of great account Maister Rowland Barker Esquire Iustice of peace and quorum in the Countie of Salop S. I. wisheth the blessings of God in this life and the ioyes of that which is to come RIght Worshipfull I cannot write vnto you but as vnto a stranger yet such a stranger in whome I haue perceiued great good wil kindnesse toward me So that I may resolue with my selfe to make account of you as of my friende whereof I haue some triall in that you haue giuen a great token in the preferment of my sister for the which both she and I am bound to giue you hartie thankes And yet great reason there is that you should be strange because as yet I haue shewed no dutie wherby I might in some sort warrant my selfe of your fauoure and friendship The godly minde wherewith Gods spirit no doubt hath indued you may be some cause to procure your fauour toward me if it were but for my profession sake And so much the more because you carry a name in Shropshire to be a great fauourer of the Gospell and if I should adde the peoples report of a good Iusticer I might be iudged to flatter And yet there is no cause For where the word of God hath taken deep roote there of necessitie followeth all vprightnesse both in life and office To procure your Worships good will toward me I haue at this time though boldly offered vnto your view some part of my laboure which as you like it so I hope you will accept it and your good liking shal giue it both countenance and credit inough And seeing your credit is great in the furtherance of the Gospell so I would humbly request you to promote and further the same more and more to the vtmost of your power Though it bee my request yet is it Gods cause and his glorie which may both stirre you vp and also incourage you who need not my perswasion being forward inough of your owne disposition and good nature Doubtlesse God woorketh excellently in notable men at whose handes hee requireth woorthie matters euen at the handes of famous men and men of renowme Whome hee hath greatly aduaunced furthered and furnished vnto suche woorkes And vnto whome much is giuen of them also shall much bee required King Dauid woulde haue built a Temple vnto the Lord God of Israel but God appointed his sonne King Salomon to doo it Manie Kinges in Iuda yet none but Hezekiah caused the brasen Serpent to be pulled downe and GOD wrought with him and hee prospered and flourished and God sent him a miraculous and famous deliuerance from the handes of his enemies Iosiah was famous for Religion and none more zealous the solemne keeping of the Passeouer that was in his daies doth declare it King Cyrus hee is appointed of God to deliuer the Iewes from their captiuitie and thraldome Many Heathen Kings there were in the worlde yet it pleased God that his glorie should bee set forth by none so much as by King Nabuchodonosor who wondrously set foorth the praises of God was a notable meane to deface idolatrie that God onelie might bee truly serued And although notable men bee not all Kings yet vnder Kinges great matters are committed vnto them and they are rulers vnder Princes and in the places where GOD hath seated them hee dooth giue them honour as is meete for them and agreeable to their estate Especially hee crowneth them with honour which honour him What worke more notable then the preaching of the Gospell and that the Nobilitie and also Gentlemen of good calling and credit might see it performed in the places where they dwell and about them I would to God the reuerend Fathers of the land of whome the Prince maketh choyce as of notable men and men of renowme had that care as Bishop Hooper and Bishop Latimer had to see the people taught and instructed in euerie parish throughout their Diocesse and I doubt not but that they haue the selfesame care howsoeuer oftentimes it falleth out otherwise contrarie to their willes Most gentlemeÌ„ are set against it because they know not the worthinesse of it as also the glittering shew of this deceiueable world hath vtterly blinded theÌ„ togither with their corrupt affections which are so far from correctioÌ„ or amendment that they cannot abide to heare any reproofe or counsell or so much as to acknowledge their fault therfore coÌ„sequeÌ„tly notable men they must needs bee that fauour it Who in so dooing procure vnto themselues the fauour of God and the hearts and good reportes of men whis is a great honour that God doth crowne them withall May I not write vnto your Worship as I reade in the Reuelation chapter 3. 11. is written to euery ChristiaÌ„ Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast that no man take thy Crowne And again verse 21. To him that ouercommeth and continueth will I grant to sit with me in my throne I haue bene too tedious and here I must staie and so I humbly take my leaue praying your Woorship to remember my humblesute I haue made vnto you not long since so farre forth as conueniently you may neither is it reason we should presse vpon you too farre Wherin if you vouchsafe to pleasure vs wee shall all of vs bee bounde to pray to God for your prosperous estate and that you may liue long to Gods glorie your owne comfort and contentment to the ioy of your friends and admiration of your enemies Your VVorships in his praiers to God for you and yours S. I. A Patterne of Sanctification Titus 2. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared And teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and wordly lusts aâ—d that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of goodworkes This text standeth on foure parts 1 A generall proposition The grace of God hath appeared vnto all 2 The effect of this grace consisting in SanctificatioÌ„ which hath two parts Mortification And teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Viuification And that we shuld liue soberly and righteously godly 3 A perswasion vnto this SanctificatioÌ„ Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of our Lord and Sauiour 4 The cause of this Sanctification which is Christ Who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs. THe Apostle writing to the Corinthians of this grace of God which is nothing else but his fauour his mercy and louing kindnesse wherby we are fréely beloued by the meanes of Iesus Christ calleth this grace the wisedome of God and calleth it also a misterie Well may it be called the wisedome of God both in respect of God himselfe who intendeth
world which séemeth to haue no ende shall vanish the heauens shall ware old as doth a garment but as the word of the Lord continueth for euer so are the praises of the feare of God euerlasting Wheresoeuer the Gospell is preached saith Christ throughout all the worlde there shal also this déed of Mary Magdaline which annointed his bodie with costly Oyle and wiped his féete with the haire of her head this déed which she hath done shall be spoken of for a memoriall of her meaning thereby not the déed so much as her heart and affection And such shall be the memoriall of them that feare God according as it is said The name of the godly shall flourish and the remembrance of the wicked shall rot As the whirlewind passeth so is the wicked no more but the righteous is an euerlasting foundation The wise man after he had intreated of diuers and waightie matters and drawing to an end of his booke as though he had for gotten one principal point Let vs now saith he commend the famous men who were honourable in their generations and were well reported of in their times There are of them that haue left a name behinde them so that their praise shall be spoken of There are some also that haue no memoriall and are perished as though they had neuer bin and are become as though they had neuer bin born and their children after them But the former were such men whose righteousnes and feare of God hath not bene forgotten and whose commendation shall endure throughout all ages Their seede shall remaine for euer and their praise shall neuer be taken away their bodies are buried in peace but their name liueth for euermore There is a seed of man which is an honourable seed the honourable seede are they that feare the Lord. Diuerse other goodly sentences the scripture dooth affoord in commendation of the feare of God but I thought the waight of reasons alleaged would more preuaile then the multitude of words which do delight but for the present time Much like pleasant musicke which is no longer of force to moue our mindes but while it soundeth But the waight of the reasons continue in our remembrance when as the multitude of words may soone be forgotten as if we had séene our face in a glasse and when we are gone we remember it no more 2. That delight which is next to the feare of God and an The next delight to the feare of God is the knowledge of gods word excellent delight aboue all worldly delights I thinke good at this present not to stand much vpon but to referre you to a more ample declaration thereof because I haue spent so much time in setting downe the commodities and commendations of the feare of God vnto the which no perswasions can be too tedious But because the studie and knowledge of the word of God is the onely meanes wherby the feare of God is taught maintained and increased therfore doth it seeme a matter as worthie to be considered and to be perswaded as the other And so much the rather because we cannot come so perfectly to the fear of God as by the knowledge of his word To the proofe whereof we haue an excellent sentence Prou. 2. The words be these My sonne if thou receiue my words and hide my commandements with thee to incline thine eares to wisedome and to bowe thy heart to vnderstanding if thou call for vnderstanding and vtter thy voyce for knowledge if thou seeke her as siluer and dig for her as for her treasures Then shalt thou vnderstand A light to our vnderstāding the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God All the life of man without the knowledge of the word of God is but a wildernesse and that is the onely path to bring vs out all our vnderstanding is but darknesse and that is the onely lanterne that giueth vs light Our parents that beget vs they beget vs after their owne image and that is sinfull so that as wée are borne in sinne so all our The seed of life delight by nature is in sinne Therefore this séede and this begetting may well bee tearmed a mortall séede and a begetting vnto death But that we may haue a reuerent care and a great delight in the word of God we are giuen to vnderstand that it is the immortall séede the séede that begets vs vnto life As saith Saint Peter Epistle I. He hath begotten vs againe not of mortall but of immortall seede which hee affirmeth to be the word of God that endureth for euer And this is the singular commoditie thereof I. Iohn 3. 9. That hee that is borne of God sinneth not vnto death but if he fall hée riseth againe by repentance The reason because he sinneth not nor delighteth héerein nor suffereth it to raigne within him is for that the séede of Gods word ioyned with his feare remaineth within him neither can he sinne because hée is borne of God and begotten vnto life by his holie spirite As they that are in the fleshe cannot please God for the wisedome of the fleshe is enmitie to God so the word of God doth make the power of his spirite more effectuall within vs and teacheth vs how to please God and to liue in his fauour Blessed is the man that feareth God for his great delight is in gods word and hée maketh more account thereof then of any treasure For all precious things in the world they can continue with vs but while we liue in the world but the séede of gods word as it is euerlasting s◠it accompanieth the soule euen when it is departed from the bodie We are troubled about many things in this life but as our Sauiour Christ saith there is but one thing necessary and that is the hearing reading learning and meditating on the word of God And as wisedome is one of the VVisedome greatest commendations that can be giuen to the feare of god so doth the word of god deserue the selfe same commendation By thy precepts and commandements that is by thy word saith the Prophet Dauid I am wiser then the aged and my elders By thy word I haue gotten vnderstanding therefore I hate all wicked wayes This is your wisedome saith that holy man Moses vnto the Israelites Deu. 4. And this is your vnderstanding in the sight of the people which shall say Onely this people is wise and of vnderstanding and a great nation And this was the wisedome that god would should more preuaile with a King and highest gouernour in a realme then all the wisedome of his counsellours As we shall reade in the booke of Deutro 17. And when the King shall sit vppon the thorne of his kingdome he shall reade in this booke all the dayes of his life and it shall bee euer with him To what end and purpose Euen that he may go in and out wisely before his people That being taught and instructed
and the relief of the poore but in stéed of thankfulnesse steppes in a slumbring kind of idlenesse and in stéed of reliefe disdaine and contempt of the poore and charitie waxeth key cold where iniquitie beareth the sway and hath the vpper hand Behold saith the prophet Ezech. 16. this was the iniquitie of Sodome Pride Fulnesse of breade Aboundance of idlenes nether did she strengthen the hand of the poore and néedie The better sort vse Gods benifits to his glorie their comforts and the helpe of others But in the worser sort of people of whome the world is too full whose minds are giuen altogither earthly fleshly and sensually there is no such regard no such consideration but the more wanton and vain they are the more they think they please others euen such as are like them selues Otherwise they giue great offence to them that are godlie and well minded and vertuouslie disposed and prouoke gods anger against themselues Come say they let vs enioy our pleasures as though they were borne for nothing else but to eate and drinke and to play Let vs fill our selues with costly wine and ointments Let vs crowne our selues with rose buds before they be withered But to what purpose and what is their minde in so doing Their answere is this Let not the flower of our youth passe by vs and let vs all be partakers of our wantonnes and let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euery place For that is our portion say they and this is our lot and this is the onelie life wée looke to haue They that sowe to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption and euerlasting heauinesse shall be theire portion For howe swéete so euer they thinke it is yet bitternesse shall be in the ende Though GOD haue created many things as well for delight as necessitie yet they turne them to a wicked delight as though the distemperature were the right vse Surfetting and drunkennesse pride and excesse whoredome and vncleannesse chambering and wantonnesse and what not Being farre from the minde of the holy Apostle Vse the worlde as though thou didst not vse it Let not this delight of the creatures drawe thée from thy dutie to thy Creator That which should prouoke thée the more to loue him let it not be a meane nor any occasion that his anger should be stirred against thée to punish thée The grace of God hath appeared to teach vs to liue not onely godly and righteously but also soberly in this present worlde looking not on these worldly delightes but wayting for the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who shall make our bodies lyke to his glorious bodie and at his comming who shall take vs togither with him into the heauens Let no man grudge if hée be debarred from some delightes For God hath not graunted to euery one alike and well is it for the poore if they haue sufficient to satisfie their necessitie although they also be not restrained from all the delightes of Gods creatures Wherein the rich and wealthie although they haue great liberty must also remember that God hath enioyned them a lawe of sobrietie let them looke vpon the wilde beastes which haue but their compasse and vpon the mightie waters which haue their boundes They that haue not this libertie let them take all things thankfully and be content with their estate which God hath placed them in And let them frame their mindes to the counsell of the Apostle Phil. 4. 12. I can bee abased and I can abound euerie where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to bee hungry and to abounde and haue want For I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to bee content If GOD hath graunted thée store and plentie thou maiest vse his creatures to thy delight but bicause the nature of man is giuen to excesse and fewe there be that know the meane therfore God with these delights requireth also sobrietie that all abuse may be auoided Vse a litle well that thou maiest be partaker of much more and so shall heauenly ioyes follow earthly delightes By these things god doth try vs whether we be méet and fit for him or whether wée will make our selues the seruauntes and slaues of the diuel God graunt wée be found gold and not drosse wheate and not chaffe which is lyke to be burnt vp with vnquenchable fire Ecc. 39. 26. The principall things for the whole vse of mans life are water fire and iron and salt and meale wheate and hony and milke the bloud of the grape and oyle and cloathing All these things are good to the godly but to the sinners they are turned into euill being made culpable and faultie before Gods iudgement seate by reason of their abusing of them Thus you haue heard how God hath created all things especially for his glory so also that they might serue to the health life necessitie and pleasure of man But more frankly and with greater consideration and respect to the good of his chosen people all which are vnto them as it were instruments ministers and meanes whereby God doing them good might be honoured and praised of them Onely man God created for himselfe and all the rest for man that man togither with all his creatures might set foorth his glore O speake good of the Lord saith the Prophet all ye workes of his in all places of his dominion and there withall doth stirre vp himselfe to do to Praise thou the Lord ô my soule For what is man ô Lord that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest so regarde him So long as liue will I praise the Lorde and my mouth shall be full of his praises All thy workes praise thee ô Lord and thy Saints also giue thankes vnto thee they shew the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power That thy power thy glorie and mightinesse of thy kingdome might be knowne vnto men O praise the Lord ye Angels of his ye that excell in strength ye that fulfill his commandement and hearken vnto the voice of his words O praise the Lord all ye his hostes ye seruants of his that do his pleasure O praise the Lord of heauen praise him in the height Praise him Sunne and Moone praise him all ye starres and light Let them praise the name of the Lord. For he spake the word and they weare made hee commanded and they were created They were not made by blind chaunce but by the power of his word they wer created From the heauenly creatures the Prophet passeth to the creatures of the earth whome he maketh to sing the same song Praise the Lord vpon earth ye dragons and all depthes Fire and haile snow and vapours wind and storm fulfilling his word Mountains and all hilles fruitfull trees and all cedars Beasts and all cattell Wormes and feathered foules Lastly when he had giuen all other creatures their summons and their warning
