with the sheep on his right hand and singing this blessed haruest song vnto you Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world To the which most blessed place of glory the Lord bring euery Soule of vs at the day of our death and dissolution and that for IESVS CHRIST his sake to whom with God the Father and God the blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one immortall God be ascribed all honour and glory both in Heauen and Earth this day and euer Amen * ⎠* FINIS An Earnest and zealous Pray er to be saued from the damnation of TOPHET O Most glorious euerliuing and euerlouing Lord God the fountaine and well-spring of all our happinesse wee thy poore seruants vnworthy in regard of our manifold transgressions of the least of thy blessings doe most humbly fall downe before the throne of thy dreadfull Maiesty confessing in the bitternesse of our soules the basenesse and vilenesse of our estates by sinne O Lord ashamed wee are to come before thee that are nothing but sinfull corruption and abomination but thou a Maiesty most pure in comparison of whom the Angels themselues are counted impure we dare not therfore being thus lothsome and abominable presume to present our selues before thee as in our selues but in thy manifold mercies and thy Son Iesus Christ his merits in whom thou art delightfully pleased with all that faithfully call vpon thy name Lord in thy Son behold vs we humbly beseech thee accept vs in his worthinesse clense vs in his blood iustifie vs in his righteousnes sanctifie vs with his spirit and in his most precious death frée vs from the damnation of hell O till these comfortable tidings be sealed vp to our soules how perplexed are we O how do our harts quake and tremble till we haue found the saluation of thee our God! Reiect vs not O heauenly Father that faine would as be saued of thee so vprightly serue thee we plead now and euer for pardon so for grace whereby wee may in plentifull manner bring forth fruits worthy of amendement Lord kéepe vs in body and soule to thy euerlasting Kingdom and saluation Lord preserue vs from the terrible torments of Tophet O what shall become of vs if we for our sins when we dye be thrown into that Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone so bitterly as forceth screeching and screaming continually Lord deale not with vs according to our sinnes and thy iustice but in the multitude of thy mercies saue our soules aliue O consider the terrors of our troubled Soules Let not the grones of our hearts be despised but suffer them to pierce the heauens for a blessing O thou that art the God of endlesse compassion cast vs not away from thy presence we are the workmanship of thine hands O Lord confound vs not O Lord that delightest not in the death and damnation of a sinner bee moued to shewe pity vpon vs O Christ our blessed Sauior make intercession to God the Father for vs speake by thy gracious Spirit peace to our disquieted Soules bind vp our broken hearts giue vs that wée may cléerely sée our names written in the Booke of Life and our soules released from the fearefull damnation of Tophet To this end gracious God remoue all sinne from our soules and plant in the garden of our hearts all those spirituall and heauenly graces that are proper peculiar to thine Elect that we may be alwayes a swéet smelling sauor before thée giue vs faith in thy promises loue to thy Maiesty zeale to thy glory obedience to thy lawes and guide vs daily by thy blessed Spirit into all truth and godlinesse Lord giue vs to bee out of loue with the vanities of this life to hate euery worke of darknes the little sin as well as the great quicken vs O Lord by thy quickning Spirit O giue vs hearts to bee inflamed with the loue of thy truth O that wée could hunger and thirst after grace as the chased Hart doth the running Brooke O that wee could experimentally say with thy seruant DAVID that all our delight is in thy Commandements Thus O Lord we receiuing grace from thy Maiesty to repell the fiery darts of the diuell to flye euen from euery apparition of euill so doing we may reap much comfort to our soules in this world of trouble and at the fearefull day of Iudgement wee may be freed from the lamentable tortures of Tophet where howling and yelling shall be for euermore and that for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne our Sauiour to whom with thée and thy most glorious Spirit we desire euen from the bottome of our hearts to haue offered vp all thanksgiuing and praise both in heauen and earth this day and euermore Amen FINIS A IOYEFVLL TRACTATE OF The most blessed Baptisme that euer was solemniz'd VIZ. Of the Baptism of our Lord IESVS by IOHN in Iordan The fourth Edition corrected and amended IOHN 3. 5. Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God LONDON Printed by George Purslowe and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull M. ROBERT MORDAVNT of Massingham Hall in the County of Norsolke Esquire and Mistris AMY MORDAVNT his mostlouing Bedfellow All increase of Grace in this life and of glory in the life to come SEldome or neuer Right Worshipfull doe we finde Tractates either Humane or Diuine passe without their particular Dedications that being shrowded vnder the safe-garding gourds of honorable and right godly dispositions they might the better bee preserued from the parching detractions of malignant Cynicks I make bolde therefore discarding all selfe-humour and irregular singularity to commend this poore Present vostrum ad patrocinium to the worthy patronage of your well-affected Worships two especiall reasons mouing me hereunto First that mine vnfained gratitude entire affection and most humble duty for all your fauors inexpressible might heereby bee made apparent Secondly it being deliuered at that solemne baptisme of Charles your first born and hopefull heyre none I know more worthy of this Dication than your worthy and right Christian persons I present it to your religious considerations as a louing and friendly New-yeeres gift for it aymes at that blessed New birth and happy New life liuely in baptisme represented without which it is not possible for either of you to possesse the Kingdome of God Accept therefore I humbly beseech you and take in good worth this short Treatise short both in line and learning respect not as is that Prouerbe the measure of the gift but the minde of the giuer what is wanting in the one I dare boldly promise is made vp in the other At your best leisures vouchsafe I pray now and then to peruse it and I trust that your Christian paines herein shall bee well reguerden'd with heauenly pleasures herefrom The Lord God make this with all other like
in thought word and worke O Lord our God we must needs confesse with mourning and sorrowing hearts and spirits that we were all borne in sin all conceiued in iniquity and that all our life hitherto hath beene most fearefully corrupted and stained with all manner of sinfull transgressions to the great dishonour of thine owne Maiestie to the great discomfort of our owne soules and to the euerlasting confusion both of soule and body in thy iust iustice and iudgement in the world to come Yea O Lord we cannot but confesse that so soone as euer wee came into the world thou mightest iustly for our sinnes haue taken vs both body and soule and giuen vs our portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone it is thy great mercy that thou hast spared vs hitherto and not consumed vs from the face of the earth To thee therefore God of endlesse compassion we most miserable wretches make our pitious mone to thee in Christ Iesus wee come now for mercy heare vs heale vs helpe vs and haue mercy vpon vs pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes let shine thy fauourable countenance towards vs and say vnto our soules that thou art our saluation Thou hast promised in thy holy and heauenly Word that a broken and a contrite heart thou wilt not despise Fulfill therefore now O Lord this thy gracious promise to vs that are weary and laden with the affrightments of sinne and that offer vp our prayers with grones that cannot bee expressed Wash vs O Lord in the bloud of Iesus Christ make vs cleane within and without by thy sanctifying and renewing grace preserue vs both in body and soule from the guilt and punishment of all our mis-doings assure our consciences of the same by faith and seals vs by thy good Spirit to the day of redemption And heauenly Father wée humbly intreate thee to worke thy good worke in euery soule of vs to giue vs faith in thy promises zeale to thy glory loue to thy truth obedience to thy will care and conscience to walke vpright before thee in all our wayes and to offer vp our soules and bodies a liuely sacrifice to the seruice of thy Maiestie in holinesse all the dayes of our life to come And in these our prayers we craue also at thy mercifull hands thy gracious blessings for all thy faithfull Children and elect persons wheresoeuer dispersed and howsoeuer distressed vpon the face of the earth and more especially for these thy churches amongst vs of Great Brittaine France and