thou art stillâ—… same man thou weâ—… there is no change of tâ—… manners and art still 〈◊〉 eased vnto the death 〈◊〉 all those that came Christ in the Gospel noâ—… went away as they came â—…me came blinde and â—…ent away seeing some â—…me lepers and went aâ—…ay cleansed some paraâ—…ique and went away â—…nfirmed some possesâ—…d with euill spirits and â—…ent away deliuered â—…ou art not as one of â—…em thou hast not â—…ught him thou hast not â—…uched him thou hast â—…awne no vertue out of â—…m the Physitian hath â—…t cured thee how then â—…st thou I beleeue in Ieâ—…s thou art not planted him for all that are in â—…m get vertue from him which workes in theâ—… the similitude of his owâ—… life Here is the miserâ—… of this age that a couâ—…terfeit Faith is currant â—…mong many who coâ—…tent themselues with it 〈◊〉 if it were a true faith Verse 2. In my Fathers house are many dwelling places If it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you HItherto haue we been comforted against the feare of â—…ne followes now comâ—…t against Death Wherâ—… the Lord confirmes vs â—…ainst the offence wee â—…ght conceiue of his â—…ath and against the terâ—…rs might arise of our â—…ne death and that which may follow it This comfort proceedes by three degrees In the first is proposed meditation of the manâ—… Mansions which are iâ—… our Fathers house Thâ—… comfort meetes our feaâ—… this way if death afraâ—… you if the graue seeâ—… horrible to you if it yerksome to remembâ—… that which Iob hath Eâ—… it be long I must make 〈◊〉 bed in the darke I will 〈◊〉 to corruption thou art 〈◊〉 father and to the worâ—…yee are my brethren and â—…sters lift vp your minde looke ouer this stream at seemes to carry all â—…ay with it cast your â—…es vpward to my Faâ—…ers House where many â—…ansions are Death â—…all not be able to deâ—…ure you the graue shall â—…t detaine you from â—…ese euerlasting Tabernaâ—… where the place of â—…ur rest and Mansion This is the first degree the Comfort and is â—…ntained in these words As Death is the way of flesh so is it the comâ—…nd of all crosses in it â—…e soule naturally is â—…ubled with feares the â—…dy with paines It is the last enemie which gâ—… thereth all forces miâ—…tant vnder it to the laâ—… battle It is with vs as was with Israel when thâ—… came out of Egypt oâ—… nation of the Egyptiaâ—… pursued them but whâ—… they entred into Canaâ—… seauen nations of Canâ—…nites ioyned their forcâ—… to hold them out In oâ—… life euery man hath hâ—… seuerall crosses and tenttions one hath health 〈◊〉 body but wrestleth wiâ—… pouertie not hauing 〈◊〉 feede his body anothâ—… hath abundance but hatâ—… not his health to vse iâ—… some want sight of their eyes but heare well eâ—…ough others see but â—…eare not at all one is â—…ained in his outward â—…lesh another with some â—…ntestine disease in one â—…here is a whole body but 〈◊〉 wounded Spirit If in â—…ur life wee gather not â—…trength against one crosse or two how shall â—…ee endure in death to â—…ight with them all Wert â—…hou neuer so rich poore â—…nd naked thou must goe to the graue arme â—…hee against pouertie â—…earne to want those things which thou hast before they be taken from thee were thy sight as quicke as the Eagles it shall waxe dimme They shall waxe darke that looke out at the window the strong men shall bowe themselues and the grinders shall cease c. Thy senses shall faile thee yea thy heart also thy beautifull flesh must putrifie rot thou must goe to the house of thine age and all that are thine shall for sake thee In a word armtes of sorrowes feares and terrours as in a solemne day shall be gathered round about thee And therefore great need haue wee to arme our selues aâ—…ainst that day of battel â—…nd specially to lay vp in â—…ur hearts these consolaâ—…ons of God which our â—…auiour here leaues vs in â—…is Legacie In this first degree of â—…he Comfort foure cirâ—…umstances are to be conâ—…idered first who is this â—…e cals his Father secondâ—… what is his Fathers â—…ouse thirdly what are â—…hese mansions fourthâ—…y what is meant here by â—…any mansions As for the first the â—…ame of a Father is either â—…ttribute to God indefinitely and so is common to all the three personâ—… of the blessed Trinitie in which sense among the rest of the stiles giuen vnto Iesus hee is called aâ—… euerlasting