estate Therfore the Lord sent them the voice of a more terible preacher which shooke both bodies and houses all at once assaying by this meanes to bring their impenitent harts to some shaking feeling and feare of conscience for their sinnes But as Which was felt about the yeare 1580. that Earthquake shewed them so our last Earthquake and other tokens sithens shew vs plainely now the estate wherin we stand which is that we yet continue in our sinnes That we despise the voice of the Gospel neede a more sharp preacher it openeth our securitie it threatneth Gods iustice in seueritie it promiseth our punishment shews vs that it is very neere the last time of warning Happie wee see are they which come when the Lord calleth them for many bee called but few are chosen few come What callings should we looke for more then wee haue had Wee haue had our daughter diseased our sonne sicke our seruant like to die wee haue seene fearefull signes ouer Ierusalem we haue heard of the gatherings of the confederacies and conspiracies of many nations against vs we haue found little faith in our friends little loyaltie in our owne naturall children great falsehoode in friendly face great diuisions quarrels and hartburnings amongst our selues many Malcontent dayly rising and a thousand other such callings besides the consideration of the silly threede of our happie estate depending vpon one and in earthly respects but one onely the vncertaintie of all things when God shall visite vs the turmoyles and hurliburlies that we may long before plainely see if God of his mercy helpe not These thinges are considered of few of many not accounted of and feared of none What will the ende of these things bee Let all the inhabitants of England crie Lord saue our Noble Queene Elizabeth from treason at home and from forraine enemies abroade Lord forgiue her her sinnes and vs our wickednes and graunt if it be thy will that she may yet long and long time in peace and in saftie preserue this her Noble Realme of England Amen Lastly we learne the great mercies of our God For he chideth before he stricke hee warneth before he destroyeth he punisheth not till he haue vsed all meanes to haue vs returne Hee giueth sinners both grace and space to repent and to seeke which waye they may be saued with this sinfull Iaylor The fift and last circumstance The time when he fell to haue this care what hee might doe to be saued He neuer fell to this consideration till the Lord drew him vnto it by his spirit For in the nature of maÌ„ ther is no good thought motion or power to returne from euill to consider and see our sinnes or to lament and be sorrie for them and at the word to seeke for remedy against them but rather a desire will and affection still to remaine in them Therefore Christ said No man can come vnto me except my father draw him This man Iohn 6. 37. 44. 3. 27 had his part of two motions The one outward by the miracle the other inward by the holy Ghost Application Doctrine Where first we see that all our labour trauaile is lost in preaching and opening the Scripture outwardly to the eare except the spirit also preach inwardly to the heart For men are of themselues deafe and dull till God doe open their harts and giue them a new vnderstanding as he gaue to Lidia to this Iaylor and many other Againe we see how naked weake miserable we be of our selues and that if wee were not gouerned and nourished by better power then our owne how quickely miserably wee should perish Therefore this consideration may serue to conquer the spirit of pride in our freewill men when they shall know that in their flesh and humaine nature ther is no goodnes at all that they can performe nothing that is good without him that said Without me ye can do nothing 1. Cor. 4. 7. Act. 20. 35. What hast thou saith Paule which thou hast not receiued We learne that faith is not in the power nature of maÌ„ to beleue or not to beleue wheÌ„ Ep. 1. 18. 19 1. Cor. 12 â— 9 11. it pleseth him but that it is the free gift of God for Christs sake vnto those that are his choseÌ„ For if it were in the nature of man then all Phil. 1. 29. 2. Thes 3 2. men shuld beleue But Al men haue not faith therefore it is in vs a worke supernaturall wrought by the spirite of God onely The want of the presence and working of which spirit in the harts of men makes them that they haue no desire to heare the word and when they doe heare it they take no profit by it for it is saide But the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixted Heb. 4. 20 with faith in them that heard it Where wee see a notable relation betweene fayth the word The one can neuer be effectual without the other They goe both together Therefore as soone as there was a fayth kindle in the hart of this Iaylor by the holy Ghost he seekes presently for the word as the body for the soule For as the body is a dead thing without the soule so the word also hath no life effect or motion without faith Now wee see why many Gentlemen Countriemen and others are yet either Atheists â—esters in Religion or despisers of the word because as yet with this Iaylor they haue not receiued the gift of faith c. Here we vnderstand that all shall not be saued against the error of Origen for without faith none can be saued but none haue faith but they onely whome God the father gaue vnto his sonne Christ But hee saith I pray not for the world but for them which thou Ioh. 17. 