sacraments which are mysteries and Preachers of his faith which is a deepe secret 1. Tim. 3.16 of all other the greatest and yet it is the Ministers proper office with Iohn Baptist to shew the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world They are the mouth of God in preaching to the people and againe the peoples mouth in praying to God euen mediators as it were betweene God a man as Moses said of himselfe Deut. 5. I stood betweene the Lord and you to declare vnto you the word of the Lord. This doth intimate how wee should teach and you should heare First how wee should preach If any man speake let him talke as the words of God 1. Pet. 4.11 It is a good obseruation that the Lawyer ought to begin with reason and so descend to common experience and authoritie The Physician he must begin with â—â—perience and so come to reason and authoritie but the Diuine must begin with authoritie and so proceed to reason and experience 2. This may teach you to heare our voyce not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God Christ said of the wicked Pharisies in the 23. of S. Matth. Quae dicunt facite Doe as they say but not as they doe Dicunt enim quae Dei sunt faciunt quae sua sunt They doe their owne workes but speake the Lords word And therfore so long as the Preachers deliuer the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus or doctrine which is according to his words you must entertaine them as Angels of God euen as Christ Iesus honouring their place and reuerencing their persons And this I take to be the pith of the first part In the second S. Paul teacheth how wee must not iudge first he reports then reproues their fault His report is in these words Hîc iam quaeritur c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heere among you Corinthians it is discussed and disputed who is a faithful Minister who is vnfaithfull And herein they wrong both God his word and his Ministers God to whom onely iudgement belongs in this case Some peraduenture may iudge of the Ministers eloquence many of his industrie but none of his faithfulnesse which is the chiefe thing required in a steward A man may be fruitfull and yet not faithfull an instrument to saue other and yet be condemned himself for he may preach Christ not for Christ but happely for other respects as the fornicator makes delectation his end not generation so the Preacher adulterans verbâ—m as it is in the vulgar intends not to get children in Christ vnto God but gaine or glorie to himselfe Ye know the men ye know not their minde ye see their fact not their faith onely God knowes the secrets of all hearts Secondly it is an iniurie to Gods word in hauing the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Iames 2.1 It is not any who who may either priuiledge an error or preiudice a truth if another Gospell hold him accursed although the Minister be an Angell if a truth doe as they say though the teacher be a diuell poyson in a golden cup is as hurtfull as in an earthen pot wine in a siluer bowle no better then in a woodden dish When one faith I am Pauls and another I am Apollos are ye not carnall Is not this grosse carnalitie to set vp Idols in the Church and to worship them in stead of God Thirdly this is an indignitie to the Preachers in that artles men will take vpon them to iudge of art By the lawes of the land a person occupying the craft of a Butcher may not vse the occupation of a Tanner and a Brewer may not deale in the occupation of a Cooper Quod medicorum est promittunt medici tractant fabrilia fabri None prescribe physick but such as are Doctors at least practitioners in the facultie none plead at the common barre but such as are learned in the law yet euerie one as Hierome complaines in an Epistle to Paulinus takes vpon him exact knowledge in Theologie and will teach both Clerke and Priest what they should say what they should doe So that often it fareth with Preachers as it doth alway with fish none so welcome as new come If a stranger happely come among vs albeit he be neuer so weake for his learning neuer so wicked for his liuing yet all the countrie must gad after him and neglect their owne pastors as Christ in the Gospell A Prophet is not honoured in his owne citie and in his owne house This was a soule fault in Corinth Apollos and Cephas and Paul were despised while false teachers were deified Indeed Paul writes in the third chapter of this Epistle as if some followed him and other Apollos himselfe for his plaine doctrine and Apollos for his excellent eloquence But in the sixth verse of this chapter hee saith he applied those things vnto himselfe and Apollos figuratiuely meaning that Peter and Apollos and himselfe were neglected and other vpstart seducers only regaâ—ded he did vse the names of Gods Apostles in his censure for the benefit of the Corinthians For your sake that ye might learne by vs that no man presume aboue that which is written and that one swell not against another for any mans cause So men in our daies are too partiall in hearing and censuring their Teachers as one said Auditories are like Faires the Pedler and the Balladmonger hath more coÌ„pany then the graue rich Merchant Children fooles hang vpon them who sell toyes and neglect those who haue their shops stuft with good commodities and this assuredly doth discourage many Pastors learned and profitable For euery man hath not a magnanimous spirit spernere se sperni to tell his auditorie with Paul I passe very little to be iudged of you For so this fault is reproued in the third verse The false teachers had extolled themselues and disgraced him affirming that his bodily presence was weake and his speech of no value S. Paul therfore hauing the testimonie of a good conscience resolutely tels the Corinthians I little passe to be iudged of them or you or any man Hee saith not I esteeme not at all but I little regard that is not so much respect your iudgement as that I should be discouraged in doing my dutie The witnesse of conscience is more comfortable then the vulgar breath in comparison of the one I little prise the other Or as Gorran It were a great thing to be iudged of such as are spirituall but it is a very small thing to be iudged of you who are thus carnall As Seneca Male de me loquuntur sed mali mouerer si de me Marcus Cato si Lalius sapiens si duo Scipiones ista loquerentur nunc malis displicere laudari est Either of mans iudgement Our
doore of your hearts and yet ye will not let him in In the wildernes That is in the world a desert of goodnes wherein the Preacher must fight with beasts as Paul at Ephesus in the shapes of men crying vnto rauening wolues couetous foxes roaring lions c. Here is the place where he must crie for in heauen there is no crying but all singing and in hell there is no crying to take heede of woe but howling and crying for woe while then you are in the way while it is called to day giue eare to the voice of the crier Or in the wildernes That is Ierusalem out of order as a desert or in the wildernes that is among the gentiles and desolate people strangers from the common-wealth of Israel and aliants from the couenants of promise before Christs comming but now the desolate hath moe children then the married wife The Gentiles heretofore were without an husband and the synagogue of the Iewes had God for her loue but now contrariewise the Church conuerted to the faith beares moe children vnto God then euer the synagogue did The voice of the crier shall gather and call so many sheepe to Christs fold that the wildernes shall say in her heart Who hath begotten me these children seeing I am barren and desolate Or in the wildernes Literally because that is the most fit place for the Preacher of repentance wherein there is least tumult and againe to signifie that the people should follow the Pastor not the Pastor humour the people The Preacher is the voice of a crier in the wildernes not a carpet diuine for table Gospellers in a corner I will not any further examine the place the end is all and that is to make straight the way of the Lord. The wicked walke either in