Therefore the children of God may very fitly bee compared to a great piece of corke which though it be cast into the sea having many nailes fastned in it yet it beareth them all up from sinking which otherwise would sink of themselves What shall we say then or what shall wee conclude but that the ungodly are more beholden to the righteous than they are aware of Phil. I do thinke if it were not for Gods children it would goe hard with the wicked For if they were sorted and shoaled out from amongst them and placed by themselves what could they looke for but wrath upon wrath and plague upon plague till the Lord had made a finall consumption and swept them like dung from the face of the caâ—â—â— Theol. Sure it is all creatures would frowne upon them The Sun would unwillingly shine upon them or the Moone give them any light The starres would not be seene of them and the Planets would hide themselves The beasts would devoure them The fowles would pick out their eyes The fishes would make warre against them and all creatures in heaven and earth would rise up in armes against them Yea the Lord himselfe from heaven would raine downe fire and brimstone upon them Phil. Yet for all this it is a wonder to consider how deadly the wicked hate the righteous and almost in every thing oppose themselves against them and that in most vivulent and spitefull manner They ruile and slander seoffe and scorne mock and mow at them as though they were not worthy to live upon the earth They esteeme every pelting rascall and preferre every vile varlet before them And though they have their lives and liberty their breath and safety and all that they have else by them yet for all that they could be content to eat their heart with garlick so great so fiery so burning and hissing hot is their fury and malice against them Theol. They may very fitly be compared to a Moth that fretteth in pieces the same cloth wherein she is bred or to a certaine worme or canker that corrodeth and eateth thorow the heart of the tree that nourisheth her or unto a man that standeth upon a bough in the top of a tree where there is no more and yet with an axe choppeth to off and therewithall falleth down with it and breaketh his neck Even so the fooles of this world doe what they can to chop asunder the bough that upholds them but they may know easily what will follow Phil. I see plainly they be much their owne foes and stand in their owne light and indeed know not what they doe For the benefit which they receive by such is exceeding great and therefore by their maligning of them they doe but hold the stirrup to their owne destruction Theol. Now to apply these things to our selves and to returne to the first question of this argument may we not marvell that our Nation is so long spared considering that the sins thereof are so horrible and outrageous as they be Phil. We may justly marvell at the wonderfull patience of God and wee may well thinke that there be some in the land which stand in the breach being in no small favour with his Highnesse sith they doe much prevaile Theol. The mercifull preservation of our most gratious King who is the breath of our nostrils the long continuance of our peace and of the Gospell the keeping back of the sword out of the land which our sins pull upon us the frustrating of many plots and subtill devices which have beene often invented against our State yea and the life of his Majesties most royall person make me to thinke that there be some strong pleaders with God for the publike good of us all Phil. You may well thinke so indeed for by our sins wee have forfeited and daily doe forfeit into Gods hands both our King our Country our Peace our Gospell our lives our goods our lands our livings our wives our children and all that we have but only the righteous which are so neere about the King and in so high favour doe step in and earnestly intreat for us that the forfeitures may be released and that we may have lease in parley of them all againe or at least a grant of further time But I pray you Sir are not wee to attribute something concerning our good estate to the policie of the Land the Lawes established and the wisdome and counsell of our prudent Governours Theol. Yes assuredly very much as the ordinary and outward meanes which God useth for our safety For though the Apostle Paul had a grant from God for the safety of his owne life and all that were with him in the ship yet he said Acts 28.31 Except the Mariners abide in the ship wee cannot be safe Shewing thereby that unto faith and prayers the best and wisest meanes must be joyned We are therefore upon our knees every day to give thankes unto God for such good meanes of our safety as hee hath given us Phil. Well then as the prayers of the righteous have been hitherto great meanes both for the hindering and turning away of wrath and the continuance of favour so shew I pray you what is the best course to be taken and what in sound wisdome is to be done both to prevent future dangers and to continue Gods favours and mercies still upon us Theol. The best and surest course that I can consider or conceive of is to repent heartily for sins past and to reforme our lives in time to come to seek the Lord while he may be found and to call upon him while he is neer to forsake our owne wayes and our owne imaginations and to turn unto him with all our hearts with weeping with fasting and with mourning as the Prophet Joel chap. â— adviseth For our God is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill All the Prophets doe counsell us to follow this course and doe plainly teach that if we all from the highest to the lowest doe meet the Lord with unfeigned repentance and offer him the sacrifice of a contrite spirit undoubtedly hee will be pacified towards us and be mercifull to our transgressions This is most plainly set downe in the seventh Chapter of Jeremy where the Lord saith thus to his people â—er 7. If you amend and redresse your wayes and your workes If you execute judgement betwixt a man and his neighbour and oppresse not the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow and shed no innocent bloud in this place neither walke after other gods to your destruction then will I let you dwell in this place even in the Land which I gave unto your fathers for ever and ever So likewise he saith by the same Prophet Jer. 22.5 Execute yee judgement and righteousnesse and deliver the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor and vexe not the fatherlesse the widow or the strangers doe
keepe his Sabbaths Avoide all the signes of condemnation and labour after all the signes of salvation Above all things take heed of sinne for that is the very out-throat of the soule and of all goodnesse Tremble therfore and sin not for if you sin mark what followeth Six great dangers in sinne God seeth His Angels beare witnesse The Conscience pricketh Death threatneth The Divell accuseth Hell devoureth You see then that sinne is no scar-crow or jesting matter Every sinne that a man committeth is as a thorne thrust deep into the soule which will not be got out againe but with many a sigh and many a sorrowfull Oh oh Every sinne is 〈…〉 Iron â—er 17.1 and the point of a Diamond upon the conscience and shall in the last day when the Booke shall be opened accuse us and give in evidence against us Note this If a man commit sin with pleasure the pleasure posseth away but the conscience and sting of the 〈◊〉 abideth and tormenteth deadly but if a man doe well though with labour and painfulnesse the paine passeth away yet the conscience of well-doing remaineth with much comfort But the best end of sinne is alwaies repentance if not in this life then with we and was when it is doe late Therefore take heed in time take heede I say of sin for Six most hurtfull effects of sinne Sinne hardens the heart Heb. 3.13 Sin gnawes the conscience 1 Sam. 25. Sin fights against the soule 1 Pet. 1.11 Sinne brings forth death James 1.15 Sinne makes ashamed Rom. 6.21 Sin procures plagues of body and soule Deut. 28. Behold therefore the evill effects of sinne For this cause Zophar the Naâ—mathite speakes very wisely to Job saying Job 11. When thou shalt life thy face out of thy sin thou shalt be strong and shalt not feare thou shalt forget all sorrow thou shalt remember it as the waters that are past Where Zophar pleinely sheweth that the avoiding of sinne is our strength and the committing of it our woâ—â—â—ing according to that of Solomon Proâ— 2â— 1â— The way of the Lord is the strength of the upright man Therefore wâ—â—â—e in the way of God and take heede of the wayes of sinne for God punisheth every sin his way some one way and some another and no sin can escape unpunished For because God is just therefore hee must needs punish sin in all men though in divers manners as the wicked in their owne persons the godly in Christ Beware of it therefore and flatter not your selfe in your sins Remember how every disobedience and every transgression hath had a just recompence of reward Nâ—â—â— how God in all ages hath pâ—â—â—hed the breakers of his â—â—w â—â—od 32.10 God hath in all ages matched the cause with the effect that is sin with the punishment of sin The Israelites for breaking the first Commandement in making other gods were often smitten by the hand of God â—â—v 10.2 Nadab and Abibu the sons of Aaron for the breach of the second Commandement in offering strange fire upon Gods Altar were consumed with fire Numb 15. Hee that blasphemed and transgressed the third Commandement was stoned to death Num. 15.52 Hee that brake the fourth Commandement in gathering stickes on the Sabbath was likewise stoned Absalom transgressing the fift was hanged in his owne haire 2 Sam. 18. Gâ—â— 4.15 Cain transgressing the sixt in slaying his brother Abel was branded with the marke of Gods wrath Gen. 34.26 Sichem the son of Hamor transgressing the seventh in defiling Dinah the daughter of Jacob was slain by Simeon and Levi the sons of Jacob. Jos 7.25 Achan sinning against the eighth Commandement in stealing the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment was stoned to death Ananias and Sapphira sinning against the ninth in lying and dissembling Act â—5 6 were suddenly smitten with death Ahab transgressing the tenth Commandement 1 〈◊〉 21.24 in