vanquished him Insomuch that the very diuels cry Torment vs not before our time and aske leaue to goe euen into sordid swine Thus was he iustified in the power of the Spirite in â—anquishing the powers of darkenes His Iustification was also declared by the spirit of power against his enemies as appeared by the fower Herods Asâ—alonita Archelaus Antipas and Agrippa who being Tyrants and persecutors of Christ in his infancy and of some of his followers there appeared vppon them the strong hand of God that brought them to pittifull and lamentable confusions But most notably and most notoriously the Iustification of the same God Christ Iesus our Lord in the Spirit of power appeareth most euidently euen at this day to the viewe of the whole christian world in his continued iudgements vpon the whole nation of the Iewes who were subuerted and vtterly ouerthrowne by the Romans at the very time of the yeare wherein they crucified Christ which was about Easter For at that very time of their great festiuity the Romanâ—s came and besieged Hierusalem And as from Mount Oliuet they appreheÌ„ded Christ so from that Mouâ—t was their City entered and surprised And as they hurried the Lord Iesus from Pilate to Herod so they were hurried vp and downe during the siege from Iohn to Simeon and from Simeon to Iohn two notable villaines that did mutinize within the City to their vnspeakeable torment vexation and vtter subuersion And as they whipped the Lord of Life and attired him in despicable maner in contempt and scorne Euen so they were whipped vp and downe the holy City in great villany and reproach by the Romane souldiers And as the Lord Iesus was solde for thirty peeces of siluer by Iudas a Iew euen so thirty of the Iewes in the sacking of the City were solde for one peece of siluer by the Souldiers And euen yet the hand of Gods power to iustifie his sonnes innocency is not shortned but stretched out against them still The holy bloud of Christ crying against them and against their children as they themselues desired for vengeance They liuing as a forlorne and scattered people vpon the surface of the earth without Priest or Prophet King or Scepter comfort or compassion In a word tell me who did euer striue against the Messias and did prosper or band himselfe against Christ or Christian and was not confounded Christ was also iustified by the spirit of sanctifying puritie beeing pure and spotlesse in himselfe both in body and soule for there was not any guile in him and also pure in his redeemed people effectually In himselfe pure his conception pure by the holy Ghost his birth pure of a Virgin his life pure both in word and deed in life and death pure for hee offended not no not so much as in his tongue and he is perfect that so offendeth not In his redeemed people pure by the effects of the same iustifying spirite For whereas all the whole world else is set vpon wickednesse hunting eyther with profite as with a bloud-hound or else beeing befooled or besotted with pleasures as theyr Helena these two beeing as it were the two Poles wheron the whole world else is turned the spirite of Christ hath wrought in those that are his â—uch a measure of sanctification that they minde and breath nothing but Heauen and heauenly things If it thuÌ„der that say they is the voyce of our heauenly Father If they cast their eyes to those visible heauens there say they is the curtaine or base court of our inheritance among the Saâ—nts If they heare musicke Oh say they what harmony do the Angels make in Heauen If they behold the earth and the glory therof they say If God haue prouided such a place of pleasure for vs on earth in this our prison What glory is that hee hath layde vp for vs in heauen In all occurrences of their life they sauour nothing but of God and goodnesse In a Word they liue not but Christ liueth in them For this is indeed the true beeing of Christians wholy to giue ouer themselues to bee guided by Gods holy iustifying Spirite Their life is to liue in the Spirite their passages are to walke in the spirite If they resolue their station is in the spirite If they bee deuoute They pray in the Spirite Al their whole seruice of God is to Worship him in spirit and truth Otherwise those that haue not this spirite that is are not guided thereby are none of his For as in the creation of the World The spirite of God moued vpon the waters So certainely now in the Regeneration and new birth of the Christian World the Spirite of God moueth vpon the affections of our harts to turn the riuers in the south that is to turne the streame of our actions and courses of our life to the Ocean the liuing God For hee hath made vs for him selfe and therefore our hearts are neuer quiet vntill wee returne vnto the Lord our God againe When Christ therefore speaketh hee speaketh by the spirit to the Churches for the Scripture sayth Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what the spirite sayth to the Churches The Comforter also of Gods Church is the spirite which is Gods gift vnto his and doth Witnesse with the spirite That wee are the sonnnes of God There is the certainty of the subiect of our Faith The spirite doth make intercession for vs with sighes vnutterable There is the breath of our prayers and doth helpe our infirmities There is the stay and pillar of all our happinesse The first Adam being a liuing soule but the second Adam a quickning spirite For they are quickned in whom this blessed spirite dwelleth both toward God in the spirite of faith and holy vnion and in the spirite of zeale being rauished for the hope of Heauen as appeared in the blessed Martyres and also quickned towardes others in the spirite of charity keeping the vnity of the spirite in the bonde of peace in the spirit of meekenesse and placabilitie being easie to bee entreated for Christs sake Quickened in themselues in the Spirit of sanctification purging themselues for their assured hope of Heauen and in the spirit of sinceritie Doing iustly in all their actions with all men To this purpose the earnest of the Spirit is giuen the Elect euen in this life neuer to be taken away but to bee made vp for that is the 〈◊〉 of an earnest and the pledge of the spirite as an hostage to secure them the seale of the promise to sanctifie them and the spirit it selfe being the Doctor of trueth to leade them into all truth that their sensuall part may bee guided by right reason theyr reason ordered by faith and their faith illuminated sanctified and ledde on by the Spirite of God Indeede to them that seeke not after God this directioÌ„ of his most holy spirite is hateful and the reason is very plaine
them that are good traytors beady high minded louers of pleasure more then of God hauing a shew of Godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof from which Saint Paul counselleth to turne away These Men and Brethren These I say are the faithlesse and fruitlesse spirites of vanity the dissolute children of disobedience and cloudes without water who despite the spirite of grace Quench the light of the Gospell and know not whether there bee an holy Ghost or no. But Men and Brethren Hearken whosoeuer offendeth of infirmity offendeth against God the Father who is power and strength and whosoeuer offendeth of ignorance sinneth against God the Sonne who is wisedome and these finnes are pardonable but who so sinneth against the Holy Ghost the spirite of truth and charity his sinnes are irremisible Let him therefore that hath an eare heare what the Spirite sayth vnto the Churches For the Spirites of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophetes Bee men neuer so profoundly learned or so well conceyted of themselues Christ Iesus who was our Reconciliation on earth by his Incarnation Life and Passion is now our Aduocation in heauen at the right hand of God the Father by his continual Mediation and is our dayly Comforter as Saint Bernard speaketh by mouing stirring and inclining our harts to beleeue and our wils and consciences to the obedience of faith and to the endeauour care and study of all sacred duties Are not they then in a most desperate and wofull estate and condition thinke you who despise and despite this Reconciliation Aduocation Mediation Consolation of Gods spirit who continue in that sinne for which there is neyther sacrifice noâ— oblation to bee offered that can doe them or theirs any good who resist the Spirite of Christ albeit it stand at the dore of their hearts and consciences and craue for entrance who grieue the spirite of God by their vile and beastlie liuing and quench out the light thereof by their ouer-flowings of malitiousnesse which otherwise would shine and glitter like the sparkles of a diamond in the middest of our naughtie Natures and in a word who haue in them no gifte grace condition qualitie sparke or resemblance of Gods spirite whatsoeuer they may brag and boast thereof out of their owne deceiueable seemings but only this that their goodnesse so Anabaptistically are they besotted cannot be seen as the holy Ghost is inuisible And no lesse lamentable are the cauils of those which obiect That the Iesuites whom wee so vilifie boast also that they are led by the spirite as if most damnable heretiques did not make the same plea but the practise of the Nobles of Baroa is a satisfactory answere for that and all other cauils of that frie for they searched the Scriptures To see whether or no the thinges were so that they heard the Apostles preach but the spirite of Iesuitisme dare not abide that triall nor any other like spirit of error Another saith there bee so manie that vaunte of the spirit that I knowe not which I should adhere vnto but Saint Paul giueth a rule for that Neuerthelesse saith he wherevnto wee haue already attained Let vs march by the same rule which is the sacred Scriptures that wee may minde the same thing This plainely sheweth vs that we must adhere to none for our direction to God but such as adhere to Gods Oracle the Sacred scriptures and are guided thereby Yea but another vrgeth further and saith wee see that those that