of Nabal Indeed I haue kept all in vaine that this fellowe had in the wildernes so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him for he hath requited me euill for good so and more also doe God vnto the enemies of Dauid for surely I will not leaue of all that he hath by the dawning of the day any that pisseth against the wall Euen so Christ may say Indéed in vaine haue I bestowed so many benefites on wicked and obstinate mankind in vaine haue I shewed so many mercies in vaine haue I taken flesh for vngodly and vnfaithfull men and suffered death and preach the Gospell and sent my Apostles and offered the graces of my holy spirit and instituted my Sacraments and winked at them so often and imparted on them so many good things of nature and of the earth and what lay in me for my part I haue caused that nothing hath perished of all that pertained to man in vaine haue I done all this for vngodly and vnfaithfull men since they requite euill for good Vngratefull and foolish men are like to sottish Babel for they haue receiued my benefits yet haue seâ—ued Sathan and the flesh and when I sent my children my poore and my distresied members vnto them they did not couer the naked nor féede the hungrie nor comfort the afflicted God doe so and more also vnto mine enemies For I will destroy them and make them know how dangerous a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God who is euen a consuming fire Abigail met with angrie Dauid Heb. 12.29 and appeased him but in the last Iudgement when Christ shall descend to reuenge the contempt of the vngodly that regarded not his saluation offered vnto them No Abigail shall make Intercession for sinners as S. Chrysostome prooues clearely out of the Scriptures Hom. 22. ad pocul AntiocheÌ„ Behold saith he how he that was not arrayed with the Wedding robe was cast out at the doores and none was a petitioner for him Behold how he that gained not with his Talent was punished and none made Intercession for him Behold how the fiue foolish Virg nes were excluded and their fellowes made no request for them Therfore the terror of this day is vnutterable and cannot be expressed because the Iudge shall be inexorable and cannot be intreated Then shall be heard the great and loude voyce of the Archangell and the Trumpet of God which all the Elements obey which cleaues the Rockes opens Hell breakes the bondes of the dead Chrys sup 1. Cor. 15. calles soules out of the depth and ioyned them againe with their bodies and all this it doth sooner then an Arrow doeth flie through the Ayre For the Apostle saith that it shall be done in a moment or twinkling of an eye Then shall come the time when the vnbeléeuing and vnrepenting shall say to the hils Fall vpon vs to the Mountaines Couer vs Luk. 23.30 and shall hide themselues from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throane and from the wrath of the Lambe and shall séeke death Reu. 6.16 Reu. 9.6 and shall not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them and shall goe into the holes of the Rockes Isai 2.19 and into the Caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and from the glory of his Maiestie when hee shall arise to destroy the earth Then there shall be a most strickt examination For what is lesse then an idle word yet the Lord saith Mat. 12.39 That of euery idle word that men shal speak they shal giue account therof at the day of Iudgement Then the hidden and secret cogitations shall be disclosed 1. Cor. 4.5 For when the Lord doeth come hee will lighten things that are hid in darknes and make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shal euery man haue praise of GOD. Then shall bee done to the wicked and impenitent sinners which Nathan threatned to Dauid Thou didst it secretly 2. Sam. 12 12 but I will doe this thing before all Israell and before the Sunne That is the lurking sinnes of the vngodly shall be displayed before the view of the whole world 2. Cor. 5.10 Then we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of God that euery man may receiue the things which aâ—e done in his body according to that he hath done whither it be good or euill Eccles 12.14 for God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Then Ierusalem shall be searched with lanterns Ezek. 8.12 and the wall shall be digged downe and the abominations shall be seene at an open doore which sinners haue done in the darke and in their priuie chambers when they fondly said in their imagination The Lord seeth vs not the Lord hath forsaken the earth Then the Sonnes of men shall be called to a reckoning for all their workes as schollers are brought to repetitions in the end of the weeke and laborers receiue their wages in the euening and merchants pay when the faire is done for the wares which they haue staied and taken vp Then the wicked shall feele the