OESJD II.6; on 1 Tim. 3.16

[fol. 33r] 1 Timothy: 3:16.
And, w^thout Controuersy, greate
is the Mystery of Godlynesse: God
was manifest in the flesh, Justifyed
in y^e Spirrit, seene of Angells, prea
ched vnto the Gentills, Beleeued in
the world, Receiued into Glory

This is noe Text for an Howre-glasse. If God would offer me Ezekiahs signe, Vt reuertatur vmbra, y^t the Shaddow might goe backward vppon y^e Diall; or Josuahs signe, vt sistat Sol, y^t y^e Sunne might stand still all y^e Day: this were Text enough to imploy all the Day [fol. 33v] & all the dayes of our Life. The Lent w^ch wee beginne now, is a full Tithe of y^e yeare; but y^e Howre w^ch we begine now, is not a full Tithe of y^e day, & therfore we should not grudge all y^t. But payment of Tithes is growne matter of Controuersy, & we by our Text, are directed onely vppon matter w^thout Controuersy – And w^thout Controuersy.

Heere is the Compase y^t the Essentiall word of God, y^e Sonne of God, Christ Iesus went. He was god humbled in the Flesh, He was man receiued into Glory. Heere is y^e Compasse y^t the written word of God went, the Bible, y^t begunne in Moses in Darknesse (in y^e Caos) & it ends in S^t John in cleerenesse, in Reuelation. Heere is the Compasse of all time, as time was was [fol. 34r] distributed in the Creation, Vespere et mane, darkness & then Light; the Eueninge & the Morninge made y^e Day; Mystery and Manifestation make y^e Text. The Doctrine of y^e Present Season is Mortification, Humiliation; & y^e Experience of the Present Place where wee stand now in Court, is That the glory of the Persons in whose presence wee stand, occasions Humility in vs, the more glorious they are, y^e humbler we are. And there to consider Christ as he is receiued into Glory, is as much the way of our Mortification & humiliation; as to consider him in his Passion, in his Examination. At least how smal accoumpt should we make of those thinges, w^ch we suffer for Christ in this world? when we se in this Text That [fol. 34v] in discribinge y^e History of Christ from his Incarnation to his Ascension, the Holy Ghost pretermitts, neu[er] mentions, neu[er] seemes to consider y^e Passion of Christ, as though all y^t he had suffered for man, were nothinge to in respect of y^t w^ch he would suffer, yf y^e Justice of God had required any heuiour satisfaction. The Text then is a sufficient instruction for Timothy to whome this Epistle is sent, & to vs to whome it is sent too, y^t thereby we might know how to behaue our selues in the House of God, w^ch is the Church of God, y^e Piller & ground of Truth, as is sayde in the Verse immediatly goinge before y^e Text, & to w^ch y^e Text hath 1 Tim: 15 relation. We know how to behaue our selues, in the Church, yf we know in [fol. 35r] the Text, y^t such a Mystery of Godlynesse there is, & know w^t it is. Our Parts therefore are but 2, Mystery, & Manifestation; In y^e first y^e Apostle proceeds thus, First he recommends vnto vs such Doctrine as is w^thout Controuersy; & truly there is enough of that to saue any Soule, y^t hath not a minde to wrangle it selfe into Hell. And yⁿ he sayes y^t this Godlynesse, though it be w^thout Controuersy, yet it is a Mystery, a Secrett, not Present, not obuious, not discernable w^th eu[er]y Eye. It is a Mystery, & a greate Mystery; not y^e greatest, yet greate, y^t is great enough; He y^t knowes that, needes noe more. And then for y^e 2^d. Part, w^ch is the [fol. 35v] manifestation of the Mystery, wee shall looke vppon y^t by all those beames w^ch shine in this Text Ab ortu, ad meridiem, from Christs East to his Noone; from his first Manifestation, in the Flesh, to his receiuing into Glory.

First then he proposes Doctrine w^thout August: Controuersy, for Quod simpliciter prædicatur, credendu[m]; Quod subtiliter disputatur intelligendum est, That which Christ hath plainely deliu[er]ed is the Exercise of my Fayth, y^t w^ch other men haue curiously disputed is the Exercise of my Vnderstandinge, yf I vnderstand not theyre curious disputations perchaunce I shall not be accoumpted of in this World, but yf I beleeue not [fol. 36r] Christs plaine Doctrine, I am sure I shall not be saued in the next; It is true y^t Christ reprehends y^m often Quia non Intellexerunt, but what? Sprituras, Legem, Because they vnderstoode not y^e Scriptures, w^ch they ought to beleeue. It is some necligence not to reade a Proclamation from y^e Kinge, It is a contempt to transgresse it; but to deny y^e Power from whence it is deriued, is Treason. Not to Labor to vnderstand y^e Scriptures, is to slight God. but not to beleeue y^m, is to giue god y^e Lye, He makes god a Lyer, yf 1. John. 5.10 he beleeue not the record y^t god gaue of his Sonne. When I come to Heauen I shall not neede to aske of S^t Johns [fol. 36v] Angell nor his Elders, Vbj Prophetæ? Vbi Euangelistæ? Vbi Apostolj? Where are y^e Prophetts, where are y^e Apostles, where are y^e Euangelists, for I am sure I shall see y^m there. But perchaunce, I may Cor: 1.120. be putt to aske S^t Paules Question Vbj Scribæ, Vbi Sapientes? Where are y^e Scribes, where are y^e Wise-men, where are y^e disputers of this World? Perchaunce I may misse a greate many of y^m there. It is y^e Text y^t saues vs: y^e interliniary Glosses, & Marginall Notes, & y^e Variæ Lectiones (diuers readinges) Controuersies & Perplexitys vndoe vs; The Will, y^e Testam^t. of God inriches vs; The Scedules Gen:3.1. y^e Codicils of men begger vs. Because y^e Serpent was subtiler yⁿ any, he would Cor: 2.11 Dispute & Comment vppon Gods Law, [fol. 37r] & soe deceiued by Subtilty. The word of God is Biblia, it is not Bibliotheca; a booke, a bible, not a Library. And all y^t booke is not written in Balthazars Dan: 5. 