professe themselues to bee guided by the Scriptures and by the spirit thereof doe differ What then All men haue not Faith albeit in number and profession they be of the Church as S. Austine speaketh hence it is that they cannot accord For what communion hath light with darknesâ— or Faith with infidelitie Yea euen amongst them that haue Faith some haue a greater and some a lesser portion thereof according to their knowledge by Gods dispensation hence it is oft times that they cannot accord in all things at all times for there is a procession from faith to faith yet all may holde the Fundamentall grounds and principles in blessed diuinitie albeit they differ in some particulars because some haue already attained to that measure of grace which anotherâ— may attaine vnto in some time after This therefore is an infallâ—ble rule of S. Iohn We are of God hee that knoweth God heareth vs Hee that is not of God heareth not vs Hereby knowe we theâ— spirite of Error and the spirite of Truth That is as S. Augustine expounds it If any man take vppon him to expound the scriptures albeit it bee euen by himselfe with inuocation of GOD who assists by his holie spirite and the spiritual man discerneth all things the internall vnction directing him in all things and leading him into all truth To this man wee are bound to hearken and his doctrine to embrace albeit thousands gaine say it as the Councell of Nice hearkened to Paphnutius being but one man against the whole route and rabble of Pseudo Catholiques But if any man vndertake to doe it of himselfe of his owne priuate and singular spirite without warrant and directioÌ„ of Gods spirit which counselleth and guideth by the word onely It is the Spiders webbe the Cockatrice egge the fome of the sea the fume of the bottomlesse pitte wee may vndoubtedly disauow it and defie it I conclude then that this foundation standeth firme sound and may satisfie the soule of any beleeuer to wit that God is manifested in the flesh by beeing baptized as man Iustified in the Spirite by forgiuing sinnes as God Manifested in the flesh by being tempted as man Iustified in the spirite as God by ouercomming for vs the world the flesh and the Diuell Manifested in the flesh by beeing hungry as man Iustified in the spirite as God by feeding thousands aboundaÌ„tly with a very small pittance Manifested in the flesh by enduring thirst as man Iustified in the spirite as God by calling those that are thirstie vnto the waters of Life that they might neuer thirst any more Manifested in the flesh by praying as man Iustified in the spirite by hearing the prayers of others as God Manifested in the flesh by weeping as man Iustified in the spirite by wiping all teares fâ—om our eyes as our God Manifested in the flesh by being sold for thirty peeces of siluer as a man Iustified in the Spirite as God by redeeming the world with his bloud a price pricelesse peerelesse Mâ—nifested in the flesh beeing led as a sheepe to the slaughter as man Iustified in the spirite by triumphing ouer death and hell and by leading captiuity captiue as Godâ— Manifested in the flesh by dying as man Iustified in the spirit as God by rising againe from the dead by ascending into heauen by sitting at the right hand of the Father whence we expecting him to come againe in the end of the world with Maiestie and
Scripture calleth this cause The spirit of faith or the spirite â—f beleeuing Gods second cause of our â—eleeuing is his blessed and â—oly word read and preached 〈◊〉 the ordinarie means of our â—ith which worketh vpon â—wo forcible and perswasiue â—enses the eye and the eare â—he one for the reader of the word the other for the hearer of the word preached or read For the eare God hath ordayned a voyce to call vpon â—s by the paynes of preaching For the eye his sacred word is written or printed that it may be read and vnderstood of vs and our children and this is the cause of our beleeuing which is called The word of Faith Aske a Christian then why he beleeues the Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie his answer is because the Scripture records it there is the word of faith but reply vpon him and aske him why he beleeues the scriptures his reason is without reason in himselfe for he saith The finger of God is there If you vrge and say Why doest thou beleeue and I do not I heare the word as well as thee Saint Paule will answer with an out crie O depth That is a matter of amazement not of argument saith S. Ambrose But what might be the cause that stayeth and vpholds the hearts of the sonnes of men along the misery of this life in this word of beleeuing Surely eternall life the saluation of our soules the last article of our Christian faith is the finall cause and anchor-holde of out beleeuing in Christ Iesus For the hope whereof the holy ones of God purge theÌ„selues both in soule and body that they may be acceptaâ—le vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thereâ—ore S. Peter calleth eternall â—ife the end of our beleeuing â—uen the assured glorification â—f soule and body which by â—aith wee expect in the other world In respect whereof also it is that this faith goeth not alone like some bankrupt but is royally attended with a troupe of good works semblable to the causes thereof For the spirit of faith is not barren but is in continuall motion in stirring and quickning vp the harts of gods children euery day to goodnes Neither is the word of faith verball onely But liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword enters throgh euen to the diuiding of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the maâ—row and is a discerner of the thought and the intents of the heart The people of God therefore whose hearts are thus powerfully moued by the spirit of faith to beleeue and thus effectually counselled by the word of faith to liue well endeauour nothing else but that their liuing may be answerable to their beleeuing that so their soules might bee saued For this sacred faith of Christ first of all purifieth the heart now if the fountaine be cleare and cleane the whole streame that issueth thence will be cleane also Secondly this faith of Christ worketh by loue and bringeth foorth good workes I should euer therefore distrust that I neuer was a true beleeuer vnlesse I felt my heart sanctified by grace and my and working the deedes of haritie This doubtlesse was â—he faith of the primitiue â—orld while the bloud of Christ was yet warme in the â—earts of those beleeuers Witnes all those Churches â—olledges Hospitalls Enâ—owments Rents Reuenews â—ands Liuings Pensions and â—â—l other such donations and â—onsecrations appropriated â—nd giuen to the maintenance of religion and learning to â—he succour of the poore and â—o the perpetuating of Gods worship here on earth vntill â—he second comming of Christ. For the people then liued and beleeued as men knowing that the faith of Christ is not fruitlesse and that by the fruites therof they are assured of their election past and of their perfection by Christ to come that their good deedes should follow them where nothing else â—ould and that according to the proportion of their workes wrought in earth by grace in Christ they should through the mercie of God and not of merit bee allotted a portion of happines hereafter in the heauens And therefore vnderstanding their weldoing here to be necessarie to their well being for euer they studyed nothing else but to goe on in that race of goodnesse that they might attaine at the last the blessed end thereof euen the reward of mercy promised vnto them by the word of faith written vnto them in the bloud of our faith sealed assured vnto theÌ„ by the death of our faith stirred vp moued herevnto by the spirit of faith Christs vicegerent on earth whose they were encouraged thereunto by the bloud of so â—any faithfull beleeuers that â—yed for the faith of Christ â—nd continue therein vnto â—heir liues end by the exubeâ—ant and abundant riches of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus their Ruler and Redeemer O Blessed Paule faithfull and beleeuing was the world when as yet the bloud of Christ was warme in meâ—s hearts and when the faithfull beleeuers inflamed with the loue of God and ouerioyed with the glad tydings of the Gospell thus bespake Gods seruants that preached thâ— faith vnto them Blessed in thâ— Lord will our goods pleasâ—â—â— you Behold we lay them dowâ— at your feete will our eyes 〈◊〉 you good Take ought of ouâ—â— that is neere and deere vnto 〈◊〉 euen our right eyes Will our liues steede you Wee esteeme theâ— not for the testimonie of the faitâ— of Iesus Christ as for all manner of tribulations that can happen for Iesus Christ sake We accompt them not worthy 〈◊〉 the glory that shall bee receiued A blessed and beautifull â—ace of time it was O Paule when the prime beleeuing Christians had no other fault â—ound in them no not by â—heir verie enemies as Plinius â—ecundus an heathen testifieth 〈◊〉 Traian the Emperour but his was all hee could certifie â—gainst them to the state that â—hey oft times assembled â—emselues together before â—ay in the caues and holes of the earth to sing Psalmes â—nd prayses to the Lord of â—ife Christ Iesus which seruice for feare of persecution they durst not performe publikely O then was the time hoâ—y Paule that faith wrought â—y Gods loue and not by selfe loue by good workes and not by goodly wordes what time the beleeuing Christians were knowne not â—o bee of the tribe of Naphtaâ—â— giuing goodly wordes but of the tribe of Ioseph beeing fruitfull boughes euen fruitfull boughes by a Well whose branches run ouer the wall When Placilla the wife of Theodosius a beleeuing Empresse would resort vnto the Almes houses and Hospitalâ—s of the poore to see them succoured and releeued and when her nice Gentlewomen that wayted oâ— her would dehort and disswade her not to debase her selfe to come into such meane places and neere such nastie people shee with teares in her eyes would reâ—ply and say O I wouâ—d not doe thiâ— and this onely
