by the naturall inclination of his will this gives us just ground and warrant to pray against sudden and violent death 4. Question Whether may we mourn for the dead Answer Yes Because 1. Death is a fruit of sin In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dâ—e the death and a sign of Gods displeasure against it 2. It is a separation of friends and they should not part without some grief onely we must look that our mourning in such cases be 1. Serious not counterfeit 2. Moderate not excessive either for quantity or continuance which may shew want of hope and excesse of love both naught 3. Holy turning our sorrow from the death of our friends to the bewailing of our sins the only procurers of that and all other crosses In the last place I shall lay down directions how to die well and shew the benefits that come to the godly by death 1. What a Christian should do that would die comfortably 1. Discharge the place and office which God hath called him to with much diligence and sincerity 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Act. 20. 31. Why dost fear O my soul said Hilarion thou hast served God this seventy years and art thou afraid to die Live much in a little time doe all for eternity be abundant in serving thy generation Acts 13. 36. You live no longer in Gods account then you serve him 2. Doe nothing against conscience for the greatest advantage this troubled Iudas he betraied innocent bloud this made the wofull tragedy of Spira 3. Take heed of unjust dealing and violent oppressing of others Samuel before his death Tell me saith he whose ox or asse have I stolen or taken away * 4. Improve thy riches and honours for Gods glory Luk. 16. 9. 5. Spend the time of thy health well and lay up praiers for death before hand Teach us to number our daies that is to consider how few they are that we apply our hearts to wisdom 6. Get acquaintance with death take notice of all the approaches of it behold the mortality of others and consider thine own do not think to die all at once the Apostle saith I thank God I die daily So seriously meditate on death as to draw from thence some wholesome and profitable conclusions and resolutions for the well ordering of thy life and that in respect of four things chiefly sin the things of the world our own persons and the persons of others For sin this conclusion must follow therefore sin is a most hatefull thing to God and a most harmfull thing to man for it alone hath provoked God to inflict this heavy punishment of death yea of eternall death after this upon the sons of men unlesse repentance come betwixt Sinne is the parent and sting of death sin brought it into the world and makes it terrible therefore I must hate sinne lament sin resist and mortifie sin and must make it my chiefest and in a manner my only care to get my sins forgiven my iniquity subdued and then resolve especially to mortifie that sin which thy heart is most unwilling to reform 2. In respect of the world we must conclude and resolve that wealth honour pleasure friends are but very vanities trifles and toies poor petty short and vanishing goods therfore I must and by Gods grace will resolve to pull mine heart from off these things not rejoice in them trust in them boast of them seeing I brought nothing into the world and must carry nothing out use the present world as if we used it not 2. Diligently prepare for the life to come every man must be for ever in heaven or hell there is no middle place as * pargatory so soon as his soul and body are separated Labour therefore to get good assurance of bettering your estate and injoying eternall life by bewailing the sinfulnesse of your nature and lives and seeking unto and resting upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone and his mediation and obedience and the sprinklâ—ng of his bloud for pardon of sin and help against damnation and lastly labour and study to reform your hearts and lives more and more 3. Concerning our own persons we must thus conclude that we are but mean and contemptible creatures that must die and turn to dust and be made food for worms why should I then be proud or think my self better then others because of my strength beauty wit learning parentage titles offices attendances of all which death will strip me and teach me to know they were but borrowed things 4. For other men we ought to to conclude thus they also must die as well as my self my husband wife my dear and faithfull friend who knows how soon therefore it is a great weaknesse to trust on such to place my happinesse in them Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils therefore use al persons as well as all things as if thou didst not use them Lastly Let the Saints of God take great comfort in the contemplation of the good that death will bring them it concludes all their sorrows and evils and is a beginning of all joies pleasures comfort glory and happinesse Death is to such a resting from their labours Rev. 14. 