without spot that he might vndertake that punishment that was due vnto our sins and endue vs with his righteousnes So that now we are iust and righteous in him not that we can satisfie the iudgement of God by our owne workes but that we are accounted iust and righteous through Christ who is ours through faith Who is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse satisfaction and redemption that he that reioyceth might only reioyce in the Lord for whose sake we are fréely accounted both iust innocent before god in whom are seene the glorious treasures of God that wée might bée inriched by him For if wée looke for saluation wée are taught by the very name of Iesus that it is in him if wée séeke for any other gifte of the spirit they are to bée found in his annointing if wée séeke for strength it is in his dominion if we séeke for cléerenesse it is in his conception if we séeke for tender kindnesse it sheweth it selfe in his birth whereby he was made in all things like vnto vs that he might learne to sorrowe with vs. If we séeke for redemption it is in his passion if we séeke for absolution it is in his condmnation if wée séeke for release of the curse it is in his crosse if we séeke for satisfaction it is in his sacrifice if wee séeke for clensing it is in his blood if wée séeke for reconciliation it is in his going downe into hell if we séeke for mortification of the flesh it is in his buriall if wée séeke for newnesse of life it is in his resurrection if for immortalitie it is in his victory ouer death if we seeke for the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen it is in his entraunce into heauen if wée séeke for defence for assurednesse for plentie and stoare of all good thinges it is in his kingdome And therefore this is the diademe and bewtifull crowne that is sette vpon our heads the fine linnen and the silke and the broidered worke wherewith wée are couered these are the ornaments wherewith wée are decked the bracelets on our hands and the chaine that is put about our neckes this is the frontlet on our face the earings in our eares this is the garment of siluer and gold wherewith wée are cloathed this is the fine flower the hony and the oyle whereby we become so bewtiffull Euen the remssion of our sinnes and the imputation of Christ his righteousnesse who hath put away our transgressions like a cloud and our sinnes like a mist and filled our harts with ioy and gladnesse that in a sure confidence we may break out and say Nowe there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Reioice therefore O ye heauens at the goodnes and mercie of the Lord for he only hath done it shout ye lower partes of the earth brast foorth into praises yee mountaines 3. Sanctification The lawe is fulfilled of the regenerate by reason of Christ O forrest and euerie trée threin The third braunch is sanctification and holinesse of life whereby as before being vnregenerate we hated the lawe and the lawe was vnto vs the cause of death nowe being reconciled to God of our owne accord respecting our former rebellion we are readie and obedient to doe the will of God yea and all our delight is therein so nowe vnto vs it ceaseth to bee a curse and condemnation for the lawe of God is writte in our harts whereby we vnderstand the will of God and are stirred vp to the obedience thereof So then through faith the lawe is not made of none effect but it doeth rather establish the lawe For without Christ the lawe is not fulfilled yea it setteth our concupiscence on fire and maketh vs subiect vnto condemnation but in Christ we find the exact righteousnesse of the lawe for he is the end of the lawe to eucrie one that beleeueth by whom also we are sanctified and our hearts framed to the obedience of the lawe which though it be vnperfect yet doth it aime at perfection And this obedience procéedeth from faith which through the merit of Christ obtaineth the holie spirit which spirit doth make vs newe harts doth exhilarat vs doth incite and inflame our harts to doe the lawe willinglie Nowe the lawe in the regenerate that is in those whose sinnes are forgiuen vnto whom the righteousuesse of Christ is imputed who are sanctified bringeth foorth good frutes Therefore euill actions procéede not from the lawe and from The workes of the regenerate no cause of iustification the regenerate but from sinne and our corrupt nature Neither let vs thinke so highly of these frutes as though from thence our iustification were deriued For though we hate sinne in other men and especially in our selues although we delight in all things which are agréeable to the A true doctrine of good workes will of god although all our actions and conuersation do expresse the same yet are they but signes and tokens of our loue to God and arguments to vs of our election and frutefull examples to drawe others to that excellent knowledge which is in Christ The lawe in the regenerate a mind rightly formed and ruled perswaded on thing but corruption also which hath her seate in the regenerate an other thing for it striueth against the spirit and the lawe of the In the regenerate is a fight betwixt the flesh and the spirit An especiall comfort in this fight is that we are vnder grace mind so that they cannot either liue as wel as they would or be so voide of sinne as they could wish Neuerthelesse this is their comfort that they are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace whereby enioying the fauour mercie fréegoodwill and beneuolence of God towarde vs in Christ the reliques of sinne are not imputed vnto vs but we are reputed and accounted before God as men fullie and perfectly iust He hath giuen vs his spirit the fulnes whereof we do not enioy because in this life there will alwaies remaine in vs remnants of sinne which fight against the spirit Which conflict the Apostle plainly setteth forth before our eies hauing sufficient experience thereof in himself For the mind of a regenerate man is spirituall but he himself is carnall sold vnder sinne and that which he hateth that doth he in his flesh there is no good thing To wil is present but he findeth no means to perform that which is good yea euil togither continually is present with him and though his inner man delight in the lawe of God yet doeth he sée an other lawe in his members rebelling against the lawe of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in his members And that euen the godly might know that they are laden The profit of this fight with infirmities therefore is this sting left in their flesh that they might alwaies haue recourse vnto the Lord who is able to beate downe
the iniuring and oppressing of our neighbours to do good to all and by little and little it draweth vs not onely to the loue thereof but euen with an earnest purpose of mind we are therby wonne to take that way that leadeth to euerlasting life For it mortifieth our sinfull desires by shewing vs the It mortifieth sinfull desires bitter punishments that remaine and that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of God that are led by them Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies for the wages of sin is death that is the euerlasting death of bodie soule Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God God is not mocked for what we sowe that shall we reape for he that soweth to his flesh and followeth his fleshly desires shall therehence reape corruption and woe but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting For we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill And blessed are they that doo his commandements that their right may be in the trée of life and may enter in through the gates into y◠Citie For without shall bedogs inchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies Finally to whom it shall be said Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuel and his angels It abateth and restraineth sin within vs as we reade Psal It worketh bettering 119. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Through the reading of thy word I got vnderstanding therefore I hate all wicked waies Yea they that are godly minded and painful and diligent in searching the scriptures with a desire by Gods grace to profit by them they for the most part bring foorth such plentifull good fruit to godward and such an vpright conuersation to the world that in their faith beliefe to God and in their life to men they séeme in a maner blamelesse without fault although indéed while we liue in this world we are compassed with many infirmities and greatly pressed with the burthen of our sinnes which doo so hang and cleaue so fast vnto vs. By the reading whereof and the working of Gods good spirit in our hearts and consciences and in our liues and conuersation wee beginne to bee altered and chaunged into that which wee reade And we become daily lesse and lesse proude lesse wrathfull lesse couetous and lesse desirous of worldly and vaine pleasures And daily forsaking our olde vicious life we encrease in vertue more and more Well therefore may the word of God Iames 1. 21. be called a sauing word which is able thus to saue vs by bringing vs in hate of sinne and bréeding in vs the loue of God and all goodnesse So that we may say with the Prophet Dauid Thy word is the verie ioy of my heart It teacheth vs to be heauenly minded and to prepare our selues to heauen by setting the vanities of the world Prepareth vs vnto heauen before our eyes and the ende of the worlde and howe we should watch against that time that we be not condemned with the world Loue not the world saith Saint Iohn nor the things that are in the word For the loue of the worlde driueth out the loue of God but he that regardeth the word of God and fulfilleth his will abideth in GOD for euer whereas the world and all the vanities thereof doo perish and fade away 2. Pet. 3. 10. 