heere distinguish betweene Image and likenesse Saint Basil in Hexam Hom. 10. Ambrose lib. De dignitate conditione humanae Lomb. 1. sent Dist. 16. and Aquin. vpon our text referre Image to the naturall giftes of the soule will vnderstanding memory but likenesse to the supernaturall gifts of grace holinesse and righteousnesse which occasioned Eucherius to say Imago est omnium similitudo paucorum Aquine doth auow that Gods Image may be seene in the most admirable frame of the body but the likenesse in our mindes onely For as Bernard obserues the mind of man is properly Gods similitude wherein there be three powers or faculâ—…ies Memory Vnderstanding Will. In our memory wee resemble God the Father which is the ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 9. In our vnderstanding God the Sonne in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Colos. 2. 3. in our will God the holy Ghost by whom his grace worketh all in all 1. Cor. 12. 6. The which opinion Augustine fauoureth in his 102. Epistle and S. s Ambrose in his Treatise concerning mans dignity saith as the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the Holy Spirit proceedeth from both euen so the will is begotten as it were by the vnderstanding and memory proceedes from both Now beloued howsoeuer it be true that these naturall giftes of reason and supernaturall giftes of grace were conferred by God vpon man in his creation Yet if wee compare one Scripture with another it will appeare that Moses here makes no difference betweene likenesse and Image But that as Caluin and u other obserue they doe signifie the same thing For in the next verse without any mention of the word likenesse it is sayd that God created man in his Image in the Image of God created hee him And in the 5. Chapter at the 1. verse without any mention of the word Image God created Adam in the likenesse of God made he him And so the meaning of our text in our Image according to our likenesse is nothing else but in our Image which is likest vs. As if the Lord had sayd let vs make man in our Image that he may be as a creature may be like vs and the same his likenesse may bee our Image But wee shall vnderstand more fully what is Gods Image by considering in what part of man it was placed u Audius the founder of the monstrous Anthropomorphite heresie supposed it was placed in the figure of the body which lest happily there should be raysed any wicked errour which they would not acknowledge for their owne the Papistes are content to like well and defend in whose Churches and other places of deuotion it is euery where to find the likenesse of God the Father depictured vpon their walles and windowes in the figure of a man As if they had learned of Zeuxis to draw his Physiognomy and they professe it lawfull both to haue such Images and to worship them also from our text that God created Adam in his likenesse But it is a strange peruersenesse quoth Tertullian aduersus Marcion Lib. 2. Cap. 27. To thinke that there are humane thinges in God rather then diuine thinges in man and to conceiue of God to haue the Image of a man rather then a man to haue the Image of God Other affirme that the likenesse of God is placed in the mind only For saith Ambrose who sayd let vs make man in our Image Was it not God and what is God flesh and bones or a spirit Christ answereth in the 4. of S. Iohn at the 24. verse God is a spirit Ergo man is like to God as being endued with an vnderstanding spirit But because God created the whole man in his Image consisting of a body made of the dust of the ground and of a soule that was the breath oâ—… life which being vnited by the spirit became a liuing soule It is euident so farre as their seuerall nature could conteine that God creaâ—…ed in that Image both body and soule But as waxe is more apt then clay to receiue a print So the soule being a spirit was much more capable of the impression of the Image of God Yet that which the body could receiue it did in very notable sort expresse being so wonderfully framed of such an excellent proportion and beauty that no creature in the world may be compared with it and moreouer of so sound a temperature that had not Adam sinned it would haue continued without corruption for euer But the soule being a spirit as God is a spirit it is apter a great deale to beare Gods Image For in the very substance of the soule there is a liuely print thereof not as though the soule were of the substance of God for as Augustine pithily distinguisheth it is 〈◊〉 deo non de deo But first in that it is a substance spirituall and immortall as God is the liuing God Heb. 10. 31. Secondly for that it is indued with vnderstanding and memorie which are the very character of Gods wisdome Thirdly in respect of quicknesse and agility conceiuing at one time so many matters so different so farre distant which is the shadow of Gods vbiquity But St. Paul in saying man was in the beginning created after the Image of God in knowledge Colos. 3. 10. And the same in righteousnesse and holinesse Ephes. 4. 24. Shewes plainely that this Image consists not so much in the substance of the soule or in the naturall faculties thereof as in the supernaturall giftes of grace knowledge illumination holinesse Iustice of the soule For Adam had an illuminated vnderderstanding and a rectified will louing God aboue all things and his neighbour as himselfe The two wordes of S. Paul Holinesse and Righteousnesse conteine mans whole duty holinesse his duty to God righteousnesse his duty to man In this Image man was created and so consequently this Image consists in the soule more then in the body and in the supernaturall graces of the soule more then in the naturall powers of the soule For 1. If this Image consisted onely in the soules spirituall essence then it would follow that wicked spirits and wicked men should haue Gods Image because the substance of the spirit and soule remaineth in them but the scripture teacheth expresly that the wicked haue not Gods Image but the deuils stampe So Christ affirmed of Iudas haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill and S. Peter when he committed a foule fact come behind me Sathan Mat. 16. 23. and of the Pharisees yee are of your father the deuill Iohn 8. 44. And the text is plaine 1. of Iohn 3. 8. he that committeth sin is of the deuill 2. God cannot properly be sayd to damne his owne Image or to send it into hell fire but the soules of reprobate sinners are damned Ergo this Image is not altogether in the soules substance that Image saith Ambrose wherein
thou wert created after the likenesse of God is not condemned but crowned 3. That Image of God after which Adam was created is by his fall vtterly lost and extinguished for otherwise this Image needed not to be renewed or reuiued in vs as it is by Christ in whom all true beleeuers are new creatures and new men and a new lumpe but the substance of the reasonable soule with all the naturall powers thereof are not altogether lost in vnregenerate men ergo this Image principally consisted in the gifts of grace To this purpose S. Augustine sayd that the whole man both in his inward and outward parts inueterauit is waxen old and decayed by sinne but the inward man is new reuiued by grace and the outward man hereafter shall be restored in the resurrection Another question is moued here whether the man only was created after this image of God not the woman and the reason of this doubt is grounded vpon the words of S. Paul man is the Image and glory of God the woman the glory of man Answere is made by Moses in the very next verse to my text God created man in his Image male and female created he them As for the place man is the glory of God woman the glory of man It is to be construed of the preheminence and authority giuen vnto man aboue the woman in which one respect the Image of God is expressed in the man more then in the woman But if we consider the principall part of that Image consisting in holinesse and righteousnesse the woman was created according to it as well as the man in Christ as the blessed Apostle teacheth vs there is neither male nor female but all are one women are the daughters of God so well as men are the sonnes of God Now beloued because the day present is a Sabbath and the Sabbath in the beginning was instituted in honour of the creation and man of all the creatures is the most excellent It is our duty so long as either man or woman hath any being all the dayes of our life but vpon the Sunday more principally to magnifie the Lord for his infinite rich mercy who created vs not liuelesse as stones are nor senselesse as the plants are nor witlesse as the beastes are but according to his owne likenesse in nature knowledge holinesse righteousnesse glory appointing vs to be Lords of this ample vniuerse making all things for man and man for himselfe 2. This ought to teach vs to take heed of corrupting our selues by sin or our neighbours through our lewd examples and to hate our sinnes as a serpent by meanes whereof the likenesse of God is so miserably defaced in vs for man in his originall integrity created to the likenesse of God is by the foulenesse of sin a deuill and a very vermine humana sub cute plurimae latent ferae sayd Carolus Bouillus The Scripture saith as much in calling a subtile dissembler a foxe Luke 13. 32. a soule-murthering prophet a rauenous wolfe Mat. 7. 15. a vaine man a wild asses colt Iob. 11. 12. A proud man in honour like horse and mule without vnderstanding Psal. 32 10. A voluptuous man giuen ouer to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse a Sow wallowing in the myre 2. Pet. 2. 22. In a word the children of men set on fire to doe mischiefe whelpes of Lyons Psal. 57. 4. and generations of vipers Mat. 3. 7. 3. This should make vs to labour earnestly for true faith in Christ Iesus by whom this Image shall againe be restored and as new borne babes doe desire the sincere milke of the word that wee may grow from strength to strength and from vertue to vertue till wee bee of full growth in Christ and haue this Image throughly repayred in vs. 4. This should incite vs to giue the God of our saluation humble and hearty thankes for redeeming vs with his precious blood when we were thus vtterly lost and made by sin vnlike to God and our selues as the Fathers in their deuotions vse to speake If we doe owe to God our selues for creating vs after his Image then vndoubtedly more then our selues for redeeming vs and restoring in vs his defaced Image through originall sinne in Adam and actuall sinne in our selues 2. SAM 24. 14. Let vs fall now into the hand of the Lord for his mercies arâ—… great and let mee not fall into the hand of man THree things vsually succeed one another in the Church great blessings great sins great punishments The people mentioned in this History had receiued great blessings of the Lord He dealt not so with any nation as the Prophet sings in the 147. Psalme verse last In the ruffe of their prosperity turning the graces of God into wantonnesse They committed many great sinnes and now the righteous Iudge of the whole world threatneth to bring great punishments vpon them and yet in his wrath remembring mercy He giues Dauid their King by the Prophet Gad a free though hard choice whether he would haue seuen yeeres of famine come vpon the land or flee three moneths before his enemies or that there be three dayes of pestilence Now Dauid being in a great strait returns in the words read to Gad and so consequently to God his resolution and the râ—…ason of his resolution 1. His resolution Let vs fall into the hand of the Lord and not into the hand of man 2. The reason of his resolution is for his mercies are great For the better vnderstanding of the whole text one clause needeth explanation and that is what is here meant by falling into the hand of the Lord Because Susanna did wish and Saint Paul as it should seeme writ the quite contrary Susanna sayd to the lustfull Elders It is better for me to fall into your handes and not to doe it then to sinne in the sight of the Lord answere is made that Dauid makes his comparison here betweene diuers kindes of punishment but Susannes comparison is there betweene the doing of euill and the suffering of euill as the schoole speakes betweene malum culpae and malum poenae She therefore resolued worthily that it was better to suffer reproach and shame before men then to commit an horrible sinne in the sight of the Lord. So the renowned Eleazar answered those who menaced him with exquisite torments If hee would not breake one commandement of Gods law that he would suffer himselfe to be sent into hell and the graue that is that he would rather be killed and cut in pieces and to sinke a thousand degrees vnder the ground with infinite dolours and agonies then to fall into such a fault So reuerend Anselme protested that if hee should behold all the paynes of hell deuoyd of sinne on the one side and on the other the horrour but of one deadly sinne onely deuoyd of punishment and that I must of necessitie chuse one of these two I
