Many of singular note haue fallen and neuer could returne againe 2. Kings 9 10. gifts of great note in the Church famous for worthy acts haue falne neuer returned againe as appeareth in couragious and valiant Iehu a captaine for the Lord of hostes against the house of Ahab who slew two kings Iehoram and Ahaziah of Iuda and Israell by him was Iezabel cast downe that cursed Queene and the dogs did eat her in the gates of Isreel hee ouerthrew Baall his Priests and temple he was zealous for the Lord and tooke Ionadab to bee a witnesse thereof with him So Demas Col. 4. 14. intertained the Gospell accompanied the Apostle in his afflictions saluted the Saincts and was famous in Churches Ioash long liued religiously he honoured 2. Kin. 12. godly Iehotada and was counselled by him he repaired the Temple and did many things worthy praise Iudas was a follower of Christ three yeares he preached Christ in his name cast out diuels Mat. 10. and was an Apostle one of the twelue chosen by Christ out of all the world yet was not Iehu his heart vpright but he embraced Ieroboams calues and fell from God and claue to his Idolatrie yet did Dâ—mas forsake the Gospell and entertained this present world and no meÌ„tion of his returne againe yet did Ioash fall to Idolatrie and cruelty ouerthrowing Gods worship and persecuting yea murthering his prophets without repeÌ„tance And lastly Iudas became a miserable miscreant a thiefe a traytor and in horrour of mind so desperat as after the fact being hopelesse of mercy he hanged himself Who readeth feareth not who heareth and trembles not we see our beginning is it easie thence to conclude our ending Doe wee see such so qualified so famous men to faâ—â— vtterly shal we presume of a better end without any such tokens of grace Vse By all this which hath beene said it Theâ— are deceiued that think assurance of saluation easily atteined is more then manifest that it is not easie to attaine assurance of saluation It is therefore altogether a fault in such as labor the least in this matter Of the world we feare to want heauen wee make no question of For the body here wee take care and doe vpon euery light occasion distrust fall to shifts in feare of want but for the soule wee make our selues sure that it is well albeit it doth want all the meanes of saluation and we our selues liue in our naturall corruption vnreformed What is this but carnall presumption it commeth from Sathans suggestion A motion from the diuine spirit it is not where this giueth hope of heauen there it moueth to goodnesse this teacheth that the assurance of things aboue after death is beyond reason and therefore more hard to bee attained then things belowe in this life present Many waies are here to make supply for the bodie in earthly things but one way for heauenly Men may bestow vpon thee for this time but God onely for the time to come Thine own labour here may procure thee maintenance and what thou canst not get other may giue thee but no man can redeeme a soule and giue life man must let that alone for euer here wee are led by sense but in the other by faith money can here purchase but onely mercy there man may deserue well of man but nothing can he merit of God We may be superiours amongst men and yet touching the future good of the soule may be worse then beasts Diues may fare deliciously euery day and yet bee so farre from assurance of life as that he is damned at his death All the world may we winne yet lose our owne soules Dauid can tell vs that hee neuer sawe the righteous forsakeÌ„ touching the things of this life but the wicked flourishing yet come to a fearefull end The way is brode and the gate wide that leadeth to destruction and many runne that way but the gate to heauen is straight and the passage narrow leading to life and many seeke it but fewe finde it many set foote in the way few go on any time and of these fewe some turne back againe and a very small number perseuere to the end Of the world wee are and the world will loue her owne but we are vncapable of grace and enemies to goodnes so as God in iustice abhorreth vs. In the world we may liue thogh we haue offended in many things keeping them secret from men and neuer make satisfaction but in an other wee cannot if but one sinne be vnrepented of and God not satisfied and the price of blood payed to redeeme vs by faith in Christ Here offences committed may bee pardoned by many the King not taking notice of them but there is no euill in the soule though neuer so secret but the King of heauen is acquainted with the same and a pardon must be procured from his owne person and by none but by his own sonne else that offendor shall vtterly be condemned and pay the punishment duely for euer according to the trespasse Therefore if all these things be well considered and the weight of the reasoÌ„s seriously weighed we may rather suppose our selues to be deluded by imagination to thinke the assurance of saluation to be so easily attayned then to be the settlednes of our iudgement from a grounded perswasion And thus much for the first lesson Doctrine The second lesson is this that yet there is in this life a true assurance of saluation in a certaine measure to euery one in time ordained to be saued else the Apostle Peter here would not haue exhorted vs to labour for this assurance which the Apostle S. Paule attayned also Rom. 8. 