14. A happy change Phil. 3. 21. Job 14. 14. cals death a change it is not an annihilation or extinction but a mutation and that by way of eminency My change It is the last change we shall meet with till the resurrection 2. A lasting nay an everlasting change it puts us into an eternall condition of happinesse or misery 3. An universall change 1. in respect of persons all must meet with it 2. In regard of the whole man body and soul makes the body a stinking carkasse and puts the soul into heaven or hell 4. A different change according to the quality of the person changed terrible to a sinner comfortable to the godly Death is their bodies seed-time 1 Cor. 15. the crowning day to the soul 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. the funerall of all their sins and sorrows Rom. 6. 7. I shall in the last place mention some of the chief benefits that come to the godly by death By it he is freed 1. From sin not only the destroying power but the being of it is then taken away 2. From those miseries which follow sin Isa. 57. 1 2 3. 3. From the temptations of the devil Rev. 12. 8. 4. From the troubles of the world and vexations of the flesh Rev. 14. 13. Eccles. 4. 1 2. 2. There is nothing in his death but what conduceth to make him happy 1. A godly man dies in Gods love and mercy 2. He never dies til he be prepared till his graces be perfected and work finished Job 5. 26. 3. He shall in some measure be assured of a better life 2 Cor. 5. 1. 4. When he dies he shall leave a sweet favour behinde him Prov. 10. 7. The memory of the just is
for the truth of all sorts and conditions stout and tender noble and base Famesius departing out of Italy is reported to have said That he would make such a slaughter in Germany that his very horse might swim in the bloud of the Lutherans So much bloud of the Protestants was spilt in France that the very rivers in the streets flowed with bloud The Duke of Alba sitting at his Table * said that he had taken diligent pains in rooting out the tares of heresies having delivered 18000 men in the space of six years only to the hands of the hangman Within the compasâ—e of lesse then four years continuance there died in England in Q. Maries reign 277 persons without regard * of degree sex or age In the heat of those flames were consumed five Bishops one and twenty Divines eight Gentlemen eighty four Artificers one hundred husbandmen servants and labourers twenty six wives twenty widdows nine virgins two boies and two infants Secondly The persecutours could neither by torments nor pleasures induce them to deny the truth When Valens the Emperour coming to Caesarea commanded Basil to assent to the Arians and threatned to banish and punish him if he obeyed not Pueris saith Basil illa terriculamenta proponenda sunt sibi verò vita eripi potest sed confessio veritatis eripi non potest Those bug-bears were to be propounded to children but for his part said he though they might take away his life yet they could not hinder him from professing the truth When King Lysimachus threatned Cyrenaeus Theodorus with hanging Istis quaeso saith he ista horribilia minitare purpuratis tuis Theodori quidem nihil interest humine an sublimè putrescat Threaten those terrible things to thy brave Courtiers Theodorus cares not whether he rot in the air or on the ground Cyprian said Amen * to his own sentence of martyrdome and the Proconsul bidding him consult about it he answered In re tam justa * nulla est consultatio Bonner said A vengeance on them I think they love to burn When the Proconsul threatned Andrew the Apostle with the crosse if he left not off his preaching I would never said he have preacht the doctrin of the crosse if I had feared the suffering of the crosse Jerom in the life of Paulus the Heremite reciteth a story of a certain souldier whom when the Pretor could not otherwise with torments remove from his Christianity he devised another way which was this he commanded the souldier to be laid upon a soft bed in a pleasant garden among the flourishing lillies and red roses which done all others being removed away and himself there left alone a beautiful harlot came to him who imbraced him and with all other incitements of an harlot laboured to provoke him to her naughtinesse But the godly souldier fearing God more then obeying flesh bit his own tongue with his teeth and spit in the face of the harlot as she was kissing him and so got he the victory by the constant grace of the Lord assisting him Thirdly The Martyrs suffered with much comfort courage and assurance of their salvation going to the fire as to a feast calling the coles roses and the day of their martyrdome their marriage day I am to die said Bishop