circles or else in ouertwhart waies Impij ambulant in circuitu saith Dauid wearying themselues in the labyrinth of their vnruly desires or if they walke not circularlie they walke in wrie waies and by-waies opposite to the Lords way for example The vaine glorious doe all their good workes to be seene of men and so they crosse Gods way tending to another end onely the children of God walke in the straight way in a right line beginning and ending in God as euery good gift is from him so it is by them referred vnto him as his is the power so his is the praise The end of our preaching is not to make way for our selues our own preferment but for our Master and his glorie Make streight the way of the Lord as saith the Prophet Esay Wherefore leauing all other expositions I come to the Prophets interpretation as it is recorded in his 40. Chapter at the 3. and 4. verses A voice crieth in the wildernes prepare yee the way of the Lord make streight in the desert a path for our God Euery valley shall be exalted and euery mountaine and hill shall be made lowe and the crooked shall bee straight and the rough places plaine Now these things are to be construed in a spirituall sense For as Kings in their solemne progresses haue their waies leuelled and straightned against their comming into the countrie so the Preachers as harbingers and sumners of Christ ought to prepare the people that he may come vnto them as about this time he came vnto them Presumption and pride make mountaines and hils in Christs way desperation holes in Christs way vaine-glorie makes crooked the way couetous cares are briers and bushes in the way noisome lust makes foule the way wherefore the voice of the crier in the wildernes must dig downe the mountaines exalt the valleis stub vp the briers make smooth the rough rectifie y e crooked Behold saith God to the Prophet I haue set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroy and ouerthrow to builde and to plant The which text is wrested by the Papists exceedingly to proue that the Pope hath authoritie to depose Princes and dispose of their crownes at his pleasure But God expoundes himselfe in the words immediatly before I haue made thee a Prophet and put my words into thy mouth a Preacher with words in his mouth not a Magistrate with a sword in his hand and therefore their owne glossographer interprets it thus I haue appointed thee to roote vp that is to roote vp vices to beate downe heresies and to build vp vertues And Theodoret To root vp kingdoms is nothing else but to denounce Gods heauie iudgements against them As Hierome To cast them downe by the word of Almightie God Vt facias opus prophetae sarculo non sceptro opus est tibi saith Bernard That thou maist doe the worke of a Prophet thou must haue a weeding hooke not a scepter And as Gregorie notes aptly the Prophet is willed here first to roote vp and after to plant because the foundation of truth is neuer well laid except the frame of error be first subuerted at the first wee must cast downe the mountaines by the preaching of the Law then exalt the valleyes by the preaching of the Gospell Such a voice was the Prophet Nathan at the first he did cast downe the mountaine the presumptuous hypocrisie of King Dauid rebuking him for his sinnes and thundring out iudgements for the same but when he saw this huge mountaine cast down when Dauid was vnder foote deiected in spirit crying out I haue sinned against the Lord Nathan presently raiseth vp this valley saying The Lord hath taken away thy sinne This course S. Peter vsed in his first sermon in beginning whereof hee charged the Iewes with their sinnes but so soone as they were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe S. Peter presently lifteth them vp againe by preaching Christ for the remission of sinnes And well might Iohn call himselfe such a voice for all his preaching stood vpon two legs repentance and faith digging downe the mountaines by the one and raising vp the valleyes by the other The great Doctor hauing heauen for his chaire earth for his schoole the whole Bible for his text and the whole world for his audience began this method in the first sermon that euer was made Gen. 3. Adam by following his new schoolemaster the diuell waxed proud and began to grow so big as a mountaine God therfore doth first cast him downe shewing the greatnesse of his fault and then hee raiseth him vp againe by promising that the seede of the woman should bruse the Serpents head Seeing then wee haue both precept and paterne from God himselfe let vs bee followers of him as deare children pulling downe the mightie from their seates and exalting the humble and meeke To begin with the first There are two sorts of mountaines One assuming too much vnto thēselues out of their owne merit The
manifesting himselfe to the world that he was the Messias of the world As if he should argue thus If you belieue not my words yet credit me for my wonders I make the blind to see the deafe to heare the lame to goe I cure all kind of diseases euen with the least touch of my finger and least breath of my mouth I heale the leper I heare the Centurion The leper was a Iew the Centurion a Gentile the leper poore the Centurion rich the leper a man of peace the Centurion a man of warre Insinuating heereby that God is no accepter of persons but that his benefits indifferently belong to men of all nations and all fashions Iâ— Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian neither bond nor free Yet Christ did first cure the Iew then the Gentile For saluation was offered first to the Iewes he touched the Iew but cured the Gentile with his word He visited Ierusalem in his owne person but healed other nations by the Preachers of his Gospell In the leper 2. things are remarkable the Weaknesse of his body sicke and sicke of a leprosie Vertues of his mind Faith Adoration Wisdome Patience Confession In Christ also two things are to be considered his Mercy that would so readilie Might that could so easily cure this distressed Lazer Aleper All weaknesse originally proceeds from wickednesse either from some defect in our conception or disorder in our conuersation as Mephibosâ—eth had his lamenesse by falling from his nurse so euery man his sicknesse by falling from the Lord. Christ who was free from sinne was also free from sicknesse but vnto men carying about them bodies of sinne diseases are as it were a sermon from heauen wherein Almighty God accuseth of sins and shewes his wrath against sinners But the condition of a leper as we reade in the law was of all other sicke most insupportable First he must liue alone separated from the fellowship of Gods people as vnworthy to come into cleane company Secondly he did weare foure markes to be knowne by his garments torne his head bare his mouth couered and he must cry I am vncleane I am vncleane For griefe whereof assuredly some pined away being forlorne in their sorrow destitute of all good comfort and company Yet this leper indued with a liuely faith is not hopelesse howsoeuer haplesse For he comes and saith vnto the great Physitian of the world Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane though he knew that his sicknesse in the worlds eye was incurable yet he did beleeue that vnto God nothing is impossible He felt his owne misery to be great yet hoped Christs mercy was more great and therefore comes vnto him as Ludolphus aptly Non tà m passibus corporis quà m fide cordis If thou wilt thou canst A strong faith in a weake body Faith comes by hearing and the reason why this leper extraordinarily desired to heare Christ and heare of Christ was his vncleane disease so that the weaknesse of his body brought him vnto the Physitian of his soule Note then here with Paul that all things happen for the good of such as are good It was good for Dauid that he was in trouble good for Naaman that he was a leper for his vncleannesse brought him vnto the Prophet and the Prophet brought him vnto the sauing knowledge of the true God It was good for Paul that he was buffeted by Satan for otherwise peraduenture through abundance