terris most neare the earth so the Church of God said to be Militant here vppon Earth cannot auoid but thereby become some-what earthy Thirdly the Moone is eclipsed by the interposition of the earth betwixt the Sun it so the Church of God no doubt is som-what blemished by the interposition of the eatrthhy members of our fleshly concupiscence betweene the graces of Christ and it Fourthly the Moone hath her spottes so hath the Church of God her blemishes The Mone then wee may see for one benefit that shee hath receiued in that she is made glorious with the beames of the Sun hath a threefold inconuenience that shee cannot but som-what be tainted by the earth being the nearest caelestial body vnto the earth that she is eclipsed and obscured by the putting betweene of the earth betwixt the Sun and hir that she hath hir spots in her to shew that if the church here siguified by the Moone hath any good she hath it not from her selfe but from Christ as the Moone hath her brightnesse from the Sunne and for that one good with the Moone she hath a threefold euilâ— Imperfect therefore is the Church in this life as she that weareth this badge of imperfection Wee must further know that this part of the Assembly of the righteous the Church militant which groneth vnder affliction and â—mpeth by imperfection is congregate and mette together chiefly to exercise a threefold duty first to heare the word secondly to bee partakers of the sacraments thirdly to begge what we need and to offer vppe the sacrifice of praise and thankes-giuing A thing anciently vsed by the Church and perpetually to continue in the church this may appeare to haue had an ancient vse in the church by those three thousand soules whome Peter by one Sermon had added to the Act. 2. 42. Church which first Continued in the Apostles doctrine there is the assembly of hearing the word Secondly in breaking of Bread there 〈◊〉 receiuing of one of the sacraments Thirdly In prayer there is begging that was needfull and the tendering to GOD the sacrifice of thankesgiuing This is one part of the Assembly of the righteous which how-soeuer it is not wholy to bee excluded yet is not so directly intended in this place where it is said that the sinners shall not â—â—se or stand in the Assembly of the righeous The second part of the Assembly of the righteous is that which is tryumphant in heauen which shall then be accomplished on Gods chosen when they which suffer here with Christ shall in heauen bee gloryfied with Christ at Rom 8. 17. which time the affliction and imperfection which haue beene annexed vnto their Crosse shall be turned into tryumph and perfectâ—on necessarily accompanying their Crowne In the Church militant as one speaketh mala persâ—quntur euills doe persecute vs But in the Church tryumphant bona sequentur good thinges shall follow vs. The euer-flowing and indeed ouer-flowing abundance of which happy estate causeth Saint Augustine August to say that therein wee may more easily tell quid non sit quam quid sit what there is not then what there is For of this wee may bee well assured that in this glorious Assembly of the righteous there shall be no weaknesse no sorrowing no calamity no corruption no death no greefe no discontentment But the thinges wee shall there inioy are first for their quality ioy and pleasures Secondly for their quantity fulnesse of them Thirdly for their Constancy at Gods right hand from whence it is vnpossible they should bee remoued Fourthly for their continuance for euer-more euen in the presence of God In whose presence there is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand Psal 16. 12. there is pleasure for euermore This is the Assembly of the righteous heere principally meant which the Sinners shall not rise nor stand in because they shall neuer attaine to this tryumph neuer to this perfection neuer to this pleasure this presence this right hand this ioy The second point offered vnto our obseruation hauing learned what is the Assembly of the righteous is that the sinners shall not rise nor stand there But may some man say this is a hard saying Ioh. 6. 60. Who then can bee saued For wee are all sinners The authority of the Apoâ—â—le excellently proueth this point Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne so death went ouer all men for as much as all haue sinned The Apostle in that place intendeth to Mark 10. 26. shew the enterance of death into the world in foure points First from whom from one man that is Adam Secondly by what by sin Thirdly to whome to all men Fourthly the reason of it because All men haue sinned If there weare any man which had not sinned that man could not dye But all men dye as wee say in Shooles eyther Actualiter or Potentialiter in Act or in Power because though Henoch and â—eliah where taken away before their death yet had they sinfull bodyes subiect vnto morâ—ality therefore must all men of necessity bee conuicted of sinne also The earth is the most vnâ—elane Element as that which settleth it selfe in the bottom of this glorious frame or fabricke of the world as the dregges doe in the lowest parts of their vessell of this earth is euery man composed If then the heauens themselues whose Curtaines are spred out with more glory then those of Salomon Cant 1. 4. be vncleane in Gods sight Iob. 15. 15. how much more man which is but dust and earth If God hath found no stedfaâ—â—nesse no not in his Saints which are soe named of holinesse What is man that hee should bee clâ—ane or hee Ioh. 15. 14. 