feare spoken of in the Gospell of Matthew Feare him that is able to destroy Mat. 10. 28 both body and soule in hell This terrible report should strike vs into a threefold feare Feare to be depriued of the grace of God Feare to be excluded the louing presence of God Feare to be tormented in the Lake vnquenchable It was the practice of an holy man Exemplum who saith I feare him that is able to damne both body and soule I tremble at Hell I tremble at the Iudges countenance which is able to make all the Angels and powers of Heauen to tremble I tremble at the voyce of the Archangell I tremble at the roaring deuils I am afraid of the gnawing worne the smoke the vapour the brimstone the darknesse the burning Ah wo is me that am the sonne of bitternesse indignation and eternall wéeping This made Paul indeuour to keepe Act. 24. 16. a cleare conscience both towards God and man This made Ierome afraid to offend Whether I eate or drink saith he or whatsoeuer I do else me thinks I heare this saying sounding in mine eares Arise yee dead and come to Iudgement Arise yee dead and come to Iudgement Which when I consider it makes mee quake and shake and not dare to commit sinne which otherwise I should haue committed And what is the cause I pray that wicked wretches runne into all excesse and ryot of sinne as they doe Is it not because they lay not to heart this tormenting Tophet witnesse else the Prophet Amos who saith that they Amos 6 3. put off from them the euill day and boldly approch to the seates of iniquity If putting off the remembrance of the vengeance to come wil make men dissolute and wretchlesse then surely laying to heart the inutterable torments of Tophet will bee a notable meane to reclaime men from all vngodlinesse But if men wil harden their harts aboue the hardnesse of an Adamant and wil not be moued neither by mercies nor iudgement let all such know that Tophet groneth for them where they shall howle and yell in fiery torments for euermore Thus much in a word for the word Tophet The second obseruable for the certainty of this place of torment is the Act or thing done in these words Is Is prepared prepared Parata Tophet non paranda It is not sayd That Tophet shall bee hereafter prepared or it is now preparing but it is already prepared Tophet is prepared The malicious diuell laboureth nothing more then to perswade men that there is no such place of torment that so the more easily hée may leade them thither as the thiefe is led to execution Simile with a vayle before his eyes But for the truth hereof let these things following duely be obserued As a princely magnificence requireth Simile that a King haue a beautifull Palace for the best sort of men and a dismall prison for the rebellious So the King of kings hath a glorious Palace wherein are many mansions for his Saints and a dark and loathsome dungeon for the Diuell and his Angels The law of nations requireth that Malefactors for their offences bée banished for euer so the Lord doth banish from his gracious presence all the vngodly of the earth into the fearfull Iland of hell The Cicilian Aetna called at this Aetna day Gibello Monte where roarings are heard and flames of fire are séene the flashing of Vesuuius the cracking as it were of fire in a Furnace in the Marine Rocke of Barry what doe all these presage but assure all these that feare the Lord besides his counsell reuealed in his word that Tophet is already prepared Againe in all things naturall and supernaturall there is an opposition there is a contrariety there is good there is euill there is light there is darknes there is ioy there is sorrow there is a Heauen and therefore there must be a Hell into which the soules of the reprobate shall bee carried when they dye by the black grifly angels Againe the Scripture speaketh euery where of this place of torment Whosoeuer shall say Foole shall bee Mat. 5. 22. worthy to be punished with hell fire Againe It is better for thee to goe Mar. 9. 43. 35. 47. into the Kingdome of God with one foot with one hand with one eye then hauing two feet two hands and two eyes to be cast into Hell fire But that of the 25. of Mathew is very pregnant for this purpose where the word it selfe is vsed Goe from me Math. 25. yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels This doctrine meeteth with all Atheists that say There is no heauen Refut Atheist Psal 14. 1. no hell no God no Diuell As that noted foole that said in his heart There is no God With all Epicures that think there Epicure is neither time nor place either of heauen or hell after death that sung that Esa 22. 13. cursed Epitaph of Sardanapalus Ede bibe lude charum praesentibus exple Poet. Delitijâ— animum post mortem nulla voluptas Eate drinke and bee merry for after death there is no pleasure They say true for after death they shal find smal pleasure in Tophet This Doctrine conuinceth also all Heretike heretikes that deny both Resurrection and Iudgement nineteene seuerall sorts whereof are reckoned vp together all on a row by that learned writer Danaeus the Appellites Archontikes Danaeus Basilidians Bardesanists Caians Carpocratians Cerdonians Heraclites Hermaines Marcites Marcionites Ophites Proclians Symonians Saturninians Sethians Seuerians Selucians and Valentinians Vse 1 Seeing then that Hell is already prepared and standeth ready to receiue to torment all that worke iniquity séeing there is but a twine thred betwixt the soule of a sinner and this scorching flame O how should this prepare vs for the Kingdome of Heauen Paratis patet ianua imparatis clauditur that is sayd for Heauen The prepared Virgins enter in the imprepared not Imparatis patet ianua paratis clauditur and this is sayd for Hell The imprepared enter the prepared not But alas the presumptuous security of this our age men liue as though there were no Hell or if there be as though it were afarre off and yet notwithstanding it followes them as neere as the shadow doth the body Death and Hell both follow close the R 〈…〉 person of euery sinner Death to deuoure the body and Hell to swallow vp the soule Yet for all this the wicked will sport themselues in their sinnes and â—oniall be in their iniquities but mark the end Nouissima illarum est mors the end of these wayes is death as well noteth that iust and vpright man Iob Iob 21. 12 13. they reioyced in the sound of Organs and in a moment they goe downe into Tophet they say Peace peace when Tophet is prepared to take away their soules O that carelesse people would consider this
put in his owne power yea Christ him selfe knoweth not of this day But of that day and home saith Marke Marke 13. knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heauen neither the bonne himselfe â—aâ—e tâ—â— Father id est Christ according to his humane Nature knoweth not of iâ— but according to his Diuine Nature he knoweth of it as well as God the Father for he is co-equall with God the Father in Knowledge Wisedome and in all things whatsoeuer yea he knew of this day before the foundation of the world was laid yea Hee himselfe shall sit Iudge at that day God will not haue vs know of this day when it shall be for these three causes 1 To proue and try our patience faith and other vertues to see whether we will put our whole trust and affiance in him although wee know not the time of our dissolution 2 To bridle our curiosity and pâ—â—nish inquisition after such too high matters Quae supra nos nihil ad noâ— Aristotle That which is aboue our capacity we ought not to meddle withall 3 To keep vs in continual watchfulnesse for if we knew certainly the day of death and iudgement surely it would be a great and forcible motiue to draw vs to a loose negligent and secure kind of life Watch therefore Maâ—â—4 42 saith the Euangelist because yee know not when your Master will come For these thrée causes the Lord will not haue vs know of the time of iudgement Although my beloued in Christ we know not the certainty of the time of this day yet neuerthelesse wee must know that this great and generall day cannot be farre off both according to the Prophesies of holy fathers as also to the truth of holy Scriptures Augustine in his booke vpon Genesis 〈…〉 against the Manichees saith that the world should last six ages the first from Adam to Noah the second from Noah to Abraham the third from Abraham to Dauid the fourth from Dauid to the transmigration of Babylon the fifth from the transmigration of Babylon to the comming of Christ in the flesh the sixth from the comming of Christ in the flesh to his comming againe to iudgement So that according to his Prophesie wee 〈…〉 in the last age which last age is called of Iohn Hâ—ra extrema or hora 〈…〉 nouissima the last houre But how long this last houre doth last he that is Alpha and Omega the First the Last the euerlasting God alone doth know The Hebrewes they boast of the Prophesie of Eliah a great man in Eliah those dayes hee prophesied that the world should last 6000. yeers 2000. before the Law 2000. vnder the Law and 2000. from Christ to Christ If this his prophesie holds true the world cannot last 400. yeares for since Christ his comming in the flesh it was 1619. at Christs-tide last past according to the computation of the Church from time to time But leauing men and comming to the Scriptures which cannot erre for Humanum est errare Man may yea and doe many times erre Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 20. 11. We are they vpon whom the ends of the world are come If therefore the ends of the world were come vpon those that liued aboue 1564. yeeres agoe then surely Doomes day cannot now possibly be farre off Iames also saith Behold the iudge Iam. 5. 9. standeth before the dore Iohn Baptist preached repentance Mat. 3 2 to the Iewes saying Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand So that by these places of Scripture it is euident that the generall day of Iudgement is at hand as also by the signes tokens which should goe before this day immediately of which many yea almost all are already fulfilled Moreouer wee must deare brethren know that there is a twofold iudgement the one called a particular iudgement the other called a generall iudgement 1 The particular iudgement is ◠〈…〉 2â— exercised and executed vpon euery man imediatly after his death which is Sâ— regatio animae à corpore A separation of the soule from the body Of this particular iudgement we may reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes It is appointed vnto men that 〈…〉 they shal once die and after that commeth Iudgement And though the generall iudgement coÌ„meth not these 4000. yeers yet particular iudgment commeth at the day of our death and look as we at the day of our death shal be found so shall we bee iudged and as we then shall be iudged so shall we be iudged at the generall iudgement 2 The general iudgement of which this Scripture speaketh is exercised executed vpon all men together by Christ who shall by his power raise all those vp againe that haue bin dead from the beginning of the world to that time and they shall be presented all together being againe vnited to their soules before Christs Tribunall seat who shall come downe in a Cloud from heauen in great Maiesty and Glory with thousands of blessed Angels attending vpon him and hee shal giue sentence vpon al in general the wicked shall bee cast into euerlasting fire and the godly he shall carry vp with him into Coelum Empirâ—um the third and highest heauen where hee now in body reigneth and remaineth there to reape ioyes vnspeakable for euermore But some man may obiect and lay Ob. Why I pray you shall there bee a generall iudgement when as all are iudged in the particular iudgement what shall there be two iudgements executed There shall notwithstanding the Aâ—â— particular be a generall iudgement and that for three causes 1 Because in the particular iudgement the Soule of man is iudged only but then both Soule body and shal be iudged 2 In the particular iudgement the Soule only is either rewarded or punished but then both Soule and body either shall be rewarded with ioyes or punished with torments 3 There shall be a generall iudgement to declare to all the world assembled then together the iust iudgement of God that he hath iustly saued the godly and iustly condemned the wicked yea the very wicked themselues shall confesse no lesse By reason of this generall iudgement some light-braind Heretikes there be that say that there is no particular iudgement at all and that the Soule immediately after death is not iudged for whereas it is said Hodie mecum â—ris in Paradiso To day thou Luk. â—3 4â— shalt be with me in Paradise the spéech of our Sauiour to the thiefe they take that word bodie id est to day for 1000 yeers and bring for proofe hereof the place of the Psalm A thousand yeeres Psal 90. 4. in thy sight are as yesterday But to answer them this place of Scripture is not so to be vnderstood as that a thousand yéeres should be taken for a day or a day for a thousand yeeres for he saith not a thousand yerees are a day but a thousand
