How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offred himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing god That this grace might not be in vaine God gaue with his sonne vnto his people all things pertaining to saluation and euerlasting life Rom. 8 3â— 32. What shall we then say to these things If god be on our side whom can be against vs Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Iohn 17. 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. 22. 23. 24. 26. Thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that hee should giue eternall life to all them that thou hast giuen him I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them and now am I no more in the worlde and I come to thée holy father kéepe them in thy nâ—â—e euen them whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as we are while I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name The glory that thou gauest me I gaue them that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me for thou louedst me before the foundation of the world I haue declared vnto them thy name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them He openeth this secret when men least looke for it Gen. 3. 15. When God was appointing punishment vnto our first parents he interlaceth this comfort I wil also put enmitie betwéen thée meaning the serpent or the dinel by the serpent and the woman and betwéene thy séede and her séede He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his héele Gen. 22. 18. When Abraham thought there was no way but death with his sonne because God had so commanded God altered his commandement and hauing tried his obedience he said That in his séede all the nations of the earth should be blessed Ephe. 2. 4. 5. God which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ by whose grace ye are saued Rom. 5. 6. 8. 10. For Christ when wee were yet of no strength at his time died for the vngodly God setteth out his loue toward vâ— séeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And when we were his enemies God reconciled himselfe vnto vs by the death of his sonne 1. Cor. 2. 7. 8. We speake the wisedome of god in a mistery euen the hid wisdome which god had determined before the world vnto glory Which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne for had they knowne it they wold not haue crucified the Lord of glory Collos 1. 25. 26. I am a minister according to the dispensation of god which is giuen me vnto you-ward to fulfill the word of god which is the mistery hid since the worlde began and from all ages but now is made manifest to his saints Eze. 16. 6. 8. 9. And when I passed by I sawe thée polluted in thine owne blood and I said vnto thée when thou wast in thy blood Thou shalt liue euen when thou wast in thy blood thou shalt liue Passing by thée and looking vppon thée behold thy time was as the time of loue and I spread my skirts ouer thée and couered thy filthinesse yea I sware vnto thée and entered into a couenant with thée saith the Lord God and thou becammest mine Then washed I thée with water yea I washed away thy blood from thée and I annointed thée with oyle Ephe. 2. 12. Ye which were without Christ and were aliants from the common-weale of Israel and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without god in the world Now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neare by the blood of Christ 1. Pet. 2. 10. Which intime past were not a people yet are now the people of god which in time past were not vnder mercy but now haue obtained mercy Men are blinded and yet thinke they see Iohn 9. 41. Iesus said vnto them If ye were blinde ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth Iohn 3. 19. This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light Iohn 1. 10. 11. He was in the world and the world knew him not he came vnto his owne and his own receiued him not Philip. 3. 6. Concerning the lawe I was vnrebukeable saith the Apostle of himself examining no more but his outward life Then in mercy God causeth their dangerous estate to be set before them by preaching of the lawe Rom. 3. 20. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of sin Lawe chap. 4. 5. The lawe causeth wrath chap. 5. 20. The laws entred thereupon that the offence should abound that it might appeare to be notorious in the sight of god Rom. 7. 9. For I once was aliue without the lawe but when the commandement came sinne reuiued and verse 14. The lawe is spirituall but I am carnall Rom. 2. 15. Which she we the effect of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one an other or excusing 1. Tim. 1. 9. 10. The law is not giuen to a righteous man but vnto the lawlesse and disobedient to the vngodly and to sinners to the vnholy and to the prophane to murtherers of fathers and mothers to men-stealers to liars to the periured and if there bee any other thing that is contrary to wholesome doctrine Gal. 5. 19. 20 21. 22. Moreouer the workes of the flesh are manifest which are adultery fornicatioÌ„ vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennesse gluttony and such like whereof I tell you before as I also haue tolde you before that they which doo such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god but verse 18. are vnder the curse of the lawe Deut. 25. 15. Rom. 7. 13. Sinne that it might appear sinne wrought death by the lawe 2. Cor. 2. 16. It is the sauour of death vnto death It casteth downe to hell it feareth and woundeth our consciences 2. Cor. 3. 9. It is the ministration of condemnation Ro. 7. 7. I knewe not sinne but by the lawe For I had not knowne lust except the lawe had said Thou shalt not lust 2. Tim.
so certaine that it is prepared for vs before the beginning of the world and before the foundations of the world were laid The elder brother to forgo his inheritaunce and to giue it to straungers wée should hardly beléeue it were it not that he had giuen so manifest a triall in that hée gaue his life for vs which is more then his inheritance Howe then shall hée not therewith giue vs all thinges also Hée that hath made vs Lordes ouer all his creatures here on earth should we doubt that he will not vouchsafe vs an heauenly dignitie The Angels are they not all ministring spirites sent foorth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation Hebr. 1. 14. Hée that hath appointed the Angels in this life to watch to our good to guide and to guard vs shall hée not also in the life to come make vs fellowes and companions with the Angels The Angels are seruaunts and we are brethren â—rethren nay crowned Kings because the kingdome of heauen shall bee our inheritaunce According as the Apostle Saint Peter 1. Epistle 2. 9. informeth vs Yee are saith he a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holie nation a peculiar people graced foorth with a singular excellencie and preheminence in that wee are said to bee the thrones of God and that wee shall fit vppon throanes What comfort then is it for vs all that of the sonnes of darknesse we are made the sonnes of light of the enemies of God reconciled friends of the seruants and children of the diuell of Gods wrath being altogither fearfull and doubtfull of the children of this world and of euerlasting perdition that wee are made the seruants of God fully partakers of his grace and certainly staied and confirmed therein citizens of heauen and heires of euerlasting consolation Which serueth mightily and standeth vs greatly in stéede to raise vp our weake mindes and faint heartes which are cast downe through the remembraunce of our gréeuous sinnes and which shall kéepe vs from falling into dispaire that when Sathan togither with our owne guiltie consciences shall perswade vs that wée are none of Gods children euen then that the spirite of God shall certifie our hearts that we be heires of the kingdome of God This that we are heires hath two profitable lessons to lift vp our mindes and also to humble vs lest we be too much exalted For this inheritance commeth not vnto vs by desert but through grace and mercy that we may rather giue God the praise and thankes then boast in our selues who haue nothing but that which is giuen granted nothing but that whereof we be vouchsafed To humble vs being put in minde of our dutie as the Apostle warneth vs. 1. Peter 1. 