terris most neare the earth so the Church of God said to be Militant here vppon Earth cannot auoid but thereby become some-what earthy Thirdly the Moone is eclipsed by the interposition of the earth betwixt the Sun it so the Church of God no doubt is som-what blemished by the interposition of the eatrthhy members of our fleshly concupiscence betweene the graces of Christ and it Fourthly the Moone hath her spottes so hath the Church of God her blemishes The Mone then wee may see for one benefit that shee hath receiued in that she is made glorious with the beames of the Sun hath a threefold inconuenience that shee cannot but som-what be tainted by the earth being the nearest caelestial body vnto the earth that she is eclipsed and obscured by the putting betweene of the earth betwixt the Sun and hir that she hath hir spots in her to shew that if the church here siguified by the Moone hath any good she hath it not from her selfe but from Christ as the Moone hath her brightnesse from the Sunne and for that one good with the Moone she hath a threefold euilâ— Imperfect therefore is the Church in this life as she that weareth this badge of imperfection Wee must further know that this part of the Assembly of the righteous the Church militant which groneth vnder affliction and â—mpeth by imperfection is congregate and mette together chiefly to exercise a threefold duty first to heare the word secondly to bee partakers of the sacraments thirdly to begge what we need and to offer vppe the sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing A thing anciently vsed by the Church and perpetually to continue in the church this may appeare to haue had an ancient vse in the church by those three thousand soules whome Peter by one Sermon had added to the Act. 2. 42. Church which first Continued in the Apostles doctrine there is the assembly of hearing the word Secondly in breaking of Bread there 〈◊〉 receiuing of one of the sacraments Thirdly In prayer there is begging that was needfull and the tendering to GOD the sacrifice of thankesgiuing This is one part of the Assembly of the righteous which how-soeuer it is not wholy to bee excluded yet is not so directly intended in this place where it is said that the sinners shall not â—â—se or stand in the Assembly of the righeous The second part of the Assembly of the righteous is that which is tryumphant in heauen which shall then be accomplished on Gods chosen when they which suffer here with Christ shall in heauen bee gloryfied with Christ at Rom 8. 17. which time the affliction and imperfection which haue beene annexed vnto their Crosse shall be turned into tryumph and perfectâ—on necessarily accompanying their Crowne In the Church militant as one speaketh mala persâ—quntur euills doe persecute vs But in the Church tryumphant bona sequentur good thinges shall follow vs. The euer-flowing and indeed ouer-flowing abundance of which happy estate causeth Saint Augustine August to say that therein wee may more easily tell quid non sit quam quid sit what there is not then what there is For of this wee may bee well assured that in this glorious Assembly of the righteous there shall be no weaknesse no sorrowing no calamity no corruption no death no greefe no discontentment But the thinges wee shall there inioy are first for their quality ioy and pleasures Secondly for their quantity fulnesse of them Thirdly for their Constancy at Gods right hand from whence it is vnpossible they should bee remoued Fourthly for their continuance for euer-more euen in the presence of God In whose presence there is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand Psal 16. 12. there is pleasure for euermore This is the Assembly of the righteous heere principally meant which the Sinners shall not rise nor stand in because they shall neuer attaine to this tryumph neuer to this perfection neuer to this pleasure this presence this right hand this ioy The second point offered vnto our obseruation hauing learned what is the Assembly of the righteous is that the sinners shall not rise nor stand there But may some man say this is a hard saying Ioh. 6. 60. Who then can bee saued For wee are all sinners The authority of the Apoâ—â—le excellently proueth this point Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne so death went ouer all men for as much as all haue sinned The Apostle in that place intendeth to Mark 10. 26. shew the enterance of death into the world in foure points First from whom from one man that is Adam Secondly by what by sin Thirdly to whome to all men Fourthly the reason of it because All men haue sinned If there weare any man which had not sinned that man could not dye But all men dye as wee say in Shooles eyther Actualiter or Potentialiter in Act or in Power because though Henoch and â—eliah where taken away before their death yet had they sinfull bodyes subiect vnto morâ—ality therefore must all men of necessity bee conuicted of sinne also The earth is the most vnâ—elane Element as that which settleth it selfe in the bottom of this glorious frame or fabricke of the world as the dregges doe in the lowest parts of their vessell of this earth is euery man composed If then the heauens themselues whose Curtaines are spred out with more glory then those of Salomon Cant 1. 