of Instruction also For if he that is both God and man disdained not to pray it may well become vs that are but dust and ashes to humble our selues to God in Prayer Christs actions are our examples Often had he by Preaching exhorted vnto Prayer But exhortation prevaileth not so much as example vnto precept therefore he addeth his owne practice Hence praying at the graue of Lazarus because saith he of the people that stand by I said it And St Agustine Ita se Patri voluit exhibere Precatorem vt meminisset se nostrum esse Doctorem he so exhibited himselfe an intercessor vnto his Father as he remembred himselfe to bee our Doctor Hearest thou then thy Master pray Learne thy selfe to pray Ad hoc enim oravit vt doceret orare hee prayed to this end to teach thee to pray The practice of other Saints should much moue thee but the example of him who is the sanctifier of the Saints should moue thee much more But most of all vs that are the Priests of God For as he being a Priest makes intercession for his Church vnto his Father so should wee vnto God for the people committed vnto our charge and that not privately only but publikely also and in the face of the congregation A duty now adaies too much sleighted of many causing in the people a generall disesteeme of the publike Prayers and blessings of Gods Ministers The Lord perswade those that are in authority betimes both to looke vnto it and to reforme it And thus much of the Orator who prayes The next circumstance is Quando when hee prayes it was after he had spoken these things These things spake Iesus and lift vp his eyes and said So that first hee spake these things and then lifted vp his eyes and said He spake these things What things If it shall please you to reflect a little vpon the three former Chapters you shall readily vnderstand what they are Our Saviour hauing a little before his passion celebrated the Passeover with his Disciples and immediatly vpon it instituted the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood knowing that the time of his departure was neere at hand out of the abundance of his loue towards them he holds them together and in the meane season delivers vnto them matters of wondrous consequence both for their edification and consolation For hauing acquainted them with his departure as also the great sorrowes and afflictions that would attend them after his ascention he telleth them that this notwithstanding they ought rather to reioyce then bee dismaied For he goes to prepare a mansion for them in his Fathers house that he will not leaue them as Orphans but send the Comforter vnto them who shall abide with them for ever that he will leaue his Peace with them and whatsoever they shall aske the Father in his name shall bee granted vnto them Meane while that they continue in his loue and testifie the same by keeping his commandements abiding in him louing one another As for him he will see them again replenish their hearts with everlasting ioy And albeit by the imminent tempest or tentation they may for a time be scattered yet let them not be ouermuch discomforted for he hath overcome the world and after a while he will returne againe and take them home vnto himselfe for ' evermore These things spake Iesus Things as you see for the Matter most heavenly and divine and you need not doubt but the Manner was every way sutable to the Matter full of grace and gravitie Whereby wee that are the Embassadors of Christ are exampled both what we are to speake and how Not what we list or as we list but these things and thus this Matter and thus for the Manner But alas how much wee faile too many to vs either in the one or in the other or in both For some of vs Nihil agimus speake nothing at all or but very seldome drowning our abilities in the depth of silence and digging our talent into the earth without any employment thereof to the advantage of Gods treasurie little remembring that dreadfull sentence of the Apostle St Paul Woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospell Others againe aliud agunt say indeed somewhat but not these things fictions and dreames of their owne braine frivolous and impertinent matters perhaps also Pelagianisme or Popery or such like stuffe forgetting that other as fearfull sentence of the same Apostle Though wee or an Angell from heauen preach any other Gospell vnto you then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Others yet againe malè agunt speake haply some of these things but not with due gravity and discretion in this manner little regarding that weighty charge of the Apostle St Peter If any man speake let him speake as the oracles of God Forsome whether out of affectation or for want of better breeding I knowe not vtterly neglect all care of elocutioÌ„ vsing a barbarous kind of rudenesse rusticitie in delivering their mindes enforcing what they say with no other then lowd clamours and vociferation That they hope will bee counted plaine Preaching this powerfull Preaching as if there were no distance betweene plainesse and rudenesse or that Powerfulnesse lay in such hoobubs and outcries and not rather in the strength of arguments and reasons to perswade As these by their slovenlinesse defile and deforme the puritie and beauty of Gods words so there are others who thinke to set a better grace vpon it then euer the Holy Ghost himselfe did For distasting the language of Canaan sanctified by Christ and his holy Apostles they hunt after I knowe not what new fangled and quaint phrases and as they tearme them strong lines as if the stile of the Scripture and those Primitiue Preachers were too low and meane for their transcendent Divinity But to what end are these curious webs And why in weauing them doe they like Spiders thus vnbowell themselues Is it to convert a sinner or to saue a soule No verily but only to catch an Eugè or a Bellè or some such flie of popular acclamation or applause If divers Patients sick of severall diseases as the Megrim Pleurisie Gout Dropsie and the like should repaire vnto the Physitian for counsell and the Physitian should forthwith take vp a peece of Galen or Hippocrates and read a neat and curious Lecture vnto them and so dismisse theÌ„ one hanging the head another holding his sides a third halting and every one with the same disease hee brought with him spectatum admissi risum tenâ—atis could you forbeare laughter at so ridiculous an act As ridiculous or rather because it is in a matter more serious more ridiculous is it in a Minister neglecting his maine end to seek his owne praise by pleasing the itching eares of vaine meÌ„ rather then to cute their sick soules and to procure vnto them everlasting saluation But I
