he said vnto them Ye are from beneath I am from aboue Ye are of this world I am not of this world I said therefore vnto you that ye shall die in your sinnes Phil. 3. 2. Beware of dogs beware of euil workers beware of the concision Iohn 6. 64. But there are some of you that beléeue not for Iesus knew from the beginning which they were that beléeued not and who should betraie him Although men must be vsed after diuers sorts some by gentlenesse and some by sharpnesse 2. Tim. 2. 24. But the seruant of the Lorde must not striue but must be gentle toward all men apt to teach suffering the euil men patiently Instructing them with méeknesse that are contrary minded prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance Mat. 3. 7. O generations of vipers c. Esay 1. 10. O Princes of Sodome and people of Gomorrha The eight Chapter How euery man may with profit apply this vniuersall doctrine to himselfe IT is most euident that they which teach that mans saluation Iustification by faith is vnprofitable if it be seperate from election either in part or wholly dependeth or is grounded in works destroy the foundation of the Gospel of God And contrariwise they that teach Iustification fréely by faith ground on a sure foundation but so that they build vppon that eternall counsell of God whereupon Christ himselfe and the Apostle Paul folowing Christ his steps groundeth his doctrine For séeing perseuerance in faith is requisite to saluation to what purpose shall faith serue me except I be sure of the gift of perseuerance Nor we néed not feare lest Peace of conscience depēdeth on Predestination this doctrine make vs negligent or dissolute For this peace of conscience whereof we speake ought to be distinct and seperate from foolish securitie and he that is the son of god séeing he is moued and gouerned by the spirit of God will neuer through the consideration of Gods benefit take occasion of negligence and dissolution Then if by this doctrine we had but this one commoditie that we might learne to assure and confirme our faith against all brunts that might happen it is manifest that they which speake against and resist this artickle of religion either through their wickednesse or else through ignorance or some foolish blind zeale which happeneth when men will measure God according to the capacitie of their owne wits subuert and destroy the principall ground and foundation of our saluation And in very déed although some as I must confesse do it not purposely yet do they open notwithstanding the doore to all superstition and impietie As for them which now adaies maliciously oppugne the truth I beséech the Lord euen frō the heart either to turne their mindes if so be they appertain to the elect or else to send them a most spéedy destruction that by their owne example they may confirme and establish that doctrine which so maliciously they resist These other I will desire most instantly and require them in the name of GOD that they would better aduise themselues what they do Now to touch bréefely how this doctrine may be applied let vs marke that all the workes of GOD euen the least of all are such that men cannot iudge of them but in two sorts That is either when they are done or else by foreséeing them to come to passe by the disposition of the second and manifest causes whose effects haue bin diligently and by long vse obserued As men accustome in naturall things to do wherein notwithstanding men are wonderfully blind In this matter then which is most obscure of all others it is no maruell if mans witte be driuen into this strait what is determined as touching himselfe in this secret counsell of God But because these are most high misteries and therefore stand in the obseruation of those causes which passe all naturall things wée mnst néedes séeke further and come to Gods word which forasmuch as without all comparison it is more certaine then mans coniectures so it can best direct vs herein and assure vs. The scripture then witnesseth that all those that God How a man may haue assurance of his election hath according to his counsell predestinate to be adopted his children through Iesus Christ are also called in their time appointed yea and so effectually that they heare the voice of him that calleth and beléeue it so that being iustified and sanctified in Iesus Christ they are also glorified Wilt thou then whosoeuer thou art bee assured of thy predestination and so in order of thy saluation which thou lookest for against all the assaultes of Sathan Assured I say not by doubtfull coniectures or our owne fancie but by arguments and conclusions no lesse true and certaine then if thou were ascended into heauen and had heard of Gods owne mouth his eternall decrée and purpose Beware thou beginne not at that most high degrée for so thou shouldst not be able to sustaine the most shining light of Gods maiestie Begin therefore beneath at the lowest order and when thou shalt heare the voice of god sound in thine eares and in thy heart which calleth thée to Christ the onely Mediator consider by litle litle and trie By what signs faith is known diligently if thou be iustified sanctified in Christ through faith For these two be the effects or frutes whereby the faith is knowne which is their cause As for this thou shalt partly know by the spirit of adoption which crieth within thée Abba father and partly by the vertue effect of the same spirit which is wrought in thée As if thou fal and so declare indéed that although sin dwell in thée yet it doth no more raigne in thée For is not the holy Ghost he that causeth vs not to let slippe the bridle and giue libertie willingly to our naughtie and vile concupiscences as they are accustomed whose eyes the prince of this world blindeth or else who moueth vs to pray when we are cold dull and slothfull Who stirreth vp in vs those vnspeakeable gronings Who is he that when we haue sinned yea and sometimes wittingly and willingly ingendereth in vs an hate of the sinne committed and not for the feare of punishment which we haue therefore deserued but because we haue offended our most mercifull father Who is he I say that testifieth vnto vs that our sighings are heard and also moueth vs to call daily God our God and our father euen at that time when we haue trespassed against him Is it The assurance of the vocation is knowen by faith and so by the vocation the election not that spirit which is fréely giuen to vs as a gift for a sure and certaine pledge of our adoption Wherefore if wée can gather by these effects that we haue faith it followeth that we are called and drawen effecttually And againe by this vocation which we haue declared properly to belong to the
God for if righteousnesse be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Rom. 10. 4. For Christ is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beléeueth And chapter 11. 5. 6. Euen so then at this present time is there a remnant through the election of grace And if it be of grace it is no more of workes 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 Ephe. 2. 4. 5. 8. 9. 10. But God which is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ by whose grace ye are saued For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of god Not of woorkes least any man should boast himselfe But that we should be carefull to shewe foorth good workes therefore hée speaketh in the next verse Verse 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them 1. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was 1. Pet. 2. 12. And haue your conuersation honest among the gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifle god in the day of the visitation Perseuerance in faith is requisite vnto saluation Mat. 10. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name But hee that endureth to to the ende shall be saued Mat. 24. 45. Blessed is that seruant whom his maister shall finde so doing Now we need not feare lest this doctrine make vs negligent or dissolute For this peace of conscience whereof we speake ought to be distinct and seperate from foolish securitie and he that is the sonne of God seeing he is moued and gouerned by the spirit of God wil neuer through the consideration of Gods benefit take occasion of negligence and dissolution Rom. 5. 1. 2. Then being iustified by faith we haue peace toward god through our Lord Iesus Christ By whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of god Rom. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. Therfore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the déeds of the body by the spirit ye shall liue For as many as are ledde by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Ephe. 1 4. Aâ— he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue 2. Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind 1. Iohn 3. 20. 21. 24. If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things Beloued if our heart condemne vs not then haue wée boldnesse towards God For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby wée know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit which hée hath giuen vs. This matter of Predestination is obscure aboue all others vnto the wit of man but opened and reuealed vnto vs by the word of God The Scripture therfore witnesseth that they that are predestinate vnto saluation are first called and that so effectually that they heare and beleeue and fructifie then also are they iustified and sanctified and in the life to come glorified Iohn 6. 