earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens He hath made the earth by his power c. Wherein we are to note that albeit Ieremie writ al his prophecies in Hebrew yet this one sentence is set downe in the Caldean or Babilonian speech therby admonishing the captiue Iewes to disaduow Idols to cōfesse the true God plainly sensibly in a language knowen to the Idolaters If this confession bee required of these poore captiue Iewes how can these men be excused who being at libertie to depart from among the Idolaters do assist at their Idolatry thereby to giue the world to vnderstand that they also are Idolaters therefore dare not vtter one word in reproofe of the Idols 9 Sith therefore that the first sermon both of Christ of Iohn the Baptist do notably proclaime Amend your liues Let all such as haue attained to the knowledge of the truth resolue with thēselues to renounce all Idolatrie superstition vtterly to denie all assistance participation whatsoeuer therin either in hart or body Let them remember that all abandoning of their bodies to Idolatrie is a prophanation of the temple of God That the yeelding of the body to the deuill reseruing the hart to God is intollerable sacriledge That the denial of the true God the worshipping of the deuill is detestable hipocrisie That thereby they blaspheme Iesus Christ honor the Idol that they giue offēce to their neighbours as well by confirming some in their errors as by inducing others to follow their examples But especially let them remember that their pretended excuse will redound to their double damnatiō For if he who thinking to worship God yet of ignorāce throgh worshiping an Idoll offendeth deserueth death surely then he that boweth his body to worship that which he knoweth to be an Idoll 1. Con. 10.20 Luk. 12.47.48 yea a very deuil as S. Paul calleth it offendeth in far greater measure deserues greter punishmēt And so doth Christ himself pronounce concerning the disobedient seruant who knowing his masters wil not doing it Exod. 20.5 shall be beaten much more grieuously thē he that was ignorāt therof And indeed it is not only a simple sinne and transgression as in the ignorant but more contempt and misprision against the maiestie of the law-giuer as God in many places complaineth of his people that they haue dispised him Rom. 5.20 yea euen hated him as himselfe faith in his law And hereto likewise may be referred the sentence of the Apostle where hee saith That God gaue the law that sinne might abound because the knowledge of the law taking away ignorance maketh the transgression to be conioyned with contempt and despising of God 10 The more therfore that we know the inconuenience of Idolatrie the more we are to detest abhor and flie from it and neuer flatter our selues in the presence of God who knoweth our hearts It is but a foolish enterprise to vndertake to deceiue the Lord or to thinke to prosper by offending him We feare the losse of our goods dignities countrie and life if we go not to masse with other men and counterfeate our selues to bee Idolaters as they are yet we feare not to loose the treasure and inheritance of heauen life euerlasting and the kingdome of God by polluting our bodies in Idolatrie euen by the assured testimonie of our owne hearts We are not to order our duties after the easements of our flesh but according to the word of God The meanes to obtaine safetie and felicitie consisteth not in prouoking God to wrath by seruing of Idols but if we desire his mercie and fauour towardes vs wee must renounce and denie our selues and the world that wee may worship and serue him onely Let vs obey S. Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 5.21 Psal 97.7 1. Cor. 6.20 My little children keepe your selues from Idols And let vs remember that the holy Ghost pronounceth woe to all those that worship Idols And contrariwise blesseth all those that adore and glorifie God both in hart and minde That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie vnlesse we also ioyne with the Church of Christ by frequenting Sermons communicating in the Sacraments and comming to common prayer Chap. 2. AS repentance and Amendement of life consisteth in this that we forsake sinne and applie our selues to goodnesse So it is not enough that we keepe both bodies and soules from Idolatrie and superstition vnlesse that also seperating our bodies from Idolaters we adioine our selues to the Church of Christ by hearing his word receiuing the Sacraments calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ The titles that the holy Ghost attributeth to this Church do euidently declare vnto vs of how great importance to the glory of God saluatiō of mankind this duty of ioyning with the true Church is First it is in many places called the kingdom of God yet not without great cause For as this kingdome consisteth in euidēt assured knowledge of the true God of his Son Iesus Christ in faith righteousnes peace and comfort of the holy Ghost in sanctification to be briefe in euerlasting life glory So is it in the church wherin God manifests himself reueales his truth pleasure To the mēbers therof he giueth faith righteousnes holines peace ioy and finally life glory euerlasting Contrariwise the kingdom of Sathan cōsisteth in ignorance Mat. 13. infidelity corruptiō vice sin iniquity in a bad conscience trouble of mind dispaire death damnation The members therfore of Christs Church are the kingdome of God retired from the power dominion of Sathā to the end that God may raigne in them by his spirit the scepter of his word as contrariwise al that are without the Church do belong to the kingdome of Sathā as S. Paul also doth say of the excōmunicate that they be deliuered to Sathā who raigneth without the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Cor 6.9.10 Luk. 13.28 Act. 1.47 This likewise is confirmed in that the same title of the kingdom of God wherby the Church is signified is also attributed to that blessed glorious estate which the elect shal enioy after the resurrection Wherin we are taught that theris such a cōiunction betweene the Church that glorious kingdom of Iesus Christ that it is as it were the suburbes gate thereinto wherupon also al they that refuse to ioyne with the Church can pretend no portion in this kingdom of heauē For the path to felicitie importeth an ascention frō the kingdome of God vpon earth to the kingdome of God in heauē And that doth S. Luke note saying that God did dayly adioyne vnto the Church those that should be saued thereby signifying that such as refuse to adioyne themselues therto do minister no occasion to imagine that they haue attained the way to saluation and life euerlasting 2 By another title are the
euill for euill and so to vsurpe vpon the authoritie of God to whome only vengeance doth belong 45 By the premises it euidently appeareth that it is a meere most dangerous corruption in shewing fauour to offenders to let them escape vnpunished yet this was a custome among the Iewes after the Romanes had subdued them that at the feast of the passouer they would haue such a prisoner let loose vnto them as them selues would demand to the end to exempt him of his deserued punishment and thereupon was Barrabas a seditious person and a murtherer by them preferred before the righteous Iesus Christ by Pilat at their request deliuered to go free without punishmēt But greater corruption than this may wee finde among Christians First in that at the first entrie of kings princes into their towns Math. 27. also in some places vpon the day that is tearmed Good friday many transgressors are deliuered out of prison This is a peruerse affectation of mercie in princes and a wicked imitation of the grace and mercie of God As also it it is a pernitious priuiledge pretended by those that name themselues Ecclesiasticall persons and repugnant to the dutie authoritie of magistrates to exempt from punishment by death such manstaiers as haue taken the first tonsure or crowne as they tearme it And therefore it is the office of the faithfull magistrate to abolish such corruption 46 What then Is it not lawfull for the Prince to pardon an offender In answere hereto we say that he ought to distinguish between sinnes transgressions prepetrated contrarie to the law of God which hee commandeth to punish and such offences as are committed against the lawes and statutes of magistrates in matters either of warre or pollicie only As concerning the first true it is that Christan magistrates are not bound to inflict the same punishment which God in his lawe hath decreed Yet are they bound to obserue this rule namely that they punish all transgressions each according to the grauitie thereof· For that doeth Gods Iustice require Secondly that the grauitie as well of the offence as of the punishment for the same bee estimated not after the lycence and tolleration now in vse euen among Christians but after the rule of Gods wisedome reuealed in his word Wherein wee are to consider first the kindes of sinne as that murther is more heynous then theft because mans life is more precious then his goods And therefore hath God decreed one punishment against the murtherer and another against the theefe Moreouer in one kinde of sinne there are sundrie circumstaunces to be considered which make the sinne and consequently doe enforce or mitigate the punishment As manslaughter vpon ignorance or at vnawares is not so heinous neither so seuerely to bee punished as when it is doone vpon hatred and wilfully And in that consideration did the Lorde in olde time graunte townes of sanctuarie for the safetie of such as vnwittingly chanced to kill any man Deut. 14. 4. Num. 35 As contrariwise hee commaunded the execution of such as wilfully and vpon mallice slew any man to bee performed without remission or exception So likewise doeth God by Moses decree diuers sortes of punishmentes for theft according to the diuers circumstaunces thereof Exod. 22.1 And therfore according to such considerations noted in Gods worde as the sinne is more heynous or easie euen so must the punishment be executed without respect of persons whether kinsfolke or straungers Deut. 13. friendes or vnknowne persons rich or poore and so consequently For as it is great rigour to condemne to death the man that by mischaunce killeth one So is it a mercie condemned by the Lorde himselfe to pardon him that wilfully committeth murder Neither can it bee denyed but that such negligence as wee dayly see among Christians in not punishing blasphemie against Gods Maiestie fornication and especially whoredome haunting of Tauernes and ordinarie drunkennesse cryeth for vengeance against those Magistrates that suffer such abhomination to beare sway and haue free passage without exemplarie punishment requisite for the appeasing of Gods wrath for the terryfiyng of others and for the maintenaunce of their subiectes in peace and tranquilitie But as for transgressions against the politicke lawes and Statutes of Magistrates themselues haue power and authoritie vpon sundrie and diuers reasons to mittigate or wholly to remit the punishment As when Saule following the Philistians 1. Sam. 14. decreed death against anie that shoulde tast anie foode before night and therevpon determining the death of his sonne Ionathan for tasting the honie It rested in the people to free him from death in respect of the great victorie by him obtained against the Philistians 47 But in as much as there bee sundrie Christian Magistrates that bee negligent in this dutie of punishing the trespasses and offences of their Subiectes in hope of amendement Let such remember the horrible vengeaunce executed vpon the enhabitants of Gibeah and almost the whole tribe of Beniamin Iudges 21. 21. who were in manner vtterly rooted out because that when the saide enhabitantes of Gibeah had committed great abhomination against a Leuites concubine the said tribe of Beniamin refused either to punish them or to deliuer them into the hands of the children of Israell to be punished Let them consider what became of the Lacedemonians when they cared not to punish two of their Subiectes that had deflowred and murthered and throwne into a well the two daughters of Scedasus an enhabitant of Leuctres This Scedasus vpon notice of this odious fact complained to the Magistrates tearmed the Ephores and craued iustice But in vaine Then hee went to the King but might not bee hearde Plut. in the life of Pelopidas Thence to the people weeping and crying out vpon such an outrage but no man tooke heede Shortely after in a battell betweene the Lacedemonians and the Thebans the Lacedemonians were vtterly ouerthrowne and lost the dominion that they had holden for six or seuen hundred yeeres This historie doeth Plutarch a heathen man report which thus aptly fitteth our purpose to bee fought neere to Leuctres the same ground where the two daughters of Scedasus were buried Yea hee addeth that as Pelopidas one of the Theban Captaines stoode in some doubte before the battell Scedasus appeared vnto hym in a mighty vision and exhorted him to march against the Lacedemonians assuring him as it also came to passe that they should there make satisfaction for the wrong and outrage vnto him and his two daughters done by two of theyr subiectes and theyr neglect and contempt of punishing that iniquitie Let also the sentence pronounced to Achab by a prophet concerning Benhadad king of Syria 1. King 20.42 founde in theyr cares Because thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Psal 101 Psal 75 Neither let them
