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A02186 Greenvvoods vvorkes contayned in fiue seueral tractates. 1. Of the day of iudgement. 2. Of the Lords Prayer. 3. Of the race to saluation. 4. Of the torment of Tophet. 5. Of the baptisme of Christ. Greenwood, Henry, b. 1544 or 5.; Greenwood, Henry, b. 1544 or 5. Treatise of the great and generall daye of judgement. aut; Greenwood, Henry, b. 1544 or 5. Race celestiall. aut; Greenwood, Henry, b. 1544 or 5. Tormenting Tophet. aut; Greenwood, Henry, b. 1544 or 5. Joyfull tractate of the most blessed baptisme. aut 1620 (1620) STC 12329; ESTC S115797 129,145 422

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there wil come a day when ye shall cry Lord Lord and his eares shall bée shut to your prayers and his Iustice shall cast you into the déep dungeon of Tophet there to remaine till Mat. ● 26. ye haue payed the vttermost farthing The fourth part of the Description The 4. part And large of Tophet mentioned in this word Large As the Lord hath made hell Deepe so hath he made it Large in regard of the great number that shall be tormented Oecolam in Esay Obser●●● Esay ● 14 in her as saith Oecolampadius This word is vsed in the fift Chapter of this Prophesie Hell hath inlarged her selfe and hath opened her mouth without measure It hath set open her mouth as it were with a gag and all to receiue the great multitudes that shall discend into her It is called Lacut magnus in the Reuelation 14. 9. A great Lake That this doctrine is too true witnesse that of the Gospell of Mat. 20. 16. Multi vocati Many are called but few conuerted Many called but few chosen The most High made this world for 4. Esd 8. 1. many but the world to come for very fewe Obiect But some man may obiect against these Scriptures other Scriptures to proue the great number of them that shall be saued and so by consequence the small number that shal be tormented in Tophet Saint Mathew saith That many Math. 8. 11 shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God many an innumerable company shall be saued Saint Iohn in Reuelat. 7. 9. doth point out that great number that shall be saued with that nota stellifera that starry note Behold I saw a great multitude of all Nations and 〈…〉 and People 〈…〉 tongues 〈…〉 before th●● Throne and 〈…〉 the Lamb● ●loth●●● in long whe●● 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 ●● 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 whi●● 〈…〉 ●● w●●● of ●●●●●y and 〈…〉 i● th●i● 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 It may séeme by these 〈…〉 that ●any shall ●e 〈…〉 and no●●●●● a multitude damned I 〈…〉 that though the n●mber 〈…〉 of the Elect ●e great by ●●●●lfe considered to 〈…〉 praise of 〈…〉 mercy be it 〈…〉 yet if it bee 〈…〉 to the number of those that 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●● God 's 〈…〉 〈…〉 Alas ●hen ● re 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●he● are ●●● a handfull and t 〈…〉 hell will be made e●●éedi●g 〈…〉 ●his great ●estruction of 〈…〉 in hel● is liuelily shad 〈…〉 〈…〉 to vs in the iudgements of God on 〈…〉 〈…〉 with mercy as in the 〈…〉 of the old world ●● 〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 〈…〉 there aliue only N● 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●● the destruction of 〈…〉 by ●●●● how few ●s●aped there aliue onely Lot with his daughters in the destruction of Iericho by the sword how few escaped there aliue only Rahab with her family that Ios 6. 22. intertained the Israeliticall Spies To come to later times in the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus Vespasian how few escaped there aliue Many hundred thousands of them were starued to death many hundred thousands of them taken captiues to the Roman Empire some put to one death some to another and few escaped aliue and those of the meaner sort agricolae vinitores Husbandmen and labourers in Vineyards If beloued in the iudgements of God in this world so few haue escaped aliue how few thinke you shall scape at the dreadfull day of iudgemēt when of euery idle word that men shall Mat. 12. 36 speake a great account must bee made for the same yea when Inquisition W●●d 1. 9. shall bee made for the very thoughts of the vngodly If the Iust shall scarce bee saued where shall the sinner appeare Againe that great is the number of those that shall to Tophet and therefore Tophet made large to giue them fiery intertainment it appeareth in the very liues of men vpon earth for where there is one that commeth to the profession of the truth truly with the sincere heart of Nathaniel there Ioh 1● are ten yea twenty yea more that walke in the way of sinne in the road to Tophet without any check of conscience remorce for their sinnes or reclamation from their sinfull courses in the world some in the way of Atheisme some in Paganisme some in Epicurisme some in Brownisme some in Anabaptisme some in Mahometism some in Papisme yea some in Diuelisme a matter with many teares to be lamented But wouldst thou not be with this 〈…〉 large company in this large place of torment O then follow not a multitude to doe euill Reuel 18. 4. Come out from amongst them for if thou beest partaker with them in their sinnes thou must be partaker with th● in their punishments Fashion not thy selfe after the wicked fashion of this world rather walke alone by thy selfe to heauen than goe with the multitude to hell Walke in the narrow way of grace to saluation shun the broad and large way for that will bring thée to Tophet which as thou hearest is made excéeding déepe and large The fift part of the description of The fift part The burning therof is fire hell in these words The burning therof is fire expressing the bitternesse of the torments of Tophet There is great controuersie among the learned about this fire Whether it be true An in inferno ignis substantiall fire or fire allegoricall if it be true fire whether it be materiall corporall or spirituall If it be Corporall whether it burneth the body only or soule and body also Whether there be true fire in hell Quaestio 1. or whether these words the burning thereof is fire bee taken allegorically Caluin would haue it taken allegorically Caluin in Esai and thinks there is no true fire in hell His reason is this If Wood and the Worme be taken metaphorically why not then the fire also But this is no argument to proue 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 this fire allegoricall For in the holy Scriptures things spoken together are not alway taken in the same manner and nature For example sake CHRIST is called a Dore a Vine a Rocke a Stone figuratiuely and doth it therefore follow that hee was not God and Man substancially Againe in S. Lukes Gospell our Luk 〈…〉 Sauiour saith I appoint you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my Table in my Kingdome Eating is allegoricall but will you say that the Kingdome is allegoricall also I confesse that wood in hell is taken allegorically but that fire is taken so I vtterly deny Bullinger holdeth true and substantiall 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 fire in hell and so do the most and best of the learned Christ punished with fire in this world Sodome and the M●●murers G●● ●9 in the Booke of Numbers Chap●r● Numb 1● and called th● name of that place Th●●●●●●● because the fire of the Lord burnt amongst them And