of reuelations he would haue buffeted God Of all herbes in the garden as one wittily Rew is the herbe of grace Many times our woe doth occasion our weale for as pride doth breed sores of salues so faith on the contrarie doth often make salues of sores altogether renouncing her owne merit and wholly relying vpon Christs mercie Tanto desiderantiùs ad Christum contendit quòd suam indignitatem immunditiam probè sentiret as Luther and Ferus accord in this and that so truly that as a Papist said If Bonauentura had not been a Romish saint he would haue been reputed an asse So the Protestant if Ferus had not been a Romish asse he might haue proued in the Church a renowned saint The second vertue to bee considered as a fruite of his faith is adoration a spiritual fee for a spirituall physitian as the bodily Doctor must be paied so the ghostly prayed He therefore worships Christ and that with all humblenes of Thought humblenes of Word humblenes of Deede He comes to Christ as a vassall to his Lord Domine non tanquam ad dominum titularem sed tanquam ad dominum tutelarem If thou wilt thou canst Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therefore beleeuing in his heart that Christ was the Lord willing and able to helpe confesseth it also with his mouth If it be for my good I am sure thou wilt and I beleeue thou canst attributing all to Christs might and mercie nothing to his owne either worth or woe Vttering this also with humble gesture For as S. Mark reports hee kneeled and as S. Luke he fell on his face teaching vs in prayer to fall down and kneele before the Lord our maker Hee that worships God irreuerently shewes himselfe not a Christian but a Manichee who thought God made the soule but not the bodie Thirdly note the lepers wisedome who did obserue Circumstances of Place not pressing to Christ on the mount but expecting him in the valley Circumstances of Time not interrupting Christ in his sermon or disturbing his auditory Circumstances of Person speaking in a succinct stile Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Giuing vs to vnderstand that in suing vnto men which are wise and in praying to God who is wisedome we need not vse many but pithie words See Gospel Dom. 2. quadrages The fourth vertue is his patience who was content notwithstanding his extreame miserie to stay Gods leisure and Christs pleasure First seeking the kingdome of God and then desiring that other things might be cast vpon him In y e first place giuing God glory Lord if thou wilt thou canst In the second praying for his own good Make me cleane not as I will but as thou wilt O Lord prescribing neither the time when nor place where nor manner how but referring all to Christ possessing his soule with patience The last vertue to be regarded in this leper is conâ—ession He knew the Pharisies hated and persecuted al such as confessed Christ yet he calles him Lord and worships him as a Lord and proclaimes him in the presence of much people to bee the Lord. It is well obserued that Gods omnipotent power and infinit mercies are the two wings of our deuotion whereby faith in the midst of all trouble mounts into heauen Here the leper acknowledgeth openly Christs omnipotencie for hee saith not intreate
own kind So it is with Aarons rod and with the crozier staffe if it sticke long in the common puddle it will not diuide the waters aright but become so rusty as iron so stonie as flint onely that rod is like it selfe which is aboue the waters aboue the streame aboue the people The vulgar is like tapestrie the further the fairer but the neerer you come the worse they are He that is pinned as a cognosance to the towne coate and depends vpon the common sleeue pendet magis arbore quam qui pendet ab alâ—â is as base as a signe that hangs on a painted maypole Paul then had good cause to desire that he might be deliuered from vnreasonable men and Christ here to decline troublesome troopes entring into a ship with his disciples Our Sauiour Christ could haue walked on the water as he did Mat. 14. or else drie vp the water as hee did for the children of Israel Exod. 14. but he did neither for if hee should haue vsed his omnipotent power in euery thing as God no bodie would haue beleeued him to bee man hee did therefore take this course in the whole course of his life to manifest both If hee were not God whom did Gabriel call Lord If not man whom did Mary beare in her wombe If not God whom did the wisemen worship If not man whom did Ioseph circumcise If not God who promised Paradise to the thiefe If not man who hanged on the crosse If not God who rebuked the windes and the seas If not man who slept in the ship If not God who raised the tempest If not man who went into this barke His disciples followed him A ship as Hilary notes doth fitly resemble the Church of Christ for as a ship is small in the foredecke broade in the middle little in the stearne so the Church in her beginning and infancie was verie little in her middle age flourishing but in her old age her companie shall be so small and her beleefe so weake that when the sonne of God shall come to iudge the sonnes of men he shall scarse finde any faith on earth Luk. 18.8 It is obseruable that Christ and his Disciples failed all in one ship he did enter in first and his Disciples followed Vnus mundus docet vnum esse Deum The world being but one teacheth vs that there is but one God one God that there is but one Church one Church one truth and therefore as the Church is called by Paul Columna veritatis so by Salomon Columba vnitatis Cant. 6.8 My doue is alone Noes Arke represents the Church all in the Arke were saued all out of the Arke perished All that continue with Christ in his ship are secure though the Sea make a noise and the stormes arise but hee that vtterly forsakes the ship and swims either in the cockboate of heretikes or vpon the windie bladders of his owne conceits shall neuer touch the land of the liuing As in Salomons Temple there were three roomes the porch the body the sanctum sanctorum so likewise in Christianitie we cannot enter into the holiest of holies but by the Church nor into the Church but by the porch of baptisme First there must be shipping then sailing last of all arriuing First wee must be shipt with Christ in baptisme after saile with him in the Pinnisse of the Church or else wee shall neuer anchor in the hauen of happinesse Saint Mattheâ— doth vse the word follow signanter insinuating that all Christs disciples ought to follow him as himselfe saith If any will be my disciple let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Some in their high towring thoughts and immoderate zeale run before Christ as Iames and Iohn other goe cheeke by iole with him as Pelagians and all such as mingle their merit with Christs mercy making him but halfe a mediator mediatum dimidiatum mediatorem Other follow Christ but a far off as Peter Matth. 