yet appeare what they shall bee but when hee commeth they shall bee made like vnto him Their names are already taken and entred into the booke of life and one day they shal be crowned One day it shall be said vnto them Come yee blessed c. One day they shall enioy his presence where is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasure for euermore Psal 16. Therefore let all Gods secret ones reioyce sing and be mery For howsoeuer in this world they be contemned trodden vnder the foot made no bodies and walke as shadowes being counted as the very rags of the earth and the abiects of the world yet the time wil come when their happinesse and felicitie shall be such as neuer entred into the heart of man it is endlesse vnspeakeable and vnconceiueable Phila. I doe now plainely see that there is no cause why Gods people should be too heauy and dumpish in their afflictons I see that though they be not free from all afflictions yet are they free from all hurtfull afflictions For no rod no crosse no chastisement is hurtfull vnto them but all in the conclusion commeth to a blessed issue Theol. You haue vttered a great and a most certaine truth For there is no affliction or trial which God imposeth vpō his children but if they endure it quietly trust in his mercy firmely and tary his good pleasure obediently it hath a blessed and comfortable end Therefore the people of God may well be merry in the middest of their sorrowes They may with patience comfort submit themselues to their Fathers corrections taking them patiently and euen kissing his holy rod and saying in themselues Sith my Father will haue it so I am content séeing it is his minde I am willing withall As old Ely said It is the Lord let him doe what hee will And as Dauid in like submission said in a certain case Behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his owne eyes And in another place he saith I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou Lord hast done it Behold here then the patience of Gods Saints and their humble submission vnto his most holy will They know all shall end well and that maketh them glad to thinke of it I conclude then that the children of God are happy in what state soeuer they are happy in trouble happy out of trouble happy in pouertie happy in plenty blessed in sicknesse blessed in health blessed at home likewise and abroad and euery way blessed But on the contrary the wicked are cursed in what state soeuer they are cursed in sicknesse cursed in health cursed in plenty cursed in pouertie cursed in prosperitie cursed in aduersitie cursed in honour cursed in dishonour For all things worke together for their destruction Nothing doth them any good They are not any thing the better either for Gods mercies or iudgements All weathers are alike vnto them They are alwayes the same in prosperitie and aduersity they are no changelings And as we say A good yeare doth not mend them nor an ill yeare paire them Phila. You haue long insisted vpon this point Now proceed to the fourth signe of a mans damnation which is the contempt of the Gospell and lay open both the greatnesse of the sinne and the danger of it Theol. This sinne is of another nature then the former It is a sinne against the first Table It toucheth the person of God himselfe For to contemne the Gospell is to contemne God himselfe whose Gospell it is If to contemne the Ministers of the Gospell be to contemne God and Christ as our Lord Jesus auoucheth Luke 10. 16. how much more then to contemne the Gospell it selfe Therefore it is dangerous meddling in this sinne It is to meddle with edged tooles to meddle with princes matters to touch the Arke to come héere the holy mountain which all were things full of great perill and danger Yea it is to spill the Sacrament It is Noli me tangere It is to raile at a King It is to spit God in the face It is high treason against the King of glory Therefore this sinne of all other can neuer be endured and may at no hand be borne withall For can a mortall King endure the contempt of his lawes can he put vp the contempt of his owne person Can he abide any to spit at his Scepter or to throw a stone at it No surely hée will not Therefore the holy Ghost saith He that despiseth Moses Lawes dieth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall hee bee worthy which treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith hee was sanctified and doth despise the Spirit of grace And againe If they were punished which obeied not the word spoken by Angels how shall wee escape if we neglect so great saluation If they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth how shall wee escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heauen Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith That it shall be easier for Sodome in the day of iudgement then for the contemners of the Gospell Moreouer he saith The Queene of the South shall rise vp in iudgement against all froward despisers of his Word For she came from the vttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and behold a greater then Salomon is heere For Christ is greater then Salomon his doctrine and wisedome farre more excellent And therefore their sinne is the greater which contemne it They shall neuer be able to answer it For the spirit saith Hee that despiseth the word shall be destroied S. Peter also telleth vs that the old world and men of the first age are now in hell fire because they both despised were disobedient to the doctrine of Christ which though not personally yet in his diuine spirit he spake by Noah So then we sée clearely God will neuer take it at our hands that his glorious Gospell should be so vniuersally openly contemned as it is Phila. You haue spoken most truly and also shewed it out of the Scriptures that the contempt of the Gospell is a most hainous sin yet for all that it is most lamentable to consider how little men esteeme it and how light they make of it Many regard it no more then an eg-shell they thinke it is not worth a gally half-penny they will not goe to the doore to heare it they take it to be but a breath from vs and a sound to them and so the matter is ended They esteeme it but as a noise or empty sound in the aire or as a voice afar off which a man vnderstandeth not they neuer felt the power of it in their hearts Therefore they preferre their sheep their Farmes their Oxen their profits their pleasure yea euery
