and stronger the right hand then the left And therefore more commonly more fitly we vse the right parts then the left and finde them pliable and able to many matters to which the left doe vs little steede or none at all and we holde it a preposterous and vnorderly peruerting of natures course and an vnsightly thing when by euill custome a man hath his left hand more easie and readie for his vse then his right hand is And this strength of the right hand the holy Ghost hath relation vnto when to set foorth the speciall power of God exercised in any glorious worke it expresseth the same as performed by his e Psal 98.1 118.15.16 right hand as in infinite places of Scripture we may obserue In ciuill vse it is a matter of honor to be set at the right hand He that sitteth at the princes right hand is deemed to be next in honour to the Prince And in this regard f 1. King 2.19 Solomon sitting on his throne caused a seat to bee brought for his mother comming vnto him and set her at his right hand And vnto this alludeth that speech concerning the spouse Psal 45. a Psal 45.9 At thy right hand did stand the Queene in a vesture of gold c. Whereby is imported the singular honor that Christ doth vnto his spouse the church Whether way soeuer we vnderstand the right hand Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in all most full brightnesse of the glory of God and in all soueraignty of power and dominion ouer all creatures both in heauen and earth so that the godhead in the man Iesus Christ ruleth and gouerneth all things administreth guideth mainteineth the church purchased by his bloud and to be short executeth all iudgement by his hand Whereupon it is said Iohn 5. b Ioh. 5.27 The father hath giuen him power to execute iudgement in that he is the sonne of man and Act. 17. c Act. 17.31 He will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed The man Iesus Christ saith Iohn 17. d Ioh. 17.5 Glorifie me O father with thine owne selfe with that glorie which I had with thee before the world was The man Iesus Christ saith Math. 28. e Math. 28.18 All power is giuen vnto me both in heauen and earth Of Iesus Christ concerning his manhood it is saide f Eph. 1.20.21 Ephes 1. God hath set him at his right hand in heauenly places farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and dominion and euerie name that is named not in this world onely but also in that that is to come hath made all things subiect vnder his feete c. And againe Phil. 2. g Phil. 2.9 God hath highly exalted him and hath giuen him a name aboue euerie name that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth c. Behold this is our Sauiour It is not without cause that we put our trust in him who is able to doe all things for vs because h Math. 11.27 Iohn 3.35 What comfort we haue by Christs sitting in heauen in our flesh all things are committed vnto him And thus hath God exalted and honoured our nature and flesh in the person of Iesus Christ that wee may not doubt now but that there is a way prepared for vs into heauē seeing that our flesh is sitting at the right hand of God Let it not dismay vs that our flesh is here subiect to the crosse tribulation that it is afflicted with hunger thirst worne out with trauell and labour dried vp with weeping and teares vexed with sicknes and paine fainted with heat deadded with colde tortured and slaine with fire and sword cast into the pit and consumed to dust and ashes Iesus Christ in this flesh of ours endured hunger and thirst was humbled and afflicted with fasting and weeping was exercised with sorowe and paine he was buffeted with fistes scourged with rods pricked with thornes pearced with nailes wounded with speare appaled by death shut vp in the graue and yet the same flesh nowe sitteth in heauen at the right hand of the maiestie of God And in what condition a Tertul. de resurrect carnis Pignus totius summae illuc quandoque redigendae As a pledge saith Tertullian to assure that the whole remainder of our flesh shall one daie be brought thither Whereupon he notablie inferreth Feare not flesh and bloud yee hane in Christ taken possession of heauen and of the kingdome of God or if any denie heauen to you let them denie Christ himselfe to bee in heauen O sonne of God the euerlasting brightnes of the glorie of God what was there in corruptible flesh that should mooue thee to haue that respect vnto it that thou shouldest thus lift vp the dust of the earth and exalt it aboue the highest heauens what coulde flesh profit thee or do thee good that thou shouldest vouchsafe vnto it so great a blessing But this was his mercie and loue towards vs when there was nothing in vs that might deserue his loue that wee might learne to honour him that hath so highly honored vs and might vnderstande that these bodies of ours redeemed with his most precious bloud and called to the hope of so great glorie are of more sacred and precious account then that they shoulde be prostituted vnto sinne and made brothell houses of filthines and vncleannesse and abused to be made the iustruments for the performing of our vnlawfull and sinfull desires It shoulde be alwaies a strong reason to mooue vs to the sober and holy vsage of our bodies to remember that Christ in our flesh sitteth in heauen and our bodies are appointed to sit with him for howe shall we thinke them to be meete for heauen if wee by wilfull sinne disgrace them and make them viler then the earth The maiestie of Christ sitting at the right hande of God an assurance of safetie both to the Church in generall and to all the members thereof 10 Now this height and maiesty and power of Iesus Christ serueth also to giue vs comfort and assurance of safety in all dangers both of the church in generall and in speciall of our selues In the shakings of the world in the totterings and staggerings of empires and kingdomes in the mutations and alterations of states and common wealthes in the middest of the whirlewindes and stormes and tempests of troubles at the sight whereof the world standeth amazed and vnder the burthen whereof it groneth yet Christ still sitteth at the right hand of God and in all things interposeth his hand and by his diuine prouidence and wisedome so gouerneth all things that howsoeuer things seeme to goe by hap and at all aduenture without the stedfast guiding of any directing hand yet indeede there is not so much as the moouing of a foote
of life the graue the putting off of mortalitie and corruption To be short b Esa 11.9 There shall be nothing to hurt or to destroie in all the mountaine of the Lordes holinesse c Ioh. 10.28 nothing to pull the sheepe of Christ out of his handes but d Rom. 8.28 all things worke togither for good and for the best to them that loue God And why so Because all the enimies of Christ that is to say all our enimies are become his footestoole and in him a footestoole vnto vs. And thus shall Christes enimies serue for his vse for the vse of his Church vntill the daie come that that which is heere prophecied shall be perfectly fulfilled when all the enimies of Christ nowe alreadie ouercome shall be vtterly destroied and abolished when there shall be none to tempt vs none to trouble vs when sinne shall bee quite done awaie when e Reuel 20.10.14 the diuell and the beast and the false prophet and death and hell shall bee cast into the lake of fire that burneth for euer when f Reu. 7.16.17 20.4 God shall wipe awaie all teares from the eies of his when they shall hunger no more thirst no more when the sunne and heate shall no more light vpon them and there shall be no more death nor sorow nor crying nor any more paine but g 1. Cor. 15.28 God shall be all in all 15 To conclude h Psal 74.3 God will for euer destroy euerie enimie that doth euill to his sanctuarie all tyrants persecutors oppugners of his Church Howsoeuer they seeme to haue power in their handes euen at their owne will yet Christ sitteth aboue them at the right hand of God they shall be made his footestoole confusion shall be their portion as in al ages God hath shewed and will shew vnto the end and specially in the end as remaineth further to bee spoken at the ende of this Psalme God the father graunt vnto vs for his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ his sake the grace of his holie spirit whereby through the knowledge of his holie word we may framed to the obedience of his holy will that wee may serue him faithfully and truely according to his commandement the whole course of this life that when it shall please him to take vs out of this mortall life we may be made partakers of that eternall life and blessednes which he hath promised in the world to come through the same Iesus Christ our Lord. To God the father God the sonne and God the holie Ghost be all honour glorie praise dominion might maiestie and power both nowe and for euermore Amen The second Sermon the same day in the afternoone Verse 2. The Lord shall send the rod or scepter of thy power out of Sion be thou a ruler or beare thou rule in the middest of thine enimies IN the former Sermon wee haue seene the sonne of Dauid installed and enthroned to the seate and maiestie of his kingdome In this second verse is set foorth the meanes whereby and the maner how this kingdome is founded and established Foure things to be obserued in the second verse First therefore we are to obserue from hence what it is whereby the subiects of this kingdome are gathered vnto Iesus Christ and gouerned vnder him which is the rod or scepter of his power Secondly from whence this scepter proceedeth the Lord shal send it Thirdly whence it hath his gooing foorth out of Sion Fourthly what successe and worke it hath he thereby beareth rule in the middest of his enimies 2 Now we see Christ heere brought in imperiall maner bearing his scepter in his hand for the scepter is one of the ensignes of princely maiestie The scepter an ensigne of princely maiestie Monarches and kings are woont to weare in their hand a rod or scepter in token of soueraigne and roiall authoritie and thereby to import that they in respect of whom they are kings are vnder their power and subiect to their stroke Thus therefore Iesus Christ whom God hath exalted and lifted vp to bee the Monarch and Lord of the whole worlde and hath assigned vnto him all power both in heauen and earth is saide to haue his scepter whereby hee doth exercise and declare his power for the building vp and gouerning of his Church Which scepter is called in the Psalme a Psal 45.6 the scepter of his kingdome whereby namely he exerciseth and administreth his kingdome And that we may vnderstand what this scepter is it is called also b Esa 11.4 the scepter or rod of his mouth which in the same place and elsewhere is termed also c ibib 2. Thess 2.8 the breath of his lips the breath of his mouth Now what is it that proceedeth from the mouth and is formed with the breath but only the word The word of Christ therefore is the Scepter of his kingdome The Scepter of Christ is his word The word of of Christ why called the Scepter of his power And it is here called the Scepter of his power because therein appeareth his might and power working great and wonderfull things beyond the opinion and expectation of the world Which we may obserue both in the course and passage that this word hath had through the world and in the speciall effects and works that it hath wrought and doth worke in this passage The power of Christ appearing in the passage of his word through the world 3 We see how in the beginning it went forth as the Sunne no power could hinder the going of it It was put into the mouthes not of Philosophers and Oratours but poore fishermen and tentmakers and toulegatherers and by their hand being men of no commendation to the world subdued more nations to the kingdome of Christ then sword and battell could euer bring in subiection vnto the great Empire of Rome The world did striue against it and it ouercame the world the Scepters of Princes strooke at it to beate it downe and Princes scepters gaue it way whether they would or not They bound the preachers of it but it selfe was as the winde which cannot be bound nor stayed from his course Neither policie nor strength could hinder it but that it ouerthrew their customes cast downe their idols stopped the mouthes of their oracles and wrested from their deuils a confession of the power of God and so went on with victory and triumph till it had set vp the kingdome of Christ in the vtmost coastes and borders of the earth And haue not our own eies men and brethren seene the experience hereof in these latter times when Emperors and Princes and Popes and Prelates and the multitude of the world labored to put out the the light of the Gospell beginning againe to shine amidst the darkenes of Popery and by all their labour could auaile nothing They had countenance and counsell and strength they persecuted the professers of
