our bodie lyfe or earthly goods for anie offence coÌ„mitted by vs doth without comparison more daunt and quaile vs than the desert of euerlasting death and the losse of the kingdome of heauen 4 Let vs therefore plainly confesse the truth that naturally wee loue the bodie better than the soule the goods commodities of this temporal life better than the tresures of eternity And consequently that in lieu of seeking first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes thereof and thereupon expecting that all other things shall be giuen vs according to the promise of Christ wee contrarywise setting the caâ—t before the horse doo first and much more seeke that which concerneth the bodie and this present life than anie thing that toucheth the soule the kingdom of heauen And yet he that knoweth not that the body is more than the soul hath no soule neither hath anie vnderstanding or reason and is no man but a beast And he that confesseth not the kingdome of heauen to be infinitly better than all the kingdomes of the world sheweth himselfe to bee most peruerse and malitious 5 That we may therefore correct these corruptions so amend our liues Math. 13.44 45. let vs remember that Iesus Christ likeneth the kingdome of heauen to a treasure hidde in the field which when a man hath sound he hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath buieth that field Also to a pearle of great value for the purchase wherof the marchant selleth al that he hath But what was this so excellent treasure or pearle of so great price euen the Church or holy ministerie The kingdome of God in vs and the kingdome of glorie in heauen This kingdome of heauen therfore must we first especially seeke after and after the example of those marchants sell all we haue that is to saie forsake all that we account to bee precious concerning this life that wee may inioy this kingdome of heauen 6 And in deede first they that beeing members of the Church doo vse the holy ministerie are accounted to bee the children of God and members of Iesus Christ who also imployeth this holie ministerie to driue from them the kingdome of Sathan and to establish his And so are they gotten on to the first step and entered in at the first gate In the meane time because there be also hypocrites that do enter and abide there for a time in shew keeping the place of Gods children it is requisite moreouer that the kingdom of heauen be in vs. For as all they that are possessed with righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 peace and the ioy of the holie Ghost which Saint Paule calleth the kingdome of God are certaine to enrer into heauen so is it in vaine to pretend to enter into the kingdome of God which is in heauen vnlesse the kingdome of heauen which is the gate be first in vs that is to saie if we haue not the true knowledge of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ a liuely fayth a feruent charitie vnles wee increase in sanctification of bodie of soule and of minde vnles in our selues wee do feele a good conscience conioyned with peace and ioy in the holie Ghost and vnlesse wee bee regenerate in newnesse of lyfe As also Iesus Christ himselfe doth plainly say That vnlesse wee bee borne againe wee cannot see the kingdome of God And in deede it is written Iohn 3.3 1. Cor. 6.9 That neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor theeues nor couetous men nor dronkardes nor euill speakers nor rauishers shall inherite the kingdome of God Yet before hee pronounceth this sentence hee wakeneth vs saying Deceiue not your selues to the end that casting off all illusions and sweete baites of the world the flesh and the deuill we may be assured that by amendement correcting of these vices and other lyke corruptions we shall inherite the kingdome of God Wherefore as where there bee two gates to a towne it is not inough that wee enter the first vnlesse wee also passe through the second so is it not inough that wee beeing members of the Church vsing the holie ministerie which we haue sayd to be as the first gate to the kingdome of heauen vnlesse wee thence proceede to the second in liuing as true and liuely members of the Church declaring the effectes of the holy ministerie by the testimonies of our faith mortification of the old man newnesse of lyfe in briefe by dayly amendement For albeit wee haue preached the worde of God yea and wrought myracles yet shall wee not therefore enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse wee also amende our liues as Iesus Christ also sayd Not euery one that saith Lord Lord Mat. 7.21 shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee which doth the will of my father which is in heauen Manye will saye vnto mee in that daye Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out deuils and by thy name done many great workes Then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew ye Departe from me ye workers of iniquitie 7 The parable of the seede sowen in sundry sorts of ground doth euidently declare that for the establishing of the kingdom of heauen in vs Mat. 13. also that we may assuredly enter into the kingdome of God which is in heauen we are to amend in three points First as the seede that fell by the way side and so was deuoured by the soules of the aire so must we beware that our harts be not so hard and impenitent that the woorde heard when it cannot enter into theÌ„ vanish away and be as it were euen violently caught away by satan Secondly we must be so firmly resolued to beare in patience the losse of parents brethren sisters goods dignities yea euen of life that being possessed with this good humour of patience a good conscience and faith the sunny heat of persecution may not make this sacred seede vnfruitfull or vnprofitable or cause vs to forsake the Church which is the kingdome of heauen and so fall againe vnder the tiranny of Satan as a dogge to his vomite or a washed sow to her myre Thirdlye 2. Pet. 2.12 as the seede that fell among thornes coÌ„meth at the last to be choaked vp and stiffeled so must we beware that the cares of worldly affaires the earnest desire of the coÌ„modities of this transitory life do not choak vp the good seede of the heauenly doctrine These three pernicious inconuemences must we auâ—id and amend in case we desire to enter into the kingdome of God that is in heauen 8 Now where it is said in this parable that only the fourth part of the seed did bring forth fruite we are thereof togather for the inducing of vs to ameÌ„dmeÌ„t of life that the number of those that shal be saued in the kingdom of God which is in heauen shaâ—be small and this doth our
mightily to moue vs to amendement First when by the kingdome of heauen is signified the blessed estate and incomprehensible felycitie that wee shall inioy in heauen therein are wee taught that our estate is farre different from the estate of bruite beastes who by their death are reduced to naught For as for men when they die all is not death with them but they that beleeuing in Iesus Christ haue amended their liues shal depart into a life replenished with all glorie ioy and incomprehensible eternall felicity heere signified by the kingdome of heauen as contrariwise they that remaine hardned in theyr euill doinges shall for euer bee tormented with the fire of Gods wrath Dan. 12. Many saith Daniel that sleepe in the dust shall awake some to life eternall and others to eternall reproch and infamie Iohn 5.28 This sentence doth Iesus Christ confirme saying The houre shall come that all that are in the graues shal heare the voice of the sonne of man and shall come foorth euen they that haue done good to the resurrection of life they that haue done euil to the resurrection of condemnation And to this end shall Iesus Christ come to iudge the world that the childrē of God that haue amended their liues may be exalted into the fruition of the kingdome of heauen contrariwise the disobedient swallowed vp with the deuill his Angels in hell That we may the better feel the efficacie of this reason For the kingdom of heauen is at hand we are vndoubtedly to beleeue it is in deed an article of our faith that Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead And in this respect S. Paul writing to Timothie 1. Tim. 4.4 saith I summon thee before God before the Lord Iesus Christ who in his appearance and kingdome shall iudge the quicke the dead Acts. 17.31 As also the same Apostle in another place saith God hath ordained a daie when he shall iudge all the world in righteousnes This was an old resolute point of the Iews religion as it appeareth by these sentences of Iesus Christ The men of Niniue shall rise in the day of iudgement to condemne this generation Math. 12.41 Math. 10.15 Againe If it shall be more easie for Sodom in the daie of iudgement than for those townes that woulde not receiue the Gospel These threatnings wold haue bin of smal waight with the Iewes had they not bin perswaded that there was a daye of iudgement wherein the children of God should be receiued in to the kingdome of heauen and the vnbeleeuers and obdurate in wickednes cast into euerlasting death 3 To the end the rather to confirme vs in the expectation of this daie of iudgement so much to be desired and so blessed for those that do amend their liues but so terrible to the rebellious obstinate Math. 25.31 S. Mathew representeth vnto vs the form therof saying Whē the son of man shall come in his glorie all the angels with him then shal he sit vpon the throne of his glorie and he shal separate the sheep from the goats and he shall set the sheep on his right hand the goats on his left to thē on his right hand he shal say Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And to them on the left hand hee shall saie Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels and they shal go into euerlasting paines and the righteous into euerlasting life Let vs therefore bee fully resolued that the daie will come that such as haue amended theyr liues increasing in faith working in loue and fructifying in good workes shall bee gathered into the fruition of the kingdome of heauen and the others into euerlasting fyre And in deede sith it is so sayth Saint Augustine that all thinges before prophesied in the holy Scriptures August in his Epist 42. to Mandarens haue come to passe and beene fulfilled in theyr season as the floud the bondage of the seede of Abraham in Egypt and theyr deliuerie the captiuitie of Babylon and the returne from the same the comming of Christ in the flesh and all that concerned his passion his resurrection and ascension into heauen his promise to send the holy Ghost to the Apostles the calling of the Gentiles other like matters what reason haue we to doubt of this day of iudgement which hath bin foreshewed in so many passages of the holy Scripture 4 Neither can we anie way doubt thereof if we haue anie reason or vnderstanding For if we beleeue that there is a God which all nations in the world doo confesse we must also beleeue that hee is righteous if he be righteous hee will reward the righteous that amend their liues punish the disobedient that are giuen to wickednes But this reward or punishment is not performed in this life but in part and that verie seldome as both the Prophet manifestly declareth in the 71. psalme and experience doth dayly teach It followeth therefore that after this life there is another wherin the righteous haue their reward euen the fruition of the kingdome of heauen and the disobedient shal be punished with euerlasting torments This discourse doth S. Paul confirme in expresse words for he seeing the persecutions of the faithful 2. Thes 1.5 and their grieuous afflictions least they should be shaken with some opinion that there were no prouidence or iustice in God he vpholdeth to the contrarie doth shew that the persecutions afflictions that they suffered were a manifest demonstration of the iust iudgment of God To the end saith he that ye may be accounted worthie the kingdome of God for the which ye do also suffer For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with vs. But when shal that be Euen when the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels In flaming fire rendering vengeance to thē that do not know God which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saincts to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue If then it bee a righteous thing with him to recōpence tribulation as is aforesayd to those that trouble vs euen vs I say that are pore vpon earth how much more righteous will it be with him most horribly eternally to punish those that haue persecuted euen the person of Iesus Christ the welbeloued sonne of God In this sense is this daie called the daie of the restoration of al thinges because the disorder and confusion that seemeth now to be in the gouernment of the world Act. 3 21. shall bee then
strengthned theÌ„selues to wickednes saying Rom. 2.4 Psal 94 Tush God seeth not Is it not a manifest deniall of God to imagine him to be blind But as he addeth Is it not an extreame folly to thinke that he that formed the light and gaue sight to the eie seeth not but is blind Or he that formed the hart of man so knoweth the depth thereof doth not also see the workes of the same 6 Behold how wherfore we feare man more than God confessing God with our lips we deny him in our works which truly is a mere folly And in deed naturally we most feare him that hath most power and meanes to execute his threats him whose threatnings are most dangerous hurtfull to conclude euen him whose threatnings are not in vain but most certaine Any one wil sooner feare the threatning of a man than of a childe of a magistrate than of a priuate person the losse of life than the penaltie of some portion of money the threatninges of a sober man than the scolding speeches of a foolish and hairbraind woman But is not God more able than man to execute his threatnings All creature are at his commandement to do his will euen Angels men or deuils The aire through corruption to infect the sea to ouer whelm vs the land to swallow vs vp and the beasts to deuour vs. Wanteth he arrows in his quiuer to shoot forth at men With how many strange horrible plagues did he smite the Egyptians What water pooles found he wheÌ„ all the world was so drowned that the waters stood fifteen cubites aboue the highest mountains in the world Exod. 5.9.10 Ge. 1.7 Let vs read the 26. of Leuit. the 28. of Deut. there note with how many sorts of plagues calamities he can wil punish such as rebell against his commandements neither can anie counsell or strength withstand him Act. 17.26 Contrariwise what power hath man to hurt sith that in God he liueth he moueth hath his being What may hee doo against his will without whose power he cannot stir one finger liue one moment or haue anie being 7 Secondly how farre may mans threatnings extend Euen to the losse of goods and those bodies that are subiect to death But God hath power ouer all soules and therefore Iesus Christ admonisheth vs not to feare those that kill the bodie and no more Luk. 12.4 but feare him sayth he who when he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I saie feare him Neither can man afflict but for a time but Gods punishments are euerlasting and without end The threatnings of man are many times light and vaine yea and soone altered and reuersed but as God is righteous and true so his threatnings are euermore put in execution either in this world or in the world to come vnlesse we preuent them by Amendement of Life Nahum 1 The mightie God saith the Prophet Nahum is ielous and the Lord reuengeth and hath wrath at his commandement The Lord will take vengeance of his aduersaries and reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slow to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleere the wicked The Lord hath his waie in the whirle wind in the storme the clouds are the dust of his feete He rebuketh the sea and he drieth it and hee dryeth vp all the riuers Bashan is wasted and Carmel and the flower of Libanon is wasted The mountaines tremble for him and the hils melt the earth is burned at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein Who caÌ„ stand before his wrath or who can abide in the fiercenes of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire and the rockes are broken by him If the power and will of God be such in the execution of his threatnings euen threatnings not against the body only but also against the soule then in reproofe of this folly to feare man more than God doth the Prophet Esay iustly say Esa 2.22 Cease you from the man whose breath is in his nostrels for Whreein is he to be esteemed Againe Esa â—1 12 Who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lorde thy maker that hath spread out the heauens and laide the foundations of the earth The rather therefore to amend our liues let vs hereafter bee better aduised in fearing God more than man so esteeming more of God than of man or rather not esteeming man but in God withall let vs remember that those men haue reason to feare man that feare not God more than man 8 The third proofe consisteth in this That we repose more trust in man than in God And this folly proceedeth from three originall springs First wee are so brutish that as beastes apprehend no more than is before their eies so wee beleeue no more than wee see We see that men haue meanes to helpe vs but we see not God neither knowe his power And this is the cause that we trust more to man that promiseth our sustenance than to God who promiseth to prouide for vs Mat. 6.26 neuer to forsake vs yea than to God who sendeth vs the schoole of soules hearbes flowers of them to learne that man being farre more excellent and precious in the sight of God ought wholy to rest vpon him for his sustenance and life 9 Secondly we are so addicted to the flesh that we accompt nothing to be a blessing but what delighteth the flesh And so when men do promise things fit and commodious for the same we trust to them more then to God who promising many blessings assistance and reliefe doth not alwaies fulfill those promises after the lustes of the flesh but to the good of the spirite and saluation of the soule Thus albeit he performeth to vs more then it seemeth he hath promised namely spirituall and eternall gifts in stead of carnall and temporall yet can not our flesh comprehend that hee hath fulfilled his promises Thus when in sickenes pouerty or prison man promiseth recouery assistance or deliuery we trust more in him then God who in his word maketh the like promises For flesh knoweth no other reliefe succour or deliuerie then that which is bodily which God often times changeth into spirituall and euerlasting more excelent in deed yet lesse knowne to man 10 The third cause resteth in the time of performance of promises God in his wisedome doth sometimes vse long delaies as flesh doth imagin in the performance of his promises Wherupon man naturally whot impatient beholding that which he esteemeth neerer and more redy at hand trusteth more to man then to God Rom. 5.4 Hereto we may add that as S. Paul saith Experience engendreth hope And therfore as man findeth helpe and reliefe in men who being of abilitie doe also loue him And on the
