for euer permanent if the mercy and power of our God had not plucked vs out of it by the ministery of the true Moses which is our Lord Iesus Christ who is the true Lambe which the heauenly father hath deliuered to death to deliuer vs from it and purchase vs eternall life As it is saide that God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now then séeing this good God hath done in vs so great a pleasure as to frée vs from the tyranny of the Diuel of sinne of death of hel séeing that his loue was so great that he deliuered his onely Sonne to the cruel and ignominious death of the Crosse for vs which were the seruants and bondslaues of Sathan his welbeloued for vs which were his enemies the iust and the Lambe without spotte for vs which were sinners and corrupt the onely heire of Paradice for vs which were worthily heires of hel ought we not to be rauished with admiration of this great and vnspeakeable loue of God towards vs our tongues to be for euer displayed to publish with a loud voyce the praise of the benefit of our redemption It is very reasonable and therefore we sée that Iesus Christ admonisheth vs of our dutie in this behalfe Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 speaking of the celebration of the holy Supper Doe this in remembrance of me And S. Paul expresseth what remembrance this is when he aduertiseth vs 1. Cor. 11. that as often as wée shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe wée shewe the Lords death till he come Séeing thē that God requireth of vs a true acknowledging of his benefits which wée receiue at his hands bountifulnesse by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ let vs take heede that we be not spotted with the fault of ingratitude especially if we will not incurre the wrathful displeasure of God and acknowledge him for Iudge whom we would not acknowledge for a gentle and mercifull father as Saint Paul also to this purpose threatneth the ingrate and forgetful when he saith Whosoeuer shal eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation And rightfully is the vengeance of God displayed against them which wickedly suppresse the glory of God in that that concerneth their owne saluation For if so be that a murtherer ready to be hanged for his wicked déedes casting away and reiecting his princes gratious pardon and not vouchsafing to thanke him for it deserueth worthily the gallowes or if a childe deserue the rod for not giuing once I thanke you to his father when he hath receiued at his handes great and singular benefits much more wee which for our sinfull and wicked déedes deserue to bée hanged in hell if wée contemne the grace of God our soueraigne Prince and make no count of this euerlasting benefite which our heauēly father presenteth vs withal in Iesus Christ who is offered to vs in the supper by good right and reason we are worthy to perish for our vnkindnesse vnthankfulnesse But here must we diligently marke the pointes that followe First this acknowledging must be made to one onely God by his onely sonne Iesus Christ For euen as God by his onely sonne hath created vs redéemd vs frō euerlasting death so wil he that to him alone and by him alone in whom he is well pleased we render thanks for all his benefits As we sée how S. Paul setteth this forth vnto vs in many places and precisely in the Epistle to the Ephesians where he saith Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all his spirituall blessing in Heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world but they which call vpon Saints and put their trust in them or in their merites they also which make them patrons and aduocates to GOD warde and likewise they which trust in their owne strength in their owne frée will or good workes robbe God of his glorie and cannot giue him true thankes for the benefit of redemption For we cannot giue to any creature the least ioy that may be in the matter of our saluation but we commit sacriledge against God the Creator And therefore renouncing our selues and euery liuing creature let vs say with the Apostle Vnto the king euerlasting immortall 1. Tim. 1.17 inuisible vnto God only wise be honour and glory for euer and euer Secondly thanks must be giuen not with the mouth onely but with the hart also For séeing that God is a spirit he requireth a seruice of vs that is agréeable to his nature that is to say he will be serued of vs in spirit and truth And therefore when that praysing of God for the benefit of redemption commeth in question we must haue our hearts lift vp on high and there must be a consent and mutuall agréement betwéen our inward affections and our tongues as we sée how Dauid exhorteth himselfe to the same when he saith My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within mee praise his holy name My soule I say praise thou the Lord Psa 103.1 and forget not all his benefits And the blessed Virgin singeth the selfe same in her song Luke 1.46 saying My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Now all hypocrites and wicked persons also they that sing and praise in an vnknowne tongue are here reproued For where there is no vnderstanding there is no affection nor wil and consequently no faith without which whatsoeuer we doe bee it neuer so faire and glorious before men it is but sinne and abhomination before God Let vs take héede therefore that in this behalfe we wander not and goe astray least we be condemned with the Iewish people which honoured and serued God in vaine insomuch as they came neare vnto him onely with their mouthes Esa 29.13 Mat. 15.8 and honoured him with their lips but not with their hearts Thirdly it must be done at all times and seasons Psal 34.1 that is to say aswel in affliction as in prosperity to this purpose Dauid protesteth That he will alwaies giue thanks vnto his Lord 1. Thes 5.18 and that his prayse shall be in his month continually And Saint Paul admonisheth the Thessalonians To giue thanks in all things adding For this is the wil of God in Christ Iesus But this is cleane contrarie to time seruers and to all them which in time of prosperity lawn vpon the Gospell and are wel cōtent for that time to praise God whom afterward in time of affliction they defie and set at naught The cause of this mischiefe is for that they haue not yéelded themselues to the Church of GOD for a good end and purpose as to extoll the glory of God to séeke
