Christi the law of Christ for tables of stone tables of flesh Writing my law in their hearts For circumcision of the flesh Circumcision of the heart in the spirit For annoynting annoynting You haue an oyntment from him that is holy For washing washing so S. Paul Such were you thieues couetous c. but you are washed but you are sanctified Wee haue for outward the inward sprinkling Let vs draw neere c. sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water For sacrifice sacrifice to offer spirituall sacrifices to God by Iesus Christ. For Altar we haue an Altar We haue an Altar whereof they haue no authoritie to eate which serue in the Tabernacle For high Priest Iesus Christ which is an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech for euer For Lambe Lambe Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Blood for blood The blood of Iesus Christ washeth away our sinnes Temple for Temple The Lambe is their Temple And for all Christ which is our law our circumcision washing sprinkling annoynting saerifice altar our high Priest our passeouer our temple the fulnesse of all in all To whom with God the Father and God the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all fulnesse of praise honour and glory now and for euer AMEN THE VVAY TO ETERNALL LIFE The seauenth Sermon 1 IOHN Cap. 17. Vers. 3. And this is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. WHen the Lawyer stood vp and tempted Christ saying Master what shall I do to inherit eternall life he was made answere him selfe out of the morall law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thy selfe And heere is set downe the vtmost bound of our actions but if any man should aske but what knowledge is required to eternall life our Sauiour himselfe answereth This is eternall life to know the Father to be the onely very God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. So here is the vtmost limit of our knowledge This Scripture then refuteth the vanity of Sciences to which men are by nature most propense and prone and for all Arts Sciences Learning Wisedome commendeth to vs one which is the Art of a Christian to know the true and liuing God These two compasse in and containe within them all Christian duty knowing and doing first we know God then wee loue him for ignotinulla cupido there can be no desire of that we know not after the Greek Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of seeing commeth louing Such as is our knowledge such is our loue If we know God but little we can loue him but a little the more we know him the more we loue him if we know him not at all we cannot at all loue him It is rooted in the nature of all things to desire that which is good and whosoeâ—…er desireth the good doth not rest his desire in any subordinate good for the desire will striue and presse forward for the soueraigne good that good to which all other goodnesse is subordinate neither can it haue rest till it haue attayned to this supreame end of all things Now albeit many desire the good apparant for the supreame good yet the desire in the false entendeth the true good as we see in the heathen people which worshipping false Gods did entend in them the worship of the true and onely God It is another principle in nature for euery thing which hath life to desire and doe all that it can to keepe it selfe from dying for if our life should perish what could the good of life profit vs for no good no not the soueraigne good could any wayes aduantage him that held by no tenure of life to enioy it Here then wee haue the supreame good made manifest to our vnderstanding which good is the true God and to a good eternall wee haue a life proportioned which is eternall that wee may neuer dye to our good nor our good to vs. You shall not then expect that I speake of this Scripture by way of diuision sithence the subiect of my Text is the true and perfect Vnion for other Sciences wee learne first by learning the parts and then the whole This Science wee haue first by being taught the whole the mysterie of the Trinity and then in it all the parts of a Christian life It is all one knowledge for all to know one life for all to seeke one God for all to beleeue in and there is but one way to come to this life which is by knowing the true and onely God I haue heard of a dangerous harbour in our Seas at whose mouth at Goodwins sands out of which the Pilot cannot make forth but hee must sinke in those sands vnlesse he so steere his Ship that he bring two steeples which stand off so euen in his sight that they may seeme to be but one Doubtlesse wee cannot make way in our faith without sinking into endlesse errour vnlesse wee beleeue God the Father and God the Sonne to be the same in substance and the onely true God But is not the holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne one substance and the same true and liuing God yes but he is our Pilot to guide vs in this way Therefore the Scripture saith They that are led by the spirit are the sonnes of God And in another place Walke in the spirit And againe If you be led by the spirit Therefore Christ himselfe saith of the spirit He shall teach you all things If all things then this truth the ground of all truth the knowledge of the Father and and the Sonne because the spirit searcheth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen the deepe things of God Neither ought wee more to doubt that the spirit is God because hee brings vs to Christ then that Christ is God because hee brings vs to the Father No man commeth to the Father but by the Sonne for then wee should likewise doubt whether the Father were God because he brings vs to Christ Euery man that hath heard and learned of my Father commeth to me And no man can come to mee except it be giuen him of my Father For this is that clarification of which our Sauiour speaketh in the first verse Father clarifie thy Sonne so doth the Sonne glorifie the Father verse 4. and the holy Ghost which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne clarifie both the Father and the Sonne that all three persons may be glorified of vs all and that nothing may be more cleare illustrious to our faith then this summe and ground of all truth The Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie is to be worshipped So hence we may ascertaine our
infinite difference bewixt Gods teaching and mans teaching which driueth away our sinnes as the winde the mist which ouercommeth our ignorance as the light the darknesse which consumeth our euils as fire the wax and the Sunne melts the Snow which couereth our nakednesse as the Heauens couer the earth which createth our newnesse as he created heauen and earth of nothing See the Apostles being taught by the spirit which were idiots and simple men as was knowne to all men are not onely at the instance repleat with all heauenly knowledge themselues but are made the onely Doctors and Teachers of all the world beside And cannot that Son which made those silly fishermen the lights of the world by one whole infusion of faith lighten my closet and chamber I meane the secret corners of my heart Heare we what Saint Paul saith God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. But you will obiect the Apostles had the gift of that knowledge by miracle and those gifts were extraordinary and now they cease euery man that will haue knowledge now must eyther learne of others or seeke it in his booke I deny not but that those gifts which are gratis data giuen freely and not gratum facientia as is the distinction of the Schoole-men not iustifying or making a man acceptable to God of which sort were the gifts of tongues and vnderstanding all Scriptures I say I doe not deny but they are ceased and were giuen onely to the Apostles and Ministers and some others by imposition of the Apostles hands in the primitiue Church for these are not giuen them which receiue them for their owne saluation but for the saluation of others and we haue the vse and collation and benefit of the same gifts being by their preaching brought to the knowledge of God but this I say the gift of faith which is giuen vs by which we are inwardly regenerate and know God though it be ordinary and shall be euer in Gods Church to the end of the world yet is it of higher power and greater miracle for regeneration of euery Soule that is grafted in Christ speaketh as much to the prayse of Gods power and glory as the creation of heauen and earth made of nothing and this is wrought in vs by which wee are made the sonnes of God in the same instant as was that knowledge extraordinary and by God immediately and by Gods free gift and in all that are saued alike absolutely necessary for all that are saued Lastly we can shew this by examples of them which beleeued Zaccheus a Publicane an Heathen man the first houre he beleeued heareth Christ say vnto him This day is Zaccheus a childe of Abraham The Thiefe is admitted to Paradise for one confession Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Christ our Lord replyeth Verily verily I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The soule and bodie-sicke Woman in one houre goes away sound thy faith hath made thee whole The Eunuch in that houre that he beleeueth Iesus to be the sonne of God is baptised Three thousand are conuerted to Christ at one Sermon and that same day were added to the Church This ground of Scripture was there all to be beleeued No more did Saint Paul require of the Iaylour but this Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine household This