25. Character in a ^Mene Mene tehkel vpharsin; y^t we must call in Astrologers, & Caldeans & South-sayers to interpret it. That w^ch was written soe y^t it could not be vnderstood, was written sayth y^e Text there, w^th y^e fingers of God Mans hand: verse. 5 It is y^e hand of man y^t induces obs^curitys. The hand of god hath written soe that a man may turne & reade, walke in y^e Wayes of his Callinge heere, & attend the Saluation of his Soule too. He y^t beleeues Christ & Mahomet indifferently hath not proposed y^e right end; He y^t beleeues the word of god & traditions indifferently, [fol. 37v] hath not proposed y^e right way. In any Conuayaunce, yf any thinge be interlined, y^e inter-lininge must be as well testifyed & haue y^e same witnesses on y^t Indorsm^t. as ye Conuayaunce had: where there are Traditions in the Church (as declaratory Conditions there are) they must haue y^e same wittnesses they must be grownded vppon Gods word. For there only is truth w^thout Controuersy. John.18.13. Pilatt asked Christ Quid veritas? W^t was Truth? & he might haue knowne yf he would haue stayed; but Eiuit; sayth y^e Text there, he went out, out to y^e Jewes, & there he could not finde it, there he neu[er] thought, of it more: Aske of Christ speakinge to y^e in his word, there yo^u shall know Produce y^e Record, y^e Scripture, & there is Communis salus. I wrote vnto yo^u of the [fol. 38r] Commune Saluation: what’s that? Semel tradita fides, sayth y^t Apostle there, The Fayth y^tw^ch was once deliu[er]d to y^e Saintes. Where Semel is not Aliquando, once, is not, once vppon a time: But Semel is Simul; once is at once. The Ghospel was deliu[er]ed alltogether not by Post-scripts. Thus it is yf we goe to Record, to Scripture; & thus it is yf we ask a Judge; I doe not say (The) Judge, but (A) Judge, For y^e fathers are a Judge: A Judge is a Judge though there lye an Appeale from him. And will not y^e Fathers say soe Quo vbiq[ue], quod Semper? That’s y^e Commune Saluation w^ch hath bine y^e Communion of all Saintes; That w^ch all Churches & all wayes haue thought & taught to be necessary to Saluation. Ask y^e Record ask y^t Judge & it wilbe soe. And ^it wilbe soe if yo^u aske the [fol. 38v] Councell of Trent itselfe, & y^e Idollaters of y^t Councell will not say, y^t our Church affyrmes any error; neither can they say we leaue vn-affyrmed any truth w^ch the Primitue Church affyrmed to be necessary to Saluation. ffor those thinges w^ch y^e Schooles haue drawne into disputation since (as thyre forme is in y^e begininge of eu[er]y Question to say Vbi Videtur quod non, one would thinke it were otherwise) yf when they haue sayd all I returne to y^e begininge againe Videtur quod non, I thinke it is otherwise still, must I be damned? The Euidence of my Saluation is my Credo (I beleeue) not theyre Probo (I Proue it) And yf I must needes gett heauen by a Sylogisme, my Maior is Credo John.10.29 in Deum Patrem, I beleeue in God y^e Father, [fol. 39r] for Pater maior, y^e Father is greater yⁿ all: And my Minor shalbe Credo in Deum 13.3 Fillium, I beleeue in god y^e Sonne, Quj exiuit de Patre, he came from God. And my Conclusion w^ch must proceede from Maior & Minor, shalbe Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, I beleeue in y^e Holy Ghost, who proceeds from Father & Sonne. For this Sylogisme brought ^me into the Militant Church at my baptisme, & this will carry me into y^e Tryumphant at my Transmigration. For Doctrine of Saluation is matter w^thout Controuersy.

But yet, as cleare as it is, It is a Mysteriu[m] Mystery, a Secret: not y^t I cannot see it; but y^t I cannot ^{see it} w^th any Eyes I can bringe, not w^th y^e Eye of Nature; Flesh & Matthew 16.18.11.25 bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee, [fol. 39v] sayes Christ to Peter. Not w^th y^e Eye of Learninge, Thou hast hid thease Matthew. 25 thinges from y^e Wise, sayes Christ to his Father. Not w^th y^e Eye of State, That where soeu[er] I see a good Gouerment, I should presume a good Religion, for we doe not admitt y^e Church of Rome & yett we doe admire y^e Court of Rome. Nor w^th y^e Eye of a Priuate sence: For 2 Pet.1.20 noe Prophecy of any Scripture (y^t is noe Interpretation of any Scripture (for Quod non nisi Dej instinctu scitur, Prophetia est, sayes Gregory, That w^ch I cannot vnderstand by reason, but by espetiall assistance from God all y^t is Prophesy) Noe Scripture is of Priuate Interpretation. I se not this Mystery by y^e Eye of Nature, of Learninge, of State, of mine owne priuate Sence: But I see it by y^e Eye of y^e Church, [fol. 40r] by y^e Light of Fayth; y^ts true but yet organnically, instrumentally, by y^e Eye of y^e Church: & this Church is y^t w^ch proposes to me all y^t is necessary to my Saluation in the world: & seales all y^t to me, in y^e Sacram^t. Yf an other man sees or thinkes he sees more yⁿ I; yf by y^e help of his Optike glasses, or Perchaunce but ^by his Imagination, he se a Starr more in any Constellation yⁿ I doe, yett y^e Starr becomes none of y^e Constellation, it addes noe Limbe noe member to it, yt that was perfett before. Soe yf other men se y^t some additionall or traditionall thinges may adde to the Dignity of y^e Church, lett y^m say it produces to y^e well-beinge not to y^e very Beinge, to y^e Existence, not to y^e very Essence of y^e Church; for that’s only thinges, necessary to [fol. 40v] Saluation. And this Mystery is Fayth in a pure Conscience, for that’s y^e same thinge y^ts call’d godlynesse in this Text. And it is to professe y^e Ghospell of Iesus Christ sy[n]cerely, & intirely; To haue a Conscience testifyinge to himselfe, y^t hee hath contributed nothinge to y^e diminution of it, That he Labors to Liue by it, y^t he hopes to dye in it, y^t he feares not 2.Colr. 4.3. Colos.1.26 to dye for it. This is Mysterium Opertum, & Apertum, Hid from those y^t are Lost, but manyfested to his Saintes.

