and the marrowes But if the Sword be neuer so sharp what hurt can it doe if there be no hand to strike If Dauid haue neuer so smooth a stone in his scrippe if he want a Sling to throw him out how can hee hit Goliah in the forehead Plutarch writeth of Coriolanus in his life that he vsed his weapons so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the vse made him so familiar that they seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they had beene borne with him or grafted into his hands This benefit we haue from being conuersant in Scriptures that we are able with ease to dart out and sling the word to hit our enemies in their fore-heads For which vse Saint Paul commends Timotheus Because of a childe hee was exercised in holy Scriptures and the word of God in such is like the Arrow in the hand of a Giant which draweth with that vnresistable force that it will diuide the very soule and spirit I should thinke it too little in such a case to haue a strong arme onely both our armes must be strong and practised that our enemy may not know our right hand from our left Plato to good purpose in his Republ. counsailed men to be Ambodexters for this vse in fight And for this Hector is commended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of fighting well I know the Art With left and right to hurle a Dart. But if this be required in any fight it is in ours which haue enemies on both sides on the right hand and on the left therefore Saint Paul exhortes vs to haue a the weapons of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left that which way soeuer he strikes we may ward him whether he charge vs on the right hand of prosperitie or on the left of affliction Whether he fight before as a Lion or sleight it behinde like a Foxe whether he assaile vs without b with his men-beasts or within by feares and temptations whether hee reach at vs from aboue by Presumption or from beneath with Despaire I pray God wee be not found such as Milo which when he looked on those armes with which he had wrestled before for the price at the games of Olympus could say of them At hij iam mortui sunt See these armes are now dead The third thing wee require in our Souldier of Christ is a good eye For what vse is there in battell of either courage at heart or strength of hand to him which is blind See this woful experience in Pagans Heathen people which haue profused zeale and constance to fight for hell in the darkenes of their vnderstanding And this is plaine in our aduersaries whom might zeale persistance resolution onely commend wee might take for vndoubted Souldiers of Christ had not blindnesse of heart turned all those weapons and powres of the spirit to fight against God Iudas when that rich Oyntment was bestowed on Christ said c Ad quid perditio haec But we when the whole forces of our soules and spirits are bent and planted to demolish the truth of the Gospell of Christ To what end serueth this waste Therefore in one word our Sauiour saith If thine d eye be wicked all the body is darke For if we misse in the goodnesse of the cause and the rightnesse of intention all is lost And it is to be noted that he saith not Eyes but thine eye For one of our eyes the left eye it mattereth not if that be out the worldly wisedome For I take it Christ intends the right eye For the Diuell would make a couenant with vs like Naash the Ammonite vpon this condition that he may thrust out our right eyes He careth not how quicke-sighted we be to the world onely hee desires to GOD and his truth to make vs starke blinde O eternall God looke vpon vs and visite vs with light from heauen for the earth is full of darkenes and cruel habitations And in this case the word of God is to vs as those Perspicils were to Nero in which he saw the trickes and cunning of the Fensers and their secret wards and thrusts and the conueyance of their Art From hence may wee see that great Fenser and the mystery of iniquities and learne to shunne his fiery darts God grant wee may see in his light I remember Homer when hee speaks of Aiax fighting in a blacke mist vnder a darke cloude how he makes him cry to God for light with such vehemency of passion as I know not if he expresse the like in all his Workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue Father saue the sonnes of Greekes from this darke pitchy night Make cleare the uyre dispell the mist and kill vs in the light Giue vs O Lord the light of Grace remoue from vs all darkenesse of Vnderstanding and kill vs in the light of thy sonne IESVS CHRIST My last part followeth What wee should not be Wee must not be intangled with worldly businesse I take not any of these words metaphorically spoken but in the first and proper sense for bodily fights are but shadowes to this of the spirit which is the onely true fight and say we must borrow words for our better vnderstanding to expresse spirituall things in their kinde earthly things doe lend heauenly things words but heauenly things doe lend earthly things signification So they which fight but for earthly things doe not till they haue gotten the victory meddle with the things of this world much lesse should we which goe in warfare for heauen For this implication or stopping at things in the way is a let to the victory which if it came but single and by it selfe were farre more to be desired of a good souldier than any thing which can be had without it But the victory brings in these spoyles with it and whatsoeuer else mans heart can desire especially this victory after which shall be no more warre no enemy left and the purchase shall bring with it all spoyles riches honour security peace triumph glory and blisse eternall If we could consider the benefit and fruit of this victory all the Kingdomes of the earth could not serue to make one fetter to tie vs heere and those greene cords of the loue of riches and worldly pleasure and honour which so binde our desires we should breake as Samson did his Bands like to Towe when it hath felt the fire So absurdly then doe they which neglect this end to which they are called and lie ensnared with impediments of emoluments which lie in the way as if a man being shewed where a rich treasure lay should neglect to digge it forth contenting himselfe with the Rushes and Bennets which grow vpon the ground I will content my selfe onely to resemble these men to such as catch at the spoyles before the enemy is ouerthrowne or the
of which himselfe was ignorant this honour doth the truth of God require of vs to bring all our senses and wits to nothing to be of it selfe sufficient without meanes to be aboue all difficulties and lets whatsoeuer As therefore when he before expected Izhak from the dead womb of Sara in hope he went beyond hope so now apprehending the same quickening power of God which was able to inspire the ashes of his dead sonne he passeth out of the Laborynth and Maze of the temptation And albeit God tendering our infirmities doe not so seuerely racke and examine our faiths yet it pleased him to shew an example thereof in the father of all the faithfull to bring vs at the least to the common triall thereof For Faith which is more precious than gold cannot without triall take deepe roote downeward nor flourish vpward But this triall touching the Promise leaues not Abraham yet For hauing giuen off his own affection to Izhak and departed with fatherly pitty he must seem to reiect the loue of God which he beheld in Izhak which was to him as a glasse of life and the pledge of all Gods graces and fauours and further the very name of Izhak must moue him which is by interpretation Laughter and telleth him he hath no ioy left He then which was giuen only for matter of joy and comfort being taken away must needes leaue him to sorrow and griefe of heart Eliak being tyred out with afflictions in the heauines anguish of his spirit cryed out to God It is enough Lord take away my soule what am I better than my Fathers Might not Abraham so farre sifted the triall now boyling in the fornace of his heart cry it is enough Lord take away the tentation But now hauing answered all doubts to God and his conscience hee must answere the world and the speeches of men For what will others say An injust father a Butcher of his childe I his owne wife and houshold seruants will condemne him and cast his obedience to GOD vpon him as an action of most vile reproach and extreame cruelty Thus when hee had vanquished the Diuell and Distrust within hee must answere feares and shames and fight without and this was no doubt no small temptation Yet must Abraham farther carry the racke in his heart three dayes iourney in which what is he himselfe but continually sacrificed He must behold his sonne all this while whose sight bindeth all his woes together hee must drinke in Bitternesse with his eyes which cannot be suffered to depart from their griefe To which the words of Izhak My father heere is wood and fire but where is the Lambe for sacrifice make his wounds bleede afresh so that now Abraham is like Ionas in the belly of the Whale in the bottome of the Sea hauing all Gods mighty waues and surges ouer his head Yet that his triall may want no part of extreame agony and anguish the Action it selfe were able to draw out of his eyes flouds of teares and to make the sinews of his armes shrinke in the execution and to make an heart of stone to bleede For albeit in the former trialls hee departed not from his obedience yet it might haue beene that when hee looked vpon the pale face of his onely sonne Izhak which he loved and all these circumstances of sorrow and ruth anew and freshly were presented him and his one heart must endure all these temptations now joyned together like a Wedge to sunder his soule and spirit I say it might haue beene that his resolutions would haue