not indued with spirituall knowledge do wonderfully repine murmure and frowne against all miseries sickenes calamities plagues or what troubles so euer happen in this life detesting al things which are not pleasant to the flesh as a thing most repugnant to nature But the godly on the other side do know that the church seruāts of God in this life are subiect to many crosses troubles persecutions not that the Church shal perish with these afflictions but rather that it is thus ordained by the singular prouidence of the Lord that by this meanes his seruants may see their sins the Lords anger against it that they may learne to tame the mad and outragious concupiscence of the flesh that faith loue charitie and mercie with the feeling of one anothers infirmities may dayly increase and bee renewed in them Where we see that these afflictions are nothing but iust corrections for our escapes and faultes and we see what they be that are most fit to receiue admonition euen such as are most visited with afflictions griefes sickenesse want of things necessarie and such like c. Blessed is the man whome the Lord correcteth because it is a signe of his loue blessed Iob. 3. 17. is that man which indureth temptations continueth constant to the ende and is not Iam. 1. 12. ouerborne with calamities for hee shall receiue a Crowne of life which the Lord hath Mat. 5. 10. promised to them that loue him Againe we are to learne that whensoeuer wee see the Lord to wounde our consciences or to threaten vs with any calamitie warres plagues sicknesse or any other visitation hee doth it for no other cause but to make vs to consider that we are gon astray that we are out of order that our life is not such as it should be and that he hath a heauie quarrell and reckoning against vs. Then here we see the cause why the Lord hath of late giuen vs so many gentle warnings shewed vs so many louing rods and like a mercifull father hath rather made vs as yet to see them then to feele them And yet surely we haue so seene the sentence as it were of our own condemnation in signes in the heauens and wonders in the earth in Earthquakes in the necessitie crie of many thousands in this time of miserie by the stop of mutual traficke and euen now in these rumors of warres and expectations of forraine inuasion that we may easily coniecture what effect there will follow if the cause be not remoued Our sinne our vnthankefulnes our negligence our carelesse and licentious libertie in all estates our wicked behauiours our monsterous apparell our want of charitie loue and patience our aboundance of enuie malice deceite whordome and like abhominations are the causes of these tumults of these motions of these feares and of these signes and tokens And if wee with this Iaylor bee not drawne by some meanes to seeke helpe the sooner wee are to looke for some heauie misery to fal vpon vs our land The Lord shakes these rods ouer our heads to some purpose wee must thinke A carefull louing father if he find his childs stomacke so stubborne that the sight of the rod and threatning will not terrifie him at length he fals to seuere whipping and chastning of him indeede I pray God that my feare and coniecture in this respect may be vaine but surely I feare and by most manifest signes am driuen to coniecture that except verie shortly we all euen frō the highest vnto the lowest take an other course and trade of behauior we must looke for a fearfull end of our long our sweete and pleasant peace that hath nowe so soundly lulled a sleepe some of vs in the cradle of securitie some in the cradle of iniquitie some in the cradle of Atheisme doubting of God giuing Manifest signes of Atheisme no credite to the Scriptures disputing of foolish and heathnish questions seeking to comprehend the works power of God which are in the vnscrutable wisedome of the Lord by reason and not by faith which Saint Paule proues to be a monstrous follie Rom. 1. some in the cradle of Anabaptisme some at the brest and sweete teate of Poperie all in the rolling and vnsetled cradle of our owne fantasie Alas the carefull soules of manye thousand poore men that haue bene oppressed crie out of our land and euerye corner thereof as the bloud of Abel for vengeance against our land and against our hypocrisie abusing of our religion What end can we imagine what reward can we looke for but the fearefull marke of Caine and the heauie iudgement of the forsaken hatefull wandering Iewe I feare greatly least these thirtie and eight yeares of pleasant peace haue prouoked God more to anger against this land then fiue hundred yeares before of warre and miserie O that Gods blessings should bee so abused that they should ende with so heauie a curse O that his mercye should leade vs to such vnmercifulnes that we should forget the care of our owne saluation and fal a murdering of our owne soules O that wee should liue to see that daye in which the sweet benefits louing patience of the Lord should make vs the worse Happy is the man that with this Iaylor finds occasion his motions in these things to come vnto the Lord and happie may that man be thought which resteth in the Lord which shall not see the miserie of the future times which sinne and Sathan without repentance wil pul downe vpon this Noble realme c. Wee see farder by the great care which this man had to know how to be saued and the haste that hee made to obtaine his purpose that hee gaue sure tokens of his obedience to his calling which teacheth vs that the iudgements of God take not like effect in all men For in some that is in the elect which are rightly touched by the spirite of God it is true that the Prophet said Assone as they heare they shall obey me But in others Psal 18. 44. this is true I called but they would not heare nor obey There be some which at the iudgements of God tremble for a time but it is againe presently forgotten as Pharao the keepers of Christs Sepulcher Caligula and many others But in the godly they worke Exod. 7. 3. Mat. 28. 5. contrarie effects It is true amongest most of vs that the more signes and tokens of Gods wrath we see the harder our harts grow dayly what may the ende of these things be A blinde man may see The Lord be merciful vnto vs and giue vs grace with this Iaylor be more carefull of our saluation We learne also that a great festred sore needeth a sharpe and quicke Surgion These proud Rabbies and great Doctors woulde not heare the voice of the Ministers of the Gospell speaking vnto them neither could their voice driue them to any consideration of their
God in this man vttered long sithence vpon occasion which I haue termed The Iaylors Conuersion This being the first thing of mine that euer past the presse I thought to make bold to Dedicate it to the first friend that euer was truely possessed of my hart The first fruits were stil most accepted desired of the Lord The first childe by nature is best beloued of the father The first faith is euer most firme most deare and sweete to the possessor My first faithfull affection hath inforced me to offer these simple first fruites to you that had the gift of my first faith Which affection you first wonne by curtesie after confirmed it by desert which being planted young hath now growne to be olde being begun long sithence hath continued to this present inuiolable and as the greene bayes whome no tempest can blast euer flourishing so I hope shal continue so long as life shal giue leaue to loue If I could as easily bestow on you a great part of the world as I doe willingly giue you this smal portiō of words thogh you bee great already yet would I make you greater But seing words for want of welth must shewe my will consider in these words not the words but the working of the spirit of God And I dare presume to say that if you can imitate rightly this one example these words in short time though you bee good already yet shall they make you better The Lord that hath giuen you a great portion of faith hath bestowed on you great worldly blessings of wisedome and welth increase this faith so dayly multiplie these blessings vpon you that you may go forward frō faith to faith from vertue to vertue from life to life till in the day of the Lord your imperfections being made perfect you may receiue the Crowne of immortall glorie prepared for such as loue the Lord vnfainedly Honiton in Deuon this 30. daye of Iune 1596. Your louing friend Hugh Dowriche Vaine floting blastes of worldly blisse that neuer stay Are smoke-like mounting spied but quickly quite decay Like vewes of fawning shades that plant alluring baytes Erre fully come their farwell shewes their hid deceytes No trust in trustlesse trash no faith in friendly shewes Truth quailes in Hectik fits whilst falshoode greenely growes Yea masking visars fraude great grace in gracelesse findes No place for naked truth No time for fraudlesse mindes Esteemed vice soores high on gales of witlesse windes Knocke VVisedome while she faint on rocke of flintie hart No answere but I will not come you may depart If supreame voice to Conscience call to counte for sinne Greene Figleaues grace defects as sinne had neuer binne Hygh Cedars stoutly vaunt that fruitlesse haruest yeelde The Volgo bright yet good for neither fish nor feelde Let not false Susis springs finde poores in Corkie hart Yeelde not to loose the truth though clad in carefull smart Establish vertues throne And say to sinne depart To the friendly Reader THere is dayly preaching and daily printing of good Sermōs and good Bookes and yet there is little profiting and little amendment seene to follow either in words or workes We haue had precept vpon precept Sermon vpon Sermon in euery corner here a little and there a little and yet Egypt cannot speake the language of Canaā Esay 8 13. Esay 19. 