Father anâ—… then the relation respect eth all his creatures oâ—… else particularly it is ascribed to the first person and then the relatioâ—… doth principally respecâ—… Christ and that in botâ—… his natures Secondly alâ—… the children of his good wiâ—… to whom by grace iâ—… Christ he is become a father Most comfortable iâ—… this for vs that he who iâ—… â—…he Father of our Lord â—…esus Christ by an vnâ—…eakable generation for â—…ho can declare it is also â—…ecome our Father in â—…im I ascend to my God â—…nd your God to my father â—…nd to your father And â—…hen wee pray hee hath â—…ommanded vs to call â—…pon God as vpon our â—…ther yea he hath sent owne his Spirit into our arts by whose secret inâ—…rmation we are taught â—…ith filiall confidence to â—…y vnto him Abba Faâ—…er Happy time for vs â—…at so wee may call him The second Circumstance leades vs to a consideration of his Fatheâ—… house The heauen saitâ—… the Lord is my throne anâ—… the earth is my foot-stoolâ—… where then is his house yea as Salomon saith Tâ—… heauens and the heauens â—… heauens are not able to coâ—…taine him the Lord is uery where excludâ—… from no place includâ—… in none to them in hâ—… hee shewes his terrour tâ—… them on earth he shewâ—… his goodnesse to them iâ—… heauen hee sheweth hâ—… glory what then is thâ—… hee calleth his Fatheâ—… house This speech â—… borrowed from the manner of Kings who albeit the whole Kingdome bee theirs yet haue they some place of residence which more properly is called the Kings house euen so by this house which our â—…auiour calleth his Fathers house is vnderstood that place of glory wherâ—…n he shewes his secret most familiar presence to his Saints this is the house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens this is the Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God this is the Citie which needeth not Sun nor Moone This is the Paradise of God the inner Court of the palace of God the heauen of heauens the holy of holiest S. Pauâ—… calls it the third Heauens hee saw it but could not reueale the glory of it he contents him to tell what it was not but takes not in hand to tell what it was â—… he describes it negatiue wee shall know it when wee shall see it till then no heart of
regenerate man is bound of faith ◅o beleeue that hee is certainely of the number of ◅hem who are predestinated to life let him be accursed This is their comfortlesse Doctrine But as hee who liues ◅eeles life sensibly and ◅an say I liue and hee who hath a Iewell in his ◅and which others see ◅ot can say confidently ◅ haue it so the regenerate man iustified by ◅aith hauing receiued the ◅pirit of Adoption called The earnest of our inheritance The witnesse of God who witnesseth to o◅ Spirits that we are the so◅ of God The seale of Go◅ by whom wee are sealed against the day of redēptio◅ can as certainly say th◅ I haue it And albeit many are deceiued concerning it to thinke with t◅ fiue foolish Virgins th◅ haue that which th◅ haue not is it therefo◅ reason to affirme that ◅ are deceiued and no◅ can be assured Considering that regenerate men haue all the◅ securities of their heauenly inheritance giuen th◅ from the Lord fi◅ Charter secondly Confirmation thirdly Sea◅ing fourthly Possession Our Charter is the word of the Lord and promises made vs in the Gospell of grace There ◅s one clause of our Charter As the Father hath appointed a Kingdome to mee ◅ol appoint it to you There ◅s another Feare not little ◅ocke it is the Fathers will ◅o giue you the Kingdome If reprobate man or Angell would quarrell as no doubt they will in the day of tentation our ◅ight to the kingdome of heauen wee should haue such principall clauses o◅ our Charter registred i◅ our hearts to produce against them that would disturbe our peace Secondly we haue th◅ Lords Confirmation pa◅ vpon our Charter O◅ this speakes the Apostle ◅ So God willing more abundantly to shew vnto t◅ heyres of promise the stabilitie of his counsell ha◅ bound himselfe by an oa◅ that by two immutable thing◅ wherein it is impossible th◅ God should lye wee might haue strong consolation T◅ Lord hath not only spoken the word but hat◅ confirmed it with an ◅ath to shew to the heires ◅f promise these are regenerate men the stabili◅e of his counsell let the aduersaries marke this Beside this the death of ◅e Testator hath inter◅ened