Iudg. 17. vlt. me seeing I haue a Leuite to be my Priest And shall it not then be said of euery faithfull man and woman I am sure it will goe well with mee seeing I haue the Spirit of God in my heart And this Doctrine must teach the faithfull diuers lessons Vse 3. 1. They must take heed that they greiue not the holy spirit of God For neuer had any a better guest 2. To marry in the Lord for shall they make the Temple of the Holy Ghost the member of an harlot 3. To keepe their vessels in comelines and honour and to touch no vnholy thing For shall we defile the Temple of God 4. And finally to vse all meanes that it may be continued and preserued both from destruction and pollution Againe Let not a man disdaine to entertaine the faithfull Vse 4. When the Author of the Hebrewes would perswade the people to giue lodging to strangers he produceth this as Heb. 13. 2. an argument to moue them for saith he some in so doing haue receiued Angels into their houses Was this of force why then let the consideration of the poynt we haue in hand be powerfull to perswade to the same duty It went well with that family where Ioseph was so shall it with those that entertaine such in whom is the Spirit of God And here let man learne a lesson and wonder Is the Vse 5. Spirit of God in Paul and others where the spirit of all vncleannes not long before ruled Admire his humility that would descend so low as to dwell in so meane an habitation He that dwells in that light that none can attaine vnto now dwelleth where was a palpable darknes Salomon on this consideration broke out Is it so that the most high will dwell with the sonnes of men and shall not we doe the like from the same ground 1 King 8. 27. In the last place Let vs examine our selues whether we Vse 6. be Temples of this Spirit or not for if he dwell in the faithfull it 's reason we should proue if we our selues be not seduced And let these tryalls following decide the matter Signes if the spirit dwell in vs. 1. Where he dwelleth there is peace that passeth all vnderstanding ioy that 's vnspeakeable glorious 2. There is liberty not to sinne but to all holy actions 1. They can pray with sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed 2. Prayse God with an heart enlarged and with a willing Rom. 8. 26. minde 3. Runne all the wayes of Gods precepts chearefully and 4. Are resolute in the greatest and most desperate opposition for God his truth and their brethren 3. Where he takes vp his lodging there is holines He doth not dwell in Drunkards Epicures Vsurers fornicators or any vncleane person This fire purifieth the heart cleanseth the inward man though neuer so full of filthines in former time 1 Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 5. 18. 4. In a word where he inhabiteth he alwaies moueth the mind to doe good refresheth the soule after the performance of any holy action with a secret content and hidden approbation opposeth all evill iniections in the first apprehension as of Atheisme merit murder c. and in Conclusion he alwaies allureth that person in whom he is to bring all his actions words gestures thoughts and intentions to the word of God reuealed for that 's his owne Rule and by that we may know if he be in vs had we no other tryall We may gather another Note of great consequence out of the word Dwell which is that Where the Spirit of God taketh true and speciall possession he Doct. 5. is not cast out for euer For the word Dewll importeth not onely possession but continuance David Abraham Iacob with all the faithfull were neuer totally and finally depriued of the Spirit or the graces of the Spirit after they once were the subiects of the same Ioh. 16. 13. Math. 28. 20. First because he delighteth in his habitation and where Reas 1. that is in the inhabitant he will not be remoued from his home Who is able to dispossesse him is there any greater then Reas 2. he he it is that hath cast out the strong man Sathan and will neuer suffer him againe to reenter But it s said that Sathan findeth the house swept bringeth Obiect seuen spirits worse them himselfe and dwelleth there Math. 12. 44. c. To omit the diuers interpretations of that place this I Sol. take to be the truest Sathan is compared to a wayfaring man or traueller who wandreth vp and downe the Moores and Marshes to find water yet when his hope is frustrate it being dry land he then returneth to home his own habitation the which is garnished to his minde So the Deuill when he cannot take possession of other persons he like a sow returnes to his former muddy poole and findeth it swept but from all goodnes therefore he resteth there with greater content then he had in his progresse He hath malice enough to seeke a dwelling in all the elect temples of Gods spirit but that fire from aboue hath dryed vp the spring of sinne he cannot finde reentry therefore he makes a