IT is not vnknowen vnto you, that the Doctrine of free iustification is the principall subiect and mat­ter of this Epistle.

The Iewes, whom the Apostle spake of in the be­ginning of the Chapter, were afraid to come to this righteousnesse of Christ, lest they should be iniu­rious to the Law, and offend God, that had comman­ded it so seriously to the Fathers.

The Apostle answereth, that this their feare pro­ceeded from ignorance of Gods righteousnesse, and [Page 2] their owne Law: and addeth a reason in these words of my Text; For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth.

Quicquid est veteris Testamenti, Christum sonat: All the Old Testament (as Augustine saies) sounds of Christ. The Ceremonies are nothing but figures of him: he is the kernell of the promise; they are all in him Yea and Amen; and without him no promise hath accomplishment. He is the life and soule, and perfection and end of all the Commandements.

And therefore hee that hath Christ, and holdeth him by faith, hath all that the Law requireth in pre­cepts, offreth in promises, and shadoweth out in types and figures.

The points in this text are considerable:

• 1 The prerogatiue that Christ hath aboue the Law: he is the end of the Law.
• 2 The benefit thereof: for righteousnesse.
• 3 To whom this benefit perteines: to euerie one that beleeueth.

Excellent things are spoken of the Law. If thou wilt enter into euerlasting life (saith Christ vnto a Lawyer) keepe the Commandements. So saith Mo­ses; Denter. 6 Behold, this shall be our righteousnesse before the Lord our God, If we take heed to all these Com­mandements, to doe them.

Whereby wee may perceiue, that faire and large promises are annexed to the Law. What is fairer than righteousnesse? What larger than euerlasting life? But they are conditionall, and not absolute: Si potes dicere, Feci quod iussisti, potes itidem dicere, Redde quod promisisti: If thou canst say, I haue done that [Page 3] which thou commandest, thou maist well say, Giue me that thou promisest.

On the other side, if the Law be not obserued, and that exquisitely too, the threats thereof are all as ter­rible. Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all that is written in the Law, to doe them.

Hard conditions, of doing, and doing all.

And if you please that wee shall enter into the que­stion, whether wee can performe the Law, or not; Paul answereth, that it is a matter not of difficulties;Rom. 8, for that might be compassed with endeuour, but of impossibilitie; [...]; that which was impos­sible for the Law to doe. And hee giueth a reason thereof in the former chapter: The Law is spirituall, and I am carnall. Now these two be contraries. For the flesh euermore lusteth against the spirit:Galat. witnesse the same Apostle, not in words onely, but in true ex­perience also. For hee felt a Law in his members re­belling against the Law of God, and leading him captiue. When this elect Vessell, and great Apostle, after he was regenerate (for the vnregenerate feele no such strife) found this long distance betweene the Law and his owne affections; and such defects, that for horrour thereof he cried our, O miserable man that I am! may wee attend any good performance or com­plement of the Law in others?

Steuen challengeth the whole Nation of the Iewes;Act. 7. You haue receiued the Law, and haue not kept it. His words carry the strength and sinewes of an argument. That which is not kept, cannot iustifie: But you haue not kept the Law: therefore what boast soeuer you doe make thereof, that you receiued it from GOD, [Page 4] that it was published by Angels, and giuen to the Fa­thers, yet doth it not iustifie; it giues you no prero­gatiue. They could not answer this with reason, and therefore fell into passion and outrage: the text saith, When they heard these things, their hearts burst a­sunder, and they gnashed vpon him with their teeth: Manifest euidence of conuiction.

Act. 15. Peter calleth the keeping of the Law, an importa­ble yoke, and contesteth against those which vrged the performance thereof for iustification, that they laid a taske vpon the necks of their brethren, which neither they nor their fathers were able to beare.

If the Law could be performed, why doth Peter call it an importable yoke? If it cannot bee performed, why is righteousnesse sought or placed in it? For it is not the hearing or hauing, but the doing of the Law, that iustifieth.

Sinne (as Iohn defineth it) is a transgression of the Law: And doe not all men sinne? It were a sinne for any man to say, he hath no sinne: and if we confesse our sinnes, what do we confesse, but that we are trans­gressors, and not performers of the Law?

Shall we put the matter to a triall, and let all the saints in heauen and earth passe vpon the Iurie?

O Lord, let them bee demanded heere in thy pre­sence, if it were by their workes, or fulfilling of the Law, that they were iustified. Haue they not all with one voice returned their verdict? Not vnto vs, O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giue the praise, for thy louing mercy, and for thy truths sake.

Where is Iames, or Iohn, or one of the sonnes of thunder, to set foorth the dreadfulnesse of the Law? [Page 5] For I am scarse able to giue you a taste thereof; but by a little you can conceiue the rest. Looke then to the concussion of the Israelites, 19. and 20. chap. of Exo­dus, when the Law was established, they came with great endeuour, in fasting, sanctifying, and preparing themselues: yet when they beheld with what maiesty and terrour it was published, how the mountaine smoaked, the thunders roared, the lightnings flashed, the trumpets sounded, and the earth trembled; they cried out, We shall die, we shall die. And this was no vaine feare, but a true sensible feeling of the rigor and seueritie of the Law.

Come then yee Iusticiaries, that are so foolishlie zealous of the Law: Compare your selues, not with your selues (for that may proue to be a false measure) but compare your selues with these Israelites; and that is no disparagement.

They were afraid of the Law, when it was publish­ed; and how dare you presume, when it is exacted? They could not endure the proclamation of the Law; And will you abide the execution? Vpon what confidence? Are your workes answerable to the ex­quisite triall thereof? Alas, alas, I will not abase them with such termes as the Scripture would affoord: But make them as glorious as you can; couer them with grace; deriue them from the holy Ghost; dip them and die them in the blood of Christ; apparrell them with all the iewels, attire, and habil [...]ments, that the Church of Rome hath bestowed vpon them: yet you shall finde them but hay, chaffe, and stubble, that will bee deuoured in the firie triall of the Law: you shall finde them but humane righteousnesse: you shal [Page 6] haue no more vse of them in the businesse of iustifica­tion, than Dauid had of Sauls armour, when he went to encounter with Goliah. It made a shew to others, but hindred Dauid, that he could not goe with it.

Such poore helpes, and no better, haue all they that establish their owne righteousnesse, and are not sub­iect to the righteousnesse of God.

I can resemble the Law to nothing better, than to the man in the Gospell, that would be brought to no other song, than to those sad and vnwelcome tunes of Solue quod debes.

Oh Lord, who can abide the harshnesse of those sharpe notes! Who shall euer bee able to satisfie the rigorous exactions of such an vnmercifull Creditor! When the Law shall require the vttermost farthing most imperiously, and we not able to answer one for a thousand tolerably: you can easily conceiue, what heauy sentence, what loathsome prison, what tragi­call paines, what weeping and wailing, what gnash­ing of teeth, what vnquenchable fire, what euer-gnaw­ing, and neuer-dying worme, must follow neces­sarily.

What then? Is the Law idle? or is God altogether rigorous, that proposeth a Law which cannot be per­formed? Neither of both.

God made a Law like vnto himselfe: holy, because he is holy; pure, because he is pure; perfect, because he is perfect; eternall, because he is eternall: and added that condition also which a great Law-giuer requireth in all Lawes: [...]: Hee made it possible, for that integritie of nature wherein God created vs. For God made man right.

[Page 7]If that possibilitie bee now taken away from the Law; if our nature be wounded; if it be disabled; if our fathers haue eaten sowre grapes, and all our teeth bee set on edge; if wee haue lost that integritie that GOD gaue vnto vs; let him be free: for he is light, and in him dwelleth no darknesse: let vs not charge him foolishly, but condemne our owne preuarication iustly.

For so it was, as if a man should leaue a great summe of money to one whose estate was then good, and sufficient to make restitution: if afterward, through prodigalitie, riot, or vnthriftinesse, he mis­spent or wasted his estate, and left himselfe no meanes of repaiment, can either the accusation of the credi­tors crueltie, that demands nothing but his owne, or the excuse of the debtors inabilities, be iust? Euen so the Law was proposed to man, created after the I­mage and similitude of God, with perfect righteous­nesse, and true holinesse, and indowments, to per­forme the same.

