And as our Saviour Christs power was not so much magnified in curing one that was but a few daies sicke Ioh 5 8. as in curing him that was thirtie eight yeares diseased so the mercy of God is not so much magnified in curing a small sinner or a few sinnes as in curing of great sinners his goodnesse sheweth it selfe for when they haue so humbled themselues by returning vnto God by true repentance that with the Centurion they can send their friends that is their zealous and ful beleeuing prayers vnto Christ with this message Lord I am not worthy thou shouldst enter vnder my roofe but Luk 7. 6 7. speake the word and my sinnes will be cured or with Peter Lord depart from me a sinfull man then shall they finde Luk. 5. 8. their soules cured their sinnes pardoned Christ wil come to them in mercy Thus much concerning the false repentance with this short perswasion to withdrawe men from the same Now followeth the true repentance Wherin first let vs consider that there is no doctrine in the Church 2. The true repentance of God so necessary as the doctrine of repentance amēdmēt of life neither doth the holy ghost so much labour in all the Scripture as he doth to beate repentance into mens heads it was the only sermon which Iohn Baptist preached while hee prepared the way for Mat. 3. 2. Christ Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand This repentance is not defined altogether by this word poenitentia because as Divines saie it doth not comprehend totum terminum à quo ad quem from whom and to whom we must returne But this is the true Repentance which the latines interpret by this word Resipiscentia or Conuersio which is not only a changing of the minde but it is Recessus à malo a forsaking of euill accessus ad bonum and returning vnto that which is good reuertimini vsque ad me saith the Lord returne as far as vnto me we must returne vnto the Lord wee must returne vnto him alone for he is the truth and the fountaine of all goodnes For better proofe that true Repentance is a turning vnto God we may proue it by the Authority of the holy Scriptures plentiously where God commandes vs to returne vnto him O yee children of Israel saith he Esa 31. 6. turne againe from your infidelity wherein you drowned your selues Againe turne you turne you from your euill Ezech. 33. 11. waies for why will yee die O yee house of Israel And again Esa 55. 7. let the wicked for sake their evill waies and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercy vpon them for hee is mercifull very ready to forgiue Hosea exhorting the people vnto repentance saith Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord. And againe O Israell returne vnto the Lord Hos 6. 1. Hos 14. 2. Ier. 4. 1. Ezech. 18. 30 32. thy God for thou hast falne by thine iniquitie Likewise saith Ieremiah O Israell if thou returne returne vnto me As much saith Ezechiah returne vnto the Lord cause others to returne away from all their transgressions Therefore this returning vnto the Lord as a Father saith ought not to be done carelesly but Lavandum est cor poenitētiae lacrymis we must wash our harts in the troubled poole of Bethesda in the troubled teares of repentance having an inward sorrow of the minde wrought by the holy Ghost for the sins before committed against so good and gracious a God ioyned both with a perfect faith to be forgivē for Christ his sake and also with a full and determinate purpose from henceforth to amende and lead a new life Now beloued the holy scripture alleageth that true repentance hath two principall parts mortificatio vivificatio mortifying the old man the quickning of the new man mortificatiō cōtaineth first acknowledging of sin secondly a sorrow and griefe for sinne thirdly a flying and shunning of sin vivification which is the quickning of the new man cōprehendeth those things that are contrary to mortificatiō which is first acknowledging of Gods mercy the applying therof in Christ secondly a ioyfulnes thence arising thirdly an ardent or earnest endeavour to sinne no more we may adde vnto true repentance those 4. parts as afore said the first Contrition of the heart in the which wee ought for to be sorrowful for these three things first for the sin we haue committed secondly for the good we haue omitted thirdly for the good time wee haue lost so that we may plainely see that Contrition is a feare and sorrowfulnesse of conscience which perceiveth that God is angry with sin is sory that we haue sinned Now to speake more largely of it let vs knowe that contrition also comprehēdeth these two things first the knowledge of God requiring obedience and discommending disobedience and not remitting sin without a full and perfect satisfactiō either in respect of obedience it selfe or else in respect of punishment secondly the discussing or examining our own nature of our thoughts our wils our affections and al our actions and deeds according to the square and rule of Gods lawes in every point whereby we are lead and brought to the knowledge as wel of our filthines as also of our iust condemnation Therefore S. Paule willeth vs to examine our selues and call our soules to daily 2. Cor 13. 5. account thus did Sextius when the day was ended and the night come wherin he should take his rest he would aske his minde what evil hast thou healed this day what vice hast thou stood against in what part art thou bettered In the which examination if wee throughly cōsider we may easily finde that we offend God three manner of waies that is by the delight of the thought by the lapse of the tongue and by the pride of works those three are to be cured by three contrary remedies the delight of the thought by inward sorrow and contrition of the heart the lapse of the tongue by confession of the mouth in the examining of our selues and the pride of workes by our vpright liuing al these being rightly done shewe that we are in the way of true Repentance And thus much for the first part The second part of Repentance Secondly Repentance requireth also confession not Auricular but before God and craving of pardon in seeking and most earnest entreating the helpe merciful fauour of our Saviour Iesus Christ Now of this confession I haue already spoken of in the thirde motiue which doth declare the weaknes of our nature but to speake more largely of it Chrysostome saith that nothing pleaseth God more then Confession if it bee ioined with true contrition and that it is a part of humiliation and ever ioined with true repentaunce because they cannot be truely humbled repent who confesse not their sins vnto God neither wil he giue them pardon for God couers when men
