THe drift of the Apo­stle Paul in this most precious sentence, is to moue Timothie to behaue himselfe verie religiouslie and reuerentlie in the [Page]church of God, as may appeare both in the beginning of the verse, im­mediatlie before set downe in this chapter, and in the latter ende of the sixt verse of the next Chapter. One argumēt to this intent and purpose, hath bin already brought by him in the last wordes of the former sen­tence; whereof this is the effect: see­ing the house or Church of God, whereof thou art a Minister, is not a sinagogue of error, or a temple of types & figures, but a proper pillar of truth: thou art as a pa [...] of th [...] Christian flock, to walke verie orderlie, religiously and holylie, in all respects. Another reason tending vnto the selfe same end, is contained in this conclusion of the Chapter, whereof this is the summe: foras­much as the Gospell is a most ex­cellent mysterie, it behooueth thee, a steward of such secrets, to shew [Page 2]all wisdome and faithfulnes in the course of thy conuersation, and in the execution of thy ministerie.

Now the excellencie of the Gos­pell is partly affirmed, and (as it were) inlarged by degrees, in the sixe first words of this verse, being these, And, that, mysteries, of godlines, is great, without doubt: partly proo­ued and confirmed by sixe seuerall reasons in the latter ende of the sen­tence, which reasons are these; God hath been manifested in the flesh; iusti­fied in the spirit, seene by the Angels; preached among the nations; beleeued in the world; and receiued vp in glorie.

The first note here declaring the excellencie of Christian Religi­on, is the particle or word, And: the which not onelie (as a knot) bindeth the former sentence or rea­son, and this together: but as an ex­position of the last word thereof, [Page]which was [trueth] declareth, that the maine veritie, which the house of God, or the Christian Church, chiefelie and continuallie vphol­deth; is the mysterie of godlines, or faith in Christ Iesus. It was ve­rie needefull for Paul to expound himselfe after this manner, and to insinuate this matter vnto Timothie, and in him to all the faithfull Mini­sters and beleeuers of the Gospell. For else, they taking through error their markes amisle, and thinking the holding of any truth, a sufficient proofe or note of this true Church, might conclude the Iewish sina­gogue or some such like assemblie, to bee the house of GOD; because therin some truth is kept & found: or againe, they running into another extremitie, might rashly condemne some beleeuing and christian chur­ches, (as the Church at Corinth) be­cause [Page 3]cause euen they sometimes erre or dissent about some points of trueth, which yet are of lesse importance.

To the end therefore that all the faithfull may in all times and pla­ces, and among all persons, knowe which is the Lords holy campe, re­sort thereto, and remaine therein; the Apostle sheweth here, that it may alwaies bee discerned by this banner or ensigne of the Mysterie of the Gospell. Those congregati­ons then are vndoubtedly the true Churches of God, which firmelie hold the articles of faith, and sound­ly acknowledge Christ Iesus to bee the Sonne of God, and the onelie foundation of saluation: howsoe­uer otherwise peraduenture they be farre from spotles perfection.Reuel. 1.2, 3. c. Had not the Churches of Asia much drosse, and many cracks? Did not the Church of Ephesus, somewhat [Page]coole and quench the burning lamp of hir former loue? Were there not sundry members of the church at Sardis, which had names of life on them, but wounds of death in them? How came it to passe that in the Christian assembly at Perga­mus, there were such as held the doc­trine of Balaam, if that the eye ther­of did not winke, or was not fast a sleepe? And where was the rodde or shepheards crooke of the pastor of the Congregation at Thyatyra: when Iezabel was suffered to de­ceiue the seruāts of the Lord? How luke-warme were euen the best wa­ters in all Laodicea, when our Saui­our cried out thus against the foun­taine of them, would to God thou wert either hot or colde? These faultes were found in all these Churches: yea in the messengers sent vnto them, and therefore in the members [Page 4]of them. And yet what are these Churches in his account, who wal­ked in the middest of them, but gol­den candlesticks? What names dooth the giue to the messengers of these congregations, but Starres: so called by him in regarde of their places, and the shining of those gra­ces, which were somewhat dim­med, but not quite quenched? Fi­nallie what promises maketh he, or what speeches vseth he to the mem­bers of those beleeuing assemblies? but that (vpon condition, that they repented and continued in well do­ing) they should eate of the tree of life, feede on the hidden manna, rule ouer the Nations, and stand as pil­lars in the Temple of GOD for e­uer?

Hee dooth not aduise them to forsake their mutuall fellowship, he dooth not denie them to bee mem­bers [Page]of his bodie, because they did not rent themselues from the bo­dies of their Congregations so dis­eased and infected, he willeth them not to disclaime the eyes which di­rected them no better, he affirmeth not, that their teachers are none of his Ministers, their Sacraments no Sacraments vnto him, because his order was not obserued or execu­ted, and because certaine Balaams and Iezabels were mingled in the as­sembly with his seruants. Yea on the contrarie side; notwithstanding all these wants, neglects, disorders, offences and blemishes whatsoeuer, he alloweth and accepteth the good things which were in any profes­sors, and calleth these assemblies golden candlesticks (as before hath been shewed) concluding that who­soeuer hath an eare, is to heare what the spirit speaketh vnto the [Page 5]Churches, so that look what iudge­ment our sauiour Christ Iesus gaue touching the Churches of Asia, the same are all Christians to haue of the Churches of Europe, not one of which is without some spot or wrinckle. Wherefore let euery one take heede how hee leaueth our as­semblies and Christian congregati­ons in this [...] [...]ast going about to be more [...] than the rule, more bright than the sunne, more right handed than the right hand it selfe, to conclude, more perfect [...] the word of God: whilest he [...]efull and endeuoreth to auoide one ex­tremetie, through ignorance or blinde zeale hee runne into ano­ther.

Now if those reuolters (which so wander on the right hand, as that they condemne our Christian Congregations which receiue and [Page]acknowledge the great mysterie of Christ Iesus here spoken of) cannot be excused, neither are to be iustifi­ed in regarde of their error, or rash separation: notwithstanding that they neither denie any of the Arti­cles of faith, nor fall downe before stockes or stones? what is to be said of those recusants on the contrarie side, and as it [...] [...]he left hand which art such [...] to Christ Iesus, that Antichrist is vnto them all in all, and that they embrace the mys [...] of all iniquitie and blas­phem [...] euen the abominable and execrable heresie of poperie?

These Enemies of the grace of GOD, affirme and vaunt that the Church of Rome is the house of God, and the pillar of trueth, where­as rather it is indeede a denne of theeues, and a sea of al impietie and diuelish apostacie or backsliding [Page 6]from the faith. But as for the church of England, it pleaseth them not, and therefore they either come not at all to our assemblies (because indeed they haue sworne obedience to the sinagogue of Antichrist) or if anie resort now & thē vnto our church, it is for that the Machiuell in their head, hath for the time gotten the vpper hand of the Pope in their bel­ly. They say they beleeue in Christ, yea and in the holy Trinity: but see­ing they lay another foundation of saluation, besides the sonne of God, to wit, the abominable idoll of the masse, they cannot be the true wor­shippers of GOD, yea they must needes be most vile idolaters. They talke much of good workes, but seeing thereby they professe to be saued, as for the same deseruing the fauour of God, and eternall life; the very Publicans and sinners, repen­ting [Page]and confessing their sinnes, shal be taken vp into heauen, when they with all their merits shall be cast in­to hel. They worship a paltrie pope, and fall downe daily before grauen images and idols; in the meane sea­son they make no conscience to rise vp in armes against Christian Prin­ces, and to hatch the egges of Asps against Gods people. They call thē ­selues Catholiques, as if forsooth they were of the company of true beleeuers, or the right worshippers of God, but in trueth they are a ge­neration of vipers, which from time to time haue persecuted, tor­mented, and put to death the ser­uants of God, and daily thirst after, & long to suck their bloud. It is no maruell then if the fruites of Anti­christ, hate the assemblies of Christ Iesus or refuse to ioyne with vs in the word and the Sacraments, but [Page 7]rather it is to bee wondered at, that the worshippers of the true God, de­test not with a perfect hatred, such malitious idolaters as those Papists are, which wish for a day, who haue attempted so many treasons, and beare a false heart against their na­tiue countrey, besides a bloudy rage against the Religion.

Now as there are such recu­sants, as (vtterly refusing to come to the assemblies, wherein the my­sterie of godlinesse is acknowled­ged and beleeued) do dangerously keepe out the Arke and house of God, marked with the bloud of the Lambe Christ Iesus; so there are a great number of prophane profes­sors, who imagine themselues to be in the bosome of the Church, when they are indeede in the very bot­tome of the wrath of God, and who very seldome and sparingly resor­ting [Page]vnto the preaching of the word and the Sacraments amongst vs, make as it were an open profes­sion of vngodlines and impietie.

Whose heart would not rue to thinke vppon, or beholde this kinde of people, in whom raigneth an vntolerable neglect & contempt of holy things? These on the Saba­oth in the forenoone, peraduenture will be at Church, but in the after­noone at the alehouse. Once in a tweluemonth (as at Easter) they wil come to the Communion, but after the receauing of it, it is their cu­stome to runne into all excesse of ri­ot, gadding and madding after their pleasures and vanities. They ac­knowledge Baptisme to be a Sacra­ment, and bring their Children to Church to bee Baptized, but when the Minister commeth to admini­ster it to any infant, they depart from [Page 8]the assembly, no more accounting of this sacred seale of the new coue­nant, than as of some common or prophane washing. They wil not re­fuse to pray some times, but they wil continually sweare and blaspheme. They deny not altogether to heare Sermons or preaching of the word, but they like better of gaming, di­sing, carding, dancing, fensing, drinc­king, and feasting than of that. They doo not condemne the Gospell, nor the exercises of Religion, as reading the Word, singing, praier or such like. But their onelie life is to be oc­cupied rather, in gossiping, in pra­ting, and resorting vnto playes and places of all disorder. Yet those are in their owne eyes, and also in com­mon account of the most, the one­lie or best professors of the word, whose waies yet are so impious, & whose prophanenes so apparāt. But [Page]let them take heede,Heb. 10.24. (so to conclude this point) how they tread the sōne of GOD vnder foote, and doo ac­compt the bloud of the couenant common, whereby they are sancti­fied, or be iniurious to the spirite of grace: for we know him that hath saide, Venegeance is mine, and I will re­paie it saieth the Lord.

The second word here to be con­sidered is the Article, That, shewing in this place, that the mysterie spo­ken of, hath in it some speciall dig­nitie,Iohn. 1.29. and excellencie. Iohn th [...] Bap­tist pointing to our Sauiour, vsed the same worde, or Article to the same effect, when he saide. Behold [...] That Lambe; the same Euangelist Iohn also, going about to put a diffe­rence betweene the Messias, and o­ther,Iohn. 1.8. calleth Christ that light. As therefore the sun comming foorth like a bridegroom out of his cham­ber [Page 9]shineth more clearely than al the Starres in the firmament beside: so euen among the other doctrines of the Scripture, this excelleth, where­in the glory of the Heauenly Bride­groome Christ Iesus is presented vnto our view. Furthermore as a pearle far surpasseth pibble stones: so this trueth all the precepts of phi­losophers, all the sciences and artes set downe in bookes, and studied by men. Seeing then this mysterie is so peerles a pearle, what wise chri­stian marchant is there, who would not sell his pleasures, profits, yea life and all to buie it? Againe who is there so depriued of vnderstanding, who once hauing gotten some sight of it, or right in it, would sell such a iewell for sinne, for honour, for gaine, or for the whole world? The counsaile then of Salomon touching this matter is alway to bee remem­bred [Page]by euery Christian,Pro. 23.23. Buie the trueth, but sell it not, euen wisdome, in­struction, and vnderstanding. Now the trueth and wisdome, which the wise King meaneth, is that mystery here spoken of, which Philosophie seeketh, but diuinitie findeth, and godlines possesseth.