26.58 Other follow Christ neere but not for Christ not for loue but for loaues as the people Iohn 6.26 Few follow him in a troublesome sea as the disciples here The people followed him in the plaine not vp to the mountaine nor into the sea but Christ leauing the multitude would haue his company tossed in the waues of affliction lest they should be puffed vp with presumption and pride Apollonius writes of certaine people that could see nothing in the day but all in the night In like maner manie men are so blinded with the sunshine of prosperity that they see nothing belonging vnto their good but in the winter night of misery schola crucis schola lucis no such schoolehouse as the crosse house The Palsiman lying in his bed desired to be brought vnto Christ. Ptolomaeus Philodelphus being so sickly that hee could not follow worldly delights as he was wont gaue himselfe to reading and builded that his renowned Library The disciples here seeing the wonders of the deepe and dangers of the sea were humbled in feare and raised vp in faith And behold there arose a great tempest Vntill Christ was in the ship there was no storme While men haue pillowes sowed vnder their elbowes all is peace but so soone as Christ rebukes the world of sinne the wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp dirt and mire Iohn Baptist raised such a storme by preaching against Herod that it cost him his head When Paul preached at Athens Corinth Ephesus c. there followed alway tumults and vprores among the people When Luther first preached the Gospell instantly there was great thundering froÌ„ Rome a great tempest in Germany France England Scotland and in the whole Christian world which all the Popes Buls and calues too could not appease This storme was not by chance but raised by Gods prouidence who brings the winds out of his treasures Psal. 135.7 and the tempest was great that the miracle might be great the greater the tempest the greater was the triall of the disciples faith In so much that the ship was couered with waues The Church is often in danger but it cannot be drowned hell gates cannot ouercome it Robur fidei concussum non excussum Albeit Satan goe about daily like a roaâ—ing lion seeking whom he may deuoure yet there shall be some still whom he shall not deuoure He was asleepe He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep He did sleep as man but watch as God I sleep but mine heart waketh He seemes onely to sleep that we might wake Nobis dormit Iesus nobis surgit à somnô Christus videtur non attendere patientiam bonorum poenitentiam impiorum expectans He doth as it were neglect vs for a time for the greater manifestation of his power and our patience His
and haue not charitie I am nothing gather two conclusions against vs the first is thâ—t true faith may bee without loue the second that faith alone without good workes is nothing worth in the businesse of our iustification To the first answere is made that the speech of Paul is not a categoricall proposition but an hypotheticall supposition if it were possible that all faith should be without good workes it were nothing Secondly Paul here speakes not of a iustifying saith of that faith of beleeuers which is common and generall but of the speciall gift of faith to worke miracles of which our Sauiour in the Gospell If yee had faith aâ— much as a graine of mustard seâ—de and should say vnto this mulbery tree Pluck thy selfe vp by the rootes and plant thâ— selfe in the sea it should euen obey you This hee said vnto the beleeuing Apostles and therefore cannot bee construed of a sauing faith but of a miraculous faith and so S. Ambrose notes vpon this text to doe wonders and to cast out diuels by faith is nothing worth except a man be an earnest follower of good conuersation Our Diuines acknowledge that euery kind of faith is not ioyned with loue for there is a dead â—aith and there is a liuely whereby Christ liueth in vs we in Christ. There is a faith of diuâ—ls and a faith of Gods elect There is a faith whereby the beleeuer shal neuer perish and there is a faith whereby some beleeue for a time and in the day of temptation fall away There is a faith which the world destroyeth and a faith which is our victorie by which a Christian ouercomes the world There is a faith whereby wee beleeue there is a God and there is a faith whereby we beleeue in God according to these differences of faith in Scripture there is a faith without workes and there is a faith which worketh by loue We say then of the faith of Gods elect whereby we beleeue in God to which the promise of iustification and eternall saluation is made that is a faith which cannot be separated from charity but wheresoeuer it is there is loue ioyned with it bringing forth the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God Inseparabilis est bona vita à sidâ— qua per dâ—â—e iionem operatur imò verò ea iâ—sâ— est bona vâ—â—â— saith Aâ—gustine according to that of Irenaeus to beleeue is to doe as God will and therfore Beza translates here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not omnem fidem but toâ—â—m â—idem implying not all kinde of faith but all faith of this kinde to worke miracles as if Paul should argue thus If a man could worke neuer so many miracles and faile in his morals he should be nequâ—m nequam is nequiâ—quam as our Apostle speakes a nothing The second conclusion gathered out of these words against vs is that faith alone without charitie nothing auaileth to iustification Our answere is that albeit faith is not solitaria yet in our iustification it is sâ—la euen as the eye in regard of being is neuer alone from the head yet in respect of seeing it is alone for it is the eye onely that doth see So saith subsists not without other graces of God as hope loue c. yet in regard of the act of iustification it is alone without them all For the further opening of this hard point you must vnderstand that separating of things one from another is either real in the subiect or mental in the vnderstanding real separation of faith and charitie wee wholly denie For Bellarmine confesseth expressely that Luthâ—r Melanâ—thon Chemnitius Caluin and other learned Protestants haue taught that good workes in sâ—me sort be necessarie to saluation and that there is no true â—aith vnlesse it bring forth good workes and be conioyned with charitie Separation mental in vnderstanding and consideration is either negatiue or priuatiue Negatiue when in the vnderstanding there is an affirming of one and denying of another Priuatiue when of things that cannot be separated indeed yet a man vnderstands the one and omitteth to vnderstand the other As for example though light and heate cannot be sepaâ—ated in the fire yet a man may consider the light and not the heate so then in our iustification wee doe not negatiuely separate other graces from faith as if faith existed alone without hope and loue but priuatiuely making them effects and consequents not concurâ—ing causes of our iustification Our assertion is faith considered without hope and charitie that is hope and charitie not considered with it doth iustifie Christ Iesus is our husband and we are his spouse now the Bridegroome must bee â—lone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and the familie being put apart afterward when the doore is opened and he commeth foorth into the waiting roome then let all the seruants and handmaids attend then let hope doe her office let loue doe the duties of loue then as S. Peter exhorts ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. The Papists obiect that loue is the life of faith All faiths actiuitie proceedes only from charitie and without which our â—aith is dead So the Scripture plainly that in Christ neither is circumcision any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Cardinall Bellarmine reades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passiuely wrought by loue disagreeing herein from all the Fathers and that which becomes him worse from the vulgar Latine to which all Papists are tied by the Councell of Trent as also from the Rhemish translation in Enlish which hath as our Testament worâ—eth actiuely for they foresaw this absurditie that if they should haue translated faith wrought by loue then it would haue followed that loue must needs be before faith whereas all of them acknowledge faith to be before loue according to that of Augustine Faith is giuen first by which wee obtaine the rest and Altissiodorensis in his golden Summe saith that faith hope and charitie are a created trinitie resembling the three diuine persons vncreat For the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceeds from both so stedfast hope is bred of faith and loue doth issue from them both And Bellarmine cites often in his workes out of Augustine Domus Deicredendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur The foundation of Gods house in our soules is faith the walles hope the roofe charitie The Prophet in a vision saw the transgressor against the transgressor and the destroyer against the desâ—royer So the schoolmen oppose the schoolmen and their Champion Bellarmine fights against Bellarmine For if faith be the foundation of all other vertues as himselfe writes lib. 1. de Rom. pont cap. 10. then it is not as hee