9. hast giuen me Therefore the elect which are separated from the world that is the reprobate by the free election and donation of God and are garded by the continuall prayer of Christ are they onely that shall bee saued Of which number wee see now this Iaylor by his calling and faith to bee one For Gods election oftentimes lyeth hid vnder a wicked life till the time of their conuersion come which the Lord hath appointed All are not wee see drawne to Christ in one manner for there bee many which professe Religion and talke much of Christ whome God the father by his spirite neuer drew but either their bellie hope of honor vaine glorie c. No maruaile though they belieue not rightly and though they continue not long in a good course Such are many of our earnest Iesuites Papists and libertine professors of the Gospell of Christ Lastly when it is saide that this Iaylor was drawne to this Religion to this godly care and in like manner all the elect wee learne what vnwillingnes what slacknesse what negligence wee vse in our comming to Christ and that wee of our owne nature haue no list affection or good will to come longer then God by his spirite moueth vs and compelleth vs. Therefore if Christ should looke for vs till wee should come of our selues wee should surely neuer see him nor haue any part in him Let vs therefore desire the Lord that as he by his holy spirit drew this Iaylor from the miserable thraldome of ignorance error and iniquitie and planted a desire in him to seeke the truth and by the same gaue him both comfort saluation So in like manner that he will by the same spirite moue our hard hearts to lament our sinne open our blinde eyes to see our imperfection and draw our proude stomakes to humble our affections to the obedience of the word and kindle in vs a loue to like and seeke the same that wee also in our most extremities may by Christ receiue light helpe and euerlasting comfort which the Lord God graunt vnto vs for his deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake to whome with the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God be al honor power praise glorie and dominion both now and euer Let all praise and glorie be giuen to God alone FINIS
daies were vexed exiled whipped imprisoned set vppon the rackes tyed and chained to the stakes and burned onely for this because they preached truely the Gospell of Christ which Paule and Silas preached before because they called them from darkenesse to light from error to truth from hell to heauen because they opened the illusions of the Masse Purgatorie and other such peeuish fantasies But here a man might saie it seemeth that there was some other matter which moued these rulers to lay vp Paule and Silas with so straite a charge For as there was no commoditie came to the rulers by the spirit of Diuination which was in the woman but rather a priuate gaine to certaine that were her masters so there was no such hurt like to insue vnto the Magistrate or state of the towne by expelling of him as should force them to so great a furie therfore ther was belike some other matter No but here we see most notably the nature of the wicked For it falleth out many times The natu of the wiked that the Magistrate which feareth not God perswadeth himselfe that by pollicie and maintaining of that which best liketh the multitude the common-wealth shal be both better longer maintained quiet peaceable then by establishing any thing bee it neuer so good which the people like not That was one error of the Magistrates An other thing that we see in them is vaine glorie and a desire to keepe their dignitie Which thing where so euer it doth enter it makes them vnwilling to heare of any alterations bee they neuer so little or neuer so good and bee they themselues neuer so full of imperfections for feare least if they should alow the doctrine of the Gospell in the reformation of one thing bee it neuer so little it would in time grow farder and at length perchance finde a fault in their owne best cootes that had neede to be amended That was the cause which made these Magistrates stop the proceedings of the trueth in the first appearing and to alow and incourage wicked men in their furie against the same when as if they had done well they should haue corrected the couetous abuse of the Deuill and haue praised the good men that did open it haue thanked God that had reuealed this abuse vnto thē Here we see another abuse and follie that was in those Magistrates for they presently vpon the cry exclamation of two or three lewd fellowes without examination of either causes or parties sent good men to the prison and let the varlets goe vnpunished Lastly we see the dulnes and blindnes of such Magistrates whome the Lord doeth not blesse They could not see the right cause of this tumult which was a couetous minde neither could they perceiue the pollicie of the Deuill in shadowing this cause For the wicked come not to the Magistrate say Sir they by their preachings haue taken awaye our gaine and commoditie for then it might easily haue bene perceiued from whence their heate proceeded but they colour their couetousnesse with an other shadow and saie Sir These men which are Iewes trouble our Cittie They preach ordinances which are not lawfull for vs to receiue neither to obserue seing we are Romaines So we see that it is a common thing to intitle that trueth which we think will in time ouerthrow our pride our couetousnes with rebellion sedition conspiracy by that menes to make it a cloke for lewdnes knauerie Now we see the causes of this straite charge which the Magistrates gaue vnto the Iaylor We learne here againe that the Lord suffereth euen his elect chosen for a time to run in the path of sinners that he doth exercise them with great temptations that he brings them euen to the brincke of hell and desperation yet recals them euen then when they are fardest gon least thinke of succour then is the Lord neerest vnto them as is here to be seene by the example of this woefull Iaylor and many other such like in the Scripture For whē Abraham had hoped beyond hope had waited for the promise till it was past both mans helpe and hope yet then did the Lord keepe promise when he least thought it When the same Abraham Gen 17. 19 21. 2. Heb. 11. 