mouth of Christ. Let mee conclude with that sigh from his soule Could ye not watch with me one houre It will not bee long ere the glasse be runne the houre out Iudas is at hand iudgement is not farre off then may you sleepe and take your rest This day is neerer you now then when you first entred the Church Twice haue the blasted eares eat vp the full corne twice haue the leane kine deuoured the fatte Pharaohs dreame is doubled for the certainty and expedition Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry If wee shall haue comfort in this day when it is come wee must long for it before it doe come What comfort shall the Vsurer haue hee desires not this day for then the Angell sweares there shall bee no more time and his profession is to sell time He sels it deare very costly to anothers purse but most costly to his owne soule Such as bribe for Offices farme Monopolies contract an vsurious rent for life doe they desire it Woe vnto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darkenesse and not light The soule groaning vnder sinne desires it Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death The suffering soule may desire it Come Lord Iesus The faithfull Spouse wedded to Christ desires this comming of her Husband she is now espoused that is the plenary consummation of the marriage Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue honour to him for the marriage of the Lambe is come and the Bride hath made her selfe ready Blessed are they that bee called to this marriage supper To the vngodly it will be a fearefull day Ignis vbique ferox ruptis regnabit habenis there shall follow an vniuersall dissolution Downewards goe Satan his angels and reprobates howling and shriking gnashing of teeth the effect of a most impatient fury to be bound hand and foote with euerlasting chaines of darkenesse Where fire shall torture yet giue no light wormes gnaw the heart yet neuer gnaw in sunder the strings eternall paines punire non finire corpora Small sorrowes grow great with continuance but O misery of miseries to haue torments vniuersall and withall eternall not to be endured yet not to be ended Vpwards goes Christ the blessed Angels and Saints singing with melodie as neuer mortall eare heard The onely song which that Quire sung audible to man was that which the Shepheards heard Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men Yet Christ was then comming to suffer what may we thinke are those Halleluiahs euerlastingly chanted in the Courts of Heauen we know not yet we may know one speciall note which an vniuersall Quire of all nations kinred and tongues Angels Elders All shall sing Blessing and glory and wisedome and thankesgiuing and honour and power and might bee vnto our God for euer and euer Amen To the spirits of iust men made perfect The Citizens of heâ—…uen are of two sorts by Creation or Adoption Created and naturall Citizens are the Angels Adopted are Men. Of these be two kindes some Assumed and others Assigned The Assigned such as are decreed in their times to be Citizens said before to bee written in heauen The Assumed such as are already possessed of it here Spirits of iust men made perfect But how then is the Apostles meaning cleared How are the militant on earth said to be come vnto these iust spirits in heauen Yes wee haue a Communion with them participating in Spe what they possesse in Re. Now we are no more strangers and forreiners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of GOD. Onely our apprentiship of the flesh is not yet out but they haue their freedome But as wee haue all an vnion with Christ so a Communion vvith Christians the combatant on earth with the triumphant in heauen Spirits this word hath diuerse acceptions It is taken 1. Pro animo for the Mind Luke 10. 21. Iesus reioyced in spirit 1. Chron. 5. 26. God stirred vp the spirit of the King of Assyria 2. Pro sede rationis et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 2. 11. What man knowes the things of man saue the spirit of man which is within him 3. Pro Affectuvel Afflatu for the motion of the mind whether good or bad Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what maner spirit ye are of So there is called the spirit of lust the spirit of pride c. 4. Pro donis spiritus sancti for the gifts of Gods Spirit Act. 8. 15. Peter and Iohn prayed for the disciples at Samaria that they might receiue the holy Spirit meaning the graces of the holy Spirit Gala. 3. 2. Receiued yee the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith 5. Pro efficacia Euangelij for the effectuall working of the Gospel and so it is opposed to the letter 2. Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth but the Spirit giueth life 6. Pro spiritualibus exercitijs for spirituall exercises Gala. 6. 8. He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape euerlasting life Iohn 4. 23. True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit truth 7. Pro regenerata parte for the regenerate part of a Christian and so it is opposed to the flesh Gala. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh 8. Lastly Pro anima immortalâ—… for the immortall soule Eccl. 12. 7. Dust shall returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to God who gaue it This spirit did Steuen commend into the hands of Christ. Act. 7. 59. And Christ into the hands of his Father Math. 27. 50. yielding vp the spirit Thus it is taken here Spirits he doth not say bodies they lie in the dust vnder the hope of a better resurrection Spirits Wee find here what becomes of good mens soules when they forsake their bodies they are in the heauenly Citie There are many idle opinions what becomes of mans soule in death Some haue thought that the soules then though they die not yet are still kept within the body as it were asleepe vntill the last day But the Scripture speakes expresly the contrary for Diues his soule was in hell and Lazarus his soule in Abrahams bosome I saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the Word of God Some haue imagined a transmigration of soules forsakeÌ„ of their owne bodies into other bodies Herod seemes to be of this opinion when newes was brought him concerning the fame of Iesus he said to his seruants This is Iohn the Baptist he is risen from the dead He thought that the soule of Iohn was put into the body of Iesus It is alleaged that Nebuchadnezzar liuing and feeding with beasts vntill seuen times were passed ouer him had lost his owne soule and the soule