shâ—rpenes of the two edged sword of Gods wrath which now is shut vp in the scabberd of mercie and the burning flame of Gods displeasure which is now couered like the Sunne vnder the cloude of long suffering and they shall no more be able to resist Gods firie anger Matt. 3.12 then the chaffe can resist the fire for they are the chaffe that shall be burnt vp with vnquenchable fire Then Sathan will conuince the obdurate transgressor by his owne offences and charge him with the debts he oweth him euen as the Creditor conuinceth his debter by his owne hand-writing Then the sinnes of the vnbeléeuers shall be opened as a fardell in the market and shall appeare in iudgement against them and like bastard children borne of wickednes Wisedom 4.6 shall be witnesses of the wickednes against their parents when they be asked If any should haue his secret faults reuealed in an open assembly in this world Chrys hom 5. ad Rom. would he not rather wish to die and to be swallowed vp quicke of the earth then to haue so many witnesses of his sinnes What then shall become of wretched sinners when all their doings shall be disclosed to the whole world vpon an open and perspicuous stage and shall be séene of infinite thousands whom they neuer knewe Now the sinnes of the wicked are so hidden as if they were written in Gods booke not with cléere Inke but with the iuyce of a citron or orenge Those things which are written with the iuyce of an orenge appeare not till they be brought to the fire and then they may be read plainely euen so the secret iniquities of the vngodly shall clearely appeare in the fire of the last iudgement For in Fire
Quando quidem ipse etiam librorum aspectuâ— segniores nos reddit ad peccandum forasmuch as the very sight of the Bookes doth withhold vs from sinning If the very sight of the sacred Bible in our houses will cause vs to thinke thus I will not sweare vainely I will not blaspheme I wil not offend the diuine Maiestie this way or that way because yonder lyeth the holy Booke of God which forbids sinne and threatens sinners shewes the punishment of vngodlines If the very sight of the Bible doe so much how will the reading and perusing and reuerent meditating on the scriptures amend and reforme our manners Lastly that the word of God will make vs absolute Saint Paul teacheth when he saith to his scholler Timothie 2. Tim. 3.15 â—6 11 that the holy scriptures were able to make him wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus for the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes As if he had said the scripture teacheth the truth of the Christian faith and conuinceth erroneous doctrines and rebukes vices and instructs in all godlines and holy conuersation And that more is Rom 15.4 as the same Apostle affirmes as the scriptures were written for our learning so they were written for to bréede in vs patience and consolation and hope in all our afflictions If the word of God be able to prepare vs on this wise to euery good worke who will not admire the fulnes and sufficiencie thereof He that would say that the scripture containes not all things necessarie to saluation but that some vnwritten verities are to be beléeued equally with the written word such as were those things that Paul ordered when he came to Corinth 1. Cor. 11.34 2. Thes 2.15 2. Io. 11. 3. Io. 13.14 Io. 21.25 and the instructions and traditions that he vttered to the Thessalonians those things which the blessed Euangelist would not write with pen ynke and paper but speake mouth to mouth and those other things which Iesus did the which if they should be written euery one the Euangelist supposeth that the world could not containe the Bookes that should be written He that would obiect this to procure authoritie to mens deuises must knowe that the things which Paul ordered among the Corinthians were not fundamentall points of Christian doctrine but such things as pertained to order and decencie as place time forme of prayers and other such like for which the Apostle tooke order in congregations according to the consideration of times places and persons and he must knowe that the instructions and traditions giuen to the Thessalonians were nothing else but the selfe-same doctrine which formerly the Apostle had deliuered vnto them either by word or by letter and he must knowe that the Euangelist meanes not any other Gospell 1. Io. 1.1 then that which he had before preached and written euen Iesus Christ the eternall life which was from the beginning which he had heard and séene with his eyes and looked vpon and handled with his hands but he meanes some particular matters that priuately beloÌ„ged to some speciall persons and were not tending to the edification of the whole Church and he must knowe that though all things are not written Io. 20.31 that Iesus did yet enough is written that