stirre up in us a greater care of our salvation Phil. 2.12 that we may be in the number of Christs little flock which make an end of their salvation in feare and trembling Phil. Some make light of all these matters Others say As for the life to come that is the least matter of an hundred to be cared for As for that matter they will leave it to God even as pleaseth him they will not meddle with it For they say God that made them must save them They hope they shall doe as well as others and make as good shift as their neighbours Theol. It is lamentable that men should be so carelesse and make so light of that which of all other things is most weighty and important For what shall it profit a man though hee should win the whole world if hee lose his soule as the Author of all wisedome testifieth Mar. 16.26 Asun I pray you Sir under correction give mee leave to speake my mind in this point I am an ignorant man pardon mee if I speake amisse for a fooles bolt is soon shot Theol. Say on Asun I doe verily thinke that God is stronger then the Divell Therefore I cannot beleeve that he will suffer the Divell to have more then himselfe He will not take it at his hands He loveth mankind better then so Theol. You doe carnally imagine that God will wrestle and strive with the Divell about the â—â—â—ter â—s for Gods power it doth never crosse his will for God can doe nothing against his will and decree because he will not Asun Yea but the Scripture saith God will have all men saved Theol. That is not meant of every particular man but of all sorts some some Iewes some Gentiles some rich some poore some high some low c. Asun Christ died for all therefore all shall be saved Theol. Christ died for all in sufficiencie of his death but not in efficacie unto life For onely the Elect shall be saved by his drath as it is written This is my bloud in the New Testament which is given for you Luke 22.26 meaning his Disciples and chosen children And againe Christ being consecrated is made the Author of salvation to all that obey him Asun God in mercifull and therefore I hope hee will save the greatest part for his mercy sake Theol. The greatest part shall perish but all that shall be saved shall be saved by his mercy as it is written Hee will have mercy on whom hee will have mercy Rom. 9. and whom he will he hardneth And againe It is not in him that willeth or him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Therefore though God be infinite in mercy and Christ infinite in merit yet none shall have mercy but only the vessels of mercy Antil Can you tell who shall be saved and who shall be damned Doe you know Gods secrets When were you in heaven When spake you with God I am of the mind that all men shall be saved For Gods mercy is above all his worke Say you what you will and what you can God did not make us to condemne us Theol. You are very peremptory indeed you are more bold then wise for Christ saith Few shall be saved you say All shall be saved Whether then shall we beleeve Christ or you Antil If there should come two soules one from heaven and another from hell and bring us certain newes how the case stood then I would beleeve it indeed Theol. Put case two soules of the dead should come the one from heaven the other from hell I can tell you afore-hand certainly what they would say and what newes they would bring Antil What I pray Theol. They would say there be few in heaven and many in hell heaven is empty and hell is full Antil How know you that how know you they would say so Theol. I am sure if they speak the truth they must needs say so Antil Must they needs Why I pray you must they needs Theol. Because the Word of God saith so Because Moses and the Prophets say so If you will not beleeve Moses and the Prophets neither will you beleeve though one though two though an hundred should rise from the dead Antil Yes but I would Theol. I pray you let me aske you a question Whether doe you thinke that God and his Word or the soules of dead men are more to be credited Antil If I were sure that God said so then I would beleeve it Theol. If his Word say so doth not he say so Is not he and his Word all one Antil Yet for all that if I might heare God himselfe speake it it would move me much Theol. You shew your selfe to be a notable Infidell You will not beleeve Gods word without signes and miracles and wonders from the dead Antil You speak as though you knew certainly that Hell is full you doe but speake at randome you cannot tell you were never there to see But for mine owne part I beleeve there is no Hell at all but onely the bell of a mans conscience Theol. Now you shew your selfe in kind what you are You say you beleeve no Hell at all And I thinke if you were well examined you beleeve no Heaven at all neither God nor Divell Antil Yes I beleeve there is a Heaven because I see it with mine eyes Theol. You will beleeve no more belike then you see Job 20.28 but Blessed is he that beleeveth and seeth not You are one of the rankest Atheists that ever I talked withall Antil You ought not to judge you know not mens hearts Theol. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 You have sufficiently bewrayed your heart by your words For the tongue is the key of the mind As for judging I judge you onely by your fruits which is lawfull For we may justly say It is a bad tree which bringeth forth bad fruit and hee that doth wickedly is a wicked man But it is you and such as you are that will take upon you to judge mens hearts For though a mans outward actions be religious and honest yet you will condemne him And if a man give himselfe to the Word and Praier reforme his family and abstaine from the grosse sins of the world you will by and by say Hee is an Hypocrite And thus you take upon you to judge mens hearts as though you knew with what affection these things are done Antil I confesse I am a sinner and so are all other for ought I know There is no man but hee may be amended I pray God send us all of his grace that we may please him and get to Heaven at last Theol. Now you would shuffle up all together as though you were as good as the best and as though there were no difference of sinners but you must learne to know that there is a great difference of sinners For there is the penitent and the
THE PLAIN-MANS PATH-VVAY TO HEAVEN Wherin every man may clearly see whether he shall be saved or damned Set forth Dialogue-wise for the better understanding of the simple By Arthur Dent Preacher of the Word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex The six and twentieth Edition Corrected and amended With a Table of all the principall matters and three prayers necessary to be used in private families hereunto added Zephaniah 3.5 Every morning the Lord bringeth his judgment to light he faileth not but the wicked will not learn to be ashamed LONDON Printed by Ja. Young for G. Lathum in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bishops-head 1643. To the Right Worshipful Sir Julius Caesar Knight one of the Masters of the Request to the Kings Majesty Judge of the high Court of Admiralty and Master of St. Katherins A.D. wisheth all good things in Christ Jesus HAving finished Right Worshipfull and made ready for the Presse this little Dialogue I bethought me sith the common manner of all that write any books in this age is to dedicate the same to one or other of great place to whom I might dedicate thâ—se my poor labours At last I did resolve with my self none to be more fit then your Worship boâ—h in regard of some affinity in the flesh as also because of those manifold good parts wherewith the Almighty hath endued you Having therefore none other thing to present your Worship withall in token of a thankefull heart for your courtesies shewed towards mee behold I doe here send unto you this third fruit of my labours published most humbly beseeching you to take it in good worth not weighing the value of the thing which is of no value but the simple and good minde and meaning of the giver This work doth sharply reprove and evict the world of sin and therefore is like to find many deadly