body and the kingdome of heauen more precious then earthly treasures so doth the chiefe and principall end of the magistrates charge and office consist in the establishing and maintaining of the puritie of Doctrine the holy administration of the Sacramentes the inuocation of Gods name 1. Cron. 15. the order of Ecclesiasticall Discipline In brief in the holy ministerie and seruice of God How carefull was Dauid to bring the Arke of God into his Citie How ioyfully with praises and blessings of the Lord did he conduct it He commanded the priests and Leuits to sanctifie themselues and to prouide to carie it Hee ordained them to appoint of their brethren to sing and play vpon instruments before it And how zelously did hee establish an order for the seruice of God How affectionate did hee shew himselfe to builde an house to God 2. Cron. 19. 2. Sam. 7. 1. Cron. 22. And vnderstanding that God woulde not that it shoulde bee built by him but by his sonne Salomon What summes of golde and siluer did hee leaue towards the building thereof 4 Asa king of Iuda touched with the like zeale put downe the straÌ„ge alters the high places other idolatries 2. Chro. 14 He coÌ„maÌ„ded Iuda to praie to the Lord the God of their fathers and to fulfill the law the commandements And God for the same blessed him mightily and gaue him victory ouer Zara the Aethiopian 2. Chro. 15 and rest from his enemies Yea many other kindreds namely of Ephraim Manasses and Simeon perceiuing that the Lord his God was with him came to him as to a refuge and made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of theyr fathers with all their harts and wyth all theyr souls 2. Chro. 14.2 yea that they should slaie all such as would not seeke the God of Israel And of him it is said that he did that which was good in the sight of the Lord his God 5 Iehosaphat his sonne likewise gaue himself couragiously to re-establish the seruice of God namely in the third yere of his raigne 2. Chro. 17 when hee sent men of authoritie to cause it to bee taught throughout all the townes of Iuda yea hee sent with them Leuites and Priests to teach the inhabitants of Iuda who carryed with them the bookes of the lawe of the Lord and went thoroughout all the townes of Iuda to instruct the people And God so blessed him in this good zeale that the feare of the Lorde fell vppon all the nations and kingdomes round about Iuda and they durst not make anie warre agaynst Iehosaphat He also in Ierusalem ordained the Leuites and priestes with the princes of the kindreds of Israel for the iudgement of the Lord and for controuersies that they might iudge according to the lawe of God and appointed Amarias the high priest to haue the ouersight ouer them 6 As for king Ezechias the holy Scripture greatly testifyeth his godlynes and feruent affection to the seruice of God Hee gathering together the Priests and Leuites gaue vnto them this admonition and exhortation Heare me ye Leuites sanctify now your selues 2. Chro. 29. and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers Our fathers haue trespassed and done euill in the eies of the Lord our God and therefore his wrath hath bene vpon Iuda and Ierusalem But now I purpose to make a couenant with the Lord God of Israel that hee may turne awaie his fierce wrath from vs. Now my sonnes be ye not deceiued for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serue him And when the priests Leuites had cleansed sanctifyed the temple of the Lord king Ezechias rose early gathered the princes of the citie went vp to the house of the Lord the priests Leuits offered sinne offerings for the kingdome for the sanctuarie and for Iuda And when they had made an end of the burnt offering the king all that were with him bowed them selues and worshipped The king and the princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the wordes of Dauid and of Asaph the seer so they praised with ioy and they bowed themselues and worshipped Neither dyd this good king take care for the tribe of Iuda onelie ouer the which himself raigned but also when he was to celebrate the passeouer 2. Chro. 30 hee sent poastes throughout the other tribes of Israel to inuite them to come vp and to celebrate the feast and to serue God And to that end by his messengers hee made to them an excellent exhortation and admonition whereupon albeit some did laugh them to scorne 2. Chro. 31 yet neuerthelesse diuerse of Assur of Zabulon and of Manasses submitted themselues and came to Ierusalem Hee afterward also renued the seruice of God according to the order established by Dauid and made a decree whereby the king should be charged with a contribution taken of his treasurie for the morning and euening sacrifices for the saboths the new moones the solemne feasts according as it is written in the law of the Lorde â— Chr. 34. 