staggered his pitties and compassions which hee cast out returning againe Hee must 〈◊〉 his deere and tender sonne Izhak with cords he must how him on the bloudy Altar to dye in the place of a Beast Hee must first hauing killed him take his bloud and sprinckle it vpon the Altar hee must cut him in pieces and pull out his entralls and wash them and wash his legges and put them vpon the other pieces and his head and burne them all to cinders and doing this he must not blinne hee must shew no face of sorrow And thus wee haue the aged Sire binding his tender childe bound with cordes and hee with a strong arme vnsheathing his sword lifteth his hand on high to fetch downe a mortall stroke on the neck of Izhak when the Angell of God spake Abraham Stay thine hand All this Abraham did at the Commandement of God He did it as if he had had Gods heart and Gods hand for albeit Izhak was not thus slame yet because God onely hindred the execution God alloweth the worke for done and the Scripture beareth witnes by Faith Abraham offred his sonne Izhak And Saint Iames Was not c Abraham iustified by faith when he offered his sonne Izhak Iames Chap. 2. Verse 21. To come then to our second part Wee see in our father Abraham a notable example of obedience He shutteth his eyes to all things else and onely openeth them to Gods word He maketh a way to serue God through all lets through all fleshly impossibilities and being in this way hee trampleth vnder him his owne nature and beateth a path for Gods word out of his owne heart Finally hee regardeth not what men say nor what his owne thoughts can say but hauing receiued his mandate posteth on his journey suffering Gods wisedome to reason for him and Gods omnipotent power and prouidence to worke for him For Abraham was now such a man as might haue hoped for rest in his flesh hee might haue said Lord I haue serued thee these hundred yeares in sufficient trialls of my loue and obedience now I am old giue me now immunity let me be no longer prest Againe he had accesse to God and familiarity he knew God was pittifull and mercifull and easie to be intreated and yet he neuer spake one word for himselfe nor his sonne Izhak He complayned not of his griefe he defired not to haue the burden lessened but as if he had the feete of an Hinde runneth three dayes journey by the way of the commandement till a new Post from Heauen ouertaketh and stayeth him and Gods owne mouth comforted him Thus he which beleeued and obeyed hath found to his and our endlesse comfort that all the trialls through which it pleaseth God to leade vs are no other than steps and staires to raise vs higher into his grace and fauour For the issue of the temptation was to winne a farther obedience from Abraham that God might lift him vp higher and make his Couenant with him irreuocable by swearing by himselfe As if God should say Thou art not yet Abraham so great as I will make thee I haue purpose to aduaunce thee higher Thou mightest be contented with this opinion and forme of obedience but I will ring it further and make thy name more glorious Thus Abraham by thinking to glorifie God hath magnified himselfe and turned his obedience to God to
TWELVE SERMONS Viz. 1 A Christian exhortation to Innocent Anger 2 The calling of Moses 3 Abrahams Triall 4 The Christian Souldier 5 The fulnesse of Christ. 6 The Rule of Christian Patience 7 A Christian mans fulnesse 8 9 10 The Marigold and the Sunne 11 12 The Sinners Looking-glasse Preached by THOMAS BASTARD Master of Arts and sometimes Fellow of New Colledge in OXFORD PSAL. 56. 10. I will reioyce in the Lord because of his word In the Lord will I reioyce because of his word LONDON Printed by T. S. for Mathew Lownes dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bishops head 1615. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY singular good Lord and Master THOMAS Earle of SVFFOLKE Lord Treasuror of ENGLAND c. My Lord THat of Artaxerzes king of Persia was neuer too highly set prised which said that it was of no lesse kingly bounty and humanity to accept of little things than to giue great I haue receiued great things from your Honours fauour euen a daily portion by which I my selfe and my little family is sustained besides other graces of which you haue vouchsafed mee from the first houre of my admission into your seruice And now what haue I to offer vnto my Lord but euen this little handfull of flowers which I haue gathered by my Study and Meditation to make to your Lordship a sweet smell of my duty Which if it shall please you graciously to accept you shall more enrich fill my desire by this receiuing than by giuing For to an honest minde it is sweeter to be regarded than rewarded And what greater reward can be giuen to him that striueth to be thankefull than to finde himselfe accepted in that in which he seeketh most to please I hope these flowers to them which peruse them shall not prooue vnfruitfull being gathered out of that field of the Scriptures on which the Holy-ghost hath breathed As the fruit of the Husband is sweet to the Spouse so he is to her as the Rose of the field and the Lilly of the Vallies Such is the word of God being broken and diuided aright that it doth both sauour and fresh and feede and nourish the soule of man Therefore as it is called The word of Life The bread of Life so it is called The sauour of life vnto life I haue not taken my Texts of Scripture from one place as if a man should gather hearbs in a garden from one bed as they grow and lie together but I haue selected and chosen my parcels out of diuers places of Scripture and knit them vp in this little bundle here Knowledge there Patience in another place the duety of a Christian Then Faith and Obedience Againe the fulnesse of Christ Againe the Flowers of the Prophets to these Contrition Humility and Loue with exhorting to meeknesse and for bearing c. All mixed with Instructions and reproofes and twisted and made vp with the bindings and testimonies of the Apostles and Prophets Sic positi quoniam suaues miscetis odores Because of diuers places of Scripture thus set and ordered the sweetest smells are made Right Honourable whatsoeuer these are or whatsoeuer I am my selfe the Labour is yours and the Labourer Accept the ready heart and thankefull study of Your Honours most humble and deuoted Seruant THOMAS BASTARD A CHRISTIAN EXHORTATION to Innocent Anger The first Sermon EPHES. Chap. 4. Vers. 26. Be angry but sinne not Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath WHereas all our Passions haue their roote in the minde and cannot be moued thence nay whereas they haue their right vses so that without them there must needes ensue a naturall vacuity of Sense and dulnesse in the heart the Apostle first allowing that which is naturall in our affections permitteth anger secondly he forbiddeth that which is contrary to Nature Sinne not thirdly if wee haue sinned hee willeth vs to shake it off quickely Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath To vs it seemeth strange that the Apostle should say Be angry and sinne not For wee know not what to say of Anger but either that it is an hot appetite of reuenge or a seething of the bloud about the heart or a short madnesse or some such like affection But if we marke the scope of the Apostle well He doth not in saying Be angry permit but command some anger Why the Apostle doth not forbid Anger we haue this reason because the passions of our mindes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of themselues indifferent neither good nor euill Our Anger then as it respecteth her end is good or euill For there is a time when it is a fault to be angry and there is a time when it is a fault not to be angry There is lawfull vse of Anger as of Loue of Hatred and of Sorrow For there is a godly Loue a godly Hatred a godly Sorrow a godly Anger aswel although not as often as the contrary Neither doe I speake of this passion as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a first motion without assent as in the very infancy of her cause For I doubt not but that all the affections of man are as man is conceiued in sinne yet so that by originall sinne the reasonable parts those faculties which moue to Anger are hurt But that part in which Concupiscence moueth is infected with taint of sinne Here I speake of a deliberate Anger confirmed by reason and act of our will with which we may as well please God as with our Almes or Prayers or any other worke of godlinesse Now although the same sinne which hath blemished our vnderstanding defaced our purest minde hath made much more deformed and vgly those affections which sit beneath the Will and being but her sollicitors haue their place in that part which is more subiect to Concupiscence yet hath not sinne preuayled to destroy the nature and substance of them Now if in their Nature they be not abolished much lesse in their right Vse The Philosopher said well of Anger that it is the whet-stone to Fortitude Basill calleth it a sinew or tendon of the soule giuing it courage and constancy and that which is remisse and tender hardening as with yron and steele to pierce and goe through her businesse To be angry saith S. Hierome is the part of a man and were not Anger by suffrage of Saint Chrysostome neither could teaching auaile neither iudgement stand neither sinnes be repressed The Stoicks hould a vacuity of affections and condemne them all as vnlawsull why because they draw vs to disorder and outrage but this is not the nature of our affections but the affection of our corrupt nature Christ himselfe was not without affections he was angry when he cast the Marchants out of the Temple pittifull when he saw the people scattred like sheepe without a shepheard sorrowfull when he cryed ouer Ierusalem And we know that Anger Repentance Mercy
