Countrey they are Christened by a new name called Ignatiani in Spaine Theatin◠in Italy Iesuini Campania Scosiotti in Ferrara Presbyteri in St. Luciae in Bononia reformati Sacerdotis in Mutina with many more And as in their names so in their natures ambiguous for being asked what a Iesuite is they answere Every Man they have two Soules in one body as is confessed in their Catechisme besides all these and their severall projects in themselves and their darke Disciples what tortuous Leviathans are they in their amphibolous amphibious enigmaticall ennuciations and mungerill propositions like so many Colour-changing Camelions as doubtfull as Proteus or Vertumnus Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo In what strong Chaine can any tie this Changelings face to know him by Wee may well say of their Labyrinth-like windings and crooked Heterogenials as Ierome sometime spake of the darke abstruse riddles of Iovinian No man can reade these Letters except the Prophetesse Sybill or as Martiall in the like case None but some learned Apollo can vnfold these Mysteries these Maeanders or as Plautus in the like case Has equidem pol credo nisi Sybilla legerit interpretari alium possi neminem which hollow equivocating hath translated vpon them the ancient infamie of the Spartanes called by Andromache Kings of Lyers and that which Apuleius layes vpon the Scicilians triple-tongued these be the Gibeonites the Iebusites the Iesuites onely in Hypocrisie bearing the name of IESVS though often shadowed under the winges and shrowded as poysonous Vipers in the bosome of Kings have shewed themselves to bee the onely underminers of States and Kingdomes advancing themselves by perverting the Truth against the God of truth who will smite them for whited Walls and painted Sepulchers but leaving them to themselves let us which are the children of Light love the Truth and when all Lyers and dissemblers shall have their portion with the Father of lyes the Truth which maketh not ashamed shall translate us and carry us upon his unconquered wings from these dirty and dusty Cottages of clay into everlasting habitations to the innumerable company of holy Angels and hie Saints for ever Now followes the object of Gods unutterable Mercy and uncontroleable Truth Toward vs which though David seeme to speake in the person of the Iewish Church and Nation the Patriarkes and Fathers of that time who had already and did continually taste of his favours though not so fully as we doe they having in promise wee in full performance that great mystery God manifested in the Flesh the matriculation and incarnation of our blessed Saviour IESVS CHRSIT yet no doubt hee had an eye vnto all succeeding Generations both of Iew and Gentile which were Gods elect and chosen and in time to bee brought into his Chambers Cant. 1. 4. To be made partakers of his Mercy and Truth as when hee stood arraigned hee stood not in his owne place but in ours making his personall appearance on our behalfe so in his resurrection the whole Church arose in him Ephes 2. 6. hee hath raised us up together and made us fit together in the heavenly places in CHRIST IESVS where we plainely see the Mercies and promises of God especially this concerning the promised seede called The truth of the Father were performed to the fathers before and after the flood in the worke of redemption and salvation and now confirmed in the same title unto us who live after the incarnating of that immortall word from which we gather this truth There is but one way of Salvation and Happinesse to the Fathers and also to us and that by the same IESVS CHRIST For confirmation of this we see the unchangeable purpose of almighty God in gathering his Church Hebr. 13. 8. IESVS CHRIST yesterday to day and the same forever Rom. 15. 8. Now I say that IESVS CHRIST was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers c. Rev. 13 8. The Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world which though manifested in the latter times and afternoone of the world like a Roe or young Hart comming skipping over the Mountaines of Bether Cant. 2 vlt. yet all the holy Men and women from Adam inclusively were saved by his blood many of which as Noah Isaac Ioseph c. were tipes and shadowes of him the Ceremonies and Leviticall sacrifices tending to little other purpose but to nourish them in hope of the Messiah the slaughter and death of which beasts was to acquaint them with the mysterie of redemption which stood as under a vaile shadowed in the auncient complement of the Law Iohn 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and rejoyced Luke 1. 47. that hee might shew mercy towards our Fathers Acts 26. 6. the Apostle Pauls religion was concerning the hope of the promise made unto the Fathers Cephas the Pillar of truth Acts 15. 10. joyneth the Fathers faith with ours wee beleeve even as they so to them that lived before his Incarnation hee was crucified in the sacrifices and to us hee was likewise crucified in the word and Sacraments Galath 3. 1. CHRIST IESVS evidently set forth and crucified among you not in Roods Masses and Crucifixes but in his Holy and Sacred Ordinances To confirme and teach us in the first place that no length of time is able to disanull abrogate or make voyde the counsels of the Ancient of dayes or extenuate and make lesse the worth efficiacie and powerfull enargie of CHRISTS sacrifice the same which was Preached to Adam in Paradise Gen. 3. 15. promised to Abraham and David and the Church of the Iewes foretold by all the Prophers concerning CHRIST belōgs to us by faith they looked upon CHRIST as up to the Serpent in the wildernesse Iohn the 3. 14 as he was to bee crucified by faith wee looke upon him as he is crucified like the two Cherubins at the two ends of the Mercie-seate having their faces one toward another and both upon the Arke Exod. 25. 18. So the age primitive which is past and all our after-gatherings of all-measuring Time looke either on either and both upon CHRIST there is no other way nor hath or can be Salvation in any other Acts 4. 12. Secondly it serves to comfort every true beleever though never so base dejected rejected dispised and dispited though he lye among the pots Psal 68. 13. or behind the Ewes with young Psal 78. 72. though hee be Lord and Master of few or none of these outward things as Lazarus Luke 16 yet is he by CHRIST called to the same Salvation admitted into the same fellowship made partaker of the same Heaven with those auncient worthies Mat 8 11. sitting downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of happinesse The contrary whereof viz. a deprivation and losse of that Heavenly Vision called by the Schoolemen