deed if any man giue alms to the end to be seene of men euerie one will confesse that his deed is nought worth If a minister preach Gods word onely to get reputation not simply for the saluation of soules he prophaneth his vocation In like manner the marchant in his trafique seeking not to serue God by seruing of men but to enrich himselfe peruerteth his vocation the course of his lyfe because he liueth not to serue God but to serue himselfe 16 Why will some man saie Hath not God commanded euerie man to labour in his vocation for the maintaining of his family It is true but wee do misconster this ordinance of God For his meaning is that euery man should haue this end to serue God by the seruing of men And in reward and recompence of the seruice that wee doo him hee ordaineth that the artificer shall receiue the reward of his labour as from the hand of God whom he serueth by seruing of men and so may haue wherewith to maintaine his family That the marchant should sell his commodities for more than it cost wherein the surplussage is the reward that God paieth him for his seruice Likewise that the seruant man or woman shall receiue food some wages for seruice don to God in seruing of men Who so therefore maketh not this the end of his vocation namely to serue God by seruing of man he doth not referre his life to the right end and so prophaneth and peruerteth the same 17 Heerein doo we greatly wrong our selues for if we liued to serue God in our vocation besides that this seruice done to God should be rewarded in this life it would also bee a path waie to attain to the inheritance of heauen as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying The seruants that faithfully serue their masters doo serue the Lord Christ Col. 3.24 and therefore shall receiue of the Lord the rewarde of the inheritance of heauen As also the same Apostle sayth Through bearing of children the woman shall be saued 1. Tim. 2.15 if she continue in faith loue and holynes with modestie The poore woman bearing her fruite bringing it forth and noursing her little one abideth much paine sorrow and anguish But if shee thinke that God who vouchsafeth to continue the world by generation hath called her to this vocation that her whole ende in all the seruice that shee doth to the lyttle babe how vile and filthie so euer doo aime at the seruice of God by seruing the childe let her bee of good courage for by such seruing of God in her vocation she shall bee saued and shall receiue great reward in the euerlasting inheritance Yet not that this seruice in her vocation is anie merit but onely a path wherethrough God leadeth her to the possession of the celestiall inheritance and a worke which shall not be without reward in the lyfe euerlasting 18 It is also a great consolation to all those that are called to anie base or vile office in this worlde because if they consider that in seruing man they serue God their vocation cannot bee base or vile in the sight of God His maiesty is so great that there is no vile or contemptible office or calling in his house And therefore if a poore seruant when shee sweepes the house and doeth other businesse that seemeth base doth thinke with her selfe that God hath called her to that vocation and that seruing her master or mistres she serueth God she shall reape great contentation and is to expect a reward farre greater without comparison than any mortall man is able to giue For as God is great so doth hee greatly esteeme of seruice done vnto him And such is the excellencie of his children that they are not to imploie themselues in the seruice of men were it not that they hope for better rewarde than from men His will therfore is that in seruing of men they should looke for reward not from men onely but also from God considering that by seruing of men they doo serue God And thus so long as wee direct the ende of our liues in this sort to serue God by seruing of men wee shall neuer neede to doubt or to take care for the maintainance of our bodies in this lyfe but maye wholye repose our selues vpon so good a master whome wee serue And in deede if the seruant that faithfully serueth his master is not to care for his necessities but looketh and that iustly that the master whome he serueth should prouide for the same should not we doo God great iniurie and dishonor if referring our whole liues to his honour we should feare that he would suffer vs to starue 19 Moreouer if wee had perfectly learned that the end of our liues shoulde tende to serue God by seruing of men that one lesson woulde subuert all fraude deceit extorsion and vnlawfull trafiques For by deceiuing thy neighbour and wrongfull incroching of his goods into thy handes canst thou serue thy neighbour or God who cannot aduow but doth detest all such iniquitie No but contrarywise the iniurie done to thy neighbour proueth that in hew of seruing of God by seeking to serue thy selfe thou seruest the deuill who will returne but a wofull rewarde to his seruantes 20 By the premises wee perceiue the daunger of this fourth folly and how pernitious it is not to know wherefore we doo liue To the end therefore to Amend our liues let vs bee better aduised hereafter and learne first that the principall ende of our liues shuld tend to increase in the knowledge of God that knowing him we may glorifie him to our selues obtain life euerlasting Next that euerie man in his vocation haue this intent To serue God by seruing of men and so to fulfil the summe of the law which importeth that we loue God with our whole heart and our neghbour in God and for the loue of God The fifth Folly To iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance Chap. 6. THe fifth folly resteth In iudging a mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance This folly is so much the rather to be noted as it is more common euen in the children of God and the rather to bee reiected as it is the more pernitious The Prophet and author of the 73. Psalme confesseth that himselfe was ouertaken with this folly esteeming the wicked by reason of their prosperitie to haue beene blessed and contrarywise such as walked in purenesse and holynesse drinking vp tribulations in abundaunce as water to haue beene accursed Yea hee acknowledgeth that the outward prosperitie of the wicked and the afflictions of the righteous dyd so trouble him that his feete had almost slipped to ioyne with the wicked that hee thought there had beene no prouidence in God and that therefore it was lost labour to serue him in holynesse But afterward hee plainely confesseth that this was an extreame folly that hee was almost become a brute
earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens He hath made the earth by his power c. Wherein we are to note that albeit Ieremie writ al his prophecies in Hebrew yet this one sentence is set downe in the Caldean or Babilonian speech therby admonishing the captiue Iewes to disaduow Idols to cōfesse the true God plainly sensibly in a language knowen to the Idolaters If this confession bee required of these poore captiue Iewes how can these men be excused who being at libertie to depart from among the Idolaters do assist at their Idolatry thereby to giue the world to vnderstand that they also are Idolaters therefore dare not vtter one word in reproofe of the Idols 9 Sith therefore that the first sermon both of Christ of Iohn the Baptist do notably proclaime Amend your liues Let all such as haue attained to the knowledge of the truth resolue with thēselues to renounce all Idolatrie superstition vtterly to denie all assistance participation whatsoeuer therin either in hart or body Let them remember that all abandoning of their bodies to Idolatrie is a prophanation of the temple of God That the yeelding of the body to the deuill reseruing the hart to God is intollerable sacriledge That the denial of the true God the worshipping of the deuill is detestable hipocrisie That thereby they blaspheme Iesus Christ honor the Idol that they giue offēce to their neighbours as well by confirming some in their errors as by inducing others to follow their examples But especially let them remember that their pretended excuse will redound to their double damnatiō For if he who thinking to worship God yet of ignorāce throgh worshiping an Idoll offendeth deserueth death surely then he that boweth his body to worship that which he knoweth to be an Idoll 1. Con. 10.20 Luk. 12.47.48 yea a very deuil as S. Paul calleth it offendeth in far greater measure deserues greter punishmēt And so doth Christ himself pronounce concerning the disobedient seruant who knowing his masters wil not doing it Exod. 20.5 shall be beaten much more grieuously thē he that was ignorāt therof And indeed it is not only a simple sinne and transgression as in the ignorant but more contempt and misprision against the maiestie of the law-giuer as God in many places complaineth of his people that they haue dispised him Rom. 5.20 yea euen hated him as himselfe faith in his law And hereto likewise may be referred the sentence of the Apostle where hee saith That God gaue the law that sinne might abound because the knowledge of the law taking away ignorance maketh the transgression to be conioyned with contempt and despising of God 10 The more therfore that we know the inconuenience of Idolatrie the more we are to detest abhor and flie from it and neuer flatter our selues in the presence of God who knoweth our hearts It is but a foolish enterprise to vndertake to deceiue the Lord or to thinke to prosper by offending him We feare the losse of our goods dignities countrie and life if we go not to masse with other men and counterfeate our selues to bee Idolaters as they are yet we feare not to loose the treasure and inheritance of heauen life euerlasting and the kingdome of God by polluting our bodies in Idolatrie euen by the assured testimonie of our owne hearts We are not to order our duties after the easements of our flesh but according to the word of God The meanes to obtaine safetie and felicitie consisteth not in prouoking God to wrath by seruing of Idols but if we desire his mercie and fauour towardes vs wee must renounce and denie our selues and the world that wee may worship and serue him onely Let vs obey S. Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 5.21 Psal 97.7 1. Cor. 6.20 My little children keepe your selues from Idols And let vs remember that the holy Ghost pronounceth woe to all those that worship Idols And contrariwise blesseth all those that adore and glorifie God both in hart and minde That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie vnlesse we also ioyne with the Church of Christ by frequenting Sermons communicating in the Sacraments and comming to common prayer Chap. 2. AS repentance and Amendement of life consisteth in this that we forsake sinne and applie our selues to goodnesse So it is not enough that we keepe both bodies and soules from Idolatrie and superstition vnlesse that also seperating our bodies from Idolaters we adioine our selues to the Church of Christ by hearing his word receiuing the Sacraments calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ The titles that the holy Ghost attributeth to this Church do euidently declare vnto vs of how great importance to the glory of God saluatiō of mankind this duty of ioyning with the true Church is First it is in many places called the kingdom of God yet not without great cause For as this kingdome consisteth in euidēt assured knowledge of the true God of his Son Iesus Christ in faith righteousnes peace and comfort of the holy Ghost in sanctification to be briefe in euerlasting life glory So is it in the church wherin God manifests himself reueales his truth pleasure To the mēbers therof he giueth faith righteousnes holines peace ioy and finally life glory euerlasting Contrariwise the kingdom of Sathan cōsisteth in ignorance Mat. 13. infidelity corruptiō vice sin iniquity in a bad conscience trouble of mind dispaire death damnation The members therfore of Christs Church are the kingdome of God retired from the power dominion of Sathā to the end that God may raigne in them by his spirit the scepter of his word as contrariwise al that are without the Church do belong to the kingdome of Sathā as S. Paul also doth say of the excōmunicate that they be deliuered to Sathā who raigneth without the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Cor 6.9.10 Luk. 13.28 Act. 1.47 This likewise is confirmed in that the same title of the kingdom of God wherby the Church is signified is also attributed to that blessed glorious estate which the elect shal enioy after the resurrection Wherin we are taught that theris such a cōiunction betweene the Church that glorious kingdom of Iesus Christ that it is as it were the suburbes gate thereinto wherupon also al they that refuse to ioyne with the Church can pretend no portion in this kingdom of heauē For the path to felicitie importeth an ascention frō the kingdome of God vpon earth to the kingdome of God in heauē And that doth S. Luke note saying that God did dayly adioyne vnto the Church those that should be saued thereby signifying that such as refuse to adioyne themselues therto do minister no occasion to imagine that they haue attained the way to saluation and life euerlasting 2 By another title are the
the holy supper to the end that by participation in his body bloud we might the more be strengthened in this assurance that Christ is ours together with all his benefits so feede our soules spiritually to life euerlasting And indeed as ther is no saluation but in Christ so doth not Christ any whit profit vs except we belieue that he is ours together with all his benefits Well is he presented vnto vs in the preaching of the Gospell but ther be yet two other points those very notable in the cōmuniō of the holy supper For God who in his preaching speaketh generally to al men in his holy supper directeth his particular promise as it were by name to euery the cōmunicants therin And not so satisfied he also deliuereth them a seale and visible token to assure thē that his pleasure is that Christ with al his benefits should as certainely belong to euery of thē as they see touch and tail that they be partakers of that bread wine that is deliuered vnto thē He thē that careth not to be cōfirmed in this assurance that Christ with all his benefits is his is possessed with too much pride if hee thinketh it needles either that he prophane it as not feeling what a comfort and ioy it is to haue assuraunce of his saluation in Iesu◠Christ The second reason is that we presenting our selues at the Lords table may by so doing make as it were a publike protestation that we haue no fellowship with Idolaters and heretickes neither with the world But that we take our selues to be the children of God the mēbers of the body of Christ that we looke for life and saluation through him onely and so shew forth the benefit of his death al this in remembrance of him to his glorie The first reason declareth how necessary the vse of the holy supper is in regard of our selues The second how requisite it is to the glorie of God and the edification of our neighbours We might also add a third reason That is that the holie Supper is a seale of our vnion knitting together into one bodie vnder our head Iesus Christ as S. Paule expressely saith That we who are many are but one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread And thus those men that voluntarily do abstaine therefro do depriue their soules of their food Christ of his glorie and by their euill example doe minister offence to their neighbours To conclude They seperate or rather keep them selues seperate from the bodie of Christ Hereby it appeareth that they which be negligent and care not for communicating in the Lords Supper when he giueth them opportunitie do deserue not onely not to be accompted members of Christs Church Nomb. 9.9 but also to incurre the most horrible iudgement and vengeance of God As God in old time declared by Moses That the man that did not celebrate his passeouer should be cut off from among the people and beare his owne sin because he offered not the offering of the Lord in due season 2 Againe we see in sundrie reformed Churches a number of negligent hearers of sermons but yet are there many more that care not for communicating in the Lords Supper and that vpon sundry considerations first some that liue in bad consciences in whordome theft drunkennesse or other iniquities from which they are not determined yet to abstaine do forbeare the communion as doubting least they should aggrauate their condemnation according as saith S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation These men doe resemble those who lyuing in fornication do refuse to marrie least thereby their fornication which they are not minded to giue ouer should be the more grieuous as being conuerted into adultery They may also be likened to those who hating their neighbours when they say the Lords prayer Our father which art in heauen c. do leaue out this petition forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs as imagining that if they should say that they should pray to God not to forgiue their owne sinnes because they forgiue not their neighbours But as they who lyuing in fornication and will not marry least they should forsake their adultery are in a wofull estate so the others that aske no forgiuenes for their transgressions and seek to continue in hatred against their neighbours are worthy double condemnation one in respect of their hatred that they continue the other for their sinnes for the which they aske no forgiuenes Euen so they that forbeare the holy Supper in respect of their bad consciences do pronounce sentence against themselues namely that they deserue double death first for their sinne which they do continue in wicked consciences and secondly because they seperate themselues from the communion of Christ in whom onely is the fulnesse of life What shall they then doe Let them put away their wicked conscience Let them dissolue the bands of Sathan Let them come forth of hell If they say that they can not so farre master their affections Why haue they married themselues to fornication hatred theft and other like iniquities vpon condition that they will neuer be diuorced from the same surely that is a token that they do not steadfastly beleeue that there is a hell prepared for such liners Or at the least the pleasure that they take in their sinne doth quench all remembrance thereof Otherwise the sole apprehension of this horrible and vnquenchable fire would force them to giue ouer the wickednesse that leadeth and draweth them thereto And indeed if in a mightie tempest they should chaunce to finde themselues vpon the sea in daunger of drowning they would a thousand times protest to forsake their bad consciences that so they might submit themselues to the obedience of God But how can they lie downe and sleepe vpon a pillow of fornication theft hatred and other wickednesse giuing themselues as a pray to Sathan if God in his long suffering should not recouer them Let them flatter themselues at their pleasures for if they continue in abusing the pacience of God and abstaining from the holy Supper to the end to goe on in a wicked conscience their estate is most woefull and accursed As he therefore who wanting the gift of continencie and liuing in fornication ought to abhorre it and to prouide himselfe of a remedie by marriage so as often as they haue aduertisment or heare of the celebration of the Lords supper let them at the least thinke themselues wakened and summoned to renounce their wicked consciences and by participating in the holy supper to seperate themselues from the societie of the wicked to glorifie God and to be confirmed in faith and courage to goe forward from good to better 3 Others doe forbeare the communion because they will not submit themselues to Ecclesiasticall orders and discipline If wee might admit
