THE no lesse enlightned, then belo­ued Disciple of our Sauiour, Saint Iohn the Apostle, Euangelist, & Pro­phet, intending to comprise in a very small abridgement, the whole doctrine of the Gospel, and to shew what was the aime, and scope, whereto all Euangelicall preaching must tend, insisted vpon two briefe propo­sitions combined together, but by relation of contrariety; the one affirmatiue, the o­ther negatiue, both concerning God. And before he sets them forth, in his first Epistle he premiseth a faire troope to make way for them. Quod fuit ab initio &c. Iohn 1.1. That which was from the beginning, which wee haue heard, which we haue seene with our eyes, which we haue looked vpon, and our hands haue handled of the word of life. For the life was manifested, and wee haue seene it, and beare witnes, and shew vnto you that eternall life, which was with the Father, and was manifested vnto vs. And yet, not content with this great preparation, hee repeateth a­gaine, and saith, That, which wee haue seene, and heard, declare we vnto you, that yee also may haue fellowshippe with vs; and our fellowshippe [Page 8]is with the Father, and with his sonne Iesus Christ. Now therefore hauing awakened vs with touching vpon the exceeding benefit of be­ing receiued into fellowshippe with the ho­ly Apostles, by receiuing that, which hee thus propoundeth to vs; let him say at the last, what this is of so great importance, which was from the beginning, that is, from beyond all eternity: which the holy Apostles had heard, and handled with their hands, which should bring vs eternall life, and which they were to preach, and teach thorowout the world: Let him say, and declare it in a word, we will heare it. Ethaec est annunciatio &c. This is the message, which we haue heard, and declare vnto you. Well: Blessed Saint Iohn, we are ready, and prepa­red to heare this your admirable and myste­rious message: vnfold at length that, which you haue heard, and learnt, and receiued to report vnto vs. Behold, heere it followeth in few words: Quoniam Deus lux est; & in eo tenebrae non sunt vllae; That God is light, and in him there is no darkenes at all. Behold this is the abstract, and summe of our faith, That God [Page 9]is light without darknesse. Therefore our e­ternall saluation confisteth in receiuing this light, and in casting out darknesse. Deus lux est &c. God is light.

If God himselfe be light, what maruaile then, that hee so delighteth to imploy him­selfe about light. The first inward Word, which God from all eternity brought forth within himselfe, what was it but his substan­tiall, eternall word, his only begotten sonne, whom we know to be Lumen de lumine, light of light. Lux vera, quae illuminat &c. Iohn 1. The true light, which enlightneth euery man that commeth into the world. Likewise the first externall word of God, which he vttered out of him­selfe after an eternity of silence, was this, Fiat lux, Let there be light. Light, a creature so be­loued of the Creator, that he thought good to bestow this one and onely quality as a sufficient dowrie on the heauenly bodies, which are the most noble and exalted crea­tures in all the ranke of sensible substances. But will ye yet further obserue, how great a friend God is to light, and enemie to dark­nesse? Behold hee would not suffer his new [Page 10]framed materiall world to remaine without light so much as the three first dayes of the Creation. Genes. 1.1. The Sunne and Moone the two great lights, together with the other lesser lights of the starres, were to bee made the fourth day: and yet, because in this meane while darknes was vpon the face of the deepe, in the first distinguishing of things out of the confused lumpe, God, as enemie of this dark­nesse, sayd, Let there be light; and there was light. Light the first borne of all the visible crea­tures: light, which hath no positiue contra­ry in nature: light, which displayeth it selfe to all, and maketh all things else manifest: light, which pierceth euery transparent bo­dy though most solide: light, the ioy of the eyes, and comfort of euery afflicted heart. Quale gaudium est mihi, qui in tenebris sedeo, & lumen coeli nen video? What ioy can I take, that sit in darknes, and behold not the light of heauen? sayd good old Tobia, when hee was blinde: Light, which transfuseth it selfe in a mo­ment: light, which cannot be defiled by the touch of things impure: light, which giueth life to all colours, and actuateth them: light, [Page 11]the mother of all beauties, and ornaments of this sensible world. The Rainebow ma­keth a goodly shew being guarded, and stri­ped with so many, and so amiable colours, which in truth are nothing els, but the light of the Sunne reflected from dewie clouds, and by diuers composures of more, or lesse opacity reduced to such variety of colours. And generally al colours, which cloath with such beauty the best visible bodies, and re­present them to the eie with delight, what are they else, but mixtures of the lightsome elements with the obscure. To conclude, light may by way of resemblance, and parti­cipation be accompted a diuine thing, inas­much as God is light, and in him there is no darke­nes. And therefore as soone, as God had cre­ated the light, the pen of the Holy Ghost te­stifieth, that God saw the light that it was good, and diuided the light from the darknesse. Vpon the atchieuement of euery other daies work, the Scripture closeth vp with this, Et vidit Deus, quod esset bonum; And God saw that it was good. But vpon the worke of the first day, wholly imployed in creating light only, the [Page 12]addition is more speciall; Et vidit Deus lu­cem, quod esset bona; And God saw the light that it was good. But as for darkenesse, that be­ing interchangeablie to accompany the light for the bringing in of night, indeed there followeth Gods both separation, and nomination of them both; Diuisit Deus, & vocauit Deus: God separated the light from the darknesse, and God calleth the light Day, and the darknesse Night. But vpon this the Scripture doth not adde, that God saw that it was good; because (it is S. Aug. de Gen. ad lit. cap. 17. Augustines argute collection) God, as a speciall louer of the light and hater of darknes, gaue to the light only this appro­bation, and praise, Quod erat bona, that it was good. But of the day and night coupled to­gether, he would affoord no such commen­dation, lest he should giue to night and dark­nesse the aduancement of goodnes. The rea­son is cleare; for that Deus lux est, God is light, and in him there is no darknes, and hee it is, that dwelleth in that light, which no man can approach vnto.

Well therefore might S. Paul frame this his congratulation with the faithfull vnder [Page 13]the metaphore of light, and darkenesse, day, and night; Nox praecessit, dies autem appro­pinquauit; telling this, as most comforta­ble newes, that a very longsome, and irke­some night was ouerblowne, and that a goodly faire day then had ouertaken them. Procopius writeth, that neere to the Pole, where the nights endure diuers moneths long, the inhabitants in the end of such a night, at such time as the Sunne vseth to render himselfe to their view, get vp their highest mountaines, striuing to haue the first view of that most desired creature: and no sooner doe they espie it, but they adorne themselues in their best attire, and with mu­tuall ioy and embraces congratulate, saying, Behold the Sunne, the Sunne appeares; and so they inuite and feast one another. And all this vpon the view of the materiall Sun onely. Another maner of feast, and ioy it is, to which the Apostle heere doeth incite, and inuite. Whilest in a mysticall, and spiri­tuall sense he proclaymeth to vs, that, The night is passed, and the day come. Where he pointeth at the miseries of the continuall, [Page 14]dreadfull, and hideous nights then ouerpas­sed, and of the long & happie daies brought vnto vs by that Sunne, which knowes no going downe.

Nox praecessit. Three kindes of nights are heere vnderstood by Saint Paul, whereof he ioyed that they were ouerpassed. The first the night of ignorance, the second of sinne, the third of negligence. To these, in regard of our selues, and these times, I will adde a fourth, the night of errors. So that of these the two first goe before the receiuing of the faith, namely the night of blinding igno­rance, and tyrannizing sinne; the other two follow the faith receiued, namely stupifying negligence, and infecting error.

Yee haue often reade, and many of you considered the strange maner of speech vsed in the holy Scriptures, in the distinction of the six dayes of the Creation. And the euening, and the morning, were the first day: Euery day hath its night, the day goeth before, and the night followeth after, the morning maketh way for the euening. Surely nature requi­reth that the habite should precede the pri­uation: [Page 15]Whereupon I conceiue not to what purpose Aristotle pusled himselfe, and trou­bled naturall Philosophie, by shouldring in after Matter & Forme, Priuation for a third principle of naturall bodies, vnlesse hee meant hereby, that whatsoeuer is generated, maketh a passage from not beeing vnto bee­ing. But if so, yet this not beeing might well bee termed negation rather then priua­tion: Or rather by priuation; perhaps the Philosopher would signifie vnto vs the na­turall inclination of matter to receiue a new forme, which appetite is very improperly called priuation. Now, as for the text Fa­ctum est vespere, & mane &c. It is enough for vs, that it, being a phrase meerely extraordi­nary, importeth a mystery. Too tedious should I bee, if I should heere propound all the diuers opinions of the holy Fathers vp­on those words. But for as much as serueth my purpose, I doubt not, but that God in his intention was willing to make man wholly diurnall, and no whit participating of the night: For hee created him right and iust, and endued him with such gifts, whereby [Page 16]hee might, if hee would, haue made to him­selfe, and to all his posterity, a perpetuall spirituall day, which should neuer haue seene any night at all. But God (inasmuch as hee foresaw, that wretched man would within a few houres after his creation aban­don the light, and cast himselfe headlong into darknesse) mooued with compassion of him, in his determination prouided a reme­dy, by destinating for mans sake his owne sonne, the true light, and sunne of righteous­nesse to bring them from darkenesse to light, from night to day. And therefore it ioyes my heart to thinke how God ordayned that (besides other mysterious interpretations) euen for the shadowing out this then hid­den mystery, the Scripture describing the beginning of the world should speake in this wise, Factum est vespere, & mane, intimating first the euening or night of mans misery, and then the morning or day of his redemp­tion following. For as for his first estate of integrity and light, it was so short, that it is not to bee accounted for a day in this kinde. And so S. Paul here not varying frō this our [Page 17]contemplation, reioyceth that that night is passed, and this day arriued; saying, Nox prae­cessit, dies autem appropinquauit. The night is past, the day is at hand.

