out of an olde house readie to fall our bodies are no better then old clay cottages ready to drop downe our spirit is but vapour and fume our garments are corruption the worme and cancker our portion the earth the wombe that did conceiue vs and the earth the wombe that must receiue vs. If a skilfull Pilote shall foresee and foretell a storme shall not the Mariners hast all that they may towards the Hauen Christ our great Ship-maister hath forespoken many stormes in the sea of this world hie we therefore to heauen which is our hauen to the key-side of the kingdome of God to the land of the liuing the landing place of vs all In the ioynd Battell with the worldly enemie when our souldiers are strooken with gun shot on al sides and our fellowes fall before vs and behinde vs on the right hand and the left what a happie turne is it for the enemie to turne his backe to vs and betake him to his heeles and how would this quicken and hearten our Spirits but by the resurrection all the ranckes and Classeis of our enemies the deuill death condemnation turne vs their backe partes and flie away from vs. The day labourer is glad whē the day is at an end for thē his rest and his reward beginneth the end of this life is the end of our labour and then our rest and reward without end beginneth Euerie man is glad at the departure of Winter and at the approach of Sommer this life of ours is but a troublesome Winter the life that is to come is the ioyfull Sommer season Hee is a brainelesse begger indeede that would not put off his rotten ragges to bee clad with royall robes our hides that couer vs are paltrie leather coates and as filthy as any Beggers weedes but in the other life wee shall bee cloathed with the white garment of Christes innocency who shall change the vile rayment of our bodies and shall decke them with all glorie and Maiestye sutable to his bodye The traueller that hath beene long in farre parts is a glad man when his busines are at an end that he may returne to his wife children and friendes our life is but a weariesome pilgrimage of fewe and euil daies by death and the resurrection wee haue a merrie meeting withall our kindred and deare friendes departed in the Lordes feare Hee that is out-lawed and banished for debt is made a merrie man by his calling home againe and the cancelling that debt wee liue heere debtors and banished men the Lord calleth vs home by the way of our death and throweth all our tickets of accounts into the sea Why therfore should not our hearts skip like Rammes within our bellyes for ioy If Dauid Paul Peter Iohn or any of these great men and deare Saints of God the fingers of Gods hand and sacred actuaries and pen-men of his Counsells might be sent downe from heauen vnto vs we wold bee glad to take the widest perambulation that is to looke anie of them on the face but in the resurrection we shall see all the glorious companie of the prophets the fellowship of the Apostles the noble armie of Martirs and his holy Angels yea Christ himselfe face to face wherefore we haue cause to wish welcome this our resurrection 5. I note also this aduantage in the resurrection that the faithfull haue it is their Bul-warke and wall of brasse against all temptations the Cittie of refuge amidst their persecutions in this world the soule of the inward man and blessed bee God which hath shewed vs this kindnesse in a strong Cittie This was armour of proofe to Iob against all the fierie Dartes of the diuell throwne against his patience Iob 19.25 whereby hee was more then Conqueror whilst his heart like Mount Sion which could not be remooued was fixed and fastened vpon the resurrection And this was as it were the latter gracious raine in the heate and drought of summer which refreshed the inheritance of God euen the soules of his Saints and as the sweete wood throwne into the waters of Marah that tooke away the bitternesse of it when in the daies of Antiochus they were vnder the Crosse and endured strange torments for they looked as the Spirit of God saith for a better resurrection Heb. 11 3◠Dauid by this Target that couered his heart could fight like a man and breake euerie Speare that was lift vp against him was in a readines for euerie enimie when he came in the gate of which he doubted not to make this godly boast saying Though I walke through the middest of the shaddow of death Psal 23.4 I will feare none euill for thou art with me thy rod thy staffe comfort me Phil. 1.21 This made Paule to say that it was life for him to die because it was lucre and gaine to him And the same Apostle being the mouth of the rest saith Therfore we faint not 2. Cor. 4.2 because we know though the outward man perish the inward man shal be renued dayly while we look not on the things that are seene but on the thinges that are not seene For that which the left hand of nature pulleth down the right hand of the creator shall