taketh the bellowes to quench the ●●re If he speaketh to a wise man hee must vse no vaine Tautologies or needlesse repetitions for frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora It is in vaine to vse many words when we may as well be conceiued in few If these things bee not considered wee may yea speaking of diuine and holy matter offend in idle words 3 If we would abstaine from idle Quando words we must also consider when to speak saith Salomon There is a time Eccles 3. 7. to speake and a time to hold ones peace Saith one There is a time when some-thing may be spoken and there is a time when nothing may be spoken but there is no time when all things may bee spoken These three things well considered of vs we shall abstaine from idle words and haue the lesse account to make at the day of Iudgement Againe euery Christian as hee ought to imitate Christ in all things so he ought to imitate him in his words Gregory saith that Omnis Christi actio nostra debet esse instructio Gregory id est Euery action of Christ ought to bee to vs an example of imitation Christ had three things in his words worthy of consideration which wee must likewise labour to haue if wee will abstaine from idle words 1 He had veritatem in verbis truth in his words ●ea he reporteth of himselfe in Iohn that he is Via Veritas 〈…〉 Vita The Way the Truth and the Life Hee therefore that speaketh truth to his neighbour sheweth himselfe to bee the Childe of Christ Iesus the Fountaine and Origo of all truth but hee that speaketh leasings and vttereth forth lyes sheweth himselfe to bee the child or the diuell the author and originall of all lyes 2 Christ had vtilitatem in verbis profit in his words As he spake truely so he spake profitably He neuer spake one idle or vnprofitable word through the whole course of his life which was aboue 32. yeeres 3 Christ had moderamen in verbis A meane in his words Hee neuer was in words excessiue and when iust and necessarie occasion was offered he was neuer deficient but Ladie Meane I meane golden vertue drew forth his well contriued words out of the rich Conduit of his euer●lowing heart He fulfilled that saying of Iesus the sonne of Syrach The Eccl 21. 2● words of the wi●e are weighed in a ballance In these thrée things should euery one imitate Christ Iesus and then we should abstaine as he did from idle vaine friuolous and vnprofitable words for which a great account must be giuen The which imitation of Christ the Lord for Christ his sake grant to all men that they being like vnto him may bee receiued to reigne with him and his holy Angels in the thrice-happy heauens at that day Amen But I say vnto you that of euery Text. idle word that men shall c. 3 To whom this account must be The third part giuen Although in this Scripture that Iudge is not expresly mentioned yet notwithstanding quod subintelligitur non de est that which is vnderstood is not wanting and therefore not to be omitted This Iudge therfore before whose Tribunall Seate all mankinde must appeare it is Christ for hee was anointed of his Father into a triple office to bee a Priest after the order of Melchisedech to be a Prophet after the order of Dauid to be a King after the order of Salomon Therefore Christ as hee is King ouer all in heauen and earth is this Iudge before whom we must all appeare The truth of this is euident in the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians We ● Cor. 5 10. must all appeare before the tribunall seat of Christ c. Wee read also in Iohn that the Father iudgeth no man Ioh. ● ●● but hee hath committed all iudgement to his Sonne And in Matthew it is written that all power is giuen to Mat. ●● 2● Christ in heauen and in earth This was prophecied of him in the Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten Psal ● ●●● ● thee Aske of mee and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of Iron and breake them in pieces like a Potters vessell And againe in another place Sit Psal 11● 1 thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Yea it is an Article of our faith to beleeue that IESVS CHRIST shall come againe to iudge both the quicke and the dead Christ is therefore the Iudge yea Iudge he is verè Iudex a right Iudge for this word Iudex that is Iudge is as much as ius dicens id est One that speaketh Iustice and Iudico that is to Iudge is as much as ius dico to speake iustice and iudicium that is iudgement is as much as iurisdicium if I may so tearme it that is a Iust and Right speech So Christ being an vpright Iudge maintaineth Iustice in Iudgement hee is a Iudge that will vse no partiality but will reward euery man according to his workes he is a Iudge that hath no respect of persons Men Rom ● 1● in this world may fitly be compared to Actors of a Comedy vpon a Stage Wherein one acteth the part of a Prince another of a Duke another of an Earle another of a Noble-man another of a Gentleman another of a Magistrate another of a Marchant another of a Countriman another of a Seruant one acteth one part one another and so long as they are vpon the stage so long there is respect according to their parts one of another amongst them But when the Comedy is ended and the stage pulled downe then there is no such respect amongst them yea many times he that played the basest part is the best man So likewise so long as men act sundry parts vpon the stage of this earth that is so long as men do liue in seuerall vocations so long there is respect amongst men and that worthily but when as the Comedy shall be ended that is the day of doome shal come vpon all men when as the stage shall be pulled down that is the earth shall bee changed for the earth shall neuer bee brought ad non eus to nothing but onely the corruptiue qualities shall bee consumed then shall there be n● respect of persons amongst men yea it may bee that the po●●e man shall be greater before God than the rich man ●ea and besides all this vpon the earth God hath no respect of persons although there bee respect amongst men but euery man shall receiue according to his works the Prince as well as the Subiect the Rich as well as the poore If a Iudge then should come into a Citie and should iudge the greatest part of the Citie to death sparing no man nec precio
put in his owne power yea Christ him selfe knoweth not of this day But of that day and home saith Marke Marke 13. knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heauen neither the bonne himselfe ●a●e t●● Father id est Christ according to his humane Nature knoweth not of i● but according to his Diuine Nature he knoweth of it as well as God the Father for he is co-equall with God the Father in Knowledge Wisedome and in all things whatsoeuer yea he knew of this day before the foundation of the world was laid yea Hee himselfe shall sit Iudge at that day God will not haue vs know of this day when it shall be for these three causes 1 To proue and try our patience faith and other vertues to see whether we will put our whole trust and affiance in him although wee know not the time of our dissolution 2 To bridle our curiosity and p●●nish inquisition after such too high matters Quae supra nos nihil ad no● Aristotle That which is aboue our capacity we ought not to meddle withall 3 To keep vs in continual watchfulnesse for if we knew certainly the day of death and iudgement surely it would be a great and forcible motiue to draw vs to a loose negligent and secure kind of life Watch therefore Ma●●4 42 saith the Euangelist because yee know