graces in an holy emulation if I may so speake striuing for the chiefedome and our Apostle giues it to Loue. The greatest of these is Charity Not that other Daughters are blacke but that Charity excels in beauty Wee may say of this Sister as it was sayd of the good Woman Prou. 31. Many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surpassest them all Paul doth not disparage any when he sayth Charity is the greatest All starres are bright though one starre may differ from another in glory Wee may say of graces as of the Captaines of the sonnes of Gad the least can resist a hundred the greatest a thousand Or as the song was of Saul and Dauid Saul hath slaine his thousand Dauid his ten thousand Faith is excellent so is Hope but the greatest of these is Charitie Mee thinkes these three Theologall Vertues may not vnfitly bee compared to three great Feastes which wee celebrate in the yeare Easter Whitsuntide and Christmas Faith like Easter beleeues Christ dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our Iustification Hope like Pentecost waites for the comming of the holy Ghost Gods free Spirit of grace to come into vs and to bring vs to Heauen And Charitie lookes like Christmas full of loue to our neighbours full of hospitality and mercy to the poore These are three strings often touched Faith whereby wee beleeue all Gods promises to bee true and ours Hope whereby we waite for them with patience Charitie whereby vee testifie what wee beleeue and hope Hee that hath faith cannot distrust hee that hath hope cannot bee put from anchor he that hath charity will not lead a licentious life for Loue keepes the commandements For Methods sake wee might first conferre them all then preferre one But I will speake of them according to the three degrees of comparison 1. Positiuely 2. Comparatiuely 3. Superlatiuely The greatest of these is Charitie Faith IS that grace which makes Christ ours and all his benefites God giues it 1. Cor. 12. Faith is giuen by the spirit By the Word preached Rom. 10. Faith comes by hearing For Christ his sake To you it is giuen for Christ his sake to beleeue in his name This vertue is no sooner giuen of God but it giues God So soone as thou beleeuest Christ is thine and all his For he that giues vs Christ will also with him giue vs all things Without this it is impossible to please God Let vs not otherwise dare to come into his presence There is nothing but wrath in him for sinne in vs. Ioseph charged his brethren that they should come no more in his sight vnlesse they brought Beniami◠with them Wee come at our perill into Gods presence if wee leaue his beloued Beniamin our deare Iesus behind vs. When the Philosopher heard of the inraged Emperours menace that the next time hee saw him hee would kill him he tooke vp the Emperours little sonne in his armes and saluted him with a potes ne Thou canst not now strike mee God is angry with euery man for his sinnes happie is hee that can catch vp his sonne Iesus for in whose armes soeuer the Lord sees his sonne he will spare him The men of Tyre are faine to intercede to Herod by Blastus Act. 12. Our intercession to God is made by a higher and surer way not by his seruant but by his sonne Now this Mediator is not had without a medium Faith Fides medium à quo remedium Faith is that meanes whereby wee lay hold on this Christ. Diffidence shall neuer haue Iesus for the Aduocate Though euerie man may say I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe Saint Paul vseth one word that very significantly expresseth Faith calling it the Euidence of things not seene Fides est credere quod non vides cuius merces est videre quod credis Faith is to beleeue what thou seest whose reward is to see what thou beleeuest Now the Metaphore may be extended thus 1. Christ dying made a Will or a Testament scaling it with his owne bloud wherein hee bequeathed a certain Legacie of Inheritance to his brethren with himselfe Ioh. 17. Father I will that they whom thou hast giuen mee bee with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me This is the substance of his Will and Testament 2 The Conueyance of this Will is the Gospell Whosoeuer beleeues and is baptized shall bee saued A large Patent a free and full grant There is no exception of persons eyther in regard of state quality or Country There is neyther Iew nor Greeke bond nor free male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Iesus The conueyance is of an ample latitude 3. The Executor or Administrator of this Will if I may so speake is the holy Ghost that Comforter which Christ promised to send that should lead vs into all truth This Spirit begets faith sanctification in our hearts puts Abba into our mouthes applyes the merites of our Sauiour to our soules and indeed seales vs vp to the day of redemption Without his assistance wee could appropriate no comfort by his Will nor challenge any Legacie therein bequeathed 4. Lastly the Euidence whereby euery particular man apportions to himselfe this title and interest is his Faith Thou vnregenerate soule pleadest a Legacie in this Will Goe to let vs ioyne issue come to tryal Where is thy Euidence Here it is my Faith This Euidence as all other must haue some witnesses produce thine and before the Barre of the great Chiefe Iustice the Kings Bench of Heauen let them not lie The first is thy Conscience Alas giue this leaue to speake without interruption and one day it shal not flatter thee This sayth thy Euidence is false counterfeit forged by a wretched Seriuener flesh and bloud for thy heart trusts in vncertainely good riches or in certainely bad vanities more then in the liuing God The next is thy life Alas this is so speckled with sinnes so raw and sore with lusts that as a body broken out into blaines and biles argues a corrupted liuer or stomacke within so the spottes and vlcers of thy life demonstrate a putrified heart Loe now thy witnesses Thou art gone at the common Law of Iustice It is onely the Chancerie of mercy that must cleare thee What wilt thou now doe What but humble thy selfe in repentance for thy false faith take prayer in thy company for pardon of former errors goe by the word preached for the Minister is as it were the Register to ingrosse the deed and desire God on the humbled knees of thy soule to giue thee a new and a true Euidence Let this instruct vs to some vses 1. Be sure that thy Euidence is good Satan is a subtill Lawyer and thou doest not doubt of his malice and will soone picke holes in it find out tricks and cauils against it He will winnow and sift thee