15 that is borne of a woman that hee should bee iust Man may bee considered in two estates in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace In the estate of nature whereby a man is meerely man and borne of a woman in which respect hee muâ—â— bee sayd to bee vncleane and vniust In the estate of grace by which a man becommeth a Saint yet in that estate also in the fore-aâ—eaged â—lace God findeth no stedfasâ—â—esse in him In neither state then can man bee cleered but in both estates condenmed to bee sinfull The Heathens themselues haue not beene vnacquainted with the truth of this matter among whome one saith Cebes in tabu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—eâ—y man coâ—miâ—g into this life driâ—keth from the cuppe of 〈◊〉 eâ—â—or and igâ—orance â—â—â—ery man then be a sinner and no 〈◊〉 shall rise 〈◊〉 stand in the assembly of the righteous what 〈◊〉 â—â—vs but â—xâ—ect that seâ—â—â—nce which Christ◠〈◊〉 agâ—â—â—st sinners Depart from me yea Matth. 7. â—3 that worke iniquity That I may the better answeare this obiection wee must know thaâ— there is a two-fold Sinner The former so sinneth as he 〈◊〉 with â—isâ—th from his sinne hauing because he hath sinned
the portion of the wicked to drinke Deut. 28. euen in this world temporally That if they â—â—ey not the voyce of the Lord their God to keepe and doe all his commandements and ordinances that then they must looke for it as for the lotte of their inheritance to bee â—ursed in the towne in the field in their basket and dough in the fruite of their body the fruit of their land the increase of their Kine and flocks of their Sheep in their comming in and their going out The Lord shall smite them not only with a consumption feuor burning ague and a ferâ—ent heate with blasting with mildewes with the botches of Aegipt with the Emeroddes and with the scabb and with the itche incurable shall not onely cause the heauen that is ouer their head to bee brasse and the earth which is vnder them Iron giuing them for raine dust and ashes but also shall make the pestilence cleaue vnto them vntill hee hath consumed them from the land shall smite them with the sword so that they shall fall before their enemies and their â—arkasses shall bee meate vnto all the sowles of the ayre and vnto the beaâ—ts of the earth none shall fray them away c. A mortall whippe in that chapter described which consisteth of many other stringes to bee inflicted to the fatall perishing or finall confusion of the wicked euen in this life corporally And shall we prize a drop of tâ—e Sea at an higher rate then the whole body of the mâ—ine Ocean shall wee thinke that one man can bee more deare vnto God then the whole world of men hath beene If the whole world of men haue sinned the whole world of men haue perished And shall but one man â—latter him-selfe to Genes 7 21. bearâ— an impudent fore-head in his sinne and to harden his face against heauen as an Adamant and yet to bee priuiledged Beholde there haue beene in the world foure principall Monarchies and sinne hath loosened the sinnewes of them all and caused their loftye pride to lye in the dust Lust and disolutenesse ouer-threw the first Monarchie of the world among the Assyrians Prodigality supplanted the second of the Persians Ambition and Discorde dismembred the third of the Grecians Impiâ—ty hidden hatred and priuate profite wracked the fourth of the Râ—maines Hath sinne then ouer-turned Kingdomes yea Monarchies which are as it were kingdome of kingdomes euen in this world and shall wee thinke that the wisedome of GOD is ecclipsed that hee may not finde out his Iustice diminshed that hee will not punish his arme shortened that hee cannot smite and curbe the sinnes of priuate men euen in this life Oh! let vs not suffer our selues to miscarry by the misleading windings of our owne errors For as God will bee a witnesse against the Soothsayer the adulterer the false swearer in the world to come So becommeth hee also many times a swift witnesse against them euen in this present world as Iehu was appointed to roote out the house of Ahab in this life Malach. 3 5 temporally Secondly the way of the wicked shall perish in the world to come euerlastingly A thing which is begun in all the race of the wicked in this life increased after this life consummate and fully accomplished at the day of generall audite and iudgement both vpon the subiect of their bodies and of their soules First it is begun euen in this life by the hellish dread of a galled conscience which fore-runneth the fire of hell euen as a smoake goeth before the flame A worme is this bredde in the bosome of the vngodly which eueâ— gnaweth an harbinger of the worme that neuer dyeth Mark 9. 46. A fire is this kindled in the bones of the vngodly thaâ— euer burneth a necessary introduction to that fire that neuer goeth out A worme I say it is which euer gnaweth Ibid. because though it seemeth some-time to cease yet is it as a Gangraena or a Canker which fretteth the soule as that secretly eateth the flesh and some-time also like the gnawing of a rauenous beast breaketh forth into open tortures As a fire like-wise which euer burneth for though it may for a time lye smoothered as vnder a pile of greene wood yet when it hath maistered the moystnesse thereof it sendeth forth by so much the greater flame by how much it hath had the greater resistance Sinne is as a fired thorne which causeth the conscience to boyle and broyle by the hellish heate of restlesse diâ—contentments Hence commeth it to passe that as a patient which hath Mercurie or some such eating Corosiue applyed to his rawe flesh can neuer continue in one place but turneth and tosseth him-selfe vp and downe wearying euery place and him-selfe also and yet findeth no more comfort then Iob did among his friends when hee phrased them by the name of miserable comforters So the Iob. 16. 2. tooth of a torturing passion beeing fixed on the wound of a galled conscience affecteth it with that hell vpon earth as it causeth the person so affected to seeke for refreshing in variety and after many tossed and turned sides to complaine of redreslesse and vnstinted sorrowe like the euill spirit which going out of the man whome it formerly possessed walked through drye places seeking rest and finding none Matth. 