are blotted out non secundum rei veritatem sed hominum opinionem not according to the truth of the thing but according to mens opinion It is vsuall in the Scriptures to say a thing is done quando innotescat fieri when it is declared to bee done Hypocrites haue a simulation of outward sanctitie so that men in charity iudge them to be written in heauen But when those glistering starres appeare to be onely Ignes fatui foolish meteors and fall from the firmament of the Church then we say they are blotted out The written ex existentiâ by a perfect being neuer lost but ex apparentiâ by a dissembled appearance may Some God so writes In se vt simpliciter habituri vitam that they haue life simply in themselues though not of themselues Others hee so writes vt habeant non in se sed in sua causa from which falling they are said to be obliterated Aquin. 3. Augustine sayes wee must not so take it that God first writes and then dasheth out For if a Pilate could say Quod scripsi scripsi what I haue written I haue written and it shall stand Shall God say Quod scripsi expungam what I haue written I will wipe out and it stall not stand They are written then Secundum spem ipsorum qui ibi se scriptos putabant according to their owne hope that presumed their names there And are blotted out Quando ipsis constet illos non ibi fuisse when it is manifest to themselues that their names neuer had any such honour of inscription This euen that Psalme strengthens whence they fetch their opposition Let them bee blotted out of the booke of the liuing and let them not be written among the rightâ—…ous So that to bee blotted out of that booke is indeed neuer to bewritten there To bee wiped out in the end is but a declaration that such were not written in the beginning But how then shall wee iustifie Moses his desire If thou wilt forgiue their sinne faire and good but if not blot me I pray thee out of thy booke which thou hast written Did Moses wish an impossibility Some opinionate that this was not the booke of life that Moses meant but they erre 1. Some by this vnderstand the booke of the Law as if this were his meaning If thou destroy the people to whom thou hast giuen the Law let not my name be mentioned as the Law giuer But it is answered 1. that the booke of the Law was not yet written and he could not desire blotting forth of a booke that was not 2. This was in Moses his power when he wrote the Law to leaue out his owne name he needed not to trouble God about it 3. He opposeth the greatest losse he could sustaine against the greatest benefit the people could obtaine but this was no great losse to bee blotted out of that booke 4. Moses speakes of a booke that God had written but the booke of the Law sauing onely the Decalogue Moses wrote himselfe 2. Ierome vnderstands this desire of Moses for death in this life Perire in praesentem non in perpetuum But if he conceiues no more then a temporall death Gods answere confutes it Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee him will I blot out ver 33. Onely sinners are raced out of this booke but from the booke of terrene life both sinners and iust come to be blotted for good and bad are subiect to temporall death 3. Caietan vnderstands it De libro Principatus in hac vita to be the booke of Soueraignty because it is decreed by God as in a booke quòd isti vel illi principentur that this or that man should haue the dominion But God answeres onely sinners are raced out of the booke but in the booke of gouernment are bad Kings so well as good And for that booke Ezek. 13. 9. as if he wished no more but not to be counted of Israel or haue his name among the Patriarchs and Prophets If Israel had perished the booke of his Couenant with Israel had also perished So for that booke of Iasher Iosh. 10. 13. it is thought to be lost therefore no great matter to be put out of it It must needs bee then the booke of life and how could Moses wish a racing out of that booke Some say that by sinne a man may come to be blotted out of that booke wherein he thought himselfe written But if it could not be done without sinne this construction were to make Moses Petere peccare mortaliter to beg power to sinne mortally that hee might bee blotted out Neyther doth God for vnrighteousnesse race out any but indeed they race out themselues Some take it to be a parabolicall speech to shew the intention of his desire As Rachel said to Iacob Giue mee children or else I die Yet she had rather liue and haue no children then haue children and presently dye As if one should say Do this or else kill me yet he had rather haue the thing omitted then himselfe killed Tostat. But this were to make Moses speake one thing meane another whereas he desired it from his heart Others thinke Moses spake affirmatiuely after this sense that if God would not pardon the peoples sinne it would follow that himselfe should be blotted out Rupert But this had been against the iustice of God that one should be damned for the sinne of another Againe this had conuinced Moses of wauering and doubtfulnesse of his saluation but the faithfull haue confidence that though thousands should perish yet they are sure of eternall blisse Some say Moses wished this after the disposition of the inferiour part of his soule and not in voluntate rationem superiorem sequente not in that will which is gouerned by reason They exemplifie it in Christ who desired the cup to passe from him yet simpliciter vellet pati simply he would suffer But there is great difference in the example 1. Christ eschewes death Moses ensues death the obiect of their desires was vnlike 2. Christ by his office was to beare the sinne and punishment of his people Moses was neuer called to such a mediatorship 3. Christ prayeth there as a man for as God hee prayeth not but is prayed to There is Duplex affectus Mentis Sensus Christ in the affection of his minde was willing to suffer but in his affection of Sense he desired the cup to passe So that in Christ to escape death was a naturall desire in Moses to wish death yea an eternall death was a contranaturall desire it proceeded not from the sensuall part but from his inward feeling and meditation Others thinke hee prayed quia turbatus erat being troubled not considering at that instant whether that was possible that he begged â—…x impetu passionis saith Lyranus vehementia fuisse abreptum vt loquatur quasi ecstaticus saith Caluin But this accuseth him of rashnesse for it is fit he that prayeth should bee
consequence for priuate ends 1. First he begets in a mans minde a dislike of the word for it selfe This man esteemes preaching but follie he sees no good it doth to haue one pratling an houre or two in a Pulpit He is a parishioner to two parishes to the Congregation he liues with Quoad corpus to the Synagogue of Satan Quoad animam 1. Cor. 1. The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perish foolishnes but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God It is horrible when man dust and ashes meere follie shall censure the Wisedome of God Let them haue their wils be it in their account follie yet it pleaseth God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue And without this they must liue in errour and die in terrour hell fire will make them change their opinions 2. Others are wrought to hate it onely for second and simister respects The Masters of that Damosell Act. 16. Possessed with a spirit of diuination seeing the hope of their gaines gone brought Paul and Silas to scourging and neuer left them till they saw them in prison When Demetrius perceiued the ruine not so much of the Ephesian Diana as of his owne Diana gaine and commoditie in making of siluer shrines he sets all Ephesus in a tumult The losse of profite or pleasure by the Gospell is ground enough of malice and madnesse against it Cannot a tyrant be bloudie cannot an oppressor depopulate an vsurer make benefite of his money a swearer braue with blasphemies a drunkard keepe his tavern-session but the Pulpets must ring of it Downe shall that Gospell come if they can subiect it that will not let them runne to hell vntroubled Non turbant Evangelium â—…um ab Evangelio non turbentur let them alone and they will let you alone But if you fight against their sins with the sword of the Spirit they will haue you by the eares and salute you with the sword of death You see the fires that the Deuill Kindleth It is obiected 1. Satan knowes that hee can do nothing but by the permission of God Ans. Therefore not knowing Gods secret will who are elect who reprobate hee laboures to destroy all And if he perceiue that God more especially loues any haue at them to chuse If he can but bruise their heeles O hee thinkes hee hath wrought a great spight to God 2. He knowes that though with his taile he can draw stars from heauen discouer the hypocrisie of great Professors yet he cannot wipe the name of one soule out of the booke of life which the Lambe hath written there Answ. It is the Devils nature to sinne against his owne knowledge Contra scientiam peccabit qui contra conscientiam peccavit 3. He knowes he shall receiue the greater damnation and the more aggravated torments And the Devill that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire brimstone where the beast the false prophet are shall be tormented day night for ever ever Ans. He sins alwaies with purposed malice of heart proudly against God and blasphemously agaynst the holy Ghost though he receiue the smart himselfe We perceiue now the Fire the Fewell and the Kindler let vs looke to The Smoke There goes lightly a Smoke before this Fire Reu. 9. He opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoake of a great fornace and the Sunne and the ayre were darkened by reason of the smoake of the pit And there came out of the smoke Locusts vpon the earth When we see smoke wee conclude their is fire Christ will not quench the smoking flaxe for the smoke without shewes a sparke of faith within When Abraham saw the smoke of the countrey going vp as the smoake of a fornace He knew that the fire was begun in Sodom This smoke is the signe of persecution ensuing and it is either Publique or Priuate Publique is two fold 1. The threatning of Tyrants this smoke came out of the mouth of Saul Act. 9. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings Such were the Romish vaunts of the Spanish ships but God quenched that fire in water and it was but a smoke Hee that could forbid the fire to burne can also forbid the smoke to become a 〈◊〉 Onely the massacre at Paris was a fire without a smoke vnles it be smoke enough as indeed it is for Papists to liue among Protestants 2. Securitie is a publique Smoke when men cry Peace peace this is the smoake of warre The carelesse liues of the old world and Sodom were portentuous smoakes of their enkindled destruction Our secure and dead-harted conuersations are arguments of the like to vs. God both auert that and conuert vs. We feast reuel daunce sin and sing like swannes the prognostickes of our owne funerals We are not circumspect to looke vp on those which watch vs with the keene eyes ofmalice our sleepâ—… giues themhope our selues danger Neglect of defence hartens on a very coward enemie Our comfort only is He that keepeth Israel doth not sluÌ„ber nor sleepe The priuate Smoke particularly laid to a Christian is a gentler more soft teÌ„tation But if this Smoke preuaile not Satan coms with a fiery trial Ifhe cannot peruert Io seph with his tempting mistres a kind smoke he will trie what a Iayle can doe If the deuill can draw thee to his purpose with a twine threed what needes he a Cable rope If Sampson can be bound with greene withes the Philistines need not seeke for iron chaines But Sathan knows that some will not like Adam and Esau be wonne with trifles that some will sticke to Christ whiles the weather is faire and there is peace with the Gospell yet in time of persecution start away When he comes with tempests and flouds then the house not built on a rocke fals If our foundation be straw and stubble we know this fire will consume it but if gold it shall rather purge and purifie it He will not goe about that can passe the next way If a soft puffe can turne thee from Christ Sathan will spare his blustring tempests if a smoake can doe it the fire shall be forborne If Ioâ—… could haue beene brought to his bow with killing his cattell seruants children perhaps his bodie had beene fauour'd So that after gentle temptations looke for stormes as thou wouldst after smoake fire Inure thy heart therefore to vanquish the least that thou mayst foile the greatest let the former giue thee exercise against these latter as with wooden Wasters men learne to play at the sharpe Be thy confidence in him that euer enabled thee and affie his promise that will not suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy strength Onely handle this weapon with more heedfull cunning and when thou perceiuest the dallyings of the Deuill play not with his baites Corrupt not thy conscience with a little gaine