18. Some professors cannot see what is belonging to their profession liue there after The Vineyeard yeeldeth but briers thornes The companie of vaine Papisticall Libertine Esay 27. 5. Ierem. 7. 11 and Machiauelion professors are become cōpanions to theeues they are euen found to be the den and the sinke of loth some hypocrisie which the eye of Christ viewed his heart lothed his whip purged The swords edge is rebated to them it cannot Pearce the shaft is shot in vaine it cannot sticke The force of the Gospell is become now so weake it cannot moue them The bellowes are burnt the ledde is consumed in the fire the founder Ierem. 6 ◠hath melted in vaine The preachers haue lost their labours and the Printers haue spent their care their time their strength in nothing for The wicked yet still wrestle against God like wild Buls tumbling in a Ierem. 1. ◠net yea they haue made a new couenant with death and with hell they haue clapped hands vpon a new bargaine As Sathan told Eua she should not die so our lying fancies haue told vs that No plague shall come neere vs. Long peace and wealth hath brought vs to wanton 1. Cor. 4. Babels estate we are a virgine not to be oppressed by any we are tender and delicate the mistresse of felicitie we are a Lady of kingdomes with a perelesse prosperitie in the middest of Esay 47. 1◠our neighbours miseries wee neuer feared of our owne calamities our necke is framed of yron sinewes it cannot bow our browes are ouer-plated Esay 48. 4◠with brasse they cannot blush The trumpe hath blowen yet can bee not bring againe them that Were lost in the land of Assiria Though the preachers with their Cornets haue seuen and seuen times compassed Iericho yet the cursed wals fal not though the voice the crie and the force of the Gospell of signes and wonders haue beene heard and felt in euery corner yet the weedes ouertoppe the Corne the soule lost in the sincke of error and land of transgression returnes not againe the Papists deceiued by the full flesh pots of Egypt are not yet reclaimed the Atheists Brownists Anabaptists Libertines and carnall carelesse and dissolute professors that are for their sinne suffered to be led into heresies are not yet contented to ioyne in one godly vnitie to worship and serue the Lord in the mount of Ierusalem the vision of peace We doe not yet see that blessed time when Ephraim shall be are no euill will to Iuda nor Iuda vexe Ephraim when preachers shall not wrangle for trifels and bee deuided one from an other but all ioyne together to flie vpon the shoulders of the Pihlistins the common enemies of the Gospell All our preaching cannot draw on that happie time when Iuda and Israel shall walke both together When all preachers and professors that now hate backbite and slaunder one an other shall so ioyne hands and hearts together that neither of thē walke or continue any longer in the hardnesse of their froward harts It was a certaine signe of Gods heauie plague against Iuda and a sure token that their destruction was at hand when the peoples eares began to be Vncircumcised when they could not patiently harken to the truth and when the word was to thē as a reproch that they could not delighte in it If the same tokens may be now any way á signe to England of her destruction as it was to Ierusalem then may Englands Musicke be well turned into Iudahes mourning and say Woe bee vnto me Woe is me now My heart my health
my hope my helpe and all is gon from me It were a lamentable thing that our wilfull and wicked sinnes dayly crying for vengeance to fall vpon vs from the seate of God our couetousnesse vsurie drunkennesse whordome blasphemie periurie contentions pride enuie disobedience should giue our Corne to be meate for our enemies and the fruite of our labours to refresh strangers while we our selues famish yet thus it hath beene in time and thus it may bee againe Some thinke there be too many Books too many Sermons too much preaching too much Printing and I thinke there is too little of eueriesort There is no fault found with too much ease too much pleasure too much negligence too much wantonnesse in behauiour too much pride in apparell too much loue to imitate new Apish toyes and strange fashions we are neuer cloyed with these come as thicke as they can but the poore dispised word sounds too oft comes too thicke vpon vs. O sinne O Sathan Papisticall enuie saith euery boye is become a preacher euerie foole is become a writer Iosua enuiously murmureth against Eldad and Medad for prophecying in the Tent The Disciples Num. 11. 28 Mark 9. 38. Luke 9. 48 Iohn 3. 26. of Iohn enuied at Christ for working of Miracles but I say with meeke Moyses I would all the people of God did prophecie I woulde all were learned I would all were preachers I would all were so perfectly taught of God that euery man were able to preach to himselfe to teach and instruct himselfe and his charge in all things that wee might indeede neede lesse preaching and lesse writing Some woulde haue no Bookes written but such onely as did wade into the depth of Diuinitie and contained the marrow and quintessence of learning such as did profoundly handle deepe points suttle quiddities of Diuine or Phylosophicall controuersies and such as in a manner shoulde speake that which was neuer spoken before This is the verie pollicie of Sathan to take from the simple people their greatest comfort next vnto preaching that they enioy which is the reading or hearing at leasure times some plaine exposition or familiar Sermon penned to their capacitie wherin many and many take great and singular comfort delight and profit Many there be that for age troubles and other occasions cannot often come to heare Sermons where and when they would which hauing at home some good Booke supplies often times the want of a better meanes to bring them to the knowledge and loue of God I speake not this to patronise any lewd wanton or foolish Pamphlets which tend not to edification but rather to destruction neither yet to prefer or compare reading or writing with preaching which is the blessed and ordinarie meanes of our saluation but onely to crop the blossomes of their proud Enuie that despise their weake brothers gifts in respect of theyr own surmised perfections which think that some profit may not redound to the simple by the most simple gift that euer was bestowed of God vpon the most simple man I detest the fantastical humor of them that write or publish any booke to hunt for any priuate praise glorie or profit to themselues and not with a single and simple intent to seeke onely the glorie of God the furderance of the Gospell and the knowledge comfort and saluation of Gods childrē the weake brethren With this intent and no other as he knowes that knowes my hart I haue perswaded my self to suffer these plaine Countrie notes to subiect themselues to the curious eyes to the sharpe conceites and the quicke iudgements of the learned Readers of this age not intended or adorned for the learned but onely vowed and plotted in the lowest kinde for the capacitie of the simple and ignorant It may bee that I haue studied more to bee plaine briefe and perspicuous then some haue to flie aloft in the mistie cloudes of rolling eloquence be cause I seeke the edification of the simple not the praise of my selfe If I should vauntingly flie so high as the wings of fancie would carrie but a meane Schollers reache I might neither in dutie doe that I should nor in conscience performe that which I would Let the Iaylors and keepers of Prisons in these daies accounte this example the chiefe flower in their garland that there hath beene so honest a man an vndoubted childe of God found in their Corporation of whome I would they would all learne to be more mercifull and courteous to their poore brethren that are in bands to consider the cause of their imprisonment not to hepe miserie vpon miserie but in their punishments to see the anger of God against their owne sinnes to bee sorrie for them that are in Captiuitie to thanke God for their owne freedome not to insult ouer them whom God hath cast downe but in a charitable mind to comfort them that are in heauinesse and relieue the wants of the poore and needie to their powers So God with this Iaylor shall blesse them with the true knowledge of their saluation and the ioyfull spirite of regeneration So shall the Lord comfort them in their distresse and deliuer them from the prison and punishmēt which their sins haue deserued This is the wourst I wish thē this the Lord graunt them And so I commit thee gentle Reader to Gods mercifull protection From Honiton in Deuon this 30. day of Iune 1596. Thine in the Lord Hugh Dowriche