vnder our feet haue denounced a woe the roaring waues and raging floods ouerwhelming some parts of the drie land haue denounced a woe The great frosts and great snowes and great stormes haue denounced a woe vnseasonable weathers turning our Winters into Summers and Summers into Winters haue denounced a woe Many strange signes and wonders in Heauen haue denounced a woe The blazing starre the last yeare was as Augustine sayd of the starre directing the wise men to the place where the blessed Babe lay magnifica lingua coeli the stately tongue of heauen And as we haue heard so haue wee seene what great wonders it hath prognosticated in the City of God Holcott makes mention of certaine strange flyes in Norfolke deuouring about the beginning of haruest almost all the blades of corne the which had imprinted on their paynted wings these two words IRA DEI vpoÌ„ the one wing IRA vpoÌ„ the other DEI. Beloued he that runnes may read in al the woes denounced against our Land IRA DEI the wrath of God inuiting vs to breake off our sinnes and by true repentance to cease from drawing iniquity with cordes of vanity and wickednesse as it were with a carte rope That draw sin To hale sin is to vse all allurements occasions and excuses to harden the conscience in sinne for the wicked hunt after sinne eneÌ„ with such a greedines that iniquity drawâ—… not them so much as they draw iniquity makâ—… sin strong by their wickednesse To draw wickednesse with cordes is nothing else but to heape sin vpon sinne binding sinnes together as the wiseman speakes adding to bad thoughts bad words and to bad wordes bad deedes vntill the threeds of iniquity by wrething grow to bee Cordes and the cordes in fine become so great as Cart-ropes It is reported in the Gospels historie that Christ raysed from the dead Iayrus daughter newly dead the Widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying on the hearse and Lazarus dead and buried and stinking in the Graue Now these three sorts of Coarses as Augustine notes are three sorts of sinners sayrus daughter lying dead in her Fathers house resembleth all those that sinne by inward consent the widdowes sonne being caried out of the gates of the City those that sinne by outward act Lazarus dead and buried foure dayes those that sinne by continuall habite being dead saith Augustine the first day by conceiuing sinne the second by consenting to sinne the third by committing sinne the fourth by continuing in sinne The bandes that tyed his hands and feet were his sinnes according to that of Salomon Eccles. 5. 22 The wicked is taken in his owne iniquity holden with Cordes of his owne sinne Consenting to sin is one corde acting of sin another continuing in sin a third and a threefold cord is not easily broken Eccles. 〈◊〉 12. If we writhe these cordes of vanity bigâ—…er and bigger adding to custome in sin boasting in sin to boasting defence to defence presumption At the last they will grow so great as cables cart-ropes so become fetters in this world and eternall chaynes in the next Whips on earth and boults in hell and therefore woe to them that draw c. Christ in the 2. Chapter of St Iohn at the 15. verse made a scourge of cordes and whipped out of the Temple such as bought and sold therein the strings of this whip as Augustine Hierom note were made of the cords of their vanity For all euill which we suffer in goods or good name either outwardly in our bodies or inwardly in our soules proceedeth altogether from that euill which wee doe sceleris in scelere supplicium sin like a penitent frier scourgeth it selfe As the worme deuouring the nutt is bred in the nutt so the punishment of sin is bred in sin Cognatum imò innatum omni sceleri sceleris supplicium Sicknesse is a scourge but it is made of the Cords of our owne vanity So St Paul 1. Cor. 11. 30. Hence many are weake sicke c. So Christ in the 5. Saint Iohn at the 14. verse behold thou art made whole sinne no more Insinuating that the sores of the body come from the sinnes of the soule all weaknesse from wickednesse all infirmity from iniquity woe therefore Dearth and Barrennes of ground is a mayne string of Gods whip against sin but it is made of the Cordes of our owne vanity When the Land saith the Lord sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then will I stretch out mine â—…nd vpon it and will breake the staffe of the bread thereof and will send famine vpon it If ye will not obey mee and hearken to my commandements I will make your Heauen as Iron And your Earth as Brasse Your strength shall be spent in vaine neither shall your Land giue her encrease neither shall the trees of the Land giue their fruit woe therefore Extreme pouerty is a scourge too but the wicked draw his heauie burthen vpon them especially with the Cart-ropes of their owne iniquity For while they waste their estates in riot and spend their dayes in idlenesse no wonder if pouerty come vpon them as a trauailour and necessity like an armed man A trauailour knocks at our dores before wee looke for him and an armed man is so strong that wee cannot easily resist him and therefore woe to them c. Dishonour and ignominie is a scourge likewise but it is made of the cordes of our owne vanity For good deedes are the very Matrix of a good name honest and honourable report is the shadow that followes the body of vertue so that the righteous are had in an euerlasting remembrance their memoriall is blessed sweet as hony in all mouthes and pleasant in all eares as musicke at a banquet of wine But the name of the wicked shall rott Pro. 10. 7. Their memorie shall perish with them Psal. 9. 6. And therefore woe to them c. Beside these and infinite other outward scourges there is an inward whip of the soule made of the cordes of vanity To witt horrour and hell of conscience for albeit the wicked be fatt and lusty though he come to no misfortune like other men though hee florish like a greene bay-tree though his sheepe bring forth thousands and ten thousands in his ground though his oxen be strong to labour and no decay in his cattle Yet intra est quod contra est howsoeuer it be without him he hath that within him which is against him so that he can neither delight in company nor solace himselfe alone neither sport in the fields nor rest in his bed ut euery where his manyfold foule sinnes are so many foule fiends vnto him As when Gain had slaine his brother Abel albeit there were no Iustices or Constables to make hue and crie after him as Luther and Caluin expound the place Yet he said
thine own fashion and face Turne not away thine eye from beholding his countenance though hee seeme neuer so despicable but consider and that seriously this vnhappy wretch is a man as well as I and if our good God blesse mee not I may become such a man as hee Blind as hee Naked as hee Forsaken of friends as hee Lamed in limbes as hee Maymed in minde as he Whatsoeuer then I would that men should doe vnto mee let me while I haue time doe to them I would that all men in such an agonie should doe good vnto me why then I am bound to doe good vnto all men Now for our direction in breaking bread to men of all sorts two things are to bee considered especially Their Worth Their Want All men are to bee releiued in adversity yet more specially the Houshold of Faith and among the faithfull also the better man is to haue the better maundie for other things being alike the neerer vnto Christ ought euer to bee deerer vnto vs. He that beleeueth in him is our Brother and Sister and Mother The soule of euery man is next to himselfe or rather as diuine Plato sayd his own flesh They therefore which are allyed in good vnto the soule are more neere then they which are allyed in blood onely to the body Sanctior est copula cordium quam corporum the coniunction of the spirit is more high and holy then any coniunction of the flesh If the soule be the better gentleman then alliance by the soule must of necessitie bee most honourable but when our kinsman is a good man allyed each way both in respect of his generation and regeneration vndoubtedly two bonds are more strong then one Such a man ought to haue the prime place both in our loues and loaues Iohn in his 3 Epistle commending highly Caius his hospitality saith hee did faithfully to the brethren and strangers hee did entertaine both the one and other But first the Brethren and then afterward Strangers as Aretius expoundes that text or as Loâ—…inus especially strangers if Brethren As for the want of our brethren Esay saith heere deale thy bread to the Hungrie So Iob I was a father to the poore when thou makest a feast inuite the poore saith our Sauiour Luke 14. 13. Laudent te quoth Hierom Esurientium viscera non ructantium opulenta conuiuia the feeding of the hungrie Lazare commeÌ„ds thee more then the feasting of the belching Epicure It is lawful I know to feast our rich acquaintance for Christ himselfe did grace with his owne presence neighbourly meetings and friendly feasts as opportunity serued The Phenix of Germanie reuerend Melancthon I meane was exceeding courteous in this kind being often inuited and often inuiting Loue-feasts in the iudgment of all Orthodoxe diuines are commendable when moderation is one dish at the Table But let vs take heed lest happily wee waste so much vpon the pampering of great ones as that wee neglect some of Christs little ones lying crying at our gates for hunger It is a kind of sacriledge quoth Hierom rem pauperum dare non pauperibus to bestow that portion of bread vpon the hautie which is properly due to the hungrie Woe to them saith Amos that eate the Lambes of the stocke and the Calues of the stall and drinke wine in boules but are not sorrie for the affliction of Ioseph And as in breaking of our bread wee should consider the want of the hungrie so likewise the true causes of their want for that which our blessed Sauiour sayd of the Eunuch Math. 19. 