The same Apostle b Act. 24.26 treating of Iustice and temperance and iudgement to come before Foelix an Heathen made him tremble and quake euery ioynt of him for feare of that iudge whom by bribery and whoredome he had offended But we are fallen into the times S. Peter c 2 Pet. 3. speakes of wherein the doctrine of iudgement is holden a fable and nothing but a meere policy to keepe fooles in awe The wicked Iewes vpon denuntiation of a particular iudgement d Isay 22.13 are brought in thus speaking Come say they let vs eate and drinke for to morrow by the Prophets fabling we must dye Must you dye Ah wretch And what followes death After death comes Iudgement and if thou haue any grace in thee the very mention of it will make thee tremble Salomon e Eccl. 11.9 hauing to deale with such like desperate scoffers thus rebuketh their Godlesse practise Goe to young man if you must needes haue your swinge on reioyce and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth walke in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine owne eyes But know God for all these things will bring thee to iudgement It is not a permission but an ironicall sharp and reprehension vrged by a seuere denunciation of a iudgement to come As if I should now say to an vniust bribing Magistrate if any such amongst vs goe to seeing thou hast sold thy selfe to work wickednesse eate vp the flesh of the people flea of their skins break their bones chop them in pieces as meate for the pot as Micah a Mic. 3.3 speaks oppresse the fatherlesse and let not the cause of the widow come before you say with shame enough b Hos 4.18 bring bribes fill your houses with extortion But know it is appoynted to all men once to dye then comes the iudgement At that day thou shalt find that a little of Samuels good Conscience c 1 Sam. 12.3 whose oxe haue I taken whose Asse haue I taken whom haue I done wrong vnto or of whom haue I taken a bribe to blinde mine eyes withall will doe thee more steed then all the treasures of wickednesse wherewith thou hast filled thine house As if I should say to the Cormorants of the Country build you houses in desolate places ioyne house to house land to land Country to Country till the poore can haue no dwelling amongst vs But know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement And then thou wilt wish as Ieremie d Ier. 9.2 that thou hadst had in the wildernesse a cottage of a wayfaring man rather then all these sumptuous buildings and large possessions while the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answer it woe e Hab. 2.11.12 vnto him that buildeth a Towne with blood and erecteth a City with iniquity As if I should say to our scraping mercilesse Vsurers shut vp your bowells of compassion and cause the eyes of the needy to fayle by vaine expectation of your releife grinde the faces of the poore buy them for siluer yea for old shooes liue vpon the sweate of others mens faces But know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement and then thou shalt find one penny giuen in compassion of thy brothers want will afford more comfort then all the huge masses of siluer and gold that by vsury thou hast heaped together As if I should say to our drunken tospots powre in strong drinke drinke and be drunken spend your patrimonies at the Ale But know that for all these things God will bring you to iudgement As if I should say to a beastly Whoremoger fill thine eyes with adultery and thy bones with rottennesse take thy pleasure in dalliance and fill thee with lust But know that whoremongers and adulterers God will Iudge Heb. 13.4 As if I should say to our blasphemous swearers go to seeing you haue taught your tongues to speake blasphemies sweare the Puritane out of his Coate thy selfe out of Gods kingdome but know it is appoynted to all men once to dye and then comes the iudgement Beloued in Christ Iesus I know not how these things moue you but if there be any care of our soules me thinkes they should worke in vs a care to depart from euill that we may be found worthy to stand before Christ at his comming Act. 17 30.31 And surely if S. Paulâ— admonition vpon this ground moue not to amendement I see not what can remaine for vs but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and violent fire to deuoure vs. The Lord for his Christs sake giue vs all grace on whom his name is called to depart from iniquity that seeing he hath appointed a day wherin he will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man euen Iesus whom he hath appointed we may all be admonished in euery place to repent and escape those vnsufferable torments that he hath prouided for vnbeleeuers in that lake of fire that burnes for euer before the Throne of God To the same God the Father Son holy Ghost three persons one true inuisible immortal and only wise God be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS
deitie or adorablenesse to dwell in Deuils is grossest heresie The fact of the fornicatour is not heresie but beastly luxurie But the opinion of Nicolaitans that fornication is res media is damned heresie To worship God in an Image is not in the fact hereticall yet opinion that God is acceptably worshipped in an Image what is it lesse then heresie Suppose them therefore Tyrants suppose them Heretikes yet what peace may the Traytour looke for more then Zimri that slew his master tyrannous and no lesse then Hereticall And must Rome hatching such monsters of opinions be still reputed the Church the only Catholike vpon earth out of which is no saluation The Church so infallibly lead by the Spirit into all truth that she cannot possible be erroneous in her dogmaticall resolutions By their fruites yee shall know them that is by their Doctrines For these are fruites of Prophets as Prophets Legitimate they notorious breaches of the morall Law How are they the Church of God wil worship Image worship they teach acceptable to God though damned in the second precept Equiuocating in oathes that is couert periurie they iustâ—fie against the third precept Dishonour of Parents for religion sake murther of Princes they make in casu meritorious Cursed be such faith it 's hellish such practise it 's no lesse then Deuilish methinkes we should now resolue say with Iacob Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assemblie So of the fact of Iehu his issue followes Had Zimri peace Did Zimri prosper he prospered not Seuen dayes onely he reigned in Tirzah and becomes a desperate incendiarie to himselfe Zimri had no peace must therefore his fact be thought vnlawfull Best actions haue sometimes their Crosses lewdest attempts prosperous successe Ans Goodnesse or euilnesse of humane actions no man wisely measures by the dispositions of prouidence But by their dissonance or congruitie to the Law of God Precept and prohibition are the primarie rule of good and euill Prohibition makes euill euill vengeance shewes it euill and odious vnto God The murther of Princes law Naturall and morall make euill when vengeance ouertakes the traytour that shewes it hatefull to God and warnes vs to fly it if not for Conscience yet for feare of vengeance 2. And the distinction is ancient there is poena vindictae and there is poena castigationis or probationis Crosses that come in the way of tryalls at no hand argue our actions euill The building of the Temple vnder Ezra we finde disappointed by the people of the Land yet was their attempt holy and acceptable vnto God The crosse comes to proue their faith to try their dependance on God But punishments that come in the Nature of vengeances are apparent euidences that the attempts are euill Such this of Zimri Had Zimri peace Why not when he fulfills the Prophets prediction executes Gods will in the destroying Baasha his posteritie A prophecie went before of Baasha that his familie should be put out in Israel Because he had walked in the way of Ieroboam and made Israel to sin his house must be like that of Ieroboam his posteritie vtterly destroyed Ans Thus yee may Answer-Prediction there was of Baashaes destruction Prescript none to Zimri to be the executioner There be that say Praescit Deus mala non praeordinat God foreknowes and foretels euils preordaines them not It s true quà mala Yet may we not imagine our God an idle spectatour of the malice of men His prescience euen of euill presupposeth some act of his will determining to permit them But thus thinke there is wide difference betwixt the instruments of Gods prouidence and the Ministers of his ordinance those fulfill his purposes these also doe his commandes Herod and Pilate and the Elders of the people did what Gods hand and secret counsell determined should be done in the death of our blessed Sauiour yet iustly falls Gods wrath vpon them they were vnwitting instruments of his prouidence no Ministers of his ordinance When Iehu destroyed the posteritie of Achab he sinned not in the fact besides prediction of the Prophet he had his speciall commission from God wherefore also his fact is crowned as obedience and rewarded with the Kingdomes continuance in his posteritie vnto foure generations When Zimri slue Elah there was like prediction but no such commission therefore Zimri had no peace that slue