precisely by religious bond of Oath and Sacrament nor more punctually in reason and policie for the preuenting of discouery in this case yet behold behold and wonder how no lesse easily then graciously the Lord our God against whom no wisedome nor counsell can preuaile and that knowes euerie worke of the Minde did defeat and scatter their counsels and wicked imaginations broght their enterprises to nought euen eluding them in the very Theoricke of trust by one of their owne complices which caused all the rest to faile in the point of practice Lend mee your eares a little with singular attention and you shall heare me truely relate vnto you how diuine Prouidence in due time euen when there was but a step between vs death stepped forth and with a gracious hand turned the wheele yea the streames of destruction another way the right way by bringing to light a few howers before the intended Massacre a darke and doubtful Letter written by one of the Conspirators and sent by way of Caution to the Lord MOVNTEAGLE ouernight to forewarne him not to come at the Parliament-house on the morrow for said that Letter A most terrible Blow will then and there be giuen to all that shall be assembled c. This letter being with good expedition sent to some of his Maiesties Honourable Priuie Councell was by them eftsoones conueyed to his Highnesse hand who perusing and pondering the same did no doubt by a diuine instinct presently discouer the Plot pointed at the very place and gaue command that priuie search should there be made which being performed accordingly the whole Stratageme was discouered and the parties therein ingaged were brought to light to Tryall to Iudgement and Death Psal 31. 32. Oh then loue yee the Lord all his Saints for the Lord preserueth them that are faithfull and plenteously rewardeth the proud-doer Great plagues remaine for the vngodly but whosoeuer trusteth in the Lord mercie shall imbrace them on euery side Wherefore also let our soules reioyce in this his great Saluation and sing prayse vnto his holy Name because hee hath dealt so louingly with vs. Blessed bee the Lord our God for euer and euer So be it Amen And now to conclude this Discourse to you right Reuerend and Religious Auditours in this Grand Cause of our conioyned comfort giue mee leaue before I leaue this sacred Cell to paralell and sute some remarkeable Occurrences coincident to this subiect some with better some with like correspondence both of speech and spirit I find in reading the publike Records of this Case that Garnet that Arch-Traytor a little before the appointed day of our death by their Calendar did cry out and pray to this effect Auferte gentem istam perfidam de finibus credentium Take away this perfidious Nation meaning vs English Protestants from the borders of true Beleeuers intending Romish Catholikes vt laudes inde Deo debitas alacriter persoluamus that wee Catholikes may ioyfully render due prayses to God for the same And againe he praied saying Non pacem petimus Superi Dedit Deus hi◠quoque funem date Gentibus iras Wee said hee pray not for peace O Heauens but for punishment to this English Nation Let vs with sober and sacred zeale answere his bitter and braine-sicke bellowings and crie to our GOD the GOD of peace and say Nulla salus bello pacem te petimus omnes Wee humbly craue of al hands continuance of our peace and safetie from thee O Lord that canst easily reforme or suppresse the causers of our trouble and disturbers of our publike peace and State And to giue correspondence also to a second and better Occurrence Let this louing and religious Citie of Norwich cry out and say as that euer-faithful and famous Citie of London did in the day of this their and our deliuerance Adhuc salua est Ciuitas nostra adhuc salua Patria adhuc salua Religio Rex nempe noster IACOBVS adhuc saluus est Hallelu-iah Legnolam Legnolam Our Citie is yet in safetie our Countrie Religion and King blessed be God And finally let vs all with one accord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proclaime with the Psalmist in another case and say This is the day that the Lord hath made a day of deliuerance of saluation and of reioycing Let vs therfore bee glad and reioyce therin with holy ioy all the dayes of our life yea let vs tell our children and childrens children what great things the Lord himselfe hath done for vs whereof wee may we must reioyce And let our Gracious King confesse Psal 18. and say with holy Dauid Eodem animo nomine The Lord liueth and blessed be my strong Helper and praysed be the God of my Saluation euen the God that seeth that I bee auenged For this cause wil I giue thankes vnto the Lord among my People and sing vnto his Name For great deliuerances giueth hee vnto the King and will still shew mercie vnto his Anointed euen vnto IAMES his Seruant and to his Seed for euer And let all the Reuerend and holy Clergie of England make vp the Quire and with the holy Tribe of Leui Psal 134. blesse both King Queene Prince State Church Commonwealth all in one and say * The Lord Iehouah that hath formed the Heauens and the Earth blesse thee out of Sion Iebarecca Iehouah mittzijon gnoscheh schamaijm vaarets Amen Amen Amen So be it euen so be it Amen FINIS