of his mouth like an armory stored with cruell instruments of death whose teeth are speares and arrowes and his tongue a sharpe sword his words like hammers his throat like a gaping sepulchre the whole nature set on fire and now this faire Image of God this Microcosinus this little world for beauty and excellence is made a confused Image of shame and confusion so that in the whole nature of things vnder heauen there is not found so vgly mis-shapen a monster as an angry man What should we now say if that deformity might be seene which lurkes within Hence come slaunders deare brethren hence blasphemies cursing swearing lying fightings warres bloudshed euen from wrath the seminary of all mischiefe what Beare hauing broken the Grates is more sauage or outragious then Anger hauing once gotten out of the warde and custody of Reason We grieue not for the euill we haue done but for that we could not doe we will sooner repent what wee promised out of the aduice of Loue than what wee haue menaced in our fury O wretches if we doe not yet conceiue what wrong we doe to others yet let vs pitty our selues Our anger hurteth vs before it can hurt our brother What then gainest thou if thy ovvne minde being darkened reason cast behinde thy vnderstanding led captiue in wracke of thy soule and in confusion of thy selfe thy fury hath preuayled to hurt thy brother Nay what if thou hurt him not but with thy stroke hast lanced his vlcer and let out his impostumation as the enemy of Alexander Pheraeus did What if thou haue deserued of him better by being a bitter enemy than a svveet friend what if by this he become regardfull watchfull of his life What if thy wrongs haue turned to his gaine But were it not so yet by being injustly angry thou dost more absurdly than hee vvhich asked an hundred stripes that his fellovv might haue halfe for thou giuest thy selfe many stripes but art not sure to giue him one Thou dost but venture his vexation thou art sure of thine ovvne Thou makest men his enemies thou hast made God thine enemy Thou fightest against him with that svvord the very poynt whereof thou turnest to thine ovvne heart Thou woundest his fame thou slayest thine ovvne soule Socrates was wont to say when he saw a drunken man Num ego talis Am I such a one Let vs consider whether we be such as I haue said let vs see whether we haue offended God more by not repenting the euill then by committing it whether wee haue cursed them whom we should haue blessed vvhether vvee haue smitten them vvhom vve should haue defended if wee haue turned our compassions into cruelties and our loues into hatreds Let vs consider if wee haue rashly or despitefully slaundered our brethren and giuen the reines to sinne and made our members the vveapons of wrath and reuenge and say Are we such Doubtlesse the sinne of Anger should be so much the more detested of vs hovv much the more it fighteth against Loue and Charity the very Badges and Recognisances of our calling Neither ought vve to abhorre Anger onely as I haue spoken but all priuy and secret consultation vvith it For there is a sort of men which vvould seeme vvisest vvhich dissemble Wrath and giue it strength by delay vvhich harbour Hatred as a treasure in their hearts These doe but as the Lacedemonian Boy vvhich stole a Foxe and hid him so long vnder his cloake till at last hee did gnavve out his heart For vvhere Wrath is most hidden and concealed there is it not onely most filthy and abhominable but more pernicious and to be feared Therefore as Anger is sinne let vs not act our Anger neither openly neither in secret neither with a cause nor without a cause We haue handled two parts First the Permission Secondly the Prohibition Now followes the Exhortation in which we are instructed to confine this passion of our mind that it passe not her bounds Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath Plutarch in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Brotherly Loue writeth that it was the custome of Pythagoras Schollers how euer they had beene at oddes jarring and wrangling in their Disputations yet before the Sunnes set to kisse and shake hands as they departed out of Schoole A custome most worthy obseruation and most fit for the Scholers of CHRIST to end all dissentions and controuersie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the holy kisse of loue GOD forbid that when our liues are mortall that our hatreds should be immortall Nay if we haue entertained Anger as a bad guest let vs send him away quickely and turne him out of doores For he that but toucheth Pitch shall be defiled how much more hee that holdeth it in his bosome We should be glad to apprehend any occasion to shunne that which is euill This short night telleth vs of a long night The setting of this Sunne warneth vs of the setting of our life If GOD to our visible sight be contented to bury this blessed Sunne and â—…his sweet light of Heauen vnder the Earth all night shall we refuse to bury foule displeasure and cursed hatred and sinne How dare we commit our selues to Anger when we sleepe with which we haue no safe conuersation waking Who will deliuer the keyes of his house to a thiefe which will robbe him and lodge him in his secret Chamber and rest with him in bed Cuiuslibet est errare nullius nisi insipientis in errore per seuerare Any man may erre but none but madde men will perseuere in their errour What then can we better doe then redeeme our selues quickely from captiuity The Dogs in Egypt for feare of Crocodiles doe runne and drinke and doe wee drinke downe malice and lie downe and sleepe Doubtlesse hee which hath not maistred the enemie by the light of the day will be lesse able to doe it in the darkenesse of the night But let vs see what fruit may redound to vs from this counsell of the Apostle First we shall avoyde the familiarity of sinne then which nothing is more daungerous and shunne those occasions by which sinne insinuating it selfe into vs preuaileth at last to seeme sweet and pleasing so that it should neuer possibly appeare to vs but in her blacke shape and abhorred nature for the custome and fellowship with sinne lendeth that ougly monster opportunity to dissemble and shrowd it selfe vnder the couering of nature Be the familiarity of sinne as farre from the children of God as light from darknesse let rancor and malice and fury rest in the natures of fierce and sauage beasts whose outward formes and aspects doe threaten violence and cruelty If we iustly auoyde the company of sinners how much more the sinne it selfe How far should we be from harbouring dissention and strife in vs which if we follow the rule of the Apostle must not be named in vs. The
their parents because in them it is most wanting There neede no commandement to enioyne Loue to descend which it cannot but doe but to ascend which it doth not so easily And as this is true in our earthly parents so is it in God the Father of vs all Gods loue Gods righteousnesse doth daily descend from heauen to vs Doth our loue our righteousnesse so ascend to him Hence is it that albeit the Scripture yeeld no commandement for the father to loue the sonne yet the Scripture taketh the fathers part in preferring the loue of the parents before the childrens loue whereas God himselfe exemplifieth his loue to vs in the loue of a father As the father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him How then shall Abraham answere this word May he not object My God and my Lord is not the loue and pitty I beare to the childe of my flesh by thine owne finger written in mine heart hast not thou thy selfe shed this tendernesse in my bowels Doe not Birds and Beasts and all sauage and cruell creatures cherish and nourish their young and must I which am a father slay my sonne Thus you see how forcibly this heauy word inuadeth Abrahams soule and vrgeth him beyond all possibilitie of humane power to destroy Pitty which is naturall and which is hardest to murther Loue which for her safety was fled into the in-most Sanctuary of his heart Now this may seeme not a little to moue him that God seemes to â—…ocke him For hee calleth him Abraham which is a father of many Nations after Gods owne promise to him and yet forbids him to be the father of one onely sonne Had not the word sounded hard in the eares of flesh and bloud which should haue required of a man the sacrifice of a man or a strangers or a seruants life for when in sacrifice they shed the bloud of Beasts they did it not without pitty and compassion which they signified when they laid their hands vpon the head of the Beast shewing that the poore Beast was innocent and that for them it was slaine He then which vnlesse he had been Flint and Marble must haue profused pitty on such as were remoued in bloud from the remotest in nature how should hee be a niggard thereof to his owne sonne And if the heart of a father must needes haue bleeded at the sickenesse of a tender childe if it had beene enough as Rachell to haue made him comfortlesse to haue beene depriued onely of him by the means of an other if to these the taking of him away by any violent kinde of death must haue added more bitternesse to his griefe what should this effect in a naturall breast to be himselfe the Butcher and Executioner of his owne childe Well may Abraham seeme now to haue sownded the ground and bottome of Griefe but being so farre plunged he findes a farther depth For God requireth not his sonne onely but his onely sonne Ismaell was cast forth onely Izhak remayneth he must kill Izhak so he hath neuer a sonne left He seemeth all this time to haue beleeued in vaine How many would this haue driuen into highest words of indignation which would not haue sticked to say What profit is there in seruing God Doe not the wicked flourish Doe not their sonnes and