38 vnto in this life which hee publisheth not onely singularly in the behalfe of himselfe but plurally for the rest of all those whom God loueth in Christ Iesus Neither doe I say that it is that fulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith but a certaine measure nor at once but by little and little nor to euery professour but to such as are ordained to eternall life And this is effected by How to get assurance By meditation meditation inspiration sanctificatioÌ„ To haue assurance we must meditate of Gods inchangeablenes both in his owne nature Iam. 1. 17. as also in his gifts and calling which are without repentance Rom. 11. 29 we must think vpon Gods euerlasting decree without alteration of his promises made irreuocably with the manner of deliuery in the time present Ioh. 3. 36 He that beleeueth Ioh. 3. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sonne hath euerlasting life to take away doubting and to establish our harts in an assured possession thereof No lesse gaine ariseth by remembring the Lords couenant which hee maketh with his how it is a couenant euerlasting Ier. 32. 40 not for a time and with such as he maketh it he giueth them grace putteth his feare in their
wee be such it plainly appeareth that wee runne the way of death and walke in the path of perdition except we do amend Let such worldlings consider that the world they must leaue going as they came naked with nothing and thē receiue not as they were in wealth here a place there but as they were religious so shall they be rewarded And therfore sith this world vanisheth and cannot help but euen as wee haue sought the Lord so shall wee find comfort let vs be more diligent in seeking after that which will maks vs euer happy without alteration euerlastingly Againe the voluptuous liuer is nothing Voluptuous liuers lesse then of this minde to seeke diligently those things that are aboue but hee as a beast maketh his bellie his God and the satisfying of his lust his chiefest life Nothing sauours with him but pleasures therefore spendeth hee his daies in cursed delights and saith as the carelesse Rich man Soule liue at ease eat drinke and take thy Luke 12. 19 pastime when in his strength and in the midst of his pleasures hee thinketh of death he thereby stirs vp his minde the more to his euils saying as an Epicure and Atheist Let vs eate and drinke for 1 Cor. 15. to morrowe vve shall die hee maketh a league with death and a couenant with the graue if all die he dreameth to liue though God threaten damnation yet he will presume of mercie vntill the verie daies of euill come wherein he will be forced to say I haue no pleasure in them When sicknes hath sommoned him and feare of present death hath taken possession then happely wil he say Oh I haue sinned pray for me I haue spent my daies leudly what shall I doe and if in this agony conscience seaze vpon him then he will roare for feare of hell then houle and cry out in dread of damnation oh saue but none shall succour oh heare but God will not hearken woe is Pro. 1. 28. me for my wantonnesse wo is me that I haue wrought such wickednesse goodnes I regarded not I therefore now feele no comforts of grace oh that GOD would let me liue againe how would I then seek after him fie vpon filthy lust cursed pleasures a due vanitie of vanities and vexation of spirit Beloued if we but felt what men feele for sinne in trouble of conscience and without comfort we would not for the world be in their place wee escaping the danger would soone leaue sinne giue all diligence to doe good in which onely resteth all our comfort then with gladnes and alacrity of spirit wee would set forward to the worke of the Lord embrace goodnes and liue vertuously that wee might not come into the like miserie any more Therefore let the feare of it aforehād moue vs to giue all diligence to do wel that we may neuer taste of that dreadfull torment the apprehension of Gods wrathfull displeasure for which Christ sinneles for our sinnes sustaining fell into such an agony as in the garden hee swet drops of bloud wretched man remember thou this and on the crosse cryed My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken Mat. 27. 46 me and shall we sinne rebelliously and presume of mercie shall hee forsaken as it were feare who was without sinne and that day and night sought after good things and may we be drowned in voluptuousnesse and carelesse of religion bee wholly without dread O vaine imagination Sathanicall delusion cursed presumption Let vs bee otherwise minded I beseech you think better of it There are also an other sort to conclude Carelesse professours cold Protestants who though as these forenamed they bee not wretchedly addicted to their wils running headlong into wickednesse and wholy careless of religion to the very end yet are they idle i◠their profession and not carefull to vse their time so well as they might but will be content to let occasions offered slip and do thinke that men may be too curious too precise making more adoe then needeth that they can serue God and heare not the word twise on the Sabbaoth once a forthnight or once a moneth may content them that businesses may withdraw from these too sometime so as a little liketh them well yea and lesse then nothing now then shall not displease them But these worke not out their saluation with feare and trembling these doe forget how the fiue foolish virgins let their lamps go out for want of watchfulnesse and did knock too late when the gates were Mat. 25. 