ignoramus nor beleeued for any Article of faith and in some places of his writings he absolutely denieth it Fisher sometimes Bishop of Rochester ingeniously confesseth That there is no Scripture to proue Purgatory Roff contra assert Luth. and may we not iustly deny that for the which there is no Scripture to proue it Nay more he confesseth that seldome or neuer any mention is made of Purgatory either among the Greeke or Latine writers Legat qui volet Graecorum commentarioseâ— nulluÌ„ quaÌ„tum opinor de Purgatorio sermoneÌ„ inueniet c. Isa 57.2 Nay rather the Scriptures teach the contrary as that of Isaiah They shall enter vpon peace and they shall rest vpon their beds euery one that walketh before the Lord in righteousnesse And amongst all those sacrifices that were appointed in the time of the law for the Prince for the Priest and for the Congregation Leu. 5.6 all were appointed for the liuing and none that euer wee reade of were appointed for the dead Doubtlesse either God was very forgetfull of them or else this Doctrine of Purgatory was not hatched When Paul directs the Church how they should carry themselues towards the dead Phil. 3. he giues no direction at any time to pray for the dead Saint Iohn saith Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. And the holy Ghost addeth further Reu. 14.13 From henceforth they rest from their labours Now to enter vpon peace and to rest from their labours and yet to suffer hellish torments for many yeares are things incompatible and cannot stand together Besides Christ hath promised rest and refreshing to those that are heauy laden and come vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that trauaile Mat. 11.28 and are heauie laden and I will refresh you Now what refreshing and rest is this to frie in the flames of Purgatory Surely the Scriptures know no such third place but that the souls of the righteous so soone as euer they depart out of the body they go with the soule of this Penitent here into Paradise or into heauen the place of euerlasting ioy and felicity And the soules of the wicked go immediatly to Hell a place of euerlasting torment there is no middle place betwixt these But as there are but two sorts of persons so there are but two sorts of places Besides it stands not with the rule of Iustice that the soule should be punished without the body since the body and the soule were copartners together in sinne But the Church of Rome knew well enough what it did to broach this doctrine and what they do in maintaining the same at this day But we wil leaue them and come vnto our selues This may serue for matter of Vse 2 singular comfort and consolation vnto the godly that inasmuch as the soules of the faithfull in death are gathered vnto Christ they may comfort themselues that this worke of repentance for sinne of mortification of sanctification howsoeuer it may seeme painfull for a time yet it will bee gainfull in the end Let such then comfort their hearts and say O my soule returne thou vnto thy rest for the Lord hath beene beneficiall vnto thee And say with Dauid Psal 23. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare none ill for thou art with me This this is it that makes the true beleeuer looke death in the face and supports him against the feares of the graue an assured perswasion in death to be gathered vnto Christ yea it is a true note of an honest heart so to walke with God in life as willingly and cheerfully to imbrace the sentence of death at last Wheras on the contrary it is a note of a soule soyled with corruption or else indued but with a small measure of sanctification to bee kept vnder the continuall feare of death â—adice Vse 4 The Scriptures make mention of a twofold Paradice Place Terrestriall and Celestiall The Terrestriall or earthly Paradice is that Paradice in the which Adam was placed by God himselfe a place of excellent felicitie beauty and glory and out of the which both Adam and his posterity after him Gen. 2.8 euen vnto this day were cast by reason of their sins There is besides this the Celestiall Paradice or the kingdome of heauen into the which the Lord Iesus Christ the second Adam was now to enter and doth promise this Penitent here the fruition therof with himselfe whereby is meant indeed the happie and blessed estate of glorified souls in the kingdome of heauen as it appeareth plainly by that of the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. that when hee was caught vp into Paradice he was caught vp indeed into the third heauen But why doth our Sauiour call heauen by the name of Paradice Quest In regard no place on earth could better resemble the kingdome of heauen Answ and being to speake to men and not to Angels Paradice was the most excellent place a place of pleasure solace and of all delight and therefore did most fitly shadow out the variety and excellency of those delights and pleasures in the kingdome of heauen And herein will teach vs Doct. In heauen is the perfection of happinesse That in heauen there is the perfection of all happinesse of pleasure and delight The great pleasures in the garden of Eden where there were trees of all sorts and Riuers for pleasures and delight doth most excellently shadow out vnto vs