he had created them wondring as it were with himselfe that so great wickednesse should ouergrow and ouerwhelme his excellent goodnesse as though light had bene put out in vtter darkenesse and life for euer swallowed vp of death For after a while God sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euil continually Then his mercy and his wrath did strine togither now for pittie he mourned and then in iustice he thought vpon punishment to destroy them from the face of the earth All the workes of God were verie good but let vs be hold yâ— works which are now brought into the world which being neuer made by God are crept in by the diuels malice and mans corruption as breaches and blots of Gods order and of his good creation Such are sinne deformitie confusion tyrannie calamitie death and destruction Which workes deserue hatred and lamentation and are farre from praise and commendation For they are the horrible deprauation of the order first made by god For god hath not made death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing For he created all things that they might haue their being and the generations of the world are preserued and there is no poison of destruction in them Concupiscence is not of the father but of the world Sinne came of the diuell Death through sinne The Diuell the father Sinne the mother and Death the childe the childe of perdition and euerlasting condemnation 3 The third and last matter of waight which I gaue you The vse and end of Gods creation and of his creatures to consider of was the end and vse of Gods creation why and wherefore all his creatures were made Which is twosold First and principally herein God regarded his owne glory Secondarily and consequently the vse and benefit of mankind The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith Salomon which the Prophet declareth in these words The heauens declare the glory of God and as yet is more plainly expressed in the wordes of the Apostle writing to the Romanes Chapter 1. 20. For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes But so vaine are men by nature and ignorant of God that they cannot know him by the good thinges that are séene neither consider by the workes the morkemaister For they haue thought the fire or the winde swift aire or the course of the starres or the raging water or the lights of heauen to be gouernours of the worlde and gods Who though they had such pleasure in their beautie that they thought them gods yet should they haue knowne how much more excellent he is that made them For the first authour of beautie hath created these thinges Or if they maruelled at the power and operation of them for in his creatures God sheweth his power yet should they haue perceiued thereby howe much hée that made these thinges is mightier For by the beautie and greatnesse of the creatures the Creator being compared with them may bee considered Hée walketh vppon the cloudes and bringeth the windes out of his treasure hée ruleth the raging of the sea the Lorde God of hostes is his name hée is the Lorde of power Which is partly séene in the thunder and lightening whereat not only the cruell beastes of the forrest doo tremble but euen the hearts of wicked men which are giuen to dishonour and to blaspheme God doo quake Which is the feare of all creatures and the amazement and astonishment of the whole world The foolish gods of mortall men what power haue they in their woorkes or what glorie One hath a scepter and cannot rule an other hath a sword in his hand and cannot wounde his enemies or defend his friendes or saue himselfe but GOD sheweth his power and glorie heerein by destroying his enemies out of heauen and thundering vppon them For as the Prophet Samuell â—â— Sa. 7. 10. offered the burnt offering the Philistines came to fight against Israell but the Lorde thundered with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistines and scattered them so they were slaine before Israell But more fearefully hée shewed his power by this meanes against the Egiptians Exodus 9. 23. For when Moses stretched out his rodde towardes heauen the Lord sent thunder and haile and lightning vppon the grounde and the Lorde caused haile to raine vpon the land of Egipt So there was haile and fire mingled with the haile so gréeuous as there was none the like throughout all the land of Egipt since it was a Nation And the haile smote throughout all the lande of Egipt all that was in the field both man and beast also the haile smote all the hearbes of the field and brake to pieces all the trées of the fielde This is not vsuall but then it was for his glorie Moreouer God shewed his glorie his power and his might to his owne people to strike a feare into their hearts and that they should not transgresse his lawe For at the deliuery of his lawe he shewed his terrible maiestie by thunder and lightning by fire by a cloude and darkenesse So that the people said Beholde the Lorde our GOD hath-shewed vs his glorie and his greatnesse and we haue heard his voyce out of the midst of the fire Yea when they sawe the thunders and the lightnings and the sound of the Trumpet and the mountaine smoaking they fledde and stood a farre off The Prophet Dauid prayeth that God would be reuenged of them Cast forth thy lightning saith hée and teare them shoote out thine arrowes and consume them And in an other place as hee speaketh of the thunder The Lorde thundred out of heauen and the highest gaue his thunder hailestones and coales of fire so hee speaketh also of his lightening Hee sent out his arrowes and scattered them hee cast foorth lightenings and destroyed them The heauens declare his Godhead by the creation of those beautifull creatures whiche the Heathens haue taken for Gods the Sunne the Moone and the starres his Godhead and his goodnesse in sending downe raine and showers and causing fruitfull seasons to fill our hearts with ioy and great gladnesse According to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles meaning their idoles and silly gods that can giue raine or can the heauens themselues giue showers Is it not thou ô Lorde our God Therefore we will wayt vpon thee for thou hast made all these things The extraordinary course of Gods creatures when it pleaseth Almightie GOD so to worke dooth wonderfully set foorth his glorie How should the fire loose his strength and forget to burne as we reade of the thrée children that were cast into the firie furnace which was made excéedingly hotte and yet they were not hurt nor any smell of fire about their