44 45. No man can come vnto me except the father which hath sent me drawe him by the force of gods word and by the secret working of his spirit And I will raise him vp at the last day As it is written in the Prophets And they shall be taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father commeth to me Acts. 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church by the Apostles preaching from day to day such as should be saued Iohn 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. â—ée beléeue not for ye are not of my shéepe as I said vnto you My shéepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall ueuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand My father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained vnto eternall life beléeued And chap. 16. 14. And a certaine woman named Lidia a celler of purple of the city of the Thyatirians which worshipped God heard vs whose heart the Lord opened that she attended vnto the things that Paul spake Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye shall heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation according to the day of temptation in the wildernesse And. chapt 42. For vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Consider by litle and litle and try diligenly if thou be iustified and sanctified in Christ through faith For these two be the effects or ftuites whereby the faith is knowne which is their cause 2. Cor. 13. 5. Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith examine your selues knowe ye not your owne selues except ye be reprobates Rom. 8. 30. Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified As for this thou shalt partly knowe by the spirit of Adopion which crieth within thee Abba father Gal. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. That hée might redéeme them which were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts which crieth Abba father Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Nowe if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of GOD through Christ Rom. 8. 15. For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father And partly by the vertue and effect of the same spirit which is wrought in thee Rom. 16. 17. The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of god and heires annexed with Christ 1. Iohn 3. 24. For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he
of great account Maister Rowland Barker Esquire Iustice of peace and quorum in the Countie of Salop S. I. wisheth the blessings of God in this life and the ioyes of that which is to come RIght Worshipfull I cannot write vnto you but as vnto a stranger yet such a stranger in whome I haue perceiued great good wil kindnesse toward me So that I may resolue with my selfe to make account of you as of my friende whereof I haue some triall in that you haue giuen a great token in the preferment of my sister for the which both she and I am bound to giue you hartie thankes And yet great reason there is that you should be strange because as yet I haue shewed no dutie wherby I might in some sort warrant my selfe of your fauoure and friendship The godly minde wherewith Gods spirit no doubt hath indued you may be some cause to procure your fauour toward me if it were but for my profession sake And so much the more because you carry a name in Shropshire to be a great fauourer of the Gospell and if I should adde the peoples report of a good Iusticer I might be iudged to flatter And yet there is no cause For where the word of God hath taken deep roote there of necessitie followeth all vprightnesse both in life and office To procure your Worships good will toward me I haue at this time though boldly offered vnto your view some part of my laboure which as you like it so I hope you will accept it and your good liking shal giue it both countenance and credit inough And seeing your credit is great in the furtherance of the Gospell so I would humbly request you to promote and further the same more and more to the vtmost of your power Though it bee my request yet is it Gods cause and his glorie which may both stirre you vp and also incourage you who need not my perswasion being forward inough of your owne disposition and good nature Doubtlesse God woorketh excellently in notable men at whose handes hee requireth woorthie matters euen at the handes of famous men and men of renowme Whome hee hath greatly aduaunced furthered and furnished vnto suche woorkes And vnto whome much is giuen of them also shall much bee required King Dauid woulde haue built a Temple vnto the Lord God of Israel but God appointed his sonne King Salomon to doo it Manie Kinges in Iuda yet none but Hezekiah caused the brasen Serpent to be pulled downe and GOD wrought with him and hee prospered and flourished and God sent him a miraculous and famous deliuerance from the handes of his enemies Iosiah was famous for Religion and none more zealous the solemne keeping of the Passeouer that was in his daies doth declare it King Cyrus hee is appointed of God to deliuer the Iewes from their captiuitie and thraldome Many Heathen Kings there were in the worlde yet it pleased God that his glorie should bee set forth by none so much as by King Nabuchodonosor who wondrously set foorth the praises of God was a notable meane to deface idolatrie that God onelie might bee truly serued And although notable men bee not all Kings yet vnder Kinges great matters are committed vnto them and they are rulers vnder Princes and in the places where GOD hath seated them hee dooth giue them honour as is meete for them and agreeable to their estate Especially hee crowneth them with honour which honour him What worke more notable then the preaching of the Gospell and that the Nobilitie and also Gentlemen of good calling and credit might see it performed in the places where they dwell and about them I would to God the reuerend Fathers of the land of whome the Prince maketh choyce as of notable men and men of renowme had that care as Bishop Hooper and Bishop Latimer had to see the people taught and instructed in euerie parish throughout their Diocesse and I doubt not but that they haue the selfesame care howsoeuer oftentimes it falleth out otherwise contrarie to their willes Most gentlemeÌ„ are set against it because they know not the worthinesse of it as also the glittering shew of this deceiueable world hath vtterly blinded theÌ„ togither with their corrupt affections which are so far from correctioÌ„ or amendment that they cannot abide to heare any reproofe or counsell or so much as to acknowledge their fault therfore coÌ„sequeÌ„tly notable men they must needs bee that fauour it Who in so dooing procure vnto themselues the fauour of God and the hearts and good reportes of men whis is a great honour that God doth crowne them withall May I not write vnto your Worship as I reade in the Reuelation chapter 3. 11. is written to euery ChristiaÌ„ Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast that no man take thy Crowne And again verse 21. To him that ouercommeth and continueth will I grant to sit with me in my throne I haue bene too tedious and here I must staie and so I humbly take my leaue praying your Woorship to remember my humblesute I haue made vnto you not long since so farre forth as conueniently you may neither is it reason we should presse vpon you too farre Wherin if you vouchsafe to pleasure vs wee shall all of vs bee bounde to pray to God for your prosperous estate and that you may liue long to Gods glorie your owne comfort and contentment to the ioy of your friends and admiration of your enemies Your VVorships in his praiers to God for you and yours S. I. A Patterne of Sanctification Titus 2. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared And teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and wordly lusts aâ—d that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of goodworkes This text standeth on foure parts 1 A generall proposition The grace of God hath appeared vnto all 2 The effect of this grace consisting in SanctificatioÌ„ which hath two parts Mortification And teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Viuification And that we shuld liue soberly and righteously godly 3 A perswasion vnto this SanctificatioÌ„ Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of our Lord and Sauiour 4 The cause of this Sanctification which is Christ Who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs. THe Apostle writing to the Corinthians of this grace of God which is nothing else but his fauour his mercy and louing kindnesse wherby we are fréely beloued by the meanes of Iesus Christ calleth this grace the wisedome of God and calleth it also a misterie Well may it be called the wisedome of God both in respect of God himselfe who intendeth