perceiue the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes and haue a desire to leaue and forsake them before we hunger and thirst for this grace This is euen the light of the world which did shine abroad and yet the world knewe it not Christ came vnto his owne his owne receiued him not Oh howe secret are God his iudgmeÌ„ts that his grace is hid from some and appeareth vnto other And yet howe is this grace hid But froÌ„ them that make more account of their pleasures and fulfilling of their lusts who make more account of their wealth and riches as it is set downe in the parable of the séede cast in the earth then they do of this grace yea of this rich grace who cleaue vnto the world and loue the world more then God In whose mindes and hearts the God of this world that is to say the diuil doth raigne by his temptations As the Apostle witnesseth writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4. 4. If our gospell and if this grace of God be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ should not shine vnto them And as the world knew him not and his owne people to whom he was sent receiued him not so as many as did receiue him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beléeue in his name and so are partakers of his grace Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Which grace although it hath bine a mistery hid since the world beganne and from all ages yet nowe is made manifest to his saincts to his beloued and those that do receiue him To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of this glorious mistery among the gentiles which riches is Christ the hope of glory in euery one of vs that are saued Whom we preach saith the Apostle admonishing euery one and teaching euery man in all wisdom that wée may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus and that euery one may be capable of this grace For God that commaunded the light to shine out of darkenesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath sent vs foorth to preach that this his grace may euery where appeare Which doth appeare and shewe it selfe to all but so that the repentant sinners the faithfull beléeuers those onely that are made righteous in Christ do receiue the same Who as by this grace they are receiued into the fauour of God their sinnes being forgiuen them so are they not in any sort to take a libertie vnto themselues to sinne againe The lawe entred hereupon that the offence should abound and be made notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded their grace abounded much more That as sin had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sinne yâ— grace may abound God forbid How shal we yâ— are dead to sinne liue yet therein After the Apostle had shewed that by grace the mercy of god wée were saued fréely beloued fréely iustified and made righteous he sheweth also howe we are sanctified that is by practisiing all good workes so continning in this grace As we reade Tit. 3. 8. This is a true saying these things I wil thou shouldest affirm teach that they which haue beléeued in god might be carefull to shew foorth gods workes The good spirit of god and his grace it teacheth vs how we should be sanctified that is by denieng all vngodlinesse worldly lusts also by liuing soverly righteously godly in this present world They who beléeue are also iustified made righteous and they who are iustified yâ— is made righteous are also sanctified made holy This worke therefore of sanctification procéeding from the grace of god is liuely expressed in this text which I haue read vnto you And so much for the generall proposition The grace of God hath appeared vnto 〈◊〉 Vnto this generall proposition may be added thrée other principall parts of this text As first what is the effct of this Diuisicâ— grace that is sanctification wherein this sanctification coÌ„sisteth which is mortification viuification or yâ— I may vse more plaine euident termes in vtterly foresaking the lusts of our flesh our owne will desires imbracing all the is good leading a life agréeable to God his will Which part is set downe in these words teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse worldly lusts and yâ— we should liue soberly and righteously godly in this present world The second part is a perswasion reason mouing vs to this sanctification that is the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of god set downe by the circumstance of Christ his comming At which time the godly shall be receiued in to the kingdome of god in these words looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of the mighty god of our sauiour Iesus Christ The third part setteth downe the cause of this sanctification and yâ— is Christ who hath redéemed and purged vs to his purpose yâ— we might performe all good workes in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs yâ— he might redéeme vs from all iniquitie purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes The grace of god hath appeared vnto all and teacheth vs. In the life of man there are two teachers There is the wicked spirit of the diuil being accompanied The eâ—fect of this grace with our be â—raâ—eng flesh the naughty examples wicked 〈◊〉 of the world this teacher moueth vs to all 〈◊〉 worldly luâ—ts which fight against the soule this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an 〈◊〉 multitude of schollers The other teacher is the spirit of God the grace of God which hath but a fewe followers because yâ— fewe imbrace the godly 〈◊〉 Mortification which 〈◊〉 Of which distinction I might 〈◊〉 stand on bring 〈◊〉 matter of godly edifieng but I leaue 〈◊〉 The grace of God teacheth vs howe farre héeretofore wee haue gone astray and openeth vnto vs howe loâ—t 〈◊〉 but â—aies haue bene wherein wée haue so â—elighted and howe greatly wée haue offended GOD. Whereas otherwise the eies of our vnderstanding are shut vp and we togither with the world and wicked company are carried away And first it sheweth vs how greatly we haue offended concerning religion and the seruice of God mentioned in these words Teaching vs to deny vngodtinesse which hath respect to that dutie we owe vnto God comprehended in the foure first commandements God hath created vs to serue and to worship him and to come to the knowledge of his wil as he
hath appeinted vs in the fourth commandement to kéepe holy the Sabboth day and therein Prophane to heare and meditate in his word But fewe there are that haue this care as they ought to haue nay are there not many that say in their hearts Let God depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of his waies Iob. 21. Who is the Almightie that we should serue him and what profit shall we haue if we pray vnto him They that haue no inward taste and féeling of Gods benefits and from whence all goodnesse commeth but are puffed vp with the conceit of their wealth and worldly helpes they carry this vngodly minde as though they had it not from Gods hand Haus not I built this house for the honour of my maiestie saith Nabuchodonosor Who is the Lord saith King Pharao Exod. 5. 2. that I should heare his voice I know not the Lord. Againe some perceiuing that their praiers are not presently heard grow to this vngodlinesse as to say What profit shall we haue if we pray vnto him Certain it is that God doth not heare all requestes but those that are agréeable to his will And therefore the Apostle S. Iames dooth well take them vp Ye aske saith he and receiue not because ye aske amisse that ye might coÌ„sume it on your lusts The Prophet Dauid also putteth in this eaueat That the Lord doth only heare the praier â— and requests of them that feare him Some thinking yâ— there is no resurrection giue ouer the mselues to all vngodlinesse and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nesse VVisd 2. As the wise man vttereth their spéechâ—â— The 〈◊〉 godly say as they falsly imagine with themselues Our life is short and tedious and in the death of a man there is no recouery neither was any knowne that hath returned froÌ„ the graue For we are borne at all aduenture and we shall be hereafter as though wee had neuer bene The breath is a smoake in our nosthrils and the wordes as a sparke raised out of our heart which béeing extinguished the bodie is turned into ashes and the spirit vanisheth as the softe aire Our life shall passe away like the trace of a cloude and come to naught as the mist that is driuen away with the beames of the Sunne Our name also shall be forgotten in time and no man shall haue our workes in remembrance Our time passeth away as a shaddowe Come therefore and let vs enioy the pleasures that are present Let vs fill our selues with costly wine and oyntment and let not the floure of life and youth passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with rose buddes afore they be withered Let vs be partakers of our wantonnesse and let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euerie place For that is our portion and this is our lot Let vs oppresse the poore that is righteous Let vs not spare the widdow nor reuerence the white haires of the aged that haue liued many yeares Let our strength be the lawe of vnrighteousnesse Concerning the latter day of iudgement this vngodlinesse shall be in the minde of many that they shall thinke there is no such day nor no such time 2. Pet. 3. 3. This first vnderstand that there shall come in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willingly know not that the heauens and earth are reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men No god no heauen no iudgement no hell This is the mind of many If any thing fall out amisse with vs if any crosse or affliction come vppon vs wee are readie with Iobes wife to murmure against God If the world go well with vs and if we be in prosperitie we attribute all our welfare not to Gods good blessing but to blinde fortune and chaunce If our enemies doo hurt vs and doo vs any wrong and iniury we are stirred vp and inflamed as it were in a rage to reuenge it to the vtmost This vngodlinesse is rife in the world and ruleth in our corrupt nature But the grace of God doth teach vs and perswade our harts to deny this and all other kind of vngodlinesse and to haue a reuerent opinion of all matters which concerne God and godlinesse The grace of God it teacheth that there is no heauenly gift where with we are indued but commeth of God who is the fountaine from whence godlinesse learning wisedome and all other excellent gifts doo flow When Gods outward blessings be in aboundance with vs by his grace we know that his prouidence doth enrich vs and not our labour our wisedome or wealth but the bountifull hand of God which is all in all Whereby we are perswaded to loue and feare God to haue a reuerent regard of him to make our praiers vnto him séeing all our welfare and good estate dependeth on his blessings Whereas being voyd of Gods grace and wanting his holy spirit to direct vs and our thoughts with king Pharao we aske who is God and with the wicked sort we say What profit shall we haue if we serue him and pray vnto him because our vnlawfull and vngodly requests be not granted vs. Being throughly instructed by Gods spirit we then learne that there is no meane so effectuall to make God our friend as praier is especially if it be well and rightly vsed as it ought to be And when the feare of God by his grace is planted in our hearts then begin we to know that there is a heauen and the ioyes of heauen reserued for those that doo well and hell and gréeuous torments prepared for them that follow euill waies and are delighted with doing euill And when we knowe and are taught by Gods spirit that all both heauenly and worldly benefits come to vs from God so also we learne that when any crosse or any affliction and trouble and losse and casualtie dooth befall vs that it is gods hand and his pleasure to strike and to punish vs for our sinnes It is the powerfull effect of gods grace to bréede in vs a charitable minde euen towardes our enemies and which teacheth vs that it is Gods will and commaundement that we should forgiue others as we our selues would bee forgiuen But if this alteration and sanctification be not bred in vs by Gods grace that teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse howe were it possible but that with the world we should be most prophanely minded and as a people without God in this present world This word vngodlinesse toucheth not only the prophanesse of our mindes and our heathenish imaginations but hath respect also vnto superstition and all heresies in religion For the darkenesse of our deceiued mindes doth herein go farre astray and are so mightily ouercome by it that diuers nay insinite multitudes are vtterly ouerthrowne hereby As we reade in the
hearts our affections and dispositions the bodie all the actions thereof now are chaunged the whole man is nowe framed to a new man as though he were cast in a new mould Worldly lusts haue their warning to be packing and to goe into exile and banishment and now are good and godly waies imbraced The féeling of sinne and their former euill life bréedes a hatred thereof and the loue of God of vertue and goodnesse which are arguments and tokens of Gods good grace begin to haue the vpper hand And howe ioyfull a thing is it for him that by sicknesse was almost brought to his death to come to health and enioy life A life in sinne is but a sicke life a languishing life and death it selfe so that when we leaue it and the custome thereof we rise againe as it were from the nethermost pit clap our hands for ioy that we sée life before we were vtterly dead And herehence followeth a true amendment of our life whereby we dedicate giue our selues to the seruice of God as in time past we gaue our selues to the seruice of the diuel now righteousnesse holinesse is our delight where before we serued sinne iniquitie They who by the grace of God are brought so farre as to deny their worldly lusts they do daily more and more hate and flie from their sinnes as from a serpent which would sting theÌ„ to death Yea there is also a sorrow in their mindes that they haue so highly displeased offended god Which their sorrow the Apostle doth liuely expresse 1. Cor. 7. 11. For behold saith he this thing that ye haue bene godly sorry what great care it hath wrought in you yea what indignation yea what feare yea howe greate desire yea what zeale yea what punishment Yea then shall we knowe and féele also the working of Gods grace in denying our worldly lusts when there is a true sorrow according to God in our hearts consciences for euery thing which we know to be forbidden by God yea the least matters as all light oathes idle wordes profitable lies or vaine actions and when we féele a study and an endeuour in our selues to auoid the first motions that créepe in our mindes When there is a clearing of ourselues from all suspition by auoiding all appearance of euil when there is an indignation and anger for al such things past and a fear lest through our corruption they should fal out again when there is a great desire to preueÌ„t them a zeale against them and a punishing of them by exercising all due authoritie which God hath giuen vs against sinne and finally when there is a great desire in vs to spende all the rest of our time not according to the will and commaundements of God The denying of our worldly lustes is nothing but the hatred of our sinfull waies which by these thrée reasons will growe to bee moste forcible and effectuall in vs. As first if wee consider that it is the greatest pleasure that can be to the diuel to sée men and women who were created to the image of God to delight more in the workes of darknesse then of light and so with might and maine as they say to make spéede to their owne destruction Secondly if we consider what harme sinne bringeth and how much it hurteth not our selues only but others also through our example According to that saying Mat. 18. 7. Woe be to the world because of offences necessary it is that offences fall out but woe to them by whome they fall out and better it were that a milstone were hanged about their neckes and they throwne into the bottome of the sca The third and last reason by the which the hatred of sin shall grow effectuall in vs is when we call to minde howe foule and horrible a thing it is to gréeue the holy spirit who dwelleth as a guest within vs and by the which we are sealed as it were with a sure pledge against the day of Redemption and of the accomplishment of our saluation 1. Iohn 3. 24. Hereby we know that god by his grace dwelleth in vs euen by his sanctifying spirit which he hath giuen which teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lustes and to liue Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world Thrée good effects and apparant tokens of Gods good Soberlâ— grace sobrietie righteousnesse and godlinesse For whereas before we were giuen to all excesse and riot following our desires in drunkennesse gluttonie lecherie in pride and braue apparell in gathering heaping and couetting other mens goods in carrying a mind altogither not contented with our estate when the grace of God hath fully perswaded our mindes to deny all worldly lusts then wée beginne to frame our mindes to a meane and to a measure knowing that as Gods blessing is in the vse of his creatures so in the abuse and sinfull vsing of them they turne to our curse and vnlesse we amend to our condemnation The propertie of our sinnefull lusts is in all excesse and Lusts therefore it is well said that they that are bewitched with the diuels temptations follow their lusts with gréedinesse but they whose mindes are renued frame themselus to a godly meane and as we say to a golden meane that is wondrous well and in good sort soberly For Sobrietie is nothing else but the right vse of Gods creatures Nature is content with a litle sobrietie asketh no more and when we excéede nature is ouerpressed sobrietie is disgraced and we in so doing by the iudgements of all contemned and despised Great difference there is betwixt necessitie and superfluitie euen as much as betwixt life and death Who knowes it not that of drunkennesse gouts dropsies and such diseases grow which make a man loathsom to other yea to himselfe and he is aweary of his life and so at last his painefull and languishing daies are cut off who might haue liued longer many a faire day What doth gluttonie bring but surfettings and oftentimes a spéedy riddance Therefore it was well said of a wise man Plures gula quaÌ„ gladio periere That is more die by surfetting and distemperature then by the sword and by violent death What séeking there is to the phisitian in such cases whereas sobrietie might be our phisitian if we would followe the rule thereof which is nothing else but to vse a meâ—ne Who liues longer then the ploughman and the countrey man whose diet and fare is but to serue his turne and no more Bibbing and bowling carousing and gurmundizing this is the diuels vadge and the messenger of death Sobrietie teacheth vs that meate and drinke was ordained of God for the sustenaunce of our bodies that we may bee the better able to performe those duties which God hath appointed to euery one of vs in our vocation and not to the satisfying of our pleasures And therefore we are commanded to pray O Lord giue vs our daily
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
