Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	esteem_v	glorious_a	great_a	47	3	2.1039	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08055	Mans actiue obedience, or The power of godlines especially in the commandement of the gospell, which requireth faith in euerie Christian: or A treatise of faith, worthily called precious faith, as being in it selfe a most rare iewell of ioy, and peerelesse pearle, that excelleth in worth the highest price. Wherein is plainly declared what faith in Christ is what properly is the obiect of it, what is the speciall operation of faith, by which it may bee discerned; and the worke about which it is principally imployed, the subiect wherein it is placed; what things are needfull to the making it up, what to the being, and what to the wel-being of it; with the differences that are betweene true beleeuers and fained in all of them, and the vses thereof. By Master William Negus, lately minister of Gods word at Lee in Essex.; Mans active obedience.	Negus, William, 1559?-1616.; Negus, Jonathan, d. 1633.	1619 (1619)	STC 18420; ESTC S113618	278,658	364

forth and shew their faces like the faces of Lions who had courage to turne back to any that listed to pursue them and boldnesse enough to encounter their greatest force like to those worthy Gadites that were Dauids helpers of whom it is said they were valiant men of warre and men of Armes 1. Chron. 12. 8. 14. that could handle speare and shield whose faces were as the faces of Lyons one of the least could resist a hundred and the greatest a thousand Yea so lyon-like was become the courage then of those poore weak ones before as some of the weakest sex haue been heard to say when they were at the point of martyrdome and the raging fiers before them kindled ready to deuoure them in the flames thereof that if euery haire of their heads were the life of a man they would die so many times all those deaths in that cause for which they then suffered for so great was the comfort they then had and so vnspeakable and glorious indeed was the ioy that they then felt as death it selfe was bid defiance of them neither did they esteeme at all what proud flesh was able to doe vnto them when the stormes of greatest troubles met them a head yet were they of courage because they euer failed by the Cape of bone sperance hoping that God whom they did with Dauid set alwaies before them would so be at their right hand as if Psal 16. 8. they did faint he would certainly cheare them if they did Cyprian fight he would vndoubtedly crowne them and neuer faile to giue them the ioy of his saluation Psal 51. 1● Hypocrites and counterfeit Christians they know of no such ioy they are meere strangers to this ioy that the true godly haue and as strangers they are not to meddle Prou. 14. 10. therewith as Salomon speaketh They haue carnall ioy enough and many times too much farre more then they know well to vse though it neuer will last long they can laugh and be merry they haue laughter as if they were tickled they can laugh euen at a feather If they come where worldly delights are and pleasures of sinne which yet will last but a season they sticke not to take their pleasures in them to the full yea they will be ready to burst with their fulnesse and surfet in the middst of their delights for they can keepe no measure but poure out themselues to merriments to sport and to laughter prouing their hearts aboue that euer did Salomon with vaine Eccles 2. 1. and sinfull mirth suffering them to inioy such vngodly pleasures aboue that euer did he and therefore most worthily doth such laughter deserue to be reproued with Salomons rebuke giuen vnto it who said vnto it thou art mad and of such mirth it may well be demanded What is it that thou dost If carnall men can but flourish in worldly prosperitie if they may swimme in pleasures abound in wealth be aduanced to honour they haue what their hearts desire and are ouer-ioyed with gladnesse and soone ouerset with the pleasant gales of their ouermuch ioyes as shipes are with gales that fill too full their sailes they are light and merry they are al on the hoigh they know not themselues they contemne all others boasting themselues of their Psal 10. 3. hearts desire and blessing the couetous as the Psalmist speaketh Ambitiosas honor opes foeda volup●as Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet whom the Lord doth abhorre If it be profit and commoditie of the world if pleasures and honour they neuer haue done enough in admiring of such things thinking them all to be either fooles or mad that doe not the like as doe themselues but such comforts as these ioyes and delights as are taken in such matters they are no better then plaine witcheries which doe disguise men and transforme them to bruit beasts But how merrie soeuer worldlings are found to be so long as things are as they would haue them and doe euer sort well to their liking yet if they bee crossed in any thing if the crosse come if trouble and affliction chance to happen then they are all a mort there are none so ioylesse and so heartlesse as are they then grow they so dead-hearted as it is in vaine to goe about to cheare them and to comfort them againe for worldly ioy rising on worldly causes the causes fading the ioy as soone hath an end and commeth to nothing Haman reioyced so long as hee was in fauour with the Hest 5. 9 11. 12. cap. 7. 6. 8. 10 King and Queene and all that time who but he but his ioy soone failed him when hee was throwne out of their fauour againe and then who could be found a more vnhappy man Men worldly minded are ioyfull in haruest time when come and wine and oyle are increased vnto them but if the fier of God come and burne it vp al their ioy is gone Thus is it not with true beleeuers they haue not onely ioy in their prosperous estate but they knowing themselues to be iustified by faith and so to be at peace with God they can reioyce in tribulation also let all their enemies doe what they can for if a man knew hee were so in the fauour of a great man as it were more then the worst and then all the enemies he hath can doe to thrust him out of his fauour againe he would be comforted though his enemies were neuer so malicious this makes true beleeuers to haue much ioy and peace in their beleeuing Rom. 15. 