he hath thus laboured for the winde The distrustfull prince did behold great plentie but came no nearer The rich man that boasted of his goods liued not long after And this we must thinke with our selues as God hath inriched vs so also will he be remembred of vs. The order of Gods prouidence being thus set downe concerning the maintenance preseruation and foode of all creatures we may also behold how God doth gouerns all things Which although it be not plainly set downe in the text which I haue reade vnto you yet may it bee inferred vppon the cause of this plentie set downe in the words of the same Chapter As if it might bee demaunded what was the cause that after such scarcitie and famine all things were so plentifull and so good cheape which could not come to passe but only by the finger of god and by his secret ordinance The reason thereof and the words of the Chapter are these For the Lord had caused the Campe of the Aramites to heare a noyce of charrets and a noyce of a great army so that they said one to another Behold the King of Israel hath hired against vs the Kings of the Hittites the kings of the Egyptians to come vpon vs. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents and their horses and their asses euen the campe as it was and fled for their liues This suddaine change might A new line séeme to come from fortune or some blinde chaunce yet is it manifestly set downe that it was Gods working and that he onely brought this matter to passe Who is the authour not only of plentie and scarcitie but of sicknesse and of health of wealth and pouertie of warre and peace of drought and raine of tempests and faire weather of barreinnesse and fertilitie Yea he guideth and gouerneth the hearts of men and their affections yea euen their tongues and all their actions And that which is more straunge he hath an eie to the smallest matters the haires of our head the lighting of the sparrowes vppon the ground and that which séemeth to be but a matter of chance the ordering of lots in matters of waight he disposeth them too Nothing commeth to passe by fortune and chance nothing by destiny or necessitie but all by Gods prouidence and handie worke And hauing now to intreate of gods gouernment ouer his creatures and the affaires of the world it is as if I should walke in a wide field or saile in the large sea What other men haue thought of gods gouernment it is base and light but what we are to thinke thereof let vs daly weigh with déep consideration Men of void mindes haue thought God only to sit idle in the heauens and to beholde those things which are done othersome that he moues the world and all the parts therof but not that he doth direct the peculiar actiō of euery creature They wil confesse his great power but they deny his infinit incomprehensible and most wise gouernment in the world or in the affaires of men or men themselues Some were content to yéeld a little and they were perswaded that he ruled all things in heauen but as for all things vnder the heauen they thought were ruled and ordered by fortune chance Doubtlesse God doth rule all matters and ordereth the meanes that tend therunto neither are they as a ship on the sea without a gouernor or as an arrow in the aire which is blowne aside of euery light wind But to proue vnto you that God by his prouidence is the only guider gouernour of all things it séemeth very expedient first to remoue all doubts out of your mind concerning fortune and destiny which are too rise in most mens mints and tongues Which are two great stumbling blocks being taken out of the way we shal the more cléerly perceiue and certainly know the vertue and force of gods heauenly The opinion of fortune remoued prouidence This opinion of fortune hath brought almost all the world to fortunate mindes and vnstedfast hearts when they thinke that all things runne vpon hap chance which are otherwise ordered If a man in his iourney light vpon théeues and be robd and spoild wherunto will he impute his losse and his hurt Are not these his words It was but my ill hap So if sailing vpon the sea through some suddaine tempest he make shipwrack or trauelling by the way méete with wilde beastes if he be killed by the fall of some house or some trée who is it that thinketh of any other cause then of fortune as if the blind were led by the blind and so both fall into the ditch For fortune is fained to be blind because foolish men sée not the cause of those things that are done and how can a blind man iudge of colours If one digging in the earth finde any treasure that hath bene hid or finde a bagge of money as he is going by the way or after great stormes and tempests hardly escape death and come safe into the hauen then who but ladie Fortune and fortune is honoured as a Quéene yea rather as a goddesse Of like such a goddesse as the Apostle Saint Paul speakes of Vnto the vnknowne God So is the true God robbed of his honour who onely is the authour of weale and woe Was it a chaunce or Gods appointment that beares came into the cittie and deuoured the children that mocked the Prophet Putcase that two neighbours goe to the wood togither Deut. 19. 5. one heweth wood and as his hand striketh with the axe to cut downe the trée if the head of the axe slippe from the helme and hit his neighbour that hee dieth was it a chaunce trowe you The scripture and word of God decideth this matter and saith that God hath offred him into his hand Exod. 21. 13. God hath diuers punishments for sinne and his iudgements are most iust though they be most secret and hid from the eies of men The field is pitched two great armies méete togither the fight endureth long now one army is readie to haue the vpper hand and after a while the other at length say we by good happe that army ouercame If it be true that this matter fell out by happe how can the word of God be true which without all controuersitie is the onely truth which auoucheth the contrary in these words Prou. 21. 31. The horse is prepared vnto the battle but the victorie is of the Lord. Hee that prepareth himselfe vnto a long iourney looketh no further then to that which is besore his eyes and wisheth that he may haue a lucky iourny and then al is wel at least wise if it end well But Abrahams seruant going on his maisters businesse to séek a wife for his maisters sonne praieth to God for a prosperous iourney and lifteth vp his eies to heauen Whereas these fortuune-folks runne hedlong on and looke to méet good fortune by
also retaining the faithfull in godly life and manners what moueth these our aduersaries séeing they are ouercome with the manifest and inuincible trueth to thinke they speake well saying Although this doctrine of Predestination be true yet it ought not to be preached vnto the people Nay so much the rather it is good to be throughly preached that he that hath eares to heare may heare And who hath them But he that hath receiued them of God who promiseth to giue them And as for him that doth receiue it let him refuse it if he will so that he that doth receiue it may take it drinke it be sufficed and haue life For as we must preach the feare of God to the end that God may be truly serued so must wée preach predestination that he which hath eares to heare may heare and reioyce in God not in himselfe for the grace of God towards him This is the mind of that excellent Doctor as touching this point Which notwithstanding bindeth vs to two conditions The one is that we speake no farther héerein then Gods worde doth limit vs. The other that we set forth the same thing which the scripture teacheth accordingly and to edification Wherefore we will briefly speake of both these partes first of the doctrine it selfe and next of the vse and applying of the same The second chapter Of the eternall counsell of God hidde in himselfe the which afterwards is knowen by the effects thereof GOD whose iudgements no man can comprehend The councell purpose will of God is the fountaine and originall of all causes whose waies cannot be found out and whose will ought to stop all mens mouthes according to the determinate and vnchaungeable purpose of his will by the vertue whereof all things aremade yea those things which are euill and execrable not in that they be wrought by his diuine counsell but forasmuch as they procéed of the prince of the aire and that spirit which worketh in the childrē of disobedience hath determined from before al beginning with himselfe to create all things in their time for his glory and namely men whome hée hath made after two sorts cleane contrary one to the other Whereof hée maketh the one sort which it pleased him to choose by his secret will and purpose partakers of his glory through his mercie Vessels of honor and these we call according to the word of God the vessels of honour the elect the children of promise predestinate to saluation And the other whom likewise it pleased him to ordaine to damnation that hée might shewe foorth his wrath and power to bée glorified also in them wée doe Vessels of dishonor call the vessels of dishonour and wrath the reprobate and cast off from all good workes This election or predestination to euerlasting life being Our election is hid in the secret purpose of God considered in the will of God that is to say this selfe same determination or purpose to elect is the first fountaine and chief originall of the saluation of Gods children neither is it theron grounded as some say because god did foresée their faith or good workes But only of his owne good will from whence afterwards the election the faith and the good workes spring foorth Therefore when the scripture will confirme the children of God in full and perfect hope it doth not stay in alledging the testimonies of the second causes that is to say in the frutes of faith nor in the second causes themselues as faith calling by the Gospell neither yet sometimes in Christ himselfe in whom notwithstanding we are as in our head elected adopted but ascendeth higher euen vnto that eternal purpose which god hath determined only in himselfe Likewise when mention is made of the damnation of the reprobate although the whole fault thereof be in thēmselues Reprobation is hidde in the secret purpose of God yet notwithstanding sometimes when néede requireth the scripture to make more manifest by this comparison the greate power of Gods