men and brethren the end of our preaching and seruice in the gospell that by the sound of this trumpet we may gather amongst you an army vnto Iesus Christ and may traine you and arme you and leade you foorth to the battell of the Lord. Now therfore in the former part of this verse there are three things of vs to be obserued Three things to be obserued in the former part of the verse First what our calling or condition is in the seruice of Iesus Christ we are his army Secondly with what affection the subiects of Christ goe foorth to fight for him with great deuotion or willingnesse Thirdly how they are attired and armed for this battell in the excellent beauty of holynesse A christian life a continuall warfare 2 First then we are to remember that a Christian life is a continuall warfare and that there are enemies against whom we are still to lie in campe and to maintaine fight and with all watchfulnesse and circumspection to looke vnto our selues and to fortifie and strengthen our fortresses and holdes that we be neither surprised by their craft nor surcharged by their power Satan the chiefest enimie of Christs kingdome Satan the deuil the chiefe of these enemies c Iob. 1.7 compasseth the earth to and fro d 1. Pet. 5.8 goeth about like a roaring lyon still seeking whom he may deuour A mightie dangerous aduersary great in power wily in practise bould in attempt fierce in charge instant and importunate in fight weerisome in continuance manifold in all his actions a very Protêus turning and winding himselfe into all fashions and formes and shapes sometimes a fearefull Dragon sometimes a flattering Mermaide and any thing to serue his turne An expert and beaten souldiour knowing all stratagemes and policies of warre A skilfull and cunning fisher knowing all maner of baites for all kindes and for all seasons hauing as Cyprian saith e Cypr. de exhortat martyrij by long experience and practise learned all meanes and waies to cozen and deceiue vs applying himselfe to the seuerall ages of men to their estates and degrees their places and callings their humours and affections omitting no occasions no oportunities that he can any way apprehend to subuert and ouerthrow vs. The world a speciall instrument whereby Satan fighteth against vs. 3 A speciall instrument that he vseth to this purpose is the world with the tentations whereof we are so enuironed and beset on euery side and finde them still so lying in our way that we may seeme to walke amongst bryers and thornes nay amongst adders and serpents the biting and stinging whereof it may seeme vnpossible to escape Seldome or neuer are we free but that he assaieth vs either by the men of this world or by the things of this world to hold vs backe from doing good and to draw vs on to the committing of euill He seeketh to winne vs to euill by the euill examples of the world that whilest we are ashamed to goe alone to heauen we may with the multitude goe that a Mat. 7.13 broad and easie way that leadeth vnto destruction He discourageth vs from goodnes by the offence and displeasure sometimes of friends sometimes of great men that whilest we loue men more then God we may by pleasing of men fall away froÌ„ God He trieth vs by the reproches and slaunders the mocks and taunts the twitings and vpbraydings of the world that the irkesomenes thereof entring into our soules like arrowes into our bones may make vs weary of folowing vertue and godlines whereby we become subiect vnto such disgrace He raiseth trouble and persecution that the danger of life and goods the feare and dread of fire and sword of imprisonment and banishment may driue vs away from our reioycing in the crosse of Christ The things of this world strong temptations 4 Now by the things of this world he strongly tempteth vs and vseth the allurements of profit and gaine of pleasure and delight of preferment and glory of the world as three mightie engines wherewith vniuersally he oppugneth the whole nature of man and as with bullets of â—ron battereth and beateth downe the castles and towres that seeme inuincible and striketh the very b Reuel 9.1 starres from heauen to earth extinguishing in men the light of the spirite that hath most clearely shined quenching the zeale that hath most feruently burned preuailing with men to pull downe in themselues that which God hath builded vp to make sale of Faith and shipwracke of conscience and to become runnegates and apostataes yea and sometimes persecutors of the Gospell which they themselues haue professed The motiue whereof the deuill saw to bee so strong as that thereby he would needs trie the strength of our Sauiour Christ a Mat. 4.8 Luc. 4.6 shewing him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them and saying If thou wilt fall downe before me and worship me they shall be all thine And surely hereby he winneth many to fall downe before him and to worship him by sinne and vnrighteousnes and wilfull breaking of the commandements of God For the compassing of their vniust and sinfull desires of the things of this world yeelding themselues at his will to become vassals and slaues to couetousnesse extortion vsurie falsehood to whore dome and filthinesse to gluttony and drunkennesse to ambition flatterie hypocrisie enuie and all maner lewd and euill works content to admit a wound in the conscience for a peny in the purse and for the pleasure of the body to destroy the soule and for the kingdome and glory of this world to loose the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ Satan strong against vs by the lust and concupiscence of our owne harts 5 We see how dangerous an enemie we haue to deale withall but yet the danger is much the greater for that in our own bosomes we cary a fire to burne our selues a false Tarpeia conspiring with the enemie to betray her owne father a treacherous Dalilah flattering her owne husband to bereaue him of all his strength and to deliuer him bound into the hands of them that seeke his life I meane the corruption of our owne nature the frowardnesse and vngratiousnesse of our owne harts the venome poison that we bring with vs nourish in vs euen froÌ„ our mothers wombe which as a troubled fountaine or rather as a raging sea is still casting vp mire and dirt and sending foorth the motions and lusts of sinne which are euermore ready to open the gates to the enemie to let him in vpon vs by the seeing of the eie by the hearing of the eare by the tasting of the tongue and by all the parts and powers both of our bodies and of our soules For what are all these but gates and doores and windowes whereby sinne and death if we preuent it not doe enter in vpon vs and take fast hold of vs 6 Thus
and annointings c. were in some sort separated from other men but as touching inward qualitie where the eie of God looketh they were the same that other men sinners weake vnwoorthie to appeere in the sight of God and therefore were bound to offer not onely a Heb. 7 27. for the peoples sinnes but for their owne also Againe their sacrifices were not such as might yeelde any due satisfaction for sinne For it b Heb. 10.4 was vnpossible as we reade that the bloud of bulles and goats shoulde take way sinne A man hauing committed trespasse brought his offring to the priest He laied his hande vpon the head of the sacrifice as it were there to lay his sinne The brute and dumbe creature was slaine as if it had done the trespasse But what could the bloud of a brute beast auaile to acquite the conscience of him that had offended indeed It was a testimonie that he had sinned because in that name it was slaine but purgation of sinne it could yeeld none and the vttermost that it could doe was but c Heb. 9.13 to sanctifie as touching the purifying of the flesh to perform an outward satisfaction to the church Therefore the praier that was grounded vpon these sacrifices could not be effectuall or strong enough to entreat and mooue the maiestie of God And hence it is that the authour to the Hebrewes saith that d Heb. 7.18 that priesthood was disanulled for the weakenes and vnprofitablenes thereof calling it weake and vnprositable as it is considered meerely in it selfe without respect vnto Iesus Christ figured shadowed therein For al the vse and benefit thereof stood in the reference that it had vnto the priesthoode heere established which by the oath of God is appropriated for euer vnto Iesus Christ Thou art the priest The priest in that priesthood was accepted with God as in figure bearing the person of this priest The sacrifices there were called attonements as implying respectiuely his oblation and sacrifice of himselfe The praier of the priest there was heard for the people as vttered in the name of this mediatour and depending vpon the intercession that he should make The truth of priesthood for forgiuenesse of sinnes belongeth onely vnto Iesus Christ. 