daughters liue and prosper Hast thou laid any such burthen vpon them which blaspheme thy Name But see Abraham for Gods loue spareth not his onely sonne but the Triall resteth not thus but rankleth and festreth further Abraham must sacrifice his onely sonne which he loueth Thus Gods word swalloweth vp all our deerenesse Hee will haue vs surrender not onely the things which we loue but our loue it selfe to the end we may end all deerenesse in him Abraham had many causes to loue this childe first because he was the sonne of his wife not of the Bond-woman Secondly for that hee was borne in his age and in the age of his wife when her wombe had no more nature or power to quicken than the Graue so beyond hope so by miracle he receiued him How then should hee not loue him naturally whom he receiued miraculously Thirdly wee see the older we grow to the end of our life our affections are doubled to our children and of what cause I know not but it is most euident that when we are aged our loues are inclined to such as wee affect as if they went forth of vs into them so they carry vs with extreamenesse of fondnesse and doting Like those which hauing slidden downe from an higher place the further they slide are carried with such violence force that they cannot recouer then selues againe As these were sufficient causes of loue first that hee was the Sonne of his Wife secondly of his old age thirdly borne by Myracle so fourthly hee is further grieued with his losse because hee was so long expected and desired So that hee which had beene almost tyred with expectation of that in regard whereof all earthly things might seeme vile vnto him being now seazed of his joy must cast it off with greater griefe and bitternesse than euer with comfort he receiued it so that now all the promises and fauors of God are turned to gall and wormewood and better had it beene for him neuer to haue receiued a sonne than with such heauinesse to forsake him To these we may adde a fift circumstance contayning in it a further cause of Loue namely the behauiour and disposition and meeknesse and obedience of Izhak his innocence and many delights of duty and qualities which Nature is most content and easie to embrace yet all these Abraham putteth away for God Neither doth a sixt difficulty hinder him namely that his loue was to his sonne so much the more as Abraham himselfe was just and righteous and being so could see no reason to be the Executioner of his innocent Childe but that hee gaue ouer himselfe to the Commandement and suffered GOD to dispute for him But beyond all these hee hath a further triall and combate with the promise it selfe For hee must depend vpon the promise and yet act that which is contrary to it hee must plant all hope of future comfort vpon Izhak and yet must kill him For all the graces offered by God to Abraham were included in this Warrant In Izhak shall thy seede he called so that Abraham must now offer not onely his owne hope but the hope of all the world You wil demand then How could his faith cause him to offer his sonne by contrarying that same promise vpon which it was built Saint Paul answereth saying that his faith yet relied on the promise because hee knew that God was able to raise him from the dead Hauing then to doe with God which is omnipotent hee thus reconcileth the Commandement with the Promise leauing the issue to the diuine Prouidence
whereas Izhak was required to a sacrifice to an honorable death he hanged his Sonne IESVS CHRIST on the Crosse to die for vs a death most vile and accursed Izhak was offred by his Father CHRIST was crusified by his enimies Pitties and compassions did follow Izhak to his sacrifice But CHRIST was slaine with bitter taunts and reuiling and shakings of the head He that offred Izhak would haue redeemed his life with all the good and treasures of the World they which kill the Lord of life rather then they will spare him say his bloud be vpon vs and our children And a secret place was chosen to hide Izhaks shame but the Sonne of God was put to a most cruell and reprochfull death in the face of the world If this suffice not God the Father offereth to vs yet his Sonne IESVS CHRIST to euery heart that is grieued to euery soule that is vexed He is offred to vile sinners to vnworthy receauers he is offered so truly so fully so franckely as no heart can conceaue no thought can compre hend God grant that our hearts may conceaue him and our soules receaue him Amen FINIS THE CHRISTIAN Souldier The third Sermon 2 TIM Chap. 2. Vers. 3. 4. 2 Thou therefore suffer affliction like a good souldier of Christ. 3 No man going on warfare entanglech himselfe with the things of this life WE see how Saint Paul exhorteth his Sonne Timotheus for after he had stirred vp his faith in the chapter before verse 6. and warned him what a treasure he had in his keeping verse 14. complaining how many had reuolted and turne away from the profession verse 15. Now he exhorted him to suffer affliction as a good souldier of Christ teaching him that this life is a warfare so the Scripture hath foure parts 1. the state of a Christian in the words in generall going in warfare to which we may annexe how different this warfare is from all others in the 2. place 3 what we ought to be in this warrefare the Latine translation hath laborantes laboring the originall hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer euill as a good souldier of Christ 4. what we ought not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ensnaring or intangling our selues with the busines of this present World Some considering this worlds euils with a worldly regard nakednesse pouerty troubles crosses dangers haue iudged it a prison or place of vexation others looking into the apparant good as honour riches pleasures with which the world doth not onely allure but rauish her louers haue deemed it a Paradise or place of delight But they which view it ouer with a spirituall eye and attend the danger of their soules the hazard of their country the multitude of their spirituall enemies say Militia est potius quid enim concurret horae momento aut cita mors venit aut victoria laeta It is a kinde of warring for we encounter on euery side in the moment of an houre either quick death commeth or ioyfull victory For Saint Paul which fought from his Youth vp euen to Paul the Aged counted it but a momentary fight This horae momentum is mans whole life which be it all spent in hazard of fight hath the comparison but of an eyes twinkling to the purchase of the victory and life eternall And in this moment of an houre we are all lost or saued That our life is a warfare we are taught by the Sacrament of our calling in Baptisme where we take an oath to fight against the Flesh the World and the Diuell There we remember our first presse-peny of grace and haue professed our selues souldiours of Christ to fight vnder his Banner Our Sauiour Christ chargeth the watch in his Gospell Watch and Pray that you fall not into temptation And giueth this charge not onely to the leaders and captaines of his band but to euery common souldier that which I say to you I say to all Watch. We haue our munition out of Holy Scriptures which are like Solomons Tower where hang a thousand sheildes and all the weapons of strong men The Apostle sounds the alarum Arme arme take the whole armour of God from the heads helmet to the feete We must lie open at no place for our enimie is a Serpent if he can but bite the heele he will transfuse his venime to the heart and to the head And in one side we see the faithfull in perpetuall agony striuing wrestling fighting now receauing in the buckler of their faith the dints of affliction and temptation now charging the enimy as in open fight For which cause the Apostle doth not onely encourage others to fight a good fight but desireth to be seene in the fore-front hauing the same fight which you haue seene in me And therefore summeth vp all his labours for CHRIST and his Gospel in these few words I haue fought a good fight On the other side we see so many multitudes led captiues vnder diuers lustes of whom the Deuill hath his will and hath taken them as an easie pray as Saint Paul saith at his pleasure Now enimies of the crosse of Christ. He that warreth vpon an other doth he not entend to make him tributary and make his people his seruants So doth Satan warre against CHRIST and being not able to vanquish him doth yet preuaile to draw from him such as were his sworne seruants causing them to fight vnder him for wages of damnation Lastly that we may be out of doubt that our life is a warfare our Sauiour saith the kingdom of Heauen suffreth violence the violent possesse it So that nothing is more cleere then this point we must haue warre for our country we must win it by force and violence Whether it be because the earthly man doth seeke it because from beneath he aspireth to it because he wrestleth not onely against outward enemies whether Carnall or Spirituall wickednesse but against his owne will and desire and loue and against himselfe to attaine this kingdome whether it be that the short compasse of our life draweth vs with that swiftnesse that we must reach with violence at that which with such violence is taken from vs or that the aboundance of the heauenly treasure so enflameth with desire the hearts of Gods chosen that they contemne all dangers and runne through all lets and euils to win it or lastly for that the Amalekites of this world while we are here fainting and weary in the way smite vs for that here be Caananits which must be expulsed before we can attaine the land of Promise and Sehons and Oggs Giants of monstrous stature to appale and affright vs. But say the kingdome of Heauen suffreth violence and what can we get here but by violence Seeke we then with the same violence the things in heauen with which wicked men doe seeke the things of this world Heere we can