one while he laugheth another while he wéepeth now he will anon he wil not To conclude the Moone nor any other thing that is mutable sheweth not so many chaÌ„ges vnto vs as do the daily almost sodaine alterations of men And yet for all this they liue as men in a frensie which knowe not their miseries And although they cannot repose their hope and assurance in the present things of this life yet they doe not transferre and remoue the thoughts of their minde their counselles their works and endeudurs vnto the happinesse to come And if it were possible they would make the place of their exile and banishment their Countrey and inheritance But in vaine they desire this for death commeth and playeth the last Pageant shutting and finishing the life of all calamities CHAP. II. Concerning Death and the meditation thereof THe errors of al men for the most part take their originall froÌ„ hence that they forget the end of their life which they ought to haue alway before their eyes For here-hence commeth Pride Ambition too much carefulnesse for the body hereof also come these Towers which we build vpon the sand For if we did consider what wée should be after a few dayes our maner of liuing would be parrduenture more humble and temperate For who would haue a high looke and proud stomacke if hée would with the eyes of his mind behold what manner of one shortly after hee shall bée in his graue Who would then worship his belly for a God when he wayeth with himselfe that the same must in a short time be wormes meat Who would be so in loue with money that he would run like a mad man by sea land as it were through water and fire if he vnderstood that he must leaue all behinde him sauing his winding shéete If this were thought vpon all our errors would soone be corrected 2 The word of God telleth vs in many places of this vanitie to the ende we might the more earnestly séeke a better course and more happy life The Prophet desireth of God Psal 90. that he may learn to number his â—aies to the end he may applie his heart vnto wisdome For vnlesse wée thinke vpon death we cannot applie and fashion our selues to a godly life Yea we finde daily in our selues by experience that the forgetfulnes of death makes vs applie our heartes to follie and all kinde of vanity The holy men of olde time were wont in such wise to kéepe an account of their dayes that aboue all things they might apply their hearts to wisedome Of all Arithmeticall Rules this is the hardest to number our dayes Men can number their heardes and droues of oxen and of shéepe they can account the reuenues of theyr manners farmes they can with a little paines number and tell their coyne and yet they are perswaded that their dayes are infinite and innumerable and therefore doo neuer begin to number them Who saith not vpon the viewe of another surely yonder man looketh by his countenance as if he would not liue long or yonder woman is olde her dayes cannot be many Thus we can number other mens dayes and yéeres and vtterly forget our owne Therefore this is the true wisedome of mortall men to number theyr owne dayes and like skilfull Geometricians to measure all theyr actions all their studies all theyr cares all their thoughtes all theyr desires and all theyr counsells by their departure out of this life as by the end whereto they are referred as it were by a certaine rule and thereunto to direct all things and so to finish the course of our life which God hath giuen vnto vs that at the last we may come to the happy hauen of rest 3 The case standing thus we cannot nor ought not to doubt but that the diuell a most cruell enemy of mankind laboreth all that he can to take away from vs the most wholesome remembrance of death which by most euident demonstrations setteth before our eyes the breuity of our life the miserie of our flesh the deceits of the world the vanity of things present and whereunto all humane beauty and the vniuersall glory of the world shall come at the last For otherwise how could it be that we should at any time forget a thing so fearefull which by no manner of meanes we can shunne and auoid 4 If a light suspition of some losse eyther of our goods or of honour doth preuaile so greatly with vs that many times it taketh from vs our sléepe what might the meditation of most assured death doe which is more terrible then all other terrors beside 5 Wherefore as they which in open games of actiuitie as of shooting and wrestling and such like doe long before the day come thinke vpon the same and doe exercise their hand bow spending and consuming many arrowes at the marke that in the day of trial â—or the best game they may shoot néerest the marke and as Fencers which are to play their prizes of triall doe daily try their strength and exercise their weapons bending their whole minde how they may best foyle their enemies that when the day commeth they may haue honour and triumph Euen so ought we to do for whom a greater reward without all comparison is set if wée die wel and if otherwise it come to passe wee shall be punished with vnspeakeable shame and reproach 6 And this our meditation of death shal be handled in no other order then the same which our death and departure from this life bringeth with it For as they which are to runne a race do oftentimes lead their horses vp and downe the running place that they may sée be acquainted with all the stones vneuen places and other impedimentes in the same that when the day commeth they may finish the race without stay or stop Euen so wée which whether wée will or no must measure and pace the race of death shal doe very well if now in our mind and memorie we frame this race and doe diligently consider all those things which are in the same especially séeing the way is most obscure and ful of sundry impediments and is so perillous that there are very fewe which finish the same happily They which slip and stumble in it shal neuer more find any hope of saluation 7 Therefore that we may begin there where this most bloody battell hath his originall wee ought diligentlie to consider the same namely that then death doth especially come when men doe least thinke of it Herevpon the Apostle Paul salth The day of the Lorde shall come as a theefe in the night And in the Apocalips Beholde I come as a theefe And théeues haue this propertie that they breake vp houses to steale when men are most fast asléepe and when they least suspect any such thing 8 Hereupon also the Prophet Amos hath these words In that day will I cause the sun to goe downe at noone
make the eares of them that heare it to tingle O sentence intollerable which depriueth sinners of all good things and bringeth them to all woe The Lord sometime accursed the Fig-trée and immediately not onely the leaues but also the body and rootes were wholy withered Euen so that feareful curse of the last day shal be no lesse effectual For on whomsoeuer it falleth it shal so scortch them and shal so make them destitute of Gods grace that they shal neuer more be able to doe to speake to thinke or to hope for any good thing 31 Then therefore the wicked being stricken with this thundering sentence will lift vp their mouthes towards heauen wil spue foorth their shamefull blasphemies against God the Iudge they will curse this day and the houre wherein they were borne and their Parents which begat them and the wombs which bare them the aier which gaue them breath and the Earth which hath borne them but they shal not be suffered any long time to speake these things against the Iudge 32 For suddenly the Spirite of the Lord shal ouerwhelm them and shal with great violence caste them downe headlong into the déepe Apoc. 18. as in Saint Iohns Reuelation appeareth in these wordes Then a mightie angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the