regresse to that person or Nation where he shall certainly enter For if the Spirit had swept and garnished the house from the power of sinne and adorn'd it with his gifts that are peculiar to the elect the Diuell might knocke at the doore but he should neuer be admitted to entrance much lesse to dwell there This might serve to confute the Papists who hold that Vse 1. the Spirit may be lost and cast out but we haue elsewhere spoken more at large of this poynt then here we will And this may confirme the salvation of Salomon as also Vse 2. teach vs what to thinke of those that began in the spirit yet ended in the flesh assuredly their gifts were generall not speciall neither did the Holy Ghost euer in a peculiar manner dwell in their hearts This may be of good vse to all the godly for their saluation Vse 3. is sure the Spirit shall neuer leaue them vntill nor then neither he hath safely conducted them to the hauen of heauen Oh that we knew the worth of salvation then this doctrine would rauish our soules and in the greatest stormes of temptations yeeld vs boldnes Were a great Merchant assured that his pilot would and could bring his ship safe to shore oh how would it reioyce his heart and glad the soule and shall we haue no ioy in the consideration of the certainty of our saluation Sure then it is because we know not the worth of heauen or misery of shipwracke at the gates of hell Would it not haue comforted David or Iacob to haue had a Ionathan in their iourney And shall it be no matter of mirth to vs that the Spirit of truth will lead vs into all truth This made the man
things into it selfe as we see Reas 5. by a stone cast into it or make them burst in pieces and fly about the house so let the profane dwell among the faithfull hee will either be conuerted or expelled out of dores Sixtly the nature of fire is to goe vpward and to carry other Reas 6. matter with it and this is the reason that when water boyleth it flieth out of the pot For the fire being vnited with it would carry it vpward but being not able it fals downeward so grace will ascend on high pierce the verie heauens and indeuours to draw others also though sometime it fals out with it as with the fire For meeting with a cold subiect it loseth its labour and cooleth it selfe for a season Seuenthly fire is the most actiue of all other elements Reas 7. hauing much forme but litle matter and so is grace For where it is it will be working not idle Finally fire comes downe by accident through the motion Reas 8. of the sunne that 's placed in it and were it not for the Sonne of righteousnesse grace would neuer descend from on high into this low region This informes the carnall man why hee is cold in good Vse 1. duties and others hot why he is vnwilling to worke and others so forward in the greatest opposition why can a man carrie fire and not giue light colaes and not be burned aske the Sunne why hee shineth and the fire why it heateth and they will tell thee it s their nature to doe so and so is it the nature of grace to shine like a starre in a darke night amongst the wicked and be hottest in the greatest frost of persecution and to strike the highest tower in pieces aswell as deuoure the dryest stubble And here we must all learne a double lesson First to get Vse 2. this fire and next to keepe it from quenching This is that one thing necessarie and how should we reioyce if it be already kindled For without it we are blinde corrupt cold yea starke dead We must make our harts the hearth to vphold it and our hands the tongues to build it it must lodge with vs daily send out a flame from vs and our lampes must be continually burning then shall we glorifie our God giue light to others walke safely as walled about with a defence of fire in this Pilgrimage and the Lord at length shall send vs fierie Chariots to carrie vs to heauen where our lampes shall burne day and night and shine as the Sunne in the cleare firmament for euer and euer One sparke of this is more worth than all the balme in Gilead This is that true fire that commeth from aboue which boyleth rosteth and seasoneth all our sacrifices and makes them acceptable vs also vnto God for without this fire we cannot escape eternall burning What haue I said yes I haue said that where this fire is not kindled that person cannot be saued Stirre vp the gift Note further hence that The gifts of God are to bestirred vp within vs. Doct. 4. We may not permit them to lie vnder the ashes and euer to be smoking neuer burning Did not father Isaac call for sauorie meate before he would blesse his sonnes and the Prophet a Minstrell before he would Prophesie David would cry Awake my soule why art thou so cast downe within me and Christ when he lifted vp his eies towards heauen might hee not intend the same thing Gen. 27. 7. 2 King 3. 15. Psal 42. 5. Ioh 17. 