tongue and beare much more malice in heart These cursed Hypocrites these dissembling Hel-hounds and these venemous Vipers are the very pictures of the Diuell and liuely representations of the old Serpent For as the Diuell lyeth coggeth counterfaiteth and dissembleth so doe these The subtill Serpent pretended great kindnesse to our first Parents counselling them to eate of the forbidden fruit that so they might see and be as gods but he intended their euerlasting destruction so these crafty Foxes séeme to be charitable Christians and to giue good counsel whersoeuer they become but yet they deuoure 〈…〉 Widdowes houses and that vnder colour of long prayers The subtill Serpent séemeth to be an Angell of light but yet he is a diuell of darknesse settered with the chaines of euerlasting darknesse So A 〈…〉 these Apes of the Diuell do beare an outward shew of holinesse and puri ty yet they are Wels without water and clouds carried about with euery tempest to whom the blacke darknesse 2. Pet. 2. 17 is referned for euer These Hypocriticall mock-gods may fitly be compared to Idols For as an Idoll hath an outward shape of 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 a liuing man but yet hath no life at all within So Hypocrites séeme to liue by the life of grace yet are they dead in sinne and rotted in corruption They are new vpstart Gyants hauing two faces vnder one hood they come neere vnto God with their 〈…〉 â—9 â—3 mouthes and honour the Lord with their lips but their hearts are farre remoued from him Deum laudant in tâ—mpaâ—o seâ— non in choro iâ— They praise the Lord in the Tabor but not in the dance they serue God in shew but not in truth they beare with the Figgâ—â—trée great store of leaues but no fruit at all But alas alas these Hypocrites that thus deceiue theÌ„selues hauing their reward on earth which they through vaine glory gréedily look for at the hands of men shall neuer obtaine a Crowne of righteousnesse being altogether vnrighteous but they shall haue their portion with Hypocrites where shall be weeping wayling 〈…〉 â—5 â—5 and gnashing of teeth For the Lord abhorreth all hollow hearts and double tongues all outward odlations and burnt sacrifices all outward shew and hypocriticall worship he is a Spirit and he will spâ—e all such out of his mouth as worship him not in Spirit and Truth Simulâ—ta sanâ—litas duplex iniquitas i. Counterfait godlinesse is so farre from holinesse aâ— it is double vngodlinesse I say therefore vnto thée with Saint Chrysostome Aut esto quod appares aut appar◠〈…〉 〈…〉 id est Either be as thou seemâ—st or seem as thou art It is not séeming but being that shall goe for pay Non audiâ—oâ—â—s sâ—d fâ—â—â—orâ—s legis iustisic ibutur id est Noâ— the hearers but the doers of the â—â—â—â— shall be iustified Nâ—â— eandem prâ—â—iâ—â—ntes sed eidem obedientes glorifiâ—â—â—untur id est Not professors but performers shall be glorified Woe therefore to all hypocriticall Mock-gods that run not in the Race of Christianity as they boast themselues by profession they shall roare at the gates of heauen and say Lord Lord haue wee not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy Name done many good workes haue wee not professed thy Gospell and borne the name of thine But because they did not the will of our heauenly Father our Sauiour shal send them packing to hell with a Nescio vos professing on this manner vnto them I neuer knew Mat. 7. 22. 23. Mat. 23. 23 you depart from me yee workers of iniquity O yee viperous Serpents O â—ee generation of Vipers how shall ye escape the iudgement of hell Let euery Christian therefore beware of the leauen of the Pharises which is Hypocrisie Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in â—â—◠〈…〉 Sheeps cloathing but inwardly are rauening Wolues yee shall know them by their fruits doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Walke wisely towards them that are Col. 4. 5. without redeeming the time for the dayes are euill That you may therefore preuent the damned traditions of this diuelish brood I say vnto you as our Sauior said vnto his Apostles a little before his Passion Behold I haue told you Mat. 24. 25 before Let euery Christian therefore auoiding all counterfait and hypocriticall profession runne in the Race of godlinesse seruing the Lord with all his heart with all his Soule with all his strength in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life God calleth for our hearts My sonne giue me thy heart The Lord Pro. 23. â—â— Augustâ—ne as saith S. Augustine Quia totum fecit totum exigit id est Because hee made all hee will haue all not a piece of the heart nor a roome in thy heart but the whole heart for the Lord is a iealous God and as a iealous husband cannot indure that his wife should giue her hart or any part therof to any other man so the Lord cannot abide that wée should giue any part of our heart â—rom him He calleth not for a stony heart nor for a double heart but for a fleshy heart a heart purged by faith in CHRIST IESVS bathed in the bloud of the Lambe and throughly clensed by the fire of the Spirit not an old heart neither a corrupted heart but a new heart and a new Spirit for which the Prophet Dauid begged Create in Psal 51. 10 me a new heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Let vs therefore I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God giue vp our bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God and let vs Rom. 12 1 2. not fashion our selues like to this world but let vs bee changed by the renewing of our minde In stead of dead beasts let vs giue vp our bodies which are liuely Sacrifices And in stead of the bloud of beasts which was but a shadow and pleased not God of it selfe let vs giue vp the acceptable sacrifice of the spirituall Man framed by faith to Godlinesse of life Let vs sanctifie the Lord 1 Pet. 3. 23. in our hearts who dayly calleth for our hearts let vs say with Dauid My Soule praise thou the Lord and all Psal 103. 1. that is within mee praise his holy name Let vs praise him in his Sanctuary and in the firmament of his power let vs praise him in his mighty acts and according to his excellent greatnesse let vs praise him in the sound of a Trumpet vpon the Violl and Harpe yea let euery thing that hath breath praise the Lord And that not onely in word and in tongue but in déede and in truth not in outward shew and profession only but in our pure lines and holy conuersations that so running in the Race of Godlinesse to the end of our liues we may be blessed for euer and
in thought word and worke O Lord our God we must needs confesse with mourning and sorrowing hearts and spirits that we were all borne in sin all conceiued in iniquity and that all our life hitherto hath beene most fearefully corrupted and stained with all manner of sinfull transgressions to the great dishonour of thine owne Maiestie to the great discomfort of our owne soules and to the euerlasting confusion both of soule and body in thy iust iustice and iudgement in the world to come Yea O Lord we cannot but confesse that so soone as euer wee came into the world thou mightest iustly for our sinnes haue taken vs both body and soule and giuen vs our portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone it is thy great mercy that thou hast spared vs hitherto and not consumed vs from the face of the earth To thee therefore God of endlesse compassion we most miserable wretches make our pitious mone to thee in Christ Iesus wee come now for mercy heare vs heale vs helpe vs and haue mercy vpon vs pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes let shine thy fauourable countenance towards vs and say vnto our soules that thou art our saluation Thou hast promised in thy holy and heauenly Word that a broken and a contrite heart thou wilt not despise Fulfill therefore now O Lord this thy gracious promise to vs that are weary and laden with the affrightments of sinne and that offer vp our prayers with grones that cannot bee expressed Wash vs O Lord in the bloud of Iesus Christ make vs cleane within and without by thy sanctifying and renewing grace preserue vs both in body and soule from the guilt and punishment of all our mis-doings assure our consciences of the same by faith and seals vs by thy good Spirit to the day of redemption And heauenly Father wée humbly intreate thee to worke thy good worke in euery soule of vs to giue vs faith in thy promises zeale to thy glory loue to thy truth obedience to thy will care and conscience to walke vpright before thee in all our wayes and to offer vp our soules and bodies a liuely sacrifice to the seruice of thy Maiestie in holinesse all the dayes of our life to come And in these our prayers we craue also at thy mercifull hands thy gracious blessings for all thy faithfull Children and elect persons wheresoeuer dispersed and howsoeuer distressed vpon the face of the earth and more especially for these thy churches amongst vs of Great Brittaine France and Ireland replenish the Kings most excellent Maiestie with all necessarie graces meet for so worthy a Personage Redouble thy gracious Spirit vpon our most hopefull Prince and multiply thy blessings vpon all His Royall Issue Blesse all the Nobility of our Land all the reuerend Clergy from the highest to the lowest all of the ciuill Magistracy all Schooles of learning with the two Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxford and all the Commons of this Realme shew pitty vpon all thine that are in any kinde of tribulation or affliction especially vpon all those that suffer persecution for thy Gospels truth comfort all those that lye languishing in spirit Soule-sicke at the heart for remorce of their sinnes say vnto their Soules that thou art their Redemption Blesse moreouer we beseech thee all that are deare and neere vnto vs in the flesh as our Parents Father and Mother Brother and Sister and Kinsfolke together with our deare Friends and Christian acquaintance absent or present Lord bee present with them and keepe them as the apple of thine owne eye from euery euill worke and way to thy euerlasting Kingdome and saluation And holy Father we finally entreat thee to redouble thy gracious blessings vpon euery one of vs at this time humbled in Prayer before thee blesse vs bodily and spiritually giue vnto our bodies comfortable rest and sleepe that so wee may be the fitter to do the works of our seueral vocations before thée and grant vnto our soules the continuall assistance of thy grace that they may neuer sléepe in sinne but that they may be alwaies waking and wayting for the comming of our Lord Iesus to Iudgement that so Soule and body may bee preserued from the euill of sinne in this life and from the euill of damnation in the world to come and that for Christ Iesus his sake our sole Sauiour and onely Redéemer to whom with thée and thy blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one Essentiall God we offer vp all possible Thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen FINIS Tormenting TOPHET OR A TERRIBLE DESCRIPTION of HELL Able to breake the hardest heart and cause it quake and tremble Preached at Pauls Crosse the 14. of Iune 1614. The fifth Edition corrected and amended Esay 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King he hath made it deepe and large the burning thereof is fire c. Printed at London by George Purslow and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and my verie deare friends Sir Lestraunge Mordaunt of Massingham Hall in the Countie of Norfolke Knight Baronet and Lady Frances Mordaunt his most louing Bed-fellow HENRY GREENVVOOD Wisheth all increase of Grace in this Life and Eternall Life in Life to come IT is and hath beene long since Right Worshipfull the custome of the Learned that when they commended to publike view therein ayming a◠common good their Christian pains and diuine indeuors knowing that the truth hath and alwayes had many oppositions and detractions to present them to men of high place and well affected in Religion that so their works might passe with lesse feare and danger of disgrace and opprobry I though vnlearned making bold to imitate their Christian policie herein haue presumed to present that doctrine to your Worships eyes that lately in publike place was sounded in your eares both of which senses are great instruments in the furtherance of our soules in the way of Gods Kingdome for as the eare conuayeth grace to the affections of the soule so the eye bringeth much matter to the vnderstanding of the minde nay the eare cannot so often be an Andito as the eye an Oratour to the Conscience For which cause your Worships nothing more affecting than growth in grace and Religion I haue attempted to commend to your often consideration Tormenting Tophet for as nothing allureth the heart to grace more then Gods mercies so nothing is more preualent against sinne than his fearfull and terrible Iudgements If therfore your gracious Worships shall vouchsafe to accept of these my poore presented pains it will giue much content to mine own heart doubtlesse answerable comfort to your owne soules And to conclude as the Lord hath aboundantly blessed your Worships with graces internal blessings externall So to vse the words of the Apostle the very God of peace sanctifie you still throughout and I pray God that your whole spirits and Soules