Citie of Babilon bee cast Apoc. 20. and be found no more And againe Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire And this déepe shal be shut vp with gates of brasse and with yron barres which cannot bee broken with any force nor cut in sunder by any arte and there they shal drinke of the cup of the Lords wrath and the smoke of their torments shal ascend worlde wtout end they shal not rest day nor night 33 On the contrarie part the iust being in the fruition of ful blessednesse and of euerlasting glorie shall haue in their mouthes the prayses of the Lorde and giuing of thankes and shal with singing and with mirth extol the name of their Lorde and God with whom they shal reigne without ende 34 But although wée heare of those things often yet neuerthelesse wée are not awaked from the sléepe of sinne before wee be ouerwhelmed with the night of death and of darkenes Why doe we which haue this time now looke for another time which peraduenture wée shal neuer haue Now is the accepted time now is the day of saluation There is nothing more profitable for a man then to knowe his time and therefore in our worldly businesse wée obserue times and seasons as a conuenient time to eare a fitte time to sowe to plant and such like Yea the brute beast by the instinct of nature can make choyce of his time for benefite The Swallowe when winter approacheth prepareth himselfe to take his flight into a warmer Countrey The Bée and the Ant in the time of summer prepare their foode against winter And the Prophet Ieremie saith that the Storke knoweth his appointed time If brute beastes deuoide of reason haue this foresight to make choise of time for their good and if man him selfe in a worldly regarde can make choyse of a fitte and due time to gette earthly and transitorie things how much more prouident ought hee to bee for heauenly things that to attaine these hée lose not his fittest time to attaine saluation 35 The olde worlde that liued in the dayes of Noah knewe not their time that was the cause they then perished with the flood The Cities of Sodome and Gomer knew not their time that brought fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads to their destruction The foolish Virgins knewe not their time therefore when their Lorde came they being altogether vnready were shut out of the Lords ioy Let vs then knowe the season how it is time now that wee should awake out of sleepe Rom. 13.36 1. Thes 5. Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober least the darkenesse come vpon vs wherein we can neither walke nor worke Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes that day and time wherein we shall appeare before God and his Angels and before the whole worlde to answere our cause and either to receiue a Crown of glory or else perpetual shame and confusion Let vs know that we haue here a very short time limitted vnto vs. wherein wée must so endeuour our selues that for short and transitory things we lose not that which is eternall If wee haue this consideration of that great day of the Lorde wée shal not only be the more secure in death but also be the better prepared to méet with our Lord and Sauiour when he shal come to iudgement CHAP. IIII. Concerning Hell and the torments thereof THere is nothing that the Diuell laboureth more then to perswade men that there is no hel that so the more easily hée may leade them thether as it were blindfolde by the way of sinnes while they haue no feare of any punishment euen as shéeues are wont to bee ledde with a vaile before their faces when they are going to the gallowes as Ezechias was serued whose eyes Nabuchadnezer commanded to be put out whē he was caried away captiue into Babilō 2 But it may bée shewed by many reasons and authorities that there is a hel For as a Princely magnificence requireth that a King haue a beautiful Pallace for to entertaine the best sort of men and a prison for the worst Euen so the king of kings and Lord of all glorie and principalities hath a Pallace wherein there are many mansions as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel testifieth which is the kingdom of heauen and he hath also a darke prison or dungeon which is hel 3 The lawe of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences be driuen into exile for euer euen so God doth banish from his presence Luke 16. the impenitent sinners into hel For so it is said of Diues that he dyed was carried into hel Esay 5 And the prophet saith Hel hath inlarged it self hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth among them shall discend into it Also S. Iohn saith that the feareful and vnbeleeuing and murderers Apoc. 21. the whormongers sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And Christ Iesus saith Feare him which hath power to cast body and soule into hell 4 But forsomuch as God hath not made Death nor the kingdom of Hell vpon earth Wisd 1. We must vnderstand that the principal procurer of this Hell is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse who béeing in
mediditation shal be the contemplations of those men who when they might in this life fruitfully haue thought vpon these things would not and they which disdained here to vse these most profitable meditations as a bridle of their lustes shal in that time suffer them as most cruel torments 13 Furthermore the memorie shal bée no smal crosse to the mindes of the damned when they shal beginne to cal to mind their former delights and the pleasures past for the which they are now come vnto these torments For then too late they shal perceiue with what bitter sauce they were seasoned which in times past séemed so swéete vnto them But they shal much more vehemently bée tormented when they shal compare the breuitie of the pleasures past with the eternity of the present sorrowes For what Mathematician so skilful can bée found out which can declare vnto vs how much greter that euerlasting time shal be then the time of those transitorie pleasures How shal they then groane and mourne and what great déepe sighes shal they fetch when they shal finde by experience that their pleasures were most momentanie and that they are gone as a dreame shadow and that their sorrowes shal haue no end 14 But the vnderstanding as it is a faculty more excellent and perspicuous Vnderstanding so shal it bee tormented with a more intollerable crosse In this facultie shal that worme be which the Scriptures so oftentimes threaten to sinners where it is saide that their worme dyeth not and the fire shal not be quenched For as the worme hath his original from the wood and yet doeth continually eate and consume the woode whereof it commeth Euen so this worme springeth from sinne and holdeth a perpetual warre with sinne and is nothing else but a continual repentance and sorrow ful of rage and desperation which they haue by reason of their sinnes when they sée and féele that for them they haue lost the kingdome of heauen and haue incurred those vnspeakeable torments This worme of the damned resteth neither day nor night but biteth and gnaweth