yeeres in the sight of God that is in respect of the eternity euerlastingnesse of God are as a day It is therfore spoken on this maner to expresse the eternity of God as if hee should say A thousand yeeres with mâ—n in respect of the eternity of God aâ—â— but as a day for as many as are haue bin and euer shall be the dayes of man so many thousand yea so 〈…〉 thâ—n sand thousands yeeres is the Câ—â—â—nitie of God He is Alpha and Omega the First and the Laâ—â— before all beginnings and shall neuer haue ending Againe they alleage that place of Genesis In that day that thou eatest Gen. 2. 17. thereof namely of the forbidden fruit thou shalt dye the death Now saith the Heretique that Ob day they dyed not but liued many hundrd yeeres after Therfore by a day is vnderstood many hundred yeeres Ans But I answer that that day wherin ADAM did eate of the forbidden fruit euen that day did hee dye that is that day by sin he was separated from God then the which separation no death is greater for Vt vâ—â—a corporis est anima 〈◊〉 vâ—â—a 〈◊〉 est Deus Augustine tolle animam 〈◊〉 corpus tolle Dâ—â—â—â— mâ—ritur animaâ—â—d est As the soule is the life of the body so God is 〈◊〉 of the soule take away the soule the body dieth take away God the Soule 〈…〉 So Adam that day dyed in Soule â—eing separated from the Lord yea that day Adam was made subiect to death in this life and in the life to come that day hee had the beginnings of death seazing vpon him for hee was presently cast out of Paradise into the ragged world he was cursed and all his posterity yea hee should haue gone to hell had not the second Adam broken the head of the subtill serpent that inticed him to sinne Yea the Thiefe vpon the Crosse had Paradise that day in his soule in which he suffered in body although hee had it not in so full measure as hee shall at the generall day when his Soule shall take vnto it the body againe Hodie to day thy soule with my soule shall be in Paradise that is in my Fathers Kingdome Where is now the Heretique that confoundeth particular iudgement Where is now the Epicure that thinketh there is no iudgement at all Where is now the ignorant Papist that dreameth of â—uâ—gaâ—ory and he that â—ondly thinketh that there is Limbus Patrum and Limbus Puerorum and where are those that imagin of a place of aboad betwéene Heauen and Hell I turne them altogether to the Hebrewes for wisedome in this Heb. 9. 27. point where they shall find that after death the soule of man is iudged Would Paul haue so earnestly desired Phil. 1. 23. to haue béen dissolued if he should not presently haue been with Christ He saith That in this world we see in 1 Cor. 13. 12. a glasse darkely Wée sée but Gods back-part as Moses did that is but a little of the fauor of God But then Ex. 33. 23. that is after this life ended wee shall see God face to face that is wée shall haue the full fruition of him Wée reade of Diues and Lazarus Luk. 19. 22 that after death the one was iudged to heauen the other to hell which is a Parable to signifie the truth of this particular iudgement And to conclude this point wée Eccl. 12. 7. read in Salomon That the dust returneth to the earth from whence it came and the Spirit to God that gaue it So that wée may learne from hence the vncertainty of the day of Iudgement The vse hereof Bernard Well saith Bernard Nihil certius morte hora mortis nihil â—â—certius that is Nothing is more certaine then death and there is nothing more vncertaine then the houre of death Let euery Christian therefore that wisheth the saluation of his Soule at the day of death and Iudgement beware of security and carelesse liuing let no man deferre repentance and amendment of life lest death come when hee looketh not for it and so being vnprepared he be cast into hell fire The old world had 120. yeeres to Gen 6. 3. Ionas 1 â— Psa 9. 5 1â— repent in Niniâ—e had 40. dayes to repent in Israel had 40 yéeres to repent in but thou O man knowest not how long thou hast to liue thou hast no lease of thy life thou art here to day gone to morrow when the houres of thy life bee ended and the glasse out-runne thou must away death waiteth for thee in euery place and at all times therefore wâ—ite thou for it playing the fiue wise Virgins that had the candle of saith burning in the lamps of their hearts nourished with Mat. 25. 4. the oyle of loue and workes Ierusalem because she could not be brought to repentance shee was destroyed many hundred thousands of her children were â—amisht to death and many hundred thousands taken captiue by Titus Vespatian the Roman 〈…〉 Emperour many cast to wilde beasts and deuoured The children of Israel because they were a stiffe-necked people and a froward generation and would not be brought to Repentance how many thousands of men lay slaine in the Wildernesse 600000. Males except Ioshua and Caleb The old world because they would Gen. 7. â—â— take no warning and could not bee brought to amendment of life the sâ—oud drowned them all except faithfull Noah and his godly family And except thou repentest thou likewise shalt perish according to that of Luke Except yee repent yee shall all likewise Luk 13 3 perish Beware therefore and repent betimes Fâ—lix quem â—â—ciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is hee whom other mens harmes doe make to beware Refuse no good motions knocking at the dore of thy heart but entertaine them willingly according to the counsell of Augustine If hee offereth Augustine thee grace to day saith hee take it make much of it for thou knowest not whether hee will offer the same to morrow Make no long tarrying to turne to the Lord and put not off from day to day the longer thou remainest in thy sinne the hâ—râ—er it is for thee to repent for Qui 〈…〉 craâ— Poet. minus aptus â—rit If thou bâ—â—â—l not fit for amendment to day thou wilt bee lesse fit to morrow Therefore while the Lord speaketh to thee make him answere while he calleth vnto thee let there be an eccho in thiâ—e heart as was in the heart of Dauid Seeke ye my Psal â—7 â— face thy face Lord will I seeke And while it is said to day harden not your hearts in no case deserve repentance for the day of death and iudgement is vncertaine as saith Chrysostome Poenitenti veniam spospondit sed viuendi in crastinum non spospondit that is The Lord hath promised pardon to him that repenteth but to liue till to morrow he hath not promised Obiect But some there
〈◊〉 the Theognidis gnome blacke gates Eustathius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eustath in 1. Iâ—adâ—s Hell is a darke place vnder the earth The darknesse of Aegypt was wonderfull Exo. 10. 21 and fearefull Wonderfull because it was so thicke as it might bee felt Fearefull and therefore made the ninth plague of Pharao yet that darknesse was nothing to the darknesse of hell which is called the Black darknesse Iude 13. The Poets in regard of the darknesse thereof do compare hell to a certaine territory in Italy betwixt Baiae and Cumae where the Cimerij inhabit so inuironed with hils that the Sunne neuer commeth to it wherevpon this Prouerb commeth Cimeris Cimerae tenâ—brae tenebris atrior Darker then the darkenesse of Cimeria Whosoeuer hee be that loueth darknesse more then light shall haue his heart full of darknesse in Tophet Thirdly Our elementall fire burneth the body only but the fire of hell burneth both soule and body as yee haue heard at large Fourthly Our elementall fire consumeth that which is cast into it but the fire of hell doth alway burne and neuer consume Fiftly Our elementall fire may be quenched but hell fire can neuer bee quenched The chaffe will hee burne Mat. 3. with vnquenchable fire their worme shall neuer dye their fire shall neuer Esay â—6 goe out As there is nothing that maintaineth it so there is nothing that can extinguish it From all this we may obserue the Obseruatio extremity bitternes of the torments of Tophet Yea minima poena inferni Tho. Aquia maior est maxima poena huius mundi that is The least torture in hell is greater than the greatest torture that euer was deuised vpon the earth That Hell-hound that murthered the King of France had as heauy a punishment as this world could affoord for his arme that did that cursed act was taken from his shoulder his nailes pulled from his hands and féet his flesh piece by piece pulled from him with hot burning pincers and in the end rent in pieces with foure horses all this is nothing to the least torment of Tophet Chrysostome ad populum Antiochenum Chrysast aâ— poâ— Arâ—â—â—ch â—â—â— 49. saith That fire and sword and wilde beasts or any thing more grieuous than these are scant a shadow to the torments of hell And this bitter torment slandeth in these two In poena damni that is In the punishment of losse and in pâ—nâ— sensus that is in the punishment of feeling the former wherof is the greatest as sayth Saint Chrysostome this poena damni this punishment of losse is more bitter then the paines of hell yea worse then a thousand hels This poena damni though it be a priuatiue Poeâ—a damni punishment yet it hath a positiue effect For to be depriued of ioy cannot but bring intolerable sorrow euen as the absence of the Sunne causeth Simile darknesse so the want of Gods presence bringeth inexpressible griefe When the Arke of God was taken by the Philistims old Eli with griefe 1. Sa. 4. 18. fell backward and died Demosthenes tooke his banishment 〈…〉 in vito Demostheâ—is so heauily that many times he would weep bitterly when he looked towards Athens though he found much kindenesse at the hands of his enemies Tully when he was banished from Italy though he were in Greece yet hee wept bitterly when he looked towards Italy Absolon tooke his banishment from 〈…〉 14. 22 his fathers presence very grieuously If these exiles breed such sorrow how fearefull will it be to be banished from the presence of the Lord Who is 2. Cor. 1. 3. the Father of mercies and God of all consolation in whose presence is ioy in whose pleasure is life to bée banished from the presence and louing countenance of the Lambe from the fellowship of Saints and Angels from all ioyes and felicitie with that Mar. 25. bitter sentence Goe from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his angels Goe from me these are words of separation ye cursed these are words of obiurgation into euerlasting fire these are words of desolation prepared for the diuell and his angels these are words of dolefull exemplification This is the greatest part of the second death for as the first death separateth the soule from the body so the second death separates soule and body from the presence of the Lord for euermore Oh what weeping and wailing will Luke 13. there be when yee shall see Abraham Isaac Iacob intertained into the Kingdome of God ye your selues shut out He therefore spake truly that said The teares of hell are not sufficient to bewayle the losses of heauen Infoelicissimum genus infortuniâ— meminisse fuisse foelicem that is it is the vnhappiest thing of all to thinke that euer we were happy Dura satis miseris memoratio prisca bonorum Poeta It is misery enough and though there were no more misery to remember the ioyes we haue lost As the old man in the Poet sayd I. Terent. haue a sonne nay alas I had a sonne so the damned may say We haue a heauen nay alas we had a heauen Lysimachus King of Macedonia Lysimach warring against the Scythians béeing inforced by extreme thirst to yéeld himself into the hands of his enemies after he had drunke cold water brake out into these lamentable words Good God for how short a pleasure how great a Kingdome haue I lost So the damned soule may say Good God for how short a time of pleasure how great a Kingdome haue I lost And surely this is iust with God that those that separate themselues from him here should bee banished from him hereafter That those that hate the Saints here should be debarred their company hereafter that those that crucifie the Lambe here should bee cursed of the Lambe euerlastingly hereafter The second thing that maketh Hell torments so bitter and intolerable is poena sensus the punishment of feeling Poena sensus Euery member of body and euery faculty of soule together tormented for euer The eye afflicted with darknesse the eare with horrible and hideous out-cries the nose with poysonous and stinking sauors the tongue with gally bitternesse the whole body with intolerable fire a fire that shall burne so violently that the damned shal prize a drop of water aboue tenne thousand worlds The faculties of the soule also shall bee most pitiously tormented the memory with pleasures past the apprehension with paines present the vnderstanding with ieies lost and in this faculty shal lie the worm of conscience Misâ—ria reproborum maxima gnawing which the Scriptures so often threaten to sinners this worme is a continuall repentance and sorrow full of rage and desperation by reason of their sinnes and this worme or remorse shall chiefly consist in bringing to their minds the meanes and causes of their present calamities how easily they