Verses written by a Gentle woman vpon The Iaylors Conuersion THe man is blest which can indure Whose hart doth neuer slide When for his sinne with fierie scourge His patience shal be tride No daunting feare can once attainte The conscience that is cleare The wicked waile that haue no faith When dangers doe appeare The rod that doth correct our life And sinfull waies reproue Is said to be a certaine signe Of Gods eternall loue No tempting tryall from the Lord No griefe or dire annoye Can seuer once the faithfull hart From Christ his onely ioye Though sinfull flesh doe oft rebell And fancie file our fall Yet happie man that can returne When God beginnes to call Though God permit his chosen flocke Sometimes to walke astraie Yet sets he both the times and meanes To wayne them from their waie How long did Paule with cruell hart The Church of Christ molest Till called home to see the truth His blindnesse did detest How cruell was this Iaylors hart To vex the poore elect Till trembling earth by mightie power His madnesse did detect The God that makes the haughtie hils And Libans Cedars shake When he shall take his cause in hand Will make the prowdest quake To comfort his that be in neede The Lord is alwaies prest And all that haps to his elect Is alwaies for the best Which in this picture here is seene By that which shall in sew Lord graunt vs grace when he doth call To frame our liues anew A. D. Ad Authorem amicum suum
of the Gospell make the glorious word and preaching of Christ to be blasphemed among the Papists and they hinder many from professing and beleeuing the same because they walke not wisely toward them that are without because there is as much whordome couetousnes drunkennes vsurie periurie simonie subtiltie briberie iniurie amongst them as euer was among the Papists or can be among the Turkes and infidels because there is as little faith as litle regard of promise or word or lesse then euer was in the time of ignorance c. But what shall become of these wicked hypocrites of these Painted wals of these stincking Sepulchers and fruitlesse Figtrees which defame their callings abuse their places pollute their Offices and dishonor the Lord by their sinfull liues Surely they shall leaue a deadly curse vpon their posteritie the filthie mawes of the hungrie Dogges shall bee thought to be a Sepulcher worthie and sufficient for such cursed carrions The Lorde shall plague them by taking from them their sonne begotten in a dulterie their Offices their dignities and the thing they loue best the Lord shall punish them by rebellion in in their sonnes in their subiects and heauie mishappes within their owne houses Some of these wicked abusers of their Office and calling the Lord doth notwithstanding as we here see cal home to a consideration of their miserable estate to the knowledge and sight of their sinnes to a true humiliation of their proude stomackes and to an effectuall repentance because it is certaine and sure that the wickednesse of man cannot alter the purpose of the Lord. Where we learne that as God doth suffer his elect for a time to be seduced and to wander out of the right way as Dauid by his lust Paule by blinde zeale Mary Magdalene by lewde concupisence and this Iaylor by crueltie blindnesse yet as many as pertaine to Gods election haue the times and meanes of their conuersion appointed and they at that calling obey as we see here this Iaylor doth though before oftentimes they haue refused Here we see the great mercy of the Lord which calleth all sortes of men which despiseth no Office nor the vilest callings which refuseth not to thinke vppon the greatest sinners in the middest of all their blindnes but vseth louing and fit meanes to call sinners to repentaunce As according to the qualitie greatnesse and continuance of any sinne so wee see his motions to repentance fitted for them Dauid had not long beene forgetfull neither remained any great time in the sincke of his sinne therefore the voice of the Lord in a simple man wrought a sorrow and repentance in him Peter had not long continued in his Apostasie hee was brought vnto that forgetfulnes of his good master and duetie by the frailenes feare that was in his flesh and bloud and not by any malice or wilfull contempt therefore the voice of a Cocke was sufficient to awaken him to make him see the foulenes of his finne and to lament his weakenes with bitter teares But of the contrarie where the sinne is setled of a long continuance where the sinners after admonition haue taken delite in it haue continued it with mallice and wilfull contempt there the Lord must vse great and mightie motions to remoue them as Earthquakes throwing downe some tower in Siloe stirring vp great enemies and shewing great and vnusuall wonders c. And yet these great motions moue not all for there are some which pertaine to the Lords inheritance that are conuerted by them as this Iaylor and many other But such againe as bee none of this number but those whome the Lord hath forsaken and cast off cannot be moued nor conuerted by all the signes wonders and Earthquakes that can bee shewed such were the Scribes and Pharisies the masters of this Iaylor such was Pharao such were the sonnes of Elie and many in Ierusalem such are our great and grounded Papists such are our libertine professors and fleshly Gospellers such are our Atheists and Iesters in religion c. 2. His Charge It seemeth that his Charge was very great and that it stoode greatly vppon him to restore againe such as he had receiued It shuld appeare that these Apostles were deliuered vnto him with such a straite commaundement that if he did let them escape his life should go for theirs For being now awakened by the suddaine shaking of the earth rysing out of his bed at midnight in great feare and comming vnto the prison and finding the doores open and thinking assuredly that his prisoners had beene fled in a desperate minde determined rather to kill himselfe then to stand to the curtesie of that sentence which his good masters the enuious Scribes and Pharisies should pronounce against him Which wicked act the fearefull and desperate man had committed in deede had not Paule by the spirit of God in the darke seene his intent and with this ioyfull voice at that instant comforted him Do thy selfe no harme for we are all here Application and Doctrine First by his straite Charge which the Scribes and Pharisies gaue for the keeping of these Apostles we learne with what great heate and hateful mallice the wicked world with the blind potentates thereof doe persecute the truth wheresoeuer they shall see it but once to shew it selfe or appeare neuer so little and how loth they are that the messengers of this newes should escape with life or libertie when they once come within their fingers The estate of Gods trueth in this world is maruelous and miserable For the euerie murder whordome drunkennes c hath alwaies found more friendship in it and hath beene better alowed of then the simple truth There was a theefe and a murderer preferred before Christ himselfe The illusion of Sathan and a Deuill that deceaued them by blinde toyes and telling of fortunes was a great deale better accepted in this blinde Cittie of Phillippie then Paule and Silas the true preachers For wherefore were Paule and Silas cast into prison with so straite a commaundement after they had beene buffeted and whipt most cruelly before Surely the holy Ghost layeth downe no other causes but these First They preached the truth and assayed to turne them from their Idolatry blindnesse Secondly They cast out the Deuill that did deceaue them Where wee learne how vnwilling the world and the wicked are to haue the Deuil cast out of themselues of their sonnes and daughters especially if the Deuill bring any kinde of commoditie with him as this Deuill did For that was the cause of this commotion because Paules new doctrine could not agree with their olde Deuill because they might not follow Paules Religion and yet still retaine their former profite and commoditie By which we see how hard a matter it is to plant the true Religion among the couetous and worldly minded wretches Wee see now the cause why the godly in the primatiue church why the blessed martyrs in Queene Maries