It is a Mystery, & a greate Mystery, that’s next, not y^t there is not a greater: for y^e Mystery of iniquity is greater yⁿ y^e Mystery of Godlynesse. Compare Cre^edes to Creedes, & y^e new ^Creede of y^e Trent Councell is greater by many Articles then the Apostles Creede is. Compare Othes to Othes & Berengarius his [fol. 41r] old Othe in y^e Roman Church, y^t he must sweare to; y^ehe Frangitur & Feritur, That he broke y^e Flesh of Christ w^th his teeth, & grownd it w^th his Jawes. And y^e new Othe of y^e Councell of Trent y^t he must swere, y^t all those subtill Schoole poynts determined there (in w^ch a man might haue beleeued y^e contrary a little before, & yett haue bine a good Roman Catholique too) are true & true de Fide, soe true as that he cannot be saued, vnlesse he beleeue y^m to be soe. The Berengarians Othe, y^e Trent Othe haue much more difficulty in them, yⁿ to swere y^t Kinge James is Lawfull Kinge in all his Dominions, and therefore exempt from all forrane Jurisdiction ouer him. There is a Mystery of Iniquity declared in y^e Creede of Iniquity, [fol. 41v] & in an Othe of Iniquity greater yⁿ y^e Mystery of Godlynesse, But yet this is greate, that is, greate enough: He neede noe more y^t hath this Fayth w^th a pure Consciene: He needes not goe vp to heaue[n] for more, not to y^e Vice-god to an infallible Bishop of Rome. He needes not goe ou[er]Deut.30.12 the Sea for more, sayes moses there: Not to y^e Hills beyond y^e Seas, nor to the Lake beyonde sea: For God hath giuen him his Station in a Church, where this Mystery is sufficiently declared, & explicated. The Mystery of Iniquity may be greate, for it hath wrought a greate while; 2 Thes:2.7. I am operatur (sayth y^e Apostle in his time) The Mystery of Iniquity worketh allready, And it is likely to worke still, for it is but a little while y^t we saw it work vnder-grownd in y^e Vault. But yf (as hath bine lately royally & religiously [fol. 42r] intimated to vs) all) theyre insolency hath soe farr infatuated them, as to thinke them-selues at an end of theyre worke, & promise them-selues an Holy-day, Our Assurance is in this Pater operatur ad John.5.17 huc, et ego operor, sayes Christ, My Father workes yett, & I work. And yf among vs y^e Father work & y^e Sonne worke; for all y^e vaine hopes of some; & y^e vaine feares of others, y^e Mystery of godlynesse will stand & grow.

Now how farr this Mystery, this greate 2.Part Mystery without Controuersy is reuealed in the ^text we are to looke in by y^e seuerall beames thereof; of which y^e first is Manifestatus Manifestat[us] in Carne, God was manifested in y^e Flesh. Cœli enarrant sayes Dauid, y^e Heauens declare Psal. 19.1 the glory of god; & y^t should be y^e harmony of the Spheres. Inuisibilia, conspiciuntur, Rom: 1.20 [fol. 42v] sayth S^t. Paule, Invisible thinges of God are seene in y^e Visible: & y^t should be y^e respect of this world. The knowledge of god was often manifested in y^e Prophetts; He fore told, therefore he foresaw. His wisedome was shewed often in frustratinge all Councells of all Ahitophels against him. And his Power was manifested often in y^e Water: Consider it, at least in y^e Red Sea, & in Pharoh yf yo^u will bringe it noe neerer home. And in y^e Fier; Consider it, at least, in y^e fiery furnace, yf yo^u will bringe it noe nearer home. His knowledge, his Wisedome, his Power, his Mercy, his Justice, all his Attributes are allwayes manifested in all his workes. But Deus in carne; That y^e Person of God, god himselfe should be manifested, & manifested in our Flesh, Ineffabile omni sermonj, Omnj ignotu[m] intelligentiæ, Ipsj Angeloru[m] Primati non agnitu[m]. (vnspekeable to any Tounge vnknowe [fol. 43r] to all vnderstandinge, not knowne to y^e very Primate of Angells) And yf y^e Primate of the Angells, y^e highest order of them y^t stande in gods sight, knew it not; yf noe vnderstandinge, were able to conceiue it y^t had all y^e Concoctions & refininges y^t Studdy & Specculation & Zeale to be Vir desidæerioru[m] (as y^e Angell sayde to Daniell) a man y^t desired to dwell vppon y^e meditation of his god could giue. Must not I who allwayes come w^th Moses vncircumsised Lippes, not to speake perswasiuely: & allwayes w^th Jeremies defect Puer sum, necsscio Loqui, not to speake plainely, come now w^th Zacharies dumnesse not to speake at all in this Mystery? But harkeninge to y^t w^ch he, who onely knew this Mystery, hath sayde Verbum Caro factum est, the word was made Flesh, & Deus manifestat[us] in Carne God was manifested in y^e Flesh, [fol. 43v] rest my selfe in his worde, And pray you in Christs steede to doe soe too, in this & all Mysteryes of your Religion to rest vppon y^e onely word of God. For in this particular it is not mis-grownded, nor mis-collected by him y^t sayes, Omnes Pæne errores, allmost all errors haue proceeded out of this, y^t this greate mystery, y^t (god was manifested in y^e Flesh,) Aut non omnino, aut non sicuti est, creditur, is either not all, or not aright beleeued. The Jewes beleeue Tertull: it not at all; & to y^m Tertullian sayes enough. Since out of theyre Prophetts they confesse, y^t when y^e Messias shouldbe manifested, they must for a time suffer many calamityes in this world; yf theyre Messias shouldbe manifested now, sayes he, w^t could they suffer? They say they must suffer banishm^t; et vbi dispertie Gentis, quæ iam extorrjs, sayes he whether shall that [fol. 44r] Nation be banished, w^ch is allready in banishment, & dispersion? Redde statum Judaiis, Let y^e Jewes shew me a State, a kingdome, a Commune-weale, a gouerm^t. Magistrates, Judicature, Mercha[n]dize, & Armyes, Lett y^m shew me somethinge to Loose for a Meseias & then Looke for a Messias. The Jewes are within y^e Non omnino, they beleeue not this Mystery at all. And yⁿ for y^e Non sicut est, for y^e not beleeuing it aright as y^e old Valentinians are renewed by the Anibaptists (for both deny y^t Christ tooke Flesh of y^e blessed virgin) soe y^e old Manicheans are not renewed but exceeded by the Transubstantiators. For ythey sayde, y^t y^e body of Christ was left in one place of the Sunne: these say it is vppon as many tables, & in as many boxes as yo^u will. But whether this Manifestation of God in [fol. 44v] the Flesh were referred to y^e Incarnation of Christ, or to his declaration, when the Wisemen of y^e East came to se him at Bethlehem, whether when it was donne, or when it was declared to be donne hath addmitted a Question, because the Westerne Church hath called y^t day of theyre comminge to him y^e Epithany, & Epiphany is Manifestation. Then therefore is god manifested to vs, when, as those wisemen offered theyre Myrrhe, & Frankinsence, we of the Sacryfice of Prayere: And as they offered theyre Gould, we offer our Temporall wealth for y^e Glory of Christ Iesus: And when y^e loue of him corrects in thee y^e Intemperancy of adorninge of thy Flesh, of pamperinge thy Flesh, of obeyinge thy flesh; yⁿ espetially is thys Epi^phany, God is manifested in y^e flesh, in they Flesh.

