and vrge them with such arguments least they should bee wanting in this duety For indeed men are loath to lay good things to heart and more loath to practise Wee are like Balaam heauen can we wish O that we might die the death of the righteous but wee would not liue their life Flesh seeketh after ease the way to life is strait we would not be as Lazarus here but like Diues fare deliciously euery day and yet like Lazarus looke for heauen at our ending Therefore it is needfull for ministers to vrge and to set vs on forward to follow our sluggish nature with reason vpon reason as so many goades pricking our consciences to cause vs to stirre our feete and so go on in the way of saluation Bare narrations to slowe dispositions are of no force And if words take place without waight of reason it is either the worke of faith which is rare or leuity of affection which is too common and to which agreeth well the prouerb Soone ripe soone rotteÌ„ A Iewish intertainment of Christ to day Hosannah to morrow Crucifie Let vs then say shew why that vnderstanding may be informed iudgement setled with reason Suspect the ground sandy where the house is built with sound of words a little storme will shake it and easily ouerthrow it Such as are won souÌ„dly as a diseased meÌ„ber perfectly healed will abide constant And thus much for the Coherence The words diuide themselues into The diuision of the Text. two generall parts 1. An exhortation wherein note 1. The ground of it in the word Wherefore 2 The parties exhorted Brethren 3 The matter of the exhortatioÌ„ in the words following Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 A reason wherin is contained a promise wherein note 1 The condition thereof If yee doe these things 2 The thing promised in these words Ye shall neuer fall Doctrine Of these as the words lie in order But first it is not to bee omitted that the Apostle vsing in this verse a reason to enforce the embracing of vertue as is aforesaid doth not barely set it downe as the former but deliuereth it by way of exhortation which argueth the Apostles affection in speaking desiring that this reason might not onely bee vnderstoode but also embraced with affection For exhortations are to enflame the affection to make men zealous as doctrine is to make them iudicious both necessarie to feede the soule Vnderstanding without feruencie of affection is cold entertainment such growe sooner full of policie then pietie the best is luke-warmenes a burthen that God cannot beare but must needes spue them out of his mouth Vse for either the Lord or Baal And if affection be alone it is but folly running into schisme or superstition Therefore must men be vrged to affect that which is taught Doctrine But in that the Apostle is so earnest in this reason that they may get assurance of saluation he commendeth vnto vs the waight of this argument chiefly of all other to bee affected And indeede if wee consider that without assurance wee are altogether comfortlesse who would not hereby be moued to embrace vertue and exercise himselfe therein Without assurance though we haue possession of the best good wee are not in perfect ioy Vncertainty of contâ—nuance of happinesse in a happy estate maketh the same lesse comfortable the minde often charged with feare of too sodaine an end No man hireth but hee seeketh to know a certaine terme and hee that hath a Lease for many yeares would also make it his owne by purchase for better assurance Assurance is a salue to cure feare it is a stay in wauering and distrust the best safety against desperation that dreadfull soules miserie Vse Therefore let it moue vs to be vertuous that so wee may get assurance For assurance of Land wee will be at cost to pay money for certaine gaine wee do trauell farre to bee sure of promotion wee will serue long euen hard Masters in drudgery great men not without slauerie And is a vertuous life a seruice to the Almightie the father of mercy nothing worth is it so loathsom or irksome that we cannot indure it to haue assurance of heauen the gaine of Glory and the honour of Angels with Christ for euer Oh! hearken and consider the one and the other What is the assurance of all the world without hope of heauen The bodies blisse caryon the soules death damnation Now to the words Wherefore that is because vnles you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paraphrase explaining the word for to raise the doctrine haue these vertues you shall be but idle professors fruitlesse blinde vnthankfull to God and without any assurance of saluation therefore giue diligence to liue vertuously and to make your calling election sure It is a word shewing how that which followeth doth depend on that which goeth before from which we learne That the discommodities The doctrine of the want of these vertues and the good insuing by them should make vs seeke to be endued with them To auoid danger bodily and to get Reasons to inforce it aduantage to our selues in earthly commodities wee are moued to seeke after those things by which wee may escape losse and gaine some good Men studie to become learned men labour for friends they trauel for riches and seeke for promotion onely for that the benefite of them is so much for mans welfare and the want thereof held so greatly hurtfull as without them men are but iudged miserable and yet learning and friends riches and honour are nothing at all either so auaileable to make him happy that hath them as hee that hath grace or so miserable that wanteth them as hee which is without grace Holy vertues are a pledge of Gods loue the fruits of the spirit the hand writing The benefit of verâ—he benefit of vertues heauenly graces what they â—re of God in our hearts witnessing his loue and confirming his couenant with vs. They be so many staies from slyding in slippery prosperity so many potions purging out vices so many pull-backs from vanity and so many comforts in aduersitie They be marks of Gods children and pleasant flowers to decke vp sweetely our Temples the dwelling of the holy Ghost What comparison betweene humane learning and heauenly vertues betweene riches of the world and this wealth of the soule betweene these friends here and Gods good fauour between earthly greatnes spirituall grace none at all And is there any equality in the losse nothing lesse A man that hath grace and vertue may be and is happy though he want learning riches honour and friends But enioy all these without grace see the ende Hamans honour occasioned his hanging Absoloms beautie was his bane the young mans wealth held him from Christ Achitophels learning and wisedome was his destruction and all this came to passe through want of grace and these heauenly vertues To