not when your Master will come For these thrée causes the Lord will not haue vs know of the time of iudgement Although my beloued in Christ we know not the certainty of the time of this day yet neuerthelesse wee must know that this great and generall day cannot be farre off both according to the Prophesies of holy fathers as also to the truth of holy Scriptures Augustine in his booke vpon Genesis 〈…〉 against the Manichees saith that the world should last six ages the first from Adam to Noah the second from Noah to Abraham the third from Abraham to Dauid the fourth from Dauid to the transmigration of Babylon the fifth from the transmigration of Babylon to the comming of Christ in the flesh the sixth from the comming of Christ in the flesh to his comming againe to iudgement So that according to his Prophesie wee 〈…〉 in the last age which last age is called of Iohn H●ra extrema or hora 〈…〉 nouissima the last houre But how long this last houre doth last he that is Alpha and Omega the First the Last the euerlasting God alone doth know The Hebrewes they boast of the Prophesie of Eliah a great man in Eliah those dayes hee prophesied that the world should last 6000. yeers 2000. before the Law 2000. vnder the Law and 2000. from Christ to Christ If this his prophesie holds true the world cannot last 400. yeares for since Christ his comming in the flesh it was 1619. at Christs-tide last past according to the computation of the Church from time to time But leauing men and comming to the Scriptures which cannot erre for Humanum est errare Man may yea and doe many times erre Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 20. 11. We are they vpon whom the ends of the world are come If therefore the ends of the world were come vpon those that liued aboue 1564. yeeres agoe then surely Doomes day cannot now possibly be farre off Iames also saith Behold the iudge Iam. 5. 9. standeth before the dore Iohn Baptist preached repentance Mat. 3 2 to the Iewes saying Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand So that by these places of Scripture it is euident that the generall day of Iudgement is at hand as also by the signes tokens which should goe before this day immediately of which many yea almost all are already fulfilled Moreouer wee must deare brethren know that there is a twofold iudgement the one called a particular iudgement the other called a generall iudgement 1 The particular iudgement is ● 〈…〉 2● exercised and executed vpon euery man imediatly after his death which is S● regatio animae à corpore A separation of the soule from the body Of this particular iudgement we may reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes It is appointed vnto men that 〈…〉 they shal once die and after that commeth Iudgement And though the generall iudgement cōmeth not these 4000. yeers yet particular iudgment commeth at the day of our death and look as we at the day of our death shal be found so shall we bee iudged and as we then shall be iudged so shall we be iudged at the generall iudgement 2 The general iudgement of which this Scripture speaketh is exercised executed vpon all men together by Christ who shall by his power raise all those vp againe that haue bin dead from the beginning of the world to that time and they shall be presented all together being againe vnited to their soules before Christs Tribunall seat who shall come downe in a Cloud from heauen in great Maiesty and Glory with thousands of blessed Angels attending vpon him and hee shal giue sentence vpon al in general the wicked shall bee cast into euerlasting fire and the godly he shall carry vp with him into Coelum Empir●um the third and highest heauen where hee now in body reigneth and remaineth there to reape ioyes vnspeakable for euermore But some man may obiect and lay Ob. Why I pray you shall there bee a generall iudgement when as all are iudged in the particular iudgement what shall there be two iudgements executed There shall notwithstanding the A●● particular be a generall iudgement and that for three causes 1 Because in the particular iudgement the Soule of man is iudged only but then both Soule body and shal be iudged 2 In the particular iudgement the Soule only is either rewarded or punished but then both Soule and body either shall be rewarded with ioyes or punished with torments 3 There shall be a generall iudgement to declare to all the world assembled then together the iust iudgement of God that he hath iustly saued the godly and iustly condemned the wicked yea the very wicked themselues shall confesse no lesse By reason of this generall iudgement some light-braind Heretikes there be that say that there is no particular iudgement at all and that the Soule immediately after death is not iudged for whereas it is said Hodie mecum ●ris in Paradiso To day thou Luk. ●3 4● shalt be with me in Paradise the spéech of our Sauiour to the thiefe they take that word bodie id est to day for 1000 yeers and bring for proofe hereof the place of the Psalm A thousand yeeres Psal 90. 4. in thy sight are as yesterday But to answer them this place of Scripture is not so to be vnderstood as that a thousand yéeres should be taken for a day or a day for a thousand yeeres for he saith not a thousand yerees are a day but a thousand
yeeres in the sight of God that is in respect of the eternity euerlastingnesse of God are as a day It is therfore spoken on this maner to expresse the eternity of God as if hee should say A thousand yeeres with m●n in respect of the eternity of God a●● but as a day for as many as are haue bin and euer shall be the dayes of man so many thousand yea so 〈…〉 th●n sand thousands yeeres is the C●●●nitie of God He is Alpha and Omega the First and the La●● before all beginnings and shall neuer haue ending Againe they alleage that place of Genesis In that day that thou eatest Gen. 2. 17. thereof namely of the forbidden fruit thou shalt dye the death Now saith the Heretique that Ob day they dyed not but liued many hundrd yeeres after Therfore by a day is vnderstood many hundred yeeres Ans But I answer that that day wherin ADAM did eate of the forbidden fruit euen that day did hee dye that is that day by sin he was separated from God then the which separation no death is greater for Vt v●●a corporis est anima 〈◊〉 v●●a 〈◊〉 est Deus Augustine tolle animam 〈◊〉 corpus tolle D●●●● m●ritur anima●●d est As the soule is the life of the body so God is 〈◊〉 of the soule take away the soule the body dieth take away God the Soule 〈…〉 So Adam that day dyed in Soule ●eing separated from the Lord yea that day Adam was made subiect to death in this life and in the life to come that day hee had the beginnings of death seazing vpon him for hee was presently cast out of Paradise into the ragged world he was cursed and all his posterity yea hee should haue gone to hell had not the second Adam broken the head of the subtill serpent that inticed him to sinne Yea the Thiefe vpon the Crosse had Paradise that day in his soule in which he suffered in body although hee had it not in so full measure as hee shall at the generall day when his Soule shall take vnto it the body againe Hodie to day thy soule with my soule shall be in Paradise that is in my Fathers Kingdome Where is now the Heretique that confoundeth particular iudgement Where is now the Epicure that thinketh there is no iudgement at all Where is now the ignorant Papist that dreameth of ●u●ga●ory and he that ●ondly thinketh that there is Limbus Patrum and Limbus Puerorum and where are those that imagin of a place of aboad betwéene Heauen and Hell I turne them altogether to the Hebrewes for wisedome in this Heb. 9. 