is finished that is no doubt when they shall ende this life For as Iob teacheth vs and saint Paul Iob. 7.2 Ephes 6.10 Our life here is a warfare And saint Paul not onely saith so but giues euerie Christian the armour that belongs to it Vers 13. Now when this warfare is ended Gods ministers are to preach to his people that then their sin hath obtained pardon Nirtse as it is in the Hebrew that is is made now well pleasing to God and that they haue now in this their warfare In this life receiued double punishment that is sufficient for all their sins And therefore they néed feare no punishment hereafter And this is that lesson which Peter also teacheth all Christians God our most louing father by the resurrection of Iesus Christ according to his aboundant mercie 1. Pet. 1.3 hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope of an inheritance immortal vndefiled that withereth not reserued for vs in heauen c. wherin we reioyce though now for a season if need require we are in heauines through manifold temptatioÌ„s Peter herein agrées with Esay that in this life if need be we receiue sufficient punishment for our sinnes This is Ierusalems comfort at her verie heart And this is also that which saint Paul saith But when we are iudged 1. Cor. 11.32 we are corrected of the Lord because that we should not be condemned with the world God iudgeth his saints in this life because he will not condemne nor punish them in the life to come And the same lesson saint Paul teacheth in another place My son despise not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12 5. as it is in the Greeke make no light account of the correction of the Lorde but account it as a most pretious ie well For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euerie sonne which he receiueth And he after speakes verie manifestly of the afflictions of this life as these words import Verse 12. Wherefore lift vp your hands which hang downe and your weake knees And Saint Peter likewise Now is the time that iudgement shall begin at the house of God 1. Pet. 4.17 Whereas S. Paul said before that God in this life scourged all his sonnes S. Peter to the same effect saith that iudgement now begins at Gods house The one names the inhabitants and the other the house And S. Peter also to the great comfort of all Gods children séemes to ayme at the continuance of this correction and he calles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an opportunitie or a verie short time and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which maie signifie some longer space of time 2. Cor. 4.15 And S. Paul himselfe also in effect saith the same in another place calling the continuance of our afflictions momentaneam leuitatem a small light trifle in comparison of the ioie that hereafter we shall receiue and that which endures but for a minute of an houre Of purgatorie Ierome writes thus In 2. cap. Mat. He shall purge or melt the sonnes of Leui that is their vnderstandings and words So truely the words and iudgements of all pastors stand need of this Gods purifying his gold onely is most pure purified seuen times in the furnace Our gold how pure soeuer it seemes to vs stands need of this melting and purifying And hereupon Ierome addeth of all Christians That they shall reprooue their wicked brethren and they shall be to God as a precious iewell for he shall spare them in that terrible day which he shall make because euery man is vnder sinne Ierome will haue this melting and this iudgement to be in this life alleadging that saying of Peter nowe the time is that the iudgement began at the house of God And of that place to the Corinthians he writes thus In 6. ca Esaiae And that stone which onely the Septuag inta doe translate a Carbuncle may signifie not a dead or burning coale as some haue expounded it but a Carbuncle stone which for the likenesse it hath to the colour of fire may be called firie whereas we learne that the altar of God is full of Carbuncles that is of firie stones and hoat burning coales purging sins whereof we read thus written of God That coales were kindled of him and of God himselfe it is said that he is a consuming fire and our Sauiour saith in the Gospell I came to send fire vpon earth And that he might baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire for fire shall trie euerie mans worke what kinde of one it is And he that shall be saued shall so be saued as though he had gone thorough the fire And this is to be marked that euen to Ieremy to whom it is said before I fashioned thee in the wombe I knewe thee and I sanctified thee in thy mothers wombe because he had not vncleane lippes But yet he said I am a childe I cannot speake The Lord himselfe stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and said Behold I haue put my words into thy mouth but to Esay who said I am a man of vncleane lippes and I dwell in the midst of a people that hath vncleane lippes Gods hand was not retched but Seraphim was sent of God or he did flie vnto him of his owne accord Because he is appointed to his seruice and he hath a stone in his hand which after the Septuaginta