thy sake CHAP. II. How euery sinne slayeth the soule AS sinne brings a curse vpon all creatures How sinne brought on man a treble death so it brings death vpon all men for the reward of sinne is death and we finde this death to bee three fold 1. A spirituall death of the Soule within the Body 2. A corporall death of the Body by continuall castigation of the same throughout all our life and a finall seperation from the soule at the end of our life 3. An eternall death both of Body and Soule in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone foreuermore The first is set downe in the 8. of Matth. 22. Chrysost hom 11. in c. 6. ad rom Where our Sauiour sayth Let the dead bury their dead i. e. Let those that are spiritually dead in trespasses sinnes as the Apostle sayth burie those that are naturally dead to shew that a sinners body is but the breathing Sepulchre of his sinnefull soule and therfore the Prophet Dauid sayth Psal 14.5 Rom. 3.13 that their throat is an open Sepulchre which yeelds a more loathsome sent vnto the nostrils of God from the corrupted putrified soule then any graue can yeeld vnto the nostrils of man from all its rotten carkases The second is set downe in the 11. of Iohn the 39. John 11.39 where Martha sayth her brother Lazarus was dead and stinked i. e. depriued of the fruition of the soule and therefore loathsome to bee seene and more loathsome to bee smell for experience sheweth vs that how sweete soeuer we be in our life and how soft and tender soeuer our flesh bee most amiably complexioned with that fresh and liuely blood which be deckes the same with the fairest colours and glides vp and downe in siluer veynes yet are the best of these sweetest Ladies but most loathsome stinking carrions within a short space after death all flesh being subiect to corruption Luke 16.24 The third is set downe in the 16. of Luke 24. where Diues being in torments prayeth vnto Abraham to shew that he had a soule and desireth a drop of water to coole his tongue to prooue that he had a body But to speake of these three more fully First Wee must vnderstand that the spirituall death of the soule is two-fold 1. Mori peccatis to die to sinne 2. Mori in Peccatis to die in sinne Macrob. c. 1. in som scip 13. For the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole studie and life of the Philosopher was nothing else but a commentary Hieron ad Heliod ex Platone in Phaedone or preparation for death saith Macrobius Nam mori dicimur cum anima adhuc in corpore constituta corporeas illecebras contemnit for he may bee truely sayd to die whose soule still remayning within the body doth notwithstanding contemne and abstaine from all fleshly delights And this was aymed at by the Philosophers but it was onely attained vnto by the true Christians What it is to die to sinne for they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh and haue mortified the lusts of the same sayth the Apostle these haue eares and heare not the Sirenian notes of sinne nor the flattering suggestions of Satan they haue eyes and see not the alluring vanities of this world any wayes worthy to bee desired for I haue made a couenant with mine eyes Job 31. that they should not looke that is vnlawfully or with any lasciuious desire vpon a maide sayth holy Iob and I sayd I would take heed vnto my wayes sayth the Prophet Dauid that I offend not in my tongue Psal 39.1 and therefore as the Apostle sayth they vse the world as though they vsed it not To die to sinne is a punishment for sinne And although this death be good the onely way to bring vs vnto a better life for hee that will not die before he dieth shall neuer liue when hee dieth yet is this the reward of sinne for had it not beene for sinne we had not needed to take this care and payne Cyprian de duplici Martyrio to fight against our selues yea to Martyr and mortifie our own flesh by chastening our owne bodies to bring them to subiection least we should prooue to be cast-awayes as the Apostle speaketh and therefore the chastisements of the Saints are the punishments of their sinnes For the second to die in sinne What it is to die in sinne is when God forsaketh a sinnefull soule and suffereth the same to lye and die in her transgressions for as the soule is the life of the body so is God the life of the soule sayth Saint Augustine Aug. de ciuit dei l. 13. c. 21. Matth. 4.4 And therefore all those that liue by bread onely and not by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God i. e. which liue the life of nature and not the life of grace they are like those wanton widdowes whereof the Apostle sayth 1 Tim. 5.6 that they are dead while they liue for though the soule be truely immortall yet it hath a kind of death sayth Saint Augustine and that is when God forsaketh the same for sinne and what a heauy case is this Plangis corpus quod deserit anima non plangis animam quam deserit Deus We bewaile the body when the soule is parted and shall wee not bewayle the soule which God hath forsaken sayth Saint Chrisostome Saint Augustine being as then a Manichee and reading the Hystorie of Aeneas and Queene Dido A most excellent consideration of Saint Augustine did weepe as himselfe confesseth when hee came to the death of Dido and therefore after that he was conuerted hee most diuinely sayth ô me miserum c. O wretched man that I was that would bewaile the death of Dido forsaken of Aeneas and did not bewaile the death of mine owne soule forsaken of God so we many times doe weepe for the death of our friends but doe neuer weepe for the death of our owne soules They may say vnto vs as Christ sayd to the daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for vs but weepe for your selues Luke 23.28 and for your owne soules that are dead in sinnes for euery one of vs may say with the poet Atque vtinam lugenda tibi non vita Repentance is the onely meanes to reuiue our dying soules sed esset mors mea Our life is a great deale more worthy to bee bewailed then our deâ—th in as much as the death of the soule is a great deale more lamentable then the death of the body But as wee haue no other remedie for the death of our friends but onely teares Est quadam flere voluptas Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor for this is a great ease vnto the afflicted heart and a kinde of comfort vnto the sorrowfull soule so we haue none other helpe for the death of our soules but onely teares Saepe per has
grosse ignorance and the memory with sottish forgetfulnesse so that now wee will indirectly wee iudge darkely and wee remember nothing that is heauenly Hence it comes to passe How our soules are fuller of diseases then our bodies that our bodies are not so subiect to diseases as our soules be to sinnes for pride is the soules tympany when it doth turgescerefastu waxe big and swell through the distaine of others enuie is the worme that gnaweth at the heart then which it is most certaine that Siculi non inuenere tyranui tormentum maius The Sicilian Tyrants did neuer feele a more fearefull torment and wrath is a plurisie that will not be appeased without blood for of the raging man it is most truely said Mad that his poyson cannot others kill He drinkes it off himselfe himselfe to spill And therefore of all the men in the world we are aduised to keepe no company with an angry furious man but as the Poet saith Dum furor in cursu currenti cede furori Ouidius lib. 1. de rem amor Difficiles aditus impetus omnis habet To turne aside from euery furious wight Cause fury will haue passage in despight And Lust is the soules feauer the flames thereof are the flames of fire and the waters thereof are aqua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the waters of folly and madnesse And in this How the sickenesse of the soule is worse then the sickenesse of the body the sicknesse of the soule doth exceed all the sicknesse of the body for the body hath some respite from its sickenesse but the soule hath none from sinne and euery sicknesse of the body kils it not but euery sinne slayeth the soule for the reward of sinne that is of euery sinne is death saith the Apostle And hence likewise in my iudgement that branch of Pellagianisme taught also by Lactantius that the light of Nature if it were well vsed might make way for Diuine instruction may bee sufficiently confuted for though they teach that man by sinne hath not quite killed his soule but wounded the same like the man that fell among theeues and was left halfe aliue and therefore might Lactan diuin iustit c. 5. That Nature though neuer so well vsed cannot procure the gifts of grace Ephes 2.1.5 Coloss 2.13 saith Lactantius come to the same doctrine that we doe follow Si quae natura ducente sanserunt defendissent If they had constantly maintained those things which Nature taught them yet the Apostle saith here that sinne brings death vnto the Sinner and if death then sure there was no life i. e. no life of Grace in him And so in many other places the Apostle sheweth as much for he saith that we were dead in trespasses and sinnes and that God hath quickned vs by Iesus Christ And therefore it is apparently plaine that at the beginning of our conuersion we are altogether passiue and haue no power in the world to releeue our selues vntill grace hath quickened our soules Ob. But against this it may be obiected that the Apostle saith the Gentiles knew God Rom. 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much as might be knowne concerning God that is his eternall power and God-head when they considered him in his workes and therefore the light of Nature was not quite extinguished in them Sol. That sinne extinguished all knowledge of God but what God reuealeth to man I answere that this knowledge of God was not from the light of Nature in them but it was reuealed by God vnto these naturall men to make them without excuse as Zanchius well obserueth for so the Apostle sheweth in the 19 verse of the same Chapter where he saith Deus enim illis manifestauit for God reuealed the same vnto them and therefore I say that the sinne of Adam did quite kill the soule of euery man for the reward of sinne is death and therefore we may all of vs cry out with the Apostle Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death And here-hence we may also see the iudgement of God threatned in Paradise Gen. 1.17 In what day thou eatest of the tree of Knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death to be truely and presently inflicted vpon Adam for though his body seemed to liue yet was his soule separated from God and therefore must needs be presently dead Aug. de ser dom in monte habetur de poenitent distinct 2. But as sinne is three manner of wayes committed as I shewed before so is the death of the soule three wayes inflicted and they are prefigured by those three sorts of dead men which our Sauiour raised in the Gospell as S. Augustine sheweth The first was Iayrus his daughter she was a Virgin â—nd was as yet within the doores and therefore our Sauiour went into the house and put out all the people and vouchsafed to take her by the hand and to say Talitha cumi Damosell Mar. 5.41 Of a three-fold death of the soule I say vnto thee arise This signifieth that soule which sinned onely by consent but hath not yet brought forth the sinne into fact and therefore God will be mercifull vnto such and will not require to shame them before the world but hee will goe in himselfe and accept of their inward repentance for such inward sinnes The second was the Widdowes sonne of Naime and hee was caried out to be buried and therefore our Sauiour in the presence of them all Did touch the Beere and said Luk 7.14 Yong man I say vnto thee arise and he sate vp and began to speake And this signifieth the soule that sinneth in fact and therefore as she publikely sinned so she must be publikely restored and as by her sinne she offended many so by her sitting vp They that publikely sinne must publikely testifie their repentance i. e. by her standing and constancy in grace and by her talking i. e. by her confession of her sinnes she must giue satisfaction vnto many Nam qui publice peccat publice corrigendus publice restaurandus est For he that publikely offendeth is publikely to be reprooued publikely to be restored saith the Law The third was Lazaus John 11. and hee was dead and laid in his graue and therefore Iesus was faine to goe a great iourney to raise him and when he came to him he groned in his spirit and was troubled he wept and he groaned againe Ver. 35. he lifted vp his eyes he prayed and he cryed with a loude voyce saying Ver. 43. Lazarus come forth and then he came forth but how bound hand and foot saith the Euangelist with graue clothes and his face bound with a Napkin so that his friends and standers by were faine to loose him and to let him goe Ver 44. And this signifieth the soule that is accustomed to sinne that is dead and buried in sin and
sleepe and smote all his enemies vpon the cheeke bone and brought them vnto perpetuall shame and as the Apostle sayth Collos 2.15 hee spoyled principalities and powers and led away captiuitie captiue Ephes 4.8 and receiued gifts for men And therefore as many as lay hold vpon this death of Christ they need not feare their owne death for they may say with the Phenix Moritur me moriente senectus Sinne and misery dieth in vs but wee doe still liue with Christ And therefore Saint Cyprian sayth that Cyprian de mortalitate eius est timere mortem qui ad Christum nolit ire it is enough for them to feare death which will not beleeue in Christ his death John 11.26 for hee that beleeueth in him shall neuer die but they that will not beleeue in him may well feare and tremble at the remembrance of this death because after death comes iudgement and then shall they feele another death which is eternall death for the reward of sinne is death that is indeed eternall death in hell Marke 9.44 where their worme dieth not and their fire is not quenched CHAP. VI. How sinne brings eternall death both of Body and Soule THirdly Touching eternall death wee must vnderstand What eternall death is that this is a separation of man from God which is paena damni the losse of eternall happinesse a losse farre exceeding the losse of all the world and an allegation of a damned soule in a tormented body non viuendâ— sed dolendi causa not to giue any comfort of life or ioy but to giue the true sence and feeling of eternall death and sorrow which is paena sensus the payne of feeling and suffering the greatest paynes that can be conceiued for when the wicked are called by God to be adiudged for sinne they shall bee condemned by Christ Of the intollerable paynes of hell and then caried by the deuils into euerlasting torments into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euermore and there their musicke shall be horrors and howlings their meate shall be balls of fire and their drinke shall be fountaines of teares alwayes distilling downe from their eyes and yet neuer procuring them any ease there their torments shall be intollerable their times endlesse and their companions deuils for so Saint Augustine sayth August ser 55. de tempore that in inferno nec tortores deficiant nec miseri torti moriantur sed per milia milia annorum cruciandi nec tamen in secula liberandi in hell neither the cruell tormenters shall be wanting nor the miserably tormented shall bee eased but for thousand thousands of yeares bee plagued and neuer thence to bee deliuered Isidorus de summo bono and as Isidorus sayth Ibi erit semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nolle quod nunquam non erit there shall bee a will neuer satisfied and a nille neuer gratified neuer inioying the ease they would and euer suffering the paynes they would not And if we diue into the depth of that dolefull tragedie of miserable Diues wee shall see this trueth fully confirmed for as the Scripture sheweth that here iudgement shall be without mercy and that euery one shall receiue his punishment in waite and measure according to the measure of their sinnes so wee find it true it him who as hee denied the crumbes of bread to poore Lazarus so is he now denied the least drop of water to coole his burning tongue How the least comfort shall be denied vnto the damned and the least dramme of mercy to refresh his poore distressed soule quis talia fando sustinet a lachrymis Who can indure to dwell in deuouring flames and yet behold this is the reward of sinne for the wages of sinne is death Oh then A most earnest perswasion to forsake sinne beloued brethren seeing euery sinne slayeth the soule within the body corrupteth the body in the graue and eternally tormenteth both the body and soule in hell let vs hate and detest all sinnes for though wee reade of many tyrants Nero Phalaris Caligula Heliagabalus and such like that were carniuorants and blood-thirsty men sauage beasts in the shapes of men delighting themselues onely in blood cruelties yet we neuer reade of such a tyrant as Sinne for the blood of death would quench these mens rage but no payne no death but eternall death a death that neuer dieth and a paine that neuer endeth will satisfie this tyrant Sinne. This is the deceit of sinne as the Poet sayd of Venus Laeta venire Venus tristis abire solet To present pleasure or profit vnto our eyes but assoone as ouer the sinne is done to deale with vs 2 Sam. 13.18 as Ammon did by Thamar thrust her out and hate her wound our conscience and destroy our soules And therefore once againe I beseech you let vs forsake our sinnes let vs leaue our drinking our swaggering and our swearing and instead of by God by God and more fearefull oathes which I am afraid to name at euery word which is the most odious yet most carelesse custome both of Court and Countrey let vs say in truth in truth the words are as easie and they will bring more ease vnto our soules for swearing graceth not your speech but disgraceth you and dishonoureth God and therefore one day you must greatly repent you of it or you shall fearefully die for it and I beseech you pardon mee for speaking it for it is my dutie that I owe you and it would bee my destruction if I did conceale it from you Clemens l. 1. recog as S. Clemens sayth in the like case and I desire not so much with Aristotle my God of Heauen is my witnesse that I lie not to bee deemed a great Scholler as with Gregorie Nazianzen to bee indeed an honest man to liue as I teach and to discharge my duety in reprouing sinne rather then to shew my knowledge in any Science and therefore I humbly intreate you all to giue me leaue to beseech you to leaue your sinnes and because wee cannot quite forsake them to confesse them and to bee ashamed of them John 1.19 for if we confesse our sinnes God is mercifull and iust to forgiue vs all our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse But the deuill cannot indure that we should confesse them least God should thereby forgiue them and therefore as he perswadeth vs euer to commit them so he perswadeth vs euer to conceale them and neuer to confesse them For I read that on a time a sinner being at confession That the deuill cannot indure wee should confesse our sinnes the deuill intruded himselfe and came to him and being demaunded by the Priest wherefore he came in he answered to make restitution and being asked what he would restore hee sayd shame for this sayth hee I haue stollen from this sinner to make him shamelesse in sinning and
loue to thee is and shall be such and so much as I shall be possibly able to expresse Fourthly to make vs willing to suffer with Christ For the fourth Saint Bernard tells vs that in the Passion of Christ there are three things especially to be considered 1. The Worke. 2. The Manner 3. The Cause And he saith that Christ shewed first in the worke singular patience secondly in the manner admirable humility and thirdly in the cause inestimable charity and therefore if wee would truely honour God for the giuing of his Sonne wee must labour what we can to imitate Christ herein First In patience Quia crux non ad impotentiae documentum sed ad exemplum patientiae suscepta est Because as Saint Augustine saith the Crosse of Christ is as a Schoolemaster to teach patience vnto all Christians And so Saint Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps That the sufferings of Christ is an example to teach vs how to suffer 1 Mac. 6.34 In the first of the Machabees and the sixt It is said that Antiochus being to fight with Iudas Captaine of the hoste of the Iewes He shewed vnto his Elephants the bloud of Grapes and Mulberies to prouoke them the better vnto the fight and so the Holy Ghost hath set downe vnto vs what iniuries what contumelies what torments our Sauiour Christ did beare and how patiently he did beare them to incourage vs to indure whatsoeuer calamnities shall betide vs during this our pilgrimage here on earth for we see our Sauiour Christ Sine peccato venit tamen sine flagello non exijt Though we doe all know that he came into the world without sinne yet you doe see he went not out of the world without sorrow without suffering and therefore Chrys in 27. Matth. Quae nobis erit contumelia post quam haec Christus passus est What if wee suffer reproaches pouerty shame death what matter what shame is that to vs seeing Christ hath suffered all those things for vs nay what a shame is it vnto vs if we will not be ready to suffer any thing for his Names sake that hath suffered so much for our sinnes But we must note that our suffering with Christ We suffer with Christ two manner of wayes is two wayes to be considered First What we voluntarily assume to be made like vnto Christ Secondly What is malitiously imposed and we patiently suffer for the Name of Christ In the first sense Saint Gregory tels vs that duobus modis crux tollitur aut cum per abstinentiam affligitur corpus aut cum per compassionem animi affligitur animus Wee take vp our crosse two manner of wayes either when through abstinence fastings 1 Cor. 9.27 watchings praying we bring our bodies vnto subiection that they bring not our soules vnto destruction That as members of the same body we should willingly suffer when we see others suffer or else through a compassionate fellow-feeling of others miseries we make our selues copartners with them in all distresses and therefore we should euer crucifie and mortifie all the inordinate lusts of our flesh all our wanton and lasciuious cogitations and we should with all diligence fight against them as they doe fight against our soules and as members of the same body we should all suffer inward griefe when we see any man indure outward paine In the second sense we ought patiently to suffer whatsoeuer God in his wisedome or men in their malice shall lay vpon vs and that not onely because we cannot auoide them but because we are contented to vndergoe them for if the minde resisteth when the body suffereth we rebell in what we can and we doe onely suffer what we cannot helpe and God respecteth not so much the sufferings of the Martyres though their torments were almost intollerable as their meeke patience in suffering and therefore it is noted in our Sauiour Christ Esay 53 7. That God respecteth our patience in suffering more then our suffering that he was carried as a Sheepe to the slaughter and as a Lambe that was dumbe and opened not his mouth to teach vs as Saint Gregory saith that it is not the sword or the flame that makes a Martyr but the patient and willing minde of him that suffereth any thing for the name and truth of Christ Quia sine ferro flamma Martyres esse possumus sine patientia non possumus Because wee may be Martyres without the paine of sword or stake Cyprian de duplici Martyrio but wee cannot be Martyres without patience though wee should suffer by the sword or be burned at the stake as Saint Cyprian doth most excellently declare And therefore seeing Christ hath suffered for vs and hath suffered for our example to teach vs how we should suffer for his sake That we shold be most ready and willing to suffer any thing for the Name of Christ though the world should rage and swell and lay vpon vs all the waight of miseries that it could heape vpon vs pouerty reproaches banishment imprisonment death it selfe or any kinde of death fire sword or whatsoeuer yet let vs patiently suffer whatsoeuer shall be imposed vpon vs and let vs say with holy Iob Though the Lord should kill vs Iob 13.15 yet will we trust in him for seeing he suffered so much for vs to saue our soules from eternall death it were a shame if we should be vnwilling to suffer any thing for him and his truthes sake that it might be well with vs and our children for euer and that wee might haue for our selues eternall life Secondly Matth. 12.29 As we are to imitate Christ in patient suffering vnto death so we are to learne of him true humility to bee meeke and lowly in heart throughout all our life Thirdly We should imbrace that Queene of vertues Diuine charity that as Christ in loue That as Christ loued vs so we should loue him and loue one another for the loue of Christ and for the loue of man descended from Heauen and suffered all this for vs so we should for the loue of him suffer any thing rather then to swarue a nayles-bredth from him and doe what good wee can vnto all our neighbours for if we loue him we must needs loue one another And yet it is a lamentable thing to consider what strifes and contentions what hatred and heart-burning raigneth not onely betwixt the children of this world but also betwixt Christians in the Church of God I pray God we seeke not our owne rather the things that are Iesus Christs and make Religion to be a colour to make way for vs to execute our owne greedy mindes and desires to commit all wrong and oppression It was said of old when the Pope sent his Buls to fulfill his owne will that in nomine dei incipit omne malum
writings desired not onely pium Lectorem a courteous Reader of his labours but also liberum Correctorem a free reprouer of his faults but so that they doe it friendly to blame in their iudgement where it is equity but not to blaze my faults vnto the world which is a breach of charity and that they doe as well accept of what is good as except against what is ill herein for I know there be many Momus-like Qui vel non intelligendo reprehendunt Idem contra Faust l. 22. c. 34. vel reprehendendo non intelligunt that doe shew their folly in reprouing others when out of enuy or ignorance they blame that good of others which they haue not or know not themselues And for these there is none other helpe but to be carelesse of their censures and to pray against their wickednesse There be faults escaped in the Printing the most of them be literall as the mistaking of e for ae econtra and such like faults of no great moment especially to him that knowes how hard it is to make things perfect and therefore I hope they shall be either mended with thy pen or pardoned without thy censure for other things I onely desire thy prayers for mee and thou shalt euer finde his paines and prayers for thee which loueth thee and all men in Iesus Christ with all vnfainednesse GR. VVILLIAMS This Treatise cōtaineth 1. The worke done i. e. sin and that is either 1. Originall sinne where is considered 1. What euill it bringeth 2. How it is deriued 2. Actuall sin where is shewed 1. How it is defined 2. How it is increased 1. Inwardly 1. By the suggestion of Satan 2. By the delights of the flesh 3. By the consent of the spirit 2. Outwardly 1. Secretly committed 2 Publiquely aduentured 3. Vsually practised 4. Exceedingly enlarged 3. How it is cōmitted viz. of 1. Ignorance 2. Knowledge 3. Infirmity 4. Malice which is 1. Wilfull 2. Spitefull * And from hence is seene 1. The diuersity of sinners 2. The inequality of sins yet that 1. Euery sinne brings death 2. The sin of any one brings death 3. The least sin of any one brings death 2. The wages to be paid for sin i. e. death which signifieth the curse of God extending it selfe 1. Vpon all creatures 1. Heauenly 2. Earthly 2. Vpon euery man to whom it bringeth a treble death 1. Of the soule whereof it killeth 1. Will. 2. Vnderstanding 3. Memory 2. Of the body where is considered 1. What is meant by death i. e. all miseries 1. In all Ages 2. In all States 3. By all Creatures 2. How farre it extendeth ouer all men 3. How variably it worketh in respect of the 1. Manner 2. Time 3. Place 4. Effects †which are different the cause whereof is 1. The practise of a good life 2. The meditatiō of our death 3. The applic of Christs death 3. Of body and soule in Hell 3. The equity of this wages is seene if we consider 1. That it is iust to punish sinne 2. That God is the iustest Iudg that can bee found to punish sinne 1. Because he loueth righteousnesse 2. Because he iudgeth without respect of persons 3. Because he punisheth euery man according to his desart Where the inequality of Hell punishment is shewed 3. That all the punishment afore-said inflicted for sinne is most iust 1. Not in respect of a sinners will eternally to sinne if he did eternally liue but 2. In a iust proportion of the punishment to the haynousnesse of the sin committed which is seene in respect 1. Of the leuity and easinesse to doe what God commandeth 2. Of the transcendent deformity of sinne which is seene if we consider 1. The Nature of him that is offended 2. The quality of him that doth offend 3. The Nature of the sinne that is committed This Treatise sheweth 1. What God is and how God is knowne what he is two wayes 1. As he is in himselfe so none knoweth God but God himselfe 2. As he hath expressed himselfe to vs and so he may be known 1. By way of negation 2. By way of affirmation 3. By way of superexcellency and so hee is shewed to be 1. An eternall being in himselfe 2. A giuer of being 1. To all creatures 2. To all his promises which should teach vs to labour to be vnited to him to be thankefull and to beleeue all his promises 3. An absolute L. of all things which should teach vs to serue him for 3. especiall reasons 2. What maner of God he is where the nature of God is shewed by three speciall attributes viz. 1. By his Power touching which is handled 1. The number quality of the aduersaries of Gods power which are 1. The Infidels that will not beleeue in him 2. The desperate men that cannot hope in him 3. The vbiquitaries of Germany 4. The pontificialls of Rome 2. How the actiue power of God is to be considered in resp 1. Of his inward operations 2. Of his outward operatiōs and so it must be cōsidered 1. Relatiuely as it respecteth the will and decree of God 2. Absolutely so he can doe all things 1. Which are not contrary to Gods Nature 2. Which imply not contradiction 3. The proofe of Gods omnipotency which is shewed from 1. The Word of God 2. The workes of God 1. In the beginning of the world 2. Throughout the continuance 3. In the end of the world 3. The consent of all Diuines 4. The testimony of many Heathens 5. The confession of the very Diuels 4. The answering to the chiefest obiections 1. Of the Infidels 2. Of the desperate 3. Of the vbiquitaries 4. Of the pontificials 5. The vsefull appl of this do which serueth 1. To confute many heresies 2. To comfort all the Godly 3. To condemne all the wicked 2 By his goodnes and that seauen especial wayes viz. that he is 1. Mercifull which consisteth in 1. Giuing of graces 2. Forgiuing of sinnes 3. Qualifying of punishments 2. Gracious which signifieth 1. Amiable 2. Placable 3. Liberall 3. Slow to anger shewed 1. By Scriptures 2. By examples old and new 4. Abundant in goodnes 1. As he is in himselfe 2. As he is to others 1. Generally to all creatures by 1. Creating all things 1. simp g. 2. rela g. 2. pres thē frō euill 3. enric thē with g. 2. Specially to his elect 1. by dec their elec 2. by their effect cal 3. by the filling of thē with his graces 5. Abundant in truth 1. Essentially truth in himselfe 2. Causally the fountaine of al truth 1. Of things 2. Of the vnderstanding 3. Of expression which is 1. Primar in Scrip. 2 Secondarily from man to man 6. Reseruing mercy for thousands that is 1. Extensiuely 2. Successiuely 7. Forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sin i. e. all kinds of sin 1. Originall corruption 2. Actuall commission 3. Greatest abhom if we repent * The vsefull applic of Gods
both Body and Soule not that the Soule begetteth a Soule That man and all other creatures receaued power to produce creatures like vnto themselues Totum generat totum hoc est corpus generat corpus mediante anima anima generat animam mediante corpore Psal 51.5 or the Body begetteth a spirit but that as all other creatures receiued power from God to produce creatures like vnto themselues as the seede of the vegetatiue to bring forth vegetatiue creatures and the sensible sensible creatures so man consisting both of Body and Soule should beget a creature like vnto himselfe consisting of the same parts for otherwise sinne must needes bee in the body before the Soule be infused for if the schoole of the naturalists be to be belieued the Soule is not infused into the Body vntill the thirtieth as some or fortieth day as some affirme and yet the Psalmist saith that he was conceiued in sinne therefore both Body and Soule were both conceiued at once or else corruption was in the Body before the infusion of the Soule and this liuing Soule by this dead flesh must needes be defiled which is most absurd for as Saint Augustine sayth of Adam It was not his corruptible flesh which made his Soule to become sinnefull but his sinnefull Soule made his flesh subiect to corruption so it must needes be in the sonnes of Adam Gene. 5.3 that not our flesh corrupts our Soules but both body and soule are conceiued in sinne both produced of sinfull seede and so sinne principally resides in the Soule and not in the Body because the Soule giues life and motion vnto the flesh hence it is that Adam hauing defiled both his Body and Soule is sayd to haue begot a childe in his owne image i. e. sinfull and polluted like himselfe both in regard of his body and Soule Bosquierus de finibus bonorum lib. 1. con 6. p. 27. Nam Adam vt persona publica sibi ac suis aut sapiebat aut delirabat for now Adam standing in paradise a publique person as I told you before was to make or to marre himselfe and all his posteritie and therefore if this roote had continued holy the branches had beene likewise holy but the tree prouing to be euill Rom. 11. the fruit could not possibly be good Math. 7.18 for a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit sayth our Sauiour and therefore Adam sinning all his seede are become sinnefull all his ofspring tanquam serie continuata as in a continued line doe like corrupted branches of a rotten tree bring forth still corrupted fruits and so make all their generation so soone as they are begotten liable to the curse of God for that first transgression for the reward of sinne is death and the Prophet Dauid sayeth Psal 51.2 hee was shapen in wickednesse and conceaued in sinne Iohn 3.6 and our Sauiour sayth that which is borne of flesh is flesh i. e. he that is borne of a sinnefull man can be nothing else but a sinnefull man That Gods graces are not traduced from the best parents not that a godly man begets a godly man for the graces of Gods spirit are not begotten in our carnall generation but they are giuen from aboue in our spirituall regeneration and a man begets his childe not as he is spirituall but as hee is a creature consisting of body and soule and therefore whosoeuer is borne of flesh and blood must needes be tainted and corrupted with sinne and wickednesse for flesh heere is not taken pro natura carnis sed pro vitiosa qualitate totius hominis for the single nature of flesh but for the corrupted qualitie of the whole man as Saint Paul excellently sheweth when hee sayth in my flesh dwelleth no goodnesse Rom. 7.8 i. e. in the corrupted nature of a naturall man there is no grace there is no goodnesse And therefore hoc virus paternum this hereditarie poyson as Paulinus calleth it What we learne from this doctrine this our originall sinne that is inbred in euery man since the fall of the first man may sufficiently serue to teach vs. First to iustifie God First to iustifie God for inflicting death vpon euery man though man should doe nothing else to procure his death quia damnati antequam nati because euery one is guilty of this sinne and therefore of death before hee commeth to this present life for the reward of sinne is death and therefore the death of children and infants that haue done no actuall sinne doth proue them tainted with this sinne because death cannot be iustly inflicted vpon those that are no wayes infected with sinne for the reward of sinne is death but you see they are subiect vnto death and therefore you may know they are tainted with sinne Secondly Secondly to be humbled this may serue to teach all those that stand so much vpon the honour and dignity of their naturall birth to consider whâ—t they are and what they haue thereby a sinnefull corrupted and contagious being children of wrath subiects to death slaues of damnation be they Kings Princes Nobles what you will this is all they haue or can haue by their naturall birth Iohn 3.6 for whatsoeuer is borne of flesh is flesh i. e. all things that parents can conuaye vnto their children is but a corrupted natural being yea though the parties should be sanctified themselues and thereby procure their children to bee receiued and reputed members of the visible Church before men yet can they not infuse Grace Perkins in Jud. 1. nor produce sanctified children in the sight of God For though we reade of some that were sanctified in their Mothers wombe as Ieremie Iohn Baptist and the like Ier. 1.5 yet this sanctifying grace was infused by God and not traduced from their parents Luke 1.44 and therefore this should make all men to be of an humble spirit and to reioyce more in their second birth in the Baptisme that they haue receiued it may bee by the hands of some meane Minister and their begetting vnto the faith of Christ by the preaching of the word of God then in all that glory and excellencie that they haue gotten from their naturall parents for they did but make vs Men these must make vs Christian men And thus you see that by the guilt of Adams sinne euery childe of Adam deserues eternall death before he comes to this present life But because we would be sure enough of death wee will hasten it and draw it on as it were with cart-ropes throughout all our life and we will not haue it sayd Ezech. 18.2 our fathers haue eaten sower Grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge or that Adam sinned we are punished nam errauimus cum patribus for we haue sinned wil sinne with our fathers more then our fathers we will drinke iniquity like water and adde vnto our originall corruption
but it stingeth vs to death And so indeed it is like the Deuill Cyprian l. 1. ep 8. a lyer and the father of lies Quia peccatum mentitur vt fallat vitam pollicetur vt perimat Because euery sinne lies that it may deceiue vs and proposeth pleasure that it may bring vs into paine Venerab Beda l. exhort 4 5. Venerable Bede compareth sinne vnto a Witch which transformeth euery man vnto a Monster as Lust maketh a man like a Syren or an Horse to yeane after his neighbours wife Sloth makes him like an Asse or Ostridge Crueltie like a Wolfe or Hyenna Couetousnesse like the rauening Harpies and so euery other sinne makes the poore Sinner to become Monstrum horrendum ingens cui lumen ademptum The most vgly Monster vpon the face of the earth Why then should we not hate this sinne which speaketh friendly vnto vs and promiseth great felicity but in the end brings vs to the extreamest misery Bern. insentent Quia via peccati ingredientes contaminat progredientes obstinat egredientes exterminat Because as Saint Bernard saith sinne in the first entrance defileth in the progresse hardneth and in its going out destroyeth euery Sinner and as Salomon saith of the Harlot her wayes leade vnto death and her footsteps take hold of Hell so the same is most true of sinne and therefore if any man should be asked what hee doth in sinne hee might iustly answer as an old Courtier did when he wâ—s demanded Euery sinne payeth the same wages though it promiseth seuerall pleasures what he did in Court I doe nothing but vndoe my selfe For the reward of sinne is death And here likewise you may obserue that although euery sinne doth not promise the same thing for some sinnes promise pleasure some profit some honour and some one thing and some another yet euery sinne brings vs to the same end and in the end payeth vs with the same reward for the reward of sinne of any sinne is death But because Thriuerus Apoth 19. as many doe make none account of most deadly diseases by reason that they are ignorant of the dangerous effects of the same Ita multi euidenter peccant quia turpitudinem consequentiam peccati perspectam non habent So many men feare not to sinne but doe as smoothly drinke vp the same as pleasant Wine because they doe not vnderstand the filthinesse and wretched effects of sinne and because as if a man might with his outward eyes behold the beauty of vertue and goodnesse mirabilem amorem excitaret sui It would wonderfully inflame their hearts with the loue thereof So if we did behold the loathsomnesse of sinne and consider well the fearefull euents thereof it would make vs with Iob Iob 42 6. to abhorre our selues in Dust and Ashes Therefore I will search a little further into this Labyrinth of sinne and take a little more paines to vnfold the miserable effects of the same for the reward of Sinne is Death When sinne is first committed it wil presently gall and wound our consciences and it will continually shew vnto vs how good a Law is violated how great a Maiestie is offended and how grieuous a punishment we haue deserued and a the Poet saith Occultum quatiante animo tortore flagellum Juven Satyr 13. When the great Tormentor will shake his hidden whip in the soule of the offender then is he troubled night and day walking in the hands of his executioner and sleeping like the Nightingall which hath alwayes a pricke before her breast Neither is this all for the reward of sinne is death Now by Death By Death are vnderstood all the miseries contayned vnder the curse of God we must vnderstand not onely the separation of the body and soule of man but all other things that are comprehended vnder the curse of God for the curse of God and the Death of Man are Voces aequipollentes equiualent termes and doe signifie the same thing and therefore as Saint Paul saith here The wages of sinne is Death So he saith else-where out of Moses Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law for to doe them And we find that the curse of God for the sinne of man extendeth it selfe 1. To all those creatures that were created and made for the vse of man 2. To all the properties and faculties of each part of man Rom 8 20. and 22. First The creature was made subiect vnto vanity and groaneth and trauelleth in paine vntill now not of it owne accord but by reason of the transgression of man the earth was accursed for his sake and the very Heauens were subiected vnto vanity and as then hee dealt with Adam so euer since he dealeth in like manner with all the sonnes of Adam Psal 107.34 for he maketh a fruitfull land barren for the iniquity of them that dwell therein that is either such as bringeth forth no fruits at all or else such as where Infaelix lolium steriles dominantur auenae How the earth is accursed and her fruits by reason of our sinnes The good seed is ouergrowen with darnell smothered with thornes or spoyled with cockle for though the earth was made to yeeld vs fruits of increase yet instantly vpon our sinning the grounds denied to pay her tribute vnlesse as the Poet sayth iuncto boue aratra trahuntur we doe rippe vp her bowells to fetch it out of her bellie And yet this is not all for though we manure the ground and plant the seede neuer so fayre yet except the Lord giues the increase all our labour is but in vaine And the Lord tells vs plainely that if we cease to sinne and serue our God Psal 107.35 he will make the Wildernesse a standing water and water springs of a drie ground but if we continue in sinne and sow iniquitie Hosea 8.7 hee tells vs plainely wee shall reape but vanitie and if we sow the wind wee shall reape but whirlewind for our haruest And therefore if God stoppeth the windowes of Heauen and withholdeth the raine from vs 1 Reg. 17.1 as he did in the dayes of Elias and so causeth the Heauens to be as brasse and the earth to be as iron vnder our feete the one yeelding no dew the other bearing no fruit or if God openeth the Cataracts and floodgates of Heauen Gen. 7.11 as hee did in the dayes of Noah and so cause the Heauens to weepe and the floods to cary away our fruits before we can carry them into our barnes then must we know Saluian Massaliâ— de guber dei that all this and whatsoeuer of this kinde happeneth to vs is inflicted vpon vs for our sinnes quia ira diuinitatis est paena peccantis because all the grieuous effects of Gods wrath Gen. 3 17. are the iust deserts of mans sinne for cursed is the Earth for
therefore many groanes and sighes How hard it is to recouer a sinner accustomed to sinne many teares and prayers and loud cryes must be vsed before such a soule can be raised from her sinnes and because the accustomed sinners are bound with sinnes as with a chaine and haue their faces bound vp with shamelesse impudency and couered with the same as with the Napkin therefore the Ministers of the word their friends their neighâ—ours by reproofes by counsell and by all other meanes must doe their best to loose them and to let them goe that is to withdraw them from their euill wayes and to cause them to walke in the pathes of Righteousnesse Well then seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life of sinne is the death of the soule yea seeing euery sinne slayeth the soule and that it is so hard a thing to reuiue the soule from accustomed sinnes Oh why should we accustome our selues to sinne for it is more dangerous to sleepe with one sinne then with an hundred Scorpions For they can but kill the body but sinne killeth both the body and soule Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore That the loue of goodnesse should moue vs to hate sinne Siscirem deos ignosciturâ—s homines ignorâ—turos Tamen propter peccati turpitudinem peccare dedignarer Seneca We know that good men will not sinne for the very loue they beare to vertue and for the detestation they beare to vice for so we reade that Seneca though a Heathen hated sinne least it should defile his soule and Anselmus that good Christian saith that if hee should see all punishments without sinne on the one hand and finde sinne with all the pleasures of sinne on the other hand and were compelled to make choice of one of them as Origen was either to commit Sodomie with a Blackamoore or to cast Thuâ—ibilum his censer into the fire for to sacrifice vnto the Idols hee would surely imbrace the punishments and forsake the sinne because all the Saints of God doe euer esteeme it better to suffer affliction with the people of GOD Heb. 11.25 then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season But if we will not imitate these good men to forsake sinne for the filthinesse of sinne yet as many wicked men are saide to haue done it That wicked men should forsake sinne for feare of punishment so let vs doe it formi ine poenae for feare of the reward of sinne for the wages of sinne is death and that not onely of the soule in sinne but also of the body for sinne And so I come to the second kinde of death CHAP. IIII. How sinne slayeth the body by inflicting on it all the miseries of this life and of the large extent of death ouer all men SEcondly Touching the death of the Body that wee may the more fully take a view thereof and the more orderly proceed in this point I must desire you to consider these three things 1. How it is defined 2. How farre it extendeth Three things to bee considered concerning naturall death 3. How variably it worketh For the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death is said to bee the dissolution of the body and soule that is the separation of the one from the other and not the destruction of either And wee must note that whatsoeuer worketh or causeth the diuorse and dissolution of these two must needs be a branch of this tree and therefore by death is vnderstood By death is vnderstood all that is contained in the curse of God not onely the last finall stroke and fatall seperation of the body and soule but also all other fore-runners and fore-causers of this dissolution as sicknesse griefe sorrow and all the other miseries that doe happen throughout the whole course of mans life for as I told you before the death of man pronounced here and the curse of God denounced elsewhere are aequiualent the like reward of sinne and therefore whatsoeuer is the curse of God the same must needs be contained vnder the name of death but we know that all the miseries of man doe proceed from the curse of God for sinne and therefore all the miseries and troubles and sorrowes of this life must needs bee vnderstood vnder the name of death for as the last stroke of a tree is not the onely cause that doth throw downe the tree but that with all the rest are properly sayd to hâ—ue cut it downe so the last stroke of death cannot be sayd to be the sole killer of any man but that with all the rest of his precedent miseries So death daily strikes to beate vs downe and the more sorrowes are suffered or the more dayes are passed the more chippes are chopped off from this tree of life Now the whole life of man is nothing else but a mappe of miseries and my life would bee too short to relate it yet seeing all is the wages of sinne for man suffereth all that he suffereth for his sinnes as the Prophet sheweth my text calls mee to speake a little of all and the time bids me to speake but a little of the same and therefore I desire you to consider The manifold miseries of all ages 1. How all ages 2. How all estates 3. How all creatures Doe accumulate heape vpon man heapes of miseries For the first In our infancie wee come crawling into the world without any strength Ouid. Met. l. 15. Editus in lucem iacuit sine viribus infans and as Lucretius sayth Nudus humi iacet Lucret. l. 5. Iob. 1. We come naked out of our mothers wombes and haue not any the least couering to hide vs saue onely the blood of filthinesse and if we had vnderstanding to see it we might perceiue our mothers halfe-dead by giuing vs a little life and that if wee were not helped by others the houre of our birth would be the end of our life and therefore as the Poet saith Lucret Ibid. Vagituque locum lugubri complet vt aequum est Cui tantum in vita restet tranfire laborum The poore infant now begins with dolefull cries and teares within a while as his best orators to expresse his owne miseries Iustin hist l. 1. and you neuer saw neither haue we euer read of any one saue onely of Zoroastres king of the Bactrians that either laughed or smiled at his birth nor yet in forty dayes after sayth Arist except it be sometimes as they sleepe are at rest Arist histor animal l. 7. c. 10 After wee are thus cast into the world weake wailing and miserable Galenus de diffi medicis our whole life is deuided by Galenus into foure parts whereof he maketh the 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iuuenum of children till 15. The age of man is diuided into 4. parts 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigentium of youths till 30. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mediorum of men till 50.
