being borne in a forraine land are willing to forsake it to come and dwell where the word of God is truly and plentifully preached being peacable to the state and proselytes to the same religion and serue the same God with us doubtlesse God will be avenged of such as hurt or oppresse them for he will not have such vexed wrenged This was forbidden to the Iewes Exod. 22. Exod. 22.21 Levit. 19.33 Thou shalt neither vexe a siranger oppresse him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Levit. 19. If a stranger sojourn among you ye shal not vexe him he shal be as one borne among you thou shalt love him as thy selfe for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt so Deut. 24. Deut. 24.18 Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence therefore command thee to doe this thing This was often remembred and repeated to the Iewes But what may some say doth this belong to us who were never in Egypt Ioh. 8.33 much lesse strangers in Egypt or any other land as the Iewes said We were never in bondage to any man I answere though we were not yet we know not whether we shall be neither how soone we may be Pro. 27.1 Math. 7.12 we know not what hangeth over our heads neither what a day may bring forth Besides the common rule leadeth us to this homanity Whatsoever ye would that other men should doe unto you doe ye even so to them for this is the law and the Prophets Our forefathers have for the truths sake beene driven from house and home and beene constrained to forsake wife and children lands and goods and have received comfort and releefe in a strange land where God inclined the hearts of the magistrates to favour them is it not then reason that we now should doe the like and shew mercy But how many wicked and envious men are there among us which murmure and grudge that such should come over and dwell among us who have left their countrie for their conscience sake and the Gospels They pretend and plead that they grow rich and wealthy they see it and grudge and grieve at the fight of it For answere unto these 1 Sam. 2.8 observe these few points First who made them so 1. Tim. 4.8 Is it not God he maketh poore and maketh rich he bringeth low and lifteth up and doe we envy them and repine at them Or shall our eye be evill toward them because his is good Secondly it is Gods blessing upon them no doubt for the faiths sake because they have preferred the Gospel of God before their owne goods And indeed godlinesse is profitable to all things and hath the promise of the things of this life and of that which is to come To this purpose our Saviour teacheth Every one that hath forsaken houses Math. 19.29 Luc. 18.29.30 or bretheren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake and for the kingdome of Gods sake shall receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come life everlasting Thirdly Is it not better they should be rich then poore better I say not for them onely but even for others If they were poore they must be releeved for we are debters to Iew and Gentile even to the Turkes and infidels so farre as we doe not helpe them against Christ and Christianity If they be rich they will not be chargable to any of us but will rather be helpfull unto others Fourthly What is the cause they grow so rich because they are painfull and industrious And wherefore are many poore and in need among us but because they are idle and will not labour nor use the meanes that these do Lastly I am perswaded that God blesseth us and the land the better for giving entertainment to the distressed members of the Churches scattered abroad We have done some good to them but much more to our selves as the Shunamite that entertained the Prophet of God did him and his servant good but she did more to her selfe and her owne house Thus we see what sundry branches there are of cruelty all which as we should alwayes consider so most especially in these dayes of our publike humiliation when we make solemne profession of our unfained repentance Secondly judge by this note and property of the religion of the Church of Rome Such as have not understanding to judge of the doctrine let them open their eyes and behold their practises for by these fruits ye shal know them Whom have they in their fury spared What age what sexe what person Surely neither high nor low infant nor suckling no not such as never saw the light neither living nor dead neither distressed nor distracted sheading the blood of the Saints as water spilt upon the ground and making themselves drunke with the blood of poore Christians a thousand times better and more righteous then themselves Never did the Turkesand savages shew themselves so beastly and barbarous as these counterfeit or bastard-Christian-Papists who boast they serve Christ but serve Antichrist They can suffer the Iewes that daily blaspheme Christ Iesus our blessed Saviour to dwell among them but they will not suffer those to buy or sell or abide among them that professe Christ as wel as themselves nay better and looke for salvation and eternall life wholly through his merits and not their owne The soules that lye under the Altar cry unto God without ceasing day and night for vengeance against such blood-suckers saying Revel 6.10 How long Lord holy and true doest thou not judge avenge our blood on them that dwel on the earth Their king-killing doctrine is of the same stampe that Princes have forfeited their crowne and Scepters their subjects discharged of the duty of alleageance whensoever the Pope pleaseth to pronounce them heretickes and to thunder against them his Excommunications The Gun-powder treason shall remaine for ever as a monument of this unmatchable cruelty It is and hath beene ever otherwise with the true Church of God there shal no such murtherings and massacres be found and commited in all the mountaine of Lord Esay 11.9 but the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe they shall not hurt nor destroy in all mine holy mountaine saith the Lord. Lastly let us earnestly and often desire of God to preserve us from such unreasonable and wicked men Object nay wild beastes in the outward shape of men 2 Thess 3. It wil be objected touching those of the Romish religion though they be enemies to the Gospel and to our profession yet we see no such matter in them they live as peaceable men and the quiet of the land they meddle not with others or against others Answ But what is the reason or where is the cause doubtlesse not in the persons but in the times Charge the times and the persons will
therewith rest contented Secondly having store of this worlds good if wee doe not set our hearts upon them then we will be content to leave them whensoever God the supreme and soveraigne Owner calleth againe for them and not excessively mourne for them when they leave us And as we will not refuse and reject them when we have them seeing they are the gifts of God so when they betake them to their wings and flee away we will looke after them with a quiet minde as it was with Iob who because hee rejoyced not when his substance was great Iob 31.25 1 21. and when his hand had gotten much therefore he did not much grieve when his wealth was taken away but in his greatest losse praiseth the Lord. So also it was with Paul who because he used this world as not abusing it and esteemed the best things thereof no better then dung in comparison of Christ and his benefits 1 Cor. 7.31 Phil. 3.7 8. 