If afterward wee haue mis-spent our patrimonie, and wasted our fathers substance, with the prodigall sonne; if we haue cast our selues into the hands of theeues and cut-throats, that haue bereaued vs of all meanes to giue satisfaction; wee may deplore our owne infelicitie; wee cannot except against God, or his Law, Was it not possible?

Grant this, and then you discharge God from all imputation: denie it, and then you infringe, abate, and detract from Adams perfection, which the Scrip­ture celebrateth.

Thus you see, that the Law was possible: but it is [Page 8] now made weake by our flesh, which is restife, way­ward, refractarie, and yet the instrument wherewith the Law doth worke.

As for example, The Law would haue God to be loued aboue all things: The flesh saies she is neerest and dearest to her selfe.

The Law would haue the flesh brought into subie­ction, and crucified: The flesh is like Diotre [...]hes, that loues to haue the preheminence, and will carrie no crosse, but as Simon of Cyrene did, to crucifie another, and not himselfe.

Dalila neuer practised more treacherously between Sampson and the Philistines, than euery mans owne flesh doth against the Law of God, with the capitall enemie thereof; discouering who thirsteth with co­uetousnesse, who swelleth in pride, who burneth with lust, who pineth away with enuy: and then the ser­pent that is more subtle than all the beasts that GOD created, when hee ploweth with euery mans heifer, doth easily dissolue their riddles.

Omnes amici, omnes inimici, omnes necessarij, omnes ad­uersarij, omnes domestici, nulli pacifici: All the affecti­ons of the flesh be friends, and all are enemies, all ne­cessarie, and all aduersarie, all domesticall, none peaceable. And is it possible that we should flie to the marke of righteousnesse, or to the end of the Law, when our feathers are thus glude together with bird­lime?

Ah proud and wayward flesh! Why doest thou spurne, and lust, and murmur against the Law? If it humble thee for a time, is it not because it would ad­uance thee for euer?

[Page 9]Go too Agar, submit your selfe to your mistresse Sara: suffer the law: endure the rod and ferula of the schoolemaster; or rather, labour together with it, that thou maist also raigne with it.

But the belly hath no eares; and in vaine doe wee heere looke for that which is due elsewhere, and in a­nother place: heere wee doe fight, wee doe not tri­umph. And I would to God we did fight manfullie; for then we shall be sure of conquest at the last. One thing is certaine, that our whole battell is like to that of Gedeons in the booke of Iudges. These earthen pit­chers that wee carry, must be broken, before wee can winne the field. As long as these houses of clay bee whole, looke for no perfection to hold corresponden­cie with the law: looke for nothing but imperfecti­ons to frustrate the law of her end.

Put off the old man, and put on the new: wash a­way all birdlime of concupiscence: crucifie your earthly members: tame the flesh, & bring it into true subiection; that the law may say, goe, and it goeth; come, and it commeth; doe this, and it doth so: then you shall finde no defect in the law.

O that all weaknesse were so taken away from this sinfull flesh of mine! O that all the sores thereof were in this sort healed! Should not I then run the way of the Commandements?

But this the law cannot doe: it rather discouereth them, and aggrauateth their sinne, and makes it out of measure sinfull: not vnprofitable; for if the dis­ease were light, it would be contemned: then reme­dy would not be sought, and so no cure. Lex data est, vt gratia quaereretur: gratia data est, vt lex impleretur.

[Page 10]I remember the story of Elizeus in the booke of the Kings. He was a Prophet, and prophecied, as well by his deeds, as in his words. The Shunamites son was dead; it was told the Prophet; he sent his staffe by his seruant; Goe lay it vpon the childes face; but the dead receiued no life. The Prophet knew what hee did, that the staffe would not be sufficient, and there­fore came himselfe.

The law is like to Elizeus staffe: though it were ap­pointed, and Elizeus sent it to giue life, yet did it not giue life. For if there had beene a law that could giue life, then righteousnesse should haue come by the law. Now wee are all like to the Shunamites childe, dead in sinne. Come then Elizeus, and raise the dead: send not thy staffe by any seruant: but come thy selfe. Come, come, O pittifull and sweet Samaritane, heale this poore hurt creature; powre in wine and oile. The Priest saw it, and passed by: the Leuite looked vpon it, but no offices of the law had compassion. Come therefore, come courteous Samaritane; for there is mercy with thee. Binde vp my sores, set mee vpon thine owne beast: but leaue me not with any Host or In-keeper. For whom haue I in heauen but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire, in comparison of thee. Numquid possunt sanare languores meos? Therfore take charge of me thy selfe. Say vnto me (o thou pre­seruer of mankinde) say vnto my soule, I am thy salua­tion: but say it so that I may heare. Open mee the gates of righteousnesse, and I will enter therein,

That which the law could not doe, because it was made weake through our flesh, God sent his sonne to doe. He sent Christ to be the end of the law. He sent [Page 11] no seruant about it. Moses indeed was faithfull in all his house, but his tongue was heauy, and not eloquent enough to treat of such a cause. Esaies lips were vn­cleane; Ieremie was a childe, and could not speake; all the Prophets were tongue-tied; and the Angels themselues were vnable to entertaine the matter for vs. When Angels were fallen, could Angels mediate their owne restitution?

Then can they neuer bee competent for vs, that were insufficient for themselues.

To be vmpeere betweene God and man, to make appointment and transaction of their differences, to sustaine the wrath of the one, and the miseries of the other (and that a mediatour must doe) is certainlie beyond the capacitie and compasse of euery creature.

Verily none but God can plead with God: the son with the father: God mercifull, with God iust: God pleased, with God offended.

May I craue your honourable leaue and patience, to informe you of a sharpe contention? and it shall not bee impertinent to this businesse that I treat of. Truth and righteousnes contend for the punishment of mankinde with peace and mercy, pleading for his deliuerance.

Whole Adam (saith Iustice) must die, because whole Adam hath offended. And if regard be not had of my sister truth and my selfe, yet may not the word be infringed that is gone out of the mouth of God, In what day soeuer thou shalt eat of this fruit, thou shalt die the death.

Mercy maketh answer, that if the matter should go so, and no commiseration taken, but that whole man­kinde [Page 12] must be condemned, then why were Peace and I brought into the world to bee cut away so soone againe?

Reply was made by Truth, that Mercy had zeale in­deed, but not according to knowledge. For in pittie towards mankinde, shee is cruell to Iustice and mee that are her sisters; desiring to haue him spared, and vs abolished. For it is not possible for vs to consist without this punishment.

The controuersie is difficult, and happily some doe wish for Salomon to decide it. But a greater than Sa­lomon was there; yet that could not hold them from bitternesse, till Peace had reprooued both sides, and told them, that contention was vnbeseeming vertues and sisters. All this while the Iudge was stooping downe, and writing vpon the ground. The tenour of his writing was this, as Peace did read it:

The one side sayes, that all mankinde must die, or else Righteousnesse and Truth cannot liue: The other side sayes, that in case mankind die, Mercy and Peace must perish with them.

This is my sentence: Fiat mors bona, & habet vtra (que) pars quod petebat. All wondered at the wisdome and integritie of the decision. But the remedie was as hard as the disease. That death should bee made good, it was impossible, vnlesse such a one should vndertake the businesse, that was not indebted to death. And where should he be found? Verily none can giue aid, but he that gaue counsell. And so they had recourse vnto the sonne of God, who turning to his father, said, Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou wouldest not haue, but hast fitted mee vp a body for this death. In [Page 13] the volume of thy booke it is written of mee, that I should fulfill thy will. O my God, I am content to do it. So he put his owne decision in practise. Then Mer­cy and Truth met together; Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other. Hee was that ladder that Iacob did see joining heauen and earth together. Where the law ended in cursing and imprecation, because it was not obserued, there Christ began, and redeemed vs from the curse of the law, and was made a curse for vs.

He did heerein as in the matter of Tribute, when it was demanded; although he were free as the sonne of a King, yet because wee will leaue none offense, Goe Peter, take this peece of twenty pence, and pay for me and thee. O bone Domine Iesu, O good Lord Iesus, wilt thou indeed pay for thee and me? for that which thou saidest vnto Peter, thou sayest vnto euery one of thy Church: take it, and pay it for thee and me.