the Rose of the field and the Lillie of the vallies Moses of old posed the whole world with this question Enquire of the dayes of olde which were before thee and froÌ„ the day that God created man vpon the earth yea euen from the height aboue to the depth beneath if euer the like thing were knowne That a people should heare the voyce of the Lord speaking out of the middest of the fire But now we may pose Moses say O Moses then God spake by an Angell out of the middest of the fire but now O man of God was euer the like as this heard That God himself in the nature of man should sit amidst his disciples and teach the. This is that the spirit of God so magnifieth That at sundry times and in diuers manner God spake heretofore in his Prophets but in these last dayes by his only Sonne And if the word deliuered by an Angell was stedfast what shall become of them that refuse and neglect the Sonne of God now speaking vnto them O most ingratefull and brutish are the sonnes of men who seeke not to vnderstand this mysterie so anciently prophesied of so fully performed and so manifestly declared Me thinkes I heare all other creatures of heauen and earth say Oh that God had vouchsafed vs such a blessing such a tie such a fauour for then had wee had beene most happy The quires of Angels say Oh that God had ordayned to vs so vnspeakeable a fauour as to haue beene vnited to our nature But Christ tooke not vpon him the nature of Angels but tooke vpon him the nature of children that being tempted himselfe and suffering hee might succour them that suffer and are tempted Who would not then in consideration hereof giue himselfe a whole burnt offering vnto his God and consecrate his whole life if the terme thereof were euen from the first Adam vnto the ende of the world as a votiue seruice vnto the glory of this God Oh vncircumcised hearts and eares of those who neither care to heare nor to vnderstand this blessed mysterie For if they would diligently seeke they should find that God would manifest himselfe vnto them euen in their indiuiduall flesh by the sanctifying power of his holy Spirit and by pertaking of his diuine nature whereby they should see with open face as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord and be changed into the same image from glory to glory euen as the spirit of the Lord. In no wise shold they be as those wretches in whose flesh Sathan and not God is manifested who are indeed incarnate diuels as the prouerb is whom Sathan hath so sifted to the bran and winnowed to the chaffe that no remainder of any godlinesse or goodnesse is leaft in them in whom Sathan is Totus in toto totus in qualibet parte as Aquinas saith of the soule Their imagination euill their minde ill their meaning ill their will obstinate their vnderstanding darkned their eares itching after vanities their eyes adulterous which cannot choose but sinne their mouth blasphemous their an open graue of fulsome slanders their hands rough and cruell their feete swift to shed bloud their whole body a cage of vncleane birdes their life and conuersation a stye of stinking swines flesh an Acheldema of oppression a Caluarie of dead spoyles their ende a puddle of loathsome impieties But those that secke God doe vnderstand this mysterie and shew forth this manifestation in themselues hauing lift vp their heads as gates their minds as dores and the king of glory is come in vnto them and is manifested in them by their faith in Christ by their good workes among men by all the fruites of his graâ—ious spirit and by their ioyfull departure hence being assured of a farre better rest and happinesse in their maisters kingdome The custome of the Aethiopian Church which liue vnder Prester Iohn is to obserue the feast of the Epiphany as their chiefe and principall festiuitie at which time God shewed himselfe both to Iew and Gentile in this manifestation by a starre Thereby acknowledging and that most truly that this blessing is the beginning and fountaine of all other blessing in Christianitie whatsoeuer and ought most sollemnly to bee obserued and most diligently to be considered especially of vs that were Gentiles Goe foorth therefore yee daughters of Sion euen all religious and denoute soules and behould King Solomon your Christ with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart Go foorth I say from out the fashions and fancies of this world both with readinesse and resolution as men do to meete their new king If you be malefactors he will pardon you vpon repentant reconciliatioÌ„ throgh Christ Iesus and will receiue you to fauour If you bee already his seruants and citizens of the citie of God goe foorth to meete him with your presents of good workes and holinesse as your homages of fealtie If you be friends and allyance as are all deuout Soules doe that often which hee hath bidde you doe in remembrance of him that is offer the sacrifice of thankefulnesse receiue the cup of saluation call vpon the name of the Lord that so you may shew the Lords death all your life long vntill his comming againe So shall your eyes bâ— opened that you shall not onely vnderstand this Great mysterie of Gods manifestation in the flesh but also see it Iustified in the Spirit Oh blessed Emanuell encrease our faith O Eternall and most mightie Iehouah Elohim whose seate is in heauen whose footestoole is in earth whose chariots are the clouds whose might is in the great waters whose power is euery where whose displayed glory is in heauen where angels are they attendants and where all the blessed dominations and thrones doe thee dayly homage where the innumerable company of elected Saints doe vncessantly prayse thee where thine habitation is light that none can approach vnto thy cloathing Maiestie and honor thy wisdome incomprehensible thy mercy vnspeakeable and thy iudgements past finding out Looke downe looke downe most mercifull Father in Christ from thine holy place the seate of mercie vpon me a most miserable distressed wretch O hearken thou to my prayers which I sinfull soule powre out from an vnfained heart Open vnto my soule this great mysterie of thy manifestation in our flesh that I may know and comprehend with all Saints the height length breadte and depth of the vnsearchable riches of thy grace in Christ Iesus our Lord. For thou diddest so loue the world that thou gauest thine onely begotten Sonne that who so beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This diuine loue of thine is incomprehensible this gift inestimable this deliuerance vnutterable and this felicitie incomparable My heart burneth with in me and the sparkes of deuotioÌ„ arise from the center
you peace My people sayth GOD shall sit in the beauty of peace and in the Tabernacles of my protection Desire you dainties You shall be satisfied when his glory shall appeare Desire you wine You shall bee filled with the plentie of this house and shall drinke of the riuers of gladnesse Doth Musicke delight you Here Cherubin Seraphin continually doe crie Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Saboth In a word what delectable thing soeuer can come into mans imagination It is here in full aboundance to be found For God hath spoke it Come and I will shew thee all good O wretched sonnes of men whose teeth are sette on edge with the crudities of this world that they cannot taste of the delicacies of that other world For the Fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge as Ezechiel speaketh Wee must therefore abstaine from the rawe and vnwholesome thinges of this Life if wee meane to confirme our teeth and conforme our taste to sauour Heauen and these glorious thinges of God The best of Gods people that euer were in the world could expresse the glory of this place but by Negatiues albeit they had an extraordinary inspection into it Aske the Prophet Esaias and Saint Peter the Apostle they will tell you That the things which eye hath not seene neyther hath eare heard neyther came it into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him And Saint Augustine sayeth That the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Our faith cannot conceyue our hope cannot comprehend our charitie cannot apprehend for it surpasseth our thoughts our vnderstanding our desires Let this bee our comfort that this glory may be obtayned expressed or conceyued it cannot be Augustine sayeth that he can tell sooner what is not there then what is there When the Queene of Sheba came to Solomons Court and heard his wisedome saw the house which hee had built obserued his dyet viewed the dwellings of his seruants noted what seruants robes the manner of their service and recounted the whole burnt offerings which were offered in the house of the Lord euerie day The text sayth that shee stood amazed and there was no Spirit in her and when shee came to her selfe shee vttered these words It is true that I heard in mine owne land of thee O King howbeit I beleeued not the report vntill now I see it but the one half was not told me for thou hast more wisedome and prosperitie then I heard by report Right so O my soule shalt thou say when thou commest into this heauenlie Court and beholdest and knowest God as he is known and seest the new Hierusalem the Feast of the Lambe the Mansions prouided the milke white roabes of the Saintes their attendants vpon God and the continuall Alleluiah sung by the quire of Heauen thou wilt say O it was not the least particle of this glorie that wee heard of beneath when we were in the earth for this glorie farre surpâ—sseth all that euer wee heard or could imagine neyther indeed could wee beleeue the same but now O King of Heauen assuredly they are fully blessed that alwaies stand before thee and behold this thy Maiesty and surpassing glory Hence was it that Holy men of God oft sighed and earnestly desired when they meditated of this glory to be with Christ. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ sayeth Paul Aye mee that I am constrayned to dwell with Mesech sayeth Dauid And in another place When shall I come and appeare before the presence of the Lord If I haue found grace in thy sight O Lord shew mee thy face sayth Moses And to this purpose God sendeth his dearest children bitter pilles of affliction oft-times in this life to weane them from the pleasures of this world The world troubleth mee saith S. Augustine and yet I loue it what would I doe if it did not afflict me Surely it would befoole vs as it doth too many who rather then they would forsake any part or parcell of the World they will desperately and diuelishly forsake their God and the glory of heauen and in their hearts wish God to keepe it for him selfe and let them enioy their pleasures and pastimes in this present life O blinde and barbarous folly of the sonnes of Adam who hath bewitched you Would you see the inuisible things of God They are seene sayth Paul by the visible God being considered in his workes Christ is receyued vp in glory ascend thou by these degrees vnto Christ O my soule that he hath reuealed vnto thee Say vnto thy selfe when thou viewest the world and the glory thereof both in the frame of Heauen and in the fabrique of the earth If O Lord thou grantest vnto vs such goodlie thinges in this our prison what hast thou prepared for vs in thy pallace of Heauen If here thou affoordest so liberally thy blessings both to friendes and foes what hast thou prouided in heauen for friendes onely When thou beholdest the surpassing beauty of the heauens say O my soules How delectable are thy dwellings O Lord of Hosts my Spirite fainteth for desire to dwell in the Courts of thy house for euermore For all Nations are before thee as nothing and they are accounted lesse then nothing and vanity When wee consider again that there are three principall places in this vniuerse to witte Hell the World and Heauen The first vnder the earth the second aboue the earth the third aboue the visible heauens The first a place of darkenesse the second a place mixt both with light darknesse the third is altogether light The 1. a dungeon of despayre the second a vale of teares the third a Paradise of incomparable delights and delicacies whose heart desireth not after those water-brookes whose soule seeketh not after those ioyes of Heauen where is the fulnesse of ioy and happinesse for euermore For there is health without sicknesse youth without age fulnesse without famine plenty without penury gâ—ory without infamy peace without warre and in a word all good without euill Now therefore O yee sonnes of men Marke Sayth Saint Augustine Heauen is to bee solde and God requires no other price for thee to buy it but thy selfe it is worth so much as thou art giue God thy selfe and thou shalt haue it But obserue thou must not present thy selfe to God in this exchange a worldling a sinner a cast-away but thou must become iust good holy and worthy of the same not of thy selfe but beeing iustified sanctified and bettered by the holy faith and Spirit of thy God in Christ Iesus in whom wee all are accounted worthy so shalt thou by his merites obtaine a Kingdom where the fire dooth not burne nor the ayre infect nor the water drowne noâ— the earth tremble vnder thee where there is no commet to presage thee euill no thunder to terrifie thee no lightning to daunt thee no thunderbolt
of my soule in musing on this so holyâ— and so happy a mysterie which I doe adore in the retirednesse of my spirit continually and the fire of thy zeale O Lord encreaseth in my heartâ— and the flames thereof bursts forth and I crie to thee O King of heauen and of earth that thy goodnesse would vouchsafe me a blessing among thine holy ones in whose flesh thou art manifested by the power of thy spirit of sanctification and other graces of thy goodnesse For O my God I haue perceiued sinne and Sathan a long time to haue ruled and raigned in my flesh In my heart by auersenes from thee in my vnderstanding by misled iudgments in my wit by wayward purposes froward desires in my fancie by foolish imaginations designes and my thoghts by rebellious affections in mine eyes by adulterous wanderings in mine eares by itching after vanities in my forhead as in the whores brow by impudent outfacings in my mouth by blasphemous swearings and curses and in my whole masse of nature by lewde and loose conditions Now therefore I come vnto thee O Sauiour of mankind the Phisition of soule and body and lie groueling in mine owne dust before thy footestoole humbly praying thy goodnesse for thy Christ his sake that thou wouldest vouchsafe to manifest thy selfe by thine almighty power in my flesh in my wretched flesh in my rebellious and rotten flesh in mine haughty naughty and hellish flesh That it may by thy thy power become a vessell of holinesse of puritie of grace and of glory To this blessed ende mortifie in me O Lord the deedes of the flesh adulterie fornication vncleanesse laciuiousnesse Idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife sedition heresies enuyings murders drunkennesse reuellings and sucâ—h like and in stead thereof manifest in me O God thy selfe by bestowing vpon me a principall portion of thy Spirit in loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meckenesse temperance and what else thy holy wisedome knowes fit for me in my vocation and ranke Restraine sinne that it may not raigne in my mortall body and Sathan that hee may not rage ouer me Set vp thy selfe O God aboue the heauens and thy glory aboue all the earth That thy beloued in whom thou art manifested by thy graâ—ious spirit of sanctification may euer praise and magnifie thy Great name amiddest the Congregatigations And I the vnworthyest of all thy creatures shall euer bee telling of thy goodnesse towards me for redeeming me with thy bloud for sanctifying mee by thy grace for vniting thy selfe mystically vnto mee thine humbled Votarie and for sauing mee from those many and manifold euills of the flesh whereinto thousands are faine also had not thy gratious assistance O Lord vpheld my weake and feeble flesh â—N Lord there hath no sinne beene committed since Adams fall vnto this day by any the sonnes and daughters of men but I had done the like if thy sweete fauour in Iesus Christ had not preuented mee O Lord then let mee liue in thee let mee wholly resigne my selfe vnto thee that neither sinne nor Sathan nor shame nor confusion may come neere my dwelling but that thou mayest dwell in mee here by thine owne spirite of holinesse that hereafter I may obtain the happinesse of thy glorious kingdome through Iesus Christ mine onely Lord and Sauiour Amen GOD IVSTIFIed in the Spirit Explication GOD manifested in the Spirit not as man iustified whose sinnes are remitted for Christ his sake whose vnrighteousnesse is couered with Christ his merits whose wretchednesse is not imputed for Christ his obedience as Saint Augustine diuinely discanteth vpon the 32 Psalme but iustified in the spirit by diuine iustice such as is properly to God only In which sence his iudgements are sayde to bee iustified that is they are true and righteous al together albeit to vs they are secret and vnsearchable His wisedome is sayde to bee iustified of her children that is it is knowne to bee true and infallible wisdome In this phrase spake Dauid to God saying That thou mightest bee iustified when thou speakest and cleare when thou iudgest That is that no liuing creature could taxe implead or touch the resolutions and performances of Gods decrees with any the least preiudice or impeachment of iniquitie for they were euer most iust and sacred albeit they are vnknowne to vs Is there any vnrighteousnesse with God sayeth Paul In this phrase also Saint Peter vrgeth the Iewes that they had denyed The holy one and inst and desired a murtherer to be giuen them The manner of this Iustification was in the spirit that is to say Hee was iustified in that which was in his sacred person diuine and aboue the humane nature So S. Paul teacheth the Church of Rome affirming that albeit hee was the sonne of Dauid according to the flesh yet was hee declared to bee the Sonne of God with power according to the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead which seemeth vnto mee to intend two arguments to this purpose The first is that neuer any in our flesh liued spotlesse and voide of sinne but Christ onely There is the iustifying Spirite of Sanctification The second is that neuer any of himselfe but Christ Iesus loosed the bandes of death and arose from the fetters of the graue There is the Iustifying Spirite of power in the Resurrection and euen in this very phrase Athanasins speaketh to witte That Christ was iustified not after the manner of men but by diuine puritie To this end that he should bee honoured and worshipped not as a meere man albeit hee was truly man but as the eternall God in our flesh This therefore is the Catholique Faith which whosoeuer doth not beleeue cannot bee saued That Iesus Christ is knowne by his power in the spirite to be the very son of God against the Maâ—cionites Gods sonne by nature not by grace against the Arrians that hee was begotten of the Father against the Bonosians that froÌ„ euerlasting against the Natiuitarians that hee was God of himselfe against the Donatists and that hee was coequall with the Father and consubstantiall against the Macedoans This Iustification of the Sonne of God was declared in the spirit of power and in the spirite of purity as I haue sayde out of Saint Paul to the Romanes In the power of the Spirit it was declared against al the powers of darkenesse which flesh and bloud could not abandon For besides the generall cessation of Oracles at his comming the particular Idols were euery where defaced and confounded Astorah of the Sydonians Melchom of the Ammonites Chemosh of the Moabites Belzebub of Ekron Remphan of the Sirians Dagon of the Philistines Moloch of the Egyptians and many others were in all places of the world put to vtter confusion Because the God of this world which is the diuell was cast out and the stroÌ„ger man surprised the strong man dispossessed him dispoiled him and vtterly
