he had created them wondring as it were with himselfe that so great wickednesse should ouergrow and ouerwhelme his excellent goodnesse as though light had bene put out in vtter darkenesse and life for euer swallowed vp of death For after a while God sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euil continually Then his mercy and his wrath did strine togither now for pittie he mourned and then in iustice he thought vpon punishment to destroy them from the face of the earth All the workes of God were verie good but let vs be hold yâ— works which are now brought into the world which being neuer made by God are crept in by the diuels malice and mans corruption as breaches and blots of Gods order and of his good creation Such are sinne deformitie confusion tyrannie calamitie death and destruction Which workes deserue hatred and lamentation and are farre from praise and commendation For they are the horrible deprauation of the order first made by god For god hath not made death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing For he created all things that they might haue their being and the generations of the world are preserued and there is no poison of destruction in them Concupiscence is not of the father but of the world Sinne came of the diuell Death through sinne The Diuell the father Sinne the mother and Death the childe the childe of perdition and euerlasting condemnation 3 The third and last matter of waight which I gaue you The vse and end of Gods creation and of his creatures to consider of was the end and vse of Gods creation why and wherefore all his creatures were made Which is twosold First and principally herein God regarded his owne glory Secondarily and consequently the vse and benefit of mankind The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith Salomon which the Prophet declareth in these words The heauens declare the glory of God and as yet is more plainly expressed in the wordes of the Apostle writing to the Romanes Chapter 1. 20. For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes But so vaine are men by nature and ignorant of God that they cannot know him by the good thinges that are séene neither consider by the workes the morkemaister For they haue thought the fire or the winde swift aire or the course of the starres or the raging water or the lights of heauen to be gouernours of the worlde and gods Who though they had such pleasure in their beautie that they thought them gods yet should they haue knowne how much more excellent he is that made them For the first authour of beautie hath created these thinges Or if they maruelled at the power and operation of them for in his creatures God sheweth his power yet should they haue perceiued thereby howe much hée that made these thinges is mightier For by the beautie and greatnesse of the creatures the Creator being compared with them may bee considered Hée walketh vppon the cloudes and bringeth the windes out of his treasure hée ruleth the raging of the sea the Lorde God of hostes is his name hée is the Lorde of power Which is partly séene in the thunder and lightening whereat not only the cruell beastes of the forrest doo tremble but euen the hearts of wicked men which are giuen to dishonour and to blaspheme God doo quake Which is the feare of all creatures and the amazement and astonishment of the whole world The foolish gods of mortall men what power haue they in their woorkes or what glorie One hath a scepter and cannot rule an other hath a sword in his hand and cannot wounde his enemies or defend his friendes or saue himselfe but GOD sheweth his power and glorie heerein by destroying his enemies out of heauen and thundering vppon them For as the Prophet Samuell â—â— Sa. 7. 10. offered the burnt offering the Philistines came to fight against Israell but the Lorde thundered with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistines and scattered them so they were slaine before Israell But more fearefully hée shewed his power by this meanes against the Egiptians Exodus 9. 23. For when Moses stretched out his rodde towardes heauen the Lord sent thunder and haile and lightning vppon the grounde and the Lorde caused haile to raine vpon the land of Egipt So there was haile and fire mingled with the haile so gréeuous as there was none the like throughout all the land of Egipt since it was a Nation And the haile smote throughout all the lande of Egipt all that was in the field both man and beast also the haile smote all the hearbes of the field and brake to pieces all the trées of the fielde This is not vsuall but then it was for his glorie Moreouer God shewed his glorie his power and his might to his owne people to strike a feare into their hearts and that they should not transgresse his lawe For at the deliuery of his lawe he shewed his terrible maiestie by thunder and lightning by fire by a cloude and darkenesse So that the people said Beholde the Lorde our GOD hath-shewed vs his glorie and his greatnesse and we haue heard his voyce out of the midst of the fire Yea when they sawe the thunders and the lightnings and the sound of the Trumpet and the mountaine smoaking they fledde and stood a farre off The Prophet Dauid prayeth that God would be reuenged of them Cast forth thy lightning saith hée and teare them shoote out thine arrowes and consume them And in an other place as hee speaketh of the thunder The Lorde thundred out of heauen and the highest gaue his thunder hailestones and coales of fire so hee speaketh also of his lightening Hee sent out his arrowes and scattered them hee cast foorth lightenings and destroyed them The heauens declare his Godhead by the creation of those beautifull creatures whiche the Heathens haue taken for Gods the Sunne the Moone and the starres his Godhead and his goodnesse in sending downe raine and showers and causing fruitfull seasons to fill our hearts with ioy and great gladnesse According to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles meaning their idoles and silly gods that can giue raine or can the heauens themselues giue showers Is it not thou ô Lorde our God Therefore we will wayt vpon thee for thou hast made all these things The extraordinary course of Gods creatures when it pleaseth Almightie GOD so to worke dooth wonderfully set foorth his glorie How should the fire loose his strength and forget to burne as we reade of the thrée children that were cast into the firie furnace which was made excéedingly hotte and yet they were not hurt nor any smell of fire about their