17. And if wee call him father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euerie mans worke let vs passe the time of our dwelling heere in feare And séeing God hath made vs his sonnes by adoption so much the more are we bound to feare and obedience because he hath adopted vs of his only fauour when he might worthily haue cast vs off and put vs by for our vnthankfulnesse Vnto these two profitable lessons we may adde two singular comfortes the one concerning our afflictions and troubles and distresses in this transitorie life the other concerning our blottes and blemishes our sinnes and offences And therefore verie fitly and very well saith a godly writer in this respect All thinges yea gréeuous afflictions and sin it selfe turne to their good and bettering who are chosen to be heires Afflictions sinne death are very profitable vnto them howe hurtfull soeuer they be in their owne nature Death which séemeth to be the worst of all yea most terrible is not an entrance into hell as it is to the worst sort and to the vngodly but to them it is a narrow gate to let them in into euerlasting life and therfore most ioyfully and most chéerefully they vndertooke it being glad that the time of their dissolution doth approach and that their miseries shall haue an end and that the course of sinne shal be cut off As for afflictions vnlesse they did tend to the good of the godly and the adopted children of God God would not lay them vpon them and put them to such hazardes and distresses Yea the godly are so affected that with Iob they can say If God doe kill me yet will I put my trust in him And because his loue is shead abroad in our hearts therefore shall no discomfort vtterly dismay vs. Wherein also this comforteth our heartes that God wil lay no more vpon vs then that he will make vs able to beare and further that he will giue a ioyfull issue to all our troubles and vexations and temptations For in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour and to helpe them that suffer affliction and are tempted So that we may looke for comfort at Gods hand euen such as shal be grounded vpon the certaine and infallible promises of God and such as shal be answerable to the measure of our afflictions troubles vexations and temptations If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For I count saith the Apostle that the afflictions of this present time and of this present transitorie life are not worthy yâ— glorie which shal be reuealed and shewed vnto vs whereof in due time we shal be partakers Now as for our sinnes it is so farre off that they shall The remembrance of sins no hurt to the adopted to dismay them and to put them beside their hope bréed any trouble vnquietnesse or vexation of minde to remooue vs from the hope of our inheritance that the remembrance thereof shal be as a goade or a spurre to hasten vs on to persorme all good workes And as we haue giuen our members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne so shall we with all readinesse giue our selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead and as they who by the power of Christ their sauior haue fully triumphed ouer the world and the flesh and the deuill ouer sinne and death and hell For behold this thing that we haue béen great offenders what care it will worke in vs least we should fall into sin againe what holy anger and indignation against our selues for our sinnes past what a desire to please God what a zeale and forwardnesse in all goodnesse and greatly indeuouring also the contrary to those sinnes wherein we haue greatly offended If in drunkennesse auoiding all occasions and vsing all sobrietie if in filthinesse and vncleanesse in whoredome and wantonnesse hating the sin auoiding the meanes of our fall and framing our selues to all holinesse and christian conuersation and so likewise in all other sinnes After king Dauid had committed adulterie and murder how did he repent him how zealous
their sinnes and wickednesse deserue that Gods word should be hid from them for the knowledge of God entereth not into a sinfull soule or who stubburnly refuse it and will not bee taught thereby or who are of such a faithlesse heart that will not beléeue it and yéeld themselues thereunto Such are not onely blinded through their owne naturall weaknesse but moreouer God for a punishment vnto them doth giue them vp to a contrary sence to beléeue lies vanities vntruthes and such deceits that in so doing they may procure vnto themselues damnation because they wold not receiue the loue of the truth that they might be saued Indéed some things there are in the scripture according Some matters hard as we reade in the Epistle of S. Pet. cap. 3. v. 16. that are hard to be vnderstood No doubt to make vs not to thinke lightly of them or that our wisedome is able to comprehend them without the helpe of the spirit of God and also to make vs humble in our owne conceit and diligently and earnestly to craue of God in our daily praiers that he would make vs partakers of the knowledge of his wil. Many things are hard to be vnderstood which they saith the Apostle that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest and peruert as they do also other scriptures vnto their owne destruction The faults being remoued wherewith vnskilfull readers are ouertaken there is no cause to say that the scriptures are hard The vnskilfull and the vnlearned reading the scriptures and giuing that interpretation that their owne sancie or want of wisedome doth affoord them they may soone wrest and peruert them and easily mistake For the wisedome of man is but foolishnesse in Gods matters But when we settle our selues to the reading How the scriptures are easie and how to reade them to profit by them of the scriptures we ought therewithall to frame our selues to praier that it would please God to lighten our vnderstanding that otherwise is altogither darke and foolish by nature to open our eyes which are shut vp in the compasse of our own ignorance And thus reading the scripture with praier for Gods assistance that it would please God to grant vs wisedom to vnderstand them and that we may not be ouerruled by our owne foolish fancies when we read them with an earnest desire to profit by them then shal the scriptures be easie to vs which before thought them to be too hard Again in reading of the scriptures we ought not to be ouer rash to giue our iudgement out of hand especially in waightie matters but to compare one sentence and place of scripture with an other and alwaies to haue an eye that they agrée to the articles of our beliefe And if we cannot so be satisfied but that still doubts do arise we ought to haue recourse to them that haue further knowledge If there be any strife about landes and possessions we craue the sentence of the Iudge if any disease be in the bodie straightway we sende for the Phisitian So if any doubt or controuersie doo arise in matters of religion the learned Minister is to aunswere and resolue them by the word of God and to shew them the true meaning thereof Many thinges are harde to them that are vnsiable and vnconstant such as are readie to bee carried away with euerie winde of vaine doctrine alwaies wauering sometimes in one minde and sometimes in an other to such it is no maruell if the scripture be hard and little for their profite The nature of man as it is giuen to heare newes so it is maruellously inclined to searche out all secretes yet none are more confounded in their owne wisedome and none more driuen to vncertainties then they bee But as for those matters whiche are for our saluation and for the instruction of our liues they are most easie to be read knowne and vnderstood euen of the meanest and simplest that search thereafter in all humblenesse of minde The second principall matter which I noted vnto In them ye thinke to haue eternall life you in this portion of scripture wherehence my text is taken is the effectuall reason to moue vs to performe the commandement of our Sauiour Christ Search the scriptures The commandement is great For in them ye thinke to haue eternall life And they are they that testifie of me Health is more to be desired then wealth and a man will giue all that he hath for his life yet the life here spoken off doth farre excéede this life as farre as the heauen doth the earth and the way to procure that life is more easie then to preserue this mortall and transitorie life No way so easie as to search and finde to read and to be comforted to vnderstand wherein true life consisteth and to enioy it And because we should not finde this easie way and to kéepe vs from all searching therefore the diuell caused the word to bee closed vp in an vnknowne tongue and in the meane time we were carried away with vanities and held in darknesse and ignorance lest when we should heare others or read Gods word our selues we might vnderstand and beléeue that so we might be saued He blinded the world and cast a mist of ignorance before their eyes and kept away the comfortable sunshine of the word hindred the message of glad tidings and carried away the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ in a cloude that it might not comfort our hearts consciences that we might not be partakers of the blessed benefits of God toward vs in Christ Iesus As the forgiuenes of our sins the fauour of God a holy life a quiet conscience a stedfast hope of euerlasting life and of the ioyes that are to come We were hindred from this searching that we should not tread the right way to euerlasting life and saluation but that we should goe a by way to euerlasting death and condenmation In the latter times there shall be many false teachers so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie elect And this deceit is no meane sleight but the indaungering of our soules that we shall neuer be partakers of euerlasting life And therefore we are willed to trie the spirits to trie such false teachers by the touchstone of Gods word and to examine their doctrine whether it be agréeable to the scripture Search the scriptures for in them ye shall haue life that is ye shall be assured that ye shall not be deceiued in the way of life Therefore the scripture may be compared vnto the starre that led the wise men vnto Christ so that when they came where he was it stood still Musicke doth not onely alaie raging and furious mindes but doth drawe them also to a further desire thereof so the word of God doth not only asswage and beate downe the euill inclinations of our hearts but also bréedeth in vs a minde to order our steppes aright to liue well to refraine from