patience and the riches of his glory towards the vessels of mercy leadeth vs vnto this high secret which by order is the first cause of their damnation Of the which secrete no other cause is knowen to men but only his iust will which we must with all reuerence obey as comming from him who is onely iust and cannot by any meanes nor of any man in any sort be comprehended For wée must put difference betwixt the purpose or ordinance of reprobation and reprobation it selfe The secret purpose to elect or reproue only appertaineth to God but the causes of election reprobation are manifest in the Scriptures because God would that the secrete of this his purpose should be kept close trom vs and againe wée haue the causes of Reprobation and Damnation which dependeth thereof expressed in Gods word that is to say corruption lacke of faith and iniquity which as they bée necessary so are they also voluntary in the vessels made to dishonor like as on the other part when wée describe orderly the causes of the saluation of the elect wée put difference betwixt the purpose of the electing which God hath determined in himselfe and the election which is appointed in Christ In such sort that this his purpose or ordinance doth not only go before election in the degrée of causes but also before all other things that followe the same The chiefe matters gathered out of this second chapter with places of proofe taken out of the worde of God ioyned thereunto God disposeth all according to his will and hath created all things for his glory and namely man Concerning whome first hée challengeth the ordering of all affaires as also the hardening of hearts Secondly hée hath made them after two sorts the one contrary to the other That God disposeth all according to his will Esay 46. 9. 10. 11. 12. Remember the former things of old For I am God and there is no other God and there is nothing like me Which declare the last thing from the beginning and from of old the things that were not done saying My counsaile shall stand and I will do whatsoeuer I wil. I call a bird from the East Cyrus which shal come as swift as a bird and the man of my counsel who shal execute that which I haue determined from farre As I haue spoken so will I bring it to passe I haue purposed and I will do it Esa 14 26. The Lord of hostes hath determined it and who shal disanull it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it away Dan. 4. 32. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and according to his will he worketh in the army of heauen and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say vnto him What doest thou Ephe. 1. 9. 11. And he hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure which
looking for of iudgement Vppon this gift of faith and perseuerance the godly doubt not to call vpon God in all afflictions Rom. 8 38. 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor any creature shall be able to seperate mée from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 2. Cor. 1. 21. 22. It is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Iom 1. 6. 7. 8. 9. He that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde and carried away Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. A wauering minded man is vnstable in all his waies Hebr. 4. 16. Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and find grace to help in time of néed Hehr. 10. 21. 22. Séeing we haue a high Priest which is ouer the house of God let vs drawe neare with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinckeled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bedies with pure water 1. Iohn 4. 17. Herein is the loue perfect in vs that we should haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement by reason of this perseuerance wherewith he hath inabled vs. Yet the godly may swarue and fall as did Moses Aaron Dauid Peter but at length by Gods grace they returne againe 1. Iohn 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not finally For his séed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is borne of God Through the power of his word and the operation of his holy spirit 2. Pet. 1. 10. Wherfore brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall No man is made righreous but hee that is made holie and framed to good workes Ephe. 2. 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephe. 1. 4. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy without blame before him in loue The way whereby God by his mercy doth prepare his elect to his kingdome is by the mediation of our sauiour Christ while they stedfastly beleeue not onely that he is their perfect sacrifice but their aduocate and intercessor to God for them Heb. 9. 13. 14. 15. 16. For if the blood of Bulls Goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinckling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifieng of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God And for this cause is he the mediatour of the newe Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance 1. Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator betwéene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus As concerning infants which die assoone as they are borne who are elected and chosen vnto life by Gods secret purpose the way is more speedie For they are presently in the hands of God Because he accepteth the children of the faithfull Gene. 17. 7. Moreouer I will establish my couenant betwene me and thée and thy seede after thée in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be god vnto thée and to thy seede after thée Exo. 20. 6. Shewing mercy vnto thousands to them that loue me and kéepe my commandements 1. Cor. 7. 14. For the vnbeléeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but nowe are they holy Chap. 5. After what sort almightie God doth execute and effectually declare his counsaile touching Reprobation BY these things whereof we haue spoken it may easily The old Adam is the foundation of the reprobation which mans iudgement can attaine vnto appeare howe God maketh them to goe to their owne place whom he created to that end that he might be glorified in their iust condemnation For as Christ the second heauenly Adam is the foundation very substance and effect of the elects saluation so also the first earthly Adam because he fell is the first author of the hate and so consequently of the damnation of the reproued For whē god moued with these causes which he onely knoweth had determined to create thē to this end to shewe foorth in them his iust wrath power he did likewise orderly dispose the causes and meanes whereby it might come to passe that the whole cause of their damnation might be of themselues as hath bin declared before in the third chapter Whē man then The iudgement of God towards infants that are reprobate was fallen willingly into that misrable estate whereof we haue spoken in the chapter before God who hateth iustly the Reprobate because they are corrupt in part of thē he doth execute his iust wrath assoone as they are borne and towards the rest that be of age whō he reserueth to a more sharpe iudgement he obserueth two waies cleane contrary one to the other For as concerning some he sheweth How Reprobaton is first manifested No calling to the Cospell them not so much fauour as once to heare of Iesus Christ in whome onely is saluation but suffereth them to walke in their owne waies and runne headlong to their perdition And as for the testimonies that God hath left to thē of his diuinitie serue them to no other vse but to make thē without all excuse yet through their owne default séeing their ignoraunce and lacke of capacitie is the iust punishment of the corruption wherein they are borne And surely as touching that they can attaine vnto in knowing God by their light or rather naturall darkenesse albeit they neuer failed in the way but so continued yet were it not in any wise sufficient for their saluation For it is necessary for vs that shall be saued that we know God not onely as God but as our father in Christ The which misterie flesh and bloud doth not reueale but the sonne himselfe to them whome his father hath giuen him As An vnprofitable calling or of none effect concerning others their fall is more terrible For he causeth them to heare by preaching the outward worde of the gospell but because they are not of the number of the elect being called they are not And forasmuch as they are not able to receiue the spirit of truth therefore they cannot beléeue because it is not giuen vnto them Wherefore when they are called to the feast thy refuse to come so that the worde of life is folly vnto them and an offence finally the sauour of death to their destruction There
