of Funerals And euen this day I exhort in the Lord whom it doth most concerne that as I knowe and doe affirme your hate to that pestilent péece of popery and your sinceritie in Christ so yée faithfully shewe it at this instant Féede these poore assembled but foster not that popishe opinion to pray for the soule departed Forget not the Lord at this present who hath not forgottē to bring you to great things Abstain saith the Apostle not only from euill but euen also from the shadow shew of euill If it might be take some other day for them giue them with warning that you meane no procuring of prayer for the dead For I know that you are assured that euery man shall appeare and aunswere for his owne factes as well this reuerend corps going to his graue as all you and wee here assembled in cause of him We must all appeare saith Paule before the iudgement seate of Christ 2. Cor. 5.10 that euery man may receiue the things that are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill The Lord in mercy blesse vs with his grace that liuing in him we may die in the Lorde Christ and so rest in peace till our returne to this bodily resurrection when we shall resigne to our soules our newe bodies though burned to ashes eaten with vermine in Sea or by lande For death lande and sea shall giue vppe not newe creatures but her receiued deade to be revnited to this resurrection And so with holy Iob we shall all sée our redéemer not with other but with these eyes that nowe we haue and with the selfe same bodies which nowe we beare shall wée all both small and great stande before the almightie Christ the iudge of quick and deade To whom be glory for euer And nowe time requireth to speake of the first resurrectiō which earst we called spirituall And of this resurrection Paul speaketh thus Ephe. 2.4 And when we were deade by sinnes God in his rich mercie through his great loue wherewith hee loued vs hath quickened vs together in Christ by whose grace wee are saued And hath raised vs vp together made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Rom. 6.4 And againe to the Romans thus We are buried then with Christ by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised of God the father so wee shoulde walke in newnesse of life And nowe of these places we are to obserue First that there is a death that goeth before this resurrection Then that by an other power beyonde our selues we are reuiued and raised from that death And thirdly what this life is where vnto we are raised To the first this death is spiritual and is none other but sinne as here is saide and when we were deade in sinne And rightly is sin called death for it killeth all the vitall partes of the soule and maketh it not onely vnapt but vnable to serue the liuing God It depriueth vs of the grace of God It separateth Christ Rom. 6. which is our life from vs it bringeth sathan to possesse our soules and haleth vs to the second death which is the infernal lake This is the nature of euery sinne and therefore they are rightly saide to bée deade which be possessed of it as wholly cut off from God estraunged from his life 1. Tim. 5.6 and deade to godlynesse So are the lashing widowes called deade in spirite though they liue by nature which giue themselues to carnalitie fleshly lusts And of such men also spake Christ the Lorde saying Let the deade burie their dead Matth. 8.22 Nowe beloued drawe hence this doctrine We are by course of naturall life sinners but by our selfe delights we are become deade in trespasses but he that is dead is so frée from life that he hath no part of whatsoeuer is done vnder the sunne as the preacher saith Eccle. 9.4.5.6 So now that I speake to you that you conceiue and we all féele the power of the voyce it is by that wee liue but this Corpes héere present is so frée from all this that he neither heareth or conceiueth féeleth or partaketh whatsoeuer by his occasion héere is done for hée is deade and his life is not in him Euen so beloued the deade in sinne are as frée from righteousnes and the true féeling thereof as this sanctified corpes is cut from our present action Moreouer this corps can neither goe nor stir hinder or let those that list to carry conuey him whether they woulde Neither can the deade in sinne withstande the guide of his deadly soule the killing diuell the prince of hell but is ledde and drawen euen whether and to what him lust to whoredomes murthers lying blasphemie and what not Ion. 8.34 Rom. 6.20 2. Pet. 2.19 For of whom so euer a man is ouercome his seruant he is whether of sinne vnto death or of grace vnto life Last of all it is not in the power of any deade man to arise againe till his life be returned to him No more is it in the power of man once deade in sin to rise againe from it vntill his life which is Christ returne to reuiue him Wherefore the Apostle saith hee hath quickned vs euen God the father by the spirite of his Christ hath raised vs vp with Christ Where is then thy frée will and power to kéepe the wayes of God when thou hast eares but fatted eares that cannot heare a heart but blinded Matt. 13.14 that cānot perceiue the good wil of god a soule but deade and estraunged from the life of God Ephe. 41.8 And for this cause God is saide to raise vs from the deade that Christ may giue vs light that by his mighty operation through faith in him It is his mighty operation Colos 2.12 not mans weaknesse to raise vs from sinne For sathan is stronger then we 2. Tim. 2.26 holdeth vs once dead euē at his wil as Paul saith so as it is not possible for vs to arise from his bōos til our life Christ which is the strōger Luk. 11.29 Math. 12.29 Mark 3.22 enter combat with him bind him take vs his spoile away from him The workeman then to raise vs in this first resurrection is not man but God And he vseth heereto as his finger to forme vs anewe his worde and his spirite both from him selfe that he might haue the whole glorie of our life Embrace then this holy meanes come to the word there is his spirit If thou be his he will drawe thée to it lighten thée by them raise thée from this spirituall death as the Apostle hath saide Rom. 3.11 If the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus from the deade dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the deade shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirite dwelleth in you Nowe