tribulation reioycing in persecution reioycing in torments reioycing in death because they haue bin so well learned in gods schoole in gods booke that the loue of God is throughly shed abroad in their harts by the inward secret and most heauenly working of his holy spirit Triumphing against the world and the cruelties thereof being fully perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing else shall be able to seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus We learne that we are the children and beloued of god and that we are heires euen the heires of god and fellow heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For the afflictions that may fall out vnto vs are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vnto vs and that we shall receiue in the kingdome of heauen If it were not so saith the Apostle we were of all men the most miserable if our hope were ended in this life and if that persecution had not a ioyfull recompence He that striueth not shall neuer be crowned and he that doth not take vp Christ his crosse euen to the death shall neuer come where he is To them that thus endure trouble and are thus hated reuiled and slaine of the world they know and are assured by gods word that there is a crowne reserued for them which the Lord shall giue them at that day dreadfull to others but ioyfull to them When it shall be said vnto them Come ye blessed enioy the kingdome prepared of my father for you from the beginning of the world Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue etrnall life And thus they do performe it It followeth in those words which I haue reade vnto They testifie of Christ you touching the effectuall reason that should moue vs to the reading of the scriptures And they are they which testifie of me In them ye thinke to haue euerlasting life because they direct vs vnto the knowledge of Christ wherein consisteth life According as he saith of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life To him saith the Apostle Act. 10. 43. giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beléeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This is life euerlasting saith the Euangelist S. Iohn 17. 3. that they know thée to be the onely very god and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ And thus the word of god doth testifie of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 3. 16. That God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne for the redemption of the world that whosoeur beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting They are they which testifie that I am the onely life to true repentant sinners to giue them ease and comfort that are swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed with heauie sorrowes and as it were vtterly cast away through griefe and distresse of minde for their sinnes According as the Apostle saith Christ came into the world to saue sinners Come vnto me saith Christ all ye that be heauily loaden with the burthen of your sinnes and I will ease you and I will refresh you For I came not to saue the righteous but to call the sinners to repentance They are they which testifie of his holie and vndefiled conception being conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of a virgine and so being without all blot of sin to the intent that we might be freed from our vncleannes which we draw from our parents being born in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie being defiled by originall sinne and naturall corruption which testifie of his life and conuersation that it was altogither vnrebukable blamelesse and that in euery point he fulfilled the law of God y◠his righteousnes perfect obediēce might be imputed vnto vs which are otherwise vnder the curse of the law that our sinne and disobedience might be couered and that we might not be called to account for the same which testifie that hée was condemned before an earthly iudge to acquite vs from the dreadfuil sentence of the heauenly iudge which testifie that in bodie soule he suffered gréeuous torments that the wrath of god might not take hold of vs which testifie of the wonderful worke of his resurrectiō of his triumphing ouer death sin hell and the diuel to make vs ioyful conquerers which testifie of his glorious ascention into heauen to giue vs assurance of y◠heauenly possession which he hath purchased for vs which testifie y◠he shal be y◠iudge of quick dead to giue vs euerlasting comfort which haue put our whole trust in him when all other vnbeléeuers wicked vngodly people shal stand in his presence with great horror séeing his comming shall bee to be reuenged of their vnbeliefe and contempt Finally in an other consideration we may say that they They bring vs to the knowledge of God our selues are they that testifie of him For first and principally they teach vs the knowledge of God Secondarily and consequently the knowledge of our selues The knowledge of the Almightie power of God in the creation of all things of his infinit wisdom in disposing them in their due order of his great goodnes in doing al these things for the vse and benefit of mankinde Indéed the creation of the world and all the creatures therein do bring vs to the knowledge of God and this is onely the scripture of the heathen people but yet this doth not shew vnto vs sufficiently how God is our God and our father in Iesus Christ which knowledge we do only attain by reading the word of God And this is the scripture of the Christians Through which knowledge of God in respect of Christ we learn that God hath entred into a couenant with all faithful people that he would be their God and that they should be his people And that therfore they ought to performe vnto god his due scruice which especially consisteth in these thrée points First to worship the true God and to detest all idolatry and false gods to make our praiers to God alone and religiously and deuoutly to serue him Secondly that the worship of God doth cōsist in spirituall matters as faith hope charitie obedience righteousnes holines innocency patiēce truth and all godlines Thirdly to improue accuse and condemne all wickednesse and sinne infidelitie desperation disobedience impatience lying hipocrisie hatred slaunder iniurie and wrongfull dealing vncleannesse lust gluttony and all other vngodlinesse and iniquitie Furthermore that God doth in mercy and fauour reward the good and according to his iustice punish the offendors and that therefore he hath prepared ioyes and torments after this life For our soules are such that they neuer die and our bodies shall rise again to be ioyned to our soules at the latter day In respect of which knowledge of God the scriptures do perswade vs so to liue in this world that
