And the Prophet Dauid ioynes with theÌ„ Psalme â—3 in like consent the word of the Lord is righ teous and all his workes are faithfull And vnto this faithfulnes is another property annexed viz. Gods Iustice Heere is the second reason to induce vs to acknowledge our sinnes for God is iust He is iust in his anger and in his bountifulnesse who shall stand saith Nahum before the face of his wrathfull indignation and his anger is poured out like fire Ps 85. And againe it is an horrible thing to fal into the hands of the liuing God Heb. 12. Hee is iust to giue euery man according to his worke Reue. 21. therefore confesse for hee is iust Hee hath promised free pardon if thou performe this confession and of this pardon thou maist assure thy selfe because God is iust and cannot breake with thee To cleere this with many wordes were to poynt at the shining sunne and to light a candle at noone daie therefore I will descend to that which followeth That he may forgiue vs Though God be of power infinite yet wil he not saue maÌ„ without faith forgiue sinnes without repentance and a principall branch of this repentance is the confessing of sinne If thou treadest the path of repentance thus far foorth viz. to confesse thy sins and to bee ashamed of them and to be sorie for them yet if thou haue not faith if thou beleeue not that God is faithful and iust to forgiue thou commest short of true repentance For Iudas proceeded so farre as well as Mat. 27. 3. 4. thou yet he was damned because hee distrusted God he could not perswade himselfe that GOD would forgiue him and so he lost that which the theefe found Note therefore that three things are necessarie that sinnes may be forgiuen First Infusio gratioe the pouring of grace or working of Gods grace in vs as it wrought in Peter when he went to weepe Secondlie the remorse of the soule who fearing the danger of sin flies to god by repentance like the publicanes souldiours in the 3. of Luke to this belongs confessioÌ„ Thirdly a change of mind and casting off old affections by putting a new heart like Saul when a kingly spirit was giueÌ„ him The calling of sinners to repentance is liuely described by the calling of S. Mathew in whose calling we are to note foure things First he was sitting noting the carelesse securitie of sinners Secondly the place where he was viz. the seate of custome noting how this worldlie Mammon doth draw men from God Thirdly hee rose vppe shewing when grace is poured into vs then we rise froÌ„ sin It is not inough for vs to heare Christ cal but we must rise vp like Samuel and S. Mathew leauing our former state occupatioÌ„ Fourthly hee followed Christ wee must not leaue sinnes only before committed but we must indeuour to leade a godly life euer afterwards framing our selues to the example of Christ To furnish you yet with a coate of surer proofe then Saules armour euerie soule that meanes to possesse heauenly riches must be qualified with these properties He must first haue voluntatis mutationem a change of will 2 Ad deum conuersionem a turning vnto God 3 Peccati detestationem a detestation of sinne 4 Ad meâ—orem vitam intentionem an intention and earnest resolution to liue better afterwardes To forgiue vs our sinnes the certaintie of this remission is assured vs by many presidents in scripture Dauid sinned but vppon his confession God being faithfull and iust forgaue him Ahab confessed his sinne and humbled â—â—in 21 29 himselfe before God and he sawe not the euil that was threatned in his daves And so did the Niniuites and were not destroied though the hande of the Lord were alreadie stretched out within fortie daies to consume Luk. 15 22. them The prodigall sonne was receiued with great welcomes vpon his confession Notwithstanding the inuincible truth of this doctrine yet Satan whose pollicie is euer to hinder mans saluation thought to draw men from the vnderstanding hereof and shuffled into mens heads diuers errors about remission of sinne First that not God alone but man also may forgiue sins whence the selling of pardons proceeded Secondly that venial sin may be forgiuen with the infusion of diuine and heauenly grace Thirdly that there is no remission where there is not open confession to the priest Fourthly that remission of sinnes may be after this life which opinion is defended by magister sententiarum and this is the roote of Purgatorie The Pellagians affirmed that when sinne is forgiuen the punishment is also forgiuen and therefore they say the death of the bodie is not the reward of originall sinne And so they say Adam had died a bodily death whether he had sinned or not but we know it to be otherwise And these are the Locusts that creepe Reuel â— forth of the bottomlesse pit The Pelagians in maintaining this erroâ— crosse these scriptures In â—udore vultus in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread God forgaue the sinne but the punishment still remaines God pronounced against Eue in sorrow Gen. 3. shalt thou bring foorth God pardoned the sinne but the punishment yet remaineth Dauid by confession of his sin got pardon yet the Prophet told him he should be humbled by his sonne But let these errors passe and leaue we them to him that deuised them which is the diuell who hath bin a lier from the beginning trueth will triumph ouer falshoode and the arke wil stand when Dagon falles One droppe remaineth behind vndistilled the pure Quintessence whereof being in due mixture added to this cleare fountaine of christalline water wil grace the same with a matchlesse perfection When this is supplied nothing will be wanting as nothing was lacking to the fiue Mat. 25 4. wise virgins when their lampes were burning And to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse God will not only remit sinne but he will take it cleane away as Moses said he Exo. 10. 