heauen which shall be immutable and without chaunge and without swaruing For then shal we do nothing but that which good is and that with a constant minde alwaies to perseuere and to continue in laâ—ding and praising God and dooing his will as now the Angels of heauen doo And this may suffice concerning Freewill both that we may know what power of Fréewil was giuen to man in his first creation and also what is to be thought and how we ought to be perswaded of it When by mans Fréewill he came to his downefall then he proued Gods word to be true Thou shalt die the death whereas before he was in the state of life and immortalitie For he was created immortall with this condition if he had continued in Gods obedience but being wilfull and carelesse he came to his death and was in the way to hell when he thought to climbe vp into heauen When he was immortall he knew not what it meant but when through his follie hee perceiued his dayes to bee shortened he wondred at the one and gréeued to remember the other The estate of immortalitie wherein our first parentes were created was nothing else but a continuance and endurance of life and a freedome from death And although it be now vsuall and common and nothing more common then for euerie one of vs to die yet at the first it was not so If our first parents had obeied they had neuer suffered death but when they gaue themselues to sin and to deceitfull vanities then they knew themselues to be mortall and then death came vpon them As we read Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death but euerlasting life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And in the first Chapter of the same Epistle verse 12. As by one man meaning Adam the first man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned so that the cause and only cause of death is sinne And because the best sort of men and women are sinfull though not in that degrée and in that measure as the wicked and vngodly are yet because euen they also haue procured the wrath of God through their sinne they must néedes vndertake the punishment of sinne which is death But there is a great difference to bee considered off For death to the godly is life and happie are they that are deliuered out of this miserable and wretched world For they knowe that while they are here they are absent from God that is from the enioying of his presence And againe they know that if their earthly house their bodies of dust and claie be destroyed they shall haue a building giuen of GOD that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens For therefore they sigh desiring to be cloathed with their house which is from heauen that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of life and their earthly mansion chaunged for an euerlasting habitation In the godly there is a great desire of death what moueth them hereunto Euen this that they may enioy immortalitie and be made partakers of that part of the image of God which by the meanes of sinne they were depriued off and put from But as for the vngodly it is nothing so with them For they tremble and shake at the remembrance of death as we reade of Naball who when his wife tolde him heauie newes which was toward him his hart died within him The sea men when they are tossed vp and down with the waues of the sea and néer to be cast away their ship drowned their soule melteth within them so the wicked their hart dieth within them al the parts of their body quake their soules within ar sore vexed miserably tormented with yâ— present forethought as it were feeling of yâ— euerlasting death and those endlesse torments which they shall endure And this moueth them in a wonderful secret sort to that feare they are in that they know by death they shal be taken from all their ioy and that they shall passe from this short life which they haue here in this world to death and from this light death which is no more but a seperation of the soule from the bodie to a second death which is euerlasting death And from death to these torments which are the worme of a continuall guiltie conscience the wrath of God increasing their punishment from time to time the restlesse crueltie of the diuell and hellish spirits to punish them where there shal be nothing else but wringing of hands weeping and gnashing of teeth Felix the gouernour shooke and trembled when he heard Paule disputing of righteousnesse and temperaunce and of other waightie matters as of death the resurrection and of the iudgement to come and willed him to depart out of his presence Much like to king Belshazzar who when he sawe a hand writing vpon the wall wherby was declared the end of his kingdome and the ende of his life his countenance chaunged his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his loines were looced and his knees smote one against the other The feare of death is in them as it was in king Saul 1. Sam. 28. 20 who when he was tolde howe neare his death did approach he was sore affraied his soule fainted within him and he fell along on the earth neither was there any strength in him he refused meate and would not be comforted because through the sorrow of his death he had a taste of the death and torments which were to come The cause why we lost this benefit of immortalitie is sin and disobedience which brought vs to our death and to our last home The difference of death betwixt the godly and the wicked is this the one sort is greatly desirous to die the other are greatly affraied of death That man was created vnto immortalitie we may perceiue in that one part of man neuer dieth which is his soule Furthermore the bodie also shall receiue immortalitie at the day of resurrection when the generall iudgement shall be and when all flesh by the sound of a Trumpet shal be summoned togither from the foure quarters of the earth Then the bodies of all that haue bene departed from the beginning of the world togither with them that shall die vnto the end of the world being raised vp shal be ioyned vnto their soules and both shal be immortall and shall liue for euer either to receiue ioyes and euerlasting blisse or torments which shal neuer haue end The one sort to liue with God and his Angels the other sort with the diuel and the fiends of hell Which immortalitie of the bodie is confirmed by that of the Apostle writing to the Corinthians 1. Cor 15. 52. 53. In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpet shall the dead be raised vp incorruptible and we shall bee chaunged For this corruptible must
and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice maruell not For so it is like to come to passe So that there are feares and cares inough and matters to make them guiltie and their soules heauie that haue set their hearts vppon honour howsoeuer at the first it haue a glorious shew in the sight of the world but as for delight to speake and say it truly there is none When the wise King had shewed me thus much what Pleasure flawes crackes and rents there were in the chéefest delights of worldly men it was a matter too easie to iudge of the rest and of the meaner sort Which could terme no otherwise but méere foolishnesse and madnesse toyes and trifle The viole and harpe and musicall instruments how do they delight the hart What a ioy is it to spend our time in minstrelcie and dancing But what if musicke haue his mourning and that such foolish mirth doo ende in heauinesse What is beautie but the prouoking of lust and the forgetfulnes of God which maketh vs with an impudent face to say when we are called to God from this and all other earthly vanities I am maried to bewtie haue set my hart on vanity therfore he saith not haue me excused but in plaine tearmes I cannot come And when we thinke of braue apparell and delicate fare as though that were a thing to be desired let vs remember the rich man which was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicately euerie day who though hée flaunted on the earth and made the worlde his chiefest heauen yet afterward fried in torments and found the dolefull hell to he his dwelling place for euer Now what purpose is it for vs to desire to liue long Long life when there are no true delights but shewes and shadowes thereof When all things in our life are vaine what pleasure is it to liue séeing that as it is most certaine the longer we liue the more sinfull wée are This life of ours must haue an ende and peraduenture a fearefull or an vngodly end which if we could but remember and thinke vpon it would abate and pull backe our reioycing hearts although all our delight were to liue How much better were it to prepare our selues against the day of death Séeing that a short life is sometime a great blessing of God when as the course of sinne shall be cut off in vs And againe when we are taken away from wofull times to come and from those miseries which fall vppon the world VVisedome 4. Enoch was taken away least wickednesse should alter his vnderstanding For wickednesse deceiueth and bewitcheth the minde and the vnstedfastnesse of concupiscence doth soone peruert the simple heart And because the soule of this holy man pleased God therefore hasted he to take him away from wickednesse Yet the people see vnderstand it and consider no such things in their hearts how the grace and mercy is vpon his Saints and his prouidence ouer the elect The wicked and vngodly although they liue long in great prosperitie and sée not the graue in many yeares yet is their estate accursed and they liue long to their greater vengeance and condemnation vntill the measure of their sinne be filled vp to the brim and that the iudgement of GOD wayt for them at the doore Séeing then that these delights which worldly minded men make so great account of come to nothing and are in themselues but méere vanities and as it were shaddowes without a bodie and therfore may fitly be compared to Sâ—dome Apples which in outward sight and shewe are very faire and beautifull but when we come neare to touch them they fall to ashes Let vs returne to the true delight and only paradice of the soule I mean the word of God in VVord which paradice is the trée of the knowledge of good euil the trée also of life and immortalitie wherein are perfections to be found and such as may well content the heauenly Angels and blessed soules Which is the onely instruction of wisedome the guide of our life the light in darknesse which sheweth vs a way to enter into paradice although Cherubins and the blade of a sword shaken be set to kéepe the way of the trée of life I meane it sheweth vs the way into the highest heauens although there be many lets and hinderances to kéepe vs backe And the way that it onely Feare chaulketh out vnto vs is this The feare of the Lord and the especiall regard of his wil and commandements which hath the promises and blessings of this life and of that also which is to come By which direction of the feare of God we reade that the famous Patriarch Abraham was safe from the iniuries of straungers Lot deliuered from the deuouring fire that came downe from heauen and from those dreadfull iudgements Noah escaped the drowning flood and perished not with the vngodly Iob that worthie mirrour of all succéeding ages preserued from the rage wicked intent of the diuel Iacob set frée from the murthering hand of his brother Esau Ioseph from misery exalted to honour Enoch taken from the wicked world and translated into heauen By which examples and testimonies drawne out of the word of God we sée the high and great commendations of the feare of God and that there is no worldly delight to be compared vnto it In a word the chiefest commodities and blessings that the heart of a naturall man can desire and the greatest glory that he can wish to rise vnto all are included and comprehended within the feare of God Vnto the which that I may as I would exhort you let vs call to our remembrance the words that God spake vnto his people by his seruant Moses saying O that there were such a heart in them to seare mee and to keepe all my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them and with their children for euer O that they were wise then would they vnderstand this then would they know that the feare of God doth make a blessed life and a happie end That we may perceiue that the fear of God doth teach vs to be vpright and iust and to eschue euill as it did Iob that so God may grant our requests as he heard and granted the praiers of Cornelius that it may come to vs as it did vnto Iudeth that none be able to bring an euill report of vs because we feare God Finally that it may be said of vs as it was of King Dauid that hée was a man after Gods owne hart because that with all the power that was in him he did performe those things which God woulde haue him and that we may be minded as he was I had rather be a doore keeper saith he in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the Pallaces of Princes And so as people indued with wisedome and with an heauenly spirit let vs passe by these delights of the world which
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
quarrelling Let vs rather reuerence yâ— which passeth the reach and compasse of our wits and turne our mindes wholy to praise his mercy who by his onely grace hath saued vs when we deserued the like punishment and damnation and were no lesse sinners and wicked theÌ„ they The chief matters with places of Scripture for proofe God hath appointed a way to his infinit wisdome and to the execution of his predestination shutting vp al vnder disobadience sinne and vnbeleefe Gall. 3. 22. But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beléeue Rom. 11. 32. God hath shut vp all in vnbeléefe that he might haue mercy vpon all that beléeue So that the way to the Godly to be partakers of mercy is to beleeue wherein we must vnderstand that faith is a gift of God peculiarly belonging to the elect and chosen children of God Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained vnto eternal life beléeued Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Titus 1. 1. Paule a seruant of God and an Apostle of Iesus Christ according to the faith of Gods elect which is proper and peculiar vnto them so that they that are partakers of faith may assure themselues yâ— they pertaine to god Philip. 1. 29. For vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not only ye should beléeue in him but also suffer for his sake Gal. 5. 22. The frute of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffring gentlenes goodnes faith Iohn 6. 65. No man can come vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my father As also they that doe not beleeue nor knowe God are iustly condemned 2. These 3. 2. Pray for vs that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men For all men haue not faith Mat. 13. 11. It is giuen vnto you saith Christ to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen For the gospell and meanes of saluation is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 2. Thes 2. 10. Ihon 12. 37. And though Iesus had done so many miracles before them yet beléeued they not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfiled c. Man created in innocency puritie and holinesse Gene. 1. 27. Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female And what vertuous and holy qualities were there which were not in the image of God according as it is at large set downe Ephe. 4. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes true holines and so forth to the end of the chapter Man fell not from God by constraint or necessitie but became seruant of sin through his owne will Gen. 3. 6. So the woman séeing that the trée was good for meat and that it was pleasant to the eies and a trée to be desired to get knowledge tooke of the frute thereof and did eate and gaue also to her husband with her and he did eate which thing was contrary to the commaundement of God and a penaltie of death set vpon them if they did eate as we reade chap. 2. 16. 17. And the Lord God commanded the man saying Thou shalt eate fréely of euery trée of the garden but as touching the trée of knowâ—edge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it For whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death By which fall and and disobedience he did binde and drawe the whole nature of man to sin and so consequently to the death of body and soule Ro. 7. 20. Nowe if I doe that I would not it is no more I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Ro. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned This fall of man came not by chaunce or fortune because the prouidence of God reacheth euen to the smallest matters Mat. 10. 29. 30. Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father yea and all the haires of your head are numbred Pro. 16. 33. The lot is cast into the lappe but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. What matter God hath so ordained to shewe his glory by mercy to the one and wrath to the other Ro. 9. 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe on vessell to honour and an other vnto dishonour What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power to be knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction And that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glorie Pet. 2. 6. 8. Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleueth therein shall not be ashamed A stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were eueÌ„ ordained Neither saluation nor damnation is the finall end of Gods counsaile but his owne glory Ro. 9. 17. For the scripture saith vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I stirred thée vp that I might shewe my power in thée and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth Pro. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill For ere the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was said vnto Rebecca their mother The elder shall serue the younger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Well in this cause may men pleade against God but it shall not preuaile Ro. 9. 19. 20. Thou wilt say then vnto me Why doth he yet complaine For who hath resisted his will But O maÌ„ who art thou which pleadest against God shal the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus But rather we ought to reuerence that which is past our reach and turne our minds wholly to praise god in his workes especially for his mercy toward vs. Ro. 11. 33. O the déepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! howe vn searchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Ps 107. 8. O that men would therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes and praise him for his wonderfull workes that he doeth for the children of men The fourth Chapter By what order God proceedeth to declare and