and bodies may be kept blamelesse to the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen From Hempsted in Essex Ianuary 10. 1629. Your Worships alwaies ready to be commanded in the LORD Henry Greenwood To the CHRISTIAN Reader CHristian Reader I commend to thy charitable view this terrible and lamentable description of Hell a subiect most necessarie in these dayes wherein Iniquity hath gotten the vpper hand the greatest part of mankinde laboureth of this dangerous disease namely hardnesse of heart and contempt of all grace I therefore for the remouing of this damnable euill haue prepared this Tormenting Corrasiue Blame me not if I be too bitter in denouncing Gods Iudgements against sinne the presumption of the time compels me this only is the ayme of my intention herein that many may be saued from the damnation hereof Thus commending this Tractate to thy Christian consideration and thy selfe to Gods most blessed protection I rest Thine euer-louing and wel-willing brother in the Lord Henry Greenwood Tormenting TOPHET Or A terrible description of Hell able to breake the hardest heart and cause it quake and tremble Esay 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King hee hath made it deepe and large the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a Riuer of Brimstone doth kindle it ALbeit the LORD in the beginning created man in glorious manner omnino ad imaginem sui ratione sapientem vita innocentem dominio potentem altogether after his owne most glorious Image in purity and in perfection of holinesse both in soule and body yet withall he gaue him naturam flexibilem a mutable and changeable nature creating him in potestate standi seu posse cadendi in power of standing and in possibility of falling power of standing that he had from God his Creator possibility of falling that he had from himselfe being a creature A reason whereof S. Augustine giueth Augustine in his booke of Confessions Because the Lord created man ex nihilo of nothing therefore he left in man possibility to returne in nihilum into nothing if he obeyed not the will of his Maker And as Basil saith Si Deus dedisset Basil Adae naturam immutabilem deos potius quà m homines condidisset id est If God had giuen Adam an immutable and vnchangeable nature he had created a God not a man for this is a maine truth in Diuinity immutabiliter esse bonum proprium solius est Dei id est to bee immutably and vnchangeably good only proper to God Adam therfore being thus created that he might either stand or fall by the Diuels subtill suggestion and by the abuse of his owne frée will receiued a double downe-fall the fall of sinne by disobedience and the fall of death by sinne the last fall being the wages of the first fall as ye may read Rom 6. last verse The wages of sinne Rom. 6. 23. is death The Lord therefore hauing pitty vpon this his miserable estate vouchsafed in his Sonne to shew mercy vpon some by election to saluation as to shew iustice vpon other some by reprobation to damnation According to which irreuocable decrée the LORD hath prepared euen from the foundation of the earth answerable places a glorious habitation for the one and a terrible dungeon for the other Which generall truth is confirmed in the words of my Text hauing particular reference to the reprobat Assyrians For as the Lord in his mercy doth promise in this Chapter to his people repenting them of their sins manifold blessings spirituall and corporall temporall and eternall so doth he threaten in his iustice terrible vengeance to their enemies the Idolatrous Babylonians and Assyrians not only temporall but also eternall not to the meane subiect alone but to the King himselfe saying Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King c. Not to insist therefore too long vpon introductions lest it should be said to me as once a flowting Cynick sayd to the Citizens of Myndus a little City with great gates Shut your gates lest your City run out I come to the Text it selfe which containeth in it a terrible and lamentable description of Hell prepared of old for the tormenting of all vngodly people of the world of what estate or condition soeuer they be euen for the King For Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King c. In which terrible Description of Hell I obserue so many seuerals as the Beast had heads in the Reu. 13. 1. Reuelation that must be tormented in her First the certainty of this place of torment Tophet is prepared of old Secondly the parties for whom for all vngodly wretches yea euen for the King It is euen prepared for the King Thirdly the impossibility of getting out once in He hath made it deepe Fourthly the great number that shall be tormented in her expressed in this word Large Fiftly the extremity and bitternes of the torments of Tophet the burning thereof is fire Sixtly the eternity and euerlastingnesse of the torments of Tophet much wood so much as shall neuer be wasted Seuenthly the Authour or inflictor of these fearefull tortures and that is the Lord offended in these words The breath of the Lord like a Riuer of brimstone doth kindle it wherein I note the seuerity of God against sinne and sinners The certainty of this place of torment The first part is here described by thrée by the Name by the Act by the Antiquity First by the Name Tophet Secondly by the Act is prepared Thirdly by the Antiquity of old Tophet is prepared of old This Tophet was a valley neere Tophet vnto Ierusalem iuxta piscinam fullonis agrum Acheldema ad austrum Sion that is Neere to the Fullers poole and the field Acheldema on the South side of Sion Called also Gehinnom the valley or dale of Hinnom Quia locus iste in praedio erat viri cuiusdam Hinnom Aretius dicti Because this place was in the possession of a certaine man called Hinnom as saith Aretius In which place the Iewes following the cursed example of the Ammoniâ—es did sacrifice their children in the fire to the Idoll Moloch Quem pro Mercurio colebant whom they worshipped for Mercury as saith Montanus or rather pro Saturnâ— Montan. in Esay colebant for Saturne as saith Scultetus Quem Poetae proprios fingunt Scultet in Esay deuorasse filios whom the Poets fained to haue deuoured his owne Children This Moloch was Idolumaereum Scultet in Esay concauum passis brachijs ad excipiendos infantes sacro nefario destinatos subiectis prunis torrendos that is A brazen Idol hollow within his hands spred abroad to receiue Infants that were through their cursed Idolatry tortured in the fire and sacrificed to him as writeth Scultetus Snepfsius describeth this Snepfsius in Esay Idoll on this manner Idoli statua erat cuprea sic enim
dreadfull Maiesty bewayling bitterly all our offences committed against thee and quaking and trembling for feare thou shouldest in thy Iustice vtterly cast vs from thée into that wofull Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Lord we confesse by birth our foule pollution by life our manifold transgression and therefore ashamed wee are that are but dust and ashes yea worse most lothsome and abominable sinners to come before thée or commence the least sute vnto thee that art a Maiesty most pure abhorring and seuerely punishing all that worke iniquity Therefore oh Lord our God wee most humbly beséech thee not to deale with vs according to thy iustice and our owne merits for then shall we be vtterly condemned but comming vnto thée as a child that feareth to bée beat for thy Christs sake with the eyâ— of pitty and fatherly compassion look thou graciously vpon vs behold vs in him in whom thy Iustice will soone turne it selfe into mercy thy frowne into fauour thine indignation into euerlasting saluation Lord for thy fauour now and euer we craue grant therefore to vs that aske for pardon of our sins at thy hands alone we séek grant that we may finde at thy gate of Saluation we earnestly do knocke good Lord therefore open vnto vs. But because thy sacred Word doth tell vs that thou wilt looke to none but those that are of a contrite heart and tremble at thy words Lord fit and prepare vs all by true humiliation to imbrace the sauing health of our soules grant gracious God that we may mourne our sinnes thorowly and lament our iniquities bitterly not so much because they might iustly condemne vs as that they haue so highly displeased thée and moued thy Maiesty to anger that hast béene so merciful a God vnto vs O giue vs hearts to grieue for that we cannot sufficiently grieue for our sinnes committed against thée And gracious Father we further intreat that we may not â—nely taste of the sowre of thy Law but likewise receiue in thy good time and in good measure the sweet and vnspeakable comfort of thâ— Gospell grant that thy Sonne Iesus may bée Iesus to vs all that his righteousnesse may couer our vnrighteousnesse that his death may bring our soules to life that in him and for his sake thou wouldest â—e well pleased to make vs thine by adoption to witnesse the same to our soules by the infallible testimony of thy blessed Spirit to work in our hearts a strong and resolute perswasion of Faith whereby we may graspe and hold fast this thy great mercy in Christ towards vs to the peace of our consciences in this life and the saluation of our soules in the life to come And holy Father for as much as all those that haue put on Christ are become new creatures grant vnto vs a new heart and renew a right Spirit within vs purge vs from our sinnes wash vs from our iniquities infuse thy sauing grace into our Soules whereby wee may dye to all that is euill and liue to all godlinesse of life all the dayes of our life to come Frame our hearts deare God to true and perfect obedience obedience being the best sacrifice that thou requirest oh grant that all our delight may be in thy Statutes that it may be euen our meate and drinke to walke in thy Commandements indeuoring alwayes and in all places to keepe a cléere conscience both towards thee and man Teach vs blessed Father to rely vpon thée alone by faith to feare loue honour and truely obey thee in wisedome and true sanctity to giue no worship from thee that is onely proper to thee reuerently to thinke and speake of thy most glorious name and word carefully to sanctifie thy Sabbaths and wholly set them apart for thy seruice Giue vs grace also thou that art the Author and giuer of all grace to carry our selues dutifully to man to honour and reuerently respect all our superiours both in nature and place to preserue and maintaine the good name goods and bodies of our brethren amongst whom we liue and not impaire hurt or maliciously massacre the same to keepe our selues chaste and vnspotted from all fleshly lusts and euery act of vncleannes iniuriously to take away no mans right or due to speake the truth and not to beare false witnesse against our brethren to be content with our owne estates more or lesse and not to repine at or couet that which is others O grant that our liues may bee vnreprouable before thée and men But because O Lord of our selues we are able to doe no good thing but it is thou that workest the will and the deed Lord therefore stand euer by vs with thy preuenting assisting and consequent grace whereby we may be able in some measure to do thy will on earth as thy Angels doe it perfectly in heauen Moreouer heauenly Father wee fully beléeuing our selues to be true and liuely members of that body mysticall whereof our blessed Sauiour is the Head doe earnestly desire at thy gracious hands the like mercy for the whole body of Christs Church as we beg for our owne soules Lord blesse and defend thy Church and Chosen in all Kingdomes of the earth wheresoeuer inlarge the bounds of thy Gospell increase the number of thy Saints daily adde vnto thy Church such as shall bee saued Blesse the Kings most excellent Maiesty with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus meet for so great and worthy a personage with the Prince and His whole issue in this Kingdome and beyond the Seas Grant that He may neuer want one out of his own loynes to sit vpon his Throne for the maintenance of thy Gospell till the comming of Christ in the clouds Blesse all afflicted members whether grieued in conscience troubled in body or persecuted for the Gospell according to their seuerall ocâ—â—sions and need Blesse those that are neerer and dearer vnto vs in the flesh as are our Parents and kindred whether father or mother husband or wife brother or sister or childe with our Christian acquaintances and friends kéep them all and vs with them to thine euerlasting kingdome and saluation And in mercy good Lord this night looke downe vpon vs preserue vs and ours from all dangers bodily ghostly within doores and without giue vnto our bodies a comfortable rest and sléepe that they may be more able to do the works of their particular vocations before thee and swéet Lord watch euermore ouer our poore soules kéepe vs from sin and euill both sleeping and waking and when that sléepe of death shall fall vpon vs grant that our soules may wake to thy glory and saluation euerlasting and that for Christ Iesus his sake our onely Lord and euerlasting Redéemer to whom with thée and thy good Spirit three persons but one God wee heartily desire to offer vp all thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen THe grace of our Lord and Sâ—uiour Iesus Christ and the loâ—â— of God our heauenly Father and the most blessed presence of God the holy Ghost bee with vâ— all and within vâ— all both in Soule in Spirit and in body and with all things that remaine or belong vnto vâ— either within dores or without this â—ight and euerlasting AMEN FINIS
Master c. But now thou shalt haue another title thou shalt be called Cursed cursed shalt thou be of God whose curse is â—â—narum inflictio id est punishment cursed shalt thou be of all the blessed Angels in heauen whose curse is Conscientiae cruciamen id est vexation of thy conscience Cursed shalt thou be of all the diuels in hell whose curse is Poenarum executio id est the execution of thy punishment prescribed according to that of the Poet Minos â—xamen Radamanthus dat crâ—sciaâ—en tertius heu frater tertia iura tenet id est One diuell cippeth vp thy examination another diuell tormenteth thee the third is not behinde to adde one torment to another vpon thee Cursed moreouer shalt thou be of all the damned crue whose curse is Poenarum aggraâ—â—atio id est the augmentation of thy torment Thus cursed shalt thou bee of all things for euermore Into euerlasting fire O miserable Into euerlasting fire torment There were some comfort to the damned soule if these torments should haue end but that shall neuer be O miserable wretch Thou shalt Mat. 22. 13 bee bound hand and foot and cast into this euerlasting fire In respect of which fire all earthly elementall fire is but as fire painted on a wall thy torments shall be endlesse easelesse and remedilesse Which is prepared for the diuell and Which is prepared his angels Heauen was prepared for thée and not hell thou wert borne to glory and not torment but because thou hast chosen to follow the diuell and not Me therefore Goe from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and thee his wicked angell where thou shalt lye weeping and wayling and gnashing of thy teeth for euermore The consideration of these things should stirre vp euery Christian to looke about him to be careful and circumspect to all his wayes that â—ee tread not his sheâ— awry at any time that he offend not this fearfull Iudge in any thing that at this day of iudgement hee may finde him a gentle and louing Lambe and not a Lyon of Iudâ— for as to the wicked this Iudge is terible so to the godly he is a friendly and a welcome Iudge as to the wicked the day of Iudgement is a day of desolation a day of clouds and blacknesse so to the godly it is a day of Redemption â—â—â—â— 1. 1â— yea the godly shall leape for ioy at that day and for the comming of that day the blessed spirits in heauen try out saying How long Apoâ— â—2 Lord and the blessed ones vpon earth desire the comming of this day also saying with Paul Cupimus dissolui Phil 1. 23. esse cum Christo id est We desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ and praying with Iohn Veni Domine Iesu Apoc 6. 