thy crowne In speaking the first Motiue the face of Christ was to looke vpon like the u Apoc. 4.3 Gasper-stone which is greene beautifull but in this hee resembleth the x Apoc. 4.3 Sardine which is red and bloodie for there is Comfort here is terrour there his y Cant. 5.16 mouth was as sweet things and he wholy delectable here out of his mouth proceeds a z Apoc. 1.16 sharpe two-edged sword and his countenance is very fearefull This word Corona a Crowne hath in the Scriptures diuers significations sometimes it signifieth aeternall life as in the second chapter of the Apocalipse a Apo. 2.10 Be faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life so the Papists vnderstand this place whereupon they gather that the Decrees of Election and Reprobation be changeable for the Schoole-men teach that the Number of the Elect and of the Reprobate is certainely and vnchangeably decreed and purposed of God in his aeternall counsell so that it can neither be increased nor diminished for he hath absolutely appointed how many shall be saued and how many reiected but yet they say that he hath not certainely and vnchangeably decreed what particular men shall make vp or be of this determined and purposed number because that Men hauing as they say Free-will doe sometimes depart from God and sometimes returne vnto him The first of these Numbers they call the Formall number which is certaine the latter they call the Materiall number which is vncertaine and changeable so by their doctrine he that is elect may finally be blotted out of the booke of life and become a Reprobate and hee that is a Reprobate may be made an elect this their Position they endeuour to proue by this Text of Scripture amongst the rest by which words they affirme that it is euident that he which is elect to wear a Crowne of life may loose it and another which was not elect may supply his place But this their Collection is contrary to the intention and meaning of the Spirit of God that writ it who is neuer in opposition to himselfe b Ioh. 10.29 My Father is greater then all and no man is able to take them out of his hand therefore our election is certaine For c Iam. 1.17 with God there is no variablenes neither shadowing by turning Horum qui electi sunt si quispiam perit fallitur Deus sed nemo eorum perit quia non fallitur Deus Aug. de cor gra cap. 7. Aqui. part 7. quest 24. art 3. saith Augustine Of the elect if any perish God is deceiued but none of them can perish because God cannot be deceiued Likewise Aquinas saith Simpliciter in libro vitae scripti nunquam deleri possunt simply they that are written in the booke of life can neuer be blotted out of this Text of Scripture then we must seeke for some other Exposition for by it cannot be vnderstood the Crowne of aeternall life Secondly this word Corona a crowne sometimes signifieth any faithfull man which by the Ministerie preaching of the word is conuerted from Gentilisme to Christianity So S. Paul calles the Philippians saying d Philip. 4.1 Therefore my brethren beloued and longed for my ioy and my crowne so continue in the Lord ye beloued Thirdly it is the Badge or Cognisance of Authoritie both Temporall and Spirituall and so is it to be vnderstood in this place in which our Sauiour exhorteth the Angel or Bishop of Philadephia to constancie in his Function for feare an other be placed in his Office and take the dignitie of the Bishoprick from him By this threatned degradation may all Arch-angels and Angels learne to know that Crownes be no perpetuities If Salomon turne his heart from the Lord God of Israel and build high places to Chemosh the abhomination of Moab Molech the abhomination of the children of Ammon God will surely rent his kingdome from him and giue it vnto his e 1. Reg. 11.11 seruant if Eli the high Priest will not chasten the wickednesse of his sonnes but suffer them to run into slaunder and stay them not f 1. Sam. 4.11.18 he and they both shall goe with blood to their graues and the Priest-hood be conferred vpon an other Therefore hold that you haue that no man take your Crownes The second generall part of my Text is a Catalogue of the Rewards that Christ promiseth to bestow on Conquerours saying Him that ouercommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and hee shall goe no more out and I will write vpon him the Name of my GOD and the name of the Citie of my God which is the new Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my God and I will write vpon him my new Name Him that ouercommeth c. Reward makes men both valiant and ventrous g 1. Sam. 18.27 for a wife Dauid will fetch two hundreth fore-skins of the Philistims for gold the h 1. Reg. 9.28 seruants of Salomon will tenni confidere ligno hazard their liues in a ship and