perceiue the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes and haue a desire to leaue and forsake them before we hunger and thirst for this grace This is euen the light of the world which did shine abroad and yet the world knewe it not Christ came vnto his owne his owne receiued him not Oh howe secret are God his iudgmeÌ„ts that his grace is hid from some and appeareth vnto other And yet howe is this grace hid But froÌ„ them that make more account of their pleasures and fulfilling of their lusts who make more account of their wealth and riches as it is set downe in the parable of the séede cast in the earth then they do of this grace yea of this rich grace who cleaue vnto the world and loue the world more then God In whose mindes and hearts the God of this world that is to say the diuil doth raigne by his temptations As the Apostle witnesseth writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4. 4. If our gospell and if this grace of God be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ should not shine vnto them And as the world knew him not and his owne people to whom he was sent receiued him not so as many as did receiue him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beléeue in his name and so are partakers of his grace Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Which grace although it hath bine a mistery hid since the world beganne and from all ages yet nowe is made manifest to his saincts to his beloued and those that do receiue him To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of this glorious mistery among the gentiles which riches is Christ the hope of glory in euery one of vs that are saued Whom we preach saith the Apostle admonishing euery one and teaching euery man in all wisdom that wée may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus and that euery one may be capable of this grace For God that commaunded the light to shine out of darkenesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath sent vs foorth to preach that this his grace may euery where appeare Which doth appeare and shewe it selfe to all but so that the repentant sinners the faithfull beléeuers those onely that are made righteous in Christ do receiue the same Who as by this grace they are receiued into the fauour of God their sinnes being forgiuen them so are they not in any sort to take a libertie vnto themselues to sinne againe The lawe entred hereupon that the offence should abound and be made notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded their grace abounded much more That as sin had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sinne yâ— grace may abound God forbid How shal we yâ— are dead to sinne liue yet therein After the Apostle had shewed that by grace the mercy of god wée were saued fréely beloued fréely iustified and made righteous he sheweth also howe we are sanctified that is by practisiing all good workes so continning in this grace As we reade Tit. 3. 8. This is a true saying these things I wil thou shouldest affirm teach that they which haue beléeued in god might be carefull to shew foorth gods workes The good spirit of god and his grace it teacheth vs how we should be sanctified that is by denieng all vngodlinesse worldly lusts also by liuing soverly righteously godly in this present world They who beléeue are also iustified made righteous and they who are iustified yâ— is made righteous are also sanctified made holy This worke therefore of sanctification procéeding from the grace of god is liuely expressed in this text which I haue read vnto you And so much for the generall proposition The grace of God hath appeared vnto 〈◊〉 Vnto this generall proposition may be added thrée other principall parts of this text As first what is the effct of this Diuisicâ— grace that is sanctification wherein this sanctification coÌ„sisteth which is mortification viuification or yâ— I may vse more plaine euident termes in vtterly foresaking the lusts of our flesh our owne will desires imbracing all the is good leading a life agréeable to God his will Which part is set downe in these words teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse worldly lusts and yâ— we should liue soberly and righteously godly in this present world The second part is a perswasion reason mouing vs to this sanctification that is the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of god set downe by the circumstance of Christ his comming At which time the godly shall be receiued in to the kingdome of god in these words looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of the mighty god of our sauiour Iesus Christ The third part setteth downe the cause of this sanctification and yâ— is Christ who hath redéemed and purged vs to his purpose yâ— we might performe all good workes in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs yâ— he might redéeme vs from all iniquitie purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes The grace of god hath appeared vnto all and teacheth vs. In the life of man there are two teachers There is the wicked spirit of the diuil being accompanied The eâ—fect of this grace with our be â—raâ—eng flesh the naughty examples wicked 〈◊〉 of the world this teacher moueth vs to all 〈◊〉 worldly luâ—ts which fight against the soule this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an 〈◊〉 multitude of schollers The other teacher is the spirit of God the grace of God which hath but a fewe followers because yâ— fewe imbrace the godly 〈◊〉 Mortification which 〈◊〉 Of which distinction I might 〈◊〉 stand on bring 〈◊〉 matter of godly edifieng but I leaue 〈◊〉 The grace of God teacheth vs howe farre héeretofore wee haue gone astray and openeth vnto vs howe loâ—t 〈◊〉 but â—aies haue bene wherein wée haue so â—elighted and howe greatly wée haue offended GOD. Whereas otherwise the eies of our vnderstanding are shut vp and we togither with the world and wicked company are carried away And first it sheweth vs how greatly we haue offended concerning religion and the seruice of God mentioned in these words Teaching vs to deny vngodtinesse which hath respect to that dutie we owe vnto God comprehended in the foure first commandements God hath created vs to serue and to worship him and to come to the knowledge of his wil as he
forgetfull This third part setteth downe the cause of our sanctification in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people zealous of good workes The cause of our sanctification lieth The cause of sanctification partly in the death and passion of Christ and partly in the power of his holie spirite who is his vicegerent and deputie here on earth Before it pleased our sauiour to die for vs and by the shedding of his pretious bloud to clense vs from our sinnes we were altogither polluted and as the Prophet saith lying in our bloud Gréeuous sinnes in the sight of God miserable wretches appointed to death because through our iust desertes we were to looke for nothing els but eternall tormentes In which miserable and wofull estate our pitifull Sauiour séeing vs to be in gaue himselfe and offered himselfe most willingly to doe vs all the good he could and to make vs of a defiled and vnclean◠people cleane and holy And because in the lawe of Moses sacrifices were offered vp for the sinnes of the people and beastes slaine and bloud shed as we reade Heb. 9. 22. All thinges were by the lawe purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission and forgiuenesse therefore it pleased our Sauior Christ to shed his dearest bloud that as the Prophet Esay ca. 53. saith by his stripes we were healed so by his bloud we might be clensed Which thing the Prophet Dauid meaneth in his 51. Psal which is the Psalme of his repentance wherein he sheweth his heartie griefe and his vnfeigned sorrow for those hainous sinnes whereby he had prouoked Gods wrath against him Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to thy compassions put away mine iniquities Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne Purge me with hisope and I shal be cleane wash me and I shal be whiter then snowe Now if the bloud of bulles and goates and heiffers in the time of Moses lawe which law God ordained though Moses was the minister if the bloud of these beastes in Moses lawe sprinckling them that were vncleane did sanctifie and clense them by an outward kinde of clensing and sanctification Howe much more saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 14. shall the bloud of Christ that most perfect and absolute sacrifice who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God At the time of his death and passion this matter was most notably declared when as his side being pierced through with a speare there issued out from thence both water and bloud to giue out a most effectuall signification that hée was the cause of our sanctification and cleansing from our sinnes Which is prooued by that which we reade I. Corinth 6. Knowe ye not saith the Apostle that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkardes nor railers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God And such were some of you and who can say my heart is cleare But ye are washed but ye are sanctified and made cleane in the name of the Lord Iesus that is by the shedding of his bloud and also we are sanctified and made cleane saith hée by the spirite of our God According to that of the Prophet Dauid in the Psalme aforesaide Wash me throughly and cleanse me from my sinne and establish me with thy frée spirit which may assure me that I am drawne out of the slauery of sin and that my guiltinesse shall be no more laid to my charge The law entred thereupon that the offence should abound that is the it might be known to be notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more That as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raign by righteousnesse and sanctification vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The which grace that is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the blood of Christ the good spirit of God the holy Ghost doth certifie vnto our hearts And therefore it is well said to be the comfortor as our Sauiour Christ promised that after his ascention vp into heauen hée would send the comfortour Ib. 14. 16. and 16. 