9. 10. Come Lord IESVS come quickly Let euery Christian therefore so lead his life that it may goe wel with him at that day What if I haue all the Mat. 1â— â—â— world and lose my soule at that day what doth it profit me If a man bee called to appeare before some earthly Iudge he will haue an especiall care to array himselfe in the best manner he may to behaue himselfe accordingly that he may be the better accepted of him So euery Christian against the day of Iudgement when hee must appeare before the King of Kings and Iudge of all the world must haue an especial care to put on the Wedding garment of Christs Righteousnesse and Regeneration lest he be sent packing to hell with the wicked and all those that forget God Mordecay because hee went basely Hest 4 â— in sackcloth could not be permitted to come into the Kings Palace and doest thou thinke whatsoeuer thou art that thou shalt he admitted into that Glorious Palace of the King of Hetnen hauing on the stinking defiled and abominable garment of impurity the menstruous cloth of iniquity No no the Lord will spue thee out of his mouth a stinking carcasse stinketh not so before men as a polluted sinneâ— in the nostâ—ils of Almighty God Nebuchadnezzar would haue no Dan. 1. 4. children in his Palace but those that were wise and beautifull and doess thou thinke that the King of Heauen and earth will haue any fooles that is sinners for the sinner is called a foole in the Scripture The foole saith in Psal 14. 1. his hart there is no God to dwel with him in his Palace or dost thou think that an vgly person shall bee suffered there that is any sinner for the sinner is an vgly and abominable thing in the sight of God No the Lord will entertaine none into his Kingdome but such as are beautifull shining in holinesse purity and righteousnesse as the portals of the burnish Sunne such as are without spot or wrinkle Omnino ad imaginem suam altogether like vnto him holy as he is holy pure as hâ—e is pure Such will the Lord haue in his Kingdome to sing Halleluiah Saluation and Glory A 〈…〉 and Honour and Power bee to the Lord our God Therfore as the thiefe is excéeding prouident and very carefull how hee may answere the Iudge at the barre and as in earthly Courts men wil be very carefull to prouide an answere against they be called yea and will make some friend to the Iudge that they may spéed the better so likewise euery Christian soule should carefully prouide a good answere against he bee cited by the Apparitour Death to appeare before Christ at the generall Court of Heauen and that then it may goe well with him let him get some friend to moue the Iudge in his behalfe as he tendreth the welfare of his deare Soule And who must that friend be not Mary nor Peter but it must be CHRIST IESVS that sitteth at the right hand of his Father in glory and maketh dayly intercession for the sinnes of the whole world Get him for thy Proctour who offereth himselfe to all and then happy shalt thou be the Diuell shall not preuaile against thée for CHRIST hath broken his head the gates of hell shall not preuaile against thée for Christ hath conquered them death shal not hold thée captine for Christ hath ouercome it Happy art thou that art in Psal â— 4 15. such a â—ase yea blessed art thou if thou hast the Lord for thy God Thus much for the third part of this Text namely of the Iudge to whom we must giue account But I say vnto you that of euery Text. idle word c. 4 When we shall giue an account The 4. part It is said heere at the day of iudgement The time when this great and generall day shall be cannot be knowne of mortall man yea it is not for man to know of it as we may reade in the Acts It is not for you to know the Act. 1. 7. times and seasons which God hath
bee in the world that will say the more it is to bee lamented I am young I will liue a while after my hearts desire and in my old age I will repent mee of my sinnes for God hath promised who will be as good as his word At what Eze. 18. 2â— â—2 time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. And will pray to the Lord for forgiuenesse of their sinnes as Augustine Augustine said before his conuersionâ— Ignosce pater ignosce mihi at noli modò Forgiue mee my sinnes but not now let mee sinne in my youth and pardon me in mine age Thus they would desire to dye the death of the righteous but they would not liue the life of the righteous but let these gracelesse persons that thus defer repentance beware of two things 1 Let them beware of suddaine death let them take héed lest they be cut off in the middest of their sins as Iobs Children in the middest of their Iob 1. 18 banquetting and ryoting were suddainly slain by the fall of a house and as the Floud came vnlooked for and drowned the old world Liuie reporteth a fearefull example 〈…〉 of suddaine death saith hee There were two old men that frequented two Harlots and presently vpon the fact committed they both suddainely dyed the one was thrust thorow with a dagger the other dyed suddainly of an Apoplexy which is a disease ingendred of abundance of grosse humors which doe fill those vessels and receptories of the head from whence commeth feeling and mouing of the bodie as saith Galen and therefore 〈…〉 they that haue this disease are depriued of all sence feeling and moouing Let euery lusty Younkeâ— and desperate russian set this fearefull example before his eyes Againe the young man dyeth as soone as the old the Lambs skin is brought to the Market as well as the old Crones true is the saying of Augustine Vita dum crescit decrescit vita Augustine mortalis mors vitalis id est Life while it increaseth decreaseth life is dying and death is liuing â— Let all men that refuse the mercy of God and deferre their repentance know that repentance is not theirs at command but it is the great mercy of God and it is to bee â—â—ared that they that haue refused it offered when they would haue it they shall go without according to that country Prouerbe If you will not when you may when you will you shall haue â—ay And it is commonly seene that Qu 〈…〉 a â—â—â—â—s ita as a man liueth commonly hee dyeth Hee that will liue without repentance must look to dye without repentance 〈◊〉 God spared the Thiefe at the laâ—â— gaspe yet let no man presume of that for that was a medicine against desperation and not a matter of imitation saith one God spared one that no man might despaire hee spared but one that no man might presume Let euery man therefore in the feare of God without all delay seeke for amendment of life let them as Gregory wisheth Plangere plangenda Bewayle their sinnes that ought to bee lamented and as they haue giuen Rom. 6. 13 their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to iniquitie so let them now giue them as weapons of righteousnesse to holinesse Repent deare brethren betimes Viâ—e Deo gratus toti mundo tumulatus Poet. Crimine muÌ„datus semper transire paratus That is Liue vnto God a thankefull wight And to the world dye Cleanse thy selfe from wickednesse Alwayes ready hence to flye Play the wise Steward lay vp treasures in heauen for thy soule imitate the Pismire which gathers in Summer whereby shee may liue in Winter Damascene reporteth an excellent Damascene History touching this purpose saith he There was a country where they chose their King of the poorest and basest sort of the people and vpon any dislikement taken they would depose him from his Throne and exile him into an Iland where hee should bee staâ—ued to death Now one wise fellow considering hereof sent money before into that Iland into which hee should be banished and when he was banished he was receiued into the Iland with great triumph So against thou be banished by death from this world without penny or farthing for naked thou camest and naked thou must goe thou must prouide wâ—â—le thou art in this life whereby thou mayst liue in Heauen hereafter Let nothing therefore make thée 〈…〉 erre thy amendment but whilesâ— Christ calleth thee runne vnto him Put on Ieromes resolution who said If my Mother were hanging Ierome about my necke if my brethren were on euery side howling and crying and if my Father were on his bare knees kneeling before mee to detaine mee in their wicked and sinfull course of life what would I doe I would shake off my Mother to the ground I would despise and hate all my kindred and kins-folkes and I would tread and trample my Father vnder my feete thereby to flye to CHRIST when hee calleth mee So shouldest thou resolue the amendment of life The Lord of heauen for his swéet Sonne Christ Iesus his sake grant to thée deare Reader and mee to both of vs his holy Spirit that wee may stand vnblameable before the Iudge at that great and generall day that we being â—lâ—athed with the long white robes of righteousnesse may bee in the number of those to whom it shall be said then Come yee blessed Children of my Father inherit the Kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world Grant this deare Father for thy deare Sonnes sake Christ Iesus our only Lord and Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Spirit wee ascribe all Power Glory and Dominion and sing Halleluiah to thee O blessed Trinity for euer and euer Amen A True and Comfortable Exposition of the Lords PRAYER FOrasmuch as Prayer to the Soule is as necessarie as the â—eele to the Ship the Foundation to the House the moisture to the Tree and the sinewes and ioints to the body and forasmuch also as wee can haue neither grace to beleeue nor grace to obey without feruent and faithfull prayer I haue thought good as briefly as I can for the helping of the Ignorant in the performance of this Christian duety to expound the Prayer of our Lord being the perfect ground of all our prayers that so we praying in wisedome may pray with comfort for alacke thousands it is to be feared that haue this prayer Ad vnguem at their fingers ends are altogether ignorant of the worthy contents of the same Concerning which prayer I obserue these foure things First the occasion hereof and that â— was vpon the complaint and suite of the Disciples who being weake in this gift entreated Christs help saying Master teach vs to pray as Iohn Luk. â—â— â— â— also taught his Disciples And hee said
please the Almighty to blesse protect and defend your Royall Maiesty and all your Royall Issue in this life present and in the life to come crowne you all with the Crowne of immort all Glory and that for Iesus Christs sake our onely Lord and euer-liuing Sauiour AMEN From Hempstead in Essex this 16. of October 1608. Your Maiesties most humble seruant and most loyall Subiect HENRY GREENEWOOD THE RACE CELESTIALL OR Aspeedy course to Saluation 1. Cor. 9. 24. So runne that ye may obtaine BOëtius in his Booke Boëtius De consolatione Philosophiae saith Quòd vnicuique viro bono inserta est quaedam cupiditas boni id est That in euery good man there is inserted a feruent desire of that which is good Now the true and chiefest good thing that may possibly be desired of mortall man in which only the soule of man is fully satisfied is the Lord God according to that of S. Augustine Fecisti August in lib. confess nos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec quiescat in te id est Thou hast created vs O Lord for thine owne selfe and our hearts are disquieted vntill they finde a firme rest in thy selfe And as well saith S. Bernard Bernard Illud est verum summum gaudium quod non creatura sed Creatore concipitur id est that is the true and chiefest ioy which is conceiued not of the creature but the Creator Now the Lord that is Omnium summum bonorum Of all good things the chiefest can by no meanes be obtained but by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ his welbeloued Son prouing it selfe by good fruits of amendment by whom wee are reconciled againe to the Lord and brought into the â—auour of the most High of which by our sinnes wee haue iustly beene depriued As well saith â—â—o 〈…〉 Non dormicntibus peruenit regnum coeloâ—um nec oâ—â—o nec desidia torpentibus praemium aeternitatis promitâ—itur sed vigilantibus benâ— viueâ—tibus id est The Kingdome of Heauen falleth not to the Sluggards share neither is eternall blisse promised to idle and euill persons but onely to those that liue by faith and are vigilant in the workes of godlinesse The holy Apostle therefore hauing in the former Chapters of this his first Epistle to the Corinthians carnestly and industriously taught them the true path that leadeth to life hauing also perceiued that they had embraced his doctrine willingly and runne in the same in some measure cheerefully he doth heere in this golden simile that they might haue their portion in the Lord exhort them to perseuerance holding out to the end of their liues knowing that of our Sauiour in the Gospell to bee true Hee that endureth to the end the Mat. 10. 12 same and none but the same shall bee saued In which words the Apostle bâ—rtoweth a similitude A certamiâ—e cursorio from a terrestriall Race for a temporary Prize for as in that Race many runne but one receiueth the Prize namely he that all the rest out-strippeth and commeth first at the end euen so in the Race of Christianity no man shall be crowned but hee that holdeth out to the end of his life yet notwithstanding there is this difference in this similitude that in the Race terrestriall he is onely guerdoned with reward that toucheth first the But and in this Race Celestiall not onely one but all may be crowned with euerlasting blisse In which excellent Simile the Apostle compareth Cursui vitam Stadio pietatem praemio salutem id est Our life to a Race or running Pietie and Godlinesse to a Race wherein wee must runne and euerlasting blisse to a promised reward So runne that ye may obtaine That Text. is so liue in this life vnder the Gospell of Christ Iesus that yee may obtaine euerlasting life in the life to come In which heauenly exhortation of Paul we may generally obserue these three things First Quid sit currere What is meant by this word Runne Secondly Qualiter currendum how â— wee must runne to obtaine So runne Thirdly Praemium promissum the reward â— promised to all those that runne lawfully First Run By this Race or Running is vnderstood this present life of man The life of man is compared to many things some of the Philosophers haue compared it to a bubble some to a sleepe some to a dreame some to one thing some to another Iob compareth it to a Winde the Iob 7. 7. Psal 109. 23. Iam. 4. 24. 1. Pet. 1. 24 Esay 40. 6. Prophet Dauid compareth it to a shadow Iames to a vapour Peter to a flower Esay to grasse and the Apostle Paul in respect of the celeritiy and swiftnesse thereof compareth it heere to a Race or running Quid aliud saith Augustine S. Augustine est vita nostra nisi quidam cursus ad mortem vita dum crescit decrescit vita mortalis mors vitalis id est What is our life but a certaine running to death Our life while it increaseth decreaseth our life is dying our death is liuing The Traueller she longer he goeth on his iourney the neerer hee is his iourneys end the children of Israel the longer they wandred from Egypt the neerer they were the promised Land so euery mortall man the longer he liueth the neerer hee is his iournies end Death for Time and Tide stay for no man young hayres do soone turne gray and actiue youth is soone metamorphosed into crooked age Cito pede labâ—â—ur aetas id est The dayes of Poet. â—â—id man doe swiftly passe away Temporae labuntur tacitisque senescimus annis â—ugâ—â—nt fâ—aeâ—o non remorante dies id est time swiftly passeth and old age soone commeth on no bridle so strong as can keepâ— in our galloping dayes Hee that runneth in a Race neuer stayeth till bee commeth at the end thereof so euery mortall Wight voleâ—s â—â—lâ—â—s willing â—illing neuer stayeth till dâ—ath the end of his race stayeth him The picture of Patience Iob by name considering the swift passage of the daâ—es of man compareth them to the swift Race of a Post saying Dies mâ—i vâ—lâ—ciores sunt cursore Iob 9. 25. id est My dayes are swifter then a Post yea swifter are they then a Weauers Iob 7. 6. shuttle they are as the motion of the swiftest ship in the Sea and as the Eagle Iob 9. 26. Psal 90. 9. that flyeth fast to her prey Our yeeres are spent sayth the Psalmist as a tale that is told yea our life is Psal 90. 10 quickly cut off and wee are soone gone Therefore fitly is our life compared here of S. Paul in regard of the velocitie thereof to a Race or Running From hence euery Christian is to learne this lesson that seeing our life is nothing else but a running to death he redeeme the time make much of it whiles he hath it for the houre spent
