blasphemers of the holy Spirit who doe not onely fulfill the full measure of those Pagans sinnes but contemne also the Graces given vnto them the knowledge whereto they haue beene called and that good Spirit whereof the Pagans were never made partakers Now looke we backe for a while to those markes wherewith they are noted against whom our Apostle in this place denounceth If they bee duely considered they will moue our hearts to wisdome One is they haue beene once lightned that is they haue been endued with the knowledge of God and that not onely by the heavens though they b Psal 19 ◠declare Gods glory nor only by the firmament though that sheweth his handy worke nor onely by other his creatures though in them also his eternall power godhead appeareth and shineth for of this light all nations are made partakers but they haue beene lightned also with his holy word This hath beene a c Ps 119 105. lanterne to their feet and a light vnto their paths When they found it they did greedily tast of it and it was vnto them the ioy and reioycing of their hearts And can we think that any thus lightned are neere vnto cursing Yea the d Heb. 6.7 Scripture telleth vs that they may so fall away as that it shall be impossible for them to be renued againe by repentance Heb. 6.6 Indeed the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes meet for them by whom it is dressed shal receaue a blessing of God but that earth which beareth thornes and briers is reproued is neere vnto cursing the end thereof is to bee burned Presume wee not then beloved in the Lord. Whosoever 1. Cor. 10.12 thinkes he standeth may fal O! worke we out our salvatiō with feare trembling An other marke of theirs is they haue tasted of the heavenly gift This heavenly gift is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 It is that great salvatiō that is in Christ Iesus so called by Christ himselfe speaking to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.10 This gift they haue not only knowne but haue also tasted of it Would you know what taste this is One expounds it thus Suppose a banquet provided wherein are many sweet pleasant and dainty meates At this banquet the bidden guests must be set downe they see the meats they taste thē they eate them they disgest them they are nourished strengthened by them The vnbidden guests it is not so with them They indeed may see the meates yea more then so happyly they may be permitted to handle them and taste of them to feele how good they are but eate or feed of thē they may not Apply this and in the vnbidden guests tasting of those dainety meates you shall perceiue this taste of the heavenly gift resembled They haue tasted of the heavenly gift that is they haue gladly sometime receaved it and reioyced in it like Herode who did gladly heare Iohn Baptist preaching Mark 6.20 like the second kinde of naughty ground that ioyfully receaved the seed Mat. 13.20 Herod may willingly heare the preaching of the word and yet be accursed the naughty ground receiving the seed with ioy in the end may be burned Many may haue a taste of eternall life of that great salvation which is in Christ Iesus and yet may finally fall away Presume wee not then beloved in the Lord. Whosoever thinkes he standeth may fall O! worke we out our salvation with feare and trembling Their third marke is they haue beene made partakers of the holy Ghost that is many graces of the spirit of God haue beene given vnto them They may repent like Iudas Mat. 27.3 confesse their sinnes like Pharaoh Exod. 10.16 loue God as Saule did 1. Sam. 10.9 They may desire to be like Gods children in happinesse as Balaam desired when he said O let my soule die the death of the righteous let my last end be like his Num. 23.10 They may shew liking to Gods Ministers reverence them and feare to displease them as Simon Magus did who at Philips preaching beleeved wondred at his miracles and kept cōpany with him Act. 8.13 They may be zealous in the profession of the gospell as the Galatians were who receaved Paule as an Angell and if possible would haue plucked out their eies to haue done him good Gal. 4.16 Thus may they be qualified yea much better then thus and yet may finally fall awaie Presume we not thē beloved in the Lord. Whosoever thinkes he standeth may fall O! worke we out our salvation with feare and trembling Their last marke for I omit the rest as being all reducible to these fowre their last marke is They haue receaved the knowledge of the truth that is they haue caused their f Ezech. 3.3 bellies to eate and haue filled their bowels with that sweet roule as sweet as any hony in their mouthes they haue receaved the word of God in their hearts in such abundance as that they are become preachers of the word for they haue g Heb. 6.5 tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come they haue tasted it indeed but only haue they tasted it Here let me once more remember you of the resemblance of tasting You know that Cookes which are busied in preparing of banquets haue commonly as much feeling and seeing of the meates as any other and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it then they their stomackes are so cloyed with the smell taste thereof so is it here it may come to passe that the preacher which dresseth and provideth the spirituall food may eate least of it himselfe so labouring to saue others himselfe may proue a reprobate It hath beene thought that some of them which built the Arke were not saved in the Arke but certaine it is not only thought so certaine it is that diverse spirituall builders of Christs Church shall not be saved with the Church They may by vs be takē for Gods sheepe because they are kept in the same pastures and folded in the same fold with vs they may by vs be taken for Gods sheepe though indeed they be very Goates There is a day to come wherein the h 2. Pet. 3.10 heavens shal passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp then may Demas alleage for himselfe his old and once-true religion and Iudas for himselfe his Apostleship and many others for themselues their prophecying in Christs name but al in vaine For that iust Iudge will professe vnto them i Mat. 7.23 Luk. 13.27 I never knew you depart from me yee workers of iniquity Presume wee not then beloved in the Lord. Whosoever thinkes he standeth may fall O! worke we out our salvation with feare and trembling Having thus considered their markes finding that they haue
for of iudgement and violent fire which shall devour them For if we sinne willingly after that we haue receaved the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin But a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall devoure the adversaries By this fearefull looking for of iudgmeÌ„t is meant nothing else but the vexation of an evill conscience wherewith the wicked are and shal be in a fearefull sort tormented Her condition is to be pitied when no other eie can perceaue her shee will bee marked by her owne when nothing else in heaven earth pursueth her her owne foot shall chase her when shee is free froÌ„ the whole world besides her owne brest wâ—ll be full of witnesses If shee lay her downe her case will be as Iobs was chap. 7.4 She wil say when shall I rise she measureth the howers of the night shee is full of tossing to and fro vntill the dawning of the day And verse the 14. if shee say my couch shall relieue me my bed shalt bring comfort in my meditation theÌ„ is she feared with dreames and astonished with visions To such a conscience this looking for of iudgement can it be lesse then fearefull Who is able to conceiue the terrour of the Iudge St Iohn saw a great white throne and one sitting on it from whose face fled both the earth and the Heaven and their place was no more found Revel 20.11 Wonderfull is the terrour in this place resembled Earth and Heaven creatures without sense great and mighty creatures and creatures that haue not sinned they treÌ„ble fly and hide themselues from his presence as not able to endure the terrour of his sight and shall man seely and sinnefull man be able to abide the day of his comming and to endure when he appeareth Could man present himselfe spotlesse and without blame before the