coveting and discontentment was devoured of dogges Or if you will have originall sinne therein onely forbidden then infants are therefore punished with death Rom. 5.14 Thus wee see there is no dallying with God but if wee sin wee are as sure to be jerkt for it as the coate is on our backe Therefore let us not deceive our selves nor make light of sinne for sin is no scar-bug and wee shall one day finde it so And howsoever wee make light of some sins yet in very deed all sin is odious in the sight of God yea all sin is hainous and capitall in this respect that it is against a person of infinite being it is against God himselfe it is against the highest Majestie For the greatnesse of the person offended doth inhaunse and increase the greatnesse of the sinne As for example If a man rail at a Justice of Peace he shall be stocked if he cast at one of his Majesties privy Councell he shall be imprisoned but if hee raile at his owne Majestie hee shall be hanged So then you see how a sin is increased by the dignity of the person offended Now then sith all mortall Princes are but dust in the sight of God and hee is a person of infinite and incomparable Majestie how hainous and how slagitious a thing is it in any wise or after any sort to sin against his most royall and sacred person Well then to grow to some conclusion this I doe advise you as to shunne all vice so to embrace all vertue as to put off the old man so to put on the new man Remember often and alwaies what shall become of you after this life where you shall be forty yeers hence in Hell or Heaven Looke well to that in time and therefore to live that you may live alwaies Consider often is your serious cogitation Nine profitaâ—le consideratiions What you have been What you are What you shall be What God hath done for you What he doth What he will do Gods judgements past Gods judgements present Gods judgements to come Awake at last and take care for your salvation Sâ—â—â—s no longer in sinne lest yes perish eternally For verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judges the earth Psal 58 1â— And this is the best counsell I can give you Asun Your counsell is very good I pray God give me grace to follow it and so to live that I may please God and go to heaven in the end Theol. You must take heede you speake not these words of course and for fashion sake having no settled purpose in your heart to follow those directions For there be numbers that can skill to give good words but they will doe nothing They thinke they highly please God with their good words and that God will take them for payment as though God regarded words They would faine goe to heaven but they will take no paines they will leave no sinnes they will not forget their lusts and pleasures They would
sure it is within these thirty yeers these things were not known nor heard of And what say you then to painting of faces laying open of naked brests dying of hair wearing of periwigs and other hair coronets and top-gallants And what say you to our artificiall women which will be better than God hath made them They like not his handy-work they will mend it and have other complexions other faces other hair other bones other brests and other bellies then God made them Theol. This I say that you and I and all the Lords people have great and just cause of mourning weeping and lamentation because such abomination is committed in Israel Davids eyes gushed out with rivers of teares 〈◊〉 9 because men kept not Gods lawes and an horrible feare came upon him because men forsook the law of God 〈◊〉 5 1. J remie did sigh in secret wishing that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountain of teares because of the sinnes of the people Nehemiah mourned for the transgression of Gods people Nâ—hem 1â— Lots just soul was vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites and sâ—â—ll wee moâ—rne nothing at all for tâ—â—se things shall wee be no whit grieved for the pride of our land shall wee shed no teares for such horrible and intolerable abominations They are odious in the sâ—ght of God and men the aire stinketh of them It is Gods marvellous patience that the Dwell doth not carry them away quick and rid the earth of them or that fire and brimstone doth not come downe from heaven and consume them Antil You are too hot in these matters of attire you make more of them then there is cause Asun I con him thank Gods blessing on his heart I shall love him the better while I know him because he is so earnest against such shamefull and detestable pride Is it not a shame that women professing true religion should make themselves such pictures puppets and peacocks as they doe And yet I hear few Preachers in the pulpit speak against it Antil I marvell you should be so earnest in matters of apparell You know well enough that apparell is an indifferent thing and that religion and the kingdome of God doth not consist in these things Theol. I know right well that apparell in its own nature is a thing indifferent but lewd wanton immodest and offensive apparell is not indifferent For all such abuse taketh away the indifferency of them and maketh them sinfull and evill by câ—rcumstance For otherwise why should the Lord threaten by his Prophet that he would visit the Princes and the Kings children and all such as were cloathed with strange apparell that is the fashions of other countries Zephan 1.8 Againe why should the Lord so plague the proud dames and mincing minions of Jerusalem for their pride and vanity in attire if there were no evill iâ— such kind of abuse The Lord saith thus in the third of Esay against those brave and gallant dames Because the daughters of Sion are haughty and walk with stretched-out necks and with wandring eyes walking and mincing as they goe and make a tinkling with their feet therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Sion bald and the Lord shall discover their secret parts In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calls and the round tires the sweet balls and the bracelets and the bonnets the tires of the head and the slops the head-bands and the tablets the earings the rings and the mufflers the costly apparell and the veiles and the wimples and the crisping pinnes and the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the lawns And in stead of sweet savour there shall be stink and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing of the haire baldnesse and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning in stead of beauty Then shall her gates mourn and lament and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground Thus we see how terribly the Lord threatneth the gallant dames of Jerusalem for their excessive and abominable pride And this may well be a mirrour for the proud minious of our age which assuredly may well fear the Lord will bring some such judgement upon them as he did upon the daughters of Jerusalem For their sin is as great in this kind as was the daughters of Sion and God is the same God now that he was then to punish it Antil Tush never speak so much of these matters of apparell for we must do as others do and follow the fashion or else we shall not be esteemed Theol. If you follow them not you shall be more esteemed of God of his Angels Saints and all good men As for all others if you esteem them more then these you shew what you are Antil Well for all that say you what you will pride is in the heart and not in the apparell For one may be proud of plain apparell as well as of costly And some are as proud of their falling bands and little sets as others are of their great ruffes Theol. You speak foolishly for how know you that Can you judge mens hearts and inward affections Can you say when mens and womens apparell is sober modest and Christian like that they have proud hearts and are proud of that attire You goe very farr indeed to judge the heart You ought to judge charitably of such as goe soverly and modestly attired even that their heart is according to their attire And for you wee may rather think your heart is vain light and foolish because your attire doth strongly argue it And as the Prophet saith The triall of your countenance testifieth against you you declare your sinnes as Sodom and hide them not Esay 3.9 Phil. I pray you then set downe some rules for apparell out of the Scriptures Theol. I may well set down what I will but surely most men and women will doe what they list For verily it may be thought that many of this age have forsworne God and his word and all goodnesse For they are come to this point let God say what he will they will doe what they list For as the Prophet saith They have made a covenant with hell and with death and are grown to an agreement Esay 28.15 And I doe verily think if God himselfe should come downe from heaven in his own person and disswade men and women from this vanity of apparell yet would they still use it as it were in despight of God and as it were to anger him the more For they are so extraordinarily enamoured and so immoderately delighted with it and doe so continually and altogether dote on it and are so wood-mad of it that they will have it though men and Angels and all the world say nay nay which is more though they should goe to the Divell quicke with it And therefore it is but