12 Therefore the soueraignty of priesthood belongeth properly vnto the sonne of God vnto Iesus Christ who is in that respect called e Heb. 9.15 the mediatour of the new testament wherein God hath promised forgiuenesse of sinnes The excellency of whose person to that purpose the holy ghost in sundry places describeth as that a Col. 1.15 he is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creature by whom all things were created both in heauen and in earth both visible things and inuisible whether thrones or dominions or principalitics or powers c. And againe that he is b Heb. 1.2.3 the heire of all things that by him the world was made that he is the brightnes of the glory of God and the ingraued forme of his person bearing vp all things by the power of his word c vers 4. more excellent then the angels c. Thus Saint Iohn also beginneth his gospel as at the first to shew the greatnes of him of whom he writeth d Ioh. 1.1 In the beginning was the worde and the worde was with God and that worde was God c. All things were made by it c. In it was life c. e vers 14. We saw the glory thereof as the glorie of the onely begotten of the father c. In this glory the holie Scripture setteth him foorth vnto vs that we may vnderstand that seeing he is the sonne of God there is in his person no defect but all sufficient perfection for the performance of this worke There was no exception for the father to take against the person of his onely begotten sonne his owne image being the same that he himselfe is because this were al one as to take exception against himselfe If in God there be worth enough to make attonement for man then is there enough in Iesus Christ because Christ is the sonne of God 13 Christ our priest not onely according to has manhood but also according to his godhead Which foundatiō they greatly shake who rest the priesthood and mediation of Christ in his humane nature onely and yeelde not vnto the godhead any part in this execution whereas the whole power and vertue of that that Christ in his manhood hath done for vs ariseth from the godhead the respect whereof being set aside nothing that he hath done can be of sufficient force to worke our peace and to bring vs vnto God And therefore hence doth the scripture teach vs to esteeme the force and power of the sufferings of Christ for that it is f Act. 20 2◠God that hath purchased vs with his owne bloud and g 1. Cor. 2.8 the Lord of glory that was crucified for vs not onely by vnity of person but by act of priesthood mediation whilest as he is the sonne of God he hath giuen himselfe in his manhood to be thus cruelly entreated for our sakes Which the holy ghost very expresly teacheth vs when he saith that Christ not onely by the will and worke of his humane nature but h Heb. 9.14 by his eternall spirit offered himselfe vnto God For if by his eternall spirit that is the power of his godhead he offered himselfe how can it be denied but that by the same eternall spirit and godhead he hath performed the worke and office of a priest So when the Apostle saith that a 2. Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe he plainely sheweth that the godhead of Christ was an agent in this reconciliation and adioyned it selfe not onely as a part of the person but as a partaker of the worke to effect this attonement betwixt God and man Therefore Saint Ambrose saith that he is b Ambros in 1. Tim. cap. 2. ex vtroque mediator a mediatour in both respects as he is both God and man And more plainely he speaketh in another place that c in Heb. cap. 7. Christ both in his godhead and in his manhood being a mediatour for euer betwixt God and man is alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. So Saint Austen likewise saith that d August orat cont Iudae paga Arianos c. 8. Christ whole man and God the word the soule and the flesh one Christ is made a mediatour for vs. To be short when the auncient e August cons lib. 10. cap. 42. Chrysost Theodoret Theophy Oecumen in 1. Tim. cap. 2. fathers teach that Christ in that he is the priest and mediatour betwixt God and man is and needs must be partaker with them both and so both God and man what is it but a meere contradiction to affirme that Christ according to his godhead is
THE EXALTATION of the kingdome and Priesthood of Christ In certaine Sermons vpon the 110. Psalme Preached in the Cathedrall Church and city of WORCESTER in the time of Christmasse anno Domini 1596. By ROB. ABBOT doctor of Diuinitie sometime felow of Baliol Colledge in Oxford LONDINI Impensis G. Bishop 1601. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in Christ the L. Bishop of WORCESTER my very good Lord. My good Lord it is nowe full two yeeres since vpon a purpose to reuiewe some part of those exercises which I performed in the citie of Worcester I extracted these fewe Sermons to serue for introduction to the rest Vpon dispatch whereof applying my selfe not long after to another matter of greater waight and being thereby as by other occasions hindered from any conuenient leisure to deale by my selfe for the publishing of these discourses they haue sithence lien a sleepe till of late opportunitie seruing I found the meanes to tender them to his hands which hath thus brought them into open light Since which time being by your Lordship motioned to doe that which I had thus begunne to doe and hauing your opinion that therein I should do a seruice beneficiall and profitable to the Church I was the more comforted in that I had begunne and presumed the rather as before I had intented to commend vnto your Lordships good fauour the first fruites of these my reuiewed meditations And theerein I account your Lordship to haue some speciall interest both in regard of the place where they were performed being your owne Cathedrall Church as also of my selfe who hauing founde that Honourable respect at your Lordships handes since your first comming to that place cannot but holde my selfe alwaies bound to yeeld a due acknowledgement and confession thereof Which I coulde not tell better how to doe then by a gift of inke and paper which yet doth rather craue another fauour for the accepting of it then yeelde any recompence of the former But I hope this my labour shall not bee vnfruitefull vnto them who at the first were hearers of these Sermons Who if they reaped any benefite or comfort at the first by hearing may nowe renewe the same by reading and more firmely imprint in minde what they then conceiued might serue for their edification and furtherance towardes God And although I doubt not but if their regard in hearing were answerable to my care in speaking they still retaine the taste of those wholesome wordes that were deliuered vnto them yet to giue them the more full and perfect apprehension thereof I will endeuour as opportunitie may serue to present vnto their eies the thinges which did once affect their eares and to make others also partakers of the same if at least these small beginnings doe finde that comfortable entertainment both with them and others as may giue encouragement to the rest to folowe after Wherein I can promise to my selfe no more then the condition of these times will affoorde in which their reigneth a nice and wanton humour which delighteth to bee tickled with the entising wordes of humane wisedome and more respecteth how finelie wee speake to please the care then how faithfully to touch the heart But for my part as in preaching so in writing my care hath alwaies beene rather to edifie the conscience of the godlie then to feede the fancie of the curious and not to delude men with emptie wordes but onelie by conuenient wordes to impresse and enforce the matter that I haue had in hand And more then this the Reader may not expect either in this Treatise or anie other that heereafter happily may come from me Which I know shall be pleasing to your Lordship whose trauels haue alwaies entirely tended to the sauing of soules by implanting them with true faith and instructions of godlie life and by seeking passionately and effectually to enter into the harts of them to whom you haue spoken Wherein as God hath blessed your labours in other places so I doubt not but hee will also in the place where nowe you are as I hartilie wish and praie for as willing to expresse mine affection to that citie wherein I haue bestowed the greatest seruice of my life and wherein I assure my selfe that a fewe names there are at least I hope many that shall be my crowne and reioycing at the daie of the Lord Iesus Of which ioy I enuie not that any man should be partaker with me but rather desire to heare of a successour in my place by whose good meanes they may be yet further increased and stablished in the grace of God Which how necessarie a care it is I thinke there is no man but seeth that inwardly waigheth and taketh to hart the state of our daies wherein we are so setled vpon the lees of those corruptions which are vsually bredde by long prosperitie and peace as that much worke it is not onely to waken them that are asleeepe but also to keepe men from sleeping when they are once awake The due consideration whereof if it were admitted woulde perhaps stirre vp the deuotion of them whom it concerneth to be mindefull of their owne good Which I knowe manie of them are and God I hope by your Lordships good meanes will mooue the rest With which hope I recommend these remembrances to your Lordships fauourable acceptation beseeching God so to blesse your endeuours and courses as that they may yeeld glorie vnto God and profite to his church and comfort to your owne soule at the comming of Iesus Christ. Amen Your Lordships in all loue and dutie ROB. ABBOT The first Sermon vpon Christmas day Psal 110.1 The Lord saied vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole a 1. Tim. 3.16 GReat is the mysterie of godlines saith Saint Paul God made manifest in the flesh c. God in the flesh man to be God one and the same to be both God and man it is b Bernaer in vigil natal dom ser 3. a woonder of the worlde nay more then a world of woonders God higher then the heauens man of the slime and dust of the earth God incorruptible and immortall man nothing but mortalitie and corruption God infinite and incomprehensible c 1. King 8.27 the heauens and heauens of heauens are not able to conteine him man a handfull of wormes meate a fewe spannes are sufficient to describe and measure him What comparison is there at all betwixt the heauenly maiestie of God and the basenes of vile flesh And yet the d Ioh. 1.1.14 word which was God became flesh and dwelt among vs c. A mysterie vnspeakeable the secret of Christian faith the foundation of Christian hope the inducement of Christian loue both towards him who being God became man for our sakes and towards other men for his sake 2 The reuealing of this mysterie to the world we celebrate this day which by our solemne obseruation is answerable to