resemblance of the Trinity vncreate For as there the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceedes from them both so heere a true faith begets a constant hope and from them proceedes Charity Thus is Gods Temple built in our hearts sayth August The foundation whereof is Faith Hope the erection of the wals Charity the perfection of the roofe In the godly all these three are vnited together cannot bee sundred Wee beleeue in Gods mercy wee hope for his mercy and we loue him for his mercy Faith sayes there are good things prepared Hope sayes they are prepared for me Charity sayes I endevour to walke worthy of them So that what good Faith beleeues shall bee Hope expects for her selfe and Charity aymes at the way to get it by keeping the commandements Faith apprehends both reward and punishment Hope onely lookes for good things for our selues Charity desires the glory of God and the good of all our Brethren The second degree giues way to the third last best the Superlatiue But the greatest of these is Charity Time will not afforde mee to answere all the obiections which subtill wits haue inconsequently deduced from these words Neyther were it to other purpose then to write Iliades after Homer they haue been so soundly and satisfyingly answered already I will only mention two and but report a responsiue Solution 1 The principall promises are made to beleeuers Whosoeuer beleeues and is baptized shall bee saued So no lesse a promise is made to Louers Rom. 8. All things shall worke together to the best to those that loue God c. God sayth the Psalmist is neere to those that call vpon him Hee is close by all those that suffer for him but he is within those that loue him Heere is Prope â—uxta Intus This same Intra within is of the highest degree 1. Ioh. 4. God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him O vnspeakable felicity 2 If Charity be greater then faith then is not man iustified by faith onely Inconsequent illation Saint Paul commends not loue for the vertue of Iustification it may fayle in that particular action yet receiue no impeachment to the excellency of it By demonstration A Prince doth excell a peasant shall any man therefore inferre that hee can plow better or haue more skill in tillage A Philosopher doth excell a Mechanicke though he cannot grinde so well as a Miller or lim so cunningly as a Painter A man is better then a beast who but a mad-man will therefore conclude that hee can runne faster then a horse draw more then an oxe or carry a greater burden then an Elephant Though he fayle in these particular arts yet none will deny but hee is better then a beast The truth is that in FÃ ith stands originally our fellowship with God Into that hand he powreth the riches of his mercy for salvation and were the actions of Charity neuer so great and foolishly thought meritorious yet if not the effects of a true sauing Faith they are lost and a man may for his Charitie goe to the Deuill And though they would plead from the forme of the last iudgement Math. 25. that God accepts men to life for their deeds of Charitie feeding clothing releeuing Yet the Scripture fully testifies that God neither accepts these nor our selues for these further then they are the effects of a true faith Our persons being first iustified by faith in Christ then God will crowne our works Yet a Christian must worke for no nudifidian so well as no nullifidian shall be admitted into heauen Therefore sayth the Apostle Faith worketh by loue For Faith is able to iustifie of it selfe not to vorke of it selfe The hand alone can receiue an Almes but cannot cut a peece of wood without an axe or some instrument Faith is the Christians hand and can without helpe receyue Gods giuen grace into the heart but to produce the fruits of obedience and to vorke the actuall duties required it must haue an instâ—ument adde Loue to it and it worketh by loue So that the one is our Iustification before God and the other our Testification before men Wherein then consists this high transcendency of Charity In two priviledges incommunicable to Faith and Hope Latitude and Perpetuity 1. For Latitude Loue is the greatest Faith and Hope are restrayned within the limits of our particular persons The iust man liues by his owne faith and hopes good to himselfe but Loue is like the Vine which God brought out of Egypt and cast out the heathen to plant it which couereth the mountaines with the shadow of the boughes spreads the branches vnto the sea and the riuers It is like the Sunne in the skie that throwes his comfortable beames vpon all and forbeares not to warme euen that earth that beareth weeds Loue extends to earth heauen In heauen it affecteth God the Maker and mover the Angels as our Guardians the triumphant Saints for their pious sanctitie On earth it imbraceth those that feare the Lord especially it wisheth conversion to those that do not it