his flesh but also in his Divinity that wee might be saued both in his godhead manhood togither for this cause was the whole enduring of al his basenes vilenes and humiliation of his taking vpon him our infirmities sin only excepted which brought vpon him the horrible wrath of God against sinne with griefes in hart in soule and body which he took suffered patiently only for the making amends vnto his Father for our sinnes the pacifying of Gods most wrathful iudgement against mankinde by this his offering himselfe a sufficient sacrifice or equall price answerable fully for the sins of the whole world To cōclude this his sacrifice caused the sweet streams of pure water of life to flow out of the cleare continuall springing fountaine of his mercies daily powred vpon mankinde comfortable to coole the heat of our thirsty tongues and as medicinable to cure the spreading malady of Adams fall which infected our soules with the leprosie of sin The Passion of Christ is threefold 1 Externall 2 Internall 3 Consisting of both First Externall being in the body members and parts thereof as the tearing rending of the vaines Secondly Internall as the sorrow and griefe working in the heart the great torment arising out of the feare of the tearing of the body and death and also the feeling of Gods wrath Thirdly that which consisteth of both is belonging to the body and soule and to the whole Christ God and man The iniurie afflicting slandering scoffing the crowne of thornes and other like torments concurring togither in his body pearcing as it were entring even vnto the Divinity which it selfe never suffered because it is vnchangeable and therefore impassible Touching his Diuinity it did alwaies support his humanity which Habacuck perceiving saith in his Hab. 3. 4. third Chapter thus ibi abseondita est fort it udo eius he had hornes comming out of his hands and that was the hiding of his power For as the Sun when it is covered with a clowde is hidden and yet it is not cleane spent and gone and that light which spreading all the world over illustrateth every thing with his cleare brightnesse is included in a small obstacle from vs even so was the Deity hid in that humanity which hee put on him and yet separated neither from body nor soule We read in Leviticus that the sacrifice that did purifie and cleanse from Leprosie was on this sort Levit. 14. they tooke two male Sparrowes being aliue one of them was killed and put into an earthen vessel hauing faire cleare running water the other Sparrow that was aliue his wings with Cedarwood and scarlet cloath with hyssop were dipped in the bloud of the slaine Sparrow which he that was diseased infected with the leprosie was sprinkled withall The slaine Sparrow signifieth the humanity of Christ put to death the Sparrow that was left aliue signifieth the Godhead of Christ which was impassible But yet for all this it was diversly violated and abused by the enemies thereof and as much as in themlay was hurt blasphemed and debased As when the high Priests accused Christ for saying that he was the son of God also whē they spat in his face and bad him prophesie tell who it was that stroke him and also they bowed themselues before him they smit him with their fists saying Haile king of the Iewes being mocked crowned with thornes overburthened and laden with bearing of his Crosse which they made him to cary nailed on the Crosse and being both with iests and scoffes gybed at in this wise if thou be the son of God come downe from the Crosse and saue thy selfe here now was the word even the son of God yea the whole Trinity moved both to a iust commiseration and a rightful indignation Howbeit wee must vnderstand that this Passion of Christ had not then his beginning when he was crucified But all his life time after his conception by the space of thirty yeares even vnto the punishment and paine of the Crosse to haue bin nothing else but a continual and full Passion misery satisfaction and sacrifice for our sins He was borne an infant and laid in the manger because there was no roome for them in the Inne but in the stable in cold want of all things Luk 2. 7. needfull wherevpon saith Gregory Christ came from heauē into a womans wombe frō a womans wombe into a cratch or manger frō the manger to the crosse from the crosse to the graue and from the graue hee went to heauen againe But to recite or speake more of his troubles what can I say but that which hath beene already spoken of by others in his infancie he fled from the tyranny of Herod and was caried into Egypt After his baptisme hee was oftentimes and diversly tempted by the space of two daies of Satan whom afterwards acknowledged and openly confessed Mar. 5. 7. him to bee the son of the most high God The princely Prophet David in the 110. Psalme speaking Psal 110. 7. of Christs afflictions and his passion through the which hee should enter into his glory vseth these words He shall drinke of the brook in the way The which for the diversitie of interpretations I am the more bolder to insert that among many the plainest truest signification might bee best knowne and allowed The lewes which alwaies fedde themselues with the vaine hope of the cōming of such a Messias as should be a certaine earthly civill and powerfull king doe very fondly apply this sentence vnto victories for thus they expound it Hee shall drinke of the brooke that is to say of the blood of them that are slaine as if the Prophet should say that the Messias as a mightie conquerour should performe so great a slaughter vpon his enimies that the bloud of the slaine should streame flowe like a brooke and that the whole armie as victorious and conquerours might drinke of the brooke in in the way as they are pursuing their enimies In the which forme and maner of speech they suppose it to be thus signified that Christ will bee satisfied with the bloud of his enimies But seeing the text in this place speaketh nothing of bloud neither can bloud bee thought a fit drinke for conquerours except it bee figuratiuely spokē as in the prophecie of Balaam where the drinking of bloud is referred vnto the Lyon neither is it spoken of the people of Israel but by a figure among the later writers Some think it a similitude taken from the circumstance of strong and valiant captaines who in their chase and pursuit of their enimies slacke nothing of their heat and fervency neither will be hindred with any care or desire of meate drinke sleepe or any other pleasure to the end they might the better follow and enforce the course and pursuite of the victorie but content and very well pleased to quench their thirst with water for their
the Passion of Christ is l say our extreame neede and miserie that being conceiued and borne in sin we are guilty of the wrath of God of bodyly and spirituall of outward and inward of temporal and eternal punishment subiect to dayly and howrely perils and dangers environed with enimies the Divel the flesh and the world the world doth allure vs the flesh deceiue vs and the Diuell seduce vs. Here now our only comfort and safest refuge is the Passion of Christ in whom by whom we haue al things wherefore marke I pray you if thou desire to be cured of thy forenamed miseries he is thy Physition if Ier. 33. 16. Isa 42. 6. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ps 24. 8. Eccl. 23. 4. Ioh. 1. 9. Ioh. 14. 6. thou be grieued with the burthen of thy sin he is thy righteousnesse if thou lacke helpe he is strength if thou feare death he is thy life if thou be in darkness he is thy light if thou wilt go into heauen he is thy way if thou seekest meate he is thy nourishment hee hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes that is our punishment due for Esa 53. 4. our sins for the which he hath made satisfaction for vs. He hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs for he hath put out the handwriting Gal. 3. 13. that was against vs contained in the law which was contrary to vs even he tooke it out of the way fastned it Col. 2. 14. vpō the Crosse hath spoiled the principalities powers and hath made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in the same Crosse And as the people which in the wildernesse were stung with the fiery Serpent and so inflamed with the heate thereof that they stood in danger of death yet looking vpon the brazen Serpent set vp Num. 21. 