Ridley * in defence of Gods everlasting truth and verity which death I shall by Gods grace willingly take with hearty thanks to God therefore in certain hope without any doubting to receive at Gods hand again of his free mercy and grace everlasting life Rowland Taylour departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternall salvation I thank God my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ my certain Saviour Amen They thanked their Judges for condemning them Sententiis vestris gratias agimus cum damnamur à vobis à Deo absolvimur Tertul. Apol. c. 5. The Martyrs were eminent in many graces 1. In humility They neither called themselves martyrs nor did they give way to others so to entitle them but if any in epistle or speech so named them they did sharply reprove them saying That this appellation was due to Christ alone which only is a faithfall witnes to the truth Ignatius in his Epistles saith I salute you who am ultimus the last and least of all and so in another Epistle Tantillitas nostra Lord said Hooper I am hell but thou art heaven I am a sink of sin but thou art a gracious God and a mercifull Redeemer 2. In love to God and Christ Ignatius called Christ his love Amor meus crucifixus est said he My love was crucified None but Christ none but Christ said John Lambert They offered to some of them gifts and honors to take them off to which one well answered Do but offer me somewhat that is better then my Lord Jesus Christ and you shal see what I will say unto you 3. In love to the brethren and one another Ejusmodi vel maximae dilectiovis operatio notam nobis inurit penes quosdam vide inquiunt ut invicem sâ— diligant In the primitive times the cry of the Heathens was See how they love one another See how they are ready to die for one another How did they express their affection to one another likewise by their gilt pence nutmegs and other tokens which they sent to one another and by their hearty praiers 4. In * patience Victi sunt Gentiles eorum Idololatria non à repugnantibus sed à morientâ—bus Christianis Aust. 5. In liberality to the poor * 6. In fidelity John Bradford had often leave of his keeper while he was in prison to go see a friend and he returned to his prison again rather before his time 7. In zeal and fervency in * praier 8. In mildenes * and forgiving their enemies CHAP. II. Some memorable Collections concerning the Martyrs especially out of Foxes three large volumes Polycarpus EVsebius * saith he was wont to say when he fell into the company of hereticks Bone Deus in quae me tempora reservasti Good God what times hast thou kept me for When Marcion the heretick casually met him and said Cognoscis nos Dost thou know us Polycarpus answered Cognosco primogenitum diaboli I know the first born of the devil Being urged by the Proconsull to deny Christ he answered I have served him 86. * years and he hath not once hurt me and shall I now deny him When he should have been tied to the stake he required to stand untied saying Let me alone I pray you for he that gave me strength to come to the fire will also give me patience to abide in the same without your tying Ignatius Being led from Syria to Rome there to be devoured he wished by the way as he went that he were in the midst of those beasts which were ready to rent
nox Et calcanda semel via lethi When it was told Anaxagoras that both his sons which were all he had were dead being nothing terrified therewith he answered Sciebam me genuisse mortales I knew I begat mortall creatures There are three speciall reasons why all must die 1. Because God hath so decreed it Heb. 9. 27. 2. All men are made of one mould and matter Job 4. 19. Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return Gen. 3. 19. 3. Because all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that or in whom all have sinned Beza prefers that version in whom In Adam legally as they stood under his Covenant in him naturally as they bear his Image Sin brought death into the world either meritoriè as it deserves wrath or privativè as it takes away the power of the law to conferre life Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death The word in the * Originall signifies properly victuals because victuals were that which the Roman Emperours gave their souldiers as wages in recompence of their service but thence the word extends to signifie any other wages or salary whatsoever Death is then certain because no man can eschew it yet it is 3. waies uncertain 1. In regard of time no man knows when * he shall die Hezekiah only had a lease of his life 2. In regard of place * no man knows where he shall die 3. In respect of the kinde of death no man kuows what death he shall die whether a naturall or violent death Objection 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed Christ is said to be the judge of the quick and dead therefore all men shall not die Answer Cajetan on 2 Thes. 4. 