and Theodotion he tooke with a nipper but after Aquila and Symmachus which follow the Hebrew he tooke Melachim that is with a paire of tongs that therwith he might touch his mouth and might purge his olde and accustomed sins Here we maie plainlie sée that either God himselfe with his owne hand or els Angels with those carbuncles according to the word of God doe purge sinnes and that Ierome expoundes that place of the Corinthians of this heauenlie fire and not of anie infernall fire purging sinnes But that indifferent mâ—n shall endure the fire of purgatorie séemed not to Ierome to be grounded manifestlie vpon this place who expounds it of a contrarie fire In cap. 66. Es And in another place Ierome writes thus God is called a consuming fire that hee may consume in vs whatsoeuer is hay wood or stubble and thornes that is cares of this world which the barren ground brought for good seed Ierome here affirmes that God himselfe is the fire that burneth vp all our chaffe stubble and wood not anie fire of purgatorie And that by the fire of his word and his spirit he worketh these effects For here he addeth for of this fire the Lord speaketh in the Gospell I came to throw fire downe vpon the earth And after This fire I supposed to haue sitten vpon the tongues of the Apostles and all the faithfull when they spake with diuers tongues and droue away all ignorance and lightened the hearts of them that receiued the word of God And after most
goodnesse comes from God and that comming into this sinke of our flesh though they procéede most pure from him yet they must needes gette filth and slime And yet for all that wée must returne them to him againe and hee like a most louing father will accept them The best actions we doe euen the actions of the best men are not voide of this filth and slime And herein consistes that the best men must still saie O Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunts Psal 143. And if our best workes haue these imperfections what maie wée iudge of our euill workes This onelie consideration will make euerie good Christian flie from anie trust in himselfe and flie onelie to the sure anchor of Gods mercie Againe here wée maie learne the great mercie of our God though wee thus abuse his good graces and pollute those most pure giftes wee haue receiued from him yet hee reiectes vs not nor our workes but mercifully receiues vs. Againe here that opinion of the Papists doeth fall downe which denie that a iust man in euerie good worke doeth sinne what is this filth and slime that the grace of God gets in this filthy sinke of ours but sinne Secondlie wee maie learne out of Stella that poperie pleaseth not God For God sayeth hee hath giuen vs vnderstanding will and memory to know loue and remember him and his benefits And they which employ not these to this end haue receiued them in vaine But the Popish religion hath taught the contrarie and haue nourished men in ignorance as all the worlde can witnesse and can that religion then please God Augustine also of the merites of all Christians whereunto they ought to trust Aug. manu cap. 22. writes thus In all mine aduersities I find no remedy so forcible as the wounds of Christ in them I sleepe soundly and rest without feare Christ died for vs. There is nothing so deadly and bitter which Christs death cannot heale All my hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merit and my refuge and my saluation my life and my resurrection My merite is the pity and tender mercy of the Lord I am not void of merites as long as that Lord of mercies remaines And if so be the mercies of the Lord be many then are my merites many And how far mightier he is to saue so lesse fearefull and more secure am I. Thus far Augustine The merites of Christ were the merites that Austen trusted in and in these onelie also must euerie true Christian and Catholique trust Lib. 1. de deuot cap. 28. Granatensis of mans duetie writes thus If men would diligently marke how much that is that is due to God and how small it is that mans hart can affoord he shall manifestly perceiue that no diuision there is to be made where so much is due and so little can be requited The bedde is narrow saith Esay so that one must needes fall out Esay 28.20 Verse 37. and the couering be short it cannot couer both This thing may be plainly seen in the heart of man being so narrow that it cannot both containe God and the world And after Againe if thou shalt consider the obiect which thou makest so great haste vnto to be infinit thou shalt hereby alwaies iudge thy selfe to be beggerly though thou be adorned with many graces bestowed vpon thee And if thou shalt thinke that thou hast gone as farre as a man can goe yet thinke it is but a sippe that thy mind hath tasted There are no works of supererogation then Of the great mercie of God also hee writes thus Besides all these things the great mercy of God in this place offers it selfe to our consideration Vit. Christ◠Med. 9. which most clearely shines in the glory of these Infants What greater goodnesse or liberality can be then that God should accept that death not onely for a