corruptions of men which especially we ought to amend there is none greater than a bold and presumptuous rashnes whereby men dare controll the holy doctrine of God which they do not vnderstand yea euen to denie or peruert the euident testimonies that hee deliuereth in his worde or accuse God O intollerable blasphemie of vnrighteousnes iniquitie and crueltie and reduce him to such bondage that hee may do nothing but that whereof euery blind man is able to comprehend the reason wisdome and iustice And heerof we will propound one example which is but too common and most pernitious 3 The holy Scripture in many places testifyeth Math. 20.16 Marke 13.20 Ephes 1.4 Rom. 9.11 11.5 Phil. 4.3 Rom. 11.5 9.15.20 Phil. 4 3 Apoc. 3.5 Iude verse 4 Rom. 9 23. Iohn 10.28 Rom. 9. 22 Rom. 9.18 1. Sam. 2.6 Amos 3.6 Ier. l. â— 3. 38 Iob 38. 39. Read Sect. 18. Acts 4.28 1. King 22.20 Iob 1.12 2. Thes 2.9 Rom. 9.17 2. Sam. 15 2. Chro. 36 that among the children of Adam God hath chosen some to saluation life eternall leauing the rest without anie portion in such felicity that this election was founded vpon his onely goodnes and mercie that he had power and authoritie to choose whome hee pleased and to leaue the rest that the names of the elect haue from all eternitie bene written in the book of lyfe and the rest recorded to iust destruction that God so prepared the elect to glorie that they cannot perish and that the vessels of wrath as the Apostle tearmeth them are in such wise prepared to destruction that beeing by the decree of almightie God giuen ouer to themselues according to theyr owne corruption they cannot but sinne so be iustly condemned that God sheweth mercie to whome hee will shew mercie and hardneth whom he will harden that nothing commeth to passe without the will and prouidence of God that God dyd so foresee the transgression of Adam and that it was not without his decree and ordinance that all that was done as concerning Iesus Christ by Iudas Pilat the Gentiles and the Iewes was done by the definite counsell and eternall decree of God directing the wicked worke of men that by them hee might accomplish his excellent worke of our redemption that many times he imploieth both the deuill the wicked as a father to correct by their wicked works the sinnes of his elect and as a iust iudge to punish the iniquitie of the others 4 Now albeit there is no doctrine that may stande vs in greater stead than this to ingender humility in man neither to produce anie sitter argument to praise God or to minister consolation peace content to such as feele themselues to be the children of God or that may bee a more mightie or sharpe spurre to pricke vs forward to amend our liues as wee will hereafter shew yet are there some who not being able to comprehend this doctrine do thereof take occasion to seeke so to burie it vp that it may not be preached in the Church of Christ Others that gather consequences of blasphemie to peruert or reiect it As concerning the first The apprehension and feare which they conceiue in the blasphemyes that the peruerse doo gather out of this doctrine is commendable but the meanes that they take to preuent them are not to bee receiued Neyther may wee looke to bee more wise than Christ who neuerthelesse desisted not from preaching publishing and recording it by his Apostles And surely albeit Saint Paule noteth some blasphemous replications agaynst this doctrine yet doth he not leaue too teach and maintaine it Christ sayeth Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare It must therefore be preached to those to whome hee giueth eares to heare Rom. 9.14.19 Math. 11.15 13.9.43 Iohn 10.27 that they may heare and not bee buried because of those to whome hee hath not giuen eares to heare Christ the soueraigne shepheard requireth no lesse of his sheepe to heare him then he forbiddeth them to heare the voyce of straungers It is a learned ignorance not to knowe that which God woulde haue vs to be ignorant of but it is a pernitious ingratitude not to bee willing to knowe that which God woulde teach vs. The soule deuoide of the doctrine of truth is prepared to receiue lies It is no Christian simplicitie or sobrietie to reiect as hurtfull the knowledge of that which the sonne seeketh to teach vs. True wisedome and modestie in the children of God consisteth in opening theyr eares to learne when Christ openeth his mouth to teache also not to desire to learne that which hee is vnwilling to reueale vnto vs. The holye Scripture is the schoole of the holy Ghost wherein as there is nothing omitted that is necessarie to saluation so is there nothing taught but what is requisite for vs to know And thus it is great iniurie agaynst the holy ghost that hee hath taught or reuealed vnto vs anie thing meet to haue beene suppressed Let vs therefore conclude this purpose with the aduertisement of Moses saying The secrete thinges belong to the Lord our God but the thinges reuealed belong to vs and to our children for euer Deut. 19.29 that wee may doe all the wordes of this lawe Beholde how for the amending of our liues according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ wee are to correct this ingratitude pernitious counsell and presumptuous rashnesse which vrgeth vs to suppresse that which it pleaseth God to reueale vnto vs and serueth especially to the magnifying of his glorie to the begetting of humilitie in his elect to strengthen their faith and mightily to induce them to amend their liues 5 Others there are that proceede farther for not beeing able to vnderstand yet desiring to comprehend the causes and reasons of the pointes of the doctrine before mentioned do take occasion to condemne and reiect the euident testimonies by God deliuered in his word by consequences falsely gathered which accuse God of crueltie and vnrighteousnes and maintain that he is the author of the sin and iniquitie of men But how doo they herein swallow themselues vp It is as if they should accuse the sun of darknes because that seeking to looke into the brightnes thereof their eies be dazeled Many artificers in their tratles doo worke many thinges whereof we can conceiue no reason yet do we not condemn them because we presuppose that they are not don without reason How then Shal we be so rash as to condemne the great builder and gouernor of this world because we cannot comprehend the wisdome contained in his workes Shal the scholler say that his master is ignorant because he caÌ„not vnderstand the profound knowledg that is in him That we may therfore correct this rashnes so according to the exhortation of Christ amend our liues let vs remember that when he is called Holy holy holy wee are thereby admonished that in him ther â—esteth a wisdome goodnes
place Exod. 20 I am the Lord thy God that hath brought thee out of the land of Egipt keepe my statutes and my lawes and doe them Again Leuit. 19.36 Prophane not the name of my holines for I will be sanstified among the children of Israel I am the Lord that do sanctifie you Leuit. 22.32 and that haue brought you out of the land of Egipt to be your God Moreouer he commandeth all parents to shew their children of this bond wherein they stand bound to obey his commaundements saying When thy sonne shal hereafter aske thee saying What mean these testimonies and ordinaunces and lawes Deut. 6.20 which the Lord our God hath commaunded you thou shalt say vnto thy sonne Wee were Pharaohs bondmen in Egipt but the Lord brought vs out of Egipt with a mighty hand And the Lord shewed signes and wonders great and euill vpon Egipt vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his householde before our eyes And brought vs out from thence to bring vs in and to giue vs the land which he sware vnto our fathers Therefore the Lord hath commaunded vs to doe all these ordinances and to feare the Lord our God that it may goe euer well with vs and that hee may preserue vs aliue as at this present Michens 6.1 And whereas their children in the dayes of Micheas did not walk according to this bond to obey Gods commandements he sharply reproueth their ingratitude saying My people what haue I done to thee or wherin haue I grieued thee Answer me for I haue caused thee to returne out of the lande of Egipt c. And this doth he alledge to shew that he had iust cause as the prophet declareth to take the mountains and the foundations of the earth to witnes and iudge of his iust complaint and accusation against the ingratitude and disobedience of his people 4 If the deliuery from the bondage of Egipt were iustly obiected to the people of Israel to remember them of their duetye to loue God and to walke in his holy ordinances how much rather ought this name Iesus by aduertizing vs of our deliuerye from the bondage and cursed tiranny of the deuil and out of the furnace of euerlasting fire make vs bonde and affectionate to the loue of Iesus and louing him with our whole harts to amend our liues according to his commaundement Zachary the Father of S. Iohn Baptist saith in his song that this was the oath that hee sware to their father Abraham Luke 1.73 that he would giue to his people That being deliuered out of the hands of their enemies they should serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of their liues Here doth he speake of the deliuery which Iesus hath purchased for vs in sauing vs from the power of the deuill of hell and of all our other enemies What an ingratitude were it then in vs that the remembrance of this name Sauiour putting vs in minde of this happy deliuerance from the power of the deuil and other our enemies should not so kindle our harts as wholy to dedicate them to his seruice and to thinke our selues blessed if we could please and obey him in amending our liues 5 But this obligation will the more plainely appeare if we consider the reason of this name added by the Angell saying For hee shall saue his people from their sinnes Firste he sheweth that sinne is the way to destruction and death euerlasting Rom 6.23 as the Apostle Saint Paul saith The reward of sinne is death Now in as much as God is righteous it was expedient for our saluation that this Sauiour the righteous should by dying for vs satisfie for our sinnes Rom. 6.6 Rom 6. Col. 2.11 and as there is in vs besides the sinnes that dayly we haue and doe commit the olde man that is to say the vice and corruption the fountaine of the same so this Iesus crucified with him this olde man and corruption which Saint Paul so often tearmeth sinne and the body of sinne to the ende to mortifie him in vs and so to deliuer vs from him that through our transgressions we should no more fal into the pit of hel S. Paul writing to the Romains doth at large represent vnto vs these two benefits of Iesus the first tending to iustifie vs in the sight of God the other to testifie our iustification to the glorie of Iesus And therefore the same Apostle maketh as it were an inseparable coniunction of those two benefites saying Iesus Christ is made vnto vs wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption 6 The consideration of the first benefite That hee hath satisfied for our sinnes should most liuely kindle our heartes to loue him feruently and so in folowing his commandement to amend our liues If I should owe a man some notable summe of monie and not hauing wherewith to paie hee in compassion should acquite me the greater the debt were the greater cause should I haue the more should I be bound to loue and please him as Iesus Christ himselfe sayde vnto Simon Luke 7.40 But who is able to comprehend the greatnesse of the debt of our sinnes which this Sauiour hath paide for vs that they might not bee imputed vnto vs but bee quite discharged and blotted out How great therfore should our loue be towards him as also our care and feruent affection to obey him when he cōmandeth vs to amend or how much ought we to abhor the displeasing of him wherby we againe binde our selues to euerlasting death 7 As concerning the other benefite Inasmuch as hee hath wyth himselfe crucified our olde man and so put to death our vice and corruption What a madnesse were it in vs to reuiue nourish and maintaine these our Sauiours enemies and mortall poisons of our soules euen the souldiers of that infernall Pharaoh which labour agayne to plunge vs in the furnace of eternall fire If wee see a mad dogge euerie man laboreth to kill him and therefore what should wee thinke of him that should seeke to preserue him or after hee were dead to reuiue him againe if hee might Woulde not men thinke him to bee an enemye to mankinde yea euen worthy to bee rooted out and is not this sinne and corruption in man euen as badde as a madde dogge Are not the bitinges thereof deadly This madde dogge hath Iesus Christ slaine in crucifying him with himself that so hee might die in vs. Are not we therfore verie miserable wretches that will hearken to the world and the flesh and so reuiue nourish and maintain sinne in vs as delighting in the damnable bitings thereof which breede vnto vs euerlasting death Our olde man sayth Saint Paul was crucifyed with Iesus Christ to the end the bodie of sinne might bee extinguished Rom. 6.61 6. 8. that wee might no more serue vnto sinne Againe Beeing deliuered from sinne yee are made the seruants of