17. gives both a succinct and sufficient answer Statutum regulare est illos autem non mori singulare est Others say that change shall be a kinde of death Secondly The misery that comes to the wicked by death Every man in an unregenerate estate lies under the fear of death 1. The Scripture thus frequently sets forth naturall men Heb. 2. 15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Job 18. 14. Death is called The King of terrours an ordinary hebraisme as the Lord of glory that is most glorious death hath a dominion over them Luk. 1. 79. The shadow of death that is such darknesse as strikes men with fear of death 2. All unregenerate men hate the very thoughts of death Isa. 28. 15. Lewis the 11th of France straitly charged his servants that when they saw him sick they should never dare to name that bitter word Death in his ears 3. Thoughts of death often imbitter all the comforts of this life The reasons of this truth may be these 1. Because death is contrary to nature it self and to that inseparable desire of its own preservation it being a dissolution of the whole man and a separation of two most loving companions the soul and body by vertue of that ancient curse Gen. 2. 17. Yet it is not an enemy to the godly mans person though it be to his naturall estate 1 Cor. 3. 22. Christ did maledictionem benedicere paupertatem ditare ignominiam glorificare saith Luther 2. Because they die in their sins they must themselves conflict with the terrours of death 1 Cor. 15. 55. John 8. 44. Sin in every man brings with it a secret guiltinesse which makes him fear something worse will follow after death 3. It puts an end to all the benefits and comforts of this life Son remember that in thy life time thou receivedst good things It deprives him of friends goods pleasures credit 4. It puts an end to all his hopes Job 11. ult. Their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost 5. His conscience shall then be awakened this is the worm 6. It brings him to the barre of judgement Heb. 9. 27. He must go to God to give an account in whom he hath no interest 7. All offers of grace shall be at an end 8. It is the inlet to eternity and puts them into an unchangeable condition In the next place I shall resolve some questions about death 1. Question Whether it be lawfull to desire death We have examples of both kindes Paul desired to be dissolved but Hezekiah mourned and prayed exceedingly against it so did David Psal. 102. yet he rashly wished to die for Absolom 1 Sam. 18. 33. The Israelites offended this way Would God we had died in Egypt and would God we had died with our brethren Elisha Job and Jonah were to blame this way O that I had never been born said Job O that I had died so soon as I was born O that I might die out of hand for these are the three parts of his desperate words It is often in the mouths of wicked people would I were dead and I would I were out of the world If they were to die indeed they would be loath enough to it Like the man in the fable who being wearied with his burden of sticks lay down and called for death but when death came indeed to take him and said What shall I doe man thou calledst me I pray thee said he help me up with my burden of sticks To answer this question we must distinguish 1. Of desire there is Desiderium carnale spirituale heroscum a carnall spirituall and heroicall desire If this desire ariseth 1. From diffidence of Gods help and succour 2. From impatience under crosses Or 3. From shunning of those labours and pains which are to be endured for Gods glory and the Churches good it is very sinfull but if it arise from a holy desire to injoy the presence of Christ and to be freed from sin it may be lawfull Secondly We must distinguish of the manner in desiring which is either absolute or conditionate if it be a conditionate one with submission to Gods will as long as the Church hath need of him it may be lawfull Domine si adhuc populo tuo sim necessarius nâ—llum recuso laborem 2. Question Whether a godly man may fear to die Answer He may 1. For some sin that he is not enough humbled for 2. For want of the clear evidence of pardon and assurance of interest in Christ 3. Question Whether may one pray against a sudden and violent death Answer A violent and sudden death chiefly by some immediate hand of God is tedious to mans nature The Apostles themselves in a tempest made bold to waken Christ with some what a reproving speech Master carest thou not that we perish Christ told Peter foretelling a violent death that he should be led to it as to that which he would not meaning