By the first of these nights I meane igno­rance, or small knowledge of things con­cerning God. But heere it may bee obiected if S. Paul had written this Epistle to the con­uerted Gentiles onely, well might he vnder­stand by this night ignorance; but writing also to the Iewes then in Rome conuerted to Christianity, it seemeth that they could not then be taken to liue in darkenesse, and in the night of ignorance. Psal. 76.1. For Notus in Iudaea De­us. In Iurie is God knowne, his name is great in Israel. Iuda was his Sanctuary, Psal. 114.2. and Israel his do­minion. Which also was signified in Egypt, Exod. 10. when there was palpable darknesse thorow­out all that land, but in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel dwelt, there was cleere light. Isai 9.2. The Prophet Isay spake onely of the Gentiles, when he sayd, The people that walked in darkenesse, haue seene a great light, and they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, vpon them hath the light shined. The Iewes had [Page 18]the Law, Cap. 3. and the Prophets. To them (as Saint Paul witnesseth in this epistle) were commit­ted the oracles of God. Yet notwithstanding, seeing that S. Paul hath made no such sepa­ration, nor distinction betweene Iew and Gentile, but hath expresly proclaimed, that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery beleeuer, Rom 1. to the Iew first, and then to the Greeke. For by it the righteousnes of God is re­uecled from faith to faith; He intendeth there­fore, that aswell the Iew, as Gentile by the meanes of the Gospel only hath attained the true and perfect knowledge of God. So then the Gospell being this light, and day, for certaine, Nox praecessit, The night is passed, not to the Gentiles onely, but also to the Iewes. For if wee consider the knowledge, which was to be found either in Iurie, or a­mong the Gentiles before the comming of Christ, that, in respect of the knowledge of God and of heauenly things, was very small and shallow, whereupon it might worthily be called night in comparison of the cleare day of the Gospell. As for the Law, who knowes not that it was Vmbra futurorum, Heb. 10.1. The [Page 19]shadow of things to come, as S. Paul calleth it? And if it were a shadow, it did partake of the nature of night. In the Old Testament the mystery of the Trinity is very obscurely al­luded vnto. And as for that of the Incarna­tion, if it had beene ordinarily vnderstood of the Iewes, they would not haue made such resistance against Christ. Now there­fore because both Iew, & Gentile before the comming of Christ were very weake, and wanted the perfect knowledge of God, S. Paul heere sayeth to them both, Nox prae­cessit, The night is gone. The Prophet Isai foretelleth it, and the Euangelist S. Matthew confirmeth it, what was the measure of the true knowledge of God as well among the Iewes, as Gentiles, at the time when the Redeemer came into the world. Matth. 12.20. A bruised reede shall hee not breake, and the smoaking flaxe shall he not quench. Our Sauiour Christ did finde Iudaea to bee a broken reede, wherby is insinuated, (according to the exposition of my countryman Saint Hierome) that the Iew was not at that time so loudly sounding in setting forth the glory of God, as former­ly [Page 20]they were. And in truth that people then (as also at this day farre more miserably) was more guided by the superstitious traditions of their vaine Rabbines, then by the holy Scriptures. Wherewith our Sauiour also vp­braided them, saying, Why doe ye by your tradi­tions transgresse Gods Commandement? And the very same now adayes is to bee found vnder the Papacie; where much more accompt is made of the Popes commandements, then of Gods; The committing of adultery be­ing reputed galantery, but the eating of flesh vpon a Friday, a sacriledge worthy of fagot and fire. As for the Gentiles, Christ found them to be linum fumigans, smothering flaxe, not altogether put out, but somwhat smoak­ing, by reason of that small and weake knowledge of God, which the glimpse of the Law of Nature affoorded them. And there­fore in conclusion, an vniuersall and com­mon night did ouerspread all, both Iew, and Gentile. And if Zachary the father of the great Baptist had not acknowledged the nightly darkenesse, wherein both himselfe, and the rest of that people remained, hee [Page 21]would not hauesung, that Christ was the day spring from on High, To giue light to them that sit in darkenesse, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Surely that, Iob 36.32. which we read in the booke of Iob may be truely vnderstood as well of Iudaisme, as of Gentilisme; And this it is, In manibus ab­scondit lucem, & praecepit ei, vt rursus adueniat; He bideth the light in his hands, and commandeth it to come againe. Whereby is giuen vs to vn­derstand, that God, before that hee sent the Light of his owne Sonne into the world, did hold the light of the knowledge of God clasped vp in his hand, so that, howsoe­uersome glimmering beames darted foorth through the clifts from betweene the fin­gers, yet he did reserue the wyde opening of his hand till the fulnesse of time; and there­fore then he commanded this light vtrursus adueniat, to come againe at that time when S. Paul should shortly after proclaime, Nox praecessit.

But if by this night wee will vnderstand the true and totall darkenesse of Infidelity, then are wee to say, that the Apostle doeth [Page 22]not heere meane the ancient by-past times before the comming of Christ, but rather the very time wherein our Sauiour liued in his flesh vpon the earth, and when the Go­spel was first published by the Apostles. In a word heere is especially to bee vnderstood that estate, wherein the new Christians of Rome (aswell Iewes, as Gentiles) were im­mediatly before their conuersion to the Gos­pel, which was indeed an vtter darknesse of night. What els were the Gētiles of that time in Rome, and throughout the whole world, but Idolaters? And as for the Iewes, had not they then crucified our Lord and Sauiour? Had not they then reiected their Messias? Did not they thē remain with the veile ouer their hearts? 2. Cor. 3. And what greater infidelitie, then not to receiue Christ? Nay, to persecute him in his members? Euen in this night S. Paul accounted himselfe to haue bin: And worthily; For he testifieth of himselfe, that he was formerly a blasphemer, 2. Tim. 1. Galat. 1. and a persecuter, and iniunious; and that hee persecuted the Church of God beyond measure, and wasted it. Out of the lumpe of these hardened, and blinded [Page 23]Iewes, came the remnant of these, which embraced the Christian religion. And there­fore with good reason of these, as so of him­selfe, S. Paul said, Nox praecessit, To vs, and in speciall to me, the night is passed.

The second night, whereof S. Paul would here be vnderstood, is the night of reigning sinne; and this was most common both a­mong the Iewes, and Gentiles. How hei­nous and filthy the enormities of the Gen­tiles were, especially in Rome, may appeare by the particular, and euen loathsome cata­logue recorded by S. Paul in this Epistle. Wherefore God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts, Rom. 1. vnto vncleannes, to defile their owne bodies be­tweene themselues: who turned the trueth of God into a lye, and worshipped, and serued the creature. Wherefore God gaue them vp to vile affections of most abominable sinnes. And deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not conuenient. Being filled with all vnrigh­teousnes, formcation, wickednes, couetousnes, ma­liciousnes, full of enuy, murther, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despitefull, proud, boasters, inuenters of euil things, [Page 24]disobedient to parents, without vnderstanding, co­uenant breakers, without naturall affection, im­placable, vnmercifull. Surely either S. Paul pro­phetically describeth the enormous sinnes, and most corrupt maners of Rome, as it stands in our times: Or els Rome, as now it is, and hath bene for some ages past, hath vn­dertaken to be in all points like to heathe­nish Rome, as it was in S. Pauls time. The manifold wickednesses of the now Rome could not bee more exactly pencelled, and drawen out to life, then by that, which the Apostle here particularizeth. O dreadfull night! ô palpable darknesse! ô vntollerable blindnesse! Verely such impieties, and im­purities conclude, that as yet the first night of the want of the knowledge of God re­maineth there, Inasmuch as so hidious sinnes are proper to the Heathen, as the same Apo­stle witnesseth, Sicut & Gentes; As the Gen­tiles, 2. Thess. 4.5. Ephes. 4.17. which know not God. Non ambuletis sicut & Gentes &c. That ye walke not as the Gentiles walke, in the vanity of their minds, hauing the vn­derstanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, be­cause [Page 25]of the blindnesse of their heart: Who being past feeling, haue giuen themselues ouer vnto las­sciuiousnesse, to worke all vncleannes with gree­dines. Certainly such life and maners, which are very ordinary and common in the Court of Rome (yet I except whatsoeuer good men are there) doe inferre, that according to the Apostles intimation, the knowledge of God, and hope of euerlasting life is not to be found among them. Edamus, bibamus, cras moriemur. Let vs eat and drinke to day, for we shall die to morrow. And yet they most of all should open their eyes, and mend their maners. Thus therefore to the Gentiles made Christians, Nox praecessit, The night of grieuous offences is past. Neither yet were the Iewes out of the shade of this night; Qui alios doces, teipsum non doces? Rom. 2. Thou which teach­est another, teachest thou not thy selfe? Thou that preachest a man should not steale, doest thou steale? Thou that sayst a man should not commit adultery, doest thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, doest thou commit sacriledge? Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law, dishonourest thou God? For the name of God [Page 26]is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you.