sure of safeâ—â— Vse then let vs liue vprightly embrace vertue shun vice carefully destruction remaineth for the vngodly but peace and Gal. 6. 16. mercie to Syon and vpon the Israell of God Let Pharao be drowned the Israelites shall passe ouer safely wicked Israelites may be destroyed yet faithfull Caleb and Iosua shall liue Lotte shall escape when Sodome shall flame with fire and all the inhabitants therof And Noah with his shall be aliue in the Arke when the whole world shal haue an end Thus vertuous men haue a Supersedeas against Gods iustice not of merit but in mercie their soules be sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb so that the Angell of wrath must passe ouer their persons they are aforehand marked Eze. 9. in the forehead for that they mourne cry for the abhominations which they see these the Angel must not so much as touch wheÌ„ they be coÌ„maÌ„ded to smite other without pittie O let vs therfore liue vertuously and be doers of these things Ye shall not leaue your standing You D 〈…〉 e. Psa 15. 5 shall neuer as Dauid saith be moued you shall not like dogs returne to the vomite againe nor like swine to the Ioh. 10. 28 myre it is Christs promise None shall pluck them out of his hands whom hee hath chosen the more they exercise vertue the more they loue it and grow more zealous in it Dauid findeth the Psa 19. words of God sweeter then honey and the keeping of the commandements more precious then pearles so is it with euerie one that seeketh GOD in righteousnesse Vse This keeping of our standing that we fall not away is also a forcible reason to moue vs to exercise our selues in these vertues What more comfort then euer to abide with God in the state of grace to call God father Christ the Iudge our blessed sauiour the holy Ghost our comforter glorious Angels our fellow seruantâ— earth our right and heauen our inheritance And what more vncomfortable then by falling away to bid adue to God to grace to goodnesse It is to cause the Lord to abhorre vs and to bid the Diuell take vs It is to runne from vnder Gods protection and to seeke death and destruction who therefore would not liue in doing vertuously to keepe his standing in the state of grace that hee fall not away Doubt not of falling if thou liue in Euangelicall obedience in these vertues thou hast a perpetuall pledge of Gods loue euen by thy godly life his promises are annexed to such a one by well doing thou hast assurance of deliuerance and art in Gods seruice and he that hath called thee will mercifully reward thee in the end But many haue falne thou wilt say true from what they Obiection answered seemed to bee but not indeede from what they were their gifts were common fauours but not the speciall graces of election they neuer attained vnto the aforenamed Euangelicall obedieÌ„ce secretly they were hypocrites none fall finally but the good things they do are done sinisterly as appeareth in Iehu and they nourish some sinne which doth breake out at the length openly as in Iudas is manifest Search therefore thy self how thou standest if vprightly with feare loue and in humility feare not to fall finally The elect fall for a time as we see in Dauid but they so coÌ„tinue not euer this is the fall of a reprobate If you demand how in falling we may know the difference betweene the elect A quest and reprobate it may appeare thus to a man first by the truth of grace before the fall by the remainder of grace in falling with a kind of feare and with some struggling vnwilling to yield and yet through infirmity violence of affection forced to yield for the godly truely conuerted cannot sin after with full consent Lastly after the fall to be checked in conscience and though for a time they do lie in sin yet then not without the Lords externall chastisements to make them remember themselues when a faithful messenger coÌ„meth as Nathan to say thou art the man Dauid yieldeth and saith I haue sinned which the reprobate do not If further through feare thou that art in the state of grace dost obiect Sathans Elect neede not to fear they shall no way be ouercome powre hee shall not preuaile Christ hath ouercome him Math. 4. And his triumph is thy victorie so read it and beleeue If thou dread the world Christ saith Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. 33. If the flesh which ouerthrew Salomon conquered Sampson hee that is in Christ hath mortified Rom. 6. the deedes of the flesh and why was Christ pure but to subdue thy corruption If yet thou say But for all this thou maist be ouercome by many temptations fall away in time of persecution remember that God wil not try thee aboue thy strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. And for other afflictions for Christ in them thou shalt be more then a conqueror through him that loued vs. Rom 8. 37. And I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to com nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus verse 38. 39. But many false teachers shall arise true to deceiue certainly the reprobate and to beguile the elect if it were possible Math 24. 