be crownd with glory happinesse in the highest heauens In regard wherof Justus dum per mortem e vita tollitur non exciditur sed in vberius solum transfertur Fran. Luc. Brugiens in locum wheÌ„ by Death he is taken out of this life he cannot be said to be hewen down but rather transplanted into a more fruitful soile On the other side the vngodly man that bringeth not forth good fruit but is barren in all goodnesse and only fruitfull in the daÌ„nable works of darknes he shal die but a death far different froÌ„ that of the righteous for being besotted with the pleasures of sinne and hauing his affections fast glewed to the things of this world when Death arresteth his Body his Soule wil depart out of it like sawdust grated out of the belly of an hard Oke with much labour and striuing so vnwilling and loth it will be to breake vp house and bid farewell vnto the world Yea for as much as he neuer endeuoured to keep a good Conscience toward God and man therefore his guiltie Conscience like the euill Spirit which vexed Saul 1 Sam. 16.14 shall most fearefully wracke and torture him and a wounded spirit who can beare Prou. 18.14 saith the Prouerbialist and thus in the anguish and bitternesse of his Soule he shal be broken like a tree Iob 24.20 the Axe of Death shall cleaue rent his soule and body asunder with all violence and terror he shall bee hewen downe saith my Text. But is this all shall this Tree thus fell'd there lie and rest and rot where it falleth I meane shall his soule and body thus parted so perish as that he shall cease euer to haue a being any more and consequently a feeling of any further misery Certainly though sinful man be like vnto the beasts that perish yet he doth not perish like the beasts whose bodies are turned into ashes and their spirits vanish as soft ayre and are no more No his soule is an immortall substance and his body though in the eye of a carnall Sadducee it seemeth so to perish as that it shall neuer haue a being any more yet it shall at the last day by the power of God be restored to its iust proportion for after Death there must come a Iudgment particular of the Soule when it departeth from the body generall of Soule and body at the generall resurrection So that this fearfull hewing downe is but as the Prologue to a more tragicall feareful Scene it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of sorrowes the forerunner of more fearefull torments For after the axe of Death hath with all violence cleft and rent his Soule and Body in sunder after that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is thus hewen downe it followeth in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee is cast into the fire hee is throwen headlong into the flames of Hell And this second penaltie his exastion The second pâ—naltie an Exastion is indeed principally that which causeth his dissolution to be so comfortles full of terrour For when the hand of God lyeth heauy vpon him to hew him downe by death it is not the separation of his soule body that doth so much trouble him nor the leauing his beloued world that doth so much afflict him no nor the cruel gnawings of his guilty conscience that doe so wrack torture him otherwise then ioyned with the present apprehension of being cast into this fire which he then foreseeth will most certainly befal him afâ—er his dissolution And no maruell if the apprehension thereof strike such a dread terror into his departing soule Et hic â— c. 9. for what Aristotle that heathen oracle of learning said of the naturall death of the Body as one who saw no farther then the twilight of Nature would giue him leane may more truelâ— be auerred of this second penalty that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most terrible of terribles As Zeuxis that excelleÌ„t painter desiring to draw Junocs picture exactly viewed al the Agrigentine Virgins with a curious eye pickt out fiue of the choycest Pieces Nature did afford amongst them out of which for the composition of her picture he abstracted and expressed with his pencill what he apprehended more accurate and excellent either for proportion or beauty So the liueliest resemblance can be framed of this fearfull penalty is by presenting vnto our fantasie all the torments that euer seized vpon the sons of Adam in this vally of misery and out of them to make choice of such as are most exquisite acrimonious and intolerable and out of these if it were possible to extract a Quintessence and to inflict this quintessence of tormeÌ„t vpon one man and yet when we haue done all this this all is as nothing we shaâ—l haue framed but a dull a weake Idea of this penalty For the Eie hath not seen the Eare heard nor hath it entred into the Heart of Man 1 Cor. 2.9 as what ioyes God hath prepar'd for those that loue him so what sorrowes he hath laid vp for those that leaue him And therfore as the Painter presenting the sorrow of the father of Iphigenia when she was to be sacrificed drew him with his face couered as confessing his Art insufficient to expresse in his visage