THE SCHOLE OF GODLY FEARE A Sermon preached at the Assises holden in Exeter March 20. 1614. PSAL. 111.10 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter PSAL. 34.11 Come ye children harken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. MAL. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a Lord where is my feare LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Henry Fetherstone 1615. TO THE HONORABLE SIR HENRY HOBART Knight LORD Chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas and Sir LAVRENCE TANFIELD Knight Lord chiefe Baron of his Maiesties Exchequer continuance and multiplication of all heauenly Graces and earthly blessings THis Sermon being at first exacted by reuerend authority and since pulled foorth by violent importunity and euen pressed to the Presse inioyeth this onely freedome that it runneth cheerefully to your Lordships hands presenting it selfe a true howsoeuer slender testimony of the Authors thankefull and dutifull respect of your honourable fauours not onely in particular towards himselfe whom you haue beene pleased to grace farre beyond desert but also in generall to Gods Ministers whom with a iust and zealous care you as Gods vpon earth protect from oppression Who seeth not how resolute witnesses hauing armed themselues to seduce a tractable Iury with as formall a tale as the two Elders had deuised against Susanna your Lordship full of the spirit of Daniel that is the iudgement of God for so his name signifieth by prudent sifting and vnexpected interrogatories haue bunted out and dissolued their plotted falshood Who seeth not how vnaccustomed customes incroching vpon the Lords portion allotted and allowed to his Laborers haue shewed as faire pretences of remote Antiquity as were the old sackes old bottles old clothes and mouled bread of the Gibeonites when your discreet inquiry before the Inquest hath espied and descried their neere bordering neighbourhood In a word your Christian care to maintaine the hedge of Iustice for a fence to the Lords vine that euery one which passeth by may not plucke of her grapes putteth into our mouthes a ioyfull gratulation that your Honours are none of them that seek honor by muzzeling the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. And this leadeth vs to a farther duty viz. to looke vp towards Heauen vnto him that looketh downe from heauen vpon vs to behold and visit his vine which he hath planted with his owne right hand and made strong for himselfe and as hee hath giuen vs such nursing Fathers so we to returne vnto him prayse for your good beginnings and prayer for your good continuance to the glorie of his Name the vpholding of his Church the incouragement of his Ministers and your owne eternall reward through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Your Honours to be commanded in all duty IOHN BERY THE SCHOLE OF GODLY FEARE 1. PET. 1.17 And if yee call him Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare THis verse consisteth of a Doctrine and his Vse The Doctrine teacheth vs how to looke vpon God Ye call him Father c. The Vse warneth vs how to looke to our selues Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare The Doctrine proposeth God to our view like Ianus Bifrons as hauing two faces First the chearefull countenance of a Father Ye call him Father Secondly the seuere countenance of a Iudge who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke If ye call him Father We neede not curiously discusse the seeming difference of Translations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke phrase here vsed being compared with other like places of Scripture as Iames 2.7 Genes 48.5.16 Esay 4.1 yeeldeth vnto vs this plaine sense If yee call him Father that is if yee will passe for his children and professe him to be your Father which we may done three wayes 1. By pretending to the eies of others in shew 2. By presuming in our owne hearts by perswasion 3. By contesting vnto his owne face in prayer that he is our Father and we his children But quo iure God is our Father by what claime Father is a royall prerogatiue originally and primarily due vnto God alone Matth. 23.9 Call no man father vpon the earth for one is your Father which is in heauen but due to others secondarily and vnder him and to him it is due both by Creation and Generation Creation inuested him with an Vniuersall Fatherhood ouer all creatures 1. By Creation but among all principally of Adam who alone resembled his Father being made to the Image of his Maker Genes 1.27 and stiled Adam the sonne of God Luke 3.38 Nor is he Father of Adam alone but of vs also and of both parts of vs our bodies and our soules of our bodies mediately and virtually created in Adams loines and of our soules actually and immediately infused by himselfe For our bodies indeed we are bound to thank Patres carnis whō the Lord hath substituted to be our fathers according to the flesh but for our soules our soules must be lifted vp vnto Patrem spirituū Heb. 12.9 the Father of spirits qui infundendo creat creando infundit who at one and the same instant both createth and infuseth them into these earthly mansions of their fleshly tabernacle But what comfort is it thus to salute him by the name of father in this peculiar language before other creatures seeing the vnhappiest of all his creatures the damned reprobates that shall neuer come neere him or his patrimony are yet as neere as we to this paternitie and may take vp the Prophets words Malach. 