24. But therefore it may bee inferred that it is an vnpossible thing bee humble and meeke for them that be mâ—â—ke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way Psal 25. 9. Loue the truth for the truthes sake God wil not giue thee ouer to beleeue lies as hee doth those that haue not a loue of the truth 2. Thes 2. 10. Oh but I feare my daily offences wil cause the Lord to cast me off to take his grace from me so shall I fall finally For this know that the best sinneth often it is not sinning but the lying in sin that daÌ„neth If thou canst confesse sin forsake Pro. 28. 13. it thou shalt haue mercie Prou. 28. 13. though thou dost fall thou shalt not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Psal 37. 24. To conclude the Lord wil not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make them his people 1. Sam. 12. 22. Thus said Samuel to Israel to coÌ„fort them euen when they had greatly offeÌ„ded God Therefore let Sathan roare and compasse the earth Iob is hedged about let A comfortable conclusion the world lie in wickednesse the elect shall see light to come out the flesh is strong but the spirit of God is stronger to cast it out to subdue and kil it persecution shall not ouercome the loue of Christ wil constraine vs to hold False teachers shall not mislead vs so but wee shall see returne or preuent them before though we sin yet this doth not condemne vs for no Christians but that we are weake and not wholly freed froÌ„ corruptions Here is no perfection here is vprightnesse to bee had hold this beware of hypocrisie striue to perfection that thou maist after attaine it in glory So beloued shall no sin raigne over vs grace shall grow in vs peace shal be vpon vs faith shal set comfort before vs this wretched worlde shall not bewitch vs pleasures shall not deceiue vs nor any thing cause vs to miscarie but that wee shall run on run out our race with ioy vntill the full end of our daies Which the Father of mercy the God of all comforts graunt vnto vs for his sonnes sake Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be euerlasting praise and glory for this his grace and all other his mercies now and henceforth for euermore Amen FINIS
wee be such it plainly appeareth that wee runne the way of death and walke in the path of perdition except we do amend Let such worldlings consider that the world they must leaue going as they came naked with nothing and thē receiue not as they were in wealth here a place there but as they were religious so shall they be rewarded And therfore sith this world vanisheth and cannot help but euen as wee haue sought the Lord so shall wee find comfort let vs be more diligent in seeking after that which will maks vs euer happy without alteration euerlastingly Againe the voluptuous liuer is nothing Voluptuous liuers lesse then of this minde to seeke diligently those things that are aboue but hee as a beast maketh his bellie his God and the satisfying of his lust his chiefest life Nothing sauours with him but pleasures therefore spendeth hee his daies in cursed delights and saith as the carelesse Rich man Soule liue at ease eat drinke and take thy Luke 12. 19 pastime when in his strength and in the midst of his pleasures hee thinketh of death he thereby stirs vp his minde the more to his euils saying as an Epicure and Atheist Let vs eate and drinke for 1 Cor. 15. to morrowe vve shall die hee maketh a league with death and a couenant with the graue if all die he dreameth to liue though God threaten damnation yet he will presume of mercie vntill the verie daies of euill come wherein he will be forced to say I haue no pleasure in them When sicknes hath sommoned him and feare of present death hath taken possession then happely wil he say Oh I haue sinned pray for me I haue spent my daies leudly what shall I doe and if in this agony conscience seaze vpon him then he will roare for feare of hell then houle and cry out in dread of damnation oh saue but none shall succour oh heare but God will not hearken woe is Pro. 1. 28. me for my wantonnesse wo is me that I haue wrought such wickednesse goodnes I regarded not I therefore now feele no comforts of grace oh that GOD would let me liue againe how would I then seek after him fie vpon filthy lust cursed pleasures a due vanitie of vanities and vexation of spirit Beloued if we but felt what men feele for sinne in trouble of conscience and without comfort we would not for the world be in their place wee escaping the danger would soone leaue sinne giue all diligence to doe good in which onely resteth all our comfort then with gladnes and alacrity of spirit wee would set forward to the worke of the Lord embrace goodnes and liue vertuously that wee might not come into the like miserie any more Therefore let the feare of it aforehād moue vs to giue all diligence to do wel that we may neuer taste of that dreadfull torment the apprehension of Gods wrathfull displeasure for which Christ sinneles for our sinnes sustaining fell into such an agony as in the garden hee swet drops of bloud wretched man remember thou this and on the crosse cryed My God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken Mat. 27. 46 me and shall we sinne rebelliously and presume of mercie shall hee forsaken as it were feare who was without sinne and that day and night sought after good things and may we be drowned in voluptuousnesse and carelesse of religion bee wholly without dread O vaine imagination Sathanicall delusion cursed presumption Let vs bee otherwise minded I beseech you think better of it There are also an other sort to conclude Carelesse professours cold Protestants who though as these forenamed they bee not wretchedly addicted to their wils running headlong into wickednesse and wholy careless of religion to the very end yet are they idle i◠their profession and not carefull to vse their time so well as they might but will be content to let occasions offered slip and do thinke that men may be too curious too precise making more adoe then needeth that they can serue God and heare not the word twise on the Sabbaoth once a forthnight or once a moneth may content them that businesses may withdraw from these too sometime so as a little liketh them well yea and lesse then nothing now then shall not displease them But these worke not out their saluation with feare and trembling these doe forget how the fiue foolish virgins let their lamps go out for want of watchfulnesse and did knock too late when the gates were Mat. 25. 