that God beareth with vs the more terrible will be his reuengment if we abuse his benignitie winke at the testimonies of his wrath shewed vpon others for our example Now hauing such euident testimonies of Gods seuere iudgmeÌ„ts in al ages reuealed against the vnrighteousenes and vnbeleefe of men as the Apostle saith here of the vnbeleeuing Israelits we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe so we see declare vnto you by the same word of trueth which we ministerâ— that all obstinate and vnbeleeuing sinners which will not obey the trueth shall not enter in to the rest of life euerlasting or haue any part in the felicitiâ— of the faithfull Do we therfore iudge men no in no wise The word which we minister is the iudge and by it we denounce the iudgments of God against them which obey not this word instructing them with meeknes prouing iâ— God at any time will giue theÌ„ repeÌ„tâ—nce that they may come to the knowledge of his truth for this is the iudgment of the spirite of God hee that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth â—o 3 36. on him and he that is in this vnbeliefe though he fasi from meaâ—â— though he say many praâ—ers though he giue much to the poore though he build churches and do many gloriouse workes doeth yet nothing acceptable to God while he beleeueth not in the sonne while hiâ— heart cleaveth not to the word of the Lord. For as it is written without faith it is vnpossible to please God and againe Hebâ— 11. 6 Rom. 14 23 what soeuer is not of faith is sinne So far is the carnal maÌ„ which is possessed with vnbeliefe froÌ„ pleasing of God that all his workes euen the best deedes that he doeth are nothing els but sinne Many there be which doe many thinges that haue in deed as the Apostle saith a shew Col. 2. 23. of wisedome in voluntary religion but if you aske these people from what faith their works do proceede and vpon what promises of God coÌ„tained in his word their faith is setled they will commonly say that though they know not these things yet hope they to bee saued as wel as your selfe But be not deceiued for this hope is no hope It is not the auker of the soule both sure and stedfast And your faith is no Heb. 6. 19. faith so long as it be not built vpon the rocke of Gods worde which is the iewell that you should desire more then gold and finde to be sweeter then hony and the hony combe But while Psal 19 19. you builde vpon the devises of your owne heart your adversary when the day of triall coÌ„meth wil overthrow your whole building which is not grounded vpon the rocke but vpon the vnsure sand Wherfore if you wil enter into Gods rest dwel safely froÌ„ the feare of evill your heart must be purified by faith and as you heare dayly faith is by hearing hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17 If hitherto you haue beene dul of hearing or slow of heart to beleeue this word giue now the more diligence to heare and to exercise your selues therin least it be taken away from you for your former negligence vnthankfullnes For so the Lord threatneth by his Propher bebould the daies come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the laÌ„d Amoâ— 8. 11 12. not a famine of bread nor a thrist for water but of the hearing of the word of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea from the North euen vnto the East shall they runne is fro to seeke the word of the Lord shall not finde it This is a famine more to be feared then any famine of materiall bread For this falmine of hearing the word of God is a tokeÌ„ of reprobation a signe that God doth vtterly forsake cast away that people or nation where it is sent For when God taketh away the light of his word what shall we find but hellâ—â—h darkenesse the shadowe of death this is the â—ust iudgment of God for the vnbeliefe of them that shall nos enter into his rest Beholde now therfore the accepted time behold 2. Cor. 6. 1. now the day of saluation For yet it is called to day yet wisedome vttereth her voice in the Heb. 3. 13. Pro. 1. 20. streets open assemblies of our people promiseth that whosoeuer obeyeth her shall ver 33. dwel safely be quiet froÌ„ the fear of euil Be hold now the Lord stadeth at the dâ—â—re knockeeâ—â— saying if any man heare my voice opeÌ„ the Rev. 3 20. doore I will come in vnto him and will suppâ— with him he with me To this Lord that hath made his voice to be heard among vs now aboue fourty yeeres long and yet continueth vnto vs the glorious day of his grace be praise in the church throughout all generations for euer Let vs humble our selues before the throÌ„e of grace and pray FINIS A GODLY AND NECESSARY SERMON against fleshly lustes and against certaine mischievous May-games which are the fruite thereof Preached vpon the first Sabbath day in Maie in the yeere 1598. By H. R. Master of Artes and now Minister of the word Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other Printed at Oxford by Joseph Barnes and are to be sold in Paules church yard at the signe of the Bible 1600. To the Reader THis sermon ChristiaÌ„ Reader should haue bene published together with another of the sufferings agonâ—es of our sauiour Christ of his victorie over death but that some which would be counted the soundest clarkes and yet brâ—ach not the soundest doctrine to the world want not their fauourers and meanes to stoppe the way of all such things as do not concord say amen to whatsoeuer they haue sayd fastened vpon the world for truth Omitting therfore things that must be deferred I haue here adioined to these six lectures â—ntitled the day of hearing a sermon vpoÌ„ a text of the Apostle Peter exhorting to abstaine from fleshly lusts For as the sonne of Sâ—rach forbiddeth vs to keepe backe our counsell when Eccl. 4. 23. it may do good so the afore named Apostle of Christ commanudeth vs euerie man as he hath receiued the gift to minister the same one to 1. Pet. 4. 10. another Wherfore as time place required as God â—nabled me to be an instrument of his mercy I haue brâ—fly intreated of the perillous bondage and thraldoâ—e into the which we are brought through the lusts of our owne flesh that seeing our selues to be in a dangerous case we may be the more sâ—irred vp to watch by Gods garâ—â— to haue victoriâ— against such inuincible aduersaries And wheÌ„ I taught these