sayes there are many mansions But now whose Citie is this For it may be some poore decayed thing that hath onely some ruines of remaining monuments No it is the Citie of GOD. They are superlatiue things that haue attributed to them the Name of God Sauls sleepe vvas called Sâ—…por Domini a sleepe of God Rachel said With great wrastlings haue I wrastled Hebr. the wrastlings of God Thy righteousnesse is like the great Mountaines Hebr. the Mountaines of God Niniueh was an exceeding great Citie Hebr. a Citie of God This Hebrew dialect our Apostle followes to the Hebrewes and calls this excellent Citie the Citie of God Not that it is onely Gods â—…y way of asâ—…ription but euen by foundation and euerlasting possession but to vindicate it from any obscureneâ—…se it is the Citie of God But there were many conceiâ—…ed gods it may be this belonged to some Idol as Peorâ—…id â—…id to Paâ—…l and Ekron to Baalzebub No these were all â—…ead gods this is the Liuing GOD. The Psalmist calls â—…hem 〈◊〉 They did eate the sacrifices of the dead but this God is called Uiuens the Liuing and Deus viuentium the GOD of the liuing Well yet what is the name of this Citie Is it a Citie a Citie on a Mount a Citie of God and doth it want a name Not a great man but if he build a faire house hee will giue it some name Perhaps call it after his owne name The name is Ierusalem famous blessed Ierusalem a Citie of Peace But there was a Ierusalem on earth wherof we may onely say Fuit It was That was fulfilled on it which Christ foretold against it There shall not be left one store vpon another But this Citie is built with no other stones then Iaspers Saphirs Emeralds and Amathysts Reue. 21. 19. It is here distinguished from that terrene by the name of Heauenly aboue the wheele of changeable mortalitie it is not subiect to mutation The celestiall Ierusalem But yet though it be a Citie on a Mount though Ierusalem though heauenly yet the perfection of all may be empaired through the want either of Inhabitants or of good Inhabitants There be Cities eminent for situation glorious for building commodious for traffique yet haue all these benefits poisoned by euill Citizens When Alcibiades would sell a house among other conueniences for which he praised it he especially commends it for this that it hath a good neighbour Who bee the neighbours in this Citie Angels glorious excellent creatures the great Kings Courtiers heere our Guardians there our companions Yes you will say one or two Angels yea a company not like Dauids at Adullam nor Absolons in Hebron but innumerable Myriads of Angels Are there none in this Citie but Angels what habitation is there then for men Yes there is an Assembly of men not some particular Synode nor Prouinciall Conuocation nor nationall Councell but a Generall assembly What doe you call it The Church Of whom conâ—…sts it Ex Primogenitis Of the first borne But then it may seeme that younger brothers are excluded No the first borne of the world may bee a younger brother in Christ and the first borne in Christ may bee a younger brother in the world Be they younger or elder all that are written in heauen if their names bee in the Booke of life their soules are in the bundle of life All they none but they Then shall enter into it no vncleane thing but onely they which are written in the Lambes Booke of life But now is it a Citie so pleasant and peopled vvith such inhabitants and hath it no Gouernours Yes God Iudex vniuersorum 〈◊〉 Iudge of all But here is more matter of feare then comfort wee may quickly offend this Iudge so be quite cast out of this Citie the very name of a Iudge implies terror No for it is the part of a iust Iudge Parcere subiectis debellare superbos to punish obstinate Rebels and to protect peaceable and obedient subiects Somewhat was said of adopted Citizens such as were strangers borne and by grace naturalized What manner of creatures are they that GOD hath admitted to dwell there Spirits Why Diuels are spirits No spirits of Men. But many men haue wicked spirits and shall such dwell there No the spirits of Iust men Why Solon Aristides Phocion Scipio were iust men they were morally iust but not truely iustified not perfected These are iust spirits made perfect How came they to be thus perfect By Iesus vvho was deliuered for our offences and was raised againe for our iustification What is this Iesus A Mediator Man was guilty God was angry how should they be reconciled A Mediator must doe it For this purpose Apparuit inter mortales peceatores immortalem iustum mortalis cum hominibus iustus cum Deo Hee appeared betweene mortall sinners and the immortall Iudge mortall with men iust with God so was a perfect Mediator Whereof Noui foederis of the new Couenant The old was forfeited a new one comes by him that renues all Not Doe this and liue but belieue on him that hath done it for thee liue for euer How is this Couenant confirmed It is sealed with Bloud How is this bloud applyed Aspergendo by sprinkling as the dore-posts sprinkled with the bloud of the Paschall Lambe caused the destroying Angel to passe ouer the Israelites So the aspersion of this immaculate Lambes bloud vpon the conscience shall free vs from the eternall vengeance But what 's the vertue of this bloud It speaketh better things then that of Abel That bloud cried for vengeance this cryes for forgiuenesse The voice of that was Lord see and iudge the voice of this is Father forgiue them they know not what they doe Thus briefely haue I paraphrased the Text. Now for methods sake in the tractation wee may consider generally these fiue points 1. There is a Citie Ierusalem the Citie of the liuing God 2. The situation whereon it is built Mount Sion 3. The Citizens who are Angels and men an innumerable company of Angels and spirits of iust men 4. The King that gouernes it GOD the Iudge of all 5. The Purchaser that bought it and gaue it vs Iesus the Mediator of the new Couenant But now the situation hath the first place in the words therfore challengeth the same in my discourse And indeed on good cause should the foundation goe before the building we first seek out a fit ground and then proceed to edifie on it Mount Sion Not literally that Mount Sion whereon Salomon built the Temple and Dauid his Palace That locall Sion became like Shiloh first exceedingly and superlatiuely loued afterwards abhorred and forsaken like the Tabernacle of Shiloh the Tent that he pitched among men This was threatned to that sacred place as a iust punishment of their rebellious profanenesse Therefore will I doe vnto this house
making straight paths for our feete lest that which is halting be turned out of the way 3. The sacrifices must be Males because the best and most perfect things are to be giuen to God Multi homines pauci viri Let vs offer vp our masculine vertues growing to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. We must aime at this perfect sacrifice Besides in the Law there were three other rules obseruable in the consecration of the first borne 1. That they should be seuen daies with the damme and the eight day be giuen to God Exod. 22. 30. wherein there vvas not onely a respondence to the rule of circumcision limited to the eight day Gen. 17. 12. But to preuent their fraud in offering to God things of no seruice being too soone taken from the damme 2. In voluntary oblations they were forbidden to dedicate to the Lord any of the first borne The firstling of the beasts which should be the Lords firstling no man shall sanctifie it The reason is because that vvas the Lords already Wee haue such names highly recorded on our Hospitall-walls painted on the windowes of our Churches often engrauen in marble the memorable tenent of worthy acts for excellent benefactors Yet All their beneuolence to God is not the Tenth of that they haue robbed God taken from his Church Foole giue of thine owne if thou wilt haue reward in Heauen first restore iustly what thou hast gathered vniustly To giue of that is not Liberaliter dare sed partialiter retribuere thou bestowest on God a Lambe of his owne Evve Doost thou looke for thanks for such a gift Alas it was Gods owne before 3. They were commanded neither to worke nor sheare the first borne Thou shalt doe no worke with the firstling of thy Bullocke nor sheare the firstling of thy Sheepe To curbe their couetousnesse though they would not deceiue the Lord of his first borne yet they would take so much profit of it as they could But they are restrained from diminution they must not present a worne Bullocke nor a shorne Sheepe Now if the Lord was so ielous of first borne beasts how is hee ielous of first borne soules Let vs not thinke our choisest and most excellent things too deare for God that hath made vs his first borne in Iesus Christ. 3. Lastly let vs vpon no condition part vvith our Birthright Hath God aduanced vs to this honour I will make him my first borne higher then the Kings of the earth then let vs neuer sell it Let there be no person profane as Esau who for one morsell of meate sold his Birthright Hath the elder brother Primariam potestatem Be Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers sonnes bow downe vnto thee Let no lust subiect vs seruire minori to serue the younger The enemies rage against them but saith God to Pharaoh Let my sonne goe that hee may serue me if thou refuse to let him goe behold I will slay thy sonne euen thy first borne Thus saith the Psalmist God reproues euen Kings for their sakes Now Omne beneficium petit officium euery benefite is obligatory and binds to some thankful duty Hath God dignified vs with a Priuiledge he expects that our carefulnesse should neuer forfetit Naboth would not sell his Vineyard yet his Vineyard was but a part of his Inheritance his Inheritance but a part of his birthright Though Ahab profferd him a better vineyard or the worth of it in money yet saith Naboth The Lord forbid it me that I should giue the inheritance of my fathers vnto thee And shal we for trifles passe away our eternall Birthright It is a wretched bargaine yet the Blasphemer sweares away his birthright the Epicure feasts away his birthright the wine-bibber drinks away his Birthright the Lauish spends his birthright the couetous sels his birthright for ready mony There be some 1. that sell their Birthright it is said of the Lawyer that hee hath linguam venalem a saleable tongue the couetous venalem animam a saleable soule the harlot venalem carnem a saleable flesh Esau sold his birthright Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse Iudas sold his soule for thirty peeces There is not a more wicked thing then a couetous man for such a one setteth his soule to sale because while he liueth he casteth away his bowels Others pawne their Birthright they are not so desperate as to sell it outright but they will pawne it for a while They seeme to make conscience of their waies generally and to be good husbands of their talents but when an opportune temptation comes with meat in the mouth a fit aduantage of much wealth of high honour of secret pleasure they will embrace and fasten on it though they pawne their soules for a season And indeed he that knowingly ventures to sin doth as it were morgage his birthright puts it to the hazard of redeeming by repentance But it is dangerous to be a Marchant venturer in this case the birthright is precious if that infernall Broker get but a colour of title in it hee will vse tricks to make thee breake thy day and then sue out a Iudgement against thee 3. Some lose their Birthright profane and negligent wretches that leaue their soule perpetually vnguarded vnregarded They may be carefull about many things but one thing is necessary to keepe their Birth-right While they sleepe the enemy sowes tares it is a wretched slumber that sleepes and slips away the birth-right 4. Others giue away their birthright these are specially the enuious and the desperate Malice giues it away and hath nothing for it The Ambitious bargaines to haue a little honour for his Birthright the Couetous to haue some gold for his birthright the voluptuous to haue some sensuall pleasure for his birthright but the malicious giues it away for nothing except it be vexation that doth anguish him and languish him The desperate destroying his body giues away his birthright hee hath nought for it but horrors within and terrors without These men serue the diuels turne for nothing Looke O miserable man vpon the Purchaser of thy Birthright Christ consider the price it cost him if thou sell that for a little pleasure that he bought with so much paine thou thinkest him an idle Marchant No Lord as thou hast giuē it to vs so keepe it for vs that hauing now the assurance of it in grace vvee may haue one day the full possession of it in glory Written in heauen This phrase is often vsed in the Scripture and is but a metaphor whereby God declares the certaintie of some mens eternall predestination and eternall saluation Tostatus makes three written bookes of GOD. 1. The great booke wherein are written all persons actions and euents both good and bad Out of this are taken two other bookes 2. The booke of Predestination consisting onely of the Elect. 3.