what this resurrection is the Apostle doth tel vs namely newnesse of life saying Rom. 6.4 We are buried then with Christ by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorie of the father so wee should walke in newnesse of life This is then the first resurrection namely newnes of life There must be life beloued as well in the spirite as in the bodie Manie men séeme to liue and to doe the works of life but not in the spirite but in the body to serue their turn to answere the law to obserue the time but all this while the spirite liueth not Many a papist to day will come to Church in bodie but he bringeth a deade soule with him for Christian Religion hath no roume in his heart But if thou wilt haue thy part Papist or Protestant in the first resurrection thou must beginne to liue in thy spirite that thy spirite may enforce thy bodie to loue liue and feare thy God According to this sentence of Paule Ephes 4.22 Cast off the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lustes and bee yee renewed in the spirite of your minde and put on the newe man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holynesse And at one worde to speake it herein consisteth the first resurrection To cast away the works of darkenesse and to put on Christ the armour of light But as no man raised from a filthy puddle will willingly beare with him the myerie spots of that dirtie soile but will rather cast away the defyled garments that he might appeare clensed Hos 3. Euen so beloued wee must not part stakes with God and sinne but we must say to sinne get thée hence by a spirituall hatred vnto her so increase in it that we must as the Apostle Iude saith euen hate the very garment that is polluted by the fleshe vers 23. So must we hauing receiued such grace liue in spirite and bodie as the sonnes of lighte translated from the power of death to the kingdome of Christ in all peace Colos 1.13 Godlynes Tit. 2.11 sobrietie and honestie Thus shal we liue raigne with Christ a thousand yeare viz. for euer Now call your spirites to your senses and sée howe yée sauour this trueth beloued in Christ Rowse vppe your drowsie heartes and with the perspicuitie of a good conscience sifte and search your selues euerie one howe you haue profited by this doctrine and whether you liue or die Be not deceiued God is not mocked whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hée reape For if yée sowe still to the flesh your former corruptions you shal reape the seconde death But if nowe you can take hold of Christs doctrin by his spirit from his truth sowe to your spirits the séeds of the word of Faith of righteousnes of peace and godlynesse Gal. 6.7 you are partakers then of the first resurrection and shal reape hereof life euerlasting And in this examination two sorts of men are meruellously conuinced The first neither féeling death or life in god runneth headlong to his luste in infidelitie and gréedinesse to sinne as though that onely were his chiefe beatitude And these bée the Atheistes of our dayes whose consciences are seared vppe with an hotte yron so as no worde can pearce into their heartes or sappe of Gods spirite haue course in their members but are past all féeling euen at the point of damnation The seconde sort are of such as hauing some sparkes of a former fire and a little breathing force of an elder strength but nowe decaying doe yet séeme to liue when rather it may be feared that they are almost deade And these are notably shadowed vnto vs by the Church of Sardi in the Apocalips Apoca. 3.1 And writte vnto the Angel .i. the Minister of the Church which is at Sardi These things saith he that hath the seuen spirites of God in his hand and the 7. stars I knowe thy workes for thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art deade Oh beloued marke well this Church of Sardi or Lidia She is not an idolatrous Church but professing God and godlinesse She hath the forme of Gods gouernement his worde his ministers is called his Church She séemeth for her outward shew to be most Christian and holy but in déede and troth shee is conuicted of death And that not because shée hath no part of godly life in her but because she hath fallen frō her first loue life and strength in him that holdeth the manifold graces called 7 spirits in his hande to dispose at his good pleasure the sufficient number of his preachers named starres to shine into the darkenesse of mans nature with the brightnesse of his word Finally Sardi is conuinced that she is imperfect in her workes before God that is she was but an hypocriticall Church rested in the externall ceremonies and rites but sought not the Lorde in trueth and sinceritie And héere note beloued that whatsoeuer Church or people which hath not in her soule the rooted faith of Christ graft by his spirite in that inner Man in strength wherof the force and power of Christs spirite floweth thence into an open practise of holinesse and godlinesse