Justificat[us]: in Sp[irit]uNow when he was manifested in y^e Flesh, it behoued him to be iustifyed in y^e Spirit For [fol. 45r] he came In similitudinem carnis peccati, they tooke him for a Sinner; they saw him conuerse w^th Sinners: for any thinge they could see, it might be Caro peccatj, sinfull Flesh, & they saw enough to make y^m sure y^tit was Caro mortis, Mortall Flesh. Though he were Panis de Cælo, Bread from Heaue[n], yet himself was hungry; & allthough he were Fons perennis, an eu[er]lasting Springe, yet himselfe was thyrsty; Though he were Deus totius consolationis, The god of all Comfort, yet his Soule was heauy vnto the death; & though he were Dominus Vitæ, The Lord of Life, yet death had dominion ou[er] him. When therfore Christ was mainfested in y^e Flesh, Flesh subiect vnto death, Death w^ch was y^e reward of Sinne, & would take vppon him to forgiue Sinnes, it behoued him to be extraordinaryly Justifyed, extraordinarily [fol. 45v] declared to y^e world, & soe he was. He was Justified in Spiritu first, In spiritu Sa[n]cto, in y^e Spirrit, in y^e Holy-Ghost, both when y^e Ho:-Ghost was sent to him, & when y^e Holy-Ghost was sent from him, by him. The Holy-ghost was sent to him, in his Baptisme, & he tarryed vppon him: Christ was not, a Christian is not Justifyed by one accesse, one Visitation, one approch of y^e Holy-ghost not by one Religious Act. It is a permanency, a preseueration y^t Justifyes. That foolishnesse & y^t fascination (as y^e Apostles calls it) y^t witch-craft w^ch he imputes to y^e Gallathians, is not soe worne out, but that there are Foolish & beewitched Gabllathians still, That begunne in y^e Spiritt, & wilbe made perfect in y^t Flesh, That receiued theyre Christianity in one Church, & attend a Confirmation, a better state in a worse. Christ was [fol. 46r] Justified by y^e Holy-ghost when y^e holy-ghost came to him: Soe he was when he came from him at Pentecost, vppon his Apostles; And when he came in Tounges, in fyery-tounges. Christ was not, a Christian is not Justified in Silence; but in declarations & open professions, in Tounges, ffyery, y^t is feruent, fyery, y^t is, cleere. He was Justified a Sp[irit]u Sancto: & he was Justifyed a a Sp[irit]u suo, by his owne Spirritt; not onely in y^t Protestation of his, who can accuse mee of any Sinne? For S^t Paule could say y^t he was vnreprocheable in y^e sight of men; & yet he could not choose but say Quorum ego maximus, y^t he was y^e greatest sinner of all men: I were a miserable man yf I could accuse Christ of noe Sinne: yf I could not proue all my Sinnes to be his, I were vnder a heauy Condemnation. [fol. 46v] But y^t w^ch we intend by this beeinge By his beinge Justified, In Spiritu suo in his owne spirrit, is not by y^e Testimony w^ch he gaue of himselfe; But by that Spiritt, by y^t God-head, w^ch dwels bodyly in him; & declared him & iustified him, in y^e high power & practice of Miracles. When Christ came into y^e world, as yf he had come a day before a day, a day before Moses In principio )(In y^e beginninge) before there was any Creature (for when Christ came there was noe Creature y^t could exercise any naturall faulty in opposition to his purposes) when Nature his Vice-gerent gaue vp his sword into his handes; when the Sea shutt vp herselfe like marble, & bare him; & y.^eearth opened her selfe like a booke, to deliu[er] vp her dead, to wayte vppon him; when y^e windes in y^e midest of theyre owne wringe could heere his [fol. 47r] voyce: & when his owne body, whome his owne Soule had left & abandonned, was not abandonned by this Spiritt, by this Godhead (for y^e godhead departed ^not from the dead body of Christ) yⁿ was Chr: espetially Justifyed by this Spiritt, in whose Power he raysed himselfe from y^e dead. He was Justified in Spiritu Saancto, & in Spiritu suo (in y^e Holy spiritt & his owne Spirritt) Two wittnesses were enough for him: Adde a 3^d. for thy selfe, & Justificetur in Spiritu tuo, Let him bye Justified in thy spiritt. God is safe enough in himselfe, & yet it was a good declaratory addition, That y^e Publicans Justified God. Wisedome is safe enough of her, & yett wisedome is iustifyed of her Children. Chr: is sufficiently Justified, But Justificetur in Spiritu tuo, In thy Spiritt. To say yf I [fol. 47v] consider y^e Talmud, Chr: may as well be y^e Messias, as any whome y^e Jewes place markes vppon. Yf I consider y^e Alcoran, Chr: is like enough to be a better Prophett yⁿ Mahomet. Yf I consider y^e Arguments of y^e Arians, Chr: may be y^e sonne of god for all that. If I consider y^e Church of Rome, & ours, he is as likely to manifest himselfe in his word heere, as there, in theyre word. To say but soe, Chr: may be god for any thinge I knowe, this is but to baile him, not to Justify him, not to ^acquitacquaint him, but to put him ou[er] to y^e Sessions, to y^t greate Sessions, where he shall Justify himselfe, but none of y^m, who doe not Justify him, testify for him in Spiritu suo, sy[n]cerely in theyre Soule. Nay y^t’s not enough, 1.Corinth: 2.11 To Justify is an Act of Declaration; & no man knowes w^t is in a man, but y^e Spiritt of [fol. 48r] a man: And therefore he y^t leaues any outward thinge vndoone, y^t belonges to his Callinge, for Christ, is soe farr from hauinge Justified Chr: y^t at, at y^e Last day he shall meete his voyce w^th y^m that cryed Crucifige & with theyrs y^t cryed, not him, but Barrabas; yf thou doubt in thy hart: yf thou disguise in thy Actions, Non Justificatur in Spiritu tuo, Christ is not Justified in thy Spiritt, & that’s it that concernes thee most.