a griefe of that degree so being at this time according to my propounded Method to present so terrible fearfull a penaltie as to be cast into hell fire my best course I coÌ„fesse were to cast ouer it the vaile of silence as being best coÌ„scious of my own insufficiency for a task of such transcendeÌ„cy Yet vnwilling my particular weaknes should frustrate the generall expectation of so Honourable an Audience And fearing my silence in a point of such importance may occasion some to sleight their owne ruine and neglect their speedy reformation For such is naturally our slauish disposition that notwithstanding all the gracâ—ous and glorious promises of the Gospell vnlesse the terrors of the Law be punctually propounded vnto the vnderstanding and so reflect and beate vpon the Conscience wee walke without either feare or wit in the wayes of vngodâ—inesse and as if wee had taken a liberall Dosis of Opium are cast into a Spirituall Lethargie and fall into Hell before we so much as dreame of Damnation Therefore a word or two more particularly for the description of the fearefulnesse of this particular penaltie For I intend not though the case might iustly require it to entertaine you with a particular discourse of the seuerall punishments wherein all the powers and parts of each damned Wretch to his greater terror shall haue their share as those Positiue of intollerable cold the Worme that neuer dyeth palpable darkenesse the horrid aspect of the Deuils and infinite moe the least of all which is most horrible Pectori generoso non tam molestuÌ„ est rerum angugustia premi quam
Kindnesse Loue. In a word let vs labour to abound in euery good worke that may make vs pleasing and acceptable vn o God let vs bring forth good fruit Abundanter Plentifully 3 Perseuerantly Thirdly and lastly lest all our labour proue but in vaine we must bring forth good fruit Perseueranter Perseuerantly For to what purpose is it if a Souldier at the first onset couragiously encounter with the Enemy and before he hath obtained the victory throw away his Armes Or what doth it profit a Mariner to commit himselfe to the Sea and to enioy the benefit of a faire gale of Wind euen vnto his desired Ports mouth if then the wind doe turne and so turne him backe againe before hee can thrust into the Port Happily thou hast beene just and hast done that which is lawfull and right as it is in Ezec. 18.5 Ezek. 18. More particularly as the Prophet there expresseth himselfe Thou hast not eaten vpon the Mounâ—aines nor lift vp thine eyes vnto Idols nor defiled thy neighbours wife nor oppressed any but hast restored to thy Debtour his Pledge thou hast spoyled none by violence thou hast giuen thy Bread to the Hungry and couered the Naked with a Garment thou hast not giuen forth vpon Vsury neither taken any Increase thou hast withdrawen thy hand from iniquitie executed true Judgement betweene man and man thou hast walked in Gods Statutes and kept his Iudgements to deale truely Thus farre hast thou gone and in these good courses thou hast continued a long time and in so doing hast done well But tell mee what will all this thy righteousnesse auaile thee if afterward thou shalt fall away from God 2 Pet. 2.20 and intangle thy selfe againe in the filthinesse of the world like the Dog that returneth to his owne vomit and the Sow that is washed to her wallowin the myre Ezek. 18. If the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie shall hee liue saith the Lord. No All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned In his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee dye Ezek. 18. Yea It had been better for him neuer to haue acknowledged the way of Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 2. as the Apostle speaketh then after hee hath knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement deliuered vnto him For the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning If therefore thou wouldst make sure worke for the good of thy Soule and store vp comfort for thy selfe against the day of death and that great day of wrath then thou must not relye vpon thy former righteousnesse Luke 12.19 as the Rich man in the Gospell did vpon the store he had treasured vp in his Barnes and say Soule take thine ease and freely disport thy selfe hence-forward in the delights of sinne for thou hast already brought forth good fruit plentifully which will serue thee for many yeares No thou must bring forth good fruite Perseuerantly for it is not here said euery tree Quae non fecit which hath not brought forth good fruit but euery tree non faciens not bringing forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire So that fecisse non sufficit it sufficeth not formerly to haue brought forth good fruit vnlesse thou continue in so doeing perseuerantly No man saith Christ Luke 9.62 putting his hand to the Plough and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of Heauen Bernardus Sola perseuerantia singularis summi regis est filia saith a Father ea enim sola est haeres regni Coelorum Perseuerance is the only Daughter of the King of Heauen for she only is Hâ—ire to the Kingdome of Heauen â—herefore saith our Sauiour to his Disciples Matth. 