builde vp againe The destruction of our earthly mansion is the construction of our heauenly habitation it is the same Apostles profession 2. Cor. 5 VVe know that when the earthly house of this tahernacle be destroved we shall haue a house not made with hands Iudg. 5.23 but eternal in the heauens For this cause curse ye Atheists as the Angel did Meroz because they goe not out with vs to fight in the Lords cause in the resurrection Sa. 1.21 As Dauid pronounced a curse on the mountaines of Gilboa that the clowdes might neuer drop vpō those clods because there the shieldes of the mightye were cast downe so a cursle of all cursses and the full viall of the Lordes malidiction bee powred vppon the bodies and soules of all vnrepentant Atheistes whose hearts are soe hooped and bound about with infidelitie as they haue throwne downe this shield and buckler of all their expectation which is the resurrection But the blessing of the Lord be on the mountains of Armenia which gaue rest vnto the Arke and blessed bee all those Christian bodies and soules that rest vpon this and let this rest with them the Arke and the Cofer of his moste gracious promises And oh that Dauids fooles that say there is no God and so no resurrection who I feare are too rife in this Royall Cittie had the markes of knowledge set vppon them as the Leprous person had whose garments were split whose head and lippes were couered who was inioyned to proclaime as he passed by I am vncleane I am vncleane that all that see them might point at them and say There there Behold an Atheist behold an Atheist who are dead while they liue by the sentence
Sermon Act. 17.32 and suth are the mockers scoffers of whom saint Peter speaketh that this last age shuld bring foorth 2. Pet. 3.4 who shall haue in derision whatsoeuer Preachers out of Scriptures shall tell them of the resurrection the iudgement the worlds destruction Such was Simon Magus from whome came the sect of the Simonians Such were the Valentinians Carpocratians Cardonians Archotici Seuerians Basilidians Hierarchites with rablements of such Locusts Caterpillars of whome Augustine hath entreated Such were the Manichees that were mainely bent against this Article against whom saint Augustin worthyly disputeth such a one was Martion who was no faithfull friend to the resurrection as Tertullian in his fift Booke witnesseth But that euerie mouth may be stopped God gloryfied our faith strengthned we shall 1. by authorities of Scriptures 2. Sacred examples 3. Reasons irrefragable 4. The whole course of nature make good this proposition and winde it vp with the vse and applycation that it giueth and passe on to the rest 1. In both the instruments the olde and the new wee are compassed with cloudes of witnesses in the cause Isaiah 26.19 The Prophet Isaiah thus speaketh in it Thy dead men shal liue euen with my body shall they rise Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of hearbes and the earth shal cast out the dead Liuely illustration heerof is in the dead bones Ezech. 37.10 which by Ezechiel his prophecying vpon them recouered their ioyntes Dan. 12.2 sinnewes flesh skinne life Daniel maketh this as cleere as the Sunne when as hee saith Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Psal 17.16 Dauid is as plaine and open in the point As for me I will behold thy presence in righteousnes and when I wake vp after thy likenesse I shal be satisfied with it Job 19.25 But Iob striketh the naile to the head who amidst all his perturbations and passions maketh this profession I am sure that my redeemer liueth and hee shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodye yet shall I see God in my flesh whome I my selfe shal see and mine eyes shall beholde and noue other for mee though my reines are consumed within mee There be more places in the olde Testament besides these but these are bones enough to choake them that are so impudent as to say that the olde Charter performeth no testimonie to this present article or if there bee any one to be found that it was vnknowne to the Fathers of those times I am driuen to deale with the proofes of the new Testament as Salomon did with the brasse in the Temple it was so much he would not weigh it they are so many we cannot stand vpon them 2. Examples of such as haue been raised from the dead doe nourish and fortifie our faith in the resurrection 1. Ki. 17.22 2. Kin. 4.35 Math. 9.25 Luke 7.15 Ioh. 11.44 Act. 9.40 Act. 20.10 as of the widdowes Sonne of Zarephath raised by Elijah of the Shunamites Sonne restored by Elisha of Iairus his Daughter the widdowes Sonne of the Citie of Naijm Lazarus that had lyen in his graue foure dayes brought from death to life againe by Christ Tabytha by Peter Eutichus by Paul 3. There are fundamentall reasons on the side of the resurrection that ought to sway with vs. 1. We draw the first from the Iustice of God which would