11. being commanded to offer vp his son that he had so long loked for could see no reason of the Lords promise yet at the very Gen. 22. 10. Eccl. 44. 20. instant when the axe was lifted vp vnknowen to Abraham there was a meanes prouided to saue the childe ere the Axe fell When there was but a sily basket betweene death and Moses yet at an instant the Lord Exod. 2. 3. 4 had prouided an vnknown meanes to make him ruler of his people When Ioseph was in great extremitie solde into a straunge Gen. 41. 40. countrie and for a long time in grieuous imprisonment without friends or hope of restitution and therefore might haue beene comfortlesse yet the Lorde when Ioseph thought least of it set him at libertie and 1. Sam. 23. 27. made him ruler of a great Countrie When Dauid was in great perill by Saule When Daniel was cast into the Lyons denne When the three young men that would not worship the Idoll were cast into the hote furnace Dan. 6. 22. 3. 25. yet the Lord at that instant when flesh and bloud coulde see no helpe preserued them So this feare which the Iaylor felt first in the Earthquake next in that hee thought that his prisoners had beene al gon stroke him verie deepe to the heart and brought him to great extremitie which all vnknowing to him was vsed by the Lorde to be a meane of his conuersion and saluation Where wee see how the Lord watcheth ouer his electe to comfort them to keepe them to defend them from water from fire from wilde beastes and from desperation and cruell enemies that nothing may hinder them from that happie hower wherein the Lord hath appointed to call them conuert them and saue them Lastly wee learne that they bee happie though they feele some miserie which may heare the voice of the Gospel and true preachers for they euer bring comfort and ioye vnto them that can heare them they expell all feare abandon all qualmes of lothsome desperation from their heartes but more happie are they that heare obey and submit themselues and their affections to the rule of the worde speaking to their eares outwardly or of the spirite of God mouing their hearts inwardly as this Iaylor did Thirdly his sudden Alteration The Alteration of this man was suddaine and maruelous For he which at the beginning of the night did with ioy receiue these prisoners with crueltie and disdaine no doubt thrust them into the vilest dungeon set them into the stockes and clapt giues vpon their feete before the same night was ended felt the power and spirite of God confessed
his ignorance saw his owne sinne vnderstoode the vanitie of his masters the Scribes and Pharisies perceiued himselfe to bee in an error humbled himselfe to them whom before he had abused and with teares sought their comfort whom he thought before to be comfortlesse desiring of them to know the right way to bee saued whome a litle before he had condemned as those that helde some wrong opinions c. Applicati ∣ on and Doctrine First we see that though God suffered his elect his seruants his truth by tyrants wicked and malicious enemies in our iudgement to bee oppressed ouerborne and troden vnder yet he neuer leaueth nor forsaketh them but is present with them in their prisons in the stockes in the darke and vgly pits hee sitteth with them hee suffereth with them he comforteth them he strengthneth them he heareth their praiers when Psal 34. 19. 145. 18. 34. 16. Act. 4. 31. 12. 10. it pleaseth him to deliuer them the strongest Irons prisons and tyrants in the world shall not be able to hold them And here we are to remember what difference there is betweene the miseries that we feele for the cause of Christ and the torments which are put vpon vs for our owne wickednesse For when we are cast into prison Act. 11. 4 Mat. 25. 40 Zakar 2. 8. Ephe. 1. 22. 4. 13 15. for Christes cause Christ is there with vs when we suffer for him he is grieued with vs for the head cannot be quiet if the body be in paine These haue alwaies such peace and ioye in their conscience that suffer for the truth that when they are whipped they reioyce when they are wounded they are Act. 5. 4. Gal. 6. 17. not agrieued when they are tyed to the stakes they triumph in the middest of the fire the ioy of a good conscience is so great and the earnest desire and assured comfort of the present receiuing of that vnspeakable ioy that will neuer faile makes the greatest torments seeme euen to flesh bloud either verie little or no paine at all knowing assuredly that they could not suffer for Christ Phil. 1. 29 Rom. 9. 29. 2. Cor. 4. 10 Luk. 24. 26. except they were thereunto appointed that they in these passions might bee made like vnto the sonne of God And assuring themselues that assone as they be deliuered from the stincking prison of this filthie carkasse their soule shall be presently in the hand of Deut. 33. 3. Wis 3. 1. 2. Tim. 2. 11 Psal 116. 15 Apo. 14. 13. the Lord wher no torment shal touch them that they shal be presently with Christ in his kingdome with whome and for whome they haue suffered and their death being precious in the sight of the Lord they feele that they are most happie of all other that die in the quarrell of Christ Of the other side they which suffer iustly for their theeuerie murder whordome or any other like vice they feele most horrible horror of conscience and torment both of body mind being seperated from Christ and hauing no peace or ioy in their heart by the quietnesse of a good conscience and assured trust in the mercie of God And therfore many of them in their tormentes and death lamentably houle without hope without comfort being without the companie of Christ and so in miserable desperation without especiall grace oftentimes end a wretched life Here wee must remember that God doth often giue repentant hearts to such as haue committed and doe suffer for most vile offences of whome we are to iudge the best Wee learne heere to haue alwaies a sure hope and confidence in the Lord our cause being his