enemies which with cruell hatred will most eagerly pursue it unto death Zoilus also and his fellows I know will bitterly carp at it therefore it slieth unto your Worship for protection and humbly desireth to take sanctuary under your wings Wherefore I humble intreat you to take upon you the patronage and defence of it that by your means it may be delivered both from the calumnious obloquies of evill disposed persons and also from the worlds malignity so as it may take no injury And concerning this little volume the sum of the matter of it you shall find it in the Epistle to the Reader As concerning the maner here is no great matter of learning wit art eloquence or ingenious invention for I have herein specially respected the ignorant and vulgar sort whose edification I doe chiefly aime at yet somewhat there is which may concern the learned and give them some contentment Whatsoever it be I leave it with your Worship beseeching you to give it entertainment And so I doe most humbly take my leave commending both your selfe your good wife and your whole family to the mercifull protection of the everliving God From South-Shoobery in Essex April 10. An. Dom. 1601. Your W ps to command in the Lord ARTHUR DENT The Epistle to the Reader GEntle Reader seeing my little Sermon of Repentance some few yeeres since published hath been so well accepted of I have for thy further good published this Dialogue being the third fruit of my labour wishing it the like successe that God thereby may have the glory thou who are the Reader comfort I have in one part of this Dialogue produced some of the ancient Writers and some of the wise Heathen also to testifie upon their oath in their own language and to bear witnesse of the ouglinesse of some vices which we in this age make light of which I wish may not be offensive to any In other parts of this work I do in a manner relinquish them But in this case I have in my weake judgement thought them to be of some good use to shew forth thus much That if we doe not in time repent forsake our sinnes and seek after God both the ancient Christian Fathers whose eys saw not that we see nor their ears heard what we hear yea the very Heathen also shall rise up in judgment against us Let none therefore stumble at it But if any man do let him remember I am in a Dialogue not in a Sermon I write to all of all sorts I speak not of some few of one sort But that which is done herein is not much more then that of the Apostle As some of your owne Poets have said Acts 17. which is warrantable One thing dear Christian I pray thee let me beg of thee to wit that thou wouldest not read two or three leaves of this book and so cast it from thee but that thou wouldest read it throughout even to the end For I doe assure thee if there be any thing in it worth the reading it is bestowed in the latter part thereof and most of all towards the conclusion Be not discouraged therfore at the harshnesse of the beginning but look for smoother matter in the midst and most smooth in the perclose wind up of all For this Dialogue hath in it not the nature of a Tragedy which is begun with joy and ended with sorrow but a Comedy which is begun with sorrow ended with joy This book meddleth not at all with any controversies in the Church or any thing in the state Ecclesiasticall but onely entreth into a controversie with Sathan and sin It is contrived into six principall heads First it sheweth mans misery in nature with the means of recovery Secondly it sharply inveigheth against the iniquity of the time common corruptions of the world Thirdly it sheweth the marks of the children of God and of the reprobates together with the apparent signs of Salvation and Damnation Fourthly it declareth how hard a thing it is to enter into life and how few shall enter Fifthly it layeth open the ignorance of the world with the objections of the same Last of all it publisheth and proclaimeth the sweet promises of the Gospel with the abundant mercies of God to all that repent beleeve and truely turn unto him The Author of all blessing give a blessing unto it The God of peace which brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in all good works sanctifie us thorowout amend all our imperfections and keepe us blamelesse untill the day of his most glorious appearing Amen Thine in the Lord A. D. The Contents of this Dialogue FIrst it sheweth mans misery by nature with the means of recovery Secondly it sharply inveigheth against the iniquity of the time and common corruptions of the world Thirdly it sh weth the marks of the children of God and of the reprobates with the apparent signs of Salvation and Damnation Fourthly it declareth how hard a thing it is to enter into life and
how few shall enter Fifthly it layeth open the ignorance of the world with the objections of the same Last of all it publisheth and proclaimeth the sweet promises of the Gospel with the abundant mercies of God to all that repent beleeve and truly turn unto him THE PLAIN-MANS PATH-WAY TO HEAVEN Interlocutors Theologus a Divine Philagathus an Honest man Asunetus an Ignorant man Antilegon a Caviller Philagathus WEll met good master Theologus Theol. What mine old friend Philagathus I am glad to see you in good health Phil. Are you walking Sir here all alone in this pleasant meadow Theol Yea for I take some pleasure at this time of the yeer to walk abroad in the fields for my recreation both to take the fresh air and to hear the sweet singing of birds Phil. Indeed Sir it is very comfoâ—â—â—ble especially now in this pleaâ—â—â—â— moneth of May and thanks be to God hitherto wee have had a very forward spring and as kindly a season as came this seven yeer Theol. God doth abound towards us in mercies Oh that wee could abound towards him in thanks-giving Phil. I pray you Sir what a clock hold you it Theol. I take it to bee a little past one for I came but even now from dinner Phil. But behold yonder come two men towards us what be they I pray you Theol. They be a couple of neighbours of the next Parish the one of them is called Asunetus who in very deed is a very ignorant man in Gods matters and the other is called Antilegon a notable Atheist and caviller against all goodnesse Phil. If they be such it were good for us to take some occasion to speak of matters of religion it may be wee shall doe them some good Theol. You have made a good motion I like it well If therefore you will minister some matter and move some questions I will be ready to answer in the best sort I can Phil. But stay Si lo here they come â—â—on us Theol. Welcome good neighbours welcome How do you Asunetus and you Antilegon Asun Well God be thanked and we are glad to see your Mastership in good health Theol. What make both of you here at this time of the day There is some occasion I am sure draweth you this way Asun Indeed Sir we have some little businesse for we came to talk with one of your Parish about a Cow wee should buy of him Theol. Hath my neighbour a Cow to sell Antil Wee are told hee hath a very good one to sell but I am affraid at this time of the yeer wee shall find dear ware of her Theol. How dear What doe you thinke a very good Cow may bee worth Antil A good Cow indeed at thâ—â— time of the yeer is worth very neer four pound which is a great price Theol. It is a very great price indeed Phil. I pray you M. Theologus leave off this talking of kinâ— and worldly matters and let us enter into some speech of matters of religion whereby we may doe good and take good one of another Theol. You say well But it may be these mens businesse requireth haste so as they cannot stay Asun No Sit wee are in no great haste wee can stay two or three houres for the dayes are long if we dispatch our businesse by night it will serve our turn well enough Theol. Then if it will please you to walk to yonder Oak tree there is a goodly arbour and handsome seats where wee may all sit in the shadow and confer of heavenly matters Asun With a good will Sir Phil. Come then let us go Asun This is a goodly arbour indeed and here be handsome seats Theol. Sit you all downe I pray you Now friend