1. For if they be not will they not perish haue you not Reas 1. heard that they are of a fierie qualitie and therefore subiect without stirring blowing to decay and be extinguished And in so doing shall we not send forth the more light Reas 2. giue the greater heat want of this causeth darknes coldnesse in our conversation Here the idle seruant is reproued who wrappeth his Vse 1. Talent in a Napkin couereth this fire in the ashes and neuer vseth the bellowes to blow it vp and kindle it and yet those will stirre vp lust enuie and all the bundle of corruption that is within them to the vttermost What prouoking is there to strife and debate carrowsing and all maner of vncleannesse but this is to set wild fire a burning and to kindle a flame that will deuour to destruction and eate vp all our increase This fire needs no fewel this coale wants no blowing for of its owne nature it wil burne to the bottome of Hell O that these knew what a cooler the Lord hath prepared for them Let our Sodomites burne in lust fire and brimstone will consume them Well let vs take warning by their warning and practise Vse 2. this point so necessarie and that this fire may neuer dye but flame and ascend continually wee must first auoyd what may quench it and secondly vse the helpes that will inkindle it The things that put out the fire of the spirit in vs are What quencheth the grace of God in vs. 1. Euill cogitations as smoke weakneth the eye cold frosts nippe the tender budde and stinking smels damp and dull the purest spirits so doe bad thoughts disturb impouerish and enfeeble the gifts of God that be in vs. 2. Corrupt speech that troubleth the fountaine and stoppeth the spirits spring it shakes the yong plants of grace as the boisterous windes doe the late graffed sions this will cause the new man to dye before his time and the best fruits he beareth to become blasted 3. Wicked workes they rase the foundation and like the Boare of the wood roote vp all when these breake forth into action then fals grace suddenly into a consumption for they doe not onely wither the branches and change the complexion but also kill the body deuoure the iuice of life and destroy the constitution 4. Leud companie This doth presse downe and keepe vnder the gifts of God that they cannot shoot vp and spring as water to fire greene wood to dry this quencheth all one graine of this leauen leaueneth the whole Lump Let the Isralites liue among the Aegiptians though they hate the men yet they will learne their manners and Peter will grow cold if hee warme his fingers at Caiaphas his fire 5. The prosperitie of the wicked that will buffet the soule wound the verie spirit and make grace to looke pale and wanne how haue the faithfull fainted to see this and the strongest foote of faith reeled staggered this mudde hath made the men of God almost to turne out of the way Psal 73. 6. And finally the pampering of the flesh it will impouerish the Spirit and make it looke lanke and leane if the one be pampered the other will be starued When one of these buckets is ascending the other is descending Paul knew â—t well therefore would beate downe his body and keepe it in subiection These be the greatest impediments that hinder
this or that fortune or chance but cast our eye on our former dealings to others and peraduenture we shall spy out the true cause why in that particular wee are afflicted And if in so doing we find out the roote from which this branch sprouâ—eâ—h why plucke it vp and let it no longer grow in our ground Lay the fault where it is for feare a worse thing follow And is this true then let vs all learne Christs lesson Doe Vse 2. as we would be done vnto another day Would the servant haue done obedience by his when hee is a Master then let him be seruiceable when hee himselfe is in subiection And they that are children must obey their parents else they shall finde theirs to prooue but vntoward tooles Speake ill of no man for if thou doest its iust with God to let one loose that shal pay thee home in the same kind And in briefe wouldest thou be releiued in want comforted in misery haue the faithfull to pray for thee and in the houre of death to close vp thine eyes then giue to the poore pitty the weake comfort the feeble minded pray for thy brethren and visit them that are a dying And though this point by me be short in pressing yet I would haue it of thee to be long and often in practising Neither of me c. Where we note that We are not to be ashamed of such persons as by suffering beare Doct. 5. witnesses to the Gospell 1. For God is not they are precious in his eyes Reas 1. Reas 2. 