is a great plenty of men but there is a great scarcity of good men These wayes seeme pleasant to be walked in yet Nouissima illarum mors est The end of these wayes is death for the diuel like a subtill fisher sheweth the bait but hideth the hooke sheweth the vnprofitable profit and vnpleasant pleasure of sin but h 〈…〉 th the hooke from mens eyes which is death according to that of S. Paul Stipendium 〈…〉 mors est The wages of sinne is death here hell and damnation hereafter Sinne seemeth at thâ— first to fawne vpon a man but yet in the end it will with Caines dogge Gen. 4. plucke out the very throats of our soules In these main rodes the more is the pitty doth the greatest part of mankind run headlong to perdition without any checke of conscience remorse for their sinnes or any reclamâ—tion in the world Sinne neuer more then in these our dayes of the Gospell abounded the diuell hath more followers then Christ the whole multitude â—â—â—ed Crucifie him Crucifie him bâ—â— Mar. â—â— 1â— there was but one and thâ—t a â—â—lly woman that laboured to set him â—râ—e The saying of Paul to the Romans is verified in thâ—se our dayes of sin There is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. 10. 11. 12. There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God all haue gone out of the way all are altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Pride Whoredome Gal. â— 19. â—â— â—â— Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Wantonnesse Idolatry Witch-craft Hatred Debate Emulation Wrath Contention Sedition Heresie Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Swearing Forswearing Blasphemy Prophanenesse coÌ„tempt of the Word despising of Gods Messengers and the like abominations are raigning in euery angle of this our Iland yea our Land is become a sinke of sin a pit of pollution and a place of abomination defiled with iniquity A vertice capitis vsque ad plantam pedis id est from toppe to toe hauing no sound part throughout it yea our whole Land is out of course And it is the great Lam. 3 2â— mercy of God that wee are not consumed Yea these last dayes of the world are like to the daies of Israels prouocation of the Lord in the wildernesse wherein wee preferre the slauery of Egypt aboue the sweete Manna of heauenly blisse Yea that saying of the Prophet is verified of the most part of mankind That the Children gather stickes the Ierem. 7. 8. Fathers make the fire and the women bake cakes for the Queene of Heauen That is they offered sacrifice to the Sun and Moone and Planets which they called the Queene of Heauen So the beast of Rome with his Antichristian crue doth sacrifice to Mary making her an idoll and calling her as in their Salue Regina and Regina Coeli laetare doth appeare the Queene of Heauen They make Ignorance the mother of their Deuotion Sir Iohn Lacke-latine and Sir Anthony Ignorance are their chiefest Clarkes and best Masse-mongers Yea the world is growne to that height of reprobation that that which is written in Iob is verified of many They say to Goâ— Depart â—rom vs Iob. 21 14. 15. â—or we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes who is the Almighty that wee should serue him Full little thinking that the Lord shall answer them with the like Disâ—â—â—â—â—e Depart from me yee Math 7. 2â— workers of iniquity Thus we â—ée how the worldlings run in the race of iniquity the broad way to the lake vnquenchable some in the race of Atheisme some in Papisme some in Mahumetisme some in Paganisme but few there are that run in the race of Christianisâ—â—â— But thou that wouldest be saued thou that wouldest so runne that thou maist obtaine run not in any of these wayes but flye from sin as from a stinging Serpent and a biting Cockaâ—riâ—â— For they that doe such things shall not â—al â— â—â— inherite the Kingdome of God The right way therefore wherein Hâ—c 〈…〉 we must runne is the way of Godlinesse the way of Christianity the way of the Word of God framing all our thoughts words and operations according to the precise and strict rule of the same For Factores legis iustificabuntur id est The doers of the â—aw shall be iustified saued and glorified This way of Godlinesse is a blessed way to walke in It is sweeter than Psal â—â— Mat. 11. 3â— the hony or the hony combe Iugum Christi sâ—â—ue est onus suum leue id est The yoke of Christ is easie and his burthen light Mandata â—â—â—s graâ—ia â—on 1. Ioh. 5. 3. sunt id est His Commandements are not grieuous and his Commandements Psal 119. are exceeding large Her wayes are wayes of pleasure and her pathes Prou. 3. 17 â—sâ—l 119. â—â—5 prosperity It is a lanthorne to our feet and a lâ—ght vnto our pathes It is a pillar of fire to carry vs thorow the wildernesse of this world to the Celestiall Canaan It is the power of God Rom. 1. 1â— to saluation to euery Beleeuer both lew and Grecian It is able to saue our Iam. 1. 2â— soules it is able to make vs wise to saluation is is profitable to teach to improue 2. Tim. â— 15 1â— 17. to correct to instruct in righteousnesse and to make vs perfect in all good works It is comfortable in all cases and parts of our life both in prosperity and aduersity both in life and death If we fight it is a sword if we hunger it is meate if wee thirst it is drinke if wee be naked it is a garment if we be in darknes it is light yea in a word the Word of God is The high-way to Heauen Enter therfore Mat. 7. 13. in at the straight gate of amendment and run in the same from faith to faith from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from strength to strength till thou beest a perfect man in Christ Iesus Cast away the workes of darknesse Rom 13. 12 13 14 and put on the armour of light walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Bee Mat. 10. 16 wise as the Serpent be innocent as the Doue Amongst diuers points of wisedome to bee found in the Serpent this is one namely Shee casteth her coat and so renouateth her age as Aristotle saith These three beasts Arist de nat Aâ— mal lib. 8 cap. 17. Stellio Tum Vere tum Autumno both in the Spring as also in Autumne doe cast their skinnes viz. the beast like a Lizzard called in Latine Stellio Quia habet maculas quasi stellas collo infixas Because hee hath spots in his necke like starres Lacertus the Lizzard and Lacertus Serpens the Serpent And to doe this
they goe thorow some narrow cranny or other to loosen their skinnes and cast them within foure twenty houres So shouldest thou put off the old man Col. 3. 9. with all his workes And to doe this thou must goe Per strictam rimam poenitenâ—iae id est Thorow the narrow cranny and straight gate of amendment Meditate therefore with the Iust Psal 1. 2. man in the Law of God day and night Let the candle of faith burne cleere in the lampe of thy heart and nourish it with the oyle of loue and good works Walke not in the counsell of the wicked Psal â— â— stand not in the way of sinners â—it not in the â—eaâ—e of the scornefull but runne in the Race of 〈…〉 well that liuing well thou maist dye well and after death eternally spéede well obtaining that blessednesse Blessed Apoc. 13. 14. are they that dye in the Lord. So run thaâ— ye may obtaine Text. And that wee may run in the race of Godlinesse one Caueat is exceeding necessary namely that wee auoid wicked company which will draw away our hearts from this Race Celestiall Qui â—angit picem coâ—â—quinabitur Eccles 13. ab â—a id est Hee that toucheth pitch shall bee defiled therewith Cum sancto sanâ—â—us eris cum peruerso peruerterâ—s id est With the holy thou shalt bee holy and with the â—â—â—ward thou shalt learne frowardnesse for birds of a feather will flye together It was not lawfull for a lew to conuerse with a Sâ—â—ariâ—ane if an Hebrew did â—aâ—e with an Egyptian it was counted an abomination so must we â—oâ—nt it abomination and hold it a point of reprobation to frequent the company of damned hel-hounds and hellish miscreants Let vs therefore flye all occasion and euery apparition of euill let vs delight in the company of those that â—eare the Lord and excell in vertue Well therefore saith Seneca Cum illis versare qui te meliorem S 〈…〉 sunt facturi vel quos meliores â—ffiâ—erâ— possis id est Keepe company with those that may make thee better or whom thou maist make better I command you therfore brethren 2. Thes 3. 6 as saith S. Paul in the name of our Lord IESVS CHRIST that ye withdraw your selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately and not after the instruction which yee receiued from me And to conclude this point I giue euery Christian this good counsell with good King Salomon My sonne if Pro. 1. 10 11 1â— c sinners doe entice thee consent thou not If they say Come with vs wee will lay wait for bloud wee will swallow vp the Innocent whâ—le like a graue wee sâ—â—ll finde all precious riâ—heâ— and â—ill ouâ— hoâ—â—â— wiâ—h â—poyl◠〈…〉 n thy loâ— among â—s we will haue all â—ne puâ—se My sâ—nne wâ—lke not thou in the way with them refrainâ— thy foot from their path for their feet runne to euill and make haste to shead Iob. â—9 23. 24. bloud O that these my words were written O that they were written in a booke O that they were written with an iron pen in Lead or in stone for euer O that they were ingrauen in brasse Table of euery young mans heart that so bad company may not be his destruction So run that ye may obtaine Text. Secondly if we will run to obtain we must run Celerâ—â—er seu feslinanter swiftly and speedily Vita breuis vita longa saith S. Bernard Bernard si â—â—s â—d metam peruenire incipe celeriter currere id est The liff of man is very short the way to heauen is very long if therefore thou wilâ— obtaine thou must run exceeding swiftly We sée that those that runne in an earthly race and that but for a mean reward how swiftly doe they straine themselues to runne according to that of the Poet Qui cupit optataÌ„ cursu contingere metam Poet. Multa tulit fecitque miser sudaâ—it alsit Id est Hee that desireth first to touch the Marke taketh much paines sweateth abundantly and runneth exceeding swiftly Euen so should we that wee may obtaine an euerlasting reward in heauen runne in the path of Gods Commandements being shod with the shooes of the Gospel of peace like Roes excéeding swiftly The senselesse creatures are a 〈…〉 king-glasse to all Christians in 〈…〉 respect The Sunne as sayth the Psalmist Psal â— like a Gyant reioyceth to run his race that is valiantly and swiftly swift in his motion and speedy in his race for in the space of 24. houres hee compasseth the earth round about that nothing is hidden from him and passeth from the one end of heauen to the other that nothing is wanting in him So the Lord our God hath set euery man his task vpon earth which is To worke out his saluation wiâ—l feare and trembling A great worke a short time a long way from Egypt to 〈…〉 from the gates of hell to the doores of heauen therefore like Gyants we â—ad need to runne swiftly lest we come too late and bee shut out of heauen like the fiue foolish aforesayd Virgins As the Sun in the heauens is a looking glasse vnto vs in this regard so is also the Son of God Christ â—esus aboue the heauens to be imitated oâ— vs all in this point Omnis Christi actio 〈…〉 â—â—strâ— debâ—t esse instruâ—â—io id est Euery action of Christ ought to be a matter of imitation to vs Christians As hee was Iâ—mensus maiestate in 〈…〉 bilis â—â—r 〈…〉 so was hee in 〈…〉 is celerâ—â—â—â—â— id est As hee was â—â—â—at in Maiestie incomparable in 〈…〉 o was â—e â—lso incomprehenâ—â—â—le â—â— celeriâ—â—e and swiftnesse Hee 〈…〉 wâ—ought the woâ—keâ— of him that â—ent 〈…〉 y without â—â—y delay in the world This Bridegroome Christ Iesus â—â—â—n as the Suâ—â—e went forth out of the Chamber of the highest Heauens from the bosome of the Father and from the inuisibility of the Diuinity and descended downe to the earth and became Man and was like vnto Man in all things sinne onely excepted and valiantly in the Wildernesse pitched a field against Satan that old Serpent and roaring Lyon and ouerthrew him in the Desart breaking his wyly head and ouercomming his chiefest power fulfilled the Law in euery point and tittle satisfied Gods Iustice for vs appeased his wrath against vs purchased celestiall mansions to vs by offering himselfe in Sacrifice to the Lord of Hâ—sts vpon the Crosse at Golâ—oâ—ha for the sinnes of the whole world by his death and passion by vanquishing hell by conquering death by his glorious resurrection and ascension and by sending of the Holy Ghost Hee Ioâ— 16. 28. went from the â—ather and came into the world And in short time yea in the space of 33. yeeres wrought the redemption of all beleeuers And left this world and went againe to his Iob 1â— 28. Father The Spouse of Christ considering her Husbands great velocity celeritie Can. 2.