Pride goeth before destruction and an high mind before the fall Wherein he sheweth that pride is the forerunner of some deadly down-fall either by disgracing or displacing For it is an old and true Prouerbe Pride will haue a fall And oftentimes when men are most lifted vp then are they néerest vnto it as the examples of Haman Nabuchadnezzar and Herod do plainely declare When the Milt swelleth the rest of the body pineth away Euen so when the heart is puft vp with pride the whole man is in danger of destruction Moreouer the holy ghost saith The Lord will destroy the house of the proud Iob saith of such kinde of men The sparke of his fire shall not shine feare shall dwell in his house and Brimstone shall be scattered vpon his habitation And in another place he saith The fire which is not blown shal deuoure him Me thinketh therefore if there were any sparke of grace in vs these terrible spéeches of the holy ghost might serue to humble vs and pull downe our pride especially sith the Scriptures doe affirme that God resisteth the proud and setteth himselfe exprofesso against them therfore wo vnto them for if God take against a man who can reclaim him for he doth whatsoeuer he wil. Phil. But tell me I pray you when you speake against pride what pride it is that you meane Theol. I meane all pride both that which is inward in the heart that also which breaketh out in mēs forheads I mean that which apparantly sheweth it self in mens words works Phila. Do you mean also pride of mens gifts Theo. Yes surely for there is no pride worse or more dangerous then that Beware saith one of spiritual pride as to be proud of our lerning wit knowledge reading writings sermons praiers godlines policy valor strength riches honor birth beauty authority For God hath not giuen such gifts vnto men to the end they should make sale-ware of them and set them a sunshining to behold seking only themselues with their gifts the vaine praise of the multitude and applause of the people so robbing God of his honor and proudly arrogating to themselues that which is due vnto God which is the praise of his gifts But he hath giuen his gifts to an other end namely that we should vse them to his glory and the good of others either in church or common-wealth especially of those which doe most concerne vs. Phila. Yet we see commonly men of greatest gifts are most proud Theol. True indéed For the finest cloth is soonest stained And as wormes ingender sooner in soft and tender wood than in that which is more hard and knotty and as moths do bréed sooner in fine wool then in course flocks Euen so pride and vaine-glory doe sooner assault an excellent and rare man in all kinde of knowledge vertue then an other of meaner gifts And therefore pride is said to spring out of the ashes of all vertues For men will be proud because they are wise learned godly patient humble c. Pride therefore may very fitly be compared to the crab-stock speins which grow out of the root of the very best apple-trée Therefore to say the truth this is one of the last engines and weapons which the diuell vseth for the ouerthrowing of Gods owne children euen to blow them vp with pride as it were with gunpowder For as we sée it come to passe in the siedge of strong holdes when no battery or force of shot will preuaile the last remedy and policy is to vndermine it and blow it vp with traines of gun-powder so when Sathan can no way preuaile against some excellent seruants of God his last deuice is to blow them vp with pride as it were with gunpowder Phila. I see it is a speciall grace of God for men of great gifts to be humble minded he is an old man of a thousand which excelling in gifts doth excel in humility the more gifts he hath the more humbly he walketh not contemning others but esteeming them better then himselfe For commonly we are the woorse for Gods gifts because we haue not the right vse of them and againe because they ingender so much proud flesh in vs that we had need daily to be corzied Therefore God sheweth great fauour mercy to that man whom he humbleth and taketh downe by any afflictions or infirmities whatsoeuer For otherwise it is sure proud flesh would altogether ouergrow vs. Theol. You haue spoken the truth for the Apostle himselfe confesseth that he was tempted and troubled this way had like to haue béene puffed vp out of measure with the abundance of his reuelations but that God in great mercy sent him a cooler and a rebater to wit a pricke in the flesh which he calleth the messenger of sathan whereby the Lord cured him of his pride And euen so doth he cure many of vs of our pride by throwing vs to sathan leauing vs to our selues and giuing vs ouer to commit some grosse euill euen to fal downe and breake our neckes and all to the end he may humble vs tame vs and pull down our pride which he séeth we are heart-sicke of It is good for vs therefore to be humble in the abundance of graces that we be not proud of that which we haue or that which we haue done For humility in sinne is better then pride in well doing Phila. Heerein surely appeareth the great wisdome and mercy of God that he so gratiously wringeth good out of euill and turneth our afflictious infirmities fals and downe-fals to his glory and our good Theo. It is most true For euen as of the flesh of a Uiper is made a soueraigne medicine to cure those which are stung of a Uiper and as Physitians expell poison with poison so God according to his maruellous wisdome doth of the infirmities which remaine in vs after regeneration cure other more dangerous diseases as pride vaine-glory and presumption Oh blessed therefore be his name for euer which thus mercifully causeth all things to worke together for the good of his owne people of whom these things are specially to be vnderstood Phila. Is there no cause why men of great gifts should glory in their gifts Theo. No surely none at all For the Apostle saith Who separateth thee And what hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it Where the Apostle plainely sheweth that no man is to be proud of his gifts because they are none of his own he hath but receiued them to vse We count him worthy to be laughed at as a foole who hauing borrowed braue apparell of others as a silke gown a satten doublet a chaine of gold veluet bréeches c. should proudly iet in the stréets in them as if they were his owne Euen so they are worthy to be Chronicled for fooles which are proud of good gifts which are none of