get nothing without labour watching trouble venture fight doe but the same and see Heauen is offered how much difference in the endes and see the meanes of both are one But let vs see how our life is a warfare Arma militiae nostrae non sunt carnalia the weapons of our warfare are not carnal our enimies would esteem these as straw or stubble They would mock such a battaile They beare this armour whom we esteem poore and naked men These fights they fight whom we esteem base and cowardly our enimy the Deuil is a subtile cruel enimy he striks within he wounds the hart whom Christs champions doe vanquish with their bloud-shed and their flesh battered When God shut man for sinne out of Paradise he set the Cherubims and the blade of a Sword shaken to keepe the way of the tree of Life But now Christ is entred into Paradise and hath left the Sword sticking in their flesh which will enter into life so that good Christians must be as E. paminondas Nonsolliciti de vita sed de scuto Is my buckler safe is our Faith sure For our enemy neither the goodnesse of our cause neither the succour and help we haue from heauen can affright Our Innocency shall not shield vs from him he will strike at the elect hee will assault those whose names are written in heauen He careth not for our armour of light but will dart the fiery darts of temptation euen at the buckler of our Faith He stroke at the head hee attempted to shake the Rocke Iesus Christ will he feare the members whether then we fight with Sathan in person or with any of his cursed band Let vs see how farre different this fight is from all other fights If I fight against a man I whet my sword but when I am to deale with my spirituall enemy I must blunt my sword the reason is Against man I vse my owne weapons but heere the Diuell vseth my weapons that is the members of my flesh I must by all means make this flesh vnprofitable for my enemy So Saint Paul did dull his sword Castigo corpus meum I chastice my body Plutarch writes of a man blind and lame which in his Countries cause would aduenture to fight And being asked how hee durst said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may blunt the edge of my enemies sword We doe by deading and mortifying the members of our body blunt the sword of our enemy all care in bodily fight is pro commeatu for viands for the Campe. Our care is to haue no care for these Our Generall will haue vs goe â—…orth without a Scrippe or Wallet Wee goe not to his fight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with our breakefast as Neâ—…or in Homer but fasting and praying Our spirites â—…rength consists in our bodies weakenesse Christs â—…rmy consists of poore and lame and blinde of â—…eake and despised men to throw downe powers â—…nd principalities he vseth things which seeme to â—…aue no being to confound the things which are Secondly they which fight against men onely fight with noyse showting crying pressing forth threatâ—…ing with all whether force or slight for dolus an â—…irtus quis in hoste requirat Our warfare is in yeeldâ—…g in silence in simplicity in singlenesse of heart â—…ith sighes and groanes Mihi arma preces lachryâ—… saith Saint Ambrose My Weapons are my Prayrs and my Teares In your patience you shall possesse â—…ur soules the truth of God is our shield and buckler Thirdly in bodily conflicts the more wounds we â—…iue our enemies the sooner we maister them Not 〈◊〉 heere if thy enemy hunger feede him if he thirst â—…ue him drinke A strange fight hee that ouercomes â—…ust be the stronger But if my enemies power of â—…urting me hath ouercome my power of doing him â—…ood he hath the victory ouer me Lastly if I striue with my bodily enemy I seeke 〈◊〉 shed his bloud which till I haue done I preuayle â—…t little that heere I am counted no singular souldiâ—… till mine enemy hath shed my bloud till I beare â—…e markes of his hostilitie engrauen in my flesh For â—…r enemies are fabri sufflantes in igno Prunas the black â—…yths that blow the coales of fire which burning â—…ales of persecution doe try and refine the Crownes 〈◊〉 Martirs and make them shine more glorious Now the manner of our warfare wee shall best attend if wee consider the stratagems and machinations of our enemy like Proteus turning himselfe into all formes and shapes to doe hurt Fiet enim subito Sus horridus atraque Tigris Squamosusque Draco aut fi lva cervice Leaena Aut acrem flammae sonitum dabit atque ita vinclis Excidet aut in aquas tenues dilapsus abibit Sometimes like bristled Bore he foames then to a Tiger turnes Like scaly Dragon now he roames anone like fire burnes Or Lyons fearefull shape he shews to breake the holding bands Or changed into watry dewes will slide out of your hands When he warreth with Michael and the Angells with the Captaines and Leaders of Gods hoste hee fights in likenesse of Dragon to the Church in generall he swells like a floud which would drowne and swallow her vp assayling the weake he is like a roaring Lion if we be zealous of Gods word he will transforme himselfe into the likenesse of an Angell of Light to make the children of Darkenesse The innocent and simple he beguiles as the Serpent did Heuah saying You shall not dye When hee giues the mortall stabbe he will come like a friend and compound and make league hee will not come feasting like a good fellow and throw downe the house he will come like a Diuine with a Psalter in his hand and kill vs if he can with Scriptum est hee will come like a Prince of this world in his ruffe and stake downe haec dabo ready mony All these will I giue thee he will lurke like an Aspe vnder the lippes of our deere friends and parents If hee preuayle not so hee will spit fire out of the mouthes of our enemies Know we this for certaine it is warre whiles hostilitie lasteth whiles our destruction and ouerthrow is sought be the meanes what they may while the enemy is an enemy it is warre Thinke wee not onely Satan our enemy when hee rageth and is at open defiance when he flattereth and beguileth he is the same And the Graecians onely fight when they battered Troy not then also when they sent Sinon the fox for then they tooke the Citty So doth Sathan more hurt in his sheepes skinne than by roaring like a Lyon For as God doth seeke by all meanes to draw vs to him by alluring by threatning by good things by euills by friends by enemies so doth Sathan vse all meanes to draw vs from God Let
battell wonne whos 's first let is because that ardor pugnandi that alacrity of the minde and heate to fight which should be in a Souldier begins to cease This we see in many worldlings which beganne with a zeale and feruor of the spirit but that heate and burning of the spirit is now abated and retarded They grow colder and colder to heauenly things till at last they shrinke and fall away If they be not starke cold yet they are not hot and of such we may heare the Apostle complayne Demas hath for saken me Secondly being made rich they grow timerous For the nature of these earthly things is to beget diffidence and feares and jealousie because our worldly riches haue many suiters and many competitours which seeke by flattery and sleight to vndermine our estates and pilfer away our happinesse so many enemies not onely of rust and mothes but of a Theeues which breake through and steale so all our study and care is now deriued from heauen to guard and watch these base gatherings that we may justly complayne Our feete are set in the snare What snare In the snare of the Diuell Saint Paul telleth vs b in laqueo Diaboli So these first stole away our zeale and we beganne to faint now they haue taken away our courage and we are turned cowards And now for feare wee durst not speake the truth especially if wee should offend some great person To omit other feares wee will change our religion and profession too rather than suffer losse But say we are not brought to this triall See the rich mans feare when he comes to die I meane not his which hath riches but his which loues riches I say when he comes to the last stroke and should be ful of fortitude for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now it is come to the crowne What can wee stirre such men vp with the view speculation of heauenly things of which their hearts haue beene so long naked and dispossest Now is the time of feare the thiefe is come which begins to dig through the wall all is full of trouble and terrour When that soule which was the least part of their goods is swallowed vp of Despaire When one poore Ague shakes all the frame of the house as it would sinke all downe into hell when they await the heauy doome of the Physition as the thiefe doth the Sentence of the Iudge when that strong enemy I meane their owne fleagme and spittle hath so wofully besieged their life when groanes and stitches and burnings and shakings begin to hale and pull those fat Bulls out of their rich pastures thus doe they perish that haue renounced this warfare for the Kingdome of Heauen and wrapt and snared their soules in the loue of this present world whose condition was worse then that of Swine to whom life was giuen in stead of Salt to keepe them from stinking and now see what followes we haue lost our courage and our enemies haue found it we haue deuised to tie our selues so fast that they may take vs and carry vs whether they will take we heede then least that which is most dangerous the enemy set not vpon vs while we are sub sarcinis vnder our burthens For that I may conclude wee gather not the spoyles heere for they are not earthly things but Ioy Loue Truth Peace a of conscience and the fruits of the Spirit with the Kingdome of Heauen and life eternall of these rich booties doe our