24.13 Qui perseuerauerit hâ— that continueth to the end shall bee saued Reuel 2.10 and to the Church of Smyrna Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of Life And vpon these termes doth Saint Paul assure himselfe and euery faithfull Christian a Crowne of righteousnesse I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Hence forth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but vnto all them also that loue that his appearing The absolute necessity of this Perseuerance for all such as expect the Happinesse of a better life hath so deepely sunke into the thoughts of Gods Children in all ages that they haue constantly resolued to suffer the bitterest torments the pregnant malice of the Diuell and his Factors could inflict vpon them rather then to loose the blessed hope of their Heauenly inheritance If therefore wee respect our Future Haâ—pinesse let vs not bee like thâ— plant Ephemeâ—on which doth spring and flourish and fade in a day but as the Oliue tree flourishâ—th and fru ifieth all the yeare long so let vs continue in bringing forth good fruit perseuerantly To be short the way to Heauen though it be Narrow yet it is Long and our life at the Longest but Short Let vs therefore that we may the better compasse so great a Iourney get vp betimes out of our beds of Sinne euen in the morning of our age at the first houre of the day and quickly make our selues ready that so we may set forth betimes towards the Celestiall Canaan And when we haue once set our feete in the way of righteousnesse the dâ—rect and only Rode to that Holy Citie If at the end of our liues when we can trauaile no longer wee would rest in Abrahams bosome let vs labour to imitate him in his iourneying vnto the terrestriall Canaan that is Gen. 12 9. let vs eundo pergere still bee going forward from grace to grace whatsoeuer Remoraes doe encounter vs in the way whatsoeuer afflictions doe befall vs hauing our eies fixt vpon those heauenly ioyes whereof the troubles and afflictions of this life are not worthy The older we grow in yeares the more let vs grow in goodnesse Let our Workes our Loue our Seruice our Faith Reuel 2.19 our Patience be like the Thyatirians more at the last then at the first Thus like good Trees bringing forth good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly wee shall at length bee brought by him who is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending Reuel 1.8 vnto the beginning of that vnspeakable Happinesse which shall haue no ending But happily you will reply in the words of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for these things Is not our Father an Amorite and our Mother a Hittite The best of men by Nature is no better then a Briar Micha 7.4 Math. 7. a Thorne a Thistle And doe men gather Grapes of Thornes and Figges of Thistles Ex Spinis non nascitur Rosa Such as is the Tree such is the Fruite T is true And therefore to bring forth Good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly we must be ingrafted into the true Vine and abide in it I am that Vine saith Christ Iohn 15.5 and yee are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth good fruit For without me ye can doe nothing verse 6. If a man abide not in mee hee is cast forth as a branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned But how are we ingrafted into Christ by Faith How doe wee abide in Him By Loue. How doth He abide in vs by his Holy Spirit through whose gracious opperation we are inabled to bring forth the good fruits of the Spirit Now for asmuch as no Arme of Flesh can command this Faith this Loue this Holy Spirit Therefore O LORD GOD wee doe here in all humilitie addresse our selues vnto thy diuine Maiestie entirely desiring thee in mercy to looke downe from Heauen vpon vs miserable wretches heere on earth Wee acknowledge O Lord and thou knowest that of our selues wee haue no power to order our wayes aright vnto thee for wee are a crooked generation a people by nature the children of wrath so that if thou shouldest leaue vs to our selues we must looke for no lesse then like fruitlesse Trees to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire But good God remember that thou art our Creatour and we thy Creatures that thou art our Father and wee thy children Oh neglect not the work of thine Hand neither suffer vs thy children to perish but looke vpon vs in the sweet compassions of a tender hearted Father for the blood of Christ pardon all our sinnes past throw behinde thy backe those cursed fruits we haue hitherto continually brought foorth to the dishonour of thy Great and Glorious Name that they may neuer be layd vnto our charge and enable vs for the time to come to doe what thou requirest and then require what thou wilt and we will doe it O Lord stretch foorth thine hand and engraft vs by a true and liuely Faith into the Body of thy Sonne Iesus Christ Dwell in vs O heauenly Father and blessed Sonne by thy holy Spirit that by the gracious and powerfull operation thereof like good trees we may bring forth good fruit that we may euery day more and more abound and increase in grace and goodnesse till wee come to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus Graciously heare vs most mercifull Father and graunt vs whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee good for vs and that for thy Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake To whome with thee and the blessed Spirit bee ascribed of vs and of all thy Saints all praise power and Glory for euer Amen FINIS