be preached to al take heede brethren least at any time there bee in anie of you an evil hart and vnfaithful to depart awaie from the living God He is called the living God in two respects the one is for difference sake put betweene him and the Idols of the Gentiles which were the worke of mens handes and had no life and yet were they called Gods But he is more properlie and truely called the liuing God for excellency sake because he ever liveth and is the well spring of life which giveth to all things life and being To fall away therefore through the evill of thine owne heart from him which is to thee all in all thinges is a desperate evill case Here we learne that it profiteth vs nothing to haue beleeued the word of life to haue begunne in the spirite if afterwarde we falle by the way and seeke to be made perâ—ect by the flesh For as the Prophet saith whensoeuer the righteous man turneth away from his Ezech. 18. 〈◊〉 righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie he shall even die for the same Many haue begun wel and haue afterwarde fainted in the midst of their race departed from the living God Ioash king of Iudah began to doe well and did that which was acceptable in the sighte 2 Chro. 24. of the Lord so loÌ„ as Iehoâ—ada the priest lived but afterward he fel to idolarry departed away from the living God So Amaziab his 2. Chio. 25. sonne at the beginning of his taigne did vprightly in the eieâ— of the Lorde but not with a perfect heart For he was weary of wel doing And therefore hee was slame and â—reason was wrought against him when he turned away from the Lord. The Galathians Gal. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 7. began in the spirite did runne well for a time but afterwardes they turned away from the truth to the weake rudiments of the world and would be made perfect by the flesh Gal. 3. 3. And among other examples of this Apostasie or falling away from grace not able is that of Iulian the Emperour who for his revolting is called Apostata In his youth he was brought vp in the colledge of clergy men and profited so well in Christian learning Greg. Naz. in Iusiansi or at 1. that hee became a publique reader of the holy scriptures but afterward he sufrered himselfe to be deceived of heathen Philosophers and then renouncing Christianity he gaue himselfe to Paganisme in the raigne of the Emperour Constantius He vvas taken for a sound Christian and for his sucsesse in warre for his learning his gentlenes and many other laudable giftes that he had he was highlie renouned But when he was promoted to the empire and had full authoritie then hee shewed himselfe an Apostaia Hee was wont contunieliouslye to call Christ our sauiour Galileus the man of Gablee and by all craftie meanes to seeke the dishonour of the Christians aduancing the Paganes and such as woulde forsake Christ and his religion to honour and offices and so in despite of Christianisme he licensed and ayded the lews to build the temple at Ierusalem Greg. Naz. in lusianaÌ„ oral 2. But when they laid the foundations thereof the earth claue asunder with a great earth quake a mightie storme of wind arose that their whole worke was overthrowne many of the lews slain many of theÌ„ burnt maimed in their principal members with lightnings and fire from heauen Other tokens of Gods wrath were seene among them as also in the hoast of luliaÌ„ And so the lewes were made to desist from their wicked enterprise And lulian when he had reigned a yeare and seuen monthes or there abouts hauing receyued his deathes wound in battell against the Persians tooke his hand ful of blood and threw it into the aire saying vicists tandem Galiae thou man of Galilee meaning Christ Iesus when all is done thou hast the victory With this blasphemie vttered in despaire and in a feeling of woe he perished Here is a notable paterne of an evill heart and vnfaithfull Many in al ages haue after this maner fallen away from the liuing God and haue gone from Christ to Antichrist though not so famous as Indian It can not be vnknowne to them which by reading exercise seeke the ground of true religion how many in this land which seemed to be professors of the word of God in the reigne of the last king Edward haue fallen away againe in the dayes of Queene Mary and like the wethercocke haue turnd from the Gospel to the Masse and from the seruants of Christ became the seruaÌ„ts of the Pope rather then they would forsake either wife children lands houses or other earthly commodities for Christ the Gospels sake Againe which is more to bee lamented not fewe within these forty yeares being brought vppe in this their natiue country in schooles and vniversities of learning when they shoulde haue done good in the church of God haue contrariewyse runne beyond the seas to commite fornication with that painted harlot the false church of Rome then haue become rebells agaynst God and his eternal word against their lawful prince and their natural countrey They haue imitated lulian in apostasie And it is come vnto them according to the saying of the holy Ghost the doggees returned to his vomit and the 2. Pet. 2. 