And for the [...]e the paiment is soone made, because thou wast born, free. But my sinne is great; and is not my redemption plenteous? I haue transgressed the whole law; and haue not I fulfilled it too a little? But the reward of sinne is death; and is there any gall of bitternesse in that cup whereof I haue not tasted? Wherefore was all this done? Was it for my selfe? I will not bee a witnesse in mine owne cause. Aske mine enemies that were chiefe actors in the businesse. They will not be partiall. Did not Pilate pronounce from his tribunall, that hee found no cause of death in me? Was not this a part of Caiaphas censure, that it was expedient that I should die for the people?

Take him then, good Christian brother, and pay for thee and me. Hee is the first fish that commeth [Page 14] from the sea of death. Verily, the first begotten a­mongst the dead. Open his life and death, and what­soeuer punishment yee finde in the one, or righte­ousnesse in the other, take it all, and pay it for thee and me.

What, both death and life? Is not the one of them sufficient? There is a rule, that the law doth binde ei­ther to obedience, or to punishment. So if the one of the disiunctiues, or the other, be performed, the law is satisfied, and come to her end.

This rule hath place in humane lawes amongst light offenses. There, if the law cannot haue obedience, it hath some satisfaction by punishment: but then it writes, Contented, and not Pleased. For the chiefe end whereunto all lawes doe aime, is to haue obedi­ence, and thereby to make men good, which cannot bee done in humane lawes, when the offense is gene­rall, and the punishment capitall.

In the law of God, especially concerning the busi­nesse of Iustification, the rule of disiunctiues hath no place. This law hath not her end, vnlesse she be con­tented and pleased too. Contented, for the sins that we haue committed; and pleased, with the obedience that is required. Christ is the end of the law: there­fore he hath performed both.

Well might the law be contented with the death of Christ, because there was as much atrocitie in that, as in the sinnes of the whole world. I willingly vse this reason now, to giue you to vnderstand, that I concurre not with their opinion, that thinke, if the sonne of God had shed but one drop of blood, it had beene price enough for all our sinnes.

[Page 15]I doubt whether the law would haue beene conten­ted with one drop of blood. Ought not Christ to suf­fer all these things, and so to enter into glory? Was not the whole burnt offring a figure of his sufferings? And that must be all consumed.

I looke into the counsell of God, what was there set downe for satisfaction of the law. And I carrie and giue such reuerence to the wisdome and iustice there­of, that whatsoeuer is wanting of that which is there set downe, I verily beleeue to be insufficient.

I looke to the fact of Christ. Exinaniuit seipsum: He emptied himselfe. And I am loth to beleeue, that ei­ther the father was so prodigall of his sonnes life, or that the sonne was so carelesse of his owne blood, that he would haue powred out all, if one drop might haue serued the turne. Admit this, and then Christ died in vaine.

But euery thing that the sonne of God did, was of infinite value, for the dignitie of his person.

The dignitie of his person is great, and hath good­ly vse: but it may not be stretched too farre, lest the buffets that he receiued on his face be reckoned price enough for our redemption. Hydra peccati vno icta non tollitur: Then monster of sinne will not be slaine with one blow.

Hee made vs indeed at a moment, and with great facilitie: for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created. But did hee redeeme vs so soone? No, no; it cost him three and thirtie yeeres worke, and O Lord, what labours! What sorrowes! What watchings! What hunger! What thirst! What temptations! What praiers! [Page 16] What strong cries! What groanes! What indigni­ties! What scourgings! What agonies! And after all these, what a bitter death! I dare bee bold to say, that there was as much atrocitie in all these, as in the sinnes of the whole world. And therefore the law might well be contented, for matter of punishment, with the death of Christ.

Dubitas quod dabit tibi bona sua, qui non dedignatus est susciperemala tua?

Adde then heereunto his perpetuall obedience to the law of God, neuer intermitted in the whole tenor of his life: and then Christ is the end and perfection of the law: hee hath contented it, and pleased it too.

Hee died indeed vpon the Crosse, and in my na­ture, and for my sinnes of humane infirmitie But he brought withall such a troupe and legion of vertues to his Crosse, as might well giue righteousnesse to the whole world.

Time will not serue to rehearse euery one: but the vertues wherewith he adorned the foure corners of his crosse are so conspicuous, that I cannot omit them.

Supereminentior est charitas: Loue takes the highest place, and is set on the top of his crosse. Maiorem charitatem nemo habet: None can haue greater loue, than to lay downe his life for his friends: None verily but he himselfe, that laid it downe for his enemies.

On the right hand of the crosse hee set obedience, whereof hee was so respectiue, that hee did chuse to lose his life rather than his obedience. And if obedi­ence were better than sacrifice, when the chiefe wor­ship of God was in sacrifice, as Samuel telleth Saul, [Page 17] and yet that obedience was commanded, & humane obedience; how pleasing was the diuine obedience of the sonne of God, that was neuer commanded, al­waies voluntary, alwaies indebita?

Patience standeth at the left side: As a sheepe led to the slaughter, so opened he not his mouth: he ope­ned it not in outcries or imprecations; he contended not with them in reuenge or malice, but in pietie: they refused him, and he died for them: they conten­ded with Pilate, when hee would haue deliuered him, Crucifige, crucifige, Crucifie him, crucifie him: and he contendeth with his father when hee had iust cause to destroy them, Pater ignosce, pater ignosce: Father for­giue them, father forgiue them. Hee regarded more that he died for them, than that he died by them.

In the bottome of his Crosse hee placed humilitie, the foundation of all vertues, that if we will not learn to be humble in the schooles of men, wee may now practise it by the precedent and patterne of an hum­ble God. His quatuor v [...]rtutum gommis ditauit trophae­um Crucis. When he had thus enriched the foure cor­ners of his Crosse, he placed himselfe in the midst of all, no more now as a stone of offense, but as a load­stone to draw all the world vnto it. So hee sayes, Ego si exaltatus f [...]ero, omnia traham ad meipsum.

Draw vs, O Lord, vnto thee, and wee shall run in the sauour of thine ointments.

Couer vs with the mantle of thy righteousnesse, which is the true wedding garment, that when the Bridegrome comes to take view of his guests, we may not be cast out into vtter darknes, but sit with thee, ea­ting and drinking at thy table in thy kingdome.

[Page 18]Hitherto ye haue heard Christs prerogatiue, and the benefit therof. The last point remaineth, to whom this benefit belongs: to euery one that beleeueth.

Why then say the Iesuites, the promises of Christ are conditionall, as well as the promises of the Law? The law sayes, Doe this, and liue: Christ sayes, Be­leeue only, and all things are possible to him that be­leeueth.

Heere is a condition in the one, as well as in the other.

If time would giue me leaue, I could shew that the promises of Christ are absolute, and without conditi­on: but let vs now admit that they are conditionall, as well as the promises of the law: yet haue we many aduantages in this condition of Christ, that are not in the law.

1 Is it not much easilier to beleeue the promises of the one, than to doe the workes of the other?

2 Againe, the law is stoicall and curious, not con­tent with our endeuours, vnlesse wee haue done all, and done it most exactly.

Christ is milde and gentle; he striueth not, lifteth not vp his voice, quencheth not smoaking flax, bru­seth not a shaken reede; but enterteineth euery true faith, though it be as little as a graine of mustard seed, though it be neuer so vnperfect.

3 The law is solitarie, teacheth vs what to doe, but giueth vs no meanes to doe it: whereupon the Apostle cals it a dead letter.

Christ is neuer solitarie, but accompanied with the grace and influence of his holy spirit, which hee sends into our hearts, to illuminate, to regenerate, & [Page 19] to giue vs faith to comprehend him. And therefore when he giueth vs the condition which he requireth of vs, his condition is most gracious, and the condi­tion of the Law is grieuous. Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth.

If Christ bee the end of the law to euery one that beleeueth, then did he not fulfill the law for himselfe, but for those that doe beleeue.

As he was God, he was not subiect to the law, and as he was man also, he was Lord of the law.

Duplici iure (sayes Bernard) filius Dei regnum possi­det coelorum. Semel quia filius; 2. quia passus: at (que) hoc secundo modo nihil illi fuit opus, mihi autem dedit, & om­nibus credentibus: The sonne of God hath two titles and rights to the kingdome of heauen: The first is by inheritance, because he is sonne; the second is by ac­quisition, because he suffered: of this second title he had no vse or need himselfe, but hath giuen it to me, and all that beleeue.