4.11 12 13. it was no great paine to him to take forth a farther lesson in what state soever he was therewithall to be content he could be abased and abound every where in all things he was instructed both to be full and to be hungry to abound and to have want yea hee could say I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Thirdly if worldly riches be wanting we will not seeke them by evil meanes nor glory in them when we have them to make us high minded or to put our trust and confidence in them Lastly it will make us keepe a vigilant eye over them that through our abuse they doc not degenerate from their owne nature and become Satans baits to allure us nor his snares to intangle us nor his thornes to choke us that the seed of the Word cannot prosper neither the graces of God grow in us Hence it is that I goe about to perswade to lay hold on Gods speciall providence watching over his children to succour and relieve them out of hopelesse and remedilesse troubles when they appeare destitute of all succour and in a manner in a desperate estate without all meanes left unto them When the Sonnes of Iacob stood gazing one upon another that is Gen. 42.1 they fared as men amazed and at their wits end that they know not what to doe for themselves their wives and their children then the Lord by his good hand opened a way for their reliefe that there was plenty of Corne in Egypt when there was none in the Land of Canaan verifying his gracious promise Gen. 8.22 So when the poore widdow in time of a great famine was brought to that extremity 1. King 17.12 13. that shee had but an handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruse and was now going purposely to gather a few stickes to dresse it for her selfe and her sonne that they might eate and die when she was in this great perplexity necessity and extremity the Lord that never leaveth his by his good providence directed the Prophet Elijah who immediately before had himselfe beene fed by Ravens that brought him bread and flesh in the morning verse 6. and bread and flesh in the evening to tell her good newes that the barrell of meale should not waste verse 14. neither the cruse of oyle faile until the Day that the Lord sendeth raine upon the earth Thus it was with the widdow of one of the sonnes of the Prophets she was left so farre in debt that her children were to be sold to satisfie the griping and greedinesse of the mercilesse Creditor and she had nothing to discharge it 2 Kings 4.2 but a little pitcher of oyle yet she was provided for by wonderfull meanes all which examples as a cloud of witnesses doe verifie the saying of the Psalmist Psa 33.18 19. and 37.25 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their soule from death and to keepe them alive in famine and Psal 37. I have beene young and now am old yet have I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread But if there were no other reasons or considerations then such as are handled in this Scripture to be as a preservative or counterpoison against diffidence and distrust touching earthly things which doe more disquiet disturbe not onely the naturall man but even the Regenerate themselves oftentimes then any thing in the world besides herein we may finde matter sufficient to take from us the carnall feare of future wants first because we are his Flocke and he is our Shepheard Will the good Shepheard starve his Sheepe and not make them lye downe in greene pastures This confidence in God doth the Prophet shew and concludeth from this ground the point in hand The Lord is my Shepheard Psal 23.1 therefore I shall not want how then can they assure themselves to be in the number of the Sheep of Christ that doe not rely upon the care of this great Shepheard As then the Prophet saith in another case Esay 40.11 Ezek. 34.2 Should not the Shepheards feed the Flocke So we may be assured that the Shepheard of Israel that leadeth Ioseph like a Flocke will never be wanting to his sheepe that call and cry unto him Secondly because the Title given to God assureth us hereof he is called a Father Psal 80.1 2. Will the father give over the care of his children and forsake or forget the fruite of his owne body nay doth not the Prophet say Esay 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee whom I have graven upon the palmes of my hands And Christ our Saviour speaketh to the same purpose What man is there of you Matth. 7.9.10.11 whom if his sonne aske bread will he give him a stone or if he aske a fish will he give him a Serpent If ye then being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that aske him Lastly because we have the promise of a Kingdome and of the glory of heaven which is unspeakeable incomprehensible and everlasting He that hath promised us a Kingdome will he with-hold from us food and raiment nay Rom. 8.32 as the Apostle teacheth us to reason He that spared not his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things So should we cōclude that seeing he hath called us to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 He will never leave us nor forsake us in this life but if we first seeke the Kingdome of God Matth 33. all other things shall be added unto us He
naturall Fathers and Mothers sustaine their Children and supply all their wants can Parents see them perish or miscarry and never bee moved at it Our Saviour telleth us What man is there if his sonne aske him bread Matth. 7 9 10 11. will he give him a stone or if he aske a fish will hee give him a serpent If ye then being evill know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that aske him And the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet Esay 49.15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking Childe that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Esay 49.15 The love of God therefore toward his is greater then the love of men is or can be to their Children he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye and shall not escape his hand his revenging hand Secondly God will worke above and beyond all ordinary meanes rather then such as are his shall perish and after the course of nature to doe them good and to preserve them from evill who hath all creatures in his owne hand A memorable example hereof we have in the Israelites while they were in the wildernesse hee fed them with Manna for the space of 40. Exod 16.15 Numb 20.8 yeeres and opened the hard Rocke to give them water whereof they and their Cattell dranke Exod. 16. Numb 20. Consider this further in the example of Eliah 1 King 19. when he was constrained to flye for his life from the persecution of Jezabel and desired to dye the Angell of the Lord came unto him and said 1 King 19. â— 17.6 Arise and eat and he went in the strength of that meat 40. dayes and 40. hights unto Horeb the mountaine of God The like we read before that is The Word of the Lord came unto him Hide thy selfe in the brooke Charith and thou shalt drinke of the brooke and I have commanded the Ravens to feed thee So hee did according to the Word of the Lord for he dwelt by the brooke and the Ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening and he dranke of the brooke But be hold how the Lord tryed him for hee had not tarryed there long but the brooke dryed up because no raine fell in the Land What then did the Prophet of the Lord did he murmure against God No hee waited with patience his leisure and he sent him other meanes for his maintenance he directed him to the widdow of Sarepta where he was fed in that famine She had indeed but an handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruse and he saith unto her Verse 14 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel The barrell of meale shall not waste neither shall the cruse of oyle faile untill the day that the Lord sendeth raine upon the earth Thus he commandeth to lay aside feare and to submit her selfe to the will and pleasure of Almighty God Thus also the Lord dealt with her that had beene the wife of one of the children of the Prophets after his decease 2 King 2 King 4.1 43 44. Ioh. 6.5 6 10 11. 