together immoderate diet begets chambering chambering wantonnes wantonnes strife strife enuying thus sinne doth first couple then increase This text ought to be regarded of vs the more because it was the very place to which Augustine that renowned Doctour by a voyce from heauen was directed at his first conuersion as himselfe witnesseth Lib. 8. confess cap. 12. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ. As we must put off the old man so put on the new man and that is done two waies either by putting on his merits or by putting on his maners Our Sauiour Christ in his life but in his death especially wrought for vs a garment of saluation and a long white robe of righteousnes now the spirituall hand of faith must apprehend and fit this wedding apparell on vs in such sort that all our vnrighteousnes may be forgiuen and all our sinne couered Secondly we must put on the maners and excellent vertues of Christ in whom was no worke of darknes but all armour of light so the phrase is vsed Iob 29.14 I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a robe and a crowne This apparell is the true Perpetuan neuer the worse but the better for wearing The Gospel MATTH 21.1 And when they drew nigh vnto Hierusalem c. CHrist is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and ending wherefore the Church allotting a seuerall scripture for euery seueral Sunday thoroughout the whole yeare begins and ends with the comming of Christ for the conclusion of the last Gospell appointed for the last Sunday is Of a truth this is the same Prophet that should come into the world and the first sentence in the first Gospell for the first Sunday Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Wherein the Church imitated the method of Gods owne Spirit for as the first prophesie mentioâ—ed in the old Testament is The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head and the first historie deliuered in the new Testament is The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ so the first Gospell on the first Dominical according to the Churches account is Aduentual a scripture describing Christ and his kingdome fitting the text vnto the time teaching vs hereby two things especially first what maner of person the Messias is who doth come secondly what maner of persons we should be now he is come In the former part obserue two points a Preface All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophet verse 4. Prophesie taken out of Zacha. 9.9 Tell the daughter of Sion c. All this was done that it might be fulfilled An vsuall phrase with our Euangelist as cap. 1.22 cap. 8.17 cap. 27. 35. It doth insinuate the sweet harmonie betweene the Prophets and Apostles as Numenius said Plato was nothing els but Moyses translated out of Hebrew into Greeke and Ascham that Virgil is nothing els but Homer turned out of Greeke into Latine and as the Nouelists affirme that our Communion Booke is nothing els but the Romane Missall and Portuis thrust out of Latine into English and as Diuines haue censured Cyprian to be nothing els but Tertullian in a more familiar and elegant stile so the new Testament is nothing els as it were but an exposition of the old That difference which Zeno put betweene Logicke and Rhetorick Diuines vsually make betweene the Law and the Gospell the Law like the fist shut the Gospell like the hand open Euangelium reuelata Lex Lex occultum Euangelium The Gospell a reuealed Law the Law a hidden Gospell This harmonicall concent may serue to confound our aduersaries and to comfort our selues It doth abundantly confute obstinate Iewes who expect another Messias to come conceiting as yet all things not to be done in the Gospell which was said of him in the Law so that whereas the great question of the world is Who is that Christ and the great question of the Church Who is that Antichrist the Iewish Rabbins are ignorant in both Secondly this harmonie conuinceth all suâ—h Hereticks as hold two sundry disagreeing Gods to be the authors of the two Testaments one of the Law another of the Gospell It affordeth also comfort first in generall it may perswade the conscience that the Bible is the booke of God For if Prolomee was astonished at the 72. Interpreters because being placed in sundry roomes and neuâ—r conferring nor seeing one another did notwithstandiâ—g write the same not only for sense of matter but in sound of words vpon the selfe-same text as Iustin Martyr and Augustine report then how should we be moued with the most admirable diuine concoâ—dance betweene the Prophets and Apostles who writing the word of God in diuers places at diuers times vpon diuers occasions do notwithstanding agree so generally that they seeme not diuers pen-men but rather inâ—â—â—ed only diuers pens of one and the same writer In more particular it may strengthen our faith in the gracious promises of Almighty God he speakes the word and it is done commands and it is effected Heauen and earth shall passe but not one iot of his word shal perish he promised by Zachary that the Messias of the world should come and he tels vs here by Matâ—hew that he is come All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Thus much of the Prâ—face generally now to fist the words seuerally Thaâ— is taken here non causaliter sed consecutiuè not for an efficient cause but rather for a consequence and euent Christ did not thus â—ide into Hierusalem because Zachary foretold it but Zachary foretold it because Christ would thus ride Christ being the complement of the Prophets and end of the Law yet the word That insinuates as Chrysostome notes the finall cause why Christ did thus ride namely to certifie the Iewes how that himselfe only was that King of whom their prophet Zachâ—ry did thus speake that none but he was the King of the Iewes and Messias of the world Fulfilled A prophesie may be said to be fulfilled foure wayes especially 1. When the selfe-same thing comes to passe which was literally deliuered in the prophesie So S. Math. cap. 1.22 saith Esayes prophesie Behold a Virgin shall conceiue c. was fulfilled in Mary who brought forth a Sonne c. 2. When the thing allegorically signified is fulfilled as Exod. 12 46. it is said of the Paschall Lambe Yee shall not breake a bone thereof yet S. Iohn cap. 19.36 affirmes this to be fulfilled in Christ The souldiers brake not his legs that the scripture should be fulfilled Not a bone of him shall be broken 3. When as neither the thing literally nor allegorically ment but some other like is done so Christ Math. 15. tels the peâ—â—le in his time that the words of Esay This people draweth neere vnto
on vs his Sonne Fitly when the time was full come Freely for hee was not bought or stolne but sent Gift Christ described heere by his Diuinitie his Sonne Humanity made of a woman Humility bond to the law Effect vers 5. to redeeme them which were bound vnto the law c. The heire as long as he is a child This comparison is taken out of the Roman law by which it is ordained that a pupill albeit he be Lord of all his fathers inheritance should be kept vnder tutors and gouernours vntill hee come to full age to wit vnder tutors till fourteene yeeres vnder Curators vntill fiue and twenty Tutores dantur impubâ—ribus Curatores puberibus Tutors are guardians of the pupils person principally so called Quasituitores atque defensores but Curators are factors especially for his goods and estate Now the Ward during the time of his minority suffers much bondage differing saith Paul nothing from a seruant nothing in respect of any present possession or actuall administration of his owne estate but very much in respect of his right and proprietie being dominus habitu non vsu as hauing free hold in law though as yet not free hold in deede and so the Ward doeth differ from the slaue who was in old time no person in law but a meere chattell and as it were of the nature of cattell It was in Pauls age then a great slauery to be a pupill And Bishop Latuner complained of late that there was not a schoole for the Wards so well as a Court a schoole for their learning so well as a