69. Ioh. 3. 14 4. King 18. 4. by Moses vpon the pole were healed and recovered their strength Euen so whosoeuer lifteth vp his heart by faith vnto the woūds of Christ shal not feel his own because the bloud of Iesus Christ hath cleansed vs from all 1. Ioh. 1. 7. 2. Cor. 5. 15. Rev. 17. our sin yea he hath so loued vs that hee hath washed vs frō our sins in his bloud What shal I more say if thou seek for cleansing thy selfe from thy sinns it is in his bloud Heb. 11. 32. if thou seeke for newnesse of life it is in his resurrection 1. Ioh. 1. 7. if thou seeke for reliefe of thy curse it is in his crosse if thou seeke for reconciliation it is in his going downe Apoc. 15. Gal. 3. 13. into hell if thou seeke for mortification of the flesh it is in his buriall if thou seeke for thine inheritance of Zach. 9. 11. Ioh. 19. 40. Rom. 8. 33. 34. the kingdome of heauen it is in his very entrance into heauen finally sith the treasures of al good things proceede from him let vs not seeke them at the hands of the blessed Virgin Mary nor of Paule nor yet of Peter nether of any other Saint whatsoever but only at the hands of our Saviour Iesus Christ who suffered his death on the Crosse for vs in whō we may assure our selues that what paines torments or death soeuer he suffered it was for our redemption which were dead in our sins before that all his righteousnes through faith is made our righteousnes for he himselfe alone hath fully discharged by his death the debt which all we owed and hath made vs by his passionate obedience Gal. 3 26. Gal. 4 7. the sonnes of God and fellow heires with him of eternall life Oh therefore let vs not forget so great an inheritance but take an example of those in the Desert who hauing but a glimmering of light being purblinde as it were halfe sighted yet if they could with their little sight perceiue and behold the Serpent which was a type and figure of Christ they were all cured Even Num. 21. 9. so let not thy forenamed miseries dismay thee for if thou haue but a little faith if it were but as much as a graine of mustard seede thou shalt by looking vp with the eies of thy minde vnto the Passion of Christ be most ioyfully comforted and relieved Oh! da aman tem saith S. Augustine speaking of this matter et sentit Augustine quod dico sin autem frigido loquor nescit quid loquor giue me a man that is in loue with God and he feeleth this to be true which I say but if I talke to a cold christian he knoweth not what I say Againe S. Augustine speaking of himselfe Turbabor saith he sed non perturbabor I shal be troubled but not overcome because I Augustine wil dayly thinke vpon and call to minde the woundes of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ There is a threefold comfort against the temptation of the Diuel the flesh and the world which daily laboureth to attempt trap cause and procure vs to sin that we may forget our duty and remembrance which we ought to haue on the Passion of Christ. Our first cōfort is in this that we haue not sinned against thē but they haue offended against vs seeing that which we doe we doe it rather through the instinct of them therfore tempt accuse and condemne vs too they cannot Therefore David saith tibi soli peccavt to thee O Lord haue I sinned and done this evill Ps 51. 4. in thy sight Secondly that I hide not but confesse all these things whereof I am accused yea I doe accuse mine owne selfe and say Tibi Domine iustitia nobis cōfusio facie i To thee O Lord God belongeth mercy forgiuenesse and vnto vs good Lord shame and confusion And as the Begger in the high waies sheweth and layeth open all his soares to the passers by that they may haue the more compassion on him so O Lord I confesse all my faults vnto thee and say with the Prophet Dauid Turne thy face away frō Ps 51. 9. all my sinnes O Lord and blot out all mine offences I am the wounded man Blessed Samaritan helpe me I am the Luk. 10. 30. Luk 15. 19. wandring child that is not worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy meanest servants I am the lost sheep Mat. 10. 6. O seeke and saue me The Ostridge as Historiographers write will hide her head in her fethers thinking her selfe safe enough as long as she seeth no body And man supposeth all well enough so long as his grosse grievous sinnes are not laid open to the view of the world as though hee feared the sight of man which can but punish the body more then the sight and wroth of God which can destroy both body and soule There is no hill so high but a man may climbe to the top no iourney so long but may be gone
in time no sea so deepe but may be sounded with line lead nothing so hid but in time may be revealed N am verit as est filia temporis time is the mother of truth all only the heart of man excepted which indeed is so secret vnto it selfe that in seaven yeares one man cānot knowe anothers mind But what thought shall not he that made the eie see and shall not he that made the heart vnderstand and accordingly reward that which Ps 93. 9. is closely spoken and secretly conceaued yes verily for he is Scrutator cordis a searcher of the heart reines And therefore vnto thee O thou God Omniscient to whō al harts be open and to whom no secrets are hid do I come confessing my sins most humbly do beg at thy hands according to the multitude of thy mercies Ps 51. 1. to doe away mine offences and giue me an hart to thinke on thee a Prov. 2. 1. a mind that may loue thee b Mark 12 30 a soule that may remember thee c Deut. 9 6 7. and a reason that may alwaies stick fast vnto thee d Mat. 10. 37. 38. Iohn 29. Thirdly wee are comforted in this that the son of God taketh away the sinnes of the world is become our propitiation for our sinnes Now our comfort against Ioh. 16. the world death is set downe in these words Yee shall weepe and the world shall reioyce and yee shall sorrow and your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Boldly therefore doe we thus shake off the world and flie from it Gen. 39. 12. as Ioseph casting off his cloake ran away from his mistris saie O world thou hast done enough with me already Oh leaue me now take thy pleasure of some other as the Divels did the possessed entred the swine Mat. 8. 22. for I desire to be dissolued bee with Christ into whose hands I commend my spirit sweet Iesus receaue my soule And crie with David Lord remēber thy servant in all his troubles with the Publican God be mercifull vnto me a sinner and with the woman of Canaan Iesus Luk. 18. 1◠thou sonne of David haue mercy vpon me O Iesu of Nazareth a Mat. 26. 71. Mat. 1. 24. O fountaine of mercy b Mar. 10 24. remember my spirit c Act. 7. 59. O my life take my soule d Ioh. 14. 6. enter thereinto O my ioy that it alway may ioy in thee e Psal 4. 4. for thou hast redeemed me O God faithfull and true so that I am perswaded that neither Rom. 8 38. 39 death nor life Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creatures shall bee able to separate mee from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Concerning the comfort that is against the feare of the latter iudgement our Saviour Christ saith hee Iohn that beleeueth in me shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life they that haue an eie vnto him shall be lightned and their faces shall not be ashamed a Ps 34. 5. Whither then shall I flie but vnto thee which art my Creatour b Col. 1. 16. 17 my redeemer c Gal. 3. 13. my father d Mal. 2. 10. Heb. 12 9. Mat. 23. 