5. of the Prouerbs and the 14. verse that Salomon had left his Concubines and vanities before he wrote this booke Therefore to say that the figure of Christ the pen of the holy scripture the man whom God loued the wisest man that euer was and one of the holy Prophets dyed a reprobate is presumption against the word impiety against God wrong to the dead Although because of his gréeuous fall in Idolatry and vncleannesse God left him in disgrace and makes no mention of repentance where he speakes of his death That they which stand may take héede least they fall and sée how easie it is to slip by the example of him that was wiser than they Salomō being wicked and yet saued was a figure of the church whose sinnes are forgiuen Thus hauing found as it were the Mine now let vs dig for the treasure Vanitie of vanities c. This is Salomons conclusion when he had gone through the world and tried all things lyke a spie sent into a straunge country as if he were now come home from his pilgrimage they gather about him to enquire what hée hath heard and séene abroad and what he thinkes of the world and these things which are so loued amongst men like a man in admiration of that which he had séen and not able to expresse particulerly one after another he contracts his newes into a word you aske me what I haue séen and what I haue heard Vanitie saith Salomon And what else Vanitie of vanities And what else All is Vanitie This is the historie of my voyage I haue séene nothing but vanitie ouer the world Carry this for the newes from the Preacher Vanitie of vanities All is Vanitie as if he should say Vanitie and greater Vanitie and more than Vanitie So the further he did go the more vanitie he did sée and the néerer he looked the greater it séemed till at last he could sée nothing but vanitie Whē he was come to this that he did sée all things vain vpon which men set their hearts he was moued with compassion could be silent no longer but néeds he must write to them which séek felicitie as he did in transitory things to warne them y◠they séeke it not any longer in these foolish things which haue no stability nor contentatiō but fly from them to the feare of God which hath the promises of this life and of the life to come Therfore he begins with All is vanitie as if he should say Loue not the world nor y◠things of the world for I haue tried that there is no certainty in them Thus he withdraweth them First from the wrong way and then sets them in the right way to happinesse which he defineth at last to feare God and kéepe his commandements When he had gone through a thousand Vanities then that comes in at the end euen like our repentance which staies till death So his drift is to shewe that mans happinesse is not in these things which we count off but in those things which we defer his reason is that they are all vanitie his proofe is because there is no stabilitie in them nor contentation of mind his conclusion is therfore contemne the world and looke vp to heauen from whence ye came and whither ye shall go This is the scope which Salomon aimes at as though we did all seek happinesse but we go a wrong way vnto it therfore he sounds a retire shewing that if we hold on our course and go forwards as we haue begun we shall not find happinesse but great misery because we go by vanitie Therefore to fright vs out of that way he breakes forth into an exclamation Vanitie of vanities All is vanitie Now Salomon full of wisedome and schooled with experience is licensed to giue his sentence of the whole world For the spiritual man iudgeth all things his iudgment is so certain that it runs before the euidence and cōdemnes all for vanitie before he conuince them to be vain whereas we proue first and condemne after because our words are no authorities he concludes first proue after neither any iudge did condemne so many togither Salomon resolued all the questions of the Quéen Sheba yet Salomō neuer answered so many questiōs at once as now for what can you enquire but heare you haue an answere Aske him as the souldiers and harlots and Publicans asked Iohn What is sin Vanitie saith Salomō What is pleasure Vanitie too What is bewty Vanitie too What is riches Vanitie too What is honor Vanity too What is long life Vanity too This is y◠state of all things after the fall all turned to Vanitie This is no reproch to the things but a shame to him which so abused them y◠all things should be called Vanity for him What a testimony is this of him which should be the onely seruant of God on earth whom he created in righteousnesse and holinesse whom he framed to his owne Image whom he placed in Paradice and would haue raised to heauen to heare that he hath so polluted his life with sinnes that now there is nothing but Vanitie This is a lamentable song which will make him wéep that tunes it if he think what he saith how his state was chaunged since Adam his father died Once God said That all was good and now he saith That all is naught and vaine as though he forbad man that which he created for man That is not Salomons meaning to debarre men from the vse of creatures although all things changed with man and became worse then they were yet he doth here rather shewe that man reapes nothing but Vanitie out of these things by reason of his corruption then that the things themselues are vain if they were well vsed For euen since the creation Paule saith 1. Tim. 4. That euery creature of God is good and nothing is to be reiected if it be receiued or vsed with thanks giuing for it is sanctified by the word of God prayer That is it which maketh them profitable to vs which because it is wanting for the moste part therefore Salomon saith that all are vaine to vs not vaine of themselues but because they are not sanctified as they should be Therfore in the 2. 24. the 3. 12. and 22. the 5. 17. the 8. and 15. hée shewes a way how we may make a profit of all and reioyce in our labours and finde a lawfull pleasure in earthly things so often hée calles vs to the vse least we should erre as the Monkes Erenits haue done before mistaking these words whē he saith That all is Vanitie they haue forsaken all company and gouernment and Office and trade and got themselues into the wildernesse amongst beasts to liue in quiet silence saying that men could not liue in the world and please God bicause all is vanitie So while they counted all things vain they became vain themselues left those blessings which Salomō enioyed after his
that he might learne to feare the Lord his God No maruell if the Quéen of the Ethiopians chiefe gouernour Acts. 8. had a desire to read the scripture hauing happily heard the commendation therof No maruell if the noble men of Berea did diligently reade the scripture because they were throughly perswaded that it was the doctrine of life and the power of saluation And this is one of the waightiest and most profitable spéeches that euer our Sauiour vttered Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life And they are they which testifie of mee Which sentence diuideth it selfe into these two principall parts whereof the first is a commandement Search the Scriptures The second is an effectuall reason to moue vs to the fulfilling of that commandement For in them ye thinke to haue eternall life c. In the commandement we may consider our vnwillingnesse to search Secondly the manner how we should search Thirdly the great hinderances that keepe vs backe from searching The connsel of a friend is good but the heart of a man is froward against good counsell so that where he loueth dearly he wisheth that to his counsell he could adde a commaundement Therefore the holie spirit of God and our redéeming friende knowing howe slowe and howe vnwilling we are to take good counsell taketh vppon him to commaund vs to so good a worke as is greatly for our behoofe as though counsell were not sufficient nay scarce to commaund would serue For as the flesh and the world for the most part haue the vpper hand and Gods good spirit is welny quenched so heanenly matters are of base account and the desires of the world preuaile and carry vs whither they would Forgo all saith Christ to the young man and giue to the poore but he went away sad and heauy They that are worldly minded and are not touched with yeloue of God cannot loue his word and if they be willed and spoken to neuer so much to search the word of God yet they cannot heare Wisedome crieth in the stréetes to them that passe by and euery one passeth by and do not regard because that vanitie is in their eyes and in their mindes and in their hearts so that wisedom can find no place nor such a soule as shall bid it welcome and giue it entertainment If we had had but half a word or half a counsell to search after wealth and riches although it were into far countries we should refuse no labour if to séeke for honour and promotion euery one wold haue thought himself worthie to weare a crowne if to séeke for pleasures who would not haue followed the lure Nay who would not prease and throng to get in although the gate were neuer so straight But whē it comes to search the scriptures to learne the word of God euerie one hath this shift I pray thée haue me excused As though the waies of death were the waies of life and he that shuld counsell vs to search the word of God were rather our enemy then our friend As the Apostle speaketh to the Galathians Am I therefore become your enemy because I wish you well He that reproueth a man shall finde more fauour at the last then he that flattereth with his tongue and he that searcheth the word of God shall finde more comfort at the last then all the delights of the world could affoord him Many that haue gone astray and liued in the displeasure of God when they haue harkened vnto the word of God they haue bene so altered in minde and purpose that thencefoorth they haue determined with themselues to take a new course and to liue in the feare of GOD. For the word of God is forcible to beget vs a new life What age is more licentious and giuen to naughtie wayes then youth is and yet the word of God is of such vertue that it is able to tame their disordered humours Else the Prophet Dauid would not haue verified the same Psalme 119. 9. Wherewithall saith he shall a yoong man redresse his way euen by taking heede thereto according to thy word And the Apostle Saint Paule also witnesseth the like effect in the commendation of Timothy in that he had knowne the holy scriptures of a child which had made him forgoe and forsake the disordered course of vnbrideled youth and had furthermore made him wise vnto saluation Well wée are counselled and commaunded to search the word of God yet where there is one to giue vs that counsell there is a hundreth to drawe vs backe For as where God hath his Church the Diuell also hath his chappell so as God hath his sauing the word the diuell hath destroying bookes inough Hée workes with the flesh and the flesh ouercommeth the spirit as Eue did Adam when she brought him to his destruction When the Preacher is at his Sermon you shall sée some fewe to heare but goe to the stage Playes and you shall finde multitudes If it be an amorous booke or of pastime and mirth euerie one hath it in his hand but if the word of God be laide before vs we count it a matter too solemne and will not vouchsafe to reade it The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God and the nature of man is giuen to hate that knowledge that leadeth to God But as for the want of the knowledge of the word of God many perish so because they refuse to search it whereby their euil waies may be redressed and they kept in the feare of God therefore god giueth them vp to a reprobate sence to followe wickednesse euen with gréedinesse and to fall into foule and hainous offences Because there is no knowledge of God in the land saith the Prophet Hosea 4. 12. they breake out by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring and bloud toucheth bloud and one sinne and mischiefe commeth after an other What followeth such matters our consciences will giue vs to consider and we cannot be ignorant what is like to fall out If they were wise saith the Prophet Moses they would consider their latter end and if the vanitie of folly did not too much raigne within vs we would séeke after wisedome and not be slow to search the word of God But let vs leaue them that care not for this knowledge The maner how to search and so care not for an other life so that they may liue in this world at their pleasure let vs leaue them to their fancies which at length will deceiue them and to their vanities wherein they are delighted And as for them who haue any hearts to read the word of God indéed whose hearts God hath touched and moued thereunto let vs searche and set downe the best way how they may bee directed in the reading thereof that it may tende moste to their profit First therefore as holy things must not be touched with VVith reuerence vnwashen hands according to the prouerbe so must we
the iniuring and oppressing of our neighbours to do good to all and by little and little it draweth vs not onely to the loue thereof but euen with an earnest purpose of mind we are therby wonne to take that way that leadeth to euerlasting life For it mortifieth our sinfull desires by shewing vs the It mortifieth sinfull desires bitter punishments that remaine and that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of God that are led by them Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies for the wages of sin is death that is the euerlasting death of bodie soule Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God God is not mocked for what we sowe that shall we reape for he that soweth to his flesh and followeth his fleshly desires shall therehence reape corruption and woe but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting For we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill And blessed are they that doo his commandements that their right may be in the trée of life and may enter in through the gates into y◠Citie For without shall bedogs inchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies Finally to whom it shall be said Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuel and his angels It abateth and restraineth sin within vs as we reade Psal It worketh bettering 119. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Through the reading of thy word I got vnderstanding therefore I hate all wicked waies Yea they that are godly minded and painful and diligent in searching the scriptures with a desire by Gods grace to profit by them they for the most part bring foorth such plentifull good fruit to godward and such an vpright conuersation to the world that in their faith beliefe to God and in their life to men they séeme in a maner blamelesse without fault although indéed while we liue in this world we are compassed with many infirmities and greatly pressed with the burthen of our sinnes which doo so hang and cleaue so fast vnto vs. By the reading whereof and the working of Gods good spirit in our hearts and consciences and in our liues and conuersation wee beginne to bee altered and chaunged into that which wee reade And we become daily lesse and lesse proude lesse wrathfull lesse couetous and lesse desirous of worldly and vaine pleasures And daily forsaking our olde vicious life we encrease in vertue more and more Well therefore may the word of God Iames 1. 21. be called a sauing word which is able thus to saue vs by bringing vs in hate of sinne and bréeding in vs the loue of God and all goodnesse So that we may say with the Prophet Dauid Thy word is the verie ioy of my heart It teacheth vs to be heauenly minded and to prepare our selues to heauen by setting the vanities of the world Prepareth vs vnto heauen before our eyes and the ende of the worlde and howe we should watch against that time that we be not condemned with the world Loue not the world saith Saint Iohn nor the things that are in the word For the loue of the worlde driueth out the loue of God but he that regardeth the word of God and fulfilleth his will abideth in GOD for euer whereas the world and all the vanities thereof doo perish and fade away 2. Pet. 3. 10. 11. The day of the Lord meaning thereby the latter day will come as a théefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyce and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Séeing therefore that all these things must be dissolued what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines being prepared to heauen and heauenly minded Take heed to your selues watch and pray continually that ye may escape those things that shall fall on the world and that ye may stand before the sonne of man not tremblingly but with great ioy and comfort Aduersitie misery crosses and troubles through griefe VVorketh patience in all worldly miserie◠and thought cast many away but they that are practised in reading the word of God know that there is nothing more auaileable to lift vp our hearts to Godward and to settle our mindes there whereas true ioyes are to be found then is the reading of the word of God Many fret and fume and vexe themselues when losse of goods and friends and other such worldly helpes doo ouertake them but the word of God doth bréede a quiet and contented mind as to say with Iob Naked came I into the world and naked shall I go out The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord And to say with the Apostle Saint Paule Phil. 4. 11. 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content and I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be ful to be hungry and to abound and to haue want all which I am able to do through the helpe of Christ which strengthen me Godlines is great riches and a contented minde passeth all resoluing with our selues according to the direction of Gods word that God worketh all for the best to them that loue and feare him That which doth ouerthrow some and cast them in their graues through the fault of their owne impatient minds worketh wonderously in other some which haue recourse and séeke counsell in Gods word as to ioyne them vnto God and to bring them out of the loue of the world and all the vanities thereof And as he wisheth to the Colos so let vs desire that we may be strengthened through his glorious power vnto al patience with ioyfulnes giuing thanks vnto the father who hath requited all griefs and troubles all losses all miseries with a farre greater recompence in this that he hath made vs méete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light As the word of God doth strengthen vs in all worldly Maketh vs indure persecution death it selfe miseries to take all things with a contented and patient minde so euen in the losse of our liues for the defence of a good cause and Gods truth it moketh vs ioyfull and excéeding glad As some when they were whipped and scourged for the profession of Christ endured it with ioyfull mindes and praising God that they were counted worthie to suffer for his truth Reioycing in
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