errors I beleeue saued for others Nescio quid dicere I know not what to say They haue damnable heresies as that of Free will of Merites c. yet the persons that of weakenesse defend them may be saued God pardons euen wilfull errors if they be truly repented Therefore I belieue that many of our forefathers went to Heauen though through blindnesse Now indeede they are more inexcusable because our sound is gone out among them There are Seducentes and Seducti the wilfull blind lead the wofull blind vntill both fall into the ditch If they will not see there is no helpe no hope If simple ignorance mislead there is hope of return but if affected it is most wretched Our office is to helpe them with our prayers and let vs pray for them as Paul for his Ephesians That the eyes of our vnderstanding beeing enlightened they may know what is the hope of Gods calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints Many of them haue ready hearts but they want eyes wee haue open eyes God grant vs ready hearts The first borne which are written in heauen This is a description of the persons of whom the Church consists The Church it selfe is a number of men which God hath set apart by an eternall decree and in time sanctified to become reall members of it They are written in heauen there 's their eternall election and they are the first borne that is 〈◊〉 borne there 's their Sanctification For the two parts of the description Their Primogeniture and Registring in Gods booke are but borrowed speeches whereby God would ratifie the euerlasting Predestination and saluation of his Church That as the First borne is not to bee defeated of his inheritance and the Enrolled names are neuer to be obliterated so certainly shall they inherite eternall life The first borne Some vnderstand by the first borne not all the Elect but onely the Patriarchs and such ancient Saints the noble primitiue parts of the Church Caluin Then this should haue beene referred onely to the Church triumphant in heauen but the Catholike Church is here expresly meant which coÌ„prehends also the Saints vpon earth therefore they also are first borne Besides they are said to be written in heauen which had beene a superfluous speech of those who are already in heauen they that are there need no writing Unusquisque Electâ—…est Pimogenitus But this seemes to infringe the Primogeniture of Christ to whom that Name is by speciall title and right giuen Primogenitus inter multos fratres saith Paul he is the First begotten among many brethren Primogenitus vniuersae creaturae the first borne of euery creature Primogenitus mortuorum the first borne from the dead He is the first borne as he is the Sonne of God and as hee is man As he is the Sonne of God in respect of time before all things the beginning of all in respect of dignity because hee is the foundation of all good to his Church Of his fulnesse haue we all receiued and grace for grace As he is man he is the first borne not in respect of time but of excellency and vertue In respect of his miraculous conception the first that euer was conceiued without sinne and by the ouershadowing of the holy Ghost In respect of his birth he was the first borue of Mary Shee brought forth her first borne Sonne and called his name Iesus In respect of his resurrection when GOD raised him out of the graue he is said to beget his Sonne Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee And lest the interpretation of birth onely should be deduced from that place Saint Paul expressely applies it to his resurrection Acts 13. 33. God raised vp Iesus againe as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Lastly in respect of his preeminence hee is the first borne from the dead that in all things he might haue the preeminence So the priuiledge of primogeniture is singularly and indiuidually his How then are the faithfull heere called the first borne To answer this we must know that God hath sonnes by nature and by grace Christ by nature onely all the elect by grace Christ is a Sonne begotten not made we are sonnes made not begotten in respect of nature Christ as God is begotten not borne as man he is borne not begotten We see the priuiledge of Christs primogeniture from his let vs looke to ours for from him wee haue it The elect are called First-borne in three respects 1. Because they are vnited to the first borne For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Hee that is made vnus cum primogenito may be well called primogenitus one with the first borne is a first borne 2. Because they are culled and called out of the world Many wicked are created before them but they are elected in Gods decree to life before the other for the wicked are not chosen at all Esau was Isaaks first borne but Iacob was Gods first borne Many of the worlds first-borne haue beene reiected Israel laid his right hand vpon Ephraim the younger and his left vpon Manasseh the elder Reuben thou art my first borne but thou shalt not be excellent Cain Adams first borne Ismael Abrahams first borne were cast off Thus saith the Lord Israel is my sonne euen my first borne The Lord had first chosen that nation to be his people yet afterward reiected them and accepted the Gentiles so that the elder serue the younger But Gods first borne are neuer refused whom hee hath predestinated to be sonnes hee hath also called to bee heyres So that this primogeniture is not in respect of generation but of regeneration Though they be not primò conditi they are primò reconditi Flesh and bloud hath no worke in this birth nor the will of man but the will of God Of his owne will begate he vs with the word of trueth that wee should be a kinde of first fruits of his creatures The Spirit begets of immortall seed grace in the wombe of the Church the meanes of this Birth being the Word Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God Out of that vniuersall apostacie God sent his Sonne to beget some first borne to himselfe 3. Because the priuiledges of the first borne are theirs These were many as we may find in allusion to the Law 1. The excellency of strength Reuben my first borne my might and the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignitie and the excellencie of power Man decayes and the children of age are not so strong as the children of youth therefore the first borne are called the beginning of power and the excellency of strength True it is that there 's no