which hee shall rain upon him in stead of his meat Thus then it is cleere that mans life and good estate dependeth not upon the abundance of outward things but onely upon the blessing and providence of God Prov. 10.12 For his blessing onely maketh rich and it doth bring no sorrow with it Psal 37.16 For better is a little to the just then great abundance to many of the wicked Prov. 25.26 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a little with righteousnesse Prov. 16.8 then great revenues without equity Thus then I conclude this point Man liveth not by bread but by a blessing on bread not by outward means but by a blessing upon meanes For how can bread being a dead thing and having no life in it selfe give life to others Phil. I do not well understand the meaning of these words By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Theol. Thereby is meant the decree ordinance and providence of God which upholdeth all things even the whole order of nature For the Scripture saith Hee spake Psal 33.9 and it was done hee commanded and they were created In which words wee plainly see that God doth but speake and it is done hee doth command and all creatures are preserved For God doth all things 〈◊〉 a word Hee created all with his word hee preserveth all with his word hee speaketh and it is done His words are words of power and authority Whatsoever he saith whatsoever hee calleth for it must be done presently without any delay there is no withstanding of him Hee calleth for famine and behold famine Hee calleth for plenty and behold plenty Hee calleth for pestilence and behold pestilence He calleth for the sword and behold the sword All Angels all men all beasts all fishes all fowls all creatures whatsoever must obey him and be at his beck He is the greatest commander his word commandeth heaven and earth and the sea All creatures must bee obedient to his will and subject to his ordinance This is the cause why all things both in heaven earth and the sea doe keep their immutable and unvariable courses times and seasons even because hee hath charged them so to doe And they must of necessity alwayes at all times and for ever obey for the creatures must obey the Creator This â—ct of Parliament was made the first week of the world and never since was or can be repealed Phil. But to call you back againe to the point wee had in hand Resolve mee I pray you of this whether many of the deare children of God doe not in this life sometimes want outward things and are brought into great distresse Theol. 1 Kiâ—g 17. Yes certainely For Elijah did want 2 Câ—r â— 8 2 Cor. 11.25 and was in distresse Paul did want and was in many distresses The holy Christians mentioned in the Hebrewes did want Heb. 1â— 3â— and were in marvellous distresses Many of Gods dear ones have in all ages wanted and at this day also doe want and are greatly distressed But this is a most infallible truth that howsoever Gods children may want and be low brought yet they are never utterly forsaken but are holpen even in greatest extreâ—iâ—ie yea when all things are desperate and brought even to the last cast To this point most notably speaketh the Apostle saying 1 Cor 4.8 We are affl cted on every side but yet wee despaire not wee are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not The Prophet Jeremie also saith Lâ—â— 3. The Lord will not forsake for ever but though hee send affliction yet will hee have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee doth not punish willingly or from his heart nor afflict the children of men The kingly Prophet saith Psal 94.4 Surely the Lord will not fail his people neither will hee forsake his inheritance The Lord himself saith For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee Iâ—a â—5 8 but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee So then wee may fully assure our selves and even write of it as a most undoubted and sealed truth that Gods children shall never be utterly forsaken in their troubles Phil. Sith the care and providence of God is so great for his children as you have largely declared what then I pray you is the cause why God suffereth his to bee brought into so many troubles and necessities Theol. Their profit and benefit is the cause and not their hurt For he loveth them when hee smiteth them Hee favoureth them when he seemeth to be most against them Hee aimeth at their good when hee seemeth to bee most angry with them He woundeth them that hee may heale them Hee presseth them that hee may ease them Hee maketh them cry that afterward they may laugh Hee alwaies meaneth well unto them hee never meaneth hurt Hee is most constant in his love towards them If he bring them into necessities it is but for the triall of their faith love patience and diligence in prayer If he cast them into the fire it is not to consume them but to purge and refine them If he bring them into great dangers it is but to make them call upon him more earnestly for help and deliverance He presseth us that wee might cry wee cry that wee may be heard wee are heard that we might be delivered So that here is no hurt done we are worse scared than hurt Even as a mother when her childe is way-ward threateneth to throw it to the Wolfe or scareth it with some poker or bul-begger to make it cling more unto her and be quiet So the Lord oftentimes sheweth us the terrible faces of troubles and dangers to make us cleave and cling faster unto him and also to teach us to esteeme better of his gifts when wee enjoy them and to bee more thankfull for them as health wealth peace liberty safety c. So then still we see here is nothing meant on Gods part but good as it is written Rom. 5. All things worke together for good to them that love God For Heb. 12 10. Heb. 12.14 even the afflictions of Gods children are so sanctified unto them by the Spirit 1 Thes 1.6 that thereby they are made partakers of the holinesse of God Gal. 6.14 Phil 3.10 Thereby they enjoy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thereby they attaine unto a greater measure of joy in the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 11.32 Thereby the world is crucified to them and they to the world Rom. 5.3 4. Thereby they are made conformable to the death of Christ Thereby they are kept from the condemnation of the world Thereby they learne experience patience hope c. So that all things considered Gods children are no losers by their afflictions but gainers It is better for them to have them than to
own person Can hee abide any to spet at his Scepter or to throw a stone at it No surely hee will not Therefore the holy Ghost saith Hee that despiseth Moses lawes dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall hee be worthy Heb. 20.28 which treadeth under foot the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament as an unholy thing wherewith hee was sanctified Heb. 2.5 and doth despite the Spirit of Grace And againe If they were punished which obeyed not the word spoken by Angels how shall wee escape if wee neglect so great salvation Heb. 1â— If they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth how shall wee escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heaven Therefore our Saviour Christ saith That it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of judgment Luke 10.12 than for the contemners of the Gospel Moreover hee saith The Queene of the South shall rise up in judgement â—gainst all froward despisers of his word Mat. 12. For shee came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here For Christ is greater than Solomon his doctrine and wisedome far more excellent And therefore their sinne is the greater which contemne it They shall never be able to answer it For the Spirit saith Prov. 13.13 Hee that despiseth the word shall bee destroyed S. Peter also telleth us 1 Pet. 3.9 that the old world and men of the first age are now in hell-fire because they both despised and were disobedient to the doctrine of Christ 1 Pet. 5.10 which though not personally yet in his divine Spirit he spake by Noah So then wee see cleerly God will never take it at our hands that his glorious Gospel should be so universally and openly contemned as it is Phil. You have spoken most truly and also shewed it out of the Scriptures that the contempt of the Gospel is a most hainous sinne yet for all that it is most lamentable to consider how little men esteeme it and how light they make of it Many regard it no more then an egge-shell they thinke it not worth a galley halfe-penny they will not goe to the doore to heare it they take it to bee a breath from us and a sound to them and so the matter is ended They esteeme it but as a noise or empty sound in the aire or as a voice a farre off which a man understandeth not they never felt the power of it in their hearts Therefore they preferre their sheep their farmes their oxen their profits their pleasures yea every thing before it they know it not to bee any such precious jewell as it is Although our Lord Jesus himselfe compare it to a hid treasure and a most precious pearle yet these filthy swine of the world tread it under feet for they know not the price of it Though Solomon the wise Prov. 3. saith All the merchandise of gold and silver pearle and precious stones are not to bee compared to it yet these beasts these dogs and hogs of the world contemne it They esteeme a cow more then Christs most glorious Gospel They are like Esops cocke which made more account of a barley corne then all the precious stones in the world they are like little children that esteeme their rattle more then a bagge of gold they are like the Gadarens which esteemed their hogs more then Christ and his Gospel they make nothing of it they thinke it not worth the while Many of them sit idle in the streets even upon the Sabbaths while the Gospel is preached in their Churches many are at cards and tables in the Ale-houses Many on the Sabbath sleep upon their beds all the Sermon while in the afternoon Many will heare a Sermon in the forenoon and they take that to be as much as God can require at their hands and that hee is somewhat beholden to them for it but as for the afternoon they will heare none then they will to bowls or tables These men serve God in the forenoon and the devill in the afternoon Some runne after whores and harlots on the Sabbath some runne to dancing and bear-baitings some sit upon their stalls some sit in their shops some by the fire side some sit idle in the streets some goe to the stole-ball and others look on O miserable wretches O cursed caitiffes O monstrous hell-hounds which so grosly and openly contemne the Gospel of Christ What will become of them in the end Assuredly their damnation sleepeth not A thousand deaths wait for them they lie open on all sides to the wrath of God And we may wonder at his marvellous patience that hee doth not throw downe balls of wilde-fire from heaven to consume and burne up both them their shops and houses and even make them spectacles of his vengeance for so notorious contempt of such sacred holy and high things Theol. You have spoken very truly zealously and religiously and I doe greatly commend you for it And I must needs affirme the same things for they cannot bee denied And for mine owne part I thinke the Gospel was never so openly contemned in any age