and I will make this Cittie a curse to all the nations of the earth The destruction of this Citie shall be a matter of feare and wonder and shall be continually in euery mans mouth as an example of the reuenge that the lord hath wrought Worship the lord in the glorious Sanctuary tremble before him all the earth Say among the nations The lord raigneth surely he shall iudge the people In the tenth Chapter to the Hebr. The Lord shal iudge his people Before whose iudgement seate we shall all appeare to receiue those things which we haue done in our bodies according to that we haue done whether it be good or euill As the wise man in his booke called Eccle. putteth vs in mind Reioyce ô yoong man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but knowe that for all these thinges God will bring thee to iudgement If thou set light by and disobey that which I command thee I am the Lorde thou shalt not escape when I shall shewe my selfe from heauen with my mightie Angelles in flaming fire rendering vengeance and paying euerie one according to his desertes The Lorde the Lorde shall appeare in glorie when hee commeth to iudgement and all his holie Angels with him And before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall seperate them one from an other as a shepheard seperateth the shéepe from the goates and he shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the goates on the left Vnto the goates that is to them that haue disobeyed him he shal say Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels And if god spared not the angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse to be kept vnto damnation and spared not the old world but brought the floud vpon the vngodly and turned the Citties of Sodome and Gomorra into ashes coÌ„demned them and ouerthrew them and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly Surely the Lord as yet and from this day vnto the end of the world will reserue the wicked and vniust vnto the day of iudgement vnto punishment The Lord shall consume them with the fire of his wrath and render vppon their heads their owne waies and they shall knowe how true and certaine this is that he is the Lorde For in his hand is a cuppe and the wine is redde it is full mixt and he powreth out of the same Surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs thereof Therfore are we willed to lead our liues before the Lord in feare and trembling considering how dreadfull the Lord is As saith the Prophet Dauid My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am affraid of thy iudgements Knowing therfore the terrour of the Lord and his fearfull iudgement we perswade men that they haue a diligent regard to that which the Lord hath commanded And séeing that the Lord shall come in such dreadfull maner to iudge the vngodly and disobedient what maner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse And being fully perswaded thorof let vs be diligent that we may be found of him without spot and blamelesse And let vs marke what is written in the last words of the book of Salomon called Ecclesiastes his words are these Let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole dutie of man For God wil bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Thus much you haue heard concerning his sacred and Strong fearefull maiestie wherein also the force of his power doth shewe it selfe and yet it is further expressed in that hée is said to be strong Which especially is to be séene in his punishments where I might bring in manifolde and infinit examples of plagues against the wicked procéeding from his iust anger whereby the Lord hath shewed his mightie power and declared his maiestie to be most dreadfull and full of force As among the rest were most notorious the drowning of the old world and the burning of Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone from heauen This his mightie power did not the Lorde make knowne onely to straungers but euen to his owne people in making the earth to open and swallow vp some the fire to burne and consume others a mightie great plague to make a riddance of them firie serpents to sting them to death for their murmuring and rebellion that they also might confesse and acknowledge the mightie power of the Lord. And to declare howe strong hee is he maketh mention of his thrée great plagues the Sword and Famine and the Pestilence wherby not a fewe but thousands and infinit multitudes perish when it pleaseth God to strike by them as we may read in diuers places of the scriptures well knowne to them that are but meanely séene in them Againe this is a great argument to proue how strong he is that when one punishment is sent and past and gone he can send another and another in the necke of the same and still increase his power by adding and doubling and multiplying For as his mercies haue no ende so his iudgements cannot be numbred And where his anger is â—â—â—led there his power groweth stronger and stronger In the Prophecie of Iere. cap. 15. 2. 3. The Lord instructeth the Prophet what he shall answere the Iewes that had so greatly prouoked his wrath And if they say vnto thée Whither shall we depart then tell them Thus saith the Lord Such as are appointed vnto death vnto death and such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie And I will appoint ouer them foure kinds saith the Lord. The sword to sley and the dogs to teare in pieces the foules of the heauen to deuouâ— and the beasts of the earth to destroy He might haue gone further in reckoning vp his plagues and neuer bene wearied in throwing downe his thunderbolts That proud and hard hearted king Pharaoh that said Who is the lord that I should heare his voyce I know not the lord The lord that he might make manifest his power shewed himself to this wicked king in diuers plagues punishments Which were such that one excéeding an other one was more greeuous then an other The waters of his land being turned into blood the earth couered with frogges the dust of the earth chaunged into lice the aire replenished with great swarmes of flies the hand of the lord was vpon their beasts and cattle and they died by a mightie great murrain there came a scab-breaking out into blisters vppon man and vppon beast the lord sent lightning and thunder and haile mixed with
I wil some say if such a man of honour and worship were my friend or if I had the fauour of such a rich and wealthie man I might haue some helpe of maintenance from him and I should be sure whatsoeuer fel out that he would stand me in steed he wold sée me take no wrong he would speake for me and spende his mony in my behalfe he would not refuse me if I or any friend of mine stood in néede of him Mens mindes be changeable and friends be deceitfull and nothing so vncertaine as to trust in man I speake not against them that are carefull to procure friendes in all good sort but fo◠a man to put his whole staie and trust in friends is not only an offence to God but sometimes yea and oftentimes it so falleth out that it is but a vaine helpe and as a broken staffe How fled Iobes friends from him in his misery In prosperitie a friend cannot bee vnknowne for then they flocke as doues to a house but in aduersitie the number is verie small euen as one swallow which cannot make a summer Prou. 19. 7. The friends of the poore will depart from him though he be instant with words to haue comfort from them yet will they yeeld none Who wil vouchsafe to looke vppon him that is in neede and in aduersitie lightly a mans very friend will then forsake him There is an other distrust as faultie as the former as when a man is carefull more then néedes and so pensiue that it weares him away That care which is in a measure and agréeable to Gods will is to be commended as when men trauaile painfully to get their liuing in that vocation wherein God hath placed them but otherwise it is to be reprooued For by that care we grow greatly into the distrust of Gods gratious prouidence which distrust our Sauiour Christ doth much speake against Which of you saith he by taking care can adde one cubit vnto his stature Behold the soules of the heauen they sow not neither do they reape nor carry into the barnes yet your heauenly father feedeth them It is written in the lawe of Moses Thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corn Dooth God take care for oxen Or saith hee it not for our sakes Doubtlesse it is written for our sakes For God in making the lawe had principall respect vnto men But if thou wouldest faine knowe how thou maist auoyd this distrust our Sauiour Christ doth also instruct thée saying Take no thought that is take no thought more then ordinary in extraordinary vnmeasurable sort If thou wouldest haue God to serue thy turne and shew thée the meanes of thy maintenance and reliefe his counsell is first to séeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse that is how to serue and please him And then behold all these things shall be ministred and cast vnto thée so that thou shalt not haue any such great cause to care but that thou maist well disburthen thy selfe and cast all thy extraordinary care vpon God And in so dooing Cast all your care vpon God saith the Apostle and he will care for you Who will comfort them that are comfortlesse and prouide for them that stand in néede That olde and godly Tobit may be our example who hauing had often triall hereof spake comfortably to his sonne and with a stedfast mind in GOD Feare not saith he forasmuch as wee are made poore for thou hast many things if thou feare God and flie from sin and doo the thing which is acceptable in his fight So that in what want and distresse so euer wee bee let vs not breake foorth into discontend spéeches but togither with painfull indeuoure let vs make our moste heartie and earnest requests vnto God our Father who in due time will performe that which wée pray vnto him for if he sée that it bee profitable for vs. Matters greatly vnlooked for and as it were vnpossible dooth God worke for them and in their behalfe who put their whole trust and confidence in him For either hée will raise them friendes of straungers or make yea sometimes their verie enemies to take pittie and compassion on them and to doo them some good or take away the wicked that the godly may enioy their great wealth and possessions And who can recken vp the meanes that God hath in store For alasse what a miserable case were it if a man should bee left to himselfe destitute and forlorne Let vs looke backe to our childhood and infancie and we shall be assured of comfort For before that God woulde haue anie of vs to liue and breathe in this world we sée that hée prouided parents and friends and nurses and houses and comforts and whatsoeuer might Conclusion be néedfull for vs. And therefore from our cradle to our graue such helpes cannot want if we loue and serue him Marke Gods care for other creatures If he giue foode to the asse in drie and barreine groundes If in due season be satisfie the rauens when they cry and call to him being pincht with hunger If he suffer not the roaring lion to want that is ready to starue for although they haue inough to day yet know they not what shall be their foode to morrow or where to haue it before God send it If he shewed vnto Hagar and to her childe being readie to perish for thirst in the wildernesse a well of water when she thought no other but present death If hee cloath the lily with royall array which is to day in the field and to morrow is cast into the ouen that is to say a thing in a manner of no account Howe much more will hee prouide for mankinde who hath created all thinges for their vse profit and comfort The earth is the Lords and all that therein is and they that liue in his feare shall not want where euer they be The Lord is my shepheard saith the Prophet and therefore can I lacke nothing As Iacob saide The Lord is mercifull to me and therefore I haue all thinges Hee shall feede me in a greene pasture and leade mee foorth by the waters of comfort Yea thou shalt prepare a table for mee against them that trouble mee Psal 23. Thou hast annointed my head with oyle and my cuppe shall be full Sée what plentie followeth a stedfast trust in gods prouidence The full perswasion whereof is also a staffe and a staie vnto vs to auoyd all iniury and hurt The Prophet Dauid in the example of his owne person dooth greatly comfort vs. The Lorde is my helpe I will not feare what man can do vnto me the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be affraid When the wicked euen my enemies and my foes came vpon me to eate vp my flesh they stumbled and fell Though an hoste of men were laide against me yet shall not my heart be affraied and though there
not imagine that there are more gods then one because God said Let vs make but rather the authoritie of the Trinitie is proued vnto vs that though there be thrée persons in the Godhead yet there is but one God For as God the father createth so is God the sonne the wisedome of all the creation and from God the holy Ghost procéedeth the vertue and power of all things The excellent qualities of the soule and wherein the image of God consisteth is especially to be séene in these two points namely Holinesse and Holinesse and Righteousnesse Righteousnesse yet furthermore they had Frée-will and by their creation were immortall and frée from death and last of all God gaue vnto them this great priviledge as to haue the soueraigntie the rule and gouernment ouer all his creatures By which we plainly vnderstand that our first parents in their time were frée from all sinne which time is called their time of innocency In respect whereof Salomon searching the nature of man and comparing the time of his iniquitie to the time of his innocency doth thus pronounce of him Onely loe this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought many inuentions and are gone astray through their owne foolishnesse and so are the cause of their owne destruction and are fallen away from the image of God which hee had planted in them The image of God consisteth in the depth of wisedome in the vnmeasurablenesse of power in the infinitnesse of his goodnesse and mercy being perfect holy perfect righteous doing all things according to the pleasure of his own will in whom onely dwelleth life and immortalitie The most of which qualities if not all man at the first was indued withall which were and are in God in the highest degrée but to man they were giuen onely in a measure and in a farre inferiour degrée and that with a condition if so be hee did continue in the obedience of gods commaundements This image of God in our first parents is nothing else but the natural conformitie and disposition of the soule and of all the functions powers and operations thereof vnto the lawe of god whereby fréely and voluntarily it inclineth vnto true and perfect holinesse and righteousnesse that according to that rule he might serue god his Creator all the dayes of his life For as god is a spirit so will he be worshipped in spirit and truth and in sinceriie of heart and minde hating all manner of counterfait and false worship wherunto the nature of man is now too much inclined and had rather worship any thing then god himselfe Also his dealing to his neighbour should bee inst and vpright but such are vanished out of the world and now there is nothing but subtiltie and craft and wrongfull dealing and all iniury and oppressien practised good hearbes are plucked vp and nothing is now to be séene but wéedes The holinesse that god requireth of vs and according to the which our mindes and hearts were first framed is the holy obedience and true worship of god ioyned with a sincere loue of god procéeding from an effectuall faith in the knowledge of God his word and his works In stéed wherof now ratgneth idolatry the loue of the world and worldly lustes the ignorance of God his word is more rife then the knowledge of the same and none more accepted then they that most despise it The righteousnesse also which God nowe requireth and wherwith we are inabled is such a louely respect and friendly regard of our neighbours that we haue care of them as of our selues and wish no otherwise vnto them then to our selues and doo vnto them as we would other should do vnto vs and that not outwardly for a fashion but inwardly and from the heart not in a word onely but in déed yea in our thought secrets This holinesse and righteousnesse was once planted but neuer came to perfect growth the good corne is choked vp and as we say il wéeds grow apace The dayes of this present euill worlde are such that now the age wherein we liue may well be termed an iron age and worse if worse may be in respect of the first age and the beginning of the worlde which time was a golden and precious time when the hearts and mindes of men were as fine and pure as golde or if there bee any thing that may bee saide to be more pure Now is there a vaile cast ouer our mindes and consciences our faces are couered as it were with visors and a thicke skinne is growne ouer the heart all shame is banished and a holie minde and a true and sound heart is either very rare or no where to be founde Which in the beginning was not so So that now we had néede daily to haue these wordes often repeated vnto vs. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle Who shall rest in thine holy mountaine and bee receiued into heauen when this life is ended None but suche as walke vprightly and woorke righteousnesse and that speake the truth from their heart Who doo not abuse their tongue in slaundering nor doo any euill to their neighbours nor receiué and beléeue a false report against them In whose eyes a vile and wicked person is contemned and who maketh much of them that feare the Lord who performeth his oath and chaungeth not his mind although it be to his owne hinderance Who giue not their money to vsury séeking thereby the vndooing and vtter impouerishing of their neighbors who take no rewarde against the innocent or stande against them and doo them harme And they that doo these things and whatsoeuer else may stand with an vpright conscience in the feare of God they shall neuer bee mooued that is they shall not be cast from Gods presence as they shall bee that doo the contrary but their part shall bee in the kingdome of heauen and their soules onely shall rest among the blessed soules Let vs looke into our first creation and let that be our example and our patterne and let that be the high way for vs to walke in In the soule of man there are two especiall parts first his vnderstanding and reason secondly his will and desire and all the motions affections and inclinations that procéede from the same His vnderstanding by his creation was furnished with all knowledge méete and conuenient for him so that hée néeded not any to teach him but God had endued him with that knowledge which might haue well directed him chiefly in those things that pertaine to the worship and seruice of God to his owne saluation and the benefite of his neighbour And not only his vnderstanding and reason was fraught with all knowledge but his will also and his desire was most readie to performe the worship of God his will and desire was most readie to the obedience of Gods commandements Then by his vnderstanding hee was able to discerne the trueth perfectly
the loathsome end of the Emperour Arnolphus whose flesh and entrailes were eaten vp of lice and nothing left vneaten saue onlie his griftles and his bones although the phisitians did their best who can doe nothing when God saith nay and hindereth their working by not giuing effect to the same A king deuoured of rattes and an Emperour of lice mightie rulers and great gouernours and yet had no power ouer such weake creatures God did not vouchsafe them to end there liues by sickenesse or sword or famine or pestilence but that they might be more odious and detestable and of infamous memory to the world and all succéeding ages it was Gods wil that thus they should be deuoured and that their sin should not be vnpunished and that mightie men should be plagued by Gods hand who otherwise séeme to be lawlesse That Emperours and Kings Nobles and Magistrates and all the great ones of the world may not think that they shall escape scotfrée but as they are mightie so are their mightier then they Thus according to that small skill that it hath pleased God to graunt me I haue brieflly discoursed of those principall matters comprehended in the image of God in man being created in righteousnesse and holinesse hauing Fréewill at the first and furthermore crowned with immortalitie and fréedome from death and lastly the priuiledge soueraigntie and gouernment ouer all Gods creatures then being graunted vnto him of God And this is that happie estate wherein man was created and whiche for a time he did enioy but he did not long continus therein Who through his owne fault and disobedience fell away from so great giftes and graces and blessings God graunt that both our hearts and mindes may be so framed from day to day to the image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse and all good and vertuous quallities that God may bee glorified in vs and by vs and that our Frée will workes which are nothing else but inclinations to sinne may from time to time be redressed vntil that sinne and the corruption thereof which lieth hid in our hearts may at the last be rooted out that so we may be partakers of that immortalitie and fréedom from death which by reason of sin we haue lost and are now for the same cause hindered from Finally that we may obtaine that priuiledge rule and gouernment not ouer beastes which is but for a time but ouer our beastly affections and sinfull desires which are rise in vs and now preuaile and haue the vpper hand that they may be cut off for euer and that we may neuer displease God And that at length we may come to that place where we may continue alwaies in giuing thankes vnto him and setting foorth his praises where we may enioy the presence of God with the full fruition of all happinesse and where we shall sée and behold him as he is face to face To God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost c. Deo gratia solique gloria Of Iustification The knowledge of our miserie A comfort in our downfall The ftaie the happie estate and the life of a regenerate man taken out of the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Romanes THe righteousnesse of man is as a defiled polluted and menstruous cloth whereby we become hatefull vnto Our mindes are corrupt by Idolatry God For when we should glorifie God in his creatures perceiuing in them his