26 woulde not leaue an hoofe behinde so God in purging wil not leaue a spot behind but we shal be throughly cleansed and made white like Abosolom who from the sole of his foote to the top of his head had no blemish 2. Sam. 14. 25. in him How filthie and polluted soeuer we were before yet nowe wee shall be cleane and white whiter than Naaman after so many washings In the one and twentieth of the Reuelation it is written that the city of god is founded vpon precious stones and in the ende of the Chapter it is said there shall no vncleane thing enter into it shewing that the soule of man must be cleane The Lord by Esay sayth I wil blot out all thine iniquities And if the wicked man wil turne from his wickednes I will remeÌ„ber his sins no more In the sixt of the Reuelation mention is made of those that were vnder the Altar the Altar is
Christs body should be offered and his bloud powred out for our sinnes Giuen for vs. Here is all merite excluded the meere loue of God caused Christ to die for vs. So God loued the word that he gaue his only begotten Son that so many as beleeued on him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Hauing now the participation of his bodie and bloud we may sing with S. Paul now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus God spared not his only sonne but gaue him for vs al to death and again who shall condemne it is Christ who is dead or rather who is â—isen for vs. This should make vs loue God and this should stirre vs vp to be thankfull vnto him for so inestimable a benefit And God doth call vpon vs for this thankfulnes in the following words Doe it in remembrance of me O it is a thing especially to be remembred this benefit of our redemption O it ought to be printed vpon our nailes and vpon our tables and vpon our beds that we might neuer forget it Let vs remember Christ his death for it is our life it saues vs from death euen eternal death Dauid could say of Ierusalem If I forget Psa 137. 5. thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning yea lette my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not Ierusalem to my cheefest ioy So let vs say the same of Christ if we forget thee O our redeemer let our right hand forget her cunning yea lette our tongues cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes if wee preferre not thy death to our cheefest ioye Remember thy creator saith the Preacher Eccle. 12 1 so I say remember also thy Redeemer Thou oughtest sooner to forget thy selfe as Messalah did his name theÌ„ to forget him that died for thee Consider this you that forget God you that dwell in sinful Ierico leaue your sinnes they procured Christs death Christ hath died for vs that henceforth we should learne to die to sinne and walke in newnesse of life knowing that our olde man is crucified with him to thend the body of sinne should be destroyed You then remember him as yee ought when you lay all the storie of his Passion before you as if you looâ—ed vppon him nowe crucified and hanging on the crosse induring all the torments and paines of hell both in body and soule for our sakes consider of all the tortures and bitter pangs of his innocent passion which Nazianzene compriseth in three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buffets and blowes mockes and mowes railings and reuilings whips and scourges prickes and thornes hammers and nailes cordes and ropes crosse and gibbet thirst and vinegar reede and speare these were the instruments of our redemption Al this and more then can be vttered did he sustain patiently for our sakes in his most blessed body Which though they be now past in him ought not lightly to passe from vs but euer to be fresh in memorie as Dauid saide I will neuer forget these iustifications of thine so let vs say we will neuer forget these torments of thine The christian soules of men should liue Act. 7 55 and die in the meditation of Christs life and death like Stephan in the contemplating of his glory If the Philosophers call contemplation the greatest and chefest felicitie certainelie then in this contemplation consists the greatest felicity The forgetfulnes of this benefite driues vs blindfolded into al sin for wheÌ„ we forget Christ we straightwaies forget our selues too and so this proud flesh of ours wil not suffer vs to crucifie our crooked affections What flesh can be proud that beholdeth our Sauiour so poore and contemptible vpon the crosse or what soule hauing any spark of grace like the maimed faith of Agrippa caÌ„ nowe giue himselfe ouer vnto sinne considering the seueritie of Gods iustice vppon his owne naturall and only begotten Sonne for our sinnes which otherwise could not be cleered but by so deere a price euen the hart bloud of so glorious a person But of this inough although inough can neuer be spoken and it ought rather to bee mused vpon in our harts than amplified in words Here may wise men studie and wonder like the disciples gazing after Iesus ascending or like Elisha when his maister was taken from him I will end with the woordes of this shorte charge in this place Do it in remembraunce of Christ Remember Christ hath redeemed you Christ hath reconciled you his bloud hath purged you his faith doth iustifie you his appearing will glorifie you to him with the father and the holy spirite bee glory for euer Amen Christ Combating with Satan Then was Iesus ledde aside by the spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell And when hee had fasted forty dayes and fortye nights he was at the last an hungry Then came to him the Tempter and sayd if thou be the Sonne of God command these stones to be made bread c. Math. 4. 