode yet neuerthelesse he willâ— the same as it is a meanes of manifestation of his iustice and therefore the Prophet Isai saith that God createth euill II. 1. Tim. 2. God vvould haue all men to be saued and come to the acknovvledgement of the truth Ansvveare The place is meant not of the persons of all particular men but of the orders and kindes of men For in the first verse Paul exhorted Timothie that praier should be made for all men and in the second verse opening his owne meaning he addeth these wordes for Kings and all that be in authoritie as though he should say we must pray not onely for priuate men and for the common people but also for publicke persons though they persecute the Gospell But why because in that very order God hath his Elect which shall be saued And on this manner Paul expoundes himselfe else where There is neither Ievve nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ. III. Rom. 11. vers 32. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercie on all Ansvveare The worde all must be vnderstoode of all that are to be saued both of Iewes and Gentiles as the article added to all importeth and the meaning is that God will saue all whome he purposeth to saue of his mercie and not of their merite because all are sinners as well Iewes as Gentiles thus Paul expoundes himselfe Galat. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue And if we should expound the word all for euery particular man as some would haue 〈◊〉 Paul must contradict himselfe who said before that God would haue mercie on whom he wil haue mercie whom he will hee hardeneth and in this very chapter his drift is to prooue the reiection of the Iewes and the calling of the Gentiles IV. Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life and Ioh.
is Catholicke or vniuersall in respect of place because it hath beene gathered from all the parts of the earth specially now in the time of the new Testament when our Sauiour Christ saith that the Gospell shall be preached in the vvhole worlde To this purpose Iohn saith in the Revelation I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and tongues stoode before the throne and before the lambe cloathed vvith long vvhite robes and palmes in their handes And the Church which we here professe to beleeue is called Catholicke that we may distinguish it from particular Churches which are not beleeued but seene with eye whereof mention is made often in the Scriptures Rom. 16.5 1. Cor. 16.19 the Church in their house and the Churches of Asia Coloss. 4.15 Salute Nymphas and the Church in his house Act. 11.22 the Church of Ierusalem Act. 13.1 the Church at Antioche c. That the Church is Catholicke in respect of time place person it ministers matter of endelesse comfort vnto vs. For hereby we see that no order degree or state of men are excluded from grace in Christ vnlesse they will exclude themselues Saint Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Nowe it might be answeared it is true indeede Christ is an advocate to some men but he is no advocate to me Saint Iohn therefore saith further and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for the whole world that is for all beleeuers of what condition or degree soeuer Thus much of the properties of the Church now follow the prerogatiues or benefits which God bestoweth on it which are in number foure The first is expressed in these wordes The communion of Saints Where communion signifieth that fellowshippe or societie that one hath with an other and by Saints we vnderstand not dead men inrolled in the Popes Calender but all that are sanctified by the blood of Christ whether they be liuing or dead as Paul saith vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus to theÌ„ that are sanctified in Iesus Christ Saints by calling And God is the God of peace in all the Churches of the Saints Nowe if wee adde the clause I beleeue vnto these words the meaning is this I confesse and acknowledge that there is a spirituall fellowshippe and societie among all the members of Christ beeing the faithfull seruants and children of God and withall I beleeue that I am partaker of the same with the rest This communion hath two parts fellowship of the members with the head and of the members with themselues The communion of the members with their head is not outwarde but altogether spirituall in the conscience and for the opening of it we must consider what the Church receiueth of Christ and what he receiues of it The Church receiues of Christ foure most worthie benefits The first that Christ our Mediatour God and man hath truly giuen himselfe vnto vs and is become our lot and portion and withall God the father and the holy Spirit in him as Dauid saith Iehova is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cuppe thou shalt maintaine my lotte the lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places yea J haue a faire heritage And My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer The second is the Right of adoption whereby all the faithfull whether in heauen or earth are actually made the children of God The benefit is wonderfull howsoeuer carnall men esteeme not of it If a man should either by election or birth or any way els be made the soÌ„ne heire of an earthly prince he would think himselfe highly aduanced how highly then are they extolled which are made the sonnes of God himselfe The third benefit is a title and right to the righteousnes of Christ in his sufferings and his fulfilling of the lawe The excellencie of it is vnspeakeable because it serues to award the greatest temptations of the deuill wheÌ„ the deuil replieth thus thou art a transgressour of the law of God therefore thou shalt be damned by meanes of that communion which we haue with Christ we answere againe that Christ suffered the curse of the law to free us from due and deserued damnation and when he further replies that seeing wee neuer fulfilled the law we can not therefore enter into heauen we answere againe that Christes obedience is a fulfilling of the lawe for us and his whole righteousnesse is ours to make us stand righteous before God The fourth benefite is a right to the kingdome of heauen as Christ comforting his disciples saith Feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome and hence it is sundrie times called the inheritance and the lot of the saints Furthermore for the conuâ—iance of these benefits unto us God hath ordained the preaching of the worde and the administration of the sacraments specially the Lords supper and hath commaunded the solemne and ordinarie use of them in the Church And hereupon the Lords supper is called the Communion The cup of blessing saith Paul which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ that is a signe and seale of the communion Againe the thinges which Christ receiveth of us are two our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by application or imputation and our afflictions with all the miseries of this life which he accountes his owne therefore doth as it were put under his shoulder to beare the burden of them And this communion betweene Christ and us is expressed in the scriptures by that blessed and heauenly bargaine in which their is mutuall exchaunge betweene Christ and us he imparts unto us milke and wine without silver or money to refresh us and gold tried by the fire that wee may become rich and white raiment that we may be cloathed and eye-sâ—lve to annoint our eyes that we may see we for our partes returne unto him nothing but blindnesse and nakednesse and povertie and the loathsome burden of our filthie sinnes The second parte of the communion is that which the saints haue one with another And it is either of the liuing with the liuing or of the liuing vvith the dead Now the communion of the liuing standes in three things I. in like affection II. in the giftes of the spirit III. in the use of temporall riches For the first communion in affection is whereby all the seruants of God are like affected to God to Christ to their owne sinnes and each to other They are all of one nature and heart alike disposed though they be not acquainted nor haue any externall fellowshippe in the flesh As in a family children are