of his faith not onely to the satisfaction and instruction but admiration of his hearers Among the rest two things there were which he much and often insisted vpon the one that he hoped onely to be saued by the merits of Iesus Christ the other that he constantly perseuered in the faith and religion professed and maintained in the Church of England in which he was borne baptized and bred and this he many times and earnestly protested in a very serious and solemne manner pawning his soule vpon the truth thereof His glasse being now almost runne and the houre of his dissolution drawing on though his memorie and senses no way failed him he desired to be absolued after the manner prescribed by our Church and according to his desire hauing first made a briefe confession therevpon expressing a hearty contrition together with an assurance of remission by the pretious bloud of his deare Sauiour he receiued absolution froÌ„ the mouth of a lawfull minister having receiued it professed that he found great ease coÌ„fort therein withall that he was desirous likewise to haue receiued the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist if the state of his body would haue permitted him not long after imagining with himselfe that he heard some sweete Musike calling vpoÌ„ Christ Sweet Iesus kill me that I may liue with thee he sweetly fell asleepe in the Lord as did the Protomartyr who ready to yeeld vp the Ghost prayed and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Thus he liued and thus he dyed neere approaching the great climactericall of his age And by this time I am sure you find and feele with me that we haue all a great losse in the losse of this one man His flocke hath lost a faithfull pastor his wife a louing husband his children a tender father his seruants a good master his neighbours a freindly neighbour his freinds a trusty freind his kindred a deare kinsman this whole countrey a great ornament The king hath lost a loyall subject the kingdome a true-hearted Englishman the Cleargy a principall light the Church a dutifull sonne the Arts a zealous Patron and religion a stout Champion we haue all lost onely he hath gotten by our losse he hath made a happy exchange instead of his congregation singing of Psalmes with them here he is now ioyned to the congregation of the first borne whose names are written in heauen with whom he beares a part in the euerlasting Halleluiahs instead of the Church militant he is inrooled in the Church trivmphant hauing his palme in his hand in token of victory instead of his freinds and kinsfolke here he is become the companion of the blessed Saints and glorious Angels instead of his wife and Children and lands and goods and attendants here he now enioyes the blisfull vision of the face of God and the full fruition of Iesus Christ by meanes whereof no doubt he shines as the brightnesse of the firmament nay as the brightest starre in the firmament and â—o shall shine for euer and euer Sic mihi contingat viuere sicque mori God graunt we may so liue as with him we may dye comfortably and so dye as with him we may liue againe shine in glory euerlastingly Who so is wise will ponder these things and they shall vnderstand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Consider then what I haue said the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things SACRAE TRINITATI GLORIA This Sermon being presented to the veiw of the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Exeter together with the Authors purpose of publishing these ensuing workes of his deceased friend it pleased his Lordship to returne this following answere which together with the Sermon may serue in part to let the world know his great worth though in a manner buried in obscurity Worthy Mr Dr Hakewill I Doe heartily congratulate to my dead friend and Colleagian this your so iust and noble a commemoration It is much that you haue said but in this subiect no whit more then enough I can second every word of your prayses and can hardly restraine my hand from an additionall repetition How much ingenuity how much learning and worth how much sweetnesse of conversation how much elegance of expression how much integrity and holinesse haue we lost in that man No man euer knew him but must needs say that one of the brightest Starres in our West is now set The excellent parts that were in him were a fit instance for that your learnedly defended position of the vigour of this last age wherevnto he gaue his accurate and witty astipulation I doe much reioyce yet to heare that we shall be beholden to you for some mitigation of the sorrow of his losse by preseruing aliue some of the post-hume issue of that gracious and exquisite brayne which when the world shall see they will marvell that such excellencies could lye so close and shall confesse them as much past value as recovery Besides those skillfull and rare peeces of Divinity tracts and Sermons I hope for my old loue to those studies we shall see abroad some excellent monuments of his Latine Poesie in which faculty I dare boldly say few if any in our age exceeded him In his Polemicall discourses some whereof I haue by me how easie is it for any judicious Reader to obserue the true Genius of his renowned Vncle Bishop Iewell such smoothnesse of style such sharpnesse of witt such interspersions of well-applyed reading such graue and holy vrbanity shortly for I well foresaw how apt my Pen would bee to runne after you in this pleasing track of so well deserued praise these workes shall be as the Cloake which our Prophet left behind him in his rapture into heauen What remaines but that we should looke vp after him in a care and indeauour of readinesse for our day and earnestly pray to our God that as he hath pleased to fetch him away in the Chariot of Death so that he will double his spirit on those he hath thought good to leaue yet below In the meane time I thanke you for the favour of this your graue seasonable and worthy Sermon which I desire may be prefixed as a meet preface to the published Labours of this happy Author Exon Palace Mar. 22. 1631. Fare-well from your loving friend and fellow-labourer Ios. Exon. TWO TREATISES 1 Concerning the force and efficacy of reading 2 Christs prayer for his Church OXFORD Printed by I.L. for E. F. 1633. ACT. 15.21 For Moses of old time hath in every Citty them that Preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day OMitting for the present whatsoeuer else might profitably be observed out of these words I will at this time only inquire these three things The first whether preaching in this place be distinguished from Reading The second whether Reading be a kind of Preaching The third whether reading be an ordinary meanes to beget Faith and convert a soule
man by bread Now the soveraigne prime cause of Faith is God God worketh it by his word The word worketh as a Doctrinall or Morall instrument by way of argument perswasion Before it can perswade it must be revealed God therefore revealeth it and that sometimes without meanes by an immediate impression of light and grace vpon the soule as he did vnto the Apostles on the feast of Pentecost and to S. Paul in his iourney towards Damascus But generally and for the most part he revealeth it mediately and by the intervention of meanes The Ordinary meanes is that which is setled and established to continue in the Church for ever That is the Ministerie of the Church whose office is by all meanes to publish the word whether by Writing or by Speaking and this againe whether by Reading or Interpreting All which if they haue in them an ability and fitnesse vnder God to convey into our hearts the knowledge of his word then vndoubtedly are they all Ordinary meanes to beget faith And such an ordinary meanes among the rest doe I affirme Reading to be Which hauing thus fully explained the tearmes I now come to demonstrate and first in that faith whereby we yeeld assent vnto the Scripture that it is the very word of God The last and highest principle whereinto Faith is resolued and wherevpon it finally stayeth it selfe is the Scripture yet is it not so vnto vs vntill we be perswaded that it is the word of the eternall verity which can neither