counsels the rich it comforts the poore it reverenceth superiors respecteth inferiors doth good to friends no evill to foes wisheth well to all This is the latitude of Charity The property of faith is to receyue into it selfe the property of loue to lay out it selfe to others So that faith hath but narrow limits but the extent of Loue is vniversall not bounded with the world Faith beleeues for thy selfe but Charity deriues driues the effects of thy faith to others Thy faith relieues thy self thy charity thy brother 2. For perpetvity and continuance Faith laies hold on Gods gracious promise for everlasting salvation Hope expects this with patience but when God shal fulfil his word vs with ioy then Faith shall be at an end hope at an end but Loue shal remain between God vs an everlasting bond Therefore sayth the Apostle Now abideth faith c. Now. Now three then one and that is Charity When wee haue possession of those pleasures which we hoped and beleeued what longer vse is there of Faith or Hope But our loues shall not end with our liues Wee shall euerlastingly loue our our Maker Saviour Sanctifier Angels Saints where no discontent shall breed any iarre in our Halleluiahs If the vse of loue bee so comfortable on earth what may wee thinke it will be in heaven Thus sayth Chrysost Onely loue is eternall Now Faith and Hope hold vp the hands of Charity as Aaron and Hur helde vp the hands of Moses but then their vse and office shall cease Tunc non erit spes quando erit spes Hope shall not bee when the thing hoped is Hope shall bring in possession possession shall thrust out Hope Therefore sayth Augustine is Charity greater Et si non propter eminentiam tamen propter permanentiam If not for the excellency yet for
grain after graine take heed lest thou run not all to chaffe There is a Faith of Saints Gal. 2. Now liue not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life that I liue I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God And there is a faith of Deuils Iam. 2. Thou beleeuest thou doest well the Deuils beleeue and tremble There is a faith which cannot perish Ioh. 3. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish And there is a faith that in the time of temptation fals away Luk. 8. The rockie ground receiues the Word and for a while beleeueth but in the time of temptation fall away There is a faith which the world ouercommeth such was the faith of Demas And there is a faith that ouercommeth the world 1. Ioh. 5 This is the victorie whereby wee ouercome the world euen our faith There is a dead idle and infructuous faith Iam. 2. 14. And there is a liuely actiue working faith Gal. 5. Faith worketh by loue Bee sure then that thy faith will endure the toucheuen the fiery tryall 2 Doe not loose such a Legacie as Christ hath bequeathed for want of faith Glorious is the inheritance but where is thy Euidence Flatter not thy soule with hope of this possession without the assurance of faith Christ giues his life for his sheepe What is this to thee that art a Wolfe a Swine a Goate God dresseth his Vineyard pruneth it watereth it is prouident ouer it What 's this to thee that art a thorne and no branch of the Vine Looke thou to be weeded vp and throwne out The bloud of Christ runnes fresh but where is thy pipe of faith to deriue it from his side to thy conscience Say it should showre mercy yet if thou wantest faith all would fall besides thee There would be no more fauour for thee then if there was no Sauiour Let then no miseries of earth much lesse pleasures quench thy faith Satan seeing this sparke of fire kindled in thy heart would blow it out with stormes or worke thee to smother it thy selfe with vanities or to rake it vp in the dead embers of cold security but beleeue against sight and sense As Dauid prophesied that hee should be a King Eo plus habet fides meriti quo minus argumenti Faith shall haue so much the more recompence as it had the lesse argument to induce it Hope IS the sweetest friend that euer kept a distressed soule company it beguiles all the tediousnesse of the way all the miseries of our Pilgrimage Iam mala finissem letho sed eredula vitam Spes fouet melius cras foresemper ait Therefore dum spiro spero sayes the Heathen but dum expiro spero sayes the Christian. The one whilest I liue I hope the other when I dye I hope so Iob I will hope in thee though thou killest â—ee It tels the soule such sweet stories of the succeeding ioyes what comforts there bee in heauen what peace what ioy what triumphes mariage-songs and Halleluiahs there are in that Country whether shee is trauelling that shee goes merrily away with her present burden It holds the head whilst it takes and giues invisible drinke to the thirsty conscience It is a liberty to them that are in prison and the sweetest Physicke to the sicke Saint Paul calles it an Anchor Let the windes blow and the stormes beat and the waues swell yet the Anchor stayes the shippe It breakes through all difficulties and makes way for the soule to follow it It teacheth Abraham to expect fruit from a withered stocke and Ioseph in a dungeon to looke for the Sunne and Starres obeysance It counsels a man as Esdras did the woman that hauing lost her sonne would needs dye languishing in the disconsolate fields Goe thy way into the City to thine husband Mourne not wretch for the losse of some worldly and perishing delight sit not downe and die though the fruit of thy wombe bee swallowed into the earth But goe home to the citie the City of mercy to thine husband euen thy husband Iesus Christ let him comfort thee This is the voyce of hope Though misery be present comfort absent though through the dimme and waterish humor of thy heart thou canst spie no deliuerance yet such