was eternall life this is eternall life this euer shall be eternall life to beleeue c. Thus we haue the way of life made compendious and playne and that â—…um necessarium that one thing which is necessary cleere and euident at the first opening of the Scriptures for as God hath so ordered for our bodily life that those things which make not for necessity but for lifes beauty onely and ornament are abstruse and hard to finde and stâ—…ut vp in the bowels of the eaâ—…th or hidden in clests of the Rockes or in the bottome of the Sea as Pearles and Gold and pretions stones because they are neyther necessary nor fit for all men but those things that are of lifes substance and are necessary for our being and sustenance are ready and offer themselues to euery mans hand as ayre and water and corne and fruits of the earth so many things with which the Spouse of Christ may be adorned and beautified he buried as it were in deepe and prefound sense of Scripture which yet many by continuall meditation and study doe dig forth like pearles and precious stones but that without which our soules life cannot haue her being or subsisting those things which are the very bread and drinke of our soules viz. to know the true God and Iesus Christ whom the father hath sent that I say is so plaine perspicuous and easie to finde in holy Scriptures that we cannot misse of eternall life vnlesse we will deny our selues to it What then was thy purpose O Sauiour Christ to set downe this one rule and ground for all to end all controuersies to stay all disputation to take away all doubts to cut off all schismes and factions to build vs sure vpon the rock to set the marke of all trueth high in the tower of the Scriptures to make plaine the way to Heauen When a way is vnknowne to a farre country where is much treasure many will seeke it some by climbing Mountaynes some will venter the Desart some will seeke passage by Sea some by Land and some by East and some be West but when discouery is made of a passage and the way is knowne being made playne and easie no man will seeke dangerous circuits and windings but passe by the knowne way For this way to eternall life was vnknowne to the world some climbed vp by the steepe of their owne workes some wandred in the desarts of mens doctrines some had blinde Phylosophers for their guides some seducing Southsayers some were led by the light of the creatures some sounded the deepe of mans reason Iesus Christ hath made this way straight and knowne and discouering the neerest cut or passage sayth this is it haec est to beleeue the Father of Christ the onely very God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Now that we may not doubt let vs stand and inquire of the passengers let vs aske our Father Abraham this was his way as our Lord Iesus said Abraham desired to see my day and saw it Let vs aske the Prophets To him all the Prophets beare witnesse Let vs enquire of the law The Law was our Schoolemaster to Christ. Aske the Apostles all the blessed Martyrs this was the onely poynt they sealed with their bloud that Christ was God Aske our Lord Iesus I heare him say
and learne to examine and iudge and condemne your selues What then Either doe those things which you haue beleeued or else confesse against your selues that you haue not beleeued at all For Christ is the end of our faith which is the beginning of a godly life We that haue heard Christ preached are beyond hearing and are come to doing This then remayneth Loue one another frequent diuine Prayers visite the sicke releeue the poore receive the Sacraments auoid contentions lay aside idle questions haue peace and concord one with another giue glory to God It is not hard to know what to doe but to doe what we know Wee may learne that in one Sermon which all our life is not enough to put in practise They which gathered Manna aboue their measure which was an Homer full it stanke and turned to wormes This doth our lusting and greedinesse of knowledge vvhen our measure is full and vvee are not content breede Schismes and factions and make vs stinck one in anothers nosthrils VVhy doest thouseeke far Why search for hidden thinges this one Homer full I beleeue in God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ is able to sustaine thy soule to eternall life In this thou hast the substance sweetnesse of all whatsoeuer lyeth eyther hidden or scattred in the volume of the Scriptures The whole Scrptures are Manna but that which feedeth my soule to life eternall is this faith in Christ As then he that had filled his Homer full had beene ridiculously absurd to thinke he should want because he saw so much lye scattered in the mountaynes and in the plaine fields so should we be dangerously deceiued if we should not thinke that the knowledge of God the Father and his Sonne were sufficient for vs to eternall life because there are so many things contayned in the holy writ which our vnderstandings haue not gathered This was Saint Peters Homerfull Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God This was Saint Paul his Homer full I esteemed to know nothing but Christ and him crucified This measure they delt to all that beleeued Wee preach Christ. Then let vs not onely take our sufficient sustenance from this liuing bread which descended downe from Heauen and which cryeth in all our eares This is the will of the father that he that beleeueth in mee should haue euerlasting life but let vs take out of this word euen our compleat armour and learne to fight with this sword against all our enemies all our euils and the gates of hell and the Diuell If your aduersaries deny you to be of the true Church and will seeke to examine your hold say you hold in Capite in Fee by fayth in Iesus Christ you hold by the head and whosoeuer holds by the head is a true member of Christ his body If they obiect but the Church is built vpon an hill confesse it and shew them the hill the diuinitie of Iesus Christ that hill of Peters Tu es Christus This hill heere haec est vita aeterna Why hop you so high O ye hils This is Gods hill this hill is Iesus Christ himselfe which is God and God is not onely a Rocke and an high Hill to those that serue him but they that trust in him shall be rockes themselues and high and stedfast as mountaynes as Saint Peter was If they will offer to make your faith void by vrging their succession of Popes and Priests as if your Ministers had beene at a fault in their succession and ordination or if home aduersaries as Familists or Brownists or Barrowists vrge and prâ—…sse your Ministers as not lawfully called answere these hence The Scripture is not carefull to answere in this poynt it is the succession of true doctrine which concerneth vs not of men for God will not haue our life in him depend vpon a quirke or misse in mens callings but on faith in Christ. Of this I am seased and am interessed in life eternall I will no more dispute of the meanes to it then I will of my faith did they which preached Christ to mee preach of pride or enuy or contention or gaine this is my sure gaine Christ is preached of this I am assured No man can say Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost As true as I beleeue this Article so truly I know God the Father in heauen was my teacher This I know Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God in him God dwelleth of this I am assured Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus Christ is borne of God This record all the diuels in hell shall neuer ouerthrow o God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne and he that hath the sonne hath life This is a serious poynt to haue life eternall to haue God my teacher to haue God dwell in mee to be borne of God vpon this will I build I will not tamper about successions Farther if as now it is vsuall with too many any seeke to seduce you or trouble your faith with questions of Canons or Church-order or Discipline or such like say that you had rather build straw and stubble vpon the foundation then set the foundation vpon straw and stubble In these words is the foundation the ground it selfe of all true Religion we will not tamper about reparations or couerings this is the body it selfe I fight not for the shadow Heere is the compleat armour of a Christian I will not passe how it be guilded or enamelled Finally in trouble in sorrow in sicknesse in persecution in prison in danger by Sea in danger by Land in feare against height against depth and whatsoeuer may seeme to shake our faith or wound our conscience or discomfort our spirit hold we vp this confession that our Sauiour Iesus Christ is God and man Let vs say to Death it selfe this is life eternall to Satan this is the onely true and liuing God to Sinne this is Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God oppose wee to hell and hell gates this faith in Iesus Christ which hath opened to vs Heauen and Heauen gates To whom with God the Father and God the I holy Ghost three persons and one God be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory now and for euer Amen FINIS a 〈◊〉 4. 1. b Iohn 6. 〈◊〉 â—…at 4. 4. c Iohn 6 〈◊〉 d Cor. 2. 4. Hom 〈◊〉 in Mâ—… a Mat. 21. 〈◊〉 b Mat. 9. 36. c Luk. 13. 37. d Esa. 63. 3. e Ier. 8. 8. f Psa. 〈◊〉 6. g Nom. 25. 1â—… h Eâ—… 7. 1â—… i Mat. 3. 14. k Pro. 26. 10. * Gen. 37. 22. l Gen. 39. m 2 Sam. 16. 4. n 2 Sam. 14. 20. o 1 Sam. 28. Aeneid 7. p Rom. 12. 24. a Luke 23. 5. b Luke 2â—… 13. c Eccles. 7. 1â—… d Math. 5. 44. a Rom. 3. 15. b Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Psal. 57. 4. b Prou. 25. 18.