13. fail out whatsoeuer otherwise may happen Hypocrites who are but true beleeuers counterfeits they may and I know they often will make a shew as if they had good comfort and some ioy in their trouble as well as haue the best Christians for they are like the Egyptian Sorcerers that did striue to doe all the things that Moses did that so they might be thought to be as good as he they will seeme in their troubles not onely to take them patiently but also thankefully as if they had some comfort and felt contentment in their bearing of them when in truth they haue none they will be heard to thank God for them and yet neuer feele any manner of benefit o● good that they haue gotten by them which is but a very mocking of God and a deceiuing of men and to say as the truth is it is indeed but a verie wicked kind of thanksgiuing when a man with his mouth onely thankes God in some great affliction that is vpon him and when he lieth sicke it may be on his deaths-bed shall be heard to say he is sicke he thankes God when yet in his heart he connes God no thanke at all for sending it vpon him but wisheth rather a thousand times hee had neuer had it or that he could well tell how to be without it againe What is this but

same be shewed vnto vs as the Angell did sh●w Hagar the well and fountaine from whence she Gen. 21. 19. fetched water for her refreshing in time of her great thirst when she thought there was no way but perishing both for her and her child too in that her distresse If we consider of our sinnes against God which of all things else may iustly be thought to be the greatest let of our ioy and that which doth most hinder our reioycing it cannot be denied if there be any one thing more then other in the world in respect of our selues alone that may cast vs lowest downe and make vs vile in our owne eyes which may cleaue the reines of our backe asunder load our hearts with heauie griefe and fill them brimme full of sorrow and woe which may take all ioy and gladnes from vs and cause our harpes to be turned into mourning Iob. 30. 31. and our organs into the voyce of them that weepe and make our songs be turned into howlings as the Prophet Amos 8. 3. s●●●keth it is this that wee not onely doe know that in vs that is in our fl●sh no good thing is abiding but that there is such a perpetuall rebellion found to be in vs and such a law in our members rebelling against the law of our mindes Rom. 7. 23. as is often c●rrying vs captiue vnto the committing of sinne whereby our owne consciences are deeply wounded God dishonoured and much displeased and thereby enough done to incense his wrath and to cause the fire of his anger to be kindled and flame out against vs in regard whereof wee haue cause to take vp that sorrowfull mourning and lamentation of Ieremiah Woe to vs that Lam. 3. 16. euer wee haue thus sinned and euery one to crie out with the Apostle Oh wr●tched man that I am who shall now deliuer Rom. 7. 24. me from this body of death Howbeit as the Apostle Paul feeling that pricke and thorn● in the flesh the messenger of Satan which was sent to buff●t him and praying earnestly to the Lord that it might be taken from him when hee once had receiued answere from the Lord that he would haue his owne strength made perfect in his weaknesse did rest in that answere and was content to haue his owne weaknesse made knowne vnto him that so the power of Christ might the rather rest vpon him for the Lord would haue that continued still causing it to turne to the singular good of the Apostle which he was so much afraid of and did so earnestly pray that it might be remoued and taken quite away from him thereby wholly disappointing Satan of his malitious purpose in turning that to a soueraigne remedie and preseruatiue medicine for the good of his seruant which Satan had prepared and iniected into him as a most pernicious poyson to doe him hurt withall After this manner may the true seruants of God when the Lord either leaues them to themselues to fall through their owne infirmitie or giueth Satan leaue not only to buffet them as hee did Paul but to beate them quite downe and ouercome them so farre as to make them fall to the committing of some grosse and grieuous sinne if by that meanes the Lord being mercifull vnto them What gaine out of sinne through the supplie of his grace giuen they may bee brought the more to be humbled and the better to know their owne frailtie and weaknesse how great it is and to be the more carefull for euer after with feare and trembling to worke out their owne saluation If the riches of Gods grace and superabounding of Gods mercie may be occasioned to be shewed foorth the rather and to shine out the more to his praise in pardoning the sinnes and passing by the transgressions of his people by the meanes of Satans great malice in drawing Gods seruants to commit both many and most heinous offences vntill sinne euery way may be seene to haue abounded in thē If the glorious excellencie of Gods almightie power may be made cleerely to appeare in raising vp againe his fallen seruants from vnder so great a weaknesse giuing such new strength vnto them as whereby for euer after they are made to stand much more firme and sure then they did before they so fearefully and dangerously did fall If Gods infinite wisedome and the wonderfulnes of his working who hath giuen skill to the Physition by his art to take the flesh of the viper which is poyson and to temper it so with