THE Saints Encouragement IN EVIL TIMES OR OBSERVATIONS Concerning The MARTYRS in generall withâ—some memorable Collections OUT OF Foxes three Volumes Martin Luther The Covenant and Promises Living and dying by faith By EDWARD LEIGH Esquire REVEL. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD Mori timeat qui ad secundam mortem de hâc morte transibit Cyprian de mortal LONDON Printed by A. M. for William Lee and Thomas Vnderhill 1648. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER READER THe Church even in her Infancy the Christian Church was under the Crosse Stephanus lapidatus Jacobus trucidatus saith Austin Stephen was stoned and James beheaded The Church hath had two kinde of persecutions one from Rome ethnicall the other from Rome Papall After the Apostles what a continuall storme arose against Christians which lasted three hundred years under the ten monsters of men those bloudie Emperours Nero Domitian Trajane Antoninus Severus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Dioclesianus whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in Rome but tread on the graves of Martyrs Nero was the Authour * of the first grand persecution wherein Saint Peter as it is said and Saint Paul were martyred at Rome with others innumerable and Jacobus Iustus at Jerusalem whence Tertullian inferred That the Gospel must needs be a precious thing because Nero hated it Dioclesian raised the tenth and extreamest persecution * wherein Churches were overthrown Bibles burnt whole Cities razed women hanged upon trees naked with their heads downwards The Christians yet in that time under the Heathen Emperours had many lucida intervalla many breathing spaces under Princes not altogether so bloudy But the Popes have persecuted the Protestants for six hundred years together and that without any intermission I might exemplifie in many of their cruell practices 1. In their wars against the Waldenses and Albigenses 2. In the Massacre of France in which the rivers were died with bloud 3. In our tempora Mariana Queen Maries daies Who hath not heard of bloudy Bonner and Gardiner 4. In the rebellious insurrection in Ireland and the cruell butchery of above 200 thousand Protestants there Platina writes of seventeen thousand martyred by Dioclesian but Meterane writes of 50 thousand slaughtered by the Pope only in the Low-countries and that in the time of Charles the 5th Natalis Comes of sixty thousand in France only in one year Iulius the second in seven years shed the bloud of above two hundred thoâ—sand Christians Antichrist is drunk with the bloud of the Saints Revel. 17. 6. and 18. 24. In her that is Babylon now Rome was found the bloud of Prophets that is of all those that preacht the Word of God and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the earth They were put to death by the authority of the Pope Some hold that the bitterest persecutions of the Church of God are yet to come but two considerations may much support the spirits of Gods people 1. The shortnesse of the Persecutours lives and their miserable ends for the most part 2. The good that comes to the Church of God by affiction and persecution I will not speak of the short lives of many Popes and the short reign of Queen Mary * nor of the miserable end of many persecuting Emperours but shall out of Foxes Martyrology instance in the exemplary punishments of some of the persecutours of our Martyrs George Eagles alias Trudge over the world hid himself in a Corn-field and by the benefit of the height of the Corn and breadth of the field he had escaped had not Ralph Lurdane one of his persecutours with more malicious craft climbed a high tree to view over the place and so descried him This persecutour a lewd fellow of life for theft and whoredome within a few years after he had apprehended the foresaid George Eagles for gain of money he himself was attached of felony for stealing a horse condemned and hanged in the same place and Town of Chelmesford where George Eagles before suffered martyrdome A Bishop coming to Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester on his death-bed put him in remembrance of Peters denying his Master he answering again said That he had denied with Peter but never repented with Peter and so both stinkingly and unrepentantly died Doctour Storie was a great enemy to the Protestants in Queen Maries daies but in Queen Elizabeths reign he being beyond sea was by a handsome wile brought over into England and suffered as a Traitour on whom the boyes sung these verses D. Story for You I am sorrie The hangman must have Your gown Your father the Pope could not save You from the rope For all his triple crown Secondly The people of God like Commomile the more they were trod on the more they did spread and like Rabbets in frosty weather did thrive under persecution One * saith Martyrologie and catechizing were the great engines by which the reformers battered down Poperie Jerome compares the state of the Châ—rch under Constantine