dreadfull Maiesty bewayling bitterly all our offences committed against thee and quaking and trembling for feare thou shouldest in thy Iustice vtterly cast vs from thée into that wofull Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Lord we confesse by birth our foule pollution by life our manifold transgression and therefore ashamed wee are that are but dust and ashes yea worse most lothsome and abominable sinners to come before thée or commence the least sute vnto thee that art a Maiesty most pure abhorring and seuerely punishing all that worke iniquity Therefore oh Lord our God wee most humbly beséech thee not to deale with vs according to thy iustice and our owne merits for then shall we be vtterly condemned but comming vnto thée as a child that feareth to bée beat for thy Christs sake with the eyâ— of pitty and fatherly compassion look thou graciously vpon vs behold vs in him in whom thy Iustice will soone turne it selfe into mercy thy frowne into fauour thine indignation into euerlasting saluation Lord for thy fauour now and euer we craue grant therefore to vs that aske for pardon of our sins at thy hands alone we séek grant that we may finde at thy gate of Saluation we earnestly do knocke good Lord therefore open vnto vs. But because thy sacred Word doth tell vs that thou wilt looke to none but those that are of a contrite heart and tremble at thy words Lord fit and prepare vs all by true humiliation to imbrace the sauing health of our soules grant gracious God that we may mourne our sinnes thorowly and lament our iniquities bitterly not so much because they might iustly condemne vs as that they haue so highly displeased thée and moued thy Maiesty to anger that hast béene so merciful a God vnto vs O giue vs hearts to grieue for that we cannot sufficiently grieue for our sinnes committed against thée And gracious Father we further intreat that we may not â—nely taste of the sowre of thy Law but likewise receiue in thy good time and in good measure the sweet and vnspeakable comfort of thâ— Gospell grant that thy Sonne Iesus may bée Iesus to vs all that his righteousnesse may couer our vnrighteousnesse that his death may bring our soules to life that in him and for his sake thou wouldest â—e well pleased to make vs thine by adoption to witnesse the same to our soules by the infallible testimony of thy blessed Spirit to work in our hearts a strong and resolute perswasion of Faith whereby we may graspe and hold fast this thy great mercy in Christ towards vs to the peace of our consciences in this life and the saluation of our soules in the life to come And holy Father for as much as all those that haue put on Christ are become new creatures grant vnto vs a new heart and renew a right Spirit within vs purge vs from our sinnes wash vs from our iniquities infuse thy sauing grace into our Soules whereby wee may dye to all that is euill and liue to all godlinesse of life all the dayes of our life to come Frame our hearts deare God to true and perfect obedience obedience being the best sacrifice that thou requirest oh grant that all our delight may be in thy Statutes that it may be euen our meate and drinke to walke in thy Commandements indeuoring alwayes and in all places to keepe a cléere conscience both towards thee and man Teach vs blessed Father to rely vpon thée alone by faith to feare loue honour and truely obey thee in wisedome and true sanctity to giue no worship from thee that is onely proper to thee reuerently to thinke and speake of thy most glorious name and word carefully to sanctifie thy Sabbaths and wholly set them apart for thy seruice Giue vs grace also thou that art the Author and giuer of all grace to carry our selues dutifully to man to honour and reuerently respect all our superiours both in nature and place to preserue and maintaine the good name goods and bodies of our brethren amongst whom we liue and not impaire hurt or maliciously massacre the same to keepe our selues chaste and vnspotted from all fleshly lusts and euery act of vncleannes iniuriously to take away no mans right or due to speake the truth and not to beare false witnesse against our brethren to be content with our owne estates more or lesse and not to repine at or couet that which is others O grant that our liues may bee vnreprouable before thée and men But because O Lord of our selues we are able to doe no good thing but it is thou that workest the will and the deed Lord therefore stand euer by vs with thy preuenting assisting and consequent grace whereby we may be able in some measure to do thy will on earth as thy Angels doe it perfectly in heauen Moreouer heauenly Father wee fully beléeuing our selues to be true and liuely members of that body mysticall whereof our blessed Sauiour is the Head doe earnestly desire at thy gracious hands the like mercy for the whole body of Christs Church as we beg for our owne soules Lord blesse and defend thy Church and Chosen in all Kingdomes of the earth wheresoeuer inlarge the bounds of thy Gospell increase the number of thy Saints daily adde vnto thy Church such as shall bee saued Blesse the Kings most excellent Maiesty with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus meet for so great and worthy a personage with the Prince and His whole issue in this Kingdome and beyond the Seas Grant that He may neuer want one out of his own loynes to sit vpon his Throne for the maintenance of thy Gospell till the comming of Christ in the clouds Blesse all afflicted members whether grieued in conscience troubled in body or persecuted for the Gospell according to their seuerall ocâ—â—sions and need Blesse those that are neerer and dearer vnto vs in the flesh as are our Parents and kindred whether father or mother husband or wife brother or sister or childe with our Christian acquaintances and friends kéep them all and vs with them to thine euerlasting kingdome and saluation And in mercy good Lord this night looke downe vpon vs preserue vs and ours from all dangers bodily ghostly within doores and without giue vnto our bodies a comfortable rest and sléepe that they may be more able to do the works of their particular vocations before thee and swéet Lord watch euermore ouer our poore soules kéepe vs from sin and euill both sleeping and waking and when that sléepe of death shall fall vpon vs grant that our soules may wake to thy glory and saluation euerlasting and that for Christ Iesus his sake our onely Lord and euerlasting Redéemer to whom with thée and thy good Spirit three persons but one God wee heartily desire to offer vp all thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen THe grace of our Lord and Sâ—uiour Iesus Christ and the loâ—â— of God our heauenly Father and the most blessed presence of God the holy Ghost bee with vâ— all and within vâ— all both in Soule in Spirit and in body and with all things that remaine or belong vnto vâ— either within dores or without this â—ight and euerlasting AMEN FINIS
same shall appeare before Christes Iudgement seate and giue an account euery one for himselfe to God For It is appointed Heb. 9. 27. vnto men once to dye and after that commeth Iudgement As it is therefore most sure that all men must dye so is it as sure that all men must come to Iudgement This is the seuenth article of our Article 7. faith to beléeue that Christ shall come from heauen to iudge the quicke and the dead by the dead all those are to be vnderstood that shall be found dead at the second comming of Christ by the quicke all those are to bee vnderstood that shall be found liuing at his second comming Augustine in his Augustine Enchiridion to Laurentius Chap. 55 saith that this Article may bee expounded two wayes either by the dean saith hee may bee meant those that shall bee found corporally dead and by the quicke those that shall bee found corporally liuing at Christs comming or saith he by the dead may be meant those that be dead in sinne According to that in the Gospell of S. Mathew Let the dead bury their dead Mat. 8. 22. And by the quicke those that be dead to sinne and liuing to faith according to that of the Prophet Abacâ—k Hab. â— 4. The Iust shall liue by faith But this exposition is not agreeable to the simplicitie of the Creede Yet notwithstanding true it is that both the godly and the wicked shall come to iudgement for by the power of Christ all men shall bee raised vp The holy Angels with the great sound of a trumpet 〈◊〉 24. 31 shall bee sent forth into all the world and they shall gather together the Elect from the foure quarters of the earth from one end of the heauen to the other Then shall Christ separate the Mat. 13. 4â— Elect from the Reprobates the Wheat from the Tares the Corne from the Chaste the Lambs from the Goats the Iust from the Vniust So that you see that the godly and the wicked yea all men whatsoeuer shall appeare before Christs tribunall 〈◊〉 and giue an account of themselues and for themselues to the terrible Iudge Obiect Ob. Some notwithstanding may obiect against this doctrine deliuered and say as it is in Iohn That he that Ioh. â— 18. beleeue him Christ shall not bee iudged or shall not come into iudgement and so by consequence all men shall not be iudged Answ To which I answere that Anâ—… Iudgement in that place of Iohn as in many other places of sacred Scriptures is taken for condemnation in which sence true it is that he that beleeueth in Christ Iesus he that is ingranted into Christ by a true and liuely faith hee that is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone one with Christ and Christ with him by the spirituall coniunction of the Church with Christ this party shall not come into iudgement sâ—il condemnationis that is of condemnation in iudgement he shall not be confounded condemned or ouerthrowne but he shall come in iudicium absolutionis that is into the iudgement of absolution In iudgement hee shall stand out hauing on the white robe of Christs righteousnes and being couered with the wedding garment of Regeneration The truth of which doctrine the preacher affirmeth saying God will iudge Eccl. â— 17. he Iust and the vniust the Iust vnto saluation and the vniust to damnation Seeing then that all must bee brought to iudgement let no man thinke with himselfe that it may be possible for him to escape this dreadfull day whither shal he â—lye from the presence of the Lord If he ascendeth Psal 139. â— 8 9. vp to heauen God is there if hee goe downe to hell God is there also if hee take the wings of the morning and fly to the vttermost parts of the Sea God will finde him out there also For God is euery where hee is in heauen by his glory he is vpon the earth by his mercy he is in hell by his iustice God is 〈◊〉 nusquam hee is euery where by his power and wisedome but no where in respect of circumscription of place beeing a Spirit In earthly and terrestriall Courts a man may haue his Proctor but then we must volentes nolentes whether we will or no personally appeare and pleade for our selues In terrestrial Courts bribes many times blind the eyes of the wise and for a little greasing the fist of the Magistrate many times small faults nay by your leaue great and scandalous crimes may bee winked at but at this great Court of Heauen the Iudge will not be partiall to any For Rom â— â—1 God hath no respect of persons Hee will execute iust iudgement vpon all men as the Psalmographer speaketh With righteousnesse will he iudge the Psal 58. 