Philagathus if you have any questions to move of matters of Religion wee are all ready to hear you Phil. It may be these men are somewhat ignorant of the very principles of Religion and therefore I think it not amisse to begin there and so to make way for further matters Theol. I pray you do so then Phil. First then I demand of you in what state all men are born by nature Theol. In the state of condemnation as appeareth Ephes 2.3 Wee are by nature the children of wrath as well as others And againe it is written Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sin hath my mother conceived mee Psal 51.5 Phil. Is it every mans case Are not Dukes and Nobles Lords and Ladies and the great Potentates of the earth exempted from it Theol. No surely it is the common case of all both high and low rich and poor as it is written What is man that he should be clean and hee that is born of a woman that he should be just Phil. From whence cometh it that all men are born in so wofull a case Theol. From the fall of Adam who thereby hath not onely wrapt himselfe but all his posterity in extreme and unspeakable misery as the Apostle saith By one mans disobedience many were made sinners And By the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation Rom. 5.1 Phil. What reason is there that we all should thus be punished for another mans offence Theol. Because wee were then all in him and are now all of him that is wee are so descended out of his loins that of him wee have not only received our naturall and corrupt bodies but also by propagation have inherited his foul corruptions as it were by hereditary right Phil. But for as much as some have dreamed that Adam by his fall hurt himselfe onely and not his posterity and that wee have his corruption derived unto us by imitation and not by propagation therefore I pray you shew this more plainly Theol. Even as great personages by committing of treason doe not only hurt themselves but also staine their bloud and disgrace their posterity for the children of such Nobles are dis-inherited whose bloud is attainted till they be restored again by Act of Parliament Even so our bloud being attainted by Adams transgression we can inherit nothing of right till we be restored by Christ Phil. Doth this hereditary infection and contagion over-spread our whole nature Theol. Yes truly it is universall extending it selfe throughout the whole man both soule and body both reason understanding will and affections Ephes 2.1 Col. 1.2 3.2 for the Scriptures avouch that wee are dead in sinnes and trespasses Phil. How understand you that Theol. Not of the deadnesse of the body or the naturall faculties of the soule but of the spirituall faculties Phil. Did Adam then lose his nature and destroy it by his fall or is our nature taken away by his fall Theol. Not so our nature was corrupted thereby but not destroied for still there remaineth in our nature reason understanding will and affections and we are not as a blocke or a stocke but by Adams disobedience we are blemished maimed and spoiled of all ability to
many will say As long as they be neither whore nor thiefe nor spotted with such like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saved Theol. They erre not knowing the Scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their souls for ever which are free from such notorious and horrible vices nay many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbours and good towns-men Asun I pray you Sir give mee leave a little I have heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonable well of it but now I can forbear no longer my conscience urgeth mee to speak For mee thinks you goe too far you goo beyond your learning in this that you condemn good neighbours and good towns-men You say many such men are in danger of losing their souls but I will never beleeve it while I live For if such men be not saved I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learn to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnesse without the true knowledge and inward feeling of God availeth not to eternall life As our Saviour Christ saith Matth. 12. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven It is also written that when Paul preached at 〈◊〉 Acts 17.18 many honest men and women did beleeve that iâ— such no were outwardly honest or honest to the word only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beleeve Therefore you see that this outward honesty câ—vility without the inward regeneration of the spirit avaâ—seth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their souls for ever Asun What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are utterly void of all true knowledge of God and his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They esteem Preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they esteem a Preacher no more then a shoemaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saved Doth not the holy Ghost say Hoâ— 2.5 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Asun You go too far you judge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they mind dream dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands leases grounds and livings kine sheep and how to wax rich All their thoughts words and works are of these such like things And their actions do most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speak of the earth and there is nothing in them but earth earth As for Sermons they care not how few they hear And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they esteem them not worth the while there is nothing more irksome unto them they had rather pill strawes or doe any thing then hear read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith 〈◊〉 8.1 â— The word of the Lord is as a reproach unto them they have no delight in it Phil. I marvell much that such men should live so honestly to the worldward Theol. No marvell at all for many bad men whose hearts are worm-eaten within yet for some outward and carnall respects doe abstaine from the grosse act of sin as some for credit some for shame some for fear of law some for fear of punishment but none for love of God for zeal of conscience or of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may have that spirit which doth represse but not that which doth renew Phil. It seemeth then by your speeches that some which are not regenerate do in some things excell the children of God Theol. Most certain it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward carriage of themselves doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what gifts Theol. In learning discretion justice temperance prudence patience liberality assability kindnesse courtesie good nature c. Phil. Me thinks it should not be possible Theol. Yes truly for some of Gods dear children in whom no doubt the inward work is truely and soundly wrought yet are so troubled and incumbred with a crabbed crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with covetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them do so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth unto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their heart-smart and that which costeth them many a tear and many a prayer and yet can they not get the fu l victory over them but still they are less in them as a prick in the flesh to humble them Ph. Yet love should cover a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should do so indeed but there is great want of love even in the best and the worst sort espying these infirmities in the godly runne upon them with open mouth and take upon them to condemne them utterly and to judge their hearts saying They be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phil. But do you not think that there be some counterfeits even amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be alwayes have been some very hypocrites in the Church but we most take heed of judging condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleven disciples because of one Judas or the whole Primitive Church for one Ananias and Sapphira Phil. But I hope you are of this mind that some regenerate men even in outward gifts and their outward carriage are comparable with many others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and upheld by his grace doe walk very uprightly and unblamably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth very strange unto me that men of so discreet carriage as you speak of and of so many good parts should not be saved It is great pity such men should be damned Theol. It seemeth so unto us indeed but God is only wise And you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which hee correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith love and inward service and obedience with eternal life so there be some good things in the wicked and them that are without Christ which God rewardeth with temporall blessings and yet punisheth them eternally for their unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart Phil. Now you have reasonably well satisfied mee touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours
say in our hearts No evill can come unto us Asun You say very true Sir The world was never so set upon covetousnesse and men were never so greedily given to the world as now adaies And yet in truth there is no cause why men should bee so sharp-set upon this world For this world is but vanity and all is but pels trash Fâ—e on this muck Phil. Many such men as you are can skil to give good words and say Fie on this world all is but vanity yet for all that in your daily practice you are never the lesse set upon the world nor never the more seek after God You hear the word of God no whit the more you reade no whit the more you pray never the moâ—e which evidently sheweth that all your faire speeches and protestations are nought else but hypocrisie and leasing Your heart is not with God for all this All is but words there is no such feeling in the heart And therefore I may justly say to you as God himselfe said to his people This people have said well all that they have said Oh D ut 5.28 that there were an heart in them to feare me and keepe my commandements Theol. His words indeed are good if his heart were according For all things considered there is no cause why men should bee so given to this world for they must leave it when they have done all that they can As wee say To day a man to morrow none And as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. â— Wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine wee shall carry nothing out Wee must all dye wee know not how soon why therefore should men set their hearts upon such uncertainties and deceiveable things for all things in this world are more light then a feather more brittle than glasse more fleeting than a shadow more vanishing than smoake more unconstant than the winde Doubtlesse saith the Prophet David man walketh in a shadow Psal 3â— 6. and disquieteth himselfe in vaine hee heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them I wonder therefore that these moles and muck-worms of this earth should so minde these shadowish things and so dote on them as they do If they were not altogether hardened and blinded by the Divelâ— they would not be so neerly knit to thee â—â—od and the penny as they are thinking and alwayes imagining that there is no happinesse but in these things which are but dung and drosse and at last they will give us the slip when wee think our selves most sure of them The wise King who had the greatest experience of these things that ever man had for hee enjoyed whatsoever this world could afford upward and downeward backward and forward yet could he finde nothing in them but vanity and vexation of spirit Moreover hee flâ—tâ—y avoucheth That all these things riches wealth honour pleasures and treasures will most notably deceive us in the end give us the slâ—p and be gone For he compareth riches and all the glory of the world to an Eagle or Hawke which a man holdeth upon his fist stroketh her maketh much of her taketh great delight and pleasure in her and saith hee will not take ten pounds for her yet all on the sudden shee taketh her flight and flyeth up into the aire and hee never seeth her more nor shee him The words of the holy Ghost are these Pâ—oâ— 25.5 Wilt thou cause thine eyes to flie after them meaning riches Thou maiest but they will not be found For they wil make themselves wings like to the Eagle which slieth up to heaven From thence wee may learne that though wee set our hearts neversomuch on any thing here below yet at the last it shall bee taken from us or we from it Therefore all worldly men doe but weave the spiders web and may fitly bee compared to the silly spider who toyleth her selfe and laboureth all the weeke long to fluish up her web that shee may lodge her selfe in it as in her owne house and free-hold But alas at the weeks end a maid in a moment with one brush of a broom dispossesseth her of her inheritance which shee had purchased with great labour and much adoe Even so when the men of this world have with much care and travell purchased great lands and revenues and gathered all that they can yet on the sudden death with one stroke of his â—â—refull dart will make them give up the ghost and then where are they It was prettily therefore said of a man in the light of nature Seneca No man hath ever lived so happily in this life but in his life time many things have befallen him for the which hee hath wished rather to die than to live And assuredly I thinke there was never any man lived any one day upon the face of the earth but some griefe or other either did or justly might invade his minde ere night either in the temptations of the World the Flesh or the Divell or in regard of soule body goods or name in regard of wife children friends or neighbours in regard of dangers to Prince Staie Church or Common-wealth in regard of casualties and losse by water by fire by sea or by land What a life therefore is this that hath not our good day in it Who would desire to dwell long in it For it lieth open every day to manifold miseries dangers losses casualties reproaches shame infamy poverty sicknesse diseases cholicks agueâ— tooth-ache head-ache back-ache bone-ache and a thousand calamities Phil. You have very well described unto us the vanity of this life and that no day is free from one sorrow or other one griefe or other the which thing our Lord Jesus ratifieth in the reason which hee bringeth why men should not distrustfully care for to morrow For saith hee sufficient to the day is the evill thereof Or as some read it The day hath enough with his owne griefe Wherein hee doth plainly shew that every day hath his sorrow his evill his griefe and his thwart But I pray you proceed further in this point Theol. This I say further That when men have swinked sweat carked and cared mosled and turmosled drudged and droiled by night by day by sea and by land with much care and sorrow much labour and griefe to rake together the things of this life yet at last all will away againe and wee must end where wee began For as Job said Iob. 1. Naked wee came into the world and naked wee must go out For even as a winde-mill beateth it selfe maketh a great noise whistleth and whisketh about from day to day all the yeare long yet at the yeares end standeth still where it begunne being not moved one foote backward or forward soe when men have blustered and blowne all that they can and have even runne themselves out of breath to scrape up the commodities of the earth yet at last they must spite