that the bodie which hath partaked with the minde in the good or badde inclinations thereof should bee rewarded accordinglye which not being so perfourmed in this life it could neuer be serued in nuÌ„ber measure proportioÌ„ without the resurrection 2. We also dispute from his infinite goodnes which plenteously rewardeth the well dooer and his anger implacable worser as Chrisostome faith then a thousand helles which must make an end or rather no end with the workers of wickednes both which were quite voided were there a nullity of the resurrection 3. We further argue from the immutabilitie of his veritie his promises being signed by the finger of his spirit and sealed with the blood of the Lambe of honor glorie peace a crowne of immortalitie the fruition of the tree of life the sight of the glorious face of God the societie with his Angels and Saints the congregation of first borne new names white garments pleasures at the right hand of God abundance of ioyes for euermore all which must take place by the resurrection 4. Finally our dignitie and excellencie aboue all other creatures wherein we goe as much beyond them as the Moone doth the smaller Stars in glory challengeth the same which without the condition of the life to come should be many wayes inferiour vnto them For as the earth with the other elements are of longer standing then man so there be among Birdes Beastes Fishes that are of greater strength and longer life then he And whereas almost all creatures immediately after they bee producted can shift for themselues and haue eyther no or little neede others man-kinde onely must haue need of great atteÌ„dance assistance his time is shorter then of many of theÌ„ his miseries more then any of theÌ„ Therfore there must be an other life to recoÌ„pence it 4. But because it pleaseth the Philosophers to arraigne the Scriptures of follie and measure Diuinitie by the line of humane wisedome and cannot maintain this maxime of their schoole a priuatione ad habitum impossibilis regressus from the priuation to the habit the returne is impossible vnles they flatly disclaime the resurrection and the Atheist rubbeth his filthines against Gods holynes and scorneth whatsoeuer is spoken out of scriptures whereby our forecited testimonies examples reasons grounded vpon them concerne not their professioÌ„ we wil deale with them by their owne learning the order of nature which is euerie ones Schoolemaister and that shall stint the strife that is between vs make the question questionles There be many good resemblances in the workes of nature of the resurection in creatures of al kindes 1. Vegetatiue 2. Sensitiue 3. Rationall which albeit they bee not proofes so pregnant yet giue they good enforcement to the present argument 1. Out of things vegetatiue that haue but a growing life groweth verie good probabilitie of this sacred misterie 1. Cor. 15 â—6 As of Corne which is Pauls comparison and brought in by him to prooue the resurrection which first rotteth and dyeth in the ground and againe in the spring the renewing time of the season reuiueth and flourisheth yea the earth with all her stirpes hearbs plants yeild to the wrath wracke of the winter and decay die away and draw their breath againe at the returne of the times and put on their new habit and attire with which they statelie mantle and adorne the surface of the
earth and plentifullie serue for the vse of man 2. To come to thinges sensitiue there be among them sensible and significant signes of the resurrection Historians of verie good worth make report that there bee certaine Beares and Mice who sleepe whole winters without repast and that in such sort as by no agitation and compunction that is vsed they can be perceiued to stirre vntill the spring of the yeare when they awake againe and shew themselues abroad out of their Caues and Dennes The Indian Bird the Phoenix as witnesseth Lactantius is burnt to ashes by the power of the Sunne and out of the same ashes another is quickned wherby that kind is preserued The Lyon missing of her pray is longer from her whelpes who returning finding them dead roareth so outragiously as she recouereth them 3. But in the reasonable and royall creature which is man this matter is manifested he is conceiued an infant in his mothers wombe where of liquid seede thinges of sundry natures are producted as flesh bones sinewes veines haire in the wombe he is qualified with vitall Spirits where he liueth mooueth feedeth at the last out of the wombe as out of a winding sheete hee commeth into the world Who is so stockish as cannot heere perceiue special good token tipe of the resurrection To presse this point further that man may bee instance of mans resurrection dooth not euerie man euerie day as it were dye by his sleepe which is the ligature of his sences and reason there being such cognation betweene death and sleepe as sleepe is