heauen which shall be immutable and without chaunge and without swaruing For then shal we do nothing but that which good is and that with a constant minde alwaies to perseuere and to continue in laâ—ding and praising God and dooing his will as now the Angels of heauen doo And this may suffice concerning Freewill both that we may know what power of Fréewil was giuen to man in his first creation and also what is to be thought and how we ought to be perswaded of it When by mans Fréewill he came to his downefall then he proued Gods word to be true Thou shalt die the death whereas before he was in the state of life and immortalitie For he was created immortall with this condition if he had continued in Gods obedience but being wilfull and carelesse he came to his death and was in the way to hell when he thought to climbe vp into heauen When he was immortall he knew not what it meant but when through his follie hee perceiued his dayes to bee shortened he wondred at the one and gréeued to remember the other The estate of immortalitie wherein our first parentes were created was nothing else but a continuance and endurance of life and a freedome from death And although it be now vsuall and common and nothing more common then for euerie one of vs to die yet at the first it was not so If our first parents had obeied they had neuer suffered death but when they gaue themselues to sin and to deceitfull vanities then they knew themselues to be mortall and then death came vpon them As we read Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death but euerlasting life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And in the first Chapter of the same Epistle verse 12. As by one man meaning Adam the first man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned so that the cause and only cause of death is sinne And because the best sort of men and women are sinfull though not in that degrée and in that measure as the wicked and vngodly are yet because euen they also haue procured the wrath of God through their sinne they must néedes vndertake the punishment of sinne which is death But there is a great difference to bee considered off For death to the godly is life and happie are they that are deliuered out of this miserable and wretched world For they knowe that while they are here they are absent from God that is from the enioying of his presence And againe they know that if their earthly house their bodies of dust and claie be destroyed they shall haue a building giuen of GOD that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens For therefore they sigh desiring to be cloathed with their house which is from heauen that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of life and their earthly mansion chaunged for an euerlasting habitation In the godly there is a great desire of death what moueth them hereunto Euen this that they may enioy immortalitie and be made partakers of that part of the image of God which by the meanes of sinne they were depriued off and put from But as for the vngodly it is nothing so with them For they tremble and shake at the remembrance of death as we reade of Naball who when his wife tolde him heauie newes which was toward him his hart died within him The sea men when they are tossed vp and down with the waues of the sea and néer to be cast away their ship drowned their soule melteth within them so the wicked their hart dieth within them al the parts of their body quake their soules within ar sore vexed miserably tormented with yâ— present forethought as it were feeling of yâ— euerlasting death and those endlesse torments which they shall endure And this moueth them in a wonderful secret sort to that feare they are in that they know by death they shal be taken from all their ioy and that they shall passe from this short life which they haue here in this world to death and from this light death which is no more but a seperation of the soule from the bodie to a second death which is euerlasting death And from death to these torments which are the worme of a continuall guiltie conscience the wrath of God increasing their punishment from time to time the restlesse crueltie of the diuell and hellish spirits to punish them where there shal be nothing else but wringing of hands weeping and gnashing of teeth Felix the gouernour shooke and trembled when he heard Paule disputing of righteousnesse and temperaunce and of other waightie matters as of death the resurrection and of the iudgement to come and willed him to depart out of his presence Much like to king Belshazzar who when he sawe a hand writing vpon the wall wherby was declared the end of his kingdome and the ende of his life his countenance chaunged his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his loines were looced and his knees smote one against the other The feare of death is in them as it was in king Saul 1. Sam. 28. 20 who when he was tolde howe neare his death did approach he was sore affraied his soule fainted within him and he fell along on the earth neither was there any strength in him he refused meate and would not be comforted because through the sorrow of his death he had a taste of the death and torments which were to come The cause why we lost this benefit of immortalitie is sin and disobedience which brought vs to our death and to our last home The difference of death betwixt the godly and the wicked is this the one sort is greatly desirous to die the other are greatly affraied of death That man was created vnto immortalitie we may perceiue in that one part of man neuer dieth which is his soule Furthermore the bodie also shall receiue immortalitie at the day of resurrection when the generall iudgement shall be and when all flesh by the sound of a Trumpet shal be summoned togither from the foure quarters of the earth Then the bodies of all that haue bene departed from the beginning of the world togither with them that shall die vnto the end of the world being raised vp shal be ioyned vnto their soules and both shal be immortall and shall liue for euer either to receiue ioyes and euerlasting blisse or torments which shal neuer haue end The one sort to liue with God and his Angels the other sort with the diuel and the fiends of hell Which immortalitie of the bodie is confirmed by that of the Apostle writing to the Corinthians 1. Cor 15. 52. 53. In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpet shall the dead be raised vp incorruptible and we shall bee chaunged For this corruptible must
put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie and then shall death bee swallowed vp in victorie death shall bee vtterly vanquished neither shall it haue any further power Two men we reade of in the scriptures that were partakers of this benefit of immortalitie and fréedome from death and these two were taken from the earth into heauen without any seperation of soule bodie neither did they suffer death according to the vsuall course of men The names of these men were Enoch and Eliah Of Enoch we reade Gen. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God that is he pleased God and he was no more séene for god tooke him away and he was translated and carried vp into heauen Eccle. 44. 14. Vpon the earth was no man like Enoch and therefore was he taken vp from the earth for an example chap. 4. 16. to the generations of men that shall come Yet we may reade of him more plainly Hebr. 11. 5. By faith was Enoch taken away that he should not sée death neither was he founde for God had taken him away For before hée was taken away he was reported of that he had pleased god Of Eliah we shall reade 2. Kin. 2. 11. And as Eliah and Elisha went walking and talking togither behold there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and did seperate them twaine So Eliah went vp by a whirle winde into heauen And for the better proofe hereof it followeth in the same Chapter that certain children of the Prophets which were at Iericho desired of Elisha that they might send to finde him out And said vnto him Beholde now there be with thy seruaunts fiftie strong men let them goe wee pray thee and seeke thy maister if so bee the spirite of the Lorde hath taken him vp and cast him vppon some mountaine or into some valley But he answered them yée shall not send yet they were instant vpon him till he was ashamed wherefore he saide Sende So they sent fiftie men whiche sought thrée daies but founde him not Which two examples doo sufficienly declare in what estate man had bene being frée from death if he had pleased God For as among men they were the most righteous so passed they into heauen after an extraordinary and most happie sort to shewe there was a better life prepared and also to bee a testimony of the immortalitie of soules and bodies Who were taken from the earth into the heauen that after this life they might liue with God enioying all happinesse How mankinde was created immortall and frée from Gouernment ouer all Gods creatures death ye haue heard and now it remaineth that I should shewe vnto you what authoritie and priuiledge in respect of the gouernment of beastes God gaue vnto man and in what sort After that God had made all his creatures he brought them vnto man to sée how he would call them and as he called them so were their names Furthermore God had planted in the beastes a kinde of reuerent feare and dutifull seruice toward man In respect whereof the Prophet Dauid doth greatly extoll Gods goodnesse in that he did not only indue the soule of man with heauenly qualities but also in that he gaue him the dominion ouer al the workes of his hands Psal 8. What is man saith he that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels to crowne him with glory and worship Thou madest him to haue dominion of the workes of thy hands and thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feet All sheep oxen yea and the beasts of the field the soules of the aire and the fishes of the sea and whatsoeuer walketh through the pathes of the seas Among the rest of the fishes of the sea I reade this of the Dolphine Fishes according to their first creation saith the Authour at the sight of man acknowledge his dominion ouer them And the Dolphine though he be a most regall and princely fish yet when he seeth man come neare him he sheweth reuerence as to his Lord. But as after mans fall and his disobedience to God the earth became vnfrutefull for mans cause so also are all other creatures disobient to man euen to this day Yet as they of all others are partakers of immortalitie that come nearest to the Image of God in all true holinesse and vnfeined righteousnesse so especially vnto them is the rule and gouernment graunted ouer beastes But they that are quite contrarie disposed and enemies vnto God in their sinfull liues and behauiour the beastes and all other creatures haue rather rule and gouernment ouer them and as it were a power to set themselues against them and to ouermaster them For God doth sometimes punish men by the rage of beastes who herein are at Gods commandement and are readie to execute his will and pleasure The fiercest and cruellest creatures that euer god made haue had no power ouer the godly as we may reade in the histories of the bible but rather they haue had a reuerent estimation of them as it were acknowledging the image of god in them No beast so fierce as a lion to deuour a man and therefore in the Epistle of S. Peter the diuell is fitly compared vnto a roaring lion séeking whome he may deuoure Yet Daniel being cast into the lions denne they doo not only not offer to touche him but also sit by him as though they had him in reuerence and were set to guard and kéepe him A Viper is a moste hurtfull venemous and deadly Worme muche after the order of blind wormes stinging adders and where the worme lieth it procureth death Yet we reade Act. 28. that when the Apostle S. Paul and his company were greatly refreshed of the Barbarians at Melita and S. Paul had gathered a nomber of sticks and laid them on the fire there came a viper out of the heate and leapt on his hand Now when the Barbarians sawe the worme hang on his hand they said among themselues Surely this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the sea yet vengeance hath not suffered to liue But he shooke off the worme into the fire and felt no harme Howbeit they waited when hee should haue swolne or falne downe dead sodainly But after they had looked a great while and sawe no inconuenience come vnto him they chaunged their mindes and said That he was a god This holy and godly man shooke off the worme into the fire and felt no harme Wis 16. 