the world yet there is 1000. wayes How death hath diuers wayes to shorten life Prou 17.22 Act. 5.10 for euery man to goe out of the world And so we finde some haue perished with sudden death as Ananias and Saphira some with Gluttony as Domitius Afer others with drunkennesse as Attila King of Hunnes some by fire from Heauen as the Sodomites Gen. â—9 the two fifties that were sent to fetch Elias and Anastatius the Emperour an Eutychian Hereticke others by waters as Marcus Marcellus Exod. 24.28 King Pharaoh and all his hoast and all the old wicked world excepting those eight persons that were saued in Noahs Arke Gen. 7 21. 1 Pet 2.5 Numb 16.32 Some with hunger as Cleanthes others with thirst as Thales Milesius some were swallowed vp quicke to Hell as Corah Dathan and Abiram and others by earthquakes were stricken dead as Ephrasius Bishop of Antioch Some were stifled with smoake as Catulus others dyed with a fall as Nestorius some were taken in their lasciuious dalliances as Cornelius Gallus others with ouerwatchingâ— as M. Attillius some with poyson as Phocion others choked with flies as Pope Adrian some at the disburdening of Nature as that wicked Arrius others torne in pieces by wilde beasts as Heraclius Lucian 2 King 2 24. and Acteon by dogges Hypolitus by wilde Horses Licus the Emperour and the disobedient Prophet by Lions Ancaeus King of Samos by Bores and Hatto Bishop of Mentz by Rats and so some die with ioy as Chylo the Lacedemonian and Diagoras the Rhodian who seeing his three sonnes crowned Champions in one day he reioyced so much that he dyed for ioy in the very place More die with griefe Quia spirâ—tus tristis exiccat ossa Because a broken spirit dryeth the bones and a heauy heart doth hasten to death and therefore the Prophet Dauid when he found hâ—mselfe so melancholicke and discontented did rouze vp his heart and spirits saying Why art thou so heauy O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me yet put thy trust in the Lord for he is thy helper and defender and so should wee doe Bosquier de finibus bonorum mal pag. 31. 32. when either cares or crosses doe dismay vs. But most men die with sicknesses and diseases Feauers Fluxes Gouts Plagues and 1000. more they being so many that neither Galenus nor Hypocrates nor all the best Physitians can number them saith Bosquierus the generations of men here on earth being as Homer saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tale quale est foliorum Like vnto the leaues of a tree whereof some doe perish and others spring in their places They spring they flourish they waxe old and soone wither away Et tum quoque cum crescimus Senecal 3. ep 24. vita decrescit and our life then decreaseth as our yeares increaseth Vt rosa mane viget sero mox vespere languet Sic modo qui fuimus cras leuis vmbra sumus We bring our yeares to an end as it were a tale that is told For the second that is the Time when death doth attach vs We see some are taken yong and some are left vntil they be very old Death taketh men of all ages some taste of death before they doe see the light when their mothers wombes are as the tombes for their buriall some die in their Cradles as the babes of Bethelem and some liue so long that they are weary of life And sometimes the good are soonest taken as Enoch sometimes the bad as Onan Et vocantur ante tempus boni Gen. 5.24 Gen. 33. ne diutius vexarentur à noxijs And the good are often taken away that they should be neither vexed nor corrupted by the wicked and the wicked are sometimes taken away that they should not persecute the godly any longer and that they might be an example of Gods vengeance vpon all such as feare not God And sometimes death fore-warneth vs as it did Ezechias by sending his messengers to bid vs to set our houses in order that we may be prepared for death as age sickenesses and such like and sometimes it preuenteth vs and takes vs afore we are aware of it as it did yong Onan and old Ely who were both suddenly met by death when death was looked for by neither of them For the third that is the Place where death will meete vs Death smiteth in euery place we know death is not very scrupulous be it faire or soule wide or narrrow priuate or publike in the field or in the Church or wheresoeuer where hee meetes vs there hee will arrest vs Poet Euâ—ulus and his wife both a bed Vrias in the field and Ioab at the hornes of the altar And all this taking of vs in any Manner at any Time That we shâ—ld be alwayes ready for death and in any Place is to teach vs to be alwayes ready and to looke for death at all times and in all places Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum For seeing thou knowest neither the time nor the place where death meanes to arrest thee it is thy chiefest wisedome to be ready for death at all times and to waite for the same in euery place For the fourth that is the effects of death we must note Death is a comfortable thing to the godly that they are very different both about the time of the dissolution and after the time of the separation of the body and soule for first at the time of their dissolution bona mors iusti right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints And this is the thing they longed for to be losed from the bonds of sinne and to be with their Sauiour Christ in happinesse to be with him which was dead and is aliue and liueth for euermore Reuel 2.8 And therefore to these men Mors vltima poenae est Lucan l. 8. nec metuenda viris Death is the ending of their paine and the beginning of their pleasure nay more as Prudentius saith Tormenta carcer vngulae stridensque flammis lamina atque ipsa poenarum vltima mors Christianis ludus est All the bitternesse of the bitterest death Prudent in hymno de Vincent is ioy and sweetnesse vnto them for that in death they see their life they behold the Angels pitching their tents round about them and ready to receiue their soules to glory before their bodies can be laid in their graues and therefore well might Salomon say that the godly man hath hope in his death Prou. 14.32 for he knoweth not what to feare because he knoweth in whom he beleeued The death of the wicked is most terrible vnto them But mors peccatorum pessima the death of the wicked is most fearefull and therefore the very remembrance of it is most bitter vnto them for now before it shuts the eyes of their bodies it will open the eyes of
their consciences and they shall see that they must part from all the things that they haue gathered but that not one of those sinnes will part from them which they haue committed and least they should forget them Satan will now open his booke and set all their sinnes before their eyes and then he will bestirre himselfe because he knoweth his haruest is great and his time is but short and therefore he will tell them Matth. 19.17 that if they would haue entred into life they should haue kept the commandements as our Sauiour Christ himselfe doth testifie Rom. 2.13 he will alleage against them that not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall be iustified and he will inferre that if the iust shall scarce be saued it is intollerable for them being wicked men to appeare How Satan discourageth the wicked at their death and what the Preachers of God now cannot beat into the thoughts of these carelesse men this wicked damned spirit will then irremoueably settle in their deepest considerations 1 Cor. 6.9.10 viz. that neither adulterers nor fornicators nor drunkards nor swearers nor vsurers nor extortioners nor lyers nor enuious men nor haters of men nor any such like shall inherit the Kingdome of God and of Christ O then what agonies and perplexities will inuade and teare the wofull hearts of wicked men In that day saith the Lord I will cause the Sunne to goe downe at noone Amos 8.9.10 and I will darken the earth in the cleare day I will turne their feasts into mournings and their songs into lamentations that is they shall be sure then to haue the greatest griefe and vexation when they haue the greatest need of comfort and consolation for I will make all those things that were wont most sweetly to delight them now most of all to torment them the pleasure of sinne shall now turne to be as bitter as Gall and now they shall see that they must die and liue they can no longer and that Satan whom they would not forsake all their life-time will not forsake them now at their death-time but wil be still sounding in their eares Me you haue serued and from me you must expect your wages We read the Deuil assayled the best-Saints Saint Martin Saint Bernard Eusebius Ignatius and others Luke 23.31 and if these things be done in a greene tree what shall be done in a withered saith our Sauiour If he be so busie about the Saints Pet. 4.17 which haue the Angels of God round about them to preserue them Psal 91.11 What shall he doe to sinners who haue nothing but deuils round about them to confound them This is the state of wicked men at their dying day and therefore mors peccatorum pessima of all terrible things the death of sinnefull men is the most terrible Secondly After the seperation of the body and soule How death aequalizeth the bodies of all men then death indeede makes different effects for though it makes the bodies of all alike their dust is so mingled and their bones are so like one another that we know not Irus from Craesus as Diogenes being demaunded by Alexander what he sought for among the tombes sayd he sought for his father Phillips bones but among so many dead mens soules hee knew not which they were yet in respect of the soules How death sendeth the soules of the good to Heauen and of the wicked to hell it worketh very different consequents for it sends the good soules into Abrahams bosome and the wicked soules to hell to be tormented in fire for euermore Now that the efficiente cause of death which is sinne should be the same in all men and that the fruites and effects or subsequents of death should be so different in the godly from all other men we find a treble reason A three-fold reason of the subsequent different effects of death The 1. Is the practise of a godly life 2. Is the meditation of our owne death 3. Is the application of the death of Christ These things as Sampson sayd in his riddle out of the eater bring meate and out of the strong sucke sweetenesse these things doe translate the sting and curse of death into a sweete and a blessed life Of the first Saint Augustine sayth Mala mors putanda non est Aug. de ciuit dei l. 1. c. 21. That to liue well is a speciall meanes to make vs die well quam bona vita praecessit It is impossible that his death should be ill whose whole life hath beene alwayes good quia nunquam Deus deserit hominem quovsque homo deserat deum because God will neuer forsake that man at his death which hath truely serued God throughout all his life and therefore Seneca sayth Seneca in quad epist Ante senectutem curaui vt bene viuâ—rem vt in senectute bene morerer While I was young all my care was to liue well that when I were old I might die well and so let vs doe if wee would die well let vs liue well let vs learne artem viâ—endi the art to liue the life of the righteous and wee shall bee sure to die the death of the righteous for seeing the wages of sinne is death it must needs be that the lesser and the fewer our sinnes be the better our death will be But if we liue like Baalam which loued the gaine and wages of vnrighteousnesse it is vnpossible that we should die the death of Israel for God beheld there was no iniquitie in Iacob Numb 23 21. nor any peruersenesse in Israel and therefore the Lord his God was with him Godly sorrow for sinne and the meditation of our death is the death of sinne Of the second Bosquierus sayth that à culpa natae sunt duae filiae Tristitia Mors hae duae filiae hanc pessimani matrem destruunt Sinne brought forth two goodly damosells Sorrow and Death and these two daughters like the brood of vipers doe eate through the bowells and destroy that wicked mother For First Paenitudine commissa delentur by repentance wee wash away the sinnes that are past and therefore Iohn Baptist sayth O generation of Vipers if you would kill your cruell wicked mother Matth. 3.7 8. that is Sinne bring foorth fruits meete for repentance for that is the onely way for you to escape death and to flee from the wrath to come And Secondly Meditatione mortis futura cauentur by the frequent meditation of death we come more and more to detest and to beware of sinne Aug l. 1. contra Man for so Saint Augustine sayth that nihil sic reuocat hominem à peccato quam frequens meditatio mortis Nothing is so powerfull to make a man hate sinne as continually to consider of this bitter fruit and reward of sinne which is death and Seneca before him sayth the same thing and therefore he aduiseth euery man
is omnipotent therefore Christ as man can be present where he will in the Church in the Sacrament in the midst of his enemies or in any other place where hee pleaseth whereas Sadeel on the other side sayth that if God should intend and indeuour to extend all the nerues and synewes of his omnipotencie The error of the Vbiquitaries yet can he not make one numericall and naturall Body to be in many places at one and the selfe same time which in very deede is most true as hereafter I shall shew vnto you Fourthly For the Pontificialls The error of the Church of Rome about Gods power to prooue transubstantiation Bellarmine doth most stoutly withstand vs and to establish his opinion of Transubstantiation he sayth but most falsely that God can make the true and naturall body of Christ though finite numerically one to be substantially present in all those places whersoeuer their Masse is celebrated and to be orally receiued and eaten of all those Men that doe communicate whosoeuer those Men should be and so the rest of them taught herein by that Arch-heriticke the deuil doe striue with all their might to confirme the probabilitie for the veritie they shall neuer doe of that opinion from the omnipotent power of God Augustin in Iohan. And truely this is nothing else but most cunningly to hide their true faults and false errors vnder the pretext and vayle of the power of God Miserable men herein I assure my selfe qui dum volunt esse mali nolunt esse veritatem qua condemnantur mali who while they desire to bee in error doe wholly oppose the light of Trueth whereby their errors are reproued and doe bring their subtilties and fallacies into the Church of God intruding falsehoods into the roome of Trueth and bare names accidents without any subiects euen as Ixion imbraced a Cloud for Iuno to bee receiued of vs for true and reall things and because we will not yeeld to be thus seduced and to bee made fooles they call vs Fooles and Heretickes full of Heresies and I know not as I care not what But it is easier for them to call vs then to proue vs so and they are but parties and not iudges of this controuersie and parties must not be Iudges in the same case wherein they are parties And therefore wee will not iudge of them least wee should bee iudged neither will wee giue them any other names then the members of the Church of Rome the patrons and defenders of her doctrines and such as beseemeth Modestie and Christianitie for we know the spirit of Christ is a spirit of Loue not of hatred a spirit of Meekenesse not of harshnesse and a spirit of Peace not of strife and contention but according to true reason and the iudgement of all antiquitie and especially the diuine veritie of the most holy Scripture whose propertie is iudicium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallibile to giue an absolute and infallible iudgement of trueth wee will by Gods helpe discusse this poynt of the power of God because the knowledge of this poynt is so exceedingly necessary for the Church of God CHAP. II. How many wayes the power of God is to bee considered and how farre the absolute power of God extendeth FOr the second point that is how farre the power of God extendeth we must first note the difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power and Authoritie for Authoritie is that which is established by right and of this our Sauiour speaketh when hee sayth Mihi data est omnis potestas Matth. 28.18 All power is giuen vnto me in Heauen and in Earth i. e. all authority ouer all creatures both in Heauen and Earth and of this I am not to speake in this place it was formerly expressed in the word Lord But Power is that facultie of doing any thing which consisteth in strength and might Wolfg. Muscul de omnipot dei as Musculus sayth and this is that which I am to speake of And it is either 1. Passiue 2. Actiue First A passiue Power is nothing else Power is either Actiue or Passiue but ens in potentia a being in power or else a power to bee such and such a thing and it is opposed to the act And this wee vtterly deny to be in God because God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vniforme hauing himselfe by himselfe alwayes alike and the selfe same manner and neuer receiuing any wayes any change or alteration being without any shadow of turning James 1.17 as the Apostle sayth Secondly An actiue power is that What Actiue power is whereby such and such acts are fully done and accomplished and this also if wee speake properly is farre from the nature of God because God is a meere and a pure act and nothing aduentitious can bee sayd to be in God But to retaine the vsuall manner of speaking for our better vnderstandings sake we say that an actiue power is in God But then we must further note that an Actiue Power is either 1. Accepta receiued Or 2. Innata inbred The first is of the Creature the second is of the Creator That subsisteth by anothers strength so long as it doth indure as our Sauiour sheweth Without me you can doe nothing because he giueth the power of working This neuer subsisteth by any other strength but by it owne proper might for euer That is particular and limited particular because no creature is so powerfull that it can vniuersally worke all things God giuing not such a perfect power vnto any man saue onely vnto his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ and limited because to doe infinite things is impossible for any creature and because those things which are possible for them to doe are not so possible vnto them as that they can performe any iot of them John 15.5 That the power of the most powerfull creatures is limited beyond the measure of the limitation giuen of God and therefore the power of Kings Monarchs Potentates yea of the very Angels and Deuils as it is giuen them from aboue so it is limited how farre it shall goe They may slay the bodyes but they cannot touch the Soules and they can for a while and in some measure execute their rage and tyrannie against the Saints of God but if they could doe as much as they would doe not a Righteous man should be left vpon the face of the Earth and therefore often times either by death or by some singular iudgement of God their power is terminated and sometimes turned to their shame and confusion The Second that is the Inbred power of the Creator is to bee considered either 1. In respect of the inward acts Operations Of God 2. In respect of the outward acts Operations Of God First The power of God considered in respect of his inward operations is that whereby God doth inwardly vnderstand loue and
humane Soule That Christ had a true reasonable humane soule AND further we must consider that as he had a true humane body so he had a perfect reasonable soule for First The testimonies of the Scriptures are most plaine and pregnant herein As My soule is heauy vnto death Math. 26.38 And againe Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Heb. 2.17 Secondly Reason it selfe confirmeth it for He was made in all things like vnto his brethren Sinne onely excepted and he is The Shepheard of our soules 1 Pet. 2. And therefore he must needes consist of body and soule Thirdly The whole Schoole of Diuinity did euer teach the same Truth for Nazianzene saith Quod non assumpsit non salvabit Either he had a soule or he will not saue a soule And Saint Augustine saith Aug de tempore Ser. 145. Totum suscepit vt totum liberaret verbum The Word tooke all vpon him i. e. both body and soule that he might saue both body and soule And so Fulgentius doth most largely and excellently proue this point in his first Booke De Mysterio Mediatoris Fulgentius de myst med ad Tras l. 1. vnto King Trasimund where I referre my Reader to a most elegant and learned discourse of this matter Ob. But against this many of the Arrians and Apollinaris doe obiect as Nazianzene Athanasius and Saint Cyrill doe affirme that Christ had no humane soule Iohn 1.14 but onely a liuing flesh because the Euangelist saith That the Word was made Flesh And Saint Paul saith Rom. 1. That he was made of the seede of Dauid according to the Flesh Sol. To this I answere that it is an vsuall thing in Scripture to speake synechdochically and sometimes totum denominare ex parte praestantiori to put the soule for the whole man as seuenty soules that is seuenty men went downe vnto Egypt and the soule that sinneth Exod. 1.5 that soule shall die and let euery soule be subiect to the higher Powers Ezech. 18.20 and sometimes totum denominare ex parte minus praestantiori Rom. 13.1 to put the body for the whole man as all Flesh i. e. all men had corrupted their wayes before God and Gen. 6.12 all flesh shall see the saluation of God and to thee shall all flesh come that is all men And therefore hee was made Flesh signifieth Athanas in Sym. that hee was made Man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting And the reason why the Euangelist saith He was made flesh Why the Euangelist saith he was made flesh rather then he was made man rather then He was made man is diuersly rendered by the Fathers For some say it was to shew what part of Christ was made of his Mother that is his Flesh for his Diety was increated and his soule say they was created of nothing and his body onely was made of his Mother And therefore hee saith The Word was made Flesh But this cannot satisfie them which beleeue the Soule to be ex traduce by traduction from the Parents And therefore Secondly others with Theophilact say the Euangelist saith The Word was made Flesh to expresse the greatnesse of Gods loue who for our sakes would be contented to be made the vilest thing for all flesh is grasse Esay 40.6 Thirdly others with Saint Augustine say It was to shew the greatnesse of Christ his humility Ex parte ignobiliori to be named by the meanest name and the basest part of man he was contented to be made flesh for so we finde that in this respect i. e. to shew the greatnesse of his humility though hee was the Sonne of God yet most commonly would hee terme himselfe The Sonne of man to shew vs how hee debased himselfe and was well contented with the meanest and most abiect titles for our sakes and to teach vs by his example not to stand so much vpon our dignities but to humble our selues that we may be exalted Fourthly others with Saint Cyrill say It was for our greater confidence that we should not doubt of Gods loue and fauour towards vs because our flesh which was the part most corrupted is now vnited vnto God and because Christ is now become our brother and our kindred according to that of the Euangelist Behold thy Brethren and thy Kinsmen stand looking for thee Mar. 3.32 for that Consanguinity is in regard of flesh and bloud Fiftly others say It was Vt infimum summo poneret that he might put the highest and the lowest together for he had called Christ the Word which sheweth the highest power of God for thy Word is Almighty Heb. 1. and hee beareth vp all things by his mighty Word And therefore as hee had set downe his Deity by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word which declareth his greatest power so hee would shew his humanity by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flesh which expresseth our greatest infirmity for as Summa dignitas in verbo the greatest dignity is exprest in the word So Summa infirmitas in carne the greatest infirmity is shewed in the flesh And therefore he saith The Word was made Flesh to declare vnto vs Quantus Deus quantillus factus est homo How great a God was made so meane a man All these reasons are very good and may well stand all of them to shew why he saith The Word was made Flesh rather then He was made man Yet Tertul. l. de carne Christi Jrenaeus l. 3. c. 11. Sixtly I like best of Tertullians reason alledged also by Irenaeus Saint Chrysostome and others that the Spirit of God foreseeing what Heresies would follow after and soone creepe to invade the Church of Christ did therefore purposely here and in many other places set downe most euident and vnanswerable arguments to conuince them whensoeuer they should arise that so the light of Truth might be cleered and the mouth of all wickednesse might be stopped God before heresies came prouided for vs that we might be preserued from them when they came And therefore I say that the Pen of the Euangelist was here directed by Gods Spirit to say The Word was made Flesh not because he had not a soule but to assure vs against Marcion Macidonius Valentinus Manichaeus and others that Christ had a true and a naturall flesh assumed from the very flesh and substance of his Mother and vnited vnto his God-head And so you see that Christ had not Ideam humanae naturae An imaginary patterne of humane nature but the whole nature of man In vno indiuiduo Consisting both of body and soule CHAP. IIII. Of Christ his being subiect to all the humane infirmities that are without sinne SEcondly As Christ had all the parts of a true man That Christ was made subiect to all our humane fraileties which are without sinne that is body and soule so he had all the properties that doe concerne mans nature
vndergone tenne of them and hath suffered the same euen as we doe First Cold Secondly Heat Two infirmities incident to euery man and denyed by no man to bee in Christ else could he not be a man Matth. 21.18 Thirdly Hunger as when he came to the Figge-tree and would haue eaten John 4.7 C. 19.28 Fourthly Thirst as when he asked Drinke of the woman of Samaria and cryed I thirst vpon the Crosse John 4 6. Fiftly Wearinesse as when he sate by the Well to rest him John 19.17 Sixtly Weakenesse and Paine as when he was not able to beare his Crosse any further but was faine to haue Simon of Cyren to helpe him Matth. 27.32 And these sixe were infirmities of his Body the other belonged more properly vnto his soule and must bee warily distinguished if we would truly vnderstand them as they are in him Matth. 26 38. Seauenthly Heauinesse and Sorrow as when his soule was heauy vnto death Luke 19.51 and when hee wept for griefe ouer the Citie of Ierusalem That there is a two-fold sorrow But here we must distinguish and know that this heauinesse and sadnesse of Christ was in him as an affliction and not as a transgression and that it was in his sensuall and not in his rationall will or if in his reasonable will that he was sorrowfull because he would be sorrowfull Iohn 11.33 Et turbatus quia turbauit seipsum And was troubled because he troubled himselfe and therefore his sorrow was Subiacens non praesidens turbans sed non perturbans eum Ruled by reason and not ouer-ruling reason and so onely disturbing Marke 6.6 but no wayes disordering him Eightly Shamefastnesse and admiration as when hee marueiled at the infidelity of the Iewes 1 Kings 18. euen as Elias was ashamed of the iniquity and wondered at the stupiditie of the Israelites But here also we must know that it was externally moued by the sinnes of others and not internally procured by any act of his owne Heb. 5.7 Ninthly Feare as when his Father heard him in that which he feared and in this as through wearinesse he willingly fainted so through feare he was exceedingly astonished But here likewise we must distinguish that his feare was That there is a two-fold feare Filialis non seruilis A filiall feare adioyned with Hope and not a seruile feare proceeding from despaire that is not a sinfull but a pious feare which might moue him in his considerations but no wayes remoue him from his godly intentions Tenthly Anger as when he looked angerly vpon them and so when he droue the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Matth. 21.13 That there is a two-fold anger But yet still we must distinguish that his anger was stirred vp and moued Per zelum non per vitium through a godly zeale and not through any inordinate affection and it was nothing else in him but Voluntas vindicatiua malefacti A desiring will to punish the sinne and not a sinfull passion to be reuenged on the person of the sinner as Bonauenture saith These are the tenne infirmities which Discipulus saith were in our Sauiour Christ thus and after this manner as I haue shewed you The other two which he denyeth to be in him are 1. Sinne. 2. Ignorance For the first that is Sinne we all know that he had none For the second that is Ignorance we must distinguish that it was either 1. Crassa 2. Mera That is either 1. A sinfull ignorance 2. A simple ignorance The first we call Ignorantia prauae dispositionis That there is a two-fold ignorance An ignorance of a wicked disposition as when men know not or will not know the things that they ought or might know and this we say was not in Christ because it is sinfull and the cause of many sinnes The second we call Ignorantia merae priuationis An ignorance of meere priuation Et ignorantia negatiua seu nescientia plurimorum and a negatiue ignorance or the not knowing of many things which are not of absolute necessitie to be knowne and this ignorance we say was in our Sauiour Christ First because Adam had the same in the state of his innocency for he was ignorant of many things that God did know Jgnatius in ep 2. ad Trallian That Christ was ignorant of some things and he knew not that he should be seduced by the Serpent Secondly because he did increase in wisedome and knowledge i. e. in his acquisite and experimentall wisedome and not in his infused or diuine wisedome for he had them perfect from the very first moment of his conception Damasc l. 3. Nazian l. 2. de fil and therefore by his acquisite and experimentall wisedome he learned some things that he knew not before Thirdly because he knew not that there were no Figges on the Fig-tree vntill hee went and saw there was none and hee knew not the houre and the day of iudgement Polanus in Sympho Catholica thesi 7. c. 9. Scotus in sent dist 14. q. 1. 4 Fourthly because all ancient Orthodoxe Fathers doe confirme the same truth as Amandus Polanus sheweth And yet we say that although Christ knew not these things Ex natura humanitatis by the manhood yet he did know them in natura humanitatis in the manhood for the Schoolemen doe well distinguish of a two-fold knowledge in Christ 1. In verbo in the word whereby he seeth all things as in a cleere Chrystall glasse 2. In genere proprio in each proper nature whereby he seeth all things as they are in themselues and from himselfe In the first sense wee say the man Christ Iesus knoweth all things because he is hypostatically vnited vnto that eternall word which made and seeth and knoweth all things And In the second sense we say that the knowledge of Christ is twofold 1. Infused 2. Acquisite First the infused knowledge at the very instant of his conception was granted and powred into his manhood so much as a finite creature could be capable of But In what sense Christ may be said to be ignorant of any thing Secondly the acquisite knowledge did increase daily more and more as his experience acquainted him with many things that practically he knew not before and in this respect we may lawfully say that Christ was ignorant of many things in his youth which afterwards he learned in his age And so you see that as Christ assumed our nature so he assumed all our naturall imperfections that are voide of sinne though they were full of paine But here we must obserue that he assumed them all as Saint Augustine saith Non miseranda necessitate sed miserante voluntate Not by any imposed necessitie but by a voluntary assuming of them to deliuer vs from them because he freely subiected himselfe vnto them when no Law could haue compelled him to vndergoe them And thus I haue shewed you how this word was
things for vs. euen for euer For this Incarnâ—â—e Word this God and Man Christ Iesus hath performed all things that are necessary for our saluation he liued for vs he dyed for vs he rose againe for vs and he became the Phisitian and the medicine both of our originall and actuall sinnes For against the corruption and guilt of originall sinne the pure birth and vndefiled conception of Christ is a sufficient salue and against the guilt of actuall sinne the Sanctitie and innocent life of Christ tâ—at was without any spot of sinne is a sufficient remedy and against the punishment either of originall or of actuall sinnes tâ—e most pretious death of Christ is a sufficient satisfaction Quia iniusta mors iustam vicit mortem Aug. ser 101. de tempore liberauit nos iuste quia pro nobis occisus est iniustè Because his vniust death hath iustly ouercome our death and he hath most iustly deliuered vs because he was most vniustly slaine for vs. That good examples are meanes to further godlines Besides the Word being made flesh we haue his life as a most perfect patterne to frame our liues thereby for wee are all like Apes apt to imitate and we say the life of our Minister would more moue vs to godlinesse then his doctrine and no doubt but it would doe much to them that hate not their Minister because he will not be as deboyst as themselues for a good example to good men is as a light set vpon a Candlesticke that all they which come into the house Iohn 3.19 may see the light although to euill men Christ an infallible patterne for men to imitate it moues them to the more indignation and wrath because it makes their sinnes appeare the more exceedingly sinfull and will be a iust witnesse against them in the day of wrath for that seeing the light of a good life shining amongst them they hated the same because their deeds were euill And therefore if we would be led by examples and would not erre let vs lay the the example of Christ before our face for this is a true looking glasse that is euer laid open before euery man and will neuer deceiue nor flatter any man and it is not onely a patterne for our practice but the continuall inspection and looking into the same is also in some measure an efficient cause Cyrillus l. 4. c. 5. and impulsiue motiue to incite vs to the imitation thereof and to the performance of all godlinesse because Christ is the giuer of all such graces whereby men do liue a godly life as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 4.7 That we may boldly come to God Moreouer Christ hauing vnited his Deitie with our humanitie and hauing so well tempered his Maiestie with humility we may the more confidently and boldly draw neere vnto the throne of grace for that as his Deity confoundeth so his humanitie comforteth our faint and feeble soules and as his Maiestie amazeth so his humility animateth vs to come vnto him and to seeke of him whatsoeuer is needfull for vs. And further this Word being made flesh Naturam humanam nobilitauit He hath so innobled our humane nature as Saint Augustine saith that we which were wormes and no men are now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pertakers of the Diuine nature and as it were Gods and no wormes so that now 2 Pet. 1.4 That we attaine to a farre better state in Christ then we lost in Adam Bernard ser 1. de Epiphan our nature being repayred it is exalted farre aboue the dignitie of its first originall and it hath obtained to a farre better state in Christ then it had and lost in Adam because Adam was but is the image of God but wee are ioyned and made one with God as Saint Bernard saith and therefore foelix culpa quae talem meruit redemptorem happy was that fault as it happened vnto vs which brought foorth such a Sauiour to be made partaker of our flesh that wee might be partakers of his Spirit as Saint Gregory speaketh Secondly more particularly That both our bodies and our soules shall be saued in that he was made a true and a perfect man consisting both of body and soule we may assure our selues of the saluation both of body and soule for as our sinnes deserued damnation vnto both so the assuming of both by this Word hath brought deliuerance vnto them both And in that he was made subiect vnto all our humane frailties passions and miseries being made in all things like â—nto vs sinne onely excepted Heb. 2.17 c. 4 15. we may as I haue already touched before conceiue thereby an exceeding comfort for as Queene Dido said vnto the distressed Troians Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco Experience of miseries hath taught mee to succour all those that are miserable euen so Christ hauing felt all infirmities We may be sure of comfort in distresse and suffered more miseries then any of vs can endure will be mercifull and compassionate towards vs when hee seeth vs in distresse for he became like vnto vs that he might be mercifull vnto vs and he was tempted and suffered that he might be able to helpe and succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. saith the Apostle And therefore seeing wee haue not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but is a pittifull and a compassionate Redeemer if we be inuolued in miseries and doe suffer all kindes of infirmities wants scornes sickenesse paines or whatsoeuer else let vs goe boldly vnto the Throne of Grace and beg confidently his mercy and grace Heb. 4.16 to helpe vs in the time of neede for as hee which in our Creation formed vs according to the Image of God was contented now by his incarnation to take vpon himselfe the Image of man So wee which by our transgressions made our selues like vnto the Diuell shall bee most happy and blessed if as Christ became like vnto vs in flesh so we doe endeuour to become like vnto him in the graces of his most blessed Spirit And so much for the second point that he was made Flesh BRANCH III. CHAP. I. Of the distinction of the two Natures of Christ how each of them remaineth entire inconfused and the obiections made against this truth sufficiently answered Branch 3. THirdly We are to consider how this Word was made and still is Flesh which manner may be collected out of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was made Flesh Touching which wee must well obserue these two speciall points Two things to be considered 1. The distinction 2. The vnion of the two natures the Word and the Flesh that is the Deity and the humanity of our Sauiour Christ First The distinction of these two Natures is most excellently shewed by Saint Paul where hee saith That in Christ there are two distinct natures Rom. 1.3.4
a man of sorrowes and Ieremy may well demaund si fuerit dolor if euer there was or if euer we heard of any sorrow like vnto the sorrow of Christ and yet for all these paines and sorrowes these incredible sufferings both of body and soule he bore them patiently hee indured them quietly and as a Father saith Perdidit vitam ne perderet obedientiam hee would rather leese his life then faile in his obedience but as the sheepe before his shearer was dumbe so opened he not his mouth not for all the paines that hee endured not for all the sorrowes that hee sustained so great was his Humility according to the greatnesse of his Maiesty But CHAP. VII Of the gracious words that Christ vttered vpon the Crosse Of the seauen gracious words that Christ vttered vpon the Crosse FOr the second that is the gracious words that he vttered while he stood crucified vpon his Crosse as all the Annals and Records of time can neuer shew his paralell in his sufferings neuer man suffered as he suffered so in all the bookes and writings of men in all the words that were euer vttered by voyce we shall finde not one saying equalizing any one of the sayings of Christ Neuer man spake as hee spake Iohn 7.45 his owne enemies confesse it and as his words were euer gracious so neuer more gracious then now vpon the Crosse For First In the mids of all his sufferings the first words that hee spake were not against any man but an earnest suite for his greatest persecuters Pater ignosce illis i. e. illis qui dixerunt crucifige Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe The first words Christ spake vpon the Crosse A lesson neuer to be forgotten to teach vs all to be euer ready not onely to forgiue but also to pray for our enemies for here we see Christ prayes for them which mocke and persecute him and therefore we must doe likewise if we will be Christians And this may serue also for our exceeding comfort Bernard Heb. poenos How effectuall was the prayer of Christ for if hee thus prayed for them that not onely crucified him but also cursed themselues saying His bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children Yea if his prayer was so effectuall for his persecuters that it brought 3000. soules of them vnto his Father at the hearing of one Sermon of Saint Peter Act. 9.1 and made Saul that most violently breathed out slaughters against his Church to serue him most faithfully while he breathed vpon the earth and caused that very Souldier as some doe thinke which pierced his heart to be connerted by his Spirit and to become a Christian Chrysost in Matth. hom 88. Matth. 27.44 a Professor a faithfull Bishop and a constant Martyr of Christ then what may we thinke that he will doe or how powerfull will be his prayers for them that serue him for them that loue him Secondly The second saying of Christ vpon the Crosse After that the theeues had most contemptuously mocked and flouted him as Saint Matthew testifieth one of them seeing and considering not onely how vndeseruedly hee was condemned but also how patiently he endured all his paines and how piously he prayed for his greatest enemies Luke 22.42 hee began to relent and to repent him of his former reuiling of him and to conceiue some hope of some fauour from him and said Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome our Sauiour presently answered This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise a most sweet and comfortable answere Verse 43. vnto a most comfortlesse malefactor No sooner had he requested but he obtained pardon and was acquitted from the death of his soule though he suffered the death of his body yea and when he desired but to be remembred he was granted presently to be admitted vnto euerlasting happinesse for This day saith Christ shalt thou be with me in Paradise and from a malefactor on the Crosse thou shalt be translated to be a Martyr in Heauen To teach vs To giue to them that aske and from them that seeke neuer to turne away our face and to assure vs that if we pray to God we shall be heard we shall be helped The third saying of Christ vpon the Crosse Iohn 19.26 27. Thirdly After he had thus kindly dealt with his foes hee turnes himselfe vnto his friends and saith vnto his Mother Woman behold thy Sonne and to his beloued Apostle Saint Iohn hee saith Behold thy Mother to shew that as neuer man so pittyed his foes so neuer man so loued his friends as he did and to teach vs by his example neither in prosperity nor in aduersity to forget that dutie which we doe owe vnto our Parents The fourth saying of Christ vpon the Crosse John 4 34. Fourthly When he had gone ouer those in particular hee said I thirst not so much for any drinke as for the health and saluation of vs all for this was meate and drinke vnto him to doe his Fathers will to pacifie his Wrath and to satisfie his Iustice and so to bring many sonnes vnto glory to teach vs that if Christ in the mids of his sorrowes did so much thirst for our health how much more should we hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and after the saluation of our owne soules and not as we doe thirst and wither away for thirst after the pride and pompe of these worldly vanities The fift saying of Christ vpon the Crosse Fiftly Hauing shewed his loue to his foes to his friends to all mankinde he returned vnto himselfe for as yet he seemes to haue forgotten himselfe and his owne paine through the vehemency of his loue which he bare vnto others and not onely perfectly seeing but also sensibly feeling the incomprehensible paine and sorrow that through the fiercenesse of Gods wrath was throughly inflicted vpon him and which he had already so long sustained for our sinnes he lifts vp his eyes and sends forth those words with a dolefull voyce Matth. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Not that he was or could be forsaken of the Godhead so hypostatically vnited vnto it but to shew vnto vs what infinite sorrowes he then suffered aboue all that we can conceiue or thinke and to teach vs in all distresse to haue our chiefe recourse to God in all humility to expostulate with his Maiestie why he should create vs to forsake vs for so with Christ we may be sure to be heard and releeued in what we feare and in good time to be deliuered out of our distresse The sixt saying of Christ vpon the Crosse Sixtly When Christ saw that the Scripture in euery particular thing that was written of him vntill his death was fulfilled he said Consummatum est All is finished Iohn 19.30 not onely to declare vnto vs that by his death the royall Law was fulfilled
possibly suffer As First An outward and inward darkenesse for Christ was Light and in him was no darkenesse at all saith the Euangelist Secondly Destruction of body and soule Thirdly The Lake burning with fire and brimstone Matth. 10. Apoc. 20. Aug de ciuit l. 13. c. 2. which is the second death Et qua sicut nullorum est bonorum ita nulli bona est And which as it is the place of none that is good so it is good to none and therefore either Christ was not good or hee tasted not of this second death or if he did then not vpon the Crosse because the first death must precede the second Fourthly The Worme of conscience continually afflicting them for their sinnes but in Christ there was no sinne and therefore in him there could not be any touch of conscience accusing him for sinne Fiftly Reiection from the presence of God Sixtly Malediction Seauenthly Vengeance of fire Eightly Continuance for euer All set downe in this one sentence Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire Matth. 25. And neither of these can be laid vpon Christ without great blasphemie and therefore he cannot be said to suffer the paines of Hell vpon the Crosse without great Heresie That Hell in this article signifieth not the graue The second exposition is that he descended into Hell signifies Christ his buriall because Sheol commonly signifieth the graue but this cannot stand first because it were an absurd thing in a briefe rehersall of the summe of faith to haue one Article twice repeated and to haue the plainest one hee was buried expounded by a darke and enigmaticall exposition he descended into Hell secondly because it is not said that hee was laid in Sheol but he descended into Hell which signifieth a voluntary motion and therefore cannot signifie his buriall That this article signifieth not the state of the dead The third exposition is that it signifieth the state of the dead but this likewise cannot stand first because this exposition cannot auoide Lymbus Patrum for if Hell signifie the state of the dead the place of the dead can neither be Heauen nor Paradise Iob 11. secondly because wheresoeuer Hell is named as an opposition to Heauen Psal 139. 8.9 it signifieth the place of the damned euen in the Old Testament and in the New Testament but descending is a plaine opposition to ascending Matth. 11.23 as it is said that Lazarus was caried vp to Abrahams bosome and therefore if Sheol should signifie the state of the dead it should haue beene said that hee ascended vp into Sheol which is most ridiculous That the soule of Christ after the seperation from the body descended into the place of the damned The fourth exposition is that hee descended into the place of the damned for the words of the Creede He descended into hell must neither be allegorized nor confounded with the former words but they must be vnderstood as they are spoken Hee descended into hell And that for three speciall reasons 1. Necessity requireth it 2. The Scripture prooueth it 3. All antiquity confirmeth it First Necessity required that he should descend into Hell for man being inuironed with three dreadfull enemies viz. Three dreadfull enemies of man 1. Sinne during life 2. Death shortning life 3. Hell tormenting after death And the Resurrection of Christ being the full conquest of all our enemies he must ouerthrow Sinne Death and Hell or else we doe but vainely boast of releasing vs from sinne or despising death if the right and power of Hell doe still remaine ouer vs and therefore Christ must ouercome Satan and destroy his Pallace before we can be freed from his prison And this Christ hath done three wayes 1. By subduing Satan Christ destroyed Hell three wayes Matth. 12. 2. By tying Satan 3. By spoyling Satan For our Sauiour testifieth saying When a strong man armed keepeth his pallace the things that he possesseth are in peace Luc. â—2 29 but when a stronger then he commeth he taketh his armour from him he bindeth him and then he spoyleth his house And therefore Christ entred into Hâ—ll the pallace of Satan as a conqueror he tyed him as the stronger The conquest of Christ was not only by suffering but also by trampling Satan vnder feet and he spoyled him as the right owner of that which hee vniustly detained from him and this is shewed by the Apostle where he saith that Christ spoyled powers and principallities and made a shew of them openly triumphing ouer them in his owne person for this triumphing cannot be vpon the Crosse though there it was obtained because the conquest ouer Satan was not to bee by resisting much lesse by suffering the paines of Hell but by treading his aduersaries vnder his feete that so he might be truely called a conqueror And therefore we must not thinke that all his conquest was at length to repell them and with mighty feare and strong cries to escape them when the Apostle saith He spoyled them and made an open shew of them but it was a binding of them and a trampling of them vnder feet and the same was manifested to be thus fully accomplished at his Resurrection And this necessity not onely of suffering vpon the Crosse Irenaeus l 3. c. 20 but also of conquering Satan in his owne house Irenaeus sheweth saying Si homo non vicisset inimicum hominis non iuste victus esset inimicus If man had not ouercome the enemy of man That the Scripture proueth the soule of Christ to haue descended into the place of the damned the enemy of man had not beene iustly conquered Secondly The Scripture proueth the same thing for the Prophet Dauid speaking in the person of Christ saith My flesh shall rest in hope because thou wilt not forsake my soule in Hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption but here to take the soule for the body or hell for the graue as some doe I see no reason Quia cum Scriptura diuidit species Tertul. de carne Christi c. 13. carnem animam duo ostendit For when the Scripture speaketh of soule and body it must needs signifie both saith Tertullian and therefore Dauid in his prediction and S in t Peter in his exposition speaking both of the soule and body two names and two natures and naming a distinct place for either of them they must needes signifie two distinct and diuers things and most cleerely shew vnto vs that when his body was laid in his graue his soule descended into Hell That all antiquity teacheth the same truth Luc. 10. Euseb l. 1. c. 23. Ignatius ad Trall Thirdly The whole classie of antiquitie confirmes the same for Thaddaeus one of the seauenty Disciples taught the Citizens of Edessa how Christ was crucified and descended downe into Hell and broke downe that wall that was neuer battered down before Ignatius confessed how he suffered 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and descended alone into Hell and brake downe that Rampier wall which had stood from the beginning of the world Athanasius in that Creede which wee doe professe saith that Christ suffered for our saluation descended into Hell and rose againe the third day from the dead this is the Catholicke faith which except a man beleeue faithfully he cannot be saued Saint Augustine saith Aug. ep 99. that Christ in soule was in Hell the Scripture doth sufficieÌ„tly declare so prophesied by the Prophet so vnderstood by the Apostle and so expounded vnto vs and therefore Quis nisi Infidelis nâ—gauerit fuisse apud infâ—ros Christum Who saith hee but an Infidell will deny Christ to haue beene in Hell Saint Hillary saith Hilarius de trinit l. 2 in Psal 138. that because the Law of humane necessity was such that when our bodies were buried our soules were to descend to Hell Ideo istam descentionem dominus ad consummationem veri hominis non recusauit Christ himselfe did not refuse to descend into the same place Pope Leo saith as much and Fulgentius is as plaine as any of them all Fulgent ad Tras l. 3 â—e resurrect dom I might reckon many more but my purpose is not to say what I could in this point onely I say that he descended into Hell not to suffer for that was finished on the Crosse but for the subiection of Satan and the deliuerance of men not of those that were in Hell but of vs that we should not goe to Hell for how can we be deliuered if Satan be not destroyed how is he destroyed if hell be not vanquished Zach. 9.11 for that is the Pallace of his pleasure and the horrour of our soules the pit wherein there is no water but for as much as this is the condemnation of man and the Law of humane necessity that the body should to the graue and the soule to hell for sinne it remained for the full effecting of our Redemption that Christ should thither descend whither man fell by desart of sinne that is into Hell where the soule of the sinner was wont to be tormented and to the graue where the flesh was wont to be corrupted that by the death of the iust temporally dying Fulgen. quo supra Athanas de incar hath the like saying eternall life might be giuen to our flesh and by the soule of the lust descending into Hell the torments of Hell might be abolished saith Fulgentius And so I beleeue this for mine exceeding comfort that now I need not feare any enemy because Christ suffered for my sins destroyed all mine enemies descended into Hell vanquished the Diuels and rose againe the third day to make an open shew of this his most victorious conquest and blessed bee his name for the same CHAP. IX Of the manner how Christ rose and of the particular application thereof vnto our selues SEcondly we are to consider the manner how our Sauiour rose and many other particulars concerning his resurrection but chiefly we should obserue that his resurrection was 1. in respect of the place from the dead 2. in respect of the time earely 3. in respect of his person it was 1. true 2. perfect 3. glorious I will not stand vpon these particulars The application of the resurrection vnto our selues Rom. 10.9 but to apply all vnto our selues that we may reape some fruit by all I must intreat you to remember what the Apostle saith If thou shalt confâ—sse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued for as I told you before that the resurrection of Christ is the only maine vnanswerable argument to proue Christ to be the true Messias and the Sauiour of the world so heere you see the Apostle putteth the true beliefe in our Sauiours resurrection as the onely chiefest point that is necessary and sufficient for our saluation and therefore it is not without cause that the doctrine of the resurrection should be insisted vpon to be preached and manifested by vs and to be learned and beleeued by you That it is not the Theoricke but the applicatiue knowledge of Christs resurrection that will helpe vs. But here wee must know that it is not the bare Theoricke and intellectuall knowledge that Christ is raised from the dead at that time from that place and in that manner as I haue shewed vnto you before is sufficient for our saluation for so the deuils know it and beleeue it too and yet they receiue no fruit nor benefit thereby but it is the practicke experimentall and applicatiue knowledge and beliefe in the resurrection of the sonne of God that is effectuall for the saluation of man Philip. 3.10 11 And therefore Saint Paul prayes that Hee may know Christ and finde in himselfe the vertue and power of the resurrection of Christ for as the rising of the head doth euer cause the rising of all the parts of the body which is vnited vnto the the head so the resurrection of Christ doth euer worke a resurrection of all the members of Christ for so the Apostle teacheth vs Rom. 8 11. If the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken and so raise vp your mortall bodies by that spirit which dwelleth in you That the resurrection of Christians is twofold And we finde this resurrection of vs that are his members to be two fold 1. from sinne and from all the vanities of this world 2. from death and from the corruption of the graue First if wee be the members of Christ then certainely wee are risen with Christ risen I say from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse and if wee bee risen with Christ then doth our hearts wish and desire those things that are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Coloss 3. saith the Apostle and therefore whosoeuer walloweth in sinne and delighteth in the things of this world it is certaine that hee hath not as yet any part or portion in the resurrection of Iesus Christ for if wee bee the members of Christ wee must also rise with Christ and wee must rise as Christ hath risen for otherwise we would all rise That the resurrection of Christ is a patterne to teach vs how we should rise from sinne and from the company of sinners and many doe rise but not as Christ rose and therefore such risers tolluntur in altum vt lapsu grauiore ruant the higher they rise the greater is their fall But we must rise as Christ hath risen and that is as I told you before First in respect of the place from the dead First from the society of the wicked so must we rise from the dead workes of sinne and from all those that are dead in sinne Christ left the dead in their