righteousnesse and honestie That same Church people or seuered person is as deade before the Lord. But yet in this Church of Lidia there were a fewe names as the Lord noteth in the 4. ver of the 3. chap. which had not defiled their garments that is had not stained the profession of Christ which Christ they by baptism had put on is the wedding garment adorning our beauty in him couereth our infirmities iniquities from the censure of gods iustice Very comfortable is this to the Godly but to the wicked most terrible The Lordes eyes beholde the hearts and actes of men and doth daily discerne the number of the Godly but kéepeth recordes of the wickeds practizes against the day of wrath O Englande Englande Oh thou Church of Sardi if thou be looked into with a spirituall eye thou shalt be founde néere vnto death onely a fewe names or persons are kept in thée for a reserued séed to the Lorde In outwarde shew what Church more holy Thy Princes are protestants Thy angelical starres thy bishops and preachers are learned teachers Thy gouernement is godly thy profession is holy But O Englande if thou be sounded to the heart thou shalt be founde I feare me verie sicke and néere vnto death Many maladies haue mette with thée no sickenesse but hath taken holde of thée and sore weakened thy strength But last of al hypocrisie securitie sléepe in thy bosome Thou stainest thy bright vesture of holy profession with the filthy spottes of carnall desires Thy religion is a cloake to all thy iniquities But as a spot is soone espied and séemeth most foule in a scarlet robe So the brighter thy profession is the sooner
liuing God with reuerent feare by his mercie and Christes merite to be raunsomed from the paines and power thereof Of whose power we thus say The second death which is hell hath a double power or prerogatiue The first is a prerogatiue to receiue such persons as of right doe belong vnto her The seconde is perpetually to kéepe their soules in that lake till the day of iudgement and can neither be coniured or commaunded to deliuer any one of them or can they come out of her by any authoritie or power of Pope or whole papasie but after that day shall possesse both the bodies souls of the malignant Church to her euerlasting tormentes Nowe what soules and persons doe belong to her our Apostle doth tel vs in the 21. of this book saying But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable Apoc. 21.8 murtherers whormongers idolaters sorcerers al liers shal haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstō which is the second death Thrée sortes of persons Gods spirit doeth assure vs to be vnder the power of the second death That is the obstinate Infidell the fearefull Papiste and the abhominable couetous of the worlde as drunkards whoremongers murtherers couetous liars and such like Delicate be your delightes yee gallants of these dayes but wisely call them to account before the mourners followe the sinfull corps to the graue Eccle. 12.1 c. For if the Lord which is the searcher of the heart find your delights with death to end in infidelitie in fearefull poperie or in any these carnal abhominations thē deceiue not your selues for the prerogatiue of the second death may not be taken frō her God is a iust God Rom. 2.6 and in his iustice will iudge euery mā according to the verie nature of his worke Note here also that ciuill honestie without Christs diuinitie cannot kéepe the honest Infidel and vnbeléeuer from the second death For we possesse the heauens by inheritance onely and we are none otherwise made heires thē by this prerogatiue that we are made the sōns of God Io. 1. And wee are none otherwise made the sōnes of God but by our faith in Iesus Christ Nor can this faith bée else obtained but by the spirite of God Or doth this spirit otherwise ordinarily worke it in vs then by the preaching of the word of God But the infidell reiecteth the worde 1. Thes 4.5 and therefore Gods spirite likewise our Christ and in him our heauenly father and so finally this heauenly inheritance And as for our honest life and good workes they serue but so seale vp the heartes of the faithfull to thassuraunce of their election and to procure others to prayse the Lorde being benefited by them in vs. But the onely hand that apprehendeth our inheritance in Christ is our firme fixed faith in him beléeuing by his word and spirit in the full consent of our hartes that he is the same which the most mercifull father hath giuen him to be to vs That is our wisedome our iustification our holynesse our frée and most absolute redemption 1. Cor. 1.10 and so in the bottome of our heartes doe by faith embrace him 2 The second sort subiect vnto hel are the feareful papistes who shal neuer so dying escape the second death And if you will marke with me this Epitheton fearefull therewith measure in truth the popish profession you must of méere necessitie grant me that no papist dying in his popery can be else where placed but in the second death And to your better vnderstāding hereof you must distinguish betwixt feare feare for there is a feare cōmended cōmanded to vs in the holy scriptures Psa 111.10 as The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedom cōmanded Psa 2.10.11 Serue the Lorde in feare reioyce to him with trēbling Again Feare god honor the king 1. Pet. 2.17 loue brotherly fellowship But this is that feare which Gods spirite planteth in his children to serue him in his true worship is euer ioyned with assured knowledge affiance in God And in the knot of christiā mariage Psal 58.9 Psal 112. Psal 118. this sacred feare is rightly shadowed for the wife feareth to offend her husband but