in execration yea maranatha or excommunicate to death That is to saie let him bee cut off from the Church as the reprobate shal be at the comming of Christ whereof they are warned in this word Maran-atha which signifieth The Lorde commeth Yet is there more This Priest dying for vs hath killed sinne and corruption in his owne bodie as is before declared And to the end that sinne might die in vs and that we might practise this saying of the holy Apostle Saint Peter Inasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 that is to saie in his humanitie let vs arme our selues with the same minde which is that wee hauing suffered and beeing dead with him as concerning the corruption of the flesh shoulde desist from sinne to the ende that hence forwarde wee shoulde liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the will of God And this is the amendement that Iesus doeth commaunde Saint Iohn sayth that Christ hath made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God This is another reason to moue vs the more seruently to amende in respect as well of the one office as of the other First Apoc. 1.6 seeing wee are raysed to this honour to bee kinges shall wee bee so miserable and senselesse as to make our selues the vile and wretched bonde men of Sathan and the seruauntes of sinne and the worlde If a king redeeming a poore bonde man whome his master diuersely tormented shoulde besides so farre fauour and honour him as to adopt him for his child Were it not a frantike or senselesse parte in him to forsake such honour and preferment and to returne to liue vnder the tyrannie and thraldome of his olde master Yet this doo they who beeing deliuered from the tyrannie and crueltie of Sathan and made kinges in Iesus Christ doo giue themselues to the lustes and pleasures of the flesh and the allurementes of the worlde thereby returning themselues into the wretched bondage of the deuill to abide eternally vnder his tyrannous dominion Let therefore this title King aduertise and admonish vs so to amende our liues that forsaking and vtterly renouncing the dominion and tyrannie of Sathan and the corruptions of the flesh wee may effectually shew our selues to bee spirituall Kinges and that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is in vs. Moreouer in as much as wee are also made Priestes let vs remember that if wee will amende our liues wee must with the kingly Prophet Dauid offer contrite and broken heartes pulled downe and humbled with the feeling of our sinnes with condition that wee will heereafter beware and take heede of the same Let vs also call to minde that we must offer our bodies a liuely holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is our reasonable seruice and not to forme our selues after this worlde Psal 51.19 but bee transformed by the renuing of our mindes to the ende wee may proue what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God Neyther let vs forget alwayes to offer vnto God thorough Iesus Christ the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing which is the fruite of our lippes confessing and acknowledging his name Rom. 12.1 To conclude let vs remember his benefites and communication wyth vs for God is delighted with such sacrifices Beholde therefore howe this honour which wee receiue of Iesus Christ Heb 13 16 euen to bee kings and priests to our God may be a mighty inducement vnto vs to amend our liues 14 There doth yet remaine the office of a Prophet which also doth admonish vs to amend because hee hath reuealed vnto vs all that hee hath knowen of his father Iohn 15.15 and declared as well what wee must doo in obeying him as what wee are to beleeue to our saluation And this is an incomprehensible benefite as wee may euydently consider by the miserable and wretched estate of those to whome the worde of God comprised in the Lawe and the Gospel is not preached And this doth Saint Paul in few words represent vnto vs saying They are not in Christ neither haue anie portion in the commonwealth of Israel but are straungers to the couenant of the promise Ephes 2 12 without hope and are without God in the world And in deede if Gods worde bee as Dauid calleth it a light to our steps those men to whome the worde is not directed Psa 119.105 are poore and blinde cannot choose in all their wordes and deeds but stumble and fall All that they doo is sinne because they doo it wythout faith whereof the word is the foundation Much lesse also haue they any knowledge of the remission and satisfaction of theyr sinnes in the bloud of Christ Rom. 14. 25 10.17 and therefore all theyr sinnes doo remaine and shall be imputed vnto them to be in the daie of iudgement most horribly and eternally punished If they then that neuer heard this prophet shall bee iustly punished in eternal fyre what iudgement and vengeance are they to expect for theyr ingratitude and rebellion that heare this Prophet and by him eyther by reading or hearing his worde doo vnderstand the will of God and yet doo make no care of amendement of lyfe by obeying the will of God vnto them reuealed Luke 12.47 and by them knowen The seruant sayth Iesus Christ that hath knowen his masters will and hath not done it shal be punished much more grieuously than hee that neuer knew it And surely the sins committed by those that know the wil of God are not only transgression against the lawe but also contempt misprision against the maiestie of God And in that regard doth Iesus Christ denounce agaynst many townes wherein the Gospell was preached a more horrible and terrible iudgement than against Sodome Gomorrha and other townes that heard the word of the Lorde Seeing therefore that this worde Math. 10.15 to vs addressed by this prophet Iesus Christ doeth tend to illuminate and to exhort vs to amendement of life Let this office and name of Prophet attributed to Iesus Christ make vs to remember our bonde and duetie whereby wee are bound to amend and to yeld obedience vnto all that our Prophet Christ doth teach ordaine and command as being assured that as they that will not heare this Prophet to obey him shall bee rooted out so contrarywise they that shall heare and obey him shall by the path of good workes proceeding of faith apprehending the iustice of Christ attaine to the fruition of life euerlasting In this sort must these two names and titles Iesus and Christ serue to make vs to feele our bond and dutie and to inflame our affections to amend all the daies of our lyfe The seuenth cause of Amendement gathered of the signification of this worde Amend Chap. 7. IN the first Chapter of the first booke we haue declared that the holy Ghost commanding vs to amend doeth ordinarily vse two wordes
the holy supper to the end that by participation in his body bloud we might the more be strengthened in this assurance that Christ is ours together with all his benefits so feede our soules spiritually to life euerlasting And indeed as ther is no saluation but in Christ so doth not Christ any whit profit vs except we belieue that he is ours together with all his benefits Well is he presented vnto vs in the preaching of the Gospell but ther be yet two other points those very notable in the cōmuniō of the holy supper For God who in his preaching speaketh generally to al men in his holy supper directeth his particular promise as it were by name to euery the cōmunicants therin And not so satisfied he also deliuereth them a seale and visible token to assure thē that his pleasure is that Christ with al his benefits should as certainely belong to euery of thē as they see touch and tail that they be partakers of that bread wine that is deliuered vnto thē He thē that careth not to be cōfirmed in this assurance that Christ with all his benefits is his is possessed with too much pride if hee thinketh it needles either that he prophane it as not feeling what a comfort and ioy it is to haue assuraunce of his saluation in Iesu◠Christ The second reason is that we presenting our selues at the Lords table may by so doing make as it were a publike protestation that we haue no fellowship with Idolaters and heretickes neither with the world But that we take our selues to be the children of God the mēbers of the body of Christ that we looke for life and saluation through him onely and so shew forth the benefit of his death al this in remembrance of him to his glorie The first reason declareth how necessary the vse of the holy supper is in regard of our selues The second how requisite it is to the glorie of God and the edification of our neighbours We might also add a third reason That is that the holie Supper is a seale of our vnion knitting together into one bodie vnder our head Iesus Christ as S. Paule expressely saith That we who are many are but one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread And thus those men that voluntarily do abstaine therefro do depriue their soules of their food Christ of his glorie and by their euill example doe minister offence to their neighbours To conclude They seperate or rather keep them selues seperate from the bodie of Christ Hereby it appeareth that they which be negligent and care not for communicating in the Lords Supper when he giueth them opportunitie do deserue not onely not to be accompted members of Christs Church Nomb. 9.9 but also to incurre the most horrible iudgement and vengeance of God As God in old time declared by Moses That the man that did not celebrate his passeouer should be cut off from among the people and beare his owne sin because he offered not the offering of the Lord in due season 2 Againe we see in sundrie reformed Churches a number of negligent hearers of sermons but yet are there many more that care not for communicating in the Lords Supper and that vpon sundry considerations first some that liue in bad consciences in whordome theft drunkennesse or other iniquities from which they are not determined yet to abstaine do forbeare the communion as doubting least they should aggrauate their condemnation according as saith S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation These men doe resemble those who lyuing in fornication do refuse to marrie least thereby their fornication which they are not minded to giue ouer should be the more grieuous as being conuerted into adultery They may also be likened to those who hating their neighbours when they say the Lords prayer Our father which art in heauen c. do leaue out this petition forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs as imagining that if they should say that they should pray to God not to forgiue their owne sinnes because they forgiue not their neighbours But as they who lyuing in fornication and will not marry least they should forsake their adultery are in a wofull estate so the others that aske no forgiuenes for their transgressions and seek to continue in hatred against their neighbours are worthy double condemnation one in respect of their hatred that they continue the other for their sinnes for the which they aske no forgiuenes Euen so they that forbeare the holy Supper in respect of their bad consciences do pronounce sentence against themselues namely that they deserue double death first for their sinne which they do continue in wicked consciences and secondly because they seperate themselues from the communion of Christ in whom onely is the fulnesse of life What shall they then doe Let them put away their wicked conscience Let them dissolue the bands of Sathan Let them come forth of hell If they say that they can not so farre master their affections Why haue they married themselues to fornication hatred theft and other like iniquities vpon condition that they will neuer be diuorced from the same surely that is a token that they do not steadfastly beleeue that there is a hell prepared for such liners Or at the least the pleasure that they take in their sinne doth quench all remembrance thereof Otherwise the sole apprehension of this horrible and vnquenchable fire would force them to giue ouer the wickednesse that leadeth and draweth them thereto And indeed if in a mightie tempest they should chaunce to finde themselues vpon the sea in daunger of drowning they would a thousand times protest to forsake their bad consciences that so they might submit themselues to the obedience of God But how can they lie downe and sleepe vpon a pillow of fornication theft hatred and other wickednesse giuing themselues as a pray to Sathan if God in his long suffering should not recouer them Let them flatter themselues at their pleasures for if they continue in abusing the pacience of God and abstaining from the holy Supper to the end to goe on in a wicked conscience their estate is most woefull and accursed As he therefore who wanting the gift of continencie and liuing in fornication ought to abhorre it and to prouide himselfe of a remedie by marriage so as often as they haue aduertisment or heare of the celebration of the Lords supper let them at the least thinke themselues wakened and summoned to renounce their wicked consciences and by participating in the holy supper to seperate themselues from the societie of the wicked to glorifie God and to be confirmed in faith and courage to goe forward from good to better 3 Others doe forbeare the communion because they will not submit themselues to Ecclesiasticall orders and discipline If wee might admit