4. he dying indebted the mercilesse Creditor came to take unto him her two sonnes to be his bondmen but the mercy of God was such in her extremity that having in her house a pot of oyle onely it was so increased and multiplied that she received more then shee desired through his abundant blessing that giveth more then is asked so that she not onely paied the debt but her selfe and children lived of the residue Thirdly God will sanctifie a little and that of the worst and coursest sort to serve and suffice those that are his that albeit they have but short Commons and a poore Pittance yet a little that the righteous hath shall be better unto them then all the store and abundance of the ungodly This Moses teacheth Deut. 8. Man liveth not by bread onely but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live Wee have a lively example hereof in Daniel and his fellowes that did eate nothing but pulse a graine that beareth his fruit in poddes yet were they fairer and fresher fuller and fatter at the end of ten dayes Dan. 1.15 then all the children which did eate the portion of the Kings meate Dan. 1.15 This also we may see by experience in rich mens and poore mens children and in themselves also as well as in their children For whereas the poorer sort have scarce one good meales meat in a moneth but keep a perpetuall Lent not eating a bit of flesh in their owne houses once in a yeere and feed hardly and homely with browne bread and yet have not enough of that neither Eccles 5.12 yet is their labour pleasant and their sleepe sweet whereas the richer sort that fare deliciously every day are many times oppressed with raw humours and are neither so strong and healthy as the other Fourthly nothing shall bee able to hurt Gods servants For as all things tend to the hurt of the wicked and nothing shall doe them good so contrariwise nothing can hinder the salvation of the Church Rom. 8.28 Rom. 8. But all things shall fall out for the best to them that love him For what shall separate us from the love of God shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perils no doubtlesse forasmuch as we are more then conquerours through him that loved us Psal 90.5 6 7. So likewise Psal 90. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terrour by night nor for the arrow that flyeth by day neither for the pestilence that walketh in darknesse nor for the destruction that wasteth at noone day a thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shal not come nigh thee there shall no evill befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling Obiect But it may bee objected Doe not these befall the righteous as well as the unrighteous nay doe not the godly often fall by them while the ungodly escape out of them or never enter into them Answ I answer Divers wayes First albeit all these may befall and doe befall the Faithfull yet doe they not come upon them as evils They may dye of the plague but to them the plague is no plague True it is of themselves or in the nature of them they are evill and the punishments of evill but to Gods children they are onely chastisements and correction of a good and gentle Father and that for their further good to prevent sinnes to come Contrariwise to the wicked they are the heavy strokes of a just Iudge or of a revenging enemy Secondly God pulleth out the sting of them that they cannot hurt them True it is
exceeding loud and sounding long so that all the people trembled But the fire and the feare shall bee much greater at the last day when the Lord Iesus shall appeare in great glory when the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.10 the earth also and all the workes therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 Fiftly they shall have shame and perpetuall contempt powred upon them so that they shall be shamed for ever before many witnesses before men and Angels even before all the world Dan. 12.2 Forasmuch as there is nothing secret that shall not be evident and come to light This the Lord teacheth by the Prophet These things hast thou done Psal 50.21 and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Lastly they shall have the Sentence of death and damnation pronounced against them the misery whereof standeth in three points First in feeling paines intolerable unspeakable and unsupportable not to be uttered by the tongue of man We see how terrible and tedious many diseases are and what torments they bring to the body in this life but what are they to the torments of hell For as all the comforts and pleasutes of this life are nothing in comparison of the joyes of heaven 1 Cor. 2.9 the eye hath not seene them the care hath not heard them the heart cannot comprehend them So I may say of the punishments of damned soules Neither hath the eye of man seene them neither the eare of man heard them neither can the heart fully conceive of them as they are indeed Onely the Scripture expresseth them by things most bitter and violent that we might in some sort attaine to the knowledge of them and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 2. Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soule of every man that doth evill Secondly in a separation from God from Christ from the Angels from all the righteous from all comfort and from eternall glory A paine and punishment no lesse then the former to see the Saints whom they thorowout their whole life have mocked and misused and judged to be fooles and mad men now honoured and advanced to the Kingdome of God and themselves in greatest disgrace for ever The sight doubtlesse of the felicity of others shall aggravate and encrease their owne misery Thirdly in the fellowship that the Reprobate shall have with the Devill and his angels They that now will seeme to shake and tremble at the very naked naming of the Devill and cannot abide to heare of him they that are ready to defie and denie and detest him in words yea to blesse themselves when any mention is made of him alas alas now they must be constrained to abide this as a part of their cursed condition to have the continuall fellowship of the Devill and the rest of the damned crue and of none other but of them David complaineth of it as of a great misery and a woe much to be bewailed and lamented that he did soiourne in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar but woe woe woe againe and againe to those that must not sojourne for a season but dwell for ever and ever not in Mesech or Kedar but in the house of darkenesse with the Devill the Prince of darkenesse where they shall be cast into utter darkenesse Mitth 8.12 there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Lastly acknowledge the wonderfull mercy of God toward his Children who hath loved them with a speciall and unspeakable love True it is the Reprobate have many blessings in this life because they live among the godly and for their sakes because God would leave them without excuse and stoppe their mouthes for ever because he would teach his owne servants not to place any happinesse in them but to looke for greater blessings in the other life howbeit they have not such among them all Gen. 25.5 6. as doe accompany salvation For as Abraham gave sundry blessings to the sonnes of the Concubines but he made Isaak the sonne of the free woman to be his heire so God bestoweth common gifts Matth. 5.45 and many temporall blessings upon the Reprobates hee maketh his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine upon the just and unjust howbeit he maketh them not his heires for as much as spirituall and eternall graces are communicated to none but to the Elect which shall be inheriters of Salvation and for them he hath prepared the Kingdome Why may wee not therefore cry out with the Prophet Psal 144.3 8.5 3 4.8 9. Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the sonne of man that thou makest account of him who is like to vanity and his daies are as a shadow that passeth away Psal 144. And else-where O taste and see for the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O feare the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that feare him If God must have praise for the least of his blessings how much more for this that is the greatest of all wherein the Lord hath enlarged his love towards us and without which our faith had beene in vaine yea Christ Iesus had dyed risen againe and ascended in vaine and all the worke of our Redemption were frustrate so that without consideration of the Kingdome of heaven of which we come now to consider in the last place blessings were no blessings and graces were no graces at all The Kingdome This is the last but not the least branch of the promise which containeth the highest staire and top of our felicity and happines The ungodly thinke faithfull men unworthy to breathe or whom the earth should beare but behold God even the Father vouchsafeth of his grace and good pleasure to account them worthy of heaven The ungodly deeme them not to be worthy to live in the world but the Lord esteemeth not the world worthy of them Heb. 11.38 and therefore he will translate them out of the world that they may enjoy his presence Now as before we heard of the object of the promise the Flocke of Christ so now we come to consider of the subject or principall matter of the promise the Kingdome of heaven And in this word we have the substance of the reason used by Christ our Saviour to keepe us from feare of falling away from him for feare of future wants and therefore we have deferred to consider of the strength thereof to this place The reason may be thus framed and put into forme that we may see the force of it If God will bestow upon us the Kingdome then feare not the lacke of earthly things But God will bestow upon us the Kingdome Therefore Feare not the lacke of earthly things Or more plainely after this manner Whosoever have a Kingdom promised unto them need
Aquinat jeiunium jeiunij and therefore it is not unfitly called a fast of a fast Howbeit even in this God in judgement remembreth mercy We have heard many complaine and cry out in their necessities What shall we eate or what shall we drinke Math. 6.31 and wherewithall shall we be clothed Neverthelesse we have rather heard what famine is then felt it in truth we know not what this judgement meaneth neither have tryed what the sharpe weapon of necessity bringeth with it The Lord hath rather threatned than executed it and touched us with his little finger than laid his whole hand upon us and smitten us with the backe of the sword rather than turned the edge toward us For what I pray you have we ever suffered in comparison of the judgements of God upon his owne people Israel as in the daies of Ahab when it rained not on the earth by the spaâ—e of three yeeres and sixe monethes 1 King 17.1 Iam. 5.17 and in the siege of Samaria when an Asses head was sold for fourescore pieces of siluer and the fourth part of a Kab of Doves doung for five pieces of siluer 2 King 6.25 nay more than all this when the fruit of the field failed Levit. 26.29 Deut. 28.53 c. they did eate the fruit of their own bodies even the flesh of their sons of their daughters in the straightnesse wherwith their enimies did distresse them yea oftentimes fell out in the shifting and dividing of that lothsome meat as Ieremy noteth in the Lament Lam. 4.10 2 King 6.28.29 Ioseph debello Iudeor The hands of the pitifull women have sodden their owne children they were their meate in the destruction of the daughter of my people O how gracious and mercifull hath God beene to us that we know none of all these things Nay we have beene so farre from having a wofull and wretched experience of these things that moe among us have destroyed themselues through surfetting and drunkennesse wantonnesse than have dyed through want moe have perished by riot excesse and superfluity than through penury and necessity This commeth to passe through the abuse of our long peace and the contempt of the Gospell The Gospell bringeth peace peace bringeth plenty plenty breadeth prodigality prodigality bringeth penury and therfore Moses chargeth the Israelites when they should enter into goodly cities which they builded not Deut. 6.10.11.12 houses full of all good things which they filled not welles digged which they digged not vineyards and Olive trees which they planted not then they must beware least they forget the Lord their God For if ever we forget God it is when we are full that is when we have greatest cause to remember him Besides the former kindes there is likewise a fast from sinne this is a spiritual abstinence a sacrifice which especially pleaseth God consisting in the holinesse of our lives which we must keepe all the dayes of our lives Of this the Prophet speaketh Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavy burdens Esay 58.6 7. Zach. 7.5.6 c. to let the oppressed goe free to deale thy breed to the hungry and that thou hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh This fast we must all keepe and that at all times There is also a miraculous fast above nature Of this we have three examples in holy Scripture one of Moses at the publication of the Law one of Elias at the restitution of the Law another of Christ Iesus our Saviour at his inauguration and entrance into his office This the Church of Rome after an apish imitation hath taken up and that which he did once only in all his life as if they meant to go beyond him they make annuall or yearely Hee abstained from all meates and drinkes they celebrate a counterfeit fasting which may better be called a feasting The last sort is a religious and Christian fast when we unfainedly humble our selues before the Lord and judge our selues that we may escape his judgement Of this we speake in this place and this we have before described This fasting hath two parts one outward The parts of fasting both outward and inward the other inward helped forward by the outward The outward is called a bodily exercise which is an abstinence for a time from the profits and pleasures of this life thereby to make us apter and fitter to the inward vertues These are either generall belonging to all as abstinence from food both meate and drinke so farre as humane infirmity suffereth provided if we cannot that we doe it sparingly privately without giving offence and without pretending a necessity where there is none Be not deceived God will not be mocked If he inable us to abstaine and we doe disable our selues if we make shew of fasting and doe nothing lesse he will find us out and we shall beare our condemnation whosoever we be For better it were not to fast at all then thus to dissemble and play the notable hypocrites with God and man I leave such therefore to the judgement of God and the checke of their owne conscience But as we say commonly necessity hath no law where God inableth not to beare out this hard exercise let them in the feare of God take some short refreshing For these outward exercises were instituted to make us fitter to better duties not to make us unfitter that the flesh should be tamed not killed Dometur caro sed non interimatur Hierony above ordinary custome but not beyond the nature of man But besides this abstinence from food it is as necessary that we abstaine from bravery in apparell Exod. 33.4 Ester 5.1 4.1 and from the workes and labours of our daily callings much more therefore from pleasures and pastimes and from excessive measure of sleeping 2 Sam. 12.16 Ioel. 1.13 that we may have no occasions or allurements to reioyce in the flesh and so to withdraw and withhold us from the solemne worship of God We have such among us as will seeme willing more forward then many of their fellowes and would account themselues wronged to be accounted contemners of holy things who notwithstanding when they should make preparation to so high and holy a worke are busie about their owne workes or which is all one about their masters and when they should use meditation after praying and preaching ended they runne every one after the lustes of his owne heart I can learne no otherwise out of the Law of God but these may as lawfully follow their labours upon the Sabbath as upon the day of fasting let these looke in what Schoole they have learned farther liberty Ezod 20.8 Ioel. 2.15 Levit. 16.29.30.31 For the same Lord that saith Sanctifie the Lords day saith also Sanctifie a fast he that chargeth not to doe any worke on the Sabbath chargeth likewise to do no worke at all on the day