The booke of Gods Prescience which he calls the Blacke booke wherin are registred onely the Reprobate But this latter booke hath no warrant in the Scriptures it is true that as there is a certaine number to be saued so the Lord knoweth them that are ordained to destruction but the Scripture giues onely a name of booke to the first not to the worst Non quòd scribuntur in aliquo libro sed quòd non scribuntur in illo libro Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing let them not be written among the righteous Whose names are not written in the Booke of Life from the foundation of the World Not that they are written in any other booke but that they are not written in that booke Indeed God may be said to haue diuerse Bookes 1. Liber Prouidentiae the booke of his Prouidence wherein God seeth and disposeth all things that are done by himselfe in the World Thine eyes did see my substance yet being vnperfect and in thy booke were all my members written when as yet there was none of them Not a sparrow falls from the house not a haire from our heads without the record of this booke 2. Liber Memoriâ—… the booke of Gods memorie wherein all things done by men whether good or euill are registred A booke of remembrance was written before GOD for them that feared the Lord and thought vpon his Name The bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of Life Hence it is plaine that there are other bookes besides the booke of Life This is that which manifesteth all secrets whether mentall orall or actuall Whereby GOD shall bring euery vvorke into iudgement with euery secret thing be it good or euill This Booke shal be opened in that day vvhen God shall iudge the secrets of all hearts by Iesus Christ. 3. Liber Conscientiae the booke of euery mans conscience this is a booke of Record or testimony not so much of Iudicature as of witnesse If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things There is Conscientiae perâ—…rsa that doth wholly condemne there is Conscientiae dubia that doth neither condemne nor acquit there is Conscientiae bâ—…e ordinata such a one had Paul I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost Euery mans conscience beareth witnesse but vbi cogitatio non habet quòd accuset where the thought hath no matter of accusation against a man that conscience doth beare vvitnesse in the holy Ghost Looke well to thy life for thou bearest about thee a booke of Testimonie that shall speake either with or against thee 4. Liber monumentorum a booke of Monuments which containes the acts of the Saints for the memorie of times to come Of this nature were the Chronicles the Acts of the Apostles that martyrologie or golden Legend of the Saints in the Chapter preceding my Text. God threatens the false prophets that they shall not bee written in the writing of the house of Israel 5. Liber veritatis the booke of Truth this may also be called the booke of Life because it containes those rules that lead and direct vs to life eternall As that is called a booke of vvarfare wherein the precepts of the Military Art are written Search the Scriptures for therein yee haue eternall life All these things are the booke of the Couenant of the most high God 6. Liber Vitae the booke of Life it selfe wherein onely are written the names of the Elect whom GOD hath ordained to saluation for euer This is to be written in hâ—…uen Into that holy City shall enter nothing that defileth but only they which are written in the Lambes booke of Life Paul speakes of his fellow labourers vvhose names are in the booke of Life When the Disciples returned said Lord euen the diuells are subiect to vs through thy Name true saith Christ I saw Satan as lightning fall from Heauen Notwithstanding in this reioyce not that the spirits are subiect vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in Heauen This is a borrowed speech Sicut nos ea literis consignamus As we coÌ„mit that to writing the memory whereof we would haue kept So doth God not that he needes any booke of remembrance but because all things are present with him as if they were written in a booke They among men which are chosen to any speciall place or seruice are written in a booke so the Romane Senators were called Patres conscripti and it is called the Muster-booke wherein stand the names of the Souldiers pressed to the warres To conclude this writing in heauen is the booke of Election wherein all that shall be saued are registred Here vnauoydably wee come to the maine question that may seeme to infringe this happy priuiledge of the Church Whether to be written in Heauen be an infallible assurance of saluation or whether any there registred may come to be blotted out The truth is that none written in heauen can euer be lost yet they obiect against it Psal. 69. 28. Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing and let them not be written among the righteous Hence they inferre that some names once there recorded are afterwards put out But this opinion casteth a double aspersion vpon God himselfe Either it makes him ignorant of future things as if he foresaw not the end of elect and reprobate and so were deceiued in decreeing some to be saued that shal not be saued Or that his decree is mutable in excluding those vpon their sinnes vvhom he hath formerly chosen From both these weakenesses S. Paul vindicates him 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of GOD standeth sure hauing the seale The Lord knoweth them that are his First the Lord knowes them that are his this were not true if Gods Prescience could be deluded Then his foundation stands sure but that were no sure foundation if those hee hath decreed to be his should afterward fall out not to bee his The very Conclusion of truth is this Impossibilis est deletio they vvhich are vvritten in heauen can neuer come into hell To cleare this from the opposed doubt among many I will cull out three proper distinctions 1. One may be said to be written in heauen simpliciter and secundum quid Hee that is simply written there In quantum praedestinatus ad vitam because elected to life can neuer be blotted out Hee that is but written after a sort may for hee is written Non secundum Dei praescientiam sed secundum praesentem iustitiam not according to Gods former decree but according to their present righteousnesse So they are said to be blotted out not in respect of Gods knowledge for hee knowes they were neuer written there but according to their present condition apostating from grace to sinne Lyran. 2. Some
of a calme and composed spirit Others conclude that Moses preferred the safety of the people before his own soule Caluin He thought of nothing but vt sâ—…luus sit populus that the people might be saued But this is against the rule of charity for though anothers soule be dearer to me then my owne body yet my owne soule ought to be dearer vnto me then all mens soules in the world yea if all the soules of the Saints yea of the Virgin Mary her selfe should perish except my soule perished for them saith Tostatus Citius deberem eligere omnes illas perire quà m animam meam I ought rather to chuse to saue my owne soule then all theirs Lastly the most and best rest vpon this sense Because the saluation of Israel was ioyned with the glory of God both in respect of the promises made to the Fathers which was not for his honour to frustrate and to preuent the blasphemies of the enemies insulting on their ruine God hath forsaken his people Moses ante omnia gloriam Deispectaâ—…t He respected the glory of God aboue all in regard whereof he was carelesse of his owne saluation Precious to vs is the saluation of others more precious the saluation of our selues but most precious of all is the glory of God Such a wish as this great Prophet of the olde Testament had that great Apostle of the new I could wish my-selfe accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh They say to cleare both these desires from sinne there is no other solution but this that both of them for Gods glory in Israels safety desired a separation from glory for a time not damnation of body and soule for euer Howsoeuer there was some difference in their wishes Chrys. Moses wished Perire cum caeteris Paul perire pro caeteris Moses cum pereuntibus Paulus ne pereant Moses desired to perish with them that perished Paul desired to perish that they might not perish But the aime of both was the Lords glory and the peoples safety Their zeale was ineffable their example inimitable their affection vnmatchable Yet thus farre desirable that all Ministers like Moses and Paul zealously seeke their peoples saluation And I am perswaded that a Parent doth not more earnestly desire the welfare of his childe then doth a good Minister the sauing of his flocke What we desire for you doe you labor for your selues and the Lord Iesus worke for vs all There be some that would haue it granted that Moses and Paul did sinne in those wishes and the concession thereof doth safely end all controuersie I see no preiudice in this answere for the best Saints liuing haue had their weakenesses But if you please after all these to admitte also the hearing of my opinion Mine I call it because I neuer read or heard any yet giue it I call it an opinion because vnusquisque abundat sensu suo and may take which his owne iudgement best liketh By this Booke I thinke he meanes Gods fauour as we vsually say to be in a mans fauour is to be in his bookes We speake of one that dissemblingly cousoned vs such a man shall neuer come in my bookes For you will not enter that man into your booke whom you doe not both trust and fauour To be blotted out of Gods booke is to bee liable to his displeasure subiectuall to his iudgements Now I cannot bee perswaded that Moses euer imagined God would eternally destroy Israel therefore nor did he beg eternall destruction to himselfe Hee wished no more to himselfe then he feared to them But it is expresly set downe ver 14. that God would not cast away Israel to euerlasting perdition The Lord repented of the euill which hee thought to doe vnto his people But thus Lord if they must needs vndergoe thy wrath and seuere punishment for their sin so punish me in the same measure that haue not sinned If thou wilt not fauour them forget to fauour me let mee feele thy hand with them It was not then euerlasting damnation that hee eyther feared to them or desired to himselfe but onely the desertion of Gods present loue and good pleasure to him together with subiection to his iudgements whereof they should taste so deepely as if God had neuer booked them for his owne This seemes to be the true sense by Gods answere Those that haue sinned I will blot out of my booke The offenders shall smart they that haue sinned shall bee punished So Dauid and other Saints felt grieuous impositions though they neuer perished but were ordained to eternall life To conclude they that are written in heauen can neuer be lost Woe then to that Religion which teacheth euen the best Saint to doubt of his saluation while hee liueth Hath Christ said Beleeue and shall man say Doubt This is a racke and strappado to the conscience for hee that doubteth of his saluation doubteth of Gods loue and he that doubteth of Gods loue cannot heartily loue him againe If this loue be wanting it is not possible to haue true peace O the terrors of this troubled conscience It is like an Ague it may haue intermission but the fit will come and shake him An vntoward beast is a trouble to a man an vnto ward seruant a great trouble an vntoward wife a greater trouble but the greatest trouble of all is an vntoward conscience Blessed is the man whose sinnes are forgiuen where there is no remission of sinnes there is no blessednesse Now there is no true blessednesse but that is enioyed and none is enioyed vnlesse it be felt and it cannot be felt vnlesse it be possessed and it is not possessed vnlesse a man know it and how does he know it that doubts whether he hath it or not All soules are passengers in this world our way is in the middle of the sea we haue no sure footing which way soeuer we cast our eyes wee see nothing but deepe waters the Deuill and our owne flesh raising vp against vs infinite stormes God directs vs to Christ as to a sure Anchor-hold he bids vs vndoe our Cables and fling vp our Anchors in the vaile fasten them vpon Iesus we doe so and are safe But a sister of ours passing in the shippe with vs that hath long taken vpon her to rule the helme deales vnkindly with vs shee cuts in pieces our Cables throwes away our Anchors and tels vs wee may not presume to fasten them on the Rocke our Mediatour Shee rowes and roues vs in the midst of the sea through the greatest fogs and fearefullest tempests if wee follow her course wee must looke for ineuitable shipwracke The least flaw of winde will ouerturne vs and sink our soules to the lowest gulfe No they that are written in the eternall leaues of heauen shall neuer be wrapped in the cloudy sheetes of darkenes A man may haue his name written in the Chronicles yet lost written in durable marble yet perish