of a people living under the profession of it and under a godly and Christian Prince as it is in this age For howsoever some make a shew of religion yet they have denied the power thereof They turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Jude 4. as St. Jude saith They make the Gospel a cloak for their sinnes They receive it and embrace it as it will best stand with their profits and pleasures their lusts and likings their credits and policies and not a jot further They will practise it at their leasure Tit. 1.16 These men professe they know God but by their works they deny him and are abominable disobedient and to every good worke reprobate This age is full of such carnall Protestants Phil. This age indeed aboundeth with many hollow-hearted hypocrites dissemblers and time-servers which howsoever they make a face and beare a countenance as though they loved the Gospel yet their heart is not with it Their heart is with Atheisme their heart is with Popery they have a Pope in their belly they bee Church-papists Howsoever now and then they come to the Church and heare a Sermon and shew a good countenance to the Preacher yet their heart goeth after covetousnesse The Lord complaineth of this by the Prophet saying Ezek. 33.32 This people will sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not do them For with their mouthes they make jests and their heart goes after covetousnesse God complaineth of this also by the Prophet Jeremie saying Will you steal murder Jer. 7.9 and commit adultery and sweare falsly and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say Wee are delivered though wee have done
heaven doth pronounce a woe against them saying 〈◊〉 5.11 Woe unto them that rise up eaâ—ly to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue untill night till the wine doe enflame them Our Lord Iesus giveth us a cabeat to take heed of it Luke 21.24 Take heed saith hee that your hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkennesse and the eares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Thus you hear how both Christ himselfe and sundry of the Prophets doe thunder downe from heaven against this grosse beastlinesse which now aboundeth and reigneth amongst the sons of men Phil. True indeed But yet almost nothing will make men leave it for it is a most rise and over-common vice Wee see many that thinke themselves some bodies and as wee say no small fooles which yet will be overtaken with it and thereby lose their credit and reputation with all wise men yea doe prove themselves to be but swine and brute beasts as the holy Ghost avoucheth saying Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging Prov. â—0 1 Whosoever is deceived therein is not wise Theol. The wise King in the same booke doth most notably and fully describe unto us the inconveniences and mischiefes which doe accompany drunkennesse and follow drunkards at the heeles Prov. 25.29 To whom he saith is wo to whom is alas to whom is strife to whom is babbling to whom are wounds without cause to whom is the rednesse of the eies Even to them that tarry long at the wine to them that goe and seeke out mixt wine Prov. 23.21 In the same chapter he saith Bee not of the number of them which are bibbers of wine or of them which glut themselves with flesh for the drinker and the feaster shall become poore and the fleeper shall be cloathed with rags Moreover he saith Prov. 23.33 Their eyes shall behold strange women and that they shall bee like him that lyeth in the midst of the Sea and sleepeth in the top of the mast In all these speeches the holy Ghost doth in most lively manner describe unto us the properties of drunkards even their staggering their reeling their snorting their senslesse sensuality Behold then what be the cursed fruits events of drunkennes Even these which follow woe alas griefe misery beggary poverty shame lusts strife babbling brawling fightings quarrelling surfeiting sicknesse diseases swinish sleeping security and sensuality So then I conclude that drunkennesse is a vice more beseeming an hog than any reasonable man And as one saith It is the Metropolitan City of all the province of vices Well therefore saith the Heathen Writer When the wine is in Dâ—most Olinth a man is as a running coach without a coachman Phil. Let us hear what executions have beene done upon drunkards in former ages that now men may learne to take heed by their examples Theol. 1 Sam. 13.29 Ammon one of Davids ungracious children being drunk was slaine by his brother Absolom 1 Kâ—n. 20.20 Benhadad King of Syria being drunk was discomfited by Ahab King of Israel Elah 1 Kin. 16.10 King of Israel being drunke was slaine by Zimri his servant and captaine of his Chariots who also succeeded him in the Kingdome Lot being drunke Gen. 19.37 committed incest with his owne daughters and therefore was punisht in his posterity Thus wee see what executions have beene done even upon Kings for this kind of sin Therefore let men learne once at last to shun vâ—ce and embrace vertue and as the Apostle saith to make an end of their salvation iâ— feare and trembling For all our shifts and starting-holes will serve 〈◊〉 to no purpose in the end but when we have asked hither and thither never so muâ—h yet at the last we must be fain to be shut up in Gods wrath Antil What I pray you do you make it so great a matter if a man be a little oâ—ertaken with drinke now and then There is no man but he hath his faults and the best of â—s all may be amended If neighbours meete together now and then at the Ale-house and play a game at Maw for a pot of Ale meaning no hurt I take it to be good fellowship and a good meanes to increase love amongst neighbours and not so hainous a thing as you make it Theol. I see you would faine make faire weather of it and smooth over the matter with sweete words as though there were no such great evill in it But howsoever you mince it and blanch it over yet the Apostle saith statly 1 Cor. 6. That Drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdome of God I think this one sentence is enough to amaze and strike through the hearts of all drunkards in the world for it is as much in effect as if the Apostle had said All drunkards are notorious reprobates and hell-hounds branded of Satan and devoted to perpetuall destruction and damnation But you say you meane no hurt I answer whatsoever you meane your actions are naught and your fellowship as bad For what good meaning can you have or what good fellowship call you it for poore labouring men artificers and such like to sit idle all the day long in Tavernes and Ale-houses mis-spending their time and their money in gaming rioting swearing staring swilling bezzelling bibbing brawling and brabling There is no true fellowship in it it is meere impiety if wee may call it impiety for poore men do live idlely dissolutely neglecting their callings while their poore wives and children fit crying at home for bread being ready to starve to beg or to steal I pray you speake your conscience what good fellowship is there in this Antil Yet for all that there be some which abstaine from Ale-houses and yet are as bad as any other For they will back-bite and slander their neighbours they will doe them a shrewd turne as soone as any other they are envious they censure us and disdaine our company yet wee thinke our selves as good as they for all their shewes of holinesse Theol. You speake more than you know or can justifie against some better than your selfe But if it were so you should not justifie one sin by another a lesser by a greater which is to no purpose Antil Will you then condemn all good fellowship Theol. No no I do greatly allow godly and Christian fellowship and acknowledge it to be one of the chiefest comforts wee have in the world I know wee are commanded to love brotherly fellowship 1 Pet. 2.11 But as for your pot-companionship I hate it and abhorre it For it is written Prov. 28.19 Hee that followeth the idle shall bee filled with poverty And againe Prov. 2â— 7 He that keepeth company with banqueters shameth his father And in another place Prov. 28.17 Hee that loveth pastime shall bee a poore man and hee that loveth wine and oyle shall not be rich Phil. Good Mr. Theologus talke no more with
hope for as of that which wee have but wee are sure of that which wee have which is the 〈◊〉 of grace therefore wee are sure 〈◊〉 wee looke for which is the crowne of glory Many other places of the holy Scriptures might be alledged to this purpose but I suppose these may suffice Phil. As you have shewed this by the Scriptures so also shew it more planly by evident reason out of the same Theol. How can a man in truth call God his Father when hee saith Our Father which art in heaven and yet doubt whether hee is his Father or no For if GOD indeed be our Father and we his children how can we perish how can we be damned Will a Father condemne his owne children shall the children of GOD be condemned No no Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Againe Rom. 8.33 â—4 Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who can condemne It is therefore most certaine and sure that all such as doe in truth call God their Father and have God for their Father shall be saved Againe how can a man say in truth and feeling that he beleeves the forgivenesse of sinnes and yet doubt whether he shall be saved For if he be fully perswaded that his sinnes be forgiven what letteth why he should not be saved Moreover as certainly as we know we are called justified and sanctified so certainly we know we shall be glorified But we know the one certainly and therefore the other Asun I will never beleeve that any man can certainly know in this world whether hee shall be saved or damned but all men must hope well and be of a good beliefe Theol. Nay we must goe further then hope-well We may not venture our salvation upon uncertaine hopes As if a man should hope it would be a faire day to morrow but hee cannot certainly tell No no wee must in this case being of such infinite importance as it is grow to some certainty and full resolution Wee see worldly men will be loth to hold their lands and leases uncertainely having nothing to shew for them They will not stand to the curtesie of their land-lords nor rest upon their good wils They will not stay