there be present to offer vp our praier to God and to sing foorth his praises in the Churches there are handfulles and at stages and beare-baitings multitudes Which sheweth where the hearts of the worlde are set and wherein their reioycing consisteth Well were it if they could remember that the way to heauen is narrow and that fewe finde it and that the way to hell is broade and that manie passe by it nay rather thrust and throng into it This if they could consider would abate their worldly reioycing and make them withdrawe themselues from such pastimes which are so hurtfull and make them turne their reioycing into heauinesse and their mirth into mourning But as the Heathen painted their imagined fortune blinde so is the wilfull world blind and knoweth not or at least wise will not sée that their mirth shall end in heauinesse And because they haue eies to sée and will not sée and eares to heare and will not bee admonished hearts to conceiue and will not relent therefore their sinne remaineth The world lieth in sinne and wickednesse Sinfull matters and all their reioycing is in sinfull matters as though they had not only bene conceaued but bred and brought vp in sinne The Vsurer laugheth in his sléeue at his extreame extortion and delighteth himselfe in his swéete or bitter gaine and in the ouerthrow of others For if other bee vndone he careth not so that his turne be serued the adulterers and adulteresses reioyce in their vncleannesse the proude person in his brauery the glutton in his riotousnesse the couetous man in his miserablenesse the enuious in his mallice the liar in his falsehood the blasphemer in his vaine swearing the slaunderer in his backbiting the théefe in his stealing the robber in his spoyling the craftie in his deceiuing the pilferer in his purloyning the corrupt person in his receiuing of bribes and the rest of the vngodly rout reioyce and sport themselues in their manifold iniquities So that euerie one runneth on the race of his owne desires and Ezec. 11. 3. Amos 6. 3. though Gods punishment follow vs at the héeles yet put we off the euil day from vs with the blockish Israelites and approach and drawe neare to the seate of iniquitie They reioyce in speaking ill of gouernment despising all good orders and wholesome lawes séeking their owne licentious libertie neither fearing God nor honouring the king And as for the seruice of God and true religion they make a mocke thereof making it their only sport and table talke to iest and scoffe at all godlinesse and at the professors therof When they should wéepe lament for their sinnes and for the gréeuous punishments and iudgements which hang ouer their heads then is there nothing so rife with them as iolitie and ioy According as it was in the daies of the Prophet Esay cap. 22. 12. For in that day that the Lord of hostes did call them vnto wéeping and mourning beholde ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen killing shéep eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for to morrow we Ioy continued shall die As though they had made a couenant with death and fully agreed with the diuel to enioy the world at their pleasure foolishly imagining that their mirth should neuer haue a chaunge and that their ioy should alwaies continue Psal 49. 11. 10. 6. With which foolish conceit the prophet Dauid was blinded till God by his chasticements shewed him the contrary Ps 30. 6. And in my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be remoued thou Lord of thy goodnesse hadst made my hil so strōg But after a while hee had learned another lesson Before I was troubled I went wrong and therefore it is good for me that I haue bene troubled Not remembring or at lestwise little considering that worldly matters and worldly ioyes may well be compared to the chaunges of the Moone which is now at the full now in the wane as also to the sea which is now aflote anon at an ebbe Diuers meanes there are to take their ioy away losse of goods by théeues losse of friends by death pouertie sicknesse and the ougly countenance and leane and pale visage of death it selfe The world shall reioyce and giue them leaue so to do Greatest ioy before greatest sorrow they haue but their time the bullocke the is fed to the slaughter howe wanton it is Reioyce yong man in thy youth and let thy heart chéere thée in the dayes of thy youth and let the wicked walke in the waies of their heart and in the sight of their eies but let them know and assure themselues that for all these things God will bring them to indgement But this of all other is worthy the marking that the wicked are neuer more giuen to ioy then when their destruction is néerest at hand As by the examples of the old world in the daies of Noah and of Lot may be perceiued as also by the example of Belshasar the king who reioycing greatly among his concubines drinking wine in bowles shortly after had both his crowne his life taken from him Which thing the prophet Esay chap. 18. 5. expresseth in these words For afore the haruest when the floure is finished and the fruite is riping in the floure then he shall cut downe the branches with hookes and shall take away and cut off the boughes When the vngodly saith the psalme are greene as the grasse and when all the workes of wickednesse do flourish then shall they be destroied for euer Yet of all the ioyes that the wicked and the world taketh Ioy in persecuting delight in this is chief the hurting of the good hating despising persecuting cruelly tormenting the godly euen to death Which is notably declared in the booke of Wisdom Chap. 2. Come say they let vs enioy our pleasures and fill our selues with costly wine and oyntments let vs crowne our selues with rose buds and let vs be partakers of our wantonnesse Yet all these did not so much reioyce them as to oppresse the poore that was righteous and to vexe them that were iust Therefore let vs defraud the righteous say they for he is not for our profit and he is contrary to our doings he checketh vs for offending against the lawe and blameth vs as transgressors against discipline he is made to reproue our thoughts and it gréeueth vs to looke vpon him Let vs examine him with rebukes and torments that we may knowe his méekenesse and proue his patience and let vs condemne him vnto a shamefull death Wherein doe hipocrites more reioyce then in the false and counterfait seruice of God and they that kill the godly shall thinke they doe God seruice The wealth of the Israelites inriched the Chaldeans but to mocke at their Saboths that reioyced them and to make a iest of their excercises of religion was vnto them as their meate and drinke Let vs deuour them say they certainly this is