Christ had all this Testimony & more, Visus Visus ab Angelis. ab Angelis. He was seene of Angells, w^ch is not only viseted by Angells, serued of Angells, waited vppon by Angells: Soe he was & he was soe in eu[er]y passage, eu[er]y steppe. An Angell tould his Mother y^t he shouldbe borne; & an Angell [fol. 48v] tould the Sheepheards y^t he was borne, & y^t w^ch directed y^e wisemen of y^e East where to finde him, when he was borne, is allso beleeued by some of y^e Ancients to haue bine an Angell in y^e likenesse of a starr, Mat.4.11. When he was tempted by y^e Diuell-Angells came and ministred vnto him. But y^e diuell had left him before, his owne power Luc:22.43. had dissipated his. In his Agony in the Garden an Angell came from heauen to strengthen him; but he had recouered before. & was come to his veruntamen not my will, but thy wilbe done. Hee Mat.26.53 tould Peter, he could haue more then 12 Legions of Angells to assist him, but he would not haue y^e assistance of his owne Mat.4.6. sword. He denys y^t w^ch y^e Diuel sayes, That y^e Angells had in charge, that he should not dash his foote against a stone But they had easy seruice of it, for he neu[er] dashed, neu[er] stumbled, neu[er] tripped in [fol. 49r] any way. Assoone as any stone lay in his way an Angel remoued it. He roul’d Mat 28.22 away y^e soone from y^e Sepulcher. There the Angel testifyed to y^e woemen, that sought him, not onely y^the was not there (y^t was but poore comfort), but where 7 he was, He is gonne into Gallile, there yee shall finde him. There allsoe y^e Angells testifyed to y^e men of Gallile, not onely y^t he was gone vpp (y^t was a poore comfort) but y^t he sould come againe, The same Iesus shall soe come as hee Act^s.1.11 went. There, in heauen, they performe y^e same seruice, while he stayes there, w^ch they are called vppon to doe; Lett all y^e Angells of god worshipp him. And when in Judgm^t y^e sonne of man shall come in his Glory, All y^e holy Angells shalbe w^th him. In euery poynt of y^t greate Cyrcle Compas, in euery Arch, in eu[er]y section [fol. 49v] of that greate Cyrcle, oft w^ch noe man knowes y^e Diameter, how long it shalbe from Ch:^s first comminge, to his 2^d; Visus ab Angelis, he was seene, he was visited, he was waited vppon by Angells. But there is more intended in this Text yⁿ soe: Christ was seene other now of ^ye Angells yⁿ: eu[er] before: Some thinge was reuealed to y^e Angells themselues concerninge Christ, w^ch: they knew not before; at least not soe, as they knew it now: For all y^e Angells doe not allways know all thinges, yf they did there would haue bine no strife, noe difference be Dan: 10. tweene y^e 2 Angells. The Angell of Persia would not haue w^th stoode y^e other Angell 21 dayes; neither would haue resisted gods purpose, yf both had knowne it S^t. Dionis, who considers y^e names & natures of^& places & apprehensions of places Angells ^more yⁿ any, obseruers of the highest order of Angells -^ Ordinu[m] supremj ad Jesu aspectu[m] hæsitabant, The highest of y^e highest order of Angells were amazed at Christs comminge vp in y^e flesh, [fol. 50r] It was a new, an vnexpected thinge to see Christ come vpp thither in y^t manner. There they say w^th: amazem^t: Quis iste, who is Esay.63.1. y^t that commeth from Edom, w^th: dyed garm^ts: from Bozrah? And Christ answeres them Ego, It is I, I that speake in righteousnesse, I that am mighty to saue: The Angells reply, why are thy garm^ts: redd like him verse.2. y^t treadeth y^e wine presse? And Christ giues y^m: satisfaction, Calcauj, yo^u mistake 3. not y^e matter; I haue trodden y^e Wine-presse alone, & of y^e People there was none w^th: me. The Angells yⁿ. knew not this, not all this, not all y^e Particulars of this. The Mistery themselues knew in generall for it was commune quoddam principiu[m], It was y^e generall marke to w^ch: all theyr seruice, as they ^were Ministringe Spirritts, was directed: But as for Particulars, as among y^e Prophetts some of y^e latter vnderstood, more yⁿ. y^e former (I vnderstood more yⁿPsal: 119 100. [fol. 50v] y^e Auncients, sayes Dauid, And y^e Apostles vnderstood more yⁿ y^e Prophetts, euen of those thinges w^ch they had Prophesyed before, (this Mystery in other ages was not made knowne, as it^is now come to be Ephe: 3.6 knowe some thinges of Christ since Chr: came, in an other manner yⁿ before) And this may be y^t w^ch. S^t: Paule intends when he sayth That he was made a Minister of y^e Gospell, to y^e intent y^t now to Verse 10 Ephe. Principalitys, & Powers in heauenly places might be knowne by y^e Church the manifould wisedome of God. And S^t Peter allsoe, speakinge of y^e Administration of Pet: 1.12 y^e Church, expresses it soe, That y^e Angells desire to looke into it, w^ch is not onely y^t w^ch: S^t Augustine sayes, Innotuit a sæculis per Eclesiam Angelis, That y^e Angells saw y^e Mysterys of Christian Religion from before all beginninges; but euen in y^e Propogation & y^t by the Church, Quia ipsa Ecclesia in deo apparuit, Because