4. be vncleane in Gods sight Iob. 15. 15. how much more man which is but dust and earth If God hath found no stedfaâ—â—nesse no not in his Saints which are soe named of holinesse What is man that hee should bee clâ—ane or hee Ioh. 15. 14. 15 that is borne of a woman that hee should bee iust Man may bee considered in two estates in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace In the estate of nature whereby a man is meerely man and borne of a woman in which respect hee muâ—â— bee sayd to bee vncleane and vniust In the estate of grace by which a man becommeth a Saint yet in that estate also in the fore-aâ—eaged â—lace God findeth no stedfasâ—â—esse in him In neither state then can man bee cleered but in both estates condenmed to bee sinfull The Heathens themselues haue not beene vnacquainted with the truth of this matter among whome one saith Cebes in tabu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—eâ—y man coâ—miâ—g into this life driâ—keth from the cuppe of 〈◊〉 eâ—â—or and igâ—orance â—â—â—ery man then be a sinner and no 〈◊〉 shall rise 〈◊〉 stand in the assembly of the righteous what 〈◊〉 â—â—vs but â—xâ—ect that seâ—â—â—nce which Christ◠〈◊〉 agâ—â—â—st sinners Depart from me yea Matth. 7. â—3 that worke iniquity That I may the better answeare this obiection wee must know thaâ— there is a two-fold Sinner The former so sinneth as he 〈◊〉 with â—isâ—th from his sinne hauing because he hath sinned
it is Priuatiue not Positiue â— Ioh 3. 4. it maketh a Lawe to become as no Lawe and therefore is vnlawfull Thirdly shee knoweth and assureth the soules of the Righteous that it is a pleasure which woundeth the Conscience and therefore is sorrowfull like vnto a sweete poyson which leaueth Death behinde it like The Locusts which had Faces of men and haire of women Apoca. â— Apoca. â— S. Chrysoâ— Psal 50. but brought the Tayles and stinges of Scoâ—pions behinde them Conscientia saith Saint Crysost codex in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur our Conscience is a book wherin our daily sinnes are written So written are our sins in the register of our Conscience as according to the Euidence thereof the conscience it selfe performeth the office of an Accuser Iudge Tormentor against our selues This is a bitter gall of Conscience not vnlike vnto that gall of bitternesse Act. 8. 23. vnder the priuate curtaines of those Act. 8. 23. tragicall Theaters the Gorgons Sphinxes Hidraes and Harpies that the Heathen speake off doe Acte their bloudy partes Fourth shee knoweth and assureth the soules of the Righteous that it is a pleasure Cuius extrema luctus occupat the bound of whose extremity is the extremity of greeuance and whose Conclusion is knitte vppe in Confusion whose trayne trayleth after it Affrightfull Death Rage-full Hell and Rue-full Damnation and therefore must needes it selfe bee most Affrightfull Ragefull Ruefull Sithence then it appeareth vnto vs that there is a Councell of the wicked That the wicked walke in it that is take their pleasure in the same wishing in that regard that Sinne mought bee committed by them euery whit euery where euer but that the godly walke not in it as they who haue weaned their soules from such impious vanities or vaine impieties All At all places In all times and so much the rather because it is a pleasure vnfruitfull vnlawfull sorrowfull affrightfull ragefull ruefull Oh lette vs not conforme the Inclination of our affections the affectation of our will or the conuersation of our manners to the crooked but to the vpright to the reprobate but to the elect to the sinfull but to the sanctified Ones But lette vs rather deale with Sinne that wilde Beaste which layeth in waite to spill our soules as the Dragon did to deuoure the Childe as Commodus Apoc. 12. 4. the Emperour dealt with those wilde beastes hee cast his Darts at who as Histories report neuer missed the Marke hee threw att and neuer gaue a wound but it was deadly Oh lette vs also giue a deadly wound vnto sinne which would deadly wounde vs that so it may betide the monster-sinne as it sometime befell the Gyant Goliah who thinking to haue slaine Dauid was him-selfe slaine by Dauid 1. Sam. 17. Auersemur as writeth Saint Basill Saint Basil peccatum vt assolent bruta animalia c. Lette vs auert sinne as brute beastes are wont to deale with poysonous weedes and lette vs follow Righteousnesse as they doe wholesome fodder If wee looke to Raigne with Rom. 8. 17. Christe Sinne must not raigne in vs. Rom. 6. 12. Lette vs then take our Councell at GODS Oracle Rom. 3. 2. and not of the Councell of the wicked Lett vs runne the way of the Spouse who sayth that if hee shall draw her shee will runne after CHRISTE Cant. 1. 