There is no difference, Rom. 3. for all haue sinned, and come short of the glory of God. All therfore were ouer clouded with this night of most grie­uous sinnes. Wee haue prooued both Iewes and Gentiles to be all vnder sinne, as it is written, They are all gone out of the way, they are all become vn­profitable, there is none that doth good no not one.

Now what is the night? Nothing else, but the absence of the Sunne. And what else, but sinne, Wisd. 1. driueth the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus from our soules. In maleuolam animam non intrabit Sapientiae, nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis: Wisedome will not enter into a malicious soule, nor dwell in a body subiected to sinne. What is the night? It is the shadow of the earth interposing it selfe betweene vs and the Sunne. And what else is sinne, but a darke, and grosse obstacle intercepting the beames of the inuisible Sunne, so that they cannot pierce downe to vs? Isay 59.2. Your trangressi­ons haue made a separation betweene God and you, and your sinnes haue hid his face from you. What is the night? It is a season vnfit for trauailers other then those, that are willing to loose [Page 27]their way, and to aduenture their neckes in headlong downefals. And what else is sinne, but a wandring from the way that leadeth to heauen, and a downeright gallop into the pit of hell? Psalm. 81.23. Dimisi eos secundum desideria cordis ipsorum; ibunt in adinuentionibus suis. I gaue them vp to their owne hearts lusts, and they will walke in their owne inuentions. Prou. 18.3. Improbus cum in profun­dum venerit peccatorum contemnit: sed sequitur eum ignominia & opprobrium. When the wicked man commeth into the depth of sinne, he groweth to contempt, but shame and reproach follow him. Of this night also S. Paul heere sayd, The night is passed: For they were now washed and clean­sed from their sinnes, and had their mem­bers also mortified; as I shall touch in consi­dering the day opposite to this night.

The third night, which S. Paul heere had an eye vnto, was the night of negligence, and dulnesse. Nay it may seeme, that hee had principall respect heereunto: For being that hee spake to the Romanes already con­uerted to Christ, whose faith also hee sayd to haue beene spoken of thorowout the whole world; Rom. 1. they therefore were out of the night of infi­delity. [Page 28]delity. Of whom also he had sayd, that they were freely instified by Gods grace, Rom. 3.24. through the re­demption, that is in Iesus Christ. — by faith in his blood, to declare his righteousnesse for the remissi­on of sinnes past. And therefore now they be­ing iustified, and out of the night of sinne, yet the Apostle in this chapter saith to them, It is now high time for vs to awake from sleepe. They were therefore yet asleepe, and so re­mained in a certaine kinde of night, though they had ouerpassed the two former nights, whereof I haue spoken. And of this third night the Apostles meaning is, that it is not entirely passed ouer: but he exhorteth them to endeuor, and striue to shake off this sleep, and to driue away this night also, as former­ly by Gods grace they had worne out the o­ther two nights of ignorance, and of sinne, He therefore vrgeth them to rouze vp them­selues from spirituall sloth, and drowsinesse, and to become watchfull in things pertei­ning to their saluation. This night will bee more euident by our mention of the day op­posite heereunto.

I passe therefore to the fourth night, from [Page 29]which God out of his infinite bounty hath freed vs in these times. Concerning which, I may say with S. Paul, on mine owne be­halfe, and yours (my brethren of Italy, whom God hath blessed with the cleare light of the trueth) Nox praecessit, The night is past. And for this I make such congratulation as may serue, not to insult vpon others, or proudly to glory in our selues, but to render due thankes to the Almighty, and to stirre vp our affections to compassionate our bre­thren, who yet remaine in no small danger, lying in the deepe darksome night of many errors, though professing the Christian faith. Surely a night so much the more dan­gerous, in that those poore soules deeme themselues onely to enioy the Light, and dreame that all others, who adhere not to their part, remaine in darkenesse, Isa. 5. Et dicunt bonum malum &c. And call good euill, and euill good, accounting light to be darknesse, and darke­nesse light.

The Church of God is sayd to be Castro­rum acies ordinata; An armie set in array. Cant. 6.3. Iob 7. And in truth the whole life of man is a warfare vp­on [Page 30]earth. But this warfare of the Church, and this mighty Armie in my opinion may bee more fitly resembled to an Armada on the Sea, then to a march on the land. In which regard the Church is called, A Merchants ship bringing food from a farre. Prou. 31.14. And our Sauiour Christ being in a ship did then most liuely represent his Church, Luke 5.3. as is very elegantly de­clared by the holy Fathers. Christ hath his Nauie of many ships of warre, that is, a col­lection of many particular Churches, wher­of he is the Head, and Generall. Against this Nauy there are in the sea of this world open­ly set out many other ships of warre vnder the conduct of the Diuell, which are the troopes of diabolical sects, and superstitious Infidels, the enemies of Christ. And in this warfare I, to my great griefe, behold the ships that are vnder the same Captaine, and Commander our Sauiour Christ, to pursue one another with no lesse, nay perhaps with more hatred, then if they were indeed the ships of the enemy. The Church of Rome, and those that follow the conduct of it, hate to the death the Reformed Churches. And [Page 31]the Reformed hate them. I would faine set you right, my Auditors, in a great, and very common mistake, if so bee that yee thinke the Reformed Religion to bee ano­ther Religion wholly differing from the Romane. The Religion of both is in the maine essentials and fundamentals the very same. Both haue the same Christ for their Lord and Master; both the same baptisme; both are founded by the same Apostles; both haue and professe the same Gospel. But to the end wee may vnderstand the estate of both the Romane, and Reformed Chur­ches, I meane to hold my selfe to my simili­tude of ships, and Nauigation. The voy­age of the Militant Church is a continuall sayling in the Ocean of this world, amids a thousand shelfes, and rockes, gulfes, and quicksands, where no shore, nor land at all is to bee seene. For our pilgrimage heere is in faith, and tendeth to the attaining of things inuisible. Wee walke by faith, 2. Cor. 5.7. and not by sight. Wee see now through a glasse darkly, 1. Cor. 13.12. but then wee shall behold face to face. 2. Cor. 4.18.Wee looke not [Page 32]on the things, that are seene, but on the things, that are not seene. For the things, which are seene, are temporall: but the things, which are not seene, are eternall. And the Nauigation, wherein the Church Militant is employed, tendeth to Spirituall things, which are not seene. And surely in Sea voyages amidst the maine, where no land marke can bee seene for the direction of the shippe, the onely certaine meanes of guidance for Nauigation consi­steth in the vsing of a good Compasse, hauing a Needle well touched with the Loadstone, as also in hauing a Ship mans Card, or Sea mappe iustly quartered, and coasted. Hee that without these, or with a false Compasse, or Mappe, saileth out of all sight of shoare, may bee saide to wander in vtter darkenesse, and midnight, though it be at noone-tide; And contrary wise, hee that is furnished with a true Compasse, though hee saile in the deepe of Sea, and of night, yet hee enioyeth the day, and cleare­eth his passage at all occasions. Now for the difference of the Reformed Shippes, and the Romane, it is not in the bottome, [Page 33]nor in the tackeling, but onely in the Com­passe. The Romane shippe is a good Ves­sell, well built, not rotten, nor fallen in pie­ces; it is well furnished with Masts, with Yards, with Cordage, with Cables, with Anchors; it hath an excellent Sea-mappe: the passengers, and common souldiers in it are all vnder the colours of one and the same Generall, our Sauiour Christ. And in these there is no difference betweene this Ship, and the reformed. But I finde one maine difference betweene them, whence also arise an innumerable other disparities, and it is, that the Pilot, who sits at the sterne of the Romane ship, hauing throwne aside the ordinary Compasse, and leauing the vse of the approoued Sea-mappe, hath out of his owne capricious conceit deuised a new Card, and contriued a new-found Compasse of his owne, whose needle hath no aspect toward the Pole, or touch at all of the Load-stone. Suteable also hereto hath he out of his owne head framed cer­taine Cardinall windes, which serue onely for his Card. Nay (which is worse then [Page 34]this) hee hath intruded into the possession of gouerning the helmes of all the shippes, that roade in his company, and from euery of them hee hath taken away the vse of the ordinary Compasse, and beating the Mar­riners, and ouer awing them by tyranny (who otherwise would doe well, and per­forme their office aright) will haue no nay, but all those shippes must daunce atten­dance after his. And so, for that hee vseth no true Compasse, nor Carde, hee ringleads them all to wracke, and they follow him fast enough without light through the thickest darkenesse.