healthsome things and to correct it so with cordials as of poyson hee can make soueraigne triacle that shall expell poyson and so make that which would haue caused death to become an excellent meanes of preseruing life shall in like manner appeare in so ordering and vsing the sinnes of his seruants after they haue once been committed yea euen the greatest and grieuousest of them which are the deadliest venome of all other and the rankest poyson that can be which doth not only kill with death but with death euerlasting as by those sinnes they haue so committed hee cureth them of many sinnes past and preserueth them from many sins for time to come fetching from them and causing to be expelled out of them a deale of inueterated naughtinesse and poysonfull corruption that was so habituated in them that hardly by any other meanes would euer haue bin drawne from them or any way got out of them If by seeing and suffering them to bee cast into such filthie sloughs such puddle and mire and sinkes of loathsome sinnes he forceth them by occasion thereof to goe wash and rinse themselues cleaner purer and whiter from them and all other their sins then euer they were before If by their falling away for a time and departing from him for a season as did Onesimus from Philemon hee recouereth them to a better condition and thereby maketh them his own for euer that now they may no more depart away from him but cleaue faster to the Lord with purpose of heart then euer they did before If by the committing of some enormious vice some most hainous and flagitious wickednesse in committing whereof the very deedes of the wicked may seeme to be exceeded the Lord shall bring his hard-hearted seruant whose heart was harder then the nether milstone that could not before by any meanes be broken now to be so suppled and softned so mollified and made to melt as did the heart of Iosiah in such sort as 1. King 22. 19. that the same sin of his which was most dammable would haue caused death is now made to be a meanes of such humiliation in him and godly sorrowing as causeth and worketh 〈◊〉 in him euen repentance vnto life In these 2. Cor. 7. 10. and the like respects a true seruant of God notwithstanding his manifold sinning may and ought to haue ioy and hi● reioycing in the Lord. For some one or other of

beare him and what care he had of him wondring at such a kindnes as herein should be shewed vnto him His feare and trembling did not so much distract him before as boldnesse and assurance would settle him in peace and put courage and comfort into his heart now Hee would see that his feare was causelesse he being now in better case then hee was before for as there was not an enemie neare him to doe him any harme so they were all his vndoubted friends that were about him that were ready to stand him in the best stead they could and to doe him the best good they were able and should see that hee were in the midst of most sure and vndoubted friends whom before in his great feare he doubted to haue been most dangerous and The world a tedious wildernes Gods seruants walking therein hardly find any place where to refresh their wearied members Afflictions like gnats and flies importune them that they can haue no rest therein deadly enemies vnto him that would haue wrought his destruction Much after this manner it is with Gods poore seruants in the sore trauell of this life which they doe indure and wearisome pilgrimage they are to passe ouer through this most vncomfortable and vast roaring wildernesse of this troublesome world which needes must be gone through before euer they can be brought to that heauenly Canaan that is aboue innumerable are the dangers which they lye open vnto and the hazzards are more then can bee shewed that they may light vpon If any desire to haue some particulars named especially by one that hath had the triall of them in himselfe there is none can bring in a better reckoning from his owne experience nor speake more fully of this thing then that most blessed Apostle Paul himselfe hath already done in that rehearsall he hath made writing to the Corinthians of the sundry and manifold afflictions and tribulations that had befallen him after his conuersion who comparing himselfe with the other false Apostles saith that he was in labours more abundant 2. Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. in stripes aboue measure in prison more plenteously in death often of the Iewes siue times he receiued fortie stripes saue one hee was thrice beaten with rods hee was stoned hee suffered thrice shipwracke night and day he was in the deepe sea in iourneying he was often in perils of water in perils of robbers in perils of his owne Nation in perils among the Gentiles in perils in the Citie in perils in the wildernesse in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in wearinesse and painefulnesse in watchings often in cold and nakednesse besides other daily incumbrances which he there doth speak on These and the like things thus incident to Gods best seruants makes them in their passage through this Psal 84. 6. Psal 23. 4. world to goe as through a valley of teares and brings them sometimes to walke as in the valley of the shaddow of death where nothing can be looked for but vtter miscarrying so great are the distresses of Gods children in this life their troubles so many and those so dangerous too sometimes as they are euen brought with the Apostle 2. Cor. 1. 8. 9. to receiue in themselues the very sentence of death as thinking they shall neuer be able to shift with them nor escape with life but crie out with the Psalmist This will be Psal 77. 