termed by Philosophers Imago mortis the Image of death and by Homer Frater mortis the Brother of death For what office doth hee performe of a liuing man while hee lyeth like a tymber logge in his dead sleepe But his sleepe being dispelled hee is a new man and returneth a fresh to his wonted labours Doe wee not also see how many are cast into sownes and traunces which for a time seeme to depriue them of breath and life and yet doe recouer themselues againe These bee to mee very good memorialls of my good resurrection and they preach the like to you Finally the verie distinction of the times readeth this Diuinity lecture vnto vs while the day is buried in the darkenes of the night as it were in a Sepulcher so rowleth a stone ouer it as it cannot vntill the dawning breake out againe The like we say of the night which dyeth by the day The seasons die and depart from vs and liue and returne againe all thinges by deformitie are reformed These be Tertullians arguments in Apologetico to prooue the resurrection against the Gētils But to the aduersaries of this Doctrine it seemeth against reason and to bee impossible that of nothing any thing should be made so that a body by death as they say resolued into nothing should become a bodie againe we answere them heerein that it is suprarationem non contra rationem aboue reason but not against reason it should be so And Potentia facientis est ratio facti Aug. Epist 3. ad volus Considera authorem tolle dubitationem it is Augustines saying The power of the doer is the reason of the deede Consider the Author doe away all doubt the reason of the resurrection of the creature is the power of the creator there being nothing of impossible condition with God that implieth not a contradictiō as the schoole-mē doe distinguish And it is false they say that the bodie by death is dissolued to nothing for it is but turned into his element the earth the Rocke from which it was first hewed the pitte from whence it was first digged and to take vp the forme of the speech of the Philosopher in materiam priman into his first matter of which it was first made into which it shal be marred out of which it shal be made againe Why should it seeme to you harder for God to restore that which once was then to create at the first of nothing that which neuer was Are Artificers and workemen in Metalles able to dissolue such vessels as they list to make them new againe Can Glasiers doe the like in that brittle ware to let passe Potters and Plodders in clay who can marre and make any vtensill of that fragile nature as many times as they please And shall not the great maister work-man of the whole world be able to doe the like Spend disperse my bodie so farre as force of imagination wil suffer you suppose a Beast eateth it an other beast prayeth vppon him and that beast againe is deuoured by birds those Birds are incorporated by men and so my substance is after many concoctions and degrees transfused into many mens substance the Lord shal sunder and deuide them againe aswel as the Craftes-mē can part sundrie metals that are moulten together But we are not to conceiue that euerie thing that giueth increase to the bodies substance is to rise againe in the resurrection but that euerie one shall haue such sufficiencie of dimensions as shal serue for a perfect and absolute bodie But be it that the bodie is to take vp that stature in the resurrection which is laide downe by dissolution as some stiflie defend it whome wee will not offend in it with the restrictions and cautions that Augustine speaketh of that we free it of deformitie De Ciuit. lei lib 22 cap 20. infirmitie tarditie impuritie and be it neuer so piece-meale diuided according to the former supposition the like whereof Augustine maketh in the same place euerie part must againe bee restored to the right owner as being but borrowed for the time as the same father saith But wee conclude this with these graue and reuerend words of this man Absit vt sinus vllus secretumque naturae ibidem ita recipiat aliquid subtractum sensibus nostris vt omnium creatoris aut lateat cognitionem aut effugiat potestatem Bee it farre from vs to thinke that any secret place or conueyance of nature should so hide any thing remooued from our sences as it may be kept from the knowledge of the Creator or escape his power It remaineth that wee reape the Haruest of this Doctrine and the Vintage this Diuinitie giueth vs much being to be gathered and gleaned from hence 1. The resurrection is a comfort to the Godlye and a corsiue to the wicked So our Sauiour Christ saith of it Ioh. 5.29 They shall come foorth that haue done good to the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Heare the Godlye sowe in teares they shall then reape in ioy heere they labour and are heauie loden there they shall rest from their labours and take out their generall quietus est And that is the rekoning Dauid maketh of it saying Psal 16.9 Mine heart is glad my tongue reioyceth and my flesh also doth rest in hope the effect