and hath subscri◅ed the Testament with ◅is owne bloud and confirmed it in our hearts by giuing vs his owne Spirit as his witnesse his ◅arnest and his owne seale assuring vs that the promised saluation is ours And therefore S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians saith The testimonie of God hath beene confirmed in you Truth it is many in our dayes know this Charter and can speake of it who haue not the testimonie thereof confirmed in their hearts but sure his Saints elected called and iustified haue it Thirdly wee haue our Seasing giuen vs when his seruants Preachers of the Gospell as his Deputies and officers in his name seases and infefts vs in his promised Kingdome and this is done vpon earth so oft as they deliuer vnto vs in the holy Sacrament that ◅read which is his body ◅hat wine which is his ◅loud A donation reall ◅s made to vs of Christ and of all that which hee hath conquered vnto vs that which generally is proposed in the word particularly is applyed in the Sacrament to euery true penitent and beleeuing receiuer for it is not a naked signe or symboll which there is put into our hands but an effectuall exhibiting instrument of Christ Iesus and of all that by his death he hath merited vnto vs. Last of all we haue possession of it not onely as wee said hath hee carryed our nature into the heauens possessed it there but hee hath deliuered to vs the keyes of the Kingdome Faith and Prayer by the which when wee knocke hee openeth and giues vs euen in this life an entrance to it that we may after a sort view and behold the glory thereof as Moses from the top of Pisgah viewed Canaan this is a present pledge of that future redemption of the possession abiding vs hereafter when we shal◅ more fully inioy it then ◅ow we can Thus haue wee seene in a part what sure and vndoubted warrants Saints called and iustifyed haue of their saluation yet it is to be obserued that this assurance continues not with them alway in a like measure they are many a time exercised with doubtings desertions for their greater humiliation but this is sure true Religion approues no doubting farre lesse prescribes it but rather improues it and by strong arguments taken out of the word strengthens Faith and remoueth all causes of dubitation furnished by infidelitie But that I may eschew repetition he that lists may read this matter entreated at greater length on the eight to the Romanes where we haue also proued that Saints called once by grace and iustified by Faith are sure of finall perseuerance Verse 3. And though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also FOllowes now the third degree of the Comfort The ◅isciples yet might haue ◅aid Lord it is a great ◅omfort to heare of the ◅any Mansions which ◅re in thy Fathers house greater yet to heare that ◅hou wilt goe and prepare them for vs but this this is still the matter o◅ our feare we are clothe◅ with mortall and corruptible bodies which shortly must be turned into dust and ashes and with in them wee haue sinful◅ soules how shall we the◅ be able to inherit these Mansions To this ou◅ Sauiour answeres I wil◅ come againe and receiue you that where I am there yee may be also your ascending vp to the mansion places of my Fathers house is not a worke to be done by you or by the power of nature it is a work to be done by me I will receiue you and no power of the gr◅ue of the earth nor of hell shall be able to hold you from mee For this cause when the Apostle had prayed for the Ephesians that God would open their eyes and let them see the riches of that glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints he subioynes incontinently another prayer that God would open their eyes to see that exceeding greatnes of his power toward vs that beleeue These two are requisite for our compleat comfort first to know the greatnesse of that promised glory next to know that the great power of God will bring vs vnto it Hee will performe his promised kingdome I will come againe This is an Article of our faith acknowledged by Angels Yee men of Galile why stand yee gazing into heauen This Iesus which is taken vp from you shall so come as yee haue seene him taken vp into heauen Beleeued by Saints Vnto them that looke for him shall hee appeare without sinne the second time vnto saluation but scorned by mockers according to the prediction of