Court for their lands It should seeme Gardians in his daies vsed young Noble men not as Lords but as seruants as Paul here c. In like manner when wee were little children in our nonage we were heires hauing the promise of an eternall inheritance to come which should be giuen vnto vs by the seed of Abraham that is to say by Christ in whom all nations should be blessed but because the fulnesse of time was not yet come Moses our tutor and gouernor held vs in bondage The law doth threaten accuse condemne so long as we be children in vnderstanding dwarfes in faith ignorant of Christ. Saint Paul cals the law rudiments of the world not onely because it is our first schoolemaster and A B C to Christ but because it leaues a man in the world and prepares not a way for him to heauen I kill not I steale not I commit not adultery this outward honest conuersation is not the kingdome of Christ but the righteousnes of the world The law when it is in his principall vse cannot iustifie but accuse terrifie condemne Now these are things of the world which because it is the kingdome of the diuell is nothing else but a puddle of sinne death hell and of all euill and so the whole law especially the ceremoniall are beggerly rudiments of the world I speake not this to disgrace the law neither doth Paul so meane for it is holy righteous spirituall diuine but because Paul is in the matter of iustification it is as Luther obserues exceeding necessary that he should speake of the law as of a very contemptible thing Wherefore when Satan assaults thee with the terrors of the law banish that stutting and stammering Moses far from thee let him vtterly be suspected as an heretike or as an excommunicate person worse then the Pope worse then the diuell himselfe quoth Luther buâ— out of the matter of iustification and conflict of conscience reuerence Moses as a great Prophet as a man of God euen as God In the ciuill life Moses and Christ agree for our Sauiour said he came not to destroy but to fulfill the law but in the spirituall life the one cannot abide the other for no man is iustified by the la but the iust shall â—â—ue by faith And therefore when Christ is presenâ— the law must depart out of the conscience and leaue the bed which is so strait that it cannot hold two to Christ alone Let him onely raigne in righteousnesse in peace ioy life that the soule may sleepe and repose it selfe in the multitude of his mercies sweetly without any terror of the law sinne death hell And thus you see the law tyranniseth ouer our consciences as the cruell tutor doth ouer his vnfortunate Ward till God in fulnesse of time giueth vs freedome by Christ. When the time was full come Not by fatall necessitie but by Gods appointment For there is a time for all things and Almighty God doth all things in his due time he created and redeemed vs in his due time preserueth iustifieth sanctifieth in his due time and he will also glorifie vs in his due time Now the comming of Christ in the flesh is called the fulnesse of time for many respects as 1. For the fulnesse of grace receiued by his comming 2. Because Christ is the fulfilling of the promises of God as being in him yea and amen 3. Because the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled in him 4. Because the times from Christ are the ends of the world and it was fit hee should come so late when the time was full for two reasons especially 1. Because Christ is a Lord yea the Lord and therefore most meete there should be great preparation and long expectation of so puissant a person 2. Because Christ is the grand Physition of the world and therefore very requisite al sinners his patients should throughly feele their sicknesse and misery before hee came to visit and redeeme them vt conuincerentur homines de morbo vt quantum ad defectum scientiae in lege naturae quantum ad defectum virtutis in lege scripta His Sonne God is father of All men and all things by creation generally His elect by adoption specially Christ by nature singularly See before the Creed Art His onely Sonne Made of a woman In expounding this clause we must take heed of sundry wicked heresies on the left hand and on the right On the left first of Paulus Samosatenus and Fotinus affirming that Christ had his being and beginning from his mother Mary whereas the Scripture teacheth plainly that Christ was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh not according to his person for that is eternall In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God Againe we must take heed of Ebion holding that Christ was not conceiued of the holy Ghost but begot of Ioseph and the reason of his madnesse is taken hence because Mary is called a woman not a virgin Our answere is that a woman in scripture doth not alway signifie the maried or one that hath knowne a man but sometime it doth onely denotate the sex as Gen. 3.12 The woman which thou gauest
Apostles are all teachers are all workers of miracles haue all the gift of healing doe all speake with tongues doe all interpret It is God who worketh all in all communicating indifferently spirituall life to all his members insomuch as the least is a member of his bodie so well as the greatest In this respect all parts are peeres Albeit I say there be diuers gifts and diuers measures of gifts and so by consequence for fashion and function an imparity yet because they be donatiues grants and graces as it is said here the mighty may not scorne the meane nor the meane enuie the mighty no part must be pâ—rt For â—hat hast thou that thou hast not receiued He that appointed thee mouth or eye might haue made thee foote or hand Againe no member ought to mutter against head or fellow for the mysticall body of Christ is all faâ—re Tota pulchra es amica mea now beauty consists in variety of colours and in a concinne disposition of sundry different parts If all the whole body were an eye where were the hearing If the whole were hearing where were the smelling But God hath in a most sweete order disposed the members euery one of them in the body first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers then workers of miracles after that the gifts of healing helpers gouernours diuersities of tongues Hee then that affects in the Church an hotchpotch paritie martyrs and marres Christs body which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a body fitly knit together by euery ioynt Ephesians 4.16 Thirdly there is a sympathie betweene the members of the naturall bodie for if one suffer all suffer with it if one member be had in honour all the members reioyce with it So Paul in this scripture Be merie with them that be merie weepe with them that weepe Paine is often lessened by pitie passion is relieued in one by compassion of many Minus fit quod patitur vnum membrum si compatiantur alia membra nec ipsa mali releuatio fit per communionem cladis sed per solatium charitatis vt quamuis alij ferendo patiuntur alij cognoscendo compatiuntur Communis fit tamen tribulatio quibus probatio spes dilectio spiritusque communis est He that hath not this fellow feeling may suspect worthily that hee is not a liuely member of Christ for his bodie is coupled and knit together throughout euery ioynt wherewith one ministreth to another If then we doe not beare one anothers burthen and feele one another miserie wee are not knit together by the sinewes of loue and if not knit to the bodie no part of the bodie Fourthly there is no dead or idle member in the body but euery one helpes another and is seruiceable for the good of the whole the eye doth direct the head and the hand guard the eye the nose smels for all tongue speaks for all hand workes for all The eye cannot say to the hand I haue no need of thee nor the hand againe to the feet I haue no need of you but euery part seekes anothers and not his owne good In like sort the wise Counseller must see for all the tall Souldiers fight for all the iudicious Clerke write for all as Occam said vnto the Emperour Lewis If you will defend me with your sword I will defend you with my pen. Seeing wee haue diuers gifts according