10. my vndoing or my death The endlesse pursuit of Dauid by Saul who hunted him as a Patridge in the mountaine and persecuted him as a Flea made Dauid at the length to grow heartlesse to faint and to quaile so much as he was neare giuing ouer his hope and to say in his great weakenesse and much feare and doubt that he was in One day or other I shall surely fall into his hands Yea Gods seruants are sometimes so beset so inuironed and compassed about with innumerable troubles and most dangerous on euerie side as they are brought to the like passe as Dauid was brought vnto when he cried out that his heart was pained Psal 55. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. within him and the terrors of death were fallen vpon him fearefulnesse and trembling doe then come vpon them and a horrible feare doth ouerwhelme them then are they ready to crie out and say with him Oh that I had wings like a Doue then would I flee away and be at rest behold I would take my flight farre off and lodge in the wildernesse I would hasten my escape from the windie storme and tempest So neare are they sometimes brought to the very iawes of death that after a sort it euen breatheth vpon them and they in as great straits and brought to as soare exigents and as narrow pinches as were the poore Israelites who departing out of Egypt to find better liberty in another land vnto which God promised to bring them before euer they could get themselues clearely gone and rid away out of the Egyptian Countrie had such a farewell giuen them when they were euen vpon the point of parting out of that land as brought then greater distresse and more feare vpon them then euer they were in before and caused them to haue lesse hope of their liues then when they were in Egypt vnder the soarest bondage and pressed with the heauiest burdens which Pharaoh with all his crueltie had willed to be imposed vpon them For marching as with a double pace from Etham towards the valley of Pihahiroth they were forced to sit downe as not seeing how they could goe any further betweene two ledges of Mountaines adioyning to the red sea and so being come to the brinke and wash of the sea the Egyptians getting sight of them and they of the Egyptians then was the time of Iacobs trouble and the greatest pinch Ier. 30. 7. of their hardest trouble for the sea was now before them the Mountaines on either side of them and their fierce and furious enemies at their backs pursuing of thē so as there was no hope left of euer escaping for though they did all they could to flee before the Egyptians yet death seemed to come running after them in Pharaohs chariots this made them to murmure against Moses and to crie out for feare because of the present danger According as it is vsuall with Gods seruants when they are in soare Psal 40. 11. 12. affliction and in heauy distresse then doe their hearts begin to faint within them and their hope to quaile hobeit if they would but hold their peace a while and labour to throw out that feare that hath such painefulnesse in it 1. Iohn 4. 18. possessing their soules with patience if they would but stand still as Moses willed the Israelites to doe and behold Exod. 14. 13. 14 the saluation of the Lord waiting for the happy issue that the Lord would make for them out of all their greatest distresse then should

neede so requiring yet neuer can it wholly be lost from them nor finally faile them for altogether but so is it found in the end to be restored againe with aduantage vnto them as that for their single sorrowes they haue double ioyes giuen them yea such ioyes as Peter calleth ioyes vnspeakable and glorious at what time they shall see cause to reioyce in their portion They may by their sinning against the Lord and by the prouoking of his anger against them haue the feeling of this ioy kept from them for a long time and their desired comforts so long withholden as may make their hearts to feare and to faint within them but as the Prophet Habakuk counselleth and Hab. 2. 3. giueth direction though it tarrie a little yet let them waite and hope vndoubtedly to finde it againe for certainly in the end it will come and it will not stay long and then the desire once so accomplished will much more delight their Prou. 13. 12. 19. soule and though they haue tarried for it long yet that will be verified vpon them at the last that the patient abiding Prou. 10. 28. of the righteous will proue gladnes in the end Though then the ioy of the faithfull may not be felt for a time yet is there no feare but it will be found againe afterward for their ioy is such ioy as is euerlasting in respect of the grounds thereof and which being giuen thē by Christ according to the promise he hath made none shall for euer be Ioh. 16. 22. able to take it from them any more The sun-shine of Gods fauour may for a while be hidden out of their sight but then as the Lord himselfe hath promised that though for a moment in his anger he hides his face yet with euerlasting Isai 54. 7. 8. mercie hee will haue compassion on them againe and turne their shadow of death into a most bright and chearefull morning Amos 5. 8. The ioy of a temporarie beleeuer how great soeuer it may seeme to be for a season yet as the seede sowne in stony ground it cannot be kept from withering in the scorching heate of hot persecution because it wanteth depth of earth and good ground to roote it on as not being Mak. 4. 