9. world and the people with equitie Bribes Friends intreaties howlings cryes lamentations nothing will then preuaile but a pure heart and a spirit vpright yea the damned in hell confesse the same Quid profuâ—â— nobis superbia quid diâ—itâ—arum coput What hath pride profited vs or what hath the pompe of riches done vs good Alas these cannot saue our soules Let the Atheist therefore mocke God neuer so blasphemously let the Sadduce bragge of no Resurrection no Angell no Spirit neuer so Schismatically let the Epicure sing that cursed Epitaph of Sardanapalus neuer so beastly â—de bibe â—ude charum praesentibus exple delicijs animum post mortem nulla voluptas Eat drinke play be merry liue in all kinde of pleasure for after death there is no pleasure Yet notwithstanding let all these miserable wretches know that there will come a day and that a dismall day wherein they shall giue an account of euery idle word Alas lamentable world that men should thus murther their deerest darlings I meane their Soules which Christ hath holden so deare that men should with Esau sell their birth 〈◊〉 and heritage of heauen for a mâ—â—â—e of potâ—age of worldly pleasure that men should delight in wallowing with the 2. Pet. 2. 2â— Sow in the mire of sinne and with the dogge in swallowing the voâ—iâ— of iniquitie and so purchase to their Soules and bodies euerlasting torment in the lake vnquenchable wheras they should aboue all things seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that they might haue heauenly mansions at the great day of account Let euery Christian therefore bewayle the great wickednesse of this world and lament the soule iniquitie of these dayes lest it be said of vs as of the carelesse and gracelesse Christian Cadit Asina est qui subleuet perâ—â—â— anima non est qui recoâ—itâ—t If an Asse falleth vnder his burthen there be some that will diligently helpe it vp againe but if a Soule perish no man regardeth it Men are like the Horse Asse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding the more is the good mans griefe Dauid Psal 11â— 1 〈…〉 his eyes gâ—shed
nature doth dayly allure vs to sinne Now iâ— we consent to those his wicked motions whether we performe them outwardly in act or no before God we haue committed the sinne according to that of Iohn Hee that hateth his 1. Ioh. â— 1â— brother is a man slayer because in will in wish and in desire hee hath already slaine him although hee doth not bring it into outward act either for feare of the law of man in that case or for want of iust and fit opportunity for the effecting thereof Yea the sinne of thought the sinne conceiued in the heart of man is not onely a sinne but it is the roote and beginning Mat. 15. 1â— of all sinnes whatsoeuer for it is not that which goeth into man that defileth him but that which commeth out of him that is that which proceedeth from the heart of man The diuell first suggesteth after The Ladder of sin suggestion commeth cogitation after cogitation followeth affection after affection followeth delectation after delectation followeth consent how is the sinne of thought fully committed after consent followeth operation after operation followeth â—â—stome after custome followeth desperation after desperation followeth defending of sinnes committed after defending of sins committed followeth vaunting boasting and glorying in sinne which is next to damnation it selfe Thus the heart is the fountaine from whence springeth all sin whatsoeuer Yet haue wee not many wicked ones in this world that think the sin of heart to bee no sin at all or else but a small sin that shall neuer be brought in question at the day of account But let all these know that as of euery idle word so of euery wicked and sinfull thought conceiued and nourished within the heart of man hath full consent to the performance of the same for there is no sinne that can be coÌ„mitted without consent had men yea all men must giue an account I giue all men therefore to the good of their soules this good counsell of Salomon Keepe thine heart Prou. 4. 23 with all diligence for there out commeth life If thou keepest it not diligently and waâ—â—ly thereout will proceed death I meane sinne whose Rom. 6. â—3 wages is death The heart is a Mill alwayes grinding either good corne or bad either good thoughts or bad therefore keepe it diligently for thy soules sake let it meditate in the Law of God day and night abandon all wicked motions that at the day of iudgement thou maist be pure bread and fine manchet for the Bread of Life Christ Iesus his Table in heauen The Lord grant this to mee the Writer thee the Reader and to euery Hearer of it 2 Wee must giue an account of our words Of euery idle word that men shall Word speake c. Diuers of the learned Writers haue diuersly commented of this idle word what it should be one affirming one thing another another thing Therefore I will in a word set downe the opinions of some of them not incongruent neither disagreeable to the holy Scripture Gregory saith that Verbum otiosum Gregory est quod â—â—sta necessitate pia vtilitate caret That is saith he an idle word which is spoken either without iust necessitie or godly profit Ierome saith that VerbuÌ„ otiosum est Ierome quod sine vtilitate loquentis vel audientiâ— proâ—ertur That is saith he an idle word which is spoken either without edification of the Hearer or Speaker Basil Omne verbum quod non conduâ—it Basil ad propositam vtilitatem vanum est otiosum that is euery word which belongeth not to an intended profit is a vaine and an idle word Master Iohn Caluin saith that Caluin Sermo otiosus pro inutili sumitur qui nihil aedificationis vel fructus assert id est An idle word is taken for a word vnprofitable for a word that bringeth with it no fruitfull edification So that from these descriptions of holy men I doe describe an idle word on this maner Verbum otiosum est quod ad bonam rem non pertinet quod non facit ad gloriaâ— Dei vnseâ—tis quod mutâ—le est infrugâ— ferum quod nec loquâ—ntem nec audientem â—diâ—icat id est An idle word is that which doth not appertaine to a proposed profit which tendeth not to the glory of the euer-liuing God which is vnprofitable and vnfruitfull which edâ—â—ieth neither the Hearer nor the Speaker If then good breforen in Christ Iesus so great account must be giuen of euery idle vain and fruitlesse word what account thinke yée shall bee giuen for swearing cursing banning and blaspheming What account shall the swearer giue that hath not one word in his mouth but it is guarded with an execrable oath How common alas this sinne of swearing is who knoweth not for the small infants and tender children in our streets haue cursed oaths ad unguem at their fingers end yea at their tongues end too What account shall the cursing and banning tongue â—â—ue that Cruelly Disdainefully and Psal 31. 1â— Despightfully speaketh against his neighbour What account shall the blasphemous person giue that speaketh contemptuousâ—y of GOD and saith that Christ did cast out diuels through the name of Beelzebub If 1. Pet. 4. 1â— the Iust shall scarce bee saued where shall the sinner appeare If account must bee made of euery idle word Lord what account shall they make that rap and vomit out blasphemies against the terrible Iudge of heauen and earth As men think and fondly imagine that the sinne of thought vnlesse it proceed into outward act is but a small sinne so likewise doe they imagine of idle words that they are but small sinnes and a small account for them shall be giuen But let all the world know that no sin can be said to be small in respect of it own nature for the least sinne that can bee committed in the world is so weighty as without repentance had it will sinke the sinner downe to the bottomelesse pit of hell Yet notwithstanding an idle word in respect of other sinnes may be said to bee a small sinne yet as small as it is it is able to damne the soule foreuer Well therefore saith Petrus Damianus Petrâ—â— sermone secundo de vitio linguae Audiat lingua vaniloqua audiat otiosa lingua audiat pauescat intelligat perhorrescat sententiam horribilem extremique Iâ—diâ—ij terrorem c. that is Heare O vaine babbling tongue heare O idle tongue heare and tremble vnderstand and quake at the hearing of the terrible day of Iudgement He that hath hands to slay hath he not cares to heare Hee saith that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue an account thereof at the day of Iudgement Although an idle word bee a small sinne in respect of greater sins yet neuerthelesse an innumerable company of idle words congested accumulated and heaped vp together they will make a mighty sin Quid
nec prece neither by bribes nor entreaties would not euery man in that Citie bee in great perplexitie and feare So feare this Iudge who shal come with thousands of Angels in great Pompe Maiestie Glory into the Citie of this world and iudge the greatest part of mankind to death and damnation sparing no man neither precio nor prece neither by bribes nor yet by intreaties a Iudge that will vse no partiality A Iudge that is able to destroy both 〈…〉 2. body and Soule in hell fire for euermore Feare this Iudge this terrible Iudge this iust Iudge this strict Iudge that will not suffer one idle word to escape in iudgement thou that hast offended this Iudge by thy manifold transgressions thou that hast deserued for them euerlasting torments in the pit of hell feare him quake and tremble before him at the hearing of this hard saying But I say vnto you that of euery idle word that men shall speak they shall giue account thereof at the day of Iudgement If Paul a chosen vessell and a faithfull seruant of Iesus Christ was afraid of this iudgement If the iust and vpright man Iob cryed out and said Quid agam quò me conuertans Iob â— 1â— cum venerit Dominus ad iudicandumâ— What shall I doe O whither shall I turne mee when the Lord commeth to Iudgement If blessed Hilary who from the fourteenth yeere of his age serued the LORD in singlenesse of heart and in sinceritie of life to his liues end was afraid of this day as it appeareth by his speech vpon his death-bed Egredere anima egredere Hâ—â—â—â—ion quid times quid dubitas That is Goe forth O Soule goe forth Why art thou afraide Why doubtest thou â—hoâ— hast serued Christ these seuentie yeeres and art now afraid to depart If these holy men were afraide of this terrible day how oughtest thou O sinner that art defiled with sinne from top to toe that hast not serued thy God as thou oughtest one day in seuentie yeeres how oughtest thou to quake and tremble If the Iust shall scarce bee saued 1. Pet 4. 18 where shalt thou poore wretch appeare If the people of Israel trembled at Exo. 16. 18 the presence of God on Mount Sinai when the Lord gaue vnto them his Law and as a Schoole-Master read a Lecture to all the world how terrible will his presence be when he shall come to exact this Lecture at thy hands how thou hast conned the same If Iohn and Daniel at the sight of a Apoc. 1 1â— Dan. 8. 17. milde Angell fell vpon the earth as dead how shalt thou poore sinner indure the presence of this terrible Iudge If Haman could not abide the angry countenance of King Ahasuerosh Hest 7. 