10. The téeth of the venemous dragons could not ouercome them that feared god among the children of Israel For gods mercy came to helpe them and healed them It was neither hearbe nor plaister saith the wise man that healed them but thy word O Lord which healeth all things According as Christ promised to his Disciples Mat. 16. that they should haue power not only ouer venemous beasts but ouer
the iniuring and oppressing of our neighbours to do good to all and by little and little it draweth vs not onely to the loue thereof but euen with an earnest purpose of mind we are therby wonne to take that way that leadeth to euerlasting life For it mortifieth our sinfull desires by shewing vs the It mortifieth sinfull desires bitter punishments that remaine and that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of God that are led by them Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies for the wages of sin is death that is the euerlasting death of bodie soule Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God God is not mocked for what we sowe that shall we reape for he that soweth to his flesh and followeth his fleshly desires shall therehence reape corruption and woe but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting For we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill And blessed are they that doo his commandements that their right may be in the trée of life and may enter in through the gates into y◠Citie For without shall bedogs inchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies Finally to whom it shall be said Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuel and his angels It abateth and restraineth sin within vs as we reade Psal It worketh bettering 119. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Through the reading of thy word I got vnderstanding therefore I hate all wicked waies Yea they that are godly minded and painful and diligent in searching the scriptures with a desire by Gods grace to profit by them they for the most part bring foorth such plentifull good fruit to godward and such an vpright conuersation to the world that in their faith beliefe to God and in their life to men they séeme in a maner blamelesse without fault although indéed while we liue in this world we are compassed with many infirmities and greatly pressed with the burthen of our sinnes which doo so hang and cleaue so fast vnto vs. By the reading whereof and the working of Gods good spirit in our hearts and consciences and in our liues and conuersation wee beginne to bee altered and chaunged into that which wee reade And we become daily lesse and lesse proude lesse wrathfull lesse couetous and lesse desirous of worldly and vaine pleasures And daily forsaking our olde vicious life we encrease in vertue more and more Well therefore may the word of God Iames 1. 21. be called a sauing word which is able thus to saue vs by bringing vs in hate of sinne and bréeding in vs the loue of God and all goodnesse So that we may say with the Prophet Dauid Thy word is the verie ioy of my heart It teacheth vs to be heauenly minded and to prepare our selues to heauen by setting the vanities of the world Prepareth vs vnto heauen before our eyes and the ende of the worlde and howe we should watch against that time that we be not condemned with the world Loue not the world saith Saint Iohn nor the things that are in the word For the loue of the worlde driueth out the loue of God but he that regardeth the word of God and fulfilleth his will abideth in GOD for euer whereas the world and all the vanities thereof doo perish and fade away 2. Pet. 3. 10. 11. The day of the Lord meaning thereby the latter day will come as a théefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyce and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Séeing therefore that all these things must be dissolued what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines being prepared to heauen and heauenly minded Take heed to your selues watch and pray continually that ye may escape those things that shall fall on the world and that ye may stand before the sonne of man not tremblingly but with great ioy and comfort Aduersitie misery crosses and troubles through griefe VVorketh patience in all worldly miserie◠and thought cast many away but they that are practised in reading the word of God know that there is nothing more auaileable to lift vp our hearts to Godward and to settle our mindes there whereas true ioyes are to be found then is the reading of the word of God Many fret and fume and vexe themselues when losse of goods and friends and other such worldly helpes doo ouertake them but the word of God doth bréede a quiet and contented mind as to say with Iob Naked came I into the world and naked shall I go out The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord And to say with the Apostle Saint Paule Phil. 4. 11. 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content and I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be ful to be hungry and to abound and to haue want all which I am able to do through the helpe of Christ which strengthen me Godlines is great riches and a contented minde passeth all resoluing with our selues according to the direction of Gods word that God worketh all for the best to them that loue and feare him That which doth ouerthrow some and cast them in their graues through the fault of their owne impatient minds worketh wonderously in other some which haue recourse and séeke counsell in Gods word as to ioyne them vnto God and to bring them out of the loue of the world and all the vanities thereof And as he wisheth to the Colos so let vs desire that we may be strengthened through his glorious power vnto al patience with ioyfulnes giuing thanks vnto the father who hath requited all griefs and troubles all losses all miseries with a farre greater recompence in this that he hath made vs méete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light As the word of God doth strengthen vs in all worldly Maketh vs indure persecution death it selfe miseries to take all things with a contented and patient minde so euen in the losse of our liues for the defence of a good cause and Gods truth it moketh vs ioyfull and excéeding glad As some when they were whipped and scourged for the profession of Christ endured it with ioyfull mindes and praising God that they were counted worthie to suffer for his truth Reioycing in
sathan vnder their féete For this From whence is victory in this fight victory is in Christ and therefore S. Paul with a gladsome voice breaketh out I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Who indéed is sufficient wel able to endue vs with that strength that we may valiantly ouercome the assaults Armour of proofe and firy darts of satan For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds principalities and powers euen the prince of darkenesse of this world and al spiritual wickednes which is in high places as it were on the higher ground and hath maruellous vantage ouer vs. Wherefore we ought to be more héedfull We ought to watch and be diligent and diligent alwaies and watchfull that the enemy take vs not at vnawares séeing not only our enemies without vs are very strong but also our owne flesh is ready to betraie vs and to take armour against vs. And who knoweth not how hard a thing it is to behaue himselfe wisely and warily in a ciuill warre Wherein although wee knowe not which part shall haue the vpper hand yet to fight with an expert and renowned Captaine it séemeth vnto vs that the victorie is written in our handes yea and our hearts are fully perswaded and reioyce in hope thereof In this fight we cannot want a wise and expert Captaine whiche hath borne the brunts of this warre and ouercome the daunger by a greater force from aboue then euer was séene to be in man Whose The best coūsel in this fight is continually to resist sinne and to meditate and practise mortification counsell is that by all meanes continually wee resist sinne giuing vs to knowe and vnderstande that hée that obeyeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne vnto death But wée are neither seruants nor debters vnto the flesh to liue after the flesh for if wée liue after the fleshe wee shall die for euer but if wée mortifie and kill the déedes of the bodie by the spirite wee shall liue If wee desire to beare about vs the dying of our Lord Iesus Christ the life of Iesus shal be made manifest in our bodies euen in our mortal flesh We are baptised in Christ euen into his death that as he was raised vp from the dead to the glory of thy father so we should walke in newnesse of life that our olde man being crucified the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sin in that we are dead thereunto Therefore because our life is hid with Christ in God let vs set our affections on those things which are aboue and let vs mortifie our members which are on the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinat affections euill concupiscence couetousnesse which is idolatry As the victory ouer sin consisteth in the mortification of our sinfull flesh So the way to happinesse is viuification and holinesse of life togither with all those workes of the flesh which the Apostle nameth Galat. 5. 19. 