of the resurrection as the addition sheweth For thou shalt not leaue my soule in graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Wherefore the resurrection is stiled by Peter Act. 3.19 Ma. 5.4.6 Reu. 17.1 Reuel 21 the time of refreshing for the hungrie shall bee satisfyed which is their refreshing the mourners comforted which is their refreshing all teares wiped away from our eyes which is our refreshing death shall bee no more nor sorrowe nor crying nor any more paine which is our gratious generall refreshing The resurrection as Augustine saith August Psal 10. Est formidenda malis propter paenam amanda bonis propter coronam It is fearefull to the wicked for the stroke of Iustice it is welcome to the Godlye for the crowne of righteousnes As two that are cast into the Gaole the one for a Capital the other for a common offence entertaine the time of the assises and comming of the Iudge with contrarie affection as being this mans absolution the other mans condemnation and therefore the one is incouraged and the other is cast downe when this time commeth so the good in the resurection holde vp their heads for their gaole deliuerie and redemption is at hand the bad hang downe their heads and are out of soule for their swift damnation commeth This calleth vpon vs for our speedie repentance least that day as a snare vnawares come vpon vs For such as this time leaue vs such shall that time finde vs Qualis quisque in isto die moritur Iug. hesych pist 8 talis in die illo iudicabitur as a man dyeth in this day so shall he bee iudged in that day 2. The certaine expectation of the resurrection and the due and duetiful meditation of it serueth to rouse vs vp from our beddes of security to take vs by the elbowes and set vs on our feete and much fruite groweth vpon the stalke It powreth water vpon the Furnace of our furious affections and cooleth them it is the watch and the dyall by which we are directed to spend our time and it is the fanne that fifteth and winnoweth the pelfe from the corne the staffe of our iourney towards heauen more fortunate then Iacobs was with which he passed ouer Iordan the starre that leadeth the Godly wise to the heauenly Bethlehem where Christ is as the Commet led the wisemen of the east to Bethlehem where Christ was He that hath a yerely great inheritance may spend somewhat liberally but he that oweth more then he is worth must not spend an idle penny as being to stand to the curtesie of his creditor that will call him to a reckoning It so fareth with vs we are already much cast behinde hand as hauing spent too much time already vpon our pleasures and our sinnes it remaineth now that we apply our selues to the Appostles counsell to redeeme the time because the daies are euill and to ioyne in petition to God with Dauid O let me liue and recouer my selfe before I goe hence and be no more seene The serious thought of this draue Ierom to his dumpes and pricked him in the quickest vaine whatsoeuer he went about hearing the voice of the iudgement sounding in his eares of which he saith thus siue vigilo siue dormio siue aliquidaliud ago videor mihi audire vocem hanc in aure mea surgite mortui venite ad iudicium whether I awake or sleepe or whatsoeuer else I doe I seeme to heare this voice ringing in mine eares Awake ye dead and come to iudgement The sound of this trumpet awaketh vs all and it is a Spur to the Godly to prick them vnto vertue and a bridle to the wicked to holde them in frō vice While the Apostle fed vpō this as vpon a restoratiue That the resurrection of the dead should be of the iust and vniust how it wrought he telleth vs. In this respect I endeauour my selfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience towards God and man Act. 24.15.16 3. The faith in the resurrection serueth to scatter our inordinate passions which naturally strangle vs for our deceased friends and to keepe them within the limits and boundes of orderly moderation While we consider how death that slayeth vs all is slaine in the electe by the generall resurrection that non obijt sed abijt non amisimus sed premisin us He is not lost Gen. 15.15 Num. 27.13 but left for a while he is but gone with Abraham to his fathers as heere liuing but among strangers he is but gathered to his people with Moses as being heere but scattered his flesh sleeping and resting in hope with Dauids Psal 16.9 easing himselfe after such wearysome labours of this life which being finished hee ariseth there fully to his endlesse felicitye his soule all the while being in Gods custodye and his spirit in the hands of the Lord of the spirits of all flesh as Dauid teacheth vs in his last wil and testament leauing his kingdome to his Son his carkas to the soyle and to God his soule Psal 31.5 