11 12. shut The spouse in the Canticles losing the Cant. 5. 3. 6. 7. present opportunity in her sluggish carelesse disposition had almost lost Christ who yet after sought him and found him but not without strokes and wounds giuen by the watchmen It will bee iust with God to punish our carelesnesse we haue the word offered we may enioy it bee not loathing of this Mannah be diligent in searching the soules safety It may come to passe that when we would we shall not haue it and whilst we seeke and happily find we shall haue no small trouble before wee enioy againe our peace We should followe religion and religious exercises in the compasse of our calling as Elisha did Eliah neither tarrie at Gilgall nor at Bethel nor at Iericho 2 Kings 2. though wee be entreated that is by no means nor by any occasion to leaue off for feare of losing the blessing if wee be but a while absent Let vs as Ruth protested to Naomi Ruth 1. 16 17. so say for religion wee wil not be intreated to leaue it nor depart frō it whither it goeth wee will go the Lord do so to vs and more also if ought but death depart it and vs. It is Eliah to double blessings vpon thee It is Naomi faire and beautifull to the soule though sometime Marah to the flesh Hence is it that Dauid Psa 1. 2. saith Blessed is he that meditateth in the lawe of God both day and night He was not of the minde of these vaine professours nor of their practise who not content with the day would rise vp at midnight to praise the Lord. The spirit of God in godly men hath taught them to thinke that they should giue all diligence to be religious that they should not content themselues with formal and customarie seruice nor at their leisure now or then from worldly businesse or carnall delights to thinke of heauen but daily were they in exercise of religion what estate calling so euer they were in Dauid a King did not neglect it Cornelius a Captaine was a deuout man and Act. 10. 2. 30 prayed God continually Hannah was in the Temple day and night Peter was in his holy meditation and prayers at noone and Daniel a great States-man Dan. 6. became so curiously precise in his holy deuotion and seruice vnto God that he would not in the perill of his
Many of singular note haue fallen and neuer could returne againe 2. Kings 9 10. gifts of great note in the Church famous for worthy acts haue falne neuer returned againe as appeareth in couragious and valiant Iehu a captaine for the Lord of hostes against the house of Ahab who slew two kings Iehoram and Ahaziah of Iuda and Israell by him was Iezabel cast downe that cursed Queene and the dogs did eat her in the gates of Isreel hee ouerthrew Baall his Priests and temple he was zealous for the Lord and tooke Ionadab to bee a witnesse thereof with him So Demas Col. 4. 14. intertained the Gospell accompanied the Apostle in his afflictions saluted the Saincts and was famous in Churches Ioash long liued religiously he honoured 2. Kin. 12. godly Iehotada and was counselled by him he repaired the Temple and did many things worthy praise Iudas was a follower of Christ three yeares he preached Christ in his name cast out diuels Mat. 10. and was an Apostle one of the twelue chosen by Christ out of all the world yet was not Iehu his heart vpright but he embraced Ieroboams calues and fell from God and claue to his Idolatrie yet did Dâ—mas forsake the Gospell and entertained this present world and no meÌ„tion of his returne againe yet did Ioash fall to Idolatrie and cruelty ouerthrowing Gods worship and persecuting yea murthering his prophets without repeÌ„tance And lastly Iudas became a miserable miscreant a thiefe a traytor and in horrour of mind so desperat as after the fact being hopelesse of mercy he hanged himself Who readeth feareth not who heareth and trembles not we see our beginning is it easie thence to conclude our ending Doe wee see such so qualified so famous men to faâ—â— vtterly shal we presume of a better end without any such tokens of grace Vse By all this which hath beene said it Theâ— are deceiued that think assurance of saluation easily atteined is more then manifest that it is not easie to attaine assurance of saluation It is therefore altogether a fault in such as labor the least in this matter Of the world we feare to want heauen wee make no question of For the body here wee take care and doe vpon euery light occasion distrust fall to shifts in feare of want but for the soule wee make our selues sure that it is well albeit it doth want all the meanes of saluation and we our selues liue in our naturall corruption vnreformed What is this but carnall presumption it commeth from Sathans suggestion A motion from the diuine spirit it is not where this giueth hope of heauen there it moueth to goodnesse this teacheth that the assurance of things aboue after death is beyond reason and therefore more hard to bee attained then things belowe in this life present Many waies are here to make supply for the bodie in earthly things but one way for heauenly Men may bestow vpon thee for this time but God onely for the time to come Thine own labour here may procure thee maintenance and what thou canst not get other may giue thee but no man can redeeme a soule and giue life man must let that alone