Euen because this sacred spirite of the eternall God Rebuketh the world of sinne of righteousnes and of iudgement It rebuketh the world of sinne because the wicked world beleeueth not which is the Sinne of Sinnes as I may so say but is fraught with furious spirits of blind ignorāce and desperatefolly which cast thousands into fires and waters of misperswasion and misbeleefe and these worldlings are caught away with vnpure spirites of sensuall security which possesse them both with dumbnes deafenesse that they can neyther speake of God but in their blasphemous cursinges and swearings nor heare of God without great wearisomnesse and discontent This sacred spirite also rebuketh the world of righteousnesse because sayeth Christ I goe the right way vnto the Father but the world is ledde by witte worshippes will worships and other such deuises of singularity conceited righteousnesse of mans many inuentions Some with Anabaptisme which is the diuell in an Angell of light and some with Iesuitisme which is a subtil slie Antichrist in the Church And this holy spirit rebuketh the world of Iudgement because the Prince of this world is iudged already and the vnbeleeuers his vassalls and slaues are iudged with him and are reserued for the further iudgement and vtter darkenesse of these vnpure spirites that are already in chaines to be brought forth in the great audite of Christ and end of the world For what deuoute soule trembleth not yea shuddereth not with horror to know that Sathan is the God of this world and to conceiue that seuen spirites of euil yea Legions of vncleane spirites may obsesse possesse and hellifie the soule and bodie of one man or of one woman I wonder that the whole frame and fabrique of nature shaketh and quaketh not to beare and heare those hellish and diuelish miscreants that when the seruants of GOD preach solemnely soberly seriously in the power zeale and abundance of their spirit say to them as Festus sayd to Paul This man is beside himselfe much learning makes him mad and say to others as the Iewes to the Apostles when they had receyued the gift of the holy spirit These men are drunke with wine or else take vpon them in the diuelish and damnable pride of their owne hearts to direct the whole world in the misperswasion of their own singular and priuate spirite not in order to God as they pretend but in confusion to the diuell as the ende shewes So did Iohn of Leidon Nipper Doling Chreiton and others of that crew of wretched miscreants who at Munster in their enraged and rebellious route cryed out being led by a cursed spirite of their owne nothing but Depose kill murther meaning those sober and moderate Christians that withstoode their brainesicke fury and Anabaptisticall fanaticall folly and in all that outrage pretended nothing but that they were guided thereunto by the spirite So doe those that are engaged into the spirite of Antichrist and enraged with the poysoned cup of the strūpet of Romish Babylon her spiritual fornication who speak write and practise prepensed wickednesse as did Cardinal Como to Parrie the traytor what time hee intended nay receyued their consecrated host with the saide Cardinall to kill our late Queene Elizabeth of pretious memorie signifying by letter vnto him that the then Pope Gregorie the thirteenth as by the Credentiall note included in the letter he might see doubted not but that the same spirite which moued him to so good a worke as to kill the Queene would certainely assist him to the performance thereof Oh barbarous spirite of brutish Popery So do those that scoffe at the gifts of the Spirite in their brethren saying to those whom they see reuearing and yeelding obedience to the power of Gods grace and counselling others to be guided gouerned thereby Oh Sir you are so full of the spirite that it runs out of your nose Oh sir the spirite moueth you This and the like hellish language I say is an amazement vnto good men to thinke there should be any fo damnably prophane and so desperately wicked especially among Christians who professe in their holy Creede to beleeue in the holy spirite and acknowledge that in the power of that spirit They liue moue and haue their being yea and they feele themselues oft times quickned from the dulnesse of sinne by the same spirit vnto the motion and life of grace wherby they are made vnexcusable And professe further that they beleeue that they shall bee raysed vppe out of their dust and from the bands and fetters of the graue by the operation of this powerfull and blessed spirite vnto eternall glory by that mighty working whereby it is able to subdue all things vnto it selfe This I say is a great consternation and amazement vnto a Christian heart and causeth oft times many good soules to quake and shudder to see and behold such desperate scornings and reprochful contumelies among such as professe they beleeue in God The serious consideration whereof I am perswaded would eftsoones trouble the mindes of many other with grieuous distractions and disturbances had not the holy booke of God in two most pregnant places of the new Testament set foorth to the life both of the Apostacie of faith and irregularity of good manners which the spirit of God prophesyeth should happen in these last and worst ages of the world For Saint Paul teacheth the Bishoppe of Ephesus That the spirite speaketh euidently That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede to spirites of error and doctrines of Diuels The spirites of error are such in whome there is no sound trueth of GOD but mingled and mangled with humane traditions no conscience of good but iustifyings of their owne inuentions The doctrines of diuels are prohibitions of marriage and superstitious abstaining from meates as the Text speaketh And I take those spirits of errors and doctrines of diuels are no where to be foūd in the Christian Church more pregnant for we must not looke for them among Turkes and Pagans because this Prophesie reuealeth what shall happen in the Church and amongst professors of Christ but in the Papacy only which in the later times that is some sixe hundred yeares agoe or thereaboutes vtterly fell away from the verity of the faith of Christ and gaue heede to the spirites of errors doctrines of diuels intending nothing else thereby but the subuersion of the Primitiue purity of Religion and conuersion of the internall beauty of the Church of Christ into an externall and pompous lustre of humane policie And againe Saint Paul sheweth by the euidence of the same spirite That in the last dayes which are these worst dayes of ours should come perillous times wherein men should bee louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affections truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of
great glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead Come Lord Iesus Come quickly O holy spirit of purity and power assist my weake and feeble spirit to bee lift vp vnto thee in prayer Oh righteous God and most merciful Father in Iesus Christ to whome the spirites of the iust are always and euery where lift vp remember mee in thy great goodnes For I acknowledge and confesse vnto thee my many and manifolde infirmities wretchednesses and wickednesses both in the sinnes of my body and also in the sinnes of my soule Now a long time O Lord I haue bin grieuously teÌ„ptead with the spirits not of infirmitie only which dwell in my flesh but with foule filthy spirits of pride ambition enuie worldly pollicie other vile vaine deceitfulnes of mine own heart and oft times with lothsom and vgly spirits of lust adultry gluttony druÌ„kenes wantonesse many other such like euills which haunt me daily eyther in thought word or deed and seeke to harâ—our in my polluted flesh giuing me no rest nor respite but are still seeking and daily assayling to ruinate and run ouer me and are dayly fighting and troubling me I haue sinned O Lord I haue sinned I haue done euil in thy fight and these euills are punishments vnto mee for the same It is I Oh Lord it is I and it seemeth to me that it is none but I that euer sinned so hainously against thee I seeme to my selfe of all others to be the most miserable most distressed and most wretched creature on the earth What shall I doe O Creator of heauen and of earth Thou preseruer of mankinde whether shal I flye from these vgly Monsters that thus pursue my soule and daylie seeke to preuaile against me I know not where to be safe from them but onely to flye vnto thee Oh Lord who onely canst still the raging and the roaring of the great waters when they arise and swell who onely canst chaine the Diuell when hee is â—rampant and ready to deuoure and who onely canst cast out the vncleane spirite with a worde that they neuer enter any more Now therefore come I to thee O King of Saints shewing to thee my malady my misery my moâ—rning how I lye here among the graues of the deade and torment my selfe being possessed with the rage and hell of my misdeedes and crie after thee O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee and deliuer mee by the power of thy might by thy stretched out arme and by one touch of thy sacred goodnesse that it may dispossesse Sathan the strong man of his hold that it may heale me and cast out the vncleane spirites and may vtterly abandon sinne shame and Sathan farre from me and from my dwellings Take from mee for Christ his sake mine owne wretched spirit of infidelitie pride mallice and vnconstancie and grant vnto me O Lord in steed thereof thy blessed spirit of truth humilitie charitie and perseuering constancy Oh take from me O Lord mine owne spirit of vncleanenesse couetousnesse flouthfulnesse and bestow vpon me in steed thereof thine holy spirit of purenesse liberalitie and of all carefull and Christian circumspection Take from me deare Father mine owne spirit of crookednesse wherwith I haue beene vexed and bowed together for many yeares and grant mee thy Spirit of power to raise me vp and thy strength that I may resist sinne in these dayes of my combating that I may so resolutely deuoute my selfe to theâ— and to thy sacred seruice that I may neuer more hearken to subtill and enticing spirits of