of sweete sauour vnto the Lorde Besides wee ought to account his promises more certaine than monie in our purses and bread in our cupboordes They should bee vnto vs as a spring alwayes running wherein our purses should serue but as cesterns and those all broken and crackt in many places This confidence in Gods promises should more content vs and make vs thinke our selues better prouided of wealth and assurance than such as abound in all wealth and haue theyr houses furnished therewith The widdowe of Sarepta was more rich and better assured of foode than anie in all the Countrie 1. King 17 because by Gods promise shee was certefied that her cruse of Oyle and her barrell of Meale shoulde not fayle her 19 Others doo extend their reasons farther namely to theyr children Plu. of the couetousnes of riches for whose sakes they cut off the due reliefe of the poore to the end to leaue them the more riches But these men deserue to bee sent to schoole among the Heathen who without respect to this dutie of Charitie did neuerthelesse reproue and condemne this excessiue and dangerous care And in deede many times it commeth to passe that when the parents doo leaue to their children great wealth before the second or third generation one vnthriftie successour shal squander awaie and wast all that they haue gathered by wronging both themselues and the poore Besides What can children learne in such a schoole but likewise to keepe theyr goods after the example of theyr parents without anie care of the poore Better it were to induce and frame them to Charitie by giuing liberally to the needie The loue and reliefe of the poore is a goodly inheritance and fauour of God Blessed is hee that trayneth vp his children therein better it is to be charitable than rich In the time of a great famine in Israel the aforenamed widdowe of Sarepta had but one handfull of meale for her and her sonne 1. Kin. 17.10 yet the Prophet Elyas comming vnto her willed her to make him a cake and promised her that her meale in her barrell shoulde not faile her Shee beleeued him and brought him the cake albeit it was all that was lefte for her selfe and her sonne This was a notable example of faith and of Charitie And in deede soone after shee founde the truth of the Prophetes promise for in her barrell she had as it were a fountaine of meale whereof she and her sonne liued so long as the famine lasted If therefore thou hast many children Ciprian of workes and almes sayeth Cyprian bee the more carefull to bring vppon them Gods blessing and fauour by distributing to the poore Deliuer vnto him the goods that thou wouldest keepe for thy children let him bee their tutor guardian and protector No man shall wreast out of his handes the patrimonie that thou hast deliuered him to keepe This doeth the Prophet Dauid by experience confirme saying I was young Psal 37.25 and nowe am olde yet did I neuer see the righteous man forsaken neither his seede begging their bread Hee daylie giueth to the poore and lendeth and his seede is blessed And in another place he saith Psal 112.5 The good man giueth almes and lendeth hee distributeth to the poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer and his horne shall bee exalted Contrariwise sparing and keeping from the poore to make his children rich is the subuersion of himselfe his house and his children Of what heauenly and euerlasting treasures doest thou voluntarily depriue thy selfe for the leauing of worldlie riches to thy children who peraduenture may abuse them to theyr confusion and euerlasting dampnation Must the inriching of thy children bee a cause to suffer Gods children to die for hunger Must thou leaue the members of Christ naked that thou mayest cloath those with excesse who peraduenture thereof maye take occasion to offend God yea it may bee euen to denie Iesus Christ What answere wilt thou make in the daie of iudgement when he shall obiect vnto thee that thou diddest denie him meate drinke and cloth Will hee thinkest thou accept of this excuse I spared my goods to inrich my children Hee commaunded thee not to leaue them wealth but to releeue the poore If thou louest thy children better than God canst thou thinke that he will acknowledge thee to bee his childe What is it to thee although thy children inherite but six or seuen hundred in sted of a thousand Or how many sacrifices of sweete sauour maist thou offer to God out of the two or three hundred that thou shalt diminish from them which vnto thee will bee a mightie treasure to euerlasting life 20 Some againe seeing the manifest and euident sparing of such as they take to bee better prouided for than themselues wyth murmuring complaintes will giue out and tell those that come to demaunde anie thing for the poore that they must solicite and call vppon the others and so seeke by all meanes to excuse themselues that they wyll by theyr good wills giue verie lyttle or nothing at all But Chrisostome doeth verye fitlie make them aunswere saying Chri. hom 65 vpon Math. cap. â—9 tom â— Thou wylt saie that such a man is rich and gyueth nothing or verie lyttle But what is that to thee So much the more wonderfull and commendable is thy charitie if thou hauing lesse than hee art more lyberall than he Neyther maruelled the Apostle at the Macedonians because they gaue but because being poore they gaue so liberally Iudge not another but of thy selfe make thy selfe so commendable that thou maist eschue all accusation For the greater tormentes do attend thee if in that whereof thou condemnest others thy selfe doest not thy duetie but art guiltie of the same fault Let vs not iudge others neither let vs haue an eie to their slouth but let vs looke vppon our Lorde Christ and of him take example of all good woorkes Haue not I sayth hee giuen vnto thee heauen he benefites Haue not I redeemed thee that thou mightest looke vppon mee Wherefore then leauing thy Lord doest thou looke vppon the worke of thy fellowe seruant I haue set you an example that you should doo as I haue done Moreouer seeing among men thou hast examples of charitie in Abraham Iob and others why doest thou not imitate them rather than stumble at those whom thou doest looke vnto 21 Others againe to excuse themselues from giuing of theyr goods to the poore will plaie the good husbandes and saye that many doo abuse almes This is in deed but too true yet no doubt as well they that take almes without neede as they that doo abuse it 2. Thes 3 shall one daie as sacrilegious persons feele Gods iudgementes for it But as Saint Paul reproueth such people and exhorhorteth them to their duties so hee commandeth vs that we shuld not notwithstanding desist from wel doing The husbandman neuer looketh that all the seed which hee soweth should bring
carried away or wasted himself would transport as much as he might into the towne and commit the custodie thereof to some friend euen so wee beeing aduertised of the daungers which dayly experience doth acquaint vs withall howe the man that this daie aboundeth in all prosperitie by to morow is made a begger let vs deliuer so much of our goods to the poor as conueniently we may before we loose all let vs by theyr handes transport at the least some part thereof into heauen and there deliuer it into the custodie of Iesus Christ who in the daâ—e of iudgement will restore it vs to our euerlasting ioy Secondly let vs doo good to the poore while wee liue here for as is aforesayde all that we giue in our life time shall remaine to vs for euer and what wee leaue at our death that wee loose Thirdly let vs doo it while the poore come among vs or that others do craue it in their name for we must thinke that then God maketh vs a signe to giue and whispereth in our eares saying Now is the time to doo well let not this occasionslip Thus wee see that dooing good to the poore while wee haue time and meanes wee shal giue them occasion to praise and blesse God and he acknowledging vs to bee his children wyll so faire fauour vs that in the great daie of the Lord standing at the right hand of Iesus Christ wee shall heare this blessed and comfortable speech directed vnto vs Come yee blessed of God my father inherite the kingdome of heauen prepared for you from the foundation of the world Math. 25.34 Of the dutie of the Poore 24 HEreto will wee adde some few instructions touching the duetie of the poore First as almightie God in commaunding the riche to relieue the necessitie of the poore and needie and for the same promising such great and euerlasting reward as is afore mentioned shoulde thereby so pierce and take possession of their harts as to constrain and make them both liberally and cheerfully to relieue them so are the poor therin to coÌ„ceiue a stedfast foundation of comfort as vnderstanding therby how carefull the Lord is for them who ordaineth men whom hee hath endued with wealth to be his seruants through whose ministration he will prouide for theyr necessities They are therefore to assure themselues that God doth not despise or neglect them but because in his wisdome he hath decreed that there shall bee both rich poor his will is to vse the rich in the releefe of the necessities of the poore When Iesus Christ to the end to induce the rich to performe their dueties did protest that whatsoeuer they did to the poore either in releeuing or in contemning them they did it to himselfe Could he more certainly assure them of helpe and releefe than by aduowing such releefe as they receiued as performed to himselfe and such contempt or deniall as was vsed in their behalfes as done to himselfe in theyr persons Coulde he declare anie greater care or affection to the poore than by recommending them to vs as his owne person Could hee more liuelie testifie how highly hee esteemeth or how heartely hee accepteth of theyr releefe than by bringing into his kingdome all those that haue releeued theyr necessities and by thrusting such into hell as haue despised them 25 If the poore doo call God their father can they doubt of his loue either that he louing them is not also willing to helpe them in theyr necessities Withall considering that by his Apostle he chargeth vs not to forget to doo good Heb. 13.16 and to distribute thereto adding that with such sacrifices he is pleased If a mother careth for her child before it be borne prouiding for it such things as may be necessarie when it commeth into the world thinke you that your heauenly father careth not to prouide for the necessities of his children alredy borne into the Church who do cal him father say vnto him Mat. 4.4 as it were by the mouth of Iesus Christ Giue vs this daie our daylie bread Surely there is no doubt but hee is wylling to releeue their necessities as also they may bee well assured of his power to doo it First in regard of that which Iesus Christ teacheth Man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie woorde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Exo. 28.18 1. King 19.8 Mat. 4.2 They are to learne that euen without anie naturall or ordinarie meanes God can feed them only with his blessing the example whereof we haue in Moses Helias and Christ who liued forty daies without meate And in deed as he can when he purposeth to send a famine Leuit. 26 whereby to depriue man of the meanes to liue so take awaie the strength of bread 〈…〉 but eate a man neuer so much it shall not nourish him So can hee blesse euen one morsell of the bread that it shall yeld vs more sustenance than we ordinarily receiue of greater plentie He can so multiply it as he did in the wildernesses Math. 14.19 where he fedd fiue thousand men with fiue loaues Hee can prouide vs of foode as he fed his people in the desart for the space of fortie yeeres sending them Manna from heauen and as he did by them Deut. 8.3 Exod. 16.35 Deut. 8.4 1. King 17.14 1. King 17.6 so cause that our garments and shooes shall not weare or consume He can blesse our bread and oyle as he did for the widdow of Sarepta so that vsing that which we haue it shall not diminish To be short he can vse the seruice of Rauens to bring vs foode as hee did for Elias These testimonies examples of Gods will and power might assure the poore that God will prouide for their necessities to the ende that they in assurance of faith maye trust and depend vppon him onelie 26 By this assurance of Gods will and power they ought to bee stirred vp to praie vnto God that hee vouchsafe to prouide for theyr necessities and theyr praiers must proceed of faith For the will of God is that we begge of him whatsoeuer wee steadfastlye beleeue that he can and will giue vs. Rom 10 14 And in that respect it behoueth them to praie to God to touch the heartes of the rich and to moue them to charity and compassion that they may stretch forth theyr hands to releeue those that stand in need They are moreouer to vnderstand that as God hath ordained the office of deacons to prouide for their releefe acknowledging therin his wisdome goodnes they are diligently to praie vnto him to send such deacons as may be endued with giftes and graces requisite for such an office to preserue them vnder his protection to guide them wyth his holy spirit and to strengthen them that they may ouercome all labors and difficulties so that following their charge faithfully cheerfully they may by that means receiue as
for otherwise God would more plentifully distribute them to his welbeloued children in Iesus Christ whereas contrariwise they are more common to the wicked who for the most part are better prouided of them whiles the poor is more aduanced to the kingdome of God The gallant Bridles golden Sadles do nothing amend the horse but rather his agilitie nimblenesse and strength Euery beast saith Epictetus is estemed by his virtue shal man be so by his wealth Musicall instruments are to no vse to him that cannot play vpon them so are riches vnprofitable to him that cannot vse them As the horse is of no vse without a bridle so are riches without reason Wel may they make a vicioâ—s man more honorable in the sight of the world but as faire Tapisserie which couereth soule broken walles Besides they are endued with another dangerous vse for they draw flatterers who are eueÌ„ so many poisners of vertue How many other dangers are they also subiect vnto Lay not vp for your selues tresures vpon the earth Mat. 6.19 saith Iesus Christ wher the moth canker corrupt and where theeues breke through and steale Whereof wee haue experience enough in so many banquerupts robberies by sea and by land and persecutions for the name of Christ besides that albeit a man hath the vse of them whiles he liueth Seneca in his prouerbs 1. Tim. 6.7 yet at death he must forsake them To this necessity is euery couetous man driueÌ„ neuer to doe good vntill his death according to the prouerbe then he leaueth his goods to his heires And indeed as we came naked into the world Eusch in the life of Constantine lib 4 so must we certainely carrie forth nothing with vs. Great Constantine speaking to one of his courtiers said Oh couetous man how farre shall thy insatiable couetise extend Then with a Iaueling that he had in his hand marking out a mans length vpon the ground he said vnto him When thou hast gotten all the world yet at the last thus much must be thy portion if thou canst obtaine that Let the couetous man therfore that mindeth to Amend according to Christes exhortation diligently thinke that in lou ng and desiring riches he loueth and coueteth vanity he loueth coueteth the thornes that choake all vertue yea he loueth coueteth the rootes of all mischiefe the fountaines of al vice In liew of coueting if he haue any let him imagine how to auoide then allurements abuses as vnderstanding that in riches in stead of vertue felicitie he shal find occasion of corruption misery 13 The third remedy consisteth in careful meditation vpon the horrible vengeance grieuous punishmeÌ„t which the couetous meÌ„ must of necessity expect from him who iustly detesteth such vice Are we not already to note this one pointe that as charity is the gift of God proceeding from his fauour grace so contrariwise couetousnes is a vengeance which he poureth vpon those whoÌ„ for their sins he hath giueÌ„ ouer into a reprobate sence as S. Paul also noteth God so detesteth the couetous persoÌ„ that if any of those that professe his word doth giue himselfe to that vice Rom. 1.29 1. Cor. 5.11 S. Paul willeth vs to hold him excoÌ„municate not to eate or conuerse with him And this he saith to confirme that which he hath said in another place namely that the couetous man shal not enherite the kingdome of heauen in that sence doth S. Iames summon theÌ„ to Gods iudgement seate admonishing theÌ„ to consider of his horrible vengeance 1. Cor. 6.10 Iam. 5.1 Now saith he ye rich men houle ye weepe for your miserie that is at hand your riches are corrupt your garments are motheaten your gold siluer is cankered the rust of them shal be a witnesse against you shall eate your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped vp treasures for the last daies Behold Gregorie in a certaine Homely Augustine vp on the words of the Lord. Ambrose of Naboth the Iesralite Augustine in a certaine Sermon the hire of the laborers which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth the crie of them which haue reaped is entred into the cares of the Lord of hoasts The couetous maÌ„ saith S. Gregory in this life burneth in desire to get care to keep that he hath but hereafter he shall burne in fire of euerlasting tormeÌ„ts What a madnes is it saith Augustine to win gold to loose heaueÌ„ The couetous man saith Ambrose hath as it were steppes to couetousnes the more that he climeth the higher that he goeth the greater is his fal What shal be his last fal for gathering saith Augustine coÌ„sidering that he hath lost himself before he make any gain Couetousnes is a horrible giddines which maketh man insatiable to climbe high that he may fall low to kindle the fire of Gods wrath that he may feel the euerlasting slaine therof to lose the celestiall tresures to get terrestrial riches which fil him with vice misery 14 If they say that in this life at the least they shall reape coÌ„moditie plesure felicitie by theÌ„ let them think how miserably they are therin deceiued First be they such beasts as they cannot consider what this life is If they cannot deny but they must die what coÌ„tentation can they reape in cutting the wood making the fagots wherwith they shal hereafter burn for euer we read of an Ethnike who being demaÌ„ded whether he had rather be Socrates wise vertuous or Crassus welthy lustful answered in life he would wish to be Crassus but in death Socrates which he said in respect of the felicitie and reputation which hee imagined in Socrates after his death and he had some reason if being Crassus in his life time hee might haue beene conuerted into Socrates at his death But sith that might not bee he confesseth that he who in this life is Crassus vnlesse he be a beast deuoide of soule is in death most wretched as consequently also in life which in such men is no other but a path to woe an encrease of miserie Are not these couetous men then in this life miserable considering that they bee wretched except they bee beastes in that it is a heauie curse to them that they be men endued with immortall soules If there remained in them any sparke of the image of God If they had any remorse of conscience would not the same be to theÌ„ a tormentor vrging them to exclaime that they are miserable in the middest of al then wealth As if a man vexed with the Gout or with the Collicke should lie in a rich bed and haue al pleasures that might be so that to mens seeming he should be thought most blessed yet in himselfe he should feele all miserie and sorrow Againe albeit such were the dulnes of his conscience that he