8. 9. and swiftnesse sayth Behold he commeth leaping by the Mountaines and skipping by the Hils my Welbeloued is like a Roe or a young Hart c. Venit vidit vicit Hee came from heauen he saw the earth and ouercame the Dragon Thus after Christs example should wee that professe our selues Christians runne swiftly in the race of godlinesse holinesse purity and obedience to the commandements of our heauenly Father Thus should wee runne In vestigijs Iesus in the footsteps of Christ Iesus who isVia veritas Ioâ— 14. 6. vita i. The Way the Truth and the â—ife and the true way to life euerlasting To the performance of which duety the Lord grant to vs his grace for of our selues wee are not able to set one foot forward to heauen that so we may bee able to his glory and our Soules euerlasting good to doe his will in earth as willingly swiftly and as speedily as the Angels do it in Heauen Now deare brethren that we may runne thus swiftly in the race of Godlinesse and in the course of Christianity two things are necessary First Vt simus intus vacui that we be empty within Secondly Vt simus extra exonerati id est That wee bee vnladen without First we must be empty within Now what is that which cloggeth vs so sore within and hindreth vs from running in this godly Race Surely that is sinne So weighty a thing is sinne As it Luke 10. sunke downe Satan from heauen So weighty a thing is sinne as it caused the earth to open her mouth and swallow vp cursed Korâ— diuelish Num. 16. 32. Dathan and that abiect Abiâ—am with all their treacherous crue The Prophet in respect of the weight thereof compareth it to lead and that worthily for as lead in the clocke can seth by the weight thereof the cogs wheeles and gimmers successiuely to moue one after the other euen so the weight of sinne doth draw the cogs of our carnall concupiscence the whéeles of our lewd desires and the gimmers of our vntamed affections from one sinne to another according to that of Saint Gregory Peccatum quod per poenitentiam Gregory â—on deletur moxsuo pondere ad aliud trahit id est If sinne by repentance presently bee not done away by the weight thereof it will soone drawe a man to more sinne as we finde it exemplisied in the Prophet Dauid who fell from idlenesse to concupiscence from concupiscence to adultery from adultery to murder Of the weight of sinne the Prophet Dauid speaketh Mine iniquities 〈…〉 are goâ—e ouer mine head and as a weighty burden they are too heauy for mee The Prophet Esay calleth the bands of wickednesse heauy burdens intolerable 〈…〉 to bee borne The sinnes of the world being layd vpon the shoulderâ— of IESVS vpon the Crosse were so weighty and heauy as they forced him hauing the weight of Gods wrath for them also vpon him to cry out on this manner to his God Eli Eli Lamasabactham Mat. 27. 46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me If the yoke of Christ bee easie and his burthen light Mat. 11. then of necessity on the contrary must the yoke of Satan which is sinne bee vneasie heauy and intolerable to bee borne By which it may appeare that sinne is an intolerable burden and a great impediment to this Christian Race Let vs therefore as the Choseâ— Hâ—â— 12. 1. vessell doth exhort vs cast away euery thing that presleth vs dowre aâ—d the sinne that hangeth so fast on â—et vs runne with patience the race â—hâ—â— is â—et before vs. Where it is eâ—ident thâ—t wee cannot runne with â—â—â—â—enâ—â—â—â—e race that is set before vs vn 〈…〉 cast away our sinnes from vs which doe hang so fast on vs. Moses was not permitted to come neere the Lord before hee did discalciate himselfe Put off thy shooes for the place where thou standest is holy ground So must we put off the durty 〈…〉 of iniquity and abandon sinne from the câ—stlâ— of our hearts before we can bâ—e able to stand in the path way to ioyes wâ—ich is an holy ground therefore much lâ—sse are wee able to runne in the same and most vnapt to runne swiftly Let vs therefore in the name of God purge our Soules and bodies from sinne with the Hâ—sop of Gods grace Let vs separate them from vs and our selues from them as farre as the Cast is from the West and North and South Let vs loath detest and abhor them because the Lord doth loath detest and abhorre vs for them as wee haue giuen our members as weapons of vnrighteousnes to the seruice of Satan in vngodlinesse of this life euen so let vs giue them as weapons of righteousnesse to the seruice of the Lord in godlinesse of life as wee haue runne in the race of the first Adam by commission of sinne so let vs runne in the Race of the second Adam Iesus Christ the righteous by performance of righteousnesse let vs cease from sinne and doe that which is good let vs seeke peace and ensue it Let vs Plangere plangenda bewayle our sinnes that ought to bee lamented Grauia peccata grauia desiderant lamenta sayth Iâ—idore great sins require great lamentation sweet meat must haue sowre sawce reioycing in sinne must haue mourning for sinne let vs therefore bee Tam proni ad lamenta sicut fuimus ad peccata as prone to lamentation as wee haue beene to transgression as ready to lament them as wee haue been to commit them Let vs swéepe euery corner of our hearts cleane with the broomes of penance and let vs water them with the salt teares of earnest contrition so that wee may bee â—it receptaries for the Lord to dwell in and being anointed with the oyle of grace we may runne swiftly in the race that is set before vs and obtaine the reward prepared for vs. So runne that ye may obtaine Text. Secondly if we will runne swiftly in the pathway to heauen wee must bee Extra exonerati id est vnladen without Those that runne in a race will lay aside their Cloakes doublets and such like outward vestiments that they may runne the more speedily and obtaine the more assuredly And so in like â—anner we must bee vnburthened of all outward matters whatsoeuer especially of the excessiue care and affection that naturally we beare to this wicked world or else hell and damnation will bee our best reward We must forsake all if we will bee followers of Christ as Peter sayd to his Master Ecce nos reliquimus omnia secuti sumus â—e i. Behold wee haue Mat. 1â— forsaken all and followed thee Well and wisely said Peter as saith S. Bernard We haue forsaken all followed thee for hee could not haue followed Christ laden as wee haue an example in the same Chapter of the Young man Mat. 19. that at that Vende omnia da pauperibus id est Sell all and
giue to the poore chose rather to leaue Christ then forsake his riches for Christ Yea it is a thing impossible for such couetous Churles to runne swiftly in the way to life It is easier for a Cammell Mat. 19. â—4 to goe thorow the eye of a Needle then for a rich couetous Carle to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Nemo potest Dominis rectè surâ—ire duobus Poet. Id est No man can serue two Masters no man serue God and Mammon God and riches Hee that hath his treasure in earth cannot haue his conuersation in Heauen For where Mat. 6. 21. the treasure is there will the heart bee also If therefore riches increase let vs not set our hearts vpon them Let vs vse this world as though wee vsed it not let vs hold all dung for the gaining of IESVS As Christ said in the Gospell of Iohn That his Kingdome Ioh. 18. was not of this world So should wee say that our delight is not in this world but our hearts are altogether in the world to come Let vs take no care what wee shall eate or what wee shall drinke or wherewith wee shall bee arrayed After all these things the muâ—kewormes of this world the Pagans Infidels and Heathen people seeke that haue neither knowledge of God nor feare of God before their eyes but let vs cast our care on the Lord 1. Pet. 5. 7. Mat. 4. for the Lord onely careth for vs Therfore as Peter and Andrew left their nets to follow Christ And as Elisha 1. King 19. â—â— left his Oxen and his Plough to follow Eliah the man of GOD Se should wee leaue whatsoeuer is in the world to follow the Sonne of God to Heauen We reade of Crates Thebanus that â—râ—â— â— because hee could not apply himselfe to the study of Philosophy in regard of his riches hee tooke his money and cast it into the Sea saying Ego perdam te ne tu perdas me id est I will destroy thee lest thou destroyest mee So if we finde that our wealth or any other thing in this world is an impediment to our Christian race let vs cast them from vs not as Crates did into the Sea that were a fond and foolish thing But let vs cast our Eccl. 11. 1. bread vpon the waters that is bestow them on the poore as Christ did wash the young man in the Gospell of Matnew Thus therefore should wee empty our selues of sinne within and vnburthen our selues of the cares of this wicked world without if wee will runne swiftly in the High-way to Heauen So runne that yee may obtaine Text. Thirdly if we will run to obtaine we must runne Persâ—ueranter Perseuerantly and continually holding out to the end of our Race Those that runne in a race though they runne neuer so directly though neuer so swiftly yet if they giue ouer before they come at the â—nd they lose their reward Euen so if we perseuere not in the race of Godlinesse to the end of our liues we shal fayle of the Kingdome of Heauen He that diggeth in a golden Mine till hee commeth within fiue or sixe fadomes of the gold and then giue ouer is not all his labour lost and all his cost in vaine A Traueller that hauing taken vpon him a long iourney and in the end giueth ouer within two or three miles of his iourneys end is not all his labour lost and are not all his paines likewise in vaine Euen so Nihil prodest cursus bonae vitae 〈…〉 consâ—â—mâ—tur boâ—o â—inâ— id est The Race of a Godly life profiteth nothing vnlesse it bee finished with a godly end If a man had liued in the profession of the glorious Gospell of Iesus for the space of twenty thirty or forty yeeres and then proue an Apostata back-sliding from the same hee is so farre from obtaining saluation as the end of him is worser then the beginning So that there is no hope of happinesse without perseuerance for as the tree falleth so it lyeth whether it falleth towards the South or North And as a man dyeth so shall hee be adiudged If in the Lord then shall he haue his portion with Saints if in impenitency then shall hee haue his portion with diuels The Souldier is not guerdoned with spoiles before hee hath obtained victory no more shall we be crowned before wee haue been more then Conquerers in Iesus Christ Well therfore saith one Sinullus esset hostis nulla esset pugna si nulla pugna nulla victoria si nulla victoria nulla denique Corona i. If there were no enemy there were no fight â—f there were no fight there were no victory if there were no victory there were no Crowne Nam nemo coronabâ—â—ur 2. Tim. 2. nisi qui leâ—uâ—â—e certâ—â—â—rit id est For nâ— man shall bee crowned but hee that fighâ—eth lawfully Ideo homines tentantur vt tentati resistant resistentes vincant vincentes coronentur Men are for this cause tempted that being tempted they may resist resisting they may ouercome and ouercomming they may be crowned So that the perseuerance is all in all The woman of Canaan by perseuerant crying after Christ got her Daughter to bee dispossessed of the Mat. 15. Diuell The man that had ghests come late to his house by his perseuerant knocking got bread for them of his neighbour at mid-night So by perseuerance in the Race of Godlinesse we shall obtaine the bread of life Christ Iesus that reigneth at the right hand of his Father in glory for euermore Chrysostome speaking of this spirituall Chrysostome Race sayth thus Incipere multorum finire paucorum id est Many will beginne to runne in this godly Race but few there are that will hold out to the end Rome began well and imbraced the Gospell of Christ willingly but with the dogge they returned to their Pro. 26. 11. former vomit of Idolatry and with the Sow that was washed they wallowed againe in the mire of iniquity So that Fryer Mantuan reporteth thus much in commendation of their Citie Heu Romae nunc sola pecunia regnat Mantâ—â—n exilium virtus patitur vrbs est iam tota lupaâ—ar id est Alas alas Couetousnesse is Queene of Rome all godlinesse is banished from thence the whole Citie is become a Stewes And herevpon he giueth this Caueat to all Christians Viuere qui sanctè cupitis discedite Roma Poet. Omnia cum liceant non licet esse bonum Id est All you that vvill liue a godly life depart from Rome for all things are there suffered saue godlinesse Oh it had béen better for this vvhorish â— Pet. 2. â—1 City neuer to haue knovvne the vvay of Righteousnesse then after they haue knovvne it to turne from the holy doctrine giuen vnto them For 〈…〉 â—he latter end is worse with them then the beginning according to that in the Gospell If Sâ—tan be cast out