2. If we be we doe not as we would haue others to deale with vs. And from this branch we note one thing more that Doct. 6. Corporall bondage doth not depriue Gods seruants of Spirituall freedome For Paul saith he is the prisoner of Christ both prisoner for his cause and also respected of him in prison as his servant This is a poynt that hath or may haue his vse and is comfortable Vse to all that shall at any time suffer for the Gospell in Turkey Rome or nearer home for though such be mans bondmen yet they be the Lords freemen From this very 1 Cor 7. ground Paul comforted the poore servants of infidells But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel Having finished the dehortation we come to speake of the Exhortation where we first collect that We that professe the Gospell are patiently to suffer all afflictions Doct. 7. that accompany the same So haue the faithful done in former time not counting their liues deare vnto them for the truths sake For we loose nothing by it 1. If friends forsake vs Angels Reas 1. shall pitch their tents about vs. 2. If we want liberty of body we haue freedome of spirit 3. If there be no outward peace yet we haue in ward that passeth all vnderstanding And â— though our outward man perish notwithstanding the inner man is renewed daily Herein we are the likest to Christ and what greater honour Reas 2. to man then to be made conformable to his Lord and Master And is not the Gospell and the obedience of it the best Reas 3. things that we haue or can doe what were wealth without the word one drop of this balme is to be preferr'd before all the riuers of pleasure and profits in the world And one act of beleeuing in Christ will restore a man to all more too then that he lost by one offence in Adam his Father We must once die and neuer in a better cause besides all Reas 4. this Christ he hath suffered for vs and we haue the Lord on our side And heere we might reprehend some that will suffer nothing Vse 1. for the Gospels sake they neuer respect candle or candlesticke The Preacher and the Gospel are the onely things that best may be spared in the parish A word will make them cast away their weapons and be gone And like little children they hang their heads clappe their hands on their faces set their hatt in the brow and runne away at the very humming of Bees and flies In the next place let vs all in wisedome and resolution Vse 2. confesse the Gospell and professe it and partake of the smal afflictions that be in these dayes Beloued wee haue not resisted to fire and fagot neither hath our purple bloud coloured the stones in the streetes then shall wee not suffer the tongue with patience to smite vs I cannot prescribe what kind or measure we may suffer But it is the voice of heauen that in the world we shall haue many tribulations All that Act. 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 12. Ioh. 16. 33. will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutions But let vs be of good comfort for our Captaine Christ in whom we are more then conquerours hath ouercome the world Againe we obserue hence that The Gospell whether preached or professed is alwaies attended Doct. 8. with sufferings and afflictions Psal 22. 2 Chron. vlt. 15. 16. For some doe imprison the very word and would not Reas 1. haue it to run and be glorified 2 Thess 3. 1. And it must be so For 1. God hath glory by it 2. His Reas 2. children get good by it And 3. hereby the devill is proued a lyar for Iob serues not God for nought Yea and 4. The basenes of the Gospell as some esteeme it bringeth sufferings as to trust in a crucified God Those then that are Ministers must arme themselues with Vse 1. patience and resolution Private Christians must doe the same Yet here is a wonderfull mercy of God that no power or policy can prevent the liberty of the word or hinder Mat 24. 24. the salvation of one soule for its impossible that any of the elect can be deceiued condemned And this must teach vs not to thinke the worse of that Vse 2. Gospell that is accompanied with troubles or of such as doe embrace it Some cry Oh! the dayes of old were good when we had lesse Preaching we had more peace and plenty What maruell for â—ow Sathan seekes to put out the Candle that directs to heauen and wicked men labour to put out that light that doth discouer them Let Popery bring peace with it for the present yet perdition shall follow it in future time According to the power of God Taking these words in that sense we haue mentioned the doctrine to be collected is that The Lord proportioneth the sufferings of his children according Doct. 9. to their power He will not suffer them to be tempted aboue their ability 1 Cor. 10. 13. Christ would not deliuer many things for the people for the present were not able to beare them Timothy escaped prison it seemes when Paul a stronger man kist the stockes Act. 16. for God had an eye to his weakenes First he would haue vs suffer according to our power because Reas 1.
