substance remaine ever 81 The Scriptures immutable tradition uncertaine 82 Divers acceptions of Saints ibid. The Saints onely the subjects of true Faith 83 The wicked usurpers of Gods gifts ibid. Whatsoever they have is for the Saints sake 84 Sermon 8. THe Church and Religion hath many adversaries 85 Every thing hath its contrary ibid. Religion cause of division 86 Religion must bee maintained to death ibid. Secret enemies most dangerous especially such as in a shew of Religion seeke to undermine Religion ibid. The Divell opposeth the Church sometime as a Lion by cruelty sometime as a Serpent by subtilty but he hurts most by subtilty 87 Poperie prevailes most by policy and fraud 88 All Atheists without God before regeneration and conversion 89 There is a two-fold life the one of Nature the other of Grace 90 Most men live as Naturalists ibid. Atheists worse than Divels ibid. Nature teacheth that there is a divine Power 91 Gods power ruleth in all things and doth often change the course of Nature ibid. Reasons to prove the divine Power 92 Religion is more in profession than practice 94 Many by their lives seeme Atheists ibid. Vngodlinesse hath two branches iniquity in life and manners and impurity in Religion ibid. Many turne the grace of God into wantonnesse ibid. Gods grace and bounty ought to leade to Repentance not to make men presumptuous 95 Afflictions make us seeke God 96 Prosperitie makes us forget him and grow rebellious 97 Wee may not despise or renounce the creatures or blessings of God as the Stoicks Anachorites Hermites c. have done ibid. Epicures their practice described and their end 98 vnde 99 Popish Doctrine tends to licenciousnesse ibid. Sermon 9. GOd is denied many wayes 101 They that professe God and live ungodly denie him ibid. Six degrees in sinne ibid. Gods creatures declare him foure wayes 103 God is present foure wayes ibid. The wicked that deny God here shall hereafter feele and acknowledge him ibid. God is one in substance three in person ibid. The Heathen worshipped many gods and the Papists invocate many as Gods yet there is but one onely true God ibid. The unity and trinity in the God-head illustrated by divers resemblances 104 Christ is denied many wayes 105 Faith is most eminent and confident in persecution ibid. Christ is denied when either the sufficiency or efficacy of his death is denyed 106 Knowledge and profession of Christ without practice nothing worth ibid. The Papists deny the offices of Christ consequently 107 Christ onely paid the full ransome for our Redemption 108 Christ our Lord jure Creationis Redemptionis ibid. Divers effusions of Christs bloud especially five 109 Christs passions for us require that wee should consecrate our whole selves and all the service of our soules and bodies him 110 Sermon 10. DEstruction the end of the ungodly 112 Looke not on the present estate but the end of the wicked 113 God is said to write in a booke for the certenty of his decree 114 Gods decree hath two parts Election Reprobation ibid. The causes of either not to bee inquired after 115 Gods judgements often secret alwayes just ibid. Wee must not pry into Gods secrets ibid. Gods will the cause of our election not faith or works 116 Five signes of election 117 Our election perfected by many degrees 118 Reprobation a second part of Gods decree 119 And as he electeth some so hee reprobates others ibid. As all things els have their contraries so the elect theirs namely the reprobate 120 God ordereth sinne but urgeth not to it ibid. Mans sinne and destruction come from himselfe 121 Three opinions concerning Gods dealing in sinne 122 How God is said to cause evill ibid. How God dealeth in reprobation 122 More then Gods bare permission in sinne ibid. How God is said to harden and to blind 124 God worketh by evill men not in them ibid. God Satan and Men concurre in the same action yet have different ends 125 Sermon 11. THough we know much yet we had neede be put in remembrance 527 Continuall instruction like the continuall dropping of raine ibid. Itching eares listen after novelties rather then wholesome doctrine 129 Preaching alwayes necessary otherwise the soule decayes in grace 130 If instruction faile Satan prevailes ibid. Meditation recordation chiefe meanes to enrich the soule 131 God first offereth mercy before hee inflict judgement 132 Gods abundant mercies and miraculous deliverances of the Israelites 133 Gods wrath upon the Aegyptians ibid. Gods abundant mercies to England 135 God allures by mercyes before hee punisheth 136 Contemners of Gods mercies severely punished ibid. Sinne pleasant in the committing in the end damnable 137 God suffereth the wicked till their sinne be at the full 139 God punishes some sooner some later ibid. Looke not on their present estate but their end 140 Sermon 12. INfidelity the cause of Israels destruction 140 And of their sinne the roote 141 Faith the gift of God 143 And the originall of all vertues ibid. True faith is in few 144 Most men led by the flesh rather than by the Spirit ibid. Faith hath a triple foundation ibid. Faith threefold justifying of miracles hystoricall 145 The causes of Salvation ibid. The just live by Faith if no Faith no accesse to God no interest in him 146 Degrees of Faith ibid. God giveth grace according to the measure of Faith 147 Faith all in all in applying and assuring Salvation ibid. The Angels that fell committed many sinnes in one ibid. Wee must bee wise according to sobriety 148 Angels though Spirits in essence yet appeared in divers formes ibid. The sinne of Angels in generall was Apostacy 149 Some Apostacy is unpardonable ibid. Why the Angels that fell were not restored 150 Three reasons of Dorbell why the wicked shall bee punished in Hell more than the Divels recited rejected ibid. All apostacy dangerous though some not damnable ibid. It is the end that crownes all our actions 151 The Christian must be alwayes increasing ibid. The wicked grow worse and worse 152 There is a decay in most ibid. The estate of Angels considered in regard of three severall times namely of Creation Confirmation last Iudgement 153 Divers names of Angels 154 Whence the Angels fell ibid. God the head but not the Redeemer of the good Angels 155 The time of the fall of Angels uncertaine as also the places whither ibid. The Divels though many in number yet there is one chiefe 156 How the Divell is said to worke and to be in the wicked ibid. The Divels though malicious Spirits yet agree in mischiefe 157 Division the cause of confusion 158 Sermon 13. THe case of the Angels most fearefull to be cast out of Heaven 159 Their abode is not certaine but some in the Ayre some in the Earth some in the Sea 160 The Divels malice infinite but his power by God limited ibid. Satan is said to be loosed Apoc. 20. 7. not simply but comparatively 161 The Divels and wicked
incideret in mortis malum sempiternum portum potius nobis paratum putemus We are not borne or created rashly or by chance but verily there was a certaine divine power which did provide for mankind neither would it suffer them so to be borne as that when they had undergone all manner labour they should be utterly lost in the everlasting evill of Death but rather let us thinke some haven of rest is prepared for us A divine speech of a prophane man The Epicures said that God was idle in heaven quodque Deus ambulat circa cardines Coeli and that he was walking about Gods power providence governe◠all things the poles of heaven that nature ruleth all by chance and at adventure On the contrary the Stoickes held that God is nothing but nature and that all things are wrought by necessity and destinie that God can worke no miracle nor contrarie to the course of nature But the Platonists held that nature is Quicquid Deus vult that it is subject to God that there is neither chance nor destinie but all things are done by God Some therefore compare Nature to an horse and God to the rider that bridleth her and ruleth her as he list Anima mundi est virtus Dei the power of God is the soule of the world Mundus est schola animarum the Origen Basil world is the schoole of soules to lead us to the knowledge of God God therfore quoth he was able by his power to change the course of nature as thus To divide the Sea in two parts Exod. 14. Ios 10. Num. 16. Ios 3. Psal 114. Dan. 3. Dan. 6. Luk. 7. To stay the Sunne To open the Earth To drie up the Waters of Iordan To make the Mountaines skippe like Rammes To quench the Flame To mussell the Lions To raise the Dead In this sense Simonides the philosopher said that Solus Deus est metaphysicus that God alone was supernaturall Pindarus called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best artificer Diogenes seeing Harpalus that great theefe to be fortunate a long time said that he gave a lively testimony against the Gods So Dionysius said that God favoured pirats for that he had a good winde after the robbing of the Temple So Hermogenes reasoned seeing so much evill in the world Aut voluit Deus tollere mala non potest tunc infirmus est aut potuit noluit tunc invidus est God either would take away evill and cannot and then he is impotent or could and would not and then he is envious But Tertullian retorted it thus on him Deum velle posse omnia mala tollere quatenus expedit God is Rom. 8. 28. both willing and able to take away all evill so farre as it is expedient For all things worke for the best unto them that love God Quaedam tollit in hac vita alia reservat in extremum judicium some hee takes away in this life some hee reserves to the last iudgement Facessant ergo illi monoculi Cyclopes qui Deum negant istud quatenus expedit relinquamus Deo herewith therefore let those one-eyed Cyclopes which deny God be content let us leave to God that same so far forth as it is expedient So reasoneth the Manichaeans against Moses when he said In the beginning God made heaven Gen. 1. 1. Aug. lib. 1. de Genes Iohn 1. 2. earth quaerentes in quo principio Deus fecit Coelum Quibus respondit Augustinus Deum non fecisse in principio temporis sed in Christo per quem omnia facta sunt nam antequà m fecit Deus tempora non erant tempora nam tempus est creatura dicit Paulus veritatem fuisse ante tempora aeterna Asking in what beginning God made heaven All men by the light of nature have acknowledged a divine power To whom Augustine makes answer God made it not in the beginning of time but in Christ by whom all things were made for before God made time time was not for time was a creature S. Paul saith The truth was before time eternall These men say much but to little purpose Loquacior est enim vanitas quà m veritas altiùs clamat for vanity prattles more than verity and Ephes 3. 