and I will make this Cittie a curse to all the nations of the earth The destruction of this Citie shall be a matter of feare and wonder and shall be continually in euery mans mouth as an example of the reuenge that the lord hath wrought Worship the lord in the glorious Sanctuary tremble before him all the earth Say among the nations The lord raigneth surely he shall iudge the people In the tenth Chapter to the Hebr. The Lord shal iudge his people Before whose iudgement seate we shall all appeare to receiue those things which we haue done in our bodies according to that we haue done whether it be good or euill As the wise man in his booke called Eccle. putteth vs in mind Reioyce ô yoong man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but knowe that for all these thinges God will bring thee to iudgement If thou set light by and disobey that which I command thee I am the Lorde thou shalt not escape when I shall shewe my selfe from heauen with my mightie Angelles in flaming fire rendering vengeance and paying euerie one according to his desertes The Lorde the Lorde shall appeare in glorie when hee commeth to iudgement and all his holie Angels with him And before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall seperate them one from an other as a shepheard seperateth the shéepe from the goates and he shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the goates on the left Vnto the goates that is to them that haue disobeyed him he shal say Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels And if god spared not the angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse to be kept vnto damnation and spared not the old world but brought the floud vpon the vngodly and turned the Citties of Sodome and Gomorra into ashes coÌ„demned them and ouerthrew them and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly Surely the Lord as yet and from this day vnto the end of the world will reserue the wicked and vniust vnto the day of iudgement vnto punishment The Lord shall consume them with the fire of his wrath and render vppon their heads their owne waies and they shall knowe how true and certaine this is that he is the Lorde For in his hand is a cuppe and the wine is redde it is full mixt and he powreth out of the same Surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs thereof Therfore are we willed to lead our liues before the Lord in feare and trembling considering how dreadfull the Lord is As saith the Prophet Dauid My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am affraid of thy iudgements Knowing therfore the terrour of the Lord and his fearfull iudgement we perswade men that they haue a diligent regard to that which the Lord hath commanded And séeing that the Lord shall come in such dreadfull maner to iudge the vngodly and disobedient what maner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse And being fully perswaded thorof let vs be diligent that we may be found of him without spot and blamelesse And let vs marke what is written in the last words of the book of Salomon called Ecclesiastes his words are these Let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole dutie of man For God wil bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Thus much you haue heard concerning his sacred and Strong fearefull maiestie wherein also the force of his power doth shewe it selfe and yet it is further expressed in that hée is said to be strong Which especially is to be séene in his punishments where I might bring in manifolde and infinit examples of plagues against the wicked procéeding from his iust anger whereby the Lord hath shewed his mightie power and declared his maiestie to be most dreadfull and full of force As among the rest were most notorious the drowning of the old world and the burning of Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone from heauen This his mightie power did not the Lorde make knowne onely to straungers but euen to his owne people in making the earth to open and swallow vp some the fire to burne and consume others a mightie great plague to make a riddance of them firie serpents to sting them to death for their murmuring and rebellion that they also might confesse and acknowledge the mightie power of the Lord. And to declare howe strong hee is he maketh mention of his thrée great plagues the Sword and Famine and the Pestilence wherby not a fewe but thousands and infinit multitudes perish when it pleaseth God to strike by them as we may read in diuers places of the scriptures well knowne to them that are but meanely séene in them Againe this is a great argument to proue how strong he is that when one punishment is sent and past and gone he can send another and another in the necke of the same and still increase his power by adding and doubling and multiplying For as his mercies haue no ende so his iudgements cannot be numbred And where his anger is â—â—â—led there his power groweth stronger and stronger In the Prophecie of Iere. cap. 15. 2. 3. The Lord instructeth the Prophet what he shall answere the Iewes that had so greatly prouoked his wrath And if they say vnto thée Whither shall we depart then tell them Thus saith the Lord Such as are appointed vnto death vnto death and such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie And I will appoint ouer them foure kinds saith the Lord. The sword to sley and the dogs to teare in pieces the foules of the heauen to deuouâ— and the beasts of the earth to destroy He might haue gone further in reckoning vp his plagues and neuer bene wearied in throwing downe his thunderbolts That proud and hard hearted king Pharaoh that said Who is the lord that I should heare his voyce I know not the lord The lord that he might make manifest his power shewed himself to this wicked king in diuers plagues punishments Which were such that one excéeding an other one was more greeuous then an other The waters of his land being turned into blood the earth couered with frogges the dust of the earth chaunged into lice the aire replenished with great swarmes of flies the hand of the lord was vpon their beasts and cattle and they died by a mightie great murrain there came a scab-breaking out into blisters vppon man and vppon beast the lord sent lightning and thunder and haile mixed with
he staid not long there Let vs therfore satisfie our selues with the knowledge of Gods creatures if it be but in a measure be contented though we sée not all but by and in them that we doo know let vs praise honor him who in such comely bewtifull vnsearchable sort hath made all Timantes a cunning Painter taking in hand to expresse the sorow of Agamemnō for the death of his daughter Iphigenia perceiuing his skill wold not reach so far couered the prince his face with a vaile leauing his sorrow to be cōceiued by the mind of the beholders whose eyes in this respect he could not satisfie In like sort finding my self vnable to fulfill thy desire and to set downe the consideration of all Gods creatures thinke it good to leaue the rest to thy studie and labour and take that to be sufficient for this present purpose which I haue said vsing silence where much may be spared thy studie eased and minde delighted For breuitie bringeth attention and a long discourse tediousnes The learned Philosophers and searchers of gods works perceiuing the excellency of gods creatures and the bewtifull frame of the world gaue it a a name agréeable thereunto and called it Bewtie it selfe For if the works of men deserue great commendation and that the Carpenter in the frame of his house the Mason in his stoneworke the Painter in his pictures may excel how much more excellent and passing bewtifull shall the frame of the whole world be and the workmanship of euery creature made and ordeined and created of God Who as he is in all respects worthie praise so doubtlesse must the works be which procéed from him infinit incomprehensible only good only almightie only wise only excellent in whatsoeuer may be said to be his When the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ shewed VVhether to endure him the faire building of the Temple and the garnished worke Maruell ye at these things saith he The time shall come that there shall not be a stone left vpon a stone which shall not be throwne downe The Temple it selfe yea euen the bewtifull gate of the Temple shall come to hauocke and ruine There is nothing excellent in the world that is of long continuance and the world it self hath but his time and shall passe away as though it had neuer bene nor euer created not through the default of the workemanship but through their procurement for whose benefit it was made and created Shewe me the light which will not darken shewe me the flower which will not fade shewe me the frute which will not corrupt shewe me the garment which will not weare shewe me the strength which wil not weaken shewe me the bewtie which will not wither shewe me the time which will not passe and tell me if thou canst whether that the worlde bee of the continuance but of an houre The ende whereof is compared to the trauaile of a woman the comming of a théefe in the night the flashing of lightning sodaine and vnlooked for in a moment in the turning of a hand in the twinkling of an eye before a man can say what is done or what is towardes For as GOD said It repenteth mee that euer I made man so not long after he vttered his voyce to Noah and sayd An end is come He created man and he fell he made the world and it shall not alwayes endure Man was made out of the dust and to dust he shall returne the world was made of nothing and to nothing shall it vanish it shall ware olde as a garment and at length be consumed with fire The goodnesse of the Lorde is great in the continuance of the worlde and longer should the time be if the wickednesse of men did not abounde Which time if it were not shortned no flesh should be saued but for the Elects sake for the benefit of