pleasure of errors of impietie O sacred spirit that didst moue vpon the waters in the creation of the world now moue the streames and fountains of my life in my regeneration and new birth Shake the very foundations of my soule that the image of Christ Iesus may bee repayred in me which I vile wretch by my sinnes haue miserably deformed and defaced O blessed spirit help mine infirmities heale my imperfections compassionate my miseries and make intercession for me with sighes vnutterable which will haue no nay That I may feele my selfe comforted by thee the spirit of consolation in all the wayes of godlinesse that I may perceiue my selfe to bee led on into all truth and veritie and may at the last assure mine owne spirit by thy blessed testimony that I am a child of thy gratious adoption O blessed Iesus that wast declared mightely to be the son of God by the powerfull spirit of sanctification and by rising from the dead that didst vanquish vtterly abandon all the powers all the houres of darkenesse and spirits of error and misbeleefe remoue farre from mee all heathenish Pagan and Popish idolatrie all confidence in any creature all flattering of mine own-selfe that the pure light of thy reuealed truth may shine into my heart that I may euer worship thee in spirit and truth as thou hast commanded And O God make my life holy innocent modest and honest in thy sight that I may see my heart repayred and renued by thy spirit of grace to walke before thee in godly and sincere integritie of conuersation all the remainder of my wretched dayes So am I assured Sathan shall neuer circumuent me nor the world deceiue me or mine owne flesh intice mee or enforce me from thy holy and sacred directions but if I fall I shall rise againe if I turne away at any time I shall returne againe So shall I euer magnifie thy name and multiplie prayses vnto thy maiestie and ascribe vnto thee honor and praise all my life long Grant these mercies vnto me O father of comfort and power for thy couenants sake made vnto mankinde in the iustification of thy Sonne Christ Iesus both for the sanctitie of his life for the suffering of his death and for the continuall intercession and mediation of his eternall priesthood hee now sitting at thy right hand for vs in Maiâ—stie and great glory and remaining a Priest for euer after the order of Mâ—lchisedech Behold vs wretches O holy Ghost whose soules cleaue vnto the ground quicken vs with thy might and lift vs vp from the grossenesse of our corruption to our spirituall beeing in Iesus Christ that wee may liue in the spirit loue in the spirit pray in the spirit and bee led thereby continually into all good actions being thereby purged and purified both in our spirits soules and bodyes from all dead and damnable workes of the flesh the world and the diuell That so at the last wee may through thy fauour O God bee perfectly vnited vnto thee in the spirit of sanctification in this life and in the euerlasting spirit of thy power be brought to our glorification in the other life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen GOD SEENE of Angels Explication THis Manifestation of God in the flesh and iustification in the Spirit was so apparant and the glory thereof so great that it filled heauen and earth with the brightnesse of
Iesus Christ how wonderfull are thy workes in all the world For out of the mouthes of Preachers sometimes very babes and suckâ— lings thou hast ordained strength that thereby thou mightst make thy power the more to be knowne in suppressing the rage and fury of Sathan the enemie of all mankind by such weake and feeble instruments And this thou hast done O Lord of thine vnspeakable mercy in Christ considering that we are but dust and cannot endure the presence of an Angel to speak vnto vs much lesse are wee able to behold thee in thy glorious brightnesse Nay O Lord no man can see thee and liue Eternally therefore blessed be thy goodnes O God for ordaining so sacred and so â—afe a meanes for our â—nowledge and acknowledgeâ—ent of thee and of him whome â—hou hast sent Christ Iesus our Lord For it hath pleased thee 〈◊〉 put thy word into the mouthes 〈◊〉 men to publish it vnto vs. Thou hast clothed their hearts â—ith thy righteousnesse to furâ—â—sh them with grace Thou â—ast added the power thereof 〈◊〉 thy sacred spirite to guide vs to all truth thou hast shewâ—â— the effects thereof in the sanâ—â—itie of our liues good works 〈◊〉 thy great glory Thou hast giuen vs the ioye â—ereof in the songs of holy ones 〈◊〉 our solaâ—e and the end thereâ—â— in the saluation of our sinfull â—ules and bodies to our eternall â—â—licitie in heauen O Lord who can sufficiently â—â—â—toll thy Maiesty for this thy â—â—rpassing fauour towards vs â—et vs entreate thy goodnesse for Christ his sake to stirre vp and â—uicken â—our dull hearts to a thankefull acceptance of this thy blessing Make vs to loue the preaching of thy word that sacred Ambassage from heauen that wee may bee throughly reconciled vnto thee Make it the sauour of life vnto vs and let iâ— in no wise bee the sauour of death vnto vs or any of vâ— Make vs to thinke reuerently of these whom thou hast seperated and sent to be the lighteâ— and guide of this world cause vs to esteeme of them preciously to loue them heartily to pray for them effectually and to heare them with all possible respects fulnes as people knowing that 〈◊〉 that hearetâ— them heareth thee hee that receyueth them receyueth thee hee that regardeth them regardeth thee and hee that doth for them doth for thee as people knowing it is thy Word they preach thy holy will they teach thy heauenly worshippe and diuine seruice they entreat â—s to embrace as people knowâ—â—g that the glorie thereof is â—â—ine the good thereof is ours â—â—en to the sauing of our selues â—â—d children in both worlds O King of Heauen giue vs â—â—ermore of this Manna the â—ngels foode of this water of 〈◊〉 of this celestiall treasure of â—is fruite of life of those songs 〈◊〉 Sion of this speech of Canaâ—â—â— of this salt of the earth of â—â—is light of life of this dew of â—ermon of this name of Iesus 〈◊〉 this eternall Gospell by the â—eaching of thy holy will As â—e heare it O Lord let it diâ—ill into our soules as thy holy â—â—â—ction Let it stirre our harts 〈◊〉 thy power Let it bowe our â—ils to thy obedience as thy â—â—unsell Let it sanctifie our 〈◊〉 as thy ordinance let it â—â—epare vs throughout for thee 〈◊〉 Lord and for the glory of thy â—ace for euer Humble our hearts with the remembrance what wretches we were without this reuelation of thy Sonne Say vnto vs you were dogs and might not eaâ—â— the childrens breade you were hogges and might not haue these pretious pearls cast vnto 〈◊〉 you were as vncircumcised Pâ—listines as cursed Canâ—anitâ—â— as diuelish Samaritans as Heâ— theniâ—h Pagans as Turkish Iâ—â—â—â—dels But I haue washed purgâ—â— purified and sanctified you wiâ—â— my grace I haue called you my name and I will blesse yoâ— for euer O Lord God Graunt thâ—â— wee may eate but the crumâ—â— vnder thy table that wee 〈◊〉 touch but the hemme of thy vâ— sture that thou wilt but speaâ— the Word onely and we wretches shall liue shall bee healeâ— shall bee happie to thy prayse 〈◊〉 euer Say Lord vnto our soules am your saluation So shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bee gladde all our 〈◊〉 so shall wee study to set 〈◊〉 thy honour and will vow 〈◊〉 sacrifices of thankefulnesse 〈◊〉 of soule and body in our 〈◊〉 and children for euer O heare vs King of Heaâ—â—â— and grant these blessinges 〈◊〉 thine to be continued vnto vs 〈◊〉 to our seed to al our generatiâ—â— for the merites of thy deare â—â—ne Christ Iesus our most â—â—â—â—acious Redeemer Amen GOD BELEEVED on in the World Explication THat the World should beleeue in God is the mystery of mysteries First that the World should beleeue in GOD in the vnitie of his essence and Trinity of existence Then to beleeue God in the verity of his written word And lastly to relye vpon God in the assurance of his loue for his promise sake this I say to know is eternall life and for the World to know it is a world of wonders For how should the World come by this sauing knowâ—edge 〈◊〉 Take the World as in â—oly writ it sometimes signiâ—ies the reporbate of whome Christ sayth I pray not for the â—orld that is for the reprobate of the world these beleeue not Take it Cosmographically for the frame of heauen and of earth contayning the firmamentary and elementary regions these parts are not â—apable of such mysteries â—ut vnderstand it of the Eâ—ect people of God inhabiâ—ing within the limites of the knowne Christian world and â—else where dispersed and scattered vpon the surface of the whole earth as it is taken in this place and then this mystery will bee reuealed vnto vs. For otherwise as the world 〈◊〉 more generally taken for the people of the world It is altogether set vpon wickednesse The World receyues not the Spirite of truth The Worlde knownes not God The world is at defiance with God as may plainely appeare by the contrariety betwixt God and the woâ—ld The spirit of God being loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnes faith meekenesse and temperance The Spirite of the World being adulterie fornication vncleannes lasciuiousâ—es idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions hypocrisies enuyings murthers drunkennesse reuellings How could it euer be thought that these thinges so contrariantly opposit should euer accord Yet behold this great mysterie for this malignant contrariant exorbitant refractory World is conquered by holy saith in the bloud of Christ and multitudes of millions in the World albeit not of the World Liue loue and beâ—eeue in God amidst the furious cruell and deadly rage â—atred and bloudy cruelty of many miscreants and infidell worldlings So that now God hath purchased by faith a world of people to himselfe called out of the vniuersall masse and multitude of people in the World to know and acknowledge him to be their God and Sauiour This is the sence of these words And the sacred