9. makes a greater noise I alleage not all these prophane writers for need I know that the darts that are taken out of the Lords armorie pierce deepest that the arrowes that are drawne out of the Lords quiver are the sharpest that the sword of the spirit cutteth deepest that proofes taken from the Scripture are strongest But it is not amisse to confute a naturall man by naturall men as here by Philosophers But to follow this point a little further Naturally a kind of religion is found in all men in genere though they erre in specie Caine and Abel did first sacrifice to God Enoch was the first that Gen. 4. instituted prayer After Noahs flood were many Lawes of religion given to many nations Mercurie and Mena gave lawes to the Aegyptians Melissus to them of Candie Faunus and Ianus to the Latines Orpheus to the Greekes Numa pompilius to the Romanes Draco to the Athenians Lycurgus to the Lacedemonians Deuter. 4. but Moses and Aaron gave lawes to the Hebrewes that passed them all Naturally we know that there is a God For the invisible Rom. 1. 20. things of God that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world The very Poets spake of Iupiter Castor and Pollux Venus Saturne Vulcan Mars Mercurie yet Iupiter was an adulterer Gastor and Pollux two incestuous twinnes Venus an harlot in Cyprus Saturne a Runnagate in Italie Vulcan a theese Mars a bastard yet this sheweth that there is Divinum numen a divine power that the Heathen thinke so therefore they adore something as God they invented Gods in hell as Pluto Proserpina the Aegyptians worshipped Calves the Ophytes serpents the Persians fire they of Canopus water the Coloridians Heva the Philistines Dagon halfe-fish and halfe-flesh the Turkes at this day worship Mahomet the Tartarians grand Cam the Calecuts the Divell But there be many reasons to prove that there is a God all the creatures of God doe it from the Eágle to the Flie from the Elephant to the Pismire from the great Whale to the little Lamprey from the Camell to the Gnat from the Cedar to the Brake-bush from the Starres of Heaven to the Dust of the Earth from Angels to Wormes And therefore men that deny God may be sent to the creatures to learne that there is a God Esay reasoneth thus Who hath measured the waters Esa 40. 17. 21 22. in his fist and counted Heaven with the spanne and comprehended the Dust of the Earth in a measure and weigheth the Mountaines in a weight and the hils in a ballance And againe Know yee nothing Conscience in man a testimonie of the
have done vertuously but thou Pro. 31. 29. surmountest them all As Christ commended Iohn Baptist above all Nazarites saying There is no greater Prophet than Iohn among them Luk. 7. 28. that are begotten of women And the Lord Moses above all Prophets So Iude commendeth Faith above al vertues All precious stones Deut. 34. are good yet none like the Topaze all flowres are faire yet none Iob 28. like the Lily most trees bring fruit but none like the Apple-tree Faith purifies our hearts and makes our actions and persons holy of Persia or the Tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and gave fruit every moneth Many vertues are excellent and further our salvation yet none like faith Iustice giveth every man his owne temperancy restraineth lusts fortitude beareth Apoc. 22. 2. 1 Iohn 5. 4. all labour and toile prudence guideth our actions but faith overcommeth the world so doe not other vertues faith is like the three 2 Sam. 23. worthies of David who brake thorow the whole host and drew water of the Well of Bethlem Ionathan and his armour-bearer 1 Sam. 19. slew twenty men Shamgar with an Oxe goade slew six hundred Iudg. 3. 31. Iudg. 15. Philistines Samson with the jaw-bone of an Asse slew a thousand men thus these men brake thorow an whole host and faith overcommeth the whole world In this faith Paul insulted over heaven and earth men and Angels I am perswaded saith Paul that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor Rom. 8. 38. things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And againe he saith I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keep that which I have committed unto him meaning himselfe against that day It is called Holy yea most Holy for all our works are polluted and receive their holinesse from faith and faith from Christ who is the object of it As the Sunne giveth light to all Planets as salt seasoneth all meates so Faith seasoneth all works for in themselves they are polluted For who can say I have made my heart cleane I am cleane from sinne For as the holy man of god saith Hee found no stedfastnesse Pro. 20. 9. Iob 4. 18 19. in his servants and laid folly upon his Angels how much more in them that dwell in houses of Clay whose foundation is the dust which shall bee destroyed before the moth And againe he maketh this demand and saith What is man that he should be cleane And hee that is borne of a Woman that hee should be just Wee are all as a menstruous cloth Cap. 15. 14. as an uncleane thing we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the wind haue taken us away only Faith purifieth our hearts To come neerer fidem sanctissimam vocat ratione objecti hee Act. 15. 9. calleth it most holy Faith by reason of the object Deum enim trinum unum respicit it respecteth three and one three in Persons one in Essence Morall vertues they are occupied about humane objects and things created as liberality about giving of good things temperance about meate drinke fleshly lusts leachery c. Fortitude in suffring adversity therefore they cannot be called most holy vertues Againe it is called most holy Faith in respect of the efficient cause thereof that is to say the Holy Ghost For the Holy Ghost bestoweth upon us all good things love joy peace long 1 Cor. 12 Gal. 5. 22. suffering gentlenesse goodnesse Faith meeknesse temperance all these and all the rest are the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost Now because the Authour is holy his Works his gifts and graces bee holy Nil nisi sanctum à sancto spiritu prodire potest If no holines no Faith Nothing can come from the holy Spirit but that which is holy Aug. Learne here to judge of the works of the elder World their almes their prayer their love what love could there be without faith and what faith could there bee among them without the doctrine of God Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God But did they fast often Wee seldome or never Did they Rom. 10. 14. give almes and doe we live unto our selves are our right hands dryed up with Ieroboams Did they pray in the night wee scarce in the day Did they love one another agree together and doe wee sue and sting one another like the Serpents of Sinai O brethren they shall rise in judgement against us as Christ said of the Ninivites Except our righteousnesse our prayers our love exceed theirs wee shall not enter into Heaven our faith is Mat. 11. not most holy no nor holy nay no faith at all And by the way note that hee calleth faith holy not unholy unjust unchaste drunken faith such as the world braggeth of in these dayes the dead faith that Saint Iames inveigheth against so earnestly All lewd men boast of faith but I will say to them as Iames said O stende mihi fidem per opera Shew me thy faith by thy workes shew mee it by thy zeale thy piety thy truth thy chastity thy mercy with our faith let us joyne vertue The Israelites cryed Templum Domini templum Domini the Temple of 2 Pet. 1. 5. the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Pharisees cryed The Baptisme of Iohn the Baptisme of Iohn the Iewes cried We have Abraham to our Father the Scribes cried We have Moses to our Doctor the Ephesians cryed Great is Diana of the Ephesians but Ieremy bade the Israelites amend their wayes and their works Ier. 7. 4. Iohn bade the Pharisees bring forth fruits of Repentance Christ bade the Iewes doe the Workes of Abraham He told the Scribes Luk. 3. 8. Iohn 8. Iohn 5. Ephes 4. 20. that Moses would condemne them and Paul told the Ephesians that they had not so learned Christ and so say we to these men that boast of faith I will reason with them as Ieremy did with the people Will yee steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsly Ier. 7. 9 10. and burne incense unto Baal and walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before mee in this house whereupon my Name is called even so will we sweare lye raile slander and say that we beleeve Was Gods house a denne for theeves is faith become a cloake for theeves whoremongers lyers swearers usurers Idolaters blasphemers drunkards pot-companions c I say of this faith as Saint Iames said of Wisedome This wisedome descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish so Iam. 3. 5. this faith is not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish For faith sheweth it selfe in good workes and can no more be separated from it