a fearefull word that although they dreame of mercy yet they shall finde the contrary For God will neuer recken them to be innocent nor euer reserue his mercie for them And although they crie Lord Lord yet shall they not enter into his kingdome For when they thinke to enter into his rest it shall be said vnto them Depart from me I know you not Let vs alwaies remember that the Lorde is strong and that his anger is fearefull and that his punishments are intollerable and hell torments euerlasting that so the feare of the Lord may still be before our eyes and that we may be affraide to offend his maiestie Then shall his mercy stand vs instead when wée fall and haue offended whereas otherwise we shall be bolde to commit sin and flatter our selues that god wil be merciful when as indéed we do but deceiue our selues and shal surely find hell when we thinke to go to heauen God graunt that the knowledge of God may turne to our good and that through our defaulte in flattering of our selues and presuming too much of Gods mercy we fall not away from mercy To whose mercy I commende you desiring you not to forget his iustice For God is a consuming fire and wilfull and obstinate sinners shall neuer escape his euer-during wrath To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost be all glory and praise both now and euer Amen Deo gratia solique gloria Of his Creation Genesis 1. 1. In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth AS I haue set downe vnto you the knowledge of God by his properties and qualities so also is he further knowne by the consideration of his workes As saith the Psalme The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Amongst the workes of God first in order most notable is the worke of his creation wherein his power and wisedome is manifestly séene giuing vs a larger and more delightfull knowledge of him then that we should busily occupie our studies in searching the secret and hidden nature of God The spirit of God beginneth first with the declarion of this most excellent worke bréeding the knowledge of God in our mindes as it were by a wonder In the beginning God made the heauen and the earth Which sentence dooth affoord vs these thrée instructions First the consideration of the creation of the world Diuision and the creatures thereof and whither the world and the creatures were made to endure and to continue for euer Secondly how the world and all the creatures therin conteined were made Thirdly the cause the ende and vse wherefore they were made The world it selfe how beautifull a pallace is it and as it were a heauen in respect of hell beneath as it selfe also is a thing of nothing in respect of heauen aboue The heauen glistereth with the glorious sight of the Sunne the Moone and the starres The Sunne reioyceth to runne his course euen his spéedie and haiâ—ie course and as it were the glory of all Gods creatures commeth forth with a maiestie forbidding the eyes of all earthly creatures to behold it which by his force dooth burne the mountaines seuen times more then doth the heat of a furnace God giueth light to the darknes it self and causeth the Moone to appear when the light the glorious beames of the Sun are gone down The infinit multitude of the stars shew forth his wonderfull wisdome and decketh the heauens much more then all the precious stones costly ornaments the are in princes courts Cast down your eies behold the creatures on the earth The mighty lion which is a figure of gods power at whose roaring all the beasts of the forrest do tremble the rauening beare the instrument of his wrath as the example of the mocking children that did disdain the Prophet Elisha doth testifie the nourishing cloathing creatures the cow the shéep and the goat to the praise of his goodnes Wherin also the trées do instruct vs the oliue trée with his fatnesse the figtrée with his swéetnesse the vine trée with his cherishing How do the hearbes set forth the wisedom of God In that he hath giuen to euery hearbe his propertie some for comfort some for delight some to continue life some to restore life as none know it better then the expert Phisitian to whoÌ„ God hath opened his wonderfull works therin Besides these looke vpon the lilly of the field whom God hath so richly arraied that Salomon in all his roialty is not like to one of these A woÌ„der it is to sée how he hath hid great treasure in the lower parts of the earth not only tin lead brasse and iron but siluer also gold precious stones The earth the world euery part therof giue manifest witnesse what God hath wrought Euery element is furnished with his creatures the aire with birds the earth with trées hearbs and inestimable treasure and as the waues of the sea are innumerable so are the creatures therein conteined euen as the stars of the skie which no man can terme call by their names but only God himself To euery beast of the field and to euery foule of the heauen Adam gaue names but the creatures of the sea as the hidden work of God Adam saw not man knoweth not neither caÌ„ they euer be searched out that we may wonder at Gods wonders Some haue said that there is no creature on the earth but the sea doth yéeld the like Among the creatures of the sea none setteth forth the work of Gods creation so much as the huge great whale which ouerturneth mightie ships and striketh a feare into the hart of man As saith the Psalm 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisdom hast thou made theÌ„ all The earth is full of thy riches so is the wide great sea also wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beastes There goe the ships and there is that Leuiathan whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein When the wise man had delighted himself with the remembrance of the works of Gods creatioÌ„ either being rauished with the delight or vnable to satisfie his mind he breaketh forth saith Who hath seen all the creatures of God that he might tell vs For when he hath searched to the vtmost of his power yet may he truly say There are hid yet greater things then these be and we haue séen but a fewe of his works He doth not measure the knowledge of man in this matter that he hath attained the one halfe but leaueth him in the very enterance as though he had had but a glimce of some and not a sight of all As Adam being placed in Paradice had not a full view of all the secretes thereof neither had he any vnderstanding of the trée of life but assoone as he had tasted of the trée of knowledge for his rebellion and disobedience