couetous when he hath gotten goods the Prodigall hauing satiate his soule with the huskes of pleasures the ambitious when he hath climbed to the highest pitch of honour thinke they liue the onely Iouiall life and yet all dwell and breathe in the chambers of death and as the Apostle speakes are dead while they be aliue no better than walking ghosts in the formes of liuing men Let such buy and build plow and sow marry and beget many children yet the vntimelie birth is better than they The basest life exceedes as much the best meere being as Adam the red earth whereon his body was made but this life excels all others Gods only excepted more than men do beasts or Angels Deuils Why then let the worth of it moue thee the withering of this is worse than the death of the Gourd of Ionah And will not this consideration that all thy actions are but as so many beautifull sinnes and distastfull vnto the Lord set thee a worke to obtaine it Then call to mind how it maketh all things beautifull and well pleasing to the eye Will not our flesh tremble to see a body without a soule the teeth closed the eyes open the lips shrunke and the bloud set blacke and swart in the face and members is not such an obiect odious to man Euen so yea worse are we being dead in sinne to God and good persons Yet if all that 's said will not moue thee to this then know No life here no escape of death hereafter And immortalitie We collect hence that Life spirituallis eternall Doct. 10. It is not like the Lillies that flourish to day and wither to morrow Methushelah liued long yet died at the age of 969. but he that once hath the life of grace shall see no corruption Mortality shall put on immortalitie and though the body perish yet this life is in the soule being a more excellent subiect for as he that puts off his apparell doth not leaue his naturall life in it so he that layes downe the body loseth not the life of grace and immortalitie with it For as the naturall life is in the body not in the apparell so the spirituall life is in the soule not in the dead corpse after the separation Mat 19. 29. Mark 10. 17. Ioh. 5. 24. 1 Cor 15. 53. For Christ hath purchased eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. Reas 1. Christ was a holy person yea God aswell as man and he obeyed freely these two made the satisfaction of Christ sufficient And there is a proportion betweene Adams sinne and Christs sufferings 1. Finite sinne offending Adam Christ Adam Christ Adam Christ 1. Finite suffering satisfying 2. Finite sinne offended the infinite God 2. Finite suffering satisfied the infinite God 3. Finite sinne infinitely offended the infinite God 3. Finite suffering infinitely satisfied the infinite God So that life must be infinite because the satisfaction was infinite in value and worth and equall to the offence in remouing eternall death God hath promised eternall life and hee is faithfull and Reas 2. cannot denie himselfe 1 Ioh 2. 25. Christ from whom this life is deriued liueth for euer and Reas 3. maketh intercession Heb 7. 25. Reu 1. 18. Else it were better with the wicked than the faithfull of all Reas 4. men they were most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. And the word is called eternall 1 Pet. 1. vlt. And we read of an eternall house an eternall weight an eternall kingdome an eternall crowne and an eternall inheritance This 1. Confutes those heretikes that hold the soule is Vse 1. mortall 2. the Papists also who say that a man may haue true spirituall life and lose it But we see that Christ hath brought life and immortality or immortall life and if this life should end then it were mortall This makes also for the comfort of such whose friends Vse 2. are departed in the Lord why be of good cheare they are not dead but liue for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing This vse is of great vse were it well vsed This likewise might and ought to encourage all to goe Vse 3. on with cheerefulnes and Christian resolution and not be afraid of death seeing after it followeth eternall life death like a dore le ts the soule passe a better roome of habitation And here we haue a strong motiue to moue vs to labour Vse 4. for this life Is it immortall incorruptible why then striue for it What man would not liue long why liue this life once and liue for euer and that thou maist thou must 1. Be vnited to Christ for euery branch that abideth not in Helpes to life spirituall him is cast out and withereth All spirituall life floweth from this coniunction For as the graft hath life from the vnion with the stocke so haue we from Christ Ioh. 15. 