saile to Ophir Our Sauiour therefore to stirre vp our courage and put spirit in our faint hearts doth as the Romanes did they had lawes for the Triumphs of Generals and diuersities of crownes appointed for well deseruing Martialists and this was done in policie to make their men of warre stout and valiant so Christ to encourage those that march vnder his Standard the Crosse proclaimeth their Rewards saying i Apoc. 2.7 To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradice of God k Apoc. 2.13 To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the Manna that is hid and will giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it Him that ouercommeth will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God c. Oh then who would not be a souldier in the Campe of Christ preferring his thornie crowne before a diadem of gold his Crosse before a chaire of estate his Whip before a Scepter his Reed before all temporall Royaltie his White coate before raiments of Needle-worke his scoffes and taunts before worldly applause his gall and vinegar before the rich Gluttons delicious fare his death before life considering that Cum Domino iudices venient qui nunc pro Domino iudicantur saith Augustine They shall come with the Lord as Iudges who are now iudged for for the Lords cause Him that ouercommeth will I make a Pillar A Pillar is the Embleme of three things Remembrance Preheminence and Continuance First it is the Register of Memorie God turned l Gen. 19.26 Lots wife into a pillar of Salt because contrary to the commandement of the Angel shee looked backe towards Sodome and Gomorrah and Christ saith Remember Lots wife The sight of this Salt
temptations as the t 1. Pet. 5.8 Lyon hee goeth vp and downe roaring and compassing the earth seeking whom hee may deuoure and as the u Apoc. 12.9 And Caesar in Apoc cap. 12. Dragon hee is quicke in sight and is altogether delighted in Blood and slaughter hauing thus by sinne lost his first shape his whole course was afterwards to procure some Associates in his Metamorphosis therefore when God had created Man according to his owne Image in x Ephes 4.24 righteousnes and true holinesse he assailed the first woman Heâ—ah and by her as his instrument the first Man Adam tempting them both and they both consented to eate of the forbidden fruite misled and blinded by this bewitching baite of Ambition y Gen. 3.5 Eritis sicut Dij You shall be as gods knowing good and euil Through this their disloialtie and disobedience that glorious Image wherewith God had deck't man was cancel'd and defaced not onely in themselues but in all their posteritie so saith the Apostle z Rom. 5.12 As by one man sinne entered into the world and by sinne death so death entered vpon all men in that all men haue sinned by Originall sinne then which is Corruption ingendred in our first Conception whereby euery facultie both of bodie and soule is prone and disposed to iniquitie whole Mankind is transformed and changed from good to euill wee haue lost our knowledge our righteousnesse and our immortalitie and draw now nothing from the loynes of our parents but a 1. Cor. 2.14 Ignorance Impotencie of minde Vanitie and an inbred and natural inclination to conceiue and deuise such things as are euill yet here is not the period and stint of Sathans malice he knowes that Man is deformed by Original sinne but Actuall sinne must absolutely transforme him therefore marke his Plot and obserue his Practise As God obserued a Methode in Mans creation so the Diuell hath his passages and order in his transformation God first said b Gen. 1.26 Let vs make Man the blessed Trinitie went to councell and this Consultation proueth Mans excellencie aboue all other creatures whatsoeuer for in the rest God onely had his Fiat c Gen. 1.26 Let there be light and there was light but in Man hee had his Faciamus Let vs make man as if hee should haue said d Gen. 1.28 The King of creatures to rule ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the fowles of the heauen and ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth euen so Sathan on the contrary part consults and takes councell with himselfe and his Angels of darknesse in the vnmasking and transforming of man Let vs change man saith the Diuell and let vs vtterly depriue him of the remnant of Gods Image for hereby shall he be made like vnto the beasts that perish This is our Aduersaries plot but the execution thereof is hindered because hee is not as God onely is the Searcher of our reines and the Knower of our thoughts wherefore he plaies the Politician to discouer our corrupt imagination and siftes vs by the Concupiscence of the Eie the concupiscence of the hart and the pride of Life e 1 Ioh. 2.16 for these three are the Rootes from