say that the Scripture is not sufficient for their saluation but they must seeke other traditions which say that to belieue in Christ is not sufficient except he keepe the whole law which impudently and wickedly affirme that Christ by his death hath not sufficiently purged their sins but that there is an other Purgatorie appointed to clense and make cleane the faithfull Col. 2. 8. thorough which euery one must passe that shall enter into heauen Contrarie to the preaching of the true Apostles and the sacred word for wee are bid to take heede of Tit. 1. 14 mens traditions that wee bee not deceiued by them Againe that wee follow not commaundements of men which turne from the truth And in the very next verse to my text Act. 16. 31. Paule tolde this Iaylor that it was sufficient both for him and his housholde to be saued Ioh 3. 18. 5. 24. if he did onely belieue Christ hath said He that belieueth shall be saued Hee that belieueth in the sonne shall not come into iudgement Hee Wisd 3. 1. that heareth my word and belieueth in him that sent me hath life euerlasting hee shall not bee iudged but hath passed from death vnto life The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Heb. 1. 3. Christ by himselfe hath purged our sinne therefore we neede no other Purgatories we defie such as haue inuented them to the derogation of Christs power and honour Litle comfort may a wounded conscience Torrensis lib â— ca. 4. lib. 8. cap. 4. Consilium Tridentiâ—um sess 6. â—an 12. â—3 can â—5 16. find at their hand who teach That men must alwaies doubt and neuer assure themselues of their election in Christ what motions so euer they feele and that they must alwaies carrie an vncertaine opinion whether they shall perseuere vnto the end or not But let them come to the pure fouÌ„taine of the word of God and then they shall heare the spirite Iam. 1. 7. tell them that except they belieue the Forgiuenes of sinnes without doubting or if they wauer vncertainely in doubtfull dumpes they shall neuer obtaine anye thing of the Mat. 9. 2. Lord they shall heare Christ say Son stand not in doubt but comfort thy selfe assure thy selfe Thy sins are forgiuen thee They shall heare that Abraham after the promise was made vnto him neuer doubted of the Rom. 4. 18. 19 performance of it not considering himselfe and the weakenesse of his owne body but the promise and the abilitie of the Lorde that had promised They shall heare the spirite of God tell the Corinthians and vnder them vs that we being sometime disobedient hauing now receiued and belieued the word Are sanctified are iustified in the name 1. Cor. 6. 11 of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our God They shall heare Paule in the full assuraunce of his election to reioyce without doubting I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that that I now liue in the flesh I Gala. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me They shal heare the spirite exhorting them to go boldly Heb. 4. 16. 10. 19. to the throne of grace and not to doubt but rather that by the bloud of Christ they may be bolde trust perfectly not doubtingly 1. Pet. 1. 13. on the grace that is brought vnto them c. Aske of the Papists which teach this doubting doctrine what is ment by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fulnesse of faith whereof the Scripture makes so much mention calling it the full Assurance of vnderstanding and the effectuall Col. 2. 2. faith they must needs if they answere truely say that it is A peculiar application whereby euerie perfect beleeuer that feeleth the earnest pennie of his election doth applye vnto 1. Thes 1. 3. himselfe the promise of eternall life in Christ Iesus Now for perseuerance vnto the end of which the Papists would haue vs to doubt Let them consider whether they saye not daily in their beliefe I belieue euerlasting life If they doe let them consider what they be that Christ saith shall be saued They that indure to the end Such as be not werie in weldoing Mat. 24. 13. 2. The. 3 13 Then if they belieue that any shal be saued they must needes also belieue that they shal endure to the end So that they must needes confesse that the faithfull shall indure vnto the end such I meane as are appointed to eternall life And if this argument suffice not let vs see what speeches the full assurance of this perseueraÌ„ce vnto the end hath brought forth in the elect and godly Dauid sayth Doubtlesse goodnes and mercie shall follow me Psal 23. 9. all the daies of my life c. Paule saith I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall seperate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Rom. 8. 38. Iesus our Lord. Againe the same Paule saith vnto such as afterwarde had receiued the word and belieued in this Cittie of Phillippie where our Iaylor was I am perswaded Phil. 1. 6. that he which hath begun this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Thus we see that wee are to comfort our selues in this that if wee pertaine vnto Christ we may not doubt of our election or perseuerance which both we must be assured of not by reason of any perfection strength or goodnesse in our selues but onely relying on the might and mercie of Iesus Christ which by his bloude hath redeemed our dayly and fleshly imperfections and fals that our continuaunce in him and by him may neuer be finally broken off Thus we see to whome we must goe with this Iaylor for comfort in our extremitie whome we must auoide We see further that GOD hath at all times confirmed his trueth spoken by his seruants with manifest signes and tokens whereby they that were not quite forsaken might bee called to the knowledge of the same What good our signes and tokens haue done to vs I can not see but onely that manye by them are made the more hard harted and carelesse no doubt to their farder condemnation This Iaylor no sooner saw the power of God making manifest and giuing testimonie vnto the truth which the Apostles had preached but he presently yeelded vnto it imbraced it sought his remedie by it forsooke his olde customes and masters was content and willing to learne He no sooner saw the iudgements of God but straight he remembred his sinne he repented hee bad farwell to his former delightes pleasures pastimes wantonnesse and wickednesse and of an enemie became a friend of a persecutor a professor of a proude master an humble seruant and of a sinfull Iaylor a penitent beleeuer Therefore as
estate Therfore the Lord sent them the voice of a more terible preacher which shooke both bodies and houses all at once assaying by this meanes to bring their impenitent harts to some shaking feeling and feare of conscience for their sinnes But as Which was felt about the yeare 1580. that Earthquake shewed them so our last Earthquake and other tokens sithens shew vs plainely now the estate wherin we stand which is that we yet continue in our sinnes That we despise the voice of the Gospel neede a more sharp preacher it openeth our securitie it threatneth Gods iustice in seueritie it promiseth our punishment shews vs that it is very neere the last time of warning Happie wee see are they which come when the Lord calleth them for many bee called but few are chosen few come What callings should we looke for more then wee haue had Wee haue had our daughter diseased our sonne sicke our seruant like to die wee haue seene fearefull signes ouer Ierusalem we haue heard of the gatherings of the confederacies and conspiracies of many nations against vs we haue found little faith in our friends little loyaltie in our owne naturall children great falsehoode in friendly face great diuisions quarrels and hartburnings amongst our selues many Malcontent dayly rising and a thousand other such callings besides the consideration of the silly threede of our happie estate depending vpon one and in earthly respects but one onely the vncertaintie of all things when God shall visite vs the turmoyles and hurliburlies that we may long before plainely see if God of his mercy helpe not These thinges are considered of few of many not accounted of and feared of none What will the ende of these things bee Let all the inhabitants of England crie Lord saue our Noble Queene Elizabeth from treason at home and from forraine enemies abroade Lord forgiue her her sinnes and vs our wickednes and graunt if it be thy will that she may yet long and long time in peace and in saftie preserue this her Noble Realme of England Amen Lastly we learne the great mercies of our God For he chideth before he stricke hee warneth before he destroyeth he punisheth not till he haue vsed all meanes to haue vs returne Hee giueth sinners both grace and space to repent and to seeke which waye they may be saued with this sinfull Iaylor The fift and last circumstance The time when he fell to haue this care what hee might doe to be saued He neuer fell to this consideration till the Lord drew him vnto it by his spirit For in the nature of maÌ„ ther is no good thought motion or power to returne from euill to consider and see our sinnes or to lament and be sorrie for them and at the word to seeke for remedy against them but rather a desire will and affection still to remaine in them Therefore Christ said No man can come vnto me except my father draw him This man Iohn 6. 37. 44. 3. 27 had his part of two motions The one outward by the miracle the other inward by the holy Ghost Application Doctrine Where first we see that all our labour trauaile is lost in preaching and opening the Scripture outwardly to the eare except the spirit also preach inwardly to the heart For men are of themselues deafe and dull till God doe open their harts and giue them a new vnderstanding as he gaue to Lidia to this Iaylor and many other Againe we see how naked weake miserable we be of our selues and that if wee were not gouerned and nourished by better power then our owne how quickely miserably wee should perish Therefore this consideration may serue to conquer the spirit of pride in our freewill men when they shall know that in their flesh and humaine nature ther is no goodnes at all that they can performe nothing that is good without him that said Without me ye can do nothing 1. Cor. 4. 