his soule to Satan Though hee comes to Church and sits out a Sermon let him knowe that his mind is then bound to his obligations and he creepes into the Temple for the same end the Serpent crope into Paradise Wretched men that are bound to his mercy for like a coÌ„mon hackney Iade he will not beare them one houre past his day But let him know God is not mocked If there be any Oppressor that comes to Church in the shape of Knight or Gentleman thinks to couer all his exactions of his poore Tenants all his vvringings of his neighbours vvith going three or foure miles to a Sermon let him know that God is not mocked He preferres Mercy before Sacrifice and would not haue thy profession countenance thy euill deeds but thy good deeds coÌ„mend thy profession Baldwin an Archbishop of Canterbury bosted ofteÌ„ that he neuer eate flesh in his life To whom a poore leane widow replied that he said false for he had eaten vp her flesh He demaunds how Shee replies by taking away her Cow Neuer pretend your earnest zeale fasting or praying or trauelling to Sermons when you deuoure widdowes houses enclose Commons and so eate vp the very flesh of the poore If there be any that allowes sometimes the Church his body when the Pope alwaies hath his heart who though he be in Domo Dei in Gods house is Pro Domo Antichristi is for Antichrists kitchin Or that keepes a Lady at home that will not come two furlongs to Church whereas our Lady trauelld as farre as Ierusalem Luke 2. Who must needs be a Papist because her Grannam vvas so and growes sicke if you but talke of the Communion And all this to saue his Lands on earth though he lose his Land in Paradise Let him know God is not mocked If there be any here that hath giuen no Religion yet a full perswaded place in his heart but because he sees diuerse shadowes resolues on no substance And is like the Batte that hath both wings and teeth and so is neither a bird nor a beast His mind being like a puffe of wind betweene two religions as that betweene two dores euer whistling Protestants he sayes belieue well Puritans say well and Papists doe well but till they all agree in one he will be none of them all To quite him in his owne fantasie let him then take from the one good faith from the other good words and from the last good works and he may be made a very good Christian. But vvhy then comes he to Church By the meer command of the positiue Lavv as hee comes to the Assises vvhen he is vvarned of a Iurie But let him not be deceiued God is not mocked If there be any luxurious that serues God in the Temple his flesh in the Chamber Any couetous that as if his soule was diuisible striues to serue two masters though he doth it diuersly God with his arte the world with his heart If any blasphemer that here sings Psalmes and abroad howles oathes and curses If any man among you seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine If any seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheÌ„ they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruers of the Lord vvhen they are obseruers of the time Let them know to their horror Non deluditur Deus God is not mocked Gold cannot hide a rotten post from GODS eye If men will be Humiles sine despectu and Pauperes fine defectu he sees it Hypocrisie is like a burning feuer which drinkes feruent heate out of cold drinke The Hypocrite is nothing else but a player on this worlds stage the villaines part is his and all his care is to play it handsomely and cleanly He maliceth any man that would take his part from him not vnlike to him that being requested to lend his clothes to represent a part in a Comedie answered no he would haue no body play the foole in his clothes but himselfe Hee thinkes to coozen all the world with the opinion of his purity but there is one aboue sees him God is not mocked I haue ended the Caution let vs come to the Reason For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape wherein obserue The Manner Matter In the Manner there is a twofold generality of the Thing Person There is a Whatsoeuer and a Whosoeuer for the vvhole speech is indefinite The Person is indefinite A Man any man Euery man This is the first Generality For Country be he Iew or Gentile Turke or Christian. For degree high or low Prince or subiect the greatest Lord and the basest Groome For estate be they rich or poore the wealthiest Burger and the wretchedst Begger For Sexe be they male or female For condition be they bond or free What a man any man sowes that c. The Thing is indefinite Whatsoeuer This is the other Generality Be it good or euill blessing or cursing charity or iniury equity or iniquity truth or hypocrisie deceit or honesty Whatsoeuer a man soweth c. Euill is of the flesh and vers 8. Hee that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption And chap. 5. 21. The workes of the flesh are manifest adultery c. they which sow such seed shall not inherit the kingdome of God Good is of the Spirit and he which soweth to the Spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting chap. 5. 22. The fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace c. And To those that walke after this spirit there is no condemnation Whatsoeuer There are no more sorts of men but good and euill nor more sorts of ends then Poena et Praemum Reward and punishment Therefore Whatsoeuer whosoeuer soweth the same shall he also reape You see the manner In the matter we must also consider two things A Seeding Haruest Whatsoeuer a man soweth in his Seed-time that shall he also reape in his haruest They that sowe grace shall reape glory they that sowe corruption must reape confusion To beginne with the wicked he that sowes euill shall reape euill he that soweth malum culpae the euill of sinne shall reape malum poenâ—… the euill of punishment So Eliphaz told Iob that hee had seene Iob 4 8. They that plow iniquity and sow wickednesse reape the same And that eyther in Kinde or Qualitie Proportion or Quantitie In Kind the very same that he did to others shall be done to him or in Proportion a measure answerable to it So he shall reape vvhat he hath sowne in Quality or in Quantity eyther in Portion the same or in proportion the like In Kinde The Prophet cursing Edom and Babel saith thus Psal. 137. O daughter of Babylon happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs. The originall is That recompenseth to thee Thy Deâ—…de which thou didst to vs. So Sion reioyceth ouer Edom Obad. As thou hast done it