eternall goodnesse wisedome and power yet we turne the truth of God into a lie worshipping the creature in steade of the Creator which is blessed for euer Then also are we vnrighteous and most wicked in our liues For there is none of vs that Our liues shamefull by our wicked behauiour vnderstandeth and séeketh after God yea willingly from whence floweth all wickednesse wee forget God none that dooth good contemning God and admiring our selues béeing puft vp with vaine cogitations farre from the obedience of God Our féete are swift to shead blood and our throate is an open sepulchre we are deceitfull and our tongues are filled therewith wee are giuen to all crueltie and oppression destruction and calamitie are in our waies and the way of peace haue we not knowne the feare of God is not before our eyes Yea wée doo not only commit those thinges our selues which we knowe are woorthie death and are condemned by the lawe of GOD but also fauoure them that doo them And this is the state of man being left vnto himselfe in which estate euen the regenerate should be inwrapped if god All subiect to condemnation and so vnder the mercy of God did not correct ther wickednes So that by nature being without Christ we are shut from the kingdome of God as obstinate stubburne and rebellious persons a people that cannot repent but goe on still in our wickednesse and are aliaunts and straungers from the common-weale of Israel and depriued of the blessings of God and are all as condemned personnes vnlesse it please God to drawe vs vnto him and for our stonie heart to giue vs a fleshly heart that may resolue it self into teares and vnlesse it please God to forgiue vs our sinnes and to renue our corrupt hearts Most true therefore is that generall proposition of S. Paule For there is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of god euen of eternall life and happinesse whereat all of vs doe aime Now séeing the heart of man is deceitfull and who can knowe it Séeing there lurketh many starting holes therein and that the braunches are indued with the selfe-same sappe that commeth Although we be not iust by nature yet we would seeme to be iust by condemning other from the roote I meane séeing we are readie to excuse our selues in our owne wickednesse by accusing of others as did our forefather and our first roote Adam and that the nature of man is to cleare himselfe and to hide his sinnes from god being giuen to all hipocrisie and that he is ready to iustifie himselfe by condemning other albeit he commit not hainous sinnes such as are mentioned Those that might otherwise thinke themselues iust being compared to the lawe are wicked in the latter end of the first chapter nor giue consent vnto them yea although he shewe himselfe a professed enemie to those vices yet because he is not altogither frée from them or at leastwise tainted with some of them if he consider his estate he cannot shewe any defence for himselfe So that by his fained and hipocriticall kind of righteousnesse first he is in excusable secondlie he incurreth the iudgement of God which is according to truth against them which commit such things thirdly he despiseth the riches of his bountfulnesse patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth him to repentaunce The effect of which his hipocrisie is this that after his hardnesse and heart that cannot repent hée heapeth vp as a treasure vnto
God for if righteousnesse be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Rom. 10. 4. For Christ is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beléeueth And chapter 11. 5. 6. Euen so then at this present time is there a remnant through the election of grace And if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Ephe. 2. 4. 5. 8. 9. 10. But God which is rich in mercie 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 For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of god Not of woorkes least any man should boast himselfe But that we should be carefull to shewe foorth good workes therefore hée speaketh in the next verse Verse 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them 1. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was 1. Pet. 2. 12. And haue your conuersation honest among the gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifle god in the day of the visitation Perseuerance in faith is requisite vnto saluation Mat. 10. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name But hee that endureth to to the ende shall be saued Mat. 24. 45. Blessed is that seruant whom his maister shall finde so doing Now we need not feare lest this doctrine make vs negligent or dissolute For this peace of conscience whereof we speake ought to be distinct and seperate from foolish securitie and he that is the sonne of God seeing he is moued and gouerned by the spirit of God wil neuer through the consideration of Gods benefit take occasion of negligence and dissolution Rom. 5. 1. 2. Then being iustified by faith we haue peace toward god through our Lord Iesus Christ By whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of god Rom. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. Therfore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the déeds of the body by the spirit ye shall liue For as many as are ledde by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Ephe. 1 4. Aâ— he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue 2. Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind 1. Iohn 3. 20. 21. 24. If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things Beloued if our heart condemne vs not then haue wée boldnesse towards God For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby wée know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit which hée hath giuen vs. This matter of Predestination is obscure aboue all others vnto the wit of man but opened and reuealed vnto vs by the word of God The Scripture therfore witnesseth that they that are predestinate vnto saluation are first called and that so effectually that they heare and beleeue and fructifie then also are they iustified and sanctified and in the life to come glorified Iohn 6. 44 45. No man can come vnto me except the father which hath sent me drawe him by the force of gods word and by the secret working of his spirit And I will raise him vp at the last day As it is written in the Prophets And they shall be taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father commeth to me Acts. 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church by the Apostles preaching from day to day such as should be saued Iohn 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. â—ée beléeue not for ye are not of my shéepe as I said vnto you My shéepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall ueuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand My father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand 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 eternall life beléeued And chap. 16. 14. And a certaine woman named Lidia a celler of purple of the city of the Thyatirians which worshipped God heard vs whose heart the Lord opened that she attended vnto the things that Paul spake Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye shall heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation according to the day of temptation in the wildernesse And. chapt 42. For vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Consider by litle and litle and try diligenly if thou be iustified and sanctified in Christ through faith For these two be the effects or ftuites whereby the faith is knowne which is their cause 2. Cor. 13. 5. Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith examine your selues knowe ye not your owne selues except ye be reprobates Rom. 8. 30. Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified As for this thou shalt partly knowe by the spirit of Adopion which crieth within thee Abba father Gal. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. That hée might redéeme them which were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts which crieth Abba father Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Nowe if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of GOD through Christ Rom. 8. 15. For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father And partly by the vertue and effect of the same spirit which is wrought in thee Rom. 16. 17. The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of god and heires annexed with Christ 1. Iohn 3. 24. For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he
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
declare how he will deale with his people whē iudgement righteousnesse cannot be found among them That is he will break downe the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe he will take away the hedge and it shall be eaten vp By the vine is vnderstood the common-weale by the wall and by the hedge fortresses and castles and bulwarkes which shall be of no greater force with vs to defende vs if iustice bee not ministred in the lande then the walles of Ierico which fell downe of their owne accord no man touching them but onely God appointing it to be so We sée then what cause Magistrates haue to watch ouer euill and what occasion we haue to commend vnto God by feruent praier that they may sincerely serue the Lord in so great a calling lest the whole lande should be arrained before the iudgement seate of the highest and all founde guiltie and all punished Thus ye haue heard generally what is meant by liuing Euery one particularly to another righteously being set downe in the duties of them to whom principally it pertaineth Secondarily more néerly it toucheth the state of euery one particularly For we are all of vs seuerally particularly to deale righteously with our brethren in all our conuersation with them whereby we should declare the loue we beare vnto them And the Lord hath appointed vs not only to shewe this loue vnto them but also the things that be deare vnto them as goods and good name euen to these hath the Lord bounde vs as well as to their persons For wee must intermedle one with another and find succour one from another And their name and goods by his appointment go through our hands and charge as well as his person and must finde succour there This is the charge from God that when any thing of theirs passeth through our hands it finde that affection towards it which may giue testimony of our brotherly good wil to them and witnesse our obedience vnto God And the same God that forbiddeth the murther of his bodie forbiddeth also the stealth of his goods And the same God the hath bound our loue good affectiō ouer to his body hath in like maner done it towards his goods Hardly shall any man be perswaded that he is louing vnto him who is impairing him in any thing that is deare vnto him alwaies gaining by his losse The poore man whose mony must passe through the hands of the merchant the farmer the draper mercer and such like by that time that euery one ouerselling his commodities hath gottē a fliece he bringeth the sweat of his brows that is his blood which he hath plenteously powred out and made no spare of it throughout the whole yeare into a narrow roome Neither can he giue a true report of any loue he founde at their handes more then one might finde at the hand of a Turke or Infidell In the 25. chapter of Leuiticus the people of God are charged not to oppresse one an other in buying and selling Wherein the lawe of conscience and equitie should be shewed so that a man should not too much regarde himselfe only and his owne commoditie but also the estate and welfare of an other By which commandement of God it is apparant that it was not lawfull for a man to take whatsoeuer he could get without regard what a bargain his neighbour was like to haue at his hands We are exhorted by the Apostle to make conscience of such matters in the 1. Thess 4. Let no man oppresse or defraud his brother in anything for euen the Lord is a reuenger of such things Know ye not saith Saint Paul that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6. 9. And what right hath any man to another mans money not giuing him the value or woorth of it in wares or merchandise Be not deceiued saith the holy Ghost in the same place neither théeues couetous persons nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God The want and and default of equitie and conscience in this behalfe is notably taxed and touched by Salomon Prouer. 20. It is naught it is naught saith the buyer but when he is gone apart he boasteth Such is our naturall corruption through the which euery man would haue regarde only of himselfe euen without any respect of another When not only his owne thoughts but euen his owne words also doo oftentimes condemne his dealing both of iniury and dissimulation Better it were for vs if our conscience were more vpright For our carefull walking in the waies of righteousnesse haue plentifull promises of blessings from the Lord. So that if his word be of any credit with vs we may be well assured that by such dealings our gaines will growe to be the greatest Hée that walketh in his integritie saith Salomon Prou. 20. 7. is iust and blessed shall his children be after him And 20. 21. Hée that followeth after righteousnesse mercy shall find life righteousnesse and glory And 28. 20. A faithfull man shall abound in blessings But let vs marke what followeth But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent Noting thereby that suddaine wealth and riches lightly commeth neuer by honest dealing but for the most part by iniury and oppression whereby although they be rich and wealthie yet are they hated The order that is here obserued in the text may in no wise be neglected For sobrietie is set before righteousnesse in this place We must liue soberly and righteously saith the Apostle Without sobrietie and temperance righteous and iust dealing cannot be holden vp and mainteined For if a man haue not learned to be rich and to be poore he shall neuer hold out the course of iustice and righteous dealing He shall neuer buy and sell with conscience that hath not accounted with himselfe to carry a lowe saile and lower then he hath done if God sée it good so The fashion of the world is that whē the matter lieth vpon the losse of fauour credit wealth or countenance then conscience and equitie and iustice and righteous dealing is stretched out made to serue where it should not Sobrietie is banished where righteous dealing cannot take place For if we could be contented to be humbled in the worlde if God could not otherwise be serued or a good conscience maintained wée should haue more power to doo iustice and to liue vprightly in our calling whatsoeuer But while we are so drowned in profits pleasures and honours in the world we are neuer put to any strait but we must borrow an ace and go beyond compasse Let vs imbrace temperance and sobrietie and so shall iustice and righteousnesse shine in our dealings and God shall be glorified in our conuersation Many good lawes are made to cause vs to liue iustly one with another but little fruite of them and our vnrighteous dealing is aboue the lawes because it preuaileth more And againe our excesse which is
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
giuen for the purchase of a zealous giuing of our liues to those workes And therefore doth the Apostle tell vs that we are not our owne as to frame our liues after our owne liking but we are to serue the Lord both with our bodie and with our spirite because they are the Lords who hath bought them with a price If we humble not not our selues to a zealous following of good works we withhold the Lords due for he hath paide a great price to purchase a good life at our hands and dearly paide for a life ledde in zealous obedience vnto his word For we are not barely to giue some good words either to shewe some good countenance towards religion and Christian conuersation but to haue our conuersation declare that we are affected with the same and become studious of such an estate of life And such are they which declare themselues to be the peculiar people for whome the Lord laide out his life As for those who walke so indifferently betwéene true religion and false that a man cannot discerne whether they are more inclined vnto as also those that walke so euen betwéene a eiuill life and a Christianlike behauiour that the difference is not easily perceiued they doo declare themselues as yet not to be affected in desire toward those dueties which the Lord hath laid vpon his people to performe Now where this purchase of his hath taken place and effect they are become a peculiar people zealous of good workes And if cold and luke-warme christians may haue but litle comfort froÌ„ the death of Christ what shall become of them who are sworne enemies either to true religion or els to a good life and christian behauiour It is said here that we must be purged and so the Apostle would haue vs to become a peculiar people vnto our God zealous of good works Which agreeth with that of S. Peter 1. Ep. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his maruellous light Which in time past were not a people yet are now the people of God which in time past were not vnder me rcie but now haue obteined mercie He gaue himselfe to purge vs which office of purging the holy ghost performeth not by miracle but by meanes as I haue said afore Which spirite of God pray we that it may so worke togither with his grace in our heartes yâ— we may be throughly taught and also perswaded vtterly to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lustes as we haue made a vow and faithfull promise thereof in our baptisme so that we may liue soberly without excesse and riot righteously without doing iniurie and wrong and godly with a care to do all good workes whereby we may please God and liue in fauour and credit among men Spending as much time as remaineth in this life not after the lustes of the flesh or the vanities of the world or after the temptations of the diuell but after the will of God knowing this that if we liue after the flesh we shall die but if we mortifie the déeds of the body by the spirite we shall liue And what though some should mocke at vs for our reformed life and godly and holy conuersation for the diuell will stirre vs vp enemies inough for al such matters we must be prâ—uided prepare our selues before-hand And this is a great comfort vnto vs in that matter to teach vs not to be dismaied but still to hold on our course constantly considering that they that are so wilfully and so maliciously bent against vs shall giue account of their doings to him that is readie to iudge them Rather let vs be contrarily minded vnto them and let vs learne to set out our selues against all worldly hinderaunces whatsoeuer framing our selues to be such as looke for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the Almightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ And let vs not make the death of Christ of so small account as not to be zealous and carefull of good workes séeing he tooke vpon him a bitter death for our sakes not only to deliuer vs from our â—innes but also that we should leade a godly a holie and sanctified life Which God graunt and giue vs the grace that we may so doo And the Lord guide our hearts to the loue of God and to the waiting for of Christ To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one euerliuing God be rendred all praise dominion and power now and for euermore Amen Deo gratia solique gloria Here endeth the Patterne of Sanctification To the Right Worshipfull and one of his chiefest friends M. Francis Newport Esquire Iustice of Peace and Quorum in the Countie of Salop S. I. wisheth blessings of God in this life and the ioyes of that which is to come THe remembrance of your former curtesies Right Worshipfull makes me that I caÌ„not forget you when I remember my chiefest friends Wherefore deuising with my selfe how I might in some sort shewe my thankfull mind toward you I could not do it otherwise then by presenting this slender gift of my studie before your eyes wishing praying that the effect and meaning thereof might take so deep a consideration in your hart that it may worke your heauenly consolation assurance VVhose patronage likewise I humbly desire may giue credit and countenance thereunto I should haue remembred the right worshipfull my Ladie your mother but the matters of learning are more fit to bee directed to men of knowledge then vnto that sexe which is not so well acquainted therwith Only this I may say to shewe my good will from my heart and to giue vnto her Ladiship her due that although her estate be worshipfull yet is her report and remembrance honorable As long as she liueth she shall increase it when it shall please God to take her to himself she shall not loose it God requite vnto her and comfort her in her most need as shee hath bountifully relieued and comforted my father and mother and vs his children euen all the houshold of vs. And I doubt not but that many housholdes in Shropshire especially in Shrewesbury may saie the same Yet ought this so much to bee her comfort as that her onlie staie I meane her saluatioÌ„ is wrought by the death and precious blood-sheading of Iesus Christ our Sauiour onlie of his mercy without any desert of ours and by no other meanes whatsoeuer I would to God that many both honorable and worshipfull women in the lande whom God hath inriched no doubt to do good to others and to supplie the wants of those that stand in need would take her course that they might deserue the like commendation and haue the praiers and hearts of the people which is more woorth then all their landes and treasures or