the heart of man conceive Even for thousands and thousand yeeres What Arts and Sciences have beene found out by man yet cannot the eye see nor the eare heare nor the tongue utter nor the heart conceive of Life eternall The Apostle maketh a glorious comparison and yet speaketh but of an earthly building and of earthly and corruptible things So the Prophet Esay describeth the Church militant and triumphant but yet by earthly things For it passeth his skill and cunning to set out the perfect beauty and glorie of it God is infinite so the reward layd up for the just is infinite like unto himselfe the infinite God giveth infinite paines to sinners and infinite joyes unto the just Peter having but a glimmering of Heaven was ravished and cryed out Master here is good being let us build Tabernacles one for thee another for Moses and another for Elias How great then is Mat. 17. 4. the full sight of Heaven There bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such joyes as are not possible for a man to utter Mount Thabor was a goodly 2 Cor. 12. 4. Mount but in the celestiall Mount in Heaven you shall see that that eye never saw riches without measure glorie without comparison life without death day without night solace without ceasing joy without ending a land that floweth with milke and hony there wee shall see the City of the living God the celestiall Ierusalem a company of innumerable Angels the congregation of the Hebr. 12. 22. first borne which are written in Heaven the Spirits of just and perfect men Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament and the bloud of sprinkling speaking better things than the bloud of Abel But to reason from the lesse to the greater If here in an Inne bee so many pleasures what are in our owne home For whiles wee are strangers in the body wee are absent from the Lord but when wee 2 Cor. 5. 6. shall remove out of the body wee shall ever dwell with the Lord and abide in Heaven which is our home If in a prison our senses are filled with so many delights what shall bee in a Palace There shall bee fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore If here in a Iayle there bee so many pleasures to entertaine us such variety Psal 16. 11. of colours for the eye such melody and sweete sounds for the eare such fragrant odors for the nose such multitude of dishes for the taste if in Mount Horeb are so many things What are in Mount Sion in our owne Countrey For here wee are but strangers and pilgrimes but wee seeke another Countrey and wee desire a Hebr. 11 13 16. better that is to say an Heavenly If a corruptible body feele Our glorified boâ—y shall have Spirituall and Heavenly qualities such great sweetnesse what shall a glorified body feele For our bodies shall one day bee glorified Though they be sowne in dishonour they shall bee raised in glory though sowne in weakenesse they shall be raised in power though sowne a naturall body it shall be raised a spirituall body There is no comparison betweene Light and Hebr. 11. 13 16. 1 Cor. 15. 42 43. Darkenesse Gold and Lead Glasse and Pearle Men and Angels Heaven and Earth Corruption and Glory Weakenesse and Power Honour and Dishonour Our life is hid with Christ in Col. 3. 3. God and when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall wee also appeare with him in Glory For life is threefold Of Nature Grace and Glory The life of Nature is sweete the life of Grace sweeter and the life of Glory sweetest of all and this life of Glory is hid with Christ in God and in this life of Glory there shall bee in our bodies first Claritas beauty and cleerenesse in so much that as Saint Chrysostome saith that the bodies of the Saints shall bee septies clariora Sole seven times brighter than the Sunne Secondly in this life of Glory there shall bee in our bodies spirituall agility and hence is it that some ascribe the activity and quicknesse of our soule spirit to a glorified body saying that such bodies are not spirits but spiritualized bodies Thirdly in this life of Glory there shall be in our bodies Impassibility For though here we suffer of every thing yet there wee shall bee subject to no corruptible passion or suffering Lastly in this life of Glory there shall bee in our bodies Immortality here indeed orimur morimur at our byrth wee beginne to dye accedimus wee enter into the world succedimus wee succeede one another in the world and last of all decedimus wee depart all out of the world but in this life of Glory wee shall have immortall bodies And as the body so the soule in this life of Glory shall bee glorified and this her glory consisteth of two things in her union with God and in our vision of God both of these may be gathered out of that of Saint Iohn When hee shall appeare we shall bee like him and see him as hee is wee shall be like unto him there 1 Iohn 3. is our union we shall see him as hee is there is our vision Others adde to the beatitude of the soule two other actions one the fruition the other the eternall retention of God and it is a question among the Learned in which of these foure the felicity of the soule doth consist some in her vision of God some in her fruition of God some in her retention of God I will not determine onely I say that in this life of Glory both soules and bodies shall have triumphum gaudium triumph and joy they shall triumph over Death for Death shall bee no more over him that hath the Lordship of Death the Divell for hee shall never bee able to hurt him Againe they shall have joy God all in all to the glorified Saints first in the Majestie of God secondly in the humanity of Christ thirdly in the society of Angels and Saints Vide intùs extrà suprà infrà circumcircà ubique gaudium Looke Aug. within thee and without thee above thee and beneath thee about thee and every-where there is joy Nay Gaudium super gaudium joy above joy joy surmounting all joy and without the which there can be no joy within thee shall bee joy in the glorification of body and soule without thee in the company of the blessed Saints and Angels above thee in the sight of God beneath thee in the beauty of the Heaven and Earth For there shall bee a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth 2 Pet. 3. righteousnesse round about us in the delight of all our senses for God himselfe shall bee the object of all our senses Erit enim speculum visui Hee shall bee a glasse to our eyes musicke to our eares hony to our mouthes a flowre to our hands balme to our nose Ibi erit candor Aestatis
of the riches and wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearcheable are his judgements and his wayes past finding â—ut Yea so wise a God is hee that deprehendit astutos in astutia that hee taketh the wilie and subtill in their craft and subtiltie nay there is no Wisedome there is no understanding there is no Counsell against the Lord. Let us Prov. 21. alwayes then submit our selves to this onely wise God who knoweth how to deliver us out of temptation and trouble and to 2 Pet. 2. punish the wicked for with him is wisedome and strength hee hath counsell and understanding Iob 21. 22. I am come unto the second title and that title is that hee calleth him a Saviour yea our Saviour a title of great comfort hee is able to save us hee is willing to save us what now is wanting to our full consolation There is power there is will in him to save us upon these two pillars resteth our faith So Saint Peter comforted the dispersed Church for having shewed how that through the aboundant mercy of our God wee are elect and regenerate to a lively hope and how faith must bee tried hee commeth at last to this salvation here spoken of and telleth them that they shall one day receive the end of their faith even the salvation of their soules The which salvation in Christ is no new thing but a thing prophesied of old salvation is the thing that wee all long for for there is none so wicked but he would bee saved and no salvation but in Christ There is no other name given unto men by which they shall bee saved save onely by the name of Act. 4. 12. Iesus hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour so called at his birth This day is Luke 2. 11. borne a Saviour which is Christ the Lord so named before his birth Thou shalt call his name Iesus for bee shall save his people from their Mat. 1. 21. sinnes And thus called after his birth and Ioseph called his name Iesus a title knowne in Heaven honoured in Earth and feared in Hell He is a Saviour a powerfull Saviour when he Mat. 1. 25. was weakest then did he the greatest works that ever were done hee was powerfull in his life in doing miracles in giving sight Christ is properly called the Saviour to the blind eares to the deafe tongues to the dumbe legges to the ame life to the dead O but more powerfull at his death in saving the world For then the Sunne was darkened the earth trembled the stones clave in pieces the graves opened the dead raised his death reached to Heaven to earth to Hell the Angels rejoyced the Divels trembled and all men were comforted Let Satan boast like Rabsache that God cannot deliver Ierusalem out of his hands that God cannot deliver the elect from his power he is a lier the God of peace shall tread him under our feete shortly our Michael hath cast downe the Dragon we may sing the â—o Paean the joyfull triumph with the Saints Now is salvation in Heaven and strength and the Kingdome of God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is throwne downe which accused them day and night before God and they overcame him with the blood of the Lambe For indeed Christs death was our life his sacrifice our satisfaction Lact. his labour hath eased our burthens his wounds our curing his stripes our healing his curse our blessing his damnation our absolution Finely saith one Thou art sicke hee is the Physician of thy soule yea dead in sinne hee is thy Saviour and reviver thou art starved through sinne hee is the bread of life thou art thirsty hee is the water nay dead with thirst hee is the ever-springing well the River of Paradise one drop whereof is more than all the Ocean The Graecians for an earthly deliverance by Flaminius cried so loud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the earth gave an Eccho and a rebound that their cry made the Fowles of the ayre to fall downe dead their voice and shoute was as the sound of a thunder how much more cause have wee to reioice in the Lord Iesus who saveth both body and soule and delivereth from dangers of this life and the life to come The Angels sung at his birth Glory be to God on bigh Luk. 2. in earth peace good will towards men No tongues of men or Angels are able to expresse this benefit it is a greater my stery than so for so the Apostle confesseth saying Without controversy great is the mystery of godlines which is God is manifested in the flesh justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentils beleeved on in the world and received up in glory Moses saved Israel from Pharao Christ saveth us from the Divell hee from Aegypt Christ from hell hee brought them into the land of Chanaan Christ will bring us Exod. 12. Col. 1. into heaven hee sprinkled the dore posts with the blood of the Lambe Christ our hearts with his owne blood The Papists are injurious to Christ and breake in upon his titles and offices making him either no Saviour or else but a little Saviour in ascribing salvation to Agnus Dei to the blood of Martyrs to Crosses Masses Papists doe as much incroch upon Christ as the Turkes doe they will not acknowledge election justification to come from grace as a right Popish doctrine tends to the disgracing of Grace Father but from workes a stepmother all their doctrine savours of pride blaspheming grace and the worke of grace Note their doctrines de igniculis virtutum insitis à natura of sparkes of vertue grafted in us by nature de gratia operante cooÌ„perante of operating and cooÌ„perating grace de puris naturalibus of pure naturals they will not suffer any body to call God Father and yet is hee the Father of Mercies and God of all 2 Cor. 1. 3. comfort The Church of Rome saith That all the actions of men unregenerate bee not sinne that originall sinne needeth no repentance that a man by meere naturals may love God feare God and beleeve in Christ that a regenerate man may fulfill the whole Law as said the Trident Councell that wee may doe works of supererogation Et quid nunc relinquitar Christe Iesu And what is now left for Christ Iesus The Iesuites aske Why is it not as honorable for God as great glory to powre in an inherent righteousnesse into us as to give us a reputed or imputed righteousnesse But so they may aske Why God kept not Adam from falling Had it not bene as honorable to have kept him from falling No no for then wee had not knowne the sweetnesse of the Messiah So it may seeme as honorable Gen. 3. 15. for God to have kept us from sicknesse but then we had not knowne the goodnesse of the Physician