For the vnfolding of this Metaphore, I say in a word, that the Bishoppe of Rome at this present, and for many ages past, lea­uing the trauailers true Sea-card, the holy Scriptures, and the vnmooueable North-Pole, the aime at Heauen and heauenly things; and propounding to himselfe one onely Port, his owne greatnesse, and tem­porall pompe, hath in his deuised Compasse quartered out his owne counterfeit windes, which must blow for that hauen; they are [Page 35]dominion ouer all other Churches, mastery ouer the Keyes, infallibility of his iudge­ment, and authoritie in things Temporall, euen ouer Princes. And as for the poore passengers, and common souldiers, who are transported, and blindly clapt vp vnder the hatches in these wandring shippes, he hath, to amuse them, added in his false Card ma­ny bastard windes, painted out in guilded, and flourished lines; namely, our owne, and others merits, Inuocation of Saints, religious worship of Images, the treasure of Indulgences, efficacie of Masses, and of Priestly absolutions, Agnus Dei's, hallowed Beads, holy Water. By these, and other such windes neuer found in the ancient true Compasses, and whereof the ancient Pi­lots of the holy Church neuer heard any newes; by these blasts will hee haue his followers to saile, whereby they are caried headlong into many most important er­rors. The onely cause of all this mischiefe is that Archpilot. For if hee were remoo­ued, or could bee perswaded to leaue his owne monstrous Chimericall Compasse, [Page 36]and to betake himselfe to the vsuall and auncient guide, presently defacing all those false windes, verily the goodly fleete of the Catholique Church would easily bee set right, and holding the safe and sure way (as the Reformed Companies haue done) would approach to the true hauen of eter­nall blisse. True it is, that these Reformed Churches, beeing misledde by this wan­dring guide, did sometime follow that vaine and deceitfull Compasse. But at length they haue better bethought themselues and casting out that strange intruding Pilot, they haue yeelded vp their shippe to bee go­uerned by their owne true Steersemen, such as God himselfe hath ordayned. And so vsing the infallible Card of the holy Scrip­tures, and the true Compasse quartered out into the foure auncient Cardinall windes of the foure first generull Councels, and se­conded with the vnder-windes of the holy Fathers, they make an happy voyage, and without wandring arriue at the appointed hauen of saluation. And this is the misera­ble night of manifold errours, wherein so [Page 37]many poore soules suffer themselues to bee hoodwinked, and lulled asleepe: from which yet we are rescued by the Almighty hand of God. And therefore let vs yeelde him all possible thankes, that This night is passed.

If I should here enlarge my selfe, and in­sist vpon the consideration of these forged misguiding blasts, to display all the particu­lar errors, which make this cloudie night, I might encomber my selfe in a confused Chaos, out of which I could not get in many dayes, much lesse in the little portion of time allotted to this Exercise. Yet I can doe no lesse now, then touch some of the most prin­cipall, and vniuersall of them, out of which, as from a roote, all the particular errors doe spring.

It is very much behoouefull to the Pope for the mainteining himselfe in the forged greatnesse of his vniuersall Vicarship of Christ, to holde the people in the deepest darknesse of ignorance, and blindnesse, that possibly may be. To this purpose one maine article, which he causeth to be taught in all [Page 38]the Churches subiect to him, stands him in great stead; namely, that, for the sauing of mens soules, an implicite faith sufficeth: whereby a man beleeueth all to be trueth, whatsoeuer the holy Catholique Romane Church beleeueth, and mainteineth. And by this meane the Pope layeth open a way for himselfe to perswade the silly people, already blinded with this credence, to beleeue, and receiue whatsoeuer hee imposeth on them for his owne aduantage, and to make them admit for an article of faith, that hee is the onely vicar of Christ: that he cannot erre in cathedra, iudging out of his chaire: that he is the Lord paramount of the whole Church: that the keyes, and treasure of holy Church are in his hands onely: that he hath power to depose Kings from their Thrones, and to discharge their subiects of their oath of fe­altie; and infinite other such fopperies: for the maintenance whereof, many wretches cast away their soules. And by degrees it will come to that passe one day, that he will make himselfe to be adored for a God vpon earth. By this engine of implicite faith, he [Page 39]barreth vp the way to the people, so that they cannot come to descry his inuentions, as long as they make it a scruple of consci­ence to examine, or consider what trueth may bee in such determinations, which are made by him for his owne aduantage onely, and not for their soules health. In this meane while the poore vulgar think, that they haue as much faith, as will serue for their saluati­on; and yet in fine they will bee found to haue none at all. I beleeue that, which the Church beleeues. If I come not to particu­lar articles, I yet beleeue nothing, but onely am in a disposition to beleeue that, which the Church of Rome shall prescribe mee, whether true, or false. Verely for any man to say, I beleeue that, which another man belee­ueth, is as much, as if he said, I see that, which another man seeth, though my owne eyes be shut. And as no man can be said to see, but only when the faculty of his owne sight exerciseth its operation vpon a particular obiect; so there is no actuall beleeuing, but when the vnderstanding, and will doe actu­ally apprehend, and embrace the obiect of [Page 40]faith. There are vnder the Papacy, there are among the people many men endued by God with sufficient iudgement and capacity to receiue good instruction in many myste­ries of our faith, if they had conuenient meanes and opportunity to learne them: but by reason of this implied faith, they are not only kept from learning those things which they ought to know, but also a great number of them, and they not of the dullards, when they vnder a confused notion apprehend such articles, frame to themselues false, and erroneous conceipts of them. How many being enwrapped in this implicite faith, and being otherwise able distinctly to vnder­stand, that there are in Christ two distinct natures, and but one onely person, and that diuine, yet thinke that Christ is man by an humane person, and so are Nestorians? How many are there, that beleeue Christ to be a meere man, and so are Arians? How ma­ny beleeue that in Christ the diuine and hu­mane natures are confounded into one na­ture? Innumerable such monsters of all he­resies may bee found vnder this Chimaera of [Page 41]inuolued faith. Besides this, the more to che­rish these monstrous errors, the Popes barre Christian people from all means of learning the verities of the Christian faith, forbid­ding them the vse of the holy Scriptures in such language, as they may vnderstand. For they are well assured, that the very vulgar would, by reading the Scriptures, discouer the manifold deuises, and trickes, wherwith the Popes, the Bishops, the Preachers, the Priests, and Friars delude the simple people, to draw money out of their purses, and to make themselues be thought so many Gods. If the people might bee suffered to read the Scriptures in the mother tongue, they would finde, that all the twelue Apostles had the same charge, in all respects, equall with S. Peter, of planting, & gouerning the Church. They would see, that in all the Bible there is nothing to bee found for S. Peters being at Rome, nor that hee hath left any speciall charge with the Bishop of Rome. They would be aduertised, that all Bishops succeed the Apostles in equall power among them­selues, without subiection of one to another: [Page 42]And that the vnion of holy Church consi­steth in the vnity of faith, and in charity, whereby all Churches are combined, and embrace one the other, and not in being vn­der any one visible head, but vnder Christ, the true, and only head of the Church. They would well know, that the Masse hath no other vse, nor bringeth any other spirituall benefite, then to consecrate the holy Sacra­ment for Communion, and that only, when there are some, more, or lesse to communi­cate, that the pronouncing of some part a­loud, and whispering the rest, so that the people heares it not, is but a mockery. Like­wise that those mimicall gestures with the hands, leggs, and eyes serue for nothing, but to set the people on gazing in a wonder­ment. They would learne, that in the bread of the Eucharist there is the true body of Christ Sacramentally, and after a wonderful maner, which to vs is inexplicable; but not in flesh and bones, with eyes, hands, and feet. Neither should they euer finde, that that consecrated bread is to bee adored for God, euen as wee adore not the water which re­presents [Page 43]the blood of Christ in baptisme, al­though, by the power of Gods grace, this water, and that bread in him that receiueth it worthily, worke maruelous spirituall effects in the soule. They would vnderstand, that Purgatory, being not once named, nor im­plied in the Scriptures, is an inuention of the Priests, and Friars, to make men call for Masses, and to draw on paiments, and obla­tions for the rescuing of soules out of Pur­gatory. Which deuice rayseth an income, whereby such a swarme of idlesbies (not on­ly vnprofitable to the Church, but also scan­dalous) are maintained, liuing in iollity, and wallowing in all vncleannesse. These, and many other like trueths would the people descrie, if they might read the holy Scrip­tures, nor would they suffer themselues to be any longer deceiued, and fuddled vp in that darke cloud, and night of infolded faith. Much the easier also would they vnderstand these things, if together with the Scriptures, diuers godly, and holy Bookes might bee suffered to come to their view, which disco­uer the impostures of the Papacie, and sin­cerely [Page 44]lay down the true way to saluatiō; yet these Bookes are most falsly by the Pope, for his owne behoofe, declared to be hereticall, and prohibited, as pestilēt in that kind, with­out euer shewing particularly wherin these pretended heresies consist: Which are not­withstanding taught by the holy Fathers of the Church. But this is his refuge for secu­rity, lest his errours should bee discouered. And, as for so many soules running this way headlong into hell, that troubleth him not, may he the while hold vp his wordly pomp. And so much of the first generall error.