heauen for such as are righteous only in conceit But this may seeme strang if it be seriously considered Rom. 9.14 Is there vnrighteousnesse with God Shal not the Iudge of all the world doe right Gen. 1â— 25 If God shal more respect a notorious sinner that is conuerted then another who hath not been so deepely drenched in sin how can wee cleare his Iustice Magna relinquere amare minora Dei potestatis est Chrysolo serm 168. To this I might answere with Chrysologus To leaue the greatest and to loue the meanest is in Gods power and at his pleasure Hee will euer bee a free dispenser of his fauours Rom. 9.15 and will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy But a distinction will satisfie this doubt without recourse to the Sanctuary of Gods secret and absolute will This ioy may be said to be respectiue or accidental Respectiue in regard of circumstance thus there is more ioy for such a notorious sinner because that such a one being effectually called coÌ„monly becomes the most serious penitent and the soundest conuert Such a one wil be more humble more deuout more diligent then other in the seruice of God Such do exceedingly hunger thirst after righteousnes Mat. 5. By them the Kingdome of heauen suffers violence and the violent take it by force as Christ speakes Mat. 11.12 It is with such conuerts as with yron and other cold and solid metals which being thorowly heated are hotter then other substances remaine so longer The Scriptures yeeld vs two notable instaÌ„ces in this kind Mary Magdalen was a notorious sinner Chrysost de Poenitent hom 5. etiam omni delicto conuoluta as Chrysost saith and being conuerted who like her in her repentance that not only bedewed her cheekes with her teares but shed them so aboundantly Luke 7.38 that she washed our Sauiours feet with them Who more constant in following Christ for shee neuer left him till hee left the world and was translated to heauen And her encomium giuen her by our Sauiour is this Many sinnes were forgiuen her Luk. 7.47 therfore she loued much And S. Paul who had beene a famous persecutor when hee was called in the way to Damascus did he not hold a proportionable correspondence in his conuersion conuersation None more displeased with himselfe for his sins then he none more humble more deuout more diligent in the seruice of God then he As before he was a chiefe sinner so hee now became a chiefe Labourer in the Lords Vineyard So that in this respect 1. Tim. 1.15 1. Cor. 15.10 the holy Angels and the blessed Trinity may reioyce for the conuersion of such a notorious sinner more then for ninety and nine who hauing not sinned so hainously haue not repented so seriously nor reformed themselues so effectually Againe this ioy may be called accidentall not that there is any thing accidentall in God but as Cyprian his tract de duplici martyrio speaking of this subiect saith Scriptura secunduÌ„ humanos affectus loquitur The Scriptures speake to vs after the fashion and affections of men Now with men such is the accidentall aduentitious ioy as here is meÌ„tioned this with other the like actions affections are for our capacity ascribed to Almighty God Though a man haue many Children and loue them all well yet if one haue beene dangerously sicke and bee recouered or been taken captiue and is deliuered he reioyces more for the present in that one then in all the rest And so doth our heauenly Father reioyce when one of his children is deliuered from the sicknesse of sin and the captiuity of Satan as appeares by the parable of the fathers feasting at the returne of his prodigall Son of whoÌ„ Tertul. saith Tertul. de poenitent cap. 8. Chariorem senserat quem amiserat He esteemed this regained son which was lost most deare vnto him The more dangerous the fight Quantò maius periculum in bello tanto maius gaudiuÌ„ in triumpho Aug. confes 83. the more ioyfull the triumph Losse and want gaine more desire and delight then fruition can The lost sheepe is diligently looked after when the restare scarce looked on How acceptable is a calme after a storme how comfortable the bright Sunne-shine after a darke gloomy day Nazian de Cypr. Orat. how delectable the pleasant spring after the sad winter Transisse à morte ad vitam vitae gratiam duplicat Bern. in Cant. serm 68. To be restored from death to life makes life much more acceptable And what is the restoring of a sinner to the state of grace by repentance