12. 43 The vnsufferable pangs of this priuate hell haue mooued some with the foolish fish to leape out of the panne into the fire as saith the Prouerbe and to laye violent hand vpon them-selues for the riddance of one representatiue hell within them thereby euer-lastingly to bee swallowed vp of the true hell without them not vnlike vnto them who beeing in danger of drowning in a shallow creeke thinke to finde securitie by casting themselues into a deepe whiâ—le-poole Men of this minde seeâ—e to bee more willing to goe to the fiends to bee tormented then to haue the fiends to come to torment them Seeing then in a word sinne maketh an euil conscience and aâ— euill conscience bringeth an hell with it wee must represse sinne that this euill conscience may be shunned that the shunning of an euill conscience may bee a remoouall of this priuate hell the beginning of our euerlasting perishing Secondly this euerlasting perishing of the wicked is increased after this life which shall then bee when the soule shall bee separate from the body This separation vnto the Godly bringeth life vnto the vngodly death and perishing in that place and manner which God hath alotted to it A dreadfull no doubt share and portion of the wrath of God vpon the wicked to haue their soules so separate from their bodyes as they are also separated from God so depriued of light as they shall remaine in darkenesse so bereâ—t of ioy as they shall taste of nothing but torments so sundred from peace as they shall alwaies be distracted with discontentments so deuoyde of hope as they shall continually be inuironned by and
who shall abandon the Coullors of CHRISTE that they may receiue the Marke of the Beaste Apoc. 13. 16. To him that trauelleth in the way there is nothing more Delight some then to haue Good there is nothing more Irkesome then to haue bad Company Behold here bee offered vnto vs and sette before vs two Wayes The one of the Righteous who haue Precedent Concomitant and Subsequent good Company as wee haue heard The other of the Sinners who haue Precedent Concomitant and Subsequent bad Company as hath beene deliuered vnto vs. Now wee may perceiue that in some sence it lyeth in our choyce which of these Two Wayes wee will take And I make no doubt but that if the dewe â—f Heauen bee not wholy dâ—yed vppe If the sparkes â—f grace bee not altogether quenched in vs wee will betake our selues vnto the Good way that so wee may haue good Company not to the Euill waye where wee shall haue badde Company By the former shall wee bee made like vnto Young Tobiah who had an Angell of GOD in his company by the latter Tob 5. 4. â— Sam. 16. 14 shall wee become like Saul who had an euill spirit sent from God to vexe him The third difference betweene the way of the righteous and the way of Sinners is the passage out of the way The passage out of the way of the righteous is from Bondage to Liberty from Pouerty to Wealth from Sorrow to â—oye from Teares to Triumph from Death to Life from Hell as I may so say in this world to Heauen in a better On the other side the passage of the wicked out of the way of sinners is from Liberty to Bondage from Wealth to Pouerty from Ioy to Sorrow from Triumph to Teares from Life to Death from their Heauen in this world to Hell in an other It may then appeare vnto vs by that which hath beene deliuered that the way of the righteous is not vnlike vnto 2 Reg. 2. vers 19. 22. the waters of Iericho which were first bitter and then made sweete So the way of the righteous though it yeeldeth the taste of bitternesse in the beginning yet shall it recompence the same with sweetnesse in the end But the waye of Sinners is like the waters of Sodome which were at the first sweete and pleasant but after that as Histories mention became they and so continue vnto this day bitter and vn-wholsome resembling herein the Panther who is said to allure other beasts after him by the sweete sent of his skinne and afterward to prey vpon them â—y bloudy rage of his Tallants Oh how shall wee then slâ—â—ken to walke in the way of the righteous which is like the fruite of the Tree of life which groweth by degrees from bitternesse to sweetnesse as fruite vseth to do and beeing once sweete can neuer waxe bitter againe And how farre off ought it to bee from vs and wee from it to step into the way of Sinners which is like Esaus pottage Gen. 25. 34 which it may be refreshed him for a time but afterward cost him his Birth-right So will this cost vs no smaller price then our Birth-right Gods kingdome the estimate whereof is inualuable and not onely so but will also subiect vs to the torture of Hells thraâ—dome the sorrowes whereof are vnconceaueable Picus Mirandulanus breaketh Piâ—us Miran Epist. quadam out into these speeches concerning the floating vanities of this life Quid optabile in Mundi voluptatibus quae dum quaeruntur fatigant dum acquiruntur infatuant dum amittuntur excruciant What is to bee wished for iâ— this worlds pleasure whose getting is weary somnesse inioyment folly losse griefe If these also bee found in the way of Sinners after them all followeth Hell to For as Death is the passage out of the Way so Hell followeth after Death in this kinde Apoc. 6 8. The second thing which here-out may bee obserued it is that the Vngodly stand in this way The Vngodly first begin with a doubtfull walking then proceed they to a determinate standing The former is as a seeking this is as a finding the former is but as it were a floating this a setling because the wicked by standing in this waye of Sinners doe as I may so say pitch their Tents and erect their dwelling places there For so standing is some-times taken in the Scriptures Our feete shall stand Pâ—al 122. 