soule-body because it is gouerned of the soule so it is called then a spirituall body because it shall be at the Spirits command and shall bee more pure and subtill and fuller of agility then it is in this world and shall not haue need of such naturall and bodily helpes to succour and sustaine it In a word all glorified bodies shall haue a temper of elementary qualities brought to such an equality that heate shall not ouercome moysture nor this that but there shall be peace for euer without discord and contention There is nothing goes from these bodies nothing is put to them there is no defect no superfluity no aliment no excrement their temperature is altogether invariable Neither may it seeme harsh to any that these our bodies shall be raised vp againe For GOD that knowes their frame and is thoroughly acquainted with their substance is Omnipotent and Eternall and can most easily do it If an Image or Statue were broken in peeces yet so long as the worke-man that made it liues and whiles his skill lasteth his memory and fancie faile not and matter wanteth not there is hope it may be made againe as good as euer But GOD our Maker is One and the Same for euer and both can and will performe all his Promises made in His Word The howre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare His Voyce the voyce of the Son of man and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation O that my soule might rise from sinne in this world that my body might rise from death to Life and Glory in the world to come Of the last Judgement VVEE must all appeare before the iudgement seate of CHRIST Hee shall iudge the world that was iudged of the world Hee shall condemne sinners who was Himselfe condemned for a sinner Hee will recompense to euery one according as his deeds haue beene and no man shall escape His Power Faire words can not deceiue Him gifts cannot corrupt Him intreaty cannot moue Him fig-leaues cannot delude Him But as men haue brued so shall they drinke euen as they haue baked so shall they eate They that haue done well shall speed well but they that haue followed reprobate and wicked courses shall be condemned The more Grace men haue shewed the more Glory they shall receiue and the more men haue sinned the more smart they must suffer O that wee could say with Saint Ierome As oft as I thinke of that day I tremble all ouer For whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer else I do me thinkes I heare that terrible Trumpet sounding in mine eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Arise yee dead and come to iudgement O that we would iudge our selues in this world that we might escape the fearefull iudgement of the wicked in the world to come Of Life Eternall THEY that haue serued GOD aright in this world shall liue eternally with GOD in the world to come They that haue liued vnto CHRIST and haue dyed in the faith and feare of CHRIST shall be raised by the Power of CHRIST and shall enioy His face for euer to their vnspeakeable comfort and contentment and as men haue excel'd in grace so they shall exceed in glory It is more easy to tell what shall not be in that life then what shall be There shall be no mourning nor misery no want nor weakenesse no sinne nor sorrow no wearinesse nor weeping no death nor dolour no hunger nor thirst no ach nor anguish no diseases nor discontentments no troubles nor tentations But what shall bee there who is able to expresse No eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart hath yet conceiued What are the good things which GOD hath prepared for those that loue Him There is supreme Felicity perfite Liberty true Charity sweete Eternity immortall Happinesse and happy Immortality Eternal Security and secure Eternity There GOD shall be seene without end loued without loathing and praysed without wearines There is whatsoeuer is desired and nothing is desired which is not there Thy food is not thy rayment nor it thy light nor these thy mony but there God will be all in all to all his children They shall possesse him and he them for euer and for euer For that life shall see no death those ioyes shall haue no end that state shal neuer sustaine a change This life this state these ioyes God of his mercy grant vs for Christ Iesus sake To whom with the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor praise power might and maiesty now and euermore Amen Trin-vni Deo Gloria â—or 3. 18 Mat. 12. 5 Luk. 8. 2 * Or rather Baptisme and the LORDS Supper An. Dom. 1346. Further Adam sinned but we all are punisht but now if the father eate the sowre grapes the sonnes teeth shall not be set an edge * I meane it not as if any of them were either gracious or glorious in the same degree with her