3. and not walk the path of the Strumpet whose feete goeth down to death and her steppes take hold of hell Prouer. 5. 5. that so our walk may approue vs to be Godly and not reproue vs as Vngodly The second particular point in the Negatiue Contestation whereby the Euidence of the godly mans Vertue may appeare vnto vs is that hee standeth not in the way of sinners where-out may bee obserued first that there is a waye of sinners Second that the vngodly stand in it Third that the godly standeth not in it First then it is proposed that there is a way of Sinners for the better vnderstanding wherof wee must know that there is a twofold way Away of righteous and Away of sinners First the way of the Righteous is called in Scripture by the name of GODS Commandements The way of truth GODS way c. The way of Sinners in the Psal 119. same Psalme is termed an euill way A wicked way A false way the way of Lying The way of the Righteous differeth from the way of Sinners in the Enterance into the way the Company in the way the Passage out of the way First the way of the Righteous differeth from the way of Sinners in the Enterance into the way The way of the Righteous in the first Ingate there-vnto seemeth as indeed it is A straight rough and vnpleasant way On the other side the way of Sinners appeareth in the first Front thereof to bee a Broad Smooth and Pleasant way The way that the Righteous must beginne and continue to walke in the pilgrimage of this liâ—e it is according to the direction of GODS wisedome appointed to be Straight Rough and Vnpleasant A way that is besette with Thornes as the Church her selfe is sayd to bee A Lilly among thornes As a Crowne of thornes stood vpon the Head of Christe Cant. 2. 2. So it is very fitte and conuenient that the Feete of Christians should tread vppon a way of thornes That which the Prophet Hosea speaketh may heere-vppon fitly Hosh 2. 6. bee applyed to the Righteous I will stoppe thy way with thornes Doth a Man gather grapes of thornes Math. 7. 16. Yet is it certaine that the Righteous are as Grapes growing though not on yet amongst these thornes which being bruzed and squeazed by the Wine-presse of Afflictions become as a delicate Wine sweetly tasting on the Lords Pallaâ—e We must of necessity ascribe by an infinite Computation more Wisedome to GOD then to a Gardiner Gardiners hold opinion that Roses and Violets sowne or set neare vnto Onyons or Garlicke are made of more sweete sauour The graces and giftes of God in the Righteous are as Roses and Violets which beeing sowne or sett neere vnto Afflictions and Tribulations which are strong vntoothsome as Onyons and Garlicke will make them more delightsome and acceptable The Righteous are as Gold therefore must they not feare the furnace as Wheat and therefore must they not feare the flayle as Oyle and therefore must they not feare the pressure as Iron and therefore must they not feare the file as the Palme-tree and therefore must they not feare the burthen as Sons therfore must they not feare the chastisement To conclude as Lillies and therefore Cant. 2. 2. must not bee ouer-sett with feare though they may happily be besett with Thornes Dauids Lott consisted in two pointes in a kingdome and in a trouble He had also two famous heires Salomon who inherited his Kingdomes and Christ who inherited his troubles Salomon and Christ by nature were brethern in blood but not in inheritance of the
it is farre other-wise hee knoweth not what repentance meaneth Hee may say of repentance the worke of the Holy-Ghost as those Disciples of Ephesus sayd of the Holy-Ghost him-selfe that they had not so much as heard whither there were an Holy-Ghost or no. They know well Act. 19. 2. what belongeth to the returning vnto sinne but are wholy ignorant of that which concerneth the turning away from sinne Therefore these actions of the wicked Oh how can they prosper Yea alasse how can they bee but defaced disprospered In them is rather to bee found bitternesse then sweetnesse disprofit then profit as may appeare vnto vs by a summary view of these particulars Arguments that they cannot prosper The first is that the Vice of the wicked by the continuall practise of it hardeneth the heart of him that practiseth it Hence it is that they which would bee called though they deserue it not the Children of Abraham become as stones hardened as Matth. 3. 9. we read of stones whome God is able to raise vp that they may bee the Children of Abraham This maketh the fleshy tables of their Exod. 34. â— hearts to be as the tables of stone in which were grauen not the sweet comforts of the Gospell but the affrightfull terrors of the Lawe It maketh the ground of their heart to become as stony ground which causeth the seed of the word Matth. 13. 5. 6. sowne thereon to parch and wither A stony heart which being throughly hardened by the custome of sinne prooueth more impenetrable then the stony rock in the wildernesse because the Rodde of Moyses smiting this rocke so mollyfied the stifnesse thereof as it became as a liuing Fountaine to yeeld water to the thirsty Israelites but not the Rodde of Moyses but the Scepter of God himselfe Exod. 17. 