for euer here wee are led by sense but in the other by faith money can here purchase but onely mercy there man may deserue well of man but nothing can he merit of God We may be superiours amongst men and yet touching the future good of the soule may be worse then beasts Diues may fare deliciously euery day and yet bee so farre from assurance of life as that he is damned at his death All the world may we winne yet lose our owne soules Dauid can tell vs that hee neuer sawe the righteous forsakeÌ„ touching the things of this life but the wicked flourishing yet come to a fearefull end The way is brode and the gate wide that leadeth to destruction and many runne that way but the gate to heauen is straight and the passage narrow leading to life and many seeke it but fewe finde it many set foote in the way few go on any time and of these fewe some turne back againe and a very small number perseuere to the end Of the world wee are and the world will loue her owne but we are vncapable of grace and enemies to goodnes so as God in iustice abhorreth vs. In the world we may liue thogh we haue offended in many things keeping them secret from men and neuer make satisfaction but in an other wee cannot if but one sinne be vnrepented of and God not satisfied and the price of blood payed to redeeme vs by faith in Christ Here offences committed may bee pardoned by many the King not taking notice of them but there is no euill in the soule though neuer so secret but the King of heauen is acquainted with the same and a pardon must be procured from his owne person and by none but by his own sonne else that offendor shall vtterly be condemned and pay the punishment duely for euer according to the trespasse Therefore if all these things be well considered and the weight of the reasoÌ„s seriously weighed we may rather suppose our selues to be deluded by imagination to thinke the assurance of saluation to be so easily attayned then to be the settlednes of our iudgement from a grounded perswasion And thus much for the first lesson Doctrine The second lesson is this that yet there is in this life a true assurance of saluation in a certaine measure to euery one in time ordained to be saued else the Apostle Peter here would not haue exhorted vs to labour for this assurance which the Apostle S. Paule attayned also Rom. 8. 38 vnto in this life which hee publisheth not onely singularly in the behalfe of himselfe but plurally for the rest of all those whom God loueth in Christ Iesus Neither doe I say that it is that fulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith but a certaine measure nor at once but by little and little nor to euery professour but to such as are ordained to eternall life And this is effected by How to get assurance By meditation meditation inspiration sanctificatioÌ„ To haue assurance we must meditate of Gods inchangeablenes both in his owne nature Iam. 1. 17. as also in his gifts and calling which are without repentance Rom. 11. 29 we must think vpon Gods euerlasting decree without alteration of his promises made irreuocably with the manner of deliuery in the time present Ioh. 3. 36 He that beleeueth Ioh. 3. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sonne hath euerlasting life to take away doubting and to establish our harts in an assured possession thereof No lesse gaine ariseth by remembring the Lords couenant which hee maketh with his how it is a couenant euerlasting Ier. 32. 40 not for a time and with such as he maketh it he giueth them grace putteth his feare in their
you thereby haue a true signe and token from God of his loue euerlasting and shall neuer fall from him the like is that in the Psalme 15 6. He that doth these things shall neuer fall Vse Therefore to attaine to the benefite of this promise let vs here looke to the condition which is carefully to exercise our selues in these vertues afore mentioned First well doing keepeth vs from euill euery gift of grace is a sentinell to First reason watch against the opposite vice seeking entrance to the heart Hold sobriety drunkennesse getteth no place chastity preserueth from dishonesty feruency of spirit cannot abide luke-warme to lodge with it light liketh not of darknes righteousnes of vnrighteousnes knowledge of Ignorance nor godly humility of Sathanicall pride and arrogancie looke how much we haue of goodnes so much aduantage get we against wickednes euery vertue aduancing it selfe and keeping it proper place in the soule when the contrary vice asâ—aileth it Sathan suggesting and by outward obiects inticing the heart to yield thereunto Secondly these vertues are the fruits Second reason of the spirit whence a maÌ„ may coÌ„clude that hee hath the spirit and hee which hath this hath Christ without whom no redemption no saluation These vertues are pleasant flowers which gathered are asweete nosegay to garnish our soules with for the Lords delight They are the guarison of the holy Ghost lodged in the soule to keepe out such euils as yet haue not entrance and to bridle ill motions of the heart daily arising that we perish not Thus much of theÌ„ in generall But let vs if but briefly weigh them in particular and the goodness of them will more allure vs to loue them Faith is the crowne of graces and the The commendations of seuerall vertues Faith roote of vertues it maketh morality by the lawe to turne into Christianity by the Gospell without it we caÌ„not please God by it we make the word preached profitable and by it wee apprehend Christ who satisfieth iustice asswageth wrath bringeth downe mercy and heauen gates are open for vs and wee enter and take possession Vertue integrity the generall word Vertue for a speciall which is the brest-plate of righteousness keeping countenance without blushing it is the ioy of the spirit and maketh men bold as a Lyon it dare answere at the barre to the best say truely Not guilty it