Againe, hereupon it followeth, that there is a certaine dignitie and preheminence of the dispensers of the mysteries of the Gospell, e­uen aboue the ministers of the law, inasmuch as the mysterie of Chri­stianitie, hath in it such a special ex­cellencie, and prerogatiue. For as our Apostle reasoneth elsewhere,2. Cor. 3.9. if the ministery of cōdemnatiō were glorious: much more doth the mi­nisterie of righteousnes, exceede in glorie. Our Sauiour also affirmeth in the Gospell,Luc. 7.28. not onely that Iohn was more then a Prophet, but that [Page 10]he which is least in the Kingdome of Heauen is greater than he. For e­uen as a peece of an oken boord, al­beit little worth as of it selfe, yet when it hath in the p [...]ure of the Prince most flourishingly and liue­lie painted, is more worth, & more to be esteemed for that cause; than a boord of Cedar, which wanteth the same image, or hath it but darkely and rudely purtrayed and drawne out: so the ministery of the Gospell; representing our Heauenly Soue­raigne Christ Iesus most plainelie and clerely, is therefore to be prefer­red, and in deede more honorable, than the Ministerie of the Lawe.

Wherefore their condemnati­on sleepeth not, who in these daies are so farre of from esteeming or reuerencing the messengers of the word, that they reiect them as the doung and ofscouring of the [Page]earth. For if a mortall Prince can­not abide, that his Ambassadours should be despised or abused: much more wil the Lord reuenge the con­tempt, w [...]ch is shewed against those, whome hee sendeth on his message, yea on this glorious and most famous ambassage of the gos­pell. For he hath saide in his word, Touch not mine annoynted, and doo my Prophets no harme. Zach. 2.8. Hee that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. He that despiseth you, despiseth me.

The third point in this commen­dation of the Gospell by vs to bee obserued, is, that it is a (mysterie). The which word in the Greeke tongue dooth signifie a secret or an hidden matter: it is also vsually ap­plyed, to note out those precepts & things, which are sacred, and chiefe­lie to bee regarded. But albeit the Gospell is here termed a mysterie: [Page 11]yet the apostles meaning is not, that it is such a secret, as ought not to be communicated to the common multitude. For the Lord enioining his Disciples to teach all Nations, and to preach the Gospell vnto eue­ry creature,Mar. 16.15 whether Male or Fe­male, learned or vnlearned, young or old, in them willeth and warran­teth all his Ministers, to impart this Doctrine to all sortes of people.

Neither is the Doctrine of the new Testament in any such sorte here tearmed a mysterie, as if it were after a more dark manner set down & deliuered vnto vs, than the book of the Law, or the olde couenant. For in former ages (saieth this our A­postle elsewhere) this secret was not so manifested vnto the sonnes of mē, Ephe. 3.5. as now it hath been reuealed to the saintes and Prophets by the spirit. For as one saith verie well, the old Testament is the [Page]new inclosed in obscuritie, and the new is the old vnfolded in the light.

These two couenants differ in circumstance and manner, but they are the same, and agree in substance and effect. But first the power of the Gospell is a mysterie to all the repro­bate, whose eyes the GOD of this World hath so blinded, that they cannot see the trueth vnto Saluati­on, neither doo they soundlie and continually feele, that they are in Gods fouour: yea because Christ Iesus the root of mortification, and sanctificatiō is not planted in them, they are vnable and vnfit to euerie good worke.

Secondly,Tit. 1.16. the very matter of the Gospell it selfe is mysticall and se­cret: the beginnings or first prin­ciples whereof, as the naturall man by any light within him,1. Cor. 2.14 or sight of the creatures without him cannot [Page 12]perceiue: so neither can the spiritual man (although taught by the word, and lightned by grace) reache or sound the full deapth or bottome. For howsoeuer euery true Christi­an borne againe by the spirite, al­waies seeth so much of this myste­rie, as is sufficient for his saluation: yet none hath attained, or can come to the perfect vnderstanding there­of. There is in deede no skill or trade, although neuer so hard, or full of curious points, which some per­sons of pregnant wittes, or very quick conceites, are not able soone to learne, or at least by much labour and endeuour so to attaine, that at last they come to the perfection thereof, and excell therein. But as concerning the sauing and bottom­lesse knowledge of Christ Iesus, (which is in deede the onlie arte or peece of cunning in the world,) it [Page]so farre passeth the reach, not onely of men, but of Angels, that no crea­ture is able fully to conceiue it, nei­ther dooth any comprehend it. If a­ny mortal wight euer saw the depth of this secret, was it any other be­side this our Paul, who being taken vp into the third Heauens, heard words, which cannot be vttered, & contrary to his custome magnifieth his knowledge in this mysterie? No other out of doubt, than the behol­der of Paradise, the schoolefellowe of the Angels, the Preacher of the Gentiles: finallie, hee who wished himselfe accursed for his countrie­men the Iewes. Neuerthelesse euen this great Apostle affirmeth of him­selfe,1. Co. 13.11 that hee knoweth but in part; and of vs, that wee see but as in a glasse darkelie. As for the heauen­ly Angels, why dooth the Apostle Peeter say,1. Pet. 1.22 that euen they desire [Page 13]throughly to view the mysterie here spoken of, if they vnderstand it per­fectlie and exactly?

And now then, seeing this secret is hidden from the reprobate, seeing as it is the power of God vnto sal­uation to the elect, so euen to them it is as a treasure hid (in a great part) in the ground; seeing the Angels prie into the riches of Gods wis­dome herein with great delight: concerneth it not euery Christian, to exercise himselfe verie diligently in the knowledge, feeling and prac­tise of this mysterie? Certainelie whosoeuer shall not know God, as he is made knowne in Iesus Christ, as aliens or strangers from the com­mon wealth of Israel, shal at the day of iudgement feele the fire of ven­geance fal vpon them.2. The 1.8. Againe, who­soeuer hauing knowne this trueth in some measure, shall careleslie, [Page]contemptuously, willingly, wholy finally fall from all knowledge, fee­ling, working and practise of it,Heb. 6.4. can no more bee renued to repentance by any good meanes tending there­unto, than any fruite which hath fallen from the tree can so be set on the bough againe, as that it shall grow theron, or thā a dead man can be recouered to life by Phisick, or an earthen vessell broken to peeces or to powder, bee ioyned together firmelie by the potters skill. For, when the whole lampe of good workes shall quite bee quenched, when all the drops of faith shall bee cast or spurted out, when shipwrack shall be made of the maine stocke of Gods gracious spirite, when the nourishing foode of the word shall bee loathed and reiected, when the strength of hope, concerning a bles­sed estate at the resurrection, shall [Page 14]vtterly be consumed; what repen­tance can there be: the life whereof is faith; the strength whereof is hope, the food wherof is the word, the fountaine whereof is the spi­rite, the fruites whereof are good workes?

Nay, in that these prophane backsliders, willinglie push from them all godlines and the Gospell, what doo they herein, but crucifie the sonne of God, vnto themselues, as if he were a vile person, or an c­uill dooer, piercing him through, albeit not with nayles, yet with most grieuous and innumerable sinnes: yea making a gazing or moc­king stock of him, albeit not by put­ting vinegar to his nostrels, or thru­sting his heart through with a speare, yet by vexing his spirit, and not esteeming or trusting in his bloud, as if it had no price or vertue [Page]in it, but were like vnto the bloud of beasts or of mortall men.

This is the fearefull estate of back­sliders from the Gospell, not of those, in whome many good things are, yea or one sparke of faith or o­bedience to Gods lawes, is founde and abiding. So wretched is the condition of those, who only haue the braunches of the spirit, not of those, who haue in them the roote of this mysterie, Christ Iesus. For as concerning the right Christians, they are not lampes quicklie quen­ched for want of oyle, but lightes alway shining in good works;Phil. 2.15. they are not like cookes or tasters, which let not their meates or drinkes goe downe, but such which keep faith in a good conscience, so that it tur­neth into their spirituall nourish­ment:1. Tim. 3.9 they are not partners of the holy spirit for a yeare or two; nor [Page 15]bankrupt Marchants, which breake vpon a sodaine; but such as abound dayly more and more,1. Cor. 1.5. 1. Tim. 6.18 and waxe wealthie in spiritual giftes: they are not day labourers or hired seruants which for a short time onely sit vn­der the Lords roofe, or eate at his table; but as Children of adoption, they feede dayly on the word, and remaine in the house of God for e­uer:Psal 23.5.6. they are not such diseased or bedred persons, who faint with weaknes, & die for want of breath: but being strengthened by hope in the inner man,Ephe. 3.16. they more than con quer like valiant Captaines, getting the victorie ouer sinne, satan, and all temptations.Rom. 8 37. Now this happie e­state they attaine vnto by the seeing of the height, depth, length, breadth, and that knowledge of the loue of Christ, which surpasseth all know­ledge.Ephe. 3.18.

Wherefore,I am. 1.25. whosoeuer shall looke into this glasse of the Gospel, so reuerently, earnestly and conti­nuallie, that he shall be transformed into the image of Christ,2. Cor. 3 18 from glo­rie to glorie, as by the spirite of the Lord: he shall be by so much farre of from the miserie of reuolters, by how much hee profiteth in this mysterie,2. Pet. 1.8. and by so much nearer vn­to heauēly happines, by how much more carefully and happilie, he wal­keth in this way leading thereunto. Wherefore also euery one ought to be,Heb. 5.11.12, 13, 14. 15. not a rude or young schollet, but well learned in this secret, not a childe or babe, but a strong and olde man in the mysterie of Christ, both as concerning the knowledge, fee­ling and practise thereof.

In the fourth place it is to be ob­serued, that Christian Religion is not onely here called a secret, but a [Page 16] mysterie of godlines, or of the right worship of God. The Ministerie of the leuiticall Priesthoode, and the whole seruice of God vsed by the Iewish people, was a patterne of godlines. For first, there was among the Israelites & ouer them, an high Priest,Exod. 29.7. consecrated with sundrie solemne ceremonies, as namely, a­noynting of him with oyle,Leuit. 8.23 putting the bloud of the Sacrifice on the lap of his right eare, & vpon the thumb of his right hand, & vpon the great toe of his right foote, to conclude, clothing him with most pretious and glorious garments.Exod. 29. [...]. Now his office was,Heb 9.7. once a yeare to enter in­to the most holy place, and to offer vp giftes & sacrifice vnto the Lord,Heb. 8.3. Leuit. 24.3 1. Sa. 2.28. as also to dresse the lampes, and to set them before the Lorde, and to burne incense before him, and to weare before him an Ephod.

Secondly, there were inferiour Priests of the sonnes of Aaron also, whose seruice was,Num. 4.16 to teach, to pray, to sacrifice continually, to offer in­cense, to preserue the oyle,Mat. 2.7. to looke vnto the holy vessels, and to doo o­ther such workes. Thirdly, the rest of the Leuites, which descended not from Aaron, but from Greshom and Merari, 1. Cron. 1.13 were appointed to sundrie offices: some to play vpon instru­ments of musick in the temple, some to sing,Rom. 2.17.11.27. some to keepe the doores, some to other seruices. Last of all the Iewish people being all, first cir­cumcised, brought their beastes to sacrifice, and their other giftes to offer, receiued the Passcouer, and walked in those ordinances and sta­tutes, which the Lord had prescri­bed vnto them.