consciences that as the Father the Son and the holy Ghost are one God so our faith which beleeueth is one faith our knowledge which apprehendeth this mysterie is one knowledge that is with the same obtute of faith I beleeue in God the Father with the same and no other I beleeue in GOD the Sonne and God the holy Ghost And with the same light of knowledge I know one I know all three Neither doth this Vnion rest here to make our faith one and our knowledge one but to make the knowers one for which our Lord prayed That all which shall beleeue in Christ through the Gospell preached by his Apostles may be one as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father that they also may be one in vs. I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one This then we must take for certaine that in reading this Scripture we must of necessitie vnderstand God the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the Sonne as S. Augustine teacheth Ordo verborum est vt cum patre et filio consequenter spiritum sanctum intelligamus quia c The order of the words is saith hee that by consequence wee must vnderstand the holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne for the spirit is the substantiall and consubstantiall charity of both the Father and the Sonne because the Father and the Sonne are not two Gods neither are the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three Gods but the Trinitie it selfe is one God Neither is the Father the same person that the Sonne nor the Sonne the same that the Father is nor the holy Ghost the same that the Father and the Sonne whereas the Father the Sonne and the Spirit are three and this very Trinitie is one God Wee haue then by the grace of Christ in these words A Catechisme or Enchiridion for a Christian man contayning in it all the mysteries of saluation all the articles of our faith For at that very instant that wee beleeue God to be the Father maker of the world almighty the onely true and liuing God wee beleeue the incarnation of Iesus Christ we beleeue in the holy Ghost the resurrection from the dead the remission of sinnes we beleeue the holy Catholique Church the communion of Saints and whatsoeuer is written in the law and the Prophets all the contents of the Gospell This one knowledge hath all knowledge in it for as life in that instant that it is life giueth spirit motion seeing tasting feeling and desire to preserue life so as soone as we haue this knowledge wee haue with it all heauenly wisedome and vnderstanding we need not be perswaded to beleeue the Scriptures wee haue the light the feeling the tast of heauenly things and as the light of this Sunne which directeth my going in one place shineth to mee in all places in the house in the field in the Sea in the Desart and in all deepe places so the light of the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ lightneth to mee all things that were in darknesse leadeth me out of all doubts and errours and illuminateth all things that are in heauen and earth But that you mistake me not I doe not deny when we haue receiued this faith but that we haue our farther growing in Christ and encrease in godlinesse by hearing and reading the word by meditation by prayer by receiuing our daily bread and drinke of life in the Sacraments by walking by motion by exercise and labouring in our most holy faith The thing I entend is to shew that all these spring from this fountaine and moue from the power of this life For our bodily life cannot consist or continue without daily foode therefore it is naturall to life to hunger for it daily and by foode wee receiue strength and in our strength we trauaile and labour and doe the things which belong to this life This then is my purpose to shew that all heauenly gifts and powers of the spirit are of the nature of faith So the Apostle By faith we haue an entrance into this grace wherein we stand But first wee liue by faith The iust shall liue by faith By faith we feed therefore the word of God is most properly called the word of eternall life which is the word of faith which wee preach And this word must be mixed with faith and be as meat digested in the stomack of our soules The word did not profit them in whom it was not mixed with faith By this faith we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood which is the bread of life By faith wee are nourished as said Paul of Timotheus which hast beene nourished vp in the words of faith In faith we grow When your faith shall encrease In faith wee haue our strength Strong in the faith By faith wee stand Thou standest by faith By faith we walke For wee walke by faith and not by sight By faith we worke as Saint Paul saith The worke of your faith in power By faith wee resist Satan Whom resist being stedfast in faith By faith wee fight Fight the good fight of faith By faith we conquer and ouercome This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith See how S. Paul ascribeth to faith all the patience labours workes striuings assurance hope and the victories of the Saints in the whole Chapter which is the eleuenth to the Hebrewes But here the Scripture speaketh of knowledge not of faith No it cannot vnderstand this knowledge without the light of faith For our knowledge of God is the issue and birth of our faith In all earthly things knowledge maketh faith for all the wise men of this world beleeued no farther then they were led by reason but of heauenly things faith maketh the knowledge for these are aboue reason and captiue our vnderstanding Therefore Saint Paul By faith wee vnderstand c. And Saint Peter I beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD. Therefore our faith hath her perfection in this life and knowledge doth surrender to faith heere In the world to come faith shall surrender to knowledge and faith shall bee no more Wee beleeue not heere in part wee know but in part now but wee beleeue all things Then in the life to come vvee shall know all thinges as vvee are knowne Then as Saint Paul and Saint Peter ioyne faith with knowledge so doe wee heere and more then that with Christ himselfe in this Chapter the twentith verse vvee take them both for one for so hee prayeth that they vvhich beleeue in him may bee one euen all that shall beleeue by the preaching of their that is the Apostles word that they be one as hee and his Father are one Now let vs goe forward Hypocrates said truely of the Art of Physicke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
I am the Way the Truth and the Life Whom shall we beleeue of the Way but the way it selfe whom of the Truth but the truth Whom of Life but the life What then haue you done O deepe deceiuers and seducers which haue sought by all the Art and cunning of the Diuell to bring men out of this way to stop the road-way the high way to the kingdome of Heauen and to round and circle vs about by merits by freewill by traditions by reliques by Purgatory by faith implicite by questions of prayers for the dead Which for beleefe in GOD bring men to Romanam Catholicam for faith in Iesus Christ to Papa non potest errare the Pope cannot goe out of the way When Ennius sought his friend at his house and asked his seruant where his Master was the Master said to his seruant Tell him I am not at home which speech Ennius ouer-heard but tooke the answere from the seruant Next day the same man comes to Ennius his house and asked his seruant where his Master was Ennius spake aloud tell him I am not home What saith he will you deny your selfe with your owne tongue Why not said Ennius I beleeued when but your man tolde me you were not at home and will not you beleeue mee which say so my selfe The Ministers and seruants of Christ should shew Christ to all that seeke him but if there be any such as that seruant which denied his Masters presence when hee knew where hee was yet Christ is not like Ennius hee cannot denie himselfe Behold to those wicked trayterous Iewes when they sought him Whom seeke you Iesus of Nazareth I am he and will he denie himselfe to his friends This then is all wee require of you Beleeue Christ of Christ. When Zaccheus was too little and could not see Iesus he climed vp a tree but that wee may see him Christ hath climed the tree of the Crosse himselfe and there was lifted vp to draw vs to him If this be not enough hee hath mounted vp aboue the highest heauens to the right hand of the most high and mighty God Far aboue Angels and thrones and powers and principalities and euery name that is named Why then permute this one knowledge and faith in him for all knowledge all doubts all disputes all wisedome of men for heare what he saith this is eternall life to beleeue c. Thus wee are made to vnderstand not onely that the Scriptures are sufficient to saluation but that the Scriptures abound and more then abound to instruct our vnderstanding We reduce all the precepts of the law and whatsoeuer is else written in the Prophets to loue and all our knowledge is comprehended and endeth in the knowledge of Christ. This is the knowledge of the treasure so the Apostle saith of the knowledge of Christ In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge This is knowledge to the full For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily But he is full wee are empty no hee is our fulnesse Of his fulnesse we haue all receiued grace for grace For as loue is the fulnesse of the law so faith in Christ is the fulnesse of the heart That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith that you being rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth length depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that you may be filled with all fulnesse of God See what perfect Schollers the faith of Christ makes vs the head is the bodies fulnesse Christ is our head