not vncomfortable I resolued with Christian confidence herein to cast my selfe wholly vpon the helpe of Heauen both for Theame Methode and Matter that in some measure might be sutable to the occasion and to this solemne Assembly Wherein notwithstanding I doe humbly craue of all sorts a friendly both construction and acceptation of that plaine prouision of holy Truth which by Gods assistance I shall deliuer vnto you out of this sacred and sweet Oracle within the limits whereof lye two grand Conclusions One of admirable and â—ndlesse comfort to the Godly The parts and Resolution of the Text. â—he other of no lesse horrour and â—onfusion to all the world of the wicked The former of these is deliuered in forme of a Promise â—he latter of a Threatning In both we are to consider the Persons and the Thing In the former â—he Person promising the Lord and the parties to whom the promise is made the Godly Then the thing promised which is Deliuerance which is amplified and made lightsome First by the cause thereof the knowledge of God the Lord knoweth and secondly by the kinde of deliuerance out of tentation So then wee haue in the former passage First the Authour of this benefit the Lord. Secondly the Efficient cause and ground thereof his knowledge The Lord knoweth Thirdly the benefit it selfe Deliuerance Fourthly the Obiect or parties vpon whom the benefit is conferred the godly And lastly the kind of the benefit bestowed deliuerance out of tentation The resolution of the other part of this Sentence agreeth with this in effect And thus much of the Methode plainely and briefly Now although I know that the Learned amongst you cannot necessarily expect any obseruations touching matter of Inference Reference Connexion or Dependance that should lye betweene this Period and the Premises seeing in the originall there is neyther Relatiue Illatiue nor Copulatiue particle to be found yet because indeed it is so I will say that this Sentence is the Conclusion of a former Induction and so both in Nature and Art doth depend vpon the Premises Which thing further to manifest let vs make some short Suruey of that which went before in this Chap. where you shall find that the holy Apostle hauing in the end of the former Chapter set forth the certainetie and dignitie of the Doctrine of of the Gospell both from the Authour thereof and from the agreement that it hath with the Writings of the Prophets doth vpon this occasion in the beginning of this Chapter tell the Church as Christ himselfe did Matth. 24. and Paul 1. Tim. 4. That in these last times there should arise many False-Prophets and False-Teachers that should bring in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnable Heresies in effect to the denying of the Lord that bought them and yet that many should follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of Truth should be ill-spoken of c. And that they through cursed couetousnesse and base e Multos fore eorum sectatores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flatterie should make f Quà m vera viua est haec Romani Cleri descriptio Beza marchandize of Soules For all which their wickednes saith Saint Peter they shall bring vpon themselues g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swift destruction which destruction hee doth not onely denounce against them by the Spirit of Prophecie as it were by diuine Diuination but also prooueth it by Theologicall demonstration namely by an Induction of sundry particulars of Gods Iustice inflicted vpon both Angels and Men which formerly had sinned against the Lord. For sayth the Apostle if God did not spare the Angels which sinned nor the olde World â—or Sodome and Gomorrha neyâ—her will he spare these c. Indeed this Consequence is wanting â—n the Greeke but by a a Ellipsis consequent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Figure frequent in Holy Scripture is to bee vnderstood necessarily and supplyed as it is in the margent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now besides this Induction of particulars the Apostle for further proofe of their vndoubted punishment doth vse two strong Arguments to euince the same the one taken from the equitie and b A pari identitie of Diuine Iustice which is euer the same when the case is alike The other Argument is taken from the c A maiori greater to the lesse if wee respect the excellencie of Angels aboue men This done the Apostle to these instances of Diuine Iustice addeth as a Corallary of comfort to Gods Elect two famous Examples of speciall mercie from God shewed in the preseruation of Noah and Lot verses 5.6.7.8 From all which Monuments of Diuine Iustice and Mercie Saint Peter inferreth this Conclusion and Diuine Aphorisme The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly c. and to reserue the wicked to c. And thus much of the d Series orationis argumentorum thread of speech consequence of matter and dependance of this sacred Conclusion inferred vpon that which went before in this Chapter Now let vs come to make some vse of the Apostles order and kinde of confirmation It is