they the neerer vnto euerlasting life surely nothing at al because they were without Christ who only is the ladder by which life descendeth from God to vs we ascend to liue with God The necessitie of the knowledge of Christ And heereby we may see how necessarie a thing it is for vs to vnderstand the mysterie of Iesus Christ not thinking it sufficient as many doe historically to knowe and formally of custome to celebrate the memorie of his birth and death and resurrection and ascending into heauen but searching out the fruites and effects thereof enquiring after that grace and saluation which he hath brought vnto vs therby that so we may know what cause we haue of this solemne reioycing and our reioycing may be not onely according to the flesh and outward man but much more inwardly in spirit and conscience whilest that being assured that Christ is our Lord we finde in him comfort of peace towards God and of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and certaine hope of the fauour and loue of God towards vs both in life and in death by that mediation and attonement that he hath wrought Christs demeaning and abasing of himselfe to make attonement for vs. 5 Which attonement that he might worke he woulde become of the sonne of God the sonne of Dauid both waies a kings sonne according to his Godhead the sonne of the great king of heauen and earth according to his manhoode the sonne of king Dauid but yet both in his birth life and death far demeaned beneath all kingly state the tabernacle of Dauid being now fallen downe onely the ruines thereof remaining the branches and armes of that goodly tree being now cut off only the roote or stump left as it were in a drie and barren ground Marie his mother of the house of Dauid is maried to Ioseph of the house of Dauid also but of no better state but a poore carpenter and of so small estimation that in the citie of Dauid for his wife yea being with childe great with childe yea traueling with childe and childe bearing he coulde finde no better entertainement but that the mother must be chambered in a stable and the childe cradeled in a cratch or manger as if they had beene to base to receiue that common curtesie that in such a case is vouchsafed to the meanest and other mens horses were to be thought woorthie of as good place as they The profitable learning of Christ beginneth at his humiliation and weakenes 6 Now heere are we to beginne in the learning of Christ if we will learne him fruitefully and to our comfort If we beginne at his maiestie it will confound vs if we first looke to the brightnesse of his glorie it will blinde our eies his terrors shall make vs afraide and wee shall not dare to come vnto him And therefore some whilest they haue immediately fastned their eies vpon the highnesse and maiestie of Christ sitting at the right hand of God haue beene discouraged and driuen away from him wheras he is our only mediatour to bring vs vnto God haue deuised and set vp other mediators to bring them vnto him This was the errour of Poperie which embraced the storie of Christs incarnation and death but neuer taught the vse thereof and left men in an opinion as if Christ according to the maner of earthly princes were of that austeritie and statelinesse that they might not presume directly to come vnto him but must vse the solicitation and intercession of other saints that were neere about him But from this error we shall be free if we begin with Christ where we ought to doe We must acquaint our selues with him in his weakenes and then he shall not seeme dreadfull to vs in his strength we must be conuersant with him in his humility and that shall minister vnto vs boldnesse to go vnto him in his glorie If we scorne to sitte with him in the stable and to learne of him in the manger if we neglect the comfort that we should receiue by his humbling abasing of himselfe for our sakes the beames of his glorious light sitting now in the maiestie of the godhead shall seeme vnto vs as flames of fire readie to consume vs if we approch vnto him As therefore we know how we our selues are borne little and weake and so grow from infancie to childehood and from childehood to ripe age and full strength euen so must Christ haue his beginning and proceeding in vs. We must embrace him swadled in the manger and grow vp with him euen from his cradle and childehood and continue the decourse of his whole life and see therein how as Hilary saith a Hilar. de Tri. lib. 2. Omnes naturae nostrae contumelias transcurrit He ranne through all the contumelies and disgraces of our nature We must behold him b Esa 53.2 without forme or beautie c Psal 22.6 a worme and no man the scorne of men and contempt of the people poore and despised in meaner state then the d Math. 8.20 foxes that haue their holes and the birdes of the aire that haue their nests whereas he had not where to rest his head e Esa 53.3 a man full of sorowes hauing great experience of infirmities worne and spent with watching fasting and traueling continually bearing the reproches and gainsayings of proud men bought and solde by treacherie and falshood calumniously and slanderously accused condemned spitted at crowned with thornes in mockerie and derision nailed to a crosse accounted with theeues and murtherers pearced with a speare imprisoned in the graue The beholding of these things shall prepare and fortifie our sight that with eagles ere 's without dazeling wee may looke vpon this f Mal. 4.2 sunne of righteousnesse now shining in his strength For we thus conceiue that Christ hauing vndergone all these things for our sakes and being ours in his birth and in his life and in his death is ours also now that he is raised againe from the dead and g Rom. 8.34 that he sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and therefore that h Heb. 4.14 hauing so great an high priest for vs entred into heauen and i ibid. 9.24 appearing in the sight of God for vs euen Iesus the sonne of God wee may with boldnesse goe vnto the throne of grace to receiue mercy and to finde grace to helpe in time of neede And thus shall we be enabled to beare k 2. Thess 2.8 the brightnesse of his comming and l Luc. 21.28 to lift vp our heads for ioy that our redemption and full deliuerance is at hand when other men shall be at their wits end with perplexitie and feare and shall say m Apoc. 6.16 vnto the mountaines and rockes fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne c. Now then let Marcion the heretike obiect that
those infirmities and weakenesses those afflictions and indignities that we haue spoken of are matters not beseeming or befitting the glorie of God and and we will answere with Tertullian a Tertul. cont Marcio lib. 2. Totum Dei mei penes vos dedecus sacramentum est humanae salutis All that you account the reproch and disgrace of our God is the sacrament or mysterie of mans saluation It is for mans behoofe whatsoeuer he vndertooke vnwoorthie of himselfe b Hilar. de Trinis lib. 2. Humilitas eius nostra nobilitas est contumelia eius honor noster est saith Hilarie The humbling of him is the ennobling of vs his reproch is our honour This is the foundation whereupon we builde our selues to heauen in this humiliation and weakenesse of Iesus Christ are conteined the infinite riches of grace and life What was the occasion of Christs abasing and bumbling of himselfe 7 But what was it in man that caused the sonne of God to take vpon him this disgraced and dispised state It was namely the sinne of man Woonderest thou that such indignitie should befall vnto the sonne of God Remember thy selfe humble thy selfe before the Lord and say It was my sinne that caused the Lord of glorie to take vpon him reproch and shame There could not be found in heauen or earth any other expiation of my sinne but that the sonne of God must demeane himselfe to suffer things vnwoorthy of God to make attonement betwixt God and me And when thou art come so far goe on yet and say Shall I cherish sinne in me that brought all this wrong vpon the sonne of God Shall I thinke lightly of that iniquity and vncleanesse which was so great with God that nothing could satisfie for it but the bloud of his onely begotten sonne Shall I bestow my life and daies in vanity and vnrighteousnesse which I vnderstand was so deerly bought to he halowed vnto God Thus I say we should bethinke our selues and with such meditations busie our selues this solemne tune which now we see specially in the greatest houses not without great sinne wholy in a manner destinated to excesse of vanity and folly of wild and vnbrideled behauiour as if we rather kept the prophane and licentious festiualls of Bacchus and Apollo then a wholy remembrance of Iesus Christ 8 Hitherto we haue seene the humbling of Dauids Lord now let vs see his exaltation and glory The exaltation of Christ to sit at the right hand of God For vnto him thus humbled God the father is brought in saying sit thou at my right hand c. Whereby is signified the lifting vp of the man Christ to the participation and felowship of the maiesty and glory of God and to all height of dignity power primacy ouer all creatures both in heauen and earth The sequel of humiliation and glorie both in Christ and and vs. In which consequence of humility and glory in the person of Iesus Christ we see what our way must be to that heauenly glory and blisse which we desire For we must be made a Rom. 8.29 like vnto the image of the sonne of God not onely in the end but also in the meanes and way that leadeth thereunto We must be humbled with him that with him we may be exalted we must b 2. Tim. 2.11.12 suffer with him that we may raigne with him we must die with him that we may liue with him we must c Heb. 13.13 with him be partakers of reproch that with him we may be partakers of glory we must with him beare the crosse and crowne of thornes that with him we may weare the crowne of euerlasting life If we refuse his company in the one he will exclude vs from being partners with him in the other As it is said of Christ the head d Luc. 24.26 These things ought Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory so it is said of vs that are the body e Act. 14.22 By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God As Christ was f Heb. 2.10 consecrated the prince of our saluation through afflictions so our g 2. Cor. 1.6 saluation is wrought in enduring the sufferings of like afflictions But there is comfort of these tribulations and sufferings for that they conteine the hope and assurance of so blessed reward inasmuch as therein h Rom. 5.2.3 we reioice vnder the hope of the glory of God And therefore as Christ i Heb. 12.2 for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame so must we looking vnto him as the author and finisher of our faith with willing mindes when the Lord will beare the k 2. Cor. 4.17 momentary and light affliction of this time as which bringeth an excellent and an eternall waight of glory whilest we looke not vpon the temporall things which are seen but vpon the things eternall which are not seen 9 The reward of glory that is here assigned vnto Iesus Christ hauing now gone through all his sufferings and accomplished the worke and seruice of our redemption is to sit at the right hand of God The fulfilling whereof Saint Marke declareth telling vs that after his resurrection hauing spoken vnto his disciples a Mar. 16.19 he was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God Which is an honour peculiar vnto the sonne of God The highest angels are not high enough to bee partakers of this glorie for b Heb. 1.13 to which of all the angels hath he saide at anie time sit thou at my right hand c. Now this phrase of speech borowed from humane and ciuill vse What is signified by Christs sitting at the right hand of God attributeth vnto Iesus Christ an excellencie both of maiestie and power Maiestie imported first in the very terme of sitting Which is not used is properly to determine any certaine position or gesture of bodie but figuratiuely to note an eminencie of dignitie and honour For to persons of maiestie and honour it belongeth to sit when others stande that are of inferiour place And thus is it oftentimes vsed in the Scripture as touching God himselfe and namely of many places to alleage one Dan. 7. where it is said that c Dan. 7.9.10 the thrones being set vp the Auncient of daies did sit thousand thousāds ministred vnto him ten thousand thousands stood before him Thus the honor which Iesus Christ shall do vnto his saints we finde expressed also by this terme of sitting d Apoc. 3.21 To him that ouercommeth will I grant to sit with me in my throne c. But Christ is not said onely to sit but to sit at the right of God which is neuer affirmed of the saints Now the right hand according to vse of nature signifieth power and strength according to ciuill vse it importeth preheminence and honour The right parts naturally are the nimbler