2.10 Haue we not all one Father hath not one God made vs Wherefore seeing this is too low 2. By Generation mount we higher from Creation to Generation and here wee finde one Sonne begotten of his Nature and others begotten of his Grace I say one of his nature that is one with him in nature a Sonne as old and as good as his Father coeternall and coequall But as the former was too low Not of nature so this is too high a straine vnto which neither men nor yet Angels can reach for vnto which of the Angels said hee at any time Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Heb. 1.5 In medio virtus nostra But of Grace the sinewes of our comfort lye in the middest viz. in the sonneship of grace by which a remnant of mankind through the election of grace Rom. 11.5 are separated in the name and for the sake of the naturall beloued Sonne to be sonnes and heires and coheires with him of euerlasting glory Rom. 8.17 for which purpose he granted forth a Dedimus potestatē and as many as receiued him potestatem dedit to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name Ioh. 1.12 For this inheritance
The couenant of grace a Couenant of grace is drawne vp betweene vs 1. Cor. 6.18 consisting of two parts 1. what is performed on Gods behalfe by his free Adoption I will be a Father vnto you 2. What is to be performed on our parts by our bounden Renouation Ye shall be my sons and daughters Vpon this couenant a paire of Indentures are engrossed Assured by indenture and interchangeably sealed by both parties The former part containing our Sonneship by adoption lieth in record in Gods eternall prescience The originall hauing two seales appendent 2. Tim. 2.19 viz. on the behalfe of God his Seale of euerlasting Decree the Lord knoweth who are his Vs our Seale of assent that euery one which calleth him Father vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie The counterpane containing our Sonneship by regeneration is a patent deliuered from God to euery son whom hee recieiueth The counterpane which likewise hath two Seales affixed viz. 1. His Seale of the Spirit 2. Our Seale of Faith God setteth to it the Seale of his Spirit for Eph. 1.13 We are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance The print of which Seale is the New man Coloss 3.10 which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him The Seale of Faith although it be made by Gods owne workmanship this is the worke of God that yee beleeue in him whom he hath sent Iohn 6.29 and giuen by his bountie not of our selues it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 although I say in these respects it is Gods yet it is our Scale in application for he that beleeueth setteth to his seale that God is true Iohn 3.33 The patent thus sealed The Patents force hath a double force and vertue 1. It maketh a man to bee the sonne and heire of the liuing God 2. It assureth a man to bee the sonne and heire of the liuing God It maketh him so to be by installing him in regeneration for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 and it assureth him so to be by giuing euidence of his adoption vers 16. the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God It is then a preposterous course of many who are more forward to call Father Father We may not begin with Predestination then to doe the will of this Father which is in heauen that they bend their wits how to breake open the closet of diuine Predestination and to search the record of eternall adoption yet take no heed to seeke out or looke in the patent of regeneration which is or should bee about them But with Regeneration Whereas it standeth for an infallible maxime that whatsoeuer sonne God adopteth beforetime he begetteth also in time 1. Pet. 1.3 so that he is not only chosen of God Eph. 1.4 but borne of God 1. Ioh. 3.9 not of his nature indeed but of his grace and so borne of grace that hee is made partaker of the godly nature 2. Pet. 1.4 although not of the nature of diuine Essence yet of the nature of godly qualities holinesse righteousnesse knowledge c. whereby a godly sonne resembleth God his Father howbeit in most vnequall proportion as little Astyanax did his great Father Hector Sic oculos sicille manus sic or a ferebat In this generation or rather regeneration God is our Father begetting vs vers 3. of this chapter the Church his Spouse is our Mother conceiuing vs Gal. 4.26 the meanes