All these were worshippers not of idols but of the true God,Luk. 1.6. follow­ing [Page 17]and performing in their serui­ces, not the inuentions of men, but the prescript and ordinances of the liuing Lord. Wherefore this pol­licie of the Iewes, (I say) was a pat­terne of godlines; but the substance of it is onely to be found in the gos­pell, and in the Christian Church. For first of all, ouer the Christian assembly of the faithful,Heb 7.26. there is not a sinful, but an holy and perfect high Priest, who hauing been anoynted with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes,Luk. 24 39 and consecrated by afflic­tions and bloud in his hands and feete, hath not onely offered praiers and teares to God,Heb 5.7. but sacrificed his owne soule and body: which ha­uing rightly done in all respects, now he maketh intercesiō in such sort to his father,Rom. 8.34. that he cannot but grant to euery one of the faithfull, whatsoeuer is needefull for him. [Page]Moreouer al Christians by him are made (as it were) princely priests vn­to the Lord,2. Pet. 2.5. leuites to laud him, and Iewes in the spirit to worship him,Ephe. 5.19. so that euery belecuer practiseth godlines in a mystery,Rom. 2.29. and perfor­meth the right seruice of God in an excellent manner.Rom. 12.1. Dooth not the Christian, of what calling soeuer, as a Priest spirituall, not onely offer vp his heart, but his whole bodie, as an holy, liuelie and acceptable sa­crifice to God? Approacheth he not by faith vnto the throne of grace? Dooth not he pray for him­selfe and others with grones, which cannot be expressed?Rom. 8.26 Dooth he not take heed,1. Thes. 5.19 that hee quench not the Spirit? Singeth he not Psalmes and hymnes with spirituall songs in his heart vnto the Lord?Col. 3.16. Laboureth hee not to keepe the doores of his lippes from corrupt speach?Psal. 141.3. Is not [Page 18]he circumcised inwardly, or dooth not the Spirite write the lawes of GOD in his heart?2. Cor. 3.3. Certainely let Christ Iesus once dwel in the heart of any by faith, and he will foorth­with make that man to walk in per­forming sincerely (though not per­fectly) euevey one of the comman­dements of the Law.Rom. 8.10 Jam. 2.11.12. For first of all, the Christian cannot but know the father,Joh. 14.9. whose sonne dwelleth in him: neither can he but trust in his Sauiour, who shed his bloud for him. As for the holy spirit,Rom 8.32. Psal. 16.7. and 116.1. which hath bestowed the riches of his grace on him, he must of necessitie both loue and reuerence his Maie­stie, and so consequently acknow­ledge, feare, loue,Iam. 4.12 and trust in one true GOD in three persons. Now seeing the Christian hath but one Master, Prophet or lawgiuer, hee will not for all the goods in the [Page]world once bow the knee to Anti­christ, neither wil he receiue any in­uentions or traditions of mā,2. Cor. 6.11 which apparantlie are contrarie to the doc­trine of Christ Iesus.

Moreouer, seeing that prince go­uerneth him, whose kingdome can not be shaken,Heb. 12.2 [...] he hath a power of seruing God with shamefastnes, and warines, whereby it commeth to passe, that he banisheth othes and blasphemies out of his mouth, nei­ther taketh he the grace of God in vaine: but when he vseth the Sacra­ments, beholdeth the creatures, or heareth the word,1. Th. 2.13. suffereth all these as wholesome medicines to haue in him due operations. Againe, in as much as his heauenly captaine hath brought him into the Lords rest, he is so farre off from prophaning the Sabaoth day, by absenting himselfe from the publique exercises of reli­gion, [Page 19]or by working, or loytering,Heb. 4.8, 9, 10. that euery day is to him as a sancti­fied Sabaoth, inwardly exercising himselfe from time to time, in pray­ing and practising the will of God, labouring not to walke in his owne way,Esay. 58.13 nor to speake a vaine word. To conclude, he maketh conscience of despising any superiors whosoe­uer,Col. 3.18. &c. of not gouerning his inferiors aright, of being angrie, quarrelling,Mat 5.22 &c. and fighting, of being intemperate, or vnchast in gestures, speeches, diet and apparell; of couetousnes, sloth, vnthriftines and deceipt, of slaunde­ting, lying, teuiling, taunting, yea e­uen of desiring, wishing, or thin­king euill; because not onely a ver­tue of mortification,Col. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. but a power & strength of sanctification, preser­ueth and guideth his soule and bo­dy. And is not this then the best and the chiefest godlines in deede, yea [Page]is not this the onely right and ex­cellent manner of seruing of God?Rom. 12.1

Now hereby it appeareth that poperie is but a counterfaite of pie­tie, and not so much as [...] patterne thereof, as was the Iewish policie or order of seruing God. That here­sie (as the foolish woman spoken of in the Prouerbes) is very full of words and motions,Pro. 9.13. with questions about the true worship of GOD, which it knoweth not. Oh how zealous are the massemōgers about their vnbloudy sacrifice, which hath cost so much bloud? They ac­knowledge a sacrifice; it is wel: and sacrificing priests, such are al Chri­stians: and an altar, it is true, wee haue a sacred sanctuarie Christ Ie­sus. But the bread forsooth must be turned into the body of Christ, and his body must be offered vp a­gaine, a shaueling must be the sacri­ficer, [Page 20]such a one, who (as if he were a worker of feates) can turne about in a circle, and occupie his fingers about making crosses, cast his armes all abroad, lift them vp and pul them downe againe, mumble vnto him­selfe, and by and by speake vnto o­thers with a loude voyce; whisper a while to the bread, and thē break out into a shrill note or song

But to let such popish and apish toyes passe, true godlines consisteth not (as hath been shewed) either in humane traditions, or wil worship, or in bodily exercises,1. Tim. 4. [...] as abstaining from meates, drinkes, sleepe, or such humbling of the body, (as it is se­parated from the mortifying of the soule,)2. Tim. 3.5 nor in a bare profession of the trueth, but in faith in Iesus Christ, and obedience to his lawes, both inwardlie and outwardly per­formed.

The fift poynt to be considered by vs in this commendation of the Gospell is, that the mysterie of god­lines is great, excellent, or notable. It is first of all very great in fame, and renowme, according as the Prophet sheweth; when going about to in­treat of the mystery of the incarna­tion, the sufferings and the glorify­ing of the sonne of God, hee crieth out twice in one Psalme. O Lorde how excellent is thy name throughout the world! Psalm. 8. 1. Cor. 1.24 But againe, the Gospel is as great in fruite, as it is in fame, in regarde whereof it is truely called the Power of God vnto saluation, the wisdome of God, Rom. 16. Ioh. 6.68. finallie, the word of life. For this is eternall life to know the true God, and him, whome he hath sent Iesus Chrst. The magni­ficence of this mysterie further­more appeareth; in the figures and types of the Lawe, as the tabernacle, [Page 21]the temple, the red sea, the cloude, the manna, and the redemption of Israel out of Aegipt. For if the fi­gures were so excellent, what is the body? If such glorious things are spoken in the scripture of the types, what may be thought of the trueth it selfe? To be briefe, the spouse in the diuine booke of the song of songs, playing (if I may so speake) the very blab, and blazing to al men the secrets of hir loue,The Song of Songs. 5.10, 11. telling that Christ Iesus is white and ruddie, the chiefe among ten thousand, that his head is as fine golde, his lockes curled and black as a Rauen; decla­red plainely, and sufficiently wit­nesseth, that this mysterie concer­ning Christ and his Church, is great indeed. It is, as hath been she­wed, very great in fame (for the sound of it hath gone throughout the world) great also in fruit,Ro. 16.18. (For it ma­keth [Page]wise vnto saluation) moreouer great in quality (for hereof the types of the law are euen but shadowes):1. Tim. 3.15 but last of all it is furthermore so great in quantity,Col. 2.17. that the most skil­full Geometrician in the World, is not able to take the measure of it by any meanes, for that is altogether infinit.Ephe. 3 8.

The Prophet speaking of this matter in the Psalme and directing his speech vnto the Lorde, sayeth thus. Thy mercie O Lord reacheth vn­to the heauens, Psal. 3.6. and thy trueth vnto the cloudes, thy righteousnes is like vnto the mountaines, thy iudgements are like a great deepe, O Lord thou sauest both man and beast. In deede our Apostle Paul writing to the Fphesians, affir­meth, that he prayed for them vnto the Lord, that they might bee able to comprehend with all the saints, that height, length, breadth and [Page 22]depth, which reacheth to the hea­uens, to the seas, to the ends of the earth, and the furthest partes of the World. But he meaneth not in this his supplication, to shew, that any is able to attaine vnto the perfection of this knowledge, which passeth all knowledge, but onely hee wi­sheth, that the Ephesians may haue an abilitie or gift from aboue, to see these measures in an acceptable measure for their comfort and the fortifying of their faith. For spea­king of himselfe in his epistle to the Philippians (who saw no doubt in­to this mysterie, as farre as any mor­tall man) hee professeth that he had not yet attained this knowledge, neither was perfited,Phil 3.12. but that he did follow after the same to apprehend it. The wise Agur also intreating of this matter, not onely confesseth that hee had not learned this wis­dome, [Page]or knowledge of holie things: but demaundeth the questi­on, Who hath ascended into Heauen, Pro 30.1.2 &c. and descended thence? Who can gather the winde in his fist? Who can binde the Waters in his garment? Who can esta­blish the borders of the earth? What is the name of such a one? and what is his sonnes name?

In the which words (as it seemeth) that great clarke or Prophet inten­deth to shew, not onely that none knoweth the father, but the sonne, and he to whom the sonne will re­ueale him, but that none perfectlie knoweth either of thē both, as may appeare in that he saieth, there is not any, which can measure or rule these great creatures or elements, namely the earth, the waters, and the ayre, & in that he asketh what the name of the Father and of the Sonne is?

Seeing now the mistery of the gos­pel is so great, yea in alrespects so ex­cellēt, it behoueth the dispēsers ther­of, with great care & conscience to execute that holy ministery, wher­vnto they are set apart. For how els shall they bee able to answer in any respect vnto that honorable functiō whereunto they are called? Yea how can they but staine and pollute the peerlesse pearle committed to their trust, to keepe and carrie? It behooueth them therefore, first of all, as wise builders,1. Cor. 3.10 chiefelie and e­specially to lay the foundatiō Christ Iesus, and to declare vnto their peo­ple the articles of faith, which are the maine and principall pillers (as it were) of the spirituall building. Se­condly, as the foundation is noble, so vpon the same, not the wood, hay, or straw of Rhetoricall, Philo­sophicall, or humaine skill or elo­quence, [Page]but the golde, siluer and pre­cious stones, of a simple, graue, and spirituall maner of teaching, is to be laid. Thirdly, the affection & iudge­ment of the interpreter of the word ought alwaies so to be sanctified & vpright, as that, in as much as hee dealeth with the Lords oracles, he mangle not, nor wryth or wrest the Scripture,1. Tim. 2.15. but cut it aright, as the priests, vnder the law, did the things, which were offered and sacrificed. To conclude, seeing an euill ende dooth make the best actions, that may be, abominable, if the Gospell be taught of enuie, of vaine glory, of flattery,Phil. 1.15. or misapplied by such sini­ster intents or purposes, then it is not handled according to the nature or dignitie of so heauenly a doc­trine, but abused and polluted by mans corruption.

Likewise as the teachers of the [Page 24]Gospell ought by so much the more faithfully and watchfully deale in the Lords oracles, by how much the mysterie of Christian Religion ex­celleth the pollicie of the Iewes: so the hearers of the doctrine of christ Iesus ought by so much the more attentiuely hearken vnto,Heb. 2.1. and reue­rently receiue the message of their Ministers, by how much greater grace is offered vnto them now, than was in olde time to the Israe­lites. For if euery transgression and breach of the Law, receiued a iust recompence of rewarde, how shall they then escape, if they neglect so great saluation, as is offered in the Gospell? They are therefore to know, that they are not to heare such as teach any false Christs, or denie the foundation of Christian Religion, either expressely or by consequence. For they are not so [Page]much as to goe out vnto them, they are not to bid them God speed, not to receiue them to house,2 Ioh. 1.10. neither yet to thinke them otherwise than accursed.Gal. 8 Secondly, they are to heare all those, who truely teach Christ Iesus crucified, without pre­ferring of persons for outward re­spects, or holding on Paul, Cephas, or Apollos. But especially they are to heare,1. Cor. 3.12 reuerence, and ordinarilie to resort vnto, those ordinary suffici­ēt preachers, which the Lord in his prouidence hath placed ouer them. Obey (saieth the Apostle to the He­brewes) your guides, Heb. 13.7. and submit your selues vnto them: for they watch for your soules, that they may doo this with ioy, and not with sorrowe, for that is vnprofitable for you.