liued knowne to all dyes in ignorance of himselfe I cannot leaue this excellent Organ the eye till I haue shewed you two things 1. The danger of spirituall blindnesse 2. The meanes to cure it Spirituall blindnes shall appeare the more perilous if we compare it with naturall The bodies eye may be better spared then the soules As to want the eyes of Angels is farre worse then to want the eyes of beasts The want of corporal sight is often good not euill euil in the sense good in the consequence He may the better intend heauenly things that sees no earthly to drawe him away Many a mans eye hath done him hurt The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men Dauid from the roofe of his Palace saw Bethshabe Per oculorum beneficium intrat cordis veneficium The lightning of lust hath scorched the heart through those windowes Malus oculus malus animus An euill eye makes an euill mind The Apostle speakes of eyes full of adultery it is a feareful thing to haue an eye great with whoredome And there be eyes full of couetousnesse lusting after the grounds and goods of other men as Ahabs eye was full of Nabaoths vineyard But non tutum est conspicere quod non licitum est concupiscere Let not thine eye be enamoured of that which thy heart must not couet You see therefore that sometimes the losse of corporall sight doth the soule good and the eye of faith sees the better because the eye of flesh sees not at all Besides the bodily blind feeles and acknowledgeth his want of sight but the spiritually thinks that none haue clearer eyes then himselfe He that wants corporall eyes blesseth them that see this man derides despiseth them Their blindnesse is therefore more dangerous Qui suam ignorant ignorantiam that know not they are blind as Laodicea Reue. 3. This conuiction Christ gaue to the Iewes If yee were blind yee should not haue sinne but now yee say We see therefore your sinne remaineth The blind in body is commonly led either by his seruant or his wife or his dogge there may be yet some respect in these guides But the blind in soule is led by the world which should be his seruant is his traytor or by the flesh which should be as a wife is his harlot or by the deuill which is a dog indeed a crafty curre not leading but misleading him He that is blind himselfe and led by such blind or rather blinding guides how should he escape the rubs of transgression or the pitte of destruction Now the meanes to cleare this Eye is to get it a knowledge of God of our selues That the eye may be cured this knowledge must be procured Now God must be knowne by his Works Word Spirit 1. By his Works The booke of Nature teacheth the most vnlearned that there is a Deitie This may be called naturall Theologic For his invisible things may be vnderstood by his visible workes Praesentemque refert qualibet herba Deum Not a pile of grasse wee tread on but tells vs there is a GOD. Aske the beasts and they will tell thee the foules of the ayre the fishes in the Sea the earth will declare vnto thee that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this When an Eremite was found fault with that hee wanted bookes hee answered that there could be no vvant of bookes when Heauen and Earth stood before his eyes The heauens declare the glory of GOD and the firmament sheweth his handy worke Day vnto day vttereth speech and night vnto night sheweth knowledge There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard All these creatures speake GOD in whom is the act of all powers from whom the power of all acts whether thou haue a carnall affection filled with vanitie or a curious head filled with varietie or a Christian heart filled with veritie despise not the paedagogie and manuduction of the World leading thee to know God 2. But this booke reads onely to vs that aske An sit Deus est that there is a God If wee aske further Quis sit Who this God is or how to be worshipped it cannot expound it It brings vs onely like that Athenian Altar Adignotum Deum To the vnknowne God Wee must turne ouer a new leafe search another booke to take out this lesson Search the Scriptures for they giue this testimony So Zachary Tenne men out of all languages of the Nations shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew saying We will goe with you for we haue heard that GOD is with you In the former the booke is the VVorld the schoole Natures light the scholer man quatenus homo as he is man But here the Booke is the Scripture the Schoole the light of grace and the scholer Christian man as he is a Christian. There was the eye of Reason exercised here of faith There was taught GOD in his creatures here God in his Christ. 3. But this Scripturall knowledge common to the wicked is not sufficient there must be a spiritual knowledge vvhereby though he sâ—…es not more then is in the Word yet he sees more then they that see onely the letter of the Word The annointing which you haue receiued teacheth you all things Call wee then earnestly vpon the Spirit of Illumination for this knowledge For it is not obtained per rationem sed per orationem not by reason but by prayers For this cause I how my knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length depth and height to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge Now we must learne to see our selues and this selfecontemplation must be made by a Naturall glasse by a Morall glasse by a Spirituall glasse 1. Naturally by looking into the constitution composition of our owne persons as Paul distinguisheth vs into Body Soule Spirit For thy Body it was not onely fashioned beneath on the earth but of the earth Our first Parents were made of the earth of the earth vvas their meate of their meat their bloud of their bloud their seed of the seed our bodies Corrupta et corrumpentia corpora bodies corrupt of themselues and corrupting the soules For thy Soule it is a reall spirituall inuisible and indiuisible substance diffused by God into thy body Who by placing this soule in thy flesh hath set thee in the mid-way betwixt the bodilesse Spirits aboue and the mindlesse bodies belowe This soule is preserued by neither element nor aliment but by him onely that made her and to whom she resteth not till she returnes For thy Spirit it is called vinculum and vehiculum a bond and a Chariot It is a bond to vnite a diuine and heauenly soule to an earthly elementary body both these extremes meete friendly by this Tertium a firmamentall Spirit It is