1. This Historye is recorded for our learning and for our exhortation for our learning to the end we should know that Christ by this his faste hunger temptation and victory ouer Satan did all this for our sakes and therein worketh our good and safetie The faithfull in Christ must know that they shall neuer be left in temptation nor ouercome in affliction because our head Christ Iesus hath in his owne person ouercome al these things for vs according to that sweete testimony of himselfe in the 16. of Iohn Be of good cheere I haue ouercome the world We are exhorted after this example of Christ to indure hunger temptation and any necessitie or crosse of affliction soeuer that God shal lay vpon vs when and so ofteÌ„ as it shall please God to exercise vs with any such triall arming our selues with patience and much constancie and we shall vndoubtedly be deliuered at Gods hands al in good time God wil comfort vs when we are most pinched as in this place hee comforted his sonne after his long fast by causing the Angels to minister vnto him In the time of trouble and heauines when wee combat with the diuel and our owne flesh comfort seemes for a time to be hid like fire that is raked vp in the ashes vntil the bellowes of Gods prouidence blowe vpon it and then it shewes it selfe vpon a sodaine like the sunne out of a cloude when the storme is past God requireth that we stay his leysure and at length though his helpe and succor seeme as farre from vs as Lazarus in Abrahams Luc. 16 22. bosome yet it wil come at last to do vs most good as the Sunne that was rising is risen and as the sheaues fell afore Ruth in the gleaning time If when wee bee no sooner downe God presently raiseth vs vp Ruth 2 16. why here can bee no triall of patience but God is woont to leaue vs for a time to the
registred the same to all posterities in that he saith thou tookest Dauid when he followed the Ewes great with yong and annointedst him to be Psa 78. 70. Prince ouer thy people of a sheepheard crowning him a King And though he were a King of the earth yet hee knew hee was but a King of earth a man of the same mowld that others are of and subiect to the same corruption nay him Psal 22. 6 selfe in another place calles himsâ—lfe a worm and no man And as he could teach himselfe a lesson of mortalitie so could he teach it others also speaking to magistrates he saith thus I haue said ye are Gods but ye shal al die like men and that Princes should not scape vncontrolled Psalme 82 he a Prince telleth Princes that they should also die like others And therefore since Princes and magistrates and people and all must die he prayeth God for himself and others saying Teach vs O Lord to number our daies Wee finde 1. Chro. 21 this prophet numbering but not his daies as in this place but there he numbered his subiects he would needs know his strength and power and the number of his people but himself all Israel smarted for that folly and himselfe being brought to the knowledge of his sin confessed he had done very foolishly And therefore now hee workes more wisely he prayeth God to teach him to number his daies here he takes in hand another kinde of numeration The prophet sheweth that except the Lord Psa 127 buyld the house they that buyld it labor but in vaine and except the Lord keepe the citie the keeper waketh but in vaine There hee prooueth that in buylding it is God alone who is the * Architectus both to lay the foundation and the roofe too In keeping of the cittie hee is the onely watchman of Israel that neuer slumbereth And here he proueth another propertie to be in God which is that he in teaching is the only schoolemaster or doctour verifying that in the 15. of Iohn his Gospel without me ye can do nothing he is al in al a schoolemaster of all both learned and vnlearned euen to teach princes knowledge and the Senators wisedome This lesson must needes be well learned that proceeds from such a teacher in the 86 and 119. Psalmes he prayeth the Lorde to teach him the way of his statutes and here he prayeth God to teach him another thing to to number his daies Dauid shewes he was no truaunt in the schoole of Christ but hauing learned one lesson he couets to learne another and still calles vpon God like a good scholler vpon his master O teach me thy testimonies teach Psal 119. 33. me thy statutes teach me thy waies teach me to number my daies All that will be schollers in the schoole of Christ imitate Dauid couet to learne more Iohn 15. more that you may bring forth much fruite If you haue alreadie learned your rudiments your Alphabet of religion labour yet further to come to the depth of diuinitie like the Prophet Ezech who when hee had waded in the waters about the sanctuarie he waded deeper and deeper first to the ankles Ezech. 47. then to the knees then to the loynes till hee could passe no further We are first children and then we suck the 1. Pet. 2. 2. milke of the woord afterwards we become men and then wee must disgest stronger meate We must be so wel schooled that we may be able to answere euery man that shall aske vs a reason of the hope that is in vs. So well schooled that we may be able to teach others as Peter being strengthned did Luk. 22. 32. strengthen the brethren and as Priscilla who thogh she were a woman was notwithstanding able to instruct Apollos an eloquent man and mightie in the Scriptures This short lesson of Dauid ministreth this instruction to vs it teacheth vs whom we shuld pray vnto whoÌ„ we should intreate for a supplie in our wants he teacheth vs to flie vnto God onely for in him dwelleth all fulnesse This he taught vs once before in the 64. Psalme where disclayming froÌ„ all other Psal 64. gods or Angells or Saints he saith whom haue I in heauen but thee Dauid did know there were many holy men in heauen Abraham Noah Moses all the Patriarches and Prophets Martyrs and Confessors before him yet he had learned to inuocate none to pray to none but God only there he taught and here againe he teacheth that God alone must be sought vnto none but he implored None can teach vs but God therefore we must submit our selues to be taught onely by him Teach vs O Lord to number c. Eue our progenetrix had learned one lesson from God at the deliuering of the commaundement Gene. 2. 