6. smiting not once but often not on the stony Rocke of Horeb but on the rockie stone of our hearts is so farre from mollifying it as it rather prooueth like the Adamant of which some say that the more it is beaten vpon it is still more and more hardened The second point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by the actions of their vices may appeare vnto vs is the guilt and galling of Conscience which continually recordeth and suggesteth vnto them their sinne committed Gods lawe violated his Maiesty offended punishment deserued c. And are in the soule as Antiochus wormes were in his bowels continually gnawing The Whippe with which CHRIST draue the buyers and sellers out of the Temple was but for a Iohn 2. 15. time but the scourge of a bad conscience is vncessant perpetuall yet hidden and secret Occultum quatienti animo tortore flagellum Iuuenal The Tormenter shaking an hidden whippe in the soule of the tormented This is a dampe that putteth out all the light and a pang which taketh away all the delight of the wicked so that their vicious actions cannot prosper The third point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their actions of vices may appeare vnto vs is the Angering of GOD thereby Sinnes be the cause of Gods anger because they bee the only Vanities which prouoake him to anger An anger which because sin is both the fuell the bellows of it shal burne euen to the hottome of hell and sâ—all consume the earth with her increase and will set on fire the foundation of the mountaines Deut. 3 2. 21. It is much to consume the earth and the increase of it more to set on fire the foundations of the mountaines most of all to burne to the bottome of hell As there is a depth of Gods Wisedom so is there of his Wrath which descendeth from the surface of the earth to the foundations of the Mountaines and from the foundations of the Mountaines to the bottome of hell a Wrath which in the 42. verse of that Chapter is called by the name of Arrowes and a sword of Arrowes which kill eminus a farre off and of a sword which woundeth cominus neare hand These Arrowes are not ordinary Arrowes but Arrowes which are made drunke with blood This Sword not a sword Ibid. of common vse but a Sword which shall eate flesh Seeing then the vicious actions of the wicked doe prouoke such and so great a Lord to such and so great an anger though it bee said of the Godly that whatsoeuer they shall doe shall prosper yet The wicked are not so Tâ—e fourth point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their vicious actions may appeare vnto vs is that they are no true possessors but vsurpâ—rs of the outward blessings of this life for they of right and due claime belong onely to the godly as the blessed Apostle witnesseth speaking of and to the Saints All things are yours which generall title he after openeth by the particular members of it not onely Paul or Apollâ—s or Cephas or life or death or things present or things to come but euen also the world it selfe The wicked then 1. Câ—rin 3 21 22. 2. Câ—rin 4. 4. may bee said to bee Lords of the World as the Deuill to bee God of the world by forged Euidence Intrusion vsurpation Therefore as in a possession euilly gotten vniustly holden with the Godly they cannot bee prospered The wicked are not so The fifth point whereby the bitternesse and the disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their vicâ—ous actions may appeare vnto vs is that they shutt them out of Gods kingdome for whereas there is a blessednesse for them which doe Gods Commandements by entering in through the gates into the Citty the wicked which are as Apoc. 22. 14. 15. Dogges and Enchanters and Whore-mongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth and maketh lyes shall stand with-out Apocal. 22. 15. Therefore the wicked are not so The sixt point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their actions of vices may appeare vnto vs is that they Presse them downe without repentance to hell A notable testimony concerning which point is set downe Esay 5. 14. In the former part of which chapter the Prophet hauing set downe not onely the barrennesse of the wicked to good but their proâ—enesse yea greedinesse to euill as their oppression which caused a crye among the people vers 7. couetousnesse in ioyning house to house and field to field till there be no more place but that they may bee placed alone in the middest of the earth vers 8. drunkennesse which men rose vp early to follow and continued at it till night vntill the Wine did inflame them vers 11. In vers 13. denounceth hee a temporall punishment against them consisting of Captiuity Shame and Famine But vers 14 commeth hee to the most heauie and insupportable spirituall iudgement it selfe that therefore that is for the cause of these vicious actions Hell hath first enlarged her selfe within Secondly