22. sowe that was washed to the wallowing in the â—â—re to leaue these men to him to whom they fall there are now abiding in this land too many that are infected with the leauen of them which haue drunke of the poysoned cup of Rome and doe wilfully withdrawe themselues from the true church and refuse â—o heare the doctrine of the Gospell least they should be converted thereby and least the savior of the world should heale them An evil heart therfore hath deceived these people And this is the iust iudgement of God to sende them strong delusion as the scripture 2. Thess 〈◊〉 11. 12. faith that they shoulde beleeuelâ—â—s that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the trueth but bad pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Nowe the remedie which the Apostle prescribeth against the custome of sinne against apostasie and falling away from GOD is exhort one another daily vvhile it is called to day least any of you bee hardened through the deceitnesse of sinne Although this dutie of exhorting doeth chieflie belong to the Ministers and teachere of the worde of GOD as Paule teacheth 2. Tim. 4. 2 preach the vvordo bee instant in season and out of season 〈…〉 prooue rebuke exhorte vvith all long suffering and doctrine yet here the holie GHOST speaking by the Authour of this Epistle wil haue all men which professe true religion to exhort one another and that daylie or every day for asmuch as there is no day nor houre of our life without temptations of infidelitie and without the snares of death laid in our waies And therefore wee are
was made a curse for vs. For the plainer vnderstaÌ„ding of this so great a misterie marke a familiar similitude There is a king whose lawes are iust and good and by the law al his enemies which haue rebelled and are founde guilty of high treason ought to suffer death and the sentence of condemnation is already denouÌ„ced against them and there is no hope of life remaining Yet the king hath no pleasure in the death of these rebelles but the law which declareth that he is a most iust king must be fulfilled and therefore the kings owne sonne doth offer himselfe to die to satisfie the law to the end that these men may be acquitted from the iudgment that hath passed against them and now these condemned persons are ransomed and set at liberty but the price of their redemption was paide by the kings owne sonne and it cost him his life Thus was the cause with al the children of Adam We had al rebelled against the king of heaven and earth and there was founde none that kept his lawe none that was righteous 〈◊〉 not one And therefore death was gone over Rom. 3. 10 ail men for asmuch as all men had sinned and Rom. 5. 12. now the sonne of God Christ Iesus taketh our nature vpon him and beeing made like vnto one of vs sinne only excepted he suffereth the cursed death of the crosse for our redeâ—â—tion Here appeareth the loue of God to vs ward and herein standeth the assurance of our salvation that Gods son the king of kings was wounded for our traÌ„sgressions and broken for our iniquities that the chastismeÌ„t Isâ— 53. 5. of our peace was vpon him that with his stripes we are healed And that we might be sure that he hath paid our debts to the vttermost farthing by susteining the infinite wrath that was due to vs the same Prophet saith that he was plagued and smitten of GOD and that hee povvred out his souls vnto death and all this for our transgrestion Isa 53. 4. 8 12. And therefore thou that art a Christian and beleevest vvithout vvaveringe that CHRIST hath suffered these thinges for thee and for thy deliveraunce out of the handes of thine enemies havinge that feeling of thy sinnes that thou feele thy selfe to stande in neede of every droppe of that precious bloode which was shedde vpon the tree of the crosse for the redemption of mankinde thou that hast this faith if thou holde if faste vnto the ende art made partaker of CHRIST And now it is vnpossible that thou shouldest bee damned For there is no condemnation to them Rom. 8. 1. that are in CHRIST IESUS Yea as a Godly Doctor faith Christ the redeemer Martin Luther must bee damned before the elect man can be damned for whom he delivered him selfe to death And another faithfull teacher Bradford the Martyr in his ser of repentance saith if the sufferings of Christihad not bin inough he would yet once more come again yea God the father if the death of his son incarnate would not serue would himselfe the holy Ghost also become incarnate die for vs. Hereof then is that assurance which the elect haue of their health and salvation through the grace of GOD in CHRIST IESVS accordinge to that notable testimony of the Apostle I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Rom. 8. 38. 39. principalities nor powers nor thinges present not thinges to come nor beight nor depth nor anie other creaâ—ure shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus If this bee not true why doest thou say in thy creed I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes For to beleeue to doubt or to be vncertaine can never go togither The other property of faith that iustifieth is to be assured not only of forgiuenesse of sinnes and deliverance from death but also of eternall life and that we shall be coÌ„municants with our redeemer Christ in the glory that shall bee revealed For if we bee iustified by faith ingraffed into his misticall body according to the meaning of our baptisme we are not onely acquitted from the iudgement of condemnation and saved from wrath but we are also made partakers of all the merits of Christ and they are as surely sealed to be ours as if wee our selues had wrought them For now the kingdome of heaven and the inheritaunce of the blessed life is due vnto vs as to heires annexed vvith Rom. 8. 