those pleasures reserued for the Saints in Gods kingdome which happinesse of euery true beleeuer shall in the last day appeare to the whole world to men and Angels when he shall come as the Apostle saith 2 Thes 1.10 To be glorified in his Saints and to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue There is to bee looked for the perfection of their glory especially when the bodies of true beleeuers shall come to be glorified with their soules for so saith the Apostle Phil. 3.21 He shall change our vile body and make it like his glorious body and then their bodies and soules ioyned together and glorified together must needs inioy the perfection of their happinesse and glory and for the hastening of the consummation thereof the Saints vnder the Altar cry How long Lord Reu. 6.10 as indeed expecting and longing for the full fruition of that glory This happinesse glory what it is if we had the tongues of men and Angels wee are not able to expresse it the Apostle tearmes it A most excellent 2 Cor. 4.17 and an eternall weight of glory when hee shall appeare we shall be like vnto him saith Saint Iohn 1 Ioh. 3 2. The Church is compared to a Bride and the Lord Iesus Christ to the Bridegroome Reu. 19.8 now what can be imagined here that can yeeld more ioy and contentment then a marriage day when the married couple enioy the sweet content in the fruition of each other Thus
this mercy shewed him euen at the last to bee conuerted by Christ and so saued Note hence first the generall Instruction and herein first That the Lord many times of Doct. 1 his infinite mercy doth call home of the most desperate and wretched offenders God can make of great sinners great Saints and makes of great sinners great Saints Yea where there is true repentance it is not the greatnesse of sinne the numberlesse number of our sinnes no nor the long continuance in the same that can any whit hinder vs of his mercy Yea the Lord hath of all sorts and conditions of men some that belong vnto the election of grace and appertaine vnto his glorious kingdome Here wee haue an example of Gods mercifull dealing towards a most desperate malefactour one that had spent his life in a most desperate course of sinning yet now at last brought home by repentance What a fearefull estate was Paul in before his conuersion Act. 9. a grieuous persecuter and bloud-succour yet called of God and made an instrument of much good in his Church Heb. 11. Rahab an Harlot that came of cursed Cain a Cananite of a cursed people of a cursed Citie yet had mercie shewed her and is honoured with a blessed memory in the Catalogue of Gods Saints for her admirable faith Ionas the Lords Prophet Ionas 1. how fouly and fearefully fell he And so Dauid likewise in the matter of Vriah 2. Sam. 11. yet vpon their repentance restored againe to fauour Mary Magdalene branded with a brand of notable infamy yet is she one of the witnesses of Christs glorious resurrection And why should this seeme strange vnto any since First Gods gifts depend not Reas 1 vpon any respect to man but are free on Gods part and altogether vndeserued on ours Rom. 9. I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy Secondly the Lord herein will Reas 2 shew his owne power wisedome and goodnesse that can when it pleaseth him make his enemies his friends and such as haue been bloudly persecuters blessed Preachers and great and grieuous sinners on earth blessed Saints in heauen Reas 3 Thirdly the Lord doth it that he may magnifie his own mercy by turning the crimosin dye of scarlet sins into the whitenes of snow that where sinne hath abounded grace might superabound Vse 1 This serues first of all to magnifie the wonderfull wisedome and goodnesse of God who knoweth how to vse all things to his owne glory and can when and where it pleaseth him make of great sinners great Saints and bring backe some from their wicked wayes as a Brand plucked out of the fire Vse 2 Secondly we are taught here to esteeme of men as they are and not as sometimes they were according to their present condition and not as in times past The Apostle reckoning vp many horrible sinnes that were committed amongst the Corinthians saith Such were some of you 1 Cor. 6.11 but now ye are washed now ye are sanctified It is indeed a common fault in the world the fals and infirmities of Gods seruants are still laid in their dish albeit they haue giuen good testimony of their hearty sorrow and true repentance for the same It is not seuen yeares that can weare out of minde such a sinne in such a one the world keepes Registers of such mens faults and as occasion serueth still they shall heare of it This is not the Lords manner of dealing with vs. Thirdly this may warne vs to Vse 3 take heed how we censure others that yet wander and goe astray thou dost not know what is to come a man that should haue seene this penitent Theefe how vile and sinfull hee liued euen to the end that now a shamefull and miserable death doth ouertake him could not but haue thought him in a wretched and miserable case So likewise Paul hee that should haue seene him trotting and trudging vp and down from Office to Office to get his Commissions sealed to commit vnto prison all that made profession of Christ could not