by whom wee holde by faith and we are his body and as S. Paul saith That God the Father of glory reade from the seauenteenth verse to the last hath appointed Christ ouer all things to be head of the Church which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all See how Christ is our fulnesse and how he counteth vs his fulnesse for the head cannot haue his fulnesse without the body Grow we vp in this head receiue we from him the fulnesse of the body till we meet altogether in the vnity of faith and knowledge of him For this faith as I haue shewed was sufficient for the thiefe to be assured to be in Paradise and to omit the rest for all the Martyrs in the primitiue Church to be euerlastingly with all honour recorded For there was neuer any piece of story nor point or pricke of letter recorded that euer yet was seene or to be found that any of those Martyrs in the primitiue Church shed their blood for any of those points or articles which are controuerted betweene vs and the Church of Rome either for Purgatory or Prayers for the dead or any other Sacraments or for infallibility of errour in the Pope or traditions or merits or free will or transubstantiation or whatsoeuer is disputed betweene vs but onely for this eternall life the confession of the Diuinitie and humanity of Iesus Christ. And to this Pope Leo bringeth testimonie in his sixe and twentith Epistle to Theodosius Augustus which liued neere about the fiue hundreth yeere after Christ his words are these Prae â—…culis hâ—… et tota acie mentis aspicite 〈◊〉 Petri gloriâ—… et commâ—… cum ipso oâ—…ium Apostolorum coronaâ—… câ—…ctorumque maâ—…tyum palmas quâ—…bus alia non fuit â—…ausa patiendi nisi confessio verae diuinitatis et humanitatis in Christo. Haue before your eyes and consider with all the sight of your minde the glory of blessed Peter and the crownes of all the Apostles and the palmes of all the Martyrs which had no other cause of suffering but the confession of the true Diuinitie and humanity in Christ. Happy were you O blessed Martyrs to whom it sufficed both for temporall death and life and glory eternall to confesse Iesus Christ to be the Sonne of the true and liuing GOD you had no torment but of your body you kept your faith vndaunted and vnshaken and so yeelded your blessed spirits to GOD. It is not allowed for sufficient for vs to beleeue in God to confesse Iesus Christ and to cleaue to him is to vs imputed for heresie wee are counted separated from the body because we hold by the head and traps and snares are laid for vs in the word and Sacraments in our faith in iustification Wee are tortured with wrests and wrenches of disputations we are martyred in our mindes and consciences and may iusâ—…ly complaine that of the Apostle For this are wee reiected and persecuted because wee trust in the liuing God For this being Christians wee are persecuted by Christians If all the tyrants in the world did seeke our bloud we would kisse death being of the Church our owne fellowes kill vs and hauing suffered the same things for the same cause in which the first holy Martyrs suffered we are
TWELVE SERMONS Viz. 1 A Christian exhortation to Innocent Anger 2 The calling of Moses 3 Abrahams Triall 4 The Christian Souldier 5 The fulnesse of Christ. 6 The Rule of Christian Patience 7 A Christian mans fulnesse 8 9 10 The Marigold and the Sunne 11 12 The Sinners Looking-glasse Preached by THOMAS BASTARD Master of Arts and sometimes Fellow of New Colledge in OXFORD PSAL. 56. 10. I will reioyce in the Lord because of his word In the Lord will I reioyce because of his word LONDON Printed by T. S. for Mathew Lownes dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bishops head 1615. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY singular good Lord and Master THOMAS Earle of SVFFOLKE Lord Treasuror of ENGLAND c. My Lord THat of Artaxerzes king of Persia was neuer too highly set prised which said that it was of no lesse kingly bounty and humanity to accept of little things than to giue great I haue receiued great things from your Honours fauour euen a daily portion by which I my selfe and my little family is sustained besides other graces of which you haue vouchsafed mee from the first houre of my admission into your seruice And now what haue I to offer vnto my Lord but euen this little handfull of flowers which I haue gathered by my Study and Meditation to make to your Lordship a sweet smell of my duty Which if it shall please you graciously to accept you shall more enrich fill my desire by this receiuing than by giuing For to an honest minde it is sweeter to be regarded than rewarded And what greater reward can be giuen to him that striueth to be thankefull than to finde himselfe accepted in that in which he seeketh most to please I hope these flowers to them which peruse them shall not prooue vnfruitfull being gathered out of that field of the Scriptures on which the Holy-ghost hath breathed As the fruit of the Husband is sweet to the Spouse so he is to her as the Rose of the field and the Lilly of the Vallies Such is the word of God being broken and diuided aright that it doth both sauour and fresh and feede and nourish the soule of man Therefore as it is called The word of Life The bread of Life so it is called The sauour of life vnto life I haue not taken my Texts of Scripture from one place as if a man should gather hearbs in a garden from one bed as they grow and lie together but I haue selected and chosen my parcels out of diuers places of Scripture and knit them vp in this little bundle here Knowledge there Patience in another place the duety of a Christian Then Faith and Obedience Againe the fulnesse of Christ Againe the Flowers of the Prophets to these Contrition Humility and Loue with exhorting to meeknesse and for bearing c. All mixed with Instructions and reproofes and twisted and made vp with the bindings and testimonies of the Apostles and Prophets Sic positi quoniam suaues miscetis odores Because of diuers places of Scripture thus set and ordered the sweetest smells are made Right Honourable whatsoeuer these are or whatsoeuer I am my selfe the Labour is yours and the Labourer Accept the ready heart and thankefull study of Your Honours most humble and deuoted Seruant THOMAS BASTARD A CHRISTIAN EXHORTATION to Innocent Anger The first Sermon EPHES. Chap. 4. Vers. 26. Be angry but sinne not Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath WHereas all our Passions haue their roote in the minde and cannot be moued thence nay whereas they haue their right vses so that without them there must needes ensue a naturall vacuity of Sense and dulnesse in the heart the Apostle first allowing that which is naturall in our affections permitteth anger secondly he forbiddeth that which is contrary to Nature Sinne not thirdly if wee haue sinned hee willeth vs to shake it off quickely Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath To vs it seemeth strange that the Apostle should say Be angry and sinne not For wee know not what to say of Anger but either that it is an hot appetite of reuenge or a seething of the bloud about the heart or a short madnesse or some such like affection But if we marke the scope of the Apostle well He doth not in saying Be angry permit but command some anger Why the Apostle doth not forbid Anger we haue this reason because the passions of our mindes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of themselues indifferent neither good nor euill Our Anger then as it respecteth her end is good or euill For there is a time when it is a fault to be angry and there is a time when it is a fault not to be angry There is lawfull vse of Anger as of Loue of Hatred and of Sorrow For there is a godly Loue a godly Hatred a godly Sorrow a godly Anger aswel although not as often as the contrary Neither doe I speake of this passion as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a first motion without assent as in the very infancy of her cause For I doubt not but that all the affections of man are as man is conceiued in sinne yet so that by originall sinne the reasonable parts those faculties which moue to Anger are hurt But that part in which Concupiscence moueth is infected with taint of sinne Here I speake of a deliberate Anger confirmed by reason and act of our will with which we may as well please God as with our Almes or Prayers or any other worke of godlinesse Now although the same sinne which hath blemished our vnderstanding defaced our purest minde hath made much more deformed and vgly those affections which sit beneath the Will and being but her sollicitors haue their place in that part which is more subiect to Concupiscence yet hath not sinne preuayled to destroy the nature and substance of them Now if in their Nature they be not abolished much lesse in their right Vse The Philosopher said well of Anger that it is the whet-stone to Fortitude Basill calleth it a sinew or tendon of the soule giuing it courage and constancy and that which is remisse and tender hardening as with yron and steele to pierce and goe through her businesse To be angry saith S. Hierome is the part of a man and were not Anger by suffrage of Saint Chrysostome neither could teaching auaile neither iudgement stand neither sinnes be repressed The Stoicks hould a vacuity of affections and condemne them all as vnlawsull why because they draw vs to disorder and outrage but this is not the nature of our affections but the affection of our corrupt nature Christ himselfe was not without affections he was angry when he cast the Marchants out of the Temple pittifull when he saw the people scattred like sheepe without a shepheard sorrowfull when he cryed ouer Ierusalem And we know that Anger Repentance Mercy