false Prophet that hauing endeuoured to seduce and diuert the faithfull from the truth but through their constancye cannot compasse his purpose is notwithstanding worthy to be punished so the true Pastors wheÌ„ they haue constantly emploied theÌ„selues to reduce those that be straied into the way of saluation albeit in respect of this constancy they caÌ„not profite yet are they worthie their hire recompence in the sight of God As therefore the springs doe not cease from giuing forth their waters or the riuers their streames albeit no man come to take vp any or to sayle vpon them so must not the Minister cease from preaching admonishing and reprouing albeit in manner no man make profite of his doctrine and admonitions 11 Moreouer albeit many times it fall out that the Pastors by preaching admonishing reprouing and threatning with Gods iudgements do incurre the displeasure of some yet must they not therefore faint but remember what God commaundeth to Esay saying Cry out with open throat spare not lifte vp thy voyce as a trumpet signifye to my people their offences Esay 58.1 and to the house of Iacob their sinnes As also they are to this purpose to marke what the Lord saide to the Prophet Ieremy Gird vp thy loynes and arise that thou maiest tell them all the thinges that I commaund thee feare them not least peraduenture I treade thee downe in their sight Iere. 1.17 It is verye dangerous saith Hierome to desist from preaching the worde of God for any of these three thinges for feare sloth or slatterye yet doe we not say that they must crye out like mad men and seek glory in bolde reprehensions When the Apostles said vnto Iesus Christ Luke 9.54 Lord wilt thou that we commaund that fire come down from heauen and consume these Samaritans that deny thee lâ—dging as Elias did he answered 2. King 10. 12 ye wot not of what spirite ye are euen so there are some that think to imitate the Prophets in bitter and sharpe reprehensions but they are not led by the like spirite For they doe it either to purchase a reputation of zeale and to be thought such as will spare none 2. Tim. 1.7 or for some other peruerse passioÌ„ God saith S. Paul hath not giuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power of loue and of a sound minde thereby shewing that Pastors truely must not feare the apparance of persons to dissemble their sins and offences but must be strengthned by the spirite of Christ to discouer and open their wounds that they may be healed But to this power and boldnesse let them ioyne on the one side discretion and soundnes of minde whereby to be able to yeeld a reason of their power and boldenes and on the other side such loue and charitie that their reprehensions and threatnings may proceede from a hart not prouoked bitter or flowing with reuenge but as hauing compassion on such as doe amisse and seeking by loue to reclaime and reduce them into the waye of saluation Being thus disposed let them sound forth Gods iudgementes Esay 50.7 with all holye boldenesse saying with Esaye The Lord God is my helper and therefore I shall not be confounded for I haue hardened my countenance as a stone and I know that I shall not be confounded yea let them remember the protestation of Micheas saying Mich. 3.8 I am full of power by the spirite of the Lord and of iudgment and of strength to declare vnto Iacob his transgressions and to Israel his sinne 12 This holy constancy must remaine in the seruantes of God to the end that in the defence of the trueth against such as would oppresse it they may ouercome all slaunders and reproches wherwith the Deuill seeketh to quaile their hartes or otherwise to hinder the trueth of their faith and zeale Thus when the Apostles had told Iesus Christ that the Scribes Pharisees were offended and murmured because he saide Mat. 15.12 It is not that which entreth at the mouth that defileth the man he proceeded and shewed theÌ„ that they must not for that desist from teaching and defending the truth and purenes of doctrine So S. Paul declareth that wheÌ„ Peter came to Antioch Gal. 2.11 he resisted him to his face for he deserued to be reproued in that by his exaÌ„ple he enduced the Gentiles to playe the Iewes And by his writinges wee may perceiue how earnestly hee opposed himselfe agaynst those false Apostles that sought to mixe the necessitie of the ceremonies of the lawe with the doctrine of the Gospell Theodo Eccl. hist l. 2. c. 16 17. Wonderfull also was the constancie of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in defending the Godhead of Christ against the Arrians whose furious persecution and most impudent slanders he ouercame and was therefore iustly tearmed The bulwarke of the truth Him dyd Liberius Bishoppe of Rome most vertuously second in this constancie for being most sharply vrged both by the reproches and threatnings both of the Emperor Constantius of Eusebius the Eunuch and of Epicterus the Bishop to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius after many couragious answeres to the instances of the Emperour he chose rather to be banished than not to defend the iust cause of Athanasius And this his constancie thus much by the waie dyd the Romane women followe who when they had procured the Emperour to call him home agayne vnderstanding that hee should be ioyned in the ministery with Felix who had bin aduanced to his place did with one consent crie out One God one Christ one Bishop and thereupon Felix withdrew himselfe from Rome 13 Basil the great whom Theodoret tearmeth Theod. Eccle. hist l. 4. c. 19 The light of the world shewed the like vertue For when the Emperour Valens an Arrian had expelled the faithfull pastors out of all the Churches and was come to Cesarea in Cappadocia where Basil was Bishop the gouernour of the towne sent for him and hauing honourablie receiued him hee spake louingly vnto him and exhorted him to frame himselfe to the time and not to bring so many Churches into daunger for some small difference in doctrine promising him in the Emperours name all friendship and great benefites But hee stoutly answered that such perswasions were fit for yong men that toke plesure in such things but that such as are brought vp in holy learning cannot indure that one title of the truth shoulde bee endangered yea that they vse not to refuse anie kind of death in defence of the truth And heereupon dyd Denis Bisâ—oppe of Alexandria iustly condemne both the deede of Nouatus who ioyned with those that denyed that there was anie place for repentance or saluation for sinners and his excuse when hee alleadged that hee was inforced and compelled thereto And to this purpose is the Epistle that hee wrote vnto him verie notable Denis wisheth health to his brother Nouatus If thou wert as thou saiest Eusc Ecc.
marriners vpon theyr shippes windes and hauens so must the thoughtes mindes and affections of the ministers of the worde runne onely vppon the instructing comforting exhorting edefying and to bee short vppon the sauing of the sheepe of their folde And heereto must wee referre the saying of Saint Paule No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affayres of this lyfe 2. Tim. 2.4 because hee woulde please him that hath chosen him to bee his souldier For if hee that is enrouled to serue in the warres so soone as hee heareth the Drumme must forsake wife and children house shoppe and all other affayres that nothing may hinder or wythdraw him from the seruice of his Captaine much rather ought they whome the soueraigne king hath inrouled for the spirituall warfare and the holy ministerie of the word keepe themselues from all politike affayres and such as belong not to theyr vocation to the end wholy to serue please Iesus Christ 32 Yet many times it falleth out otherwise and the way is very slipperie Some Ministers doo thinke that vnlesse they set theyr handes to politike affayres euen to the warres that the Church cannot stande Euen as in olde time Vzzah imagined that the Arke of God must needs haue fallen 2. Sam. 6.6 had not he stretched forth his hande to holde it vp But as God was wroth wyth him for going beyonde his vocation and slewe him so let the ministers of the worde feare and that iustly least God confounde them in theyr Ministerie for vndertaking aboue theyr calling and employing themselues faythfully in theyr charge let them commende the preseruation of the Church to the chiefe and soueraigne protectour thereof and neuer thinke to keepe it vpright by passing the boundes of theyr vocation besides it is a common proueâ—be Hee that gripeth too much catcheth nothing Againe The minde that many things intend To each apart the lesse both bend A brooke sufficient to driue a mill or carrie a boate beeing cut into many ditches wyll not bee able to doo eyther euen so the pastor that medleth with many occupations is vnprofitable for anie and therefore the fruite of such presumption must finally turne to ruine and confusion 33 The Ministers of Gods woorde are also in duetie so to beare themselues in theyr charge that they may bee regarded and loued of theyr congregations to the ende theyr doctrines admonitions exhortations and all othâ—r partes of theyr ministerie maye haue the more credite and be receiued wyth greater affection Learne sayth Saint Bernard to bee mothers not Lordes ouer the sheepe of your folde Studie rather to bee loued than feared And when yee must vse seueritie let it bee fatherlyke not tyrannous Suppresse bytter speeches and preferre your pappes in offering the sweete milcke of the same A Bishoppe sayth an auncient Father must beware that he growe not into contempt through too much mirth and facilytie neyther into hatred by excessiue and vnreasonable seueritie Saint Paule grewe into such fauour wyth the Galathians that him selfe beareth them witnesse Gal. 4.15 1. Thes 2.7 Theodorâ—t Ec. hist l 4. c. 14 that if they could they woulde euen haue pulled forth their eyes to giue him And hee protesteth that towardes the Thessalonians hee was as tender as the nourse that tenderlye nourâ—eth her children Eusebius Bishoppe of Samoâ—ate was so beloued of his Church that when hee entered into the riuer of Euphrates in obedience to fulfil the banishmeÌ„t wherto the Emperour Valence inioyned him almost the whole Towne by boats followed him finding him did with teares instantly intreat him to returne But when they coulde not preuayle they offered him money garmentes and all other thinges necessarie and conuenient for his voyage And after their returne home to the towne there was not any one of whatsoeuer calling that would come to the preaching of the Arrian Bishoppe subrogated into his place so that seeing himselfe alone in the Church without any auditor he departed thence confounded 34 This loue and affection of the Church towardes her pastor is ingendered and especially increased when hee sealeth and confirmeth his doctrine by his conuersation and lyfe conformable to the same shewing himselfe in action to bee the portraiture of a good and faythfull pastour for as vertue is alwayes loued so is it loued of those for whose good and eternall saluation the same is imployed And therefore the pastour is not so much to studie and labour for anie thing except the truth of the doctrine as in his life and conuersation to bee a good example to his flocke And heereto doeth the Apostle Saint Paule exhort Timoâ—hie saying Bee to the beleeuers an example in worde 1. Tim. 4.12 Titus 2.7 in conuersation in loue in spirite in faith and in purenesse Yea the same exhortation doeth hee also vse to Titus saying In all thinges shew thy selfe an example of good woorkes 1. Pet. 5.3 Math. 5.4 with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie and with the wholesome worde which cannot bee reproued that hee which withstandeth may bee ashamed hauing nothing coâ—cerniâ—g vs to speake euill of And euen the verie same doth the holy Apostle Saint Peter also in one worde require where hee willeth the pastors to be examples to theyr flocke yea euen this doth our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ teach where hee sayeth You are the light of the worlde Let your l ght so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen For as in a darke euening one goeth before with a torch or lantern for others to followe so the life and conuersation of the Pastors ought to be as a burning torch to guide others in the way of saluation and life euerlasting 35 True it is saith Augustine that Pastors may somewhat profite by saying albeit they doe not â—hat which they saye Augustine of Christ doct lib. 4. cap. 27. but they should profite much more if themselues would doe as they teach others for such as doe seeke excuses for their wicked liues doe finde enow in their Pastors which liue not as they teache and say if not with mouth yet in hart why doost thou command that which thy selfe wilt not do and this is the cause that men hearing them will not obey them euen because themselues doe not obey the word that they preach and therfore the people doth coÌ„temne both the Preacher and his doctrine to be short where the Apostle saith to Timothie Let no man despise thy path hee addeth the meanes how to auoide contempt saying Be vnto vnbeleeuers an example in conuersation and loue And truely as S. Augustine saith Aug. of Christ doct l. 4. c. 27 and cap. 29. The life of the teacher is of more waight to procure obedience to the doctrine then is his facility of speaking and vtterance And againe let him that hath not the gift of eloquence in vtterance so conuerse that the example patterne of his good life may