Ireland replenish the Kings most excellent Maiestie with all necessarie graces meet for so worthy a Personage Redouble thy gracious Spirit vpon our most hopefull Prince and multiply thy blessings vpon all His Royall Issue Blesse all the Nobility of our Land all the reuerend Clergy from the highest to the lowest all of the ciuill Magistracy all Schooles of learning with the two Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxford and all the Commons of this Realme shew pitty vpon all thine that are in any kinde of tribulation or affliction especially vpon all those that suffer persecution for thy Gospels truth comfort all those that lye languishing in spirit Soule-sicke at the heart for remorce of their sinnes say vnto their Soules that thou art their Redemption Blesse moreouer we beseech thee all that are deare and neere vnto vs in the flesh as our Parents Father and Mother Brother and Sister and Kinsfolke together with our deare Friends and Christian acquaintance absent or present Lord bee present with them and keepe them as the apple of thine owne eye from euery euill worke and way to thy euerlasting Kingdome and saluation And holy Father we finally entreat thee to redouble thy gracious blessings vpon euery one of vs at this time humbled in Prayer before thee blesse vs bodily and spiritually giue vnto our bodies comfortable rest and sleepe that so wee may be the fitter to do the works of our seueral vocations before thée and grant vnto our soules the continuall assistance of thy grace that they may neuer sléepe in sinne but that they may be alwaies waking and wayting for the comming of our Lord Iesus to Iudgement that so Soule and body may bee preserued from the euill of sinne in this life and from the euill of damnation in the world to come and that for Christ Iesus his sake our sole Sauiour and onely Redéemer to whom with thée and thy blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one Essentiall God we offer vp all possible Thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen FINIS Tormenting TOPHET OR A TERRIBLE DESCRIPTION of HELL Able to breake the hardest heart and cause it quake and tremble Preached at Pauls Crosse the 14. of Iune 1614. The fifth Edition corrected and amended Esay 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King he hath made it deepe and large the burning thereof is fire c. Printed at London by George Purslow and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and my verie deare friends Sir Lestraunge Mordaunt of Massingham Hall in the Countie of Norfolke Knight Baronet and Lady Frances Mordaunt his most louing Bed-fellow HENRY GREENVVOOD Wisheth all increase of Grace in this Life and Eternall Life in Life to come IT is and hath beene long since Right Worshipfull the custome of the Learned that when they commended to publike view therein ayming a◠common good their Christian pains and diuine indeuors knowing that the truth hath and alwayes had many oppositions and detractions to present them to men of high place and well affected in Religion that so their works might passe with lesse feare and danger of disgrace and opprobry I though vnlearned making bold to imitate their Christian policie herein haue presumed to present that doctrine to your Worships eyes that lately in publike place was sounded in your eares both of which senses are great instruments in the furtherance of our soules in the way of Gods Kingdome for as the eare conuayeth grace to the affections of the soule so the eye bringeth much matter to the vnderstanding of the minde nay the eare cannot so often be an Andito as the eye an Oratour to the Conscience For which cause your Worships nothing more affecting than growth in grace and Religion I haue attempted to commend to your often consideration Tormenting Tophet for as nothing allureth the heart to grace more then Gods mercies so nothing is more preualent against sinne than his fearfull and terrible Iudgements If therfore your gracious Worships shall vouchsafe to accept of these my poore presented pains it will giue much content to mine own heart doubtlesse answerable comfort to your owne soules And to conclude as the Lord hath aboundantly blessed your Worships with graces internal blessings externall So to vse the words of the Apostle the very God of peace sanctifie you still throughout and I pray God that your whole spirits and Soules
thus would vouchsafe to pay our debt like a good Cyrenite that thus would stoope to carry our crosse and fulfill euery part of the Law for our sakes to saue our poore soules euerlastingly aliue Thirdly The element water It is Iohns owne confession I baptize with water Wee reade of many baptismes in the holy Scriptures First Baptisma typicum A typicall baptisme wherewith Paul sayth that the Israelites were baptized of Moses in the sea 1. Cor. 10. 2. That was a 1. Cor. 10. 2. type of baptisme for as baptisme to vs is a passage by death to life so was that passage through the sea to the shore a passage through death to life Secondly Baptisma Iudaicum A Iewish Baptisme wherewith Iudith is Iudith 12. â— Heb. 9. 10. said to haue baptized her selfe before prayer in a fountaine of water Iudith 12. 7. de quo Heb. 9. 10. Thirdly Baptisma Pharisaicum A Pharisaicall Baptisme Baptisma calicum vrceorum A Baptisme of cups and pots and hands before they ate Marke Fourthly Baptisma sanguinis A baptisme Luk. 12. 50 of bloud Luke 12. 50. I must bee baptized with a Baptisme and how am I grieued till it bee ended called baptisma Martyrij A baptisme of Martyrdome Fiftly Baptisma aquae called baptisma fluminis A baptisme of water wherewith Iohn baptized Sixtly Baptisma Spiritus A Baptisme of the Spirit called Baptisma flaminis the baptisme of fire wherewith Acts 2. the Apostles were baptized Acts 2. wherewith Christ baptizeth he shall Mat. 3. baptize with the Spirit and fire Mat. 3. The Spirit is compared to fire in a triple respect for as fire doth Illuminare inlighten Calefacere make warme Comburere burne vp So the Holy Ghost doth inlighten the vnderstanding make warme with zeale the affection and burne vp the drosse and corruption that is in the Soule But Iohn baptizeth with water A â—it element for this Sacrament For as Augustine saith Si Sacramenta similitudinem quandam earum rerum quarum sunt Sacramenta non haberent vtique non essent Sacramenta If Sacraments had not a liuely representation of those things whereof they are Sacraments they should bee no Sacraments Now water doth notably resemble Christs Spirit and bloud and that in many respects First as the water washeth a way filth from the body so doth the Spirit sinne from the soule Secondly as euery generation is ex humida or aquosa materia of a waâ—ry matter where vpon some of the Philosophers as Thales said that water was the beginning of all things So regeneration by the Spirit of grace is resembled here in the Sacrament by water Thirdly as water maketh the earth fruitfull sertill full of increase So that Spirit that moued vpon the waters Gen. 1. 2. makes vs fruitfull in all good workes Fourthly as water doth very much refresh a man in his extremitie of heate So the Spirit of grace refresheth vs in the fiercest fire and greatest heat of tribulations Fiftly as water doth quenth the thirst of man and beast So doth the Spirit of grace quench our thirst after temporall things Ioh. 7. 37. He that is Ioh. 7. 37. a-thirst let him come to mee and hee shall neuer thirst more This sacramentall water is figured per aquam expiationis by the water of Num. 19. Expiation Numb 19. This sacramentall water is figured per aquam illam by that water which Ezekiel saw goe out of the right side of the Temple Ezek. 47. This sacramentall water is figured per fontem illum by that fountaine which the Lord promised by his Prophet Zach. 13. But this sacramentall water is especially figured per aquas diluâ—ij by the water of the floud Gen. 7. for as that Gen. 7. water drowned the old world so water in Baptisme as it hath reference to the Spirit of grace drowneth the old man and washeth away all corruption and sinne in which respect baptisme is called Lauacrum regenerationis mentanominicâ— The Lauer of regeneration T it 3. 5. Tit. 3. 5. So that water yee sée is the element that Iohn vseth in baptisme aqua pura simplex vulgaris pure simple and common water not mixt not made not stilled not oyle not blood not fire nor any other element not salt in the mouth not spittle in the eares and nostrils with a pronunciation of the word Ephata be thou open not milke not honey to signifie the right they haue to the heauenly Chanaan not Chrysine or holy oyle for the anointing of brest and forehead to signifie the anointing of the Spirit not burning lights to signifie their deliuery from darknesse to light A couple of notable heretikes Seleucus and Hermias baptized their children aqua igne in water and fire also Musculus saith that it is reported that certaine Christians of India baptize their children aqua igne in water and fire also signaculo crucis per ignitum ferrum fronti impresso branding them on the forehead with the signe of the crosse with a hot burning yron but this is horrible and hard Horrible because cursed is he that addeth or diminisheth from the Word of the Lord Deut. 12. 