saying Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth which the second Dauid of the seede of Dauid sampleth committing his soule to no other keeper then to the Creator as being there moste sure as the Apostle saith Luk 23 46 I know whome I haue beleeued and I am perswaded 2. Tim. 1 12 that hee is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day 4. While wee assertaine our selues of the resurrection and rest our selues in that as Doues in the cleftes of the rockes we are armed and prepared against the terror of death for wee consider howe God hath turned it into our benefit and made it our entrance into a better life our passage from a prison to a pallace from a tabernacle to an abiding Cittie from a region of death to the land of the liuing from the life of men to the life of Angelles from a bodie of humillitie to a bodie of glorye from the vale of teares to that mount of Sion where the Lambe is gathering the Saints about him to the copartnershippe of those ioyes which hee himselfe enioyeth according to that which the Apostle saith 2 Cor 5 1 VVee knowe that when our earthlie house of this tabernacle shall bee dissolued wee haue a building giuen of God which is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens What man hath beene thrown into a deepe dungion without light of Sun or Mooneful of Serpents and all vile creatures would not bee glad to bee set at libertie our death resurrection is this great mutation the bodie being the prison of the soule and the graue the prison of the bodie the bodie being as ful of sinnes as any prison is of Serpents in this life and heauen being the pallace of our endlesse pleasures What man maketh not hast for his life
amanuenses registers Scriueners to make enrolmēt of thē For as he numbreth the stars calleth thē al by their names as he keepeth tale of the haires of our head so as not one of thē fal away frō vs without his foreknowledge as his prouidēce stretcheth it self to the hādful of meale of the womā of zarepthah to the pitcher of oyle of the preachers widow to the fal of a sparrow frō the house top to the cloathing of the lilleis grasse of the field to the prouission of the young Rauens that call vpon him so much more keepeth hee a Kalender of our dooings and setteth our secret sins in the sight of his countenance Thus Metaphoricallie in this sence are Bookes giuen to God the spirit heere alluding to the custome of the wise to Princes Vniuersities Merchants Maisters of families and such like Princes vse to haue a bill of the names of such as appertaine vnto them that they may knowe what number they haue how to prouide for them in time So the Lord hath his court in heauen to which he hath not chosen al but some before the foundations of the worlde were laide Now the number and names of such he keepeth in as sure and sweet remembrance as if hee had put them into writing Tables for the purpose As God said to Moses I know thee by thy name Exo. 35.12 as Christ saith of himself to the Church Iohn 10.3 He calleth his owne sheepe by name else where Luk. 10.20 willing them to reioyce because their names were written in heauē Vniuersities doe the like when they admitte any into their corporation they cataloguize their names Merchants and Houshoulders serue their memories in matters of moment by notes that they keepe of them So this is the reason and cause of the Metaphor and the signification of the Bookes so often remembred in diuine learning Gods minde therfore is his book the Tables of our hearts are the writing Tables aswel as parchmēt skrolles wherein are thinges engrossed The omniscience of God is the writing it selfe Things are said to be written in a booke that is in the sacred secrets of his brest as he knoweth them altogether We finde three bookes giuen to God in the Scriptures 1. One is of his Prouidence foreknowledge of all things before euer they were 2. Another is of the iudgement 3. The other is of life The sweete singer of Israel saith Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect Psal 139.16 and in thy booke were all my members written which day by day were facioned when as yet there was none of them There is the first booke of his prouidence foreknowledge 2. The second which is the book of iudgement hath two Tomes or volumes 1. The first is his vnderstanding of all our workes and wordes according to which hee will award Iudgement in the day of iudgement so as this is insteed of a rolle in Gods hand wherein the names of all delinquents are set downe and the qualitie of their dooings 2. The other Tome is the booke of euerie ones conscience which shall performe testimonie to things done and vndone which may also bee entitled the booke of life that is of this life which diuine operation in the conscience accusing or excusing scientia conscientiam the knowledge the conscience hath the name of a booke because in that in a manner is