17. Christ And whereas of our selues wee are without vnderstanding full of iniquity vnholy and lost sheepe The holy Ghost saith that Christ is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. 30. sanctification redemption For as the same Apostle speaketh in an otherplace if God spared not his owne son but gaue him for Rom. 8. 32. vs all to death how shall bee not with him giue vs all things also This is most true as it may be illustrated by example the spouse after shee be once marryed to her husband is not only called after his name but is also made partaker of all things that her husband hath right to his honour is her honour his wealth is her wealth what estimation what dignity and what deserts soever the husbande hath the spouse his wife is made partaker of the same because they two are made one flesh as Mat. 19. 5. saith the scripture even so the faithful soule which is iustified by faith and married to the bridegrome Christ Iesus is fully beautified withall the graces of Christ with his righteousnesse with his innocency with his holynesse with his honour with his glory yea the faithfull are so honored that they shal sit Luk. 22. 30. on seats and iudge not only men but also the Angels themselues Know yee not that wee shall 1. Cor. 6. 3. iudge the Angels how much more thinges pertaining to this life such is the honour that they haue in whose hearts Christ dwelleth by true iustifying faith And thus are they made partakers of Christ But let none of theÌ„ that are hardened in sinne and which delight and take pleasure in the workes of the flesh thinke that they aâ— made partakers of this gâ—ace For without that sure faith wherof you haue heard there is no saluation and where no workes of the spirite nor any token of regeneration appeareth there can be no sound faith and therfore where the Apostle saith that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom 8. 1. he addeth and sheweth who they are which waelke not after the flesh but aâ—â—er the spirit These three things are proper to a sauing faith that thou stedfasthe beleeue in thâ—â—â— heart that thou make consession of thy faith to the worlde be confessing Christ before Mat. 10. 32. Col. 1. 10. m 〈…〉 and that thou be fruitfull in all good vvorkes adorning thy faith with workes worthy amendments of
the Apostle Peter 2. Pâ—â— 1. 10. 21. witnesleth know this that no prophecie in the scripture is of any private 〈◊〉 for the prophec came not in olde time by the will of 〈◊〉 but hâ—lâ—◠〈◊〉 of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost And likewise when of sinne is by the faithfull pastour collected and preached out of the sacred scriptures we are to teceyue the same and to esteeme of it as if God himselfe did speake vnto vs who then sheweth his face vnto vs so far as we are able to abide it but his glorious voice our fraile nature cladde with sinne and transgression cannot endure to heare without the ministerie of men as it appeareth in the Israelits who say to Moses talke Exod. 20. 19. thou with vs and we will heart but iâ—t not God talke with vs least we die And yet when we are taught by Gods ministers it is the holy Ghost that teacheth vs Of whose wysedome the Apostle saith vvee haue this treasure in earthen vesselles 2. Cor. 4. 7. even heauenly treasure pure and vndesiled for as we see the water of a fountaine when it is put into the earthen vesselles doeth not chaung his nature and qualitie that it had before And the light of the sun though it shine through a window into a darke place doth neverthelesse retaine that vertue operation which it hath from the body of the sun so the ministery of men which are the organes or instruments of the holy Ghost altereth not the nature and propertie neither diminisheth the authoritie of those thinges which they minister VVee must bevvare therefore that vvee giue not the lesse credue to the vvisedome of the holye Ghost because vvee heare it at the mouth of men For it is vvritten God 2. Cor. 4. â— that commaunded the light to shine out of darkenesse is hee vvhich hath shined in the heartes of his Ministers to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of GOD in the face of IESUS CHRIST And therefore vvhosoever beleeveth not men teaching as they are taughte of GOD the same beleeveth not the spirite of GOD vvho hath made them able Ministers of his holye vvill revealed in his vvoorde For CHRIST hath given that commission to his true Ministers that hee sayeth of them hee that heareth you heareth Luke 10. 1â— mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Novve seeing that the Canonicall scriptures are the sayings of the holy Ghost who yet speaketh to vs 〈◊〉 oft as we heare them ministred and taughte shall wee not giue greate heede to so great a Doctour that his woordes maye perswade and take place in our heartes to the winninge of the soule for this cause this scripture vvith the rest of that Psalme of Dauid was vsually song among the lewes vppon the sabbath dayes when the church came together that it might stirre them vp to a more attentiue hearing of the law and the Prophetes And so likwise this psalme is wont to be read or song in our chruches in these dayes before the common praires and diuine exercise of the other scriptures as a preparatiue to the estectuall hearing of Gode voice And not to giue place to evill thoughtes and worldly cogitations which are wont to harden mens heartes and to cause manie to depart out of the church as wyse and with as litle knowledge as they came to it To omitte now the particulare handling of these words of the Prophet for they are afterwardes repeated and applied by the Apostle as we shal see in the handling therof let vs here consider three especiall causes why this scripture is here alledged wherof the first is that the Hebrewes might haue no I cause to glorie of their farhers and progenitours after the â—lesh For those their fathers which as they boast of had eaten Mannaâ—â—â— Ioh. 6. 