we might beléeue that Iesus is that Christ that sonne of God and that in beléeuing we might haue faith through his name and Christs Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and no reuelations or apparitions are to be expected Luk. 16.29 Heb. 1.1 for we haue Moses and the Prophets and must heare them and albeit at sundry times and in diuerse manners God spake in the old time to our fathers by the Prophets in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his sonne that is although the former declaration of Gods will made by the Prophets was not full yet nothing must be added to this latter For the sacred scriptures are the touchstone to try truth and falsehood as Cyprian shewes by an excellent similitude in which he likens the scripture to a pipe or conduit of water If saith he a conduit of water do suddenly faile In epist ad Pompeiuâ— coÌ„tra epist Stephani which before ran copiously abundantly doe we not presently goe to the head of the spring that we may see whether the vaines encreasing the head be dried vp or whether they running ful from thence it faile in the mid or meane way And if we find that the pipe be corrupted or broken we ameÌ„d it that the current of water may runne as it formerly did Euen so must the Ministers of God do they must keepe them fast by the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of God that if the truth reele or stagger in ought we may returne to the fountaine of the Lord the Gospel that which hath bene deliuered by the Apostles that a reason of our doing may thence arise from whence both the order and originall thereof proceeded For if we haue recourse to the welspring of Gods ordinance all error of man ceaseth and whatsoeuer is obscurely hidden vnder a darke cloud it is opened by the light of â—ruth Since then the word of God is so vsefull and necessarie for vs Chrys ser 3. de Laz let vs follow the custome of Smythes Carpenters and other such Artificers They haue stâ—ll the tooles and instruments of their science readie and fit and though dearth or pouertie constraine them yet they had rather do any thing then sell their tooles and so maintaine themselues and they had rather pay vse for monie then engage their instruments For why they well know that if they sell their tooles their art decaies and the foundation of their gaine fals to ground but while their tooles are left and they apply their facultie in processe of time it may come to passe that they may pay their debt But if they doe away their tooles before they pay their debt what hope or expectation is left Of this minde must euery Christian be And as their tooles are the hammer and tongs and anuile and the like so our instrumeÌ„ts are the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and the whole scripture giuen by inspiration of God As they finish the workes which they take in hand by their instruments and tooles euen so by these Bookes we frame our selues and corrupt our liues and reforme and renew our soules But héerein is the ods that the Artificer by his craft onely ads a forme and shape to that he workes on but he cannot chaunge the substance and matter for he cannot turne siluer into gold or yron into copper but he onely alters the outward shape and proportion of
to say and sweare falsely for hatred fauor or gaine let Malachies prophecie he remembred where the Lord saieth thus Mal. 3.5 I will come neere to you in iudgement and I will be a swift witnes against the southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages vexe the widowe and the fatherles and oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of hostes For what shall it profite a man Matt. 16.26 to win the whole world and to loose his soule or what shall he giue for a recompence of his soule Bernard since that day shall come in quo plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba conscientia bona quam marsupia plena in which a cleane heart shall more auaile then a subtill tongue and a good conscience more then a full purse Because that Iudge will neither be deceiued by wordes not be wrested by gifts For the great and last iudgement shall be after another manner then the iudgements that are holden in this world Rom. 14.10.11.12 It shall not auaile to run away For we shall all appeare before the iudgement feare of Christ and euery one of vs shall giue accounts of himselfe to God Dan. 7.9.10 It shall not auaile to denie the faults for the booke of euery mans conscience shall be opened and euidence giuen of euery mans doings It shall not auaile to endeuor to beguile the Iudge for Christ knoweth all men And hee needeth not that any should testifie of man Ioh. 2.25 2. Pet. 3.7 for he knoweth what is in man It shall not auaile to trust in riches honours and treasure for the earth with all the riches and workes thereof shall be burnt vp What is it then that