Disciples condemned and iudged worthy of stripes stand as so many examples to confirme vs that we faint not when we are condemned of men yea with the Apostle we must learne to passe little for mans iudgement and striue in a good conscience to be approued of God for sure the Lord will not peruert iudgement it is farre from the Iudge of all the world to doe vnrighteously he will at the last plead the cause of his Seruants and bring their righteousnesse to light This condemnation then from which wee are deliuered But from the condemnatory sentence of God is the sentence of God th righteous Iudge by which finding man guiltie of sinne for sinne he adiudgeth him vnto eternall damnation from this all they who are in Christ are deliuered He that beleeueth in him who sent Iohn 5. 24. mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life In this condemnation Three sundry times the Lord keepes against the wicked in the processe of their condemnation Psal 50. 5. the Lord proceeds at three sundry dyats against the wicked First he condemneth them in the Court of Conscience Next in the day of their particular iudgement Thirdly in the day of generall Iudgement First I say the Lord holdeth a Iustice Court against the wicked in his owne Conscience For the Lord iudgeth the righteous and him that contemnâ—th God euery day After 1 The first is kept against them in the Iustice Court of their owne Conscience sinne committed by him there ariseth in his Conscience accusing thoughts and there is a sentence within him giuen out against him The Apostle speakes it of Heretikes one sort of vvicked men and is it true in them all they sinne being damned of their owne selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by themselues Iudgement is giuen out against themselues which sentence albeit euery wicked man doe not marke the voyce of their disordered affections sometime being so loud that they heare not the condemnatorie voyce of their Conscience so clearely as it is pronounced yet doe they heare as much as makes them inexcusable and breedes in them a certaine feare and terrour which is but a fore-runner of a more fearefull iudgement to come which howsoeuer in time of their securitie they labour to smoother and quench by externall delights yet at the length affection shall be silenced and Conscience shall pronounce sentence against them with so shrill a voyce that their deafest care shall heare it This I haue marked that we may learne not to esteeme lightly the Iudgement of our Conscience but that so oft as wee are condemned by it wee may make our refuge to the throne of Grace to seeke mercie For if Conscience condemne 1. Ioh. 3. 20. vs God is greater then the Conscience and will much more condemne vs. Ascendat itaque homo tribunal mentis suae Aug. hom 50 si timet illud meminerit quod oportet eum ante tribunal Christi exhiberi Let therefore a man saith Augustine goe vp to the tribunall of his owne mind in time if he feare it let him remember that he must be presented before a greater tribunall The second time of iudgement which the Lord keepes 2 The second is kept against them in the houre of death against the wicked is in the houre of death wherein the Lord doth not onely repeat their former sentence of condemnation and that in a more fearefull and iudiciall manner but proceeds also to execution adiudging their bodies vntill the day of last iudgement to the prison of the graue to vnderly that curse pronounced on man for his Apostasie and condemning their spirits to be banished from the presence of God and cast into vtter darknesse Let not therfore the wicked man nourish himselfe in sinne with a vaine conceit of the delay of iudgement wherefore wilt thou put farre from thee the euill day what suppose the day of generall iudgement were not to come for many yeares is not the day of thy particular iudgement at hand vnto which thou shalt be drawne sodainely and perforce in the midst of thy deceiuing imaginations thou shalt be taken away in an houre wherein thou thought not to dye more miserable than that rich glutton who hauing stored his head with false conclusions dreaming of many dayes to come when hee had not one was that same day taken away to iudgement And this shall moue vs the more if we doe remember that such as we are in the day of death such shall wee be found in the day of iudgement In quo enim quemque Aug. epist ad Hesych inuenerit suus nouissimus dies in hoc cum comprehendet mundinouissimus dies quia qualis in die isto quisque moritur talis in die illo iudicabitur and euery man in the last day shall be iudged to be such as he is when he dyeth It would waken vs all more carefully to thinke vpon our end that so we might prepare our selues for this second dyat of iudgement But the third dyat of iudgement shall be most fearefull 3 The third dyat shall be kept against them in the day of generall iudgement when all the wicked being gathered together in one shall be condemned in that high and supreame court of iustice which the Lord shall hold vpon all that euer took life then shall the full measure of the wrath of God be powred vpon all those who are not in Christ Iesus both in soule and body they shall be punished with euerlasting perdition This iudgement shall be most equitable for when that Ancient of dayes shal sit down vpon his white throne before whose face heauen and earth shall flee away and Dan. 12. 