reason of the hope of our saluation wee may feele within vs the efficacie of this doctrine making vs to renounce the earth the world and the flesh that through true and liuely faith wee may aspire to the inioying of the heauenly glorie and finally attaine thereunto through our Lord Iesus Christ That we ought to put in practise the word of God Chap. 8. NOw as we vnderstand that in dutie we are to ioyne with the Church of Christ carefully to frequent Sermons deuoutly to communicate in the holy Sacraments namely in the Supper zealously to assist at common praiers feruently to exercise our selues in priuate praier and diligently to reade Gods word so the principall end and purpose of all these duties doth import that we should order our liues according to the will of God and thereafter put in effect and practise as well whatsoeuer wee learne in the worde and Sacramentes as also euerye thing which in our praiers we beg at Gods hand For as medicines doo minister health to none but those that take them whose nature also is strong and wel prepared to receiue their operations so is it requisite that they which heare and reade Gods word should receiue and apply it to themselues and praie vnto God to prepare them and by his holie spirite so to dispose their harts that the doctrine and exhortations may worke their operation in them And in deed if the end of all sciences as an ancient philosopher teacheth consist not in the knowledge but in the practise the same ought especially to take place in Christian religion and doctrine Hee that studieth ciuill law or Phisicke is not straight satisfied with the knowledge that he hath gotten but proceedeth to practise One becommeth an aduocate a counseller or a president the other spendeth his time in the cure of diseases They that haue learned the arte of sewing of cordwainrie of draperie and so foorth yet are not reputed taylers cordwainers or drapers vnlesse they doo in act exercise those sciences which is in deede the purpose of theyr apprentishippe in like manner let vs neuer looke to bee Christians or Gods children notwithstanding wee haue learned the manner thereof vnlesse wee also performe the woorkes of Christians and of the children of God Blessed are they sayeth Iesus Christe that heare the worde of God Luke 11.28 Rom. 2.13 Iam. 1.22 and keepe it Agayne The hearers of the lawe are not righteous before God but the dooers of the lawe shall bee iustifyed Wee must therefore as Saint Iames saith bee doers of the lawe and not hearers only otherwise we shall deceiue our selues And in deede as the holy Scripture is full of exhortations to obedience to the will of God and Amendement of lyfe so it importeth not onely that wee shoulde knowe that wee must amend but also that wee amend really and in deede Luke 16.6 The figge tree that bare no fruite was threatened to bee cut downe a Sunne without light Iam. 2.17 is but a painted Sunne a coale without heate is dead a bodie without motion liueth not euen so saith without woorkes is dead and the Christian that bringeth not foorth the fruites of the spirite of Christ belongeth not to Christ and so is no Christian After we haue shorne our heads and our beardes Rom. 8 before we come foorth wee looke in the glasse whether it bee well how much rather ought wee after wee haue heard the Sermon the end whereof tendeth to amend our liues immediatly to looke vppon and peruse our soules to the ende to see whether our corruptions and vices beeing cut downe and mortifyed the same bee cleere and pure in the sight of God For as a certayne Philosopher in olde sayde The vse of the bath and of the worde that purgeth not is vayne and vnprofytable and therefore sayth the Apostle Saint Paule Yee haue not so learned Christ if so bee ye haue hearde him and haue beene taught by him and the truth is in him That yee cast off concerning the conuersation in time past the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lustes Ephe. 3.20.21 22.23.24 and bee renewed thorough the spirite of your minde and put on the newe man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holynesse Still labouring that in the ende wee maye bee founde irreprehensible without spot wrinckle or blemish and that the image of God maye bee restored and shine in vs. This is it that wee are now to intreate of 2 Heere haue wee worke inough cut out For what is man become by the transgression of Adam Euen the verie same as the Apostle Saint Paule describeth him saying There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none seeketh God they are all gone out of the waie they haue beene made altogether vnprofytable Rom. 3.10 there is none that doeth good no not one Their throate is an open sepulchre they haue vsed theyr tongues to deceite the poison of Aspes is vnder theyr lippes whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes and the waie of peace haue they not knowen the feare of God is not before their eies True it is that some sparkes of the image of God doo yet remayne in man but verie fewe small and of no strength which also wee doo quench or at the least so abuse that man is neuer more deuoyde of reason than when hee suffereth himselfe to bee lead by reason and of those sparkes he is to looke for no profite but that thorough them hee shall bee made the more inexcusable in the daie of the Lorde Manye beastes and fowles doo in vertue goe beyonde man The Doue in simplicitie the Ant or Emet in diligence and industrie Esa 1. the Storke in kindnesse the Dogge in loue and fidelitie the Oxe and the Asse in memorie and acknowledging of benefites the Lambe in meeknesse the Lyon in magnanimitie the Cocke in wakefulnesse and lyberalitie the Serpent in wisedome generally all in sobrietie and contentment But in vice man passeth them all For hee is more traiterous and cruell than a woolfe more craftie and subtill than a Foxe more proude than a Peacocke more voluptuous and vnthankefull than a Hogge more daungerous than an Aspick Moreouer al vices and wickednesse whatsoeuer that resteth particuler and seuerall in sundrie beastes are altogether or for the most parte in one man For wee shall see one man both couetous proude craftie cruell enuious vnthankefull and a theefe To bee short as many members vnited make one bodie Rom. 6.6 so the holie Apostle Saint Paule tearmeth this heaping of vices in man the bodie of sinne euerie vice beeing as it were a member to that bodie It is sayde that in a sheepe euerie thing returneth to profite and commoditie the flesh for foode the wooll for clothing the sinnewes for strings for musicall instrumentes and so foorth But contrarywise euerie thing that is in man
doone to if God should visite them with the like necessitie Let thē thinke whether if they had but one hundred crownes they would bestow them all vpon one silke gowne layde on with golde lace and the whiles goe without a shert hosen or shoes The poore are their flesh Esay 58.7 saith Esay who commaundeth to couer them but they contrariwise that they may cloth thēselues sumptuously do leaue the poor naked without sherts hose or shoes Let them then thinke with themselues whether in the accompt of the goods that God hath committed vnto them the Articles of excesse and superfluitie in apparell will bee alowed by him who vndoubtedly heareth the cries and oppositions of his poore members complayning that they were left naked If a Taylour when he hath made a garment a great deale too long large being reproued shall haue no other excuse but that hee had too much stuffe woulde that bee accepted Woulde they not tell him that hee shoulde haue made the garment after the measure of the bodie but not according to the quantitie of the stuffe Euen so they that hauing plentie of goods doe employ them not after the measure of their vocation or the profession of a reformed religion but in superfluitie and excesse doe expose themselues to the skorne and grieuous reprehension in the sight of God and his Angels Let them therefore cloth themselues decently euerie man according to his calling yet so that the poore bee not forsaken in their necessities Let them put on such cloth that the poore may at least haue freeze To bee short let them put in practise the saying of Esay of the conuersion of the Marchaunts of Tyre Esay 23.18 That their traficke and Marchaundise shall bee sanctified to the Lord. It shall not bee locked vp neither hidden but shall bee vnto those that dwell in the presence of the Lorde that they may eate and be satisfied and haue dureable clothing for so doth the word signifie that he vseth 12 To conclude wee are to thinke that professing reformed religion it were meete wee should giue examples of reformation yet doe men see in vs the encrease of pompe and excesse in apparell as well in fashion as in stuffe edginges laces quoifes and other like vanities These as they testifie are small reformation in heart so doe they with manie call in doubte our faith and consequently our doctrine Those of the Church of Rome doe hereof occasion to harden their heartes in that in this pointe they see no difference betweene them and vs. As also the Anabaptistes haue almost no other argument to diuert themselues and others from our doctrine but the pompe and excesse in apparell that they see in the professors of our religion Beholde saie they they sauour all together of the worlde They bee worldly people Bee they the children of God Saint Iohn sayth Loue not the worlde 1. Ioh. 2 15. Ioh. 4.4 hee that loueth the world is an enemie to God Yet it is true that these men professing a greater simplicitie in apparell doe euen in themselues shew ambition to the world as concerning the stuffe for condemning a garde of veluet or a pafement lace they yet requite the vanitie with the excellencie and price of the stuffe which cannot be too fine or too deere for them and so in sumptuousnesse doe exceede both gards and lace Yet doth our dutie also require that for our partes wee shoulde take away all obiections or occasion to stumble at vs. Also as they are not to condemne the doctrine for anie such outward matters so are wee to remember the protestation of Saint Paule who sayth 1. Cor. 8.13 Rather then I will offend my neighbour I will eate no flesh while I liue If hee so submitted and resolued himselfe in a matter indifferent how much rather shoulde wee beware of offending the weake in these vanities prohibited by God Woe Luk 17.1 2. sayth Iesus Christ bee vnto him by whome offences come It were better for that man a mille stone were hanged about his necke and that hee were cast into the sea Shall wee euen obstinately through our vanities be causes of the ruine of our brethren Iustine in his 20 booke for whome Iesus Christ hath died Iustine reporteth that Pithagoras by his doctrine perswaded women to laye aside their golden ornamentes and other pompe of theyr garmentes as instrumentes of vanitie and impudencie and declared vnto them that the true ornamentes of women did consist not in garmentes but in chastitie What a great shame doe wee offer to Iesus Christ when his Authoritie and doctrine cannot worke the like effecte as to make vs to forsake such vanities which the perswasion of the Paynime brought the poore heathen vnto If these exhortations cannot pierce deepe enough into our heartes let vs call to minde how the Prophet Sophonie threatneth euen the Princes rulers and great courtiers saying It shall bee in the daye of the Lordes sacrifice thereby meaning the day of his vengeance that I will visite the Princes and the kinges children Sopho. 1.8 and all such as are clothed with straunge apparell Thus wee see how the Princes and great Lordes making a shew of their sundrie sutes of sumptuous apparell and new and straunge fashions are heere threatned with Gods iudgements And therefore let such as be of meaner calling imagine whether such vanities and corruptions bee worthie greater punishment in them or no. 13 Now in as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ the Sonne or God and his forerunner Iohn Baptist doe in their first preaching admonish vs to Amend our liues Let vs studie to forsake this ambitious vanitie so that euery man in his calling not imaginarie but such as God hath called him vnto apparelling himselfe modestly may in effect declare that he feareth God and mindeth to liue to edification remembring that garments are as it were a notable blemish of sinne the occasion of garments made as well to couer our shame as to defend vs from other the discommodities engendred in Adams transgression That the vse of the garments in steade of pride and puffing of vs vp may tend to humilitie making vs to glorifie God for his mercie and liberalitie towardes vs. Moreouer that we take care not to decke vp our bodies which shortly must perish and rot but to adorne our soules which are immortall with holinesse and good workes in the sight of God To be short that cutting off our superfluities wee doe therewith assist and relieue the poore members of Iesus Christ to the ende that in the day of iudgement Mat. 25. this blessed sentence I was naked and ye clothed me come therfore yee blessed of God my father and possesse the kingdome of heauen may passe on our sides Of excesse and superfluitie in feastes and banquets Chap. 24 NOw let vs speake of banquets No man can in these daies make a feast without excesse and that excesse must bee also reproued and represented