reioycing alway before him She is the breath of the power of God and a pure influence that floweth from the glory of the Almightie She is the brightnesse of the euerlasting light the vndefiled mirrour of the maiestie of God and the image of his goodnesse Which being one she can do all things and remaining in her selfe renueth all In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and that word was God The same was in the beginning with God Al things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made In it was life euen the life of all gods creatures quickning and preseruing all things and in great wisedome disposing all things in their due order So that the wise man might well call it the delight of God which sitteth about his throne and the bewty of all his creatures through the beholding wherof it pleased God to pronounce and say That all things that were made were very good and in respect of their workemanship excellent This also is woorthie the marking in the worke of gods creation that whereas in the workes of all earthly creatures there is labour and sweate and wearinesse god by his almightie power brought this wonderfull matter to passe with great ease with great delight and ioy It was no more with him but his word and his commandement onely it was his will it should be so At whose will and word and commaundement as all the liuing creatures were made which he in his infinit wisedome thought good off so also might hee haue caused many more to bee made and created not because he was a weary of his worke but because hée thought it not expedient Yet some may thinke that Gods Creation was a laboure vnto him and a wearisome labour because we reade that he rested the seuenth day from all his worke which he had made VVhich he did not because he fainted as it were vnder the burthen of so waightie a businesse for it was neither a businesse nor a matter of waight nor a burthen vnto him or for his ease and refreshing but onely for his delight and further contentation but only because it was his will and that it so pleased him The easinesse of this woorke is so muche the more to be wondred at not onely that it was without paine and wearinesse but also that he did both vndertake and finish the same of his owne accord and of himselfe without any other helpes and meanes Nothing excellent nay if it be neuer so meane that is done on the Earth but hath great helpes The Citie and the Tower which Nimrod and his company went about to build the top whereof they purposed should reach vnto the heauens a mirrour to the worlde if it might haue bene finished was it done by one or by two No an infinit multitude put their heades and their hands to it and all little inough There were Carpenters and Masons and suche as should make bricke and burne it in the fire there were maister deuisers and maister builders and inferiour drudges and a number of labourers as thicke as the swarmes of Egypt They laboured all ioyntly with heart and hand heauing and shouing toyling and sweating and all to no purpose to their great griefe and discontentment for all was dasht How were the Pyramides of Egipt those famous monuments erected and set vp as easie think you as if one stone might be laide View the building but of a smal cottage and say what a busie piece of worke it it But with God was no such thing he was all alone and there was none other he begunne it and he brought it to passe hée commaunded and neuer laboured he created and neuer rested vntill all was as you sée The night and faintnesse come vppon man and hée must of necessitie leaue off That creature which hath not his rest cannot continue his strength to labour When the Sunne riseth man goeth foorth to his woorke and to his labour but how long If sixe or seuen houres togither without some foode and some refreshing it is a maruell but if hee continue vntill the euening hée can staie no longer at it for the weakenesse of his bodie will not suffer him and the light of the day is closed vp with night and darknesse Againe the woorkes of men may haue manie chaunges before they come to perfection and the workeman himselfe may bee displeased at his worke and beginne anewe but GOD as hee is vnchaungeable so euen at the first was his worke perfect without any alteration VVho hath made the earth by his power and established the world by his wisedome and hath stretched out the heauen by his discretion Ier. 10. 12. Furthermore in the maner of Gods creation this is All good not the least and meanest thing to be considered of That all that God made was good And God sawe all that hee had made and beholde it was verie good Euery thing in his order and in his kind perfect and absolute as saith the Prophet Moses though not durable and alwayes to continue No maruell then if the learned did name the worlde to bee bewtie séeing God himselfe after hée had created all sawe that they were verie good Also because the maiestie wisedome and power gods workmanship did giue a grace to euery thing to adorne it and to set it foorth to the commendation of man The works of the Lord saith the Psalme are great and worthie to be praised and had in honor which also are sought out of all them that haue pleasure therein All the workes of the Lord saith the wise man are good and he giueth euery one in due season and when need is So that a man néed not say this is worse then that For in due season they are all worthie praise And therefore praise the Lord with whole heart and mouth and blesse the name of the Lord who vpon all his workes hath powred foorth his blessings and hath made the wise and godly to beholde it although this knowledge be kept from the wicked who in no sort are worthie to be partakers either of gods goodnesse or of his blessings and comforts None are so set to dispraise and discommend and to disdain at gods workes and his creatures as the wicked which are readie to finde fault where they haue no cause and to despise that whereof they sée no present vse and to curse and abhorre those creatures whereby they may haue any hurt or hinderance Yet certain it is that god hath made nothing that hath any fault although many a gracelesse people thinke so which are destitute of wisedome For the one commendeth the goodnes of the other and who can be satisfied with beholding gods glory in them For through him all things are directed to a good end Many creatures séeme to be created hurtful and some wil say what good is in them Doubtlesse god forelawe that the earth should be filled and inhabited with two sorts of people the