are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
requires fine apparell at thy hands It is a good heart that is exacted of thee Grace not garments thy soule within thee not thy cloathes about thee And why wantest thou leasure Thou hast leasure to eate to drinke to play to sleepe to be vaine and idle Why hast thou no leasure to feede thy soule to refresh thy spirit to receiue thy Sauiour Thou hast leasure but it is not thy pleasure Thou canst not come nay thou wilt not come Thou canst not because thou lists not If thy profite call thee thou goest if thy pleasures call thee thou followest if thy flesh call thee thou mak'st hast If thy companions whistle thou trudgest But CHRIST cals thee thou tarriest thou findst excuses there is a bone in thy legge thou canst not come Must the horse bee forced to the Manger must a Sheepe be compelled to graze must the hungry and almost starued Oxe be entreated to eate his Hay Surely thou art not hungry thy soule is not a thirst thou art so maydenly that thou must bee entreated thou art so wanton thou must bee compelled vnto thy food Yea but thy dost imagine that thou canst haue CHRIST without the Sacrament this is thy fansie but thy fansie is no faith If thou contemnest the Sacrament thou contemnest CHRIST Contempt of the Law doth argue contempt of the Law-maker neglect of the ordinance bewrayes neglect of the Ordainer And hee that will not receiue CHRIST as Hee doth offer Himselfe to be receiued is like to loose Him for ought that can bee knowne And hee that will not when hee may it is very probable when hee would hee shall haue nay But thou wilt hereafter put off excuses thou wilt bee wiser thou wilt not deferre to come Come then but come prepared Come in charity for he that hateth a Christian shall neuer bee loued of CHRIST neither shall any man enioy the LORD but he that is in charity with his seruants What hath hee to doe with the bread of CHRIST that contemneth the least Member of His Body Come in repentance with washed hands and heart for these holy things belong not vno Dogs nor Swine Come in humility acknowledging thy selfe vnworthy of the least crumme vpon the LORDS Table not relying vpon thine owne merites but vpon the LORDS mercies not vpon thine owne dignity but vpon His Dignation Finally come in a good beleefe beleeuing onely in the LORD IESVS CHRIST and that by these outward things Hee with all His Merites are represented sealed and exhibited vnto thee and not imagining that the Bread is turned into the Body of CHRIST and the Wine into His very Bloud but knowing that these things do in their substance still continue withall desiring that thou thy selfe mightst be truely transformed and turned into Him that thou maist be able to say with Saint Paul I liue yet not I but CHRIST doth liue within mee Of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist THE Bread and Wine in the LORDS Supper is holy Bread holy Wine turned in vse but not in shape but not in substance remaining what they were yet being what they were not They haue eyes and see not eares and heare not touch and feele not mouthes and taste not noses and smell not reason and vnderstand not which say it is not Bread it is not Wine when once the words of Consecration are pronounced Yet are they truely but Sacramentally the Body and Bloud of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST Euen as the Circumcision was the Couenant as the Paschall Lamb was the Passeouer As the Rocke was CHRIST Parchment and the Waxe sealed put vnto it in a Bond Lease or Deed of Conueyance wherein is made an assurance of money goods or houses or a Collation and Conueyance of Lands in Lincolneshire to a man in London is still Parchment and Waxe yet more then Ordinary in respect of vse and hauing these things in his hand he can say here is my mony House or Land not that they are turned into money Houses or Lands but because by them he hath assurance or an assured conueyance of these things vnto him And so is it with Sacramentall Bread and Wine Yet here our Assurance is firmer the Conueyance is more vndoubted because man may deceiue and the greatnesse or malice of aduersaries may oppresse but GOD who by these things doth offer and exhibite CHRIST and His benefites to vs cannot deceiue will not falsifie His Couenant but will most certainely performe all His promises prouided that we stand vnto the conditions to which we are tyed Neither man nor diuell nor any creature can hinder or keepe vs from receiuing CHRIST in the Sacrament if we stand not in our owne way and let our selues Of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ DIVERSE in