the good and godly the dayes of the world shall be cut off Let mee alone saith God to Moses that I may consume this people vtterly Now come many miseries losses extremities and plagues vppon the world but for the sin that is practised in the world Which doubtlesse will be the cause of the ende of the world and of the destruction of gods bewtiful frame fire and brimstone fell vpon Sodom and Gomorrha a part of the world wheras if it had pleased God it might haue lighted on all the world The windowes aboue and the depthes beneath were opened and the whole earth was ouerwhelmed with water A token of a greater iudgement and of a greater destruction when not a part of the earth shall bee consumed with fire but the whole earth yea euen the heauens also and the whole world it selfe The glorious Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of the heauen shall be shaken the earth shall be dissolued the sea and the waters shall roare And if the wordes of the Apostle Saint Peter bee true as without all peraduenture they are moste certaine because the spirite of God hath set them downe which cannot lie neither can be deceiued as the world of old perished being ouerflowne with water so the heauens and the earth which are now are kept by the power of God in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men This latter day the end of the world shall come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shal passe away with a noise and the elements shal melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therin shall be burnt vp Sin iniquitie and wickednes saith the wise man hath cast downe the thrones of the mightie and brought the earth to a wildernes and so it shal fal out the therby all things shal be brought to desolation and not only the earth but the whole world shal come to nothing Yet thrée daies and Niniue shal be destroied yet but a while and y◠a litle while and the time of the world shal be expired For the end of all things is at hand Plentifull Sodom bewtiful Gomorrha are defaced their beastly lustes and the abusing of Gods benefits was the cause Man should neuer haue died if he had neuer disobeied and the bewtie of the world should still haue continued if the inhabitants of the world had giuen no other cause But now all things tend to their decay the heauenly powers do faile in their operations and the hearbes haue not their former force and the Phisitian is driuen to vncertainties The bodie of man is not so perfect and healthfull as in the beginning but subiect to manifold diseases his time holdeth not out to hundreths as heretofore it hath done but fewe are his daies because his daies are euill Death to man destruction to the world yea all the creatures of the earth do grone vnder the burthen of that misterie whereunto they
are subiect by man and hope to be deliuered of it and hope to be purged from their corruption When our Sauiour Christ came neare to Ierusalem he wept to thinke of the desolation and destruction that should come on Ierusalem that faire and bewtifull Ierusalem that glorie and wonder of all the earth And the more that wée knowe the excellent woorke of God in the creation of the worlde and his creatures wherein we cannot choose but take passing delight so often as we doo consider and meditate on the same euen there withall also when we thinke that all thinges shall come to a ruine and downefall that the heauens and the earth shall be consumed with fire then may we begin to shead forth teares in a lamentable consideration that so glorious a workemanship and so wonderfull a frame should come to a finall destruction When Elisha the man of God looked stedfastly vppon Hazael he 2. Kin. 8. 12 wept because hee foresawe what great miserie hee should worke against the children of Israel Which thing saith he the Lord hath shewed me The woes that shall come vpon the worlde in the latter time shall make the godly minded to mourne in their thoughtes Reue. 12. 12. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the diuell is come downe vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that hee hath but a short time and that his mischiefe ouer the world shall ende with the world Which thing maketh them to wish that their liues were at an ende that they might not behold such great calamities as also to reioyce at their estate which haue lest the earth and possesse the heauens Oh saith the Prophet Ieremy ca. 9. 1. that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for my people euen for the slaine of my people as if he had said for them that are and shall be destroyed Because they are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels This is a waightie cause to make vs all to wéepe which cause also doth make the earth and all creatures else to mourn and grone Go to now ye rich men saith the Apostle S. Iames weepe houle and so might he haue warned al people all sorts and all degrées to wéepe as King Hezechias did when he turned his face to the wall being sorie that he had offended God and that an end was come vnto him therfore to weep as the Apostle S. Peter did bitterly for his gréeuous sin whereby hée forsooke his Lord and maister Let this make euery one to wéepe both for others and for themselues in their chambers and in their closets at home and abroad where euer they go and what euer they do cōsidering that the sinnes of others as also their owne sinnes should be the cause of so great an ouerthrow Turne vnto mee with all your heart and with fasting and with weepiing and with mourning and rent your harts and not your clothes and turn vnto the Lord your God saith the Prophet For who knoweth whether God will return leaue a blessing Let euery one thus wéepe for themselues and thus turne vnto the Lord for who knoweth whether God will change his anger and forget our sinnes And though death and destruction of the world be a heauy plague that shall light vpon the most part of the inhabitants of the world I say who knoweth whether this shall turne to vs for a great blessing The consideration of which blessing will make vs turne our teares into ioy and our mourning into mirth not such ioy as the worlde but as the spirit of God shall mooue our hearts vnto It shall make vs lift vp our heades because that when the ende of the world shall be our perfect redemption shall bee accomplished Finally it shall also make vs more warie by this warning According to that of the Apostle Saint Peter The ende of all thinges is at hande Bee yee therefore sober and watching in prayer Take heed saith Christ least that day come on you vnawares For as a snare shall it come on the face of the whole earth Take héed least ye be taken in surfetting and drunkennesse in chambering and wantonnesse Take héed lest ye be choked with the cares of this world and be too earthly worldly minded when ye shuld be heuenly minded séeing that the world shal haue an end and we know not how soone nor how sodaine it shall be Loue not the worlde nor the delights of the world and let not thy heart cleaue thereunto but lift vp thy heart and thy mind to heauen and an other life whereas thy dwelling is like to be for euermore if so be thou beest not thy own hindrance and be taken amongst the fiue sléepie and foolish virgines spoken of in the Gospell Qualis vita finis ita For as the trée falleth so it lieth and if in the ende of the world nay in the ende of thy life which is the ende of the world to thée shall be fire and flame so thy ende shall be hell fire and such gréeuous torments which can neuer be vttered and shall neuer be ended The seconde principall consideration which I noted 2 vnto you in this text is Howe and after what sort the world and all the creatures therein conteined were made consisting on these thrée circumstaunces First that God Of nothing made all things of nothing Secondly that they were made by his word and commandement Thirdly that all his creatures were created verie good A straunge and incredible maner that God should make all things of nothing Yet as we reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chapter 11. 3. Through faith we vnderstand that the world was ordeined by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare For he made all things of nothing when as yet there was none of them Wherein the Apostle doeth well attribute the matter vnto faith for by our naturall reason we were neuer able to comprehend it but contrariwise we should thinke it a matter too absurd and against reason As also in the conception of our Sauiour Christ that he should be borne of a pure virgin without the helpe of man hath séemed vnto many a matter in no wise to be beléeued In so much that some haue bene bold to say and their spéech vngodly inough that the bodie of our Sauiour Christ was rather a fained bodie then a bodie like vnto ours of flesh and blood Our Sauiour Christ said vnto his disciples That it was easier for a rope to passe through the eye of a néedle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Whereat they maruelled saying Who then shall be saued To whom Christ answered To men this seemes impossible but to God all thinges are possible And herein is the difference betwixt the workes of God and mē that they can bring nothing