enemies robbe vs and these are gathered in Heauen Againe in this life the fight is not ended No man is crowned vnlesse he haue lawfully ariued Shall we seeke to triumph before the victory Lastly the Souldier must not take the spoyles but the Generall must distribute them which viewes the whole Armie ouer and sees who fight best in their seuerall ranckes and Stations so doe earthly Princes to them which haue deserued bestin the warres To some they giue gifts to some honour and Knighthood to some Lands to some the seate of Iudgement and so doth our Lord IESVS CHRIST looking downe from heauen on such as striue and wrestle for his name and glory to some gifts Him that ouercommeth will I cloth in white aray to some Lands and possessions Goe to thou faithfull Seruant be thou ruler ouer ten Cities to some honour he that shall doe these things and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdome of heauen Some he maketh Iudges You which haue followed me in this generation shall sit vpon twelue Seates and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell Let these giue vs to consider what our calling is we should fight for the truth but how many fight against the truth as Heretiques with what vehemency of spirits raysing vp all mans reason and force of arguments seeking with allmalice subtilty with extreame rage and cruelty the detorsion of the word of God from it's end vrging Scripture against Scripture Which abuse we seeing may iustly crie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are wounded and shot through with our owne feathers Our enemies haue said Mutemus clipeos Danaumque insignia nobis aptemus Let 's change our Bucklers while t is night And vnder Greekish Ensignes fight We should fight for God but how many fight against him Atheists Blasphemers Swearers which by their liues doe beare witnesse against God which neuer vse his trembled name but when they sweare and blaspheme as if they would spit him out of their mouthes Such we haue which open their mouthes wide against Heauen we heare them say Our tongues are ours who are Lords ouer vs We should fight against the Diuell we fight for him when we will not confesse our sinnes but iustifie them and say to the Prophets face Nay but I haue not sinned Thus doe we absolue Sathan and condemne CHRIST this makes the Ministers of God as welcome to vs as Eliah was to Ahab Hast thou found mee O mine enemy And as Michaiah was to the same Ahab he neuer prophesieth good to me but euill We should fight against the world but we stand in the worlds defence as couetous men will they suffer the least diminution of their riches nay rather perish mercy dye Almes-giuing waste zeale be forfeited all the treasures of Grace to the vttermost wracke of saluation the losse of Heauen to boote What Counsell what Law can we not finde to recouer an earthly losse But Gods laws are not cared for All our striuings buildings plowings saylings doe obey Hell and the Diuell If we could rippevp the hearts of such we should finde written in them The God of this present world We should fight against the flesh wee are for the the flesh as gluttons adulterours drunkards which in the combate betweene the flesh and the Spirit doe take the flesh her part which contrary to the rule of Saint Paul doe castigare spiritum chastise and subdue
the spirit their flesh they nourish and pamper their soules they starue and famish neyther laying hold of Gods promise which is the ground wherevpon they stand neyther caring for the word of God which is their foode neyther by Prayers and Meditations raysing vp in them the ayde and strength of faith which is the sword wherewith they must fight So daily the bodie growes stronger as if he should say Who can conquer mee and the spirit weaker crying who shall deliuer mee Lastly we should fight for brotherly loue but we trample it vnder our feete else what doe so many diuisions and schismes Doe wee feare our part is too strong and hauing escaped the sword of our enemies doe we seeke to fall by our owne But the actors of sects doe separate themselues as the onely sanctified and chosen despising all others as Publicanes and Sinners But let me aske where there is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are you not carnall You are not as this Publicane or Sinner are you not worse he is come neere to teare the flesh of IESVS which hath rent his coat But these may suffice God grant that we all which haue ourâ—… profession in CHRIST may haue our minde for CHRIST and not onely resolue to fight this fight for the Kingdome of Heauen in our seuerall stations as we are to ioyne with the honour of God the rescuing of our soules and bodies from the enemies of God but in all our states and callings whatsoeuer publikely to behaue our selues like good labouring Souldiers of Christ our Lord whether we be Counsailours or Iudges or Deligats for peace or inferiour Officers or priuate men or Pastours of the flocke or any wayes called to thinke that to all doth belong this good labour that publique peace and tranquilitie be defended the truth maintayned Religion preserued the good encouraged the wicked punished and aboue all GODS prayse and glory euer magnified Now to God the Father with the Sonne and the holy Ghost be all Power and Dominion ascribed now and for euer Amen THE CALLING OF MOSES The fourth Sermon EXOD. Chap. 3. Vers. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Verse 1. When Moses kept the sheepe of Iethro his father in law Priest of Midian and droue the flocke to the backe-side of the desart and came to the mountaine of God HOREB Verse 2. Then the Angell of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middest of a Bush and beholde the Bush burned with fire and the Bush was not consumed Verse 3. Therefore Moses said I will turne aside now and set this great sight why the Bush burns not Verse 4. And when the Lord saw that hee turned aside to see God called vnto him out of the middest of the Bush and said Moses Moses And he answered I am heere Verse 5. Then he said Come not hither put off thy shooes from thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground IF this place of Scripture had moued me to but an intent of handling the seuerall parts according to their just weight and substance I must of necessity haue giuen it ouer and layd this burthen on some other whose shoulders could haue better borne it than mine can and haue chosen some foords and shallowes of other Scriptures through which more easily I might haue waded But sithence I haue no other purpose than to gather from these branches such fruit as hangeth lowest for my reaching I hope I shall offend no reasonable Hearer The generall Scripture which hath in it the Calling of Moses sheweth vs first who called him God Verse 4. Verse 2. The Angell of the Lord secondly the place generall Verse 1. The Desart thirdly the particular place Verse 4. Out of the Bush fourthly the manner of Calling familiarly by name Moses Moses fiftly Moses his readinesse Heere am I sixtly a Prohibition Come not hither seauenthly a Commandement or Exhortation Put off thy shooes from thy feete eightly a reason it may be of both For the place where thou standest is holy ground There is no doubt but as often as God appeared to our Fathers making himselfe manifest by some signe so often hee stouped downe from the height of his Majesty and as wee may thinke went forth from himselfe to come nearer to them For that which is most vnworthy of that Diuine majestie to borrow a Body or a Face of his Creatures for a time is yet the greatest vouchsafing wherewith hee can vouchsafe vs and the possiblest meanes he hath to make vs whiles we are here in the flesh attentiue and to wonder at his greatnes The same God doth stoupe downe and bow himselfe to vs when he speaketh and calleth by his word out of the lippes and mouthes of his Prophets and Ministers and there is no difference betweene that trembled Majesty which spake to Moses miraculously and to vs ordinarily But this is the end of extraordinary calling that they haue extraordinary effects to whom God doth appeare by strange and fearefull signes and wonders in them he sheweth more wondred workes of his power Had not God called Moses who could haue perswaded a silly poore man a shepheard in the wildernesse such an one as before fled from the face of one man to oppose himselfe to a mighty kingdome to a whole Nation Had not God inspired how could one naked man with a little wand in his hand whip Pharaoh and his kingdome and smite the whole land and hauing first beaten him with haile and stormes after he had almost eaten him vp with Lice Exodus 8 17. and Caterpillers Exodus 10. 13 after hee had shaken him with thunders and scorched and blasted him with lightnings Exodus 9. 23. powre him out and his whole hoste like dregges into the Sea Now for the calling of Moses wee must consider this followed another calling of his namely his inward calling with which he was called before it was then an outward calling yet not that outward which is opposed to the inward for so many are called But a certaine deputation of a purpose which God would publish and make manifest by him whom by warrant of this calling as by Commission he would authorize to sit in his owne place and to visite Pharaohs house in regard whereof he saith I will make thee Pharaohs God So now Moses considering the highnesse of him that calleth him shall little regard how vilely men esteeme of him being assigned by him before whom not onely all earthly Kings and their kingdomes but the heauens themselues are lovve And againe Moses considering the power of him that calleth him shall now despise his owne weaknes and a thousand slow tongues And further looking into the end for which he is called to deliuer his brethren from their bondage and affliction shall comfort himselfe not onely against the hardnesse of his labour and the obstinacie of blind Pharaoh but against the bitter murmurings of his own brethren