Another generall error, wherewith the captiuated Churches in Italy, and many o­ther elsewhere are seduced, is the perswading of the simple people, that they obtaine infal­lible remission of all their sinnes committed after baptisme, by vertue of certaine exter­nall, sensible, and materiall actions, which are called Sacraments, and Sacramentals. In­deed the common people being by nature prone, and hasty to superstition, and more willing, and ready to vndergoe externall ea­sie performances, then inward duties diffi­cult, [Page 45]and distastful to flesh and blood, put too much confidence in these outward supersti­tions, being in the meane time destitute of the true inward effect of desired remission of their sinnes, and so the blinde being led by the blinde, both fall into the pit.

The true Sacraments instituted by our Sauiour for remission of sinnes, are holy Baptisme, and the sacred Communion. And the only true and reall remedy, whereby re­mission of sinnes, done after Baptisme, is ob­teined, is Repentance, which consisteth in true sorrowing for sinne, together with re­solution to leaue sinne by the assistance of Gods grace. But see how extrauagant the Papall doctrine is in this point: Namely, that it is necessary to confesse to a Priest all and euery of our sinnes, one by one, toge­ther with the circumstances of them; and that thereupon presently comes absolution, which ex opere operato by vertue of the deed done, that is, infalliblie, by a Sacramentall operation, releaseth the sinne quantum ad cul­pam, as much as concernes the guiltinesse of it: and as for an after-reckoning quantum ad [Page 46]poenam, concerning the punishment, that is remitted by satisfaction enioined, or by In­dulgences. This so mighty efficacy they at­tribute to Priestly absolution, by vertue whereof they will that a sinner presently becommeth ex attrito contritus, that is to say, though he doe not truly and soundly repent him of his sinnes, but conceiue a certaine sleight and light sorrow, out of feare onely of Gods punishments, and not out of hatred of sinne, yet vpon the act of absolution, hee enioyeth the benefit of remission, as fully, as if he had true and entire repentance, toge­ther with hatred of sinne. In this maner they breed vp a sinner, and make him in his af­fection to cleaue fast to his sinnes, whilest he flattereth himselfe, that Confession tur­neth his attrition into contrition. And thus poore soules, being beguiled with this blin­ding and benighting Doctrine, trust so farre vpon this their externall Confession, and ex­ternall Absolution, that they neglect inward repentance, and so sticke fast in their sinnes, thinking that they haue done their part, when they haue gone ouer the beadroule of [Page 47]their sinnes, and so receiued Absolution. But those good soules, that put not this supersti­tious cōfidence in any such power of Abso­lution (which in trueth cannot deriue from the Gospel any Sacramentall operation) and certainely perswade themselues, that they haue no other meanes of remedy, then true hearty repentante, they relie vpon that one­ly, and make request to God for it by hum­ble and feruent prayers, vsing also other helpes, whereto the Scriptures direct vs, fa­stings, giuing of almes, and other workes of charitie: Not that these doe satisfie for the punishment, as the Romanists vainly teach, (For God, when hee pardoneth the sinne, re­mitteth also the punishmēt, as is most cleare in Scripture) but, because these are fruits of inward Repentance, and parts of outward; and so make way for remission of sinnes. But the Romish preposterous course (mis­taking, and mis-doing in the darke night of this error) worketh cleane contrary, and set­teth the cart before the horse, first granting remission, and afterward imposing workes of repentance, which indeede should goe [Page 48]before repentance, and much more before remission. And by this reckoning the vn­happy soules, when they thinke themselues most free, then remaine most bound, and vnpardoned before the throne of God. This deuise therfore of Sacramentall Confession, and Sacramentall Absolution, as they terme it, as it is pernicious, so it hath the brand of nouelty, being first imposed by Pope Inno­cent the third: After the entrance whereof, the forme of true repentance is very hardly to bee found in the Churches subiect to the Papacy. O how much better were it for a sinner not to goe to Confession, but onely when he findeth himselfe in his owne con­science rightly disposed, & to be in the state of true repentance? For the often frequen­ting of Confession, as it is vsed, and receiuing of Absolution, such as it is, makes a sinfull wretch feede himselfe with shadowes, and seeme to himselfe to giue his conscience suf­ficient satisfaction. Whereupon he, not see­ing the miserable estate, wherin he remains, neuer thinketh seriously of true repentance. Whereas, if hee had not that vaine imploy­ment, [Page 49]which serueth him but to cloake his sinnes, he would finde himselfe to bee yet in the estate of sinne, and would earnestly be­thinke himselfe of the true remedy, namely inward sincere repentance, which, without any other confession, or absolution, cancel­leth our sinnes, as fully appeareth out of the holy Scriptures, and Fathers. It is therefore an errour very grieuous, and hurtful to the soule, to beleeue that these externall perfor­mances conferre remission of sinnes, and that they are necessary therunto. What shall we say of so many other meere externall tri­fles, whereto the people is most superstiti­ously inclined, as holy water, beades, crosses, consecrated Images, Papall and Episcopall benedictions, Stations, Pardons, the new found hoode of the Carmelites, called the Habitell, the whipcoards of Saint Francis, the girdles of the Cordeliers, the visiting of such a Church in such dayes, or of these and these altars, and reliques, nay the very hearing of Masses, and anealing him, that lies a dying? These, and such like other outward shewes, doe fill, and puffe vp the soule with a very [Page 50]surfet of an imaginary, and false deuotion. Wherupon men thinke not of purging their consciences, of consummating their faith, of inflaming their charity towards God, and toward their neighbor; they busie not them­selues about repenting of their sinnes, and performing those internall actions, wherein the essentiall part of our reconciliation with God, and eternall saluation doth consist. And when a man hath once in a day signed himselfe with the signe of the Crosse, and sayd ouer his Pater Noster, (which he vnder­stands neuer a whit) together with his Aue Maria, and hath heard Masse, why then for­sooth he is a Saint, and hath learned enough in religion: and so fastning vpon these out­sides, he sets vp his rest on them for his salua­tion. And, if at any time they can ensnare an vngrounded Protestant, and winne him o­uer to their partie, they thinke him very well furnished, if he can beleeue in the Pope, and will heare Masse; vpon this presently, with­out any more adoe, they declare him to bea most perfect Catholique. Let them not heere tell me, that the inwards of the soule are stir­red [Page 51]vp, and whetted by these outward acti­ons. For experience sheweth the contrary, that the people, when they haue tired them­selues with visiting so many altars, with hea­ring so many Masses, with chewing ouer so many halfe-scores of Aue Maries, in running ouer al the Rosary, when they haue so and so many times kissed the Crosse, and haue bin in Processions, they looke no further, but deeme themselues to bee all holy, and that they need nothing else; and yet they goe on in their sinnes: nay, such as these, for the most part, become in their inward, worse euery day then other; and for all this, mend not their liues, nor settle themselues to true repentance. Lament. 4.4. Of these poore starued soules we may say, Paruuli petierunt panem, & non est qui frangat eis. The children called for bread, and there is none to breake it to them. And if they affoord them any scraps of bread, it must not be the true bread of life, but in stead of wholesome and nourishing bread made of wheat, they giue them bread made of bran, or acornes: and, to keepe them from sence of hunger, they stuffe them vp with swines [Page 52]meat, the huskes, and shales of these super­fluous, and superstitious deuotions. What now adayes carrieth away the noise in their pulpits? what, but the Papacie, Purgatory, and Indulgences, and other the like super­stitions? Here one extolls a certaine Image of the blessed Virgin to bee seene in his Church, which makes miracles Gods plen­ty: but these feates are either imagined, or dreamed of, or else contriued by imposture. There another stands vpon the commen­dation of a certaine wodden wonder-wor­king Crucifixe, making a moster of it with a troope of lighted Torches about it: and, the more to endeare it, hee withdraweth the Curtaines but seldome, and openeth the Shrine at a few set times in the yeere. Otherwhere others doe the like, and all for the same end; namely to allure the simple people to flocke to them, and so to worke vpon their purses. O misery of corruption! O night of darkenesse!