his master Briefly first Gods secret appointments are not the rule of our Actions but his reueled precepts Doe what God prescribes thou sinnest not but art accepted with him though perhaps in the issue thou crosse his secret determinations Violate his precepts though thou fulfil his secret appointments thou art obnoxious to the wrath of God It 's possible saith S. Austin for a man bona voluntate velle quod Deus non vult as when a pious child desires and prayes for his fathers life whom God hath designed to death And a man may malâ voluntate velle quod Deus vult bonâ a man may irregularly will that which God also willes suppose when an vngratious sonne desires the death of his father which God also willeth The one willes what God willes not the other wills what God also wills and the ones pietie is more consonant to the good will of God though willing another thing then the others impietie willing the same that God hath determined in his secret counsell So much auailes it to limit our selues to Gods reuealed precept 2 Besides in hoc examine in tryall of such actions the inquirie is not quid fecerint but quid voluerint not what they did but what they intended And in rationem venit non factum but consilium et voluntas not so much their fact as their purpose and intention in doing God intended and disposed the vnnatural crueltie of Iosephs Brethren to good yet they thought euill therefore felt the smart of famine feare of bondage and the stroke of Conscience And who so forlorne or impudent amongst miscreants to say that in his damned ambition or Couetousnesse or luxurie he had respect to the will of God which no man lightlie knowes but by the euent Ashur is the rod of Gods wrath by him the Lord accomplisheth his worke vpon Ierusalem yet will he visit the proud heart of the King of Assyria and bring downe his haughtie and proud lookes the equitie is apparent He thinketh not so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations to satiate his infinite ambition cursed couetousnesse and pompous luxurie 3 Generalities of Gods purpose to destroy Baasha his posterity we will suppose made knowne to Zimri that intellignce he might haue by the Prophets prediction But particulars of the meanes as that hee should be the Agent God reueled not though therefore he did what God determined yet had he no peace in slaying his Master So possible is it to doe what God determines and yet to be obnoxious to his
and trayterous designes so died Zeba the sonne of Bichri so Absolon in the heat of his parricidious ambition partly by the hand of God partly by the sword of Ioab Oh Absolon my sonne my sonne Absâ—lon would God I had dyed for thee sayth Dauid considering the likely issues of such death so inflicted What meanes lamen ation so comfortlesse and immoderate in Dauid ouer an vngratious Absolon We erre in S. Austines Iudgement if we thinke Dauid so Rachel-like weeped for losse of his Childe though deare vnto him Non orbitatem doluit saith S. Austin It was not his own orbitie which Dauid so lamentablie bewayled but seeing into what torments a soule so impiously adulterous so vnnaturally trayterous and parricidious especially so cut off by the hand of God should now in all likelyhoods be plunged And surely whateuer our groundlesse Charitie may conceit they are miserable deaths that seize on sinners in the heat of their sinnes Yea see in Zimries vengeance something more to be trembled at God giues him vp to become his owne deaths man Neither was that Zimri his fate only thus dyed the traytour Iudas thus Achitophel thus Abimelech Thus some of trayterous designes in our owne remembrance It is sayd indeed God may haue mercie inter pontem fontem betwixt the Bridge and the Brooke I limit not Gods mercie to times Howbeit S. Austine long since determined of the fayrest pretenses brought for selfe-murther they cannot all excuse it from being mortall sinne But when a man from his Cradle nuzled in Popish superstition proceedes at last to a sinne so haynous as is murther of Princes and makes close of his owne life in selfe-murther my charitie cannot be so charitable as to hope of that mans saluation Such haue bin the issues of many traytours They befell them as ensamples for our Caution and warning Yet when may we hope for more loyaltie from seduced amongst Papists A Hydra of treason there seemes to be amongst them after so many hands of bloudy traytours cut off spring vp new continually of like trayterous braines God grant our too much indulgence multiply not that seed of the wicked amongst vs. Truly sayd S. Iohn of that wine of Popish fornication it is vinum