This will easily be yeelded, that hee suffred for vs; but the other point is controuerted, that hee fulfilled the law for himselfe, and for his owne righteousnesse.

As God, he needed not; and as man also, hee was Lord of the Sabboth. The sonne of man is Lord of the Sabboth, and so consequently of the whole law. Eadem est ratio partium & totius.

If Lord of the law, as man, then needed hee not to be subiect: but hee made himselfe. So the Apostle writeth to the Galathians: but he addeth the reason of Christ his subiection; that hee might redeeme vs that were vnder the law.

When the humane nature in the very moment of [Page 20] conception thereof, was vnited inseparably to the Godhead, what felicitie did it want in that vnion, which might be supplied by his actuall righteousnes, & fulfilling of the law? What, was not the law to be performed of euery man? or was not Christ a man?

The law verily was enioined to euery humane per­son; but Deus verbum (as Augustine sayes) non suscepit personam, sed naturam hominis: and this nature hauing no subsistance at any time of it selfe, but assoone as it began to bee, it was personated, as they say in the schooles of the diuinitie, could not bee brought into necessarie subiection of the law, without manifest in­iurie to that person that susteineth it.

Piscator.Others write, that Christ must fulfill the law, to make himselfe a meet high Priest: and they doe not consider his natiue innocencie that hee brought with him into the world, which being neuer te [...]erated, was sufficient to qualifie him to the office of Priest­hood.

Was he not by that natiue integritie, holy, harm­lesse, vndefiled, separated from sinners? And these be all the qualities that the Apostle to the Hebrewes re­quireth in his high [...]Priesthood.

Seeing then hee had all these by the sacred concep­tion, which wee professe, I may conclude, that all which he did beside in fulfilling of the law, was as the text noteth, for righteousnesse to euery one that belleeueth; and as it is in 8. Rom. that the exquisite righ­teousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs.

Ioh. 17.So he sayes himselfe; E [...]o procis sanctifica meipsum: It is for them, and not for mine owne behoofe, that I sanctifie my selfe.

[Page 21]As it is in a glasse, that hath not his brightnesse and reflexions for himselfe, but that others may haue the vse and benefit of it; so is Christ the end of the law for righteousnesse, not to himselfe, or for his owne be­nefit, but for the vse and commodity of euery one that beleeueth. Thus I haue deliuered you Christ the end of the law for righteousnesse to euery one that belee­ueth. Hee is a high Priest, according to the order of Melch [...]sedeth. And wee read nothing of the exercise of that Priesthood, but only that he blessed Abraham; to giue vs to vnderstand, that the whole Priesthood of Iesus Christ doth consist in blessing. Hold him therefore, and let him not goe, vntill hee haue giuen you a blessing, which hee hath already graciously be­gun heere in this world, and will multiplie it aboue all that you can desire in the Kingdome of Heauen. Whereunto wee doe all with heart and voice say, Amen.

Euen so be it, Lord Iesus, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liuest and raignest one God blessed for euer.

WOrds of great asseueration, and therefore of great im­portance. What can more import vs, that were exiled out of Paradise, and bee­queathed to the earth, than to haue heauen open? that were sequestred and reti­red from the societie of Angels, than to haue their sweet haunts againe, and their ministry too? than to haue ingresse and egresse, and familiar intercourse with God?

[Page 2] Placet cunctis s [...]curitas, sed ei magis qui timuit, lucun­da omnibus lux est, B [...]r [...]ar. in Cantic. ser. 68. sed euadenit de potestate tenebrarum incundior. Transisse demorte ad vitam, vitae gratiam du­plicat. Safety is pleasing to all, but more to him that was afraid. Light is comfortable to euery man, but more to him that is escaped out of the power of dark­nesse. To haue p [...]s [...]ed from death to life, makes the grace and benefit of life to be double.

This verily is greater than that which moo [...]d Na­tha [...]i [...]l first to beleeue. Hee thought it a great matter for Christ to see him vnder the fig tree, and s [...] it was indeed miraculous, to see a man absent beyond all reach and compasse of humane eies; yet a thing that the sonne of God had communicated to others, that did the like. Elizeus sitting at home within doores, did see Gebezi his seruant taking bribes of N [...]man the Sirian in his iourney.

But the opening of heauen, the carriage of vs to God, and the whole businesse of a mediator, promi­sed in these words of my text to a true Israelite, is of more consequence and difficultie, not communica­ted to Patriarch, Prophet, Apostle, Martyr, or any Saint, but reserued onely for the sonne of God, as a marke of his soueraigntie.

Verily, verily, I say vnto you, heereafter shall you see hea­uen open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man. He alludeth to that which Iacob did see in a dreame:Genes. 28 A ladder stand vpon the ground: the top did reach to heauen: the Angels of God did goe vp and downe by it, and the Lord was at the top thereof.

A mans dreame should not bee registred for perpe­tuall [Page 3] memorie, if it did not conteine some notable mysterie. Hic habent & somnia pondus: In such cases dreames also haue their weight. The ladder heere re­presenteth Iacobs iourney. He was then going to his vncle Laban. The Angels are his guard, ascending to protect him outward; descending to bee his guides backe againe: and the Lord was at the top of the lad­der, as a gracious moderator of both Loe then a comfortable safe-conduct for a traueller.

And because our whole life is a very pilgrimage, for we haue no certaine place of abode, but we trauell and seeke for it in Hierusalem that is aboue; the sonne of God heere vnder the imprese and hieroglifique of Iacobs ladder, doth promise vs his meanes and media­tion: and that is the matter that now we shall treat of. Wherein hee doth not draw vs along with naked hopes, but first of all consigneth the certainty of his promise with the religion and solemnitie of an oath, Verily, verily: so the Apostle calleth this sacred asse­neration.

When God made the promise vnto Abraham, Heb. 6. and had no greater to sweare by, hee sware by himselfe: How? Verily I will blesse thee. And heere is the same forme. Therefore Christi iuramentum est sidei nostrae fundamentum; We haue Christ his oath for the foun­dation of our faith. The word or God is as certaine as his oath: he is not as man, that he should lie,Num. 23. nor as the sonne of man, that he should repent. Heauen and earth may passe, but no word of God falleth to the ground: all his promises are Yea and Amen. So that for the thing it selfe, such religious contestations needed not: but his oath is added (as the Apostle [Page 4] saith) that we might haue valid [...]m consolationem, Hol. 6. strong consolation. Hee seeth the darknesse of our mindes, the leuitie of our affections, the manifold sleights wherewith Satan doth abuse vs. Sometimes by ag­grauating our sinnes, he drowneth vs in a very hell of desperation: sometimes bewitching vs with a perswa­sion of righteousnes, he carrieth vs aboue the clouds in pride. Cui nomina mille, mille nocendt artes. The son of God, the wisdome of his father, that of loue gaue himselfe for vs, and had experience both waies, of the aduersaries practises, and our infirmities, to helpe all, and to put vs out of doubt,Tertull. interposeth an oath, Iurat Deus, capit sibi credi. O beatos quorum causa Deus curat! Et o miserimos si nic iuranti Deo credimus! God swea­reth, then he desires to bee beleeued. O happy men are we for whom God sweareth! And o thrise vnhap­py if we beleeue not God when he sweareth! The at­testation of the sonne of God teacheth vs, that in the businesse of our saluation, and in the promises of Christ, wee should not be Academies. They were a kinde of Philosophers (you know) that would not be certaine of any thing, but doubtfull and vncertaine in all things; and that vncertaintie is not sutable with our promises. Sic oportet credere quomodo certi sumus de vis [...]ilibus, & adhuc amplius: Hic enim aliquando er­ratur, id est, in his quae videntur; illic autem, nequaquam: We ought to be as sure in our faith, as wee are in the things that we see, and more too: for in these things there is deceit, that is to say, in the things that we see: but in the other none at all.