Israel when they saw the wrath of God kindled against them the chosen men of Israel smitten down Iosh 7.8 the Canaanites to preuaile against them to cry out O Lord what shall I say when Israel turneth their backes before their enemies And when the people were smitten by the children of Benjamin with a greeuous slaughter they went up and came to the house of the Lord and wept and sate there before the Lord Iudg. 20.26 and fasted that day untill the even The third cause is Gods threatning to destroy for some generall or notorious sins reigning in the land crying unto God for vengance This moved these Ninevites to fast when Ionah the Prophet cryed out against them Chap. 1.2 because their wickednesse was come before the Lord. This is so urgent a cause that it prevailed with Ahab who by the instigation of wicked Iezabel sold himselfe to worke wickednesse for when he heard the fearful threatning denounced against him by the Prophet against his house he rent his garments put on sackcloth fasted 1 King 21.27 and humbled himselfe whereby he obtained a respit of the judgement a temporall reward for a temporal repentance The fourth cause is the calamity and misery of the neighbour Churches lying under the Crosse Psal 80.13 when the boare out of the wood doth waste them and the wild beast of the field devoure them to witnesse our communion of Saints and to shew a fellow feeling of their sighes and sorrowes that they also may doe the like for us This seemeth to be the cause of the assembly of the Congregation at Antioch they laboured mightily in praier fasting for the people of God dispersed among the Gentiles Act. 13.2.5 and specially for the poore Saints at Ierusalem persecuted through the cruelty of Herod Act. 12. The last cause why the Churches assembled in this manner was to crave a blessing from God when they did enterprize or execute any special work which highly cōcerned the church or cōmon wealth Act. 13.3 When the Church did lay their hands on Paul Barrabas they fasted and prayed cōmended them to the grace of God that he would prosper their ministery These were the reasons of such solemne assemblies And are not the same causes found among us Yes doubtlesse all of them presse us to the practise of this duty and call upon us for humiliation to move the Lord to shew mercy in these daies of trouble heavinesse Are not dāgers threatned on every side nay are they not already inflicted upon us Hath not the Lord a controversie against us for our common sinnes hath not iniquity the upper hand and is not godlinesse troden under foot And as for the miseries and desolations of the neighbouring Churches are they not in paine like a woman in travaile bring forth nothing but wind Psal 79.1.2.3.4 may we not say The heathen are come into thine inheritance thine holy Temple have they defiled and shed the blood of thy Saints like water that they are become a reproach to their enimies a scorne and derision to them that are round about them who say where is their God Lastly we enterprize great things how can we looke for a blessing if we crave it not with fasting and prayer doubtlesse this is the cause why we have no better successe in our endeavours because we trust in our multitudes munition pollicies and seeke not aright the God of heaven Let us come to the uses Vse 1 First it reproveth such as hold fasting to be meerly Iudaicall and ceremoniall a part of the rudiments of the Law which are shadowes of things to come and that it hath no use in the times of the Gospel And true it is this exercise had in it somewhat ceremonial and proper to the Iewes annexed unto it as one certaine and fixed day of the yeare Levit. 16. Levit. 16.29 Zach. 7.5 This shall be a statute for euer unto you in the seuenth moneth on the tenth day of the moxeth ye shall afflict your soules c. and it had sundry legal rites and facrifices annexed unto it But may we not say the like of the Sabbath is it to be holden wholly ceremoniall not to be obserued as moral because the day is changed and all the rites abolished together with the strict rest No doubtlesse there remaineth a Sabboth and holy day of rest for the people of God to the end of the world or else religion would soone perish out of the earth So we may say touching fasting true it is we find no setled time in the new Testament appointed and set apart to fast by the ordinance of Christ neverthelesse because the causes of fasting remaine which we noted before as great a necessity lyeth upon us as ever lay upon the Iewes when the like occasions shall be offered unto us that were offered unto them Now where the causes of the institution remaine there the things themselues must continue but the causes of the institution remaine therfore fasting it selfe must continue Be sides when our Saviour was blamed by the Pharisees Disciples the Disciples of Iohn because his disciples fasted not doth he exempt them vtterly from it discharge them from such practise as impertinent unto them No doubtlesse he only sheweth the unfitnesse of the present time Math. 9.15 but layeth a commandement upon them to do it afterward then shall they fast And they performed it accordingly Act. 13. Secondly it reproveth the Popish fasting to whom I may say as Paul sometime did to the men of Athens Act. 17.22 I perceive that in all things yee are too superstitious And indeed here is one mystery of iniquity The chiefe points of religion remaine in the Church of Rome howbeit in name onely not in nature in shew not in substance in appearance not in truth I may say therefore of them as Iohn doth to the Angel of the Church in Sardis I know thy workes Revel 3.1 that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead They have the name of Christ of justification of the Scripture of prayer of faith of the Sacraments of repentance but they have set up a mock-Christ they have overthrowne his humanity and destroyed all his Offices they beleeve justification but it is by their owne workes they receive faith but it is nothing but a beleeving the word to be true which also the Devils doe they admit repentance but it is nothing else but penance and corporall chasticement they acknowledge the Scriptures but they have patched their Apochryphal additions unto them and their owne Traditions as unwritten verities to be of equall authority with them they use prayer but it is in an unknowne tongue they have the Sacraments but one of them they have defiled the other they have destroyed and turned it into the idolatrous and blasphemous Masse And herein lyeth the depth of Satan For if he should utterly have
Thou shalt not lust how heinous must the sinnes of our nature and the transgressions of our life be wherein we have yeelded full consent to rise up and rebell against God And Iesus answering said vnto them Suppose ye c. It seemeth by this answer of Christ that these men justified themselves because they suffered not as the other did and condemned them as notable notorious wicked men which rash judgement as a false sentence and censure in them Christ condemneth Doct. This teacheth that outward judgements and calamities that befal the children of men Outward judgements doe not alwayes befall the worst neither free the best men doe not alwayes seize upon the most wicked and worst men neither do they free the most righteous from them It is the corrupt judgement of corrupt men to jmagine that such as are sharpely corrected and extraordinarily visited and chastened are the greatest sinners of all and on the other side such as escape and live in health in wealth in glory in favour in peace in honour and inprosperitie are highly in his favour A common errour of the world and no marveile For first being blinded with the disease of selfe love few looke upon themselves and enter into a search of their owne hearts and wayes or consider what they doe themselves deserve They turne their owne sinnes behind their backes where they are sure they cannot see them but other mens they hang before them to have them alwayes in their sight Secondly by escaping without punishment and having freedome from scourges they flatter themselves