flesh and bloud and in cases where wee haue no lawfull meanes of assistance to beare and ouercome with meekenesse and patience all bitter injuries It is a hard kinde of striuing and a stranger victory let vs prepare our selues to this First let vs consider that when we suffer injury it is not by chance or by the vnbrideled lust of our Aduersaries but of the goodwill of God permitting it so to be eyther to punish our sinnes or to encrease our Faith or to exercise our patience whereas wee are assured that our haires of our heads are numbred and we shall not loose one of them Secondly let vs interpret these sent from GODS loue For such suffered all the Saints all the Prophets and CHRIST the Sonne of GOD and all his Apostles He that hewed timber out of the wood was knowne to bring it to an excellent piece of worke So was Ioseph hewed in the Stockes and in the Prison God brought him to an excellent piece of worke to make him Lord of Aegypt so was Iesus Christ hewed and squared on the Crosse with Hammers and Nayles and Speares of this excellent worke see where hee sitteth at Gods right hand Thrones Powers Dominations Angells subjected to him Thirdly let not our eyes be onely vpon the atrocity of the injury offered But consider we how many wayes wee our selues haue offended GOD and our Neighbours for which wee may justly suffer So the Emperour Mauritius when Phocas slew most cruelly before his face his Wife and his fiue Children speaking not one word to the enemy no not in such a bitter wrong but considering his owne sinnes continued still crying till the Sword sundered his head from his body Iustus es Domine iusta iudicia tua Thou art righteous O Lord and iust are thy iudgements Fourthly let vs consider that wee our selues daily aske forgiuenesse for talent sinnes as I may call them For the least sinne wee haue committed against the Diuine Maiestie infinitely excelleth the greatest trespasse our brother can doe vs. Why then should not we forgiue our brother peny-farthing offences Put on meekenesse gentlenesse patience suffering one another forgiuing one another euen as Christ hath forgiuen you Fiftly see how Saint Paul dehorteth from reuenge Mine is vengeance I will recompence saith the Lord which being so wee doe not hurt our enemies by taking the Sword out of GODS hand which will not suffer the wicked to be vnpunished but we draw downe vengeance and deriue the course of his Iustice which he aymed at our enemies vpon our owne heads Sixtly let vs consider that it is not Reuenge but Long-suffering Meekenesse Gentlenesse which can doe vs good The meeke shall inherit the earth So Dauid when Shimei rayled on him Smite suffer him perhaps God will looke vpon mee and render me good for the euill hee hath done mee this day It is a notable Sentence of Saint Pauls Godlinesse is profitable to all things which hath the promise of this life and of the life to come For the vngodly and disobedient to this Gospell which follow their owne lusts and breake out by impatience into actions of Reuenge these are they that ruinate their Families which tease on the hatreds and wickednesses of other men to their owne destructions these waste themselues and their friends and their goods by eager strife and dissention these fall from honour and high estate when the meeke and patient besides their hope of future blessednesse with God in Heauen doe heere on earth liue in all peace and quietnesse Their names continue their houses stand their posterity encreaseth they keepe their leafe and greenenesse like the trees planted by the waters side when they see of their enemies the Roote and Stocke consumed But my seauenth and last reason which ought to moue vs against our owne impatience to meekenes and sufferance I take from Christs words to him I say What better what greater reason can we haue Doe not Princes command their subjects hard and terrible things which yet they obey as the Prince of the Moschouites and the great Duke of Litarauia will command their Nobles to ride downe from a steepe Rocke and precipitate themselues into the Sea Doe not Leaders and Generalls of Armies command the Souldiers to fight where is no possibilitie of being saued as Ioab did Vriah Doe not Maisters set their Seruants to hard taskes and enjoyne them vile and base seruices which they durst not gainesay Doe not Fathers put their Children to the Schoole where they are vnder hard Tutours and beare stripes and are restrayned of their will and libertie Behold heere the LORD of Lords the KING of Kings whose rule is ouer all whose Kingdome hath no end he which is able to restore vs a thousand fold hee which will crowne our wrongs and glorifie our sufferings hee commandeth that we suffer the euils of men with patience which of vs shall presume to lift vp his owne sinfull lust aboue the diuine commaundement Heere our Captayne and forerunner Christ sendeth vs into an hard fight but most honourable to be the first that shall beat downe sinne and rebellion in our owne hearts to captiuate our owne will to vanquish our owne reason Are we not his Souldiers is not our life a spirituall warfare fight we not all vnder his banner When we entred the Sacrament of our calling when we tooke oath against the world and the Diuell was the flesh left out Heere our Lord and Master for so we call him and so he is enioyneth vs a vile worke as may seeme but indeede it is but as Hercules to beat downe monsters as burning Wrath pale Enuy cankred Malice and by throwing out sinne to cleanse that Augias stable of our hearts Be the action what it may it as our honour to doe what our Master commandeth Abraham did so when he was enioyned to Sacrifice his only sonne An harder taske then to take a thousand blowes on the cheeks And lastly heere the father of our soules sendeth vs to Schoole to taste the rod of Discipline Let it not grieue vs to taste his fatherly correction whether he whip vs by friends or enemies by neighbours or strangers by men or diuels For we participate but of that correction of which euery child which the Father loueth doth taste which although it be grieuous for the time yet it bringeth with it most excellent fruit And thus we haue the sense of the Scripture cleared from doubt and the reasons set downe which may mooue vs to patience and obedience to what we are commanded I haue shewed also that the authority of the Magistrate contrary to that which was obiected out of diuers Authors is not onely heere no wayes impeached but rather confirmed and maintayned Now because many which seeme not to meddle with priuate reuenge doe cloake their malice vnder the lawfull vse of lawes and Magistrates let
Christi the law of Christ for tables of stone tables of flesh Writing my law in their hearts For circumcision of the flesh Circumcision of the heart in the spirit For annoynting annoynting You haue an oyntment from him that is holy For washing washing so S. Paul Such were you thieues couetous c. but you are washed but you are sanctified Wee haue for outward the inward sprinkling Let vs draw neere c. sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water For sacrifice sacrifice to offer spirituall sacrifices to God by Iesus Christ. For Altar we haue an Altar We haue an Altar whereof they haue no authoritie to eate which serue in the Tabernacle For high Priest Iesus Christ which is an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech for euer For Lambe Lambe Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Blood for blood The blood of Iesus Christ washeth away our sinnes Temple for Temple The Lambe is their Temple And for all Christ which is our law our circumcision washing sprinkling annoynting saerifice altar our high Priest our passeouer our temple the fulnesse of all in all To whom with God the Father and God the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all fulnesse of praise honour and glory now and for euer AMEN THE VVAY TO ETERNALL LIFE The seauenth Sermon 1 IOHN Cap. 17. Vers. 3. And this is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. WHen the Lawyer stood vp and tempted Christ saying Master what shall I do to inherit eternall life he was made answere him selfe out of the morall law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thy selfe And heere is set downe the vtmost bound of our actions but if any man should aske but what knowledge is required to eternall life our Sauiour himselfe answereth This is eternall life to know the Father to be the onely very God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. So here is the vtmost limit of our knowledge This Scripture then refuteth the vanity of Sciences to which men are by nature most propense and prone and for all Arts Sciences Learning Wisedome commendeth to vs one which is the Art of a Christian to know the true and liuing God These two compasse in and containe within them all Christian duty knowing and doing first we know God then wee loue him for ignotinulla cupido there can be no desire of that we know not after the Greek Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of seeing commeth louing Such as is our knowledge such is our loue If we know God but little we can loue him but a little the more we know him the more we loue him if we know him not at all we cannot at all loue him It is rooted in the nature of all things to desire that which is good and whosoeâ—…er desireth the good doth not rest his desire in any subordinate good for the desire will striue and presse forward for the soueraigne good that good to which all other goodnesse is subordinate neither can it haue rest till it haue attayned to this supreame end of all things Now albeit