but haue thought him with Simon Magus to be in the gall of bitternesse O but stay a while this is one of Gods secrets that belongeth vnto him he in whose hands are times and seasons hath his time to call home those that belong vnto the election of grace in the meane time wee may not passe a finall doome vpon any Indeed when I see a man liue a dissolute life liuing in drunkennesse swearing vsury c. and in all manner of prophane courses I may say this man is in the way to destruction but yet there may bee a time wherein the Lord may call home such a one I may come to a tree and say here is little fruit or no fruit or bad fruit but I cannot say with Christ Neuer fruit grow on thee any more Luke 11. for God may shew mercy at last vpon their vnfained repentance And last of all this may bee a Vse 4 forcible motiue vnto vs to moue vs vnto repentance and to bee a spur in mens sides to make them speedily to returne and to seeke God art thou a Drunkard a Swearer a prophane and beastly liuer that hast spent thy time in vaine prophane and licentious courses O behold here Gods mercifull dealing now at last with this poore penitent vpon his repentance the Lord doth freely receiue him againe to fauour Be not then out of heart albeit thou art compassed about with many infirmities wrong not the Lord neither wrong thy owne soule as to thinke it will bee too late for thee at last to returne vnto him It was a cursed speech of a cursed wretch Gen. 4. My sinne is greater then God can forgiue no no labour for a broken and a contrite heart and the Lord in mercy will couer all thy sins And indeed this is the true vse we are to make of all the fals and infirmities of Gods children as they are recorded in Gods book not to incourage vs in a course of sinning by their examples The true vse of other mens fals but First to put vs in minde of our weakenesse for if Dauid Peter Ionas and the like worthy stars in the Church haue fallen whither shall we fall if the Lord shall but a little leaue vs vnto our selues Secondly to keepe vs from despaire and therefore we can as ill spare the examples of their infirmities for our consolation as the examples of their vertues for our imitation What would become of vs had not the Lord left vs the examples of great land grieuous offenders whom he hath againe receiued into fauour surely wee should euen sinke vnder the burthen of those sins whereof our own hearts cannot but condemne vs. But the other rebuked him Wonderfull are the fruits of this Penitents repentance and faith beleeuing confessing giuing testimony of Christs innocency rebuking his fellow accusing himselfe and hoping aboue hope in this crucified Sauiour whom all the world
this title of Lord doth most truely and properly belong vnto him Christ Lord in himselfe in foure respects because he is Lord indeed and that in foure respects First by right of creation in that he made vs of nothing when we had no being Ioh. 1.3 Col. 1.15 For all things were made by him and without him was made nothing that was made Secondly by right of inheritance Heb. 1.2 for he is made Heyre of all things Thirdly by right of dominion or Lordship in regard of that power rule and dominion hee hath ouer all things of whom we hold all things wee haue and inioy bodies soules goods and all and that but in Capite and onely durante beneplacito so long as he shall please And lastly in regard hee hath no partners with him in his dominion 1 Cor. 12.5 Though there be differences of administrations yet there is but one Lord and it is hee that is sole Monarch and onely Potentate ouer the whole earth and is therefore called King of Kings 1 Tim. 6.15 and Lord of Lords 2 In his relation to vs foure wayes Secondly as he is Lord in himselfe so is hee also in his relation to vs and that foure wayes First by right of redemption for it is he that hath ransomed vs out of the hands of Sathan and power of hell to whom wee were once in bondage Now hee redeemes vs with his bloud and payes that matchlesse price for vs and thereby makes vs his owne We were not redeemed saith the Apostle with corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 19. as Siluer and Gold but with the pretious bloud of Christ Secondly in respect of that spirituall marriage that is betwixt Christ and euery faithfull soule For the Lord hath coupled vs vnto himselfe in holy wedlocke I will marry thee vnto me for euer Hos 2.19 yea I will marry thee vnto mee in righteousnesse in iudgement and in mercy and in compassion And againe As the Husband is the Wiues head Eph. 5.23 so Christ is the head of the Church Thirdly in the right of conseruation by whom we are kept and maintained Heb. 1.3 Sustaining all things by his mighty power For as he hath redeemed vs out of the power of Sathan he leaues vs not without any further care but still watcheth ouer vs for good for if the wings of his speciall prouidence were not spred ouer vs and mercy compassed vs about wee had not liued to this present hour but our bodies long ere this had beene in the graue and our soules in hell And last of all because all the elect of God are a chosen generation giuen him of God the Father ouer whom hee should rule and therefore called his peculiar people cast vpon him onely to bee