the Scriptures haue beene called by the name of IESVS as Iesus the sonne of Nun Iesus the High Priest the son of Iosedeck and Iesus which was called Iustus But CHRIST hath this Name with a maine difference from them all For whereas they were no more then men our IESVS is GOD and Man in one and the selfe-same Person They came into the world by an ordinary generation as we do now but Hee was borne of a Virgin pure that knew no man They had not their name giuen them expresly by GOD but by men but Hee had His name from GOD by the mouth of an Angell GODS Messenger They all had need of this IESVS that they might be saued by Him otherwise they had perished all They were the sons of men but Hee is the Son the eternall Son of the eternall GOD. They might be meanes to saue others especially from exterior dangers and enemies but this IESVS by His owne Personall Power and Merites hath saued all true beleeuers from their sinnes Hee hath deliuered them from sathan Hee hath redeemed their soules from death and hath purchased for them the glory of the Kingdome of heauen This Name He had from all eternity as GOD but Hee receiued it in the womb as Man and in and at His resurrection Hee made manifest the truth therof most fully This name of a Sauiour for so IESVS signifies is a name aboue all names For it is the name of GOD I am saith he and besides Mee there is no Sauiour None of all the Titles of GOD are so precious with Him as this of Sauiour in which with his glory is ioyned our saluation Euen the very name of GOD without this Name hath no comfort in it Shut out this IESVS and GOD is a consuming fire and there is no dealing with Him But in this IESVS GOD hath reconciled the world to Himselfe who without Him is an enemy to it The name CHRIST which signifies Annointed is not equall vnto the name IESVS for the end is aboue the meanes Now Hee was Annointed to be our Sauiour Princes are called the LORDS Annointed but saluation is of the LORD that is proper to Him Hee Hee is the Sauiour and besides Him there
from Him and though shee brought Him into the world yet Hee redeemed her out of the world Some out of vanity will call her the Queene of heauen shee is in truth a Saint in heauen shining in heauenly glory more then any Queene or Empresse in earthly here below yet shee is not the Queene of heauen For her Son receiued not his Royalty of her neither hath Hee inuested her with any other Royalty then such as Hee hath bestowed on all whom Hee hath loued and washed from their sinnes whom Hee hath made Kings and Priests to GOD. It is the pleasure of some to call her our Lady a Title which shee knowes belongs not to her though perhaps endowed with greater grace and glory then any other Saint besides For CHRIST IESVS is our onely LORD and hers as well as ours and as Hee receiued not His Lordship from her so Hee hath not bestowed it on her Hee is the onely Head and Husband of the Catholique Church Militant and Triumphant whereof His mother is not a Mistresse but a Member and which hath indeed a LORD but not a Lady This onely will I adde he that speakes or onely thinkes a thought dishonourable of the Mother it is pitty hee should receiue any honour by her SON Of the Incarnation of Christ THE WORD was made Flesh Hee that was true GOD became also true Man without diuision of Person or confusion of Natures assuming that Hee had not and continuing what Hee was Being Creator Hee became a creature that wee creatures might be brought into fauour with our great Creator Being GOD Hee was made Man that what wee had lost by man wee might recouer by Him that was GOD and Man Being GOD Hee tooke the nature of man vpon Him and marryed our flesh vnto His Deity that man which was for his adultery separated frō his GOD might by Him who was truely Flesh be marryed and ioyned anew vnto his GOD. It was miraculous that a Virgin chast shold bring forth a Sonne but not to be doubted of considering Gods Omnipotēce For He that could make the world of nothing Hee that was able to take Adā out of the earth He that could giue Sarah a child in her old age He that made Aarons rod bud He was as able doubtlesse to make the wombe of a virgin fruitfull For with him nothing is impossible if he doe but speake the word it is done It is strange that God should bee man that a virgine should be a mother that the mother should bee daughter to her owne sonne and that a mortall and weake woman should conceiue bring forth the immortall and Almighty God But let vs turne vp our eyes to God and grant that he is able to doe that which wee are not able fully to comprehend In things of wonder we must ascribe the reason of worke to the power of the worker In a word our