35 7 The like zeale and dutie to the seruice of God is also set down in Iosias king of Iuda But the premises may suffice to declare vnto kings princes and other Christian magistrates with what affection and zeale they are bound to purge their dominions of Idolatrie superstition to establish among theyr subiects the pure and holye seruice of God with the holy ministerie of his word and to imploy theyr authoritie and meanes in the maintenance thereof To bee short in theyr owne persons to giue example of all godlinesse Sundrie kings euen of the Heathen haue somewhat vnderstoode and put it in practise as Nabuchadnezzer when hee beheld the wonderfull worke of God in preseruing the three Hebrew princes in the fierie furnace and therby conceiued some sparke of the knowledge of the true God did immediatly make a decree in honour of the true God in these wordes Therefore I make a decree that euerie people nation or language that speake anie blasphemie against the God of Shaaâ—achâ— Dan. 3 24 Masach and Abednego shall be drawen in peeces then houses shall be made a takes for there is no God that can deliuer after this sort Dauids likewise beholding the miraculous deliuerie of Daniel from the lyons immediatly writ forth his Letters to this effect Vnto all people Pro. 25. nations and languages that dwell in all the world peace bee multiplied to you I make a decree that in all the dominions of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish and his dominion shall bee for euerlasting Hee rescueth and deliuereth and he worketh signes and wonders in heauen and in earth who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the lions These are excellent prayses of God deliuered by a Heathen king and doo
premises confirmed in that the Church is called the house of God For as the holy scripture speaketh of two sorts of children only the one the children of God the other of the deuill 1. Tim. 3.15 1. Ioh. 3.10 so are ther but two houses the one wherin the childrē of God are gathered norced together the other wherin the childrē of the deuil are scattered abrod So many therfore as are in the Church are the children domestical seruants of God as S. Paul also calleth them Ephe. 2.19 And contrariwise they that do refuse to adioyne thēselues therto are forreners strangers as the Apostle nameth thē Christ himself Ioh. 14.2 wher he saith that In the house of God my father ther be many māsions attributing the same title of the house of God to the heauēly Citie which is the congregation of the elect in heauen replenished with the glory of God as he doth to the Church and assemblies of Saints which do enioy the ministery doth admonish vs that the house of God vpō earth is the ready way there by to climbe the gate that we are to enter at into this house of God And cōsequētly that they that refuse to enter into the house of God vpō earth haue no accesse or entry into the house of God 1. Tim. 3.15 3 This Church is also called a piller of the truth in two considerations first because that without the same ther is nothing but lying cōsequently the dominion of the deuill the prince of darknes and father of lies Secondly to aduertise vs that all they vnto whō God hath reuealed his truth are by this title aduowed to be pillers therof by confessing preaching defending it before against all men yea euen by suffering for the same Whereby it euidently appeareth that such as will not make profession but refuse to ioyne with the Church do deserue to be giuen ouer to the power of the father of lies because so far as in thē lieth they suffer the truth to fall be brought to nought Gal. 4.26 But especially we are to note this title Mother attributed to the Church which sheweth her to bee the mother that brought vs foorth the nouise that suckled vs with her two pappes of the word and Sacraments the tutrix that bringeth vp guideth gouerneth vs vntil that hauing put of this mortall flesh we become like vnto the Angels And sith it is the wil of God that al they to whō he vouchsafeth to be a father shold acknowledge the Church for their mother those that shal refuse to adioyne themselues therto are not Gods children Which is more S. Paul calleth this Church Eph. 4. the assembly of Saints and body of Christ teaching vs that as the members therof are aduowed to be Saints mēbers of Christ so they that do refuse to adioyne thēselues therunto are holden as being no Saints nor members of the body of Christ to be the members of Sathan Mat. 12.43 whom the Scripture termeth the vncleane spirit Which consideration should minister as great terror confusion to these as contentment consolation to the members of the body of Christ When Iesus Christ therfore S. Iohn do cal vpon vs to Amend they do admonish vs that among al other things renouncing Idolatry we are especially to adioine our selues to the church of Christ to the end to become members of his body whereby departing from the kingdome of Sathan we may haue entrie accesse into the house of God wher hauing the Chruch for our mother wee shall bee assured to haue God for our father finally renouncing al