6. when the Sea and the Earth hath rendred vp their dead then the bookes shall be opened according to which he shall Reuel 10. 8. proceed vnto iudgement And the bookes are two the This iudgemeÌ„t shall proceede by the bookes of Law and Conscience booke of the law which shewed to a man what he should doe and the booke of Conscience which shewed him what hee hath done by those shall the wicked man be iudged and he shall not be able to make exception against any of them against the booke of the law hee shall be able to speake nothing for the Commandements of the Lord are Psal 19. 9. pure and righteous altogether And as for the booke of conscience thou canst not denye it the Lord shall not iudge thee by another mans conscience but by thine owne that booke thou hast had it alway in thine owne keeping who then could falsifie it neither is any thing written in it of things thou hast done but that which thine owne hand hath written how then canst thou make any exception against it Thus the bookes being opened the iudgement shall How the wicked shall be conuicted by the booke of the Law proceede in this manner The Law shall pleade
Simeon when he saw that promised saluation and embraced the Lord Iesus in hâ—s armes Hereof ariseth to vs first a lesson of comfort if the beginnings By the ioyfull first fruits of eternall life we may iudge of the fulnesse thereof Bern. in cap. ieiun Ser. 2. of this glorie be so great that as S. Peter saith they bring vs to ioy vnspeakeable and glorious what shal the fulnesse thereof be let this waken in vs a loathing of these vaine perishing pleasures and a longing for that better and more enduring substance Certe non sunt tibi nota futura gaudâ—â— si non renuit consâ—lari anima tua donec veniant thou knowest not those ioyes which are to come if thy soule doe not refuse all comfort till they come vnto thee Certe si sempiterna Basil ser in Gord. Mart. essent haec terrena tamen prae coelestibus essent commntanda Certainely albeit these earthly things were eternall yet were they to be exchanged with those that are heauenly And therefore let the little tast of that ioy which wee haue now worke in vs a greater hunger and thirst after the fulnes thereof And againe we are here to be remembred that as pearles This ioy is not found but in the depth of a contrite heart are found in the bottome of the water and gold is not gotten in the superfice but bosome of the earth so this ioy is not to be found but in the inward parts of a broken contrite spirit many speake of this ioy who neuer felt it Righteousnesse is the mother of Peace and Peace the mother of Ioy they who haue not learned to doe well and cannot mourne for the euill which they haue done how shall they taste of the ioyes of God we must pierce by the hammer of contrition into the very inward of our hearts or euer wee can finde the refreshing springs of Gods sweet consolations arising vnto vs. It deceiues many that they think eternall life is not begunne but after death but assuredly except now thou get the beginnings thou shalt neuer hereafter attaine to the perfections thereof and therefore looke to it in time As for the second degree of this glory which is a neerer Of the second and third degree of eternal Life vnion of our soules vvith Iesus Christ after our dissolution by death it is not my purpose now to insist in it As for the third degree which consists in the glorification both of our soules and bodies wee haue spoken of it before specially in the 18. verse Now the Tabernacle of God is vvith men but then shall our securitie be without feare and our glory consummated when we shall dwell in the Tabernacle of God vnto the which the Lord bring vs all for Iesus Christs sake Amen TO THE MOST EXCELLENT VERTVOVS AND GRACIOVS PRINCE HENRY by the Grace of God Prince of Wales and Heyre Apparent vnto the most famous Kingdomes of England Scotland France and Ireland All happinesse in this life and eternall Glory in the life to come THat which the Apostle hath seuerally deliuered in the two former Discourses dedicated to your most Royall Parents hee now in this last Treatise collects and conioynes in one which therfore of right can appertaine to none more then to you Sir who being by them both the happy fruit of heauenly prouidence and deerest pledge of their mutuall loue and ioy may iustly challenge interest in the smallest good ouer which their names are named Sir here is the way