they saw in God y^e future Church before all begininges [fol. 51r] but euen in the Propagation & administratio[n] of y^e Church they se many things nowe w^ch: distinctly effectually, experimentally as they doe now, they could not se before. And soe ^to this purpose Visus in nobis, Christ was seene by y^e Angells in vs, & our Conuersation now. Spectaculum sumus, 1 Cor: 4.9. sayth y^e Apostle, we are made a spectacle to men & Angells; y^e word there is ΘεαΤρον (Theatrum) & soe S^t Hierome reades it; And lett vs therfore be carefull to play those partes well, w^ch. euen y^e Angells desire to see well acted: Lett him y^t findes himselfe y^e honester man by thinkinge soe, thinke in y^e name of God y^t he hath a Particular tutelar Angel: it will doe him noe harme to thinke soe: And lett him y^t thinkes not soe, y^t as farr as conduces to y^e support of Gods Children, & y^e Joy of all y^e Angells themselues, & to y^e Glory of God, y^e Angells [fol. 51v] doe see mens particular actions. And then yf thou wouldst not solicite a womans chastity, yf her seruant were by to testify it; nor calumniate an innocent absent person in y^e Kinges ^name, yf y^t his frend were by to testify it, yf thou canest slumber in thy selfe y^t maine consideration, That y^e Eye of God is allwayes open, & vppon thee; Yett haue a little religious ciuillity, & holy respect euen to those Angells that see thee. That those Angells y^tw^ch saw Chr: Iesus now sate downe in Glory at the right hand of his Father & all sweate wiped from his browes, all teares from his eyes, all his stripes healed, all his bloudd stanched, all his wounds shutt vpp, & all his beauty returned there; When they shall looke downe hether to see the same Chr:^t in thee, may not see him scourged againe, wounded, torne, & mangled againe in thy blasphemys, nor crusifyed againe in thy irriligious conuersatio[n]. [fol. 52r] Visus ab Angelis; he was seene of y^e Angells, in himselfe whilest he was heere: & hee was^is seene in his S^ts. vppon Earth by Angells now, & shalbe to y^e End of y^e World, w^ch S^ts. he hath gathered from y^e Gentills, w^ch is y^e next branch, Prædicatus Gentibus, He was Preached to y^e Gentills.

Mercy & truth mett together sayes Prædicatus Gentib[us]. Dauid, Euery where in Gods Proceedinges they meete together, sayes But noe where closer then in callinge y^e Gentills. Iesus Chr:^t was made a Minister fofr y^e Circumsition for Rom:15.8. y^e truth of God. Wherein consisted this Truth? To confirme y^e Promises made to y^e Fathers, sayth the Apostle there, & that’s to y^e Jewes. But was he a Minister of y^e Circumsition onely for that? onely for y^e Truth? Noe. Truth & Mercy mett together, as yf fellowes there. And y^t y^e Gentills might glorify God in his Mercy; The Jewes were a Foollish Nation, [fol. 52v] that was theyre Addition; But y^e Addition of y^e Gentills was Peccatores, Sinners, says S^t. Paule. He y^t touched y^e Jewes, touched y^e Apple of Gods Eye; And for theyre sakes God rebuked Kinges, & sayd, Touch not mine Anointed. But vppon y^e Gentills not onely dereliction, but Indignation, & Consternation, & Deuastation, Exterminatio[n]. Euery where interminated, afflicted euery where, & euery where multiplyed. The Jews had all kinde of tyes vppon God, both Law & Custome. they prescrib’d in God, in God had bound himself to y^m by particular Conueyaunces: By a Conueyaunce written in theyre Flesh by Cyrcumsition; And the Counterpane written in his Flesh, I haue Esay.49. grauen thy name in y^e Palmes of my hands. But for y^e Gentills they had none of these Assurances: When yee were w^thout Christ; Ephe: 2.12. sayes y^e Apostle haueinge noe hope (y^t is noe [fol. 53r] couenant to ground hope vppon) yee were w^thout God in this World. To Contemplate God himselfe, & not in Chr:^t is to be w^thout god. And then for Chr:^t to be Preched to such as those, To make y^e Sunne sett at Noone to y^e Jewes, & rise at Middnight to y^e Antipodes, to y^e Gentills, y^t was, that was such a super-aboundant mercy, as might seeme to be allmost aboue y^e bargaine, aboue y^e Contract betweene Chr:^t & his Father; more yⁿ. was conditioned in y^e Price of his bloudde, & reward of his death. For when god had sayde, I will declare my decree, Psal: 2. y^t: is, w^ch I intended to giue him, which is expressed thus, I haue sett my kinge vppon my holy hill of Sion, w^ch seemes to concerne y^e Jewes onely; God adds then Postula a me, make Pe^tition to me, make a newe Suite vnto me, Et dabo tibj Gentes, not onely y^e Jewes, but y^e Gentills for thine [fol. 53v] Psal. 97.1 Inheritaunce. And therfore Letentur Gentes, sayes Dauid, Lett y^e Gentills reioyce & we in y^m. that Chr: asked vs at his Fathers hand, & receiued vs. And Lætentur Insulæ, sayth y^e Prophet too,) Lett y^e Iland reioyce, & we in y^m. that hath raysed vs out of y^e Sea, out of y^e Ocean Sea y^t ouerflowed all y^e World w^th Ignorance. And out of y^e Mediterranean Sea, w^ch hath flowed into soe many Lands, y^e Sea of Rome, y^e Sea of Superstition.