11. The day of the Lord meaning thereby the latter day will come as a théefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyce and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Séeing therefore that all these things must be dissolued what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines being prepared to heauen and heauenly minded Take heed to your selues watch and pray continually that ye may escape those things that shall fall on the world and that ye may stand before the sonne of man not tremblingly but with great ioy and comfort Aduersitie misery crosses and troubles through griefe VVorketh patience in all worldly miserie◠and thought cast many away but they that are practised in reading the word of God know that there is nothing more auaileable to lift vp our hearts to Godward and to settle our mindes there whereas true ioyes are to be found then is the reading of the word of God Many fret and fume and vexe themselues when losse of goods and friends and other such worldly helpes doo ouertake them but the word of God doth bréede a quiet and contented mind as to say with Iob Naked came I into the world and naked shall I go out The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord And to say with the Apostle Saint Paule Phil. 4. 11. 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content and I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be ful to be hungry and to abound and to haue want all which I am able to do through the helpe of Christ which strengthen me Godlines is great riches and a contented minde passeth all resoluing with our selues according to the direction of Gods word that God worketh all for the best to them that loue and feare him That which doth ouerthrow some and cast them in their graues through the fault of their owne impatient minds worketh wonderously in other some which haue recourse and séeke counsell in Gods word as to ioyne them vnto God and to bring them out of the loue of the world and all the vanities thereof And as he wisheth to the Colos so let vs desire that we may be strengthened through his glorious power vnto al patience with ioyfulnes giuing thanks vnto the father who hath requited all griefs and troubles all losses all miseries with a farre greater recompence in this that he hath made vs méete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light As the word of God doth strengthen vs in all worldly Maketh vs indure persecution death it selfe miseries to take all things with a contented and patient minde so euen in the losse of our liues for the defence of a good cause and Gods truth it moketh vs ioyfull and excéeding glad As some when they were whipped and scourged for the profession of Christ endured it with ioyfull mindes and praising God that they were counted worthie to suffer for his truth Reioycing in
returne vnto him By which forbearing many are wonne to God as also the worst sort are hardned against the day of wrath heaping vnto themselues vengeance against the day of the declaration of Gods iust iudgement Wherein all both the best and the worst cannot say otherwise but that the lord is gratious mercifull in forbearing Slow to anger and of great kindnesse yet Correcting not so slowe that hée will neuer strike or that he will suffer his patience to be abused but when he is throughly prouoked hée putteth his anger in effect Neuerthelesse as the wicked féele the waight of his anger so towardes his people hée dooth so moderate the same that in wrath hée remembreth mercie and causeth his punishments to be but remedies to his his owne people as the Surgion vseth cutting and launcing for the benefit of him whome hée so handleth The scourges and afflictions 2. Macc. 6. 12. 17. that God sendeth amongst his people are not for destruction but for a chastening For it is a token of his great goodnesse and of his gratious kindnesse not to suffer sinners long to continue but straightwaies to punishe them For the Lorde dooth not long wayte for vs as for other Nations whome hee punisheth when they are come to the fulnesse of their sinnes but thus hée dealeth with vs that our sinnes should not be heaped vp the full so that afterwards we should be the more gréeuously punished And therefore he neuer withdraweth his mercie from vs and though hée punish vs yet dooth hée neuer vtterly forsake vs. So slowe hée is to anger that hée punisheth them that goe wrong in a measure warning them by putting them in remembraunce of the thinges wherein they haue offended that they might leaue their wickednesse Furthermore hée maketh them féele his rodde by a little and little giuing them space to repent If saith the wise man thou haste punished the Egyptians the enemies of thy children hauing deserued death with so great consideration and requesting vnto them giuing them time and place that they might chaunge from their wickednesse with howe great circumspection wilt thou punishe thy owne children When thou doest chasten vs thou punishest our enemies a thousand times more to the intent that when we iudge we shuld diligently consider thy goodnesse and when we are iudged we should hope for mercie We are neuer further off frō God then when he doth most fauour vs and he is neuer more truly serued then when he striketh vs with his rod. These effects of Gods anger and his corrections may more truly be termed chastisements then punishments according to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 10. 24. O Lorde correct mee but with iudgement let thy punishment be lenified and moderated with mercy let it not proceede in thine anger least I bee consumed and brought to nothing In the Psalme 85. God saith by the mouth of his Prophet If my children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgements then will I visit their transgression with the rodde and their iniquitie with strokes and scourges For as sinne and the breaking of Gods commaundements is the cause of correction so is correction the remedie to bring vs into the way againe By which forcible mean of Gods fauour we are so humbled and altered that it procureth amendment in vs. Yea it wrought mightily with the heathen king Nebuchadnezer and brought him to the worship of God This forcible meane of Gods fauoure I say of his fauoure for otherwise where hee dooth correct vs hee might destroy vs preuailed so with King Dauid that after he felt the stroke of his correction hée desired that the Lorde woulde instruct him in his lawe and furthermore that it gréeued his heart to sée the wicked transgresse Gods lawe Finally howe great the goodnesse of the Lorde is in correcting vs wée may well perceiue by the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned with the worlde For those whome GOD loueth those doeth hee chasten as for the wicked and vngodly hée letteth them runne on still till they haue filled vp the measure of their sinne and then in steade of correction whiche mighte conuert them they shall féele the gréeuous and heauie burthen of Gods wrath vtterly to destroy them Correction bringeth with it time and place to repent but a suddaine destruction cutteth off all repentance For the grace of God doth often accompany correction as alwaies his wrath is ioyned with destruction The Lord is mercisull and gratious slow to anger to bring the wicked to repentance whom the Apostle Rom. 2. doth greatly reproue for their hardnesse of heart and for abusing his gratious mercy and long suffering Despisest thou saith he the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thée to repentance Againe he is mercisull and gratious and slow to anger in respect of the godly because hee dooth not put his anger in full execution against them And that when he striketh them being moued thereto by his anger it is for their great good and benefit A more large exposition of that which goeth before is 3 Abundant in goodnesse seene in these words Abundant in goodnesse and truth Reseruing Mercy c. Which words giue vs to vnderstand how God vseth all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare by inriching vs with his benefits and powring downe his blessings vpon vs and not onely that but effectually performing whatsoeuer faithfully he hath promised dealing with vs and alluring vs as we sée how carthly fathers go about to winne their children to all vertue and goodnesse by faire words and promises and sometimes bestowing gifts vpon them And this onely and most substantiall argument doth the Apostle S. Paul vse Act. 14. 17. as it were by most sensible meanes to draw the minds of the heathen people from their Idolatry to the true worship of God For saith he although God suffered you to walke in your owne waies yet that you might be without excuse he left not himself without witnesse among you in that he did good and gaue you raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling your hearts with foode and gladnesse All which benefits although hée might haue withdrawne because you abused them to his dishonour yet still was he aboundant in goodnesse when you were most vnworthie of them A maister will not doo good to that seruant that shall disgrace him a father will withdrawe his heart from an vnkinde childe Although a mans iealousie bee such that hauing iust cause to forsake his wife for her lewdenesse hée will neuer be intreated to receiue her yet is the Lorde aboundant in goodnesse Let my people saith hee put away her fornications and I will receiue her againe into fauoure The Lordes workes are not as mans workes and hée is aboundant in kindnesse farre contrarie to our nature who can hardly or neuer incline our hearts