the highest degree as God complaineth I have nourished and brought up Children but they have rebelled against mee The Oxe doth know his owner the Asse his masters crib but Israel Esa 1. 2 3 4. hath not knowne my people hath not understood We are a sinfull nation a people loden with iniquity a seed of the wicked corrupt children We have forsaken the Lord and provoked the Holy one of Israel to anger We professe to serve God but in works wee deny God we have a shew of godlines but inwardly wee deny the power of it our profession Tit. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 3. is like the apples and grapes of Sodom faire to the sight but if you touch them they vanish to smoke so all our profession standeth in words not in works as Iames said Ostende mihi fidem per opera Shew mee thy faith by thy works so Ostende Iam. 2. mihi regnum Dei per subjectionem tuam Shew mee the Kingdome of God by thy subjection by thy obedience which is due to his Word apply thy heart to keepe his statutes alwayes unto the end Bee not deceived God will not thus bee mocked in fine wee shall receive the reward of Rebels Quid dicta audiam cùm facta videam What should I heare words when I should see deeds as Moses said to Israeel laying out their severall rebellions So might I lay out the rebellions of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 egge and bird all naught our Fathers naught and wee also our Fathers have forsaken God and kept not his Law and we have Notorious sinners Satans subjects done worse than our Fathers and walke every one after the stubbornesse of his heart As well may wee spit on Christ Iesus buffet and beate him with a reed and cry with the mockers Haile King of the Iewes as kneele in the Church and say Thy Kingdome come Lord and yet in our deeds promote the kingdome of Satan disobey and not receive the Word which is the power of God Rom. 1. 16. to salvation to every one that beleeveth Therefore hee so highly extolleth it saying The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations 2 Cor. 10. 5. and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Wee pray to be like the Angels we must strive then to come neere Mat. 6. them in obedience Three properties are noted in the Angels Obediunt Libentissimè Citissimè Fidelissimè most Willingly Speedily Faithfully They are willing to obey and so wee read that one Angell with speed killed an hundred fourescore and five thousand of the Assyrians in one night We must be like Angels if we looke Esa 37. to live with Angels they praise God day and night so must we Esa 6. But it may bee said of most of us that which Vivaldus said of Corasius Erat foris Cato intus Noro he was a Cato without a Nero within foris Angelus intus Diabolus an Angell without a Divell within foris Agnus intus Lupus a Lambe without a Wolfe within Deum ore laudabat corde factis negabat hee praised God with his mouth but denied him in heart in deeds tales sunt mancipia Diaboli such are the slaves of Satan God doth not raigne as a King in them his grace hath no dominion over them they are in the snare of the Divell and are taken of him at his will In this sence Christ called the Iewes the sonnes of the Divell Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your father will yee doe so 2 Tim. 2. 26. Iohn 8. 44. 1 Iohn 2. 14. Iohn saith in the contrary I write unto you babes because yee have knowne the father Impij servi sunt tot daemoniorum quot vitiorum the wicked are the servants of so many divels as they have sinnes and transgressions it is the divell that hath dominion over them not God by his grace As there is in the body a palsy that striketh the one halfe and an Apoplexy that striketh the whole body so there is in our soules a spirituall palsy if not an Apoplexy our understanding is not lightned with the doctrine of God and our will is not enflamed with the Love of God to doe his will as it becommeth us Hereupon Saint Augustine crieth out Augusta foeda est domus Aug. animae meae Straight and filthy is the house of my soule but when thou commest vnto it ô Lord it shall bee enlarged and mundified of thee it is ruinous Lord repaire and amend it it is filthy Lord clense it and wash it there be many things in this Christ will dwell and raigne in a pure soule house of my soule which may offend thy sacred eyes but who shall purge it and purify it or unto whom shall I cry but unto thee Ab ocultis meis purga me Clense mee from my secret sinnes Let this bee our prayer and pray with that spirit wherewith Augustine prayed it and no doubt God will heare thee and have a Kingdom in thy soule This testimony is true the Heavens have sealed unto it and the living God hath spoken it of the children of men and blessed are wee if wee beleeve it there is more happinesse in one day of Gods service and under his Dominion then in ten thousand dayes of vanity in which Satan hath dominion and wee fall from the Lord of life The sixth and last attribute is Power wherein the excellent praise of God consisteth which is the ability in God to do what hee listeth like unto the former attributes but not all one with them haec enim magis conjungi quà m confundi velim I had rather conjoine these things than confound them as Calvin said in another case Of this power speaketh David O Lord my God thou art Psal 104. 1. exceeding great thou art clothed with glory and Majesty And of this power speaketh Esay Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted Heaven with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in Esa 40. 12. a measure and weighted the mountaines in a weight and the hilles in a balance And of this power of God speaketh Salomon Who hath Prov. 30. 4. ascended up to Heaven or descended Who hath gathered the Wind in his fist Who hath bound the Waters in a garment Who hath established all the ends of the world What is his Name or his Sonnes Name if thou canst tell And in respect of this power Christ said Ecce vobiscum sum Behold I am with you to the end of the world whereupon Mat. 28. 20. Aug. Augustine finely Iturus erat Christus ad dextram Patris per mortem praesentia Corporali In regard of his Corporall presence he was by death to goe to the right hand of his Father and in regard of his
Spirituall presence hee is with his Church unto the end of the world secundum ineffabilem invisibilem gratiam impletur illud Ecce vobiscum sum according to his unspeakable and invisible grace that is fulfilled I am with you alwayes to the end of the world but according to the flesh which the Word did take and as hee was borne of a Virgin and apprehended of the Iewes and fastned to the Crosse and as he was taken from the Crosse and wrapped in linnen clothes and laid in the grave that is fulfilled which is said Mee yee shall not have alwayes for forty dayes after Iohn 20. his resurrection hee ascended Et non est hîc and hee is not here for hee sitteth at the right hand of his Father in Heaven est hîc and yet he is here for he departed not from them in regard of his Majesty and power but is still with them Magna quidem sententia tali viro digna A worthy saying fitting so worthy a Father As the soule is whole in the whole body and whole in every part of the body so Christ secundum potentiam by his power and might is all whole in Heaven all whole in earth and all The Christian is strong in Christ who is all sufficient whole in every part of the earth and this is our comfort for in his passion love is kindled in his resurrection faith is confirmed in his resurrection hope is strengthned for while our Head by his power ascended into Heaven wee also with him shall together ascend For all power is given unto him If Iacob understanding that Mat. 28. Ioseph was alive could say Sufficit mihi quòd filius meus vivit It suffiseth me that my sonne liveth much more ought every faithfull Gen. 45. soule to say It sufficeth mee that Christ liveth and sitteth at the right hand of his Father who is unto me in mourning mirth in hunger meate in sicknes health in poverty wealth in darkenes light in weakenes power in death life and this is to give power to God alwayes to depend and hang on his power not to say as the Aramites to make him weake in one place and at one time and strong in another place and at another time but strong 1 Reg. 20. 28. for ever in his strength wee are strong in his victory wee overcome In all things wee are more than conquerors through him that loved Rom. 8. 37. us Conquerers and more than conquerers What is this more than Conquerors O noble Apostle thou wantest words to expresse thy meaning what men or Angels can expresse it fitly what wee shall call this more Rest in him trust in him though your bodies bee weake your beauty fraile your health uncerten your life short your honours vaine your pleasures brittle your troubles great your wisdome little your vertues few your affections many and turbulent and one day yee shall bee conquerours and more then conquerours for his power is made perfect through weakenes he can bring strength out of weakenes light 1 Cor. 12. 9. out of darkenesse life out of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and make the weake things of the world to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1. 