that though we alwaies see not his power and will ready to deliuer vs when our fleshe doeth desire it yet let vs assure our selues that hee is with vs and that hee will helpe and deliuer vs when he seeth his time We see how quickly God can pul downe the pride and confound the deuises of his enemies by such meanes as they can neither suspect nor preuent and how quickly he can turne the hearts of the wicked and enemies to cherish and fauour his seruantes and truth if he list We may learne of this Iaylor here a notable The right vse of Gods iudgments lesson which is to make our right and true vse of the iudgements of God when we see or feele them which is that by them we descend into a deepe consideration of our owne estate life and behauiour and see whether these iudgements fall not vpon vs for our pride our wantonnesse whordome murder ignorance ingratitude negligence contempt of Gods truth and euil intreating the seruants of God Which all it seemeth that this man considered for he feeling the Earthquake and knowing that it was the hand of the Lord hee fell presently to view his life the damnable estate wherein hee stoode and the lamentable miserie that hee was to fall into if his life at that instant should haue been taken from him He comes therefore and desireth the true Phisicke not that which comforteth the body but that which preserueth the soule What shall I doe that I may be saued How many of vs in England either high or low haue with our selues entered into this consideration hauing felt the like Earthquakes and many other signes and tokens I doubt not but there be some which haue though it be perchance a little some In all Philippie the Scripture maks mention but of a few which were conuerted thoroughly and made to see and acknowledge their sinne Wee reade that the rulers were moued but this motion proceeded not so farre as to make them to see the estate wherein they stoode Therefore we see that the signes and wonders of the Lord are not effectuall in all but onely in such as are his and were before known in his purpose The cause of this defect is not in the iudgements themselues but in the hardnes and sinne of their froward hearts that see them as the cause why a blinde man taketh no comfort of the sunne is not in the sunne it selfe but in the fault of his owne eyes It may be that many of our Rulers our great men and Gentlemen were at that present when they felt Gods hand shaken vppon them in the last Earthquake moued and troubled in minde but it was such a motion as the proude Pharisies felt which was not so soone suddenly conceiued but it was euen as soone and suddenly forgotten It was not such a motion as the Iaylor here felt which made him see his sinne his imperfections his wicked life and raysed in him a hartie repentaunce for the same and which caused him to giue ouer all other cares as one now wholly mortified to seeke onely the right way how he might be saued For this motion of the Iaylor had the spirite of the holy Ghost ioyned with it which moued inwardly and effectually the heart with the outward
motions of the body the other moued but the outward limbes and sences with a suddaine fleshly feare without the spirite of God For let vs see how many great men gentlemen rich men which before that time were whoremongers adulterers vsurers theeues pirats rackers of rents and and vnmerciful to their poore tenants how manye that were swearers blasphemers Athiests of no Religion neither hote nor colde wantons and libertines haue beene sithens soundly conuerted haue taken an accounte of their liues of their behauiours of their sinnes and haue repented hartely for them and haue come vnto their Preachers and Ministers to learne the right way to be saued and haue euer sithens continued in that godly course which all we see this Iaylor did I know not what other preachers can testifie but for my selfe I can witnesse but of a verie few or rather none There were in some fewe places solemne generall fastes by the Pastors proclaimed many did resorte from manye places perchance many for the noueltie of the matter more then for any touch of conscience but the follie of some the great hypocrisie of a number the short continuance of the good mind the quicke forgetting of these iudgements and the murmuring of manye against these proceedings doe argue plainely that the best of vs all were farre from the perfect inioying of that sweete motion which called this Iaylor to a sorrowfull repentance and kept him alwaies in a perfect obedience If we consider this we may lament that the Lord in 38. yeares peace and preaching of the Gospel hath not by his grace giuen vnto vs so perfect harts and sorrowfull consideration of our sin neither such desire to seeke him nor such obedience to heare him belieue him and continue with him as at a suddaine hee gaue then vnto this poore and miserable Iaylor but now a happie and ioyful belieuer God graunt that we now seeing our want our imperfections and our blindnesse which is the curse of God vppon our sinne may with this Iaylor be perfectly by the spirite of God moued vpon the sight of our sinne to true repentance to humble hearts to an earnest desire to seeke our saluation in Christ that so we may continue in perfect obedience to the worde of life and vnder the protection of Christ escape those plagues miseries warres and calamities which our sinne rebellion and vnthankfulnesse doe now threaten to pull vpon vs. Lastly this Iaylor receiued no comfort ioye or peace of conscience vntill hee was moued by the spirit of God to loue comfort the preachers of the word to heare the voice of the Gospell and yeelde obedience vnto the same so we learne that we which are sicke are not to hope for health we that are weake are not to looke for strength and we that are wicked are not to promise vnto our selues pardon and forgiuenesse vntill we haue with sorrow