mercy righteousnes power truth both perfect infinit yea that his whole essence is no other but wisdom goodnes iustice which do infinitly surmount the capacitie of man Likewise that our true humilitye simplicitie wisdome discretion consisteth in this that albeit we do not comprehend it we doo neuertheles beleeue that his will is the rule of all righteousnes that he that demandeth any other reason or cause therof than is declared in his word entreth into a bottomlesse gulfe wherein he shal be swalowed vp that God is goodnes it selfe and can neither wil nor do anie thing but what is good that his power to dispose of all creatures as he pleaseth cannot bee separate from his wisedome and iustice and therefore that he cannot doo anie thing vniustly or vnwisely that it is too great abasemēt to God not to acknowledg in him a more profound wisdome than man is able to comprehend or not to confesse anie other righteousnes in God than such as man shall finde to be iust and to maintaine that he is not able to doo any thing whereof man is not able to comprehend the reason 6 If proude and curious mindes should obiect vnto vs that wee propound these allegations because we are not able to answere to theyr replications obiections and blasphemies yet let vs not bee so carried awaie or readie to minister contentment to theyr rashnes and curiositie but rather let vs cleane to the simplicitie most assured principles of Christian religion Heerein resteth the true sanctification of the name of God As contrarywise it is a most dangerous presumption to seeke to giue account of the workes of God in the wisedome whereof hee wylleth that man feeling his owne ignorance should humble himselfe or to minister vnto men anie accesse to the inaccessible light of God wherinto no man is able to penetrate 2. Cor. 12.2 but hee shall be swallowed vp or in briefe to seeke to nourish the presumption and rashnes of men which God to the end to ingender humilitie in them will kill Saint Paul taken vp into the third heauen and there hearing wordes vnspeakable such as it was not lawfull to vtter knew well inough how farre hee might wade in reuealing the mysteries of Gods wisedome and prouidence And our selues may perceiue how moderate hee was in this respect Lykewise how resolute constant hee shewed him selfe in opposing the onely will wisedome power glorie of God agaynst all replications reproofes and blasphemies of men And in deede speaking of Iacob the elected and Esau the reiected hee sayth Rom. 9.11 Before the children were borne and when they had yet done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was sayde vnto Rebecca The elder shall serue the younger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Heere doeth hee plainely declare that Iacob was elected and Esau reiected not for eyther of theyr works either good or bad but according to the determination of God grounded vpon his election And hereupon the Apostle demanding whether there were anie vnrighteousnesse in God answereth first God forbid And that kinde of phrase hee ordinarily vseth whensoeuer hee goeth about to reiect anie question as abhominable and vnworthie of aunswere and heereby admonisheth vs when men vse the lyke replications to abhorre them and to saie God forbidde as thereby maintaining that it is a matter that cannot come to passe 7 Secondly for a manifest explanation that there is no iniquitie in God he addeth For God sayde to Moses Exod. 33.19 I will haue mercie on him to whome I will shew mercie and will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion Heerein doth hee first confyrme that which wee haue alreadie touched namely that election is grounded vpon the onely mercie and free grace of God without any consideration of our works Secondly he alledgeth no other reason of this mercie to some and not to other some but the onely wyll of God saying He will shew mercie to whome he will shew mercie Thus doth the Apostle teach vs that if man thinketh it no reason that God should choose some and reiect other some onely vppon his goodnes and mercie wythout anie consideration of theyr workes our most pertinent reason to iustifie God is with the Apostle to saie It was his will Thus when our Lord Iesus Christ sayde Math. 11.25 I giue thee thankes O father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them to babes He addeth onely this reason It is so O father because thy good pleasure was such So farre therefore must we bee from hauing anie thing to replie against whatsoeuer Gods will that euen in this so strange a worke in the iudgement of flesh proceeding of the good will and pleasure of our heauenly father he sheweth that wee haue an argument to praise him and wyth Iesus Christ to giue him thankes And Saint Paul followed these steppes of his master Eph. 1.3.4.5 11. for first he praiseth God because he hath elected vs in Iesus Christ and then hee addeth that it was done according to the good pleasure of the will of God So often therefore as wee reade and see that God sheweth mercie to some whome he will saue in his kingdome and glorie and leaueth forsaketh other some It is inough that wee alleadge that it is according to the pleasure and counsell of the will of God Thus much to cut off all replications and obiections 8 Earthly kings in the ends of their edictes and proclamations doo ordinarily in stead of a reason adde this For such is our pleasure And thereby doo prohibite theyr subiectes from anie farther enquirie and examination of the reasons of their ordinaunces And shall not God bee in as good credite as mortal man to make vs to receiue and aduow whatsoeuer hee willeth and decreeth onelye adding For such is his will and such is his pleasure Men may many times bee deceiued in that which pleaseth them but God forbid that God should will anie thing that were not righteous or good Let vs therfore so learne to sanctifie the name of God that so soone as in his worde hee declareth that such was or is his will we reiect all replications and vpholde that seeing hee willeth it it is iust good and holy albeit we cannot comprehend the reason of it This is the doctrine that the Apostle by his example doth deliuer And it is our dutie not to couet to bee wiser than the holy Ghost who spake by him either to demand or to render anie reason of the wil of God which cannot be but most iust and holy 9 Saint Paul proceeding in his purpose speaketh of the hardning of Pharaohs heart saying For this purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shew my power in thee Rom. 9.17
first reason of this commandement tended by the ceasing from manuall labour to figure vnto vs the spirituall rest namely the mortification and ceasing from all desires willes workes and wordes of the flesh Esa 58.13 as the Prophet Esay also declareth saying If thou refrainest vpon the sabaoth from dooing thy will vpon my holie daie and doest consecrate it to bee a holie and pleasing Sabaoth to the Lorde of glorie and that thou glorifie him in not dooing thy owne workes and that thy owne will be not found therein thou shalt prosper in God Besides this figure hath farther relation euen vnto Iesus Christ as to the truth thereof because it was hee who dying for vs purchased vnto vs the grace so to mortifie the olde man that beeing dead vnto sinne Col. 2.16 wee might sanctifie this Sabaoth in resting from our workes and labours And to that purpose wee reade in Exodus Obserue my Sabaoth for it is a signe that I am the God that sanctifyeth you Exod. 31.13 Ezech. 20.12 Now how necessarie this amendement sanctification of life is it doth appeare in this that God neuer required anie thing more strictly than obedience to this commandement of the Sabaoth Ezech. 20.13 22.8 23 38. Iere. 17.21.27 For wheresoeuer he wil note that all religion is subuerted he complaineth that his Sabaoth is defiled and violated 9 Where God also commaundeth that hee that had gathered a few stickes vpon the saboath day should be put to death he plainly sheweth that the least will word or work of our sleth deserueth euerlasting death And in deed this Emanuel perfectly and infinitly holy cannot indure any filthynes and sinne in that which is ioyned and vnited vnto him As we doo also reade that when the soâ—s of Aaron Nadab and Abiu offered strange fire before the Lorde the fire proceeded from the presence of the Lorde and deuoured them Leuit. 10. 1 and they died before the Lord whereupon Moses said vnto Aaron This is it that the Lord pronounced saying I will be sanctified in those that come neere vnto me and I will bee glorified in the presence of all the people Therby shewing that the neerer that Emanuel commeth vnto men or draweth men vnto him the lesse will hee beare with their corruptions and the sooner will he punish theÌ„ as doth appeare in a lump of waxe which the neerer that it is laid to the fire the more doth the fire shew his heate in melting it And in this respect when God appearing out of the burning bush to Moses commanded him to put of his shooes of his feet he addeth this reason For the ground whereon thou standest is holy not by nature more than anie other Exod. 3.5 but in regard of the presence of God 10 In olde time God dwelt in the midst of the people of Israel and the Arke and the Temple were testimonies of his presence which presence tended to assure them either of his sauor to blesse those that yeelded due obedience by amendement of lyfe oâ— of his wrath to punish those most grieuously who contemning this grace should rebell against him And this dyd Iosua most liuelye represent to the people of Israel For when they had protested that they would serue God and no Idols hee sayde vnto them You cannot serue the Lord for hee is a holy and iealous God and will not pardon your sinnes and transgressions so that if you forsake him hee will roughly intreate you Ios 24.19 When God named his sonne Iesus Christ Emanuel hee thereby declared vnto vs that hee is in the middest among vs and with vs after a more excellent fashion as beeing vnited and conioyned in our flesh and consequentlye vnto vs. And therefore we are also the more bounde in duetie to liue in holynesse by amendement of lyfe as beeing assured that as hee is come neerer vnto vs and more excellently into vs thorough his sonne Emanuel so will hee shew himselfe more seuere and iealous in punishing vs when wee turne from him and serue his enemies the world and the flesh So often therefore as wee shall heare or reade this name Emanuel attributed to Iesus Christ let vs remember that the same is a summon to vs to amend our liues that separating our selues from all filthinesse and corruption wee may bee consecrated and wholy dedicated to the seruice of God who is with vs in praying him fully to sanctifie vs both in bodie in soule and in minde that wee may bee preserued without reproch vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Hee sayth Saint Paul that hath called vs to this sanctification ioyning vs vnto Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5.23 is faithfull and will doo it 11 Secondly this name Emanuel teacheth vs that God is with vs wheresoeuer wee bee and consequently that he seeth and knoweth all our thoughts wills wordes and workes For as wee haue before sayde his diuinitie is in all places and consequently by vs with vs and in vs. Not that we should rest vpon the bare contemplation of this diuine essence to vs incomprehensible but that we should referre all to his prouidence by beleeuing that it is he that seeth knoweth guideth and gouerneth all that is done in heauen in earth neither that he should need to stand neere vs to looke vpon our affections and works And in deed marke how he reproueth hypocrites Iere. 23.23 that thought that they had to do with a God of a short or a dim sight Weenest thou sayeth he that I am a God neere at hand and not a God a farre off Can anie hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him sayth the Lorde Doo not I fill heauen and earth sayth the Lord Hypocrits did imagine such a God in heauen that withall they represented him to themselues to be like a man yea euen short sighted such a one as could not see farre so perswaded themselues that God did not see theyr wicked thoughtes and workes But hee reproued them saying that hee is not a God at hand only that is to saie such a one as is lyke vnto men that had need to stand by when they will see anie thing but that hee seeth a farre of As Dauid also representeth him vnto vs saying Psalme 33. 13 Hebr. 4.13 The Lord looketh from the heauens hee beholdeth all the sonnes of men and from his dwelling hee seeth all the inhabitants of the earth And the Apostle plainly declareth that no creature can be hidden from him but all things lie open and bare to his sight that wee haue to doo withall In the meane time because that men according to theyr nature doo more easily beleeue that such as are neere them do see them let them thinke that in whatsoeuer place they be God is neere them as this name Emanuel doth admonish which signifieth that God is with vs yea euen in vs as hauing ioyned and vnited vs to himselfe and therefore that
whereof the one doth signifie Be ye better aduised or learne to know your ignorance or fault and the other as much as if wee should saie Returne and conuert By the first the holy Ghost teacheth that it is a great folly to offend God considering that God exhorting vs to amend commandeth vs to be wise and aduised And the other confirmeth it to be in truth a great folly For when God saith Conuert returne to me namely by amendement he giueth vs to vnderstand that by transgressing his law we go to the deuill by amending we turne backe and go from the deuill to the liuing God And in deed if anie man list to demand what waie the idolaters fornicators whoremongers dronkardes couetous persons dreamers blasphemers and to bee short all they that giue themselues to the world and to the lusts of the flesh doo take the aunswere is certaine and readie euen they that take the waie that leadeth to hell that forsaking life they go to death and running from God they draw neere to the deuil Saint Paul making a catalogue of these people doth resolutely pronounce 1. Cor. 6.10 Rom. 6.23 Deut. 27.26 that they shall not inherit the kingdome of God also that the reward of sinne is death and cursed is he that keepeth not the commandements of the law And because there are few that take care to obey God to amend their liues Math. 7.13 our Lord Iesus Christ pronounceth that broade is the gate and path that leadeth to destruction As therefore if a man departing from Paris taketh his waie into Spaine and yet giueth out that hee wil take his waie through Flanders or Holand euerie man will scorne him as a foole or take pittie of him as if he were a senselesse person that goeth farre amisse euen so is it with him who taking no course to amend but continuing in offending of God doth neuertheles say vphold that he will go to heauen for euery man may iudge him to be senselesse and greatly out of the waie because he taketh the contrarie course which leadeth to hell 2 Now if there be no greater madnes or pernitious folly than by offending God to take the waie to hell and euerlasting fire Iesus Christ in commanding vs to amend doth iustly saie Be ye wise better aduised and conuert returne to me And in deed if God should aske the sinner Wilt thou amend Wilt thou go to hel fire into weeping and gnashing of teeth with the deuills There is no man so desperate but that he will answere No Lorde God forbid yet hath not God good cause to replie Why thou takest the way thether thy workes doo leade to hell and euerlasting destruction and therefore amend But how Lord be better aduised As now thou turnest thy backe to me and thy face to the deuill so turne conuert thou to mee Where thou goest from heauen and drawest neere vnto hell turne backe leaue the world the flesh and all the corruptions of the same walking in my commandements amend thy life Thus turning thy backe to the deuil thy face vnto me going from hell thou shalt come to me the fountaine of life euerlasting And in deed saith S. Augustin we draw neere vnto God who is euery where Prosper in his sentences out of Augustine Se. 91. Sc. 195 not by remouing from place to place but by alteration of manners For as dissimilitude separateth vs frō him so doth resemblance and imitation conioyne vs with him And what a woe is this saith he by displeasing God to abandon this soueraigne felicitie which is in all places Let this commandement therefore Amend that is to saie Be ye better aduised and conuert vnto me waken and inflame our hearts to amend our liues and to be wise and aduised to conuert vnto God If a marchaunt seemeth willing to trust another that is redie to be banquerout with all his goods one warning will be inough to reclaime him ye shall not need to praie him to beware or to alleadge many reasons to withhold him The only feare apprehēsion of the losse of all his goods wil be reason and exhortation sufficient What shall wee then doo when Iesus Christ saith Be ye better aduised that is Amend and note that by offending God so taking the waie to hel we indanger our selues yea we do euen assure our selues to loose both bodies and souls for euer Is it not meere madnes and vngrateful rage to continue and not to be wiser and better aduised that wee may conuert to God and by amendement preserue our bodies and souls vnto life euerlasting The eight cause of Amendement taken of the reason added by Iesus Christ where he saith For the kingdome of heauen or of God is at hand Chap. 8. NOw let vs especially consider the reason added by Iesus Christ For the kingdome of heauen or of God is at hand And for the better vnderstanding therof let vs note three significations of the kingdome of heauen First by this kingdome is signified the blessed estate and incomprehensible felicitie that wee shall inioye after the resurrection is when Iesus Christ sayth Math. 8.11 Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit at the table in the kingdome of heauen with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Agayne Math. 7.21 Not euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that doth the will of my father shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Againe Suffer little children to come vnto mee Math. 19.14 for vnto such belongeth the kingdome of heauen And so in many other passages Secondly by the kingdom of heauen is signified the estate of the regenerate man which consisteth in the true knowledge of God in faith in mortification of the olde man and in newnesse of lyfe As when Iesus Christ sayth The kingdome of God is in you Luke 17.21 Also in this saying of Saint Paul The kingdome of God is not meate or drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Thirdly Rom. 14.17 the kingdome of heauen many times signifieth the ministerie and preaching of the Gospell As when Saint Paul speaking of certaine faithfull seruants of Iesus Christ sayd Col. 4.11 Math. 11.11 These onely are my companions in the worke of the kingdom of God Againe as where Iesus Christ saith He that is best in the kingdome of heauen is greater than Iohn the Baptist Whereto wee also refeere this saying of Iesus Christ Math. 13.3 13.44.45 The kingdome of heauen is like vnto seede that fell in diuerse groundes Thereby signifying that the holy ministerie bringeth not fruit in all men Likewise where he compareth the kingdome of heauen to a treasure hidden in the earth and to a marchant that sought for good pearles thereby to shew how highly wee are to esteeme of the holy ministerie 2 All these significations of the kingdome of heauen ought