it is for reuerēce loue to him neuer wtout affiance of his fauor because she knoweth him to be her maried husband So likewise the godly child doth feare to displease his father not bicause he doubteth of his loue but for that he would not gréeue the spirit of his life whō he feleth most assuredly in natural knot fast tyed to him And though his father lend him a frowning face he knows that those his lookes proceed of fatherly loue to his correctiō wherof persuaded so he feareth so he trusteth so he naturally loueth obeieth him And this knowledge loue driueth away filthy feare which gendreth painefulnes But the feare that Iohn speaketh of is flat contrarie to this It is begotten by distrust in god it is borne of ignorance it liueth to dispaire dieth in gret painfulnes what other is the whole profession of popery but méere timiditie They euer distrust god of his promise during their life therefore they die in feare of his fauor at the houre of death If he say That soule that sinneth shal die they beleue him not but walke frō sin to sin committing more trust to a Popes bul thē credit to the immortal word of god If the Lord say and sweare also Verely verely Io. 5.24 he that heareth my words beleueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life shall not come into condēnatiō but hath passed frō death to life yet the papist is afraid to rest vpō this promise for he doth not absolutely beléeue it but is in feare notwtstanding that after death his soule shal go to condemnation if not to hell yet at the least to purgatory Though the spirit of God say There is no condēnation to thē that are graft in Christ Iesu whose life is not after the flesh but after the spirit yet the papist wil not beleeue that he ought to be assured of this Christian rocke to rest vpon but casteth himselfe into the raging sea of wauering distrust Which feareful persuasion hath béene the very building of al Abbies priories popish paultries from many yeres past vs and doth bréede great blasphemie to the glorie of God For first it taketh away the foundation of our faith in the merite of Christ which is the God almighty is become our father in him and that he is nowe well pleased with vs and as a father not onely doeth pardon our sins but so tenderly loueth vs that our necessities whatsoeuer he carefully helpeth It taketh away also this holy boldnes in loue which his spirit doeth assure vs of and Christ doeth teach vs to cry vnto him Math. 6. O thou that art our father
victorie in Iesus Christ Yet I trow that the papistes will not say how the gratious virgin Mary and the holy Apostles went from death to their popish purgatorie Rom. 7.23 The same mixture that is to say in one bodie to haue obeying faith in it another lawe rebelling to the spirite is in all the electe of God in more or lesse measure By meanes whereof there cannot but bee many sharpe battels in the hearte of man so as some times he slippeth is brought very low somtimes he resteth againe and taketh courage and stoutly standeth vnder the banner of his captain Christ by the strength of his holy spirite but yet at the houre of death if he shoulde be measured by his falls he should be iudged worthy of the second death Psal 130.3 But because he hath his part by true louing Faith in repentance of the first resurrection he dyeth blessed in the Lord and holy resteth from his labours in earth and paines in hell for the second death hath no power of him much lesse can a popish purgatorie which is not I come not to dispute with the papistes nowe but to lay forth the plaine doctrine of saluation to your Christian hearts and something to let you sée the blindnes of the side which in so cléere a light do grope at their owne inuentions But to your purgatory thus much Is there such a place yea sir I pray you wher sir haue you warrant for it in the holy scriptures Forsooth saith the papist both in the olde Testament and in the newe doth not Zacharie say Zach. 9.11 I haue loosed my prisoners out of the pitte wherein is no water Sir here is our purgatory Well proued and like the rest of all your religion Héere is meÌ„tion made of a pitte voide of water that is ynough for purgatories proofe Such warrant haue they for the assumption of their Lady hauing no warrant for it in their blasphemous Masse of that day they solemnely sing the Gospel of Marie Martha But this is ynough to blinde the eyes of the ignorant that they haue the name of Marie in that Masse although it concerne a farre other matter and be altogether spokeÌ„ of another person And euen such is the popish beggerie of this rich place and promise of Gods prophet here But be it that this scripture did any whitte toote at your purgatorie I pray you sir hath your purgatorie neither fire nor water in it you sée water is here denied and here is no mention of fire at all Besides the deliuerie here is saide to be by the Lorde in heauen and that in his mercy without their merite But out of your purgatorie mens soules are deliuered by men in earth without him in heauen through their merite to his iustice of prayer and almes and diriges and restles masses and such like and not by his mercie And for the proofe hereof you cite this place Matt. 5.26 He shall not come out thence till hee hath paide the vtmost farthinge If this sentence serue your purpose then this doctrin is rightly gathered of it that though all the papists in the worlde pray and crie and launce themselues 1. King 18 27. with their forefathers the false priestes of Baal till they cease to liue yet their poore popish prisoner lyeth in the pitte still but without fire or water it is sure some driefatte till he hath payed not prayed