scriptures call those the Worlde whom God hath thus called out of the world because for their sakes onely this world was made and this world is as yet preserued and all things continue as from the beginning But when God hath his full number of these his chosen people out of the world then this world shall haue an end and there shall bee a new Heauen and a new earth wherein shal dwell righteousnesse To these his redeemed people in the world God made his promises both of the promulgation extension and augmentation of this Kingdome of Iesus Christ his Sonne First that the extention thereof should be as large as is the expansion of the Heauens and so great that it should encircle and surround the earth Secondly that the dominion thereof should bee from sea to sea And from the riuers vnto the end of the world The kings of Tharsis and of the â—sles should bring presents yea all Kings should fall downe before him at nations should serue him Thirdly that Christ should â—edeeme vs to God by his bloud â—ut of euery kindred and tongue and people and Nation Fourthly that there should â—ee so great a multitude of beleeuers of all Nations Kindreds people and tongues which stand before the throne and before the â—ambe that no man should bee â—ble to number them The performance of which â—rophesies and promises God shewed most powerâ—â—lly in the very commencement of this conquest of faith â—or Peter conuerred in one â—ermon three thousand and 〈◊〉 another Sermon fiue thouâ—and soules that beleeued and â—â—â—â—rned to God from their inâ—quities So mightily yea so â—uddenly grew the word of God and preuayled yea 〈◊〉 is ttuely obserued both by Suetonius in the life of Nero and by Tacitus in the first booke of his Historie beeing enemies to Christ Christians and also by Tertullian a friend to Christians in his Apologeticall exhortation to the Gentiles that the multitude of beleeuers was so great in the Primâ—tiue Church euen amidst those furious bloudy butcheries and wofull persecutions that their strength and puissanâ—e if they should haue waged warre was oft times a feare and terror euen to the veâ—ry persecuting Emperours themselues This was exceeding strange that a World of people so dissonanâ— so dissolute so aliant so repugâ—nant to God and to goodnesse should become so plyable so flexible so obedieÌ„t 〈◊〉 submit and subiect themâ—â—lues to the yoke of Gods ceâ—â—estiall direction And albeit this very acte â—f beleeuing may seeme very â—aruellous vnto vs in it selfe â—et the strange means whereâ—y this victorious conquest was wrought by Christ in â—educing the world to the act â—f faith was indeed incompaâ—ably wonderfull and aboue mans capacitie to conceiue For Christ Iesus the Sonne of God when hee made this conquest of the World by faith did not proclaym to the world as king Cyrus did wheÌ„ he intented his conquests great pay worldly promotions magnificent titles and honourable entertainements for his voluntaries and Followers neither did Christ proffer as the diuell did All this will I 〈◊〉 thee shewing all the kingâ—omes of the world if thou wilt fall downe and worshiâ— me nor as the licentious Turk doth grants libertie of wiueving to what number of women men will of thriuing by what callusions and deuises men can so they doe no violence to all that embrace his Mahumetanisme nor yet as the most Turkish Pope vseth who grants pardons and indulgences from all kinde of punishments to all his Peccadilloes whatsoeuer For then Christ doubtlesse might haue had followers on a sudden more then enough But behold and consider the iniunctions motions and perswasions that Christ vsed to moue the world to beleeue and then tell me Beloued in our Lord if this be not a secret and hidden Mysterie The very first mandate that Christ ienioyned to those that meant to follow him was Reâ—â—nt yee that is Bee of another â—inde and leade another life 〈◊〉 you haue done heretoâ—â—re Become new creatures â—â—at is leaue off to doe euill 〈◊〉 learne to do good This was no lesson for the â—â—lfe louers of the world to â—â—arne and of these there is an â—â—finite number By this doctrine Christ â—â—ight lose all the nice of the world and all that were wedâ—ed to their owne selfe liâ—ings Another iniunction was â—n the world if you will bee mine you shall haue augariation and your hearts shall bee pierced â—hrough with many sorrowes This was no coppie to bee taken out by the effeminate delitious and delicate persons of the world A third was You shall bee hated of all men for my names sake saith Christ. This was no condition to obligue faint and false hearted cowards of the world A fourth was He that loues his life shall lose it This was not the way to winne a worldling notwithstanding all these and other such like more conditions and entertainments euen to exquisite torments yeâ— I say what euer could be sayd or done to the contrary by the infidell party in all the bloud and but chery of Gods Saints behold yee the power of God in this wonderfull conquest of the world by faith For a Centurion beleeueâ— euen to life albeit Christ is absent from doing any act speakes this in the words of a beleeuer Say the word onely O Lord and my seruant liueth A Canaanitish woman beleeues to health if she might eate but the crums thâ—â— fall â—â—om the table or touch but â—he hemme of Christ his veâ—ure The good theefe beleeues 〈◊〉 saluation in Christ Iesus â—hom he beheld fastened to â—â—rosse laden with disgraceâ—â—â—l reproches and scoffings forlorne and forsaken of the â—hole world strugling in his 〈◊〉 dolours gasping gaping 〈◊〉 weltring in his owne â—oud Oh wonderfull power 〈◊〉 faith Oh maruellous work â—f God! Is there any reason 〈◊〉 bee yeelded hereof Are â—â—ere any causes of this so rare 〈◊〉 maruellous a change in the â—eart and resolution of man â—o surely Mans reason in this â—ynt is but as a beast as Iereâ—ie sayth But Almightie â—od hath his reasons for it â—ost pregâ—ant most powâ—â—full For this beleeuing in â—hrist being an act of the vnderstanding assenting to Gods diuine truth at the commandement of the will so moued by the grace and spirit of God sheweth that it is the power onely and spirit of God that inclineth our hearts to beleeue as the first mouing cause thereof This was the reason why Lydia the Thyatirian hearkned to Paules preaching which many other did not that heard the word notwithstanding as well as she For the Text saith God opened the heart of Lydia that she attended the the words of Paule that is to say She attended not vntill God openeth her heart The inuisible finger of God being as you see a golden key to vnlocke our steely hearts that may see perceiue and be moued to seeke after God for our saluation And this is the reason why â—he
but so and sâ— yea much more for the loue â— beare to my Sauiour Christ anâ— to his blessed members 〈◊〉 meane soeuer they bee for I 〈◊〉 him my selfe and all I haue 〈◊〉 thousand wayes O sacred Paule that was â—etime when men beleeued â—nd loued God so sweetely â—â—at they would not bee alluâ—ed by the enticements of the â—orld to fall from the faith â—f Christ as did couetous 〈◊〉 â—mas they beleeued and loâ—ed him so wisely that they â—ould not bee deceiued with â—he vanitie of wretchednesse 〈◊〉 fayle in their sacred seruic◠〈◊〉 did prowd hearted Diotreâ—â—â—â—es that loued the prehemiâ—ence they beleeued and loâ—ed God so resolutely that â—â—ey could neuer bee vtterly â—an quished either by sinne â—eath or Sathan as many milâ—â—ons of vnbeleeuing and â—isbeleeuing Christians are But O blessed God of heaâ—eÌ„ earth how is the case in â—ese ourdaies altered For the â—iuell hauing heretofore rayâ—d vp diuers heresies and â—hismes in all ages to hinder peach and vtterly to ouerthrow this sacred acte of beleeuing and true seruice of God as first against the faith of Gods creating the world he raysed vp the Marcionites Carpocrations and Nicolaitaâ—â— against the word of grace and redemption of man by Christ he stirred vp the Ebionites Gnostiques Arâ— rian and Sabellians and against the assurance of glory for his Saints hee enraged the auncient Cathari Pepusians and Anabaptists and many other such like damnable miscreants against all the articles of our Christian faith but now in this dotage of the world he like cursed Caligula that monster of men wisheth this holy people that beleeue in Christ had but one head that hee might strike it off at once euen with this one blow and hellish blast â—here is no God to the vtter â—olishing of all the ground â—orke of our Christâ—an faith Oh that the diuell could but â—ish this onely as hee desired â—nce to sift and winnow â—eter But it is a thousand pitties â—o see and behold how much â—e hath preuayled with milâ—ions of thousands euen in the Christian world Else how â—urst so many damned misâ—reants insult euen ouer God â—imselfe Let him make speede â—nd hasten his workes that wee may see it Yea that dare breath defiance and out face Gods â—udgments by denying them â—nd saying There is no plague this proâ—hesying is but words this preaching is but winde and in the ende fall away from all that â—s called God as did Pharaoh saying Who is God that I should serue him and what is Iehouah that I should yeeld vnto him These are such against whom there is no law in England which is to bee feared will bee the prouoking of Gods iudgements vpon this our Land and state in particular wherein there is so much care taken and so many good laws made and that most worthily for the preseruation of the kings crowne and dignitie that whosoeuer speaketh against it is held a cursed Trayâ—or and that most iustly and is worthy to die an ignominious and cruell death and that most deseruedly yea particular and priuate mens cases their lands liuings titles pleas and wrongs are by good and wholesome lawes redressed yet there is no extant and positiue Law Statute or Ordinance against these impeaâ—hers of this holy faith and against the open cursed and damnable Blasphemâ—rs deâ—ierâ— and defiers of the eternall God Oh England this is a worke worth the best intendments consultations and determinations both of thy Princes