16 wherein it was charged that they shoulde not eate of the forbidden tree But shee was not contented with one but would faine haue choice of teachers like a truanting scholler that still changeth his master Genes 3. 4. and therfore she learned a second lesson from the diuel He taught hir that they shuld not die but should liue like Gods knowing good and euil but Eue found him a lying teacher for they became diuells and death was sentenced against them and their posteritie because they forsooke their first teacher Many now a daies specially the conceated wise wil not offer themselues to be taught of God but they will teach themselues and learne of themselues they will flie to their owne wisdome and their own strength and their own policie and their own knowledge but their owne strength becommeth weakenesse like the strength of Sampson when hee Iudg. 16 gaue it to an harlot their pollicie becomes Ester 7 simplicitie like the pollicie of Haman when he thought to slay al the Iewes and their wisdome foolishnes like the wisedome of Achitophel 2. Sam. 17 which turned to follie because he had not learned it from God That which they most glorie in soonest deceiues them like Absolomes haire that seeming to be his bodies 2. Sam. 18. best ornament became an halter as hee would haue betrayed his father so his owne haire became his own traitour and discouered him to the enemie like Ziba that betrayed 2. Sam. 16. Mephibosheth All such that refuse to draw their knowledge from the fountain they are reproued in that general checke this people take counsel of their stock and their staffe teacheth them Saul was neuer forsaken so long as hee counsailed with God but when hee chose a 1. Sam. 28. witch for his schoolemistris God reiected him and he became his own executioner he that shuld haue slain his aduersaries slew him selfe and ministreth greater cause of triumph to his ennimies Teach me c. Dauid comming to be taught first acknowledgeth his ignorance therfore praieth god the author of all knowlege to giue him knowlege In the first Chapter of
pray bids vs pray thus giue vs this day our daily bread Mat. 6. 11. As if we should reckon the continuance of our life no longer than a daie And againe God calling vpoÌ„ sinners sayth To day if you 〈…〉 his voice a day consisteth but o◠〈…〉 an euening and a noone som◠〈…〉 way in the morning of their life 〈…〉 â—ot the heate of the day and h◠〈…〉 â—t the line of his life vntil th◠〈…〉 but al the day 〈…〉 â—es the life of man to th◠〈…〉 â—asse whose glory enduret◠〈…〉 â—t is greene in the morning an◠〈…〉 night 〈…〉 â—t is within and without vs are s◠〈…〉 remembrances of death all things cry 〈…〉 to vs that we must hence as Christ cried 〈…〉 â—am not of this world The Sunne rising in the East and falling in the west and al in one day shewes our rising and falling our comming in and going forth of this world The apparell wearing vpon our backes the meate disgested and egested and returning to putrefaction the graues shrowding so many corpses vnder our feete to be short Time the mother of al things and the changeable state of times euen winter and summer colde and heate seede time and haruest all doe crie vnto vs that we shall weare and diâ— and corrupt as they who were liuing are now dead and lie in the dust First we waxe drie then olde then colde then sicke then dead so is earth turned into earth We are not skilful numberers of our daies like Dauid til we haue learned to recount the dangers and casualties and vncertainties of our corruptible condition A spider being able to choake vs and a As it did Pirrus haire to stifle vs and a tile falling vpon our heads to extinguish vs and that in a moment of time when we least expect so sodaine calamities we reade of Anacreon that he died in eating of an egge Fabian a senator was choaked with an haire Pope Hadrian with a flie if Iacob counted his time but short hauing alreadie liued an hundred and thirtie yeares what reckoning may wee make of our time which is farre shorter In the time afore the floud the age of man was great Adam liued 930. yeares Noah Gen. 5. Gen. 5. 26. 950. Methusaleh 969 almost a 1000 yeares But after the floud in Terah his daies who was father to Abraham the age of man was a great deale shortned from 900. it was brought down to two hundred and vnder Terah liued 209. Abraham his sonne not Gen. 11. 32 so long 175. Moses 120. Iosua an hundred and ten In the Prophet Dauid his time it was scanted yet shorter by much halfe in halfe Psal 90. he counted the yeres of men to be threescore and ten All hath this vse it teacheth vs to looke backe into our liues and to learne to redeeme the time by a timely repentance To draw to a conclusion life it selfe is but an harbenger of death and we liue to die God that numbered the haires of our head hath numbred our yeares also and we can not passe them whether in middle age or in olde age or in infancie when and where and how we know not for the issues of death are in the hands of God When our end and finall dissolution shall come is therfore concealed from vs because we should be alwaies prepared and thinke euery moment vpon death the end of all flesh As a bird guideth her flight with her traine so the life of man is best directed by a continuall recourse vnto his end Now the Lord of life and death in whose hands is the breath of euery liuing thing so direct vs by his holy spirit of grace that we may learne to number our daies that we may run out this shorte race of our sinful pilgrimage in godlinesse and much pacience looking to Iesus the author and finisher of our faith that when we shal haue finished these daies of sinne we may be translated to a better life in the kingdome of glorie which God hath purchased to vs in the bloudshedding of his beloued sonne to whome with the father and the holyghost bee rendred al glorie maiestie power and dominion now and euer Peters repentance So hee went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. 