31. the wildernesse tempted God faith the Prophet and therefore he exhorteth their posteritie and all that heare the same worde of saluation which was preached vnto those fathers by Moses not to harden their heart â—s as they did There is nothinge so common in the mouth of vanie and superstitious men as the prayse of their foâ—efathers and of the dayes that are past as if it were inough for vs if we could but follow the example of our fathers neuer examining how they beleeued â—r how they heard the word of God or whether they haue heard it at all And wee thinke that our sins shâ—l not come into iudgment yf wee haue learned them of our fathers But doe we not heare that God faith in the seconde commaundement that he is is a ieâ—ouse God visiting the sinns of Exod 20. 5. the fathers vpon the children vppon the third generation and vppon the fourth of them that hate him that is as a worthie teacher expoundeth Bullinger vpon the second coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t it yf the children walke in the crooked stepps of their fathers and thinke that their iniquâ—tie â—hall not be punished because they haue learned it ofâ— their fathers yet God will â—harplye reuenge it in the children although he touched not their fathers when they committed the same iniquitie The people that vvere left from the captivitie of Babilon obiect against the Prophet Ieremiah that vvhen they and their fathers did burne incense vnto the Queene of Ier. 44. 17. 18. heaven and powre out drincke offeringes vnto her they had plentie of victuals and all was well with them But when they left of that service wee haue had say they scarcenesse of all thinges and haue beene consumed by the svvorde and by the famine The Prophete replyeth that because they and their fathers vvith their Kinges and Princes hâ—dde doone such thinges therefore the LORDE coulde no longer forbeare Ier. 44. 20. 21. 22. it but broughte those plagues vpon them And thus doe the frovvarde people of our dayes vvhich vvincke at the lighte deceiue themselues obiecting that our fathers vvhich as they saie vvere of the olde religion had plentie of all thinges and felte no vvant And because they are touched vvith the evilles of these dayes vvhich notwithstandinge are nothing so greate as the obstinacie and vvillfull ignoraunce of this age hath deserved they run into that note of follie vvhy is it that the Eccle. 〈◊〉 12. former daies vvere better then these This hath beene the olde complainte of all ages The heathen * Ovid fastlib I. laudamus veteres sed nostriâ— vtimut annis Poet saith laudamus veteres wee are vvonte to praise the yeares of our forefathers This commeth from the darkenesse of our nature that we iudge foolishlie of those thinges whereof vvee bee ignoraunte according to this saying of a learned teacher because vvee Bishop lewell feele not our fathers evilles therefore wee imagine they had no evil at al. But though it vvere true that our fathers haue had the peace and posperitie of this worlde yet if wee will looke into that age wherein
so no man can stande or walke in the way of life without faith vvhich is the thing that quickeneth evene true Christian and is vnto him a rising againe from death vnto life through Christ the saviour For even as the body is dead without the soule so the soule is dead without faith and therefore Augustine writeth Super 10. tract 49. auima â—uâ— anima siâ—es est faith is the life of thy soule And againe where the A postle faith that Christ may dwell in your heartes by Eph. 3. 17 faith How should Christ dwell in my heart hee answereth thy faith in Christ is Christ dwelling in thine heart And nowe speaking of this faith that iustifieth the elect of God we must note that it differeth from other giftes of the spirite which in the scriptures haue the name of â—aith that so we may the better vnderstand what that faith is whereby we are said to be iustified and made the sonns of God There is therefore an illumination or inlightning 4 Kindes of faith of some mens mindes to consent to the doctrine of the Gospell and to receiue it for the infallible truth of God for in the gospel they that ar on the stones which Mat. 13. 20. 21. Mat. 4. 16. 17. Luk. 8. 13. receiue the word with ioy but haue no root are said to beleeue for a tune but in the time of temptation they fall away This beleefe or faith for a time is commonly called temporary faith because it is not permanent nor effectuall to iustification but it is a faith that reprobates haue that are yet in the state of condemnation There is also a gift of doinge Miracles which an vngodlie or reprobate man may haue and this is called the faith of miracles of the which 1. Cor. 13. 2. the A postle speaketh if I bade all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had not loue I were nothinge This faith or gifte maketh no man partaker of Christ Thirdlie there is a generall kind of acknowledging the word of God and the historie of the Gospell to be true and that Christ is such a sauiour of men as the scriptures do report of him and yet he that so beleeueth cannot apply the grace of Christ nor the comfort of GODS promises confirmed in CHRIST to himselfe He cannot beleeue the remission of sinnes to belong to himselfe for CHRISTES sake This is called faith historicall and is common both to the devilles and to reprobate men And of this kinde of faith the Apostle Iames faith thou beleevest that there is one God thou doest well the devilles also beleeue it and treâ—ble Iam. 2. 