whereas Izhak was required to a sacrifice to an honorable death he hanged his Sonne IESVS CHRIST on the Crosse to die for vs a death most vile and accursed Izhak was offred by his Father CHRIST was crusified by his enimies Pitties and compassions did follow Izhak to his sacrifice But CHRIST was slaine with bitter taunts and reuiling and shakings of the head He that offred Izhak would haue redeemed his life with all the good and treasures of the World they which kill the Lord of life rather then they will spare him say his bloud be vpon vs and our children And a secret place was chosen to hide Izhaks shame but the Sonne of God was put to a most cruell and reprochfull death in the face of the world If this suffice not God the Father offereth to vs yet his Sonne IESVS CHRIST to euery heart that is grieued to euery soule that is vexed He is offred to vile sinners to vnworthy receauers he is offered so truly so fully so franckely as no heart can conceaue no thought can compre hend God grant that our hearts may conceaue him and our soules receaue him Amen FINIS THE CHRISTIAN Souldier The third Sermon 2 TIM Chap. 2. Vers. 3. 4. 2 Thou therefore suffer affliction like a good souldier of Christ. 3 No man going on warfare entanglech himselfe with the things of this life WE see how Saint Paul exhorteth his Sonne Timotheus for after he had stirred vp his faith in the chapter before verse 6. and warned him what a treasure he had in his keeping verse 14. complaining how many had reuolted and turne away from the profession verse 15. Now he exhorted him to suffer affliction as a good souldier of Christ teaching him that this life is a warfare so the Scripture hath foure parts 1. the state of a Christian in the words in generall going in warfare to which we may annexe how different this warfare is from all others in the 2. place 3 what we ought to be in this warrefare the Latine translation hath laborantes laboring the originall hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer euill as a good souldier of Christ 4. what we ought not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ensnaring or intangling our selues with the busines of this present World Some considering this worlds euils with a worldly regard nakednesse pouerty troubles crosses dangers haue iudged it a prison or place of vexation others looking into the apparant good as honour riches pleasures with which the world doth not onely allure but rauish her louers haue deemed it a Paradise or place of delight But they which view it ouer with a spirituall eye and attend the danger of their soules the hazard of their country the multitude of their spirituall enemies say Militia est potius quid enim concurret horae momento aut cita mors venit aut victoria laeta It is a kinde of warring for we encounter on euery side in the moment of an houre either quick death commeth or ioyfull victory For Saint Paul which fought from his Youth vp euen to Paul the Aged counted it but a momentary fight This horae momentum is mans whole life which be it all spent in hazard of fight hath the comparison but of an eyes twinkling to the purchase of the victory and life eternall And in this moment of an houre we are all lost or saued That our life is a warfare we are taught by the Sacrament of our calling in Baptisme where we take an oath to fight against the Flesh the World and the Diuell There we remember our first presse-peny of grace and haue professed our selues souldiours of Christ to fight vnder his Banner Our Sauiour Christ chargeth the watch in his Gospell Watch and Pray that you fall not into temptation And giueth this charge not onely to the leaders and captaines of his band but to euery common souldier that which I say to you I say to all Watch. We haue our munition out of Holy Scriptures which are like Solomons Tower where hang a thousand sheildes and all the weapons of strong men The Apostle sounds the alarum Arme arme take the whole armour of God from the heads helmet to the feete We must lie open at no place for our enimie is a Serpent if he can but bite the heele he will transfuse his venime to the heart and to the head And in one side we see the faithfull in perpetuall agony striuing wrestling fighting now receauing in the buckler of their faith the dints of affliction and temptation now charging the enimy as in open fight For which cause the Apostle doth not onely encourage others to fight a good fight but desireth to be seene in the fore-front hauing the same fight which you haue seene in me And therefore summeth vp all his labours for CHRIST and his Gospel in these few words I haue fought a good fight On the other side we see so many multitudes led captiues vnder diuers lustes of whom the Deuill hath his will and hath taken them as an easie pray as Saint Paul saith at his pleasure Now enimies of the crosse of Christ. He that warreth vpon an other doth he not entend to make him tributary and make his people his seruants So doth Satan warre against CHRIST and being not able to vanquish him doth yet preuaile to draw from him such as were his sworne seruants causing them to fight vnder him for wages of damnation Lastly that we may be out of doubt that our life is a warfare our Sauiour saith the kingdom of Heauen suffreth violence the violent possesse it So that nothing is more cleere then this point we must haue warre for our country we must win it by force and violence Whether it be because the earthly man doth seeke it because from beneath he aspireth to it because he wrestleth not onely against outward enemies whether Carnall or Spirituall wickednesse but against his owne will and desire and loue and against himselfe to attaine this kingdome whether it be that the short compasse of our life draweth vs with that swiftnesse that we must reach with violence at that which with such violence is taken from vs or that the aboundance of the heauenly treasure so enflameth with desire the hearts of Gods chosen that they contemne all dangers and runne through all lets and euils to win it or lastly for that the Amalekites of this world while we are here fainting and weary in the way smite vs for that here be Caananits which must be expulsed before we can attaine the land of Promise and Sehons and Oggs Giants of monstrous stature to appale and affright vs. But say the kingdome of Heauen suffreth violence and what can we get here but by violence Seeke we then with the same violence the things in heauen with which wicked men doe seeke the things of this world Heere we can
and the marrowes But if the Sword be neuer so sharp what hurt can it doe if there be no hand to strike If Dauid haue neuer so smooth a stone in his scrippe if he want a Sling to throw him out how can hee hit Goliah in the forehead Plutarch writeth of Coriolanus in his life that he vsed his weapons so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the vse made him so familiar that they seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they had beene borne with him or grafted into his hands This benefit we haue from being conuersant in Scriptures that we are able with ease to dart out and sling the word to hit our enemies in their fore-heads For which vse Saint Paul commends Timotheus Because of a childe hee was exercised in holy Scriptures and the word of God in such is like the Arrow in the hand of a Giant which draweth with that vnresistable force that it will diuide the very soule and spirit I should thinke it too little in such a case to haue a strong arme onely both our armes must be strong and practised that our enemy may not know our right hand from our left Plato to good purpose in his Republ. counsailed men to be Ambodexters for this vse in fight And for this Hector is commended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of fighting well I know the Art With left and right to hurle a Dart. But if this be required in any fight it is in ours which haue enemies on both sides on the right hand and on the left therefore Saint Paul exhortes vs to haue a the weapons of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left that which way soeuer he strikes we may ward him whether he charge vs on the right hand of prosperitie or on the left of affliction Whether he fight before as a Lion or sleight it behinde like a Foxe whether he assaile vs without b with his men-beasts or within by feares and temptations whether hee reach at vs from aboue by Presumption or from beneath with Despaire I pray God wee be not found such as Milo which when he looked on those armes with which he had wrestled before for the price at the games of Olympus could say of them At hij iam mortui sunt See these armes are now dead The third thing wee require in our Souldier of Christ is a good eye For what vse is there in battell of either courage at heart or strength of hand to him which is blind See this woful experience in Pagans Heathen people which haue profused zeale and constance to fight for hell in the darkenes of their vnderstanding And this is plaine in our aduersaries whom might zeale persistance resolution onely commend wee might take for vndoubted Souldiers of Christ had not blindnesse of heart turned all those weapons and powres of the spirit to fight against God Iudas when that rich Oyntment was bestowed on Christ said c Ad quid perditio haec But we when the whole forces of our soules and spirits are bent and planted to demolish the truth of the Gospell of Christ To what end serueth this waste Therefore in one word our Sauiour saith If thine d eye be wicked all the body is darke For if we misse in the goodnesse of the cause and the rightnesse of intention all is lost And it is to be noted that he saith not Eyes but thine eye For one of our eyes the left eye it mattereth not if that be out the worldly wisedome For I take it Christ intends the right eye For the Diuell would