inward conversation with God by much prayer reading meditation and heavenly affections This indeed is to climbe up above the world and to converse in the chambers of peace O therefore that wee would seriously and throughly conceive and consider of this world as it is that wee would well weigh the vanity of it and the excellency of that which is to comâ— that so wee might loath the one and love the other despise the one and imbrace the other love God more then ever wee did and this world lesse For what is this world but vanity of vanities Antil You do exceedingly abase that which some make their god You speak contemptuously of that which most men have in greatest price and admiration You disgrace that which multitudes would grace You make light of that which numbers make greatest account of Let us therefore heare your reasons Shew us more fully what it is describe it unto us Theol. The world is a sea of glasse a pageant of fond delights a theatre of vanity a labyrinth of errour a gulfe of griefe a stye of filthinesse a vale of misery a spectacle of woe a river of teares a stage of deceit a cage full of Owles a den of Scorpions a wildernesse of Wolves a cabbin of Bears a whirle-winde of passions a fained Comedy a delectable phrensie where is false delight assured griefe certain sorrow uncertaine pleasure lasting woe fickle wealth long heavinesse short joy Phil. Now you have indeed described it to the full and layed it out as it were in orient colours And a man would think he were bewitched or stark mad which hereafter should set his minde on it But yet I am desirous to heare a little more of that which I asked you before wherein the strength and poyson of the world doth especially consist Theol. In this lyeth a great strength of the world that it draweth down the stars of heaven and maketh them fall to the earth as it is said of the Dragons taile Rev. 12. which is ambition covetousnesse and the love of this world For wee may wonder and lament to see how the love of these things hath wounded and over-borne many excellent servants of God both Preachers and Professours of the Gospel which thing doth plainely argue the strength of it For it is the strongest and the very last engine that Sathan useth to impugne us withall when none other will prevaile For when no temptation could fasten upon Christ hee bringeth forth this last weapon which never faileth Matth. 4. All these things will I give thee shewing him the glory of the whole world So then hee having experience of this that it never faileth thought to have overcome Christ himselfe with it Here therefore lyeth the very sting and strength of the world and the Divell For whom hath hee not taken with All these things will I give thee whom hath hee not wounded whom hath hee not deceived whom hath hee not overthrowne With this hee enticed Balaam with this he beguiled Achan with this hee overthrew Judas with this hee bewitched Demas with this in these our dayes hee deceiveth many of excellent gifts For assuredly hee is a Phoenix amongst men which is not overcome with this He is a wonderment of the world that is not moved with money Phil. I am now fully satisfied for this matter But one thing cometh often into my mind to wit that these miserable worldlings can have no sound comfort in their pleasures and profits because they have no comfort in God nor peace in their own consciences Theol. You say very true It is impossible that men loving this world should have any sound comfort in God For no man can serve two masters both God and riches Their case therefore is very dangerous and fearfull though they never see it nor feele it as I will shew you by a plaine example Put case one of these great rich worldlings should bee cloathed in velvet and cloth of gold in most stately manner and also should bee set at his table furnished with all the dainties of the world should bee attended and waited upon by many in most lordly and poâ—pous manner should sit in his goodly dining chamber all glittering like gold should have his first second and third service served in with minstrels and instruments of musick in most royall sort hee sitting in his chaire like a King in his throne yet for all this if a dagger should bee held to his heart all this while ready to stab him what pleasure what joy what comfort could he have in all the rest Even so whatsoever pomp and pleasures wicked worldlings have here below yet their guilty and hellish conscience is as it were a dagger held alwayes hard to their heart so as they can have no found comfort in any thing Or let mee give it you thus Put case a man hath committed high treason and were therefore apprehended arraigned and condemned to be hanged drawne and quartered what then can comfort a man in this case can mirth can musick can gold can silver can lands can livings No no none of all these can help him or give him any comfort For the continuall thoughts of death doe so gripe him at the heart that none of all these can doe him any good or any whit mitigate his griefe What then is the thing that can comfort him in this case Only a pardon sealed with the Kings broad seale and subscribed with his owne hand For assoone as hee hath got this his heavie heart reviveth and leaâ—eth for joy This then assuredly is the very case of all profane Atheists and worldlings who are not assured of the King of heaven his pardon for their sinne and then what joy can they have either in their meat drink goods cattell wives children lands revenues or any thing whatsoever For the dreadfull thoughts of hell doe estsoones crosse them inwardly and quite damp and dash all their mirth Their owne consciences will not bee stilled but in most terrible manner rise up and give evidence against them telling them flatly they shall bee damned how merry and jocond soever they seeme to bee in this world setting a good face on the matter For sure it is that inwardly they have many a cold pull and many heart-gripes And all their mirth and jollity is but a giggling from the teeth outward they can have no sound comforâ— within And therefore the wiâ—e King saith Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull Prov. 14.12 and the end of that mirth is heavinesse Job 27.20 Likewise saith the holy man Job Terrours of conscience come upon the wicked man like waters in the night a whirle-wind carrieth him away secretly Eliphas the Temanite avouched the same point Job 15.20 saying The wicked man is continually as one that travelleth of childe a sound of fear is in his ears c. Thus then we see that howsoever many carnall Atheists and ungodly persons seem outwardly to float aloft in
promise that as long as wee live we shall never want Let us therefore rejoyce and be merry For heaven is ours earth is ours God is ours Christ is ours All is ours As the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.21 All is yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods The world clap their hands and crow long before it be day saying All is theirs but the children of God may say and say truly All is ours For they have a true title and proper interest through Christ in all the creatures Many are their priviledges great are their prerogatives They are free of heaven and free of earth They are the onely free Denizens of the world Christ hath purchased them their freedome Christ hath made them free and therefore they are free indeed They are free from sinne free from hell free from damnation They are at peace with God Men and Angels They are at peace with themselves They are at peace with all creatures They are young Princes Angels fellowes descended of the highest house of the bloud royall of Heaven States of Paradise and heires apparent to the immortall Crowne Therefore God hath commanded his Angels to guard them being such young Princes as they are yea hee hath given a very strait charge to all his creatures to looke to them to see to them that they want nothing that they take no hurt so jealous so chary so tender is he of them Gen. 3.2 Jonah 2. 1 King 17. Jos 10. The Angels must comfort Jacob The Whale must rescue Jonas The Raven must feed Elias The Sun and Moone must stay for Joshua Exod. 14. The Sea must divide it selfe that Moses and his people may passe thorow The fire must not burne the three Children The Lions may not devoure Daniel Dan. 3. 