12. may bee well applyed vnto the poore Some bee borne so some made so by others and some haue made themselues so Some borne poore namely beggers children vnregarded fatherlesse orphants especially such as are Creeples or blind Some made poore by others and that either by the cruell oppression of men as they whose Landes and estates haue been deuoured by byting vsurie tedious sutes in Law cunning and crafty bargaines Or by the iust hand of God as the wounded souldâ—…er in the quarell of his Country the banckrout Merchant in suffering shipwracke the decayed husbandman by fire consuming his goods by murreyne consuming his cattle by Catterpillers and mildewes consuming his fruits by grieuous plagues sicknesse vexing himselfe and the rest of his Family some be made poore by themselues as the riotous spend all and idle get-nothing Now they which are made poore by some great disaster are to bee relieued before those which haue made themselues poore by their own disorder The very Barbarians vsed no little kindnes to Paul and his company who suffered shipwracke Acts. 28. Seneca though hee neuer learned Christ as wee yet hee could not but exceedingly deplore the lamentable destruction of Lions in France consumed in one night sticke stone by fire Vna tantum nox interfuit inter ciuitatem maximam et nullam At night that Citty was none which in the morning was non-such Quis taliafando temper et à lachymis what man is so banckrout of good nature senslesse of miserie but is readie to doe good to those of Gods house which haue suffered insupportable losses by wind and water and fire whose very Mercies as Solomon sayd of the wicked are Cruelties As the Schoolemen say that there is ignorantia vincibilis and inuincibilis an ignorance which a man is able to conquer and an ignorance which hee cannot ouercome So there be 2. kindes of pouertie a vincible pouertie which a good man ouercomes by his industrie and an inuincible pouertie that no man is able to resist or repayre for as the Scripture speaketh it commeth vpon him as one that trauaileth and as an armed man So suddenly so strongly that no labour or dolour is able to withstand it As for example the diligent Merchant runneth his Ship into the furthest end of the world to get goods and gold Impiger extremos currit mercator ad Indos Per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa per ignes So the painefull artificer to prouide for his family riseth vp early and goes to bed lately eating the bread of carefulnesse as the Prophet speakes Psal. 127. 3. So the toyling labourer to sustaine his poore charge worketh vntill hee bee ready to sleepe for very wearinesse and then in his sleepe hee dreames of his worke Yet of ten times it comes to passe that these diligent honest actiue men are not able sufficiently to releiue their houshold without helpe from others And therefore let vs in breaking our bread remember Solomons aduise Cast thy bread vpon the waters super aquas transeuntes as it is in the vulgar latine not vpon standing waters vpon such as either stand in the Market or sit in the Tauerne all the day idle But vpon the stirring waters vpon industrious labourers in a lawfull occupation or office Let the prodigall a little while feed on huskes
quoth he would chuse rather to throw my selfe into hell then commit one foule fact onely But St. Paul affirmes plainly Heb. 10. 31. That it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God g Answere is made by distinction almighty God hath marring or destroying handes Of which hands St. Paul there speakes againe making handes Psal. 119. 73. Thine handes haue made me protecting handes Iohn 10. 28. no man saith the Shepheard of our soules shall plucke my sheepe out of my handes and sauing handes Luke 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Of which Dauid here speakes Or as other in this world while there remaines hope for pardon it is better to fall into the handes of God But in that blacke day when once the sentence of condemnation is past it is an horrible thing to fall into his handes for with the froward hee will bee froward Psalm 18. 26. Dauid here speakes of a punishment which is temporall on earth at the most enduring but three dayes But S. Paul there speakes of a payne which is eternall in hell inflicted by such an aduersary which is euerliuing and so consequently his Iudgements in that dungeon of torture can neuer dye Or as other it is better for one who sinnes against God and contemnes the riches of his mercies esteeming the blood of his Couenant where-wherewith he was sanctified an vnholy thing despiting the spirit of grace crucifying Christ againe and trampling him vnder his feet I say for such a reprobate who dyeth in his sinnes It is better to fall into the handes of man who can onely kill the body but hath not power to destroy the soule But for one that sinnes and as Dauid here repents of his sinne from the bottom of his heart It is better for to fall into the handes of God Or in playner termes if it be possible God hath two handes one of Iustice another of Mercy To fall into his hand of Iustice an horrible thing Of that hand Iob sayd Chap. 13. 21. Withdraw thine hand farre from mee The fingers of that hand wrote terrible thinges vpon the wall of Belshazers pallace Dan. 5. But to fall into his hand of mercy full of comfort bâ—…cause his mercies are great Now S. Paul in that place meaneth punishments inflicted by the Lord as an angry Iudge But Dauid in this place meaneth chastisements imposed by the Lord as an indulgent father in loue for the amendments of his children This rubbe being remooued and the passage made cleare let vs proceed in the wayes of our text And that as the blessed Apostle speakes with a right foote In the resolution of Dauid chusing the pestilence rather then famine or the sword Interpreters obserue many notable vertues as first his Iustice For had he chosen famine that would haue pinched onely the poorest himselfe would haue fared well And if hee had chosen warre that would haue destroyed onely the weakest Or if the fury thereof had ouerrunne most of the other yet he might haue set a safeguard to defend his owne person and so preserue his owne skin from the dint of the sword and print of the speare But hauing beene partaker with his subiects in their sinne hee would not exempt himselfe from the punishment He chose therefore the plague which is common Et regt et gregi to Prince to people to Peere to poore The hand must bee equall that handles the scale Princes are sometimes partiall in distributing Iustice betweene subiect and subiect But in a cause concerning their owne particular so well as the generall of their people not to shew more of the party then of the King as Dauid in this answere to Gad is admirable Iustice. Well fare his heart who sayd Diuines are to blame who write Cases of conscience for priuat persons and teach exactly what account shopkeepers are to make for false wares and idle words and in the meane time neglect exorbitant errours of higher powers and potentates And it is a good quaere whether it bee not grosser Idolatry to preferre reason of states before the principles of piety then to worship the golden calfe or Nabuchodonosors Image Dauid vnderstood that hee was obliged to God doubly first that he made him a man Secondly in that he made him a little God to rule ouer other men a finger as it were of that great hand that gouerns al the world as then he stood in Gods place so did he follow Gods paterne as God is righteous in all his wayes so hee desires to deale iustly with all men in all things Hee respects the ship of the common weale more then the cock-boat of his owne fortune and therefore would not haue the whole burden of the punishment to be layd vpon his people but with bowed knee stoupes to beare his part saying Let vs fall into the hand of God shewing himselfe so forward to suffer as he was to sinne Secondly Diuines obserue Dauids humility laying no fault vpon his subiects their sinnes he knew not his owne he knew for which he had iustly deserued this plague The text telleth vs at the 10. verse That after hee numbred the people for which all this tempest arose His heart smote him and hee sayd vnto the Lord I haue greatly sinned in that I haue done And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly and at the 17. verse Loe I haue sinned and done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done That is the people being innocent as Sheepe what haue they done that they should thus suffer I pray thee let thine hand be vpon mee and against my fathers house Hugo de Sancto victore Tostatus and other auow that the people did offend in numbring the souldiers as much if not more then Dauid First because they did not entreat Dauid to forbeare this muster at this time being needlesse saying as Ioab the generall of the host in the 3. verse Why doth my Lord the King delight in this thing Secondly because being numbred they did not offer vnto the Lord his due for the law saith Exod. 30. 12. When thou takest the summe of the children of Israel after they be numbred euery man shall giue a ransome for his soule to the Lord when thou numbrest them that there be no plague among them when thou numbrest them It was according to the law for the magistrate to number Israel as we read Num. 1. 2. But it was against the Law for the people being numbred to neglect their offerings For the better vnderstanding of this hystory let vs if you please renew that text againe When thou takest the summe The word in Hebrew signifieth Head because the summe totall howsoeuer it bee placed at the foot of our account yet indeed it is the head of the number or Head That is the summe of the heades of
but in this matter all our care must be cast vpon the Lord who being a iealous God will not giue his glory to another nor his prayse to grauen images Esay 42. 