22. or elsewhere yea and all those which are contrary to the wholsom doctrine of Christ knowing that the wrath of God commeth vppon the children of disobedience and that the end of sinne is death and that the frute of holinesse and the end therof is euerlasting life for the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Thinke ye therefore that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lorde whome God hath raised vp and sent to blesse vs in turning euery one of vs from our iniquities that we might walke in the spirit and in all godlinesse of life whereby we may auoyd the lusts of the flesh and walke worthie of that vocation whereunto we are called being followers of God as deare children approuing that which is pleasing vnto the Lord By all meanes auoiding the fellowship of the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse and that as children of light we may fulfill the workes and bring forth the frutes of light and of the spirit in all godlinesse righteousnesse and truth hauing peace in our conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost to godward through Christ giuing thankes alwaies with spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in our hearts Now seeing we By this sanctification we are inabled to performe our dutie to are in Christ let vs be as new creatures for olde things are passed away behold all things are become new For whereas before we were haters of God and maliciously set against him now through his mercy who hath written his lawes in our harts and giuen vs a hart of flesh through the grace which we haue in Christ we are readie and willing to loue God to feare him and to kéepe his commaundements God whereby he dwelleth in vs and we in him ready to acknowledge him to be the giuer of all good thinges readie to giue him thankes for all his benefites readie in all necessities and agréeuances to pray vnto him and to séeke helpe at his hands to put our trust only in him Yea the image of God in a measure is renued and restored in vs that we might walke in newnesse of life because he is holy And as our life and conuersation is renewed to the glory of God so is it also profitable to the furtherance of our neighbour whome in all charitable order we are as Our neighbour willing to helpe as our selues being mercifull humble long suffering forbearing one an other forgiuing one an other as Christ forgaue vs. Prouiding for the necessities of one an other as Christ is plenteous toward vs in all good things hartily louing one an other laying aside all filthinesse not only for the loue of God and hatred of sinne but also for feare of offence least our brethren by our example should be drawne to euill Dealing in all simplicitie in that the old man is put off with his workes putting away all hatefull and cursed speaking for that the gospell and doctrine of Christianitie is in all kindnesse and brotherly loue which is euen the full accomplishment of the law submitting our selues one to another in the feare of the Lord. Having the peace of God ruling in our hearts the word of Yea we are instructed how to behaue our selues in all wisedome God plenteously dwelling in vs in all wisedome procuring all things honestly in the sight of God men hauing peace as much as in vs lieth with all men vsing this worlde as though we vsed it not neither being too much axalted in prosperitie nor cast downe in aduersitie but as the children of God we commit our waies vnto him yéeld our selues to the direction of his holy spirit in all obedience depend vpon his prouidence trust in his promises waite patiently for the day of reuelation the comming of Christ endure and perseuere vnto the end Yea we are mortified in the body because of sinne hauing our
from the secrete and malicious conspiracies treasons and trecheries of vnnaturall subiects and from the sauage cruelties of forraine foes doo giue sufficient cause not only to vs but euen to the enemie also to say That there is no God that can deliuer after this sorte but onely the Almightie that hath established her All these benefites O Lorde wée confesse doo procéede from thy goodnesse and from thy mercy toward vs. To thée belongeth praise and honour and power but to vs shame and confusion Yet grant vnto vs good Lord that we may both receiue these thy benifits thankfully and that we may performe our duties accordingly Increase her daies continue her gouernment defend her from her enemies keepe her in thy feare and after this life grant her all happinesse euen to rule and raigne with thée for euer among the blessed soules Grant also to vs that we may haue the benifit of thy truth and Gospell long among vs and that thy blessings of peace and prosperitie may be séene in this land So shall we be bound more and more to praise and magnifie thy name for thy great and infinit goodnesse towards vs For her Maiesrie and for vs thy seruants and her faithful subiects thus we conclude our praiers O Lord blesse and kéep vs O Lord make thy face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs O Lord lift thou vp thy countenance vpon vs and giue vs thy peace All which benifits and blessings we begge of thée O heauenly Father for Iesus Christ his sake in that forme of prater which he himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. A secret Meditation to God before the deliuery of the word LEt the words of my mouth O Lord and the meditation of my heart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight Set thou a watch before my mouth and so kéepe the doore of my lippes that speaking before this congregation assembled here in thy holy name I may specially intreat of those things which tend to thy glory the good of thy Church the discharge of my dutie the comfort of the afflicted conscience the euerthrow of sinne and the aduauncement of vertue through Iesus Christ our Lord. So be it I. D. A publque forme of Praier O Most mightie God most gracious and mercifull father we stand before thy maiestie defiled with the filthinesse of many and most gréeuous sinnes whereof we confesse we are not able to answere thée one of a thousand if thou O Lord shouldst enter into iudgement with vs. For in sinne were we conceaued and borne and therefore are guiltie of originall corruption and in sinne haue we liued and continued and therefore stand guiltie of actuall transgression which hath broken foorth vppon vs in thought word and déede from time to time continually euen vnto this present Wherefore we humbly craue thy mercy and the grace of forgiuenesse in Iesus Christ for therein we confesse standeth the only hope of our comfort and welfare And forasmuch as it hath pleased thée to giue thine owne sonne to be a flaine sacrifice for our sinnes and to offer the grace of reconciliation by the preaching of the Gospell to all them that repent and beléeue the same good Lord we beséech thée vouchsafe to make vs of that blessed number worke true repentance in our hearts increase our faith and giue vs grare to bring foorth the frutes thereof that so it may appeare that we haue not receiued thy holy grace in vaine And for this purpose good Lord we beséech thee blesse the Ministery of thy word at this present gius me grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken sincerely and boldly giue grace to this people to he are it attentiuely and reuerently giue grace to vs all to beléeue it stedfastly to follow it obediently and constantly to continue euen to the end That seruing thée faithfully in this life we may liue and raigne with thée for euer in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Praier which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lord God which hast left vnto vs thy holy word to be a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holy spirite that out of the same word we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An excellent speech of M. Deering a little before his death whereby thou maist clearly see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all such as painfully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bedde and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face and thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Saâ—ob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there â—â—â—o saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ And we haue all néed of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I féele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather choose a thousand times séeing God hath appointed the seperation the sentence of death then the sentence of life Soli Deo laus gloria gratia IN euery Sermon for the most part these points are to be vsed The declaration of the order of the text by opening the circumstances The diuision The doctrine The confutation The vse and application Exhortation or reprehension or both The Conclusion wherin the chéefest matters must be remembred and briefly collected that the auditorie may the better kéepe and carry away those things which are necessary and for their vse All which although I haue not vsed I haue left the matter to the discretion of them that shall haue knowledge better to handle their matters then I haue handled mine Let thy text be applied to thy auditorie and haue care to vtter those thinges that are most waightie to be touched and of thy auditorie to be remembred Be circumspect wise and discréete Endeuour to be briefe and pithie There is an other Methode as profitable which Maister Vdall vseth in his Commentary vpon the Lamentations of Ieremy Consisting on these thrée points the Doctrine Reason Vse Some only learne for knowledge sake but that is curiositie And some for praise great paines do take but that is foolish vanitie Some learne for gaine but lightly those do leaue the text and vse the gloze But learning ioynd with vertues lore doth leade to Christianitie The glory of God and people taught the way is to eternitie To the Right Worshipfull and one