But how doo they obey their or­dinarie watchfull teachers, who do not so much as vse to heare them [Page 25]scant once in a month, nay in a twelue moneth? We beseech you bre­theren (saieth Paul to the Thessaloni­ans) acknowledge those who trauella­mong you, 1. Thes. 5.12. & rule ouer you in the Lord, and admonish you, and esteeme them more than most exceedinglie, as deare vnto you, for their work sake. Let ther­fore all so account of their ordinary teachers, as Paul aduised the Thessa­lonians to esteeme those Pastors or Preachers which laboured among them and as the Philippians stood af­fected toward Epaphroditus their peculiar shepheard, whome the A­postle made hast to send back vnto them, that they at the very sight of him might reioyce. For what? Is the Minister bound, trowe we,Phil. 2.28. and commanded by God, ordinarily to teach, and to expound the word and is the hearer priuiledged from re­sorting vnto his sermons diligently,Heb. 10.25 [Page]and ioyning with him in publique praiers? Shall the bloud of the flock be required at the shepheards hands, if he bee dumbe, or slothfull: and hangeth there no woe ouer the head of the sheepe,Ezech. 33.9 if they stray out of the folde, or refuse to heare the voyce of their shepheard? Dooth the louing Wife preferre her Hus­band in loue before all other, how beautifull soeuer? Dooth the soul­diour waite vpon his Captaine, al­though other in the host be stron­ger than he? Dooth the seruant at­tend on his Master, albeit others are more honorable? Finally, doth the Child keepe in, and like best of his fathers house, notwithstanding, that there be many, which keepe better tables? And wil not Christians, like best of their ordinarie teachers, and cleaue vnto their peculiar and alot­ted Ministers, albeit they perceiue [Page 26]in them some wants or infirmities, or see greater graces or giftes shine in the candles or starres of other Churches.

But moreouer, it is not suffici­ent for a professor of the Gospell to heare vsuallie his true and faith­full shepheard, and to proceede no further: but he must take heede al­so, what hee heareth, as our Saui­our exhorteth.Col. 3.16 Yea and after what manner he heareth both him and other, hee must heare the Word, not foolishlie, but wisely, applying euerie good Doctrine and exhor­tation to himselfe; not careleslie,1. Thes. 2 13 bu [...] reuerentie, as the Worde of GOD, and not of man: not senseleslie, but with feeling, ta­king a delight therein,2. Cor 7.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. and follow­ing with affection euerie tune thereof.

Finally not doubtingly, but with faith, [Page]beleeuing that euerie promise,Heb. 4.2. and threatning of the word, shall surely come to passe. After such a forte the people in Nehemiah his time heard the word both read,Nch. 8.1. &c. opened, and applied by Ezra, and the Leuits. For then, whilst the Lawe was in reading, the cares of all the people were attent; in the time of praier, they lifted vp their hands, and bow­ed downe their bodies. Finally, when the threatnings of the word were applied by Preaching, they fel a weeping; and when againe they were comforted by their teachers, they reioyced.

But now, although our attenti­on and reuerence should exceede theirs,Heb. 2.1. (as the Apostle sheweth) yet it is farre behinde the same. Nay what confusion and irreuerence, al­most in euery congregation, it not to be seene amongst vs? Doe not [Page 27]vsuallie (O irreligious times) some talke in the midst of the exercises of Religion, some run out of the Church before the Sermon be en­ded, some sleep in their pewes, some turne the eyes of all vpon them by their strange and masking appa­tell? Finally, almost all shew some signe of neglect or contempt of the word of God, or other? But to let these passe, the true Christian hea­ter, will not onely bee carefull to heare the word in a right manner, but to resort therunto with an holy intent and affection. For as Salomon sheweth,Pro. 21.27. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination vnto the Lord: how much more, when he offereth it with an euill mind? The Christian then desireth the sincere milke of the Word not to cauill at it, no, nor to knowe it onelie, but to growe thereby. This, (if it were considered,1. Pet. 2.2. as it ought to [Page]bee) would make those, who often resort to the hearing of Sermons, not onely talkers,Iam. 2.26. but practisers of Religion, not onely discerners, but haters of sinne,Psal. 119.104. not onely such as de­light in good exercises, but perfor­mers of holie dueties,Psal. 119.9. not praisers onelie of their teachers in wordes, but commenders of them by their liues and conuersations.2. Cor. 3.1 2 For in deede he is the best hearer, which washing his specks and spottes by the Lawe of libertie, is by hearing transformed into the image of Christ, and hee most commen­deth his teacher, whose heart and life is written and grauen with the letters of faith and repentance.

Now to come to the last point or note of the excellencie of the Gospell, it is affirmed here to bee great by one assent. True it is in deed that a great number of prophane [Page 28]people, make no account of the Gospell, being either Dogges or Swine,Mat. 7.6. despising and abusing pearles and holy things. But as concerning the true members of the Churche, euerie one of them with heart and hand subscribeth to this Doctrine, so that accor­ding as Esay notablie expressing this matter hath foretolde, This man saieth I am the Lordes, Esay. 44.5. and this man calleth himselfe by the name of Iaacob, another writeth with his hand, I am the eternals, and nameth him­selfe by the name of Israel. Euident it is also,1. Tim. 4.1 that manie Heretickes haue oppugned, and doo denie the verie articles of our faith. But what the instruments of Satan say or gainsay, is not to be regarded. This is that, which here our Apostle would de­clare, namely that al the Lords faith­ful seruāts & messengers haue with [Page]one voyce receiued and published, and are with their liues and bloud ready to seale the truth of the Gos­pell. To conclude, it cannot be de­nied that there are diuers truthes in the word,Ro. 14.1, 2. which true Christians with one consent yeeld not alwaies vnto. For either they vary one from another in the exposition of some places of Scripture, or they differ in iudgement about questions of law­fulnes or vnlawfulnes,1. Cor. 14.31, 32, 33. of order or disorder,1. Cor. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. chapters. or they dissent in some inferiour points of trueth (If I maie so speake) which yet are not to bee oppugned,Mat. 5.19 yea are by all meanes on the contrarie side to be imbraced,Exo. 10.26 held fast, and prefer­red before golde or siluer, or the whole World. But oftentimes it is to be seene, that euen those, who in interpretations of certaine sen­tences in the word,Act. 15.39. and in opinions [Page 29]touching things lawfull or vnlaw­full differ furthest asunder, concur and consent together most nerely and fully in the Articles of the faith, the principles of the Gospell, and all the fundamentall grounds of Chri­stian Religion. Whereby it appea­reth that the vnitie of the members of the Catholick Church consisteth not in thinking the same things al­waies, or liking the same persons, but in the generall consent,Ephe. 4.13. which is giuen vnto the mysterie of Christ Iesus. In deede all are to labour to the vnitie of the spirit, to iudge and speake euen al one thing;1. Cor 11.19 but in this world such a perfect knot shall ne­uer be knit. But although Christi­ans disagree sometime in affections or opinions: yet there is alwaies a­mong them sound vnitie in deede,Ro. 12.4.5 because they maintaine one maine veritie.

Neither by reason of diuisions, which must be, and haue been in al ages, among beleeuers and profes­sors of the Gospell, is there iust cause giuen vnto any to departe from the Church of GOD, or to doubt whether there bee at all any certaine sauing trueth, or to saye, there are such dissentions in the World, that a man cannot knowe what to beleeue. The Virgin Ma­rie, Simeon, Luk. 1, 2, 3. chap. Elizabeth, and the Di­sciples saw the sauing and the cer­taine trueth, when the sinagogue of the Iewes erred euen touching the Messias, and was diuided into di­uers most pestilent and contrarie sects. The Christians in the daies of the auncient Fathers sawe the truth, and walked in the right way, when the Arrians, Eutichians, and such other Heretickes spread their poyson throughout the whole [Page 30]world. Now then, to doubt whe­ther there bee any certaine trueth, (whē the articles of the faith are re­ceiued by one assent, and the Chur­ches of England, France, Scotland, Har. con. apolo. eccl. Angl. and the Lowe Countries subscribe vnto the Doctrine of the Gospell, and when manie Martyres haue of late sealed the Doctrine of faith with their bloud, yea diuers liuing Martyrs confirme the same by word and deede) is to call into question, whether there be a Sun in the Skie, and to doubt whether it shine in the firmament at noone day.

Thus wee see the former parte of this sentence laide open before our eyes, wherein that excellencie of the Gospell is by sixe wordes plainelie affirmed, the which in the second part of this verse is con­firmed or prooued effectuallie by sixe forcible reasons. All these argu­ments [Page]together with the former words, may briefelie be cast after this sort into one frame of proofe, whereby the whole matter intrea­ted of in this sentence may yet more euidently be declared and more ful­ly concluded.

• That trueth, wherein is showed and whereby is prooued that God hath been manifested in the flesh, iustified in the spirit, seene of Angels, preached a­mong the nations, beleeued in the world, and receiued vp in glorie, is great by one assent and without all coutrouer­sie.
• The mysterie of godlynes is that truth, wherein al these things are shewed, and whereby they are demonstrated.
• The mysterie of godlynes there­fore [Page 31]is great by one assent and without all controuersie.

The last part of this reason hath in the beginning of this sentence been set down, which ought not to seeme strange vnto any, namelie that the conclusion is set in the first or second place, seeing this is an v­suall thing both in the Scriptures, and in all good Writers.

The middle part of the proofe is contained and expressed in the con­clusion of this sentence, which now we are to proceede vnto and consi­der. The first part of the sillogisme is included in the last words of the verse going before, wherein was af­firmed, that the whole Church of God vpholdeth this excellent truth. Now although the Apostle had not insinuated any such matter, as that the trueth, which testifieth or pro­claimeth [Page]such wonderfull and pro­fitable things, as here are set down, is great by one assent, or without controuersie: yet this is so cleare a a point, that it seemeth to bee writ­ten with the beames of the sunne, & not to neede any further speach or proofe.

To the end then we may not goe about to light a candle, where it shi­neth clearely & brightly, but be led forward (as it were) to perfection, and to the ende wee may the better vnderstand, this chiefe principle of Christian Religion, God hath beene manifested in the flesh, let vs a while consider the nature of the heauenly godhead. As cōcerning the power, wisdō,Rom. 1.19. & Maiesty of the godhead, it is in some part or sort made known vnto vs by the creatures, and especi­ally by the Scriptures. Wherefore whosoeuer shall say with Pharaoh, Exod. 5.2. I [Page 32]knowe not God, shall shew himselfe herein a lier, or a prophane person. But as touching the nature or form of the Lords being,1. Tim. 6.16. it is a thing so incomprehensible in it selfe, that men are by no meanes able fullie to vnderstand it: yea, without Christ they cannot (saue onelie in small measure, & darke manner) conceiue what it is. For that knowledge of God, which is conueighed into mē onelie by certaine titles giuen him, or by the creatures, is bur such a cō ­ceauing of his Maiestie, as the pat­ternes of things in this world,Rom. [...].20 leade the minde vnto, and ingender. As for example, when the Lord is called the Lord of Hosts, in this title we ra­ther see his works than him, or if wee see him in any measure, it is by the helpe of earthlie creatures, & by comparison, (as it were) not simply by himselfe. Againe, when we con­ceiue [Page]him as perfectly wise, iust & mercyfull,Act. 14.16, 17. wee rather rife to the knowledge of his effects, than of his being, by the consideration of these vertues, which being in men by measure, are properties and qua­lities onelie, howsoeuer being in GOD without measure, they are things essentiall.Exod. 3.14. Now as touching, the great titles of Iehoua, the eternal, I am, or I will bee, and such like, whereby God in scripture is often called, they shew by those creatures, which are substances, mouing and subsisting in the World,Reu. 1.4. that the Lord hath a being by himselfe, and for himselfe, but that he is a perpe­tuall, infinite, vnchangeable, & glo­rious essence, cannot so well be ga­thered by the sight of fraile,1. Per. 1.24 mutable and base creatures, as is manifested by Christ Iesus,The gospel of Iohn. 1 18 Heb. 13.8 both God and man, who is the same to day and to mor­rowe, [Page 33]and for euer, and in whome the whole Godhead dwelleth bo­dily.

Neither in deed ariseth vnto man any sparke of sound comfort at all,Ephe. 4.18. out of the beholding of the nature of the godhead alone,Rom. 2.1. as it is seue­rally or confusedly considered by it selfe without. Christ, but rather so glistering a light and flame is able to cause the most strong and pier­cing eye in the world to dazle, and the most hardie and valiant hear to quake for horror. Wherefore we are alwaies, when wee turne our fight toward the Godhead, with a certaine reuerent and discerning spirit, to looke vpon three persons hauing their being therein, as vpon three Sunnes in one,Mat. 2.19. (it I may so speake with that profound diuine Nazianzen, who oft most singular­ly writeth of this matter) all of the [Page]same nature, glorie, eternitie, and perfection.