27. point where they shall find that after death the soule of man is iudged Would Paul haue so earnestly desired Phil. 1. 23. to haue béen dissolued if he should not presently haue been with Christ He saith That in this world we see in 1 Cor. 13. 12. a glasse darkely Wée sée but Gods back-part as Moses did that is but a little of the fauor of God But then Ex. 33. 23. that is after this life ended wee shall see God face to face that is wée shall haue the full fruition of him Wée reade of Diues and Lazarus Luk. 19. 22 that after death the one was iudged to heauen the other to hell which is a Parable to signifie the truth of this particular iudgement And to conclude this point wée Eccl. 12. 7. read in Salomon That the dust returneth to the earth from whence it came and the Spirit to God that gaue it So that wée may learne from hence the vncertainty of the day of Iudgement The vse hereof Bernard Well saith Bernard Nihil certius morte hora mortis nihil ●●certius that is Nothing is more certaine then death and there is nothing more vncertaine then the houre of death Let euery Christian therefore that wisheth the saluation of his Soule at the day of death and Iudgement beware of security and carelesse liuing let no man deferre repentance and amendment of life lest death come when hee looketh not for it and so being vnprepared he be cast into hell fire The old world had 120. yeeres to Gen 6. 3. Ionas 1 ● Psa 9. 5 1● repent in Nini●e had 40. dayes to repent in Israel had 40 yéeres to repent in but thou O man knowest not how long thou hast to liue thou hast no lease of thy life thou art here to day gone to morrow when the houres of thy life bee ended and the glasse out-runne thou must away death waiteth for thee in euery place and at all times therefore w●ite thou for it playing the fiue wise Virgins that had the candle of saith burning in the lamps of their hearts nourished with Mat. 25. 4. the oyle of loue and workes Ierusalem because she could not be brought to repentance shee was destroyed many hundred thousands of her children were ●amisht to death and many hundred thousands taken captiue by Titus Vespatian the Roman 〈…〉 Emperour many cast to wilde beasts and deuoured The children of Israel because they were a stiffe-necked people and a froward generation and would not be brought to Repentance how many thousands of men lay slaine in the Wildernesse 600000. Males except Ioshua and Caleb The old world because they would Gen. 7. ●● take no warning and could not bee brought to amendment of life the s●oud drowned them all except faithfull Noah and his godly family And except thou repentest thou likewise shalt perish according to that of Luke Except yee repent yee shall all likewise Luk 13 3 perish Beware therefore and repent betimes F●lix quem ●●ciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is hee whom other mens harmes doe make to beware Refuse no good motions knocking at the dore of thy heart but entertaine them willingly according to the counsell of Augustine If hee offereth Augustine thee grace to day saith hee take it make much of it for thou knowest not whether hee will offer the same to morrow Make no long tarrying to turne to the Lord and put not off from day to day the longer thou remainest in thy sinne the h●r●er it is for thee to repent for Qui 〈…〉 cra● Poet. minus aptus ●rit If thou b●●●l not fit for amendment to day thou wilt bee lesse fit to morrow Therefore while the Lord speaketh to thee make him answere while he calleth vnto thee let there be an eccho in thi●e heart as was in the heart of Dauid Seeke ye my Psal ●7 ● face thy face Lord will I seeke And while it is said to day harden not your hearts in no case deserve repentance for the day of death and iudgement is vncertaine as saith Chrysostome Poenitenti veniam spospondit sed viuendi in crastinum non spospondit that is The Lord hath promised pardon to him that repenteth but to liue till to morrow he hath not promised Obiect But some there
in thought word and worke O Lord our God we must needs confesse with mourning and sorrowing hearts and spirits that we were all borne in sin all conceiued in iniquity and that all our life hitherto hath beene most fearefully corrupted and stained with all manner of sinfull transgressions to the great dishonour of thine owne Maiestie to the great discomfort of our owne soules and to the euerlasting confusion both of soule and body in thy iust iustice and iudgement in the world to come Yea O Lord we cannot but confesse that so soone as euer wee came into the world thou mightest iustly for our sinnes haue taken vs both body and soule and giuen vs our portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone it is thy great mercy that thou hast spared vs hitherto and not consumed vs from the face of the earth To thee therefore God of endlesse compassion we most miserable wretches make our pitious mone to thee in Christ Iesus wee come now for mercy heare vs heale vs helpe vs and haue mercy vpon vs pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes let shine thy fauourable countenance towards vs and say vnto our soules that thou art our saluation Thou hast promised in thy holy and heauenly Word that a broken and a contrite heart thou wilt not despise Fulfill therefore now O Lord this thy gracious promise to vs that are weary and laden with the affrightments of sinne and that offer vp our prayers with grones that cannot bee expressed Wash vs O Lord in the bloud of Iesus Christ make vs cleane within and without by thy sanctifying and renewing grace preserue vs both in body and soule from the guilt and punishment of all our mis-doings assure our consciences of the same by faith and seals vs by thy good Spirit to the day of redemption And heauenly Father wée humbly intreate thee to worke thy good worke in euery soule of vs to giue vs faith in thy promises zeale to thy glory loue to thy truth obedience to thy will care and conscience to walke vpright before thee in all our wayes and to offer vp our soules and bodies a liuely sacrifice to the seruice of thy Maiestie in holinesse all the dayes of our life to come And in these our prayers we craue also at thy mercifull hands thy gracious blessings for all thy faithfull Children and elect persons wheresoeuer dispersed and howsoeuer distressed vpon the face of the earth and more especially for these thy churches amongst vs of Great Brittaine France and Ireland replenish the Kings most excellent Maiestie with all necessarie graces meet for so worthy a Personage Redouble thy gracious Spirit vpon our most hopefull Prince and multiply thy blessings vpon all His Royall Issue Blesse all the Nobility of our Land all the reuerend Clergy from the highest to the lowest all of the ciuill Magistracy all Schooles of learning with the two Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxford and all the Commons of this Realme shew pitty vpon all thine that are in any kinde of tribulation or affliction especially vpon all those that suffer persecution for thy Gospels truth comfort all those that lye languishing in spirit Soule-sicke at the heart for remorce of their sinnes say vnto their Soules that thou art their Redemption