to that Crowne of Triumph which the more you know the more I hope shall you place your glory in it Crownes of earthly Kingdomes are indeede the gifts of God but such as bring not so much Honour as they breed vnquietnesse O nobilem magis quam foelicem pannum said Antigonus If the cares which dwell in the Diadem were knowne no man would stoope to the ground to take it vp said Seleucus And albeit it be not giuen to all to know this in their entrie to Honour yet are they all compelled to acknowledge it in the end Seuerus Monarch of the world found his Crownes but comfortlesse to him in death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue said he beene all things and it profiteth me nothing Not onely the teares of Xerxes but the laments of Salomon may witnesse to all the world that the end of the worme-eaten pleasures of this life is heauie displeasure yea the golden head of Babell had at length worms spread ouer him worms to couer him Esa 14. For all flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flowre of the field Onely the word of the Lord endures for euer By which that same God who hath called you to be an apparant Heyre of the most famous Kingdomes on earth doth also call your Grace to a more certaine inheritance of a better Kingdome in heauen which cannot be shaken whereby aboue other Princes and Rulers of the earth yee are blessed if so be yee answere your Calling endeauouring to be no lesse than you are named Principem te agnosce ne seruias affectibus It is vnseemely in any but most of all in a Prince to become a seruant eyther to the corrupt humours of men without him who creeping in into the Courts of Kings like wormes into the bosome of excellent trees doe nothing but consume them whom godly Constantine properly called Tineas Sorices palatij subtile peruerters of the good inclination of Princes in manners and Religion where they can preuaile or yet to the disordered affections of his owne heart which if they be not restrained doe quickly turne the glory of a man into shame What did it profit Cham that hee was the Sonne of Noah the Monarch of the world and Patriarch of the Church in his time or that hee was the Heyre of the third part Chrysost of the world vitia siquidem voluntatis vicerunt priuilegia naturae his owne vndantoned will bursting out in contempt of his Father brought vpon him that curse and shamefull name A seruant of Seruants which was neuer taken from him Seeing God as saith the Apostle is the glory of man what honour can make that man glorious who carries not the image of God consisting in righteousnesse and true holinesse but especially a King whom the very Ethnicks called Animata Dei imago in terris should carefully keep that Image which keepes his glory Naturally facilius alijs quam nobis imperamus but in very deede he shall neuer be a skilfull Ruler of others who is not first taught of God to rule himselfe decet eum qui alijs praefectus est interiora sua decenter Basil adornare The best remedy against both these euils is to embrace that wholesome counsell giuen by God to the Gouernors of his people Let not the booke of the Law depart from thee but meditate in it day and night that thou maist do according to all that is written therein turne not
of new Babel more shamelesse than Sennacherib 2 Kin. 18. his Rabsache raile at good king Ezekiah ruling in Ierusalem the Lord hath yet a hooke for his Esa 37. 39. nosethrils and a bridle for his lips Doe not the eyes of the Lord behold the whole earth to shew himselfe strong with them that are strong and of a perfect heart 2 Chr. 16. 9. toward him Therefore feare not their feare but sanctifie Esa 8. 12. the Lord God of hostes let him be your feare and he shal be a Sanctuarie vnto your Maiestie Count it a part Psal 69. 9. of your high glory and no smal matter of your Maiesties ioy that with Christ you beare this peece of his crosse Psal 21. 7. that the rebukes of them who rebuke the Lord are fallen vpon you and trust still O King in the Lord and in the mercie of the most High and so your Maiestie shall neuer fall Long may your Highnesse liue and raigne ouer vs as a faithfull seruant to your God and a happie King of many blessings to your people Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and dayly Oratour William Cowper Minister at Perth HEAVEN OPENED ROMANES 8. VERSE 1. Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit THE FIRST PART OF THE CHAPTER Contayning comfort against the remanents of sinne in the iustified man My helpe is in the name of the Lord. THE whole Scripture is giuen by diuine 2. Tim. 3. 