written on a monument equall to a Colossus yet be ignominious written on the Hospitall-gates yet goe to hell written on his own house yet another come to possesse it All these are but writings in the dnst or vpon the vvaters where the characters perish so soone as they are made They no more proue a man happy then the foole could proue Pontius Pilate a Saint because his name was written in the Creed But they that be written in heauen are sure to inherite it Now to apply all this vsefully to our selues some perhaps would be satisfied how wee may know our names written in heauen It is certaine that no eye hath looked into Gods booke yet himselfe hath allowed certaine arguments and proofes whereby wee haue more then a coniecturall knowledge The principall is the Testimonie of Gods Spirit concurring with our spirit Rom. 8. 16. But of this I haue liberally spoken in some later passages of this booke together with the most pregnant signes of our election Here therefore I am straightned to insert onely some there omitted effects Which are these foure If our hearts be on Gods booke If the poore be in our booke If wee well order the booke of our conscience Lastly if we can write our selues holy in earth then be bold we are vvritten happy in heauen 1. If our heart be on Gods booke and this wee shall find è conuerso if Gods booke be in our heart Mary laid vp Christs words in her heart It must not lye like loose corne on the floore subiect to the pecking vp of euery fowle but it is ground by meditation digested by faith manet alto corde repostum God saies My sonne giue thy heart to me doe thou pray My Father first giue thy selfe to my heart I aske not whether this booke lyes in thy study but whether the study of it lyes in thy heart The life of the Scriptures is not in verborum folijs sed in medulla cordis not in the letters and leaues but in the inwards of the heart It is not lectio nor relectio but dilectio not reading but leading a life answerable that assures vs. If we syncerely loue this booke wee are certainly in Gods booke Mary zealously louing Christs word is said to chuse the better part that shall neuer be taken from her 2. If the poore be in thy booke and this is reciprocall then thou art in their booke and the conclusion is infallible thou art in the booke of Life For the relieued poore by their prayers entertaine or make way for thy entertainement into euerlasting habitations And Christ at the last day calls them to himselfe that haue beene charitable to his members Come yee blessed receiue the kingdome prepared for you Your works haue not merited this kingdome for it was prepared for you but as that vvas prepared for you so your charitie hath prepared you for it Come and take it Let not thy left hand knowe vvhat thy right hand doth Doe thou write it in the dust the poore will write it in their hearts GOD findes it in their prayers their prayers preuaile for thy mercie mercy writes thy name in heauen Thy prayers and thy almes are come vp for a memoriall before God Therefore Cast thy bread vpon the waters drowne it in those watry eyes it is not lost in that Riuer like Peter thou throwest in an angle bringest vp siluer enough to make thee blessed Via coeli est pauper si non vis errare incipe erogare The poore is the high-way to heauen if thou wouldest not wander in thy iourney shew mercy Non potes habere nisi quòd acceperis non potes non habere quod dederis Thou canst haue nothing vnlesse thou receiue it thou canst keepe nothing vnlesse thou giue it Him that the poore writes not charitable on earth nor doth God write saueable in heauen 3. If thy name be written Christian in the booke of thy Conscience this is a speciall argument of thy registring in heauen For if our heart condemne vs not vvee haue boldnesse and confidence towards God Ang. VVhat if mans ignorance and vnmercifull ielousie blot thee out of the booke of his credite Si de libro vinentium nunquam propria deleat conscientia so long as thy owne conscience doth not blot thee forth the booke of blessednesse If the good spoken of vs be not found in our conscience that glory is our shame If the euill spoken of vs be not found in our conscience that shame is our glory Therefore it is that Hugo calls the cōscience Librum signatum et clausum in die Indicij aperiendum a booke shut and sealed onely at the Resurrection to be opened Conscientiam magis quà m famam attende falls saepe poterit fama conscientiae nunquam Looke to thy Conscience more then to thy credite fame may often be deceiued conscience neuer The beames that play vpon the water are shot from the Sunne in heauen the peace and ioy that danceth in the conscience comes from the Sonne of righteousnes the Lord Iesus If a hearty laughter dimple the cheeke there is a smooth and quiet mind within Vpon the wall there is a writing a man sitting with his backe to the wall how should hee read it but let a looking-glasse be set before him it vvill reflect it to his eyes he shall read it by the resultance The writing our names in heauen is hid yet in the glasse of a good conscience it is presented to our eye of faith and the soule reades it For it is impossible to haue a good conscience on earth except a man be written in heauen 4. If the booke of Sanctification haue our names written then surely the booke of Glorification hath them and they shall neuer be blotted out For God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the vvorld that wee should be holy and vvithout blame before him in loue Now as we may reason from the cause to the effect so certainely from the effect to the cause Election is the cause Holinesse the effect as therefore euery one written in heauen shall be holy on earth so euery one holy on earth is written in heauen This sanctitie is manifested in our obedience vvhich must be Ad totum I had respect to all thy commandements Per totum I haue enclined my heart to keepe thy statutes Alway euen to the end De tote to keepe thy precepts with my whole heart In Rome the Patres conscripti were distinguished by their robes and they of the Liuery in London haue a peculiar habite by themselues to differ from the rest of the Company Is thy name enrolled in that Legend of Saints thy liuery will witnes it thy conuersation is in heauen A Senator relating to his sonne the great honours decreed to a number of Souldiers whose names vvere written in a booke the sonne was importunate to see that booke The father shewes him the
God It is a common opinion in the world that Religion doth dull a mans wits and deiect his spirits as if mirth and mischiefe were onely sworne brothers But Gods word teacheth and a good conscience findeth that no man can be so ioyfull as the faithfull nor is there so merry a land as the holy Land no place of ioy like the Church Let the wicked thinke that they cannot laugh if they be tied to the Law of Grace nor be merry if God be in the company But the Christian knowes there is no true ioy but the good ioy and if this be any where it is in the Temple I was glad when they said vnto me Let vs goe into the house of the Lord. Indeed therefore we are not merry enough because we are not enough Christians Can you wish more ioy to be receiued then that Rom. 14 Peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Hilaris cum pondere virtus a ioy that can neither be suppressed nor expressed Or more ioy to be communicated then Colos. 3. in Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songs singing vvith grace in your hearts to the Lord. Thinke thinke thy God is here The Angels of heauen reioyce in his glorious presence and crowne it as their cheefe felicity and shall not poor man reioyce in his gracious presence as it were his most blessed society yes the light of thy Countenance O Lord shall put more gladnesse into our hearts then into the worldlings their aboundance of corne and wine Cast away then your dulnesse and vnwillingnesse of heart Come merrily and with a ioyfull soule into the house of God 3. With Holinesse It is holy ground not by any inherent holinesse but in regard of the religious vse For that place which was once Bethel the House of GOD proued afterwards Bethauen the house of iniquity But it is thus Gods Sanctuary the habitation of his Sanctity Procul hinc procul este profani Put off thy shooes d' off thy carnall affections the place vvhere thou standest is holy ground wash thy hands yea thy heart in innocency before thou come neere to Gods Altar Bee the Minister neuer so simple neuer so sinfull the word is holy the action holy the time holy the place holy ordained by the most Holy to make vs holy said a reuerend Diuine Gods house is for godly exercises they wrong it therefore that turne Sanctuarium into Promptuarium the Sanctuary into a Butterie and spirituall food into belly-cheere And they much more that peruert it to a place of Pastime making the house of praise a house of playes And they most of all that make it a house not laudis but fraudis My house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a d◅nne of theeues robbing if not men of their goods yet God of the better part sincerity of conscience What a horrid thing would it bee Beloued if you should depart from this Church where you learne to keepe a good conscience but into the market and there practise deceit circumuentiō oppression swearing drunkennesse O doe not deriue the commencement of your sinnes from Gods house What a mockery is this and how odious in the sight of heauen if you should begin your wickednesse with a Sermon ◅as the Papists beginne their treasons with a masse I taxe no knowne person but for the facts and faults Non ignota cano I doe not speake of things vnknowne I would to God your amended liues might bring me with shame againe hither to recant and vnsay it But it often so falls out that as those conspirators met at the Capitol so the Church is made the Communis Terminus where many wickednesses haue appointed to meete What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Begin not the day with God to spend all the rest vvith Satan Your tongues haue now blessed the Lord let not the euening finde them redde with oathes or black with curses Let not that saying of Luther be verifyed by you that In nomine Domini incipit omne malum in the name of God begins all mischiefe Whatsoeuer your morning Sacrifice pretend looke to your afternoone You haue done so much the worse as you haue made a shew of good and it had beene easier for your profane hearts to haue missed this admonition This Caueat before I leaue Gods house I thought to commend to your practise when you leaue it I haue held you too long in the Church speaking of the Church It was the most materiall point I propounded to my discourse forgiue the prolixity the breuity of the rest shall make amends The first straine or staire was his entrance into GODS house now hee is in what doth he what bringeth hee vve finde Burnt Offerings I haue three disswasions from punctuall tractation of this point 1. The poore remnant of the fugitiue time 2. I haue liberally handled it on former occasions 3. The necessity is not great of discoursing the Sacrifices of the Law in these dayes of the Gospell wee haue the light and therefore need not trouble our selues to call backe the shadowes Sacrifices are of great Antiquity not onely the Booke of God but euen the Law of nature hath imprinted in mans heart that Sacrifices must be offered It is written in the conscience that an homage was due to the superiour power which is able to reuenge it selfe of dishonour and contempt done it and to regratifie them with kindnesse that serued it But Dauids Sacrifice was the earnest of a thankefull heart I might amplifie it and perhaps picke vp some good gleanings after others full carts I could also obserue that Dauid came not before God empty-handed but brought with him some actuall testimony of his deuoted affection Burnt offerings To the confusion of their faces who will no longer serue God if hee growes chargeable to them If they may receiue from God good things and pay him onely with good words they are content to worship him But if they cannot bee in his fauour but it must cost them the setting on they will saue their purses though they lose their soules If hee requires ought for his Church poore Ministers or poore members they cry vvith Iudas Ad quid perditio haec why is this waste They are onely so long rich in deuotion as they may be rich by deuotion and no longer But for our selues be we sure that the best Sacrifice we can giue to God is obedience not a dead beast but a liuing soule The Lord takes no delight in the bloud of brutish creatures a spirit in bodies the impassible in sauours arising from Altars It is the minde the life the soule the obedience that he requires To obey is better then sacrifice Let this be our burnt offering our Holocaust a sanctified Body and Mind giuen vp to the Lord. First the heart My Sonne giue me thy heart Is not the heart enough no the hand also wash the hands from bloud and
hee thinkes of Preachers as the Deuill sayd of CHRIST that we come to torment him before his time Well then Reioyce sayth GOD Let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth But ironice hee mockes when hee sayes so Now quod Deus loquitur ridens tu lege lacrymans What God speakes laughing doe thou read lamenting If God once laughes itis high time for vs to weepe They will not heare God when he preacheth in their health God will not heare them when they pray in their sicknes They would not hearken to him in the Pulpit nor hee to them on their death bed 6. God speakes by his Spirit This spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit c. Perhaps this is that voyce behind vs as it were whispering to our thoughts This is the way walke in it This is that speaking Spirit It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you It is this Spirit that speakes for vs and speakes to vs and speakes in vs. It is the Churches prayer Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth Sanctus Spiritus osculum Patris The holy Ghost is the kisse of God the Father Whom God kisseth he loueth Now by all these wayes doth God speake peace to our consciences and say to our soules that hee is our Saluation 1. Hee may speake with his owne voyce and thus he gaue assurance to Abraham Feare not I am thy shield thy exceeding great reward If God speake comfort let hell roare horrour 2. Hee may speake by his workes actuall mercies to vs demonstrate that we are in his fauour and shall not be condemned By this I know thou fauourest mee because mine enemie doth not triumph ouer mee 3. Hee may speake by his sonne Come to mee all that labour and are heauie laden and I will ease you 4. He may speake by his Scripture this is Gods Epistle to vs and his letters Patent wherein are granted to vs all the priuiledges of saluation An vniuersall Siquis Whosoeuer beleeues and is Baptised shall be saued 5. He may speake by his Ministers to whom he hath giuen the Ministerie of reconciliation 6. He doth speake this by his spirit he sendeth forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father By all these voyces God sayes