is the immortall seed of the Word infra vers 23. and the vitall spirit that giueth life to this seed is the holy spirit of God Spiritus intus alit It is the spirit that giueth life Ioh. 6.63 Being thus begotten wee are borne of God in mercie nursed of God in knowledge nurtured of God in grace and haue inheritance with God in glorie Whosoeuer now will be sure How to be assured of our assurance that his euidence for this inheritance is firme and indefeazible and that he is none of that great number who are wont to be both artificiall in forging within their braines a seale of faith in shew much counterfaiting that of Gods handy-worke and hauing forged it are prompt and liberall to scale to their credulous hearts some probable securitie of the land of promise without any approueable security for the promise of that Land let him see whether with his owne seale of faith there be ioyned the seale of Gods Spirit which he shall discerne from all counterfaits by the print thereof viz. the New man totally renewed in respect of his partes albeit in regard of degrees he haue but an imperfect perfection For if he can see in himselfe the Image of God in a waxie heart though blemished and bruised by sinfull corruption and the superscription of the holy Ghost in a holy though not wholly compleate renouation in vnfained howbeit not vnstained sanctification hee hath hence authenticall proofe for his sonneship by regeneration and thereby for his sonneship by adoption which clasping fast hee can boldly ascend in prayer to heauen and pressing home to the Throne of grace cry Abba Father And thus we call and onely thus may wee rightly call him Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke which is the second branch of the doctrine proposing God with the countenance of a Iudge Which iudgeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And doth he now iudge there are two sorts of Gods iudgement The time of Gods Iudgement 1. Present by his disposing iustice in ordering of the world 2. Future by his rewarding iustice at the ending of the world His present iudgements are alwaies righteous Psalme 119.75 yet not alwaies seene to bee right according to euery mans workes seeing that heere good men often suffer euill while the euill enioy good but that last iudgement shall not onely it selfe be manifestly iust but also manifest the iustice of all his former proceedings whence it is called the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Rom. 2.5 This future iudgement is here timed as present according to the vse of Scripture to signifie 1. A certainty that it shall bee as surely as if it were present Ezechiel 7.6 The end is come the end is come c. 2. In this certainty an vncertainty when it shal bee that for any thing wee know it may bee presently The day of the Lord commeth as a thiefe in the night 3. The manner In this vncertainty a certainty that it will not bee long but must bee expected presently Behold I come quickly Reuel 22.12 and my reward is with me to giue euery man according to his worke Without respect c. His throne of iudgement is here kept vpright by two Supporters 1. Impartiall 1. An impartiall eie without respect of persons 2. A proportioning hand according to euery mans
worke Respect of persons issueth commonly eyther from affection or opinion affection being partiall willingly peruerteth opinion being preiudicate vnwittingly seduceth Now who can suspect partiality in Gods affection that heareth so often inculcated in the diuine Oracles that Rich or Poore Priest or People Iew or Gentile not their persons but their doings shall be regarded and rewarded Tros Tyriusque mihi nullo discrimine agetur Tribulation and anguish vpon euery soule that doth euill the Iew first and also the Grecian but to euery man that doth good glory honour and peace to the Iew first and also to the Grecian for there is no respect of persons with God Rom. 2.9.10.11 On the other side who can imagine that a preiudicate opinion can blind those eyes of fire Reu. 1.14 that stay not vpon the vizour and outside of formall profession but pierce thorow the inside and heart of euery prisoner at his Barre All the world before his throne is a sea of glasse like vnto Chrystall Reu. 4.6 transparent and perspicuous to the supreme Iudge who will inlighten the hidden darkenesse 1. Cor. 4.5 and make the counsels of the heart manifest and is not onely an eye witnesse of all outward passages but also searcheth the heart and trieth the reines Iere. 17.10 euen to giue euery man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his works which is the other supporter of Gods tribunall viz. a proportioning hand According to euery mans worke 2. Proportionable to works This word according implieth a double regard of workes in the finall iudgement 1. According to their quality whether they bee straight or crooked good or bad 2. According to their quantity whether they bee great or small many or few The quality