will auaile at that day Euen this that Christ acknowledge vs for his owne seruants and Christ will acknowledge and confesse those onely to be his Matt. 10. â—2 33 who haue beléeued in him and confessed him before men Saint Ieromes words are most worthy of obseruation when he thus speakes of himselfe Whether I eate or drinke In com in Matt. or doe any other thing alwaies that voyce seemeth to sound in mine eares Arise ô yee dead and come to iudgement as often as I muse on the day of iudgement so often doe I tremble with my whole heart and body for we must after such a manner passe ouer the pleasantnes of our life as that the bitternes of the iudgement to come be neuer forgotten Againe as the remembrance of the day of iudgement will curbe vs from hardnes of heart and continuing in sinne so it will comfort and chéere vs in our afflictions and miseries And therefore our Sauiour proposed the parable of the fig-tree saying Luk. 21.28.9 â—0 31 Behold the fig-tree and all trees when they now shoote foorth ye seeing them knowe of your owne selues that summer is then neere so likewise ye when ye see these things come to passe knowe ye that the kingdome of God is neere And when these things begin to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere In which words Christ not onely meanes that those troublesome times shall be as certaine a signe of his comming as we certainely knowe that summer approacheth when trées bud foorth but he signifieth another thing besides For whereas in winter trees being drawne together with roughnes of colde séeme to be the stronger but when in the spring that hardnes is dissolued they appeare weaker and as it were clouen and opened that new tendrels and springals may breake out so the strength of the Church is not hindred when afflictions doe soften it in the eyes of men For as the inward iuyce dispersed through the whole trée when it is softned it encreaseth force to renew that which was before as it were dead so the Lord doth bring foorth the full restoring of his children from the corruption of the outward man The summe is this that by the feeble and fraile state of the Church we should not coniecture a destruction and decay but rather hope for immortall glorie vnto which the Lord prepareth his eiect by the crosse and tribulation For that which the Apostle speaketh of the seuerall parts must be applied to the whole body of the Church 2. Cor. 4.16 namely That though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily In the meane time art thou afflicted with pouertie want and scarsitie bee of good comfort a day is at hand when thy Sauiour will came to giue thee the glorie of Heauen that exceedes pearle pretious stones all the golde and treasure of Ophyre all things of this world most desireable Art thou molested with sicknes and infirmitie of bodie Be of good comfort a day is at hand when thou shalt be partaker of that Kingdome where is no sicknes no sorrowe no enemie no enuie no danger no death no feare of death Art thou falsely slandered and vniustly accused and oppressed wrongfully and depriued of thy right Be of good comfort a day is at hand when the cause of the Poore and Fatherles and widow shall be righted And no Bribes no partialitie no gloses no fleights no fetches shall either suppresse trueth or oppresse the true 2. Thess 1.6.7.8.9.10 For it is a righteous thing with GOD to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble the godlie to them which are troubled rest when the Lord IESVS shall shew himselfe from HeaueÌ„ with his mightie Angels in flaming Fire rendring vengeaÌ„ce vnto them that doe not know God which obey not vnto the Gospel of our Lord IESVS CHRIST which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lorde and from the glory of his power when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made merueilous in all them that belieue in that day And when the royall Psalmist saieth That precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 He giues vs notable coÌ„solation and doeth defend vs as it were with a Buckler not onely against the terrors of death and dartes of Sathan in the publike persecutions of the Church but also against priuate griefe and sorrow For he witnesseth that the Church is subiect to the Crosse and afflictions but yet that the godly can neuer bee brought so neere the gates of Death that they can see nothing but death and destruction before them And he admonisheth that those afflictions and griefes of the godlie are not tokens of Gods Anger and of their casting off from the face of God as worldlings iudge who when they sée the godly to be vexed outwardly destitute of all succour they assault them the more vehemeÌ„tly and insult vpon them the more proudely and hee teacheth that though now and then some members of the Church are slaine by Enemies and Tyrants yet that