desireth tryall and therein alwaies getteth approbation and credite of euerie cause not fearing malice though lying and deceipt manage the matter with all the friends that may be made it maketh man looke vp chearefully vnto God and so resteth quiet in his owne innocency Knowledge it is the candle of the soule Knowledge the rule of actions the discerner of causes the Iudge of controuersies the guide of affection the bridle for the tongue and the life of conscience and the first motor to obedience it saueth from errour condemneth heresie and standeth alwaies for verity if peruersenesse of spirit turne it not into sophistry Temperance knowledge is the first motor this is moderator it qualifieth TeÌ„perance allayeth extreames it is in nothing violent it preuenteth liking before lookeing it stoppeth rage of lust and brideleth appetite it discusseth causes with deliberation it ordereth words with discretion hot spirits by it may expostulate iniuries done without contention by it knowledge telleth his tale wisely and integrity is bold with safety Patience is the mother of peace a strong back to beare all burthens it Patience saith nothing to reuiling speeches and is not an auenger of priuate iniuries it waiteth for accomplishment of promises long it is the daughter of humility and the safe conductor of integrity by it we possesse our soules and the enemy getteth not aduantage it is neuer in want dwelling alwaies with contentment Godliness this is the chiefe goodness Godliness by sense we are better then the creature sensless by reason better then the beast by religion better then man onely hauing reason but godlynesse is the quintessence of religion it is the especiall fruit of faith sincerities comfort the principall end of all learning the perfection of all knowledge the creatures admiration and here to the mightiest in the world their highest exaltation godlinesse is great gaine it hath the promise of this life and of the life to come Brotherly kindnes the procurer of loue Brotherly kindness the disposition of the heart to doe good to other it graunteth fauour to euerie frined it liueth euer in charity it is mercifull and lendeth it is ready to doe pleasures and liberall without delay it is the goodnes of a mercifull heart pliable to euery good worke Loue is the last which is the fruit of Loue. 1. Cor. 13. brotherly kindness the grace which the Apostle so highly extolles and neede not here to be stoode vpon but I will conclude it with that absolute commendation that Loue is the fulfilling of the lawe And thus we see what reason there is for vs to haue these excellent vertues and to exercise our selues in them that we may neuer fall otherwise we are without certainty of our saluation and tokens of eternall comfort The loose and careless liuer the vicious Reproofe to the leud vicious and leud man is heere vtterly left hopeless he cannot looke for heauen the scripture tels him that there hee hath no enheritance he that committeth sin is of the Diuel the reward is death the 1. Iohn 3. 8 Rom. 6. 23. Psal 9. 17. wicked shall goe into hell and all the people that forget God If any for better satisfaction would know for what sinnes in particular death is threatned and for which men are denyed heauen they shall finde that euery sinne vnrepented of procureth damnation but it pleaseth the holy Ghost to number vp many particulars the places not vnfit to be mentioned to see and consider of them Rom. 1. 29. 30 are reckoned vp Rom. 1. 29. 30. reckoned vp 23 sins three and twenty sins Vnrighteousness fornication wickedness couetousness maliciousness full of enuie of murther of debate of deceipt taking all things in euill part whisperers backbiters haters of God doers of wrong proud boasters inuenters of euill things disobedient to pareÌ„ts without vnderstanding couenaÌ„t breakers without naturall affection such as can neuer be appeased mercilesse for which not onely they that doe them but also that fauour them that doe them are worthy of death In 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. are set downe ten kindes 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. ten sorts of vicious persons of vicious persons Fornicators idolaters adulterers wantons buggerers theeues couetous drunkerds raylers and extortioners which shall not inherit the kingdome of God In Galathians 5. 19. 20. Gal. 5. 19 20 workes of the flesh 17. are particularized seauenteene workes of the flesh Adulterie fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuie murthers drunkennesse
houre this caÌ„not be denyed but yet one onely though there were two one that a true penitent sinner may not despaire but one that vngodly wilfull traÌ„gressours may not presume Many cannot heare the threats of the Law for feare of desperation yet can they willingly run on in sin so perish by presumption By this many millions of thousands haue fallen headlong downe into hell remember what Christ said of Luke 17. 27 28. Sodom the old world but the Scripture mentioneth few that haue gone to destruction by desperation Cain Sauâ—e Achitophel Iudas Dost thou hope to speede as did the good thiefe and why rather dost thou not feare to be like the bad thiefe they both were in one case had the like punishment Christ betweene them and death before theÌ„ nay the worse thiefe had the good thieues rebuke admonition to warne him of his wickedness and to cease to sin yet he had no grace to repent Meanes wil not preuaile in the latter end where God vouch safeth not the gift to amend If thou dost perswade thy selfe that God wil giue thee grace then to repent thou art deceiued if now hee offer grace and thou refuse it At what time so-euer a sinner doth repent from the bottome of his heart at that time will GOD freely forgiue but that time is not when we lift God is not at our beck but the time is at his call To day if ye will heare Heb. 3. Psal 95. his voice harden not your harts to day if we be not ready wee shall be lesse apt to morrowe the longer we continue in sinne the older it is and the more strength it getteth It is not as other things the older the weaker but daily it groweth stronger If we say we can repent when we wil that is not in our power and if it be then if thou dost not repent now and can thou encreasest sin by wilfull transgression and so makest more iust thy deserued damnation Therfore let vs now amend not deferre Conclusion off till he eafter when at death there is no remedie but either to heauen or to hell to God or to the diuell in which case men hardly or neuer finde that coÌ„fort which presumptuously they haue expâ—cted but doe dye as they haue liued in sinne without sense or taste of ioies euerlasting prepared onely for the righteous for Hee that beleeueth in Iohn 3. 