2. in thy gates O Ierusalem Where by standing is to bee vnderstood a resting or settling to dwell there In that the wicked stand in the waye of Sinners that is dwell there they seeme to bee affected to the way of Sinners in a bad affection as GOD was to the Hill of Sion in Psal 132. 14. a good acceptation Who saith This is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue a delight therein Where-out there is obserued first a precedent determination here is my rest Secondly a future resolution euen for euer Heere happe what happe will will I dwell heere will I stand Thirdly a reason thereof because I delight therein or because my delight is in it Wherein the wicked become apparantly like the Dogge or Sowe whereof the former returneth vnto his Vomitte the other to her Wallowing in the mire because they both delight therein 2. Pet. 2. 22. as the wicked doe Stand and in that respect Dwell in the way of Sinners because they repose their delight in it This Standing in the way of Sinners implyeth with it an impossibility of Amendment so long as they so stand In Repentance or Amendement of life there bee two bounds Malum et Bonum from the one thereof if wee looke at any time trulye to Repent wee must of necessitie passe to the other of which passage the former part is done Auersione a malo by the turning from that which is euill Now needes must it bee granted that where there is a standing still there is no motion where there is no motion there cannot bee as they speake in Schooles any Lation or transmigration from place to place and of necessitie must it bee inferred that where that is wanting cannot bee any Auersion or turning away from that which is euill or Conuersion and turning to that which is good The wicked then in that they haue their standing in the way of Sinners are as a standing puddle of corrupted waters which the longer they stand still growe more and more corrupted Sith then wee ought to bee carefull that wee walke not in the counsell of the wicked oh how much more watchfull are wee to bee that wee stand not in the way of Sinners To stand in the way of Sinners it is like vnto an Vlcer bred in the bone which will neuer out of the flesh vntill God shall consume such flesh by fire as he some-time drowned all flesh by Water Gen 6. 13. The reason of the past drowning all flesh by water is set downe Genes 6. 12. because all
found so perfect but that it may be made more perfect Iabal Tuhal and Iubal were the first inuenters of Tents of cunning work-manshipp in Brasse and Iron and of Musicke Genes 4. 20. 21. 22 haue that termination of their names which in Hebrew signifeth Vanity to shew that as in these so in all other Artes and Scicnces in not contained the true Blessednesse To conclude therefore seeing in Treasures Honors Pleasures in Beauty Health Strength in Memory Wit Science that is to say in the good things of Fortune of the Body of the Minde this Blessednes cannot be found Let vs not settle our hearts and selues on the things of this life as if they could make vs Blessed Let vs consider that the 1. Iohn 2. 17. world passeth away and the lusts thereof Let vs advise our selues that all flesh is grasse and the very grace thereof that is whatsoeuer therein is most precious is as the flower of the field Esa 40. 6. Oh we must not therfore take our ful repast of the things of this life if we looke after this life to sup with Abraham Isaack and Iacob where the place of our Supper shal be the Kingdom of God and the diet of our Supper true blessednesse which yâ— we may the better performe let vs seriously meditate Augustine vpon the saying of holy Angustine Mundi gaudia diaboli venena The ioyes of the world be the poysons of the Deuill poysons which will worke not the death tempotall which is the seperation of the soule from the Body but which will effect the death Spiritual which is the fearful separation of God from the Soule we must not then imbrace the world least the Deuill imbrace vs wee must not glut our selues with the pleasures of the world least the Diuell poyson vs. Moller in Psal 1. From the Apparent or Seeming must I now passe ouer to the existent or being Blessednesse in the originall plurally expressed Blessed is c. This is the true blessednesse indeed to bee found of him that shall seeke it both in this life grounded on grace and also in the life to come established on glory First this Blessednesse is to bee found by seeking as it is in this life grounded on grace a sacred issue proceeding from the Spirit of God which Spirit as it is said to be seauen-fould Apo. 1. 4 so bee the Giftes and Charismes which ariseth there from according to the mistery of the number seauen many-fould an holy ofspring is it inspired by God called the fruites of the spirit Galat. 5. 22. 23. fruites of the spirit are they like the fruites of the Tree of life many and soueraâ—gâ—c Apocal. 22. 2. many in kinde souereigne in vertue The Apostle in the fâ—recited place shâ—weth vs some principall Gal. 5. 22. 23. particulars of them Loue Ioy Peace long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meeknesse Temperancie the particulers whereof 〈◊〉 cannot amplifie onely let this beâ— sufficient that hee which hath the foundation of this Blessednesse laide on the ground-worke of Grace in this life so frameth his manners as hee loueth man for Gods sake because in him there shineth the Image of God as he rejoyceth in the good of another man as if it were his owne as he is peaceable as in whom serpentina prudentia Matth. 10. 16. and columbina mnocentia the wisedome of the Serpent and the innocencie of the Doue are to bee coupled together as hee suffereth long leauing vengeance to the Lord Rom. 12. 