him and in offending him to cast our selues into the gulfe and bottomlesse pit of this eternall wo The same is an euident token that wee are either Atheists or Saduces that beleeue neither the resurrection of the bodie nor the immortality of the soul To be short neither heauen nor hell 10 When therefore we heare that Christ to the end to induce vs to amendement alleadgeth this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand Let vs stedfastly beleeue that there is a kingdom of heauen replenished with glorie immortall ioy let the apprehension of such a felicitie inflame our harts with a feruent resolute desire to denie our selues the world and the flesh so to amend our liues that louing God and our neighbors and endeuouring to yeld vnto him all obedience we may conforme our actions to his holy and good will as in hart to seeke nothing so much as to please him and to abhorre nothing more than the offending of him Let vs alwayes thinke with our selues that wee are no beasts who after death haue no feeling of good or euill but contrariwise let vs consider that at the seperation either of the body or of the soule the soule must goe either to heauen or to hell also that the bodye must followe after yea night and day let vs thinke and meditate vpon the difference that shal be betweene those that shall goe into the kingdome of heauen and the others that shall departe into hell 11 Let vs remember that not for a thousand yeares but euen for euer and infinitely we shal be either in soueraigne blisse or in extream misery Can we then possibly apprehend the glory and felicity of this kingdome of heauen Mat. 7.13.21 Luke 13 2◠without vnspeakable ioye and feruent desire to attaine thereto either consider of the cursed estate of the reprobate without trembling and feare let vs therfore think vpon the saying of Christ Labour to enter in at the narow gate least when you shall say Lord open vnto vs the gate of the kingdome of heauen that we may come in he answereth I know ye not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie There shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth when he shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophets in the kingdome of God and your selues shut out at dores Let vs beholde the difference betweene the two theeues that were hanged on either side of Iesus Christ of whom the one departed into hell Luke 23.39 and the other ascended into the kingdome of heauen as Iesus Christ sayde vnto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Let vs looke vpon the soule of Lazarus by the Angels caryed into Abrahams bosome where it rested in ioy as hee testified Luke 16.19 and the soule of the cursed rich man cast into torments as S. Luke witnesseth and himselfe confesseth saying I am tormeneted in this flame When he praieth to be refreshed with a little water but was denyed To be short let vs beholde the great multitude of the blessed that stood before the throne and in the presence of the Lambe clothed in long white garments with branches of palmes of victorye in their handes seruing God day and night gouerned by the Lambe and by him leadde to the liuely springes of water Apoc. 7. 9. and withall let vs looke vpon the others speaking to the rockes and mountains saying Fall vpon vs and hyde vs from before the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Let vs I say beholde them cast into the lake of fyre and brimstone to be tormented day and night for euer Apoc. 6.16 Apoc. 19.20 and 20.15 For who is it that will not be earnestly touched in hart hastely to departe and retyre out of the way into hell and diligently and constantly to walke by amendement of life into the kingdome of heauen Can it be possible if we should not think vpon them or can God think vpon them and not amend either can we amend and not feel our selues blessed by being gotten into the way of such a felicitie Apoc. 6.16 that wee may constantly perseuere vntill that God fulfilling his worke in vs doe receiue vs into the fruition of this kingdome of heauen to enioy the same for euer and euer The ninth cause of amendment taken hereof that the kingdome of God which we looke for in heauen doth admonish vs that we are strangers pilgrimes and trauelers in this life Chap. 9. THe holy scripture doth many times tearme vs strangers pilgrims and trauellers neither is it onely as it was with Abraham Gen. 23.4 when he spake to the Cananites saying I am a stranger and a forrener amongst you and as it is daylye with those who flying from persecution and forsaking the land of their natiuitie doe goe to dwell in another prouince and kingdome wherein they are strangers but we are so tearmed in respect of the kingdome of heauen our true and eternall countrey And indeed if we be Burgesses of heauen Eph. 2.10 Prosper in his sentences out of August Sent 17. as S. Paul teacheth we are strangers to the earth according to the saying of S. Augustin also All they that belong to the heauenly Cittie are pilgrimes and strangers in this worlde so long as this their tēporary life doth continue they do liue in an others countrey And that wee maye the better vnderstand this we call that land our countrey wherein we were borne and brought vp wherin our parents and ancestours successiuely haue made their abode and wherein we haue our principall goods possessions and inheritances Now whence doe we take our spirituall birth but frō our father which is in heauen Phil 3.20 where doe we receiue the soule of our spirituall birth but in the Church which is the kingdome of God or where is the house of our father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and al other our brothers and sisters in him 1. Pet. 1.4 Moreouer our treasure immortal inheritāce vndefiled and vncorruptible are reserued in heauen as saith S. Peter for vs that beleeue in Iesus Christ heauen is then our true coūtrey and in respect thereof are we here called strangers pilgrimes and trauellers on the earth 2 This doth the Apostle writing to the Hebrews euidently declare Heb. 11.13 where speaking of the ancient fathers he saith All these died in the faith and receiued not the promises but saw them a farre of and beleeued them and receiued them thankefullye and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things declare plainely that they seeke a countrey And if they had beene mindefull of that countrey from whence they came out Gen. 12.1 they had leisure to haue returned But now they desire a better that is an heauenly Wherfore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God for he
hath prepared for them a Cittie Heere the Apostle sheweth that Abraham Isaack and Iacob were strangers in the land of Canaan in respect of Vr in Chaldea from whence they came when Abraham at Gods commandement left his countrey his kinred and the house of his father But in that they were called forreiners and strangers it was not in that respect but in respect of heauen where God had prepared a Cittie for them and therefore albeit they had time to returne to Vr their natiue countrey yet sought they a better namely the heauenly and in that regarde conuersing vpon earth they are called strangers 3 Now the remeÌ„brance that we are strangers pilgrims trauellers ought to induce vs to lift vp settle our thoghts minds cogitations vpon our heauenly country that in the coÌ„templation of God of the glory of Christ and of the excellency of our inheritance we might reioyce with the angels souls of the saints that are already gathered thither and incessaÌ„tly sing praises vnto God with them And indeed as the Apostle saith Heb. 12.22 Wee that beleeue in Christ are come to the hill of Syon and to the cittye of the liuing God to the heaueÌ„ly Ierusalem to millions of angels to the church of the first born that are written in the heauens to God who is the iudge of all to the soules of the righteous that are sanctified and to Iesus the mediator of the new couenant Being ascended so high hauing our coÌ„uersation in heauen as Burgesses therof if froÌ„ thence we look vpon the earth and cast our view vpon the kingdomes riches dignities men and the most excellent things in the world all will seem in our eyes so small that wee will be euen ashamed to esteeme of them yea euen so much as to think vpon them so far will we be from setting our affections thervpon and truly goe vp vnto a high steeple and look from the top therof looke vpon men that go in the streets and they wil seem to you not to be men but children their houses euen cabbins for if it were possible to climbe fiue or six leagues higher ye should see no men yea the greatest townes would seeme but as one house and the Sea a poole Moreouer if possibly ye could ascend to the heauen of the moon which is the lowest the greatnes of the whole world would seem nothing it would not shew so much as a good pinnes head hanging in the middest of a great Church What would it be in case hee were in the highest heauen among the starres or aboue the heauens in the house of our father and in the heauenly citie wherof we are burgesses Much rather in those dayes will the vniuersall worlde be vnto vs nothing at all 4 To this purpose doe we read of a great Romain personage who in a dreame or conceit being ascended into the region of heauen among the Starres Cicero in Scipios dreame and beholding their greatnes and brightnesse thence casting downe his eyes vpon the earth it seemed that the whole worlde was so little that hee was ashamed of the Romain empire which neuerthelesse extended into so many realmes Now as this Ethnick could in his discourse clymbe no higher so if wee that are burgesses of heauen doe ascend aboue al heauens there conuersing in spirit doo behold the glorye of God and his pallace of light of an incomprehensible extent and afterward shal looke downe to the earth we will be ashamed of the smalnesse thereof and of all the kingdomes therein which thence will not shewe so great as a graine of sande but euen nothing at all The three Apostles when they had seene some parte of the glorye of Christ in his transfiguration vppon mount Thabor were so mooued that they saide Mat. 17.4 Lord it is good for vs to be heere let vs builde three tabernacles What then would we doe if we should conuerse in heauen and there beholde the maiestye of God and the glorye of Iesus Christ wold not euen the apprehension therof allure vs to wish to dwell there and to forget and despise the earth or then remembring and looking towardes the same woulde wee not reproue our selues as that Romain was reproued by his father who saide vnto him why dost thou yet cast downe thine eyes vpon the earth 5 Among other the vanities that men doe seeke and so feruently desire is glory and the reputation of vertue valour riches power wisedome and such other like but this Romain Ethnick being in a dreame rapt aboue the starres is by his father admonished in the smalenesse of all the worlde to contemplate the vanity of this ambition men will talke saith hee of thee and thy vertues but wher be it throughout the Romain Empire yet shall not thy fame passe such and such mountains there will no man once speake of thee What a folly is it therefore so to delight in the reputation of great welth ornaments of body excesse in banquets goodly houses honourable functions euen wisedome and humaine discretion sith all this fame and glory shal be shut vp in so small a corner of the worlde that when thou art ascended into the Citie whereof thy selfe art a Burgesse thou shalt not be able to see it most men labour to haue faire houses gardens of pleasure lordshippes and to heape vp possession vpon possession as if themselues should dwell alone vpon the earth as Esay saith Esay 5.8 and yet when they haue purchased whole townes and kingdomes if they should from heauen looke vpon them they would disdaine and contemne the smalnes and basenes of them And indeed let a man looke vpon a towne platted in foure leaues of paper hee shall somewhat discerne the order of the streetes and houses thereof but afterward laye downe in the like quantity of paper the whole prouince wherein that cittie standeth and the same will not shew so great as a mans nayle And lastly let him represent the whole worlde in asmuch paper and he shall see neither house nor towne yea scarsely the whole prouince perhaps hee may finde the names of the realmes and see their extent in the breadth of two or three nayles and looking from heauen the whole worlde will not seeme so much What a folly then or rather a madnesse is it for those that are strangers vpon earth and burgesses of heauen diuersly and by sundry meanes to offend God Gen. 25 34. Heb. 12.16 for the getting of so small a portion of earth which is as nothing wherein they resemble Esau who for a peece of bread and a messe of pottage solde his birth-right 6 Againe such as are strangers in a forraine countrey and haue parents and great wealth in their natiue soyle being hardlye entreated where they soiourne and vpon the pointe to returne home into their countrey are vndoubtedly very glad thereof euen already they seeme to see their houses lands and possessions and in their conceiâ—s doe
talke with their parents and feele a feruent desire to be soone there euen so we if we remember that in heauen we haue treasures of eternall riches an vndefiled inheritance immortall and incorruptible which is reserued for vs a heauenly father that loueth vs in his welbeloued son our elder brother Iesus Christ in glory the angels holy spirits in ioy and that wee their fellow burgesses haue our portion in all these goods and are euen vpon the point to be really in heauen with them why should we not be rauished with a feruent desire to be lifted vp thether and with S. Paul to say I couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 what letteth vs when wee feele how hardly wee are entreated and what mortall wounds our soules doe daylye receiue by offending God through their corruptions to say with S. Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death Shall not the very feeling of so grieuous and so many bodily afflictions whereto we are subiect in this strange land cause vs seruently to pray to be deliuered from the same 2. Cor. 5. 1. especially considering that we know as S. Paul saith that when the earthly habitation of this lodge is destroyed wee haue a building in God euen an euerlasting house in the heauens which is not made with mans hand And in this respect we that abide in these earthly dwellinges doe groane vnder our burdens for we desire to bee clothed with our habitation which is in heauen as knowing that remaining vpon earth wee are absent from the Lord for we doe walke in saith and not by sight albeit we trust loue rather to be estranged from this body and to dwell with the Lord. 7 Howbeit attending vntill we may be really there both in body and soule let vs be there in spirit let vs be conuersant in heauen and begin to feele the felicity wherof we shall hereafter haue full and perfect fruition in this conuersation with God with the angels and with the holy spirits let vs more and more learne the language and maners of heauen to the end wee may resemble the angels saints there dwelling When Moses had conuersed with God forty daies vpon the mountaine Exod. 34.29 at his comming downe his face shined and glistered with the heauenly glorye so will it bee with vs by then we haue for twenty or thirty yeares bene conuersant in heauen we shall become heauenlye and spirituall both in worde and deed euen as by experience wee see that when a countryman hath dwelled some twenty or thirty yeares in the Court he forgetteth his country speech and course of life and groweth to be as good a courtier as if he were borne in the Court Our earthly talke and communication our worldly course of life and the corruptions of the flesh that beare but too much swaye in vs doe but ouer manifestlye shew how little we are conuersant in heauen and consequently doe testifie that we account our selues Burgesses of earth and not of heauen That wee may therefore amend let vs continually thinke that heauen is our true countrey that wee are Burgesses thereof that there we haue our parents and blessed brethren the treasures of ioye and glory an immortall and incorruptible enheritance and that we are at the very point of going thither to take possession as in truth wee doe euery houre looke for the time of our departure let this holye meditation make vs to conuerse in heauen and to liue as heauēly people setting our harts vpon our treasure let it euen make vs to forsake the speeche habit fashions and manners of those among whom wee are for a short time strangers that we may enure our selues to the language and holy life of the burgesses of heauen and angels with whom we shall liue for euer Let it withdraw our affections from all that we must leaue at our departure out of this forrain country least otherwise we lose the incomprehensible goods that are prepared for vs in our heauenly and eternal country let it cause vs to renounce al that might detaine vs in this country replenished with misery and calamity that cheerefully we may aspire to our country which aboundeth in ioy glory and al felicity Let it enforce vs to say with Dauid Woe is me that I remaine in Mesech Psal 120.5 and dwell in the tentes of Keder That is to say among barbarous nations that loue not the Burgesses of heauen let the hard vsage of the prince of this world in this strange country make vs to couet to liue among the blessed Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen let all our thoughtes words cōmunication testifie that in spirit we are already there yea let all our works be preparatiues and pathes to lead vs therinto and to these ends let vs ouercome all that might break of or hinder our so happy iourney from earth to heauen 8 We must moreouer remember that we are pilgrimes and trauellers and therefore for the attaining to the place whereto wee are trauelling wee must beware of three points First of turning backe againe Secondly of turning either to the right hand or to the lefte Thirdly of standing still The offending of God and transgressing his commaundementes is a going backe againe for as in walking after his woorde and in his feare wee goe to God to heauen and to euerlasting life so by sinning in liewe of going forwarde wee slippe backe and drawe toward death as we haue before more at large declared We cannot therefore turne backe that is to saye offend God but with this condition that wee shall fall into ruine and euerlasting perdition much like vnto him who flying from his enemies that pursue him in liewe of sauing himselfe in some towne turneth backe towardes them and so putteth himselfe into their handes neither are we without many and mighty enemies that pursue vs and labour to make vs to turne backe by offending God and these must wee fight against Deerely beloued saith the Apostle Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstayne from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule Let vs diligently note that hee heere saith not against our goods to rob vs of them neither against our bodies to murder vs but against our soules to induce thē to offend God so to drawe them into euerlasting damnation And heereof haue we a notable example in the person of Iob Iob. 1. he was a iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill and so walked in the waye to heauen but Satan would withstand him and therefore commenced warre against his soule but how true it is he seemed as if he would haue fought against his goods in causing them to bee taken away against his children in procuring their death and against his body in vexing it most cruelly yet was it properly the soule that he assaulted as himselfe