he hath thus laboured for the winde The distrustfull prince did behold great plentie but came no nearer The rich man that boasted of his goods liued not long after And this we must thinke with our selues as God hath inriched vs so also will he be remembred of vs. The order of Gods prouidence being thus set downe concerning the maintenance preseruation and foode of all creatures we may also behold how God doth gouerns all things Which although it be not plainly set downe in the text which I haue reade vnto you yet may it bee inferred vppon the cause of this plentie set downe in the words of the same Chapter As if it might bee demaunded what was the cause that after such scarcitie and famine all things were so plentifull and so good cheape which could not come to passe but only by the finger of god and by his secret ordinance The reason thereof and the words of the Chapter are these For the Lord had caused the Campe of the Aramites to heare a noyce of charrets and a noyce of a great army so that they said one to another Behold the King of Israel hath hired against vs the Kings of the Hittites the kings of the Egyptians to come vpon vs. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents and their horses and their asses euen the campe as it was and fled for their liues This suddaine change might A new line séeme to come from fortune or some blinde chaunce yet is it manifestly set downe that it was Gods working and that he onely brought this matter to passe Who is the authour not only of plentie and scarcitie but of sicknesse and of health of wealth and pouertie of warre and peace of drought and raine of tempests and faire weather of barreinnesse and fertilitie Yea he guideth and gouerneth the hearts of men and their affections yea euen their tongues and all their actions And that which is more straunge he hath an eie to the smallest matters the haires of our head the lighting of the sparrowes vppon the ground and that which séemeth to be but a matter of chance the ordering of lots in matters of waight he disposeth them too Nothing commeth to passe by fortune and chance nothing by destiny or necessitie but all by Gods prouidence and handie worke And hauing now to intreate of gods gouernment ouer his creatures and the affaires of the world it is as if I should walke in a wide field or saile in the large sea What other men haue thought of gods gouernment it is base and light but what we are to thinke thereof let vs daly weigh with déep consideration Men of void mindes haue thought God only to sit idle in the heauens and to beholde those things which are done othersome that he moues the world and all the parts therof but not that he doth direct the peculiar actiō of euery creature They wil confesse his great power but they deny his infinit incomprehensible and most wise gouernment in the world or in the affaires of men or men themselues Some were content to yéeld a little and they were perswaded that he ruled all things in heauen but as for all things vnder the heauen they thought were ruled and ordered by fortune chance Doubtlesse God doth rule all matters and ordereth the meanes that tend therunto neither are they as a ship on the sea without a gouernor or as an arrow in the aire which is blowne aside of euery light wind But to proue vnto you that God by his prouidence is the only guider gouernour of all things it séemeth very expedient first to remoue all doubts out of your mind concerning fortune and destiny which are too rise in most mens mints and tongues Which are two great stumbling blocks being taken out of the way we shal the more cléerly perceiue and certainly know the vertue and force of gods heauenly The opinion of fortune remoued prouidence This opinion of fortune hath brought almost all the world to fortunate mindes and vnstedfast hearts when they thinke that all things runne vpon hap chance which are otherwise ordered If a man in his iourney light vpon théeues and be robd and spoild wherunto will he impute his losse and his hurt Are not these his words It was but my ill hap So if sailing vpon the sea through some suddaine tempest he make shipwrack or trauelling by the way méete with wilde beastes if he be killed by the fall of some house or some trée who is it that thinketh of any other cause then of fortune as if the blind were led by the blind and so both fall into the ditch For fortune is fained to be blind because foolish men sée not the cause of those things that are done and how can a blind man iudge of colours If one digging in the earth finde any treasure that hath bene hid or finde a bagge of money as he is going by the way or after great stormes and tempests hardly escape death and come safe into the hauen then who but ladie Fortune and fortune is honoured as a Quéene yea rather as a goddesse Of like such a goddesse as the Apostle Saint Paul speakes of Vnto the vnknowne God So is the true God robbed of his honour who onely is the authour of weale and woe Was it a chaunce or Gods appointment that beares came into the cittie and deuoured the children that mocked the Prophet Putcase that two neighbours goe to the wood togither Deut. 19. 5. one heweth wood and as his hand striketh with the axe to cut downe the trée if the head of the axe slippe from the helme and hit his neighbour that hee dieth was it a chaunce trowe you The scripture and word of God decideth this matter and saith that God hath offred him into his hand Exod. 21. 13. God hath diuers punishments for sinne and his iudgements are most iust though they be most secret and hid from the eies of men The field is pitched two great armies méete togither the fight endureth long now one army is readie to haue the vpper hand and after a while the other at length say we by good happe that army ouercame If it be true that this matter fell out by happe how can the word of God be true which without all controuersitie is the onely truth which auoucheth the contrary in these words Prou. 21. 31. The horse is prepared vnto the battle but the victorie is of the Lord. Hee that prepareth himselfe vnto a long iourney looketh no further then to that which is besore his eyes and wisheth that he may haue a lucky iourny and then al is wel at least wise if it end well But Abrahams seruant going on his maisters businesse to séek a wife for his maisters sonne praieth to God for a prosperous iourney and lifteth vp his eies to heauen Whereas these fortuune-folks runne hedlong on and looke to méet good fortune by