is the nature of Hope that futura facta dicit It speakes of future things as if they were present Rom. 8. Wee are saued by hope Yet sic liberati vt adhuc speranda sit haereditas postea possidenda Nunc habemius ius adrem nondum inre Wee haue our inheritance in hope which giues vs the right of the substance though not the substance of the right assurance of the possession though not possession of the thing assured This tels vs that Nemo valde dolebit diu no man should grieue much and long God making our misery aut tolerabilem aut breuem eyther sufferable or short These are the comforts of Hope Now that you may not bee deceyued there is as I sayde before of Faith a thing like Hope which is not it There is a bold and presumptuous Hope an ignorant security and vngrounded perswasion the very illusion of the Diuell who when hee cannot preuaile with downe-right euill cozens with the shadowes of goodnesse that how wickedly and wretchedly soeuer a man shall liue though hee sucke the poisonous dugs of lust though hee surres himselfe warme with poore mens hearts though hee forbids his braines as on couenant one sober houre in the yeaae to thinke of heauen though hee thirst for carowses of bloud though he striues to powder a whole Kingdome with the cornes of death and massacre though hee carries halfe a dozen impropriate Churches on his sacrilegious backe though hee out-thunder heauen with blasphemies though hee trample vnder his profane foote the precious bloud of Gods sonne yet still hee hopes to bee saued by the mercy of God But wee will sooner cast pearles to swine and bread to dogges then the comforts of Sion to such Wee say not Reioyce tremble but tremble without reioycing Wee sing not to them with the Lord is mercy that hee might bee feared but with the Lord is iudgement and vengeance with him is plague and pestilence storme and tempest horrour and anguish indignation and wrath that hee may bee feared Against this Hope wee shut vp the bosome of consolation and the promise of safety by the merites of Christ and so farre as wee are charged the verie gates of euerlasting life There is an Hope sober faithfull well grounded well guarded well assured This is like a house built on a rocke The rocke is Gods promised mercy the building Hope in Christ it is as it were moted or intrenched about with his bloud bulwarked and rampirde with the Sacraments assured by the sweet testimonie of Gods Spirit to the Conscience knowne by the Charity of the Inhabitants for it keeps bread for the hungrie clothes for the naked entertainment for
THE SACRIFICE OF Thankefulnesse ¶ A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the third of December being the first Aduentuall Sunday Anno 1615. By THO. ADAMS Bern. in Cant. Serm. 35. Gratiarum cessat decursus vbi recursus non fuerit Whereunto are annexed Fiue other of his Sermons preached in London and else-where neuer before Printed The Titles whereof follow in the next Page LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoot for Clement Knight and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Holy Lambe 1616. ⧠The Titles of the Fiue Sermons 1. Christ his Starre or the Wise mens Oblation Math. 2. verse 11. 2. Politicke Hunting Genesis 25. verse 27. 3. Plaine-Dealing or a Precedent of Honesty Genesis 25. verse 27. 4. The Three Diuine Sisters 1. Cor. 13. verse 13. 5. The Taming of the Tongue Iam. 3. verse 8. ⧠To the Right Worshipfull Sir Henry Mountague Knight the Kings Maiesties Serieant for the Law and Recorder of the Honourable Citie of London Worthy Sir WHere there is diuersitie of helpes leading to one Intention of good the variety may well be tolerated Who findes fault with a Garden for the multitude of flowers You shall perceiue heere different kinds whereof if some to some seeme bitter there is none vnwholesome It takes fire at the Altar of God and beginnes with the Christians Sacrifice the flame wherof by the operation of the blessed Spirit may both enlighten the vnderstanding and warme the affections of good men and in others consumingly waste the drosse and rust of sinne which must eyther be purged by the fire of Grace heere or sent to the euerlasting fire to be burned The Wisemens Oblation seconds it what is formerly commaunded in Precept is heere commended in Practise The Politicke Hunters of the world are discouered and Plaine-Dealing encouraged One almost forgotten vertue Charitie is praised and a busie vice is taxed In all is intended Lux Scientiae Pax Conscientiae Peccati ruina aedificatio Iustitiae Your noble endeuours are obserued by all eyes to bee distinguished into this method from your vertues there is a resultance of shining Light to information from your Office to reformation of others Goe forward so still to menage your Place in that honourable Citie and let the fire of correction eate out the rust of corruption You may punish euen whiles you pitie The good Magistrate like a good Chirurgion doth with a shaking hand search vlcers more earnestly desiring Non inuenire quod quaerit quà m inuenire quod puniat The God of mercie and saluation wrappe vp your soule in the bundle of Life and when the Lust of the earth shall to the Dust of the earth fixe you in the blessed Orbe of Glory Your Worships in all faithfull obseruance THO. ADAMS Ad Lectorem Senec. epist. 59. Cupio si fieri potest propitijs auribus quid sentiam dicere sin minùs dicam iratis THE SACRIFICE OF THANKFVLNESSE Psal. 118. 