but life from the dead Rom. 11.15 as the Apostle speakes And this was the ground of the fathers Ioy in the last verse of this Chapter This thy brother was dead and is aliue againe Thus there is a ioy for a man remaining in the state of grace like the still continued current of a riuer and there is a ioy for a sinner restored to the state of grace by repentance which is like the interrupted streame of the same riuer which hauing got passage runs strongly violently But in a word to speake punctually these speeches import thus much that repentance is Deo gratissimum Cypr. quo supra as Cyprian saith that which is most acceptable to Almighty God Hitherto I haue opened my text Now I will drawe to an end with some words of Application And is there such ioy in heauen for the repentance of a sinner why then should any penitent sinner despaire Shall a man continue mourning wheÌ„ heauen reioyces for him shall he be deiected on earth whilst the Angels do carroll it in heauen This is dangerous to man and odious to God It is dangerous to man Non tam graue pugnantem vulnerari Chrysost ad pop Anâ—â—o hom 80. c. saith Chrysost It is not so dangerous to be wounded as desperately to refuse to be cured It is hateful to God as that which cals into questioÌ„ his glorious attributes of Power Truth Mercy His Mercy which is ouer all his works His Truth Psal 145. who hath protested solemnely As I liue Ezech. 33. I delight not in the death of a sinner His Power who is able to do exceeding abundaÌ„tly Ephes 3. aboue al that we can aske or thinke The cause of despaire is sin especially some notorious sin which wounds the soule more dangerously but oppose to this the infinite mercy of Almighty God Say not to me saith Chrysost My sin is great and how can I be saued Quod tu non potes Chrysost ad pop hom 80. tuus potest Dominus That which thou canst not doe thy mercifull God can Gods mercies are exceeding great and must not be measured with our shallow scantling Yea they are infinite 2. Sam. 24.14 Mensuram non habent Chrysost de poenit hom 3. So that if thou bee truely
certainly be inflicted Yea to intimate the vndoubted certaintie thereof it is not heere said in the future Tense The tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire but is hewen downe and cast into the fire it being as certaine as if it were already inflicted So hee which beleeueth not Iohn 3.18 is already condemned saith our Sauiour The Law hath already denounced the Sentence of malediction against the Sinner Cursed is hee that confirmeth not all the words of the Law to doe them Deut. 27.26 And what the curse of the law is is not vnknown to the veriest Babe in Christianitie it is the eternall destruction of body and soule in hell fire So that there is nothing wanting vnto the certaintie of this Penaltie but a more solemne declaration and a reall execution thereof which shall be then effected when the Sonne of man our Lord Iesus Christ shall come in the clouds in his Glory accompanied with all his holy Angels to iudge the quicke and the dead then shall hee pronounce that dreadfull Sentence of condemnation Discedite a me maledicti Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels and then shall it be put into execution for they shall goe into euerlasting torments verse 46 The Generalitie or exteâ—t of the Penaltie And let no man delighting in impiety delude his own soule with a vaine hope of impunitie let him not thinke to escape the iudgement of God whilest he commiteth such things as are worthy of death Rom. 1 32. for the Lord is a powerfull and an impartiall Iudge Who can stand before his wrath or who can abide the fiercenesse of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire and the very Rocks are broken by him saith the Prophet King Nebuchadnezzar though a most puissant Prince a great Tree as the Scripture stiles him strong and high vnto heauen Dan. 4.11 in whose boughes the Birds of the ayre did build their nests yet saw in a Vision a Watcher Verse 14. a holy One comming downe from Heauen who cried alowd Succidite arborem Hew downe the Tree and Destroy it Tophet is prepared for the King Esay 30.53 saith the Prophet Esay Though his excellencie mount vp vnto the heauens and his head reach vp to the clouds yet shall he perish for euer like his owne dung Iob 20.6.7 saith Iob. Regum timendorum in proprios greges Hor. Carm. lib. 3. Ode 1. Reges in ipsos imperium est Iouis Clari Gygant eo triumpho cuncta supercilio mouentis God hath an vnresistahle power ouer the most Commanding Princes Pro 3.15.16 By him Kings raigne Princes Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth doe rule saith Salomon the greatest Prince that euer ruled vpon the earth At his footstoole the mightiest Monarchs must lay downe their Crownes and make their appeaâ—ance before his most dreadfull presence submitting themselues to be censured and sentenced and suffer according to their demerits God spareth none though neuer so mightie yea for that respect hee dealeth more sharpely with them For as Hieronimus Guadalupensis vpon