upon uncertaine hopes No they are wiser then so For the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light Luke 16. They will be sure to have something to shew They will have it under seale They will not slay upon the words and promises of the most honest men and best land-lords They cannot be quiet till they have it in white and black with sound counsell upon their Title and every way made as sure unto them as any Law of the land can make it Are then the children of this world so wise in these inferiour things and shall not wee be as wise in matters of ten thousand times more importance Are they so wise for earth and shall not wee be as wise for heaven Are they so wise for their bodies and shall not wee be as wise for our soules Shall we hold the state of our immortall inheritance by hope-well and have no writings or evidences no seale no witnesses nor any thing to shew for it Alas this is a weake Tenure a broken Title a simple hold indeed Asun Yet for all that a man cannot be certaine Theol. Yes Saint John telleth us we may be certaine For hee saith Hereby we know we dwell in him 1 Joh. 4.13 and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit He saith not we hope but we know certainly For he that hath the Spirit of God knoweth certainly he hath it and he that hath faith knoweth that he hath faith and he that shall be saved knoweth he shall be saved For God doth not worke so darkly in mens hearts by his Spirit but that they may easily know whether it be of him or no if they would make a due tryall Againe the same Apostle saith 1 Joh. 5. â—6 He that beleeveth in the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe That is he hath certaine testimonies in his owne conscience that he shall be saved For we must fetch the warrant of our salvation from within our selves even from the worke of GOD within us For looke how much a man feeleth in himselfe the increase of knowledge obedience and godlinesse so much the more sure he is that he shall be saved A mans owne conscience is of great force this way and will not lye or deceive For so saith the wise man Pro. 27.19 As water sheweth face to face so doth the heart man unto man That is the mind and conscience of every man telleth him justly though not perfectly what he is For the conscience will not lye but accuse or excuse a man being in stead of a thousand witnesses 1 Cor 2.11 The Apostle saith No man knowes the things of man but the spirit of man that is in him And againe the Scripture saith Pro. 2â— 29 Mans soule is as it were the candle of the Lord whereby he searcheth all the bowels of the belly So then it is a cleere case that a man must have recourse to the worke of Gods grace within him even in his owne soule and thereby he shall be certainly resolved one way or other For even as Rebecca knew certainly by the striving and stirring of the twins in her wombe that she was conceived and quick of childe so Gods children know certainly by the motions and stirring of the holy Ghost within them that they have conceived Christ and shall undoubtedly be saved Phil. I pray you let us come to the ground-worke of this certainty of salvation and speak somewhat of that Theol. The ground-worke of our salvation is laid in Gods eternall election and in respect thereof it standeth fast and unmoveable as it is written 2 Tim. 2.16 1 Thes 5.24 The foundation of God standeth fast And againe Hee is faithfull that hath promised 2 Tim. 2.13 Though wee cannot beleeve yet hee abides faithfull So then as we know it certainly in our selves by the consequence of election so it standeth most firme in respect of God and his eternall and immutable decree And a thousand infirmities nay all the sinnes of the world nor all the Divels in hell cannot overthrow Gods election For our Lord Iesus saith John 6.34 All that the Father hath given mee shall come unto mee And againe John 6.39 This is the Fathers will that hath sent mee that of all which hee hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day And in another place our Saviour Christ saith John 10.17 My sheep heare my voice and I know them and they follow mee and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand
with faith in those that heard it And again Heb. â— 1â— They could not enter in because of unbeliefe Here we sâ—e that unbeliefe did bar out the old people from entring into the Land of Promise which was a figure of Gods eternall Kingdome And sure it is that the same unbeliefe doth barre out thousands of us For many will beleeve nothing but their owne fantasies They will not beleeve the Word of God especially when it is contrary to their lusts and likings profits and pleasures Though things be manifestly proved to their faces and both the Chapter and the Verse shewed them yet will they not beleeve or though they say they beleeve yet will they never goe about the practice of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another when God saith yee they will say nay and so give God the lye Some againe will say If all be true that the Preachers say then God help us Thus you see how infidelity doth bar men out of Heaven and cast them into Hell Phil. Let us heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. Chapter of Deuteronomie where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkenness to thirst that is one sinne to anotâ—er the Lord will not be mercifull unto him but the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven Here we see how the mighty God doth thunder downe upon such as goe-on in their sins presuming of his mercie and saying in their hearts If I may have but a Lord have mercy upon mee three houres before death I care not But it is just with God when these three houres come to shut them up in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a just plagne for their presumption Therefore the Prophet David seeing the grievousnesse of this sinne prayeth to be delivered from it Psal 19. Keep me O Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not reigne over mee Let all men therefore take hood of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will hee shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that justice goeth from him as well as mercy Phil. Let us come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is proved in the 23. of Exodus verse 22. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill In another place the Lord saith Levit. 18.3 After the doing of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt shall ye not doe and after the manner of the Land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall ye not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Jeremie The word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord wee will not heare but we will do whatsoever goeth out of our mouth and we will do as we have done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem Jer. 44.16 Note here how they doe altogether refuse the Word of the Lord and how they follow the example of the multitude Wee see in these our dayes by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried downe the stream and for defence of it some will say Do as the most men do and the fewest will speak ill of you Which is a very wicked speech For if we will follow the course of the most we shall have the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let us therefore take heed of bending with the sway for the sway of the world doth weigh down all things that can be spoken out of the Word of God and openeth a very wide passage into hell Phil. Proceed to the fourth gate into hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Jeremy to be a very dangerous thing For hee saith Jer. 13.23 Can the Black moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe evill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leave an old custome of sinne as to wash a Black-moore white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall is most impossible So when men through custome have made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall unto them oh how hard it is to leave them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and feeling of sin Phil. Let us heare of the fifth gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is avouched by the Wise man in these words Ecclâ—s 8.11 Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe evill Where hee sheweth that one cause why men are so hardened in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediatly after they have sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone upon another and cause the earth to swallow up a third then men would feare indeed But it hath beene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he meet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall never come to their answer even as an old theefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take heed For as the Proverb saith Though the Pitcher goeth long to the Well yet at last it cometh broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies for there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you see how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction that is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the Law of the Magistrate Phil. Let us come to the sixth gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who when hee felt the world come in upon him with full streame said he would pull dâ—wne his barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares Luke 12.19 live at ease eat drinke and take thy pastime But our Saviour calleth him