erre nor lead into errour But how come we to bee perswaded hereof By Sermons I deny not but Sermons are vnder God a sufficient meanes to perswade it But when did you ever heare a Preacher treat of this argument or goe about to proue it Or if any haue done it did they not perswade you to that whereof you were already perswaded Yes questionlesse For besides the testimonie of the Church in the publike reading of the Scriptures as the word of God there shineth forth in them such a Majestie and divinenesse as is not to be found in other writings and when by Reading yet take notice of so many oracles and miracles and predictions and sundry other things farre exceeding the power of nature doth not reason it selfe tell you saith Whitaker that they must needs bee of God The same saith D. Iohn White Many times Pagans and Atheists without the Ministery come to Faith by only Reading whence but being convinced by Scripture it selfe If then the very Reading of holy Scripture may bring vnto our knowledge such remonstrances and arguments as convince the minde that it is the word of God certainely it is an ordinary meanes to beget this faith for what can be more ordinary then arguments and demonstrations But the former is true as we haue proued therefore the latter also If so then much more is it apt and fit to beget that Faith whereby we yeeld assent to those articles which are built vpon Scripture especially if two things may be granted first that it is perfect secondly that it is facile easie to be vnderstood That it is all-sufficient and containeth whatsoeuer is necessary either to bee beleeued or done vnto saluation none but a Papist will deny And surely if it be defectiue either it is from God or from the pen-men Not from the pen-men for they were but hands and could not but write what the head indited to them If from God then either because he could not or because he would not perfect it To say he could not is to derogate from his wisdome and power to say hee would not is to detract from his loue and to taxe him of envie But what need mee to spend more time in this point seeing I now deale against those who challenge vnto it such a perfection that nothing may be done no not to the taking vp of a straw without warrant from it The Scripture then is perfect is it also facile and easie to bee vnderstood Aristotle saith of his Acroamaticks that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 published in that they were writtē not published because of their darknesse In the books of Heraclitus there was so great obscurity that he was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obscure May wee iustly say the same of the Scriptures and the pen-men thereof Surely it cannot be denied but that some things are difficult yet as there are deepe places where the Elephant may swim so there are shallow where the Lamb may wade and as there is harder meat which the strong man may chew so there is milk also which the infant may suck And I boldly affirme that all fundamentall points and duties necessary to salvation are in Scripture so clearely delivered that if they were written with a sunbeame they could not bee more cleare God hath spoken so that not a few but all may vnderstand saith Hierom. Hee speaketh to the heart both of learned and vnlearned saith Augustin Scriptures are so plaine as they need not to be expounded saith Iustin Martyr They exceed no mans capacity saith Cyril of Alexandria They are easie not to the wise onely but women and boyes saith Chrysostome And againe They are easie to bee vnderstood to the Servant to the Countryman to the widow to the stripling to him that is very simple The same say all our Divines against Papist The Scripture saith Whitaker may easily be vnderstood of any if he will And Zanchie will a Father speake obscurely to his children in things concerning their salvation that they shall need to seeke interpreters No verily But God being wise was able to expresse himselfe and being good he would and it was necessary to speake plainely in things so necessary If then to come to a conclusion Scripture containe all what is necessary and that in such plaine tearmes that whosoeuer readeth may easily vnderstand how can it be but Reading should be an apt and fit meanes and consequently an ordinary meanes to beget this Faith For if once we beleeue that Scripture is the word of God we cannot but yeeld assent vnto those verities that are so plainely deliuered therein and which we knowe to bee witnessed by the truth it selfe The same doe I also affirme of that Faith which wee call iustifying and of the fruits thereof Repentance and New obedience that the Reading of Scripture is an apt fit meanes to beget that also For it presenteth vnto vs store of strong motiues to perswade sweet promises to allure terrible threatnings to affright notable examples to imitate and the like then which there cannot be a better outward meanes and there needs no more but the inward concurrence of Gods spirit to worke a perfect conversion Read among other places the 28 of the book of Deuteronomie and then tell mee whither the Sermons of any man nay whither the tongue of men and Angels be able to perswade more effectually Sermons you
the question be of Preaching and the publike prayer of the Church God forbid that I should set or foment any such quarrell betweene them By the eager preferring of the one vnto the other both may easily be vilified The overmagnifying of Prayer hath heretofore shut Preaching out of the Church and the oueraduancing of preaching hath almost excluded prayer And it may be it is Lasinesse that speaketh so much for all praying and vaineglory that is so earnest for all preaching But dares any man thus quarrell the prophecie and Intercession of Christ I trow no for they are both alike infinite in worth and dignitie Preaching and prayer are answerable vnto them why then should we imagine such an inequality betweene them If when we preach we speake in Gods name vnto the people when we Pray we speake in Christs name vnto God for the people They are not subordinate one vnto the other but both coordinate vnto the same maine end Ioyned together they are as it were a familiar Dialogue betweene God and vs wherein God discouereth his will vnto vs and we say with S. Augustine Da quod jubes jube quod vis giue grace to doe what thou commandest and command what thou wilt They are the Angels of Iacobs ladder our Prayers are Angels ascending vp vnto God for vs and our Sermons are Angels descending downe with a blessing from God vpon vs. In a word they are both necessary and of singular vse in their place and therefore let neither be vndervalued but both haue their due honour So shall God bee glorified in his Ordinances and we enioy the benefit intended to vs by them But of the second circumstance when hee prayed so much The third and last is Quomodo How and in what Manner he prayed The Manner here expressed is onely externall Not that this Prayer wanted the internall Forme of truth and sincerity in the Heart For he was a true Israelite in whom was no guile Ye◠he was Truth it selfe forso he saith I am the way the truth and the life And being Truth he taught others to worship God in Spirit Truth and condemned all those who drawe neere to God with their lips their heart being farre off from him But by this outward comportment our blessed Saviour expresseth his inward affection and thereby lessoneth vs to take heed that wee presume