Sauiour by his Incarnation hath honoured both sexes Mans in taking of his shape and Womans by being conceiued borne brought vp by a Woman And so amends hath beene made in that Sexe For as a Woman brought sinne into to the world so a Woman also brought forth and brought vp that SAVIOVR by whom alone wee are deliuered from our sinnes As by a Woman came Sinne Sicknesse Sorrow Bondage Errour Death So in a Woman came a Sauiour for Sinners a Physitian for the Sicke a Comforter of the Heauy-hearted a Redeemer for Captiues a Guide for Straglers and euen Light and Life it selfe for them that sit in darknesse and in the shadowe of Death Of Miracles A Miracle is some extraordinary thing done by the power of God aboue the course of nature such as was the creatio of the world of nothing the diuiding of the red sea the standing of the Sunne in the dayes of Iosua the Mother-hood of that vntouched Maiden the turning of Water into Wine and such like Some things may bee aboue nature as the conuersion of a sinner or true saith in Christ which is aboue created and corrupted nature and yet no miracle being common ordinary and vsuall in the Church Some things are strange and wonderfull yet no miracles because there are naturall causes of them though perhappes not certainly discerned alwayes nor of all as Comets Earth quakes Eclipses excepting that Eclipse of the Sunne at the Crucifixion of Christ which to see it was ashamed and amazed so it is maruailous but not miraculous that the Crocodile should eate and not moue his neatheriaw that the Salamander should indure the fire vnburnt that Pismires shold prouide for Winter that the King amongst the Bees should onely want a sting that a Worme should worke out Silke and that a Spider should draw a Webbe out of his owne bowels to intangle the Flies with Furthermore some things are strange and beyond nature yet not miraculous not truely miracles because they are done by the power and assistance of the Diuell as are many things said and done by such are possessed of Diuels Miracles were wrought in the Primitiue Church very often till the Christian Faith was sufficiently confirmed but now hauing beene so aboundantly confirmed so generally beleeued hee were himself a very wonderment that will not now beleeue it without a wonder And because that Antichrist shall come with his lying wonders that is either not true but appearing to bee true or truely tending to maintaine his lies and errors therefore we must take heed of wonders that we be not by new wonders misled and drawne away from the old way For his wonders serue not to confirme the faith but to try the faithfull This is a Lesson neuer to be forgotten No signe no wonder no miracle must withdraw vs from Christ and his faith but and if any Man or Angell should preach otherwise then we finde written in the holy Scriptures or shall presume to adde to substract from or to change the faith receiued wee are to hold him as accursed If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames saith Moses and giue thee a signe or a wonder and the signe wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them What then Thou shalt not quoth he giue eare to the words of the Prophet or dreamer of dreames Why so For the LORD your GOD proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soules Of Marriage MArriage is the Coniunction of but one man and but one woman for if it were lawfull to haue two wiues at once our Sauiour would not haue said that hee that puts away his wife except for adultery and marries another commits adultery The Man and his Wife are a matrimoniall Creature the Man is as the soule and the Woman is as the body The Man as Soule is to animate and rule the Woman as body is to be animated and ruled
in Thee in Thee alone in nothing else I doe long and looke to see the face of GOD in the Land of the Liuing But it is because Thou art mine and I am Thine and Thine I desire to be and none but Thine for euer and euer For this hope is not a mans but a Christians Thou art the author of it not Alam It is of Faith not from the flesh Wee haue it not by generation but by Regeneration Neither can any man be possessour of it longer then hee continueth Thine euen Thine and none but Thine ruled of thy Spirit and not ouer-ruled of his flesh Of holy Charity LOVE is an vniting affection by which the heart is knit vnto the thing beloued and by which the knot is continued knit and not dissolued For as hatred looseth so loue bindeth that diuideth but this vniteth that causeth abhomnation but this delectation that contempt but this contentment Loue that is good hath for his obiect good As euill either true or seeming is the obiect of