6. how shalt thou O wicked man abide the angry countenance of this frowning Iudge If Adam for the Gen. 3 8. commission of one sinne ranne from God in great feare and hid himselfe behinde the bush whither shalt thou O sinfull Adamite that hast committed as many sinnes as starres in sky as haires on head and sands by Sea Immo horum numerus numero non clauditur vllo Yea the number of them is not to bee numbred whither I say shalt thou desire to run and where shalt thou wish to hide thy selfe from this terrible Iudge O saith Augustine Mallent Augustine impiâ— esse in inferno quà m videre faciem irati Iudicis The wicked had rather bee tormented in hell then see the face of this fearefull Iudge Then shalt thou cry to the mountaines Cadite super me Fall vpon me and to the hils 〈…〉 Abscondire me à facie sedentis super thronum ab ira Agni id est Hide mee from the face of him that sitteth vpon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Then shall the Booke be opened videlicet the euidence of thy workes in this life recorded freshly in the testimonie of thine owne conscience and in the true and infallible memorie of Gods eternall wisedome then shall thy sinnes be set in order before thine eyes heauen and earth shall witnesse against thee yea thine owne Conscience shall condemne thée and Conscientia Psal 50. 11. Psal 50. 4. Rom. 2. 15. est mille testes Thy Conscience is a thousand witnesses to condemne thee The diuell shall pleade hard most pitifull wretch for thy Soule and body accusing thee on this manner O Iudex iustissime O most iust Iudge thou hast in the abundance of thy loue suffered many torments of hell vpon the Crosse at Golgotha for the redemption of this wretch thou hast offered him times innumerable redemption iustification and endlesse happinesse yet neuerthelesse hee hath despised thee and hated thy instruction and hath chosen rather to follow me then thée rather to walke in iniquity after my example then in holinesse of life after thine hee hath chosen to bee my seruant rather then thine therefore what remaineth but that thou shouldest refuse him that refused thée and that I should receiue him to euerlasting torments that hath hitherto serued me When thou poore soule shalt heare this pitifull Plea and confesse the same to be too true what shall become of thee or whither shalt thou turne thee for comfort Alack alack thou shalt haue no hope of saluation for aboue thée thou shalt sée the Iudge angry with thée for thy sinnes and the blessed Angels reioycing and laughing at thy destruction beneath thee thou shalt see hell open and the fiery Furnace ready to receiue thee to torment on thy right hand shall bee thy sinnes accusing thée on thy left hand the diuels ready to execute Gods iudgements vpon thee within thee shall lye thy Conscience gnawing without thee the damned crue bewayling on euery side fire burning and then shalt thou receiue this lamentable sentence Goe from me ye Mat 25. 41 cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his angels Euery one of these words are able to cut thy heart asunder Goe from mee Goe Hitherto I haue bin a Father to thée I haue bestowed many comfortable benefits vpon thee I haue had great care of thee but now goe from me into torments inexpressable where thou shalt cry vnto me but I will not heare thee in torment shalt thou lye comfortlesse in hell thy torment shall be endlesse I wil put a gulfe betweene thee and me to make thy torments remedilesse thou shalt bee dying Apoc. 9. 6. Luke 6. 25 alwayes yet neuer dead thou shalt seeke death but neuer finde it thou shalt bee burning alwayes yet neuer burnt to death thy mente shall Psal 11. 6. Mat. 1â— 4â— be griping hunger and famine intolerable thy drink shall be lakes of fire and brimstone thy musicke shall bee howling roaring of crying diuels and wéeping wailing and gnashing of teeth Ye cursed Thou hast beene called Ye 〈…〉 hitherto by renowned and glorious titles as Prince Duke Noble Reuerend
Master c. But now thou shalt haue another title thou shalt be called Cursed cursed shalt thou be of God whose curse is â—â—narum inflictio id est punishment cursed shalt thou be of all the blessed Angels in heauen whose curse is Conscientiae cruciamen id est vexation of thy conscience Cursed shalt thou be of all the diuels in hell whose curse is Poenarum executio id est the execution of thy punishment prescribed according to that of the Poet Minos â—xamen Radamanthus dat crâ—sciaâ—en tertius heu frater tertia iura tenet id est One diuell cippeth vp thy examination another diuell tormenteth thee the third is not behinde to adde one torment to another vpon thee Cursed moreouer shalt thou be of all the damned crue whose curse is Poenarum aggraâ—â—atio id est the augmentation of thy torment Thus cursed shalt thou bee of all things for euermore Into euerlasting fire O miserable Into euerlasting fire torment There were some comfort to the damned soule if these torments should haue end but that shall neuer be O miserable wretch Thou shalt Mat. 22. 13 bee bound hand and foot and cast into this euerlasting fire In respect of which fire all earthly elementall fire is but as fire painted on a wall thy torments shall be endlesse easelesse and remedilesse Which is prepared for the diuell and Which is prepared his angels Heauen was prepared for thée and not hell thou wert borne to glory and not torment but because thou hast chosen to follow the diuell and not Me therefore Goe from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and thee his wicked angell where thou shalt lye weeping and wayling and gnashing of thy teeth for euermore The consideration of these things should stirre vp euery Christian to looke about him to be careful and circumspect to all his wayes that â—ee tread not his sheâ— awry at any time that he offend not this fearfull Iudge in any thing that at this day of iudgement hee may finde him a gentle and louing Lambe and not a Lyon of Iudâ— for as to the wicked this Iudge is terible so to the godly he is a friendly and a welcome Iudge as to the wicked the day of Iudgement is a day of desolation a day of clouds and blacknesse so to the godly it is a day of Redemption â—â—â—â— 1. 1â— yea the godly shall leape for ioy at that day and for the comming of that day the blessed spirits in heauen try out saying How long Apoâ— â—2 Lord and the blessed ones vpon earth desire the comming of this day also saying with Paul Cupimus dissolui Phil 1. 23. esse cum Christo id est We desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ and praying with Iohn Veni Domine Iesu Apoc 6. 9. 10. Come Lord IESVS come quickly Let euery Christian therefore so lead his life that it may goe wel with him at that day What if I haue all the Mat. 1â— â—â— world and lose my soule at that day what doth it profit me If a man bee called to appeare before some earthly Iudge he will haue an especiall care to array himselfe in the best manner he may to behaue himselfe accordingly that he may be the better accepted of him So euery Christian against the day of Iudgement when hee must appeare before the King of Kings and Iudge of all the world must haue an especial care to put on the Wedding garment of Christs Righteousnesse and Regeneration lest he be sent packing to hell with the wicked and all those that forget God Mordecay because hee went basely Hest 4 â— in sackcloth could not be permitted to come into the Kings Palace and doest thou thinke whatsoeuer thou art that thou shalt he admitted into that Glorious Palace of the King of Hetnen hauing on the stinking defiled and abominable garment of impurity the menstruous cloth of iniquity No no the Lord will spue thee out of his mouth a stinking carcasse stinketh not so before men as a polluted sinneâ— in the nostâ—ils of Almighty God Nebuchadnezzar would haue no Dan. 1. 4. children in his Palace but those that were wise and beautifull and doess thou thinke that the King of Heauen and earth will haue any fooles that is sinners for the sinner is called a foole in the Scripture The foole saith in Psal 14. 1. his hart there is no God to dwel with him in his Palace or dost thou think that an vgly person shall bee suffered there that is any sinner for the sinner is an vgly and abominable thing in the sight of God No the Lord will entertaine none into his Kingdome but such as are beautifull shining in holinesse purity and righteousnesse as the portals of the burnish Sunne such as are without spot or wrinkle Omnino ad imaginem suam altogether like vnto him holy as he is holy pure as hâ—e is pure Such will the Lord haue in his Kingdome to sing Halleluiah Saluation and Glory A 〈…〉 and Honour and Power bee to the Lord our God Therfore as the thiefe is excéeding prouident and very carefull how hee may answere the Iudge at the barre and as in earthly Courts men wil be very carefull to prouide an answere against they be called yea and will make some friend to the Iudge that they may spéed the better so likewise euery Christian soule should carefully prouide a good answere against he bee cited by the Apparitour Death to appeare before Christ at the generall Court of Heauen and that then it may goe well with him let him get some friend to moue the Iudge in his behalfe as he tendreth the welfare of his deare Soule And who must that friend be not Mary nor Peter but it must be CHRIST IESVS that sitteth at the right hand of his Father in glory and maketh dayly intercession for the sinnes of the whole world Get him for thy Proctour who offereth himselfe to all and then happy shalt thou be the Diuell shall not preuaile against thée for CHRIST hath broken his head the gates of hell shall not preuaile against thée for Christ hath conquered them death shal not hold thée captine for Christ hath ouercome it Happy art thou that art in Psal â— 4 15. such a â—ase yea blessed art thou if thou hast the Lord for thy God Thus much for the third part of this Text namely of the Iudge to whom we must giue account But I say vnto you that of euery Text. idle word c. 4 When we shall giue an account The 4. part It is said heere at the day of iudgement The time when this great and generall day shall be cannot be knowne of mortall man yea it is not for man to know of it as we may reade in the Acts It is not for you to know the Act. 1. 7. times and seasons which God hath
is a great plenty of men but there is a great scarcity of good men These wayes seeme pleasant to be walked in yet Nouissima illarum mors est The end of these wayes is death for the diuel like a subtill fisher sheweth the bait but hideth the hooke sheweth the vnprofitable profit and vnpleasant pleasure of sin but h 〈…〉 th the hooke from mens eyes which is death according to that of S. Paul Stipendium 〈…〉 mors est The wages of sinne is death here hell and damnation hereafter Sinne seemeth at thâ— first to fawne vpon a man but yet in the end it will with Caines dogge Gen. 4. plucke out the very throats of our soules In these main rodes the more is the pitty doth the greatest part of mankind run headlong to perdition without any checke of conscience remorse for their sinnes or any reclamâ—tion in the world Sinne neuer more then in these our dayes of the Gospell abounded the diuell hath more followers then Christ the whole multitude â—â—â—ed Crucifie him Crucifie him bâ—â— Mar. â—â— 1â— there was but one and thâ—t a â—â—lly woman that laboured to set him â—râ—e The saying of Paul to the Romans is verified in thâ—se our dayes of sin There is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. 10. 11. 12. There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God all haue gone out of the way all are altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Pride Whoredome Gal. â— 19. â—â— â—â— Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Wantonnesse Idolatry Witch-craft Hatred Debate Emulation Wrath Contention Sedition Heresie Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Swearing Forswearing Blasphemy Prophanenesse coÌ„tempt of the Word despising of Gods Messengers and the like abominations are raigning in euery angle of this our Iland yea our Land is become a sinke of sin a pit of pollution and a place of abomination defiled with iniquity A vertice capitis vsque ad plantam pedis id est from toppe to toe hauing no sound part throughout it yea our whole Land is out of course And it is the great Lam. 3 2â— mercy of God that wee are not consumed Yea these last dayes of the world are like to the daies of Israels prouocation of the Lord in the wildernesse wherein wee preferre the slauery of Egypt aboue the sweete Manna of heauenly blisse Yea that saying of the Prophet is verified of the most part of mankind That the Children gather stickes the Ierem. 