was full of anguish refusing comfort ready to enter the Port of blacke dispaire verse 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will hee be favourable no more hath he forgotten to be gracious c. yet hee checks himselfe Verse 9. This is mine infirmity and weaknesse So must weâ— in the middest of our fiery tryals when the old Serpent layes the strongest siege at the Castle of our faith seeking by the roaring Cannons and murdering Bassaliscoes of diffidence and distrust to weaken our hope in the truth of Gods promises And to shake our faith the anchor of our Soule onely able to stay it in the swelling surges and boysterous waves of all temptations and crosses Heb 6. 19. But let thy faith which is the ground of things hoped for the subsisting of things which are not seene Heb. 11. 1. grounded upon the truth of God which purposed framed confirmed and inacted thy happinesse in the starrie coast of Heaven before the foundation of the world counter-guard thy heart against all the deepnesse strength power and pollicy of Sathan build thy selfe upon the rocke Mat. 7. 24. Which is CHRIST 1 Cor. 3. 11. and Wee are stones built upon him 1 Pet. 2. 5. say of this truth as Gamaliel in such a case Acts 5. 39. This is of God it cannot be destroyed or frustrated be not faithlesse but beleeving sinke not with Cephas in the pit of diffidency Mat. 14 31. but let his truth be thy supporter in all thine adversities let thine helpe stand not upon the sandy foundation of thine owne weakenesse but in the name of the Lord Psal 121. 2. Rowse up thâ— selfe with the cripple at the beautifull gate of the Temple Act 3. 8. for He that trusts in the Lord is as Mount Sion which cannot be remooved Ps 125. 1. Secondly out of the stedfastnesse of this truth learne further that in it are considerable 2 things Hos 2. 23. First on Gods part Thou art my people Secondly on our part Thou art my God hee promiseth confirmeth and performeth happinesse wee holinesse hee glory wee duty hee heaven wee obedience hee to be a father wee to become children hee is tyed to us by oath and we are bound to him in the strayte irrepealable condition of vowe if we want not in obedience he cannot in performance and if wee expect his performance let us looke unto our owne part which is obedience which if wee should doe with the reflecting optique and perspicill of true judgement and consider the crookednesse of our pathes he backwardnesse of our obsequence and the perverse carriage of our lives wee may with our tongues say with Saul to Samuell 1. Sam. 15. 13. Blessed bee thou of the Lord I have fulfilled the Commandement of the Lord but it might justly bee retorted against vs and sheathed in the inmost closset of our consciences in Samuels reply What meaneth then the bleating of the Sheepe in mine eare and the lowing of oxen which I heare Thus might it be replyed to our pretended holinesse and obedience what meane those troupes of Blasphemers Atheists Drunkards Lyers c. which like the frogs of Egypt cover the whole land and yet presumptuouslie daring claime the promises of God and scarce bearing the outward face of Christians yet are impudently bold with the gaine-saying Iewes to cleere themselves and say Mal. 3. 8. Wherein have wee trespassed When in the meane time our consciences testifie that wee have wearyed the Almighty pressed and oppressed him as a Cart with sheaves Amos 2. 13. with our enormous transgressions and rebellions committed with an high hand Num. 15. 13. seated in the chayre of the scornefull Masked with brasen-faced impudencie that we blush not Ier. 8. 12 with a blockish benummednesse a calumne and brawny dulnesse of heart that we cannot enter into the chambers of our heart in the consideration of our wayes not once crying in the remorse of soule Alas what have I donne Ier. 8. 6 the very tryall of our countenances testifying against us Esay 3 9. that wee can lay no sure tiâ—l to the Covenant and promise of Mercy because wee â—ilfully treâ—â— under foote the vowe of obedience but even that God in the rigour of his justice 1 Sam. 3. 11. should make our two eares to tingle and our bellies to tremble Hab. 3. 16. and not to be mercifull to such an one Deut. 29. 19. that addeth drunkennesse to thirst blood to touch blood Hos 4. 3. heaping one sinne upon another as one wave of the Sea followeth in the necke of another where is now the correspondence of this obedience when thou hast delt thus falsely in Gods covenant Psal 44. 67. When thine eares and thine heart are uncircumcised thy necke not used to the yoake thy rebellions growne so sinewie and strong that they cannot bowe and the promises of mercy for all this being made the Argument of thy security like the Sycamoore the more wet it receives the dryer it is so thou the more mercy the lesse obedience what part of Gods truth canst thou clayme but that of his justice even to be brayed and brayned with the foole in the morter of his wrath though thou be in no dammage like other men but flo wrish like a greene bay tree as David and that thy breasts be full of milke and the collops of prosperity appeare in thy flancke as Iob and though thou lye upon beds of Ivorie and stretch thy selfe upon thy couches eating Lambes out of the flocke and the calves out of the middest of the stall chaunting to the sound of the viall and inventing to thy selfe instruments of Musicke like David as Amos sayth Chap 6. 4. Yet it shall not goe well with the wicked hee that sowes iniquiâ—y must reape affliction Prov. 11. and he that soweth righteousnesse shall reape a sure reward it is thy goodnesse not greatnesse thy obsequious obedience onely holds plea in this case though thou post thy wickednesse upon the wings of the silent night and hide thy sinnes in the secret cavernes and subteraneous cloysters and valts of the earth yet the Lord will search Ierusalem with a lantherne The eyes of the Lord are upon thee Hab. 2. 20. and his eye lids consider thy wayes Psal 11. 4. though he now winke and seeme to sleepe considering with his eye lids the crookednesse of thy wayes taking leisure and respite ere hee bring them to light yet he goes with thee all this while as hee did with the old world 120 yeares and a long time with Sodome and Gomorrha as a publike notary marking thy courses till thou run thy selfe to perdition then opening his eyes which seemed shut seazing upon thee with this dierfull redargution Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done I held my tongue thou thoughtest wickedly that I was even such a one as thy selfe but I will reproove thee and set before thee the things which thou hast done all the time of Gods patience wicked man