many desire the good apparant for the supreame good yet the desire in the false entendeth the true good as we see in the heathen people which worshipping false Gods did entend in them the worship of the true and onely God It is another principle in nature for euery thing which hath life to desire and doe all that it can to keepe it selfe from dying for if our life should perish what could the good of life profit vs for no good no not the soueraigne good could any wayes aduantage him that held by no tenure of life to enioy it Here then wee haue the supreame good made manifest to our vnderstanding which good is the true God and to a good eternall wee haue a life proportioned which is eternall that wee may neuer dye to our good nor our good to vs. You shall not then expect that I speake of this Scripture by way of diuision sithence the subiect of my Text is the true and perfect Vnion for other Sciences wee learne first by learning the parts and then the whole This Science wee haue first by being taught the whole the mysterie of the Trinity and then in it all the parts of a Christian life It is all one knowledge for all to know one life for all to seeke one God for all to beleeue in and there is but one way to come to this life which is by knowing the true and onely God I haue heard of a dangerous harbour in our Seas at whose mouth at Goodwins sands out of which the Pilot cannot make forth but hee must sinke in those sands vnlesse he so steere his Ship that he bring two steeples which stand off so euen in his sight that they may seeme to be but one Doubtlesse wee cannot make way in our faith without sinking into endlesse errour vnlesse wee beleeue God the Father and God the Sonne to be the same in substance and the onely true God But is not the holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne one substance and the same true and liuing God yes but he is our Pilot to guide vs in this way Therefore the Scripture saith They that are led by the spirit are the sonnes of God And in another place Walke in the spirit And againe If you be led by the spirit Therefore Christ himselfe saith of the spirit He shall teach you all things If all things then this truth the ground of all truth the knowledge of the Father and and the Sonne because the spirit searcheth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen the deepe things of God Neither ought wee more to doubt that the spirit is God because hee brings vs to Christ then that Christ is God because hee brings vs to the Father No man commeth to the Father but by the Sonne for then wee should likewise doubt whether the Father were God because he brings vs to Christ Euery man that hath heard and learned of my Father commeth to me And no man can come to mee except it be giuen him of my Father For this is that clarification of which our Sauiour speaketh in the first verse Father clarifie thy Sonne so doth the Sonne glorifie the Father verse 4. and the holy Ghost which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne clarifie both the Father and the Sonne that all three persons may be glorified of vs all and that nothing may be more cleare illustrious to our faith then this summe and ground of all truth The Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie is to be worshipped So hence we may ascertaine our
consciences that as the Father the Son and the holy Ghost are one God so our faith which beleeueth is one faith our knowledge which apprehendeth this mysterie is one knowledge that is with the same obtute of faith I beleeue in God the Father with the same and no other I beleeue in GOD the Sonne and God the holy Ghost And with the same light of knowledge I know one I know all three Neither doth this Vnion rest here to make our faith one and our knowledge one but to make the knowers one for which our Lord prayed That all which shall beleeue in Christ through the Gospell preached by his Apostles may be one as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father that they also may be one in vs. I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one This then we must take for certaine that in reading this Scripture we must of necessitie vnderstand God the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the Sonne as S. Augustine teacheth Ordo verborum est vt cum patre et filio consequenter spiritum sanctum intelligamus quia c The order of the words is saith hee that by consequence wee must vnderstand the holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne for the spirit is the substantiall and consubstantiall charity of both the Father and the Sonne because the Father and the Sonne are not two Gods neither are the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three Gods but the Trinitie it selfe is one God Neither is the Father the same person that the Sonne nor the Sonne the same that the Father is nor the holy Ghost the same that the Father and the Sonne whereas the Father the Sonne and the Spirit are three and this very Trinitie is one God Wee haue then by the grace of Christ in these words A Catechisme or Enchiridion for a Christian man contayning in it all the mysteries of saluation all the articles of our faith For at that very instant that wee beleeue God to be the Father maker of the world almighty the onely true and liuing God wee beleeue the incarnation of Iesus Christ we beleeue in the holy Ghost the resurrection from the dead the remission of sinnes we beleeue the holy Catholique Church the communion of Saints and whatsoeuer is written in the law and the Prophets all the contents of the Gospell This one knowledge hath all knowledge in it for as life in that instant that it is life giueth spirit motion seeing tasting feeling and desire to preserue life so as soone as we haue this knowledge wee haue with it all heauenly wisedome and vnderstanding we need not be perswaded to beleeue the Scriptures wee haue the light the feeling the tast of heauenly things and as the light of this Sunne which directeth my going in one place shineth to mee in all places in the house in the field in the Sea in the Desart and in all deepe places so the light of the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ lightneth to mee all things that were in darknesse leadeth me out of all doubts and errours and illuminateth all things that are in heauen and earth But that you mistake me not I doe not deny when we haue receiued this faith but that we haue our farther growing in Christ and encrease in godlinesse by hearing and reading the word by meditation by prayer by receiuing our daily bread and drinke of life in the Sacraments by walking by motion by exercise and labouring in our most holy faith The thing I entend is to shew that all these spring from this fountaine and moue from the power of this life For our bodily life cannot consist or continue without daily foode therefore it is naturall to life to hunger for it daily and by foode wee receiue strength and in our strength we trauaile and labour and doe the things which belong to this life This then is my purpose to shew that all heauenly gifts and powers of the spirit are of the nature of faith So the Apostle By faith we haue an entrance into this grace wherein we stand But first wee liue by faith The iust shall liue by faith By faith we feed therefore the word of God is most properly called the word of eternall life which is the word of faith which wee preach And this word must be mixed with faith and be as meat digested in the stomack of our soules The word did not profit them in whom it was not mixed with faith By this faith we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood which is the bread of life By faith wee are nourished as said Paul of Timotheus which hast beene nourished vp in the words of faith In faith we grow When your faith shall encrease In faith wee haue our strength Strong in the faith By faith wee stand Thou standest by faith By faith we walke For wee walke by faith and not by sight By faith we worke as Saint Paul saith The worke of your faith in power By faith wee resist Satan Whom resist being stedfast in faith By faith wee fight Fight the good fight of faith By faith we conquer and ouercome This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith See how S. Paul ascribeth to faith all the patience labours workes striuings assurance hope and the victories of the Saints in the whole Chapter which is the eleuenth to the Hebrewes But here the Scripture speaketh of knowledge not of faith No it cannot vnderstand this knowledge without the light of faith For our knowledge of God is the issue and birth of our faith In all earthly things knowledge maketh faith for all the wise men of this world beleeued no farther then they were led by reason but of heauenly things faith maketh the knowledge for these are aboue reason and captiue our vnderstanding Therefore Saint Paul By faith wee vnderstand c. And Saint Peter I beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD. Therefore our faith hath her perfection in this life and knowledge doth surrender to faith heere In the world to come faith shall surrender to knowledge and faith shall bee no more Wee beleeue not heere in part wee know but in part now but wee beleeue all things Then in the life to come vvee shall know all thinges as vvee are knowne Then as Saint Paul and Saint Peter ioyne faith with knowledge so doe wee heere and more then that with Christ himselfe in this Chapter the twentith verse vvee take them both for one for so hee prayeth that they vvhich beleeue in him may bee one euen all that shall beleeue by the preaching of their that is the Apostles word that they be one as hee and his Father are one Now let vs goe forward Hypocrates said truely of the Art of Physicke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