and an heauie yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they go out of their mothers wombe til the day they returne to the mother of all things Namely their thoughtes and feare of the heart and the imagination of the thinges they waite for and the day of death From him that fitteth vpon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes Wrath and enuy trouble and vnquietnes and feare of death rigor and strife And in the time of rest the sléepe in the night vpon his bed change his knowledge A little or nothing is his rest afterward in sléeping he is as in a watch-tower in the day He is troubled with the visions of his heart as one that runneth out of a battell And when all is safe he awaketh and maruelleth that the feare was nothing Such things come vnto all flesh but seuenfold to the vngodly There is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked Yea though they séeke peace and rest by many meanes indeuour to cast al troublesome feare from them now by instruments of musicke now by merrinesse of company now by diuersitle of repastes and pastimes nowe by drinking of wine and banquetting yea though they shoote out feare as by a double canon and séeme to remooue all disquietnesse farre from them and as it were send it into banishment yet it reconcileth and furneth backe vppon them So that in their mirth there is sorrowe in their laughter there is griefe and in their ioy there is heauinesse which vexeth their heartes continually This toucheth the inward sorrowe of their heartes and mindes and as for any outward sorrow they had rather be cut off by present death then to indure it King Zedekiah being told by the Prophet Ieremie that if hée went into captiuitie and would endure some sorrowe he should saue his life the thought of sorrow was so intollerable vnto him that he had rather suffer present death then to abide the least taste thereof Iere. 8. 3. And death saith the Prophet shall rather be desired then life of all the residue that remaineth of this wicked familie because of the afflictions that God would send vpon them Furthermore their sorrowes are expressed in the scripture by this word Woe Christ saith to the godly Ye shall VVoe weepe and lament but hee saith not vnto them any where Woe be vnto you And I beheld saith S Iohn in his Reu. 8. 13. and heard an angel flying through the midst of heauen saying with a loud voice Woe woe woe vnto the inhabitanies of the earth Which he said not concerning the good and godly who as he saith were sealed in their foreheades and whose names were written in the booke of life but of the wicked world whose sorrowes should be mightily increased Blessed are ye saith Christ when men reuile ye and speake euill of ye for my names sake But vnto them of the world he saith Woe bee vnto you when all men speake well of you That is because they fauour the wicked of the world and goe after the world and séeke friendship of the world therefore the friendship of the world departeth from them So true is that which Saint Iames saith The amitie of the world is the enmitie of God Woe bee to you that now laugh for you shall waile and weepe The wéeping of the godly is with comfort but the world and the wicked wéep without hope thinking of Gods iudgements to come which driue them to dispaire because they are fully perswaded the wofull and euerlasting wéeping and gnashing of téeth shall come vppon them and shall be their portion The Prophet Esay 24. speaketh of them of his time The mirth of the world is gone away because they did not vse Gods benefits aright And after a while the liues of the world went away Then what a sorrow is it to leaue their lusts and their pleasures to leaue the world their friends their wife and children their lands and possessions And yet behold this is but the beginning of their sorrowes In the midst of all their iolitie the very thought of death doth strike such a dumpe into their mindes that makes their excessiue ioy to vanish into woâ—ull sorrow and mourning Oh how bitter is the remembrance of death to him that liueth at rest in his possessions that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things When the sorrowe of death commeth in place all our ioyes are gone which endured but for a moment of time and were as a thing of nothing but the thing is farre worse For after these ioyes come sorrowes and neuer ioy againe And this is one of the â—â—â—fest sorrowes of worldly minded men whose minds and hearts had neuer any taste and féeling of heauen and heauenly ioyes that when death beginnes to looke them in the face whom they would auoyd if possibly they could this I say is their sorrow that they shall depart from their earthly happinesse that they shall neuer sée the face of their ioyes pleasures and vanities any more The paine of the bodie the feare of death the sight of thildren the weeping of the wife the flattery of the world the temptation of the diuell the dissembling phisitian who for gaine dooth put him in hope of life Sée how his ioyes are turned into sorrow and yet this is but the beginning of his sorrow For at the point of death these worldly griefes doo not so much vexe his minde as the fearefull remembraunce of an euill life past the day of iudgement and that they shall be called to an account the ougly sight of hell in their consciences and the intollerable paines and torments which they shall hereafter suffer The sorrow of these things at the very instant of their death dooth ouercome the griefe of their disease and all other sorrowes yea and hasteneth on their death which otherwise might be prolonged Whereas the godly as it is in the Psal 142. reioyce and sing loud in their beds hauing a quiet conscience and that they shal passe vnto vnspeakable ioyes from this vale of misery and troublesome persecuting world Greatly reioycing that neither sinne nor sathan nor hell nor the torments thereof shall preuaile against them shall touch them or come néere them to hurt them So much for the sorrow of the worldly which may be some ioy to the godly to ease their heart to sée and know that the world hath also sorrowe to soure their ioyes withall These two matters of the ioy of the godly and the sorrow of the wicked may séeme impertinent for this text which may be read or passed ouer at thy discretion 3. The third part of this text is taken out of these words But your sorrow shal be turned into ioy Which words containe a remedie full of all comfort and may be diuided into two parts A proposition Your sorrow shal be turned into ioy Secondly a coÌ„firmation by way of illustration drawne from a
matters should we be euer a whit the better in that we doo not vnderstand them Suppose they come into our Churches and preach vnto vs Gods word to what end are all their spéeches Among the plagues and punishments that God threateneth vnto his people for their disobedience this is not the least that they should go into captiuitie to such a nation whose language they should not vnderstand In the lawe it is written by men of othâ—r tongues and by other languages will I speake vnto this people yet so shall they not heare me saith the Lord. So that a straunge tongue which we vnderstand not is a signe vnto vs of Gods curse and punishment which he laieth on vs. Moreouer we are to vnderstand that it is the principall pollicie and secret mischéeueus working of the â—â—â—â—ll to hide the Gospel and word of God from vs who desireth nothing more then to seperate vs from God who desireth nothing more then our vtter ouerthrow and vndoing And to bring about this his pollicie and mischéeuous working he hath his ministers euen deceitfull workmen which thus teach that the word of God ought not to be read in a knowne tongue vnto the people Which indéed is the onely way to kéepe them in Idolatry and superstition when they know not the truth of Gods word and pure religion And while they perswade the people that ignorance is the mother of deuotion that the lesse they know the more deuout they are this is rather a furtherance to their damnation because they know not God and the way to saluation For as the extreame want of bodily foode procureth death to the bodie so the extreame want of spirituall foode that is of Gods word procureth death to the soule It is méet say they that the scripture should be set downe in an vnknowne tongue least some in reading peruert them vnto their owne damnation Which is not a sufficient reason to deny others the reading thereof as if we should neuer vse wine because some by abusing it haue falne into drunkennesse or neuer take a weapon in hand to defend our selues because many haue bene killed thereby But this reason of theirs is but a deuice of mans braine and hath no warrant from Gods word but is rather contrary vnto it And herehence also ariseth an other argument of theirs that because it is said The priests lips should kéep knowledge therefore it is not for euery one to search the scriptures Indéed it behoueth the Minister to be learned that the people may be resolued of their doubts by him yet neuerthelesse there is no estate of people debarred from the reading the scriptures For as God would haue euery man to come to the knowledge of his will so he willeth and commandeth euery one to search the scriptures no estate no calling excepted Otherwise if none but the priest and minister be to reade the scriptures as they are men so vnder the colour and pretence of Gods word they may put forth their own deuices and their own imaginations An other reason of theirs is this Pearls are not to be cast before swine comparing the word of God as it is indéed a most precious treasure and as much to vs as our soules are worth because it is the meane to win soules comparing it to a pearle and the laie people for whome Christ died and shead his blood to procure them saluation and euerlasting life to compare theÌ„ to swine Which spéech of theirs because it is vngodly vncharitable and vnchrististian I leaue it to the iudgement of others as not worthie of any answere God forbid that the laie people although they are vnlearned if they be so godly disposed and God do moue their hearts therunto as to séeke the comfort of their soules by reading of the scriptures and word of God God forbid that they should bee debarred from the reading and benefit thereof But euen as the Eunuch spoken of in the Acts of the Apostles being but a laie man and yet the chief gouernour to a Quéene although he were vnlearned did yet for all that reade the scriptures and could not vnderstand them to the full so may we according to his example although our capacitie be so weake that we cannot vnderstand them giue our selues to the reading of the scriptures For as God sent vnto him a teacher Philip by name into his charet vnaware to him as he was in his iourney and reading the scripture so we know not what helpes it may please God to grant vs that are desirous to read his word that thereby we may know his will and be edified and instructed to our soules comfort And séeing we haue that blessing that many a land hath not I meane to haue the scripture in our owne mother tongue how shall we excuse our selues before God if we bee not diligent and painefull to reade The other mightie hinderance whereby we debarre The second hinderance is that they say the word of God is too hard to be vnderstood our selues from the reading of the word of God is that we thinke it is too hard to bee vnderstood Like the slothfull man which saith a lyon is in the way because hée is loth to worke Whither I will not I cannot goe and the propertie of an vnwilling seruant is to answere his arrant before hée bee sent Why should we giue foorth that the scripture is hard before wee reade it Whereas the spirite of God doeth set it downe that the word of God doth giue vnderstanding euen to the simplest comparing it to a lanterne and to a light which lightneth euery one that commeth vnto it For as without the light of the Sunne there is nothing but darkenesse on the earth so without the knowledge of the word of GOD there is nothing but ignorance among men And this is a wonderfull disproofe of them that stand in this doubt thinking it to bee too hard for them being of a simple vnderstanding and that therefore the Doctors and learned men should reade the word euen this disproueth their opinion that heauenly matters are often hid from them that are learned when contrariwise it pleaseth God to open the eyes of the simple and to giue them vnderstanding Else how should it be true that Christ saith I giue thee thankes ô father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and hast opened them vnto babes euen so ô Lord because it was thy good will and pleasure If our Gospell be hâ—d saith the Apostle it is hid to them that are lost and if the word of God be hard to be vnderstood it is hard vnto the vnwilling and vnto vnbeléeuers and such as are blinded of their owne accord Which difficultie and hardnesse of vnderstanding commeth not to passe through the word of God which is euident and plaine to them whose eyes God openeth and whose hearts and mindes it pleaseth him to enlighten but through their default who either through