sparing in some and too lavish and prodigail in others Obiect But it may be objected Valentinian the godly Emperor would be Baptised by none but Ambrose Answ The reason is apparant not to be respect of persons which caused him to travaile for Baptisme to Ambrose but because the Bishops of that time were generally possessed with Arianisme and scarce one so sound as Ambrose was the cause why he repaired thither But where Idolatry is banished Heresy demolished the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments established and sincerely delivered and administred Christ himselfe being the head and President over his Church giving gifts unto all that he sends though to some more to some lesse yet to all sufficient for their Calling Ephes 4. 11 We must not we ought not if we will escape the brand and marke of câ—rnall men have mens persons in admiration in setting one so farre before another to make them more than Christ himselfe ever made them which is to be instruments for the gathering of his Church It was his owne admonition Mat. 23. 8. Be ye not called Râ—â—bi for one is your Master which is Christ and he must be heard if he come in stammering Moses as well as in eloquent Paul or courtly Esay in the weakest and poorest of them Mat. 3. 17. and Math. 17. 5. This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Neither must we idolatrously magnifie the creature to shrinke in and pinche and pinne up too streight the large glory of the Creator The wise man Wisd 14. 15. laying downe the ground-worke of all Idolatry and spirituall fornication saith thus A Father afflicted with untimely mourning when he had made an Image of his child soone taken away now honoured him as a God which was then a dead man and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and Sacrifices Thus we see out of the heat of a too ardent and earnest love transported in a preposterous current that is soone taken from the Creator and given to the creature and where that true-loving affection of man is placed there is way made for Idolatry if not rightly and strongly guided by the Spirit of Grace and thus we may offend even in things that are most deare most neare unto us in our wives children selfe love c. as 1 Sam. 2. 29. Eli honoured his children more than God Ambition in the disobedience of our first Parents in a selfe love to themselves is made the way to that fearefull Apostacy hence covetous men are called Idolaters Eph. 5. 5. Col. 3. 5. Mammon is the Idoll and the worldling the Priest that sacrificeth to their imprisoned god as the Gyants Aloydae did to their captived Mars And upon this he bestowes a double worship an inward for hee loves desires delights and trusts in his wealth and an outward for he spends most of his time upon his Idoll in gathering carefully keeping watchfully encreasing painefully and honouring dutifully his carved and painted God and yet the dust of earthly profits hath put out both his eyes that hee sees not his horrible Idolatry The like wee see Wisd 13. 1. c. The madnesse of man first to ascribe the praise due to the Creator to stockes and stones creatures insensible Secondly to men which are but dust and ashes vers 18. for health he calleth to that which is weake Thirdly to wicked men the worst of reasonable creatures and then even to Devils the enemies of God and man they gave that incommunicable name of God Thus by little and little the Devill brought on the highest pitch of Idolatry making the wayes of men and their Religion as uncertaine as Hanniball's crooked passages upon the Alpes That fooles make a mocke at sinne Pro. 14. 9. and they erre in their hearts not knowing the wayes of God Psal 95. 10. Thus when we will set our hearts upon these sublunary and terrestriall vanities it is iust with God to make our ignorance both our sinne and our punishment that the ignorant Idolater may complaine with the wicked Wisd 5. 6. Therefore have we erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined upon us and the Sunne of righteousnesse rose not upon us we wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction yea we have walked through deserts where there lay no way but for the way of the Lord we have not knowne it Neither must we with these bezling Bacchanalians of Belshazzar swallowing his last draught in the sacred bolles which his father had sacrilegiously taken from the Temple drinke wine and praise the Gods of gold Silver Iron brasse wood Dan. 5. 4. neglecting to praise and glorifie the God in whose hand our breath is and whose are all our wayes sacrificing to our cuppes and our cannes our nets and our navigations Thus as though we had made an atonement with death and an agreement with hell Esay 28. 15. Though we be poysoned with the drowsie venome of the Aspe securely snorting in the fooles Paradise and enchaunted castle of this ebrietie swimming in the charmed cupps of Calypso and the dangerous drugges of Circes we are for all this in no more saftety than â— man sleeping in the midst of the Sea or upon the top of the tottering maste of a shippe Pro. 23 34. and though it have the face of beauty yet in the end it bites like a Serpent armed in the taile with the sting of a Cockatrice and though wee misse the heavy doome of Elpenor who in this madnesse was sent to the grave if not to the horrible pit with a broken necke Yet let every intemperate Helluâ— and grape-devouring panther the auncient Hierogly phicke of this vice know that without his speedy amendment his belly is his God and he glories in his shame a fearefull destruction waites his cursed end Phil. 3. 18. For he is a lover of pleasure more than of God 2 Tim. 3. 4. Neither must wee place in this our Hallelu-jah an admiration of any superstition be it as auncient as the Embryons world in its nonage like those Ephesians Acts 19. 28. for their she god Diana erring in the knowledge of the true God which is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and trueth Io. 4 24. or like those famosed Idolaters Ier. 44. 17. Wee will burne incense to the Queene of heaven and powre out drinke offerings vnto her as wee have done and our Fathers our Kings and Princes have done in the Cities of Iudah and in the Streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of all things wee were then well and sawe no evill See wee not this foolish generation to continue praising the superstitious times of heathenderived Popery even wholly sprung out of superstitious Gentilisme as hath bin proved their outward showes and their antique fashions in crossing creeping washing elevating their new-made god c. that we might wonder at them as sometime M. Cato did