shall heare indéed but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainly sée and not perceiue o The Genena note vpon that place Whereby is declared that for the malice of man God will not immediately take away his word but he wil cause it to be preached to their condemnation when as they will not learne thereby to obey his will and be saued Hereby he exhorteth the Ministers to do their dutie and answereth to the wicked murmurers that through their owne malice their heart is hardened Mat. 13. 14. Act. 28. 26. Rom. 11. 8. Verse 10. Make the heart of his people fat make their eares heauy and shut their eies lest they sée with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstande with their hearts and conuert and he heale them And to bring this to passe he vseth partly their owne vile concupiscences to the which hee hath giuen them vp to be ruled and led by Rom. 1. 26. For this cause God gaue them vp to vile affections c. Sée more in that chap. And Esay 64. 7. And partly also the spirit of lies who keepeth them wrapt in his snares 2. Thess 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they may be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beléeue lies That all they might be damned which beléeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Iohn 3. 19. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world men loued darknesse rather then light because their déedes were euill Ezay 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made vs erre from thy waies and hardned our heart from thy feare Ro. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe Acts. 7. 42. Then God turned himselfe away and gaue them vp to serue the host of heauen 1. Kin. 22. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. The Lord said Who shal intice Ahab that he may go fall at Ramoth Gilead And one said on this maner and an other said on that manner Then there came foorth a spirit and stoode before the Lord and said I will entice him And the Lord said vnto him Wherewith And he said I will goe out and be a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Then he said thou shalt entice him and shalt also preuaile goe foorth and do so Nowe therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets and the Lord hath appointed euill against thée 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. If our Gospell be then hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them By reason of their corruption from the which as out of a fountaine issueth a continuall flowing riuer of infidelitie ignorance and iniquitie 2. Tim. 2. 26. And that they may come to amendment out of the snares of the diuel which are taken of him at his will Whereby it followeth that hauing as it were made shipwracke of their faith 1. Tim. 1. 19. Hauing faith and a good conscience which some haue put away and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke Can by no meanes escape the day which is appointed for their destruction that God may be glorified in their iust condemnation Prou. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euil Rom. 9. 21. 22. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and an other vnto dishonour What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The sixt Chapter Of the last and full accomplishment of Gods eternall counsell as well towards the elect as the reprobate FOrasmuch as God is iustice it selfe it is necessary that The full execution of god counsaile he should saue the iust and condemne the vniust Now they among men are only iust who being by faith ioined to Christ grafted rooted in him and made one bodie with him are iustified sanctified in him by him Wherof it followeth that the glory to the which they are destinate to the glory of God appertaineth to them as by a certain right or title On the other part they which remaine in Adams pollution death are iustly hated of God and so condemned by him not excepting so much as thē which die before they sin as Adam did But both these manners of executing Gods iudgements as well in these as in the other which are elected are in thrée sorts whereof we haue already declared the first For the elect in that same moment that they In the elect haue receiued the gift of faith haue after a certaine sort passed from death to life whereof they haue a sure pledge But this their life is hid in Christ till this corporall death make them to steppe a degrée further and that the soule being loosed out of the band of the body enter into the ioy of the Lord Finally in the day appointed to iudge the quicke and the dead when that which is corruptible and mortall shall be clad with incorruption and immortalitie and God shall be all in all things then they shall sée his maiestie face to face and shall fully enioy that vnspeakable comfort and ioy which before all beginning was prepared for them which is also the reward that is due to the righteousnesse holinesse of Christ who was giuen for their sinnes and raised againe from death for their iustification By whose vertue and spirit they haue procéeded and gone forward from faith to faith as shall manifestly appeare by the whole In the Reprobate course of their life and good workes Whereas altogither contrary the reprobate conceaued and brought vp in sin death wrath of God when they depart out of this world they fall into an other gulfe of destruction and their soules are plunged in that endlesse paine vntill the day come that their bodies soules being ioyned againe they shall enter into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Then by these two waies which are The glory of God cleane contrarie one to an other the last issue and end of Gods iudgement shall set forth manifestly his glory to all men foramuch as in his elect he shall declare himselfe most iust and most mercifull Most iust I say for that he Perfectly iust and perfectly mereifull hath punished with extréeme rigour seueritie the sinnes of his elect in the person of his sonne neither did receiue them into the fellowship of his glory before
God hath raised vs vp togither and made vs sit togither in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Philip. 1. 23. For I am greatly in doubt on both sides destring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Luke 23. 43. Iesus said to the théefe that repented Verily I say vnto thée To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice And chapter 16. 22. And it was so that the begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Wisâ— 3. 1. But the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Eccle. 12. 7. And dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit returne to God that gaue it Then shall they enioy fully that vnspeakeable comfort prepared Rom. 8. 18. For I account that the affictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Mat. 25. 34. Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world 1. Cor. 15. 42. 43. 53. The bodie is sowne in corruption and is raised in corruption It is sowne in dishonour and is raised in glory it is sowne in weakenesse and is raised in power For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie 1. Cor. 2. 9. The things which eye hath not séene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him By whose vertue and spirit they haue proceeded and gone forward from faith to faith as shall manifestly appeare by the whole course of their life and good workes Rom. 1. 17. The righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith â—â— 2. Reâ— 1. 2â—1 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of God of Iesns our Lord. According as his godly power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowkledge of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto Ioine moreoner vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperaunce and with temperaunce patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue For if these things be among you and abound they wil make you that ye neither shal be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ For he that hath not these things is blinde and cannot sée farre off and hath forgotten that hee was purged froÌ„m his olde sinnes Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall For by these meanes an entering shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the cuerlasting kingdom of out Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Whereas altogither contrary the Reprobate conceiued borne and brought vp in sin death and the wrath of God when they depart out of this world they fall into another gulfe of destruction and their soules are plunged in that endlesse paine vntill the day come that their bodies and solues being ioined again they shall enter into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels 〈◊〉 Psal 5 â—â—â—5 Behold I was borne in iniquitle and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me Ephe. 2. 3. And were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Rom. 7. 14. sold vnder sinne Rom. 5. 14. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned Dani. 12. 2. And many of them that sléepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Iohn 5. 28 29. Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done cuill to the resurrection of condemnation Luke 16. 22. 23. 24. The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell torments he lift vp his yes and sawe Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his hosome Then he cried and said Father Abraham haue merry on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his singer in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame But Abraham said Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented Mat. 25. 41. Then shall he say to them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels The seuenth Chapter After what sort this doctrine may be preached with most profit SInte wee haue nowe declared the effect of this doctrine VVhat discretion the matter requireth it remaineth also that wee shewe what order we thinke best to be obseruâ—â— in preaching and applying the same to euery particular man Whereas many find this matter so sharp and strange that they flie from it as from a dangerous rocke it is partly to be attributed to the malice and arrogancy of men And partly to the rashnesse and lacke of discretion of them that teach it and thirdly it is to be imputed to their ignoraunce which cannot orderly apply the same to themselues which faithfully and truly hath bin taught of others Concerning them which sinne of malice it onely appertaineth to GOD to amend them Which surely he hath done alwaies in his reason and likewise will do from time to time to whom he hath appointed to shewe mercy But for others which remainâ— obstinate in their sinne and wickednesse there is no cause why we should be moued either for their number or authority to dissemble Gods truth And as touching the second sorte I haue thought these things principally to be obserued in preaching this misterie First as in all other things so chiefly in this matter of predestination they ought to take diligent héede that in stéede of Gods pure and simple truth they bring not soorth vaine and curious speculations or dreames Which thing they cannot choose but do which goe about to compasse and accord these secret iudgments of God with mans wisdome so do not onely put difference betwirt predstinatioÌ„ and the purpose of god which thing they must néedes do but seperate the one froÌ„ the other For they either imagine a certaine naked and idle permition or else make a double purpose and counsell in God From the which errors they must néeds fall into many and greate absurdities For sometimes they are constrained to diuide
VVisedome heauenly gifts and graces and see how by the feare of God we are furthered in them that we may fully and perfectly knowe that there is no happinesse that man can desire which the feare of God doth not reach vnto And first concerning that excellent gift of wisedom It is said that The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome and a good vnderstanding haue all they that do therafter And what greater commoditie can there be then wisedome For it maketh men gracious among Princes and great men And by daily experience we sée that they that excell in wisedome excell in credit also Whereas Kings and Princes haue bene despised of their subiects Nobles also mightie men haue bene little set by of their inferiours for want of wisedome applying themselues to their lusts and to the vanitie of their humours whereby they departed from the seare of God so that there was no wisdom found in them Wherby they became as the Prophet doth set them forth Psa 49. 20. Man being in honor hath no vnderstanding but is compared vnto the beasts that perish And againe as we read Pro. 3. 35. The wise shall inherit glory but fooles dishonour though they be exalted When king Saul saw that Dauid 1. Sa. 18. was very wise he was affraid of him and whē he vnderstood that the Lord was with him then was hee more and more affraid and Saul became alwaies Dauids enemy And when Ecc. 24. 11. the Princes of the Philistins went forth at their going forth Dauid behaued himselfe more wisely then all the seruants of Saul so that his name was much set by No other cause was there that brought Ioseph from a prisoner to the estate of a Prince but that the feare of God had planted wisedome in his heart for the which he was so highly honoured among straungers The feare of the Lord is the onely step to wisedome as we read Psal 25. 12. What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will hee teach the way that hee shall chuse Nay further The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding All earthly secrets may be found out but as for The hidden mistery of saluation the wisedome of God and the secret of the Lord concerning the spirituall vnderstanding of his heauenly will and secret blessings Let the depth say It is not in me and the heigth say I cannot attaine vnto it Onely he that feareth God is partaker therof So saith that worthy seruant of god Iob. 28. Behold to man he said the feare of the Lord is wisedome The feare of God doth not onely leade vs to that wisedome which may serue for this present life but by steppes and degrées it dooth bring vs to that wisedome which maketh vs partakers of saluation which is a most principall benefit and blessing Ye men and brethren saith the Apostle Act. 13. 26. Children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluation sent For the word of God may well be termed the word of saluation because it is the foode of our soules and sheweth vs the way to life and how wée should be partakers thereof Which heauenly wisedom no doubt the heathen people haue and as yet do want because they are such of whom the Prophet speaketh The feare of God is not before their eyes And as one saith Stultorū plena sunt omnia They all run after vanitie and such things that cannot profit whereby they can neuer attaine vnto true happinesse which ought to be their chéefest delight And that especially if they had the grace to cōsider what notable and worthy effects it hath to make them partakers of that happinesse which they would full gladly enioy For it worketh A remedie against sinne in the people of God thus much that it expelleth driueth out sinne it kéepeth the deadly poyson of the diuels temptations from our hearts and mindes It bringeth the quiet frute of peace and maketh a merry and chéerfull A quiet conscience Long life heart whereas the guiltinesse of sinne doth make the heart heauie and the countenance sadde It giueth long life and increaseth the dayes of man who so desireth to sée good dayes let him resort vnto her The treasures of wisedome are with her and shée raineth downe knowledge and vnderstanding Yea it greatly furthereth vs in that which is our excéeding comfort and that is That Our requests heard granted God will performe the lawfull requests and godly desires of them that thus feare him For it is no more with them but séeke and finde aske and haue Whereas all other are neuer partakers of their desires especially to their good For as they that were found without the Arke of Noe had no life So they whose hearts the feare of God doth not possesse reape and receiue no blessing from God Hée that possesseth her shall thus bee blessed in this life And furthermore also he shall be happie at his latter end A happie death Ecclesi 1. 13. 18. O well art thou and happie shalt thou be saith the wise man Whosoeuer feareth God it shall go well with him at the last and hee shall finde fauoure in the day of his death and in the end he shall be blessed What a great commoditie and aduantage is this that how troublesome soeuer the life of them that feare God shall bee in this worlde yet their latter ende shall bée blessed Happie is the man whiche feareth the Lorde For hée will place his minde vppon his Commaundements therein dooth the feare of God consist and in that feare there is our happie estate The feare of God is the fountaine of life the roote of wisedome the Crowne of ioy yea heauen it selfe to them that looke for heauen And these are the principall commodities which the feare of God dooth bring béeing sufficient and forcible inough to make vs in loue therwith and to set our whole mindes thereon Which being so furnished sheweth it selfe vnto us as it were crowned with a garland of all the blessings gifts and graces of God much like a Princes Diademe which is set out and garnished with precious stones of all sorts and those also of high account But who can sufficiently commend it and set foorth the praises thereof as it deserueth sitting as it were a Ladie and a Quéene about the throne of God whose commendations well we may admire and wonder at but who can reach so farre as fully to expresse them The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome and a The commēdation of the feare of God is that the praise thereof endureth for euer good vnderstanding haue all they that do thereafter The praise thereof endureth for euer Amongst the rest this séemeth to be the only commendation of the feare of God that the praise thereof endureth for euer All flesh is as grasse and fadeth the
tribulation reioycing in persecution reioycing in torments reioycing in death because they haue bin so well learned in gods schoole in gods booke that the loue of God is throughly shed abroad in their harts by the inward secret and most heauenly working of his holy spirit Triumphing against the world and the cruelties thereof being fully perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing else shall be able to seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus We learne that we are the children and beloued of god and that we are heires euen the heires of god and fellow heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For the afflictions that may fall out vnto vs are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vnto vs and that we shall receiue in the kingdome of heauen If it were not so saith the Apostle we were of all men the most miserable if our hope were ended in this life and if that persecution had not a ioyfull recompence He that striueth not shall neuer be crowned and he that doth not take vp Christ his crosse euen to the death shall neuer come where he is To them that thus endure trouble and are thus hated reuiled and slaine of the world they know and are assured by gods word that there is a crowne reserued for them which the Lord shall giue them at that day dreadfull to others but ioyfull to them When it shall be said vnto them Come ye blessed enioy the kingdome prepared of my father for you from the beginning of the world Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue etrnall life And thus they do performe it It followeth in those words which I haue reade vnto They testifie of Christ you touching the effectuall reason that should moue vs to the reading of the scriptures And they are they which testifie of me In them ye thinke to haue euerlasting life because they direct vs vnto the knowledge of Christ wherein consisteth life According as he saith of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life To him saith the Apostle Act. 10. 43. giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beléeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This is life euerlasting saith the Euangelist S. Iohn 17. 3. that they know thée to be the onely very god and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ And thus the word of god doth testifie of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 3. 16. That God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne for the redemption of the world that whosoeur beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting They are they which testifie that I am the onely life to true repentant sinners to giue them ease and comfort that are swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed with heauie sorrowes and as it were vtterly cast away through griefe and distresse of minde for their sinnes According as the Apostle saith Christ came into the world to saue sinners Come vnto me saith Christ all ye that be heauily loaden with the burthen of your sinnes and I will ease you and I will refresh you For I came not to saue the righteous but to call the sinners to repentance They are they which testifie of his holie and vndefiled conception being conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of a virgine and so being without all blot of sin to the intent that we might be freed from our vncleannes which we draw from our parents being born in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie being defiled by originall sinne and naturall corruption which testifie of his life and conuersation that it was altogither vnrebukable blamelesse and that in euery point he fulfilled the law of God y◠his righteousnes perfect obediēce might be imputed vnto vs which are otherwise vnder the curse of the law that our sinne and disobedience might be couered and that we might not be called to account for the same which testifie that hée was condemned before an earthly iudge to acquite vs from the dreadfuil sentence of the heauenly iudge which testifie that in bodie soule he suffered gréeuous torments that the wrath of god might not take hold of vs which testifie of the wonderful worke of his resurrectiō of his triumphing ouer death sin hell and the diuel to make vs ioyful conquerers which testifie of his glorious ascention into heauen to giue vs assurance of y◠heauenly possession which he hath purchased for vs which testifie y◠he shal be y◠iudge of quick dead to giue vs euerlasting comfort which haue put our whole trust in him when all other vnbeléeuers wicked vngodly people shal stand in his presence with great horror séeing his comming shall bee to be reuenged of their vnbeliefe and contempt Finally in an other consideration we may say that they They bring vs to the knowledge of God our selues are they that testifie of him For first and principally they teach vs the knowledge of God Secondarily and consequently the knowledge of our selues The knowledge of the Almightie power of God in the creation of all things of his infinit wisdom in disposing them in their due order of his great goodnes in doing al these things for the vse and benefit of mankinde Indéed the creation of the world and all the creatures therein do bring vs to the knowledge of God and this is onely the scripture of the heathen people but yet this doth not shew vnto vs sufficiently how God is our God and our father in Iesus Christ which knowledge we do only attain by reading the word of God And this is the scripture of the Christians Through which knowledge of God in respect of Christ we learn that God hath entred into a couenant with all faithful people that he would be their God and that they should be his people And that therfore they ought to performe vnto god his due scruice which especially consisteth in these thrée points First to worship the true God and to detest all idolatry and false gods to make our praiers to God alone and religiously and deuoutly to serue him Secondly that the worship of God doth cōsist in spirituall matters as faith hope charitie obedience righteousnes holines innocency patiēce truth and all godlines Thirdly to improue accuse and condemne all wickednesse and sinne infidelitie desperation disobedience impatience lying hipocrisie hatred slaunder iniurie and wrongfull dealing vncleannesse lust gluttony and all other vngodlinesse and iniquitie Furthermore that God doth in mercy and fauour reward the good and according to his iustice punish the offendors and that therefore he hath prepared ioyes and torments after this life For our soules are such that they neuer die and our bodies shall rise again to be ioyned to our soules at the latter day In respect of which knowledge of God the scriptures do perswade vs so to liue in this world that