falsehood we shal be made pillers and supporters of the truth by confessing and maintaining the same all the daies of our liues to the glorie of God and the saluation of our soules That we ought diligently to frequent Sermons Chap. 3. THe premises shall we much the better vnderstand when wee shall more particulerly be instructed what the Church is by the markes of the same And these are comprised principally in three points In the pure preaching of the word of God In the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and in the publike inuocation of one onely God in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Concerning preaching Iesus Christ saith My sheepe heare my voice and follow me Thereby declaring that so many as heare the voice of Christ are his flocke and his Church Ioh. 10.27 and to that sence in another place he saith He that is of God heareth the voice of God But how can we heare Iesus Christ who is in heauē Ioh. 8.47 He that heareth you saith he to his Apostles Heareth me It followeth then that he that refuseth to heare Iesus Christ Luk. 10.16 when hee speaketh by his ministers is none of his sheepe And this indeed is euidently confirmed by the scope and right vse of the preaching of the Gospel noted in these titels which the holy Ghost attributeth thereunto The ministerie of reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.18 Ephe. 6.15 Act. 14.3 Act. 20.32 Act. 13.26 Act. 5.20 Phil. 2.15 The Gospell of peace The word of grace saluation and of life euerlasting For who be Christs sheepe the children of God and members of his Church but onely they that are reconciled to God That haue peace of conscience That feele Gods fauour and grace in their soules And that waite for saluation life in Iesus Christ according to the most assured testimonies of his holy Gospell Whereupon wee see there is nothing which wee are to holde more deare or in greater estimation then the ministerie of the word 2 Except we be illuminated we cannot be saued Now where Iesus Christ calleth his Apostles The light of the world Mat. 5.14 Esa 49.6 Act. 13.47 And S. Paul saith that God hath sent him to be a light and saluation to the Gentiles The same is likewise ment by all those that are called to preach the Gospell Neither are they called light in respect of their persons but of their doctrine Who so therefore desireth to see cleerely into the waie of euerlasting lyfe must diligently giue eare to those whose preaching is the light Iohn 3.5 No man saith Iesus Christ can come into the kingdome of God vnles he bee regenerated Saint Paul who calleth himselfe the father of the Corinthians and sayth 1. Cor. 4.15 that he hath begotten them to the Lord doth sufficiently declare that this regeneration is wrought by preaching of the Gospel Without faith we can neither please God nor be saued The same Apostle sayth that Faith commeth by hearing the preaching If wee be not saued Heb. 1 16. Ephes 2.8 Rom. 10.15 1. Tim. 4.16 we are for euer accursed Saint Paul writing to Timothie sayth that by the faithfull discharging of his duetie he shall saue both himselfe and those that shall heare him The same Apostle sayth that when Iesus Christ ascended into heauen he
of our Lord Iesus Christ at the least once a yeere they seperated not themselues from the Idolaters and heathen shewing some testimonie of their Christianitie Let them that we speake of therefore consider by what title they may be called Christians sith they neuer communicate in the supper of Iesus Christ Neither may they replie as some doe that in ioyning with one Church they condemne all others for it is true that all assemblies that entitle themselues the Church of Christ are not so yet to acknowledge or alow of none for feare of condemning of the rest is to denie and condemne Christ in not condemning those who calling themselues Christ are Antichrists If a man bring a payment in golde where among there bee some peeces that seeme light or counterfaite thou doest not straight say I will take none least by taking so much as I take to be waight and currant you should complaine that I reiect the rest but thou wilt bring thy ballance and touch-stone and then wilt thou take so much as thou findest to be waight and currant and boldly refuse the rest Let these men therefore set before their eyes the markes of the true Church as their touch-stone and scales and by them consider where they are thereto also adioyning prayer to God that he will direct them by his holy spirit and so knowing the true Church and ioyning themselues therto Amend their liues by communicating in the holy supper of the Lord. Of our dutie to assist at publique Prayer Chap. 5. AS concerning publique or common prayer Gen. 17.7 Act. 9.14.21 2. Tim. 2.19 Psal 14.4 Esa 56.7 Mat. 21.13 Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 18.19 considering that thereby the holy Scripture signifieth the whole seruice of God also that his seruants are called people calling