The first of these persons is the father,Mat. 3.17. who as he is without all be­ginning, so this person caused from eternitie the two other per­sons,Heb. 1.3. and this father worketh from himselfe by his sonne, and by his spirit. The second person is the sonne, who, as he was eternally be­gotten by the person of the Father only:Ioh. 3.16. Heb. 1.3. so from him as the fountaine, being himselfe as the streame, hee worketh by the holy Ghost, as the conduit pipe (if that I may so speak) and by earthly things in some rude sort shadoweth out these heauenly, which nothing in the World can fully or in all respects represent or expresse?Ioh. 15.26. The holy Ghost is the third person in trinitie, proceeding from the Father, and the sonne, & working from them both immedi­atlie, [Page 34]by himself, in such sort, as that not onely he quickeneth the whole worlde, but sanctifieth the whole Church. For he, euen he, replenish­eth with graces the Angels, he in­spireth the Prophets, hee teacheth the Lawgiuers wisedom,Basil. ho. mil. de side. he sancti­fieth the Ministers of the word, he maketh Captaines valiant, he absol­ueth the innocent, hee aduaunceth those that are modest, hee worketh gifts of healing, hee reuiueth the dead, hee looseth the captiues, hee maketh strangers children by adop­tion. It he finde a beleeuing Publi­can, he maketh him an Euangelist. If he be in a Fisher man, he frameth him to be a Diuine. If he get a re­pentant persecutor, hee appoynteth and fashioneth him to bee an Apo­stle of the Gentiles, a preacher of the Gospell, an elect vessell. By him the weake are made strong, the poore [Page]rich, the ignorant and those which are void of eloquence become euen wiser than the wisest. Al the which workes with infinite more are also wrought by the Father & the Son,1. Ioh. 5.17 and not onely by the holie Ghost: but as these three persons are di­stinct in properties, which cannot be communicated to each other, as the Father, in that he is vnbegotten, the Sonne begotten, the holy Ghost proceeding: so they differ in the manner or order of their workes, which in common they put into execution,1. Cor. 8.6. seeing the Father begin­neth the worke from himselfe, the Sonne worketh it from the Father by the spirit, the holie Ghost per­fecteth it from them both by his owne immediat hand, and last stitch as it were.

But because the name of God in this place, as elsewhere in the scrip­ture, [Page 35]is restrained to the second per­son in the Trinitie, namely the Son, withdrawing our eyes frō the two other persons, and onely fixing our sight vpon this lampe of all our ioy, and garland of our comfort, let vs consider a little longer his eternall generation or begetting. For when here it is said, that God hath been ma­nifested in the flesh, the meaning of the Apostle is not that either the fa­ther or the spirit euer tooke our na­ture on them: but onely that Christ the naturall and eternall sonne of God, taking to himselfe the seede of Abraham, was subiect vnto all humane infirmities, sinne ouely ex­cepted. After the like manner by this our Apostle is the name of God being common to all the three per­sons, so vsed in the Acts, as that it is onely meant of the second person, when he willeth the Elders of E­phesus [Page]to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his owne bloud. Act. 20.28. But, I say, before wee come to con­sider the conception or birth of Christ, the which had a beginning in time, order requireth that in the former place we view his heauenly generation or begetting from alle­ternitie.

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, calling this second per­son the brightnes of his fathers glorie, Heb. 1.3. declareth, that euen as the Sunne in the Skie naturallie begetteth the bright beame: so GOD the father not onely of his will, but by nature begat his Sonne, the bright beame of this glorie. The same Apostle cal­leth also the Sonne of God, the gra­uen image of his fathers person, euen as the Lord himself in Exodus termeth him the Angel in whom his name is written: Exo. 23.21. no doubt, because the per­son [Page 36]of the Father is wholly imprin­ted in, & expressed by the person of the Sonne. In some such like sense by our Paule to the Colossians, Col. 1.15. hee is termed the image of the inuisible God, his father, whom indeede hee doth so resemble, and so liuelie re­present in all respects, that rather he seemeth the same with his father, than like vnto him, being herein vn­like vnto naturall children of this world, in that they in part only are like vnto their mortall parents, but he in eternitie, nature and vertue is whollie like, or rather one with his heauenly father. Wherefore Iohn in his Gospell fitlie calleth him the onely begotten of his father, Ioh. 1.18 of whom onely, as he was begotten, so was he begotten after an only manner, and therfore he loueth him with an on­lie loue, and in him onely is well pleased. In this respect Salomon in [Page]that excellent booke of the Prouerbs very elegantlie nameth this sonne the daylie delight or ioye of his fa­ther, affirming that he is one,Pro. 1.30. which nourisheth and cheareth vp, or spor­teth before him continually, as be­ing frō all eternitie the sweet word in his bosome, such a louely branch of beautie, and flower of delight, as that it is impossible that any earthly parents should take such pleasure in the sweet lookes, most wittie spee­ches, or vertuous actions of their onely childe, as the eternall GOD is well pleased or solaceth himselfe in this his sonne. Howbeit, this eter­nall generation also euen of the Sonne or Word, being viewed in any shape of glorie, or other nature than of man,Esa. 6.5. is able to make the Prophet Esay himselfe crie out, Woe is me, for I am cut off, seeing I am a man of pol­luted lips. And that the manifesting [Page 37]of this second person vnto man in any shape of glorie or power, rather offereth him occasion to stande a loofe of, than to draw nere to God, it may appear by that caueat, which the sonne of God giueth Moses, ap­pearing into him in a fierie bush, come not neere to this place.

To the end then,Exod. 3.5. that wee might haue the greater boldnes, and an ac­cesse vnto the throne of grace, full of hope and confidence, it pleased God, who is by nature inuisible, to be manifested in the flesh, as here the Apostle speaketh. For had the sonne of GOD remayned still for euer onely an inuisible person, flesh and bloud neuer could or would with comfort haue approached to so glo­rious and infinite a Maiestie, which it had most grieuouslie offended,Gen. 3.8. & wherein it perceiued no signe or pledge of reconciliation. Or had [Page]he taken on him the nature of An­gels, which neuer he did, although by reason of the execution of his office, hee sometimes in called in scripture by the name of an Angell) well might the elect Angels haue endured his presence, or triumphed exceedinglie, or the damned spirits, which left their standing places, lift vp their heads to some hope: but as for men, they should still haue re­mained in despaire and perplexitie, who, both haue been oft amased & troubled aboue measure,Heb. 2.17. Luk. 1.12. when hea­uenly powers or principalities haue appeared at any time vnto them, & alway were only reuiued with this hope, that Christ should not take vnto him the nature of Angels, but the seede of the woman, the seed of Abraham, and the seede of Dauid. Or againe, had the Lord spoken vn­to vs by the voyce of thunder,Heb. 12.18 or re­uealed [Page 40]himself in the light, or other­wise been manifested in the shape of any creature; the nature of man hauing offended, would not well be satisfied, nor yet could bee restored. Finally, had he taken vnto him the noble nature of Adam, or put on him that princely condition, which man had before his transgression, dust and ashes might with greefe haue remembred whēce it had fal­len: but such sound comfort or strong hope, as now we feele,Heb. 2.17. could not arise vnto vs by that gay gar­ment. Wherefore our Sauiour be­ing in the forme of GOD, and ac­counting it no robberie to be equall with God, that the fruit might bee ours, the suffering his, hiding (as it were) for a time the brightnesse of his Marestie, not regarding the An­gels, which had fallen, would in his wonderful mercie and vnspeakable [Page]humilitie put on him, not the forme of any other creature, not Adams royaltic, but the ragged coate of a poore seruant,Psal 2.5. yea the weaknes and vilenes (as it were) of a worme.

Oh,Psal 22.6. what is that which now I doo behold? What? the grauen i­mage of Gods owne person & Ma­iestie, printed within mine earthlie & filthie stampe & molde? What? the brightnes of the heauenlie glo­rie and excellencie, dimmed and darkened with my frailtie and in­firmitie? What? the eternall and most blessed sonne of the highest, to become a worme and no man, an outcast of the people, & a contempt of the nations? What? the Angell, in whom the name of God is writ­ten, passing ouer the Angels, which had offended, and leauing them all in the chaines of darknes, notwith­standing they were of a more ex­cellent [Page 39]nature and an higher degree; but taking compassion on sinfull and wretched mankinde, made one with vs, or God with man, that the baser creature should bee made like an elect Angell? What? the onelie begotten and the sweete ioy of the heauenlie palace, couered and gir­ded round about with my weake­nes, thirst, hunger, drowsinesse, and such like infirmities of bodie, nay with agonies, feares, passions, and affections of the soule? Oh where are yee now a daies yee Christian hearers and professors,1. Pet. 11. who desire with the Prophets & godly people of old time to see these misteries vn­folded? or who thirst euen with auncient Kinges and Princes to heare the doctrines or discourses of the woorke of your redempti­on?Luk. 10.24 Nay, nay, where are you, ye skilfull and faithfull sheapheards [Page]and teachers, who continuallie re­sound the praises of that chief shep­heard of the Christian flock,Psal. 24. which causeth his sheepe to lie downe in greene pastures, and leadeth them by the calme waters? Come forth, and paint Christ Iesus as crucified before the eyes of your people,Gal. 3.1. shew them the prince, valure and vertue of this mysterie. Neuerthelesse, when­soeuer euen those, whose hearts are furnished with most diuine know­ledge, shal come to handle this chief argument of Diuinitie, albeit they shall also speake with the tongues of men or Angels: yet shall they ne­uer bee able fullie to declare or vn­fold this one secrete of the incarna­tion of our Lorde, or by any spee­ches sufficiently to shewe the excel­lencie of this matter, which is most wonderfull in many respects. For who can but maruell, how the Vir­gin [Page 38] Marie should bee the mother of the sonne of God, and yet not onely bee a virgin before the conception,Luk 5.14. but a virgin at the conception, yea, a virgin after the conception of him? What reason of man can conceiue how the holie Ghost should ouer­shadowe the virgin Marie in such sort, as that taking out of her the whole lumpe of the humane nature of Christ, by him it should not only be seuered from all corruption, but vnited and knit vnto the diuine, af­ter such an vnspeakable and incom­prehensible manner, as that a diuine nature and an humane consisting of a soule and bodie, should vnsepa­rablie and eternallie be ioyned and concurre in one and the selfe same person the sonne of the highest?

But seeing we are conceaued and formed in sinne, to the end, that not onely actuall iniquitie might bee [Page]washed away, but euen originall & naturall vncleannes, cured and clen­sed, it behoued the branch to arise out of the stock of Iesse, and a foun­taine to bee set open vnto the house of Dauid and the inhabitants of Ie­rusalem for the purging of sinne: fi­nallie a scepter to be erected against the raigne of death, who medled with those which neuer sinned ac­tuallie, as Adam did.

But the speach by the Apostle here vsed is verie diligentlie to bee obserued,Rom. 5.14 namely that God not on­lie hath been in the flesh, but that he hath been manifested in the flesh. The which words import thus much, namely that the sonne of God first conceaued in the virgins wombe, was afterward brought foorth into the worlde. Of this matter as the Prophet Esay long before had ex­presselie and plainlie prophesied, [Page 41]saying in the person of all the faith­full, that vnto vs a child is borne, Esa. 9.6. and vnto vs a sonne is giuen: so it was meet and conuenient, that this hea­uenlie light should breake out as the Sunne, and the saluation of Gods people shine foorth, and be held vp as a burning lampe. For so long as this most excellent treasure was hid in the wombe of the Virgin, the price or glorie of it not being seene, but shut vp (as it were) neither could the beautie of it (vnknowne as yet) bee earnestlie and generallie desired, neither could the vse or fruit of it so well be felt, or so fullie be enioyed. But after that Christ Ie­sus once pight his tent amongst vs for the time, neither onely lay in the maunger, but walked on the earth, the faithfull disciples sawe his glo­rie, as the glorie of the onely begot­ten of God, and beleeuers or Chri­stiās [Page]haue more fully since that time been made partakers of his grace.Ioh. 1.19.