continually and féedeth vpon the bowels of those miserable men alwaies bringing to their remembrance the notable opportunitie which they had here in earth not onely with verie small labour to haue escaped those punishments but also without mony or money worth to haue gotten the kingdome of heauen Therefore they shall euermore contend with themselues and say O miserable men that we be to whom the kingdome of heauen was sometimes offered fréely to receiue and possesse the which the Preachers of Gods word did humbly and louingly beséech vs to imbrace we refused If we had truly repented vs of our sins all had ben forgiuen How small a thing had it béene to haue repented If we had craued mercy we had easily obtayned it If wee had called for helpe and grace faithfully it had béene at hande If wée had giuen but a cuppe of cold water for the Lords sake wée had not bene vnrewarded But now wée fast continually and shal bee tormented we shal be afflicted and shal reap no fruite thereof O that golden time mis-spent how is it now gone and neuer shal returne again Who bereaued vs of our wits Who shutte our eyes Who stopt our eares Whoso bewitched vs that we neuer thought vpon these punishments that wée neuer had regard to these times that we neuer foresaw this misery and that we harkened not vnto them which forewarned vs 30 And if the vnderstanding shal féele these thinges what shal wée then say of the wil which is the chiefe and principal cause of sinnes The wil therefore shal bée euermore tormented with a certaine outragious enuie which it shal conceiue of the honour and glory of Almighty God and of all the Saints in heauen according as it is set down in the Psalme The vngodly shall see it and it shall grieue him hee shall gnash with his teeth and consume away the desire of the vngodly shall perish Psal 112.10 ver Also in the willes of these sinners there shal be ioyned with enuy an extreme hatred against God from whēce shal arise horrible curses and blasphemies Heare and tremble oh wicked and prophane which shal neuer cease in their mouthes For when they shal perceiue that there is no hope any more to recouer their saluation and shal also be assured that they shal at no time come into the fauor of God and that their tormēts shal neuer haue ende And further when they shal sée that it is God himselfe which keepeth them as it were fast bounde with chaines in those perpetual torments and that it is hée which doeth from an high cast downe vpon them thundring tempests and with his omnipotēt breath doth kindle those furnaces of hel fire then they wil rage and some like mad dogges and wil neuer cease from barking from blasphemies and cursed speakings They wil curse him because hée created them and adiudged them to death and yet dying are neuer dead They wil curse his punishmentes because hée tormenteth them so vehemently from wicked blasphemies good Lord deliuer vs. They wil curse his benignitie because it is now turned into seuerity They wil curse his crosse and his blood shedde vpon the same because it hath bene profitable to so many nothing auaileable vnto them 31 To cōclude they wil curse al the saints and Angels of heauen because they shall sée them in ioy and felicitie and themselues in euerlasting miserie This shal be ther perpetual simphonie and melodie these shall bee their euening and morning songs these their Psalmes and Himnes which they shal sing in those doleful Temples of diuels where they shal haue fire and brimstone in steede of frankencense the noyse of stripes with whips and maules which shal inforce wéeping howling and gnashing of téeth in stead of Organes Trumpettes Cornettes and Harpes 32 Thus farre concerning the sorrow which ariseth of the losse of the chiefe felicity and which the inward faculties of the mind doe suffer which hath béene shewed to be the greatest and vnspeakeable Nowe also we wil shewe that to bée an excéeding sorrowe which the very tormentes shal worke in the external sences of men 33 Therefore as the reward of the blessed is not some certaine particular goodnesse seuered and deuided from other good thinges but a certaine common and general good or felicitie wherein al good thinges al delights and pleasures are contained So the paine and torment of the damned is not one kinde of sorrowe as of the head of the eyes of the téeth of the raines and so forth But it is a certaine general punishment which comprehendeth all the sorrowes of al the members and sences together 34 If the sorrow and paine of a woman trauailing in childbirth bee so great and so general that it inuadeth euery part what shal become of them vpon whom all maner of sorrowes shal come If a man cannot indure a little fire
nature that there is nothing that we can more hardly digest then the forgiuing of iniuries For the which cause let vs vnderstand and knowe that by how much this forgiuenesse which God requireth is hard vnto vs by so much it is a greater argument vnto men that they are the sonnes of God which doe easily forgiue and forget iniuries and with their heart loue their enemies For herein they do shew foorth a certaine likenes vnto God their Father who loued vs as the Apostle saith when we were his enemies and reconciled vnto himselfe being redeemed by the death of his onely Sonne from eternall damnation Pray saith our Sauiour Christ for them that persecute you Mat 5. and say all maner of euill sayings against you that ye may be the children of your Father in heauen who suffereth his sunne to shine vpon the iust and vpon the vniust 18 The example also of our Sauiour Christ maketh this matter yet more manifest the which we ought alwaies to haue before our eyes For he hauing not so much as any suspition of sinne yet being buffeted spit vpon whipped blasphemed crowned with thornes nayled to the Crosse prayed thus for his enemies Luke 23. Father forgiue them for they wote not what they doe 19 There are many other most waightie reasons which the Fathers haue vsed to suppresse their frowardnesse which are most obstinate and wilfully bent to reuenge One is to giue him to vnderstande that hath the iniurie done vnto him that the same is not the principall cause of the iniurie which he desireth to reuenge For all those things whatsoeuer which we suffer in this life doe come from the Lord who is the author and fountaine of all righteousnes and mercie For God doth correct and chastice vs as his sonnes wherein he vseth his creatures as his ministers which can hurt vs in nothing but in those things which befall outwardly But euery man may most wickedly hurt himselfe and defile his owne mind with hatred enuy These things that most rare man Iob vnderstood who being vexed of the Sebeans Caldeans and the diuel himselfe vsed these words The Lord gaue Iob. 1.21 Gen 45. 2. Sam. 19 and the Lord hath taken Thus Ioseph forgaue the iniuries which his brethren did vnto him Thus Dauid bare patiently the iniuries which Shemei did vnto him It is great magnanimitie in a man when he hath receiued a wound not to feele or regard the harme 20 A second reason is that they which do not forgiue shall not be forgiuen of the Lord. For 1. Iohn 3. Eccle. 