7. By the vertue of which spirite the power of sinne is beaten downe and our hearts are renued our mindes altered our liues chaunged and we become new creatures which before were foule and filthie ougly and loathsome through the deformitie of sinne and now are we sanctified and made holy But wherefore hath Christ redéemed vs from all our 〈◊〉 of good workes iniquitie and purged vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto himselfe if it bee not to this intent and purpose that wee should bee zealous of good workes A thankfull minde would aske how so great benefits might be requited and if no recompence could be made as certainly it cannot it would be desirous to know how part of a mends might be made and would be maruellous readie to put in practise any dutie which might shewe the thankfulnesse thereof Thou néedest not in this matter to go farre to enquire and search it out only this is required of thée that thou maiest shewe thy thankfulnesse bee zealous of good workes For we are the workmanship of God esperially by grace created anew in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Heere are all carnall gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenance of their profession all libertie of life will be borne out well inough Who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and make their profession their shame making Christ his death to bee nothing else but as it were a boude vnto their lewde life Here may we sée that the Lord hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our hands besides a profession of the truth but that he bought with his bloud a zealous addicting of our selues to Christian conuersation It is a wonder to sée how the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christ his blood how mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that they will not giue ouer any libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas the life of Christ was giuen to purchase a new conuersation as well as a new profession For he gaue himselfe for vs that we might giue our selues vnto him being a peculiar people zealous of good workes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue himselfe for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slender a purchase with so great a price as if he had a déep and sorrowfull sigh or a good word at our last breath that would suffice him no his life was
giuen to wicked waies with gréedinesse and are so subiect to the bondage and slauery of the diuell and of sin that we thinke no way better then the broad way that leadeth to destruction thinking that heauen is in this world and that hell is but an old wiues tale saying vnto our selues Peace peace and all is in safety when sodainly either death shall ouertake vs or the latter day bring vs to iudgement True it is that which the eie seeth not the heart rueth not and the diuell hath diuers deuices to blinde the eies of our vnderstanding to make vs still to run on vntill it be too late to turn backe Being destitute of the grace of God and not as yet regenerate we are holden vnder the euill spirit of bondage setting all our delight in earthly and transitorie things yéelding vp our selues to our fleshly desires being strangers from God and strangers from our redéemer strangers from the life to come and altogither vnacquainted with his grace Wherby although we may think we are in the estate of fréedome and as fréemen yet are we of no better account then the basest seruants that liue and againe vnder such a maister whose seruice is nothing els but tyrannie shaddowed ouer with flattery a roaring lion seeking after his pray a gréedy wolfe clothed in a shéep skin But as Christ came into the world to destroy the workes of the diuel so hath he caused his grace to be published and sent his spirit into our hearts to open the eies of our vnderstaÌ„ding to turn our harts and make them relent to make vs sée how cruell our maister is whome we serue and how dangerous an estate we are in being nothing but bondage slauery death destruction And this is the peculiar effect of the spirit of God and of his grace to shew vs our miserable estate by the law of God to strike our consciences with the rememembrance of our sinnes that we may vnderstand that we are in a desperate estate vnlesse we fly to Christ for succor Wherfore being directed by the spirit of god our stubburn harts are made to yéeld and to shed abundance of teares in consideratioÌ„ we haue offended God Which spirit of fréedom prouoketh vs to flie vnto Christ our only succour by a stedfast faith to take hold of the promises of gods mercy through the death of Christ whereby it commeth to passe yâ— our sins are forgiuen and although we are vnworthy therof are we accounted numbred among the children of God This is that spirit of adoption that maketh vs reioyce vnder the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD. Which maketh our ioy so much the more aboundant in consideration of our fearefull estate whereby we were so miserable So that wee may boldly triumph with the Apostle saying Reioyee in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce For what greater ioy can there be then the ioy and peace of a quiet conscience being fully resolued of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the fauoure of God who hath aduanced vs to so high a dignitie as of his enemies to make vs his sonnes and children Wherefore in meditation of our former estate let vs follow the Apostles counsaile 1. Pet. 1. 17. Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare and liue not carelesly as thongh we might doe what we list much like to wanton children which had néed continually to be corrected with the rod. But as the Apostle saith Brethren be not children in vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnesse be children but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age so manie I say brethren as concerning wickednesse and vngodly behauiour let vs be children but as concerning the feare of God let vs grow from strength to strength vntill we be of a ripe age A dutifull seruaunt standeth alwaies in feare and distrust that that which he doth to his maister be not perfitly and sufficiently done as one desirous to continue his maisters fauour and good liking toward him So also a dutifull child should be careful still to please his father for feare not onely of loosing his fathers good wil but also of hindering himselfe from the which otherwise his father would leaue him and do for him How much more should an adopted child looke vnto himselfe and to his waies because he is taken in but of fauour without any desert and onely vpon pitie and compassion rather then vpon any other consideration Wherefore it is not for vs to make a triumph of our adoption and to make our boast and vaunt of it but rather in a godly sort to humble our selues through feare forecasting with our selues how to continue Gods good will toward vs which through our negligence and carelesse behauiour may be remooued For as they that come to goods to landes and possessions by fauour friendship and by adoption through their own foolishnes may dispossesse themselues of all so if a godly wisdome be not vsed the benefit of adoption may greatly be disgraced in vs and we may bring our selues into that case as iustly to thinke that we are none of Gods children So did that godly king Dauid and that holy blessed Apostle S. Peter by their infamous sinnes so alter the certaintie of their adoption as though they had quite béen forsaken of God So the it is not without great cause that the Apostle vseth these words Let him yâ— standeth take héed least he fall As if he had said let the adopted children of God take héed lest they offend God and let the testimony of a good coÌ„science be alwaies a reioycing vnto them and that the certaintie of our adoption may alwaies be warranted vnto vs. Where is therefore our ioy or where is our chiefest care grounded and setled not in the things of this world neither in this world Better it is to be in the house of mourning then to be in the house of laughter better it is to mourne for our â—innes past then in worldly sort to reioyce of our adoptions Considering that wheÌ„ Adam and Eue were in the chiefest worldly ioy and thought themselues in the estate of Angels and in high fauour with God they procured theÌ„selues to be mimiserable wretches and not worthie the name of gods children Who before had a blessing if they had continued in the fauour and grace of God and could haue perceiued their happie estate or if at lestwise they could haue foreséen the danger that would haue followed but instéede of a blessing they receiued a curse and instéed of fauour great displeasure Although we may be certified of our adoption yet it behâ—ueth vs so long as we dwell in this world and are compassed with this our sinnefull flesh to be circumspect and wise to be warie and watchfull knowing that the broade way is as neare vnto vs as the narrowe way the right hand as neare as the left the diuel tempting the world inticing the flesh yéelding nay fighting and resisting the good spirit