11 12. shut The spouse in the Canticles losing the Cant. 5. 3. 6. 7. present opportunity in her sluggish carelesse disposition had almost lost Christ who yet after sought him and found him but not without strokes and wounds giuen by the watchmen It will bee iust with God to punish our carelesnesse we haue the word offered we may enioy it bee not loathing of this Mannah be diligent in searching the soules safety It may come to passe that when we would we shall not haue it and whilst we seeke and happily find we shall haue no small trouble before wee enioy againe our peace We should followe religion and religious exercises in the compasse of our calling as Elisha did Eliah neither tarrie at Gilgall nor at Bethel nor at Iericho 2 Kings 2. though wee be entreated that is by no means nor by any occasion to leaue off for feare of losing the blessing if wee be but a while absent Let vs as Ruth protested to Naomi Ruth 1. 16 17. so say for religion wee wil not be intreated to leaue it nor depart frō it whither it goeth wee will go the Lord do so to vs and more also if ought but death depart it and vs. It is Eliah to double blessings vpon thee It is Naomi faire and beautifull to the soule though sometime Marah to the flesh Hence is it that Dauid Psa 1. 2. saith Blessed is he that meditateth in the lawe of God both day and night He was not of the minde of these vaine professours nor of their practise who not content with the day would rise vp at midnight to praise the Lord. The spirit of God in godly men hath taught them to thinke that they should giue all diligence to be religious that they should not content themselues with formal and customarie seruice nor at their leisure now or then from worldly businesse or carnall delights to thinke of heauen but daily were they in exercise of religion what estate calling so euer they were in Dauid a King did not neglect it Cornelius a Captaine was a deuout man and Act. 10. 2. 30 prayed God continually Hannah was in the Temple day and night Peter was in his holy meditation and prayers at noone and Daniel a great States-man Dan. 6. became so curiously precise in his holy deuotion and seruice vnto God that he would not in the perill of his
THE SINNERS SAFETIE If heere hee looke for assurance By Richard Barnerd Preacher of Gods word at Worsop in Nottingham-shire Coloss 3. 1. If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God AT LONDON Printed by H. L. for T. M. and Ionas Man and are to be sold at his shoppe at the West doore of Paules Anno Dom. 1609. To the Chiefe Officers the Gentlemen domesticall Attendants and to the rest of the Familie of the most Reuerend Father Tobias the Lord Archbishop of Yorke his Grace the chiefest good is hartily wished GEntlemen I vvish you vvell I hope you doubt not in my loue to you all I offer this my labor to some as desired in lieu of good vvill and kindnesse receiued My best thoughts are tovvardes you in the best things Naturall fauorits vvorldly friends wish good to the body that doe I but vvithall the soules safety vvithout vvhich no good You do heare the excellent truths of God by one of whom it hath been said He doth regnare in pulpitis I doe graunt it vvho can deny those gifts yet let your loue pardon my folly and reiect not my well meaning though I set before you a candle at noone The matter is not amisse if the rudenesse of speech make it not distastefull if so it were a fault Loue doth not loath vvhat is good wholsome meat meanely cookt is acceptable to a hungry stomacke What hath been heard vvith the eare may nowe bee seene with the eye a double remembrance the other lesse this of more continuance I hope the fruit vvill bee answerable The text is a speciall iewell set forth with precious pearles The argument is of weight How a poore sinner may haue assurance of the greatest happinesse The exhortation sheweth our slowness but the necessity of the thing requireth our diligence good reason therefore What matter so vvoorthy our trauel to gaine all vvithout this is but loss We liue here in pleasure and ease is this our comfort are vve at home then is there not to come a weal vnspeakeable or a woe intolerable vvith sorrovve to liue in paine both in time and euer beyond all time Sinners vve be hence conclude vvâ—e must death and that double By this apprehension is nothing but horror of Hell Assurance of happinesse concludes safety and ioy of Heauen One of desert but this not vvithin compasse of merit it is Gods gift in mercy comfortable a ioy vnspeakeable Wee all shall see the Lord in the last day albeit Atheisticall Athenians mocke at the doctrine of the Resurrection but we al shal not alike behold him as vvee doe not alike desire his coÌ„ming Some shall see him a lamb and apprehend fierce vvrath and say Oh mountains couer vs. Some the lyon of Iudah and conceiue ioy and in comfort cry aloude Hosannah Good cause vvhy they haue peace by assurance of pardon and it is the day of their redemption that did they seeke for diligently this they expected desired