27. Thomas Aquinas doth set out unto us the power of God by the Aquin. order of naturall things Nam majora sunt quae semper nobiliora for they be the greater which are alway the most noble saith hee As in the Elements the Water is ten times more then the earth in greatnes the ayre is greater than the water the fire which wee call the ayre is greater than the ayre and the Heavens are greater than the fire and the highest Heaven greater than the rest because it containeth and is not contayned God therefore which made all is more noble more great than all and is infinite in his essence and power Sum qui sum I am that I am is his name he is of himselfe as Kings are of themselves in their owne Kingdomes we of him as the authority of Magistrates dependeth on the King I am that I am is his name As the eye Exod. 3. which is ordayned to see all colours wanteth all colour otherwise all things should seeme to bee of the same colour so the first Mover is subject to no body and yet can rule all bodies by his power and to bee ruled of none his power is incomprehensible The meditation of Christs power is sweet and comfortable who can despaire knowing that in him is fulnes of power Thus the Christ is all in all unto us Apostles solaced themselves among the middest of their persecutions thus let us solace our selves for who can doe as Christ Act. 4. hath done Aesculapius among the Heathen is adored as God in physicke but Christ hath cured all diseases he hath given sight to the blind and tongues to the dumbe and legges to the lame Mat. 9. Luk. 7. and life to the dead Aesculapius did it by hearbes but Christ by his Word Hercules is adored for his strength for killing men beasts and monsters but Christ hath overcome Divels and death it selfe Bacchus is worshipped for wine and Ceres for bread but Christ Hebr. 2. turned water into wine and fedde five thousand men with five 1 Cor. 15. Iohn 2. cap. 6. loaves and two fishes Minerva is famous for learning but Christ by twelve unlearned men subdued the world Alexander with the sword and the Apostles with the Word one of the greatest miracles in the world Athanasius libro de incarnatione Christi layeth out the power of Christ foure wayes that at his first comming the miralces of Boetia Licia Lybia Aegypt Cabirus ceased and secondly all the oracles of the Divels in Delphos Dido Delos and all Greece thirdly their magicke of Chaldaea and India vanished then away and lastly that the wisdome and eloquence of Philosophers was silenced and suppressed by the doctrine of the Apostles Whereupon libro de Passione Dei he thus crieth out O Christe tu lumen nobis in tenebris illuminasti thou ô Christ our light didst Iohn 3. 19. lighten us in darkenes thou at the right hand of thy Father hast Act. 2. loosed our sorrowes thou being life hast quickened us being dead Col. 2. thou being poore hast inriched us with thy poverty thou being 2 Cor. 8. Rom. 8. 38. our Mediatour hast reconciled us to thy Father thou art to us all in all If any object that hee cannot doe some things for hee cannot lie I answere that Gods power doth not fight with Gods truth Dicitur omnipotens faciendo quod vult non patiendo quod non vult he is called Omnipotent in doing what hee will not in suffering what Aug. lib. 5. de Civitate Dei hee will not Nil Deo difficile There is nothing hard for God Potest Deus omnia sed non vult God can doe all things but hee will not
25. In the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels Thirdly great in respect of the prisoners that shall be arraigned For when he shall come in the clouds of heaven every eye shall see him even those that peirced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wayle Apoc. 1. 7. before him Nay then The Kings of the earth and great men and rich Apoc. 6. 15. men and the chiefe Captaines and the mighty men and every bond man and every free man shall be arraigned And therefore it may well be called a great day for if the particular day of the destruction of Ierusalem was so grievous that the Prophet cryed out The great Zeph. 1. 14 15 16 day of the Lord is neer it is neer hasteth greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord the strong man shall cry there bitterly That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and heavinesse a day of destruction and desolation a day of obscurity and darkenesse a day of clouds and blacknesse a day of Iâ—â—l 2. 10. 11. the trumpet and alarum against the strong Cities c. And againe the earth shall tremble before him the heavens shall shake the Sunne and Moone shall be darke and the starres shall withdraw their shining and the Lord shall utter his voyce before his host for his host is very great For he is strong that doth his work For the day of the Lord is great very terrible and who can abide it What shall be the generall day of the destruction of the whole world when the Elements shall melt with 2 Pet. 3. heat the heavens shall passe away with a noyse the earth shall reele and stagger like a drunken man and the world shall burne Good Lord what a great day will this be when all the Saints out of heaven all the damned out of hell all the dead bodies out of the earth must appeare Not an Angell spared not a divell respited not a Saint or sinner rescued but all must be summoned to give their attendance and to make their appearances Once the world was destroyed with water but now it shal be consumed with fire For the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels 1 Thes 1. 7 8. in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them which know not God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Let thy heart dwell seriously in this meditation but a little imagine that thou sawest the world on fire the Iudge sitting the dead standing before him the sinnes of all men revealed the divels accusing Eccles 7 38. them it would beat downe many sinnes in thee Remember the end and thou shalt never doe amisse Christ speaking of that day saith That there shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and Luke 21. 25 26 upon the earth trouble among Nations with perplexity the Sea and the waters shall rore and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things that shall come on the world for the powers of heaven Iudgement terrible to all but especially to the wicked shall be shaken Others Sessions and assizes be fearefull to malefactors what shall Gods assizes bee when the Ancient of dayes shall sit whose garments are white as snow and the haire of his head is like pure wooll and his throne like a firy flame Then Dan. 7. 9. fulminabit dominus e Caelo the Lord shall thunder from heaven and the highest will give his voyce And if the thunder and ratling of a cloud be so terrible what terrour shall there bee when he shall thunder that sits above the clouds For then Terra tremet Mare mugiet the earth shall quake the Sea rore the ayre ring the World burne and if Tota terra the whole pillars of the earth must move how should this move man who is but a cold of earth If virtutes Coeli the powers of heaven must tremble what will befall those mindes of mudde and earth that have never a thought of heaven If the Angels of God shall stand then at a gaze how agast will the wicked be whose portion is with the Divell and his Angels If the Heavens must cleave and the Elements bee rent asunder how will earthly hearts faile and breake If the righteous shall scarce be saved Vbi impius Where shall the wicked and the sinner appeare If S. Ciprian is said so Ciprian much to feare diem Iudicii the day of Iudgement that he cleane forgot diem martyrii the day of Martyrdome and earthly torment and no marvell Nam timor mortis nihil ad timorem Iudicis the feare of temporall death is nothing to the feare of him that hath power of eternall life and death And if they be in such amaze Ad quos judex For whose glorie and good the Iudge shall come how shall they stand amazed Contra quos Index against Apoc. 20. whom and for whose eternall shame and paine the Iudge shall 1 Coâ— 1. 25. come If Heaven and earth shall flie before him Quomodo stabimus ante potentissimum quem nemo potest vincere how shall we be 1 Tim 1. 17. able to stand before the most mightie whom none can vanquish For the weakenes of God is stronger than men Ante prudentissimum quem nemo potest fallere before the most wise whom no man can deceive For he is God only Wise and in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge and understanding Ante piissimum quem nemo potest corrumpere before the most just whom no man can corrupt His judgement will be Rectum judicium a right and a true judgement he cannot faile either Ignorantia legis as not knowing the Law For he gave the Law and he will judge according to the Law nor yet ignorantia facti As not seeing the fact For his eyes goe thorow the World Ye may interprete them if ye will 7. thousand thousand eyes For he is Totus oculus All eye Aug. The consideration of this should stirre us up to be carefull and circumspect in all our wayes that we never treade our shooe awry nor offend this Iudge in any thing that at this great day we may find him a gentle and a loving Lambe and not a Lion of Iuda For as to the wicked the Iudge is terrible so to the godly friendly and as to the wicked this great day is a day How can the wicked stand before the uncorrupt Iudge of redemption But to proceed a little further this day is called a day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellencie For never day was like unto it In the day of Israel when he went out of Aegypt The Sea fledde Iordan was driven backe the mountaines skipped like Rammes and the little hills like yong Sheepe In the day of Iosua the Sunne stood still in Psal 114. Heaven from morning to noone