lighten the Gentiles Luke 2. 32. being set in the sight of all upon the Candlesticke of the Crosse the Gospell preached in an open field and he borne in a common Inne Luke 2. 7. The desire of all nations shall come Hag. 2. 7. From the rising of the Sunne unto the going downe thereof my name is great among the Gentiles Mal. 1. 11. If yee be Christs yee are Abrahams seede and heires according to the promise For though Abrahams person be but one yet his conditions are diverse as he is a begetting Abraham so the Gentiles are not his children according to the flesh as he is a beleeving Abraham so we are his children according to the faith and according to promise Esay 9. 2. The people which walked in darkenesse have seene a great light they that dwelled in the land of the shadowe of death upon them hath the light shined And thus in a matter so copious I referre you to the fountaine of divine prophecies the rich Cabinet much more worth than the Cabinet of Darius so curiously kept by Alexander the booke of God Thirdly it was manifestly testified in time whose appointed revolution being finished these forlorne forsaken Nations were gathered with as much love and tendernesse as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings fedde as kindly at the breasts of him whose paps are girt about with a golden girdle Rev. 1. 13. as the young ones at the breasts of the more than naturall Pellican And though in the time of Salomon they had no breasts and of Esay they sate in darknesse and of Hosea they made Lo-ammi not my people Lorucha mai not beloved few in number scarce one among a thousand as yet they did not cry unto God Ier. 3. 4. My Father thou art the guide of my youth They were scarce one of a citie two of a family verse 14. the Apostles with a large mandate commission must goe teach all nations Math. 28. 19. then was the wilde Olive engrafted in and made partaker of the fatnesse of the Olive Rom. 11. 17. the branches were plucked off as the signet of ones finger and she grafted in the Iewes decreased and neare in a falling sicknesse and consumption the Gentiles encreased multiplyed and came forth of their darknesse as the twin kling Cressets of heaven at the setting of the Worlds great Luminarie the Sunne like to that Ezech 16. 17 I have caused thee to multiply as the budde of the field and thou hast encreased and waxen great and thou hast gotten excellent ornaments thy breasts are fashioned thine haire growne wheras thou wast naked and bare but a fewe Proselites But after the ascention of our Saviour Christ the very seed and first bud begun to flourish take roote and growe like a Cedar in Lebanon Now consider in this that conversion or calling is twofold First it signifieth repentance of them which have fallen away from the truth of religion to heresie from vertue to sinne c. and afterward returne againe to God Ioel 2. 11. Therfore now saith the Lord turne unto me againe and such was Salomons conversion Secondly it signifies Regeneration when a man is effectually called and converted to the faith which before stood in the way to perdition such Eph. 2. 1. And you hath he quickned which were dead in sinnes and trespasses wherein in time past ye walked Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were sometime foolish disobedient deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envie c. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but ye are sanctified but yee are justifyed c. Such is the conversion of the Gentiles Paul Barnabas being sent by the Church through Phaâ—nicia Samaria theyr Countries to make them Christians Acts 15. 3. The good successe which God gave to theyr planting and waterings may easily appeare when the burning Lampe of the Gospell like a flaming fire went over the whole earth by a divine disposing thereof It light upon Candaces Aehiopian Noble Acts 8. by the Ministery of Philip which was made the first fruites of the beleeving Gentiles making good the Oracle of the Prophet Psal 68. 31. Ethiopia shall soone stretch forth her hands unto God this Noble man being the first Preacher of these glad ydings to the Moores This is also manifest in the woman of Chanaan or a Syrophoenician Math. 15 her discreet humble fervent and constant prayer to Christ which goes away with that great commendation O woman great is thy faith as at the faith of the Centurion Math. 8. 10. I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Where we see Christ never wondering at the faith of any Iewe but of the Gentiles because in old time They were strangers from the covenant of Promise without hope without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. And so this is the Lords doing and it is marvailous in our eyes that we the dogs of the Gentiles should become Gods people to magnifie his mercy in our conversion she is called no more Dog but Woman no more an Infidell but a beleever and now like a Spaniell she will not away from her Masters heeles till she get though not a whole loafe yet crummes from his table Testified also in the Easterne Magi Math. 2. 9. which brought offerings to the new incarnate Sauiour whether they were Astrologers which by art Mathematicall knew the power and motion of the Plannets and nature of the Elements or whether they were Magically learned and professors of those divelish mysticall Arts as Iustin contra Triphon Origen lib. 1. contrâ— Celsum Or they were Kings according to that of David Psal 68. 29. Kings shall bring presents unto thee as of Tharsis and the Iles of Arabia and Saba the Queene whereof presented Salomon Christs type odoriferous perfumes c. 1 King 12. which are foretold of these wise men Or whether they came from Persia as Cyril lib. 2. in Esa 2. 49. Basil Hom. 25. de Nativitate Christi Theophylact which calls them Persian Kings Invencus Poeta which is probable from the scituation of the Kingdome the names of the wise men their manner of adoration their gifts c. or from Chaldaea as Hieron super Esa cap. 19. Chalcidicus in Platonis Timaeo cals them the perfectly wise men of the Chaldes Anselmus in 2. Math. Ioachimus Abbas saith This day hath he speaking of Christ revealed himselfe to the Chaldaeans by the leading of a new star and this also is confirmed by many reasons Or from Arabia Faelix they shall bring gold and incense from Saba Esay 60. 6. which is the Metropolis or mother-city in Arabia the happy Cyprian serâ— de stella Magis Epiphanius Hilar. lib. 4 de Trinit Tacitus lib. 5 hist and these were the first converted of the Gentiles Or from Mesopotamia or Aegypt all with one consentand one voyce make theyr