Is it possible that God should become a change­ling? that his purpose should be frustrate? his power [Page 5] infringed? his decree reuersed? his prouidence de­ceiued? that the merit of Christ should be euacua­ted? the authenticall seale of the holy Ghost cancel­led? and the oath of the sonne of God to be of none effect? All this assurance wee haue. And if none of these be possible, let the Romanists disable them all with their Academicall doubtfulnesse; when as in the meane time they applaud themselues, sacrifice to their owne net, and burne incense to their yarne: but let them eleuate the promises of Christ with their vncertaine hopes, and ratifie their owne traditions with great assurance: Iosua and his house will firmlie beleeue that which the sonne of God hath sworne so­lemnly. And heere is no arrogance, but deuotion: to beleeue that which is promised so seriously, is not presumption, but faith: we know whom we beleeue, and are certaine that hee is true in his promises, and most mightie in his performance. We boast not of our selues, or of any thing that we can doe: but wee boast in the Lord. Securus gloriatur qui gloriatur in Do­mino: Bernard. Hee boasteth safely, that boasteth in the Lord. And vpon this assurance we goe on.

Heereafter ye shall see. This heereafter seemes to ex­clude the former world from the benefit that is heere promised: as if there had beene no gate of heauen o­pen vntill the death and resurrection of Christ. So the Church of Rome hath imagined; and therefore during this Interim, the Catechisme published by Pi­us Quintus, according to the Decree of the Triden­tine Councell, bestoweth all the soules of the faithfull that departed vnder the Old Testament, either in Abrahams bosome, where they were discharged of all [Page 6] paines, and yet held from the sight of God: or else in Purgatorie, where they had sensible paines, and the lacke of Gods presence too.

Catechismus ad Parocheos, pag. 74.

Antequam ille moreretur & resurgeret, Coeli portae nulli vnquam pat [...]erunt: sed piorum a [...]mae, [...]ù [...] è viuis excessissent, vel in sinum Abrahae deferebantur, vel, quod etiam nunc ijs contingit quibus aliquid dilu [...]dum & per­soluendum est, Purgatorij igne expiabantur.

I will not absolutely disauow Purgatorie but lear­ned antiquity hath taught me, that it must haue place heere in this world whilest men are aliue, and not in another place or world, alter they be dead.

Ch [...]ys. in Mat. hom. 75. Neque gubernator postquam nau [...] me [...]sa est, ne (que) medi­cus postquam aegrotus obijt, quicquam tr [...]dess [...] potest: Nei­ther can the gouernour after the ship is suake, nor the Physician after the sicke is dead,Hieron. in Psal. 105. auaile. Hic misereri potest poenitentis, quia ibi Iudex est non miseric [...]rs: Heere he may haue pittie on them that repent: in the world to come hee is a Iudge, not a pardoner. Come foo­lish Virgins,Matt. 25. and perswade the Catholikes by that which befell vnto your selues, that all preparation af­ter death is idle and vnprofitable.

In the meane time wee will search (if you please) what allowance the Scripture giueth to fire for pur­ging of sinnes. The onely place that is alleged with probabilitie,1. Cor. 3. is that which the Apostle writeth; The fire shall true euery mans worke, of what sort it is. That shewes that there is a probatorie, but prooues not a­ny Purgatorie fire.

Thorow this fire of probation all maner of workes [Page 7] and workmen must passe: and the masters of Purga­torie (you know) will not allow that any of their saints or excellent workmen should bee once cinged. And therefore this fire of triall makes nothing for their Purgatorie.

The true Purgatorie of Christians is the blood of Iesus Christ, which quencheth euery aduersary fire, and purgeth vs from all our sinnes. When the Cen­turion pierced his side, there came out water and blood, to shew that it was no common and ordinary blood that came from Iesus Christ, but such as had a cleansing vertue. O Lord purge vs heerewith, and wee shall be cleane: wash our robes in the blood of this Lambe, and we shall be whiter than snow. Surely he that is so washed already, needs not the mathema­ticall fire of Purgatorie, but is cleane thorowout. And he that is not washed with the blood of Christ, shall neuer be cleansed, but tormented for euer in real fire. Seeing then that the fire of Purgatorie is to some men needlesse, and to all other helplesse, I wish better to this sacred presence, than to hold you any longer in the smoake of that which is fruitlesse.

Abrahams bosome is a place of more contentment. And who would not bee with the father of the faith­full? But if the Church of Rome will haue it to bee no more than a place discharged of sensible pains, where they were neuerthelesse suspended from Gods pre­sence; I see no great matter that can be in it to allure vs. But none can speake better to the quality and con­dition of Abrahams bosome, than Abraham himselfe. And he bids the rich glutton remember that hee in his life time receiued pleasures,Luke 16. and Lazarus likewise [Page 8] paines: now therefore he is comforted, and thou art tormented. In suspension there is anxietie, and no comfort, especially when the suspension is from the fruition and sight of God.

Augustine writeth of his friend N [...]bridius that was dead and in Abrahams bosome;Con [...]ess. li. 9. cap. 3. I am non ponit aurem ad os meum, sed spirituale os ad sontem tuum, & bibit quan­tum potest sapientiam pro auiditate sua, sine sine foelix: If he that is in Abrahams bosome, drinketh at the well head, puts his mouth to the fountaine of life, and hath happinesse for euermore, as Augustine writeth, then is it not a place of retrait, of suspension, of an Interim, but of present and actuall possession.

Hierome equalleth the Fathers of the old Testament in reward with vs:Contra Io­uinia [...], l. 2. Quis ignorat sub altera dispensatione Dei, omnes sanctos eiusdem juisse meriti cuius nunc Christi­ani sunt? Who knoweth not that all the saints which were vnder the Old Testament, had the same reward which Christians haue now? And if they had the same reward then that Christians haue now; whence comes this difference, that the gate of heauen is open, to vs, and shut vpon them? that assoone as wee faile, they receiue vs into euerlasting Tabernacles?Luke 16. Luke 23. Reuel. 14. Into Paradise the same day? Into blessednesse instantlie? and they of the Old Testament are delaied vntill the resurrection of Christ? are, without any warrant at al so vncourteously sent to Abrahams bosome, and that vnto Vtopia?

It cannot be for that the worke of Christs redemp­tion was not performed at the time of their death: For albeit, that worke was fixed to the fulnes of time: Before, his houre was not come: Then, hee would [Page 9] not admit of any tergiuersation. Shall I not drinke of the cup which my father hath giuen me? Yet was the power of that worke, and the vertue of his redempti­on, extended from the beginning of the world vnto the end thereof. He entred but once to the Sanctua­rie of heauen, but hee found eternall redemption. And how can that which is eternall, be limited or re­strained to future times? Doth it not comprehend all times? Yes verily, and it is a transcendent aboue them all. Was not the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world? And is it possible that a Sacrifice of such price, so offred, and so accepted, should not bee of present efficacie? Prius eius mors profuit quàm fuit: Bernard. It satisfied God, redeemed man, opened heauen, and put the whole kingdome of Satan into combustion presently.

So Christs Heereafter in this text is no limitation of time, as if heauen had not beene penetrable before his death and resurrection. But this Hencefoorth im­plieth the accession that is giuen to out sight by the ministerie of the Gospell. Hencefoorth yee shall see. That which the Fathers hoped for, that wee doe see: and the passage vnto heauen is made much more conspicuous by the light of the New Testament. We haue Christ borne and ful growen: they had him too, but hidden in the seed of Abraham, in the loines of Dauid, in the wombe of a royall Virgin;Esa. or if a childe were borne vnto them, yet was he wrapped vp in the swa [...]ling clouts of the law.

Vel [...]m pendebat in templo, Aug. ne templi secreta panderen­tur; cruce autem Domini velum cons [...]iss [...]m est, vt paterent. The veile did hang in the Temple, that the secrets of [Page 10] the temple might not bee published: but at the death of Christ this veile was rent, that all within might be visible and manifest. Thorow this veile Iacob did see a ladder, that reached vp to heauen: heere is yet ob­scuritie enough; the Angels went vp and downe: What is that to vs that be men? What shall wee doe with a ladder, when the gates of Heauen bee shut a­gainst vs? when there be Che [...]ubins, and angry Por­ters, and a firie sword to keepe vs out? Who shall o­pen vs the gate? Who shall remooue the Cherubins? Who shall take away the firie sword? If you will bee pleased to looke vpon this Heereafter in the New Te­stament, Iacobs veile is rent, that you may see all things plaine, heauen open, the Angels ascending and de­scending vpon the sonne of man. If they goe vp and downe vpon the sonne of man, then Christ is the lad­der that reacheth vp to heauen: he is the way that car­rieth vs to that high Country: The Lion of the Tribe of Iuda is our Conuoy, stronger than the armed man: our guide hath the key of Dauid, openeth, and no man shutteth. I haue enough, sayes Iacob; Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue; I will goe see him ore I die. We also haue enough, and more than Iacob had: therefore goe ma­sters, goe, that we may see him too.