glory killing vs thou dost but deliuer vs from 〈…〉 prison of our bodies thou shalt 〈…〉 remoue the rockes and mounâ—â—i 〈…〉 their places then make vs 〈…〉 from the profession of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Such was the resolution of Sydrach Myshach and Abednego that rather then they would crouch to Nebuchadnezzars golden Image which waâ— Dan. 3. 1 23. 60. cubits high they would be cast into the hot fiery Furnace which was made seuen times more hot then vsually it was for necessary vses Such was the resolution of blessed Paul that nothing could separate him from his LORD and Master CHRIST whose couragious vow we may find in his Epistle to the Romans on this manner Who shall separate Rom. 8. 35 33 39. vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword No verily for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord neither the loue which wee haue to God from â—â— who are made his sons through Christ Iesus And â—ndeed that which Paul promised he performed for he was beheaded at Rome for the Gospels defence although the sword did separate his head from his shoulders yet it could not separate him from his head Christ Iesus Such was the resolution of the patterne of patience that though the Iob. 13. 15. Lord should kill him yet would he put his trust in him Such was the resolution of Ignatius Ignatius Bishop of Antioch after Peter that the rauening Beasts could not make him flinch from his Redeemer yea being commanded by the King of Syâ—ia to bee torne in pieces of wilde Beasts and being led to the place of execution the vttered this golden sentence Nihil moror visibilium nec inuisibilium modo Iesum Christum acquiram id est I care neither for things visible nor yet for things inuisible neither for things seene nor yet for things not seene Onely this is my care that I may obtain CHRIST IESVS with him euerlasting saluation And when the Beasts were let loose vpon him these were his last words as saith S. Ierome I am Gods corne and the Ierome teeth of these wilde Beasts must grind me in pieces that I may be pure bread and fine manchet for Christ Iesus his Table in Heauen Such was the constant resolution of that good old woman Apollonia Apollonia that she chose rather to haue her teeth dasht out of her head willingly and to be burnt to ashes then to worship any other god besides the true and euerliuing God Yea this was the constancy of all holy Martyrs that they would rather indure a thousand deaths then shrink backe from the word of Life Peter Peter was beheaded for the Gospels defence Iames throwne downe from an Iames. high Pinacle and his head cleft asunder yea almost all the Apostles were put to grieuous deaths some were stoned some broyled some put to one death some to another Old Simeon that was cousin germane Simeon to Christ sonne to Clâ—ophas and Mary Bishop of Ierusalem after Iames was nayled to the Crosse being sixe score yéeres old and more S. Cyprian beheaded at Sexti nigh the Cyprian City Carthage Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna Disciple Polycarpe to Iohn was most pittifully tortured to death by fire yea for the space of 300. yéeres after Christ and more the Lord sent persecution ordinarily to his Church Willingly did these Saints suffer and ioyfully did vndergoe all these afflictions for the Kingdome of Heauen sake Hic vre hic seca vt in eternum parcas 〈…〉 Domine saith Saint Augustine i Here burne me Lord here slay me to spare mee hereafter Doe what thou wilt Lord with my body so that thou wilt spare my soule Vtinam saith S. Ierome ob Domini Ie 〈…〉 mei nomen atque iustitiam cuncta Gentilium turba me persequatur tribulet vtinam in opprobrium meum stolidus â—ie mundus exurgat tantùm vt ego merâ—â—dâ—m Iesu consequar id est I would to GOD that the whole Nation of the Gentiles Pagans and infidels would for the name of my God and for the glory of his Gospell persecute me and trouble me I would to God this mad and foolish world would rise vp against mee for the profession of Gods blessed Truth onely that I may obtaine CHRIST IESVS for my reward Ammonation Mercuria Dyonisia Ammonation with diuers other godly women wold run to the fire with their children as to a ioyfull feast or banquet thinking no greater glory on earth then to suffer for the Gospell of Christ And thus should euery man and woman as they tender the wel-fare of their deare soules resolue to suffer willingly and beare patiently whatsoeuer calamity may befall them in this heauenly Race considering the torments of Hell which by reuolting they shall vndergoe considering the ioyes of Heauen which they shall haue by patience and considering what others haue done before them as the Martyrs and what Christ hath suffered for them that so with perseuerance holding out to the end they may obtaine euerlasting blisse The Merchant wil thorow fire and water suffering no repulse that hee may haue his Pinnace fraught with plenty of pure gold at the Indian Hauen according to that of the Poet Impiger extremos currit mercator ad Indos Poet. Per mare paupâ—riem fugiens per saxa per ignes Id est The painfull Merchant aduentureth to the forraine Indians beyond the Seas thorow fire and water fearing nothing that hee may eschew pouerty and obtaine much treasure Euen so he that will haue the Pinnace both of Soule and body fraught with the siluer of all earthly prosperitie and with the gold of all celestiall felicitie must runne the raâ—e that is set before him with patience leaping ouer the wall of all obuious afflictions perseuering till he commeth at the happy hauen of Heauen that then hee being more then Conquerour in CHRIST IESVS may triumph ouer Death Hell and Damnation saying with the Prophet Ero mors tua â— mors id est O death I will bee thy Hos 13. 14. death O graue I will bee thy destruction and with valiant Paul Death 1. Cor. 15. where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory Of necessity afflictions must méete with vs that runne in the high-way to heauen yea no man liuing can be fréed from them All that will 2. Tim. 3. 12. Act. 14. 22. liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth Hâ— 12. 6 â— and hee scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth wee are bastards and not sonnes if wee be free from
which are there are innumerable Euen as a learned Geometrician finding Hercules his foot 's length vpon the high hill Olympus drew out his whole picture by the proportion of the same though farre vnequall to it so we may ghesse at the greatnesse of the ioyes of Heauen though far vnequall to them As the Quéene of Sheba hauing heard the wisedome of Salomon which before shee beleeued not sayd to Salomon Loe the one halfe was not told mee So the Saints of God inioying the vnspeakeable ioyes of Heauen may say it is true which we haue heard concerning the ioyes of Heauen by the mouth of preaching Ministers but loe the thousand part of them was not told vnto vs. The greatnesse of these ioyes doe appeare in the entertainment of the faithfull Seruant into ioyes by our Lord Iesus saying Enter into thy Masters ioy Our Sauiour saith not Let thy Masters ioy enter into thee but Enter thou into it shewing vnto vs that the ioyes of Heauen are so many as the thousand parts of them cannot be contained in the soule of man Thus at large haue I spoken of this reward the more to allure all men to runne in the Race of Christianitie which is the high way to this glorious reward Foure things there are that being well considered are excellent motiues to cause men to leaue the broad way of iniquity and to betake themselues to runne in this Race Celestiall The day of death The day of doome The ioye of Heauen and the torments of Hell Let euery Christian therefore as he tendreth his euerlasting saluation cast his eyes vpon this reward and runne in the race of Godlinesse so long as life shall last that whensoeuer it shall please the Lord to call him out of the vale of teares hee may hauing his name written in the booke of Life be welcommed into his Masters ioy with this blessed haruest song Come thou blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for thee from the beginning of the world To the which thrice-blessed Kingdome he bring vs that hath so dearely bought vs euen Iesus Christ the righteous who hath taken away the sinnes of the world To whom with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost thrée Persons but one eternall and euerliuing God we ascribe both now and euer as is most due all power glory dominion and thanksgiuing Amen A MORNING PRAYER O Most glorious God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father the Fountaine of all our wel-fare and the giuer of all grace wee thy poore children according to our bounden duty are at this present assembled together before thee in Prayer to offer vp euen from the ground of our hearts the Morning Sacrifice of Thanks-giuing for all thy louing mercies and tender kindnesses whatsoeuer bestowed vpon vs. We highly blesse thy Maiesty for electing vs in thy Christ to life eternall before all worlds for creating vs after thine owne most glorious Image in purity and perfection of holinesse for iustifying vs by the perfect obedience of thy Sonne for sanctifying vs by thy holy Spirit and for the hope that thou hast giuen vs of our future glorification with thée hereafter in Heauen We also returne vnto thée all due and possible praise for preseruing of vs hitherto of thine especiall goodnesse and mercy supplying abundantly all our necessities both in soule and in body and at this present wee heartily magnifie thy name for thy watchfull prouidence ouer vs this night and for thy blessing vpon vs and ours keeping vs from diuers dangers that might iustly for our sinnes haue come vpon vs both spirituall and corporall O what shall wee render vnto thée for all these thy mercies done vnto vs what are we that thou shouldest thus respect vs or what are our deseruings that thou shouldest thus esteeme vs To vs O Lord to vs most miserable sinners there nothing belongeth but shame and confusion If thou Lord markest strictly what is done amisse who is able to abide it O how farre doth thy mercy exceede thy iustice O the deepenesse of thy fauours towards vs So vnsearchable are they as no man can expresse them so vn-vtterable as no man can declare them And most mercifull Father wee humbly intreat for thy Christs sake the continuance of these mercies towards vs blesse vs this day and euer with thy heauenly protection and benediction guide vs by thine owne Spirit into all godlinesse that wee may profitably and conscionably walk before thee in our vocations both generall and particular blesse vs in the house and blesse vs in the field blesse vs in the basket and blesse vs in the store blesse vs in our out-goings and in our commings in compasse vs on euery side with thy mercies guard thine Angels round about vs keep vs from the euill of this world and euery worke of darknes and sanctifie both our soules and bodies with thy feare to thy seruice that as heretofore we haue serued the Diuell and the World by prophanenesse so euer hereafter redeeming the time wee may apply our selues vnto holinesse To which end we most earnestly craue O heauenly Father the presence of thy Spirit alwayes to direct vs the powerfull preaching of thy Gospell alwayes to instruct vs the holy vse of thy Sacraments alway to confirme vs that all heresie and vngodlinesse remoued farre from vs by these meanes sanctified vnto vs wee may glorifie thy holy Name by our holy conuersations in this life and be glorified of thee euerlastingly in the life to come And because by reason of our sins in stead of thy mercies we haue deserued thy furious indignation against vs we therefore seriously begge at the Throne of thy mercy in the meritorious mediation of Iesus Christ that thou wouldest remoue farre from vs and our Land all thy fearefull and heauy iudgements whatsoeuer as famine pestilence sword and the like and giue vs all grace from the King to the beast that we may be truely humbled for all our iniquities that wee repenting vs of our euill which is sinne thou maist be pleased to repent thee of thy euill which is punishment for sin Heare vs O blessed Lord God in these our Petitions pardoning our sinnes and granting to vs all our requests with all other thy graces that wee stand in need of that may make for thy glory and the sauing of our poore soules at the dismall day of Iudgement and that for Christ Iesus his sake To whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit three glorious persons but one immortall God we desire to returne all possible praise power Dominion and Thanksgiuing this morning and euerlasting Amen AN EVENING PRAYER O Most gracious God and in Iesus Christ our most louing and most mercifull Father the Father of all mercies and God of all consolations wee thy poore seruants do most humbly cast downe our selues before the Throne of thy dreadfull Maiesty confessing and acknowledging our manifold sins from time to time most grieuously committed against thee
with the sheep on his right hand and singing this blessed haruest song vnto you Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world To the which most blessed place of glory the Lord bring euery Soule of vs at the day of our death and dissolution and that for IESVS CHRIST his sake to whom with God the Father and God the blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one immortall God be ascribed all honour and glory both in Heauen and Earth this day and euer Amen * ⎠* FINIS An Earnest and zealous Pray er to be saued from the damnation of TOPHET O Most glorious euerliuing and euerlouing Lord God the fountaine and well-spring of all our happinesse wee thy poore seruants vnworthy in regard of our manifold transgressions of the least of thy blessings doe most humbly fall downe before the throne of thy dreadfull Maiesty confessing in the bitternesse of our soules the basenesse and vilenesse of our estates by sinne O Lord ashamed wee are to come before thee that are nothing but sinfull corruption and abomination but thou a Maiesty most pure in comparison of whom the Angels themselues are counted impure we dare not therfore being thus lothsome and abominable presume to present our selues before thee as in our selues but in thy manifold mercies and thy Son Iesus Christ his merits in whom thou art delightfully pleased with all that faithfully call vpon thy name Lord in thy Son behold vs we humbly beseech thee accept vs in his worthinesse clense vs in his blood iustifie vs in his righteousnes sanctifie vs with his spirit and in his most precious death frée vs from the damnation of hell O till these comfortable tidings be sealed vp to our soules how perplexed are we O how do our harts quake and tremble till we haue found the saluation of thee our God! Reiect vs not O heauenly Father that faine would as be saued of thee so vprightly serue thee we plead now and euer for pardon so for grace whereby wee may in plentifull manner bring forth fruits worthy of amendement Lord kéepe vs in body and soule to thy euerlasting Kingdom and saluation Lord preserue vs from the terrible torments of Tophet O what shall become of vs if we for our sins when we dye be thrown into that Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone so bitterly as forceth screeching and screaming continually Lord deale not with vs according to our sinnes and thy iustice but in the multitude of thy mercies saue our soules aliue O consider the terrors of our troubled Soules Let not the grones of our hearts be despised but suffer them to pierce the heauens for a blessing O thou that art the God of endlesse compassion cast vs not away from thy presence we are the workmanship of thine hands O Lord confound vs not O Lord that delightest not in the death and damnation of a sinner bee moued to shewe pity vpon vs O Christ our blessed Sauior make intercession to God the Father for vs speake by thy gracious Spirit peace to our disquieted Soules bind vp our broken hearts giue vs that wée may cléerely sée our names written in the Booke of Life and our soules released from the fearefull damnation of Tophet To this end gracious God remoue all sinne from our soules and plant in the garden of our hearts all those spirituall and heauenly graces that are proper peculiar to thine Elect that we may be alwayes a swéet smelling sauor before thée giue vs faith in thy promises loue to thy Maiesty zeale to thy glory obedience to thy lawes and guide vs daily by thy blessed Spirit into all truth and godlinesse Lord giue vs to bee out of loue with the vanities of this life to hate euery worke of darknes the little sin as well as the great quicken vs O Lord by thy quickning Spirit O giue vs hearts to bee inflamed with the loue of thy truth O that wée could hunger and thirst after grace as the chased Hart doth the running Brooke O that wee could experimentally say with thy seruant DAVID that all our delight is in thy Commandements Thus O Lord we receiuing grace from thy Maiesty to repell the fiery darts of the diuell to flye euen from euery apparition of euill so doing we may reap much comfort to our soules in this world of trouble and at the fearefull day of Iudgement wee may be freed from the lamentable tortures of Tophet where howling and yelling shall be for euermore and that for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne our Sauiour to whom with thée and thy most glorious Spirit we desire euen from the bottome of our hearts to haue offered vp all thanksgiuing and praise both in heauen and earth this day and euermore Amen FINIS A IOYEFVLL TRACTATE OF The most blessed Baptisme that euer was solemniz'd VIZ. Of the Baptism of our Lord IESVS by IOHN in Iordan The fourth Edition corrected and amended IOHN 3. 5. Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God LONDON Printed by George Purslowe and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull M. ROBERT MORDAVNT of Massingham Hall in the County of Norsolke Esquire and Mistris AMY MORDAVNT his mostlouing Bedfellow All increase of Grace in this life and of glory in the life to come SEldome or neuer Right Worshipfull doe we finde Tractates either Humane or Diuine passe without their particular Dedications that being shrowded vnder the safe-garding gourds of honorable and right godly dispositions they might the better bee preserued from the parching detractions of malignant Cynicks I make bolde therefore discarding all selfe-humour and irregular singularity to commend this poore Present vostrum ad patrocinium to the worthy patronage of your well-affected Worships two especiall reasons mouing me hereunto First that mine vnfained gratitude entire affection and most humble duty for all your fauors inexpressible might heereby bee made apparent Secondly it being deliuered at that solemne baptisme of Charles your first born and hopefull heyre none I know more worthy of this Dication than your worthy and right Christian persons I present it to your religious considerations as a louing and friendly New-yeeres gift for it aymes at that blessed New birth and happy New life liuely in baptisme represented without which it is not possible for either of you to possesse the Kingdome of God Accept therefore I humbly beseech you and take in good worth this short Treatise short both in line and learning respect not as is that Prouerbe the measure of the gift but the minde of the giuer what is wanting in the one I dare boldly promise is made vp in the other At your best leisures vouchsafe I pray now and then to peruse it and I trust that your Christian paines herein shall bee well reguerden'd with heauenly pleasures herefrom The Lord God make this with all other like
Christian helps much profitable to your soules and as he hath abundantly blessed you withoutward honors and dignities externall he would also euen fill your heares and spirits with the inestimable riches of his al-sufficient grace that hauing granted this two-fold blessing to you in this life you may haue the more assured hope of a third in the life to come which is his blessing of glory for all which forenamed blessings your Worships shall haue my best and most deuout prayers continued to the Lord to whose sweetest protection I betake you both with your hopefull sonne this present day and euermore From Hempsted in Essex Ianuary 10. 1620. Your Worships alwaies ready to be commanded in the LORD Henry Greenwood To the CHRISTIAN Reader A Religious and right vertuous Gentlewoman curteous and I. M. Christian Reader much importuning mee for a written Copie of this extant worke vpon good consideration proues the onely occasion of this printed Tractate for things written as they are more tedious so are they lesse profitable but printed Tractates lesse tedious and more profitable I am not borne alone to my selfe my particular friends I loue to satisfie but the generall good still shall be my ayme And that my penne thus happily should turned bee to Presse I am no whit vnwilling both because few haue written vpon this worthy subiect as also for that I see this heauenly Sacrament seldome made right vse of the most contenting themselues with the bare signe very few acquainting themselues with the blessed power of the signified That therefore our profession may not be as in many Antichristian parts of the world in superficiall signe and shew alone but in substance life and power I commend vnto thy view for the better information of thine head and reformation of thine heart this short yet I trust profitable Treatise of that blessed Baptisme of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Here Christian friend mayst thou learne a double lesson to liue to dye to dye to that which otherwise must bee thy death to liue that Christian and happy life wherewith who-euer is not acquainted euerlastingly must dye The Lord God from my very soule I heartily desire blesse these my poore paines to the best good of thine owne Soule and worke in thine heart a death to all that is euill and a life to all grace and godlinesse that his glory more and more by thee may be aduanced and thine owne soule more more by him refreshed and that for his owne mercy sake to whose most happy protection I commend thee both in body and Soule in his deare Sonne Christ Iesus and rest Thine euer-louing in the Lord Henry Greenwood CHRISTS BAPTISME Math. 3. 16 17. And Iesus when he was baptised came straight out of the water And loe the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Verse 17. And loe a voyce came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased AS by the disobedience of one man sinne entred Rom. 5. 12 into the World and by sinne death Rom. 5. 12. So by the obedience of one man righteousnesse entred into the world and by righteousnesse life Rom. 5. 18. Rom. 5. 18. For as Adams sinne hath bound vs all to a double misery guilt and punishment So Iesus Christ being made of God to vs Wisedome Righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. hath deliuered vs both from guilt and punishment of all our transgressions The truth of which thrice-blessed report is not onely mentioned in the Gospell of God and therefore called EVAGGELION but confirmed also by sacramentall signes and seales in the first and last Testament In the first against sinnes guilt by circumcision against sinnes punishment by occasion the one a Sacrament cutting the other a Sacrament killing In the last against sinnes guilt the Sacrament of Baptisme against sinnes punishment the Sacrament of his Supper And as Adam sinned in his owne person So the second Adam for his recouery hath performed both the Sacraments and substance of the same in his owne person for hee was circumcised sacrificed baptized to take away the sinnes of the world Circumcised Luke 2. 21. Sacrificed Luk. 2. 21. Heb. 7. 27. Baptized in the words of my Text And when Iesus was baptized c. In which words for methode sake I note in generall thrée First Christs baptisme And when Iesus was baptized Secondly Christs immediate action after baptisme He streight came out of the water Thirdly Gods of Christs miraculous approbation Testified by two By Vision By Voyce By Vision two wayes 1. By the heauens apertion And loe the Heauens were opened vnto him 2. By the Spirits descension And Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending c. By Voice Behold a voyce came from heauen saying c. In which voyce I note also two 1. A double circumstance 2. A singular substance A double circumstance 1. Of the Person God the Father Behold a voyce 2. Of the place supercelestiall Came from Heauen A singular substance This is my beloued Son in whom I am well pleased In Christs Baptisme â— obserue thrée First the Baptist Secondly the Baptized Thirdly the element First the Baptist and that was Iohn as it appeareth in the precedent verses Not Iohn the Euangelist but Iohn the Sonne of Zachary the Priest A worthy instrument nomene numine a gracious name and a gracious person A gracious name whereof Saint Augustine in his second Tractate vpon Iohn sayth Magnum aliquidiste Iohannes ingens meritum magna gratia magna celsitudo A great name is this name of Iohn a name of great grace a name of great valuation Magnus exim erat Iohannes virtute magnus sanctitate magnus officio Great was Iohn in power great was Iohn in sanctity great was Iohns office A gracious person sanctified in his Luk. 1. 15. mothers wombe Luke 1. 15. that which was spoken of Ieremy the Prophet is verified of Iohn the Baptist Priusquam te formarem in vtero nouite antequam illinâ— exires sanctificaâ—i te Ieremy 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee and before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee At one and the selfe-same time there was in Iohn the Baptist Spiritus vitae Spiritus gratiae the Spirit of Life and the Spirit of Grace as sayth Origen Whose sanctity you may reade at large commended by Iosephus lib. 18. Antiquitatum Yea Christ himselfe sayth thus much in commendation of him that inter natos mulierum mator Iohanne non surrexit Math. 11. 11. Among those that Mat. 11. 11. are borne of women a greater then Iohn arose there not Though Enoch was translated Gen. Gen. 5. 24. 5. 24. yet was hee not greater than Iohn Though Eliah was taken vp to Heauen 2. King 2. 11. yet was hee not greater than Iohn Moses a
great Law-giuer and the Prophets great men yet were they not greater than Iohn Non enim ego Prophetas Prophetis andeo comparare I dare not compare Prophets with Prophets yet the Lord of him the Lord of them the Lord Iesus of vs all hath pronounced of him that inter natos mulierum among them that are born of women a greater than Iohn the Baptist arose there not hee doth not say inter natos virginum among them that are borne of Virgins for Christ Iesus himselfe was borne of a Virgin whose shooes latchet Iohn Mat. 3. 11 was not worthy to vnloose Math. 3. 11. great was Iohn but what to his Lord and Master Christ a rare preacher but what to that great Lawgiuer a baptizer with water but what to him that came to baptize with the Spirit and Fire This is he that héere baptized Christ yea he was the first that euer baptized with water to repentance yea his office was to baptize in remissionem peccatorum before Christ Luke 3. 3. to lead the people by water to him that baptized with the Spirit and fire As one saith of him that hée did praeire nasciturum nascendo praedicaturum praedicando baptizaturum bapti zando moriturum moriendo that in birth baptisme doctrine and death hee preceded IESVS the Reconciler of the world The place where hee baptized Christ was in the Riuer Iordane Fluuius eximiae dulcedinis qui in lacum Genezareth Gen. 13. deinde in mare mortuum funditur A delicate Riuer so called because it was composed of two Fountaines the one called Ior the other called Dan and therfore the Riuer hath this name Iordan In which Riuer Naaman was 2 King 5. 14. washed and cleansed from his Leprosie 2 King 5. 14. which Riuer Eliah and Elisha diuided with their Cloake 2. King 2. 8 13. In this Iordan did Iohn baptize our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Secondly The Baptized Iesus And when Iesus was baptized Iesus this word signifieth a Sauiour A name worthily giuen him from the Lord because hee came to saue his Mat. 1. 21. people from their sinnes Math. 1. 21. from the guilt of sinne by his imputatiue righteousnesse from the punishment of sin by his imputatiue death and passions the one properly resembled in Baptisme the other in his last Supper But whether did Christ purchase this great saluation for vs iure pacti or rigore iustitâ—e a great question in diuinity by a Couenant made twixt God the Father and him or in regard of worth for worth that is whether his merits did equalize the saluation of so many Saints Ans To satisfie this question giue mee leaue to vse a familiar comparison Suppose I should say to a Porter or some such fellow If thou wilt bring mee a burthen of an hundred weight a mile vpon thy backe I will giuâ— thee a thousand pound for thy paines the Porter doth it hee hath purchaset this summe ture pacti in regard of the couenant but not rigore iustitiae hiâ— paines were not answerable to thâ— gift for I could haue had it done so a crowne but suppose I should makâ— bold with a great man of worth in the like case he hath deseru'd this rewarâ— iure pacti rigore iustitiae O the dignity of Christs person makes his merit precious and thus became Chrisâ— our Iesus Obiect But it may be demanded why CHRIST should here by Iohn bâ— baptized that was sinlesse baptism being a remedy against originall sin For BAPTISMA of BAPTEIN sigri 〈…〉 a washing away resembling the washing away of sinne Ans It is true Christ in regard of himselfe had no néede of Baptisme wherefore Iohn forbade him saying I haue neede to be baptized of thee and commest thou to mee yet notwithstanding Christ vouchsafed to be baptized for eight especiall causes First because he was bound to fulfill the righteousnesse both of Law and Gospell in the behalfe of man as hee told Iohn Thus it becommeth vs to Mat â— fulfill all righteousnesse Math. 3. The Law inioined Circumcision therfore Christ must be circumcised the Gospel inioyned baptisme therefore Christ must be baptized for Christ came not to breake the Law but to fulfill it Secondly that hee might confirme the baptisme of Iohn to bee both reuerend and profitable lâ—st any should holde baptisme a vaine or friuolous thing Thirdly that hee might sanctifie the water to his mysticall end viz. to the washing away of sinne Hesych Christus ad sacrandas aquas baptismatis in Iordane baptizatus est that is Christ was baptized in Iordan to sanctifie the water of baptisme to the mysticall washing away of sinne Fourthly that hee might hereby shew his wonderfull humilitie for Phil. â— 6. though he were equall with God Phil. 2. 6. yet he makes himselfe of no reputation but comes euen among sinners to baptisme who notwithstanding knew no sinne Fiftly to teach vs that as he was baptized being the head so should wée his members to shew that baptisme is not lightly to be respected nor of any to be neglected therefore they that bring not their children to baptisme as much as lyes in them shut them out of the Kingdome of Heauen For Baptisme is necessary ad tollendam maledictionem as saith Pareus non vt pharmacum aut opus expiatorium sed vt sacramentum foederis obsignatorium non necessitate mediâ— sed mandatiâ— not as though outward baptisme either simply saued vs or without it no saluation could bee but because it is commanded It is therefore necessary â—ATATâ— propter mandatum Dei for the streight command of God but not praecise simpliciter absolute that as those that want it should bee damned for whom the blockish Papists haue deuised a Lymbus infantum Sixtly to testifie the blessed communion and fellowship that hee our head hath with vs his members to our vnspeakable consolation Seuenthly to signifie to all the world that hee came to bee baptized with the baptisme of death For baptisme doth reprensent dying to sinne so Christ dyed for sinne Luke 12. 50. Luk. 12. 50 I must be baptized with a baptisme and how am I grieued till it be ended Eightthly vt veritas typo respondeâ—et that the truth may answere in euery respect the type and figure for as the high Priest when hee was inaugurated they first washed his whole body with water Afterwards hauing put vpon him his priest-like garments and brought him to the open view of the people they sounded trumpets and powred oyle vpon his head Exod. 29. Exod. 29. 4 5. Num. 10. 3 4 5. Num. 10. 3. So Christ our Priest was washed by Iohn in Iordan in the open assembly of much people a voyce thundred from Heauen and with the spirit of grace hee was anointed with Psal 45. 7. the oyle of holinesse aboue his fellows Psal 45. 7. And thus yee see the reasons why our Sauiour would be baptized Oh how are wee bound to his maiesty that