Now, what a wonderfull thing againe is this to consider, namelie, that the ancient of daies was borne in time: he, whom the heauens can not containe,Naz. did lie in a cratch; the preseruer of all things did sucke his mothers breast; the feeder of Israel hungred and thirsted; the only wise increased in wisedome; hee, who knoweth al things, was ignorant of some things: finallie, the King of glorie became in all things like vn­to man, sinne only excepted? These mysteries are maruellous indeede, but they are no lesse comfortable than wonderfull, seeing now wee may behold the sonne of GOD ap­proaching vnto vs, not as a mightie giant with a barre of yron to breake vs all to peeces, not as an earthlie King or Captaine garded with an [Page 42]host of armed Soldiours to destroy vs, but as a childe, whom without feare wee may take in our armes, or as our naturall brother, in whome wee may acknowledge flesh of our flesh and one of our bones.Heb. 2.17. The lawe was indeed giuen with thun­der, & with lightnings, with storme and tempest, and the sound of a trō ­pet,Heb. 12.18. and it was pronounced out of the middest of a flaming fire: but as for the Gospell, it was proclaymed without any signe of terrour at all, yea on the contrarie side, it began so to bee published and witnessed by the Lords appearing and doctrine, as that God gaue testimonie there­vnto with many wonders & tokens of good will and mercie.

The next point here offered by the Apostle to our consideration is, that God hath been also iustified in the spi­rit. Before hath bin shewed that the [Page]sonne of God being in the forme of GOD, and equall to GOD, abased, emptied and humbled himselfe, and drawing a curtaine (as it were) ouer his infinite Maiestie, walked in the shape of a poore seruant, and mani­fested himselfe to be also man in all poynts like to vs, sinne onely excep­ted. Now, here is further declared, that the glorie of his diuine nature, power & office, so shined through his flesh, and through the course of his whole conuersation, euen (as it were) through a glasse or a lanterne (if I may so speake) that thereby ap­peared who he was, euen that Me­diatour betweene GOD and man, that Messias or person annoynted with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes,Psal. 45.7. touching whom the Scri­ptures foretolde and spake many honorable thinges, who also hath wrought the work of our redemp­tion. [Page 43]For, as the Prophet Esay testi­fieth of him, the spirit of the Lord Ie­houa was vpōhim, Esa 61.1. yea the spirit of Ieho­ua rested on him: namely, the spirit of wisdome & of vnderstanding, the spirit of comfort and of power,Esa. 11.2. the spirit of knowledge & of the scare of God.

The sonne of God being thus in­dued with the gifts of the spirite a­boue measure, being sent, annoyn­ted, sealed, and consecrated to the office of a Sauiour, the whole God­head dwelling in him bodilie: final­lie, he louing his Church most en­tirelie, as the same Prophet testifi­eth, at the last put on righteousnes as a breast-plate,Esa. 59.17. and an helmet of saluation vpon his head, yea armed himselfe with the garments of ven­geance for clothing, and araied him selfe with zeale as with a cloake. Whereby may further be gathered [Page]after what sort in this place, and in what respect the Messias beeing God and man is said to be iustified by the spirit. In summe, thus much is ment, that the power of his God­head, being contrarie (in regarde of exceeding glorie) to the weake na­ture of his manhood, but ioyned therwithal, did not only inable him fully to performe the work of our saluation, but declare him to bee a perfect King, Priest & Prophet, the fountaine of wisedome, righteous­nes, sanctification and redemption. True it is indeede,1. Co. 1.30 that, although in the daies of his flesh, our Sauiour li­ned most innocentlie, wrought ma­ny miracles, spake and taught as ne­uer any did, yet the wicked, who were in those daies, reiected & con­demned him. Neuerthelesse, as the sacred storie declareth, not onelie wisedome was iustified of her chil­dren, but the same stone,Luk. 20.17 which the [Page 44]builders refused, was by the father made the head corner stone: yea the sonne in three daies builded vp that tēple, where of Salomons temple was but a tipe: finally, the innocent lise, the heauenly doctrine, the wonder­full signes, the singular gifts of our Sauiour, wherewith he was indued without measure, prooued & pro­claimed to all the world, that euen that glorious spirit rested on him,1. Pet. 3.18 19. which preached vnto the disobedi­ent in the time of Noah, and which not only reuined him,Rom. 1.4. when he had been dead concerning the flesh, but quickeneth all the elect to faith, o­bedience,Rom [...].11. and eternall life.

Albeit then the weakenes of the flesh of Christ was such that he see­med to be the most abiect of all mē, yea rather a worme than a man, as before we haue heard; yet the glo­rie of his spirite was so great, on the contrarie side, that thereby he [Page]was declared not to be a meere man or an Angell, but the sonne of God, and perfected vnto all the particular workes of a sauing Prince or redee­mer. He tooke vnto him the seede of Abraham, The story of the gos. pel. but in this seede were all the nations of the earth blessed. Compassed he was in his mothers wombe, but Iohn the Baptist at his presence sprang in Elizabeths bellie. Laide hee was in a cratch, but wor­shipped therein by the wise men of the East. Hee was baptized in Ior­dan, but he baptized with the holie Ghost and with fire. Hee was hun­grie, but hee fed many thousands: subiect to sleepe, but he caused the windes and waues to couch: tri­bute hee paid, but out of a fish: hee wept for Lazarus, but he raised him from the dead. O rare & most roy­all, O sweete & bountifull Sauiour, whether should I rather wonder at [Page 45]thy sufferings, or at this thy glory? Surely at the sight of thy mercie I stand astonied. Iudas selleth thee for a little paltrie siluer, but thou redee­mest the world with thy most pre­tious heart bloud. O when I think vpon that night, wherein thou wast betrayed: when I conceiue in minde thy sweates like clots of bloud, rolling from thy bodie downe vnto the ground: when I beholde the officers, which kept thee, beating thy neck, and smiting thy tender face: when I look on the red furrowes, which Pilates cruell whip made on thy back: when I feele the print made in thine hands and feete with the nayles: when I see thy veynes and sinewes streyned and racked on the Crosse: I plainely perceiue it was not without great cause, that thou didst request thy heauenly father, to let so bitter a cup [Page]passe from thee, if it had been possi­ble. But when I view the burden of the sinnes of the whole World laid on thy shoulders, when I mark the curse of the Lawe seasing on thine head, when I perceiue the wrath of thy Father consuming all thy bones, when I obserue the ex­ecutioners stripping thee out of all thy garments, when I note the Iewes with mocks and mowes, de­riding thine afflicted estate, when I consider satan and the feends of hell in the malapart souldiers, the croo­ked herauld Pilate, and the vnrepen­tant malefactor assaulting thy faith: I cannot but cry out, O wonderfull redeemer, what a spirit of courage and long suffering rested on thee? Now last of all when I heare thee crie, My God, my God, why haste thou forsaken mee, when I peere into thine heart pearced vnto the [Page 48]bottome with the Speare of a pro­phane Souldiout, when I gaze on thy breath flying out of thy bodie, when I prie into the graue where thy body was layd, when I thinke on thine aboade in the earth for the space of three dayes and three nights, reckoned in some sorte, (after which manner, and accor­ding to which time Ionas some­times lodged in the belly of the Whale) how doo I maruell, that thy father did not rather suffer the whole world to perish, than thee his natural some, more precious than a thousand worlds; to tast or sustaine one of the Ieast of these indignities? But here by appeareth the vnspeak­able mercy of God thy father, as also thine own exceeding loue & fauor toward mākinde, yea moreouer the glory of the spirit, which rested on thee, that thou wouldst endure such [Page]torments for thine enemies, & that thou wouldst by thy Crosse cruci­fie the Worlde, by thy death kill sinne, by thy buriall put the Lawe into the graue, by thine enduring of the curse bestowe a blessing, by thine aboad vnder the ground, take away the sting of the graue; finallie, by all thy sufferings satisfie for all our sinnes, and conquer him, who hath the power of death,Heb. 2.14. to wit, the Diuell.

Now hereby it is euident, that he of whom we speake, was not one­ly man but God; not only the sonne of man, but the sonne of GOD; not onely a seruant, but the Lorde; not onely a shepheard, but a Prince of peaces finallie the way the truth, the life, the vine, the head of the church and that iust one, who was iustified by the spirit. For had there been in Christ Iesus any dram of sinne or [Page 47]corruption, nay had there not been in him all fulnes of power and ho­lines, so many crimes and transgres­sions being laide to his charge, and imputed vnto him before the tribu­nall seate of Almightie GOD, and such principalities and powers pur­suing and assaulting him, neither could he haue been acquitted as an innocent person, nor escape as a stronger champion than all his ad­uersaries. But because there was no guile found in his mouth, and his own right hand being able to saue him, hee did cast abroad the indig­nation of his wrath vppon his ene­mies, and infinitly surpassing Samp­son in strength, ouercame the gates of hell; hee became that iust one, which iustifieth many, and that per­fect redeemer, who hauing been a faithful mediator on earth, raigneth now as a glorious high Priest,Heb. 1.3. king [Page]and Prophet in Heauen as exalted for these iniuries done vnto him, and iustified also by the glory besto­wed on him.

The third poynt of this mysterie is, that God manifested in the flesh, and iustified, in the Spirit, hath been also seene of Angels. It appeareth by the sacred storie, that euen the dam­ned Angels, or vncleane spirits saw the sonne of God manifested in the flesh.Mat. 4.1. For we reade that not only sa­tan their head, tempted him in the wildernes, but that a whole legion of foule feends acknowledged him to be the sonne of God,Luk. 8.28. and iudge of the World. Wherefore euen the euill Angels sawe Iesus our Lord, as the seede of the Woman, who should breake the head of the Serpent, as a Champion to wre­stle or incounter with them; last [Page 46]of all, as a conquerour by his po­wer and strength to ouercome them.

But either only or chiefely Saint Paul meaneth here, that the Elect Angels saw Christ as visible GOD, or as both GOD and man. These heauenly spirites from the very be­ginning of their creation, enioyed in deede the presence of the second person in the Trinitie,Esa. 6 3. yea and they worshipped him as their GOD and King: neuerthelesse they wanted the visible spectacle of the glorie here spoken of, vntill the time of the Lords incarnation and mani­festation to the World, and iu­stification by the Spirit. But when once the Father brought his first begotten into the World, and pre­sented him in the flesh, as a mirrour of all wisdome, mercie, iustice, and [Page]perfect excellencie; then the Angels in the sonne, whose person & god­head from the beginning of their creation they beheld continuallie, saw that humaine nature and glory,Ephe. 3.10. which before was neuer subiect vn­to their view.Heb. 1.6. For they saw now the inuisible word to become visible God, they perceiued also the world to be made subiect not vnto them, but vnto man,Heb. 2.5, 6 7, 8, 9. euen the mediator between God and man, that second Adam Iesus Christ. After this man­ner at the last, in fulnes of time, the sonne of God being, presented vnto the view of the Elect Angels, they saw him as their ioye, as may ap­peare, in that they sang at his birth:Luk. 2.13. they saw him as their Lord, vppon whom they ascended,Ioh. 1.25. & descended, they saw him as the head of the bo­die of the Church,Heb. 1.14. whose members they serue: last of all they saw him [Page 49]as the mercy seate, toward which they turne their faces continual­lie.Exo. 25.17, 18.

And who is there now, which remembring that solemne day of Christ his incarnation, beholding the Pageant (as I may say) of his humaine nature, whereat the very Angels gaze and assemble, to con­clude, considering the progresse, (as it were) of the Lord from Heauen to earth, together with his returne from earth to Heauen (where the Angels continually behold his face, and now enioy his bodily presence) would not skip for ioy with Iohn the Baptist, crie out with Elizabeth, inlarge his tongue with Zacharie, magnifie the Lord with the Virgin Marie, desire to bee dissolued with Simeon, and prouoke not onelie his owne soule, but the Angels to praise GOD with Dauid, for pre­senting [Page]such a spectacle to the view of his creatures, and reuealing his sonne both vnto men and spirites.