not to appeare before God with holy countenances and hollow hearts For he is the tryer and searcher of the reynes and iudgeth not of the heart by the outward appearance but of the outward appearance by the heart Vnto these Hypocrites that dissemble both with God and man and who loue to take religion on them but not to haue it in them giue me leaue to say in the words of S. Chrysostome O Hypocrite if it bee good to be good why wilt thou not be that which thou wilt seeme to be And if it be evill to be evill why wilt thou bee that which thou wilt not seeme to be If it be good to seeme to be good it is better to be so if it be evill to seeme to be evill it is worse to be so And therefore either seeme as thou art or be as thou seemest to be But to returne to the Manner it is as we haue said Externall and double ingestu O culorum Sermone Oris Of the Eyes first He lifted vp his eyes to Heauen Elsewhere hee vsed a contrary gesture and prayed groueling vpon his face Neither doe we read that the Saints in their Prayers alwaies vsed the same situation and posture of body Steven praied kneeling the Publican stood David watered his couch with his teares lying therein Elias making request for himselfe sate although Tertullian thinke it vtterly vnlawfull to pray sitting So that as S. Augustin obserueth that the certaine site of the body when we pray is not prescribed in Gods word so as the minde be present and performe its intention to God The Iewes indeed were commanded to looke vnto the Temple and Daniel obserued it But that was typicall and the date of the Ceremonies is expired Now therefore the best rule is this In publike Prayer to conforme our selues vnto the vsuall and appointed gesture for avoiding of scandall in private deliberate Prayer to chuse such as wee thinke fittest for the present to affect the minde in suddaine eiaculations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wherein the motion of Gods spirit shall then find vs. But although religion lie not in gestures and no one posture of the body be of absolute necessity yet I know not how these three naturally loue to accompany our affection in Prayer the Knee the Eye and the Hand The bent Knee betokening our humble subiection vnto God and reverend feare of his presence The Eye either deiected and cast downe in token of humiliation for sin or erected and lifted vp to heaven as here in token of our Faith and Hope that we looke confidently to haue our desires granted of God who dwelleth in Heauen The hand also lifted vp as ready to receiue what wee hope from aboue shall be granted vnto vs. Whether Christ at this time vsed all these three gestures or no is vncertain for the Text saith not that he bent his knees or lifted vp his hands but only that he lifted vp his Eyes And whether did he lift them To Heaven And why thither Because there his Father dwelleth who is the giver of every good gift In regard whereof he taught vs also to say Our Father which art in heauen Et vbi pater ibi patria where his Father dwells there is his country and the place of his everlasting abode where he longs to rest himselfe And therefore no marvaile if thither hee lift vp his Eyes A certaine Separatist from this Gesture collecteth thus yee must lift vp your eyes therefore ye may not pray on a booke Must lift vp what necessity I pray Did our Saviour forget himselfe when he fell on his face Or the Publican doe amisse when he stood aloofe off not daring to lift vp his eyes to Heaven Certainly which way soever the Eye looketh Sursum Corda the lifting vp of the heart is the sacrifice which God accepteth But what is it vtterly vnlawfull to pray on a booke why then haue learned and Godly men compiled so many bookes of Prayer to this end and what vniformity is there like to be if in the publike Liturgy there be not a certaine forme of Praier But God is the God of order not confusion and will they nill they to pray devoutly on a booke is more pleasing vnto God then their proud and schismaticall praying without booke From this lifting vp of the eyes wee may with better reason learne when we make our addresses vnto God to abandon earth and to entertaine nothing but heauenly cogitations The naturall erection of our countenances intimates both where our Hopes should lye and with what contemplation
Oh those glorious Martyrs who so ioyfully suffered such exquisite torments for his names sake Hitherto wee sit quietly vnder our vines figge trees How soone the daies of triall may come who knowes God grant vs to be of like minde whensoever it comes Thirdly from his obedience to yeeld absolute obedience vnto the will of our Father and denying our owne wills to say vnto him not as I will but as thou wilt Away with hypotheticall and conditionall obedience if it make for my profit and advantage or may be without my losse hinderance Say we rather with Queene Hester If I perish I perish and with the three children Wee are not carefull ô Nebucadnetsar to answer thee in this matter Our God whom wee serue is both able and will deliver vs. If not yet know wee will not serue thy Gods Lastly from his loue the best wee can to requite him with loue The debt of loue we owe him is infinite because his loue to vs was infinite Which seeing wee can never repay to the full let vs endeavour what we can and bestow our selues vpon him even our reasonable service of him And thus much touching the first argument whereby he would perswade his Father to glorify him The second is drawen from the highest and chiefest end of all things the glory of God in these words that thy sonne may glorify thee And it may bee reduced into this forme That by which I shall glorifie thee and without which I cannot glorifie thee thou maist not deny vnto mee But by my Glorification I shall glorifie thee and without it I cannot glorifie thee Therefore my glorification thou maist not deny vnto me Of the truth of both these Propositions I am now to speake Which I shall eftsoones performe if first we may know what the Glorie of the Father is For what Glorie is in generall what it is to Glorifie wee haue already spoken of at full and therefore forbeare to speake any further of it That God the Father is Glorious nothing is more evident In Scripture he is called Pater gloriae the Father of glorie Rex gloriae the king of glorie Deus gloriae the God of glorie and so great is his Glorie that it is therefore to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excellent or magnificent glory This glory is the splendor or brightnesse of his perfection aboue all other things The ground thereof is perfection that whereby it appeareth is the Splendor or brightnesse thereof Perfection is cum nihil deest when nothing is wanting Whence in Hebrew it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth All. And it is double either in suo genere in its kinde and so the Sun is said to be perfect because it hath the fulnesse of light or absolute to wit an interminable infinite entire possession of all good and so God only is perfect And this Perfection is againe double Substantiall or Personall The Substantiall is the very Godhead it selfe considered in its Nature together with all the essentiall properties thereof as knowledge wisdome iustice mercy power eternity and the like And this is so the Glory of the Father as it is also the Glory of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost For as the Creed of Athanasius hath The Godhead