which all other sinnes are braunch't and take their growth If therefore the Diuell spie either Man or Woman walke like the f Esay 3.16 daughters of Zion with a wandering eye hee presently makes this position Out of the aboundance of the heart the eye lookes and these glaunces are shafts drawen out of the Quiuer of wantonnesse wherefore forthwith hee accommodates and applyes himselfe herein to Mans corrupt appetite g Numb 25. if hee be a Zimri he will prouide him a Cosbi if a h Iudg. 16.1.9 Sampson a Dalilah if a Herode an Herodias who shall like i Gen. 39.7 Potiphars wife catch him by the garment saying Lye with me sleep with me Againe as the k Iudg. 12.6 Ephramits were knowen from the Giliadites by the pronouncing of Shibboleth and the Galilaeans from the Iewes by their phrase and Idiome of speech euen so the diuell by the tongue of Man discries the Concupiscence of the heart and the Sinne to which hee is most deuoted wish but for Nabaoths vineyard as l 1 Reg. 21.2 Ahab did or but say with m Math. 26.15 Iudas What will you giue and hee will say presently thou art couetous thy very speech bewraies thee then will he set vp his two golden Calues the worlds Idole Gold and Siluer and make proclamation saying These are thy gods in whom thou most trust and Mammon is thy Mediatour Lastly if the deuill see an Eare like n Hosea 12.1 Ephraims fed with wind Soothing and flatterie or doe but discouer the very feet to tread an elaborate and curious pace as the women of Hierusalem did o Esay 3.16 who minced as they went and made a tincking with their feet hee forthwith apprehends an inclination to Pride for these are but the instruments of a vaine-glorious minde whereupon bee suites such persons with the attendants of flatterers so hee dealt with Ahab the king of Israel preferring to his seruice p 1 Reg. 21. Zedkiah the false prophet whose words were euer plausible and pleasant and so hee did with Herod to whom hee put a troupe of Parasites to puffe him vp with their acclamations saying q Act. 12.22 the Voyce of God and not of man Flattery is Sathans trappe for Potentates the Page of great personages and a disease that haunts Princes it procures grace and countenance but Trueth is euer disgraced and frowned vpon Flatterie is alwayes well-liking like the fat Bulles of Basan but Trueth may be resembled by one of Pharaohs leane Kine for it straues and pines away and yet the one is strong and raigneth for euermore the other is as Diogenianus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sweet but deadly wine and a poison drunke in a Cuppe of Gold Hauing thus sifted our nature hee turneth Practicioner saying as God said Let vs make man according to our owne Image Now when God made Man hee made him of the Dust of the ground and breathed in his face the breath of life and created him in his owns Image so the diuell when he transformes Man vseth our Adamah or Dust that is our old Man or Naturall corruption making it the matteriall or ground of our Transformation Secondly he breaths into Man not the breath of Life but the breath of death For the wages of sinne is death his breathing is his tempting for thereby hee enters into a Man as hee entred into Iudas and before he can finish his malicious disseigne hee breatheth foure times By the first breath hee with-drawes the minde from Gods seruice to which it should be euer zelously deuoted for so saith our Sauiour r Luke 10.27 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soule and with all thy thought
their re-entrance into the Garden of Eden set the l Gen. 3.24 Cherubims and the blade of a Sword shaken to keepe the way of the Tree of Life our Sauiour at the last day shall be the annoynted Cherub to guard the gates of new Hierusalem his fiery sword shal be this Sentence m Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels These words are n Dan. 7.10 that fierie streame issuing out of the throne of God by the violent current whereof the Wicked like the Swine of the Gergesens shall be carried headlong into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone o Dan. 5. Three words Mene Tekel and Vpharsin written vpon the plaster of the wall in Belshazzers Palace foretold the ruine of himselfe and his whole Monarchie but here in this Scripture one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without supplies the place of these three the interpretation of Mene is God hath numbred thy Kingdome finished it of Tekel Thou art waighed in the ballance and art found too light and of Vpharsin Thy Kingdome is diuided and giuen to the Medes and Persians All these significations are included in this one word Without First Without shall be dogges that is the Kingdom of the Wicked shal then be at an end for the years of their raigne is expired when Christ comes to iudgement Secondly Without shall be dogges that is God will exercise vpon them iudgement in measure and iustice in waight Thirdly Without shall be dogges that is They shall not onely be depriued of all earthly pleasures but also bee diuided and separated from the sight of Gods glorious Maiestie and from the fellowship of Saints and Angels To be without Heauen is to be within Hell Hell then is the place appointed for the imprisonment of Dogges but is there such a reall place Many heads haue hammered many conceits p Psal 14.1 The foole hath said in his heart there is no God the q Matth. 