horses neigh after your neighbours wives For God will visite for these things and his soule wil be avenged on you Tremble you greedy men that sell the poore for shoes and the needy for silver For God will not forget any of your workes he hath sworne it by the excellencie Amos. 8. 6. 7. of Iacob the land shall tremble for this and every one mourne that dwelleth therein Tremble ye contemners of Gods 2 Poâ— 3. word that deride his preachers as the old world did Noah The Lord himselfe will have you now in derision And let all sinners tremble Let them beware by Dives that cries for a spoonefull of water to coole his tongue tormented in the flames with more rivers of teares than ever Esau did for the blessing and yet cannot have it But if they will not beleeve hell fire they shall feele it before Luk. 16. 27. they beleeve it They shall lie in Hell like sheepe death shall devoure them There lie many jollie fellowes that would give tenne Psal 49. 14. thousand worlds to come out if they had them The very Poets by some flash of Gods spirit intimate Hell in naming Caron Phlegeton Archeron Erebus with Tantalus his apples and Ixions wheele and Titius his liver and Sysiphus his stone we Christians speake of Gods judgement seate and they name Minos Rhadamanthus Aeacus Triptoleme we have heaven they name Campâ—s Tert. in Apologetico adversus Gemes Elysios we speake of God they speake of Dis Pluto Proserpina For as Tertullian said potaverunt poetae de Prophetarum fonte The Poets dranke of the fountaines of the Prophets Inde Philosophi sitim ingenii sui rigaverunt There the Philosophers refreshed the thirst of their wits Antiquior enim omnibus est veritas Truth is more ancient than all omnia adversus veritatem de veritate constructa sunt All things against the truth were heaped togither and made of the truth But to returne to our matter The Schoolemen distinguish of fire that there is Ignis ardoris faetoris terroris Fire of heate of stench and of terrour Of heate as in Mount Aetna of stench they the have heaven here must have hell hereafter as in mount Heda of terrour and feare as Ignis fulguris the fire of lightening in America All those fires say they are in Hell But omitting the Schoolemen the holy Ghost noteth this fire to be most terrible even to Kings therefore to meane men Tophet that is to say Hell where the wicked are tormented is prepared Esai 30. 33. of old it is even prepared for the King so that their estate and degree cannot exempt them if they be wicked It is made deepe and large the burning thereof is fire and much Wood the breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone doth kindle it Multi in hac vita quaerunt suavia potius quam gravia varia quam sana delicacia quamutilia amara ergo gustabunt in inferno Many in this world seeke more after sweet than grave things more after vaine than sound things more after daintie then profitable things therfore shall they tast of bitter things in Hell As Abraham said to the rich man Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure and Luk. 16. 25. contrarywise Lazarus received paine but now is be comforted and thou tormented Nemo potesthic illic voluptate frui no man can enjoy pleasure in this life and in the life to come also For twise happy men cannot be but the way to heaven is to saile by Hell For by many tribulations we must entre into the kingdome off heaven A Schooleman that wrote sermones disciplè maketh five differents Act. 4. betwene our fire and Hell fire First in regard of heate For our fire being compared to Hell fire is like a fire painted upon a wall and therfore called a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast Apot. 20. 10. and false prophet shal be tormented day and night Secondly our fire burneth the body alone it tormenteth not the soule but the fire of Hell tormented and burneth body and soule Hereupon saith our Saviour Feare not him that can hurt the body and have no power over the soule but feare him that is able to send both body and soule into Mat. 13. 28. Hell Thirdly our fire where it burneth there it shineth there it lighteneth but the fire of Hell burneth but giveth no light at all Therfore Christ calleth it utter darknesse Mat. 23. 13. Fourthly our fire wasteth and consumeth whatsoever is cast into it but the fire of Hell consumeth nothing For as the Salamander liveth in the fire so shall the wicked live in the fire of Hell they shall seeke for death but they shall not find it Semper cumburentur nunquam consumentur they shall alwaies be burned Aug. but never consumed Fourthly one fire may be quenched but the fire of Hell cannot and therefore called unquenchable vna scintilla ignis Gehennae Mar. 4. 44. plus laedit impium quam si mulier in partu mille annis perseveraret one sparke of Hell fire doth more torment the wicked than if a woman should continue in her travell a thousand yeares Bern Another Schooleman nameth these paines in Hell first heat and therfore called a Luke of fire Apoc. 19. 20. Secondly stinch and therfore called a Lake that burneth with Hell terrible to all but especially to the wicked fire and brimstone which stinketh horribly 3. Bands Take and bind him hand and foot 4. Darkenesse Cast him into utter darkenesse 5. Visions of divels Goe ye cursed into hell fire prepared for the divell Mat. 22. 13. Ibidem Mat. 25. and his Angels 6. The howling of the damned and therefore it is said that all the kindreds of the earth shall waile before him Apoc. 1. 7. 7. Separation from God for they shall be punished with eternall perdition from the presence of God and from the glory of his power And 2 Thes 1. 8. this Gregory calleth Paena damni the paine of losse Finely said Bernard Paveo Gehennam Iudicis vultum contremisco ab ira potentis à facie furoris ejus à fragore ruentis mundi à conflagratione elementorum Bern. Ser. 26. in Cant. à voce Archangeli à daemonibus rugientibus paratis ad escam I feare Hell and the countenance of the Iudge I tremble for the wrath of the Almighty for the face of his fury for the noyse of the falling world for the burning of the elements for the voyce of the Archangell and for the roaring Divels prepared to devoure But if Bernard feared what may the wicked doe whose hearts tell them that they have done little or no good in the world The Glutton whose faith is his kitchin and whose God is his belly The Whoremonger who hath eyes full of adultâ—ry The Oppressor Phil. 3 17 2 Pet. 2. 14. Esa 1. 15.
Sea and to cast in an angle and take the first fish that commeth up and in his mouth he should finde a piece of twenty pence that take and give unto them for thee and me And Paul willeth the Ephesians to pray for them even Mat. 17. 27. then when like Manasses they powred out blood like water and 1 Tim. 2. 1. made Townes and Cities swimme with blood as he did Ierusalem when like the Chaldees they gave the dead bodies of Gods 2 Reg. 21. servants unto the fowles of the ayre and the flesh of his Saints unto the beasts of the field When like Antiochus they burnt all Psal 79. 2. Libraries and consumed the dayes of the Christians like smoke Psal 102. 3. 6. 9. and their bones burnt like an hearth when they were like Pelicans in the wildernesse and like Owles in the desarts when they did eate ashes like bread and mingled their drinke with weeping And to shew the constant practise of this not to goe backe like the shadow of Ezechias his dyall to the time of the Law that the Iewes are commanded to pray for Nabuchadnezzar and the peace of Babylon yet Babylon was as the destruction of God in Sodome and Gomorah the Arabian did not pitch his tent there Ier. 29. but Ziim lodged there their houses were full of O him Ostritches dwelt there and Iim did cry in their palaces and Dragons in their pleasant palaces Esa 13. 20 21 22. As for Nabuchadnezzar as he was a man he deserved not the name of a man but of a beast yet as hee was a King hee is Dan. 4. called Theservant of the highest God and in his peace they have Rebellion is against nature peace Tertullian sheweth what affection and love the former Christians carryed to the Magistrate they were so farre from despising In Apologetico governement that they said Oramus pro Imperatoribus ut det Deus illis vitam prolixam imperium tutum aulam securam exercitus fortes orbem pacatum Senatum sidelem c. we pray for the Emperours that God would give them a long life a safe government a sure dwelling valiant Souldiers a peaceable world a faithfull councell c. And yet the Christians then were as sheepe appointed unto the slaughter the rivers were dyde red with blood the Rom. 2. hangman weary with killing their swords were blunt caedebantur ligabantur torquebantur they were beaten bound tormented alii Aug. de Civitat dei 22. cap. 6. ferro perempti alii flammis exusti alii flagris verberati alii vectibus perforati alii cruciati patibulo alii vivi decoriati alii vinculis mancipati Rubanus alii linguis privati alii lapidibus obruti alii frigore afflicti alii fame cruciati alii truncatis manibus aliisue caesis membris spectaculum contumeliae nudi propter nomen Domini pottantes c. that is some were slaine with the sword some burnt with fire some with whips scourged some stabbed with forkes of iron some fastned to the crosse or gibbet some drowned in the Sea some their skinnes pluckt off some their tongues cut out some stoned to death some killed with cold some starved with hunger some their hands cut off or otherwise dismembred have been so left naked to the open shame of the world c. yet still they were obedient to government So Ambrose and the Catholikes of Millane resisted not Valentinian and Iustinian in the rage of the Arrians but cryed Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus hic hic occidito si placet arma nostra sunt preces lachrymae we pray Augustus we fight not here here kill us if thou please our weapons are prayers and teares So said Hermogenes when the Emperour would have had him to worship an image Da mihi veniam Imperator minaris tucarcerem Deus Gehennam c. Pardon me ô Emperour thou threatnest prison but GOD hell thou the confiscation of my goods but God the damnation of my soule Obedirem tibi nisi quod obediam Domino I would obey thee but I must first obey GOD our lives our liberty our goods are subject to the Magistrate wee must not then Despise Governement but obey Rebellion of all sinnes sheweth the corruptions of our nature yea rebellion and contempt of governement is unnaturall for God hath madea chiefty in all things and every thing keepeth his place Among the Angels there be Cherubins and Seraphins Esa 6. among the Planets the Sunne is the chiefe and the rest borrow their light from him among the fowles the Eagle a-among the beasts the Lion among the Serpents the Basiliske among the Fishes the Whale among the VVethers there is Iob 38. a leader a Bell-wether among the Cranes there is one as a Rebellion is a resisting of Gods ordinance Captaine that goeth before the rest In a flocke there is dux gregis a leader in an hive of Bees there is a master-Bee the very Pismyres have their Governour and the Grashopers goe forth by bands And hath not God made a chiefe a Ruler among men Absit God forbid therefore that we should despise govenment Prov. 30. 