confessed and acknowledged our sicknesse weakenesse and wickednes and haue sought helpe at the Lord and his word and haue freely and willingly submitted our rebelling affections to the orders and direction of the same The second circumstance Of whom he demaunded this question Hee came to the poore Apostles The keeper to his prisoners a free-man to them that were in bondage he that before thoght well of himselfe vnto men that were despised c. For now out of all question hee knew assuredly that they were the seruants of God and preachers of the truth Which opinion he had conceiued by this strange and wonderfull miracle which GOD for their sakes had lately wrought It may be marueled why he feeling his conscience sore burdened with feare sorrow griefe and remorse of sinne had not gon for comfort and consolation vnto the great Scribes and Pharisies which before had taught him Surely the spirit of God had secretly made him to see that they were all blinde guides that they were farre out of the right way therfore now at length was well content to forsake them all and to yeelde vnto the manifest truth which at this time appeared plainly and would no longer wilfully stoppe his eares and refuse the proffered grace Wherin hee did maruelously disgrace the whole company of the Priests Scribes Doctors in that hee preferred these mens learning counsell and doctrine before all theirs These being poore men straungers and in the outward shew of the world abiects and the other men rich glorious graue and in the opinion of most men learned and great Rabbies Besides all this he put him selfe in great daunger of excommunication of life and liuing which they had published against Io. 9. 23 34. all such as should enter either acquaintance or familiaritie with them which spake or taught in the name of Iesus whom they had crucified Yet we see that hee casting away all feare and not consulting with flesh and Gala. 1. 16. bloud submitted himselfe happyly to bee a Scholer vnto these Apostles Application Doctrine First we learne in our extremities miseries feare doubts heauie trouble of conscience where we are to seeke for ease helpe and comfort not of the blinded proude and cruel Pharisie which is not acquainted with the motions of Gods spirit but of the pure word of God reuealed and preached vnto vs and of the true preachers and Apostles which leade vs directly to Christ no other When we will take comfort by the word we must not consult with the Papists Torrensis in confess Augustiniana lib. 1. cap. 7. Housius de expresso verbo the Iudasites terming themselues Iesuites for they will tell vs that the Scriptures are hard and obscure and that it is but lost labour to reade them c. But the spirite of God in the Scripture teacheth vs the contrarie that the worde of the Lord is a light Psal 119. Prou. 6. Esay 45. Iohn 6. 2. Pet. 1. vnto our feete and a lanthrone vnto our pathes When wee are troubled with concupisence the first motions of sinne the prickes of Sathan in our flesh which driue the godly to great sorrow we may not goe for counsell Torrens lib. 1. ca. 2. Cathechismus ex decret Cons Trident. in Sacra Baptism and remedy vnto the Pharisaicall Papist for hee will goe about to perswade vs that this Concupisence and the first motions are no sinne in their owne nature neither any sinne at all either in name or substance except Consent go with it which deuilish voice and lie is confuted by the word of God for it is called Enmitie against God it is against the commaundement Thou shalt not lust or couet It confirmes their horrible sin which Rom. 8. 7. Exod. 20. 17 1. Iohn 1. â— Mat. 5. 22. say They haue no sinne Christ accountes the motion of anger a deadly sinne and worthie iudgement Lastly the definition of sinne by Saint Iohn confutes them Sinne is the transgression 1. Iohn 3. 4 of the law Litle comfort shall the weake younglings finde in them which
say that the Scripture is not sufficient for their saluation but they must seeke other traditions which say that to belieue in Christ is not sufficient except he keepe the whole law which impudently and wickedly affirme that Christ by his death hath not sufficiently purged their sins but that there is an other Purgatorie appointed to clense and make cleane the faithfull Col. 2. 8. thorough which euery one must passe that shall enter into heauen Contrarie to the preaching of the true Apostles and the sacred word for wee are bid to take heede of Tit. 1. 14 mens traditions that wee bee not deceiued by them Againe that wee follow not commaundements of men which turne from the truth And in the very next verse to my text Act. 16. 31. Paule tolde this Iaylor that it was sufficient both for him and his housholde to be saued Ioh 3. 18. 5. 24. if he did onely belieue Christ hath said He that belieueth shall be saued Hee that belieueth in the sonne shall not come into iudgement Hee Wisd 3. 1. that heareth my word and belieueth in him that sent me hath life euerlasting hee shall not bee iudged but hath passed from death vnto life The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Heb. 1. 3. Christ by himselfe hath purged our sinne therefore we neede no other Purgatories we defie such as haue inuented them to the derogation of Christs power and honour Litle comfort may a wounded conscience Torrensis lib â— ca. 4. lib. 8. cap. 4. Consilium Tridentiâ—um sess 6. â—an 12. â—3 can â—5 16. find at their hand who teach That men must alwaies doubt and neuer assure themselues of their election in Christ what motions so euer they feele and that they must alwaies carrie an vncertaine opinion whether they shall perseuere vnto the end or not But let them come to the pure fouÌ„taine of the word of God and then they shall heare the spirite Iam. 1. 7. tell them that except they belieue the Forgiuenes of sinnes without doubting or if they wauer vncertainely in doubtfull dumpes they shall neuer obtaine anye thing of the Mat. 9. 