continue constant But this is one of the vnchaungeable properties of god as to be stedfast in his promises According to that of the Apostle Saint Iames 1. 17. Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights with whome is no variablenesse neither shadowing by turning All his promises are yea and Amen that is to say certaine truthes For as he is aboundant in goodnes so also is he aboundant in truth God is alwaies mindful of his promise although it bee to a thousande generations As the Psalme doth testifie concerning the Israelites That God remembred his holy promise and Abraham his seruant For as he promised that his séed shuld increase into multitudes so also was it his promise that they shuld possesse the gates of their enemies For although they were a long time euil intreated and held vnder cruell slauery and bondage yet God for his promise and mercy sake at length did set them frée And brought them into a good and plentifull land flowing with milke and honie and abounding with all Gods blessings but so that it pleased God to trie them by many extremities Wherein our fraile nature is too weake for if god do not performe when we looke for it wée are readie straightway to say Is the promise of the Lord come to an end and hath he forgot to be good and gratious Should we receiue good at the Lords hand and not euill saith Iob And is it not for vs to wait and staie the Lords leisure And although many fall away for want of present performance yet let not vs doubt the goodnesse of God which is a sure staie in the time of néed if we be stedfast in hope and not too impatient in trouble And why should not we wait for the goodnesse of god although our miseries be great Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the latter raine If God for diuers necessary considerations regarding that which is most for his glory and our good do withdraw his helpe in this world yet he requites it in an other world graunting vs a better matter then we can desire of him And so it falleth out that when we thinke his promise doth vs least good then doth it turne to our best aduantage and greatest comfort requiting earthly miseries with heauenly ioyes So excéeding good is he vnto vs by vsing all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare and so doth hée helpe and staie vs lest we should fall away from him Yet fraile flesh is readie to fall away euery houre and 4 doth often fall away for all gods goodnes neuerthelesse the Reseruing mercy c. mercy of the Lord is such that he lifteth vs vp againe As the Psal 90. 3. saith When we are fallen into destruction yet the Lord hath a comfortable word and biddeth vs Come againe The Lord hath mercy in store and his goodnes is so great that he reserueth mercy for vs. It is too manifest that there are but a fewe that cleaue to the Lord and again that infinit thousands cast themselues away yet is the Lord so pittifull that he reserueth mercy for thousands The day of his wrath last iudgement is but one day but he delaieth that day many a thousand daies yéeres because he would Offering mercie haue no man perish but all to come to repētance Reseruing mercy by offring repentance saying At what time so euer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I wil put out all his wickednes out of my remembrance saith the Lord. If the wicked wil return from all his sinnes that he hath committed and kéep al my statutes and do that which is lawfull right he shall surely liue shall not die And in an other place if he returne he shall saue his soule aliue Euery where in the scriptures doth God shew forth his mercy by his seruants the Prophets warning his people early late in season and out of season Yet as the raine that falleth vpon the barren ground hath no effect so the mercy of God being offered doth not alwaies enter into our hearts Yea so hard a matter it is euen for those which pertaine to God to receiue his mercy offered that vnlesse God himself do turne their harts by giuing them repentance they shuld Giuing repētance neuer be saued What then shal we say to them that are left in their sinnes Surely as he is mercifull to his seruants so his reuenging hand is vpon the vngodly For on them he will raine suares fire and brimstone as saith the Psalme The more the God did offer mercy vnto his people the more they did refuse it Neuerthelesse saith God Psal 89. My mercy will not I vtterly take away nor suffer my truth to faile According as the Prophet Esay remembreth Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a smal remnant we should haue bin as Sodom and should haue bin like vnto Gomorrha Euen as a firebrand is taken out of the fire halfe burnt so doth the Lord reserue mercy euen when we deserue destruction and so it fareth with vs as with a théefe who is brought to the gallowes to suffer death with the halter about his neck yet by som extraordinary fauour is saued Doubtlesse by our sin desert al are lost and in the way of damnation but yet by the mercy and fauour of god whē many are left in their sins and sent to eternal punishments some after a wonderfull sort are saued And y◠which is more to be wondred Sauing thousands at euen thousands are saued As we read in the Reuelation of S. Iohn of such a Tribe wer sealed 12. thousand vntil it came to many thousands yet in respect of many other also y◠shal be saued they are but a few thousands Reseruing mercy for thousands as it were by a thousand meanes For A pluralitie of Gods mercies there is a pluralitie of gods mercies and more waies hée hath to bring vs vnto him then we can wel consider of Hée calleth vs vnto him by offering repentance he assisteth vs with his grace to do good moueth our mindes inwardly by infinit good inspiratiōs giueth vs space to repent by diuers occasiōs opportunities incouragements allureth vs outwardly with exhortations promises Feareth vs by his gréeuous punishments shewed vpō others for an example laieth gēlle correctiōs vpō vs as pouerty aduersitie losses sicknes threatneth vs with eternal death least we should vtterly be lost destroied with others Yet further are ther his preuenting mercies whereby he either vseth meanes to withdraw vs from our wickednesse or hindereth and stoppeth the euill intents of the diuell and the worlde kéeping vs from euill company and from euill counsell arming vs and giuing vs strength against them So soone as we rise in the morning we go
forth to fight with two great mightie giants the World and the Diuell And whom do we take with vs but a traytor euen this brittle flesh of ours which is readie to yéeld vs vp to the enemy at euery assault Only he which suffereth Satan to compasse vs doth preuent him and staie him from destroying vs. Amongst the rest as the Pardoning 2. Cro. 30. 8. Col. 2. 13. Ier. 31. 34. chiefest are there his pardaning and forgiuing mercies whē he putteth all our wickednes out of his remembrance that they shall not bee once mentioned against vs. And so prepareth our harts vnto him by writing his lawes in our hearts making vs hearts of flesh which before were stony and stubborne and making vs obedient being before sinfull and disobedient He reserueth mercy for vs by receiuing vs vnto mercy As the Apostle S. Paule testifieth of himselfe that he being the chiefest sinner and a great offender aboue many yet was receiued vnto mercy his iniquitie transgression Receiuing and sinne being forgiuen not imputed vnto him nor layd to his charge The fift consideration set downe in my text is concerning 5 the holy and righteous nature of God which abhorreth and punisheth wickednesse Whose mercy as it reacheth vnto thousands yet lest he should séeme thereby to fauour sinne and sinners by forgiuing iniquitie transgression Not making the wicked innocent and sinne therefore he addeth these words And not making the wicked innocent For although he fauour repentant sinners yet as touching them that are obstinate and continue in sinne he reckoneth not them among the innocent Shutting vp the declaration of his owne holy righteous nature by setting downe his iustice and seueritie against sinne to make vs beware lest we prouoke his anger by sinne and to strike a terrour and a feare into the hearts of all sinners and offenders giuing them to vnderstand what they are to look for if neither his mercy nor his threatenings will preuaile It séemes that the wicked are innocent because God doth not punish them and because in a maner they do what they list without controulment So they runne their course and God doth suffer them not because they are innocent but because their vengeance may be the heauier It is with them as it was with Shimei who cursed Dauid concerning whom he gaue a charge vnto his sonne Salomon saying Behold Shimei cursed me with a horrible curse but afterward he came vnto me and I sware vnto him that I would not slay him with the sword But thou shalt not count him innocent For thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to doo vnto him Therefore thou shalt cause his hoare head to goe downe to the graue with blood Which after fell out worthily because he brake the commaundement that the King had giuen him vppon paine of death and which he most willingly gaue his consent vnto so that his blood was vpon his owne head and his death came to him through his owne default Such is Gods gracious goodnes to suffer the wicked for a time deferring their punishment which euery houre they deserue and hée might put in execution and will no doubt performe it all in Quod differtur non aufertur his time For either they be cut off by a violent death or some way or other God sheweth his greeuous iudgements on them Though God withhold his hand yet he striketh at length and they shall not alwayes scape scotfrée that thinke themselues to be innocent When the Ammorites had filled the measure of their sinne Gods destruction came vpon them and when the time of the wicked is come they shall know themselues to be guiltie The teares go among good corne vntill the haruest but at haruest the teares are burnt and the good corne is brought into the barne preserued The wicked are among the iust and often are so taken in this world but in the world to come they paie for it when the iust and innocent shall be receiued into ioy Who thoughte themselues more holie then Corah Dathan and Abiram that murmured against the seruant of God Moses but the earth deuoured them to shewe that there was neither holinesse nor innocencie in them Some mens sinnes go before vnto iudgement and some follow after Some are punished in this life for an example vnto others and some escape vntill their dying day But as after death commeth iudgement so then shall it heauily be laide to their charge neither shall they be pronounced innocent As God is holie and innocent so no wicked and vncleane person shall come into his rest For without the gates of his heauenly Citie shall be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and all wicked persons who when their houre is come shall be rewarded according to their desertes A guiltie life will haue a fearefull death and torments wayt in an other world for carelesse finners in this world Guiltie and innocent can neuer agrée no more can life and death heauen and hell which may well put vs in mind of our estate least we be numbred and plagued among the guiltie and vngodly Else when we looke for mercy we may méete with iudgement For commonly this is in euerie mans minde and this is his resolution if they can escape the daunger of mans lawe although they be neuer so much faultie they thinke themselues as cleare as the best and that no man is able to laie any thing to their charge It may bee that we may goe for honest in the sight of the world but before god and in his fight we shall neuer be taken for innocent Againe this clause is well put in to make vs not to be too bold or to presume of gods mercy because as wee see his mercy and gracious kindnesse is so often remembred Although God be mercifull yet is he also iust and will not at the end account vngodly and wilfull sinners to be innocent A couetous man is desirous of more wealth then he can Conclusion well vse and a curious and searching minde would enter further into the knowledge of god then it can perfectly conceiue Wherfore let it suffice vs to know that onely which god hath reuealed of himselfe and that which is more necessary and néedfull for vs to vnderstand Euen that hée is iust and righteous to feare vs from sinne and to make vs desirous to continue in well doing Also that he is gratious and mercifull that we should not vtterly be discouraged if we haue offended god but that we should hope for mercie if we vnfeinedly and truly repent For God reserueth his mercy for such by forgiuing them their sinnes and so receiuing them vnto mercy Mercy and truth saith the Prophet haue met togither righteousnes and peace haue kissed each other The worlde is ouerflowne with wickednesse and many doe rather presume of Gods mercie then that euer they are like to be pertakers therof And here is the dump and this is
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
he had created them wondring as it were with himselfe that so great wickednesse should ouergrow and ouerwhelme his excellent goodnesse as though light had bene put out in vtter darkenesse and life for euer swallowed vp of death For after a while God sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euil continually Then his mercy and his wrath did strine togither now for pittie he mourned and then in iustice he thought vpon punishment to destroy them from the face of the earth All the workes of God were verie good but let vs be hold yâ— works which are now brought into the world which being neuer made by God are crept in by the diuels malice and mans corruption as breaches and blots of Gods order and of his good creation Such are sinne deformitie confusion tyrannie calamitie death and destruction Which workes deserue hatred and lamentation and are farre from praise and commendation For they are the horrible deprauation of the order first made by god For god hath not made death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing For he created all things that they might haue their being and the generations of the world are preserued and there is no poison of destruction in them Concupiscence is not of the father but of the world Sinne came of the diuell Death through sinne The Diuell the father Sinne the mother and Death the childe the childe of perdition and euerlasting condemnation 3 The third and last matter of waight which I gaue you The vse and end of Gods creation and of his creatures to consider of was the end and vse of Gods creation why and wherefore all his creatures were made Which is twosold First and principally herein God regarded his owne glory Secondarily and consequently the vse and benefit of mankind The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith Salomon which the Prophet declareth in these words The heauens declare the glory of God and as yet is more plainly expressed in the wordes of the Apostle writing to the Romanes Chapter 1. 20. For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes But so vaine are men by nature and ignorant of God that they cannot know him by the good thinges that are séene neither consider by the workes the morkemaister For they haue thought the fire or the winde swift aire or the course of the starres or the raging water or the lights of heauen to be gouernours of the worlde and gods Who though they had such pleasure in their beautie that they thought them gods yet should they haue knowne how much more excellent he is that made them For the first authour of beautie hath created these thinges Or if they maruelled at the power and operation of them for in his creatures God sheweth his power yet should they haue perceiued thereby howe much hée that made these thinges is mightier For by the beautie and greatnesse of the creatures the Creator being compared with them may bee considered Hée walketh vppon the cloudes and bringeth the windes out of his treasure hée ruleth the raging of the sea the Lorde God of hostes is his name hée is the Lorde of power Which is partly séene in the thunder and lightening whereat not only the cruell beastes of the forrest doo tremble but euen the hearts of wicked men which are giuen to dishonour and to blaspheme God doo quake Which is the feare of all creatures and the amazement and astonishment of the whole world The foolish gods of mortall men what power haue they in their woorkes or what glorie One hath a scepter and cannot rule an other hath a sword in his hand and cannot wounde his enemies or defend his friendes or saue himselfe but GOD sheweth his power and glorie heerein by destroying his enemies out of heauen and thundering vppon them For as the Prophet Samuell â—â— Sa. 7. 10. offered the burnt offering the Philistines came to fight against Israell but the Lorde thundered with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistines and scattered them so they were slaine before Israell But more fearefully hée shewed his power by this meanes against the Egiptians Exodus 9. 23. For when Moses stretched out his rodde towardes heauen the Lord sent thunder and haile and lightning vppon the grounde and the Lorde caused haile to raine vpon the land of Egipt So there was haile and fire mingled with the haile so gréeuous as there was none the like throughout all the land of Egipt since it was a Nation And the haile smote throughout all the lande of Egipt all that was in the field both man and beast also the haile smote all the hearbes of the field and brake to pieces all the trées of the fielde This is not vsuall but then it was for his glorie Moreouer God shewed his glorie his power and his might to his owne people to strike a feare into their hearts and that they should not transgresse his lawe For at the deliuery of his lawe he shewed his terrible maiestie by thunder and lightning by fire by a cloude and darkenesse So that the people said Beholde the Lorde our GOD hath-shewed vs his glorie and his greatnesse and we haue heard his voyce out of the midst of the fire Yea when they sawe the thunders and the lightnings and the sound of the Trumpet and the mountaine smoaking they fledde and stood a farre off The Prophet Dauid prayeth that God would be reuenged of them Cast forth thy lightning saith hée and teare them shoote out thine arrowes and consume them And in an other place as hee speaketh of the thunder The Lorde thundred out of heauen and the highest gaue his thunder hailestones and coales of fire so hee speaketh also of his lightening Hee sent out his arrowes and scattered them hee cast foorth lightenings and destroyed them The heauens declare his Godhead by the creation of those beautifull creatures whiche the Heathens haue taken for Gods the Sunne the Moone and the starres his Godhead and his goodnesse in sending downe raine and showers and causing fruitfull seasons to fill our hearts with ioy and great gladnesse According to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles meaning their idoles and silly gods that can giue raine or can the heauens themselues giue showers Is it not thou ô Lorde our God Therefore we will wayt vpon thee for thou hast made all these things The extraordinary course of Gods creatures when it pleaseth Almightie GOD so to worke dooth wonderfully set foorth his glorie How should the fire loose his strength and forget to burne as we reade of the thrée children that were cast into the firie furnace which was made excéedingly hotte and yet they were not hurt nor any smell of fire about their
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.