we harbour with in our selues b August cont Iâ—l Pelag. lib. 2. exercitum quendam cupiditatum as Saint Austen saieth An army of sinfull affections within vs still occasioning vs to fight a very army of vicious and sinfull affections which yeeld vs continuall matter and occasion of fighting from our beginning to our end against the wantonnesse and wilfulnesse of youth against the crookednesse of olde age in prosperitie against presumption and carnall securitie in aduersitie against impatiencie and despaire in high estate against disdaine in low estate against enuie in aboundance against excesse in want against vnlawfull shifts in the folowing of vertue against vaine glory in the hatred of vice against curiositie and rashnes in iudging censuring other men in religion against schisme heresie infidelitie in ciuill conuersation against wrathfulnesse vnfaithfulnesse vnmercifulnesse selfeloue and all iniustice against euill workes in the profession of true faith against misbeleefe in the practise of good works Temptations of sinne still succeeding one another Yea and as they say of the heads of Hydra the Serpent that one being cut off there grew vp moe for it and as the waues of the sea one still folow in the necke of another euen so it is with the temptations of sinne the ending of one is the beginning of another and one victorie is the drawing on of another fight a Cypr. de mortall If couetousnesse be ouerthrowen saith Saint Cyprian then ariseth wanton lust if lust be repressed then ambition comes in place if ambition be reiected then anger prouoketh pride swelleth enuie fretteth c. So â—…e is it which the same Father elsewhere saith b Idem de duplicimartyrio Although there be not alwaies Neroes Diocletians and Maximines raging against the Church yet neuer doth the deuill cease to busie and trouble them that haue professed the warfare of Christ. And Saint Hierome c Hierony epis ad Heliodorum Erras si vnquam putas Christianum persecutionem non pati tunc maximè oppugnaris quum te oppugnarinescis Thou art deceiued if thou thinke a Christian man at any time free from suffering persecution and then is a man most of all oppugned when he doth not know himselfe to be oppugned 7 Now being thus beset with enemies on euery side nay carying within our selues enmitie against our selues we see a necessitie of fighting we see a reason why we are called the armie of the Lord. Let vs therefore be as we are called let vs euery man take sword in hand and d Iudg. 5.23 goe foorth to helpe the Lord against the mightie against e Reuel 12.9.17 the Dragon and the Angels thus making warre against the womans seede If in the middest of so many so dangerous so deadly enemies we sit still and sleepe and refuse to fight what doe wee but betraie our selues and the quarrell and cause of him that hath chosen vs to be his souldiours No seruant of Christ that is not his souldiour And surely if we doe not fight wee are none of his if thou be no souldiour thou art no seruant of Iesus Christ because to be his seruant is to be a souldiour And therefore thou be not skilled in this spiritual battel if thou be not daily if exercised a Iam. 4.7 to resist the diuell and to b Heb. 12.4 fight against sinne if there be not in thee a daily controuling of thine owne waies a checking of thine owne hart a resisting of thine owne desires a subduing of thine owne affections that thou maiest c 2. Cor. 10.5 bring euerie thought to the obedience of Christ if all bee at peace within thee and thou findest no diuision no contradiction betwixt the flesh and the spirite betwixt the old and the new man betwixt that which thou art of thy selfe and that which thou art of God what doest thou in the Lordes tents to what end doest thou professe the seruice of Christ Go out of the campe if thou wilt not fight and keepe not a standing there idlely and in vaine Many say they are Christs who yet are not so because they fight not for him 8 Let vs consider this in our harts for many there are that say they are Christs and take his name in their mouthes who yet neuer drew sword nor gaue stroke in Christs behalfe who defie the diuell with their mouthes but wrestle not against his workes who haue renounced the worlde and yet liue in league with the worlde and continue deepely entangled in the corruptions thereof whose lust is their law and they make their owne carnall desire the rule and measure of all their doings These men deceiue themselues They would faine liue with Christ in heauen but yet they would d 2. Cor. 5.15 liue to themselues here vpon the earth they would be blessed in the world to come but yet would not be crossed in the pleasures of this world But this cannot be He that hath called vs vnto eternall life hath told vs that we must e Luc. 13.24 striue to enter in at the straight gate that leadeth vnto it He that hath set before vs f 1. Cor. 9.25.26 an incorruptible crowne hath withall warned vs that we must g 2. Tim 2.5 fight for it And as Saint Ambrose saith h Ambros in psa 118. ser 18. Non decet redimitos floribus corona sed puluerulentos c. The crowne is not for carpet knights that loue to be beset and garlanded with posies and floures but for them that are beraied with wrastling and tumbling in the dust and victorie is not the honour of nicelings and wantons but of them that haue sweate and laboured for it If therefore we desire the reward of victorie and the crowne that is promised to them onely that ouercome let vs as I haue saide addresse our selues vnto the fight and applie both our harts and our hands to the pulling downe of the kingdome of Satan and to the maintenance and aduancement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ We are to fight for Christ by doing the duties of our seuerall callings 9 Now because as in earthly armies there are men of diuers sorts and places generals captaines lieutenants sergeants coronels common souldiours c. So in the warfare of Christ there are likewise diuers callings and conditions of men we are euery one to consider the standing and place whereunto we are assigned of the Lord and faithfully to imploy our selues therein for his aduantage that we may still be getting ground of the enemy against whom we fight Princes and Magistrates by well managing the sword of ciuill authoritie by establishing and executing good lawes for Christs behoofe and for the setting foorth of the glory of God Ministers by vsing carefully and wisely the sword of the spirit the word of God for the cutting downe of sinne and vnrighteousnesse and to breede in mens hearts the feare of God and the loue of his
common vse no vncleane thing might be suffered to touch them that so they might remaine pure and vndefiled to the vses of the Lord. Euen so we whom Christ a Ioh. 15.19 hath chosen and b Gal. 1.4 giuen himselfe to deliuer vs from this present euill world that he might make vs c 2. Tim. 2.21 vessells of honour sanctified and meete for the vses of the Lord should d Iam. 1.27 keepe our selues vnspotted of the world by e 2. Pet. 1.4 flying the corruption that raigneth therein by lust and abhorring those polluted and vncleane courses in the lothsome filthinesse whereof the world walloweth and tumbleth it selfe to the great offense and displeasure of almighty God And surely so long as the contagion and filth of the world cleaueth fast vnto vs and we frame our selues to the fashion and behauiour thereof there can be nothing so lothsome and hatefull vnto vs as we our selues are lothsome vnto God And therefore God himselfe in this sort aduiseth vs a 2. Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them and seperate your selues and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will be a father vnto you and you shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord. Whereupon the apostle thus exhorteth in the beginning of the next chapter b 2. Cor. 7.1 seeing then we haue these promises let vs clense our selues frō all fithines of the flesh of the spirit and grow vp to full holines in the feare of God In which words he expresseth both those parts of holines which I mentioned before calling the one the clensing of our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite the other the growing vp to full holinesse or the fulfilling and perfiting of our sanctification in the feare of God Which fulfilling of our sanctification standeth in clothing from day to day both inwardly our conscience and outwardly our conuersation with pietie and the feare of God thereby to c 1. Pet. 2.9 set foorth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenes into his maruelous light And this the Apostle Saint Paule calleth d Rom. 13.14 Gal. 5.16 the putting on of the Lord Iesus Christ teaching vs thereby not onely to attire our selues by faith with his merites and righteousnes that thereby we may be iustified in the sight of God but also by holines to expresse in our life the example that he hath laied before vs that by our good workes and godly life it may appeere that we haue Christ dwelling and ruling in our harts Which the same Apostle elsewhere more particularly describeth saying e Col. 3.12 put on as the elect of God holy and beloued tender mercie kindenesse humblenesse of minde meekenes long suffring c. And againe f 1. Thess 5.8 Let vs which are of the daie be sober putting on the brestplate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet 17 These and such like are the ornaments whereby the church of Christ is to him that loueth her g Cant. 5.9 Holines our attyre when we come to the place of the Lords assemblie goodly as the morning faire as the moone pure as the sunne and to her enimie terrible as an armie with displaied ensignes Thus attired and armed we shoulde come and present our selues in this place of the assemblie of the Lordes armie not in hautines and presumption not in vaine and wanton apparell not in the care of decking our selues to the eies of the worlde the follie whereof in this generation nowe long agoe stinketh in the nostrels of the Lorde but in humblenesse and lowlinesse of minde in meekenesse and quietnesse of spirite in innocencie and simplicitie of hart in a sacred feare and reuerence of that high maiestie before which we present our selues If we come not thus prepared wee are but spots and blots in the Lords assemblie and we are to feare the same exception to be taken against vs as was taken against him that came to the wedding supper without a wedding garment a Math. 22.12 friend howe cōmest thou in hither not hauing on a wedding garment For what is the wedding garment but euen the beautie of holinesse which the prophet heere commendeth as the attire of the Lords armie That therefore our comming may be gratefull to the Lord and without danger to our selues let vs haue this sentence of the prophet in our mindes and remember alwaies to appeere before the Lorde in the beautie of holinesse in true deuotion humblenesse of minde obedience loue b 1. Tim. 1.5 out of a pure hart and a good conscience and faith vnfained so the Lorde seeing in vs the shadow and picture of his beautie shal take delight and pleasure in vs whereas otherwise