but in this matter all our care must be cast vpon the Lord who being a iealous God will not giue his glory to another nor his prayse to grauen images Esay 42. 8. O Nabuchodonosor we will shew by deeds that it is better to obey God then man In reason as well as in religion a true proposition is to bee granted a false to bee denyed only the doubtfull and probable to bee disputed humane demonstrations and diuine testimonies are without controuersie the lawes of the Medes are not alterable much lesse the commandements of God questionable So Balum answered the seruants of Balack If Balack would giue me his house full of siluer and gold I can not gâ—…e beyond the word of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more So Ioseph answered his want on mistresse How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God The breach of the â—…east commandement in the second table concerning our neighbours is a sinne but a transgression of the first table concerning our duty to God a greater offence For as Bernard and other diuines obserue God hath in old time dispensed with some precepts of the second table as in bidding Abraham to kill his sonne Isaac contrary to the 6 commandement and in suffering the Fathers to haue many concubines contrary to the 7. commandement and in aduising his people to rob the wicked Egyptians of their iewels contrary to the 8 commandement Put God who can not deny himselfe neuer yet dispensed with any commandement of the first table touching his true worship and holinesse and therefore Shadrach Meshach and Abednego delighting in the law of the Lord and exercising themselues in it day and night and vnderstanding that it saith expresly thou shalt haue no other gods and thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image resolued instantly constantly that they would neither serue the false gods of Nabuchodonosor nor yet adore his golden image Cyprian the blessed Martyr in the like case gaue the like answere for being tempted to forsake the trueth of religion he replyed as Augustine reports in re tam sancta nulla deliberatto telling the Proconsull Paternus to his beard I am a christian and a Bishop I know no gods but one that is the true liuing God who created heauen and earth and all that is therein So Martyn Luther in the spirit of Elias by fire from heauen vsed to say that the principles of faith are like a Mathematicall poynt which admits neither ademption nor addition in such a case quoth hee God assisting I am and euer will bee stout and sterne herein I take vpon mee this title Cedonulli So the good Ignatius of his age Dr. Rouland Taylor when his friends aduised him as Peter did his master pitty thy selfe answered I shall neuer be able to doe God so good seruice as now I know that the papacy is the kingdome of Antichrist and that all the doctrine thereof euen from Christs crosse be my speed vnto the end of their apocalyps is nothing else but idolatry superstition errors hypocrisie lyes So the renowned Prelate Iohn Iewel I deny my learning I deny my Bishopricke I deny my selfe only the faith of Christ and trueth of God I can not deny with this faith or for this faith I trust I shall end The schismaticks in loosing their liuings and the Papists in loosing their liues are both exceeding resolute but it is not the crosse but the cause that makes the Martyr the Romanists are not questioned for seruing the true God but for their worshipping their false gods and for adoring 〈◊〉 lord god the Pope they bee not conâ—… as they say because Iesuites but on the 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our blessed Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2â—…8 Whose foote stood vpon 〈◊〉 and the top reached vp to heauen But the papists haue 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 saints and angels at the foote with the merits of their owne works and so they make Christ Iesus our only mediatour 1. Tim. 2. 5. but halfe a mediatour and halfe a Sauiour halfe a mediatour because the Saints are ioynt patrons with him and halfe a Sauiour because themselues are ioynt purchasers with him in the worke of their saluation Irenaus writeth of certaine humorous fellowes who called themselues Emendatores apostolorum apostle-menders and so these men are correctors of the scriptures accounting Saint Paul a very Lutheran for teaching iustification by faith only So likewise Schismaticks in our Church are not questioned for articles of doctrine but for poynts of discipline for matter of ceremonie not substance As then Aristides who dyed of the bite of a weazell exceedingly lamented because it was not a lyon so the brethren of diuision and other of their alliance may grieue that they do not smart for the lyoÌ„ of Iuda but for a siely weasel latelyâ—…rept out of the Alps which at the first crouded in among vs at a little hole but since being pampered at the tables of diuerse rich men is growen so full and pursie that many will rather forsake Gods plâ—…gh and looke backe to the world then acknowledge he came in at so narrow an entrance Manners as it is in the prouerbe makes the man and so it is the matter that makes the Mâ—…rtyr as the 3 children in our text O Nabuchodonosor wee are not carefull to answere theâ—… in this matter Yea but iâ—… is the King that 〈◊〉 and the proclamation of a King is like the roaring of a lyon and with him as wee find in the forepart of this chapter are ioined the Nobles Princes and Dukes the Iudges the receiuers and all the gouernours of the prouinces why then are Shadrach Meshach and Abednego recusants and singular in their opinions especially considering on the one side their danger and on the other side their duty Lawyers and Diuines and great clearkes in other professions often are ready to speake good