and acceptable to God by addition of our prauity becomes euill Thus the best actions of an vniustified person are so leuened with his owne corruption that God abhorres them Your new Moones and your appointed Feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to beare them when ye make many prayers I will not heare you What is the reason Your hands are full of bloud Euen sacrifices and supplications good seruices in their owne nature are made displeasing by the leuen of sinne He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slue a man he that sacrificeth a Lambe as if hee cut off a dogs neck Sacrifices God commanded and often commended yet victimae impiorum the oblations of the wicked are abominated Non speciosalaus in ore peccatorum Praise becommeth not the mouth of a sinner Euery vnregenerate man Claudicat in rectis halts in the straitest path Omnia naturalia bona polluta omnia supernaturalia amissa His portion of naturall good is defiled but of supernaturall good all share is vanished Peccaui was Dauids voice after his sinfull Arithmeticke the same was Iudas his voice after his damned treason Similis sonus non sinus there was the same sound but not the same heart Esau wept as much after the losse of the blessing as Peter after the denyall of his Master Similes lacrimae non animae like teares but vnlike soules The Pharise went to Church so well as the Publican but the Publican came home rather iustified then the Pharise The Pharises threw bounteously into the Treasury the poore widow two Mites yet Christ commends the poorer gift for the richer charity That worke which seemes the same In identitate operis yet differs much Ratione agentis in respect of the workers Many Heathen excelled vs in morall vertues yet the ignorance of Christ did shut heauen against them Vae tibi Aristoteles laudaris vbi non es damnaris vbi es Woe to thee O Aristotle who art commended where thou art not and condemned where thou art yea euen in a iustified mans workes though pure from the Spirit yet passing through his hands there is some tang of this leuen enough to keepe them from being meritorious Looke then well both to the iustification of thy person and the sanctification of thy workes Thou indeed confessest sinne to be damnable but it would grieue thee to go to hell for thy good deeds Though a man should giue all his goods to the poore yet wanting Faith and Loue he may for his charity go to the deuill Pray then that thy defects may bee supplyed by Christ Who gaue himselfe a sacrifice for vs to God of a sweet smelling sauour perfuming vs with the pleasant odour of his merits 3. By Leuen sowred we make rellishable bread for the vse of man so by the vngodly's most cursed sinnes God will aduance his glory Will Pharaoh harden his heart I will get me honour vpon him saith God That Leuen of malice which so wred the soules of those Brethren against poore Ioseph the Lord made vse of to his glory From that vngracious practice hee raised a pedegree of blessings Otherwise there had beene no prouision in Aegypt no bread to spare for Israel no wonders wrought by Moses no Manna from heauen no Law from Sinai no possession of Canaan So from the vnnaturallest murther that euer the Sunne beheld yea which the Sunne durst not looke vpon God glorified himselfe in sauing vs. The Oppressor impouerisheth the righteous God sees and suffers and from his villany effectuates their good by taking away those snares to saue their soules The Lord will glorifie himselfe in the vessels of destruction and the grones in hell shall honour his Iustice so well as the songs in heauen honour his mercy How much better is it to glorifie God in faithfulnesse that will preserue thee then in wickednesse which will destroy thee 4. A man cannot Liue by bread only much worse by Leuen No man can liue for euer by his righteousnesse and good works much lesse by his sinnes Sinne is no nourishment to the soule vnles as some Mithridates-like haue so inured their bodies to poison that Venenum nutrit euen venime doth batten them so others their soules to sinne that they cannot keepe life without it And indeed we say of some things that they nourish sicknesse and feed death Omne simile nutrit simile inward corruption is fed maintained by outward action Couetice in Iudas is nourished by filching his masters money Murder in Ioab is hartned and hardned with bloud Theft is fatted with booties pride with gay rags vsury battens by extortion Sacriledge by Church-robbing Pascitur Libido conuiuijs nutritur delicijs vino accenditur ebrietate flammatur Banketting is the diet of lust Wantonnesse her Nurse Wine kindles a heate in her bloud and Drunkennesse is the powder that sets her on fire Thus sinne feeds vpon this leuen but with the same successe that Israel vpon quailes they fatted their carkasses but made them leane soules Though this leuen passe the swallow yet stickes in the stomach sinne may be deuoured but lies heauy on the conscience Bread of deceit is sweet to a man but his mouth shall be filled with grauell It may be sweet in his mouth but it is the gall of Aspes in his bowels Putrid meate is apt to breed and feed wormes so this Leuen the worme of conscience when they once come to feele it worke then ready to cry This is my death vnlesse God giue them a good vomite of repentance to put it off their soules and the sober dyet of sanctification to amend and rectifie their liues 5. Lastly Sinne and leuen are fitly compared for their sowrenesse There is a Leuen sharpe and sowre but sanatiue The Kingdome of heauen is like vnto leuen But this leuen here is farre sowrer yet hath nothing but death in it It is sowre to God sowre to Angels sowre to Saints sowre to the sinner Sinne is sowrer then any Leuen 1. Sowre to God who hates nothing but sinne He made man and man made sinne Hee loues his owne creature but he hates mans creature Sinne is sowrer to him then the deuill For Non odit peccatum Diaboli cansa sed Diabolum peccati causa He hates not sinne for the deuils sake but the deuill for sinnes sake It is so sowre to him that for one sinne hâ—…e plagued a world of men how will he plague one man for a world of sinne So sowre that he could rellish no man for it till hee had killed it in the sides of Iesus Christ. We are all so sowre that but for this sweetning and perfume we could neuer haue beene endured The Scripture for our vnderstanding ascribes senses to God and we finde euery sense displeased with sinne 1. It is offensiue to his smelling He tels the Iewes that their sinnes did stinke in his nosthrils So did the old World offend him that he washed