Sonne of God hath left vndoneâ—… It is a blasphemie againâ—… the Sonne of God to say hee hath not taught vâ—… that which is needfull foâ—… vs or that any other shalâ—… come after him to reuealâ—… that which our Lord hath not reuealed vnto vs. And no lesse iniuriouâ—… are they in this that they dare derogate from the sufficiencie and perfection of his Priestly office Hee hath offered himselfe once and once onely and that for all his owne a â—…ropitiatorie sacrifice for the full satisfaction of his Fathers Iustice yet are not they ashamed to say that hee hath satisfied for vs onely in a part that which hee hath not done must be supplyed by our owne satisfactions or of others for vs. But if these â—…gnorant men had but a taste of that bitter cuppe which our Sauiour drank for our sinnes the horror whereof made him to sweat a bloudy sweat they would feele and be forced to confesse that it were impossible for any creature to make satisfaction to diuine Iustice foâ—… the smallest sinne thaâ—… euer was committed by man Neyther can thiâ—… blasphemie be excuseâ—… by this pretence that ouâ—… workes and sufferings beâ—… come satisfactory by thâ—… vertue of Christs meritâ—… for the meriting and satisfactorie power of Chrisâ—… is personall Hee hath by himselfe purged our sinnes Hee transferres to hiâ—… Saints the benefit of his merits but not the power of meriting that is the glory of a Sauiour which hee reserueth to himselfe and will not giue to anoâ—…her And as it is persoâ—…all so it is perfect hee â—…ath in such sort done his worke for vs by himâ—…elfe that he hath not left â—…ny part thereof to bee one or supplied by anoâ—…er for which wee haue â—…at most cleare testimoâ—…ie of the holy Oracle â—…ee is able perfectly to saue â—…l them who come vnto â—…od by him Woe therfore â—…ill be vnto them who are say that hee saueth â—…ot perfectly but in a art Thus haue we finished he first degree of the comfort with the confirmation thereof whereiâ—… wee see our Sauiour preâ—… seth to draw vp our hartâ—… and allures vs to folloâ—… him vnto his Fatheâ—… house It is the mannâ—… of Bridegroomes to seeâ—… their Bride in the houâ—… of her Father and thâ—… to carry her home to tâ—… house of their Father â—… did our immortall Hâ—…band vnto vs he sent neâ—… ther Angell nor Arcâ—… angell for vs as Isaac seâ—… Eliezer to bring Rebeâ—… from Padan Aram suâ—… was his loue hee caâ—… himselfe and sought vâ—… â—…e found vs not worthy â—… be loued for wee were â—…owned in debt filthy â—…d loathsome Lepers â—…ead in sinne and trespasâ—…s yet his loue ouercame â—…l these impediments â—…ill entertainment got â—…ee in our Fathers house â—…orse then Iacob got from â—…aban they spitted on his â—…ce they buffetted his â—…eeks they scourged him â—…nd crowned him with â—…ornes yet still his loue â—…uer-came all and he paâ—…iently suffered till hee â—…ad relieued vs from our â—…ebt cleansed vs from â—…ur filthinesse clothed vs with change of raymenâ—… and married vs vnto hiâ—… selfe then he ascended oâ—… high and inuites vs tâ—… follow him and goe wiâ—… him to his Fathers housâ—… where hee promiseth 〈◊〉 better entertainement Here they gaue him crowne of thornes theâ—… he shall giue vs a Crowâ—… of glory here they spiâ—…ted on his face there hâ—… Father shall imbrace vâ—… and kisse vs with the kissâ—… of his mouth here theâ—… made him a companioâ—… of theeues there he shaâ—… make vs a companion oâ—… Angels He longs to hauâ—… vs where himselfe is hee prayes the Father wee may be there to see his glory he cryes in louing manner vpon vs Come to mee I will refresh you In my Fathers house there is roome enough for you Come and see O daughter hearken and consider and incline thine eare forget also thine owne people thy Fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beauty Oh that we might answere the Lord with that voyce of true Israelites captiued in Babel If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget to play if I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy We are heere in a strange land shall we forget Our Sion and Ierusalem which is aboue Alas that wee are bewitched with the pleasures of Babel and do not long as we should to see our Fathers house that wee may be for euer with the Lord. I goe to prepare a place for you THe second degree of