7. Act. 20. 35. What hast thou saith Paule which thou hast not receiued We learne that faith is not in the power nature of maÌ„ to beleue or not to beleue wheÌ„ Ep. 1. 18. 19 1. Cor. 12 â— 9 11. it pleseth him but that it is the free gift of God for Christs sake vnto those that are his choseÌ„ For if it were in the nature of man then all Phil. 1. 29. 2. Thes 3 2. men shuld beleue But Al men haue not faith therefore it is in vs a worke supernaturall wrought by the spirite of God onely The want of the presence and working of which spirit in the harts of men makes them that they haue no desire to heare the word and when they doe heare it they take no profit by it for it is saide But the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixted Heb. 4. 20 with faith in them that heard it Where wee see a notable relation betweene fayth the word The one can neuer be effectual without the other They goe both together Therefore as soone as there was a fayth kindle in the hart of this Iaylor by the holy Ghost he seekes presently for the word as the body for the soule For as the body is a dead thing without the soule so the word also hath no life effect or motion without faith Now wee see why many Gentlemen Countriemen and others are yet either Atheists â—esters in Religion or despisers of the word because as yet with this Iaylor they haue not receiued the gift of faith c. Here we vnderstand that all shall not be saued against the error of Origen for without faith none can be saued but none haue faith but they onely whome God the father gaue vnto his sonne Christ But hee saith I pray not for the world but for them which thou Ioh. 17. 9. hast giuen me Therefore the elect which are separated from the world that is the reprobate by the free election and donation of God and are garded by the continuall prayer of Christ are they onely that shall bee saued Of which number wee see now this Iaylor by his calling and faith to bee one For Gods election oftentimes lyeth hid vnder a wicked life till the time of their conuersion come which the Lord hath appointed All are not wee see drawne to Christ in one manner for there bee many which professe Religion and talke much of Christ whome God the father by his spirite neuer drew but either their bellie hope of honor vaine glorie c. No maruaile though they belieue not rightly and though they continue not long in a good course Such are many of our earnest Iesuites Papists and libertine professors of the Gospell of Christ Lastly when it is saide that this Iaylor was drawne to this Religion to this godly care and in like manner all the elect wee learne what vnwillingnes what slacknesse what negligence wee vse in our comming to Christ and that wee of our owne nature haue no list affection or good will to come longer then God by his spirite moueth vs and compelleth vs. Therefore if Christ should looke for vs till wee should come of our selues wee should surely neuer see him nor haue any part in him Let vs therefore desire the Lord that as he by his holy spirit drew this Iaylor from the miserable thraldome of ignorance error and iniquitie and planted a desire in him to seeke the truth and by the same gaue him both comfort saluation So in like manner that he will by the same spirite moue our hard hearts to lament our sinne open our blinde eyes to see our imperfection and draw our proude stomakes to humble our affections to the obedience of the word and kindle in vs a loue to like and seeke the same that wee also in our most extremities may by Christ receiue light helpe and euerlasting comfort which the Lord God graunt vnto vs for his deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake to whome with the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God be al honor power praise glorie and dominion both now and euer Let all praise and glorie be giuen to God alone FINIS
his ignorance saw his owne sinne vnderstoode the vanitie of his masters the Scribes and Pharisies perceiued himselfe to bee in an error humbled himselfe to them whom before he had abused and with teares sought their comfort whom he thought before to be comfortlesse desiring of them to know the right way to bee saued whome a litle before he had condemned as those that helde some wrong opinions c. Applicati ∣ on and Doctrine First we see that though God suffered his elect his seruants his truth by tyrants wicked and malicious enemies in our iudgement to bee oppressed ouerborne and troden vnder yet he neuer leaueth nor forsaketh them but is present with them in their prisons in the stockes in the darke and vgly pits hee sitteth with them hee suffereth with them he comforteth them he strengthneth them he heareth their praiers when Psal 34. 19. 145. 18. 34. 16. Act. 4. 31. 12. 10. it pleaseth him to deliuer them the strongest Irons prisons and tyrants in the world shall not be able to hold them And here we are to remember what difference there is betweene the miseries that we feele for the cause of Christ and the torments which are put vpon vs for our owne wickednesse For when we are cast into prison Act. 11. 4 Mat. 25. 40 Zakar 2. 8. Ephe. 1. 22. 4. 13 15. for Christes cause Christ is there with vs when we suffer for him he is grieued with vs for the head cannot be quiet if the body be in paine These haue alwaies such peace and ioye in their conscience that suffer for the truth that when they are whipped they reioyce when they are wounded they are Act. 5. 4. Gal. 6. 17. not agrieued when they are tyed to the stakes they triumph in the middest of the fire the ioy of a good conscience is so great and the earnest desire and assured comfort of the present receiuing of that vnspeakable ioy that will neuer faile makes the greatest torments seeme euen to flesh bloud either verie little or no paine at all knowing assuredly that they could not suffer for Christ Phil. 1. 29 Rom. 9. 29. 2. Cor. 4. 10 Luk. 24. 26. except they were thereunto appointed that they in these passions might bee made like vnto the sonne of God And assuring themselues that assone as they be deliuered from the stincking prison of this filthie carkasse their soule shall be presently in the hand of Deut. 33. 3. Wis 3. 1. 2. Tim. 2. 11 Psal 116. 15 Apo. 14. 13. the Lord wher no torment shal touch them that they shal be presently with Christ in his kingdome with whome and for whome they haue suffered and their death being precious in the sight of the Lord they feele that they are most happie of all other that die in the quarrell of Christ Of the other side they which suffer iustly for their theeuerie murder whordome or any other like vice they feele most horrible horror of conscience and torment both of body mind being seperated from Christ and hauing no peace or ioy in their heart by the quietnesse of a good conscience and assured trust in the mercie of God And therfore many of them in their tormentes and death lamentably houle without hope without comfort being without the companie of Christ and so in miserable desperation without especiall grace oftentimes end a wretched life Here wee must remember that God doth often giue repentant hearts to such as haue committed and doe suffer for most vile offences of whome we are to iudge the best Wee learne heere to haue alwaies a sure hope and confidence in the Lord our cause being his that though we alwaies see not his power and will ready to deliuer vs when our fleshe doeth desire it yet let vs assure our selues that hee is with vs and that hee will helpe and deliuer vs when he seeth his time We see how quickly God can pul downe the pride and confound the deuises of his enemies by such meanes as they can neither suspect nor preuent and how quickly he can turne the hearts of the wicked and enemies to cherish and fauour his seruantes and truth if he list We may learne of this Iaylor here a notable The right vse of Gods iudgments lesson which is to make our right and true vse of the iudgements of God when we see or feele them which is that by them we descend into a deepe consideration of our owne estate life and behauiour and see whether these iudgements fall not vpon vs for our pride our wantonnesse whordome murder ignorance ingratitude negligence contempt of Gods truth and euil intreating the seruants of God Which all it seemeth that this man considered for he feeling the Earthquake and knowing that it was the hand of the Lord hee fell presently to view his life the damnable estate wherein hee stoode and the lamentable miserie that hee was to fall into if his life at that instant should haue been taken from him He comes therefore and desireth the true Phisicke not that which comforteth the body but that which preserueth the soule What shall I doe that I may be saued How many of vs in England either high or low haue with our selues entered into this consideration hauing felt the like Earthquakes and many other signes and tokens I doubt not but there be some which haue though it be perchance a little some In all Philippie the Scripture maks mention but of a few which were conuerted thoroughly and made to see and acknowledge their sinne Wee reade that the rulers were moued but this motion proceeded not so farre as to make them to see the estate wherein they stoode Therefore we see that the signes and wonders of the Lord are not effectuall in all but onely in such as are his and were before known in his purpose The cause of this defect is not in the iudgements themselues but in the hardnes and sinne of their froward hearts that see them as the cause why a blinde man taketh no comfort of the sunne is not in the sunne it selfe but in the fault of his owne eyes It may be that many of our Rulers our great men and Gentlemen were at that present when they felt Gods hand shaken vppon them in the last Earthquake moued and troubled in minde but it was such a motion as the proude Pharisies felt which was not so soone suddenly conceiued but it was euen as soone and suddenly forgotten It was not such a motion as the Iaylor here felt which made him see his sinne his imperfections his wicked life and raysed in him a hartie repentaunce for the same and which caused him to giue ouer all other cares as one now wholly mortified to seeke onely the right way how he might be saued For this motion of the Iaylor had the spirite of the holy Ghost ioyned with it which moued inwardly and effectually the heart with the outward