75. IN regard of the dissolutenesse of the present age wherein we liue and general iniquitie of these the worst and last times wherein the sins of men are multiplied being growne to the full and vnrighteousnesse is increased vpon the earth as was fore-tolde by our Sauior Christ in the 24. of Mathew his Gospel for that we are all better acquainted with sinne than with the remedie for auoidancâ— of sinne which is repentance without which we neither can haue peace of conscience noâ— yet the fauor of God who is a father to none but the penitent such as are truly humbled vnder the burthen of their sinnes and doâ— carrie a purpose of amendment I haue indeuoured at this time to lay before your eies the true portraiture and the liuely Anotomie of a repentant sinner in this example of S. Peter you shall behold him chaulking out the waie that leadeth to repentance whose foote-steps you must follow foote by foote and steppe by steppe if you will come where he is where is perfect peace and ioy such ioy as shall not be taken from vs greater ioy and glorie than Peter Luke 9. had on mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured Peter wept here for a time and that but a short time in respect of eternitie but there he reioyceth continually without ceasing his ioy hath no terme nor limitation of time So is it verified which was spoken by our Sauior Christ in the 5. of Mathew happie Mat. 54. are ye that mourne for ye shall reioyce Peters mourning is turned to mirth his sadnesse to solace his pain to pleasure his repenting to reioycing for Christ hath wiped away al teares from his eies because with him the first things are past alreadie and now he is crowned with glorie like the Angells And this he hath now in heauen because God loued him walking a good disciple here on earth shewing himselfe to be indeede what he was in name videlicet Simon an obedient hearer He is also called Peter videlicet confident and strong in faith like a rocke inuincible And in this place we find him penitent his obedience is testified in the historie of his life for at Christ his commandement he for sooke his calling and became his disciple his strength of faith our Sauior himselfe proueth where he saith vpon his confession of him Thou art Peter and vpon this rock will Mat. 16. 18. I build my congregation He was penitent the words nowe read vnto you doproue the same for after he had sinned he went out and wept bitterly O that euery Christian man were thus qualified like Peter these three graces repentaunce faith and obedience are better welcome vnto God than the three presents Mat.
Lord. I haue also with holden the raine from â—oâ— when there were yet three moneths to the haruest and yet you haue not retourned vnto me I haue smitten your fieldes with blasting and mildew your great gardens and vineyards I haue sent the pestilence amoÌ„g you to deuoure you and still concludeth euery plague with this bitter complaint and yet you haue not returned vnto me sayth the Lord. There are none of the aforesayd plagues â—ut haue bin inflicted vpon vs yet we shew no reformation It is not long since God strooke vs with the rod of pestilence being a generall plague that did spreade it selfe ouer all the land and almost ouer euery particular congregation and yet that did not humble vs. What heart can think of the sorrows of that time without compunction or what eye can looke back to the ruines of those times without compassion Was any sorrow since that time like the sorrowes then when the fattest and welthiest of vs were compelled to seeke our bread with sighes and to giue our pleasant things for mâ—ate to refresh our soules What a time of sorrow and perplexity was it to see all our friends and neighbours to stand a farre off disdaining to approach nere vs how the destroyer did besâ—â—rre himselfe in taking away the strong man the graues do yet witnes that shrowd so many corpses They who this day carried the dead bâ— dies to their graues were themselues on tâ— morrow carried by others into their grauâ— The parents mourned for the death of thâ— children and the children mourned as fâ— for the death of their parents This was the time of our visitation who now regardeth it it is al now forgottâ— like a wonder that dureth but nine daies â— that time the Lorde tooke from vs oâ— markets and faires the greatest stay of â— common wealth and not for a Sabboathâ— weekes but for many weekes many Sabbâ—oths euen a Iubile of Sabbaoths During the time of that humiliation euâ— one seemed to turne vnto the Lord and tâ— Lord turned from his fierce wrath and so tâ— plague ceased But all that is now gone from vs likâ— dreame and we haue since returned like tâ— dog to the vomite and like the filthie sow our old wallowiug in the mire And therfore a second plague hath ouâ— taken vs this plague of famine being indeeâ— so great as the like hath not bin seene in tâ— memory of any man now liuing or of our â— ther 's afore vs. This is a time wherein that proclamatioâ— â—â—ereof we reade in Ioel might wel be pubâ—shed in our streetes Heare O elders hearken O ye ancients â—hether any such thing hath bin in your Ioel 1. 