the comfort is in these words the disciples and others his Saints might haue said Lord it is ioyfull for vs to heare of thy Fathers house and of the many Mansions which are in it but what is that vnto vs what right or interest haue we in it To this doubt the Lord opposeth this second degree of comfort wherein that which hee spake generally in the first hee applies particularly to them the Mansions of my Fathers house are for you and such as you are I shall make you a right vnto them for this cause came I into the world for this cause goe I vnto my Father that I may prepare a place for you This comfort is most necessary for what auails it vnto vs to heare of the ioyes of that life to come and of the glory of that kingdome vnlesse wee know that it belongs vnto vs The wicked heareth tell of it but shall euer see it yea they may st of the powers of the life come but shal neuer enâ—…y them These are curâ—…d with a curse more â—…arefull than that of the â—…amaritan Prince hee beeued not the word of â—…e Lord spoken by Eliâ—…a the Prophet that Saaria then straited with â—…amine shold haue plenâ—… of victuall vpon the â—…orrow thou shalt see with â—…ine eyes but shalt not eat â—…ereof said the Prophet â—…o is it with the wicked â—…ey shall see the Sonne â—…f man come in his glory â—…ut they shall not be with him yea they shall 〈◊〉 banished from his prâ—…sence they shall see tâ—… godly at the right haâ—… of Iesus but shall not â—… gathered with them Tâ—… is their curse from tâ—… which the Lord preseâ—… vs. In this second degâ—… these foure words are â—… be considered First saiâ—… our Sauiour I goe namâ—…ly to my Fathers houâ—… Secondly wherefore â—… prepare Thirdly what â—… prepare A place Fourtâ—…ly for whom for you The first word then I goe Our Sauiour caâ—… to the world but tarriâ—… not in the world two â—…d thirty yeares liued he â—…on earth Now he hath â—…cended on high and â—…th by example word â—…ouokes vs to follow â—…m he is that great Eaâ—…e which fleeth ouer his â—…ung fluttering with â—…e wings alluring vs to â—…ee after him hee calleth â—…on vs by his word My â—…ople Come out of Babel â—…me out of Egypt ye are â—…t in bondage there ye
Faith and what need we haue to try it 2 Cor. 2 Tim. 1. Iam. 2. Faith three manner of wayes described 1 It is a subsistance of things hoped for 2 It is an euidence of things not seene Aug. in Ioan. tract 68. 2 Cor. 5. Heb. 6. 19. 3 It is the anchor of our soule which holds vs fast that we driue not away with the winde of tentations Faith how commended by Philo. Philo lib. de Abrahamo Defined by Scult Scultet idaea concion In faith there is a twofold working power 1 An apprehending Vertue 2 A randring vertue Pet. These are the two hands of Faith by the one it giues by the other it receiues They who haue not the rendring vertue had neuer the appehending vertue Mal. 1. 6. Licentious liuers are proued to be without true Faith Cor. Tim. 2 Comfort confirmed against the feare of Death This comfort proceedes by three degrees 1 The first degree of comfort against death and the graue is the meditation of heauenly mansions Death a compend of all crosses hath need of the greater consolation If it be difficult to beare one crosse in our life how shall we beare many concurring in our death without preparation Eccles. 12. 3. Verse 5. Lam. 2. 22. The first degree of comfort hath in it foure circumstances 1 First Circumstance who is this whom Christ calleth his Father Esay 9. The name of Father how it is attributed to the three persons and how to the first person onely of the blessed Trinitie 2 Second Circumstance what is this he calleth his Fathers house Esay 66. 1. 1 Kin. 8. 27 How hee hath a speciall house whose presence is euery wher in earth in hell in heauen 2 Cor. 5. Heb. 11. 10 Reu. 21. A commendation of our Fathers house 3 Third circumstance what is meant by Mansions to wit indurance to all eter◅tie Cant. 1. There the great shepheard resteth and feedeth his flocke but not here Folly of worldlings who seeke their Mansions wherethey cannot remaine Their portion on earth came from one shall goe to another 1 Tim. 6. Prou. Psal. Basil. in Psal. 11◅ Worldly possessions are not permanent but in a continuall fluxe Nazian de hom vilitate In this age the earth spewes out her inhabitants Iob 24. 18. Hosea 9. 6. Iob. Psal. 49. 