6. All the creatures must change their nature rather then Gods children should not be holpen and delivered Oh therefore how great is the happinesse of Gods chosen Who can expresse it who can utter it They know not their owne happinesse it is hid from them Afflictions doe cloud it troubles doe over-shadow it crosses doe dim it and there is an interposition of the earth betwixt their sight and it But this is most certaine and sure that the best is behind with the children of God all the sweet is to come Their happinesse doth not appeare in this world 1 John â— 2â— Their life is hid with Christ in God When Christ shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glory It doth not yet appeare what they shall be but when he cometh they shall be made like unto him Col. 3.3 4. Their names are already taken and entred into the booke of life and one day they shall be crowned One day it shall be said unto them Come yee blessed c. One day they shall enjoy his presence where is fulnesse of joy Psal 16. and at whose right hand there is pleasure for evermore Therefore let all Gods secret ones rejoyce sing and be merry For howsoever in this world they be contemned troden under the foot made no-bodies walk as shadowes being counted as the very rags of the earth and the objects of the world yet the time will come when their happinesse and felicity shall be such as never entred into the heart of man it is endlesse unspeakable and unconceivable Phil. I doe now plainly see that there is no cause why Gods people should be too heavie and dumpish in their afflictions I see that though they be not free from all afflictions yet are they free from all hurtfull afflictions For no rod no crosse no chastisement is hurtfull unto them but all in the conclusion cometh to a blessed issue Theol. You have uttered a great and a most certain truth For there is no affection or triall which God imposeth upon his children but if they endure it quietly trust in his mercy firmly and tarry his good pleasure obediently it hath a blessed and a comfortable end Therefore the people of God may well be merry in the midst of their sorrowes They may with patience and comfort submit themselves to their Fathers corrections taking them patiently and even kissing his holy rod and saying in themselves Sith my Father will have it so I am content seeing it is his mind I am willing withall As old Eli said It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 let him do what he will And as David in like submission said in a certaine case Behold here am I let him doe to mee as it seemeth good in his owne eyes 2 Sam. 15.16 And againe hee saith I was dumb Psal 29. and opened not my mouth because thou Lord hast done it Behold here then the patience of Gods Saints and their humble submission unto his most holy will They know all shall end well and that maketh them glad to thinke of it I conclude then that the children of God are happie in what state soever they are happie in trouble Deut. 28. happie out of trouble happie in poverty happie in plenty blessed in sicknesse blessed in health blessed at home likewise and abroad and every way blessed But on the contrary the wicked are cursed in what state soever they are cursed in sicknesse cursed in health cursed in plenty cursed in poverty cursed in prosperity cursed in adversity cursed in honour cursed in dishonour For all things work together for their destruction Nothing doth them any good They are not any thing the better either for Gods mercies or judgements All weathers are alike unto them They are alwayes the same in prosperity and adversity they are no changelings And as we say A good yeer doth not mend them nor an ill yeer pair them Phil. You have long insisted upon this point Now proceed to the fourth sign of a mans damnation which is the contempt of the Gospel and lay open both the greatnesse of the sin and the danger of it Theol. This sinne is of another nature then the former It is a sinne against the first Table It toucheth the person of God himselfe For to contemne the Gospel it is to contemne God himselfe whose Gospel it is If to contemne the Ministers of the Gospel hee to condemne God and Christ as our Lord Iesus avoucheth how much more then Luke 10.10 to contemne the Gospel it selfe Therefore it is dangerous meddling with this sinne It is to meddle with edged tooles to meddle with Princes matters to touch the Ark to come neer the holy Mountaine which all were things full of great perill and danger Yea it is to spill the Sacrament It is Noli me tangere It is to raile at a King It is to spet God in the face It is high treason against the King of glory Therefore this sinne of all other can never be endured and may at no hand be borne withall For can a mortall King endure the contempt of his lawes Can he put up the contempt of his
holy things neither is there any true feare of God before your eyes Antil I tell you plainly we must tend our businesse we may goe beg else we cannot live by the Scriptures If wee follow Sermons we shall never thrive What do you thinke every man is bound to reade the Scriptures Have we not our five wits Doe wee not know what we have to doe you would make fooles of us belike But we are neither drunke nor mad Theol. That every man of what condition soever is bound in conscience to heare and read the word of God hath been shewed and proved in the beginning of our conference but as for your five wits they will not serve your turne in these matters though you had fifteene wits For all the wit reason and understanding of naturall men in Gods matters is but blindnesse and meere foolishnesse The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.15 Rom. 8.7 That the wisedome of the most wise in this world is not onely foolishnesse with God but indeed very enmity against God And againe he saith 1 Cor. 2 14. That the naturall man with all his five wits understandeth not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned Most prudently to this point speaketh Elihu saying Job 32.2 There is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Antil I understand not these Scriptures which you do alledge they do not sinke into my head Theol. I thinke so indeed for the holy Ghost saith Prov. 24.7 Wisedome is too high for a foole Antil What do you call me foole I am no more foole then your selfe Theol. I call you not fool but I tell you what the Scripture saith which calleth all men though otherwise never so wise politick and learned very fooles till they be truly enlightened and inwardly sanctified by the Spirit of God as appeareth Tit. 3.3 where the Apostle affirmeth that both Titus and himselfe before they received the illuminating Spirit of Gods grace were very fooles without wit and without all sense in Gods matters Phil. I pray you good Mr. Theologus let him alone for hee will never have done cavilling I see hee is a notable caviller Let us therefore proceed to speake of the fift signe of condemnation which is swearing Theol. It may well indeed be called a signe of condemnation For I think it more than a signe it is indeed an evident demonstration of a Reprobate For I never knew any man truely fearing God in his heart that was an usuall and a common swearer Phil. I am flat of your mind for that For it cannot bee that the true feare of God and ordinary swearing should dwell together in one man sith swearing is a thing forbidden by flat statute And God addeth a sore threat to his Law That hee will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine but will most sharply and severely punish that man Theol. You say true And God saith moreover that if wee do not feare and dread his glorious and fearfull Name JEHOVAH Deut. 18.53 he will make our plagues wonderfull He saith also by his Prophet Mâ—lachy Mâ— 35. that hee will bee as a swift witnesse against swearers The Prophet Zachary saith Zach. 5.24 that the flying booke of Gods curse and vengeance shall enter into the house of thâ— swearer and he shall be cut off Therefore let all swearers take heed and look to themselves in time for we see there is a rod in pisse laid up in stor for them Phil. These threatnings being sâ— great and grievous and that from thâ— God of heaven himselfe a man woulâ— think should cause mens hearts to quake and tremble and make them affraid to nap out such oathes as they do if they were not altogether hardned past feeling and past grace Theol. True indeed But yet wee see by lamentable experience