Blesse moreouer we beseech thee all that are deare and neere vnto vs in the flesh as our Parents Father and Mother Brother and Sister and Kinsfolke together with our deare Friends and Christian acquaintance absent or present Lord bee present with them and keepe them as the apple of thine owne eye from euery euill worke and way to thy euerlasting Kingdome and saluation And holy Father we finally entreat thee to redouble thy gracious blessings vpon euery one of vs at this time humbled in Prayer before thee blesse vs bodily and spiritually giue vnto our bodies comfortable rest and sleepe that so wee may be the fitter to do the works of our seueral vocations before thée and grant vnto our soules the continuall assistance of thy grace that they may neuer sléepe in sinne but that they may be alwaies waking and wayting for the comming of our Lord Iesus to Iudgement that so Soule and body may bee preserued from the euill of sinne in this life and from the euill of damnation in the world to come and that for Christ Iesus his sake our sole Sauiour and onely Redéemer to whom with thée and thy blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one Essentiall God we offer vp all possible Thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen FINIS Tormenting TOPHET OR A TERRIBLE DESCRIPTION of HELL Able to breake the hardest heart and cause it quake and tremble Preached at Pauls Crosse the 14. of Iune 1614. The fifth Edition corrected and amended Esay 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King he hath made it deepe and large the burning thereof is fire c. Printed at London by George Purslow and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and my verie deare friends Sir Lestraunge Mordaunt of Massingham Hall in the Countie of Norfolke Knight Baronet and Lady Frances Mordaunt his most louing Bed-fellow HENRY GREENVVOOD Wisheth all increase of Grace in this Life and Eternall Life in Life to come IT is and hath beene long since Right Worshipfull the custome of the Learned that when they commended to publike view therein ayming a● common good their Christian pains and diuine indeuors knowing that the truth hath and alwayes had many oppositions and detractions to present them to men of high place and well affected in Religion that so their works might passe with lesse feare and danger of disgrace and opprobry I though vnlearned making bold to imitate their Christian policie herein haue presumed to present that doctrine to your Worships eyes that lately in publike place was sounded in your eares both of which senses are great instruments in the furtherance of our soules in the way of Gods Kingdome for as the eare conuayeth grace to the affections of the soule so the eye bringeth much matter to the vnderstanding of the minde nay the eare cannot so often be an Andito as the eye an Oratour to the Conscience For which cause your Worships nothing more affecting than growth in grace and Religion I haue attempted to commend to your often consideration Tormenting Tophet for as nothing allureth the heart to grace more then Gods mercies so nothing is more preualent against sinne than his fearfull and terrible Iudgements If therfore your gracious Worships shall vouchsafe to accept of these my poore presented pains it will giue much content to mine own heart doubtlesse answerable comfort to your owne soules And to conclude as the Lord hath aboundantly blessed your Worships with graces internal blessings externall So to vse the words of the Apostle the very God of peace sanctifie you still throughout and I pray God that your whole spirits and Soules
annotarunt Hebraei porrigens brachia ad excipiendos pueros that is This Idoll was made of copper so the Hebrewes haue obserued stretching forth his hands to receiue those massacred children The Iewes more at large write of Descriptio Molo●h him that he was of great stature and hollow within hauing seuen places or chambers within him the first to ●eceu●e meale offered the second Turtle Doues the third a Shéepe the fourth a Ramme the fift a Calfe the sixt an Oxe the seuenth a Child he was faced like a Calfe imitating the idolatry of Egypt his hands were euer stretched out to receiue bribes and gifts his Priests were called Chemmarims because they were smoked with the incense offered to Idols of whom ye may reade 2. King 2. Ki. 23. 15. 13. 5. Hos 10. 5. Zephan 1. 4. This Tophet or valley of Hinnom was put downe by good King Iosiah and in contempt therof dead carrions and the off-scowrings of Ierusalem commanded to be cast therein The Iewes report that in Tophet there was a déepe ditch which they callled Os inferni the mouth of Hell Ier. 7. 32. which neuer could be filled into which the Chaldeans hauing slaine the Israelites threw them For the deriuation of this word some think that it is deriued à Tophes lapidibus pretiosis in modum Punicis inter quos ●ntr●ebatur ignis that is Of the Topaze stone like the Pumicke in which fire was nourished but this deriuation is farre fetcht and faulty But for most certaine Tophet is Tophet ●nd● deriued of that Hebrew Toph quod tympanum sonat which signifieth a Tabret or loud instrument because when they sacrificed their children to Moloch they did tympana pulsare ne exaudi P●●●●● Esai rent eiulatum liberorum qui comburebantur id est Smite vpon the tabret that they might not heare the lamentable screeching of their children in the fire as sayth Piscator So that by a certaine Simile the Spirit of God doth here compare hell How Tophet taken for hell to Tophet for as in Tophet there was lamentable scréeching of the children in the fire so in hell there shall bee scréeching and screaming wéeping and wayling for euermore Hell hath many names in like respects as it is called TARTAROS of TARTARAS●● TAROSSO to terrifie because of the terrors thereof It is called HA●ES of the prinitiue HA●ES particle A 〈…〉 not to s 〈…〉 pl●ce without light which express●th th● dolour of Hell as sayth Chytreus Chytreus in 20. ●● Apoc. numero 7. de poenis impiorum Auernus It is called Auernus absque veratemperatura without true temperature for there the fréezing cold shall not mitigate the scorching heat nor the scorching heat the freezing cold And here it is compared to Tophet in regard of the terrible tortures and pitious out-cryes of the condemned Vt per hortum voluptatis Paradisi Sim ●● scilicet sedes beatorum figuratur ita per hunc locum terroris Tophet scilicet infernus describitur that is As by the garden of pleasure namely Paradise the place of the blessed is figured So by this place of terrour namely Tophet the dungeon of hell is described From which fearefull Metaphor Obseru we may iustly make this our obseruation namely that Hell is a most lamentable and wofull place of torment where in regard of the extremity of torments imposed vpon the damned there shall bee scréeching and screaming weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth for euermore and this is Tophet Where torment shall be vpon torment each torment easelesse endlesse remedilesse where the worme shall be immortall cold intolerable stinch indurable fire vnquenchable darknesse palpable s●ourges of Diuels terrible and scréeching and screaming continually and this is Hell In hell saith S. Austine there is August vermis conscientiae ignitae lachrymae and dolor sine remedio that is The gnawing worme the burning teares and sorrow that can neuer be eased And againe hee