giuen to wicked waies with gréedinesse and are so subiect to the bondage and slauery of the diuell and of sin that we thinke no way better then the broad way that leadeth to destruction thinking that heauen is in this world and that hell is but an old wiues tale saying vnto our selues Peace peace and all is in safety when sodainly either death shall ouertake vs or the latter day bring vs to iudgement True it is that which the eie seeth not the heart rueth not and the diuell hath diuers deuices to blinde the eies of our vnderstanding to make vs still to run on vntill it be too late to turn backe Being destitute of the grace of God and not as yet regenerate we are holden vnder the euill spirit of bondage setting all our delight in earthly and transitorie things yéelding vp our selues to our fleshly desires being strangers from God and strangers from our redéemer strangers from the life to come and altogither vnacquainted with his grace Wherby although we may think we are in the estate of fréedome and as fréemen yet are we of no better account then the basest seruants that liue and againe vnder such a maister whose seruice is nothing els but tyrannie shaddowed ouer with flattery a roaring lion seeking after his pray a gréedy wolfe clothed in a shéep skin But as Christ came into the world to destroy the workes of the diuel so hath he caused his grace to be published and sent his spirit into our hearts to open the eies of our vnderstaÌ„ding to turn our harts and make them relent to make vs sée how cruell our maister is whome we serue and how dangerous an estate we are in being nothing but bondage slauery death destruction And this is the peculiar effect of the spirit of God and of his grace to shew vs our miserable estate by the law of God to strike our consciences with the rememembrance of our sinnes that we may vnderstand that we are in a desperate estate vnlesse we fly to Christ for succor Wherfore being directed by the spirit of god our stubburn harts are made to yéeld and to shed abundance of teares in consideratioÌ„ we haue offended God Which spirit of fréedom prouoketh vs to flie vnto Christ our only succour by a stedfast faith to take hold of the promises of gods mercy through the death of Christ whereby it commeth to passe yâ— our sins are forgiuen and although we are vnworthy therof are we accounted numbred among the children of God This is that spirit of adoption that maketh vs reioyce vnder the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD. Which maketh our ioy so much the more aboundant in consideration of our fearefull estate whereby we were so miserable So that wee may boldly triumph with the Apostle saying Reioyee in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce For what greater ioy can there be then the ioy and peace of a quiet conscience being fully resolued of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the fauoure of God who hath aduanced vs to so high a dignitie as of his enemies to make vs his sonnes and children Wherefore in meditation of our former estate let vs follow the Apostles counsaile 1. Pet. 1. 17. Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare and liue not carelesly as thongh we might doe what we list much like to wanton children which had néed continually to be corrected with the rod. But as the Apostle saith Brethren be not children in vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnesse be children but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age so manie I say brethren as concerning wickednesse and vngodly behauiour let vs be children but as concerning the feare of God let vs grow from strength to strength vntill we be of a ripe age A dutifull seruaunt standeth alwaies in feare and distrust that that which he doth to his maister be not perfitly and sufficiently done as one desirous to continue his maisters fauour and good liking toward him So also a dutifull child should be careful still to please his father for feare not onely of loosing his fathers good wil but also of hindering himselfe from the which otherwise his father would leaue him and do for him How much more should an adopted child looke vnto himselfe and to his waies because he is taken in but of fauour without any desert and onely vpon pitie and compassion rather then vpon any other consideration Wherefore it is not for vs to make a triumph of our adoption and to make our boast and vaunt of it but rather in a godly sort to humble our selues through feare forecasting with our selues how to continue Gods good will toward vs which through our negligence and carelesse behauiour may be remooued For as they that come to goods to landes and possessions by fauour friendship and by adoption through their own foolishnes may dispossesse themselues of all so if a godly wisdome be not vsed the benefit of adoption may greatly be disgraced in vs and we may bring our selues into that case as iustly to thinke that we are none of Gods children So did that godly king Dauid and that holy blessed Apostle S. Peter by their infamous sinnes so alter the certaintie of their adoption as though they had quite béen forsaken of God So the it is not without great cause that the Apostle vseth these words Let him yâ— standeth take héed least he fall As if he had said let the adopted children of God take héed lest they offend God and let the testimony of a good coÌ„science be alwaies a reioycing vnto them and that the certaintie of our adoption may alwaies be warranted vnto vs. Where is therefore our ioy or where is our chiefest care grounded and setled not in the things of this world neither in this world Better it is to be in the house of mourning then to be in the house of laughter better it is to mourne for our â—innes past then in worldly sort to reioyce of our adoptions Considering that wheÌ„ Adam and Eue were in the chiefest worldly ioy and thought themselues in the estate of Angels and in high fauour with God they procured theÌ„selues to be mimiserable wretches and not worthie the name of gods children Who before had a blessing if they had continued in the fauour and grace of God and could haue perceiued their happie estate or if at lestwise they could haue foreséen the danger that would haue followed but instéede of a blessing they receiued a curse and instéed of fauour great displeasure Although we may be certified of our adoption yet it behâ—ueth vs so long as we dwell in this world and are compassed with this our sinnefull flesh to be circumspect and wise to be warie and watchfull knowing that the broade way is as neare vnto vs as the narrowe way the right hand as neare as the left the diuel tempting the world inticing the flesh yéelding nay fighting and resisting the good spirit
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
before that we shal be receiued where we would wish to be Being thus framed to perfection as much as in this life may be and restored to the image of God in such a measure as it shall please God to inable vs God hath so appointed that we shal be tried by many sorrowes by many temptations before that our happy desire shal be accomplished The siluer and the gold by the furnace is purified from all drosse and those sorrows temptations and afflictions that shall please God to try vs withall shal be worthie meanes to purge vs and to purifie vs and to cleanse vs for no vncleane thing shall enter there Fine manchet hath many labours before it come to be set on the table beaten foorth with the flaile from the husâ—e winnowed from the chaffe grinded in the mill siâ—ted in the sine baked in the ouen Many are the troubles and sorrowes of the righteous and who can name them or who is worthie to knowe them and all must be suffered and all must be vndertaken before we can be prepared to be as fine as manchet set on the Lordes table Necessitie hath no lawe and must hath no remedie And they that will liue godly in this world must suffer troubles and vexations and sorrows and there is no end till death make an end Verily verily ye shall weepe and lament But before I enter into the consideration of these sorrowes A generall consideration of sorrow which this text dooth specifie and of that bitter cuppe of persecution which Christ foretolde his Disciples they should drinke of let vs a little beholde those sorrowes generally which are incident in this worlde to the life of man especially to the godlie Whereof although héeretofore I haue discoursed yet will it not bee much amisse in this place also to make remembrance of them Man that is borne of a woman saith Iobe is of short continuance and full of trouble Hée said so because hée founde it to bee true King Salomon also beholding all the pleasures and ioyes of this vanishing worlde hauing had triall thereof dooth truly pronounce of them that they are but méere vanities Vanitie of vanities vanitie of vanities and all is but vanitie It is a temptation saith a learned man not to be tempted neither is that counted the life of a Christian which is not either seasoned or sowred with sorrow God laying this condition vppon vs dooth it to this purpose euen to trie our obedience as also to make our patience perfect or to make vs perfect through patience Looke how many wantes so many sorrowes howe many losses so many sorrowes howe many chaunges and howe manie troubles so manie sorrowes And manie are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord in time giueth ease to them all Our Sauiour Christ was neuer seene to laugh but to wéepe signifying that the life of them that should bee made like vnto his image should bee rather wéeping and lamentation then reioycing It is good saith Saint Peter to Christ to bee heere let vs therefore builde three tabernaces one for thee another for Moses another for Elias but he forgot himselfe and knewe not what hée said For that ioyfull presence was but for a moment and they were but foreshewers of troubles and sorrowes to come God commaunded the Isráelites to dwell in Tentes to put them in minde still of remoouing as though there were no ioy in this life but still it would haue his chaunge The Israelites were the people whome God appointed to bee heires of his heauenly kingdome but by their earthly peregrination into the lande of Canaan God shewed them and vs by them howe full of sorrowes this life is before we shall come to heauen For God brought not the Israelites straightway into the land of promise that goodly land flowing with milke and honie and abounding with all things which hee had sworne vnto their fathers that they should possesse but led them vp and downe too and fro in the wildernesse by the space of fortie yeares enduring many sorrowes By that meanes holding them in continuall obedience and teaching them to forsake the worlde and only to depend vpon him from whose holy spirit commeth all comfort It is a rare thing that a ship passing on the sea should still haue faire weather and a quiet calme to her iournies end Yea rather stormes and tempests surges and waues shelues and sandes rockes and whirlepooles and some of these it lightly méetes withall And how can the life of man bee without sorrow Yea the wicked themselues who séeme to haue all the ioyes and pleasures of this world according to Christes words The world shall reioyce Sorrow of the wicked they also sometimes féele smart and sorrow and wéeping also commeth to them but full sore against their willes And where by this meanes God trieth the patience of the godly so also in these sorrowes of the wicked their rebellion and impatiencie doth vtter itselfe grudging and murmuring fretting and suming cursing and swearing being rather monsters out of shape then men according to Gods making bearing the image not of God but of the diuell The sorrowes of the vnfaithfull and of the vngodly doe rather hurt them then prepare them vnto God In as much as their impatiencie is increased and they through their owne fault are brought to desperation and damnation But the sorrowes of the godly are so farre from hindering their felicitie and happinesse in heauen as that vsually they be helpes and furtherances thereunto and they make a benefite of them which the other can neither sée nor behold According to that the patriarcke Iacob foresaw that his posteritie should haue manie sorrowes troubles crosses and afflictions but his faith and setled hope was that the gratious hand of god should neuer be wanting O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation Wealthy Iob as I haue said saw sorrowes inough and wise Salomon saw no certaine ioyes as though the ioyes The sorrowes of the Patriarckes themselues were nothing els but vanitie and vexation of minde but especially we may sée it in the liues of the Patriarckes Abraham in feare of death for the beautie of his Abraham wife like to come to great trouble and griefe of minde through the discord of his and Lots seruauntes and to great dislike betwixt them and their families almost to hatred and heart-burning and man-slaughter if in godly wisedome he had not preuented it Trouble by hazard of warres to rescue Lot and his companie Great discord betwixt his wife and Hagar his maid-seruaunt whom hée so greatly fauoured His heart in manner rent in péeces to sée that he must slay his onely sonne beleued and liked and his greatest worldly ioy whome hée had so desired wished and earnestly prayed for saying O Lord God what wilt thou giue me seeing I go childlesse What bitter sorrow and griefe of mind thinke you was it to depart from so great a ioy Isaac like to be cut off in
sores of bodie and sundry diseases some suffer in themselues some are afflicted in their friends in their wiues in their children som in their goods some in their bodies some in their credits som by sea some by land some at home ome abroad some by open enemies some by counterfait friends some by cruell oppression some by manifest iniuries some by force some by fraud some afflicted by one meanes some by an other So many kinds of sorrowes there are Man neuer continueth in one state to day in his princely throne to morrow in his dustie graue to day placed in great authority to morrow cast out of countenance to day in high fauour to morrow in high displeasure now rich now poore now in wealth now in woe now sound now sicke now ioyfull now full of sorrow to day a man to morrow nothing O how short how chaungeable and how miserable is the state of mortall men And happy are they who can make this lesson of the sorrowes of this world as by meditation thereof to long after heauen Sorrowe there is inough because no ioy in respect and if the world affoord any ioy it is not true sound and certaine For what ioy or pleasure soeuer there is in the world it is mingled with some sorrow To teach vs to withdrawe our minds from the things of this world and to long after those pleasures those ioyes which are in an other world which only are stedfast and without chaunge without wearisomenesse bitternesse or any sorrow In this life nothing sure nothing stedfast nothing swéete but hath his soure The latine verse serueth well to this purpose Postimbres fructus post maxima gaudia luctus Being Englished is this in effect Raine brings flouds and ioy brings wo Sorrow followes comfort Too oft we find it so When Iacob was frée from Esau then his vncle Laban vsed him hardly when Laban could do him no more hurt then Esau met him who had vowed his death In whom we may sée the life of a faithfull and godly man Feare after comfort and comfort after feare ebbings and flowings risings and fallings so we go along and so we shall end Your riches your honours friends picasures wife children and such like are taken from you in part or in all You maruell at it and thinke peraduenture you are quite out of the Lords fauour for else this great chaunge in your estate would not be Here you sée a sorrow marke also a secret and a mistery and let euery one laie it to their heart For the reason why the Lord doth so is because we should not perish While we euioyed them we forgot our selues and God by this means doth put vs in minde that we should not forget him God draweth vs away from these matters lest his iudgements should ouertake vs as well as others Yea he draweth vs forcibly by want of these benefites Let vs not be dismaied or hang downe the head for sorrow knowing for what end God worketh these sorrowes all to our good and all for the best Ye shall wéepe and lament and the world in these masters shall reioyce but their ioy shall be turned into sorrow For all these worldly comforts shall perish and they with them because they rather abused them then vsed them as they ought Your sorrowes also in these matters shall haue some recompence when God seeth good and if it be also for your good and you shall be comforted with riches honours friends pleasures wife children and euery néedfull thing Then shall ye finde it true which the Prophet Dauid assureth you Psal 84. No good thing shall he withhold from them that leade a godly life Therefore wéepe as Sorrow of slāder though ye wept not Yet is the losse of good name and fame by slaunder and euill reports more bitter then these losses and more heauily taken and the sorrowe sinketh déeper Some are frée from it but not all and this is a knowne trueth that the more that euerie one dooth excell in vertue and goodnesse the more they are hated enuied and slaundered Because ye followe not excesse and riot saith Saint Peter therefore the world hateth you But this is a comfort as the same Apostle saith 2. Epistle 4. 5. They shall giue account to him that is readie to iudge quicke and dead the Iudge standeth at the doore and his iudgement is neare The best of all Christ our Sauiour was worst spoken off They are not the best that bring vp slaunders but the worser sort whose good reports are but little woorth as also their slaunders are not to be regarded It is a thing worthie a Prince saith a famous Monarch of the worlde being slaundered and euill spoken off when thou haste done well to heare ill They that are famous and of renowme haue péeuish pesaunts to disgrace them whose tongues were neuer exercised in saying well This is a sorrowe which must bee endured and furthermore thou must pray for them and blesse them which bring this sorrowe vpon thée and so ouercome them which by no other meanes The perticuler sorrow of Persecution which is especially meant in this text can be wonne But aboue all sorrowes on the earth there séemeth none to be compared to the losse of life for life is swéet Yet this is the sorrow which here is meant and in this place commanded and which we must endure if we looke to be the heires of heauen As the Apostle witnesseth writing to the Romanes who putting them in minde of great priuiledges dooth also perswade them to the patient enduring of all troubles and persecutions If yee be children yee are heires if heires the heires of God and fellowe heires with Christ if so be ye suffer with him that ye may also be gloried with him Ye shall wéepe and lament because that gréeuous persecution is your lot and the losse of life the thing that you must looke for And how can it but make fraile flesh to wéepe and lament séeing that to liue is the greatest ioy in the worlde and nothing more against our nature then to heare of persecution and of death And no meruaile though the Disciples and the godly shead teares when this matter caused our Sauiour Christ Iesus through anguish of minde to sweate bloud and How backward by nature we are in this businesse how readie wee should be to desire that this cuppe might passe from him In the Apostle S. Peter we may perceiue the mind of a naturall man loth to vndertake so great a matter who when hee heard Christ our Sauiour to foretell of his persecution and death saying that he must go to Ierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and of the high Priests Scribes and be slaine then did he take him aside and beganne to rebuke him saying Maister pittie thy selfe this thing shall not be vnto thee But so farre off is it that we should be loth and tardie that we should be most forward