19. to whom it belongeth as hee hath gentlenesse in manners towards all men though they be in their affections enemies in their Religion Turkes Iewes and Infidels as he is good euen in imitation of God him-selfe who causeth his raiâ—e to fall as well on the vnâ—ust as on the iuâ— and his Matth. 5. 45. sâ—nne to shine as well on the bad as on the good as hee is faithfull toward God in heart and zeale toward Man in word and promise as hee is meâ—ke as the spirit of God is said to bee a spirit of meâ—knâ—sse as hee vseth the bridle of Temperance to restraine his ouer-heady affections both concerning meates and drinkes and apparell or what-so euer else mought prooue out of course or disordered The Gentill wise-men were not ignorâ—nt of the Blessednesse which commeth by Grace as 〈◊〉 Srâ—t Augustine August de Ciuâ—ta dci lib. 10. cap. 2. who hath these word 〈◊〉 Philosâ—phi tenent qui docent nos fore beatos obieclo qâ—odam lâ—mme intelligibili quod Deus est nobis that is The Philosophers also doe hold a certaine Grace whereby they teach that wee shall bee happye by reason of a certaine intelligible heart which God is vnto vs. The same Father in the same place pâ—oduceth one of them Plotinus by name who illustrateth this matter by a similitude of the Sunne which beeing the Fountaine of all light transmitteth the beames to enlighten the Moone which otherwise should bee in darkenesse So sayth hee doth GOD transfuse the rayes of his grace on vs to make vs happy which otherwise should bee in wretchednesse Secondly this Blessednesse is to bee found by seeking in the life to come as it is established on Glory and this eyther to bee handled as it is builded on in some modell or portion of glorye or else as it shall here-after bee accomplished in the fulnesse and perfection of glory First it is to bee handled as it is builded on in some modell or portion of Glorye in a riche though not in the richest measure This Blessednesse the Godlye ones are then made partakers of when the Apostles wishe is become their portion namely to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST IESVS Philip. 1. 23. For farre bee it Oh bee it farre from vs to dreame with some fantasticall and giddye spirites which both earlye and late haue troubled the peace of the Church That the Soules euen of the deerest Saints of God beeing losened from the bodye are not forth-with admitted into ioy but fall a sleepe and so shall continue vntill the Resurrection A pestilent Doctrine is it which no Text in GODS Booke doth warrant but the whole volumne of the blessed Scriptures turneth against and ouer-turneth it It is sayd Ecclesiast 12. 7. That the Dust returneth to the earth That is the Bodye made of Dust and the spirit that is the Soule to GOD that gaue it If the Spirit returneth then it hath a motion if it hath a motion then is there no binding vp of the finewes the instruments of sence and motion as in sleepe it happeneth if there bee no ligature or binding vpp of these moouing and feeling finewes of the soule then as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8. mooueth these men to thinke or rather dreame there cannot bee admitted into the soule after her disvnion from the body any sleepe The Apostle Paul Philip. 2. 23. wished to bee dissolued and to hee
it is farre other-wise hee knoweth not what repentance meaneth Hee may say of repentance the worke of the Holy-Ghost as those Disciples of Ephesus sayd of the Holy-Ghost him-selfe that they had not so much as heard whither there were an Holy-Ghost or no. They know well Act. 19. 2. what belongeth to the returning vnto sinne but are wholy ignorant of that which concerneth the turning away from sinne Therefore these actions of the wicked Oh how can they prosper Yea alasse how can they bee but defaced disprospered In them is rather to bee found bitternesse then sweetnesse disprofit then profit as may appeare vnto vs by a summary view of these particulars Arguments that they cannot prosper The first is that the Vice of the wicked by the continuall practise of it hardeneth the heart of him that practiseth it Hence it is that they which would bee called though they deserue it not the Children of Abraham become as stones hardened as Matth. 3. 9. we read of stones whome God is able to raise vp that they may bee the Children of Abraham This maketh the fleshy tables of their Exod. 34. â— hearts to be as the tables of stone in which were grauen not the sweet comforts of the Gospell but the affrightfull terrors of the Lawe It maketh the ground of their heart to become as stony ground which causeth the seed of the word Matth. 13. 5. 6. sowne thereon to parch and wither A stony heart which being throughly hardened by the custome of sinne prooueth more impenetrable then the stony rock in the wildernesse because the Rodde of Moyses smiting this rocke so mollyfied the stifnesse thereof as it became as a liuing Fountaine to yeeld water to the thirsty Israelites but not the Rodde of Moyses but the Scepter of God himselfe Exod. 17. 6. smiting not once but often not on the stony Rocke of Horeb but on the rockie stone of our hearts is so farre from mollifying it as it rather prooueth like the Adamant of which some say that the more it is beaten vpon it is still more and more hardened The second point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by the actions of their vices may appeare vnto vs is the guilt and galling of Conscience which continually recordeth and suggesteth vnto them their sinne committed Gods lawe violated his Maiesty offended punishment deserued c. And are in the soule as Antiochus wormes were in his bowels continually gnawing The Whippe with which CHRIST draue the buyers and sellers out of the Temple was but for a Iohn 2. 