17. grounded either vpon any stable assurance of Gods vndoubted Temporary ioy withers loue and rich mercy vnto him or vpon any good stedfastnes of his own loue to God back againe in thankfulnes for the same as who for that loue of God wherewith he seeth God to haue first loued him in Christ Iesus should bee made so farre to forget himselfe and to prize Gods glorie as for Gods cause to be found willing to carrie his owne life in his hand and to hazard the exposing of himselfe to any danger that may happen but rather raised and being grounded vpon some worldly some selfe and by-respects which failing and not falling out according to his owne reckoning and expectation then is his ioy also gone and he as much altered as if hee had neuer been the man The ioy of an hypocrite vanisheth quite away and commeth to nothing in time of tribulation How triumphing soeuer he was found to be before in his great reioycing yet when persecution and fierie triall doth come he groweth then to be most heartlesse and crest fallen of the sudden whosoeuer dare shew himselfe in presence then he will be sure to play least in sight at that time And no marueile though an hypocrite bee but a coward for what hath hee to trust vnto that might make him bold in whom nothing is sound and right as it should be who hath nothing but shewes in stead of substance And who will marueile if such a one being false to God though his heart deceiuing him hee proue false to himselfe also and if wanting such faith as is only able to giue him the victorie he be ouercome of feare that causeth him dastardly to flie the field and turning his backe vpon his enemies to runne the countrey Such kinde of persons whose faith doth so faile them and whose hope is vnsound in the time of trouble and aduersitie are like a man that is in the wilde sea in time of a storme without anchor or cable without mast or saile or any tackling to make shift with and helpe himselfe by who hauing no meanes left vnto him to vse for his succour and reliefe in time of such distresse as one dispoiled of all things but the expectation of death only what else can he looke for but to perish in that storme without all hope of any possible escaping These kinde of persons as they are left faithlesse so are they made hopelesse when they see their case to be thus helplesse and therefore ruine and vtter confusion must needes be their last end But the ioy of a true beleeuer as it hath better rooting True ioy lasteth and is grounded vpon a better foundation whence it springeth vp and taketh the beginning so is it of a more firme and fast abiding standing vnmoued what time the other is not onely shaken and wholly cast downe and then flourishing and seene still to grow greene when the Vinesoit vulnere virtus other not being able to abide the heate of persecution becommeth so sulged and blasted and so withered away as it wholly fadeth and in the end is quite brought to nothing The ioy of a true beleeuer ariseth and groweth out of faith which is vnfained whereof Christ is the author and the finisher and the holy Ghost is the worker and the framer of this blessed worke planting faith in the good ground of an honest heart and causing this ioy to spring out of that flourishing plant as the most sweete and pleasant fruite thereof for it is called the ioy 1. Thes 1. 6. Gal. 5. 22. of the holy Ghost and it is numbred among the fruits of the spirit Faith is the sure ground of this ioy from whence it springeth while by faith wee are perswaded of the loue and fauour of God towards vs in and through Christ Iesus into whom we being grafted and planted by our beleeuing doe come so to finde our selues to haue a most happie and ioyfull being in him which causeth vs not only to haue some ioy and reioycing but our ioy is made Ioh. 15. 11. full in him for there is no want in Christ but enough to be found for the making of our ioy full euery way for the fulnes of the Godhead and of all goodnesse is and dwelleth Coloss 1. 19. Ioh. 1. 16. in him that of his fulnes we may receiue euen this fulnes of ioy and of spirituall and heauenly consolation which he Ioh. 16. 24. himselfe willeth vs to seeke by prayer for to obtaine And so is the heart of the beleeuer filled with this ioy of the holy Ghost by Christ Iesus our Sauiour as it is more then the world or all the

and giuen vnto him the ioy of his saluation such peace and such ioy vnto him are as brazen boots to make him runne without feare through all briers and thornes that are in his way and through the sharpest pikes themselues of most cruell persecutions Of the truth of these things we haue whole clouds of Gods witnesses that the ioy of such as are true beleeuers and sound in deed in the faith hath still abidden with them as well in the time of their greatest triall as of their most happie and longest continued peace for such hath been found to haue been the ioy of Gods seruants as in their greatest troubles it hath caused them to find comfort yea and ease vpon the very racke it selfe some haue been so refreshed in the fier as if they had been laid vpon the bed of sweet roses Iames Bainham Act. and Mon. pag. 939. One burned at Bruxels p. 799. when they were but frying among the faggots many haue been seene to haue looked on deaths face with good assurance and to haue stood vpright in the middest of all other ruines that haue happened on euery side and so haue the holy Martyrs been rauished with ioy in John Bradford pag. 1474. and Cicely Ormes burned at Norwich Act. and Mon. pag. 1835. Cyprian willed his friends to giue the executioner for his paines 25. rials Thomas Haukes burned at Copehall pag. 1447. Ten Martyrs burned at Colechester p. 1822. their greatest sufferings as they haue not onely patiently endured them but most cheerfully and ioyfully embraced them kissing the stake to which they were bound rewarding the executioner that should put thē to death clapping their hands in the flame while they were a burning and that with as great triumph and kind of heauenly reioycing as the victorious souldier after his valour hath been shewed in the field commeth at length to be made a knight or as doth a king when he entreth vpon his kingdome and goeth to be crowned with such pompe and solemnity as may beseeme his kingly dignity They were comforted of the Lord with such inward ioy as some writing to their friends professed they were neuer so merrie in all their liues before some leaping for iow some for triumph would put on their scarfes some their wedding garment when they went to the fier One saith well That to be cooled in the