When as the common people of any countrey or kingdome, first vn­derstanding the kings intēt to make some progresse, or to solace and shew himself abroad, afterward vp­on this occasion resort or flock, to the place where hee passeth by or may best be seen, there doo see his Maiesties face, or heare him vtter a few words: herein they thinke a great part of their happines to con­sist, and hereof they boast full oft one to another: not without iust cause. For certainely the very coun­tenance and presence of the graci­ous soueraigne, carieth with it the Maiestie of God himselfe, the ho­nour of an Angell, the glorie of the sunne, the comelines of the moone, the brightnes of a Start, the blessing [Page 50]of the dew, the fruit of a tree of life, and (to speake in one Word) the price of a peerlesse pearle. Now thē, when as the immortall king, the ru­ler of all princes presented himselfe to the view of shepheards, wise mē, Galileans, inhabitants of Ierusalem, & diuers other of his meaner sorte of subiects, albeit they saw his face but for a little time, or heard his words but for a short season, this was a iust cause to them of singular comfort, and a great signe of his fauour, yea, as a day or time of high solemnitie. But doth not then the magnificence of the Lord on the one side, and the happines of the Angels, on the o­ther, much more appeare herein, that since they as peeres of the hea­uēly kingdom were first assēbled & drawn vnto their prince Christ Ie­sus, putting on him the nature of man and comming into the world, [Page]they haue not ceased to beholde and enioy his corporall presence, and now sitting (as it were) in court or Parliament with him continual­lie, see his royaltie, and heare him speake such speeches, as no eare of man hath heard, nor heart can con­ceiue. Yes happie sure are all Chri­stians, which are subiects to Christ Iesus, & see him by the eye of faith, though not of the body: more hap­pie are the Angels, which stand e­uer before him, and heare his wis­dome. Most blessed bee the Lorde God the father, which so loued his sonne, as to set him one the throne of Israel, because the Lord loued Israel for euer, and made him king to doo equitie and righteousnes.

From this loue of GOD it hath proceeded also, that Christ Iesus hath beene preached among the Nati­ons, The Angels, of whome wee [Page 51]sake a little before, were not one­ly beholders of Christ Iesus, but Heralds, who blazed abroad his armes, and proclaymed the myste­ries of his conception, birth, resur­rection and ascention. Next after Iohn the baptist, the Lord himselfe, & the Angels, succeeded the Apo­stles, and seuentie disciples, who all were immediately called by our sa­uiour himself to preach the word & to work miracles,Luk. 9.1. Luk. 10.1. & were sent not to one place or congregation onely; but the 12. Apostles to many natiōs, the 70. disciples to many cities: as our sauiours commaundement and their practise testifieth.

After these seuentie and besides the twelue Apostles; the Lorde extraordinarilie raysed vp and ad­ded in mercy to the forenamed la­bourers in his haruest, Euangelists: and these againe were of two sorts: [Page]for some of them penned stories of the gospell,Act. 21.8 1 Tim. 4.5 Act. 11.28. as Luke and Marke: some onely published the gospell by preaching, as Timothie and Phillip. At the same time were also Prophets raysed vp, indued with an extraordinarie gift of fore­telling things to come, as Agabus. But because, neither the extraor­dinarie giftes of such Apostles, E­uangelists, and Prophets, were alwaies to remaine in the Church, neither coulde their persons bee­ing mortall, continue in the Worlde for euer, ordinarie mes­sengers or Ministers of the Gos­pell, called both by GOD and man, and allotted to one place, were by the Apostles them selues created and ordayned in their time, who instructed some of them the Church of Lystra, some of Ico­nium, some of Antiochia, Act. 14.24. some [Page 43]the Churche of Ephesus, Reuel. 2, 3. chap. some the Church of Smyrna, some of Co­rinth, some of Phillippi, some o­ther congregations.Phillip. 1.1 This kinde of Preachers of the Word hauing continued from the Apostles times, and beeing to remaine to the ende of the Worlde haue spread the fame of the Gospell so farre and neere, and so planted and watred it in their Countries and charges, as that not onely by the Apostles Ministerie, but hence it commeth to passe, that there are many Chri­stians in the Worlde at this day, many congregations professing the trueth, yea many Countries imbra­cing Christ Iesus, as namely, Ger­manie, France, England, Scotland, Den­marke, with many other renowned in this respect. Wherefore the gos­pel hath been preached not onely in Iudea, but among the natiōs, as here [Page]is saide, neither vnto a few nations, but what people almost is there, vn­to some of whom at one time or o­ther the same of Christ Iesus hath not been brought alter some sort or manner at the least?

In deed euen before the com­ming of the sonne of God into the world, the Iewes had among them those shadowes, which couered shi­ning light; and those Prophets, who spake in their hearing of the Messias, to come. Moreouer the Gentiles had sometime messen­gers and Prophets sent vnto them, as may appeare in Ionas, who prea­ched to the Niniuites; but since that Christ Iesus hath beene manife­sted in the fleshe, the Gospell hath both been more plainelie and sullie made knowne to the Israelites than before, and generallie in com­mon imparted and communicated [Page 53]vnto other nations. For the parti­tion wall hauing been puld downe by him,Col. 2.14. that maketh one of two, and the bonds of the lawe cancelled by his sufferings, who sacrificed him­selfe for the whole world, al nations were to bee called to the Passeouer which had been slaine, and the ge­rall pardon of forgiuenes of sinnes was to bee offered vnto all sortes of people. Well then, neither did the Lord suffer the stiffenecked Iewes to be without a great light, nor the Gentiles to remaine without the knowledge of Christ Iesus: but he caused him to be preached to Iewe and Gentile; male and female, bond & free, to shew that he would haue all sorts of people to come vnto re­pentance and to be saued.

So that hereby it is euident that the bloud of Iesus Christ speaketh farre more excellent and comfor­table [Page]things, than did the bloud of Abel. For what is the voyce there­of, but Come vnto me al you which are heauie ladē, Mat. 11.28. & I wil refresh you. Albe­it your sinnes were as crimson, Esa. 1.18. they shall be like to snowe, although they were as scarlet, they shalbe like the wool. What intercession maketh it to God the father,Ioh. 17.52. but Father forgiue them they knowe not what they doo, holie father preserue them in thy name, sanctifie them in thy trueth. Father it is my will that those whom thou hast giuen me, be with me where I am. To conclude, what things speaketh the bloud of Christ to men, but such as are most comfortable and sound to this ef­fect. I haue washed away the hai­nous rebellion and blasphemie of diuers of those Iewes, who indeed crucified the King of glorie:Act. 2.37, 38 but for this bloudie deede vnfainedlie and heartilie repented. I haue cleansed [Page 54]and sanctified a whole clowde of penitent sinners among the Gen­tiles, which sometimes worshipped Idols,Leui. 18.24. offered their children vnto Molech, Deu. 18.11. vsed necromancie, follow­ed after southsayers, and witches, exercised curious Artes,Act. 18.19. 1. Thes. 1.9. were laden with all sorts of impieties and ini­quities, & quite dead in their sinnes. Seeing these or such like are the su­gred words and promises, which the bloud of Christ Iesus speaketh and applieth vnto the heart of his Ierusalem and people; how can any distressed and brused soule imagine that the God of mercie will despise the sacrifice of sorowe and mourn­ful supplications, which it offereth? Who will now adde vnto his o­ther innumerable iniquities this the greatest of all other, no to beleeue his Sauiour: who hath not onely promised to saue him, but confir­med [Page]his promise by oth, not onelie sworne so to doo, but sealed his oth with bloud; not only assured in vn­der a broad seale, but testified it by infinite example? To conclude this poynt, he which trusteth in the sonne of God, 1. Ioh. 5.10. saith Saint Iohn, hath that wit­nes in himselfe, he which beleeueth not God, maketh him a lier. Well, if any want faith or the feeling thereof, here we see by the Lords ordinance that the preaching of the word is the most principall and most effe­ctuall meanes of ingrafting and nourishing the same. For how did so many thousands in the Apostles times come vnto faith,Ro. 10.14. but by hea­ring the glad tidings of the Gospell? How did they heare these ioyfull glad tidings, but by their teachers preaching among them? How did certaine choice messengers and ser­uants of God preach to the rest, and [Page 55]that with so happie successe, but by the Lords sending them on his em­bassage, and blessing his owne holy and heauenlie ordinance? Priuate persons neither were in auncient times, neither now are licensed or permitted by the Lord, to bee Pro­phets, Apostles, or Pastors to them­selues, or to another.1. Cor. 12.29. The publique Ministers of the worde, are those, whom the Lord hath set apart, to bee stewards ouer the household of faith,1. Cor. 4.1. his vessells and messengers to carrie and declare the doctrine of faith: finallie, his vnder-officers to set on the seales of faith. Priuate conference, priuate prayer, priuate reading of the scriptures, are indeed verie profitable exercises of faith, when they are vsed together with the publike ministerie of the word and continuallie quickened by the same. For the preaching of the [Page]word is so liuelie and mightie in o­peration, that it is not onely as seede to beget men to saluation, but as milke to nourish them in faith and obedience, as wine to cheare them in distresse, as honie to delight thē, as golde to enrich them, as a light to direct them; but also as a fire to kindle them vnto mutuall confe­rence,Luk. 24.32. to earnest praier, and to dili­gent searching of the scriptures. But when the publike Ministerie shall bee so seuered from these pri­uate exercises as the soule is from the bodie, and as that it shall wilful­lie bee neglected,Luke. 7.30, 31. refused, and con­temned by any; certainlie such as despise the Lords ordinance & the kingdome of GOD against them­selues, are not to thinke that their paths, whether loose or straight, ei­ther please the almightie, or will bring them to happines, seeing they [Page 56]leaue the royall and beaten way, wherein the faithfull vsuallie walk vnto saluation, and which the Lord himselfe hath paued and chalked out vnto that intent and purpose.

Wherby as the necessitie of the preaching of the word, so the excel­lencie of the mysterie of the Gospel yet further is made manifest vnto vs. The Kings and Princes of this world, haue vnder them their depu­ties and inferious officers in all pla­ces of their iurisdiction, who deter­mine causes, and gouerne those townes and places which are com­mitted vnto their care and charge. Euen so Christ Iesus the King of glorie ascending into heauen, and leading captiuitie captiue,Psal. 68.17. gaue gifts vnto men, and placed vnder him spirituall Magistrates in his church. Indeed the calling of the ciuill Ma­gistrate, is not onely such an ordi­nance [Page]of God, as both euerie soule ought to be subiect vnto,Rom. 13.1 and euerie estate honour and reuerence as the highest and brightest glorie vnder heauen:1 Pet. 2.17 but such a gift of his vnto the Christian Church,1. Tim. 2 2 as that when she enioieth it, she enioieth a crown of comfort and assistance; when she wanteth it, she wanteth a tower of succour and defence.Lamen. 2.2 Wherefore the eternall wisedome of God (tou­ching whō all this while we speak) going about in the booke of the Prouerbs to declare, what great gifts she hath in her hand to giue to man­kind, and vseth to bestowe on her Church, breaketh out into this speach as on a sodaine, By me Kings raigne, and Princes decree iustice. In the prophesie of Esay, Pro. [...].15. the Lord fore­telling how bountifullie he would deale with his Church in the last daies,Esa. 49.23. affirmeth and promiseth, that [Page 57]Kings shall bee nursing fathers, and Queenes shall bee nursing mothers vnto it. But besides the politique gouern­ment or cruil Magistracie, the Lord hath giuen to his Church the order of the Ministerie or state ecclesiasti­call, that these two callings might be as the two eyes of the world, or as the two pearles, of the Christian assemblie vppon earth. For as this our Apostle testifieth vnto the Ephe­sians, our Sauiour ascending into heauen gaue gifts vnto men, to wit, (as he expoundeth these gifts) the callings of Apostles, Euangelists,Ephe. 4.8. & such other ministers of the word. The common wealth of Israel then is not without her spirituall Magi­strates, but she partly hath had, part­lie hath, her gouernours of sundrie sortes, as the Apostle declareth. Wherein (as before hath been af­firmed, [Page]and after shall be made more euident, the excellencie of the my­sterie of Christ Iesus, and also of his ministerie appeareth; which is oc­cupied about the soules of men, and was cast downe from his treasure house aboue, as a most precious Ie­well, euen then when our Sauiour ascended into heauen. But moreo­uer beholde, our heauenlie soue­raigne Christ, hath sent foorth his embassadors to the Iewes, Graecians, Scythians, Fgyptians, Morians, Medes. Persians, yea (as here is affirmed) vn­to all nations, among which, by thē, his name hath been, and is proclay­med. Nay, (that which is more) the Lords messengers, and publishers of his will, succeede one another from generation to generatiō, remaining in spight of Sathan and of the wic­ked, in all places and ages. As for the [Page 58]Monarches or Emperours of this world, they vse to send their embas­sadors, not vnto the endes of the worlde or all nations, but to some fewe countries, and neere vnto thē. Their custome is, to cause their de­crees to be proclaimed only in some Cities, or for a fewe daies, not from time to time, and in all the coasts of the earth. But the Lords Legats thus succeeding one another, & preach­ing in many countries, it commeth to passe that the kingdom of Christ Iesus, by the course of the word, is, hath been, and shall be from time to time, glorified, and inlarged in all places.