with a vaine perswasion and presumption that God approveth and is delighted with their workes whereas we should learne that God by such examples stirreth up all men every where to repentance This errour we see in Iobs friends who beholding the suddaine calamity into which he was fallen tooke occasion to condemne him of Hypocrisie impiety that because he suffered much they judged he had offended much and therefore suffered more then others and more then themselves Chap. 22. This we see in the Disciples of Christ Ioh. 9. Ioh. 9.2 When they saw the man that was blind from his birth they asked him Master who did sinne this man or his Parents that he was borne blinde They never consider the secret causes of Gods judgements but as if there could be no other cause but this one they enquire whether he or his Parents deserued by their sinnes that he should be so borne The like we see in the Barbarians of Melita Act. Act. 28.4 28. When they saw the viper upon Pauls hand they sayd amongst themselues Doubtlesse this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to live So in this place these men would have coÌ„cluded these Galileans to be desperate sinners who happly might be better then themselves because they were suddainly and savagely slaine with the sword but Christs answere teacheth that outward afflictions and chasticements doe not evermore seaze upon the worst and wickedest men neither are the better sort freed from them but they oftentimes lye open to them more then others as we see in Iob Chap. 1. and 2. and 1 Pet. 4. judgement beginneth at Gods house the wicked abound in all things Psal 17. Whiles David lay under persecutions Psal 73. The reasons Reas 1 first all outward things fall out alike to all as David saith â— Sam. 11.25 The sword devoureth one as well as an other So affliction meeteth with one as well as with another There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked as is the good so is the sinner and therfore no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them Eccl. 9.1 Secondly the wicked are oftentimes as it were stalled and fatted to the day of slaughter like fedde beasts appointed to be killed Iam. 5.5 Deut. 32.15 Iam. 5. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and beene wanton Yee have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter Thus he letteth them alone to worke out their owne destruction that they forsake God which made them and lightly esteeme the rocke of their salvation Thirdly he chastiseth his owne children that he may bring them nearer to himselfe and that they should not be condemned with the world as 2 Cor. 4. We alwayes beare about in the body 2 Cor. 4.10.11 1 Cor. 11.31.32 the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall body for we which live are alway dilivered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world if then we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11. Vse 1. Vse 1 Seing God layeth outward afflictions upon his owne children and letteth the wicked goe free we may gather and conclude from hence that no affliction whatsoever shall separate from him those that are his nor death nor famine nor nakednesse nor sword nor perill nor pestilence nor persecution can divide and divorse betweene God and us his love is so sure and steadfast like mount Sion which cannot be removed Psal 125.1 the Lord standeth like a buckler round about his people Rom. 8.28 that all shall worke for the best to them that love him This is a singular comfort that he will make not onely his blessings to turne to our good but he will sanctifie all our afflictions and adversities and make even them blessngs also and further our salvations yea oftentimes more then the other It is not so with the vngodly not only their crosses are curses but all their blessings are turned into judgements and nothing shall be able to doe them Indeed the faithfull must suffer they are called unto it 1 Pet. 2.21 The Crosse is the calling of a Christian and the badge of Christianity Christ hath left us an example that we should follow his steppes therefore though they suffer yet their sufferings cannot take them from God nor God from them The foundation of God remaineth sure and his giftes are without repentance They then are justly to be reprooved that conceive and judge hardly and harshly of them that have beene taken away by the plague and pestilence in this heavie visitation nay the dayes may hang over out heads and we may see them with our eyes when we may pronounce them happy that died of this contagious sicknesse and gaâ—â— up the Ghost in their beddes no doubt many of our deare brethren in other places that are pursued by the rage of cruell enemies daily in danger of the sword at their throates that are constrained to keepe garrisons in their townes and Cities yea billit mercilesse Souldiers in their houses as it were vipers in their owne bosoms desire with all their hearts that they were striken by
the immediate hand of God rather then endure these manifold miseries that are upon them and those that belong vnto them Secondly it leadeth us to thinke that our hope and comfort is not heere upon the earth Our happinesse and the time or place of our resting and refreshing is not heere We must not looke for an heaven in this life but make our selves ready to take up our crosse and follow our Master Our Saviour never promiseth his Disciples to live ever in prosperity and be free from all adversity O how many followers should he have if the profession of his name were coupled accompanied with honour and temporall glory as appeareth by the Shechemites that would be circumcised for gaine Ioh. 6.26 Gen. 34. and by those that sought him because they did eate of the loaves and had their bellies filled Ioh 6. but he forewarneth them in all places of grieuous troubles he sent them out as sheepe in the middes of Wolves he telleth them that they will deliver them up to the Councils and scourge them in their Synagogues and the Apostle was assured by the holy Ghost Act. 20.26 that bands and afflictions did abide him It shall not be thus in the life to come when the Lord shall wipe away all teares from our eyes 1 Cor. 15.19 therefore the Apostle saith If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable This is the description of such as are wicked men Psal 17.14 their portion is in this life Psal 17. they lay up for themselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt where theeves breake through and steale and where their treasure is there is their heart also Math. 6.19 Math. 6.19.21 they say let us eate and drinke for to morrow we dy 1 Cor. 15. The happinesse of a godly man is heereafter Phil. 1.23 to be dissolved and to be with Christ is best of all Phil. 1. When this earthly house of this his Tabernacle is dissolved he hath a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Phil. 3.20 2 Cor. 5. his Conversation is in heaven and from thence looketh for a saviour Phil. 3. Col. 3.1.2 he seeketh those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Col. 3. he setteth his affections on things above not on things on the earth Thirdly seing be oftentimes chastiseth his children while worldly men feele nothing at all it behoveth us to beare his chastisements cheerefully humbly and patiently and not faint under the crosse as men out of heart Heb. 12.6 veing he correcteth every son whom hereceiveth and loveth and with this we should comfort our selves and strengthen the feeble-minded support the weake and be patient toward all men This condemneth all murmuring and complaining under the Crosse which causeth the Lord oftentimes not to remove but rather to double his strokes upon us When Parents perceive their children grow stubborne and wayward froward and foolish under the rod doe they not rather encrease their punishment then let them alone Lam. 3.33.36 Thus doe we constraine the Lord to deale with us true it is he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feete and to subvert a man he approveth not but when we