become their patrones and defenders whereupon the sheepe being glad to be rid of their dogges and deeming themselues happy to be at peace with the wolues they presently deliuered vp all their dogs vnto the mercies of their enemies and they were incontinently consumed but within a very little while after the wolues began to picke quarrels against the silly sheepe and in a short space deuoured the whole flocke euen so saith Demosthenes if you deliuer vp your Orators for the fauour of King Phillip you shall speedily finde that he will deale with you as the wolues dealt with the simple sheepe whereupon they resolued to keepe their Orators Now Satan deales with our people as King Philip did with the Athenians The cruelty of Satan to destroy the preachers and his subtilty to deceiue the people hee tels them that the Preachers bee the onely dogs that he hates the onely men that barke and often bite against them which by their tithes and offerings they doe maintaine and therefore he perswadeth them to betray their Preachers into his hands and to persecute them with their furies and if they doe so hee promiseth all peace and content vnto them but when hee hath once preuailed to destroy our bodies he will soone destroy their soules and bring them into hell fire and therefore it were well for them if with the Athenians they would beware of their subtill and cruell enemy and make much of them which with the hazard of their owne liues doe continually watch for their soules CHAP. II. Of those speciall gifts which God giueth vnto his children for the sanctifying of their soules and principally of Faith Hope and Charitie SEcondly those gifts which hee giueth to sanctifie our soules are of diuers sorts Gregor Hom. 8. in Ezech. for as S. Gregorie â—aith of Gods presence gradus praesentiae diuinae constituendi sunt there are certaine degrees of the same quia licet omnia tangit non tamen aequaliter omnia tangit so wee must conceiue of the giuing of Gods graces that although he giueth the same vnto many men yet he giueth them not aâ—ter the same manner vnto all men and therefore we say that Gods gifts are either 1. Common The graces that Christ giueth to sanctifie our soules are two-fold 2. Speciall or that God giueth these gifts two manner of waies either 1. After a generall 2. After a speciall manner First the common graces and gifts of God First common or those graces which hee giueth out of his generall respect and loue vnto man are giuen many times aswell vnto the wicked as vnto the godly and therefore in that respect all those that professe Christ Iesus which haue these generall gifts are promiscuously called and taken for the Saints of God herein this life and cannot indeed bee discerned or distinguished by any man from those that are the true elected Saints for God onely knowes who are his and wee may not so much as guesse who they are for wee are prohibited to iudge of them because wee cannot possibly know them Secondly the speciall graces and gifts of God Secondly speciall or those graces which he giueth out of a speciall respect and loue to some men more then others for I can finde no specificall difference betwixt the gifts that he giueth vnto the elect and those graces that he giueth vnto many of the reprobates but the same graces in a more perfect after a more speciall manner are only giuen vnto the elect whereby they are preserued and kept in the fauour of God vntill their last breath We cannot tell who are indued with the speciall graces of Gods spirit But to nominate which are those common graces and gifts which Christ after a generall manner giueth vnto all or most of the professors of his name and which are those speciall gifts which out of his speciall loue he giueth onely vnto his elect or directly to set downe the specificall notes and differences how to discerne and know the one from the other and to distinguish in whom each of these sorts may bee found as some haue venterously attempted to doe seemeth vnto mâ—â— to bee none other thing then to shew who are elected and who are not for whosoeuer hath but the common gifts cannot bee saued and whosoeuer hath the speciall gifts of God shall not be damned Yet I denie not but by the diligent search into the nature and extent of these graces and gifts of God and by the fruits and effects of the same euery particular man may know whether he hath them yet or not for the spirit of man if man would search out his spirit may know what is in man and therefore not that we should iudge one of another who hath these speciall gifts of God and who hath them not but that euery man by searching his owne heart may know if hee hath them Euery one ought diligently to examine what graces he hath to his comfort or if hee hath them not that hee may earnestly labour by prayer to God to attaine them I will a little speake of these speciall gifts and graces of saluation and shew how farre they doe exceede those common graces of the only outward professors The Schoolemen all as it were with one consent doe distribute the gifts of the holy Ghost into these seauen speciall graces viz. 1. Wisdome 2. Vnderstanding 3. Councell 4. Fortitude 5. Knowledge 6. Pietie 7. The feare of God I neede not and my purpose is not to stand vpon each of these Aquinas and his followers haue excellently and largely inough handled each one of these excellent graces but I meane to contract all into a fewer summe and as Saint Paul saith to shew you a more excellent way for though it be most true that Saint Hierome and Saint Bernard say Hieron in Epist Ber. de pass dom 42. Bellarm. de grat lib. arb l. 5. c 3. that as vices goe by troupes so the graces of God doe so assemble themselues and cohere together that he which hath one hath all and hee that wants one wants all i. e. he that hath one in any measure of perfection hath the seeds of all the rest as Bellarmine saith whereby as occasion serueth he can put them being but stirred vp by grace into execution Forma est non omnibus vna nec diuersa tamen qualem decet esse sororum They are not onely like those diuine sisters like one another but they are also linked and chayned together like the indissoluble linkes of a golden chayne yet I say that the chiefest graces which I finde and the surest gifts to bring vs vnto life are those three whereof the Apostle speaketh Faith Hope and Charitie 1. Cor. 13. vlt. for as the Psalmist saith hee that doth these things shall neuer fall so I may be bold to say he that hath these gifts shall neuer faile First Faith is distinguished by the schooles to be
goodnesse teaching vs 1. To be afraid to sinne 2. Neuer to desp of Gods goodn 3. To imitate God in each one of the seauen forenamed points 3. By his iustice and that 1. Negatiuely not making the wicked innocent 2. Positiuely by visiting of the sins of the wicked 1. Vpon themselues 2. Vpon their children where is distinguished of 1. Parents 2. Sinnes 3. Children 4. Punishments This Treatise containeth 1. An Introduction of the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus C. wher is shewed that 1. his life is our chiefest direct 2. himselfe our onely consolatiō 2. An explication of that great mystery of the Incarnation of the Word where is handled 1. Who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where is shewed 1. That there can be but one God and yet that there are three persons in the vnity of that one essence how these three persons are distinguished 1. By their personal actions 1. outward which are 1. Communic 2. Transcient 3. Voluntary 2. Inward which are 1. Permanent 2. Necessary 3. Incommunicable 2. By their nominall relation Father Son and Holy Ghost And that the person made is the second person of the blessed Trinitie To his father 1. Co-eternall 2. Co-essentiall 3. Co-equall And this is fully proued all obict plainely answered and from thence shewed 1. The greatnesse of Gods loue 2. The craftinesse of Satan 3. The peruersnes of hereticks 4. The vnthankfulnes of men 2. Three especiall things touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 1. What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth i. e. the Word 2. Why Christ is tearmed the Word 3. Why the Euangelist vseth this word 1. Because this name of Christ was best knowne to the Iewes and to the Gentiles 2. Because it was the fit st word that he could vse to make way for his subsequent discourse 3. The impulsiue and the finall causes of the Words incarnation and the reasons why the Word rather then the Father or the holy Ghost was to be incarnate 2. What he was made flesh where is shewed 1. The manner of his conception the reasons and the end thereof 2. The matter that hee assumed 1. All our humane nature i. e. body and soule 2. All our humane frailties both of body and soule sinne onely excepted And here is shewed many excellent lessons that we ought to learne in respect 1. Of God 2. Of Christ 3. Of our selues 3. How the Word was made flesh or how the two natures diuine and humane doe make but one person in Christ where is shewed 1. The distinction of the two natures diuine and humane that they doe still remaine intire and inconfused is fully proued and the chiefest obiections made to the contrary are plainly answered 2. The vnion of the two natures in one personis explained and 1. The confirmatiō of the truth of this point is shewed and the greatest obie made against it are sufficiently answered 2. The manner of this vnion wherein it consisteth is expressed viz. 1. Not as the Arrians say onely in respect of 1. Cohabitation 2. Will and affection 3. Co-operation 4. Participation of his names and dignities vnto the manhood 2. But in the communicating of the subsistence of the Word with the subsistence of the manhood where is shewed that this vnion is 1. Inconuertible 2. Indiuisible 3. Inconfused 4. Inseperable 5. Substantiall 6. Ineffable 3. The chiefest benefits effects of the said vnion is shewed and that 1. In respect of Christ which are 1. An exēpt from all sin 2. A collation of ineffable graces into the manhood of Christ 3. A communication of the properties of each nature to the person of Ch. Where the obiection of the vbiquit indeuouring to proue the manhood inuested with Diuine properties are fully answered 2. In resp of vs viz our vnion and reconciliation with God all the happinesse we haue in this life or doe looke for in the life to come This Treatise containeth 1 An introduction of the meditation of Christ his death which is 1. Acceptable vnto God 2. Profitable for vs. 1. To hinder sinne 2. To kindle our charity 3. To erect our hope 2. A declaration of the passion of Christ wherein is handled 4. 1. The person suffering which was 1. A Man 2. A iust Man 3. A good Man 4. A King 5. A Priest 6. A Prophet 7. A God whereis shewed who are subiect to most affliction 2. The sufferings of Christ 1. In the garden of Gethsemane 1. Alone where is shewed 1. How the affections of Christ differ from ours in respect of the 1. Obiect 2. Maner 3. Effects 2. The cause of his agony in respect of 1. obiect 2. subiect where is †Explained 1. What might grieue Christ 1. In respect of himselfe 1. The greatnesse of his paine and shame 2. The deferring of his death and punishment 2. In respect of others 1. Small account he saw they would make of his death 2. The greatnesse of their punishment which hee knew they must suffer for that their neglect 2. What Christ might feare 1. The waight of sinne 2 The malice of Satan 3 The wrath of God 2 By others where is shewed 1. The treason of Iudas where is shewed 1. what Christ had done for Iudas 2. why Iudas betrayed Christ 3. how Iudas betrayed him 2. The flight of all the followers of Christ 3. The taking and binding of Iesus Christ 2. Before his Iudges viz. 1. Before Annas where 1. He is examined 1. Of his Disciples 2. Of his Doctrine 2. he is strucken by the hie P. ser 3. he is denied by his stoutest Ap. 2. Before Pilate the first time where hee is accused 1. Of impiety against God 2. Of treaso against Caesar 3. Before Herod where the mystery of cloathing Christ in white is explained 4. Before Pilate the 2. time where his scourging crowning with thorns c. is expressed 3. In Golgotha where is expressed 1. Those things that he suffered on the Cros 1. An accursed 2. A shamefull 3. A painefull 4. a lingring D where also is shewed the generality of his suffering 2. The 7. gracious words that he vttered many other speciall obseruat full of comfort 3. The necessity of Christ his sufferings in respect of the causes viz. 1. Instrumentall 1. The enuy of Satan 2. The malice of the Iewes 3. The couetousnesse of Iudas 4. The desire of the multitude 2. Efficient God himselfe for our sinnes out of the loue he bare to man 3. Finall 1. In resp of men 1 To saue the Elect by the vertue of his death 2. To make the wicked without excuse for neglecting his death 2. In resp of God for the glory of his blessed N. where is shewed that this should teach vs 1. To compassionate his death 2. To make vs thankefull for so great a benefit 3. To cause vs to loue him aboue all things in the world 4. To make vs ready to suffer any thing with him and for his sake 4. The
is traduced from the Parents into the Children 1. On the one side they say the childe receiueth from his Parents not his soule but onely his body for if the soule were ex traduce begotten by naturall generation then it must needs be traduced either from the body or from the soule of the Parents Whether the soule is begotten by the Parents If from the soule then is the soule subiect to deuision to corruption and then we might as well say an Angell may beget an Angell as to say one soule may beget another but to say that the body being an elementarie substance subiect to corruption should beget a spirituall soule that is incorruptible is more absurd as Aristotle doth most truely declare And therefore they say that the soule creando infunditur infundendo creatur is infused as it is created and created as it is infused and then as cleane water powred into a foule Cisterne must needes bee presently corrupted so the pure soule infused into a polluted flesh must needes be instantly defiled for he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with pitch And to confirme this supposition they alledge that testimony of Scripture Heb. 12.9 where the Apostle calleth our naturall Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fathers of our flesh and God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Spirits 2. On the other side they say if the soule should not proceed from the Parents then not onely God might seeme to deale vniustly 1. In not performing his law when he saith Ezech. 18.20 the soule which sinneth the same shall dye and not the soule which neuer sinned 2. In the composing and ioyning together of two substances so vnequall to be vnited a pure soule that neuer offended infused into a most vnpure substance wholly corrupted but also the flesh must needes be yeelded to be the primarie seat of sinne and though it be a corporall grosse composition wanting life yet must it needes proue to be not onely the taynter and defiler but also to predominate and to be the guider and ruler of that spirituall substance which giues vs life which is euery way most absurd And so you see that as Saint Augustine saith of this traducta culpa the traduction of this sinne nihil ad predicandum notiu◠Aug. de moribus Ecclesiae c. 22. nihil ad intelligendum secretius nothing is better knowne to bee published for experience wofull experience shewes it that in Adam and through Adam all the race of mankinde is corrupted but how this corruption is traduced in the propagation of the posteritie nothing is harder to be expressed For as the Prophet Dauid saith we are fearefully and wonderfully made Psal 139.13 and ver 5. and the knowledge thereof is so excellent that we may well wonder at it but no wayes well attayne vnto it And therefore as a fellow fallen into a dungeon and crying vnto his companion for helpe that his life might be preserued his friend wondring how hee came there began to question with him which way he had fallen and how long he had continued but he replied Tu cogita quomodo hinc me liberes Aug. de moribus Eclesiae c. 26. non quomodo huc ceciderim quaeras I pray thee rather thinke thou how I may be deliuered then stand questioning how I came indangered so should we rather earnestly seeke the meanes how this originall corruption may be remoued from vs then curiously to search how it is traduced vnto vs. But because as it seemed vnto Festus to bee vnreasonable to send a prisoner Acts 25.27 and not withall to signifie the crimes laide against him so this seemes to me very vnfit to propose the doubts and not to doe our best to expresse the truth therefore I will set downe mine opinion touching this question that is full of contradiction That God created all soules at once as he did the Angels in the beginning and then infuseth them into the bodyes as they are still begotten of their Parents though it was an opinion much patronized by the Origenists yet hath it beene long exploded and truely confuted by the learned and that God still ex nihilo of nothing createth the soules as hee infuseth them into the bodies I see as little shew of reason as nothing yet alledged In what sence God is called the Father of spirits whereby the said thesis may be confirmed For the Apostle in the place aboue cited doth not meane that God is more properly a Father vnto our spirits i. e. our soules as if they were more immediately proceeding from God then of our bodies or that our naturall Parents are more properly the Fathers of our flesh then of our spirits for though the soule in regard of its spirituall being is neerer and more agreeable to the nature of God then the body yet in regard of its being God is the author the framer and the principall Father as well of the body as of the soule Psal 139.12 for my raynes are thine and thou hast couered me in my Mothers wombe saith the Psalmist And our naturall Parents may be truely said to be the instrumentall authors and begetters of the soule as well as of the body for Gen. 5.3 when it is said that Adam begat a childe in his image wee must not referre this image onely to the similitude of the body but also to the like qualities and properties of the soule and so wholly like him both in body and soule and the Apostle by the Fathers of our flesh doth vnderstand Fathers of our corruptible being such as make vs naturall men and no more and by Father of spirits he vnderstandeth the Father of our spirituall birth which makes vs spirituall men and so the meaning of the Apostle is no more but this viz. That euery godly man hath a double being If we doe so reuerently and so contentedly suffer the correction of those Fathers which giue vs our naturall being quae nascimur ad laborem nascimur ad mortem whereby we are borne to miseries born to die how much more contentedly should we receiue the chastisements of that Father which giues vs our spirituall being qua nascimur ad salutem nascimur ad vitam whereby we are borne vnto Sanctification and brought vnto eternall saluation For all men may easily see from the context of the place it selfe that the Apostle speaketh thus not of the naturall and carnall men that are borne only of flesh and blood but of these spirituall and regenerate men which are also borne of water and of the Spirit And therefore seeing the Apostle here by Spirit vnderstandeth the fruits of the Spirit that is the spirituall graces of regeneration whereby we liue sayth the Apostle that is eternally as the coherence of the place and the maine scope of the Apostle makes it playne and not the Soules or Spirits of our naturall generation I say that the parents begetting a childe doe beget
then is he almost past all hope of well-doing For not onely the Apostle saith it is a shame to speake of those things which are done of them in darkenesse but the very Heathen Poet could say Quis furor est qua nocte latent in luce fateri Ouid. l. 3. amor Et quae clam facias facta referre palam What a madnesse is it to speake openly what abhominable sinnes thou hast committed secretly And if it be a shame and a frenzie to speake of thine abominations openly O then how lamentable is thy case to commit them publikely in the sight of the Sunne Isidor de summo bono l. 2. Quia maior est culpa manifeste quam oeculte peccare Because it is a farre greater sinne to commit any wicked fault openly then it is to commit the same fact priuately and secretly for he is doubly guilty that sinneth publikely What a haynous thing it is to sinne publiquely and so to teach others by our ill examples Matth. 5.19 Et quia agit quia docet First because he doth that euill himselfe and secondly because he teacheth others by his example to doe the like and you know what our Sauiour saith Hee that breaketh the least of these Commandements and teacheth others so to doe he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heauen i. e. None at all He shall haue no place at all in Heauen And yet as the Prophet Ieremie said of the Iewes That they carryed their sinnes in their foreheads and had Whores faces Ier. 3.3 which would not be ashamed so may we now say of our selues we are as an impudent Strumpet that will play the Harlot in the sight of her Husband and are more abashed at our base apparrell then we are at our wicked liues Thirdly when we are come to that passe to commit sinne without feare and to doe it openly without shame to haue our conscience seared and our hearts hardned in sinne then as the old saying is Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati Custome of sinning doth take away all the sense and feeling of sinne in familiaritatem grauissima adducit and makes the heauiest sinnes like Miloe's Oxe seeme light and small vnto them for now the sinner is in his owne element and no element is heauy in his owne spheare Ideo peccata Seneca de tranq quamvis magna horrenda cum in consuetudinem venerint aut parna aut nulla esse credunt peccatores The custome of sinning makes the greatest sinnes seeme but very small And therefore the sinners which are accustomed to sinne doe esteeme their sinnes though they be neuer so horrid and horrible to be either no sinnes or but very little sinnes and therefore though euery sinne in it selfe is like a talent of Lead able to sinke downe the strongest soule to Hell or like the poysonous iuyce of Aconite Lurida terribiles miscent a conita nouercae which they say is the mortallest poyson in the world because as the Poets faine this hearbe grew from that froth that fell out of the Iawes of Cerberus when Hercules dragg'd him out of Hell yet doe these men carry all their sinnes away Iudg. 16.3 as nimbly as Sampson did the Gates of Azza and drinke vp the same as smoothly as the drunkards vse to sip vp their pleasant Wine And when we haue accustomed our selues to sinne then are we bound in sinne as with a chain more strong then those seauen greene Withes or those seauen new Ropes wherewith Dalila bound Sampson The longer we continue in sinne the harder it is for vs to forsake our sinnes for he brake the same as a thread but we shall hardly escape out of these miserable bonds of sinne Nam vsitata culpa ita mentem retinet vt nequaquam ad rectitudinem surgere possit For an vsuall custome of sinning doth so retaine the soule in sinne that it cannot rise to vertue yea though he should sometimes endeuour to rise yet should hee alwayes faile to stand Greg. in quad Homilia Quia vbi sponte diu persistit ibi cum noluerit cadit Because where he willingly long persisted there of necessity he shall often nillingly fall saith Saint Gregory And so Saint Chrysostome saith Chrysost aduersus gentiles ad Babylam Martyrem that the soule of man which once tasted of the sweetnesse of sinne and is not moued with sorrow or repentance for the same causeth by her owne negligence the strength of sinne alwayes to encrease For as a sparke of fire falling among the stubble How sinne will encrease if it be not at the first resisted doth instantly kindle it and is more and more augmented if it be not presently extinguished and then it neuer leaueth burning till all be consumed Euen so is the nature of sinne when it hath once seized vpon the thoughts of man if it be not presently subdued crusht in the shell or as Saint Augustine speaketh of the children of the Babylonians dasht to the walls while they are yet tender and yong it will grow further and further and euer prooue worse and worse and more and more wilde and vntamed and so the latter sinnes doe alwayes proue the greater sinnes and the end of such Sinners farre worse then their beginnings as our Sauiour speaketh for seeing they would not quench the first flames of sinne they are soone fallen into all kinde of sinnes Chrysost hom 59. in Matth. What a slauery it is to serue sinne And then Quemadmodum qui sub mille paedagogis vitam degunt Euen as those men which are kept vnder a thousand Schoolemasters dare not looke aside for feare of being espied of them nay more then the daughter of Inacus durst turne any where for feare of Argos eyes so they that are filled with sins cannot nay dare not speake of vertue no more then a seruant dares to speake against his Master Iohn 8.34 He that doth sinne is the seruant of sinne 2 Pet. 2.19 saith our Sauiour Et duram seruit seruitutem and surely such a one hath but a hard seruice of it as hereafter I shall shew vnto you Hypocrat l. 2. Aphor. 9. And therefore seeing that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the infected parts of the body the more they are cherished the more they are indammaged So the soule daily accustomed to sinne is the more infinitely endammaged by sinne It were well for vs Christians if we would often remember the Heathen mans saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No wise man will twise commit the same sinne and it would be better for vs that we would follow the other mans counsell which saith Obsta principijs sero medicina paratur Cum mala per longas conualnere moras Giue the water no passage Ecclus 25.25 no not a little saith the Sonne of Syrach and suffer not sinne to haue footing in thee How we ought to be very
death vpon him as well as Iudas his betraying of Christ causeth him to hang himselfe And therefore timenda est ruina multitudinis etsi non magnitudinis We should as well take heed to be destroyed by the smallest Aug. de vera relig in ep 138. as by the greatest things Nam quid interest ad naufragium c. For what skils it whether the Ship suffers wracke from one huge billow that ouer-whelmes her or by some small Leakes which in time doth sincke her So what difference is it Luc 16.21 with Diues to be sent to hell for his daily denyall of his crummes of bread vnto poore Lazarus 1 King 21.16 or with Achab for once taking away of Naboths Vineyard or with our continuall swaggerers for daily swearing and loose-liuing or with the blood-like Caine that doe though but seldome commitimmane and fearefull murthers surely none but this that they doe walke diuers wayes but do meete in the end at the same place And therefore the very heathen man could say Cicerol 1. offic Qua parua videntur esse delicta c. Those sinnes which seeme to be so small as that they scarcely be perceiued to be sinnes by many ought with all care diligence be to auoyded or otherwise we shal find our Sauiours words to be true that for euery moment of time that we haue spent in vaine Matth. 12 39. and for euery idle word that we haue spoken to no purpose we shall render an account at the last day For the reward of Sinne be it neuer so little is Death And so much for the first part the worke done i. e. Sinne. Part. 2. PART II. The payment for Sinne. i. e. Death For the reward of Sinne is death CHAP. I. Of the deceit of Sinne. Of the great deceit of sinne in promising much and performing the cleane contrary YOu saw the Worke you see the Wages and thereby you may see the deceit of sinne Fronte polita Astutum vapido seruat seruat sub pectore vultum For it will appeare at first with a Syrens face most delightful but it wil proue at last to haue a Serpents sting and to be most wofull and you may easily find almost infinite instances of this trueth Gen. 3.6.7 for Eue saw the tree was good for meate and pleasant to the eye and a tree to be desired to make one wise therefore she tooke and did eate and gaue vnto her Husband But then saith Moses their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked naked in body naked in soule naked of all grace and naked of all goodnesse and therefore you see the Serpents promise to make them like Gods made them like Diuells and that the desire of delight and ostentation did worke their griefe and confusion Cle. Al. l. 3. Strom Iustin Martyr apol pro Christianis Sulpit l. 1. de sac hist Gen 6.1.2 So the sonnes of God that is not the Angels as Clemens Alexandrinus Iustin Martyr Sulpitius Lactantius and others thought but the godly sonnes of Seth as Saint Augustine and others doe most truely collect did see the daughters of men that is of the posterity of Caine that they were faire and therfore they tooke them wiues of all that they liked and what could they haue more then to haue their owne desires but what saith the Text when they thought themselues most happy then did they feele the greatest misery for suddenly the flood came and tooke them all away Mat. 24.9 So Saul thought to make aduantage by sauing Agag and the fattest of the Cattle but thereby he lost his Kingdome from his Off-spring 1 Sam. 15.9 So Iereboam thought to establish his Throne by his Idolatry but it proued to roote out all his Posterity 1 King 12.28 and so as the Scripture sheweth we finde the same truth in all other particular sinnes for though the Harlots words be sweet her countenance faire Prouerb 7.27 c. 9.18 and her bed perfumed yet her house saith Salomon is the way to the graue her chamber is the doore of death and her guests are in the depth of Hell and the very Heathen man could say Meritrix meum herum miserum Plantus Truc sua blanditia intulit in pauperiem spoliauit bonis luce honore atque amicis This Harlot with her cogging flattery hath impouerished and vndone my poore miserable Master she hath spoyled and depriued him of all his goods honour friends and all So though stolen waters be sweet and the bread of deceit is pleasant vnto a man yet afterwards his mouth shall be filled with grauell Prou. 20.17 and though the Wine seeme Cos to the drunkard that is to haue colorem odorem saporem an excellent colour in the glasse a pleasant smell in the nostrels and a sweet taste in the mouth yet in the end it will bite like a Serpent Prou. 23 32. it will hurt like a Cockatrice It will Circe-like transforme Men to Swines Virgil and make them with Vlysses fellowes to become worse then the very beasts When as the Poet saith Et pudor probitas metus omnis abest Wee shall finde in them neither feare of God nor shame of face nor scarce any quality or propertie of man besides humane shape for as Propertius saith Vino forma perit vino corrumpitur aetas Propertius l. 2. eleg vlt. Vino saepe suum nescit amica virum By Wine the beauty failes by Wine man waxeth olde Vt Venus enervat vires sic copia Bacchi tentat gressus debilitatque pedes Festus Anieno de ven vino by Wine the wedded wife with strangers will be bold And to be briefe though young men and Gallants doe reioyce in their youth and walke in the wayes of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes that is inioy what pleasure soeuer they will what their eye seeth or what their heart desireth yet in the end God will bring them to iudgement for all those things and then shall their bread in their bellies be turned into the gall of Serpents Eccles 11.9 And so euery sinne is like it selfe like Duke Ioab whose words were smoother then oyle when he saide vnto Amasa Est ne pax mi frater 2 Sam. 20.9.10 Is it peace brother and yet while the tongue called him brother his sword stab'd him to death like an enemie So sinne as it were a cunning Apothecary that writes on the out-side of his boxe Pharmaca medicines when as within there is nothing but Venena poysons Proponit quod delectabile supponit quod exitiale vngit pungit It promiseth wealth but it bringeth woes Reuel 8.13 Woe woe woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth Vae propter culpam vae propter tribulationem mundanam vae propter paenam aeternam Woe for our offences woe for our miseries woe for our eternal punishment and it annointeth vs with oyle
flecti principis ira solet For though Gods anger did burne like fire yet the teares of repentance is able to quench his wrath and therefore Saint Peter when hee sinned Matth. 26.75 in denying the innocent blood hee went out and wept bitterly Ambros in Luc. vt lachryme lauaraent delictum that his bitter teares might wash away his grieuous sin and his true repentance giue life vnto his dying soule Vade fac tu similiter goe thou and doe the like reuiue thy languishing soule with weeping teares and I can say no more quia non inuenio quid dixerit sed quod fleuit for I finde no more but that he wept his teares perhaps drowned his wordâ— but they restored life vnto his dying soule they layd hold on God with Israel and would not suffer him to depart vntill hee had forgiuen him Hierom. in Esayam Nam oratio Deum lenit sed lachrymae cogunt for when words doe but desire him but incline him our teares will compell him to be mercifull vnto vs. How sinne polluteth the soule of man You see then hee that delighteth in sinne slayeth the soule yea it defileth and polluteth the whole soule and it makes it so odious and so detestable that God cannot endure it for hee dwelleth not in a body that is subiect vnto sinne and therefore Saint Chrysostome sayth Wised 1.4 that melius est luto pollui quam peccatis it is farre better to tumble our bodies in the filthiest mire then to touch our soules with the least sinne No dirt so foule as sinne for he which falleth into the mire may in a short time be washed and become as cleane as they that neuer were bemired but hee that once falleth into the puddle of sinne receiueth such pollution as that all the waters in the ocean Sea can neuer wash him cleane nor any thing else in the world saue onely the blood of Iesus Christ which cleanseth vs from all sinnes and this also must be layd hold vpon to effect it Chrysost hom 12. ad Heb. poenitentia diligenti lachrymis euen with the bitter teares of true repentance CHAP. III. How sinne slayeth euery facultie of the Soule ANd further wee must vnderstand that as sinne defileth the whole soule in generall so it polluteth euery facultie of the same in particular Plato saith That there are three speciall faculties in the soule of man and Aristotle from him that in the soule of man there are three especiall faculties The first hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the vegetatiue facultie which of others is called virtus naturalis the naturall vertue of increasing and the seat of this in man he sayth to be the liuer the properties whereof are to nourish and to beget c. The second he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sensitiue facultie whose seate he saith is in the heart and to which hee ascribeth the vitall vertue and the motions of the sensitiue appetite The third hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reasonable facultie whose seate sayth Galenus is the head and whose operations are to imagine to remember to vnderstand to iudge and to guide all voluntary motions And there is none of these but sinne defileth How sinne defileth euery facultie of the reasonable soule and especially aboue all the rest the reasonable soule for in it we find three especiall faculties 1. The will 2. The vnderstanding 3. The memorie And we find all these exceedingly corrupted and defiled by sinne For First The Philosopher sayth that there is no doubt of this Arist aeth l. 10 c. 8. The chiefest perfection of man consisteth in the will of man quin in affectu voluntate perfectio summa consistit But that all or the chiefest perfection of man consisteth in the will and affection of man for the will is not onely the immediate agent of all those actions quae vocantur elicitae which are called free actions as to will to nill to choose to refuse to loue to hate to desire and such like but it is also the effecter of the other actions quae vocantur imperatae which are called compelled actions because the will commandeth all as the mind to thinke and to consider the vnderstanding to discusse the iudgement to approue and all the other faculties of the soule to execute his command so that there is neither sinne nor vertue but the same is first in this commanding will before it comes to any part either of soule or body All actions are adiudged according to the disposition of the will Propertius lib. 2. 10. And therefore are all actions good or badde adiudged and deemed according to the disposition of the will First Good actions haue all their goodnesse from the will for not onely the Poet sayth Quod si dificiant vires audacia certe Laus erit in magnis voluisse sat est That the will is sufficient where the power is wanting but also Saint Augustine sayth Aug. sup Psal 57. that whatsoeuer good thou wouldest doe and canst not doe it God accepteth the same as done and Saint Paul himselfe saith that in such cases God accepteth the will for the deede Gregor moral lib. 10. for God looketh not so much quantum quilibet valet sed quantum velit into what a man is able to doe as into what a man is willing to doe and therefore our Sauiour commendeth the poore widdow and preferreth her before all the rest of the rich men Mar. 12.43 because though her gift was lesser yet was her will better then all the rest for that they of their abundance bestowed what they could well spare but she of her penurie had cast in all that she had and Dauid willing and saying that he would build God an house Ver. 44. 2 Sam. 7. was accepted as if he had built it for seeing God looketh not so much into the outward worke as into the inward intention of the heart Jdem ibid. l. 1â— whatsoeuer is intended by the will in the very heart of man the same is reputed and deemed as done in the eyes of God sayth Saint Gregorie Secondly Euill actions haue the same estimation for si sit voluntas desit potestas c. If thou hast a will to doe euill and hast no power to doe it thou art no lesse guiltie of the deed in the sight of God then if thou hadst done it and therefore he that looketh on a Woman that is with a will to lust after her hath committed adulterie with her in his heart alreadie saith our Sauiour and the very heathen Poet subscribeth vnto the same truth saying Iâ—â—n 13. Haâ— patitur poenas peccandi sola voluntas Nam scaelus intrase tacitum qui cogitat vllum Facti crimen habet Whosoeuer thinketh euill inwardly within his breast must needs bee guiltie of the outward fact The will or desire of sinne deserueth the punishments
but hee not contented to be a man aboue these but desiring to be a god aboue all was made a worme and no man inferior vnto all and then all like Acteons dogges seeing vs metamorphosed from men to worse then beasts began to rebell against vs and most furiously to pursue vs Gen 19.24 the fire to consume vs as it did Sodome and Gomorrah 2 Sam. 24. the ayre to infect vs as it did the Israelites in the time of Dauid the water to drowne vs as it did the whole world in the dayes of Noah Gen. 7.23 the earth to swallow vs as it did Corah Num. 16.32 Dathan and Abiram and all other creatures to deuour vs as the beares did those children that mocked Elizeus the Starres in their order Judg. 5.20 did fight against Sisera and since we haue sinned and rebelled against the Lord there is no creature but hath cast away the created yoke of obedience and haue rebelled against vs so that now hic labor hoc opus est It is a taske too great for Hercules to bring them againe to the obedience of man And thus you see that from our first entrance into this wretched life sinne laboureth still to kill vs and doth at all times and by all meanes vexe vs grieue vs weaken vs by passions sorrowes sicknesses and such like and will neuer leaue vs vntill it layeth vs downe in the dust and therefore that all these are the prodromi the fore-runners and beginnings of death or rather like so many little deaths that doe bring vs vnto our last and fatall death For all these are the reward of sinne and therefore branches of this death And so you see what is meant by Death For the second point hauing seene what is meant by death Of the large extent of death that is all the miseries that doe consume and waste our liues we are now to consider how farre this death extendeth And this the Apostle sheweth briefly when he saith Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 and the very Heathens say as much Seneca Lex vniuersa iubet nasci mori It is an vniuersall Law and a debt that we owe and must pay to Nature that euery one which is borne to life should passe away by death Laertius lib. 2. c. 3. And therefore when it was told Anaxagoras that all his sonnes were dead he answered Sciebam me genuisse mortales I knew that I had begotten mortall creatures for as nullis amorest medicabilis herbis so nihil est moderabile morte There is nothing in the world that can moderate the rage or preserue vs from the fatall stroke of death Non Torquate genus Horatius lib. 4. non te facundia non te restituet pietas saith Horace vnto his friend Torquatus And we see the faith of Abraham the strength of Sampson the wisedome of Salomon the riches of Craesus and the Kingdomes of Alexander could not preserue them from Death Polydor Virgil writeth that King Canutus seeing the Sea beginning to flow said I command thee not to touch my feete but his command was bootlesse for he had scarce ended his Edict but the surging waue dashed at his teeth So we may out-braue death in words but we may be sure that as the Sea so Death How vnresistable is death antiquum obtinebit will keepe his old wont Yea though wee could hinder the course of the Sea for meanes haue been found to tame the fiercest beasts to breake the hardest marble to mollifie the impenetrable Adamant and to deale with the Seas as Xerxes did with the waters of Hellespont or Caesar with all the Riuers of Germany yet is there no meanes in the world to escape the hands of death and therefore Saint Augustine saith August Psal 121. Resistitur ignibus vndis ferro resistitur regibus imperijs venit vna mors quis ei resistit Fire Waters Swords Kings Kingdomes were resisted but who hath euer withstood the stroake of death Quia nec miseretur inopum nec reueretur diuites Because as Saint Bernard saith it neither pittieth the poore Ber. de conu cler nor regardeth the rich but Nereus the faire Thirsites the soule Craesus the rich Irus the poore Solym the cruell Solyman the magnificent Diomedes the Prince and Damaetas the Peasâ—nt must all fall downe at Deaths feet Because that no teares no prayers no threatnings no intreâ—tings will serue the turne to turne away the face of death So stiffe so deaffe so inexorable is death How the Egyptians expressed death to be the sole enemie of all men And therefore the Egyptians in their Hierogliphickes painted Death like a Goddesse holding a sickle in her hand with this inscription Nemini parco I spare no man And because they found her so hard-hearted so implacable and so inexorable that nothing could appease her wrath when she did meane to cut vs downe but that she tooke the Husband from the bosome of his louing wife and the Parents from the poore helpelesse Infants and so fulfilling her owne will and carefull for none else therefore they built her no temples they offered no sacrifice they celebrated no rites vnto her but seeing she vsed all alike Constantinus imperator famulus meus making no difference betwixt Agamemnon and Thirsites therefore all vsed her alike and stood all vpon their guards to defend themselues so well and so long as they might against all her darts though they knew that in the end she would ouercome them all because they had all sinned and the reward of sinne is death Psal 50.22 O consider this all ye that forget God all ye that neglect God all whosoeuer Kings Lords and great men old and yong rich and poore one with another for though you liue like gods and none dare say why doe you so yet you shall die like men and if you fearelesly commit the sinne I dare boldly say that you shal be sure Aequo pode pulsat pauperum tabernas regumque turres Horatius most fearefully to indure the punishments for as you see Death spareth none but cutteth downe as well the Cedars of Lebanon and the Oakes of Bashan as the Shrubs of Cades So much lesse will God spare any man that sinneth CHAP. V. How Death worketh variably in diuers respects and the diuers causes thereof FOr the third point we must consider that although Death passeth ouer all yet that it worketh not vpon all alike but worketh variably and that as we find it in foure speciall respects 1. Of the manner 2. Of the time 3. Of the place 4. Of the effects or consequents of Death For the first we finde that there be more wayes of death then there be meanes to preserue our life for as the Poet saith Mille modâ—s laethi miseros mors vna fatigat Though there is but one way for all men to come into
Israel by making mutuall matches and mariages betwixt their Children whereby the anger of the Lord was so kindled that hee slew of them three and twenty thousand in one day 1 Kings 12.31 The other was the practice of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat a great King that to establish his Kingdome did make Officers and Priests of the basest of the people 1 Kings 12.31 and thereby hee made all Israel for to sinne And therefore if you would suppresse or hinder the increase of sinne you must take heede among other things of these two especiall points First Marry not your Children vnto sinners That we should not marry our Children but to the best men but looke rather into the sincerity of their Religion the purity of their profession and the vprightnesse of their conuersation then the greatnesse of their reputation here amongst men and if you finde them Drunkards Swearers Players Idolaters superstitious or leud liuers or any wayes inclined to these or the like sinnes decline you from them and meddle not with them least their sinnes doe bring a plague and punishment to consume both you and yours for though it be a good thing to bestow thy Daughter in marriage yet is it not good vnlesse it be to a man of vnderstanding saith the Wiseman but they are a people void of reason and a Nation destitute of vnderstanding that turne the Diuine Verity into Idolatry or that doe any wayes erre from Gods Commandements Secondly make not any Officers especially Priests That we should not make any Officers especially Priests but those that are truly religious and honest of the basest of the people but looke into their liues and consider well their profession yea marke their inclination and whom you see corrupted with sinne or any wayes infected with the poyson of iniquity drunkennesse prophanenesse cruelty idolatry or superstition promote them not vnto your seates of Gouernment or if they be promoted and preferred by others yet haue you nothing to doe with this stoole of wickednesse receiue them not into your Houses entertaine them not at your Tables haue no commerce or conuersation with them meddle not with them fauour them not for you may be sure that they will fauour sinne and you should feare least by medling with them you should be defiled and tainted with sinne for the bewitching of naughtinesse Wisdome 4.10 doth soone obscure things that are honest But make much of them that feare the Lord and whom you see zealously affected to follow the true Religion and earnestly labouring to leade an vpright conuersation O let them be helped and furthered to be promoted both in Church and Common-wealth for you may be sure That we should make much of those that are good and godly men and doe our best to promote such into dignity that they will faithfully doe what lyeth in them to suppresse Idolatrie and all iniquitie Who so is wise will ponder these things and he shall vnderstand and perceiue and feele the louing kindnesse of the Lord. And as sinne seekes to creepe by degrees so if you looke into the liues of men you shall see how it comes fairely clad and vayled with the shaddowes of vaine excuses Sometimes of infirmity either of Age or of Nature young men thinke it too soone for them to be precise old men are weake and are not able to endure any longer seruice the wrathfull man Gen 4.23 with Lamech layeth all the fault on his fury if he slayes a man in his wound and a young man in his hurt the Drunkard saith it was his drinke and not he that acteth all the mischiefe and the lasciuious man excuseth himselfe with the heate of his bloud and the lust of his flesh Of the manifold excuses that sinners haue to lessen and to excuse their sinnes Gen. 3.7 Sometimes of conformity the proud the drunken the ambitious the couetous and the like sinnefull men they doe but as most men doe and why should they be singular Sometimes of simplicity there meaning is good what euill soeuer they doe And thus sinne couers it selfe like Adam with the fruitlesse figge-leaues of hypocrisie But alas beloued we must know that for Gods Husbandry no season proues vnseasonable but young men and maidens old men and children Psal 148.12 must praise and serue the Lord and Nature must be subdued by Grace if euer we will be the Children of Glory and all your excuses of sinne will not free your soules from eternall death but as the Prouerbe is Kill a man when thou art drunke and thou shalt be hanged when thou art sober So sweare and raile and rage and offend thy God and abuse man when thou art in thy drinke in thy fury and God will lay the punishment on thee and not on thy drinke when thou shalt not haue a drop of drinke to quench thy thirst nor a droppe of water to coole thy tongue Luc. 16.24 That we ought to keepe our selues spotlesse in the midst of the wicked And we haue learnt in Gods Schoole that Iuda must not sinne no though all Israel should play the Harlot but as the Riuer Alphaeus conuayes it selfe through the Seas into his beloued Arethusa and yet participates not at all with the Sea-saltish humour so must Lot preserue himselfe chaste in the middest of Sodome and the Saints in the middest of the World as I haue shewed at large in my Treatise The Delights of the Saints Page 47. of the Delights of the Saints And the Schoole of Diuinity teacheth vs that Bonum est de integra causa The beginning meanes and ending of euery action must needes be right or the whole action will proue wrong and therefore wee must take away these vailes from sinne if we would perceiue the vglinesse of sinne and so escape the wages of Sinne which is Death Secondly seeing Sinne is the reall and radicall cause Et mali morbi mortis Of weakenesse sickenesse miseries death and destruction a pernicious parent of most dreadfull and deadly off-spring for foolish men are plagued Psal 107.17 because of their offences and I will smite thee saith God himselfe vnto Iacob because of thy sinnes and it is an axiome infallible Mich. 6.13 that sinne and punishment are inseparable companions so inseperable that the Hebruists doe often call them both by one name as where the text sayth Sinne lyeth at the doore Gene. 4.7 and ver 13. and My sinne is greater then I can beare and againe your Sinne shall find you out there Arias Montanus and Tremellius translate it punishment Numb 32.23 That wee should acknowledge our owne sinnes to be the true cause of all our miseries Jere. 44.17 therefore if we feele any plagues or miseries either Dearth of Corne or decaying of Trade increase of Superstition or decrease of Religion or any such like plagues and miseries let vs not blame the times nor trueth of God but let vs lay the