foole for flattering himselfe in security and promising unto himselfe long life Moreover hee plainely told him that the same night hee should make a hellish and miserable end Note I pray you how Iesus Christ the fountaine of all wisedome câ—lleth this man a foole and yeeldeth a reason thereof to wit because hee gathered riches to himselfe and was not rich in God hee had great care of this life and none at all for that which is to come So then it followeth that all such are right fooles indeed and may be chronicled for fooles how wise soever they be taken and reputed in the world which have much care for their bodies and none for their soules great care for this life and little for that which is to come well let all such profane worldlings as dreame and dote of long life and therefore deferre the day of their repentance and conversion unto God take heed by this mans example that they reckon not without their host and he suddenly snatcht away in the midst of all their pleasures and jollitie â—â—s Job saith Job 22.13 Some die in their full strength being in all ease and prosperity Their breasts run full of milke and their bones run full of marrow Wee see therefore how dangerous a thing it is for men to flatter and â—ooth up themselves with hope of long life Phil. Proceed to the seventh gate which is Conceitednesse Theol. This is indeed a very broad gate into hell For the Scripture saith Prov. 16.12 Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit There is more hope of a foole than of such a one And againe The foole is wiser in his owne eyes Prov. 26. â—6 then seven men that can give a sensible reason The holy Ghost wee see affirmeth that such as are puft up with an overweâ—ning of their owne gifts are farthest of all other from the Kingdome of Heaven For they despise the wisedome of God to their owne destruction They hold scorne to be taught they will say they know as much as all the Preachers can tell them For what can all the Preachers say more then this Wee are all sinners wee must bee saved by Christ wee must do as wee would be done to There is no more but doe well and have well c. Alas poore soules they looke â—loft they are desperately hoven up with conceitednesse not knowing that they are poore Rev. 3.17 naked blind and miserable These men trust altogether to their owne wit learning policie riches and great reputation in the world And because all men crouch to them and clap their hands at them therefore they swell like Turkiâ—â—-Cocks set up their feathers and draw their wings upon the ground with a kind of snuffe and disdaine of all men as if they were the onely wights of the world Moreover when men doe praise them for their naturall gifts soothe them and applaud them then it is a wonder to see how they streake themselves as though they would forthwith take their flight and mount unto the clouds But let all insolent and conceived men hearken unto the woe that is pronounced against them by the eternall King of glory saying Woe unto them that are wise in their owne eies Esay 5.21 and prudent in their owne sight Againe let them hearken to the counsell of God which saith Trust unto the Lord with all thine heart Pro. 3.5 but leane not unto thine owne wisedome Be not wise in thine owne eyes but feare God and depart from evill These silly conceited fooles thinke that because they have the cast of this life and can cunningly compasse the things of this world and goe through stitch with them therefore they can compasse heaven also by their fine wits and deepe devices but alas poore wretches they are greatly and grossely deceived For the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse with God and hee cotcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse 1 Cor. â— 19 And againe the Lord saith 1 Cor. 1.19 I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the understanding of the prudent Let not these men therefore stand too much in their owne light let them not trust to their owne policies for they are all but as an ice of one nights freezing which will deceive them that trust unto it Let them therefore become fooles in themselves that God may make them wiâ—â— Let them denie themselves that God may acknowledge them Let them be humbled in themselves that God may exalt them For assuredly there is no use after this life of the most exquisite wisedome of flesh it endeth all when wee end Eccles 2.16 For how dieth the wise man â—â—ven as dieth the foole saith the holy Ghost And where all worldly wisedome endeth there all heavenly wisedome beginneth Thus therefore we see what a wide gate into hell Conceitednesse is and how many enter in thereat Phil. Now let us understand of the eighth gate into hell which is Ill Company Theol. The Spirit of God foreseeing the great danger of this and knowing how ready wee are to be carried away with ill company doth give us most earnest warning to take heed of it as a most dangerous thing Prov. 4.14 Enter not saith hee in the way of the wicked and walke not in the way of evill men Avoid it goe not by it turne from it and passe by The reason hereof is yeelded in another place where it is said Prov. 13.20 A companion of fools shall be made worse Let men therefore take heed of ill company for many thereby have beene brought to the gallowes and have confessed upon the ladder that ill company hath brought them unto it and therefore have admonished all by their example to take heed and beware of lewd company Moreover the Scripture saith Hee that followeth vaine companions shall be filled with poverty Prov. 18.19 And again in the same chapter Hee that keepeth company with banquetters shameth his father Let us therefore say with David Psa 119.63 I am a companion of all them that feare God and keepe his commandements And on the contrary let us say with him Psal 2.6 I have not haunted with vaine persons neither kept company with the dâ—ssemblers I hate the assembly of the evill and have not accompanied with the wicked Let us therefore by Davids example shun the company of the wicked for as a man is so is his company It is the surest note to discerne a man by For as all unlike things are unsociable so all like things are sociable Herein let us beware wee deceive not our selves with vaine words and an opinion of our owne strength as if wee were as strong as Christ and could not be drawne away with any company No no wee are more apt to be drawne than to draw to be drawne to evill by others then to draw others to good therefore God saith by his Prophet Jer. 15.16 Let them returne unto thee
have the reward of Gods children This is most 〈◊〉 case but they will not doe the workes of Gods children They would have the sweete but they will none of the sowre They would have the Crowns but they will sight never a stroke They would faine come to Canaan but they are loth to travell that long and dangerous way which leadeth unto it Therefore those men being the sons of idlenesse will step short in the end of that they looke for Prov. 1â— 4 For the Spirit saith The sluggard lusts but his soule hath nought Wee must therefore leave bare words and come to deeds For our Lord Iesus saith Mat. 7. â—1 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Where wee see Christ in plaine termes excludes out of his kingdome all those whose Religion consisteth only in good words and smooth speeches but make no conscience to practise the Commandements of God David having made some good preparation for the building of the Temple and perceiving his son Solomon to have stuffe provision enough to perfect and finish it doth most wisely encourage him to the worâ— in these words 1 Câ—â— 12.16 Up and be doing and the Lord shall be with thee Oh that men would follow this counsell of David that they would up and be doing and not fit still and doe nothing that they would leave words and countenances and set upon the practice of Gods Law and study with all care and conscience to be obedient to his will Then assuredly God would be with them and blesse them and much good would come of it For the Scripture saith Prov. 14.32 In all labour there is profit or increase but the talke of the lips onely bringeth want Phil. Most mens minds are so wholly drowned in the love of this world that they havâ— no heart to obey God nor any delight in his commandements Theol. The greatest part of men are like to the Gadarens which esteemed their Swine more than Christ As wee see in these our daies how many make more account of their kine and sheepe than of the most glorious Gospel of Christ They highly esteeme dung and contemne pearle They are carefull for trifles and regard not the things of greatest moment and therefore may very fitly be compared to a man who having his wife and children very sicke doth utterly neglect them and is altogether carefull for the curing of his hogs eares Phil. Wee are somewhat digressed from the matter wee had in hand I pray you therefore if you have any more matter of good counsell to give to Asunctus that you would presently deliver it Theol. I have little more to say save onely I would advise him often to remember and much to muse on these things The evill he hath committed Nine things much to be thought of The good he hath omitted The time he hath mispent The shortnesse of this life The vanity of this world The excellencie of the world to come Death then the which nothing is more terrible The day of judgement then the which nothing is more fearfull Hell fire then the which nothing is more intolerable Phil. This is short and sweet indeed You have touched some of these points before in this our conference But I am very desirous to heare somewhat more of the two last which yet have not been spoken of Theol. Sith you are desirous I will briefly deliver unto you that which I have received from the Lord. First concerning the day of judgement I finde in the volume of Gods booke that it shall be very terrible and breadfull For the Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven Mat. 24 3â— with power and great glory St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 2.10 The day of the Lord shall come as a theefe in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt up The Apostle tells us that at Christs coming the whole world shall be of a light â—â—re and that all castles towers goodly buildings gold silver velvets silkes and all the glittering hue glory and beauty of this world shall be consumed to powder and ashes 2 Pet. 3 7. For hee saith plainly The heavens and the earth which are now are reserved to fire against the day of Judgement and of the destruction of ungodly men Moreover hee strongly proves that as the world was once destroyed by water so the second time in the end thereof it shall be destroyed with fire The Apostle S. Paul witnesseth the same things for he saith 2 Thes â— 1 Christ shall come from Heaven with all his mighty Angâ—â—s in naming fire And in another place he notes the terrour of his coming to Iudgement saying 1 Thes 4.10 Hee shall come with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trumpet of God We