32. An horrible thing that wee should make our selues wiser then Christ what Christ hath commanded to bee vsed in this Sacrament that in the feare of God let vs do adding nothing to the same for that is abomination An hard thing to bee burned in the Sacrament therefore wee are much bound to Christ for those Sacraments we haue for they are very easie the old were hard and bloudy in Circumcision bloud lost in the Passeouer life lost The Sacraments of the New Testament are virtute maiora vtilitate meliora actu faciliora numero pauciora id est for vertue greater for profit better for act easier for number fewer And as this Baptist here baptized with water so wee must know that it passed his power to baptize with the Spirit and fire Cyprian giueth to Iohn onely outward baptisme Longobard sayth that Iohannis operatio visibilis tantum exterius Lauantis muisibilis gratia Dei Interius operantis Iohns baptisme washed without but it is Gods grace that washeth within Iohns baptisme was not called the baptisme of repentance as though all that were baptized were regenerate but because it was a signe and token of repentance Augustine dares not altogether derogate remission of sinnes from Iohns baptism neither dares he simply giue remission of sinnes to the same It is not beloued it is not in the Ministers power to regenerate neither is there such a sacramentall vnion twirt the signe and the signified as he that takes the one must of necessity take the other then Simon Magus should haue had the Holy Ghost for he was baptized Neither are they cast away that cannot come to bee baptized with water then whither went the Thiefe that beléeued hee was not baptized yet in Paradise And whither went the child of Dauid It was not
dreadfull Maiesty bewayling bitterly all our offences committed against thee and quaking and trembling for feare thou shouldest in thy Iustice vtterly cast vs from thée into that wofull Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Lord we confesse by birth our foule pollution by life our manifold transgression and therefore ashamed wee are that are but dust and ashes yea worse most lothsome and abominable sinners to come before thée or commence the least sute vnto thee that art a Maiesty most pure abhorring and seuerely punishing all that worke iniquity Therefore oh Lord our God wee most humbly beséech thee not to deale with vs according to thy iustice and our owne merits for then shall we be vtterly condemned but comming vnto thée as a child that feareth to bée beat for thy Christs sake with the eyâ— of pitty and fatherly compassion look thou graciously vpon vs behold vs in him in whom thy Iustice will soone turne it selfe into mercy thy frowne into fauour thine indignation into euerlasting saluation Lord for thy fauour now and euer we craue grant therefore to vs that aske for pardon of our sins at thy hands alone we séek grant that we may finde at thy gate of Saluation we earnestly do knocke good Lord therefore open vnto vs. But because thy sacred Word doth tell vs that thou wilt looke to none but those that are of a contrite heart and tremble at thy words Lord fit and prepare vs all by true humiliation to imbrace the sauing health of our soules grant gracious God that we may mourne our sinnes thorowly and lament our iniquities bitterly not so much because they might iustly condemne vs as that they haue so highly displeased thée and moued thy Maiesty to anger that hast béene so merciful a God vnto vs O giue vs hearts to grieue for that we cannot sufficiently grieue for our sinnes committed against thée And gracious Father we further intreat that we may not â—nely taste of the sowre of thy Law but likewise receiue in thy good time and in good measure the sweet and vnspeakable comfort of thâ— Gospell grant that thy Sonne Iesus may bée Iesus to vs all that his righteousnesse may couer our vnrighteousnesse that his death may bring our soules to life that in him and for his sake thou wouldest â—e well pleased to make vs thine by adoption to witnesse the same to our soules by the infallible testimony of thy blessed Spirit to work in our hearts a strong and resolute perswasion of Faith whereby we may graspe and hold fast this thy great mercy in Christ towards vs to the peace of our consciences in this life and the saluation of our soules in the life to come And holy Father for as much as all those that haue put on Christ are become new creatures grant vnto vs a new heart and renew a right Spirit within vs purge vs from our sinnes wash vs from our iniquities infuse thy sauing grace into our Soules whereby wee may dye to all that is euill and liue to all godlinesse of life all the dayes of our life to come Frame our hearts deare God to true and perfect obedience obedience being the best sacrifice that thou requirest oh grant that all our delight may be in thy Statutes that it may be euen our meate and drinke to walke in thy Commandements indeuoring alwayes and in all places to keepe a cléere conscience both towards thee and man Teach vs blessed Father to rely vpon thée alone by faith to feare loue honour and truely obey thee in wisedome and true sanctity to giue no worship from thee that is onely proper to thee reuerently to thinke and speake of thy most glorious name and word carefully to sanctifie thy Sabbaths and wholly set them apart for thy seruice Giue vs grace also thou that art the Author and giuer of all grace to carry our selues dutifully to man to honour and reuerently respect all our superiours both in nature and place to preserue and maintaine the good name goods and bodies of our brethren amongst whom we liue and not impaire hurt or maliciously massacre the same to keepe our selues chaste and vnspotted from all fleshly lusts and euery act of vncleannes iniuriously to take away no mans right or due to speake the truth and not to beare false witnesse against our brethren to be content with our owne estates more or lesse and not to repine at or couet that which is others O grant that our liues may bee vnreprouable before thée and men But because O Lord of our selues we are able to doe no good thing but it is thou that workest the will and the deed Lord therefore stand euer by vs with thy preuenting assisting and consequent grace whereby we may be able in some measure to do thy will on earth as thy Angels doe it perfectly in heauen Moreouer heauenly Father wee fully beléeuing our selues to be true and liuely members of that body mysticall whereof our blessed Sauiour is the Head doe earnestly desire at thy gracious hands the like mercy for the whole body of Christs Church as we beg for our owne soules Lord blesse and defend thy Church and Chosen in all Kingdomes of the earth wheresoeuer inlarge the bounds of thy Gospell increase the number of thy Saints daily adde vnto thy Church such as shall bee saued Blesse the Kings most excellent Maiesty with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus meet for so great and worthy a personage with the Prince and His whole issue in this Kingdome and beyond the Seas Grant that He may neuer want one out of his own loynes to sit vpon his Throne for the maintenance of thy Gospell till the comming of Christ in the clouds Blesse all afflicted members whether grieued in conscience troubled in body or persecuted for the Gospell according to their seuerall ocâ—â—sions and need Blesse those that are neerer and dearer vnto vs in the flesh as are our Parents and kindred whether father or mother husband or wife brother or sister or childe with our Christian acquaintances and friends kéep them all and vs with them to thine euerlasting kingdome and saluation And in mercy good Lord this night looke downe vpon vs preserue vs and ours from all dangers bodily ghostly within doores and without giue vnto our bodies a comfortable rest and sléepe that they may be more able to do the works of their particular vocations before thee and swéet Lord watch euermore ouer our poore soules kéepe vs from sin and euill both sleeping and waking and when that sléepe of death shall fall vpon vs grant that our soules may wake to thy glory and saluation euerlasting and that for Christ Iesus his sake our onely Lord and euerlasting Redéemer to whom with thée and thy good Spirit three persons but one God wee heartily desire to offer vp all thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen THe grace of our Lord and Sâ—uiour Iesus Christ and the loâ—â— of God our heauenly Father and the most blessed presence of God the holy Ghost bee with vâ— all and within vâ— all both in Soule in Spirit and in body and with all things that remaine or belong vnto vâ— either within dores or without this â—ight and euerlasting AMEN FINIS