quarrelling Let vs rather reuerence yâ— which passeth the reach and compasse of our wits and turne our mindes wholy to praise his mercy who by his onely grace hath saued vs when we deserued the like punishment and damnation and were no lesse sinners and wicked theÌ„ they The chief matters with places of Scripture for proofe God hath appointed a way to his infinit wisdome and to the execution of his predestination shutting vp al vnder disobadience sinne and vnbeleefe Gall. 3. 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beléeue Rom. 11. 32. God hath shut vp all in vnbeléefe that he might haue mercy vpon all that beléeue So that the way to the Godly to be partakers of mercy is to beleeue wherein we must vnderstand that faith is a gift of God peculiarly belonging to the elect and chosen children of God Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained vnto eternal life beléeued Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Titus 1. 1. Paule a seruant of God and an Apostle of Iesus Christ according to the faith of Gods elect which is proper and peculiar vnto them so that they that are partakers of faith may assure themselues yâ— they pertaine to god Philip. 1. 29. For vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not only ye should beléeue in him but also suffer for his sake Gal. 5. 22. The frute of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffring gentlenes goodnes faith Iohn 6. 65. No man can come vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my father As also they that doe not beleeue nor knowe God are iustly condemned 2. These 3. 2. Pray for vs that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men For all men haue not faith Mat. 13. 11. It is giuen vnto you saith Christ to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen For the gospell and meanes of saluation is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 2. Thes 2. 10. Ihon 12. 37. And though Iesus had done so many miracles before them yet beléeued they not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfiled c. Man created in innocency puritie and holinesse Gene. 1. 27. Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female And what vertuous and holy qualities were there which were not in the image of God according as it is at large set downe Ephe. 4. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes true holines and so forth to the end of the chapter Man fell not from God by constraint or necessitie but became seruant of sin through his owne will Gen. 3. 6. So the woman séeing that the trée was good for meat and that it was pleasant to the eies and a trée to be desired to get knowledge tooke of the frute thereof and did eate and gaue also to her husband with her and he did eate which thing was contrary to the commaundement of God and a penaltie of death set vpon them if they did eate as we reade chap. 2. 16. 17. And the Lord God commanded the man saying Thou shalt eate fréely of euery trée of the garden but as touching the trée of knowâ—edge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it For whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death By which fall and and disobedience he did binde and drawe the whole nature of man to sin and so consequently to the death of body and soule Ro. 7. 20. Nowe if I doe that I would not it is no more I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Ro. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned This fall of man came not by chaunce or fortune because the prouidence of God reacheth euen to the smallest matters Mat. 10. 29. 30. Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father yea and all the haires of your head are numbred Pro. 16. 33. The lot is cast into the lappe but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. What matter God hath so ordained to shewe his glory by mercy to the one and wrath to the other Ro. 9. 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe on vessell to honour and an other vnto dishonour What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power to be knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction And that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glorie Pet. 2. 6. 8. Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleueth therein shall not be ashamed A stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were eueÌ„ ordained Neither saluation nor damnation is the finall end of Gods counsaile but his owne glory Ro. 9. 17. For the scripture saith vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I stirred thée vp that I might shewe my power in thée and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth Pro. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill For ere the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was said vnto Rebecca their mother The elder shall serue the younger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Well in this cause may men pleade against God but it shall not preuaile Ro. 9. 19. 20. Thou wilt say then vnto me Why doth he yet complaine For who hath resisted his will But O maÌ„ who art thou which pleadest against God shal the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus But rather we ought to reuerence that which is past our reach and turne our minds wholly to praise god in his workes especially for his mercy toward vs. Ro. 11. 33. O the déepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! howe vn searchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Ps 107. 8. O that men would therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes and praise him for his wonderfull workes that he doeth for the children of men The fourth Chapter By what order God proceedeth to declare and