22.23 Sadduces held there were no Angels and denied the Resurrection of the dead the Day of Doome there haue bin some Opinionists which haue affirmed Hel to be nothing else but a bare Separation from Gods presence and the Sting or gnawing Worme of a Guilty Conscience We must confesse indeed that these are very dreadfull torments wherewith the Wicked euen in this life are grieuously opprest as may appeare in Caine and Iudas both which before their death were in this Hell but yet all Hell is not contained herein for these two are but branches of the Tree of Death That there is such a reall place may be prooued both by Scripture Testimonie of the Fathers and pregnant reason First for Scripture the Psalmist thus speaketh of ignorant and foolish worldlings which thinke that their houses and habitations shall continue for euer and call their Lands by their owne names t Psal 49.15 Vt ones lischeol deponuntur mors illos pascit c. Like sheepe they lie in hell Death deuoureth them Also it is written of s Num. 16.33 Corah Dathan and Abiram that they went downe quicke Scheâ—lah ad infernum to Hell These words prooue that Hell is not onely a certaine place but also demonstrate where it is namely below in the Bowels of the earth But to these places it is answered that Scheol signities the Graue I know it doth for the word beares three significations sometimes by it is meant the Sepulcher and so is it vsed by the Patriarch Iacob saying t Gen. 37.35 Surely I will goe downe Scheolah into the graue vnto my sonne mourning sometimes metaphorically it is put for the aduersitses and afflictions of this life so the Prophetical King Dauid applies it saying u 2. Sam. 22.6 Cheble scheol sebabuns The Sorrowes or Snares of hell compassed me about and ouertooke me Sometimes it signifies Eternall destruction and the real and certain place of the Damned and so it is to bee vnderstood in those Texts of Scripture aboue named For if by Scheol wherein the vngodly like Sheepe shall be deuoured by death the Graue should onely bee vnderstood then should there be no difference betwixt the Righteous and the Wicked for Death the Graue are common to them both neither should the Psalmist speake of any extraordinarie punishment in saying They shall lie in the graue But if we obserue the Text seriously we shal find that Dauid doth most directly point to Hell as may appeare out of the words following x Psal 49.13 But God shall deliuer my soule from the power of Scheol or hell for he will receiue me The same signification that Scheol hath in these words it hath in the words going before but here of necessitie is meant the Place appointed for Cast-awaies wherein both body and soule shall bee tormented Therefore in the former speech Vt oues lischeol deponuntur mors illos depascis Like sheepe they lie in hell death deuoureth them The spirit of God doth plainly describe hell to be a reall place and the Receptacle of Reprobates Also whereas it is said that they which perished in the gaine-saying of Corah went downe quicke into hell Here-out we may gather not onely that there is such a certaine place but also that it is below euen in the nethermost parts of the earth This is confirmed by the authoritie of Epiphanius Hierom and others all which Epiphan in Anchorato Hiero. in 4. cap. ep ad Eph. Pagninus in gen 37. in that Text of Scripture by Scheol vnderstand Hell I might alleadge diuers other testimonies out of the Scriptures as that in Deuteronomie y Deut. 32.22 Fire is kindled in my wrath and shall burne vnto the bottome of hell Also the Wise-man saith z Prou. 15.24 The way of life is on high to the prudent to auoid from hell beneath and in another place a Prou. 9.18 but he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are baamake scheol in the depth of hell All which places most euidently prooue that there is such a Lake such a Dungeon and such a bottomlesse Pit But let vs descend to the Fathers prophane Writers and Reason though these to the Scriptures are but like Zilpha and Billa to Rachel and Leah hand-maides or seruants First Cyprian saies it is a hollow vault in the earth full of smoake and darknesse Tertullian calles hell a Treasurie of hidden fire in the bowels of the earth to Theophilact it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a darke region vnder the earth and of the same mind is Saint Hierom and Saint Augustine Aug. ep 57. ad Darda and with them the prophane Writers consent Hesiod Homer and diuers others amongst whom this is an article of their beliefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As farre as heauen is aboue the earth so farre is hell beneath But leauing them let vs come to Reason Who will denie that a