to fauoure This goodnesse GOD dooth not onelie vse to the Heathen to make them lift vp their hearts and mindes from the creatures to the Creator but in like sort also hée dealeth with the wicked to make them chaunge their mindes Hée sendeth downe his raine vppon the vniust as well as the iust and for the moste part they enioy the goodnesse of God in a more plentifull measure then doo his owne children As it is saide in the Psalme Whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasure for they abounde when other are in scarcitie they feele no want when other are pinched with penurie As though Gods benefites were hid from the good and secretly bestowed vppon the badde whiche matter hath suche ill successe that the wicked are more badde more proude more wrongfull more lewde and vicious as though they were not onelie Lordes or rather tyrants ouer Gods flocke but also had the blessings of GOD at their owne will and commaundement Such was the difference betwixt the rich man and Lazarus the one in his roabes the other in ragges the one faring delicately the other not hauing so much as a morsell of bread to satisfie his hunger so were the Egyptians Lordes when the Israelites were slaues the Canaanites dwelling in a lande flowing with milke and hony abounding in plentie without a scarcitie when the posteritie of Abraham wandred in the wildernesse and endured many extremities The Viole and the Harpe are in the feastes of some and Iacobs affliction is not once so much as thought on And who doeth not see howe the worser sort dooth abuse the aboundant goodnesse of God O that the complaintes and miseries of the poore could make their heartes relent or the wishes and prayers of the godly coulde procure a sufficient redresse or the fearefull endes of their forerunners could warne them The Egyptians drowned the Canaanites destroyed the riche man in hell O that they woulde thinke that they cannot haue their heauen héere and in an other worlde or that fearefull sentence might preuaile with them Reuelation 18. 7. So muche torment for so muche pleasure waight for waight and measure for measure at leastwise if it bee not beyonde all measure Yet more properly and more truely it may bee saide that GOD is aboundant in goodnesse towardes his owne people As the Prophet Moses doeth in moste large sort set it downe Deutronomie 28. According as hée had foretolde vnto his seruant Abraham testifying of himselfe I am all sufficient And againe I am thy exceeding great rewarde worke vprightly before mee When hée and his were straungers in other landes hée suffered no man to doo them wrong but reprooued euen Kinges for their sakes being readie to bee consumed by death and famine hee prouided they shoulde not want béeing gréeuously oppressed of their enemies hée heard their crye and deliuered them hée smote all their enemies and brought them foorth with siluer and golde and there was not one féeble person among their Tribes hée brought foorth his people with ioye and his chosen with gladnesse And gaue them the lands of the Heathen and they tooke the labours of the people in possession This doctrine is so comfortable to the good and godly that although the worlde sée it not yet they feele and perceiue in secrete sort that the Lorde is aboundant in goodnesse towardes them alwayes hauing regarde vnto them so farre foorth as standeth with his glorie and their good Blessyng them in prosperitie defending them from their bodily and ghostly enemies prouiding for them in all necessities standing by them and comforting them in all their miseries God was aboundant in goodnesse towardes his people and is and will bee vnto the ende of the worlde but alwaies with an exception as hee did to the Israelites Vnto all other blssinges saieth the Psalme GOD gaue vnto them the landes of the Heathen and they tooke the laboures of the people in possession To this end that they might kéepe his statutes and obserue his lawes But as it fell out amongest the Israelites so it is daily séene amongst vs. The Lorde in the Prophecie of Esay compareth his people to a Vineyard and his aboundant goodnesse to the care hée had ouer that Vineyarde Hee caused his Vineyarde to bee seated vppon a verie frutefull hill he hedged it in and gathered out the stones of it hee planted it with the best plantes and hée built a tower in the middest thereof and made a Wine presse therein Then hee looked that it shoulde bringe forth grapes VVhat coulde I haue done anye more to my Vineyarde that I haue not done vnto it VVhy haue I looked that it should bring foorth grapes and it bringeth foorth wilde grapes Suche also hath Gods care euer beene to vs and for vs as was that of the husbandman ouer his figge trée who dressed it and digged rounde about it and dunged it but when hée commeth to seeke for frute I am affraide hée shall finde none But with Gods aboundant goodnesse let vs also consider and feare this least the trée be cut downe For euerie trée that bringeth not foorth good frute shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire And such iudgement that was pronounced against the Israelites shall also light vppon vs. I will tell you saith the Lord what I will do to my vineiard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall bee eaten vp I will breake the wall thereof and it shall bee troden downe And I will laie it waste it shall not bee cut nor digged but briars and thornes shall grow vp I will also commaunde the cloudes that they raine no raine vppon it God graunt that euerie one among vs may consider his estate howe good the Lord is vnto him and bee warned betimes I beséeche yée that yée bee not partakers of Gods bountifull goodnesse in vaine To Gods aboundant goodnesse hée putteth a seale of Aboundant in truth full assurance and that is his promise least that wée should stande doubtfull of his goodnesse The world is full of promises but they bee nothing else but deceit the diuell can promise as fast but his promises are vntruthes for hée is the father of lies The fickle and vncertaine mindes of men are readie to promise any thing but for the most part there is no more hold in their words then in the winde The worlde the diuell and men promise mountaines but the truth is if they performe any thing it is but molehilles So that it were better neuer to harken vnto their promises then to hope for helpe from them It is the Lorde onely that kéepeth faithfull promise who euer liueth and alwayes helpeth For GOD is not as man that he should lye neither as the sonne of man that he should repent change his minde Hath he said and shall he not do it And hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish Though man doo promise yet is he alwaies wauering and more likely to chaunge his purpose then to