16. inspiration and is profitable to teach improue correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect A commendation of holy Scripture Ambrose off lib. 1. cap. 32. Basil in aliquot scripturae locos vnto all good workes It is a banquet of heauenly wisedome saith Ambrose Conuiuium sapientiae singuit libri singula sunt fercula It is compared by Basil to an Apothecaries shop in which are so many sundry sorts of medicaments that euery man may haue that which is conuenient for his disease Nullus enim est hominum morbus cui scriptura praesens remedium non suppeditet Cyp. de duplici martirio for there is no sicknes of man whereunto the scripture furnishes not a present remedy And yet as among the works of God there is a difference and some of them more Some books of holy Scripture meeter for vs then others are August de temp sâ—r 4â— clearely then others declares the glorie of God so it is also among his holy writs they breathe all out one truth by a most sweet harmonie diuinae enim lectiones ita sibi connectuntur tanquam vna sit lectio quia omnes ex vno ore precedunt yet ye shall â—inde that in some of them the Lord commeth neere vnto vs as it were with the face of a man talking familiarly vnto vs in others againe he mounts high aboue vs as it were with the wings of an Eagle And the Lord hath leâ—t it free to delight our selues most in those places of holy Scripture wherein for our estate we haue most edification and to seeke in this Apothecarie shop of that sweet Samâ—ritan the Lord Iesus pharmaca morbo nostro conuenientia such medicines as are meet for our maladie Among all the bookes of the olde Testament most frequent Why among the Epistles this to the Romanes is first Ierom. Epist ad Paulm testimonies are brought by our blessed Sauiour and his holy Apostles out of the booke of the Psalmes Ierome called it a treasurie of all learning And among all the Epistles of the Apostles no meruaile this to the Romanes haue the first place not that it was first written but because aboue the rest it contayneth a most perfect compend of our Christian faith And this middle Chapter thereof hath in it an Abridgement of all these comforts and instructions one excepted which otherwise are dispersed throughout the whole Epistle and is so to call it a pleasant knot of the garden and Paradise of God and therefore shall it not be vnprofitable for vs by Gods grace to delight our selues for a while in it As for the connexion of this Chapter with the former Two parts of this Chapter the first containes comfort against sinne The second comfort against the crosse wee are to know that it is a conclusion of the fore-going Treatise of Iustification Wherein the Apostle summarily collects the excellent state of a Christian iustified by faith in Christ Iesus declaring it to be such that there is no condemnation to him that nothing were it neuer so euill is able to hurt him yea by the contrary that all things worke for the best vnto him And because there are only two euils which grieue vs in this life to wit sinne that remaines in vs and affliction that followes vs in the following of Christ Against both these the Apostle furnishes the iustified man with strong consolations Comforts against the remanents of sinne we haue from the 1. verse to the 18. Comforts against our afflictions wee haue from the midst of the 18. verse to the 31. That this is the very purpose and order of the Apostle is This order of the Apostle is manifest out of his owne conclusion euident out of his owne conclusion set downe from the 31. verse to the end wherein he drawes all that he hath spoken in this Chapter to a short summe contayning the glorious triumph of a Christian ouer all his enemies The triumph is first set downe generally verse 31. What shall we then say Rom. 8. 31. to these things if God be with vs who can be against vs c. This generall incontinent he parts in two there is saith he but two things may hurt vs either Sinne or Affliction As to Sinne he triumphs against it verse 33. and 34. Who shall vers 33. 34. lay any thing to the charge of God his chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. As to Affliction hee triumphs against it from the 35 to the end Who shall seperate vs from ver 35. the loue of Christ shall tribulation anguish or persecution shall famine nakednesse or perill yea shall death doe it or that which is much more shall Angels principalities or powers doe it No In all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loued vs. Thus doth the Apostle like a faithfull steward in the house of God take by the hand the weary sonnes and daughters of the liuing God that hee may leade vs into the Lords winesellers there to refresh and stay vs with the slagons of his Wine to comfort vs with his Cant. 2. 4. Apples to strengthen vs with his hid Manna and to make vs Cant. 5. 1. merrie with that Milke and Honey