the vtmost farthing Thus beloued yée may sée what gaine the papistes haue got of this place which they haue stollen from his true sense to shadowe their shamefull briberie and marchandize of mens soules in a faigned purgatorie If it bée lawfull to allegorize this place 1. Pet. 2.1.2.3 Apoc. 12.16.17 then this lake is rather the power of Satan the bloude of the couenaunt is the death of the Lord Christ who hath long since before we were borne purged vs and thence deliuered vs â—oll 1.13 and hath translated vs into the kingdome of himselfe And your owne doctour Hierome affirmeth that this lake is not purgatory but hell it self But the true sense of the place is an assurance of Gods hande to them of Ierusalem for the couenant of his Christ for whose sake hee hath nowe brought them from Babylons bondage A second place the papistes haue of the new Testament that is out of the 1. Corinth 3. Euerie mans worke shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shal be reuealed by the fire the fire shal trie euery mans worke of what sort it is And this place séemeth so flatte on their side that néedes we must haue a purgatorie Aeneid 6. Olimp. 2. Aretius loc 56. Truely for all this we must driue them to Virgil Pindarus for Paul doth no whit helpe them And good Christian auditorie measure their opinion by this scripture and you shall sée howe falsely they father their purgatorie hereof Héerein is mention of fire I graunt But such is this fire that not the persons that do work gold or stubble but the work wrought shal be cast into it For he saith the fire shal trie euerie mans worke c. but they are to proue a place of fire wherein the workman for his worke is to be cast which thou seest cannot be this Againe they say no man shal come into their purgatorie but the mixed sort wherof we spake before But Paul speaketh here of such a fire as vniuersally all must be tryed by For he saith not they which haue builded haye woode or stubble only shal be tryed there but also they which haue builded golde siluer precious stones vpon the fouÌ„dation These good workmeÌ„ must yet goe through this fire or at the least their workemanshippe For hee saith euery mans worke c. Further the texte doth not saye that this fire shall purge the worke from corruption or chaunge it as to make Haye become Golde Woode Siluer stubble precious stones But hée saith it shall bee ignis probatorius non Purgatorius it shall onelye prooue and trye what nature the mettall is off not purge the person or his worke at all Doe not yee sée by this sounding and short sifting of their popishe follyes with this portion of holye scripture that the papists are sacrilegious robbers of God and his scriptures I doubt not but you doe Adde to this their owne doctors are of other iudgement touching this fire Chrisostome taketh it for hell fire To. 1. li. 4. c. 36 Hierome for the fire at the last day which shal then trie euery mans worke what it is Gregorie a Pope of Rome vnderstandeth it for the afflictions of this life And auncient Ambrose interpreteth it of doctrine which of al other is the néerest the mind of the Apostle For the Apostle speaketh only of preachers their labours which the fire of Gods iudgement shall make manifest at his appointed season whether they haue
lay abroad the order and maner of iudgemēt at the last day And first the maiestie of the iudge in his comming is described Secondly the maner of the iudgement who they be and wherof the Apparants be iudged The Lords comming is with great glory he sitteth on a mightie seat farre passing the iudicial thrones of the greatest princes And of necessitie that must bée a greate Seate Titus 2.13 Luk. 1.32 which must beare the God of might It is a bright shining seate all glorious not with corruptible golde or precious stone but with the heauēly gleames more bright then the Sunne beames euen lightned with the brightnesse of his diuine glorie as Christ hath saide Matt. 25.31 The sonne of Man shal come in his glorie and he shall sit vppon the seate of his glorie and all the holy Angels shall come with him Whose glorious throne doth euen teach vs that the Lords iudgements are pure and without spotte No pleading at the barre no bribing of the iudge no frending by aquest no fauour found for siluer nor loue or hate shall beare a sway but equitie alone in him shall then bee séene Also his brightnesse in comming shal perce into the hearts and actes of al men to manifest and lay open the hidden secrets of the conscience according to the sentence of Paul 1. Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who wil lighten things that are hide in darkenes make the councels of the hearts manifest and then shal euery man haue praise of God viz. as his labour asketh Likewise the shinning sunne and moone the glittering starres yea heauen earth shall be darkened faile of their brightnes before him For like as the glorious sunne shinning causeth the blasing torch to loose his brightnes in respect of him So shall that most beawtifull planet be as darkened with the great glorie of this shining throne in the comming of the Amightie Christ But my beloued if these glorious creatures shal flée from the presence of this mighty CHRIST comming to iudgement which euer haue béene obedient to his holy will yea that but when he is comming how shal it fare with vs when he is set vpon that terrible throne whose sinnes haue béene so many and the accusers so ready as the Lord his witnes sathās accusation Zopho and thine owne conscience which is to thée 1000. witnesses when the sunne is blacke the Moone as blood the stars fall Malach. like the gréene figges from their trées in a mightie