the blacke Moore which was in the kings house heard that they had put Ieremiah in the dungeon And he went vnto the king and said My Lord the king these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet whome they haue cast into the dungeon and he dieth for hunger in the place where he is for there is no more bread in the citie Then the king had compassion and committed the matter vnto the Eunuch to take order for Ieremiahs reliefe The widow of Zarephath in great famine hauing but a handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruse when she and her sonne had spent that she looked for nothing else but present death But the Lorde did comfort her by the mouth of his Prophet Eliah saying The meale in the barrell shall not be wasted neither shall the oyle in the cruse be diminished vntill the time that the Lorde send raine vpon the earth and there be plentie And according to the words of the Prophet it fell out so vnto her When the Prophet Eliah had thought to haue giuen vp his life being in distresse the Angel of the Lord had brought him a cake and a pot of water and set the same at his head and touched him and awaked him out of his sléepe and sayd vnto him Vp and eate So hee arose and did eate and drinke and walked in the strength of that meate fortie dayes and fortie nights And if it bee lawfull to bring in forraine histories into suche wâ—â—ghtie matters I will shewe you a thing as straunge as the former which is recorded in the historie of the warres of the lowe Countries Page 79. The words of the Author are these Now when I call to mind the wonderful workes of God I cannot passe ouer but tell you how that after the murther and massacre of Narden and the whole towne on a flaming fire a yoong Lad was saued by running out of the gates of the towne into a little gardain full of rootes The father of this boy was murthered and his mother being rauished was hanged vp by the armes of the Tyrantes Spaniards and when the fire came and tooke holde of her house shée beeing tied by the armes could not get away so that shée was burnt in her owne house The yoong Lad hauing not eaten any thing for the space of thrée whole dayes togither wept bitterly both for the death of his parents as also by reason that he was hungerbit But God who neuer forsaketh his sent him reliefe For the very same night there came vnto him a wel-fauoured yoong man in white apparrell who gaue him whereon to féede and said Wéepe no more my fatherlesse childe for I will neuer leaue thée Eate and be of good cheare for they that haue murthered thy father and mother shall haue a double plague light vppon them Thy teares shall be turned into ioy and gladnesse and their laughing into teares and mourning and forthwith the yoong man vanished out of sight When my father and mother forsake mee saith the Prophet the Lord taketh me vp And there ye sée that they that haue neither father nor mother want not no not when they are in great distresse Wonderfull are Gods woorkes and infinite are his mercies and his wayes past finding out Oh what is man fraile man wretched and miserable man that God should thus regard him may we well say with the Prophet And shall that God that prepared for man ere euer he was now forsake man when hée is if hée be not most vnkindly and too vnkindly forsaken of man It cannot be it can nâ—â—â—r be And therefore in all distresses let vs cast our eyes vpon him and thinke of such examples of his loue and rare prouideÌ„ce as these are which I haue recited vnto you and be sure that he knowing what we haue néed of will neuer forsake vs. All this it pleaseth God to worke in our behalfe God worketh for his owne glorie to the intent that he should be praised and honoured of vs. O Lord our God saith the Prophet howe excellent is thy name in all the world And againe Psal 146. 7. 9. Blessed is the Lord which giueth bread to the hungrie that relieueth the straungers the fatherlesse and the widow When Iacob met his brother Esau in token of good will he gaue him a rich present and therwithall acknowledged Gods bountifulnesse toward him in these words God hath had mercy on me and therfore I haue all things When Daniel was relieued by gods prouidence he gaue thanks and said O God thou hast thought vpon me and thou neuer failest them that seek thee and loue thee When our Sauiour Christ fed the people euen a great multitude with 5. loues 2. fishes he looked vp to heauen and gaue thankes We are earnest to craue good thinges of God but slowe to giue thankes To giue thankes for that which is receiued is a way to helpe vs to more in time to come to be thankfull for the old brings with it a new benefit and a new good turn But bicause by nature we are very backward in this dutie therfore God putteth his people in mind thereof by his prophet Moses When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe saith he thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath giuen thee Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God lest when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein and thy beastes and thy sheepe are increased and thy siluer and gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is increased then thy heart be lifted vp and thou forget the Lord thy God who fed thee in the wildernesse with Manna froÌ„ heauen who brought forth water for thee out of the rocke of flint And again Bewaâ—â— as though he could not speake it too often to such as were dull of hearing as Christ had his disciples Watch twice or thrice and yet found them sléeping Beware least thou say in thine heart My power and the strength of mine owne hand hath procured me this abundance But remember the Lord thy God for it is he and he onely which giueth thée power to get substance and onely in his blessing is all abundance Let not this be our first care if our store be increased to pull downe our barnes and make them larger but rather let vs lift vp our eyes to heauen in consideration that God hath so blessed vs and let vs pray that god will vouchsafe to giue vs the vse of his blessings to his glory and our comfort For to euery one to whom god hath giuen riches and giueth him power to eate thereof and to take his part and to enioy his labour this is the gift of god Otherwise a man may sée much good and peraduenture reioyce and boast of it but he shall neuer come to enioy it And then what profit and comfort is it to him that