Creditus mundo. There was then a greate Mercy, Prædicatus Gentibus, y^t he was Preached to y^e Gentills: but y^e greater power is next, Creditus Mundo, That he was beleeued on in y^e World. We haue a callinge in our Church y^t makes vs Prechers, & we haue Cannons in o^[u]r Church y^t make vs Preach, & we bringe a duty and finde fauour y^t makes  vs Preach heere. There is a Power heere y^t  makes Bills of Prechers; but in whose power [fol. 54r] is it to make bills of beleeuers? Oportet accedentem credere, sayes S^t Paule, he y^tHeb: 11.6. comes hither, should beleeue he becomes. But benedictus sis egrediens, sayes Moses Deut: 28.6 God blesse yo^u w^th y^e Power of beleeuinge, when yo^u goe from hence. When S^t Jams sayes, you deceiue yo^[u]r selues, yf yo^u bee Ja: 1.22. heererers & not doers: how farr doe you deceiue your selues, yf yo^u come not halfe way, yf yo^u be heererers & not beleeuers? Tiberias, who spoke all vppon disguises, tooke it ill yf he ^were beleeued; He y^t was Crucifyed vnder Tiberias, who allwayes speakes cleerely, takes it worse, yf he be not beleeued. For he hath reduced all to y^e Tantummodo Crede, Onely beleeue, and thou art: Yf we take either higher or lower, either aboue, in heereinge onely, or below, in workinge only, all may misse. It is not enough to liue an honest Morrall Life; [fol. 54v] But take it in y^e midest, & y^t extends to all: For there is noe Beeleeuinge w^thout Heeringe nor workinge w^th Beleeuinge. Be pleased to consider this greate worke of beleeuinge what it was in y^e matter, w^t it was y^t was to be beleeued. That that Iesus must be and is whose Age they .knew must be a.ntidated soe, that they must beleeue him to be older yⁿ Abra[ham]: That y^t Iesus whose Father & Mother & Kinsmen they knew, must be beleeued to be of an other Family, & to haue a Father in an other place; & yett he to be as old as his Father, & to haue an other p[ro]ceedinge from him, & yett to be noe older yⁿ y^t Person w^ch p[ro]ceeded from him; that y^t Iesus whome they knew to be y^t Carpenters sonne and knew his worke, must be beleeued to haue sett vpp a frame, y^t reached to Heauen, out of w^ch noe man could, & in w^ch any man might be saued. Was in not as easy to beleeue y^t those Teares, w^ch they saw vppon his face were Perles? That those dropps of [fol. 55r] bloud, w^ch they saw vppon his backe, were Rubies? That y^t Spittle, w^ch they saw vppoⁿ his face, was Enammel? That those handes w^ch they saw buffet him, were reched out to place him in a Throne? And y^t voyce, w^ch they had hard Cry Crucifye, Crucify him, was a Viuat Rex, longe liue Iesus of Nazareth y^e Kinge of y^e Jewes? As to beleeue from y^t man y^t worme of men, and noe man, ingloriously traduced as a Coiurer, ingloriously apprehended as a theefe, ingloriously executed as a Traytor; they should looke for glory, ^& all glory, & euerlasting Glory? And from y^t Melancoliq man, who was neu[er] seene to laugh in ^his Life, & whose soule was heauy unto death, they should looke for Joy, & all Joy, & eu[er]lastinge Joy. And for Saluation, & eu[er]lastinge Saluation from him who could not saue himselfe from y^e Ignomy, from the torment, form the death of the Crosse? [fol. 55v] Yf any State, yf any Conuocation, yf any Wiseman had bin to make a Religion, would he not haue p[ro]posed a more p[ro]bable, a more credible Gospel to man’s reason, then this? Be plesed to consider it in y^e manner too. It must be beleeued by Preachinge, by y^e Foolishnesse of Preachinge, says y^e Apostle, By a few men, y^t could giue noe strength to it; by Ignorant men, who could giue noe reason for it, by poore men y^t could giue noe Pensions, nor Preferm^ts: in it; that this should bee beleeued, & beleeued thus, & beleeued by the John: 1.10. Cap. 15.19. World, y^e World y^t knew him not the world who hated them who would make y^m know him (I haue Chosen yo^u sayth Chr:^t& therfore y^e world hateth yo^u) That then y^e Mundus totus in maligno positus, The world, all the world onely was, but was layde in Malignity & opposition against Chr:^t y^t yⁿ y^e world & all y^e world, y^e world of Ignorance, & y^e world of pride, sho^uld beleeue y^e Gospel, That then y^e Nicodemas, y^e learned, y^e Powerfull men [fol. 56r] of y^e world, shold stand out noe longer, but y^t one Probleme Quomodo, how can a man be borne againe y^t is old, & presently beleeue y^t a man might be borne againe at y^e last gaspe; That they y^t followed him should stand noe longer more vppon theyre Durus sermo, y^t it was a hard sayinge y^t they must eate his flesh & drinke his bloude; & p[re]sently beleeue y^t there was noe Saluatio[n], exept they did eate y^t Flesh & drinke y^t bloude. That Mary Magdalene, who was not onely tempted (is there any y^t is not soe?) but allsoe ou[er]came (& how many are soe?) {&} possessed, & posessed w^th 7 Diuells, should p[re]sently harken after y^e Powerfull Charmes of y^e Gospell, & p[re]sently beleeue y^t she should be welcome into his Armes after all her Prostitutions. That y^e world, this world, all this world, should beleeue this, & beleeue it thus, this y^ewas y^e Apostles Rom: 11.33 Altitudo diuitiarum, the depth of y^e Riches of [fol. 56v] Ephe: 3.18. God’s wisedome: And this was his Longitudo, & Latitudo, y^e length & bredth, & height & depth w^ch noe man can Comprehend. Act: 5.36 Theudas rose vp Dicens se esse aliquem, sayinge he was somethinge body, & hee Cap: 8.9 prou’d nobody. Simon Magus rose vp dicens se esse aliquem magnum, sayinge he was some greate body, but he prou’d a little. Chr:^t Iesus rose vp, & sayde himselfe to be, not some-body, nor some greate body, but y^t there was noe body els, noe other name giuen vnder heauen, wherby we maybe saued, & was beleeued. And therfore ^if any thinke to destroy this vniuersall by makeinge himselfe an. awefull instance to y^e Contrary, Chr:^t is not beleeued in all the World, for I neu[er] beleeued in Christ, soe Poore an Obiection requires noe more answere, But y^t wilbe true still in y^e Generall Man is a reasonable Creature, though he be an vnreasonable man.