vpon God it alreadie appeareth that such as despise the same do cut off themselues from the degree of Gods seruants Where God calleth the temple the house of prayer he sheweth that the principall part of that seruice which he requireth of vs is that wee should assemble to pray and call vpon him as indeed these publique praiers are of great efficacie For albeit all priuate praiers directed to the heauenly father in the name of Iesus Christ haue promise to be heard yet is it not without cause that Iesus Christ aduertiseth and promiseth vs that if two faithfull doe agree vpon earth whatsoeuer they demaund of their heauenly father it shall be graunted This is a fauour as it were peculiar to the Church and noted by Dauid where he saith Praise waiteth for thee in Sion Psal 65.2 and vnto thee shall the vow be performed Herein he sheweth that the praiers of the Church signified by Sion are so sure to bee heard that God who heareth them looketh for praise in theÌ„ as indeed it is his dutie whose prayers are heard to yeeld thankes praisings to God And truely as when a whole Burgeoysie of a Citie doe come before their Prince and with one voice craue pardon for some offence or begge some grace or fauour the Prince will be more moued then if they being absent some one maÌ„ should speake for the whole Euen so wheÌ„ the whole Church assembled together doth with hart and minde in the presence of God accoÌ„panie the praiers which the preacher as the mouth of the congregation poureth forth let them be assured that those praiers do penetrate the heauens and that God is moued to heare them Not that he is subiect to passions as we but that by the feeling of our affections hee vouchsafeth to assure vs of his mercy goodnes toward vs. WheÌ„ Amb. de paenitent diuers how few so euer saith S. Ambrose are assembled together being vnited they are great And the praiers of a gret multitude cannot possibly be coÌ„temned 2 Likewise all people and nations in the world euen the Idolaters haue euermore had their assemblies therein publique prayers This sence or feeling being grauen in all mens harts that haue any religion that they ought to call vpon their God that it is an honour that God requireth at their hands and the true meanes to purchase his blessings toward them But in Christian Churches there is also this farther reason That their publique praiers are as it were a publique renouncing of all sects and societie with Idolaters and prophane people an acknowledgement and confession of the true God a publique sanctification of his name to his glory And therefore Act. 16.13 as the Iewes in old time so since haue the Christians euermore very carefully obserued this dutie of pietie and seruice to God as appeareth by the writings of the Apostles Prophets and by al Ecclesiasticall histories And to this purpose doth S. Luke rehearse that Paul and his companions being at the towne of Philippos came forth vpon the Sabaoth day and went to the riuers side where they vsed to pray This vndoubtedly was some out corner where the faithfull vsed secretly to meete to call vpon God So that albeit euery man priuately might haue prayed in his house Act. 21.5 and so haue auoided both the paine and daunger yet knowing that in dutie they were to separate themselues from Idolaters and the efficacie of the praiers of the congregation they ouercame the feare of the danger met in that place especially to pray and with one consent to poure out their praiers to the Lord. When S. Paul and his companions departed from Tirus all the congregation with their wiues and children brought them out of the towne and kneeling with them on the shore prayed Shall wee in these daies find this zeale among Christians No men will bee ashamed to imitate it and to kneele downe vpon a shore to pray to God publikely And yet the faithful of those times neuer did it without both reson fruit It is therfore a holy ordinaÌ„ce of God a most profitable exercise to come together to call vpon the Lord. As also it is ytâ—uty of al faithful carefully to come to such praiers that they may be pertakers of the fruits of the same especially in time of gret calamities or vpoÌ„ feare or liklihood therof We should eueÌ„ extraordinarily come together to call vpon God as we read that the prophet Ioel in the name of God coÌ„maunded Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast Ioh. 2.15 cal a solemne assemblie gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the children and together cry vnto the Lord in praiers feruent and extraordinarie old and young none exeÌ„pted And as euery one in respect of himself is therto bound so is it not enough that he faithfully employ himselfe only vnlesse he sollicit exhort others according to the prophesie of Zacharie saying The enhabitants of one Cittie shall say to another Vp let vs goe and pray before the Lord and seeke the Lord of hoasts I will go also Zach. 8 21. 3 Neither is it inough that in body we