of euery mans workes shall bee tried 1. According to their quality whether they be straight or crooked by laying them to that rule of righteousnesse which God hath giuen him viz. The Law of Nature to the Gentiles the Law written for the Iewes and the Gospell for vs Christians all which appeareth Rom. 2.12.15.16 The two Lawes being indeed one for the naturall Law is the morall infolded and the morall Law is the naturall vnfolded they haue both one iniunction Doe this and liue the Gospell another Beleeue and liue The Law exacteth the perfect righteousnees of works the Gospel accepteth for perfect the righteousnees of faith Ro. 3.20.21 4.13 But heere lieth a great blocke in the way For workes are regarded for if we be saued by faith and not by workes as that and other places of Scripture doe teach vs how then is this true that Euery man shall be iudged according to his workes at this blocke both Papists and Libertines haue so stumbled that they haue tumbled into errour the one vpon the right hand of Merite the other on the left hand of Licentiousnesse For the clearing of the way betweene them and the whole doctrine of faith and workes let vs conceiue of two Courts wherein God proceedeth in iudging vs. Of 1. Iustification in this life 2. Remuneration after death For the opening hereof Although not in Iustification wee may imagine how the penitent sinner commeth into the Court of Iustification desiring to be approued of God and accepted in his fight but seeing exact righteousnesse to bee there exacted and that none are receiued but such as are pure and perfect hee shrinketh backe and lamenteth his owne wretched plight that dares not appeare in iudgement being all ouergrowne with a sinfull leprousie and can but cry Opera non praecedunt iustificandum Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord. But anon perceiuing that Christ the Lord Iudge his Sonne hath plenary righteousnesse not for himselfe for being the naturall Sonne hee needeth not to buy his Fathers acceptation but for his retainers and hearing him call Reuel 3.18 I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment that thou maiest be clothed and that thy filthy nakednesse doe not appeare hee prostrateth himselfe at the feet of this heauenly Clothier and hauing no money nor merites to buy he falleth to begging in the humble supplicat of a liuely faith Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane This suit being effectuall hath an answere as comfortable I will bee thou cleane Then washing away the leprous spottes of his sinnes with the bloud which hee shed and clothing his nakednesse with the merites which hee wrought for vs hee thus presenteth him to his Father and the Father accepteth him for righteous and registreth him among his Saints And this is the summe of our Iustification But before this blessed Sauiour Sed sequuntur iustificatum dismisse this healed sinner Cynthius aurem vellit admonuit Hee roundeth him in the eare and scholeth him for keeping a diet Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest worse betide thee but goe and offer for thy clensing those things which Moses commanded Mark 1.44 Although I haue freed thee from the curse of the Law yet thou in thankfulnesse art still obliged to the duty of the Law that being thus deliuered thou maist serue God without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of thy life Thou canst not indeed doe so well as thou shouldest but be carefull to doe so well as thou canst What thou canst not doe so well as thou shouldest the white raiment of righteousnesse which I haue giuen thee shal couer and it shall not be punished and what thou doest so well as thou canst the same white garment shall make to shew more white and it shall be rewarded Thus we see The dispensation granted to the beleeuer how faith hauing procured a qualification of grace a dispensation is granted for workes that 1. Our euill deeds though perfectly euill shall be excepted as washed and drowned in the bloud of Christ 2. Our good deeds though imperfectly good shall be accepted as decked and beautified with the righteousnesse of Christ And comming vnto God henceforth in the fragrant raiment of our elder brother as Iacob in Esau Gen. 27. he smelleth a sweet sauour from vs is pleased to feed vpon and to relish that which wee bring him and so blesseth vs and we shall be blessed And as lame Mephibosheth was entertained at King Dauids Table for his father Ionathans sake 2. Sam. 9.7 so God admitteth our halting obedience for his Sonnes sake to make vs partakers of his heauenly Table Now as the Court of iustification regardeth onely faith Yet in remuneration workes are respected in making him righteous that is not such so the Court of remuneration will respect workes in declaring him righteous which hath beene made such For it standeth for a principle that whosoeuer truely beleeueth well endeuoureth duely to liue well and euery one that is graced of God by iustification doth striue to glorifie God by santification and with the healed Cripple Act. 3.8 followeth walking and leaping and praising God it is