28. he that hateth his brother as S. Iohn saith abideth in death And Sirach saith Hee that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance of the Lord. 21 The third reason comprehendeth those incommodities into the which we then fall when we will not forgiue the iniuries that are done vnto vs. For it is most certaine that hatred is not onely a grieuous sin in it selfe but also by continuance it striketh more fast into our mindes is made greater In so much that the man which fostereth hatred in minde and desireth reuenge with hope to preuaile against his enemie at the last is so continually troubled day and night that hée neuer can put that wicked cogitation out of his minde whereby oft times it commeth to passe that the malicious man will sooner goe downe into hell then be brought to forgiue and with his whole heart to remit the iniurie Wherefore hatred is rightly compared to a wound wherein the head of the dart or arrow remaineth fast still 22 There are many other inconueniences and sinnes which are fast linked to this sinne of hatred Therefore Saint Iohn saith He which hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darknesse hath blinded his eyes Therefore of necessitie he cannot but stumble and fall For how is it possible that a man should allowe or like eyther of his words or déeds whom he hateth Héereof therefore come rash iudgementes wrath enuie slaunderings reprochfull raylings and many such like euery one of the which bring men in danger of hel-fire wherof he is guiltie as appeareth by the testimonie of Christ which saith but so much as Thou foole Math. 5. What then doth continuall hatred and back-biting raylers and slaunderers deserue 23 Let vs therefore follow the counsell and admonition of Iesus Christ as wée tender the remission of our sinnes Forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen For as Tertullian saith most comfortably Si apud Deum deposueris iniuriam ipse vltâ—r est Si damnum restitutor est Si doloreÌ„ medicus est Si morteÌ„ resuscitator est That is to say If thou lay downe the iniurie that is done vnto thee before Gods tribunall seate he is thy reuenger If thy losse he is thy restorer If thy griefe he is thy Physition If thy death he is thy resurrection and thy life Now therefore as Gods elect put on the bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde méeknesse long suffering Coloss 3. forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any haue a quarrell to another as Christ forgaue euen so doe yée So shalt thou peaceably procéede in thy pilgrimage CHAP. VIII Concerning Blessednesse and Felicitie IT is written in the ninetie one Psalme There shal no euill happen vnto thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling These wordes of the Prophet Dauid may beare a two folde interpretation First that they which are héere in this life vnder the protection of the Almightie are frée from all euil Secondly they containe a propheticall promise concerning the life to come And wheÌ„ we be in that heauenly Tabernacle of the which it is said in another place Psal 84. O Lord of Hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courtes of the Lord. And the Lord in the Gospel saith Lu. 9.16 I say vnto you make you friendes of the vnrighteous Mammon that when yee want they may receiue you into their euerlasting habitations And the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 9. Christ beeing a High Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect Tabernacle not made with handes that is not of this building neither by the blood of Goates and calues but by his owne blood entred hee in once into the Holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Also Saint Iohn in his Apocalips Beholde Apoc. 21. the Tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee their God with them And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrowe neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine for the first things are passed When I say wée bee in this heauenly Tabernacle then shal no euill happen vnto vs neither shal any plague
complaint wée are accompted as shéepe to the slaughter As if they had sayd Wée are otherwise dealt with then the Fathers in the olde time were dealt withal vnto whom God séemed to beare great fauour when as hée enriched them fought for thē gaue them the victorie and with excellent names and titles made them famous and honourable we say they are nowe otherwise dealt with for wée are deliuered vnto the enemies as shéepe to be slaine as vnto whom they may doe what pleaseth them death hangeth all the day long ouer our heads and we are neuer in securitie but yet herein we are comforted that we are not in this perill as men that suffer for euill doing but For thy sake that is for Religion and godlinesse 22 Wherby also we are admonished that paines punishments and death make not Martirs but the cause For otherwise many suffer many grieuous things and yet are not martyrs nor confessors If punishments mke martyrs then the Papists at this day might truely boast of Martyrdome when for their traitrous deserts to their Prince and Countrey they are rightly executed And some Sectaries Scismatickes which would faine be reputed Confessors might then haue some iust colour to complaine of persecution when they are by Ecclesiastical censures iustly punished But these are such Martirs and Confessors of whom S. Augustine writing to Boniface de correctione Donatistatum and in many other places complaineth saying that in his time ther were Circumcellions a furious kind of men which if they could finde none that would kill them would often times breake their owne neckes headlong and would slay themselues These men sayth hée must not be counted martirs These are not shéep but Goates these are not led against their wils but runne headlong through ambition and proud conceit These Rammes follow not the example of Christ of whom it is written that when he was led like a sheepe vnto death yet did he not open his mouth for these open their mouthes too too wide vttering blasphemies against Magistrates These haue forgotten the sentence of the Apostle If I shall deliuer my body to bee burnt 1. Cor. 13. and haue no charitie it profiteth mee nothing Therefore Martyrs and confessors beside the goodnesse of the cause must be méeke patient and charitable 23 Wherefore wée hauing a good cause ought with patience and méekenesse be ready prepared when trial shal be to suffer persecution and tribulation after the example of the holy Martirs of olde time because the crosse alwayes followeth them which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus Then hee who hath promised vs that neither in fire water no nor yet in the shadowe of death hée wil bée from vs but wil bée our buckler defender and shield faithfully wil performe the same in such wise that no temptation shal so assayle vs but that he wil giue vs a ioyfull end and deliuerance 24 The holy Ghost hath caused many histories to bée kept in writing for vs that liue now in the latter age