Lambe he should not need at all to feare but his condition is farre worse then so The Preacher chap. 7.20 doth assure vs that there is no man iust in the earth that doeth good and sinneth not so much doth Solomons question import Prov. 20.9 Who can say I haue purged my heart I am cleane from my sinne O saith Eliphaz vnto Iob chap. 15.14 What is man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Behold saith he God hath found no stedfastnes in his Saints yea the heavens are not cleane in his sight how much more is man vnstedfast how much more abominable and filthy greedyly thirsting after iniquity When the LORD looked downe from heaveÌ„ to see if there were any childe of man that would vnderstand and seeke God Psal 14.2 could he finde any framed according to the rule of that perfection which he requireth He could not this only he found that all were gone out of the way that all were corrupt that there was none that did good no not one So sinnefull is man in his whole race sinnefull in his conception sinnefull in his birth in every deed word and thought wholy sinneful the actions of his hands the words of his lips the motions of his hart when they seeme to be most pure and sanctified yet then are they as vncleane things and filthy clouts Esaie 64.6 And shall man thus deformed approach vnto the throne and him that sits theron without feare Not so The kings of the earth the great men the rich men the chiefe captaines the mighty men bondmen and free men as many of al sorts as are not washed cleane in the blood of the slaughtered Lambe shall m Rev. 22 1â— hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the mountaines if possible to be covered from the preseÌ„ce of their iudge in the great day of whose wrath they know they cannot stand And therefore the looking for of iudgement must needs to them be most fearefull The next words of my text are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read in the Vulgar Latin ignis aemulatio by Tremellius out of the Syriacke as it is in the Greeke ignis zelus by Castalio ignis saevitia by Beza Vatablus ignis fervor in the Rhemish translation rage of fire in our common English violent fire all describing the punishment which shall follow that great iudgement By the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place some vnderstand exceeding violence and parching heate I thinke that it may well signifie vehementissimam Dei iram as Tremellius explicates it the fierce anger of God for so much in many places of holy Scripture it importeth Ezech. 38.19 the Lord to signifie his anger conceived against the enemies of his people vseth the like phrase saith In my zeale and in the fire of my wrath haue I spoken And Ezech. 16.38 taking displeasure against his spowse for her filthines tels her that he will giue her the blood of wrath zeale And Zephan 1.18 3.8 the Lord tels vs that in the day of his wrath the whole earth shall be devoured with the fire of his zeale All which places to omit many other doe somewhat illustrate the words of my text Wherevpon St Chrysostome saith that as a wilde and savage beast provoked to ire never resteth vntill it hath seized vpon some prey or booty so this fire as it were enraged with zeale desireth to bee avenged vpon the adversaries of the Lord by devouring them And this fire so zealous for the glory of the Lord of hosts is the vnquencheable fire provided to burne the chaffe Mat. 3.12 that Hell fire never going out Mark 9.43 That flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that loue not God and are disobedieÌ„t to his Gospell 2. Thess 1.8 that eternall fire whose vengeance must be suffered Iude. 7. that everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Of what qualitie this fire is it is not expresly defined in the written word St Augustine de civitate Dei lib. 21. cap. 10. and St Hierome in his Epistle to Avitus and Aquinas contra Gentiles lib. 4. cap. 90. are of opinion that Hell fire prepared for the damned is a corporall fire This opinion is subscribed vnto by Zanchius part 1. de operibus Dei lib. 4. cap. 19. in his explications in cap. 1. ep 2. ad Thess and allowed of by the Divines of Magdeburg in their first Century lib. 1. cap. 4. and favoured as it seemes by Musculus in his comment vpon Mat. cap. 25. I leaue these and many other of the same opinion for my part do subscribe to Damascens resolution of this point who in his 4. booke de orthod fide cap. 28. writeth Ignem aeternum noÌ„ n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 materiâ instar huiusce nostri constare that the fire of Hell is not materiall like our fire Esai 66.24 The Lord himselfe speaking of this everlasting punishment of the wicked saith Their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched they shall
as S. Paule sheweth when he saith comfort him lest he be swallowed vp of overmuch heavines 2. Cor. 2.7 So true is one part of our former position the childe of God may fall grievously may fal dāgerously For he may quench the spirit within him after repentance he may sinne againe he may sin presumptuously he may sinne desperatly The childe of God may fall grievously may fall dangerously yet cannot fall finally in the end nor vtterly at any time The reason hereof is this after that he is sanctified he receiveth from God an other speciall grace you may call it corroboration the strengthning power of Christ Hence is it that Paul praieth for the Ephesians that they may be strengthened in the inner man Ephes 3.16 and for the Colossians that they might be strengthened with the glorious power of Christ Coloss 1.11 and of himselfe he saith that he is able to doe al things through the power of Christ that strengtheneth him Philip. 4.13 This corroboration this strengthening power is that that raiseth vp the children of God as oft as they are fallen DAVID in the anguish of his soule may say I am cast out of thy sight O Lord Psal 31.22 Marke how this strengthning power lifteth him vp first it maketh him confesse that he spake that in hast and then it putteth into his minde a Veruntamen a particle of better grace wherewith he correcteth his hasty speech Veruntamen audisti vocem deprecationū mearum cum vociferarer ad te I said in my hast I am cast out of thy sight YET thou hardest the voice of my praier when I cryed vnto thee And in the same Psalme verse 12. he vseth those harsh words iarring very vnpleasantly in his owne eares striking out of tune I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde I am like a broken vessel And here see how this strengthning power helps him with a verò a note of better sound Ego verò in te confido IEHOVA dicens Deus meus es I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde I am like a broken vessell BVT l Psal 11.14 I trusted in thee O LORD I said thou art my God When Ionas had beene cast into the bottome m Ion. 2.3 in the middest of the Sea and the floods had compassed him about when all the surges and all the waues had past over him then looking on his former disobedience he said I am cast away out of thy sight O Lord Ion. 2.4 and here also this strengthning power revived Ionas spirits with a Veruntamen and an Attamen words of comfort Veruntamen pergā intueri in templum sanctitatis tuae Attamen eduxisti à corruptione vitam meam IEHOVA Deus mi. I said I am cast away out of thy sight O Lord n Vers 4. YET will I looke againe toward thy holy temple The o Vers 5. waters compassed me about vnto the soule the depth cloased me round about and the weedes were wrapt about mine head p Vers 6. I went downe to the bottome of the mountaines the earth with her barres was about me for ever q Vers 7. YET hast thou brought vp my life from the pit O LORD my God One hath noted vpon this place that if it were not for Attamen verò and veruntamen but yet notwithstanding and such like comforting particles our hearts might quake within vs to see such passions in the Saints of God But it is the Lords property ever to send a gracious raine vpon his inheritāce to refresh it when it is weary Psal 68.9 and true it is that Hosea saith though we looke for a day or two as if we were dead and forlorne yet r Hos 6.2 after those two daies he will reviue vs and the thirde day he will raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight So true is the other part of our former position the childe of God cannot fall finally in the end nor vtterly at any time For God hath blessed his children with repentant hearts And ever blessed shall they be that are so blessed by the Lord. For he hath made a decree with himselfe it belongeth to the new Testament it is ratified by the death of the Testator it is witnessed by three in heavē by three in earth never shal it be altered and this is the DECREE At what time soever a sinner ſ Ezech. 