motions of the body the other moued but the outward limbes and sences with a suddaine fleshly feare without the spirite of God For let vs see how many great men gentlemen rich men which before that time were whoremongers adulterers vsurers theeues pirats rackers of rents and and vnmerciful to their poore tenants how manye that were swearers blasphemers Athiests of no Religion neither hote nor colde wantons and libertines haue beene sithens soundly conuerted haue taken an accounte of their liues of their behauiours of their sinnes and haue repented hartely for them and haue come vnto their Preachers and Ministers to learne the right way to be saued and haue euer sithens continued in that godly course which all we see this Iaylor did I know not what other preachers can testifie but for my selfe I can witnesse but of a verie few or rather none There were in some fewe places solemne generall fastes by the Pastors proclaimed many did resorte from manye places perchance many for the noueltie of the matter more then for any touch of conscience but the follie of some the great hypocrisie of a number the short continuance of the good mind the quicke forgetting of these iudgements and the murmuring of manye against these proceedings doe argue plainely that the best of vs all were farre from the perfect inioying of that sweete motion which called this Iaylor to a sorrowfull repentance and kept him alwaies in a perfect obedience If we consider this we may lament that the Lord in 38. yeares peace and preaching of the Gospel hath not by his grace giuen vnto vs so perfect harts and sorrowfull consideration of our sin neither such desire to seeke him nor such obedience to heare him belieue him and continue with him as at a suddaine hee gaue then vnto this poore and miserable Iaylor but now a happie and ioyful belieuer God graunt that we now seeing our want our imperfections and our blindnesse which is the curse of God vppon our sinne may with this Iaylor be perfectly by the spirite of God moued vpon the sight of our sinne to true repentance to humble hearts to an earnest desire to seeke our saluation in Christ that so we may continue in perfect obedience to the worde of life and vnder the protection of Christ escape those plagues miseries warres and calamities which our sinne rebellion and vnthankfulnesse doe now threaten to pull vpon vs. Lastly this Iaylor receiued no comfort ioye or peace of conscience vntill hee was moued by the spirit of God to loue comfort the preachers of the word to heare the voice of the Gospell and yeelde obedience vnto the same so we learne that we which are sicke are not to hope for health we that are weake are not to looke for strength and we that are wicked are not to promise vnto our selues pardon and forgiuenesse vntill we haue with sorrow confessed and acknowledged our sicknesse weakenesse and wickednes and haue sought helpe at the Lord and his word and haue freely and willingly submitted our rebelling affections to the orders and direction of the same The second circumstance Of whom he demaunded this question Hee came to the poore Apostles The keeper to his prisoners a free-man to them that were in bondage he that before thoght well of himselfe vnto men that were despised c. For now out of all question hee knew assuredly that they were the seruants of God and preachers of the truth Which opinion he had conceiued by this strange and wonderfull miracle which GOD for their sakes had lately wrought It may be marueled why he feeling his conscience sore burdened with feare sorrow griefe and remorse of sinne had not gon for comfort and consolation vnto the great Scribes and Pharisies which before had taught him Surely the spirit of God had secretly made him to see that they were all blinde guides that they were farre out of the right way therfore now at length was well content to forsake them all and to yeelde vnto the manifest truth which at this time appeared plainly and would no longer wilfully stoppe his eares and refuse the proffered grace Wherin hee did maruelously disgrace the whole company of the Priests Scribes Doctors in that hee preferred these mens learning counsell and doctrine before all theirs These being poore men straungers and in the outward shew of the world abiects and the other men rich glorious graue and in the opinion of most men learned and great Rabbies Besides all this he put him selfe in great daunger of excommunication of life and liuing which they had published against Io. 9. 23 34. all such as should enter either acquaintance or familiaritie with them which spake or taught in the name of Iesus whom they had crucified Yet we see that hee casting away all feare and not consulting with flesh and Gala. 1. 16. bloud submitted himselfe happyly to bee a Scholer vnto these Apostles Application Doctrine First we learne in our extremities miseries feare doubts heauie trouble of conscience where we are to seeke for ease helpe and comfort not of the blinded proude and cruel Pharisie which is not acquainted with the motions of Gods spirit but of the pure word of God reuealed and preached vnto vs and of the true preachers and Apostles which leade vs directly to Christ no other When we will take comfort by the word we must not consult with the Papists Torrensis in confess Augustiniana lib. 1. cap. 7. Housius de expresso verbo the Iudasites terming themselues Iesuites for they will tell vs that the Scriptures are hard and obscure and that it is but lost labour to reade them c. But the spirite of God in the Scripture teacheth vs the contrarie that the worde of the Lord is a light Psal 119. Prou. 6. Esay 45. Iohn 6. 2. Pet. 1. vnto our feete and a lanthrone vnto our pathes When wee are troubled with concupisence the first motions of sinne the prickes of Sathan in our flesh which driue the godly to great sorrow we may not goe for counsell Torrens lib. 1. ca. 2. Cathechismus ex decret Cons Trident. in Sacra Baptism and remedy vnto the Pharisaicall Papist for hee will goe about to perswade vs that this Concupisence and the first motions are no sinne in their owne nature neither any sinne at all either in name or substance except Consent go with it which deuilish voice and lie is confuted by the word of God for it is called Enmitie against God it is against the commaundement Thou shalt not lust or couet It confirmes their horrible sin which Rom. 8. 7. Exod. 20. 17 1. Iohn 1. â— Mat. 5. 22. say They haue no sinne Christ accountes the motion of anger a deadly sinne and worthie iudgement Lastly the definition of sinne by Saint Iohn confutes them Sinne is the transgression 1. Iohn 3. 4 of the law Litle comfort shall the weake younglings finde in them which