would honour and Haman himselfe was hanged on the same trée which he had prepared for Mordecay Was this Hamans destiny or was it Gods prouidence to bring it so to passe for the benefit of his people and for the ouerthrow of this proude and wicked Haman King Darius because the spirit was excellent in Daniel preferred him aboue all other rulers and gouernours in his kingdome and further thought in his mind to set him ouer the whole realme And because the king had so preferred Daniel his enemies being moued with enuy they sought occasion against Daniel and preuailed so farre against him that he was cast among the lions to be deuoured of them God shutteth the mouthes of the lions the hungry lions that Daniel may be preserued The accusers of Daniel and they which sought his blood by the kings commandement they their wiues and their children are cast into the denne of lions and the lions had the maistry of them and brake all their bones a pieces ere euer they came at the ground of the denne The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stéed saith Salomon in his Prouerbes Looke into the selfe same history of Daniel and there shal ye read of Susanna the wife of Ioachim a beautifull and that which is rare a chaste and godly woman also Through her beautie two wicked Iudges were inflamed and hauing gotten time and occasion to come priuily into her presence néedes she must yeeld vnto them or else no way but death She refuseth and committeth her cause to God and crieth out The wicked Iudges they beare witnesse against her that she would haue bene naught with a yoong man And when she was led to death God raised vp the spirit of a yoong child to trie out the matter and the Iudges being founde guiltie were stoned to death and Susanna deliuered Was this their destinie or or was it the manifestation of the iustice of God in his iudgement God knoweth by his wonderfull prouidence howe to bring the mischieuous intents of the wicked to naught turning all to the setting forth of his glory by shewing his iustice on the one sort and declaring his mercy vnto the other to the comfort of the godly and to the terrour of the wicked For as god hath a prouident and fatherly care ouer the godly not only prospering their estate of life by his manifold blessings and helping them in all their necessities but furthermore asswaging their griefes and easing comforting them in all their miseries distresses so also hath he a stroke in the practises of the wicked that they shal be able to do no more then that which he hath determined shall giue thē leaue to do As our Sauior Christ answered Pilat when he said vnto him Answerest thou nothing knowest thou not that I haue power to loose thée and power to condemne thée Iesus answered said vnto him Thou couldest haue no power vnlesse it were giuen thée frō aboue Which also is confirmed by the sayings of the Apostles Act. 4. 28. concerning the death of Christ Doubtlesse say they against thy holy son Iesus whom thou haddest annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues togither to doo whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done Diuers waies hath god to restraine the mallice of the wicked and to breake their mightie purposes Sometimes he casteth a dumpe into their mindes and taketh away their vnderstanding sometimes although their sences be fresh and and their mindes currant and marnellous readie as a lyon to the praie yet before they come to the déede God casteth a feare into their hearts or stoppeth them some way or other that they cannot do as they would Sometimes god giueth them leaue a degrée further as to beginne and to put their mischiefe in practise but before their matters come to an ende he crosseth all and they stand amazed to thinke what was done Absolon he laieth his plot to put his father out of his kingdom and vseth flattering means and stealeth away the hearts of the people his minde was currant and his sences fresh he taketh counsell of the matter and it goeth forward The trumpet is blowne and the people rebelliously are vp in armes against their lawfull king the matter beginneth now to be set on foote Achitophel he giues mischéeuous counsell but god turneth it into foolishnesse The armies méete but vpon a sodain Absolon and his army are discomfited and dismaid and before he can come to the victory and to enioy his fathers kingdome and his crowne he hangeth vpon an oake being caught by the long locks and haire of his head and thus taken vp betwéen the heauen and the earth he hangeth til Ioab one of the chief captaines of his fathers army came and thrust thrée darts through him and dispatched him of his life King Pharaoh he cannot away with the people of god that dwell in his land hee is affraide they will be more mightie than his people He taketh vppon him to be wise and to stop the increase of the people and giueth commandement to slaie the men children the midwiues fearing god they kéepe them aliue Yea he that afterwarde was moste against him was preserued aliue by his owne daughter and daintily kept as one of the kings stocke so long as he would himselfe When this deuice failed he laieth vpon them sore oppression and gréeuous burthens and taskes them to the death belike to make them flie his land God taketh such order in their behalfe that they should depart out of his kingdome I know not how but the king will not giue them leaue and when they were going out he pursued after them to destroy them and in the pusuit lost his owne life and many moe of his people The histories of France can tell that although their persecuting king be in his complet harnes and in his roialtie shall shew his valour among his friends and subiects yet while he is Iusting a splinter of Momorance his speare shall enter as the arrow did betwéene the ioynts of king Ahabs Brigandine that he died and shall strike him through the holes of his eyes into the braines that he dieth euen a little before that he ioyeth to sée and beholde the death of a fewe poore Christians Marke and wonder at the estate of our Soueraigne and gratious Quéene Elizabeth whom pray we that God may long continue among vs to his glory and our comfort What mallice and mischiefe against her One curseth an other reioyceth to performe treachery the third in a holy and deuout minde counteth it religion to murther her whome God hath annointed and established to rule and gouerne vs. Poysoning assaied Sorcery and witchcraft put in practise She taketh them to be her friends which are come to dispatch her of her life Either in her countenance they sée Gods presence or in their hearts is a fainting feare that