praecipua laudatio est c. This is one of the chiefest commendations of God that he hath no meane nor measure in him for his power his vertue his Maiestie How the Fathers doe extoll the power of God cannot be contained in place determined by time expressed in words nor conceiued in our best vnderstandings our sence is too narrow our wit is too blunt and our tongue too mute to performe so great a taske because as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 145.3 There is no end of his greatnesse And therefore Saint Augustine saith excellently well Demus Deum multa posse nos intelligere non posse That we must grant that God can doe many things Aug. ep 3. ad Volusian which we must confesse wee can neither search out the cause nor vnderstand the things because the power of God is not to be straitned within the compasse of our shallow apprehensions How great a sinne it is to say any thing derogatory to the Power of God And therefore we ought to take great heed that we neither say nor conceiue any thing derogatory to the power of God for if it be ordained by humane Lawes that he which should offend the Maiestie of a King though but a man should leese his head for his offence Quis finis contemnentium diuinam omnipotentiam erit Bernard in cant What should become of those that contemne or speake against the Diuine Omnipotency of God saith Saint Bernard Fourthly the very Heathens Poets Phylosophers and all of the learneder sort haue confest as much as is sufficient to proue the Omnipotent power of God Homer Odyss 3. p. 65. for Homer brings in Minerua speaking vnto Telemachus and saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is as much as if shee said That God can doe what hee will and none can hinder him because as one saith Ille potest solis currus inhibere volantes How the very Heathens haue extolled the Omnipotency of God Ille velut scopulos flumina stare facit He can hold still great Phoebus wayne as he did in the days of Ioshua at he did at thered Sea And stoutest streames he can restraine For though as another saith Astra regunt mundum These sublunary Creatures are generally guided by the influences of the higher Orbes yet to conclude the verse he saith Sed regit astra Deus The God of Heauen doth rule the Heauens and rideth vpon the same as vpon an Horse And therefore an Indian Gymnosophist being demanded by Alexander what God did answered What he will Et quod nulla creatura facere potest And what no mortall man nor any other creature can doe for they daily saw how by his strength vnlikely matters haue come to passe the greatest imaginations haue beene dissolued with a blaste and dying hopes haue beene reuiued from their graues and therefore they all concluded that Ludit in humanis diuina potentia rebus It was an easie matter for Gods power to deale with all Creatures as he listed and How the very Diuels haue confest the Power of God Fiftly the very Diuels doe acknowledge and confesse and obey the power of God For Apollo being demanded of one by what meanes he might with-draw his wise from Christianitie He answered That he might easier flie through the Ayre or write in the Sea then plucke her away from Christ because God was so powerfull to preserue her Heydelf de Deo c. 2. and the Diuell so weake to striue against him and being requested by Augustus to informe him who should succeede him in his Empire hee saide Peucerus de Oracul p. 251. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Hebrew Childe hath inioyned me to silence and I must hence-forth obey his voyce And so the Scripture saith That the vncleane Spirits were obedient vnto Christ and as the winde and the waues so did they yeeld and doe whatsoeuer Christ commanded them Much more might be said to confirme this point Quid satis est cui Roma parum but all is but to light a candle before the Sunne And therefore seeing I am no wayes able to speake what I ought to expresse this truth I will proceede to see what the sonnes of darkenesse can say against this truth And as I distributed the adversaries into foure Classies so I finde their obiections to be foure-fold Obiect The Obiections that are made against the truth of Gods Power answered Sol. That there be three sorts of Agents First the Naturalists say that Ex nihilo nihil fit Of nothing nothing can be made And therefore God is not so powerfull as to be able to produce things of nothing and to create this Vniuerse out of no subsistent matter To this I answere that there be three sorts of workers 1. The lowest 2. The middlemost 3. The highest or else 1. Artificers 2. Nature 3. God First Artificers can doe nothing but of some body composed of the first matter and a substantiall forme into which they doe induce an accidentall forme as the Baker out of his Dowe makes Bread or the Potter out of his tempered clay makes his Potts Secondly Nature or naturall Agents can likewise produce nothing into being vnlesse there be first some matter or subiect whereunto it induceth a naturall forme so from any naturall seede is composed the fruit of each seede in his kinde as from the seede of man is ingendered man and so of all other things whatsoeuer And in these two sorts of Agents the axiome is most true That God can produce any thing of nothing that of nothing nothing can be made but of the third agent that is God it is most false for as he did create all things of nothing so he can yet as easily of no being produce any being as he can change any compleat being into another And therefore to argue from the creature vnto the Creator or from the faculty of the inferior agent vnto the faculty of the superior as the Artificer cannot doe it therefore Nature cannot doe it or Nature cannot doe it therefore the God of Nature cannot doe it is most absurd and foolish Euery Childe can perceiue the weakenesse of this childish reasoning Secondly Obiect the desperate men doe obiect against their owne soules that Gods Iustice is so strict that it requires euery sinne and the least sinne to be punished with eternall death and their sinnes are not onely few and small but most infinite in number euen as Manasses saith My sinnes are more innumerable then the sands of the Sea and most haynous for quality euen as Caine saith My sinne is greater Quam vt venia merear Gen. 4.13 Then I can deserue pardon or they be greater then can be pardoned And therefore say they God cannot pardon our sinnes but we must die and die eternally for our sinnes To this I answere first Sol. that it had beene very good for them they had reasoned
be euery where in some sence may be sayd to be euery where because it is vnited to that Dietie which is euery where and further I say that a thing may bee sayd to be or to doe by accident Two wayes 1. Properly 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First That is sayd to bee or to doe properly by accident which hath anothers vertue properly communicated vnto it as water made hot hath the heate of the fire communicated vnto it Secondly That is sayd to be or to doe improperly by accident which is onely ioyned vnto that which is of it selfe In the first sence wee say that the body of Christ is euery where that is in the word but not in himselfe and so we yeeld the Soule of Christ to be omniscient and the humanitie omnipotent in the word but not in it selfe And In the second sence wee finde the Church by reason of our spirituall coniunction with Christ to bee called Christ and to bee sayd to haue risen with Christ and to fit with Christ in the Heauenly places And againe I say that whatsoeuer is either in one place or euery where must be either 1. In substance without quantitie as the Angels 2. In quantitie as all corporall things 3. Or in Vertue qualitie as the Sunne by his vertue and powerfull operations may bee sayd after a sort to bee euery where and thus the Body of Christ in respect of the Hypostaticall vnion propter virtutem seruatricem by reason of Saluation it worketh euery where may bee sayd to be euery where but to say that the Body of Christ as it is a body quantatiue or limited with the bounds of quantitie is euery where I say it is vnpossible because nothing that is quantatiue can be infinite but is measured and bounded by place alone Quia numerica vnitas corporis finiti non potest consistere sine continuitate because as Iulius Scaliger sayth the numericall vnitie of a finite body Scal. extra in Card cannot consist without continuitie e. i. except it bee alwayes contained in some place and wee find all the Fathers of this iudgement as Cyrillus Alexandrinus in Dialog de trin l. 2. Tertull de trinit p. 610. Ambros in luc l. 10. c. 14. Vigilius l. 4. contra Eutychet Fulgentius l. 2. ad Trasimundum and many others which that thrice worthy Zanchius Zanch. l. 2. c. 6. de nat dei p. 107. c. together with their sayings and arguments doth set downe at large And therefore though to say that that which is no quantitie nor circumscriptiuely locall in one place which is onely proper vnto the God-head is in euery place is no contradiction yet seeing the Body of Christ is a true naturall body and that euery true body whiles it remaines a body must consist of his certaine and limited dimensions and therefore of necessitie must be locall in one place and cannot possibly bee in euery place to say that this is euery where is the greatest contradiction that may be for to say that that thing which is and must bee in one place is in euery place is such a contradiction as I know nothing more and therefore if they will prooue him to bee euery where they must first disproue him to bee a true and a naturall body and so proue the Body of Christ to bee truely and really made a God And indeede so they seeke to doe For They say that although he assumed a true body yet it followeth not that it must still retaine his true dimensions but that now by reason of its glorification it is freed from those necessarie conditions of a Mortall body and really indued with these Diuine properties and this is no more contradiction to say that God can disrobe a body of its naturall properties and to indue it with supernaturall faculties then it is to say that God at the day of Iudgement will change our Mortall bodyes to bee Immortall and cause this corruption to put on incorruption as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15. and therefore God can make the body of Christ to be euery where That the glorification of a body doth not take away the dimensions of a body To this I answere first that the glorification of any body doth no wayes disrobe him or free him from the essentiall properties of that body in respect of its quantitie or substance for that were to make a body to be no body but onely in respect of the qualities whereof those that are ill shall bee quite abolished and those that are good shall bee more fully perfected and therefore I say that the bodyes of the Saints glorified or clarified shall be but changed in qualities as indued with agility and subtilitie perfection and immortalitie and shall no wayes be changed in substance but shall still remaine the same quantatiue bodyes bounded and limited with their naturall dimensions for otherwise how should Iob see God with the same eyes that hee had Iob 19.27 while hee liued or how should we beleeue the happinesse and felicitie of our bodyes if our bodyes be so changed as to be no bodyes at all they shall therefore be indued with most vnspeakeable perfections and most perfectly clarified from all imperfections but they shall not be disrobed of their naturall proprieties Secondly I say that the Body of Christ That the body of Christ was a glorified body from the first moment of his conception though in some things it is otherwise now then it was before his resurrection and ascension as to be impassible for now Christ being dead dieth no more sayth the Apostle and to bee more apparantly glorified being then as it were vayled from our eyes that we could not see the true glorie which indeed it had yet was it truely a most clarified and glorified body from the first moment of his conception for it was freed from all corruptions and indued with all possible perfections and as the Apostle sayth Colloss 2.9 The fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in Christ bodily And therefore how could it be but that a body vnited to the God-head should bee a body glorified from the first moment of that Hypostaticall vnion and so it appeared at his transfiguration on mount Thabot Matth. 17.2 which was not an imposition or donation of more glory vnto the body of Christ then it had before but a translation of the vayle which couered his Glory by reason of their inabilitie to behold it and a reueiling of his glory vnto them and yet wee must needs confesse vnlesse wee will fall into damnable heresie that this glorified body of Christ was then quantatiue and limited with the bounds of his dimensions else how could the Prophet say that a Woman should compasse a Man or how could the Euangelist say that he was layd in a manger that he walked from one place to another that he was nayled to the crosse Luke 12.16 John 19.18 Matth. 27.60 that he was layd in
truth of God wee can in no wayes beleeue them not because we know no reason how they may be done for so we beleeue many things as all the mysteries of our Faith but because we haue many reasons euen out of the Word of God to assure vs that these things cannot be done And so much for the chiefest obiections that are vsually made against the truth of this Doctrine of Gods Power CHAP. IV. Of the vsefull application of this Doctrine of Gods Power YOu haue seene the truth of this Doctrine of the Power of God it may serue for many especiall ends As first for the confutation of a world of errors and the cutting downe of many infinite heresies especially those whereof I haue already spoken and therefore I neede not say any more of them in this place Secondly this Doctrine of Gods Power A great comfort to the godly that God is able to deliuer them Math. 10.16 Dan. 3.17 may serue for the consolation of the godly for they are inuironed with many enemies they are sent as Sheepe into the middest of Wolues and they are hated of all-men for Christ his sake but as the three Children said We know that God is able to deliuer vs from the burning fiery Furnace and from the hands of all that hate vs and to preserue vs blamelesse vntill the day of the comming of Christ And therefore though we be beset with enemies on euery side Bosquier de incruent victor Christi p. 567. especially the World Tanquam Syrena dulcis Like the alluring Mermaides The flesh Tanquam Dalila blandiens Like a false flattering Dalila and the Diuell Tanquam Leo rugiens Like a roaring Lyon that doe seeke by all meanes to destroy vs Presentemque viris intendunt omnia mortem Virgil. Aeneid l. 1. Reuel 2.10 Yet we neede not feare any of those things that we shall suffer Quia non plus valet ad deijciendum terrena paena quam ad erigendum diuina tutela Because all the power of darkenesse is not so able to suppresse vs as our gracious God is to support vs for otherwise Si Diabolus nocere posset quantum vellet aliquis iustorum non remaneret If either Satans malice or the hatred of wicked men or the furie of bloud-thirsty Tyrants might preuaile against the godly seruants of Christ so much as they would then not a righteous man could remaine vpon the face of the Earth but God can put a hooke in their nostrils and say vnto them as he sayes vnto the Seas Hitherto shalt thou goo and no further Rom. 8.31 And therefore If God be with vs we neede not feare who be against vs Quia maior est qui est in nobis quam qui est in mundo 1 Iohn 4.4 Because as Saint Iohn saith He is greater and stronger which is in vs then he that is in the W rld Euen so we haue the lusts of our owne flesh the messengers of Satan 1 Pet. 2.11 that doe buffet vs and fight against our soules and make vs many times when it compells vs to doe the euill that we would not doe â—nd to leaue vndone the good that we would doe to crie out with the Apostle Rom. 7.19 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death or who shall preserue vs vnto eternall life And to say with the Poet O terque quaterque beati queis ante ora patrum contigit oppetere O happy had wee beene had wee died before wee had sinned but if we cast our eyes to looke vpon Gods Power we may be presently comforted because the Saints of God though they be shaken and sifted and winnowed like wheate yet are they kept not by their owne strength for so they should soone faile 1 Pet. 1.5 but by the Power of God saith Saint Peter through faith vnto saluation And this indeed is the sole comfort of all Christians that we shall neuer perish Iohn 10.28.29 because our Father which gaue vs vnto Christ is greater then all and none is able to take vs out of his Fathers hands This is that Foundation which remaineth sure and therefore happy is that man which buildes vpon this Foundation Thirdly this Doctrine of Gods Power may serue for the reprehension of the wicked for he can destroy all the workers of iniquitie Math. 10.28 and cast both body and soule into Hell fire And therefore will ye not feare to offend so great a God Remember I beseech you what he hath done to the old World to Sodome That the wicked should feare to offend thiâ— powerfull God Deut 29.19 and Gomorrah to Cora Dathan and Abiram to Pharaoh Iudas and many more remember that he can doe whatsoeuer hee will doe and remember what he saith Hee will doe vnto them that heare the words of the curse of the Law and yet will blesse themselues in their hearts saying We shall haue peace And let these things moue you to be humbled before the mighty â—and of God and to cause you here to feare his power 1 Pet. 5.6 that hereaâ—ter you may not feele his anger For Heb. 10.31 it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God and they that now goe on in sinne and make but a sport of iniquitie without either beleeuing his truth that he will punish sinne or fearing his power that he can punish them shall then finde and feele that it had beene better for them neuer to haue beene borne or to haue had a milstone hanged about their neckes and to haue beene cast into the middest of the Sea then to haue broken the least Commandement oâ— this powerfull and Almighty God And so much for the first attribute of God here expressed that is his Power and now followeth the second attribute which is Gods Goodnesse CHAP. V. Of the Mercy of GOD and wherein the same chiefly consisteth YOu haue heard of the Power of God 2. Attribute i. e Gods goodnesse we are now to see how God proclaimeth his Goodnesse according as he had promised before I will make all my goodnesse to passe before thy face Exod. 33.9 A Doctrine farre more comfortable then the former for not hee that can but he that will helpe vs is best vnto vs and hee that is willing to doe what he can though it be but little is farre more deere vnto vs then he that can do much but will do nothing but the power of God sheweth that he is able and this goodnesse of God proueth that he is willing to releeue vs and therefore the goodnesse of God is the anchor of our hope and the foundation of all our comfort and it is well coupled with the former attribute for in vaine were his willingnesse to helpe vs vnlesse he were able and in vaine were his ability to helpe vs vnlesse hee were willing the former being but a fruitlesse wish and the latter but a gracelesse
be abundantly true because as Hugo saith In sacra Scriptura non solum bonitas est quod praecipitur faelicitas quod promittitur sed etiam veritas est quod dicitur Whatsoeuer is said in the holy Scripture 2 Cor. 1.20 it is absolutely true without any errour and the promises of God are as sure as if they were already performed for he is yea and Amen i. e. True in himselfe true in his workes and true in all his words And this Truth of the Lord indureth for euer for He will not alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth neither will he suffer his Truth to faile But when we forget both him and our selues Luke 1.72 he will still be mindfull of his promise and remember his holy couenant And therefore seeing that as the Light is so excellent a thing the first-borne of all visible Creatures and the very comfort of euery afflicted heart that dispelleth all darkenesse discouereth all things and the procreatiue cause of all Creatures so is this Truth of God What we ought to doe of that transcendent excellency as that it is the best guide of our liues and the sole meanes to saue our soules It should teach vs First Comparare veritatem To purchase this Truth and to get the same vnto our selues by any meanes First to spare no cost to get that Truth Matth. It is that Treasure â—id in the field to gaine which the wise Merchant sold all that euer he had no labour is too great no cost is too deare to gaine this Truth Multa tulit fecitque puer sudauit alsit Horat. And as another saith Ardua quamuis sit via non metuit virtus inuicta laborem If the Gentiles did toyle and moyle and sweat and spare no paines to get a little measure of humane learning which did almost nothing else but puffe them vp with pride what paines ought we to take to search and seeke for this Diuine Truth which is onely able to saue our soules Secondly Retinere veritateÌ„ to let passe this truth Secondly to hazard all we haue in defence of this Truth when once we haue attained vnto the same by no meanes but to keepe it and to retaine it vnto death for so Salomon saith Buy the truth but sell it not i. e. when you haue gotten it part not from it and this is no small taske Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri But it is as difficult a thing to retaine it as it is to finde it for seeing the truth is like the light and the light is many times obscured with cloudes and darkenesse so the truth is opposed by errour and ignorance it is enuied and hated by the sonnes of men and as Tertullian saith it hath beene euer seene Juellus in Apol. ex Tertul. Apolloget Veritatem in terris peregrinam agere inter ignotos facile calumniatores inuenire That the truth was entertained on earth but as a Pilgrime and a Stranger that easily findeth enemies in euery place and scarce friends in any place and so the Booke of God and the story of times doth make it plaine how the Professors of this Truth were alwayes persecuted and the Truth it selfe sought to be suppressed by the sonnes of darkenesse Moses and Aaron were withstood by Pharaoh and resisted by Iannes and Iambres and the rest of the Sorcerers of Egypt The Prophets were so vehemently and so generally persecuted by the Iewes that Saint Stephen asketh them Acts 7.52 Which of the Prophets haue not your Fathers persecuted and Christ himselfe which was borne to this end Vt testimonium perhiberet veritati That he might beare witnesse vnto the Truth John 18.37 was resisted vnto death and so all the Martyres and faithfull witnesses of this eternall Truth can beare witnesse what they suffered in the defence of Truth What is needfull for vs if we would retain the Truth And therefore if we would retaine the truth wee haue need of Patience we haue need of Courage and of a constant Resolution neuer to suffer this Heauenly Truth to bee taken from vs vntill our selues be taken out of this wretched life Let vs lay before vs the examples of the Patriarkes and Prophets of Christ himselfe of his holy Apostles and of all his blessed Martyres which thought not their liues too deare to defend this Truth let vs not be degenerate children of such worthy Progenitors as transmitted this Truth vnto vs with the losse of their liues That Truth at last will euer preuaile And though wee haue neede of Patience to suffer much in the defence of Truth yet wee may be confident that Truth will preuaile and get the victory for as no darkenesse can so swallow vp the light but that in its appointed time it will gloriously returne againe so no power of darknesse can so suppresse the Truth but at last it will appeare as the cleare day Because as the nature of errour is such Cokus de iure regis Eoclesiastico that although none be to withstand it yet as the smoake at last it will vanish of it selfe so the nature of Truth is such that although neuer so many doe oppugne it yet at last it will preuaile as Zorobabel saith and as the Comicke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time will bring out the Truth into Light at last And therefore seeing the Truth is of that inuincible power that although it may be obscured yea for a time with Christ himselfe be buried yet it cannot be extinguished nor remain perpetually intombed but that the time will come wherein nothing is hid which shall not be reuealed nothing is couered which shall not be manifested We should arme our selues with confidence and sure trust in God which according to his Truth will at last bring all Truth to light and saue all them that put their trust in him But here me thinkes I heare some saying they would willingly spend their liues in defence of Truth if they could tell what were Truth for now there are so many Religions so many Professions and so many diuersities of Opinions in the world that it is farre easier for them to spend their life then to find out what is Truth I answere that as Claudian saith Saepe mihi dubiam traxit sententia mentem curarent superi terras an nullus inesset rector He was much distracted and knew not what to resolue whether there was a Diuine prouidence or not because when he saw the most admirable course of things he said Claud. l. 1. in Ruff. Tunc omnia rebar consilio firmata Dei He thought it was vnpossible that that could proceed but from a superiour cause but on the other side when as the Prophet Dauid saith He saw the wicked in such prosperity and the Righteous hang downe their heads like a Bull-rush yea and hâ—nged many times like the wicked sonnes of euill doers
vnto vs especially 1. His life is our chiefest direction 2. Himselfe is our onely consolation For Aug de vera religione First Tota vita Christi in terris per hominem quem gessit disciplina morum fuit The whole life of Christ which he spent here on earth was and is a patterne for all Christians saith Saint Augustine Christ despised all worldly vanities Nam omnia bona mundi contempsit For he dâ—spised all the pompe and vanitie of this world he was borne poore his Inne was a Stable his Cradle was a Manger and his couering were poore swadling clouts he liued poore for hee had not an house to put his head in and he dyed poore Saint Augustine when he dyed made no Will because he had no wealth but his bookes which he gaue to the common Library Posidon in vita August saith Possidonius but Christ was poorer for he had no goods but his garment this was all the Souldiers got by him to teach vs in his mundanis faelicitatem non reponere That we should not greedily seeke nor childishly place our delight in these vaine and worldly toyes but if riches increase not to set our hearts vpon them Et omnia mala sustinuit Christ suffered all miseries and he suffered all the sorrowes of this world hunger thirst cold and nakednesse lyings slanders spittings mockings whippings death it selfe to teach vs Vt nec in illis quaereretur faelicitas ita nec in istis infaelicitas timeretur That as wee should place no felicity in the vanities of this life so we should not feare all the miseries of this life Iudg 6.12.14 but to say with Debora March valiantly O my soule and with the Angel vnto Gideon Goe on thou mighty man of Warre and passe through all the ranks of miseries for Dabit Deus his quoque finem God will make an end of these things and will bring his people vnto rest which shall continue without ending and therefore Saint Bernard saith Incassum laborat in acquisitione virtutum qui eas alibi quam in Christo quaerit That there is no way in the world for vs to attaine vnto any goodnesse Christ the most perfect patterne of all vertue but onely through Christ nor to learne any true vertue but onely from the example of Christ For If thou wouldest learne humilitie Let the same minde be in thee which was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2.5.6.7 who being in the forme of God and thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet did he make himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant If thou wouldest learne truth and vprightnesse set the example of Christ before thy face for in him there was no sinne 1 Pet. 2.22 Bernard ser 2. super Cantic Prudentia vera in eius doctrina iustitia in eius misericordia temperantia in vita fortitudo in eiusdem pâ—ssione reperiuntur and in his mouth was found no guile and to be briefe if thou dost seriously looke thou shalt easily finde that as Saint Bernard saith True Wisedome is found in his Doctrine Righteousnesse in his Mercy Mercy in his Iustice Temperance in his Life Truth in his words Fortitude in his sufferings and all vertues in all his actions All the Aethicks of Aristotle all the morality of Seneca and all the wisedome of Greece can no wayes describe vertue neere so perfectly as wee see it expresly portrayed in the liuely example of our Sauiours life And as there is no way for vs to finde true vertue The knowledge of Christ the onely meanes to suppresse all vices but onely in him which is vertue it selfe so there is nothing in the world that is so auaileable to suppresse all vice as is the true knowledge of Iesus Christ Nam haec irae impetum cohibet superbiae tumorem sedat For this will refraine the violence of anger when they consider how he suffered all violence and villanies Esay 53.7 and yet as a Sheepe before his shearer was dumbe so opened hee not his mouth This will allay the swellings of Pride when they consider how he was the noblest of all creatures Psal 45.3 and the fayrest among the sonnes of men and yet was he meeke and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 â—his will heale the wounds of enuy it will stoppe the streames of luxury it will quench the flames of lust it will temper the thirst of couetousnesse and it will keepe thee from the itching desire of all filthinesse when we consider how much hee loathed these how free he was from these and how earnestly hee disswaded vs from these and from all other vices whatsoeuer And therefore saith he Ne mundi gloria seu carnis voluptatibus abducaris dulcescat tibi pro his sapientia Christus Ne spiritu mendacij erroris seducaris lucescat tibi veritas Christus ne aduersitatibus fatigeris comfortet te virtus Dei Christus Lest thou shouldest be with-drawne from God through the pompous vanities of this world or the lustfull and delightfull pleasures of thine owne flesh let Christ the true wisedome of God waxe sweet vnto thee Lest thou shouldest be seduced by the spirit of lies and of errors let Christ the true light shine vnto thee and lest thou shouldest be wearied and waxe faint vnder the burthen of aduersities let Christ the power of God refresh thee Secondly As all Christs actions are our instructions so is Christ himselfe all our consolation Nam cum defecerit virtus mea non conturbor For if I see mine owne strength and goodnesse faile me yet I neede not be disturbed I neede not be deiected Quia quod ex me mihi deest vsurpo ex visceribus Domini Because whatsoeuer wanteth in my selfe Whatsoeuer we want Christ alone is all-sufficient to supply our neede to helpe my selfe I may freely and boldly assume it to supply my wants from my Lord and Master Iesus Christ for as that seruant neede not want that hath free leaue to vse his Masters full purse at his owne command so neede not they want any grace that haue the grace of Christ because as I told you before Omnia habemus in Christo Christus omnia in nobis We haue all things in Christ and Christ is all things vnto vs. If thou art sicke with sinne and thy soule wounded or poysoned vnto death and wouldest be healed Christ is thy best and alone Physician onely he and not one but he can cure thee If thy soule doth hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and wouldest be satisfied Joh. 6.35 he is the Bread of Life and the Fountaine of liuing waters Whosoeuer eateth him shall neuer hunger and whosoeuer drinketh of him C. 7.38 shall neuer thirst for out of his belly shall flow riuers of waters of life If thou art as naked of all goodnesse as thou wert of all clothing when thou camest out of thy Mothers wombe
and wouldest be adorned with the best robes of vertue Christ is the garment of righteouâ—nesse And if thou doest put on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13 14. as Saint Paul aduiseth thee then all thy garments will smell of Myrhe Aloes and Cassia it will be like the smell of a pleasant field Gen. 27.27 which the Lord hath blessed or whatsoeuer thou wantest and wouldest haue thou mayest fully and freely haue the same from him Vita ab errore gratia à peccato mors à morte liberabit His life will preserue thee from error if thou wilt follow it his grace will free thee from sinne if thou wilt receiue it and his death will deliuer thee from eternall death if thou wilt beleeue in it And if thou be simple he is thy wisedome if thou be sinnefull he is thy righteousnesse if thou wouldest be holy he is thy sanctification if thou beest the slaue of hell and held captiue by the Diuell Ephes 4.8 he is thy redemption that hath ledde captiuity captiue And to comprehend all in a word This word is All in all Vt qui omnia propter Christum demittit vnum inueniat pro omnibus Christum That he which forsaketh all for Christ his sake might finde all in Christ and Christ in stead of all farre better then all vnto his soule And so might ioyfully sing with the Psalmist The Lord is my portion and I haue a goodly heritage the Lord is my Shepheard and therefore I can want nothing For Psal 23.1 as Seneca said vnto Polibius Fas tibi non est saluo Caesare de fortuna conquaeri quia hoc incolumi nihil per didisti It is not fit for thee to complaine of Fortune for want or pouerty or any other aduersitie so long as thou hast the fauour of Caesar Nam in hoc pro omnibus hic tibi omnia est ideo non tantum siccos sed laetos oculos esse oportet and him so friendly vnto thee for that hauing him thou hast lost nothing which thou canst not soone and easily recouer againe because he and his loue is better then all things vnto thee and therefore thou shouldest more reioyce in hauing him then grieue for the leesing of all things else Euen so may I farre better say the same vnto all Christians What matter though we want or leese all the things of this World if wee haue and enioy Iesus Christ for all the accessions and accumulations of worldly things can adde nothing vnto the felicity of a Christian and all the defects or wants of the same things can detract nothing from the happinesse of him that hath Iesus Christ for whosoeuer hath him hath all things and whosoeuer wanteth him hath nothing For All our knowledge is but heathenish Science All the things of this World without Christ will auaile vs nothing Iohn 14.6 able to make vs proud not to make vs happy If this word be not Obiectum adaequatum The chiefest yea and sole obiect of the same all our faith in God is but vngrounded confidence if it be not grounded vpon this word for No man commeth vnto the Father but by me All our righteousnesse is but as Pollutio panni Menstruous cloutes if it be not washed in the bloud of this word For 1 John 1.7 It is the bloud of Iesus Christ which cleanseth vs from all sinne And all our patience temperance chastity and all other vertues that either Nature planted or education effected in vs are but Splendida peccata Glittering guilded sinnes vnacceptable vnto God and vnprofitable vnto our selues able to make vs prouder not better if they be not guided by the grace and directed to the glory of this euerlasting Word For as the Bird cannot flye without her wings nor the body moue without the soule so no more can any man doe any thing that is good and acceptable vnto God without the helpe of this heauenly Word For Without me you can doe nothing saith our Sauiour Christ but in him God is well pleased John 15.5 Philip. 4.13 not onely with himselfe but also with all vs and through him We can doe all things as the Apostle saith And therefore as Duke Ioab when hee had fought the field and got the vpper hand of his enemies did send for Dauid to carry away the credit of the victory so the Prophets the Apostles and all the holy men of God in all their heauenly words miraculous workes That if there be any goodnesse in vs wee should ascribe the glory of it to Iesus Christ paines and preachings would neuer suffer any part or parcell of the credit to rest vpon themselues but did most forcibly repell it and most faithfully acknowledge it all to belong vnto this Omnipotent Word So Saint Peter after the healing of the poore lame Cripple said vnto the people when he saw them ready to adore them for so admirable a miracle Why looke you so earnestly on vs Acts 2.12.16 as though by our owne power or holinesse we had made this man to walke No no it is not so but it is The Name of Iesus Christ and our faith in his Name that made him perfectly whole i. e. He is the Author we are the Instruments and our faith is the meanes whereby this man receiued strength and therefore doe not you ascribe the honour of this worke vnto any of vs which of our selues can doe nothing but ascribe it vnto the Name of that Almighty Word which of himselfe can doe all things So Saint Paul after he had said that he had laboured more then all the rest of the Apostles least any man should thinke that he did assume the honour of that diligence vnto himselfe and not ascribe the same vnto Christ he presently addeth and yet it was not I that did it but the grace of God which was in me And so all the Saints of God after all their voluminous and laborious workes they conclude all with Laus Christo Let all the prayse be giuen to Christ And as they referred all the honour of their owne actions vnto Christ because they were all done by the grace and power of Christ so did they desire nothing in the World but Christ They forsooke all Math. 19.27 The Saints desired nothing but Iesus Christ and followed him and still cryed vnto him with Saint Augustine Da mihite Domine Take away all from vs and spare not so thou giue thy selfe vnto vs that leesing all we may leese nothing at all because we gaine thee which art the greatest gaine in the World So Saint Paul saith He trampled his owne righteousnesse and all his owne goodnesse vnderfeete Phil 3.8 that he might finde the righteousnesse of Christ he deemed all the riches and all the other things of this World but as dung and drosse 1 Cor. 22. and losse vntâ— him that he might gaine Iesus Christ and he desired to vnderstand nothing to know nothing
good and to bring them vnto the true sauing knowledge of their Sauiour but as God by his true Prophets did foreshew the comming and incarnation of this Word so would Sathan play the Ape and by his Prophets teach them like as Oedipus Seneca in Oedipo blindly seeking his Father did vnfortunately slay his Father by seeking thus after Christ to worship himselfe in stead of Christ and so to offer sacrifices vnto Diuels as the Apostle saith and not to God Thirdly They might by the continuall tradition of their Elders retaine some reliques of that promise made vnto Adam That the seede of the woman should come Gen. 3.15 and breake the Serpents head for wee finde by their rites and ceremonies their Priests and Sacrifices and such like that they had a kinde of corrupted Diuinity still remaining amongst them and that they did conceiue some thing by these outward things that should expiate their sinnes and appease the wrath of God for them Fourthly Their owne great diligence That the Phylosophers were wonderfull diligent to attain vnto all kinde of knowledge might bring no small knowledge and vnderstanding of diuine things vnto them for they were exceeding great searchers of all antiquities and most wonderfully greedy of all kinde of knowledge and learning and therefore they did search into the Oracles of the Caldeans Aegyptians and Hebrewes that so much as they could they might find out the truth both of humane and diuine things And so Theodoret Clemens Alexandrinus and Iustin Martyr doe plainely affirme that Plato read the Bookes of Moses and the Prophets and both Saint Ambrose and Eusebius say that Numenius a Platonist was wont to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Plato was none else but Moses in the Graecian Tongue And Saint Augustine himselfe saith That Plato learned the Diuine Scriptures from the Prophet Ieremie Aug de Doct. Christa l. 2. c. 28. Jdem de ciuit Dei l. 8. c. 11. when the Iewes were in their captiuity at Babylon but I finde he retracted this opinion in his eight Booke and eleuenth Chapter De ciuitate Dei for there by the computation of their yeeres and times wherein both of them liued he findes that Ieremie dyed almost a hundred yeeres before that Plato was borne the captiuity being in the time of Cyrus and Darius Kings of Persia and Plato borne but a little before Alexander King of Macedon yet there he denies not but that Plato by his industry when he trauelled into Egypt might by some Interpreters learne the Scriptures for as yet the Septuagint had not translated them into the Greeke Tongue and yet Aristobulus as Eusebius citeth him saith that certaine parts and parcels of the Scriptures were translated by others before the Septuagint out of which Plato might learne many points of the diuine Truth Or if this knowledge was not had out of the Hebrew Bookes yet might hee learne much as Herodotus did in other points from the Egyptian Priests for it is not likely that the Egyptians had lost all knowledge of Diuinitie but that still there remained some reliques of that verity which Ioseph and the Children of Israel when they dwelt in Egypt did spread and leaue amongst them Psal 105.22 for God sent Ioseph to instruct the Princes of Pharaoh and to teach his Senators wisedome not onely to prouide foode for their bodies but also for the happinesse of their soules All these things being well considered it seemeth not absurd vnto me to say that Plato and other learned men among the Gentiles were not altogether ignorant of the knowledge of this truth concerning this eternall Word Nay they could not be ignorant of the same That the Gentiles expected the comming of a Messiah for it is well knowne that the Gentiles did expect the comming of the Messias as well as the Iewes though for want of the Diuine Oracles they had not the knowledge of many particulars of his comming so well as the Iewes had And therefore he is called Expectatio gentium The hope and expectation of the Gentiles And so those many multitudes that became Proselites of the Iewish Religion those Sybils and Prophets Zoroastres Baalam and others that prophecyed of his comming Numb 24.17 and those Magi that came from the East To worship him as soone as euer he was borne doe sufficiently proue that the Gentiles expected the comming of this Word Math. 2.1 c. before hee was made flesh And therefore seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word was most chiefly knowne or likeliest to be knowne both among the Iewes and Gentiles and that the Euangelist desired to apply himselfe to both Nations that he might winne and gaine the more to Christ he vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saith The Word was made flesh And Secondly The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the fittest word that hee could choose to make way for him to expresse what hee meant immediately to declare for he intended presently to say that all things were made by him but he could not call him by whom all things were made by any fitter terme then the Word because all men did know that God made all things by his Word for by the Word of the Lord were the Heauens made Psal 32. when God spake the Word and they were made hee commanded Psal 148.5 and they stood fast And so you see these few obseruations touching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word here vsed by the Euangelist to expresse the person that was made flesh Now seeing this Word What a shame it is for vs to be ignorant of this Word now already incarnate is the chiefest Word in the World and was the Word best knowne to all the best men of the World Kings Priests Prophets Phylosophers Orators and the like it should put vs euer in minde neuer to neglect the knowledge of this Word for what a shame is this to vs that we are so full of idle words yea of leud and wicked words and this Word God should be so strange vnto vs and that the very Heathens knew it euen before he came into the World and we should be so ignorant of it now after hee is come and is preached throughout all the whole World that they were so diligent to finde him out and we so negligent to accept him offered vnto vs and preached euery where to euery one of vs without doubt they shall rise in iudgement against vs and condemne vs. And so much for this Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here vsed and why that word is here chosen by the Euangelist CHAP. VII Of the chiefest Causes why this Word was made Flesh THirdly We are to consider why this Word was incarnate and made flesh Touching which I say that First Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why the Word was made Flesh the impulsiue cause in respect of vs was our most wofull miserable case and condition wherein we lay all depriued
That Christ was conceiued a perfect man in the first moment of his conception before the body of any Childe in the wombe be fully formed yet Christ in the very instant of his conception Quoad perfectionem partium non graduum In respect of the perfection of all parts was made a perfect man in body and soule voide of sinne and full of grace And so in a moment Totam naturam humanam vniendo formauit formando vniuit He was perfectly framed and instantly vnited vnto this eternall Word perfect God and perfect man because it is the property of the Holy Ghost Subito operari To worke instantly and perfectly And therefore Damascene saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascen l. 3. c. 2. de fide orth as soone as euer the Flesh of Christ was conceiued it was presently vnited and made the Flesh of this Word God Aug l. de fide ad Pet. c. 18. And Saint Augustine biddeth vs to beleeue assuredly Carnem in vtero non esse conceptam priusquam susciperetur à verbo That the Flesh of Christ was not conceiued in the wombe before it was assumed of the Word And so Saint Hierome vpon the words of the Prophet Ieremy Ierem. 3. Pet. Martyr in Symbol Amand. Polan Syntag. theol de persona Christi l. 6. c. 14. where he saith that a Woman shall compasse a Man is of the same minde And not onely the ancient but also the moderne Writers doe most of them agree in this same point And therefore when we consider how wonderfully and inexplicably this Word was made Flesh how a Starre gaue light vnto the Sunne a Branch did beare the Vine a Creature gaue being vnto the Creator how the Mother was yonger then what shee bare and a great deale lesser then what shee contained and how this Childe was suddenly made perfectly made holily made without the helpe of man wee may well say with the Apostle that great is the mystery of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 And we should say with Saint Augustine Rem credo modum non quaero I doe most faithfully beleeue the matter but I will not curiously search into the manner of his conception Christ was conceiued of a Virgin that he might be free from all sinne Thirdly Touching the end and finall cause of this his extraordinary and miraculous conception It was as I haue partly shewed before two-fold First That he might be pure and free from all originall sinne because it was requisite that hee which should saue sinners should be himselfe free from all sinne Ob. But against this it may be obiected that all those which were descended from Adams loynes did sinne in Adam for if the roote be holy Rom. 11.16 the branches are likewise holâ— but if the roote be rotten the branches must needes be corrupted And Saint Paul saith That by one man sinne entred into the World Rom. 5.12 and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men because all men had sinned But Christ according to the Flesh descended from the Ioynes of Adam for so Saint Luke fetcheth his Pedegree Luc. 3. vâ—t euen from Adam and therefore Christ cannot be quite free from all the contagion of sinne Sol. I answere that the guilt of Adams sinne diffused it selfe onely vpon such as were in him both according to the substance of their flesh That Christ commeth not from Adam after the vsuall manner of generation Et secundum rationem seminalem and according to the carnall and vsuall way of propagation as Aquinas saith But Christ though he came from Adam according to the substance of his flesh yet was hee not produced from him according to the ordinary way of naturall generation for he was conceiued of the Holy Ghost and borne of a pure Virgin who neuer knew man carnally at any time And therefore it is most true which Saint Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.22 That he did no sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth Heb. 7.26 and that also which Saint Paul saith He was pure and vndefiled separate from sinners Secondly He was thus conceiued in all purity that hee might thereby hide and couer our impure conception from the sight of God for he was conceiued after a new manner that he might take away that sinne which humane generation attracteth and getteth by the accompanying and coupling of sinnefull flesh And so Saint Augustine saith God was in carnate in the wombe of his Mother a Virgin Aug. de fide ad Petrum c. 2. without any carnall copulation with any man and without any lust of the conceiuing Virgin that by the God man which being conceiued without any lust the inuiolate wombe of the Virgin hath brought forth that sinne might be washed away which all other men that are begotten with mans seede are infected withall because the condition of our birth is such that our Mothers cannot performe that worke of fruitfulnesse vnlesse they first leese the virginity of their flesh and so with the emission of seede That it was not the purity of the Virgin but the working of the holy Ghost that caused Christ to be conceiued without sinne send forth an infection of sinne which corrupteth both the begetters and the begotten And therefore hence it is apparant that seeing he was not onely sanctified by the Holy Ghost that he might be holy and without staine of sinne and so fitted to be vnited to the person of the Sonne of God but was also made by the Holy Ghost without any helpe of man we neede not runne with the Franciscan Friars to the purity of his Mothers conception and birth to make him pure and without sinne for indeed it is the manner of his conception by the Holy Ghost and the sanctifying of that substance which he assumed of his Mother and the purging of it from all disposition or inclination vnto euill and not the purity of his Mothers conception or her want of originall corruption that frees our Sauiour Christ from all imputation of originall infection And therefore though we acknowledge her the most blessed amongst Women and sanctified aboue the ordinary degrees of any other man or woman Rom. 5.12 yet to say that shee was no wayes tainted with originall sinne I dare not affirme because both the Scriptures Luc. 2.48 and those fruits that we read of which doe spring from this naturall roote John 2.4 doe sufficiently seeme vnto mee to contradict the same And so you see the manner how the substance of his man-hood was conceiued CHAP. II. Of the matter whereof the Flesh of Christ was formed and that he had a true naturall Body SEcondly We are to consider the matter from which the Flesh of Christ was composed for as there are diuers kindes of bodies coelestiall bodies aeriall bodies and terrestriall bodies So there are diuers kindes of Flesh for all flesh is not the same flesh 1 Cor. 15. but there is
one kinde of flesh of Men another flesh of Beasts another of Fishes 1 Cor. 15.39 another of Birds And therefore to expresse what kinde of flesh hee tooke Gal. 4.4 Saint Paul saith He was made of a Woman that is of the flesh and bloud and substance of his Mother and so he saith That he was made of the seede of Dauid Rom. 1.3 And therefore it must needes follow Heb. 4.15 that hee was made in all things like vnto his brethren sinne onely excepted for the seede of the Parents is the first matter and substance whereof the man is made And if it be true what Aristotle and the Phylosophers doe affirme that Semen patris in substantiam fatus non cadit sed ad menstruum mulieris se habet tanquam artifex ad artificium The seede of the man doth not fall into the substance of the Childe but doth so dispose the seede of the woman as a workeman frameth and disposeth his worke to make the same into the forme of man as this is most probable to be true although Galenus and the Physicians say the contrary then haue we no reason at all to thinke that hee tooke not all the whole nature of man because he had another worker to dispose and to frame the same substance into the forme of man seeing he was made of the same whole substance as all other men are made of and especially seeing hee had a farre more excellent agent to worke the same then any seede of man can be for seeing Ibi potior effectus vbi nobilior est causa The effect is euer better where the cause is more excellent Reason it selfe sheweth that we haue no reason to thinke that he was defectiue in any thing that pertained to the perfection of humane nature or of the naturall properties of the same And therefore seeing he was made of a woman i. e. of the seede and substance of the woman as all other men be differing onely in the manner of his conception or in the agent and worker of his substance which made him free from all sinne because to the same end he was conceiued by the Holy Ghost which all other men could not be because they are conceiued by the helpe of mans seede it is most apparant that he assumed 1. All our humane nature that is a true humane body and a reasonable humane soule 2. All our naturall properties and infirmities sinne onely excepted That Christ was made a perfect man First That he was a perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting it may be thus confirmed First because he is a perfect Mediator for he cannot be a perfect Mediator except he be a perfect man but the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 2.5 that there is one Mediator i. e. one perfect and absolute Mediator betwixt God and man euen the Man Christ Iesus therefore he must needs be a perfect man Secondly because he is a Priest for euery Priest by the Law was to be perfect in all parts or if he was maimed in any part he was to offer no sacrifice vnto GOD but Christ is a Priest for euer therefore he must needes be a perfect man Psal 110.4 wanting neither soule nor body Thirdly because he is our sacrifice for the Law requireth that euery sacrifice should be perfect and to want no part nor to haue any blemish at all but Christ is our sacrifice and hath offered vp himselfe a sweet smelling sacrifice vnto God for vs and therefore hee must needs bee perfect without defect without blemish Fourthly because the whole nature of man that is both body and soule was to be redeemed for that both body and soule were captiuated vnto Satan Matth. 18.11 but the Sonne of Man came to seeke and to saue that which was lost Therefore hee must consist both of body and soule Fulgent l. 1. de Mysterio redemption ad Trasim That Christ had a true humane body for seeing the diuine pitty was contented to deliuer all it behoued the diuine Maiesty to assume all saith Fulgentius And more particularly that he had a true and a perfect humane body it may be thus proued and shewed vnto vs. First by the Scriptures of the old Testament for the Lord said in Paradise Gen. 3.15 that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head and afterward vnto Abraham Gen. 22.18 in thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed then to Isaac for in Isaac shall thy seed be called then to Iacob for Iacob haue I loued c. 21.12 and Esau haue I hated then to Iuda for the scepter shall not depart from Iuda vntill Shilo come then to Issay Malach. 1.2 for a rod shall come out of the roote of Issay and then to Dauid Gen. 49.19 for I will cause the branch of Righteousnesse to grow vp vnto Dauid Esay 11.1 and because he was the best and the worthyest of all the Kings of Israel for he was a man according to Gods owne heart Et rex super vniuersum Israel Jer. 23.5 and a King ouer all Israel therefore all the Prophets after him doe still play vpon his Harpe and alwayes inculcate vpon this point that the Messias should come of the seed of Dauid for the Lord had sworne vnto Dauid Psal 132.12 saying Of the fruit of thy body will I set one vpon thy throne and therefore the Prophet Esay saith that there should come forth a rod of the stocke of Issay and a graffe should grow out of his roote and the Prophet Ieremy saith that he would raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch Quo supra As I said before And therfore seeing he is the seed of Abraham the seed of Dauid That Christ was made of the very substance of his Mother the fruit of Dauids bellie the rod of Dauid and the branch of Dauid it is most apparant that he took vpon him the substance of Dauid for who can deny but that the seed the flower and the branch is of the same nature and substance that the tree is of which beareth the flower and the branch why then should we be more cruell against our Sauiour Christ which is the branch of Dauid and the flower of the Virgin his Mother thē we are against the flowers of the field by denying that vnto him which we yeeld vnto them for seeing he is the flower of the Virgin therefore it is apparant that as the flower of a rose cannot spring forth of a Vine-tree so no more can the flesh of Christ take his originall of any other thing then the body of the Virgin Secondly this may be proued by the Scriptures of the New Testament for the Angell Gabriel said vnto Mary that she should conceiue and beare a Sonne and Elizabeth saith of that sonne Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe but what is it to conceiue but to administer part of her substance