of the worlde to this end that we should not onely beholde in them the fiery raging of the world from the beginning against the people of God and how stoutly they withstood and ouercame by faithful patience the mallice thereof but also by reading of them wee should in our like troubles learne like patience receiue the same comfort and béeing throughly tryed conceiue a sure hope of the same victorie which they after many and sundry trials did win whereof we shal not be disappointed if we to the end striue lawfully If it be too hard and aboue your capacity to behold al the hystories examples propounded in the scriptures and the chronicles of Christs Church with such consideration that you may espye and behold in them the order of Gods working with his Church in al ages and if you doe not vnderstand in diligent perusing thē that the end and issue was euer ioyful and glorious victorie and deliuerance wherwith to comfort your selues in the middest of miseries take into your handes the comfortable historie of king Dauid marke his whole life from that time hée was taken from his Fathers shéepe vntil his death beholde in him your selues whensoeuer you shal be afflicted with any kinde of Crosse 25 After that the Lorde had found out Dauid a man after his owne mind and appointed him king ouer his people who labored worthily to deliuer defend Gods people from their enemies the Idolaters that dwelt neare about him he did not grant vnto him such quietnesse neither to his people but that he was in continual troubles and no smal dangers during the life of Saule and also after Saules death the Idolators and also Saules friendes séeking al the waies that might be to depose him from his kingdome 26 And not onely was hée thus vexed with his forraine enemies but also most grieuously of all other by those of his household who should haue béene his most deare friends his owne natural sonne Absolom his most priuie Counsailers 2. Sam. 15 the nobilitie of his realme the most part of his subiects Absalom pretending to his father Dauid a great holinesse as the maner of hipocrites is desired to haue leaue to goe into Hebron there to sacrifice for the performance of a vow which he had made in the time of his being in Siria but his meaning was to obtaine the kingdome from his Father and to stirre all Israel against him which hée brought to passe Dauid was banished and pursued vnto the death by his own sonne who wrought so much villany against his owne Father that he did not forbear in the despight of him to misuse his Fathers wiues in the sight of all the people How grieuous and dangerous this suddain change was to Dauid and to the godly people which were but a few in respect of the great number of the malicious Hipocrites which followed Absolom it appeareth plainly in the story you may easily consider 27 The best that was like to come of the matter was that while the kingdome of Israel was thus diuided Gods enemies the Pbilistines which had lien long in wait therfore should snatch vp from both the parties the kingdome of Israel and not only vtterly banish Gods true Religion from among the Israelites but also bring them their countrey and their posterity into most miserable bondage and thraldome and that to Gods enemies the most vile people and hated of all the world 28 Dauid in all these perlious dangers of his owne life losse of his kingdome and vtter destruction of Gods people did not discourage himselfe but vnderstanding all this to be the worke of Gods own hand acknowledging the true cause vnfaignedly did perswade himselfe that the Lorde after a time when his good will should bée would giue a comfortable end to all these stormes and bitter pangues His whole behauiour hee himselfe describeth in a Psalme which is left in writing for vs to learne thereafter how to behaue
our selues then may we boldly come to the Lords Table whereat we shall enioy Iesus Christ God and man by the benefit of faith and shall feele moreouer a great increase and augmentation of the same But we must note that it is vnpossible for vs to be vnite and made one with Christ and to be made partakers of the treasures and riches which are in him vnlesse we first renounce Antichrist and his kingdome and vnlesse we detest all Idolatrie superstition and traditions of men directly contrary to the pure seruice of God bounded and limitted out in his word For séeing that God is our onely Creator and hée giueth himselfe wholy vnto vs in the person of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST the true Isaac Gene. 17.18 in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed it is great reason that likewise by Faith wee giue vp our selues Gen. 12.18 yéelde vs wholy vnto God And thence is it that God in his Lawe doth rightfully require of his people that they haue no other Gods but him Eccle. 20.2 And that they loue him with all their heart with all their soule with all their strength and vnderstanding that is to say with all their parts aswel inward as outward And thence is it also that God doth not only rebuke and reprooue al them that halt on both sides but commandeth also 1. Reg. 18.20 Deut. 13.1 and 17.5 that they which sacrifice vnto strange Gods should be put to death And to this purpose S. Paul minding to warne the Corinthians to flée from Idolatry vseth an argument taken from the knittting together and vnion that we haue with Iesus Christ our Lord in the Supper 1. Cor. 10.16 speaking after this sort The cup of blessing which wée blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ And the bread which wée breake is it not the Commmunion of the body of Christ As if he would say that séeing the Corinthians came not to the Supper to bée partakers simply of earthly Elements but to be partakers really and in déede of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ to bée made one with him by faith and to be made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones that therefore it were too great wickednesse abhomination to be present in the assemblies of Infidels or to be partakers of their idolatrie And therefore the Apostle addeth afterward 1. Cor. 10.21 that the Corinthians cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord and of the cup of diuels and that they cannot bée partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of Diuels Whereby he signifieth that it is impossible to serue God and the diuel together and that whosoeuer doth communicate with Idolatrie doeth manifestly renounce our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore seeing that darkenesse is no more contrarie to light vice to vertue death to life Paradice to Hell then the Pope and his doctrine is contrary to our Lord Iesus Christ and to his holy Gospel it behooueth all true faithfull people to withdraw themselues wholy from Poperie and cast off without delay the yoke of that Romish Antichrist that they may giue themselues wholy to the seruice of this Sauiour and Redéemer Iesus Christ But if so be that the CoÌ„munion that we haue with the sonne of God and the promises of the heauenly Father cannot