9. my brother e Mat. 12. 50. who art set on the right hand of the throne of God f Heb. 12. 2. to be my God g Psal 63 1 Heb 11. 16. my iudge h Ioh 5 22 23 Act. 10 42. Mat. 16. 27. Apoc. 12. my defender my physitian mine all and only Saviour True it is that there was a great battaile in heauen as we read in Apoc. 12. betweene two mightie armies yea and such a battaile as before the birth of the woman there mentioned was never seen or heard of between Michael his Angels with the Dragon For whē as all sinners through Adam were held guiltie by Gods iudgement vnto this huge and mightie masse of mans miseries fell out another no lesse grievous evē a most bitter accuser in heaven the old Serpent who attempted the Lords Saints with a continuall accusation before the tribunall seat of the great iudge whereby it came to passe that none being found to take our matter in hand to plead for vs to defend our miserable case against the complaints of our accuser how could it otherwise be but that this armed and strong enimie must needs still keepe his hold and that in peace so long as there was none to resist him or to stand vp against him in the defence of the poore Saints Insomuch as the invincible power of this cruell accuser could by no power or force of man or Angel bee resisted or any thing weakned vntill the foresaid womā cloathed with the Sunne and the starres the moon vnder her feet brought forth a man child Now lo a certaine new strength courage boldnesse possessed the Saints of God and Angels in heaven wherewith the holy ones of God being strengthned with Michael that is Christ enter battaile with the Divell whom as a vanquished vassall they thrust and tumbled out of heaven and so freed the holy servants of God though charged with a multitude of sinnes of all and every accusation intimated by their bloody adversarie against them But how did they effect this victorie how I pray you came it so to passe not by our owne power or merits but onely by the blood of the lambe in whom and for whom all things are appeased the hād writing of the law which was against vs put out the power of the enimie abated Col 2. 14. Heb. 2. 14 15. 2. Cor. 5. 15. Ioh 5. 22. Gal 3. 13. the head of that hellish Serpent broken the sinnes of all beleevers in Christ are forgiven and all power of iudgement is given vp into his hands who is not only our iudge but our redeemer not only a revenger of our sinnes but also a sacrificer for our sinnes What felicitie then can bee wished greater then this what comfort and consolation more full and cōplete then this that the Saints of God be now so conversant in heaven as they stand not in feare of any thing and so thinke of the terrible iudgement of God as they need not feare the perill and daunger of damnation for what danger is there now when as Sathan being with all his Angels quite overthrowne there is Apoc. 12. 9. none any longer left to cōdemne thee where there is no accuser there is no crime produced for the iudge Rom. 4. 15. to condemne for Eius quod non est non est poena peccatum remissum non est Ergo peccati remissi non est poena that which is not hath no punishment forgiven sins are not Ergo forgiven sinnes haue no punishment as S. Paul saith
6. For to instruct them in his word f Act. 3. 34. Act. 1. 5. Act. 4. 31. Eph 4. 11 12 13 That we thereby might liue for ere g Act. 1. 9. 10. So he returnd to heaven againe h Act. 17. 31. There to remaine till day of doome i 1. Thess 4. 17 Then we must all to him appeale k 2. Cor. 5. 10. Yeelding account when he doth come l. The second point contained in the fourth Motiue THe second part is the greatnes of Gods wrathful anger conceived against our sins wherein let vs consider that God is a iudge not such as our own vnderstanding doth imagine him to be but such a one as he is painted out in the holy Scriptures with whose brightnesse the stars are darkned by whose strength the hils do melt away by whose wrath the earth is shaken by Ps 28. 12. Psal 18 7. Apoc. 6. 14. Heb 12 26. Iob. 9. 6. whose wisdome the wise are takē in their subtilty by whose purenes all things proue vnpure whose righteousnesse the Angels are not able to beare whose wrathfull vengeance if it be but once kindled presseth downe to the bottome of hel For it is not Adramelech nor Anamelech Ashima nor Ashteroth Baalim nor Chemosh Dagon nor Milchom 2 King 17. 30 31. 2 King 23. 13. Moloch nor Nergal Sucat beneth nor Tartacke nor any of the Idolatrous Gods of the superstitious Gentils whom we haue offended and provoked vnto Anger but it is the Maiestie of the great and angry God Iehovah the Lord of Hosts whose burning wrath wee haue so often kindled and increased The which anger of this wrathful God was so great that neither man nor any creature in heauen or earth could pacifie nay though al Angels and men were ioined togither yet they could not appease it much lesse take it cleane away therefore it is written God is a consuming fire and Deut. 4. 24. a iealous God For the appeasing therefore of Gods anger there was need of God himselfe his mercy his counsel and helpe that is to say the deprecation and intercession of the son of God and not this only but also his Incarnation Passion Death the Father spared not his only begotten Son his only Innocent his best beloued Son Thirdly the greatnes of sin and the deformity of The 3 matter 〈◊〉 point contained in the fourth cause mans whole nature in the sight of God There is no sin so smal that hath not cast the son of God into a sea of miseries The which sinn that it may the better appeare in his likenesse wee wil so Anatomize it as both by definitions and descriptions those ougly and loathsome Serpents shal be plainely laid open so wel as we can It is written of the spotted Panther a party coloured beast whose fur being dressed is worne of great personages that his hinder parts are so faire pleasant that what with the beautifulnes of his colour the sweetnes of his sent al the Beasts of the forest doe run and follow after him whom when he hath gottē into a place of advantage he turneth his ougly fear ful face vpon them and devoureth them Even so the cursed bait of sin with his faire faced shews of his plesantnesse and sweetnesse of his alluring entisements turnes and drawes men after him which at first some smal sparke of Gods grace within them will cause mē to blush at and to be ashamed to haue knowne what they do although the entisement of the Divel doe allure and embolden them to do it yet they wil vse all cloakes colours that possible they can to hide their wickednes from the sight of the world having little or no care if God see them but at the last they growe bold and by the sweete and pleasant baites of their diabolical practises become impudent even to saie what care we And why certainely because this is the course of sin in Gods iudgment that it shal so benūbe and harden the harts wherein it is suffered so seare vp the conscience conceipt in time that there shal be no shame left but such a thicke vizard pulled ouer their faces that they cannot blush at any thing either to say or do it then in the end wil their sinne turne to a loathsome detestable and ougly deformed lookes vpon them and destroy them and crie in the eares of the Lord for revenge with such an alarme that God can turne no way but they wil follow him Thus sin causeth the children of vnbeliefe a Eph. 2. 2. so to dandle in the lap of folly b Eccl 10. 10 that they neuer feare the fal of future inconveniences c Iudg 8. 