case that in this respect wee should not feare God more than man It happeneth many times that the backbiter with great protestation and attestation sayth I tell you but I would be loth to saie so much to another let it I praie you rest betweene vs speake not of it let no man knowe that I tolde you Oh foole dost thou more feare the blame at a mans hands whom thou hast spoken euill of than the eternall fire that thou kindelest and the curse of God which by backbiting thou pullest vpō thy head Darest thou not detract or speake euill of thy neighbor before his face albeit hee hath but some small meanes to be reuenged yet wilt thou boldly speake euill of him in the presence of almightie God who threatneth and is able to swallowe thee vp If the man whom thou speakest euill of chance to come in place thou doest blush and fallest into other talke But when thou backbitest him remember that God heareth thee and blushing at thy folly turne to some other talke and speake of such things as may be acceptable in the sight of God 13 Againe canst thou like a fool put more trust in anothers tonge than in thine owne Thou couldest not bridle thine owne tongue and doest thou request another to bridle his Why doest thou put thy selfe in the mercie and discretion of another If hee to whome thou hast opened thy mouth hath no more hold of his tongue than thou hast of thine hast thou not put into his hande a staffe wherewith by reuealing thy secret to bring thee into brabling strife Why doest thou reueale that to another which thou wouldest shoulde be kept secret If thou sayest I trust him So hath hee an other whome hee trusteth and his friend another c. to whome they will reueale it It is as if when sundrie faggots lie each by other thou shouldest kindle the one and so by degrees burne them all In some countries vpon anie murther or other hainous trespasse they ring the towne bell which when other townes or villages doo heare they likewise doo ring theyrs and so from one to an other whereby all the Countrie is soone aduertised that there is some offender to bee taken or staide Euen so thou when the clock of thy tongue hath stroken looke that hee that heard it will lykewise strike his and his neighbor that heareth it his and so shal the infyrmitie of thy neighbour soone come to the eares of many And therefore if thou beest loth it shoulde bee knowen why hast thou rung the bell of thy tongue in a countrie where thou knowest that euerie man is readie likewise to ring his 14 Let vs proceede Not onely hee that speaketh euill of his neighbour is a backbiter but also hee that hearkneth to the slander And in deed he that is desirous to heare of the faults frailtie of another sheweth himself to be deuoid both of zeale to Gods glorie and of loue to his neighbour For seeing God is dishonored in the transgressions sinnes of men it is our parts hearing of the same to mourne and bewaile the dishonour of God and in charitie we ought to take compassion of our neighbor who by his offence bringeth Gods wrath vpon his head If in liew of sorrowing for the sins transgressions euen of those whom before we knew not we delight to heare of them doo we not strip our selues out of all loue of God and charitie to men In this sense doth Dauid saie that he that receiueth a false reporte against his neighbour Psalm 15.3 shall haue no place in the house of God And in deed both he that hearkneth to the backbiter and the backbiter do serue the deuill alike the one with his tongue the other with his eare Bernard in a certain sermō Detraction saith S. Bernard is a sharp sword which at one blow woundeth three It slaieth the soule of the backbiter and the soule of him that giueth eare vnto him it woundeth impaireth the good name of him that is backbitten or slandered 15 And what doth more norish and maintaine backbiting than the vsuall vice of hearkning thereto euen with greedines For as if there were no receiuer of theftes there would not bee so many theeues so if none would hearken to backbiting Prou. 25. 23 there would not be so many backbiters As the north winde saith Salomon driueth awaie raine so doeth an angrie countenance the slandering tongue As the shaft saith Hierome shot against a stone reboundeth Hierom to Rusticus sometime hurteth him that shot it so when a backbiter seeth his countenance that heareth or in deed that hearkneth not vnto him sad or frouning hee holdeth his peace he waxeth pale his countenance is troubled and his tongue stoppeth sodainly In this consideration he saith in another place Beware of backbiting Hier. in his Epist to Nepor also of listning thereto Let thine eares be as farre from them as thy tongue For when the backbiter perceiueth that thou giuest no eare to him hee cannot well go forward Thou shalt not saith the Lord Exod. 23.1 receiue or take vp anie false report This worde Receiue or take vp euidently declareth that backbiting and slandering will soone fade awaie and decaie if it bee not receiued or taken vp and so vnderpropped and vpheld by the consent that is giuen thereto Hierome to Celantius 16 Sith therfore that the inclination to backbite likewise to hear backbiting is such that euen they who otherwise are far from many other vices as Hierom saith do easily fal into these snares of the deuill that according as Christ exhorteth we may amend our liues let vs thinke vpon the premises to the end we may abhor al backbiting let vs keepe our tongs eares pure so as the vse of these vices now so common may vtterly be abolished To be short let vs apply our tongs to speak open our eares to heare such things as may redoūd to the glory of God the saluation of our neighbors 17 Moreouer if wee heare that anie speake euill of vs let vs so order our liues that as Plato in olde time sayde men maye not beleeue such slanderous reports of vs. As Philip king of Macedon sayde Plutarch in his Apotheg that the reproch and iniuries of the Athenian orators caused him so to order his wordes and deedes that themselues should be proued lyers Neyther let vs forget what hee both sayde and dyd when it was tolde him that Nicanor spake hardlye of him I must bethinke me Plutarch in his Apotheg said he whether I neuer gaue him occasion so to say Aftewarde hearing that Nicanor was decayde and growen into contempt hee sent him a present And then beeing shewed that Nicanor spake well of him You see sayeth hee that it is in vs to cause men to speake well or ill of vs. If the euill therefore that is spoken of vs be true or that
of Israell cannot stand before their enemies Because they bee execrable And then he addeth I will not be with you any more except yee destroy the excommunicate from among you Here do we see which also is manifestly noted in the beginning of the historie that albeit Acan onely tooke of the thing excommunicate yet was his offence imputed to all the people the wrath of God was kindled not against Acan only but also against all Israell to conclude that the punishment and execution of Acan was the only meanes to appease that wrath as it is expresly set downe Iosu 5.25 that after Acan was put to death The Lord turned from his fierce wrath 40 Another excellent mirror and example of this doctrine we haue in the historie of Ionas He only offended God in seeking to flie from the presence of the Lord to Tarsus to the end shipped himselfe But God raised a tempest a testimony of his wrath Ionas not against him onely but against all that were in the ship who al were in danger of drowning They sought to saue themselues by casting their goods into the sea But it was in vaine Then finding Ionas guiltie the motiue of this tempest they made toward the shore to preserue both him and themselues but God withstood thē Lastly the only meanes to saue their ship themselues was by casting Ionas into the sea Which being done the tēpest suddenly ceased 41 If vpon the committing of some manslaughter or some other notorious crime in some Towne or Cittie the Lord by sending an Earthquake should threaten to subuert the same vntill the offender were punished men would take better heede And therefore this first reason ought earnestly to touch the harts of Magistrates to make them to punish the offences transgressions of their subiects considering that otherwise they maintaine the wrath of God kindled against their whole nation There shal not be saith the Lord by the mouth of Moses any recōpēce for the blud that hath bin shed but by the blud of him that hath shed it And therefore hee doth expressely forbid the iudges not to take any rewarde for the life of the murtherer who is wicked and deserueth death but commaundeth that he bee put also to death Numb 35.33 For sayeth hee Bloud defileth the land cannot be clensed but by the death of the murtherer And therefore as when fire hath taken a house men vse to pull it downe to cast it to the earth least it should fire also the neighbours houses So must the magistrate pluck downe and punish the trensgressor least the heate of Gods wrath be kindled consume al the people The transgression offence of one subiect is as a cācre or gangrene to the whole body of man for if the disease which hath infected but one mēber be not taken away it consumeth the whol body negligēce therfore dissimulatiō or bearing with vice and transgressions is no mercy or clemencie but crueltie and fellonie against the subiectes because it kindleth the wrath of God against them 42 The other reason propounded by the Lord importeth that by the punishment of sin transgression the subiectes shall feare to commit like iniquities And in that cōsideratiō is the punishment of transgressors vsually in all countries publike to the end that others may vnderstand in themselues find that vpon their committing of the like wickednesse they shall in like maner bee punished and therefore may feare to offend And is not this also the meaning of Gods iudgements and punishments executed vpon transgressors in this life euen that others should feare shun sin least they also should fall into the like punishment The Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.6 speaking of the sundrye punishments inflicted vpon the children of Israel in the wildernesse expressely saith These are examples vnto vs to the intent that we should not lust after euill things as they also lusted That wee should not commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twentie thousand That we should not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents Neither murmure as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these thinges came vnto them as ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall 43 This also is the fruit and purpose of Ecclesiasticall censures which are performed in excommunication 1. Cor. 5. as Saint Paul sheweth saying The incestuous person excommunicate least as a little Leauen sowreth the whole lump so the tollerating of the incestuous person should by his ensample corrupt the whole Church And therefore in conclusion of this purpose hee saith Put away from among you that wicked man Deut. 135 17 7.10 21 21. And this sentence and commaundement is also many times directed to the magistrate namely that hee put away the sinne or the sinner from among the people by punishing him according to his offence It is therfore the magistrates dutie to punish the transgressions of men to the ende that others may feare to commit the like iniquitie· And indeede what will become of that Towne or prouince Esay 11. wherein sinne and wickednesse is not punished If as Esay saith men be each to other as Tigers Lyons Beares Wolues and Serpents what peace or tranquilitie can there bee among the people if men bee not restrained from wickednesse by the exemplarie punishment of transgressors And indeede as Saint Augustine sayth Aug. against Petilian lib. 2. cap. 23. Albeit the feare of punishment breedeth not the comfort of a good conscience yet doeth it at the least restraine the wicked desyres inclosed in the secrets of the thought And as it is the better parte that is induced to this dutie by loue so is it the greater part that came to it by feare 44 Yet is there another consideration Saint Paul exhorting vs not to requite euill with euill but to giue place vnto wrath Rom. 12.19 addeth this reason Vengeance is Gods and hee will repaie it Rom. 13. And in the next Chapter he declareth that God hath ordayned the superior powers and magistrates as his vicars lieutenants deliuering to them the swoord to execute vengeance in his name If the magistrate therefore doth not imploy his swoord and power to the punishing of the wicked hee wrongeth those that keepe themselues within the compasse of Gods commandement and doo depende vpon his promise that hee wyll reuenge the iniuries that they doo beare and withall so farre as in him lyeth he doth bring vpon the maiestie of God a great reproch as if hee were not eyther true or almightie to fulfyll his promise or to take reuenge of those that wrong others To conclude hee giueth occasion to such as be iniured to defend themselues to render