sacrifice but for a martyrdome which will did not vndertake but necessity forced where there was no vow but violence where there was no merit but misfortune where there was not the hart although the body of a martyr where there was not the desire of him that died but the cruelty of him that murthered to conclude where there was the tyraunts sword and not so much as the martyrs word But Gods grace supplied all that wanted which changed this extreame misery into a crowne and this chance into a merit For the wickednes of the tyrant is not of more force then the goodnesse of God And if Herods cruelty could punish where there was no fault it is no great matter if God could giue a crowne where there was no merit Marke this all ye that despaire cast your minds hither which are faint harted and scrupulous in conscience which euer thinke that you shall be condemned how much more haue you God mercifull to you thinke you then they which beleeued not How greatly doth he loue men how desirous is he of your saluation how ready to giue his glory For that he may giue you it he seekes all meanes possible neither desireth he any thing else A certaine Philosopher said once He that is liberall seekes all occasions of doing good to others that he may practise his liberality The which if it be true what will he do which beyond all his other vertues is commēded of his liberality mercy He is not such a one who delights in the works of the body onely but also of the spirit or mind by whose power they are doone for it is the will which works them Therfore this our God who so greatly longs for our profit saluation was content with that he found in these Infants and he came to supply with his grace that which they wanted in their merits adding according to his exceeding great goodnesse to that ignoraunt and tender age that which it had not This mercie of God must all Christians most assuredlie beeleue and looke for at Gods hands Saint Ambrose also writes thus verie excellentlie of Abraham the father of all the faithfull De Abrah patriar lib. 2. ca. 8 How little he respected the reward in doing of his most excellent works to teach all his children to follow his steppes when as he had ventured his life for the recouery of his brother Lot and would not receiue so much as a shooe latchet of the king of Sodome for his labour Ambrose saieth that Moyses added after this victorie this spéech of God vnto him Feare not Abraham I wil protect thee and thou shalt haue a great reward I demand sayeth Ambrose why after the hazard of the warre nowe is mention made of promising the wages No saieth Ambrose he had doone a lesse woonderfull thing a matter of lesse importance if being moued by the promise of God he had set vpon the enemy For then he had gone as wee saie dead sure to the victory rather drawne then willing to such a great glory or ready
of our Christians at this daie Naie in the Acts he pronounceth the same sentence Act. 10 34. that God is no respecter of persons that in euerie Nation he is accepted vnto him which feareth him and worketh righteousnesse And when as the Holie ghost fell vpon them hee commaunded them to be baptized and haue not all Christians at this daie likewise the holie Ghost doeth not Saint Paul saie that they which haue not the Spirite of God Roman 8.9 are none of his If all christians then haue the Holie ghost then must they néedes haue faith which is the first and principall fruite thereof and such a faith as is required to the obtaining of the remission of their sins Maie not wée saie of our christians as Saint Paul speakes of the christians in the Primitiue Church 2. Corin. 3.3 1. Corin. 1.7 You are the Epistle of Christ sayth he to the Corinthians made by our ministerie written not with Inke but with the Spirit of the liuing God And in his first Epistle he giues thanks to God that they wanted no gift Therefore they had no doubt such a faith as is required to the forgiuenesse of sinnes by Saint Pauls owne Testimonie yea although that their faith had some imperfectiōs in it of dissention of diuers errors both concerning the Sacrament and also the resurrection of the dead Why maie we not therefore beléeue and pronounce of all christians in these our daies which are not notorious Atheists or cut off from the church as saint Paul did of the christians generallie in his daies Thus wée maie see howe saint Pauls doctrine and master Bellarmines differs the one tendeth to consolation and edification the other plainly to the destruction of the faith and to desperation Ferus writes That most iustly the holy Ghost is called the comforter not only for this cause In. cap. 14. Ioh. that it comforted the Apostles the Children of the Bride of the death and absence of their father by the word of the Scripture saying that it behooued Christ thus to haue suffered but also for this cause that as an earnest peny and pledge it assureth the faithfull that they are the sonnes of God But Bellarmine saieth That the Spirit witnesseth to our spirites that we are the Sonnes of God but this Testimony is by no expresse word that is by Reuelation but by a taste of some inward ioy