the loathsome end of the Emperour Arnolphus whose flesh and entrailes were eaten vp of lice and nothing left vneaten saue onlie his griftles and his bones although the phisitians did their best who can doe nothing when God saith nay and hindereth their working by not giuing effect to the same A king deuoured of rattes and an Emperour of lice mightie rulers and great gouernours and yet had no power ouer such weake creatures God did not vouchsafe them to end there liues by sickenesse or sword or famine or pestilence but that they might be more odious and detestable and of infamous memory to the world and all succéeding ages it was Gods wil that thus they should be deuoured and that their sin should not be vnpunished and that mightie men should be plagued by Gods hand who otherwise séeme to be lawlesse That Emperours and Kings Nobles and Magistrates and all the great ones of the world may not think that they shall escape scotfrée but as they are mightie so are their mightier then they Thus according to that small skill that it hath pleased God to graunt me I haue brieflly discoursed of those principall matters comprehended in the image of God in man being created in righteousnesse and holinesse hauing Fréewill at the first and furthermore crowned with immortalitie and fréedome from death and lastly the priuiledge soueraigntie and gouernment ouer all Gods creatures then being graunted vnto him of God And this is that happie estate wherein man was created and whiche for a time he did enioy but he did not long continus therein Who through his owne fault and disobedience fell away from so great giftes and graces and blessings God graunt that both our hearts and mindes may be so framed from day to day to the image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse and all good and vertuous quallities that God may bee glorified in vs and by vs and that our Frée will workes which are nothing else but inclinations to sinne may from time to time be redressed vntil that sinne and the corruption thereof which lieth hid in our hearts may at the last be rooted out that so we may be partakers of that immortalitie and fréedom from death which by reason of sin we haue lost and are now for the same cause hindered from Finally that we may obtaine that priuiledge rule and gouernment not ouer beastes which is but for a time but ouer our beastly affections and sinfull desires which are rise in vs and now preuaile and haue the vpper hand that they may be cut off for euer and that we may neuer displease God And that at length we may come to that place where we may continue alwaies in giuing thankes vnto him and setting foorth his praises where we may enioy the presence of God with the full fruition of all happinesse and where we shall sée and behold him as he is face to face To God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost c. Deo gratia solique gloria Of Iustification The knowledge of our miserie A comfort in our downfall The ftaie the happie estate and the life of a regenerate man taken out of the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Romanes THe righteousnesse of man is as a defiled polluted and menstruous cloth whereby we become hatefull vnto Our mindes are corrupt by Idolatry God For when we should glorifie God in his creatures perceiuing in them his eternall goodnesse wisedome and power yet we turne the truth of God into a lie worshipping the creature in steade of the Creator which is blessed for euer Then also are we vnrighteous and most wicked in our liues For there is none of vs that Our liues shamefull by our wicked behauiour vnderstandeth and séeketh after God yea willingly from whence floweth all wickednesse wee forget God none that dooth good contemning God and admiring our selues béeing puft vp with vaine cogitations farre from the obedience of God Our féete are swift to shead blood and our throate is an open sepulchre we are deceitfull and our tongues are filled therewith wee are giuen to all crueltie and oppression destruction and calamitie are in our waies and the way of peace haue we not knowne the feare of God is not before our eyes Yea wée doo not only commit those thinges our selues which we knowe are woorthie death and are condemned by the lawe of GOD but also fauoure them that doo them And this is the state of man being left vnto himselfe in which estate euen the regenerate should be inwrapped if god All subiect to condemnation and so vnder the mercy of God did not correct ther wickednes So that by nature being without Christ we are shut from the kingdome of God as obstinate stubburne and rebellious persons a people that cannot repent but goe on still in our wickednesse and are aliaunts and straungers from the common-weale of Israel and depriued of the blessings of God and are all as condemned personnes vnlesse it please God to drawe vs vnto him and for our stonie heart to giue vs a fleshly heart that may resolue it self into teares and vnlesse it please God to forgiue vs our sinnes and to renue our corrupt hearts Most true therefore is that generall proposition of S. Paule For there is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of god euen of eternall life and happinesse whereat all of vs doe aime Now séeing the heart of man is deceitfull and who can knowe it Séeing there lurketh many starting holes therein and that the braunches are indued with the selfe-same sappe that commeth Although we be not iust by nature yet we would seeme to be iust by condemning other from the roote I meane séeing we are readie to excuse our selues in our owne wickednesse by accusing of others as did our forefather and our first roote Adam and that the nature of man is to cleare himselfe and to hide his sinnes from god being giuen to all hipocrisie and that he is ready to iustifie himselfe by condemning other albeit he commit not hainous sinnes such as are mentioned Those that might otherwise thinke themselues iust being compared to the lawe are wicked in the latter end of the first chapter nor giue consent vnto them yea although he shewe himselfe a professed enemie to those vices yet because he is not altogither frée from them or at leastwise tainted with some of them if he consider his estate he cannot shewe any defence for himselfe So that by his fained and hipocriticall kind of righteousnesse first he is in excusable secondlie he incurreth the iudgement of God which is according to truth against them which commit such things thirdly he despiseth the riches of his bountfulnesse patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth him to repentaunce The effect of which his hipocrisie is this that after his hardnesse and heart that cannot repent hée heapeth vp as a treasure vnto
himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of GOD. An other sort there is that willingly plucke their neckes out of the choller and would be spectators and beholders of other mens misery by reason of sinne and transgression There is no man iust by excuse thinking themselues without spot and blamelesse standing vppon this guarde that they neuer knew the law of Moses the seruaunt of GOD whereby they might direct their liues according to the will of GOD. Nothing regarding the firmament the heauens and all other creatures whereby they are incited to acknowledge the eternall power and wisedome of God and to glorifie him in them and to giue him thankes for so great benefites which he hath ordeined for the vse of man But more blockish are they which boast and vaunt of the The righteousnesse of man standeth not in the knowledge of the lawe knowledge of the lawe of God as did the Iewes who put all their safetie in this that Abraham was their father that the oracles of God were committed to them that the couenaunt was propper vnto them that the temple of God was amongst them that they were the people of God and the beloued of the Lord and yet for all this labour not to liue in the obedience of the lawe For the Lorde chose them as a peculiar people that they might serue him in all holinesse and righteousnesse which thing they altogither neglected thinking that God had chosen them for their worthinesse Wherefore the foolish All excuse takeÌ„ away from them heart of man which is full of darkenesse cannot deuice any way how to be righteous but his deuices and his righteousnesse is foolishnesse before God and altogither condemned of the spirituall man For if hec thinke to bee iust by condemning other breaking out into these words with the Pharisée O God I thanke thée that I am not as other men extorcioners vniust adulterers or euen as this publican he Hipocrite pronounceth the sentence of iudgement against himself in that comparing his life to the law he is most culpable and faultie But rather let vs vnderstand and learne what the meaning of this is Euerie man that exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted If he would start aside because he knoweth not Gentile the lawe and so imagine himselfe to be frée his conscience is a thousand witnesses and the light of nature and reason commaunding and highlie commending those things which are good hating forbidding and punishing those things which are wicked and euil sheweth him how to liue in the seruice and feare of God For in that by nature saith the Apostle of all they doe the things contained in the lawe they hauing not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselues and they that haue sinned without the lawe shall perish without the lawe The effect of which knowledge of God by the light of nature and reason being written in their hearts and consciences shall ridde them from all excuse and be most effectuall yea horrible in that dreadfull day of doome when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Chist the bookes that is their consciences being then laid open Lastly if only the knowledge of the lawe Iewe. could preuaile that therby we might be iustified and counted righteous we had wherein we might reioyce But séeing not the hearers but the doers of the law are iustified before God and that God requireth a circumcised hart and is uot satisfied with vaine shewes and ceremonies it followeth that they are not iust which onlie know the lawe and yâ—the circumcision of the hart I mean the inward righteousnes consisteth in the spirit not in the letter Wherefore they that sinne in the law that is hauing knowledge of the lawe shal be iudged by the lawe This then is the full summe of the matter that both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne that is are iustly condemned for sinnes and are subiect to the curse which is due vnto sinne For as with righteousnesse there is absolution so with sinne there is condemnation So that it is not in man to ridde himselfe from the curse of the lawe by any deuised righteousnesse Hitherto the drift of the Apostle hath beene to shewe howe that mans righteousnesse is farre from the obedience of the lawe and that righteousnesse which God requireth at our handes And endeuouring to giue a more cleare light to the righteousnesse of God hée plucketh away the visor of their faigned righteousnesse and discouereth their faces yea he setteth before vs and launceth out the venome and corruption of our heart comparing our righteousnesse or rather our excessiue wickednesse with the rule of the lawe which by a fit exaggeration he sheweth vs as plaine as if blacke and white were laid togither darkenesse and light were weighed in a ballaunce Such is therefore the righteousnesse of man that The righteousnesse of man compared to the lawe howe faultie it is wée thinke our selues iust without the knowledge of the lawe without the effectuall working thereof and before we examine our selues our liues and sinnes thereby Sinne is not imputed while there is no lawe and no man is punished as guiltie and faultie For where no lawe is there is no transgression and contrariwise by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne And sinne that it might appeare sinne worketh death in vs by that which is good that sinne might be out of measure sinfull by the commandement Moreouer the lawe entered thereupon By the lawe is the knowledge of sin that sinne might abounde both that which is originall and that which daily carrieth the sway in our actions The vse of this manifestation is referred to The vse of the lawe is two sold two pointes The first is that men might be so much the more guiltie Secondly the benefit of god in Christ Iesus should bee so much the more glorious The second VVhat the lawe is in it self and what to vs. The lawe is spirituall generall poynt in this comparison is what the lawe is in it selfe and also hauing respect vnto vs. In it selfe it is holy and the commaundement holy iust and good it is spirituall and requireth of vs an beauenly purenesse yea the heart and inwarde affection because God iudgeth the secret motions of the same and a chéerfulnesse and a willingnesse in the outwarde déede So that nothing is more contrary to the lawe then hypocrisie lying and deceit Nowe then as the lawe is spirituall so wée VVe are carnall are carnall solde vnder sinne and being in the flesh the affections of sinne which are by the lawe haue force in our members to bring foorth frute vnto death Yea the whole naturall man is bondslaue to the lawe of the fleshe and of sinne whiche possesseth the vnregenerate and wholly raigneth in them For they neither will nor doo good so that although the lawe of nature and