36 the sonne hath euerlasting life but he that obeyeth not the sonne hath not life but the wrath of God abideth vpon him These things that is which before he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath mentioned Men do many things some the inuentions of their owne braine some the custome of forefathers some one thing some another but not these things that is which the word teacheth Men do but not what they should doe the perfect rule of righteousnes from which we may not decline to the right hand or to the left neither adding thereto nor taking there from for if wee doe we keepe not our standing we lose our comfort and wander without our guide we know not whither some wholy as Apostaâ—ates some in part persisting obstinately as hereticks some against loue as schismaticks and most as lawlesse for our liues like prophane Esaus will despise our birthrights and sell heauen soules health conscience comfort the words of eternal life for a mease of pottage euen for our momentanie pleasures lusts and liking in this life Many there are which will doe this Men doe some things but not all things thing and that thing these singularly but not these things plurally when a maÌ„ desirous of the assurance of saluation must be studious of euery vertue which helpeth thereunto It is the nature of vertue to loue vertue whence it is that one vertuous man imitateth an other wherein one seeth another to go before him any way One two or few vertues cannot liue where other vertues are either hated or not sought after one dependeth vpon another as links in a chaine and cannot be sundred we may not be like Agryppa almost a Christian for almost is not a Christian neither content our selues with many things as Herod though with gladness whilst we nourish some sinne and be infected but with one notorious vice God will haue all of vs or none of vs though Sathan desireth but any least part he wel knowing that where he hath any thing at all God will haue there nothing at all He that breaketh one of the least of these commandements shal be the least in the Mat. 5. kingdome of God Iames saith He that Iames. 2. breaketh one is guilty of all and one vice is enough to ouerthrowâ—s though wee haue some vertues one sinne of couetousness ouerthrew Iudas the desire of a bribe got Gehezi the leprosie Sampson his lust lost him his strength and eies Caines enuie made him so to sinne as hee became accursed Ismaels mocking cast him forth Esaus prophanenesse lost him his birth-right Ely his indulgency was his breaknecke Michols deryding spirit made her barren and Ananias for hypocrisie was a spectacle of iudgement to others Herod albeit he doe many things yet will haue his Herodias his beloued sinne still for enioying whereof wee are content to leaue other vices I Wee will leaue any sin to keepe our beloued sin will saith the boone companion doe any thing and let me bee but drunke And I saith the carnall caitiffe and let mee but satisfie my lust bee wanton liue in dalliance and commit filthynesse And I saith the couetous man and let mee gaine goods and wealth And I saith the proud man and yield me honour little knowing that such a maister-sinne is not without his many attendants It ruleth but the other haue their power to which the miserable is also in bondage vnwittingly for we must know that no one vice wil be singled out from his fellowes but if one get head other haue gone before as harbengers and other waite and followe after as Assistants one breedeth an other and one nourisheth an other continuallie Examples hereof not onely in the wicked who heape sinne vpon sinne as Ioash murther to his Idolatrie Iudas treason to his couetousnesse but euen in the falles of the faithfull children of GOD Dauid his lying in the bed and gazing idlely abroad bred his lust lust adulterie and adultery murther Therefore such as suppose to walke with a partie coloured coate betweene vertue and vice or rather with some vertues and some vices these men yet know not that vertue will dwell alone as God or vice alone they are contraries they neuer can accord in one where vertues are carelesly neglected there no one vertue hath full possession and where any one sinne beareth sway there viciousnesse is Lord master Therefore let vs not doe this or that The meere ciuill honest man is no commendable ChristiaÌ„ vertue for so may we sinisterly but endeuour to doe