read whatsoeuer by the agent hath bene hid 3. The third book is inscribed the booke of life that is of Gods predestination to eternal life which is begun in this life by our stedfast faith in Christ according to the words of Christ Hee that beleeueth in me hath eternal life that is the inchoation first fruits therof after death it must haue consummation perfectiō So the book of life is a register or role in the Lords right hād of the names of such as are preordinated to euerlasting life whom God will alwaies acknowledge to be his Iohn 13.8 2. Tim. 1.19 as our Sauiour saith I knowe whom I haue chosen as St. Paule saith The Lord knoweth who are his This book is oftē spokē of in the scriptures as by Moses Exo. 32.32 when he saith Rase me out of thy book which thou hast written Psal 69.29 By Dauid Let thē be put out of the book of life not be writtē among the righteous By Isaiah he shal be called holy Isai 4.3 that shal be written among the liuing in Ierusalem Ezech. 13.9 By Ezechiel They shal not be written in the writings of the house of Israel By Daniel Dan. 12.1 Euery one shal be deliuered that shal be found written in the book The new Testament doth often intreate of it Luk. 10.20 Christ toucheth it saying Reioyce because your name is written in heauen that is in the book of life Phil. 4.3 so doth Paule when he saith I beleeue thee faithful yoake-fellow helpe those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clemēt also with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the book of life so doth the spirit elsewhere in the Reuelatiō There shal enter in it no vncleane thing Reuela 21.27 neither whatsoeuer worketh abhominatiō 〈…〉 Now these bookes shal be opened that is the Lord whose fiery eyes of his omnisciēce peirceth al things that holdeth the ball of the worlde in his hands and keepeth a perfect reckoning of our doings shal set euery ones seueral sinne in his sight And this diuine power shal smite open the doores of our cōsciences which shal cal to remēbrāce our forepassed misdeeds conuict condemne them For there is a booke that is writtē in our hearts which is of the workes of the law the Lord hauing imprinted in thē the notiōs of thē as naturally enduing the verye heathens with iudgement to deuide good from euill to discerne betweene thinges honest and dishonest that no man might hold vp for his defence the target of ignorāce This we shall soone perceiue by our cursory conference of the ten cōmaundements with their politick sanctions 1. Of the first which teacheth that there is a God whom we al stād bound to worship the Orator Cicero saith Cicero Legibus Nulla gens tam sera nulla tam barbara natio in quibus non misideat deorum opinio There is no natiō so wilde and barbarous that is not perswaded that there is a God The Athenians did set vp an Alter Ignoto Deo the vnknowne God Protagoras Act. 17. Abderites that said VVhether there be Gods or no I haue nothing to say was by the Athenians banished for it 2. To the second which is an inhibition of Idolatry the Persians gaue consent who as Strabo writeth 〈…〉 abhomination burned and destroyed their Temples and their Images Cornelius Tacitus storyeth it of the auncient Germaines that they held it verie vnbeseeming the heauenly Maiestie to mure him vp within
false witnes nor call for any that is true Againe saith the same father Interrogat te non alium de te interrogat te non vt discat a te sed vt coufuÌ„dat te He asketh thee not any other of thee hee asketh thee not to learne of thee but to confound thee Augustin giueth vs a coppie of the inditement by the iudge which shal be put to the conscience to reply vnto formed in this wise Suscepi dolores tuos vt tibi gloriam darem suscept mortem tuam vt in eternum viueres conditus iacui in sepulchro vt tu regnares in caelo Cur quod pro te pertuli perdidisti Redde mihi vitam tuam pro qua meam dedi Tu despexisti in â—omine deum in infitmo salutem in via reditun in Iudice veniaÌ„ in crace vitani in supplicijs medicinam I vndertooke thy sorrowes to bring thee to glorie I suffered this death to giue thee eternal life I lay buried in earth that thou mightest raigne in heauen why hast thou lost that which I haue bought Giue mee this life for which I gaue thee mine Thou hast despised in man this God in infirmitie this strength in the way thy returne in the iudge thy pardon in the torments thy medicines To all this shall the conscience which is insteed of a thousand witnesses giue testimony consent which shall be as Barnard saith Testis Iudex Tortor witnes Iudge Executioner Ipsa accusat Ipsa iudicat ipsa punit Ipsa damnat That inditeth that iudgeth that punisheth that damneth The shield of ignorance which we shal then hold vp shal be turned into a spiders web The conuiction of the conscience is an argument vnresistable The truth wherof by sencible experience is known to euery one that hath but a dramme of