his word commandeth heauen and earth and the sea All creatures must be obedient to his will and subiect to his ordinance This is the cause why all things both in heauen earth and the sea do kéepe their immutable and vnuariable courses times and seasons euen because he hath charged them so to doe And they must of necessity alwaies at all times and for euer obey for the creatures must obey the Creator This act of Parliament was made the first wéeke of the world and neuer since was or can be repealed Phila. But to call you backe againe to the point we had in hand resolue me I pray you of this Whether many of the deare children of God do not in this life sometimes want outward things and are brought into great distresse Theol. Yes certainly For Eliah did want was in distresse Paul did want was in many distresses The holy Christians mentioned in the Hebrewes did want and were in maruellous distresses Many of Gods deare ones haue in all ages wanted and at this day also doe want and are greatly distressed But this is a most infallible truth that howsoeuer Gods children may want be low brought yet they are neuer vtterly forsaken but are holpen euen in greatest extremities yea when all things are desperate and brought euen to the last cast To this point most notably speaketh the Apostle saying Wee are afflicted on euery side but yet we despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not The Prophet Ieremie also saith The Lord will not forsake for euer but though hee send affliction yet will be haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee doth not punish willingly or from his heart nor afflict the children of men The kingly Prophet saith Surely the Lord will not faile his people neither will hee forsake his inheritance The Lord himselfe saith For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee So then we may fully assure our selues and euen write of it as a most vndoubted and sealed truth that Gods children shall neuer be vtterly forsaken in their troubles Phila. Sith the care and prouidence of God is so great for his children as you haue largely declared what then I pray you is the cause why God suffereth his to bee brought into so many troubles and necessities Theol. Their profit and benefit is the cause and not their hurt For he loueth them when he smiteth them Hée fauoureth them when hée séemeth to be most against them He aymeth at their good when he séemeth to bée most angry with them He woundeth them that hée may heale them He presseth them that he may ease them He maketh them cry that afterward they may laugh He alwaies meaneth well vnto them he neuer meaneth hurt He is most constant in his loue towards them If he bring them into necessities it is but for the triall of their faith loue patience and diligence in prayer If he cast them into the fire it is not to consume them but to purge and refine them If he bring them into great dangers it is but to make them call vpon him more earnestly for helpe and deliuerance He presseth vs that we might cry we crie that we may be heard we are heard that we might be deliuered So that héere is no hurt done we are worse scared then hurt Euen as a mother when her childe is wayward threatneth to throw it to the Wolfe or scareth it with some pocar or bul-begger to make it cling more vnto her and bée quiet So the Lord oftentimes sheweth vs the terrible faces of troubles and dangers to make vs cleane and cling faster vnto him and also to teach vs to esteeme better of his gifts when wée enioy them and to be more thankfull for them as health wealth peace liberty safety c. So then still we sée here is nothing meant on Gods part but good As it is written All things worke together for good to them that loue God For euen the afflictions of Gods children are so sanctified vnto them by the spirit that thereby they are made partakers of Gods holinesse Thereby they inioy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thereby they attaine vnto a greater measure of ioy in the holy ghost Therby the world is crucified to them and they to the world Thereby they are made conformable to Christs death Thereby they are kept from the condemnation of the world Therby they learne experience patience hope c. So that all things considered Gods children are no losers by their afflictions but gainers It is better for them to haue them then to be without them they are very good for them For when Gods children are chastised it is as it should bée For to them the crosse is mercy and losse is gaine Afflictions are their schooling and aduersity their best Uniuersity It is good for me saith the holy man of God that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes By his afflictions therefore hée learned much and became a good scholar in Gods booke and well séene in his Statutes and Lawes Hée grew to great wisedome and iudgement by his chastisments All things turned about in Gods mercifull prouidence to his euerlasting comfort For I say againe and againe that all things tend to the good of Gods chosen people And therefore that estate which GOD will haue his children to bée in is alwaies best for them Because hée who can best discerne what is best séeth it to bée best for them whether it bée sicknesse or health pouerty or plenty prison or liberty prosperity or aduersity For sometimes sicknesse is better for vs then health and pouerty then plenty Are therefore the children of God sicke it is best for them Are they poore it is best for them Are they in any trouble it is best for them because their good Father will turne it to the best Hee will oftentimes cut vs short of our lusts and desires because hée seeth wée will bane our selues with them Hée in fatherly care will take the knife from vs because hée séeth wée will hurt our selues with it He will kéepe vs short of health and wealth because hée knoweth wee will bée the worse for them He will not giue vs too much ease and prosperity in this world for he knoweth it will poison vs. He will not allow vs continuall rest like standing pondes for then he knoweth we will gather scum and filth He dealeth fatherly and mercifully with vs in all things euen then seeking our greatest good when we thinke he doth vs most harme And to speake all in a word hée bringeth vs into troubles and straits to this end especially that he may heare of vs. For he right wel knoweth our nature he is wel acquainted with our disposition He knoweth we will not come at him but when we stand in neede of