by an inartificiall Syllogisme commonly called e Inductio est argumentatio à pluribus particularibus ad vniuersale quasi à partibus ad totum progressio c. Induction or Enumeration of Particulars to inforce a generall truth of that kind as for example if a man by this kind of reasoning would proue Iustification by faith against a Papist let him doe it by an Induction of Particulars and say Heb. 11. Abel was iustified by Faith so was Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses c. Neyther can you find the f Nec in caeteris contrarium est videre ergo c. contrary in any of the Saints of God Therefore whosoeuer is iustified is iustified by Faith One Instance more against the confident sinner his vaine hope of Saluation As if you would prooue that without true repentance he cannot be saued argue thus by an Induction of particulars and say that neyther Dauid nor Peter nor Zacheus nor Mary Magdalen nor Paul nor the Incestuous Corinthian without true repentance could be saued neyther is the contrarie to be found in the Booke of God therefore without true repentance no man can be saued Loe this is a sure and sanctified kind of reasoning in cases of Religion and is both Logicall and Theologicall I meane both Naturall and Spirituall Humane and Diuine fit both for Learned and Vnlearned to vse for their Instruction Conuiction Confirmation Consolation c. And for this cause also among other ends as I beleeue it hath pleased God in his singular wisdome and mercie to leauâ— vpon Record in his Holy Word so many examples of both good and bad and of their different estates and ends And so let vs now proceede from the Apostle his Order and Inference modestly to surueigh and search his Euidence touching the Safe-conduct and Protection of all the godly in the middest
of all straits dangers tryalls temptations euils and enemies vntill such time as they bee safely arriued in the Kingdome of Heauen The warrant and Euidence that the Apostle here sheweth for it is this That the Lord doth know how to deliuer his c. Out of which wordes I purpose though sparingly as I passe through them to giue you in the first place some Grammaticall and Punctuall Obseruations yet not to shew my selfe that vanitie were too light for the grauitie of a Diuine that knoweth himselfe and his seruice to be subiect to a strict Triall before Gods Tribunall but to shew you in part what hidden Mysteries of Diuinitie lye folded vp not onely in compleat Sentences but also in the single words of Sacred Writ In the next place you shall haue such Positions and Obseruations both for Doctrine Dutie and Comfort as I can collect fitly out of this heauenly Oracle I find in the Booke of GOD that the word Lord when it is applyed vnto God indefinitely is to bee taken two-wayes that is to say sometimes g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially and sometimes h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Possessiuely For the former Acts 2.39 The promise is made to you sayth the Apostle Peter to the Iewes and to your children and to all that are a farre off euen to as many as the Lord our God shall call For the latter read Matth. 11.25 I thanke thee or as the Greeke word is I confesse vnto thee O Father i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord of Heauen and Earth c. Possessiuely taken So likewise the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord may I suppose admit a two-fold deriuation videlicet it may come eyther of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Nowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former signifying to be the first k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ens aeternum Essence the other the first l Ens Entium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authour and so may paralell that essentiall name of God Iehouah who is an infinite and vnsearchable Selfe-being Essence eternall euerlasting and vnchangeable giuing being and beginning to all things c. Or else it may come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so should intimate the possessing and gouerning of all things as absolute Lord Owner and Commander of them and so it answereth to the Hebrew word Bagnal Hos 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of-himselfe-Lord simply and absolutely as he alone that hath absolute and vniuersall power in and ouer all things causes and persons whatsoeuer wheresoeuer And this of the deriuation sense of the first word Lord taken either essentially or possessiuely here you may safely take it in both senses without restraint to either The doctrine and duties to be deriued from hence I deferre vntill I haue spoken of the Etymologie of the next word and then will I prosecute them together ioyntly and seuerally It followeth in the Text The Lord knoweth c. The greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answereth to the hebrew word Iadang 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Scholers know doth signifie to be much and long acquainted with the thing which we know as here now to import thus much Longo vsu exercitatus in liberandis pijs in puniendis sceleratis Beza That the Lord hath