wind the heauens depart away like a scroll Reue. 6.12 and all ysles and montaines are moued out of their places And the kinges the of earth the great men and the rich men the chiefe captaines and the mightie men and euery bondman and euery frée man hide them selues in dennes Esa 2.19 Hos 10.8 Luk 23.30 and amongst the rocks of the mountaines and shall say to the mountaines and rockes fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe In cause hereof let me say vnto vs with that holy Dauid Oh Psal 50.22 cōsider this you that forget God least the Lorde teare you in péeces and there bée none to deliuer you Séeing therefore that all these thinges must be dissolued and come to passe what manner of persons ought we to bée 2. Pet. 3.11 in holy conuersation godlinesse But when this iudge our Lorde Christ is thus gloriouslyset then these foresaid persons of ech degrée shall stand before him euen great smal for neither heauen nor earth can hid them or their crownes their dignities Lordships or warrelike courage wealth wil or wit shall be able to kéepe them from his presence or escape the iust iudgemēt which the balance of his equitie shal cast vnto thē Looke to this now ye knights and gentils here present and you rich in possessions be not careles of your life for godly preuention nowe shal embolden your persons then to lift vp your heades because your redemption is thē at hand Luk. 21.28 This order then shall be obserued The bookes shal be laid open before the Lorde and euery man high and low rich and poore shall be iudged with the scepter of trueth euen according as his déedes are written in those bookes Note héere beloued by an elegant Metaphor howe the spirite of GOD doth display the iudgementes of the Lorde He alludeth vnto the iudiciall courtes of kinges and Potentates where the bookes of recorde beare memorie of the faultes of men conuicted by good proofe Not that the Lord hath néede of bookes for he knoweth the thoughts words and workes of all men of euery idle word Math. 12.36 shall man be iudged but that héereby he would sende vs to our owne senses to knowe and féele that all our actions and heartes are in his sight and cannot be wiped out of his remembrance by other pensill then onely by true faith repentance And as we are fallen into this Metaphor of the Lords bookes So let vs know that the holy scriptures Ezech. 18. Heb. 6. attribute thrée bookes vnto God viz. liber prouidentiae Iudicii vitae The booke of his prouidence The booke of his iudgement and the blessed booke of life Of his prouidence Dauid saith thus Psal 139 16. Thine eyes did see mee when I was without fourme for in thy booke were all things writtē which in continuaunce were fashioned when there was none of them before O Lorde sayth hée when as yet I was not formed in my mothers wombe thine eyes did see me in the book of thy foreknowledge prouidence of thy diuine mind were all men written from the foūdation of the earth when as yet there was not one begotten The booke of his iudgementes this former text doth enforce the consideration of which bookes were opened and signifieth the certaine knowledge of al the words and workes of euery man from Adam tyll that instant according to the which they shall be all then iudged For those things which the Lord now knoweth as if he had them written in bookes those thinges that either our heartes wordes or workes haue imagined spoken or done the same then shall he then lay before vs as if he redde them out of them Apoc. 20. and shall thereby builde a reason vnto vs all why some shall by iudgement goe to hell some other vnto life Be not deceiued therefore good people God is not mocked or beguiled Gal. 6.7 for we shall be adiudged of euery idle worde that shall be spoken howe much more of wicked déeds as of idolatrie whordome blasphemie and such like Nowe go too you that put farre away the euill day Amos. 6.3 and approch the seat of iniquitie which take singular pleasure in ribauldry and filthy iesting which can laughe the lowdest when your lewde seruants are most disposed to lie Doe
Secondly the popish doubtfulnes taketh away the benefite of Christ his sonne For we are taught to beleue the Christ is dead for vs that he is the lambe of God which taketh away our sinnes that nothing can condēne vs because our Christ hath iustified vs and is deade risen againe and set at the right hand of God for vs so that in him we that truely beléeue are more then conquerours so as neither hell or heauen man or Angel prince or diuell things present or to come can separate vs from our benefite and loue of Christ This certaintie the booke of God doth teach vs but from this anchorholde the diuell and poperie laboureth to drawe vs. Thirdly it taketh all godly consolation from vs in the day of tentation layeth vs open to Sathans iawes For who can lift vp his heart in tentation that fighting with his enimy much stronger thē he hath no hope of his captaine Christ the strongest of all or in the mercie of God to defende him It also taketh away ardent earnest prayer to God for who can with comfort crie in triall that standeth in feare he shall not be hearde but in the ende he falleth into dispaire hate of God to all loosenesse of life and ruffianlike boldnes taking lust to liue in sinne not expecting other then hell at the ende Laste of all the popish doctrine of doubtfulnesse fighteth flat against the nature of our Christian faith which is not a light opinion of our God and Christ his loue to vs and our saluation in him but a most firme stable and sure foundation setled in our soules so as neither fire in earth nor powers in hell can burne or raze it out of our heartes