of Israell cannot stand before their enemies Because they bee execrable And then he addeth I will not be with you any more except yee destroy the excommunicate from among you Here do we see which also is manifestly noted in the beginning of the historie that albeit Acan onely tooke of the thing excommunicate yet was his offence imputed to all the people the wrath of God was kindled not against Acan only but also against all Israell to conclude that the punishment and execution of Acan was the only meanes to appease that wrath as it is expresly set downe Iosu 5.25 that after Acan was put to death The Lord turned from his fierce wrath 40 Another excellent mirror and example of this doctrine we haue in the historie of Ionas He only offended God in seeking to flie from the presence of the Lord to Tarsus to the end shipped himselfe But God raised a tempest a testimony of his wrath Ionas not against him onely but against all that were in the ship who al were in danger of drowning They sought to saue themselues by casting their goods into the sea But it was in vaine Then finding Ionas guiltie the motiue of this tempest they made toward the shore to preserue both him and themselues but God withstood thē Lastly the only meanes to saue their ship themselues was by casting Ionas into the sea Which being done the tēpest suddenly ceased 41 If vpon the committing of some manslaughter or some other notorious crime in some Towne or Cittie the Lord by sending an Earthquake should threaten to subuert the same vntill the offender were punished men would take better heede And therefore this first reason ought earnestly to touch the harts of Magistrates to make them to punish the offences transgressions of their subiects considering that otherwise they maintaine the wrath of God kindled against their whole nation There shal not be saith the Lord by the mouth of Moses any recōpēce for the blud that hath bin shed but by the blud of him that hath shed it And therefore hee doth expressely forbid the iudges not to take any rewarde for the life of the murtherer who is wicked and deserueth death but commaundeth that he bee put also to death Numb 35.33 For sayeth hee Bloud defileth the land cannot be clensed but by the death of the murtherer And therefore as when fire hath taken a house men vse to pull it downe to cast it to the earth least it should fire also the neighbours houses So must the magistrate pluck downe and punish the trensgressor least the heate of Gods wrath be kindled consume al the people The transgression offence of one subiect is as a cācre or gangrene to the whole body of man for if the disease which hath infected but one mēber be not taken away it consumeth the whol body negligēce therfore dissimulatiō or bearing with vice and transgressions is no mercy or clemencie but crueltie and fellonie against the subiectes because it kindleth the wrath of God against them 42 The other reason propounded by the Lord importeth that by the punishment of sin transgression the subiectes shall feare to commit like iniquities And in that cōsideratiō is the punishment of transgressors vsually in all countries publike to the end that others may vnderstand in themselues find that vpon their committing of the like wickednesse they shall in like maner bee punished and therefore may feare to offend And is not this also the meaning of Gods iudgements and punishments executed vpon transgressors in this life euen that others should feare shun sin least they also should fall into the like punishment The Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.6 speaking of the sundrye punishments inflicted vpon the children of Israel in the wildernesse expressely saith These are examples vnto vs to the intent that we should not lust after euill things as they also lusted That wee should not commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twentie thousand That we should not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents Neither murmure as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these thinges came vnto them as ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall 43 This also is the fruit and purpose of Ecclesiasticall censures which are performed in excommunication 1. Cor. 5. as Saint Paul sheweth saying The incestuous person excommunicate least as a little Leauen sowreth the whole lump so the tollerating of the incestuous person should by his ensample corrupt the whole Church And therefore in conclusion of this purpose hee saith Put away from among you that wicked man Deut. 135 17 7.10 21 21. And this sentence and commaundement is also many times directed to the magistrate namely that hee put away the sinne or the sinner from among the people by punishing him according to his offence It is therfore the magistrates dutie to punish the transgressions of men to the ende that others may feare to commit the like iniquitie· And indeede what will become of that Towne or prouince Esay 11. wherein