I passe now to the third generall error, and it is this: That the thunderbolt of ex­communication darted out by the Pope is [Page 53]euermore very terrible, and that it strikes deepe, wounding the soule, and tumbling it downe-right into hell, if the Popes com­mands be not obeyed. True it is, that eue­ry Bishop within his owne Bishopricke (no lesse then the Pope within the Bishopricke of Rome) hath power to excommunicate grieuous, and scandalous offenders, either debarring them of Ecclesiasticall commu­nion with other Christian people, vntill they amend; or, if the case bee desperate, casting them out of the Church, and cut­ting them off from the body of Christ, as dead and rotten members. But whensoe­uer such Excommunications are sent out without iust, yea and most weighty cause, they more hurt him that thundereth them out, then them, against whom they are bent. It must needes therefore be a great folly, to stand in feare of the Popes Ex­communication whensoeuer hee threatens in this sort, Either beleeue whatsoeuer I say, or I will excommunicate you: Either ad­mit me to be supreme Lord of all the world both in spirituall, and temporall matters, [Page 54]or you shall be excommunicated: Either acknowledge, and worship mee for a god vpon earth, or you shall bee held for Ex­communicate. To bring his owne ends to passe, he worketh in this sort: hee compel­leth men both to beleeue, and also to per­forme whatsoeuer he please: hee forelayeth meanes to keepe simple ouerfearefull men in awe, so that they shall not dare to stand out in their owne defence against his Ty­rannie. By these vaine terrors he taketh a­way the vse of many excellent bookes, therefore prohibited, because they lay open his collusions. Neuerthelesse this rule is certaine, and infallible, whosouer, walking vprightly in the sight of God, with sinceri­ty of heart, and honest intention, readeth bookes, not out of carnall curiosity, but out of desire to learne, and to discerne be­tweene truth and falsehood, and to the end that hee may not alwaies remaine blind, let him not feare a whit, nor make any account of such Excommunication, which can ne­uer separate any man from God, vnlesse hee hath in his owne heart first separated him­selfe [Page 55]from him. Without doubt, the Pope maketh great vse of this scarcrow feare of his Excommunications, as a fit engine to en­force many a falsehood, and to hide out of the way many truths, for the vpholding of his owne most vndue, and vsurped great­nesse. This indeede hath bene his weapon, wherewith hee long since hath layde about him; but it hath beene retorted backe vpon him by many holy men, who haue not spa­red to laugh at his false thunderclaps, bol­ted out by great abuse without necessity, or iust cause at all, and haue made him to giue ouer with shame enough. Let vs now there­fore render our thankes to God, who hath rescued vs de ore Leonis, out of the mouth of the Lion, and de nube erroris out of the cloud of error, so that the enemy cannot leade vs into such deepe darkenesse, as he yet doth many soules miserably captiuated to him. And therefore to vs, Nox praecessit, The night is past.

Dies autem appropinquauit; But the day hath approached. To these foure nights there are as many daies correspondent. The first is of [Page 56]the knowledge of God, and of the holy Christian faith, the shadowes being dischar­ged, and the veiles taken away by the com­ming of Christ, when that which lay hidde vnder types, and darke resemblances, was manifested by the light of the Gospel. Nei­ther was it without mysterious significati­on, that at the very passion of Christ the veile of the Temple was rent from the toppe downe to the bottome. For the sacred mysteries of God were not now to remaine any longer cur­tayned vp, inasmuch as at the appearing of the Sunne of righteousnes all those cloudes and darkenes vanished away; cleere reuela­tion beeing then made to vs of the vnity in Nature, and trinity in Persons in God, and of the Redeemer, the true and naturall Sonne of God, in whom are two Natures, the one diuine, the other humane, subsist­ing in the diuine Person of the Word. He is in substance, and cleere signification the foreshadowed spotlesse Lambe of God: He is the true Sacrifice, which was hidden, and veyled in the sacrifices of the old Law, the most precious sacrifice offered vp vpon the [Page 57]altar of the Crosse for our sinnes; whereto no other sacrifice is now to succeed, Rom. 12. besides the reasonable seruice of our soules, and bo­dies, and perpetuall thankesgiuing, and a­doration of his most holy name.

The second day is the day of Grace, with full remission of all our sinnes in holy Bap­tisme, the Church beeing sanctified, and cleansed by the Lauer of water in the Word. Of those, that receiued Christ by the preaching of the Apostles, Saint Paul said; Ephes. 5. Yee were sometimes darkenesse, but now yee are light in the Lord, who commanded light to shine out of darkenesse. To the Gentiles the light of Nature, and to the Iewes the Law did point at what ought to be done; but neither the one, nor the other gaue grace, and strength to worke well, Rom. 8. as Saint Paul proo­ueth: Hebr. 10. For that Nature beeing corrupted was ouer nimble to runne headlong into sinne. But the grace of Christ helpeth our naturall weakenesse, and helpeth vs to bee set free, and preserued from sinne, and therefore, Hic dies appropinquauit, The day hath approached.

The third day is the day of watchful­nesse, diligence, and care. The wild, and sauage beasts watch most of all in the night time, forraging then for their prey. On the contrarie, man r [...]oseth himselfe in the night, and goeth about his businesse in the day time. Psal. 104.20. Posuisti tenebras, & facta est nox, in ipsa pertransibunt omnes bestiae Syluae, &c. Thou madest darkenesse, and it is night, where­in all the beasts of the Forest creepe forth. The young Lions roare after their prey, and seek their meat of God. When the Sunne riseth, they retire, and couch in their dennes. It is not so with man: For when the Sunne is vp, then Exi­bit homo ad opus suum, &c. Man goeth forth to his worke, and to his labour till the Euening. It is the propertie of beasts, and those the most harmefull, to make the day their time of sleepe, and the night their time of labour: so of men, those that employ themselues a­bout euill, Iohn 3.19. shun the light. Men loued darke­nesse more then the light: For their workes were euill. Euerie man that doeth euill, hateth the light, and commeth not to the light, least his deeds should be reproued. But those men, that take not [Page 59]after such wild beasts, employ themselues in good works, as much as they can, whilest they haue the oportunitie of the light, and spend not the day in sleepe, but make their aduantage of the time. Iohn 3.21. He, that doeth the trueth, commeth to the light, that his deeds might be made manifest; that they are wrought in God. Christ our instructor, and ensample, said of himselfe, I must worke the workes of him, that sent mee, whilest it is day. The night commeth, when no man can worke. How much more ought wee euerie of vs to say the same of our selues, to whom S. Paule sayeth, Hora est iam nos de somno surgere. Now it is time for vs to arise from sleepe. Whilest the day of this life lasteth we are to busie our selues in good workes, and to shew that we haue a liuely faith. Venit nox; The night commeth, wherein no man can worke. It is a meere folly to expect (as the Romanists doe) that others should worke for vs, and apply their works to vs when wee are dead and gone; that o­thers should fast for vs, purchase S. Gregories Masses, and seeke out priuiledged altars, and procure Indulgences for vs, Per mo­dum [Page 60]intercession, they seeke out priuiledged al­tars: But the night ouertakes them, where­in no man can worke; surely neyther him­selfe in person, nor others to his vse. Our journey is ended: we by death arriue at our long home, either of eternall Saluation, or of endlesse damnation; there is no meane estate betweene these two. Eccles. 11.3. If the tree fall toward the South or toward the North, in the place where the treefalleth, there it shall be. Therefore whilest the day holdes, doe that, which thou hast to doe. Psal. 115.17, 18. The dead prayse not the Lord, neither any that goe downe into the place of silence; that is, into the graue. But we (that liue) let vs prayse the Lord. Isa. 38.18, 19. The graue cannot praise thee, death can­not celebrate thee, they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy trueth. The liuing, the liuing, he shall praise thee. The fourth kind of day, is the day of pure & meere trueth. The night is passed of so many errors, which with the Papacy haue crept into the Papall Churches: and to vs, by the grace of the Almighty, the day is arriued. He that liued vnder the Pa­pacy might, and ought then to say in his prayers to God, Emitte lucem tuam, & verita­tem [Page 61]tuam. Send foorth thy light, and thy trueth. Psal. 43.3. But he, that is freed thence, must insist vpon that, which followeth, Ipsa me deduxerunt, & adduxerunt in montem sanctū tuum, & in taber­naculatua. They haue led me, and brought me vnto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Here (belo­ued brethren) heere in this Kingdome wee haue the hill of God, which is raysed vp to­wards heauen, and standeth discoasted farre enough from the sinke, and myre of the Pa­pall corruptions. Here are the tabernacles, and tents of the armies of the Lord of hosts pitcht in goodly aray, and furnished for the confronting all opposite forces. Heere the light of the trueth is freely, and openly let in. Heere the holy Scriptures are most exactly studied. Here are great multitudes of lear­ned men, and aboue all, the most learned the Anoynted of the Lord, a King, who is the wonder of the Kings of the earth, a match­lesse paterne to all the Kings and Princes of Christendome, of great zeale in purging, ad­uancing, and mainteining Christs holy Re­ligion. Heere the sincere word of God is taught plentifully. Here the Bishops are ve­ry [Page 62]learned, religious, and vigilant ouer their flocks. Here the Priests are euery way suffi­cient, and very skilfull in the cure of soules. Heere the people are very zealous, and fer­uently addicted to holy and spirituall due­ties. Thanks therefore be to God, who after the night of so many errors, hath sent foorth his light and trueth, which haue led me, and brought me into his holy hill, and to his ta­bernacles. And so reioycing in the Lord, I say againe to my selfe, and to you, my brethren, The night is passed, and the day is at hand.