to his elect I am your saluation To my Soule Many heare God speaking comfort to the corporall care that heare him not speaking this to the soule They heare him but they feele him not The best assurance is from feeling Come neare let mee feele thee my Sonne sayd Isaacto Iacob let me feele thee my Father say wee to God The thronging Iewes heard Christ but Zacheus that beleeuing Publican felt Christ. This day is saluation come to thy house My Soule There is no vexation to the vexation of the soule so no consolation to the consolation of the soule Dauid in this Psalme calls it his Darling Rescue my soule from their destructions my Darling from the Lyons The same Prophet complained of a great vnrest when his soule was disquieted within him Ionas of a grieuous sicknesse when his soule fainted Ioseph had a cruell bondage when The yron entred his soule So no comfort to the comfort of the soule In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts haue refreshed my soule The wicked heare tell of Gods mercies communitur audimus verbum salutis but God speakes not to their soules Therefore they cannot say with Mary My soule reioyceth This ioy when God speakes peace to the soule is ineffabile gaudium a iubilation of the heart which a man can neither recitare nor reticere neither suppresse nor expresse It giues end to all â—…arres doubts and differences ouercomes the world non-sutes the deuill and makes a man keepe Hilary Terme all his life To my Soule Mine I might here examine whose this Mea is who is the owner of this my A prophet a king a man after Gods owne heart that confessed himselfe the beloued of God that knew the Lord would neuer forsake him holy happy Dauid ownes this meae hee knowes the Lord loues him yet desires to know it more Dic animae Mea say to My soule But let this teach vs to make much of this My. Luther sayes there is great diuinitie in pronounes The Assurance that GOD will saue some is a fayth incident to Deuills The very Reprobates may beleeue that there is a booke of Election but GOD neuer told them that their names were written there The hungry begger at the Feast-house gate smells good cheare but the Master doth not say this is prouided for thee It is small comfort to the harbourlesse wretch to passe through a goodly Citie and see many glorious buildings When hee cannot say Haec mea domus I haue a place here The beautie of that excellent Citie Ierusalem built with Saphyres Emeralds Chrysolites and such precious stones the foundation and walls whereof are perfect gold affords a soule no comfort vnlesse hee can say mea ciuitas I haue a Mansion in it The all sufficient merits of Christ doe thee no good vnlesse tua pars portio hee bee thy Sauiour Happy soule that can say with the Psalmist O Lord thou art my portion Let vs all haue oyle in our Lampes lest if wee bee then to buy beg or borow wee be shut out of doores like the fooles not worthy of entrance Pray Lord say vnto my soule I am thy saluation I am thy saluation The Petition is ended I will but looke into the Benediction wherein I should consider these foure circumstances Quis quid Cui quando Who What to Whom When. Who. The Lord to the Lord Dauid prayes He hath made a good choice for there is saluation in none other Thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thy helpe The world failes the flesh fals the Deuill kils onely the Lord saues What. Saluation a speciall good thing euery mans desire who would not bee saued Euery man would goe to heauen though perhaps hee runnes a course directly to hell Beatus vult homo esse etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse Man would be blessed though he takes the course to be cursed I will giue thee a Lordship saith God to Esau. I will giue thee a kingdome sayth God to Saul I will giue thee an Apostleship sayth God to Iudas But I will be thy saluation he sayes to Dauid and to none but Saints Indeed this voyce comes from heauen comes vnto earth but onely through the mediator betwixt heauen and earth Iesus Christ. Hee is the alone Sauiour Worldlings possesse many things but haue right to nothing because not right to him that is the heire of all thinges Christ. The soule is the perfection of the bodie Reason of the Soule Religion of reason Faith of Religion Christ of faith A man can warrant vs vpon earth that
these goatish conditions they climbe vp ambitiously to the mountres of preferment like goates they pill and barke the Common-wealth like goates they lust after women as hote as goates they trouble the vvaters of Israel the peace of the Church like goates they tread vnder feet Gods blessings like goates they smell of impietie as ranke as goates and therefore they must be separated as goates We haue all from Adam the nature of the goate let vs weepe away and keepe away such goatish qualities And let vs put on the properties of sheepe which Christ Iohn 10. giues to be three Audire obedire sequi to heare Christs word to obey Christs wil to follow Christs steps Search thy soule for these brands and markes of a sheepe or else thou wilt prooue a goate Hast thou fidem agni the faith of a Lambe reposed in the Lambe of God Hast thou innocentiam agni the innocence of a Lambe free from wrong Vellus agni the fleece of a Lambe to warme the poore humilitatem agni the humblenesse of a Lambe a stranger to pride patientiam agni the patience of a Lambe ready to lay downe thy life for Christ then thou shalt haue gloriam agni the reward of a Lambe assured saluation in heauen Thus the goates and the sheepe be like in externall fashion they feed both in one pasture lie both in one fold all their life time but Christ will put them asunder at the last day Like two trauellers that goe together to one Towne take vp one Inne feed together at one boord sleepe together in one bedde but in the morning their wayes part The sheepe and goates eate together drinke together sleepe together rot together but at this day there shall be a separation The goates may deceiue man both in life and death they may be taken for sheepe but Christ can discerne betweene cattell and cattell God iudgeth by the Liuer man by the Liuery If the Liuer be rotten looke the flesh neuer so faire the good market-man will not buy it If Christ finde not the hart sound he vvill none of the carkasse 3. The Probation euery man must vndergoe his tryall From the prison of the graue they are set before the Iudge and there suffer discussion or tryall There are certaine bookes to be opened for this probation some rolles or Records filled vp in the Court of Heauen There is Liber praeceptorum secundum quem liber conscientiae ex quo iudicamur Quicquid praecipitur scriptum in illo quicquid delinquitur in isto Here is Diuina scientia humana conscientia met together Wee may forget our sinnes but God keepes a true Register If the sufferings of the Saints be recorded then sure their violences by whom they suffer are not forgotten Now the book of the Law whereby men are iudged containes three leaues Nature the Law written and the Gospell Some must be tryed by the first onely some by the first and second others by all three First that some shall be iudged onely by the Law of Nature it is cleare As many as haue sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law Here two things are considerable two things one what this Law of nature is the other whether the breach of it be sufficient to condemne 1. It is a knowledge of certaine principles tending to liue well and of conclusions thence necessarily inferred agreeable with the eternall rule of Truth planted by God in man and teaching him to worship his maker Thus Melancthon defines it The matter of it is Principles with conclusions directing to a good life Parents are to be honoured this is a principle engraffed therefore I must honour my Parents this is a conclusion deducted The forme of it is an accordance with the rule of truth Gods morall Law for the Law naturall is the summary abridgement of the Law morall The Author of it is God who hath written it in mans heart Ambros. Deus omnium Creator singulorum pectoribus infudit The end is that it might be a testimony of that Diuine prouidence whereby God now ruleth and of that Iustice whereby he will iudge men This agrees with the Apostles definitioÌ„ Rom. 2. 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts excusing or accusing The worke there 's the matter of it of the Law there 's the forme written there 's the Author that imprints it the conscience accusing or excusing there 's the end In this inward testimony arising from nature are these two principall things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a comprehension of practicall principles and naturall discerning between iust and vniust And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscience chideing for chusing euill and approuing for doing good The one makes the proposition the other the assumption 2. The other point to be discussed is vvhether the breach of this Law doth condemne Some obiect that it is quite blotted out of man therefore cannot bind him No question it is much obscured in respect both of intellectuall and effectuall faculties For vnderstanding it gropeth ifhaply it might feele after God Adam had the knowledge of good by experience of euill onely by contemplation but falling he had also an experimentall knowledge of euill For affection mans will is so peruerse that when as naturally he desires to be happy yet hee wiilingly commits those things against his first intendment that make him most vnhappy As a thiefe steales to keepe himselfe from famine and so from misery thus Ne miser fit malus fit ideo miserior quia malus Lest hee should be wretched he becomes wicked and is so much the more wretched by beeing wicked Beatus vult esse hâ—…mo etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse Man seekes for blessednesse in all places but where it is Yea custome brings this will to contempt of sinne Peccata quamuis hoâ—…renda cùm in consuâ—…tudinem venerint creduntur parua aut nulla Aug. Sinnes horrid and vncouth at first become triuiall and familiar by practice Thus is this naturall light dimmed and ouercast by the corruption of prosperous lusts yet ne ipsa quidem delet iniquitas sinne doth not quite race it out 1. Because there are certaine principles reuiuing in the most dissolute As the desire of happinesse and euery one would attaine that end though they erre in the meanes Yea they know that euill is to bee auoided which appeares in that they would not haue any wrong offered to themselues These generall rules all know albeit in the particular applications they are blinded Hence it came that some grosse sinnes were not condemned of them as robbery among the Germans lust of males among the Grecians Rom. 1. 27. Indeed God did punish malitiam per duritiem yet still remaine some sparkes and cold sinders of that primary and originall fire 2. That the light of nature is not quite extinct appeares by the force and working of the conscience
for this doth vexe and sting the most obstinate soule By this Cain was driuen to confesse the monstrousnesse of his sinne 3. The practice of naturall men euinceth it who by force of nature performed some things agreeable to equity The Gentiles hauing not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law The very Gentiles had many excellent politicke Lawes and positiue constitutions This seemes to cleare the meaning of Plato's two assertions Legem esse inuentionem veritatis that was the Law of Nature Legem esse imitationem veritatis such were the positiue decrees grounded vpon the other But what precepts doth this Law containe and what remnants of it doth man retaine The Law of nature commands man to liue religiously to God aboue him iustly to man with him soberly to things vnder him To deale iustly with men nature giues him two rules one affirmatiue What thou wouldest haue others to doe to thee so doe to them the other negatiue Quod â—…ibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Do not that to others which thou wouldst not haue them doe to thee Euen nature Instructs a man how to rule his affections So Tullie Animus imperat corpori vt Rex ciuibus ratio libidmi vt seruis dominus The minde gouernes the body as a King raignes ouer his subiects the reason lust as a master ouer his seruants Whence had hee this but from nature There is vis rationis orationis adorationis By the vertue of reason man loues man by the power of discourse man regards himselfe by the power of worship man respects God If wee should examine the particular commandements 1. They acknowledged one God Tâ—…lly protested that when he wrote seriously he mentioned but one God and he did but ludere play the Poet when he spake of more Moses called this God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Numa Pompilius iudged it vnlawfull to ascribe any forme to God inuisible 3. They durst indeed play with their puppets imaginary gods Uenus and Cupid c. But for the Deity O may not the reuerence of his vnknowne name condemne vs They cry out Great is their Diana this vindicates them from vilipending the name If they had knowne a greater God they would haue giuen greater reuerence to his Name 4. Diuers of the Gentiles had their Sabbaoths mingled with strange superstitions but they were taught by nature to set apart some time for worship 5. They commanded and commended honour to Parents Solon ordaining no law for Parricides answered there were none so vnnaturall for to attempt it 6. That murder was held abominable appeares by their punishing it according to Gods Law with death 7. That Adultery was odious it is manifest by Pharaoh Why saidst thou She is my sister so I might haue taken her to me to wife By Abimelech to Abraham What haue I offended thee that thou hast brought on mee and my kingdome a great sinne By Abimelech to Isaac What is this thou hast done vnto vs one might haue lyen with thy Wife and thou shouldest haue brought guiltines vpon vs. 8. Theft some punished with death other with double restitution Cato being asked Quid foenerari what it was to practise vsury answered Quid hominem