seeth them shal laugh them to scorne And all men that sée it shall say This hath god done for they shall perceiue that it is his worke Againe the tongues of the godly God directeth as shall be best for their behoofe The nature of man is fearefull how to answere being called before mightie men But to the comfort of them that feare God it is written Mat. 10. 17. Ye shal be brought to the gouernors and kings for my sake in witnesse to them to the gentiles But when they deliuer you vp take no thought how or what ye shall speake For it shall be giuen you in that houre what ye shall say For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you Concernining other parts of the bodie As the Prophet praieth that God would open his eyes to sée the wonders of his lawe so also he praieth that he would turne away his eyes that they should not behold vanitie The disciples that iournied to Emaus their eyes were holden that they could not know Christ The eyes are shut and somtimes also the eares are dull and closed vp Act. 28. 27. King Saul had a speare in his hand to throw at Dauid but his hand was restrained The heart the affections the tongue the eyes eares and hands yea the whole body God ruleth as is manifest in the example of Saul the persecutor who after became Paul a blessed Apostle Yet before his conuersion and happie change he breathed out threatnings and slaughter and made hast to procure trouble to the godly But as he iournied it came to passe that he fell from his horse by a miracle from heauen was striken blind and cast into a great feare and trembling I haue bene hitherto tedious because the treatise is so comfortable in the rest I purpose to be briefe to satisfie thy minde The maruellous prouidence of God and his most secret handy worke being now declared concerning the affaires of men as also men themselues there remaineth behinde a matter as waightie as the rest and that is this That if all things be ruled by Gods prouidence and by an euen and vpright hand First how falleth it out that such mischieuous and wicked déeds are committed in the world as we daily sée Secondly why do the wicked and vngodly flourish when as they that serue God most are put to the worst and that they finde their affaires to goe crosse and ourethwart Which matters although they be so waighty I cannot now stand vpon but must referre the handling of them vntill some other time onely at this time I minde God willing to touch them and briefly to set downe the resolution God hath so created the world that he is still gouernour thereof in such sort that nothing is done or can come to passe but by his counsell and prouidence And albeit the diuel and the reprobate labour by their wickednesse and mischiefes to bring all things to confusion yea and the faithfull by the faults that they commit peruert good order and iustice yet God hath the chiefe superioritie aboue all and turneth the euill into good And howsoeuer it be he disposeth and gouerneth all with a secret bridle and after so wonderfull a fashion that we must reuerence it with all humilitie because we are not able to comprehend it Vaine therefore are their spéeches and most vngodly which séeme to defend their wicked déeds by gods prouidence and making the diuine maiestie which is nothing but holinesse it selfe in a maner culpable with them Whose spéeches are after this sort Some desperate ruâ—â—ian hath slaine a good citizen he hath performed say they gods counsell an other hath stolen or committed adultery he hath done that which God hath suffred an vngodly and carelesse childe lets his father die and neuer séekes for remedie and helpe he could not resist God which had so ordeined from the beginning And thus they shroud their hainous sinnes vnder gods prouidence and thinke they deserue no otherwise but well They thinke they did performe gods will but they followed their owne wicked will Gods commaundements are to the contrary whereunto we ought to haue respect And if any thing be committed otherwise then may stand with the same it cannot be without offence much more will the sin abound if it be expresly and purposely against gods will and commandement God bringeth about his purpose and decrée diuers waies according to his infinit wisedome which herein sheweth it selfe so much the more that he can vse the workes of the wicked well though the wicked be fouly in fault Théeues and murtherers and such malefactors are often instruments of gods iustice vnawares to them yet neuerthelesse there can be no lawfull excuse for their notorious mischiefes For if the lawe of God be not sufficient their owne conscience will reprooue them and cry vengeance against them In God there is no euill in men there is nothing but euil The Sunne by his heate causeth a stinking smell to come forth of a carkasse when as there is no such thing in the Sunne but in the carkasse So God vseth the mischieuous déeds of the wicked as may stand most with his glory though it tende to their great condemnation vnlesse the mercy of god bee the greater It lieth in Gods power to restraine them but oftentimes he giueth them vp to themselues As our Sauiour Christ confessed when he was taken of his malicious and cruell enemies This is your very houre saith he and the power of darkenesse For then God gaue libertie to Sathan and his ministers to execute their rage In their mindes was malice mischiefe and crueltie but the glorious purpose of God was to giue his onely sonne for the redemption of the world God detesteth sinne but yet turneth the wickednesse of sinners as séemeth best to him oftentimes to the confusion of themselues to make his iustice more famous The wicked cannot choose but doo ill God is not the authour of their wickednesse but at what time or against whome their mischiefe shall breake foorth and take place that is in Gods hand and in his most mightie power As for the other matter in question why the wicked flourish and the godly are oppressed Although it be so let vs not therefore deny Gods prouidence Many tyraunts there are and wicked men in the world and as Iob saith the tabernacles of robbers doo prosper and they are in safetie that prouoke God They raigne and rage and their power is great yet who knoweth what God mindeth to worke by them Amongst the rest this séemeth to be one cause that the minds of the godly might be proued There are many excellent vertues which lie hid in them which without this meanes cannot be knowne Especially in the time of martirdom and persecution when they shal be tried and put to death by tyrants for the profession of gods truth And although otherwise also they suffer many mischiefs wrongs by the hands of
sathan vnder their féete For this From whence is victory in this fight victory is in Christ and therefore S. Paul with a gladsome voice breaketh out I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Who indéed is sufficient wel able to endue vs with that strength that we may valiantly ouercome the assaults Armour of proofe and firy darts of satan For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds principalities and powers euen the prince of darkenesse of this world and al spiritual wickednes which is in high places as it were on the higher ground and hath maruellous vantage ouer vs. Wherefore we ought to be more héedfull We ought to watch and be diligent and diligent alwaies and watchfull that the enemy take vs not at vnawares séeing not only our enemies without vs are very strong but also our owne flesh is ready to betraie vs and to take armour against vs. And who knoweth not how hard a thing it is to behaue himselfe wisely and warily in a ciuill warre Wherein although wee knowe not which part shall haue the vpper hand yet to fight with an expert and renowned Captaine it séemeth vnto vs that the victorie is written in our handes yea and our hearts are fully perswaded and reioyce in hope thereof In this fight we cannot want a wise and expert Captaine whiche hath borne the brunts of this warre and ouercome the daunger by a greater force from aboue then euer was séene to be in man Whose The best coūsel in this fight is continually to resist sinne and to meditate and practise mortification counsell is that by all meanes continually wee resist sinne giuing vs to knowe and vnderstande that hée that obeyeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne vnto death But wée are neither seruants nor debters vnto the flesh to liue after the flesh for if wée liue after the fleshe wee shall die for euer but if wée mortifie and kill the déedes of the bodie by the spirite wee shall liue If wee desire to beare about vs the dying of our Lord Iesus Christ the life of Iesus shal be made manifest in our bodies euen in our mortal flesh We are baptised in Christ euen into his death that as he was raised vp from the dead to the glory of thy father so we should walke in newnesse of life that our olde man being crucified the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sin in that we are dead thereunto Therefore because our life is hid with Christ in God let vs set our affections on those things which are aboue and let vs mortifie our members which are on the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinat affections euill concupiscence couetousnesse which is idolatry As the victory ouer sin consisteth in the mortification of our sinfull flesh So the way to happinesse is viuification and holinesse of life togither with all those workes of the flesh which the Apostle nameth Galat. 5. 19. 