children of God that is euidently proued which wée tooke in hand to shewe that is forasmuch as we were predestinate by the eternall counsell and decrée of God the which he had determined in himselfe to be adopted in his sonne therefore we were giuen to him Whereof the conclusion The confidence to perseuere and to be saued is sure and certaine followeth that since by the most constant will of God which onely is grounded on it selfe and dependeth on none other thing we are predestinate and no man can take vs out of the hand of the sonne Also séeing that to continue and perseuere in the faith is necessary it followeth I say that the hope of our perseueraunce is certaine and so consequently our saluation so that to doubte any more of it is euill and wicked So farre then it is against reason to say that this doctrine maketh men negligent or dissolute that contrariwise this alone doth open vs the way search out and vnderstand by the power of the holy Ghost Gods déepe secrets as the Apostle plainly teacheth to the end that when we know them albeit wée knowe them here in this world but after a sort so that wée must daily fight with the spiritual armour against distrust we may learne to behaue our selues not idely but rather to perseuere valiantly to serue and honour God to loue him to feare him to call vpon him that daily more and more as saith Saint Peter asmuch as in vs lieth we may make our vocation and election certaine Moreouer how shall he stand sure and constant against so many gréeuous temptations both within and without and against so many assaults of fortune as the world doth terme it that is not well resolued in this point which is most true That is that God according to his goodwill doeth all things whatsoeuer they be and what instruments and meanes soeuer he vseth in working of the same for the commodity of his elect Of the which number he is that findeth himselfe The election only dooth comfort vs in all afflictions in this daunger and trouble As touching the other point which concerneth Reprobation because no man can call to mind the determinate purpose of election but at the same inistant the contrary will come to remembraunce besides that in the holie scripture these two are oftentimes ioyned togither it must néedes be that such as estéeme this part curious or vnprofitable and therefore not to be talked off The doctrine of Reprobation cught not to be suppressed neither applied to any particular company but wisely handled doo great iniury to the spirit of God Therefore this part is to be waied and considered but with such modestie that the height of gods iudgements may at all times bridle our curious fancies in such sort that we doo not apply it particularly to any man nor to any certaine company For in this also it differeth from election because election as hath bene said is reuealed to vs by the spirit of God within our selues not in others whose hearts wee cannot know And Reprobatiou is euer hid from men except it be disclosed by God contrary to the common course of thinges For who can tell if god haue determined to shewe mercy at the last houre of death to him which hath spent all his life past lewdely and wickedly But this trust ought not to incourage any man to maintaine and continue in his sinne and vngodlinesse For I speake of those things which we ought to consider in others for the examples of such mercy of god are very rare neither any man that is wise will promise to himselfe through a vaine securitie and trust that thing which is not in his owne power It is therefore sufficient if we vnderstand generally that there be vessels prepared to perdition The which séeing God doth not reueale vnto vs who they are we ought both in example of life and praier diligently endeuour to winne and recouer to their saluation yea euen very such of whom by séeing their horrible vices we almost VVe must labour to winne all men dispaire And if we obserue this order we shall receiue greate fruite of this doctrine For First by the knowledge héereof we shall learne humbly The doctrine of Reprobation maketh men humble to submitte our selues to the maiestie of God so that the more we shall feare and reuerence him the more we ought to labour to confirme in our selues the testimonie of our election in Christ It maketh the grace of God to be better knowen of the Elect. Secondly when we shalldiligently consider the difference which through the mercy of God is betwixt men which are all a like subiect to the selfe same course and malediction it cannot be but we must acknowledge and imbrace more earnestly the singular goodnesse of GOD then if we did make this grace common to all men indifferenly or else referred the cause of the inequalitie of this grace to men It bringeth a Godly care Thirdly when we knowe that faith is an especiall gift of God shall we not receiue it more willingly when it is offered and be more carefull to haue the same to increase then if we should imagine as some do that it is in euerie mans power to turne and repent when he will because they say the Lord would that all men should be saued and will not the death of a sinner Fourthly when we sée the doctrine of the Gospell not only despised of all the world but also cruelly persecuted It doth confirme vs against all offēces and when we sée so great falshood rebellion among men what thing can better confirme and fortifie vs then to be assured that nothing chaunceth by fortune that God knoweth his and that they which commit these things except GOD turne their hearts are those which are destinate not by chaunce but by the sure and eternall counsell of God to be as it were a glasse wherein the anger and power of God doth appeare Truth it is these things can neuer be so commodiously and perfectly treated of that mans reason and witte cannot finde out some thing to reply alwaies to the contrary yea and so kindleth with desire of contradiction that it is readie to bring an action against god and to accuse and blame him as chiefe author of all things But let the diuel roare and discontent himselfe and the wicked kicke and winse yet their owne conscience shall reprooue and condemne them when as ours being confirmed in the truth by the grace and mercy of god shall deliuer and frée vs in the day of Christ To whom with the father and the holy ghost praise glory and honour be giuen for euer So be it Notes and proofes To ground our righteousnesse vpon workes destroieth the foundation of the Gospel but the sure foundation is to be grounded on faith if faith be builded vpon the eternall counsell of God Gal. 2. 21. I doo not abrogate the grace of
from the secrete and malicious conspiracies treasons and trecheries of vnnaturall subiects and from the sauage cruelties of forraine foes doo giue sufficient cause not only to vs but euen to the enemie also to say That there is no God that can deliuer after this sorte but onely the Almightie that hath established her All these benefites O Lorde wée confesse doo procéede from thy goodnesse and from thy mercy toward vs. To thée belongeth praise and honour and power but to vs shame and confusion Yet grant vnto vs good Lord that we may both receiue these thy benifits thankfully and that we may performe our duties accordingly Increase her daies continue her gouernment defend her from her enemies keepe her in thy feare and after this life grant her all happinesse euen to rule and raigne with thée for euer among the blessed soules Grant also to vs that we may haue the benifit of thy truth and Gospell long among vs and that thy blessings of peace and prosperitie may be séene in this land So shall we be bound more and more to praise and magnifie thy name for thy great and infinit goodnesse towards vs For her Maiesrie and for vs thy seruants and her faithful subiects thus we conclude our praiers O Lord blesse and kéep vs O Lord make thy face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs O Lord lift thou vp thy countenance vpon vs and giue vs thy peace All which benifits and blessings we begge of thée O heauenly Father for Iesus Christ his sake in that forme of prater which he himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. A secret Meditation to God before the deliuery of the word LEt the words of my mouth O Lord and the meditation of my heart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight Set thou a watch before my mouth and so kéepe the doore of my lippes that speaking before this congregation assembled here in thy holy name I may specially intreat of those things which tend to thy glory the good of thy Church the discharge of my dutie the comfort of the afflicted conscience the euerthrow of sinne and the aduauncement of vertue through Iesus Christ our Lord. So be it I. D. A publque forme of Praier O Most mightie God most gracious and mercifull father we stand before thy maiestie defiled with the filthinesse of many and most gréeuous sinnes whereof we confesse we are not able to answere thée one of a thousand if thou O Lord shouldst enter into iudgement with vs. For in sinne were we conceaued and borne and therefore are guiltie of originall corruption and in sinne haue we liued and continued and therefore stand guiltie of actuall transgression which hath broken foorth vppon vs in thought word and déede from time to time continually euen vnto this present Wherefore we humbly craue thy mercy and the grace of forgiuenesse in Iesus Christ for therein we confesse standeth the only hope of our comfort and welfare And forasmuch as it hath pleased thée to giue thine owne sonne to be a flaine sacrifice for our sinnes and to offer the grace of reconciliation by the preaching of the Gospell to all them that repent and beléeue the same good Lord we beséech thée vouchsafe to make vs of that blessed number worke true repentance in our hearts increase our faith and giue vs grare to bring foorth the frutes thereof that so it may appeare that we haue not receiued thy holy grace in vaine And for this purpose good Lord we beséech thee blesse the Ministery of thy word at this present gius me grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken sincerely and boldly giue grace to this people to he are it attentiuely and reuerently giue grace to vs all to beléeue it stedfastly to follow it obediently and constantly to continue euen to the end That seruing thée faithfully in this life we may liue and raigne with thée for euer in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Praier which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lord God which hast left vnto vs thy holy word to be a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holy spirite that out of the same word we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An excellent speech of M. Deering a little before his death whereby thou maist clearly see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all such as painfully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bedde and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face and thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Saâ—ob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there â—â—â—o saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ And we haue all néed of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I féele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather choose a thousand times séeing God hath appointed the seperation the sentence of death then the sentence of life Soli Deo laus gloria gratia IN euery Sermon for the most part these points are to be vsed The declaration of the order of the text by opening the circumstances The diuision The doctrine The confutation The vse and application Exhortation or reprehension or both The Conclusion wherin the chéefest matters must be remembred and briefly collected that the auditorie may the better kéepe and carry away those things which are necessary and for their vse All which although I haue not vsed I haue left the matter to the discretion of them that shall haue knowledge better to handle their matters then I haue handled mine Let thy text be applied to thy auditorie and haue care to vtter those thinges that are most waightie to be touched and of thy auditorie to be remembred Be circumspect wise and discréete Endeuour to be briefe and pithie There is an other Methode as profitable which Maister Vdall vseth in his Commentary vpon the Lamentations of Ieremy Consisting on these thrée points the Doctrine Reason Vse Some only learne for knowledge sake but that is curiositie And some for praise great paines do take but that is foolish vanitie Some learne for gaine but lightly those do leaue the text and vse the gloze But learning ioynd with vertues lore doth leade to Christianitie The glory of God and people taught the way is to eternitie To the Right Worshipfull and one
and those that confesse their sinnes as for the proude and them that vaunt and boast and make so great account of their good workes God beholdeth them a farre off A lowly an humble and contrite spirit is the onely sacrifice that god accepteth The grace of god worketh lowlinesse and humblenesse in our hearts it frameth vs to confesse our sinnes and by all meanes to endeuour to amend and neuer boast our selues of our good workes or to trust to be saued by them but rather by the mercy of god Although questionlesse they that do not practise good workes and as much as in them lieth labour to lead a holy and godly life shall neuer enter into the kingdome of god nor into the rest of blessed soules And therefore it followeth very well in my text The grace of God teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Which are nothing else but the workes of the flesh which cannot agrée or at lestwise ought not to be séene in them that are sanctified by the grace of God These worldly lusts and workes of the flesh are such that no man can be ignorant of and they are too too manifest Which are as the Apostle reckneth them vp adultery fornicatiō vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witcheraft hatred debate emulatiōs wrath cōtention seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and such like Whereof saith he I tolde you before as I also haue told you before that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god For the performance of our inordinate affections and euil concupiscences the wrath of god commeth If we be led by the works of the flesh we shall die the death Well are they called in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4. 22. Deceiueable lusts because they deceiue vs in the end In the beginning is ioy and pleasure but in the end is destruction According as we reade Prou. 14. 12. There is a way which séemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the waies of death Let euery one of vs thinke that the grace of god dooth thus perswade vs that forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh wee should arme our selues with the same minde as to mortifie the déeds of the flesh and to cease from sinne That hencefoorth wee should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of god For it is sufficient and more then should haue béene that wee haue spent the time past as the wicked doo in this world Wherein it will séeme straunge to them that we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot And therefore they wil not spare to speake euill of vs to defame vs and to cast out many slaunders against vs. Wherein let vs be patient and referre the matter to God they shall answere for their ill deeds and giue accounts to him that is readie to iudge them All the punishments of this life death and death again in another world the seuere iudgement of God who is it that hath any sparke of grace that will not relent and haue remorce that will not now learne to deny their worldly lusts knowing that it shall cost them deare Who in this life would leape into the sea knowing he shall be drowned Who is it that would throw himselfe into the fire knowing that he shall be consumed All worldly lusts are vnderstood by the vncleannesse of the flesh because principally and aboue the rest we are giuen thereunto And therefore 1. Thess 4. 3. This is the will of God euen our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication That cuerie one of vs should know how to possesse his vessell that is his bodie in holinesse honour and not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles and Heathen and wicked persons which know not God 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that we are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs If any of vs destroy the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy which we are For our soules our hearts and consciences are the place wherein God should dwell They that follow their worldly lusts and delight in the workes of the flesh and are led by them it is a token that they are past grace and that God hath deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. So when we do refraine and frame our selues another way it is a token that gods grace doth worke with vs. And that we may say as the Apostle that no fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers buggerers théeues railers extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God And such were some of vs yea such by nature are we all and who can say that either he is not or at leastwise was not in the number So that if it be otherwise we are washed we are sanctied and made clean in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our gracious God who sendeth his grace into our hearts For such is the vertue of that spiritual fellowship which we haue with Christ that as the soule naturally ioyned to the bodie bringeth forth her effects so Christ dwelling in vs by faith and by the holy Ghost after a spirituall maner and by a spirituall vertue doth shew his power in vs to inable vs to resist sinne and to bridle the corrupt desires of the flesh Christ by his death hath abated the power of sinne that it can no longer be rancke in vs to do what we wil but dooth by little and little die vntill it be wasted and worne away For as when y◠hart of a man hath receiued a deadly wound he is accounted for dead although he liue a while because he cannot escape death so sinne in the death of Christ hath receiued a deadly wound And by reason of that neare coniunction which by faith we haue with Christ we are said to be dead with him vnto sinne I beseech you therfore brethren saith the Apostle Rom. 12 by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God As indéed it cannot be that where the grace of God doth worke effectually but that we should deny our worldly lusts or at leastwise by little and little cause them to die in vs. They who by a true faith laie holde of Christ and his merits and do apply vnto themselues the death of Christ with all his benefits are also desirous to offer themselues acceptable vnto god For they that by the grace of god are made righteous by the same grace are also made holy séeing that Christ is made vnto vs both righteousnesse and sanctification as we read 1. Cor. 1. 30. Holinesse is a necessary consequent of the grace of god whereby they that are truly touched in all thankfull sort shewe themselues to god and doo approue themselues vnto him in all vprightnesse and innocencie of life Our minds our