tribulation reioycing in persecution reioycing in torments reioycing in death because they haue bin so well learned in gods schoole in gods booke that the loue of God is throughly shed abroad in their harts by the inward secret and most heauenly working of his holy spirit Triumphing against the world and the cruelties thereof being fully perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing else shall be able to seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus We learne that we are the children and beloued of god and that we are heires euen the heires of god and fellow heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For the afflictions that may fall out vnto vs are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vnto vs and that we shall receiue in the kingdome of heauen If it were not so saith the Apostle we were of all men the most miserable if our hope were ended in this life and if that persecution had not a ioyfull recompence He that striueth not shall neuer be crowned and he that doth not take vp Christ his crosse euen to the death shall neuer come where he is To them that thus endure trouble and are thus hated reuiled and slaine of the world they know and are assured by gods word that there is a crowne reserued for them which the Lord shall giue them at that day dreadfull to others but ioyfull to them When it shall be said vnto them Come ye blessed enioy the kingdome prepared of my father for you from the beginning of the world Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue etrnall life And thus they do performe it It followeth in those words which I haue reade vnto They testifie of Christ you touching the effectuall reason that should moue vs to the reading of the scriptures And they are they which testifie of me In them ye thinke to haue euerlasting life because they direct vs vnto the knowledge of Christ wherein consisteth life According as he saith of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life To him saith the Apostle Act. 10. 43. giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beléeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This is life euerlasting saith the Euangelist S. Iohn 17. 3. that they know thée to be the onely very god and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ And thus the word of god doth testifie of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 3. 16. That God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne for the redemption of the world that whosoeur beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting They are they which testifie that I am the onely life to true repentant sinners to giue them ease and comfort that are swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed with heauie sorrowes and as it were vtterly cast away through griefe and distresse of minde for their sinnes According as the Apostle saith Christ came into the world to saue sinners Come vnto me saith Christ all ye that be heauily loaden with the burthen of your sinnes and I will ease you and I will refresh you For I came not to saue the righteous but to call the sinners to repentance They are they which testifie of his holie and vndefiled conception being conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of a virgine and so being without all blot of sin to the intent that we might be freed from our vncleannes which we draw from our parents being born in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie being defiled by originall sinne and naturall corruption which testifie of his life and conuersation that it was altogither vnrebukable blamelesse and that in euery point he fulfilled the law of God y◠his righteousnes perfect obediēce might be imputed vnto vs which are otherwise vnder the curse of the law that our sinne and disobedience might be couered and that we might not be called to account for the same which testifie that hée was condemned before an earthly iudge to acquite vs from the dreadfuil sentence of the heauenly iudge which testifie that in bodie soule he suffered gréeuous torments that the wrath of god might not take hold of vs which testifie of the wonderful worke of his resurrectiō of his triumphing ouer death sin hell and the diuel to make vs ioyful conquerers which testifie of his glorious ascention into heauen to giue vs assurance of y◠heauenly possession which he hath purchased for vs which testifie y◠he shal be y◠iudge of quick dead to giue vs euerlasting comfort which haue put our whole trust in him when all other vnbeléeuers wicked vngodly people shal stand in his presence with great horror séeing his comming shall bee to be reuenged of their vnbeliefe and contempt Finally in an other consideration we may say that they They bring vs to the knowledge of God our selues are they that testifie of him For first and principally they teach vs the knowledge of God Secondarily and consequently the knowledge of our selues The knowledge of the Almightie power of God in the creation of all things of his infinit wisdom in disposing them in their due order of his great goodnes in doing al these things for the vse and benefit of mankinde Indéed the creation of the world and all the creatures therein do bring vs to the knowledge of God and this is onely the scripture of the heathen people but yet this doth not shew vnto vs sufficiently how God is our God and our father in Iesus Christ which knowledge we do only attain by reading the word of God And this is the scripture of the Christians Through which knowledge of God in respect of Christ we learn that God hath entred into a couenant with all faithful people that he would be their God and that they should be his people And that therfore they ought to performe vnto god his due scruice which especially consisteth in these thrée points First to worship the true God and to detest all idolatry and false gods to make our praiers to God alone and religiously and deuoutly to serue him Secondly that the worship of God doth cōsist in spirituall matters as faith hope charitie obedience righteousnes holines innocency patiēce truth and all godlines Thirdly to improue accuse and condemne all wickednesse and sinne infidelitie desperation disobedience impatience lying hipocrisie hatred slaunder iniurie and wrongfull dealing vncleannesse lust gluttony and all other vngodlinesse and iniquitie Furthermore that God doth in mercy and fauour reward the good and according to his iustice punish the offendors and that therefore he hath prepared ioyes and torments after this life For our soules are such that they neuer die and our bodies shall rise again to be ioyned to our soules at the latter day In respect of which knowledge of God the scriptures do perswade vs so to liue in this world that
he staid not long there Let vs therfore satisfie our selues with the knowledge of Gods creatures if it be but in a measure be contented though we sée not all but by and in them that we doo know let vs praise honor him who in such comely bewtifull vnsearchable sort hath made all Timantes a cunning Painter taking in hand to expresse the sorow of Agamemnō for the death of his daughter Iphigenia perceiuing his skill wold not reach so far couered the prince his face with a vaile leauing his sorrow to be cōceiued by the mind of the beholders whose eyes in this respect he could not satisfie In like sort finding my self vnable to fulfill thy desire and to set downe the consideration of all Gods creatures thinke it good to leaue the rest to thy studie and labour and take that to be sufficient for this present purpose which I haue said vsing silence where much may be spared thy studie eased and minde delighted For breuitie bringeth attention and a long discourse tediousnes The learned Philosophers and searchers of gods works perceiuing the excellency of gods creatures and the bewtifull frame of the world gaue it a a name agréeable thereunto and called it Bewtie it selfe For if the works of men deserue great commendation and that the Carpenter in the frame of his house the Mason in his stoneworke the Painter in his pictures may excel how much more excellent and passing bewtifull shall the frame of the whole world be and the workmanship of euery creature made and ordeined and created of God Who as he is in all respects worthie praise so doubtlesse must the works be which procéed from him infinit incomprehensible only good only almightie only wise only excellent in whatsoeuer may be said to be his When the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ shewed VVhether to endure him the faire building of the Temple and the garnished worke Maruell ye at these things saith he The time shall come that there shall not be a stone left vpon a stone which shall not be throwne downe The Temple it selfe yea euen the bewtifull gate of the Temple shall come to hauocke and ruine There is nothing excellent in the world that is of long continuance and the world it self hath but his time and shall passe away as though it had neuer bene nor euer created not through the default of the workemanship but through their procurement for whose benefit it was made and created Shewe me the light which will not darken shewe me the flower which will not fade shewe me the frute which will not corrupt shewe me the garment which will not weare shewe me the strength which wil not weaken shewe me the bewtie which will not wither shewe me the time which will not passe and tell me if thou canst whether that the worlde bee of the continuance but of an houre The ende whereof is compared to the trauaile of a woman the comming of a théefe in the night the flashing of lightning sodaine and vnlooked for in a moment in the turning of a hand in the twinkling of an eye before a man can say what is done or what is towardes For as GOD said It repenteth mee that euer I made man so not long after he vttered his voyce to Noah and sayd An end is come He created man and he fell he made the world and it shall not alwayes endure Man was made out of the dust and to dust he shall returne the world was made of nothing and to nothing shall it vanish it shall ware olde as a garment and at length be consumed with fire The goodnesse of the Lorde is great in the continuance of the worlde and longer should the time be if the wickednesse of men did not abounde Which time if it were not shortned no flesh should be saued but for the Elects sake for the benefit of the good and godly the dayes of the world shall be cut off Let mee alone saith God to Moses that I may consume this people vtterly Now come many miseries losses extremities and plagues vppon the world but for the sin that is practised in the world Which doubtlesse will be the cause of the ende of the world and of the destruction of gods bewtiful frame fire and brimstone fell vpon Sodom and Gomorrha a part of the world wheras if it had pleased God it might haue lighted on all the world