8. O Nabuchodonosor we will shew by deeds that it is better to obey God then man In reason as well as in religion a true proposition is to bee granted a false to bee denyed only the doubtfull and probable to bee disputed humane demonstrations and diuine testimonies are without controuersie the lawes of the Medes are not alterable much lesse the commandements of God questionable So Balum answered the seruants of Balack If Balack would giue me his house full of siluer and gold I can not gâ—…e beyond the word of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more So Ioseph answered his want on mistresse How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God The breach of the â—…east commandement in the second table concerning our neighbours is a sinne but a transgression of the first table concerning our duty to God a greater offence For as Bernard and other diuines obserue God hath in old time dispensed with some precepts of the second table as in bidding Abraham to kill his sonne Isaac contrary to the 6 commandement and in suffering the Fathers to haue many concubines contrary to the 7. commandement and in aduising his people to rob the wicked Egyptians of their iewels contrary to the 8 commandement Put God who can not deny himselfe neuer yet dispensed with any commandement of the first table touching his true worship and holinesse and therefore Shadrach Meshach and Abednego delighting in the law of the Lord and exercising themselues in it day and night and vnderstanding that it saith expresly thou shalt haue no other gods and thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image resolued instantly constantly that they would neither serue the false gods of Nabuchodonosor nor yet adore his golden image Cyprian the blessed Martyr in the like case gaue the like answere for being tempted to forsake the trueth of religion he replyed as Augustine reports in re tam sancta nulla deliberatto telling the Proconsull Paternus to his beard I am a christian and a Bishop I know no gods but one that is the true liuing God who created heauen and earth and all that is therein So Martyn Luther in the spirit of Elias by fire from heauen vsed to say that the principles of faith are like a Mathematicall poynt which admits neither ademption nor addition in such a case quoth hee God assisting I am and euer will bee stout and sterne herein I take vpon mee this title Cedonulli So the good Ignatius of his age Dr. Rouland Taylor when his friends aduised him as Peter did his master pitty thy selfe answered I shall neuer be able to doe God so good seruice as now I know that the papacy is the kingdome of Antichrist and that all the doctrine thereof euen from Christs crosse be my speed vnto the end of their apocalyps is nothing else but idolatry superstition errors hypocrisie lyes So the renowned Prelate Iohn Iewel I deny my learning I deny my Bishopricke I deny my selfe only the faith of Christ and trueth of God I can not deny with this faith or for this faith I trust I shall end The schismaticks in loosing their liuings and the Papists in loosing their liues are both exceeding resolute but it is not the crosse but the cause that makes the Martyr the Romanists are not questioned for seruing the true God but for their worshipping their false gods and for adoring 〈◊〉 lord god the Pope they bee not conâ—… as they say because Iesuites but on the 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our blessed Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2â—…8 Whose foote stood vpon 〈◊〉 and the top reached vp to heauen But the papists haue 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 saints and angels at the foote with the merits of their owne works and so they make Christ Iesus our only mediatour 1. Tim. 2. 5. but halfe a mediatour and halfe a Sauiour halfe a mediatour because the Saints are ioynt patrons with him and halfe a Sauiour because themselues are ioynt purchasers with him in the worke of their saluation Irenaus writeth of certaine humorous fellowes who called themselues Emendatores apostolorum apostle-menders and so these men are correctors of the scriptures accounting Saint Paul a very Lutheran for teaching iustification by faith only So likewise Schismaticks in our Church are not questioned for articles of doctrine but for poynts of discipline for matter of ceremonie not substance As then Aristides who dyed of the bite of a weazell exceedingly lamented because it was not a lyon so the brethren of diuision and other of their alliance may grieue that they do not smart for the lyoÌ„ of Iuda but for a siely weasel latelyâ—…rept out of the Alps which at the first crouded in among vs at a little hole but since being pampered at the tables of diuerse rich men is growen so full and pursie that many will rather forsake Gods plâ—…gh and looke backe to the world then acknowledge he came in at so narrow an entrance Manners as it is in the prouerbe makes the man and so it is the matter that makes the Mâ—…rtyr as the 3 children in our text O Nabuchodonosor wee are not carefull to answere theâ—… in this matter Yea but iâ—… is the King that 〈◊〉 and the proclamation of a King is like the roaring of a lyon and with him as wee find in the forepart of this chapter are ioined the Nobles Princes and Dukes the Iudges the receiuers and all the gouernours of the prouinces why then are Shadrach Meshach and Abednego recusants and singular in their opinions especially considering on the one side their danger and on the other side their duty Lawyers and Diuines and great clearkes in other professions often are ready to speake good of euill and euill of good prostituting their tongues and pens and wits and wils all that they haue goods honour bodies soule to serue the times and turnes of Princes If the King bid kill they kill If he say spare they spare If hee bid smite they smite If hee bid make desolate they make desolate beating downe mountaines and walles and towres amplifying or extenuating euery thing for the pleasing of his humour and aduancing of his honour It is thought by St. Hierome and other that the golden Image set vp here by Nabuchodonosor was his owne Statua so vaine was his impiety that being dust and ashes as a clod of clay in the hand of the potter he did notwithstanding ambitiously desire to bee worshipped as a God opposing as it were this image which himselfe made to that image which appeared vnto him in a dreame by Gods appointment and immediatly his plot tooke for as we read in this chap. at the
openly the foxes haue holes and the birdes of heauen haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head And Martin Luther a second Elias who by fire from heauen descried and described that abomination of desolation in Gods temple writes of himselfe that of all sinnes hee was euer least subiect to couetousnesse The Papists obiect often that professours of the reformed religion are Lutherans but I would to God both we and they were true Lutherans in this point I haue read that Cardinal Burbonius should say he would not leaue his part in Paris for his part in Paradise But a man of God on the contrary must account all thinges losse that he may win Christ If euery sinne be lesse or more deformed ex parte boni cui inordinate subditur as the schoole speaks then vndoubtedly couetousnesse is a most abiect sinne because goods of the world are worse then either goods of the body or goods of the mind it is but a dirty sin to loue thick clay If we may not too solicitously care for to morrow Mat. 6. 34. Then it is the serpents head and height of impiety to carke for many morrowes building our nest on high that wee may escape the power of euill to come hording vp secret treasure not only for our children but also for our childrens children as the Lawyers speake setling inheritances and making vncertaine riches which according to Gods booke haue wings as an Eagle perpetuities for euer This insatiable both intent and extent is an euill couetousnesse in Gods eye Now concerning our neighbours auarous increasing of wealth is often reported and repeated in this Prophecie to be spoyling of other which are either superiours equalls or inferiours as for superiours euill couetousnesse denyeth vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars It with-holds tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custom honour to whom honour belongeth It renders not to minister and master and magistrate that which is due by the lawes of God and man As for equals it is euill couetousnesse that occasioneth so many quarrels in law and makes so many breaches in loue As for inferiours it is euill couetousnesse that maketh a man hard hearted and fast handed toward the poore the true character of Nabal is to get much and keepe much but to spend little and giue nothing Not to run in the field of this common place beyond the bounds of our text hee that inlargeth his desires as the hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathereth vnto him all nations and heapeth vnto him all people he that buildeth his nest on high erecting it with blood and iniquity he that increaseth that which is not his owne and leaues so much hid treasure to his babes that all of them may liue like gentlemen and Idle men is an enemy to the Church and common weale loosing the one many good Pastors and the other many good professours and tradesmen If gallant vpstarts like nettles today peeping out of the ground to morrow perking to the top of the hedge had not bene left an opulent fortune they would haue got their liuing either by the sweate of their braynes or else by the sweat of their browes whereas now the state both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill is depriued of their industry Lastly this sinne is the roote of euill vnto our selues auarus nemini bonus sibi vero pessimus A muck worme doth no good vnto any much hurt vnto himselfe he coueteth an euill couetousnesse saith our Prophet to his owne house he sinneth against his owne soule and consulteth shame to his owne posterity It is euill vnto his house for the building of it so high vpon so bad a foundation will be the ruine thereof and make it euen with the ground so Cyrillus Alexandrinus vpon the place Posuisti nidum in alto sed miser eris et repente sub pedibus inimicorum Thy stately towers and townes ouertopping the heads of thy friends shall vpon the sudden bee trampled vnder the feet of thy foes for although all men should hold their peace yet sayth our Prophet the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the tymber shall answere it the dumbe creatures answere one another as voices in the quire and their cryes as S. Iames telleth vs enter into the eares of the Lord of hostes and the Lord cryeth although thou exaltest thy selfe as an Eagle and make thy nest among the starres yet thence will I bring thee downe for as thou hast done so shall it be done to thee thy reward shall returne vpon thy head Obadia 4. and 15 verse It is euill to his posterity for vnconscionable gaine will occasion his children to be lazie lazinesse will occasion lewdnesse and lewdnesse will occasion vtter ruine for them that honour mee will I honour and they that despise mee shall bee despised sayth the Lord God of Israel 1. Samuel 2. 30 It is euill to his owne selfe for as the liberall and mercifull man rewardeth his owne soule Prouerbs 11. 17. So the cruell and couetous sinneth against his owne soule sayth our Prophet and this euill is the worse for that it growes stronger and stronger as he growes weaker and weaker omnia vitia saith Zanchius Cum senectute sâ—…nescunt auaritia sola iuuenâ—…scit other sinnes as wee grow in yeeres are lesser and lesser only couetousnesse which Abacuc telleth vs is a kind of drunkennesse reignes in old men especially an apprentise hauing serued certaine yeeres is a free-man and a scholler hauing studied at the vniuersity seauen is a master but the couetous person is neuer a free-man or a master but alwayes a seruant and a slaue to Satan and sin deficient in euery good office concerning his naturall life ciuill life spirituall life eternall life all which is included in this one word Woe wherby the Prophet doth intimate that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill which a man suffers Woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse An Angel cryed Apoc. 8. 13. Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth inhabitantibus non accolis as S. Ambrose distinguisheth vnto such as are not onely soiourners but setled inhabitants who so dwell on earth as that they make it their mansion and heauen and neuer looke for another city which is aboue Woe to such in their life woe to such in their death woe to such after death as the godly man whose conuersation is in heauen hath the promises of the life present and of that which is to come so the worldly man who coueteth an euill couetousnesse whose minde is set on earthly things hath the punishments of the life present and of that which is to come Woe wo woe to such a one woe to his body which is a temporall wo wo to his soule which is a spirituall woe woe to both body and soule which is an eternall woe Concerning