22. or elsewhere yea and all those which are contrary to the wholsom doctrine of Christ knowing that the wrath of God commeth vppon the children of disobedience and that the end of sinne is death and that the frute of holinesse and the end therof is euerlasting life for the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Thinke ye therefore that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lorde whome God hath raised vp and sent to blesse vs in turning euery one of vs from our iniquities that we might walke in the spirit and in all godlinesse of life whereby we may auoyd the lusts of the flesh and walke worthie of that vocation whereunto we are called being followers of God as deare children approuing that which is pleasing vnto the Lord By all meanes auoiding the fellowship of the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse and that as children of light we may fulfill the workes and bring forth the frutes of light and of the spirit in all godlinesse righteousnesse and truth hauing peace in our conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost to godward through Christ giuing thankes alwaies with spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in our hearts Now seeing we By this sanctification we are inabled to performe our dutie to are in Christ let vs be as new creatures for olde things are passed away behold all things are become new For whereas before we were haters of God and maliciously set against him now through his mercy who hath written his lawes in our harts and giuen vs a hart of flesh through the grace which we haue in Christ we are readie and willing to loue God to feare him and to kéepe his commaundements God whereby he dwelleth in vs and we in him ready to acknowledge him to be the giuer of all good thinges readie to giue him thankes for all his benefites readie in all necessities and agréeuances to pray vnto him and to séeke helpe at his hands to put our trust only in him Yea the image of God in a measure is renued and restored in vs that we might walke in newnesse of life because he is holy And as our life and conuersation is renewed to the glory of God so is it also profitable to the furtherance of our neighbour whome in all charitable order we are as Our neighbour willing to helpe as our selues being mercifull humble long suffering forbearing one an other forgiuing one an other as Christ forgaue vs. Prouiding for the necessities of one an other as Christ is plenteous toward vs in all good things hartily louing one an other laying aside all filthinesse not only for the loue of God and hatred of sinne but also for feare of offence least our brethren by our example should be drawne to euill Dealing in all simplicitie in that the old man is put off with his workes putting away all hatefull and cursed speaking for that the gospell and doctrine of Christianitie is in all kindnesse and brotherly loue which is euen the full accomplishment of the law submitting our selues one to another in the feare of the Lord. Having the peace of God ruling in our hearts the word of Yea we are instructed how to behaue our selues in all wisedome God plenteously dwelling in vs in all wisedome procuring all things honestly in the sight of God men hauing peace as much as in vs lieth with all men vsing this worlde as though we vsed it not neither being too much axalted in prosperitie nor cast downe in aduersitie but as the children of God we commit our waies vnto him yéeld our selues to the direction of his holy spirit in all obedience depend vpon his prouidence trust in his promises waite patiently for the day of reuelation the comming of Christ endure and perseuere vnto the end Yea we are mortified in the body because of sinne hauing our
the blessed hope c. Faith must giue vs assurance of greater glory froÌ„ god ere we can let go the hold we haue here beneath Therfore it is made a speciall note of gods childreÌ„ and necessarily toyned vnto his worship to be in expectation of the latter day and the glorie and of Christ his comming who shall bestow this benefite vpon the godly as to deliuer them from the wrath to come The Apostle going about to perswade the Thessalonians taketh his effectuall reason from that which was in most reuerence and regard with them and likewise to bring them into the earnest consideration of his words framing his speach thus 2. Thes 2. I beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and our gathering togither and vniting vnto him So that the looking for of the last day séemeth to him to be in great reuerence regard and assured expectation among them And when hee laboureth to lift them off the earth commonly he reareth them vp with no other instrument then this that is the waiting for the glorie and hope of another life And in the third to the Phil. opening the meane of their stay from hunting after worldly and transitorie matters with the false Apostles which minded earthly thinges he saith thus But our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a sauiour euen the Lord Iesus who shall change our vile bodie that it may be like his glorious bodie In the 11. to the Heb. the obedience of Abraham in leauing his own countrey not knowing whither he should go nor what should become of him is ascribed to this that he waited for a citie that had a foundation whose builder and maker is God For all thinges in the world are subiect to corruption and alteration The great thinges that are spoken of Moyses in accompâ—ing the rebuke of Christ to be of more value than the treasures of Egypt and his not fearing the furie of the king is onely imputed to this that he was as if he had séene him that is inuisible The comming of the glory of the great God was alwaies before his eies The greatnesse of the thing and the excellency of it is noted in these wordes The glory of the great God our sauior Christ The same glory which the great God our sauior Christ inheriteth is that which we waite for and hepe in due time according to our measure to be partakers of Most worthie it is the waiting for and great cause there is why we should be moued to sanctification and holinesse of life hauing so great things in expectation We beséech you saith S. Paul 1. Thes 2. 12. that ye would walk worthie of God who vouchsafeth to call you vnto his owne kingdome and glory The glory of this world dazeleth our cies and therefore must we be drawne vp by meditation of greater things before we shal be able to let these be of smal reckning and account with vs. The greatnesse of the glorie once throughly digested would set these in a base and lowe place it would make the things of this life vanish as smoake from our presence While in minde and inwarde thought we behold and looke not on the things which are séene but on the things which are not séene For the things which are séene are temporall but the things which are not séene are eternall If it be but the expectation of a transitorie kingdome when it is once deuoured and digested by hope we sée it maketh men neglect liues goods landes friends wife and children and so to hazard all The Merchant that is in expectation of some great gaine we sée into what vnknowne countries into what dangers by sea he wil commit himselfe The great regard and care that is had euery where to the things here belowe the gréedie following after them the carefull pursuing of pleasures profits and honors doo plainly speake that the hope of another life is not yet setled in the hearts of a number and that is the cause that godlinesse and a holy life is so litle practised and performed Let vs call to remembrance how that in this life is our day to wait and this is our time to serue and we must assure our selues with the holy Apostle S. Paul 2. Tim. 4. that we haue fought a good fight against our ghostly enemies sinne the world and the diuel and that we haue led our liues in the feare of God before we can or shal truly say and our conscience witnesse vnto vs that from hencefoorth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse And if our consciences and the good spirite of God can warrant our hearts herein without all doubt and feare then when Christ which is our life shall appeare shall be glorious and appeare with him in glory There is no pleasure in this world which the Lord hath not matched with some griefe and paine to take away and remoue if it might be our delight and to place it in thinges of greater estimation and which shal be more sure vnto vs. If the glorie of God cannot preuaile against vs â—â— it cannot change our taste and that the pleasures of this life be more swéete vnto vs this sweete shal not alwaies 〈◊〉 but as after a faire day commeth a foule and after a calme a tempest and so miserie in the world to come shall follow earthly delightes and this our transitorie worldly happinesse If so great hire as is Gods owne glory cannot allure vs brutish and sencelesse must then our nature néedes be what a greater argument and proofe can we haue of our blockishnesse then that so great thinges can get no more attendance of vs The truth is that we are too much perswaded of the excellencie of these worldly matters as pleasures honours riches and such like And therefore in all places that are alleadged and which speak of the waiting for of Christ his comming there the benefite is set sorth with it and the greatnesse thereof remembred which pointeth at our darknesse and vnbelief herein and telleth vs that the glory of this world standeth as a cloud betweene the great glory which is to come and our blinded sight Wherefore let ve inlarge our hope and by meditation and praier enter into some serious and waightie consideration of the length bredth depth of that glory So shall we sée such a portion of it as will comfort vs euen in our great afflictions and deepest extremities counting â—â— a great honour that we are vouchsafed his seruice as the Apostles heretofore haue reioyced herein And if the waiting for of that glory be so great as shall swallow vp all griefe and sorrow which afflictions may bring with them how much more shall the same incourage vs to a holie and sanctified life and to all duties of godlinesse And now am I come to the last part of my text which I purpose God willing in a few words to end least ye should be 〈◊〉 much wearied and too