taken for a manifest conclusion in iudgement that the faith which is fruitlesse is also faithlesse like a painted fire that is indeed no fire hauing Colorem and not calorem some colour of perswasion but no heat of deuotion And seeing the last iudgement will bee vpon the open Theater of the world in view of all men who vse not to diue into the heart of man to see his faith but onely looke in through the lettice of his behauiour nor can iudge of the tree by the inward sappe but by the outward fruit the Lord will manifest the integrity of that iudgement not by inuisible faith but by visible works that all soules may assent acknowledge how they are most iustly distinguished in their recompence that were so different in their liues when Euery one receiueth the things he hath done in his body whether they be good or euill 2. Corinth 5.10 To conclude this point then all men being iudged by rule according to the quality of their workes shall be separated with one generall diuision right from crooked good from bad sheepe from goates and their reward will be diuided accordingly as Esa 3. It shall be well with the iust for they shall eate the fruit of their workes and Woe to the wicked it shall be euill with him for the reward of his hands shall be giuen him For the one sort a gracious call Come ye blessed and for the other a dolefull mittimus Goe ye cursed The quantity of workes is to be scanned two wayes 2. According to their quantity By 1. Tale for their number 2. Scale for their weight For number Euill workers the euill workes wherein are comprehended the words and thoughts of the wicked shall be cast vp by expedite Arithmatike and the transgressions For number which now they daily augment by Addition Multiplication and continuall Progression in sinne without any Substraction by repentance shall then bee summed vp into a totall and a proportionable number of numberlesse paines apportioned vnto them altogether As much as shee liued in pleasure so much giue you to her torment and sorrow Reu. 18.7 For weight in the ballance of Iustice For weight will he poize the grieuousnesse of their sinnes which as they carry seuerall weight in their different natures some being grauiora more heauy then others so also are they aggrauated by circumstances as occasions of information neglected or prouocations to reformation reiected all which being put together substance and circumstance in one scale the other shal haue punishments to counterpoize them all The seruant that knew not his masters will shall bee excused à tanto though not à toto his ignorance must be beaten but being not wilfull with fewer stripes but he that knew it and did it not or would not know to do it he shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12.47.48 Hard alas wil it be with the Heathen that walked to hell in darknesse while their starre-light of reason could not discouer the way to heauen but it will bee harder with carnall professors who in the Sun-shine of the Gospell being shewed the narrow way that leadeth to blisse yet gallop along the broad way to destruction Woe and double woe vnto such for if many of the Infidels had beene partakers of the same good meanes and motiues they would a great while agone haue repented sitting in sackcloth and ashes Therefore it shall bee easier for Infidels at the iudgement then for such Luke 10.13.14 In like manner Good workes By tale the good deedes of good men are to be surueighed both by tale and by scale By tale for God doth keepe an Inuentorie of them he hath a Bottle for our teares Psal 56. a Bagge for our almes Luke 12. and a Booke for our good workes Reu. 20. God is not vnrighteous that he should forget any of our good workes Heb. 6.10 Euery godly deed is a flower sent vp to heauen of which our Iudge doth plot vs a neuer-fading Garland of glory and the more flowers the greater garland for He that soweth plenteously shall reape plenteously 2. Cor. 9.6 By scale By scale a weightier good done hath a weightier reward giuen Thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot at the end of the dayes said the Angell to Daniel Chap. 12.13 Happy and thrice happy is euery one that hath any lot in heauen the least of all Saints may sing in the Quire of all Saints My lot is fallen in a pleasant ground I haue a goodly heritage Psal 16.6 and yet herein may be disparity there is Dan. 12.3 one general lot for them that be wise to shine as the brightnesse of the firmament but they that turne many to righteousnes haue a speciall lot to shine as the stars for euer and euer Now as all stars are brighter then the firmament so also one star differeth frō another in glory so is the resurrection of the dead 1. Cor. 15. Euery workeman of God though his worke be not worth his meat and drinke being an vnprofitable seruant Luk. 17.10 