and peace which ingenders in vs no certainty but coniectural But an earnest giuen to any takes away all coniecture And Ferus speaking of this Testimonie sayeth O this happy knowledge yea most happy vnion so to be knit not only to the Sonne but to the father It makes vs know surely we are Gods Sonnes So this earnest takes awaie all coniecture nay more then this it vnites vs to God But that place of Ecclesiastes is alleadged of some to disprooue this certainty of our saluation the which place if it bee indifferently considered prooues no such thing but rather it condemnes all rash iudgements of Christians Ecclesiast 9.1 Matthew 7.1 according to our Sauiours doctrine Iudge not and yee shall not be iudged The place is this I gaue my selfe sayeth Salomon to consider this whole matter and to declare the same because that iust men and wise men and their seruice are in the hands of God euen the iust men and wise men are in the handes of God if hee held them not vp they should surelie fall euen into the pitte of hell Loue also and hatred no man knowes all things are before their faces for all thinges happen to all men alike There is one euent to the iust and wicked to the good and pure and to the vncleane to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not The plaine meaning of this place is that no man knowes by the externall euentes which happen to himselfe or others whether hee bee beloued of God or hated The same thinges chance verie often alike both to the godlie and to the wicked 2. King 23.29 1. King 22.35 Gen. 13.2 Luk. 16.19 2. Sam. 12.18 1. Kin. 19 14 17 1 King 22 49. Psalm 48.6 Luke 13.4 Act. 28.4 Gen. 22.2 Good Iosias was slaine in the battell as well as wicked Ahab Abraham was rich as well as Diues Dauids child died as well as Ieroboams Iosaphats Shippes were broken as wel as the Shippes of the wicked Let no man pronounce sentence of condemnation against his Brother by reason of these outward euents as did the superstitious Iewes against those vpon whom the Tower of Siloam did fall or as did those prophane Paganes against Paul who iudged him a wicked man because a Viper caught him God deales woonderfullie with his Isaac the hope of the world is commanded to be sacrificed Iesus the light of the Gentiles Luk. 2.32.23.33 and the glory of Israel is crucified who will then iudge or condemne by anie externall accident This sense the verie coherence of the verse that followeth inforceth for thus it followeth in the Text. This is an euill that is done amongst all vnder the sunne that there is one chance or euent to all and that the harts of the sons of men are full of euill and madnesse is in their harts whilest they liue And because in all mens heartes this sinne and madnesse remaines so that no man can saie hee hath no sinne therefore these like euents and chances outwardlie happen to all alike Again it is to be noted that Salomon here saith The man knoweth not that is the carnall man and he that is not regenerate in whose person he hath spoken manie things before as that Who knoweth whether the spirit of man ascēd vpward the spirit of a beast descend downward Eccles 3.21 to the earth It is euident that Salomon speaketh not that of himselfe who affirmes in the 12. Chapter that the spirit of man returnes to God Cap. 12. ver 7. that gaue it him so that the carnall man knowes not then whether hee bee worthy of loue or hatred It is Gods Spirite that bringes this certaintie that workes this effect that witnesseth this without which our spirits should doubt naie euen despaire euen the spirites of the most couragious and valiant So our Sauiour told Peter of the profession of his faith that flesh and bloud had not reuealed that vnto him Matth. 16.17 but his heauenly father by the working of his holie spirite So wee reade in the Gospell Mark 13.32 that our Sauiour himselfe knowes not the day of iudgement as hee is man so man in that respect hee is man knowes not his loue nor his hate Rom 8.15.16 but the holy spirit beares witnesse to our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God and therefore beloued of God and vpon this assurance of loue makes vs call boldlie vpon God and crie Abba father And Salomon himselfe after seemes to make this distinction of man The end of all the Word saieth hee
with the holy Ghost And this is that which Christ promised once If two of you shall agree vpon earth whatsoeuer thing they shall aske it shall be done vnto them Ferus would haue common praiers made with the common consent of the whole Church or else saith he they are of no force Contrarie to the common practise of the Roman Church amongst vs in times past Againe he writes thus of the euill life of the Church which offends manie Ferus in cap. Act. 23. Although it be a great imperfection and defect where the life is not approued and vertuous yet there is lesse danger if the faith be right and sound then if the life were good and the faith euill For without faith it is impossible to please God and he that comes to God must beleeue Therefore it is of more force if the faith be pure and good then if thy works were good Thus farre Ferus He preferres