sinne and wickednesse is not punished If as Esay saith men be each to other as Tigers Lyons Beares Wolues and Serpents what peace or tranquilitie can there bee among the people if men bee not restrained from wickednesse by the exemplarie punishment of transgressors And indeede as Saint Augustine sayth Aug. against Petilian lib. 2. cap. 23. Albeit the feare of punishment breedeth not the comfort of a good conscience yet doeth it at the least restraine the wicked desyres inclosed in the secrets of the thought And as it is the better parte that is induced to this dutie by loue so is it the greater part that came to it by feare 44 Yet is there another consideration Saint Paul exhorting vs not to requite euill with euill but to giue place vnto wrath Rom. 12.19 addeth this reason Vengeance is Gods and hee will repaie it Rom. 13. And in the next Chapter he declareth that God hath ordayned the superior powers and magistrates as his vicars lieutenants deliuering to them the swoord to execute vengeance in his name If the magistrate therefore doth not imploy his swoord and power to the punishing of the wicked hee wrongeth those that keepe themselues within the compasse of Gods commandement and doo depende vpon his promise that hee wyll reuenge the iniuries that they doo beare and withall so farre as in him lyeth he doth bring vpon the maiestie of God a great reproch as if hee were not eyther true or almightie to fulfyll his promise or to take reuenge of those that wrong others To conclude hee giueth occasion to such as be iniured to defend themselues to render
hath prepared for them a Cittie Heere the Apostle sheweth that Abraham Isaack and Iacob were strangers in the land of Canaan in respect of Vr in Chaldea from whence they came when Abraham at Gods commandement left his countrey his kinred and the house of his father But in that they were called forreiners and strangers it was not in that respect but in respect of heauen where God had prepared a Cittie for them and therefore albeit they had time to returne to Vr their natiue countrey yet sought they a better namely the heauenly and in that regarde conuersing vpon earth they are called strangers 3 Now the remeÌ„brance that we are strangers pilgrims trauellers ought to induce vs to lift vp settle our thoghts minds cogitations vpon our heauenly country that in the coÌ„templation of God of the glory of Christ and of the excellency of our inheritance we might reioyce with the angels souls of the saints that are already gathered thither and incessaÌ„tly sing praises vnto God with them And indeed as the Apostle saith Heb. 12.22 Wee that beleeue in Christ are come to the hill of Syon and to the cittye of the liuing God to the heaueÌ„ly Ierusalem to millions of angels to the church of the first born that are written in the heauens to God who is the iudge of all to the soules of the righteous that are sanctified and to Iesus the mediator of the new couenant Being ascended so high hauing our coÌ„uersation in heauen as Burgesses therof if froÌ„ thence we look vpon the earth and cast our view vpon the kingdomes riches dignities men and the most excellent things in the world all will seem in our eyes so small that wee will be euen ashamed to esteeme of them yea euen so much as to think vpon them so far will we be from setting our affections thervpon and truly goe vp vnto a high steeple and look from the top therof looke vpon men that go in the streets and they wil seem to you not to be men but children their houses euen cabbins for if it were possible to climbe fiue or six leagues higher ye should see no men yea the greatest townes would seeme but as one house and the Sea a poole Moreouer if possibly ye could ascend to the heauen of the moon which is the lowest the greatnes of the whole world would seem nothing it would not shew so much as a good pinnes head hanging in the middest of a great Church What would it be in case hee were in the highest heauen among the starres or aboue the heauens in the house of our father and in the heauenly citie wherof we are burgesses Much rather in those dayes will the vniuersall worlde be vnto vs nothing at all 4 To this purpose doe we read of a great Romain personage who in a dreame or conceit being ascended into the region of heauen among the Starres Cicero in Scipios dreame and beholding their greatnes and brightnesse thence casting downe his eyes vpon the earth it seemed that the whole worlde was so little that hee was ashamed of the Romain empire which neuerthelesse extended into so many realmes Now as this Ethnick could in his discourse clymbe no higher so if wee that are burgesses of heauen doe ascend aboue al heauens there conuersing in spirit doo behold the glorye of God and his pallace of light of an incomprehensible extent and afterward shal looke downe to the earth we will be ashamed of the smalnesse thereof and of all the kingdomes therein which thence will not shewe so great as a graine of sande