Heere perhaps some man may demaund of mee, why S. Paul saith, that the day is at hand, and not rather that it is already come: which doubt seemeth the greater vpon the words, which goe before, Nunc propior est no­strasalus, quàm cum credidimus; Now is our sal­uation neerer, then when wee beleeued. Heere therefore the approach of the day is the ap­proach of saluation; and the day, and saluati­on are to bee taken to signifie one, and the same, and by consequence besides that day, and saluation, which is Christ, and his Gos­pel, & besides that day and saluation, which [Page 63]signifieth grace, and the remission of sinnes, S. Paul vnderstandeth yet another day, and another saluation, which he declareth to bee come neerer at the time of his writing this Epistle to them, then it was when they first receiued the Faith, and holy Baptisme, with remission of sinnes. By this saluation, which is said to haue come neerer, Lyra vnderstan­deth the Saluation brought in by the com­ming of Christ, as being neerer, then it was before his comming. But neither S. Paul, nor these Christians, to whom hee wrote it, were beleeuers before the comming of Christ. And yet S. Paul saith plainely, quàm cum credidimus, that is, then when we began to beleeue in Christ. Saint Chysostome by this Saluation vnderstandeth the generall resur­rection, which shall be at the second com­ming of Christ, at Doomesday: where­with S. Paul awaketh the faithfull, to make them watchfull, and ready for that generall Iudgement, which in the very Apostles times was by many deemed to be very nigh at hand. But it is better for vs to interprete this admonition of the Apostle concerning [Page 64]Death, and the particular iudgement of eue­ry man; and euery of vs to say to our selues, and to one another, Noster dies appropinqua­uit, & propior est Salus nostra; Our day is at hand, and our Saluation is neerer, because the day of our death comes on euery moment neerer, & neerer. Let vs therfore, my brethren, pro­uide that at the comming of that last day, Christ may finde vs prepared: Matth. 24. For yee know not at what houre your Master will come. Matth. 25. Be rea­die, as the fiue wise Virgins were ready, and entred in with the Spouse to the wedding. And let vs take heede, that befalles vs not, which the fiue foolish virgins found, who were for euer shut out of doores from the wedding, with that terrible answere, Nescio vos, I know you not. And therefore horaest nos de somno surgere. It is high time for vs to awake from sleepe, forasmuch as Dies appro­pinquauit; The day is nigh at hand.

Abijciamus ergo operatenebrarum; Gene. 1. Let vs put off this blacke suite. The first worke of dark­nesse, or rather that darknesse, which God in the first Creation of the world did diuide from the light, De ciuitat. Dei. lib. 11. cap. 19. is by S. Augustine expounded [Page 65]to be the euill Angels; who are also stiled by S. Paul, The Princes of the darknesse of this world. Ephes. 6.12. These wee haue openly renounced in our Baptisme; and yet they cease not to set vpon vs. Resist the Diuell and hee will flie from you. Iames. 4. He that trauaileth in the night easily falleth into the hands of theeues, and cut-throats, and is most commonly robbed of that hee hath, and sometime of his life also. Iohn 11.9. If a man walke in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walke in the night he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. The Diuels are these night-theeues, and somtime also day-roauers, Meridiani, euen in the noone day. Their snares are temptations, and sinne their prison. If therfore we would not fall into their hands, and become slaues to the kingdome of darknesse, let vs cast a­way the workes of darknesse, let vs walke in the day in our Sauiour Christs companie, and wee shall not need to stand in feare of them. Scuto circundabit te veritas eius, Psal. 91.4. non ti­mebis à timore nocturno. A sagitta volante in die, à negotio perambulante in tenebris, ab incursu & daemonio meridiano. Cadent à latere tuo mille, [Page 66]& decem milliad dextris tuis, ad te autem non ap­propinquabit. His truth shall shield thee as a buck­ler. Thou shalt not bee afraid of the feare of the night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day, of the worke that walketh in the darke, of inuasion, nor of the diuell of the midday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee. The workes of dark­nesse are sleepe, dreames, and idlenesse. Let vs shake off these also. Matth. 13.25. For whilest men are asleepe the enemie soweth the Tares. And the vaine dreames of worldly proiects doe so intoxi­cate the braine, that wee forget our owne soules, and things eternall. That miserable worldling was in a dreame, when he sayd, I will pull downe my barnes, Luke 12.19. and build vp greater. I will say vnto my soule, Soule thou hast much goods layed vp for many yeeres. Liue at ease, eat, drinke, and take thy pastime. But this dreame was very short; for presently hee heard that voice from God, O foole, this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee. Let vs therfore shake off such dreames as these, together with all idlenesse, and sluggishnesse in things con­cerning God, and his heauenly trueth. It [Page 67]must bee accounted among the workes of darknesse, if we be possessed with a nightly, drowsie silence in Gods businesse, during this cleare day of trueth. Let vs therfore cast away this stupidity, let vs breake this silence. Isai 58. Clama, necesses. Crie out aloud, and spare not, sayth the Prophet. So did S. Paul as he testi­fieth of himselfe, Mundus sum à sanguine &c. I am pure from the blood of all men. Acts 20.26. For I haue not shunned to declare vnto you, all the coun­sell of GOD. Therefore if we also doe not thus, we shall not be guiltlesse of the blood of those soules, which perish through our silence. Let vs praise God with our voice, let vs publish abroad his truth. Colos. 3.16. Teaching and admonishing our selues in Psalmes, and Hymmes, and spirituall songs singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. Let vs therefore cast away these, and all other workes of darkenesse.

Et induamur arma lucis. As soone as wee haue quitte our selues of our blacke, and dolefull apparell, it remaines, that wee doe not any while remaine naked, but foorth­with put on our cleare and lightsome ar­ray. [Page 68] Let vs put on the armour of light. It is not hard to finde what this armour of light is. Our Sauiour Christ, speaking of himselfe, saide, Iohn. 8.12. and 8.46. and 9 5. I am the light of the world. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. I am come a light into the world. And our Apo­stle here declareth expresselie, that he meant Christ to bee this our lightsome cloathing, when hee addeth afterward Put on the Lord Iesus Christ. Before that Christ came, God, as I told you, held the light hidden in his hand. But, after his comming, his beloued disciple describeth the holy Church in these words; A Woman clad with the Sunne, and the Moone vnder her feete. Reuel. 12.1. And the same accor­deth with St. Pauls exhorting euery Christi­an to Put on Iesus Christ, and take no thought for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts of it. The trea­ding of the Moone vnder ourfeete, is the contemning of the fleshly vanity of things temporall and transitory, which is the pro­per duty of a Christian. And euen this, which Saint Paul here saith to the Romanes The night is past, let vs put on the armour of light; hee saith in other words to the Ephesi­ans, [Page 69] Awake thou that sleepest, Ephes. 5.14. and Christ shall giue thee light.

Some curious braines haue coniectured, that Noah, Gen. 7. when hee was shutte vppe in the Arke, and could not haue light by the little window thereof, (which also was continu­ally kept shut) vsed a Carbuncle, or some o­ther more radiant precious Stone, to giue light in the Arke. And what stone can be so bright to enlighten our darkenes, whilest we float to saue vs from the deluge of sinne, as Christ? Petra autem erat Christ [...]s. 1. Cor. 10.4. Ioh. 1.9. And that stone is Christ, who also is the true light, that enlighteneth euery man that commeth into the world. Hee is the most resplendent, and pre­cious Gemme: Let vs fell all to purchase it. He that hath not Christ before him, let him not looke for the light. Psalm. 127.3. Vanum est vobís ante lucem surgere. It is but lost labour for you to rise before the daylight. He that thinketh himselfe able to rise out of darkenesse, and obscure night of sinne and infidelity, before that Christ s end forth the day-spring of grace in­to his heart, surely hee is in an idle conceit, [Page 70]and dreameth in the night of a great errour. If thou of thy selfe wilt needes get vp before the light, thou shalt finde thy selfe notwith­standing to remaine in the darke. Hee that would walke in safety, and in the light, let him rise indeede, but hee must rise with Christ, and follow Christ whithersoeuer he leadeth: Rom. 13.14. and this is to put on the Lord Iesus.

Adam was sometime cloathed with the goodly white Roabe of innocencie, and ori­ginall iustice. But (alas) being misseled by the counsaile giuen him by the Serpent the Prince of darkenesse, he fell into the hands of theeues, Luke 10.30. which stripped him of his rayment, and wounded him, and departed, leauing him halfe dead. But behold, the good Samaritane doth not only cure his wounds, but also couereth his nakednesse, vouchsafing himselfe to be­come a garment vnto him. Therefore put yee on the Lord Iesus. This is that wedding Gar­ment, without which whosoeuer presenteth himselfe to the Table of the Lord, shall bee thrust out of doores in tenebras exteriores, Matth. 22.13. in­to vtter darkenesse. The Prophet Isay fore­spoke [Page 71]this faire Roabe, this nuptiall Gar­ment, which was then at making for vs. Esai. 61.10. I will greatly reioyce in the Lord, my soule shall bee ioyfull in my God. For hee hath cloathed mee with the garments of saluation: hee hath couered mee with the Roabe of righteousenesse, as a bride­groome decketh himselfe with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her iewels.