are impatient and fret against him this is not the way to stay his hand and to call backe his judgements but rather to provoke him against us to strike againe and againe Motives to patience and to double and treble his strokes upon us Now there are sundry motives to move us to this patience and to stay us from all impatience First God useth bodily afflictions to cure spirituall diseases Every paine preventeth the paines of hell by drawing us to Christ We may learne more by adversity then we can doe by prosperity Manasses learned more in Babylon then in Ierusalem and profited more in prison then in his palace 2 Chro. 33. In prosperity David said I shall never be remooved but in adversity he confessed Psal 30.6.119.71 it was good for him to have beene afflicted that he might learne the statutes of God whereas before he was afflicted he went astray but now he kept his word Secondly the sorrowes and anguish we endure alas what are they if they be compared to those dolours and paines which Christ our saviour suffered for us for he might say more truly then any other Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me Lam. 1.12 wherewith the Lord afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Thirdly our sorrowes are a thousand times lesser then our sinnes have deserved Let us enter into our owne hearts and consciences to try and find out this point and we shall easily discerne our sinnes and offences to exceed all our paines Fourthly nothing commeth upon us but that which the Lord hath sent and laid upon us affliction springeth not out of the dust though dust and ashes judge after that manner We looke too much to second causes to finde the cause of our visitations as also we trust too much in outward meanes and remedies to remove the same The Prophet saith Psal 39.9 I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it This consideration wrought patience in him And our Saviour teacheth us to lift up our eyes higher then the earth Math 10.29 and to rest in his providence Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father Fiftly God hath not given us ouer into the hands of our enemies to be chastened but he correcteth us with his owne mercifull hand When David had his wish to chuse his owne chasticement either warre famine or pestilence all sharpe weapons able to wound to death he chose rather to be corrected by the hand of God then by men or other meanes 2 Sam. 24.14 2 Sam. 24. Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man for the very mercies of the wicked are cruelty For if we stood at the discretion of mercilesse men as sundry our bretheren at this day in other places doe and heard the alarme of battel sounding in our eares when mourning is in our streets Amos 5.16 and we should heare crying in all our high wayes Alas alas and all places be filled with weeping and wailing when the blood of the Saints shall be powred out like water that cannot be gathered up againe when so many widowes and fatherlesse children are left to lament we would confesse it a great mercy to fall into the hands of God and not of men if we considered aright these things Sixtly all the afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory laid up for us in the life to
met with him in the end for he perished and no man lamented for him saying The fourth reproofe Ah my brother Fourthly such are convinced who breath nothing but threatnings as it were fire and flames out of their mouthes and thinke upon nothing but revenge against their enemies never considering the shortnesse of their owne lives and that vengeance may first meet them in the way and fall upon their owne heads Such never marke nor meditate with themselves Psal 7.16 9.15 Eccl. 10.8 what danger may lye at their owne doores and hang over their heads as they that dig a pit for others and fal into it first themselves or spread a nett to ensnare others and their owne foote is taken therein We see an example hereof in Haman Ester Est 7.10 7. He builded a paire of Gallous for an other more righteous then himselfe and himselfe was hanged thereon as also the adversaries of Daniel cast him into the denne of Lyons to be devoured Dan. 6.24 but themselves were destroyed for the Lyons had the mastery of them and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottome of the denne Lastly The fift reproofe this meditation reproveth such as are unmercifull toward those that are in misery and necessity and will part with nothing never regarding what mischiefe may hang over their owne heads and in what wonderfull uncertainty they hold their lives their estates their goods and all that they have For what store and plenty soever we have present we do not know what want and penury we may suffer Many that have had abundance and superfluity of all things have also had lamentable experience of great misery before their last end Eccl. 11.1.2 This doth Salomon teach Eccl. 11. Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many dayes give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evill shall be upon the earth Where he exhorteth to liberality and bountifulnesse toward the poore and not thinke we have done enough when we have given to one or two yea he stirreth up thereunto from the uncertainty of things which we dreame to be certaine All earthly things are uncertaine in sundry respectes and not to measure things by our present fruition and possession of them All earthly things as life it selfe are uncertaine and that in divers respects For first it is uncertaine whether we shall prolong our dayes to shew our bounty toward other as Eccl. 9. Whatsoever thy hand shall find to doe doe it with thy might Eccl. 9.10 for there is no worke in the grave whither thou goest VVe must walke in the light while we have it Gal. 6.10 the darkenesse commeth wherein no man can worke as we have therefore opportunity let us doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the household of faith Gal. 6.10 Secondly whether our substance which we have in present shall continue and abide with us or not It is not with the world and worldly things as with spirituall and heavenly things Math. 6.19 For the moth and rust may corrupt the former and theeues breake through and steale them away but they cannot deprive us of the latter Therefore Salomon warneth us that riches are deceitfull that we should not lay up our treasure upon earth but in heaven Pro. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves winges and fly away as an Eagle doth toward heaven So the rich in this world are charged not to be high-minded 1 Tim. 6.17 nor to trust in uncertaine riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enioy Thirdly we know not whether our selves or at least some of ours how surely soever we may thinke we have feathered our nestes may be driven to pouerty and misery and compelled even to begge our bread and crave an almes of others and happily of those whom we have despised and derided as much as now we have and as rich as now we seeme to be and how setled soever we suppose our estate to remaine when happily we may finde others as hard-hearted and streight-laced toward our selves as we have beene toward them And it is the just judgement of God that they find no mercy who have shewed no mercy Besides among all uncertainties this is not the least of all whether our heire sonne or daughter or other shall waste consume all that we have gotten and gathered and whatsoever we have heaped and hoarded together or a stranger possesse all or if we were sure to leave our substance to the heire of our bodies Eccl. 2.19 Who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a Fools that shall have rule over all our labour Let us therefore follow the counsell of our Saviour Luc. 16. Luc. 16.9 I say unto you make you friends of this earthly Mammon that when ye faile they may receive you into everlasting habitations he meaneth that our good workes will give a friendly testimony to our consciences that we are the elect of God and have not beleeved in vaine To