counsaile and instruction by the promises threatnings thereof For if this Praier and fafling be not godlinesse what can we say yâ— godlinesse is To the reading hearing of Gods word we ought to ioyne often and continual praier and preparing our selues more effectually by taming our body bringing it in subiection by vsing the great helpe of fasting For both the body therby shall be more apt able to endure and the soule shal be the more heauenly disposed hauing not the lusts of the flesh to hinder it in so great and godly an action Great and most necessary is the cause of praier not only that God would câ—ntinue his benefits gifts and graces towards vs which we stand in néede of continually from time to time but also that God would keepe vs from euill vnto the which we are moste prone and whereof by our fleshly and naturall corruption we are most desirous And if it were so that wee were not desirous nor prone thereunto yet mightily should we be prouoked by the secret temptations of the diuell and by the euill examples of the worldâ— and by the naughtie counsaile of those that are ill disposed From all which mischiefes by praier we are deliuered besides that in the exercise of praier wée haue the company of GOD we talke with God and God with vs. And being so Thankfulnesse heauenly exercised what can be more godly Thanfulnesse also is godlinesse when we are not vnmindfull of Gods benifits neither forgetfull to shewe our dutie both in heart and in word and in open profession and in doing good to others to testifie to the world Gods goodnesse towards vs and so to be thankfull Too thankfull we cannot be because we can neuer make recompence According to that the Apostle saith In all things giue thanks By nature we are too vngratefull but the grace of God doth change our minds and learne them to be thankfull Vpon thankfulnesse Contentation will also follow contentation that is a mind satisfied and contented with that portion which God hath sent They that are not contented can neuer be satisfied neither can they be thankfull and they that can neither â—e content nor thankfull it can hardly be said that there is godlinesse in them For godlinesse is greate gaine if a man be content with that he hath There is none of vs all that brought any thing into the world and certaine it is we shall carrie nothing out Therefore we may find our selues well contented if we haue foode and raiment wherewithall to serue our turne But if this will not serue marke what may followe They that will be rich they fall into temptations snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Remember who it was that said All these will I giue thée if thou wilt fall downe and worship me He that maketh gold his God shall surely be beguiled As destruction often followeth the great desire of riches so godlinesse which is séene in contentation is the high way vnto saluation They that are discontent haue many cares and desires and troubles and vexations to hinder them from God and godlinesse Of all which cares troubles desires and vexatioÌ„s they are disburthened which carry coÌ„tented minds and most frée they are by that meanes vnto the seruice of God From thankfulnes and a minde contented proceedeth a good will loue and a charitable desire yea and a fellow-féeling of the wants Charitable deeds and necessities of others so farre that it prouoketh vs not only to pittie them and their estate but also to helpe and relieue them to the vttermost of our power Charge them that are riche saith the Apostle that they trust not in their vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs aboundantly all thinges to enioy And yet his charge stretcheth further that is that they should doo good and be rich in good workes and readie to distribute and communicate and giue to others And this is the gaine that bringeth godlinesse with it and this godlinesse hath great gaine For thereby we laie vp in store a good foundation against the time to come And hée that so laieth out his goods giueth them not to the poore but vnto GOD. And as God hath giuen vnto vs so let them whome God hath commended vnto vs I meane the godly poore the fatherlesse the widdow and the straunger be partakers with vs of Gods blessings Lest it may so fall out that wée may say that God hath oâ—â—en and God hath taken away And if there bee any good workes else as more there bee then I can name euen all the good workes that are are we bound to performe if godlinesse bee bounde and founde in our hearts For good workes is godlinesse and godlinesse desireth to shewe it selfe in them And who is it not that knowâ—â— not what it is to liue godly but who can say my knowledge is turned into practise my heart is turned to imbrace godlinesse and to followe good waies vnlesse the grace of God hath first thus wrought it And yet there is another kinde of godlinesse more harde then all the former which is patiently to suffer Patience losses wronges iniuries persecution yea and death it selfe for the stedfast profession of Gods truth and his seruice As wee reade They that will liue godlie must suffer persecution For GOD dooth thereby trie vs and by little and little hée dooth bring vs to contemne the worlde and to desire heauen If thou hast losse of goods or friendes or any other helpe taken from thée godlinesse exhorteth to take it patiently not grudgingly and to say as God hath taken so God may giue and forgiue mée my sinnes and restore vnto mée againe at pleasure If thy enemie hath done thée iniury and wrong say not with the worlde hée shall starue before I relieue him hée shall bee hanged before I will doo him anie good but godlinesse is charitable and teacheth thée to doo good to thine enemies that thy enemies heart may bee turned towarde thée to wish thée well and that god may blesse thée If thy patience be séene in thy persecution and death for gods truth blessed shalt thou be and thy rewarde shall bee greate in heauen As the Apostle saith In all thinges giue thanks because for the moste part we are forgetfull so also may it well bee saide In all thinges bee patient because our nature is such and so farre from patience Discontentment grudging enuying murmuring reuenge these are matters almost vnseperable from vs and patience cannot growe in our heartes before gods grace hath watered them that they may bring foorth this frute Cast not away patience which hath great recompence of rewarde For yée haue néede of patience saith the Apostle that after yee haue done the will of God yee might receiue the promise of an enduring inheritaunce For yet a verie little while and he that shall Perseuerance come will come
and will not tarrie Let no man bee wearie of well dooing For in due season wee shall reape if wee fainte not Let none of vs deceiue our selues God will not bee mocked For if our life be godly wee shall hereafter reape life and ioyes eternall If otherwise death standeth at the doore The crop must bee sowed in this worlde the haruest must bee in another worlde and then shall the Angelles bee the reapers For they shall seperate and diuide the good from the bad The grace of God teacheth vs to liue soberly righteously Present world and godly in this present world For all the doubt is in this present world where it is a hard matter for vs to goe upright and to behaue our selues in the feare of God as we ought to do For the life of man may well be compared vnto the passage of a ship in the sea which through tempestuous weather may be ouerturned by the mounting waues of the sea or torne in pieces by the gunshot of the enemie and théeuish and mischieuous pirates or else may be dasht in pieces against the rockes or suddainly sunke in the quicke sands or vnawares taken within the compasse of a whirlpoole and by the force and strength thereof carried violently into the bottome but after it hath once arriued at the hauen there is no such doubt there is no such feare So is our life in this present worlde subiect to many an ouerthrow the life of the bodie I meane not but the life of the soule whereof we ought to haue especiall care sinne within vs abounding like the force of the enemie the pirate or the mounting waues frailties infirmities like the quick soft sands euill examples of other and their wicked counsailes like the dashing of the rockes the temptations and snares of the diuel like the force of a whirlepoole which neuer leaue vntill we be brought to the bottome If any of these take hold of vs in this present world so that they preuaile against vs we are gone Therefore thrice happie is he who by a godly life can auoyd all these and at last arriue at the hauen and take vp his euerlasting rest in heauen Oh that we could be godly and watchfull in this present world for in the world to come we shall haue no hinderance and nothing to let but that most freely we may serue God and leade a godly life Let vs pray that the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ may be with vs and that it may abound who gaue himselfe for the sacrifice and satisfaction of our sinnes that hee might deliuer vs from this present euill worlde Gal. 1. Before that he suffered his passion he praied for vs Iohn 17. that in this present euil world we should not fall away from God I pray not saith he that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou kéepe them from euil And herehence groweth the exhortation of the Apostle written to the Phil. chapter 2. 15. wherby he warneth them and vs also by them that we should behaue our selues blamelesse and pure as the sonnes of God without rebuke and that we should endeuour to shine as lights in this present wicked world dwelling in the midst of naughtie and bad people Who by our example of godly life may be won to be godly in the day of Gods visitation whom the grace of God shall teache and touch their hearts and call them throughly A great comfort we haue and a great incouragement to be godly because we are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace that is we are frée from the curse of the law that we may the more chearfully giue obedience therunto being furthered assisted by the grace of God which strengthneth vs to doo his will For the lawe is not giuen to the righteous but to the vnholy and to the prophane The curse to the one and the blessing to the other Let vs be sanctified and holy and kéepe our harts from an euil conscience let vs hold out our profession without wauering séeing that we looke for the performance of great promises which he hath made vnto vs that will not deceiue vs. The deceit of sinne is readie to harden our hearts and make vs continually fall away The best are mightily tempted and much adoo they haue to kéepe and hold their owne How necessary therefore is it for euerie one of vs to prouoke one another to loue and to good workes Let euery one of vs striue aboue our strength with praier for Gods assistance and so much the more because the day of the Lord the comming of Christ draweth néere And i◠this do not perswade vs yet that which may follow and fal out through our backsliding may through feare inforce vs. For if we sinne willingly after that we haue vndertaken the course of a godly life there remaineth for vs a fearfull looking for of iudgement which God in his wrath and heauy vengeaunce shall powre out And better it had béene for vs not to haue knowne the way of godlinesse then after we haue knowne it to turne away Rather let vs bee stirred vp and incouraged by the words of the Apostle S. Peter 2. Epist 1. 10. 11. Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure by your holy life and godly connersation For if ye do these thinges ye shall neuer fall And furthermore by these meanes an entring shal be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ And if we finde that we are risen with Christ let vs séeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Our affections must be aboue and not on things beneath which are on the earth And if we be dead vnto sinne our life is hid with Christ in God So that when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Thus by gods help I haue set downe vnto you the effect of sanctification contained in these words of the Apostle The grace of God hath appeared teaching vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Now followeth the second part of my diuision noted in the text which is a perswasion and a reason mouing vs to this santification A perswasion vnto sanctification and that is the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of God expressed by the circumstance of Christ his comming at which time the godly shal be receiued into the kingdome of heauen their ioyfull dwelling place gathered out of these wordes Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ We cannot giue our selues vnto the duties of godlinesse vnlesse we shal be in the expectation and looking after the hope of another life and therfore very fitly doth the Apostle ioine vnto the duties of a godly life this spéech Waiting for
anie other comfort in the world And thus hauing signified my good wil and testified my dutie praying your worship to vouchsafe the reading of that wherein I haue taken some paines although it bee not so much worth I commit you to the tuition of the Almightie and humbly take my leaue Your VVorships in his praiers to God for you and yours S. I. ⧠The Comforte of ADOPTION Rom. 8. 15. 16. 17. For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption wherby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God If we bee children wee are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. This Text standeth on three parts 1 The greatnesse of this benefit by comparison of contrarietie Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage but of adoption 2 The assurance of adoption The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit 3 The worthinesse of adoption If wee be children we are also heires THe Methode that the Apostle vseth in this Epistle to the Romanes is first concerning Iustification and Righteousnesse Secondly concerning Sanctification Holinesse And after that according to his order he intreateth of Adoption which is a gift a priuiledge and dignitie added to the former Through repentance and a liuely faith taking hold of the promises of God we are made righteous and so taken and so accounted before God by the means of Christ and being made righteous we are also indued with a measure of Gods spirit grace to holinesse of life So the hauing receiued these two excellent gifts we haue a ful assurāce of Gods fauour towards vs and that is performed by adoption Which is a seale certain token vnto vs that we deliuered from the curse of the law which is the ministration of death and condemnation Whereas the assurance and full perswasion of our adoption is the ministerie and doctrine of all comfort and consolation The text which I haue reade vnto you may be deuided into thrée seuerall parts Whereof the first conteineth the greatnesse of the benifit of adoption in consideration of the fréedom we reap therby being deliuered from the slauery and feare of the lawe in these words Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba father The second part containeth the assurance of our adoption in these words The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God The third part sheweth the worthinesse of our adoption in these words If we be childrē we are also heires euen the heires of God heires annexed with Christ The greatnesse of the benefit of adoption in consideration of the fréedome we reape therby being deliuered from the slauerie and feare of the lawe is verie well expressed by that place of scripture set downe in the Epistle to the Heb. 12 agréeing with this For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption ye are not come saith the Apostle to the mount that might be touched nor vnto burning fire nor to blacknesse and darknes and tempest Neither vnto the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words which they that heard excused themselues that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they were not able to abide that which was commanded And so terrible was the sight which appeared that Moses said I feare and quake But ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men They that are vnder the lawe are also vnder the curse of the law and where the curse is there is nothing to be looked for but death condemnatiō which bringeth foorth trembling feare And so much the more are we in feare in bondage and slauery subiect to the curse condemnation of the lawe to death and gods dreadfull iudgement because we are borne the children of wrath Wherefore God sent his natural sonne Christ into the world that through his grace he might adopt vnto himselfe many childrē of vs which otherwise were but miserable castawaies Who by the grace frée fauour of God being adopted haue not only their sinnes pardoned and forgiuen but also are cladde with the innocencie and righteousnesse of Christ whereby they are brought into fauoure and are made of fearefull captiues being vnder the bondage of sinne and Sathan the ioyfull sonnes and children of God set at libertie to doo the workes of God and to liue in his holie obedience What greater feare can there be to our consciences then when this is pronounced against vs Cursed is hee that continueth not in all the workes of the lawe to doo them And he that offendeth in one point of the lawe is guiltie of all Who is it amongst vs all that can say my heart is cleane And who is it that cannot iustly condemne himselfe in the breach of euery particular point of Gods lawe and of his commandements And if our heart condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all Here hence therfore can nothing arise but feare and such a feare which is beyond measure leading vs vnto desperation making vs to thinke no better of our selues then as miserable wretches forlorne destitute of all comfort as Cain was who in fearful sort went alwaies mourning and crying out saying My sin is heauier then I can beare The punishment of God is stil vpon me and my conscience is neuer at rest So is the sinfull and fearful conscience alwaies in the estate of a seruant stil fearing the whip and the scourge and as a gally-slaue vnder Turkish thraldom whose life is no better then a torment And if the deliuery of the law were so fearful that he that had least cause to feare and was beloned of God did tremble quake how much more fearefull and terrible shal the execution of that law be Moses the blessed seruant of God in a fright the onely beloued son of God in déep agonies the one trembleth the other for anguish sweateth bloud And how should not the children of wrath be ouerwhelmed with horror considering our heauy burden of sin which bréedeth within vs especially them that are truely touched as it were a sea of sorrow whose waues as they cannot be numbred so are our sorrowes neuer at an end vntil God send fréedome one waue still ouertaking another one feare in the necke of another Being possessed with the spirite of bondage how may it be that we may auoid our dolefull dumpes So is it with them that haue any féeling of that fearefull estate y◠hangeth ouer their heads Whereas by nature we are all of vs
their adoption by the parable of an earnest pennie and by the parable of a seale In making of a bargaine when part of the price is paide and laid downe in earnest then assurance is made that all the rest yâ— remaines behind shal be wel truly paid And as when an indenture or lease is made for the peaceable possession of any lands tenements for the terme of a mans life or for long time the seale of the landlord is put too to make the matter most certain sure so when the childe of god hath receiued thus much from the holy ghest as to be persuaded that he is adopted and chosen in Christ he may be in good hope and is alreadie put in good assurance fully to eâ—ioâ— eternall life in the kingdome of heauen So familiar is God with vs as to bring vs to be perswaded of his good will by such meanes as are most vsuall with vs. For what is more vsuall with vs then either the order of an earnest penny or a seale to put vs out of all doubt and to warrant that thing which we haue vndertaken Therfore the Apostle in an other place doth giue vs great comfort shewing forth the determinate purpose of god coÌ„cerning this matter God saith he sent forth his son and made him subiâ—â— vnto the curse of the laâ—â— that by vndergoing the penaltie punishment which that curse and wrath of God did import he might redéeme them which were vnder the condemnation of the lawe vnder the bondage of sin and â—athan hell that being released and deliuered they might receiue the adoption of sonnes Wherfore saith he and the most chéerfully thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Now if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God through Christ This assurance of gods holy spirit is then most effectual wheÌ„ it shall yéeld vs greatest comfort and that is at the time of our departure out of this world and in the houre of death When all worldly comforts shal vanish theÌ„ shal this come in place gods blessings in this world shall shall then take their leaue wealth and possessions wife and children friendes and acquaintance and we shall goe naked out as we came naked in only this glorious apparel and this heauenlie raiment shal remaine that we are the adopted children of God that being along time strangers and pilgrims here on earth we shall nowe come to our home and to our inheritance reserued in heauen for vs. Here also shall the greatnes and the swéetnesse of the comfort appeare that when the diuell shal be most busie with vs to lay our sinnes to our charge and when death shall approach and the time of our passage drawe neare and when he shall vse all meanes possible to put vs beside the assured hope of our adoption then shall the comfort of Gods good spirit so strengthen our harts and consciences against the assaults of the diuel that he shal go away vanquished and we imboldned TheÌ„ shal our minds be lifted vp with cheerfulnesse knowing that our redemption shall fully be accomplished and our adoption sealed and perfectlie confirmed vnto vs. Contrariwise the wicked at the houre of death How Adoption respecteth the wicked which in their life time haue flattered themselues with the hope of their adoption shall then féele no certeintie