he staid not long there Let vs therfore satisfie our selues with the knowledge of Gods creatures if it be but in a measure be contented though we sée not all but by and in them that we doo know let vs praise honor him who in such comely bewtifull vnsearchable sort hath made all Timantes a cunning Painter taking in hand to expresse the sorow of Agamemnō for the death of his daughter Iphigenia perceiuing his skill wold not reach so far couered the prince his face with a vaile leauing his sorrow to be cōceiued by the mind of the beholders whose eyes in this respect he could not satisfie In like sort finding my self vnable to fulfill thy desire and to set downe the consideration of all Gods creatures thinke it good to leaue the rest to thy studie and labour and take that to be sufficient for this present purpose which I haue said vsing silence where much may be spared thy studie eased and minde delighted For breuitie bringeth attention and a long discourse tediousnes The learned Philosophers and searchers of gods works perceiuing the excellency of gods creatures and the bewtifull frame of the world gaue it a a name agréeable thereunto and called it Bewtie it selfe For if the works of men deserue great commendation and that the Carpenter in the frame of his house the Mason in his stoneworke the Painter in his pictures may excel how much more excellent and passing bewtifull shall the frame of the whole world be and the workmanship of euery creature made and ordeined and created of God Who as he is in all respects worthie praise so doubtlesse must the works be which procéed from him infinit incomprehensible only good only almightie only wise only excellent in whatsoeuer may be said to be his When the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ shewed VVhether to endure him the faire building of the Temple and the garnished worke Maruell ye at these things saith he The time shall come that there shall not be a stone left vpon a stone which shall not be throwne downe The Temple it selfe yea euen the bewtifull gate of the Temple shall come to hauocke and ruine There is nothing excellent in the world that is of long continuance and the world it self hath but his time and shall passe away as though it had neuer bene nor euer created not through the default of the workemanship but through their procurement for whose benefit it was made and created Shewe me the light which will not darken shewe me the flower which will not fade shewe me the frute which will not corrupt shewe me the garment which will not weare shewe me the strength which wil not weaken shewe me the bewtie which will not wither shewe me the time which will not passe and tell me if thou canst whether that the worlde bee of the continuance but of an houre The ende whereof is compared to the trauaile of a woman the comming of a théefe in the night the flashing of lightning sodaine and vnlooked for in a moment in the turning of a hand in the twinkling of an eye before a man can say what is done or what is towardes For as GOD said It repenteth mee that euer I made man so not long after he vttered his voyce to Noah and sayd An end is come He created man and he fell he made the world and it shall not alwayes endure Man was made out of the dust and to dust he shall returne the world was made of nothing and to nothing shall it vanish it shall ware olde as a garment and at length be consumed with fire The goodnesse of the Lorde is great in the continuance of the worlde and longer should the time be if the wickednesse of men did not abounde Which time if it were not shortned no flesh should be saued but for the Elects sake for the benefit of the good and godly the dayes of the world shall be cut off Let mee alone saith God to Moses that I may consume this people vtterly Now come many miseries losses extremities and plagues vppon the world but for the sin that is practised in the world Which doubtlesse will be the cause of the ende of the world and of the destruction of gods bewtiful frame fire and brimstone fell vpon Sodom and Gomorrha a part of the world wheras if it had pleased God it might haue lighted on all the world The windowes aboue and the depthes beneath were opened and the whole earth was ouerwhelmed with water A token of a greater iudgement and of a greater destruction when not a part of the earth shall bee consumed with fire but the whole earth yea euen the heauens also and the whole world it selfe The glorious Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of the heauen shall be shaken the earth shall be dissolued the sea and the waters shall roare And if the wordes of the Apostle Saint Peter bee true as without all peraduenture they are moste certaine because the spirite of God hath set them downe which cannot lie neither can be deceiued as the world of old perished being ouerflowne with water so the heauens and the earth which are now are kept by the power of God in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men This latter day the end of the world shall come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shal passe away with a noise and the elements shal melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therin shall be burnt vp Sin iniquitie and wickednes saith the wise man hath cast downe the thrones of the mightie and brought the earth to a wildernes and so it shal fal out the therby all things shal be brought to desolation and not only the earth but the whole world shal come to nothing Yet thrée daies and Niniue shal be destroied yet but a while and y◠a litle while and the time of the world shal be expired For the end of all things is at hand Plentifull Sodom bewtiful Gomorrha are defaced their beastly lustes and the abusing of Gods benefits was the cause Man should neuer haue died if he had neuer disobeied and the bewtie of the world should still haue continued if the inhabitants of the world had giuen no other cause But now all things tend to their decay the heauenly powers do faile in their operations and the hearbes haue not their former force and the Phisitian is driuen to vncertainties The bodie of man is not so perfect and healthfull as in the beginning but subiect to manifold diseases his time holdeth not out to hundreths as heretofore it hath done but fewe are his daies because his daies are euill Death to man destruction to the world yea all the creatures of the earth do grone vnder the burthen of that misterie whereunto they
shall gods blessing reach and extend it selfe more to some then to other some When there was a famin in the land Abraham had to suffice him so also fell it out vnto Izake his sonne when there was a famine and he a stranger in the land God increased him with store But a far greater proofe of Gods prouidence in the behalfe of the godly is séen in the example of Ioseph the sonne and Iacob the father with all his children posteritie For when many lands were ready to starue they were fed liberally as it were from the kings table So it falleth out betwixt the godly and the wicked when we thinke of Gods prouidence Abraham Izake and Iacob haue plentie when Esau is almost dead for want of a messe of pottage when the prodigall sonne would faine haue filled his belly with the huskes that the swine did eate but no man gaue them him nor had pittie on him The lions do lacke and suffer hunger but they which séeke the Lord shall want no maner of thing that is good For the reliefe of the whole citie of Samaria but especially for the comfort of the godly did God send his Prophet Elisha to tel them of plentie saying Two measures of barley at a shekel and a measure of fine floure shall be at a shekel to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria After great scarcitie vpon a sodaine great plentie and more store of corne then of money to giue for corne inough to satisfie them that were most hungry and besides to spare God neuer suffereth his to want long though for the wickeds sake they are somewhat restrained for a season Who by his prouidence is so aboundant that euen the wicked also as the Psalme saith are filled with his hid treasures Esau had rich possessions and Ismael was a great Lorde and from him came Princes The hand of God was opened in most liberall sort vnto the Canaanites yet therewithall wee must vnderstand that this lasted but for a time and also to teach vs that if God be so liberall to them which are without God in the world how much more carefull will he be ouer them that are godly Trust thou in the Lord and do good which two matters are sure tokens vnto vs that if we do so Gods prouidence will neuer faile vs dwell in the land and thou shalt be fed assuredly Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thée thy hearts desire God maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill as well as on the good and sendeth raine on the vniust as well as on the iust Yea sometimes their portion is so great that they spread themselues like a gréen bay trée yet their time is but short I passed by saith the Prophet and â—o they were gone I sought them but their place could no where be found They that wayt vppon the Lord and fulfill his will they shall inherit the land yet a little while and the wicked shall not appeare the séed of the wicked shall be cut off and the righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein for euer Fly from euill and be doing good and dwell for euermore And although the wicked be maintained by gods prouidence and that largely yet is it especially for this cause to make them without excuse wheÌ„ they shall be called to account because they haue not liued in the feare of God seeing that God delt with them so plentuously Wherefore séeing the prouidence of God hath this consideration ioyned with it that they only that feare God and do his wil are truly partakers of the same let vs kéep our selues in compasse and desire no more of God then that which shall relieue our necessities and be a meanes to continue vs in gods feare Delicates and dainties are for them who are carried away with the lusts of the flesh I kept my body vnder saith S. Paul lest when I had warned other I my selfe might be reproued At mans first creation God appointed euery gréen hearbe to be his meate to teach him abstinence and â—obrietie In like sort in the Psalme 104. we reade of Gods ordinance for the sustenance of all creatures in these words Hee causeth grasse to growe for the cattle and hearbe for the vse of man and that the earth might yeeld him bread to strengthen his heart No spéech of delicates and dainties to bréede a contentment in our mindes Not but that according to their estates and degrées men may vse delicate fare in a good and godly sort but the vnruly nature of man is rather giuen to excesse then to a meane And happie is he that can vse the creatures of God without offence Reade the scriptures and for the most part you shall sée where mention is made of dainties it hath also these companions Sinne and Forgetfulnesse Excesse and Riot The Israelites they could not be content with Manna which came from heauen euen Angels foode but wanton they were and néeds they must haue other fare grudging and murmuring against God They fell a lusting and wept withall saying Who shall giue vs flesh to eate We remember the fish that we did eate for nought in Egipt the cucumbers and the pepons and the léekes and the onions and the garlicke whereof we had such store as we could wish but now our soule is dried away and we can see nothing but this Manna Then GOD sent them quailes euen daintie flesh The swéete mouthes of the Sodomites stirred vp the flesh and enforced the hart mind to consent to great filthinesse and their bodies were too ready to performe it Proud they were and idle forgetful of God of themselues and disdainfull toward the poore King Belshazzar as we read in yâ— procie of Daniel ca. 5. in his excessiue feasting did abound but euen then also he was carousing to his coÌ„cubines and praising his idol gods of gold of siluer of brasse of iroÌ„ of wood and of stone and further he abused the holy vessels of the temple The prodigall sonne had a dainty tooth and he must satisfie his mind and spend till all was gone and that quickly He spent it in excesse and whoredome The rich man fared daintily but he had no regard vnto the poore and harkened not vnto their cries But what became of these daintie people While the flesh of the quailes was betwixt the téeth of the Israelites a plague came from God and consumed a number of them Fire and brimstone from heauen burnt vp the Sodomites The same houre that King Belshazzar was feasting riotously and wickedly he sawe that with his eyes that troubled his thoughtes and made his countenance to change and his heart to melt and his knées to beate one against an other for feare and trembling A heauy matter was shewed him the losse of his kingdome he escaped not so but he lost his life too After the prodigall sonne had eaten vp his portion of goods and spent all in sugar and sauce