2. â—ies or in the daies of your fathers tell your â—hildren these things and let your children â—â— their children and their children againe â—nother generation And we must yet looke for the coÌ„tinuance â—f this plague for till we leaue our sins God â—ill not leaue off to punish vs. I do not see any meane of reconcilement â—r pacification of this great wrath but euen nightie and strong crying vnto the Lord â—nd a generall forsaking of sinne We must â—â—ke a couenant of our selues that we will no â—ore transgres as the people did in the time â—f Iosuah When Niniueh was but threatned it speeâ—ly Ionah 3. repented the King himselfe and all the â—eople beleeued God and proclaimed a â—ast and put on sackcloth from the greatest â—â— the least of them and they cried mightily â—nto the Lord and turned from the euil way â—nd from the wickednesse that was in their â—ands and as they repented God repented â—f the euill that he determined to do vnto â—hem and he did it not Let vs humble our selues like these Niâ—uites by turning to the Lord with fastinâ— weeping and mourning for the Lord is gâ—â—cious slow to anger and of great kindnesâ— and such a one as is sory for our afflictions If we thus vnfeinedlie turne vnto the loâ—â— he will yet be iealous ouer vs to spare vs aâ— to remoue these iudgements He will yet open the windowes of heâ—uen and insteed of curses powre vpon â— twise so many blessings as he doubled to â—â— his goods insteed of scarcitie wee shall â—â— haue plentie for the mouth of the Lord haâ— spoken it I will yet send you corne and wine an oyle and you shall be satisfied the pasturâ— shall yet be greene and the fields shal reioyâ— for the haruest I will giue you the raine of righteousneâ— Ioel 2. 23. I will cause to come downe for you the firâ— and the later raine and the barnes shal be fâ— of wheat and I wil render vnto you the yeaâ— that the cankerworme hath eaten and thâ— yeares that the caterpiller hath deuoured anâ— we shall yet reioyce before the Lord eueâ— man vnder his owne vine and vnder hiâ— owâ—e figge tree Sic paucis lachrimis gaudia magna dabit foâ— a few short teares he will giue infinite ioyes such ioyes as neither eie hath seene nor eare â—ath heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that loue him For the accomplishing of which ioyes and finishing of these dayes of sinne O thou whom my soule loueth make haste like the Roe vpon the mountaines Amen FINIS Christ his last Supper The Lord Iesus in the same night that hee was betrayed tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it to his Disciples saying Take eate this is my bodie which is giuen for you doe this as oft as you do it in remembrance of me 1. Cor. 11. 23. ALL the volume of Gods booke dooth most plentifully lay out the vnspeakable loue of God towards vs in creating vs in holines protecting vs in security froÌ„ millions of daungers which else would swallow vs vppe in gouerning vs with the scepter of his word in sanctifying vs with his comfortable spirit in illuminating vs with his knowledge but most of all for sauing vs when we had lost our selues being now redeemed not with siluer and gold but with the death of his beloued sonne Christ Iesus who humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse and susteined all contumely shame reproch yea the very paines of hell for our sakes al for vs. All being infallible testimonies of the superabounding loue of God in giuing vs his Sonne to die for vs that so many as beleeued on him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And this loue of God is made manifest vnto vs by twoo speciall pledges or tokensâ— that is by the two sacraments that of Baptisine and this of the Supper of the Lorde Reue. 13. 8 both like Iohn Baptist doe poynt at Christ the lambe of God the slaine lambe from the beginning whom they that know not abide in wrath Both declare and shew forth Iesus Christ crucified and that wee haue remission of our sinnes in his bloud onely Baptisine is that holy institution of Christ in
the new testament wherin we are washed with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to signifie that we are receiued to grace by the vertue of Christs death that by bloud wee are clensed from our sinnes and are regenerate by his spirit and therin are bound to testifie a newnesse of life after our new birth This baptisine conteineth three things The signe water the ceremonie the sprinkling of the water and the things themselues viz. the sprinkling of Christs blood and the imputation of his righteousnes This other of the Supper of the Lord representeth likewise Christ crucified and assureth vs that by his death we are freelie saued from the malediction of the lawe assuring our selues that as our mouthes receiue the bread and wine so our soules receyue Christ and his righteousnes These Sacraments are as conduits to conueigh Gods graces vnto vs the one is to purge our soules from sinne the other is to feede vs after we be purged The first is a bath made of Christ his owne blood to wash and bathe our wounds therein thesecond is amost comfortable and rich garment to couer our soules after they bee washed In the first Christ hath substituted in his place his spouse the Church to pronounce in his name remission of sinnes In the second he hath left himselfe and his owne flesh and blood sacramentally to be a precious food to cherish her withall I purpose onely at this time to shewe you the comfort and edification that we receiue by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper For my text doth leade me thereunto In the night that he was betrayed Heere is set downe the verie