same shall appeare before Christes Iudgement seate and giue an account euery one for himselfe to God For It is appointed Heb. 9. 27. vnto men once to dye and after that commeth Iudgement As it is therefore most sure that all men must dye so is it as sure that all men must come to Iudgement This is the seuenth article of our Article 7. faith to beléeue that Christ shall come from heauen to iudge the quicke and the dead by the dead all those are to be vnderstood that shall be found dead at the second comming of Christ by the quicke all those are to bee vnderstood that shall be found liuing at his second comming Augustine in his Augustine Enchiridion to Laurentius Chap. 55 saith that this Article may bee expounded two wayes either by the dean saith hee may bee meant those that shall bee found corporally dead and by the quicke those that shall bee found corporally liuing at Christs comming or saith he by the dead may be meant those that be dead in sinne According to that in the Gospell of S. Mathew Let the dead bury their dead Mat. 8. 22. And by the quicke those that be dead to sinne and liuing to faith according to that of the Prophet Abacâ—k Hab. â— 4. The Iust shall liue by faith But this exposition is not agreeable to the simplicitie of the Creede Yet notwithstanding true it is that both the godly and the wicked shall come to iudgement for by the power of Christ all men shall bee raised vp The holy Angels with the great sound of a trumpet 〈◊〉 24. 31 shall bee sent forth into all the world and they shall gather together the Elect from the foure quarters of the earth from one end of the heauen to the other Then shall Christ separate the Mat. 13. 4â— Elect from the Reprobates the Wheat from the Tares the Corne from the Chaste the Lambs from the Goats the Iust from the Vniust So that you see that the godly and the wicked yea all men whatsoeuer shall appeare before Christs tribunall 〈◊〉 and giue an account of themselues and for themselues to the terrible Iudge Obiect Ob. Some notwithstanding may obiect against this doctrine deliuered and say as it is in Iohn That he that Ioh. â— 18. beleeue him Christ shall not bee iudged or shall not come into iudgement and so by consequence all men shall not be iudged Answ To which I answere that Anâ—… Iudgement in that place of Iohn as in many other places of sacred Scriptures is taken for condemnation in which sence true it is that he that beleeueth in Christ Iesus he that is ingranted into Christ by a true and liuely faith hee that is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone one with Christ and Christ with him by the spirituall coniunction of the Church with Christ this party shall not come into iudgement sâ—il condemnationis that is of condemnation in iudgement he shall not be confounded condemned or ouerthrowne but he shall come in iudicium absolutionis that is into the iudgement of absolution In iudgement hee shall stand out hauing on the white robe of Christs righteousnes and being couered with the wedding garment of Regeneration The truth of which doctrine the preacher affirmeth saying God will iudge Eccl. â— 17. he Iust and the vniust the Iust vnto saluation and the vniust to damnation Seeing then that all must bee brought to iudgement let no man thinke with himselfe that it may be possible for him to escape this dreadfull day whither shal he â—lye from the presence of the Lord If he ascendeth Psal 139. â— 8 9. vp to heauen God is there if hee goe downe to hell God is there also if hee take the wings of the morning and fly to the vttermost parts of the Sea God will finde him out there also For God is euery where hee is in heauen by his glory he is vpon the earth by his mercy he is in hell by his iustice God is 〈◊〉 nusquam hee is euery where by his power and wisedome but no where in respect of circumscription of place beeing a Spirit In earthly and terrestriall Courts a man may haue his Proctor but then we must volentes nolentes whether we will or no personally appeare and pleade for our selues In terrestrial Courts bribes many times blind the eyes of the wise and for a little greasing the fist of the Magistrate many times small faults nay by your leaue great and scandalous crimes may bee winked at but at this great Court of Heauen the Iudge will not be partiall to any For Rom â— â—1 God hath no respect of persons Hee will execute iust iudgement vpon all men as the Psalmographer speaketh With righteousnesse will he iudge the Psal 58. 9. world and the people with equitie Bribes Friends intreaties howlings cryes lamentations nothing will then preuaile but a pure heart and a spirit vpright yea the damned in hell confesse the same Quid profuâ—â— nobis superbia quid diâ—itâ—arum coput What hath pride profited vs or what hath the pompe of riches done vs good Alas these cannot saue our soules Let the Atheist therefore mocke God neuer so blasphemously let the Sadduce bragge of no Resurrection no Angell no Spirit neuer so Schismatically let the Epicure sing that cursed Epitaph of Sardanapalus neuer so beastly â—de bibe â—ude charum praesentibus exple delicijs animum post mortem nulla voluptas Eat drinke play be merry liue in all kinde of pleasure for after death there is no pleasure Yet notwithstanding let all these miserable wretches know that there will come a day and that a dismall day wherein they shall giue an account of euery idle word Alas lamentable world that men should thus murther their deerest darlings I meane their Soules which Christ hath holden so deare that men should with Esau sell their birth 〈◊〉 and heritage of heauen for a mâ—â—â—e of potâ—age of worldly pleasure that men should delight in wallowing with the 2. Pet. 2. 2â— Sow in the mire of sinne and with the dogge in swallowing the voâ—iâ— of iniquitie and so purchase to their Soules and bodies euerlasting torment in the lake vnquenchable wheras they should aboue all things seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that they might haue heauenly mansions at the great day of account Let euery Christian therefore bewayle the great wickednesse of this world and lament the soule iniquitie of these dayes lest it be said of vs as of the carelesse and gracelesse Christian Cadit Asina est qui subleuet perâ—â—â— anima non est qui recoâ—itâ—t If an Asse falleth vnder his burthen there be some that will diligently helpe it vp againe but if a Soule perish no man regardeth it Men are like the Horse Asse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding the more is the good mans griefe Dauid Psal 11â— 1 〈…〉 his eyes gâ—shed
bee in the world that will say the more it is to bee lamented I am young I will liue a while after my hearts desire and in my old age I will repent mee of my sinnes for God hath promised who will be as good as his word At what Eze. 18. 2â— â—2 time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. And will pray to the Lord for forgiuenesse of their sinnes as Augustine Augustine said before his conuersionâ— Ignosce pater ignosce mihi at noli modò Forgiue mee my sinnes but not now let mee sinne in my youth and pardon me in mine age Thus they would desire to dye the death of the righteous but they would not liue the life of the righteous but let these gracelesse persons that thus defer repentance beware of two things 1 Let them beware of suddaine death let them take héed lest they be cut off in the middest of their sins as Iobs Children in the middest of their Iob 1. 18 banquetting and ryoting were suddainly slain by the fall of a house and as the Floud came vnlooked for and drowned the old world Liuie reporteth a fearefull example 〈…〉 of suddaine death saith hee There were two old men that frequented two Harlots and presently vpon the fact committed they both suddainely dyed the one was thrust thorow with a dagger the other dyed suddainly of an Apoplexy which is a disease ingendred of abundance of grosse humors which doe fill those vessels and receptories of the head from whence commeth feeling and mouing of the bodie as saith Galen and therefore 〈…〉 they that haue this disease are depriued of all sence feeling and moouing Let euery lusty Younkeâ— and desperate russian set this fearefull example before his eyes Againe the young man dyeth as soone as the old the Lambs skin is brought to the Market as well as the old Crones true is the saying of Augustine Vita dum crescit decrescit vita Augustine mortalis mors vitalis id est Life while it increaseth decreaseth life is dying and death is liuing â— Let all men that refuse the mercy of God and deferre their repentance know that repentance is not theirs at command but it is the great mercy of God and it is to bee â—â—ared that they that haue refused it offered when they would haue it they shall go without according to that country Prouerbe If you will not when you may when you will you shall haue â—ay And it is commonly seene that Qu 〈…〉 a â—â—â—â—s ita as a man liueth commonly hee dyeth Hee that will liue without repentance must look to dye without repentance 〈◊〉 God spared the Thiefe at the laâ—â— gaspe yet let no man presume of that for that was a medicine against desperation and not a matter of imitation saith one God spared one that no man might despaire hee spared but one that no man might presume Let euery man therefore in the feare of God without all delay seeke for amendment of life let them as Gregory wisheth Plangere plangenda Bewayle their sinnes that ought to bee lamented and as they haue giuen Rom. 6. 