For sith from them we cannot expect this soueraigne felicitie namely to liue in peace in honesty and piety vnlesse they also be guided or strengthened by the spirite of God in their charge our desire and necessitie to enioye it doe sufficiently admonish vs feruently to praye vnto God for them And whereas Kinges were in those dayes idolaters hee addeth this farther reason that God desiring the saluation of all men that is to saye men of all callinges and that they should be brought to the knowledge of the truth wee might by our praiers obtaine that the idolatrous and peruerse Magistrates might be conuerted and saued as well in respect of themselues as for the happy conduct and gouernment of their subiects 12 Now if we be bound to pray for idolatrous and peruerse Magistrates how much rather for those whome God hath already in mercy vouchsafed to illuminate or adopt for his children and to constitute to be protectors and nurses in his Church Pro. 11.14 Both reason and experience doe shew what a benefite it is to haue such Iudg. 2.19 8.33 1. Sam. 7 13 Where the Gouernour is vnwise saith Salomon the people are scattered And it is with them as with a shippe that wanteth a Pylot or guide We read that when the iudge or gouernour of Israel was dead the people returned to their wickednes And it is noted in this historye that all the time of Samuel the hand of God was heauye against the Philistines and it is truely a great fauour and grace of God when he giueth vs good Magistrates as Hyran King of Tyre said vnto Salomon 2. Chro. 2 11. Iob. 34.30 Esay 3.3 Because God loued his people he made thee to raigne ouer them and contrariwise he maketh an hypocrite saith Iob to raign for the sinnes of the people And in the same sence doth God threaten to send children to be Princes and effeminate persons to beare dominion Sith then it is so great a benefite of God to haue good holy and vertuous Magistrates is it not our partes feruently and continually to pray to God still to send vs such to preserue them to guide them by his holy spirite and to blesse their counsails and labours to his glory and to the good and saluation of his people 13 It also hath beene the continuall custome of all Christian Churches to make publique supplications for Kinges Princes and Magistrates and thereof wee haue a formularye written by that good Father and Doctor Tertullian And the reformed Churches of our dayes doe also recōmend and ordinarely vse the same dutie for in trueth there is no seruice that the Magistrates ought more to desire and require of their subiects then that they should praye for them And in this respecte Dauid a King after Gods owne hart and endewed with such excellent graces knowing neuerthelesse how highly he stoode in necessitie of the praiers of his people framed them that excellent praier for their prosperitie which we doe reade of in the twentith Psalme Eusebius reporteth that the Emperour Constantius Euseb in the life of Const lib. 1. lib. 4. Euseb in his Ec. hist lib. 10 and cap. 8. lib. 1. of the life of Const the Father of great Constantine protected his house by the praiers of such as feared God Also that his Sonne Constantine the great imitated his pietye For knowing as the saide Eusebius writeth that the praiers of good men those that feared God did greatly conduce to his preseruation he instantly required them to pray for him and commaunded the Bishops by name to imploy themselues in this duetye and contrariwise he reproued the Emperour Licinius for banishing the Christians out of his Courte alleadging this reason that hee depriued himselfe of the fruit of their praiers 14 Seing the fruit of praier for the Magistrate is such how vnthankfull are those subiects that will not feruently employe themselues therein especially considering the good and prosperity that themselues are to reape thereof we may truely say that the vsuall negligence of the people in employing themselues in this duetye doth many times procure God to giue vs Kinges and Magistrates in his wrath to chastice our ingratitude and slackenesse in matter of such importance That we may therfore amend our liues according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ let vs diligently employe our selues in this so profitable necessary a dutie wherby we may alwaies haue good holye and vertuous Magistrates that vnder their conduct and gouernement we may liue happily and beare to them all loue and reuerence yeelding vnto them voluntarilye all subiection and obedience and employing our bodies and goods in their seruice and assistance with assurance that in so doing and in praying vnto God for them as is aforesaide the Lord will blesse them and vs with them and by them Of the duety of the Pastor and Minister of Gods woord to his congregation Chap. 8. IT now remaineth that wee speake of the duties of the Pastors and Ministers of Gods worde to their Congregations and of their congregations vnto them As concerning the Pastors dutye the same may be referred to the principall end of their vocation togither with whatsoeuer is requisite thereunto This end is the saluation of the soules redeemed with the bloud of Iesus Christ as the Apostle writing to Timothy doth note saying Take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto learning 1. Tim. 4.16 continue therein for in doing thus thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee This is their principall end euen to saue soules and indeed S. Paul applieth to his Ministery this sentēce of Esay spoken in the person of the Lord I haue ordained thee to be a light to the Gentiles Esay 49.62 Acts 13.47 1. Cor. 3.1 Acts 13.26 Rom. 1.16 2. Cor 5.18 that thou maist be a saluation to all the ends of the earth True it is that God onely is the Sauiour also that he can saue without the ministery of men but it pleaseth him so to vse their seruice that S. Paul therfore calleth the Ministers of the word coadiutors and workemen with God therefore the doctrine that they preach is tearmed the worde of saluation and the power of God to saue all that beleeue likewise where the holy ministery is called the ministery and word of reconciliation with God the same is only to teach vs that where we be by nature the children of wrath and consequently in death the ende of the holy ministery is to withdraw saue vs by reconciling vs to God and making vs acceptable to him in his welbeloued sonne 2 Heerto must we also referre the saying of S. Paul that Iesus Christ gaue some to be Apostles Eph. 4.11 some to be Prophets some Euangelistes some Pastors and teachers for the gathering togither of the Saintes for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ. For sinne by seperating vs from God did engender this cursed dissipation
this when he beheld the glorie of Iesus Christ 15 According to the purpose of the premises we saie that whereas God hath chosen some euen whome hee woulde and not other some and in all that God in his prouidence hath ordained done for the execution thereof there resteth such wisedome goodnesse mercie and iustice that for the approuing of that which in the wisdome of mans flesh seemeth strange vniust it sufficeth to shew that the same was so ordained and decreed in the eternall and determinate counsel of God And indeed if anie man ask why the gospell is preached rather to some than to other some also why among those to whom it is preached some doo beleeue some do rest vnbeleeuers it is reason sufficient to aunswere that some are chosen and other some are not So many saieth Saint Luke did beleeue as were ordained to life euerlasting You beleeue not saieth Iesus Christ because yee are not my sheep Acts 13.42 Iohn 10.26 My sheep heare my voyce and follow mee When the Apostles asked Iesus Christ why he taught the people by parables wherein they had no vnderstanding which afterward hee opened to them alone hee lifted them vp into this consideration that they were chosen and the other not To you sayth he it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen Marke 13.10 but it is not giuen to them And therefore when we reade that some euen in lieu of conuerting and beleeuing haue bin hardned and become more wicked whereby the preaching of the Gospell hath bin vnto them a sauour of death vnto death It sufficeth that we aunswere that this befalleth not the elect but as Saint Paule saith 2. Cor. 2.15 those that perish and are vessels of wrath prepared to perdition And therfore the preaching of the Gospell whereby some are hardned is neuerthelesse of a sweet sauour before God as hee doeth expresly affirme 16 Let vs therefore conclude that all that God hath willed in the election of some and not of other some and in his prouidence and the execution of the same is good righteous holy and commendable And albeit we cannot comprehend it yet let vs beware that of our ignorance we take no occasion to blaspheme God but rather let vs acknowledge that it is because we doo not yet know anie thing of the incomprehensible holynes of Iesus Christ namely that he hath an infinite power to dispose of his creatures as hee will an incomprehensible wisedome to ordeine most wisely mercie and iustice which in him are but one essence wherby he can do nothing but in mercy iustice This if thou doest not vnderstand I saie to thee againe accuse thine owne ignoraunce and reuerence this holynesse which passeth thy vnderstanding Beleeue so much as in his word he testifieth vnto thee and permit this infinit power and wisedome to doo and to know euen that which thou canst not comprehend Remember that he dwelleth in an vnaccessible light which thou must reuerence but not enter into Beware thou beest not an aduocate for so wicked a cause 1. Tim 6 16 Rom. 3.4 Psalm 51 6 as is the cause of the reprobate to iustifie it in the sight of God For howsoeuer thou thinkest it to be he will alwaies as Dauid saith ouercome when he is iudged 17 In the meane time for the better vnderstanding of our intent knowledg in this doctrine we saie that if we stād vpon the consideration of mans creation to the image of God both hee and all that are descended of him were created to life for in man created to the image of God there was no matter or argument of death But if wee speake of the predestination hidden in the eternall counsell of God the same is a profound deapth that should euen rauish vs into admiration And whereas Saint Paule calleth those that are not elect vessels of wrath prepared to destruction he hath regard to theyr first original and nature of men Rom. 9. 22 Heb. 7.10 Rom. 5.12 according as all beeing yet in the loines of Adam when he transgressed Gods commandement dyd all sinne in him and are all guiltie of death and infected with mortall corruption Not that there was not in God a former counsell which went before wherby he had decreed and disposed of his creatures vpon certaine causes to vs vnknowen but for that from the transgression of Adam proceeded the curse and death of mankinde Saint Paule sayth that God prepared vessels of mercie for his glorie because that all that the elect haue to guide them to life euerlasting proceedeth of the grace of God Rom. 9.13 but others are prepared to perdition because they are giuen ouer to themselues so that following their owne corruptions they go according to the eternall decree of God to destruction And heereof do we gather that albeit God had iust cause to vs vnknowen thus to dispose of his creatures by choosing some and reiecting other some yet did hee not hate or condemne anie thing but sinne and corruption It is not therefore fit that wee should seeke the cause of the destruction of the reprobate in heauen when wee see that it resteth in earth neither that we should impute that vnto God which is in man himselfe neither should the reprobate also murmure at the mercie of God poured vppon the elect considering that God may doo good to whom he wil either at their owne destruction whereof there resteth a twofold occasion in thēselues namely original sin the iniquities that do therof daily proceed 18 Moreouer as concerning the transgression of Adam Eue 1. Sam. 2.6 Amos 3.6 Iere. La. 3.38 Iob. 30.39 Psalme 104. 105. 106 107. 136 Math. 10.29 it is certaine that the same neuer came to passe without the decree and ordinance of God And in deed the holy Scripture in infinite places doth testifie that all things depend vpon his prouidence decree If a sparow falleth not to the ground without the will of God shall man so excellent a creature created after the image of God take so horrible a fall without his prouidence and decree A man may giue a little child some small stripe with a rod without the parents appointment which notwithstanding they would peraduenture dissemble and winke at but none dare vndertake to cut him of the stone or to cut off any lim without his fathers good will and authority Euen so the greater that the importance of Adams transgression was in that it tended to destroie ouerthrow so excellent a work of God namely man created to his image the more are we to beleeue that it was neuer doone without his counsell or decree Moreouer if in his prouidence hee hath ordained what he will haue done with all other creatures hath he not think you ordained what shall be done with the principall and most excellent for which he created all the others Again if God creating all the world