Institution of this Sacrament with circumstances thereunto belonging The Lord Iesus There is the author of it In the night There is the time He tooke bread There is the signe He gaue thanks That is the first action in the sacrament Hee brake it There is the ceremonie Hee gaue it There is the vse of it Saying Take eate this is my body There is the fruit of it Do it in remembrance of mee There is the charge of it When Christ died the law ended and the Gospel reuiued after his death circumcision was abolished and the Pascal lamb no more vsed for that the law and ceremonies thereof were now to haue an end In steed wherof he instituted these two sacraments Baptisme for circumcision and for the Pascall lambe his last Supper so called for that it was instituted in the night that hee was betrayed Much neede not bee spoken concerning the Author of this institution onely wee are here called vppon for a most dutifull reuerence in the celebration thereof since it is heere noted by the Apostle to proceed immediatly from Christ If it had pleased God to haue vsed the ministery of an angel or of maÌ„â—in the deliuering forth of this sacrament we had notwithstanding beene pressed to a carefull obseruation thereof But to the end he might stamp in this holy mysterie a greater impression of excellencie in regard of the singular comfort lapt vp in the same therefore hee hath conueyed it vnto vs imediatly from himselfe It ought therefore to be more highly reckoned euen for his sake that was the authour of it For if the woord spoken by Angells was Heb. 2. 2. stedfast and euery transgression receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which first was preached by the Lord himselfe and was afterwardes confirmed by them that heard him The people of Israel did not omit to obserue the Passeouer throughout their generations because Moses the seruaunt of God had so commanded them Much more carefull ought we to be in the retaining of this Sacrament since not Moses but Christ himselfe hath coÌ„manded vs to obserue the same for euer throughout our generations For this man is counted more worthy of glorie than Moses inasmuch as he is more excellent then the Angells being the brightnes of the glorie and the ingraued forme of Heb. 1. 3. his person as we reade in the author to the Hebrewes In the night that he was betrayd at his betraying he ordained this sacrament comfort was reuealed vnto vs when christ was discoÌ„forted When he was in greatest heauines he prepared for vs a solemne feast euen a more sumptuous banquet then that of Ahaâ—uerus for whoso eateth of this bread shall liue for euer A better and more nourishing meate is here presented vnto vs than Sampson found in the dead lion Iudas and the scribes were this night deuising how to betray Christ how to destroy him that should haue saued them But Christ was deuising how to finish the worke of our redemption and to fulfill his fathers will Iudas was deuising how to take away his masters life but Christ was deuising how to giue them life who were dead in the life of grace Iudas as he was wont to carry the bagge so Ioh. 12. 6. he thought to mend the bagge as Gehezi thought to inrich himselfe with Naamans 2. Kin. 5. 22. gold He sold Christ in that night for mony but Christ bought vs with a deerer price than sâ—luer or gold for it cost him his heart bloud all this amplifieth the greatnesse of the loue wherewith he loued vs. In the night when he was betrayed It was a bitter night an heauy night vnto Christ as the history of his Passion declareth a night of sorrow and anguish a night of perplexity and feare a night wherein all the sorowes of death gate hold vpon him What a night was it to see his owne disciples forsake him how grieuously was he troubled in Gethsemaneh himselfe testified â—is exceeding sorow when he said my soule â—s heauy vnto the death Looke the twenty sixt of Mathew twise he repeateth his passionate prayer O lette this cuppe passe from me What a terror was it vnto him to see his owne Disciple Iudas come and betray him with a kisse a great multitude following him with swords and staues to take him And when they had takeÌ„ him what iniury did they not vnto him how was he mocked spitted at and beaten with fists Such a bitter night was it vnto Christ but it was to vs a night more comfortable than the day of our birth a night brighter than the brightest day â—a night more comfortable vnto vs then that night of deliuerance was to Exod. 12. the Israelites when they went out of Aegypt from Pharaoh and from the Aegyptians for in this night was the mystery of our redemption begun He tooke breade Now we are come to the institution As there is no substance with out his shadow so there is no Sacrament without his signe And the signe in this Sacrament is the bread and wine God in these familiar matters shrowdetâ— instruction of greater mysterie We are best acquainted with the vse oâ— bread and we well know what strength our bodies receiue by it the same and more is