by hypocrisie and sinne our being heere is but abhomination before him 18 Now followeth the latter part of this verse Thy youth shal be as the dew vnto thee from the wombe of the morning Where the words being very obscure in the Hebrew text are diuersly translated Vpon searching and comparing of diuers iudgements I haue set downe that which I take to be most fit And verie answerable heereunto is that which is written by the prophet Micah c Micah 5.7 The remnant of Iacob shall be among manie people as the dew from the Lorde and as the little mistling droppes vpon the grasse which doe not waite for man nor hope in the sonnes of Adam By which wordes the prophet foretelleth the mightie increase of the church amongst the Gentiles whose multitude shall be as the small dew and little drops that fall from heauen without number and that this shall come to passe not by any power or worke of man but by the gracious hand of almightie God euen as hee onely without the helpe of man causeth the shewers and dew to fall vpon the earth To which verie purpose I take it the wordes of our prophet here are likewise to bee vnderstoode The multitude of the armie of Christ and by what hand they are raised vp vnto him for hauing before declared how Iesus Christ shall haue his armie to ioyne with him in fight against his enimies he addeth heere in what multitude they shall come and by what hand they shal be raised vp vnto him They shall be innumerable as the dewe which by the onely hand of God is brought foorth from the wombe of the morning where the prophet by a metaphor nameth it the wombe of the morning where the morning dewe is secretly formed and from whence it commeth as children from the wombe Againe the name of youth by another figure importeth not meerely yoongnesse of age but the persons themselues that are yoong by the like phrase of speech as we are woont to say The youth were gathered togither the youth were sporting themselues c. Youth they that are newly newly borne againe to Christ 19 By youth then are meant the young frie
of the church the new increse and supply thereof from time to time in them who are newly a Iam. 1.18 begotten by the word of truth and b Ioh. 3.3.5 borne againe c Tit. 3.5 by the washing of the new birth and by the renewing of the holy ghost to become of Adams children the children of God and people of Iesus Christ Who for that are called d 1. Ioh. 2.12 little children and e 1. Cor. 3.1 babes in Christ and f 1. Pet. 2.2 new borne babes that are to be suckled with the milke of the word of God that they may grow thereby Of whom this prophet elsewhere speaketh when he saith g Psal 22.31 They shall declare his righteousnesse vnto a people that shal be borne and againe h Psal 102.18 This shal be written for the generation to come and the people which shal be created shall praise the Lord. Where he prophecieth of a generation and people to be created and borne not by the creation and birth whereby we are men but whereby we are according to the phrase of the Apostle i Eph. 4.24 new men and k 2 Cor. 5.17 Galat. 6.15 new creatures hauing l Ezec. 36.26 a new hart giuen vnto vs and a new spirit put into the middest of vs our stony hart being changed into an hart of flesh and m Heb. 9.14 our consciences by the bloud of Christ purged from dead works that we may serue the liuing God Such are the youth that the prophet speaketh of in this place And hereby we are put in minde of our second natiuity and birth whereby we are made members of the church of Christ and called to become children againe children as n 1. Cor. 14.20 concerning malitiousnesse children in o Mat. 18.3.4 humility simplicity innocencie that whereas being in time past a Luc. 16.8 children of this world we b Eph. 2.2.3 haue walked according to the course of this world in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our owne minde we may being now c Gal. 3.26 the children of God d Rom. 6 4. walke in newnesse of life and liue e Eph. 4.18 the life of God and f Phil. 2.15 as the sonnes of God be blamelesse and pure and without rebuke g Math. 5.16 shining by our good works as lights in the middest of the froward and crooked nation of the world Yea further we are to be remembred that as youth as young children are still growing in stature and strength and discretion vntill they come to ripe and perfect age so we after that we are once new borne vnto Christ should likewise be still encreasing and growing in those things that belong vnto a christian life in vertue in holynesse in faith in h 2. Pet. 3.18 grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ that i Psal 84.7 going thus from streÌ„gth to strength we may be euen k Phil. 1.11 filled with the fruits of righteousnesse and in the end attaine l Eph. 4.13 vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Chist 20 Now of this new birth and the fruits and effects thereof the solemnitie of this day may giue me some occasion to speake being as we call it new yeeres day wherein we celebrate the remembrance of the circumcision of Christ and that m Col. 2.11 in him we also are circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands that n Eph. 4.22 putting of the body of the sinnes of the flesh and the old man which is corrupted through deceiueable lusts we may be renewed in the spirit of our mindes and put on the new man which according to God is created in righteousnesse and true holynesse But of this I spake vnto you more at large the last yeere by occasion of the words of the Apostle o 2. Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is or let him be a new creature The particulars whereof happely you remember not but remember that which is the generall that from yeere to yeere from day to day you stil goe forward to become new creatures in Iesus Christ Say with the Apostle and let vs be carefull that of our selues we may truely say it p ibid. Old things are past behold all things are become new And surely in this state of our new birth all things are set before vs vnder the name of new things q Mat. 26.28 a new testament r 〈◊〉 13 34. a new commandement Å¿ Reu. 3.9 a new song t Reuel 2.17 a new name u Heb. 10.20 a new way x Reuel 21.2 a new Ierusalem y â— Pet. 3.13 new heauens and new earth Nowe what an vnâ—eete thing is it that when all things are new for our sakes we our selues shoulde remaine old Nay let vs also become newe and by our conuersation let vs make it appeere that wee are new borne and what we haue neglected heeretofore let vs now beginne to amend with the beginning of a newe yeere and be carefull heereafter to a Eph. 5.16 redeeme the time that the encrease of our yeeres may be the encrease of our comfort and may further vs in the assured hope of that life where there shall be no change of yeeres but one new yeere to continue for euer and euer The multitude that shoulde be borne vnto Iesus Christ as the drops that cannot be numbred 21 But to come towards an end concerning this ofspring and youth which I haue spoken of the prophet saith that they shal be as the dew from the wombe of the morning First for their multitude for that as the drops of heauen cannot be numbred so the people of Christ shal be assembled vnto him in multitudes without number accordingly as Saint Iohn in the spirit saw it come to passe when as beside the remnant of Israel he beheld a b Reuel 7.9 great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands and crying with a loude voice saluation commeth of our God c. So that although in comparison of the multitude of the world the church of Christ be but c Luc. 12.32 a little flocke and d Mat. 7. â—4 few there be that enter into life euen as the grapes after the vintage a few here and a few there and as after e Esa 17.6 the shaking of the oliue tree there are two or three vpon one bough and foure or fiue vpon another seldome to be found yet in themselues they are according to the promise made to Abraham as f Gen. 13.16 15.5 the stars of heauen that cannot be numbred and g Heb. 11.12 as the sand by the seaside And therefore let it not discourage vs that the chaffe seemeth to hide the corne and
euill men so swarme euery where in the world that the promise made to Christ seemeth to be of small effect h Math. 11.19 Wisedome shall surely be iustified of her children who though they appeare but few vnto vs yet are exceeding many in the eies of God so that we need not thinke we goe alone or be the worse perswaded of the way wherein we goe because we see but few to walke therein Let vs goe on forward in faith and patience and we shall see that the l Ioh. 14.2 many mansions in our fathers house shall haue men to furnish them and that the church of Christ is not so barren but that thereby he shal breede k Heb 2.10 many children vnto glorie 22 Secondly the morning dew waiteth not for man nor is wrought by mans hand Our second birth the worke not of man but of God onâ—ly but descendeth from the Lord and falleth many times in such sort as that we see it is come but know not when or how it came Euen so is that generation and new birth whereby we become the children of God It is not wrought by the hand or power of man but this worke also descendeth from the Lord. It is the hand of God the inspiration of the holy ghost that worketh in you men and brethren that chaunge whereby you are newly created and borne the people of Iesus Christ Indeede we speake the words vnto you which tend to the conuerting and regenerating of the hart but what can our words doe in your harts if there be not the worke of some other power that is mightier then our words The husbandman may manure and till the ground but it is not he that can make the fruite a 1. Cor. 3.6.7 Paul planteth Apollo watereth but God giueth the encrease and neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the encrease That that we doe goeth no further then to the outward man and our words make but a sound in the eare of the body but they that are inwardly taught to the conuersion of the soule they are b Ioh. 6.45 all taught of God It is a secret and hidden worke our eies see it not our eares here it not our vnderstanding cannot sufficiently conceiue it nay they cannot throughly conceiue it in whom it is c Cypr. de cardin Christi operibus As the lightning breaketh the cloudes saith Saint Cyprian and with the suddaine flashing doth not so much enlighten as astonish the eie so a man is sometimes touched with I know not what motion and perceiueth himselfe to be touched and yet beholdeth not him that toucheth him There are spoken vnto him certeine secret wordes inwardly which he is not able to vtter so that he cannot doubt but that he is neere him yea within him that mooueth him and yet showeth not himselfe that 〈◊〉 may see him as he is This is that which our sauiour Christ saith d Joh. 