neither willeth any other thing but in wisedome and iustice Likewise it is to his glorye to haue a iustice wisedome and bounty that shall infinitelye surmounte mans capacitie And therefore let vs abhorre all replications murmurings and blasphemies vsed by those who labouring to comprehend that which is to man incomprehensible dare presume either to corrupt or to denye the holye doctrine of predestination and Gods prouidence and accusing him of vniustice and crueltye against mankinde dare maintaine that he is the author of sinne 22 Herein are such men worse then the very deuils and indeed they hauing bene created Angels iust holy and good did reuolte But came that to passe without Gods prouidence 1. Tim. 5.21 In that the Apostle Saint Paul maketh mention of elect Angels he thereby doth note that the rest were giuen ouer to themselues and so reiected Besides euer since the beginning of the worlde they haue still sinned more and more neither can they but sinne in respect of their wicked malice and corruption and thereby augment their horrible tormentes for the day of iudgement These I say are in all extremity malicious slaunderers and lyers yet doe we not read that any deuils did euer accuse God of iniustice against them either obiect that hee were the author of their sinne either maintaine that necessarily sinning they are to be excused But contrariwise they feele in themselues that they are iustlye condemned and beleeuing that there is a God doe tremble neither doe we reade that they euer complained that Iesus Christ came to torment them vniustly Iames. 2 19. but before their time and that in respect that alredy seeing their iudge they did apprehend the horrible torments wherinto they should be by him cast headlong in the day of iudgment which they perceiued to be neerer at hand then they could haue wiâ—hed In what degree shall we then place those men that seeke either to abolish Gods prouidence or to accuse him of iniustice or to maintaine that hee is the author of sin 23 If any troublesome spirite which cannot be satisfied with the premises wil stil in questions and replications be skirmishing heer-against let vs not be ashamed with S. Aug. to saye Consider what God is and what thy self art that he is God and thou man If thou thinkest to speak iustly shal the fountain of all iustice be drye Aug. vpon the words of the Apostle Serm. 20. O man doest thou expect an answere from me I also am a man and therefore let vs both giue care to him that saith vnto vs. O man what art thou Surely a faithful ignorance is better theÌ„ a rash knowledge Dost thou look for merits thou shalt finde nothing but punishment Oh the depth Peter denieth Christ the theefe beleeueth in him Oh the depth Sekest thou a reason for those things I am amazed at the depth of them I cannot attain to any bottome Paul found where to rest by growing into admiratioÌ„ he saith that Gods iudgements do surmount all knowledge and commest thou to search into them he saith that his waies cannot be followed yet thou wilt tread his steps hereto also do the same tend which in an other place he speketh very briefe Wilt thou argue against me rather maruel with me and cry out Oh depth Aug. vpon the words of the Apostle Serm. 11. let vs both agree in feare least we perish togither in error And indeede what can the most learnedest wits of these daies propound which the Apostle knew not in answere to the obiections of those that seek to reuerse this doctrine yet he by holding his peace doth by his example teach that against al replications we are to oppose onely the wisedome iustice goodnes power and glory of God And such as caÌ„not be content with these answers which contain the true sanctificatioÌ„ of the name of God and proceed from the holy Ghost can neuer be staied by any that proceed from the wisedom of men 24 As this name holy attributed to Iesus Christ doth teach vs as is aforesaid that his goodnesse power truth wisedome mercye and iustice is infinite and incomprehensible so to the end wee may amend let vs beware that we vndertake not to sight against the simplicity and truth of this holy doctrine let prety charity and zeale to the edification peace of the Church of Christ mortifie in vs all curiosity presumption and ambition Let vs beware that we seek not to sound the depth of Gods wisdome which is infinit least iustly we be therein snared and swallowed vp And in case anye to the ende obstinatelye to reiect this doctrine which is confirmed with so many and such euident testimonies of the worde of God Rom 3.7 doe yet persist in the vse of replication repugnant to the nature of God let vs with the Apostle say that their condemnation is iust Beholde therefore in what sort we are for the amending of our liues to learn to renounce the accursed wisedome of the flesh and all diuelish rashenesse which will presume to condemne the thing which we doe not vnderstand and contrariwise to reuerence the secrets of God which doe passe our capacities and his workes which we are not able to comprehend that so depending in all humilitie and faith vpon so much as it shall please him to reueale vnto vs wee may constantly sanctifie the name of holy most holy with this holy resolutioÌ„ that whatsoeuer he ordeineth doth or commaundeth cannot be but holye and commendable as proceeding from his perfect and infinite holinesse The third cause of amendment deriued from the predestination and prouidence of God entreated of in the former Chapter Chap. 3. SVch as cauill against this doctrine of predestination and Gods prouidence do among other matters alleadge this false inconuenience which is an enemy to the amendment of life and that in two sortes and say if we be predestinate to be of the number of the reprobate it is in vaine for vs to endeuour to liue wel and vprightly for albeit we should amend yet of necessitie we must be damned Others say if we be elect we cannot perishe albeit we doe euill and neuer amend our liues But let vs consider the absurdity of their speeches and then we will declare in how many sortes and how earnestly the doctrine of Gods predestination and prouidence should moue vs to amend First it is a great presumption to reiect the euident testimonies of Gods worde vpon an absurdity forged in mans braine as in old time did the Saduces who denyed the resurrection Mat. 22.23 Mat 20 16. Mar. 13 20. Eph. 1.4 Rom. 9.11 and 11.5 Phil. 4.3 Iud. verse 4. Gods worde in many places and very plainely doth testifie that God hath elected some to saluation and reiected other some that being giuen ouer to themselues they might be reproued Those men therfore doe growe to great rashnesse that dare alleadge that it is in vaine to amend in case they be reprobates that by this
as God hath chosen vs from among so many others like vnto vs euen before the foundation of the worlde to an incomprehensible and eternall glory and felicitie Eph. 1.5 what might be the orignall and foundation that his free loue Eph. 1.5 his mercye his incomprehensible goodnes and the onely good pleasure of his will as S. Paul also saith That euen God himselfe hath chosen vs and predestinated to adopt vs to himselfe through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will If therfore we would diligently meditate and ponder that the cause that we are preserued from the horrible condemnation of the reprobate which dayly by our sinnes we doe deserue and assured of the possession of life and euerlasting glory without any our desert proceedeth of the only election of God grounded vpon his goodnes loue grace mercy and good pleasure how should it possibly be but that the remēbrance of our election should induce vs first to humble our selues in the sight of God Eph. 2. 3. and acknowledge that by nature we were the children of wrath as well as others as also that in vs there was neither worthinesse or merit that might moue God to elect vs but that only of his meer goodnes mercy loue he elected vs to life euerlasting Secondly this feeling of his loue and mercy toward vs shining in our election ought to kindle our harts and soules in the loue of God that they might euen burne in feruent loue toward him We loue God saith S. Iohn because hee firste loued vs. 1. Iohn 4.19 If the Sunne in his force shining vpon a stone can so heate the said stone that a man shal not be able to touch it with his hād how much rather shal we if we meditate vpon this loue toward vs in our election albeit we were as colde as marble be warmed and kindled to loue him with all our harts with all our strength and with all our mindes as himselfe hath also commaunded vs. Bernard in a tract of the loue of God 10 The cause saith S Bernard why we should loue him is God himselfe and the measure is to loue him beyond measure hee declareth that the diuinity in it selfe considered is worthye that we should loue it beyond measure how much then must we loue God when he communicateth to vs his loue goodnes mercy in electing vs to life euerlasting but if we loue God in such maner as our election that leadeth vs to his loue toward vs doth binde and admonishe vs we ought to studye to amend our liues in keeping his commandements as Iesus Christ requireth at our hands saying If ye loue me Luke 14.15 keepe my commaundements As also it is our duety to loue that which he loueth and willeth vs to loue and to hate that which he hateth and willeth vs to hate and this is the root of our bond to loue our neighbour for the loue of God and contrariwise not to loue the world Iames 4.4 because as the Apostle saith The loue of the world is enmity with God And for this cause must we also denye our selues and the flesh Rom. 8.7 because the affections thereof are repugnant to God yea euen for this must we be ready to forsake father mother Luke 14 26. goods and life it selfe for the loue of God for otherwise we are not worthy to be his 11 As in this loue to God and in all that we haue shewed to depend thereof the true amendment of life doth consist so doth it sufficiently appeare that there is not any more liuely or vehement argument to induce vs to amendment then the meditation and remembrance of our election and consequentlye of the loue of God towards vs which shineth in the same and this doth the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Romains expressely confirme for in the 9.10 and 11. Chapters hauing at large entreated vpon predestination hee thereof doth in the beginning of the twelfth gather this vehement exhortation to amendment of life Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this worlde but be ye changed by the renewing of your minde that ye may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect He heere raiseth them vp to the consideration of the great mercies of God shining in their election to saluation thereby to giue them to vnderstand how deepelye it bindeth and should induce them to amendment of life So often therefore as we finde our selues slacke in the seruice of God or attempted to offend him let vs thinke vpon our election and the loue and mercye of God the spring and originall of the same that so we may be moued to loue God and to shew forth this loue by a carefull and continuall amendment of our liues 12 Moreouer the remembrance of our election ought to stirre vs vp incessantly to praise God First for the incomprehensible riches of the life and glory wherto we are elected Secondly by the apprehension of the horrible and eternall damnation of the reprobate wherefro election onely hath saued and preserued vs. The remembrance therfore of so great so wonderfull and meere incomprehensible a benefite thus doubly considered ought to rauish our soules and open our mouthes night day infinitly and vncessantly to praise God Besides if we consider the cursed state of the reprobate and meditate vpon the fire alwaies burning the woorme perpetually gnawing the darknes that shal be without end to be short the lamentations and gnashing of teeth proceeding of their anguish that shal be the wofull fruit of their sins the iust reward of their iniquities who can but detest the offending of God Men vse openly to execute the guiltye to the ende that others by the apprehension of their punishment may feare to commit the like transgressions let then the representation of the so wofull estate of the vessels of wrath burning in hell fire make vs to feare to commit any thing wherby to deserue like punishment 13 Again the knowledge of our election ought in vs to engender a stedfast assurance that we cannot perish My sheepe saith Iesus Christ Iohn 10.27 heare my voice and follow me and I giue vnto them life uerlasting None shall take them from me My father who hath giuen them vnto me is greater then them all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Iohn 6.37 I and my Father are one Againe All that the father giueth me shal come vnto me and him that commeth to me I cast not away And this assurance is grounded first vpon the foreknowledge of God for he cannot be deceaued in the foreknowledge of that that is to come As indeed all is present in his sight yea euen more assuredly then are to vs those things that we