it no more Wee will now proceede to the second Commaundement The secoÌ„d commandement IF thou loue God as thou oughtest and as he requireth thou wilt make no Image of God for so runneth the commaundement Tbou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image And if thon mayest not make it much lesse mayst thou worship it no Commaundement Exe. 34 14 throughout the Scripture is more pressed than this thou shalt bow downe to no other God because the Lorde whose name is Iealous he is God This Commaundement was greatly violated in the dayes of Ieremy the prophet chargeth Iudah that according to the number of their Cityes were their gods they could say to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten me Remember saith Moses when God spake vnto you out of the fire you hard the voice Deu. 4. 12. of the wordes but saw no similitude saue a voyce only As we are forbidden in this commandement to make the Image of God so are we likewise charged not to make the Image of any other thing either to worship it or god sainct or angell by it for God will not bee worshipped after our owne fancies but as his word commaundeth God will be worshipped in spirit and truth according to the paterne of the word as Moses did all thinges according to the patterne he saw in the mount In vaine ye worship me teaching for doctrine Mark 7. 7. the precepts of men This controules the vaine and idle conceitednesse of ignorant people who being demaunded why they maintaine this or that superstition they answere no other thing but this our father 's held the same before vs and wee holde the same too by tradition from them as if religion came by discent so folishe are some and ignorant euen as an horse or mule which haue no vnderstanding Ambrose in his twenty ninth Epistle saith that the Iewes are the rather estranged from Christian religion because they find Images erected in the Papistes Synagogues The Iews smarted many times for their Idolatrous worship therfore now detesting it in themselues they abhor it in others also Osee telleth the Iewes that because they counsailed with their stocke and staffe and went a whoring from vnder their god therfore their daughters should be harlots and their spouses whores What sencelesnesse is it saith a learned diuine for the Image of God to fall downe before the Image of a man Danid painteth out the vanitie of superstitious worshippers when speaking of Idols he saith the Idolls of the heathen are siluer and gold euen the worke of mens hands they haue mouths and speake not they haue eies and see not they haue eares and heare not neither is there any breath in their mouth they that make them are like vnto them so are all they that put their trust in tâ—â—m Liclantius peremptorily giues out this censure there is no doubt saith he but that no pure religion can be there where any Image is receiued Againe if thou loue God thou wilt cary The third commandement such ar euerent estimatioÌ„ of him as that thou wilt not abuse so much as his name thou wilt both speak and think reuerently of him Thou dost violate this commaundement so often as thou dost blasphemously apply the name of God to inchauntment sorcery cursing and periury The iniquity of these times and the necessity of reforming the grosse abuses of men wilfully and wittingly incurring the breach of this commaundement would require whole volumes of inuectiues witchcraft forceries charming they are sinnes too commonly practized in this age If ones finger do but ake or any part of thy body be extraordinarily touched with any infirmity straight to the witch thou runnest or sendest and so for things that be lost or stolne for the which the wiseman or the wise woman must be consulted with alas beloued is God as Baal that he should not care for your abuse nor call you to an accouÌ„t for the breach of his commandements Or are you yet to be taught whether this be a sinne or not For so many shame not to answer when they are challenged for going to a wise man or woman why say they we hope we do well we find that good comes of it we get our health we recouer our goods that were lost and so they crosse S. Paul his rule Non facienda sunt mala vt veniant bona we may not do ill that good may come of it If thou hast not yet heard the Lord condemning this sinne heare it now and henceforth condemne it in thy selfe Let none be found among you that vseth Leuiti 20. witchcraft or that is a regarder of time or a sorcerer or a charmer or that councelleth with spirits for all that do such things are an abhomination to the Lorde The Canaanites for this cause were expelled Exo. 22. 18. from their good land let not a witch liue In the sift of the Gallathians it is reckoned among the sins of the flesh and condemned Wilt thou behold the terror of the Lords wrath vpon this sinfull generation and euer after beware of a witch looke vppon Saul whom God did not spare though he were a King for consulting with the witch at Endor he was vtterly forsaken his kingdome taken 1. Sa. 31. 4. 6 from him the next day folowing he and his three sonnes were slaine Will ye haue another president of Gods iustice vpon another who was a King too Achaziah being sicke of a bruze taken with a fall would needes send to Beelzebub 2. King â— of Ekron to know whether hee shoulde recouer or no but the Lorde by the mouth of Eliah sent backe the messenger before he could come to the witch and bade him returne this colde comfort to his master is there no God in Israel that thou sendest to inquire of Beelzebub wherefore thus saith the Lorde thou shalt not rise vp from the bed whereon thou art gone vp but shalt die the death If you or any other when you go to a witch should receiue this or the like sentence at the Lordes mouth I resolue you would be more warie I cannot part with this sinne because I would beate it downe and stamp it into hel from whence it came Oh would I could find that stone that might kill this Goliah I would throw it at him with al my might and make it sincke into the midst of his temples to returne glory to Israel and shame to the Philistins Most notable is that place in Ezech. where God pronounceth an heauy woe against these wise-mongers Woe vnto the women that sow pillowes Ezec. 13. 18 vnder euery arme-hole wil ye hunt the souls of my people wil ye pollute me among my people for handfulls of barley and for peeces of bread to stay the soules of them that should not die can you giue life to the soules that come vnto you why do ye hunt the soules of my people