â—…ccidere the same that to kill a man 9. They so hated and auoided falshood and lying that they would not suffer a man to be witnesse against his enemy 10. They thought it vnlawfull to couet other mens goods One of them said Concupiscere alienâ—… sit à me alienatâ—… But now their naturall knowledge being so obscured shall yet the Law of nature condemn yes for the inuisible things of God might be vnderstood by the things that are made so that they are without excuse God could not bee apprehended by them any other way then by nature yet sinning against him they are without excuse Powre out thy fury vpon the heathen that know thee not and vpon the kingdomes that haue not called on thy name He shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God By this shall many millions of men be condemned Inexcusabilis oft omnis peccator vel reatâ—… originis Originall guilt makes vs inexcusable without voluntary additament Ignorantia â—…ius qui â—…oluit intelligere est peccantis culpa Ignorantia eius qui noâ—… potuit intelligere est peccati pâ—…na In virisque non est iusta â—…xcusatio sed est iusta damâ—…atio His Ignorance that would not vnderstand is the wickednesse of sinne his ignorance that could not vnderstand is the punishment of sinne Doth not this latter excuse Yes a Tanto but not a Toto from so much guiltines but not from all guiltines Ignorance can be no plea for all are bound to know it serues not a malefactors turne to plead Ignorâ—…tiam iuris that hee knew not the Law of his Prince which he hath broken I know that simple nescience is minoris culpae but not nullae a lesse fault not no fault The knowing seruant disobedient shall haue many stripes the ignorant is not spared though lesse punished To the ignorant are two wants knowledge and a good will but hee that sinnes wittingly hath but one want onely a good will Hee that failes on knowledge hath voluntatem facti peccati a will both to the deed and to the sinne He that failes in ignorance hath onely voluntatem facti non peccati a will of the deed not of the sinne though the deed be a sinne Perer. Ignorantia duplex vna quae est causa culpae altera cuius causa culpa est There is an ignorance that is the cause of sinne and there is a sinne that is the cause of ignorance No ignorant hath his sinne mitigated but Is solùm qui non habuit vnde discere saith August He onely that had no meanes of learning For Christ is a iust Iudge and would not condemne without fault We haue all good meanes of knowledge GOD keepe vs from the condemnation of ignorance The next booke is the Law that others shall be iudged by this it is cleare without question As many as haue sinned in the Law shall be iudged by the Law The Iewes shall be thus iudged rather then the Gentiles who had not the Law written The Law of Moses did onely bind the Hebrewes the Prophets were not commanded to publish it to the Gentiles Paul calls the times before Christ the times of ignorance and the Gospell a mystery kept secret since the world began Now to obiect first that the Iewish Merchants taught other Nations the Law is vaine for they were generally more apt discere religionem alienam quà m docere suam to learne false religions then to teach the true And many of them did not euen by their owne types and sacrifices perfectly vnderstand the sacrifice of Christ. Then to say their bookes were manifest is false for the Iewes kept
them Vnto them were committed the oracles of God They were first dâ—…positarij then oeconomi dispensers For out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation So Christ to the Samaritan woman Saluation is of the Iewes Now as this crediting facit ad honorem persona cui confidimus Ambr. makes to the honour of the person whom we credit This was a great credit to the Iewes so it brings them to a strict account exigendum cum vsâ—…is as in the Talents God lookes for his owne with vsury Some of them kept them in their hands but not in their hearts alijs magis profuâ—…ura quà m ipsis Erasm. for the benefit of other more then of themselues Now this booke is the Touchstone or tryall of our workes whatsoeuer wee haue eyther thought said or done is eyther with or against this Law of God How we wrangle heere to iustifie many things which there will not abide the tryall How many arguments doth a contentious man produce to countenance his wrangling Law-suites Defensio iuris Intentio legis retardatio iniuriarum The defending of his right the purpose of the Law the keeping backe of iniuries forbeare one wrong and prouoke more and Correctio iniustorum the punishing of euill doers and be not these smooth colours who can now say Peccasti in litigando thou hast done ill in going to law but still we reckon vvithout our Oast thou thinkest thy penny good siluer as the foole thought his peble a diamond bring it to the test There is vtterly a fault among you because ye goe to law one with another Whether vvill God iudge thee according to thine owne humour or according to this precept Alas he vvill then try thee Secundum legem suam non secundum legem tuam after his law not after thy lust It is opus carnis and will not abide tentationem ignis Contention strife variance are works of the flesh they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God Hell fire wil confute alreasons So among others an angry word calls on a challenge they haue plausible reasons for it Their credit lyes vpon it and better lose life then reputation If being wronged they chalenge not or being chalenged they answere not the vvorld condemnes them cowards So they fight not so much against anothers life as against their owne reproach This were somewhat if it were tam bene quà m magnè propositum if the proiect were as Christian as it is Romane Now they must go to the field pray embrace forgiue then fight and kill But is this the Law that God vvil iudge by no that Law is Thou shalt not kill But perhaps they purpose not to kill yet saith God Returne not euil for euil how doth this agree with thy color humor Yet more peremptorily Aâ—…enge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath For vengeance is mine sayth the Lord. Will you steale this from him in a glorious theft hazard your soule more then your body thrusting one vpon an enemies sword the other on Gods sword Will you meet together in so bloudy a designe wherein vterque letaliter peccat saepe alter aeternaliter perit both sinne deadly often one or both perish eternally Thus your pretences may blanch it ouer with the name of honour but the law you must be tried by will finde it homicide For Vsury how is it bedawbed with arguments probabilities patronages examples Bookes haue been written to iustifie it But none of these is that law wherby the Vsurer must be iudged They doe not onely reason thus I must giue to the poore therefore I must take vsury of the rich an argument of Stand-gate hole I may robbe some that I may giue to others But they defend it by Scripture If thou lend money to the poore thou shalt not lay vpon him vsury Not on the poore therefore they inferre vvee may lay it on the rich Robbe not the poore because hee is poore faith Salomon therefore wee may robbe the rich because he is rich and can spare it Is not this a goodly strong argument So because it is said Exo. 22. 22. Ye shall not afflict the widow or fatherlesse child it must needes follow that they may trouble a woman maried or a child that hath a father There are infinite excuses but the Law of triall is Thou shalt not lend vpon vsury studie an answere to that question As much may be said for Impropriations what shall become of all our legal pleas our Alienations Prohibitions Customs Fines all fine excuses when Christ shal set the sacrilegious before him and read this Law Thou shalt not robbe God of his tythes and offerings VVhere now are all reasons and excuses This spirituall Court will admit of no corrupt customes no deuices Mee thou hast robbed by me thou shalt be condemned Lord enter not into iudgement with vs who shall be iustified in thy sight We cannot answere ex millibus vnum one of a thousand Helpe vs O thou Iudge and Sauiour let thy mercy as Iesus help vs against thy Iustice as Iudge VVe must come vnder probation defend vs from reprobation and let vs find approbation not for our workes but thy mercies O blessed Redeemer Amen Lastly others are to be iudged by the Gospell and this certainly bindeth our conscience heâ—…e for it shall iudge vs hereafter He that beleeueth not on Christ is condemned Now the Gospel requires of vs two things Faith and Obedience Faith Repent and beleeue the Gospel Obedience Ye haue obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine Which obedience must be Prompta yee haue obeyed voluntaria from the heart discreta that true forme of doctrine Lyran. Indeed Obedientia Euangelica est ipsa fides Many thinke they are not bound to beleeue the Gospel but by this they shall be iudged True it is that all are not bound to it they to whom Christ neuer spoke was neuer spoken haue an excuse not of euery sinne but of this sinne that they haue not beleeued on Christ. It is obiected The Law bound all therefore the Gospel bindes all No for the Law was giuen to mans nature so though the knowledge was lost by mans default yet the bond remaines on Gods part The Gospel was neuer giuen to mans nature but after the fall and is aboue nature Adam was the roote of mankind in respect of nature not in respect of grace When God gaue the Law to him hee bound him and all his posterity to keepe it When he gaue the Promise to him faith to beleeue it hee did not withall giue it to all mankind Neither if Adam had afterwards falne from faith should all mankind haue falne with him The first Adam was not the roote of the Promise but the second But now to our selues we must
pollution Is not the hand enough no the foot also Remoue thy foot from euill Is not the foot enough no the lips also Guard the dores of thy mouth Refrain thy tongue from euill Is not the tongue enough no the eare also Let him that hath eares to heare heare Is not the eare enough no the eye also Let thine eyes be toward the Lord. Is not all this sufficient No giue body and spirit Ye are bought vvith a price therfore glorifie GOD in your body and in your spirit which are GODS When the eyes abhor lustfull obiects the eares slanders the foote erring paths the hands wrong and violence the tongue flattery and blasphemie the heart pride and hypocrisie this is thy Holocaust thy whole burnt offering I will pay thee my vowes The third and highest degree of this Song is Uowes I will pay thee my vowes And here among vowes I might sooner then with Burnt offerings lose the time your patience and my selfe This vow was no meritorious or supererogatory worke in Dauid But though the Lavv generally binds him to Gods seruice yet to some particular act of Gods seruice he may newly binde himselfe by a vow So Iacob vowed a vow saying If God will be vvith me c. This stone that I haue set for a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that thou shalt giue me I will surely giue the Tenth vnto thee Our Prophet did vow performance of that duty to which without vowing hee was obliged Psal. 119. I haue vowed or sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements There are many cautions in vowes which I must now vow to omitte Onely Salomons rule excepted Eccles. 5. When thou vowest a vow to God deferre not to pay it for hee hath no pleasure in fooles pay that thou hast vowed Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne Let nothing be vowed that is not Penes vonentem in the power of the vower and then the thing being good and thou enabled to performe it this vow must be kept For thy vowes are a heauy charge Psalm 56. Thy vowes are heauy vpon mee O God The Papists haue strange and often impossible vowes of Pouerty Virginity Pilgrimage I will teach thee to make these vowes too God enable thee to keepe them If thou wilt vow pouertie let it be in spirit Vow thy selfe not in the world a begger but a begger to Christ. Many blessed Saints haue serued GOD with their wealth and thought not that religion was only in them that begged If thou wilt vow virginity vow thy selfe a Virgin to Christ whether thou be married or single keepe the bed vndefiled that thou mayest be presented a pure Virgin to Christ. If thou wilt vow Pilgrimage let it not be to our Lady of Loretto or of Halle and Zichem indeed not to our Lady but to our Lord vow thy selfe a Pilgrime to Christ Loade not thy selfe with the luggage of this world lest it hinder thy iourney and cease not trauelling till thou come to thy Home the place of peace and eternall rest These are lawfull lawdible vowes the Lord send vs all to make them and to keepe them You see I am quickly got vp these two latter stayres Some more speciall vse remaines onely to be made and so giue way to conclusion I will take from these three branches a iust reproofe of three sorts of people Refusers Intruders Back-sliders Refusers to come being called Intruders that come being not prepared And Back-sliders that make vowes but not keepe them The first say not We will goe into thy house The second say We will goe into thy house but not with burnt offerings The last deny not both the former We will goe into thy house and with burnt offerings but non soluent vota they will not pay their vowes 1. Refusers or Recusants are of two sorts Papists and Separatists or Schismatikes 1. Papists and they haue so much recourse ad transmarina Iudicia to beyond-sea Iudgements that they dare not come into Gods house because of the Popes interdiction And the Popes haue so wrought and brought it about now that they will not onely in abstracto be had in reuerence but in concreto be feared with obseruation Though at first thirty Bishops there successiuely yeelded their heads to the blocke for Christ yet afterwards by change of Bishops in that See and of humors in those Bishops such alteration hath followed that Rome is no liker to what Rome was then Michals Image on a pillow of goates haire was like Dauid The cause therefore of their not communicating with vs is awe of