27. Mat. 25. 12. vntil they be served with the writ of present penance d Luk. 12. 19 46. it blindeth the clearnesse bright sight of many which in their owne conceipts do seeme to be wise e Rom. 1. 22. Ier. 5. 22. and separates them from God f Esa 59. 2. peruerteth many carelesse men g Ier. 15. 6. Eccl. 10. 13. Wherfore marke I pray you Whō Satan can divert from the milke of Gods word a 1. Pet. 2. 2. he politikely plotteth against with the doctrine of vanity b Ier. 10. 8. whom he can frustrate frō the rocke of Religion c 1. Cor. 10. 4 he vniteth vnto the God of Ekron d 2. Kin 1. 2. whom hee can divorce from the sweet spowse of Christ e Rev. 21. 9. he deflowreth them with the foule whore of Babylon f Rev. 17. 3. What then Oh then sinne commeth ten thousand times more ougly fashioned and deformed then the aforenamed Panther a Iob 40. 20. Rev. 12 34. bringeth with him his damned spirits b Mat. 25. 41. Luk 13. 27. his howling helhounds c Ps 22. 16. Reu. 22. 15. roaring Lyons d 1. Pet 5. 8. Ps 35. 17. prepared ready for their prey e Rev. 12. 4. You may define sinne thus It is an effect or inclination or an action striving with the law of God making the sinner guiltie of eternall punishment vnlesse there bee a remission ofsinnes through the Son of God our mediatour This is as Schoolemen say peccati genuina definitio the proper peculiar naturall definition of sinne for the Genus or generall word being as Cicero saith notio adplures differentias pertinens a generall voice comprehending sundry particular kinds is peccatum sinne the difference of sinne is the striving with the law of God The proprium or propertie of Sin is the making of a sinner guiltie of the eternal anger and wrath of God The accident of sinne is in these words nisi fiat remissio propter satisfactionē filij dei vnlesse there be forgiuenesse through the satisfactiō of the son of God Some say that sin is the missing or declining as it were frō a certaine marke which wee constantly
a hunger-starved Lyon stil seeketh whom he may devour Lastly sinne is an evill in that it corrupteth and an infirmity that infecteth the whole world It is like a tertian 1. Iohn 2. feaver because whatsoeuer is in the worlde is either the lust of the flesh or of the eies or pride of life Secondly it is like a quartane Ague for his 4. degrees 1. cordis 2. oris 3. operis 4. consuetudinis Thirdly Sin is like a quotidian feaver being continually and that by the meanes of the sin of pride which is euery where Sin is like a gout in the feet by the meanes of sluggishnes and idlenesse when we should go about any good workes we lacke both hands and feet but the gowt makes vs feele and confesse that we haue both It resembles the Palsey by meanes of anger which makes a man often shake through the vehemēcy thereof It is like the Dropsie through insatiable desire of hauing like a leprosie by the means of luxuriousnes Musculus in his cōmon places hath exquisitely opened vnto vs the true Anatomy of Sin drawn out of the first Chapter of S. Iames where wee reade that every man is tempted drawne and entised of his owne concupiscence afterward when concupiscence hath cōceiued it bringeth forth sin then sin perfected bringeth forth death Herein is declared how sin beginneth in vs encreaseth is perfected There is in vs a corrupt poisoned strength of concupiscence readily giuen vnto al kinde of evil whereof is bred al kinde of sin in this sort First there creepe into our harts temptations whereof Suggestion are innumerable sorts of kindes one mā through covetousnes honoureth gold as his God another through ambition is tempted with pride an other through lasciviousnes is become effeminate haunteth after the flesh as carelesly as an Oxe goeth to the slaughter or a foole to the stoekes for correction another Prov. 7. 22. hath his thoughts environed with furiousnesse and wrath an other to gluttony and surfetting an other to drunkennesse swearing backbiting and such like Now the temptation creepeth into vs by suggestion either of Satan as it chanced vnto Iudas and Ananias or of our remembrance or of the sense of the body which is by sight hearing smelling tasting or touching After that Temptation is infected with a certaine Delectation delight as it were a sawce to feed draw vnto it the Gen. 3. 6. minde of man So Evah was allured with the beauty and delight of the forbidden Apple The children of the strong were allured with the Gen. 6. 2. Mat. 26. 14 15 Mar. 14. 10 11 Luk. 22. 5. Zach. 11. 12. 3. Consent daughters of men Iudas with the sweetnes of gaine and so forth Afterward followeth a consent to sin lo here is a conceiving of sinne done as it were in the wombe of concupiscence which vpon every light occasion concupiscence the vnhappy mother of sinne 4 Perfection bringeth forth whiles that the sin which is conceived within by consenting to temptation is in worke perfected abroad But although the worke come not out yet neuerthelesse the sin is perfected before God which by consent is conceiued in the hart wherof we may see Mat. 5. He that seeth a woman and lusteth after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Mat. 5. 28. Therefore seeing the beginning of sin the proceeding is of this sort a vertuous man and hee that feareth God must haue a speciall care and regard to mark diligently all the thoughts of his heart and suggestiōs of sinne either bred within or slyly slipping in from without and as he findeth them so presently to overthrowe them and cast them away for man hath before Ier. 21. 8. Eccl. 15. 17. him life and death good and evill and so what hee liketh shall bee giuen him therefore hee ought to abandon sinne and to delight in the waies of God and he will giue him his hearts desire yea hee will helpe him and Ps 37. 8. Eccl. 2. 6. order his waies aright if hee wil carefully watch pray that God may take away his sinnes from him that hee may enioy eternall life Fourthly of the infinite and vnspeakable mercy of The fourth matter contained in the fourth cause God towards vs most miserable sinners The quantity of mercy is not strange it droppeth as the gentle dew from heaven vpon the place beneath it is twise blest it blesseth him that giues him that takes it is mightiest in the mightiest it becomes the throne of Monarchie better then his crowne his Scepter shewes the force of temporall power the attribute to awe maiestie wherein doth sit the dread feare of kings but mercy is aboue the Scepters sway it is inthroned in the hearts of kings it is an attribute to God himselfe and earthly powers do then shew most like to Gods when mercy reacheth iustice Thus may wee speake in some part and measure of mercy that should somewhat lodge in the heartes of men authorised But not deliver a full and cleere discourse of the infinite ineffable and incomprehensible compassionate and provident God towardes vs most miserable and wretched sinners God commends his mercy towards vs that when we were sinners Christ died for vs much more now being iustified in his Rom. 5. 8. bloud shall we bee free from wrath through him for wherefore was it that he had experience of evil wherfore was he abased wherfore did he beare our sins vpon his body was truely brokē for our transgressions but that in his feeling of our sorrowes we might the more sensibly see what was all his loue and mercy towards vs. God humbled himselfe vnto a low degree that he might exalt vs that are truely humbled Wee must suffer with him that wee may come vnto him in his glory without him wee are borne in anger in him we are reconciled through many afflictions Therefore our Saviour Christ in his last testament did commend vnto his Father his spirit to the Iewes his body to the good theefe Paradise to the vnrepenting sinner hell to the Apostles his Gospell and to the faithfull afflictiō for their triall He that liketh not through these afflictions to goe vnto glory may lie downe againe in his shame where Christ did finde him and make the world witnesse of his vnspeakable folly and hee that will murmure against these afflictions in this way of life which are none other then Christ did suffer a thousandfold more then hee hath left for vs let him leaue his redeemer dwell againe in the bondage of death that the Angels may be witnesses of an vnthankfull wretch So awake therefore thou that sleepest that thou maist well imbrace and apply this mercy of God vnto thy selfe by thy repentance and amendment of life God saith Nazianzē is delighted with nothing so much as the recovery and amendment of man Paule saith that God would haue all men to be saved