conclude let us remember the saying of the Prophet after that he hath brought in the counterfeit fasting of the hypocrites of his time complaining that they had fasted God regarded it not and pleasing themselves in the outward worke Esay 58. saying Is this such a fast as I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soule to how downe his head as a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him wilt thou call this a fast an acceptable day to the Lord He proccedeth to teacheth them and us by them what to doe Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to deale thy bread to the hungry lo bring the poore to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Hereby we make our fast acceptable to God otherwise covetous and miserable persons may like of it thereby to save somewhat both to pinch their servants at home and to defraud their owne bellies but if it be performed aright then shall our righteousnesse goe before us and the glory of the Lord shall be our reward Secondly glory not of the time to come Pro. 27.1 neither ascribe any power to our selves let us not resolve and appoint what we will doe we know not what God hath decreed and determined concerning us The Apostle Iames concludeth this Iam. 4.13 chap. 4. Goe to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will goe into such a city and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine whereas ye know not what shal be on the morrow for what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away for that ye ought to say If
all meanes save not all but some 1 Cor. 9. And what some this is in comparison of the rest the Actes of the Apostles sufficiently declare sometimes one sometimes two Obiect and sometimes none at all But did God create any man to be damned If not then they shall be saved To say he did maketh him unjust I answere Answ He created all for his owne glory yea Prov. 16.4 even the wicked for the day of evill as Salomon teacheth So it is said of Pharaoh Ro. 9. For this same purpose I have raised thee up Rom. 9.17 18 that I might shew my power in thee and that my Name might be declared thorowout all the earth therefore He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy and whom He will Hee hardneth Secondly God doth consider man as fallen and thereby having lost the happinesse wherein he was created This befell him for his owne grievous sinne Gen. 3. The more grievous by how much the goodnesse of God toward him was the greater and the power whereby he was inabled to stand the stronger Besides by the sinne of our first Parents we all were defiled no lesse then if Satan had tempted us in the Garden and we in our persons had harkened to his voyce had tasted of the forbidden fruit actually and had stretched out our hand to receive the same as Rom. 5.12 By one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5.12 15 17. and death by sinne and so death went over all men for as much as all men have sinned Thus also afterward By the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation and by one mans disobedience many were made sinners as by the obedience of One many are made righteous Obiect But it will be further objected that the Apostle saith God hath concluded all in unbeleefe that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 If upon all then none no Rom. 11.32 not one shall be condemned I answere Answ The purpose of the Apostle is not to teach that it is Gods purpose to save every particular person but some of all sorts some Iewes some Gentiles even all the faithfull of every Nation Tongue and Language Rom. 10.12 13. Gal. 3.22 as appeareth by comparing of other Scriptures as Rom. 10 12 13. He is rich to all that call upon him and Gal. 3. where all is limited and restrained to all beleevers to all the Elect and to them onely Secondly woe to all impenitent persons the whole company of the Reprobate for they shall be shut out of the Kingdome as the foolish Virgins were out of the Bride-chamber As the Kingdome of heaven is the hight of happinesse so to be shut out of it is the greatest misery that can be It had beene better for such that they had never beene borne It is a sore punishment to be banished out of a mans Country Our Country soyle is pleasant and welcome to all men therefore to be exiled from it is worthily accounted a great Iudgement how much more to be cast forth of the City which hath foundations Heb. 11.10 whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11 It is a sore punishment to have judgement to bee burned notwithstanding that the fire quickely consumeth the body to dust and ashes how much more to be cast into the fire that never goeth out Who knoweth not what a fearefull judgement it was to be cast into the Denne of Lions Dan. 6.16 as Daniel was how much more to be cast into the darke Dungeon and Den of the Devils which are Lions alwaies roaring after their prey A sore judgement to be committed to perpetuall imprisonment and to lye there with bolts of iron as many as he can beare and to have none suffered to come to comfort him how much more to be cast into the prison of hell 1 Pet. 3.19 Revel 20.7 in which there is no release out of which there is no recovery nay all these punishments if they could be put together what are they but as painted fires painted dennes painted prisons painted paines in comparison of the everlasting punishment in hell and those unspeakable torments It is a grieuous punishment to be thrust out of the visible Church in this life Gen. 4.14 21.10 as Cain was out of the house of Adam as Hagar with her sonne Ishmael out of the house of Abraham but a thousand times more fearefull to be thrust out of the house of God in heaven from the glorious presence of God and his Angels Alas what benefit or comfort shall these have to know that God hath prepared a Kingdome and an Inheritance immortall and undefiled and that fadeth not Matth. 8.11 12. 1 Cor. 6.9 and to see Abraham Isaak and Iacob and all the Prophets and people of God in the Kingdome of heaven and themselves shut out of dores Math. 8.11 1 Cor. 6.9 This cannot but be a terrour nay a terrour of all terrours to consider that God hath appointed a certaine day Acts 17.31 Rom. 2.5 Iude 15. in which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse Act. 17. He will rebuke the ungodly of all their wicked deedes which they have ungodly committed This terrour will be acknowledged the greater for these causes First they shall heare the dreadfull thunder of Christs fearefull voice summoning them to Iudgement 1 Cor. 15.52 For the Archangell shall blow the Trumpet so shrill that the dead shall heare the sound thereof and hearing it 1 Thes 4.16 shall arise and come to Iudgement Secondly they shall be all compelled though sore against their wills to appeare before the Iudgement Seate of Christ being gathered and assembled from the foure winds of heaven If malefactors bee hardly drawne before Magistrates to receive worthy punishment for their offences how much more will the Reprobate strive and struggle to keep themselves if it might be from the presence of him that sitteth upon the Throne and rather say to the mountaines Fall upon us and to the hills Cover us Thirdly Luke 23.30 they shall stand as poore caitiffes at the left hand of Christ as a signe of miserable disgrace especially when they shall behold the Righteous on his right hand in token of their honour and advancement whom they in their life time have despised For as the right hand hath bin taken for a token of acceptation and receiving into favour 1 King 2.19 So on the other side the left hand hath beene accounted ominous and a token of rejection Psal 50.3 2 Thes 1.8 Exod. 19.18 19 16. 20.18 Fourthly a fire shall devoure before him and it shall bee tempestuous round about him Psal 50. So it was at the giving of the Law in mount Sinai which was altogether on a smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a Furnace and the whole mount quaked greatly there were thunders and lightnings and the voyce of the Trumpet