[fol. 57r] Now when he was Preached to y^e Gentills Recept[us] in gloria. & thus beleeued in y^e World, y^t is, Meanes thus established for beleeuing in him, he had done all y^t he had to doe heere, & therfore Recept[us] in gloria, He was receiued into Glory. He was receiued, assumed, taken vp therfore he had noe Ayry, noe Imaginary fantasticall body, therfore he did not vanish away, he was true man. And yⁿ he was Receptus, Reassumed againe, & soe was in Glory before, & therfore true god. This which we are faine to call Glory, is an vnexpressable thinge, & an incommunicable. Surely I will not giue my Glory to an other sayes Esay. 48.11. God in Esay; We finde greate Tittles, atributed to, & assumed by Princes, both Spirittuall & Temporall, Celsitudo vestra, et vestra Maiestas (yo^r Highnesse, & your Maiesty) is dayly giuen, & duly [fol. 57v] giuen among vs. And Sanctitas vestra & Beatitudo vestra (yo^[u]r Highnesse & your blessednesse) is giuen amongst others. Aben Ezra & other Rabinnes, mistake this matter soe much, as to deny y^t any Person in y^e Old Testam^t. eu[er] speakes of himselfe in the Plurall nu number; as Nos, we; that’s mistaken by y^m, for there are Examples But it is mistaken more in practise by the Generalls, nay Prouincialls of some orders of Fryers, where they signe & substitute in forme of Princes Nos frater N we Fryer N &c It is not hard to name some y^t haue taken to y^mselues, y^e addition of Diuus (S^t) in theyre life time; A stile soe high, as that Bellarm: Bellarmine himselfe denys y^t it appertaynes to any S^t in heauen, & yet these men haue Cannoized themselues w^thout the consent of Rome, & remayned good sonnes of y^t Mother too. we shall finde in Auncient Stiles y^t high addition Æternitas nostra, our Eternity: & not [fol. 58r] onely in auncient, but in our owne dayes, annother equall to y^t giuen to a Cardinall Numen vestrum, yo^[u]r Godhead. We finde a Letter in Beronius to a Pope from a K: of Brytaine (& soe Beronius leaues^leaues & doth not tell vs w^ch Brytaine, he would haue bine content to haue had it thaught ours, but he y^t hath abridged his booke, hath abridged his Britayne too; There it is Britania Minor, but he was a Kinge & therfore had power, yf he fill’d his Place, & wisedome too, yf he answered his name, for his name was Solomon) And this K: we finde reduced to y^t lownesse as y^t he writes to y^t Bishop Adrian 2 in y^t stile, Precor Omnipotentes dignitatjs vestræ; He giues him y^e Title of God Almighty; But 2 or 3 years after before he was farr from it: Then when he writeght he placed his owne name before aboue the Popes: [fol. 58v] But it is a slippery declination, yf it be not a Præcipitation, to come at all vnder him: Greate Titles haue bin taken; Ambition goes farr, & greate giuen Flattery goes as farr. Greater yⁿ this in y^e Text Perchaunce haue, but it hath not fallen w^thin my narrow readinge & obseruation, That eu[er] Prince tooke, eu[er] subiect gaue this Title Gloria Nostra or Gloria vestra, May it please yo^[u]r Glory, or it hath seemed good to our Glory. Glory be to God on heigh. And glory be to y^e Father, to y^e Sonne, & to y^e Holy Ghost, & to noe more. As longe as that Scurffe, y^t Leprosy stickes to eu[er]ythinge in this Worlde. Vanitas Vanitatum, y^t all is vanity, can any Glory, any thinge in this world be other yⁿ vayne-glory? W^t Title of Honor hath any had man had in any State in Court, y^t some Person in y^t State hath not had men of Titles {in} it? Nay w^t Title hath [fol. 59r] any Heraulds booke, y^t Lucifers booke hath not in it? Or who can be soe greate in this World, that as greate as he haue not perished in y^e next? As it is not good for men to eate much honny, soe for men to search theyre owne Glory is not Glory. Crownes are y^e Emblemes of Glory, & Kinges out of theyre aboundant Greatenesse & Goodnesse deriue & distribute Crownes to Persons of Title, & by those Crownes & Titles they are Consanguinej Regis, y^e K^s: Cosins. Chr:^t Iesus is Crowned w^th Glory in Heauen, & shedds downe Corronetts vppon yo^[u]r Honors and blessings heere, y^t you might be Consanguinej Regis, Contract a Spirittuall kindred w^th y^t Kinge, & be Idem Sp[irit]us in Domaino (y^e same Spirritt in y^e Lord) as inseperable, from his Father, as he himselfe is. The Glory of God’s S^ts: in heauen is not [fol. 59v] soe much to haue a Crowne, as to lay downe y^t Crowne at y^e feete of y^e Lamb. The Glory of Good men heere vppon Earth, is not soe much to haue honor, & fauour & fortune, as to imploy those beames of Glory, to his Glory who gaue ^it y^m. In our Pooyre Callinge God hath giuen vs Grace, But Grace for grace as y^e Apostle sayes y^t is grace to deriue & conuey, & seatle Grace vnto yo^u. To those of higher rank, God hath giuen glory, & Glory, for glory; Glory therefore to gloryfy him in a Care of his glory. And because he dwells in Luce inacces^siblj, in a glorious light, w^ch you cannot see heere, Glorify ^him in y^t wherin yo^u may se him, in y^t wherein he hath manifested himselfe; Glorify him in his Glorious Gospell: Employ your beames of Glory, Honor, Fauour, Fortune, in transmittinge y^e[fol. 60r]same Gospel in y^e same Glory to your Children, as yo^u receiued it from yo^[u]r Fathers. For in this Consists this Mistery of Godlynesse, w^ch is Fayth w^th. a pure Conscience; & in this lyes your best Euidence, that yo^u are alredady coassumed w^th Christ into Glory, by haueinge soe Layde an vnremoueable hold vppon y^t Kingdome w^ch he hath purchased for yo^u w^th the Inestimable price of his incorruptible bloude.

To w^ch: the glorious sonne of God &c.

Finis