with a great price therefore glorifie God in your bodies in your spirits which are Gods God hath powred into vs the holy spirit yea and that plētiously The fift is our victory against sin the devill and the world Be of good comfort I haue overcome the world and Ioh. 16. 33. haue abolished death sinne and the Devill The sixt is saluation and life eternal for if we beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen even so them which sleepe in 1. Thess 4. 14. Tit. 3. Ioh. 14. 1. Tim. 3. Iesus will God bring againe vnto life through Iesus Christ we are made righteous and heires of eternall life God sent his son into the world that through him we may haue life everlasting Christ came into the world to saue sinners hee Luk. 19. 10. came into the world to saue them which were lost and not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Therefore Mat. 9. 13. every spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God 1. Ioh. 4. 2 3. The seauenth is A compendious Epitome and Catalogue of the benefits which a Christiā enioieth by the death Crosse and Passion of Christ Through Adams fall thou hast transgressed the whole law By Christs passion death resurrection thou hast fulfilled it Through Adam thou art before God a vile and loathsome sinner through Christ thou appearest glorious in his sight By Adam every little crosse is the punishment of thy sin a token of Gods wrath By Christ the great crosses are easie profitable and tokens of Gods mercy By Adam thou art dead by Christ thou art quickned and made aliue againe By Adam thou art a slaue of the divel and the childe of wrath By Christ thou art the childe of God In Adā thou art worse then a Toad and more detestable before God But by Christ thou art aboue the Angels for thou art ioined vnto him made bone of his bone mystically Through Adam sin and Satan haue rule in thee lead thee captiue By Christ the spirit of God dwelleth in thee plentiously by Adam came death vnto thee and it is an entrance into hell by Christ though death remaine yet it is the only passage vnto life Lastly in Adam thou art poore blind miserable But in Christ thou art rich and glorious thou art king on earth and fellow heire with him in heaven And as sure to be ioint heire and partaker of all the ioyes that heaven containeth as hee is now Adam when hee must needs tast of the fruits that God had forbid him hee made vs all to rue it even vntill this day but here thou seest the fruits that growe not in the earthly Paradise Rev. 22. but in the tree of life which is in the heavenly Ierusalem Now therefore feare no danger be bold in Christ to eate of the fruit as God hath commanded thee it will quicken and reviue thee being dead thou canst do Satan no worse displeasure then to feed on the godly fruit of this Tree and to smell on the sweete leaues which it beareth continually that giue such a refreshing savour THE SECOND PART With what minde we should come vnto the meditation of the passion THE second part vnto the things which we haue already spoken of being well considered followeth that wee bring with vs a true penitent minde the practise and exercise whereof consisteth in these foure points of repentance following 1 Contrition of the heart 2 Vnfayned confession 3 A beleeuing and full confidence setled in the passion of Christ 4 The fruits of faith But first we will speake of repentance To the ende We may instruct our present age with what mind they should come vnto the meditation of the passion is first the contrition of the heart by the nature of Repentance which for the most part little vnderstandeth the doctrine and lesse practiseth the dutie wherefore first we must shew what repentance is Repentance is the constant turning of man in his whole life from all sinnes vnto God which must bee done so directly that he must hate and detest his former evill life purposing to become a new man that God may make him a new heart and a new spirit not Ecles 18. 31. in substance nor quantitie but in qualitie arising from a true and liuely faith with a full perswasion of Gods mercies by the merits of Christ for the forgiuenes of his sinnes But first let vs consider that there bee two 2. Repentāces kindes of Repentance the one a true repentance vnto life the other a false repentance vnto death and example we may haue by Iudas who is said to haue repented 1. The false and which is more to haue confessed his fault which is most of all to haue made restitution and yet it was a false repentance because it sprang not of a true faith but rather of the feare of death which hee saw imminent before his eies of the griefe tediousnese of paine of the horrour of hel and feare of Gods invincible punishment which he knew he must needs abide because he betraied the innocent blood Cain repented yet he was condemned Esau repented yet hee was condemned Antiochus also did repent yet he is condēned because their prolonged repentance sprang not of faith S. Paul saith without faith it is impossible to please God and without faith there can be no true repētance Heb. 11. 6. Thus many Iudasses and desparing wretches wil say whē a minister or preacher goes about to perswade them to amend their liues and returne vnto God by repentance in shewing them that God is more mercifull then man can be sinfull if man will be sorrowfull this or such like answere You say well indeed God is mercifull but alas I am so vnworthy of my selfe and finde so many imperfections in me that I am not worthy of the mercie of God and therefore I cannot expect it Oh marke I beseech you this common obiection is altogether without faith and it riseth not from humilitie but from the pride of the heart and thereby it maketh many carelesse men to distrust in God the reason is because they would not bee beholding vnto God for his mercy but would rather seeme to haue God to be beholding vnto them for their worthinesse But if they would haue God to haue the glory as most of right they should they must not stand vpon their owne infirmities for the more vnworthy they are in their owne sight if they truely repent and be hartily sory for their sinnes with a full purpose to continue in newnesse of life the more worthy will they bee in the sight of God the more acceptable because gods glory is then most magnified who can make their sins Esa 1. 18. if they were as red as crimson to bee as white as snow c.