and counterpane thereof but for our better assurance wee have his oath Gen. 22. 16. I have sworne by my selfe as much as if he had said let me be no more God if these things be not performed thus Isa 45. 23. sometime for this purpose he sweareth by his Soule Ier. 51. 14. Amos 6. 8. by his Name Ier. 44. 26. by his Holines Amos 4. 2. by his right hand Isa 62. 8. so to sweare by himselfe his Name Holinesse c. are all one contrary to Philo the Iewe who would have God to sweare by himselfe and man by his attributes thus God for our assurance deales with us like a debter who for the certainty of payment pawns his Faith Truth Soule and sometime his God and this promise was so Sacred even in the light of Nature that Adesilaus King of the Lacedemonians thanked Tissiphernes for breaking his promised truce because by this breach he had incurred the anger of the Gods if thus inviolable in Man how much more in God who will not falsifie his truth nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Psal 89. 33. and whose truth of promise is so confirmed in his CHRIST Rom. 15. 8. It was the worthy resolution of the Prophets long before the actuall incarnation of CHRIST and the reall performance of that great mysterie 1 Tim. 3. 16. that he would performe his truth to Iacob Mic. 7. 20 that he is the Lord Iehova and changeth not Mal. 3. 6. and that he is faithfull 2 Tim. 2. 13 so that his truth endureth for ever And that we may be the more assured of this turth for our third Reason let us looke a little into the all-sufficiency of his power and launch our selves into the mayne Ocean of his omnipotencie David tels us Psal 115. 3 hee hath done whatsoever pleased him he hath potentiall power by which he is able to doe more then he will As of stones to rayse up children to Abraham Math. 3. 9. to send 12 legions of Angels to rescue our Saviour CHRIST from the Crosse Math. 26. 53. to built a thousand worlds c. But his will is the limmit of his power In his actuall power by which he mightily works in the daily preservation and gubernation of his creatures he works not with wearinesse irkesomenesse or tediousnesse but without all impediment not as Man in the sweate of his face but in the whole Hexameron and worke of Creation he onely spake the Word and they were made successively in order by his word onely he causeth the thunder which is his glorious voyce the Hindes to calve and the whole course of nature to be continued in her severall species without controlment so that whether wee respect his principall promise in sending CHRIST the desire of all nations or his inferiour lesse principall all are surely sealed duely to be performed unto us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever But it may be obiected against the faithfulnes of Gods truth Gen. 12. 7 hee promiseth to give Abraham the land of Canaan but he inherited it not as the protomartyr witnesseth Acts 7. 4. God brought him in but gave him no inheritance in it no not the breadth of one foote Resp Though Abraham did not personally possesse it yet he may be said to inherite it two wayes First mystically as it was not onely a fertile fruitfull and country in Asia as Scicilia to Italie but likewise it did Typically shadowe the Kingdome of Heaven the celestiall Canaan the Church Tryumphant and this did Abraham inherit in his owne person called his owne bosome Luke 16. 23. into which all the faithfull are gathered as into a sure haven out of the raging stormes of the glassie Sea the brickle world Rev. 4. 6. So that God in the performance of his promises though he give not the samething yet hee give something equibalent as to Iosia 2 Kings 22. 10. Though he gaue him not long life the promised portion to obedient children Exo. 20. 12. yet he gave him a more excellent thing taking him from the evill which presentlie upon his death fell heavily vpon his people and giving him a better life in Heaven Secondly he may be said to inherit it though not in his owne person or his immediate seede yet in his posterity 430 yeares after the promise was made as the Apostle proveth Gal. 3. 17. so though not to the same parties yet to their successors the truth of God is surely performed the godly mans patience is expected for Hab. 2. 3. the vision is for an appoynted time though it tarty waite for it which shall surely come and not stay thus Psal 97. 11. Light is sowne for the the righteous not in the harvest but in the seede time thy harvest is but in hope as the husbandman casteth his seede into the ground and is content to stay the time of the reaping so must wee waite for the promises And though yet hee hath not gathered the dispiered of Iacob his ancient people yet the time shall come when the Shulamites shall returne and the spirit of grace shall be powred upon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem Zach. 12. 10. CHRIST himselfe the coyne or corner stone and to joyne together those two great seeds the Iewes and Gentiles as by a corner two wals which otherwise were broken a sunder are joyned and made one and the building perfected Ephes 2 20. and thus of the truth of all his promises revealed to his Church from time to time sealed by the infallible witnesse of the Spirit of truth even to Peters vision Acts 10. 19 are and shall surely be performed so the Doctrine is confirmed against all Atheists that doubt of any of the particulers and say 2 Pet 3. 5. Where is the promise of his comming and against all those by whom the way of truth is blasphmed and evill spoken of let God be true and every Man a lyer Rom. 3. 4. To teach us to make the truth of God in his promises the ground worke of our comfort stedfastly setling our faith and full assurance thereon devote Barnard in the consideration of this truth was even ravished in an holy extasie saying O the wonderfull love of God in our adoption the trueth of his promises and his power in their performance we must beleeve with Abraham beleeving above hope though in mans reason they seemed to be frustrate as those millions of Nations to issue out of halfe sacrificed Isaac and with faithfull Paul who in his dangerous voyage to Rome a great tempest arising neither Sunne nor Starres appearing for many dayes and being hopelesse of all safety Acts 27. 20. saw by the vision of his faith and comforts the Marriners that there should be no losse of any mans life but onely of the Ship and with David Psal 77. 2 â—n the day of my trouble I sought the Lord c. when his Soule