2. Lord they shall heare Christ say Son stand not in doubt but comfort thy selfe assure thy selfe Thy sins are forgiuen thee They shall heare that Abraham after the promise was made vnto him neuer doubted of the Rom. 4. 18. 19 performance of it not considering himselfe and the weakenesse of his owne body but the promise and the abilitie of the Lorde that had promised They shall heare the spirite of God tell the Corinthians and vnder them vs that we being sometime disobedient hauing now receiued and belieued the word Are sanctified are iustified in the name 1. Cor. 6. 11 of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our God They shall heare Paule in the full assuraunce of his election to reioyce without doubting I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that that I now liue in the flesh I Gala. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me They shal heare the spirite exhorting them to go boldly Heb. 4. 16. 10. 19. to the throne of grace and not to doubt but rather that by the bloud of Christ they may be bolde trust perfectly not doubtingly 1. Pet. 1. 13. on the grace that is brought vnto them c. Aske of the Papists which teach this doubting doctrine what is ment by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fulnesse of faith whereof the Scripture makes so much mention calling it the full Assurance of vnderstanding and the effectuall Col. 2. 2. faith they must needs if they answere truely say that it is A peculiar application whereby euerie perfect beleeuer that feeleth the earnest pennie of his election doth applye vnto 1. Thes 1. 3. himselfe the promise of eternall life in Christ Iesus Now for perseuerance vnto the end of which the Papists would haue vs to doubt Let them consider whether they saye not daily in their beliefe I belieue euerlasting life If they doe let them consider what they be that Christ saith shall be saued They that indure to the end Such as be not werie in weldoing Mat. 24. 13. 2. The. 3 13 Then if they belieue that any shal be saued they must needes also belieue that they shal endure to the end So that they must needes confesse that the faithfull shall indure vnto the end such I meane as are appointed to eternall life And if this argument suffice not let vs see what speeches the full assurance of this perseueraÌ„ce vnto the end hath brought forth in the elect and godly Dauid sayth Doubtlesse goodnes and mercie shall follow me Psal 23. 9. all the daies of my life c. Paule saith I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall seperate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Rom. 8. 38. Iesus our Lord. Againe the same Paule saith vnto such as afterwarde had receiued the word and belieued in this Cittie of Phillippie where our Iaylor was I am perswaded Phil. 1. 6. that he which hath begun this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Thus we see that wee are to comfort our selues in this that if wee pertaine vnto Christ we may not doubt of our election or perseuerance which both we must be assured of not by reason of any perfection strength or goodnesse in our selues but onely relying on the might and mercie of Iesus Christ which by his bloude hath redeemed our dayly and fleshly imperfections and fals that our continuaunce in him and by him may neuer be finally broken off Thus we see to whome we must goe with this Iaylor for comfort in our extremitie whome we must auoide We see further that GOD hath at all times confirmed his trueth spoken by his seruants with manifest signes and tokens whereby they that were not quite forsaken might bee called to the knowledge of the same What good our signes and tokens haue done to vs I can not see but onely that manye by them are made the more hard harted and carelesse no doubt to their farder condemnation This Iaylor no sooner saw the power of God making manifest and giuing testimonie vnto the truth which the Apostles had preached but he presently yeelded vnto it imbraced it sought his remedie by it forsooke his olde customes and masters was content and willing to learne He no sooner saw the iudgements of God but straight he remembred his sinne he repented hee bad farwell to his former delightes pleasures pastimes wantonnesse and wickednesse and of an enemie became a friend of a persecutor a professor of a proude master an humble seruant and of a sinfull Iaylor a penitent beleeuer Therefore as
Christ said that Tyrus and Sidon and the Queene of the South should rise in iudgement against the hard-harted vnbelieuers of Ierusalē so no doubt this Iaylor as he condemned the proud Pharisies then so he shal be a heauie condemnation to our blinde Papistes and our carnall and licentious professors of the Gospel now which hauing the truth haue loued error more then the truth hauing the light haue desired darkenesse more then the light and hauing saluation offered by Christ haue chosen rather damnation in following their owne deuises and wilfully continuing the course of their sweete olde sinnes For our Papists notwithstanding all the preaching of Christ will be still Moses Disciples they wil not forsake the customes of their fathers and the ignorance of that time wherin they were Christened they will neuer suspecte that there can bee hypocrisie error and deceite vnder the graue habites and demure countenances of their old Doctors Priests Scribes and Pharisies They would be loth to depart from the vnitie as they call it the consent of so many ages counsels and learned fathers to belieue the new doctrine of Paule and Silas strangers wanderers but lately heard of but euen now come to the towne These and many other stops were laide in the laylors way to haue kept him from obedience to the truth but when the arme of the Lord was reuealed vnto him and when by the spirite of God his hart was Act. 16. 