glorification and that through calling and iustification which two haue inseperably following them the sanctification and renouation of the whole man The Lord make vs wise in time that vvee may consider the course of our life and thinke of the end whereunto it leades vs for as Moses protested to Israell so doe I vnto you I haue laid this Deut. 30. 15. day life and death before you the Lord giue you grace to make choise of the best In these causes of our saluation linked together in this Prescience and Predestination how they are here distinguished Chaine we haue first to looke vnto Gods decree consisting in his foreknowledge and predestination secondly to the execution thereof which is made by his Calling Iustification and Glorification The decree hath in it these two acts or preordinances so to call them Prescience and Predestination which this manner of way are to be distinguished by foreknowledge the Lord sets before him the whole number of mankinde whom of the good pleasure of his owne will hee purposed to saue so that the first preordinance is this these are they vvhom I vvill saue by predestination againe he concluded to saue them by such and such meanes so that the second preordinance of the decree is this those whom I haue decreed to saue I will saue this manner of way so that prescience lookes to the person to be saued predestination to the meanes whereby they are to be saued Where we must consider that this decree of God is thus distinguished by the Apostle in these two words for our capacitie who being but mortall creatures endued with reason conceiues vnderstands and discernes one thing after another and cannot doe otherwise but it is not so vvith the Lord our God who being himselfe a most perfect vnderstanding by one act without priority or posteriority knowes conceiues and discernes all things Wee come first now to speake of Gods foreknowledge Prescience improperly ascribed vnto God the properties of God are either absolute as namely that he is a Spirit simple and infinite or else such as haue a relation to the creature And of this sort is foreknowledge which improperly is ascribed vnto God for properly there 〈◊〉 â—ore nor after in God nothing past nothing to come but foreknowledge is ascribed to God in respect of the creature because hee knew vs before that wee were This foreknowledge Pr 〈…〉 nce two manner of wayes considered generally and specially is two wayes considered first generally as it is extended to all his creatures and so it is compared to a common booke of register vvherein the Lord hath vvritten all things which were afterward to be and of this speakes the Psalmist My bones saith hee are not hid from thee though Psal 139. 15. I was made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth thine eyes did see mee when I was without forme for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance of time were fashioned though they were not before Of it also speakes the Apostle All things are manifest in his sight with whom wee Heb. 4. 13. haue to doe This manner of way foreknowledge is Gods vniuersall eye by which with one looke hee knoweth all his creatures within and without their nature their shape their actions their beginnings their endes but foreknowledge this manner of way considered is not a lincke of this Chaine it being certaine that there is not one of these lincks more patent nor largely extended than another as ye shall afterward heare Foreknowledge then in this Chaine of Saluation is specially In this Chaine it is specially considered as it lookes to the Elect onely Iohn 13. 18. Mat. 7. 23. considered as it is conioyned cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the loue and liking of God as it is all one with Election extended to none but vnto the children of his good will this way it is affirmed of the godly the Lord knoweth who are his but denyed of the wicked depart from me yee workers of iniquitie I know you not that is albeit I know your persons yea your most secret actions yet your selues I know not so that I loue you and this way foreknowledge specially considered is called the booke of life wherein the Lord hath written the names of those whom hee hath ordayned to life Predestination is also two manner of wayes considered Predestination is also two wayes considered first as it is generally extended to all his creatures for as he knew them all before they were so hee appointed them by middes into their owne end other artificers when they haue made a worke know not what will be the end of it he that buildeth an house knowes not how long it will stand whether fire shall consume it or the winde ouer-turne it or the earth-quake vndermine it but the Lord as hee hath made his creatures so hath he appointed them to an end which hee knoweth himselfe but here Predestination is specially considered and is no larger than Election respecting the Elect onely whom he hath ordayned vnto life by his owne middes for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here not onely signifieth to ordaine to an end but also to appoint all the limits borders and middes within and by which thou art to come to that end Where before wee come to the doctrine of instruction Fore-seene me rits falsely collected out of this place we