declareth where he saith Doth Iob feare God for nought Hast thou not made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on euery side Thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land But stretch out now thy hand and touch all that he hath to see if hee will not blaspheme thee to thy face He therefore fought against the soule seeking by out ward tribulation to induce the same by blaspheming to offend God 9 This is a strange war for any other may haue an end either by making peace with the enemy by flying farre from him or by ouer comming him in fight but in this spirituall warre wee can not lawfully make any peace or agreemēt with our enemies the deuil the worlde and the flesh God doth forbid it and it would be our ouerthrow and destruction for they be euen so many traitors and i◠reconciliable murderers yea it would be worse for vs then for the sheepe to make peace with the woolse neither can we fly and so get from these enemies for the deuill will follow vs into al places who hath a whole army of Souldiers within vs euen our affections and couetous lustes that we beare about vs. Likewise whersoeuer we become we shall still finde the worlde an enemy it resteth therefore that onely we sight and ouercome in battell Thus doth this warre somewhat resemble the same that the Children of Israel prosecuted against the Kinges of the land that was promised vnto them when they went to take possession and inheritance thereof Deut. 27. and 20.16 for in respect that God had commanded them to destroy them they might not make peace with them or make them tributaries as also forbidding his people to feare them he would not suffer them to retyre or to returne into Egipt they were therefore of necessitie to fight and ouercome them True it is that if we consider our owne weakenes to withstand such mightye enemies Ios 1. it may breede some cause of feare but as God in olde time commaunded Iosua that hee should not feare the Cananites and assured him that he would be with him and that by ouercomming them hee would bring his people into the land of promise so likewise let vs giue eare vnto God that calleth vs to this battell with assurance that hee will stand with vs for vs and in vs to the end that couragiously fighting vnder his banner against our enemies that labour to turne vs back and to recoile we may finally by his grace and power obtaine full and perfect victorye and so ending this blessed voyadge attaine to the fruition of the heauenlye Cittie and our true countrey that we may liue with him in glorye for euer 10 As we must therfore beware of turning back by offending of God so is it our duety to take heede that in this blessed iourney wee turne neither to the right hand nor to the lefte By those that turne to the right hand wee vnderstand such as doe indeede fulfill Gods commaundement yet not to glorifie him but either to glorifie themselues or to merite Mat. 6. and by those that turne to the lefte such as following the traditions of men doe forsake the straight and assured path of Gods woorde Praier to God almes fasting and other like workes are commendable and ordeyned by God to the end by them to walke toward heauen 1. Cor. 13. but such as do them that they may be seene and praised of men doe turne to the right hande and depriue themselues of all reward in heauen because they receiue it vpon earth as our Sauiour Iesus doth teach It is also a straying to the right hand when hauing receiued the gifts of speaking the tongues euen of the Angels of prophecying of knowing all secrets and misteryes of hauing faith to remoue mountaines of destributing to the poore and of abandoning the body to the fire when I say all these giftes and graces are not accompanied with loue Such likewise as in the olde time among the Iewes did obserue the lawes and ordinances of God to the end to merite did also stray to the right hand and turned out of the way of saluation as S. Paul testified of them that they had zeale of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 Rom. 11.9 and this sentence doth hee pronounce of them They strayed out of the right way Their table shal be made a snare and a stumbling blocke On the other side such doe turne to the lefte hand as doe thinke to come to heauen by the path of mens traditions and seruices or voluntary deuotions not commanded by God as S. Paul tearmeth them Col. 2.21 as likewise Iesus Christ obiected to the Scribes and Pharisees that in their ordinances they ouer went Gods commandement wherto he addeth This people draweth neere me with their mouth Mat. 15.38 Esay 29.1.3 and honoureth me with their lippes but their hand is farre of from me But in vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines mens preceptes In as much therfore as God hath so farre fauoured vs as to teach vs the way wherein we should walke to heauen let vs beware that wee turne not either to the right hand or to the lefte but reiecting mens traditions let vs walke in that path which God in his worde hath shewed yet not to seeke any praise or commendation to our selues but to the end to glorifie our God 11 Thirdly by this name Trauellers we are taught that we must not stand still in the way but still goe forward that we may fructisie more and more in good workes and by amendment approche and enter into heauen and indeed such is the way to heauen that he that goeth not forward slydeth backward we nursse vp little children to the end they may grow great and waxe strong and it were a wonder to see a child continue as little and weake as at the birth euen so if we who being members of the Church of Christ and consequently entred into the path that leadeth to the kingdome of heauen and dayly do receiue the food of Gods word and sacraments should not encrease in faith working in loue amēdment of life it were a great ingratitude and vnexcusable obstinacy which should not escape vnpunished to stand still in the way and not to goe forwarde for hauing put a childe to schoole if at the end of foure or fiue yeeres he can neither read nor write any better then the first day that he went there is then good cause to take him away whereby he shall forget euen that little which he had at the first Neuertheles of how many euen of our selues may we make the like complaint as did the Apostle of the Hebrues to whom he writ saying When as concerning the time we ought to be teachers Heb. 5.12 yet haue ye need againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of
Lord Iesus Christ cōfirme saying Luke 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome of heauen And in another place Wide is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in therat Mat. 7 13. Luke 13.23 and contrariwise Straight is the gate and the way narrow that leadeth to life and few there be that finde it This doth he speake as S. Luke noteth in an answere to one that had asked him saying Lord are there fewe that shal be saued Those men therfore are not the disciples of Iesus Christ but rather most pernitious instrumentes of Satan that affirme that the gospell is no ioyfull tidings because many doe perish for want of especiall grace that all men shal be saued by a certaine kinde of faith which they haue by nature of God the creator of heauen and earth euen they that neuer heard the Gospel or beleeued in Iesus Christ alwais excepting such as euen in this life by their owne mallice and perpetuall ingratitude haue purchased eternall paines for they doe maintaine merites they forge a faith to saluation without Gospell and without Christ they promise eternall life to hypocrites and to such as think themselues either to be no sinners or to be saued with their sinnes or to haue remission of their sinnes without Iesus Christ to be short they giue assurāce of saluation to all idolaters and sinners in the worlde in case by their workes they obstinatly make not neither shewe themselues abhominable truely they belye Iesus Christ for so should the gate of heauen be very large and wide and not onely many should enter in therat but euen the most part of the worlde as these men doe verily inferre albeit contrary to the expresse protestation of Iesus Christ 9 This is a pollicy of the deuill wherby he seeketh to rock men on sleepe in their sins and to lead them to death vnder colour of sauing them Eph. 2.12 First where S. Paul speaking to the Gentiles saith Before yee beleeued yee were without Christ and were aliants from the common wealth of Israell and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world Doth he not euidently shewe that all heathen that knew not Christ to beleeue in him and so not they onely that were more wicked then the rest are out of Christ the onely sauiour of the worlde are depriued of the promise of the couenant and are without hope and without God Phil. 2.16 Acts. 5.20 Eph. 6.15 Act 14.3 and 20 32. and 13.26 what reason or ground can they then lay holde of whereby to the contrary to maintaine that such men can haue any hope of saluatiō or that they shal be saued in the kingdom of Christ Moreouer as the gospell is called the worde of life of peace of grace saluation so can ther be no other faith that shal bring forth peace life and saluation but that which is grounded vpon the Gospell Faith therfore in God the creator vnknowen as a redeemer in Iesus Christ can bring no saluation or life euerlasting doth not this errour likewise abolish the holy ministery that is to say preaching and the vse of the sacraments sith men may be saued without thē Is it not also a dispensation to all the corruptions and vices of the soule euen to an infinite number of sins cōsidering that only those men shal be damned that of their perticular malice shall haue declared a perpetual ingratitude against God the creator or that hauing heard the gospel haue publickly reiected it and so what a folly is it or may it be to suffer for the name of Iesus Christ for let a man be an idolater let him neuer come at Sermon let him neuer cōmunicat the sacraments let him make profession of no religion let him burne in couetousnes and ambition yea let him foster vp hatred malice and enuy yet if otherwise he liue honestly after the maner of the world it is enough in their doctrine for his saluation 10 These are such monstrous opinions that the very shew of thē may suffise to confound them Now let vs returne to our purpose and with Iesus Christ conclude to the contrary namely that the number of those that shal be saued is very small for if vnto men there be giuen no other name whereby we may be saued Act. 4.12 but only the name of Iesus Christ such as boast that they beleeue in God and obey not Christ who commaundeth that wee should also beleeue in him can be no pertakers of the saluation that is in him Likewise if vnto those that know not Christ wee doe adioyne all those that albeit he be preached vnto them Iohn 14.1 doe not beleeue in him neither liue as the members of Christ euery one may easilye vnderstand the truth of his sentence who is the self truth namely that few shal be saued and that in respect of the others it is a small flocke that shal be partakers of the eternall kingdome And herein doe we gather two points that should mightily induce vs to amend our liues First that we must practise the exhortation that Christ himselfe gathereth thereof when he saith Labour to enter at the narrow gate but how by putting of the olde man by denying our selues and the worlde in breefe by daylye amendment Luke 13.24 Let vs therefore beware of the broad way and consequentlye of these cursed dispensations to offend God when we are attempted hereto let vs remember that as sin leadeth vnto death so must we seperate our selues from the multitude that walketh in the broad way that leadeth to destruction euerlasting neither must we hearken to those that say all the worlde doeth thus most men doe liue thus we cannot make a world apart if thou followest this world take the broad way thou shalt with the world go into destruction 11 Secondly the more stedfastly that we vnderstand and beleeue that there shal be few saued the more earnestly let vs praise God who hath chosen vs to be of that small number and hath called vs to bring vs in at the narrowe gate to be of his euerlasting kingdome let vs beholde the multitude that goe by the brode gate to destruction let the horror of their woe kindle our harts that we may praise God for his great mercy toward vs and walke cheerefully in the straight way that leadeth to heauen let vs couragiously reiect all desires of the flesh allurements of the worlde and all other temptations to the ende that by dayly amendment of life we may finally enter at the narrow gate that leadeth to the kingdome of eternall glory Thus we see how the consideration of this title of the kingdome of heauen attributed to the Church to the holye ministerye to the restauration of man consisting in righteousnes peac e and ioy in the holy ghost
and to the felicity of the Children of God in heauen doth admonishe and teach vs that we must first enter into the Church and vse the holy ministery secondly thereby increase in faith and amendment of life and so attaine to the fruition of the incomprehensible felicity and glory prepared in heauen for the children of God The thirteenth cause of amendment deriued of this saying of Iesus Christ The kingdome of heauen is at hand Chap. 13. THis saying of Iesus Christ The kingdome of heauen is at hand may be referred first to the kingdom of glory which we waite for in heauen Secondly to the renewing restauration of man and thirdly to the preaching of the gospel And indeed the kingdome of heauen considered in these three points Gen. 3. 23. did truely at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ come very neere vnto man As concerning the kingdome of glory that is in heauen we know that our first parents Adam and liue when they had transgressed the commaundement of God were driuen out of the garden of Eden also that God placed the Cherubins on the east side of the garden with a flaming sworde continually mouing to keep the way to the tree of life Then God thereby hauing shewed that man was put forth and banished out of heauen and life euerlasting by the building of the tabernacle and afterward of the temple in Hierusalem gaue vnto his people some figure of a passage into heauen through the Messias that was to come For in that the people remained in the porch might haue no accesse into the holy sanctuarye Exod. 28.9 the figure of heauen God gaue them to vnderstand that they were vnworthy to come in but in that the high priest once in the yeere did enter with the twelue names of the twelue tribes vpon his shoulders and his breast God thereby signified that when Iesus Christ figured in this high priest should come he by his death should open vnto them the gate of heauen and should enter thereat not for himselfe onelie but as it were carying his people in with him And thereupon at the death of Christ the vaile of the Temple that seperated and did hide the holy Sanctuary did cleaue and rent to the bottom Mat. 27.51 Heb. 9.8 thereby to shew that the way of heauen was now open to the members of Iesus Christ which was not before reuealed as the Apostle saieth to the Hebrews Thus did the kingedome of heauen beginne to be at hand 2 Yet drew it nearer when Iesus Christ rising from death ascended into heauen For as the high Priest entring into the holy Sanctuarie vpon his shoulders and brest carryed the twelue names of the twelue tribes of Israel So Iesus Christ entred not alone into heauē but we also with him as saith Saint Paule Eph. 2.5 That God quickened vs together with Christ and raiseth vs vp together and made vs sit together in the heauenlie places in Iesus Christ And in an other place the same Apostle saieth If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and coheyres with Iesus Christ And this he sayeth to assure vs Rom. 3.17 that Iesus Christ hath so taken possession of heauen that it is not onely for himselfe but also for vs his coheyres As if vpon the confiscation of an inheritance common to many brethren when the prince afterward maketh a release the eldest brother taketh the possession for assurance that himselfe and his bretheren are restored to their goods the same is an assurance to the coheires with the eldest that in the person of their eldest brother themselues are put in possession of the inheritance common to them all Thus did the kingedome of heauen draw neare at the comming of Iesus Christ and this is it that he first wisheth vs to note for our amendment when he saith Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand 3 The auncient fathers could neuer discerne this kingdome but a farre off and very obscurely God promised to Abraham Isaac and Iacob the land of Canaan Not that they should settle their minds vpon the fat of the earth but that it might be to thē as an image of this kingdome of heauen wherto they should aspire Heb. 11.13 But saieth the Apostle They are all dead and receiued not the promises but saw them a farre off and beleeued them and receiued them thankfully And this he meaneth not simply by the land of Canaan but principally by the opening of heauen approching of this kingdome of heauen fulfilled at the comming of Iesus Christ Howe neare then is this kingedome of heauen commen vnto vs by the comming of Iesus Christ in respect of them sith he toke possession both for himselfe and vs whom also we cannot behold in the fruition of this heauenly kingdome but we must withall behold our selues with him because he is our head and keepeth his members vnited to himselfe and our spouse who communicateth with vs all his goods in which sence Saint Paule also calleth vs Burgesses of heauen Doth not Iesus Christ therefore when he saieth Amend your liues iustly alledge this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand Ephes 2.19 And in deed If Abraham Isaac Iacob the Prophets Iohn 8.56 and the rest of the faithfull before the comming of the sonne of God in the flesh whilest the kingdom of heauen was yet so farre from them and from their view did notwithstanding reioyce as it is written of Abraham and accounted themselues Pilgrims and strangers in this world and lyued deuoutly righteously and religiously to be short did amend their liues as aspiring to this kingdome of heauen How much more earnestly ought we to feele in our selues that we are strangers pilgrims vpon the earth whereto his kingdome is come so neare that we do therein behold Iesus Christ and our selues with him Howe much rather I say should we be euen rauished to asp re to this kingdome which we see open by denying the world the flesh and all that might keepe vs backe that by amending our lyues we might increase in faith loue holynesse in euery good thing that might be vnto vs as a path a Chariot horse to transport vs really into heauen When winter is ouer the nearer that the Sun draweth vnto vs the more doth the earth being warmed by the heat therof fructifie And the longer that the dayes are the more worke may we do Euen so the nearer that the kingdome of heauen doth draw vnto vs by the cōming of Iesus Christ especially by his ascention into heauen the more should we be heat in the loue of God and charity to our neighbors to bring foorth the more fruite of holines be the more adicted to al good works 4 Secondly we are to consider the drawing neere of the kingdom of heuen in the restauratiō renewing of man Whē Christ died for our sins Rom. 4.25 Rom.