10 To some it may be done in mercy as Goshen cast out Israell Leuit. 20. But vnto many this earthquake is a plague proportionable to sinnes 4 The fourth circumstance is what meanes the many mansions this imports Heb. 12. Reuelat. 7. 9 1 The largenes or amplitude of that place 2 The comely order of that place without confusion Plin. lib. 36 cap. 15. Panciro◅ rerum mem lib. 1. Of that glorious Amphitheatre wherin al Saints sit in a circle God in the middest Many glorious assemblies of Saints vpon earth but one of them knows not another Aug. in Ioan. tract 67. It will not be so in heauen Degrees of glory obserued by Ancients out of this place Nazi orat 5. de filio Elias ibid. in Nazian The obiect of ioy is one for all Saints the manner of fruition different Aug. in Ioan. tract 67. Aug. ibid. Yet this will import a proportion between that glory and man his merits Rom. 6. In what sense Ancients som times vse the word of meriting Aug. de resur Ser. 3. Papisticke merits disproued by the Father Augustine Aug. de nupt concup lib. 2 cap. 17. Aug ad Bonifac lib. 1. cap. 20. Aug. de verb. Apostol Serm 8. In like manne◅ they are disproued by Bernard Bern. de quadrup debito A notable discourse of a fourefold debt wherein manstands debtor to the Lord. 1 For his Creation 2 For his Redemption 3 For his former sinfull life 4 For the hope of eternall life Rom. 8. 18. And shall man be so impudent as to think he may satisfie all these creditors with a halfe-penny Let Papists blush for no man is able to pay the thousand part of his debt The comfort giuen vs is the greater because it is told from him who is the true and faithfull witnesse Reuel 1. 1 Ioh. 5. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 16 Psal. Neyther can so much be told vs as afterward we shall see 1 King 10. Psal. 106. 4. 5. The perfection of Christs Propheticall office hee hath left nothing vntold needfull for vs to know Iohn 20. 30. 31. Acts 20. 27 Acts 28. 23 And grant that any point needfull to saluation were not reuealed by him what Angel or man were able to reueale it The perfection of his Priestly office is no lesse certaine Heb. Heb. 1. 3. Our Lord transfersto his Saints the benefit of his merit but not the vettue of meriting Heb. 7. 25. The conclusion of this first degree of Comfort Wherein we may see how our Lord after the manner of earthly Bridegroomes hauing sought and marryed vs in our Fathers house doth now inuite vs to goe with him to his Fathers house Euill entertainement got our Husband in our fathers house but better abideth vs in his Fathers house Psal. 45. 10 11. Psal. 137. 5. 6. 2 The secōd degree of the comfort is a consideration of the right wee haue to these heauenly mansions Without this the first degree of comfort could not availe vs. And why 2 Kin. 7. 2. Foure words to be considered in this second degree of comfort 1 The first word I goe Our Sauiour came into the world but tarried not in the world Esay 65. 20 Since hee hath lent most part of vs to liue heere a longer time then he took to himselfe it is shame for vs to desire more As the death of our Sauiour so the death of Saints is but a going to our Father Comfortlesse is the doctrine of the church of Rome cōcerning death For the death of her children shee defines to be a down going not an vp-going to the house of our father Macar hom 22. Nazi orat 24. in ◅audem Caesarij But more comfortles and cruell are they when they send down infants vnbaptized to a house of hel baptised by themselues and called Infernus nō baptizatorū This cruell opinion is condemned by Augustine Let Catholique Romanes consider what fals◅ Catholicks they are in Augustine his minde With Augustine agreeth Bernard Ierem. 1. 5. Bern. Epist. 174. Bern. ad Magi. Hug. de sancto victore epist. 77. Iohn 3. 5. Not the want but the neglect and contempt of baptisme is preiudicial to saluatiō Ibid Papists teaching otherwaies are declared long since by the fathers to be affirmers of new inuentions The second word in the second degree of cōfort is To prepare That it must be a great glory which God prepares will appeare 1 By comparison of the workes of men with the workes of God Plin. lib. 36. cap. 14. Panciroll de 7. mundi miraculis Noah was an 120. yeare preraring the Arke at length he finished it a vessell of huge quantitie Gen 7. 11. Gen. 7. 13. 14. 15. Gen. 8. 4.