the first Achan for his euill couetousnesse was by Gods commandement stoned to death and his wealth consumed with fire Geezi for his euill couetousnesse was striken with a leprosie that cleaued to him and his seed for euer Ananias and Saphira for their euill couetousnesse dyed disastrously Iudas for his euill couetousnesse first despaired and afterward hanged himselfe Nabuchodonosor whom our text poynts at chiefly for his euill couetousnesse was filled with shame for glory Concerning the second which is the woe spirituall of the soule If they who will be rich by common and commendable meanes fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish and noysome lustes that fight against the soule then how much moâ—…e doe they sinne that couet an euill couetousnesse that build a towne with blood and erect a city with the wages of iniquity The spirituall life consists in faith and repentance now the couetous being drowned in his mucke makes shipwracke of his faith and a good conscience For faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17. Buâ—… the deceitfulnesse of riches as our Lord shewes Maâ—… 13 choakes the word and hinders the passage thereof hee that coueteth an euill couetonsnesse is like the deafe adder mentioned in the 58. Psalme that stoppeth her eares and refuseth to heare the charmers voice though hee charme neuer so sweetely S. Augustine expounding that place writes that this venemous serpent delighteth in darkenesse clappeth one of her eares very hard to the ground and with her tayle stoppeth the other least hearing the Marso shee should be brought to light and so the serpentine worldling which hath his mind in his chest while his body is at Church stops one eare with earth that is with insatiable desires of riches and the other with his tayle that is with his heires and posterity building his nest on high that they may escape the euill to come and so little regard the Gospels harmony though the preacher should speake with the tongues of men and Angels As for repentance the couetous is scarce brought to confesse his fault seldome to be sory neuer to restore So that hauing neither true faith in God nor due loue toward men hee cannot be but spiritually dead and as the scripture speakes without God in this world As for eternall woe torturing both body and soule you haue Diues an example Luke 16. who for euill coueting and for building his nest on high suffers in hell fire woes of losse and woes of sense woes in respect of his paynes variety woes in respect of his paines inseparability woes in respect of his paynes vniuersality for the righteous Lord reigneth vpon the vngodly snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest against their euill auarice catching and spoyling other snares against their hot lust and luxury fire and brimstone against their putting vp ambition and pride storme and tempest PROV 22. 28. Remoue not the ancient boundes which thy fathers haue made THe word of God is termed by St. Paul a two edged sword as being sharpe say the Doctors in a litteral exposition and sharpe in a sense which is mysticall also This our text is litterally construed of markestones and bounders of inheritance betweene man and man but allegorically Diuines expound it of the limits of reason and religion and so by consequent of things appertaining to pollicy and piety According to the litterall and plaine sense this Scripture teacheth vs especially 3. lessons 1. That we may possesse lands 2. That we may possesse them in priuat bounded and inclosed 3. That wee may maintaine lawfully these seuerals and inclosures For the first the earth is the Lords and all that therein is and the earth hee hath giuen vnto the sonnes of men Psal 115. 16. Hee made all things for man and man for himselfe the Creator is Lord of man and man is lord of the creatures all things are in subiection vnder his feete Psal. 8. 6. Againe Christ is heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. and in Christ all things are ours as the blessed Apostle sweetely whether they be things present or things to come all are yours and you Christs and Christ Gods and Luke 15. 31. All that I haue is thine sayd the good father to his good sonne Euery man then before men In foro ciuili may claime the things of this world by right of his birth or creation as a man but euery Christian before God In foro conscientiae hath an interest in them by right of his second birth or regeneration as a Christian as some distinguish acutely the wicked as men haue Ius ad rem but good men as Christians haue Ius in re We may possesse lands and houses and riches and yet remooue no boundes of Gods law But our care must be that they do not possesse vs. Ita tenete ne teneaminâ—… quoth Gregorie the great if we command them and honour god with them according to their name they be goods in deed wherwith we may doe good vnto all men and bee rich in good works but if once they command vs then as the poet sayd they become irritamenta malorum euen the minsters of mischiefe and as the scripture speakes the roote of all euil The Church is described Apoc. 12. to be clothed with the Sunne and to haue the Moone vnder her feete that is all earthly things which are changeable like the Moone and the churches treasure was layd downe at the Apostles feete Act. 4. 35. Hereby signifiing as Hierom told Paulinus that when riches encrease we should not set our hearts on them as Dauid doth aduise but rather that wee should trample them vnder our feet first and most seeking the kingdome of God and then vsing the world as if we vsed it not hauing nothing and yet possessing all things 2. From hence we learne that we may haue lands in priuat bounded and inclosed so that euery one may say this is mine that is thine as God in the beginning bounded the raging Sea saying hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall it stop thy proud waues So Gods law prescribes certaine limits and boundes in euery mans inheritance which he may not transgresse and remoue hitherto shalt thou goe and no further for the distinction of possessions is founded not vpon the ciuill lawes of Emperors only but vpon the Diuine lawes of God also commanding thou shalt not remoue thy neighbours marke which they of old time haue set in thine inheritance Deut. 19. 14. and Deut. 27. 17. Cursed be hee that remooueth his neighbours marke and in our text remoue not the boundes c. All which appertaine to the commandement thou shalt not steale the which in one word doth ouerthrow Platonicall and Anabaptisticall community for if all things ought to be common and nothing proper in possession how can one man steale from another and why
dayly yet wedlocke is Gods institution and worthy to bee honoured among all men and though vngodly Princes abuse their Empire Yet the powers that bee are ordeyned of God And in this case let vs alwayes remember the saying of Gregory secundum merita subditorum disponit Deus corda praepositorum Almighty God in whose hand the hearts of all Kings are disposeth of them according to the merits of their people so that if higher powers be not good it is for our sinnes and for our saks who gouerne our owne families ill and our persons worse 3. Bad Princes often benefit the State more then hurt for many good Lawes haue bene by them enacted and many good deeds acted in the dayes of vsurpers and impious gouernours Finally it is better to haue a bad King then none according to that of Solomon Vbi non est gubernator corruit populus Where no gouernour is the people perish For whereas in a corrupt Monarchie there is one Tyrant in an Oligarchie some few Tyrants In a Democratie many Tyrants In an Anarchie all are Tyrants And it is vndoubtedly more safe to liue in a place where nothing is lawfull then where all things are lawfull a bad husband is better then none the worst Emperour is the Minister of God and if thou be wise for thy good Their second reason is ab efficiente from the founder author of authority for they maintain that Magistracie is not ordeyned giuen of God but only vsurped by men so wee read that Nimrod and Nabuchodonosor and Caesar by vexing and oppressing their countrey became Kings as a Pirat told Alexander the great I am called a robber on the Sea because I sayle in a little boate but you are called Emperors because you infest and spoyle the whole world with a great Naâ—…ie the difference is not in our fault but in our fortune To this obiection answere is made Prouerb 8. 15. By me Kings reigne Dan. 2. 37. The God of heauen hath giuen thee a kingdome power and strength and glory And St. Paul in this present Chap. at the 1. verse There is no power but of God The manner of getting kingdomes is not alwayes of God for Alexander the 6 obteined the Pope-dome by giuing himselfe to the deuill Phocas by sedition got his Empire Richard the third came to the Crowne of England by butchering his Nephewes and other of the blood Royall Yet the power of it selfe is euer from God as Christ told Pilate thou couldest haue no power except it were giuen thee from aboue So some kingdomes in respect of their wicked ends which vsurpe them are most vniust as Augustine writes Latrocinia Yet in respect of Gods purpose and prouidence who brings light out of darkenesse and disposeth of wicked men and wickednesse it selfe to his good ends They bee iust and necessary Salmanazer Senacherib Nabuchodonosor and other Tyrants oppressing Gods Israel and leading them into captiuity did herein offend with an high hand and yet almighty God ordered their ambition and cruelty to the setting foorth of his greatnesse and to the good of his chosen And therefore God sayd of Nabuchodonosor that hee was his seruant and of Cyrus that hee was his anoynted whose right he did vphold to subdue nations before him and of Ashur that he was the rod of his wrath Esay 10 â—… Their third reason is taken ab origine that one man should haue dominion ouer another was not so from the beginning in the state of innocency but after the fall of man in the state of sinne God sayd at the first vnto man rule ouer the fish of the Sea and ouer the soules of the Heauen and ouer euery beast that mooueth vpon the earth He sayd not exercise gouernment one ouer another Answere is made that if Adam had continued in his innocency yet notwithstanding there should haue beene higher powers and that is plaine by these three reasons 1. There should haue beene generation encrease and multiply Gen. 1. 28. Ergo Disparity of sexe necessarily preceding generation and Disparity of age necessarily following generation If disparity of sexe the woman is subiect vnto the man in Gubernatione though his mate in generatione the husband is the wiues head as Christ is head of the Church Ephes. 5. 23. If Disparity of age following generation necessarily then also Disparity of wit and goodnesse for euen in that estate men vndoubtedly should haue bene wiser then children and some men excelling other in grace Now the light of nature teacheth vs that the young is to be gouerned by his elder and he which is lesse good by those which are more good and hee which is a little wise by those which are a good deale wise See Thom sum 1. part quaest 96. art 3. Secondly wee say there bee certaine distinctions and degrees of Angels in the quire of heauen as reading in Holy Scriptures of principalities and powers and thrones and dominations and Seraphins and Cherubins and Belzebub is termed Prince of deuils Matth. 12. 