Christ said that Tyrus and Sidon and the Queene of the South should rise in iudgement against the hard-harted vnbelieuers of Ierusalē so no doubt this Iaylor as he condemned the proud Pharisies then so he shal be a heauie condemnation to our blinde Papistes and our carnall and licentious professors of the Gospel now which hauing the truth haue loued error more then the truth hauing the light haue desired darkenesse more then the light and hauing saluation offered by Christ haue chosen rather damnation in following their owne deuises and wilfully continuing the course of their sweete olde sinnes For our Papists notwithstanding all the preaching of Christ will be still Moses Disciples they wil not forsake the customes of their fathers and the ignorance of that time wherin they were Christened they will neuer suspecte that there can bee hypocrisie error and deceite vnder the graue habites and demure countenances of their old Doctors Priests Scribes and Pharisies They would be loth to depart from the vnitie as they call it the consent of so many ages counsels and learned fathers to belieue the new doctrine of Paule and Silas strangers wanderers but lately heard of but euen now come to the towne These and many other stops were laide in the laylors way to haue kept him from obedience to the truth but when the arme of the Lord was reuealed vnto him and when by the spirite of God his hart was Act. 16. 14. opened he cast of these fantastical shadows and obeyed the effectuall calling He might haue aleaged against the Apostles euerye way as much as any Papist in the world can say against the Gospell and the Lords instruments which in this last age hee commaunded and appointed to vnrake the truth from the dull ashes and misties shadowes in which it lay long time for sinne inclosed the worlde being not worthie of it Now the Papistes must condemne this Iaylor to be a foole for consenting so quickly to strange doctrine for giuing credit to a fewe against many to strangers against men that were knowne and for reuolting so easilye from the faith wherein hee was baptised or if they will not condemne him whome the word doth commend they must needs condemne themselues for not belieuing the same worde and obeying the like callings Especially seeing they haue many and diuers other examples that vrge and teach the same as Elisha who ranne after Elias vpon a 1. King 19 20. small calling to our iudgement The Disciples also vpon smal acquaintance were content to forsake shippes nets occupation Mat. 4. 18. gaine friendes and father to follow Christ assone as hee called them Mathew being a Publican was content at one word to arise to leaue his Office his profit his glorie his masters and former teachers to follow an other Mat. 9. 9. master that had now called him What should I recken Paule Cornelius Lidia with infinite others which obeyed the same calling that our Iaylor did Surely if the like should happen now if any should fall away from Poperie from superstition to follow Christ or belieue the doctrine of the Apostles if Elisha if the Disciples if Paule if Cornelius now liued they should bee condemned by the Pope to be rash foolish and rancke heretiques It is time for vs which haue beene so long and many waies called at length to bid farwell vnto your pleasures delightes deceite hypocrisie c. This Iaylor will rise in iudgement against vs. The Popish chaine of vniuersalitie was now not yet coyned or of this man little esteemed which at this time is one of the great Ankers which holdes the Popedome that it sinckes not and keepes so many simple fooles in bondage vppon great bragges and vaine ostentation of a Monster in the ayre which neuer was That all the worlde forsoth is of their Religion or was not long sithens If this be true where was then I say not the popish vniuersalitie for that hath alwaies beene an vniuersalitie of error but where was any vniuersalitie of the truth at all when first the linage of Seth then of Abraham and his kindred in all the world Israel among all nations onely Iuda among all the tribes onely Iohn Baptist in al Iudea Christ only and his Apostles in all the earth Paul Silas only in all Macedonia Luther and a few others in all Germanie gaue testimonie of the truth Had it not beene a foolish thing for this Iaylor to haue iested at the truth because there were but a few that professed it Euen so grosse an absurditie it is now in our Papists to say that we haue not the truth because it is not vniuersally credited and belieued of all men and in al places receiued when as it is certaine that the truth hath neuer beene vniuersally receiued nor euer will but rather it hath alwaies beene by the wicked and most part of the world vniuersally persecuted and kept vnder and so will continue till the daye of Christ We see that if the opinion of wisedome grauitie and learning if gray haires strange formes of apparell with braue and gorgeous shewes if the riches pompe pride and glorie of the world in the dumbe Scribes and Pharisies could haue pacified the troubled conscience of this poore man hee needed not to haue come to the Apostles But wee learne that though error and the illusions of Sathan bare a gallant face and delightfull countenance outwardly to the world to blind and deceiue the sences of the simple yet there is nothing can pacifie with true peace the conscience wounded for sinne but onely the word of God For I pray you what is he in all the time of Poperie that can say that he was either comforted in conscience or conuerted from sinne by any of the masking shewes in apparel by the melodie sencing perfuming images painting guilting crossing shriuing or any other such Apish toyes vsed for a pompe without preaching or expounding the word Saint Paule alowes not any thing to be vsed neither by the minister nor in the Church Rom. 15. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 26. 40. but such things onely as concerne a godly decencie and are knowne to edifie Lastly here is a glasse which neuer failes to shew vs the true proportion of such as be A true glasse for al estats rightly touched at the touch-stone of Gods spirit We see this man after he was touched how little ashamed hee was to confesse his blindnesse to condemne himselfe to desire helpe how little afraide hee was to venter credit office liuings life and all to obtaine that saluation which he desired of which he now felt the want This was a sure token in him and so it is in all to know them that are rightly called from the hypocritical professors For it is as possible that they which be rightly touched should continue in their olde couetousnesse whordome drunkennes blasphemie malice negligence and iniurie as it is for the spirite
of God to continue in the heart of a wicked man which can neuer be Now we see what we are to thinke of those lyars which say with their mouthes Wis 1. 3. 4. 5 Titus 1. 16. they know God and haue felt his motions and yet in their deedes denie him and of those fruitelesse and cursed Figtrees which in the spring bud faire and promise greate hope and yet at haruest yeelde nothing but Mat. 21. 19. leaues c. The third circumstance What question it was that the Iaylor demaunded The question is What must I doe to be saued Hee inquires not now after the fashion of worldlings what must I doe to come to promotion to honour and dignitie What must I doe to become rich and to obtaine an easie quiet life What must I do to be reuenged of my enemies to deceiue my neighbours and to satisfie my lust c. No he was not troubled about any such matter but the spirite of God had now made him carefull onely for one thing and the best thing which was what he might doe to bee saued and to haue his sinne forgiuen And it seemeth that the iudgements of God had touched him home that so presently a man so carnall so fleshly so worldly and sensual should so willingly take his leaue of the loue of the world of the vanities and pleasures of the same the loue of his house wife childrē liuing life and all and onely craue to know that which few did desire which many did despise that is what he might do to be saued Pointing as it were with his finger vnto the onely marke end vpon which euerie man should haue his whole care fixed planted In this question wee are to consider the manner of his comming vnto them and his salutation He fel down before thē he trembled he brought them out hee called then in Greeke my Lordes by a reuerend title What could hee haue done more to Noble men Nay what could he haue done more to the greatest princes in the world But a man may aske how could Paul Silas abide to be honoured not reprehend him Surely they knew that he honored thē not superstitiously which Paul could not abide in other Act. 14. 14. 15. places men but rather that he vsed this gesture forced vnto it by the manifest feeleing Act. 10. 26. of the iudgmēts of God in the late Earthquake and therefore suffered him to doe it Application and Doctrine We see first how the Lord when it pleaseth him forceth euen his enemies in their conscience to giue that truth an honourable testimonie which they persecuted and to honour it with great reuerence Wee learne of this Iaylor to honour the Lords gifts especially the worde of truth wheresoeuer we find it whether it be in the prison or at libertie whether it bee contemned or honored whether it be in men simple and despised or in men of credite and dignitie For the Lorde chuseth manye times the weake to confound the mightie the humble to shame the proude c. We see againe that the ministerie of the word is a calling and Office ordained and blessed by the Lord and therefore hee will haue it honored of all men Because the ministers thereof are not the Embassadours of worldly Princes which is also a calling of greate honour for they represent the Maiestie of the Kinge and are as it were the verie mouth of the Prince himselfe but they are the messengers of the Prince of all Princes the eternall Lorde of heauen and earth they represent the maiestie of the Lord in his word and when we heare them speaking if they preach nothing but according to the verie word wee must assure our selues that we heare the Lord speaking vnto vs in them Therefore we find that in many places the word it selfe giues them honorable titles for S. Paule saith they are worthie of double honour This Iaylor heere 1. Tim. 5. 