14. opened he cast of these fantastical shadows and obeyed the effectuall calling He might haue aleaged against the Apostles euerye way as much as any Papist in the world can say against the Gospell and the Lords instruments which in this last age hee commaunded and appointed to vnrake the truth from the dull ashes and misties shadowes in which it lay long time for sinne inclosed the worlde being not worthie of it Now the Papistes must condemne this Iaylor to be a foole for consenting so quickly to strange doctrine for giuing credit to a fewe against many to strangers against men that were knowne and for reuolting so easilye from the faith wherein hee was baptised or if they will not condemne him whome the word doth commend they must needs condemne themselues for not belieuing the same worde and obeying the like callings Especially seeing they haue many and diuers other examples that vrge and teach the same as Elisha who ranne after Elias vpon a 1. King 19 20. small calling to our iudgement The Disciples also vpon smal acquaintance were content to forsake shippes nets occupation Mat. 4. 18. gaine friendes and father to follow Christ assone as hee called them Mathew being a Publican was content at one word to arise to leaue his Office his profit his glorie his masters and former teachers to follow an other Mat. 9. 9. master that had now called him What should I recken Paule Cornelius Lidia with infinite others which obeyed the same calling that our Iaylor did Surely if the like should happen now if any should fall away from Poperie from superstition to follow Christ or belieue the doctrine of the Apostles if Elisha if the Disciples if Paule if Cornelius now liued they should bee condemned by the Pope to be rash foolish and rancke heretiques It is time for vs which haue beene so long and many waies called at length to bid farwell vnto your pleasures delightes deceite hypocrisie c. This Iaylor will rise in iudgement against vs. The Popish chaine of vniuersalitie was now not yet coyned or of this man little esteemed which at this time is one of the great Ankers which holdes the Popedome that it sinckes not and keepes so many simple fooles in bondage vppon great bragges and vaine ostentation of a Monster in the ayre which neuer was That all the worlde forsoth is of their Religion or was not long sithens If this be true where was then I say not the popish vniuersalitie for that hath alwaies beene an vniuersalitie of error but where was any vniuersalitie of the truth at all when first the linage of Seth then of Abraham and his kindred in all the world Israel among all nations onely Iuda among all the tribes onely Iohn Baptist in al Iudea Christ only and his Apostles in all the earth Paul Silas only in all Macedonia Luther and a few others in all Germanie gaue testimonie of the truth Had it not beene a foolish thing for this Iaylor to haue iested at the truth because there were but a few that professed it Euen so grosse an absurditie it is now in our Papists to say that we haue not the truth because it is not vniuersally credited and belieued of all men and in al places receiued when as it is certaine that the truth hath neuer beene vniuersally receiued nor euer will but rather it hath alwaies beene by the wicked and most part of the world vniuersally persecuted and kept vnder and so will continue till the daye of Christ We see that if the opinion of wisedome grauitie and learning if gray haires strange formes of apparell with braue and gorgeous shewes if the riches pompe pride and glorie of the world in the dumbe Scribes and Pharisies could haue pacified the troubled conscience of this poore man hee needed not to haue come to the Apostles But wee learne that though error and the illusions of Sathan bare a gallant face and delightfull countenance outwardly to the world to blind and deceiue the sences of the simple yet there is nothing can pacifie with true peace the conscience wounded for sinne but onely the word of God For I pray you what is he in all the time of Poperie that can say that he was either comforted in conscience or conuerted from sinne by any of the masking shewes in apparel by the melodie sencing perfuming images painting guilting crossing shriuing or any other such Apish toyes vsed for a pompe without preaching or expounding the word Saint Paule alowes not any thing to be vsed neither by the minister nor in the Church Rom. 15. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 26. 40. but such things onely as concerne a godly decencie and are knowne to edifie Lastly here is a glasse which neuer failes to shew vs the true proportion of such as be A true glasse for al estats rightly touched at the touch-stone of Gods spirit We see this man after he was touched how little ashamed hee was to confesse his blindnesse to condemne himselfe to desire helpe how little afraide hee was to venter credit office liuings life and all to obtaine that saluation which he desired of which he now felt the want This was a sure token in him and so it is in all to know them that are rightly called from the hypocritical professors For it is as possible that they which be rightly touched should continue in their olde couetousnesse whordome drunkennes blasphemie malice negligence and iniurie as it is for the spirite