that Church which hath a right faith although in some respect she faile in good workes before that Church which hath good works and an euill faith And of the Church Ferus in Act 21. and of the sacrifices thereof he writes thus Paul taught that Gods house was the Church and that now the true sacrifice was to bee offered in euerie place So Theodoret expounds it in cap 1. Malach. alleageth this place of S Paul and that of our Sauiour Ioh 4.23 1. Tim. 2.8 the which thing also Malachie prophesied Ferus séemes to expound the sacrifice which Malachie speaks of to be Christian prayer as Saint Paul doth also who saith I will that men pray in all places lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubtfulnesse S. Paul here without all doubt alludes to Malachie Here is pure hands and that pure sacrifice void of wrath and doubtfulnesse Here is in all places And expounds that place of Malachie of Prayer and not of the Eucharist as some of the Papists do Iacob Vshanskus Guesnensis Archiep. Heb. 13.15 Ose 14 3. And for all Iewish sacrifices for that sacrifice Mincha which was drawn to the altar now Saint Paul puts downe in another place the fruit of our lips which sentence he takes out of Osee who cals prayers and giuing of thanks the calues of our lips And of religion maintained by warres he writes thus He that maintaines his cause by seditions and tumults of the people Ferus in Act. 21. discouers and bewrayes himselfe that he hath not a iust cause A good cause needs not vproares or mans authority who hath God the fauourer and protector of it And doth not the Pope vse these meanes to further his cause In this he declares he is not of God But in this waightie matter to let all mens testimonies passe which are light vpon the ballance as Dauid termes them Psal 62.9 yea lighter then vanitie it selfe and to returne to that vndoubted fountaine of all truth the word of God with which I began That is an euident and infallible marke of Gods Church which the Angell taught Saint Iohn Reu. 19.10 Who when as he would haue worshipped him said See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren which haue the testimonie Iesus Worship God Here is an euident marke of Gods Church she worships only God and not Angels And secondly here is a reason why we should not worship Angels we debase our selues in worshipping them they are our fellow seruants And who in common sense will worship his equals By worshipping Angels we forget that great dignitie whereunto Iesus Christ hath aduanced vs. We are now Iesus Christs we are his members 1. Cor. 3.23 1. Cor. 6.15 Therfore as he doth not no more should we worship Angels A second mark of Gods Church here also we may learne She hath the testimonie of Iesus And what is that that is the spirit of prophesie as the Angell after expounds it that is the Spirit of God wherby all Gods children are able in some measure to vnderstand and expound the scriptures For as all Gods children haue Gods Spirit so it is no doubt a fire in them and therefore it will burne through Christian charitie it will lighten their knowledge and disperse the mysts of darknesse This fire hath Antichrist quenched by taking the wood and matter of it awaie I meane the Scriptures from the common people And to this that of Saint Paul hath relation no doubt 1. Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit But here they thinke that because they worship Saints and Angels therefore they shall be blamelesse But that shall not excuse them Reu. 14 7. because they are plainly taught and commanded to worship him onely that made heauen and earth And by these words God onely is signified and all other creatures are excluded And this Epithite is commonly attributed to God in the Scriptures Psal 124.8.134.3 Our help standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth Here is as it were a distinction put betwéene the workes and the workman all the works iointly must worship their maker they must not begin one to magnifie or worship another Nay the more to conuince them in this their errour all the Saints and angels haue refused this seruice Act. 10.26 Act. 14.15 Peter to Cornelius Paul to the men of Lystra saying We are men like to your selues why do you honour vs And the angell twise in the Reuelation wheras S. Iohn did not forget himselfe and would haue yéelded to the angell the honour due to God but euen this ciuill outward honor which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the angell twise refused alleaging my former reason Reu. 19.10 22.9 that he was one of our fellow seruants and fellow seruants must not worship one another but only their master Teaching vs to be very warie in worshipping yea euen angels least our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grow into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as amongst the Papists it hath done These two are easily in words distinguished but not so easily in déed To bowe the knée is but a ciuill honor but yet to bow the knee to Baal Rom. 11.4 God accounts part of his honor And S. Paul writes thus most manifestly of the worshipping of angels Let none ouer-rule you Col. 2.18 or spoile you of your prize which by the worshipping of God you obtaine by humblenesse of mind and worshipping of Angels aduancing himselfe into those things hee neuer saw rashly puft vp with his fleshly mind As though hée should saie No man knowes the estate of angels whether they heare our prayers at all times and can helpe vs at their pleasures or not and who will then pray vnto them nay this shall make vs lose our prize We all in this life as Saint Paul teacheth runne as it were in a race 1. Cor. 9.24 now he that runneth in a race must haue his eyes still fixt on the goale