and some Christian Emperours with that under Dioclesian and some persecuting Emperours under the former the Church increased much Potentia divitiis in power and wealth but diminished virtutibus in vertue How strangely was that promise accomplished in England and France Whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it William Wolsey Martyr being in prison sent by another a noble to Richard Denton with this commendation That he marvelled he tarried so long behinde him seeing he was the first that delivered him the book of Scripture into his hand and told him that it was the truth desiring him to make haste after as fast as he could This money and message being delivered to Denton almost a year after Wolsey was burned his answer was this I confesse it is true but alas I cannot burn But he that would not burn in the cause of Christ was afterward burned against his will for his house was set on fire and while he went in to save his goods he lost his life On the contrary some that were in prison and purposed to suffer for the truth were â—y the death of Queen Mary happily preserved that being a true observation which * one hath As good husbands do not put al their corn to the oven but save some for seed so doth God ever in the worst of persecutions When Henry the fourth of France had conquered his enemies he turned Papist and gave this reason of it That he might settle himself in peace and safety Ravilliak who slew him confessed that the reason why he stabbed him was because he was of two religions It is well noted by a Reverend Divine * That the book of martyrs was in high esteem all the days of Queen Elizabeth All Churches by authority were injoyned to have it so as all that would might read it There was scarce a
Sir George Blague He being one of the Kings privy Chamber was condemned and appointed to be burned but being pardoned by the King and coming after into his presence Ah my Pig saith the King to him for so he was wont to call him Yea said he if youâ— Majestie had not been better to mâ— then your Bishops were your Pig had been rosted ere this time Mr John Rogers That morning he should be burned he was found asleep and could scarce with much jogging be awaked At length being raised and waked and bid to make haste theâ—â— said he if it be so I need not to tiâ— my points The sunday before he suffered he drank to Mr Hooper being then underneath him and bad them commend him unto him and tell him there was never little fellow would better stick to a man then he would stick to him presupposing they should both be burned together although it happened otherwise for Mr Rogers was burnt alone He was the Protomartyr of all the blessed company that suffered in Queen Maries time that gave the first adventure upon the fire His wife and children being eleven in number ten able to go and one sucking on her breast met him by the way as he went toward Smithfield this sorrowfull sight of his own flesh and bloud could nothing move him but that he constantly and chearfully took his death with wonderfull patience in the defence of Christs Gospel Laurence Sanders He seeming to be somewhat troubled at his lodging one which was there about him asked him how he did In very deed saith he I am in prison till I be in prison Meaning that his minde was unquiet untill he had preached and that then he should have quietnesse of minde though he were put in prison He that did lie with him in prison in the same bed reported that he heard him say that even in the time of his examination he was wonderfully comforted in so much as not only in spirit but also in body he received a certain taste of that holy communion of Saints whilst a most pleasant refreshing did issue from every part and member of the body unto the seat and place of the heart and from thence did ebb to and fro unto all the parts again At Coventry where he was burned a poor Shoemaker which was wont to serve him of shoes came to him and said O my good master God strengthen and comfort you Gran mercy good Shoemaker quoth Master Sanders and I pray thee to pray for me for I am the unmeetest man for this high office that ever was appointed to it but my gracious God and dear Father is able to make me strong enough When he came to the fire he fell to the ground and praied then he rose up again and took the stake to which he should be chained in his arms and kissed it saying Welcome the crosse of Christ welcome everlasting life and being fastened to the stake and fire put to him full sweetly he slept in the Lord In the beginning of Q. Maries time there being a communication between Laurence Sanders and D. Pendleton the Doctor took upon him to comfort Mr Sanders all that he might admonishing him not to start aside having put his hand to Gods plough I will see said he being a fat man the utmost drop of this grease of mine