13 their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to iniquitie so let them now giue them as weapons of righteousnesse to holinesse Repent deare brethren betimes Viâ—e Deo gratus toti mundo tumulatus Poet. Crimine muÌ„datus semper transire paratus That is Liue vnto God a thankefull wight And to the world dye Cleanse thy selfe from wickednesse Alwayes ready hence to flye Play the wise Steward lay vp treasures in heauen for thy soule imitate the Pismire which gathers in Summer whereby shee may liue in Winter Damascene reporteth an excellent Damascene History touching this purpose saith he There was a country where they chose their King of the poorest and basest sort of the people and vpon any dislikement taken they would depose him from his Throne and exile him into an Iland where hee should bee staâ—ued to death Now one wise fellow considering hereof sent money before into that Iland into which hee should be banished and when he was banished he was receiued into the Iland with great triumph So against thou be banished by death from this world without penny or farthing for naked thou camest and naked thou must goe thou must prouide wâ—â—le thou art in this life whereby thou mayst liue in Heauen hereafter Let nothing therefore make thée 〈…〉 erre thy amendment but whilesâ— Christ calleth thee runne vnto him Put on Ieromes resolution who said If my Mother were hanging Ierome about my necke if my brethren were on euery side howling and crying and if my Father were on his bare knees kneeling before mee to detaine mee in their wicked and sinfull course of life what would I doe I would shake off my Mother to the ground I would despise and hate all my kindred and kins-folkes and I would tread and trample my Father vnder my feete thereby to flye to CHRIST when hee calleth mee So shouldest thou resolue the amendment of life The Lord of heauen for his swéet Sonne Christ Iesus his sake grant to thée deare Reader and mee to both of vs his holy Spirit that wee may stand vnblameable before the Iudge at that great and generall day that we being â—lâ—athed with the long white robes of righteousnesse may bee in the number of those to whom it shall be said then Come yee blessed Children of my Father inherit the Kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world Grant this deare Father for thy deare Sonnes sake Christ Iesus our only Lord and Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Spirit wee ascribe all Power Glory and Dominion and sing Halleluiah to thee O blessed Trinity for euer and euer Amen A True and Comfortable Exposition of the Lords PRAYER FOrasmuch as Prayer to the Soule is as necessarie as the â—eele to the Ship the Foundation to the House the moisture to the Tree and the sinewes and ioints to the body and forasmuch also as wee can haue neither grace to beleeue nor grace to obey without feruent and faithfull prayer I haue thought good as briefly as I can for the helping of the Ignorant in the performance of this Christian duety to expound the Prayer of our Lord being the perfect ground of all our prayers that so we praying in wisedome may pray with comfort for alacke thousands it is to be feared that haue this prayer Ad vnguem at their fingers ends are altogether ignorant of the worthy contents of the same Concerning which prayer I obserue these foure things First the occasion hereof and that â— was vpon the complaint and suite of the Disciples who being weake in this gift entreated Christs help saying Master teach vs to pray as Iohn Luk. â—â— â— â— also taught his Disciples And hee said
afflictions â—go quos amo arguâ— castigo id est Apoc. 3. 10 As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten Quâ— diligitur corripâ—tâ—r id est Hee haâ—â—â— loued is reproued The Oxen that are appointed for the slaughter are let runne in sat Pastures but those that are not appointed for so terrible an end are dayly wrought and subiect to much trauell The barren trée is not beaten but the trée that is planted by the riuers side and bringeth forth his fruit in due season is sorely shaken and yéerly beaten The stones that were for Salomons 1. King 7. Temple were squared hewne before they were laid in the building So euery Christian who is a liuely 1. Pet. 2. 5. stone in this spirituall building as saith S. Peter must bee hewne with the axe of affliction and squared with the saw of correction before he can be receiued into the triumphnt Church whereof Christ Iesus is the head corner-stone Ideò Dominus quibusdam hic parcit Gregory non fâ—râ—endo vt in aeternum â—eâ—â—at ideò hic ferit non parcendo vt in aeternum parcat id est The Lord spareth some for a time that hee may punish them for euer and hee chastneth some for a time Luke 16. that hee may spare them for euer Diues that was spared on earth was tormented in hell and Lazarus that was corrected on earth was spared in heauen For Qui vult cum Christo conregnare in regno coelorum id est Hee that will raigne with Christ in the Kingdome of Heauen must cum Christo compati in valle lachrimarum id est must suffer with Christ in the vale of teares qui vult consequi must sequi id est heâ— that will obtaine Christ must follow Christ and he that will follow Christ must take vp his Crosse and follow him Christ suffered before he entred into I â—â— â—4 â— glory so must euery Christian first suffer before hee can bee glorified The Iâ—â— 1â— â— seruant must not bee aboue his Master Si ergo compatimur conregnabimus id est 〈…〉 If wee suffer with him wee shall raignâ— with him Dulcia non meruit qui non gusta 〈…〉 〈…〉 Id est Hee deserueth not to taste of the sweet that will not taste of the sowre Iouinian a King hauing two sorts 〈…〉 of wine in his Palace the one sweet wine and the other sowre decreed that whosoeuer would taste of the swéete wine should first taste of the sowre So whosoeuer will taste of the sweet ioyes that run thorow the celestiall Paradise must first with Christ sup of the cuppe of salt teares of affliction No maruell therefore if the Prophet in generall saith that many are â—â—â—â— 34. the troubles of the Righteous No maruell if hee compareth afflictions to waues of the Sea for as one waue dasheth ouer the necke of another so one affliction continually followeth another For God is not like a wasp that hauing stung once can sting no more but there is a plurality of crosses with God hee can sting againe and againe As one sorrowfull messenger came to Iob after another euen so one affliction visiteth the Christian after another as the Viper leapt vpon PAVL and leapt off againe Act. 27. euen so afflictions leape vpon Gods seruants and leape off againe Those therefore that runne in the Race of Godlinesse must not thinke this strange neither must they thinke themselues free from all afflictions for they are hedged in on euery side with sundry kinds of troubles and haue thrée deadly enemies continually warring against them Whereupon Iob calleth the life of man a war-fare vpon earth and that worthily for wee fight against three mighty enemies the Diuell the World and the Flesh The first enemy that withstandeth vs in the way to heauen is the Diuell who in respect of his cruelty and might is compared to a roaring Lyon The 1 Pet. â— Diuell like a roaring Lyon goeth vp and downe seeking whom hee may deuoure The second enemy is the World which is as subtill as the diuell is powerful for by the pâ—â—â—â—â—s and pleasures therein it draweth many to the seruice of Satan The third enemy which is the Flesh is no whit inferiour to either of them For Caesar being asked what was the greatest thing in the world to ouercome sayd Seipsum vincere to ouercome a mans owne selfe and his vntamed affections It doth alway rebell against the good motions of the Spirit It is a Iudas to betray our soules into the hands of old â—euiathan The Prophecy must bee fulfilled I will put enmitie betweene thee and Gen. 1â— the woman betweene thy feed and her feed Therefore the Church of God in this respect is called Ecclâ—sia miliâ—â—ns a warring Church a Church that fighteth manfully vnder the banner of Christ against the aduersaries aboue-said No maruell therefore our life being a warâ—are if this world bee called Vâ—llis lachrimarum A vale of teares for afflictions are so common that we â—aâ—e â—lwâ—â—es cause to shead forth whole Oceans of teares with the Prophâ—â— Dâ—uâ—â— who although hee were a man according to Gods owne heart was a Pellicane in the wildernesse of this world whose nature is alwayes to haue teares trickling downe her Bill his teares were his meate and drinke Hee watred Psal â— his bed with salt teares and washed his couch with continuall weeping This is the state and condition of 1. Pet. 5. 9. all Gods children in this life that will runne the Race of Christianity so that wee may conclude with Iob and say Man that is borne of a woman Iob 14. â— is of short continuance and is full of trouble Séeing then that wee are borne to trauell as the bird to flying let vs arme our selues with patience let vs possesse our soules with patience and let vs run the Race that is set before vs with patience Knowing tâ—at Non sunt condignâ— passionis c. that the passions that wee can suffer in this world are not worthy of the ioyes in the world to come And seeing wee are withstood in this way by three mighty enemies let vs like wise Souldiers Put on the Ephes 6. whole Armour of God the helmet of hope the brest-plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith the girdle of sinceritie the shooes of peace and let vs alway haue ready drawne the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which is able to quench all the fierie darts of Satan and slay the Dragon in the deepe Moreouer let euery Christian that runneth in the Race of Godlinesse know that as afflictions are by no meanes to be auoyded so are they necessary for the good of Gods children All things worke for the best to them Rom. 8. 2â— Psal 119. â—1 that loue God And it is good for mee saith the Prophet that I haue beene iâ— trouble for thereby haue I learned thy Law For affliction to the