righteousnes and this is our Sanctification And thus if wee put on first Isai 61.10 Ezek. 16.10.11.12.13 Psal 4â— 13.14 the Purple robe and then the white robe At last wee shall be adorned with the Golden robe which is the glittering Garment of perfect Righteousnes and eternall life in Heauen and this is our glorification They therefore that haue these purple white robes are to be couÌ„sailed that they defile them not but that they walke in white that they may be worthie Reu. 3.3.4 watch for the coÌ„ming of him that wil come as a Thiefe in the night they are to be admonished that haue not these purple and white garments that they beg them deuoutly earnestly of God that they may be clothed that their filthy nakednes doe not appeare Reu. 3.18 and out of Gods word they are to be pronouÌ„ced Blessed that watch keepe their garmeÌ„ts lest they walke naked Reu. 16.15 meÌ„ see their filthines For he that is arraied with the purple robe of Christs righteousnes the white garment of Newnes of life in this world shall wtout all doubt and peradueÌ„ture in the end be garnisht and clad with the goldeÌ„ robe of immortalitie and glorie in the kingdome of heauen Wheâ—efore whither we be young or olde rich or poore at home or abroade buying or selling sicke or healthy ioyfull or heauy acting or conteÌ„plating let vs all stil beare in mind this lessoÌ„ giueÌ„ vs of our SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST euen this Watch therefore pray continuallie that yee may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that yee may stand before the Sonne of man AMEN Vni-trino Deolaus gloria THE SECOND part THE TITLES OF THE treatises tending to this purpose are set downe in the next page By R. W. Minister of Gods word Matt. 7.1.2 Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what iudgement ye iudge ye shall be iudged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you againe LONDON Printed for Arthur Iohnson 1612. THESE TREATISES contained in the second part Spirituall balme for the afflicted A triumph ouer tribulation Ministers ought to moue to mercifulnes Pittifull persons lend to the Lord. A ghâ—st for the Soule The humble Centurion Constancies crowne TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull S. Edward Gyles Knight Accomplishment of all godlie desires and continuance of the Loue of God and men SYR if wee ponder things duely in the Ballance of consideration wee shall finde that the Sonnes of Adam are cummonly either crossed and combred with the burthen of trouble and a iuersitie or else doe enioy in more or lesse measure quietnes and prosperitie The first sort for the most part repine and grumble against Gods sacred prouidence as though he that keepeth Israell did slumber or sleepe they are enfeebled and faint welnigh faile vnder the weight of tribulation as though euen as Christ suffeâ—ed and then entered into his glorie So wee also should not through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God they turne aside to by-paths out of the right course seeking plenarie contentation in transitorie delights where it cannot be found forsaking the Fountaine of liuing waters and following broken Cesternes that can holde no liquor repairing to Beelzebub the god of Ekron as though there were no God in Israel or Balme in Gilead The second sorte forgetting that Christians as fellow-members of one bodie are interessed one in anothers Felicitie and therefore ought to simpathize mutually and participate their ioy with their brethren are either negligent in making their Election sure by good workes and in manifesting the sinceritie of their Faith by Loue and Charitie Or albeit they haue a most sure word of the Prophets to guide them yet they doe not take heede vnto it as vnto a Light that shineth in a darke place vntill the Day dawne and the Day-starre arise in their hearts Or they are insolent and proude of their vertues and puffed vp with an ouer-weening conceit of their imaginarie perfection Or they are tired quickly wearied in the race of pietie at last fall away from their owne stedfastnes They that are attainted with these and the like daily and dangerous maladies by aduised perusing effectuall practizing of these following Treatises shall through the blessing of the God of all Consolation feele their infirmities if not altogether cured and remoued yet much diminished and mitigated specially if they applie the enioyned Medicines in such manner as they ought Namely with reuerence zeale and faith and if they bring a minde and longing desire to be recouered For it falls out in spirituall diseases as it doeth in corporall when a Medicine is not takeÌ„ in decent order it becomes vnprofitable And when the grieued person doth not desirously couet health all potions are vnfruitful Neither onely the receits are here prescribed but their reasons