and those that confesse their sinnes as for the proude and them that vaunt and boast and make so great account of their good workes God beholdeth them a farre off A lowly an humble and contrite spirit is the onely sacrifice that god accepteth The grace of god worketh lowlinesse and humblenesse in our hearts it frameth vs to confesse our sinnes and by all meanes to endeuour to amend and neuer boast our selues of our good workes or to trust to be saued by them but rather by the mercy of god Although questionlesse they that do not practise good workes and as much as in them lieth labour to lead a holy and godly life shall neuer enter into the kingdome of god nor into the rest of blessed soules And therefore it followeth very well in my text The grace of God teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Which are nothing else but the workes of the flesh which cannot agrée or at lestwise ought not to be séene in them that are sanctified by the grace of God These worldly lusts and workes of the flesh are such that no man can be ignorant of and they are too too manifest Which are as the Apostle reckneth them vp adultery fornicatiō vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witcheraft hatred debate emulatiōs wrath cōtention seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and such like Whereof saith he I tolde you before as I also haue told you before that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god For the performance of our inordinate affections and euil concupiscences the wrath of god commeth If we be led by the works of the flesh we shall die the death Well are they called in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4. 22. Deceiueable lusts because they deceiue vs in the end In the beginning is ioy and pleasure but in the end is destruction According as we reade Prou. 14. 12. There is a way which séemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the waies of death Let euery one of vs thinke that the grace of god dooth thus perswade vs that forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh wee should arme our selues with the same minde as to mortifie the déeds of the flesh and to cease from sinne That hencefoorth wee should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of god For it is sufficient and more then should haue béene that wee haue spent the time past as the wicked doo in this world Wherein it will séeme straunge to them that we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot And therefore they wil not spare to speake euill of vs to defame vs and to cast out many slaunders against vs. Wherein let vs be patient and referre the matter to God they shall answere for their ill deeds and giue accounts to him that is readie to iudge them All the punishments of this life death and death again in another world the seuere iudgement of God who is it that hath any sparke of grace that will not relent and haue remorce that will not now learne to deny their worldly lusts knowing that it shall cost them deare Who in this life would leape into the sea knowing he shall be drowned Who is it that would throw himselfe into the fire knowing that he shall be consumed All worldly lusts are vnderstood by the vncleannesse of the flesh because principally and aboue the rest we are giuen thereunto And therefore 1. Thess 4. 3. This is the will of God euen our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication That cuerie one of vs should know how to possesse his vessell that is his bodie in holinesse honour and not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles and Heathen and wicked persons which know not God 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that we are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs If any of vs destroy the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy which we are For our soules our hearts and consciences are the place wherein God should dwell They that follow their worldly lusts and delight in the workes of the flesh and are led by them it is a token that they are past grace and that God hath deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. So when we do refraine and frame our selues another way it is a token that gods grace doth worke with vs. And that we may say as the Apostle that no fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers buggerers théeues railers extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God And such were some of vs yea such by nature are we all and who can say that either he is not or at leastwise was not in the number So that if it be otherwise we are washed we are sanctied and made clean in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our gracious God who sendeth his grace into our hearts For such is the vertue of that spiritual fellowship which we haue with Christ that as the soule naturally ioyned to the bodie bringeth forth her effects so Christ dwelling in vs by faith and by the holy Ghost after a spirituall maner and by a spirituall vertue doth shew his power in vs to inable vs to resist sinne and to bridle the corrupt desires of the flesh Christ by his death hath abated the power of sinne that it can no longer be rancke in vs to do what we wil but dooth by little and little die vntill it be wasted and worne away For as when y◠hart of a man hath receiued a deadly wound he is accounted for dead although he liue a while because he cannot escape death so sinne in the death of Christ hath receiued a deadly wound And by reason of that neare coniunction which by faith we haue with Christ we are said to be dead with him vnto sinne I beseech you therfore brethren saith the Apostle Rom. 12 by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God As indéed it cannot be that where the grace of God doth worke effectually but that we should deny our worldly lusts or at leastwise by little and little cause them to die in vs. They who by a true faith laie holde of Christ and his merits and do apply vnto themselues the death of Christ with all his benefits are also desirous to offer themselues acceptable vnto god For they that by the grace of god are made righteous by the same grace are also made holy séeing that Christ is made vnto vs both righteousnesse and sanctification as we read 1. Cor. 1. 30. Holinesse is a necessary consequent of the grace of god whereby they that are truly touched in all thankfull sort shewe themselues to god and doo approue themselues vnto him in all vprightnesse and innocencie of life Our minds our