of euill and euill of good prostituting their tongues and pens and wits and wils all that they haue goods honour bodies soule to serue the times and turnes of Princes If the King bid kill they kill If he say spare they spare If hee bid smite they smite If hee bid make desolate they make desolate beating downe mountaines and walles and towres amplifying or extenuating euery thing for the pleasing of his humour and aduancing of his honour It is thought by St. Hierome and other that the golden Image set vp here by Nabuchodonosor was his owne Statua so vaine was his impiety that being dust and ashes as a clod of clay in the hand of the potter he did notwithstanding ambitiously desire to bee worshipped as a God opposing as it were this image which himselfe made to that image which appeared vnto him in a dreame by Gods appointment and immediatly his plot tooke for as we read in this chap. at the
Paul vaine bablings Kenophonias 1. Tim. 6. 20. But Ambrose and some other read Kainophonias as in the vulgar Latine vocum nouitates new doctrines vpon which place Vincentius Lyrenensis hath this glosse non dixit antiquitates sed nouitates nam si vâ—…tanda nouitas tenenda est antiquitas prophana nouitas sancta vetustas Hee saith not auoyd olde bounds but new bablings antiquity is to bee reuerenced nouelty to bee reiected a wise man as Gueuara writeth is a friend to old hookes and an enemy to new opinions It is plaine saith Tertullian against Marcion that that is truest which is first that first which is from the beginning that from the beginning which was deliuered by the Apostles An Heretike is nothing else but an after teacher a new master one that teacheth otherwise as the word signifies 1. Tim 1. 3. Heterodidascaltin that which Optatus reports of Victor is verified of all Heretikes that they bee sonnes without fathers souldiers without Captaines and scholers without masters In the dayes of Pope Leo the 1 there were certaine Heretiks called Acephali so termed as Platina coniectures quia sine cerebro et authore habebantur Because they were both heedlesse and headlesse a proper name for all such as haue neither grounds nor bounds of their assertions Ismael is a liuely type of an Heretike saith Alphonsus de Castro His hand is against euery maâ—… and euery mans hand is against him Errâ—… as a viâ—…er must breake the mothers belly to gâ—… out and when it is out as Esay speakeâ—… Aegyptians are set against Aegyptians and they 〈◊〉 one against his brother and euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nâ—…ighbour city against city kingdome 〈◊〉 kingdome one schismaticke against anoâ—…her Michaâ—…l and his Angels that is Christ and his church which is the pillar of truth against them all Vpon these premises I will inferre this conclusion in despight of all blacke deuils and white deuils Hereâ—…ikes and hypocrites that the reformed and conformed Protestants in the Church of England doe iustly condemne both Papists and Puritans as vpstarts and nouelists in remouing the most ancient boundes of our forefathers I know the Papists are great boasters of antiquity but they deale with vs as Tertullian in his Apologie speakes of the Gentiles Laudatis antiquitatem et nouè de die vivitis Yee magnifie much antiquitie yet shape your religion after a new cut as Scaliger acutely to Serranus Nos non sumus nouatores sed vos estis veteratores It is not wee but you and your fathers house that trouble Israel It is not wee but you which haue remoued ancient boundes First if by Fathers here wee shall vnderstand the Prophets and Apostles as Lauater vpon the place then it will appeare clearely that the Papists haue remoued ancient boundes 1. In accounting their vnwritten traditions equall to the written word 2. In preferring the Churches authority before the Scriptures and in making the Pope lawgiuer vnto the Church 3. In discarding vpon the point the second Command and in dispensing with other as Pope Martine the 5. gaue dispensation vnto one to marry his owne sister and a learned Bishop of our Church in his Apology lib. 2. Chap 13. shewes that the Church of Rome deludeth euery precept in the whole law 4. In their malicious mistranslating the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles against their owne knowledge witnesse that one place Gen. 3 15. Which is Medulla Scripturarum as one sayd of the creed euen the pith of the whole Bible The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head where they doe not read ipsum or ipse but ipsa conteret ascribing that to Mary which is proper only to the Blessed seed her Son our Sauiour Christ Iesus 5. In rauishing or as Luther speakes in crucifying the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles and so making the sacred text a ship-mans hose to serue their owâ—…e turnes as for example God made two great lightes this is saith Innocentius the 3. Two great dignities the Papall and Imperial and as the Sun is farre greater then the Moone so the Pope forsooth exceeds the Emperours in greatnesse Peter said vnto Christ Ecce duo gladij Behold here be two swordes and Christ answered it is enough hencâ—… Boniface the 8. argued thus Christ sayd it is enough Hee sayd not it is too much Ergo the Pope which is Peters successour may manage both the swordes and become a temporall Prince so well as a spirituall Pastor a voyce from heauen Acts. 10. 