27. Therefore to three things that order well their going Salomon addeth a fourth that is to a Lion which is strong among beasts and turneth not at the sight of any to a lusty Grey-hound and a Goat he addeth a King against whom there is no rising up Per deum Reges regnant By God Kings reigne Princes decree justice by him Princes rule and the Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth Promotion and honour commeth neither from the East nor from the VVest nor from the North nor from the South but it is God that lifteth up one and pulleth downe another There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth Rom. 13. 1. 2. the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgement Not onely the punishment of the Governours but also the vengeance of God And God hath Numb 16. famously revenged this sinne as ever any As upon Corah Dathan and Abiram they lifted not up their hands but their mouths against Moses and the earth opened and swallowed them quicke to Hell Absalom rebelled against his father but Gods vengeance followed him and overtooke him for he was hanged betwixt heaven and earâ—h the earth vomited him out and the heavens would not receive him And it was finely said of Iezabel 2 Sam. 18. 9. though otherwise a vile creature Had Zimri peace that slew his master Of late time Ralph Duke of Suevia confessed that he had lost that 2. Reg. 9. 31. hand in battell that had sworne obedience to Henry the fourth his master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anarchy and Disorder have ever beene the bane of all Kingdomes and Common-wealths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confusion bringeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and Sacraments was not utterly rejected Paul acknowledgeth them a glorious Church Certainely tares and uncleane vessels are in the Church yet let us endeavour our selves to be good corne and not goe out of the Churh but follow the counsell of Augustine Corripiat homo quod potest quod non potest patienter ferat let a man reprove what he can without danger of Schisme and what he cannot let him patiently suffer but let him never make separation For first in the Church there be many more that feare God and worke righteousnesse than the outward eye can discerne this deceived Elias but the foundation of God standeth firme God knoweth who are his Secondly 2 Tim. 2. 19. even of them that are vile and naught some of them are touched with griefe of conscience for their sinnes and hunger and thrist after righteousnesse Thirdly a man is not to be condemned for some particular fact for the brightest fire hath some smoke the clearest water some mud the face of Venus a Molle and the most heavenly affection some infection of earth In multis peccavimus Iam. 3. 2. omnes In many things we offend all But I may fitly apply that to our Brownists and Separatists which the religious Emperour said to one of that humour Si tam sanctus sis c. If you bee so holy that you will not communicate in the Word and Sacraments with us your even fellow Christians set a ladder to the clouds and clime up to heaven alone In this point the Donatists were ridiculous who meeting in an assembly with the Catholikes for the allaying of some controversies and being intreated by the Tribune to sit downe with the rest answered they stood of purpose because it is written Cum sceleratis non sedebo I will not sit downe with the wicked To whom Saint Augustine wittily and effectually replyed Cur ergo ad nos intrare vobis non fuit religio c. why then make you no conscience to enter the same place with us seeing it is written also in the precedent words Ad mulignos non ingrediar I will not goe unto the wicked and with the ungodly I will not sit downe But let the Brownists and all of the Separation leave their evill speaking let them returne home to their mother the Church of England for doubtlesse The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the governement Prov. 13. 17. of his Mother the Ravens of the Vallies shall picke it out and the young Eagles eate it and so to leave our evill-speaking Separists An evill speaker is a murtherer with his tongue By the way observe that if men will doe evill they must heare evill it is no rayling to rebuke him sharpely that doth wickedly Some finding fault with Saint Augustine for his tartnesse and sharpenesse in reproving answered wittily Emendate vitam ego emendabo verba mend you your wayes and I shall mend my words Cessate perversè agere cease you from doing evill and I shall cease to reprove and rebuke For where sinne is ranke and red Boanarges the sonne of thunder is more necessary than Barnabas the sonne of consolation They speake evill An evill speaker is a murtherer Et gladium portat in lingua non in vagina and the sword that murthereth with all he carryeth in his tongue not in his scabbard A man may say to these evill speakers as Christ said to Peter Pone gladium in vagina put up thy sword into thy sheath These are like Cockes fed with garlicke that overcome others with ranknesse of breath not with strength of body Vincunt clamore non veritate they overcome with clamours and out-cryes not with verity and truth But if at the day of Iudgement they must give an account for every idle word Mat. 12. 36. what for their evill words And if the wrath of God is wont to fall on the children of unbeleefe it must needs fall upon these evill speakers for they are altogether wrapped in unbeleefe If Sodome and Gomorah were destroyed from heaven for sinning against nature what vengeance remaines for these evill speakers that offend the God of nature If then Thou longest after life and wouldest see good dayes refraine thy tongue from evill and thy Psal 34. 12 13. lips that they speake no guile Pambo a man utterly unlearned in the Scriptures on a time came to Saint Hierome to be taught some Scripture without booke he turned him to the first verse of the 39. Psalme I said I will take heed unto my wayes that I offend not in my tongue A lesson that our evill speakers will not learne for they offend more in the tongue than in hand foot eare eye or any member besides their tongues are like unto the sting of Adders to a sword yea a sharpe sword to a razor and to arrowes their tongues are fire yea a world of wickednesse being set on fire of Hell They speake evill of those things which they know not c. They rayle in their ignorance on things which they know not Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem the birds have no such enemy as the Owle nor the Passenger no such enemy as the blind worme nor the Mariner no such enemy as the Mermaid so the learned no such enemy as the ignorant Saint Peter speaking of the Epicures and Atheists of the world saith They knew not and that willingly And Paul said of the Gentiles that they walked In mentis vanitate in the vanity of their mind having 2 Pet. 3. 5. their cogitation darkned and being strangers from the life of God thorow Divers kindes of ignorance the ignorance that is in them The like he said of the Idolaters That they were vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darknesse and when they professed themselves to be wise they became Ephes 4. 17. Rom. 1. 21 22. Esa 40. 21. fooles c. So Esay said of the Iewes Know ye nothing have ye not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning have yee not understood it by the foundation of the earth Thus Christ said of the Pharisees for denying the resurrection Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures neither the power of God Paul imputed all his malice Mat. 22. 29. and his blasphemy to his ignorance I was saith he a blasphemer a persecutour an oppressor but I was received into mercy for that I did it ignorantly through unbeleefe As there be degrees in sinne so is 1 Tim. 1. 13. there a gradation in ignorance It is a sinne to be ignorant in that we should know but a greater to be ignorant in that wee are bound to know There is Ignorantia Simplex and Affectata Simple and affected Ignorance Or there is Ignorantia Ideotarum of Idols Sophistarum of crafty men Or as some Invincibilis inconquerable Vincibilis conquerable Or as others Voluntaria willing Involuntaria unwilling Or as others Negativa negative
chiefe commander one chiefe Iudge of a Province one governour of all in the Ship one master in an house in an army be it never so great the Ensigne of one is specially regarded and attended on In the body of Man though the Lims and parts thereof be many yet they all obey one head Secondly most fit for cutting off seditions and rebellions and therefore the Romanes in all their greatest dangers had recourse unto this Tanquam ad anchoram sacram as to their shot-anchor as to their best and last refuge as Livie witnesseth for when Hannibal pressed the Romanes Ad Dictatorem dicendum Remedium jam diu desideratum Civitas confugit The City went to the pronouncing of a Dictator which was the remedy they long expected because as in another place he writeth Dictatoris edictum pro numine semper observatum est the proclamation of the Dictator was esteemed to be the voyce of God Thirdly The government of one doth seeme to resemble most lively the image of Gods Power and Majestie For as in the Firmament the Sunne Moone and Starres doe as it were represent some image of the glory of the eternall Majestie So the rule of Monarchs in their severall Kingdomes upon the earth doe call to our considerations the government and rule of the Almighty But whether the government of one or many be best I dare not define but this I say that it is a most singular token of the mighty Power and Providence of God that so many severall Nations over the face of the World are upholden and maintained by so many severall sorts of government that Quemadmodum non nisi in aequali temperatura elementa inter se cohaerent Ita hae Regiones sua quadam in aequalitate optimè continentur As in bodily essences the foure Elements doe cleaue together by unequall temperatures as it were by a certaine inequality all the several Countries are holden together Nay which of all these governments is the best Otiosum est disputare it is a very idle thing to dispute but most yeeld to this that a Monarchy is the most perfect and the blessing of God seene in that chiefly Perme Reges regnant By me Kings raigne Noble men beare rule saith Wisedome He therefore that resisteth Resisteth not man but God also True it is that man was made to rule not to serve he was Rebellion brings destructiō to Rebels themselves made to rule over fowles fishes cattell but not men At the first men were pecorum pastores potius quà m Reges hominum feeders of cattell than rulers over men that we might discerne the order of creation from the merit of sinne So we reade not of any servant Gen. 1. 