which are there are innumerable Euen as a learned Geometrician finding Hercules his foot 's length vpon the high hill Olympus drew out his whole picture by the proportion of the same though farre vnequall to it so we may ghesse at the greatnesse of the ioyes of Heauen though far vnequall to them As the Quéene of Sheba hauing heard the wisedome of Salomon which before shee beleeued not sayd to Salomon Loe the one halfe was not told mee So the Saints of God inioying the vnspeakeable ioyes of Heauen may say it is true which we haue heard concerning the ioyes of Heauen by the mouth of preaching Ministers but loe the thousand part of them was not told vnto vs. The greatnesse of these ioyes doe appeare in the entertainment of the faithfull Seruant into ioyes by our Lord Iesus saying Enter into thy Masters ioy Our Sauiour saith not Let thy Masters ioy enter into thee but Enter thou into it shewing vnto vs that the ioyes of Heauen are so many as the thousand parts of them cannot be contained in the soule of man Thus at large haue I spoken of this reward the more to allure all men to runne in the Race of Christianitie which is the high way to this glorious reward Foure things there are that being well considered are excellent motiues to cause men to leaue the broad way of iniquity and to betake themselues to runne in this Race Celestiall The day of death The day of doome The ioye of Heauen and the torments of Hell Let euery Christian therefore as he tendreth his euerlasting saluation cast his eyes vpon this reward and runne in the race of Godlinesse so long as life shall last that whensoeuer it shall please the Lord to call him out of the vale of teares hee may hauing his name written in the booke of Life be welcommed into his Masters ioy with this blessed haruest song Come thou blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for thee from the beginning of the world To the which thrice-blessed Kingdome he bring vs that hath so dearely bought vs euen Iesus Christ the righteous who hath taken away the sinnes of the world To whom with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost thrée Persons but one eternall and euerliuing God we ascribe both now and euer as is most due all power glory dominion and thanksgiuing Amen A MORNING PRAYER O Most glorious God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father the Fountaine of all our wel-fare and the giuer of all grace wee thy poore children according to our bounden duty are at this present assembled together before thee in Prayer to offer vp euen from the ground of our hearts the Morning Sacrifice of Thanks-giuing for all thy louing mercies and tender kindnesses whatsoeuer bestowed vpon vs. We highly blesse thy Maiesty for electing vs in thy Christ to life eternall before all worlds for creating vs after thine owne most glorious Image in purity and perfection of holinesse for iustifying vs by the perfect obedience of thy Sonne for sanctifying vs by thy holy Spirit and for the hope that thou hast giuen vs of our future glorification with thée hereafter in Heauen We also returne vnto thée all due and possible praise for preseruing of vs hitherto of thine especiall goodnesse and mercy supplying abundantly all our necessities both in soule and in body and at this present wee heartily magnifie thy name for thy watchfull prouidence ouer vs this night and for thy blessing vpon vs and ours keeping vs from diuers dangers that might iustly for our sinnes haue come vpon vs both spirituall and corporall O what shall wee render vnto thée for all these thy mercies done vnto vs what are we that thou shouldest thus respect vs or what are our deseruings that thou shouldest thus esteeme vs To vs O Lord to vs most miserable sinners there nothing belongeth but shame and confusion If thou Lord markest strictly what is done amisse who is able to abide it O how farre doth thy mercy exceede thy iustice O the deepenesse of thy fauours towards vs So vnsearchable are they as no man can expresse them so vn-vtterable as no man can declare them And most mercifull Father wee humbly intreat for thy Christs sake the continuance of these mercies towards vs blesse vs this day and euer with thy heauenly protection and benediction guide vs by thine owne Spirit into all godlinesse that wee may profitably and conscionably walk before thee in our vocations both generall and particular blesse vs in the house and blesse vs in the field blesse vs in the basket and blesse vs in the store blesse vs in our out-goings and in our commings in compasse vs on euery side with thy mercies guard thine Angels round about vs keep vs from the euill of this world and euery worke of darknes and sanctifie both our soules and bodies with thy feare to thy seruice that as heretofore we haue serued the Diuell and the World by prophanenesse so euer hereafter redeeming the time wee may apply our selues vnto holinesse To which end we most earnestly craue O heauenly Father the presence of thy Spirit alwayes to direct vs the powerfull preaching of thy Gospell alwayes to instruct vs the holy vse of thy Sacraments alway to confirme vs that all heresie and vngodlinesse remoued farre from vs by these meanes sanctified vnto vs wee may glorifie thy holy Name by our holy conuersations in this life and be glorified of thee euerlastingly in the life to come And because by reason of our sins in stead of thy mercies we haue deserued thy furious indignation against vs we therefore seriously begge at the Throne of thy mercy in the meritorious mediation of Iesus Christ that thou wouldest remoue farre from vs and our Land all thy fearefull and heauy iudgements whatsoeuer as famine pestilence sword and the like and giue vs all grace from the King to the beast that we may be truely humbled for all our iniquities that wee repenting vs of our euill which is sinne thou maist be pleased to repent thee of thy euill which is punishment for sin Heare vs O blessed Lord God in these our Petitions pardoning our sinnes and granting to vs all our requests with all other thy graces that wee stand in need of that may make for thy glory and the sauing of our poore soules at the dismall day of Iudgement and that for Christ Iesus his sake To whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit three glorious persons but one immortall God we desire to returne all possible praise power Dominion and Thanksgiuing this morning and euerlasting Amen AN EVENING PRAYER O Most gracious God and in Iesus Christ our most louing and most mercifull Father the Father of all mercies and God of all consolations wee thy poore seruants do most humbly cast downe our selues before the Throne of thy dreadfull Maiesty confessing and acknowledging our manifold sins from time to time most grieuously committed against thee