are drawne out of that Booke vnto which all humane reason must be subiect least perhaps otherwise some Patient might say as the Prince of Philosophers did in his griefe to his Physitian Come not to heale mee as if I were a Neat-heard or an Hedger but yeelde me a reason of the things thou commandest I will the more promptly obserue them My doings shall be battered with detraction Cauillation Controlling For some feede themselues with the gaule of Animaduersion and bitternes of reprehension as it is reported that the Quaile liueth by poyson But my comfort is this that these backe-biters are not very powerfull albeit they be fraught with carping as the Serpent Porphyrus hath venome but he hath it to himselfe onely for that hee wants Teeth and that they will oppugne and push faintely and so retire theirselues because they can doe no more hurte as the Waspe strikes and then flies away leauing her sting behinde her and that by attempting to ruinate the inuincible Bulwarke of Trueth they will bewray their owne imbecillitie and fall groueling backward as hee that throwes a stone against a Marble pillar breaketh not the Marble but by the vehement repercussion breedes his owne perill What curtesie soeuer the curious and malignant will affoorde me seeing my purpose was to please pleasure and profite manie and to displease gaule and offend none that are godlie whether hee that studies to doe good though hee performe it not bee not to be accepted since he that is willing to doe harme though hee effect it not is to bee reiected Let the vnkind traducer answere as the Philosopher expostulated when he departed from the Syracusane Tyrant When Antimachus was forsaken of all his Auditors except Plato yet hee proceeded in reading his Booke esteeming Plato to counterpoize them all So though the Criticke and disdainefull shall contemne and deride my doings yet if the well disposed that hunger and thirst after righteousnes that are poore in Spirite and pure in heart that mourne for iniquitie shall entertaine them they are to mee
dungeon of Hell To leaue Lawrence marke what Christ saies in the 25. of Matthew and sée whether he doe not there most liuely demonstrate and shew what he accounts of the faithfull poore and what estimation he makes of Almes bestowed on them for there he saies Matt. 25.31 c. that when the sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall the he sit vpon the throne of his glorie and before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard separateth the shéepe from the goates and he shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the goates on the left Then shal the king say to theÌ„ on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye tooke me in vnto you I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me Then shall the righteous answere him saying Lord when saw we thée an hungred and fed thée or a thirst and gaue thée drinke and when saw we thée a stranger and tooke thée in vnto vs or naked and cloathed thée or when saw we thée sicke or in prison and came vnto thée And the king shall answeare and say vnto them Verily I say vnto you in asmuch as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me How terrible shal the day of Iudgement be to those that are not perswaded that Christ shall bee as well their absoluer and acquitter as their Iudge censurer 2. Pet. 3.10 For the day of the Lord will come as a théefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shal melt heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp and in that great and generall and Impartiall Iudgement the booke of all offences shall be layed open the Graue Death and Hell shall yeeld foorth all that are in them all corners shal be swept and all plaites and wrinckles shal be vnfolded the Sunne shal be darkened and the Moone eclipsed and the starres shall fall from Heauen Christ the Iudge of quick and dead shall take in hand the glittering and two-edged Sworde being readie to throw the Thunderbolts of his fierce wrath and the vnfaithfull and vngodly shal be driuen to such straites and extremitie that they shall crie to the Hills Fall on vs and to the Mountaine â—ouer vs and to the Waters Swallow vs vp Happie are they that may stand then boldly in that day but that loue their poore brethren shall haue boldnes and confidence in the day of Iudgement For as hee is so are wee in â—his world saith the Apostle that is 1. Ioh. 4.17 GOD will not condemne those that are like himselfe but the mercifull in this world are like to God for God is mercifull and gratious and therefore the mercifull néede not to feare the sentence of condemnation And wee must marke that CHRIST will say Take the inheritance of the Kingdome For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate He will not say enherite the kingdome of heauen because ye haue prophecied in my