7. 8. Fathers make the fire and the women bake cakes for the Queene of Heauen That is they offered sacrifice to the Sun and Moone and Planets which they called the Queene of Heauen So the beast of Rome with his Antichristian crue doth sacrifice to Mary making her an idoll and calling her as in their Salue Regina and Regina Coeli laetare doth appeare the Queene of Heauen They make Ignorance the mother of their Deuotion Sir Iohn Lacke-latine and Sir Anthony Ignorance are their chiefest Clarkes and best Masse-mongers Yea the world is growne to that height of reprobation that that which is written in Iob is verified of many They say to Goâ— Depart â—rom vs Iob. 21 14. 15. â—or we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes who is the Almighty that wee should serue him Full little thinking that the Lord shall answer them with the like Disâ—â—â—â—â—e Depart from me yee Math 7. 2â— workers of iniquity Thus we â—ée how the worldlings run in the race of iniquity the broad way to the lake vnquenchable some in the race of Atheisme some in Papisme some in Mahumetisme some in Paganisme but few there are that run in the race of Christianisâ—â—â— But thou that wouldest be saued thou that wouldest so runne that thou maist obtaine run not in any of these wayes but flye from sin as from a stinging Serpent and a biting Cockaâ—riâ—â— For they that doe such things shall not â—al â— â—â— inherite the Kingdome of God The right way therefore wherein Hâ—c 〈…〉 we must runne is the way of Godlinesse the way of Christianity the way of the Word of God framing all our thoughts words and operations according to the precise and strict rule of the same For Factores legis iustificabuntur id est The doers of the â—aw shall be iustified saued and glorified This way of Godlinesse is a blessed way to walke in It is sweeter than Psal â—â— Mat. 11. 3â— the hony or the hony combe Iugum Christi sâ—â—ue est onus suum leue id est The yoke of Christ is easie and his burthen light Mandata â—â—â—s graâ—ia â—on 1. Ioh. 5. 3. sunt id est His Commandements are not grieuous and his Commandements Psal 119. are exceeding large Her wayes are wayes of pleasure and her pathes Prou. 3. 17 â—sâ—l 119. â—â—5 prosperity It is a lanthorne to our feet and a lâ—ght vnto our pathes It is a pillar of fire to carry vs thorow the wildernesse of this world to the Celestiall Canaan It is the power of God Rom. 1. 1â— to saluation to euery Beleeuer both lew and Grecian It is able to saue our Iam. 1. 2â— soules it is able to make vs wise to saluation is is profitable to teach to improue 2. Tim. â— 15 1â— 17. to correct to instruct in righteousnesse and to make vs perfect in all good works It is comfortable in all cases and parts of our life both in prosperity and aduersity both in life and death If we fight it is a sword if we hunger it is meate if wee thirst it is drinke if wee be naked it is a garment if we be in darknes it is light yea in a word the Word of God is The high-way to Heauen Enter therfore Mat. 7. 13. in at the straight gate of amendment and run in the same from faith to faith from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from strength to strength till thou beest a perfect man in Christ Iesus Cast away the workes of darknesse Rom 13. 12 13 14 and put on the armour of light walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Bee Mat. 10. 16 wise as the Serpent be innocent as the Doue Amongst diuers points of wisedome to bee found in the Serpent this is one namely Shee casteth her coat and so renouateth her age as Aristotle saith These three beasts Arist de nat Aâ— mal lib. 8 cap. 17. Stellio Tum Vere tum Autumno both in the Spring as also in Autumne doe cast their skinnes viz. the beast like a Lizzard called in Latine Stellio Quia habet maculas quasi stellas collo infixas Because hee hath spots in his necke like starres Lacertus the Lizzard and Lacertus Serpens the Serpent And to doe this
but the iudgements of the Lord and the Lord will bee with you to preserue you if you doe iustly but to confound you if you doe vniustly wherefore now let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heede and doe it for there is no iniquity with our God nor respect of persons nor receiuing of rewards O that this gracious counsell were entertain'd of the Iudges of this land then wée should not heare of so many complaints in our Land as we doe then we should not haue cause to complaine with the Prophet That iudgement Esay 59. 14 is turned backward and iustice standeth a farre off that truth is gone and equity no where to bee found then we should not haue so many begger'd by the Law as dayly are Law was neuer made to vndoe men but to compell men to doe well it was made to curb the vnruly but not to begger the innocent it is growne to this saying now a dayes I had rather lose it being my right then go to law for it why what is the cause O because of rackâ— fees close bribes and the perpetuity of attendance Iudicate secundum iustitiam Iudge iudge O ye sonnes of men according to righteousnesse let your iudgement be in veritate in truth be in iudicio in iudgement be in iustitia in righteousnesse I pray God it may neuer be sayd of our Iudges of England as once was sayd of the Iudges of Israel The â—say 57. Lord looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnes but behold a crying Let there not be found in a Land where the Gospell dwelleth such Iudges 1. King 2. 1 as were those that killed innocent Nakoth Let none be like the sonnes of Samuel 1. Sam. 8. 3. That turned aside after lucre and tooke rewards and peruerted the iudgement The duty of Iudges is notably set downe in Exod. 23. Thou shalt not receiue a false tale Thou shalt not ouerthrow the truth for the multitudes sake Thou shalt not ouerthrow the right of the poore in his suite Thou shalt keep thee from a false matter Thou shalt take no gift for the gift blindeth the wise and peruerteth the words of the righteous And this charge is continued in Leuiticus Leu. 29. 15 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty but thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly A Iudge must be Scientia potens and Judiâ—is officium Virtute valens i. Able in learning and zealous in liuing by the one he shall discernere inter allegata Discerne betwixt causes propounded by the other disrumperâ— iniquitatem without hinderance punish and confound all manner of iniquity In all your iudgements let these beâ— aymed at the glory of God the righting of wrong the suppression of euill and the maintenance of truth Be zealous for the glory of our God and let the good lawes that are be duly and impartially executed It was a great commendation that was giuen to Selcucus Gouernour of Selcucus the Locretians who hauing made this Law against whoredome That whosoeuer committed the act should lose both his eyes his sonne being taken in the fact was not pardoned though the Citizens begged it earnestly but hee caused one of his sonnes eyes to bee pulled out and one of his owne eyes So hee shewed himselfe a mercifull Father and a iust Iudge O that wee had the like Lawes against this and the like most odious offences and that they were as strictly executed that many hereby may bee saued from Tophet The Lord guide that honorable assembly in Court of Parliament that they may all ioyne with one voyce and spirit for the banishing of Popery the reforming of iniquitie and maintaining and countenancing of the Word of Truth and painfull Preachers of the same And you my Honourable Lord as you haue begunne well in reforming many foule abuses in this Citie so in the zeale of the Lord Prosper Psal 45. with your glory ride on with the Word of Truth Meekenesse and Righteousnesse and your right hand shall teach you terrible things Thus am I bold to cast in among you the silly myte of my counsell meerely of Christian charitie that ye may neuer taste of the wofull damnation of Tophet The third part of the description of The third part He hath made it deepe Tophet is set downe in these words He hath made it deepe Many from these words doe goe about to proue the locall place of Hell concluding it to be below as from the signification of Sheol also Sheol is taken for a Pit or Graue Sheol or Hell the state of the dead the place of the damned spirits In the Scriptures sometimes it is taken for the Graue and sometime for Hell so is HADES also The Septuagint translating the Hebrew into Greeke and expressing there the sense of Sheol vsed HADES both for the death of the body in the graue and of the Soule in hell Mercer vpon Genesis saith That Mercer in c. 37. Gen. the proper signification of Sheol is to signifie all places vnder the earth and not the pit or graue alone whereupon it is euery where opposed to heauen which is highest of all Hell is called by the name of Abyssus Abyssus in the Scriptures which signifieth a deepe and vast gnife vnder the earth a bottomlesse pit into which the diuels Luke 8. Reu. 20. feare to bee sent and where they are chained and bound when it pleaseth God From which Abyssus there is an ascent to the earth no descent lower Reu. 9. 2. and 11. 7. and 17. 8. and therfore helf suspected to be beneath Because Tophet is here sayd to be Nic. de Lyra in Esai profunda deepe Nicolaus de Lyra putat esse circa centrum terrae Thinketh that it is about the centre of the earth The Apostles that preached to the Iewes vsed the word Gehenna from the Hebrewes which they well vnderstood and Saint Iames writing to the Iewes sayth The tongue is inflamed of Gehenna of hell but the rest of them that preached to the Gentiles vsed the word HADES which name was knowne vnto them and they tooke it to be a place vnder the earth where the wicked after this life were punished Tartarus which is vsed for hell is Tartarus Hesiod in â—â—â—â—goma so farre vnder the earth as Heauen is aboue the earth saith Hesiodus The Poet speaking of it sayth Tartarus ipse bis patet in praeceps tantum id est Tartarus is twice as deep as Heauen is high The Rabbines hold hell to be below Rab. Abr. in cap. 2. â—oâ—e as Rabbi Abraham saith Sheol makom c. Sheol is a deepe place opposed to Heauen which is on high And Rabbi Leui saith Sheol hi mattah Rab. leu in cap. 26. â—o c. Sheol is absolutely below and is the centre The Scriptures also place hell below Esay 14. 9. Sheol beneath