make a couenant with vs like Naash the Ammonite vpon this condition that he may thrust out our right eyes He careth not how quicke-sighted we be to the world onely hee desires to GOD and his truth to make vs starke blinde O eternall God looke vpon vs and visite vs with light from heauen for the earth is full of darkenes and cruel habitations And in this case the word of God is to vs as those Perspicils were to Nero in which he saw the trickes and cunning of the Fensers and their secret wards and thrusts and the conueyance of their Art From hence may wee see that great Fenser and the mystery of iniquities and learne to shunne his fiery darts God grant wee may see in his light I remember Homer when hee speaks of Aiax fighting in a blacke mist vnder a darke cloude how he makes him cry to God for light with such vehemency of passion as I know not if he expresse the like in all his Workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue Father saue the sonnes of Greekes from this darke pitchy night Make cleare the uyre dispell the mist and kill vs in the light Giue vs O Lord the light of Grace remoue from vs all darkenesse of Vnderstanding and kill vs in the light of thy sonne IESVS CHRIST My last part followeth What wee should not be Wee must not be intangled with worldly businesse I take not any of these words metaphorically spoken but in the first and proper sense for bodily fights are but shadowes to this of the spirit which is the onely true fight and say we must borrow words for our better vnderstanding to expresse spirituall things in their kinde earthly things doe lend heauenly things words but heauenly things doe lend earthly things signification So they which fight but for earthly things doe not till they haue gotten the victory meddle with the things of this world much lesse should we which goe in warfare for heauen For this implication or stopping at things in the way is a let to the victory which if it came but single and by it selfe were farre more to be desired of a good souldier than any thing which can be had without it But the victory brings in these spoyles with it and whatsoeuer else mans heart can desire especially this victory after which shall be no more warre no enemy left and the purchase shall bring with it all spoyles riches honour security peace triumph glory and blisse eternall If we could consider the benefit and fruit of this victory all the Kingdomes of the earth could not serue to make one fetter to tie vs heere and those greene cords of the loue of riches and worldly pleasure and honour which so binde our desires we should breake as Samson did his Bands like to Towe when it hath felt the fire So absurdly then doe they which neglect this end to which they are called and lie ensnared with impediments of emoluments which lie in the way as if a man being shewed where a rich treasure lay should neglect to digge it forth contenting himselfe with the Rushes and Bennets which grow vpon the ground I will content my selfe onely to resemble these men to such as catch at the spoyles before the enemy is ouerthrowne or the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life is short the Art is long the experience is full of danger How miserable then were the state of simple men if it were of like hardnesse to haue the knowledge of eternall life as to learne Physicke or Astronomy or Rhetorique or any other Art But heere the Art is short and our life compared is long and the practise is secure and full of pleasure heere is the whole science to know God the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ And this wee obtayne not by learning but by beleeuing not by discourse as seeking but by obtute as seeing wee haue it not by acquisition but by infusion not by diuision but by vnion not as I haue said in all other Sciences first the parts and then the whole but first the whole and then the parts This the superabundant mercy of God hath prouided for the simple the ignorant vnlearned that no man may pretend difficulty or hardnes in the way of life eternal but that it may be as easily learned of the simple as of the wise All other Arts whether mechanicall or liberall haue their misteries by themselues diuers Arts haue diuers misteries for diuers men and all kept secret this Science of Sciences hath but one mistery for all men in the world which is preached and published to all the world the same of bond the same of free the same of old the same of young the same of the learned the same of the ignoran tthe same of men the same of women the same of Iewes the same of Greekes one mistery for high and low rich and poore all people one with another and this is it to know God the Father c. well then might Saint Paul call it common saluation and Saint Iude common faith and S. Peter write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To them which haue obtayned like precious faith for as in this bodily life nature by one and the selfe same way worketh in all alike and that same which is the cause of life in one that liueth is the cause of life in all that liue wherefore it is held a maxime in Philosophy that Nature is one in all things so in our spirituall and eternall life there is but one mistery and in it one cause of vitality in all that are saued that God may be all in all I one in all which worketh in all and we all one in God I haue foure arguments by which I may shew that it is a matter of no great hardnesse or which requireth long time to learne the science of a Christian My first I take from that principle of Nature in which there is in all men a desire and appetite ingenite and inly rooted of the soueraigne good Omnia appetunt borum for when to this desire ingrafted the good desired shall be manifestly obiected out of the vnderstanding conuicted by euidence of the light of Gods word how quickly will the desire assent and rest satisfied For now she is filled and at the end of her appetite and cannot possibly desire farther If then the straying and erroneous desire of Heathen people in ignorance after the true God being misled in the blindnesse of their vnderstanding did like men which being almost drowned in vnperfectnesse and amazement of their sense will catch at stickes and stones and weeds in the bottome of the water and hold them fast to death thinking by these to get out so they hoping to seeke euasion from eternall death in that deezinesse and confusion of apprehension did catch at gods of stickes and stones and beasts and creeping things in stead of the true and liuing God How much more shall we be perswaded and euicted by euidence of faith and enlightned in our vnderstandings from God himselfe hold by him So hold all that beleeue The Apostle hauing caught hold heere will not loose his hold for any creature in Heauen or earth or life or death saying What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ and hauing summed vp all other good or euill that may be imagined concluded in the last verse that none of these shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in which is Iesus Christ. By this good see how fast holy Iob holdeth Though he slay me yet will I stay in him Thus doth the Spouse gripe her husband I tooke hold of him and left him not How fast did all the legions of Martyrs clutch and gripe this true God and Iesus Christ in banishment in bands prisons rackes in torments in drownings burnings in all cruell deaths while their skins were stript ouer their heads while their flesh was pulled off with fiery pinsers while their bodies were a grinding betweene the teeth of cruell beasts and this hold haue all that beleeue in God in the houre of death So then heere the foule of men cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue found I haue found I haue found This is that treasure which was hid from the world which when a man hath found For ioy thereof he holdeth it and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field For who taught the poore man to set so much by that treasure did not the selfe beauty and riches and worth thereof Who neede tell any man that Gold is Gold or a Pearle a Pearle such a treasure is the true God which being once found by knowledge will cause vs to e count all things as doung that we may gaine him I may shew this secondly by the euidence of the diuinity which rising as a Sunne to our vnderstanding in that instant that he is risen doth make day For which cause God is called the Father of light and is said to dwell in light Againe to be light it selfe which rising to the world by his sonne Iesus Christ lightneth euery man which commeth into the world so this knowledge what is it but Lumen vultus Dei the light of Gods face Our apprehension of this truth is to see light in Gods light which is as much as Saint Peter in other words The day-star rising in our heart Therefore as soone as I beleeue in Iesus Christ it is day and all that beleeue are called light of it selfe and children of the light How hatefull then to vs ought be the doctrines of them which seeke to obscure to vs this blessed day which say we drinke not because we drinke of the fountaine which denie that we see because we see by the Sunne which deny that we be in life because we hold by the head A third argument I draw from the manner of teaching of the holy Ghost which is our Teacher as shall be shewed in the last place of this knowledge of the Father and the Sonne and maketh euery Scholar perfect in this mistery in the twinckling of an eye Euerie man that hath learned this mistery is áocibilis Deo taught of God himselfe and there is