was a Priest For it was imposed on the Priest first to offer for his owne sinnes and then the sinnes of the people which had beene needlesse if the Priest had not beene guiltie of sinne and liable to condemnation The iustification of Dauid seemes to rise higher Psal. 17. Thou hast tryed me and shalt find nothing What! hath God tryed him the searcher of the hearts that sees into all the inward cabbins and hidden concaues of the soule and shall he find nothing not great impieties not lesse infirmities nothing This phrase seemes generall yet is not totally exclusiue nothing against Saul no trecherie or iniustice against the Lords annointed So it is by Euthymius and must bee restrictiuely considered Otherwise Dauid had many sinnes originall I was conceiued in sinne actuall and publicke in slaying not a Philistine but an Israelite an Israelite his subiect his honest and worthy subiect and that by the sword of the vncircumcised and yet more by a wile sending for him home and making him drunke And to ripen this blister he adulterizeth with his wife he hath had many wiues robbes his poore neighbour of his singular comfort onely wife These were apparant vniustifiable impieties which makes him fall to a Psalme of mercy Haue mercy vpon me O Lord haue mercy vpon me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee These were knowne to the world no doubt diuers others were knowne to his owne heart and yet more which neither the world nor his owne heart knew who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Yet in the matter of Saule thou canst find nothing As Bishop Latimer once said in his Sermon before King Edw. 6. For sedition me thinkes for ought I know if I may so speake I should not need Christ. Dauid was no traitour but Dauid was an adulterer He was in many personall faults an offender but as a subiect he was a good subiect as a King an excellent Prince No lesse is the praise of Iob a perfect and vpright man none like him in the earth Which yet is not to be taken for a positiue but comparatiue commendation There was none like him in that part of the earth and he was perfect in regard of those vitious times Heare himselfe speake How shall a man be iust with God and ver 28. I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent Let then the Pelagian drinke neuer so deepe in this iustifying cup of their owne righteousnes and let the Papist as deeply pledge him yet perfection is reserued for another world when we shall meete to a perfect man Here we may haue it partially there gradually here so much as belongs Ad viam to our way Phil. 3. Let vs as many as are perfect be thus minded there onely that is proper Ad patriam to our countrey ver 12. not as though we were already perfect but following after c. Let vs 1. be humble in acknowledging our owne wants and sinnes who cannot to God contending with vs answere one of a thousand Nec millessimae nec minimae parti sayth Bern. 2. Labour to perfection in forgetting those things which are behind and reading forth vnto those things which are before 3. Comfort our endeuouring hearts with this sweete encouragement we shall one day meete to a perfect man To the measure of the stature The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before translated Age is now better by our New and according to Beza Stature If any will here ground that in heauen we shall liue in that measure of Christs age and stature wherein he dyed I subscribe not but am silent It is not safe wading without a bottome Onely thus much there shall be nothing wanting to make our glory perfect and whether you conceaue the 33 yeare of a mans age to be the beauty and compleat perfection I dispute not This implies a spirituall stature whereunto euery Saint must grow Whence inferre 1. That we must grow vp so fast as we can in this life ioyning to faith vertue to vertue knowledge c. We must encrease our talents enlarge our graces shoote vp in talenesse grow vp to this stature For Gods familie admits no dwarfes stunted profession was neuer found If the sappe of grace be in a plant it will shoote out in boughes of good wordes and fruit of good workes alwayes expected the winter of an afflicted conscience If a table and consumption take our graces they had neuer good lungs the true breath of Gods Spirit in them 2. God will so ripen our Christian endeuours that though we come short on earth we shall haue a full measure in heauen We haue a great measure of comfort here but withall a large proportion of distresse there we shall haue a full measure heapen and shaken and thrust together and yet running ouer without the least bitternesse to distast it This is a high and a happie measure Regard not what measure of outward things thou hast so thou get this measure Trouble not thy selfe with many things this one is sufficient the better part the greater measure neuer to be lost or lessned Open both thine eyes of Reason and Faith and see first the litle helpe that lyes in great worldly riches As the partrich sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the 〈◊〉 of his dayes and at his end shall be a fâ—…e A bird that steales young ones from other birds and tenderly nourisheth them is mocked for her motherly kindnes when they are fligge Euen now shee had many running after her by and by they giue her the slip are all gone pleasures delights riches are hatched and brooded by the wicked as their owne But when God at whose command they are calls them away they take them to their heeles like fugitiues they are gone and no officer can bring them backe The rich man may shut vp his wealth for a season but as a bird in a cage if it spye a hole open it is gone and flyes farre enough beyond recouerie towring like an Eagle euen vp toward heauen were thy measure neuer so ample as full as his Barnes Luke 12. yet but a night a peece of a night all is gone The first borne of death shall deuoure his strength sayth Bildad and it shall bring him to the King of terrors what helpe is in weaknes neuer talke of helping thee with fine floure and the best grapes the richest excrements of wormes silken garments thou wilt one day say this is no succour No that is succour which will help thee in anguish of thy soule and distresse of thy consience calme the troubles of thy spirit and heale the wounds of thy broken heart when the horrour of death and terrours of sinne sharpened with a keene edge of Gods Iustice shall beseege thee now let the thing be praysed