shade is'a thing of no great wonder but to be refreshed in a hote fiery furnace is strange and admirable to bee cheered and refreshed with wine and oyle at banquets and feasts is not a matter so much worthy the speaking of but in prison persecution and trouble to bee refreshed and find comfortable cheering is a thing worthy both to be made of and maruelled at but thus hath it been with diuers Witnesse that famous Italian Martyr Pomponius Algerius who Pomponius Algerius his story pag. 857. found euen when he lay in prison in that same deepe and darke dungeon a very Paradice of pleasure and in that place of sorrow and death he found to dwell tranquillity and hope of life in that infernall caue he found heauenly ioy hee found ease and rest to his soule in his strait bonds and cold irons yea where other did weepe there did he reioyce and there had he boldnesse and strength where others through feare did tremble and shake and so he shutteth vp his excellent letter with as comfortable a farwell bidding his friends farwell in the Lord from the del●ctable Orchard of Leonyne prison But in reporting of these things which euery way Isa 53. 1. may seeme strange and incredible to a carnali worldling we may say and cry out with the Prophet Lord who will beleeue our report Doubtlesse it may well be thought that the ioy of the holy Ghost euen that ioy that Peter saith to bee vnspeakable and glorious wherewith the hearts of these worthy Martyrs were so abundantly replenished and the interiour heate of Gods loue in them The creature that serueth the Creator as it encreaseth his strength against the vnrighteous for their punishment so it abateth his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in him Wisd chap. 16. 24. See Acts and Monuments pag. 1879. The history of Iohn Dauis Heb. 11. 38. wherewith they were fired within did much surmount the heate and burning of those fierie flames that outwardly did fasten vpon them the feruent zeale and burning of which fier within sustained them so in their greatest torments as they shrunke no whit nor gaue any place at all to such things which otherwise without that sustaining had been able to haue enforced them not only to haue giuen backe but to haue giuen ouer for altogether the cause wherein so manfully they stood without any staggering These things which men of renowne in former times euen the worthies of God whom worthily the Apostle saith the world was not worthy of haue abundantly tryed by their owne experience to haue been most true their cheerings and comforts hauing so farre surmounted their sorrowes and griefes in the middest of all their torments and paines as that when they were tried with the greatest tortures and put to the most painfull rackings and then offers made them to bee released they haue yet refused to bee deliuered so great was their constancy the ioy and the comfort that they had in their hope of obtaining a better resurrection these things Heb. 11. 35. I say are so high and doe so farre transcend not onely all sense by feeling but all height of reason by apprehending and conceiuing how possibly they could euer bee in the vnderstanding of any mortall man as that euen vnto Gods children themselues especially to such of them as are of the weaker sort who through frailty feare seeme to be very doubtful what they should do if times of triall should euer come to them that saying of Cyprian to his friend had neede in this case be againe remembred which was alleaged before Accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur Heare the report of that which better shall bee knowne by experience feeling then any can now learne or so well stand perswaded of by others telling or their owne hearing as well as did those blessed Martyrs find by their owne triall and proofe whom God called forth to the witnessing of his truth who of weake ones were made strong ones as the Apostle speaketh waxing valiant in battell so as though at Heb. 11. 34. the first they did quake and tremble as so many fearefull Hindes and Harts that were ready to runne for hiding and couert into euery thicket and behind euery bush yet when they were brought forth and put to the triall in deede the cause of God being hazzarded and pawned vpon their heads then were they found to be most chearefull and of courage inuincible their feare was then taken from them and they which before were wont to runne away quaking and trembling did then come

to lye vnder ashes and to rake themselues in the dust but in all the bodily worship of sound and true repentance indeed so farre as euer that doth extend there shall be nothing found wanting in them but as if their worke were absolute herein they will appeare to be very complementall in all There are none that will bid fairer nor goe further for giuing God contentment in all outward respects then they will do if they might but know wherwithal they might come before the Lord and bow themselues before the high God and what would be pleasing vnto him in such respect hee could not aske the thing at their hands but he might be sure to haue it If their comming before him with burnt offerings and with calues of a yeere old might be accepted if he would be pleased with thousands of Rammes or with teme thousand riuers of oyle if the giuing of their first borne for their transgression the fruit of their bodies for the sinne of their soules they would stick at none of this as may be seene in those hypocrites of Mich. 6. old Nay they will pinch themselues neerer and come to be no sparers of their owne flesh If punishing of their bodies and whipping of their flesh will help any thing to better this matter they will be whipped and whip themselues in vie who shall whip themselues sorest and till the bloud shall be seene to follow after all which things as the Apostle speaketh haue indeed a shew of good wisedome Coloss 2. 