accounted Dogs and Heretiques and Diuels Thou O Christ and the Gospell are the matter of our reproach and scorne for in thee onely we beleeue to thee onely wee cleaue and trust thee onely wee confesse Which when all the Saints haue done before how much more doth this now concerne vs in this darknesse of the ending world in this distraction of faith in this cruell warre and hostility of sides and parts Come hither beloued in Christ heere heere stand for this truth It is a small thing to die for Christ it is more hard and as much glorious to liue and confesse him Follow Christ if not in suffering death yet in the contempt and scorne of life if not in the bodies dying yet in the hearts suffering for these home enemies doe not onely seeke to take away your life as those Pagan persecuters and tyrants but that which is farre more deere and pretious your Faith But I will yet labour to set you surer vpon this foundation When Peter confessed this same confession Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God hee heard not onely to his owne comfort and priuiledge but for all others whosoeuer shall confesse the same confession foure things First Beat us tu Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona 2. Flesh and blood hath not reuealed this to thee thou art taught it of my Father God is thy teacher 3. He was called Cephas that is a Rock thou art a rocke for thy constantnesse in this confession 4 Vpon this rocke that is the rocke of my Diuinitie which thou hast confessed I will build my Church Was it then blessednesse to confesse Christ to be God was Peter called blessed for this and doth the blessing now cease Is not our blessednesse the same Yes whosoeuer thou art that beleeuest and confessest that Iesus is the Sonne of God beat us tu Blessed art thou Could Peter neuer haue attayned to this knowledge without the reuealing and teaching of God in heauen and we which vndoubtedly know beleeue the same haâ—… we or can we haue any other teacher Was Simon called a rocke for not being shaken in the faith of the Godhead of the man Christ and are wee counted stubble and chaffe for our sole and constant building vpon the same Is the rock it selfe this thou art Christ the Sonne of the louing God the very foundation vpon which the Church is built and are wee which plant all our hope and faith vpon the Diuinitie of Iesus Christ outlings from the Church of Christ I beseech you then consider with me the malice and subtilty of the diuell For when he saw the ground-worke and foundation laid on which all which shall be saued must be built for euer and that very same foundation planted to triâ—…ph ouer his hell and hell gates forth with attempted the ouerthrow of this foundation that none should confesse Iesus to be the Sonne of God And first by all the Kings of the earth by cruell tyrants by open and professed enemies persecuted this faith binding banishing imprisoning beating burning drowning killing torturing destroying all those which confessed that Iesus was Christ as I haue shewed before but when hee saw that this was not the way to batter the faith of Christ and that the Church the more it was shaken with persecution was built the firmer vpon this rocke and that the blood of the Martyrs was the seede of the Church for the more they were killed the more they encreased he sought another way for that which he could not effect by violence and hostility hee wrought by sleight and subtilty that which he could not compasse by open enemies which yelled and roared against the Church Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground that he plotted by Tatnayes and Sanballats which came to vs disguised vnder the profession of Christians saying Wee will build with you And so by sleight and shift of argument and wit of man it is held for the ground of all truth What that Peter was a rocke that we deny not but that he was the rocke this rocke vpon which Christ his Church is built And so wee haue for tu es Christus tu es Petrus But the Pope of Rome is Peters successour Ergo Christs Church is built vpon the Pope But the Church shall preuaile Ergo the Pope cannot erre But the Popes seat is Rome therefore Romana is Catholica But none shall be saued but they which are of the Church therefore this is eternall life to be of the Church of Rome Doe you not see how wee are disputed out of our saluation how wee haue lost our faith as it were at a tricke of fast and loose How cunningly the Diuell hath iugled away our foundation Doe you not see this blessed Scripture our Fortresse our Rocke our Castle our high Tower which was lifted vp and planted against hell and hell gates turned to fortifie for hell and hell gates Doe you not see how lightly we are parted from this one article the ground and summe of all truth which the blessed and glorious Apostles held deerer then their lifes blood And as if we had receiued no good at all by the knowledge of God and Christ we make onely earnest of faith and stand with vtmost contention and eagernesse whether Images be to be worshipped whether the dead be to be prayed for whether the Pope can dispense with Oathes c. Doe you not see how we are robbed of our euidence and turned out of our right Patrimonie of the Scriptures and so vtterly dispossest that our way is turned into a maze or wood and our truth into a lye and our life into death If then you haue not learned sufficiently the surenesse of this ground the deerenesse of this knowledge from the light of the Scriptures the words of Christ from the faith of the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Saints yet wee may sufficiently be perswaded from the cruelty malice and opposition and raging of the Diuell which from the beginning hath neuer ceased from seeking the vndermining batterie and ouerthrow of this truth I will now draw to my conclusion and come to ourselues which hauing quitted this article from the slaunders of our enemies haue not yet turned it for our owne best vse This is the faith which we haue receiued this is our ground this we professe in this we were baptized and yet hungry after knowledge as if wee had not beene sufficiently taught wee long for newes out of Scriptures we must haue the word more curiously carued some will haue this Preacher some that and this is fuller and this is sweeter and this is deeper and wee will haue I know not what Let mee be bold to say you heare Sermons as you heare Musicke for some delightfull straine or quirke of mens wit you itch in your eares and must haue them tickled daily with new pleasure your fashion is to iudge of the learning and sufficiencie of the Preacher which should be here humbled
our selues as grafted in Christ and members of one bodie heere we come as sheepe into ourspirituall fold all linked and combined in the same prayers with one heart and voyce praysing and lauding the name of God And if we consider our communion with the Saints and Angels of God and the Church triumphant which is in Heauen heere we ioyne and meete to glorifie the same God in earth which the Angels doe in Heauen which diuine and celestiall company how can we better represent then in this spirituall randiuouze singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Heauen and earth are full of the maiesty of thy glory c. Thirdly if the zeale of our profession moue heere we professe and testifie the name of God the right worship and the truth of our calling against Turkes Iewes Infidels Sects Aduersaries Men Diuels and all the enemies of Gods truth sounding and ringing out our zeale for the prayse and glory of God that all the world may heere it And lastly if the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ compell vs heere wee assembled are so oft assured of his presence as we come together in his name and when all other places are subiect to abuse our high wayes and fields to riflings and robberies our Markets and Streets to quarrellings to deceiuings our common meetings to wrongfull and fraudulent dealings our Courts to strife and janglings whereas disorders are seene daily in our houses and our secret Chambers can tell of our vncleannesse the reuerence of this place confoundeth lewd sinners and keepeth it at least from all open prophanation and abuse But where is our zeale if it be not in our Temples nay if it be against them Had God holinesse which he might bestow vpon this place and is he so bare of it that now he hath none left Did hee spend all vpon mount Sinai and hath he neuer a blessing left for our Herebs Yes some of that was bestowed vpon Salomons Temple wherefore CHRIST was euen eaten vp with the zeale of that house Which howsoeuer it were shortly to be prophaned and made desolate yet was it holy to Christ as long as it stood But our deuotions are gone out of Gods house to our owne houses we decke and beautifie them because we loue our selues as we would Gods house if we loued God God hath long agoe complayned of this Is it time to build to your selues seeled houses and let my house lie wasle Which being so no maruell that the same vilenesse and contempt which we haue suffered to fall vpon our Churches and Church orders is now fallen vpon our selues I speake not this to grace ceremonies or outward behauiours of Religion otherwise then shadowes to that body shadowes they are to the body of Religion but such as well become the body Onely this I protest if holinesse be gone out of the toes and feete of our Church yet let vs keepe it in the heart still And if wee haue forgotten the place in which we stand let vs not forget the person before whom we stand which is God the Lord the high owner of Heauen Earth which is neere to vs how euer we are farre from him which doth enspire with his spirit not onely the head and honourable parts but the toes and the feete to whom the heart is due and the spirit and all our strength But of how many of vs doth he not receiue the calues of our lips This most high great God sanctifie vs all in our seueral standings before him and grant vs all holy toes holy feete holy knees holy hands holy lippes holy hearts to the glory and prayse of his name in Christ our Lord Now to God the Father Almightie with God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost three persons and one God be rendred all honour prayse power dominion and glory now and for euer So be it Amon. CHRISTIAN PATIENCE The fift Sermon MATTH 5. Vers. 38. 