might haue béen fréed from hel and how often they haue béen inuited to Heauen and they would none but now when they would they cannot And this worme biteth and gnaweth on the bowels of these miserable men for euermore The will also shall be most grieuously tormented with a furious malice against God and against the Elect. And in this their cursed estate they shal recurse curse God againe because hee made them and making them adiudged them to death and dying they can neuer finde death they shall curse his punishments because hee punisheth them so vehemently they shall curse his benignities because they are sawced with contrary seuerities they shal curse Christs bloud shedde vpon the Crosse because it hath bin auaileable to saue thousands and nothing auailable to saue them they shall curse the Angels in Heauen and the Saints in blisse because they shall sée them in ioy and themselues in torment cursings shall be their Hymnes and howlings their Tunes blasphemy shall be their Ditties and lachrymae their notes lamentations shall be their Songs and scriching their straines these shall be their euening morning yea mourning songs Moab shall cry against Moab father against child and child against father that euer he begate him Vae vae vae Reu. 8. Vae prae amaritudine vae prae multitudine vae prae aeternitate poenarum id est Woe in regard of the Bitternesse wo in regard of the Multitude and woe in regard of the Euerlastingnes of the torments of Tophet Now therefore I may truely say of all the damned crue as our Sauiour sayd of Iudas It had beene good Mat. 26 24 for him if he had neuer been borne So it had béen good for the damned if they had neuer béen borne or if they must néeds haue a being they had bin toads or serpents that so they might neuer haue knowne these vnspeakable sorrowes of Tophet I cannot but muse at a company of wicked hel-hounds that will vse these execrable words Would I were damned if euer I knew of this or that God damne me body and soule if I do it not Alas alas full little do these wretches know what it is to bee damned if they did vnderstand aright they would be hangd vp before they would vse these fearefull speeches vnlesse they meant with the moth-slye neuer to be at quiet till they haue â—lipt their wings in those flames I therefore conclude this part with Pro 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—◠〈…〉 alib 3. â—â— 12. the admonition of Prosper who wisheth all men to thinke how great an euill it is to be excluded the presence of God to be banished from Heauen and cast into euerlasting fire with the diuell and his angels to see no light but feele excessiue heate to bee drowned in the deep Lake of Gehenna to be eternally torne with most greedy worms To thinke on these things saith hee is a sure way to renounce all vice whatsoeuer and hée that will not be brought to lay to heart these I leaue him to féele the smart of them for euerlasting The sixt part of the description of The sixt part And much wood Obseru Tophet is set downe in these words Much wood Wherein is noted the eternitie of the torments of Tophet The Perpetuity of these torments is euery where mentioned in the book of God The Prophet Daniel speaking of the condemnation of the wicked addeth perpetuity to their shame saying Some shall awake to perpetuall shame Dan. 12. 2. and contempt S. Marke speaking of the vexing worm addeth perpetuity to the gnawing of it their worme neuer dyeth Mar. 9. 24. S. Paul addeth to the perdition of the wicked perpetuity also Their Perdition is euerlasting 2. Thes 1. 9. Saint Iude addeth the like That they Iude. suffer eternall fire And Saint Iohn doth adde vnto the Reu. 20. 10 lake perpetuity The diuell was cast into the lake where he shall be tormented day and night for euermore Thus we sée that the torments of hell are infinite ratione sinis without Reu. 9. 6. end and though they séeke death yet finde it they shall neuer Thus shall they be like a man that Simile is to bee pressed to death who calleth for more weight more weight to dispatch him of his paine but alas hee must not haue it So in hell they shall cry for death and goe without it As the Psalmist speaketh of Gods mercy That his mercy endureth for euer Psa 136. so the damned may say of his Iustice that his iustice endureth for euer There were some comfort to the damned soules if these their torments might haue end but that shal neuer be that is that that breaketh the hearts of the damned no torment in hell comparable to this of perpetuity what neuer haue end neuer O this is such a torment that the damned themselues are not able to expresse It is a common saying But for Adagium hope the heart would burst but they are shut out of all hope and therefore who can expresse their torments O saith a heathen man God shall once giue an end to these euils but the damned shall neuer be able to say this For as Gregory saith Mors miseris Gregory fit sine morte finis sine fine defectus sine defectu quoniam mors semper viuit finis semper incipit defectus deficere nes cit that is The death of the damned is such as shall neuer dye their end shall neuer end and their destruction a perpetuall confusion No maruell therfore if S. Bernard Bernard dâ— câ—nsid ad Eâ—â—en liâ—â— saith Horreo in manus incidere mortis vinentis vitae mortentis that is It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of liuing death and dying life If there might bee an end of these paines it were something though it were after so many millions of yéers as there are drops of water in the sea stars in the firmament motes of dust vpon the earth and as there haue béen moments of time since time began but this cannot be granted but when the Lord doth giue ouer his beeing then neuer before then shall the damned be discharged though the blockish Catabaptist perswadeth the contrary The reason of the perpetuity of these torments is threefold The first Drawne from the Maiesty of God offended an infinite Maiesty offended an infinite torment imposed The second Drawne from the state and condition of the damned For as long as they remaine sinfull so long shall they remaine tormented for sin but in hell they euer remaine sinfull therefore in hell they shall euer be tormented Sinne is like oyle and the wrath of God like fire as long as the oyle lasteth so long the fire burneth and so long as they are sinfull so long for sin tormented therefore for euer damned For most sure it is that in hell there is neither grace nor deuotion the wicked that be cast in exteriores â—enebras extra
with the sheep on his right hand and singing this blessed haruest song vnto you Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world To the which most blessed place of glory the Lord bring euery Soule of vs at the day of our death and dissolution and that for IESVS CHRIST his sake to whom with God the Father and God the blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one immortall God be ascribed all honour and glory both in Heauen and Earth this day and euer Amen * ⎠* FINIS An Earnest and zealous Pray er to be saued from the damnation of TOPHET O Most glorious euerliuing and euerlouing Lord God the fountaine and well-spring of all our happinesse wee thy poore seruants vnworthy in regard of our manifold transgressions of the least of thy blessings doe most humbly fall downe before the throne of thy dreadfull Maiesty confessing in the bitternesse of our soules the basenesse and vilenesse of our estates by sinne O Lord ashamed wee are to come before thee that are nothing but sinfull corruption and abomination but thou a Maiesty most pure in comparison of whom the Angels themselues are counted impure we dare not therfore being thus lothsome and abominable presume to present our selues before thee as in our selues but in thy manifold mercies and thy Son Iesus Christ his merits in whom thou art delightfully pleased with all that faithfully call vpon thy name Lord in thy Son behold vs we humbly beseech thee accept vs in his worthinesse clense vs in his blood iustifie vs in his righteousnes sanctifie vs with his spirit and in his most precious death frée vs from the damnation of hell O till these comfortable tidings be sealed vp to our soules how perplexed are we O how do our harts quake and tremble till we haue found the saluation of thee our God! Reiect vs not O heauenly Father that faine would as be saued of thee so vprightly serue thee we plead now and euer for pardon so for grace whereby wee may in plentifull manner bring forth fruits worthy of amendement Lord kéepe vs in body and soule to thy euerlasting Kingdom and saluation Lord preserue vs from the terrible torments of Tophet O what shall become of vs if we for our sins when we dye be thrown into that Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone so bitterly as forceth screeching and screaming continually Lord deale not with vs according to our sinnes and thy iustice but in the multitude of thy mercies saue our soules aliue O consider the terrors of our troubled Soules Let not the grones of our hearts be despised but suffer them to pierce the heauens for a blessing O thou that art the God of endlesse compassion cast vs not away from thy presence we are the workmanship of thine hands O Lord confound vs not O Lord that delightest not in the death and damnation of a sinner bee moued to shewe pity vpon vs O Christ our blessed Sauior make intercession to God the Father for vs speake by thy gracious Spirit peace to our disquieted Soules bind vp our broken hearts giue vs that wée may cléerely sée our names written in the Booke of Life and our soules released from the fearefull damnation of Tophet To this end gracious God remoue all sinne from our soules and plant in the garden of our hearts all those spirituall and heauenly graces that are proper peculiar to thine Elect that we may be alwayes a swéet smelling sauor before thée giue vs faith in thy promises loue to thy Maiesty zeale to thy glory obedience to thy lawes and guide vs daily by thy blessed Spirit into all truth and godlinesse Lord giue vs to bee out of loue with the vanities of this life to hate euery worke of darknes the little sin as well as the great quicken vs O Lord by thy quickning Spirit O giue vs hearts to bee inflamed with the loue of thy truth O that wée could hunger and thirst after grace as the chased Hart doth the running Brooke O that wee could experimentally say with thy seruant DAVID that all our delight is in thy Commandements Thus O Lord we receiuing grace from thy Maiesty to repell the fiery darts of the diuell to flye euen from euery apparition of euill so doing we may reap much comfort to our soules in this world of trouble and at the fearefull day of Iudgement wee may be freed from the lamentable tortures of Tophet where howling and yelling shall be for euermore and that for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne our Sauiour to whom with thée and thy most glorious Spirit we desire euen from the bottome of our hearts to haue offered vp all thanksgiuing and praise both in heauen and earth this day and euermore Amen FINIS A IOYEFVLL TRACTATE OF The most blessed Baptisme that euer was solemniz'd VIZ. Of the Baptism of our Lord IESVS by IOHN in Iordan The fourth Edition corrected and amended IOHN 3. 5. Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God LONDON Printed by George Purslowe and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull M. ROBERT MORDAVNT of Massingham Hall in the County of Norsolke Esquire and Mistris AMY MORDAVNT his mostlouing Bedfellow All increase of Grace in this life and of glory in the life to come SEldome or neuer Right Worshipfull doe we finde Tractates either Humane or Diuine passe without their particular Dedications that being shrowded vnder the safe-garding gourds of honorable and right godly dispositions they might the better bee preserued from the parching detractions of malignant Cynicks I make bolde therefore discarding all selfe-humour and irregular singularity to commend this poore Present vostrum ad patrocinium to the worthy patronage of your well-affected Worships two especiall reasons mouing me hereunto First that mine vnfained gratitude entire affection and most humble duty for all your fauors inexpressible might heereby bee made apparent Secondly it being deliuered at that solemne baptisme of Charles your first born and hopefull heyre none I know more worthy of this Dication than your worthy and right Christian persons I present it to your religious considerations as a louing and friendly New-yeeres gift for it aymes at that blessed New birth and happy New life liuely in baptisme represented without which it is not possible for either of you to possesse the Kingdome of God Accept therefore I humbly beseech you and take in good worth this short Treatise short both in line and learning respect not as is that Prouerbe the measure of the gift but the minde of the giuer what is wanting in the one I dare boldly promise is made vp in the other At your best leisures vouchsafe I pray now and then to peruse it and I trust that your Christian paines herein shall bee well reguerden'd with heauenly pleasures herefrom The Lord God make this with all other like