beene long time exercised and accustomed with the both deliuering and preseruing of the godly and with punishing the wicked And in this very sense and in the like subiect doth the holy Prophet Psal 1. v. 6. vse the same word where hauing shewed the different conditions estate and end of the good and bad he concludeth with this intimation for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked c. Ki-iodeang Iehouah derec tsaddikim vederecreschagnim tobedh The greeke tongue seemeth to distinguish the three kindes of common knowledge sensual rational and artificial I meane of Sense of Reason and of Art by three seuerall words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outstrips them all and addeth vnto the three former a fourth kinde of knowledge namely experimentall In which kinde it may be that the holy Angels themselues increase in knowledge experimentally But howsoeuer the rules goe with Creatures and with their knowledge I am sure that it goeth far otherwise with the Creator whose knowledge is as himselfe infinite and vnsearchable Insomuch as me thinkes I heare the holy Apostle here proclayming openly that there is nothing so darke deepe or difficult so large and manifold which hath beene is or can be hid from the ancient perfect and plenarie knowledge of the Lord God with whom we haue to doe c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. Moreouer finding the verb here vsed to be put in the tense and time past for punie Scholers know that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfore should be read The Lord hath known it sheweth that this knowledge of GOD our Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting no time past present or to come cā determine his knowledge but it farre farre exceedeth all terme of time Now from all these punctuall impressions of this word of truth let me collect giue vnto you some weak definition of the knowledge of God thus The knowledge of God is that by which the Lord our God in one eternall ineffable act of infinite vnderstanding doth distinctly and perfectly know all things persons causes times and occurrences which haue beene are or shall be more and lesse first and last together with all their substances quantities qualities inclinations motions actions and ends and this not by certayne degrees and passages nor by obseruations and notions abstracted and taken from the things themselues as Men and Angels may know things Nil Creatoris aut lateat cognitionem aut effugiat potestatem Aug. but essentially of in and from himselfe absolutely simply and all at once To which his absolute diuine knowledge of all things is ioyned his infinite Act of will whereby God willeth them freely iustly eternally and vnchangeably and according to the same doth effectually precisely punctually and fully performe the same his knowledge and will in all things euermore consequently and by name in these two mayne parts of his most holy Will and decree of preseruing and deliuering his faithful-ones the godly and of reseruing the wicked to the day of iudgment to be punished as here in our Text is proclaymed And if here we may be bold to take in that ancient and orthodoxe principle in diuinitie That all the essentiall attributes of God whereof his knowledge is one doe agree Attributa Dei essentialia propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulis diuinitatis Personis competunt and equally belong to all the persons of the holy Trinitie then it must needes follow that this is truly testified of God the Father
gouernement and knowledge of things here below and so also becommeth impatient and heartlesse to his owne great hurt and the offence of Heauen All these must learne to know and beleeue if they will bee saued that in God our Lord assuredly there is an eternall absolute and infallible knowledge of all things whatsoeuer together with wisedome will and power to rule order and dispose of them accordingly vntill euery thing be brought to that period and end which he hath appointed for his owne glory the saluation of the Elect and ruine of the Reprobate rout For the holy Word of â—he Lord doth here witnesse the same and his holy workes doe confirme it abundantly Now the meditation of all that herein hath beene said and truely taught out of these two words ioyned together The Lord knoweth referred to both the parts of this Prophecy as the same ought to be might me thinkes strike a strange terrour into the soule of any sinner which is not too too forlone and hardened in sinne when he shal come to himselfe and consider that hee hath sinned against a Lord First of infinite knowledge which perfectly knoweth the number and nature of all his sinnes whatsoeuer Secondly of infinite Iustice and therefore cannot let escape the least particular sinne which he was euer guiltie of originally or personally vnlesse hee find mercie in the Mediatour vpon his true repentance and faithfull conuersion from the power of Satan to the liuing Lord and from the disobedience of the wicked to the wisedome of the iust c. Thirdly of infinite power also and authoritie to cast both soule and bodie into Hell-fire perpetually vnrecouerably And lastly