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
lament Which although we ought not to wish for yet being laide on our shoulders wee must both patiently and thankfully beare it According to the answeres of Ely the Priest and Hezekiah the King though in an other case It is the Lord let him doo what seemeth him good The Iere. 10. 19. word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken The will of the Lord be done Act. 21. 14. 2. The next thing mentioned in the text is the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked concerning ioy and sorrow in these wordes And the world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow Wherein it is worthy the consideration to know and vnderstand what is meant by this word world VVhat is meant by this word world Which generally is taken for the heauen the earth the sea and all thinges therein contained Yet more néerely it is taken for the people that dwell in the world Also the customes and fashions of the people are meant by this word world According to our prouerbe and vsuall phrase This is the world that is this is the dealing of the men in the world and this is practised now adaies Againe it is taken for a spéech of woonder It is a world to sée that is it is a maruellous matter Also for those chiefe desires wherwith men are much led and ouertaken in the world as honour dignitie and promotion riches pleasures All which are of chiefest account and doe most raigne in the world Confirmed by S. Iohn 1. Ep. cap. 2. ver 15. Loue not the world neither the thinges that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him For all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life that is ambition promotion and honour is not of the father but is of the world And the world passeth away and the lust thereof but hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Elswhere it signifieth the wisdome of worldly minded men 1. Cor. 1. 21. For seeing the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisdome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue ca. 26. And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world neither of the Princes and great men of this world which come to nought Sometimes it is taken for the elect people of God according to that we reade Iohn 3. 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And although it be manifest that Christ his death is sufficient for all yet this benefite of his death doth rather properly pertaine to the elect that is to them that truely and vnfainedly haue repented them of their sinnes applying the mercies of God in Ieus Christ to the comfort of their distressed soules and relying and depending wholly vpon Gods promises But most commonly it is taken for the worser sort of the people in the world As it is said that Sathan is the prince of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. Nay the God of the world because the most part serue him more then then God and in whose heartes and mindes and consciences he doth both rule and raigne The godly are against him and against his procéedinges and therefore by this word world the godly in the world are not meant but rather opposed against them that liue in the world Which is confirmed by the spéech of our Sauiour in his praier to God for the elect and godly Iohn 17. I pray for them which haue knowne me beleeued in me I pray not for the world The world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world And in the fiftéenth chapter of the same Gospell verse 19. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And in this last sence this word World is taken for wicked and naughtie men for the haters and persecutors of Gods truth and his Gospell We know we are of God saith Saint Iohn 1. Epist cap. 5. 19. and the whole world lieth buried in wickednesse and is giuen ouer to euill doing In the world saith Christ ye shall haue trouble afflictioÌ„ persecutioÌ„ ye shal be hated of al men for my sake the Gospels be of good comfort I haue ouercom the world Hauing opened vnto you what is meant by the world The ioy of the world and of the wicked it followeth that I should shew you the difference concerning ioy sorrow betwixt them that are of the world and them that are not of the worlde The worlde hath many things wherein it reioyceth but it is an vsurped and a couâ—erfeit ioy no true and sound ioy For the kingdome of God is not meate or drinke or any thing that the world yéeldeth but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Ro. 14. VVorldly matters 17. As they are of the worlde so are worldly matters the chéefest cause of their ioy as to be in honour and high promotion with Haman and Absolon although they know not how neare they are to the fall to swimme in wealth and riches to fare deliciously euery day and to go in purple fine silke with the rich glutton spoken of in the Gospell to enioy large dominions and great possessions faire houses and pleasaunt orchiards swéete gardens with all things that may satisfie the eie and fill the soule with pleasure like to King Nabuchodonosor that bâ—sted of his beautiful pallace Yea they imagine such continuance that they call their houses lands after their owne names as though they should endure for euer The viole tabret singing and dancing feasting banquetting riot and brauery this is the life the ioy of the world while the troubles of Ioseph are not remembred and the poore altogither forgotten in their sight This was the sinne of Sodom Pride idlenesse fulnes of bread contempt of the poore and néedie So that although the people of Sodome be consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen yet it séemeth that their posteritie remaineth and will remaine vntill the wordes ende till fire come downe from heauen the second time and make a wofull and finall destruction The iestures also and dispositions of the world are giuen vp to foolish reioycing and if any be sober and sadde they are not for their company Childish and péeuish gigling prophane laughter dissolute mirth wanton striking out disordered lifting vp the voice and mirth with incontinencie in euerie place All their life is spent in meriment and pastime as though God had not called euery one to painfulnesse and labour in that course of life wherein he hath placed them In time of diuine seruice when we should
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
thy sonnes take heed to their way that they walke before me in truth with al their hearts and with all their soules thou shalt not said he want one of thy posteritie vpon the throne of Israel So also because the Rechabites kept the commaundement of their father their continuance by posteritie was their blessing as we reade Iere 35. 18. 19. which God caused to be pronounced vnto them by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremiah Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Because ye haue obeied the commandemeÌ„t of Ionadab your father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you Therefore saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rachab shall not want a man to stand before me for euer but his posteritie shal continue and be continually in my fauour What greater preserment can come to the godly to requiâ—e their sorrowes withall then that it pleased God to make them all men-children and also heires of his heauenly kingdome if so be they can frame themselues to be content to suffer with him else are they in no sort worthie to be glorified with him For all the sorrowes and afflictions of this life are nothing to the glorie that shall be reuealed They may also be well said to be heires of the crown which is not so lightly obteined for oftentimes such a matter costeth many a man his life And how many dangers are vndertaken before we may be capable of this royaltie or thought worthie to be princes fellowes All things that are excellent haue a deare price and he that would be a prince must perswade himselfe it shall cost him full deare Yet a worthie mind thinkes no labour too painfull no danger impossible and all sorrowes to be swéete which haue so swéete a recompence Reu. 4. 4. I sawe round about the throne foure and twentie seates and vppon the seates foure and twentie elders sitting cloathed in white raiment and had on their heads crownes of gold Reu. 3. 11. Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast that no man take thy crowne To the preferment of the godly this also may be added Nâ—me that their name and good report shall liue for euer wheras 〈◊〉 39. 13. the remembrance of the wicked rot Many things are done by the wicked for a name but it turnes cleane contrary For the credite of their name shall be but shame and discredite shall be their glorie They that built the tower of Babel got themselues a name but with dâ—risition of their follie and as good haue no name as such a name But the name that the godly leaue after their death is precious and the constant Martirs that gaue vp their liues for the profession of Christ his truth are remembred with reuerence Their bodies although they haue bene put to extremities and gréeuous punishments yet shall their names liue for euermore The congregation shall talke of their praise and although they be dead they shall leaue a greater fame then a thousand The doating foolishnesse of the world is such euer to neglect heauen and to séeke for a name in earth where nothing is firme nothing continueth but sadeth away and perisheth as a thought What is a name of great wisedome of great wealth of great eloquence of warlike prowesse yea of the princes fauour In the world they are obtained in the world they are enioyed and to the world they must be left Besides this the name of the godly is more durable and of longer continuance he that will loose his life shall saue it he that estéemeth more of the fauour of God then the fauour of the world shall in this life haue sorrowes and persecutions but in the life come ioyes Their names are defaced on Reâ— 2. â—7 earth among the wicked but they are written in heauen and registred in euerlasting remembrance Reioyce saith Christ that your names are written in heauen Yea let them reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable because that none shall be saued at the dreadfull day of iudgement but they whose names are sounde in the writing of Israel and recorded in the booke of life For whosoeuer was not founde written in the booke of life Reuelat. 20. 15. was cast into the lake of fire where is nothing else but burning and brimstone wéeping and gnashing of téeth and wofull lamentation without any compassion The former part of the similitude and comparison being Application I will see you againe ended now followeth the second consisting in application set downe in these words And ye now are in sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you This application Iohn 1. 51. 14. 19. as you sée is furnished with thrée proofes whereof the first is I will see you againe The woman when she trauelleth hath sorrow but when she is deliuered of a manchild her sorrow is turned yea and swallowed vp of ioy I will see you againe So still he performeth his word and promise Your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy When the Apostle Saint Paule tooke his leaue and his last farwell of the Church of Ephesus knéeling downe and praying with them they wept all aboundantly and fel on Pauls necite and â—â—â—ssed him Being sorrie for nothing so much as for the words which he spake That they should sée his face no more How then could the Apostles choose but be sorrie and wéep aboundantly at the departure of our Sauiour Christ which was so deare a friend vnto them and whose presence they had so long enioyed to their great comfort and contentment Departure of louing friendes bréeds paine and taking of leaue is often with great heauinesse As we sée when one is to depart from his friends and to take his iourney into some farre country this griefe of departing is ioyned with sheading of teares But when there is departure by death theÌ„ what wéeping what wringing of hands what outcries and lamentation The reason of this their excessius sorrow for the departure of their friends is that they are without hope Who although they shâ—l â—ée their face no more yet ought they to be assured that their soules shal be at rest and in the hands of God and that no torments shall touch them They that are thus perswaded leaue their sorrow and are contented with Gods will and are also thankful that it hath pleased God to take them to his mercy and that he hath released them out of the troubles of this miserable world Yet are there some that are of opinioÌ„ that euen in heauen also they shal haue knowledge and sée their friends again which are departed in the Lord which is a matter to abate all sorrow Neuerthelesse we may not imagine any worldly knowledge For greater things are reserued for the saints of God According to that we reade 2. Cor. 5. 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh
blemish the which the more we desire the more we may and our longing shall neuer be satisfied Behold the ioyes of the world and sée whether they be as durable as the Moone which changeth euery moneth When the Sunne ariseth the beautifull floure withereth and the place thereof shall knowe it no more Glorious Tyrus shal be robbed of her riches Ezech. 26. and they shall spoile her marchandise her walles shall be broken downe and they shall destroy her pleasant houses and they shall cast thy stones and thy timber and thy dust into the midst of the water and thou shalt be built no more For I the Lord haue spoken it Thus wil I cause the sound of thy songs to cease and the sound of thy harpes shall be no more heard Reu. 18. O beautifull Babylon the apples Eze. 26. 21. 27. 36. 28. 9. that thy soule lusted after and those things which thou louedst best are departed from thée and al things which were fat excellent are gone and thou shalt finde them no more And they that wondred at her beautie and shouted for ioy to sée the great cittie that was cloathed in fine linen purple and skarlet and guilded with gold precious stone and pearles euen for her shall they wéep and lament saying Alasse Alasse With great violence shall the great citie Babylon be destroied and cast away and shall be found no more The voice of harpers musitians and of vipers and trumpetters shall be heard no more in thée and no craftsman of whatsoeuer craft he be shall be found any more in thée and the sound of a milstone shall be heard no more in thée And the light of a candle shall shine no more in thée And the voyce of the Bridegroome and of the Bride shall be heard no more in thée What is it to haue the ioy of the world to sée the multitude of children increase of cattell to liue in outward peace to reioyce in the sound of organes and pleasant instruments and suddainly to goe downe to the graue and that without all hope Who though he be dead and gone yet is he kept vnto the day of destruction and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Wordly comforts and outward ioyes shall be taken away But the ioyes of the godly are such which are not séene and which this world is not worthie of and which shall not be taken away for God hath so promised Let this word be thy warrant and a stedfast beliefe thy anchor-hold Esay 3 5. Strengthen the weake hands saith the Lord by his Prophet and comfort the féeble knées Say vnto them that are fearefull of sorrow and trouble and persecution beholde your God commeth with vengeance euen God with a recompence he wil come and saue you Then shall the eies of the blind be lightened and the eares of the deafe bee opened then shall the lame man leape as an hart and the dumbe mans toong shall sing Therfore the redéemed of the Lord shall returne and come Eze. 28. 25. 26. to Sion with praise and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flie away Lift vp your eies saith the Prophet Esay 51. 3. 6. to the heauens and looke vpon the earth beneath for heauens shall vanish away like smoke and the earth shal wax old like a garment and they that dwel therin shall perish in like maner But as for the desolations of Sion they shall be restored and she shall be built vp and her stones shall be laid with the carbuncie her wridernesse shal become like the gardein of Eden and more plentifull then paradice it selfe which God at the first created Ioy gladnesse shall be found therein praise and the voice of singing And if thou wouldst behold that ioy that shall not be taken away be hold it in these thrée matters The ioy of the holy Ghost which is vnspeakable and indeterminable the hope of promised reward which is immoueable the reward it selfe which is most glorious Which arguments heare touched heareafter may more fully be enlarged Your ioy shall no man take from you no nor the diuel himselfe with all his legions and millions of companies who haue done vs spight inough and would as yet to the end and in the end put vs from all comfort and kéepe vs backe that we should not be partakers of any ioy Who though he hath throwne vs out of the earthly paradice yet out of the heauenly Ierusalem shall he neuer be able to cast vs although he endeuour neuer so much and labour might and maine For his labours shal be like the buildings of Babel which were without effect and altogether in vaine and in the heigth of his strength he shal be cast downe like lightning He that hath vndertaken to be our helpe and to kéepe vs will neuer faile vs Iohn 6. 39. This is the fathers will which hath sent me saith Christ that of all which he hath giuen me I should léese nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day and that euery one of them should receiue euerlasting life when as death and damnation the power of the diuell and hell torments shall vtterly be broken Iohn 10. 28. I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand For my father which gaue them me is greater then all and mightier then the mighty and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my father are one Reâ—e 20. 4. And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was giuen vnto them and I sawe the soules of them that were be headed for the witnesse of Iesus and for the word of God and which did not worship the beasts neither his image neither had taken his mark vpon their for heads or on their hands and they liued reigned with Christ a thousand year as if he had said ten thousand worlds And againt cap. 7. 13. One of the Elders which appeared vnto S. Iohn in a vision said vnto him What are these which are arraied in long white robes whence came they And he said vnto him Lord thou knowest Who answered these are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their long robes and haue made their long robes white in the blood of the lambe Therefore are they now in the presence of God who now hath wiped away all teares from their eies For the former things are passed and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine and griefe And him that ouercommeth will I make a piller in the temple of my God and he shall goe no more out and I will write vpon him the name of my God and the name of the cittie of my God which is the newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my God and I