19. Lastly the faith which the Apostle speaketh of in this text and which is proper to Gods childreÌ„ only is called a pastifying faith because it apprehendeth and layeth hold on the iustification which is in CHRISTIE-SVS Some learned devines make of these 4. sorts of faith but two wherof the one as they cal it is a faith of Christ and this is such as the de vils false Christians haue the other a faith in Christ such as true Christians haue Yet for difference betweene the faith of repiobate men and the saith that devils are said to haue the former kind of faith to wit a faith of Christ is devided of others as we haue hard into a temporary faith a 〈…〉 h of miracles and a faith historicall Nowe the faith in CHRIST which none but the godly areindued with is defined in the 11. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11. 1. to bee the substaunce of thinges vvhich are hoped for and the demonstration of thinges vvhich are not seene It is called the substance or grounde or the state of the soule for that we liue by it I liue faith the Apostle yes not I Gal. 2. 20. now but Christ liveth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God VVhen the scripture faith that wee are iustified by faith it signifieth as much as that we are set free from the penaltie of the law and acquitted from the sentence of condemnation For this word iustification is the contrary to condemnation and without Christ it is manifest that all men are in the state of condemnation as it is written like vvise then as by the offence of one the fault came Rom. 5. 18. on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying if â—ne the benefite abounded towarde all men to the iustification of life This is the free gifte of GOD to bee iustified by faith and counted righteous in the sighte of GOD through the imputation of CHRISTES righteousnesse VVee conclude faith the Apostle Rom. 3. 28. that a man is iustified by faith vvithout the workes of the law And againe being iustified by faith wee haue peace toward God through Rom. 5. 1. our Lord Iesus Christ And to the same effect againe being now iustified by his blood we shall be saued from wrath through him Thus we see Rom. 5. 9. how the faith that iustifieth differeth from other faithes which reprobate men and devils are said to haue VVe see also the vertue and propertie of this faith and what it is to be iustified by it But in that we are said to be made partakers of Christ by a right faith we are further to note two thinges in the vertue and quality of this faith that iustifieth I he one is the assurance of our saluation because our sinns are for giueÌ„ vs. The other is the assurance of our glorification with Christ in life eternall for where remission of sinnes is there is also life everlasting Touching the assurance of our saluation we are sure to be saued because we beleeue and are surely Perswaded that the price of our redemption is * Christ hath in his owne person sustere whatsoever was due to our sins hath therby fully â—reed vs froÌ„ the ire of God the curse of the law Of his sufferings I haue else where spoken more at large which iflets were not should haue beene published fully and sufficiently paid For the holy Ghost witnesseth God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotteÌ„ son that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 10. 3. 16. again he beareth witnesse saying the sonne of man came Wherfore to giue his life for the raÌ„some of many or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is interpreted of the best translatours for the price of the redemption Mar. 10. 45. of many This assureth vs of full satisfaction made for our sinnes For to ransome or to redeeme is properly vsed to signifie the desiverance of captiues when man for man or life for life is redeemed So Christ being the good shepheard did giue his own life for the life of his sheepe And 10. 10. 11. Gal. 3. 13. thereby hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he
In which fortie yeares he overthrew them and made an end of them with their sinnes Fortie daies and fortie nightes was the raine vpon the earth when all the inhabitants Gen. 7. 12. of the old world except Noah and his family were drowned In those fortie daies and fortie nights the Lord wiped away all wickednesse and crueltie wherewith the earth was corrupted Forty daies are limited to the people of Niâ—eveh for repentaunce And in that space they repented for they beleeved God as it is in Ionah and proclaimed a fast and put on sacke-cloath Ion. 3. 4. 5. from the greatest of them even to the least of them And to speake according to naturall observation it is noted in mankinde generally that an * Plin. nat hist lib. 7. in proâ—m infant doth seldome or never laugh before he be fortie daies old Here we may see that man â—ath iust cause to bee alwaies sorie and to mourne for his sinnes which are the cause of all the miseries of this life When God establisheth perfect righteousnes vpon earth forty of daies and nightes are spoken of as when Moses was called from the sight of the people he was with the Lord in mount Sinai forty daies and forty nights Exod. 24 18 34. 28. in which he fasted miraculously that so the law of God which hee was to deliuer vnto the Israâ—lites might receiue the more honor and authority And againe fortie daies and 1. King â—9 〈◊〉 fortie 〈◊〉 E 〈…〉 h at the calling of the Lord continued â—â—sâ—ing because hee was the minister that should restore the law to the former perfection thereof And our saviour Christ is said to haue fasted Maâ— 4. 2. â—uke 4 2. 〈…〉 and fourtie mightes before hee beganne his publique life and preaching The end of which fast o◠〈…〉 le as * Vpon the harmony of the â—â—aÌ„gell Mat. 4. 