of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost is one and so the Glory equall and the maiesty coeternall This Perfection exceeds that of the creature infinitely and that in sundry respects For first whereas the Creature hath perfection only in its kind and one is destitute of that which is bestowed vpon another the Father hath the full possession of all Good whatsoeuer is or possibly can be imagined secondly whereas other things haue their perfection only suo modo according their capacity which because they are creatures can bee but finite the Father hath his modo perfectissimo after a most eminent and vnconceivable manner which because he is of infinite capacity must needs be infinite And lastly whereas the creature hath his perfection aliunde from another without him not from himselfe namely God according to that of the Apostle Quid habes quod non accepisti what hast thou which thou hast not receiued the Father hath his from himselfe and of himselfe without dependency or beholdingnesse vnto any other His Personall perfection is his Fatherhood or that whereby hee is the Father And this is proper glory incommunicable even to the Sonne or the Holy Ghost for neither of them is the Father And this glory stands in three things First that he is Prima persona the first person in order In order I say not in dignity for so all three are coequall The Sonne is the second the Holy Ghost is the third but hee neither is not may be called the second or third but only the first Secondly that he is the fountaine and originall of the Deity vnto the Sonne and the Holy Ghost vnto the Sonne gignendo by way of generation vnto the Holy Ghost together with the Sonne spirando by an vnspeakable manner of Proceeding Thirdly and lastly that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnbegotten and proceeding from none so that whereas the Sonne and the Holy Ghost receiue their Personality from him he receiueth his from neither These priviledges are so great that although the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost exceed not one the other either in essence or dignity yet the Father in regard of these is in Scripture by a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or excellency called God This double perfection of the Father is not without its Splendor Brightnesse by which it shineth and appeareth Were it without it it could scarce be called glory Now we know that the Father was neuer without his glory no not then whē things were not as yet created Else how could he be said to manifest his glory For manifestation is of that which is And doth not our Saviour likewise desire to be glorified with that glory which be had with his Father before the world was The Perfection thereof the Father by the Splendor and Brightnesse thereof shineth and appeareth two waies first inwardly to the holy and blessed Trinitie and then outwardly vnto others Inwardly to the Trinitie by intervention of vnderstanding and knowledge For shining internally with the fullest clarity vnto them it cannot but appeare vnto them and appearing they cannot but contemplate and admire it as the Ocean and magazin of all good Outwardly vnto others by workes conformable vnto his perfection as namely of Creation Sustentation Government Redemption and in the end Restauration of all things For in these the goodnesse Wisdome Power Iustice and Mercy of God doe shine and appeare to vs whom it hath pleased God to enable with vnderstanding to see and in some measure to comprehend them But the shining forth of all perfection and the appearance thereof in full strength is
Adam the tenour whereof runnes thus Hoc fac vives Doe this and thou shalt liue hee gaue it not vnto the person of Adam alone but vnto all those that were in his loines even to all his posterity who had the law printed in their hearts by nature In like manner when Christ commanded the Gospell of Faith and repentance to be preached he limited it not vnto a few but said vnto his Apostles Goe teach all nations and goe into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto every creature Neither from the law nor from the Gospell was any man excepted God is no accepter of persons the hand that swaies a scepter and that diggeth with the spade are both alike vnto him Idem ius Titio quod Seio one rule vnto all whether they be high or low noble or base rich or poore learned or vnlearned bond or free young or old of what state age sexe or condition soever they be God hath not strowed the way to Heaven with roses for great ones to dance vpon and with thornes for the meaner sort to tread vpon neither hath hee appointed a spacious and broad way for some and a strait narrow way for other some to passe vnto life everlasting by For the waies of the Lord are strait waies and as betweene two points there can be but one strait line drawne so can there bee but one strait way that leadeth vnto life Vno quisque modo bonus est mutisque nefandus a man may be wicked many waies but he can bee good only one way A thousand byâ—pathes are there which lead vnto destruction and but one only right path that leadeth to salvation For there is but one body and one spirit and one hope in which all are called one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of vs all in a word one Blessednesse which is the end and one Religion which is the way to that end through which way every man of necessity must passe that meaneth to arriue at that end Now I beseech you all that heare mee this day of what place soever you be whether high or low that you will be pleased every one to apply this individually and singularly vnto himselfe and to take notice that none of you can come after Christ but only by the same way Every one must deny himselfe every one must take vp his crosse daily every one must follow Christ or else yee cannot possibly come after him There is none of you so meane whom God overseeth or neglecteth none so great whom he priuiledgeth or exempteth And thus much of the generality of the Counsell The Forme of words in which the Counsell was deliuered is if any will let him which as wee haue said importeth the liberty of them that are counselled For it is as if our Saviour should thus haue said Behold I tell you all plainely no man can come after me vnlesse hee deny himselfe take vp his crosse daily and follow me Now if any will thus come after me I giue him good leaue let him doe so for my part I will neither force him from me nor after me if he come he shall come willingly If any will let him First therefore Christ putteth off and forceth no man from him For God would haue all men to be saved and to come vnto the knowledge of the truth neither is he willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God nay he sweares as he liues hee will not the death of a sinner but that the wicked turne from his way and liue And certainly seeing man is the creature of God and creation is the first emanation issue as it were of his loue it cannot be that hee should delight in his destruction He made not death as the wise man saith and when he inflicts it alienum opus facit he doth a worke not so pleasing him for he had rather shew mercy then execute iudgement Hence is it that he standeth at the doore of our heart and knocketh yea that he continueth knocking vntill his head be filled with dew and his lockes with the drops of the night that he requesteth vs so louingly to giue him entrance Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled promising so bountifully that if wee shall open vnto him he will come in vnto vs and sup with vs and wee with him and threatning vs that as if we come vnto him wee shall finde refreshment so if wee draw backe his soule shall haue no pleasure in vs. Neither let vs thinke but that God meaneth seriously in all this for otherwise he should but mocke and deceiue vs pretending one thing and intending another and which I tremble to speake playing the hypocrite and dissembler with vs. Besides this he should make vs the ministers of the Gospell no better then false witnesses vnto him testifying things that are vntrue and which he never purposed whereas God being omnipotent needeth not our lye and being truth it selfe will not compasse his end by a lye Finally if Christ with his hands should push from him those whom by his word he inviteth to him then they that come not are the more excusable for every one may plead for himselfe that he suffered violence and Christ himselfe hindred him whose force no creature is able to withstand Christ then forceth no man from him If so whence then is it that many who are invited come not I answere the fault is in themselues they will not come I called saith Wisdome yee refused I stretched out my hand no man regarded yee set at naught all my counsells and would none of my reproofe And againe I called saith God and yee did not answere I spake and yee did not heare but did evill before mine eyes and did chuse that wherein I delighted not Wherefore he protesteth by the prophet Osea Perditio tua ex te Israell thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israell and complaineth by the prophet Ezechiell why will ye dye ô house of Israell as if he should say if yee dye it is because yee will needs dye They refused to harken saith Zacharie and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law In like manner in the new testament How often would I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not Marke the words I would therefore Christ forceth no man from him yee would not therefore the fault is in our selues The Pharisees and Lawyers saith St Luke reiected the counsell of God against themselues our Saviour testifieth of the Iewes that they would not come vnto him that they might haue life
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proposition and Reddition In this similitude the Proposition is this As serpents are wise the Reddition so ought yee also to be wise So that first I am to speake of the one and then in the second place of the other That Serpents are naturally wise and subtill Moses witnesseth saying that the Serpent was the subtilest beast of the field and the act of the Divell also argues as much in that he made speciall choice of the Serpent as the fittest instrument to beguile the Woman Wherevpon in some languages they vse to say by way of proverbe He is wiser then a Serpent Now the wisedome of the Serpent is double either Offensiue or Defensiue Offensiue whereby he is cunning to hurt man For there being a naturall Antipathy betwixt the Serpent and Man and the Serpent knowing well that Man beares him a deadly hatred hee seeketh all opportunities and lyeth in ambush as it were to take his advantage to sting him by the heele This appeareth by the sentence of God passed vpon them both Hee shall breake thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele as also by that of old Iacob Dan shall be a serpent by the way an adder by the path biting the horse heeles so that the rider shall fall backward and finally that of Salomon If the serpent bite when he is not charmed no better is a babler His Defensiue wisdome is whereby he is cunning to defend preserue himselfe For first if hee sees a Man whom hee knoweth to be his enimy forthwith hee hastneth away into his hole to safegard himselfe Secondly if he cannot so escape he foldeth all his traine about his head to preserue it as wherein his life principally consisteth Lastly if enchanters goe about to charme him hee layeth one of his eares close to the ground and stoppeth the other with his taile to the end he may not heare their charmes and callings in regard whereof saith David they are like the deafe adder that stoppeth his eare which heareth not the voice of the inchanter though hee be most expert in charming These and other such things shew his Defensiue wisdome so that the Serpent both offensiuely and defensiuely is very wise which is the Protasis or Proposition The Reddition is Be yee also as wise What Offensiuely as wise I know many that are of vindictiue revengefull spirits would be glad to bee warranted in their humor by Christs counsell But such wisdome cannot bee here meant inasmuch as it cannot stand with that which our Saviour presently adds Be innocent as Doues What is it then Saint Augustine elegantly thus expresseth it Estoâ—e astuti non studio nocendi fed nocâ—nâ—â—s cavendâ— be yee wise not to doe hurt but to avoide those that would doe hurt So that the maine doctrine and rule is this That it is lawfull yea expedient and requisite in dangers and troubles prudently and warily to decline and avoide them Need I to spend time in prouing of this doth not the very instinct of nature command it vnto all creatures We see how the hound flies before the hound and vseth many naturall sleights and stratagems to escape the danger so doth the Partridge also to avoide the talons of the Falcon. Yea even in sencelesse creatures may wee obserue the same The fire fleeth from the aire vpward to preserue it selfe in its element and heavy things fall downeward as knowing they are not well till they are in their proper place But in man it is much more seene for even in suddaine perils when a man hath no leasure to thinke of avoiding them if a blow bee reached at him the hand naturally and of it selfe will put it selfe forth or lift it selfe vp to guard him And indeede to this end hath nature instilled into man a loue towards his owne selfe for as the Philosopher saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man naturally is a friend to himselfe Wherevpon the schoolemen say Charitas incipit a seipso charity ever begins at a mans owne selfe and where this selfe-loue is it must needs breed a naturall desire to preserue himselfe Besides this loue nature hath put into him feare also feare of whatsoeuer evill would either hurt or destroy him Now feare as the same Philosopher teacheth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preseruer wherevpon the woman because she is ordained to keepe preserue things at home is made more fearfull then the man And for this cause also hath God put his feare into the heart of all his Saints to preserue them from that horrible and dangerous sin of Apostasie and falling away from him as the Prophet saith So that Feare is as it were the sentinell of the heart because danger maketh it vigilant and the nature thereof is contrary to security Lastly besides this loue and feare there is in man an vnderstanding also and a memory out of which is bred Experience and from experience proceeds the morall habit of Prudence by which man is enabled against dangers both to foresee them and to prevent them For Prudence as Cicero saith is ars vivendi vt medicina valetudinis the art of liuing as physick is of health And what doth all this argue but that it is mans duty to preserue himselfe For as men haue beene most provident and circumspect this way so haue they ever beene