lawes of men as of the lawes of God The lawes of men haue respect but to the outward déed but the lawes of God to the hart and inward thoughts of the minde No doubt euery one thinketh it a worthy matter to them that can kéep themselues in that compasse but because they knowe not the happinesse that consisteth therein therefore they do not so greatly set their hearts and mindes vpon it Which happinesse and great commodities and aduantages that it bringeth being considered would make vs to haue it in high estimation and more to desire it then that happinesse which the world doth account off Therefore let vs hearken how the word of God doth set it foorth vnto vs that we may be fully assured and perfectly know the benefites thereof and that we may account all earthly and worldly delights in respect of this delight but vanitie that we may be throughly inamoured therewith as if wée did behold the glorious and glistering throne of the Maiestie of God and that we may be as they that are rauished with an excellent and excessiue desire who can neuer be at rest vntill they haue obtained it And because the heart of man is principally set vpon earthly commodities and temporall blessings therefore it pleased the spirit of God first to begin with that perswasion that so by little and little hée might draw their mindes from earthly commodities to heauenly matters of great waight and importance And to say the truth what profite is there or what blessing may bee reckoned which the feare of God dooth not bring The Prophet Moses in a briefe summe dooth set downe all worldly commodities which procéede from the feare of God which are named Deutro 28. These blessings saith he shall come vppon thee and ouertake thee Blessed shalt thou be in the Cittie and blessed also in the field Blessed shall be the frute of thy bodie and the frute of thy ground and the frute of thy cattle the increase of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Blessed shalt thou bee when thou commest in and blessed also when thou goest out The Lord shall cause thy enemies that rise against thee to fall before thy face they shall come foorth against thee one way and shall flie before thee seuen wayes The Lord shall commaund the blessing to be with thee in thy store-houses and in all that thou settest thine hand vnto The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods Hee shall open vnto thee his good treasure euen the heauen to giue raine vnto thy lande in due season and to blesse all the workes of thy handes so that thou shalt lend vnto many Nations but shalt not borrowe thy selfe And the Lorde shall make thee the heade and not the tayle and thou shalt be aboue onely and shall not bee beneath thou shalt be of the better and not of the baser sort of whom there is made small reckoning and account yea thou shalt liue in countenance and be well taken It is said of our sauiour Christ that hée encreased in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God and men so is it also with them that feare God whom it pleaseth God to account and accept for his children they shal increase in the fauour of God and men and they shall liue with credit and good report Good report whereas if thou liuest contrary and without the feare of God euery body shall be readie to speake ill of thée and as the Prouerbe is An ill name halfe hangd In consideration also of which prosperitie the Prophet Dauid doth breake forth into this spéech of wonder Psal 31. 19. How great is thy goodnes ô Lord which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee And how hast thou done for them which trust in thee euen before the sonnes of men And as though the Prophet could not sufficiently satisfie himselfe with the commendation of the estate of them that feare God and liue in his obedience he vttereth yet more being plentifull in his spéeches as the sea is in his waues Psal 128. Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies When thou eatest the labours of thy handes thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee Thy wife shall be as the fruitfull vine on the sides of thine house and thy children like the Oliue branches round about thy table Lo surely thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord yea further he shall sée his childrens children to reioyce his heart and make his life the longer All this prosperitie the wicked sort shall sée and behold The wicked enuy at their prosperitie and be amazed they shall be angry in their heart and shall greatly enuy to sée the godly in such good state they shall gnash with their téeth and consume away For their own enuy shall eate them vp and bring them to their graue before their time God doth inrich the godly and them that feare him in such sort that it is past mans expectation and past that The straunge inriching of them that fear God which the godly themselues may hope for so that it séemeth straunge and wonderfull to the world both that the godly might haue the greater cause and that with moste chéerfull hearts to praise and magnifie the name of God and be thankfull vnto him and also that all other that sée it may acknowledge it to be Gods doing and as Iannes and Iambres the sorcerers of King Pharaoh said when they resisted Moses the seruant of God This is the finger of God and God hath done it and he onely hath brought it to passe who hath a care ouer his children more then the hen that flocketh her broode togither and couereth them with her wings As we read in the Psalmes When my father and mother forsake mee the Lord taketh mee vp According to that in the Prophecie of Esay Cap. 49. 15. Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though they should forget yet will not I forget saith the Lord. So true it is that the Prophet Dauid recordeth I haue bene yoong and now am old and yet sawe I neuer the righteous forsaken nor their seede begging their bread Which thing is manifestly séene in the examples of Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph and their posteritie which examples I cannot stand vpon but onely I referre you to their stories in the booke of Genesis where you shall sée the plentifull goodnes of God toward them being fed mainteined and inriched onely by Gods hand which stories are most worthie both the reading and meditation They that feare God want nothing whereas the Lyons want roare for hunger The earth is the Lords and all that therein is and he hath prepared the earth and all the blessings thereof principally and chiefly for them that liue in his obedience So that they may speake boldly and with assurance of confidence Quaeuis terra patria Euery place in the
world is my country Whereas the wicked enioying these earthly blessings do rather vsurpe them then that they are the true owners and lawfull possessours of them This straunge and wonderfull inriching of them that liue in the feare of God that wise King Salomon amongst the manifolde experiments of worldly affaies doth note and that is thus That howsoeuer the wicked labour and toyle for wealth riches yet at last it commeth into their hands that feare God and they are possessours thereof Eccl. 2. 26. So we reade in his booke called Ecclesiastes and these be the words verie héedfully to be marked of vs which this King layd vp in his highest remembrances Surely to a man that is good in his sight God giueth wisedome and knowledge and ioy but to the sinner hee giueth paine to gather and to heape to giue to him that is good before God Which words both the good and the bad may well consider and â—use vppon and laie it to their heart that they may learne and be wise Which words sence Iob. 27. 13. 16. 17. and meaning is confirmed in the historie of Iob. This is the portion of a wicked man with God and the heritage which he shall receiue of the Almightie Though he should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay He may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer As it is in the booke of Prouerbs The wicked shall be a raunsome for the iust and the transgressour Pro. 21. 18. for the righteous When a plague and mischiefe and daunger is towarde the righteous shall escape and it shall fall vpon the wicked they shall be deliuered and the wicked shall come in their places so also though they gather great wealth and substance they shall be least owners of it for god will so dispose it that the good shall enioy it For it is nothing in the sight of god suddainly to make a poore man rich The Prophet Moses doth she we a manifest example and proofe of this commoditie and blessing from god towarde them that feare him God gaue the Deut. 6. 10. 20. Israelites his children and beloued people the land of Canaan which flowed with milk and hony and which abounded with all gods blessings hée gaue them this land which before was the possession of sinners But how He gaue them great and goodly Citties which they builded not houses full of all manner of goods which they builded not nor laboured for Wels of water necessary for their vse which they diggâ—d not Vineyards and Oliue trees to their comfort and delight which they planted not And this is it which is to be considered heerein that all came without their labour without their desert god gaue it it was his blessing As the selfe same Prophet dooth set it dewne for a punishment of them that feare not god Thou shalt haue Deu. 28. 4. 39. 30. Oliue trees in all thy coasts but shalt not annoynt thy selfe with the Oyle Thou shalt plant a Vineyard and dresse it but shalt neither drinke of the wine nor gather the grapes Thou shalt builde a house and shalt not dwell therein The excellent commodities which were performed to Abrahams posteritie were long before promised to Abraham for this cause onelie because hée feared god as we reade Genes 22. I knowe thou fearest God saith god to Abraham by the mouth of an Angel Therefore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and so foorth as before I might enlarge this commendation of the feare of The greeuous punishments of the contrary god which is and ought to be the onely delight of a Christian minde by reckoning vp the miseries that fall on them in whome the feare of god is not séene Which are warre famine pestilence pouertie shame and discredite the torment of an euill conscience diseases and straunge kindes of death to make an ende of them in fearefull sort that they may bée an example vnto all other beside many other discommodities which now I doo not stand vpon but thinke good rather to leaue it to your consideration Helping your remembraunce with this one notable place of scripture recited in the Prophecie of Ieremy 15. 1. 2. 3. Then saide the Lorde vnto mee Ier. 15. 1. 2. 3. Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet mine affection could not be toward this people Cast them out of my sight and let them depart And if they say vnto thee whither shall we depart then tell them Thus saith the Lord such as are appointed to death vnto death and such as are for the famine to famine and such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie And I will appoint ouer them foure kindes saith the Lord. The sword to slaie and the dogs to teare in peeces and the foules of the heauen and the beasts of the earth to deuoure and to destroy From riches and wealth which although it be a great The company of prophets holy men and angels blessing of God yet if it please God to exercise our faith and patience with pouertie and want we must take the one in as good part as the other let vs come to an other worldly blessing and great comfort and that is to a matter of credit and honour We should thinke our selues happie men if we might be thought worthie to entertaine and receiue into our houses those that were of highest account about the Prince but behold what great fauour is shewed them that feare God that not onely holy men and Prophets but Angels also haue made choice of them to come to their houses and to be familiar with them 1. King 18. Eliah that famous Prophet of the Lord appeared not to King Ahab but to his seruant Obadiah the gouernour of the house The reason is because Obadiah feared God greatly The same we shal read in the whole course of the Bible that the Prophets and messengers of the Lord they did not resort vnto the common sort but vnto them that feared God WheÌ„ our Sauior Christ sent foorth his Disciples to preach as it is in Mat. 10. 11. he willed them when they entred into a Citie or Towne to enquire who was worthie in it that is whether there were a man that feared God there and there to abide till they departed And that Angels haue resorted vnto them letting passe the rest it is recorded in the booke of Genesis of Abraham and of Lot Yea Angels haue comforted them in their distresses As the Angel that was séene with the thrée children in the firy fornace and the Angell that deliuered the Apostle S. Peter out of prison the Angels that comforted Iacob when he stood in feare of his brother Esau So is it Psal 34. 9. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth rounde about them that feare him and deliuereth them Let vs ascend yet higher from earthly commodities to
through our sin and vngodlines we lose not our happie estate in the world to come As touching the knowledge of our selues that is of our The knowledge of our selues excellent estate wherein we were created of our fall wherby we lost and forfaited that estate and howe againe we are restored vnto the same the word of god doth thus instruct Mans excellent estate vs. That god by his infinit goodnesse created man according to his image and likenes to this end that he should be good holy immortall happie and partaker of all his benefits hauing then and in his time of innocencie Fréewil to fulfill and performe those things which god required at his hands and to do his will and commandements Lastly in graunting him the rule gouernment ouer all his creatures The knowledge of our fall consisteth herein and so His fall we are taught that man being created in so excelleÌ„t estate continued not in his innocencie and vprightnesse but fell away by his disobedience from god and from his excellent estate The causes of whose fall were the temptations of the Diuel the enemy of all mankinde the enticement of Eue his wife his infidelitie in not veléeuing gods word to be true and doubting the punishment which god foretold lastly his own high mind and wicked wil by which means he disobeyed god and so became sinfull The sequele and effects of his disobience sin and fall were theirs that thereby he prouoked gods wrath against himselfe that according to his deserts he was vexed with infinit miseries and that he brought death vppon himselfe and vpon all his posteritie And so through sin he chaunged the image of god into the image of the diuel and caused that his ofspring and posteritie should be by nature the children of wrath and subiect to miserie death and damnation Concerning the restoring of man we reade that gods His restoring mercy herein is great and singular who according to his infinit and vnspeakable goodnesse pittying mans miserie of his méere grace â—nd fauour did giue his owne sonne to death for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And that the meane whereby man should be restored was that the sonne of god should be incarnat and take our flesh of a godly woman and pure virgin being conceiued of the holy ghost and thereby pure and without sin Who in our flesh performed perfect obedience to make vs acceptable who by dying in the flesh did satisfie Gods wrath and by death ouercame death and him that had the power of death that is the diuell who deliuered the faithfull children of Adam and set them frée from the bondage of Sathan who procured them to be adopted the sonnes of God being by nature the children of wrath who sanctified them and inducd them with the gifts and graces of his holy spirit that they might be framed to expresse the image of God in their liues and conuersation that they might be holy both in bodie and soule and so recouer their former estate and become fellowe heires with Christ of euerlasting life being immortall and blessed and eternally glorified And thus when in our painfull endeuours we shal perceiue that God hath graunted vnto vs to vnderstand his will and his word it will bréed an inward comfort in our hearts and consciences which shall be a sufficient witnesse vnto vs both of Gods loue and fauour and of his sauing and euerlasting mercies toward vs. God gaue the heathen people a land wherein were riuers Conclusion of waters and fountaines a land of wheate and barley and of viniards and figge trées and pomegranates a land of oyle and honie a land wherein was no scarcitie a land whose stones were iron and out of whose mountaines they dig brasse they possessed great and goodly citties and houses full of all manner of goods they wanted no earthly commodities that their hearts could desire All which blessings although they enioyed them to the full yet in respect of the word of God they were all but as vaine shadowes The great blessings of his word and of his lawes he gaue onely to his owne people He dealt not so doth the Prophet say with the Heathen nay he dealt not so with any nation vnder the Sunne neither had the Heathen knowledge of his lawes Which great blessing and the onely treasure of all treasures we enioying through the mercy and fauour of God shall we be found so negligent as not to search and spend some time and studie therein The time shall come saith Christ that ye shal desire one of the daies of the sonne of man and shall not sée them What if God should send a famine not of bread nor of bodily foode but of his precious word What if he should punish vs by Idolatry by giuing power to a straunge nation to ouerrunne vs. We may wander from sea to sea and from the North euen to the East then we may runne too and fro to séeke the word of the Lord and yet not be partakers of our desires Now we may reade let not the opportunitie slip vntill the time come that we may wish and want We neuer lightly know what health is till sicknesse come and then we may be nearer to death then to recouer our health What was it to Moses that he could sée that pleasant land and goodly lebanon and could not enter into it And what comfort will it be to vs to thinke that we had time to reade and search the word of God when we shall be debarred from the vse therof O that we could be perswaded to reade and search that we might finde eternall life or that the loue thereof were planted in our hearts that we might bee desirous still to heare reade and meditate in the same who in so doing are pronounced blessed Blessed is the man whose delight is in the lawe of the Lord and therein doth he meditate that is continually spend a great part of his time in that holy and heauenly and sauing exercise Which blessing God of his mercy grant vs and frame our mindes to the earnest desire of reading and vnderstanding his wil and and his word and I pray God giue effect to the same and prosper it To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost c. Some reade the word for fashion sake Idle readers Mat. 13. 19. Much like the high way seede And some being touch't by gods good grace Christian workers Mat. 5. 6. Do reade it for their neede Yet is the wisest naturall man 1. Cor. 2. 14. Herein but ignorant and blinde And daily must we pray to God Praier for vnderstanding Eph. 1. 16. 20. Iam. 1. 5. Colloss 1. 9. To light our darkned minde And if that profit we do meane To get and gaine thereby We must not reade but once and twice To satisfie the eye But often must the cud be chu'd Read often if we minde truly to profit Ps