shall yet haue the penny of eternall life giuen him for wages Euery one his penny that is fulnesse of ioy so that he which hath least neither repineth for himselfe as hauing too little nor enuieth at all others as hauing too much Yet with this fulnesse there stand seuerall degrees according to the seuerall degrees of present grace by which they are diuersly capable of future glorie Some like Gomers some like Ephahs some as pintes some as pottles all shall bee full according to their measure with as much happines as each can wish Al like in satiety but not alike in parity of blisse for euery one shall receiue his reward according to his labor 1. Cor. 3.8 Nor doth this any way vphold the doctrine of merite Yet no merit which arrogating too much to our owne goodnesse in deseruing doth derogate as much from Gods goodnesse in free giuing Farre be it from vs to imagine that our Lord and Master dealeth with vs in commutatiue Iustice as giuing vs Matth. 20.8.9 a pennie for a pennie-worth of worke as if the wages were not counted by fauour but by debt Rom. 4.4 It is indeed giuen as wages but as wages giuen not earned it is a reward but Coloss 3.24 the reward of the inheritance to them that serue the Lord Christ dispensed as vnto seruants a reward of seruing the Lord but conferred as vnto Sonnes for our portion of inheritance Euery one hath his reward not for his labour for we cannot deserue it yet according to his labour by a due and equall inequalitie due only by promise as a portion of grace Ephes 2.8 yet duly performed by proportion of Iustice Passe the time The Vse whereto this doctrine leuelleth is to breed feare for the better impression whereof the Apostle toucheth by the way two motiues giuing vs an inkling of the gliding and slippery state of our life as being 1. Transitorie
it issueth from the premisses as the Vse from the Doctrine wee must now consider and so descend from explication to application from lightening our minds to heate our affections And that we might be throughly heated with godly feare the Apostle here placeth vs betweene the Sun and the fire For Gods fatherly loue on the one side God a Father a comfortable Sunne-shine of mercy on the other side God a Iudge a scalding Fire of iustice In the Sunne-shine of his mercy we may obserue a twofold brightnesse 1. In him in his direct beames proceeding of his owne goodnesse 2. From him in their incidence on vs reflecting to our happinesse The immanent splendour of his diuine goodnesse 1. In being our Father if we shall compare it with the candle of humane kindnes what incomparable difference shall we find It is worthily esteemed to be a singular fauour when a rich man that hath no sonne of his owne adopteth some neere kinsman or friend whom he most affecteth for his good behauiour But not any one of these motiues haue any place with God Did he lacke sonnes and heires of his happines No besides his naturall Sonne many millions of Angels stand like Oliue branches round about his table yet such is his loue hee would adopt vs. Were we any kinne vnto him No we came all of another stock and might say to corruption Thou are my father and to the wormes Thou art my mother Iob 17.14 and yet such was his goodnes hee would adopt vs. If not his Kinsmen were we then his friends No we were not only aliants strangers but enemies euen from the wombe Thy father was an Ammorite and thy mother a Hittite Ezech. 16.3 and yet such was his goodnesse hee would be our Father Did we then enchaine his affection vnto vs by our good demeanour No no for vntill he made vs his sonnes by new birth wee ran the sinfull prodigals race and if with him in the confidence of Gods goodnes we could dare to say Father yet in conscience of our owne naughtines we must needs adde I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne and yet yet notwithstanding all this such is his goodnes still still be would be our Father O Lord what diddest thou see in man that thou so regardest him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest make him thy sonne the brightnes of this bountie is so glittering and glorious that it beateth back our weake sight from beholding it so that returning our dazled cies downe to our selues we can but cry out with the Apostle O the depth But although we cannot like soaring Eagles 2. In shewing himselfe our Father dare the shining Sunne in the face yet may wee obserue his incidence vpon our selues Obserue it indeed we may but as the beames of the Sunne so Gods fauours vpon his children are not to be comprised either in number or measure They extend in infinitum and if wee attempt to measure them they grow in measuring they may be diuided in semper diuisibilia and if wee assay to number them they increase in numbering Onely this in generall so farre as our heauenly Father transcendeth our earthly parents in excellence which is a comparison there being no proportion betweene finite and infinite so farre hee surmounteth