2. Heare the Gospell preached for the word of is God spirit and life and he that beares this voyce though he were dead yet shall be liue What though we cannot quicken our selues yet we may vse the meanes And the Angell may trouble the water and Christ come and heale vs when we are at the wels mouth and vnable to helpe ourselues 3. Pray often Dauid neere about 19. times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme prayeth Lord quicken me Lord giue me the spirit of life c. Did he thus sure then it was good for him to be practised of all such as would be quickned and enliued Finally and aboue all things resist no good motion that thou hast in the vse of Gods ordinances or at any time else for this is to driue the author of all life from vs. Entertaine them therefore and kindle those sparks by obeying of them so shall thy soule liue and not dye Through the Gospell Here is manifested the instrumentall cause by which death is abolished and life brought vnto vs whence let this be noted that Though all grace come by Christ yet it is deriued vnto man by Doct. 11. meanes of the Gospell For that declareth how it may be attained and no other Reas 1. writing God giues his spirit with the Gospell not by the Law Reas 2. Gal 3. 2. and hence it is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. This must worke in vs a loue to the Gospell and a care Vse 1. to continue it amongst vs. Had we but one herbe in our grounds that would cure all diseases would we not hedge about it water it and by all meanes seeke to preserue it it from perishing Why the Gospell is this herbe that tree whose leaues onely cure all the nations We must make much of them that bring this Physicke Vse 2. for the wounded spirit how should such men be respected Pray we that the word may runne and be scattered to the Vse 3. foure ends of the world otherwise death will reigne life
for he is the iudge of the world As if our Apostle had thus prayed Now God the Father grant that Onesiphorus may find mercy of his sonne at his appearing vnto whom he hath committed all iudgement For Paul knew this that Christ must iudge the world might therefore distinguish thus in his vnderstanding when he prayed But howeuer the sense is good and sound At that day Some thinke at what time he should also be afflicted for at one time or other Paul thought he might also suffer for the Gospell though for the present he escaped Others haue conceiued at the day of death I rather would take it to be meant at the day of iudgement for then is the righteous rewarded for his workes and that is a day wherein if it goe well with vs it will be well with vs for euer And its vsuall for good men to haue their minds in trouble set vpon that obiect of the generall freedome from all misery and fruition of all felicity And in how many things or how much By things may be vnderstood money meate apparell and the like or parchment papers bookes conference encouragement c. The sense is very aboundantly liberally He hath ministred vnto me at Ephesus That is freely louingly imparted and conferred vpon me when I was personally there present Thou knowest very well Here Paul appeales to Timotheus for the truth of his testimony and confession To speake my priuate opinion This Appellation I thinke hath reference to that in the 15. verse And thus the sense seemeth to me Thou knowest how many fell from me of Asia at Rome But thou art better or very well acquainted in how many things or how much I was relieued by Onesiphorus at Ephesus For peraduenture Timothy saw not them when they reiected Paul and cast off their profession but heard it or if he did it might be but once yet he being Preacher at Ephesus and abiding there long might often see Paul releeued by Onesiphorus And this I take to be the reason why Paul saying here as in the 15. verse thou knowest doth in this adde better or very well which he omitted there For it seemes to be a comparison The one thou knowest well the other better or very well or Timothy might heare of the first yet saw the second Though it be not in my power to make requitall to my The Metaphrase good friend Onesiphorus for many his kindnesses yet my hearts desire and my prayer to God is that hee would shew him favour and mercy by the hand of his sonne in that great day when and wherein he shall come to iudge all the world And good reason haue I thus to petition the Lord for him for thou art very well acquainted how abundantly he administred vnto my necessities being at Ephesus as thou art not altogether ignorant how all Asia fell from me and forsooke me at Rome The Lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy with the Doctrines deduced Lord at that day For our better and more methodicall proceeding we will first beginne with the time when Paul would haue his friend to finde mercy whence this is the point to be collected that There is a distinct time wherein the world shall be iudged Or Doct. 1. There is a day of Iudgement Eccles 11. 9. Dan. 7. 13. Math. 24. 37. 2 Pet. 3. 