Achab did that wicked King of Israel Some will say it is an eafie matter for a man to ouercome his sinfull affections and wee may doo well if wee will But I aske them who was more able and better furnished then the blessed Apostle S. Paul yet he findeth the matter so hard to performe that he confesseth it to the whole world Rom. 11. 22. I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man but I see an other lawe in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in my members that is in all the sences and in all the parts of my bodie Yea he seeth it to be a matter so impossible that he is faine to crie out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me And seeth no other meane of deliueraunce but only praier for Gods helpe that it would please God to beate downe the power of sinne in him I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And answere was made My grace is sufficient for thee and my power is made perfect through thy weaknesse For that which is impossible to man is most easie for God to bring to passe Most truly therefore might he say Very gladly will I reioyce rather in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in me and master and mortifie sinne which would full faine haue the better hand ouer me Many will not be knowne of their sinnes when they be admonished of them because they are loth to leaue them yet some of a better minde and more tractable will acknowledge them and in their minde will mislike them and also will not sticke to confesse that they would faine leaue them and would thinke themselues happie if they might be rid of them yet find in themselues no power at all to forgo them No maruell then though the Apostle Heb. 12. perswadeth vs to cast off sinne which cleaneth vnto vs and hangeth on so fast But how may we forgo them how may we be rid of them we cannot it is impossible to vs. Craue it and beg it as the apostle did once twice thrice yea often euer at the hands of God in earnest and humble praier and he will performe it vnto thée and after a while thou shalt perceiue how weake the power of sin will begin to be in thée So that thou shalt be daily lesse proude lesse giuen to drunkennesse to theft to whoredome and the like till thou growest at the last to hate that sin that troubled thy soule so much till in time thou hast gathered that strength that thou maiest dispossesse and throwe out that strong man Behold then how great cause the godly haue to reioyce at their infirmities in that not only the power of their ruling sinnes is abated but also by the power of Gods good spirit and by the grace of Christ who dwelleth in the harts of the godly they are quite ouercome and ouerthrowne Whereby we may gather these two comforts First that this is a sure token vnto vs that we appertaine vnto God and secondly that the diuel shall haue no power to destroy vs séeing that we haue escaped his snares and that his bands that held vs in so fast are loosed burst and broken I will adde but one ioy more which is most pertinent To do good for euill and for the present purpose And that is that the godly reioyce to do the wicked good as the wicked reioyce to hurt them and sport and solace themselues in their sorrowes At the conuertion of the sinner and wicked the Angels in heauen reioyce and it is not to be doubted but that the godly beare them company heerein and are as greatly ioyfull The enemy of the Prophet Eliseus sought his death but he set bread water before them and sent them away in peace when they were al in his hand and at his word they might haue bene put to death When Dauid might haue saline Saul yet he reioyced in preseruing his life The Prophet Ieremy counselled the Israelies to pray for the life of King Nabuchodonosor who held them in captiuitie although he were a wicked and an idolatrous King Our Sauiour Christ praied for the life of his persecutors O Lord laie not this sinne to their charge for they know not what they do So did the blessed Martyr S. Stenen when the stones flue thicke about his eares Thus doo they pray for them that persecute them that God would turn his wrath from them and that in mercy he would call them as the Apostle Saint Paul was called from persecution to profession thus doo they speake well of them that hate them blesse them that curse them thus do they good for euil and séeke the preseruation of their liues who gréedily hunt after their ouerthrow death According to the examples of the Apostles 1. Cor. 4. 12. We are reuiled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffer it we are euill spoken of and we pray I say the truth in Christ saith S. Paul Rom. 9. 1. I lie not my conscience bearing mee witnesse in the holie Ghost that I haue great heauinesse and continual sorrow in my heart For I would wish my self to be seperate from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh but his professed and vtter enemies by persecution Yet he calleth them brethren Brethren my hearts desire and praier to God for Israel is that they might bee saued Accounting the good and welfare of his enemies the greatest ioy that might befall him More might be said but I haue stood vpon this point of the ioy of the godly somewhat too long Wherefore as a matter more proper to the godly I will The sorrow of the godly returne vnto the words of my text and intreat once againe of their sorrow The world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow as if they were both borne and bred to it and should end their liues in the same For as the oxen appointed to the slaughter are let runne a fatting at their pleasure and other oxen kept vnder daily labour of the yoke so fareth it with the godly that are exercised with trouble all the daies of their life while the wicked escape run at randam gathering fat and growing grosse dying shortly nay more then that eternally If the godly haue any comfort in this world it continueth not long and therefore their life may well be said to be a mixture of swéet soure and a continual interchange of sorrow comfort comfort sorrow Which if they consider wel is a benefit vnto them so far forth as to draw their minds frō earth to heauen from y◠world to God Wherunto they are the more moued bicause the world maketh a wonder of them a gazing stock a matter of contempt and derision As the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. 13. hath foretold We are counted as the filth of the worlde and the
haue afflicted his church whome albeit for a time he now and then suffer to runne on yet in the end his reuenging hand doth ouertake them they perish Wherefore we may well say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 58. 10. 11. The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance he shall wash his footesteps in the blood of the vngodly So that a man shall say Verely there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth Séeing theÌ„ we sée in all times and ages that almightie God auengeth the blood of his saints in whose cies their â—â—ath is precious the continuall recording and recounting thereof with our selues shall make vs account it excéeding ioy when afflictions persecutions come vpon vs by Gods appointment For then we shall be assured that all our sorrowes shall be turned into ioyes Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shal be turned into ioy The proposition being ended contained in these words Confirmation Your sorrow shall be turned into ioy It followeth that I should speake of the confirmation and reason which is added for the proofe of the proposition Which confirmation is drawne from a similitude and comparison of a woman in child-birth respecting her throes and her ioyes A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is deliuered of the childe she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world Wherein first it sée meth good by comparison to set downe the throes of a trauelling woman and secondly the ioyes For first commeth sorrow and then ioy that ioy may be the more accepted Among women the yoongest or at lestwise they that neuer felt the sorrow before are most impatient in their throes and they are as gréeuous vnto them Throes as pangs of death and oftentimes choose and wish for death rather then to endure them Trouble and affliction to them that haue liued in ioy and at ease Oh how bitter is this triall and how intollerable are their passions and griefe for a time So that it séemeth not to bee spoken without cause which the Prophet Ieremy saith Lam. 3. 27. It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth Because we can neuer begin too timely to be exercised vnder the crosse that when our afflictions grow greater and greater our patience also by experience may be stronger stronger Yoong heads want resolution and great matters must not be taken in hand without aduisement The hastie man neuer wants woe and likewise rashnesse hath his fall At the first what alteration what recantations what exclamations How many doubtful matters trouble our heads before we can get vp to the top of the hill and settle our selues to resolution Happie is the man that hath not fallen from his hope in the time of his triall The Apostles were first offended then scattered and long it was before they could throughly frame themselues to the triall Lord what a fight betwixt the spirit and the flesh before we can present our selues in the battell and in the face of the enemy to get a prize and winne the crowne Againe it is not one pangue and one throe and then deliuerance so many are the troubles of the righteous before God deliuer them out of all Some more some lesse according to euery ones abilitie or weakenesse and as God hath giuen the grace strength to beare and to endure them Fuily perswading with our selues that God in mercy will laie no more vppon vs then we are able to endure Some more some lesse and lightly then thickest when the houre of deliuerance is nearest and at hand And let vs comfort our selues for when our troubles are thickest then are they shortest For nothing that is violent is of long continuance Our Sauiour Christ in the greatest extremities throes and pangues and in the infinit number and huge heape of them as the sand of the sea and who can expresse hell torments crieth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee But anon after he quietly gaue vp the ghost saying most comfortably in the hearing of all the standers by All is finished Great and extreame are the pangues and throes of women but lightly a day or two endes them Our afflictions and sorrowes are but for a moment and then an enterance into glorie The trauelling woman in respect of her manifold throes sigheth and groneth much before she bee deliuered and heartily wisheth that her time were come so the godly in the trebled sorrowes of their persecutions sigh and grone and that with sighes which cannot be expressed desiring much to bee dissolued and to be with Christ the earth and all the creatures that are therein bearing them company It is now inough saith Elias the Prophet O Lorde take my soule for I am no better then my father And therefore we sigh saith the Apostle 2. â—or 5. 2. desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen knowing that whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord making it our especiall choyce to remooue out of the bodie that wee may dwell with the Lord. The diuers throes which come without intermission procure great feare but it is only in a womanly heart Flesh and blood is alwaies trembling and where courage wanteth there are great feares Feares yea and crying out and skritching most pittiously that it would grieue ones heart to heare it Like as a woman with child saith yâ— Prophet Esay cap. 26. 17. that draweth neare to the trauel is in sorrow and crieth in her pains so haue we bene in thy sight O Lord. And here the patient minde of the godly passeth in extremitie of persecution who beyond all expectation can reioyce and clap their hands when as the wicked being put to the like tremble and quake at the sight and roare out for paine when they féele the smart The reason is that as God in iustice increaseth the paines of the one so in loue and mercy hee mitigateth and asswageth the sorrowes of the other that although in their owne nature they be bitter and extreme yet in a manner they are not felt Which is sometimes also séene in the trauell of a woman that when matters are thought to be impossible not only to her but to the midwife and the standers by so that all hope of life doth vanish when groning crying is turned to fainting then behold the suddaine helpe of God to relieue her and to bring her againe froÌ„ death to life to increase the wonder in the beholders and to giue them all cause to giue God the praise thanks For when we are weakest then is he strongest When shipwracke is made what shift is then vsed to recouer get to the shore for fear of death which is at hand and they that
but to be deliuered of a man child is a greater ioy To haue women children of the 2. Esd 9. 38. Israelites did not so much vexe Pharaos minde but the men children the hope and ioy of their parentes and their strength they must die the death Among the innocentes Herode caused the men children to be slaine fearing least one of them should weare his crowne and put him or his beside their princely roialtie The chiefest deliuerances that euer God wrought for his people it may be somewhat he brought to passe by women but most of all by men And therefore was Moses preserued that hée might in time deliuer his people The victorie and the honour thereof did belong to Barake but because he feared and doubted the honour thereof was â—iuen to a woman Iudges 4. 9. This iourney shall not be for thine honour For the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman Iael the wife of Heber the Benite shall be blessed aboue other women blessed shall shée be aboue women dwelling in tentes Chapt. 5. 24. Vnto whom was it sayd Blessed is the wombe that bare thée and the pappes that gaue thée sucke but to the man childe What coulde the midwife or the rest of the women say more to comfort the distressed soule of the wife of Phinehas Elias sonne but this Feare not for thou hast borne a sonne yet woulde shée not be comforted because the glorie of God was departed O Lord God saith Abraham Genesis 15. what wilt thou giue mée séeing I haue no heire It is not so much the womans comfort but the midwife or other women runne to the father to tell him that a man childe is borne vnto him and well is she that can bring that gladsome tidinges The grudgeing mindes of some when they haue daughters borne whereas indéede they shoulde be contented with Gods appointment doe shewe how ioyfull and acceptable a thing it is when God sendeth a man childe Children are Gods blessinges and why shoulde wée account otherwise of our daughters It pleaseth God oftentimes to send vs more comfort by our daughters then by our sonnes to disprooue the vanitie of their mindes which cannot be content with that which God sendes Yet neuerthelesse it so falleth out that the men children are more accounted of then women children whether it be that they are the weaker vessels and God hath giuen man the honour or els because women are oftentimes the occasions of the falles and ouerthrowe of men according to the course of their graundmother Eue as we reade 1 Timoth. 2. 14. Adam was not deceiued but the woman was deciued and was in the transgression howsoeuer the case standes or for what cause it is I leaue it to your iudgement yet so it is In the scripture for the most part there is neuer mention made of women children vnlesse it be to expresse matters to be considered and thought on shewing rather euill then good As Iepthe his daughter to expresse the rash vow of her father Lots daughters to shewe their fathers offence the daughters of Moab to make the sinne of the Israelites knowne the daughter of Herodias to shewe forth the mothers malice in the death of Iohn Baptist Eue had two children and both men Sara one childe and that a sonne and that an heire of the whole earth because all the kindreds of the earth should be blessed in him Hannah the mother of Samuel praied that God woulde take away her report and reproche of barrennesse and giue there a child and God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man child The wife of Zocharias being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at last God sent them a child a man child yea and that a great Prophet An Angel telleth him that his wife should beare a sonne and that he should haue ioy and gladnesse and that many should reioyce at his birth Because he should be great in the sight of the Lord. Iacob amongst so many men children had but one Dinah the daughter of Leah but what trouble and mischiefe was raised vp through her meanes No doubt men children bréed much trouble and sorrow to the hearts of the parents oftentimes but sée how the scripture rather noteth the care and griefe that commeth by the woman-child Eccle. 42. 9. The daughter maketh the father to watch secretly and the carefulnesse that he hath for her taketh away his sleepe In her youth least she should passe the slower of her age and when she hath an husband lest she should be hated In her virginitie lest she should be defiled or gotten with child in her fathers house and when she is with her husband least she misbehaue her self If thy daughter be vnshamefast keep her straightly least she cause thy enemies to laugh thée to scorne and make thée a common talke in the cittie and defame thée amoÌ„g the people and bring thée to publike shame It may be thy daughter is not shamefast watch and lie in waite to perceiue it and cause that other may giue thée intelligence If it be so hold her straightly lest she abuse her selfe through ouermuch libertie as Dinah did to sée fashions and lost her virginitie When we aske men-children we aske not as Hamah the mother of Samuel that it may be for Gods glory but for our owne priuate ioy and worldly respects and therefore God sendeth I say not women children but wicked and vngodly children whether they be sonnes or daughters And because thou neglectest thy dutie in bringing vp thy children in the feare of the Lord therefore God sendeth trouble with thy children and great grief and sorrow to recompence thy foolish vnaduised ioy Make not thy choice either of sonne or daughter but desire that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be tone let thy chiefest care be that God may 〈◊〉 â—lorified in them and by them Which especially is performed by praier for them and in bringing them vp in Gods feare and so shalt thou haue great ioy of thy children when other haue sorrow And happie are those parentes that haue such children as may procure their ioy Of all the considerations why the ioy of a man-childe should be so great I may recite these two The one is that the men-children are more likely to come in place of preferment or to great wealth whereby they may be a help and a state to their kindred if not by their wisedome and counsel they may do them furtherance Not but that the women children come often to the like yet that not by themselues but by the meanes of their husbands who are to do nothing but that their husbands shall thinke well of and allowe at whose direction both themselues and that which was giuen with them is The second is that by the man-child the name is continued and the posteritie increased Which is a Iob. 18. 17. 19. great blessing of God as we may sée in the exhortation which King Dauid deliuered to his sonne Salomon who recited the promise of God vnto him saying If