saith in his third Tom. de Spiritu Anima Ibi trit metus Aug. 3. tom de Spiritu Anima moeror luctus ● dolor tunc verè nihil lugere erit nisi f●ere quia poenitere tunc nulli poterit valere ibi erit tortor c●dens vermis corrodens ignis consumens that is In hell there is howling and horror sobbing and terror where weeping helps not and repentance boots not where is paine killing worme gnawing and fire consuming Vermis tenebrae flagellū frigus ignis Poeta Tertul in Apologet Daemonis aspectus scelerū confusio luctus Tertullian in Apologetico speaking of Hell sayth thus Gehenna est ignis arc a● ni subterraneus ad poenam thesaurus that is Hell is a treasure of secret fire kept vnder the earth to punish withall The truth of this heauy report Diues with the residue of the damned doe finde by wofull experience who still cryes out I am tormented in this flame This is miserable Tophet prepared for all vngodly people of the world Vse 1 The meditation of these torments should breake our stony hearts in pieces and strike vs into such a dismall dump as was Baltazar when he saw Dan. ● 5. the hand-writing on the wall against him these should bee an extractiue force and power to drawe grones from our harts teares from our eies and sins from our soules Grauia peccata grauia desiderant lamenta Great sins require great lamentations Swéet meat must haue sowre sawce sin must haue mourning eyther here by attrition Legall and contrition Euangelicall or else hereafter wee shall be cast into Tophet where we shall lye screaming and screaming continually Plangite igitur plangenda Bewaile Greg●r your sinnes therefore that ought to bee lamented Estote tam proni ad lamenta ●●●odo sicut fuistis ad peccata Be as prone to lamentation as euer you were to transgression as prone to lament them as euer ye were to commit them In a booke inscribed De natura rerum I reade of a Byrd called Auis Paradisi the Bird of Paradise which is so called in regard of her splendid and excellent beauty which Bird being taken in the snare of the Fowler doth iugemiscere ac lachrymare dies noctesque Lib. ●● na● 〈…〉 mourne and lament night and day vntill she be restored to liberty So wee that were once Aues Paradisi Birds 〈…〉 of Paradise but now captiuated in the thraldome of sinne and Satan and lyable to this tormenting Tophet should neuer cease mourning and wayling vntill wee bee restored ●o Grace againe Blessed are you that haue grace thus to mourne yee shall bee comforted the Lord will wipe away as ●ll sinnes from your soules so all teares from your eyes in the Kingdome of saluation Vse 2 Againe the consideration of this terrible Tophet should cause vs willingly to imbrace the counsell of the Psalmist To stand in awe and sinne Psal 4. 4. not And worke in our hearts that
with the sheep on his right hand and singing this blessed haruest song vnto you Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world To the which most blessed place of glory the Lord bring euery Soule of vs at the day of our death and dissolution and that for IESVS CHRIST his sake to whom with God the Father and God the blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one immortall God be ascribed all honour and glory both in Heauen and Earth this day and euer Amen * ⁎ * FINIS An Earnest and zealous Pray er to be saued from the damnation of TOPHET O Most glorious euerliuing and euerlouing Lord God the fountaine and well-spring of all our happinesse wee thy poore seruants vnworthy in regard of our manifold transgressions of the least of thy blessings doe most humbly fall downe before the throne of thy dreadfull Maiesty confessing in the bitternesse of our soules the basenesse and vilenesse of our estates by sinne O Lord ashamed wee are to come before thee that are nothing but sinfull corruption and abomination but thou a Maiesty most pure in comparison of whom the Angels themselues are counted impure we dare not therfore being thus lothsome and abominable presume to present our selues before thee as in our selues but in thy manifold mercies and thy Son Iesus Christ his merits in whom thou art delightfully pleased with all that faithfully call vpon thy name Lord in thy Son behold vs we humbly beseech thee accept vs in his worthinesse clense vs in his blood iustifie vs in his righteousnes sanctifie vs with his spirit and in his most precious death frée vs from the damnation of hell O till these comfortable tidings be sealed vp to our soules how perplexed are we O how do our harts quake and tremble till we haue found the saluation of thee our God! Reiect vs not O heauenly Father that faine would as be saued of thee so vprightly serue thee we plead now and euer for pardon so for grace whereby wee may in plentifull manner bring forth fruits worthy of amendement Lord kéepe vs in body and soule to thy euerlasting Kingdom and saluation Lord preserue vs from the terrible torments of Tophet O what shall become of vs if we for our sins when we dye be thrown into that Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone so bitterly as forceth screeching and screaming continually Lord deale not with vs according to our sinnes and thy iustice but in the multitude of thy mercies saue our soules aliue O consider the terrors of our troubled Soules Let not the grones of our hearts be despised but suffer them to pierce the heauens for a blessing O thou that art the God of endlesse compassion cast vs not away from thy presence we are the workmanship of thine hands O Lord confound vs not O Lord that delightest not in the death and damnation of a sinner bee moued to shewe pity vpon vs O Christ our blessed Sauior make intercession to God the Father for vs speake by thy gracious Spirit peace to our disquieted Soules bind vp our broken hearts giue vs that wée may cléerely sée our names written in the Booke of Life and our soules released from the fearefull damnation of Tophet To this end gracious God remoue all sinne from our soules and plant in the garden of our hearts all those spirituall and heauenly graces that are proper peculiar to thine Elect that we may be alwayes a swéet smelling sauor before thée giue vs faith in thy promises loue to thy Maiesty zeale to thy glory obedience to thy lawes and guide vs daily by thy blessed Spirit into all truth and godlinesse Lord giue vs to bee out of loue with the vanities of this life to hate euery worke of darknes the little sin as well as the great quicken vs O Lord by thy quickning Spirit O giue vs hearts to bee inflamed with the loue of thy truth O that wée could hunger and thirst after grace as the chased Hart doth the running Brooke O that wee could experimentally say with thy seruant DAVID that all our delight is in thy Commandements Thus O Lord we receiuing grace from thy Maiesty to repell the fiery darts of the diuell to flye euen from euery apparition of euill so doing we may reap much comfort to our soules in this world of trouble and at the fearefull day of Iudgement wee may be freed from the lamentable tortures of Tophet where howling and yelling shall be for euermore and that for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne our Sauiour to whom with thée and thy most glorious Spirit we desire euen from the bottome of our hearts to haue offered vp all thanksgiuing and praise both in heauen and earth this day and euermore Amen FINIS A IOYEFVLL TRACTATE OF The most blessed Baptisme that euer was solemniz'd VIZ. Of the Baptism of our Lord IESVS by IOHN in Iordan The fourth Edition corrected and amended IOHN 3. 5. Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God LONDON Printed by George Purslowe and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull M. ROBERT MORDAVNT of Massingham Hall in the County of Norsolke Esquire and Mistris AMY MORDAVNT his mostlouing Bedfellow All increase of Grace in this life and of glory in the life to come SEldome or neuer Right Worshipfull doe we finde Tractates either Humane or Diuine passe without their particular Dedications that being shrowded vnder the safe-garding gourds of honorable and right godly dispositions they might the better bee preserued from the parching detractions of malignant Cynicks I make bolde therefore discarding all selfe-humour and irregular singularity to commend this poore Present vostrum ad patrocinium to the worthy patronage of your well-affected Worships two especiall reasons mouing me hereunto First that mine vnfained gratitude entire affection and most humble duty for all your fauors inexpressible might heereby bee made apparent Secondly it being deliuered at that solemne baptisme of Charles your first born and hopefull heyre none I know more worthy of this Dication than your worthy and right Christian persons I present it to your religious considerations as a louing and friendly New-yeeres gift for it aymes at that blessed New birth and happy New life liuely in baptisme represented without which it is not possible for either of you to possesse the Kingdome of God Accept therefore I humbly beseech you and take in good worth this short Treatise short both in line and learning respect not as is that Prouerbe the measure of the gift but the minde of the giuer what is wanting in the one I dare boldly promise is made vp in the other At your best leisures vouchsafe I pray now and then to peruse it and I trust that your Christian paines herein shall bee well reguerden'd with heauenly pleasures herefrom The Lord God make this with all other like
tongue and beare much more malice in heart These cursed Hypocrites these dissembling Hel-hounds and these venemous Vipers are the very pictures of the Diuell and liuely representations of the old Serpent For as the Diuell lyeth coggeth counterfaiteth and dissembleth so doe these The subtill Serpent pretended great kindnesse to our first Parents counselling them to eate of the forbidden fruit that so they might see and be as gods but he intended their euerlasting destruction so these crafty Foxes séeme to be charitable Christians and to giue good counsel whersoeuer they become but yet they deuoure 〈…〉 Widdowes houses and that vnder colour of long prayers The subtill Serpent séemeth to be an Angell of light but yet he is a diuell of darknesse settered with the chaines of euerlasting darknesse So A 〈…〉 these Apes of the Diuell do beare an outward shew of holinesse and puri ty yet they are Wels without water and clouds carried about with euery tempest to whom the blacke darknesse 2. Pet. 2. 17 is referned for euer These Hypocriticall mock-gods may fitly be compared to Idols For as an Idoll hath an outward shape of 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 a liuing man but yet hath no life at all within So Hypocrites séeme to liue by the life of grace yet are they dead in sinne and rotted in corruption They are new vpstart Gyants hauing two faces vnder one hood they come neere vnto God with their 〈…〉 ●9 ●3 mouthes and honour the Lord with their lips but their hearts are farre remoued from him Deum laudant in t●mpa●o se● non in choro i● They praise the Lord in the Tabor but not in the dance they serue God in shew but not in truth they beare with the Figg●●trée great store of leaues but no fruit at all But alas alas these Hypocrites that thus deceiue thēselues hauing their reward on earth which they through vaine glory gréedily look for at the hands of men shall neuer obtaine a Crowne of righteousnesse being altogether vnrighteous but they shall haue their portion with Hypocrites where shall be weeping wayling 〈…〉 ●5 ●5 and gnashing of teeth For the Lord abhorreth all hollow hearts and double tongues all outward odlations and burnt sacrifices all outward shew and hypocriticall worship he is a Spirit and he will sp●e all such out of his mouth as worship him not in Spirit and Truth Simul●ta san●litas duplex iniquitas i. Counterfait godlinesse is so farre from holinesse a● it is double vngodlinesse I say therefore vnto thée with Saint Chrysostome Aut esto quod appares aut appar● 〈…〉 〈…〉 id est Either be as thou seem●st or seem as thou art It is not séeming but being that shall goe for pay Non audi●o●●s s●d f●●●or●s legis iustisic ibutur id est No● the hearers but the doers of the ●●●● shall be iustified N●● eandem pr●●i●●ntes sed eidem obedientes glorifi●●●untur id est Not professors but performers shall be glorified Woe therefore to all hypocriticall Mock-gods that run not in the Race of Christianity as they boast themselues by profession they shall roare at the gates of heauen and say Lord Lord haue wee not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy Name done many good workes haue wee not professed thy Gospell and borne the name of thine But because they did not the will of our heauenly Father our Sauiour shal send them packing to hell with a Nescio vos professing on this manner vnto them I neuer knew Mat. 7. 22. 23. Mat. 23. 23 you depart from me yee workers of iniquity O yee viperous Serpents O ●ee generation of Vipers how shall ye escape the iudgement of hell Let euery Christian therefore beware of the leauen of the Pharises which is Hypocrisie Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in ●●● 〈…〉 Sheeps cloathing but inwardly are rauening Wolues yee shall know them by their fruits doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Walke wisely towards them that are Col. 4. 5. without redeeming the time for the dayes are euill That you may therefore preuent the damned traditions of this diuelish brood I say vnto you as our Sauior said vnto his Apostles a little before his Passion Behold I haue told you Mat. 24. 25 before Let euery Christian therefore auoiding all counterfait and hypocriticall profession runne in the Race of godlinesse seruing the Lord with all his heart with all his Soule with all his strength in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life God calleth for our hearts My sonne giue me thy heart The Lord Pro. 23. ●● August●ne as saith S. Augustine Quia totum fecit totum exigit id est Because hee made all hee will haue all not a piece of the heart nor a roome in thy heart but the whole heart for the Lord is a iealous God and as a iealous husband cannot indure that his wife should giue her hart or any part therof to any other man so the Lord cannot abide that wée should giue any part of our heart ●rom him He calleth not for a stony heart nor for a double heart but for a fleshy heart a heart purged by faith in CHRIST IESVS bathed in the bloud of the Lambe and throughly clensed by the fire of the Spirit not an old heart neither a corrupted heart but a new heart and a new Spirit for which the Prophet Dauid begged Create in Psal 51. 10 me a new heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Let vs therefore I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God giue vp our bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God and let vs Rom. 12 1 2. not fashion our selues like to this world but let vs bee changed by the renewing of our minde In stead of dead beasts let vs giue vp our bodies which are liuely Sacrifices And in stead of the bloud of beasts which was but a shadow and pleased not God of it selfe let vs giue vp the acceptable sacrifice of the spirituall Man framed by faith to Godlinesse of life Let vs sanctifie the Lord 1 Pet. 3. 23. in our hearts who dayly calleth for our hearts let vs say with Dauid My Soule praise thou the Lord and all Psal 103. 1. that is within mee praise his holy name Let vs praise him in his Sanctuary and in the firmament of his power let vs praise him in his mighty acts and according to his excellent greatnesse let vs praise him in the sound of a Trumpet vpon the Violl and Harpe yea let euery thing that hath breath praise the Lord And that not onely in word and in tongue but in déede and in truth not in outward shew and profession only but in our pure lines and holy conuersations that so running in the Race of Godlinesse to the end of our liues we may be blessed for euer and