how men are given over both to sweare and forsweare For at this day there is no sinne more common amongst us than swearing for many there bee which cannot speak ten words but one shall bee an oath And numbers have got such a wicked custome of swearing that they can by no meanes leave it no more than a Black-moore can change his skinne or a Leopard his spots For it is made naturall unto them through custome and they have got the habit of it I do verily think if it were high treason to sweare yet some could not leave swearing And sure I am as light as we make of it that it is high treason against the Crowne of heaven yea it is a sinne immediatly against God even against his owne person and therefore he hath forbidden it in the first Table of his law Phil. Questionlesse this vice of swearing is of all other sinnes most rife in this Land For you shall have little boyes and children in the streetes rappe out oathes in most fearfull manner It would make a mans heart quake to heare them Wee may think they have sucked them out of there mothers breasts but sure wee are they have learned them from the evill example of their parents And now adayes wee cannot almost talk with a man but in ordinary speech he will belch out one oath or another Theol. I will tell you a strange thing and with great grief I speak it I do verily thinke there are sworn in this Land an hundred thousand oathes every day in the yeere Phil. No doubt Sir you are within compasse For now almost so many men so many oathes excepting some few in comparison Nay I know divers of mine owne experience which if they may be kept in talke will sweare every day in the yeare an hundred oathes for their parts Theol. O what a lamentable thing is it wee may well take up the old complaint of the Prophet Jeremy who saith Jer. 23.20 that in his time The land did mourne because of oathes And wee may well wonder that the Land sinketh not because of oaths For if God were not a God of infinite patience how could he endure his most sacred and glorious Name to bee so many thousand times blasphemed in one day that by such miserable wretches as we be Phil. Wee may indeed admire and wonder at the patience and long-suffering of God that he spareth us so long giveth us so large a time of repentance But sure it is that the Prophet saith That howsoever the Lord is slow to anger yet hee is great in power Nah. 1.3 and will not surely cleare the wicked Though he may winke at their monstrous oathes for a time yet hee forgetteth them never a whit but scoreth them up and registreth them in his book of accounts so as they stand in record against them And when the great day of reckoning shall come hee will fet them all in order before them and lay them to their charge Let not the wicked swearers and blasphemers therefore thinke that they shall alwaies scape scot-free because
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
this cause Job saith that Man is borne to travell as the sparkes flie upward And God hath laid this upon Adam and all his posterity Gen. 3. In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eat thy bread Some do set downe foure causes why every man should labour diligently in his calling First to beare the yoke laid upon all mankind by the Lord. Secondly to get the necessaries of this life Thirdly to live to the profit of humane society Lastly to avoid evill thoughts and actions St. Paul findeth great fault with some in the Church of Thessalonica because they walked inordinately that is idlely and out of a lawfull calling and therefore concluded That such as would not labour should not eat So then wee do plainly see that God alloweth idlenesse in none For when we are idle as hath been shewed before wee lie open to the Divell and his temptations and he gets within us and prevaileth against us While David tarried idlely at home in the beginning of the yeare when Kings used to go forth to the battell hee was soone overtaken with those two soule sinnes of adultery and manslaughter So long as Samson warred with the Philistines hee could never be taken or overcome but after hee gave himselfe to idlenesse and pleasure he not onely committed fornication with the Strumpet Dalilah but also was taken of his enemies and his eyes miserably pulled out These examples doe shew what a dangerous sinne wickesse is Therefore the holy Ghost sends us to schools to the little Creature the Ant to learne of her both to avoid idlenesse and also to use wisedome and providence in our actions Prov. 6.6 Go to the Pismire O sluggard behold her waies and be wise For shee having no guide task-master nor ruler prepareth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest And in good sooth it is wonderfull to observe what infinite paines and unwearied labour this silly creature taketh in Summer that she may be well provided for against Winter Let us therefore learne wisedome from her example and let us set before our eyes the looking-glasse of all Creatures Let us consider how the birds flye the fishes swimme the wormes creep the heavens turne the elements move the sea ebbeth and floweth uncessantly yea the earth it selfe which is the most heavie and unweildy creature of all other yet never ceaseth his working bringeth forth his burden in Summer and labouring inwardly all the Winter in concocting and digesting his nourishment for the next spring Thus wee see how all creatures are diligently and painfully exercised in their kinds And therefore it is a great shame for us to live idlely carelesly and dissolutely Let us therefore learne once at last to flie sloath and every one to live faithfully diligently and industriously in our severall callings So shall we both keep Satan at the staves end and also much sinne out of our soules which otherwise idlenesse will force in upon us Phil. I must needs confesse that idlenesse is a grosse vice in whomsoever it is found But specially in my judgement it is most odious in Magistrates and Ministers Theol. That is so in truth For they ought to be the guides governours shepherds and watch-men over the people of God And therefore for them to neglect their duties and charges is a most horrible thing sith it concerneth the hurt of many Therefore well said the Heathen Poet Hom. l. â— A Magistrate or Minister may not be lazie or slothfull to whom the nursing of the people is given in charge and of whom many things are to be cared for What a lamentable thing therefore is it when Magistrates are profane irreligious popish vicious and negligent in the duties of their calling And how much more lamentable is it when Ministers neglect their studies slacke preaching and prayer and give up themselves some to covetousnesse some to pride some to husbandry some to other worldly affaires and some to spend their time idlely in Tavernes Ale-houses gaming rioting and lewd company Would to God therefore that both these kinds of publike persons would cast off idlenesse and sloath and with diligence faithfulnesse care and conscience performe the duties of their places For it is an excellent thing for any to be a good man in his place As a good Magistrate that ruleth well that governeth wisely which favoureth good men and good causes and defendeth them which also setteth himselfe against bad men and bad causes and punisheth them sharply and severely which moreover maintaineth vertue even of a very love hee beareth unto it in his heart and punisheth vice of a very zeale and hatred against it and not for his credit onely or to please some or because he must needs doe it and can doe no lesse or for any such sinister respect but even of a love to God a care of his glory a conscience of duty and a fervent zeale against sin So likewise it is a notable thing for a Minister to be a good man in his place to be studious in the Law of God diligent and painfull in preaching and that out of a love of God a zeale of his glory deep pity and compassion toward the soules of the people seeking by all meanes possible to win them unto God carrying himselfe in all his actions amongst them wisely religiously unblameably and inoffensively So againe it