hatred so a true or seeming good is the obiect of loue A true loue is fixed on a thing that is truely good This is a rare and excellent vertue that which appeaseth GOD to man and reconcileth man to GOD that which made the Sonne of GOD come downe to men and the sonnes of men go vp to GOD that which ties GOD to vs and our hearts to Him Knowledge is in the soule as a Candle in a darke roome yet without Charity the greatest Clearke is but an empty bladder or like a vaste house full of light but voide of treasure hee may haue Learning but hee wanteth Grace This holy affection makes the poore man very rich and the want thereof makes a rich man very poore With it a man is as an Angell Without it hee is euen as bad or little better then a diuell This is the soule of all learning the condiment of all vertues the roote of all good actions the ornament of all Christians the keeper of true peace the mother of true obedience and that without the which a man hath nothing is nothing A man may haue wealth as Nabal wit as Achitophel beauty as Absolom honour as Haman strength as Goliah the Sacraments as Iudas and yet be wicked and cast away for euer But a man cannot but be good whose loue is sincere and good And as soone shall the diuell bee saued as a charitable man condemned But who is this charitable man indeed Euen hee that loueth GOD in CHRIST and euery good Christian for CHRIST His sake Many will boast of loue as many brauadoes will bragge of wealth they haue not If to for sweare and sweare idly if to profane the Saboath and to contemne sacred Persons Places Offices Acts and Exercises If to be stout and sturdy to superious If to brow-beate stabbe quarrell raile threaten and reuenge If to paint the face and die the haire to weare a long locke or to abuse our neighbours wife daughter or seruant if to robbe purloine embezle or beguile If to oppresse and grinde the faces of poore people If to bee idle and vnprofitable If glutting glouring pranking lying slandering flattering and euill speaking If these bee charity the world is full of charity and such charitable persons are rife as the frogs of Aegypt which would venture into the Kings Court But if these bee not as indeed they are not then may wee iustly complaine and say There is men enough but few louers much enormity but little Charity Some commend Charity but shew none and thinke they haue it when no fruite thereof appeareth Charity needs none of their prayses but they stand in neede to bee praysed by Charity which loues onely to be commended of her children It is true Charity it selfe is not seene but it is manifested by her operations as the heart by panting as the winde by blowing as the Aire by drying or as the spirit and iuice of a tree by the apple And it is as impossible for Charity to bee in the soule without signes and friuts as for fire to bee without heate or for water not to wet them that touch it or for the soule to bee in the body and yet to shew no vertue or comfort thereof vnto the body Of Gods Loue to Man THERE is no man liuing which as a creature is not loued of GOD the great Creator which appeareth in that Hee is said to be the SAVIOVR of All and to cause the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall euen on the wicked Hee loueth Humanity but hateth impiety the Man-head is beloued but malice in it is detested Hee likes well of the Nature but dislikes the sinne That which is His Hee loues but that which marres His Hee hates His owne Image Hee loues but the deformities therof made by man are altogether displeasing in his sight Now when all men had transgressed and by transgression had made themselues the children of death it pleased Him to passe by fome being tyed to none and some others to chuse in loue vnto Eternall Life But what loued Hee now The men and not their manners their nature now vnder great corruption but not corruption it selfe Their persons not their preuarications And why loued Hee them What moued Him to make that difference Surely nothing but His owne good Will Meēre mercy in Him no merite at all in them His free Dignation and no dignity or deserts of theirs His free fauour to them and no fore-seene faith in them But GOD that had nothing to loue in a sinner but his Humanity in a true Saint hath also Christianity then Nature but now Nature and Grace too In Generation the Humane Nature in Regeneration a certaine Diuine Nature If the diuell hate all men but especially all Saints then wee may be sure that GOD loues all men but especially all holy men And if the diuell hate and pine at the graces of GOD in men then questionlesse GOD loues all His graces in whomsoeuer Hee findes them O the riches of the loue of