circumcised surely to Heauen for he saith he should goe to it And what became of all that dyed before the eight day the day of Circumcision though they had not the signe yet were they borne in the Church and were within the compasse of that generall couenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Indeede if we contemne baptisme then it is another matter As he that was not circumcised should be cut off Gen. 17. from the people Gen. 17. this is spoken of Adulti that contemned circumcision Alas children if they be not brought to baptisme and dye vnbaptized it is not their fault shall they bee damned for their fathers offence God forbid No the child shall not beare the fathers Ezek. 18. sinne Ezek. 18. Againe water is but a signe of the inward washing water it selfe doth not worke regeneration Though it bee sayd Except a man be borne of water and the Spirit Ioh. 3. 5. it is the Spirit that doth regenerate not the water and therefore a man may be regenerate without outward baptisme It is the speech of the Apostle Peter Baptisme saueth vs not that baptisme that putteth away the filth of the flesh viz. water but in that a good conscience maketh request to God 1. Pet. 3. 21. Indeed water is sayd to 1. Pet. 3. 21 wash vs from our sinnes sacramentally but not really nor substantially that the Spirit doth Nay in the effectuall and complete baptisme tollitur peccatum non quod non sit sed quod non obsit non quod ad actum sed reatum that is sinne is taken away not that sinne is not but that sinne is not to condemnation not in regard of the act but in regard of the guilt Seeing then that Iohn could but baptize with water and the Minister can giue but outward baptisme it is Christ Iesus that baptizeth with fire O let Parents bee instant with the Lord in prayer that as the Minister powreth on water so the Lord Iesus would powre on his grace that as they are instruments of their childrens first birth which is damnable through sinne so they may bee instruments of their second birth without which neither they nor their children shall euer sée the saluation of God And thus much for the Baptisme of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Secondly Christs immediate action after baptisme Hee straight came The second text out of the water In this a mystery is obserued to shew that all that are effectually baptized doe presently come out of their sinnes making no delay to serue the Lord in holinesse O that this were verified of all that are baptized Wée sée then what God requireth at our hands that when wee are little ones euen in our infancy for then wee are baptized wee sacrifice our soules and bodies to the seruice of our God for the Lord looketh for the Alpha of our liues as well as the O megâ— for praise euen out of the mouth of Babes and sucklings All therefore that are baptized and yet deserre their repentance here are iustly reprehended It was Saint Augustines fault before his conuersion Ignosce pater ignosce pardon me O Lord pardon At noli modo but not now let mee sinne in my youth and pardon mee in mine age But let such persons beware of a double danger Suddaine death Hardnesse of heart Life is vncertaine who knowes it not Let vs therefore with the wise Virgins bee alwayes surnisht with the candle of faith and the oyle of loue in the Lampes of our soules that so we be not excluded the bride-chamber of glory Againe let all such desperate wretches know that custome in sinne hardens the heart of a sinner Qui non est bodie câ—as nâ—nus aptus eâ—â—t He that is not sit for repenâ—ance to day will be lesse to 〈…〉 euen as a ruinous house the longer it is let runne the more it will aske to repayre and as a nayle the more blowes a man gines it the harder will it be to pull out Let vs therefore while it is said to day resolue perfect obedience to our God while the Lord speaketh make him speedy answere Let there bee an eccho resounding in the thickets of our hearts as was in the heart of Dauid Psal 27. 8. Seeke ye my face thy Psal 2â—â— face Lord will I seeke that hauing regarded the Lord and his seruice in time the Lord may reward vs with his blessed fauour not for a time but for euer Thus much for Christs immediate action after Baptisme Thirdly Gods of Christs miraculous approbation testified by two by Vision by Voyce By Vision two wayes by the heauens appertion by the Spirits descension First by the heauens appertion And behold the heauens were opened Text. to him Behold Ecce loe This word is vsed in holy Writ 600. times a word euer placed before matters of great waight and moment whervpon Bernard calls it notam stelliferam a starry note pointing out extraordinary matters reuealed as the Star pointed out Christ to the Wisemen and stood ouer the house where he lay Sometimes placed before Gods inexpressible merctes as Esay 7. 14 Behold a Virgin shall conceine and Esay 7. beare a Sonne and his name shall bee called IMMANVEL Sometimes before his invtterable iudgements as Amos 8. Behold I will bring a famine vpon you not a famine of bread or of wine which of outward deaths I know none worse then staruing to death but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord and ye shall goe from sea to sea and coast to coast as little account as you make of Sermons now and shall not finde it The exposition of this word you may finde by comparing Math. the 6. Math. 6. Luke 12 with Luke 12. for S. Mathew speaking of GODS prouidence for the Fowles of the ayre vseth the word Behold Behold the Fowles of the ayre Saint Luke speaking of the selfesame subiect vseth the word Consider Consider the Rauens c So that Behold is as much as Consider or seriously perpend what it is that shal be spoken The vse of this word is to stirre vp auditories diligently to attend to those things that make for Gods glory and the euerlasting peace of their owne soules The heauens were opened to him Text. The heauens haue béene opened to many as you may reade in the Scriptures of God 1. To Steuen martyred Act. 7. 56. Act. 7. 56. 2. To Peter in prayer deuoted Acts. 10. 3. To Christ transfigured Math. 17. 5. 4. To Christ ascended Acts 1. 9. 5. To Christ here baptized And when Iesus was baptized behold the heauens were opened to him By the heauens apertion many times is vnderstood the manifestation of the glory of God but héere it doth signifie visibilis coeli scissuraâ— ita vt Iohannes perspicere potuit aliquid planetis austris superius the diuision of the visible heauens whereby Iohn saw somthing higher than the Planets and Starres and therfore
of the Father the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Math. 28. 1â— in nomine Mat. 28. 19 not nominibus in the name not names here is the vnity of Essence of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost here is the Trinity of persons Augustine illustrates this mysterie by a Simile from the Sunne and Fire We sée the Sunne in the heauens Running Shining Giuing heate The Fire hath three properties Mouing Light Heate Now thou Arrian if thou canst diuide the Sunne and Fire diuide thou also the Trinity No the Trinity must be distinguished but by no means diuided The holy Ghost is called digitus Dei the finger of God the Sonne is called manus Patris the hand of the Father As therefore the finger in the hand and the hand in the body so of the same Essence and Substance is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost But to search too much into this mysterie is dangerous as saith Bernard To enquire too much of the Trinitie is peruerse curiosity to beleeue as the holy Church holdeth is faith and securitie To see as it is is most absolute selicitie I remember an olde report that runnes of Alanus who promised his auditorie to discourse next Sabbath following the mysterie of the Trinity It hapned as he meditated by the Sea side hee saw a young boy goe about with a shell or spoone to empty the water of the Sea into a little hole Alanus demanded of him what hee meant I intend saith he to bring the whole Sea into this hole Why goest thou about a thing impossible answered Alanus So doest thou saith the boy vnto him for it is as possible for me to bring the whole sea into this hole as for thee thorowly to discourse the mystery of the Trinitie Alanus being very much dismayd and comming into the Pulpit his auditorie looking for the performance of his promise was silent for a pretty space at last brake out into these words Sufficit vobis vidisse Alanum it is enough for you to haue seene Alanus for to vtter that which I promised is aboue my reach and so came downe So surceasing the prosecution of this mysticall point any further I come to another obseruation from hence and hasten to an end And that is this As the whole Trinity was present at the Baptisme of Christ so it is the pleasure of Christ that euery of vs should be baptized in the name of the whole Trinitie Not in the name of one person alone Nor in the name of any creature Obiection But against the first may bee obiected that in the Acts where Peter exhorts them to be baptized in the name Act. 2. 38. of IESVS Acts 2. 38. and no more persons mentioned Answere He speaks not there of the forme of Baptisme but shewes that the whole effect thereof consists in Iesus Christ Againe vnder the name of IESVS the other persons are comprehended Obiection Against the second may be obiected that in the Corinths The Israelites were baptized in â— Mosen vnto Moses 1. Cor. 10 â— in the cloâ—d and sea 1. Cor. 10. 2. Answere It is an Hebrew phrase and in Mosen vnto Moses is as much as per Mosen by Moses as Augustine saith Duce Mose seu Mosis ministerio by the ministery of Moses Ambrose sayth they were baptized into Mâ—ses that is duce Mose foeliciter transiâ—runt erapti sunt morte Moses leading them they passed the Sea without dangeâ— and were sâ—ued from death Or in Mosen into Moses in 〈…〉 nam legem Mosis into the doctrine and law of Moses as those twelue are sayd to be baptized in baptisma Iohannis vnto Iohns baptisme Acts 19. Act. 19. â— 3. 7. that is in doctrinam Iohannis vnto Iohns doctrine as writeth that learned man Pareus so the like phrase is vsed Exod. 14. 19. Where the people Exod 14. 19. are said to haue beleeued in Moses that is in Deum per Mosen in God by Moses This is my beloued Sonne Text. Christ is Gods Son Onely Naturall Consubstantiall Coeternall We are but by adoption Gods children O the wonderfull loue of God the Father to vs that would vouchsafe to giue vs his Son his onely Sonne his onely beloued Sonne that whosoeuer 〈…〉 beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Ioh. 3. 16. In whom I am well pleased Text. Complaceo nemini nisi in te per te I am pleased with none but in thee and for thee In quo oblector In whom I am wonderfully delighted as sayth Euthymius In quo requiesco in quo placor saith Theophilact i. In whom I rest fully satisfied in whom I am well contented As that verse goeth In quo laetitia est in quo mihi facta voluptas In whom I much reioyce So that these words doe testifie that Iesus Christ is that worthy Mediator in whom the world is reconciled to God Let vs not therefore goe to Rome for a pardon nor to Mahomet for a blessing nor to the Magician for counsell nor to the Sorcerer for skill but let vs â—locke to Iesus our Redeemer in whom onely we shall finde GOD well pleased with vs saying with Peter Quo ibimus Whither shall wee goe for thou hast the words of eternall life There is in the world a foure-fold Call yet but one salutiferous The Diuell sayth Come vnto me sed destruam I will destroy you The World sayth Follow me sed decipiam I will deceiue you The Flesh sayth Follow me sed deâ—iciaâ—â— I will faile you Christ onely saith Come vnto me egoreâ—â—ciam I will refresh you Christ now knocketh at the doores of your hearts and would gladly come in and dine and sup with you Renâ—â— â— 20. drine him not out of your countrey as did the clay headed Gadarens Shut him not out of your houses as did the â—uâ—lling Bethleemites but be yee open ye euerlasting doores that the King of glory may come in that hauing giuen the Lord Christ entertainment into the houses of your hearts in this life hee may vouchsafe to put you all in possession of his heauenly mansions in the life to come To the which most blessed place of glory the Lord bring euery soule of vs at the day of our death and dissolution and that for Iesus Christs sake his beloued Sonne in whom onely he is well pleased to whom with God the Father and God the blessed Spirit thrée great persons but one Essentiall Godhead be offered vp all praise and thanksgiuing euen from the bottome of our hearts this day and euermore Amen FINIS A Godly and right Christian Prayer made for the instructiou and comfort of his weakest Parishioners of Hempstead reuerently to be vsed euery Euening in their seuerall Families O Most gracious God and in thy sweet Son Iesus our most mercifull heauenly Father we thy poore seruants and vnworthy Creatures with mourning spirits and perplexed hearts doe in most humble manner fall down before thy