cared for So then consider we Christ as a Redeemer as a Husband as hee that hath vndertaken for vs and his Church likewise as his peculiar people cast vpon him by good right must Christ needs be Lord. But how can Christ be such a Lord Obiect seeing he is so often called in the Scriptures by the name of a Seruant Phil. 2.7 He tooke vpon him the forme of a Seruant Christ is to be considered as a Mediator Answ and so is he in a speciall manner Esa 37.35 a Seruant vnto his Father because he faithfully serued him therein being first sent of God and therein became obedient vnto his Father in all things Yet this doth no whit derogate from Christs dignitie who still remained a Lord in himselfe and Lord ouer vs his redeemed ones The vses arising hence are these First if Christ be such a Lord in Vse 1 himselfe and such a Lord ouer vs we are taught to esteeme of him accordingly and to yeeld vp all holy obedience vnto him Doth not the Lord require it vpon this very ground Mal. 1.6 If I be a Lord where is my feare Luke 6.46 And againe Why call ye me Lord and doe not the things I command you And because an hypocrite may yeeld Christ this homage in words to cry Lord Lord Mat. 7 21. we must by our deeds yeeld vp our selues as seruants to obey him in all righteousnesse Vse 2 Secondly wee must labour to be acquainted with the will of our Lord for otherwise we can neuer performe any acceptable obedience vnto him Our good meanings will not goe for payment with him such seruice can neuer please him Pro. 19.2 for without knowledge the minde is not good Vse 3 Thirdly the consideration of this that Christ is our Lord should worke our hearts to contentation in all estates and conditions of life whatsoeuer whether weale or woe prosperity or aduersitie It was a godly resolution of old Eli when he heard of that strange iudgement the Lord would bring vpon his house It is the Lord 1 Sam. 2.18 let him doe as it pleaseth him He kisseth the rod like a good natured childe and submitteth himselfe to the Lords sharpest corrections without repining And this was Dauids case when the Lords hand lay heauy vpon him I became dumbe Psal 39. and opened not my mouth because it was thy doing And so the Church in great affliction and distresse It is the Lords mercy that wee are not consumed Lam. 3.40 Iob 1. vlt. because his compassions faile not And last of all we are taught to Vse 4 depend vpon him for food rayment and all things necessary that is our Lord and hath vndertaken for vs. Children can doe this hauing earthly fathers and seruants can doe this that haue earthly Masters and Lords ouer them Why then should not Gods people doe this with hope and boldnesse especially seeing he hath commanded vs to cast all our care vpon him being God alsufficient Gen. 17.1 Text. Thy Kingdome Secondly as he acknowledgeth Christ to be a Lord yea the Soueraigne Lord of all so doth he likewise acknowledge him to be a King yet so as that his kingdome is not of this world Lord remember me when c. 2 Christ is a King This regall and Kingly office of Christ is clearely manifested throughout the whole Scripture Psal 2.6 I haue set my King vpon my holy mountaine Christ taketh this honour vnto himselfe Mat. 28.18 Esay 9 7. All power saith he iâ— giuen me in heauen and earth And againe he hath vpon his garment and vpon his thigh a name written The King of Kings Reu. 19.16 Luk. 1.33 Dan. 2.44 Dan. 7.14 1 Cor. 15.24 and Lord of Lords Thus the Euangelist Saint Luke Hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall bee no end Againe that this kingdome of Christ is not of this world otherwise then in the hearts of men but it is a spirituall and celestiall kingdome so Christ Ioh. 18.36 Rom. 3. Ioh. 6.15 My kingdome is not of this world though he were Heyre apparent vnto the Crowne and kingdome of
Israel being the seed of Dauid Luke 12.13 yet hee withdrew himselfe when the people sought to make him King and refused to determine cases of Inheritances betwixt brethren The things peculiar vnto Christ and his kingdome Now there are many things peculiar vnto Christ wherein hee excels all the Kings of the earth First in regard of the excellency of his person other Kings are the sonnes of mortall men Christ is the Sonne of the euerliuing God Secondly in respect of the extent of his Kingdome hee is that vniuersall Monarch King of Kings Reu. 19.16 Psal 2.8 from the ends of the earth Aske of mee and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the vtmost parts of the earth for thy possession Alexander neuer saw many parts of the world much lesse subdued them but Christ is King ouer all Acts 10. Col. 2.9 yea hee raigneth and ruleth ouer Angels principalities and powers Thirdly in respect of those victorious conquests that are made by Christ he hath the preheminence of all Princes he hath conquered siâ—ne death hell Col. 2.15 Sathan and hath spoyled Principalities and powers And last of all in regard of the perpetuitie of Christs Kingdome His Kingdome shall haue no end 1 Tim 1.17 Other Kings and Kingdomes haue their periods and determination but thus is it not with this King and Kingdome for hee is The King eternall immortall inuisible and onely wise God Now the vses are First of all seeing Christ is our Vse 1 