vnto her sonne and what is it to be the fruit of the wombe but to be of the same substance as his mother was of for how can that be called the fruit of a tree that neuer had the nature of a tree for I would suppose it to bee madnesse to call a Pomegranate the fruit of the Orange tree and therefore it was as great a madnesse to call Christ the fruit of Maries wombe if he had brought his body with him either from Heauen or from any other place and the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 2.14 That for as much as the children were partakers of flesh and bloud he himselfe also tooke part of the same And againe Heb. 10.5 he bringeth in Christ himselfe saying Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me And therefore when the Apostles thought that they had seene a phantasme Luke 24.39 or a Spirit he said vnto them Handle me and see because a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me haue and aboue all Gal. 4.4 the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by Saint Paul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here vsed by the Euangelist which signifie to take our nature vpon him and to be made flesh if they be diligently marked and well vnderstood doe make it most apparantly plaine that the Sonne of God tooke vnto himselfe personally the true nature of man and the very substance of his mother for the Apostle doth not say Factus de muliere sed factus ex muliere Made in a woman but made of a woman as Nicolaus de Gorram well obserueth euen as the bread is made of the wheate and Wine of Grapes and therefore though Christ had his Principium formale His formall beginning from the Holy Ghost yet it is most certaine that hee had Principium materiale his whole matter and substance from the body of his Mother Thirdly the same truth is confirmed by the vniforme consent of all Orthodoxe antiquity as the great Councell of Chalcedon that had in it 630. Bishops Fulgentius l. 2. de persona Christi the Councell of Lateran the Councell of Toledo Tertullian in his booke De Carne Christi Fulgentius Saint Basil Saint Augustine Venerable Bede and diuers others whose pithy sayings Basilius in l. de hum Christi generat and vnanswerable arguments to confirme this point I might here alledge but that Theodoret Leo Vigilius and Gelasius haue so fully collected what the Fathers before them had written hereof Aug de trinit l. 13. c. 18. that more proofe neede not be required and more excellent arguments cannot be composed for the manifestation of any truth Beda in 11. Luc. l. 4. c. 48. and therefore not willing to write Iliads after Homer I referre my Reader vnto them if hee desires any further comprobation of this point And yet for all this Macedonius and Valentinus affirmed L. 2. de trinitate L. de diuina maiest humanitatis Christi that Christ brought with him a celestiall body from Heauen and that Dogge Seruetus and his fellow Memnon taught that the Body of Christ was begotten of the substance and essence of his Father and so Apelles Marcion and Apollinaris auouched that he had an aeriall body and a syderiall flesh So Gasper Swenkfeldius saith that Christ in respect of his humanity is a true God as if his very flesh had beene begotten of God as Seruetus said Bucanus lo. 2. p. 21. Loc. com so Manichaeus saith that he had but an imaginary body a phantasme only in shew and no true body in substance and so the Anabaptists of our time do now auouch it that he tooke not vpon him the very nature of man nor the very flesh of the Virgin but that he had onely the shew and phantasme of a man which passed the wombe of his Mother Cochlaeus in l. de erroribus Monaster Anabap. as water passeth through a Conduit and this is one of their most principall points as Iohannes Chochlaeus witnesseth And therfore to maintaine their damnable errors to obscure this cleere light of veritie and to shew themselues Grand Captaines of that Arch-Hereticke and aduersary of Christ and all Christians the Diuell they doe obiect Ob. 1 First that Christ himselfe saith No man ascendeth into Heauen but he that descended from Heauen Iohn 3.13 the Sonne of Man which is in Heauen And againe speaking of the Iewes he saith You are from below Iohn 8.23 1 Cor 15.47 I am from aboue you are of this world I am not of this world And that Saint Paul saith The first man is of the Earth Earthy but the second Man i. e. Christ was from heauen heauenly and therefore say they he had the substance of his flesh from Heauen and not from the substance of his Mother Sol. I answere that all these and the like places are spoken of the whole person of Christ to whom the properties of each nature in respect of the communication of properties which hereafter I shall more fully declare vnto you may be fitly ascribed and they teach vs that the Sonne of God descended from heauen not by any change of place but by his voluntary humbling of himselfe That we must not referre that to the body of Christ which is spoken of the whole person of Christ to receiue the forme of a seruant and that hee was conceiued after a Heauenly manner by the operation of the Holy Ghost and not after any Earthly generation and therefore they doe impiously and most falsly referre that to the substance of his flesh which is indeed spoken of the whole person of Christ and of the heauenly manner of his conception for though it be true that I should say I am a reasonable creature which doth both heare and vnderstand yet doth this no way proue that my Body alone without the soule is such or can doe either of these euen so though Christ saith that he descended from Heauen because he was a God that euer was in Heauen yet that doth no way proue that his flesh which he assumed on earth descended from heauen because hee had that from his Mother and brought it not downe from aboue And that he is not of this world but from aboue or from Heauen heauenly is nothing else but that he is not worldly minded or swayed with the lusts of the flesh or any wayes earthly affected and this though in a farre inferiour degree to him hee saith of the Apostles You are not of this world Iohn 15.19 because as Saint Paul saith of all Christians they minde not the things of this world but haue their conuersation in Heauen Phil. 3.30.20 Secondly they say that in what body he appeared to the Fathers Ob. 2 of the Old Testament he appeared in the like body to the Apostles and Disciples in the New Testament but he appeared vnto the Patriarchs in no true
4. he saith Chap. 4. v. 3. Euery spirit Qui soluit Iesum which looseth or diuideth Iesus i. e. to make two persons of him is not of God and so in many other places hee doth most plainely shew that the eternall word and our humane nature vnited vnto the same word is but one and the selfe-same Christ i. e. one Christ one person And this is confessed by all antiquity All our Creeds and all antiquity confesseth the same truth touching vnity of Christ his person for in the Apostles Creede we say that we beleeue in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued of the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary and therfore he is but one person because he which is said to be the onely Sonne of God is said also to be borne of the Virgin Mary the same is said in the Nicen Creed and in the Creede of Athanasius it is said that although Christ be both God and Man yet is he no more twaine but one Christ and that not by confounding of the substances but by the vnity of person i. e. by the vniting of both natures into one person What should I rehearse any more for the third Councell of Ephesus the great Councell of Chalcedon the Councell of Lateran and all the ancient Orthodoxe Fathers as Iustin Martyr Irenaeus Saint Basil Saint Nazianzen Saint Damascen Saint Hillary Saint Ambrose Saint Hierome Saint Augustine and the rest of them haue most truely confessed and most learnedly confirmed this truth that although Christ hath two natures the Word and the Flesh yet doe these two make but one person one Sonne of God one Sauiour of men What the Hereticks haue conceiued and most impiously thought concerning the person of Christ But against this Cerinthus and certaine of the Pelagian Hereticks and afterwards Nestorius seperating Iesus from Christ or rather Christ from Himselfe haue affirmed that Iesus was but meere man hauing not onely a humane nature but a humane person and afterwards to be made Christ at the time of his baptisme when the Holy Ghost descended vpon him in the forme of a Doue and therefore they conclude that as he consisteth of two natures so he is likewise two persons which notwithstanding may be said to be one in respect of their co-habitation affection operation and participation as hereafter I shall further shew vnto you Ob. 1 And to confirme this damnable errour against the inuiolable truth they doe obiect that our Sauiour said Destroy this Temple when he spake of his humanitie and therefore the God Christ Iohn 2.9 and the man Christ are two seuerall persons for hee doth not say destroy me but destroy this Temple and I will reare it vp in three dayes to shew vnto vs that the Temple and the dweller in the Temple or the raiser vp of the Temple are not the same but diuers persons Sol. To this I answere briefly that this alledged instance may well proue two natures to be in Christ but not two persons for the soule of man is said to dwell in the body as in a tabernacle because the nature of the soule is different from the nature of the body and yet man hath not two but one person which consisteth of both natures i. e. soule and body for Iob saith that men dwell in houses of Clay Iob 4.19 2 Cor. 5.1 and Saint Paul saith if this earthly house of our Tabernable be dissolued And therefore Saint Chrisostome vpon these words of Saint Iohn and he dwelt in vs doth most truely gather that in Christ there are two natures but from these or from any other places it can neuer be proued that in him there are two persons Ob. 2 Againe they doe obiect that the Sonne of Mary had an Angell to comfort him Matth. 27.46 Iohn 12.27 and said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And againe Father Saluifica me ex hac hora Saue me from this houre and such like speeches which are not consonant and agreeable to the Sonne of God and therefore the Sonne of Mary is one different and another person from the Sonne of GOD. To this I answer with S. Cyrill Sol. that as there are many things which doe agree with him according to the forme of God which cannot be agreeable to him according to the forme of a seruant so there are many things that do agree with him according to the forme of a seruant which doe not agree with the Sonne of God absolutely considered because he is both a true God and a true man so vnited together as that the properties of neither nature are confounded as hereafter shall be shewed Cyrillus deffâ—nt 4. Anath contra Theodor. and therefore all such sayings and allegations which are said of him or be referred vnto him in respect of one nature which are not properly agreeable to the other nature doe onely shew and most rightly proue two natures but not two persons to be in our Sauiour Christ CHAP. III. Of the manner of the vnion of the two natures and wherein this vnion chiefly consisteth SEcondly Wherein the Hereticks haue affirmed the vnion of both natures in Christ to consist for the manner of this vnion of these two natures in one person or wherein chiefly it consisteth herein resteth the greatest difficulty For First the Nestorians and their followers say that both these natures are saide to bee one by the vnitie of 1. Co-habitation 2. Will and affection 3. Operation 4. Participation First by the vnity of Co-habitation because the Word dwelled in the man Christ as in his choicest House and Temple accocding to that saying of the Euangelist and he dwelt in vs. Iohn 1.14 Secondly by the vnity of will and affection because the will of Christ was alwayes agreeable to the will of God and this they doe illustrate by the example of Man and Wife which though they be two persons Math. 19.5 yet are they said to be one flesh in regard of their mariage knot and especially in respect of their vnanimous hearts so the Sonne of God and the Sonne of Mary are two persons say they and yet may be said to be one Christ in regard of that indissoluble spirituall coniunction and affection that is betwixt them Thirdly By the vnity of operation because the man Christ was the Instrument which the Word God vsed for the effecting of all those great workes that he did while hee walked here on Earth Fourthly By the vnity of participation because the Word God did impart vnto the man Christ his name and dignity that hee should be called God and the Sonne of God and should be worshipped of all Creatures not for his owne sake but for his sake to whom hee was thus vnited How falsly the Heretickes affirme the vnion of the two natures to consist in the aforesaid points But how false and fained are all these subtle infernall distinctions to misteach the
of each nature doe remaine intire and inconfused to each nature nor transfused each into other the properties also must needes remaine intire to either Nature without that supposed transfusion of them each to other for that rule can neuer bee disproued Confundens proprietates essentiales confundit naturas Confound the naturall or essentiall properties of any things and you take away the nature of the things And therefore in that one and selfe-same subsistence of Christ there must needes be a diuine and a humane nature a diuine and a humane wisedome a diuine and a humane will and so of all other properties of each nature they must be as well inconfused as indiuisible And this Christ himselfe briefly sheweth where hee saith I lay downe my life and I take it vp againe John 10.17 for though the actions of each nature are inseparably ioyned together in respect of the person that is though the same person is said to doe the actions of each Nature yet are the actions neuer confounded but doe still remaine distinct and proper to each nature as to lay downe his life is the proper worke of the humanity and to take it vp againe is the proper worke of the Deity And this Damascene doth explaine by the example of a fiery Sword wherein both the natures of the fire and of the Sword and so likewise the actions and proprieties of each of them are preserued intire to each nature Damasc de fide orthodoxa l. 3. c. 15. Nam ferrum habet virtutem incidendi ignis vrendi For the Iron retaineth still and retaineth onely the power of cutting and the fire of burning Euen so it is in the person of Christ the Diuinity doth still retaine the propriety of working diuine operations and the humanity still retaineth the propriety of working all humane operations And Theodoret vseth the same similie though not in the like words Theodor. Dialog 2. f. 166. An example shewing how the two natures though vnited doe remaine inconfused yet to the very same effect saying Si ignis cum ferro comixtio quae ferrum ita ostendit vt etiam ea faciat quae sunt ignis eius naturam non mutat ita nec Dei cum corpore est mutatio corporis c. If the commixtion of the fire with the Iron doth make the Iron not onely to appeare like fire but also to doe the same things as to dry to heate and to burne which the fire doth and yet this fire changeth not the nature of the Iron Euen so the vnion of the Word with our Flesh doth not change the nature of our flesh but as a man hath his soule and body both vnited and inconfused Ita multo magis Christus habens diuinitatem cum corpore habet vtraque permanentia non confusa So much more Christ hauing his diuinity vnited with our flesh hath them both remaining intire and inconfused Fourthly Inseparable because the Natures are so inseparably vnited as that the humane nature which the Word assumed can neuer be separated from the same And therefore when Christ died Subtraxit visionem sed non soluit vnionem The soule parted from the body but the Deity was separated from neither as Leo saith For in respect of this vnion of the Deity with either part of Christs humanity Psal 16.11 When Christ died and body and soule were parted the Godhead parted from neither of them the Man Christ saith vnto the God-head Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell nor suffer thine holy one i. e. my body in the graue to see corruption but as a Tree cut in twaine the Sunne cannot be cutte but that it may still shine on either part so the body and soule of Christ being parted the Deity was still vnited vnto them both and could neuer be separated from the manhood after he had once assumed the same into the vnity of his person That there are three speciall kindes of vnion Fiftly Substantiall for as Bellarmine well obserueth diuers things may be vnited three manner of wayes First Essentially as when of many things is made one essence after which manner the matter and forme the kinde and difference are ioyned and vnited together And thus the vnion of these Natures in the words incarnation is not made first because that if it were so then there should be in Christ but one nature and that should be neither diuine nor humane but a certaine third kinde of nature out of them both And secondly because that this essentiall vnion is neuer made but of imperfect natures or if they be perfect then is it by a certaine corruption or conuersion of them but the natures of Christ are perfect and intire and therefore not essentially vnited Secondly Accidentally as when accidents are adioyned to the subiect or when a substance is ioyned to a substance but of that coupling ariseth nothing else but an accidentall forme as when of Timber and Stones we doe compose and frame a House and thus also the hypostaticall vnion of Christs two natures is not made because God is no accident nor the subiect of any accidents Thirdly Substantially as when a substance That the vnion of Christ his natures is substantiall which otherwise existeth of it selfe is drawne to the being of another suppositum i. e. of another of it selfe existing substance and dependeth on the same as a part thereof And thus is the vnion of the Word with our Flesh for wee say that the Word is substantially made Flesh i. e. a true and a perfect man whose being is no accident but a substance Sixtly It is ineffable so absolutely perfect That the manner of the vniting of the two natures is ineffable and so exceedingly mysticall that it can neuer be perfectly declared by any man for though the Fathers sought by many examples and similitudes to expresse and to illustrate the same as by the vnion of the body and soule of a branch ingraffed into a Tree of a fierie Iron and such like yet all come too short for the full expressing of this inexplicable mystery And therefore Saint Bernard compareth this ineffable mystery of the vniting of these two natures vnto that incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity and so indeede that of the Trinity is greatest and this of the incarnation is like vnto it farre exceeding mans capacity for his wayes are in the Seas his pathes in the great waters Psal 76.19 and his footesteps are not knowne And so you see how that these two natures doe make but one person of our Sauiour Christ and how they are really though ineffably vnited in that one and selfe-same subsistence of Christ CHAP. IIII. Of some of the chiefest effects and benefits of this vnion of these two Natures of Christ The effects and benefits of the vnion are of two sorts THirdly For the effects and benefits of this hypostaticall vnion of these two Natures we must vnderstand that they are
Manhood to be affirmed of our blessed God and Sauiour and also things properly belonging to him as he is God ascribed to the man Christ Iesus yet is it most hereticall to confound the one nature with the other as the Eutychians did or to communicate properly the speciall properties of one nature vnto the other as the Lutherans doe for in the concrete and not in the abstract as the Schooles doe speake wee say 1 Cor. 2.8 That they haue crucified the Lord of glory as noting that person which was and is the Lord of glory and vnderstanding it of his person not in respect of that nature whereby hee was the Lord of glory but in respect of the other nature personally vnited thereunto wherein hee was passible and might be crucified And so speaking of his person in respect of his other nature we say That the man Christ is Almighty because hee is so in respect of his diuine nature personally vnited vnto his humanity Pamas l. 3. c 3. 4 de fide orthodoxa Theodoret. in Dialog but as we may not say That they haue crucified the Godhead so wee may not say That the manhood of Christ is Almighty for when any thing is affirmed of Christ in respect of that one nature which properly belongeth vnto the other the meaning thereof is not to inuest the one nature with the properties that are peculiar to the other but thereby to shew the truth and certainty of the vnion of both natures in one person And we haue a good example hereof in man as hee consisteth of body and soule for wee may truly say that man is heauenly and immortall and that man is mortall and earthly And againe wee may say that the soule sleepeth and the body heareth whereas to sleepe is the property of the body and to heare is the property of the soule and yet they destroy the nature of man that would either turne the one of these natures into the other or confound one of these with the other or inuest the one nature really with the properties that are peculiar vnto the other Euen so we may say that God was borne of a Virgin and the Virgin to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God that God suffered and was crucified and did redeeme the Church with his owne bloud yet not simply Acts 20.28 Sâ—d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in this or that respect that is in respect of another nature which God hath vnited vnto himselfe because God here is a concrete Word and not an abstract and signifieth the person of Christ and not the diuine nature of Christ And so we say that the man Christ is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent c. yet not simply in respect of his manhood but in respect of the person which is the same God and man or of the other nature of the man Christ Iesus for that here man also is a concrete Word signifying the whole person and not the humane nature of Christ And so in this respect and after this manner the speciall properties of each nature may be predicated and affirmed of the other nature Quia vt Deus propter vnitatem propria ducit humana sic homo propter vnitatem propria ducit diuina Because that as the God Christ Cyrillus de incarn c. 26. in respect of the hypostaticall vnion of the two natures assumed all the humane properties so the man Christ in respect of the same vnion is partaker of all the diuine properties as Saint Cyril speaketh But on the contrary side we may not say that the Deity of Christ was borne of a Virgin or that Mary is the Mother of the God-head or that the diuinity of Christ was passible and mortall nor that the humanity of Christ is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent or the like because the deity and humanity are abstract words i. e. such words as doe note vnto vs the two natures of Christ the one diuine the other humane and not the person of Christ And therefore if we doe but rightly distinguish betweene praedicata absoluta et limitata the things that are spoken absolutely in the largest sense and the things that are predicated by way of limitation in the strictest sense we shall easily see that the communication of the properties of both natures doe no wayes proue such a reall trans-fusion of the properties of each nature into the other as that the humanity of Christ should receiue into it selfe from the Deitie a power to be omnipotent omniscient or omnipresent in it selfe but as the natures are distinct so the properties of each nature are still distinct without trans-fusion or confounding the one with the other CHAP. V. Of certaine obiections and arguments endeuouring to proue the inuesting of the humanity of Christ with diuine properties answered and the effects of this vnion in respect of all Christians shewed ANd yet notwithstanding all this and all else that hath beene spoken by all the most famous Diuines of this latter time the Lutherans say that Christ did such miracles in his naturall body and that there are such things ascribed to the manhood of Christ as doe sufficiently proue that his humane nature is really inuested with the diuine properties For First they doe obiect that when the Iewes would haue Ob. 1 throwne him downe the hill he passed away inuisibly from amongst them all therefore the man Christ Iesus is inuisible To this Ludolphus answereth that this happened not Sol. by making the Body of Christ inuisible Ludolphus p. 1. c. 65. p. 155. but by the sudden striking of his enemies with such stupified blindnesse as were the Sodomites when they sought for Lots doore vntill they were wearied Secondly they doe obiect that Christ came into the roome Ob. 2 where the Apostles were the doores being shut therefore the body of Christ is voide of that grossenesse incident to a naturall body and is now made inuisible and inpalpable To this some doe answere that he came in Sol. the doores being shut i. e. at that time when the doores are vsually shut in euery place but this could be neither strange to the Apostles nor any extraordinary act of Christ Zanch. tom 8. p. 389. and therefore Zanchius doth more truely answere that this proueth not any mutation to bee in the body of Christ nor any inuestment of the same with Diuine properties but that by the omnipotent power of his Deitie he caused the doores to goe backe That the doores opened themselues to Christ and to open themselues vnto him to make way for the true and solyd Body of Christ to enter in as the stone was rolled away from the doore of the sepulchre to make way for the same solyd body to passe forth And we reade that to others he did the like to this for Saint Peter being in prison Act. 12.10 and the doores being shut they opened themselues vnto him and he came forth and all the Apostles
beginning and ending The second is proper to seules and spirits which haue beginning but shall neuer haue ending The third is proper to all compound bodies which as they had beginning so they shall haue ending Quia omnia orta occidunt omnia aucta senescunt Because all raised or created things shall fall and whatsoeuer increaseth waxeth old After the first sense the Word was neuer made in any time but is the Father of all times and before all times After the second sense the Soule of Christ was made in time but to continue euer immortall for all times And How Christ was made in time After the third sence the Body of Christ was likewise made in time and to continue here but for a time in respect of his mortall condition before it was inuested with the indowments of immortality And so both Body and Soule of Christ were made in time to subsist in the person of him that made all time that time wherin he was made thus to subsist was in the fulnesse of time saith the Apostle for as places so times haue their fulnesse and their emptinesse some places are empty hauing nothing in them but onely ayre and some are full of gold and pearles and precious things euen so some times are voyde of strange accidents How time hath his fulnesse and sometimes are full of admirable occurrents and in such a time was the Word made flesh the Sonne of God made man for now the time was full of peace full of plenty and full of wickednesse the Diuell had broken loose and had possest the minds of most and the bodies of many men more then euer before or euer since as some imagine by reason of those multitudes that they reade of to be really possessed with Diuels in our Sauiours time And therefore being so full of all vnrighteousnesse Rom. 29. he that was the fulnesse of grace came to root out the euill weeds of our sinnes Iohn 1.16 and out of his fulnesse to offer vs grace for grace For First hee would not come before Adam fell because that had beene superfluous to seeke the sheepe before the sheepe were lost Secondly he would not come presently after because thereby he would shew the greater loue to mankinde for though in some cases it be true that gratia ab officio quod mora tardat abest delayed kindnesse looseth halfe his goodnesse yet herein the long tarrying of Christ before he came to be incarnate was a manifest signe of his greater goodnesse towards vs for these three speciall causes First that by the Law of nature Why Christ stayed so long before he came and by the written Law of God man might be conuinced and see his owne sinnes and so be the more moued to seeke his Sauiour Secondly that he tarrying for a while might be the more earnestly desired and make him being obtayned to become the more acceptable vnto vs Quia diu desiderata dulcius obtinentur because that things long desired are more sweet when they are obtained as Saint Augustine speaketh Thirdly that due preparation might be made by the Patriarches and Prophets before his comming and the people made by them apt and ready to receiue him and to imbrace his comming that so his comming might be the more profitable vnto them for they were sent to prepare Matth. 3.3 and to make straight the way of the Lord and therefore as his tarrying now from comming to iudgement is an exceeding great argument of his goodnesse because he doth it to see if his long patience will leade vs to repentance so his long tarrying then was a sure signe of his greater loue because he would haue vs thereby to be fitted to make the better vse of his comming and yet Why Christ would not stay any longer then he did Thirdly he would not stay vntill the last end of the world Ne fides spes de promisso semine nimis tardatae perirent Least staying so long there should be no hope left to expect him no faith to beleeue in him and no charity to loue him when hee should come For though there was but a little goodnesse then God knowes Patrios ante dies filius quaerebat in annos Yet there is a great deale lesse now all the world sees Terras Astraea reliquit For our Sauiour told vs that towards the end of the world The loue of many should waxe cold and faith should scarce be found vpon the face of the whole earth And therefore seeing that to come in the beginning of the world had beene too soone and to tarry till the latter end had been too late he came in the fittest time in the fulnesse of time to be incarnate and made flesh The particular time of the Words incarnation And if we search a little further to know more particularly what time was this fulnesse of time we shall finde it to be 1. In the sixt Age of the world 2. In the Raigne of Augustus and Herod 3. In the tenth Moneth of the yeare 4. In the shortest Day of the Moneth 5. In the first Day of the Weeke 6. In the first Houre of the Day First We must note that as man which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little world so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great and large Vniuerse hath his times and his ages for Damascen Lucidus and others as Clicthouaeus collecteth doe affirme that the worlds age is seauen-fold How the world is diuided into his seuerall ages First the infancy of it from Adam to the flood Secondly the child-hood of it from the flood to Abraham Thirdly the youth of it from Abraham to Moses Fourthly the riper and liuelier youth from the Law to Dauid Fiftly the man-hood of it from the Temple of Salomon to the Captiuity Sixtly the maturity of it from the Captiuity of Babylon vnto Christ Seauenthly Aug. de ciuit Dei l. vlt. c. vlt. the dotage of it from Christ vnto Iudgement but Saint Augustine Saint Chrysostome Saint Isidore Bede Arrias Montanus and others though they say the world doth consist of seauen ages yet they doe diuide them otherwise viz. 1. From Adam vnto Noahs Flood containing 1656. yeares The diuision of the worlds age 2. From Noahs Flood vnto Abraham 293. or 383. 3. From Abraham vnto Dauid 941. 4. From Dauid to the Captiuity 485. and 6. Moneths 5. From the Captiuity vnto Christ 620. 6. From Christ to the day of Iudgement 1624. hitherto and how many more none can tell As our Sauiour shewth Of that day and houre knoweth no man 7. From the day of Iudgement vnto all Eternity for euer and euer And so according to this account Christ was borne in the yeare of the world 4085. but according to the seauenty Interpreters account he was borne in the yeare 5461. and according to our account he was borne in the yeare 3948. and so I find in the account of yeares
an vpright man and should not be hated of all men I But will the good and godly men hate them who doe confesse their sinnes and doe alwayes striue against their owne corruptions The wicked men may hate them but surely the godly will not I answere That the more godly men be the lesse they hate them yet because in them sinne stickes so close vnto them that although they confesse and detest it with their soules yet hath their flesh alwayes some loue and affection vnto the same in so much that Saint Augustine in one of his Meditations confesseth That in his spirit and soule he did so heartily pray against his sinne that his flesh and carnall desire was afraide God would heare the prayers of his soule and so depriue them of their delights Gal. 5.17 for in the best men The flesh lusteth against the spirit and drawes them oftentimes to doe what they would not doe And therefore as in the best men there is still remaining naturall corruption so the same will still oppose it selfe against all them that will seeke to dispossesse this olde Adam from their soules And therefore seeing Christ did suffer Christians suffer and that the more godly they be the more enemies they shall haue we should not iudge of men and especially of the Preachers of Gods Word according to their outward appearance of their enemies crosses and afflictions but we should iudge righteous iudgements And we that suffer may and should reioyce and be glad that We are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ And so much for the Person suffering Part. 2 PART II. CHAP. I. Of the sufferings of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane Of the sufferings of Christ SEcondly We are to consider the sufferings of this Person Iesus Christ Thus it behoued Christ to suffer Well might it haue agreed with his excellent Nature to haue conferred benefits and to bestow gifts on the Sonnes of men but to suffer torments and to endure all indignities at the hands of sinnefull men is strange and admirable so incompetible is the Person and the Passion of Iesus Christ And yet if we diligently obserue all those Tragicall Scenes that are seene in the Records of the Euangelists and marke all the dolefull passages of his whole life euen from the first houre of his birth vnto the last moment of his breath we shall finde the same to be nothing else but a Mappe of miseries or a tempestuous Sea of all calamities for he was no sooner borne but hee beganne to beare our sorrowes he was cast into a Cratch That the whole life of Christ was but a continuall suffering the breathings of the Beasts perhaps did warme his cloutes to preserue his life and he liued not long but hee suffered the effusion of his bloud and the sharpenesse of circumcision He was no sooner circumcised but he was designed vnto the slaughter Herod seekes his life and hee will slay all the Children of Bethlehem or he will put this Childe vnto the Sword And therefore in the middest of Winter he must flie to Egypt to saue his life there hee liued a while and hee must needes liue poore for they that haue nothing among their friends may very well bee thought to haue lesse among strangers when he returnes he must retire himselfe into corners for feare of Archilaus Matth. 2.23 and when he begins to shew himselfe to the World hee must beginne to combate with the Diuell he is no sooner baptized Chap. 4.2 but he is tempted forty dayes together without meate without drinke without sleepe and he can no sooner beginne to publish the glad tidings of saluation but they presently accuse him of sedition His friends say hee is madde his enemies say he hath a Diuell All seeke his life Iohn 8.48 and this is the summe of his whole life Pouertie and miserie hunger thirst weakenesse wearinesse reproaches lyings slaunders and what not Yet all these sufferings were but flea-bitings Christs chiefest sufferings in these three speciall places they were but tastes of that bitter Cuppe whereof hee sucked out the very dregges and all 1. In the Garden of Gethsemane 2. In the presence of his Iudges 3. In the Mount of Caluerie These were the places of his torments and in all these places we must consider both the greatnesse of his griefe which is Paena sensus the paine of feeling and the smalnesse of his comfort which is Paena damni the paine of leesing And therefore by Gods assistance I will chiefly insist vpon those sufferings that he suffered in these places First It is concluded of all Diuines That Christ suffered both in soule and body that the sufferings of Christ was both in soule and body sorrowes of soule and paines of body for He hath carried our sorrowes saith our Translation our paines saith another to shew that whether wee regard his disconsolate soule or his tender body it was a painefull and a sorrowfull suffering so painefull and so sorrowfull that as it was well-neere intolerable vnto him so it is almost incredible vnto vs for though at the bringing of Christ into the world to bee the Sauiour and Redeemer of his Church the Prophet Esay saith Esay 52.7 How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the feet of them that bring these glad tidings of peace i. e. How ready is euery man to embrace this newes yet when he goeth about to expresse the manner of our diliuerance by such sorrowes paines and sufferings Esay 53.1 he makes a stand and saith Who beleeueth our reports For The first degree of Christs suffering was that he was made passible First I told you before that this sufferer was a God blessed for euer and the God-head is impassible no sorrow no griefe no paine could fasten vpon the Deity and therefore how could our Sauiour suffer To this the Prophet answereth Sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldst not haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo Ser. 8. de Passione but a body hast thou ordained me as both the Septuagint and the Author to the Hebrewes hath it Nam cum mortis aculeum non possit accipere natura deitatis nascendo tamen suscepit de nobis quod pati posset pro nobis For seeing the Deity could not suffer death The Word was made Flesh that hee might goe the way of all flesh and make a passage vnto his Passion that so hee might really suffer Hillar de Trin. lib. 10. and not appeare to suffer as Saint Hillary otherwise a most excellent Author doth imagine And indeed Hoc primum tormentum magnum mysterium quod passibilis factus est This was his first suffering torment and an vnspeakeable mystery that he was made able to suffer torments That the Humanity onely suffered And we say that Christ suffered not in respect of his Diuine nature but in respect of his humane nature for though the Deitie was in the sufferer yet
was it not in the suffering though it was in the Body of Christs Passion yet was it not in the Passion of Christs Body but the humanity onely suffered and the omnipotency of the Deity sustained the impotency of the Humanity and while the flesh groaned vnder the anguish of his Passion Matth. 26.39 and cryed Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me and so breathed out that mournfull complaint My God my God Matth. 27.46 why hast thou forsaken me Yet then the Deity triumphed ouer all the bitternesse of death and the enemies of our flesh Damasc l. 3. c. 26. de fide Orthodoxa And this is excellently expressed by Damascen saying Quomadmodum si quis ignito ferro superinsundat aquam Euen as if a man should poure water vpon a red-hot-iron that which is passible or capable to suffer by the water that is the heat fire is extinguished but the iron remaineth still sound and impassible because the water hath no power to corrupt it euen so the Humanity of Christ may suffer paine and death but the Deity inseperably vnited vnto the same can notwithstanding suffer no manner of Passion And Secondly As it is a thing incomprehensible and therefore may well haue a quis credidit who hath beleeued our report that God should be made passible so it is a thing more incredible Heb. 11.37 that he being iust being King being Priest being God should notwithstanding really suffer yea so suffer as to be destitute afflicted and tormented and so tormented that the Prophet Esay may fitly call him Virum dolorum A man of sorrowes as if he had beene wholly composed of miseries Lament 1.12 and the Prophet Ieremy truely demaund Si fuerit dolor sicut dolor suus if euer there was any sorrow like vnto his sorrow Jbidem yet behold he was oppressed and afflicted saith the Prophet and the Lord did afflict him in the day of the fiercenesse of his wrath And therefore let others wonder at the rising of this Sunne I admire his going downe let them maruell to see him layed in the cratch I much more to see him nayled vpon the Crosse The consideration of Christs suffering admirable and let them admire to see him sleeping betwixt two beasts and I will much more admire to see him suffering betwixt two theeues But he was wounded for our trangressions and he was bruised for our iniquities saith the Prophet and therefore let vs the rather giue the more heed vnto those things that he suffered for vs least the neglect and not regarding the same shall adde wrath vnto our soules in the day of wrath Well then seeing the Sonne of God was made passible apt to suffer and that he knew his time was drawing neere that hee must suffer he went out of the house out of the Citie Why Christ went out of the house before he was taken into the garden of Gethsemane saith the Euangelist First He went out of the house where they had eaten the Passeouer First Least his Hoste that had so kindly receiued him into his house should any wayes for his sake be vnkindly vsed of his enemies so sacred a thing was the law of guests among the ancients that neither the Lodger nor the lodged would hurt each other if they met in the open fields Valerius Maximus l. 5. 1. vnder the Colours of two deadly enemies and therefore Lot offered his owne Daughters vnto the Sodomites Gen. 19. rather then they should abuse those Strangers that were come vnder his roofe and the Poet notes it as an argument of the great perfidiousnesse of the most corrupted latter age Ouid. Met. l. 1. Non hospes ab hospite tutus That there was no truth betwixt the Hoste and his Ghest Plutar. in Sert. Secondly Least as Sertorius was found of Perpenna amongst his banquets he might be accused to be a Wine-bibber and bee said to be a boone-companion and be a president of ill example vnto others if he had beene found in the Inne amongst his Guests for it is a great deale fitter to finde a Scholler in his study then in the Tauerne Why Christ went out of the Citie Secondly He went out of the Citie out of that famous Citie Ierusalem Theophil in Mar. 14. First Least any commotion or tumult should be raised so dearely did this Prince of Peace affect and seeke to preserue the Peace of Ierusalem for they would haue taken him many times but they feared the people therefore he goeth out of the Citie that they may doe it without feare i. e. without feare of sedition Secondly To shew that as they had shut him out of their hearts so now he begins to depart out of their walls Egressus est à filia Sion omnis decor eius Lament 1.13 and so all the glory of Sion is departed from them and as the Poet saith of Troy Ruit Ilium ingens gloria Teucrorum We may say the same of Ierusalem Luke 19.44 the time of her desolation draweth neere and it must bee made an heape of stones Because Excessere omnes adâ—tis arisque relictis dij quibus imperium hoc steterat now God which had been the vpholder of them was gone out of their wals and departed from them and therefore wee should euer take heed that we shut not Christ out of our hearts least he will hereupon shut vs out of his fauour Thirdly He went into the Garden of Gethsemane First That as our fall was in a garden so the worke of our Redemption should first begin in a garden Secondly That his enemies might the more easily find him for it was a place that he had often frequented Why Christ went into the Garden of Gethsemane saith the Euangelist and therefore he went not there as seeking to hide himselfe but rather to expose himselfe and like a noble Champion to appeare first in the field and to expect his enemies for although they sought him like a Partridge vpon the mountaines yet noluit dolo teneri ne derogaretur praescientiae plenitudo Hee would not be craftily taken in a net by a guile least that might be derogatorie to his omnisciency and therefore knowing they were desirous to take him he goes to meete them into the garden of Gethsemane And as soone as euer he came into the Garden What befell vnto Christ in the Garden John 12.27 Mar. 14.35 Luke 22.42 Matth. 26.38 Prou. 18.14 Ecce hostem inuenit behold his enemy was there as soone as he for he began presently Cantristare pauere moestus esse To be troubled in soule saith Saint Iohn to be in anguish of mind saith Saint Marke and to be in an agony saith Saint Luke and to haue his soule exceeding sorrowfull vnto death saith Saint Matthew Alas what shall we say to this for the spirit of man will sustaine his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare
yet behold his Spirit his Soule is sorrowfull vnto death no doubt but his Apostles saw it yet like a barrell full and wanting vent hee must needes burst forth and confesse it Spem vultu simulat premit altum corde dolorem he doth not here Aeneas-like dissemble his griefe with a fained countenance his sorrow is greater then can be contained for it is vnto death that is not onely extensiuely such as must continue for the space of seauenteene or eighteene houres euen vntill death it selfe shall finish it but also intensiuely such and so great as that which is vsed to be at the very point of death and such as were able to bring death vnto me were I not reserued to a greater and a heauier punishment And therefore he kneeled downe and fell grouelling vpon his face and said Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26.39 and there praying he fell into a dreadfull agonie his thoughts were troubled his spirits affrighted his heart trembled his pores opened Et totus sudore defluit and he sweat great drops of bloud that streamed downe to the ground and so panting hee prayed and sweating still he prayed and the more hee was afflicted the more he prayed and fainted as it were in the bathe of his owne bloud weeping not onely with his eyes but euen with all his members Bern Ser. 3. as Saint Bernard saith And therefore the end of his Passion must needes be mournefull when the beginning of it is so fearefull and the cause of this agony must needs be supernaturall when it proceeds so contrary to the course of nature for it was in a cold season in the open ayre and they were faine to make a fire within doores without any exercise without any man neere him to offer him violence and therefore naturally he should be inclined to a cold chilly operation rather then to a bloudy sweating agony yea not onely to sweat some cold thinne faint sweat which is called sudor diaphoreticus but in such abundance of great drops saith the Euangelist that they were able to die his garments with crimson red according as the Prophet Esay saith though properly in another sense yet in some respect may be applyed to this Wherefore art thou red in thine apparell Esay 63.2 and thy garments like him that treadeth in the Wine-fat And as the Christian Poet Houedemius saith Sudor fluit vndique riuis sanguineae manant tanquam de vulnere guttae Cum cor sentit amoris gladium Cruor carnis rubricat pallium When through loue his hearts-vaine bled It dyed his garments crimson red And that these drops did not onely distillare drop out but decurrere runne and streame downe so fast to the ground from all the pores of his body as if they had issued out of most deadly wounds Wynton in Ser. sup Thren It is well obserued by our learned Bishop of Winchester out of Saint Hierome and the Chaldee paraphrast that the greatnesse of his sorrow melted him so as if he had stood by some burning furnace which was able to cast him into that sweat and to turne that sweat into drops of bloud and it appeares the rather because the Prophet Ieremie saith in the same place that a fire was sent into his bones and that might well melt all his marrow and cause the bloud to distill from his flesh and to trickle downe to the ground O happy garden watered with such teares thou must needes surpasse the garden of Eden that was watered with foure goodly riuers for this bloud of Christ doth speake better things Heb. 12.24 and bring forth better fruits then the bloud of Abell for that cryed out of the earth for vengeance against his brother but this cryeth for mercy vnto all the earth euen to his enemies Father forgiue them Luk. 23.34 for they know not what they doe and whereas our fruitfull Land the Land of our hearts was made barren for the sinne and iniquity of our fore-Father to bring forth thornes and thistles sinnes and wickednesse yet now being watered with these heauenly showers of his bloud he maketh it very plenteous to abound in all grace and godlinesse But alas Quest what was the cause that should make him so supernaturally to sweat so strangely to kneele so deuoutly and to pray so earnestly that if it were possible that houre might passe from him Thomas Aquinas answereth Resp that the cause of all passions is to be considered either 1. Ex parte obiecti In regard of the obiect Or 2. Ex parte subiecti In respect of the subiect That as in the conception of gold in the bowels of the earth there is Aestus solaris ignis subterranius A concurrency of the heate of the Sunne from aboue with a sulphurious fire from below So in the Passion of our Sauiour Christ we must know that in respect of the obiect he saw the Diuine wrath from aboue ready to be powred forth for the sinnes of men and in respect of the subiect hee saw the Church which was his body so iustly punished by this wrath of God and all that punishment to alight on him which had vndertaken to satisfie Gods Iustice and to free his members from euerlasting torments And therefore no doubt but the cleere sight The cause of Christ his agony in the Garden and the deepe consideration of that Cup which he was so sheerely to drinke vp was the cause that made him both so vehemently to pray against it and â—lso in the vehemency of the feare of it to be in such perplexed agony as thereby to sweat the drops of bloud CHAP. II. Of that fearefull Cup what it was which our Sauiour was to drinke of and that he so much feared and prayed against it What was the Cup which our Sauiour was to drinke BVt what was this Cup which hee was to drinke of we cannot easily determine For Some thinke this prayer this feare this agony proceeded onely from the weakenesse of his humanity that was now though not dis-vnited yet vnassisted of the Deity and that they were chiefly effected through the feare of that death which so neerely approached and therefore though they were vttered as proceeding from Passion or at least humane affection yet were they presently seasoned and as it were corrected with more deliberate consideration when he said Not my will but thine be fulfilled But To these men I answere that although Christ tooke our infirmities vpon him as well the spirituall Passions of the soule as the corporall infirmities of the body i. e. all such as are onely miserable but not damnable penall but not culpable or those that are painfull without sinne but not those which are sinfull without paine as both Damascen Saint Augustine and Aquinas haue most excellently obserued yet we say that these affections in Christ doe much differ from ours in three respects That the Humane affections
of Christ differ from ours in three respects First In respect of the obiect for we many times feare where there is no feare and we doe loue the things which we should despise but he onely feared the things that are to be feared and loued the things that are to be loued indeed Secondly In respect of the manner for will wee will we these affections will inuade vs and when they haue once taken hold vpon vs we doe many times feare and loue and hate if not against reason yet surely beyond and beside all reason and so that as we cannot guide them so we cannot leaue them when we would but CHRIST is angry reioyceth feareth loueth when and where and so much as iust reason directeth him for these affections master vs but he mastereth them and therefore Saint Augustine saith that Aug. in Johan potestate non infirmitate turbauit seipsum These affections are rather signes of his omnipotency then arguments of his infirmitie because he mastereth their willingnesse to oppresse him when they cannot find any weakenesse in him to be oppressed Thirdly In respect of the effects for our passions and affections blinde vs so that we cannot see the light of truth in whom we loue we see no sinne our loue is blinde and in whom we hate we can see no goodnesse for malitia corum exaecauit eos the malice of the wicked blindeth them saith the wise man and as the Poet saith of wrath Impedit ira animum ne possit cernere verum That it blindeth our eyes and disturbeth our senses so as wee know not what is what So might I say of feare of loue and of euery other vehement passion Non modo memoriam excutit Plutarch in l. de Fortuna Alexand. sed quoduis constitutum quemuis conatum impedit It doth not onely disturbe our memories but it hindereth all our purposes and indeuours so that in respect of these we forget many times and are hindered oftentimes to doe those things which our selues most of all desire to effect Psal 55.5 and therefore the Psalmist according to the vulgar Latine saith Timor hebetudo mentis venerunt super me contexerunt me tenebrae Fearefulnesse and trembling came vpon me and then darkenesse hath inuironed me or an horrible dread hath ouer-whelmed me and the reason hereof is truely rendred by the Philosopher Auicen rer nat lib. 6. c 5. Quia potentiae naturales intensae mutuo se impediunt The naturall powers stretched to the highest straine doe mutually disturbe and hinder each other to discharge their right functions and therefore exceeding ioy swalloweth vp griefe and so of all the rest Arist aethic l. 7. c. 14. the more intentiue we are to see any thing the lesse able wee are to heare any other thing according to that vulgar saying Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus The sense intent to many things To each one truth it neuer brings But in Christ they could neuer diuert him from his desire they could neuer darken his vnderstanding nor any wayes hinder the execution of his Office Neither concourse of many yea of most contrary passions and affections as loue and hatred ioy and griefe and such like any wayes mitigate or stupifie the sharpenesse or liuely-hood each of other but that euen now when he most feareth this deadly Cup he exceedingly reioyceth at the benefits that he seeth shall accrew thereby And therefore though I easily grant that nature it selfe abhorreth death the soule and body being euer loth to part and euery thing desirous of life yet that death should be thus feared thus prayed against thus melt our Sauiour Christ into such a bloudy sweat I cannot willingly yeeld For Iohn 8.20 First Desiderio desiderauit With a longing desire did hee wish this houre and he calleth it his houre as if in that houre he were to inioy his longing and he makes no more account of his death then of his dipping in the water Luke 12 5. for be calleth the same a Baptisme John 2.4 saying I must be baptized with a baptisme and how am I troubled till that be ended i. e. How am I payned and grieued Iohn 11. not because I must vndergoe it for that is my chiefest desire but because I must stay yet a while Mine houre being not yet come before I may doe it and therefore to this end Quasi ambiens mortem as one that would euer keepe himselfe in his enemies sight or as one desirous to be dissolued he goeth vp vnto Ierusalem he raiseth Lazarus from the dead that the wrath of the Iewes Iohn 13.27 being stirred vp by this present miracle he might be the sooner condemned vnto death he biddeth Iudas to doe quickely what he meant to doe not commanding the Act but as desiring the speedinesse of the Act as Caietan saith and knowing that his howre was at hand and his enemies neere hee saith vnto his Disciples Come let vs goe meet them because they were not so desirous to take him Matth. 26.46 as he was to be taken by them And therefore I cannot see how so much feare of death as to cause such an agony and such a greedy desire of death can stand together especially in such a person whose Passions cannot inuade him beyond the limits of his owne Commission but that we must ascribe farre greater matters to be the causes of this great and fearefull agony Seconly We see his Saints and seruants not onely willing to die but also running with Ignatius vnto the beasts and singing with the Salamander in the midst of the fire and therefore shall we thinke that this heauenly Physitian which healed others would not heale himselfe and which strengthened others to call and cry for death would thus vehemently pray and cry onely for feare of death But to this it is answered The Saints at their death were supported by God that the Saints were supported by the power of his grace and they were enabled by the helpe of his Spirit and therefore no wonder though they desired it but Christ though he was both God and Man yet was he now lest destitute of tâ—e helpe both of God and Man for all his friends forsak't him and the God-head himselfe which was himselfe did now sequester and withdraw all his helpe from this poore destitute and distressed man Iesus Christ and therefore no maruell that he being wholly left to himselfe nay not himselfe but the Humanitie it selfe should be thus moued and troubled at the sight of death I confesse that although Martyres non eripuit God did not deliuer his Martyres from death yet nunquam deseruit He did neuer forsake them at their death Whether Christ was wholly destitute of all assistance from the Godhead but distilled still into their hearts abundant comforts of his heauenly Spirit and it is most true that very much of the influence of Gods comfort and of the