intice perswade vs to yéeld our selues wholy to God to put our trust in him onely to serue and worship him onely according to his will but that we wil yet cleaue vnto Antichrist his seruants Ministers yet at the least let the threatnings iudgements of God hinder vs and feare vs so to doe as when it is sayde Goe out of her my people that ye bee not partakers in her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And againe Apoc. 14.9 â—0 11 If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his foreheade or in his hand the same shal drink of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe And that stinke of their torment shal ascend-euermore and they shal haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name And againe The fearefull and vnbeléeuing the abhominable murtherers Apo. 21.8 whoremongers sorcerers idolatrors and all lyers shal haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Let this therefore be well printed in our hearts that we be not seduced and destroyed with the vaine seruers of this worlde which thinke it is a thing not impossible to serue God and the Diuell Iesus Christ and Antichrist to follow the commandements of God and of men and to satisfie the affections of the spirite and of the flesh all at once 2. We must haue repentance THe preparation whereof we spake before touching faith which applyed vnto euery one of vs particularly Iesus Christ with all his riches and blessings can haue no place in vs vnlesse it bring foorth also in vs a true repentance that is to say a true misliking of euill a burning loue and affection of goodnesse as we sée the example in Dauid Peter Paul and other holy men We must haue a sorrow and vnfeined grief for that we haue offended God for that wée haue before times wickedly abused our creation redemption and Baptisme for that wée haue prouoked God with all our members for that we haue abused our vnderstanding heart tongue féete and hands for that wée haue giuen and set foorth our soules and bodies which are the Temples wherein God would dwell to infidelitie idolatrie superstition filthinesse blasphemie whoredome extortion vsurie robberie gluttonie drunkennesse ambition excesse ryot other worldly vanities which is asmuch as if we would haue lodged God the father the sonne and the Ghost in a most stinking and filthy priuie Wée must therefore bée sorry for our wicked life passed vsing a true and seuere examining of our selues which may bring foorth in vs a displeasantnesse and horrour of our forepassed renting and breaking by al manner of meanes of the Lawe of God to follow the will of the Diuell of the world and of the flesh Nowe the breaking of the breade of the Supper which is omitted in the Passeouer of the Papists should cause vs to acknowledge and detest our wickednesse that is to say whatsoeuer is founde in vs contrary and repugnant to the pure and holy Lawe of GOD. For in that that the bread is broken for vs or rather in that that wée breake the bread of the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ it signifieth vnto vs that in déede it is we that it is our sinnes and iniquities which haue crucified and put to death the Lorde of life who is the very same
Iesus in the supper in that we are made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones in that we liue by his holy spirit ought not this vpon good cause to exhort vs to conforme our selues to the Image and likenesse of the holines of our Lord Iesus Christ Can he dwel in vs nourish vs with his own substance quicken vs with his holy spirit ioyne vs vnto himself by the bond of Faith yet so that he his holy spirit and faith bring not forth in vs good holy works Moreouer for so much as he doth not giue himselfe vnto vs halfemeale and destitute of his qualities and riches accompanied with all spirituall giftes and blessings adorned with righteousnesse and perfection accompanied with innocencie sanctification how can we receiue Iesus Christ enriched with all his graces that the righteousnesse of our head may not shine in vs which are members yea shine in all our parts as well inward as outward Must it needs be that the two partes of our soule that is to say our mind and heart which ought to apprehende and take hold of the promises of God which ought to receiue by faith the body and blood of our lord Iesus Christ that is to say whole Iesus Christ true God equal in euery respect to God his father and true man made of humane body and soule that this minde heart I say must be applyed to the meditation and loue of worldly and wicked things being destitute of the knowledge and loue of God and of the loue of our neighbour Doth it behoue our body which is the temple of God to be prophaned That our eares which were created of God to heare his voice shuld be stopped against it and be opened to vanities wanton talke vnchast worldly songes Doth it behooue our tongue which is bound by the right of creation to sing the praises of God and by the right of redemption to shew forth the Lords death till he come h That this tongue which is so proper an instrument of the glory of God should be mute to goodnesse incessantly occupied in backbiting slaundering blaspheming or at the least in speaking idle words whereof one day wée shal yéeld an account before the throne of the Maiesty of God i Mat. 12.36 Doeth it behoue our mouth which ought to receiue the blessed signe of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus to suppresse the benefit of our redemption and to haue adders poyson in it Doeth it behooue our hands which ought to take at the supper the assured gage of the loue of God the infallible pledges of his league with vs the earnest penny of our saluation to be voide of goodnesse beside that be giuen to extortion theft murther oppression violence Doth it behooue our féete which ought to runne and make hast to goodnesse to be ready and light to runne to mischiefe No surely but as he which calleth vs is holy so likewise must we also be wholy holy as he hath brought vs by holy Baptisme into his holy house which is his Church the Cōmunion of Saints Euen so likewise must we lead therein a good holy conuersation as he hath washed vs from our sinnes by the precious blood of his sonne Iesus Christ so must we dye to them liue in righteousnesse as he hath called vs to the the incorruptible hope of the blessed resurrection eternal life so must we lift vp our harts on high and not be buried like Moles in this fraile and transitorie earth To be short séeing that the grace of God is set before vs euery day and his holy word soundeth in our eares l Tit. 2.11 12.13.14 to this onely end that it may be saluation vnto vs and that renouncing all vngodlinesse worldly desires we should liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ We must pray vnto this good God that he would giue vs grace so to behaue our selues towardes him in liuing godly so towards our neighbours in liuing iustly so towards the poore in reléeuing them charitably so towards our selues in liuing soberly that we may be found at the day irreprehensible by the meanes of