Chap. 2.The spouse in the Canticles compareth him to a Roe, or a yoong Hart: Behold, he commeth leaping by the mountains, and skipping by the hils: he is the sonne of God, and thereby higher than the highest heauens: that is beyond our reach. For God dwelleth in light that none can come neere to. Therefore be­cause he would be low enough for vs, he became man also, and stood vpon the ground. Hee tooke nor the [Page 11] Angels; he came leaping by those mountaines, and skipping by those hils: but hee tooke the seed of A­braham, and desired to be [...] rather than [...], a louer of men rather than a louer of Angels. He pro­fesseth it in the 8. of the Proverbs: My delight was to bee amongst the sonnes of men. I had thought, O Lord, that thy delight had beene amongst the Host of Angels: but seeing that of thy pittifull clemencie, and admirable be [...]ignitie, thou makest it thy delight to be amongst the sonnes of men, I will not interrupt thy pleasure, but pray for thy prosperitie: Good lucke haue thou with thy delight, O thou most mighty.

Now if you aske me why he tooke our nature, and not the Angels that were fallen as well as wee, Mul­tum est à me, abyssus est, profundum Crucis est: The Well is deepe, and I haue not any thing to draw withall. If it were, lest Angels might so bee thought to restore themselues, because of their excellencie, wee must commend the wisdome of his prouidence. If it were, because man did not sinne of malice,Bernard. and without in­tisement, as the Angels did; but in a kinde of weak­nesse, and by their instigation; we magnifie his iudge­ments, that are examplerie vpon the principall, and fauourable to vs poore seduced accessories.Paulin. Epist. 4. Crimino­sius est decipere, quàm decipi, & peccatum excogitare, quam facere.

I [...] it were,Athanas. because all mankinde was lost through Adams preuarication, but not all the Angels in Luci­fers Apostasie; we praise his goodnesse, that would not quench our sparke. Let curious men discusse the causes, it is fittest for vs to admire the worke: Let them dispute, and let vs cry, O altitudo! O [...]!Rom. 11. [Page 12] O the height and depth of Gods iudgements! O the loue of God towards mankinde! Lord what is man, that thou art so mindfull of him, or the sonne of man, that thou visitest him?

Iac [...]bs ladder reached vp to heauen, but it stood al­so vpon the ground. Such must the mediators condi­tion be.Aug. Con­fess▪ lib. 10. cap. 42. The mediator betweene God and man must haue something like vnto God, and something like vnto man; lest if hee were altogether like vnto men, he should be a stranger vnto God; or if hee were like to God euery way, he should then be farre from men, and so no mediator.

The sonne of God appeared to Adam after his fall: and the man ran away, and hid himselfe in the trees of the garden: Heere was nothing but the terrour of a Iudge, no flesh taken, no placabilitie of a mediator: Hee appeared many times to the fathers in humane shape, to giue them a taste of his future incarnation: heere was great contentment, if it might haue had continuance: but hee layd downe that shape againe. When the fulnesse of time came, hee combined the godhead and our nature so firmly together, with the glue of his person, that man could neuer flie from God againe, and God would neuer be seuered from man.

Bernard. Opus sine exemplo, gratia sine merito, charitas sine mo­do. A worke that cannot be exemplified, grace that was neuer merited, and loue vnstinted. An admira­ble coniunction, wherein God was made man, sin­ners righteous, and our Iudge becomes our aduocate. So now I will deliuer him vnto you as the ladder that Iacob did see: high enough, because he was God; low [Page 13] enough, because he was man; strong enough to car­rie vs to God, because of a Iudge hee is become an aduocate; and of perpetuitie, because the personall vnion cannot be dissolued. Some doubt may bee of his bredth. I am not sent (he saith) but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel.

That is too narrow for vs that be Gentiles, But vn­derstand it of order, and not of election, that hee was sent to the Iewes first, that they might haue the pre­cedence and first fruits of his ministerie: and then you shall finde this narrownesse temporarie. For after he had performed all things, and was risen againe, when the maturitie of time was come, hee dilated his bo­some to receiue vs Gentiles, and made himselfe a passage broad enough for all the world. It is a small thing that thou shouldest bee my seruant,Esa. 4 [...]. to raise vp the Tribes of Iacob, and to restore the desolations of Israel: I will also giue thee a light to lighten the Gen­tiles, that thou maist bee my saluation to the ends of the world. Behold the bredth, and height, and length, and depth; loe all the dimensions of a perfect and ac­complished ladder.

Search now, and run thorow heauen and earth in your thoughts, and you shall not finde any other n [...]me, wherein all these properties doe concurie and meet together, saue only in the person of Iesus Christ. The other two persons that are in heauen, the Father and the Holy Ghost, could not be incarnate & made low enough also for the office of a mediator, without manifest solecismes and incongruitie. How farre vn­beseeming had it beene the greatnesse of the Father, if the Sonne or Holy Ghost had sent him? Therefore as [Page 14] the first person in order, and fountaine of all diuini­tie, he did abide in his maiestie, and sent the Sonne: And Father and Sonne both sent the Holy Ghost, not to bee incarnate, for so there must haue beene two Sonnes; one Sonne of God in Heauen, and another Sonne of m [...]n in earth, and not one Sonne in both: And then wee should confesse and worship, not a tri­nitie, but a quaternitie of persons: which God keepe farre from the saith of Christians.

Why then doth Christ call the Holy Ghost an ad­uocate? Al [...]um Pa [...] m [...]da [...] vobis: I will giue you another Aduocate. And Paul doth second that trans­lation when he saith,Rom. 8. The Spirit doth make interces­sion for vs with sighs and groan as that cannot be ex­pressed. Yet there be two differences that make the mediation of the Sonne of God eminent aboue all the groanes of the Holy Ghost: the one for the time, the other for the manner. 1. The Sonne of God ma­keth intercession for vs before the wrath of God bee appeased: the groanes of the Holy Ghost come after. 2. The Sonne of God interposeth himselfe as a Re­deemer, with a sufficient price in his hand. In the daies of his flesh he offred vp praiers, and supplicati­ons, and himselfe too, with strong crying, & teares, and was heard because of his reuerence.

The Holy Ghost neuer offred vp any thing; Hee comes only as a Comforter, not as a Redeemer; as a monitor to vs, not as a mediator for vs. He comes to helpe our dulnesse, to raise vs vp, to giue heat to our affect [...]ons, to indite our praiers: and that also is the benefit of the Sonne that s [...]nds him. Ye haue recei­ued the Spirit, whereby yee crie Abba Father, that [Page 15] when our praiers are conceiued by the spirit, and of­fred by the Sonne, they may euer bee auaileable, and neuer take repulse with the Father. O quench not this spirit, grieue it not, but cherish and entertaine euery motion thereof. Is it not a faithfull remem­brancer sent vs by the Sonne of God?

Come holy Spirit, and let it bee thy good pleasure to remember vs in this thy fauourable influence: take away stumbling blocks out of my soule, which is the kingdome of Iesus Christ, that he may raigne there a­lone as hee should doe. Couetousnesse comes and challengeth gouernment; pride would be a king; lust sayes shee will raigne; ambition, backbiting, enuie, and wrath, striue in mee which of them should haue the greatest sway. I, dull and heauy creature, resist as I am able: I withstand as farre as I am aided: I claime Iesus to be my Lord: I defend my selfe for him, be­cause I am his right: I hold him for my God, him for my Lord: Come therefore holy Spirit, and scatter these Vsurpers in thy power: Draw vs all after him; draw vs, though wee be vnwilling, and make vs wil­ling: draw vs that are slothfull, and make vs cheerfull. Shed out and powre foorth the oile of thy gladnesse vpon vs, and we shall run in the sauour of thine oint­ments: We are soone weary, and changeable, draw vs after him, lest wee begin to take our vagaries after other louers.