this Text obserueth Quanto quisque potentior sinon ferat fâ—uctum tanto maiori dâ—gnus est supplicio qui â—occasio est multis non ferendi bonos fructus Scilicet in vulgus manaut exempla regentum Claudianus The more Potent a man is if he doe not bring forth good fruite the greater punishment he deserueth because He is an Occasion vnto many of their not bringing forth good fruit Men ordinarily suffering theÌ„selues to be directed lob-led by the exaÌ„ple of their Superiors like the Spaniard that held his neck awry because Alphonso of Arragon his king was wry neckt It is no mans Greatnes that can shelter him from the smoking showre of Gods wrath Euen that Mitred man of Sinne which treadeth Scepters vnder his feet and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God though hee plead both a canonizing and a confounding power yet He also shall one day be brought before the Barre of Gods Iustice to be arraigned for all his Abominations wherewith he hath infatuated and besotted both himselfe and Gods Inheritance and shall drinke of the dregges of Gods wrath cup the promerited reward of his workes And let no hood-winkt Catholike deride this peremptory assertion as proceeding from a distempered braine for I know what I say If his Holinesse cannot procure his owne immunitie from the paines of Purgatory as for example De Gemitu Columbae li. 2. c. 9. Pope Innocentius the third who as Bellarmine writeth is to continue there till Doomes day much lesse shall he be able by his pretended power to deliuer himselfe from hell fire Now if these lofty Cedars of Lebanon and sturdy Oakes of Basan cannot auoid the stroke of the Axe but shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire what shal become of the lesser trees the lower shrubs Certainly God will be impartiall in his judiciary proceedings his eye will spare none Rom. â— 9 11 12. vâ—â—â—â—â— Tribulation anguish vpon Euery soule of man that doth euill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile With him there is no respect of persons for as many as haue sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law and as many as haue sinned in the Law shall bee iudged by the Law Psalm â—â— â—1 God will wound the hairy scalpe of Euery one that goeth on in his wickednes saith the Prophet Dauid Ezâ—kiel 18.4 The soule that sinneth shall dye Indeed the Gibeonites could gull Captaine Ioshua with their old shooes their mouldy crustes Ioshua â— 4 5. and thred bare garments and so saue themselues from his sword But God hath oculum in Sceptro as he is omnipotent so hee is omniscient he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 13â— â— the Hearts searcher he knoweth vs all and all our wayes too well to be deceiued by vs. Cic. Offic li. 3. It is not the wearing of a Gyges Ring can keepe vs out of Gods sight for there is nothing that hath a being in nature which is not the obiect of his eye If I say Psal 139.11.12 Surely the darkenesse shall couer me euen the night shall bee a light about me yea the darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and the light are both alike to thee In a word when the Lord shall call the sonnes of men to a particular account for their transgressions then vana salus hominum as saith the Psalmist Mans helpe is all but in vaine Though hand ioyne in hand Prou. 11.25 saith Salomon the wicked shall not escape vnpunished that is saith our English Glosse Though they make neuer so many friends or thinke themselues neuer so secure yet they shall not escape It is not the phantasticall treasure of the Saints
is our life but a blast Spiramus expiramus we breath and instantly our breath is gone So it is that no man liuing can assure vnto himselfe the least moment of time beyond that which he doth at the very instant inioy Indeed the Deuill to lead vs on in our sinnes would perswade vs that Nature hath sealed vnto vs a long Lease of our liues and that we need not as yet trouble our heads with repentance there will be time enough for that hereafter But the truth is we hold this fading breath but as Gods Tenants at will Hee may and will if it please him without the least warning take it away from vs. But suppose we may liue long and repent time enough hereafter for that poenitentia vera nunquam sera Poenitentia sera raro vera True repentance is neuer too late yet are we sure we can repent when wee please No True repentance is the gift of God and it is iust with him to deny it that man at his death which hath so carelessely neglected it throughout the whole course of his life So that in a word in mora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is but a folly yea extreame madnesse to dally and delay the time of our conuersion considering the imminent wrath of God and our own frailty Sure I am As the tree falleth so it lyeth as Death leaueth vs so Iudgement findeth vs. Let vs therfore euen Now whilst it is called to day begin to worke out our saluation with feare trembling When the night of Death commeth no man can worke Let vs Now whilest the acceptable little time of