23. and great humilitie while thus they are found neglecting of their owne bodies not hauing them in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh Which courses of theirs making such afaire shew in the flesh causeth their repentance in outward shew to seeme as great and as good as doth the best and setteth such a glosse and lustre vpon it as maketh it not only seeme to be very conspicuous and notable in the eyes of all men that doe see it and looke vpon it but so obseruable as the Lord himselfe from heauen seemeth to take knowledge of the same and in some sort not to neglect as in the example of Ahab is plaine and manifest Yea not 1. King 21. 29. to restraine their repentance to so narrow a compasse nor to keepe it shut in within the lists and bounds of an outward casting downe and bodily humiliation alone let vs grant it a larger scope and giue way vnto it that it may haue entrance and passage into the very heart and see what worke it will make there Now thither will it also bring in al manner of disquiet the sea doth not rage more then that will turmoile the heart great stirres are made there and sore broyles are bred therein There doth it worke vpon all the powers and faculties of the soule the iudgement will and affections are all set vpon strongly and seene much to be altered and changed By it the iudgement is brought to vnderstand better and see that they were much deceiued and that they haue grossely sinned the will begins to will and to vnwill againe that which before it did so eagerly couet their affections are pierced through with hellish sorrowes horrors and feares and strucken after a sort dead with pensiue heauinesse which will bring to death Who euer felt his sinne heauier vpon him loading his conscience then did Caine who complained Gen. 4. 13. that his sinne was greater then could bo forgiuen or his punishment for it greater then could be borne Who hath cried out more lamentably or shed teares in greater abundance for his ouersight then did Esau for the losse of his Gen. 27. 34. birthright Whose conscience was euer more stung with the guilt of sinne or felt the burning therof more fretting like fire in his bosome that was not to be endured then Iudas did who crying out of his sinne could no better hold Mat. 27. 3. 4. 5. the money in his hand which he had gotten as a purchase of iniquitie then if hot lead had been poured into them and therefore threw it away though that could not quiet his conscience nor purchase him at all any more ease then hee had before But yet to goe further what glorious workes and goodly fruites of their faire seeming repentance will many cunning hypocrites be seene to bring foorth How many good things did Herod after he heard Iohns preaching Who fasted oftner then did the Pharisies prayed more gaue more almes paied their tithes better then did they Who could goe further in the shew of doing good workes for outward appearance then did that rich ruler that came to Christ to know what he might doe Luke 18. 18. 21. to inherit eternall life who being directed vnto the Commandements answered he had kept them all euen from his youth vp and yet he seemed to be but an hypocrite What seeking of God was there daily by the hypocrites in the time of the Prophet Isaiah how did they delight to know Isai 58. 2. the waies of the Lord to aske of him the ordinances of iustice taking delight in their approching vnto God fasting often and afflicting their soules much and bowing downe their heads like bulrushes with spreading sackcloth and ashes vnder them and yet all to no purpose because they doing all this did yet hold fast their sinnes without loosing the bands of wickednesse Such their repenting was no whit more acceptable vnto God then if they had not repented at all they with the Pharisees making cleane but the outside of the plattar when all within was full of briberie and excesse neither could that kind of their fasting cause their voyce to bee heard on high as the Prophet there telleth them All such kind of repentances they were and will be found to be but counterfeit and very fruitles repentances euer to be repented of because they that haue rested most on thē and trusted most vnto them shal still find cause to repent because they haue repented no better Thus is there no grace or gift of Gods spirit how excellent so euer which the diuell who is said to be Gods ape wil not haue a counterfeit of As he hath gottē a counterfeit of true faith so he hath gotten a counterfeit of true repentance which shall seeme as like it as if it were the very same when there shal be as great difference as between siluer and leade and betweene gold and copper He is like those cousoning coiners who hauing gotten the stamp of the mony that is currant among merchants carrying the Princes armes picture vpon it doth after the forme thereof coyne that that is counterfait and pay it ouer for currant they that haue good skill can perceiue which is gold and which is but copper but they that are vnskilfull take one for another Of these false and counterfait vnsauourie and vnsound repentances of false hearted hypocrites with which they are knowne to haue perished and by which