but euen nothing at all The three Apostles when they had seene some parte of the glorye of Christ in his transfiguration vppon mount Thabor were so mooued that they saide Mat. 17.4 Lord it is good for vs to be heere let vs builde three tabernacles What then would we doe if we should conuerse in heauen and there beholde the maiestye of God and the glorye of Iesus Christ wold not euen the apprehension therof allure vs to wish to dwell there and to forget and despise the earth or then remembring and looking towardes the same woulde wee not reproue our selues as that Romain was reproued by his father who saide vnto him why dost thou yet cast downe thine eyes vpon the earth 5 Among other the vanities that men doe seeke and so feruently desire is glory and the reputation of vertue valour riches power wisedome and such other like but this Romain Ethnick being in a dreame rapt aboue the starres is by his father admonished in the smalenesse of all the worlde to contemplate the vanity of this ambition men will talke saith hee of thee and thy vertues but wher be it throughout the Romain Empire yet shall not thy fame passe such and such mountains there will no man once speake of thee What a folly is it therefore so to delight in the reputation of great welth ornaments of body excesse in banquets goodly houses honourable functions euen wisedome and humaine discretion sith all this fame and glory shal be shut vp in so small a corner of the worlde that when thou art ascended into the Citie whereof thy selfe art a Burgesse thou shalt not be able to see it most men labour to haue faire houses gardens of pleasure lordshippes and to heape vp possession vpon possession as if themselues should dwell alone vpon the earth as Esay saith Esay 5.8 and yet when they haue purchased whole townes and kingdomes if they should from heauen looke vpon them they would disdaine and contemne the smalnes and basenes of them And indeed let a man looke vpon a towne platted in foure leaues of paper hee shall somewhat discerne the order of the streetes and houses thereof but afterward laye downe in the like quantity of paper the whole prouince wherein that cittie standeth and the same will not shew so great as a mans nayle And lastly let him represent the whole worlde in asmuch paper and he shall see neither house nor towne yea scarsely the whole prouince perhaps hee may finde the names of the realmes and see their extent in the breadth of two or three nayles and looking from heauen the whole worlde will not seeme so much What a folly then or rather a madnesse is it for those that are strangers vpon earth and burgesses of heauen diuersly and by sundry meanes to offend God Gen. 25 34. Heb. 12.16 for the getting of so small a portion of earth which is as nothing wherein they resemble Esau who for a peece of bread and a messe of pottage solde his birth-right 6 Againe such as are strangers in a forraine countrey and haue parents and great wealth in their natiue soyle being hardlye entreated where they soiourne and vpon the pointe to returne home into their countrey are vndoubtedly very glad thereof euen already they seeme to see their houses lands and possessions and in their conceiâ—s doe
If God sayth hee spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell 2. Pet. 2.4 and deliuered them into the chaines of darknes to be kept vnto iudgement Neither spared the olde worlde but saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floud vpon the world of the vngodly And turned the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them ouerthrewe them and made them an example vnto them that afterward should liue vngodly and deliuered the iust Loth The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly that honor him out of temptation and to reserue the vngodly vnto the daie of iudgement to be punished Saint Iude in stead of the example of the floud propoundeth the vengeance of God poured vpon the vnbeleeuing Israelites in the wildernesse Also Iude vers 5 making mention of the horrible punishment fallen vpon Sodome and Gomorrha sayth that they were set forth for an example and suffered the vengeance of eternall fire When therefore wee heare the threatnings of the liuing God by the mouth of his seruants let vs make hast to conuert to the Lord in amendement of lyfe lest by our obstinacie as Saint Paul sayth and our hearts not knowing howe to repent we heape vp wrath for the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and of the manifestation of the iust iudgement of God who shall render to euerie man according to his workes 10 Inasmuch therefore as through our infirmitie albeit wee bee taught the waie to heauen and that we bee put in minde to walke in the same by representation of benefits receiued of promises of blessings to come yea euen of threatninges with the examples of vengeance we neuertheles cannot desist from offending of God and so from turning out of the waie of saluation and lyfe euerlasting