24. Which authority he did not obtaine by sinne but had in the beginning ouer those spirits that fell with him If then there bee subiection and Soueraignty betweene the blessed Angels in heauen why should there not haue beene the like among men in the state of inocency Thirdly politique gouernment is so neessary for mankind that without it his nature would be destroyed because man is by nature a sociable creature and what society can there be without order Beastes are both armed and clothed by nature by nature they build their nestes and by nature they be Physitians vnto themselues by nature they can liue alone without others company But man is borne naked ful of wo ful of wants not able to helpe himselfe to cloth himselfe or feed himselfe or arme himselfe so that it is impossible for him to liue alone the which his very speech bewrayes for had hee bin borne to liue solitarily hee should not haue needed any language Well then if mans nature require societie doubtlesse society requires gouernment for what is society but a multitude well ordered consisting of some that command and others that obey Thus I haue shewed against Anabaptists and Libertines that the Magistrate is the Minister of God instituted by him in the beginning and to bee continued in his Church vnto the worlds end I come now to the Papists who although they well allow the calling of the Ciuill Magistrate yet doe they curtall his power exempting from his censure both Ecclesiasticall persons and Ecclesiasticall causes As for the Persons of the Clergie wee say with our Apostle Let euery soule bee subiect vnto the authority of the higher powers Euery soule that is euery man putting the principall part for the whole So Gen. 46. 27. All the soules of the house of Iacob which came into Aegypt are seuenty that is as Moses expoundeth himselfe Deut. 10. 22. Seuenty persons and
being nothing else but a type of the new and the new nothing else but a trueth of the old The whole saith Iacobus de Valentia consists of one Syllogisme the Law and the Prophets are the Maior all that Christ did and sayd the Minor the writings of the blessed Euangelists and Apostles inferre the conclusion or the Gospell is hidden in the Law like the conclusion in the premises But albeit the Scriptures be deepe yet as Gregory speakes it is a riuer wherein the little lambe may wade so well as the great Elephant swimme it is the rolle of a booke spread abroad and written within and without Ezec. 2. 9. 10. In some places it is rolled vp from the most searching wits in other spread abroad to the capacities of the most simple Testamentum est testatio mentis Gods word therefore being his Testament reueales as much of his will as is to bee knowen In it wee may find the Father from whom and the Son by whom and the holy Ghost in whom are all things and therefore should bee much in our handes in our eyes in our eares in our mouthes but most of all in our hearts as Fulgentius saith it affordes enough abundantly for men to eate and children to sucke Maximus compares it to a man The old Testament resembling the body and the new Testament the soule or the letter of the Prophets is the body and the meaning is the soule and as the mortall part of man is seene but that which is immortall vnseene So the letter of the Scriptures is plaine but the spirit in some places inuolued and not easily discerned One deepe calling vpon another deepe S. Augustine and Hugo de S. Vict vnderstand it thus the depth of Gods knowledge findeth out the depth of mans heart for the Lord searcheth vs out he knoweth our downe-sitting and our vprising hee is about our paths and about our bed and spieth out all our wayes and vnderstandeth all our thoughts long before Psal 139. It is the duty then of euery Christian especially tempted to sinne to resolue with holy Ioseph How can I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God Is there any thing so secret that shall not be disclosed If I commit it in the wood shall not a bird of the aire cary the voice that which hath wings declare the matter Ecclesiastes 10. 20. If I sinne in the forrest am I now to learne that a beast hath spoken Or if birdes and beasts happily should hold their peace would not as Christ sayd in the like case the very stones cry Luke 19. 40. If in my closet or study shall not my bookes of deuotion especially the Bible witnesse against mee There is one that accuseth you quoth our Sauiour to the Iewes euen Moses that is Moses law the which as it was once spoken by God so it dayly speakes in Gods cause to God Or if all these be silent shall not the sinne it selfe like the blood of Abel cry for reuenge Plutarch aduiseth vs so circumspectly to demeane our selues as if our enemies alway beheld vs. Seneca counselleth vs to liue so well as if Cato Laelius or some reuerend person of great wisedome and account ouerlooked vs. Thales Milesius in the committing of any sinne wished vs when wee were alone to bee afraid of our selues and our owne conscience which is instead of a thousand witnesses a thousand Iuries a thousand Iudges te sine teste time saith Ausonius S. Paul exhorts women to carry themselues in Gods house reuerently because of the Angels obseruing their behauiour But our text tels vs yet a better way then all these which is to remember alway that the depth of Gods science calleth vnto the depth of our conscience If any be deiected in his mind for that hee cannot remember the good lessons hee dayly reads in bookes and heares in sermons let him bee comforted againe because this one precept concerning Gods omni-presence comprehends amnia media et remedia all meanes and medicines for the curing of his sicke soule If he beare still in mind this one poynt that all things are naked to Gods eye Heb. 4. 13. Yea hell it selfe Iob 26. 6. To his eye which is all eye Ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne Ecclesiasticus 23. 19. He hath already commenced Doctor in Israel and is a liuing and a walking library knowing so much as may serue for the well ordering of his whole life Gregory the great construeth our text thus one iudgement of God calleth vp another for his iudgements are a great depth Psal. 36. 6. So deepe that they be past finding out Rom. 11. 33. When as therefore for feare of Gods iudgement we iudge our selues one deepe occasioneth another and that at the noyse of the water pipes or cloudes which are the preachers exhorting vs as S. Paul his Corinthians If yee would iudge your selues yee should not be iudged Arnobius expoundeth it thus one deepe calleth another deepe When Christ on earth and in the nethermost hell also called to God the Father in the Highest Heauen the strong crying of our Blessed Sauiour vnto God with teares Heb. 5. 7. Was a very deepe base and Gods counter-verse was sung with an exceeding high voyce from heauen of heauen This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3 17. One deepe calleth another deepe when as truth flourished out of the earth and righteousnesse looked downe from heauen Psal. 85. 11. Hugo Cardinalis and Lyra thus Abyssus abyssum inuocat that is peccatum peccatum prouocat As one deepe calleth another deepe So one sinne prouoketh and calleth vp another sinne Pride to maintaine her selfe calleth vp Nigardise Gluttony calleth vp Wantonnesse Malice calls vp Murther Vnthriftinesse calls vp in great ones Oppression In the poore theeuery an vncleane thought calls vp vnsauoury wordes and bad wordes corrupt good manners and corruption in manners breeds a custome in sin and custome in sinne brings men to sencelesnesse in sinne such as giue themselues ouer or sell themselues to commit iniquity proceed from euill to worse Ieremy 9. 3. and fall from one wickednesse to another Psalme 69. 28. First there is walking in the counsell of the vngodly then standing in the way of sinners last of all sitting in the seate of the scornefull Hee that blowes a feather into the ayre or throwes a piece of paper into the riuer knowes not where it will settle So hee that begins with a sinne knowes not when or where it will end Herod happily began with a little dalliance but afterward he committed incest and that darling sinne caused him to adde yet this aboue all the rest of his faults to shut vp Iohn in prison And so Dania glutted with a large meale lusted after Bath saba and that fire did rage till hee had committed vncleannesse with her and for the couering of that foule fact
hee murthered his faithfull seruant Vriah and for the compassing of that murther hee did endanger a great part of his Royall army and so by binding many sinnes together exceedingly scandalized his people This may teach vs to fly sinne as a serpent for sinne was a serpent before there was any serpent and of all sinne none so dangerous as that thou art loath to call a sin that one deepe calleth after it a great many deeps Other faults are like a rebellious multitude in a State which wanting an head doe small hurt this sinne is their head cut it off and thou shalt see the rest instantly dispersed as fearefull rebels hearing their leaders head hath kissed the blocke The Chaldee translateth here the higher deepe calleth the lower deepe So great sinnes euermore draw with them a multitude of lesser offences As for example Conetousnesse a Grandame in Babylon a mother sinne S. Paul termeth it the roote of all euill for as the roote giues nourishment to the whole tree so disordinate loue of money doth administer occasions and meanes for euery kind of sinne against God our neighbours and our selues the Prouerbe is Shew me a lyar and I wil shew thee a thiefe But shew me a muck-worme whose heart is set on riches and I will shew thee many villaines in one such a vermine as is worse then an Infidel and but little better then a Iesuit Cardinal Cusanus sayd the world is Deus explicatus So the couetous wretch is Diabolus explicatus a displayed deuill a deuill in his colours Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum Hee that is nimble to digge and diue for gold into the nethermost hell as occasion offereth it selfe will ascend as fast vnto the top of Babel and height of all impiety for thus One deepe calleth another deepe Bernard ser 4. de assumption B. Mariae with other as Bellarmin and Estius in their annotations vpon the place report and expound it thus the depth of Gods mercy calls vnto the depth of mans misery Magna miseria superbus homo quoth Augustine sed maior misericordia humilis Deus As sinne doth abound so grace superabounds Rom 5. 20. Our sinnes are great for their multitude moe then the haires on our head or sand in the sea great for their magnitude being iniurious to God our neighbours our selues all other creatures and that which is more wonderful in some respect offending the very damned in hell fire whose tortures encrease as the sinnes of such increase which haue beene corrupted by their filthy communication and vngodly conuersation our sinnes will appeare to be greater if we consider a little these fiue poynts 1. The basenesse of the Person offending a thing of nothing Psal. 144. 4. whose bodies originall is dirt Gen. 2. 7. and end dust Gen. 3. 19. Whose soule by sinne is lesse then nothing for it is a lesser euill not to be then to sinne a great deale better for the reprobate neuer to haue bin then to be damned Mat. 26. 24. 2 The worthinesse of the Person offended infinite in greatnesse infinite in goodnesse and so consequently there can be no greater folly then for vile man which is nothing of his owne to displease God which is Being it selfe 3 The weakenesse of the motiues alluring vs to sinne a small interest of wealth a little wantonnesse of the flesh a Punctilio of honour see notes vpon Psal. 145. 