neither anie comfort of the holy Ghost but in stéed of comfort they shall féele the horrible and dreadfull accusations of the diuel then to take place be of force against them The wicked and reprobate cannot haue the testimony and witnesse of gods good spirit to assure them that they are the children of God although for a time their vaâ—ne imaginations may deceiue themselues as also the diuel imitating the spirit of god doth vsually perswade carnal men and hipocrites that they are adopted and that they shal be saued But this perswasion of the diuel is but an illution and their deceiued hearts are not established by the assurance of Gods spirit which filleth the heart with ioy Whereas their hearts are full of doubtfulnesse full of distrust full of dispaire It may be they may beléeue for a time but as for that stâ—dfast and induring faith whereby they may trulie say that God is their father this is onlie in the elect children of God and those that are adopted Whose perfect regeneration it pleaseth God to begin in this world by sowing in their harts the immortall séed of life whereby he doth so certainly seale vnto them the grace of his adoption that it shall continue firme vnto the end In the meane time the faithfull are admonished carefullie and humblie to examine themselues least in stéede of a true faith concerning their adoption a carnall kinde of securitie créepe into their minds and growe vpon them and compasse them about euen as the Iuie doth the Oake The wicked haue neuer the féeling of gods grace but after a confused sort taking hold as it were rather of a shadow then of a bodie Because the spirit of God doth truly and properly seale the forgiuenesse of their sinnes onelie in the hearts of the godlie and the elect that they may apply the same by an especiall gift of faith vnto their comfort Confusedly I say the vngodlie receiue the grace of God not that they are partakers togither with the children of God of regeneration but because they séeme to haue a ground of faith after a common sort which is hid with a vaile and couering of hipocrisie Yet notwithstanding it may not be denied that God doth lighten their mindes so farre as they may ackowledge his grace and goodnesse toward them but this common sence and féeling of his grace is so distinguished from that comfortable assurance of gods spirit which is in the elect that the wicked come neuer to that sounde comfort and ioy which adoption bringeth with it For God dooth not so farre shewe himselfe fauourable vnto them as to take them into his guarde and kéeping as though they were quite deliuered from the punishment of their sinnes and from the feare of eternall death and damnation but only for the present time God doth giue them a taste of his mercie Neither is it amisse that God doth lighten the mindes of the wicked with some féeling of his gracious fauour the which anon withereth and vanisheth away through the hardnesse of their hearts through their vnstedfast mindes and through their owne vnthankfulnesse and backsliding wherby they make themselues more culpable and the more inexcusable all which is wonderfully brought to passe by the manifold wisedome of God That spirit of ours which the Apostle talketh off is a renued heart and a sanctified minde that fully and perfectly receiueth the benefit of adoption and vnto which spirit of ours gods spirite doth also beare witnesse that out of all doubt we are the adopted children of god The vngodly they haue but as it were a glimse but vnto the godly
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
you not only for the friendship I haue found at your Worships hands but also because this kinde of doctrine cannot better be receiued then of resolute minds and of such hearts which are throughly established in the truth Profitable also it may bee for others not only to prepare their mindes against the time of aduersitie but also to lift them vp againe and to comfort them with the consideration of God his goodnesse who will recompence their vniust sorrowes with vnspeakable ioyes A time there is for all things though it may be long first ere it come Whereof in this place I might speake much if in the handling of the text I had not satisfied the Readers mind I wold the briefnesse of this Preface might make recompence for the tediousnesse of the Treatises Wherin I am to desire the Reader to pardon me perswading my selfe that it shall be to his great good and bettering if he shall vouchsafe not only to read them but also to keep them in remembrance to meditate thereon and throughly to disgest them Considering this with himselfe that Nulla remedia tam sunt salutaria quam quae dolorem faciunt Nullaque gaudia tam esse cordi taâ—toque in pretio quam quae sequuntur dolorem I haue troubled your Worship though in fewe words yet it may be somewhat too long considering your waightie businesse that can hardly spare anie time to extraordinarie matters praying God to keepe such men as your selfe long among vs to the great good example of the Ministers the comfortable reliefe of the poore and them that are in distresse to the maintenance of learning and poore Schollers to your own hearts desire and comfort to the commoditie welfare and furtherance of this Common-weale and especially to the glorie of God Your Worships in his praiers to God for you and yours S. I. A REMEDIE FOR SORROW HANDled in three parts or Treatises Iohn 16. 20. 21. 22. 23. Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned to ioy A woman when she trauelleth hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is deliuered of the childe she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world And ye now therefore are in sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you In which text are haÌ„deled three especiall matters 1 The burden imposed Ye shal weep lameÌ„t 2 The difference betwixt the godly and the wicked concerning sorrow and ioy The world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow 3 A remedie full of all coÌ„fort consisting on A Proposition Your sorrow shal be turned into ioy CoÌ„firmation by way of illustration drawne from a fit comparison In which confirmation are to be noted the Comparison it selfe declaring the estate of a woman in child-birth respecting her Throes A woman when she trauelleth c Ioyes But assoone c. Application furnished with three proofes I will see you againe Your harts shal reioyce Your ioy shal no no man take from you OVr Sauiour Christ shewing his Disciples that had enioyed his comfortable presence to their great contentation that he must depart from them and also that they should be left to the iniurie of the wicked world which would put them to all trouble and to death it selfe doth therfore forewarne them that for no trouble no not for death it selfe that they shrinke from him Because it was their lot and they were not to looke for better entertainment of the world then he him selfe had Wherefore they mnst ether ioine with the world or cleaue vnto him loue the one and forsake the other And if they did looke to liue in ioy with him they should indure some sorrow yea heapes of sorrow For nothing that is excellent is gotten with ease The worlde shall procure ye sorrow inough the world shall hasten your death which is but your triall yea they shall do these things toward you with such an earnestnesse and such a blinde zeale that although they most wrongfully and most spitefully and that most cruelly kill ye yet will they thinke they doo God seruice No maruell therfore that these dumps of Christ his departure and of the worlds troublesome and cruell behauiour did bring them sorrow inough As Christ confesseth himselfe Because I haue said and shewed you these things your harts are full of sorrow In these wordes which I haue read vnto vnto you thrée principall matters may be noted worthie of your consideration The first is the burthen imposed and laide vpon the disciples as also vpon all the godly Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament In the second part is noted out the ioy of the wicked wherein by reason of the words following may also be comprehended a difference betwixt the godly and the wicked concerning ioy and sorrow The word shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow The third principall matter setteth downe a remedie full of all comfort to the godly that their sorrowes and troubles and crosses shall be requited and recompenced with ioy and such ioy that shall not be taken from them When any sorrowfull matter was toward a people or a nation and it pleased God to let them vnderstand thereof by his Prophets their heauy message they terme it a Burthen Burthen No doubt a burthen too heauie to beare but yet such as could not be auoyded And such in this place is the burthen which our Sauiour Christ laieth vpon his disciples and all the godly so certaine and so sure that Christ himselfe confirmeth it with an oath Verily verily I say vnto you that ye shall weepe and lament Which is inough to cast a wordling beside the practise of all godlinesse seeing that sorrow and griefe is ioyned therewith The yong man spoken of in the Gospell would follow Christ but when he must part with his goods he departed from Christ being sadde and heauie When godlinesse hath the countenance of the world euerie one will be godly but when the hatred of the world is ioyned therewith that makes many make a pause We cannot serue God and riches so neither can wée serue God and the world they be two maisters Euery one desireth ioy but ioy with wéeping and lamentation they will none The sonnes of Zebedeus looke for heauen and the highest roomes but it was first told them that they must taste of a bitter cup and take vp the crosse Our hastie desires cannot bee satisfied neither can we presently flie into heauen a heauie burthen must first be borne much sorrow must first be endured No man willingly desireth a burthen it must not therefore be sought after but borne when wée cannot auoid it Christ sweat bloud before he was taken vp into heauen neither is it inough to shead teares but we must goe through many matters that cause teares
the second death Sathan hath a throne in this worlde but Hell is his seate and euerlasting death is his due Be not deceiued for the amitie of the world is the enmitie of God The worlde loueth his owne and they that will stand to the triall of the truth in despight of the world they shall be excommunicated and in vtter disgrace with the world yea it shall so come to passe that the sheading of innocent blood shall be thought a thing of nothing in their sight Behold saith Christ Mat. 23. 34. I sende vnto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and of them ye shall kill and crucifie and of them shall you scourge in your Synagogues and persecute from citie to citie That vpon you may come all the righteous blood Beware of men Mat. 10. for they wil deliuer you vp to the councels and will scourge you in their Synagogues And yee shall be marke this word ye shall be brought to the gouernours and kings for my sake in witnesse to them and to the Gentiles If any man come to me saith Christ Luk. 14. 26. and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also hee cannot be my disciple Christ and the crosse I meane persecution and trouble are so néerly ioyned togither that nothing must part them And therefore Christ saith Hee that will follow me must take vp his crosse and follow mee and if any looke for a seate in heauen they must taste of a bitter cup here on earth The Apostle knowing how neare the loue of God and the crosse and persecution were ioyned togither sheweth vs how we should put foorth our selues vnto the triall Rom. 8. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution and so forth The diuel that hath but a short time on earth wil raise vs vp innumerable troubles and we are subiect to the same so long as we liue in this world Ye shall wéepe and lament therfore settle your selues to abide it and to endure it For ye shall be betraied of your parents and of your brethren Acts. 14. 22. 23. 11. Act. 9. 16. 1. Thâ—s 3. 3. 4. and kinsmen and frends som of you shal they put to death And looke to be hated euery where Yet comfort your selues for a hair of your hed shal not perish By your patieÌ„ce possesse your soules And lay vp these things in your harts prouide for theÌ„ Behold I haue told you before CaÌ„ the childreÌ„ of the mariage chamber mourne as long as the bridegroome is with them But the daies will come when the bridegroome shall be taken from them and then shall they fast and then shall they mourne When Christ slept in the ship then waues and tempests and scourges It pleaseth God to absent himselfe and God leaueth vs awhile to sée what account we will make of him to sée whether we can finde in our hearts to leaue and forsake parents and kinsfolke and friends wife and children and that which we hold dearest in this world our owne life for his sake and whether there be courage patience strength and constancie to fight vnder the banner of persecution Well here we sée what Gods commandement is and how he hath laid trouble and persecution vpoÌ„ our loines and put adnesse into our harts and heauinesse into our mindes and happie is he yea happie are all they that can finde in their hearts willingly to fulfill his will and to performe his commandement and patiently to submit themselues to whatsoeuer shall fal out if God sée it good for his glorie and our profit Yet doubtlesse we shal perceiue a mightie striuing within The second reason is drawne from the punishment that may insue our selues before we shall finde in our hearts to obey If God appoint trouble shall we séeke case If God aske our life shall we deny it If his blessed truth be called in hazard and like to bee defaced vnlesse thou offer thy selfe to stand to the maintenance and in the defence thereof before kings and rulers and against their vnlawfull decrées and wicked statutes wilt thou shrinke Thou must yéeld to the one or to the other either thou must deny God his truth for the countenance of the world and the enioying of this life and the comfortes of this world or else thou must forsake yea and hate the world and the comforts thereof and despise thy life in this respect Choose which thou wilt take fire and water is set before thée life and death good euill stretch out thy hand to whether thou wilt leaue the one imbrace the other Now deceiue not thy selfe and thinke thou hast the choice for thou art not at thy libertie God hath commanded to endure all trouble yea and death it self rather then to forsake his truth and the maintenance of the same If we must passe through the fire shall we looke for water If we be commaunded not to feare the sword shall we bee desirous to sléepe in a whole skinne That which séemes to be good to vs is euill and that which we thinke to be life we shall finde to bee death Séeke not to saue thy life for thou must loose it and better to loose it in this world then in the world to come If thou refuse thou shalt be refused if thou deny thou shalt be denied Mat. 16. 26. Alas what shal it profit a man or any of vs all though we should be Kings and Emperours and though we should winne the whole world if wee léese our owne soules Or what what shall a man giue for the recompence of his soule TheÌ„ farewell life lest death follow and kéepe thy soule lest it be plunged in hell torments For whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the sonne of man bee ashamed also when he commeth in the glory of his father with all his holie Angels Mar. 8. 38. Mat. 10. 33. And whosoeuer shall deny mee saith Christ him will I deny before my father which is in heauen and when hee thinkes to haue euerlasting comfort hee shall haue euerlasting sorrowe and in steede of heauen hee shall finde hell Marke therefore the punishment that will follow if Gods commaundement in this behalfe bee not performed on thy part and tremble A heauie sentence there is if thou refuse to beare this burthen Set before thy eies the comfortable presence of a Sauiour The third reason is drawne from the reward and the fearefull countenance of a iudge And let the holy martyr S. Steuens comfort fill thy heart who in the midst of his persecution sawe the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God the heauens being open to receiue him into his inheritance the Angels being at hand to carry his soule into heauen And most certaine it is that there is no way more readie to
enter into the kingdome of God then by trouble affliction and persecution According to that our Sauiour Christ hath set downe Mat. 5. Who preaching vnto the people of happines and blessednes concludeth and shutteth vp the treatise of blessednesse with the worthie estate of them that suffer persecution for the truth As though none were more renowmed then they as though they aboue all other should haue the garland and weare the crowne Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil against you for my sake falfly Reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heauen For the extremest torments that we may be put to and which we may vndertake in this life are not worthy of that glorious crowne which we shall receiue after the conquest and after our trial and after our triumph Therfore the Apostle doth wel terme all punishments and all afflictions all extremities to be light because they endure but a moment as also in respect of the reward which is beyond all comparison séeing they shall procure vnto vs a far more excellent an eternal waight of glory While we looke not on the things the are séene but on the things which are not séene For the things which are séene are temporall but the things which are not séen are eternal Mark but one president worthie matter in the afflictions persecutions of the Apostle S. Paul Act. 23. 11. who after he had like to haue bene pulled in péeces among them the night following the Lord stood by him and said Be of good courage Paul for as thou hast testified of mee in Ierusalem so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome The comfortable voice of God whether by himselfe or by the meanes of an Angel which was most likely this passeth all perswasions Neuerthelesse that nothing be wanting from the strengthening The fourth reason is set downe by induction of examples and incouraging of our weake mindes let vs take a view and behold the valiant exploits of them that haue borne the brunt of the battell and that haue shed their blood and spent their liues in the cause quarrell of Gods truth and of a Christian profession We are not the first that haue bene put to bitter persecution and if the valiant captaines haue stood to it why should the souldiers shrincke Examples we haue many the Prophets that were before Christ Christ himselfe and the Apostles that followed Christ as also a multitude of Martyrs who through their example haue yéelded themselues to bitter death and extreame torments at all times and in all ages euen as a rare and new Phoenix doth spring out of the ashes of the old And therefore it is well said Sanguis martyrum semen ecclesiae The blood of the Martyres is the séede of the church and one Martyr maketh many What hope is so sure and certaine that well they may be slaine and death they will not refuse yet is it impossible they should bee ouercome Abel was murthered of Cain and the crie of his blood went vp to heauen for vengeance Elias was persecuted to death by that idolatrous Iezabel Zachary the sonne of righteous Iehoida stoned to death by that reuolting King Ioas Amos smitten with a clubbe on the temples of the head and so brained Esaias sawed in two parts with a woodden sawe Ieremy persecuted often imprisoned very sore throwne downe into the déepe filthie and miry dungeon and at length stoned to death in Egypt of his owne people Ezechiel slain at Babilon by the Duke of the people Iohn Baptist beheaded Of our Sauiour Christ although I might intreat at large of his persecution and intollerable death because in soule hée felt and suffered the torments of hell yet because the matter is so apparant I thinke it néedlesse Only I will recite the words of the Apostle to the Heb. 12. 2. Let vs looke vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despiced the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Consider therefore him that endured such speaking against of sinners least yee should bee wearied and fainte in your minds And although ye haue not resisted vnto bloud yet your owne blood must be nothing in your sight Faint not heauen and earth shall vanish away but Gods promise shall haue no end which is this Great is your reward in heauen Next to Christ let vs beholde his Apostles whether they dranke not of the same cup. Peter was crucified and Paul beheaded at Rome vnder Nero that I speake nothing of their whipping and scourging bandes and imprisonment which they suffered before their death Battholomew was slaine aliue in India and after his skinne was pulled ouer his eares beheaded Steuen was stoned The discourse of whose persecution and death is notably set downe Act. 7. and worthie often to be read and to be remembred As for the examples of Martyrs they are infinit and that famous booke of the Acts and Monuments of the Church shall satisfie thée in this point Stories at large and I thinke it tedious here to bring in many If thou desirest but one storie and one example for all looke vppon that famous and wonderfull example of the seuen brethren mentioned 2. Macc. 7. who only is able to confirme the weakest heart Which Chapter when I reade and thinking to recite somewhat aboue the rest more notable I sawe I could not do it vnlesse I set downe the whole Chapter vnto the which I referre thée as also to the sixt Chapter of the same booke concerning Eleazarus And let vs all pray that God would inable vs with the like strength when time shall come that God laie this burthen vpon vs. These arguments first of Gods commandement Secondly of the feareful punishment that shall ensue if we refuse or deny Thirdly the great and infinit blessings which come vnto vs if we doo performe that which is required at our hands And fourthly the examples of yâ— prophets Christ and his Apostles and Martyres to encourage vs are of sufficient waight to perswade to this worthie worke Yet furthermore Six o her reasons or arguments briefly collected let me briefly and in a word adde these reasons First that though torments be bitter yet the ioyes that follow are vnspeakable Secondly all the ioyes of this world are but for a moment and nothing more sure then death Thirdly that by enduring persecution and death we maintaine gods glory and confirme his truth whereby we shall please God and die in his fauour Fourthly we shal be witnesses against the vnbeléeuing world as also by our constancy and courage we shall establish the wauering mindes which by our fraâ—ltie are like to fall we shall win others to the kingdome of God by professing his truth to the death