of God to continue in the heart of a wicked man which can neuer be Now we see what we are to thinke of those lyars which say with their mouthes Wis 1. 3. 4. 5 Titus 1. 16. they know God and haue felt his motions and yet in their deedes denie him and of those fruitelesse and cursed Figtrees which in the spring bud faire and promise greate hope and yet at haruest yeelde nothing but Mat. 21. 19. leaues c. The third circumstance What question it was that the Iaylor demaunded The question is What must I doe to be saued Hee inquires not now after the fashion of worldlings what must I doe to come to promotion to honour and dignitie What must I doe to become rich and to obtaine an easie quiet life What must I do to be reuenged of my enemies to deceiue my neighbours and to satisfie my lust c. No he was not troubled about any such matter but the spirite of God had now made him carefull onely for one thing and the best thing which was what he might doe to bee saued and to haue his sinne forgiuen And it seemeth that the iudgements of God had touched him home that so presently a man so carnall so fleshly so worldly and sensual should so willingly take his leaue of the loue of the world of the vanities and pleasures of the same the loue of his house wife childrē liuing life and all and onely craue to know that which few did desire which many did despise that is what he might do to be saued Pointing as it were with his finger vnto the onely marke end vpon which euerie man should haue his whole care fixed planted In this question wee are to consider the manner of his comming vnto them and his salutation He fel down before thē he trembled he brought them out hee called then in Greeke my Lordes by a reuerend title What could hee haue done more to Noble men Nay what could he haue done more to the greatest princes in the world But a man may aske how could Paul Silas abide to be honoured not reprehend him Surely they knew that he honored thē not superstitiously which Paul could not abide in other Act. 14. 14. 15. places men but rather that he vsed this gesture forced vnto it by the manifest feeleing Act. 10. 26. of the iudgmēts of God in the late Earthquake and therefore suffered him to doe it Application and Doctrine We see first how the Lord when it pleaseth him forceth euen his enemies in their conscience to giue that truth an honourable testimonie which they persecuted and to honour it with great reuerence Wee learne of this Iaylor to honour the Lords gifts especially the worde of truth wheresoeuer we find it whether it be in the prison or at libertie whether it bee contemned or honored whether it be in men simple and despised or in men of credite and dignitie For the Lorde chuseth manye times the weake to confound the mightie the humble to shame the proude c. We see againe that the ministerie of the word is a calling and Office ordained and blessed by the Lord and therefore hee will haue it honored of all men Because the ministers thereof are not the Embassadours of worldly Princes which is also a calling of greate honour for they represent the Maiestie of the Kinge and are as it were the verie mouth of the Prince himselfe but they are the messengers of the Prince of all Princes the eternall Lorde of heauen and earth they represent the maiestie of the Lord in his word and when we heare them speaking if they preach nothing but according to the verie word wee must assure our selues that we heare the Lord speaking vnto vs in them Therefore we find that in many places the word it selfe giues them honorable titles for S. Paule saith they are worthie of double honour This Iaylor heere 1. Tim. 5. 17 cals them by the worthiest name of preheminence that he could deuise not in respect of their persons which seemed to bee but simple but for the loue and honour which he bare to the word which they professed Another thing we are here to consider which may not be forgotten That the Iaylor in demaunding this question What must I doe to bee saued flatly and plainely ouerthrowes and condemneth all the Religion of the Scribes and Pharisies to bee nothing else but a fardle of ceremonies toyes and superstitions ioyned with a worldly pompe and beautie onely hauing nothing in it to comfort the hart oppressed with Woe or assure the conscience of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ which is the onely Sauiour and saluation of the elect by faith For if hee had beene perswaded that the doctrine which the Pharisies taught concerning the fulfilling of the lawe had beene sufficient for his saluation to haue brought him the right way to the mercie of God and the forgiuenesse of his sinne he would neuer haue come vnto the Apostles to haue learned another way which had beene superfluous But wee see plainly that he did now not only doubt but boldly renounce and abandon and forsake in the plaine fielde the Pharisies superstition the rites and Religion wherein hee was borne brought vp and had for a long time continued Because hee saw that now when he most needed he could find no comfort nor saluation in it at all As if he should say Sirs I was borne vnder the Religion The Oration of the Iaylor vnto the Apostles which the Pharisies professe I haue beene zealous in it as many others at this day are I haue had an honorable opinion of it and haue hated them that haue gain-saide it I haue beene of long time now led with their outward pompe of dumbe shewes I could neuer by anye meanes bee perswaded that these great graue auncient learned wise men could euer haue bene deceiued or haue beene conuinced of any error or so blinded that they could not haue sene the truth Yet now I plainely see that they all the verye best of thē are but hypocrits blind guides folish ignorant of the true knowledge wicked Ma 23. 13 the generation of Vipers which shut vp the kingdome of heauen and wil neither enter themselues nor suffer others that would which deuour the widdowes houses with colour of long praier which compasse sea land to make one of their profession which make cleane the outerside of the cup and platter but within are full of briberie and excesse which I see are nothing else but whited Tombes full of dead mens bones all filthynes c. I can not find now in their Religion anye comfort at all for a wounded conscience or any hope to haue my sins forgiuen Now therefore sith it hath pleased the Lord with one motion to moue both body and heart and that he hath made me see my sinne my ignorance my blindnes I doe here