propitiate for sinne that were themselues guilty of sinne and by nature lyable to condemnation Wretched Idolaters that thrust this honour on them against their wils how would they abhorre such sacrilegious glory Not the riches of this world We were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold Were the riches of the old world brought together to the riches of the new world were all the minerall veines of the earth emptied of their purest mettals this pay would not be currant with God It will cost more to redeeme soules They that trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches Yet cannot by any meanes redeeme their brother nor Giue to God a ransome for him The seruant cannot redeeme the Lord. God made a man master of these things hee is then more precious then his slaues Not the bloud of Bulls or Goates Hebr. 9. Alas those legal sacrifices were but dumbe shewes of this tragedie the meere figures of this oblation mystically presenting to their faith that Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world This Lambe was prefigured in the sacrifices of the law now presented in the sacraments of the Gospell slaine indeed from the begining of the world Who had power Prodesse to profit vs before hee had Esse a being himselfe None of these would serue Whom Gaue he then Seipsum Himselfe who was both God and man that so participating of both natures our mortalitie and Gods Immortalitie he might be a perfect Mediator Apparuit igitur inter mortales peccatores immortalem iustum mortalis cum hominibus iustus cum Deo He came betweene mortall men and immortall God mortall with men and iust with God As man he suffered as God hee satisfied as God and man he saued He gaue himselfe Se Totum Himselfe Wholy Solum Onely 1. All himselfe his whole Person soule and body Godhead and manhood Though the deitie could not suffer yet in regard of the personall vnion of these two naturs in one Christ his very passion is attributed in some sort to the Godhead So Act. 20. It is called the bloud of God And 1. Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of glory is said to be crucified The Schooles distinction here makes al plaine He gaue Totum Christum though not Totum Christi All Christ though not All of Christ. Home non valuit Deus non voluit As God alone he wold not as man alone he could not make this satisfaction for vs. The Deitie is impassible yet was it impossible without this Deitie for the great worke of our saluation to be wrought If any aske how the manhoode could suffer without violence to the God-head being vnited in one Person let him vnderstand it by a familiar comparison The Sunne-beames shine on a tree the axe cuts downe this tree yet can it not hurt the beames of the Sunne So the God-head still remaines vnharmed though the axe of death did for a while fell downe the man-hood Corpus passum est dolore gladio Anima dolore non gladio Diuinitas nec dolore nec gladio His bodie suffered both sorrow and the sword his soule sorrow not the sword his Deitie neither sorrow nor the sword Deitas in dolente non in dolore The God-head was in the Person pained yet not in the paine 2. Himselfe onely and that without a Partner Comforter 1. Without a Partner that might share either his glory or our thankes of both which he is iustly iealous Christi passio adiutore non eguit The sufferings of our Sauiour need no helpe Vpon good cause therefore we abhorre that doctrine of the Papists that our offences are expiated by the passions of the Saints No not the blessed Virgin hath performed any part of our iustificatiō payed any farthing of our debts So sings the Quire of Rome Sancta virgo Dorothea tua nos virtute bea cor in nobis novum crea Wherin there is pretty rime petty reason but great blasphemie as if the Virgin Dorothy were able to create a new heart within vs. No but the bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne His bloud and his onely O blessed Sauiour euery drop of thy bloud is able to redeeme a beleeuing world What then need we the helpe of men How is Christ a perfect Sauiour if any act of our redemption be left to the performance of Saint or Angell No our soules must die if the bloud of Iesus cannot saue them And whatsoeuer wittie errour may dispute for the merits of Saints the distressed conscience cries Christ and none but Christ. They may sitte at Tables and discourse enter the Schooles and argue get vp into the Pulpits and preach that the workes of good men is the Churches treasure giuen by indulgence and can giue indulgence and that they will doe the soule good But lie we vppon our death-beds panting for breath driuen to the push tost with tumultuous waues of afflictions anguished with sorrow of spirit then we sing another song Christ Christ alone Iesus and onely Iesus Mercie mercie pardon comfort for our Sauiours sake Neither is there saluation in any other for there is none other Name vnder heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued 2. Without a Comforter he was so farre from hauing a sharer in his Passion that he had none in compassion that at least might any wayes ease his sorrowes It is but a poore comfort of calamitie Pittie yet euen that was wanting Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by Is it so sore a sorrow to Christ and is it nothing to you a matter not worth your regard your pittie Man naturally desires and expects if he cannot be deliuered eased yet to be pittied Haue pittie vpon me haue pittie vpon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me Christ might make that request of Iob but hee had it not there was none to comfort him none to pittie him It is yet a little mixture of refreshing if others be touched with a sense of our miserie that in their hearts they wish vs well and would giue vs ease if they could but Christ hath in his sorest pangs not so much as a Comforter The Martyrs haue fought valiantly vnder the banner of Christ because hee was with them to comfort them But when himselfe suffers no reliefe is permitted The most grieuous torments find some mitigation in the supply of friends and comforters Christ after his monomachie or single combate with the deuill in the desart had Angels to attend him In his agonie in the garden an Angell was sent to cofort him But when he came to the maine act of our redemption not an Angell must be seene None of those glorious spirits may looke through the windowes of heauen to giue him any ease And if they would haue relieued him they could not Who can lift vp where the Lord wil cast downe What Chirurgion can