is a worthy thing to be a good rich man which doth much good with his riches which keepeth a good house relieveth the poore ministreth to the necessities of the Saints and giveth cheerfully and with discretion where need is So also it is a commendable thing to be a good neighbour a good Townsman by whom a man may live quietly peaceably joyfully and comfortably And lastly to be a good poore man that is humble lowly dutifull painfull ready to help and ready to please Oh I say this is a most excellent and glorious thing when every man keepeth his standing his range and his ranke when all men with care and conscience performe the duties of their places when the husband doth the duty of an husband and the wife of a wife when the father doth the duty of a father and the childe of a childe when the master doth the duty of a master and the servant of a servant when every man setteth God before his eyes in doing those things which especially belong unto him For herein consisteth the honour of God the glory of the Prince the crowne of the Church the fortresse of the Common-wealth the safety of Cities the strength of Kingdoms and the very preservation of all things Asun You have said well in some things but yet I do not see but that rich men and women may live idlely sith they have enough wherewithall to maintaine it For may not a man do with his owne what he list Theol. No verily For you may not take your owne knife and cut your owne throat with it neither may you take
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
impenitent sinner the carefull and the carelesse sinner the sinner whose sins are not imputed and the sinner whose sins are imputed the sinner that shall be saved and the sinner that shall be damned For it is one thing to sin of frailty another thing to live in it dwell in it and trade in it and as the holy Ghost speaketh to suck it in as the fish sucketh water Esay 5.18 and to draw it unto us with cart-ropes and cords of vanity To conclude therefore there is as great difference betwixt a sinner and a sinner as betwixt light and darknesse For though Gods children be sinners in respect of the remnants of sin within them yet the Scriptures call them just and righteous because they are justified by Christ and sanctified by his grace and holy Spirit And for this cause it is that S. John saith Hee that is borne of God sinneth not 1 John 4.6 Antil What I pray you did you never sin Theol. Yes and what then what are you the better Antil You Preachers cannot agree amongst your selves one saith one thing and another saith another thing so that you bring the ignorant people into a mammering and they know not on which hand to take Theol. The Preachers God be thanked agree very well together in all the main grounds of Religion and principall points of salvation But if they dissent in some other matters you are to trie the spirits whether they be of God or no. You must trie all things and keep that which is good Antil How can plaine and simple men trie the spirits and doctrines of the Preachers Theol. Yes For the Apostle saith The spirituall man discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 And S. John saith to the holy Christians 1 John 2.26 You have received an ointment from that holy One and know all things that is all things necessary to salvation Those therefore which have the Spirit of God can judge and discerne of doctrines whether they be of God or no. Antil I am not book-learned and therefore I cannot judge of such matters As for hearing of Sermons I have no leisure to goe to them I have somewhat else to doe Let them that are bookish and heare so many Sermons judge of such matters For I will not meddle with them they belong not unto me Theol. Yet for all that you ought to reade the Scriptures and heare the Word of God preached that you may be able to discerne betwixt truth and falshood in matters of Religion Antil Belike you thinke none can be saved without preaching and that all men stand bound to frequent Sermons but I am not of your mind in that Theol. Our Lord Iesus saith My sheep heare my voice John 10.2 And againe hee saith â—â—hn 8.47 Hee that is of God heareth Gods Word Ye therefore heare it not because yee are not of God You see therefore how Christ Iesus maketh it a speciall note of Gods children to heare his Word preached Antil But I thinke we may serve God well enough without a Preacher For Preachers are but men and what can they doe A Preacher is a good man so long as he is in the Pulpit but if hee be out of the Pulpit hee is but as another man Theol. You speak contemptuously of Gods messengers and of Gods sacred ordinance But the Apostle doth fully answer your objection saying Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. and hearing by the Word of God and how can they heare without a Preacher In which words the Apostle tels you flatly that you caâ—â—â—ver have faith nor serve God aright without Preaching Antil When you have preached all that you can you can make the Word of God no better then it is and some put in and put out what they list The Scriptures are but mens inventions and they made the Scriptures Theol. We preach not to make the Word better but to make you better As for putting in and putting out it is a meere untruth And whereas you say The Scriptures were made by men it is blasphemy once to think it and you are worthy to receive your answer at Tiburne Antil Now I see you are hot I perceive for all your godlinesse you will be angry Theol. I take it to be no sin to be angry against sin For your sin is very great and who can beare it Antil All this while you speake much for preaching but you say nothing for prayer I think there is as much need of prayer as preaching For I find in the Scriptures Pray continually but I find not Preach continually Theol. No man denieth but that Prayer is most needfull alwaies to be joyned unto Preaching and all other holy exercises for it is the hand-maid to all But yet we preferre Preaching above it because Preaching is both the director and whet-stone of Prayer yea it steereth us aright in all spirituall actions and services whatsoever without the which we can keep no certaine course but are ever ready to erre on this hand or that Now whereas you say you find Pray continually but not Preach continually you might if you were not wilfully blind find also Preach continually For the Apostle saith to Timothy 2 Tim. 3.1 Be instant preach the Word in season and out of season that is alwaies as time and occasion shall serve Antil You extoll preaching but you say nothing for reading I beleeve you condemne reading Theol. Doth hee that highly commendeth gold condemne silver I doe ingenuously confesse that both publike and private reading of the Scriptures is very necessary and profitable and would to God it were more used then it is for it is of singular use both to encrease knowledge and judgement and also to make us more sir to heare the Word preached For such men as are altogether ignorant of the History of the Bible can heare the Word with small comfort Phil. It seemes that this man neither regards the one not the other because for ought that I can see hee cares not greatly if the Scriptures were burnt Antil Oh sirrah you speak very malapertly you may speake when you are bidden Who made you a Judge You are one of his Disciples and that maketh you to speak of his side Phil. No Sir I hope I am Christs Disciple and no mans But assuredly I cannot hold my peace at your vile cavilling and most blasphemous speeches Antil I cry you mercy Sir you seeme to be one of these Scripture-men you are of the Spirit you are so full of it that it runneth out at your nostrils Phil. You do plainly shew your self to be a scoffing Ismaelite Antil And you doe plainly shew your selfe to be one of the folk of God which know their seats in heaven Phil. I pray God be mercifull unto you and give you a better heart For I see you are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Antil You thinke there is none good but such as your selfe and such as can please
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