the Popes Supremacie For some of their greatest Writers haue iustified our Communion booke to containe all doctrine necessary to saluation The not suffering them to come to Gods house is then rather a point of Popish policie and state then of Christian deuotion But indeed they are the Satanicall Iesuites that set them afoote The common people like the Mare mortuum a dead Sea would be quiet enough if these blustring windes did not put them into tumult And so long as those dogges can barke against Gods house the poore affrighted people dare not come there So that England may haue their bodies but Rome hath their hearts and the danger is fearefull lest Satan also come in for his share and take possession of their soules 2. Schismatikes who because their curious eyes looking through the spectacles of opinion spy some Morphew of corruption on the Churches face will vtterly forsake it There are some that refuse peaceable obedience as the Poet made his Playes to please the people or as Simon Magus was Christned for company The Separatists are peeuishly wretched discontent driues them from God and though they say they flie for their conscience indeed they flie from their conscience leauing all true deuotion behind them and their wiues and children vpon the Parish 2. Well they are gone and my discourse shall trauell no further after them but fall vpon others neerer hand There are some so farre from Refusers that they are rather Intruders They will come into Gods house but they will bring no burnt offerings with them no preparation of heart to receiue benefit in the Church They come without their wedding garment and shall one day heare that fearefull and vnanswerable question Friends how came you in hither These are the vtterly prophane that come rather with a lame knowledge then a blinde zeale For some of them good clothes carry them to Church and they had rather men should note the fashion of their habites then God the habite of their hearts They can better brooke ten disorders in their liues then one in their locks Others are the secure semi-atheisticall Cosmopolites and these come too and none take a truer measure of the Sermon for their sleepe beginnes with the prayer before it and wakens iust at the Psalme after it These thinke that God may be
heeles of vanity Mans life is compared to a Day This day to some may be distinguished into twelue houres The first giues vs natiuity euen in this houre there is sin an originall prauity indisposition to good pronenesse to euill Secondly Infancy God now protects the cradle Thirdly Childhood and now we learn to speake and to sweare together the sap of iniquity begins to put out Fourthly Tender age wherein toyes and gawdes fill vp our scene Fiftly Youth this is a madding a gadding time Remember not the sins of this time prayes Dauid their remembrance is bitter sayes Iob. Sixtly Our high noone God that could not be heard before for the loud noyse of vanity now looks for audience for obedience Seuenthly This is full of cares crosses the dugs of the world taste bitter it is full time that this houre should weane vs. Eightly Brings vs to a sense of mortality we feele our bloud decaying Ninthly Our bodies goe crooked and stooping to put vs in minde that they are going to their originall earth Tenthly We are euen as dying we do dye by degrees our senses first faile vs our eyes are dimme like old Isaacs our eares deafe our taste dull our grinders are done our stilts vnable to support vs. Eleuenthly We are a burden to our selues to our friends we long for death if any hope of a better life hath possessed our hearts The twelfth houre it comes Which of these houres pass ouer vs without Gods mercies without our voluntary vnthankfulnesse vnlesse those first houres wherein our ignorance is vncapable of such obseruance All thy day long haue I stretched out my hands vnto thee saith God If none of these houres reclaime vs our day is spent and the night comes that night wherein no man can worke actiuely to comfort though passiuely he worke for euer in torment I knovv that God cuts many one short of most of these houres and often shuts vp his day-light before hee comes to his noone But howsoeuer man passe from Infancy to childhood from childhood to youth from youth to age yet senectutem nemo excedit none can be more then olde Though tam senex nemo quin putet se annum posse viuere no man is so old but still he thinks hee may liue another yeare And therefore lightly the older the more couetous and Quò minus viae restat eò plus viatici quâ—…ritur the lesse iourney men haue the more prouision they make God allowes this liberall time to some but what enemies are we to our selues that of all these twelue houres allow our selues not one Many post off their conuersion from day to day sending Religion afore them to thirty and then putting it off to forty and not pleased yet to ouertake it promise it entertainment at threescore at last death comes and allowes not one houre In youth men resolue to allow themselues the time of age to serue God in age they shuffle it off to sicknesse when sicknes comes care to dispose their goods lothnesse to dye hope to escape martyrs that good thought and their resolution still keepes before them the length of Gracious street at least If wee haue but the lease of a Farme for twenty yeares we make vse of the time and gather profit But in this precious Farme of Time we are so ill husbands that our Lease comes out before we are one penniworth of grace the richer by it Take heed it is dangerous trifling out thy good day lest thou heare this message in the euening This night shall thy soule be required of thee Then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided This is the Question It were somewhat if thou mightest perpetually enioy them thy selfe if thou couldst fetch downe eternity to them As those in the 49. Psalme whose inward thought is that their houses shall continue for euer and their dwelling places to all generations they call their lands after their owne names But there is a Quamdiù and a Quousque Hovv long Hab. 2. How long Thou that lodest thy selfe vvith thicke clay How farre Esa. 14. How farre Thou that madest the earth to tremble and didst shake the Kingdomes Here is a Non vltra to both thy power is confined thy time is limited both thy latitude and extention are brief'd vp heere 's thy period a full stop in the midst of the sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose shall those things bee which thou hast prouided He that should read thy history being ignorant of thy destiny and finde so plentifull a happinesse in the first page of the booke grounds so fertill cattell so prospering house so furnished possibilities stroâ—… king thy hopes hopes milking thy desires desires dancing to the tune of thy pleasures promises of larger barnes more opulent fruites and all this with ease yea with hearts-ease Soule be merry and comming now to the end of the page but not of the sentence turning ouer a new leafe thinking there to reade the maturity and perfection of all should finde a blanke an abrupt period an vnlook'd for stoppe would surely imagine that eyther destiny was mistaken or else some leaues were torne out of the booke Such a Cuius erunt haec omnia would be a terrible dash in a story of happinesse so fairely written and promising so good an Epilogue But here is his end you must read him no further He whom you haue seene this day you shall see him againe no more for euer Whose shall these things be O worldling Were thy grounds as Eden and thy house like the Court of Iehoiakim yet dost thou thinke to raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar no aduenit finis tâ—…us Thy end is come Whose shall these things be It were something yet if thy children might enioy these riches But there is a man that hath no child yet is there no end of his labour neyther is his eye satisfied vvith wealth And he sayth not For whom doe I trauell and bereaue my soule of this good The prodigall would bee his owne heyre and Executor but this couetous man bequeaths neyther legacy to himselfe nor to any knowne Inheritour The other desires to see en end of all his substance this man to see onely the beginning Hee hunts the world full cry yet hath no purpose to ouertake it he liues behind his wealth as the other liues beyond it But suppose hee hath children and then though hee famish himselfe to feed them fatte though he be damned yet if his sonne may be made a Gentleman there is some satisfaction But this Cuius erunt is a scattering word and of great vncertainty Whose shall they be perhaps not thy childrens They say Happy is that sonne whose father goes to the Deuill but thou maist goe to the Deuill and yet not make thy sonne happy For men make heritages but God makes heyres He will wash away the vnholy seed and cut off the generation of the wicked Salomon had
reason of a man and Religion of a Christian keepe it from eruption Thou art resolued neuer to thinke highly of thine owne worth yet thou hast the seed of pride within thee thou art naturally as Luther said borne with a Pope in thy belly there 's the materiall to be too well affected to thy owne doings It is impossible thou thinkst for thee to be made an vsurer now thou hast no money yet thou hast the seede of vsury within thee and Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit all the sons of Adam loue earth too well Who shall euer perswade thee to bow downe before an Idoll yet a dainty feast perswades thee to worship thine owne belly this is no Idolatry It was but a little Cloud that Eliahs seruant saw rising out of the sea like a mans hand yet it portended a great showre Sin seemes at first like a little cloud but it prognosticates a deluge of ensuing wickednes The carelesse Gallant by many trifles often fetch'd runs so far in the Mercers bookes vnawares that he cannot endure to heare of a reckoning These little arrerages taken vp on trust runs our soules so deepe into Gods debt that if the bloud of Christ doe not pay it though we be sold wife and children and all we possesse non habenius vnde we can neuer discharge it 5. Minima peccata maximas in ficiunt virtutes a little sinne infects a great deale of righteousnesse The Leprosie infected the garments and the very walls of the house but Sinne hath infected wood and wooll and wals earth ayre beasts plants planets and stucke a scarre on the chrystall brow of nature it selfe For wee know that the whole creation groneth and trauelleth in paine together vntill now If the great world grone for mans sinne shall not the little world man grone for his owne sinne Send a little temptation in at the eare or eye it will not rest working till it runne like poyson to the heart Dauid let in a little leuen at his eye it quickly wrought to his heart gangrened to adultery to bloud hardly cured A little Coliquintida spoyles all the broth a spotte in the face blemisheth all the beauty Naaman the Syrian is plentifully commended He was captaine of the host a great man with his master and honorable because the Lord by him had giuen deliuerance to Syria he was also a mighty man of valour but he was a Leper This same But marres all But he was a Leper So in the soule one vice disgraceth a great deale of vertue When hee was cured and conuerted by Elisha first he 's charitable offers gold garments but he excepts bowing in the house of Rimmon he is deuout and begs earth for sacrifice but excepts Rimmon he is religious and promiseth to offer to none but the Lord but he excepts Rimmon This little leuen this But Rimmon sowred all Dead flies cause the oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking sauour The Apothecaries vnction is a thing praised in the Scriptures compounded of many excellent simples made not so much for medicine as for Odour yet the flies of death putrifie it So doth a little folly him that is in reputation for Wisedome and Honor. When one commended Alexander for his noble acts and famous atchieuements another obiected against him that he killed Calisthenes He was valiant and successefull in the warres true but he kill'd Calisthenes Hee ouercame the great Darius so but he kill'd Calisthenes Hee made himselfe master of the world grant it but still hee killed Calisthenes His meaning was that this one vniust fact poysoned all his valorous deeds Beware of sinne which may thus leuen the whole lumpe of our soule Indeed we must all sinne and euery sinne sowres but to the faithfull and repentant Christian it shall not be damnable There is no damnation to them that are in Iesus Christ. There is in al corruption to most affliction to none damnation that are in Christ. Our leuen hath sowred vs but we are made sweet againe by the all-perfuming bloud of our blessed Sauiour 6. Minima peccata facilius destruunt the least sins are the most fatall to mens destruction Anima est tota in toto so that if the toe akes the head feeles the eye le ts fall a teare the very heart mournes So let but the eye lust the soule is in danger to be lost Mors per fenestras faith the Prophet Death comes in at the windowes then enters into the Palaces to cut off the children without and the young men 〈◊〉 the streets Is it but an vncleane thought Mors in illâ as the children of the Prophets cryed Mors in ollâ there is death in it and for it A dramme of poyson diffuseth it selfe to all parts till it strangle the vitall spirits and turne out the soule from her Tenement How great a matter a little fire kindleth It is all one whether a man bee killed with the pricke of a little thorne or with the he wing of a broad sword so he bee killed Wee haue seene a whole arme impostumated with a little pricke in the finger if Satan can but wound our heele as the Poets faigne of Achilles he vvill make shift to kill vs there euen from the heele to send death to the heart Therefore Christ cals Hatred murder a wanton eye adultery besides the possibility of act they are the same in the intention of heart The hornet is a little flye yet it stings deadly I know that heauier sinnes shall haue a heauier waight of punishment yet is the least heauy enough to sinke the soule to the bottomlesse pitte Greater fury of iniquity shall haue the hotter fire but O let vs neuer feele the heat of one A little leake sinkes a great vessell Pope Marcelline being accused for Idolatry answered for himselfe I did but cast a few graines of Incense into the fire that was little or nothing Yes it was manifest offering to Idols is that nothing Christ would not obey Satan in his minimis hee would not answer his desire in the smallest sute he could request of turning stones into bread euen vvhiles hee was so hungry as forty daies fasting could make him Teaohing vs to deny Satan in his best motions lest custome of hauing them granted make him so impudent as to take no repulse in his greatest temptations This is the Deuils method of working as it is in the first Psalme Blessed is the man that hath not walked c. First he gets a man to walke a turne or two with him in sinne as it were to conferre and debate the matter After some walking lest he should be weary he preuailes with him to stand in the way of sinners after admission of the thought to commission of the act Lastly hee perswades him for his ease to fit downe in the seate of the scornefull falling to despise God and deride all goodnesse Thus hee brings