to the grace giuen vnto vs if a man haue the gift of prophecie let him haue it c. The duties here mentioned are partly Publike If a man haue the gift of prophecie c. Priuate If a man shew mercie let him do it with cheerfulnes The publike coÌ„cerne things Spiritual for Doctrine Theoricall as prophecying and teaching Practicall as exhortation Discipline let hâ—m that ruleth doe it with diligence Temporall if any man giue let him doe it with singlenes If any man haue the gift of prophecie let him haue it agreeing to the faith A Prophet in old time foretold things to come but vnder the Gospell a Prophet is hee that interprets the Prophets he that shewes Christ is come spoken of by y e mouth of al his holy Prophets euer since the world began A Preacher is a Prophet as the word is vsed 1. Cor. 14.1 and 1. Cor. 13. we know in part we prophecie in part A Preacher then must teach agreeing to the faith that is according to the Scripture which is a rule of faith or according to the Creede which is an abridgement of that rule for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laide Christ Iesus He that will edifie Gods house must build vpon Christ and square al his doctrines according to the rule of truth If any man speake let him talke as the words of God It is not said here that a Prophet ought to vse no booke but the Bible no Commentarie but the Creede for that is too spirituall as Mâ—rlorate notes He that will preach agreeing to the Scripture must reade the best expositors of the Scripture for as Bernard said all bookes are written for the bettering of the conscience which is the booke of the soule so wee must examine all bookes especially treatises of Diuinitie for the better vnderstanding of this one booke which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Booke Neither is it said here that the Prophet in the pulpit must speake nothing beside plaine text but only that hee must exercise his gift according to faiths analogie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching the wholesome words of Christ and consenting to the doctrine which is agreeable to godlinesse for whatsoeuer is deduced out of Gods booke by necessarie consequence must be receiued as his word let him that hath the gift of prophecie haue it agreeing to the faith Or as other interpret to beget and confirme faith in vs euermore For if a Prophet rise among you saying Let vs goe after other gods and serue them c. thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of the Prophet Deut. 13.1 The true Prophet is he Cuius in ore vâ—rbum vitae cuiâ—s in more vita verbi Or as Melanct. and most of the most ancient fathers according to the proportion of faith and grace giuen As if hee should say Whosoeuer is called by the Church lawfully to preach the Word let him abide therein according to the measure of his gift for God hath giuen to some more to some lesse and often blesseth him that hath lesse more then him that hath more Let euery man therfore exercise his talent with faith and diligence to the best edification of Gods people comitted to his charge so likewise let him that hath an office â—aite on his office let him that teacheth take heed to his doctrine let him that exhorteth giue attendance to his exhortation according to the proportion of grace Let not any suffer his talents to rust but
What peace whilâ— the whordomes of thy mother Iesabel and her witchcrafts are yet in great number What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse what communion hath light with darknesse what concord hath Christ with Belial As Ismael that was borne after the flesh persecuted Isaac that was borne after the spirit euen so it is now saith Paul Galat. 4.29 The Dragon and his armie will fight against Michael and his Angels It is then an idle phantasie to dreame of an vnity with the Papists of an vniformity with the Schismatikes for so long as the one is an enemy to truth and the other an enemy to peace so long as both are set on mischiefe combined in faction howsoeuer different in faith I must tell you from Esay and Esay from the Lord There is no peace to the wicked Paex nostra bellum contra Satanam saith Tertullian our peace is a continuall warfare against Satan and his complices As Christ so the Church must suffer and ouercome in medio inimicorum in the midst of all our enemies Psal. 110.2 The builder of Gods house must haue a trowell in one hand and a sword in another Nehe. 4.17 And here let not the carnall Gospeller hold himselfe exempted in being of no side for pax as the schoole speaks is tranquillâ—tas ordinata Goodnesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where there is no order there can be no peace but a Babell of confusion howsoeuer worldlings account the drunkard a good fellow the fornicator a kind man the flatterer a louing soule yet the truth is there is no peace in things that are wicked and therefore no peace with men that are wicked And as they can haue no peace with the godly so but little agreement among themselues Ephraim is against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim and both against Iuda The Pharises against the Sadduces the Sadduces against the Pharises both against Christ. The Pelagians against the Manichees and the Manichees against the Pelagians both against the Catholikes The Pope against the Turke the Turke against the Pope and both against the truth All the vices are iarring in extremity couetousnesse fighting against prodigalitie basenesse against pride rashnesse against dastardy nay many times Egyptians are set against Egyptians and birds of a fether doe not alway flie together for the transgressor is against the transgressor and the destroier against the destroier a drunkard will stab a drunkard a theefe rob a theefe a traitor proue false to a traitor proditoris proditor one wicked wretch is executioner of another They be so far from the peace betweene man and man as that they want the loue which is betweene beast and beast for if one sheep be faint the rest will stand between it and the Sunne till it be comforted if one hog hunted the whole heard will muster together to reuenge it Of Bees it is reported aegrotante vnâ lamentantur omnes if one sicke all sory yea some beasts are more kind to man then mankind In humane story we reade of gratefull Lions of kind Eagles of trusty dogs qui mori pro dominis commori cum dominis parati saith Ambrose in his Hexameron In holy Bible we finde that Eliah was fed by rauens and Daniel not hurt among hungry lions O detestandam humanae malitiae crudelitatem aues pascunt ferae parcunt homines saeuiunt O hatefull cruelty the birds feed the beasts fauour but one man is a woolfe yea a diuell to another In this the wicked resemble God that they neither slumber nor sleep but like the diuell in that they watch as the theefe to spoile and destroy seeking whom they may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 For to render good for euill is the part of a Saint to render good for good the part of a man to render euill for euill the part of a beast but to render euill for good onely the part of a diuell And yet such is the fashion of the wicked imagining mischiefe in their hearts and stirring vp strife all the day long Their throat is an open sepulcher the poison of Asps is vnder their lips Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift to shed blood their teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword More sharpe quoth Bernard then the speare which pierced our Sauiours sweet side For this doth not only wound Christs mysticall body but also dismember it in the Common-weale making so many factions as there are functions in the Church so many Creeds as heads as the same Father sweetly Non iam exanime fodit sed facit exanime fodiendo Longius thrust thorow a body that was dead but the wicked a body that is quicke Destruction and vnhappinesse is in all their waies and the way of peace haue they not knowne in their bed appointed for rest they plot how to be turbulent as the Prophet speakes they trauell with mischiefe and bring forth vngodlinesse In a word these are the