counted and esteemed most Prudent Vnto this instinct of nature may we adde the warrant of the Gospell For Grace takes not away nature but subordinates nature unto it selfe and according to the rule of Logicians subordinata non pugnant things subordinate one vnto another doe not destroy one the other Now that the Gospell of grace allowes it as well as the law of nature is manifest for doth not Christ himselfe allow it nere when he saith be wise as serpents Doth hee not say when they persecute you in one citty fly into another Doth not Saint Paul also giue vs this caveat beware of dogs beware of concision And advize vs elsewhere to walke wisely to walke warily to walke circumspectly and againe Alexander the Coppersmith hath done me much evill of whom also doe thou beware Many counsells to this effect haue were in the Proverbs of Salomon among the rest let this one serue for all A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish man goeth on still and is punished Conformable vnto these rules hath the practise of the Saints of God ever beene Noah to avoide the danger of the flood builds an arke and puts himselfe into it Ioseph in Egypt laies vp store of corne against the deare yeares to avoide famishing Ioseph and Mary with their young babe retire into Egypt to avoid the fury of Herod David wisely provideth for himselfe to escape all the snares and plots of Saul Christ himselfe carefully seeketh to deliuer himselfe from the treacherous designes of his malitious enemies And memorable is
judgement vpon the Conscience and to be the executioner of his lawes or finally hee bindes the Conscience in vaine and to no purpose To say that man is in such sort Lord of the Conscience is vnreasonable because his knowledge and power reach no farther then the outward man To say that man may command God is sacrilegious aduancing man aboue God Lastly to say that he bindeth in vaine and to no purpose is withall to say that their opinion is vaine and that man hath no such power at all To shut vp all in a word vnlesse a man may with as much security obey man as God man who is subject to error and injustice as God who is free from both vnlesse we be all as deeply bound to study the laws of men and to knowe them as we are Gods and to subject our selues as absolutely vnto them it is altogether vnconceauable how humane lawes can bind the Conscience equally with diuine This point being thus cleared it is euident that by conscience in this place wee are with St Peter to vnderstand Conscientiam Dei conscience towards God and to interpret this of St Paul yee must bee subiect for conscience by that of the same St Peter Submit your selues vnto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake as if he should say because God hath bound you to be subiect For God hath laid this obligation vpon man appeares by the very institution of Magistracie For although St Peter call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane creature yet his meaning is not that it is not from man but for man and his benefit otherwise S. Paul expresly affirmeth that it is the ordinance of God and Solomon that by him kings raigne The reason mouing God to institute the same was partly his soueraigne Lordship ouer man by right of creation by which he may order and dispose of him at pleasure partly the great loue he beareth vnto humane society which his infinite wisdome saw could not so well be maintained if euery man should be left to himselfe and orderly gouernment were not setled among them Herevpon hee ordained some to be in authority some to liue in subiection commanding the one to rule according to justice and equitie the other to submit themselues with all lowlinesse and humility as I meane touching subiection hath in the first part which is the Dutie beene sufficiently declared Now man being thus by the commandement and ordinance of God bound Conscience cannot bee free but as man shall either subject or not subject himselfe so is Conscience bound to testifie for or against him and to excuse or to accuse him If then yee breake the commandement of God and refuse to be subject there is one who will surely accuse you and will not spare a witnesse whose testimony is omni exceptio ne majus better then a thousand witnesses that will testifie against you even your Conscience But to whom will it accuse Vnto that great and dreadfull Iudge of the whole world whose wisdome can not be deceaued whose justice cannot be corrupted and the execution of whose sentence cannot be avoided And what will the sentence be Perpetuall imprisonment in the bottomelesse dungeon of hell therein eternall torments both of body and soule which although it be not presently executed vpon you yet the worme of conscience instantly will begin to gnaw vpon your soules fill you so full of vnspeakable horror and anguish that your life shall be but a death and this world a hell vnto you But if on the contrary side yee shall for the Lords sake and in obedience to his ordinance yeeld subjectiō vnto the higher powers and vnder them liue dutifully in all godlinesse and honestie then shall your consciences testifie nothing but good of you and excuse you vnto God he shall justifie and acquit you your soule shall bee replenished with vnspeakable peace and comfort so as yee shal haue a heaven vpon earth and in heauen it selfe in due time such ioyes as nor eye hath seene nor eare heard nor ever entred into the thought of man To conclude and summe vp all if either we will keepe a good conscience that we may both here and ever be blessed or will avoid the sting of an euill conscience and the miseries that attend vpon it wee must of necessity be subject Yee must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience And thus haue I finished the second part also which is the Necesstie of the dutie It only remaineth now to adde a word or two by way of vse and application There is a generation of whom both St Peter and St Iude speake that despiseth all gouernment and speaketh evill of Dignities cleane contrary vnto the doctrine of my Text which commandeth all to be subject and to honour and obey the Magistrate But these are not all of the same kinde for some despise it out of an erronious judgment others out of an euill habit and custome They that despise it vpon errour are either Anabaptists or Papists The Anabaptists a fanatical fantastical sect vtterly mislike all gouernment and subjection among Christians It is not without cause that S. Iude calleth such kind of people Dreamers for so indeed they are and their dreame is this that Sin is the cause of Subjection and although it were ordained and allowed to the Iewes because they were but infants yet fits it not vs Christians that are in the state of perfection Shall I dispute against this dotage and shew that even among those blessed spirits that are free frō sinne still persist in the truth there are Thrones Dominations Powers Principalities Angels and Arch-angels That if man had continued in his integritie yet government should haue beene inasmuch as man naturally is sociable and disciplinable the morall law commands to honour father and mother the end of gouernment is Peace with Pietie and Honestie and one man euen then should haue stood in need of another That finally there is now as great a necessity thereof as was among the Iews and that the new Testament would neuer haue commanded Subjection or to pray for Magistrates if it were a sin for a Christian to be a Magistrate But I will not vouchsafe them the honour to dispute with them let it suffice in this honourable auditory barely to affirme first that a Christian safely may be a Magistrate secondly that none is fitter then he because no man better knowes the dutie of a Magistrate then he Lastly that no man can so compleatly and perfectly performe the office of a Magistrate but hee because no man vnderstands the true religion which he is to maintaine and by which he is to gouerne but he As for Papists although they doe not thus reject all government yet doe they many waies both in doctrine and practise avile and abase it For first they giue vnto the Pope a supremacie ouer Princes euen vnto Deposition and depresse