GOD vnto His chosen O inexplicable kindnesse O irrecompenfable fauour What is man that Thou shouldst regard him or the son of man a worme a wretch the childe of death that Thou shouldest cast thine eies vpon Him When all were fallen and had deserued nothing but wrath but woe but death eternall wrath eternall woe eternall death Thy mercy Thy mercy not at all deserued pittyed some but diddest passe by others as amiable and as miserable as the other O how vnspeakeable is Thy loue to Thine How admirable art Thou in all Thy waies Euen Thine enemies hast Thou receiued vnto mercy Thou hast punished their sinnes in the Flesh of Thine owne Sonne and in Whom Thou dost Crowne them with grace and glory O GOD Thy Loue brought the Israelites out of Aegypt ouerwelmed their persecutors guided them in the wildernesse trod downe the Nations for them and brought them into the land of Canaan Euen so ô
raise vp stormes to drowne his enemies but at last was drowned himselfe Picus Mirandula saith there was a coniurer in his time who as hee had the society of the diuell so hee was carryed cleane away with the diuell and neuer heard of after Pliny writeth how Cornelius Gallus dyed in the very act of filthinesse Anacreon a drunken Poet was choked with the huske of a grape Popiel a Polonian King and an Vncle-murtherer vsed ordinarily amongst his other othes and cursings this also If it bee not true would rats might deuoure mee and was accordingly set vpon with an Army of rats which fallyed forth of the dead bodies of his Vncles and afterwards deuoured him to the bones notwithstanding any meanes vsed to the contrary So those three that had bound their lying accusation of Narcissus with a curse were met within the like One said if I lye I pray GOD I may perish by fire and his house being set on fire extraordinarily hee and his perished in the flames The second sayd if I speake any thing but truth I pray GOD I may bee consumed with some filthy disease and so hee was The third seeing GODS iudgements vpon his companions confest their wickednesse and lamented with such a floud of teares that hee wept out both his eyes But among all iudgements those are most fearefull when GOD punisheth one sinne with another one wicked act or habite with an other and wicked acts with wicked habites and contrariwise See how Hee punisht Adams pride with his eating of the fruite forbidden Dauids adultery with murder Achitophels treason with selfe-murther Iudas couetousnesse with treachery and that with desperation The heathen because they turned the truth of GOD vnto a lye and serued the creature forsaking the Creator therefore GOD gaue them vp vnto vile affections And the Apostle prophecying of the followers of that man of sinne saith that because they receiued not the loue of the truth GOD shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies All which doth shew how loathsome sinne and sinners are in the sight of GOD and should stirre vs vp to vomite it vp as poyson and to flye from it as from a Serpent Of Repentance TRVE and sound repentance is a turning from vice to vertue from euill to Good from the diuell to GOD. Repentance is the change of the whole man and not of halfe The iudgement sanctified by the SPIRIT must condemne the euill the eyes of the vnderstanding being opened to discerne it and approue the contrary good the will must will the good and nill the euill The affections must hate feare and abhorre the euill and loue like and delight in good and the conuersation must not bee an exercise of euill but an open forsaking of it and a practise of the contrary good First therefore a true Repenter must see and vnderstand his sinnes by considering himselfe and his wayes by the Law of GOD which shewes both good and euill For if a man see not his faults how shall hee condemne confesse and flye them Or if hee view not himselfe in a true glasse how shall hee see his true complexion And if hee try not his actions and cogitations by a true Rule or Touchstone how can hee truely discerne their irrectitude and hypocrisies Yet because after our examination sinne may lie hid vnseene in one corner or other therefore to shew our hatred of sinne and that wee thinke not wee haue all light in these toodarke houses of mortality it behoues vs to pray that GOD would forgiue vs our secret sins Hee wants light that thinkes hee hath all light and is in darknesse that thinkes no darkenesse is in him and no man further from perfection then hee that thinkes hee sees all his imperfections Secondly when a man sees his sinne to bee sinne hee must yeeld it is sinne hee must acknowledge it and not deny lessen nor defend it Sinne defended is encreased The defense