will shortly encounter vvith our aduersaries vvho read these words in this manner that the Lord predestinated those whom hee fore-knew to be conformed to the image of his Sonne that so they may establish here out their errour of fore-seene merits It were sufficient to bring against them the best learned of their owne side some wherof read these words no otherwise then vvee doe as the Iesuits of Rhemes others plainely impugne that reading and the errour of foreseene merits founded vpon it for so Caietane writeth vpon this place Ad confutandum dogma illorum This errour is improued by their own men as Caietane qui primum salutis nostrae locum tribuunt diuinae praescientiae futurorum qui praescientiam meritorum ponunt rationem definitionis diuinae ad confutandum inquit haec primum nostrae salutis locum tribuit diuino proposito dicendo ijs qui secundum propositum vocati sunt To confute saith hee the doctrine of those vvho giue the first place of saluation to Gods foreknowledge of mans merits vvhich he was to doe and so puts his prescience as a reason and cause of his predestination to confute these I say he giues the first place of saluation to the purpose of God while hee saith to them that and Aquinas are called according to his purpose Aquinas in like manner writing vpon this same place saith Ponere quod aliquod meritum ex parte nostra praesupponatur cuius praescientia sit ratio praedestinationis nihil est aliud quam ponere gratiam dari
his wonderfull wisedome in the harmonie of contraries 324 God rests from workes of creation not of gubernation 325. he workes by contraries 327. his purpose toward vs how it may be knowne 341. See presence God painted in a mans image by Papists and how it is idolatrie 423. 424. Gods Martyrs and Sathans different 442 Godly described 267. oft-times straited in trouble See affliction 432 Glorie to come most certaine 229. prepared to be reuealed 237. by the glorie already reuealed wee may iudge of that which is not reuealed we shal see more there then we can heare in this life 238 Glorie to come both great and certaine 249. how we should be changed for that glory 263. Meditation of the glorie to come recommended 238. our estate in heauen expressed by soure words of great importance 239. excellencie of that glorie 239. Foure things concerning the life to come 239. how fortie dayes company with God changed the face of Moses 240. Since our bodies shall be glorious how glorious shall our soules be 240. See inheritance Glorie of one shall be the glorie of another 241. Persons glorified there are all excellent and singular 241. whether or not shal we know one another there 242. The place of it shewes the greatnes thereof 242. Three places of our residence compared 243. the glorie of the outward court of Gods palace being so glorious the inward must be much more glorious 245. Eternitie and prospecuitie of it 245. Soliditie of it 246. why wee seeke it not 248. glorie of Worldlings how silly 247. let vs seeke the best 247. our highest and best estate 395 Gospel where it is preached there God hath some toward whom he hath a purpose of loue 359. the gospell neither comes nor goes by mans procurement but by God his purpose 361. how this should work in vs a reuerence of the Gospell 359 Grace commâ—nded 96. communicate to few 370 H Harmonie of contraries wonderfull in the creation 324. Harmonie of man his soule and bodie by creation now turned into discord 135 Heart knowne to God only 307. why hidden from men 310. herein appeares God his soueraigntie ouer man that hee is vpon his secrets 311 Heart only puts a difference betweene a Christian and a counterfaâ—t 310 Hardnesse of heart great in this age 272 Hope depends on sure warrants 281. 282. 283. hope described 284. compared to the Egge 286 Humilitie commended 30. 267. I Image of God our eldest glorie .. 374 Impatience in trouble 289 Inheritance heauenly and the nature of it 213. 214. Inimitie with God how foolish are they who keepe it 95 Insidelitie repressed 28 Infirmities how manifold 297. comfort in them 295. how wee should strengthen our selues where we are weakest 297 Ingrafting of a Christian into Christ explaned 24. 25. 26. how he beares fruit as soone as he is planted 31 Ioy three-fold 397. how it is not found but in the depth of a contrite heart 397 Ioy to come how tasted by Worldlings 248. Ioy of things present how vaine 340 Iudgement generall how it will proceede according to the bookes 12. how terrible it will be 13. the remembrance thereof should keepe vs from sinne 14. No mercy will be offred after the last day 15. the christian knowes before hand what will be his sentence in the last day 16. Iudgement delayed confirmes the wicked 129. how foolish they are in so doing 129. Why iudgement is executed on some not on others in this life 130. it is a great iudgement not to be iudged in this life 130 Iudgement three-fold which man may haue of man 