caried very earnestly by the broad way to the pleasures of the flesh riches of this world being accustomed to obey no body being desirous of reueÌ„ge ambitious c. These stumbling blockes as much as in him lyeth euerie good Christian must endeuour to take out of the waie We must not onlie commend praise vertue with our mouthes but also embrace the meanes by the which we maie attaine the same which are contempt of the world heartie earnest prayer fasting such like That holinesse of life which flourished amongst all sorts of men in the Primitiue Church appeares not in our daies because we vse not those means of fasting and prayer which they vsed If we would vse the like tillage to the grounds of our hearts which they then vsed without all doubt we should haue the same fruits of righteousnesse Can euen the best land bring forth good corne without tillage Sow to your selues in righteousnes saith the Prophet and reap after the measure of mercie Break vp your fallow ground Hos 10.12 Fasting no doubt is this spirituall ploughing and braking vp of our fallow ground mercie is that spirituall sowing which the Prophet here speaks of They which will haue the land of their hearts beare good corne plentifullie and be fruitfull in all good workes let them vse these meanes let them vse this husbandrie Manie amongst vs at this daie are like the Iewes which relie onlie on the word of God and search out therein manie high points Rom. 2.17 those things which differ are most excellent but those works of charity to their neighbors of contempt of the world of mercie to the poore of watching in prayer of fasting which so manifestlie almost euerie where it commends to vs commands they practise not And is this to professe Gods word This is plainlie to doe as the Iewes did to brag of it and not to follow it The which if we do Rom. 2.23 it shall no more profite vs then it did theÌ„ For they were as S. Paul there saith catechized instructed in the law euen as well as we are and knew the will of God And here I would to God all Christians would marke what Basill writeth concerning another Christian exercise which is watching in prayer which point also I haue handled before out of the Scriptures But as concerning that matter that we are accused of Basil epist 63. that is for the singing of Psalmes by which thing they chiefly terrifie the simpler sort which slaunder vs yet this I haue to answer that the customes which now are vsed are correspondent and agreeable to all the Churches of God The people rising in the night go to the house of prayer making a confession to God in labours and vexation of mind and continuall teares at length rising from prayer they are appointed to sing Psalmes and being deuided into two parts they sing one part answering another after that they strengtheÌ„ theÌ„selues with exercising meditation of the word of God they prepare to their hearts thereby attention and hauing reiected all vaine cares soundnes constantnesse Then one of them hath this office committed to him to begin the Psalme al the rest sing after him and so they passe ouer the night with varietie of singing of Psalmes prayers being entermingled at the breake of the day they altogether as being one man with one mouth with one hart offer to God a psalme of confession and they professe repentance euerie man with his own words If you flie froÌ„ vs for these things you must also fly froÌ„ Egypt you must also fly from both Libyas from the Thebans Palestines Arabians Phoenicians Syrians they that dwell by Euphrates that I may say all in one word all those with whoÌ„ watchings prayers coÌ„mon singing of Psalmes are of great account Here is plainlie set downe the forme of common prayers vsed in the Primitiue Church They rose to praier before daie they made a general confession as we do all together of their sinnes but with teares which we leaue out They read the Scriptures with them strengthened their faith They sang Psalmes all together sometimes and other somtimes prayed Thus they spent their nights and this was the common practise of all the Churches in those daies but now we cannot abide either to wéepe or to watch in prayer Let vs follow their holie footsteps which agree with the Scriptures as before hath béene declared They which beare the names of Christians are not true Christians indéed are like to counterfeit coin which although it haue as it were the Princes image stamp vpoÌ„ it yet is none of his but is forged of some rebel or enemie so these although they haue the outward stamp of the sacraments