but the iudgements of the Lord and the Lord will bee with you to preserue you if you doe iustly but to confound you if you doe vniustly wherefore now let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heede and doe it for there is no iniquity with our God nor respect of persons nor receiuing of rewards O that this gracious counsell were entertain'd of the Iudges of this land then wée should not heare of so many complaints in our Land as we doe then we should not haue cause to complaine with the Prophet That iudgement Esay 59. 14 is turned backward and iustice standeth a farre off that truth is gone and equity no where to bee found then we should not haue so many begger'd by the Law as dayly are Law was neuer made to vndoe men but to compell men to doe well it was made to curb the vnruly but not to begger the innocent it is growne to this saying now a dayes I had rather lose it being my right then go to law for it why what is the cause O because of rackâ— fees close bribes and the perpetuity of attendance Iudicate secundum iustitiam Iudge iudge O ye sonnes of men according to righteousnesse let your iudgement be in veritate in truth be in iudicio in iudgement be in iustitia in righteousnesse I pray God it may neuer be sayd of our Iudges of England as once was sayd of the Iudges of Israel The â—say 57. Lord looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnes but behold a crying Let there not be found in a Land where the Gospell dwelleth such Iudges 1. King 2. 1 as were those that killed innocent Nakoth Let none be like the sonnes of Samuel 1. Sam. 8. 3. That turned aside after lucre and tooke rewards and peruerted the iudgement The duty of Iudges is notably set downe in Exod. 23. Thou shalt not receiue a false tale Thou shalt not ouerthrow the truth for the multitudes sake Thou shalt not ouerthrow the right of the poore in his suite Thou shalt keep thee from a false matter Thou shalt take no gift for the gift blindeth the wise and peruerteth the words of the righteous And this charge is continued in Leuiticus Leu. 29. 15 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty but thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly A Iudge must be Scientia potens and Judiâ—is officium Virtute valens i. Able in learning and zealous in liuing by the one he shall discernere inter allegata Discerne betwixt causes propounded by the other disrumperâ— iniquitatem without hinderance punish and confound all manner of iniquity In all your iudgements let these beâ— aymed at the glory of God the righting of wrong the suppression of euill and the maintenance of truth Be zealous for the glory of our God and let the good lawes that are be duly and impartially executed It was a great commendation that was giuen to Selcucus Gouernour of Selcucus the Locretians who hauing made this Law against whoredome That whosoeuer committed the act should lose both his eyes his sonne being taken in the fact was not pardoned though the Citizens begged it earnestly but hee caused one of his sonnes eyes to bee pulled out and one of his owne eyes So hee shewed himselfe a mercifull Father and a iust Iudge O that wee had the like Lawes against this and the like most odious offences and that they were as strictly executed that many hereby may bee saued from Tophet The Lord guide that honorable assembly in Court of Parliament that they may all ioyne with one voyce and spirit for the banishing of Popery the reforming of iniquitie and maintaining and countenancing of the Word of Truth and painfull Preachers of the same And you my Honourable Lord as you haue begunne well in reforming many foule abuses in this Citie so in the zeale of the Lord Prosper Psal 45. with your glory ride on with the Word of Truth Meekenesse and Righteousnesse and your right hand shall teach you terrible things Thus am I bold to cast in among you the silly myte of my counsell meerely of Christian charitie that ye may neuer taste of the wofull damnation of Tophet The third part of the description of The third part He hath made it deepe Tophet is set downe in these words He hath made it deepe Many from these words doe goe about to proue the locall place of Hell concluding it to be below as from the signification of Sheol also Sheol is taken for a Pit or Graue Sheol or Hell the state of the dead the place of the damned spirits In the Scriptures sometimes it is taken for the Graue and sometime for Hell so is HADES also The Septuagint translating the Hebrew into Greeke and expressing there the sense of Sheol vsed HADES both for the death of the body in the graue and of the Soule in hell Mercer vpon Genesis saith That Mercer in c. 37. Gen. the proper signification of Sheol is to signifie all places vnder the earth and not the pit or graue alone whereupon it is euery where opposed to heauen which is highest of all Hell is called by the name of Abyssus Abyssus in the Scriptures which signifieth a deepe and vast gnife vnder the earth a bottomlesse pit into which the diuels Luke 8. Reu. 20. feare to bee sent and where they are chained and bound when it pleaseth God From which Abyssus there is an ascent to the earth no descent lower Reu. 9. 2. and 11. 7. and 17. 8. and therfore helf suspected to be beneath Because Tophet is here sayd to be Nic. de Lyra in Esai profunda deepe Nicolaus de Lyra putat esse circa centrum terrae Thinketh that it is about the centre of the earth The Apostles that preached to the Iewes vsed the word Gehenna from the Hebrewes which they well vnderstood and Saint Iames writing to the Iewes sayth The tongue is inflamed of Gehenna of hell but the rest of them that preached to the Gentiles vsed the word HADES which name was knowne vnto them and they tooke it to be a place vnder the earth where the wicked after this life were punished Tartarus which is vsed for hell is Tartarus Hesiod in â—â—â—â—goma so farre vnder the earth as Heauen is aboue the earth saith Hesiodus The Poet speaking of it sayth Tartarus ipse bis patet in praeceps tantum id est Tartarus is twice as deep as Heauen is high The Rabbines hold hell to be below Rab. Abr. in cap. 2. â—oâ—e as Rabbi Abraham saith Sheol makom c. Sheol is a deepe place opposed to Heauen which is on high And Rabbi Leui saith Sheol hi mattah Rab. leu in cap. 26. â—o c. Sheol is absolutely below and is the centre The Scriptures also place hell below Esay 14. 9. Sheol beneath
Christian helps much profitable to your soules and as he hath abundantly blessed you withoutward honors and dignities externall he would also euen fill your heares and spirits with the inestimable riches of his al-sufficient grace that hauing granted this two-fold blessing to you in this life you may haue the more assured hope of a third in the life to come which is his blessing of glory for all which forenamed blessings your Worships shall haue my best and most deuout prayers continued to the Lord to whose sweetest protection I betake you both with your hopefull sonne this present day and euermore From Hempsted in Essex Ianuary 10. 1620. Your Worships alwaies ready to be commanded in the LORD Henry Greenwood To the CHRISTIAN Reader A Religious and right vertuous Gentlewoman curteous and I. M. Christian Reader much importuning mee for a written Copie of this extant worke vpon good consideration proues the onely occasion of this printed Tractate for things written as they are more tedious so are they lesse profitable but printed Tractates lesse tedious and more profitable I am not borne alone to my selfe my particular friends I loue to satisfie but the generall good still shall be my ayme And that my penne thus happily should turned bee to Presse I am no whit vnwilling both because few haue written vpon this worthy subiect as also for that I see this heauenly Sacrament seldome made right vse of the most contenting themselues with the bare signe very few acquainting themselues with the blessed power of the signified That therefore our profession may not be as in many Antichristian parts of the world in superficiall signe and shew alone but in substance life and power I commend vnto thy view for the better information of thine head and reformation of thine heart this short yet I trust profitable Treatise of that blessed Baptisme of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Here Christian friend mayst thou learne a double lesson to liue to dye to dye to that which otherwise must bee thy death to liue that Christian and happy life wherewith who-euer is not acquainted euerlastingly must dye The Lord God from my very soule I heartily desire blesse these my poore paines to the best good of thine owne Soule and worke in thine heart a death to all that is euill and a life to all grace and godlinesse that his glory more and more by thee may be aduanced and thine owne soule more more by him refreshed and that for his owne mercy sake to whose most happy protection I commend thee both in body and Soule in his deare Sonne Christ Iesus and rest Thine euer-louing in the Lord Henry Greenwood CHRISTS BAPTISME Math. 3. 16 17. And Iesus when he was baptised came straight out of the water And loe the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Verse 17. And loe a voyce came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased AS by the disobedience of one man sinne entred Rom. 5. 12 into the World and by sinne death Rom. 5. 12. So by the obedience of one man righteousnesse entred into the world and by righteousnesse life Rom. 5. 18. Rom. 5. 18. For as Adams sinne hath bound vs all to a double misery guilt and punishment So Iesus Christ being made of God to vs Wisedome Righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. hath deliuered vs both from guilt and punishment of all our transgressions The truth of which thrice-blessed report is not onely mentioned in the Gospell of God and therefore called EVAGGELION but confirmed also by sacramentall signes and seales in the first and last Testament In the first against sinnes guilt by circumcision against sinnes punishment by occasion the one a Sacrament cutting the other a Sacrament killing In the last against sinnes guilt the Sacrament of Baptisme against sinnes punishment the Sacrament of his Supper And as Adam sinned in his owne person So the second Adam for his recouery hath performed both the Sacraments and substance of the same in his owne person for hee was circumcised sacrificed baptized to take away the sinnes of the world Circumcised Luke 2. 