that this mourning for Gods absence is an euident demonstration of his presence 2. Of Reprehension to others that say they are sure of the purchase before they euer gaue earnest of the bargaine Presumption is to be auoided so well as despaire For as none more complaine that they want this assurance then they that haue it so none more boast of it then they that haue it not The fond hypocrite takes his owne presumption for this assurance he liues after the flesh yet brags of the Spirit This false opinion ariseth partly from his owne conceite partly from Satans deceite 1. From his owne Conceit he dreames of the Spirit and takes it granted that it euer rests within him but when his soule awakes he finds there no such manner of guest the holy Spirit neuer lodged there There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes yet are not washed from their filthinesse These pure people so vaunt theâ—… assurance of saluation that they will scarce change places in heauen with St. Peter or St. Paul without boote The infallible marke of distinction which the Apostle sets on the Sonnes of God is this they are led by the Spirit Rom. 8. So many as are led by the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 sonnes of God The holy Ghost is their God and their guideâ—… and this Spirit 〈◊〉 them into all truth and guides them into the land of righteousnes But these men will Spiritum dâ—…ere lead the Spirit They are not ductible they will not be led by the Spirit into truth and pence but they will lead the Spirit as it were ouer-rule the holy Ghost to patronize their humours Let them be adulterers vsurers bribe-corrupted sacrilegious c. yet they are still men of the Spirit But of what Spirit Nesâ—…tis we may say to them as Christ to hit two hote disciples ye know not of what Spirit you are It is enough they thinke to haue oculos in coelo though they haue manus in fundo animos in profundâ—… It is held sufficient to haue eyes fixed on heauen though couetous hands busie on earth and crafty minds deepe as hell This ouer-venturous conceite that heauen is theirs how base and debauched liues so euer they liue is not assurance but presumption 2. This ariseth from Satans Deceite who cryes like Corah Ye take too much vpon you seeing all the congregation is â—…ily euery one of them You are holy enough you are sure of heauen what would you more You may sit downe and play your worke is done Hereupon they sing peace and Requiems to their soules and begin to wrappe vp their affections in worldly ioyes But Tranquilitas ista tempestas est this calme is the most grieuous storme This is carnall securitie not heauenly assurance As the Iewes went into captiuitie with Templum Domini the Temple of the Lord c. in their lips so many go to hell with the water of Baptisme on their faces and the assurance of saluation in their mouthes 3. Of Instruction teaching vs to keepe the euen-way of comfort eschewing both the rocke of presumption on the right hand and the gulfe of desperation on the left Let vs neither be Tumidi nor Timidi neyther ouer bold nor ouer-fainting But endeuour by faith to assure our selues of Iesus Christ and by repentance to assure our selues of faith and by an amended life to assure our selues of repentance For they must here liue to Gods glory that would hereafter liue in Gods glory 3. In the next place obserue the meanes how we may come by this assurance This is discouered in the text Dic animae Say vnto my Soule Who must speake God To whom must he speake to the Soule So that in this assurance God and the Soule must meet This St. Paul demonstrates The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contestari to beare witnesse together Neither our spirit alone nor Gods spirit alone makes this Certificate but both concurring Not our spirit alone can giue this assurance for mans heart is alwayes euill often deceitfull At all times euill Euery imagination of the thoughts of his heart is onely euill continually At some times deceitfull The heart is deceitfull aboue all things and desperately wicked Who can know it Non noui animam meam sayth Iob. I know not my owne soule though I were perfect And Paul concerning his Apostleship I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby iustified And if Dauids soule could haue made a sufficient testimony alone what needed he pray Dic animae say Thou to my soule Some haue a true zeale of a false Religion and some a false zeale of a true Religion Paul before his conuersion had a true zeale of a false Religion I was exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers The Laodiceans had a false or rather no zeale of a true Religion I know thy works that thou art neither hote nor cold So that when about this certificate a man deales with his heart singly his heart will deale with him doubly No nor doth Gods spirit alone giue this Testimony least a vaine illusion should be taken for this holy perswasion But both Gods spirit and our spirit meeting together are Concordes and Contestes ioynt witnesses Indeed the principall worke comes from Gods spirit he is the primary cause of this assurance Now he certifies vs by word by deed and by seale By word terming vs in the Scripture Gods children and putting into our mouthes that filiall voyce whereby wee cry Abba Father By deed the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace long-suffering c. By these is our Election made sure sayth Saint Peter By Seale Grieue not the holy spirit of God by whom you are sealed to the day of redemption Now our spirit witnesseth with him from the sanctitie of our life faith and reformation He that beleeueth on the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe 4. Lastly this is the sweetest comfort that can come to a man in this life euen an heauen vpon earth to be ascertained of his saluation There are many mysteries in the world which curious wits with perplexfull studies striue to apprehend But without this he that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow Vnum necessarium this one thing is onely necessary whatsoeuer I leaue vnknowne let me know this that I am the Lords Qui Christum discit satis est si caetera nescit He may without danger be ignorant of other things that truely knows Iesus Christ. There is no potion of miserie so embittered with gall but this can sweeten it with a cofortable rellish When enemies assault vs get vs vnder triumph ouer vs imagining that saluation it selfe cannot saue vs what is our comfort Noui in quem credidi I know whom I haue beleeued I am sure the Lord will not forsake me Deficit