13. sayd to Peter macta et manduca kill and eate Ergo the Pope may depose Princes and dispose of their scepters Caesar Baronius his application in his aduice to Pope Paulus Quintus concerning the excommunication of the Venetians Light is come into the world that is Poperie but men loued darkenesse that is Luthers doctrine more then the light as the Archbishop of Bitonto declaymed in the counsell of Trent Luther was wont to say that the Pater noster is made by them a great Martyr another sayd Aue Maria was a greater Martyr but in my conceit the text thou art Peter is the greatest Martyr of all 6. They remoue the boundes of the Prophets and Apostles in opposing the tenour and tenet of their writings and that in many poynts I will at this present onely name two 1. The Prophets and Apostles ascribe the whole worke of our saluation only to Christ who alone is the seed of the woman that brake the serpents head who alone is the seed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob in whom all the nations of the world are blessed who alone was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities who hath trodden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with him Who alone gâ—…ue himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweete smelling sauour and obteined eternall redemption for vs. But the Papists attribute some part of our saluation to the worthinesse of our selues other to the merits of Saints to the works of supererogation and to the sufferings of Martyrs layd vp in the Popes treasure house contradicting herein apparently the tenet of our Church in the 11. 18. 31. articles of our confession Secondly the Prophets and Apostles affirme that God who made all things is not made himselfe for if he could be made he were not God But the Papists auowe that a miserable masse-Priest in a corner is able to make the maker of all for in God say they there bee 3. kinds of power Magna maior maxima Greate greater greatest of all As for example the great power of God appeared when hee made one thing of another as man of the earth and woman of the rib of man The greater power of God appeared when hee made heauen and earth of nothing but the greatest of all is that one creature of
as they sell of their Lands Riches among worldlings are so honourable that it is exceeding hard to distinguish fortune and vertue The most impious if prosperous haue euer beene applauded and the most vertuous if vnprosperous haue euer beene despised Or riches are called Honour because being well imployed they keepe men in honest and Honourable courses whereas a man in extreame beggerie must doe not as hee should or as he would but as hee may pauperies inimica bonis est moribus omne labitur in vitium As it is in the prouerbe necessitie hath no law pouertie parteth all good fellowship An Ingenious man doth often that in his neede which is contrarie to his owne position and disposition Si miserum fortuna Sinonem Finxit vanum etiam mendacemque improba finget Bee prouident then in thy diuident so breake thy bread that thou breake not the staffe of thy store whereby the largesse which is vnto other a dole may turne to thy selfe a dolour The Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer and therefore that thou mayst euer giue giue frugally starue not thy selfe to feede others though hungrie let not the left hand of thy miserie know what the right hand of thy pittie doth If thou haue plenty giue much if thou haue but a little bee not affrayd sayd old Tobie to giue of that little Beneuolentia liberalitate potior quia ditior haec moribus quam illa muneribus Ambros offic lib. 1. c. 23. Secondly the word breake teacheth vs not to giue the whole loafe of our almes vnto some on but that wee should impart it to diuerse So Munster and Tremelius here translate vt partiaris esâ—…rienti panem and other vt impertias and our old translation Ezech. 18. 7. Part thy bread to the Hungrie So the Scriptures teach and the Fathers the Psalmographer saith of the godly man dispersit dedit pauperibus Hee dispersed abroad giuing rather a little to many then much vnto few so Saint Paul aduiseth the Romans to distribute to the necessitie of the Saints Almighty God is termed Luke 16. 1. A rich man as being infinitly rich in goodnes and mercy towards all and euery man is there called his Steward as hauing much of Gods rich treasure committed to his charge which hee may not expend as hee will in idle prodigallity but as his Lord will in workes of piety and pitty Novv then as Saint Paul telleth vs it is required of a Steward that hee bee found faithfull Hee must therefore deale his Lords bread like Caius faithfully not onely to some few whom hee most affects but hee must in due season and in due proportion also feede the whole family To breake Bread is to giue euery one his due portion of meate and potion of drinke Christ and his Apostles haue taught this Lesson also by their practise Christ in the 8. of Saint Marke feeding a great many with a few loaues after he had giuen thankes brake the bread and so all did eate and were sufficed and it is reported of the blessed Apostles Acts. 2. 45. That they parted the Churches stocke to all men as euery one had neede Saint Ambrose to the same purpose pithily non sunt profundendae opes sed dispensandae to breake bread lauishly without discretion and order is not as Bernard sayd in another case dispensatio but dissipatio The Stewards of God ought to haue great care saith Gregorie the great hovv they distribute to the necessities of the Saints Vt ne quaedam quibus nulla ne nulla quibus quaedam ne multa quibus pauca ne pauca praebeant quibus impendere multa debucrunt For it is Lawfull and expedient too sometime to conferre much vpon one person or vpon one worke as to preferre a poore Mayden in marriage to redeeme a Captiue to repayre high wayes or to build a Synagogue Wherein euery good Christian is a learned schoole-man and a speaking Law to himselfe In his priuate distributions hee may deale his bread when hee will and where he will as his owne Charity directed by Gods holy word moueth him But in our publique contributions euery man is to be sessed by his neighbours