the way much like to him that ranne after his shadow to catch it when it ranne away from him as fast as he followed it Where shal a man think sée fortune chance more then in drawing of lots but as we shall read Pro. 16. 33. This fortune matter is ruled by God The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition therof is of the Lord. Looke into all waightie matters which were commited vnto lots and you shall plainly sée and perceiue gods worke liuely set downe Especially in the historie of Ionas the Prophet and of Achan that sold the Babylonish garment Iosh 7. and of the choosing of Matthias vnto the Apostleship in which businesse after they had made their praiers vnto God that he would shew them out the man whom he had chosen they committed the matter to lots and the lot fell on Matthias So you sée what a follery the deuised spéech of fortune is and yâ— those matters which we think to be done by chance are brought to passe by gods appointment Yet some more wise theÌ„ the rest letting passe Destinie all spéeches of fortune and chance haue surely thought and stedfastly affirmed that the affaires of men and men themselues are ruled by destiny And herehence come those spéeches He was borne to this or to that he was marked to be of this or that condition his destinie was to die by such or such a death One dares not go such a way for théeues an other if he sée a swoorde drawne thinketh hée shall be thrust through with it an other feareth to dwell in rotten houses lest by this meanes they should come by their destinie and a thousand such like feares doo possesse their Multi fata vitantes in fata inciderâ—nt hearts being readie to tremble at euery shaking of a leafe That which the wicked feareth doth often fall vnto them but the righteous is bolde as a Lyon and putteth his trust in God and is not amazed with such vaine feares and is fully perswaded that so long as he kéepeth himselfe in the feare of God and doing well no euill shall come vnto him Contrariwise they that thinke all is dispatched by destinie feare euery houre lest they be dispatched them selues and in stéed of a quiet heart and minde there is nothing but faintnesse and feare of trembling What carke and care to defende themselues and to preuent mischiefes and yet all in vaine if Gods prouidence bee otherwise whereunto we must haue speciall regarde in all our actions and endeuours and so to rest our selues contented with Gods will whatsoeuer falles out If any bee giuen to lewdenesse or any naughtie disposition if any hurt come or any gréeuous trouble or hazard of life surely will they say he was borne vnder an ill Planet and vnder an vnlucky signe Which indéed is not so but rather Gods punishment laide vppon him who oftentimes giueth ouer some to an euill mind and lets them runne on that their punishment might bee the greater and bringeth many to their death by his secret and most iust iudgements But suppose that the Plannets and the Starres the heauenly influences and celestiall bodies doo worke any inclinations in the mindes of men or foreshewe some gréeuous euents yet these leaude inclinations and fearefull euents cannot come nigh them nor touch them nor hurt them that frame their liues according to the rule of Gods word No better witnesses in this matter then they that haue beene more priuie hereunto then the common sort To the proofe whereof I will shewe two examples or euidences and instances Socrates a learned Philosopher being iudged by one that was skilfull to be dull sensuall and inclineâ— to sundry foule vices They that were present knowiâ—g the wisedome and vertue of Socrates laughed him to scorne for his great iudgement and other of his frinds were verye muche agréeued and displeased with him to heare him say so Nay saith Socrates let his iudgement nothing mooue you For certainly such a one had I bene had not the instruction of Philosophy amended the corrupt inclination of my nature Well then if the instruction of Philosophy may so much preuaile as to alter our mindes and inclinations much more shall the word of God and the force of his holy spirit be effectuall in vs to the full performance of so good a purpose The other proofe to disprooue all matters of destiny taken out of one of the destiny writers is this Take no notable thing or any great matter in hand neither begin any long iourny in the houre of Mars if you can by any meanes know when it is Then followeth that which dasheth all by his own confession But saith he who so euer put their whole trust in God and do guide their liues by the rule of his holy word be they neuer so simple and vnlearned God will so direct them that they shall auoid all such daungers and perillous times And contrariwise the wicked being learned yea thogh they know the times shall not haue power to auoid them As I haue séene saith he in many which afterward they did well consider though too late It is not therefore blinde chaunce nor heauy destiny but Gods prouidence which in great wisedome ordereth all things and bringeth all things to passe and hath the times and seasons and all plagues and punishments in his hand to send them foorth or to keep them back All which he disposeth to the benefit and good of his chosen children as also to the destruction of the wicked and vngodly and to the greater manifestation of his owne glory partly by his mercy Haman the Agagite as we shall reade in the history of Ester hated Mordecay the Iewe vnto death the reason was onely this because Mordecay bowed not his knée vnto him One mans death could not satisfie his â—nger he thinketh in his mind to destroy a number euen th whole nation of the Iewes To bring his matters to pale what is his pollicy First he doth falsly and that gréeuouâ— accuse the Iewes to the king to procure his hatred and heauie displeasure against them and furthermore to make his purpose sure he offereth to bring into the kings treasury tenne thousand talents of siluer if so be the king woulde giue foorth commaundement that all the people of the Iewes might be destroyed The King yéedeth Haman maketh haste and being in iocund ioy foorthwith Haman causeth a gallowes to be made for Mordecay and all his minde runneth vppon sheading blood The king is requested in the Iewes behalfe Mordecay his good déed that that hee did for the king in opening treason that was practised against him is called to remembraunce and the cause of this pretended murther made manifest that it was onely the mallice that Haman had conceiued against Mordecay for no matter of waight God turneth the heart of the king and maketh him to call back his wicked decrée Mordecay is honoured as the onely man whom the king
works thereof comprehended in these thrée propositions All both Iewes and gentiles are vnder sinne that is are iustly condemned for sinne All haue sinned and are iustly depriued of the glory of god that is of euerlasting life All the world is subiect to the iudgement of god And herein is the praise of his iustice in that we deserue it as also the praise of his mercy in that fréely in Christ he forgiueth vs so great damnation So that here it resteth that there is but one way of But one way of saluation saluation to wit Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse apprehended by faith For the gospell of Christ is the power of god vnto saluation to euery one that beléeueth to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian Vnto which faith although VVorkes that works are necessarily adioyned and are as the light which is séen togither with the flame yet they auaile not vnto iustification but rather signifie that a man is inwardly iustified before god Therefore although faith be not without workes yet faith alone without workes doth Faith onely iustifieth iustifie The lawe manifesteth sinne and death which was before the lawe it causeth wrath and dooth not reconcile vs vnto God but the true reconciliation and purification The righteousnesse of God commeth only from the righteousnesse which is of God And séeing righteousnesse is not sound by the law it is necessary and behoouefull that we looke for righteousnesse elsewhere And because man could not accomplish any righteousnesse therefore least hée should vtterly perish God exhibiteth a way which he promised of olde whereby he should be iustified and saued before him Christ is our righteousnes without the lawe The matter and grounde of this righteousnesse is Christ apprehended through faith who is offered vnto all because all haue sinned Which righteousnesse is fréely giuen without any merit of ours for wée are iustified freely by his grace through the God the au thour of this righteousnesse redemption that is in Christ Iesus The authour of this righteousnesse and iustification is God for hée so loued the world that hée gaue his only begotten sonne to bee offered vp for our sinnes and to make full satisfaction that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Whom GOD set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Righteousnes in the death and resurrection of christ The materiall cause is the death and resurrection of Christ for hée was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification The cause formall or instrumentall is faith whereby as it were with an hande wée