27. God is the Lord which hath shewed vs Light bind the Sacrifice with Cords euen vnto the Hornes of the Altar THE first and the last wordes of this Psalme are O giue thankes vnto the Lord for hee is good because his mercy endureth for euer Thankesgiuing is the prescript and the postscript Hee that is Alpha and Omega the first and the last requires that our beginning and ending should be Prayse to the Lord. You see the head and the foote the bulke body members are not dissonant There is scarce any Verse in the Psalme that is not either an Hosanna or an Halleluia a prayer for mercie or a praise for mercie I haue singled out one let it speake for all the rest God is the Lord that hath shewed c. Heere is somewhat receiued somewhat to be returned God hath blessed vs and wee must blesse God His Grace and our Gratitude are the two Lines my Discourse must runne vpon They are met in my Text let them as happily meete in your Hearts and they shall not leaue you till they bring you to Heauen The summe is God is to be Praysed The particulars are Wherefore hee is to be Praysed Wherewith hee is to be Praysed Wherefore God is the Lord that hath shewed vs light Wherewith Binde the Sacrifice with Cords euen vnto the Hornes of the Altar In the For what we will consider the Author his Blessing The Author God is the Lord. His Blessing That hath shewed vs Light The Lord the Light The Author is called God and Lord which lead vs to looke vpon his Goodnesse Greatnesse GOD and Good LOe I begin with him that hath no Beginning but is the Beginning of all other Beeinges God And would onely tell you for I must not loose my selfe in this Mysterie that this God is Good In himselfe Goodnesse Good to vs. Psal. 100. The Lord is Good his mercie is euerlasting He is True Life saith August A Quo aucrtâ—â— cadere in Quem conuerti resurgere in Quo manere vinere est From Him to turne is to fall to Him to returne is to rise in Him to abide is to liue for euer Dauid in the 59. Psalme calls him his Mercie Deus meus misericordia mea my God my Mercie Whereupon Augustine sweetely discourses If thou hadst sayd my Health I know what thou hadst meant because God giues health If thou hadst sayd my Refuge I vnderstand because thou fliest vnto him If thou hadst said my strength I conceaue thy meaning because he giues strength But Misericordiamea quid est Totum quicquid sum de misericordia tuá est My Mercie What is it I am by thy Mercie whatsoeuer I am Bernard would haue vs speake of God in abstracto not onely to call him Wise Mercifull good but Wisedome Mercie Goodnesse Because the Lord is without accidents at all For as hee is most Great without quantitie so he is most Good without qualitie Nil habet in se nisi se He hath nothing in him but himselfe God then being Good not onely formaliter good in himselfe but also effectiuè good to vs teacheth vs to loue him Wee should loue goodnesse for it owne sake but when it reflects vpon vs there is a new inuitation of our loue The LORD WEe haue heard his Goodnesse listen to his Greatnesse In this Title we will consider his Maiestie as wee did in the other his Mercie Lord implies a great State â— the Title is giuen to a great man vpon earth But if an earthen Lord be great Quantus est Dominus qui Dominos facit How great is the Lord which makes Lords yea and vnmakes them two at his pleasure This is an absolute and independant Lord. 1. Cor. 8. There may be many Gods and many Lords But this is Ille Dominus The Lord or that Lord that commaunds and controlls them all They are Domini titulares this is Dominus tutelaris They are in title and name this in deed and power There are Many
saith St. Paul Many in Title many in Opinion Some are Lords and Gods ex authoritate so are Kings and Magistrates God standeth in the congregation of Lords he is Iudge among the Gods Others will so stile themselues ex vsurpatione as the Canonists say of their Pope Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope But he is but a Lord and God in a blind and tetrycall Opinion The Lord is onely Almighty able to doe more by his absolute power then he will by his actuall Able for potent not impotent workes He cannot lie he cannot die Diciter omnipotens faciendo quod vult non patiendo quod non vult He is called Almightie in doing what he pleaseth not in suffering what he pleaseth not This is his Greatnesse As his Mercie directs vs to loue him so let his Maiestie instruct vs to feare him I will briefly touch both these affections but Loue shall goe formost LOVE OVr God is Good and good to vs let vs therefore loue him 1. It is an Affection that God principally requires 2. It is a Nature wherein alone we can answere God For the former God requires not thy Wisedome to direct him nor thy Strength to assist him nor thy Wealth to enrich him nor thy Dignitie to aduance him but onely thy Loue. Loue him with all thy heart For the second Man cannot indeed answere God well in any other thing When God iudgeth vs wee must not iudge him againe When hee reprooues vs wee must not iustifie our selues If he be angry wee must answere him in patience if hee commaunde in obedience But when God loues vs wee must answere him in the same nature though not in the same measure and loue him againe Wee may not giue God word for word wee dare not offer him blow for blow wee can not requite him good turne for good turne yet wee may can must giue him Loue for Loue. Nam cum amat Deus non aliud vult quà m amari Now because euery man sets his foote vpon the freehold of Loue and sayes it is mine let vs aske for his Euidence whereby he holdes it We call an Euidence a Deed and Deedes are the best demonstration of our right in Loue. If thou loue God for his owne sake shew it by thy deedes of Pietie If thou loue Man for Gods sake shew it by thy deedes of Charitie The roote of Loue is in the Heart but it sendes foorth Veines into the Hands and giues them an actiue and nimble dexteritie to good Workes If you loue mee sayth Christ keepe my Commandements If you loue man shew your Compassion to him