15. time but the scourge of a bad conscience is vncessant perpetuall yet hidden and secret Occultum quatienti animo tortore flagellum Iuuenal The Tormenter shaking an hidden whippe in the soule of the tormented This is a dampe that putteth out all the light and a pang which taketh away all the delight of the wicked so that their vicious actions cannot prosper The third point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their actions of vices may appeare vnto vs is the Angering of GOD thereby Sinnes be the cause of Gods anger because they bee the only Vanities which prouoake him to anger An anger which because sin is both the fuell the bellows of it shal burne euen to the hottome of hell and sâ—all consume the earth with her increase and will set on fire the foundation of the mountaines Deut. 3 2. 21. It is much to consume the earth and the increase of it more to set on fire the foundations of the mountaines most of all to burne to the bottome of hell As there is a depth of Gods Wisedom so is there of his Wrath which descendeth from the surface of the earth to the foundations of the Mountaines and from the foundations of the Mountaines to the bottome of hell a Wrath which in the 42. verse of that Chapter is called by the name of Arrowes and a sword of Arrowes which kill eminus a farre off and of a sword which woundeth cominus neare hand These Arrowes are not ordinary Arrowes but Arrowes which are made drunke with blood This Sword not a sword Ibid. of common vse but a Sword which shall eate flesh Seeing then the vicious actions of the wicked doe prouoke such and so great a Lord to such and so great an anger though it bee said of the Godly that whatsoeuer they shall doe shall prosper yet The wicked are not so Tâ—e fourth point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their vicious actions may appeare vnto vs is that they are no true possessors but vsurpâ—rs of the outward blessings of this life for they of right and due claime belong onely to the godly as the blessed Apostle witnesseth speaking of and to the Saints All things are yours which generall title he after openeth by the particular members of it not onely Paul or Apollâ—s or Cephas or life or death or things present or things to come but euen also the world it selfe The wicked then 1. Câ—rin 3 21 22. 2. Câ—rin 4. 4. may bee said to bee Lords of the World as the Deuill to bee God of the world by forged Euidence Intrusion vsurpation Therefore as in a possession euilly gotten vniustly holden with the Godly they cannot bee prospered The wicked are not so The fifth point whereby the bitternesse and the disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their vicâ—ous actions may appeare vnto vs is that they shutt them out of Gods kingdome for whereas there is a blessednesse for them which doe Gods Commandements by entering in through the gates into the Citty the wicked which are as Apoc. 22. 14. 15. Dogges and Enchanters and Whore-mongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth and maketh lyes shall stand with-out Apocal. 22. 15. Therefore the wicked are not so The sixt point whereby the bitternesse and disprofit of the wicked which commeth by their actions of vices may appeare vnto vs is that they Presse them downe without repentance to hell A notable testimony concerning which point is set downe Esay 5. 14. In the former part of which chapter the Prophet hauing set downe not onely the barrennesse of the wicked to good but their proâ—enesse yea greedinesse to euill as their oppression which caused a crye among the people vers 7. couetousnesse in ioyning house to house and field to field till there be no more place but that they may bee placed alone in the middest of the earth vers 8. drunkennesse which men rose vp early to follow and continued at it till night vntill the Wine did inflame them vers 11. In vers 13. denounceth hee a temporall punishment against them consisting of Captiuity Shame and Famine But vers 14 commeth hee to the most heauie and insupportable spirituall iudgement it selfe that therefore that is for the cause of these vicious actions Hell hath first enlarged her selfe within Secondly
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The store-houses of al our actions are in heauen These actions of our haue been euerlastingly laid vp in the euer-liuing treasure-house of Gods omni-science or power to know all things These be those Idea which Plato speaketh off being certaine Essentiall impressions in the minde of God of all Plato things which according to that forme should be without such a forme praecedent could not be in the world A Sparrow is but a vile thing two of them are sold for a farthing Math. 10 29. yet God so knoweth them as he hath a speciall care of them that not one of them fall to the ground without him The grasse or flower of the field seemeth to be a viler thing as Math 6. 30. that which is to day and to morrow it is cast into the ouen yet God not only knoweth it but regardeth beauty fieth it so As Salomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like one of Vers 29. these The haâ—e of a mans head is without compare the vilest thing of al yet God so knoweth it as he hath numbred it Math. 10. 