apprehende the righteousnesse of GOD. For with the heart man beléeueth vnto saluation and to righteousnesse Christ is our reconciliation through faith while wée laie holde of the promises The end of this righteousne what of Gods mercy in him The finall cause is the glorie and praise of the goodnesse of God in that being enemies hée reconcileth vs vnto him Wherefore we are not saued by workes or partly by faith and partly by woorkes but all our reioycing is excluded by the VVe are iustified not by workes but by faith lawe of faith And our iustification dependeth onely vpon GOD that his glorie might be established for the promise of God is through faith and not by the lawe For as the lawe is the cause of wrath so is faith the appeasing of our consciences whereby we vnderstand that we are iustified And if any man make the lawe his grounde and his rocke hée is fallen from grace for they are vtterly abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe So that they that put their confidence in the workes of the lawe Christ shall profit them nothing By whome onely wee obtaine to bee called the sonnes of god and the heires of the kingdome of heauen by whome we are deliuered and redéemed from the lawe that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes For GOD hath giuen the spirit into our hearts that we may cry Abba father Which spirit we receiue by faith and not by the workes of the lawe for they that are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse and vnder moste dreadfull feare And the generall proposition of the Apostle is that no man is iustified by the lawe for the lawe is not of faith but the iust shall liue by faith For by faith wée are the séede posteritie and children of Abraham and heires by promise and fellowe heires with Christ of his euerlasting kingdome By the lawe and the couenant there is a difference betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles but by by faith there is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bonde nor frée there is neither male nor female For all are one in Christ Iesus Therefore by faith is iustification whereby the scriptures foresawe that the gentiles should bee saued and that the lawe could giue no life and that by the lawe there was no righteousnesse because the scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shuld be giuen to them that beléeue Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace that the promise might be sure vnto all both them of the lawe and to them of the seede of Abraham Wherefore séeing the righteousnesse of man by nature is nothing else but wickednesse and hipocrisie backsâ—iding by excuse boasting by vaine knowledge without practise and that the lawe cannot be fulfilled because the corruption of man is quite contrary vnto it and abhorreth the lawe and that we are all vnder sinne and so by the lawe vnder damnation in that it letteth vs to vnderstand the hugenesse of our sinne and the curse and punishment due thereunto euery mouth is stopped and all the world subiect vnto the iudgement of god and to that damnation which the law of god and the corruption of our nature requireth And that the Apostle might bring vs to the perswasion of the iustice of faith which is the pathway and the highway vnto saluation he saith that we know that whatsoeuer the law saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe So that there is but one way of saluation euen the righteousnesse of god There are three braunches of the righteousnesse of God by saith Remission of sinnes by faith whereof are thrée especiall braunches Remission of sinnes Imputation of Christ his righteousnesse Sanctification newnesse and holinesse of life Remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes is giuen to the church and faithfull of god in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse their sinnes are blotted out and the account made voyd that they shall not be called vnto iudgement neither shall any punishment be exacted at their hands Whereby all satisfaction falleth to the ground in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse the Lord putteth away the remembrance and punishment of our sinnes forgiueth al our infirmities redéemeth our life from the graue and crowneth vs with
through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things prâ—sent nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The sâ—â—â—ne of all is this that the righteousnesse of man by reason of idolatry and wickednes procéeding from his corrupt nature is abhominable in the sight of god and that by no excuse or deuise he may acquit himselfe before the iudgement seate of God but hée is subiect both Iewe and Gentile to the condemnation which the iustice of God doth require Therefore lieth it not in mans power by the lawe of the workes thereof to attaine vnto righteousnesse because in his hart hée hateth the lawe he being carnall and the lawe spirituall As hée desireth to hide his sinne so by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne and as he séemeth to himselfe to be iust before he examine his life by the lawe not but that by the lawe hée is condemned but he putteth his condemnation farre from him and thinketh not of it so is the lawe the cause of transgression of sinne and of death Yea the regenerate man is stained with sin therefore neither can he be iustified by the lawe So that the righteousnesse of man is that which is from God by faithe in Christ vnto all that beleeue Of which righteousnesse there are thrée braunches Remission of sinnes which is not frée from correction though there be deliueraunce from eternal punishment and damnation The second braunch is the Conclusion Imputation of Christ his righteousnes whereby the filthy garments of our sinnes are taken from vs and we arraied in a vesture and garment of broydered gold I meane hauing not only our sinnes forgiuen vs but the righteousnes and holines of God also imputed vnto vs. The third branch is sanctification and holines of life by the which we are made fit to fulfill the lawe Yea séeing that while we are cloathed with this body of flesh sinne remaineth and that the flesh fighteth against the spirit we are to meditate and practise the mortification of our sinfull flesh Hauing this aduantage that we are vnder grace and that also by Christ we obtaine victory And not only to practise mortification but to bring forth the frutes of the spirite and of the inner man euen the loue which we do owe vnto God and that charitable duty which we are bound to extend to our neighbour And at all times we offer vp our selues as an acceptable sacrifice vnto God séeking the glory of his name as well by our death as by our life knowing this that in afflictions whatsoeuer if so be it we endure with patience we shall not be destitute of comfort and consolation Yea such that may swallow vp the bitternesse of all torments beside that rich reward that is reserued for them in the life to come who with all confidence and boldnesse willingly and readily confesse Christ before men standing to the triall of their faith and the assurednesse of their vndoubted hope euen to the sheading of their blood Now the God of all comfort and consolation euen the God of peace which brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great shepheard of the shéepe through the blood of the euerlasting couenant make vs perfect in all good workes to doo his will working in vs that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise dominion and power both now and for euer Amen Deo soli laus gloria Of Predestination A briefe declaration of Predestination set forth by that learned man and principall member in Christs Church M. Theodore Beza A waightie and most necessary matter for euery true Christian to know containing the very ground and principall scope of religion which the more we read the more we may both for the sweetnesse and singular profit that it yeeldeth to them whose harts it pleaseth God to open and whose mindes are lightned by Gods good spirit He that hath eares to heare let him heare Mat. 13. 9. They which pertaine to the kingdome of God to them it is giuen to know this and all other secrets and misteries belonging to saluation and euerlasting life As for the rest and them which are without all things are spoken in parables there is a vaile before them that they seeing should not see and hearing should not heare and hauing hearts to perceiue should not vnderstand Mat. 13. 11. Act. 28. 25. 26. 27. The first Chapter The question of Gods eternall Predestination is not curious or vnprofitable but of great importance and very necessary in the Church of God SAint Augustine in his booke of Perseuerance De bono perseuerantiae Obiection chap. 14. saith that they which were against him as aduersaries in this question did alledge that this doctrine of Predestination did hinder the preaching of Gods word and caused that it could not profit As if saith he Answere this doctrine had hindred the Apostle Saint Paul to do his dutie who so oftentimes doth commend vnto vs and teach Predestination and yet neuer ceaseth to preach the word of God Also saith moreouer As he that hath receiued the gift can better exhort and preach so he that hath receiued this gift doth hear the preacher more obediently and with greater reuerence c. We do therefore exhort and preach but they only which haue eares to heare do heare vs quietly and to their comfort and in those that haue them not this sentence is fulfilled That hearing with their eares they do not heare for they heare with outward sence but not with the inward consent Now why some men haue these eares and others not it is because it is giuen to some to come and to others not Who knew Gods counsell must that be denied which is plaine and euident because that cannot be knowne which is hid and secret Againe in the 15. Chapter I pray you saith he if some vnder the shadow of Predestination giue themselues to slothful negligence and as they are bent to flatter their flesh to follow their owne lusts must we therefore iudge that this which is written of the foreknowledge of God is false Now surely this is verie handsome and to the purpose that we shall not speake that which by the scripture is lawfull to speake Oh we feare say you least he should be offended which is not able to vnderstand and take it And shall we not feare say I lest while we do hold our tongues he that is able to take the truth be taken and snared with falshood and error Also in the twentie chapter of the same booke he writeth in this sort If the Apostles and Doctors of the Church which came after them did the one and the other both teaching the eternall election of God purely and truly and