also in the exact performance of all fatherly offices as namely to giue a taste of some amongst all and of all by those some in fatherly affection instruction correction protection and prouision In fatherly affection who so kind Esa 49.15 Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the son of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee In fatherly instruction who so diligent Ier. 31.31 I will put my Law in their inward parts and will write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shal be my people In fatherly correction who so louing Heb. 12.10 The fathers of our bodies chasten vs after their owne pleasure but the Father of spirits chasteneth vs for our profit that wee may be partakers of his holinesse In fatherly protection who so carefull Deut. 32.16.11 The Lord kept Iacob as the apple of his eie as an Eagle steareth vp her nest flootereth ouer her birds stretcheth out her wings taketh them and beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone led him In fatherly prouision who so plentifull both for present maintenance and future inheritance hee giueth for this life sufficient maintenance Luke 12.31 Your heauenly Father knoweth that yee haue need of these things but seeke ye after the Kingdome of God and all these things shall be ministred vnto you And for the life to come a roiall inheritance vers 32. Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome And now beloued in the Lord should all this light be without heate A reuerent feare due are not our hearts more insensible then the stones if they warme not more frozen then ice if they melt not in so cleare so feruent a Sun-shine who that hath the feeling of a child of God can choose but prostrate his soule in awfull obsequiousnesse at the feet of him whom thus we call Father Yet alas if euery one should examine one But ill paid how many of vs here present are bold to call him Father and in the same breath as bold to displease him yea eo nomine so much the bolder making his fatherly indulgence a boulster for our vnsonlike insolence and whereas there is mercy with him that he may be feared we on the contrary vntoward children as we are because we hope to find mercy with him we feare him not but presuming on impunity make the lesse conscience of impietie Doe yee so saith Moses Deut. 32.6 Do ye so reward the Lord O foolish people and vnwise is not hee thy Father that hath bought thee he that made and proportioned thee With what face can we call him Father with what heart can we thinke our selues to bee his sonnes feeling in vs no more feeling of deuout reuerence The Sunbeames collected in a burning glasse The reason kindle a fire vpon certaine conditions viz. that the obiect be combustible and apt to take fire that it be held still and steddy and that it be in a iust distance neither too farre off nor yet too neere but as the beames may best vnite their force we are not without a burning glasse I am come saith Christ Lu. 12.46 to put fire on the earth what is my desire but that it be kindled Through him Gods fatherly loue shineth vpon vs he standeth as mediator between God and vs receiuing the beames of fauor as his natural son and transfusing them altogether vpon vs his adopted brethren Being thē in so cleare a Sunshine and hauing so perfect a burning glasse how comes it to passe that so many of vs continue so cold
so keycold surely there is some defect and failing in the conditions Some hold the glasse too farre off and thinke of the mercies of God in Christ but slightly and confusedly some hold it too neere and being all vpon mercy mercy make remission of sinnes a plaister for presumption in sinning some hold it not still by steddy and fixed meditations but superficially glaunce vpon it by spurts and flashes and some others are not of combustible matter not so fit to be fired with the feare of his mercies as to be feared with the fire of his iudgements But we beloued as we desire with solide comfort of soule to call him Father that not onely our heads may imagine or our tongues discourse but also our consciences may feele that wee are his children Let the confluence of all his gracious beames of loue heat our chill hearts and our benummed hands with a deuout feare of his name Let euery naming of this sweet word Father bee as the sunne in his strength to warme and reuiue our filiall obedience so that as often as wee call him Father so often wee remember to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare Here is good being here I could build tabernacles and passe my time and dwelling on Gods fatherly goodnes for this is none other but the house of God and gate of heauen God is also a Iudge But me thinkes with Saint Iohn Reuel 4 1.2 a Trumpet calleth me away Come vp hither and see things which must be done hereafter a Throne is set out of which proceed lightnings and thundrings and voyces and a Iudge vpon the Throne which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke What a sudden change is here Yet no change in the same verse and line but now a gracious Father clothed all in the white robes of mercy and presently a seuere Iudge attired in the searlet robes of iustice and is there indeed such change in the immutable God none at all with him is no variablenes In himselfe nor shaddow of change Iam. 1.17 A piece of taffata that is equally wrought of crosse threds greene red seemeth and is called changeable yet is not changed but one way as you look on it it beareth vpon the red another way it chiefly expresseth the greene euen so in God there is an equall temper of mercie and iustice whose threds doe seeme to crosse each other But in the Obiect and if you stand on the right hand among his sonnes the greene verdure of his goodnesse carrieth away the sight of his iudgements but if you cast your eye on the left side as one of his prisoners the red fiery hiew of his Iustice seemeth to drowne the sight of mercie Yea the same day of Iudgement Malac 4.1.2 proueth both a consuming furnace and a cheerefull sun-shine the obiect maketh the difference It shall burne like an Ouen and all that doe wickedly shall bee stubble to burne therein but verse 2. vnto you that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise and saluation shall be vnder his wings c. Wherefore as we before turned our faces to the Sunne to warme vs ye call him Father so let vs now turne about to the fire to heate vs he iudgeth without respect of persons c. The Thebans had amōg them the image of a Iudge sitting without eyes or hands The integritie of his iudgement no eyes that he might not diguish persons friend from foe no hands that he might not receiue gifts to corrupt Iustice But the iustest Iudge of all the World is deciphered open-eyed and open-handed his eyes open not to procure but to preuent respect of persons his hands open not to take vndue bribes but to giue due reward Ier. 32.19 His eyes are open vpon all the wayes of the sonnes of men to giue to euery one according to the fruit of his workes Propose we then to our serious meditatiō The circumstances the worlds generall Assises which will beginne and end in one day for the Lord will make a short count in the Earth the Iudge of this vniuersall Circuite is the Iudge of all Iudges the Lord chiefe Iustice the Sonne of God but visible in body as the Sonne of man Luk. 21.27 clothed as in scarlet robes with the power and maiesty of his Father Matth. 16.27 his Bench a tribunall or throne of State Rom. 14.10 the Iustices of the Bench his Assessours the twelue Peeres of Christendome his twelue Apostles Matth. 19.28 his Crier an Archangell with the sound of a shrill Trumpe that shall eccho ouer all the world and waken the bodies that are dead and rotten 1. Thes 4.16 the Prisoners all mankind 2. Cor. 5.10 our Cause to answere vpon Life and Death The Diuell comes forth for the Accuser that would also faine be the Executioner the Conscience is produced for an vntainted Witnesse and the allegations are proued by pregnant Records Reu. 20.12 The Bookes are opened and the dead are iudged of those things which are written in the Bookes according to their workes Two Bookes are to be opened The euidence most euident Libriscientiae Dei conscientiaenostrae the Lieger Booke of Gods knowledge and the Count Book of our own conscience which shall then be inlarged by a new Edition For in this present and former Edition of our consciences Booke some things wee cannot reade some wee doe not reade some wee will not reade and some wee will not suffer others to read Here many things are but dimmely and as it were but halfe printed in our conscience so that our dull eyes cannot read them whence Dauid Psa 19.12 Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Oh cleanse thou mee from my secret sins but then the print will be clearer our secret sinnes legible and the scales of mortal ignorance being fallen off We shal know our selues euen as we are known of God who is greater then our hart knoweth all things 1. Iohn 3.20 In this Edition are many things of a small print which because we wil not trouble our selues to put on the spectacles of Care and consideration we passe ouer and doe not read them but then they shall be set out in a larger print and the sins that now seeme too smal to be regarded wil then be seen too great to be indured Here many things being distastfull we blot out of our Booke and will not read them but then they shall reuiue and will wee nill wee wee shall remember them Here we finde in some passages such inky and vgly characters of sinnes that wee are loth any other should read with vs and therefore wee shew them onely a faire outside gilded with hypocriticall shew But then the Booke shall be laid open and lying open the faire couering shall lye couered and all that wee haue done spoken yea or thought shall be obuious to euery eye and as looking glasses set in a round doe each represent to other