The windowes aboue and the depthes beneath were opened and the whole earth was ouerwhelmed with water A token of a greater iudgement and of a greater destruction when not a part of the earth shall bee consumed with fire but the whole earth yea euen the heauens also and the whole world it selfe The glorious Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of the heauen shall be shaken the earth shall be dissolued the sea and the waters shall roare And if the wordes of the Apostle Saint Peter bee true as without all peraduenture they are moste certaine because the spirite of God hath set them downe which cannot lie neither can be deceiued as the world of old perished being ouerflowne with water so the heauens and the earth which are now are kept by the power of God in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men This latter day the end of the world shall come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shal passe away with a noise and the elements shal melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therin shall be burnt vp Sin iniquitie and wickednes saith the wise man hath cast downe the thrones of the mightie and brought the earth to a wildernes and so it shal fal out the therby all things shal be brought to desolation and not only the earth but the whole world shal come to nothing Yet thrée daies and Niniue shal be destroied yet but a while and y◠a litle while and the time of the world shal be expired For the end of all things is at hand Plentifull Sodom bewtiful Gomorrha are defaced their beastly lustes and the abusing of Gods benefits was the cause Man should neuer haue died if he had neuer disobeied and the bewtie of the world should still haue continued if the inhabitants of the world had giuen no other cause But now all things tend to their decay the heauenly powers do faile in their operations and the hearbes haue not their former force and the Phisitian is driuen to vncertainties The bodie of man is not so perfect and healthfull as in the beginning but subiect to manifold diseases his time holdeth not out to hundreths as heretofore it hath done but fewe are his daies because his daies are euill Death to man destruction to the world yea all the creatures of the earth do grone vnder the burthen of that misterie whereunto they
quarrelling Let vs rather reuerence yâ— which passeth the reach and compasse of our wits and turne our mindes wholy to praise his mercy who by his onely grace hath saued vs when we deserued the like punishment and damnation and were no lesse sinners and wicked theÌ„ they The chief matters with places of Scripture for proofe God hath appointed a way to his infinit wisdome and to the execution of his predestination shutting vp al vnder disobadience sinne and vnbeleefe Gall. 3. 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beléeue Rom. 11. 32. God hath shut vp all in vnbeléefe that he might haue mercy vpon all that beléeue So that the way to the Godly to be partakers of mercy is to beleeue wherein we must vnderstand that faith is a gift of God peculiarly belonging to the elect and chosen children of God Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained vnto eternal life beléeued Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Titus 1. 1. Paule a seruant of God and an Apostle of Iesus Christ according to the faith of Gods elect which is proper and peculiar vnto them so that they that are partakers of faith may assure themselues yâ— they pertaine to god Philip. 1. 29. For vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not only ye should beléeue in him but also suffer for his sake Gal. 5. 22. The frute of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffring gentlenes goodnes faith Iohn 6. 65. No man can come vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my father As also they that doe not beleeue nor knowe God are iustly condemned 2. These 3. 2. Pray for vs that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men For all men haue not faith Mat. 13. 11. It is giuen vnto you saith Christ to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen For the gospell and meanes of saluation is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 2. Thes 2. 10. Ihon 12. 37. And though Iesus had done so many miracles before them yet beléeued they not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfiled c. Man created in innocency puritie and holinesse Gene. 1. 27. Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female And what vertuous and holy qualities were there which were not in the image of God according as it is at large set downe Ephe. 4. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes true holines and so forth to the end of the chapter Man fell not from God by constraint or necessitie but became seruant of sin through his owne will Gen. 3. 6. So the woman séeing that the trée was good for meat and that it was pleasant to the eies and a trée to be desired to get knowledge tooke of the frute thereof and did eate and gaue also to her husband with her and he did eate which thing was contrary to the commaundement of God and a penaltie of death set vpon them if they did eate as we reade chap. 2. 16. 17. And the Lord God commanded the man saying Thou shalt eate fréely of euery trée of the garden but as touching the trée of knowâ—edge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it For whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death By which fall and and disobedience he did binde and drawe the whole nature of man to sin and so consequently to the death of body and soule Ro. 7. 20. Nowe if I doe that I would not it is no more I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Ro. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned This fall of man came not by chaunce or fortune because the prouidence of God reacheth euen to the smallest matters Mat. 10. 29. 30. Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father yea and all the haires of your head are numbred Pro. 16. 33. The lot is cast into the lappe but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. What matter God hath so ordained to shewe his glory by mercy to the one and wrath to the other Ro. 9. 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe on vessell to honour and an other vnto dishonour What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power to be knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction And that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glorie Pet. 2. 6. 8. Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleueth therein shall not be ashamed A stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were eueÌ„ ordained Neither saluation nor damnation is the finall end of Gods counsaile but his owne glory Ro. 9. 17. For the scripture saith vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I stirred thée vp that I might shewe my power in thée and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth Pro. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill For ere the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was said vnto Rebecca their mother The elder shall serue the younger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Well in this cause may men pleade against God but it shall not preuaile Ro. 9. 19. 20. Thou wilt say then vnto me Why doth he yet complaine For who hath resisted his will But O maÌ„ who art thou which pleadest against God shal the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus But rather we ought to reuerence that which is past our reach and turne our minds wholly to praise god in his workes especially for his mercy toward vs. Ro. 11. 33. O the déepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! howe vn searchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Ps 107. 8. O that men would therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes and praise him for his wonderfull workes that he doeth for the children of men The fourth Chapter By what order God proceedeth to declare and
shall heare indéed but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainly sée and not perceiue o The Genena note vpon that place Whereby is declared that for the malice of man God will not immediately take away his word but he wil cause it to be preached to their condemnation when as they will not learne thereby to obey his will and be saued Hereby he exhorteth the Ministers to do their dutie and answereth to the wicked murmurers that through their owne malice their heart is hardened Mat. 13. 14. Act. 28. 26. Rom. 11. 8. Verse 10. Make the heart of his people fat make their eares heauy and shut their eies lest they sée with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstande with their hearts and conuert and he heale them And to bring this to passe he vseth partly their owne vile concupiscences to the which hee hath giuen them vp to be ruled and led by Rom. 1. 26. For this cause God gaue them vp to vile affections c. Sée more in that chap. And Esay 64. 7. And partly also the spirit of lies who keepeth them wrapt in his snares 2. Thess 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they may be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beléeue lies That all they might be damned which beléeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Iohn 3. 19. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world men loued darknesse rather then light because their déedes were euill Ezay 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made vs erre from thy waies and hardned our heart from thy feare Ro. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe Acts. 7. 42. Then God turned himselfe away and gaue them vp to serue the host of heauen 1. Kin. 22. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. The Lord said Who shal intice Ahab that he may go fall at Ramoth Gilead And one said on this maner and an other said on that manner Then there came foorth a spirit and stoode before the Lord and said I will entice him And the Lord said vnto him Wherewith And he said I will goe out and be a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Then he said thou shalt entice him and shalt also preuaile goe foorth and do so Nowe therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets and the Lord hath appointed euill against thée 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. If our Gospell be then hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them By reason of their corruption from the which as out of a fountaine issueth a continuall flowing riuer of infidelitie ignorance and iniquitie 2. Tim. 2. 26. And that they may come to amendment out of the snares of the diuel which are taken of him at his will Whereby it followeth that hauing as it were made shipwracke of their faith 1. Tim. 1. 19. Hauing faith and a good conscience which some haue put away and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke Can by no meanes escape the day which is appointed for their destruction that God may be glorified in their iust condemnation Prou. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euil Rom. 9. 21. 22. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and an other vnto dishonour What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The sixt Chapter Of the last and full accomplishment of Gods eternall counsell as well towards the elect as the reprobate FOrasmuch as God is iustice it selfe it is necessary that The full execution of god counsaile he should saue the iust and condemne the vniust Now they among men are only iust who being by faith ioined to Christ grafted rooted in him and made one bodie with him are iustified sanctified in him by him Wherof it followeth that the glory to the which they are destinate to the glory of God appertaineth to them as by a certain right or title On the other part they which remaine in Adams pollution death are iustly hated of God and so condemned by him not excepting so much as thē which die before they sin as Adam did But both these manners of executing Gods iudgements as well in these as in the other which are elected are in thrée sorts whereof we haue already declared the first For the elect in that same moment that they In the elect haue receiued the gift of faith haue after a certaine sort passed from death to life whereof they haue a sure pledge But this their life is hid in Christ till this corporall death make them to steppe a degrée further and that the soule being loosed out of the band of the body enter into the ioy of the Lord Finally in the day appointed to iudge the quicke and the dead when that which is corruptible and mortall shall be clad with incorruption and immortalitie and God shall be all in all things then they shall sée his maiestie face to face and shall fully enioy that vnspeakable comfort and ioy which before all beginning was prepared for them which is also the reward that is due to the righteousnesse holinesse of Christ who was giuen for their sinnes and raised againe from death for their iustification By whose vertue and spirit they haue procéeded and gone forward from faith to faith as shall manifestly appeare by the whole In the Reprobate course of their life and good workes Whereas altogither contrary the reprobate conceaued and brought vp in sin death wrath of God when they depart out of this world they fall into an other gulfe of destruction and their soules are plunged in that endlesse paine vntill the day come that their bodies soules being ioyned againe they shall enter into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Then by these two waies which are The glory of God cleane contrarie one to an other the last issue and end of Gods iudgement shall set forth manifestly his glory to all men foramuch as in his elect he shall declare himselfe most iust and most mercifull Most iust I say for that he Perfectly iust and perfectly mereifull hath punished with extréeme rigour seueritie the sinnes of his elect in the person of his sonne neither did receiue them into the fellowship of his glory before
and those that confesse their sinnes as for the proude and them that vaunt and boast and make so great account of their good workes God beholdeth them a farre off A lowly an humble and contrite spirit is the onely sacrifice that god accepteth The grace of god worketh lowlinesse and humblenesse in our hearts it frameth vs to confesse our sinnes and by all meanes to endeuour to amend and neuer boast our selues of our good workes or to trust to be saued by them but rather by the mercy of god Although questionlesse they that do not practise good workes and as much as in them lieth labour to lead a holy and godly life shall neuer enter into the kingdome of god nor into the rest of blessed soules And therefore it followeth very well in my text The grace of God teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Which are nothing else but the workes of the flesh which cannot agrée or at lestwise ought not to be séene in them that are sanctified by the grace of God These worldly lusts and workes of the flesh are such that no man can be ignorant of and they are too too manifest Which are as the Apostle reckneth them vp adultery fornicatiō vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witcheraft hatred debate emulatiōs wrath cōtention seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and such like Whereof saith he I tolde you before as I also haue told you before that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god For the performance of our inordinate affections and euil concupiscences the wrath of god commeth If we be led by the works of the flesh we shall die the death Well are they called in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4. 22. Deceiueable lusts because they deceiue vs in the end In the beginning is ioy and pleasure but in the end is destruction According as we reade Prou. 14. 12. There is a way which séemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the waies of death Let euery one of vs thinke that the grace of god dooth thus perswade vs that forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh wee should arme our selues with the same minde as to mortifie the déeds of the flesh and to cease from sinne That hencefoorth wee should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of god For it is sufficient and more then should haue béene that wee haue spent the time past as the wicked doo in this world Wherein it will séeme straunge to them that we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot And therefore they wil not spare to speake euill of vs to defame vs and to cast out many slaunders against vs. Wherein let vs be patient and referre the matter to God they shall answere for their ill deeds and giue accounts to him that is readie to iudge them All the punishments of this life death and death again in another world the seuere iudgement of God who is it that hath any sparke of grace that will not relent and haue remorce that will not now learne to deny their worldly lusts knowing that it shall cost them deare Who in this life would leape into the sea knowing he shall be drowned Who is it that would throw himselfe into the fire knowing that he shall be consumed All worldly lusts are vnderstood by the vncleannesse of the flesh because principally and aboue the rest we are giuen thereunto And therefore 1. Thess 4. 3. This is the will of God euen our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication That cuerie one of vs should know how to possesse his vessell that is his bodie in holinesse honour and not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles and Heathen and wicked persons which know not God 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that we are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs If any of vs destroy the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy which we are For our soules our hearts and consciences are the place wherein God should dwell They that follow their worldly lusts and delight in the workes of the flesh and are led by them it is a token that they are past grace and that God hath deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. So when we do refraine and frame our selues another way it is a token that gods grace doth worke with vs. And that we may say as the Apostle that no fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers buggerers théeues railers extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God And such were some of vs yea such by nature are we all and who can say that either he is not or at leastwise was not in the number So that if it be otherwise we are washed we are sanctied and made clean in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our gracious God who sendeth his grace into our hearts For such is the vertue of that spiritual fellowship which we haue with Christ that as the soule naturally ioyned to the bodie bringeth forth her effects so Christ dwelling in vs by faith and by the holy Ghost after a spirituall maner and by a spirituall vertue doth shew his power in vs to inable vs to resist sinne and to bridle the corrupt desires of the flesh Christ by his death hath abated the power of sinne that it can no longer be rancke in vs to do what we wil but dooth by little and little die vntill it be wasted and worne away For as when y◠hart of a man hath receiued a deadly wound he is accounted for dead although he liue a while because he cannot escape death so sinne in the death of Christ hath receiued a deadly wound And by reason of that neare coniunction which by faith we haue with Christ we are said to be dead with him vnto sinne I beseech you therfore brethren saith the Apostle Rom. 12 by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God As indéed it cannot be that where the grace of God doth worke effectually but that we should deny our worldly lusts or at leastwise by little and little cause them to die in vs. They who by a true faith laie holde of Christ and his merits and do apply vnto themselues the death of Christ with all his benefits are also desirous to offer themselues acceptable vnto god For they that by the grace of god are made righteous by the same grace are also made holy séeing that Christ is made vnto vs both righteousnesse and sanctification as we read 1. Cor. 1. 30. Holinesse is a necessary consequent of the grace of god whereby they that are truly touched in all thankfull sort shewe themselues to god and doo approue themselues vnto him in all vprightnesse and innocencie of life Our minds our
women to moderate themselues men also ought to haue regard as where men in other respects are warned there women also must haue care For what is spoken to the one is spoken to the other also And this moderation here spoken of and whereunto by the Apostles and seruants of God we are warned is not in men and women as of themselues except the grace of God doth first worke it Next vnto pride and brauery of apparrel may follow the Building brauery of building wherein the richer and wealthier sort are giuen much to abound And euery one almost hath this in his minde if not in his mouth which king Nabuchodonosor vaunted of Dan. 4. 