The ministers of the word doo moreouer vse reprehensions reprouing our sinnes and offences thereby to reduce vs into the right waie and in respect of our slownesse to doo good and to amend our liues they also vse vehement exhortations yea they do euen praie adiure and intreate vs in the name of God to amend and to walke in the feare of God And where wee haue many noâ—some hinderances that trouble vs and quaile our courages 2. Thes 2.11 they do likewise propound vnto vs mightie consolations in the woorde of God to the end wee may cheerefully and constantly proceede in the waie of saluation What man therefore inioying the holy ministerie can excuse himselfe in the sight of God in case hee doo not constantly resolue to amend his lyfe and dayly to put the same in practise How horrible a iudgement shall he deserue that is so hardened in wickednesse and so tied in the chaines of Sathan that there is no light before his eyes no path to the waie of saluation no feeling of Gods benefites no remembrance of his promises no feare of his threatninges no apprehension of the examples of his vengeance no reprehension no exhortation no consolation that can bee of strength and sufficient to moue his heart to amend Be not these men then that remaine thus obstinate without amendement euen monsters in nature 11 Now as the administration of the Sacraments is one part of the holy ministery let vs first see how forcibly our Baptisme shuld moue vs to amend our liues Baptisme is the seale of the couenant of God comprehending especially two graces namely remission of sinnes our regeneration or spirituall renuing When the children of Christians therfore are baptised the same is as if God speaking by the mouthes of his ministers shoulde saie O my people acknowledge my great mercie and goodnesse towards these little babes they are conceiued in sinne borne in iniquity by nature the children of wrath yet doo I aduow them for mine their sinne a d corruption is washed awaie in the bloud of Iesus Christ I doâ—â—nite and ioyne them vnto him to the end that being grafted into his death and resurrection they may bee regenerated theyr olde man bee mortified and themselues become newe creatures in my sight In them do I seale these graces whilest they be yet babes before they know me euen before they haue done anie good that so they may be acknowledged to bee meerely free to my glorie Is not this a great bond vnto children to binde them as they come to age to loue God who loued them before they knew him and to doo the dutie of children because hee aduowed them to be his children euen before they hadde done anie good Surelye loue should beget loue and loue feare to offend and feare to offend amendement of lyfe If by Baptisme wee bee regenerate and made the children of God are wee not bound to liue as the children of God and as it may beseem the holynes of such a father The kings children doo not apply theyr minds to handle crafts but to works fitting their greatnes much lesse then should the children of God applie themselues to the works of the darke Such as by Baptisme are recalled from death should doo no deadly works they that by Baptisme are incorporated into Iesus Christ ought so to be guided by his spirit that as it is the soule that worketh all the workes of the bodie so the spirit of Christ as it were the soule of this new man Iesus Christ being considered as vnited with his bodie there should be no motion thought worde or worke but such as should proceed from the spirite of Iesus Christ in all fulnesse dwelling in him and in vs his members according to the measure limited to euery one of vs. 12 Moreouer if by Baptisme we be grafted into Iesus Christ we must bring forth fruit worthie of Iesus Christ Iohn 15 5. Hee that dwelleth in me sayth he and I in him beareth much fruit If wee speake of trees experience teacheth vs that the signe that is thereinto grafted doth in such wise drawe awaie thâ— sappe and force thereof that it bringeth forth fruit according to it selfe kinde not after the kinde of the tree whereinto it is grafted but wyth Iesus Christe it is contrarie for they that are grafted in him doo in deede gather strength from him yet so that they alter their nature bring forth fruit not after the kinde of Adams children but of Iesus Christe into whom they are grafted And therefore as it were a monstrous matter to see an apple tree whereupon nothing had beene grafted beare acornes so is it as straunge and repugnaunt to reason that they who by Baptisme are ingrafted into Iesus Christ should not bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse according to his kinde Lykewise if Baptisme bee a pledge of our regeneration of necessitie the workes and affections of our first generation according to the which we are full of corruption and wickednesse must cease and be mortified and now we must shew forth the fruits and effects of our regeneration in newnes of life sith by our baptisme our olde