4 The grieuousnesse of the punish ment due to sin both in the life present and in that which is to come for the torments of hell in two respects are termed infinite to wit In respect of their lasting as being without end In respect of their losse as depriuing the damned of an infinite benefit which is the sight of God for euer 5 The greatnesse of the remedie which is the precious blood of our Blessed Sauiour who gaue himselfe for vs and with himselfe al things Also the depth of his mercies ouerwhelmeth the depth of all our misdeedes and miseries as being great for their number euen multitudes of mercies great for their quallity riches of his goodnes Rom. 2. 4. Exceeding riches of his grace Eph. 2. 17. Abundant kindnesse Tit. 3. 4. 6. great for their continuance being for euer and euer Psal. 103. 17. That is as the doctors expound it from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorification euery way so great that as S. Iohn says of his fulnesse all of vs haue receiued grace for grace plentifull and abundant grace blessings heaped one vpon another so freely so fully that if any perish it is vndoubtedly neglect in his duty not any defect in Christs bounty To let passe all other interpretations as being neither so pertinent nor so profitable let the time giue sence to the text the deepe groanes of our deare brethren abroad and at home call vnto the deepe bowels of our compassion and pitty Beloued in the Lord at this time while wee sit vnder our vines at rest in our possessions eating the fruits of our labours and reaping that wee did sow peace being within our walles and plenteousnesse within our pallaces at this time while we refresh our selues with the lambes of our fold and calues of our stall and sing to the sound of the viall at this time when our city gates are fast barred and wee filled euery day with the flower and fatnesse of wheat in a word while there is no leading into captiuity no complaining in our streets at home Ioseph is afflicted Israel and Iuda dwell in tents abroad There is a little city besieged and a few men in it and a great King is come against it and a greater then any King in his swelling title the Germaine Emperour and the Pope which is the greatest of all as exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God and I dare say with Aretius that these are three of the bad angels hurting the earth and the sea mentioned Apoc. 7. 1. I beseech you therfore by the mercies of God take heed of the crime of Meroz that ye may fly the curse of Meroz fight the battayls of the Lord valiantly take his part against the mighty Anakims a mercilesse generation drunken with blood of the Saints all ye that are ready for good lucke haue yee with your honour ride on because of the word of trueth of meekenesse and righteousnesse and let vs who stay yet at home fight on our knees with push of prayer One deepe calling vp another deepe The grieuous sicknesse of our friends at home with other inconueniences which I know you better conceiue then I can expresse together with the crying sinnes of our nation administer occasion of one deepes calling vnto another If thou hast but one teare shedde it if thy head bee full of water and thine eyes a fountaine of teares powre them al out yea powre out thy soule before the Lord that his deepe mercies in his good time may swallow vp all the Churches deepe miseries
O Father of mercies wee know that thou canst not deny thy selfe and nothing is more thy selfe then thy mercy which is aboue all thy workes it is it wee want most it is it wee craue most it is it thou doest vse to giue most haue mercy then vpon vs according to the multitudes of thy louing kindnesses of old that forthe dayes wherein wee haue suffered for euill we may now from thy fulnesse receiue grace for grace PSAL. 84 10. One day in thy courts is better then a thousand THe most excellent thing in the world is man and the most excellent thing in man is the soule and the most excellent thing in the soule is religion and the most excellent thing in religion is to seeke God here that wee may see him hereafter in whose most amiable dwellings one day sayth our Prophetâ—… is better then a thousand For by the Courts of God in the iudgement of most and best expositors is here meant either the Church militant which is heauen on earth or the Church tâ—…umphant which is heauen in heauen and the least of time â—…pent in either of them is better then a thousand days or moneths or yeeres or ages elsewhere to wit as may bee supplied by the verse following in the tents of vngodlinesse Concerning the first it is well obserued by Placidus Parmensis and other that this one day is Christs day which Abraham reioyced to see Iobâ—… 8. 56. The day of sulâ—…ation and acceptable time 2. Cor. 6. 2. Wherein all of 〈◊〉 haue receiued from his fulnesse and grace for grace the day which the Lord hath made and all his Saints are glad in it Psal. 118. 24. One houre whereof among the faithfull in the true worship of God is better in respect of profit then a thousand in the market better in respect of pleasure then a thousand in the theater better in respect of honour then a thousand in the palaces of Princes For profit our euidence is cleare 1. Tim. 6. 6. Godlines is great gaine that is gaine of great things as Caietan or greater gaine so Theophilact or the greatest and enough gaine so Caluin as if the Blessed Apostle should haue sayd gaiâ—…e and more then gayne riches and better then riches as when the Scripture would difference the true liuing God from dumbe and dead Idols it calleth a great God and a great King aboue all gods So speaking of godlinesse which is the riches of the soule termes it great riches heauenly riches inâ—…stim able riches vnchangeable riches euerlasting riches For to spend our time well is the best husbandry saith Seneca to giue to the poore the best vsury sayth Augustine to coâ—…et spirituall giftes hereby to winne soules is the best auarice saith Hierome to buy the truth is the best bargaine sayth Solomon to bee rich in good workes is the best opulencie saith Paul 1. Tim. 6. 18. Other gaines are not without their inconueniences and incommodities as hauing in them an emptinesse and neuer enough as Bernard told his brethren nec verâ—… sâ—…t 〈◊〉 vestrâ—… but godlinesse affordeâ—…â—…way contentation either in dâ—…ed or desire In deed as hauing prâ—…mia reposita and prâ—…posita the promises both of the life present and of that which is to come the blessings of the right hand and of the left hand Prouerb 3. 16. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger sayth our Prophet But they that feare the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good The couetous that goe about like roaring Lyons seeking whom they may deuoure by their oppression and cruelty sometime misse their prey yea the more they haue the greater is their hunger and thirst after the thinges of this world The Chronicle reportes of Peirce Gaueston that the more he was inriched the worse was his estate But they who seeke the Lord which is vnto those that serue him all in all things haue their meale so multiplyed in the barrell and oyle in the cruse that they want no manner of thing that is good habent omnia qâ—…ia habent habentem omnia It may bee some good thing is wanting in their estate but happily not good for them it was good for Naaman that he was a leper good for Dauid that hee was in trouble good for Bartimeus that he was blind as a nurse knowes what is best for her infant so God our heauenly Father knowes what is best for vs his children If he giue the subsâ—…iue saluation hee will afford like wise the adâ—…ectiue things necessary for this life Mat. 6 33. Caetera ad jeintur 〈◊〉 If hee giue his Son for vs how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also Rom 8. â—… Howsoeâ—…er godlinesse affordes contentation in respect of the desire because godly men If they haue not estatâ—… according to their minds they wil haue mindes according to their estates hauing nothing and yet possessing all things 2. Cor. 6. 10. The couetous is only poore and the content is only rich omnia famulantur famulanti Deo The seruant of God is Lord of all as Christ sayd If the soâ—…e make you free then are you free indeed so deare Christians If godlinesse make you rich then are yee rich indeed a great deale more rich then they which of their corne and wine and oyle haue full encroase the Pompous Prelate who sayd hee would not loose his part in Paris for his part in Paradise nay Leo the 10. who got so much and in the Holy sea spent so much of S. Peters inheritance that Guicciardine writes in his history Whereas other were Popes no longer then they liued he was sayd to be Pope many yeeres after hee was dead was not so rich as Martine Luther a poore preacher who professeth of himselfe that of all faults hee was euer least subiect to the dirty sin of euil coueting If any then aske the question in the third of Malac 14. what profit is it to serue God answere is made by the father of lies in this truely Iob. 1. 9. doth Iob serue God for nought hath hee not made an hedge about him and about all that he hath on euery side the like may be sayed of euery man which is vpright and feares God is he not rich and his godlines gaine being blessed in his field blessed in his fold blessed in his corne blessed in his cattle loe thus shall the man be blessed that fâ—…areth the Lord On the contrarie sinnes are termed by Saint Paul vnprofitable works of darknes what fruite had ye saith he to the Romans in those things wherof ye are now ashamed he doth answere himselfe in the same place the wages of sin is death bad worke sad wages But our Sauiours question in the 16 of S. Matthew puts this matter out of all question what shall a man gayne though he winne the whole world and loose his owne soule put the whole world