and in such a case not to bee ruled by the best and most is a breach vndoubtedly both of Law and Loue. How Christ hath a long time beene taught among you brethren I well vnderstand but how you haue learned him I know not I hope the best onely this I wish that some whom it concerneth as an act of Iustice or other to whom it appertayneth as a matter of mercy would as occasion is offered ouersee those which are appoynted ouerseers for the poore Whereby the common loafe may bee so parted that our eares may not heare the lamentation of Ieremy the young Children aske bread but no man breaketh it vnto them The second point to bee discussed is Cui dandum and that is here sayd indefinitely to the Hungrie Whether hee bee good or bad of whatsoeuer Condition or Countrey Nation or Fashion It is an apostolicall precept that we should doe good vnto all especially to those which are of the Houshold of faith Humanity bindeth vs to performe the one Christianity to the other Ecclesiasticus in saying giue not to the vngodly seemes to confront our text But his meaning is plaine that wee should not helpe him as wicked but as a man His naughtinesse ought to bee declined but his nature cherished his proper iniquity to bee persecuted but his common condition to bee pittied as being our owne flesh saith our Prophet in the latter end of this verse Created according to Gods owne Image and happily for any thing wee know heereafter to bee sanctified and in fine to bee saued In the battaile fought against Cinna at Ianiculum one of Pompeys souldiers slew his owne brother and when hee saw what hee had done instantly slew himselfe Wherevpon Tacitus obserued that our ancestours exceeded vs not onely in glory of their vertue but in griefe also for their faults Holcott makes mention of a certaine sauage beast that hath a face like a man and yet in his hunger hee kills men and feedes on their flesh but afterward going into the water to drinke and there beholding his own face so remembering that he had killed one like himselfe presently forbeares his meate and for very sorrow pineth vntill hee perisheth All men are our brethren as being lineally descended from our great Grandfather Adam He therefore that denyeth any man his helping hand in extreamity murthereth a brother according to that of Saint Ambrose si non pavisti occidisti in such a case not to fill him is to kill him Solomon in the 11. of Ecclesiastes compareth a wight in distresse to the water cast thy bread saith hee vpon the waters And why so because as in the water brookes so in the watrie lookes of a poore Lazare thou mayst cleerely see
time when Sennacherib was slayne and that is sayd here to be when he was in praying and worshipping his god Nisrock From whence we may see what an idle thing an idol is for we must imagine that Sennacherib when he saw Adramelech and Sharezer rushing in vpon him and ready to kill him heartily called vpon his god for helpe and doubtlesse Nisrock if hee had had any power would not haue suffered his prime 〈◊〉 thus vnfortunatly to perish in his temple but an idol as St Paul teacheth vs is nothing and what would you haue nothing to doe Something it is in opinion and esteeme for so there be many gods and many Lords but nothing in trueth and value something in the mind of an idolater but nothing in the world nothing in worth or working euery founder is confounded by the grauen Image Ieremy 16. 14. So Dauid Idols are but siluer and gold the worke of mens handes they haue mouthes and speake not eyes haue they but see not they haue eares but yet they heare not neither is there any breath in their nostrils they that make them are like vnto them and so are all they that put their trusi in them and Fzechiah in this present chapter at the 17. verse Trueth it is Lord that the kings of Ashur haue destroyed the nations and fired their gods for they were no gods but the worke of mans hand euen wood and stâ—…ne therefore they destroyed them The Papists inuocating Saints in stead of the Sauiour and adoring their images euen with the same kind of worship which is due to the Prototype kneeling crouching creeping to stockes and stones offer in the temple the sacrifice of fooles calling vpon Baal and Bell who can neither heare them nor helpe them Heare o Israel the Lord thy God is Lord only and him only shalt than serue Wee find in the Bible precept vpon precept as Esay speakes and line vpon line for our prayingvnto God in the time of trouble but for inuocation of Saints in the scripture neither precept nor promise nor patterne the pictures of the saints of Christ of the martyrs of Christ of the mother of Christ adored and worshipped are not able to saue their seruants more then Nisrocke here did Sennacherib who notwithstanding his deuotion in the chappell of his owne house was ignominiously slayne in the sight of his Idol and that in the very act and houre of prayer as hee was in the temple worshipping Nisrocke DAN 13. 16. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and sayd vâ—…o the King c. NAbuchodonosor an idolatrous and a proud king in the words immediatly going before questioned Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the true seruants of the most high God whether they would serue his gods and adore that image which hee by solemne edict had commanded to bee worshipped threatning them if they did not obey with death and â—…hat imminent death in the same houre and that imminent death a violent death and of all violent deaths the most horrible to be cast into the mids of a firy fornace To which answere is made by them in our text conteyning their Resolution Reason of their resolution Their resolution appeares to be peremptorie by the Preface of their speech O Nabuchodonosor wee are not carefull to answere thee in this matter Conclusion of their speech be it knowne vnto thee O King that wee will not serue thy gods c. The reasons of this resolution are two 1. Taken from Gods almighty power behold our God whom wee serue is able to deliuer vs from the burning fierie furnâ—…e 2. From his holy will and hee will deliuer vs out of thy hand O King These three verses then are placed in the mids of the chapter as some diuide betweene 15. verses on each side like the sunne in the mids of the firmament and the heart in the mids of 〈◊〉 body from whence 〈◊〉 arise it he light and life of the whole story let vâ—… follow the light proceed according to the propounded method The resolution of these words is prudent and pious reseruing vnto God the things which are Gods and yet giuing vnto Caesar the things which are Caesars Affording Nabuchodonosor his due title King and yeelding obedience to him as to their King rather patiently suffering the payne then obstinatly resisting the power because the God of heauen had giuen him a kingdome power and strength and glory verse 37. of the former chapter This example should teach euery soule to be subiect vnto soueâ—…igne authority taking vp against a tyâ—…ant prince not a sword but a buckler obeying ferrendâ—… non feriendo suffering his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 command things according to the rules of pâ—…ty to bee done of vs If otherwise to bee done on vs a wicked gouernour is a Nabuchadnezzar that is as the word is interpreted the mourning of the generation and the weapons of the Church 〈◊〉 prayers and teares Ecclesia Christi quoth Hierome 〈◊〉 Theophilus est 〈◊〉 patiendâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciendâ—… contumelias an hard lesson I confesse which is not well taught but in a few Churches and well practised almost in none for Schismatistes in vpholding their pretended holy discipline shoâ—…e alâ—…e at Caesarsâ—…rowne â—…rowne and Iesuited Papists are right downe traytors and professed King-killers in maintaining their AntichristiaÌ„ Hierarchy both haue dangerous positions and practises in this kind the one to beate downe the walles of Sion by disturbing the peace of the reformed Church and the other to build vp the walles of Babylon by defending the abomination of the deformed Synagogue The Lord of the vineyard Marke 12. sent seruants to his farmers that hee might receiue some fruits of the same but they beat some and killed others the Schismaticks are Caedentes the Papistes and Hereâ—…ickes accidentes the villaine â—…auilliack confessed at his death that he was sory for that hee had committed murâ—…her but not sorry for that he had killed the King O God which 〈◊〉 die King of kings euen the Lord paramont from whom all power is deriâ—…d if thou send good Princes as thou hast out of the riches of thy great mercy to this land at this time giue grace â—…at wâ—… may still honour them as our â—…ursing fatâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come for the condigne punishment of our sinne that wee may receiue them as thy rods with all humility patience piety resoluing as that holy Martyr Iohn Bradford If the Queene will giue mee life I will thanke her If shee will banish me I will thanke her If shee will burne shee I will thanke her If shee will condemne me to perpetuall imprisonment I will thanke her O Nabuchodonosor wee are not carefull as they gaue to Nabuchodonosor the things of Nabuchodonosor So they reserued vnto God all honour due to God as if they should haue sayd in an argugument of another nature wee would bee carefull happily curious in returning a pleasing answere to the King
being nothing else but a type of the new and the new nothing else but a trueth of the old The whole saith Iacobus de Valentia consists of one Syllogisme the Law and the Prophets are the Maior all that Christ did and sayd the Minor the writings of the blessed Euangelists and Apostles inferre the conclusion or the Gospell is hidden in the Law like the conclusion in the premises But albeit the Scriptures be deepe yet as Gregory speakes it is a riuer wherein the little lambe may wade so well as the great Elephant swimme it is the rolle of a booke spread abroad and written within and without Ezec. 2. 9. 10. In some places it is rolled vp from the most searching wits in other spread abroad to the capacities of the most simple Testamentum est testatio mentis Gods word therefore being his Testament reueales as much of his will as is to bee knowen In it wee may find the Father from whom and the Son by whom and the holy Ghost in whom are all things and therefore should bee much in our handes in our eyes in our eares in our mouthes but most of all in our hearts as Fulgentius saith it affordes enough abundantly for men to eate and children to sucke Maximus compares it to a man The old Testament resembling the body and the new Testament the soule or the letter of the Prophets is the body and the meaning is the soule and as the mortall part of man is seene but that which is immortall vnseene So the letter of the Scriptures is plaine but the spirit in some places inuolued and not easily discerned One deepe calling vpon another deepe S. Augustine and Hugo de S. Vict vnderstand it thus the depth of Gods knowledge findeth out the depth of mans heart for the Lord searcheth vs out he knoweth our downe-sitting and our vprising hee is about our paths and about our bed and spieth out all our wayes and vnderstandeth all our thoughts long before Psal 139. It is the duty then of euery Christian especially tempted to sinne to resolue with holy Ioseph How can I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God Is there any thing so secret that shall not be disclosed If I commit it in the wood shall not a bird of the aire cary the voice that which hath wings declare the matter Ecclesiastes 10. 