After other louers!Aug. Iob. 10. con [...]es. cap. 42. Quem inuenirem qui me reconci­ [...]aret ti [...]i? An [...]undum mihi fuit ad Angelos? Qua prece? Quibus Sacramentis? Whom should I finde that should reconcile mee vnto thee? Should I make any way to Angels? With what praiers? With what my­steries? [Page 16] Sure, Angels are not strong enough to carrie vs to heauen, and men are too weake: yet there bee Giants now, as were after the flood, that hauing got such morter and bricke, say, Come let vs build a tow­er, whose top may reach vp to heauen: Videte quas scalas, imo quae praecipitia, ipsi sibi parauerint ad ruinam: Marke what ladders, yea rather what downfals, they haue gotten themselues for their owne ruine: for An­gels are creatures, not able to stand of themselues, without the support and benefit of the sonne of God. If their abilitie had beene sufficient, the diuels would neuer haue lost their places. The rest are called elect Angels;1. Tim. 5. Col 2.10. Col. 1. and Christ is the ground of all election. Ve­rily Paul calleth him the head of principalities and powers, in whom they doe all consist.

Berrar. in Cantic. Qui dedit [...]a [...]so homini vt surgeret, dedit stanti Angelo ne caderet: Hee gaue man, that was fallen, power to rise, and Angels, that stood, grace, that they should not fall: and so he was beneficiall to both, raising vp the one, and confirming the other. And if I should commit my cause to such an aduocate as hath need of a patron himselfe, it were a right tower of Babel, and no scale of heauen. The holiest men in the world are too weake to carry vs to heauen by their intercessi­ons. Doth this appertaine vnto man, O Lord God? Adam was perfect both in body and soule, yet of too too base a condition to stand in the presence of God, without the interuention of a mediator. The tree of life, which was giuen him, is a cleare testimony heere­of. What needed he any Sacrament of Christ, if hee could haue stood of himselfe? And then mee thinkes it is plaine enough, that seeing Adam could not medi­ate [Page 17] his owne cause in his integritie, no saint, though in heauen, is able to vndertake for vs in this common miserie. Mary began to be a mediator for wine at the marriage in Cana: but assoone as Christ repressed her bold [...]esse, she desisted soberly, and gaue a wholesome charge to the waiters, which may well hold the nature of a rule amongst all posteritie, to attend vpon Christ alone. When the Saints themselues doe send vs vnto Christ, shall wee leaue him, and in our superstitious affections hang vpon Saints? If you do, looke for no­thing but that which happened vnto Baals Priests: They cried from the morning vntill the euening sacri­fice, and there was neither voice, nor one to make an­swer, not any that regarded.

Tell vs, Paul, what you did thinke when you were in such a strait, that you knew not what to chuse; whe­ther to be dissolued and to be with Christ, which was better for your owne particular; or to abide in the flesh, which was more profitable to the Philippians? Were you not then verily perswaded, that after your death the Church could make no vse of your praiers? What then? Is the saints loue diminished in heauen, where all their graces be increased? No sure, loue fal [...]eth not away: But the loue of the saints in heauen is not alwaies in action: It is there rather in Maries contemplation, than in Marthaes exercise. Or if it be in action, it is like to Peters, when hee had a taste of it in the transfiguration of Christ. The loue of his bre­thren, was not decaied, but hee was so rauished and pleased with the sight of that which was present, that he thought of nothing but the fruition thereof. Bonum est nobis esse hic; It is good being heere. Hee thought [Page 18] not of his brethren that were absent: he desired but three Tabernacles for those that were present.

Can the Saints that be in heauen heare our praiers from earth? Haue they any dispensation of vbiquitie? Haue they any indowment of omni [...]cien [...]i [...]? Can they search our hearts? Doe they see and foresee our wants? For who will commit his body to such a Phy­sician, that knowes no more of the infirmities thereof than he himselfe doth tell him? Can they open the gates of heauen for vs? Can they conquer death for vs? All this a mediator must doe.

Ego alium noui [...]eminem qui h [...]c potuerit, nisi Domi­num meum Iesum. Qui cerse in morte viuebat, q [...] [...]p [...]re fractus in cruce, in diuinitate stabat [...]m [...]a [...]r [...], [...], n [...] ­bis [...]um supplicans, in altero, cum patre propitia [...]s: homo manifestus, & Deus absconditus: I know not any that can doe this, but onely my Lord Iesus that liued in death; who being brused vpon the Crosse in bodie, stood in his diuinitie with the father; suppliant with vs in the one, and giuing a largesse to vs with the Fa­ther in the other; a visible man, and a hidden God. Will you see how hee did liue in death? Consider then that Satans power was not to continue longer (as Paulinus writeth, Epist. 4.) than till he had slaine an innocent person therewith. Was not this li [...]ertie e­nough? Did hee not once vrge such a point against poore Adam, for eating the fruit that was reserued, because [...]ee had libertie enough to eat of all the rest? And is not his owne cause now like to this? Ah thou vngratious and wicked seruant, I will iudge thee out of th [...]ne ow [...]e mouth: Did it not suffice thee to bee the minister of Gods iustice, to inuade all that offen­ded? [Page 19] If this only were permitted, oughtedst not thou to haue forborne this one innocent person that neuer sinned? Thou hast shed innocent blood, and art now not an executioner of the Law of God, but a trespas­ser against it. Art thou able to reinfuse the guiltlesse blood into those sacred veines againe, out of which thou hast presumptuously spilt it? Is thy power no­thing to edification▪ but al to destruction? Know then O thou enemie, that temeritie is not alwaies fortu­nate: for destruction is now come to a perpetuall end. Ne (que) enim lex iustior vlla est, quàm necis artifices arte pe­rire sua. Thus you see the power of Satan dissolued by the death of Christ, not with force, but in law and iu­stice. And what doe you thinke of the Godhead of Christ, that hitherto was a beholder, and no actor; a Iudge, and no party in this businesse? Should not the Iudge of all the world doe right? Or can there be any better iustice, any greater right, than to restore the innocent, and to punish the wrong-doer? Euen so he did. The Godhead of Christ, which was glued to his bodie with an inseparable vnion, which was with it in the graue, that it did not see corruption▪ that same Godhead did breath the breath of life into it againe, and then he was inter mortuos liber, a free man amongst those that were dead. When he had thus reuiued and restored the innocent, then he spoiled principalities and powers, so much more magnifically, because he pursued them into their owne holds, and triumphed ouer them in their owne Castles, of the graue and hell. It fared with them all as it did with the great sea-beast when he had swallowed vp Ionas. They had ta­ken such a morsell as they could not hold, but were [Page 20] faine to be rid of it againe. Then hee tooke the beast, euen the great Leuiathan, that crooked serpent, and cast him aliue into a lake of fire burning with brim­stone. Non iam Diabolum vt Leonem timemus, sed vt pel­lem concul [...]mus: We doe not now feare the Diuell as a Lion, but wee tread him vnder our feet as a case. There is no cause now that you should stand in doubt of any angrie Porters, that you should bee afraid of any firie sword. Christ see Satan falling downe from heauen, as if it had beene lightning. Ego alium noui ne­minem qui hoc potuerit, nisi d [...]minum meum Iesum: I know not any that could so haue taken him away, and remo­ued his power, but only my Lord Iesus.

When Christ was risen againe, hee made not the earth a place of his residence, but ascended to heauen as a conquerour. It is well seene how thou my King and God goest to thy sanctuarie: not climing by lad­ders, not hoised vp by cords or pullies, but marching valiantly in the multitude of thine owne strength; thou makest the Clouds thy Chariots, and walkest vpon the wings of the winde. And when hee came neere to the wals of that heauenly Citie, hee did not begge or intreat an entrance by fauour, but comman­ded it as one that had authoritie. Lift vp your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift vp, ye euerlasting doores, and the King of glory shall come in. Securae estote caro & sanguis▪ coelum in capite pos [...]detis: aut si vos in coelo negent, negent in coelo Christum; Feare not flesh and blood: ye are now in your head possessed of heauen: or if any denie you to bee in heauen, they may as well deny Christ to be there. He [...]scended whole; for there was not one bone of him broken: then must his bodie bee [Page 21] there too, which we are. Hominem portauit ad coelum; Aug. Deum misit ad terras; He hath both taken and giuen a pledge: He hath taken flesh of vs, and carried it into Heauen, that Heauen now knowes what it is to beare man: and he hath giuen vs his spirit from thence, in testimonie that we shall all bee gathered thither. Ego alium noui neminem qui hoc potuerit, nisi Dominum meum Iesum. He shall be my mediator; he shall be my lad­der: If he did redeeme me with the infirmitie of his death, can he not make intercession for me in the ma­iestie and glorie of his life? He liues at the right hand of God, not in contemplation of his owne greatnes, but for the comfort and sustentation of our wants He liues for euer, to make interpellation for vs: and if he were heard in the dayes of his flesh, because of his re­uerence, shall he be refused now at the right hand of God, because of his glorie? Hauing once opened heauen, he makes it a thorow fare for our praiers to ascend, and for his benefits to descend. Amongst o­ther things that he giueth vs from thence, one is here specially mentioned in the text. The Angels of God ascend and descend vpon the sonne of man: that is, by his appointment and authoritie, to attend, to guard, to comfort vs poore men.Heb. 10. Are they not all ministring spirits, sent foorth for their sakes that shall bee heires of saluation?Psal. 34. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about the Tents of the godly, and deliuereth them. They shall beare our soules into Abrahams bosome.Luke 16. Let vs vse their ministry, that is glorious; leaue their mediation, that is superfluous.