fire when it will be too late to repent Phila. What may be the cause of this so often and great swearing for surely it is no inherent and in-bred sinne in our nature as some of the other sinnes be Theol. No verily But these thrée I iudge to be the cause of it Custome Want of admonition Want of punishment Phila. What then are the remedies for it Theol. The remedies are these Disuse Praier Friendly admonition Some sharpe Law Phila. Well Sir now we haue heard enough of swearing I pray you proceed to the next signe of damnation which is lying Theol. Swearing and lying be of very néere kindred For he that is a common swearer is for the most part a common lier also For hee that maketh no conscience of swearing will make no conscience of lying And as the Lord hateth the one so also he hateth the other And as he punisheth the one so he will punish the other Therefore Salomon saith Lying lips are an abhomination vnto the Lord. Saint Iohn saith Without shall be dogges enchanters whoore-mongers murtherers and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies Againe the same holy man of God saith that liers shall haue their part and portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Phila. These scriptures which you alleadge doe manifestly declare that God abhorreth liers and hath reserued great torments for them Therefore the princely Prophet Dauid saith that he would banish all liers out of his house He that telleth lies saith he shal not remaine in my sight A lying tongue is one of the sixe things which God doth hate and his soule abhorre Yet for al this we see the lamentable experience how many haue euen taught their tongues to lie as the Prophet saith and there is no trueth in their lips This vice is almost as common as swearing For it is hard to finde a man that will speake the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth from his heart in simplicity and plainnesse at all times in all places and amongst all persons without all glozing or dissembling either for feare gaine flattery men-pleasing hiding of faults or any sinister respect whatsoeuer Where I say is this man to be found I would fain see him I would faine looke vpon such a man It would doe my heart good to behold him I would reioyce to set mine eyes vpon such a man Theo. Such a man as you speake of is hardly to be found among the sonnes of men They be blacke Swans in the earth they be white crowes they be rare birds For there be very few that will speake the truth from their heart yet some such I hope there be But for the most part amongst the greater sort lying dissembling and fraud do beare all the sway There is no truth no honesty no conscience no simplicity no plaine dealing amongst men in these most corrupt times Faith and truth are parted cleane away And as the kingly prophet saith The faithfull are failed from among the children of men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lippes and speake with a double heart Men now adayes studie the Arte of lying flattering fawning glosing and dissembling they haue a heart and a heart They haue hony in their mouth and gall in their heart Their tongues are as soft as butter and oile but their hearts are full of bitternesse poison and wormwood They are full of outward courtesie and ciuility full of court holy water when there is no truth nor plainenesse in their inward affection They will speake you faire when they would cut your throats They will shew you a good countenance when they would eate your heart with garlicke In outward shew they will carry themselues plausibly when their hearts are full of venome malice This viperous brood do but watch their times opportunities till they can get a man vpon the hip and then they will sting him worke their malice vpon him These fauning curs will not barke till they bite They will lurke and lie close til they spie their vantage and then they wil shew themselues in their kinde then they will hoist a man and turne him ouer the perke if they can These men are like the waters which are most déepe where they are most calme like a dangerous rocke hid vnder a calme sea or as the Heathen say like the Syrens song which is the Sailers wrecke like the Fowlers whistle which is the birds death like the hid bait which is the fishes bane like the Harpyes which haue virgins faces and Uultures tallons or like Hyena which speaketh like a friend and deuoureth like a foe or as the Scripture saith like Ioab the captaine of the hoast which spake kindly to Amasa an other Captain kissed him when presently hée stabd him or like vnto the Herodians and Pharisies seruants which came to our Lord Jesus with many fawning insinuations calling him good master telling him that he was the plaine truth that he taught the way of God truely he regarded no mans person and many good morrows and all this géere when as in very déed their purpose was to intangle him in his words and to entrap him that they might catch aduantage against him so cut his throt giue him pap with a hatchet This it is which the wise man saith A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet And againe As siluer drosse ouerlaid vpon an earthen pot so are fawning lips and an euill heart And in another place hée saith Hee that beareth hatred will counterfait with his lips but hee laieth vp deceit in his heart When hee shall shew his voice fauourably trust him not For their are seuen abhominations in his heart Hee will couer hatred by deceit but his malice shall be discouered in the congregation In another place he pronounceth a curse vpon all these hollow hearted hypocrites and meale-mouthed flatterers For saith he Vnto him that blesseth his friend with a loud voice betimes in the morning rising vp earely a curse shall be imputed Phila. You haue very well described the conditions of the men of this age which haue faces countenances and tongues but no harts which professe lying and dissembling which say hee cannot liue that cannot dissemble which haue faire faces and false hearts which haue forgotten that plaine honesty is deepe policy Theol. The holy Ghost often in the Prouerbs of Salomon calleth all vnregenerate men fooles or as it is in the Hebrew men without hearts Because they haue no heart to God no heart to his word no heart to his children no heart to godlinesse no heart to any thing that good is They are without an honest heart an vpright heart a plaine heart They are all in words nothing in déeds They promise mountaines and performe mol-hils They will speake well of religion and practise nothing They wil giue faire
gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire Lastly S. Paul saith flatly that extortioners shall not inherit the kingdome of God Thus we sée how many fearefull woes and threats are denounced from heauen against these pestilent cut-throats of the earth Phila. And all little enough For they are steeped in their sinne and the staine of it is so soked into them as it will hardly euer be washed out True it is that you said that these cruell oppressing bloud-suckers are the most pernicious and pestilent vermine that creepeth vpon the face of the earth and yet I thinke there were neuer moe of them then in these daies For now the wicked world is full of such as doe sundry waies bite pinch and nip the poore as we see by euery daies lamentable experience but you can speake more of it then I. Therefore I pray you lay open the sundry kinds of oppression vsed in these daies Theol. There is oppression by vsury Oppression by bribery Oppression by racking of rents Oppression by taking excessiue fines Oppression in bargaining Oppression in letting of leases Oppression in letting of houses Oppression in letting of grounds Oppression in binding poore men to vnreasonable couenants Oppression in thrusting poore men out of their houses Oppression in hiring poore mens houses ouer their heads Oppression in taking of fées Oppression by Lawyers Oppression by Church Officers Oppression by engrossers Oppression by forestallers Oppression of the Church Oppression of the Ministery Oppression of the poore Oppression of widowes Oppression of Orphanes And thus we see how all swarmes with Oppressions and nothing but Oppressions Oppressions Phila. In truth this is a most cruell and oppressing age wherein we liue yea a very iron age It seemeth that the great ones minde nothing else they are altogether set vpon oppression they dote and dreame of it they finde sweet in it and therefore they are mad of it As Salomon saith Oppression maketh a wiseman mad It seemeth therefore that this vice is of such maruellous force that it can bereaue men of their wits and make men starke mad of getting goods by hooke or by crooke they care not how nor from whom so they haue it Yet no doubt the most wise God hath enacted many good lawes for the suppressing of this euill and doth threaten the execution of them in his owne person and especially his Law doth prouide for the safetie of the poore the fatherlesse the widow and the stranger But you M. Theologus can repeat the statutes better then I because you are a professed Diuine Therefore I pray you let vs heare them from you Theol. In the 22. Chapter of Exodus God made this law following You shall not trouble any widow or fatherlesse childe if thou vex or trouble such and so hee call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie Then shall my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Againe he saith Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needy and poore but thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the Sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaineth his life lest hee crie against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee Moreouer the Lord saith Thou shalt doe no iniury to a stranger for yee were strangers in the land of Egypt And God himselfe threatneth that he will be a swift witnesse against those which kéepe backe the hirelinges wages and vex the widow and the fatherlesse The Apostle saith Let no man oppresse or defraud his brother in any matters For the Lord is an auenger of all such things Salomon also saith If in a country thou feest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iustice and iudgement be not astonied at the matter for hee that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they Eccles 5. 7. All these holy statutes and lawes enacted and prouided against oppressors doe plainely shew what care the Lord hath for his poore distressed and desolate people Phila. But these oppressing hel-hounds are such as care for nothing No Law of the Almighty can bridle them nothing can feare them nothing can restraine them They haue made a couenant with Hell and death They are frozen in the dregs they are past feeling And as Iob saith These are they that abhorre the light they know not the waies thereof neither continue in the pathes thereof Their hearts are as hard as the Adamant Nothing can mooue them nothing can worke vpon them There is great crying out euery where of the stone in the reines which indeed is a great torment to the bodie but there is no complaining of the stone in the heart I meane a stonie heart which is the sorest disease that possibly can fall into the soule of man and yet in these times it groweth very rife For mens hearts are as hard as brasse and as the neather Milstone as the Scripture speaketh For many especially of these vnmercifull and oppressing tyrants say in their hearts God will do neither good nor euill Therefore they put the euil day far from them and approch vnto the seat of iniquity They are at ease in Zion they lie vpon beds of Iuory and stretch themselues vpon their beds and eat the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall They sing to the sound of the viall they inuent instruments of musicke like Dauid They drink wine in bowles and no man is sory for the affliction of Ioseph that is the troubles of Gods people The Prophet Esay also complaineth of these kind of men saying They regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the work of his hands And another Prophet saith they say in their harts God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will neuer see They are so proud that they seeke not for God They think alwaies there is no God his iudgements are far out of their sight Their waies alwaies prosper and therefore they say in their hearts Tush we shall neuer be moued nor come in danger Theol. You haue spoken very well touching the stéelinesse and hardnes of these mens harts who are so vnmerciful to their poor neighbors that almost none can liue by them They do so disturbe disquiet al things that poore men can dwell in no rest by them Therefore truly saith the wise king A mightie man molesteth all both hireth the foole hireth those that passe by But the poore man speaketh with prayers that is by the way of entreatie and supplications For the poore are afraid of them They quake when they sée them as the beasts quake at the roaring of the Lion Many poore Farmers poore Husband men poore Heards poore Labourers poore widowes and hirelings doe