acknowledge their sinnes in any case yea when other mens examination hath found them out excuses already non feci si feci non mali feci si mali feci non multum malè si multum malè non malâ intentione aut si malâ intentione tamen aliena suasiene That is either I did not doe it or if I did do it it was not ill Or if ill it was not much ill Or if much ill it was not with an ill intention Or if with an ill intention it was vpon anothers perswasion I sayd I will confesse my sinnes quoth Dauid But the foole saith in his heart I will neuer confesse my faults and if I perish I perish Our sins are termed in the Scripture sicknesse sores ful of corruption as then a bodily wound cannot be exactly healed vnlesse it first be opened and searched by some cunning chirurgion vnto the very core So the griefes of a wounded conscience cannot be throughly cured vnlesse they bee reuealed vnto some friendly Physitian apt and able to bind vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in sinne If thy confession in this case be forced and not free palliated and not plaine what doest thou but fester a wound and foster a sore within thy owne bosome I will end this argument in the words of â—… Solomon He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and for saketh them shall haue mercy The second condition of confession is that it be Plenarie and not Partiall and that is implied in the preposition Con as Aquine vpon the place Confitemini id est simul fatemini confesse one fault with another as you confesse your faults one to another Conscience before sinne is fraenum a bâ—…idle but after sinne Flagrum a whip If the reuerend man and Martyr of God Father Latymer tooke speciall care to the placing of his wordes in his examination after he heard the pen walking in the chimny behind the cloth of Arras how circumspectly should wee looke to our wayes seeing conscience recordeth all our actions in bookes that are to bee shewed at the day of iudgement being either a witnesse for vs or against vs excusing or accusing Rom. 2. 15. If any grieuous crime then afflict thy soule confesse it and so confound it as Simon of Cyrene did helpe to beare Christs Crosse So thou mayest vndoubtedly find some good and discreete friend who will in such a case helpe to beare thy crosse confesse your faults one to another saith S. Iames and so beare one anothers burden saith S. Paul Galat. 6. 2 〈◊〉 in dissembling a part of their debts vnto their fathers and other deare friends which are ready to take some good course for the payment of them often vtterly ruine their whole temporall estate For one hundred pound not confessed and left vnpaâ—…d is a brood egge to mul iply new debts vntill they be so dangerous and desperate as the old sinnes are debts as Christ teacheth in his absolute forme of prayer and sinners are ding-thrifts as Christ teacheth in his parable of the prodigall sonne mentioned Luke 15. The concealing then of one heynous crime that is a burden to the conscience from our Father in heauen and from our good friends on earth able to Minister wordes in time to him that is wearie Like Apples of gold in pictures of siluer may proue the mother of many foule sinnes vnto the finall vndoing of our spirituall and Ghostly welfare Hee which is to take possession of a Church or a common house will according to the tenour of our law be sure to shut out of the doores man woman and child that may disturbe his quiet taking of seising Christ stands at the doores of our hearts and knocks he desires a peaceable possession of our bodies and soules as being his Temples and houses O then I beseech you let vs cast out of our doores man woman and child euery crying crime that rebelleth against him If there remaine but one fault not confessed it may keepe possession for the deuill and so the King of glory will not enter in and sup with vs and dwell in vs but the foule spirit returnes againe bringing seauen other spirits worse then himselfe and then alas our end shall be worse then our beginning Luke 11. 26. The Lord commanded Saul to smite Amalek and to destroy all that perteined vnto him and to slay both man and woman both infant and sucklings both oxen and sheepe both camels and asses our sins are Amalekites that burne our Ziklag and set on fire the little city captiuating our senses and making them prisoners vnto their lustes If then we spare but one Agag it may cost vs a kingdome and such a kingdome as is farre better then the kingdome of Saul a kingdome that cannot be shaken an inheritance which is immortall and neuer falles away 1. Pet. 1. 4. The third condition here required in confession is that it be Transitiua to wit a confession vnto another And therefore Cardinall Bellarmin and other Papists vsually cite this Scripture to prone their auricular confession of sinnes vnto the Priest vpon payne of damnation euery yeare But Melancton in his Apology for the confession of Augusta Caluin in the third booke of his institutions Chap. 4. sect 12. Erasmus Fulke Marlorate Bullenger Vpon the place haue well obserued that the word Inuicem intimates plainly that this text is to be construed not of Sacramentall confession as the Papists vse to speake but of a mutuall confession and so consequently the Priest if he haue done any wrong is inioyned by this Canon to confesse his faults vnto his Parishioners aswel as the Parishioners are bound to confesse their faults vnto their Priest If they haue trespassed him Nay the Rhemists are so modest as to say that it is not certaine S. Iames here speaketh of Sacramentall â—…fession and Cardinall Caietan of all the Doctours in his age the most accuratly learned as â—… Pererius the Iesuite writes of him a man addicted so much vnto Poperie g that had he liued a little longer hee had beene chosen Pope confesseth ingeniously Non est hic sermo de confessione facramentali vt patet ex èo quod dicit confitemini inuicem sacramentalis enim confessio non fit inuicem sed sacerdotibus tantum As for Popish auricular confession our Diuines affirme truly First that it is a nouelty Beatus Rhenanus a Papisticall authour auowes that it was vnknowne in the dayes of Tertullian who liued about two hundred yeeres after Christ and Peter Lambard saith Happily it was not vsed in S. Ambrose time who liued about foure hundred yeares after Christ and Erasmus in his annotations vpon S. Hieroms Epistle to Oceanus touching the death of Fabiola writes peremptorily that it was not ordeined in S. Hieroms age The Greeke Church as Theodorus reports hath no
men and for ought I know commendable to prouide some new clothes against the receiuing of the communion at Easter now S. Paul exhorteth vs to put on under mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind mâ—…ekenesse long suffering for bearing one another and forgiuing one another which Christ himselfe termeth a nâ—…w sutâ—… Iohn 13. 34. A new commandement I giue vnto you that you loue one another This vndoubtedly was an old precept from the beginning but he calleth it new For that he would haue this alway fresh in our memory fresh in our practise leâ—… all our things be done in loue that one chiefly which is called a Communion in respect of the common Vnion among our selues and as being a signe and a seale of our communion with Christ our â—…eace The second kind of confession is for the satisfaction of our owne selues if at any time wee feele our consciences heauily burdened with any grieuous temptation I know Christ is the Priest vnto whom euery sinner infected with a spirituall leprosie must open and shew himselfe being a Priest for euer after the order of Melcâ—…isedec an high Priest that is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4. 15. So Chrysostome saith I will thee not to bewray thy selfe before others openly but I counsell thee to obey the Prophet saying Open thy way to the Lord And againe Confesse thy sinnes vnto the Lord who is able to cure thee and not vnto thy fellow-seruant that may vpbrayd thee with them And S. Augustine what haue I to doe with men that they should heare my confession as if they could heale my griefes Yea but what if after all my contrition and confession vnto God I feele not an absolution or any comfort to my poore distressed soule What if after I haue cryed vnto the Father of mercies O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner He do not answere my spirit I am thy saluation What if for one scandall which I haue giuen I haue such an insupportable burden in my conscience as if a milstone were hanged about my necke S. Iames in such a case doeth aduise here Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed For the prayer of a righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent For as a vehement burning feuer is no way to bee cured but with opening a veine whereat the infected blood hauing vent may carry away with it the putrified matter that did molest the body So against strong temptations and afflictions of the mind there is no remedy more secure then to open the heart vnto a wise friend and to let out those raging passions that did disquiet our soule Now because preachers of the word ought to be more skilfull and expert then others in applying the good tidings of the Gospell vnto the poore to binde vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in Sion It is fit that wee should haue recourse to some learned Pious and discreete Pastour who can and will Minister a word of consolation in due season For Almighty God hath giuen power and commandement to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins Vnâ—…o them he sayd Whatsoeuer yee bind in earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shall bee loosed in heauen And vpon this ground there is in the Church of England a general absolution after a generall confession of sins and a particular absolution after a particular confession and wee teach also that this acte of absoluing belongs vnto the Minister ordinarily Tanquam ex officto But when none of that order is or can bee present another may doe it with good effect according to that old saying In casu necessario quilibet Christianus est sacerdos In one worâ—…â—…ee may confesse our faults vnto good people which are power-full in the Scriptures apt to teach admonish and aduise for our comforts But especially to Godly Pasâ—…ours as being put apart to preach the Gospell of God and to be disposers of his holy secrets This I know to be the Tenet of our Church agreeable to the confessions of other reformed Churches as to the confession of Heluetia Cap. 14. of Bohemia Cap. 5. of Aspurge art 11. of Saxone art 16. As you may reade Harmon confessionum Sect 8. This acknowledgement of our faults is farre different from auricular Popish confession First in that it is not vpon constraint but voluntary Secondly because wee are not enioyned to confesse vnto the Parish Priest or to any one confessour appoynted by the Diocesaâ—… and Ordinary But wholly left at our owne choise Thirdly Because wee are not tyed to any certaine time but only when wee find our selues in our conscience rightly disposed and to bee in the state of true repentance Yet because men are negligent and carelesse in performing of this duty the Church exhorteth vs to confesse at two times aboue the rest To wit In sicknesse and in Lent In sicknes euery Christian ought to make a speciall confession if hee feele his conscience troubled with any weighty matter earnestly desiring the standers by to pray for him and the discreete Pastour if need be to absolue him As for Lent Although our whole life should be nothing 〈◊〉 but a Lent to prepare our selues against the Sabâ—… our death and Easter of our resurrection Yet seeing the corruption of our dayes and wickednesse of our natures is so much exorbitant as that it is an hard matter to hold the common sort of people within the lists of Piety Iustice and Sobriety It is fit there should bee one time at the least in the yeare and that of a reasonable continuance for the recalling of them vnto some more stayed courses and seuere cogitations and happily these things might haue beene more fitly restored in the reformed Churches vnto their Primitiue sincerity rather then abolished as in some places vtterly The fourth â—…hing required in confession is that it be not defensiue buâ—… accusatiue noted in the word Peccata Now there be diuers partitions of sinnes as First In respect of their beginning so some sinnes are called Originall as being deriued from our first parent Adam other actuall as issuing from our owne corrupt will Secondly In respect oâ—… their obiect and so some sinnes are called carnall aud other spirituall according to that of S. Paul The Virgin careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body soule For al things in which al offend are either felt by the senses as meate drinke lust so 〈◊〉 be carnall sinnes or apprehended by the vnderstanding as honour knowledge power and â—…o called spirituall wickednesses the first makes vs lâ—…ke beastes the second like deuils Thirdly In respect of the parties iniuried in 〈◊〉 and so some be called sinnes