20. If I sinne in the forrest am I now to learne that a beast hath spoken Or if birdes and beasts happily should hold their peace would not as Christ sayd in the like case the very stones cry Luke 19. 40. If in my closet or study shall not my bookes of deuotion especially the Bible witnesse against mee There is one that accuseth you quoth our Sauiour to the Iewes euen Moses that is Moses law the which as it was once spoken by God so it dayly speakes in Gods cause to God Or if all these be silent shall not the sinne it selfe like the blood of Abel cry for reuenge Plutarch aduiseth vs so circumspectly to demeane our selues as if our enemies alway beheld vs. Seneca counselleth vs to liue so well as if Cato Laelius or some reuerend person of great wisedome and account ouerlooked vs. Thales Milesius in the committing of any sinne wished vs when wee were alone to bee afraid of our selues and our owne conscience which is instead of a thousand witnesses a thousand Iuries a thousand Iudges te sine teste time saith Ausonius S. Paul exhorts women to carry themselues in Gods house reuerently because of the Angels obseruing their behauiour But our text tels vs yet a better way then all these which is to remember alway that the depth of Gods science calleth vnto the depth of our conscience If any be deiected in his mind for that hee cannot remember the good lessons hee dayly reads in bookes and heares in sermons let him bee comforted againe because this one precept concerning Gods omni-presence comprehends amnia media et remedia all meanes and medicines for the curing of his sicke soule If he beare still in mind this one poynt that all things are naked to Gods eye Heb. 4. 13. Yea hell it selfe Iob 26. 6. To his eye which is all eye Ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne Ecclesiasticus 23. 19. He hath already commenced Doctor in Israel and is a liuing and a walking library knowing so much as may serue for the well ordering of his whole life Gregory the great construeth our text thus one iudgement of God calleth vp another for his iudgements are a great depth Psal. 36. 6. So deepe that they be past finding out Rom. 11. 33. When as therefore for feare of Gods iudgement we iudge our selues one deepe occasioneth another and that at the noyse of the water pipes or cloudes which are the preachers exhorting vs as S. Paul his Corinthians If yee would iudge your selues yee should not be iudged Arnobius expoundeth it thus one deepe calleth another deepe When Christ on earth and in the nethermost hell also called to God the Father in the Highest Heauen the strong crying of our Blessed Sauiour vnto God with teares Heb. 5. 7. Was a very deepe base and Gods counter-verse was sung with an exceeding high voyce from heauen of heauen This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3 17. One deepe calleth another deepe when as truth flourished out of the earth and righteousnesse looked downe from heauen Psal. 85. 11. Hugo Cardinalis and Lyra thus Abyssus abyssum inuocat that is peccatum peccatum prouocat As one deepe calleth another deepe So one sinne prouoketh and calleth vp another sinne Pride to maintaine her selfe calleth vp Nigardise Gluttony calleth vp Wantonnesse Malice calls vp Murther Vnthriftinesse calls vp in great ones Oppression In the poore theeuery an vncleane thought calls vp vnsauoury wordes and bad wordes corrupt good manners and corruption in manners breeds a custome in sin and custome in sinne brings men to sencelesnesse in sinne such as giue themselues ouer or sell themselues to commit iniquity proceed from euill to worse Ieremy 9. 3. and fall from one wickednesse to another Psalme 69. 28. First there is walking in the counsell of the vngodly then standing in the way of sinners last of all sitting in the seate of the scornefull Hee that blowes a feather into the ayre or throwes a piece of paper into the riuer knowes not where it will settle So hee that begins with a sinne knowes not when or where it will end Herod happily began with a little dalliance but afterward he committed incest and that darling sinne caused him to adde yet this aboue all the rest of his faults to shut vp Iohn in prison And so Dania glutted with a large meale lusted after Bath saba and that fire did rage till hee had committed vncleannesse with her and for the couering of that foule fact
O Father of mercies wee know that thou canst not deny thy selfe and nothing is more thy selfe then thy mercy which is aboue all thy workes it is it wee want most it is it wee craue most it is it thou doest vse to giue most haue mercy then vpon vs according to the multitudes of thy louing kindnesses of old that forthe dayes wherein wee haue suffered for euill we may now from thy fulnesse receiue grace for grace PSAL. 84 10. One day in thy courts is better then a thousand THe most excellent thing in the world is man and the most excellent thing in man is the soule and the most excellent thing in the soule is religion and the most excellent thing in religion is to seeke God here that wee may see him hereafter in whose most amiable dwellings one day sayth our Prophetâ—… is better then a thousand For by the Courts of God in the iudgement of most and best expositors is here meant either the Church militant which is heauen on earth or the Church tâ—…umphant which is heauen in heauen and the least of time â—…pent in either of them is better then a thousand days or moneths or yeeres or ages elsewhere to wit as may bee supplied by the verse following in the tents of vngodlinesse Concerning the first it is well obserued by Placidus Parmensis and other that this one day is Christs day which Abraham reioyced to see Iobâ—… 8. 