certaintie of saluation and speake somewhat of that Theo. The ground-worke of our saluation is laide in Gods eternall election and in respect thereof it standeth fast and vnmoueable as it is written The foundation of God standeth fast And againe He is faithfull that hath promised though we cannot beleeue yet he abideth faithfull So then as we know it certainely in our selues by the consequents of election so it standeth most firme in respect of God and his eternall and immutable decrée And a thousand infirmities nay all the sinnes in the world nor all the diuels in hell cannot ouerthrow Gods election For our Lord Jesus saith All that the Father hath giuen me shall come vnto me And againe This is the Fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day And in another place our Sauiour Christ saith My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Wée ought therefore to be as sure of our saluation as of any other thing which God hath promised or which we are bound to beléeue For to doubt thereof in respect of Gods truth is blasphemous against the immutability of his truth Philag But are there not some doubts at some times euen in the very Elect and in those which are growen to the greatest perswasion Theol. Yes verily For he that neuer doubted neuer beléeued For whosoeuer beléeueth in truth féeleth sometimes doubtings and wauerings Euen as the sound body féeleth many grudgings of diseases which if hée hath not health hée could not féele so the sound soule féeleth some doubtings which if it were not sound it could not so easily féele For wée féele not corruption by corruption but we féele corruption by grace And the more grace we haue the more quicke are we in the féeling of corruption Some men of tender skinnes and quicke féeling will easily féele the lightest feather in softer manner laide vpon the ball of their hands which others of more slow féeling and hard flesh cannot so easily discerne So then it is certaine that although the children of God féele some doubtings at sometimes yet the same doe no whit impeach the certainety of their saluation but rather argue a perfect soundnesse and health of their soules For when such litle grudgings are felt in the soule the childrē of God oppose against them the certaintie of Gods truth and promises and so doe easily ouercome them For the Lords people néed no more to feare them then he that rideth thorow the stréets vpon a lusty gelding with his sword by his side néeds to feare the barking and bawling of a few little curres and whappets Phila. Shew yet more plainly how or in what respects the childe of God may both haue doubtings and yet be fully assured Theol. Euen as a man set in the top of the highest stéeple in the world and so fast bound vnto it that he cannot fall though he would yet when hée looketh downeward hee feareth because mans nature is not acquainted nor accustomed to mount so high in the aire and to behold the earth so farre beneath but when he looketh vpward and perceiueth himselfe fast bound and out of all danger then hée casteth away all feare Euen so when wée looke downeward to our selues wée haue doubts and feares but when wée looke vpward to Christ and the truth of his promises wée féele our selues cocke-sure and cease to doubt any more Phila. Declare vnto vs what is the originall of these doubts and feares and from whence they spring in the children of God Theol. They spring from the imperfection of our regeneration and from that strife which is in the very minde of the elect betwéene faith and infidelity For these two do mightily fight together in the most regenerate and striue to ouer master and ouershadow one another By reason wherof sometimes it commeth to passe through the preuailing of vnbeliefe that the most excellent seruants of God may fal into fits and pangs of despaire as Iob and Dauid in their temptations did And euen in these daies also some of Gods children at sometimes are shrewdly handled this way and brought very lowe euen vnto deaths doore but yet the Lord in great mercie doth recouer them both from totall and finall despaire Onely they are humbled and tried by these sharpe fits for a time and that for their great good For as we vse to say that an Ague in a young man is a signe of health so these burning fits of temptations in the elect for the most part are signes of Gods grace and fauor For if they were not of God the diuell would neuer be so busie with them Phila. Is it not meere presumption and an ouermuch trusting to our selues to bee perswaded of our saluation Theol. Nothing lesse For the ground of this perswasion is not laid in our selues or any thing within vs or without vs but onely in the righteousnesse of Christ and the mercifull promises of God For is it any presumption for vs to beléeue that which God hath promised Christ hath purchased and the holy Ghost hath sealed No verily it is not any presumption but a thing which we all stand bound vnto as we will answere it at the dreadfull day of iudgement As for our selues we do fréely confesse that in Gods sight we are but lumps of sinne and masses of all misery and cannot of our selues mooue hand or foot to the furtherance of our saluation But being iustified by faith we are at peace with God and fully perswaded of his loue and fauour toward vs in Christ Phila. Cannot the Reprobates and vngodly be assured of their saluation Theo. No. For the Prophet saith There is no peace to the wicked Then I reason thus They which haue not the inward peace cannot be assured But the wicked haue not the inward peace Therefore they cannot be assured Stedfast faith in the promises doth assure But the wicked haue not stedfast faith in the promises Therefore they cannot be assured The spirit of adoption doth assure But the wicked haue not the spirit of adoption Therefore they cannot be assured To conclude when a man féeleth in himselfe an euill conscience blindnesse prophanenesse and disobedience he shal in despite of his hart sing this dolefull song I know not whether I shall be saued or damned Phila. Is not the doctrine of the assurance of saluation a most comfortable doctrine Theol. Yes doubtlesse For except a man bée perswaded of the fauour of God and the forgiuenesse of sinnes and consequently of his saluation what comfort can he haue in any thing Besides this the perswasion of Gods loue towards vs is the root of