Name cast out diuels in my Name For many that shall say so in the last day shall heare this Answere Mat. 7.23 I neuer knewe you Depart from me yee that worke iniquitie Neither shall Christ say enherite the Kingdome because you haue not couered your Neighbors goods because you haue not committed fornication because you haue not defiled your handes with blood although the auoyding of these things be necessarie for Christians for Fornicators and murtherers and vncleane persons and couetous persons Gal. 6.21 shall not possesse the kingdome of God Neither shall Christ say to Abel because thou hast suffered for righteousnes to Noah because thou hast built the Arke for the worlds preseruation to Abraham because thou hast offered vp thy Sonne to Moses because thou hast published the law to Peter because thou wast Crucified therefore inherite the Kingdome of heauen But Christ shall only say enherite the Kingdome because yee ministred to the poore Saintes in their necessities Which words of our Sauiour must not be so taken as if Almes or any other of our workes did merite eternall life Almes merite not and why mention is made of workes of mercie in the last iudgement For the Scripture expressely teacheth that our Election is of grace and if it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Rom. 1.5 â— and the scripture teacheth that we are saued by grace through faith and not of our selues it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and the scripture teacheth that Christ by his merite hath sufficiently obtained for vs eternall life in that he gaue his life for the ransome of many Matt. 20.28 and the scripture teacheth that Christ being an high Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect tabernacle not made with hands neither by the blood of goates and calues but his owne blood entered once vnto the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs for if the blood of buls and of goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. â— 11.12.13.14 This doctrine clearely taught in holy scrripture vtterly excludes boasting on our part in the matter of saluation For that anie worke of oure may merite first it is required that it be freely our owne and not due to him to whome it is performed but whatsoeuer good we doe it is onely some parte of our dutie which wee owe to God Luk. 17.10 For when we haue done all those things which are commanded vs we must say we are vnprofitable Seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe Ro. 11.35 And who hath giuen to the Lord first and he shall be recompenced Rom. 8.12 and we are debters not to liue after the flesh but after the spirit Next it is required that our worke or gift that we offer be profitable and commodious to him of whom wee merite but no action or worke of ours can bring any commoditie to the Lord Psal 16.2 For the Prophet sayes My well doing extendeth not to thee ô Lord And the Temanite Iob. 22. â— 3 Iobs friend sayes May a man be profitable vnto God as he that is wise may be profitable to himselfe
inconquerable firmenes whereby the scripture hath stood and miraculously triumphed against so many sleights of Sathan rags of the world 1. Mâ—â— â— 59.60 as when Antiochus coÌ„manded That the bookes of the law which were found should be burnt in the fire and cut in peeces and that whosoeuer had a book of the TestameÌ„t found by him or whosoeuer consented vnto the law should be put to death yet presently these bookes shined as it were out of darkenes and not long after they were translated into the Greeke tongue and divulged through the whole world Let this be considered and who may denie that the scripture hath procéeded from God 1. Cor. 2.4 Let vs consider the venerable Maiestie of the spirit of God which shineth euery where in the scripture vnder a plaine simplicitie and humblenes of words together with an euident appearance of heaueÌ„ly wisedome and the subiect and matter of the scripture which in euery place containes diuine doctrine not sauouring of earthly wisedome and shewes the pure and perfect lawe of the Lord Deut. 4.6.7.8 Psal 9.9 and declares that meanes of saluation which is not repugnant to the glorie and most perfect iustice of God but appeareth and calmeth mans conscience and the efficacie and powerfull working of the scripture in the mindes of men Heb. 4.12 Psal 119.11 Act. 12.13 namely in mans conuersion when the scripture doth vnfold an hidden force whereby a man is striken and inwardly moued and so transformed into a new man and in aduersitie when it kindleth a liuely and strong consolation in our hearts as that we regard the scripture more then all other things and suffer our selues to be separated from it by no kinde of torments no not by death it selfe as appeareth in the Martyrs with whose blood it hath bene sealed Let this be considered and who may denie that the Scripture hath procéeded from God Let vs consider the consent of the whole Church generally and of seuerall godly persons particularly for so many Ages and in so many Nations in receiuing and retaining the scriptue Let vs consider so many and notable miracles 1. Kings 17.12 2. Kings 4 13. 