inebrians wine that makes drunke It is not vinum but venenum and toxicum so intoxicates so infatuates it vnto madnesse those that drinke deepe of the dreg thereof If there be any of that heresie which here me this day I aduise them not to slight the notice of such vengeances and pray God for them they may be their Caution To others hitherto of more loyall disposition may it serue to increase abhorrence from sinnes so monstrous Euen for our warning is such vengeance inflicted And should increase detestation of sins from which conscience by light of nature or Grace is most abhorrent How dyed Zimri how Iudas how Achitophel Their owne hands made passage for their soules into hellish torments as the deuill once complained before their time How dyed Absolon how Zebah the sonne of Bichri how Gowrie how the incendiary traytours All by the hand of the Magistrate most in the heat of their sinne Thus they perished to become our warnings Sic perierunt And I pray as Deborah and so conclude Sic pereant inimici tui Domine So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that loue thee let thine annoynted be as the Sunne when he riseth in his might Binde vp his soule in the bundle of life Strike through the Loynes of them that rise vp against him that hate him that they neuer rise vp againe Heare vs O Lord and answer vs for thy Names sake for thy Christ his sake in whom we know thou art well pleased To whom with thee O father and thy blessed Spirit for all thy mercies for thy gracious protection and deliuerances of our King and State be ascribed and giuen of vs and of thy whole Church All Prayses Power Maiestie Dominion and thankesgiuing henceforth and for euer Amen Deo Gloria A FVNERALL SERMON Preached at the Buriall of the Right Worshipfull Mr. IOHN COLLES Esquier one of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace and Quorum in Sommersetshire Anno. Dom. 1607. By WILLIAM SCLATER of Kings Colledge in Cambridge Minister of Gods Word at Pitmister LONDON Printed by THOMAS HARPER for Robert Allot and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Black Beare 1629. To the Worshipfull Mr. GEORGE COLLES Esquire Mercy and peace be multiplied Sir I Heere present you with a Sermon whose conception birth and being proceeded from your renowmed Father as from the sweet influence of a bright shining star in the celestiall Orbe on which the eyes of all vertuously disposed were euer firmely fixed euen to admiration wherfore it being now brought foorth sues for safe protection vnder you his Sonne and hopes to receiue fauourable acceptance from you being the knowne patron to goodnesse T is the paucity of such which makes glorious vice so audaciously impudent as to dare giue affront to bashfull vertue that it becomes inglorious If any encrease of heauenly knowledge and celestiall comfort may accrew to your soule from it giue God the prayse and the Authour is satisfied So with my prayers to God for continuance and multiplication of heauenly and earthly blessings vpon you I rest Your hearty well-willer WILLIAM SCLATER From my Chamber in Kings Colledge in Cambridge Nou. 18. 1628. The Preface BEloued in Christ Iesus we are met together this day to performe the last office and duty of Charity to Christian brother an aged and reuerend gentleman a Magistrate of eminent and best place amongst vs. And though I know the principall end of such sermons be the instruction of the liuing yet I take it there is a lawfull and warrantable commemoration of the vertues and deserued praises of the dead as well to stirre vp to praise God for his graces that shined in them as to prouoke others to imitate their holy example Concerning this worshipfull Gentleman deceased these thinges I can speake neither for fashion nor for flattery For Religion the principall commendation of all men of meaner or higher place in the world this testimony we can all giue him that he was an ancient and constant professor of the truth now taught and maintained in this Church of England yea a man delighted in the title of a professour of the strictest sort a thing that most great ones throw of with that odious nickname of Puritanisme For loue of this truth these worthy euidences he gaue of it while health lasted an ordinary attentiue delightfull and as I perswade my selfe a profitable hearer In this kind that one thing is eminent his care to furnish this place where himselfe was an ordinary hearer with a Minister of some competent ability to instruct the people and free from scandall in life And herein how free he was from all Simoniacall practises my selfe am a thankefull witnesse