〈◊〉 M. Câ—lvâ— doeth well obsetue was that it should bee a seale to the doctrine of the Gospell which as it is more glorious then the lawe of Moses so was it to bee adorned with miracles and rate signes And after he had suffered his passion and was â—â—sen againe hee was seene of his Apostles by the spice of forty daies Act. 1. 3. In which fortie daies he confirmed vnto them the verity of his â—uâ—â—ection Thus we see where vnto this number forty is vsually applyed in holy scriptures For as teâ—â—e is a perfect and absolute number and all supe 〈…〉 numbers doe arise either by adding vnto teâ—â—e oâ— els by multiplying of ten so the multiplying of ten in this number forty declareth vnto vs the louing kindnesse and mercy of God who giueth vnto men such space of daies or of yeares either to see the confirmatioÌ„ of his truth and his workes or to amend and turne vnto him before they bee destroied for their sins and transgressions And here we may learne that our departing from iniquity our faith and obedience to the worde of GOD must bee effectuall earnest and vnsamed and wee must persevere in the same not for one day but fortie dayes or fortie yeares that is so long as the LORDE vvill haue vs to remayne in the vvildernesse of this world Nowe the cause why the LORDE was displeased with his people fortie yeares was sinne For the Apostle sayeth vvas hee not displeased vvith them that sinned vvhose carâ—â—â—ses fell in the vvildernesse The roote and beginning of all sinne is the naturall corruption or originall sinne vvherein all menne are vvrapped from their mothers wombe and vvherevvith mankinde hath beene infected euer since the fall of Adam This corruption bringeth foorth fruite vnto death by transgressing the law of God We sinne three maner of waieâ— three maner of waies that is in thought worde and deede according to the wordes of our saviour Christ affirming that those thinges which desile a man come from the heart For out of the hearte saith hee come Mat. 15. 19. eviâ—â— thoughts These are sinnes and defile thâ— whole man Murthers adulteries fornications theftes These are sinnes in deed False testimonies slaunders These are sinnes committed in word And now all these transgressions and every one of them as they are committed of men are called actuall sinnes And they are Three sorts of actuall sinnes of three sortes One is counted a sinne of infirmitie into the which the godly and regenerate men of God doe commonly fall through the weakenesse of the flesh Of this kinde of sinne speaketh Paule when he saith the evill which I vvould not that do I. And Rom 7. 19. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 8. of this Saint Iohn saith If we saie that wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. The second is a sinne of ignorance committed through lacke of knowledge when hee that sinneth knoweth not that he doeth evill Such was the sinne of Paule before his conversion when hee liued a Pharisâ—â— and persecuted the Christians notwithstanding he had zeale and in his life was vnrebukeable Phil. 3. 6. touching the righteousnesse of the law And of this sinne after he was conuerted hee saith I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe 1. Tim. 1. 13. The third kind of sinne is a sinne of malice or a sinne of disobedience to the trueth of God when they that haue experience of Gods fauour and goodnesse towards them and know his word to be the rule of righteousnesse will not for all that forsake their owne waies to followe it and to obey it Such was the sinne of Saul when he did not 1. Sam. 15 9 obey the wordes of Samuel being commanded to destroy the Amalekites and all that appertained vnto them This sinne of disobedience was the sinne of the children of Israell for the which the Lord was displeased with them fortie yeares who knowing the goodnesse of God to bee more extended towardes them then any other nation of the earth did notwithstanding disobey his voice and tempte him â—enne tymes as the scripture witnesseth Num. 14. â—2 And therefore they were reiected of the Lord that they should not enter into his rest and were punished in the wildernesse with horrible plagues where their carkeises fell for an example and a terrour to all that should haue thereof This sinne of maliciouse frowardnes disobedience to the word of God is of all other most fearefull is therefore called rebellion 1. Sam. 15. 23. wickednes idolatrie compared with the sinne of witchcraft And of this kind of sinne Iohn saith hee that commiteth sinâ—s of 1. 10. 3. 8. 9. the deuill And whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not This is therefore the sinne that we must beware of We see how fearefully it was punished in Gods chosen people And their punishments as Paule witnesseth being written to admonish vs might if they were 1. Cor. 10. 〈◊〉 well weyed terrifie the stubborne froward generation of this age and might moue those that preferre the