that his wel beloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ 3 Thirdly Of thankes giuing we must giue thanks to this good God for the benefit of our redemption for this cause it is that the Auncients called the holy supper Eucharistia that is to say gratefulnesse good grace giuing of thankes For if so be that our ordinary food and daily bread which GOD giueth vs for the nourishmēt of our bodies ought to be sanctified by the word receiued with thankesgiuing ought we not much more to thanke God for the heauenly bread for the nourishment of our soules which is offered vnto vs really giuen vs in the holy Supper of Iesus Christ And we sée also how Iesus Christ himselfe sheweth vs an example hereof For when he tooke the bread of the Supper S Matthewe and S. Marke say that Iesus Christ blessed And S. Luke expoundeth this word to blesse when he saith that he gaue thankes Now then séeing that we sée that Iesus Christ when he tooke the bread of the supper gaue thankes to God his father as he did also when he tooke the cup that for the redemption of mākind it is our duty to do the like And that we may be the better moued to giue thanks to God we haue to consider the greatnesse of the benefit of our redemption and the excellency of the gift which God giueth vs at his holy table which cannot bée done vnlesse we consider our miserable condition which was before figured by the temporall captiuitie of Egypt We see there how Pharaoh was strong and mighty how he knew not the generall how he went about to kill all the séede of the Israelites Exe 1.3 by the suppression and death of their men children we sée also how excessiuely he caused the Israelites to worke without any hope of wages how he would not suffer them by any meanes to sacrifice to the Lord nor to goe forth of the land of Egypt Which thing continued not for one yeare or two but for the space of foure hundred and thirtie f Exo. 12.30 yeares Here may we liuely beholde a draught of our misery We were all lost and destroyed in Adam Wee were holden captiues in the helly Egypt vnder the Tyranny of a spirituall Pharaoh which is the Diuell This Tyrant was strong and mighty hee suffered vs not to serue our GOD. He made vs to labour incessantly in slauish and vnfruitfull workes of sinne to the establishment of his owne kingdome He slew not onely our men children but he led vs all indifferently to vtter ruine and destruction And this Tyranny had not onely continued for a certaine time but had béene eternall and
which is giuen for you This is my blood which is shed for the remission of your sinnes Finally they despise the church and the vnity thereof and willingly excommunicate themselues from the communion which the faithfull haue in the Supper as well with Iesus Christ as one with another Wée sée therefore how fondely these contemners of the Lordes holy Supper doe fall and are vtterly inexcusable And therefore let vs take good héede that wée followe them not if wee will not bée punished with them which for their Oxen a Mat. 12.7 Luke 14.22 Farmes Wiues and Trafficque of Marchaundize refused is come to the marriage in the Gospel Contrariwise of them which come vnwoorthily to the holie Supper of the Lorde or ought not to be thervnto admitted AL Atheistes that is suche as are without GOD These haue not faith misbeleeuers ignoraunt of God and his worde all heretiques and false Prophetes all Magicians Idolaters and superstitious which are partakers of the table of Diuels likewise all they which haue but an hystorical faith all the adherents ministers of the Romish Antichrist and they that establishe by any manner whatsoeuer his kingdome or depende thereon also all they which haue not yéelded themselues to the Churche of God and haue not made profession of their faith Finally all they that customably sweare eyther by the name of God or by their faith and applie it to vaine matters and causes of no value all these ought to abstaine from the Lords table for so much as they haue not a true trust in God without the which wée cannot be members of Iesus Christe nor consequently be apte and méete to receiue life of him which is the onely head of the true fatthfull These haue not repentance AL they which liue slaunderously all impenitentes and vnthriftes al contemners of God of his worde and of his holy assemblies al blasphemers and denyers of the name of God al despisers of correction and Ecclesiastical Discipline they also that haunt and frequent ordinarilie euill companie which walke in the counsel of the wicked a Psal 1.1 which stand in the way of sinners which sit in the seate of the scorneful To be shorte they in whome appeereth no amendement of life no regeneration and they that committe heynous and infamous vices and suche as are to bee punished by the Magistrate all these after that they are knowne to be suche ought not to be admitted to the Supper and if they present themselues vnto it they ought not to be receiued least that that is holy bée giuen to dogges and Swyne b Mat. 7.6 to the great dishonour of GOD and slaunder of his Churche Of them which sinne against the third Article which consisteth in giuing of thankes VVIthout true faith and repentance These are not thankful to God wée can not be méete to set foorth the praises of GOD who wil not bée praised by the mouth of the wicked a Psal 50.16 and therefore al Infidels Ignorants and Impenitents sinne also against this Article and ought not to be receiued to the Lordes Supper Also they that are madde or fooles either by nature or some other accident They also which by reason that they be vnder age as little children cannot shew forth neither the Lords death fit he come nor are capable of the Supper of the Lord. Finally they which by fragilitie vnkindnesse and contempt in time of persecution did forsake Gods cause and renounce the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe ought not also to bée admitted thither vnlesse that they doe first make open confession of their faulte and be reconciled to the Church of God Of them which sinne against the fourth Article which consisteth in loue towardes our Neighbour THe disobedience to father and mother These are voyde of loue to the Magistrate and to al superiours the seditious conspiratours fighters murderers and such as beare malice and hatred against their neighbours they that are carried away with the fire of reuengement whoremongers adulterers incontinent buggerers Drunkards Gluttons Deceiuers Théeues and Vsurers Backebyters Mockers False witnesses Lyers and common periured Persons and in summe all they which make an Arte of the breache of Loue towarde their Neighbours conteined in the second Table of the Lawe of GOD ought not to bée receiued to the Supper For séeing that the Scripture pronounceth thus that such sort of men haue none acquaintance of God are shut out of the kingdome of Heauen a Eph. 5.5 Psal 15. and shall not dwell in the Lordes holy Mountaine they ought of right to bée shutte out from the sacred signes wherby the faithfull are ioyned to IESVS CHRIST and made possessors of eternall life FINIS