that wee are sealed by his spirite in the faith of his Christ Rom. 8. to be his children and fellowe heires with our eldest brother Christ our Lorde in his great loue wherw t he hath loued vs yea euen when we were his enimies Wherefore we are taught that bee faithfull Rom. 5. to holde this for most certaine that though wee be wicked of our selues yet are wee iustified by his grace in our faith and haue peace with God and frée accesse in one spirite to God our father nowe and shal be receiued to him of Angels when we departe this life as this our text doth also tell vs. Hell shall not touch vs but we shall raigne with God his priestes and holy ones for euer Cast off popish fearefulnesse therfore acquaint your selues with the hearing of the word of God so shal yée learne to be firme in faith sure to liue Here be touched also all those which feare men rather then God and in time of persecution runne from religion or in the presēce of popish princes iudges tormentours or before a balde Masse-priest dare not confesse the Lorde but to saue his momentary life doth cast away the eternall Hee that will saue his life shall lose it Matt. 10.38 Mark 8.35 Luk. 9.23 Io. 12 2◠he that shal lose his life for my sake and the gospels shall saue it saith our sauiour Christ Pray pray pray the Lorde to pull you out of poperie beloued and in speede come out of Babilon Apoc. 18. which is appointed to be cast into the fierie lake least being partakers of her sinnes yée also féede of her plagues The thirde sort which shall to hell are the abhominable murtherers harlots and such like These abhominable are to be vnderstoode of such persons as hauing once professed the trueth of God are now not onely become to hate it but most filthily they blaspheme it persecute and torment those that professe it to whom is reserued fire brimstone Heb. 6. Heb. 10. The rest are so manifest as néede no commentarie onely let vs knowe that murtherers be they which kill wound or hurt themselues or their neighbours either with the sworde of an hateful heart 1. Io. 3.15 as Iohn saith or with the sharpned tongue as Dauid saith or with the hande as Caine did his brother Habell Psa 120.3.4 And forget not that the seconde death is the receptacle for all such as die impenitent hereof The seconde parte of deathes power in hell is fast to retaine her captiues from the houre of their death with Diues vntil the day of the last resurrectiō which thing is most plainely proued by the storie of Diues and Lazarus Luk. 16. Nowe beloued the papists graunt with vs that in the hel 's there is no redemption but they say that in the earth there are distinct thrée sorts of mē One sort most holy another sort most wicked and the thirde sort of a certain mixture neither so holy as straight vpon death they demerite to goe to heauen or yet so wicked as at all they can be sent to hell but are for a time committed after death vnto the paines of Purgatorie and must thence bée delyuered not by mercie but by merite of Masses dirtie diriges popes paltries called pardons and such like And here is your foundation and your cause of prayer for the deade In aunswere wherof we graunt some persons are so sanctified in earth that straight from hence they goe to heauen but not for any their merite For they are taught to holde that hauing done all they can Luke 17.10 yet they are none other but wasting and vnprofitable seruauntes And that some are so wicked that straight they goe to hell as all obstinate rebellyous and trayterous papistes feareful wretches and abhominable persons we firmely beléeue But that there are any so imperfect that for their imperfection they are stayed from heauen and for their remnant of holynesse cannot come to hell and therefore of necessitie must tumble into a popish purgatorie this we flatly affirme to be a foolish opinion without warrant from God And touching these mixed persons surely the Church neither hath had or shall haue any other Of women was not that most holy maide Marie the blessed mother of Christ one most sacred Io. 2.3.4 But both the holy scriptures and her owne confession conuinceth her of sinne but she is saued by her Christ Luk. 2. saying My spirit doth reioyce in God my sauiour And for her daily sinnes she as al other is taught to pray forgiue vs our sinnes So also in her blessed bodie was sure faith great loue a pure heart and much godlynesse wherefore beholde a certaine mixture Also of men the Apostles were the most pure and yet not without the bodies of sinne What else moueth Paul to crie to the Romans Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And this our most holie Iohn in his first Epistle doth accuse himselfe 1. Io. 1.8 all other Apostles of sin saying If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues c. Thus they liued thus they dyed with this battel against sinne but had