one sort the other thinke that they néede no repentance yea they thinke that heauen is their due and that they haue deserued it and thinke that they shall haue greate wronge if they be put beside it Are the eldest therefore alwaies heires or do not the youngest sometimes take place Doubtlesse the yongest are often heires and the last are accepted as first I meane sinners are made heires such in whome is repentance and faith for whome it might be thought that there is no roome nor any place kept and reserued for them in heauen But howe falleth it out that séeing God hath an heire of his glorious inheritaunce Iesus Christ the sonne of God of whome he pronounceth This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased how falleth it out that their should be more heires and that we should be heires Surely as God amongst all creatures made most account of mankind and séeing that al were lost by iust desert yet in mercy it pleased him to make some his children and for the further setting foorth of his glory to make them also heires In the nature of man he had no children because all were gone astray all had corrupted their waies and were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel Yet as his wisdome was and is most infinit so the way to his mercy was euident to him although hid from the world and impossible to flesh blood which sat in darknesse and in the shadow of death For God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And God sent not his sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued So it falleth out with vs after the custome of men that yoonger brethren come not to inheritance without the death and decease of the elder Neither in any respect worldly consideratiō may we know how we come to our inheiritāce as by the comparison of the death of the elder brother which doth fitly shew vnto vs how by what meanes we are made heires Who is it among the sonnes of men that would willingly die that his brethren might enter into his inheritance nay is it not their chiefe desire that their daies may be prolonged that they may enioy their treasures and pleasures and liue in their possessions Which the wise man noteth in these words O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things yea vnto him that is yet able to receiue meate Who is it not that saith vnto his soule as the rich man in the Gospell Soule thou hast much good laide vp for many yeares take thy rest Who would leaue this life if he might kéepe especially enioying possessions and being an heire But beholde the liberallitie and bountifulnesse the wonderfull charitie and great good will of our elder brother who desireth yea and reioyceth to haue vs to be fellowe heires with him and rather then his life should bee anie hinderaunce to our inheritaunce hée is content to sheade his dearest blood and to loose his life for our good euen in the floure of his age and in his best yeares hée gaue himselfe to death to make vs heires This is our elder brother who disdaineth not to call vs brethren For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one Wherefore hée is not ashamed saieth the Apostle Hebr. 2. 11. to call them brethren How great is our dignitie in that we haue Christ to be our brother who after he had suffered his passion and rose the third day said vnto the women vnto whome hee appeared and vnto whome it pleased him to shewe himselfe Goe saith he and tell my brethren Altogither contrary to the course of the world for the rich are so farre from calling the poore their brethren that they disdaine them and so farre from giuing them inheritance with their children that they cannot vouchsafe they should kéepe them company Well with God there is no respect of persons and the poore are as dear to him as the rich nay oftentimes he hath greater care for them and prouideth for them a greater and larger inheritance if not in this world yet in another A wealthie man that hath great landes and possessions if he haue but one sonne is neuer awhit displeased neither doth he séeke after more to adopt them and to make them partners with his sonne But rather reioyceth in his mind that his sonne shall not in time to come be constrained to diuide the inheritaunce with his brethren Whereby the loue of god aboundeth towardes vs who hauing one beloued sonne would yet haue more to beare him company and more on whome he might bestowe this royaltie as to make them heires with his sonne Setting forth the riches of his grace as also how much we are bound vnto him making vs of sinners citizens of heauen and heires with his beloued This heauenly inheritance is neuer awhit diminished although many thousands be partakers as we reade in the Reuelation of such and such a Tribe were sealed twelue thousand and besides these loe a great multitude which no man can number of all nations people and tongues but rather it appeareth in greater glorie whereas this earthly inheritance being parted and diuided would bréed strife and impouerishment and it so falleth out in the world that diuision is with hatred Our gréedie mindes being such that they runne all on this point All or none But in the heauenly inheritance we shall reioyce one at anothers preferment neither shall we grudge or thinke too much that which other haue And as we are willed In giuing honor go one before another so in this inheritance we shal be glad that other also are heires and we shal be readie willing to giue eueryone his place For all shal be satisfied and the best shal be preferred and placed some at the right hand and some at the left hand in the kingdome of the father for whom it is reserued And it was promised vnto Iosua who was made the eldest of all gods children because it pleased god to promote him vnto the highest honour and place of credit account and dignity that he should diuide the inheritance among the people Iosh 1. 6. and among his brethren so to comfort his disciples and in them all the rest of the godly Christ our elder brother he saith Let not your harts be troubled what misery soeuer fall out vnto you in this world Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me For in my fathers house are many dwelling places Iohn 14. 1. If it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you and euery one of you that all may bee heires and that euerie one may receiue his inheritance Which is
hath appeinted vs in the fourth commandement to kéepe holy the Sabboth day and therein Prophane to heare and meditate in his word But fewe there are that haue this care as they ought to haue nay are there not many that say in their hearts Let God depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of his waies Iob. 21. Who is the Almightie that we should serue him and what profit shall we haue if we pray vnto him They that haue no inward taste and féeling of Gods benefits and from whence all goodnesse commeth but are puffed vp with the conceit of their wealth and worldly helpes they carry this vngodly minde as though they had it not from Gods hand Haus not I built this house for the honour of my maiestie saith Nabuchodonosor Who is the Lord saith King Pharao Exod. 5. 2. that I should heare his voice I know not the Lord. Againe some perceiuing that their praiers are not presently heard grow to this vngodlinesse as to say What profit shall we haue if we pray vnto him Certain it is that God doth not heare all requestes but those that are agréeable to his will And therefore the Apostle S. Iames dooth well take them vp Ye aske saith he and receiue not because ye aske amisse that ye might coÌ„sume it on your lusts The Prophet Dauid also putteth in this eaueat That the Lord doth only heare the praier â— and requests of them that feare him Some thinking yâ— there is no resurrection giue ouer the mselues to all vngodlinesse and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nesse VVisd 2. As the wise man vttereth their spéechâ—â— The 〈◊〉 godly say as they falsly imagine with themselues Our life is short and tedious and in the death of a man there is no recouery neither was any knowne that hath returned froÌ„ the graue For we are borne at all aduenture and we shall be hereafter as though wee had neuer bene The breath is a smoake in our nosthrils and the wordes as a sparke raised out of our heart which béeing extinguished the bodie is turned into ashes and the spirit vanisheth as the softe aire Our life shall passe away like the trace of a cloude and come to naught as the mist that is driuen away with the beames of the Sunne Our name also shall be forgotten in time and no man shall haue our workes in remembrance Our time passeth away as a shaddowe Come therefore and let vs enioy the pleasures that are present Let vs fill our selues with costly wine and oyntment and let not the floure of life and youth passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with rose buddes afore they be withered Let vs be partakers of our wantonnesse and let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euerie place For that is our portion and this is our lot Let vs oppresse the poore that is righteous Let vs not spare the widdow nor reuerence the white haires of the aged that haue liued many yeares Let our strength be the lawe of vnrighteousnesse Concerning the latter day of iudgement this vngodlinesse shall be in the minde of many that they shall thinke there is no such day nor no such time 2. Pet. 3. 