For, as further is added in the next argument of the excellencie of the Gospell, God hath been beleeued in the world. Wherein the mighty power and exceeding bountie of the Lord [Page]is further manifested vnto vs. For preaching is a signe of grace offe­red, but faith of grace bestowed, & of eternall saluation. By the gift of faith enemies are made children; beggars, princes; limmes of sathan, members of Christ; fire-brands of hell,Ephe. 3.6. heires of heauen; old creatures, newe; slaues, freemen; captiues, conquerours; yea, more than con­querours in Christ Iesus. Now, herein the riches of God mercie further appeare, that Christ Iesus is beleeued not in a corner of the world, but throughout the world. I will make mention (saith the Lord by the Prophet) of Rahab and Babell a­mong them that knowe me: behold the Philistian with him of Tire, and the Aethiopian is borne there. Psal. 87. And of Sion it shall be saide, many are borne in her, and he euen the most high shall establish [Page 59]her. The Lord shall count, when he wri­teth his people, this man is borne there, Selab. This assemblie of the faithful people of all times, places, and sorts of persons, called in the Scripture, not Rome, but heauenlie Ierusalem, is that Catholicke or vniuersall Church, which,Gal. 4.26. whosoeuer hath not his mother on earth, cannot haue GOD his father in heauen. Part of this Church is alreadie in the highest heauens triumphing, parte of it warfaring heere on the earth belowe, parte of it neither in heauen nor on earth as yet, but here­after to bee first in this world, se­condlie in the world to come. The triumphant beleeuers are hidden in the heauens, the pilgrim beleeuers beeing mingled as yellowe corne with chaffe on earth, are scant dis­cerned, the beleeuers to bee borne [Page]haue no being, saue in the loynes onely of their forefathers. Faith is a thing not grounded on sense or reason, God is inuisible, Christ was a crucified person, & is withdrawn from vs as concerning his bodilie presence, the spirite is secrete, the world is wide, men are wicked, ty­rants rage: yet GOD hath been be­leeued, is beleeued, and shall be be­leeued in the world. O depth vn­searchable! O glorious mysterie! The vse hereof is, that euerie one trie whether hee haue that annoyn­ting, that seale,Ephe. 4.27. 2. Co. 1.22 that earnest ponie, and that witnes of the spirit in him or no: which if he finde, he is to bee more thankfull to God for it, than if he had receiued the greatest bene­fite in the world besides. If he feele not, to sobbe and sigh, and pray that God would testifie to his spirit, that [Page 60]he is his father, and bestow on him this good and heauenlie gift, rather than any earthly blessing whatsoe­euer. But chieflie he is to forsake his euill course of life,Esa. 1.16. & to walke with God and man in the vprightnes of his heart, which grace going be­fore, the peace of hart will vndoub­tedlie follow after, arising from the sight of the generalitie and largenes of Gods promises,Heb. 8.10. and the experi­ence of Gods daylie mercies,Psal. 77. and knowledge of the mysterie of christ Iesus here extolled.Ephe. 3.18.

The last point of this mysterie or proofe of the excellencie thereof is, that God hath been taken vp inglorie. It was more than a miracle, that the worme before spoken of, should re­turne to life, and that the second Io­nas lying three daies & three nights not aliue, but quite dead in the belly of the earth, did breake the yron [Page]bands of the graue, and stand vpon the grounde, yea in diuers places preach this Gospell to his disciples,Luk. 24.13. after that he was risen againe from the dead.Act. 1.9. But what was it then that his flesh should mount vppon the clowdes as it were vppon an horse?Heb. 1.3. What was his entrance into the ta­bernacles not made with hands?Psal. 97.7. what was the Angels worshipping of him, & the fathers enstalling him in a throne at his right hand? Cer­tainlie the glorie of the resurrection of our Sauiour, seemeth not to bee glorious, in regarde of that excee­ding glorie, into which he is exal­ted by his ascention, farre aboue all powers and principalities, and all creatures whatsoeuer.

Now, here wee may behold the sonne of GOD leading captiuitie captiue, giuing giftes vnto men, teaching vs as Eagles to mount a­loft, [Page 61]sitting by the father as the next person, by whom he gouerneth the Churche, prouiding and dressing (as it were) many Tabernacles for the elect, and preparing a tribu­nall seate to returne to iudge the earth. Wherefore as his ascending into heauen, was exceeding glori­ous, so his descending thence shall yet much more abound in glorie. For then hee shall appeare vnto the eyes not of a few, but of all flesh,Rom 1.7. not in the contemptible shape of a base seruant, but in the bright and dread­full maiestie of the King and Iudge of the whole world.Act. 1.11 At that great day (the day of Doome or Iudge­ment knowne onely to GOD, but which cannot be far of from men) these writs, to wit, the Sun darkned,Luk 21.25 Mat. 24.11 the moone bloudy, the starres trem­bling, the planets falling down, shall [Page]goe abroad to summon the inhabi­tants of the earth, vnto the court where in all causes shall be ended, & all confusion of this world shall bee corrected. Then, oh where shall the amazed people and chayned priso­ners, either fast their footing, or hide their heads,Luk. 24.16. 2. Pet. 3.10. when tottering▪ Hea­uens, and trembling earth, with to­ring sea, arresting them before the Tribunal seate of the sonne of God, the clowdie roabe of the reuenging Iudge shall terrifie the eyes both of mortall wightes and diuels?1. Thes. 4.16 And will not the last Trumpet blowne with the blast not of a man, but of that Archangel, cause the eares of the creatures to tingle and burne, when it shall sound a dolefull and fearefull alarum? Yet againe much more dreadfull must needes bee the smokie fire,1. Thes. 1.8 which, as breathed out [Page 62]of the nostrels of the angrie Iudge, shal cause the Elements to boyle, the townes and Cities of the world to bee turned into ashes, the faces and skinnes of men to be changed as in­to tinder. Then, then the graues,Reu. 20.13 14 the waues, the pittes, yea hell it selfe also, (as the generall iay lours of the whole World) shall bring foorth their dead and buried prisoners, to receiue their finall doome at this so­lemne sessions. Thus all sortes of people arrained at the barre, and ga­thered by the Angels (as by sericants or officers) shall by them with their hands,Mat. 13.49 and billes or swordes as it were, be held and hemmed in on e­uery side. Here now the scrowles of mens consciences, as euidences,Reu. 20. [...] must needes bee vnfoulded, the books spoken off in the Reuelation shall also be vnclasped, and openlie [Page]read. After that all mortall wights haue thus been gathered together, then shall a separation bee made of them by the Iudge,Mat. 10.32. by whom they shall bee deuided into two sorts, E­lect and reprobate, and placed at his two sides, the right hand & the left. After these things, Christ first shall pronounce sentence on the chosen, saying to them;Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my father, possesse as heires the kingdome prepared for you, before the foundati­ons of the world were layd: Then pla­cing the Elect on thrones,1. Cor. 6, 2. as ben­chers together with him, to iudge the World, he shall pronounce the sentence of condemnation on the reprobate, saying to them, Departe from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire,Mat. 25.41which is prepared for the diuell, and his Angels. Thus shal al men for euer enioy their due reward, the se­cond [Page 63]life, or the second death.

And Omortall men, what do ye then meane so to loue the world, as if it neuer should haue an end? O vngodly wretches and enemies to all piety in these daies, as prophane as Esan, yea more prophane & vn­godly than hee, or Herod euer was, will ye needs fulfill the iniquitie of your fathers, graund-fathers, great graund-fathers? Well then, pro­ceed to worship stockes, and stones, to heare Masses, and to creepe to Crosses: cease not to sweare dayly, hourely, continually, falsly, vainely, proudly, blasphemously, as yee doo without controlement; braue it, sport it, feast it, loyter it, or (if yee will do something) labour, drudge, run, and ride on the Lords sabaoth, as your manner is; disdaine, despise, curse, murmur and rebell against [Page]your magistrates, teachers, parents, masters, superiours; imb [...]ue your hearts, hands, tongues, and weapons in innocent bloud, sparing neither bodies, good names, nor soules of old fathers, men, women, little chil­dren; bath your selues in daintines, wantonnes, idlenes, drunkennes, hunting, hanking, carding, dicing, and all kindes of pastime: vnder­pin your houses with the bones of your poore tenaunts, neighbours, brethren, kinsfolke; lay the foun­dations of them on their carcases, hang thē about with thēir skinnes, yea, and with the skinnes of their wiues and children (a goodly kinde of tapisterie) plaister them with their entralles, paint them with their bloud, wash them euery day with their teares. To conclude (O croo­ked and peruerse generation) tram­ple [Page 64]vnder your feete the precious bloud of GOD, manifested in the flesh, iustified in the spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Nations, beleeued in the world, receiued vp in glorie: but knowe, that for all these things hee shall come vnto iudgement.

Neuerthelesse as concerning those, vnto whom the mysterie of godlines seemeth without doubte very great, vnto whom Christ Ie­sus is the only treasure in the world, who indeauour with vprightnes to obey his lawes and word, there is no cause why they should quake to thinke on his returne to iudge­ment: but rather great reason, why they should pray. come Lord Iesus, Reu. 22.20 come quickly. For seeing he hath shed his precious bloud for you, will he, or can he pronounce a bloudie sen­tence [Page]against you? Is it credible that the head, which laide it selfe down for the body, wil adiudge his mem­bers vnto torment? Should the spouse, bought with a price aboue gold orsiluer, and loued more en­tirely than any treasure, be afraid to see hir most amiable husbands face▪ Is there no more fauour or tender affection in an elder brother, than to deale with boanes of his boanes, & flesh of his flesh rigorously? Will a gracious King rather cruelly slay his subiects, crauing pardon, than shew his mercy in sauing and ad­uancing them to honour? Was the Sonne of GOD sometimes so carefull a shepheard, as to seeke that which was lost, and will hee not preserue that which he hath found? To conclude therefore, he was first manifested in the flesh, and after re­ceiued [Page 65]vp in glorie, that whosoeuer beleeue in him, should not perish, but haue life euerlasting, and bee made Kings and Priests with him for euer, obeying the Lorde with­out resistance, seruing him without corruption, gouerned by him as by a glorified priest and Prophet, with­out such temporall meanes as now are in vse, yea as are very necessarie and profitable for the faithful, war­faring heere on earth. But at that time shall tongues cease and pro­phesie be abolished,1. Cor. 13.1. and Christ Ie­sus shall deliuer vp to his Father the temporall part of his rule,1. Cor. 15.24. which now he exerciseth not onely in the world, but in the Church. For now he instructeth his people by the Ministerie of men, then they shall not need any such teachers, now he [Page]feedeth them by outward Sacra­ments, but then hee shall bee the onely Lambe and bread of life; now he fighteth against or resisteth sa­tan, but then he shall so breake his head, that hee shall fully conquer him.

Finally, now hee is to come to iudge the world, and to raise vp the dead, but hereafter hee shall cease from these workes. Neuerthe­lesse still he shall remaine the light, glorie,Reuel. 21.22, 23. and flower of the temple, gouerning both Angels and men immediatlie by his person and his spirit.

Thus Elect creatures shall (as members) be vnited vnto God, and God shall bee all in all, euen the Fa­ther to whom with the Sonne, and the Spirite, three persons and one [Page 66]heauenly Maiestie, bee all praise and glory both now and euer, A­men, Amen.