earnestly and in the end enioy the revvard To stirre you vp heerevnto is the drift of my present endeuour VVe all need spurring heauie harts and leaden heeles loaden we are with iniquitie so slovve to goodnes that all our daies vvee hardly get any grace permanent Gentlemen accept I pray you my kindness read vvith a mind ayming at the end which I propose Serious meditation helps memory and settles iudgement but in practise stands the life vvhich getteth also commendations You are in eminent place tongues on both sides talke at liberty our defence is innocencie No way can ye so glorifie God as by practicall professioÌ„ nor advaunce before the enemie the honour of the most Reuerend your Lord and Maister more then by a holy conversation so doe and it shall bee also your glory If heerein my labor further any thing it shall be my ioy and if we continue in vvell dooing it it doubtlesse wee shall obtaine mercie Which the Lord grant euen so Amen From my Studie at Worsop Nouemb. 12. Your louing Friend euer in the Lord Richard Bernard The Sinners safetie if here he seeke for assurance 2. PET. 1. 10. Wherefore Brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall THE Apostles desire The Apostles drift with the coherence is that with Profession men should ioyne Sanctification therfore in the 5. verse he exhorteth those to whom hee writ that they should giue all diligence to fly the corruption which is in the world through lust this is the maine proposition or lesson intended And to bring theÌ„ therunto he first teacheth them the meanes how to attain to a holy conuersation by adding vertue to vertue one grace to another as hee sheweth in the An instruction to ministers 5. 6. and 7. verses A duetie of a minister who is a spirituall PhysiciaÌ„ of the soule not only to shew the malady or aduise his Patient to haue care to his health but also to prescribe the meanes how diseases may bee remoued and health preserued Salomon commendeth the feare of God Pro. 1. 7. The feare of God is the beginning of Wisdome and in Chap. 2. prescribes the meanes to come to the vnderstanding thereof in the 1. 2. 3. and 4. verses My sonne if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commandements within thee c. In the fifth verse hee concludeth and saith Thâ—n shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God In like manner Peter in Act 2 after he had accused the Iewes for putting Christ to death resteth not in manifesting their miserie but readily teacheth them how they may acquite themselues and escape the deserued iudgement for such a sinne To shew miserie without remedy is to lodge the heart in sorrowe without reliefe meanes must be shewed with the matter the way with the appointed iourney the minde possessed with the one testeth not content without the other Therefore must ministers after the Apostles example obserue this order as both reason and necessity it selfe requireth After the Apostle hath prescribed the meanes hee vrgeth reasons to inforce the practise of the doctrine by vse of the meanes the reasons are because wee should not be idle and without fruit in our profession verse 8. because else we are blinde and cannot see afarre of and also forgetfull of a great and incomparable benefite that wee are purged from our old sinnes verse 9. because otherwise wee cannot haue assurance of our saluation which reason is in my text verse 10. In which againe to vs ministers is An other instruction to ministers commended with the Apostles wisedom to be able to shew meanes to attaine to that he would haue them doe his godly care also to haue them to vse and not to neglect the meanes which hee hath prescribed vnto them Therefore doth hee presse them with so many reasons
you thereby haue a true signe and token from God of his loue euerlasting and shall neuer fall from him the like is that in the Psalme 15 6. He that doth these things shall neuer fall Vse Therefore to attaine to the benefite of this promise let vs here looke to the condition which is carefully to exercise our selues in these vertues afore mentioned First well doing keepeth vs from euill euery gift of grace is a sentinell to First reason watch against the opposite vice seeking entrance to the heart Hold sobriety drunkennesse getteth no place chastity preserueth from dishonesty feruency of spirit cannot abide luke-warme to lodge with it light liketh not of darknes righteousnes of vnrighteousnes knowledge of Ignorance nor godly humility of Sathanicall pride and arrogancie looke how much we haue of goodnes so much aduantage get we against wickednes euery vertue aduancing it selfe and keeping it proper place in the soule when the contrary vice asâ—aileth it Sathan suggesting and by outward obiects inticing the heart to yield thereunto Secondly these vertues are the fruits Second reason of the spirit whence a maÌ„ may coÌ„clude that hee hath the spirit and hee which hath this hath Christ without whom no redemption no saluation These vertues are pleasant flowers which gathered are asweete nosegay to garnish our soules with for the Lords delight They are the guarison of the holy Ghost lodged in the soule to keepe out such euils as yet haue not entrance and to bridle ill motions of the heart daily arising that we perish not Thus much of theÌ„ in generall But let