ordinarie vnderstanding For howsoeuer we may bleare the eyes of men yet we cannot plucke out the eyes of our minde and knowledge We may beguile a Iudge by subtiltie and terrifie an informer by our insolencie but wee cannot escape the arraignment iudgement of conscience which maugre our hearts shall sift our misdeedes to the coursest branne bring them to the light proclaime them on the house top and shall set downe torments before vs for time and times and when there shal be no more time and set nothing but terrors about vs which the Poets vnderstand fuciarum taedis ardentibus by the burning tapers of furious and hellish hagges To conclude our selues being iudges wee cannot be acquainted And there cannot be a greater punishment in humane inuention then thus to carry our accuser in our bosome and this is the Opening of the bookes heere spoken of Gods omniscience calling into our knowledge all our misdeedes and our vnrestie conscience in the guiltines thereof openly acknowledging them We haue many dueties red vs in this lecture of the opening of the bookes 1. As first of humiliation and repentance This was that the Apostle would inferre out of the Sermon that hee made to the Athenians of the iudgement the Text whereof was Act. 17.32 The Lord hath appointed a day wherein he wil iudge the world in righteousnes For all our new Doctrine wee keepe still the old conuersation But for Gods sake let vs thinke of the counte day and preuent the iudgemeÌ„t to come with newnes of life as Iacob by rewards sent before him aswadged the furie of his Brother Esau Let vs meete the Lord in the way Amos. 4.12 1. Sam. 25. it is the counsell of the Prophet Amos As Abigail met Dauid in the way to her great good For by this she staied the sword of his vengeance and by this wee shall stay a more deuouring sword drawne long agoe out of the scabbard of his patience To this end saith the Apostle If we would iudge our selues 1. Cor. 11.31 we should not be iudged A former iudgement taken out of our selues shal be a Supersedeas to the second judgement that must else come out against vs. To the due performaÌ„ce wherof these foure things are required 1. A due examinatioÌ„ of our selues 2. Kings 5 because the flesh is as Giezie that lyeth to his Maister that is to his soule and will not acknowledge what it hath done Wherefore as Elisha examined him so must the soule examine the bodie Iudg. 16.6 And as Dalilah examined Sampson in what part his strength was so is euerie one to examine himselfe in what part his weakenes is As Iehu did examine Iehonadab 1. King 10.15 whether his heart stood right toward him so wee are to examine our selues whether our heart stand right towards God Paul willeth vs to trye althings wherefore it followeth by needful consequence 1. Thes 5. that we should trie our selues Isaack tryed his Children before he blessed them Salomon tried who was the right mother The Ephramites were tried before they could passe IordaÌ„ Grasiers try their Oxen Merchans their golde wisemen their seruaÌ„ts Therfore we are much more to try our selues 2. Hauing found out our sinnes in the next roome we must confesse them vnto the Lord. In this duetie lyeth a great part of Gods glory as Iosua saith to Achan My Son giue glory to God and confes what thou hast done Iosue 7 Cypian It is Ciprians graue saying Somnium narrare vigilantis est et vitia confiteri sanitatis indicium est To deliuer our dreame it is a token of wakefulnesse and to acknowledge our misdeedes it is a signe of healthfulnesse which Seneca sheweth by similitude when he saith Vulnera clausa plus cruciant Seneca Woundes that are stopped are more paineful to vs which hath iust application vnto the stoppage of our spiritual woundes And how they will tormeÌ„t vs Gregory deliuereth Si non confessus lates inconfessus damnaberis it vncoÌ„fessed thou hast hid Greg. vnconfessed thou shalt be damned 3. Vppon this our confession wee must proceede vnto a iudgement and condeÌ„nation of our selues to stop the greater iudgement and condeÌ„nation Wherfore August saith Aug. Peccatum puniendum est aut ate aut a deo si punitur a te tune punitur sine te si vero a te non punitur tecum punietur Sinne must eyther bee punished by thee or by God If it be punished by thee it shall bee punished without thee If it be not punished by thee it shal be punished with thee Wherfore Bernard taketh bond by decree of himselfe to performe this part of duetie Bernard in Canti serm 24. Hee saith hee wil present himselfe to his judge Iudicatus non iudicandus alreadye iudged and not bee iudged 4. Lastlye to saue our selues from destruction let vs call for the Psalme of mercye for our neck-verse which is so infinite as no affection of nature or proportion of creature is able to expresse The height of the heauen aboue the earth the widenesse from the east to the west the tender loue of Parents to their Children of Eagles