10. And that for these following Reasons That the creatures might be freed from bondage and all Reas 1. maner of groning for till then they be subiect vnto much sorrow going against the proper end of their first creation whereby the Lord is much through the abuse of them by the Reprobates dishonoured They be the great Booke of God alwayes vnfolded wherein the wicked might reade his power Deitie and wonders if they would they are oftentimes punished for mans offences the earth is barren groning like a woman with childe yet cannot bring forth her fruite the Sea rageth and the springs are dryed vp the beasts of the field mourne the fish of the waters die and smell the fowles of the ayre perish and the very heauens become as brasse The good Angels are till then ministring spirits take many a iourney from heauen to earth place to place and from person to person to comfort and kill preserue and slay And some but without grounds haue conceiued that they mooue vntill that day the Orbes and celestiall spheares when as it's probable no such things be For thus I would reason 1. If there bee materiall Orbes wherein the starres as If Angels moue the Orbes nayles in a wheele be fixed then they must be either more crasse and solid or more subtill and rare then the Element of fire If they affirme that they be more solid then how can a more graue body ascend aboue that which is lighter And if they hold they be more subtill then the fire aboue which they say they are placed then how can the stars be fixed in them for wee cannot fallen them in the ayre much lesse then in a fineâ— subiect 2. We see fishes in the sea beasts placed on the earth fowles in the ayre and Angels in heauen Why then should the element of fire bee created to bee voyd since euery element is replenished with its proper and peculiar creatures Earthly bodies be on earth watery bodies in water aiery in the ayre heauenly in heauen so that by proportion method the Sunne Moone and Starres should be in the element of fire and running their circular and swift motion they cast downe the fire which otherwise of its nature would not descend participating more of fire and being without sense for otherwise the fire would consume them then any other element For if we marke we shall see the Lord doth maruailously fit euery creature for its subiect And this may seeme to bee the reason why the Moone is spotted and no planet besides in that she runnes her motion in the very ebbe as I may say and dregs of the element of fire for the purest as we see in water is highest And why the starres neerest the Poles doe twinckle and looke bright may also be in that the fire being moued there by the reflexe doth enlighten them more fully And whereas some seeme to wander it is not because they are not mooued with a circular Motion but they come short going a lesser compasse and therefore we thinke that they goe forward and backward We may see the truth of this in those people that in diuerse pathes one distant from another doe runne with a circular motion about a post or pole 3. It is the position of those that doe maintaine Orbes and Epicicles that No violent motion is perpetuall how then if the Angels or Intelligences did moue the Orbes wherein they hold the starres be fixed should this motion bee so constant permanent 4. Finally God made euery creature very good able by an internall faculty or principle to accomplish its end
others to returne that you may escape the dreadfull and importable wrath to come But alas wicked men for all that man or God can say or threaten they are like Iobs horse Iob 39. 21. c. they walke in the valley of sinne and reioyce in their strength of iniquity they goe out to meet the harnessed man Christ with the reuenging Scepter of iustice in his hand they swallow and breake the ground of Gods precepts with their fiercenesse they account brasse as straw iron as rotten wood they thinke that they can drinke vp as the Leviathan doth Iordan the Riuers of Gods wrath with their mouthes they smell this great battell afarre off and cry Ha ha at the sound of the last trumpet and say Tush wee shall neuer bee mooued the Lord neither thinketh good or euill But for all this God who sits on high hath girded himselfe with the garment of vengeance his sword is whetted his bow bent he will therefore make his shafts drunke with their purple blood and will for euer haue them in derision And seeing these things are so What manner of men ought we to be in holinesse of life and blamelesse conuersation Oh now consider this yee that forget this day lest thee strong God teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you And is there a day wherein the Lord shall iudge the Vse 6. world why then on the contrary heere is a world of comfort to the iust and perfect man In all thy crosses wrongs iniuries troubles persecutions sicknesses and in the houre of death look vp to this hill soare to this height and haue this continually in thy remembrance For now shall thy wounds bee cured thy infirmities healed thy enemies reuenged and all thy honest workes rewarded Now shall Sathan bee trod vnder thy foot his