56. The day of sulâ—…ation and acceptable time 2. Cor. 6. 2. Wherein all of 〈◊〉 haue receiued from his fulnesse and grace for grace the day which the Lord hath made and all his Saints are glad in it Psal. 118. 24. One houre whereof among the faithfull in the true worship of God is better in respect of profit then a thousand in the market better in respect of pleasure then a thousand in the theater better in respect of honour then a thousand in the palaces of Princes For profit our euidence is cleare 1. Tim. 6. 6. Godlines is great gaine that is gaine of great things as Caietan or greater gaine so Theophilact or the greatest and enough gaine so Caluin as if the Blessed Apostle should haue sayd gaiâ—…e and more then gayne riches and better then riches as when the Scripture would difference the true liuing God from dumbe and dead Idols it calleth a great God and a great King aboue all gods So speaking of godlinesse which is the riches of the soule termes it great riches heauenly riches inâ—…stim able riches vnchangeable riches euerlasting riches For to spend our time well is the best husbandry saith Seneca to giue to the poore the best vsury sayth Augustine to coâ—…et spirituall giftes hereby to winne soules is the best auarice saith Hierome to buy the truth is the best bargaine sayth Solomon to bee rich in good workes is the best opulencie saith Paul 1. Tim. 6. 18. Other gaines are not without their inconueniences and incommodities as hauing in them an emptinesse and neuer enough as Bernard told his brethren nec verâ—… sâ—…t 〈◊〉 vestrâ—… but godlinesse affordeâ—…â—…way contentation either in dâ—…ed or desire In deed as hauing prâ—…mia reposita and prâ—…posita the promises both of the life present and of that which is to come the blessings of the right hand and of the left hand Prouerb 3. 16. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger sayth our Prophet But they that feare the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good The couetous that goe about like roaring Lyons seeking whom they may deuoure by their oppression and cruelty sometime misse their prey yea the more they haue the greater is their hunger and thirst after the thinges of this world The Chronicle reportes of Peirce Gaueston that the more he was inriched the worse was his estate But they who seeke the Lord which is vnto those that serue him all in all things haue their meale so multiplyed in the barrell and oyle in the cruse that they want no manner of thing that is good habent omnia qâ—…ia habent habentem omnia It may bee some good thing is wanting in their estate but happily not good for them it was good for Naaman that he was a leper good for Dauid that hee was in trouble good for Bartimeus that he was blind as a nurse knowes what is best for her infant so God our heauenly Father knowes what is best for vs his children If he giue the subsâ—…iue saluation hee will afford like wise the adâ—…ectiue things necessary for this life Mat. 6 33. Caetera ad jeintur 〈◊〉 If hee giue his Son for vs how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also Rom 8. â—… Howsoeâ—…er godlinesse affordes contentation in respect of the desire because godly men If they haue not estatâ—… according to their minds they wil haue mindes according to their estates hauing nothing and yet possessing all things 2. Cor. 6. 10. The couetous is only poore and the content is only rich omnia famulantur famulanti Deo The seruant of God is Lord of all as Christ sayd If the soâ—…e make you free then are you free indeed so deare Christians If godlinesse make you rich then are yee rich indeed a great deale more rich then they which of their corne and wine and oyle haue full encroase the Pompous Prelate who sayd hee would not loose his part in Paris for his part in Paradise nay Leo the 10. who got so much and in the Holy sea spent so much of S. Peters inheritance that Guicciardine writes in his history Whereas other were Popes no longer then they liued he was sayd to be Pope many yeeres after hee was dead was not so rich as Martine Luther a poore preacher who professeth of himselfe that of all faults hee was euer least subiect to the dirty sin of euil coueting If any then aske the question in the third of Malac 14. what profit is it to serue God answere is made by the father of lies in this truely Iob. 1. 9. doth Iob serue God for nought hath hee not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on euery side the like may be sayed of euery man which is vpright and feares God is he not rich and his godlines gaine being blessed in his field blessed in his fold blessed in his corne blessed in his cattle loe thus shall the man be blessed that fâ—…areth the Lord On the contrarie sinnes are termed by Saint Paul vnprofitable works of darknes what fruite had ye saith he to the Romans in those things wherof ye are now ashamed he doth answere himselfe in the same place the wages of sin is death bad worke sad wages But our Sauiours question in the 16 of S. Matthew puts this matter out of all question what shall a man gayne though he winne the whole world and loose his owne soule put the whole world