Obedience to our Creator Mercie to his Image testifie our Loues Hee that wants these Euidences these Deedes when that busie Informer the Diuell sues him will be vnhappily vanquished FEARE LEt vs pà sse from Loue to Feare we must Loue our good God we must Feare our great Lord. It is obiected against this passage of vnion that perfect loue casteth out feare It is answered that feare brings in perfect loue as the Needle drawes in the Thread And it is not possible that true Loue should be without good Feare that is a filiall Reuerence For slauish feare be it as farre from your hearts as it shall be from my discourse Now this Feare is a most due and proper affection and I may say the fittest of all to be towards God Indeed God requires our Loue but we must thinke that then God stoupes low and bowes himselfe downe to be loued of vs. For there is such an infinite inequalitie betwixt God and vs that without his sweet dignation and descending to vs there could be no fitnesse of this affection But looke we vp to that infinite glory of our great Lord looke we downe on the vilenesse of our selues sinfull dust and we will say that by reason of the disproportion betweene vs nothing is so sutable for our basenesse to giue so high a God as Feare Therefore Comeye Children hearken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Feare the Lord all ye his Seruants as well as Loue the Lord all ye his Saints Now this Feare hath as many Chalengers as Loue had When this Booke is held out euery mans lippes are readie to kisse it and to say and sweare that they feare the Lord. Loue had the Testimonie Charytie and Feare must haue his Seruice Psal. 2. Serue the Lord with feare It is mans necessitated condition to be a Seruant Happy they that can truly call Christ Maister Yee call mee Lord and Maister and ye say well for so I am Hee that serues the Flesh serues his fellow And a Beggar mounted on the backe of Honour rides post to the Diuell This is a cholericke Maister so fickle that at euery turne he is ready to turne thee out of dores Wee may say of him as of the Spaniard Hee is a bad Seruant but a worse Maister Hee that serues the World serues his Seruant as if Chams curse was lighted on him Seruus seruorum a Drudge to Slaues a Slaue to Drudges He that serues the Diuell serues his Enemie and this is a miserable seruice Sure it was a lamentable preposterous sight that Salomon saw Eccle. 10. I haue seene Seruants vpon Horses and Princes walking as Seruants vpon the Earth And Agur numbers it among those foure things whereby the World is disquieted A Seruant when he raigneth and a Foole when he is filled with Meate an odious woman when she is marryed and a handmaid that is heire to her Mistres Iudge then how horryble it is that men should set as the Sauages of Calecut the Diuell or his two Ingles the world and the flesh in the Throne whiles they place God in the foote-stoole Or that in this Common-wealth of man Reason which is the Queene or the Princes the better powers graces of the Soule should stoupe to so base a Slaue as sensuall lust Delight is not seemely for a foole much lesse for a Seruant to haue rule ouer Princes St. Basil not without passion did enuie the Diuells happynesse Who had neither Created vs nor redeemed vs nor preserueth vs but violently Labours our destruction that yet he should haue more seruants then God that made vs then Iesus Christ that with his owne precious Blood and grieuous sufferings bought vs. Well hee is happy that can truly say with Dauid I am thy Seruant O Lord I am thy Seruant and the Sonne of thy Handmayde This Seruice is true Honour for so Kings and Princes yea the blessed Angels of heauen are thy fellowes God is Good that we may loue him the Lord is Great that wee may Feare him Wee haue heard both seuerally let vs consider them ioyntly and therein the securitie of our owne happinesse It is a blessed confirmation when both these the Goodnesse and the Greatnesse of GOD meete vpon vs. His Greatnesse that hee is able his
Trueth neuer speake it of vs that wee haue the Booke of the Lord in our Hands not the doctrine in our Consciences That wee haue Gods Seales yet vn-marked Soules That De virtutibus vacui loquimâ—â— Wee speake of the Graces wee haue not It was once spoken of Greece in regard of the ruines â—ea of the vtter extinction for Etiam periere ruinae Grâ—ciam in Graecia quaerimus non inuenimus Wee seeke for Greece in Greece and can not find it Let it neuer be sayd of vs in respect of our recidiuall disobedience Angliam in Anglia quaerimus et non inuenta est Wee seeke that famous Church of England in England and finde it not Many loue to liue within the circumference and reach of the Gospell because it hath brought Peace and that Peace Wealth and that Wealth Promotion But if this Health or Quiet might be vpheld or augmented by that Romane Harlot they would be ready to cry Great is Diana of the Ephesians and Christ might lodge long enough at Bethleem ere they would goe to visite him Our liues too prodigiously begin to pretend this But O faxit Deus vt nullum sit in omine pondus And for our selues Bel. Let vs not like the Priestes direct others to a Sauiour and stay at home our selues nor like the Trumpeter that encourageth others to the Battaile against the enemies of God and our saluation Nihil ipse nec ausus nec potuit our selues being Cowards and giuing neuer a stroke It is not enough to tell the people of a Sauiour in Bethleem Opus est etiam praeitione aut saltem coitione et pari congressu Wee must goe before them or at least goe with them For this cause I commend the Fayth of these Magi Seeing the Priestes doctrine concurres with the Starres dumbe direction though Herod will not leaue his Court nor the Scribes