first reason of this commandement tended by the ceasing from manuall labour to figure vnto vs the spirituall rest namely the mortification and ceasing from all desires willes workes and wordes of the flesh Esa 58.13 as the Prophet Esay also declareth saying If thou refrainest vpon the sabaoth from dooing thy will vpon my holie daie and doest consecrate it to bee a holie and pleasing Sabaoth to the Lorde of glorie and that thou glorifie him in not dooing thy owne workes and that thy owne will be not found therein thou shalt prosper in God Besides this figure hath farther relation euen vnto Iesus Christ as to the truth thereof because it was hee who dying for vs purchased vnto vs the grace so to mortifie the olde man that beeing dead vnto sinne Col. 2.16 wee might sanctifie this Sabaoth in resting from our workes and labours And to that purpose wee reade in Exodus Obserue my Sabaoth for it is a signe that I am the God that sanctifyeth you Exod. 31.13 Ezech. 20.12 Now how necessarie this amendement sanctification of life is it doth appeare in this that God neuer required anie thing more strictly than obedience to this commandement of the Sabaoth Ezech. 20.13 22.8 23 38. Iere. 17.21.27 For wheresoeuer he wil note that all religion is subuerted he complaineth that his Sabaoth is defiled and violated 9 Where God also commaundeth that hee that had gathered a few stickes vpon the saboath day should be put to death he plainly sheweth that the least will word or work of our sleth deserueth euerlasting death And in deed this Emanuel perfectly and infinitly holy cannot indure any filthynes and sinne in that which is ioyned and vnited vnto him As we doo also reade that when the soâ—s of Aaron Nadab and Abiu offered strange fire before the Lorde the fire proceeded from the presence of the Lorde and deuoured them Leuit. 10. 1 and they died before the Lord whereupon Moses said vnto Aaron This is it that the Lord pronounced saying I will be sanctified in those that come neere vnto me and I will bee glorified in the presence of all the people Therby shewing that the neerer that Emanuel commeth vnto men or draweth men vnto him the lesse will hee beare with their corruptions and the sooner will he punish theÌ„ as doth appeare in a lump of waxe which the neerer that it is laid to the fire the more doth the fire shew his heate in melting it And in this respect when God appearing out of the burning bush to Moses commanded him to put of his shooes of his feet he addeth this reason For the ground whereon thou standest is holy not by nature more than anie other Exod. 3.5 but in regard of the presence of God 10 In olde time God dwelt in the midst of the people of Israel and the Arke and the Temple were testimonies of his presence which presence tended to assure them either of his sauor to blesse those that yeelded due obedience by amendement of lyfe oâ— of his wrath to punish those most grieuously who contemning this grace should rebell against him And this dyd Iosua most liuelye represent to the people of Israel For when they had protested that they would serue God and no Idols hee sayde vnto them You cannot serue the Lord for hee is a holy and iealous God and will not pardon your sinnes and transgressions so that if you forsake him hee will roughly intreate you Ios 24.19 When God named his sonne Iesus Christ Emanuel hee thereby declared vnto vs that hee is in the middest among vs and with vs after a more excellent fashion as beeing vnited and conioyned in our flesh and consequentlye vnto vs. And therefore we are also the more bounde in duetie to liue in holynesse by amendement of lyfe as beeing assured that as hee is come neerer vnto vs and more excellently into vs thorough his sonne Emanuel so will hee shew himselfe more seuere and iealous in punishing vs when wee turne from him and serue his enemies the world and the flesh So often therefore as wee shall heare or reade this name Emanuel attributed to Iesus Christ let vs remember that the same is a summon to vs to amend our liues that separating our selues from all filthinesse and corruption wee may bee consecrated and wholy dedicated to the seruice of God who is with vs in praying him fully to sanctifie vs both in bodie in soule and in minde that wee may bee preserued without reproch vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Hee sayth Saint Paul that hath called vs to this sanctification ioyning vs vnto Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5.23 is faithfull and will doo it 11 Secondly this name Emanuel teacheth vs that God is with vs wheresoeuer wee bee and consequently that he seeth and knoweth all our thoughts wills wordes and workes For as wee haue before sayde his diuinitie is in all places and consequently by vs with vs and in vs. Not that we should rest vpon the bare contemplation of this diuine essence to vs incomprehensible but that we should referre all to his prouidence by beleeuing that it is he that seeth knoweth guideth and gouerneth all that is done in heauen in earth neither that he should need to stand neere vs to looke vpon our affections and works And in deed marke how he reproueth hypocrites Iere. 23.23 that thought that they had to do with a God of a short or a dim sight Weenest thou sayeth he that I am a God neere at hand and not a God a farre off Can anie hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him sayth the Lorde Doo not I fill heauen and earth sayth the Lord Hypocrits did imagine such a God in heauen that withall they represented him to themselues to be like a man yea euen short sighted such a one as could not see farre so perswaded themselues that God did not see theyr wicked thoughtes and workes But hee reproued them saying that hee is not a God at hand only that is to saie such a one as is lyke vnto men that had need to stand by when they will see anie thing but that hee seeth a farre of As Dauid also representeth him vnto vs saying Psalme 33. 13 Hebr. 4.13 The Lord looketh from the heauens hee beholdeth all the sonnes of men and from his dwelling hee seeth all the inhabitants of the earth And the Apostle plainly declareth that no creature can be hidden from him but all things lie open and bare to his sight that wee haue to doo withall In the meane time because that men according to theyr nature doo more easily beleeue that such as are neere them do see them let them thinke that in whatsoeuer place they be God is neere them as this name Emanuel doth admonish which signifieth that God is with vs yea euen in vs as hauing ioyned and vnited vs to himselfe and therefore that
6. Heb. 2.14 rose againe for our iustification when by dying he mortified our old man by rising againe raised vs vp into newnes of life when by his death he destroyed him that had the empire of death did he not by destroying this kingdome of Satan bring the kingdom of heauen nearer vnto vs And in deed this kingdom of heauen was neuer so neare our fathers other the beleeuing Iews in old time Wel had they the promise that the seed of the woman should bruse the serpents head but we do see the performance thereof in Iesus Christ who by his death hath ouercomen the deuill and the power of Hell Well had they the pascall lambe to figure vnto them that for the auoyding of eternall death they must be washed in the bloud of Christ But as Iohn the Baptist euen with his finger pointed to this Lambe Iesus Christ saying Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1 2â— so this lambe did afterward really shed his bloud for the remission of our sinnes to free vs from eternall death Well did they stay and ofter innocent beastes in sacrifice as it were laying their sinnes vpon them that by their death signifying the death of Iesus Christ to come they might haue as it were an assured pledge of the remission of their sins consequently hope of life But there was not as yet any payment or satisfaction for sinnes And therefore these sacrifices were as it were bonds with sureties wherein man the principall debtor Coloss 2.14 acknowledgeth the debt Iesus Christ vndertooke as a pledge and surety 5 In this sence did Iesus Christ in his death make ful paymeÌ„t for the sins of al the elect consequently also of those that liued vnder the first testament as the Apostle saith which also S. Paul vnder the same coÌ„sideration termeth the former sins Coloss 2.14 Heb. 9.15 Rom. 3.24 not that they were not pardoned to the beleeuing Iews But because vntil that day there was no price laid downe for the satisfaction of Gods Iustice And in that sence dothe the same Apostle say that he nailed those obligations to his crosse as hauing then satisfied discharged the same And therefore were the expiatorie sacrifices circumcision with other like ordenances of the law abolished at his death Neither could they haue been kept as necessary but that they would still haue been witnesses that Christ stood yet bound Besides not content to haue by this abolition as it were canceled these obligations he hath also ordeined Baptisme and his holy supper to be vnto vs as it were authenticall acquittances and witnesses of payment made 6 It is likewise the benefite for the which he coÌ„mandeth vs to amend adding this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand For it is as if he had said Behold this is the time that I will breake the serpents head and destroy him that hath the empire of death and banish the prince of the world Now do I goe to make payment for al the sins of the elect to crucifie the old man that he may no longer raigne in them to purchase for them newnesse of life To be short to reestablish them in state requisit coÌ„uenient for the children of God Is not the kingedome of heauen then very neere at hand Amend therefore for it is time that you feeling your iustification and attonement to be made with God shold be at peace in your consciences should renounce the deuil the flesh the worlde and your selues mortifie the olde man who is crucified with me and become new creatures by vertue of my resurrection But if contrariwise you remayne hardened in your sinnes and will not giue ouer and mortifie the ambition pride couetousnes fraude whore dome insolencie dronkennes ryot hatred enuy malice and other corruptions and doe not amend by growing in al good workes shal you not so much as in you lyeth quench the kingdome of heauen that is in you and with most villanous ingratitude treâ—d vnder foote this incomprehensible benefit heere offered The heathen that neuer heard speaking hereof for their continued impenitency shall be iustly coÌ„demned The Iewes who had some knowledge albeit obscure and a farre off shal be more grieuously punished because they did not amend But you to whom this kingdome of heauen is neare at hand vnlesse ye amend shall incurre a condemnation without comparison more horrible and fearefull And the beleeuing Iewes who neuer sawe this kingdome of heauen but from far off and obscurely and yet as the Apostle saieth to the Hebrewes did beleeue it and reioyced and walking in the feare of God did amend Eph. 3.9 shal be your iudges to your confusion 7 We are furthermore to consider the preaching of the Gospel signified also by this kingdome of heauen Iesus Christ saieth Verily I say vnto you among them that are begotteÌ„ of women arose not a greater then Iohn Baptist Heb. 11. notwithstanding he that is the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he He doth not heere meane that the least in the christiaÌ„ Church shal either in piety or in glory in the kingdome of heauen excel Iohn Baptist but that they shal be greater Prophets then he that is to saie that they shal be able more amply perticulerly and euidently to speake of euery thing that concerneth our redemption saluation in Iesus Christ And indeed what euident assured knowledge hath there been reuealed to the Christian Church concerning the person of Iesus Christ that he was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary very God and very man likewise of his offices that he hath receaued the anoynting of the holy Ghost to be our Priest king Prophet Consequently of his sufferings death resurrection ascentioÌ„ into heaueÌ„ of the certitude of our iustification saluatioÌ„ not by workes but by grace by the merits of his death Moreouer how the Gospel of saluation was directed to the Gentils wherby there was reuealed to the world a mistery secret Mat. 11.11 which as S. Paul saith hath from the beginning been hiddeÌ„ in God coÌ„teining a wonderful wisedome then reuealed to the Angels And albeit the ancient fathers weâ—e neuer destitute of the spirit of God Yet had they it not euer without coÌ„parison so plentifully as it hath bene communicated by the preaching of the Gospell 2. Cor. 3.8 And therefore doth S. Paul call it in excellency the ministery of the spirite And Iesus Christ termeth it regeneration Mat. 19.28 as wheÌ„ he saith to his Apostles ye that haue followed me in regeneration shall sit vpon twelue thrones Truely therefore in regarde of the preaching of the Gospell Iesus Christ did saye that the kingdome of heauen was at hand and that therefore we must amend As indeed Mat. 19.28 what excuse may we pretend if hauing such a sonne of light before our eyes we be neuerthelesse giuen