see by experience that the coming of mortall Princes to any place is with great pomp and glory They have great traines and troups behind them and before them They are accompanied with many Nobles goodly Lords and gallant Ladies doe attend upon them The Sword-bearer Trumpetters and Harbengers goe before many slaunting and stately Personages follow after Now then if the coming of mortall Princes be so pompous and glorious how much more glorious shall the coming of the Sonne of man be in whose sight all mortall Princes are but dust The Scriptures doe affirme that his second coming unto judgement shall be with such resplendent and unspeakable glory that even the most excellent creatures shall blush at it For the Sunne shall â—e darkned 〈◊〉 24.29 the Moone shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from heaven Meaning thereby that the most glorious and bright-shining Creatures shall be clouded and obscured by the unconceiveable brightnesse of Christs coming Moreover the 〈…〉 Christs coming is noted unto us in this that immediately before it the very Sea shall quake and tremble and in his kinde crie out For it is said that the Sea shall roare and make a noise in most dolefull and lugubrious manner and mens hearts shall faile them for feare Luk. 21.25 and for looking after those things which shall come on the world for the powers of heaven shall be shaken O what shall become of swearers drunkards whoremongers and such like in that day They shall seeke to creepe into an anger-hole to hide their heads They shal then cry Woe and alas that ever they were borne They shall wish that they had never been borne or that their mothers had borne them toads And as it is in the Apocalyps They shall say to the mountaines and rockes Fall on us and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of
glory and the great peace and comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen us good Father by thy grace and holy Spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome covetousnesse contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiving O deare Father let us not be overcome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures fond delights wherewith thousands are carried head-long to destruction Arme our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh and the Divell that wee may overcome them all through thy help and keep on the right way to life that wee may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour that our last dayes may be our best dayes and that wee may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore deare Father we intreat thee not onely for our selves but for all our good brethren thy deare children scattered over the face of the whole earth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse all them to cheere them up and glad them with the joy of thy countenance both now and alwayes Guide them all in thy feare and keep them from evill that they may praise thy Name In these dangerous dayes and declining times wee pray thee O Lord raise up nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto thy Church Raise up also faithfull Pastours that thy cause may be carried forward Truth may prevaile Religion may prosper thy Name onely may be set up in the earth thy Sons Kingdome advanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all adversary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their devices scatter their forces overthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisdome nor counsell power nor policie against thee the Lord of hosts Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Jehovah art the onely Ruler over all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintain thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite thorow all their loines and bow downe their backes yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will unto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be joy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all favour wee intreat thee O Lord to shew speciall mercie to thy Church in this Land wherein wee live Continue thy Gospel amongst us yet with greater successe purge thy House daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy Name may be called upon and an harbour for thy Saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and have care of them that thy Gospel may be left unto them as a most holy inheritance Defend us against forraigne invasion keep out Idolatry and Popery from amongst us Turne from us those plagues which our sins cry for For the sins of this Land are exceeding great horrible and outrageous and give thee just cause to make us spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted us up in great mercy and long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse us downe in great wrath and long warre Therefore deare Father woe most humbly intreat thee for thy great Names sake and for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this Land and discharge it of all the horrible sins thereof Drown them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may never rise up in judgement against us For although our sins be exceeding many and fearfull yet thy mercie is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but wee cannot be infinite in sinning Give us not over into the hands of the Idolaters lest they should blaspheme thy Name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take us into thine owne hands and correct us according to thy wisdome for with thee is mercie and deep compassion Moreover wee most heartily beseech thy good Majestie to blesse our most gracious Soveraigne King Charles Queene Mary Prince Charles and the rest of the Royall Progenie We beseech thee also to blesse his Majesties most honourable privie Counsellors counsell them from above let them take advice of thee in all things that they may both consult and resolve of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church and peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates of the Land giving them all grace to execute judgement and justice and to maintaine truth and equitie Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel increase the number of them increase thy gifts in them and so blesse all their labours in their severall places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to enlarge thy Sons Kingdome and to win many unto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all needfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflictions are so let the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit be unto them and so sanctifie unto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Give us thankfull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull unto us in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let us deeply ponder and weigh all thy particular favours toward us that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may be gained yet neerer unto thee and that therefore we may both love and obey thee because thou art so kind and loving unto us that even thy love towards us may draw our love towards thee and that because mercy is with thee thou maist be feared Grant these things good Father and all other needfull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake in whose Name wee further call upon thee as he hath taught us in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer to be used at any time by one alone privately O Lord my God and heavenly Father I thy most unworthy childe do here in thy sight freely confesse that I am a most sinfull creature and damnable transgressour of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was born and bred in sin and stained in the womb so have I continually brought forth the corrupt and ugly fruits of that infection and contagion wherein I was first conceived both in thoughts words and workes If I should goe about to reckon up my particular offences I knew not where to begin or where to make an end For they are more then the haires of my head yea far more then I can possibly feele or know For who knoweth the height and depth
the true Sanctuary but is entred into the very Heaven Heb. 9. to appeare now in the sight of God for you The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sinne for you that knew no sinne that you might be made the righteousnesse of GOD in him Gal 3.13 Christ was made a curse for you that he might redeeme you from the curse of the Law Oh therefore how happy art thou that hast such a Mediatour and high Priest Rest therefore wholly upon him and upon that perfect eternall and propitiatory Sacrifice which he hath once offered Apply Christ apply his merits apply the promises to your selfe and to your owne conscience so shall they doe you good and bring great comfort to your soule For put case you had a most excellent and soveraigne salve which would cure any wound if it were laid to yet if you should locke it up in your chest and never apply it to your wound what good could it doe you Even so the righteousnesse and merits of Christ are a spirituall salve which will cure any wound of the soule but if wee doe not apply them to our soules by faith they can doe us no good You must therefore apply Christ and all the promises of the Gospel to your selfe by faith and stand fully perswaded that whatsoever hee hath done upon the Crosse hee hath done for you particularly For what is justifying faith but a full perswasion of Gods particular love to us in Christ The generall and confused knowledge of Christ and his Gospel availes not to eternall life Labour therefore to have the true use of all these great and precious promises and sticke fast to Christ for through him onely wee have remission of sins and eternall life Acts 10.45 To him all the Prophets give witnesse saith Saint Peter that through his Name all that beleeve shall receive remission of their sins Where the Apostle tells us that if a great Iury of Prophets were pannelled to testifie of the way and meanes to eternall life they would all with one consent bring in a verdict that remission of sins and eternall life are onely in Christ Let us heare the Fore-man speake and one or two of the rest for in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand The Prophet Esay saith Esay 54.