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
sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill So that the iustice of God shall appeare to his glory euen in the destruction of the wicked Ro. 3. 5. Nowe if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God what shall we say Is God vnrighteous that punisheth I speake as a man For thus the wicked vse to reason and yet them selues shal be found in fault and the workers of their ouerthrow Ro. 9. 19. The wicked say Why doeth he yet complaine and find himselfe agrieued at vs For who hath resisted his wil séeing he hath thus determined of vs The Apostle aunswereth them O man who art thou which pleadest a gainst God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and an other to dishonour What and if God woulde to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction In this matter we ought not to dispute or to be inquisitiue but rather in high estimation to reuerence the will of God and perswade our selues that we are of the number of those on whom Gods mercy shall be shewed and labour by all meanes by praier and all other holy and vertuous exercises to assure our selues of the same Election proceedeth only from the will of God but not because he did foresee what was in vs. Deut. 4. 37. And because he loued thy fathers therfore he chose their féede after them and hath brought thée out of Egipt in his sight by his mightie power Ezech. 16. 59. 60. Thus saith the Lord God I might euen deale with thée as thou hast done Neuerthelesse I will remember my couenant Ioh. 15. 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeined you that ye go and bring foorth frute and your frute remaine Rom. 9. 10. Rebecca when shée had conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac ere that the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euil that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said vnto her The elder shall serue the yoonger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and I haue hated Esau For he saith to Moses I will haue mercy on him to whom I will shewe mercy and I will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 11. 5 Euen so 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 What then Israel hath not obtained that he sought but the election hath obtained it and the rest haue bene hardened According as it is written God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not sée and eares that they should not heare vnto this day Tim. 1. 9. Who hath sauid vs and called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe For wée are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them He hath chosen vs to doo good workes and not to be carelesse because we are chosen but rather to assure to our consciences our election by good workes According as we read Collos 1. 10. That ye might walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of god strengthned with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse Giuing thanks c. Ephe. 1. 5. 11. Who hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil In whom also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsaile of his owne will Although the causes of Reprobation procéed principally from the secret and hidden purpose of God yet are there also sufficient causes in our selues Among the rest these thrée Driginall sinne that is that naturall corruption wherein we are born Secondly the daily sinnes and offences which we commit Thirdly Vnbeliefe Gods hidden purpose Rom. 9. 13. I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Where he saith not only that Esau was ordained to be hated before he did any euil for in so saying he should not séeme to exclude any thing but actuall sinne and incredulitie but also saith expresly before he was borne Wherefore he excludeth originall sinne also If the Apostle had grounded reprobation vppon mans corruption the case had bene cleare and resolute if it had bene true But forasmuch as he saith plainly if so pleased God and it was not in their power to change this his good pleasure he bridleth mans wisdom that it might reuerence and wonder at Gods misteries as it is most iust to do And also encourageth the elect to honour the grace of god which is declared and made famous by such a comparison Causes in our selues of reprobation Originall sinne Psal 51. 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me Ephe. 2. 3. By nature we are the children of wrath Iohn 3. 19. And this is the comdemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light because their déedes were euill Their owne corruption is a cause in themselues of their owne damnation Actuall and daily sinne Ephe. 4. 17. Hencefoorth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their mindes hauing their cogitations darkened and being strangers from the life of god through the ignoraunce that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hart which being past féeling haue giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with gréedinesse 1. Cor. 9. 10. Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of god Gal. 6. God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Rom. 8. 13. If we liue after the flesh ye shall die But if mortifie the déeds of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue Vnbeliefe Exod. 5. 2. And Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should heare his
quarrelling Let vs rather reuerence yâ— which passeth the reach and compasse of our wits and turne our mindes wholy to praise his mercy who by his onely grace hath saued vs when we deserued the like punishment and damnation and were no lesse sinners and wicked theÌ„ they The chief matters with places of Scripture for proofe God hath appointed a way to his infinit wisdome and to the execution of his predestination shutting vp al vnder disobadience sinne and vnbeleefe Gall. 3. 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beléeue Rom. 11. 32. God hath shut vp all in vnbeléefe that he might haue mercy vpon all that beléeue So that the way to the Godly to be partakers of mercy is to beleeue wherein we must vnderstand that faith is a gift of God peculiarly belonging to the elect and chosen children of God 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 eternal life beléeued Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Titus 1. 1. Paule a seruant of God and an Apostle of Iesus Christ according to the faith of Gods elect which is proper and peculiar vnto them so that they that are partakers of faith may assure themselues yâ— they pertaine to god Philip. 1. 29. For vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not only ye should beléeue in him but also suffer for his sake Gal. 5. 22. The frute of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffring gentlenes goodnes faith Iohn 6. 65. No man can come vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my father As also they that doe not beleeue nor knowe God are iustly condemned 2. These 3. 2. Pray for vs that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men For all men haue not faith Mat. 13. 11. It is giuen vnto you saith Christ to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen For the gospell and meanes of saluation is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 2. Thes 2. 10. Ihon 12. 37. And though Iesus had done so many miracles before them yet beléeued they not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfiled c. Man created in innocency puritie and holinesse Gene. 1. 27. Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female And what vertuous and holy qualities were there which were not in the image of God according as it is at large set downe Ephe. 4. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes true holines and so forth to the end of the chapter Man fell not from God by constraint or necessitie but became seruant of sin through his owne will Gen. 3. 6. So the woman séeing that the trée was good for meat and that it was pleasant to the eies and a trée to be desired to get knowledge tooke of the frute thereof and did eate and gaue also to her husband with her and he did eate which thing was contrary to the commaundement of God and a penaltie of death set vpon them if they did eate as we reade chap. 2. 16. 17. And the Lord God commanded the man saying Thou shalt eate fréely of euery trée of the garden but as touching the trée of knowâ—edge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it For whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death By which fall and and disobedience he did binde and drawe the whole nature of man to sin and so consequently to the death of body and soule Ro. 7. 20. Nowe if I doe that I would not it is no more I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Ro. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned This fall of man came not by chaunce or fortune because the prouidence of God reacheth euen to the smallest matters Mat. 10. 29. 30. Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father yea and all the haires of your head are numbred Pro. 16. 33. The lot is cast into the lappe but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. What matter God hath so ordained to shewe his glory by mercy to the one and wrath to the other Ro. 9. 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe on vessell to honour and an other vnto dishonour What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power to be knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction And that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glorie Pet. 2. 6. 8. Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleueth therein shall not be ashamed A stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were eueÌ„ ordained Neither saluation nor damnation is the finall end of Gods counsaile but his owne glory Ro. 9. 17. For the scripture saith vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I stirred thée vp that I might shewe my power in thée and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth Pro. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill For ere the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was said vnto Rebecca their mother The elder shall serue the younger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Well in this cause may men pleade against God but it shall not preuaile Ro. 9. 19. 20. Thou wilt say then vnto me Why doth he yet complaine For who hath resisted his will But O maÌ„ who art thou which pleadest against God shal the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus But rather we ought to reuerence that which is past our reach and turne our minds wholly to praise god in his workes especially for his mercy toward vs. Ro. 11. 33. O the déepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! howe vn searchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Ps 107. 8. O that men would therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes and praise him for his wonderfull workes that he doeth for the children of men The fourth Chapter By what order God proceedeth to declare and