molten away and the last gobbet of this flesh consumed to ashes before I will forsake God and his truth Sanders on the other side seemed so fearfull and feeblespirited that he seemed rather to fall quite from Gods word which he had taught then to stick to his profession and abide by his tacle but after Sanders suffered most willingly and Pendleton played the Apostata Mr John Hooper Being at Zarick with Bullinger at his parting with him he promised to write unto him how it went with him But the last news of all I shall not be able to write for there said he taking M. Bullinger by the hand where I shall take most pains there shall you hear of me to be burned to ashes and that shall be the last news which I shall not be able to write unto you but you shall hear of me When Mr Hooper being made Bishop of Worcester and Glocester should have his Arms given him by the Herald as the manner is for every Bishop to have his Arms assigned unto him whether by the Bishops or Heralds appointment is uncertain the Arms to him allotted was a Lamb in a fiery bush and the sun-beams from heaven descended down upon the Lamb rightly denoting as it seemed the order of his suffering which afterward followed His life was so pure and good that no kinde of slander although divers went about to reprove it could fasten any fault upon it I know not one of all those vertues and qualities required of St Paul in a good Bishop lacking in this good Bishop Bishop Ridley and he differed about the ceremonies yet both being in prison for the truths sake they were reconciled Every day his manner was to have to dinner a certain number of poor folk of Worcester by course who were served by four at a messe with whole and wholesome meats and when they were served being afore examined by him or his Deputies of the Lords prayer the Articles of their faith and ten Commandments then he himself sate down to dinner and not before Sir Anthony Kingston his friend coming to him a little before his death used these words Life is sweet and death bitter to whom he replied that the death to come was more bitter and the life to come more sweet A blinde boy being brought unto him who had not long afore suffered imprisonment at Glocester for confessing of the truth Master Hooper after he had examined him of his faith and the cause of his imprisonment beheld him stedfastly and the water appearing in his eies said unto him Ah poor boy God hath taken from thee thy outward sight for what consideration he best knoweth but he hath given thee another sight much more precious for he hath indued thy soul with the eye of knowledge and faith God give thee grace continually to pray unto him that thou lose not that sight for then shouldst thou be blinde both in body and soul Being at the stake and having entred into his prayer a box waâ— brought and laid before him upon stool with his pardon or at least fained so to be from the Queen if he would turn At the sight where of he cried If you love my soul away with it if you love my soul away witâ— it The box being taken the Lorâ— Shandoys said Seeing there is no remedy dispatch him quickly Master Hooper said good my Lord I trust you will give me leave to make an end of my praiers Doctor Taylor He told the Sheriffe and others who laboured to turn him to the Popish
to accept of Christ upon his own terms Hos. 2. 18. 2. If sin have not dominion over us Rom. 6. 12. 3. If the Lord put his laws into our minde and write them in our hearts Heb. 8. 8. * It is an allusion to the two Tables of the Law They were first written by the finger of God and then put into the Ark so God first writes the Law in our hearts and then puts it in our mindes The writing of the Law in the heart signifies 1. Similitudinem a conformity an inward principle and disposition in the heart answerable to the doctrine in the book 2. Permanentiam continuance it is not a flitting but a binding principle Litera scripta manet All the errours almost of these times may be confuted from the doctrine of the covenant Heb. 8. 9 10 11 12. 1. Merit and supererogation of works Satisfaction given to justice must be commensurate to that justice which it must satisfie infinite 2. The Popish and Arminian doctrine of Free-will Can man work in a way of grace so as to determine and make it effectuall before he have grace a principle of working Can a man receive grace offered without a speciall work of grace stirring and exciting him I will write my laws in their hearts the promise then written in the heart is the foundation of all our faith and the precept of all our obedience 3. For in vocation of Saints Christ is the Mediatour of the new Covenant He is touched with our infirmities and yet cloathed with majesty to his Father he gives his merit for us from his Father he gives his Spirit to us 4. That Arminian doctrine of universall