21. Sacrificed Luk. 2. 21. Heb. 7. 27. Baptized in the words of my Text And when Iesus was baptized c. In which words for methode sake I note in generall thrée First Christs baptisme And when Iesus was baptized Secondly Christs immediate action after baptisme He streight came out of the water Thirdly Gods of Christs miraculous approbation Testified by two By Vision By Voyce By Vision two wayes 1. By the heauens apertion And loe the Heauens were opened vnto him 2. By the Spirits descension And Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending c. By Voice Behold a voyce came from heauen saying c. In which voyce I note also two 1. A double circumstance 2. A singular substance A double circumstance 1. Of the Person God the Father Behold a voyce 2. Of the place supercelestiall Came from Heauen A singular substance This is my beloued Son in whom I am well pleased In Christs Baptisme â— obserue thrée First the Baptist Secondly the Baptized Thirdly the element First the Baptist and that was Iohn as it appeareth in the precedent verses Not Iohn the Euangelist but Iohn the Sonne of Zachary the Priest A worthy instrument nomene numine a gracious name and a gracious person A gracious name whereof Saint Augustine in his second Tractate vpon Iohn sayth Magnum aliquidiste Iohannes ingens meritum magna gratia magna celsitudo A great name is this name of Iohn a name of great grace a name of great valuation Magnus exim erat Iohannes virtute magnus sanctitate magnus officio Great was Iohn in power great was Iohn in sanctity great was Iohns office A gracious person sanctified in his Luk. 1. 15. mothers wombe Luke 1. 15. that which was spoken of Ieremy the Prophet is verified of Iohn the Baptist Priusquam te formarem in vtero nouite antequam illinâ— exires sanctificaâ—i te Ieremy 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee and before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee At one and the selfe-same time there was in Iohn the Baptist Spiritus vitae Spiritus gratiae the Spirit of Life and the Spirit of Grace as sayth Origen Whose sanctity you may reade at large commended by Iosephus lib. 18. Antiquitatum Yea Christ himselfe sayth thus much in commendation of him that inter natos mulierum mator Iohanne non surrexit Math. 11. 11. Among those that Mat. 11. 11. are borne of women a greater then Iohn arose there not Though Enoch was translated Gen. Gen. 5. 24. 5. 24. yet was hee not greater than Iohn Though Eliah was taken vp to Heauen 2. King 2. 11. yet was hee not greater than Iohn Moses a
Mark saith that the heauens were clouen in twaine Marke 1. 10. Maâ— 1. 10. But by this visible scissure and cleft of the heauens is signified 1. The presence of God 2. That Christ himselfe came from thence to reueale to man the secret will of his heauenly Father 3. That hee it was that should reconcile all things both in heauen and earth to God Colos 1. 20 Col. 1 â—â— 4. That Christ Iesus opened the Kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers which Adam by sinne had shut 5. That all that are effectually baptized haue heauen opened vnto them and the Lord God ready to imbrace them to glory O the power and force of baptisme it opened that which all the creatures of heauen and earth were not able to open Lord shew the like power in baptisme this day open the Kingdome of Heauen to this Infant that shall be baptized and receiue it for thy Christs sake into thine euerlasting fauour and saluation Thus much for the first vision The Spirits descension And Iohn saw the Spirit of GOD Tâ—â—t descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him That wee may the better lay open the true sence of these words foure questions must be propounded First how Iohn is said to see the Spirit of God the spirit of God being inuisible Ans It is impropria locutio an improper spéech for Iohn could neither see Spiritus essentiam nor virtutem neither the essence nor yet the power of the Spirit of God but here the Spirit of God is said to be seene quia praesentiae sue signum demonstratur cernitur because the signe of his presence namely the Doue was seene by Iohn it is locutio me tanonymica an etanonymicall speech whereby the name of the signified is giuen to the signe as the bread is called Christs body and Baptisme regeneration Secondly how is the Spirit of God said to descend vpon Christ when he was in Christ before and is being infinite euery where Ans This also is an improper speech but because Christs authoritie might bee declared among men and now Christ being to performe the office of a Redeemer might bee answerably furnisht with the power of Grace therefore the Spirit of God is said in visible signe to descend vpon him Esayes Prophesie is here fulfilled The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee Esa 61. 1. therefore hath the Lord anointed mee to preach good things to the poore c. Esay 61. 1. Thirdly why did the holy Ghost descend in the forme of a Doue rather than in fiery forme as sometimes he somtimes he did vpon the Apostles Ans This was done as it is coniectured not only to demonstrate the Doue-like qualities of the Spirit of God and of Christ but especially to shew quà m blande comiter Christus vocaret in spem salutis peccatores how kindly louingly and gently IESVS CHRIST should call sinners to repentance and saluation The truth whereof maintained is by the Prophet Esay A bruised reede he shall not breake and smoking flaxe shall he not quench Fourthly whether was this a naturall Doue from the common slight or onely a spectrum an apparition and no body or a body substantiall out of the elements formed by God of all birds likest a Doue Ans Luke saith it was like a Doue Luke 3. 22. therefore not a naturall Doue Luke 3. 22. And surely it was not an apparition without substance but without all doubt it was a substantiall creature much like a Doue vel ex nihilo vel eâ— elementis formata formed either of nothing or out of the elements as was that Starre that led to Christ and resolued againe into his first matter the pleasure of God performed by it Vpon euery one therefore that is effectually baptized this Doue-like Spirit descendeth making vs of Lyons Lambes of Vultures Doues of crooked and peruerse harmelesse gentle and kinde bringing vs likewise newes with the Doue of Noah that the floud of sinne is downe and that all is well twirt God and vs. Lord let thy Done-like Spirit this day descend with the Oliue leafe of thy fauor vpon this thine Oliuâ— plant and of the childe of wrath make him in Christ heyre apparant to the crown of saluation Thus much for the second vision Now for the voyce that was heard from heauen And loe a voyce came from heauen c. The voyce of God concerning Christ hath thrée times swéetly sounded from heauen In his Agony and Passion Iohn 12. 27 28. propter nostram redemptionem For our redemption In his transfiguration Math. 17. 5. Mat. 17 Propter nostraâ— glorificationem For our glorification And héere in baptisme Propter nostram adoptionem for our adoption And lo a voyce came from Heauen saying c. Aperitur hiâ— mysterium Trinitatis saith one In this Scripture the Trinitie of Persons with God is manifestâ—â— expressed For Patris vox auditur 〈…〉 humanitas conspicitur Spiritus 〈…〉 signum perspicitur the Father is heard the Sunne seene and the Holy Ghost in visible signe perceiued The foolish Papists say that there is no such mention of the Trinity in the Scriptures Indéede the litterall word is not found in the Scriptures but if they would put on their spectacles and look they should soone finde the substance of the same namely the vnity of essence and Trinity of persons that is with God As in Deâ—teronomy Audi Israel Deâ—t â— Deus Deus noster Deus vnus est God our God is God onely Deut. 6. Why doth Moses mention the name of God thrice but to shew the distinction of the persons Diuine why doth he put the word vnus that is onely but to shew the vnity of their Essence why is noster that is our put to God in the second place not in the first or last but to shew that the second person should take our nature vpon him Againe in â—say Sanctus sanctus sanctus Deus exercitiâ—um plena est omnis â—erra gloria câ—â—â— Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts heere is the Trinity of the Persons the earth is full of thy glory thy here is the vnity of their Essence For though God bee simplicissimus most simple in respect of his Essence yet is he trinâ—s ratione personarum three in regard of his persons One example or two more let mee giue you hereof In the first verse of the Booke of God Creauit Elohim Coelum terram GOD created the Heauen and the earth Gen. 1. 1. the Verbe singular Gen. 1. 1. Creauit noteth out the one and most simple Essence of God the substantiue plurall Elohim not El singular points out the Trinity of persons Againe in the same Chapter Faciamus Gen. 1. 26. homâ—em ad imaginem nostram Let vs make maâ— after our owne Image Gen. â— 26. faciamus sheweth the plurality of persons and nostram the vnity of Essence Againe in the Gospell of Mathew Baptiz◠〈…〉 Spiritus sanâ—tâ—â— Bâ—ptize them in 〈…〉 Name