20. Gen. 9. Gen. 3. before Cham saith Augustine For as sinne brought in the first death the first sorow the first nakednesse the first flood So it brought in the first service If man had not sinned Moses had not needed in the kingdome nor Aaron in the Church the one to rule the bodies the other the soules of men Rebellion of all sins is unnaturall for what can be more unnaturall then the child to rebell against the father the wife against the husband the servant against the Master and no lesse unnaturall is it for the subject to rebell against his Soveraigne Rebellion God never prospered hereupon saith Salomon My sonne feare God and the King and keepe no companie with the seditious for their destruction shall Pro. 24. 21 22. arise suddenly c. The seditious Israelites were destroyed somtime with fire from Heaven sometime with fiery serpents somtime by Numb 21. the earth For the earth hath opened and swallowed them quicke to Hell Seditious Miriam was strooken with leprosy seditious Absalon Numb 12. was hanged by the haire of the head on an oke as one spewed out of heaven and vomited out of the earth seditious Achitophel for want of an hangman a convenient servitour for such a Rebell went and hanged himselfe seditious Sheba was arrested by a woman Sam. 20. 22. who cut off his head and sent it to Ioab seditious Zimri burnt himselfe in the kings house which he had set on fire Hereupon 1. Reg. 16. 9. said Iezabel Had Zimri peace that slew his Master seditious Shallum 2 Reg. 15. 16. perished in Samaria being slaine by Menahem the sonne of Gadi Never Rebell went unpunished For though God oftentimes doth prosper just and lawfull enemies which be no subjects against forraine enemies yet did he never prosper Rebels who have taken armes against their Prince were they never so great in authority or many in number In Genesis we reade that five kings with their armies could not prevaile against Chodorlaomer unto whom they Gen. 14. promised loyalty and obedience but they were all overthrown and taken prisoners by him but Abraham with his family kinsfolkes an handfull of men in respect owing no subjection to Chedorlaomer overthrew him and his hoast in battell Thus God prospereth in battell some few against many thousands but he never prospered Rebels against their owne Prince were they never so great or noble so stout so politick but alwayes they were overthrowne and came to most shamefull ends And to instance but upon a few One Brennus captaine of the Gaules besieging Ephesus had the City betraied into his hands by a treacherous woman for the greedy desire of a Iewell that a Captaine wore but when she had plaied this tteasonable part he overwhelmed her with gold A certaine traytour offred Fabritius the Romane to poison his enemy Pyrrhus but worthy Fabritius sent God hath confounded Rebels in all ages the traytour bound to Pyrrhus who was enemy to the Romane Empire In Anno 1381. in Rich the 2. his tyme sixty thousand rebelled whose Captaines were Wat Tiler Iack Strawe but they were overthrowne and brought to nought In Anno 1275. Lewellin prince of Wales rebelled against Edward the first but he prospered not but was overthrowne and his head strooken off and set on London bridge In the raigne of Henry the 4. divers noble men and kings rebelled and came every one of them to a miserable end The persidious and treacherous part of Bannister servant to the Duke of Buckingham is most odious the Duke had brought him up of nought but fleeing from the face of usurping Richard to Bannister for succour this wicked man for hope of one thousand pounds betrayed his Master the Duke but never had one penny For said usurping Richard he that will betray so good a Master will betray any other and in his old age the wretch was accused of Murther In the raigne of Queene Elizabeth were many treasons conspired but God ever delivered his worthy Servant but executed his just judgements upon those trayterous conspirators All men know the miserable ends of the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the one beheaded at Yorke the other fled the land and left his house to destruction Many of
Is this to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord Iesus Erubescat Sol confundatur Luna Let the Sunne blush and let the Moone bee ashamed Did the Heavenly souldiers thus did the shepheards thus did Mary thus We make melodie Luk. 2. Ephes 5. 19. but not to the Lord our rejoycing is not good God will turne our feasts into mournings 1 Cor. 5. 6. Amos. 8. To this riotous time God fitted this earth-quake a rare worke of God the earth being seventeen hundred miles thick odde it being 800. miles and odde to the Center as saith Munster what a work of God is it to shake the whole Globe the whole wombe of the earth being so mighty A great earth-quake there was in the raigne of King Henry the sixth thorow the world in the even of S. Michael which continued two houres with thunder and lightning so that the beasts rored and the fowles of the ayre cryed out but in this Queenes time there have beene two earth-quakes a thing not observed in the raigne of one Prince of this Land this five hundred yeeres A new starre appeared in Heaven in this Queenes raigne Anno. 15. that was never seene before 26. acres of ground removed in Hartfordshire and three acres at another time in Devonshire strange monsters have appeared strange Comets have beene seene Hate your sinnes the Iudge is at the doore THE EIGHT AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XXIIII Now unto him that is able to keepe you that yee fall not c. We can neither stand nor rise being fallen without Christ THis is the Epilogue the conclusion the last part of this Epistle and it containeth two things First A commending them to God and his Grace And secondly A celebration of the name and praises of God The first is double for hee commendeth them two wayes to God for this life and the life to come Againe for this life two wayes first that they fall not but persist and stand in the grace begun Secondly that they may bee pure perfect absolute untill the day of Christ Lastly for the other life that they may bee glorious lambs and not goats sonnes and not bastards citizens and not strangers built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ Ephes 2. 20. himselfe being the chiefe corner stone that they may follow the Lambe on mount Sion and there sing the songs of their joy Apoc. 14. 3. which none can understand save the hundred forty and foure thousand which were bought from the earth Now in the first part of this prayer Saint Iude noteth two things First the weaknesse of man ready to fall All our sufficiencie is of God Secondly the power of God able to keepe us Touching our weakenesse we neither rise when wee are fallen nor stand when wee are risen of our selves all is of God for we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. is of God Cum Christo nil nobis deficit With Christ nothing is wanting unto us for as Paul saith I am able to do al things through the Phil. 4. 13. helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Sine Christo nil nobis sufficit and without Christ nothing is sufficient for us For as the branch cannot Iohn 15. 4 5. beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee I am the vine yee are the branches hee that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruit In eo omnia possumus absque eo nil possumus in him we can doe all things without him we can doe nothing And therefore Paul willeth us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might for all our sufficiencie Ephes 6. 10. Iohn 15. 5. Psal 18. 1 2. is of God Hence is it that David saith unto God I love thee dearely oh Lord my Strength the Lord is my Rocke and my Fortresse c. Wee can neither beginne nor continue nor make an end of our selves but by God therefore Paul commendeth the Churches to God ever as hee onely that keepeth them that the whole worke of our salvation may bee ascribed unto him Initium incrementum finis the beginning the increase and the end Wee are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us Wisedome 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption that according as it is written He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord. Wherein hee noteth three things What wee are of our selves what in God and the end of all that God may have the glory Thus Paul commendeth the Church of Thessalonica to God saying Now the very God of Peace sanctifie you throughout and I 1 Thess 5. 23. pray God that your whole spirit and soule and body may bee kept blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and thus he commended the Church of Ephesus at Miletum to God saying Now brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is Act. 20. 32. able to build further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified And thus hee commended the Church of Rome to God To him now that is of power to stablish you according to Rom. 16. 25. my Gospell and preaching of Iesus Christ by the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world beganne c. And thus did the Apostle commend the Church of the Iewes to God whether it was Paul or Luke or Barnabas it skilleth not The God of peace saith hee which brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Heb. 13. 20 21. Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in all good workes to doe his Will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ Here by the way let mee answere one cavill in Popery they urge that wee are bidden to stand fast to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus to goe forward to Wee cannot but fall except we bee preserved continue I answere that all those places are meant conditionally if God doth assist us with his Spirit Sit unus contextus instar mille Let one context bee in stead of a thousand as namely that of Pauls to the Thessalonians where hee telleth them that it is God which worketh in us both the will and the deed even of his good pleasure 2 Thes 1. Psal 4. 1. He biddeth them worke yet he explaneth it by and by that it is God that worketh Agimus passivè quatenus è coelis suggeritur facultas Calvin agis ageris tunc bene agis cum à bono ageris Spiritu Wee worke passively because wee are holpen from Heaven power is ministred unto thee thou workest and art wrought and then thou workest well when thou