grace and redemption that Christ should die intentionally for all Where ever the merit of Christs death goes there goes his Spirit the price and power of his death are equal all have not the Spirit of Christ therefore not his merit The Socinians deny the satisfaction of Christs death justice must have satisfaction Christ they say came into the world to be an example and give us a patern of vertue as the Pelagians say we have Adams sin by imputation They deny all infused habits of grace and would only have moral perswasions The Antinomians also are hence confuted there must needs be a work of grace in a man else the death of Christ will be ineffectuall then some principle of grace must be put into us The old rule may stand still though there be a new principle put into the heart because the holines of God is not varied The Anabaptists the covenant is with the house of Israel and Gods children born in the covenant are of the house of Israel Some say men are miserable two waies by Adams fall 1. As we stand under his covenant and so come short of conformity to the Law which requires perfect personal and perpetuall obedience 2. As we bear his image life and eternall salvation is offered on impossible terms therefore say they in conversion there is required a double change 1. Morall which is the change of a mans covenant 2. Physical the change of a mans image So that as a mans covenant is such is his state if under the first covenant he is in a state of sin of bondage and death if he be under the second covenant he is in a state of grace of liberty and life because he is no longer a son of the bond-woman but of the free-woman A man in Christ is freed from the Law as a covenant in these respects 1. For justification Gal. 2. 21. in respect of condemnation Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 5. 23. against such persons not works there is no law 2. He is freed from the Law in respect of irritation there is a power in it to stir up the lusts of men Ro. 6. 14. For ye are not under the law as a covenant whether we understand it of its condemning or irritating power but under grace 3. In respect of coaction the law causeth him not to do duties or forbear sins out of fear of the curse of it Gal. 5. 18. Ye are not under the Law viz. constraining 1 Tim. 1. 9. A godly man is perfectly freed from the Law as a covenant in respect of justification and condemnation he is freed by degrees from the irritation and coaction of the Law al those that are out of Christ are under the law for justification condemnation irritation and coaction The covenant of grace is the same for substance now to us since Christ was exhibited and to them before he was exhibited but the manner of administration of it is different because it is 1. Now clearer things were declared then in types and shadows heaven was typed out by the land of Canaan we have things plainly manifested 2 Cor. 3. 12. in this respect it is called a better testament or covenant Heb. 7. 22. not in substance but in the manner of revealing and they are said to be better promises Heb. 18. 6. 2. Of greater extent Then in Iudah was God known now to all Nations 3. Abundance of the Spirit is poured out now some few men then had a great deal of grace but * generally now men partake of abundant more grace * both for knowledge and holinesse CHAP. VI 2. Of the Promises CHristians have many and great Promises 2 Cor. 7. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 4. whereby are given to us {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} great and precious promises 1. God makes them they are the Promises of a great God Great persons make great promises 2. They are made to Gods people his elect a King will not bestow mean things upon his Favourites Reasons Why God makes great Promises to his people 1. Hereby God sets forth his love to them Tit. 1. 2. 2. That we might have ground for our faith and hope here in this world we are in a state of expectation Heb. 11. 39 40. 3. That hereby he might support them in their many troubles Gen. 15. 1. Heb. 10. 35 36. This is a mercifull administration of the Lord Adam had all his good things in possession he soon lost them by the Promises they are as certain as if we had them already 1 Pet. 1. 3. The Promises are sure and certain God hath confirmed them 1. By the Sacraments 2. By oath the strongest confirmation that may be Heb. 6. 17 18. The faith of Gods people is built upon two pillars his power and faithfulnesse resembled by those two pillars 1 King 7. 21. Boâ—â— in it is strength Jachin he will establish 1. Gods power that is often given as a prop to uphold our faith in his Promises Mat. 22. 21 29. Rom. 4. 20. 11. 23. 2. His faithfulnesse Heb. 10. 23. 1 Pet. 4. 19. When Gods Promises come to be fulfilled to his people they finde twice as much in them as they expected 1