vs in that drunkennes vnreadye and vnprepared to expect this kingdome of heauen in assurance ioy Let vs take heede that we doe not wittingly abuse our selues saying When I haue attained to such wealth or to such dignity I wil take my ease and come forth of this tauerne to serue God First it is an ordinary course that the more beere or wine that a man drinketh the more he may and the more the drunken man drinketh the more drunke he will be Euen so the more wealth and dignitie that thou hast the more shalt thou find thy cares to encrease and the more they encrease the more drunken in them thou wilt be Secondly we must take great heed that when God calleth vs to repentance and amendmeÌ„t we appoint him no time Prosper in his Sent. out of Aug. Sent. 71. He saith S. Augustine that hath promised forgiuenes to him that repenteth hath not promised another day to him that deferreth his amendement â—â—â—sius in 〈◊〉 Hebrew â—â—â—bian apoâ—â—â— lib. 1. Among the sentences of the wise men that liued among the Iewes after their return from the captiuitie of Babylon we reade of one Eleazar the sonne of Hircanus who being demanded when it woulde bee time to repent and amende aunswered One daie before death And when the other replied that no man knew the daie of his death he sayd Beginne then euen to daie for feare of failing 12 Inasmuch then as dayly we expect not onely death but also the day of iudgement that in that respect the kingdome of heauen commeth two solde vpon vs that we may the more earnestly be moued to our duty to amend let vs remember this saying of Iesus Christ Mat. 24.43 If the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken Therefore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the son of man surely come And therefore he addeth Blessed is that seruant whom his master when he commeth shal finde doing his dutie And this is also represented vnto vs in the parable of the virgins For the foolish ones that tooke no oyle in their lamps were shut from comming in to the marriage Mat. 25. but the wise that had made their prouision came in Sith therefore that the kingdome of heauen is at hand let vs amend our liues and make good prouision of holy oyle increasing in the knowledge of God in faith loue holynes and all other good works let vs in time put on our wedding garments that when the bridegrome commeth if it be so dainly as himselfe hath warned vs we may be readie and prepared to enter into the marriage with him Neither let vs forget that as Iesus Christ doth aduertise vs Apoc. 22.20 It shall as a snare come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth And as he addeth Let vs watch and praie continually that we may be accounted worthie to escape all these thinges that shall come to passe Luke 21.34 and that we may stand before the sonne of man Your selues doo know perfestly sayth S. Paul that the daie of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night 1. Thes 5. 2. For when they shall saie Peace and safetie then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauell vppon a woman with child and they shall not escape And then to comfort the faithfull hee sayth But ye brethren are not in darknes that that day should come vpon you as a theef ye are all the children of light and the children of the daie And thereupon he also taketh occasion to exhort them to theyr duties saying Therfore let vs not sleep as doo other but let vs watch be sober putting on the brest plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet Let vs beware that we folow not the euill seruant who seeing that his master was long in comming saide in himselfe that he wold not come therupon gaue himself to work wickednes Mat. 24.48 But as Iesus Christ addeth His master comming at an houre when he looked not for him cut him off and punished his iniquitie and incredulitie 13 Saint Peter warneth vs. that in the later daies there will come lyke people whoÌ„ he termeth mockers which will walke after their lusts saie Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers slept 2. Pet. 3.3 all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation But by a notable example he sheweth that they doo wittingly and willingly deceiue themselues in such discourses For when Noah foreshewed the floud and built the arke for his owne safetie the like mockers rise against him who seeing no apparance of the flould for aboue a hundred yeres thereof concluded that the world continuing in that estate shoulde not perish but were surprised and swallowed vp in the floud Inasmuch therefore as Iesus Christ commanding vs to amend doth affirme that his kingdom is at hand lest seeming to be long in comming we should therfore falsly conclude that it will not come let vs diligently note what S. Peter addeth Derely beloued be not ignorant of this one thing that a thousaÌ„d yeres is with the Lord as one daie and one day as a thousand yeres The Lord is not slacke as concerning his promise as some men account slacknes God is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance But the day of the Lorde will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noise and the elementes shall melt with heate the earth with the workes therin shall be burnt vp Then doth he thereof gather this earnest exhortation to repentance amendement of life Seeing therefore that all these things must bee dissolued what maner of persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynes Looking for and hastning vnto the comming of the day of God wherein the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shal melt with heat But we loke for new heauens new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse c. 14 Albeit therfore it seem to our flesh that this kingdome is long in comming yet let vs not slacke our amendement Ioel. 2.12 but let vs euen this daie conuert and thinke vpon the saying of the prophet Ioel Euen this daie conuert vnto me sayth the Lord. Wherein he sheweth that he yet giueth vs this daie to repent but assureth vs not of to morrow Let the remembrance therfore of the drawing neere of the kingdome of heauen induce vs to amend 2. Tim. 4.8 to the end that in amending we may gather argument to long after the comming of Christ as it is the dutie desire of all the children of God Luke 21.28 And when we shall see the signes of his comming more more fulfilled let vs lift vp our heads reioyce because our deliuerance is at hand and that shortly wee shall be gathered and brought into the fruition of his kingdome and eternall glory FINIS
of our Lord Iesus Christ at the least once a yeere they seperated not themselues from the Idolaters and heathen shewing some testimonie of their Christianitie Let them that we speake of therefore consider by what title they may be called Christians sith they neuer communicate in the supper of Iesus Christ Neither may they replie as some doe that in ioyning with one Church they condemne all others for it is true that all assemblies that entitle themselues the Church of Christ are not so yet to acknowledge or alow of none for feare of condemning of the rest is to denie and condemne Christ in not condemning those who calling themselues Christ are Antichrists If a man bring a payment in golde where among there bee some peeces that seeme light or counterfaite thou doest not straight say I will take none least by taking so much as I take to be waight and currant you should complaine that I reiect the rest but thou wilt bring thy ballance and touch-stone and then wilt thou take so much as thou findest to be waight and currant and boldly refuse the rest Let these men therefore set before their eyes the markes of the true Church as their touch-stone and scales and by them consider where they are thereto also adioyning prayer to God that he will direct them by his holy spirit and so knowing the true Church and ioyning themselues therto Amend their liues by communicating in the holy supper of the Lord. Of our dutie to assist at publique Prayer Chap. 5. AS concerning publique or common prayer Gen. 17.7 Act. 9.14.21 2. Tim. 2.19 Psal 14.4 Esa 56.7 Mat. 21.13 Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 18.19 considering that thereby the holy Scripture signifieth the whole seruice of God also that his seruants are called people calling vpon God it alreadie appeareth that such as despise the same do cut off themselues from the degree of Gods seruants Where God calleth the temple the house of prayer he sheweth that the principall part of that seruice which he requireth of vs is that wee should assemble to pray and call vpon him as indeed these publique praiers are of great efficacie For albeit all priuate praiers directed to the heauenly father in the name of Iesus Christ haue promise to be heard yet is it not without cause that Iesus Christ aduertiseth and promiseth vs that if two faithfull doe agree vpon earth whatsoeuer they demaund of their heauenly father it shall be graunted This is a fauour as it were peculiar to the Church and noted by Dauid where he saith Praise waiteth for thee in Sion Psal 65.2 and vnto thee shall the vow be performed Herein he sheweth that the praiers of the Church signified by Sion are so sure to bee heard that God who heareth them looketh for praise in theÌ„ as indeed it is his dutie whose prayers are heard to yeeld thankes praisings to God And truely as when a whole Burgeoysie of a Citie doe come before their Prince and with one voice craue pardon for some offence or begge some grace or fauour the Prince will be more moued then if they being absent some one maÌ„ should speake for the whole Euen so wheÌ„ the whole Church assembled together doth with hart and minde in the presence of God accoÌ„panie the praiers which the preacher as the mouth of the congregation poureth forth let them be assured that those praiers do penetrate the heauens and that God is moued to heare them Not that he is subiect to passions as we but that by the feeling of our affections hee vouchsafeth to assure vs of his mercy goodnes toward vs. WheÌ„ Amb. de paenitent diuers how few so euer saith S. Ambrose are assembled together being vnited they are great And the praiers of a gret multitude cannot possibly be coÌ„temned 2 Likewise all people and nations in the world euen the Idolaters haue euermore had their assemblies therein publique prayers This sence or feeling being grauen in all mens harts that haue any religion that they ought to call vpon their God that it is an honour that God requireth at their hands and the true meanes to purchase his blessings toward them But in Christian Churches there is also this farther reason That their publique praiers are as it were a publique renouncing of all sects and societie with Idolaters and prophane people an acknowledgement and confession of the true God a publique sanctification of his name to his glory And therefore Act. 16.13 as the Iewes in old time so since haue the Christians euermore very carefully obserued this dutie of pietie and seruice to God as appeareth by the writings of the Apostles Prophets and by al Ecclesiasticall histories And to this purpose doth S. Luke rehearse that Paul and his companions being at the towne of Philippos came forth vpon the Sabaoth day and went to the riuers side where they vsed to pray This vndoubtedly was some out corner where the faithfull vsed secretly to meete to call vpon God So that albeit euery man priuately might haue prayed in his house Act. 21.5 and so haue auoided both the paine and daunger yet knowing that in dutie they were to separate themselues from Idolaters and the efficacie of the praiers of the congregation they ouercame the feare of the danger met in that place especially to pray and with one consent to poure out their praiers to the Lord. When S. Paul and his companions departed from Tirus all the congregation with their wiues and children brought them out of the towne and kneeling with them on the shore prayed Shall wee in these daies find this zeale among Christians No men will bee ashamed to imitate it and to kneele downe vpon a shore to pray to God publikely And yet the faithful of those times neuer did it without both reson fruit It is therfore a holy ordinaÌ„ce of God a most profitable exercise to come together to call vpon the Lord. As also it is ytâ—uty of al faithful carefully to come to such praiers that they may be pertakers of the fruits of the same especially in time of gret calamities or vpoÌ„ feare or liklihood therof We should eueÌ„ extraordinarily come together to call vpon God as we read that the prophet Ioel in the name of God coÌ„maunded Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast Ioh. 2.15 cal a solemne assemblie gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the children and together cry vnto the Lord in praiers feruent and extraordinarie old and young none exeÌ„pted And as euery one in respect of himself is therto bound so is it not enough that he faithfully employ himselfe only vnlesse he sollicit exhort others according to the prophesie of Zacharie saying The enhabitants of one Cittie shall say to another Vp let vs goe and pray before the Lord and seeke the Lord of hoasts I will go also Zach. 8 21. 3 Neither is it inough that in body we
be present at praiers vnles we also lift vp our minds to heauen 1. Cor. 14.16 For if when the Pastor speaketh in the name of the Church euery man at each petition saith not in hart Amen feeling a feruent desire to haue his petitioÌ„ granted then is ther both vanity hypocrisie eueÌ„ in this point may we find great corruption infirmitie in many For how many are ther who all the time of praiers do staÌ„d as men without life thinking vpon nothing How many be there whose minds are wandring How many that haue no feeling or desire of the benefits that wee craue at Gods hand To be short how many be ther whose harts minds are entangled buried in earthly affaires euen when their hands are lifted vp to heauen As this vanitie therfore is odious in the sight of God so for the ameÌ„ding therof let vs be both diligent comers to common praier and so touched with a liuely feeling of the same that we may reape the fruits thereof And to this purpose let vs remeÌ„ber that the deuil feareth nothing more theÌ„ the praiers of the Church that ther is no exercise of godlines wherin we are more often more feruently or more attentiuely to employ our selues For albeit the deuill be alwaies at hand ready to induce vs to wickednes yet is his readines most wheÌ„ he seeth vs disposed to pray that then intruding himselfe into our harts drawing away our cogitatioÌ„s he may hinder the sanctificatioÌ„ of the word of God the most excelleÌ„t fruit of our praiers Let the experience of this corruption vanitie in all praiers both publique priuate with the difficulty in amending the same albeit it be troublesome vnto vs yet make vs more wary the better to stand vpoÌ„ our gard to the end that so soone as we feele our selues amisse our thoughts otherwise distracted we may remember that Sathan is at hand among other our praiers beseech God to driue him from vs to giue vs grace to lift vp our minds to heauen with one hart call vpon him that finally we may receiue the fruit of our praiers 4 By this deduction of the titles markes of the Church afore mentioned it doth manifestly appere that they which refuse to ioyne therto become meÌ„bers therof are not in the kingdome house of God that denying to take the Church for their mother they caÌ„ not call God their father that they deserue as coÌ„cerning the soule to languish die because they reiect the food therof that they are worthy to incur the vengeance pronouÌ„ced by Christ importing that in the day of iudgement he wil denie them before God his father because they would not coÌ„fesse him before men We can with S. Austen confesse that there be wolues in the sheepe-fould and sheep without Mat. 10.32 neither must we deny but ther be many hypocrites in the Church whom God will finally disclose and reiect to their confusion or cast headlong into grieuous damnation because they prophaned the honour graces to them presented by the Lord in his Church 2 Tim. 2.19 Likewise God forbid wee should say that all that are out of the visible externall Church should be reprobates in the sight of God God knoweth his he waiteth he beareth with them finally he calleth them touching their harts he maketh them to feele their fault either inserting them into his visible Church or euen in the middest of the Idolaters through his great mercy and power sauing them in his kingdome glory when vntil the very houre of their deaths there is no shew or appearance that they be the children of God as it happened to the theese that was hanged by Christ Iesus But as by the iudgement of loue we are bound to thinke all to be elect that are ioyned to the Church vntil they minister occasion either by reuolt or bad coÌ„uersation to think otherwise so haue wee no ground to accompt those that refuse to ioyne therto to be members of Christ because they beare not his marks or tokens vntill by amendement they renounce the kingdome of Sathan which is without the Church and settle themselues in the house of God as his children there to call vpon him and to be fed with his spirituall food to life euerlasting And in deed Sith in hart we beleeue to righteousnes with our lips do make confession to saluation Rom. 10 10. as S. Paul saith it is in vaine for vs to boast of faith whereby to be iustified vnlesse we confesse Iesus Christ that we may obtaine saluation by true faith iustifieng vs in Christ 5 Sith therfore that the Church called the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a precious pearle Mat. 13.44 and a treasure hid in a garden which when a man findeth he selleth al that he hath to buy enioy it Let vs accompt nothing so deare or precious but that we may be ready resolued to leaue it to get into the Church of Christ To this purpose let vs remember the zeale of Dauid who being depriued of this benefit bitterly complained saying As the hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth after God saying When shal I come appeare before the presence of God Psal 42.1 Psal 84.1 Psal 26.8 In another place also what a desire sheweth hee to bee in the temple of God O Lord of hoasts saith he how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for the courts of the Lord for my heart and my flesh reioyceth in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwellin thy house praise thee continually And in another Psal O Lord I haue loued the habitations of thy house the place where thy honour dwelleth If Dauid a man yea a Prophet so excellent in faith vertue so plainly so often doth confesse how needful it was for him to be in the Church of God feeling himselfe as it were rauished with a feruent desire to enioy such a benefit What may we feele euen we who are so ignorant so weake so corrupt among so many dangers and assaults Will we how health-some necessarie this grace for vs to be in the Church of Christ is so far would we be from retiring therefro or deferring to ioyne thereunto that contrariwise we would euen run chearefully to get a roome therin Yea we wâ—uld reioyce boast of such a benefit and sauour Esa 44.5 saying with the Prophet Isay One shall say I am the Lords another shall be called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord name himselfe by the name of Israell When therefore we heare Iesus Christ and S. Iohn crying Amend your lines Let vs know that the principall point wherin we are to Amend consisteth in renouncing and denying both in hart body al Idolatry superstition