18.21 whosoever he be shall repent him of his sinnes whatsoever they be and shall doe iudgement and iustice he shall surely liue he shall not die If he truely repent of his wickednes he neede not be troubled either by the vexations of this wretched life or by the horror of conscience or by the malice of many foes be they men or Devils and if Devils be they seaven in one a legiō in an other all the principalities all the powers of darknesse in the third for he shall be assured to haue forgiuenes therefore I say againe At what time soever a sinner whosoever he be shall repent him of his sinnes whatsoever they be and shall doe iudgement and iustice he shall not die Hitherto haue you seene how willingly this sinne is cōmitted and how Gods children though sinning also willingly are freed from it In the third place must I speake of the sinne it selfe THE SECOND SERMON HEB. 10. VER 26. 26 For if we sinne willingly after that we haue receaved the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne NOW are we to speake of the sinne frō which we are in this Scripture dehorted This sinne seated in such a subiect as they are who haue receaved the knowledge of the truth and proceeding from such a cause as is a willing a set an obstinate malice against God and against his Christ is the Sin against the holy Ghost The very naming whereof before I proceed to the handling of it causeth me to remēber you and my selfe of two blemishes wherewith the spirit of man in such a businesse as now we haue in hand vseth very much to be infected 1 Too much boldnesse 2 Too much feare Solomon hath said there is a generatiō which are pure in their owne conceite and yet are not washed from their filthines Prov. 30.12 Experience maketh me presume that I may as truely say there is a generation that are wise and learned in their own conceit and yet they are not washed from their folly yet they are not washed from their ignorance Many men will boast every one of his owne goodnes but who can finde a faithfull man saith the wise man Prov. 20.6 So many thinke they stand yet stand not many thinke they beleeue yet beleeue not they knowe not what faith meaneth many looke to be saved yet are ignorant who shall saue them many would be counted a Ioh. 3.10 masters in Israel teachers of others yet knowe they no more then Nicodemus what it is to be b Vers 9. borne againe So
hence is our hope it may be our vaine hope that it shall be as well with vs for all our sinnes as it was with Noah Lot David Peter many other the strongest pillars of the Lords Temple for their many downefalls Here I endeavoured as I could to imprint in our hearts the wholesome doctrine contrary to these three misconceits and withall because it was thereby manifest that Gods chosen children doe sin also willingly I tooke occasion to put some difference betweene them so sinning and the sinfull reprobates and for that purpose I thē remembred you of two evident truthes in Christian Religion 1 The Saints of God may fall grievously dangerously 2 They cannot fall finally in the end not vtterly at any time Touching the third circumstance wherein were obserued the name the nature and the obiect of this sinne we haue heard that this sinne is commonly called the sinne against the holy Ghost not because it is against the Godhead of the holy Ghost for the same God is also Father and Sonne the Godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost is all one their glory is equall their Maiestie is coeternall nor because it is against the person of the Holy Ghost for that is no greater then the person of the Father and of the Sonne the whole three persons are coeternall together and coequall but because it is against the goodnesse of the holy Ghost against the goodnes that is against those good graces of the holy Spirit bestowed vpon vs for the setting forth of the praises of the Lord. For whosoever shall despise those good graces and turne them to the contempt of Gods Maiestie and tread them vnder foot and account them prophane and purposely and wilfully and maliciously cary them away to all wantonnesse he crucifieth againe vnto himselfe the Sonne of God he despites the spirit of grace he sinnes against the holy Ghost Whereby it is plaine that the nature of this sinne is such as we find it to be described Heb. 6.1 2. where the Apostle mentioning repentance from dead workes faith towards God the doctrine of baptisme of laying on of hands of resurrection from the dead and of eternall iudgement and in the same place calling all these the doctrine of the beginning of Christ speaketh vers ◠of an apostacie of a falling away from all these points even from the very foundation and first beginning of Christian faith giving vs thereby to vnderstand that they who are holden in this transgression and haue sinned this sinne haue forsaken all the principles of Christian religion haue lost their former light haue departed from their first vnderstanding From the name and nature of this sinne thus considered wee came to seeke the obiect of it and found the malice of this sin to be directed against the very Maiestie of God himselfe and against his Christ directly to respect the first table of the morall law to be not a particular slipping aside but a generall apostacie a generall falling away from God and that totally Here I came to the first reason vsed by our Apostle to disswade vs from committing so vile a sinne contained in these words there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne Out of which words because Novatus hath made a collection void of comfort namely that if a man sinne after he is once baptised to him there remaineth no hope of pardon for his sins first I applied my selfe to establish comfort in our hearts by setting downe the contrary doctrine and secondly I came to the consideration of the truth of that which these words doe naturally afford did proue vnto you that the sinne against the holy Ghost is not at any time nor can ever be forgiven There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne Hauing thus repeated vnto you the summe of that which heretofore I haue delivered I come now to the second reason in my second generall part to speake of this fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall devoure the adversaries The doctrine grounded vpon the first reason of our Apostle in this place might haue sufficed to make all that loue God to looke to their steps that they fall not away by committing so grievous a sinne But there is a generation of men monstrously mishapen in the powers of the soule who like the Kings and Princes of the earth i Psalm 2.2 banding themselues and taking counsaile together against the Lord and against his annointed are ready to breake the cords of religion asunder and to cast her yoke from them and to say with those in Tully lib. 1. de natura Deorum Totam de dijs immortalibus opinionem fictam esse ab hominibus sapientibus reip causâ vt quos ratio non posset eos ad officium religio duceret iudging the service of God to be a meere devise of man for the better governement of the common wealth wherein inferiours since they will not be ruled by reason must bee ordered by religion Tell such of Scriptures you may as wel vrge them with Lucians narrations of repentance they cast it behinde them of faith they regard it not of baptisme they hold it of no greater price then the washing of their hands of the resurrection this feeds them with many a merry conceit they thinke pleasantly with themselues what maner of bodies they shall haue at that day of what proportion their bodies shall bee whether their nayles and haire shall rise againe I only note them as I passe by the way whom were they vsed for their deserts the preacher should k Levit 13.44 pronounce and the Prince proclaime the foulest leapers that ever yet sore ranne vpon well worthy to bee excluded the host and to haue their l Levit. 