30. God who hath made all things in weight measure and number knoweth the weight measure number of all thinges This moued Plotinus though he were but a Platonist and no Christian as witnesseth Saint Augustine to say that Gods apprehensiue prouidence doth Aug. de ciui deâ— â—â— 10. c. 14 extend it selfe ad ipsos flosculâ—s foliorum pulchritudinem to the very flowers and beauty of leaues On which flowers and leaues if wee would some-what seriously contemplate and meditate with our selues the wounderous variety and collour of the one and the naturall art or artificiall nature as I may so say of the enterfolding and embroydering of the stringes iunctures and twistes the one of them with the other In the other we may well breake out into that Patheticall exclamation with the Prophet Dauid Psalm 104 â—4 O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all If God made them then must it be also granted that hee knew them and as witnesseth Holy Augustine If God made all things with Aug de ciui dei li. 11. c. 10 vnderstanding hee made those thinges also which hee knew Ex quo occurrit animo quiddam mirum tamen verum c. Whervpon commeth to mind a certaine woundrous but a true matter that this world could not bee knowne vnto vs vnlesse it were but vnlesse it were knowne vnto God could haue no being at all Which as it is true concerning the whole world so is it as true concerning euery singular member of it This is the knowledge of Gods Apprehension or Wisedome The second knowledge of God it is that which is of his Approbation and Fauour The knowledge of Gods Apprehension as it did extend it selfe to all things so also did it comprehend whatsoeuer doth or may apperteyne to the way naturall and of generation ciuill and of profession of the righteous which as it is a way meerely naturall and of generation ciuil and of profession the Lord apprehendeth it onely approueth it not Because it may be found among the Turkes and Heathens which haue both naturall being and ciuill trading and yet because they are not become members of Christ and to bee found in the way spirituall and of regeneration or knowne therein vnto God not in the knowledge of his Approbation but Apprehension onely Would we theÌ„ be certified what knowledge is here ment It is no doubt the knowledge of Gods Approbation Would we also bee informed what way of the righteous it concerneth verely there way Spirituall or of Regeneration the way of there new birth the way of there ingrafture into the vine Christ of becomming the misticall members of there head Christ of there inâ—ouling into the assembly of the heauenly Denizens and of their intitling to the inheritance of Gods Kingdome This oh this is the way of the righteous which God so knoweth as hee acknowledgeth so acknowledgeth as he approueth The other waies in his children God respectiuely it may bee approueth for the cause of this way but neuer alloweth he therein any place at any time among any people without this way This me thinkes that God thus knoweth the Way of his righteous ones Seruantes Saintes and Children not onely so as hee apprehendeth it in his wisdome but approueth it in his mercy should moue and egge on the righteous ones the Seruants Saints and Children of God in Gods Schoole to take forth a two-fold lesson Whereof the one is of Patience in afflictions the other of Practise of good actions The former is the lesson of Patience in afflictions for GOD seeth knoweth and approueth there way herein Some great Prince or mighty States-man vpon earth apprehendeth the more in his thought and loueth more in his heart that champion of his which so with Fortitude fighteth his battell as hee also with Patience beareth the woundes of his Aduersary whereby as the loue of his LORD is inkindled toward him so like-wise he knowing that the eies of his Lord looketh vpon him increaseth his courage and inlargeth the manlynesse of his hardy combat This world indeed it is the appointed Acheldama or Field of blood wherein God is our King and wee be his champions to fight the battels of his truth against the Princes of the darknesse of this World spirituall wickednesse in high places God our King so beholdeth vs as hee knoweth vs so knoweth vs as hee approueth vs. Oh how ought then this to animate vs with courage and arme vs with patience against all the troupes of of afflictions against all the assaultes of our enemies That wee may stand against all the waues of troubles as a Rocke against the billowing surges of the raging sea cleansed it may bee but not moued much lesse remoued That wee may become like Athanasius of whome Gregor Naziaâ—z Greg. Nazian oratio â—unâ—b in Athanas reporteth that hee was Dissidentibus magnes percutientibus adamas A Load-stone whose nature is to drawe yron the hardest matter vnto it to them which were at variance An adamant which is very hardly broken with stroakes to them which smote him winning the affections of men by the one bearing afflictions from men by the other The conquering captaine doth tryumph saith S. August because he conquered but he had not conquered but that hee fought that by how much his danger hath been the greater in the battell by so much his ioy may be the more in the tryumph We expect a greater tryumph then this not in earth among Men but in Heauen among Angels And shal wee thinke that wee shall tryumph without a conquest or conquer without a battell or remaine in the battel without patience A tempest tossing the Maryner threatneth wracke of his vessell all waxe pale for feare of death on the sodaine the Heauen is calmed the Sea asswaged wherevpon their ioy is the larger