troublers of Israel thornes in our eies pricks in our sides bellowes brands of sedition hating the good not louing the bad crossing themselues at war with all There is no peace to the wicked saith my God The second kind of peace is betweene God and man our reconciliation to God by the mediation of Christ who is our peace So the glosse interlinâ—al and other expositors generally there is no peace that is no Christ to the wicked The scripture tels vs how that we were the sonnes of wrath enemies of God fire brands of hell aliants from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise But Christ God and man and therefore most fit to be the Mediator betweene the mortall sinner and immortall Iudge dying for our sinnes and rising againe for our iustification is peace to them that are far off and peace to them that are neere saith the Lord in this Chapter That is as the Fathers expound it peace to the Gentiles a far off and peace to the Iewes that are neere This one blessed Peacemaker hath made attonement for both and appeareth in the sight of God daily to plead our pardon as a faithfull intercessor and aduocate in whom onely God is well pleased and without whom God is no hearing God no helping God no sauing God no louing God to vs at all And without faith the Gospell is no Gospell the sacraments are no sacraments Christ is no Christ. Faith is Iohn the Baptist shewing the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world yea Saint Thomas first handling then applying the wounds of Christ euen the spirituall hand that puts on Christs robe of righteousnesse The wicked then hauing no true faith haue no true Christ and hauing no true Christ they can haue no true peace with God the grace of our Lord in redeeming the
man could number of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands The number of Angels is infinite Thinkest thou said Christ to Peter in the 26 of S. Matthâ—w that I cannot now pray to my father and he will giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels A legion is 3000. footmen and 300. horsemen or as Caluin vpon the place 5000. foote 500. horsemen as Vegetius 6000. in all and â—uery particular Angell able in one night to kill as is recorded in the storie of Sennâ—cherib one hundred eightie and fiue thousand The number of starres in the skie of fowles in the aire of fish in the sea of beasts in the field of diuels in hell are without number How infinitely infinite then is the number of all his enemies in what a fâ—arefull â—state doth hee stand when as God and man Angels and Diuels saints and sinners heauen and earth fish and fowle beasts and birds other and himselfe in a word all that is within him all that is without him all that is about him combine themselues together to maintaine Gods holy warre against him I know there are degrees of sinners as there are degrees in sinne some be fautores some actores a third sort authores Of the first Seneca wittily Nihil interest faâ—eas ne sceleri an illud facias It is in a manner all one to commit and commend a villanie Non caret scrupulo occultae societatis qui manifesto discrimini non occurrit saith Gregorie He is suspected to be an abetter of euill who doth not endeuour to better the euill A commoner then that flattereth a Commander that fauoureth vngodly wretches in a citie le ts in so many strong foes to cut your throtes and ruine your estate Yet actors on the stage be worse then idle spâ—ctators for howsoeuer sinne be commendable because common as Sâ—luiâ—nus complained in his time In hâ—c scelus res deuoluta vt nisi quis malus fuerit saluus esse non possit In plaine English except a man be first bad he cannot be reputed a good fellow Yet horrible blasphemers incorrigible drunkards shamelesse whoremongers makebate pettifoggers malcontent accusants on the one side recusants on the other are the very men and meanes which bring and keepe the dearth and plague so long among you But authors of euill and plotters of mischiefe are worst of all as it appeares euen by Gods owne censure giuen of the first sinne in Paradise where the serpâ—nt had three punishments inflicted vpon him as the originall contriuer the woman two being the mediate procurer and Adam but one as the partie seduced Applie for I can no further amplifie When Phocas had built a mightie wall about his palace for his securitie in the night he heard a voice O King though thou build as high as the clouds yet the citie might easily be taken the sinne within will marre all as see Ambrose notably Grauiores sunt iniâ—â—ci mores praui quam hostes inâ—esti Wicked manners are stronger then armed men If God be with vs who can bee against vs if we stand against God who can withstand him And as God is ablâ— because God so willing to maintaine this warre because my God that is the God of his people whom the wicked persecute for his Grant is faire in letters patent to Abraham and his seed for euer I will blesse them that bleâ—â—e thee and curse them that curse thee Or my God that is the God by whom I speake who dealeth alway with his seruants according to his word The gods of the Gentiles are lying gods and dying gods but my God is the truth and the life who can neither deceiue nor be deceiued Or my God because wee must not only beleeue the Maior of the Gospell but the Minor also saying with Thomas my Lord with Mary my Sauiour with Esay my God If we can gaine this assumption it will bring vs to the most happie conclusion enioying peace of conscience which is an heauen on earth peace of glory which is heauen in heauen Vnto which hee bring vs that hath made peace for vs euen Christ Iesus the righteous to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost as we are bound so let vs heartily yeeld all honour c. Amen The Epistle COLOS. 3.12 Put vpon you as the elect of God tender mercy c. THis Epistle consists of two parts In the first Saint Paul exhorts the Colossians vnto many speciall vertues as tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering c. In the second because it is infinit to insist in euery particular he drawes them and all other duties vnto two generall admonitions in grosse whereof the 1. concernes our theory Let the word of Christ dâ—ell in you plenteously c. 2. our practise whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord c. Put vpon you Christ had two sorts of garments as we read in the Gospell one without seame not diuided at his death and that was a figure of faith which maugre the rents of all heretikes and schismatikes in the Church is but one Another with seames parted among the souldiers and that was a type of loue which seekes not her owne but communicates it selfe to many So the Christian must haue two coates one of faith indiuisible by which he puts on Christ another of loue parted among many by which one Christian puts on another reioicing with them that reioice weeping with them that weep Vpon the point these two coates are but one faith being inside and loue outside faith in respect of God and loue toward the world This Epistle speakes of the outside put on tender mercy quoad affectum kindnesse quoad effectum meeknesse bene vtendo prosperis long suffering bene se habendo in aduersis c. These vertues are both ornamenta and munimenta clothes and corslets Ephes. 6.11 Put on the whole armour of God that yee may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell Seeing we must euery day sight and euery day be seene let vs as well for armour as honour put on tenâ—er mercy kindnesse c. that we may walke vprightly and confidently See epist. dom 21. post Trinit How loue is said to be the bond of perfectnesse and chiefe vertue See epist. dom quinquages As the elect of God Saint Paul builds all these good exhortations vpon one argument drawne ab honesâ—o seâ— debito you are the elect of God holy and beloued chosen and beloued of God before the world through baptisme consecrated solemnly to God in the world wherefore being thus electi selecti dilecti Gods owne workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works it is most meete new men should vse new maners in stead of