vncouer acknowledge he iustifieth when men condemne he pardons when men accuse themselues And if any mā plead vnto God non est factum and deny his deeds and debts of sin there is no reason why hee shoulde haue the acquittance of grace Therefore saith Solomon He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but hee that confesseth Prov. 28. 13. for saketh them shall haue mercy Thus Dauid confesseth his sins vnto God and saith Against thee O Lord haue I sinned and done this evill in thy sight beholde I Psal 51. 4 5. was borne in sin and in iniquity hath my mother conceived me And in another place I said I will cōfesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgavest me the punishment of my sins This confession as S. Augustine Ps 32. 5. saith if it be ioined with true contrition of the hart openeth the gates of heaven and stoppeth the gates of hel he addeth farther and saith it is an expeller of vices a restorer of vertue an impugner of wicked spirits and an impediment of the Divell And S. Ambrose saith when the confession of the mouth proceedeth from the hart by true repentāce then the vēgance of God ceaseth to pursue the penitent person for if God heareth a sinner saith he in true cōtritiō of the heart vtter but this one word peccaui I haue sinned hee is in a maner so charmed with it that he hath no more power ouer himselfe cānot choose but grant pardon remission yea his mercies are so great vnto penitent sinners that he saith Before they cal I wil answere and while they speake I will heare The Pelican Esa 65. 24. was never more willing to pecke out her owne heart bloud to feed her yoūg nor the nurse to giue her brest vnto the childe then our Savior Christ is to giue pardon vnto those that truely cōfesse their sins vnto him Oh therefore beloued seeing God is thus mercifull let vs remember our owne estate in time and liue no longer like slaues vnto sin but confesse our sins vnto God either with David who cried vnto him in the bitternesse of his heart saying O Lord haue mercy vpon me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee or with the Ps 41 4. prodigal son let vs in our confession cry vnto God as he did vnto his Father saying O Father I haue sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to Luk. 15. 18 19 be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants or els with Manasses king of Iuda who in his penitent praiers bowed the very knees of his hart before God crying I haue sinned O Lord I haue sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea but I humbly beseech thee to forgiue me and destroy me not with my transgressions which in so doing we shal surely finde the Lord to be mercifull And thus much concerning the second part of repentance The third part of Repentance Thirdly faith which is the ground of repentaunce it causeth men to hate sin without hatred of sin there can neuer be any true repentance Now hatred of sin riseth from sanctification for the vnsanctified man may leaue sin but not hate it as sin it is holinesse that hateth iniquitie Now there can be no sanctification without iustification and this cannot be without faith for faith cōprehendeth iustification that is absolution from our sins or the forgiuenesse of our sins an accepting receiving vs into eternal life freely for Christ his sake the adopting vs into sons imputation of the righteousnes not for any works of mē either past present or euer shal be but for the merits and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ alone Againe the inward or instrumentall cause of repētance is faith which may bee called the mother of repentance which bringeth it forth as the word is the begetter and so may haue the name of a father for he that is without faith though hee hath a name to liue yet is he dead for the iust shall liue by faith no life then without faith and no repentance without life Hab. 2. 4. The fourth part of repentance is the fruits of faith holinesse and righteousnesse of life towards God and our neighbours thanksgiving prayer zeale and other workes of Christian charitie Now seeing the fruites of repentance bringeth forth zeale where there is little zeale there is little repentance and where no zeale there is no repentance for hee that repenteth truely the fruits of his faith will make him sorry when he cānot further Gods glory as much as he would if he cānot enioy his word if he see God dishonoured false worship established hee will pine and grieue and fall away as it is written The zeale of thine house hath eaten me Ps 69. 9. 1. King 19. 10. Elias saith I haue beene very zealous for the house of the Lord it is said hee was so striken with sorrow that he was ready to die because hee saw not the glory of God goe forwards so that where there is true zeale in their repentance there also the fruits of their faith bringeth forth this affection of sorrow and mourning declaring thereby the zeale that the faithfull can offer vnto God for their sinnes The third part viz. How manifold is the meditation of the passion of Christ The meditation of the passion is fourefold 1. Literall or historicall 2. Spirituall which is proper to the beleeuers 3. Exemplariall 4. Allegoricall WE must vse our selues to the olde and accustomed words for our instruction sake seeing that wee haue none other the Literall meditation is the knowledge of the reading the hearing the thinking of and the reciting of the Historie of the Passion as it is preached or written printed or painted so it be without any superstition So as the desire and study of learning and practising of Repentance and amendment of our sinfull liues with confirming of our faith may thereby bee the better stirred vp and kindled in our hearts This meditation therefore is not to be despised For the cogitating or thinking of the history is a beginning of the ardent and earnest motions wherewith God indeed is well pleased As it is written faith commeth by hearing hearing by the word of God herevnto pertaineth many godly sermons bookes prose or verse treating of the Passion of Christ all which without superstition ought godly to be vsed and continued There are many things in the reading of this history to be thought vpon as what the Passion is what bee the causes in this passion what is the difference between the passion of Christ and the passion of other Saints of God how it is to be applied and what fruits may follow the applying of the passion But because these cannot be done without the spirituall meditation we will speake first thereof The spirituall meditation thereof is this first truely to tremble and feare at the