because their feare was the greater Wee are as Marriners sayling in the Shippe of the Church on the Sea of this world it hapyly is the will of God that a tempest for a time should tosse vs that the feare of a wracke should affright vs. But when wee least expect it this tempest shall bee dispelled this sea calmed this shipp secured this wracke escaped Shall wee not then vndergoe that trouble with patience the consideration of the fiercenesse whereof bringeth our reioycing by our escape from it to a greater fulnesse Is a man sicke and is there by the aduise of the Physition no other way for his recouery but the opening of his veine and the letting forth of his bloud Surely hee will patiently suffer his flesh to bee â—ut and his veine to bee opened and his bloud also to bee drawne forth that hee may recouer his bodily health Oâ— wee are those sicke patients sicke indeed by the occasion of sinne in our bodies but O! â—arre more sicke by the contagion of sinne in our soules God him-selfe becommeth our Physitian whose counsell is for our recouerie that wee should lett out the corrupt bloud of our sinne-sicke soules with the Launcer of afflictions and shall wee not then possesse our soules with patience that so we may possesse our soules in peace in purity in health by the benefit of it GOD which in the Rose hath ioyned the flower and thorne together hath coupled in the Church sorrow and ioy affliction and consolation together Sorrow and affliction goeth before ioy and consolation followeth after as in the gathering of Roses the thorne first priâ—keth the hand before the flowre contenteth the nostrills And as the light is more comfortable after the darknesse then if there had beene no darknesse at all so ioy and consolation is more acceptable after sorrow and affliction then if there had beene no sorrow or affliction at all euen as saith Saint Augustine Edendi et bibendi volupâ—â—s nulla Aug. lib. confess 8. cap. 13. nisi praecedat esuriendi sitiendi molesâ—ia there is no pleasure at all of eating or drinking vnlesse the trouble of hunger and thirst go before Seeing then tryumph praesupposeth a conquest a conquest a battaile a bat taile patience VVee must be patient that we may â—ight fight that wee may conquer conquer that we may tryumph Seeing then that our greater ioy dependeth vppon our deliuerance from our spirituall ship-wracke the deliuerance from this wracke a former beeing in danger in this wracke and our danger in this wracke patience to beare it wee must bee patient that wee may beare the danger bee in danger before wee can be deliuered and be deliuered before our ioy can be inlarged Seeing then comfort for the recouery of our health fore-argueth sicknesse and sicknesse patience VVee must be patient to vnder-goe this sicknesse that this sicknesse patiently borne may expect the renuall of our health that our health renued may store our hearts with comfort Seeing then to conclude that GOD hath so mixed the sweete and soure together that the one cannot bee without the other yet the one is the more inlarged by the con-comitancy and propinquity of the other as the Stars shine more clearely in the blacke night then in the bright day Oh! how ought we to be the more patient in the one that wee may bee the more pleasured profitted and perfected by the other Especially aduising that beside and aboue all this our patience is done in the sight and knowledge of GOD who seeth and knoweth it as a path of the way of the Righteous which hee loueth and alloweth The second lesson which the children of GOD are to take forth in GODS schoole is of practise in good actions because what-soeuer good they doe it is done in the sight and knowledge of GOD who loueth and approueth it piety towards God charity in instructing the soules and releeuing the bodies of the ignorant and poore bretheren and purity in them-selues God looketh on it God liketh it The godly is euer to bee doing As the Idle doth nothing at all The euill nothing but that which is bad so the godly is euer to bee practising that which is good Hee that the spirit of God vouchsafeth to call the man of God he must flee these things If you would know 1 Tim 6. 11. Vers 4. 5. 10. what things enuy strife raylings euils surmisings vaine disputations of men of corrupt minde Couâ—tousnesse also and not onely so but he must follow after Righteousnesse godlynesse faith loue patience and meekenesse godlynesse and Vers 12. faith towardes God loue and righteousnesse among men patience and meeknesse in him-selfe All which Timothy was to doe as charged in the sight of God Of necessity Vers 13. must this bee done in the sight of God because to lead an vpright life as this is is to walke with GOD. Genes 5. 22. There is much strife who should bee a True Catholike But hee indeed is the true Catholike christian which as the Catholike Church consisteth in the vnâ—uersality of all sexes and persons so hath in him as neare as may bee an vniuersall perfection of all goodnesse and vertues Lette vs therefore in walking before God labour to be perfect Children of Abraham like Abraham him-selfe whome God willeth to walke before him and to bee vpright or perfect Genes 17. 1. The second branch that commeth to my handling is of GODS rigor toward the wicked And the way of the wicked shall perish Wherein as in the former my proceeding must bee in two poyntes First the interpretation of the meaning of the way of the wicked Secondly the confusion of it Shall perish Concerning the Interpretation or sence of the way of the wicked Be it knowne vnto vs that the wicked haue a double way The one the way of their being the other the way of their doing Touching the Confusion or end of the way of the wicked lette vs bee aduertised of two members 1. how it shall bee confounded or end by Perishing 2. when Shall perish The Way of the beeing of the Wicked commeth first to handling This is the Way of their liuing and breathing Genes 6. 12. but my minde is not to stand on it The other way of the wicked it is the way of their doing which compriseth in it both their Ciuill doing and their Euill doing The Ciuill doing of the wicked is that which concerneth their special calling and vocation in the Common-wealth as being seuerall members of the body Politicall whereof the chiefe Magistrate is the head The euill doing of the wicked is that which is called The way of wickednesse Psalm 1â—9 â—4 The way of darkenesse Prou. 2 13. The way of Hell Prou. 7. 27. because â—t leadeth from wicked â—esse by darknesse into hell The second point of my proceeding it is thâ— Confusion or end of this way â—â—â—â—ll perish Wherin we were first to bee aduertised how this way should be