13.46 Num. 5.2 2. Kin. 15.5 habitation alone and more then so to be exiled the land to be expelled from nature it selfe which so vnnaturally they striue to bring to naught For though the Lord God of hosts by his Ministers and servants doe call them vnto weeping and mourning to baldnesse and girding with sackcloath as he called the Iewes Esai 22.12 Yet behold with them is ioy gladnes slaying Oxen and killing Sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine for say they to morrow we shall die Now if our Apostle to disswade such men from sinning willingly should vse this as a reason because there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne what would it advantage them being fully perswaded that the dead are not raised vp that in death there is no difference betweene them the vilest worme that ever they could tread vpon Therefore to meete with these mē also our Apostle bringeth a second reason able at some time or other to affright the hardest heart that ever yet Atheisme had infected telling them that for them which sinne willingly though there remaineth no more sacrifice which they regard not yet there remaineth something which shall touch them neere even a fearefull looking
That is not with a feigned loue not with a cold loue not with a temporarie loue not in word only Therefore must thy loue towardes thy neighbour be vnfeigned it must be fervēt it must be enduring it must be effectuall A fift condition is required that our loue be holy and pure for we must loue our selues and so our neighbours in God for God and to Gods glory Such are the branches of Christian Charity such the rules to measure them Christ reduceth thē to two heads to a great commaundement and another like vnto it on which he saith the whole law the Prophets do depēd Mat. 22.40 Mat. 7.12 he putteth downe but one head and calleth that one the Law the Prophets Whatsoever yee would that men should do vnto you even so doe yee to them for this is the law the Prophets In like manner St Paule hath said He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law Rom. 13.8 verse 10. Loue is the fulfilling of the law And Gal. 5.14 All the law is fulfilled in one word which is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In those places where our Saviour and the Apostle doe ascribe to our loue of others the fulfilling of the law they meane nothing else but the fulfilling of the second table of the law in this one branch cōteining two members of my division 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brotherly loue and loue of our neighbours And so Christ in the place before cited Matth. 22.40 making of the whole law but two parts loue of God and loue of our neighbours excludeth not my third part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that brotherly loue whereof you heard but includeth it in his latter Let this then stand for trueth Christian charity hath three branches loue of God loue of our brethren in the Lord and loue of our neighbours The rule for the first is you shall loue the Lord your God with all your hearts with all your soules with all your might For the second you shall loue one another as Christ hath loved you For the third you shall loue your neighbours as your selues And thinke not that you liue according to the first rule if you faile in keeping either the second or the third Lincked they are together and that so that vnlesse you obserue all you keepe neither you cannot loue God and hate your neighbour neither can you loue your neighbour but you must loue God too Every stepping aside every transgressiō of the law is a blemish to your loue And therefore for my position your charity shall be much obscured if for private reports you conceaue ill of anie The reason is because so doing you commit sinne and are rebuked of the law as transgressours You commit sinne I say so you breake the rule of Charity if you conceaue ill of any for any private reports There cannot be a greater poyson See my second Sermon on Iames p. 83. there cannot be a deadlier bane of friendship and amity betwixt man and man then to loue to heare what bitter sharpe tongues shal seeke to speake Soone creepes it into your eares that will never out againe whilest the breath is in your bodies You may know it by this If any one be misreported to you to be spotted with adultery bribery theft or any like grievous offence though happily you can be content not to credit all because all is not sufficiently proved vnto you yet something remaines to the blot of your brother yet stickes the scarre of suspition still Something you will beleeue for the reporters sake whom you will take to be a very honest man Well though Ziba be long since dead and rotten who did wrongfully sclaunder Mephiboscheth his Lord vnto the King 2. Sam 16.3 yet may we be assured that a great measure of Zibaes spirit now at this time dwelleth in the hearts of the sonnes of men and so shall dwell even vntill the day of the Lords appearing Solon A wise lawmaker being asked why he appointed no punishment for such a one as should kill his parēts made this answer that he thought no mā so barbarous as to doe such a deed Without doubt if a law bee made against any actions vvordes or thoughts it was first in the lawgivers conceit that there would be hearts to harbour such thoughts lips to vtter such words hands to worke such actions There is one lawgiver which is able to saue and to destroy from him out of the Highest Heavens a law is given vnto vs to be of force as long as we shall walke vpon this earth it is conveyed vnto vs by the hand of Moses Levit. 19.16 where thus it is written Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy brethren The very making of this law is an evident argument that the Lord knew that there would be no want of such in the world of such I say as should walke about with tales among their brethrē Such there were in the time when Ezechiel prophecied for chap. 22.9 Ierusalem is reproved because in her were tale-cariers men that caried tales vp and downe to shed blood And the strife that hitherto hath beene now is and here after is like to be in all places in Church in Common wealth in societies in families proveth that no age is voide of such whisperers You need not to doubt of the proofe It is Solomons Prov. 26.20 Without wood fire is quenched and without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth If there be not a new supply made of wood the fire will goe out so if there be not some that wil cary tales betweene man and man strife will die quickly For as wood is the matter of fire so a tale-carier fostereth strife The like hath Solomon spoken of scorners Prov. 22.10 and sure it may well be for commonly a scorner is a tale-carier also To such as by their private reports in your eares that are any way in governement shall depresse and disgrace their brethren in hope to lift vp advāce themselues I haue not much to say Only I will pray them to ioine togither the first and third verses of the 15. Psalme I hope it will not be their lost labour If I may doe it for them thus I doe it He that sclaundereth with his tongue shall not dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord he shall not rest in Gods holy mountaine As for you dearely beloved in the Lord whose heads it hath pleased God to advance aboue your brethren either in Church or common wealth or lesser societies or private families let me bee bold to put you in minde of a daunger very neere you in respect of such busie-bodies which will not let your eares take rest You haue already heard there is no want of them The daunger I speake of is descryed by the wisest amōg the sonnes of men He Prov. 18.8 tels you that the words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings and