104 Iudas punished before Caiaphas and why 40 Iustification by Faith 278. takes not away from the Christian hope and loue 281. Calumnie of the aduersaries here-against confuted 281 Iustification posterior in order to time not in calling 389. three manner of waies taken 389. opened to condemnation 390. State of the controuersie betweene vs and the Papists concerning iustification 190. Destraction of first and second iustification improued 394 Iustification sanctification distinct benefits but inseparable 395 Iustice of God cannot strike vpon vs and why 407. miserable are the wicked who must beare it for euer K Knowledge neither of naturall nor morall Philosophy could profit to Saluation 88. can not preuent an euill end 89. brings out death 88 L Laments of the godly turned into triumph Law cannot saue vs and why 63. Naturally men seeke life in it but in vaine 64. impotencie of tho law is of vs not of the law 65. how is it and shall be fulfilled in vs 75. how not fulfilled in this life 76. we are freed from the curse of the law not from the obedience thereof 80. it discouers sin and causes feare 189. Life prophane is a great dishonour to Christ 37. a false witnessing against Christ 38. full of sacriledge 39 Life of a Christian is a mixed webbe 5. a holy life a sure marke of our vnion with Christ 38. it is the first martyrdome 38. three helpes of a godly life 47. our life should be a continuall progresse in godlinesse See walking our life tels whose seruants wee are 166. they who liue in sin are in death and shall die a worse death 174 Life present a thorow way to heauen or hell 173. it is not the right recompence of godlinesse 180. 181. how it is a momentanian life 232. by what similitudes the vanity therof is figured 232. the pleasures thereof are worme-eaten 233 Life present a point betweene two eternities so to speake 363. a stage play 246. it is neither the place of our rest nor our glorie 430. our estate here is neither the last noâ— the best 135. in this life he hath fewest yeares who hath liued longest 234 Life eternall hath three degrees 396. S. Paul a strong witnesse of the pleasures thereof and why 277. See glory Libertie purchased to vs by Christ bindes vs to himselfe 160 Loue of God toward vs may be seene in the price that hee gaue for vs. 68. 407. 409. Loue of the godly 70. compared to bread 286 Loue is the first affection that God sanctifies and the first that Sathan peruerts 344. it is not an easie nor common thing to loue God 343. none can loue him but his elect effectually called 342. the obiects of our loue 344. 345. he cannot loue his brother who loues not himselfe 345. man hath need to learne how to loue himselfe 346 Loue to our selfe and others should be in measure to God without measure 346. Three conditions required in the loue of God 347. Wee are farre from the loue of God we should haue 348. Meditations to encrease this loue of God in vs. 349 Loue tryed by the effects 349. he louâ—s not God who loues not the Word and Prayer 350. and longeth not to be where he is 350. Loue tryed by obedience 352. a proofe that many are without loue 351. Loue is bountifull 353. our loue to God cannot be fully and finally bequeathed 328 Lustes of the
for transgression of her precepts requiring that the wicked may be put to death for their most vnreasonable disobedience her commandements for number being but ten and so not burdenable to the memorie for vnderstanding plaine written in the heart of euery man â—or equity not contradictable for the Law craueth nothing of man but that which by the holinesse of his nature receiued by Creation hee was able to performe neither doth the law command any thing profitable to God who gaue it but vnto man who receiued it And for holinesse euery precept of the law when God proclaimed it on mount Sinai was assisted with a thousand of his Saints as witnesses of the holinesse thereof all these circumstances doe aggrauate the waight of that iudgement which the law shall giue out against the transgressors thereof Then from the Law iudgement shall proceede How they shal be conuicted by the booke of conscience to Conscience and Conscience shall witnesse against them of their transgressions against euery precept of the law wherein they shall be so cleerely conuinced that their particular sinnes with the circumstances thereof time and place though now they haue cast them behind their backs shall then be set in order before them and so iustly euery manner of way shall iudgement goe out against them Eliphaz spoke it faslie to Iob thy owne mouth and not I Iob. 15. 6. condemnes thee but most iustly shall the ruler of the world lay it vpon the wicked out of thy owne mouth I iudge thee Luke 19. 22. O thou euill and vnfaithfull seruant the voyce of thine own conscience and no other shall condemne thee And as this condemnation will be most righteous so This iudgmeÌ„t shall also be most terrible shall it be also most fearefull not onely in regard of the manner of the Lords proceeding in that last iudgement but chiefly in regard of that irreuocable sentence of damnation Exod. 19. 