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed This great Prophet we see plainly affirmes that Christ suffered for our sins and by his suffering we are saved The Prophet Jeremy testifies the same thing Jer. 23 5. saying Behold the day is come saith the Lord that I will raise to David a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse This Prophet jumps with the other For he saith that Christ is the righteous branch and that he is our righteousnesse which is all one as if hee had said our sinnes are pardoned onely through him and through him we are made righteous Moreover hee affirmes that Juda and Israel that is the Church shall be saved by him The Prophet Zachary that I may speake it with reverence telleth the same tale word for word He avoucheth the same thing with the other two Prophets for hee saith In that day a fountaine shall be opened to the house of David Zach. 13.1 and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse The meaning of the Prophet is that in the dayes of Christs Kingdome the fountaine of Gods mercy in Christ should be opened and let-out to wash away the sinnes and uncleannesse of the Church So then we see that these three great witnesses doe all agree in this that through Christ onely we are washed from our sinnes and through him onely wee are made righteous Seeing then that eternall life is onely in the Sonne therefore he that hath the Sonne hath life Be of good courage therefore O Asunetus for no doubt you have the Sonne and therefore eternall life Feare not your sinnes for they cannot hurt you for as all the righteousnesse of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the most righteous men that ever lived on the face of the earth if it were yours could doe you no good without Christ so all the sinne in the world can doe you no hurt being in Christ Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Plucke up a good heart therefore be no more heavie and sad for if you be found in Christ clothed with his perfect righteousnesse being made yours through faith what can the Divell say to you what can the Law doe They may well hisse at you but they cannot sting you they may grin at you but they cannot hurt you For who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifies Rom. â— 33 who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen againe who also sitteth at the right hand of God and makes request for us Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord therefore againe I say Rejoice for greater is hee that is in you then hee that is in the world Our Lord Iesus is stronger then all None can pluck you out of his hands hee is a strong Mediator hee hath conquered all our spirituall enemies hee hath overcome hell death and damnation hee hath led captivity captive Col. 1.15 hee hath spoyled principalities and powers and hath made an open shew of them and triumphed over them on his crosse Hee hath most triumphantly said O death Hos 13.14 I will be thy death O grave I will be thy destruction O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15.55 O hell where is thy victory Seeing then you have such a Mediator and high Priest as hath conquered the hellish army and subdued all infernall power what need you to doubt what need you to feare any more Moreover you are to understand and to be perswaded that Gods mercy is exceeding great towards penitent sinners and all such as mourne for their transgressions according as hee saith At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart hee will put them all out of his remembrance The Prophet David doth most lively and fully describe unto us the mercifull nature of God in the 103. Psalme where hee saith The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse hee will not alwaies chide neither keepeth his anger for ever hee hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according to our iniquities For as high as the heaven is above the earth so great is his mercy towards those that feare him
As farre as is the East from the West so farre hath hee removed our sinnes from us As a Father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knowes whereof wee be made he remembreth that wee are but dust The History of the lost sonne doth most notably set forth the wonderfull mercy of God towards penitent sinners There is shewed how the Lord doth embrace tender Luke 1â— 20 and made much of such poore sinners as have broken and contrite hearts for their sinnes for it is said that when the Father saw his repenting Sonne a great way off hee had compassion on him and ranne and fell on his neck and kissed him and cloathed him with the best robe put it on him put a ring on his hand and shooes on his feet and caused the fat calfe to be killed for him Even so the everlasting Father doth rejoyce at the conversion of any of his lost sonnes Yea there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that converteth Moreover the Lord most lively expresseth his mercifull nature and disposition in this That he is very loth we should perish and willingly cast away our selves Therefore often in the holy Scriptures he mournes for us bewailes our wretchednesse and takes up many pitifull complaints and lamentations for us Psal â—1 13 saying O that my people had hearkened unto mee and Israel had walked in my waies Psa 48.18 And againe O that thou hadst hearkened unto my commandements then had thy prosperity been as the floud and thy righteousnesse as the waters of the sea Againe hee mourningly complaines by his Prophet Hosea saying O Ephraim what shall I doe to thee O Judah how shall I intreat thee And in another place Isa 5. What could I doe more to my Vineyard that I have not done Marke here how compassionately the Almighty God doth yerne over us and even as it were blood upon our wounds The Apostle also notes the rich mercy and marvellous love of GOD to mankind in this that hee doth beseech us and pray us by the Ministers of the Gospel that wee would be reconciled unto him The words are these Now then are wee Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through us wee pray you in Christs stead that you be reconciled unto God Is it not a strange thing that the omnipotent God should fall to entreating of us poore wretches It is all one as if a King should intreat a begger whom hee may will and command But the abundant mercy of God towards mankind doth most of all consist in this That hee hath given his onely Sonne for us when wee were his enemies as it is written God so loved the world that hee hath given his onely begotten Sonne John â— that whosoever beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life Againe Gods sets out his love towards us seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his bloud wee shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.1 For if when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life In all this then wee may cleerely behold the infinite mercy of God towards us poore sinners For is it not a great matter that the Son of God should take our nature upon him should be so abased as he was and should humble himselfe to death Phil. 2. â— even to the death of the crosse For as the shadow of the Diall went backe ten degrees that Ezechias might receive length of dayes and much happinesse so Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse hath gone backe many degrees that we might have eternall life His humiliation therefore is our exaltation his sufferings our joy his death our life For wee have no other remedy or refuge but only his merits and righteousnes He is our City of refuge whither we must flie and where wee must take sanctuary Jer. 9. He is the balme of Gilead whereby our soules are cured He is that poole of Bethesda John â— 2 where every man may be cured of what disease soever he hath 2 Kin. 5. He is the river of Jordan where Naaman may wash away all his leprosie He is that Pelican who by pecking a hole in his owne breast doth restore his young to life againe by his bloud Yet one thing wee must note by the way which hath been partly touched before That all the mercies of God and merits of Christ are to be restrained only to the Elect only to the true members of the Church as plainly appeareth in Psal 103. where the mercies of God which are there largely described are restrained onely to them that feare him keep his Covenant and thinke upon his Commandements to doe them And touching Christ it is said that hee is a Prince and a Saviour unto Israel and that he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Againe it is written Psal 130. that Christ being consecrate was made the Authour of eternall salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.6 None doe or can obey him but only the Elect therefore hee is the Authour of salvation onely to the Elect. And consequently the profane world whatsoever they say whatsoever they brag and boast have no true title or interest in him This thing was figured in the Law in this that the Mercy-seat which was a type of Gods mercy in Christ and the Arke which was a figure of the Church were by the expresse commandement of GOD fitted each to other Exod. 25.10 both in length and breadth For as the Arke was two cubits and a halfe long and a cubit and a halfe broad just so was the Mercy-seat Noting thereby that the mercy of God in Christ should onely be fitted to his Church and belong onely to the Church so as not one without the Church should be saved For hee that hath not the Church for his Mother cannot have God for his Father Lastly we are to observe that as God is infinite in mercy and of great compassion toward penitent sinners so also is hee most constant in the course of his mercies towards his children And therefore one of the Psalmes carries this foot Psal 156. His mercie endureth for ever his mercie endureth for ever his mercie endureth for ever Noting thereby both the constancie and eternitie of Gods mercy To the same purpose it is thus written Lam. 3 2â— It is the Lords mercie that wee are not consumed it is because his compassions faile not Let us know therefore that God as touching his mercy to his children is of a most constant and unchangeable nature As hee saith I am the Lord I change not For if GOD were of a changeable nature as we are and subject to passions then were wee in a most miserable case then must hee