like the Raile alone but fooles like Partridges by whole coueys There is but one Truth but innumerable errors Which should teach vs 1. Not to follow a multitude in euill In ciuill actions it is good to doe as the most in religious to doe as the best It shall be but poore comfort in hell Socios habuisse doloris Thou pleadest to the Iudge I haue done as others the Iudge answeres And thou shalt speed as others 2. To blesse God that we are none of the many as much for our Grace whereby we differ from the fooles of the world as for our Reason whereby wee differ from the fooles of nature Now as these fooles are many so of many kindes There is the Sad foole and the Glad foole the Haughtie foole and the Naughtie foole 1. The Sad or melancholy foole is the Enuious that repines at his brothers good An enemie to all Gods fauours if they fall besides himselfe A man of the worst diet for he consumes himselfe and delights in pining in repining Hee is readie to quarrell with God because his neighbours flocke scape the rotte He cannot endure to be happie if with companie Therefore enuie is called by Prosper De bono alterius tabescentis animi cruciatus the vexation of a languishing minde arising from anothers well-fare Tantos Inuidus habet iustae poenae tortores quantos inuidiosus habuit laudatores So many as the enuied hath praisers hath the enuious tormentors 2. The Glad foole I might say the Mad foole is the dissolute who rather then he will want sport makes goodnesse it selfe his Minstrell His mirth is to fullie euery vertue with some slander with a â—…est to laugh it out of fashion His vsuall discourse is filled vp with boasting Parentheses of his old sinnes and though he cannot make himselfe merry with their act hee will with their report as if he roued at this marke to make himselfe worse then he is If repentance doe but proffer him her seruice he kickes her out of dores his minde is perpetually drunke and his bodie lightly dies like Anacreon with a grape in his throat He is stung of that serpent whereof he dies laughing 3. The Haughtie foole is the ambitious who is euer climbing high Towers and neuer forecasteth how to come downe Vp he will though he fall downe headlong He is wearie of peace in the Countrey and therefore comes to seeke trouble at Court where hee haunts great men as his great spirit haunts him When he receiues many disappoyntments he flatters himselfe still with successe His owne fancie perswades him as men doe fooles to shoot away another arrow thereby to find the first so he looseth both And lastly because his pride will admit of no other punisher he becomes his owne torment and hauing at first lost his honestie he will now also loose his wittes so truely becomes a foole 4. The Naughtie foole is the Couetous This is the Follie that Salomon saw vnder the Sunne You heard before of a merry foole but the very foole of all is the auarous for he will loose his friends starue his bodie damne his soule and haue no pleasure for it So sayth the Prophet He shall leaue his riches in the midst of his dayes and at his end shall be a Foole. He wasts himselfe to keepe his goods from wast he eats the worst meate and keepes his stomach euer chiding He longs like a foole for euery thing he sees and at last may habere quod voluit non quod vult haue what he desired neuer what he desires He feares not the day of iudgment except for preueÌ„ting the date of some great oblâ—…gatio You would thinke it were pettie treason to call a rich man foole but he doth so that dares iustifie it Luk. 12. Thou foole this night shall they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided We haue anatomized the Foole let vs behold his Sport He maketh a mocke at sinne The Fathers call this Infimum gradum and Limen inferni the lowest degree of sinne and the very threshold of hell It is Sedes pestilentiae the Scorners chaire Psal. 1. wherein the vngodly sittes blaspheming God and all goodnesse Nemo fit repente pessimus No man becomes worst at first This is no suddaine euill Men are borne sinnefull they make themselues prophane Through many degrees they climbe to that height of impietie This is an extreame progresse and almost the iourneys end of wickednesse Improbo laetari affectu Thus Abner cals fighting a sport Let the young men arise and play before vs. They glory in their shame sayth the Apostle as if a condemned malefactor should boast of his halter Fooles make a mocke at sinne We shall the more clearly see and more strongly detest this senseles iniquitie if we consider the obiect of the Fooles Sport Sinne. 1. Sinne which is so contrary to goodnes and though to mans corrupt nature pleasing yet euen abhorred of those sparkes and cinders which the rust of sin hath not quite eaten out of our nature as the Creation left it The lewdest man that loues wickednesse as heartily as the deuill loues him yet hath some obiurgations of his owne heart and because he will not condemne his sinne his heart shall condemne him The most reprobate wretch doth commit some contraconscient iniquities and hath the contradiction of his owne soule by the remanents of reason left in it If a lewd man had the choice to be one of those two Emperors Nero or Constantine who would not rather bee a Constantine then a Nero The most violent oppressor that is cruell to others yet had rather that others should be kind to him then cruell The bloudiest murderer desisires that others should vse him gently rather then strike kill or butcher him Nature it selfe prefers light to darkenesse and the mouth of a Sorceresse is driuen to confesse Video meliora probóque The most rigid vsurer if he should come before a seuere Iudge would be glad of mercie though himselfe will shew none to his poore bond-men In bene viuendo requiem natura fateri Cogitur It is then first a contra-naturall thing to make a mocke at sinne 2. Sinne which sensibly brings on present iudgments Thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee Sinne procured the former and that was greeuous 38. yeares bed-rid Sinne is able to draw on a greater punishment Least a worse thing come vnto thee If I should turne this holy booke from one end to the other if I should search all Fathers yea all writers whether diuine or humaine I should euince this conclusion that Sinne hales on Iudgement Pedisequis sceleris supplicium If there be no feare of impietie there is no hope of impunitie Our Machiauellian Politicians haue a position that Summa scelera nicipiuntur cum periculo peraguntur cum praemio the greatest wickednes is begun with danger gone
euen to them that beleeue on his Name By one offering hee hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified This is sure comfort to vs though hee dyed almost 1600. yeares agoe his bloud is not yet dry his wounds are as fresh to doe vs good as they were to those Saints that beheld them bleeding on the Crosse. The vertue of his merits is not abated though many thousand hands of Faith haue taken large portions out of his treasurie The riuer of his Grace which makes glad the citie of God runnes ouer the bankes though infinite soules haue drunke heartie draughts and satisfied their thirst But because we cannot apprehend this for our selues of our selues therefore he hath promised to send vs the Spirit of truth who will dwell with vs and applie this to vs. for euer Thus you haue seene the first Triplicitie how he is the Same Obiectiuely in his Word Now he is Subiunctiuely in his Power the Same and that Yesterday for he made the world To day for he gouerns the world For euer for he shall iudge the world Yesterday in the Creation All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made By him were all things created that are in heauen and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him All things euen the great and faire booke of the world of three so large leaues Coelum Solum Salum Heauen Earth and Sea The Prophet cals him the Everlasting Father Daniel Auntient of dayes Salomon sayes that the Lord possessed him in the beginning of his way before his workes of old So himselfe told the vnbeleeuing Iewes Before Abraham was I am We owe then our selues to Christ for our creation but how much more for our redemption Si totum me debeo pro ine facto quid addam iam pro me refecto In primo opere me mihi dedit in secundo se mihi dedit If I owe him my whole selfe for making me what haue I left to pay him for redeeming me In the first worke he gaue my selfe to me in the second he gaue himselfe to me By a double right we owe him our selues we are worthy of a double punishment if we giue him not his owne To day in the Gouerning Hee vpholdeth all things by the word of his power Hee is Paterfamilias and disposeth all thinges in this vniuerse with greater care and pâ—…ence then any house-holder can menage the buâ—…nesse of his priuate familie Hee leaues it not as the Carpenter hauing built the frame of a house to others to perfect it but lookes to it himselfe His Creation and Prouidence is like the Mother and the Nurse the one produceth the other preserueth His creation was a short prouidence his prouidence a perpetuall creation The one sets vp the frame of the house the other keepes it in reparation Neither is this a disparagement to the Maiestie of God as the vaine Epicures imagined curare minima to regard the least things but rather an honour curare infinita to regard all things Neither doth this extend onely to naturall things chained together by a regular order of succession but euen to casuall and contingent things Oftentimes cùm aliud volumus aliud agimus the euent crosseth our purpose Which must content vs though it fall out otherwise then we purposed because God purposed as it is falne out It is enough that the thing attaine the owne end though it misse ours that Gods will be done though ours be crossed But let me say Hath God care of foâ—…les and flowers and will he not care for you his owne Image Yea let me goe further Hath God care of the wicked Doth he powre downe the happie influences of heauen on the vniust mans ground And shall the faithfull want his blessing Doth hee prouide for the Sonnes of Beliall and shall his owne children lacke He may giue meate and rayment to the rest but his bountie to Beniamin shall exceed If Mâ—…b his Wash-pot tast of his benefites then Iudah the signet on his finger cannot bee forgotten The King gouernes all the Subiects in his Dominions but his seruants that waite in his Court partake of his most Princely fauours God heales the sores of the very wicked but if it be told him Lord hee whom thou louest is sicke 〈◊〉 enough hee shall bee healed The wicked may hâ—…â—…utward blessings without inward and that is Esau's pottage without his Birth-right but the elect haue inward blessings though they want outward and that is Iacobs inheritance without his pottage For euer because he shall iudge the world GOD hath appoynted a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that Mâ—…n whom he hath ordained In the day that God shall iudge the secrets of mâ—…n by Iesus Christ. Let the wicked flatter themselues that all is but talke of any comming to Iudgement non aliud videre patres aliudve nâ—… pâ—…tes aspicâ—…nt all is but terriculamenta nutricum meere scar-babes Scribarâ—…m peâ—… mendaces they haue written lies there is no such matter But when they shall see that Lambe whom they haue pearced and scorned they shall cry to the mountaines and rockes Fall vpon vs and couer vs. Now they flatter themselues with his death mortuus est hee is dead and gone and Mortuum Caesarem quis â—…etuit Who feares euen a Caesar when he is dead But he that was dead liueth behold I am aliue for euermore Amen Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and for euer Quâ—…sitor scâ—…erum veniet vindexque reorum Here is matter of infallible comfort to vs. Lift vp your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Here wee are imprisoned martyred tortured but when that great Assise and generall goale-deliuery comes Mâ—…s non â—…rit vltra there shall be no more death nor sorrow but all teares shall be wiped from our eyes For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from heauen with his mightie Angels We shall then find him the Sâ—… the same Lambe that bought vs shall giue vs a venitâ—… beati Coâ—…e ye blessed receiue your kingdome Surely I come quickly Aâ—…on Euen so Come Lord Iesus Effectually in his Grace and Mercie so he is the Same Yesterday to our fathers To day to our selues For euer to our children Yesterday to our Fathers All our Fathers whose soules are now in heauen those Spirits of iust men made perfect Hebr. 12. were as the next words intimate saued by Iesus the mediatour of the new Couenant and by the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abell Whether they liued vnder Nature or vnder the Law Christ was their expectation and