For when once we féele the worke of grace within vs that is that we are washed by the new birth and renewed by the holy Ghost finding in our selues an vnfained hatred of sin and loue of righteousnesse then are we sure and out of all doubt that we are predestinated to life And it is euen as much as if God had personally appeared vnto vs and whispered vs in the eare and told vs that our names are taken written in the booke of life For whom he hath predestinate them he hath called and whom he hath called them he hath iustified whom he hath iustified them he hath glorified Now therefore till we féele these marks of election wrought in vs we can be at no certainty in this point neither are we to take any notice of it or meddle in it but we must striue according to that power and faculty we haue to liue honestly and ciuilly waiting when God will haue mercy on vs and giue vs the true touch As for them that are carelesse and dissolute setting all at six and seuen there is smal hope that they are elected or euer shall be called Antil I thinke the preaching and publishing of this doctrine of predestination hath done much hurt and it had beene good it had neuer beene knowen to the people but vtterly concealed For some it driueth to despaire and others it maketh more secure and carelesse Theol. You are in a great errour For this Doctrine is a part of Gods reuealed Truth which hée would haue knowen to his people And in good sooth it is of very great and comfortable vse to the children of God against all the assaults of the Diuell and temptations of desperation whatsoeuer For when a man hath once in truth felt by the effects that God hath chosen him to life then though the Diuell lie sore at him and the conscience of sinne and his own frailties most vehemently assault him yet he knoweth certainely that the eternall purpose and counsell of God is immutable and that because his saluation is not grounded vpon himselfe or his owne strength but vpon the vnchangeable decrée of God which is a foundation vnmoueable and alwaies standing sure and firme therefore doe the diuell and sinne what they can yet he shal be vpheld in righteousnesse truth euen as it were borne vp in the arms of God euen to the end For whom God loueth to the end he loueth them Moreouer when once the Lords people perceiue by their sanctification and new birth both that the Lord hath reiected and reprobated so many thousand thousands and made choise of them to be heirs of his most glorious kingdome being in themselues of the same mould and making that others are and that be hath done all this of his frée grace and vndeserued mercy towards them oh how doth it rauish their hearts with the loue of him Againe how frankely and chearefully doe they serue him How willingly and faithfully doe they obey him Yea how are they wholy rapt and infiamed with the desire of him For it is the perswasion and féeling of Gods loue towards vs that draweth vp our loue to him againe as S. Iohn saith We loue him because he hath loued vs first Moreouer it is saide of Mary Magdalen that shée loued much because much was forgiuen For after she felt her many and great sins fréely pardoned her affections were kindled with the loue and obedience of Christ So likewise the Church in the Canticles after she had béene in the banqueting house of all spirituall grace and felt the banner of Christs loue displaied vpon her forthwith shée was rapt therewith and cried out as it were in a swoune that shée was sicke of loue So againe when Christ put in his hand by the hole of the doore that is touched the very inward parts of her heart by his spirit then her heart yearned and her bowels were affectioned towards him This is it which Saint Paul praieth for vpon his knees that it may be granted to the Ephesians that they may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth and length height and depth of Gods loue towards vs and to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge and to be filled with all fulnesse of God Thus then you sée the great and comfortable vse of this doctrine of election both in that it ministreth strength comfort against all temptations as also because it constraineth vs to loue God of very loue to feare him and obey him Phila. Well Sir I thinke now you haue spent time enough in answering the obiections and cauils of Antilegon In all which I doe obserue one thing that there is no end of cauilling and obiecting against the truth and that a man may obiect more in an houre then a learned man can well answer in a day Theol. You say truth And the reason hereof is because men haue sin in them out of measure and the spirit of God but in measure Therefore they can by the one obiect and conceiue more against the truth then by the other they shall be able to answer and say for it Phila. It appeareth indeed that errors be infinite obiections innumerable that there is no end of mens cauilling against Gods sacred truth It is good for vs therefore to bee throughly setled in the truth that wee be not entangled or snarled with any cauils or sophistications whatsoeuer But I doe verily thinke notwithstanding all his obiections and exceptions that he doth in his conscience desire with Balaam to die the death of the righteous and to be as one of them whom he seemeth to despise Theol. I am so perswaded too For this is the triumph that vertue hath ouer vice that where she is most hated there she is often desired and wished for And this is the great punishment that God bringeth vpon the wicked Virtutem vt videant intabescantque relictâ as saith the Poet That they shall see vertue and pine away hauing no power to follow it Phila. But now let vs returne to the point we were in hand with before wee fell into these obiection and cauils which was concerning the small number of them which shall be saued And as you haue shewed vs many reasons thereof so proceed to speake yet more vnto that point Theol. As I haue shewed you of sundry lets both within vs and without vs which doe kéepe vs backe from God and hold vs fast in our sinnes So now vnto all that hath béene said before I will adde nine great hinderances vnto eternall life which may not vnfitly bée tearmed nine barres out of heauen and nine gates into hell Phila. Which be they Theol. They be these Infidelity Presumption of Gods mercy Example of the multitude Long custome of sinne Long escaping of punishment Hope of long life Conceitednesse Ill company Euill example of Ministers Phila. These indeed be strong barres out of