Testament because as Theophylact and Aquinas do both note the new Testament was confirmed by the blood of Christ And this is the Testament After those dayes saith the LORD I will put my lawes in their mind Heb. 8.10 10.16 and in their heart will I write them and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and I will bee mercifull to their vnrighteousnes and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more This new Testament by which that other is disanulled and waxed old is confirmed by the blood of Christ Now may we be bold to enter into the holy place a new and living way is prepared for vs through the vaile which our Apostle Heb. 10.20 affirmeth to be the flesh of Christ With this blood of the covenant the sinner against the Holy Ghost is in my text said to bee sanctified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with which blood though now he account it common and prophane he was sanctified I may not stand to remember you of the many significations by which in many places of the Holy Scriptures these words Sanctus and Sanctificare are expoūded diverse of them are impertinent and should bee wrested to the place we haue in hand for the vnderstanding of which it may suffice if we cōsider first that God alone is properly holy secōdly that all mans holinesse is from God God must not onely helpe but doe also all in all or else man cannot be sanctified These points are vndoubtedly beleeued of vs and neede no proofe Yet for explications sake wee may briefly note that whatsoever men doe truely call Iust the same in relation to God must be called and is truely holy and therefore that God being alone absolutely Iust must of necessitie alone be absolutly Holy that is God being Iust with that vniversall and most perfect Iustice yea himselfe being his owne Iustice it must needs be that he is as the Seraphins Esai 6.3 and as the foure beasts Revel 4.8 haue made proclamation Holy Holy Holy LORD God Almightie thrise holy that is most Holy I will not here dispute whether in those places the Spirit of God noteth the three persons in the Trinity by thrise repeating the word Holy I knowe that many of the ancient and some of our later writers haue so iudged of those places and vsed thē as testimonies to confirme so maine a point of religion Vnto whose iudgements herein I need not doubt nor will refuse to yeeld reverence Yet may I wish and I shall wish no more thē Calvin doth on Esay 6. that if at any time we are to deale with Arrians and are against them to maintaine proue three persons in one divine essence that we would be carefull to vse testimonies of greater strength For those enimies of the blessed Trinitie when they are assayled with such testimonies which may as naturally bee expounded otherwise are so farre from yeelding to the truth of that doctrine as that they become much more obstinate and overthwart But to our purpose the Seraphins and the foure beasts proclaiming the LORD God Almightie to be Holy holy holy doe testifie that all the waies of God even all his most severe iudgements are iust and vpright and holy howsoever they may seem vnto men This threefold repetition of the word makes the sense to be as if they had said God of all is most Holy and to bee hallowed of all Neither is this kind of speech altogether without example For God willing to let Zedechias vnderstand of the vtter and finall ruine of his kingdome bids the Prophet say from him vnto the prophane and wicked King Ezech. 21.27 I will overturne overturne overturne it and it shall bee no more vntill the Messiah come his right it is and I will giue it him as if the Lord had said assuredly and without repentance will I overturne and bring to ruine the kingdome of Zedechias such force doth the repetition giue the speech And as there so here God is Holy Holy Holy without doubt Holy onely Holy most holy Holynesse becommeth the house of God for ever so wee read Psal 93.5 I will not restraine it to any particular house Vnderstand it if you will of the palace and basilicke of the great King or of the Temple of Ierusalem which the childrē of God in former times had respect vnto or of any other Temples on the earth now consecrated to the service of God or of your private selues for your selues also are the Temples of the Lord the saying stands firme without contradiction Holynesse becommeth the house of God for ever And hereby hath God set a barre about his Temples as he did about the mount to keepe out beasts and brutish men For as his Temples vpon the earth none should so that other farre more sacred which is in Heaven none shall ever enter into that is vnholy and vncleane The Apostle Heb. 7.26 describing the sanctity of Christ saith that such an high priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heavens Where the latter attributes doe only expound the former and it is as if the Apostle had said to be holy is nothing else but to be harmelesse vndefiled and separate from sinners for whosoever is harmelesse vndefiled and separate from sinners he is already made higher then the Heavens Thus we see that God alone is naturally properly and absolutely Holy Wherevpon it followeth necessarily that all mans holynesse is from God Which was the second point to lead vs to the vnderstanding of this place where the wicked are said to bee sanctified It is a true rule which may be collected out of Saint Cyrils treasurie lib. 3. cap. 1. Quae in Deo sunt naturaliter ea in creaturis esse posse participatione Such things as are naturally in God may be in Gods creatures by participation as when we doe participate the effects and similitudes only of those attributes which essentially and naturally are in God So may we be said to be partakers of the divine nature when those most great and precious promises are given vs 2. Pet. 1.4 There he teacheth vs that we haue all good things from Gods free promise thereby are we delivered from the corruption of this world frō those sinnefull lusts which we carry about vs and so are made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the divine nature in a sort like vnto God For by divine nature in that place is not meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods divine essence but participatio qualitatum certaine qualities which the power of God hath wrought in vs that by them his image in vs now a long time defaced may be restored againe In the Scriptures we are charged to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect to be mercifull as he is mercifull to be Holy as he is Holy Where we must not thinke we are enioyned to haue such perfection mercifulnesse holynesse as is essentially
of his Bishopricke lurked after that foure yeares in a monastery neere vnto Antiochia was thence by the Emperours commandment sent an exile to the vttermost borders of Egypt and Africa I need not I say bee long in telling you of all this the thing I note is his ende In this his banishment when he was full of yeares that some memorable example as in Corah Dathan Abiram of his so great and so impious blaspheming against Christ might remaine vnto posteritie it pleased God in iustice that first wormes should eate and consume his tongue and then that the earth should open her mouth swallow him vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even so let all thine enimies perish O LORD Now followeth the third marke by which men holden in that vnpardonable sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost may be made knowne to the world in these words And doth despite the Spirit of Grace The Holy Ghost is here called the Spirit of Grace ab effectu by reason of that it worketh in vs. By it we receaue grace offered in Christ Iesus It enlightneth our minds by faith it sealeth to our hearts the adoption of God it regenerateth vs into newnesse of life it engrafteth vs into the body of Christ in a word by it Christ with all his blessings benefits is made ours Now if a man that is made partaker of this holy Ghost shall greedily wilfully and purposely make the good graces of God within him to be fruitlesse who shall plead for him Surely no man For he it is that is here noted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniuriously coÌ„tumeliously to vse impudently to abuse and to despite the Spirit of Grace Here may the faithfull well be put in mind of their owne estates to consider whether they be not in perill of falling away from God since