17.21 Ex. 14.21 Iosh 3.15.6 Iosh 10.12 2. Kings 10.11 Exo. 2.7.10 â— 2 Act. 7 2â— c. Am. 7.14 Act. 2.11 â— â—â— as well of the Olde Testament which Sathan could not imitate onely in colour as the raising of the dead the diuiding of the Sea and Riuers and the standing still and going backe of the Sunne as of the New which the Iewes themselues cannot denie though at this day they say that Christs Miracles were done by some superstition of the word Schemhamphâ—ras least they should be compelled to acknowledge Iesus to be the Christ the Sonne of the Virgine Marie and so yéelde to the Truth Let vs consider the meruailous calling of Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles of whom the most part were vnlearned and priuate men and such as had learned nothing in humane schooles and yet disputed with a maiestie of heauenly mysteries and the strange conuersion of Paul into a new man being before a professed cruell and bloudie enemie and that these had no regard to their owne estimation and profite but onely to the glorie of God and of Christ and to the saluation of men Let vs consider the admirable harmonie and consent of the doctrine of Moses the Prophets Christ the Euangelists Apostles so that as when two Lutes of the same proportion are tempered tuned alike at the touching of the one the other will moue the strings by reason of the consent and Harmonie So the olde and new Testament agreeing in the same tune being written by the same spirit if the string of the one be toucht the string of the other will sound that is if we vnderstand the type and figure of the old Testament we shall presently perceiue the trueth of the newe and if we perceiue the truth of the new we shall vnderstand the type and figure of the olde Let this be considered and who may denie that the script hath procéeded from God Let vs consider the Euent accomplishment of the prophecies of the Scripture as of the Messias the Sauiour of Mankinde Gen. 3.15 Of the going downe of Abrahams posteritie into Aegypt of the bondage of Aegypt and the deliuerance out of it Gen. 15. â—3 14 15 Act. 7.6.7 Gen. 49.8 Isa 45.22 Iâ—ai 22.1 Ezek. 1â— 6. 2. King 22.4 Dan. 9.3 â— Mat. 24. â—2 Ier 12.15 15 11.1â— Isa 44.23 45.1.2 1. King 13.2 2. King 23.15 Dan. 7.17 1 11.2 5.24.25.26.27 that should be and was foure hundreth yeares after it was fore tolde to Abraham Of the Principalitie and Kingdome that should be erected in the Tribe of Iudah Of the vocation of the Gentiles after a long time to the free Couenant of God Oâ— the destruction of Hierusalem Of the returne of the Iewes from the Babylonish captiuitie Of the workes of Gyrus fauour towards the Iewes described an hundreth and seuentie yéeres before they were done Of Iosiah the King of Iudah that should kill the Idolatrous Priests and â—urne mens bones on the Altar of Bathel three hundred yeeres before Iosiah was borne and three hundreth fiftie nine yéeres before it was bone Of the Foure Monarchies and their courses and periods Of Antichrist and his doctrine Of the end of the world and the like and of the comming and death of Christ All which could not before séene by the quicknes of mans wit nor be gathered by naturall causes and yet were most surely performed â—dde hereunto the antiquitie of the Scripture which deliuers those things which no Bookes of humanitie haue truely and directly mentioned As the Time and Order of the worlds Creation the Progresse of the world the names and families of the Patriarks and the causes of the Corruption of the World and the state and condition of soules after this life Let all this be considered and who may denie that the Scripture hath procéeded from God Besides this the Iewes themselues do witnes with one consent that the books of the old TestameÌ„t were giuen by inspiration from God and therefore they reade and kéepe them studiously For which cause one calles them Librarios Christianorum Aug. the keepers of the Librarie of Christians in that they haue affoorded vs the reading of those sacred Bookes the vsing of which themselues neglect Yea the Iewes doe confesse Ioseph lib. 18. cap. 4. Antiq. Iudâ—c will they nill they that Iesus Christ was famous for Wisedom and vnheard of Miracles was slaine of the people and rose againe the third day But these reasons and this testimonie of the Iewes to prooue that God is the author of the scripture and that it procéeded from him is nothing to that one inward Testimonie of the holy spirit which doth speake within to our hearts and doeth assure vs that the scripture was written by diuine