3. This first vnderstand that there shall come in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willingly know not that the heauens and earth are reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men No god no heauen no iudgement no hell This is the mind of many If any thing fall out amisse with vs if any crosse or affliction come vppon vs wee are readie with Iobes wife to murmure against God If the world go well with vs and if we be in prosperitie we attribute all our welfare not to Gods good blessing but to blinde fortune and chaunce If our enemies doo hurt vs and doo vs any wrong and iniury we are stirred vp and inflamed as it were in a rage to reuenge it to the vtmost This vngodlinesse is rife in the world and ruleth in our corrupt nature But the grace of God doth teach vs and perswade our harts to deny this and all other kind of vngodlinesse and to haue a reuerent opinion of all matters which concerne God and godlinesse The grace of God it teacheth that there is no heauenly gift where with we are indued but commeth of God who is the fountaine from whence godlinesse learning wisedome and all other excellent gifts doo flow When Gods outward blessings be in aboundance with vs by his grace we know that his prouidence doth enrich vs and not our labour our wisedome or wealth but the bountifull hand of God which is all in all Whereby we are perswaded to loue and feare God to haue a reuerent regard of him to make our praiers vnto him séeing all our welfare and good estate dependeth on his blessings Whereas being voyd of Gods grace and wanting his holy spirit to direct vs and our thoughts with king Pharao we aske who is God and with the wicked sort we say What profit shall we haue if we serue him and pray vnto him because our vnlawfull and vngodly requests be not granted vs. Being throughly instructed by Gods spirit we then learne that there is no meane so effectuall to make God our friend as praier is especially if it be well and rightly vsed as it ought to be And when the feare of God by his grace is planted in our hearts then begin we to know that there is a heauen and the ioyes of heauen reserued for those that doo well and hell and gréeuous torments prepared for them that follow euill waies and are delighted with doing euill And when we knowe and are taught by Gods spirit that all both heauenly and worldly benefits come to vs from God so also we learne that when any crosse or any affliction and trouble and losse and casualtie dooth befall vs that it is gods hand and his pleasure to strike and to punish vs for our sinnes It is the powerfull effect of gods grace to bréede in vs a charitable minde euen towardes our enemies and which teacheth vs that it is Gods will and commaundement that we should forgiue others as we our selues would bee forgiuen But if this alteration and sanctification be not bred in vs by Gods grace that teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse howe were it possible but that with the world we should be most prophanely minded and as a people without God in this present world This word vngodlinesse toucheth not only the prophanesse of our mindes and our heathenish imaginations but hath respect also vnto superstition and all heresies in religion For the darkenesse of our deceiued mindes doth herein go farre astray and are so mightily ouercome by it that diuers nay insinite multitudes are vtterly ouerthrowne hereby As we reade in the
gospell that toward the latter end of the world heresies and errour shall so abound that if it were not for Gods grace and his instructing spirits euen the elect should bee deceiued and togither with the rest should be danmed For damnation is the effect of superstition and heresie and the diuell blinding vs and deceiuing vs dooth vse that forcible meane to draw vs from the knowledge of God and of our owne saluation Which thing the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians 2. Epistle chapter 2. dooth witnesse vnto vs that false teachers shall come vnto vs to deceiue vs â—y the working of the diuell But among whome shall they preuaile among none but them that perish because they receiued not the laue of the truth that they might be â—â—ued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beléeue lies and that all they might be damned which beléeued not the truth Many are the heresies that are sprung vp in the worlde and where the word of God is not their guide and the spirit of God doth not teach them there is nothing but wandring going astray in the vanitie of their thoghts For the true God the heathen worship the Sun the Moone and the Starres the Turke his Mahomet another people fall downe before Images créepe to crosses goe in pilgrimage to the reliques of Saintes put the only hope of their saluation in their good workes and if that serue not they make account that the praiers of them that are liuing shall doo them good after they be dead and release them being in torments They make their praiers vnto Saintes and thinke by pardons and indulgences and such meanes to haue their sinnes forgiuen them bee they neuer so many so great so hainous and so gréeuous But when the grace of God dooth teach vs instruct vs and lighten our mindes then all blind superstitions and vngodly heresies vanish away at the triall of the truth euen as the fogges and mistes doo breake away when the Sunne appeareth in his force And well may such false opinions vanish away because they are but vanities Copper beareth a shewe of golde and may bee flourished ouer to deceiue the eye of the simple but when it commeth to bee tried by the touchstone it appeareth to be a vaine thing and a thing of no account in comparison of gold So all superstition and heresies may goe for true religion in the mindes of simple and ignoraunt people but when they come to the touchstone the true triall I meane the word of God then if the grace of God do worke in our hearts by the reading and hearing of the word then wee beginne to denie the vngodlinesse of false religion and daily more and more wee growe in this grace and in the knowledge of his truth The ignorant mindes of the Heathen worshipping the Sunne the Moone and the Starres when GOD graunteth them of his knowledge as no doubt GOD vouchsafeth some they shall vnderstand that the Sunne the Moone and the Starres are but Gods creatures and that there is a Creator that made them and a Redéemer that died for them For the mercy of God shall be preached throughout the world and then shall the end of the world come The Turkes although many of them and that the most part of them mocke and scoffe at our crucified Christ yet the seale of God remaineth sure and some are called to the knowledge of the truth and God forbid yâ— the grace of God should be denied vnto them although thousands of them do perish They may be inwardly touched and God may vouchsafe them of fauour and make them partakers of his mercy and they may beleeue althogh they make not so ample profession of their faith and beliefe Those whom we call Papists who are deceiued concerning the truth of religion and the certaintie of their saluation and giue their names and consent vnto falshood before they haue had iust triall of the truth many of them are not perswaded nor euer will yéeld to be perswaded because the grace of god to them hath not as yet appeared For why they are carried away with high conceits of their owne deceiued mindes They thinke their owne inuentions and traditions to be of equall force with Gods word whereas they should in all humble sort submit themselues theâ— unto they thinke so highly of themselues that by their owne good workes they may deserue heauen so that the saluation of God which commeth by his grace and mercy is troden vnder their féete What are pilgrimages and reliques and praiers to saints and purgatorie but mans inuentions Which they can neuer approue to be good neither shall they euer finde warrant for them in Gods word The grace of God teacheth them to deny the vngodlinesse of mens deuices inuentions and traditions and so much the more because God hath pronounced a curse to them that shall adde or put too or diminish and take away any thing from his word I protest saith the spirit of of God vnto euery man Reu. 22. 18. 19. that heareth the words of the Prophecie of this booke if any man shall adde vnto these things God shal adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke Daungerous therefore are the deuices and traditions of men and likewise in a most dangerous estate are they who are ruled by them because that in them are contained many thinges that are contrary to the will of God and to his word What is it for vs to be perswaded that we shal be saued by our good workes although good works be necessary and commanded when the truth of Gods word shal direct vs that only by the grace and mercy of God we are saued and not by good workes let them beare neuer so glorious and glistering a shewe in the sight of men and séeme neuer so much to be approued Ephe. 2. 8. By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe The most righteous men next vnto our sauiour Christ that euer liued when they make their praiers vnto God what say they Say they with the Pharisée I fast twise a wéeke I giue almes to the poore I pay tithe of all that euer I possesse No they come not in with such titles and with so glorious a stile Bâ—t as we reade Dan. 9. O Lord be mercifull vnto vs that haue sinned we haue committed iniquitie and done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy commandements O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thée and vnto vs open shame As Daniel so also righteous Abraham confesseth of him selfe I am but dust and ashes and as one of no account God regardeth the humble