it is a truth not to bee gainesaid that the very faithfull doe oftentimes diminish and lessen the good graces of God within them I doubt not should you be called to witnesse but that every one of you taught by your owne experience would beare record to this truth If not that exhortation of St Paule made vnto the Ephesians and that his other vnto the Thessalonians doe strongly confirme it In the bowels of compassion he couÌ„selleth the a Ephes 4.30 EPHESIANS not to grieue the Spirit and the THESSALONIANS not to b 1 Thess 5.19 quench the spirit Well knewe the blessed Apostle that the Holy Spirit vseth to be grieued and the fire thereof to be quenched whensoever wee put away from within vs the care of Gods word not regarding the sanctified motions of our hearts the sanctified words of our lips the sanctified actions of our hands but entertaining the contraâ—y corrupt thoughts evill words wicked actions Now if there be no man that can truely say Ever hitherto my thoughts haue beene pure my wordes vndefiled my deeds iust let this truth stand without contradiction The faithfull doe oftentimes diminâ—sh lessen the good graces of God within them And therefore as I said they may here well bee put in minde of their owne estates to consider whether they bee not in perill of falling away from God A consideration beloued in the Lord if wee are chosen out of the world if in CHRIST wee are annointed and sealed if our building be of God not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens a consideration I say that must needes make vs doe our best in working out our salvation in attaining vnto faith in dying vnto sinne in liuing vnto newnesse of life For when wee see that men sanctified with the blood of CHRIST may not only tread vnder foot the Sonne of God despise him nor onely account the blood of Christ to bee common blood and prophane as it were the blood of any other man but also despite the Spirit of Grace and vse it with all iniurie and contumely will not our hearts burne within vs What are we but men sanctified with the blood of CHRIST Let vs then in all humblenesse of mind walk as it becommeth men so sanctified and never giue eare to such deceauers as would therefore perswade vs to liue without all care in this world because if wee are of the faithfull it is impossible we should fall away Touching the elect I grant it to bee very true that though they may fall grievously and dangerously yet they cannot fall finally in the end nor vtterly at any time though they may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.30 grieue the Spirit yea though they may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Thess 5.19 quench the Spirit for a time yet can they not like the sinners whose markes I haue now in some measure opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cannot doe contumely vnto nor can despite the Spirit For by it are they sealed vnto the day of redemption What of all this what if they that are once written in the booke of life can never be razed out thereof What if they that are once in the state of grace shall be in the same for ever Shall we that are written in the booke of life and doe stand by grace therefore not care how we commit sinne God forbid This truth namely that not one of the faithfull shall perish may bee a comfort to vs that haue already sinned but surely no encouragement to them that will sinne hereafter But grace aboundeth aboue sinne Very true Yet if we therefore sinne that grace may abound accursed are we And how shal we that are dead to sinne yet liue therein St Paul holds this for an impossibilitie Rom. 6. Knowe yee not saith he that all wee that haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death Why then are wee buried by baptisme into his death that as he was raised from the dead so we also should walk in newnesse of life Are wee not forbidden to doe evill even then when we are assured good may come thereof How then dare wee make the mercies of God a defence for our sinnes But there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 though they fall seaven times a day Neither is there Rom 8.4 For they being in CHRIST doe walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit But may not wee repent hereafter though now we liue in sinne Thou foole how knowest thou that this night Luk. 12.20 they will not fetch away thy soule from thee What now remaineth but that we all take al possible heed lest at any time there be in any of vs an evill heart vnfaithfull to depart away from the living God And since wee are sanctified with the blood of the Testament beseech wee Almightie God that he would perfect his good worke begun in vs and never suffer vs through the deceaueablenesse of sinne to be so farre seduced as to tread vnder foot his eternall Sonne to account his blood common or to despite the spirit of Grace SERMO
called by Moses IEHOVAH and by the Apostle here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the LORD Christ Christ our LORD The LORD shall iudge his people His people For there is a people not his even in the midst of the Children of Israel lineally descended from Gomer that wife of fornications Her first borne sonne was by Gods appointment named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iezreel to remember them of the house of Israel that for the much blood shed by Iehu in Iezreel the chiefe citie of the ten tribes vnder Ahab their kingdome should cease They much boasted of their name for that they were called Israel as if they could prevaile with God but they came to be of a base and vnnoble linage to be called Iezreel a people disseminated dispersed and scattered among the Gentiles for the Lord brake the bow of Israel in the valley of Iezreel The next fruit of her wombe was a woman child called in like sort by Gods direction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lo-ruchamah to let the house of Israel further to vnderstand that it was the Lords absolute resolution to take no more pitie vp on them but to giue them vp into the hands of the Assyrians by them to be led into captivitie whereout they should not returne at any rime She conceaued a third time and bare a sonne called him as God hath cōmanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lo-ammi yet further to signifie vnto the house of Israel that therefore hee will not bee their God because they are not his people Lo-ammi you are not my people This third imaginarie sonne of Gomer brought for a type of Israel Hos 1. is by Paule Rom. 9. applyed to the Gentiles also But how farre forth it may bee verified of either either Israelites or Gentiles that may bee considered For of both both Israelites and Gentiles saith God Hos 2.23 I will call them my people which were not my people and Hos 1.10 God saith likewise it shall be in the place where it was said vnto them yee are not my people that there they shal be called the children of the living God To shew therefore how farre forth it may bee verified both of Israelites and Gentiles that they are or are not the people of God I must distinguish To be Ammi or Lo-ammi the people of God or not his people admitteth a threefold vnderstanding First A people may bee or not bee Gods people in respect of Gods predestination that his immutable decree concerning the salvation of some and the damnation of the rest set downe by himselfe from all eternitie In which sence there is among both the Israelites and Gentiles Ammi the Lords people and there is also among them Lo-ammi a people not the Lords As many of them as God foreknew praescientiâ approbationis as the Schoolemen call it specially as to loue and like them them hath he predestinated and chosē to be his people the rest whom so he foreknewe not for otherwise to his absolute prescience all thinges are naked the rest I say whom specially hee foreknewe not them hath he ordained of old to bee no people of his Againe a people may bee or not bee Gods people in respect of the old covenant the covenant of desert and of the Law that covenant made betwixt GOD and Abraham and Abrahams seed after him in their generations In which covenant three things doe concurre a condition on Abrahams side to be performed a promise of