Body can be but in a place Seeing then that the Resurrection shall be both of Body and Soule as well for the Reprobate as the Elect and that the one sort of them must enter into a b Matth. 25.34 Kingdome prepared for them from the foundations of the world and the other c Matth. 25.41 into eternall fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his angels must not both the Sheepe and the Goates be in two distinct seuerall and reall places it cannot be gaine-said but what places be these Some thinke that the Fruition and the Want of Gods presence and Glorie is that Kingdom and this Fire if it were so why should there be any generall Iudgement for in this Life the Elect enjoy Gods gracious aspect which is Heauen vpon Earth and the Reprobates are depriued of it which is a kinde of Hell This I confesse is a heauen and a hell for the Soule but take away that Place which is called Coelum Coelorum the heauuen of heauens and that Dungeon which is named Tenebrae exteriores vtter Darknesse and how shall the bodies of the Righteous d Dan. 12.3 shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and the bodies of the wicked rise againe to perpetuall shame and contempt My conclusion then is this As God hath ordained some to be Vessels of honour some of dishonour so hath hee prepared two seuerall places for them heauen and hell the one aboue the other beneath betwixt which there is a e Luke 16.26 great gulfe so that they which would goe from heauen to hell cannot neyther can they come from hell to heauen That there shall be a Corporall Ascension and Descension into two distinct places Eliah and Corah are two figures f 2 Reg. 2.11 Eliah went vp by a whirle-wind into heauen carried in a fiery Chariot drawne by horses of fire and g Num. 16.33 Corah and his companie went aliue into hell neyther of these dyed but were changed h 1 Cor. 15.52 as the liuing shall be at the last day in a moment and in the twinckling of an eye and their bodies being corruptible did put on Incorruption sharing betwixt them Life and Death eternall both in body and Soule and all this was done to teach vs what shal become of our soules and bodyes at the generall resurrection and to informe vs that as there is a Place aboue Heauen for the Elect so there is a Place beneath hell for the Reprobates Here shall Dogges endure paines most bitter and eternall namely a fire vnquenchable and a worme that shall neuer cease gnawing of this Fire the Body shall be the Fewell and to this Worme the Soule shall be food Seeing then that there shall be a Separation a within and a without and that there is a heauen and a hell Ioy eternall and Torment euerlasting O let vs continually meditate vpon this Lake burning with fire and brimstone the thought whereof if all sparkes of grace be not quencht in our hearts will be like a Bridle to curbe vs and keepe vs from sinning Our Sauiour to disswade vs from back-sliding bids vs Remember Lots wife the Wise-man saith Remember thine end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse and so say I Remember Hell this Memento is like a Iewell made of Iacinthes to which the Lapidaries attribute three excellent effects namely to preserue a man from lightning from the Pestilence and to procure sleepe such like is the Remembrance of hell in that it is an Antidote against the poyson of sinne it saues the soule from that furnace of fire where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth and preserues it from those vnspeakeable plagues and torments which God hath prepared for the Diuell and his Angels lastly because hee that euer thinkes of Hell will be afraid to commit sinne this Memento doth disburden the Conscience of all internall horrour and Anguish which like Saules euill Spirit doe euer haunt the guiltie minde and consequently procureth spirituall peace and Rest to the Soule This Peace hee giue vs who is the Prince of Peace Christ Iesus the righteous to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour prayse power glory and dominion both now and euer Amen FINIS ERRATA For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Arians read Acrians For Mâ—cedâ—nius read Macedenious For Seliâ—â—â— read Silenâ—e