2. Pâ—t 2. 9. how to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment to be punished The heathen man as Iustine Martyr alledgeth Iust Mart. in hâ—de moâ—â—â—chia was not ignorant of this â—udgment of the reckoning to come for he speaketh plâ—â—ly therof Sâ—â—ustus et â—mpâ—us eadem conditione futu 〈…〉 rape â—urare frauda misce if after this life there be no difference betweene the iust maÌ„ the wicked then go to catch what thou canst steale deceiue make confusion of all thingâ— sâ—derrarenolâ— but be not deceyued for saith he there is aâ—iudgment in hel beneath which God that is Lord of al things will doe whose name is so dreadfull that I dâ—re not name him Thâ—â— and much more he alledgeth out of Philâ—moâ— other heatheÌ„ writers which by the light of nature did set forth not onely the ommpotency of God the immortalitie of mans soule but also the reward of vertue the punishment of sin after this life how that God which as one of them saith is the eye of equitie that seeth all thinges doeth beare with the euill deedes of men in this life for that they shall come into iudgment hereafter The doctrine of the holy Psalmist is of singular force to this purpose who for the instruction of others confesseth that his fâ—â—tâ— were almost gone that his steppes had wel-nigh slypt Psal 73. â—3 〈◊〉 5. when he saw the prosperitie of the wicked how they thriue in the world and are not in trowble ver 17. 18. 19. 20. as other men but when the Lord opened his vnderstanding he saw the ende of these men namelie that they are seâ—â— in slippery places and are suddenlie destroyed horriblelio consumed as a dreame when one awaketh Iob Iob. 21. 17. 18. testifieth the like both of their momentary prosperitie and of their sudden destruction The seruants of God haue here a singular comfort that they may not be discouraged with tribulatioÌ„ and aduersitie and that they may not at anie time stumble at Gods long patience and benignitie toward reprobate and vniust men seeing that he rewardeth everie maÌ„ according as his deedes shal be though Rom. 2. 6. Rev. 22. 12. he be not hasty in punishing and though he doeth not in this life punish all mens sinnes alike Heere also secure worldlings and such as are slow to beleeue the word of truth may be moued to feare Gods iudgments and by amendment of life to withdrawe themselues out of the sâ—are of the deuill vvhich as the Apostle saith are taken of him at his 2. Tim. 〈◊〉 26. will And now if neither the promises of entering into eternall rest nor the testimonies of Gods fearfull iudgments reuealed against sin and disobedience can moue vs to repeÌ„tance let vs yet make vse of Gods visitatioÌ„s wherwith we heare and see the iniquities of these our dayes to be visited as in all ages God sheweth diuers tokeÌ„s of his displeasure and indignation against the vnrighteousnes and vnbeleefe of men For euerie plague ev 〈…〉 calamitie sudden death burning with fire 〈…〉 ther strange sicknesses famine euerie stood of waters ruine of buildings vnseasonable weather euerie one of these and of the like aduersities as oft as they happen in the world are a sermon of repentance to all that see them or heare therof For whensoeuer God punisheth some kind of sinns or punisheth some men more seuerely then others that haue sinned euen that his punishment is a warning a memento to euery one of vs to looke to our selues and to call to reremeÌ„brance our owne sinns knowing that it is the same God that will take vengeance of eueâ—â—e sinne and transgression of men that he will strike with a more heauie hand if his warning and example of his iustice be not regarded Wherfore to come to our selues We see that beside the pestilence and many other â—ignes of Gods anger where with this land of late yeares hath bene visited the Lord hath now for the space of three yeares together sent scarsitie of bread famine and penurie among vs And shall we thinke that the poore and the helplesse who for the most-part suffer these thinges are sinners aboue the rest that haue not yet tasted of this cup if we thinke so we vtterly deceiue our selues For we are otherwise taught of the Lordes Prophet in these words when the land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then will I Ezeâ— 14 13 stretch out my hand vpon it and will breake the staffe of the bread therof and will send famine vpon it We see that the Lords hand is after this maner stretched out and that the staffe of bread is broken We see and must needes know that the sinnes of the land are great and that the inhabitants therof from the greatest to the least haue not ob 〈…〉 the voice of the Lord to walke in all his waies and yet we see but some punished with the scourge of hunger and aduesitie The rest that are not yet touched are so farre from repeÌ„tance newnesse of life that as the Prophet saith they drinke wine in bowles and anoynt themselues Amos. 6. 6. with the cheâ—â—â—e oyntments but no man is sory for the afflections of Ioseph Few do weepe or haue that Christian-like affection to weepe with them that suffer afflictioÌ„ And will you still coÌ„tinue in sinne and hardnes of heart shall not the afflictions of our brethren cause vs to feare to turne into the way of truth before that greater plagues be powred out vpon the land euen vpon euery soule that doeth euill and continueth in sinne and disobedience Euery maÌ„ may gather that the calamities of other men do testifie that the punishmeÌ„t of his owne sinns lyeth at the doore As to this effect the heathen Poet speaketh Et tua res agitur paries cum proximus ordet Horatius When thou seest thy neighbours house set on fire thou hast warning to looke to thine owne And for this cause the Lord sometimes cutteth downe the greene tree shewing therby what he will do to the vnfruitful fig tree that keepeth barâ—eÌ„ the grouÌ„d of the vinyard though he let it stand for awhile That no man therfore might sleepe in his sinns or thinke himselfe to be the better man because he seeth other men punished himselfe not touched Christ teacheth vs most plainely by the cruell slaughter of the Galileans made by Pilat by the fall of the Luk. 13. 2. 3. 4. 5. towre vpon the men â—n Siloaâ—â— that the worst men are not first punished but that if God shew such tokens of his iudgments vpoÌ„ some few all other meÌ„ except they amend shall nothing the rather escape his heauie hand for that they be borne with for a time When we see therfore that God haÌ„dleth some men seuerelie and in his iustice we ought to feare examine our selues what we haue deserued so to consider that the loÌ„ger