or fellowship with God himself as Christ in his solemne praier to his father a litle before his death signifieth I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in me through thy word that they all may be one as thou O father art in me I in thee euen that they may be one also in vs. And when Saint Iohn in the Revelation saith Behold the tabernacle of God is with men he will dwell with them and they shal be his people and God himselfe shall be there God with them he sheweth that the very foundation of that happines which God hath prepared for his seruaÌ„ts stands in a societie between God theÌ„ whereby God shall dwell with them in heauen and they againe shall there inioy his glorious presence Touching this Communion three points must be considered The first is in what order men shall haue fellowship with God Ans. This coÌ„munion shalbe first of al with Christ as he is man and by reason that the manhood of Christ is personally vnited to the Godhead of the sonne it shall also be with Christ as he is God and consequently with the father the H. Ghost The reason of this order is because Christ though he be the author and the fountaine of eternall life as he is God yet he conuaies the same vnto vs onely in by his flesh or manhood Yet must we not here thinke that life proceedeth from the manhood it selfe as from a cause efficient for the flesh quickneth not by any vertue froÌ„ it selfe but by the Word to which it is personally vnited it beeing as it were a pipe eternally to convaie life from the the Godhead vnto vs. The second point is in what thing this communion consisteth Ans. S. Paul openeth this point to the very full when he saith that after Christ hath subdued all things vnto him then God shall be all in all that is God himselfe immediately shalbe all good things that heart can wish to all the Elect. But some men may say What is not God all in all vnto vs euen in this life for whatsoeuer good things we haue they are all from him Answ. It is true indeed God is all in all euen in this life but how not immediately but by outwarde meanes and that also in small measure For he conuaies his goodnes mercie vnto vs so long as we liue on earth partly by his creatures and partly by his word and sacraments but after this life is ended all helps and outward meanes shall cease Christ shall giue vp his kingdom and as he is Mediatour shal cease to put in exequution the office of a Priest a Prophet or a King all authoritie and power shalbe abolished and therefore all callings in the three maine estates of the Church the Common-wealth the familie shal haue an end there shalbe no more Magistrate and subiect Pastor people Master and seruant father and sonne husband and wife there shalbe no more vse of meat drinke clothing respiration physick sleepe and yet for all this the condition of men shalbe many thousand fold more blessed then euer it was For the Godhead in the Trinitie immediatly without all meanes shalbe all things to all the chosen people of God in the kingdome of heauen world without end This may seeme straunge to mans reason but it is the very flat truth of the worde of God Saint Iohn in the description of the heauenly Hierusalem saith that there shall be no Temple in it Why how then shall God be worshipped marke what followeth the Lorde God almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it VVhereby is signified that although now we vse the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments as meanes of our fellowship with God yet when this life is ended they must all cease God and Christ being instead of all these meanes vnto vs. And he addes further The citie hath no neede of the sunne neither of the moone to shine in it What then will some say must there be nothing but darknes Not so For the glorie of God doth lighten it and the Lambe is the light of it Againe he saith that in the Paradise of God there is the riuer of water of life and the tree of life bearing fruit euery moneth and that is Christ. And therefore we shall haue no neede of meat drinke apparell sleepe c. but Christ himselfe our head and redeemer shalbe in stead of them all vnto vs on whome all the Elect shall feede and by whome both in bodie and soule they shall be preserued euermore If a man would haue glorie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost shall be his glorie if a man desire wealth and pleasure God himselfe shall be wealth and pleasure vnto him and whatsoeuer else the heart of man can wish Hence it appeares that this communion is most admirable and that no toÌ„gue can tell nor heart conceiue the least part of it The third point is touching the benefits or prerogatiues that proceede of this communion and they are in number sixe The first is an absolute freedome from all wants In the minde there shall be no ignorance no vnbeliefe no distrust in God no ambition no enuie anger nor carnall lust nor terrour in conscience or corrupt affectioÌ„ In the bodie there shalbe no soare no sicknes nor paine for God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes nay then all defects or wants in bodie or soule or in both shalbe supplied and the whole man made perfect euery way The second is perfect knowledge of God In this life the Church al the seruants of God know him but in part Moses would haue seene Gods face but he was permitted to see only his hinder parts as Paul saith now we know in part and darkely as through a glasse In this life wee can â—o otherwise discerne but as an old maÌ„ through spectacles and the creatures but specially the word of God the sacraments are the spectacles of our mind wherin we behold his iustice mercie loue c. without theÌ„ we can discerne little or nothing yet after this life when that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect is abolished we shall see God as he is to be seene not as through a glasse but face to face and we shall know him as we are knowne of his maiestie so farre forth as possibly a creature may God in deede is infinite and therefore the full knowledge of his maiestie can no more be comprehended by the vnderstanding of a creature which is finite then the sea by a spoone yet neuerthelesse God shall be knowne euery way of man so farre forth as a creature may knowe the Creator Now vpon this that the Elect haue such fulnes of knowledge it may be demanded whether men shal know one an other after this life or no. Ansvveare This question is oftener mooued by such as are ignorant