of infinite Eternitie to giue the impenitent sinner eternitie in that vnspeakeable miserie Oh consider this all that forget God together with his vnspeakeable knowledge power and iustice Make vp your peace with GOD in time in time I say lest he teare you in pieces and there bee none to deliuer you out of his hand that knoweth how to reserue not preserue the wicked to Iudgement to be punished eternally Moreouer let me tell you as I verily beleeue that the ignorance vnbeliefe or obliuion of this holy Truth that GOD knoweth absolutely all things euen all secrets of all mens mindes and manners and that hee hath absolute power in and ouer all as the Lord of Lords the ignorance I say and vnbeliefe of this truth is the maine cause and root of all Atheisme Prophanenesse Hypocrisie Neutralitie and to come neerer the point in hand of all sinnefull feare and despaire in dangers and distresse also of carnall confidence sinnefull securitie and shifting by corrupt courses to helpe our selues in time of need also of all base grosse and weake conceits of God and of his gouernment and finally of all impatiencie murmuring c. vnder affliction Whereas on the contrarie the sound and sanctified knowledge of GODS infinite power and wisdome to performe whatsoeuer he will and hath reuealed in his Word will helpe to afford all good Christians vnspeakeable animation affiance loue awe peace patience constancy and comfort to cast all their cares and burthen vpon the Lord as hee hath commanded and so to rest in peace and sacred securitie c. Finally that I may grow to an end in the application of this first part of the Text seeing the Lord bringeth his iudgements to light euery morning as his holy Word doth witnesse in his knowledge and power performing the same let vs learne hence-forth to make due and daily obseruation thereof that wee may say as Thusidides did in another case I haue experience of this and that Truth of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfilled eyther in mercie or iustice so ioyne experimentall knowledge and faith with literall and spirituall How many Christians continue weake in faith and patience c. because they bee wanting this way to God in dutie for God hath so done his maruailous workes that they ought to be had in remembrance and to themselues in wisedome Neglect not then this helpe of holinesse if you would grow vp faster in all holy feare faith loue and obedience c. Learne also this lesson of all the wise-hearted Patriarchs Prophets and Princes of the Lord his people 1. Sam. 17.37 specially of holy Dauid Psal 48.7 c. in his blessed Booke of Psalmes And so let vs proceede in the Text to the next word Deliuer The Lord knoweth to deliuer This is one singular effect of the foresaid Cause Deliuerance to the godly The knowledge of God is neyther idle nor vnfruitfull but operatiue and effectuall and that vnto these two ends principally so farre forth as it concerneth Man namely to saue the godly and to wrecke the wicked And of these because the saluation of the iust is of special consequence for the glorie of Gods sauing power and Fatherly Prouidence therefore it is here set in the first place and hath the preeminence And a singular President mee thinkes it is of good Gouernment and of the right vse of all that knowledge and power wherewith the Lord hath furnished vs or any of vs whether we be Magistrates Ministers or Masters of Families In the extent of mercie and iustice First to bee guided by knowledge euen by Diuine knowlege and vnderstanding of Gods will Secondly to limit it by the power and place which wee hold in charge Thirdly specially and aboue the rest to doe good to the good to preserue and deliuer the Iust so sauing them that should be saued in the first place Let Noah bee first shipped in safetie in GODS Arke before the flouds of Iustice ouerflow the World And let Lot be gone from Sodome yâ— Angels of the Lord before yoâ— fire the place of his Repose Consider what I haue sayd and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things to doe his will And thus much briefely oâ— the connexion of the effect with the cause and of the Apostles order in putting the safety of the Saints in the first place and passage of Gods most holy Gouernment Againe further obserue here with me that the Lord our God taketh the ground of his doing good to his seruants euen â—rom his owne eternall and vnchangeable knowledge wil and goodnesse which worketh freeâ—y of it selfe and from it selfe all the effects of mercie and saluaâ—ion promised to his Saints Let then our helpe also and seruice which wee yeeld to the people of God in our places not be base inforced mercinarie or any way corrupt at the root but â—ngenuous free and faithfull that so we may in our measure become merciful and iust as our heauenly Father is to vs. The Text followeth The Lord knoweth to deliuer The word here vsed doth properly signifie to take by force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. Eripere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to deliuer with strong hand as if the Apostle should tell all the godly that otherwise all euils and enemies dangers distresses