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth so is euery one that is borne of the spirite And hence it commeth which we else where also reade by the words of Christ e Mar. 4.26 so is the kingdome of heâ—en as if a man should cast seede in the ground and should sleepe and rise vp night and day and the seede should spring and grow vp he not knowing how We sow the seede but we know not how it groweth and though we know not how it groweth yet in the end we see and perceiue that it hath growen Thus we comfort our selues that though we cannot giue successe vnto our owne labours yet we loose not our labour but the spirite of God as it were in the hart of the earth fostereth and cherisheth the seede that we sow and quickneth it to bring foorth fruite and out of the wombe of Gods eternall election still raiseth vp a newe youth and ofspring to serue in the Lordes campe and to receiue the promises of grace and saluation by Iesus Christ It resteth that for the growing of this seede in our harts wee praie vnto him c. The fourth Sermon vpon Twelfth day Verse 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent Thou art the Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec THis verse setteth foorth vnto vs the calling of Iesus Christ to the office of priesthood Christ both in humilitie and maiestie our priest and mediatour vnto God where by he is be come our redeemer and aduocate with the father that in the kingly height and maiestie of Iesus Christ there may be nothing to dismay vs seeing we know that both in his humilitie and in his maiestie he is made our priest and mediatour to reconcile vs and bring vs vnto God The Scripture woont to qualifie the dread of Gods maiestie with the consideration of his mercie And thus is the Scripture woont to qualifie the glorious and dreadfull maiestie of God with the consideration of his gracious and most mercifull inclination towards vs that we may learne so to reuerence him for his greatnes as that by his goodnes wee bee allured to loue him and by praier to seeke vnto him assuring our selues that he a Esa 57.15 Who is high and excellent that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is the Holy one that dwelleth in the high and holy place yet is with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirite of the humble and to giue life vnto them that are of a contrite hart b Psal 138.6 Though the Lorde be high saith Dauid yet hath he respect vnto the lowly and c Psal 102 1â—.19.20 out of the heauen he beholdeth the earth to turne him to the praier of the desolate and to heare the mourning of the prisoners and to deliuer the children of death 2 Thus Iesus Christ is described vnto vs sitting in glorie at the right hand of God and yet stowping downe to the compassion of our infirmities that the conceite of his greatnesse may be no terrour vnto vs but rather a ground of exceeding great comfort whilest we stande perswaded that he who by mercy is so readie to succour vs is by power so able to do for vs whatsoeuer pleaseth him There is nothing more fearefull then the guiltie conscience of a sinner which is still running away from God and hiding it selfe as Adam did vnlesse it be embouldened and established by the acknowledgement and assurance of his fauour and good will And hence it came to passe as hath beene before touched that they who no otherwise cosidered of Iesus Christ but in his maiestie sitting at the right hand of God conceiued of him a doubtefull and distrustfull feare and shadowed themselues vnder the winges of other mediatours and hidde themselues vnder the patronage and intercession of saints and angels that by them they might haue accesse
with you my peace I giue vnto you whose p Eph. 2 17. preaching was peace both to far and neere q Col 1.20 by whom the father hath reconciled all things to himselfe and set at peace both the things in heauen and the things in earth by the bloud of his crosse So that vnder the regiment of this king we may boldly say a Eth. 2.14 He is our peace b Râ—m 5.1 being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Furthermore as Melchisedec so Iesus Christ is the priest of the most highest God And this on the one part the holy ghost mentioneth indefinitely that Melchisedec was the priest of the most high God but what was the ceremonie of his priesthood or what sacrifice he offered he expresseth not and therefore for vs to determine any thing thereof is but rashnesse neither may we straine the comparison further then the word of God giueth vs way and warrant so to do The papists falsly resolue of the sacrifice of Melchisedec 18 The papists take vpon them to resolue out of the storie of Moses what the sacrifice of Melchisedec was and by a corrupt and false translation auouch that c Gen. 14.18 hee offered bread and wine which they say was a figure of their masse and woulde thereby prooue that in their masse is a verie reall and actuall sacrifice done of the verie body and bloud of Iesus Christ seruing to purchase forgiuenesse of sinnes both for quicke and dead But the premisses are to short to inferre a conclusion so large and it is no argument to say Melchisedec offered bread and wine therefore Christ hath appointed vs to offer a sacrifice of his very body and bloud in the likenesse and forme of bread and wine For to yeeld them their owne translation what gaine they thereby if wee say that Melchisedec offered these things to Abraham by way of curtesie not to God by way of mysterie And heereunto in part S. Ambrose leadeth vs saying that d Ambrose de sacram li. 4. c. 3. Abraham came from the sight a conquerour and Melchisedec the priest mette him and offered vnto him bread and wine To offer bread and wine to Abraham was no matter of sacrifice vnto God But indeed the translation is false and their collection woorse neither is the Hebrew worde anie where in the Scriptures founde to signifie the offering of a sacrifice The true reading is Melchisedec brought foorth bread and wine And so c Mieron in quest Hebraicis in Genesim epist. ad Fuagrium Saint Ierome translateth and giueth the reason of bringing foorth bread and wine namely for the refreshing both of Abraham himselfe and also of his men of warre So saith f Ambros in epistâ—ad Heb. cap. 7. Saint Ambrose also in the very same wordes So other of the fathers reade the wordes and the verie euident truth thereof made Pagnine and Arias Montanus to translate the place as we doe though they were papists and earnestlie deuoted vnto the Church of Rome yea they vary heerein from the vulgar Latine translation which by the Councell of Trent they haue decreed to be onely authenticall and of authoritie in the Church It appeereth therefore that this place yeeldeth little helpe or life to their sacrifice of the masse and weake is that building that hath no better a foundation to rest vpon And surely woonder it were that the Apostle to the Hebrewes professing to drawe them forward from the a Heb. 6.1 first principles of Christian doctrine to the perfection thereof to that purpose treating precisely of the priesthood of Melchisedec and applying the same vnto Christ shoulde omit this matter of sacrifice if there were any matter in it and not so much as intimate any thing thereof which the papists woulde make vs beleeue is the chiefest and most important matter of all other But the silence of the holie Ghost condemneth their sentence of wilfulnesse and presumption The fathers make Melchisedecs bread and wine an allusion to the Lords supper but no proofe of the popish masse 19 Neither are they any whit benefited by that which the auncient fathers haue spoken of this matter who from this story of Melchisedec gathered indeed an allusion vnto the sacrament of the Lords supper but to no other purpose saue onely to shew that Melchisedec bringing foorth bread and wine did betoken that Christ should institute a sacrament in bread wine for a signe and remembrance of his body and bloud This Saint Hierom declareth when handling Christes institution of the sacrament he saith b Hieron in Mat. cap. 6. Christ taketh bread and goeth to the true sacrament of the passeouer that as Melchisedec the priest of the high God in presiguring of him offering bread and wine had done so he himselfe also might represent the trueth of his body and bloud No more did they conceiue done either before by Melchisedec or afterward by Christ but onely by bread and wine to represent the veritie and truth of his body and bloud But of the turning of the bread and wine into the verie body and bloud of Christ and offering the same really and substantially in sacrifice vnto GOD neither did Melchisedec prefigure any thing neither haue they affirmed any thing neither doeth the Scripture teach vs any thing that wee shoulde beleeue the same To bee short let vs not bee wise beyond that that God hath taught vs let it suffice vs for this point to beleeue that Melchisedec king of Salem was also the priest of the most high God and so both king and priest and therein aboue all other a most Iiuely figure of Iesus Christ If we go further we go in the dark and it is not likely that we should keepe the way 20 It is further to be added that as Melchisedec to Abraham so Christ to his hath pronounced a Mat. 5.3 Iuâ— 6.20 c. bleshing and b Eph. 1.3 in him God the father hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things As Abraham paied tithes of all to Melchisedec the priest so we must pay and yeeld all to the high priest of our profession Iesus the sonne of God Melchisedec and Christ how vnderstood to be without father without mother c. Melchisedec is described without father without mother without beginning of daies or end of life which is not simply to be vnderstood but according to that maner as the scripture setteth him foorth vnto vs which so dainly bringeth him in as the priest of the high God meeting Abraham and blessing him and neither before nor after mentioneth him any more as if he were a man sodainly come from heauen and sodainely returned thither againe and not to be counted in the genealogie of the fathers For if we vnderstand it simplie and barely as it soundeth we cannot fit it vnto Iesus Christ who is not altogither without father or mother