dreames of nothing but peace making God the approoving Parron of his villanies and if hee were not acknowledged Heb. 11. 6. To be a rewarder both of the righteous and of the wicked rendering to the one honour glory and immortall life and to the other indignation wrath tribulation and anguish Rom. 2. 7. hee might justly be reputed as the wicked themselves but it is as possible to change and alter the nature and essence of God as for the obstinate unjust person to escape the instruments of death prepared for him Psal 7. 12. Even the iust shall reioyce when he seeth the vengance Psal 58. in the performance of this truth Consider then what danger it is to weare the livery of disobedience to treade upon the egges of a Cockatrice to hatch their poysonous egges which who so eateth dyeth and that which is crushed breaketh into a viper to weave the Spiders webbe Isa 59. 5. to have any thing to doe with the unfruifull workes of darkenesse but to inherite shame and confusion Be ye then like the kine of Beth-sheemosh drawing the Arke 1 Sam. 6. 12. though their calves lowed to them and they to their calves yet being yoaked to the Arke they could not turne backe so resolve with thy selfe that though thy calves thy brutish affections cry after thee and thy deareling sinnes like so many swarmes of Bees troupes of beloved friends or dearest children as Augustine confesseth of himselfe upon his conversion from a dissolute Manichey incompasse thee on every side for reentertainement yet being tyed to the Aâ—ke by thy covenant of obedience refuse renounce shake them off and cast them away as Ephraim his Idols If thou wilt needs follow thine imaginations which are evill Gen. 6. 5. and suffer thy selfe to lye sottishly chayned in the inchaunted Castle and fooles Paradise of sinne Pitching thy tents in the Bethaven and house of vanity drowned in the Soporiferous Nepenthick dregs of the cyrce and bewitching corruption of thine owne heart silencing the thoughts and vailing the eyes both of sinne and punishment the very visions of thy head will one day make the affraid Dan. 4. 2 an evill conscience will be unto thee as Iobs messenger Ioh 1. 19. a disasterous nuncio to torment thee Prov. 28. 1. cause thee to flye when no man pursueth thee smite thee with astonishment of heart Deu. 28. 28. Lev 26. 17 give thee the oyle of sadnesse in stead of gladnesse cause thee to say of laughter thou art madde when the best of thy comforts is buâ— from the teeth forward with Nero thou may est change thy chamber but not thy chamber fellowe for the eyes which sinne hath shut punishment doth open the whole world of the damned sufficiently testifying as we see in Bal tazar Dan. 5. in the time of Gods silence what a Iolly fellow he was God gave him a Kingdome Majestie and honour all Nations tremble before him he put downe and exalted whom he would securely carrowfing with hi Queenes and his Concubines his Princes and proceres in the sacred bowles of the Temple praysing the Gods of golde and silver but the God in whose hands his breath was he regarded not his counsels and hests he obeved not tell me now when his countenance châ—ngeth and his knees knocke one against another what an unquiet house is here when his Iudge is but writing against him with a little finger thus it is with wicked men in the time of their disobedience and Gods patience as cold congealeth together things of quite contrary natures as wood stones Iron c. till the fire come to dissolve them so the soule of man hath frozen together sinnes of all sorts and because man is Sathanically blinded God hath appoynted the fire of his judgement to dissolve them letting them see what a horrid confusion they have brought upon their owne heads and what a confused Babel and disordered heape of enormities they have piled and compiled together against the day of wrath the just Judge of the world is not like Phillip of Macedon who heard the poore womans cause while he slept and so gave sentence against her but true and just in all his sayings whether they be Menaces or Mercies even the word which I have spoken unto you shall judge you at the last day Iohn 12 48. Eodem constanciae firmitatis elogio ornabitur clementia veritas The mercy and trueth of God are commended in the same title of constancy and stabilitie both grounded upon himselfe if hee be thy Master then where is thy dutifull feare and if thy father then where is thy filiall obedience Mal. 1. 6. If thou expect his promises looke to thine owne vowe squaring thy obedience by the rule of his law which must be thy compasse Cynosure and loadstarre to guide thee to the inherritance which is sealed by his promises in Heaven to be the happy portion guerdon of all obedience respected more than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15 22. Eccles 4. 17. Hos 6. 6. Ier. 7 22. This unmeasurable truth of God teacheth us as dutifull children in this matter to imitate the father of truth in our awfull and lawfull oathes our promises and simple asseverations let truth be the character and image of the inward affection of our hearts and our tongues the true ambassadors of our Soules the mouth and the minde are coupled together in an holy Marriage Math. 12. 34. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and doth a fountaine send forth at one conduit bitter water and sweete water Iam. 3. 11. so when the tongue speaketh that which the heart never thought it is conceived in Adultery and he that bringeth forth such bastards offends not onely the rule of charity but infringes the inviolable bond of chastity makes a dangerous breach in that morall verity which is incomparably more beautifull among Christians than the farre-admired Helena was accompted among the Grecians for she crownes all those that dye her Martyrs The King is strong women is strong wine is strong but the truth is above all it liveth and conquereth for evermore 1 Esd 4. 38. Fidelity in keeping promises is a fruit of the Spirit and called Faith Gal. 5. 22. a property of him that is qualified to dwell in Gods Tabernacle and rest upon his holy Mountaine Psal 15. 4. It is Gods owne precept Ephes 4. 15. Put away lying and speake truth every man to his neighbour it is our armour of proofe able to abide the fiery tryall to make truth our proposition honesty our assumption and conscience our conclusion In this wee are like to God himselfe whose wayes are mercy and truth hee whose soule is fraught with this may safely with undaunted boldnesse launch foorth into the depth of his enemies set saile and direct his course to the haven of Heaven to the father the God of truth Psal 30. To the Son which is truth it selfe Iohn 14.