maius opprobrium quo nullum vilius A punishment then which there could not be greater and a shame then which there could not be viler The first which was but the least thing that grieued him yet it caused a colluctation of the flesh with paine Aristot 3. aethic with death because the flesh naturally is desirous to escape them both Et omnium terribilium terribilissimum est mors And of all terrible things death is the most terrible thing saith the Philosopher and therefore the very remembrance of the same Secondly His Shame The Shamefull handling of Christ was more grieuous vnto him then all his corporall sufferings must needs bring a terror vnto flesh and bloud And the second which was the shamefull things that were to be done vnto him to be scorned and scoffed accounted as wicked taken by the wicked and condemned with the wicked and so shamefully handled shamefully deemed shamefully dying did a great deale more perplexe and grieue him then the former any man wishing rather to dye then to suffer shame shame being a greater punishment vnto the minde and soule then any torture can be vnto the flesh Nature alwayes releeueth the part most distressed for nature cleane contrary to the course of the world which alwayes taketh part with the stronger-side and layeth helpe vpon them that are mighty vseth alwayes to assist the weaker part as it appeareth plainely in the letting of bloud in the arme or in any other place for then nature as it doth still send the bloud Quasi agmine facto as it were on heapes from all the parts of the body thither vntill the said rupture be stopped vp againe and so likewise when the heart of man which is the seate of feare begins to be troubled with any vehement or horrible feare then will nature presently collect the bloud about the same for to assist it whereby the face is left pale and all the exterior parts as it were voide of life and when the face of man which is the seate of shamefastnesse and honesty is aspersed with shame and reproach then presently the bloud relinquisheth all the interior parts and gathers it selfe vnto the face as to that part which now hath most need to be sustayned wâ—ereby we truely say that Pallor timentium rubor erubescentium est signum To blush is the signe of shame and to be pale is an argument of feare And therefore though the feare of his punishment and of death did neerely touch him yet to shew that the consideration of this most shamefull handling of him did more perplexe him his bloud did not collect it selfe vnto the heart though the same was much affrighted but leauing the heart as it were destitute of all helpe it flew into his face as vnto that part which for shame of their dispitefull vsage of him had most neede to be assisted and from thence as the pretious oyntment that was powred vpon Aarons head ranne downe vnto his beard and from thence vnto the skirts of his cloathing So this pretious bloud of Christ gushing out chiefly at his face it plentifully trickled downe to the ground Secondly The deferring of his suffering much grieued our Sauiour As the consideration and fore-sight of these things did much grieue him so the dilation and deferring of them did not a little trouble him for as the expectation of death is many times more grieuous vnto the affrighted flesh then death it selfe so was the dilation of that good which was to proceede from his death a great deale more grieuous vnto him then many deaths for hee was most greedy of our saluation and as the Horse made ready vnto the battle and hearing the Trumpets sounding Virgil. l. 4. Aeneid Stare loco nescit micat auribus tremit artus fraena faerox spumantia mandit doth fame and fome and cannot stand but still striueth to goe forward so Christ hauing this baptisme to be baptized with he was exceedingly pained vntill that was ended Quia spes quae differtur affligit animam Because as Salomon saith hope deferred or expectation prolonged languisheth the soule and therefore as Ionas saâ—d Irascor vsque ad mortem I am exceedingly angry euen vnto death that is because death comes not to me for I doe seeke for death and it flies from me so Christ was grieued vnto death Ambr. 7. in Luc. Non ex metu mortis suae sed ex mora redemptionis nostrae Not for any feare of his owne death but by reason of the delaying of our deliuerance from euerlasting death as Saint Ambrose saith What Christ fore-saw in respâ—ct of vs. Secondly As he fore-saw these things in respect of himselfe so in respect of others he fore-saw First the neglecting of his bloud First The small account that many men would make of this his so great a suffering he saw how few would imbrace it and how many would contemne it and therefore when he considered with himselfe Quae vtilitas in sanguine suo What profit might accrew from his bloud knowing that the least drop of it was of sufficient value to saue the whole world and yet by reason of the iniquitie and incredulity of men that all of it being spilt and shed it should notwithstanding saue but a remnant and a small company of men it could not choose but grieue and vexe his righteous soule to see his bloud spilt in vaine for would it not grieue any man to pay an infinite price to saue a base slaue from death and to see that villaine presently cast himselfe to death and with all his strength and wit to seeke the death of his Redeemer this was the case of Christ for he was willing to redeeme vs with his owne most precious bloud and yet he saw the wicked would trample this benefit vnder foot account the bloud of the couenant as an vnholy thing Heb. 10.29 and make none other vse of it but most fearefully to sweare by it and abuse it and so bringing vpon themselues swift damnation and therefore seeing euery sin grieues God this must grieue him most of all O then beloued brethren seeing as it grieueth the Husbandman to see his ground well manured still continuing barren so it is a griefe to Christ to see his bloud grow fruitlesse and that it is a ioy to him by our conuersion to see the fruits of his labours O let vs neuer cause him to say Esay 49.4 In vacuum laboraui I haue laboured in vaine but let vs truely repent vs of our sinnes and faithfully lay hold of his death that so both the Angels and this Lord of Angels may reioyce Secondly He fore-saw the great punishment and aduersitie that should light vpon many men and vpon many sorts of men for The dispersion of the Apostles Zach. 13.7 and by meanes of this his sufferings and his cruell death As First Vpon his owne Disciples and decrest Apostles for I will
and the redemption of all mankinde was now fully effected but also to teach all Christians to finish the course of their life according to the will of God Seauenthly The seauenth and last saying of Christ vpon the Crosse Luke 23.46 When he considered and vnderstood all things that were to be done of him to be fully ended he saith Father into thy hands I commend my spirit to teach euery man especially in affliction to cast himselfe in sinum diuinitatis euen into the armes of Gods protection and so to relie wholly vpon God as vpon a sure foundation and as at all times else so chiefly when we see death approaching neere to vs to commend our soules into the hands of God euen as our Sauiour did Many worthy obseruations to be considered in the manner of Christ his crucifying Iohn 19 23. Thus Christ suffered thus he preached and thus he prayed vpon the Crosse and in this time of his suffering it is obserued First That as he bowed the Heauens and came downe to be incarnate and made flesh so here he boweth his head to imbrace vs and to kisse vs with the kisses of his lips Secondly That his armes were extended and stretched out Psal 22.16 to receiue all men throughout the compasse of the whole world into his grace and fauour againe Thirdly That the nayles were fixed through his hands and feete not onely to shew that hereby thy hands are inlarged to doe good workes and thy feet are set at liberty John 20.25 that thou maist runne the way of Gods commandement but also to teach vs how the remembrance of his Passion should be so fixed in our hearts as that nothing in the world should be able to roote it thence Fourthly That he was vnstripped of his garments and his body extended naked vpon the tree Iohn 19.23 to shew that hee forsooke all to redeeme vs that all things are patent and open in the eies of God and that we poore sinnefull men are miserable and naked of all goodnesse vntill we be clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ Fiftly That his side was opened with a speare to make way for the effusion of his bloud to satisfie for our sinnes Iohn 20.34 and to make roome for vs to come neerer to his heart and to hide our selues with Moses Exod. 33.32 in foramine Petrae in this sluce of his side in this hole of the Rocke vntill the anger of God be ouer-past And Many other points of great moment I might here shew vnto you as the darkning of the Sunne for shame and sorrow to see the Sonne of God put to such a shamefull death the quassation and trembling of the Earth and cleauing of the Stones for horour to beare her Maker dying and to condemne the most cruell hardnesse of a sinners heart that seeing the Stones renting will not relent from his sinnes and the cleauing of the Temple from the top to the bottome to shew that the Leuiticall Law should be no longer a partition wall betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles and that the way to Heauen is now made open to all beleeuers but that to speake all I might of this point would inlarge a Treatise into a Volume That it is vnpossible for anâ— one man to expâ—esse all the paâ—ticulaâ—s of Christ his Passion and that indeed the Witte and Learning of any one man is no more able to expresse all the mysteries and most excellent points that wee might collect and learne from the Passion of Christ then one poore Fisherman is able to catch all the Fishes in the Ocean Sea And therefore commending all vnto your meditation to muse vpon the particulars of this great worke that was once done that it might neuer be forgotten I will end this point of his Passion and proceede vnto the third part of my Text which is the necessitie of his suffering For thus it behooued Christ to suffer PART III. Part. 3 CHAP. I. Of the necessity of Christ his suffering THirdly Hauing heard the chiefest particulars of the sufferings of Christ wee are now to consider the necessitie of his suffering expressed here by Christ himselfe in these words That there is a threefold necessity Thus it behoued Christ to suffer Touching which we must consider that there are three kinds of necessities The first is an obsolute necessitie as when a thing in regard of the nature of it cannot be otherwise so the Sunne mooueth and the fire burneth as wee see necessarily because it is the propertie of their nature so to doe as it is for euery light thing to ascend and for euery heauy thing to descend downewards towards the center The second is a necessity of constraint That Christ suffered because he willinâ—ly gaue himselfe to suffer as when a malefactor is constrained and must necessarily suffer whether hee will or not because the sentence of the Law hath passed ouer him and his strength is not sufficient to saue himselfe And in these two sences our Sauiour Christ was not of necessitie for to suffer because God might if he had would haue vsed a 1000. other wayes to haue saued man without the death of his onely Sonne and there was neither Law to inioyne him nor any force that could compell him for to suffer for he saith Abba Father all things are possible vnto thee and Marke 14.36 he could pray to his Father and haue more then twelue legions of Angels to haue assisted him And therefore no absolute necessity that he should suffer Sed oblatus est quia voluit But he was offered vp for vs because he would he gaue his soule an offering for sin Esay 53.10 he yeelded vp himselfe into the hands of his enemies he could but he would not be rescued and he gaue Pilate power against himselfe for vnlesse he would hee needed not to haue suffered Iustice could not seize vpon him because he was a Lambe without spot and constraint could not compell him because all things were possible vnto him and he had all the Angels at his command and therfore as the Prophet Esay saith that he did beare the burthen imposed by his Father Esay 63.6 so he did assume the same himselfe S. Paul saith Rom. 8.32 that as God gaue Christ for vs Rom. 8.32 So Christ gaue himselfe for vs and our Sauiour saith No man taketh my life from me Gal. 2.20 but I haue power to lay downe my life and I haue power to take it vp againe and so it was that he himselfe layd downe his life Iohn 10. as a man layeth downe his garment for it is obserued by the Euangelists Crucem sustinuit voluntate non necessitate S. Hieron in Esayam c. 53. Iohn 19.30 that when he would die he seeing that impotent man could not take away his soule he bowed downe his head and gaue vp the Ghost as calling and yeelding vnto the stroke of death which
that he had lost the price of that Oyntment wherewith the Woman annointed Christ and which he had valued at three hundred pence went out as I shewed you before and sold Christ for thirty pence and then betrayed him into the hands of sinners Fourthly Christ being treacherously betrayed 4. The desire of the people violently apprehended and most falsly accused by the Sonnes of Belial the High Priests for very malice that they bore against Christ and for feare that the Romans if they let him escape would come and take away that rule and authoritie that was left them thought him worthy to die and deliuered him vnto Pilate and did teach the ignorant ingratefull and vnconstant multitude most earnestly to desire the death of Christ saying Crucifie him crucifie him and therefore Pilate for feare of the Priests and to please the people when he had scourged Christ condemned him and deliuered him to be crucified And yet all these were but instrumentall causes of these manifold sufferings of Christ there were other more efficient and farre greater causes then all these For Secondly The efficient cause of Christ his death The efficient cause of Christ his death Esay 53.10 was God himselfe for so the Prophet Esay saith It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to griefe to bruise his body with tortures through the malice of the Iewes towards him and to strike his soule with griefe through the mercy of God towards vs. And so the Prophet Ieremie speaking of these sufferings in the person of Christ himselfe saith That they were sorrowes and sufferings Quae fecit mihi Deus Lament 1.12 That God himselfe laide all this punishment vpon Christ Whereby God hath afflicted me God who is termed A deuouring fire and an ouer-flowing torrent of wrath doth now make our Sauiour Christ as the onely Butte to shoote at him all the shafts of his furie he openeth him and powreth into him all the vials of his indignation and as Iob complaineth That the terrors of the Lord did set themselues in array against him So Christ when he saith Mar. 14.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule is incompassed with sorrowes on euery side sheweth how God had set himselfe against him yea though God afflicteth sometimes in mercy euen as a Father when hee correcteth his dearest Childe yet is he here said to haue done this In the fiercenesse of his wrath And therefore how could Christ choose but suffer for when God will smite who is able either by strength or wit to escape out of his hands Why God afflicted Christ But here it may be well demanded what moued Gods wrath to be thus kindled against Christ for God hateth nothing but sinne and in Christ there was no sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth And therefore seeing God neuer doth as Annas did to cause Christ to be smitten without a cause why should God be so much displeased as thus grieuously to punish his onely Sonne in whom hee was alwayes well pleased and with whom he was neuer in any wayes offended Dan. 9.27 God afflicted Christ for vs and not for himselfe To this wee must answere with the Prophet Daniel that the Messias must be slaine but not for himselfe for hee tooke vpon him the person of vs all and if a man that oweth nothing becomes a surety for a debtor if the principall becomes bankerout the surety shall be compelled to make a plenary satisfaction and he must pay that which he neuer tooke And therefore Christ vndertaking the payment of our debts and to discharge vs from Gods wrath to come Esay 53.4 5 6. He tooke vpon him our infirmities hee was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our transgressions Luc. 22.64 And so if the tormentors should say as once they did Prophesie vnto vs who it is that smote thee We may quickely become Prophets and most truly answere for him that our sinnes smote him our iniquities whipt him our pride crowned him with a crowne of thornes our drunkennesse gaue him that vinegar to drinke and in a word our sinne our grieuous sinne what sinne soeuer it be did thus haynously murther Christ and fast nayled him vnto the Crosse Quia solum peccatum homicida est Our sinnes crucified Iesus Christ For alas it was not Pilate nor Caiphas nor any one of that complicie of confederate Agents that were the efficient cause of his death for they were but the instruments and executioners onely of that punishment which our sinnes the sinnes of each man had laide vpon him and the Executioner cannot be said properly to be the cause of that mans death which by the Law is adiudged to die but to say the truth our sinnes haue killed the Sonne of God And therefore as Nathan said vnto Dauid 2 Sam. 12.7 Thou art the man that did the deede So I may say to euery sinner Thou art the man for whose sinnes God in the fiercenesse of his wrath did thus punish and afflict his onely Sonne O that this would make euery one of vs to crie out with Ionas Propter me haec tempestas I am the cause of all this troubles Ionas 1.12 of all this stormy windes and tempest Take me and cast me into the Sea And as Dauid â—hen he saw the miserable death of the people for his sinne was vexed at the heart and cried vnto the Lord saying Behold I haue sinned and I haue done wickedly 2 Sam. 24.17 but these sheepe what haue they done So I wish that euery one of vs would see it and say it It is I Lord that haue sinned but for this innocent Lambe this harmelesse Doue alas what hath he done And I hope this would make vs to hate and detest our sinnes when we consider that they were the onely murtherers of the Sonne of God You see then that as in the Law it was ordained that a man should bring his Beast to the doore of the Tabernacle and should put his hand vpon the head of it when hee offered the same for a burnt offering vnto God to shew vnto vs that the man himselfe had indeede deserued to die Leuit. 1.4 and that the Beast was onely slaine for his offences So here our Sauiour Christ was put to death not for any cause of his owne but as Saint Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.18 The iust suffered for the vniust he was wounded for our sinnes and crucified for our transgressions But then againe it may be demanded Quest What moued Christ to vndertake our debts Resp why should he vndertake our debt and make satisfaction for our sinnes when as wee had no wayes deserued any kindnesse at his hands and could by no meanes requite so great a benefit I answere That it was requisite and necessary that he should suffer for our sinnes to fulfill the truth of God because hee had promised that the seede of the Woman should breake the
the ceremonies of the Law are now ended but especially all that is to bee suffered for the sinnes of men is now fully accomplished But the sufferings of the Saints doe profit the Church not by way of satisfaction for their sinnes but by way of example and consolation to strengthen them in their faith Aquinas par 3. sum q. 48. art penult and to confirme them saith the Glosse In gratia dei in doctrina Euangelij In the grace of God and in the doctrine of the Gospell and they are called the rest of the afflictions of Christ How the sufferings of the Saints doe profit the Church not because the sufferings of Christ were imperfect or not sufficient to satisfie for all sinnes but because of that simpathy and fellow-feeling that Christ hath of all the sufferings of his Saints in which respect he saith vnto Saint Paul vnconuerted Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act 9.4 because he accounteth all euill or good done vnto them to be as done vnto himselfe and therefore though we should reioyce in our afflictions Rom. 5.3 because he doth account vs worthy to suffer for the name of Christ yet seeing the suffering of all the miseries that can befall a man cannot make vs worthy of this glory of Heauen as Origen saith Act. 5.41 we should wholly relie vpon the all-sufficient merits of Christ his sufferings for the saluation of our soules because all sacrifices ended in this selfe-sufficient sacrifice which was not onely the abolishment of all other oblations whatsoeuer but was also the most perfect and most absolute holocaust yea and the one onely hylasticall and propitiatory sacrifice that was to be offered for the sinnes of the whole world Suet. in vit Aug. Caesaris Suetonius tels vs that when Augustus Caesar either out of Humility or Policy desired that the Senate would adioyne two Consuls with him for the gouernment of the State the Senate answered that they held it a diminution of his dignity a disparagement of their owne iudgement to ioyne any one with so worthy a one as Augustus was and surely it would much more derogate from the worth of our Sauiours sufferings and shew vs to bee meerely fooles if with the inualuable sufferings â—nd sacrifice of Christ to satisfie the wrath of God we would ioyne the momentaric affliction of any man The sufferings of Christ comforteth and confiâ—meth all Christians And as this Doctrine of his suffering for the satisfaction of all sinnes doth confute all them that ioyne the afflictions of the Saints with the sufferings of Christ for the making vp of the price of our redemption so it doth sufficiently confirme and comfort all those that do most faithfully put their trust in Christ For though our sinnes be very great and though we haue sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death yet seeing Christ hath suffered for vs both what God in Iustice could require and what our sinnes could iustly deserue we should not despaire wee should not feare because the bloud of Christ as the Apostle noteth speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel Heb. 12.24 that crying for vengeance this for pardon vnto his brethren And as it serueth to confirme vs against despaire so it may be applyed to assure vs of whatsoeuer we need Rom. 8.32 for so the Apostle reasoneth he that spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him also freely giue vs all things hee that loued vs so deare as to giue vs his onely Sonne what will he thinke too deare for vs and therefore if we want any thing let vs aske of God James 1.5 and he giueth vnto all men liberally whatsoeuer he seeth fit and conuenient for them How the death of Christ maketh the wicked without excuse Secondly As our Sauiour dyed thus to satisfie the wrath of God for the sinnes of all men and to bring his Saints vnto euerlasting glory so he did it to make the wicked without excuse because they tread vnder feet the Sonne of God and account the bloud of the couenant as an vnholy thing and will not lay hold and beleeue in Iesus Christ But if any man should demaund whether Christ suffered and dyed for all men without exception or for those elected Saints onely which he had chosen vnto saluation or whether hee dyed sufficiently for all and effectually onely for his elect which in my minde is but a poore distinction because it is most certaine that his death and suffering if it had pleased God to giue them that grace to apprehend it and by a liuely faith to apply it vnto their soules is of sufficient value to ransome the sinnes of all men and diuels and many other such like questions about the generality and efficacy of Christs death See the Delights of the Saints par 1. pag. 30. I referre him to my Treatise of the Delights of the Saints where I haue handled this point more at large And so you see why Christ suffered in respect of men Secondly He suffered all this in respect of God for the praise and glory of his owne blessed Name for as God hath made and created all things so he hath redeemed all men for his owne sake that his wisedome his power and his goodnesse might bee knowne vnto men and so praised and magnified of men for euermore And therefore this should teach vs to doe what lyeth in vs to glorifie the Name of God for all these great things that Christ hath done and hath suffered for vs. CHAP. IIII. Of the vsefull application of this Doctrine of the sufferings of Christ what we ought principally to learne from the consideration thereof ANd as generally this suffering of Christ The consideration of Christs sufferings should worke in vs foure speciall effects out of his meere loue to man should moue vs all to praise the Lord and to serue him so more especially it should worke in vs these foure speciall things 1. To moue vs to compassion 2. To make vs thankefull 3. To cause vs to loue him 4. To worke in vs a readinesse to suffer any thing with him and for his sake that suffered all this for vs. First to moue vs to compassion Iob 10. For the first the Prophet Dauid musing of Gods great loue towards mankinde saith O Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him And to this holy Iob answereth saying Thou hast made me as the Clay vers 11. vers 9. and thou wilt bring me into the dust and I shall be consumed as a rotten thing and as a garment that is moth-eaten And yet to saue this poore contemptible thing Christ tooke vpon him our nature in the wombe and vndertooke our death vpon the Crosse yea and whatsoeuer he suffered as man he suffered for man Omnis creatura compatitur Christo morienti sol obscuratur c. Solus
miser homo non compatitur pro quo solo deus patitur Hiron in Mat. and therefore how can we behold his head resting vpon a pillow of thornes his hands pierced with iron nayles and his heart bleeding for our sinnes and not to bee moued to a godly sorrow for those our horrible sinnes that caused all his sorrowes It is reported in the Gospell that when our Sauiour suffered the Sun withdrew his light as being ashamed to see so wofull a spectacle the earth quaked and trembled as it were for feare to see her Creator put to death and the stones did cleaue in sunder yea wicked Iudas that betrayed and sold our Sauiour when he saw the indignities that were offered vnto him did repent and grieue that he had betrayed that innocent bloud and therefore what strange hearts haue wee worse then Iudas and harder then stones if we can behold the torments of his Passion and not be touched with compassion The naturalist telleth vs that the Adamant stone is of an impenetrable hardnesse Plinius l. 37. c. 4. and yet he saith that if it be steeped in the warme bloud of a Goate it will be mollified and therefore if the bloud of Christ which is farre more excellent then the bloud of Buls or of Goates cannot intenerate our hard hearts wee are worse then the Adamants and no better then the Diuels That Christ should bleed for vs and we not weepe for our owne sinnes Secondly To make vs thankefull For the second Our Sauiour hauing suffered all this for sin to saue sinfull men and to eternize mortall men He hath broken the head of the Serpent he hath wounded the great Leuiathan and by the merit of his Passion he hath subdued Hell conquered the graue rebated the sting of death taken away the force and guilt of sinne and remoued those Cherubims and that flaming sword which was placed to afright vs and to keepe the way of the tree of life Gen. 2.2 and he hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs and laid open vnto vs the gates of eternall life and therefore now we should all say with the Psalmist What shall we render vnto the Lord for all his benefits that hee hath done vnto vs Psal 116 11. for we must not thinke it inough to weepe in commiseration of Christ his paine but we must be also thankefull for Christ his suffering The whole world knoweth what great loue hee hath shewed to vs and what bitter Passion he hath suffered for vs and therefore vae tacentibus de te domine Woe be vnto them whose ingratitude hath silenced them from praising thee Sed faelix lingua quae non nouit nisi de te Sermonem texere but most happy is that tongue which can praise thee O Lord though it should be able to speake of nothing else because not onely nothing can be carried better in our mindes nothing can be sweeter in our mouthes nothing more melodious to our eares as Saint Augustine saith then deo gratias to ascribe all praise and to render thankes vnto the Lord our God but especially because as Saint Bernard saith no sacrifice can be more acceptable vnto God for who so offereth me thankes and praise hee honoureth mee and nothing can be more offensiue vnto Satan then to praise the Lord for though thou watchest he careth not because himselfe neuer sleepeth though thou fastest hee regards it not because himselfe neuer eateth any thing but if thou beest thankefull vnto God for his great loue to thee then is Satan grieued because thou being a silly worme on earth dost performe that here in the vally of misery which he being a glorious Angell in Heauen could not performe in that seat of Maiestie and therefore as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 107.15 that he would rise at midnight to praise the Lord for his righteous iudgements so with the Prophet Dauid I wish to God that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse especially for this great goodnesse and declare the wonders that he hath done and especially this suffering this great suffering that he vnderwent for the children of men and that they would praise him from the ground of the heart And because virtus nisi cum re vilior alga That we should shew our thankfulnesse to Christ by our workes Luke 2. Matth. 2. thankefulnesse consisteth more in workes then in words therefore let vs not onely with the Angels sing Glory be to God on high but let vs with the wise men present our gifts vnto him gold to clothe the naked and to feede the hungry soule Frankinsence to maintaine the preaching of Gods Word and Myrrhe to be prepared for our death Macrob. Saturnal l. 2. c. 4. that we may liue for euer with him Macrobius tels vs that a certaine souldiour of Augustus Band that had often aduentured his life in Caesars cause being to appeare before those Iudges whom he feared he desired Augustus for to assist him and the Emperour presently wished him to choose whom he would and he would appoint him for his aduocate but the Souldier replyed O Caesar I appointed no Deputy when your life was in danger to be lost but I hazarded mine owne life and receiued all these scarres which he then shewed in his body to preserue you from all hurt and doe you now appoint another to pleade for me what haue I done so much for you and will you refuse to do so small a kindnes for me euen so beloued brethren Christ did not onely hazard his life but gaue himselfe to death and suffered scarres and wounds and the shedding of all his bloud of his dearest bloud for vs and shall wee doe nothing for him Matth. 25 40. O yes beloued let vs euer doe what lyeth in vs for the poore members of Iesus Christ for whatsoeuer you doe to any one of them you doe it vnto me saith our Sauiour Thirdly to teach vs how dearely and how truely we ought to loue our Sauiour Christ For the third as Christ hath so dearely loued vs as to suffer all these things for vs so we should truely loue Christ againe and we should the rather loue him not onely because hee hath done all these things for vs but also because he requireth nothing for all these things but loue he exacts no tribute hee requires no homage he expects no requitall but loue O then let vs not say with the vncleane spirits in the Gospell What haue wee to doe with thee Marke 1.24 O Iesus thou Sonne of God but let vs rather say with the Church Cantic 2.5 in the Canticles Stay me with flagons and comfort mee with apples Bern. in Ser. de pass dom for I am sicke of loue and as thy loue to me Erat talis tantus vt nesciret habere modum was such and so great that it could not containe it selfe within the compasse of any bounds so my
transgression doe you now and euer hereafter follow Mary Magdalen in your true conuersion for she loued much because much was forgiuen her Luke 7.47 and she liued most strict and religiously in her age because shee had liued so loosly and so dissolutely in her youth for as Dyonisius and Egesippus doe record she betooke her selfe to a most solitary life sequestred from all worldly pleasures in the mountaine Balma full thirty yeares together in all which time shee gaue her selfe to meditation fasting and prayer and as Iosephus writeth could neuer indure any company for now she had giuen a perfect bill of diuorce vnto all wantonnesse and had disrobed her selfe of all her sumptuous weedes and alluring paludaments and chose rather to suffer a short affliction and to endure a hard penance with the Children of God Heb. 11.25 then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Secondly That we should neuer despaire of any mans conuersion That seeing the grace of God to moue and incline our hearts must be the first agent in the conuersion of our soules and that God hath his owne times and houres and moments to call vs into his Vineyard some at the sixth some at the ninth and some at the eleuenth houre we should not despaire of the conuersion of any one for as to commit sinne is the death of the soule so to despaire is the stepping downe to the lowest Hell Isidor de summo bono and therefore seeing God is multus ad misericordiam of much mercy to forgiue many sinnes and of great mercy Esay 55. to forgiue great sinnes let vs neuer despaire of the eternall and omnipotent mercy of God for though thy sinnes were as haynous as Mary Magdalens yet one word of Christs mouth is able to cast out all Diuels though they were as odious as Peters yet one looke of Christs fauour is able to worke grace and repentance in thy soule and though they were as many as Manasses and as red as scarlet yet one drop of the bloud of Christ is able to wash them all away and to make thy crimson soule as white as snow and therefore returne O Shunamite returne and call to God for grace say vnto the Lord that it is time that he haue mercy vpon thy soule yea the time is come And so much for the deuotion of the women Part. 3 PART III. CHAP. I. Of the Angels seruice vnto Christ and how terrible they be to the wicked THirdly The Office of the Angels is here plainely expressed for though Saint Marke saith hee was a young man yet Saint Matthew saith he was an Angell for Angels many times assumed outward formes The Angels often appeared like men but were neuer made men to performe some offices and deposed the same againe after the finishing of their worke and so they vsed those formes as one vseth his garments to put it on and off at his pleasure and not as our Sauiour did for Christ really vnited himselfe to the forme that he assumed and assumed it neuer to depose it and therefore they are said onely to appeare like men but Christ is said to be made many This Angell then being sent to comfort and not to astonish these women he tooke vpon him the forme of a man which is a forme most customable that he might not affright them and hee tooke the forme of a yong man which is a forme most amiable Aug. in Psal 104. that he might delight them and he is called an Angell Ab officio non natura In respect of his office not of his nature Nam ex eo quod est spiritus est ex eo quod agit Angelus est For in that which he is he is a Spirit in that he is sent as a Messenger he is an Angell saith Saint Augustine and therefore hee is a Spirit ab essentia in respect of his being he is a yong man à forma in respect of the forme wherein he appeared and hee is an Angell ab officio in respect of that duty and office which he was now to discharge The office of the Angell here expressed is three-fold And I finde the same here to be three-fold 1. In respect of Christ 2. In respect of the Keepers 3. And principally in respect of the Women First The Angels are excellent in all things but for three things most excellent First Purity of substance Matth. 18.10 for they alwayes behold the face of God into whose presence no impure thing can approach Secondly Readinesse of obedience for the Prophet speaking of their seruice saith He rode vpon Cherub and did flie Psal 18.10 hee came flying vpon the wings of the winde Thirdly Feruentnesse of charity for Heb. 1.7 hee maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire whereby they burne in loue not onely one towards another but also towards vs poore miserable men for they reioyce at our conuersion Luke 15.10 and being conuerted they become our Guardians in our conuersation Psal 91.11 to preserue vs in all our wayes that we dash not our foot against a stone And these three things were shadowed in those Cherubims 1 Kings 6.23 made by Salomon to ouer-shadow the mercy seate for they were made of fine gold to note their purity 2 Chron. 3.12 with their wings spread to note their celerity and with their faces looking one towards another to note their charity And yet for all their excellency when God brought his first begotten Sonne into the world he commanded them all to doe him seruice saying Worship him all yee Angels and so they did Heb. 1.6 for when he was to be conceiued the Angell brought tydings vnto that blessed Virgin when he was borne How the Angels alwayes did seruice vnto our Sauiour Christ the Angels told the same vnto the shepheards when his life was sought for by Herod the Angell reuealed the same vnto Ioseph and warned him to flie into Egypt when Herod was dead the Angell bad Ioseph returne into the land of Iury when Satan had left tempting him the Angels came and ministred vnto him when his soule was exceeding sorrowfull vnto death the Angels attended to comfort him and here when his Body was to be raysed from death the Angel descended to rolle away that mighty stone which his aduersaries had laide vpon his graue Non propter impotentiam Christi sed propter obedientiam Angeli Not that Christ was vnable to doe it himselfe for he that is able to shake the earth and of the stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham shall we thinke him vnable to lift vp a stone but to declare his soueraigne authority ouer these creatures of soueraigne dignity he needs but say vnto his Angel Doe this and he doth it And therefore if the Angels which neuer offended him be euer so ready to doe him seruice how much more willing should we be to serue him for to
whom much is giuen Luke 12.48 of them much shall be required and wee know he gaue more to vs for he gaue his Son vnto vs and he did more for vs for hee dyed for vs and hee shewed more loue towards vs for he was made one with vs then euer hee did vnto the Angels and therefore I say no more but wee are obliged to the more thankefulnesse How the Angels punish wicked men Secondly The Angel here descended to affright and terrifie these wicked Keepers and therefore the Keepers at the sight of him Intus timent exterius concutiuntur vt ferè exanimes redduntur Caietan in Math. c. 28. were astonied and became as dead men for though they haue a charge to cherish the godly and to preserue them so Psal 91 11. in all their wayes that they dash not their foote against a stone yet they are likewise charged to punish the wicked and to dash them in pieces against euery stone and therefore they consumed Sodom Gen. 19. Exod. 12.29 2 Kings 19.35 they plagued Aegypt they destroyed 100. 80. and 5000. men in the hoste of the Assirians and here the very countenance of one Angel doth so terrifie these wicked men that they are astonied and become as dead men and no maruell for his countenance is admirable it was like lightning and his garment white as snow their voyce is terrible as the voyce of God and I heard thy voyce saith Adam vnto God and I was afraide Gen. 3.10 for as it is Vox suauiter dulcis dulciter suavis a voice like the sweet and melodious voyce of Harpers harping with their harpes vnto the godly so it is Vox mirabiliter terribilis terribiliter mirabilis a voyce like the sound of many waters that is wonderfully terrible vnto the wicked it shaketh the Cedars of Libanus Reuel 19.6 and terrifieth the very hearts of the vngodly and their power is incredible Ye Angels of his saith Dauid that excell in strength Psal 103.20 O therefore sencelesse godlesse men will ye not feare him that as he hath his army of little ones that are able to destroy the greatest Potentates of the world as the frogges flyes and caterpillars subdued Pharaoh and all his kingdome so he hath his Army of great ones Reuel 10.1 of these mighty Angels as the Apostle cals them to fight against you poore silly wormes of the earth Alas if their countenance be so admirable their voyce so terrible That it is vnpossible to escape the hands of any destroying Angell and their power so incredible as I shewed before what shall you do when they shall haue a power super added a power giuen them to destroy the earth a shaking blade put into their hands not onely to keepe the way of the tree of life but also to cut downe the wicked like grasse and to cast them forth into eternall death O consider this you that forget God lest hee teare you in pieces while there is none to helpe you for this is a dolefull and a fearefull case Psal 69.23 a most grieuous curse pronounced by Dauid To haue those things which should be for your aduantage an occasion of falling to haue those glorious Angels which are appointed by God to saue and preserue you if you serue God to be transmuted by your sinnes to destroy and consume you and therefore Kisse the sonne lest hee bee angry for if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him Thirdly This Angell here descended in respect of the women and that for two speciall ends 1. For their consolation 2. For their instruction CHAP. II. How the Angell comforteth these women diuers wayes FIrst How the Angell comforteth the Women The Angell comforteth these women many wayes but especially 1. By the manner of his apparition 2. By his kinde and friendly allocution For First He appeared vnto them not in a blacke mournfull robe but in a garment white as snow which signifieth purity and is the ensigne of ioy and felicity and he assumed the shape of a yong man Marke 16.5 Haymo in postil super Euangel die pasch whose forme must needes be amiable vnto all men and he sate on the right side which signifieth a successiue happinesse vnto their intentions All good signes all signes of comfort But Secondly As these dumbe shewes doe a little consolate their afrighted soules so his gracious speech doth wholly expell all feare and sorrow from their afflicted hearts for he said vnto the women Feare you not for I know that you seeke Iesus that was crucified Wherein is intimated three especiall things 1. Whom we ought to feare 2. Who ought and who ought not to feare 3. How we ought to feare That we need not feare men Angels diuels First We need not feare Men Angels Diuels for that is the meaning of the Angels words vnto the women you need not feare the Iewes you need not feare me you need not feare the very Diuels Matth. 10.28 for they are but your fellow seruants and the greatest of all these can and without the leaue and permission of God they cannot but confiscate your goods Rom. 8. and cast your bodies into the fire for when they haue done so they can doe no more saith Christ but God can cast both body and soule into Hell fire and therefore as wee should hate nothing but sinne because nothing but sinne makes vs to be hated of God so wee should feare none but God because if God be with vs none can hurt vs nothing can harme vs. Ob. But against this it may be obiected that we should feare our superiours as Kings Magistrates Parents Preachers and such like therefore others besides God are to be feared Sol. I answere that our superiours haue a power and authority ouer vs but first it is potestas data non innata a power giuen them from aboue and not inbred in themselues for as our Sauiour saith vnto Pilate there could be no power in man except it were giuen him from God Iohn 19.12 and secondly it is potestas limitata a power limited so farre as God permitteth and no further for God saith vnto them as he doth vnto the sea Hitherto shalt thou goe and no further here shalt thou stay thy proud waues and therefore I confesse that they are to be feared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of that concessed and receiued power which they haue from God and so indeed we feare not them but the power and authority of God in them but not absolutely because they haue not absolute power In what sense and how farre parents and magistrates are to be feared but God hath all and absolute power a power both of body and soule and therefore God onely is to be feared absolutely in all respects But then Secondly It may be said that obiectum timoris malum The obiect
of feare is euill for we loue and desire the good and we feare onely that which is euill And therefore how can it be that we should feare him which is the chiefest good I answere That it is true that the obiect of feare is euill and that euill to come for what is past we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heauinesse which is the relique and the effect of that euill which we haue suffered but that which is to come we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feare And yet I say that wee may feare that which is good in two respects First We may feare that which is good In what sense we may be said to feare God which is the chiefest good Ne bonum à nobis per malum auferatur Lest that good be taken away from vs by reason of our euill So the body feareth death lest by that death it should be depriued of the fruition of the soule So we feare God thâ—t is good lest that for our euill he will leaue vs and depriue vs of the fruition of his most blessed Societie Secondly We may feare that which is good Ne per bonum propter malum malum nobis inferatur Lest that which is good should inflict some euill vpon vs for our euill So the Malefactor feareth the Iudge lest the vprightnesse of the Iudge should cause punishment to be inflicted vpon him for his euill deedes So we feare the good God lest he should punish vs for our euill And so in very deede the thing that we feare is not his goodnesse but the iust desert of our owne wickednesse For to speake properly God as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a louer of man and the chiefest good cannot be feared but he is onely to be feared as he is a iust Iudge 2 Thess 1.8 which rendereth vengeance to them that know not God And therefore though the obiect of feare be euill yet in tâ—ese respects we ought while we liue on earth for in Heauen there is no feare 1 Iohn 4.18 because perfect charity expelleth feare to feare God the chiefest good And blessed is he that alwayes feareth for he that feareth the Lord will doe no euill But as the bankes of a Riuer doe bound in the waters from ouer-flowing so doth the feare of God hedge in our affections that it suffereth not our soules to sinne whereas the bankes being broken and troden downe the waters then Velut agmine facto Will rush in heapes and soone couer the whole face of the plaines So the feare of God being once reiected Bloud toucheth bloud Hosea 4.2 as the Prophet saith and all sinnes and wickednesse will be committed euen with greedinesse Secondly The Angell doth herein denotate who ought and who ought not to feare for he saith vnto the Women Feare you not because you seeke Iesus of Nazareth that was crucified which is all one as if he said They that seeke Christ or goe about to doe the will of Christ to honour him to imbalme him with their odoriferous prayers and the sweete swelling flowers of pious and religious workes as you doe they neede not feare no euill can happen vnto them because God is vnto such a most louing Father that will doe them good and not euill all the dayes of their life but they that seeke to presse him downe and to trample him vnder feete like the Tyrants or to suppresse his truth like the Heretickes or seeke him not crucified but to crucifie him againe and to make a mocke of him by their wicked sinnes as the Apostle saith Heb. 6. â— They may well with these cursed Keepers feare and tremble because God will be vnto such a most iust Iudge Rom. 2.6 that will render vnto euery one according to his deedes And so you see who neede not feare those good and godly Saints that seeke for Christ that liue like Christians for the more godly we are the lesse we neede to feare If we had no sinne we had neede of no feare for in Heauen among the Saints there is no feare because there is no sinne Sinne brought feare into the World but there is perfect loue and perfect loue expelleth feare because feare is the defect of loue and the effect of sinne for if Adam had neuer sinned Adam needed neuer to haue feared but when he had once transgressed then assoone as euer he heard the voyce of God Gen. 3.10 he feared For so he saith I heard thy voyce in the Garden and I was afraide But they that goe on in sinne and drinke iniquity like water they may well feare and tremble and the more they sinne the more they should feare Psal 5.5 Heb. 10.31 The more sinfull we are the more we ought to feare because the Lord hateth all them that worke wickednesse and it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God And therefore Saint Iames saith That the Diuels feare and tremble and no doubt but their feare is exceeding great because their sinnes are great And therefore Feare not O Iacob my seruant saith the Lord but reioyce O ye Righteous and be glad all ye that are true of heart For the more you feare the lesse you neede to feare the more you feare your selues to fall to sinne the lesse you neede to feare my wrath to punish you for your sinnes this blessed feare to sinne expelleth feare of vengeance But goe-to-now you carelesse wicked wretches weepe and howle Iames 5.1 for your miseries that shall come vpon you For seeing you haue no feare to sinne you should feare and tremble at the consideration of that punishment which you must suffer for your sinnes for so our Sauiour saith Luke 12.5 You should feare to haue both body and soule cast into Hell fire As if he said Though you feare not to sinne yet you may and should feare this punishment for sinne Thirdly The Angell perhaps herein How or after what manner we ought to feare God would intimate how we ought to feare for there is too little feare and this proceedeth Ex carentia fidei through want of faith and there is too much feare and this springeth Ex superabundantia spei through too much confidence and excesse of hope and both these sorts of men Tum sperando tum desperando miserè pereunt By hoping vainely or fearing desperately doe miserably perish And therefore the Angell might well disswade these Women from both these kindes of feare and say Feare you not Too little you doe not for I see you affrighted and too much you may not you neede not because you seeke Iesus that was crucified but in a meane and a middle sort you may and you should feare for Blessed is the man that alwayes feareth Because there bee three states of a Christian man 1. Of grace 2. Of laps 3. Of recouerie and Feare must be wanting in none of these For That God ought to be feared in
the Church the Eagles to be the Doctors and their gathering together to be their harmonious and ioynt-consent in truth and though Saint Ierome Theophylact and others Hieron in Matth. 4. and Theophylact. in Matth. 24. do by the body conceiue Christ crucified by the Eagles all the Saints and by their gathering together the applying of the merits of his passion vnto our soules yet Saint Chryostome Stella Ferus and Maldonate and many more euen of our Iesuites doe interpret these words of Christ his comming to iudgement and say that the body signifieth the personall presence of Christ the Eagles the Saints and their gathering together the meeting of him in iudgement and therefore by this reason Christ doth plainly intimate that they should not looke nor beleeue any personall presence of him in any secret places because hee is that body or that carkeise as both Theophilact and Beza vse the word vnto whom all the Saints shall be visibly gathered together and he at no time come bodily vnto them vntill they likewise come and be gathered vnto him And in both these reasons as you see he speaketh of a personall presence of himselfe publikely shewed and in this last nameth his body or carkeise and therefore in his predictions he forewarneth vs to beleeue not them which teach any personall or bodily presence of him in any secrets for otherwise it had beene to no purpose to bring these reasons of his not comming bodily vntill he should visibly come to iudgement to disswade vs from beleeuing any his spirituall comming for his not comming personally till the day of iudgement doth no way proue but hee may as he doth come spiritually euery day to bee present with his Saints in many secrets but his not comming personally till then is a sufficient reason to disswade vs from beleeuing any personall comming of him in secrets And That Christ willeth vs to beware of them that teach him to be bodily present in many places at once Thirdly that I say Christ forewarneth vs to take heed of such as teach him the true Christ to be thus personally present in many secret vnknowne places all at once for the very word which our Sauiour vseth to expresse the subtilties of these false prophets doth proue as much for First hee sheweth vs that they shall say he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in secrets which is a word that signifieth a most secret vnknowne place a little cupboord where they vse to set their bread and so the word vsed to expresse the same in the vulgar Latine in penetralibus doth signifie the most inward and most hidden place of any place Secondly he sheweth vs that those false prophets should tell vs that the true Christ is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some one secret place but in penetralibus in secrets i. e. in many places and in diuers secrets all at once That the defenders of Transubstantiation teach all these points which Christ bad vs herein to beware of And I say that I could neuer see how this prediction can be more properly applied to any heretickes old or new then to the teachers and defenders of Transubstantiation for First they perswade vs to beleeue no other Christ but onely the true Christ to bee there vnder the formes of bread and wine Secondly they perswade vs that he is personally and bodily there flesh bloud bones and all Thirdly they teach that he is there in so secret hidden and inuisible manner as that it can no wayes by any humane sense be conceiued but onely by a diuine faith to be beleeued And I am sure no false prophets in the world could or euer can teach a more mysticall and secret presence of Christ personally and bodily then this manner is and Fourthly they teach that he is thus wholly and hiddenly in many thousand places all at once euen wheresoeuer any bread in the Masse is consecrated there is Christ personally in all such secrets according to their ancient distich Constat in altari carnem de pane creari Hic panis Deus est qui negat hoc reus est The bread on th' altar as wee say is turned by the Priest his breath To be Christs flesh who euer saith nay is guilty of his death And therefore seeing the prediction of Christ concerning the practise of the false apostles is so plainely seene to be fully accomplished in these deceiued and deceitfull teachers I aduise all men to follow our Sauiours councell beleeue them not beleeue them not for though we doe acknowledge a true reall sacramentall presence of Christ effectually and really working How the body of Christ may be said to bee truly and really in the Sacrament by a true and liuely faith in all the worthy receiuers of that blessed bread because as the Angells are said truely and really to be not only where they diffinitiuely are but also where they doe effectually worke and as the Sunne is said truly and really to be not onely where he is locally fixed in heauen but also where it doth virtually shine and worke here on earth so the bodie of Christ may bee said to bee truly and really not onely in the heauens where it is locally present but also here in the sacred mysteries where he effectually worketh in all the worthy receiuers of the same yet for any other reall bodily presence of Christ in the bread and wine we vtterly deny he is not here for the same reason that the Angell vseth to proue hee was not in his graue because he was risen and gone to another place so we say he is not here because we know he is in heauen where he sitteth on the right hand of God and from thence he will not come personally into any hidden and secret place vntill hee comes apparantly like the lightening that commeth from the East and suddenly shineth vnto the West as himselfe doth testifie And so much for the confirmation of this Angells assertion that Christ was not there in the graue because hee was risen and gone to another place and so likewise of my application and inference thereupon that we are not to beleeue Christ to bee in the secret places of bread and wine because hee is ascended to another place where he sitteth on the right hand of God He that hath eares to heare let him heare for here I doe professe What the Author thinketh of transubstantiation before almighty God and before his sonne Iesus Christ that in all my poore reading which I desired might bee so much as my time and ability would giue mee leaue I did neuer finde a point more contrary to the truth more derogatory to the honour of God more destroying the nature of Christ and more dangerous vnto men in all the writings of our aduersaries then is this incredible and impossible point of Transubstantiation loe I haue told you what I beleeue And here likewise we must further note that as I