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
poorer they should perswade themselues to finde the Lord good vnto them in that their condition And therfore before we should make our reckoning of it by much meditation and yet therein notwithstanding to finde a rich blessing euen a quiet and contented minde And this would further the account of our present estate if wee should assure our selues to bee in good case if our estate were yet lower Neither ought we so to learne this as a lesson not likely to come to practise but euen so as the practise thereof were not like long to be deferred That we may be alwaies readie to say with S. Paule Phil. 4. though heretofore it could neuer sinke in my heart yet now hath sobrietie the the gift of Gods good grace taught mee and nowe I haue learned to be rich and to bee poore to abounde and to haue want and in what state it shall please God to place me in therewith to bee content For a minde truly contented wherein sobrietie hath taken vp her seate estéemeth as well of pouertie as of riches This lesson hath in it a verie necessary vse to trie vs by For whatsoeuer he be that cannot beare a lowe estate laide vppon him by the Lorde if hée haue a higher hée will abuse that in like manner For hée that is ashamed of pouertie will bee proude of wealth and hée that is vnpatient when he is humbled will be insolent when he is exalted And what can bind him to true dutie if it be not conscience vnto God Which if hée dare dispence withall in pouertie he will not greatly regarde it in aboundance Thus we sée for a man to learne to bee riche it is expedient hée learne to bee poore This Sobrietie then that kéepeth the mind from being ouercharged with the desire of wealth and riches is principally and chiefly required in a Christian yea it reacheth further conteineth within it y◠kinde of people who albeit they be not greatly séeking after another or better estate yet be they too much wrapped intangled in the cares and delights of that they presently possesse This dooth the Apostle note vnto vs 1. Cor. 7. 29. This I say brethren because the time is short hereafter that both they which haue wiues be as though they had none and they y◠reioyce as though they reioiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they y◠vse the world as though they vsed it not For the fashiō of the world goeth away He doth not only opē the disease but also giueth vs the remedie for it which is the consideration of the shortnes of this life and the spéedy passage thereof Which remedie he would haue to season our ioy to ceason our delights and to moderate our present estate As if he should say there were no place of right ioy right contentment where the consideration of the shortnesse of this life and the possession of another life did not steppe in to stay our mindes and to kéepe them vpright And howe needfull it is that we should euen in lawfull things haue our affections temperate the parable in Luke 14. apparantlie declare Lawefull it is to buy a farme to proue oxen to marry and to be married the ouermuch care and delight in these thinges kéept vs from the kingdome of heauen How expedient therefore and necessary is sobrietie which keepeth vs from surfetting of these transitory things And euen as sault which seasoneth euerie meate so is sobrietie the moderatour of the whole course of our liues and the actions thereof If this will not restraine vs from our intangling delightes let vs call to minde the watchword which is giuen vs by our Sauiour Christ Luke 21. Take héed least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and least the latter day come on you vnawares An other excesse that by nature we are giuen vnto is Discontentment not to bee content with that estate which God hath placed vs in The seruant would be a maister the subiect would be a magistrate the poore grudge that they are not as well able to liue as the rich The prouerbe is that no man liues content with his estate so rare it is to sée men staied because their miuds are fickle Many will giue out that they are content with their estate because of necessitie it falleth out so yet are their mindes and inward hearts like the waues of the sea that faine would ouerflowe What may be the cause of robberies murthers outrages mischiefes but the want of a mind contented Wherefore are lawes made if not to restraine them which liue without a lawe I haue bene yoong and now am old saith the prophet and yet sawe I neuer the righteous forsaken because they liued contented with theire estate Discontented people are lighly such that neuer can be pleased and such that cannot satisfie themselues who cast themselues into diuers miseries because they thinke they can neuer bee well inough Lucifer could not think himselfe wel when he was an Angell vntill through his busie head being cast into hell it repented him that he was not contented Adam and Eue they were as saintes and yet they would be gods but their climing minds did bereaue them of their happines and brought them to a cursed estate Well are such people called malecontents for their contentment standeth in being not content Troubled heads euill subiects desperate traitors poore purses proud hearts mischieuous théeues beggerly gentlemen tossepot ruffians and raunging rouers a litle time they haue and full ill they spend it their discontented mindes running vpon extremities for the most parte a shamefull death they come vnto and had I wist comes neuer into their mindes before it be too late to teach other to beware and to kéepe themselues in compasse Let sobrietie therefore bee our schoolemaister and let vs learne betime to be content with our estate and to hold that as a certaine rule let vs not be likened to drunken men that stagger too and fro and which are not in their right sences to beare themselues vpright For he that hath no sure rule nor stay shal be so tossed of his affections and so caried hither and thither as he shall neuer finde a time to say it behoueth me to hold my selfe here within my bounds Well it were if euery one could take vp good liking of theire present estate and let vs take héede that we be not forgetfull to be thankfull to God in this respect while the vnquiet desire of increasing our condition may steale all comfort from vs which comfort must be the matter of true thankfulnes Oh that euerie one of vs were so setled and so staied and soberly minded that we could truly say vnto our hearts This is thy lot appointed thée of the Lord héere are thy bounds this estate hath the Lord distributed vnto thée There is good cause not only to be content but also most glad with it
defend them and stand with them But if they swarue they must remember that the presence of God is no small matter who hath made notable men offending notable examples also of his wrath As it is in the Psalme And he smote downe the chosen men of Israel famous and men of renowme The presence of God is about them to giue them honour and to defend them but if they do otherwise then well to depose them and to dispossesse them both of their liues and of their honors Againe that they should not be corrupted the King and crowne hath graunted them a most large and liberall pension to the end that gifts bribes should not blind their eies nor peruert true iudgement And because God is the God of iustice and iudgement and righteousnes therfore he hath regard is mindfull of the Iudges and let them think with themselues also be fully perswaded that this is spoken vnto them froÌ„ God I am thy excéeding great reward The Lawier he must deale iustly and giue euery man Lawiâ—er his owne For he pointeth out men their inheritance and sheweth them their right and title how far it goeth and so breaketh off the controuersie He telleth euery one in his doubtfull cause where his claime and title lieth what lawe and equitie wil beare him in and where it wil forsake him He is the liuing land-marke which by true opening of the lawes boundeth euery man within the compasse of his own title And because of that doth highly deserue of the commoÌ„wealth as a most necessary and profitable member thereof Such men are the common treasure house of the land whereunto the euidences of euery mans liue load are committed and they put in trust withall to reserue for euery man his right and title That when he is incombred for that which of right belongeth vnto him they should out of that treasure house of the lawe bring good euidence for him and so foorthwith cleare his innocency The lawe is the house of euery man who being tossed with many stormes abroad he findeth a place to hide his head in and being in safetie dooth boldly contemne both winde and weather and also quietly take his rest For being tossed with iniuries either in bodie goods or name wee haue no house of refuge and rest beside the lawe no sanctuary in our vniust vexation besides that The place which they serue God in who are ministers of the lawe is very high and honourable the good they may doo is verie much if God giue them conscience and care of it The hurt in like manner is excéeding great where the feare of God dooth not rule For is it not a maruellous mischiefe to remoue the land-marke of any man It is that sinne that had a solemne curse Deut. 7. against it called for by the ministery of the Leâ—ites whereunto all the people were commaunded to say Amen And what diuersitie or difference is there betwéen him that remoueth the land-marke and therby boundeth a man