Christian helps much profitable to your soules and as he hath abundantly blessed you withoutward honors and dignities externall he would also euen fill your heares and spirits with the inestimable riches of his al-sufficient grace that hauing granted this two-fold blessing to you in this life you may haue the more assured hope of a third in the life to come which is his blessing of glory for all which forenamed blessings your Worships shall haue my best and most deuout prayers continued to the Lord to whose sweetest protection I betake you both with your hopefull sonne this present day and euermore From Hempsted in Essex Ianuary 10. 1620. Your Worships alwaies ready to be commanded in the LORD Henry Greenwood To the CHRISTIAN Reader A Religious and right vertuous Gentlewoman curteous and I. M. Christian Reader much importuning mee for a written Copie of this extant worke vpon good consideration proues the onely occasion of this printed Tractate for things written as they are more tedious so are they lesse profitable but printed Tractates lesse tedious and more profitable I am not borne alone to my selfe my particular friends I loue to satisfie but the generall good still shall be my ayme And that my penne thus happily should turned bee to Presse I am no whit vnwilling both because few haue written vpon this worthy subiect as also for that I see this heauenly Sacrament seldome made right vse of the most contenting themselues with the bare signe very few acquainting themselues with the blessed power of the signified That therefore our profession may not be as in many Antichristian parts of the world in superficiall signe and shew alone but in substance life and power I commend vnto thy view for the better information of thine head and reformation of thine heart this short yet I trust profitable Treatise of that blessed Baptisme of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Here Christian friend mayst thou learne a double lesson to liue to dye to dye to that which otherwise must bee thy death to liue that Christian and happy life wherewith who-euer is not acquainted euerlastingly must dye The Lord God from my very soule I heartily desire blesse these my poore paines to the best good of thine owne Soule and worke in thine heart a death to all that is euill and a life to all grace and godlinesse that his glory more and more by thee may be aduanced and thine owne soule more more by him refreshed and that for his owne mercy sake to whose most happy protection I commend thee both in body and Soule in his deare Sonne Christ Iesus and rest Thine euer-louing in the Lord Henry Greenwood CHRISTS BAPTISME Math. 3. 16 17. And Iesus when he was baptised came straight out of the water And loe the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Verse 17. And loe a voyce came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased AS by the disobedience of one man sinne entred Rom. 5. 12 into the World and by sinne death Rom. 5. 12. So by the obedience of one man righteousnesse entred into the world and by righteousnesse life Rom. 5. 18. Rom. 5. 18. For as Adams sinne hath bound vs all to a double misery guilt and punishment So Iesus Christ being made of God to vs Wisedome Righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. hath deliuered vs both from guilt and punishment of all our transgressions The truth of which thrice-blessed report is not onely mentioned in the Gospell of God and therefore called EVAGGELION but confirmed also by sacramentall signes and seales in the first and last Testament In the first against sinnes guilt by circumcision against sinnes punishment by occasion the one a Sacrament cutting the other a Sacrament killing In the last against sinnes guilt the Sacrament of Baptisme against sinnes punishment the Sacrament of his Supper And as Adam sinned in his owne person So the second Adam for his recouery hath performed both the Sacraments and substance of the same in his owne person for hee was circumcised sacrificed baptized to take away the sinnes of the world Circumcised Luke 2. 21. Sacrificed Luk. 2. 21. Heb. 7. 27. Baptized in the words of my Text And when Iesus was baptized c. In which words for methode sake I note in generall thrée First Christs baptisme And when Iesus was baptized Secondly Christs immediate action after baptisme He streight came out of the water Thirdly Gods of Christs miraculous approbation Testified by two By Vision By Voyce By Vision two wayes 1. By the heauens apertion And loe the Heauens were opened vnto him 2. By the Spirits descension And Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending c. By Voice Behold a voyce came from heauen saying c. In which voyce I note also two 1. A double circumstance 2. A singular substance A double circumstance 1. Of the Person God the Father Behold a voyce 2. Of the place supercelestiall Came from Heauen A singular substance This is my beloued Son in whom I am well pleased In Christs Baptisme â— obserue thrée First the Baptist Secondly the Baptized Thirdly the element First the Baptist and that was Iohn as it appeareth in the precedent verses Not Iohn the Euangelist but Iohn the Sonne of Zachary the Priest A worthy instrument nomene numine a gracious name and a gracious person A gracious name whereof Saint Augustine in his second Tractate vpon Iohn sayth Magnum aliquidiste Iohannes ingens meritum magna gratia magna celsitudo A great name is this name of Iohn a name of great grace a name of great valuation Magnus exim erat Iohannes virtute magnus sanctitate magnus officio Great was Iohn in power great was Iohn in sanctity great was Iohns office A gracious person sanctified in his Luk. 1. 15. mothers wombe Luke 1. 15. that which was spoken of Ieremy the Prophet is verified of Iohn the Baptist Priusquam te formarem in vtero nouite antequam illinâ— exires sanctificaâ—i te Ieremy 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee and before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee At one and the selfe-same time there was in Iohn the Baptist Spiritus vitae Spiritus gratiae the Spirit of Life and the Spirit of Grace as sayth Origen Whose sanctity you may reade at large commended by Iosephus lib. 18. Antiquitatum Yea Christ himselfe sayth thus much in commendation of him that inter natos mulierum mator Iohanne non surrexit Math. 11. 11. Among those that Mat. 11. 11. are borne of women a greater then Iohn arose there not Though Enoch was translated Gen. Gen. 5. 24. 5. 24. yet was hee not greater than Iohn Though Eliah was taken vp to Heauen 2. King 2. 11. yet was hee not greater than Iohn Moses a
circumcised surely to Heauen for he saith he should goe to it And what became of all that dyed before the eight day the day of Circumcision though they had not the signe yet were they borne in the Church and were within the compasse of that generall couenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Indeede if we contemne baptisme then it is another matter As he that was not circumcised should be cut off Gen. 17. from the people Gen. 17. this is spoken of Adulti that contemned circumcision Alas children if they be not brought to baptisme and dye vnbaptized it is not their fault shall they bee damned for their fathers offence God forbid No the child shall not beare the fathers Ezek. 18. sinne Ezek. 18. Againe water is but a signe of the inward washing water it selfe doth not worke regeneration Though it bee sayd Except a man be borne of water and the Spirit Ioh. 3. 5. it is the Spirit that doth regenerate not the water and therefore a man may be regenerate without outward baptisme It is the speech of the Apostle Peter Baptisme saueth vs not that baptisme that putteth away the filth of the flesh viz. water but in that a good conscience maketh request to God 1. Pet. 3. 21. Indeed water is sayd to 1. Pet. 3. 21 wash vs from our sinnes sacramentally but not really nor substantially that the Spirit doth Nay in the effectuall and complete baptisme tollitur peccatum non quod non sit sed quod non obsit non quod ad actum sed reatum that is sinne is taken away not that sinne is not but that sinne is not to condemnation not in regard of the act but in regard of the guilt Seeing then that Iohn could but baptize with water and the Minister can giue but outward baptisme it is Christ Iesus that baptizeth with fire O let Parents bee instant with the Lord in prayer that as the Minister powreth on water so the Lord Iesus would powre on his grace that as they are instruments of their childrens first birth which is damnable through sinne so they may bee instruments of their second birth without which neither they nor their children shall euer sée the saluation of God And thus much for the Baptisme of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Secondly Christs immediate action after baptisme Hee straight came The second text out of the water In this a mystery is obserued to shew that all that are effectually baptized doe presently come out of their sinnes making no delay to serue the Lord in holinesse O that this were verified of all that are baptized Wée sée then what God requireth at our hands that when wee are little ones euen in our infancy for then wee are baptized wee sacrifice our soules and bodies to the seruice of our God for the Lord looketh for the Alpha of our liues as well as the O megâ— for praise euen out of the mouth of Babes and sucklings All therefore that are baptized and yet deserre their repentance here are iustly reprehended It was Saint Augustines fault before his conuersion Ignosce pater ignosce pardon me O Lord pardon At noli modo but not now let mee sinne in my youth and pardon mee in mine age But let such persons beware of a double danger Suddaine death Hardnesse of heart Life is vncertaine who knowes it not Let vs therefore with the wise Virgins bee alwayes surnisht with the candle of faith and the oyle of loue in the Lampes of our soules that so we be not excluded the bride-chamber of glory Againe let all such desperate wretches know that custome in sinne hardens the heart of a sinner Qui non est bodie câ—as nâ—nus aptus eâ—â—t He that is not sit for repenâ—ance to day will be lesse to 〈…〉 euen as a ruinous house the longer it is let runne the more it will aske to repayre and as a nayle the more blowes a man gines it the harder will it be to pull out Let vs therefore while it is said to day resolue perfect obedience to our God while the Lord speaketh make him speedy answere Let there bee an eccho resounding in the thickets of our hearts as was in the heart of Dauid Psal 27. 8. Seeke ye my face thy Psal 2â—â— face Lord will I seeke that hauing regarded the Lord and his seruice in time the Lord may reward vs with his blessed fauour not for a time but for euer Thus much for Christs immediate action after Baptisme Thirdly Gods of Christs miraculous approbation testified by two by Vision by Voyce By Vision two wayes by the heauens appertion by the Spirits descension First by the heauens appertion And behold the heauens were opened Text. to him Behold Ecce loe This word is vsed in holy Writ 600. times a word euer placed before matters of great waight and moment whervpon Bernard calls it notam stelliferam a starry note pointing out extraordinary matters reuealed as the Star pointed out Christ to the Wisemen and stood ouer the house where he lay Sometimes placed before Gods inexpressible merctes as Esay 7. 14 Behold a Virgin shall conceine and Esay 7. beare a Sonne and his name shall bee called IMMANVEL Sometimes before his invtterable iudgements as Amos 8. Behold I will bring a famine vpon you not a famine of bread or of wine which of outward deaths I know none worse then staruing to death but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord and ye shall goe from sea to sea and coast to coast as little account as you make of Sermons now and shall not finde it The exposition of this word you may finde by comparing Math. the 6. Math. 6. Luke 12 with Luke 12. for S. Mathew speaking of GODS prouidence for the Fowles of the ayre vseth the word Behold Behold the Fowles of the ayre Saint Luke speaking of the selfesame subiect vseth the word Consider Consider the Rauens c So that Behold is as much as Consider or seriously perpend what it is that shal be spoken The vse of this word is to stirre vp auditories diligently to attend to those things that make for Gods glory and the euerlasting peace of their owne soules The heauens were opened to him Text. The heauens haue béene opened to many as you may reade in the Scriptures of God 1. To Steuen martyred Act. 7. 56. Act. 7. 56. 2. To Peter in prayer deuoted Acts. 10. 3. To Christ transfigured Math. 17. 5. 4. To Christ ascended Acts 1. 9. 5. To Christ here baptized And when Iesus was baptized behold the heauens were opened to him By the heauens apertion many times is vnderstood the manifestation of the glory of God but héere it doth signifie visibilis coeli scissuraâ— ita vt Iohannes perspicere potuit aliquid planetis austris superius the diuision of the visible heauens whereby Iohn saw somthing higher than the Planets and Starres and therfore