There is another sort of Angels that ascend and descend vpon the sonne of man. When he led capti­uitie [Page 22] captiue, he gaue gifts vnto men, some Apostles, some Prophets, some Pastors and Doctors, for the gathering together of the Saints. These are called in the Reuelation, the Angels of the Churches, and heere they are said to goe vp and downe. They had not need to sit still, lest the children should call for bread, and there no none to breake it vnto them. We haue the keies of the kingdome of heauen committed vnto vs.Matt. 16. Tibi [...]abo claues regni coelorum. Wee are key-bearers to open the kingdome of heauen to you by preaching of the Gospell. This power Peter and Paul did exercise faithfully: They preached the Gospell, and in that, remission of sinnes, and so opened the kingdome to the beleeuers. They neuer practised nor thought of such exorbitant and infinite power, as the Church of Rome doth now vsurpe vnder the colour and title of those keies, directly or indirectly to sway and to dispose of all the world. Paul neuer planted any such power, Apollos neuer watered it, and God of his great mercy, neuer giue increase to it in these kingdomes. It is clauis errans, a false and counterfeit key: the kingdome of heauen is not opened, but shut with such keies. It is the key of the bottomlesse pit.

Ber [...]ar. de [...] [...]r [...] ­t [...]e, ad Euge [...]m. Non monsirabunt, credo, qui h [...]c [...]icunt: They that plead this, will neuer be able to shew where any of the Apostles did it any time sit either Iudge ouer men, or diuiders of inheritances, or distributers of lands. I haue read (saith Bernard) where the Apostles haue stood to be iudged: but they did sit in iudgement of such matters I neuer read. Christ would not meddle with the diuision of inheritances. Who hath made me a Iudge amongst you? He disclaimeth all authori­tie [Page 23] in secular affaires, and professeth that his king­dome is not of this world: Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. Hee did not speake it in a corner, but before Pontius Pilate in the iudgement place, where the Apo­stle saies he made a good confession. And those things that bee done in iudgement, are so publike, that they are intended to be done before all the world. There­fore Augustine makes Christ call all the world to re­cord: Aud [...]t [...] Iudae [...] & Gentes: audi praeputium: audite omnia regna terrena; Non imp [...]dio dominationem vestram in h [...]c mundo; Heare Iewes and Gentiles (saith Christ) heare you that are vncircumcised; heare all yee king­domes of the earth; I hinder not your gouernment or authorities in this world.

Compare them now together, and you shall see how the Vicars of Christ agree with their founder: Christ had no kingdome in the world, and they will haue all the kingdomes of the earth: Christ would haue no authoritie to diuide inheritances, and they will haue none to doe it but themselues: Christ did not trouble any humane gouernment, and they will not suffer any to be quiet. Such cannot be friends of the bridegroome: they must needs be his aduersaries. [...] [...]m [...]sp [...] si sunt, sed aemuli; They are not the Vi­cars of Christ; they are the seruants of Antichrist. They goe not vp and downe vpon the sonne of man, but vpon the man of sinne. Bernard describes them liuely. I [...]a [...]or, & lat [...]rae, & volunt [...]ria pa [...]p [...]rtas, Epist. 4 2. haec sunt Mo [...]a [...]h [...]rum insignia; haec vitam solent nobilitare mona­s [...]am. Ves [...]r [...] autem oculi omne sublime vident; vestri pe­d [...]s omne serum [...]r [...]m [...]nt; vestrae linguae in omnibus au­diuntur concilijs; vestrae manus omne alienum diripiunt pa­trimoniam. [Page 24] Labour, Cloister, and voluntary pouer­tie, were wont to be the cognisances of Monks. These were woont to commend the liues of Monkes. But your eies doe now see euery great sight; your feet are walking in euery place of assemblies; your tongues are heard in euery consultation; your hands reach at euery mans patrimonie.

Doe you then, my good friends, that are the Lords Vineyard, take heed and beware of these false Pro­phets, that they steale not your hearts, sheepe in ha­bit, but foxes in craft. We that are guardians of your Vines, shall, by the grace of God, weaue nets for them with the threeds of the Scripture: & he that is Christs true Vice-gerent, the Lords anointed, will in his princely vigilancie, catch vs these foxes, these little foxes, that destroy our Vines, and make them bring small grapes.

I haue deliuered you Christ Iesus, to be a ladder to carry you to heauen: and now nothing remaineth, but to shew the vse of it, which I will do in a word or two, because I dare not abuse your patience longer. You shall therfore passe vpon him along from step to step, vntill you come to the throane of grace. The first step you shall begin at his natiuitie, wherein, the lesse that he made himselfe in his humanitie, the greater he of­fred himselfe vnto you in his bounty: and the baser that he was for you, the dearer hee should be to you. A childe was borne to vs. Take then the purity that was in his birth,Esa. 9. to couer all the impuritie that was found in yours. The next step that you make, is to his life, and that is broad with innocencie. Innocent in his conception, because it was of the Holy Ghost; [Page 25] Innocent in the rest of his life,Philip. 2. for hee was obedient to the father, &c. Innocent in his affections, because they were tempered to the pleasure of God;Mat. 26. Not my will, but thy will be done. Innocent in his words; Si malo locutus fuero, de malo fe [...] testimonium: If I haue spo­ken euill, beare witnesse of the euill. Innocent in his deeds, and so pronounced by the mouth of his Iudge. Innocent euery way,Io. 8. Which of you can conuince me of sinne? In all this innocencie you may say with the Spouse in the Canticles: Dilectus meus mihi, & ego illi; Chap. 2. My beloued is mine, and I am his, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; and so wee are two, not onely in one flesh, but also in one spirit, which increaseth our comfort. Qui agglutinatur Domino, vnus est Spiritus; 1. Cor. 6. Hee that is ioined to the Lord, is one spirit. Hence comes that blessed interchange of indowments, that he hath taken all our sinnes vpon himselfe, and giuen vs all this his innocencie.2. Cor. 5. The third step is the satisfa­ction of his death; and the Apostle teacheth you, that if one bee dead for all, then all are dead in that one. And it is certus sermo, a cleere case,2. Tim. 2. that if wee die with him, wee shall also liue with him. The next step is the power of his resurrection, wherein you may say, Meum est quod cecidit, vt meum sit quod resurrexit; Aug. m [...]m est quod iacuit intra tumulum, vt meum sit quod a­s [...]e [...]dit [...]n coelum; That which is fallen is mine, that it may be mine which is risen again: that is mine which did lie in the graue, that that may be mine which is a­scended into Heauen. The next steppe is the glory of his ascension, and from thence it is a ready step to pas [...]e vnto the throne of grace, where you shall see him sit at the right hand of the Father. There I will [Page 26] leaue you: for I know not where to leaue you better, than at the right hand of God. Walke there by faith, vntill hee bring you thither both in soule and body, that you may wa [...]e then according to sight and kind, to enioy the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, three persons and one God, to whom be all honor and glo­ry now and euermore. Amen.

Ber. serm. 2. in die Pentecost. Hoc autem ideo vt conceptio mea emundet tuam, vita mea instruat tuam, mors mea destruat tuam, resurrectio mea praecedat tuam, ascensio mea praeparet tuam: Porro spiritus adiuuet infirmitatem tuam. (*⁎*)