lawe as pertaining to God but am in the lawe through Christ that I may winne them that are without the lawe to the weake I become as weake that I may winne the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some And this I doo for the Gospell sake Rom. 1. 14. I am debter both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians both to the wise men and vnto the vnwise Philip. 2. 12. 13. Make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling lest that through the deceit of sinne ye should fall away or else lest ye be any offence to the weake For it is God that worketh in you both the will the déed euen of his good pleasure Concerning the second that we do not apply this doctrine to any man particularly or to any certaine company For in this also it differeth from election Because election as hath beene said is reuealed to vs by the spirit of God within our selues not in others whose hearts we cannot know And Reprobation is euer hid from men except it bee disclosed by God contrary to the common course of things For who can tell if God haue determined to shewe mercy at the last houre of death to him which hath spent all his life past lewdly wickedly But this trust ought not to incourage any man to maintaine and continue in his sinne vngodlinesse For I speake of those things which we ought to consider in others For the examples of such mercy of God are very rare Neither any man that is wise will promise to himselfe through a vaine securitie and trust that thing which is not in his owne power Iam. 4. 13. 14. 15. 16. Goe too now yée that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a citie continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine And yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrowe For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a litle time and afterward vanish away For that yée ought to say If the Lord will and if we liue we will do this or that Now if we cannot promise the continuance of life vnto our selues how much lesse may we assure our selues of Gods mercie at our pleasure Luke 12. 19. 20. The rich man said vnto his soule Soule thou hast much good lain vp for many yéeres liue take ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But God said vnto him O foole this night will they setch away thy soule from thée 2. Tim. 2. 25. The minister is willed to instruct the euill disposed with méeknesse and such as are contrary minded prouing if GOD at any time will giue them repentance Therefore repentance is not at our pleasure or leasure 1. Pe. 1. 14. 15. 16 17. 18. 19. Fashioning not your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be yée holy in all manner of conuersation And if yée call him father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling heere in feare Knowing that yée were not redeemed with siluer and gold and such corruptible things Hebr. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall sée the Lord. And if we obserue this order wee shall receiue great fruite of this doctrine especially in these foure considerations First it maketh men humble and to submit themselues to God Secondly it maketh the grace of God to be better knowne of the elect seeing it is not common to all Thirdly it bringeth a godly care to receiue faith when it is offered and to labour to increase it Fourthly it doth confirme vs against all offences All which reasons are more plainly set downe in the last part of this eight chapter Deo gratia A Praier for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie O Most gracious God and heauenly Father by whose disposition Kingdomes and Kealmes are gouerned and by whose power Kings Princes raigne we giue thée hartie thanks that in thy great mercy thou hast set such a Prince and Quéene ouer vs vnder whose godly and peaceable gouernment we enioy glad tidings of thy Gospell and the truth of thy word in manifest sort deliuered vnto vs with peace and quietnesse and other worldly great blessings of thine in a plentifull measure Endue her so with heauenly gifts that her heart may be alwaies framed to the obedience of thy will that by her godly and gracious gouernment thy name may be glorified thy Church edified the poore members of Christ relieued vertue aduanced and vice beaten downe and punished that so in wealth she may surpasse that prosperitie y◠was in the daies of King Salomon and that in life and health she may so be preserued long among vs to thy glorie and our comfort that the yeares of her royall fathers gouernment may bee doubled vpon her And although we for our parts haue and doo daily prouoke thy wrath against vs and haue worthily in respect of thy blessings deserued the contrary as for the heauenly vlessings of thy Gospell and truth ignorance idolatry and superstition for wealth and prosperitie penury and scarcitie for peace and quietnesse troubles and warres for our health and the continuance of our life diseases and death yet in thy mercy be fauourable vnto vs mollifie our hard and stonie hearts that we may repent mortifie sinne in vs that there may be séene amendment in our liues and conuersation that we may yéeld our soules and bodies to the obedience of thy blessed will and commaundements whereby thy manifold and good blessings and benefits may be both increased and continued toward vs. That the heauens may send downe their raine that the earth may giue forth her plentifull encrease that our garners may be full and plenteous with all maner of store that our shéepe may bring forth thousandes that our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decaie no leading into captiuitie and no complaining in our stréets wherein we shall be blessed who haue the Lord for our God As for her enemies who séeke her destruction let them fall into the pitte that they haue digged for others and let their owne shame light vpon them And let thy crowne florish vpon her head whom thou hast annointed that in the maintenance of thy truth and of thy people it may be knowne that though the heathen rage so furiously togither and the Kings of the earth stand vp in armes against thée and against thine annointed that thou breakest the bowe and knappest the speare in pieces that thou art able to turne the swordes of her enemies to murther themselues And though the horse bee prepared vnto the battaile yet the victorie is from thée who can mightily confounde her foes and put a hooke in their nosthrilles and turne them backe the same way they came The straunge deliuerances which thou hast wrought in her behalfe both