his merite Luke 18. For blessed is the man that feareth alway but hee that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prouerbs 28. 26. Seeke not to the strength of your owne purse doe not sacrifice to your owne net make not gold your hope saying to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence for riches auaile not in the day of wrath noâ—… helpe in the time of vengeance Seeke not to the blessed spirits of iust men in heauen for Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Esay 63. 16. They doe not vnderstand our wants in particular howsoeuer vndoubtedly solicitous for our good in generall grant they did clearely see what we lacke and that they be so well able as willing to helpe yet because the Scriptures afford neither precept nor promise nor paterne for inuocation in this kind seeking to the dead saints is an open iniurie to the liuing God at the best it is wil-worship at the worst adoring of old saints is an adopting of new sauiours To summe vp all in a word with our Prophet in the 73 Psalme verse 14. Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire in comparison of thee all other hopes and helpes are miserable comforters in respect of thee which art a present helpe in trouble vnder the shadow of thy wings will I reioyce my soule hangeth vpon thee mine eyes are euer looking vnto thee to the throne of grace will I goe boldly that I may find mercy thou Lord art my strength and onely refuge thy face will I seeke euermore Hugo Cardinalis vnderstandeth here by Gods face that happinesse which is euerlasting in heauen They who seeke for Gods temperall blessings onely seeke his hinder parts as it were but they who first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof are sayd to seeke his priora because potiora the multitude who followed Christ in the 6. of S. Iohn for loaues and not for loue sought Gods hinder parts only but the blessed Apostle who sayd I forget that which is behind and endeauour my selfe vnto that which is before following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesu sought Gods face euermore Temporall goods as riches and honour are the blessings of Gods left hand but length of dayes that is euerlasting life the blessings of his right hand Prouer. 3 16. New creatures in Christ and new men are like the new Moone when the Moone decreaseth it is close aboue open below but when it increaseth it is open aboue close beneath euen so beloued if our mindes as nature framed our hearts are close downeward vsing the world as if wee vsed it not and enlarged vpward in seeking the things aboue then as S. Paul speakes our conuersation is in heauen and as Dauid here we seeke Gods face for euermore Arnobius and diuers moe by Gods face doe vnderstand Christ Iesus as being the brightnesse of Gods glorie and expresse character of his person Heb. 1. 3. And as our Prophet Psalm 67. vers 1. The light of his countenance God is manifested in his sonne as a man is knowen by his face for no man saith our Lord commeth vnto the Father but by me Iohn 14. 6. I am the way the trueth and the life non est quà eas nisi per me non est quò eas nisi ad me as Augustine sweetely Christ is the beginning of blessed and heauenly vision and therefore the way the meane and therefore the trueth the end and therefore the life No man knowes the Father saue the Sonne and to whomsoeuer the Sonne will open him It is true that we may see Gods hinder parts by the light of nature for the power of God is manifested in the creation of the world the heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke but we cannot see Gods face that is the most vnsearchable riches of his mercy but in by his Son only none know the Father that is a distinction of the Persons in the Sacred Trinity but by the reuelation of God the Sonne in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2. 3. Or none know that God is their Father but by the spirit of the Sonne crying in our hearts Abba Father Galat. 4. 6. Wee speake the wisdome of God in a mysterie quoth Paul which none of the Princes of this world knew Hoc magnus Plato nesciuit eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit saith Hierome deepe Plato was altogether ignorant eloquent Demosthenes was vtterly silent in this argument they being secretaries of nature groped after God and found out also so much of him as may serue to condemne them but wee blessed are the eyes that see the things which we see seeking God in his Sonne in whom he is well pleased vnfainedly beleeue that he is our Father and that we are his children and further his heires euen heires annexed with Christ in his kingdome of glorie Rom. 8. verse 16. 17. The Turke seekes not God aright for that he seekes him in Mahumet the Iew seekes not God aright for that he seekes him in a Messias which is yet to come the Popeling seekes not aright for that he seekes him in moe Mediatours then one the Hereticke destroying either the natures of Christ or offices of Christ seekes not God aright the carnall Gospeller and worldling seekes not God aright for although he professe Christ in word yet in his workes he denieth him and the power of his Gospel as Augustine pithily the difference betweene an Hereticke and a bad Catholicke is briefly this the one is an Hereticke in his faith and the other is an Hereticke in his manners Lord shew vs the light of thy countenance that is indue vs with true knowledge of thy word and with a liâ—…ely faith in thy Sonne which is thine owne Image that so wee may seeke thy strength and see thy face euermore It is euident by the first of the Chronicles 16. Chap. That Dauid was authour of this Hymne and that it was indited for Asaph to be sung when the Lordes Arke was placed in the mids of the Tabernacle that Dauid had pitched for it and therefore most expositours interpret here Gods face to be Gods Arke by which hee declared his poweâ—… and presence fauour and goodnes toward his people So we read 2 Chron 6. 41. Psal. 63. 3. Psal. 78. 61. Psal. 132. 1. Arise O Lord into thy resting place thâ—… and the Arke of thy strength The like is sayd of Gods holy Temple that it was his house Esay 56. 7. His amiable dwelling place Psal. 84. 1 Yea the very chamber of his presence Psal. 95. 2. Let vs come before his presence with thankesgiuing And they who worshipped in the Courts of the Lord are sayd to stand and appeare before him as Deut. 16. 16. Three times in the yeere shall all