glorifying the Lord God by our holy conuersations in this world we may be eternally glorified of the Lord our God in the world to come So run that ye may obtaine Text. The last thing to bee obserued in this heauenly Race is Praemium promissum The promised reward to all those that runne lawfully so great a reward it is as should stirre vp euery Christian to run in the Race of Godlinesse If the King of his Princely bounty would offer 10000. pounds to him that should first come at a miles end would not thousands hazard their liues and aduenture a surfet willingly that they may obtaine the same But the Lord hath offered vs a Kingdome Yea it is the pleasure Luke 12. Heb. 13. 14 1. Pet. 1. 18. of our heauenly Father to giue vs a Kingdome an habitation not made with hands nor purchased with gold and siluer but with the bloud of the immaculate Lambe And shall not wée labour and straine our selues with might maine to run the race that is appointed for vs How wil men toile and moyle for a little trash How will men vse all their wits and bend all their studies to bee worldly rich Alas those are dung in respect of this reward shall we not therefore much more labour for the meat that shall neuer perish for this glorious reward that shall neuer be taken from vs The greatnesse of this reward is painted out vnto vs in the holy Scriptures by the diuersity greatnesse of the names thereof For first it is called by the name of Regnum coelorum i. The Kingdome of Heauen for there they enioy great liberty honor power pleasure glory and all good things whatsoeuer Secondly it is called by th● name of Regnum Dei Christi id est The Ephe. ● 21 Kingdome of God and of Christ because that Iesus Christ hauing ouer come death hell and damnation together with all the enemies that did oppose vs in the way to heauen doth rule there and gouerne his Church triumphant with heauenly peace and euerlasting tranquillity Thirdly it is called by the name of Paradisus id est Paradise in respect Luk● 23. of the aboundant plenty of all good and pleasant things which the Saints can either wish or possibly desire Fourthly it is called by the name of Caelum tertium id est the third heauen 2. Cor. 12. which is called Coelum Empyraeum i. igncum not in respect of fire but in respect of the glorious light that shineth therein For it is Situ altissimum quantitate maximum naturà purissimum luce plenissimum capacitate amplissimum id est High in situation great in quantity pure in nature full of light and exceeding large Able to receiue ten thousand times more persons thē there are drops of water in the sea or s●●d lying by the shore Fiftly it is called by the name of Sancla Ciuit●s an holy Citie built Apoc. 21. 10. with most precious pearles because the company that dwell therein are holy and pure shining in holinesse and glistring in purity as the portals of the burnish Sun Sixtly it is called by the name of Summa be ●titudo inestimable blessednesse Because the Saints inioy the full presence of the blessed Trinitie wherein true blisse consisteth Seuenthly it is called by the name of Vita aeterna Life euerlasting because there shall be no more death nor lamentation no more crying nor sorrow but the Saints shall enioy these blessed ioyes so ●ong as God shall be God which is for euerlasting This is the reward promised to all those that will runne in the race of Godlinesse holding out to the end A large reward and no man knoweth it but he that enioyeth it Adeò magna est quod nequit numerari adeò pretiosa quod n● qui● comparari adeò diutina quòd nequit terminari id est So great is this reward as it cannot bee numbred so precious as it cannot be valued so lasting as it is euerlasting it is great without quantity swéete without quality infinite without number euerlasting without end So great is this reward as neither ●e hath seene nor ea●e hath heard of 1. Cor ● he like neither can it bee expr●sted of 〈…〉 ●a●● of man Quod 〈…〉 saith S. Augustine Diligentibus se Augustine Deus side non capitur spe non attingitur charitate non comprehenditur desideria vota transgreditur adquiri potest aestimari non potest id est That which the Lord hath prepared for those that loue and feare his Name is not fully attained to by faith neither fully retained by hope neither fully contained by charity it farre surpasseth the desires of men Angels It may be in some measure bee obtained but valued it can neuer be Deus saith S. Bernard est mel Bernard in ore melos in aure iubilus in corde i. God is honie in the mouth melody in the eare ioy in the heart Ibi nihil in tus fastidiatur nihil foris quod appetatur ibi rex veritas lex charitas possessio aeternitas id est In heauen there is nothing that may seeme fulsome or loathsome out of Heauen there is nothing that may bee wished or desired for then were there no perfection in heauen for Persetium est cui nihil addi potest i. There is perfection where can bee no addition there the King is Verity the law Charity possession Eternitie Saint Augustine speaking of the ioyes of heauen saith thus Ibi laetitia sine Augustine tristitia locus sine dolore vita sine labore lux sine tonebris ibi i●uentus semper vigescit nunquam senescit ibi dolor nunquam sentitur nec gemitus vnquam auditur ibi tristitia nunquam videtur sed aeternum gaudium possidetur id est There is mirth without mone place without paine life without labour light with out darknesse there youth alwayes flourisheth and neuer decayeth there is no torment felt no howling heard no sorrow seene but possession of euerlasting ioyes Ibi est summa certa tranquillitas Augustine tranquilla foelicitas foelix aeternitas aeterna beatitudo beata Trinitas id est There is great tranquillity tranquill felicitie happy eternity euerlasting blessednesse and the blessed Trinitie O gaudium super gaudium vincens omne Augustine gaudium extra quod non est gaudium quando intrabo in te vt Deum meum videam qui habitat in te id est O ioy a boue all ioyes farre surpassing all ioyes without which there is no ioy When shall I enter into thee that I may see my God that dwelleth in thee This holy man Augustine considering the greatnesse of the ioyes of heauen sayth on this manner Faciliùs exponi Augustine potest quid non sit in coelo quàm quid sit in coelo id est A man may sooner tell what is not in Heauen then what is in Heauen for the ioyes