shorter and him that either by wresting of the lawe or hiding the true meaning of it is an occasion of cutting short or impairing the title of any man Euery man will grant that if a man of no conscience had the custodie of all the euidences of this land he might do much mischiefe by cancelling crossing interliuing putting in and out at his pleasure hiding or shewing renting or reseruing as him listeth And is not this performed while the law is made to speak that which they knew in truth it did neuer meane as also to bury that in silence which it was appointed to giue testimonie and witnesse vnto And if all this were nothing what can be so miserable as when a man hath bene all the day abroad in the stormes and tempests at night when he commeth home to finde his house in that case that it can hold out neither winde nor raine And do not many who are forced by reason of the stormes and tempests abroad to betake them to this their house and harbour I meane the lawe finde the tempest often as gréeuous there as before they did in the plain Would to God there were none turned out of their owne doores in the midst of the storm without any hope at all of harbour from thence Or if a man that had bene dogged to his owne doores by théeues and hauing gotten his house vpon his head beginneth to breathe himselfe and to reioyce for his good escape thinking all to be safe and suspecting no harme who could sufficiently bewaile him if in the midst of his triumph they be founde in his owne house that fall vpon him and murther him And is not the lawe the house of the troubled and vexed man Yea Westminster-Hall is the poore mans house And therfore doth he paie taxe and subsidie that it might be an house of defence vnto him able to kéepe out winde and weather how tempesteous soeuer it bee If a man that is oppressed and wronged abroade in any part of this lande shall bring his matter vnto hearing at Westminster-Hall looke that ye be good vnto him in his owne house Let him take no harme at home his griefe is great inough abroad It hath alwaies euen by the lawes of man bene counted an hainous offence to vexe and annoy a man in his own house What ye thinke of the matter I cannot tell this I am assured of it is his due to be well dealt withall there And ye are to answere the Lord not only for denying but also for Delâ—â—â— delaying and deferring of iudgement For why the man hath right and title in his good cause vnto as spéedie a dispdtch at your hands as possibly may be had And therefore Iob professed Iob. 31. 16. that he had wearied the eies of the widow with waiting long for helpe before it came It is a true saying of the Heathen man He doubleth his gift that giueth it spéedily It was a griefe to Iethro Moses father in lawe to sée the people stand from morning to euening about Moses waiting for dispatch How would he haue taken it if he had séene men which commonly happeneth heere among vs to waite from terme to terme nay from yeare to yeare from seuen yeare to seuen yeare vnto the end of their liues It is our part therefore to pray for our Magistrates and those that be in place of iustice that they may looke to the cause of the widow fatherlesse and oppressed that they may purge the land of blood by taking punishment vpoÌ„ male factors that they may haue courage and the feare of God and that they may hate couetousnesse So shall our Prince sit sure among vs our holds strongly fortified our state still vpholden so may we long enioy peace to the better honouring of our God and safetie of the land According to that we read in the prophecie of Esay cap. 5. where the Lord vnder the comparison and similitude of a vine doth most liuely
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
to be scorned whose desire is to liue according to Gods will and commandements And this is a greate cause of the fall of many that otherwise would doe well let them that vse it refraine it they knowe not what hurt they doe The least of vs are readie to fall away and therfore the Apostle willeth vs to exhort and Esd 10. 50. prouoke one another vnto good workes daily This mocking and taunting the Apostle doubteth not to call by the name of persecution wherewith Isaac was vexed by Ismael In consideration whereof it gréeueth the godly that they are aliue among the wicked whose reproachfull spéeches and vngodly behauiour haue bin pricks in their sides and thorns in their eies if not knines to their throats and as grieuous as the point of a dagger to their hearts For if they looke into the world and take a viewe of the fashion of men amongst whome they must liue they shall sée the mallice of Caine reuiued the hatred of Esau set on foote flattering tongues like Ioab but murdering minds Some as proud and as diuellish as Haman some as trecherous as Iudas some as cruel as Iezabel as incroching and gréedily hunting after other mens mainteuance and liuings if not their liues withall as euer was wicked Achab Naboths vineard litle kindnesse and much churlishnesse as bad or worse then that of Nabal many dissemblers as Ananias and where is the man that speaketh the truth from his heart For the most part all the conuersation of the wicked stanvpon Vncleannesse to beare so greate asway baudry and vncleannes Iust Lot was vexed with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked For he being righteous and dwelling among them in séeing hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull déeds In respect of all which snares and incombrances the godly are vexed with sorrow euē to the death I am aweary of my life for the daughters of Heth saith Rebeccay Abrahams wife It is inough now O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my fathers séeing I only am aliue and the rest hath forsaken thée saith Elias Woe is me saith the Prophet Dauid Ps 120. 5. that I must dwell with Mesech and haue mine habitation among the tents of Cedar My soule hath too long dwelt among them Yet hath God so appointed that we should shine as glistring starres amongst a naughty generation Whose behauiour shall make vs more wary and circumspect as also our good workes which they shall sée and behold shall turn either to their happy conuersion or most iust confusion and endlesse condemnation The weake minds which are not as yet throughly strengthned wish daily continually although it be godly and wel with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ which is best of all Hitherto of the sorrowes of the godly And y◠I may make perfect this part touching the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked concerning ioy and sorrow as also that ye may be the better comforted and encouraged to vndertake and endure sorrow I will let you vnderstand howe that the world hath his sorrow also And séeing I haue begun to be tedious beare with mee a while I hope you will not thinke your labour altogither lost in reading which may be at your leisure though it cost mee some studie to gather it Who would thinke that the wicked should haue any sorrow in this world howsoeuer they are like to spéed in the world to come séeing they haue the world at will and as the Prophet saith they come in no misfortune like other men And yet it falleth out sometimes that they haue sorrow but what is the cause of their sorrow No other but for worldly matters for temporall losses and that their transitorie ioyes are abated and diminished As for example when their goods are taken by pirates their wealth consumed by shipwracke their houses burnt with fire their landes taken from them by violent oppression their riches wasted by vsurie their libertie restrained by imprisonment their children to miscarry suddeinly their friends either to die or to fall away from them daily as the wise man saith In prosperitie a friend cannot bee knowne and in aduersitie and calamitie a mans verie friend will fall away from him and forsake him Now when these miseries and these worldly calamities come vppon them what crying what wringing of hands what lamenting what wéeping is there among them But that God by their wickednesse is offended his name through them blasphemed his lawe and holy word contemned his patience and long sufferance daily prouoked and abused his threatnings his admonitions his counsels neglected his louing mercies forgotten and his great benefits not remembred that many good things pertaining to our dutie haue bin through our follies omitted and many wickednesses whereof we should haue bene cleare committed by vs who wéepeth for these matters who lamenteth for these causes The world reioyceth in hurting the godly and if their mischiefe and their mallice be preuented then are they sorry for nothing more then that they can do no more hurt nor any more mischief where the godly pray for them their cōuersion How do they enuy maligne those persons in whō they sée Gods gifts graces This was the cause y◠Iosephs brethren hated him that Core Dathan and Abiram did set themselues against Moses that king Saul did enuy and séeke the destruction of Dauid Whereat the godly are not to take any discomfort for their enuie shall not hurt them no more then Ioseph and Moses and Dauid was hurt For God shal turn all to his glorie and their good as is in his good pleasure determined of them And as they cannot abide the godly so secretly in their hearts they hate God as their déedes and workes declare for if the loue of God were in them the fruites therof would also appeare For who are more backward to heare Gods word to be present at his diuine seruice who make lesse accompt of christian profession yea they hate it they scoffe and scorne it and they that counsell them to religion goodnesse are their chiefest enemies King Dauid bearing the person of the godly was otherwise minded who counted it his great sorow that he was debarred for a time from Gods seruice Ps 48. 3. O Lord of hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles my soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lord for my heart my flesh reioyce in the liuing God Yea the sparrow hath found her an house and the swallow a neast for her where she may lay her yoong ones euen by the altars ô Lord of hostes my king and my God But because the wicked are so set against God good men therefore the Prophet said truely of them Many are the sorrowes and great are the plagues that remaine for the wicked Psa 32. 10. Which is most effectually set downe Eccles 40. Great trauell is created for all men