of sinne seene is euen death to the sinner that defends it And how doth a man repent of that which hee labours to maintaine Si homo peccatum non agnoscit Deus non ignoscit If a man when hee sees his sinne prohibited yet will not acknowledge and yeeld it is sinne but wil plead for it excuse and colour it questionlesse hee will not leaue it neither will GOD leaue him vnpunisht Thirdly when a man discernes his sinne and acknowledges the vilenesse of it let him enter into iudgement with it and condemne it For except hee doe condemne it GOD will not pardon it If hee condemne not it it shall condemne him Vnlesse hee adiudge it vnto hell it will debarre him of entrance into heauen Fourthly let a man finding himselfe guilty of sinne arrest arraigne accuse and condemne himselfe confessing his sinne freely vnto GOD and exclaiming against himselfe vnto GOD saying I haue sinned I haue sinned grieuously against thee I deserue nothing but confusion I am vnworthy of thy fauour I am vnworthy to bee counted or called thy Sonne Thy Seruant Except a man will arraigne indite and condemne himselfe hee shall not bee able to stand vnconfounded before his Iudge either hee must condemne himselfe or hee shall bee condemned of GOD. Neither is a man in deed fit to desire absolution that findes not himselfe worthy of condemnation Neither is hee prepared to sue for grace till hee haue condemned himselfe as a gracelesse wretch Fiftly let him nill it hate it loath it bee afrayd of it and bee sorry for committing it euen because it is an offence of GOD his gracious and louing Maister For a man doth not indeed repent except his sinnes which before were sweete vnto him as hony bee now in his taste as bitter as gall except hee loath them as before hee loued them except they bee now painefull as before they were pleasing and affect him now as well with dolour as they tickled him before with delight Finally let a man craue pardon of it of GOD and forsake it in his practise and addict himselfe to those good duties that GOD requires of him For GOD grants his pardon to them that begge it And though many men will scornefully put off a beggar yet GOD giues his almes to none but beggars But with what face dare a man begge pardon of a sinne hee meanes not to forsake Therefore if hee will haue GOD forgiue it hee must forsake it Except hee let it goe GOD will let him go but let him giue sinne his dismission and GOD will grant him his remission spare not thy selfe and GOD will spare thee Cease from thy sinne and doâ— that that is pleasing in the sight of GOD and GOD will bee thy GOD thy sauing GOD for euermore O repentance what shall I speake of thee By thee sicke men are cured wounded men are healed dead men are raised health is increased Grace is preserued the legs are strengthened the eyes are restored sinne is abandoned vertues embraced the minde illumined the
indignity can it bee to men to honour their Politicall Mother Hee that honours an absolute Potentate aright whether King or Queene honours the power and authority which is Diuine and not Humane and honours the person for the Power not the Power for the person Bee the person good or bad the Power is good it is of GOD And it may fall out that an euill man may bee a good Monarch But whatsoeuer the Monarch is the Monarchy the Monarches power is euer good and neuer bad For there is no power but of GOD and the powers that be are ordained of GOD Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of GOD. And they that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation Let euery soule therefore bee subiect vnto the higher Powers and not because of wrath onely but euen for conscience sake Of Death DEATH is not euill but to an euill man for to the godly death is good to the wicked death is euill to him it is the dore of life to this it is the entrance into hell The sting of death is sinne pull out this sting repent of sinne and death can do hurt but good Flye from sinne and death cannot be fearefull The sooner the Saint dies the sooner hee comes to his Crowne The longer a man liues the more time he spends vpon the Seas the sooner a man dies that dies well the sooner he comes into the hauen Hee dies well that liues well a bad death cannot follow a good life He liues and dies well that liues and dies in the faith and feare of IESVS CHRIST who is Rest to him that trauels Health to him that is sicke Refreshment to him that is weary and Life to him that dyeth eitheir for Him or in Him Death is not euill but an euill death This euill death no man dyeth which dyeth either In or For the seruice of CHRIST IESVS Of the Immortality of the Soule THE soule saith Austen is a created Substance