Induamur arma lucis. Let vs put on the armor of light. Hee saith not let vs put on the gar­ments of light, but the armour of light. For Christ arrayeth vs, non ad pompam, sed ad pugnam, not to set vs out in an empty and vaine shew, but to furnish, and secure vs for combat, the whole life of a Christian beeing a warfare. Of the most accomplished Ar­my of Antiochus it is related in the history of the Machabees, that, Machab. when the Sunne shone vpon the shields of gold, and brasse, the moun­taines glistred therewith, and shined like lampes of fire. It is another manner of lustre, and beau­ty, which this armour of light, worne by a Christian, doth dart forth on euery side vp­on the eyes of God himselfe, and of the ho­ly [Page 72]Angels, and blessed soules. For the wea­pons of our warfare are not carnall, 2. Cor. 10.4. but mighty through God, to the pulling downe of strong holds, casting downe imaginations, and euery high thing, that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the o­bedience of Christ. And so Christ is our Ar­mour, our strength, our defence, our cou­rage, our conquerer, and in the end our both rewarder, and reward. Behold the armour of light. Ephes. 6.12. Put on the whole armour of God, that yee may bee able to stand against the wiles of the diuell. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkenesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses in high places. Put on the brestplate of righteousenesse, — take the shield of faith, — the helmet of saluation, the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. I hope in God, by the helpe also of your godly prayers, deare brethren, that his heauenly Maiesty will reach foorth to mee, and direct in my hand this sword of his word, wherewith, as I haue begun, so I may bee enabled to hold [Page 73]on the combat against the Rulers of darke­nesse, for the setting free so many poore de­ceiued soules from a many of errours, and that I may also put this sword into their owne hands, with which they of them­selues may worke their owne freedome from that yoake of Tyranny, which lieth so heauy vpon them.

Let vs all put on the armour of light, and in speciall, you my brethren of Italy. For if we would all with ioynt endeuour furnish our selues with this armour, wee might the better hope for a glorious victory. We shall indeed put on the armour of light, if, vpon the reforming of Religion, and detestation of errors in doctrine, we shall lead an exem­plary life, full of good edification, keeping our selues a farre off from sin, and being de­uout in prayers, frequent in hearing, and rea­ding the word of God, and in performance of other spirituall exercises, especially in re­ceiuing the holy Communion, and also shall shew our selues fruitfull in good workes. So let your light shine before men, Matth. 5. that they may [Page 74]see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. What shall it auaile vs to haue re­formed Religion, and not to reforme our liues withall? To beleeue aright, and to doe that which is wrong will stand vs in little steed, nay it will sinke vs the deeper, into Hell. Luke 12. He that knoweth the will of God, and doeth it not, shalbe beaten with the more stripes. The Diuels also beleeue, Iam. 2.19. and tremble. It is a cur­rent speech among the Papists, that whoso­euer leaueth their party, and ioyneth him­selfe to the Reformed Churches, doth it for the loue of carnall libertie, and that he may lead a licentious life. It lieth vpon vs for our part to giue them no occasion of such re­proachfull slanders; and to array our selues with such lightsome, and glittering armour, as may dazle their eies, and confound them: so that they may be forced to confesse, that in the Reformed Churches, there is an vn­feined and fruitfull profession of the refor­mation of life also; and that there men liue in the true feare of God, in true godlinesse, and true deuotion, free from scandall. Put [Page 75]yee on therefore, as the elect of God, Col. 3.12. holy and be­loued, the bowels of mercy kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meeknesse, long suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, if any man haue a quarrell against any. And aboue all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfect­nesse. If we put on the armour of light, wee shall become the children of light, and enioy also the fruit of light. Ephes. 5.9. For the fruit Alias of the Spirit. of the light is in all goodnesse, and righteousnesse, and trueth.

Which of vs knoweth not that the chil­dren of God are stiled, The children of the light? The reason is, because God himselfe is light. Whereupon our Sauiour Christ vseth this reprehensiō, that the children of this world, that is, the children of darknesse are wiser then the children of light: And admonisheth vs in this maner: While yee haue light, Iohn. 12.36. Ephes. 5. beleeue in the light, that ye may be the children of light. In like maner S. Paul: Walke as the children of light. 1. Thess. 5. Because yee are the children of light, and the sonnes of God. And therfore here he exhorteth vs: Let vs put on the armour of light. A Chri­stian sheweth quickly by his life, whether he [Page 76]be the sonne of God, or no. The Eagle with his strong and cleare eyes is able, and accu­stomed to looke directly vpon the Sunne, and by this essay shee is wont to prooue her yong ones: namely if they be both able, and willing to fixe their sight vpon the flaming circle of the Sunne, then she takes them for her owne: but if they will nor gaze vpon the Sunne, but turne their eyes away from the beames thereof, then shee casteth them out of her nest, as a bastard degenerating, and changeling brood. So our heauenly Father, who as an Eagle stirreth vp her nest, fluttereth oner her yong, Deut. 32.11. spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, doth prooue vs, whether we delight to looke vp on him being our light, and, if he finde, that we seeke those things which are about, Coloss. 3.2. and make our con­uersatiō to shine with the cleare white of in­nocency, of due obedience to him, and of ho­ly imiration of him, then hee holdeth vs for his owne vndoubted offpring, and for true children of the light. But if he finde vs Luci­fugas to shrinke backe from the light, and to [Page 77]turne away from beholding our Sunne of righteousnesse, composing our selues to be­hold only those things that are vpon the earth, then hee casteth vs off, for so many Owles and Battes, that loue the darke, and cannot abide the light.

That light, from whence wee are to ex­pect these good effects must be Christ only. By no Planet, or Starre, other then the Sun, can true and pure gold bee begotten in the bowels of the earth; or fine Orient Pearle in the shels of fishes. Let the Alchymists sweat, and spend themselues in labouring to make gold by artificiall meanes, and heat, diuers from the heat of the Sunne: They shall bring foorth nothing, but false Alchymicall gold, of no worth. Whosoeuer seeketh for sancti­ty, and grace (which is the true and precious gold, and the riches of all our spirituall good) from any other Planet, then from the true Sunne Christ, he troubleth himselfe in vaine. When we are clad with this light, e­uen with Christ, we shall be a most accepta­ble sight to the eyes of our heauenly King, [Page 78]and haue cause to presume of victory ouer the Prince of darknesse. Esther. 5. So Hester being ar­rayed in royall robes did winne the heart of Assuerus. Iudith 10.3. So Iudith, being clad with garments of gladnesse, obtained that notable victory vpon Holophernes.

If S. Paul heere biddeth all the faithfull, Put on the armour of light; surely (that which much affecteth me) he speaketh the same in more special & effectuall maner to vs Priests and Ministers of Christ. For euen long be­fore this, God did sufficiently declare, that his Ministers were to be clothed with light and whitenesse. Ezech. 44.17. When they enter in at the gates of the inner Court, they shalbe cloathed with linnen garments, and no wollen shall come vpon them. He that is to minister in the Sanctuary, must not haue wooll about him, being a super­fluity pertayning to a beast (that is, hee must not carry affectus animales, carnall, and beast­ly affections) but white, and pure linnen, which is the symbole of the brightnesse of all vertues, good example, and perfect righte­ousnesse. Psal. 132.16. Sacerdotes tui induantur iustitiam. Let [Page 79]thy Priests be clothed with righteousnes. Et num­damini, qui fertis vasa Domini: Isai. 52. Be yee cleane that cary the vessels of the Lord. And what else is signified to vs by the white linnen gar­ment, wherewith (according to the most ancient rites, & laudable custome of the pure and yet, yet-uncorrupted Church) we are cloathed, whilest we exercise our sacred fun­ction, but that it is our duety to put on the light, and to shine in all purity of life? This white habite putteth vs in mind, that chiefly of vs that is spoken by our Sauiour; Matth. 5.15. No man lighteth a candle, & puttteh it vnder a bushell, but setteth it vp in a candlestick, & it giueth light to all that are in the house. They that are in the holy Ministery, ought now to serue for a Pillar of a cloud by day, and a Pillar of fire by night, to guide the Army of the Lord into the land of promise: They are the eyes of the Church. I may therefore apply to the Church that speach vttered by our Sauiour; Mar. 6.2. Lucerna cor­poris estoculus. The eye is the light of the body. And (as Gregory Nazianzen a most worthy Bishop hereupon inferreth,) Epist. 30. apud Basilium. Lucerna autem Ecclesiae [Page 80]est Episcopus. A Bishop is the Light or lampe, of his Church. Therefore O Church, If thine eye be single, thy whole body shalbe full of light: But if thine eye be euill, thy whole body shalbe full of dark­nes. If therefore the light, that is in thee, be dark­nes, how great is that darkenes? The Papall Churches (alas) know too wel by wofull ex­perience, that from darke and euil eyes com­meth that palpable darknes, wherin they are held. Their Prelates, especially he that ma­keth himselfe Prelate of Prelats, are naughty pour-blind eyes, (nor do I except my selfe, as I was heretofore, being blind with them for company) eyes full of earthly dust, which are bent onely to poare downeward vpon the earth. And so the distressed Churches vnder them remaine clouded vp in darknesse. But let vs thanke GOD, that here the eyes are all pure, and simple: and thereupon Totum cor­pus, the whole body of this happy Church lucidum est, is cleare, and bright.

Thus haue I spoken of light, and of dark­nesse, of day, and of night. In this life, in this valley of teares we are much subiect to [Page 81]darknesse. Let vs therefore pray the Author and Fountaine of all light, that after this darkesome life, he would conduct vs vp to that holy, and heauenly Hierusalem, Reuel. 21.23. which hath no neede of the Sunne, neither of the Moone to shine in it: For the glory of God doeth lighten it, and the Lambe is the light thereof. To whom be praise, and glory for euermore.