39. 40. 41. 38 You haue heard that it hath beene said an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth 39 But I say vnto you resist not euill But whosoeuer shall smite thee on thy right cheeke turne to him the other also 40 And if a man will sue thee at the Law and take away thy Coate let him haue thy Cloake also 41 And whosoeuer will compell thee to goe a mile goe with him twaine WHen Moses sent Spies into the Land of Canaan to search the Land and the goodnesse thereof and to bring of the fruit when the Messengers made report that it was a fruitfull Land and flowing with Milke and Honey and represented the fruit thereof which they brought the people were all without doubt moued with a wonderous desire to make forth and possesse that Land but when some of them reported that there were Giants in the Land and that there seemed no possibibility of entrie but by warre and bloud shed see how quickly they were turned VVould God we had died in the land of Aegipt or in this Wildernesse would God we were dead The Preachers of Gods word which are sent of God as Spies to search and inquire into holy Scripture what good things God hath laid vp in the Kingdome of Heauen for those which trust in him when they certifie you that the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard and that the good things which God hath prepared for those that loue him haue not entred into the heart of man who burneth not with desire to enter into the Kingdome of heauen and to be partaker of euerlasting blisse with the Saints in light But when we tell you of losse and hazard of suffering blowes on the cheekes of wrestling of fighting with the Giants of this world and suffering all things to the effusion of bloud for the Kingdome of heauen what a world of menturne backe and start aside Wee bring you to this Scripture as to the waters of strife A maruaile to see the people which all escaped drowing in the Sea were almost all drowned in a little lake There is this difference betweene vs and the murmuring Israelites they said we will goe backe into Aegipt we goe backe but say notso The words of Christ will trie who are his he that taketh not vp his Crosse and followeth Christ is not worthy of him We should beare our Crosse I would we could be contented that our Crosse might beare vs. Euery true Disciple of CHRIST is crucified with CHRIST his hands are nayled he cannot strike his feete are nayled he cannot pursue reuenge he is also fast bound and tied that hee can moue no ber of his body to resist euill If wee mistake not our profession our honor is to be reuiled our gaine our treasure to forsake all our fighting to flie from place to place our glory in our wounds our victory in death What then if all our manners and liues and actions doe crosse this
Scripture if we which should take the blows do rather giue them if we which should be so fast tied that we should moue neither hand nor foot are more swift in pursuit of reuenge then the Eagle in following after her pray if not in priuate meetings onely or in streets market-places fields sportings feastings c. but at Sessions Assises highest Courts before iust Iudges in the eye of Iustice in the face of reuerend and lawfull authority we haue done all wee can to the disgrace of this Word must the Preacher bring a condemning text as if he were a iudge also We dare not onely for the honour we owe to God but for the loue we beare to you For this we know we shall offend none but as in Moses his P case the person that doth the wrong This Scripture is not now with vs more violated then it hath beene with them of old mistaken and misconstrued for this cause we haue the more neede to search it to the very ground which we shall first doe by circumstances of the text it selfe then by collation of it with other parts of the Scripture Origen about the end of his eight booke against Celsus by mistaking this saying of CHRIST affirmeth that it is not lawfull for Christians to warre to beare office to exercise iudgement Iulian the Apostata because CHRIST forbiddeth to resist euill most falsely slandereth the Christians as enemies to Lawes and Officers and commonwealthes taking the sword from the Magistrate and arming euery priuate man to wrong and iniustice Valusianus otherwise an excellent man proposeth this doubt out of this place to Saint Augustine epistola quinta asking how this doctrine can stand with lawes and iustice which forbideth to resist euill There Saint Augustine answereth that in its selfe nature it is not euill to resist but hee which resisteth not doth better as hauing more perfection The Manichees did heerevpon reiect all the old Testament because it commaunded reuenge which the new forbiddeth to whom Saint Aug. lib. contra Faust. 22. cap. 76. saith that there is a dispensation of things and a distribution of times and in regard of these according to diuersities of times Precepts or Councels may be eyther abrogated or permitted Whence the Schoolemen haue their ground which affirme that Christ spake not this as a generall commandement for all to obey but a speciall counsell for some which are more perfect Hugo Cardinalis was of opinion that the commandement was temporall and for the Apostles onely which were to builde the Church in their bloud now if it were of force it would hurt the Church And lastly the Anabaptists out of their lewd construction of this place doe condemne all politique lawes and ciuill gouernment for which causes we must be more diligent in search of the right interpretation This place is taken from Exod. 21. 24. Leuit. 24. 5. Deut. 19. 21. Life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote There God setteth downe Legem talionis a law of like for like But this commandement charge is set downe to the Magistrate onely as in the nineteenth Chapter of Deuteronomy the seauenteenth verse the men which striue shall be brought before the Lord euen before the Priests and Iudges which shall be in those dayes and the Iudges c. shall doe to him euen as hee thought to doe to his Brother Aristotle setteth downe the justice of Rhadamanthus in this Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rule of Iustice bids the wicked To suffer as they haue committed Now if wee vnderstand not these words out of the causes which they were spoken as Saint Hilary noteth it may seeme that Christ spake against this Law first saying You heard it said to them of old time And then I say to you But Christ said before Verse 17. Thinke not I am come to destroy the Law Neither doth the Gospell take away Authority from Rulers and Gouernours or meddle with politique or iudiciall Lawes as hee protesteth saying My Kingdome is not of this world And for an vndoubted Argument Saint Peter which heard this Sermon and receiuing the Holy Ghost had the sence of all Scriptures opned expresly sheweth that publique reuenge by the Magistrate is not by Gods word prohibited when he saith That Gouernours are sent of God for the punishment of such as doe euill And Saint Paul which receiued the vnderstanding of Scriptures by immediate gift of the Holy Ghost There is no power but of God whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God Verse 4. For he beareth not the Sword for nought for he is the minister of God So wee haue it most plaine that publique vengeance is not heere prohibited nor the temporall powers restrained Why then saith Christ resist not euill He frameth this interpretation not against the words of the Law but against the false Glosse of the Pharisies to purge it as it were of that wicked Leauen For this they taught because Gods word did not onely permit but command the Magistrate to render euill for euill therefore euery priuate man was allowed to doe the like and reuenge euery injury done to him so he exceeded not this Rule But see what the Pharisies brought on the people by corrupt teaching For their resisting the Magistrate gaue occasion to the vtter ruine of their state See Iosephus de bello Iudaico lib. 2. Cap. primo For an Eagle taken from the Porch of the Temple what slaughter Archelaus souldiers made of three thousand Iewes in a tumult And againe Lib. 2. Cap. 18. What vengeance Florus tooke of the people for the tumult they made about Birds sacrificed in the Synagogue Well then Christ giuing the Magistrate authoritie to priuate persons saith Resist not euill And heere we haue a notable Rule of distinction of Offices priuate and publique For what is lawfull for the Magistrate is not lawfull for a priuate man Wherefore the Apostle girding the Magistrate with the Sword to beate downe offendours in the twelft to the Romans Verse 10. to priuate men saith Auenge not yourselues And Verse 17. Recompence to no man euill for euill Secondly that it may appeare that Christ intendeth not the abolition of the Law of old or maketh any new but onely giueth the old her naturall and proper sence Moses himselfe when hee set downe to the Magistrate a law of Reuenge to priuate men saith Thou shalt not seeke Reuenge neyther shalt thou keepe in minde the iniury of thy people And Solomon doth in direct words crosse the words which the Magistrate hath enjoyned in priuate mens cases Say not I will doe to him as hee hath done to mee I will reward him according as hee hath deserued And in the third of the Threues the very forme of suffering is set downe He giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him hee is filled with reproaches Thirdly for further clearing the sence wee must