knowledge of sinne and of Gods anger and wrath powred out vpon the sonne of God then to be illuminated with a new light cleernesse and to reioice and settle it sure in faith that Gods anger is pacified by his sonne and for his sake that our sinnes be forgiven vs and everlasting life restored vnto vs whereby wee may repose our whole confidence in God being fully and assuredly resolved that remission of our sinnes everlasting righteousnesse and life is given Heb. 2. 4. Eph 2 7 8 9. Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 3. 24. 25. Act. 10. 43. Rom. 1. 17. 1. Ioh. 3. 36. 1. Cor. 1. 30. 1. Cor. 2. 2. 1. Ioh. 5. 10. not to others only but to vs also and that freely through the mercy of God for the merits of Christ alone by whom we are made righteous before God and heires of eternall life because our only satisfaction and holinesse of Christ is our righteousnesse before God and we cannot apply it vnto our selues any other way then by faith In this meditation a godly mind seeth rightly considereth what the Passion is for what the Passion of Christ is these wordes in the 27 of Matthews Gospell v. 46. doe very evidently declare viz. Iesus cryed with a lowd voice saying Eli Eli lamasabachthani my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Obserue the manner how Iesus delivered these words viz. crying out that with a lowd voice for even as a vapour drawne vp by the vertue of the Sun and Starres ascending vp into the middle region through the heat that is in it and the cold compassing it breaketh out into a violent stroke and a vehement noise which causeth the thunder even so Christ through the extremitie that his humanitie suffered for our sinnes was driven to break out into this thundering voice and cry alowd Quare dereliquisti me why hast thou forsaken me God indeed had forsaken him vntill his anger was pacified and his wrath appeased Notwithstanding that hee feeleth himselfe as it were wounded with Gods wrath and forsaken for our sins yet he ceaseth not to put his confidence in God and call vpon him Which is written to teach vs in all affliction to trust still in God be the assaults never so grievous to the flesh And yet this lowd crying noyse was not of the feare of death for should not hee that saveth all men be able to saue himselfe Neither feare of his enimies nor paines of his torments as commonly it fareth with men who suffer many torments at the hands of their enimies without giving any knowledg or note vnto their adversaries of their paine sorrow or griefe for so might he as well as any haue borne it out with silence Saul sheathed his sword in his owne bowels Sampson brought death vpō his own head rather thē the Philistines should triumph over him But it was our sinnes and the heavy burthen thereof the waight whereof none else could ever haue borne which this deepely tormented Christ did vndergoe Through the which our sinnes iniquities God was so highly displeased that they being laid vpon his sons shoulders made him to cry out with a lowd voice about the ninth houre of the day saying O my God my God why hast thou for saken me Oh therefore I beseech you let the horrour of it be fresh in our memories the meditation imprinted in our thoughts so that our hands may tremble and shake for feare and our whol bodies quiver and quake with terrour of it when any evill imagination is hatched in our hearts or any wicked deed should be acted with our hands that we may be terrified from nourishing sin within our bosome that laid so heavie a burthen and so mightie a Crosse vpon our sweet crucified Iesus to make him cry with so lowd a voice Oh what envie had robbed the hearts of the Iewes and dispoiled all their sences of common humanitie yea what infernall phrensey what Tyrannous impietie what execrable Tyranny can bee compared to this Iewish crueltie that they could finde no remorse of pittie to bestow one mite of mercy to help ease the intollerable paines of our grievous Saviour when he cryed with so lowd and pittiful voice saying O my God my God why hast thou for saken me a Mat 27. 46. whose bloody sweat came trickling downe to the ground b Luk. 22. 44. yet notwithstanding their eies were more hard then a rocke that they could not yeeld one teare of pittie hearts more vnapt then Adamant to relent with any tender compassion when they saw so wofull dolefull a spectacle which was forcible enough to haue drawne streames of teares out of the driest eie that ever was in the head of man and to haue incited a multitude of heavie and sorrowfull groans out of the hardest hart that ever God made Oh! was there ever crueltie like vnto this that they should bee attempting spitting smiting and mocking the sonne of God put the crown of thornes on his head nayle him to the Crosse and when he was a thirst to giue him vineger to drinke and crucifie him So that now I say what the Passion of Christ is these words do plainely teach vs viz O my God my Mat. 27. 48. God why hast thou for saken me My soule is thirsty even Mat 26. 38. vnto death these many other examples may shewe vs the Crosse of Christ The first by diet when he fasted Mat. 4. 2. Mat. 26. 26. forty daies and forty nights the second by Electuarie when hee gaue his most precious body and bloud in his last supper the third by sweat at his agony in the garden the Luk. 22. 44. Mat. 27. 30. fourth by plaister when his face was spitted vpon by the Iewes the fift by potion when he tasted vineger mixed Ioh. 19. 29. with gall the sixt by letting bloud when his hands and feet were pearced yea when his hart vaine was striken Ioh. 19. 34. his sides goared with a speare But this one thing more note that no man could take his life from him but he laid Iohn 10. 18. Act. 2. 24. 1. Ioh 1. 2. 1. Ioh 4 9. Ioh. 3. 16. Mat. 1 23. 1. Tim. 3. 16. it downe himselfe for he being both God and man had power both to lay downe his life power to take it vp againe that hee might by the power of his godhead sustaine in his flesh the burthen of Gods wrath and recouer for vs that righteousnesse which we by the fall of Adam had lost And herein are we also taught a doctrine of his double nature viz his deity which hath many things that in the humanity was never performed and his humanitie having diverse things not answerable vnto the godhead wherevpon speaketh a Father in this manner Whē Christ suffered death in his flesh vpō the Crosse the godhead and manhood were still togither but his godhead did not suffer that we might be iustified not only in