God vpon the condition to bee expected and the signe of covenant The condition to bee performed by Abraham is Gen. 17.1 Walke before mee and be thou vpright Gods promise is vers 7. I will be GOD to thee and to thy seed after thee The signe is vers 11. Yee shall circumcise the foreskinne of your flesh and it shall be the signe of the covenant betweene mee and you In which sense the Israelites the ofspring of Abraham according to the flesh they were Ammi the Lords people chosen by God himselfe to bee a precious people vnto himselfe But the residue of the people that then lived vpon the earth farre exceeding the Israelites in multitude even all the Gentiles they were Lo-ammi a people not the Lords Last of all a people may be or not be Gods people in respect of the new covenant the covenant of grace and of the Gospell the new covenant made with the house of Israel and the house of Iudah Now no more division the separation wall is taken a way all were made one Church This new covenant is registred Ier. 31.33 After those dayes saith the LORD I will put my lawes in their minde and in their heart will I write them and I will bee their God and they shall be my people In substance this new covenant agreeth with the old only it is called new because of the manifestation of Christ and the abundant graces of the holy Ghost giuen to his Church vnder the Gospell And here also for this new covenants sake there is the Lords people and a people not the Lords As many as are members of the Church and liue within her bosome Christians whether true professours or dissemblers all are in this sence Ammi the Lords people but Turkes Infidels a farre surpassing number they are Lo-ammi a people not the Lords By this tripartite division of such as are or are not Gods people we may point at them that shall be iudged They are the people of God his people not in respect of the old covenant for that being disanulled and abrogated is vanished away Albeit they that then liued when that covenant was of force were also iudged by the LORD But they are the Lords people both in respect of the new covenant and also in respect of Gods predestination the LORD shall iudge the whole Church and every member thereof yea them whom he hath predestinated to be heires of salvation The LORD shall iudge his people Now a word or two of the kind of iudgement Yet before I speake of the iudgement here meant giue mee leaue to remoue a scruple touching the last iudgement The whole world stands of beleeuers or of vnbeleeuers For the beleeuers it is plaine Ioh. 5.24 that already they haue everlasting life and shall not come into iudgement For the vnbeleeuers it is as plaine Ioh. 3.18 that they are already condemned Both are already iudged beleeuers and vnbeleeuers the beleeuers are saued vnbeleeuers are condemned what need then of any last iudgement I answere very great need even in regard of the iustice and goodnesse of God whose propertie it is to punish all wicked godlesse men and to honour and reward all that are religious and Godly Which since hee doth not fully doe in this world there must needs be a last iudgement when he shall fully doe it We see the course of this world Malis benè est bonis male Good men haue a Psal 73.4 bands in their death but the wicked are lustie and strong
man to be afraid of every d Arist de Repub lib. 7. small fly that passeth by of every litle noyse that a e Idem lib. 7. Moral mouse may make of his f Cicero De consulatu petendo Plato in Phaedone Plutarch Symposiac dec 7. owne shadow according to the old proverbes or of meeting his own soule as g Zenodotus Pisander was or of some thing I know not what to fall vpon him froÌ„ aboue if he come forth of his doores as h Plutarchus ex historiâ Pontici Heraclide Pet. Crinitus De honesta Disciplina lib. 15 cap 11. ArtemoÌ„ was or of the rustling of the leaues of trees as i Io. Xiphilinê° Nero was To feare so or so what can it argue else saue degeneres animos faint hearts Yet were not the Disciples of our Saviour Christ altogether exempted froÌ„ feareing so Twise were they touched with such feare once as they failed toward k Marke 6.45 Bethsaida against the winde a second time as they were together at Ierusalem in a certaine house with the doores shut vpon them Sailing vpon the water they l Matt. 14.26 cried out for feare being together at Ierusalem within doores they were m Luke 24.37 abashed and afraid But why so The thing obiected to them should haue bin rather a ioy reioycing to their hearts then any cause of feare It was no other then their LORD and Saviour CHRIST IESVS once walking on the Sea againe standing in the middest of them But they supposed he had beene a spirit and thence grew their feare It 's very true such was their supposall as its evident Matt. 14.26 and Luke 24.37 Yet hereby are they not excused Christ himselfe rebukes their feare by telling them of their want of faith And how can we imagine that Christs Disciples could be ignorant of the impossibilitie which a spirituall substance hath to be sensibly perceived Neither had they for any thing I find in Gods word at any time seene a spirit to moue them to that conceite Certainely illic trepidaverunt timore vbi non erat timor the wordes are in the Vulgar Latin Psal 13.9 and do somewhat varie from the fountaine yet is the phrase retained in our English Psal 14.9 you will giue me leaue to vse it it may serue to note all such as haue been holden in such fond feares There were they brought in great feare even where no feare was But I leaue them and this second kind of feare There is a third feare of as large an extent as any The well knowne peece of verse out of Statius speakes of it Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor as if in the mind of man there could not be any opinion of the being of a God vnlesse there were feare From this ground Gods haue beene multiplied I say not as the sands of the Sea but exceedingly It partly appeareth 2. King 17.30 where we find that the men of Babel had for their God Sucoth-Benoth the men of Cuth for theirs Nergal and the men of Chamath for theirs Aschima It 's added vers 31. that the Avims had their gods Nibchaz and Tartak and the Sepharvims theirs Adrammelec and Anammelec to whom for sacrifice they burnt their children in the fire I haue alreadie made mention of Astaroth for Sidon of Melchom for Ammon of Chemosch for Moab of Beelzebub for Ekron of Dagon for Ashdod I might further remember you of n Esai 46.1 Bel and Nebo for Babylon of o Num. 25.3 Baalpeor for backsliding Israel and of p 1 Sam. 7.4 Baalim a multitude of gods such as they were for the residue of nations I may well say a multitude for that with the cost of but a little frankinsense they haue provided for the ofscowring of men for drunkards harlots and theeues gods to protect them I will not disquiet your Christian eares with naming of theÌ„ For though there bee that are named gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there be many Gods and many Lords as St Paul himselfe confesseth 1 Cor. 8.5 yet knowing it to bee true which he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that an Idole is nothing in the world wee must with him make our further confession that vnto vs there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Christ Iesus by whom are all things and we by him This one God is the true obiect of the feare which now I speake of For he is fearefully regarded by the eies of al men in some by the eies of faith in the rest by the eies of nature By the eies of faith q 1 Pet 1.5 in such as are kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvation by the eies of nature in such as God hath giuen vp r Rom. 1.28 to a reprobate minde to doe things inconvenient The faithfull feare God and the faithlesse feare God but not alike Aristotle in the 2. booke of his Oeconomickes and 2. chap. to shew what feare a good wife should owe vnto her husband speaketh of two kindes of feare the one accompanied with shamefastnesse and reverence the other attended with enmitie and hatred The first is such a feare as wherewith a good sonne honoureth his father or a good subiect his ruler the other such as wherewith a lewd servant is affected towards his Master or