Pena damni is an aggravation of the misery and materiall poynt of the torments of the damned Luke 13. 28. Yee shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God thou mayest justly heere say with David being the man whom the King will honour 1 Sam. 18. 18. in the acknowledgement of Gods free mercy and truth toward thee Who am I and what is my life or my fathers family in Israel that I should be not onely sonne in law but even lawfull heire to the King of Kings to enjoy the same glory with those famous Patriarks and Worthies what shall then become of all those that neglect so great Salvation who being invited to this heavenly banquet of mortall Ambrosicall junckets do still lie groveling in the myeric and nastie sinkes of Iniquity eating the filthy dust of the earth with the Serpent Gen. 3. 14. selling themselves with Ieroboaâ—â— to doe wickedly soules and bodies with Esau to hell for a messe of Pottage or with Demas for a few of the transitory temporals of the world but if wee expect the same happinesse with the Fathers wee must go the same way and tread in the same steps not expecting to enjoy the poysonous pleasures of sinne and the felicity of Gods chosen with Moses Heb. 11. 25. refusing to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasure of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of CHRIST greater riches then the pleasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward knowing if he had the one he must misse the other thus our Saviour CHRIST endured the Crosse dispised the shame for the joy that was set before him Heb. 12. 2. Thus the Christian Hebrewes in the Primitive Church suffered with ioy the spoyling of their goods the reason is rendered they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10. 37. or as David Psal 106 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen and reioyce with thine inheritance Heere is propounded vnto thee that double pathway of Hercules the one the straight foot-path of Vertue which ascending may seeme hard and difficult Non est a terris mollis ad astra via Faire vertues war hard and vneasie is that leades from Earth to endlesse happinesse The other is broad easie and even which is the inchanted way of sinfull pleasure Facilis discensus Averni The often-troden path of fi lt hy Vice is easie plaine and leades from Paradice Thus tracing the Patriarkes in the footing of holy Duties Religion and Pietie there is layd vp for thee a Crowne of immortality but traversing thy steps in the pleasing wayes of voluptuousnesse thou shalt be sure to finde nothing but horrid paines tumultuous horror fiery chaines scorching darknesse tormenting Divels and a full draught of the scalding Cup of the vnmeasurable wrath of an angry incensed and revenging God who is a consuming Fire Heb. 12. 29. Seeing the Fathers received the Promises assuredly having the mercies of God confirmed and performed vnto them by their Faith Heb. 11. 33. even to their severall deliverances even that from Babels Captivity which long expected inlargement was vnto them as a dreame Psal 126. 1. and preventing his servants beleeving on him as David with blessings abundantly Psal 21. 3. So will hee deale with vs if wee have Faith Ephes 3. 20. For hee is able to doe for vs exceeding abundantly above all that we aske or thinke promising to heare our Prayers even while we aske or speake as hee did with Cornelius Act. 10. 4. or Daniel chap. 9. 23. While they are yet speaking I will heare Isa 65. 24. So by Faith wee must receive the Promises Hence wee see the apparent reason and cause why so many after so long Preaching of the Word receiving the Sacraments and frequenting Gods holy ordinances which he hath made as the instruments to worke and nourish Faith in vs and the Conduit-pipes to convey his Graces unto us doe still receive so little profit remayning obdurate and hardened in prophanenesse Idolatry ignorance c. and are not healed of the sinne-wounds of their Soules nor obedient to the heavenly vocation that the Minister may justly take vp his complaint with the Prophet I have laboured in vaine and spent my strength in vaine Isa 49. 4. When men goe from the word of Exhortation as Caine from Gods owne admonition Gen. 4. 7. Worse then hee came or as Iudas from CHRIST fuller of Sathan than before Ioh. 13. 27. Our hearts are not opened Act. 16. 14. Our eares not boared our eyes not illuminated but like the deafe Adder or like the poore Begger wanting his hands that hee can receive no almes or like an empty vessell cast into the Sea which can receive no liquor because the orifice is shut Even so vnbeliefe frustrates the promises of God wee may aske pray and receive nothing because wee want Faith Iam. 1. 6. the Word is vnprofitable vnto vs For because of the vnbeliefe CHRIST did but few Miracles in Galilee the two Olive branches cannot emptie the Goldenoyle out of themselves through the two golden pipes because they are stopped Zach. 4. 12. And this is that which Sathan once strove to bring our Saviour CHRIST unto to distrust the providence of God Math. 4. 3. causing the stones to be made bread and this is that by which he works upon the weaknesse of man to distrust Gods care over him bringing him by this meanes to the shame of stealing and from this distrust even to the height of Apostacy for this God will destroy us Iudeth 5. Let us then 2 Cor. 7. 1. seeing we have such promises not loose the performance of them through unbeleife taking heede least at any time there be in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe Heb. 3. 12. but learne to say with the man in the Gospell Marke 9 24. I beleeve Lord helpe my vnbeliefe and with the Disciples Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith and if oppressed with deadnesse of heart stirre up our faith with David Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee for he that beleeveth shall not make hast Isa 28. 16. saith maketh not ashamed Isa 26. The iust man shall live by his faith Hab. 2. 4. All things are possible to the beleever he may remoove mountaines he is an omnipotent creature as Barnard sayth Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things by faith thou receivest the pro. mises thine eternall life and happinesse have their dependance thereon Iohn 3. 16. hee that beleeveth in the Sonne hath everlasting life but if yee will not beleeve ye shall not be established Isa 7. 9. Seeing this Mercy and truth of God is confirmed and upon our faith so assured toward us that it cannot be frustrate