Peeres and people that such hellish roaring Boyes and such damned crues may not once bee named within the territories where thy renowned king is stiled the defendor of the faith For wee see that of such as make profession of faith the Oracle of faith telleth vs All haue not faith God sent Noah in the worlds infancie to preach this faith of the Messias Abraham in the worlds childhood had the signe of the couenant of this faith for the same purpose Dauid in the worlds youth beleeued and defended the same The Prophets in the worldes middle age guided the beleeuers vnto it Gods owne Sonne in his first comming preached it to the worlds old age his Apostles and Preachers to this our age the worlds dotage and all these found vnbeleeuers and missebeleeuers in all their times And last of all when Christ shall come againe to iudge the liuing and the dead Shall he finde faith on the earth In his first aduent hee had not as he himselfe affirmeth where to lay his head but when he commeth againe to iudgement hee will not haue where to set his foote if the world continue as it hath â—one along time eloyning â—rom Christs Church and â—poyling it of the meanes of â—he Gospells preaching those â—acred donations endowments which the faith of the â—ormer and better ages conâ—ecrated as the lands and reâ—enewes of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God heere on earth â—or the perpetuating of his ministerie and seruice No â—eloued these are the dayes of â—inne and wherein sinne aâ—oundeth because the loue of God in the world waxeth â—old These are the dayes where â—n such a faith is professed by â—any that is no where to bee â—eene by good workes but â—ard onely in some certaine â—oodly wordes such a faith â—s I told you before was the â—ith of Lucius learned Parâ—ot like and tunable to the eare hauing no semblance or qualitie of Gods spirit in it but onely this that not working by loue it is inuisible Africa was accounted in auncient time the mother of monstrous shapes but Europe Christian Europe is become the grandmother of many strange wonderments For as Saint Augustine sayth Hee that beleeueth not now seeing the world beleeueth is aprodigious and portentous amazement to himselfe And many there are who albeit they liue in the profession of this holy beleefe yet they profite not in it because they abuse the holy meanes thereof neither doe they practise the religious manner and methode of attaining vnto it For firstâ— they abuse the meanes by comming â—reuerently and irreligiously â—ot as beleeuers to heare the Word of this faith preaâ—hed Elias Gods Prophet when â—ee comes where he heareth God hee couereth his face with his mantle in reuerence of Gods Maiestie For beleeuers the nearer they come to God the more modest they are Ezechiel hearing GOD speake vnto him wanting a vayle falles with his face to the earth making the earth his mantle to shew his reuerence and feaâ—e to Gods maiestie Peter seeing Christ comming towards him cryeth out Depart from mee for I am a sinnefull man as acknowledging he was not worthy to breath in the place where Christ was Abraham when hee talkes with God about Sodome sayth thus Let not my Lord bee angrie if I dust and ashes speake vnto him And the Syrophenician comming to receiue comfort from Christ stands behind him daring not to speake but entendeth onely to touch not his body nor his garment but euen the very hemme of his vesture and
to approach neere vnto God and the full perswasion of faith to die in that so wee may goe on from faith to faith vntill wee haue our perfect blisse in Christ for euer Albeit our condition be that wee liue in these last and worst times as Lot in Sodome and as Abraham in Vr of the Chaldes yet hauing the rocke of our faith in Heauen the Father determining the word directing the holy Ghost mouing and these 3. are one hauing the records of our faith on earth the Spirit witnessing to our Spirite that wee are the sonnes of God the water of Baptisme the seale of our Redemption in Christ the bloud of the holy Martyres as the signes of the power of faith in weakenesse and these three aâ—gree in one wee may bid defiance to the Diuell and quiet our conscience in Christ for euermore Concluding that wee can be iustified no other way in the sight of God but onely by this holy faith in the bloud of Iesus but beeing there by onceiustified wee are in direct order towardes God wee are through the gate and in the happie way that leadeth to Abrahams bosom euen eternall life For God can direct vs in the best way vnto himself that leadeth to euerlastiâ—g felicitie in turning vs from â—ur euill wayes and returâ—ing vs to himselfe by reâ—entance and so on to good workes the assurance to our â—elues of our election in CHRIST from good workes to Gods mercy and â—rom thence to glory whereâ—nto this faith teacheth vs â—hat CHRIST is already â—ntered and whether hee â—ill vndoubtedly bring all â—hat loue him that looke â—nd long for his comming â— consummate and perfect â—is our holy seruice in the Heauens where is the fulnes â—f ioy and happinesse in the presence of God for euermore O Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe and encrease my Christian faith WOnderfull art thou O Lord God in thy manifold works maruellous in thy Almighty power and vnsearchable in thy diuine secretes The goodly frame of heauen and of earth shew shy power the disposition of all things therein tell of thy great wisedome and the passages of so many millions of particulars point out this gracious prouidence in all and yet the workes of thy mercies surpasseth all this For which O heauenly Father wee magnifie and praise thy name and multiplie our thankefulnesse vnto the in Iesus Christ from day to day For it hath pleased thee good Father to elect vnto thy selfe and to call â—ut of this Worlde out of this world I say beeing â— sincke of sinnefulnesse a deepe â—den of despayre an Asphatites of â—ll filthinesse a dead sea of sensuâ—lity the vale of the children of Hinnon a Babylon of beast linesse a Sodome of sorrow a Gomorrah of vngodlinesse a Seboim of security an Adamah of Adulterie and a world of wickednesse to chose I say one of this route a remnant of people to bee thy beloued Spouse and wife of the Lambe to bee a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people the loue of Christ all faire vndefiled and without spotte the onely Doue to bee like an Orchard inclosed a well sealed vp a fountaine of liuing water a Paradise of all pretious delectable and desirable fruites and to be the mysticall body of Christ which hee doth quicken with his owne spirite And these heauenly Father thou hast sealed with thine owne fignet dignified with thine owne fauours and as it were diâ—sied by thine effectuall and sauing grace in giuing them the holy faith of thy Christ and our Iesus thine onely sonne and our Sauior to purifie their hearts to purge their consciences from dead workes to serue thee the Father of light and life and so to be blessed by thee with light and life euerlasting O Lord now behold mee poore silly wretch that lyes here beneath in this miserable world creeping in the dust and crawling in mine owne infirmities My soule cleaueth vnto the ground my belly vnto the earth I haue nothing in mee but sinne sensuality aâ—d shame Blind I am in mine owne vnderstanding for I know thee not obstinat in my will for I little â— regarde thy Counsels corrupted in mine affections for I haue no minde vnto thee My parents were of this world I am borne in the world and the world is all my silly selfe looketh after I cannot attaine to so much at to know my selfe how then shuld I know and discerne thinges aboue my selfe much lesse vnderstand the things that appertaine vnto thee O Father and to the glory of thy Kingdome Euery good and perfect gift commeth feom thee who art the Father of lights O bowe downe thy goodnesse then vnto mee most mercifull Father and extend thy bounty vnto me poore wretch that most humbly desires thy grace and fauour that thou wouldest bee pleased to giue mee a portion and measure of thy blessings in the faith and fauour of thy sonne Grant vnto mee faith O Lord without the which I cannot please thee without the which I cannot hope for any good nor haue any euidence of these things which are not yet euident without the which I cannot come to Christ nor doe any good works nor bee raysed from sinne nor know thee O God nor resist the Diuell nor ouercome the world nor be iustified nor bee saued O blessed Father grant this mercy vnto mee without the which I desire not to be without which I cannot bee but a Cimmerian wretch a stranger vnto thee an Atheist a profane person an Infidell a cast away and a Firebrand of Hell What prayse can bee to thee O Lord in the deepe in the land of obliuion in the place of the damned Shall the dead praise thee shall the bottomlesse pitte celebrate thee shall the damned sing vnto thee no no The beleeuing the repenting the sorrowfull soule for sinne whome thou shalt shine vpon with the light of thy countenance in the faith of Christ that soule O God that soule shall euer bee magnifying thy mercies extolling thy goodnesse and celebrating thy greatnesse fro age to age What euer I doe what euer I thinke what euer I say without it hee seasoned with this grace of faith it is sinne O blessed plant of Paradise O heauenly Iewell of incomparable valuation Deare Father bestowe this blessing vpon me shut not vp my life with vnbeleeuers which shall neuer see thy face but rectifie me in al parts to the right vse of the sacred meanes of obtayning this fauour of faith It commeth by hearing of thy Word O sanctifie mee throughout that I may attentiuely hearken what the Lord will say For hee will speake peace vnto my soule and loue to his Saintes that they returne not to folly O holy Lord Looke backe vpon mine humbled Suite signe my petition for thy tender mercies sake in Christ. So shall my Sacrifices bee alwayes acceptable vnto thee as Abels my conuersation holy as Enochs my preaching powerfull as Noahs my offeringes delectable as Abrahams so shall I contemne