hee suffered his body to be handled and hee shewed vnto them the wounds of his body which he kept saith Saint Augustine Non necessitate sed potestate Not for any weakenesse in himselfe that he could not heale them and whole vp those wounds that he receiued but through his power he reserued them Why Christ reserued still his wounds First to shew the greatnesse of his loue that would suffer so much of wretched and for wretched men Secondly to shew the greatnesse of mans malice that would Diomedes-like so cruelly deale with so mercifull a God Thirdly to strengthen the weake faith of his wauering seruants Vt vulneribus corporis sanaret vulnera incredulitatis That they seeing the wounds of his body might thereby haue the wounds of their vnbeleeuing soules healed Fourthly to shew the certainty of his Resurrection when they saw he had the same Body which was crucified and pierced by his enemies But against this it may be obiected Ob. that Thomas was with the rest of his Apostles the very first time that hee appeared vnto them for so S. Luke saith Whether Thomas was with the eleuen the first time Christ appeared to them that the two Disciples returning to Ierusalem found the eleuen gathered together and as they spake Iesus himselfe stood in the middest of them Therefore it seemeth strange that Saint Iohn speaking of this very selfe-same apparition which was the first immediate night after his Resurrection as both Saint Luke and Saint Iohn doe accord should notwithstanding say that Thomas was not with them for Saint Luke saith eleuen were there and as yet there were but eleuen in all because as I told you Iudas was hanged and Matthias was not elected I answer Sol. that Saint Luke putteth downe eleuen in a certaine number for all of them that were there because there were eleuen of them in all And so he putteth all that were there for all that were of them As if in a Court where there be foure appointed Iudges I should say I brought my cause before the foure Iudges though but three of them should sit when my cause was heard Or else I say that Saint Luke and Saint Iohn may very well thus be reconciled that when the two Disciples came Thomas might be with them and all the eleuen might be together and when Iesus came Thomas might be absent for Saint Luke doth not say that Iesus found the eleuen together but that the two Disciples found the eleuen together and so they might be and yet Saint Iohn might say true that Thomas was not with them when Iesus stood amongst them because he might depart after they came before Iesus appeared vnto them for the Euangelist doth not say how soone or how late Christ came after the arriuall of the two Disciples but that he came that night Thomas was there when the two Disciples came but was gone before Christ came as they were talking of him and it is very probable it was a good while after the comming of the two Disciples for before Iesus is said to stand amongst them it is said that those two Disciples had tolde their fellowes what things were done in the way and how he was knowne of them in breaking of the Bread all which declaration could not be deliuered without some length of time in which time Thomas and others perhaps too might take his leaue for that night and depart And so I say Thomas was there when the two Disciples came but was not there when our Sauiour came Seauenthly To Men together Iohn 21.2 Seauenthly He appeared to Peter and Iohn and Iames Nathaniel and Didymus and two other Disciples when they were a fishing at the Sea of Tyberias And there he proued vnto them the verity of his Deity by that miracle of prouiding Fishes for them for to eate and the truth of his humanity by eating meate with them Ob. But here it may be obiected that Saint Iohn saith this was the third time that hee shewed himselfe to his Disciples C. 21. V. 14. after his resurrection Therefore how should it be the seuenth time I answere briefly that Saint Iohn speaketh of his publike apparitions to his Apostles and Disciples and not of any of his apparitions to the Women nor of any priuate apparition vnto any particular persons for so the words are This was the third time that he shewed himselfe to his Disciples i. e. Solemnely and publikely making himselfe knowne vnto them which he did not vnto the two Disciples going to Emaus And so we finde that this was the third time that he publikely appeared vnto all or the most part of his Apostles Eightly To S. Iames. Eightly He appeared vnto Iames the brother of the Lord i. e. the Cosen-Germane of Christ according to the Flesh being the Sonne of Mary that was sister vnto the Virgin Mary as Saint Hierome saith Hieron in Catal and not the Sonne of Ioseph by another Wife as some would haue it and hee was called Iames the iust in regard of his vpright and innocent life Saint Paul particularizeth this apparition vnto Iames 1 Cor. 5.7 as a most speciall appearance saying that hee was seene of Iames but when this apparition was wee finde not expressed yet Saint Hierome saith it was within a very short time after his resurrection because as he saith this Iames at the receiuing of the Passeouer vowed that he would neither eate nor drinke vntill he saw Christ risen from the dead And therefore when Christ came vnto his Disciples Luke 24.41 he called for meate and did eate before them and gaue it likewise vnto Iames that he might now eate as Saint Hierome saith Ninthly Ninthly to the eleuen Disciples on Mount Tabor Math. 28.10 Tenthly To more then 500 brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 Eleuenthly To all his Disciples on Mount Oliuet Math. 28.16 Twelfthly To S. Paul going to Damascus He appeared to the eleuen Disciples at one time vpon Mount Thabor in Galilee and this Saint Mathew intimateth when hee saith that Iesus bade the Women tell his brethren that hee was risen and that they should goe into Galilee and there they should see him Tenthly He appeared to more then fiue hundred brethren at once Eleuenthly He appeared to all his Apostles and Disciples vpon Mount Oliuet by Ierusalem when in the presence of them all he ascended vp into Heauen Twelftly He appeared vnto Saint Paul trauelling to Damascus as vnto one borne out of due time as himselfe confesseth Thus hee did appeare vnto his Apostles and Disciples and faithfull Seruants which were appointed afore of God to be witnesses of his resurrection and thus they haue testified vnto all men those things which they haue heard with their eares which they haue seene with their eyes and which their hands haue handled of the Word of life And if there were nothing else in the World Two speciall things should make all men
therefore he had none other remedy but to wander as a Pilgrime and a forlorne creature till hee ended his dayes in extreame miseries so Agrippa suffered intollerable calamities Cap. 17. so Herod the Tetrarch was spoiled of his goods depriued of his Kingdome and banished from his Countrey So Herod that killed Iames Cap. 18. was miserably eaten vp of loathsome wormes and to the Iewes was measured the same measure as they had measured vnto Christ before for as they had sold him for thirty pence so thirty of them were sold for one peny and fiue hundred of them were nayled to Crosses in one day in so much that nec locus sufficeret crucibus nec cruces corporibus there was not place sufficient for the Crosses nor Crosses enough to nayle them on It were too too lamentable to relate more of those dolefull Tragedies which Iosephus Eusebius Euagrius and others haue written of them and what they suffered at the finall ruine and destruction of Ierusalem and what heauy bondage farre worse then that Egyptian slauery they haue endured to this very day In aureo tractatu Rabbi Sam. de miserimo statu Iudaeorum Hence it is that Rabbi Samuel about sixe hundred yeares agone writ a tractate in forme of an Epistle vnto Rabbi Isaac Master of the Synagogue of the Iewes in Subiulmeta a Citie of Morocco wherein he doth excellently discusse the cause of their long captiuity their great blindnesse and extreame misery and after that hee had proued tâ—at this punishment was inflicted vpon them for some great and grieuous sinne he sheweth that sinne to be the same whereof the Prophet Amos speaketh For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Amos 2.6 non transferam eo I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they sold the righteous for siluer And though he saith that their Rabbies doe vnderstand this righteous to be Ioseph that was sold by his brethren vnto Egypt What Rabbi Samuel saith concerning Iesus Christ yet because the Prophet putteth this for the fourth sinne and the greatest sinne of Israel and because he cannot finde any three sinnes of the sonnes of Israel before the selling of Ioseph therefore he maketh the selling of Ioseph to be the first sinne of Israel the worshipping of the Calfe in Horeb to be the second the abusing the killing of Gods Prophets to be the third and the fourth to be the selling of Iesus Christ For the first they serued foure hundred yeares for the second they wandred forty yeares in the Wildernesse vntill they that came out of Egypt were all consumed and brought to nothing excepting onely Caleb and Iosuah for the third they were held Captiues seauenty yeares in Babylon and for the fourth the said Rabbi Samuel confesseth that they were held in most pittifull Captiuity to this very day because hee was most vniustly sold and most shamefully deliuered to death as he sheweth in the seauenth Chapter of the said Tractate Much and many more circumstantiall proofes and demonstrations of his Resurrection to shew him to be the true Messias Why the Author did so prosecute the proofes of Christs Resurrection might be produced but I hope these will serue I say not to make vs to beleeue this truth for to that end I hope we neede not bring any proofe at all because we doe fully and vndoubtedly beleeue the same already but to shew that our fore-fathers haue not or we doe not beleeue these things without more then abundant and vnanswerable proofes thereof and to conuince that malicious obstinacy and infidelity of all those whether professed Iewes or seeming Christians which notwithstanding such an Army of arguments and such a cloud of witnesses will still continue blinded and hardened in vnbeleefe It were strange there should be any Athiests amongst vs yet I thinke it was not without cause that Dr. Fotherby writ his large and learned discourse against Atheisme and questionlesse they that deny God will neuer beleeue in Christ and therefore as that booke shall be a witnesse against all Atheists in the latter day to condemne them so shall this which I haue written be an accuser of all those that will not beleeue in Iesus Christ CHAP. VIII Of the place from whence our Sauiour rose both in respect of his body and soule NOw hauing seene that the Messias when hee should come was to rise againe the third day and that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is that true Messias because he did rise againe vpon the third day I must yet intreate you to consider that so you may haue the full knowledge of this point these two especiall things Arsatius in postilla ser de resurrect fol. 122. 1. The place from whence he rose 2. The manner how he rose First We must vnderstand that as Christ in respect of his humane nature consisted both of body and soule so his Resurrection must needs be considered both in respect of his body and soule First The Resurrection of the Body was that whereby hee raised the same from the graue a dead carkasse to be a liuing and a most glorious body neuer to die againe The place from whence Christ raised his soule Secondly The Resurrection of his Soule must be from some infernall place or else it must be a descention and not a Resurrection of his soule and therefore as in our Creede we professe to beleeue that he descended into Hell so we must likewise confesse that he raised himselfe from Hell but here vnawares I am fallen into an Ocean of contention For First Some say this Article of our Creede crept in by negligence and therefore would haue raced it out againe but that would proue a want of Gods prouidence that would suffer his whole Church to erre so grossely in the chiefe summe of her Christian faith and if such things might creepe into our Creede which is but the abstract of our faith then much more might easily creepe into our Scriptures which is so large an expresser both of faith and manners but the Spirit of Christ is alwayes with his Church to guide it into all truth and the Church of Christ is the Pillar of truth and a most faithfull preseruer of all truth and therefore this opinion is most absurde Secondly Others still retayning the words Foure expositions of that article of Christs discention into Hell cannot agree vpon the meaning of the sentence and of these I finde foure seuerall expositions The first is that the soule of Christ suffered the paines of Hell vpon the Crosse But this cannot stand first because we must bring in such a sense as will agree with the words after his buriall for that being dead and buried he descended into Hell and secondly That Christ suffered not the torments of the damned Iohn 9. because as that worthy Bishop of Winchester hath most excellently shewed there bee eight speciall things in Hell paines which the soule of Christ could not
graues and walked among the liuing and I would to God wee could leaue the company and society of those that doe still lie wallowing and stinking in the graues of sinne and ioyne our selues vnto those that liue the life of grace for as hee was a mad man possessed of a deuill that had his abiding among the tombes so are all they no better then mad men and possest of deuils that haue their conuersation with those that are dead in sinnes and therefore I aduise all that would liue with Christ to follow the councell of the Apostle not to bee companions of them that are dead in sinne but as Christ rose and left the dead so doe you rise and leaue these dead and deadly sinners Secondly in respect of the time Secondly to rise quickly from sinne Eccles 12.1 Christ rose speedily without delay he rose earely before the morning watch so should we rise from sinne and as Solomon saith Remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth before the euill dayes come when wee shall say wee haue no pleasure in them And yet it is a fearefull thing to consider how many men do put off and delay their repentance and amendment of life vntill our latest dayes for we serue the world and follow after the lusts of our owne flesh while we are young and we put all the burthen of seruing God vpon our weake and feeble and decrepit age wee sacrifice the flowers of our yeeres to sinne and Satan the finest the fairest That God will hardly accept late seruices tendered vnto him and the fattest beasts but to God wee thinke it is enough to giue the blinde the halt and the lame the withered and wrinckled and barrennest times of our life but God will haue none such for hee refuseth such sacrifices in his Law and therefore surely he will not easily receiue such in the time of the Gospell for as there were three paiments of first fruits among the Iewes the first was primitiae spicarum the first fruits of their eares of corne and this was paid earely about Easter the second was primitiae panum the first fruits of their loaues when their corne was conuerted into bread and this was somewhat earely too about Whitsuntide and the third was primitiae frugum the first fruits of all their latter fruits in generall and this was very late about the fall of the leafe in September and in the two first paiments which were offered earely God accepted a part for himselfe but in the third paiment which came late God would haue no part at all euen so if we offer the first fruits of our young yeeres earely vnto God he will accept it for himselfe but if we giue our best yeeres vnto Satan and offer the last yeeres vnto God I say no more but he will not easily receiue them and no maruell quia labore fracta instrumenta c. for to what end and with what face can any man bring those instruments to worke in Gods vineyard which are blunted and broken in the seruice of the world or with what honesty can we offer that vnto God which we would be ashamed to offer vnto a man for who would offer a lame horse a disordered clocke or a torne booke vnto his King and yet our flesh is our beast the course of our life is our clocke and the history of our actions is our booke and shall wee offer our flesh vnto God when it is lame and tired with excesse of wantonnesse shall wee commend our liues vnto him when as the whole course of the same is out of order or shall wee present the story of our actions vnto him when as a thousand sinnes of our owne for which wee should bee sorrowfull and a thousand blessings of God for which we should be thankefull are quite defaced and torne out of our memory or if we should offer such vnto God why should we thinke it strange that he should reiect them Because late seruice is seldome true seruice quia temperantia in senectute non est temperantia sed impotentia intemperantiae for continency abstinency temperancy and such like in old age are no vertues but a disability to be vitious so to leaue good fellowship when thou art sicke and many other sinnes when thou art old is not a leauing and forsaking of thy sinnes but thy sinnes haue lâ—ft thee like parasites in aduersity Nullus ad amissas ibit amicus opes If thou couldest haue cherished them any longer longer they would haue continued with thee And therefore seeing it is good for a man to beare his yoke in his youth as Ieremy saith because age is vnfit for burthens let vs not be like the persecuters of the Iewes which laid the heauiest yokes vpon the ancientest men let vs not reserue the weight and burthen of our repentance vntill our latter age but if we would haue God not to remember the sinnes of our youth let vs remember God in the dayes of our youth and specially seeing we know not whether God will heare vs in our age or not because we would not amend our liues in our youth and because indeede whatsoeuer is done then is commonly done amisse let vs herein imitate our Sauiour Christ to rise early from the bed of sinne and to say with that Princely Prophet O God thou art my God Psal 63.1 early will I seeke thee And there be two maine reasons Two speciall reasons to moue vs speedily to forsake all sinne that should moue vs to rise hastily and speedily from sinne 1. The nature of sinne For 2. The vncertainty of our life For First Sinne in the Soule is like a staine in a garment the longer it remaines in it the harder it is taken out of it Vidi ego quod fuerat primum medicabile vulnus Desertum longae damna tulisse morae For as in the diseases of the body the longer they be vncured the more the body is in dangered or as we see in a fire Flamma recens parua sparsa recedit aqua A little water quenches a sparke but much water will hardly quench great flames Euen so it is in the maladies of the Soule Ecclus. 5.7 the longer wee continue in sinne the harder we can leaue sinne And therefore let vs make no tarrying to turne to the Lord our God Math. 2.16 but as Herod dealt with the Infants so let vs deale with sinne kill it while it is young It is recorded of Roffensis that when Henry the eight sent to him for his consent and approbation to suppresse some superfluous Abbies he told him that on a time the Axe sent vnto the Trees of the Forrest onely for so much wood as would make it but a handle and in requitall it would pâ—re and prune off all rotten and fruitlesse branchâ—s that did nothing else but cumber the Trees and hinder the liuelier branches to beare forth better fruit the request seeming reasonable was vnquestionably
Gospell shined and the truth of Christ is amongst vs O let vs not loue darknesse more then light let vs not returne from light to darknesse I know there is a continuall opposition and a mightie warre betwixt truth and falshood farre greater then that betwixt the house of Saul and the house of Dauid and each one of them seeketh to preuaile against the other and I hope I need not vse any argument to prooue that we are in the truth It was the Corinthians fault after they were baptized beleeued Christ and professed Christ a long while all on a sudden like the men that sailed into the midst of the Ocean and awaking out of a dreame made a great question whether they were in any ship or no they beganne to doubt whether there was any resurrection or not and I hope wee will not bee like any of these heerein after wee haue it so deerely purchased with the blood of Martyrs so truely preached by the painfull seruants of Christ and so long preserued amongst vs by the free grace of Christ now to question whether we be in the truth or not for that is beyond all question God hath brought it to vs we haue preached it to you and you haue beleeued it and profest it gloriously and christianly before the face of the whole world and therefore I will onely shew you two speciall poynts to be our helpe and furtherance in our warfare against errour Two speciall points to be considered The First shall be to preserue vs in the truth The Second shall be to suppresse falshood that it preuaile not against the truth For the first I desire all men to consider 1. Who we be that teach you 2. What they are that seeke to seduce you First we are plaine men that compasse not sea and land to inlarge our Monarchie Who we are that teach the people wee labour not so much to get your wealth as to saue your soules for as the Apostle saith we seeke not yours but you and I hope most of vs if occasion serued you should see it would seale our words with our bloud for as there were 7000. men in Israel that bowed not their knees to Baal so I assure my selfe there are many thousands in England that would lay downe their neckes and leese their liues rather then they would depart a nayles bredth from the truth of that doctrine which we haue taught And I boldly say it if Satan should be let loose to persecute the Saints of God I doe vnfainedly wish my deerest bones might first burne to giue light vnto all them that desire to walk in this truth Who they bee that seeke to seduce our people Secondly consider what they be that seeke to seduce you and I doubt not but you shall finde most of them to be either such as were nuzled in errors a cunabulis euen from their cradles by their seduced friends popish children of popish parents sent and bred in the mysteries of iniquity and should we look for these to bee otherwise then they bee or else to bee such as through discontent to see some hoysted vp vnto Moses chayre which are scarce worthy to sit at Gamaliels feet and themselues that haue good parts in them Acts 22.3 through want of friends or meanes to be quite neglected haue gone from vs either because they hoped for better fortunes in other soyles or because they were lothe to indure their meane fortunes among their owne friends because noble spirits had rather begge where they are not knowne then any waies be base where their worth is seene I confesse a fault in neglecting them and it is too common amongst vs but will you be contented to hazard your soules vpon their perswasions that hazarded their owne through discontent I hope better things of you and I assure my selfe that as you are in the truth so you will continue in the truth vnto your death For the second how we shall suppresse falshood Vide The Misery of man page 109. that it preuaile not against truth I refer you to my first treatise of the Misery of man p. 109. where I haue set down my best adâ—ice in this case But heere it may be some will say Quorsum haec to what end is all this spoken to insinuate feare into the hearts of men where there is no feare I answer that his gratious Maiesty not only by his Royall authority in maintayning true Religion but also by his Diuine pen by his owne paines defending the truth of our Religion and his wise Councellers whose Councells are like the great deepe too great for me to diue into them too high for you to attaine vnto them doe not onely free vs from all feare of idolatry and superstition but doe also assure vs of a most happy continuance of our most true Religion in a farre more glorious manner then our meane capacities can perceiue and yet there is one great powerfull and politicke one vnder whose wings many are sheltered and he intrudeth himselfe into all places Country and City Court and Councell-chamber and laboureth by all meanes to put out our light and to darken the Gospell of Iesus Christ and to bring in idolatry and superstition into our land againe and that is the prince of darknesse the diuell and Satanas that entred into Paradise That Satan alwaies laboreth to bring men into idolatry superstition to deceiue our fore-fathers that ventured vpon the Sonne of God and sayd mitte te deorsum if thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downward and will suggest it into euery man if thou would'st bee the childe of God mitte te retrorsum then must thou returne backward and bee as thy fore-fâ—thers were There is no doubt of this if he could send none from Rome hitherto corrupt vs yet while hee hath rome for any in hell hee will neuer leaue to labour by his wicked suggestions to corrupt vs himselfe hee will enter into our chamber hee will creepe into our bosomes and he will seeke by all meanes for to deceiue vs wee are not ignorant of his deuices And therefore I say let him that standeth take heed lest hee falleth and let vs pray to God for grace 1. Cor. 10.12 that as he hath raised vs from sinne and superstition so he would preserue vs from relapsing or falling back into any of these sinnes againe And thus you see how Christ raised himselfe from death and how we should raise our selues from sinne And heere wee must further note that as the consideration of Christs resurrection should make vs conformable vnto him That the resurrection of Christ is a cause of great ioy vnto vs. by our resurrection from all sinne so it should bee most comfortable vnto vs both in respect of Christ and our selues quia resurgens Christus tantum attulit letitiae quantum morions attulit doloris because Christ at his resurrection brought vs more ioy and
others will haue this phrase to signifie his abode conuersation here among men thirdly others will haue it to signifie the state and condition of the dead as if the comparison were made betwixt those parts of the earth wherein the liuing doe inhabit and that place wherein the dead are buried and so they doe expound that place of Esayas that hee was cut off from the land of the liuing and so cast into the land of the dead Esay 53.8 which they say the Apostle vnderstandeth by the lower parts of the earth and fourthly others say that he descended into the place of the damned not to suffer Iohn 19.30 because that was finished on the Crosse nor to fetch any Fathers out of Lymbe but to signifie and to shew not onely by words but also by presence that seing by his death and Passion the wrath of God was appeased Satan was to haue no more power ouer the Elect which hee held captiue that he was now made Lord of all and that all power was giuen vnto him and a name aboue all other names Collos 2.15 and not onely to declare the same vnto them but also to subdue them and to spoyle principalities and powers and as my Text saith to leade captiuitie captiue And this is the exposition of most of the ancient Fathers for mine owne part I am of Zanchius minde Laâ—ch in Ephes c. 4. that in the word descendit all these foure expositions may bee comprehended because he descended into his mothers wombe to be conuersant here among men into his graue and into Hell and our very Creede expresseth all these foure he was conceaued by the holy Ghost i. e. in his mothers wombe there is the first hee was borne of the Virgin Marie and hee suffered vnder Pontius Pilate there is the second he was dead buried there is the third and he descended into Hell there is the fourth and these be the foure degrees of his humiliation That Christ descended into Hell and this the Apostle seemeth plainely to vnderstand by the antithesis by the coherence and by the scope of the words because hee saith that hee ascended to the highest part of Heauen and therefore this also that he descended into the lower parts of the earth is literally to bee vnderstood that he descended into Hell because no place of the earth is lower then Hell Secondly Touching the exaltation of Christ Saint Paul setteth downe two things 1. He describeth the Person ascending he which descended 2. He expresseth the action he ascended He which ascended is the very same person which descended First he saith that it is he which descended that hath ascended i. e. he which was made man which suffered was buried he ascended and who is he but God the Sonne the second Person of the Trinitie for so our Sauiour saith I went forth from the Father and I came into the world and againe I leaue the world and I goe to the Father and therfore it is the very self same Son of God and none other which both descended and ascended And so by these few words we finde two great heresies quite ouerthrowne first of them which say hee brought his body from Heauen because the Apostle doth not say he which ascended descended though this be true being truely vnderstood for he ascended God and Man which so did not descend but as God alone therefore he saith he which descended he ascended secondly hereby is ouerthrowne the heresie of Nestorius which said our Sauiour consisteth of two persons for if he which descended is the very same that ascended then it is apparant that by his descention That in Christ there cannot be two persons i. e. by the assumption of our nature hee is no other person then he was before but still remaineth one and the selfe same person and that the humane nature doth adde nothing vnto the Sonne of God for the constituting or perfecting of his person for otherwise he that ascended had bin another and not the same which descended for hee had descended a simple person and ascended compounded hee had descended an imperfect person and ascended perfect which is most hereticall either to say or think And this is the cause why we affirme that the person of Christ cannot be said to bee compounded of two natures tanquam ex partibus as of two parts Christ still remaineth a most simple person i. e not compounded but as hee was before the assuming of our nature so also now hee is still a most simple and a most perfect person bearing our nature as on â—â—areth on his garment but neuer to put it off againe because it is assumed into the vnitie of his person and so Saint Augustine saith that Christ descended like a naked man and when he ascended he ascended the same person but clothed with our flesh and therefore as he is not another man that taketh on a garment so the Sonne of God is not another person because he tooke vpon him the garment of our flesh and if the humane nature assumed did neither change nor perfect nor compound the person of the Sonne of God because he which descended is the very same that ascended and none other then by the same reason it cannot be said that Christ tooke man vpon him i. e. a humane person as Nestorius taught But therefore he vnderstood not the same How Nestorius was deceiued about the person of Christ because on the one side hee held that true philosophicall principle that the actions are of the persons and not of the natures and on the other side he held another principle which is also true if it be truely vnderstood that of contrary effects there must bee contrary efficient causes and hee saw that in Christ there were diuers and contrary actions and therefore he did thence conclude that in Christ there must needs be diuers persons whereof the one should be passible and the other impassible and so he made that hee which descended was not the same but another that ascended for he considered not quod idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potest diuersa pugnantia opâ—rari secundam diuersas in eo naturas that the same subsistent or person may worke diuers and contrarie acts in respect of the diuers natures that are in it as a man according to his soule doth vnderstand and according to his body hee doth not vnderstand in respect of his soule he is immortall and in respect of his body hee is mortall and so through his ignorance hee hath abused these true philosophicall principles being truely vnderstood to denie the truth of the Scriptures and to wrong the person of the Sonne of God but the Fathers truely explaining the sayd principles did confute his error and confirme this truth that he which descended is the very same that ascended and none other But from hence it is apparant that the word descendit is not to be taken in
Christ Thirdly He shall come though vnlookt-for by the wicked as a theefe in the night yet so apparantly that he shall be seene of all the world and with a great company of Angels 2 Pet. 3.10 Et cum milibus sanctorum and with thousands of his Saints as the Apostle saith for the chariots of God are twenty thousands Psal 68.17 euen thousands of Angels and the Lord shall be among them as in the holy place of Sinâ—y Fourthly he shall come with a blessing to reioyce the hearts of his Elect when he shall say vnto them Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the Kingdome that was prepared for you before the beginning of the world And so much for the motion or his ascending vp CHAP. IIII. The place into which Christ ascended THirdly We are to consider terminus ad quem the place whether he ascended Quò inquit Augustinus nisi quô scimus Aug. in Psal 46. p. 174. b. 2. quô eum Iudaej non sunt secutâ— Where is hee gone but where wee know and where the Iewes shall not be able to follow after Quia in cruce exaltatum irriserunt ideo in coelum ascendentem non viderunt Because they mocked him being nailed on the Crosse therefore they saw him not when hee ascended vp to Heauen and where is he gone saith the Prophet Dauid but on high for thou art gone vp on high that is aboue all Heauens saith the Apostle And therefore by this one little sentence we find three damnable Heresies brought to death First Of them which said his body vanished in the aire Three heresies confuted before he ascended into Heauen for he ascended aboue all heauens Secondly Of them that said he ascended into the Orbe and Circle of the Sunne because it is said in solem posuit tabernaculum suum Psal 19.5 He hath set his Tabernacle in the Sunne which was the opinion of the Hermians and the Passionists as both Nazianzen and Saint Augustine doe affirme for here wee see hee is gone aboue all Heauens and therefore aboue the Orbe of the Sunne and they mistake that place of the Psalmist which is in them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sunne and not he hath set his Tabernacle in the Sunne Thirdly Of them which teach an vbiquitary Heauen because he is ascended aboue such Heauens Ob. But then it may be obiected that if he be ascended aboue all Heauens then is he in no certaine place because as Aristotle saith Beyond Heauen Arist l. 1. de coelo there is no place Sol. I answere that the Scripture maketh mention of three Heauens That there be three Heauens First Of the Ayre as the Foules of Heauen Secondly Of the Coelestiall Orbes as the Starres of Heauen Thirdly Of the Receptacle of the blessed soules which is called the Kingdome of Heauen And this we must vnderstand to be either 1. Materiall 2. Spirituall 3. Supersubstantiall Christ ascended aboue the materiall Heauens First For the Materiall Heauen he is said to ascend aboue the same First In respect of Glory because the Body of Christ is more glorious then any Materiall Heauen Secondly In respect of the Continency because in nature it is infallible that contentuÌ„ superius est continente the thing contained must be higher then the place contayning Thirdly In respect of his blessed soule because the soule of Christ is more blessed then all things else whatsoeuer Christ ascended aboue the spirituall Heauens Secondly For the spirituall heauens i. e. all Angelicall or Heauenly perfections he is said to ascend aboue them all First In respect of perfection because the body of Christ is more noble and more excellent then any creature not in regard of his corporall substance but in regard of the hypostaticall vnion because it is vnited vnto the Godhead Secondly In respect of his humiliation because he hath vilified himselfe below all things therefore he is worthily exalted aboue all things Thirdly For the supersubstantiall Heauen i. e. God himselfe the place of God he is said in respect of his person to ascend into the same not that the humane nature is ascended to the equality of the Godhead for he is still inferiour to the Father and shall be still subiect to the Father as touching his Manhood but that the person of Christ God and Man sitteth on the right hand of God that is doth rest and raigne exalted aboue all things Vsque ad aequalitatem Maiestatis dei To be in all things equall vnto the Maiesty of God as Saint Augustine expoundeth it Descendit enim quo inferius non decuit ideo ascendit quo altius non potuit For he descended so low as it was not fit for him to goe lower and therefore he ascended so high as it was not possible for him to goe higher saith Saint Bernard And therefore Christ is ascended higher then all created things whatsoeuer Christ higher then all created things First In respect of the place because aboue all Heauens Secondly In respect of power Psal â— 6 because God the Father hath subiected all things vnder his feete i. e. as well things in Heauen as things in Earth Thirdly In respect of Dignity Heb. 1. because he is made more excellent then the Angels Fourthly In respect of this equality euen with God himselfe And so we see how Christ in respect of his person That Christ in respect of his manhood is in the highest part of the emperiall heauens is aboue all Heauens because he is an immeasurable and infinite person which the Heauen of Heauens cannot containe and therefore must needs be euery where but in respect of his humane nature assumed hee is in the highest part or place of the Emperiall Heauen which is the seate of the blessed soules for if he were in no place then much lesse should he be in the Earth in the Sunne or in euery place but Saint Augustine doth most excellently shew Aug. in ep ad Dardan that Vbi corpus ibi locum esse necesse est that wheresoeuer a body is there must needs be place because if we take away dimensions and places from bodies they shall be no where Et sinusquam erunt non erunt and if they be no where they shall not be at all and Saint Peter doth as plainely shew this truth when he saith that the Heauens shall and must containe him Act. 3.21 i. e. In respect of his Manhood for in respect of his Godhead it cannot vntill the restitution of all things and so we professe in our Creede that he sitteth on the right hand of God from whence he shall come i. e. in respect of his humanity for his Deity being euery where cannot be said to goe or to come any where to iudge both the quicke and the dead And therefore it is most certaine that the Body of Christ is in a place that is in the highest part of
many other words to his neuer-dying-praise for that faith wherwith he beleeued wherby he should be saued and the thiefe vpon the Crosse desired onely to be remembred when Christ came vnto his Kingdome That God giueth more then we pray for but Christ granted him that day to be with him in Paradise and those blinde men which besought Christ onely to restore their naturall sight whereby they might see the light of the Sunne had also the spirituall eyes of their soules opened whereby they did beleeue in the Sonne of God and so that man in the Gospell whereby we may vnderstand euery sinfull man desired but 3. loaues only to entertain his guest but his friend that is God Luke 11.8 did giue him as many as he needed to shew vnto vs that Christ is such a bountifull Master that if we pray vnto him he will not onely giue vs what meane things we aske but also many more excellent heauenly things which hee knoweth to bee needfull for vs Yea Thirdly he doth not onely giue vs what we aske and more then we aske but he giueth vs also farre better things then wee aske Act. 3.5 for as Saint Peter gaue the lame Creeple the health of his body when he desired but a little almes to releeue his want So God giueth vs the health of our soules That God giueth vs better things then we desire when we desire the wealth of the world he inricheth vs with Heauenly treasures when we craue worldly vanities because it is the property of God saith Saint Bernard Dare prius quod potius to giue vs first what is best for vs And therefore whensoeuer we pray to God for any thing we may be sure our prayer will neuer bee fruitlesse but will certainly bring vs either those things that we aske or things far better for vs then the things we aske for God seeth that we desire many times such things as wee our selues afterwards should finde they had beene hurtfull to vs We know not what is good for our selues if we had obtained them euen as many times we giue great thankes vnto God that many things were denyed vnto vs which we desired of him and therfore God doth well and he doth good vnto vs in denying what we desire when we desire things hurtfull for our selues And yet because our prayers shall neuer returne emptie away from God Quid prosit vel obsit nouit medicus non aegrotus Christ giueth vs those things that are healthfull for vs when we aske for things hurtfull if we aske them as we ought to doe for a man may pray rightly and yet for things hurtfull because we know not what is good for our selues And therefore Saint Augustine saith excellently well Quod multis propitius deus non tribuit quod volunt vt tribuat quod vtile est that God denieth many times his Saints with whom he is well pleased what they would haue that he may bestow vpon them what they should haue Aag serm 54. Quia audit deus suos ad necessitatem non ad voluntatem Because God heareth his seruants to giue them what they neede and not what they craue God sheweth his loue many times in denying vs. And so it is apparant that as quaedam concedit iratus God granteth some things vnto the wicked when he is most angry with them as he did the Quailes vnto the Israelites of whom the Psalmist saith that while the meat was in their mouth the wrath of the Lord came vpon them and consumed the wealthiest in Israel Ita quaedam negat propitius so he denyeth many things to whom he loueth as he denied Elias when he desired to die 1. Reg. 13.4 and the sonnes of Zebedee when they desired to sit Mark 10.35 the one on his right hand and the other on his left hand in his Kingdome that is in a temporall Monarchie which they dreamed of And hee doth this vt meliora tribuat that he may bestow farre better things vpon them then they desired for themselues for so we finde he denied Elias to die so meanely that hee might carrie him vp in a fierie Chariot most gloriously and so hee denied the sonnes of Zebedee that temporall honour which they desired that they might both sit on his right hand in eternall felicitie Secondly Many other excellent fruits of prayer as prayer is most profitable to obtaine what is desired so it is most auaileable to preuent iudgements threatned against vs as we may see in the examples of the Niniuites and so likewise to remoue iudgements inflicted on vs Ier. 26.19 as we may see in Iames 5.18 and in Reg. 8.53 Thirdly prayer is most auaileable to preserue and to nourish all spirituall graces Luke 23.32 Colloss 1.9 for by this Saint Peters Faith was preserued and the Collossians knowledge was increased as the Apostle sheweth Fourthly prayer is the chiefest meanes to weaken sinne in vs and to procure our sinnes remitted vnto vs as our Sauiour himselfe sheweth when he teacheth vs to pray vnto God to forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Fiftly prayer Sanctifieth the creatures for our vse and maketh them to become vsefull and healthfull 1. Tim. 4.5 which otherwise might proue pernitious and hurtfull vnto vs. Sixtly prayer ouercommeth all creatures it diuided the red sea it stopped the heauens it opened the same againe Prayer ouercommeth all things it brought Ionas from the Whales bellie Daniel from the Lions den and Saint Peter from the dungeon it ouercomes all men quia plus valet vnus sanctus orando quam innumeri peccatores praeliando one man praying will auaile more then many men fighting saith the Glosse vpon the prayer of Moses when Iosuah fought with Amalech and it ouercomes the verie diuels which goe not out but by prayer and fasting for as Christ made a scourge of smalle cords to driue the buyers and sellers out of the Temple so the prayers of a christian consisting of many petitions is like that scourge of small cords able to driue out all diuells all sins from the soule of a christian which is the Temple of the holy Ghost Gen. 32.26 Prayer only preuaileth with God Seuenthly prayer preuaileth against God himselfe for I pray thee let me goe saith God vnto Iacob for the day approacheth not so saith Iacob I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me O Iacob wilt not thou let God go no saith he except he blesse me I but will God take this well at thy hands that thou wilt not let him goe O yes for he saith my delight is to be with the sonnes of men and so Iacob preuailed with God and his name was called Israell And I would to God that wee would also wrastle with God by prayer as neuer to let him go vntill he blesse vs for then we shall be sure hee will not goe at all
like King Therons Coursers that were neuer weary of running that so they may escape all the fiery darts of Satan and finish their course with ioy when they shall receiue that Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him And thus dearely beloued you see that although man for his sinne was eiected out of Paradise and subiected to all miseries yet through the mercy of God in sending his Sonne to be made man to suffer for man to ouercome the diuell sinne and death to raise himselfe from death to ascend to Heauen to send his holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his heauenly graces wee shall if we beleeue in him and serue him praise his Name for all his blessings loue one another and pray one for another attaine vnto euerlasting happinesse Vnto the which happinesse the Lord of his goodnesse bring vs all through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed as is most due all Glory and Honour and Praise and Thankes and Power and Maiesty and Dominion both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer O Eternall God and our most gratious Father wee most humbly beseech thee for Iesus Christ his sake to forgiue vs all our sinnes which we acknowledge and confesse to be more in number then the sands of the Sea which cannot bee numbred cleanse vs O Lord with the bloud of Christ and plant in vs those heauenly gifts and graces whereby wee may be inabled to serue thee as we ought to doe in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life increase our faith stirre vp our hope and kindle our loue and our charity both towards thy selfe and all men for thy sake giue vs patience to vndergo without offending thee whatsoeuer miseries this wicked world shall any wayes heape vpon vs blesse our gracious King the Prince and all the royall issue blesse all the Ministers of thy Church and all the Magistrates of this Common-wealth Grant O Lord thy grace vnto thy Ministers that they may faithfully preach the Word of truth and sincerely liue a most vpright and a godly life grant to the Magistrates thy grace O God to defend right without remissenesse and to punish vice without maliciousnesse and because we are all thy creatures the workes of thy hands made by thee preserued by thee and inioying all we haue life and liuelihood from thee O Lord be mercifull vnto vs all and remember that we are but dust consider O consider that we are but as grasse not able to doe what we would not able to doe any thing that is good vnlesse thou dost it in vs O then let our soules liue and wee will praise thy Name we will magnifie thee for euer and euer for all the blessings that we haue receiued from thee our Creation Redemption Sanctification Preseruation and our assured hope of Glorification and all other graces whatsoeuer through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Soliloquie of the Author O Eternall God thou hast created me and I haue offended thee thou hast redeemed me and I still continued vnthankefull vnto thee and yet thou hast heaped many blessings vpon me and giuen me grace to be desirous to serue thee and according to my poore and weake ability to shew forth these lights vnto thy Church I confesse O Lord whatsoeuer is ill herein is onely mine and whatsoeuer is good is truely thine and therefore I desire thee to pardon mine euill and to make me thankefull for thy good and so to accept that worke done by thy grace that it may be crowned with thy glory I doe not long for any worldly thing the whole world lyeth in wickednesse but I desire my soule may be married vnto thee to liue with thee for euermore and therefore O blessed God seeing that as I haue none in heauen so I haue none in earth but onely thou to be my helper I beseech thee to be my redeeming kinsman to preserue my wearied body from the malice of this world and to preferre my disconsolate soule vnto euerlasting ioyes through Iesus Christ mine onely Sauiour Amen IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS THE TABLE AB ABstaine from sinne is from God 205 God neuer absolueth vnrepentant sinners 242 Absurdities God shunneth in all things 324 Absurdities of the Lutheran doctrine touching the communication of properties 377. c. Absurdities following the high-Priest saying that the Disciples stole Christ away 564 Nature not able to shew the reason how the world should be made 138 God able to doe what he will 147 To hinder what he will not haue done ibid. To doe more then he did or doth or will doe 148. 149. c. Phrases of being able or not able how to be vnderstood 158 God able to produce any thing of nothing 163 God able to forgiue all sinnes 164 God not able to doe contrary to what hee decreed 165 Not able to doe things contrary to his Nature 165 Gods ability to helpe vs a great comfort to the godly 177 Absurdities of the doctrine of transubstantiation 174 God able to saue men without the Incarnation of his Sonne 320 None able to know God as hee is in himselfe 120 Abstract names of all excellencies most proper vnto God 122 Goodnesse of God abused by the wicked 225 Abuse of Christ not paralelled in any age 474 AC To be an Accepter of persons what it is 210 We should acknowledge whence wee haue all our goodnesse 211 Inward actions of God euer in doing necessary incommunicable 275 Christ how falsly accused by his enemies 471 Whereof accused before Pilate and how false those accusations were 472 Acts meerely voluntary no sinnes 15. 32 Actuall sinne what it is 10 All actions adiudged according to the disposition of the will 55 Act of punishment least agreeable to Gods nature 195 No act can exceed the power of the agent 209 Actors in the Tragedy of Christ his Passion who they were 421 Gods free actions not curiously to be searched into 555 Chiefest Acts of Dauid types of Christ 617 AD Adam sinning we all sinned 3 Adams fall brought on vs a two-fold euill 3 What God commanded Adam how small a thing it was 98 Adamant how mollified 5â—6 Aduersity makes the Saints more resplendent then prosperity 207 Aduersity and affliction not simply good ibid. AE Aescilus how he came by his death 613 AF. Affirmatiue precepts how many viz. 248. 230 Christ why afflicted by God 496 Affections of Christ how they differ from ours in three respects 444 AG. Agony of Christ what was the cause thereof 443 The seuerall ages of the world 402. 403 Agents that there be three sorts 162 Christ borne in the sixâ— age of the world and why 403 Age of man diuided into foure parts 68 AL. How all we haue is from God 129 All men taste of Gods goodnesse 201 How all men may be said to hate the Preachers 435 Alcestes how deerely she loued her Husband 425 AN. Anabaptists heresie what