17 cals them by the worthiest name of preheminence that he could deuise not in respect of their persons which seemed to bee but simple but for the loue and honour which he bare to the word which they professed Another thing we are here to consider which may not be forgotten That the Iaylor in demaunding this question What must I doe to bee saued flatly and plainely ouerthrowes and condemneth all the Religion of the Scribes and Pharisies to bee nothing else but a fardle of ceremonies toyes and superstitions ioyned with a worldly pompe and beautie onely hauing nothing in it to comfort the hart oppressed with Woe or assure the conscience of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ which is the onely Sauiour and saluation of the elect by faith For if hee had beene perswaded that the doctrine which the Pharisies taught concerning the fulfilling of the lawe had beene sufficient for his saluation to haue brought him the right way to the mercie of God and the forgiuenesse of his sinne he would neuer haue come vnto the Apostles to haue learned another way which had beene superfluous But wee see plainly that he did now not only doubt but boldly renounce and abandon and forsake in the plaine fielde the Pharisies superstition the rites and Religion wherein hee was borne brought vp and had for a long time continued Because hee saw that now when he most needed he could find no comfort nor saluation in it at all As if he should say Sirs I was borne vnder the Religion The Oration of the Iaylor vnto the Apostles which the Pharisies professe I haue beene zealous in it as many others at this day are I haue had an honorable opinion of it and haue hated them that haue gain-saide it I haue beene of long time now led with their outward pompe of dumbe shewes I could neuer by anye meanes bee perswaded that these great graue auncient learned wise men could euer haue bene deceiued or haue beene conuinced of any error or so blinded that they could not haue sene the truth Yet now I plainely see that they all the verye best of thē are but hypocrits blind guides folish ignorant of the true knowledge wicked Ma 23. 13 the generation of Vipers which shut vp the kingdome of heauen and wil neither enter themselues nor suffer others that would which deuour the widdowes houses with colour of long praier which compasse sea land to make one of their profession which make cleane the outerside of the cup and platter but within are full of briberie and excesse which I see are nothing else but whited Tombes full of dead mens bones all filthynes c. I can not find now in their Religion anye comfort at all for a wounded conscience or any hope to haue my sins forgiuen Now therefore sith it hath pleased the Lord with one motion to moue both body and heart and that he hath made me see my sinne my ignorance my blindnes I doe here
forsake renounce and detest for euer this Pharisaicall superstition And seeing this course that I haue taken can doe me no good I pray you whoÌ„ I now know to be the seruaÌ„ts of the liuing God prechers of the truth Tell mee at length what course I must take what I must do that I may be saued By which words wee see that he did not only suspect but vtterly by the spirit of God renounce that which the same spirite had tolde him to be wicked and abhominable And I wish in perfect charitie that all those which are now blinded with Poperie and lie yet drunken with the cursed wine of the great whore of Babilon al what euer they be either in Italy France Spaine or England may if they pertaine to the Lords election feele the like motions the like hartquakes to assault their coÌ„science open their eyes that they may once feele see their blindnes their errors and their sinnes certaine damnatioÌ„ that they may once with this Iaylor perfectly bid farwell vnto al the Romish Pharisies blind guides deceiuing hypocrites that now so monsterously abuse them Againe seeing this Iaylor seekes to be saued let vs consider what saluation it is that he desireth The Greek word signifieth such a kind of sauing as that a man may continually remaine assured and without feare The Syrian Paraphrase hath it what must I doe that I may liue Which is as much to say as to be preserued which teacheth vs that hee sought not for the temporal present sauing of his life the feare of the earthquake being passed and they being that way able to doe him no good neither did he as the wicked are wont to do which seing the iudgements of God for a time tremble quake but the rod being past they return againe vnto their former wickednes But this man being rightly touched and fearing more his sin then the Earthquake earnestly sought for the saluation of his soule the comfort of which might continue with him for euer If he desired the right waye the verie truth and life it selfe whome did he desire but Christ If hee desired Iohn 14. 6. saluation what desired hee but Christ which is the onely Sauiour of the faithfull Blessed saith Dauid is he whose wickednes is forgiuen whose sin is couered If no man Psalm 32. 1 can bee blessed happie ioyfull and saued but they that haue their sins forgiuen then wee see what saluation it is that this man sought namely an assurance that his sinnes should be forgiuen the meanes by which hee might attaine vnto this This saluation the Pharisies coulde not teach this Iaylor then and our Papistes purely without corruption will not haue it taught now Further we learne here if we see any cruell wicked and malicious persecutors of the truth or any other abhominable sinners not to proceede in rash iudgement against theÌ„ to coÌ„demne for reprobates but rather to leaue this iudgment to the Lord who only knoweth what they be that are his because wee know not whether the Lord haue appointed both time and meanes for their conuersion as hee had for this Iaylor c. Lastly we learne that this care and desire of the Iaylor condemneth the cares and desires of many of vs that haue beene longer â—h 10. 41. 42. taught Christ said once to a worldly minded Martha Martha thou carest art troubled about many things but one thing is needefull c. This one needfull thing is to desire to heare the worde of God and the meanes how to bee saued and haue our sinnes forgiuen This one thing had the Iaylor nowe found this one thing he desired no more Whosoeuer therefore neglecting the word of God and care of saluation applyeth his mind to any other exercise pleasure or profit his care is needlesse vaine foolish and wicked For all our cares studies and endeauors wherin we haue not a principal regard vnto the glorie of God and our owne saluation are accursed of the Lord and therefore can neuer bring a blessing vppon vs. The counsels and conspiracies of the wise Achitophels 2. Sam. 17. the Lord for his Dauid shall ouerthrow by his appointed Hushais No prouision counsell or determination for the gouernment or safetie of any common-welth can euer stand long or bring a blessing vpon that land where the principall marke of all their deuises tend not to the establishing and setting forth of the truth the honour of God and saluation by Christ Iesus our onely Sauiour Hospitalitie is good a reasonable prouision of things necessarie is alowable an earnest desire to bee diligent in our vocations occupations and callings is commended but yet to loue follow or be busied so in any of these that we neglect at times conuenient and when occasions be offered to heare the Sermons of Christ or neglect the learning of the knowledge of our saluation is in Martha by Christ greatly reprehended There bee many Marthaes in England which trouble themselues about many vaine pleasures offices and deuises while in the meane time they neglect the best dutie As Gentlemen that trouble themselues to build faire houses gorgeous palaces which yet care not for the building of the Lordes house and as little for their owne saluation countrie men that are careful to prouide for their posteritie yet carelesse for their owne safetie and helpe of their soules Ministers which either for ignorance negligence or contempt of the word leauing the consideration of their calling giue themselues som to be husbandmen farmers grasiers c some to be Physitions Lawyers and other secular officers as though that one blessed calling of theirs were not needful only sufficient to preach the word of God truely and to liue thereafter to bring the simple ignorant to know which way they must be saued c. The fourth circumstance What it was which brought this man to this Consideration The text shews vs that it was the iudgement and hand of the Lord which he felt in the Earthquake and the holy Ghost also inwardly working which wrought this care desire in him and made him to haue a consideration of his sins c. Application and Doctrine First we see that it is a profitable good thing for a man to feel the iudgements rods and scourge of the Lord oftentimes to awaken him out of his securitie and also to cast downe his pride that he may learne to humble himself before the Lord. For ease peace and quietnesse bring vs a sleepe harden our harts make vs to contemne the messengers and worde of the Lord But feare and his rod when it is seene maketh vs more apt to learne and willingly to seeke for comfort helpe Therefore said Dauid It is good for me Psal 119. 67 71 that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statuts For before I was troubled I went astray but now I keepe thy word The worldly mindes which are