the sentence which the Lord in that place by his Prophet Ieremy 8. 12. doth set downe against them may be iustly feared of these and that was therefore shall they fall among them that do fall in the time of their visitation they shall be cast downe saith the Lord. But they that are truly touched with godly sorrow In true penitents and are vnfainedly penitent for their sinnes indeed as led by another spirit are found to be of a cleane other practice they willingly submit themselues to al the censures of the Church they care not what they are appoynted to suffer nor what is enioyned them for to do they are readie to fulfill all so as thereby they may giue that satisfaction to the Church and euery good Christian that is meete so as none may any more remaine iustly offended or further to thinke themselues wronged by them They stand not vpon their credit with worldly men and as for shame they refused not to blush and be ashamed for they know it is duly belonging vnto them both before God and men They are readie to say with Daniel To vs Dan. 9. 8. O Lord belongeth shame and confusion of face and when they make their prayers to say with Ezrah O my God I Ezrah 9. 6. am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee And when their sin is broke out to the offence of many then shame doth also couer their faces before the sonnes of men especially when they are shamed by rebukes corrections and censures of the Church passed out against them they refuse not to take that deserued shame but so draw themselues to a willingnesse since that must be their burthen contentedly to beare the same saying with the Prophet Micah I will beare this indignation because I haue sinned Micah 7. 9. For as the Lord answered Moses in the case of Miriam If her father had but spit in her face ought she not to Numb 12. 14. haue been ashamed seuen daies So if the fathers of the Church as abhorring such foule courses and grosse sins committed shall shew how much they are offended by the hard censures they doe set downe and sharpe penance they doe enioyne should not the offenders be ashamed seuen daies as it were Yea doubtlesse and they that doe truly repent though they had not such outward shame put vpon them yet would they with repentant Ephraim Ierem. 31. 19. hauing truly repented and being turned smite their owne hands vpon their thigh and grow ashamed of themselues yea euen confounded by bearing the reproch of their so doing amisse And this their shame howsoeuer for a time it may be their abasing yet being well carried contentedly conscionably and meekly borne it will afterward make to the lifting of them vp to be had in better account with all that are good and to haue the better credit and estimation among all them Dauid committed a sinne so grosse in that kinde as in many respects a grosser could not lightly haue bin done not a single sinne but a compound sinne that had many other very grieuous and most hainous wickednesses folded vp in it and inwrapped with it yea tied twisted to it to strengthen the euill of it till it became hugely big euen a very grosse and grieuous sin indeed which could not bee but with great offence giuen to the Church of God when it once became knowne But who more penitent Psal 51. then was Dauid or who euer gaue the Church a better satisfaction then did hee who spared not besides the confessing and acknowledging of it in words though it were as hee said against himselfe and to his owne shame to publish it in writing with his great sorrow and repentance for the same and suffered it to bee spread abroad yea not only to be spoken of but also to bee sung out openly aloud in the middest of the solemne assemblies and Church-meetings throughout his whole land as it were thereby gathering and in a manner pulling vpon himselfe the shame belonging vnto it from all the people of his whole land and not only shaming himselfe with it in his owne countrey but also not refusing to beare the shame of it in all other countries and from all sorts of people among whom that which he had so written should euer come to bee either read or heard yea as if it had not been enough to haue made it knowne to the people of that age alone he hath so published it as if it had been his meaning to tell all posteritie of it that we to this day and all to the end of the world may know what was his fall and how great his frailty was Yet who doth not know that all this abasing and casting downe of himselfe and taking vpon him the shame of that hee had done that so he might remoue the offence that was thereby giuen and render vnto the Church the better and more full satisfaction hath tended to the lifting vp of his honour higher in the Church of God and hath caused him and still will cause him not only to be as much reuerenced but a great deale more admired for the abundance of rare grace that by all this was manifested then it is like he euer should otherwise haue been if happily that which hee so offended in had neuer been by him done and so repented of There is another kinde of satisfaction which is a ciuill 3. To the Common wealth 1. For violating good lawes satisfaction that is to be giuen and made to the Common-wealth and ciuill state and societies of men when the wholesome lawes that are constituted for the well ordering and gouerning of a countrey or kingdome are violated and broken by any then is the ciuill state and societies of men wronged and Common-wealth it selfe impeached For lawes are said to be the bonds of a Common-wealth Cicero pro Clemente to hold it together and chaines whereby men are tyed one to another in the world to liue ciuilly one by another they are the foundations of libertie the fountaines of equitie they are the very sinewes and spirit of cuery state by which they liue and moue And therefore no marueile though the Ephesian Heraclitus said that citizens were to fight as Laertins well for their lawes as for their cities themselues for if they bee seene and suffered to bee violated and torne asunder all will soone be brought to ruine The satisfaction then which transgressors of lawes are to make vnto societies of men and Common-wealths thus wronged is to beare and goe vnder and contentedly to satisfie and pay the fines mulcts and penalties that are imposed vpon offenders and patiently without resistance to suffer imprisonments chastisements punishments yea euen vnto death it selfe according to the nature and qualitie of the offence and crime that hath been committed be it greater or lesse And herein also a cleane differing carriage is found to Difference in impenitents be by