it is 344 Angels for three things most excellent 535 Angels appeared like men but were neuer made men 534 Alwayes serued Christ 535 How they punish the wicked 536 How they comfort the women 537 Testifie of the resurrection of Christ 566 The birth of Christ 411. 411 Angell a name of office and Christ often called an Angell 330 Angels how they are said to ascend 609 Anger what euill it doth 229 That it is two-fold 355 Angell cannot beget another 4 Anselmus what he said 66 Christ why hee would not answere Pilate 477 AP. Approbation of sinne how euill it is 15 Apuleius his Asse what she said 92 Appearance and shew of truth how vaine it is 213 Apollinaris and some Arrians heresie 348 343 Apostles words He is the first borne of euery creature how vnderstood 290 Apelles his heresie 343 Application of Christs Resurrection is that onely thing which helpeth vs. 586 Apostacy what a fearefull sinne 595 Apostles onely filled with the holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost 658 To approue sinne in others what a great sinne 25 Appollodorus what he dreamed 55 Christ appeared ofen in the shape of man before he was made man 329 Christ appeared like a man vnto Adam 329 To Abraham 330. to Iacob and Ioshua 322 Christ appeared to the Patriarches in a true body 345 Chrâ—st appeared like a sinnefull man but without sinne 346 Christ how he appeared to Saint Paul going to Damascus 388 Apparitions of Christ after his Resurrection twelue times at least 505 Why he appeared first to Mary Magdalene 565 Why he appeared first to Saint Peter among the men 570 Why he appeared to Saint Iames. 574 AR. Arrius his heresie and obiections answered 248 c. 299 Arrians whether they corrupted the Text of Salomon God created c. 287 Armour of a Christian of two kindes 730 Arrogancy of Iudas seene 461 To argue from Gods power without testimony of his will not good 172 AS God made man to ascend 561 Christ ascended three times 615 Time place and manner of Christ his ascention 620. 621 Christ ascended aboue all heauens 624 Our ascention to Heauen depends vpon our vnion with Christ 626 Doctrine of Christs Ascention to what end it serueth 618 That we should alwayes ascend to heauen 630 Our wings to ascend what they be 631 Christ ascended for foure speciall ends 639 Christ before his ascention would not bestow the gifts of the Holy Ghost and why 640 That there be foure sorts of ascenders 609 Angels how said to ascend 609 Christ whether wholly destitute of all assistance from the Godhead 447 That Christ assumed our flesh 369 AT Athiests deny the power of God 136 AV First Author of our conuersion to God is God 529 Saint Augustine reading the death of Dido what he said 51 Christ borne in the raigne of Augustus and why 494 Desparagement to Augustus his worth to ioyne any other with him 504 What the Author thinketh of transubstantiation 549 BA BAcke-parts of God what it signifieth 117 Balaam prophesied of Christ 412 BE. Being of God not safe to search too farre into it 124 God giueth being to all creatures 125 Wee beleeue not the assertions of the Iesuites not because we know not how they may be done but because wee know they cannot be done 177 Beauty of God incomprehensible 191 We are begotten to God by the truth 215 Saint Bernards preaching two kindes of Sermons 266 The father alwaies begetteth the sonne 275 Christ made the beginning of our wayes 288 Benefits of Christs Incarnation 359 Benefits of the vnion of the two natures of Christ in respect of Christ 382 In respect of vs. 390 Gods benefits recommended to our memories 60 Benefits how many Christ bestowed on Iudas 458 Euery benefit requires a dutie 542 To beleeue in Christ is to eate and drinke him 681 Best men most hated in the world 435 Bethelem the place where Christ was borne 407 c. Christ why betrayed by Iudas 459 BJ Birds flying hardly catched 13 Birth of Christ how meane it was why 409 Why first reueiled to the Shepheards 412 BL How blinde sinners be 58 Our blindnesse seene and confessed by the Philosophers 59 A fable of a blinde widdow 58 Bloud of Christ shed fixe speciall times 164 Bloud of Christ the price that paid for all men 501 Blasphemy against the truth what a heauy sin 240 Shedding of mans bloud what a fearefull sinne 240 BO Bodies cannot beget soules 4 That Christ had a true body proued 341. 342 c. All the obiections to the contrary answered 344. 345. c. A naturall body must be locall 155 Body of Christ cannot be euery where 157 How it may be said to be euery where 169 To be a true body and to be euery where is meerely contradictory 170 Bodies glorified haue their dimensions 170 c. Body of Christ glorified from the first moment of his conception 171 Still a physicall body 172 For a body to be in one place and in many places at the same time is vnpossible 175 We may not referre that to the body which is truely spoken of the whole person of Christ 344 Christ appeared to the Patriarches in a true body 345 Body of Christ how said to doe diuine operations 38 Body of Christ how it may be truely said to bee in the Sacraments 549 Bodies raised at the resurrection of Christ testified of the resurection of Christ 579 Bodies in heauen shall be still quantatiue 171 What a bondage it is to serue sinne 99 Christ why borne in the raigne of Augustus and Herod 404 Why borne in December 405 Why vpon the Sabbath day ibid. And why presently after midnight 406. Why borne of a woman 334 And why of a Virgin ibid. A bountifull man is gracious 190 God most bountifull vnto all people 192 God not bound to giue power to the wicked to serue him 210 BR Brethren how variously taken 689 Brotherhood in respect of the Spirit greater then that in respect of flesh and bloud 689 Gentile brethren how they loued one another 690 CA. GIuing Canaan to the Israelites a type of giuing heauen to vs. 127 God calleth effectually none but the elect 203 God not the cause why the wicked serue not God 210 Causes of Christs sufferings 493 Instrumentally manifold 494 c. Efficient God himselfe and why 496 Finall 590 CE. Cerinthus his heresie 374 CH. Substance changed cannot be what it was and what it is both at once 173 God can change any substance into another 173 Charity most requisite for Preachers 642 Charity what it is 652 The surest signe of saluation ibid. Children liable to death 9 Tainted with sinne before they are borne 9 Childhood the miseries therof described 69 Our children to be married to the godliest men 109 The wicked shall bee punished in their children 245 How it stands with Gods iustice to punish the fathers sinnes vpon the children 245 ChildreÌ„ very apt to imitate their Parents 246 All
children of the wicked not punished for their fathers sinnes 247 A childe how conceiued in the wombe 337 God chooseth no man in respect of any thing that is in man 211 Christ the word the summe of all things 258 Signified by all the most memorable things of the old Testament 258 Christ would not reueale himselfe to the world all at once â—59 To know him is the onely thing that makes vs happy ibid. Christ despised all vanities 260 Suffered all miseries ibid. Christ the most perfect patterne of all vertue 260 Christ knowne suppresseth all vices 261 He alone is all sufficient to supply all our neede 262 Without Christ the whole world will auaile vs nothing 263 Christ onely should be preached by all Preachers 266 The Name of Christ should be alwayes in our mouthes to be honored not to be blasphemed 267 Christ in the Father not as we are in the Father 270 Christ a true God proued 278. 279. c. Christ is truely rich 281 Christ created all things and gouerneth all things 283 Christ prayed vnto 283 Christ began to be a God existing in the manhood when he was made flesh 248 Christ no accidental but an essential word 285 Christ how he may be said to be created and begotten 289 Christ made the beginning of our wayes 288 Christ demaunds the earth as man and giueth heauen as God 290 Christ how the first begotten and how the onely begotten Sonne of God 291 Christ how God of himselfe 293 How said to be with God and in God 298 Christ equall to the Father 299 Christ after what manner conceiued 335. Not of the Essence but by the vertue of the Holy Ghost ibid. Christ conceiued a perfect man in the first moment of his conception 337 How wonderfully he was made man ibid. Christ why conceiued of a Virgin 338 How he commeth from Adam ibid. Christ made a perfect man 340 That he had a true body 341 c. Christ made subiect to all humane frailties 351 Christ how hee hath performed all things for vs. 360 Christ an infallible patterne for all men to imitate 360 Christ brought vs more good then we lost in Adam 361 Christ how made inuisible vnto the Iewes 387 Christ how he came in the dores being shut ibid. How he walked vpon the seas 388 How he appeared to S. Paul 388. 389. c. Christ came from Nathan and not from Salomon 3â—8 Christ why born in the raigne of Augustus 404 Why in the sixt age of the world 403 Why in December 405 Christ what manner of person he was 429 That he was a man ibid. A iust man ibid. A good man 430 A King a Priest a Prophet 431 A true and eternall God 432 Christ his sufferings expressed 436. c. His whole life a continuall suffering 437 Christs sufferings chiefly in three places 437 Christ suffered in soule ibid. Christs first degree of suffering in being made passible 438 Christs sufferings most admirable 439 Christ why he went out to be taken 439 Why out of the citie 440 Why into the garden 441 Christ whether wholly destitute of all diuine assistance 447 How lightly he esteemed of death 446 Christ how by his death he ouercame death 84 Christ deliuered from what he feared 448 Christ to vndergoe the punishment of all others ibid. Christ how he sought to reclaime Iudas 461. c. Christ how handled presently after he was taken 464 Christ why he chose Iudas to be his Apostle 459 Christ how crowned with thornes 475 Christ why he came not down from the Crosse 481 Christ dead is still persecuted raged at 482 Christ how said to be euery where 540 Christ no where to be found but in the Church 545 Church the fittest place for publique prayers 711 Church how to rule her children 520 Church how subiect to afflictions 520 CL. Clytoriaâ— Well what it effecteth 528 Cloathing Christ in white what it signified 473 CO. Comforts that we haue from Christ his being subiect to infirmities 361. 362 Whatsoeuer God commandeth is no sinne 166 God compelleth not his seruants to doe good 530 To compell others to sinne the practise of most wicked sinners 25 Manner of Christ his comming to iudgement 622 623 Gods commandements few short light and profitable 99 The least comfort denied in hell 87 What communicates most goodnesse vnto others is euer best 197 That we should confesse our sinnes 113 Conuersion to God not to be deferred 24 That we should confesse our sinnes the diuell cannot abide 28 An excellent consideration of Saint Augustine 51 Consciences of the wicked opened before they die 80 We can conceiue but the least part of Gods excellencie 118 What are contrariâ— to the nature of God 152 How contradictories destroy each other 153 God cannot doe contradictories proued 154 That we should not contest about trifles 265 Consultation in heauen about the restitution of man 319 God worketh one contrarie out of another 351 Contentednesse requisite in any state 410 Conception of Christ ineffable 336 Consideration of Christs sufferings most admirable 439 Condemnation of all the infidels that would not beleeue in Christ grieued Christ 454 That we should condole the sufferings of Christ 506 Conuersion of a sinner first wrought by God 529 Conuersion of any man not to be despaired of 533 Contempt of vanities most requisite for Preachers 642 Constancie most requisite for Preachers 642 643 Conquest of Christ ouer Satan not onely by suffering but also trampling him vnder feete 583 Couetousnesse what a horrible sinne 460 To be auoided 704 Couenant with hell should be broken 26 Colours vsed by the ancients to expresse diuers things 474 The great courage of the Apostles presently after the resurrection of Christ 576 Corporall presence of Christ no where now but in heauen 545 Christ not corporally present in any secrets 546 547 Correction how burthensome to children 69 No cost to be spared to get truth 217 CR. All creatures heape miseries on man 74 All creatures haue their being from God 125 The creatures haue many impressions of Gods goodnesse infixed in them 256 All creatures how inriched with good 201 Foure crying sinnes 41 No creature can be capable of infinitenesse or of infinite perfections 156 Crueltie of Satan against the Preachers 644 CV Custome of ancient times to expresse our mindes by visible signes 680 Cup that Christ was to drinke of what it was 444 Cup which dranke vp killed Christ but ouerceme not Christ 449 Curiositie to be shunned in searching out the manner of diuine mysteries 277 Curiositie to be auoided in searching what God is 122 124 Custome of sinning makes the sinner bold to sinne 20 It makes the greatest sinnes seeme no sins 21 It bindeth vs in sinne 22 It indammageth the soule 23 And makes the sinners almost incurable 65 DA. DAmage receiued by Adam two-fold 3 What a danger it is to neglect publique prayers 717 Dauids words This day haue I begotten thee how to be vnderstood 290 Dangerous to
reproue great men 233 Who most subiect to dangers 433 Daughters of sinne are two 82 In the day of Christs natiuitie three things obseruable 435 DE. Death the fruit of sinne 2 Seauen deadly sinnes 40 By death is contained all that is vnder the curse of God 47 67 Death three-fold 49 Death of the soule three-fold 53 Death what it is 67 How largely it extendeth it selfe 75 How vnresistable it is ibid. How expressed by the Egyptians 76 How it shortens life diuers wayes 77 How it taketh men of all ages 78 How it smiteth in euery place 79 How comfortable it is to the godly 79 How terrible to the wicked 80 How it equalizeth the bodies of all men 81 Death of Christ the sole cause that maketh our death happy vnto vs. 84 Death eternall what it is 86 Death of Christ a sufficient satisfaction for the greatest sinnes 164 Death how little Christ respected it 446 Saints at their death supported by God 447 Death of the crosse grieuous in foure respects 479 480 Death of Christ maketh the wicked without excuse 504 Certainty of Christs death shewed in that her rose not til the third day 556 Deceit of sinne how great 44 Deceits no deceits vnlesse cunningly carried 461 Deformitie of sinne greater then we can comprehend 107 Deferring of Christs suffering grieued Christ 451 Wicked men how they deceiue themselues 517 God a debter to no man 531 To defend the truth with the hazard of all that we haue 217 Why God deferreth to giue vs what we desire 723 Delight in sinne maketh vs exceeding sinfull 15 Our deliuerances from punishments to be ascribed to Gods goodnesse 203 God deliuereth not alwaies his deerest Saints from afflictions 206 Christ deliuered from what he feared 448 To derogate from Gods power how great a sinne 161 God denieth his grace vnto the children for their Fathers sinnes 251. Why. 252 Why God denieth what we aske 725 To descend from the crosse easier then to rise from the graue 562 Descention of Christ into hell handled 580. 581 c. proued by Scripture and by the stimonie of antiquitie 484. 618 That Christ descended before hee could ascend 609 Why Christ descended not from the crosse 481 We ought to despaire of no mans conuersion 533 Descending of Christ signifieth the assuming of our flesh 301 Description of God by way of negation affirmation and super eminencie 121 Desire to sinne is an act done 96 Desperate men thinke God cannot forgiue them 139 We ought neuer to despaire of mercie 226 To despaire what a haynous sinne 228 Saints desired nothihg but Christ 264 Demosthenes his Parable vnto the Athenians of the wolues request vnto the sheepe 644 Of the young man that hired an Asse to Megara 678 DI. Christ whether hee died for all men and how 505 To die to sinne what it is 50 a punishment for sinne ibid. To die in sinne what it is 51 Difference betwixt spirituall and eternall punishment 250 How the word God differeth from our Word 309 A great difference betwixt appearing in the forme of man and to be made man 329 Difference betwixt assuming flesh and to bee made flesh 345 Difference betwixt the two-fold generations of Christ and of the Saints 364 Difference betwixt Law and Gospell 3â—4 Difference betwixt the sinnes of the godly and the wicked three-folde 35 Difference betwixt feare and sorrow 449 Philosophers most diligent to attaine to all kinde of knowledge 315 How diligent we ought to be to know Christ 393 Dirt nothing so foule as sinne 52 Diseases of the soule what they be 63 Discontent with God what a heauie sinne 239 Disobedience to God what a haynous sinne 293 Disobedience to parents what a fearefull sinne 240 To distinguish of Gods power reconcileth diuers Authors 150 Dispertion of the Apostles grieued Christ 453 In distresse how wee ought to seeke vnto God 488 Disciples whether they stole Christ from the graue or not 562 Discretion how needfull for Preachers 696 Diuels know God and Christ and the mysterie of the Trinitie 314 Confest Gods power 162 DO Doctrine touching the person of Christ how alwaies opposed by Satan 304 Doctrine of diuinitie how deepe and difficult 392 Whatsoeuer God doth is no sinne 166 Doores being shut how Christ came in 387 Doubting of Gods goodnesse what a fearefull sinne 239 That we should neuer doubt of Gods promises 130 DR To draw neere to vs how God is said 165 M. Drusus desired all men might see what he did 604 EA EArth accursed for the sinne of man 48 EF. The effects that Christs sufferings should worke in vs. 505 EG Egyptians how they expressed death 76 EL. Electionis of some men not of all 203 The elect onely are effectually called 203 Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias of what Tribe she was 397 EN Enemies that besot the godly 177 Enuie of Satan against Christ 493 and why he enuied him 434 Enemies of Christ ascribe to him in mockery what he was in deed 432 433 Enemies of Christ what they testified of him 578 Enemies of man especially three 582 EP. Epicurus confest the world had beginning and shall haue ending 137 EQ Equalitie of sinnes confuted 37 Equitie of eternall punishment for a temporarie sinne shewed in two respects 97 Christ equall with the Father 299 ER. Error of the Philosophers touching the etertie of the world 136 Error of the Vbiquitaries touching the power of God 141 Error of the Iesuites about the power of God 141 Error of Pellagius about the abilitie of mans nature 63 64 Error of Nouatus about sins after Baptisme 112 Errors of the vulgar about the absolute power of God 151 Errors expelled by truth 215 Errors boulstered with lies 175 Error of Saint Gregorie and Saint Bernard confuted 94. 95 Error of Lactantius and Pellagius confuted 63 Error of the Philosophers Stoicks Arist Seleucus Hermias Hermog confuted 136 137 c. Error of the Vbiquitaries shewed 141 Confuted 155. Their Obiect anws 165 Error of Bellarmine and the Iesuites shewed 141. Their Obiections answered 172 c. Error of Saint Hierom. 330 ES. Essence of God in heauen cannot bee seene but in the face of Iesus Christ 118 Essence of God not safe to search too farre into it 124 Essence of God distinguished into three persons 272 The word essence deriued our of Scripture and vsed in Scripture 294 Christ of the same essence with his Father 292. Vnpossible to escape out of the hands of the Angels 337 ET Eternity of Christ proued and the obiections against the same answered 278 279 280 c. Eternall punishment how inflicted for a temporary sinne 94 EV. Eua beleeueth the Deuill 3 The euill that oppresseth euery sinner two-fold 321 Euangelist why hee saith the Word was made flesh rather then man 349 Eutichian heresie what it was 367 c. EX Excuses of sinners to iustifie themselues 24 Excuses of sinners to lessen sinne 110 Examples of wilfull and spitefull sinners 33 Excellency of God cannot be conceiued
502 The women how peaceably they came to the graue 522 Peace the badge of Gods children ibid. Person of Christ still one and most simple 618 619 Men easier wonne by perswasion then by compulsion 694 People to what naturally inclined 698 Peace what an excellent thing it is 701 PH. Philosophers saw and confessed the blindnesse and ignorance of men 59 Philosophers wonderfull diligent to seeke out all knowledge 315 Philip King of Macedon what he required of the Athenians 644 Phrases of being able and not able how vnderstood 158 Phrases true of vs not true in the same sence of Christ 364 PI. Pilates wife how she iustified Christ 475 Pilate how in censed against Christ 472 How cruelly he handleth him 475 How vrged by a three-fold argument to crucifie him 476 477 Why he condemned him 478 Sinners chiefly to be pittied 232 Pilate what he writ to Tiberius of Christ his resurrection 577 PL. Place where Christ was borne Bethelem and why 407 A placable man is gratious 190 Mercie how it pleadeth for sinners 195 Plato and his followers what they thought of the word Christ 313 Fittest place to pray is the Church 711 Place whence Christ raysed himselfe both in respect of his body and soule 550 c. Place from whence and into which Christ ascended 623 691 c. Place whence and into which we must ascend 630 PO. Pouertie an intollerable burthen 72 Knowledge of Gods power the foundation of our faith 134 How needfull it is 135 Power and authority not the same 143 Power two-fold 143 Passiue power what it is ibid. Actiue power of God what it is and how manifold ibid. Atheists deny the power of God 136 Denied by Philosophers 136 Power of God proued 137 By the creation of the world 137 By the gouernment of the world 138 By Scripture 159 By the workes of God ibid How it appeared at all times 160 How extolled by the Fathers 161 By the Heathens 161 Confest by the diuels 162 Power why ascribed to the Father 273 Power of God chiefly seene in forgiuing sins 140 Power of euery creature is a receiued power and limited 144 Power of God considered two waies 144 The proper power of each person 145 The common power of God ibid. Power of God so proper to God that it cannot be communicated to any creature 145 Power of God absolute in three respects 147 Ordinarie power of God guided by the decree and will of God 148 Gods absolute power proued 149 How farre it extendeth 151 Diuersly answered 152 c. Power of God a great comfort to the godly 177 Preserueth the Saints from sinne 178 It should terrifie the wicked 179 Power of seruing God not taken away from vs by God 210 Perfect Power most requisite for Preachers 643 Our posteritie perpetuated by our seruing of God 399 PR Prayer of Christ on the Crosse how effectuall 487 What Christ prayed against 456 457 Prayers made vnto Christ 283 Prayer of two kindes 700 Prayer in respect of the forme manifold 707 That we should pray to none but God 707 Euery where 711 Prayer two-fold 714 We should alwaies pray in heart 715 How we ought to pray in humilitie in faith 718 c. When we pray we should cleanse our selues from all sinne 721 Prayer an essâ—ntiall part of Gods worship 722 The chiefest part of Gods seruice 729 How auaileable for men 723 To obtaine whatsoeuer we aske more then we aske better then we aske 723 725 c. How powerfull it is 727 This onely preuaileth with God and appeaseth his wrath 728 The chiefest of all Gods gifts and graces 703 We ought to pray in prosperity as well as in aduersity 732 We ought to pray for all men 733 That we should practise what we know to be good 600 Practise onely proueth vs christians 601 Preachers charge how great it is 739 Their state how dangerous 740 Preachers why hated of all men 435 Preachers three sorts of them 697 How wickedly many of them doe liue 220 And how zealously many of them doe liue 220 221 Predictions concerning the Messias all accomplished in Christ 512 Presence of the Angels should preserue vs from sinne 603 No personall presence of Christ to be expected before the day of iudgement 547 God can preserue his seruants in the midst of the wicked 658 Prerogatiues of the blessed Virgin in bearing Christ 336 Preseruation from plagues not to be ascribed to chance 206 Preseruation from sinne from God 204 Pride how it spoileth many one 614 How euery house is full of it 358 Priests to be made of the best men 109 High Priests did what they could to hinder the resurrection of Christ 563 Euery Priest should be perfect in all parts 341 Priests either the best or the worst men 460 Price of our ransome is the bloud of Christ 501 Prouidence of God how admirable 408 409 Prouidence of God disposeth all things 138 139 Gods promises should neuer be doubted 130 Gods promise touching the incarnation of the word 257 To be proud of goodnesse the worst pride in the world 614 Prouidence to foresee things what an excellent gift 653 The boundlesse goodnesse of Gods prouidence 257 Prouidence of God prouiding afore-hand to preserue vs from heretickes 350 Properties cannot passe their owne subiects 157 Properties of each nature of Christ how indifferently predicated of the whole person of Christ 384 Properties of the manhood how ascribed to the God head So properties of the Godhead how ascribed to the man-hood 385 386 PV Publique sinnes are doubly sinnes 21 Publique sinners are publiquely to testifie their repentance 65 Publiquely to be punished 37 Publique prayers how dangerous to neglect it 7â—7 They should neuer be missed 716 To punish sinne a most iust thing 89 God punisheth onely sinnes done 97. and no man for the sinnes hee neuer did 95 Punishment should be answerable to the offence 107 Punishment of sinne should make vs to forsake sinne 66 Christ vndertooke the punishment of all others 448 Punishment how qualified by Gods mercies 186 Punishment of the damned qualified by Gods mercies 187 Once inflicted neuer mitigated ibid. How slow God is to punish sinne 194 Acte of punishment least agreeable to Gods nature 195 God is compelled to punish 195 Our punishment often suspended by the goodnesse of God 200 God will punish sinners 244 Wicked men shall be punished in their children 245 How this punishment may stand with Gods iustice ibid. Punishment either corporall or spirituall 249 Godly often punished in the corporall punishment of the wicked 250 Humane lawes doe often pun sh the children for the parents faults 250 Punishment spirituall and eternall differ ibid. The punishment of Christ was imposed on him by God and why 496 All men not fit for all purposes 602 Iudas why made purse-bearer 359 Not the purity of the Virgine but the working of the holy Ghost caused Christ to be conceiued without sinne 339 QV. The quality of sinne according to the quality of
64 Sin of man in many things more haynous then the sinne of Satan 106 The cause of all our miseries 111 What it is 166 In euery sinne two things to be considered ibid. Sinne and death indissolubly linked together 2 Sinne the roote of death ibid. How farre it spread it selfe 3 Sinne originall or actuall 3 Sinne to haue any thoughts of sinne 13 Actuall sinne what it is 10 Not a meere priuation ibid. An erring from Gods will 11. How it creepeth secretly and insensibly like a Serpent 12 18. How it increaseth inwardly outwardly 12 Not resisted how it will necessarily increase more and more 22 Sinne is inwardly increased three waies 12 Sinne some way voluntarie or no sinne 15 Sinne outwardly increaseth foure waies 17 It is compared vnto a witch 46 It brought on man a treble death 49 Sinne against the Holy Ghost what it is 227 Sinne irremissible three waies ibid. No sinne so great but God can forgiue it ibid. Sinnes not traduced from the parents vnto the children 246 Our sinnes drew Christ to bee incarnate 318 Sinne expelled by the meditation of Christ his Passion 422 Our sinnes crucified Iesus Christ 497 Sinne brought feare into the world 540 The more sinfull we are the more we ought to feare ibid. Sinne ought speedily to bee forsaken for two reasons 589 Sinners how they condemne God to iustifie themselues 24 Sinners all excepting Christ 2 No sinner excluded from hope of pardon 224 Three sisters of the destinie signifie God 312 SL God how slowe to reuenge 193 194 SM Small things suffered doe grow great and doe much hurt 42 Small sinnes ought to be resisted 43 What a small matter it was that God commanded Adam 98 What a small matter it is that God requireth of vs. 99 SO. Christ the Sonne of God not as we are the Sonnes of God 291 The Sonne why made flesh rather then the Father or the Holy Ghost 322 Sorrowes and sufferings of Christ exceeded all other sorrowes 486 Sorrow is two-fold 354 Soule whether traduced from the parents 4 Not created from the beginning 6 Not created as God infuseth them 6 Soule the seate of sinne 7 Soule immortall yet hath a kinde of death 51 Soules diseases what they be 63 That Christ had a true humane reasonable soule 348 Soule of Christ after it parted from the body descended into the place of the damned 582. 619. 620 SP. God spareth none for his greatnesse if they offend him 40 He spareth the wicked for good mens sake 187 We ought to spare no cost to get the truth 217 To spare wicked men is not good 222 That we should speak nothing but truth 221 Examples of spitefull sinners 33 34 How fearefull is their state ibid. Spirituall and eternall punishment how they differ 250 ST Our state in Christ better then that which we lost in Adam 361 Starre of Christ spoken of by the Gentiles 412 What time it appeared 414 What effects it wrought in the Magi. 415 Christ why hee stayed so long before hee came 401 Why he would not stay any longer 402 Iudas why made steward 459 SV. Christ of the same substance with his Father 292 Made of the substance of his mother 342 How subtilly Satan deales with men to make them bold to sinne then to despaire 41 Christ suffered all miseries 260 Who most subiect to sufferings 435 Christ suffered both in soule and body 437 His first degree of suffering was to be made passible 438 Consideration of Christ his sufferings most admirable 439 The sufferings of Christ before his Iudges 465 The grieuous sufferings after hee was condemned by the high Priest 471 Sufferings of Christ how alone sufficient to satisfie for all sinnes 502 Sufferings of the Saints how they doe profit the Church 503 Sufferings how they doe comfort and confirme all Christians 504 Sufferings of Christ teach vs how to suffer 509 That we ought to suffer two waies 509 To suffer with Christ and for Christ how readie and willing we ought to be 510 Sufferings of Christ were voluntarie 491. 492 How generall they were 483 How vnspeakable farre more then are expressed by the Euangelists 484 Sufferings of Christ not imaginarie but true reall sufferings 484 God prouideth sufficient for euerie man 704 Suggestions vnto sinnes are sinnes 12 How they are to be auoided 13 The surest signe of saluation 652 Why Christ became our suretie 497 SW Continuall swearing what a dangerous sin 241 SY That we sympathize in the sufferings of our brethren 510 TE TEares are speciall meanes to preuaile with God 52 Best way to teach is to lay a good foundation 392 A perfideous tempting of God what a horrible sinne 239 The temporall things of this life to be prayed for 703 The testimonies that proue Christ to be the true Messias 411 412 c. Testimonâ—e of the Apostles to be beleeued for two speciall reasons 572 Text of Salomon Pro. 8.22 whether corrupted by the Arrians 287 TH. That we ought to be thankfull vnto God for all we haue 129 How we ought to be thankfull to God for giuing the Word to be incarnate 305 For the sufferâ—ngs of Christ 506 Thankfulnesse to be expressed by workes 507 Theator where the Tragedy of Christ his Passion was acted was Ierusalem and why 421 Third day why the appointed day of Christ his Resurrection 555 The fittest day for Christ to rise in respect of his person 556 Christ rising the third day did paralel our creation and left a patterne of our condition 558 What we ought to thirst after 488 Thomas whether he was with the EleueÌ„ when Christ appeared to them the first time 573 Thoughts that are wicked bring forth wicked works 14 Three persons in one essence of God 272 Three things handled touching the person of the sonne 277 Three sisters of the destinie what they signifie 312 Three wonderfull things obseruable in making the Word flesh 328 Three things measure all durations 400 Three things obseruable in the day of Christ his natiuitie 405 Three things that moue attention 420 Three things effected in vs by the meditation of Christ his Passion 422 Three things moue vs to loue any one 425 Three things happened to Christ in Gethsemane after his bloudy sweaâ— 458 Threefold argument vrged by the Iewes to moue Pilate to crucifie Christ 476 That there is a three-fold necessitie 491 The three women seeking Christ signifie three properties of the Church 521 Three things required to make an action good 524 Three things excellent in the Angels 535 Christ how he remained three dayes in his graue 559 560 Three dreadfull enemies of man 582 Three things considered about our spirituall ascention 630 Three sorts of men excluded from the Paschall Lambe 682 Three sorts of Preachers 697 Three reasons to moue vs to thankefulnesse 705 A three-fold voice of the creature ibid. Three reasons to driue away ingratitude from vs. 706 Three degrees of thankfulnesse 707 Three reasons to moue vs to pray for our Ministers
those daily heapes of our actuall transgressions And therefore you must giue me leaue to insist a little vpon this point and to take a further view of this our immortall enemie this actuall sinne that bringeth death I confesse it is an Hydrian beast that hath many heads it is like a continued quantitie that admits of infinite sections I cannot touch them all yet for methods sake and the furtherance of our memory I desire you to consider these three points Three things considered in the handling of actuall sin 1. The nature of it how it is defined 2. The degrees whereby it is increased 3. The manner how it is committed CHAP. II. Of actuall sinne what it is and by what degrees it inwardly increaseth Aug. contra faustum lib. 22. cap. 27. What actuall sinne is SAint Augustine defineth sinne to be factum aut dictum aut concupitum contra legem Dei any fact or word or thought that is contrary to the Law of God and Saint Ambrose briefer sayth that sinne is the breach of Gods Law but Zanchius fuller Zanch. de peccato actuali lib. 1. thes 1. pag. 161. and to my content playner sayth that an actuall sinne is an anomie * A want of rule whereby those humane acts that doe proceede from the corruption of our flesh are contrary to the Will of God ingraffed in the mindes of men and especially reuealed in the word of trueth for heerein is expressed both the matter and the forme of sinne The matter of sinne must be a humane act First Materiale peccati the matter of sinne is sayd to be a humane act whether thought word or deede for otherwise it cannot be sayd to be an actuall sinne where there is no act and therefore not onely in sinnes of commission as adultery murther theft and such like but also in those sinnes which are called sinnes of omission as not to pray not to doe that seruice vnto God which we owe vnto him there is not onely a meere priuation but there must be also aliquid positiuum some act that makes the sinne as when thou omittest thy duety either because thou wilt not doe it and there is an act of thy will or because thou canst not remember and hast forgotten to doe it and there is an act of thy memorie or else thy vnwillingnesse thy vnablenesse and thy forgetfulnesse doe proceede from some act and occasion either present or precedent Furor iraque mentem precipitant which makes thee to omitte the things commaunded and so to sinne as when thy feare blindes thy iudgement that thou canst not discerne the trueth or thy drunkennesse causeth thee to sleepe when thou shouldest be hearing the word of God But you must not thinke euery humane act to bee a sinne but onely those that doe proceede from the corruption of our flesh and are contrarie to the Will of God For Secondly Formale peccati The very being of sinne is an erring from the will of God Psal 40.10 as the Schoolemen call it the very being of sinne is a deuiation from the Will of God For the Will of God is to be alwayes set before our eyes as the onely rule whereby we are to square all our actions and therefore euery man should say with the Psalmist In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should fulfill thy will O my God I am content to doe it and euery man should doe as he saith Thy will be done in earth as it is Heauen for whosoeuer erreth from his Will sinneth against his owne Soule but whosoeuer doth the will of my Father the same is my brother and my sister and my mother Mar. 3.35 sayth our Sauiour Christ But because the will of God is not alwayes knowne to vs neither can we search into that which hee concealeth from vs therefore you must vnderstand that the reuealed will of God is lydius-lapis that touch-stone which trieth euery action and makes it either iust or sinnefull The will of God is reuealed in our consciences and in the Scriptures Now this will of God is reuealed in the booke of euery mans conscience and in the booke of holy Scriptures For of the first the Apostle saith that the Gentiles though they had not the written Law of Moses yet had they the Law of God written in their hearts because there consciences bare them witnesse what was to be performed and what was to be eschewed and did accuse them when they did ill and excuse them when they did well and therefore whatsoeuer they did against their owne conscience they did the same against the will of God reuealed and ingrauen in their hearts and therefore the Apostle saith that as many as haue sinned without the law Rom. 2.14 verse 14. i. e. without the written law of Moses shall also perish without the Law because they hauing not the law were a law vnto themselues And The word of God is diuided into two parts id est 1. The law 2. The Gospel For the 2. wee must not onely vnderstand the Law of decalogue or 10. commandements although that bee the chiefest rule to expresse all sinne but we must also consider the Gospel as a part of that booke wherin the reuealed will of God is expressed for there are many things forbidden and many things commaunded in the Gospell which are not plainely expressed or mentioned in the Law as to beleeue Iesus the sonne of Mary to be the Messias whereby all sinnes are taken away and without whom all sinnes doe remaine for so Christ himselfe testifieth Iohn 6.9 that the holy Ghost should reprooue the world of sinne because they did not beleeue in him and therfore whatsoeuer act is done against the will of God reuealed either in the Law or the Gospell the same is sinne Secondly For the degrees whereby sin is increased we must note Bernardus de grad humilitatis that nemo repentinè fit pessimus sed paulatim descendit no man is suddenly desperately euil but he descendeth to hel by little and little for the deuill is like a serpent creeping and sliding by little and little when wee cannot perceiue his pathes and therefore we should be very wary to marke his footesteps Now as euery sinne is committed either inwardly or outwardly Jsidorus de summo bono Sinne is inwardly increased by three degrees so euery sinne is increased either inwardly in our mindes or outwardly in our actions 1. Inwardly it increaseth and groweth by 3. degrees 1. By the suggestion of Satan 2. By the delight of the Flesh 3. By the consent of the Spirit The first we cannot well auoyde because Satan is euer busie to suggest sinne into vs Satan suggesteth sinne diuers wayes sometimes horribly to prodigious villanies sometimes secretly hee insinuates himselfe vnder the shape of an Angel of Light and suggesteth sinne vnder the shew of Vertue and thus in euery member of our Bodies
and in euery corner of our Soules he lurketh and lyeth vpon a bed of fornication suggesting falsehood into our hearts lightnesse into our heads adulteries into our eies oathes into our mouths intemperancies into our whole bodies The first suggestions of Satan are sinnes And although this suggestion is from Satan yet is it a transgression in vs Inest enim peccatum cum suggeritur regnat cum delectaris primum peccatum cogitasse quae mala sunt for sinne entreth when it is suggested it raigneth when thou consentest and art delighted with it because the first sinne is to haue any thoughts of sinne saith Saint Hierome Hierome lib. 1. in Amos. and therefore we should labour and striue what lyeth in vs to preuent the comming of the Deuill to suggest any sinne vnto vs and this we may doe if wee looke vpon him before he comes vnto vs and if wee shut him out when hee comes vnto vs. Hee that would see the deuill comming How we may auoyde the suggestions of Satan must behold him before he comes too neere for as in the optikes if a man would perfectly see the perfection of any picture hee must stand a pretty distance from it so in the aspects of Satan if a man would throghly perceiue the deceitfulnesse and the vglinesse of his shadowes 1. By beholding his vgglinesse in others and the filthinesse of his forme hee must looke vpon him before he comes to neere him and this is the reason why many doe not detest him because they neuer looked on him before he imbraced them for as our eyes being too neere any obiect the beames of our sight will be confounded so-Satan hauing closed with vs he darkeneth the eyes of our vnderstanding that we cannot see him as he is And therefore it would be well for vs if we could bee induced to behold his pride his drunkennesse his oathes his auarice and all his foule deformities in other men that this might make vs to detest him and shunne him before he comes into our selues for Faelix quem saciunt aliena pericula cautum euery schoole-boy learnt it let vs all learne to practise it behold the vglinesse of Satan in his sinners before he comes into our Soules and Secondly When wee haue beheld him 2. By the continuall following of our vocation let vs not stand still while hee comes vnto vs but let vs quickely runne vnto the workes of our vocations before he can fasten on vs any of his suggestions For as a bird sitting still vpon the pearch when shee seeth the fowler may bee easily catched but if shee soone flies she is safe enough from all danger so a man giuing himselfe to idlenesse is soone tempted to wickednesse Idlenesse is a great furtherance to wickednesse Quaeritur Aegistus quare sit factus adulter in promptu causa est desidiosus erat How apt our flesh is to committe sinne but if he giues himselfe to reading praying or any other worke of his vocation he shall be the freer from the deuills suggestion and therefore Saint Hierome exhorteth his friend Rusticus to be neuer idle but alwayes busied about some good worke or other vt quando diabolus veniret inueniret occupatum that whensoeuer the deuill should come he should finde him working in Gods vineyard Secondly When Satan by his wicked suggestions hath emised the seed of sinne into our hearts like a father then our corrupted flesh by wicked thoughts and imaginations receaueth and conceaueth sinne as a mother and it is as fruitfull of all manner of sinne as Diodorus Siculus reporteth the Egyptian Ilands to bee of vermines and therefore as the wise man sayth cum omni diligentia obserua cor tuum Prouer. 4.22 Looke not onely to thy hands and to thy feete to thy words and to thy workes though these also should be carefully looked vnto but especially aboue all things looke to the thoughts and inward affections of thy heart How wicked thoughts will bring foorth wicked works for as the wood is so the fire will be vnsauory wood will make vnholesome fire but sweete Frankincense or drie Iuniper will yeeld a pleasant perfume so wicked thoughts and affections will bring foorth Ieude words and wicked actions Matth. 12.34 for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Aug de trinit lib. 12. And therefore Saint Augustine sayth that our hearts should be very wary neuer to be delighted with any sinne suggested by Satan Nam cum sola cogitatione mens delectatur illicitis for when the minde in the thoughts and cogitations onely That the least titillation of the minde with sinne is sinne is delighted with vnlawfull things though it purposeth not to doe them but doth as it were thinke of them and is tickled with them that litle delight it conceaues of those thougths Non negandum esse peccatum etsi longe minus quam si opere statuatur implendum It cannot be denied but it is a sinne though not neere so great as when we purpose to bring the said cogitations into actions and therefore saith he Statim vt attigerunt animum respui debent assoone as euer such thoughts of euill do inuade or touch our mindes we should presently smother them and cast them off and then De talibus quoque cogitationibus venia petenda est pectusque percutiendum atque dicendum Dimitte nobis debita nostra We should craue pardon of God for such wandering thoughts and striking our breasts say O Lord forgiue vs our sinnes for who can tell how oft he offendeth Thirdly When Satan like the serpent hath perswaded and the concupiscence of our flesh like Eua is delighted when she sees the fruite faire vnto the eye and the sinne pleasant vnto the taste Genesis 3. How the flesh laboureth to draw our mindes to yeeld consent to sinne Rom. 7.17 Gregor mar 16. then they draw in Reason like Adam to giue consent and so to finish all and perpetrate the sinne and this agrauates the sinne and makes vs voide of any excuse for whereas before when the flesh was onely delighted but the spirit was not consenting a man might say It is not I that doe it but the flesh that is ioyned with me and so if reason had refused when the flesh was delighted a man might in some sort be excused quia peccata non nocent si non placent Because sinnes shall not hurt our soules if our soules doe not delight in sinnes and that man haud est nocens Seneca in Her oet quicunque non sponte est nocens is scarcely guilty that is not willing to offend saith Seneca and therefore recipe iam sensus hera quid te ipsa lacerans omnium aspectum fugis mens impudicam facere non casus solet those that are violently haled to sinne Idem in hippol Act 3. like Lucretia that was rauished against her wil need not so much vexe themselues with griefe and
body but onely in the shew and shape of a body therefore he appeared in no true body to the Apostles To this I answere first that the minor is false Sol. That Christ appeared to the Patriarchs in a true body for he appeared vnto the Fathers in a true body as may be easily proued from those actions of eating drinking walking and such like and when he had ended that businesse for which he was sent of his Father he deposed that body which for that end hee had assumed and so he laid downe his body againe because hee had not as yet really and hypostatically vnited himselfe vnto the same Secondly Christ in former times did but assume a body for some speciall end now he was made flesh to remaine man for euer I say that if it were so that he appeared vnto the Fathers in a phantasme yet it followeth not that he did so likewise vnto the Apostles for before he assumed it onely for a time to performe some one speciall act but now he is made flesh which he hath really vnited vnto himselfe for euer to performe the greatest worke in the world the redemption of mankinde and therefore S. Iohn to expresse the truth thereof so fully as words could doe it saith that himselfe and the rest of his fellow Apostles did beare witnesse of that which they saw with their eyes and heard with their eares 1 John 21. and their hands had handled of the word of life and that this word was made flesh and dwelt among vs Iohn 1.14 which was neuer spoken of any of the formes that hee assumed in the Old Testament For though wee reade that hee appeared vnto the Fathers at sundry times and in diuers formes Heb. 1.1 yet we doe neuer reade that he made himselfe of no reputation by taking those formes vpon him Phil. â— 7 or that therefore he was made to be the things that he appeared to be because he neuer assumed them vnto himselfe as to vnite them personally vnto himselfe Ob. 3 Thirdly they say that the Scriptures teach not that he had a true naturall body but onely the shew and likenesse of a body for Saint Paul saith Phil 2.78 that Christ tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and that God sent his Sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne Rom. 8 3. or of sinfull flesh and Saint Iohn saw one walking among the seauen golden Candlesticks Reuel 1.13 which was like vnto the Sonne of Man therefore he assumed no true body but onely a shew and a likenesse of a body Sol. I answere that these words and the like doe giue them no such ground nor any shew of reason to build any such conclusion thereupon for the Scripture saith that Adam did beget Caine Gen. 5.3 Christ in regard of his meane condition did appeare like a sinfull man but was without sinne Abel Seth in his owne image and likenesse but we might iustly account them very foolish that would hereupon inferre that neither Caine or Seth had not the very nature of Adam but onely a bare shadow and similitude thereof and therefore the Apostle in saying that hee was sent in the similitude of sinfull flesh giues vs to vnderstand that he was conceiued and borne without sinne and yet to haue flesh like vnto sinfull flesh because though it was without sinne yet it seemed to be full of sinnes by reason of the punishment that he was contented to vndergoe for our sinnes And this is most excellently declared by Tertullian Tertul. in l. de carne Christi c. 17. where he saith that Saint Paul affirmeth Christ to be made in the similitude of sinfull flesh not that he tooke the likenesse of flesh or the image of a body and not a true body but that he would giue vs to vnderstand that Christ tooke vpon him true flesh in the similitude of sinfull flesh Quia similitudo ad titulum peccati pertinebit Idem l. 5. contra Marcion Because the word similitude is to be referred to the iniquitie of sinne and not to deny the veritie of his substance for he would not haue added the word sinne if he had vnderstood and meant that the word similitude should be referred to the substance of his flesh to deny the veritie of the same but when he thus frameth his speech saying That hee came and tooke vpon him the likenesse of the flesh of sinne or of sinfull flesh Et substantiam confirmauit i. e. carnem similitudinem ad vitium substantiae retulit i. e. peccatum Hee doth confirme the veritie of his substance that is his flesh and he referreth similitude to the vitiousnes of the substance i. e. sin which in the sight of the Iewes he seemed to haue though in very deed hee had none So Cassianus saith Cassian collat 22. c. 11. that Similitudo non ad carnis veritatem sed ad peccati imaginem referenda est The word similitude hath relation not to flesh to denie the truth thereof for that was true flesh but to this word sinfull Quia in veritate corporis sed sine veritate peccati suscepit dominus speciem peccatoris Because that in the true nature of man without any sinne hee appeared and was so esteemed of many like a sinfull man Amb. de spiritu Sancto l. 3. c. 9. saith Saint Ambrose And so when the Apostle saith that Christ was made in the similitude of Man he doth not meane so to referre the word similitude Ad naturam humanam as that we should vnderstand him to be made onely in the likenesse of our humane nature The manhood of Christ seene by the sufferings of Christ but by the similitude of man he vnderstandeth Conditionem abiectam that abiect and meane condition of man whereby Christ was made like vnto all other men and therefore Saint Paul doth hereby more confirme the truth of his humane nature then any wayes weaken the same Iustin Martyr in expos fidei because as Iustin Martyr speaketh Deus quidem intelligitur ex prodigiorum operatione homo autem ostenditur ex aequalibus nostrae naturae perpessionibus His Godhead is sufficiently seene by the working of his miracles but his Manhood is chiefly seene by the like sufferings and infirmities of our nature And to that place of the Apocalyps I say that Saint Iohn saw him in a Propheticall vision his body being in heauen and not on earth and therefore this of all other is alledged most improperly to deny the truth of that flesh which Saint Iohn of all other had so plainely declared vnto vs. And so you may see that neither these places nor any other place though neuer so much wringed and wrested from the true meaning of the Holy Ghost no nor the gates of Hell it selfe can disproue the truth of this point that Christ hath a true and a naturall body CHAP. III. Of Christ his true and perfect
the offender 37 Curious questions not to be discussed 627 RA. RAge of the Iewes against the dead corps of Christ 482 Christ onely raised himselfe from the dead 552 RE. Regenerate men haue a double being 6 Repentance the best meanes to reuiue our dying soules 51 52 Repentance killeth sinne 82 God no respecter of persons 91 God easie to be reconciled 191 Men cannot repent when they will 242 Christ would not reueale himselfe vnto the world all at once 259 Certaine resemblances of the Trinity seene in the creatures 273 Christ how he reconcileth vs to himselfe 297 How the word God resembleth our outward and inward word 308 God reuealed many things concerning himselfe to the Gentiles 313 The Deuils reuealed many things concerning God to the Gentiles why 313 315 Christ would not reueale his seruants shame 466 Reiection of the Iewes grieued Christ 454 Regeneration not needfull vnto Christ 364 To receiue the outward Sacraments and not the grace of the Sacraments is nothing worth 681 Heretickes receiue neither Christ nor the Sacraments of Christ 682 Worthy receiuers of the Sacraments receiue Christ and all his graces 682 We may receiue Christ without the Sacraments 680 Request of the thiefe how soone granted 487 What small things God requireth of vs. 99 To relye on God in afflictions how safe 489 Redemption foure-fold 500 To redeeme vs how dearely it cost 50 Our redemption paraleleth our creation 557 Resurrection of Christ shewed by the Angell 543 Resurrection of Christ manifesteth the conquest of Satan deliuerance of men and Christ to haue ouercome all his enemies 551 Resurrection of Christ the third day foreshewed 553 How ascribed to each person of the Trinity ibid. Resurrection of Christ the third day confirmeth our faith in foure respects 556 Certainty of Christs Resurrection shewed in his rising the third day 557 Resurrection of Christ the third day is a patterne of our condition 544 Resurrection of Christ sought to be hindered by the high Priests 563 Resurrection of Christ beleeued of vs for three respects 566 Proued many wayes 567 c. Resurrection of Christ a patterne to teach vs how to rise from sinne 587 A cause of great ioy 598 An assurance of our resurrection to eternall life 598 Resurrection of Christians twofold 586 Relapsing or often falling into the same sinnes how dangerous 549 RI. Riches haue destroyed many men and what euill they doe 73 Riches or pouerty whether best ibid. No man truly Rich. â—81 Christ truly rich ibid. God loueth righteousnesse 90 The more righteous we be the more subiect to be afflicted 434 Christ to rise againe for three reasons 550 Typicall Testimonies that Christ should rise the third day 554 Christ himselfe shewed that he should rise the third day ibid. To rise from the dead greater then to descend from the Crosse 562 We should rise truly from sinne and from all sinnes 591 592 Ro. Rossensis his parable to Henery the eight of the axe that came to the trees for a handle 589 SA SAcraments a most excellent meanes to beget grace 679 They shew all that the Scriptures teach ibid. Euery sacrifice should be perfect 341 Sacriledge what a fearefull sinne 241 Saints preserued from sinne by the power of God 178 More glorious in aduersity then prosperity 207 They alwayes prayed to Christ 283 Saints at their death supported by God 447 Salomon speaketh of a two-fold generation of Christ 288 His words the Lord created me how vnderstood 286 Salomons posterity for his sinnes were finished in Iechonias 399 Saluation how we ought to thirst after it 488 Saluation by none but by Christ 501 Rabbi Samuel what he saith concerning Christ 579 Sanctification what it is 208 Samosatenian heresie 363 Satan how said to ascend 910 He lifteth vp the wicked to destroy them 612 His subtilty to deceiue the people 644 He ought to be spied before he comes too neere vs 13 He is the Father of sinne 14 He suggesteth sinne diuers wayes 12 He laboureth to conceale the light either of preaching or of applying Gods word 18 How he handleth the wicked at the time of their death 80 He cannot doe what he would 178 How he alwayes laboureth to vilifie the person of Christ 304 His insolency against Christ 322 His enuy against Christ and why 493 494 Without satisfaction no sinne can be pardoned 163 SC. Holy Scripture wholly true 215. 216 The best warrant for all Preachers 606 Scourging of Christ how grieuous it was 475 Christ how scoffed vpon the Crosse 481 SE. To search too farre into Gods essence is not safe 124 Seede of the parents the substance of the whole man 340 Seed of the man whether it falleth into the substance of the childe 340 God seeking after vs should make vs to seeke for him 181 God not to seene with any materiall eyes 117 Wee shall not see Gods essence in heauen but in the face of Iesus Christ 118 All men are euer seeking something 524 Godly men seeke onely for God â—25 Many seeke him amisse 526 Many seeke Christ amisse ibid. How we ought to seeke for Christ 526 521 c. That we cannot seeke for God vntill God doth seeke for vs. 529 Why the wicked seeke not God 531 Sensitiue facultie soone defileth the reasonable soule 17 Christ not sent by way of command 301 Seneca what he said 66 Sentence of Christ his condemnation 478 Senate of Rome lothe to derogate from the worth of Augustus 504 To serue sinne a most grieuous slauerie 22 Seruetus his heresie 343 To serue God the greatest good that wee can doe vnto our children 253 It procureth all blessings to vs. 132 Not to serue God heapeth all plagues vpon vs. 133 We were redeemed and preserued that we might serue him 132 It is the onely way to perpetuate our posterities 399 Late seruice God will hardly accept and why 587. 588 The seauen words of Christ vpon the Crosse 486 SH Shamefull handling of Christ how it grieued him 450 Shame of sinne cast off wee are almost past hope of goodnesse 20 Shedding of mans blood what a heauie sinne 240 Shepherds why first informed of the birth of Christ 412 SI Sight of sinne is no sinne 15 Sicknesse of the soule how worse then the sicknesse of the body 63 A signe why giuen by Judas 461 Signes how we may know whether wee bee ascended any thing towards heauen or not 632 Signes of a faithfull teacher 466 Similies expressing how the word alone assumed our flesh 327 A simile of Damascus and Theodorus shewing how the two natures of Christ though vnited doe remaine inconfused 388 Sinne is so vgly that at the first the sinner himselfe would faine conceale it 18 To be resisted at the first 23 It blindeth vs that we cannot perceiue it's vglinesse 42 At last it tormenteth the consciences of all sinners 42 How vgly and loathsome it is 47 Euerie sinne payeth the same wages 46 Sinnes the diseases of the soule 63 It extinguished all knowledge of God