According to that of the Apostle S. Paul Philip. 1. 12. I would you vnderstood brethren that the things which haue come vnto me are turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell So that my bands in Christ are famous throughout all the iudgement hall and in all other places In so much that many of the brethren in the Lord are boldned through my bands and dare more franckly speake the word Yea the aduersary king Agrippa himself was almost become a Christian Fiftly our constancy and courage shal be a cause of greater condemnation to our enemies whose consciences are by this means made without excuse As the same Apostle in the chapter recited saith In nothing feare your aduersaries enemies which is a token to them of perdition and destruction and to you a token of saluation and that of God For vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not only ye should beléeue in him but also suffer for his sake Sixtly and lastly we shall confound the kingdome of the diuel which is only established by lies and vntruth All which perswasions are forcible inâ—ugh to prepare vs Not to be ouer rash to make vs offer our selues as Peter did and me thinks I heare euery one say They are ready Mat. 20. 31. Christ said vnto his Disciples All ye shal be offended by me this night but Peter answered and said vnto him though all men should bee offended by thée yet will I neuer bee offended Iesus saide vnto him Verily I say vnto thée that this night before the Cocke crowe thou shalt denie me thrice Peter said vnto him though I should die with thée yet will I not deny thée Likewise also saide they all Yet for all that all of them were either offended or they denied or were scattered and Peter the foremost man denied and forsâ—ore Christ Sée the euent of foolish rashnesse and vndiscréete boldnesse Go to now ye that are so hastie and so hardie and so ready All such boasting is in vaine For that ye ought to say if the Lord will and if the Lord giue strength we will do so Know ye not that your wils are wauering and flesh is fraile and sathan is subtile and the world is tyrannous and cruell and againe ye know not how all things wil fall out Promise nothing before the time but pray to God to make thée able Sit down first and cast thy accounts bethinke thy selfe of the force of thy enemies the diuels potentates of thy weakenesse which of it self cannot stand and many the like matters This wil aske a long time to consult and deliberate with thy selfe Who seeth not that they that are most cowardly in the battel are most valiant before they come to the field Great boasters may well be compared to barking dogs which haue no courage to fight when they be set vpon Our sauior Christ moueth vs to great wisedom in this matter for he knew what was in man how that the boldest would be readie inough to draw backward For after that he had exhorted to the bearing of his crosse and the enduring of persecution he put forth a parable to make euery one fully to bethinke themselues lest they should reuolt after they were resolued Luke 14. Which of you saith he minding to build a tower sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost whether we haue sufficient to performe it lest that after he hath laid the foundation and is not able to performe it all that behold him begin to mocke at him saying This man beganne to build and was not able to make an end Be not rash without wisedome and â—ast with thy selfe what may fall out If thou be couragious and venterous then behold flattery faire meanes and sugred promises As King Antiochus went about to perswade the poungest of the seuen brethren not only with words but swore also vnto him by an oath that he would make him rich and wealthie if he would forsake the lawes of his fathers and that he would take him as a friend and giue him offices If there bee any shewe of faintnesse to bee perceiued in thée then come thundring threatnings like thunderbolts to cast thée downe Besides although thou be neuer so innocent and guiltlesse and without fault yet be sure thou shalt haue false reports raised vp mischéeuous accusations intollerable and diuellish slaunders deuised against thée and laide to thy charge These are they which subuert the state of the world and heere they are they obserue not the kings lawes therefore it is not the kings profit to suffer them When the Iewes led Christ to Pilate they did accuse him but falsly and vndeseruedly saying We haue found this man peruerting the people and forbidding to paie tribute to Cesar saying that he is Christ a king The malicious Iewes laid hands on the Apostle Saint Paul and mooued the people Crying Men of Israel helpe this is the man that teacheth all men euerie where against the people and the lawe and this place Certainly saith Tertullus the Orator accusing the Apostle before Felix the Gouernour we haue founde this man a pestilent fellowe and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the worlde Looke to these matters cast thy count prepare thy minde least after thou hast appointed with thy selfe to be constant thou become wauering Many feares to hold vs back flesh and blood loth to depart from worldly comforts life swéete death bitter Thy enemies shal be they of thine owne houshold and of thy own kindred no trust in the world no comfort in the earth Be not too bold of thy owne strength mightie pillers haue fallen downe Peter an Apostle and one of the chiefest and most bold and venterous yet in time of triall was found nothing so but rather weake and childish Shall I present vnto you a domesticall example of one of our owne nation being had in reuerent regard and renoume of the enemy himselfe Doctor Cranmer archbishop of Canterbury and in high office and estimation with king Henry the eight of famous memorie dearely beloued of the king although he did contrary his procéedinges in many matters Who was so constant in the profession of Christ his trueth and christian religien that no threatninges could quaile him no torments feare him Yet marke and perceiue how flattery and faire meanes and swéete promises for the time ouercame him vntill God by his grace did lift him vp after his fall According to the swéet saying of the Prophet Dauid Psal 37. 32. The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh occasion to slay him but the Lord will not leaue him in his hand nor condemne him when he is iudged It may be thought a néedlesse worke to set downe word by word the Syren song and eloquent and forcible perswasion that made so excellent a member so constant a martyr to fall Againe if I should referre the Reader to the booke either the booke may not be in place because it is not of so easie
there be present to offer vp our praier to God and to sing foorth his praises in the Churches there are handfulles and at stages and beare-baitings multitudes Which sheweth where the hearts of the worlde are set and wherein their reioycing consisteth Well were it if they could remember that the way to heauen is narrow and that fewe finde it and that the way to hell is broade and that manie passe by it nay rather thrust and throng into it This if they could consider would abate their worldly reioycing and make them withdrawe themselues from such pastimes which are so hurtfull and make them turne their reioycing into heauinesse and their mirth into mourning But as the Heathen painted their imagined fortune blinde so is the wilfull world blind and knoweth not or at least wise will not sée that their mirth shall end in heauinesse And because they haue eies to sée and will not sée and eares to heare and will not bee admonished hearts to conceiue and will not relent therefore their sinne remaineth The world lieth in sinne and wickednesse Sinfull matters and all their reioycing is in sinfull matters as though they had not only bene conceaued but bred and brought vp in sinne The Vsurer laugheth in his sléeue at his extreame extortion and delighteth himselfe in his swéete or bitter gaine and in the ouerthrow of others For if other bee vndone he careth not so that his turne be serued the adulterers and adulteresses reioyce in their vncleannesse the proude person in his brauery the glutton in his riotousnesse the couetous man in his miserablenesse the enuious in his mallice the liar in his falsehood the blasphemer in his vaine swearing the slaunderer in his backbiting the théefe in his stealing the robber in his spoyling the craftie in his deceiuing the pilferer in his purloyning the corrupt person in his receiuing of bribes and the rest of the vngodly rout reioyce and sport themselues in their manifold iniquities So that euerie one runneth on the race of his owne desires and Ezec. 11. 3. Amos 6. 3. though Gods punishment follow vs at the héeles yet put we off the euil day from vs with the blockish Israelites and approach and drawe neare to the seate of iniquitie They reioyce in speaking ill of gouernment despising all good orders and wholesome lawes séeking their owne licentious libertie neither fearing God nor honouring the king And as for the seruice of God and true religion they make a mocke thereof making it their only sport and table talke to iest and scoffe at all godlinesse and at the professors therof When they should wéepe lament for their sinnes and for the gréeuous punishments and iudgements which hang ouer their heads then is there nothing so rife with them as iolitie and ioy According as it was in the daies of the Prophet Esay cap. 22. 12. For in that day that the Lord of hostes did call them vnto wéeping and mourning beholde ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen killing shéep eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for to morrow we Ioy continued shall die As though they had made a couenant with death and fully agreed with the diuel to enioy the world at their pleasure foolishly imagining that their mirth should neuer haue a chaunge and that their ioy should alwaies continue Psal 49. 11. 10. 6. With which foolish conceit the prophet Dauid was blinded till God by his chasticements shewed him the contrary Ps 30. 6. And in my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be remoued thou Lord of thy goodnesse hadst made my hil so strōg But after a while hee had learned another lesson Before I was troubled I went wrong and therefore it is good for me that I haue bene troubled Not remembring or at lestwise little considering that worldly matters and worldly ioyes may well be compared to the chaunges of the Moone which is now at the full now in the wane as also to the sea which is now aflote anon at an ebbe Diuers meanes there are to take their ioy away losse of goods by théeues losse of friends by death pouertie sicknesse and the ougly countenance and leane and pale visage of death it selfe The world shall reioyce and giue them leaue so to do Greatest ioy before greatest sorrow they haue but their time the bullocke the is fed to the slaughter howe wanton it is Reioyce yong man in thy youth and let thy heart chéere thée in the dayes of thy youth and let the wicked walke in the waies of their heart and in the sight of their eies but let them know and assure themselues that for all these things God will bring them to indgement But this of all other is worthy the marking that the wicked are neuer more giuen to ioy then when their destruction is néerest at hand As by the examples of the old world in the daies of Noah and of Lot may be perceiued as also by the example of Belshasar the king who reioycing greatly among his concubines drinking wine in bowles shortly after had both his crowne his life taken from him Which thing the prophet Esay chap. 18. 5. expresseth in these words For afore the haruest when the floure is finished and the fruite is riping in the floure then he shall cut downe the branches with hookes and shall take away and cut off the boughes When the vngodly saith the psalme are greene as the grasse and when all the workes of wickednesse do flourish then shall they be destroied for euer Yet of all the ioyes that the wicked and the world taketh Ioy in persecuting delight in this is chief the hurting of the good hating despising persecuting cruelly tormenting the godly euen to death Which is notably declared in the booke of Wisdom Chap. 2. Come say they let vs enioy our pleasures and fill our selues with costly wine and oyntments let vs crowne our selues with rose buds and let vs be partakers of our wantonnesse Yet all these did not so much reioyce them as to oppresse the poore that was righteous and to vexe them that were iust Therefore let vs defraud the righteous say they for he is not for our profit and he is contrary to our doings he checketh vs for offending against the lawe and blameth vs as transgressors against discipline he is made to reproue our thoughts and it gréeueth vs to looke vpon him Let vs examine him with rebukes and torments that we may knowe his méekenesse and proue his patience and let vs condemne him vnto a shamefull death Wherein doe hipocrites more reioyce then in the false and counterfait seruice of God and they that kill the godly shall thinke they doe God seruice The wealth of the Israelites inriched the Chaldeans but to mocke at their Saboths that reioyced them and to make a iest of their excercises of religion was vnto them as their meate and drinke Let vs deuour them say they certainly this is
ofscouring of all things vnto this time and a gazing stocke vnto the world In the time of the Prophet Zachariah they that followed the word of the Lord were continued in the world and estéemed as monsters Heare now saith the Prophet Zachariah cap. 3. 8. Heare now ô Iehoshua the high priest thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are monstrous persons So likewise was it in the daies of Esay the Prophet cap. 8. 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and as wonders in Israel and such as are thought not worthie to liue Moreouer their estate in worldly matters what is it but hunger thirst nakednesse imprisonment to be buffetted to haue no certain dwelling place Be not dismaid at this estate but rather with Moses frame thy self to take part with the godly in their sorrow yea although thou mightest liue in y◠pallaces of princes For he that will liue godly must looke and make account of sorrow and séeke for no ioy When Baruch was sory because he could not be partaker of his desire and of his ioy he had this answere from God by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremiah Seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not Let vs remember what Christ said My kingdome is not of this world And why should the desire of ioy so tickle our minds or sorrow daunt vs and throw vs downe or any griefe discourage vs When all things goe according to our will then doo we easily slide into the forgetfulnesse of God but sorrow and miserie maketh vs knowe God and our selues I said in my prosperitie saieth Dauid I should neuer bee cast downe But it is good for mee that I haue bene troubled And many there are who haue giuen God more thankes for their sorrow and misery then for all the prosperitie that euer they enioyed So greatly it did instruct them and so great good it did them Sée howe profitable it is to haue sorrow rather then ioy If our estate be ioyfull and sorrow dooth not assault vs yet let vs wéepe with them that wéepe and pray to God to turne away his heauie hand from them on whom he hath laid sorrow Let there be fellow-féeling in thée of the sorrowes of others as if the case were our owne and let vs helpe to beare their burthen Consider if thou canst be without sorrow if thou countest thy selfe amongst the number of those that are godly Record with thy self what duties and good things thou hast omitted which thou shouldest haue done either to God or man either to our selues or others to our own charge committed to our hands and to our gouernment as wife children seruants or to strangers to our friends or to our enemies Let vs call to mind what euil we haue done wherby God hath bene dishonoured our neighbours iniuried our selues defiled other by our example allured to wickednes Let vs not be wilfully forgetfull that we haue omitted our dutie in praier and inuocation to God and in performing our humble seruice vnto him That we haue omitted the ministring to the necessitie of the Saints and the helpe we should haue shewed to the néedie brethren that wee haue omitted many good opportunities which haue bene offered for the increase of our vertues faith patience mercie and such like That we haue neglected the carefull visiting of the poore destitute which lie in our stréetes and complaine for their great miseries and are readie to perish before our eies for lacke of reliefe That we haue omitted many exercises of praier of preaching of reading and meditating in the law of God that we haue omitted many things which appertaine to godlinesse and true sanctification Againe let vs remember on the other side that we haue committed much wickednesse priuately publikely openly secretly in our soules in our bodies at home and abroad against God and men in our conuersation and in our communication All which being duly considered haue we not iust cause to chastice our selues by sorrowe and to afflict our selues by wéeping How canst thou but grieue in minde to sée the wicked flourish and they that are most against God and godlines The wicked to flourish and against the godly to beare the greatest sway in the world and they that indéede ought to be vile and of no account with vs yea although their personages and places and wealth and riches be great to sée them in greatest estimation and most honoured of the people This made the prophet Ieremy to muse and to wonder and the prophet Dauid almost to fall from God My féete had welny flipt Reade the ps 73. 37. Iob. 21. Where this matter is excellenly set downe and resolued The Prophet Ieremy 2. Esd 3. 21. 4. 1. in his 12. chap. ver 1. O Lord if I dispute with thee thou art righteous yet let me talke with thee of thy indgements Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Why are they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse They doe not only liue when the good are taken away but also to the great admiration and grief many times of Gods children they greatly flourish they liue waxe old and grow in wealth and their séede is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eies their houses are peaceable without feare and gods rod is not vpon them neither are they in trouble and plauged as other men whome God more fauoureth therfore kéepeth them from the wantonuesse of this sinful world Lest as the world is lulleda sléep till their last sléep come vpon them so also they might grow in such forgetfulnes as to doubt whether there were a God that ruled the earth whether euer they should be taken frō the earth by death whether there were a iudgemēt day in the which they should be called to an account whether there were a heauen for the godly or a hell for the wicked As though the worlde should endnre for euer and the flonrishing estate of the wicked should neuer haue an ende I sawe saith the wiseman Eccle. 8. 10. the wicked buried and they returned that is other came in their places as bad as they and they that came from the holy place were yet forgotten in the citie where they had done right This also is vanitie yet though a sinner do euil anhundred times and God prolongeth his daies I knowe it shall bee well with them that feare the Lord and do reuerence before him But it shall not be well to the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies he shal be like a shadow because he feareth not before God In this world it commeth to the righteous according to the worke of the righteous This hath troubled many in all ages not only of the weaker sort but many of them also which haue bene stronger Iob Dauid Ieremy euen such as haue bene partakers of Gods secretes And why should not the same matter moue thée to sorrow also When