pull them out of the pawes of this roaring Lion which goeth about continually seeking whom hee may deuour Theol. It standeth vs vpon indéed very seriously and carefully to looke to it as wée will answer it at the dreadfull day of iudgement For it is no small matter that we haue taken in hand which is to care for the flocke which Christ hath bought with his bloud Would to God therefore that wée would leaue striuing about other matters and striue together all about this who can pull most out of the kingdome of Sathan sinne and ignorance who can winne most soules and who can performe best seruice to the church This were a good strife indéede and would to God that we might once at last with ioined forces goe about it with one heart and hand ioine together to build vp Gods house If through our owne follies the worke hath béen hindred or any breach made let vs in wisedome and loue labor to make it vp againe If there hath béene any declining and coldnesse let vs now at last reuiue let vs stirre vp our selues that we may stirre vp others Let vs be zealous and feruent in spirit that wée may through Gods grace put life into others and rowse vp this dead declining cold age wherein we liue So shall God be glorified his church edified his Saints comforted his people saued his throne erected and the kingdome of the Diuell ouerthrowne Phila. What thinke you were the best course to effect this which you speake of Theol. This is a thing that must bée excéedingly laboured in of vs which are the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell And héere is required diligence and as we say double diligence for the people are euery where very ignorant Some are stones altogether vncapable of instruction others are froward and wilfull Some will receiue the doctrine but not the practise some againe are altogether set vpon péeuishnesse and cauilling So that a man were better take vpon him the charge of kéeping Wolues and Beares then the charge of souls For it is the hardest thing in the world to reforme mens disorders and to bring them into order to pull mens soules out of the kingdome of Sathan and to bring them to God It is as we say an endlesse péece of worke an infinite toyle a labour of all labours I quake to thinke of it For men are so obstinate and irrefragable that they wil be brought into no order they wil come vnder no yoake They will not be ruled by God nor bridled by his word They wil follow their owne swinge They will run after their owne lusts and pleasures They will kicke and spurne if they be reprooued They will rage and storme if you goe about to curbe them and restraine them of their wils likings and liberties They wil haue their wils and follow their old fashions say what you will and doe what you can Is it not thinke you a busie péece of worke to smooth and square such Timber-logs so full of knots and knobs Is it not a tedious and irkesome thing to thinke vpon And would it not kill a mans heart to goe about it For how hard a thing is it to bring such into frame as are so farre out of frame Phila. Well sir you can but doe your endeuour and commit the successe to God You can but plant and water let God giue the encrease You are Ministers of the letter but not of the spirit You baptise with water but not with the holy Ghost If you therefore preach diligently exhort admonish and reprooue publikely and priuately studying by all good example of life and seeking with all good zeale care and conscience to do the vttermost that in you lieth to reduce them from their euill waies I take it you are discharged though they remaine stubborne and incorrigible For you know what the Lord saith by his Prophet If you doe admonish them and giue them warning then you shall bee discharged and their blood shall bee required at their owne hands Theol. You haue spoken the truth And therfore sith some must needs take vpon them this so great a charge it will bée our best course to labour much with them in Catechising and priuate instructions and that in most familiar and plaine manner For much good hath béene done and is done this way The ignorant sort must be much labored vpon this way and so no doubt much good may be done For in all labour there is profit Héerein we that are the Ministers of Christ must be content to bée abased and to teach the poore ignorant people in most plaine maner asking them many easie questions often questioning with them in most plaine and louing maner till we haue brought them to some taste and smacke of the principles of Christian Religion We must not be ashamed to vse repetitions and tautologies and to tell them one thing twenty times ouer and ouer againe héere a line and there a line héere a little and there a little precept vpon precept as the Prophet speaketh I know riht well nothing goeth more against the stomacke of a scholar and him that is learned indéede then to doe thus It is as irkesome and tedious as to teach A. B. C. Some can at no hand endure it But truely truely I finde now after long experience that if we will doe any good to these simple and ignorant soules we must enter into this course and wée may not be ashamed of it For it will be our crowne and our glory to winne soules howsoeuer wée be abased Let vs therefore be well content to stoupe downe that Christ may be exalted Let vs be abased that God may be honoured Let vs doe all things in great loue to Christ who hath said If thou louest me feede feede feede my flocke Let vs therefore testifie our loue to him by féeding his flocke Let vs doe all things in great loue and déepe compassion towards the poore soules that goe astray As it is said that our Lord Jesus was mooued to pity and his bowels did yearne to sée the people as shéepe without a shéepeheard Let it likewise mooue vs throughly and make our hearts to bléede to sée so many poore shéepe of Christ wandring and straying in the mountaines and wildernesse of this world caught in euery bramble and hanged in euery bush ready to be deuoured of the Wolfe Thus haue I shewed you what course in my iudgement is best to be taken for the deliuering of poore ignorant soules out of the captiuity of Sathan and sinne Phil. Now as you haue declared what course is best to be followed of your part which are the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell so I pray you shew what is best to be done of vs which are the people of God Theol. The best counsell that I can giue you if it were for my life is to be much exercised in the word of God both in the hearing reading and meditation