as it hath served to comfort us so now it serves to confute and confound that uncomfortable Antichristian principle bred in Popery strongly affirmed confirmed cannonized and ratified by the counsell of Trent prop and pillar of that cursed Idolatrie of the Beast agreed upon by those Italianated Machiavels viz. that A man must doubt of his Salvation so long as he lives as much as if one should say wee must doubt of what God hath promised in his mercy or ratified in his truth confirmed by oath and sealed unto us in the blood of his Son by the witnesse of the Spirit Rom 8. 16. 1 Iohn 5 10. Eph. 4. 30. making them all of none effect what is this but to beleive the father of lyes before the three witnesses in Heaven and the three in earth 1 Iohn 5. 7. What is this but to teach the sinne of Infidelity which above the rest is like the fourth beast Dan. 7. 7. dreadfull terrible excedding strong and had great Iron teeth this even pushed against the truth of God with the hornes of blaspemie What is this but to set a mans conscience upon the racke and to give into the hands of a desperate man swords Pistols halters the engines of his owne destruction and even to cause the hands in this distraction of minde in this deepe poynt of Salvation to imbrue themselves in their owne blood as never being sure of Gods mercy and truth towards him in the pardoning and forgiving his sinnes when he can never by the doctrine of his Religion say with David I put my trust in the Lords mercy nor with Thomas my Lord and my God nor with the faithfull Isa 25. 9. Loe this is our God wee have waited for him but his soule perplexedly hangeth tottering betwixt hope and dispaire Consider with Augustine that the name of IESVS is a name under which wee must not dispaire hee spreads his armes on the Crosse to imbrace both Iewe and Gentile Deus tibi de hoc mundo recedenti promisit immortalitem tu dubitas hoc est Deum omnino non nosse Christum credentium Magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere God hath promised thee immortality when thou goest out of the world and doest thou doubt What is this but not to know God and to offend CHRIST the Master of the faithfull with the sinne of Infidelity the mercifull God hath shed abroad his love in our hearts that hee might beget and bring forth our love to him againe from the reflection of his owne non credit in deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius suae foelicitatis fiduciam he beleeves not in God who puts not the trust of his whole felicity for this life and a better onely in him What a comfortlesse doctrine is this which strives to blinde the eyes of faith CHRIST came to preach no such hee was preached by the Angels to be a Gospell and glad tydings of great Ioy to all people Luke 2. 10. and Zach. 6. 12 Reioyce O daughter Sion for thy King commeth unto thee c. wee must reioyce in him as men doe in harvest Isa 7. which wee cannot doe so long as the doctrine of our religion teacheth us to doubt of Gods mercy and truth cheare up thy selfe then performing thine obedience not from the spirit of meere bondage but with David Psal 119 chearefully runne the wayes of Gods commandements make thine election peace and reconciliation sure in CHRIST and being iustified thou hast peace with God by faith Rom. 5. 1. The fourth and last thing considerable in the reason is the conclusion of the Psalme the first last string of this well tuned Harpe beginning and ending in the same cadence of an holy and heavenly duety Praise yee the Lord. Which are considered two wayes 1 As they are repeated 2 As a duty enjoyned First wee see here not an idle Crambe bis cocta but a necessary repetition warranted by the Spirit which indited it and David that writ it where obserue that repetitions are used in the Scriptures in divers respects Sometime in prayer for the better stirring up of our zeale and fervency thus used by CHRIST himselfe Math 26 39. 42. and chap. 27. 46. My God my God and Psal 143. 1. Sometime in matters of Prophec◠and that most usually in the Coetaneall and Prophets of the same time as in Amos Isa and Hosea the same vices the same false Prophets and the same Idolatry is taxed Mich 1. 3. the same vices in the same words with Isa 26. 21. and the same concerning the mountaine of the Lord Isa 2. 2. hath Mich 4. 1. And not onely among them of the same time but also of many ages and generations distant as Iacobs Prophecy Gen. 49. 10. repeated many hundred yeares after Hag. 2. 8. Zach. 2. 8. borrowes that from Psal 17. 8. and the like Zach 9. 9 from Isa 62 11. so Zach 9. 10. from Psal 72. 8 and Zach. 11. 9. from Ierem. 15. 2. The promise concerning the powring out of the Spirit of grace Zach. 12. 10. from Ioel. 2. 28 the destruction of the Idols which is threatned Zach. 13. 2. from Ezech 30. 13. All these to settle our faith in the certainty of the Scriptures in this united concordance and harmony of the writers thereof all agreeing in the Analogy of faith like Pharaohs dreame repeated Gen 41 32. to make him know it was established with God and hee will surely bring it to passe Sometime they are used in simple narrations to assure the beleever of the certainty of them as 1 Iohn 〈…〉 that which wee have heard from the beginning which wee have seene and handled c. To this end the God of nature hath given unto man two hands two eares two eyes that if the one faile in the object the other should not or to put us in minde with an earnest desire to performe our duties which brings us to the doctrine viz. Repititions are not alway vaine Battalogies and superfluous Tantologies but often times lawfull and warrantable for the better stirring men up to their duties The Prophet Isa desires for the teaching of knowledge to them that are wayned from the milke and drawne from the breasts Chap. 28. 10. Precept upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little Phil 3. 1. It greiveth not the Apostle to write the same things unto them and Iude 5. I will put you in remembrance though you once knewe this c. There is no newe thing under the Sunne saith the Preacher nothing spoken which hath not formerly bin upon the Stage what are the Prophets but Expositors of Moses the great Prophet the new Testament of the olde and our Sermons Comments upon both Men under the Gospell must be like the cleane beasts under the law of Ceremonies to chew the cud in in an holy