Inuisible incorporeall Immortall being like to GOD that made it It is possible that the sould should be destroyed as it was for the Sunne to stand still for the sea to stand diuided for the fire not to burne the three children but this is not by the nature thereof but in regard of the power of GOD who is able if Hee pleased to turne the whole world into nothing as Hee once made it of nothing But indeed the soule of a man shall neuer die shall neuer bee dissolued as is the body but continueth whole and firme for euer For the proofe hereof I suppose it the surest way for euery man to fortifie himselfe with the vndoubted testimonies of holy Writ The Spirit saith Ecclesiastes returnes to GOD that gaue it The soule of the poore beggar was in ioy but the soule of the rich Epicure was in torment after their bodily death CHRIST said to the Thiefe now a dying This day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradise And to His FATHER Into Thine hands I commend my Spirit Steuen being now ready to depart prayed LORD IESVS receiue my spirit Saint Paul saith Wee loue rather to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the LORD And againe I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST By which it is most certaine that the soule doth liue after the body is dead But what though the soule shall liue for euer if it liue in paine as the soules of the damned do Surely it were better not to be then to be tormented and out of ease Therefore let vs die before wee die and leaue our sinnes before wee leaue the world If our soules do die to sinne in this life they shall not die by sinne in the life to come If they liue to GOD by grace in this world they shall liue with GOD in glory in the world to come The world is mortall but the soule of man is immortall Why should that that is immortall bee pind on that that is mortall Why should the soule that cannot die be buried in the loue of those things that cannot but die and come to nothing The body is mortall the soule is immortall why should wee make more account of That then This Why should we desire a good body and care not though wee haue a naughty soule If we neglect our soule we shall not saue our body if we forget out soules we forget our selues The soule was not made for the body but the body for the soule The soule therefore shoule be preferred to the body but he which neglects the chiefest and sets most by the meanest corrupteth both and condemnes himselfe But he that looketh well to his soule though hee be more carelesse of the body yet he shall not proue vnlucky for in tendring the safety of his soule hee shall saue his body also Of the Resurrection of the Body THERE is a resurrection of the iust and iniust the iust shall rise to iudge the iniust to be iudged the iust shall be absolued the iniust shall be condemned Euen that body that fell the selfe-same shall rise againe by GODs Omnipotency For euen they that sleepe in the dust shall rise that must rise againe that fell this mortall must put on Immortality I shall see GOD in my flesh saith Iob mine eyes shall behold Him and none other for mee If there were no resurrection then is not CHRIST risen againe for in Him we all dyed in Him we are all raised vp from death and this we haue in Soe the day shall come when we shall haue it in Re. Neither is there any reason that another body and not the same which serued CHRIST and suffered iniuries for Him should be giuen vnto a man but it is host iust that the same body which was burnt or butchered for CHRIST should be glorified of CHRIST and that a man should receiue his reward and rest in that body in which he performed his seruice The body restored shall be a true body and not a Spirit For Gloria non tollit naturam sed extollit Glory doth not destroy but perfite Nature All defects deformities weakenesses and imperfections shall be remoued and all fulnesse feature fauour strength and perfections shall be giuen it And whereas many fall in their infancy children of a spanne long yet it is not to be imagined that they shall be raised vp of such a stature but in the stature of a man and yet the same body euen as the body of an old man for substance is the same it was in his youth or child-hood though enlarged and otherwise disposed And al-be-it it shall rise a spirituall body yet it followeth not that it shall be a Spirit no more then it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a soule when it fell because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animall or soule-body naturall body but it is a naturall body now because it is nourished and preserued by naturall meanes as food rayment sleepe physicke recreation labour A