a rebellious subiect towards his governour A distinction well knowne to every novice in the studie of divinitie it being so commonly much vsed by such as doe either write or speak to this argument Wherefore to passe it over in few words I note briefly touching the faithfull that the feare of God in them is such a feare as the good child honoureth his father with a feare waited vpon with loue reverence puritie ingenuitie freedome of spirit ever beholding God in the gratious light of his countenance howsoever sometimes the cloudes of displeasure may seem to hide that grace away As for the faithlesse the feare of God in them is such a feare as is the feare of malefactors towards severe righteous Magistrates a slauish feare a feare full of hatred malice contumely and reproche a feare flying and abhorring the sight of the LORD in regard he is a God of vengeance as hee is called Psal 94.1 He is such a God as hauing put on the garment of vengeance for cloathing and being clad with zeale as with a cloake will come shortly and f Rev. 22 1â— bring his reward with him to giue every man according as his worke shall be to the faithfull who by continuance in well doing haue sought glory and honour and immortalitie eternall life but to the faithlesse who haue disobeyed the truth and given credit to vnrighteousnesse to every such soule indignation and wrath and tribulation and anguish a iust and full measure in the ever burning lake Now it is no hard matter to determine as well of the
of this attribute of God The profitable labours of the excellently learned Zanchius are not wanting to this point Wherefore to touch it but in a glance let it please you to be remembred you whose liues are but a c Iob. 8 9. shadow doe hold your liues only at the good pleasure of your maker that hee your maker the maker of Heaven and earth God eternal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellencie and most properly said to liue Both the Testaments giue witnesse to this truth In both hee is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the liuing God Our forefathers did ofteÌ„ swear As the LORD liueth It was a protestation much vsed by God himselfe As I liue You may hence conclude that God is life it selfe liueth of himselfe and is the sole fountaine of all life in all things living besides himselfe Giue mee leaue to hold you yet with two or three wordes You see it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God and you see to whom it is fearefull to all the wicked but especially to such as fall away from the knowne truth How much then is the condition of many in this our daye to be deplored I meane the conditioÌ„ of such against whom there hath beene much complaint made out of this place and the like for their going out from among vs if not bodily yet in heart and affection to adore that Romish Idol For the sinne of Apostacie there is no sacrifice that can make satisfaction iudgement and fire must be it's portion Wherefore leauing all backsliders revolters or fallers away from the holy religion which you professe to the secret iudgements of Almightie God suffer your selues to be put in mind of your owne estate You knowe there was a time when a cloud of blood did overshadow this land but God in his good time dispersed it Then our most gracious * QVEENâ— ELIZABETH This Sermon was preached Dec. 1602. Soveraigne succeeded in the throne finding this our country to bee but bricke shee turned it into Marble finding it in the sands she set it vpon a rocke and the rocke was CHRIST finding it a land of images ignorances corruptions vanities lies shee hath hitherto preserued it a land possest of the truth and seasoned with the Gospell of Christ That so it be preserued still good Lord if it be thy will let the happy line of her life continue even as long as Sunne and Moone O thinke vpon the comfortable blessings wherewith you are blessed vnder her I remember you not of your peace yet that is such as your fathers never presumed to hope for The freedome of the Gospell is the thing I remember you of Your consciences haue hitherto beene at libertie will you now suffer them to bee enthralled to mens traditions Your zeale hath hitherto beene rectified by knowledge can you now be content to haue the eye of your knowledge put out the preaching of the Gospell hindred and blind zeale fostered in your bosomes Your religion hath hitherto beene reformed by Gods ordinances shall it now bee deformed by those impotent and beggarly rudiments wherevnto your grandfathers were in bondage Why should your last estate be worse then your first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the conclusion to each of those Epistles writteÌ„ to the seaven Churches in the Revelation He that overcoÌ„meth not he that draweth his sword nor he that fighteth the battels of the Lord nor he that spendeth his blooâ— much lesse he that fainteth that flyeth that sleepeth that standeth or sitteth still but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that overcommeth shall never be hurt of the second death Be yee therefore of good courage and faint not your cause is Gods cause your quarell Gods quarell your enimies Gods enimies Doe yee as you haue your gracious Queene for an example Shee is the formost in this fight and hath given the first blow the first blow a great blow powerfull I hope to the â—ooting out from among vs every Popish Priest and Iesuite It shall haue the better successe if you in your places will second it and multiply strength vpon it the Magistrate by his temporall sword and the Minister by the sword of his mouth which is the word of God Gird vp your selues with strength and rush into the battel Set together vpon the common enimy Why should there bee strife or contentions betweene your selues Are yee not brethren You shall finde enough to doe with the common enimy eveÌ„ to the speÌ„ding of your best strength They are growne to such boldnesse that they will not easily be quelled Parsons * Colletonâ—s Defence p. 241. statizing or marchandizing of the Crowne diademe of England is so notoriously known that even Pasquine in Rome speakes of it Their Arch-Priest BLACKWELL if the secular Priests doe guesse aright was he bashful when he put it in print that Cardinall Allen and Father Parsons as Moses and Iosua iam diu proculdubio occupassent promissionis terram had long since out of doubt possessed this Realme of England had not the disobedience of some secular Priests their most displeasing murmuring hindred it Wanted the Iesuits boldnes when they thus * Preface to the Iesuites Catechisme threatned the secular Priâ—sts in England The INFANTA of Spaine shal be your Queene and that sooner then you looke for You see their boldnes how they blush not to divulge and publish their impious plots practises and designementes against the Lords annointed It is the more neede then that our forces should be vnited Let vs ioine heart and hand togither in Gods holy cause against that wicked race borne to the ruine and desolation of states and kingdomes Let vs practise the word and be instant in season and out of season if possibly to restore to Christ the seduced by Antichrist to gather vp the spirituall stones of Gods house already fallen and to giue streÌ„gth to such as are falling that so having fought this good fight finished our courses and kept our faith we may at the time of our departing receiue the crowne of righteousnesse which is laid vp for vs and not for vs only but for all theÌ„ also that loue the appearing of the Lord. Est Deo gratia The Table containing the particulers of this booke AMbrose 30 Ammi 158 The Anger of God threeâ—fold 149 Anthropomorphitae 173 Aphthartodocites 166 Atheists 50 Audiani 173 B. BAlaam 5 Of sinning after Baptisme 28 50 The beleeuer shall not come into iudgement 159. 161. he hâ—th alredy eternall liâ—e 161 The blasphemie against the holy Ghost 19 Boldnesse 15 Wee must loue our Brethren 81 Bribes take not 74 Bribes taken in secret 77 The Blood of the covenant 96 C. CAtharists 29. 30 The rule of Charity 80. 89 Christian Charitie hath three branches 81. 85. The bond of Charity 70 The Child of God may diminish the graces of God in him 34. He may fall into his old sins 34 He