instruments bound in euerlasting chaines of darkenesse and thou with thy Lord and Master Christ bee carried into the holy of holies filled with ioy and bathe thy soule in the riuers of pleasure for all eternity All the men of God in their greatest anguish here below haue fetched comfort by the eye of faith at this Mountaine Iob reioyced being cast on the dunghill that his Redeemer liued and that hee should see him stand the last on earth Dauids heart was glad and his flesh did rest in hope because his soule should not bee left in deadlihead nor his body see corruption Iohn longed and cryed Come Lord Iesus come quickly and had wee the same precious faith wee haue the same precious promises why then are wee not rauished with the remembrance of these things Let the minde of the righteous wander whither it will or can this will bee the spring where to coole its thirst the poole to wash away its filthinesse the stay whereon to rest like the Arke on Mount Ararat after all its stormes and tempests This is the acceptable day of the Lord the yeere of Iubilee and the very time when all things in an vnchangeable eternall and neuer-fading condition shall be setled established Wherefore be stedfast immoueable resolute in good patient in suffering euil for this is the day that will pay for all And thus we come to handle a second doctrine Where Paul saith that day adding the Article That wee note as others from the like grounds doe that The day of iudgement shall be great and wonderfull Doct. 2. It is elsew here called the great day of the Lord. Iudè 6. Reu. 6. 17. and 16. 14. And it may bee so stiled for diuerse Reasons First if wee consider the Iudge for that addeth to the Reas 1. dayes excellency and greatnesse and that 1. for his person is hee not God and Man Wonderfull Councellor the almighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace Isa 9. 6 This is hee who made all things of nothing the first and the last who though hee was deade yet now liueth for euermore Reu. 1. 18. 2. Where is his habitation and from whence doth hee come hee dwelleth in that light which no man can attaine vnto and whither can wee flee from his presence 3. How shall hee bee attended What will he come like Nehemiah with one or two poore attendants or as Naomi with Ruth or like Dauid to the King of Gath all alone No he will be accompanied with two bands like Iacob hauing a thousand thousands of Angels with him his scepter shall be in his hand to breake his enemies in pieces like a potters vessell 4. And where shall he come from Ierusalem to Iericho from Aegypt to Canaan from the East to Bethlehem No he descendeth from the highest throne riding on the wings of the wind passeth through the thicke clouds and his way shall be in the aire Then shall his signes appeare by which I vnderstand not the Crosse with the cursed Papist but that splendour which shall flow from his glorious person that like the Sun with his beames when he riseth shall enlighten all the world And it may be called great if we minde who shall be Reas 2. iudged not Paul before Festus Iohn of Herod or the Prince of the Pope But all creatures men and Angells The sea the earth death and hell shall giue vp their dead so that all euill spirits Men women and children that haue beene are or shall be must appeare before him Kings Nobles Iudges Bishops without their crownes rochets scarlet robes and worthy ensignes of honour And what acts and enditements shall be preferr'd All Reas 3. and euery one that hath beene done good or euill from the very beginning of the world vntill that day all shall be examined cleered not one omitted The booke of each mans Conscience shall be opened and Gods eternall Register so that the most secret sinne or hidden act shall come to light And doth not this adde to the daies greatnes Finally if we consider the words or matter of the sentence Reas 4. it will aggrauate the merueilousnes of the iudgment day For the Reprobate shall be rewarded with eternall torment and the elect with immortall glory the one shall haue as much misery and the other as great felicity as created natures are capable of And will this day be such and so great Are not those Vse 1. then to be checked who neuer haue it in their mindes neither make the least preparation All times seasons moneths and dayes be thought on longed and prouided for yet this that surmounteth all is forgot not regarded What prouision shall we see for the Sessions or Assizes of one little County or Citty and yet none for this generall vniuersall gaole-deliuery of the whole world where be mens wits or what doe they thinke on For to what end doth God place them here below and affoard them time and meanes but to stand spotles blamelesse at that day Yet men be vnwise and neuer consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. If a Master should set a light vpon a Candlesticke