are not pure gold within but drosse They are not gold but copper Gold is a soft thing pliable and comfortable restoratiue as Phisitians saie but copper is stiffe hard hurtfull to man These lacke the true gold of faith Their faith worketh not by charitie they are not mercifull Gal. 5.6 2. Tim. 3.3 they are not comfortable to their brethren Their beleefe is a counterfeit beléefe it is of copper they are not louing kind they deale hardlie with their brethren They speak Gnathok as it is in the Hebrew Psal 93 4 which signifies anie thing that is old old things are commonly stiffe stubborne that is stubbornly roughly to their brethren Luke 16.24 they coÌ„fort them not they kill their hearts And though such Hypocrits can saie to Abraham with that same rich man father AbrahaÌ„ to our Sauior Christ with many Christians at the day of iudgment Lord Lord open vnto vs we haue eaten at thy table Luke 13.26 we haue receiued thy Sacraments we haue heard thee preach not seldome but often euen euerie Sabboth plentifully euen in our streetes Yet the Lord at his comming for all these externall religious works of inuocation of his name alone and receiuing his sacraments and of hearing him preach shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall punish to the example of all others such counterfeit Christians which haue wrought iniquitie and he shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matt. 25.32 Luk. 12.46 cut them in the middle because they haue but halfe serued him their part shal be with hypocrits For that seruant which knew his masters will prepared not himself not did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew it not yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For vnto whomsoeuer much is giuen of him shall bee much required and to whom men much commit the more of him will they aske O terrible sentence The hypocriticall Christian is in worse case then the infidell and Pagan For he not knowing Gods will and yet sinning shall be punished but with a few stripes but the other which knew his masters will and yet offended shall be punished with many stripes And wo be to him that shall be punished with manie stripes at Gods hand who is not able 〈◊〉 â—ndure one There is a parable in thâ—â—â—spel of a father and two sons and he came and said to the elder Son go worke to day in my vineyard And he answered and said I will not Matt. 21.28 yet afterward he repented himselfe and went Then came he to the second said likewise And he answered and said I wil Sir or as it is in the Gréek I Lord I will worke in thy vineyard He made a great shew of willingnesse but he went not What thinke ye saith our Sauiour Euen in mans reason the former is preferred and this yonger with his great shewes is condemned This parable was theÌ„ verified among the Iewes of the bragging and learned Pharisies and repenting and ignorant sinners and I pray God it be not verified likewise in our daies of some vaine protestants puft vp with knowledge and of some ignorant and repenting Papists That same parable also of the virgins was neuer more trulie verified then now Matt. 25.11 it is to be feared manie that be virgins and hate the spirituall fornication of the whoore of Babylon haue lampes of faith Reuel 17.5 yet for want of the oyle of mercie and light of good works shall be excluded though they knocke and praie saying Matt. 5.16 Lord Lord open vnto vs. Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauior that men may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen This lesson is generall to all Christs disciples Our workes should be séene Manie Christians worldly stately works at this daie are séene but their good works are not séene Reuel 14.13 Blessed are they that die in the Lord saith the Spirit they rest froÌ„ their labors their works follow theÌ„ Many do such works now as cannot follow them but remaine behind them But such works shall not profite them Phil. 2.15 That yee saith Saint Paul to the Philippians may be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughtie and crooked generation amongst whoÌ„ ye shine as lights in the world Such should all Christians bee They should be blamelesse But now one shall hardly heare anie one spoken of but that he shall bee blamed for some thing They should be lights giuing good examples in the midst of a crooked generation but now almost all men giue euill example to their brethren Eph. 4. Luke 15.8 Exod. 19.5 Rom. 4 11 24 Matth. 25.1 Phil. 2.15 Luke 12.37 2. Tim. 1.17 The Lord Iesus giue all Christians grace to walke worthy of their callings of that most honourable name wherewith they are called that they may be the Lords trâ—â—ne his iewels that they may be Abrahams sons and wise â—ins that they may be blamelesse and as shining torches in the â—dst of this wicked world and froward generation That Iesus Christ at his comming may acknowledge them for his obedient and watchfull seruants for his glorious names sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost one God immortall inuisible and only wise be al praise honor and glory power and saluation both now and for euer Amen FINIS