that God is alwaies ready to yeelde vs fauour and grace comming to him in his name How may we comfort our selues in affliction and distresse lifting vp our eies to heauen and saying He sitteth in my behalfe at the right hand of God who is able to doe all things for me His eies are alwaies ouer me his care is alwaies for me his mouth is neuer shut from soliciting and pleading my cause with God the father There is nothing so grieuous in my sinnes but his bloud is able to acquit it nothing so high in the gifts of God but his intercession is able to obteine it He hath taken me to be his he wil not suffer me to perish but will preserue and keepe me for euer God the father grant vnto vs c. The fifth Sermon Vers 5.6.7 5 O Lord he that is at thy right hand shall wound euen kings in the day of his wrath 6 He shall iudge amongst the heathen he shall fill all with dead carkeises he shall wound the head ouer great countries 7 He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift vp his head THese verses serue for declaration of that that we read in the first verse For heere is shewed howe Iesus Christ set vp in the maiestie of his kingdome exerciseth his power for the confusion of them that refuse him for their king and denie to stoope vnto his scepter vntill that be performed which is there promised that all his enimies shall bee made his footestoole This is the generall drift of these wordes but more particularly we may obserue heere set foorth concerning Iesus Christ the seueritie of his wrath What points we are to obserue in these three last verses the extent of his gouernment his authoritie of iudgement the prosecution of his victorie and after all accomplished his triumph and glory Of all which I will speake as the course of the wordes themselues doth giue occasion 2 As touching the first the prophet in the fift verse turning his speech to God the father speaketh to this effest O Lord he to whom thou saiedst sit thou on my right hand c. after that thou shalt haue exalted him to that fulnesse of maiestie and power shall in the day that he shall appoint for the execution of his wrath strike through and wound with a mortall wound not onely the viler and baser sort and as it were the common souldiers but euen the captaines themselues yea the very kings potentates of the world whosoeuer they be that shall oppose themselues against him refuse to yeeld their neckes to the bearing of this yoke A double end of Christs sitting at the right hand of God Where at the first sight there is giuen vs occasion to consider a double ende of Christs sitting at the right hand of God The one concerneth the saluation of his faithfull people the other the destruction of rebells and enemies The one yeeldeth great comfort and assurance of hope and the doctrine thereof is proper to them that beleeue in Iesus Christ and incline their eares to his words and apply their feete to walke in his waies to whom it cannot but yeelde great matter of confidence towards God to bethinke themselues that they haue such an high priest and mediatour as sitteth at the right hand of God in so great acceptation with God in the height of the glory of God in all souerainty of power and dominion ouer all creatures both in heauen and earth Why should I doubt but that my praiers are heard of God when he that sitteth at the right hand of God is there alwaies ready to intreate for me Why should I feare least my sinnes condemne me when he that sitteth at the right hand of God is ready to pleade his satisfaction for my sinnes What can the deuill do against me when he fighteth for me that sitteth at the right hand of God He is my redemption and life that sitteth at the right hand of God and therefore how shall death or hell be able to doe me harme Who will accuse me when as he hath acquitted me who will condemne me seeing he hath sealed a pardon for me To be short it is riches in pouertie health in sicknesse ioy in sorow safety in danger life in death faithfully to remember and hartely to imbrace Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God the father Blessed is the man whose hart Iesus Christ possesseth by this faith but he that accepteth not of this great grace by faith and obedience of the gospel vnhappy is he and thrise vnhappy howsoeuer according to the course and condition of this world he seeme to be most happy 3 For Christ as to his that receiue and loue him he is gratious and louely Christs sitting at the right hand of God full of terrour to rebellious and vnthankfull men and sitteth at the right hand of God for their defence and safety so to them that vnthankefully refuse him or rebelliously fight against him is full of terrour and feare full of wrath and rigour and sitteth at the right hand of God to be reuenged of them wounding and killing and not sparing euen the very kings and monarches of the world that are not reconciled vnto him He is not onely a lambe to saue but also a lion to destroy He hath not onely a scepter to gouerne but also a sword to kill a Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore saith Dauid O ye kings vnderstand ye that are iudges of the earth Kesse the sonne least he be angry when his wrath shall sodainly burne blessed are they that trust in him but woe to them that haue despised him a Mat. 3.12 He hath his fanne in his hand saith Iohn Baptist and he will purge or make cleane his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but the chaffe he will burne with vnquenchable fire And who are this chaffe but the wicked and vngodly but sinners and vnbeleeuers and hypocrites who in the field of this world and in the floore of the church liue and grow togither with the good corne with the faithfull and iust securely flattering themselues for that they haue place to grow in the Lordes vineyard whereas in the meane time to God-ward they are vnprofitable and good for nothing bringing foorth no good fruite being void of faith and a good conscience yeelding no true deuotion no sound obedience vnto Iesus Christ when notwithstanding they honest and grace themselues with the profession of his name Vnto them Christ shall adiudge a portion in the fire that neuer shal be quenched He shall say at the last day not onely b Mat. 25.34.41 Come ye blessed inherite the kingdome but also Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire c 2. Thess 1.7 The Lord Iesus saith saint Paul shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angells in flaming fire to render vengeance vnto them that know not God and that obey not vnto the
them to serue his turne as who hath it in his hand to destroy them at his owne will The maiestie of Christ shoulde more affect vs then the power of earthly princes And therefore the maiesty and power of Iesus Christ should much more affect and moue vs then all the power and greatnesse of earthly princes and the feare of him should be stronger to conteine and hold vs within the bounds of duety and faithfullnesse towards him then the feare of any secular power should be to remooue vs from the same a August in Psal 75. Terribiles sunt reges saith saint Austen sed super omnes terribilis qui terret reges Kings are greatly to be feared but he is fearefull aboue all that maketh kings themselues afraide If we feare kings because they can destroy vs how much more shall we feare him that is able to destroy kings Earthly kings can but destroy our bodies neither can they do that but when as the Lord will giue them leaue but this king hath power ouer bodie and soule and is able when he will to destroy both b Mat. 10.28 feare not them saith Christ that kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule but feare him that is able to destroy both soule and bodie in hell fire 7 Againe it is to be obserued how the prophet setteth downe a certaine time determined by Iesus Christ for the execution of his wrath A day appointed for the execution of the wrath of Christ For this is imported in that that he saith In the day of his wrath Wherby he calleth vs to patieÌ„ce to a quiet contented expectation of the reuealing of the Lords hand that we take it not amisse if the Lord do not so soone manifest his wrath against his enimies as we desire and looke for We see it oftentimes fall out that the enimies of Christ and his church infinitely storme and rage against his name and Gospell and yet in the meane time all thinges goe with them according to their owne desire They murther the righteous and innocent and wash their feete in the bloude of them that giue anie testimonie vnto the faith of Christ and the Lorde in the meane time maketh as if he saw it not and holdeth his hand as if he cared not what were done by them This sometimes wee woonder at and are amazed in our mindes to see that God suffereth those thinges to bee done to poore innocent soules for his sake and doth not straightwaies drawe his sworde and bring foorth his weapons for the reuenging of their cause But the prophet willeth vs alwaies to consider that the Lorde hath appointed a daie for the manifesting of his wrath against his enimies which as in wisedome and iudgement hee hath determined so in wisedome also hee will obserue and keepe the same In the meane time their courses are not vnknowen vnto him but he appointeth both which way and how far they shall goe and disposeth their goings to good ends and vses howsoeuer the same be not alwaies apparant to our eies But that which the Lord hath appointed they cannot passe they cannot goe beyond it where he hath set thenet they shal be taken where he hath digged the pitte they shall certeinly fall and shall not escape the plague that he hath prepared for them Howsoeuer therefore they reioyce in their present successe against the iust and comfort themselues in the assurance of their owne estate as if heauen and earth were sworne to serue their will yet as Dauid saith a Psal 37.13 the Lord laugheth them to scorne because he seeth that their day is comming the day that shall strip them of all their glory and turne their light into darkenesse and giue them the full reward of b Zepha 2.10 their pride whereby they haue reproached the iust and magnified themselues against the people of the Lord. Let vs therefore in this be halfe submit our selues vnto the wise dome of the Lord and not prescribe vnto him when or how he shall glorifie himselfe in the deliuerance of his people or in the destruction of his enemies And seeing the impieties and blasphemies of the wicked conteine far more wrong and offence vnto the maiestie of God then they can doe vnto vs and yet he is content in respect of himselfe to for beare and to defer his wrath let vs not maruell that he is so slow in the mainteining and instifying of our cause that vseth so great sufferance and patience in his owne The day of wrath sâ—â—ially to be vnder siood of the day of iudgement or the ast day 8 But this day of wrath as it hath relation vnto all those daies of particular iudgements wherein God in this world from time to time taketh open reuenge vpon wicked men and persecutours of his church so it must be extended also to that c Reuel 6.17 great day of wrath wherein shal be the consumation and full accomplishment of all iudgment Which saint Paul calleth also a Rom. 2.5 the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God and saint Peter b 2. Pet. 3.7 the day of iudgment and of the destruction of vngodly men Which is therefore specially so called because God shall then in speciall manner make his iudgement to appeare vniuersally vpon all the wicked so that there shal be no deniall of his hand For now although the wrath of God doe oftentimes light vpon the wicked in such sort as that plainly men that haue eies may discerne vpon them the hand of the sonne of God whom they haue dispised yet the world wilfully blindeth it selfe and will not behold or acknowledge therein the work of God but rather impute all to mishap and fortune and ouersight and therefore through hardnesse of hart feare not to goe forward in the same waies wherein they haue seen others to fall before them Thus children tread in their fathers steps and successours follow the cruelties and vngodly courses of their predecessours without any doubt or feare at all of their vnexpected and fearefull end Although therefore that God doe thus set foorth his iudgement by many dreadfull examples euen in this life yet it is to the most as if he iudged not because men will not take it to be his iudgement Againe albeit many there be that are thus made spectacles of the wrath of God in this world yet many there are also that seeme to goe to their graues in peace as if God had taken no notice of them or vnderstood not what they had done against him Prosperitie and honour accompany them to their end and the world cannot discerne but that they are blessed and happie men But that day of iudgement shall reforme all this errour when as they that now refuse to see or to acknowledge the power and worke of God in those executions which hee performeth in this world shall haue their eies opened to