all and this is right Many men go vnder a good name by ciuil honesty either thorow restrayned nature or good education in commendable maners of ciuility who are farre from sanctification and the graces of the spirit They doe many actions of vertue either of a custome or by imitation or respectiuely for this or that person for this or that by-end but not for vertue it selfe neither doe they shew fruits of vertue other then may preserue common honesty their credit to liue amongst meÌ„ to procure them praise secret or lesse publick they regard not dueties of holinesse prayer reading the scripture saÌ„ctifying of the Sabaoth instruction of their family countenancing of the word preached and such like they be so farre from as they mock at men herein zealously affected for vices which they shunne they be such onely as be discoÌ„modious or odious amongst men that haue but common honesty but to sweare in ordinary communication to be companions with men superiour in place how wicked soeuer they make no conscience of neither of many other euils which by the rule of godliness are odious to God and such as sincerely seeke him A sanctified spirit doth not thus shuffle things together neither maketh a mixture of that which cannot be compounded but they truly hate all vice are affected to euery good thing and become in their place after the measure of grace giuen them doers of these things But least naturall men should carp PreuentioÌ„ of obiection say Belike I wold haue men here without sinne or else to be without grace vnlesse we do all things we do nothing I answere It is not mine intendment to teach any such thing but that meÌ„ should leaue sin to the vtmost not dally with any that they should doe vertuously liue in purpose of heart and will without sinne Legal obedience is beyond what is legal obedience our power to performe which is after the exactnesse of the law the commanders holiness and mans perfection by creation which we haue lost and is not here in our owne persons recouerable whatsoeuer the Phariâ—aâ—cal Papists say to the contrary but I speake of obedience Euangelical obedience and vertuous liuing Euangelically which is an earnest endeuour in loue thankfulnes to God for his mercies in Christ in faith apprehending his merits in whom we be acceptable and wel-pleasing to God in truth and sincerity of heart to doe whatsoeuer we are commanded and is commended vnto vs which will appeare by our ioy in well Sigâ—es of 〈…〉 rity doing by our prayers and holy desires to doe well by our feare to offend by our sorrow when we faile in our dueties wherein stands the perfection of the best Christian wee can neither be equall to the lawe to fulfill it nor go beyond to do more any way to merit S. Paule in his Apostolical estate found imperfections And Hezechias could speak of vprightness but of no perfectioÌ„ And thus much for the condition of the promise Ye shall neuer fall Ye shall neuer sâ—ip or slide downe ye shall not come to any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The exposition hurt the word here vsed is drawne from the bodie to the minde and is diuersly taken in scripture sometime for sinne Prou. 24. 16. therefore is the word so translated in the vulgar translation sometime for destruction 2. Sam. 3. 38. 1. Cor. 10. 8. sometime to be downe on a sodaine so as a standing and course is not kept which is the common signification thereof All these three may here very fitly stand Ye shall not sinne ye shall not be destroyed ye shall not decline from your standing to fall away from the state of grace whereunto ye are called And therefore here I wil speake of them all as reasons to spur vs on to a vertuous life which is the scope of the words Doctrine Ye shall not sinne Vertuous men sinne 1. Iohn 3. not He that committeth sinne is of the Diuel and he that is borne of GOD sinneth not yet he that saith hee hath 1. Iohn 1. no sinne â—s a â—yer and the truth is not in him It is true neuerthelesse that he which abideth in Christ sinneth not such do coÌ„mit Psal 119. 3 none iniquity to wit first in Gods acceptation according to that saying He saw none iniquity in Iacob nor transgression How godly are said not to sin Num. 23. 21. Ier. 50. 20. in Israel their sins shall not bee found saith Ieremie and the reason is because the Lord will be mercifull vnto them secondly in Christs satisfaction in whom we are the righteousness of God and in him there is no condemnation Thirdly 2 Cor 5. 21 Rom. 8. 1 Rom. 7. in a godly mans will for as the Apostle saith good they would doe and wherein they doe euill they sorrowe and would not doe and herein the will stands for the deede Lastly in respect of time for as the child of God sinneth not wholly so neither finally for God hath put his feare into him that hee shall Ier. 32. 40. Ps 37. 24. neuer depart from him but if he fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Thus the vertuous sinne not and this grace shall be attained vnto by such as doe these things saith Peter Vse Now this reason hath great force to perswade vs to be vertuous to bee free from sinne is blessednesse as Dauid affirmeth in Psal 32. 1. 2. This blessing can we not better know then to consider What it is to sin and to liue therein what it is to sinne and to liue in it It is the state of corruption seruice to the Diuell contempt of Christs death the resistance of grace the racing out of Gods image the bearing vpon vs the Dâ—uels likenesse it is cause of calamities the curse in our calling the eating canker in the soule the obiect of Gods wrath and deaths sting it breaketh the vnion betweene God and vs it maketh conscience to accuse and the lawe to condemne it maketh our life miserable death fearefull and the last day terrible and to conclude by it we lose heauen Angels attendance saincts society and all celestiall comforts eternally and we purchase hell fiends attend vs diuels accompany vs the cursed crue of damned soules abide with vs and we vtterly depriue our selues of all good liue in woe and paines euerlastingly This is to sinne this is to liue in sinne and not to sinne is to be acceptable to God in Christ righteous our will plyable to his bidding and our end comfortable as we to goodnes are conformeable Doctrine Ye shall not be destroyed The vertuous as they sinne not so they perish not Godliness hath the promise of this life and of the life to come there is no cause of feare then A great inducement to liue vertuously wee all naturally feare destruction we desire to preuent it no greater ioy then to be