this you will remaine during life and then if your life hinder not as you hope it will not you shall enioy everlasting life I. D. What you professe you will not doe that you haue already done Very weake wavering haue you shew'd your selfe in forsaking that religion which is descended vnto vs by succession from Christ and his Apostles and hath alwaies beene taught and maintained in the Catholike Church to embrace a new vpstart superstition vtterly vnknowne to the Primitiue times and growne out of the earth but some two or three nights agoe What Motiues you then had for your revolt I knowe not They that knewe you well speake of some other thing rather then Conscience The best construction I can set vpon it is this you had beene but badly informed in the truth And now least you should incurre the imputation of levitie and inconstancie if you returned to vs againe I feare you haue obstinately resolved to close your eyes and not to see the truth how brightly soever it shine vpon So that the saying which I thinke I haue some where read in Tertullian is verified vpon you Miserable is the case of that man who was perswaded before hee was instructed and afterward refuseth to be instructed because hee is perswaded The sayings of Vincentius Lirinensis and S. Augustin we well allow of but the application of them to your selfe hath more face then forehead in it For as of old Dioscorus the Heretike cryed out in the Councell of Chalcedon I am cast out with the Fathers I defend the doctrine of the Fathers I passe not beyond them in any point and I haue their testimonies not barely but in their very bookes even so you and wish no more modesty nor truth then he I follow vniversality antiquitie and consent in my Beleefe I stand to the Faith that hath beene held in all places in all seasons by all or the most Bishops Priests Doctors in Christianitie I follow a Church begun by entrance of nations authorized by miracles encreased by charitie established by continuance in which is succession from Saint Peters Chaire and knowne of all by the name Catholike But soft good sir how is all this proued For you cannot bee ignorant that we deny al these things affirming the clean contrary that the Romish Synagogue is not the Church S. August speakes of but altogether degenerated from it that the points in difference betwixt vs were neither Vniversall nor Ancient but sprung vp of late ever as they rose vp mightily opposed by the most famous Clerks of their times If you would perswade vs otherwise you may not thinke to prevaile with your strong imaginations but you must convince vs with sound demonstrations wherein God wot the best of you all are as weake as water For as for your selfe I cannot but wonder that knowing no more then you haue picked out of the writings of two or three sneaking Friers you yet talke so coÌ„fidently and presumptuously of Vniversalitie Antiquity and consent in all places and seasons of all Bishops Priests and Doctors as if either your selfe had liued all the while to see it with your eyes or had read all the story of the Church and whatsoever monuments they haue left behind them If you thinke you may be so bold and confident vpon your Author tell vs I pray you why we may not be as bold and confident on our The rather seeing your writers are open maintainers of Equivocation and I knowe not what pious frauds and lies which our men even from their hearts detest abhorre But why should either we or you trust so much vnto deceitfull man The safest course would be with the wise â—ereans to search the Scriptures whether these things be so or not He that shall doe this with an honest heart and out of the loue of truth cannot but finde satisfaction vnlesse hee fayle that hath promised seeke and yee shall finde Verily one testimonie from the mouth of God and his sacred word wil be of more force to settle the Conscience then ten thousand of those Topicall arguments probabilities wherewith your Author gulleth and beguileth you But where you say that the Roman Church is by all both friends and enimies knowne and called by the name Catholike you shew your selfe to be a pleasant and merry man It may bee some of vs at some times may haue called some Recusants Catholikes What then Doe we therefore indeed count you so Nothing lesse for wee call you not so in earnest as if you were so but only in jest and by way of Irony because you affect to bee called so Otherwise then thus wee never either count or call you or your Church Catholike Why Should wee seeing you your selues howsoever in word you retaine it yet in effect seeme to disclaime it calling your selues Roman Catholikes For Catholike is Vniversall Roman Particular that is of the whole world this of one Citty So that Roman Catholike is as much as to say Particular Vniversall that is Not catholike Catholike Whence it followeth evidently that while you restraine your Faith to Roman you vtterly cut it off and your selfe withall from being Catholike Hauing therefore lost the kernell why are you so greedy of the shell Of the name I mean being destitute of the thing Content your selfe with Roman leaue Catholike vnto vs. For wee are indeed the true Catholikes holding all that Faith and only that Faith which the Apostles preached and was generally beleeued throughout the World An ancient friend of mine and a worthy Scholler being demanded in a Stationers shop in Venice while there he followed the Lord Embassadour what was the difference betweene vs here in England and the Catholikes answered None at all for wee count our selues good Catholikes But the party being loth to be put of so pressed him againe to know the difference betwixt vs here and them there and was answered This that wee beleeue the Catholike Faith contained in the Creed but beleeued not the thirteenth Article which the Pope had added to it But it being replied that hee knew none such the Extravagant of Pope Boniface was brought where hee defines it to bee altogether of necessity to salvation to euery humane Creature to bee vnder the Bishop of Rome The beleefe of this thirteenth Article thus patched vnto the rest by your thirteenth Apostle may perhaps make you Bonifacian or Roman but the beleefe of the other twelue makes vs I am sure true and perfect Catholikes Whether you allow vs the name or not it matters nothing as neither whatsoever nicknames you impose vpon vs. For by the grace of God wee are what wee are and it is neither the one nor the other that can make vs other then wee are As neither can you by assuming the name of Catholike or any other Sectaries by calling themselues Illuminates or Vnspotted Brethren make your selues to be that which indeed you are not For as for Reformers although such Corruptions