27. Is not this great Babel that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie These stately buildings make stately mindes and drawe on the owners to excessiue expences to maintaine the port thereof and sobrietie is shut out and banished which should haue all the roome within God foreséeing what hinderance it would worke in the mindes and hearts of his people if they should build them costly houses and lest they should be too much wedded vnto this world commanded them to dwell in tents that they might be put in minde as the Apostle saith Heb. 11. That héere they haue no dwelling places to continue but are as pilgrims and strangers on the earth Whereas they that haue all their hope and all their ioy in this world delight to build gorgious houses as though they should neuer die and call their lands after their own names What profit had the Canaanites of their goodly houses when as others were made the owners In the 28. chap. of Deu. a curse was fortold and denounced against them that did not feare God that althogh they built houses yet they should not dwell therein A iust iudgement for them that spend their goods supersluously whereas they should bestow them otherwise Stately Babel which was purposed to be built vp to heauen was not finished and I could wish that such Babel buildings might haue a fall or some gazing impediment for euery one to behold to point at much like to suppressed Abbies that the owners might come to some sobrietie and learne to imploy their wealth and riches not to honor themselues but to honor God therby Somewhat also might be said of lauishing expences were it not that debt pouertie and such shreud afterclaps Expences did make thē sober against their wils and too late to wish that they had kept a mean being brought now to extremite Sobrietie also hath his vse in withdrawing the minde from the gredie desire of couetousnes where with many are Couetousnes carried away headlong and thinke they shall neuer haue inough Heaping and gathering and scraping much like to the wont or mole whose continuall practise is to scrape vnder the earth so are their minds earthly though they were made to be heauenly Being made the good creatures of God they haue made themselues monsters their hands turned into nets their fingers into limetwigs their heart and their head and all the rest of their bedie being turned into mettall as though they were hewen out of some golden or siluer mine Their mindes being no better then their bodies a lumpe of clay The barrein wombe is not satisfied the earth hath not inough hell is bottomelesse and the minde of the couetous is insatiable What a plague is it for vs to be drudges when we may be free and to make wealth riches our maisters which should be our seruants What a crosse and misery is this vnlesse one would kil himself for a man to spend all his life in carking and pining and scraping Therefore couetousnes may wel Prou. 13. 7. be called misery and the couetous miserable for they are miserable indeede Of them which séeme to be wise there be no such fooles in the world as they that loue mony more then themselues This is a gréeuous sickenesse which makes people dead being aliue that makes them wander vp and downe with pale faces and pined bodies and withered carkasses as though they were goasts And no maruel For they that drinke quick-siluer die a languishing death and weare away by little and little What phisicke what wisdom what ioy and happines what life and libertie then doe they finde who by the grace of God haue learned sobrietie who hath alwaies contentation to beare her company Which moderateth and staieth the min◠when their is inongh and bréedeth a full perswasion and a resolution And so much the more because it hath ground and assurance from the promise of God As we may read Heb. 13. Let your connersation be without couetousnesse for it is said I will not leaue thee nor forsake thée If we had but the word of some wealthy man to assure vnto vs a sufficiencie how would it comfort our harts and lessen our labors and cares Behold the words of the highest for him that is content with that he hath O then doe farre away couetousnes and desire and couet no more then that as may serue thy turn and relieue thy present necessitie God hath appointed thée to get thy liuing by thy labor adde therunto thy earnest praiers that it would please God to blesse thy labour so shal not couetousnesse like a hungry diuel enter within thée and possesse thée For if thou hast inough what néedest thou to haue more Then shall God send downe his grace to endue thy mind with sobrietie when once thou hast learned y◠god hath inough for vs all And as sobrietie giueth a lesson to the poore to content themselues with that portion which y◠Lord hath sent them so also may the rich hold themselues contented and remember that they haue their bounds appointed them and the to acquaint their affections to finde contentation and a moderate sufficiencie which is a rich portion So shall they truly according to their bounden dutie be thankfull to God for the same For in very déed these hearts of ours must finde them in their owne perswasion prouided for ere they shall in truth and vnfainednesse bee ioyfull in the Lord. It is not couetousnesse that can kéepe thée from pouertie if God laie his hand vpon thée neither can it make thée rich if God hath otherwise ordained Only the blessing of God it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow vnto it All things fall out vnto the best vnto the godly come wealth come woe come pouertie come riches The rich must learne to bee poore and with contentation of heart to vndergo a poore estate yea to assure himselfe to finde the Lords blessing and comfort in it Frame and acquaint thy minde alwaies to the liking of a lower estate Behold a meditation in riches and a lesson that is of all men to be studied and not that only but perfectly learned also and throughly taken out that if their estate should yet be
and readie Marke the minde but of a worldly man that accounhimselfe greatly beholding to another is not this his courage that he could finde in his heart to die in his quarrell and to offer his seruice before he commaunded thereunto The readinesse of our Sauiour Christ whose example if it be too high for imitation yet that of the Apostle Saint Paule heerein is notable and able to giue the weakest minde great courage Get thée behind me Sathan saith Christ vnto Peter thou art an offence vnto mée because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men The Prophet Agabus Act. 21. tooke Pauls girdle and bound his owne hands and féete and said Thus saith the holy Ghost So shall the Iewes at Ierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles Then his friends perswaded him and besought him with teares that he would not go vp to Ierusalem To whom Paul answered and said What do ye weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not to bee bounde only but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus And in an other place And now behold I goe bound in the spirite vnto Ierusalem and knowe not what things shall come vnto mee there Saue that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery citie saying that bands and afflictions abide me in Ierusalem but I passe not at all neither is my life deare vnto my selfe This is a notable example of incouragement beside the promise of excéeding great reward Hee that looseth his life for my sake shall finde â—â— But weake mindes are soone offended and fraile flesh cannot beare out these bitter brunts neither stand to the triall of so worthie a cause when we shall behold as it were great mountaine to fall vpon vs and great surges readie to swallow vs vp No doubt we shall méet with hinderances inow and those mighty hinderances yet greater renowne it is to ouercome our selues then to winne a citie both are hard to do and to accomplish but the first most hard and to flesh and blood impossible True it is that we should cast off all hinderances in this so waightie a matter and deny our selues and in this combat betwixt the spirit and flesh and blood we should shewe our selues conquerers but our hearts for the most part are so faint that strawes can make vs stumble We blâ—nch at the least matters and are astund euen at the very name of persecution When King Hezechiah heard of his death he wept sore and so do many of vs carry the like affliction that in no sort we can brooke affliction The purâ—â—â—ion is too bitter although health and immortallitie bee the effect of it Why is it that we are readie to put finger in the eie when we heare that we must endure trouble but that the world aâ—desh and blood do carry more sway with vs then Gods spirit and that the ioy of this life can abide no sorrow Although God hath appointed this to be our lot Ye shall weepe and lament yea furthermore although we heare that our sorrow shal be turned into ioy Gladly we would be at peace with the world but when the world shall hate vs that beginneth to breake vs then are we surprized of sorrow and for the time swallowed vp of griefe The Prophet Ieremy a man of great courage patience and constancie before he could frame himselfe to drinke of this bitter cuppe as one most passionate breaketh out into these words and in the presence of God Cursed be the day wherin I was borne oh that my mother had bene my graue or her wombe a perpetuall eonception How is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow And againe chapter 19. Woe is me my mother that thou hast borne mee a contentious man and a man that striueth with the whole earth I haue done them neither hurt nor wrong yet euerie one doth curse me According to that of the Prophet Dauid They hated mee without any cause and that thou ô God knowest Yet should this matter be so farre from mouing vs to heauinesse that therein we should reioyce As the Apostle S. Paule doeth moue vs by his example Gal. 6. 14. God forbid saith he that I should reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world Our Sauior Christ hath foretold vs that we should be hated of all men for his name and for the profession of his truth And lest any of vs should faint he addeth further But hee or they that endure to the end they shall be saued What if the world and the mightiest in the world hate ve what if they séeke our blood Feare not their feare saith the Apostle neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts Feare not them saith our Sauiour which haue power ouer your bodies and whose furie and rage can goe no further but rather feare him who after the body is distroied by death can cast both soule and body in hell God hath commanded vs vnto this wéeping and lamentation Foure principalâ— reasons to persâ—â—dâ—â—s to vndertake perseâ—cution w◠〈◊〉 the first is Gods Commandement and appointed vs vnto this trouble and sorrow and persecution let vs not therefore feare men to auoid gods commandement but rather glorifie God by withstanâ—â—ng euill men and such as are bent to resist and deface to suppresse and vtterly to roote out gods truth And because the world is giuen to nothing more then to oppresse gods truth therefore ought we the more to maintaine it and not to regard our liues in respect of the defence therof Striue for yâ— truth vnto death saith the wise man Eccle. 4. 28. And defend iustice for thy life God hath created vs for his glory and if we loue God and his loue be setled in our hearts wée ought to the vtmost of our power to maintaine his glory Dearely beloued saith the blessed Apostle thinke it not straunge concerning the firy tryall It pleaseth God to try you by the extremities of this wicked world whether ye will like valiant souldiours stand to the defence of his cause We count it a glorious matter and worthy of immortall fame to spend our liues in the defence of our prince and country yet is it more glorious if wée be called thereunto not to refuse any torment and extremitie in shewing our dutie and our loue to God and his Church Re. 2. 10. Vnto the Angell of the church of Smirna it was said Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold it shall come to passe that the diuell shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall haue tribulation tenne daies that is a long time Bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Hee that ouercommeth shall not bee hurt of