16. which shall be executed without delay The Law Moses trembled for feare at the giuing of the law what will the wicked doe at the execution therof was giuen with Thunders and Lightnings and a thicke cloud vpon the mount with an exceeding loud sound of the Trumpet so that all the people were afraide yea so terrible was the sight that Moses said I feare and quake The lawes of mighty Monarches are executed with greater terror then they are proclaymed what then shall we looke for when the God of glory shall appeare to iudge the world according to his law the Heauens shall passe away with a Reuel 6. 14. noyse the Elements shall melt with heate the Earth with the workes which are therein shall be burnt vp the Archangell shall blow a Trumpet at the voyce whereof the dead shall rise If Moses the seruant of the Lord quaked to heare the first Trumpet how shall the wicked condemned in their owne conscience tremble and quake to heare the second Then shall the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the Reu. 6. 15. rich mâ—n and the chiefe Captaines and the mightie men hide themselues in the Dennes and among the rockes of the Mountaines for what strength is there in man who is but stubble to stand before a consuming fire and or euer their doome be giuen out they shall crie Mountaines and Rockes fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne but when they shall heare that fearefull sentence Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared Mat. 25. 41. for the Diuell and his Angels O how shall the terror thereof confound their spirits and presse them downe to the bottome of hell O fearefull sentence depart from me what shall the creature doe when the Creator in his wrath commands it to depart and by his power banishes it from his presence O man wilt thou consider in time who shall receiue Remembrance of this last iudgment is a preseruatiue against sinne thee when God casts thee out from his face or who shall pittie and be able to comfort thee when God shall persecute thee with his wrath assure thy selfe euery creature shall refuse her comfort to thee if a drop of cold water might be a reliefe vnto thee thou shalt not get it Happie therefore are they who in time resolue themselues with Peter Lord whither away shall we goe from thee thou hast Math. 10. the words of eternall life For they who doe now goe a whoring from the Lord wandring after lying vanities shall in that day receiue this for a recompence of their errour Goe to the Gods whom ye haue serued Your whole life was but a Iud. 10. 14. Math. 25. 41. turning backe from me now therefore depart from me and whither into fire and what fire euerlasting fire and with whom with the Diuell and his Angels thou hast forsaken me thou hast followed them goe thy way with them a companion of their torment O fearefull sentence Quae Augustine cum ita sint bene nobisâ—um agâ—râ—tur si iâ—m nunc sic nos paeniteret super malis nostris qâ—omâ—do tunc sine vllo remedio paenitebit It were good therefore sayes Augustine if now all men could so repent of their sinnes as it is certaine in that day they shall repent without any remedie for then the wicked will shed teares aboundantly but they shall be fruitlesse And if all this cannot waken thee to goe to the Lord The day before the last iudgement Mercie shall be offered but none after it Iesus vpon the feete of faith and repentance that in him thou mayest be deliuered from this fearefull damnation yet remember that seeing this iudgement is supreame and the last from which will be no recalling most foolish art thou if in time thou doe not foresee and prouide how thou mayest stand in it Now if thy conscience condemne thee thou maist get if thou seeke absolution in Christ but in that day if the Lord condemne thee thou shalt neuer be absolued the day before the Trumpet sound mercy shall be preached to the penitent and beleeuers by the Gospell but from the time that once the sentence is giuen out there shall neuer be more offering of mercie the doore shall be closed though the wicked crie for mercie and with Esau seeke the blessing with many teares yet shall they neuer finde it Of all this now it is euident what an excellent benefit By Christ wee haue deliuerance from this threefold condemnation wee haue by Iesus Christ in that wee are deliuered from this three-fold condemnation For first being iustified by faith we haue peace with God in our consciences that holy spirit of adoption testifying vnto vs that our sinnes are forgiuen vs whereof arises in our heart an vnspeakable and glorious ioy which ioy notwithstanding cannot be full nor perfect vntill the former sentence of our absolution be also pronounced in the other two iudgements that in the