saluation lasteth vnfainedly repent and call vpon God for mercy Let it suffice that we haue spent the time past vpon the lusts of our own hearts in brining forth the corrupt fruit of the flesh in drunkennesse in swearing in profanenesse in pride in vncleannesse and the like Let vs Now begin to awake out of sin and to walke in newnesse of life lest the Lord do suddenly before we so much as dreame of it hew vs downe and cast vs into the fire Secondly 2. Plentifully we must bring forth good fruit abundanter plentifully It is the Encomium Christ giueth his Spouse the Church Cant. 4.14 that shee is an Orchard full of sweet fruits And Saint Paul affirmeth of the Romans Rom. 1 â— Rom. 15.14 that their faith was published throughout the whole world Rom. 15. I am perswaded saith he that ye are full of goodnes filled with all knowledge and of the Thessalonians he affirmeth that their faith did grow exceedingly 1 Thess 1.3 and their loue did generally abound My beloued thâ—se the like testimonies of the Saints are recorded for our imitation The plain truth is God caÌ„not away with starueling trees such Professors as are Non-proficients If therfore we mean to auoid the stroke of his axe to be freed froÌ„ the tormeÌ„ts of hel fire thretned in my text we must like good trees thriue in our spiritual estate we must encrease and grow in grace and goodnes we must abound in euery good worke that may make vs perfit meÌ„ in Christ Iesus we must bring forth good fruit pleÌ„tifully And good reason hath God to require it at our hands VVâ—y God expecteth at our hands bringing forth of good fruit plentifully considering the extraordinary cost care he hath bestowed vpon vs to this end and purpose For first as hath bin said before he hath bin pleased to sowe the pure seed of his Word in no place so plentifully as in this land in no place of this land so plentifully as in this Citie Againe that it might take deep root in our hearts to the bringing forth of good fruit plentifully in our liues hee hath watered and refreshed this his Inheritance with infinite remarkable testimonies of his singular sauour as it were with so many * Tum pater omnipotens faecundis imbrious aether c. Virg. 2. Gâ—org sweete fructifying showers from heauen and to infuse a quickenâ—ng power into the ground of our hearts he hath caused the Sunne of Peace * Pax alâ—eit vites sucâ—os codidâ— vuâ— funderet vâ— natâ— tesla paterna merum Tiâ— lib. 1. leg 1. the Mother of Plenty for these many yeares to shine vpon vs. In a word what medicinall courses hath hee neglected which in the iudgement of man might conduce to the furthering of our fruitfulnes He hath pared off our riotous Twigs and lopped off our luxuriant Branches ript vp our Rind opened our Roots that is he hath scourged vs with sundry kinds of Crosses and Afflictions that thereby hee might call vs backe from wandring abroad after the bewitching pleasures of Sinne to serue Him the onely true and euerliuing God with a sound and vpright heart in all holinesse of life and conuersation All which layd together wee haue no reason to thinke that praying vnto God in the Church once a weeke the hearing of a Sermon once a moneth a strict obseruation of the Saboth once a quarter a Receiuing of the Sacrament once in sixe moneths a Feasting of the poore once a yeare will serue the turne No God will not be satisfied with such a Barren and Dwarfling Obedience he will not bee contented with the Gleanings of Haruest with heere a Bery and there a Bery as it was with the shaken Oliue Tree Esay 17. No Euery tree must bring forth good fruit plentifully for Vnto whom soeuer much is giuen Luke 12.48 of him shall be much required saith our Sauiour So that it doth stand vs euery one in hand accordingly to endeauour the reall answering of Gods iust expectation lest in the day of his wrath wee haue the dâ—eper share in his just indignation For Quantò maior gratia Quo clarior lux verbi gratiae offâ— get 〈◊〉 graâ—â—iores paenas mundi ingratitudâ—nem sibi accelerate Chemnit tantò amplior posteà peccantibus poena saith Saint Chrysostome God will at â—he Last day proportion out the punishment of a sinner according to the meanes of grace he hath afforded him in the time of his sinning At the worlds great Sessions it shall go harder with Chorazin and Bethsaida then with Tyrus and Sidon it shall goe harder with Capernaum then with Sodom because God did more abound in the meanes of grace to Chorazim Bethsaida and Capernaum then to Tyrus Sidon and Sodome Seeing therefore it hath pleased God to deale so liberally with vs in the meanes of Grace let vs in the name of God endeauour in some proportion to answer his bountie in our measure of grace Let vs labour to be full of the sweet fruits of the Spirit Let vs labour to bee strong in the Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 c. and as Saint Peter speaketh With our Faith let vs ioyne Vertue with Vertue Knowledge with Knowledge Temperance with Temperance Patience with Patience Godlinesse with Godlinesse Brotherly Kindnesse and with Brotherly