vs if but briefly weigh them in particular and the goodness of them will more allure vs to loue them Faith is the crowne of graces and the The commendations of seuerall vertues Faith roote of vertues it maketh morality by the lawe to turne into Christianity by the Gospell without it we caÌ„not please God by it we make the word preached profitable and by it wee apprehend Christ who satisfieth iustice asswageth wrath bringeth downe mercy and heauen gates are open for vs and wee enter and take possession Vertue integrity the generall word Vertue for a speciall which is the brest-plate of righteousness keeping countenance without blushing it is the ioy of the spirit and maketh men bold as a Lyon it dare answere at the barre to the best say truely Not guilty it desireth tryall and therein alwaies getteth approbation and credite of euerie cause not fearing malice though lying and deceipt manage the matter with all the friends that may be made it maketh man looke vp chearefully vnto God and so resteth quiet in his owne innocency Knowledge it is the candle of the soule Knowledge the rule of actions the discerner of causes the Iudge of controuersies the guide of affection the bridle for the tongue and the life of conscience and the first motor to obedience it saueth from errour condemneth heresie and standeth alwaies for verity if peruersenesse of spirit turne it not into sophistry Temperance knowledge is the first motor this is moderator it qualifieth TeÌ„perance allayeth extreames it is in nothing violent it preuenteth liking before lookeing it stoppeth rage of lust and brideleth appetite it discusseth causes with deliberation it ordereth words with discretion hot spirits by it may expostulate iniuries done without contention by it knowledge telleth his tale wisely and integrity is bold with safety Patience is the mother of peace a strong back to beare all burthens it Patience saith nothing to reuiling speeches and is not an auenger of priuate iniuries it waiteth for accomplishment of promises long it is the daughter of humility and the safe conductor of integrity by it we possesse our soules and the enemy getteth not aduantage it is neuer in want dwelling alwaies with contentment Godliness this is the chiefe goodness Godliness by sense we are better then the creature sensless by reason better then the beast by religion better then man onely hauing reason but godlynesse is the quintessence of religion it is the especiall fruit of faith sincerities comfort the principall end of all learning the perfection of all knowledge the creatures admiration and here to the mightiest in the world their highest exaltation godlinesse is great gaine it hath the promise of this life and of the life to come Brotherly kindnes the procurer of loue Brotherly kindness the disposition of the heart to doe good to other it graunteth fauour to euerie frined it liueth euer in charity it is mercifull and lendeth it is ready to doe pleasures and liberall without delay it is the goodnes of a mercifull heart pliable to euery good worke Loue is the last which is the fruit of Loue. 1. Cor. 13. brotherly kindness the grace which the Apostle so highly extolles and neede not here to be stoode vpon but I will conclude it with that absolute commendation that Loue is the fulfilling of the lawe And thus we see what reason there is for vs to haue these excellent vertues and to exercise our selues in them that we may neuer fall otherwise we are without certainty of our saluation and tokens of eternall comfort The loose and careless liuer the vicious Reproofe to the leud vicious and leud man is heere vtterly left hopeless he cannot looke for heauen the scripture tels him that there hee hath no enheritance he that committeth sin is of the Diuel the reward is death the 1. Iohn 3. 8 Rom. 6. 23. Psal 9. 17. wicked shall goe into hell and all the people that forget God If any for better satisfaction would know for what sinnes in particular death is threatned and for which men are denyed heauen they shall finde that euery sinne vnrepented of procureth damnation but it pleaseth the holy Ghost to number vp many particulars the places not vnfit to be mentioned to see and consider of them Rom. 1. 29. 30 are reckoned vp Rom. 1. 29. 30. reckoned vp 23 sins three and twenty sins Vnrighteousness fornication wickedness couetousness maliciousness full of enuie of murther of debate of deceipt taking all things in euill part whisperers backbiters haters of God doers of wrong proud boasters inuenters of euill things disobedient to pareÌ„ts without vnderstanding couenaÌ„t breakers without naturall affection such as can neuer be appeased mercilesse for which not onely they that doe them but also that fauour them that doe them are worthy of death In 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. are set downe ten kindes 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. ten sorts of vicious persons of vicious persons Fornicators idolaters adulterers wantons buggerers theeues couetous drunkerds raylers and extortioners which shall not inherit the kingdome of God In Galathians 5. 19. 20. Gal. 5. 19 20 workes of the flesh 17. are particularized seauenteene workes of the flesh Adulterie fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuie murthers drunkennesse