and an heauie yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they go out of their mothers wombe til the day they returne to the mother of all things Namely their thoughtes and feare of the heart and the imagination of the thinges they waite for and the day of death From him that fitteth vpon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes Wrath and enuy trouble and vnquietnes and feare of death rigor and strife And in the time of rest the sléepe in the night vpon his bed change his knowledge A little or nothing is his rest afterward in sléeping he is as in a watch-tower in the day He is troubled with the visions of his heart as one that runneth out of a battell And when all is safe he awaketh and maruelleth that the feare was nothing Such things come vnto all flesh but seuenfold to the vngodly There is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked Yea though they séeke peace and rest by many meanes indeuour to cast al troublesome feare from them now by instruments of musicke now by merrinesse of company now by diuersitle of repastes and pastimes nowe by drinking of wine and banquetting yea though they shoote out feare as by a double canon and séeme to remooue all disquietnesse farre from them and as it were send it into banishment yet it reconcileth and furneth backe vppon them So that in their mirth there is sorrowe in their laughter there is griefe and in their ioy there is heauinesse which vexeth their heartes continually This toucheth the inward sorrowe of their heartes and mindes and as for any outward sorrow they had rather be cut off by present death then to indure it King Zedekiah being told by the Prophet Ieremie that if hée went into captiuitie and would endure some sorrowe he should saue his life the thought of sorrow was so intollerable vnto him that he had rather suffer present death then to abide the least taste thereof Iere. 8. 3. And death saith the Prophet shall rather be desired then life of all the residue that remaineth of this wicked familie because of the afflictions that God would send vpon them Furthermore their sorrowes are expressed in the scripture by this word Woe Christ saith to the godly Ye shall VVoe weepe and lament but hee saith not vnto them any where Woe be vnto you And I beheld saith S Iohn in his Reu. 8. 13. and heard an angel flying through the midst of heauen saying with a loud voice Woe woe woe vnto the inhabitanies of the earth Which he said not concerning the good and godly who as he saith were sealed in their foreheades and whose names were written in the booke of life but of the wicked world whose sorrowes should be mightily increased Blessed are ye saith Christ when men reuile ye and speake euill of ye for my names sake But vnto them of the world he saith Woe bee vnto you when all men speake well of you That is because they fauour the wicked of the world and goe after the world and séeke friendship of the world therefore the friendship of the world departeth from them So true is that which Saint Iames saith The amitie of the world is the enmitie of God Woe bee to you that now laugh for you shall waile and weepe The wéeping of the godly is with comfort but the world and the wicked wéep without hope thinking of Gods iudgements to come which driue them to dispaire because they are fully perswaded the wofull and euerlasting wéeping and gnashing of téeth shall come vppon them and shall be their portion The Prophet Esay 24. speaketh of them of his time The mirth of the world is gone away because they did not vse Gods benefits aright And after a while the liues of the world went away Then what a sorrow is it to leaue their lusts and their pleasures to leaue the world their friends their wife and children their lands and possessions And yet behold this is but the beginning of their sorrowes In the midst of all their iolitie the very thought of death doth strike such a dumpe into their mindes that makes their excessiue ioy to vanish into woâ—ull sorrow and mourning Oh how bitter is the remembrance of death to him that liueth at rest in his possessions that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things When the sorrowe of death commeth in place all our ioyes are gone which endured but for a moment of time and were as a thing of nothing but the thing is farre worse For after these ioyes come sorrowes and neuer ioy againe And this is one of the â—â—â—fest sorrowes of worldly minded men whose minds and hearts had neuer any taste and féeling of heauen and heauenly ioyes that when death beginnes to looke them in the face whom they would auoyd if possibly they could this I say is their sorrow that they shall depart from their earthly happinesse that they shall neuer sée the face of their ioyes pleasures and vanities any more The paine of the bodie the feare of death the sight of thildren the weeping of the wife the flattery of the world the temptation of the diuell the dissembling phisitian who for gaine dooth put him in hope of life Sée how his ioyes are turned into sorrow and yet this is but the beginning of his sorrow For at the point of death these worldly griefes doo not so much vexe his minde as the fearefull remembraunce of an euill life past the day of iudgement and that they shall be called to an account the ougly sight of hell in their consciences and the intollerable paines and torments which they shall hereafter suffer The sorrow of these things at the very instant of their death dooth ouercome the griefe of their disease and all other sorrowes yea and hasteneth on their death which otherwise might be prolonged Whereas the godly as it is in the Psal 142. reioyce and sing loud in their beds hauing a quiet conscience and that they shal passe vnto vnspeakable ioyes from this vale of misery and troublesome persecuting world Greatly reioycing that neither sinne nor sathan nor hell nor the torments thereof shall preuaile against them shall touch them or come néere them to hurt them So much for the sorrow of the worldly which may be some ioy to the godly to ease their heart to sée and know that the world hath also sorrowe to soure their ioyes withall These two matters of the ioy of the godly and the sorrow of the wicked may séeme impertinent for this text which may be read or passed ouer at thy discretion 3. The third part of this text is taken out of these words But your sorrow shal be turned into ioy Which words containe a remedie full of all comfort and may be diuided into two parts A proposition Your sorrow shal be turned into ioy Secondly a coÌ„firmation by way of illustration drawne from a
could neuer swimme before how do they catch hold of boords and practise labour to swim the cowardly souldier when he is in his enemies danger and like to be murthered how dooth he bestir himselfe and in necessitie shewe himselfe valiant and all for feare of death So is life swéete to the woman in trauell and she striues and takes great paines in hope that in time she shall be deliuered and auoyd death But when at last she sées all her paines taking in vaine and that she cannot be deliuered but of force must yéeld her last breath alasse what lamentation and griefe she makes for death approaching Againe as some take great paines so some of them either dare not or wil not put to their strength to endure it and for lacke of courage fall away In sorrow and especially in distresse of persecution let vs plaie the men and be as painfull as the woman in trauell if it be no more but for this to saue our liues I meane the life to come which is wonne by painfulnesse and courage and also lost by faintnesse For the nearer the trauell the greater is the womans griefe and feare and the nearer the triall of our death is the more the flesh is fraile The children are come to the birth saith the Prophet and there is no strength to bring forth vnlesse God giue strength So we when we are brought to triall by death then a hundreth to one but we faint and are féeble till God giue constancie courage which through fearefulnesse and faintnesse of courage we reuolt then death approacheth yea a fearfull kind of death For they saith Christ that séeke to saue their life shall loose it and they that are desirous to enioy this world shall perish in an other And then what pittious outcries shall we make wéeping and woe and great lamentation The woman that must néeds die through the sore anguish that she hath endured yet if she be deliuered and sée her childe liue it is her great ioy but through faintnesse of courage and for lack of paines taking oftentimes it faileth out that the childe dieth within her and with her The constant Martyres that are deliuered by death in the sorest anguish and agony of death this comforteth them and that out of measure that their hope is with God their good report with the faithfull and that their labours shall follow them and nothing shall be lost But if either the loue of the world lands possessions wife and children kinsfolke friends acquaintance hinder vs or life it selfe and feare of death let vs then assure our selues that we haue lost all All the glory of our christian profession our confident boasting that we made to endure persecution the good report and ioy of the godly which by our constancie might haue béene so much the more comforted and confirmed and especially our hope with God I would I could not say that all these excellent matters fall to the ground are void decaied and that they all die together within them and with them Let none take away thy crowne from thée let nothing kéepe thée from thy excéeding reioycing knowing that God hath promised vnto thée to be thy excéeding great reward This is yâ— sorrow that God hath laied vpon women persecutions are the burden that God would haue men and all sorts and al degrées yea and manly couragious women also to beare in no sort to refuse in paine of death let them take héede of damnation An office she weth yâ— inward qualities of a man bringeth Ioyes that to proofe which lay hid in him long before whether he were giuen to oppression and corruption or to innocency and vprightnesse whether he haue more regard of his owne priuate estate and gaine then of the publike commoditie and welfare of the people The one endeth in shame and contempt the other is crowned with glory Persecution is the office that the godly and faithfull are called and promoted vnto and nowe it shall be knowne whether they loue God more theÌ„ themselues or whether the glory of God be of more account with them then their owne estimation although they might liue in the highest roomes in the world with Shadrake Meshake Abednago be set ouer the chiefest prouinces in any Emperours large dominions God hath ordained persecution to bring forth patience constancy courage and all the vertues and graces of the godly and that to their great praise commendation which otherwise would lie hid and altogither vnknowne When the man is exalted he is tried saith Solomon but wée being tried by persecution are exalted euen to the highest heauens Blessed is he that endureth temptation and trial and sorrow and trouble and persecution For when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life In the fight and combat there is sorrow and hazard but after the victorie triumph and reioycing And certainly after persecution and death commeth life and ioy And now let vs a litle behold the ioyes of a trauelling woman One ioy is the hope that she shall be deliuered which maketh her the more patiently to endure her trouble stil looking when her houre will come and waiting for the good houre that God shall send For they that put their trust in the Lord shall surely haue helpe and deliuerance so far as he seeth good for his glory and their comfort Wait thou the Lords leisure and he shall giue thée thy hearts desire And because of impatiencie God often turneth away his face and leaueth vs to our selues and to our troubles to sinke or to swimme get out how we can But the patient abiding of Gods promises maketh things impossible most comfortable and distressed cases to haue gladsome issues It was a great persecution for the thrée children that they should be cast into a hot firie furnance but howe great was their hope that God would bid them come foorth either out of the furnace or out of this troublesome life to receiue ioy either by credit and fame among men or which was more méete by receiuing ioy from God The hope of Iosephs deliueraunce was with ioy Which fell out according to his hope being brought from the dungeon to the seate of honour The Israelites that groned long vnder their oppression sâ—aied themselues vpon Gods promises that they should be deliuered Being in the desert and waste wildernesse and the time of their enteraunce into Canaan long delaied through their fault of impatiencie God caused many to die there but they that rested vpon the hope of Gods promises God made them partakers of their desire They that wait on the Lord sée what comfort the Prophet Esay giueth them chap. 66. 8. 9. Shall I cause to trauell and not to bring foorth As if he had said Shall I laie sorrow and take away ioy yea I wil comfort you and that to your contentment and yâ— hand of the Lord shal be knowne among his seruants God hath
and readie Marke the minde but of a worldly man that accounhimselfe greatly beholding to another is not this his courage that he could finde in his heart to die in his quarrell and to offer his seruice before he commaunded thereunto The readinesse of our Sauiour Christ whose example if it be too high for imitation yet that of the Apostle Saint Paule heerein is notable and able to giue the weakest minde great courage Get thée behind me Sathan saith Christ vnto Peter thou art an offence vnto mée because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men The Prophet Agabus Act. 21. tooke Pauls girdle and bound his owne hands and féete and said Thus saith the holy Ghost So shall the Iewes at Ierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles Then his friends perswaded him and besought him with teares that he would not go vp to Ierusalem To whom Paul answered and said What do ye weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not to bee bounde only but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus And in an other place And now behold I goe bound in the spirite vnto Ierusalem and knowe not what things shall come vnto mee there Saue that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery citie saying that bands and afflictions abide me in Ierusalem but I passe not at all neither is my life deare vnto my selfe This is a notable example of incouragement beside the promise of excéeding great reward Hee that looseth his life for my sake shall finde â—â— But weake mindes are soone offended and fraile flesh cannot beare out these bitter brunts neither stand to the triall of so worthie a cause when we shall behold as it were great mountaine to fall vpon vs and great surges readie to swallow vs vp No doubt we shall méet with hinderances inow and those mighty hinderances yet greater renowne it is to ouercome our selues then to winne a citie both are hard to do and to accomplish but the first most hard and to flesh and blood impossible True it is that we should cast off all hinderances in this so waightie a matter and deny our selues and in this combat betwixt the spirit and flesh and blood we should shewe our selues conquerers but our hearts for the most part are so faint that strawes can make vs stumble We blâ—nch at the least matters and are astund euen at the very name of persecution When King Hezechiah heard of his death he wept sore and so do many of vs carry the like affliction that in no sort we can brooke affliction The purâ—â—â—ion is too bitter although health and immortallitie bee the effect of it Why is it that we are readie to put finger in the eie when we heare that we must endure trouble but that the world aâ—desh and blood do carry more sway with vs then Gods spirit and that the ioy of this life can abide no sorrow Although God hath appointed this to be our lot Ye shall weepe and lament yea furthermore although we heare that our sorrow shal be turned into ioy Gladly we would be at peace with the world but when the world shall hate vs that beginneth to breake vs then are we surprized of sorrow and for the time swallowed vp of griefe The Prophet Ieremy a man of great courage patience and constancie before he could frame himselfe to drinke of this bitter cuppe as one most passionate breaketh out into these words and in the presence of God Cursed be the day wherin I was borne oh that my mother had bene my graue or her wombe a perpetuall eonception How is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow And againe chapter 19. Woe is me my mother that thou hast borne mee a contentious man and a man that striueth with the whole earth I haue done them neither hurt nor wrong yet euerie one doth curse me According to that of the Prophet Dauid They hated mee without any cause and that thou ô God knowest Yet should this matter be so farre from mouing vs to heauinesse that therein we should reioyce As the Apostle S. Paule doeth moue vs by his example Gal. 6. 14. God forbid saith he that I should reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world Our Sauior Christ hath foretold vs that we should be hated of all men for his name and for the profession of his truth And lest any of vs should faint he addeth further But hee or they that endure to the end they shall be saued What if the world and the mightiest in the world hate ve what if they séeke our blood Feare not their feare saith the Apostle neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts Feare not them saith our Sauiour which haue power ouer your bodies and whose furie and rage can goe no further but rather feare him who after the body is distroied by death can cast both soule and body in hell God hath commanded vs vnto this wéeping and lamentation Foure principalâ— reasons to persâ—â—dâ—â—s to vndertake perseâ—cution w◠〈◊〉 the first is Gods Commandement and appointed vs vnto this trouble and sorrow and persecution let vs not therefore feare men to auoid gods commandement but rather glorifie God by withstanâ—â—ng euill men and such as are bent to resist and deface to suppresse and vtterly to roote out gods truth And because the world is giuen to nothing more then to oppresse gods truth therefore ought we the more to maintaine it and not to regard our liues in respect of the defence therof Striue for yâ— truth vnto death saith the wise man Eccle. 4. 28. And defend iustice for thy life God hath created vs for his glory and if we loue God and his loue be setled in our hearts wée ought to the vtmost of our power to maintaine his glory Dearely beloued saith the blessed Apostle thinke it not straunge concerning the firy tryall It pleaseth God to try you by the extremities of this wicked world whether ye will like valiant souldiours stand to the defence of his cause We count it a glorious matter and worthy of immortall fame to spend our liues in the defence of our prince and country yet is it more glorious if wée be called thereunto not to refuse any torment and extremitie in shewing our dutie and our loue to God and his Church Re. 2. 10. Vnto the Angell of the church of Smirna it was said Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold it shall come to passe that the diuell shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall haue tribulation tenne daies that is a long time Bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Hee that ouercommeth shall not bee hurt of