King we are taught with Iob to acquaint our selues with God and with the statute lawes of his kingdome Subiects must not be ignorant of the Princes lawes To plead ignorance will not purchase immunitie from punishment if men offend against the lawes of the kingdome All Gods people must be acquainted with Gods will reuealed in his Word Mat. 28.20 Heb. 12.25 Teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I command you See that ye despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth much more shall we not escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heauen Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christ is our King and we are his Subiects we we are taught to carry our selues accordingly Christs Subiects must differ in manners from all other Nations and people in the world they are a Royall generation a peculiar people vnto the Lord and therefore are to shew forth the power of him that hath thus called vs out of darkenesse into the maruellous light And herein to approue our selues for his Subiects and People by our holy conuersation in the world He hath chosen vs Eph. 1.4 that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Thirdly 3. The meanes to inlarge Christs kingdome we are to labour by all meanes possible for the comming of Christs Kingdome that is for the inlargement thereof in the world in the hearts and consciences of men Christs kingdome of power Christs kingdome of grace and his kingdome of glory Now the meanes are either Externall or Internall The Externall meanes for the inlarging of Christs kingdome 1 Externall are 1 The Word 2 The Sacraments 3 Discipline The Word is the Scepter of Christs kingdome The Sacraments are the Churches magna charta confirming the Couenants betwixt Christ and his people And Discipline is the due execution of Christs lawes for the incouragement of the good and reclaiming of the euill 2 Internall The Internall meanes for the enlarging of this kingdome of Christ is the effectuall working of Gods Spirit without which no outward meanes whatsoeuer can be effectuall And therefore God is earnestly to be sought vnto by prayer to second his owne ordinances by the effectuall working of his owne Spirit that the same may be effectuall for the building vp of the elect and the gathering together of the body of Christ And this is that which all good Subiects must desire and labour for euery particular man according to his place Princes and Magistrates especially Then Ministers who are the Dispensers of Christs Lawes yea and all people for herein shall wee approue our selues true and loyall Subiects indeed to Christ our King And thus haue we seene how Christ is both Lord and King And now for this poore Penitent thus to behold Christs excellencie and glory at this time when he was at the lowest ebbe of his humiliation I say to behold Christs Godhead when it was most vailed in such a death to behold life and in such ignominie and reproach to behold such glory this makes greatly for the commendations of his faith Had hee in times past beene conuersant with Christ had hee heard his heauenly doctrine or seene those glorious miracles which he wrought as the disciples did there might haply that seed be fallen into his heart that howsoeuer buried for a time as it waâ— the case of Peter yet at last might bring forth this happie fruite But this being the first sight that hee got of Christ for ought we know and that at such a time when Christ is most of all abased and when all his Disciples had forsaken him Surely this must needs declare the almightie power of God in him and commend his faith and conuersion to be admirable indeed But this will faith do the nature whereof is Doct. True faith raiseth vp a man aboue this life To raise a man aboue this life Not to liue by sense or to iudge of things according to the outward appearance but to beleeue Gods Word and things incredible and in some sort impossible against sence and aboue reason Thus was it with this Penitent Thiefe at this time What great things beleeueth and conâ—â—sseth hee here of Christ against â—ll sence and reason that he was Lord and King of heauen and â—arth able to giue eternall life and â—aluation to whom it pleased him when there was no outward appearance of any such power in Christ but rather indeed of the contrary This shewes the wonderfull force of faith yea hee beleeueth aboue hope and contrary to hope hauing no ground at all in naturall reason to persuade him thereunto Faith saith the Apostle is the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 and the ground of things hoped for Where outward sence and naturall reason takes place there faith is not exercised It is the excellencie of faith to beleeue where we see not when we shall come to walke as the Apostle saith by faith 2. Cor. 5.7 and not by sight Yea when outward sence and naturall reason failes then doth faith most of all bestiâ— it selfe Fortifying it selfe daily in all the attributes of God such as are his wisedome power truth iustice c. We may see this in Abraham in the very act of sacrificing his sonne Isaac Gen. 22.2 in whom the promise was made He consulted not with flesh and bloud what should become of the same if Isaac should faile But his faith