of God and taking scorne of all good counsaile and friendly admonition Worke forth your saluation with feare and trembling still standing in doubt that thou hast not performed thy dutie as thou â—ughtest Fearing also least we should fall into such foule faults as in the time of our ignorance and sinfull course of 〈◊〉 we did please our selues highly offended god And so much the more because we shal be void of all excuse knowing what is well pleasing to God and also what is detestable in his sight and yet forsaking the right hand and taking the left I meane refusing that which is good and taking the way which leadeth to destruction We which by nature were the grafts of the wilde oliue trée I meane the children of Gods wrath are by a supernaturall working and most wonderfull fauour grafted into the right and true oliue and by adoption and grace made and accounted the children of God And séeing by grace and fauour thou standest art accepted be not high minded but feare boast not thy self of Gods gift which is giuen vnto thée through faith in Iesus Christ but rather shewe thy selfe mindfull carefull for his benefit hauing the feare of God alwaies before thy eies to kéep thée froÌ„ all euil waies Why thou wilt say if God hath made me his childe and adopted me through faith in Christ I shall neuer do amisse But know that our life in this world is but a triall and that it is as a castle beset besieged with many enemies and if in this life al thy life thou do not hold on a good course and perseuere continue therin vnto thy end thy great perswasion of the dignitie as to be called accounted the child of God may faile and all thy safetie and all thy reioycing may be nothing else but as the prouerbe is A â—astle come downe For if God spared not the Angels which kept not their first estate but hath reserued them in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day how shall we think to be spared if we abuse Gods blessing of adoption turning the grace of God into wantonnesse and instéed of obedient children making our selues wilfull wantons for whome there is nothing so fit as is the rod and correction and punishment But if we wil néeds boast that we are the adopted children of God let our boasting and reioycing be séene in this as to reioice of our infirmities and to reioice that by Gods grace we are rid from many foule faultes whereunto in former times we were inclined and before we were the adopted children of God and that by the force and effect and power of Gods good spirit such matters are ouercome in vs. If we will reioyce of our adoption let vs reioyce that through the meanes of our redéemer we are deliuered and freed from Gods displeasure from damnation and from the diuel from hell and from hell torments According to that we reade Hebr. 2. 14. 15. Forasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuell And that hee might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage But now by Gods grace hauing receiued so great a priuiledge as to be his adopted children although it be good for vs to feare yet our feare is not such as may procéed from the spirit of bondage Neither let vs be dismaid séeing that our consciences are quieted and we throughly perswaded of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but rather let vs reioyce with the excéeding comfort of the holie Ghost which powreth foorth swéet ioyes into the hearts of Gods children and filleth them with ioy let vs I say reioyce that we may with boldnesse approach to the throne of grace and with méekenesse and chéerfulnesse of spirit call God our louing and mercifull father For we haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but we haue receiued the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba that is to say Father Where by the way it may not séeme impertinent or beside How we are adopted the purpose to know the order and maner how we are made and adopted the children of God to put a difference betwixt that adoption which is vsed in this world and the heauenly adoption which commeth from God That adoption which is vsed among vs is in respect of alliance and kindred as hauing no children of our owne we take their children to be ours which are next of kindred or sometimes if we fancie any of our friends children or peraduenture straungers we endowe them with goods and landes and call them by our names Againe for some consideration which we sée to be in them whom we adopt and make our childreÌ„ whereby we think them in some sort worthie of fauour as beautie comely personage wisdom courage and manlinesse eloquence sobrietie decent ciuil behauior and such like which matters are admired highly estéemed among men which win their harts and make them shew fauor But in this our heauenly adoptioÌ„ there is no such matter it is not flesh blood which God respecteth no although they procéed from the loines and linage of Abraham and his posteritie vnto whom the promises were made but they onely that are of the faith of Abraham For as the circumcisition of the heart is estéemed of God then that which is outward so are they the sonnes and children of God not which appeare to the world for the world knoweth them not but who by the mercie and fauour of God are drawen from the filth of the world and are purified and clensed by the bloud of Iesus Christ Which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the wil of man but of God who by the preaching of his word are begotten vnto him and who by a liuely faith haue receiued him to such hath God giuen power to be his adopted children euen to them which beléeue in his name Among vs lightly we make our kindred or friendes or peraduenture strangers our adopted children but who is it that will make that choice of his enemies But such is the pitie and compassion of our mercifull God who maketh vs his children who by nature would be none of his children and who are giuen rather to hate then to loue God What is it therefore that God can sée in vs wherefore he should adopt vs surely nothing but that which may make a seperation but that God is so carefull of vs that he sendeth vs his word euen the word of reconciliation that we might be partakers of his adoption It is not our good works which are too light in the ballance it is not any desert of ours whereby we should be receiued into fauour Inough there is in vs and rather too much to make vs