alter the state condition of the persons once dead but such workes as they themselues caried with them such shall they rise withall vnto their iudgement whether lampes of louing faith to the praise of God or cressettes of corruption to their owne condemnation And thus I will conclude with the spirite of Gods sentence our best moderator and so passe to the last braunch Io. 5.28 Maruell not at this sayth Christe for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrectiō of life But they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation The same assurance of doctrine Gods spirite by Paul doeth deliuer vs saying 2. Cor. 5.10 We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery man may receiue the thinges which are done in his bodye according to that hee hath done whether it bee good or euill Note well this doctrine and amend your liues rest not vppon the doubtfull doctrine of poperie O dearely bought children of GOD but fixe your faith in this absolute doctrine of sound warrant which is yea and amen Then here you may perceiue that after death there is no temporarie prison as Popish purgatorie but a perpetuall lake of fire which is the second death And also that after this life there is no remissiō of sins to any that hath not obteined that grace during this time of repentance But euen in what state the soule departeth from the bodie at the comming of death euen vnchanged hee retyreth to the same bodie at the last for the déeds done by himselfe and not for the workes of any other done after him And to receiue his iudgement whether through faith in her fruites vnto life in Christ or because of sinne and Sathan to eternall death This is the sound and sure doctrine of our good God But as for the gainefull and paineful preaching of poperie and her purgatorie as a most venemous Serpente flée from it that you may escape the seconde death and be partakers of the felicitie of the iust which our text saith is this For they shall bee the priestes of God and Christ and shall raigne with him a thousande yeares Cicero hath saide that true beatitude or blessednesse consisteth of two partes Namely to be frée from al kinde of want and miserie and so to abound in all goodnesse that on no parte he néedeth to aske further Surely this very happinesse shall come to all those which be partakers of the first resurrection First they shall be frée from all woe and miserie in the ende of their course for the seconde death shall haue no power of them And they shall abounde in all felicitie for they are blessed holy and shall therefore raigne with Christ for euer more And here againe beloued note with me what it is to be blessed and holy Namely to haue forgiuenes of our sinnes in Christes death Heb. 9. and by the same to be purged and segregated from dead workes to serue the liuing God Psal 32.1.2 Rom. 4.7.8 Blessed are they saith Dauid whose iniquities are forgiuen whose sinnes are couered blessed is the man to whome the Lorde doeth not impute sinne And then againe note who they be that are so blessed by Gods censure here marke it wel and thou shalt sée it Not they that liue so vprightly that God hath not any thing to lay to their charges for none such can be founde amongest the sonnes of men For what is he that liueth and sinneth not yea more then seauen times a day Psal 14.1 53.4 No flesh is righteous in Gods sight for all haue sinned Rom. 3.23 all haue gone out of the way euery man his seuered course this after this sinne another after that and all are therefore depriued of the glory of God Dan. 9.5 All are taught to cry We our fathers haue sinned wee haue done vniustly but deale not with vs O Lord in thine anger for then wee perishe but in the multitude of thy mercies haue thou mercie vpon vs and forgiue vs our trespasses And heerein consisteth the felicitie of the iust that they haue féeling heartes of sinne and penitent spirites for their transgressions humbled soules void of hypocrisie before the Almightie God confessing with teares in great remorse agonies their heaps of corruptions before him Euen Marie Christes mother the Apostles and all the foure electe of God Then are these mixed persons whome the Papistes make the thirde sorte to goe to purgatorie onely they which are blessed and are the whole number of the electe All which as they confesse them selues worthie the seconde death because of Sinne and no wayes can merite eternall life because their beste workes are full of corruption So they mightily triumphe ouer sinne Esa 30.22 death and hell because they are purged in the bloode of the lambe Reuel 7.14 and haue their garmentes made white are pardoned of their former sinnes by faith in hys bloode are sanctified vnto godlinesse Yea so long as they liue they confesse because they féele the burthen of sinne in them but they reioyce in this felicitie that his spirite worketh in them an ardent zeale and burninge desire to liue in godlinesse and honestie according to such portion as the Lord doeth giue them in their parte of the first resurrection And hee that seeth not this nor hath the practise of the premisses is blinde and hath forgotten the purgation of sinnes Last of all forget not this our Apostle doth not say Blessed is he 2. Pet. 1.9 which hath perfection in the firste resurrection but blessed is hee that hath hys part in the first resurrection So as though there bee in vs yet the remnauntes of sinne and we can not quite shake off that which cleaueth so faste on Heb. 12.1 or fully créepe from that burthen that presseth so harde vpon vs therefore alwayes of this sort that are before called mixt yet that Mediocritie or mixture can not sende vs to the second death if we haue our part in the firste resurrection But I would not leaue thy conscience to bare affirmations There be verie sounde reasons to drawe thy confidence to this comforte 1. Reason The firste is the great mercie and rich clemencie of God the father whose mercie hath béene such towardes vs that when wée were his enemies through sinne hee hath euen then reconciled vs to himselfe by his grace howe much more therefore nowe shall he estéeme vs for his and embrace vs with his armes of mercie séeing we being so reconciled séeke for his spirite to dwell in his loue If hee from his wrath deliuered vs whē we had no care of him shal he not much more nowe deliuer vs shew a parte thereof which they say is purgatorie nowe that our chiefe desire is to séeke after him and doe lament at the verie heart