their ease nor the People their trades yet these men will goe alone to Christ. When thou art to imbrace Religion it is good going in company if thou canst get them for the greater blessinges â—alles vpon a multitude but resolue to goe though alone For thou shalt neuer see the Lord Iesus if thou tarry till all Ierusalem goe with thee to Bethleem WEe haue heard their Aduent or Accesse listen to the Euent or Successe They saw the young Child with Mary his Mother God hath answered the desire of their hearts they had vndertooke a long Iourney made a diligent inquirie no doubt their Soules longed with Simeon to see their Sauiour Loe he that neuer frustrates the faythfull affection giues abundant satisfaction to their hopes They saw the young Child with Mary his Mother Obserue Whom With whom Where they saw him Whom The young Child Meditate and wonder The Ancient of dayes is become a young Child The Infinitely great is made Litle The sustainer of all things Suckes Factor terrae factus interra Creator coel creatussub coelo He that made Heauen and Earth is made vnder Heauen vpon Earth The Creator of the world is Created in the world Created Litle in the world they saw the young Child With whom With Mary his Mother Mary was his Daughter is she now become his Mother Yes he is made the Child of Mary who is the Father of Mary Sine quo Pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisset Without whom his Father in Heauen neuer was without whom his Mother on Earth had neuer beene Where It is euident in S. Lukes Gospell they found him lying in a Cratch He who sits on the right hand of the Maiestie on high was lodged in a stable He that Measures the Waters in his Fist and Heauen with a Spaâ—ne was now Crowned in a Manger and swadled with a few Ragges Here they finde neither Gard to defend him nor tumults of people thronging to see him neither Crowne on his Head nor Scepter in his hand but a young Child in a Cratch hauing so litle externall glory that they might haue saued their paine and seene many in their owne Countrey farre beyond him Our instruction hence is that God doth often strangly and strongly exercise the Fayth of his that their perswasion may not be guided Oculis but Oraâ—ulis by their Sight but his Word The eye of true Fayth is so quicke sighted that it can see through all the Mistes and Fogges of difficulties Hereon these Magi doe confidently beleeue that this poore Child lying in so base a manner is the great King of Heauen and Earth The fayth of man that is grounded on the promises of God must beleeue that in prison there is libertie in trouble peace in affliction comfort in Death life in the Crosse a Crowne and in a Manger the Lord Iesus The vse of this teacheth vs not to be offended at the basenesse of the Gospell lest we neuer come to the Honour to see Iesus It was an argument of the Deuils breaching Haue any of the Rulers or Pharises beleeued on him The great the learned the wise giue him no crâ—dence But this people that knoweth not the Law is Cursed None but a few oâ— the rascall companie follow him 〈◊〉 hereof Simeon resolued his mother Mary 〈…〉 set for the fall as well as the risiâ—g againe of many 〈…〉 for a Signe which shall be spoken against He should 〈…〉 but woe vnto them that so esteemed 〈…〉 to worke his will by 〈…〉 should apply a medicine contrary to 〈…〉 of the patient he would haue litle 〈…〉 the disease But such is Gods mâ—raculous working that he subdues Crownes to a Crosse ouercomes 〈…〉 pouertie ouerthrowes the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Folishnesse of the Spirit and sets knees a 〈…〉 in a Manger YOu see their Accesse and the Euent or Successe which poynts determine their Direction Let vs come to their Deuotion Herein wee shall find a triplicitie to follow the method of Augustines Glosse Adorant corporibus vencrantur officijs honorant muneribus Christ had bestowed on these Magi three sorts of giftes Goods Corporall Spirituall Temporall And all these in a deuout thankefulnesse they returne to Christ. In Falling downe they did honour him with the Goods of the body In Worshipping him with the gifts of the Minde In Presenting to him guiftes Gold Frankincense Mirrhe with the goods of the World The Body and Minde I will knit togeather They fell downe and worshipped him It is fitte they should be partners in repentance that haue been confederates in sinne It is questioned whether in transgressing the body or the soule be most culpable I am sure either is guiltie It is all one a man that wants Eyes carries a man that wants Feete the lame that cannot goe spies a Bootie and tels his blind Porter of it that cannot see Hee that hath Eyes directes the way hee that hath Feet trauels to it but they both consent to steale it The Bodie without the Soule wants Eyes the Soule without the Body wants
strangers To this Hope wee open the dores of the kingdome of Heauen and so farre as the Commission of the Keyes Ieades vs wee vnlocke the gates of eternall life and allow entrance Wee call this the Blessed Hope Charitie IS an excellent vertue and therefore rare if euer in this contentious age wherein Fratrum quoque gratia rara est the vnfained loue of brothers is strange Wo is mee before I am come to define what loue is I am falne into a declamation against the want of it what is heere chiefly commended is chiefly contemned as if wee had no need of mutuall succour nor could spare a roome in our hearts to entertaine Charitie lest wee should expell our old loued guests fraud malice and ambition Loue hath two proper obiects the one immediate and principall the other mediate and limitted The proper and immediate obiect of our Loue is God This is the great Commandement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy strength As if hee would not leaue out the â—east sinew or string of the heart the least faculty or power of the soule the least organ or action of the strength So Bern. With all the heart that is affectionately With all the Soule that is wisely With all the strength that is constantly Let the zeale of thy heart inflame thy loue to God let the wisedome of thy soule guide it let the strength of thy might confirm it All the affection of the heart all the election of the soule all the administration of the body The Soule iudgeth the Will prosecutes the strength executes God can brooke no riualles no diuision betwixt him and Mammon betwixt him and Melchom betwixt him and Baal betwixt him and Belial Causa diligeâ—di Deum Deus est modus sine modo The cause and motiue to loue God is God the manner is without measure Minus amatte qui aliquid amat praeterte quod non amat propter te Hee poorely loues God that loues any thing besides him which hee doth not loue for him The subordinate obiect of loue is man and his loue is the effect of the former cause and an actuall demonstration of the other inward affection Waters comming from the sea boyle through the veines of the earth till they become springs and those springs riuers and those riuers runne backe to the sea againe All mans loue must be carried in the streame of Gods loue Blessed is hee that loues Amicum in Domino inimicum pro Domino his friend in the Lord his enemy for the Lord. Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man but this that yee loue one another Other debts once truely payde are no more due but this debt the more we pay it the more wee owe it and wee still doe acknowledge our selues debters to all when wee are cleare with all proverbially I owe him nothing but loue The communication of this riches doth not impouerish the proprietary the more hee spends of his stocke the more hee hath There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth But hee that will hoord the treasure of his Charity shall grow poore empty and bankerout There is that withholdeth more then is meet but it tendeth vnto pouerty Loue is the abridgement of the Law the new precept of the Gospell Luther cals it the shortest and the longest Diuinitie short for the forme of words long yea euerlasting for the vse and practise for Charity shal neuer cease Thus for the first degree of compariion Positiuely The second is Comparatiue where though it be sayd Vertues and great men must not bee compared yet we may without offence bring them to a holy conference els how shall wee perceyue the Apostles intended scope the transcendency of Charity I will therefore first conferre Faith with Hope and then with them both Charity The distinction betweene Faith and Hope is nice and must warily bee discouered I will reduce the differences into three respects of Order Office and Obiect For Order Paul giues Faith the precedencie Hebr. 11. Faith is the ground of things hoped for Faith alwayes goes before Hope followes after and may in some sort bee sayde to bee the daughter of Faith For it is as impossible for a man to Hope for that which hee beleeues not as for a Painter to drawe a picture in the ayre Indeed more is beleeued then is hoped for but nothing is hoped for which is not beleeued So that on necessity in respect of order Faith must precede Hope For Office Faith is the Christians Logicke Hope his Rhetorike Faith perceiues what is to bee done Hope giues alacritie to the doing it Faith guides adviseth rectifieth Hope couragiously encounters with all adversaries Therefore Faith is compared to a Doctor in the Schooles Hope to a Captaine in the warres Faith discernes the truth Hope fights against impatience heauinesse of Spirit infirmitie deiectednesse desperation Divines haue alluded the difference betweene Faith and Hope in Divinity to that betweene wisedome and valour in Philosophie Valour without wisedome is rashnesse wisedome without valour is cowardice Faith without Hope is knowledge without valour to resist Sathan Hope without Faith is rash presumption and an vndiscreet daring You see their different Office For Obiect Faithes object is the absolute word and infallible promise of God Hopes obiect is the thing promised Fides intuetur verbum rei Spes verò rem verbi Faith lookes to the word of the thing Hope to the thing of the word So that Faith hath for the obiect the Truth of God Hope the Goodnâ—sse of God Faith is of things both good and bad Hope of good things onely A man beleeues there is a hell as truely as he beleeues there is a heaven but he feares the one and hopes onely for the other Faith hath obiected to it things past present future Past it beleeues Christ dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our Iustification Present that hee now sits at the right hand of his Father in heauen Future that hee shall come to iudge quicke and dead Hope onely respects and expects things to come For a man cannot hope for that which hee hath You see how in some sense Hope excels Faith For there is a faith in the Deuils they beleeue the truth of God the certainety of the Scriptures they acknowledge Christ the Iudge of quicke and dead therefore cry Why tormentest thou vs before the time They haue faith ioyned with a Popish preparatory good worke Feare the Deuils beleeue and tremble yea they pray they beseech Christ not to send them into the deepes what then want they Hope a confident expectation of the mercy of God this they can neuer haue They beleeue they cannot hope This is the life of Christians and the want makes Devils If it were not for this hope wee of all men were most miserable Charity differs from them both These three divine graces are a created Trinity and haue some glimmering