we are the childrē of god 1 Ioh. 5 10. Rom 8. ve 9. 15. Eph. 1 13 we delight in the law of God take no pleasure in sin Heb. 11. 25. but are grieued with sin 2. Pet. 2 8. and say with S. Paul I do not the good thing which I would but the euil which I would not Rom. 8 19. And euery one whose heart and conscience can truly thus perswade him is vndoubtedly the elected child of God Where contrarily the reprobate delite in sin because they are of the world Ioh. 8 23. therfore loue the world Ioh. 15 19. the things of the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life 1 Ioh. 2. v. 15. 16. And shal receiue the wages of vnrighteousnesse as they which count it pleasure to liue delitiously for a season 2 Pet. 2 13. affections Col. 3 2. and consult no longer with flesh and blood but enter into counsell with thine owne soule for the apprehending of this eternall life which life for the maruellous excellencie thereof being that hid treasure that precious pearle Matth. 13. verse 44. 46 can not be sufficiently expressed by all the glory of the world The holy Ghost chusing out the most precious things that nature can affoord to describe vnto vs the heauenly Ierusalem our euerlasting citie saith thus The citie was pure gold like cleare glasse the foundations of the wall thereof were garnished with all maner of precious stones the gates of perle the streets of pure gold c. It needeth neither Sunne nor Moone to shine in it for the glorie of God did light it The people which are saued shal walk in the light of it the kings of the earth shall bring their glorie and honour vnto it Reu. 21 18 c. O how excellent things are spoken of thee thou citie of God Psa 87 2. The eye hath not seene nor the eare heard neither came into mans heart the glorious things which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2 9. These maruellous things as Saint Peter saith the Angels desired to prie into 1 Pet. 1 12. For indeede the Angels receiued first knowledge of Gods eternal wisdome and purpose in Christ concerning these things by the Church Ephs 3 10. And euery creature with feruent desire wayteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed Rom. 8 19 shine as the sunne in the kingdome of their father Mat. 13 43. For although we be now the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3 26 yet doth it not now appeare what we shal be 1 Ioh. 3 2. because that through Christian mortification 2 Cor. 4. verse 10. 11. and 5 15. wee are in this world as dead and our life is hid with Christ in God but when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Col. 3 3 c. For the Lord Iesus Christ shall chaunge our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie Phil. 3 21. and then we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3 2. Moses vpō mount Horeb sawe but some glimse of the shadowed maiestie of God for else no man hath seene God in his essentiall glorie at anie time Ioh. 1 18 and the skin of his face so shone withall that neither the Israelites nor Aaron him selfe were able to looke vpon him vntil he had put a visour ouer his face Exod. 34 29 c. Elias also vpon the same mount at Gods visible presence couered his face with his mantell 1 King 19. verse 8. 13. And of all other Moses was once so hardie that he desired the Lord to shew him his very diuine maiestie but that request obtained would haue cost him his life and in mercie therefore it was denied him Exod. 33 18 c. But what speake we of mans disabilitie in this behalfe Neither the Angels them selues are able to behold the Lord in his full maiestie nor men to endure euen the sight of an angel as we see prefigured by the face and feeet-couering in Isayes vision Isa 6 2. Seeing then after this life we shall alway haue the fruition of this excellent and heauenly glorie which now neither men nor Angels can sustaine not vpon an earthly mountaine in a material Tabernacle with Peter Mat. 17 4 but in Heauen in that precious and heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12 22. with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit that most blessed and glorious Trinitie in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore Psal 16 11. together with all the goodly companie of Angels Zech. 3 7. Heb. 12 22. and holy Saintes Mat. 8 11. seeing I say we looke for new heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnes 2. Pet. 3 13. and for such a kingdome Luk. 12 32. for he is faithfull that hath promised Hebr. 10 23. what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the cōming of the great day of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to iudgement giuing diligence that we may be found in him in peace without spot and blameles 2. Pet. 3 11 c. And in the meane time let Moses shewe vs the shortnes of this life Psal 90 10. And that couetous foole in S. Luke teach vs that the incerteinty therof is more daungerous then the shortnes Luk. 12 20. let vs vse this world as though we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7 31 for the fashion thereof is as chaungable as our garment Psal 102 26. Let the holy ghost perswade vs to carie our selues without couetousnes and to be content with those thinges Reade Mat. 6 25 c. and Psal 37. which we haue for he hath said I will not faile thee neither forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me Heb. 13. verse 5. 6. And for our continuall assured hope of the glorious life to come let vs reioyce in the Lord alway Philip. 4 4. Let vs cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs runne with pacience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse despised shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Hebr. 12. verse 1. 2. This Iesus being the fore-runner for vs is entred into heauen Hebr. 6 20. and gone to prepare a place for vs Ioh. 14 2. where we haue alreadie an interest by Christ our head as hauing our conuersation with him in heauen from whence we looke for the sauiour euen our Lord Iesus Christ Phil. 3 20. Who shall then separate vs frō the loue of Christ shal tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill
BRIEFE DISâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 Imprinted at London by Richard Fâ—â—â—â—â—â—elling in the Blacke Friers near Ludâ—â—â—â— MDXCIII TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Christ Iesus WHen it pleased the Lord in a mercifull and gentle correction to lay his fatherly rod of sicknesse and mortalitie in Autumne last vpon this Citie of London the schooles there both publike and priuate soone after as it vvas requisite began to breake-vp VVhereupon the Teachers vvere generally at more leysure to follovv that course of practise after the diuerse studies of their seuerall professions vvhich euery one affected Among vvhom my selfe purposed likevvise to publish somevvhat of my priuate readings as leysure gaue leaue in diuinitie VVherein this discourse I entred the rather for the behoofe and benefite of my Scholers to vvhom as their young yeares vvere able and capacities apt to conceiue I haue vsed to interpret a portion of the nevve Testament by the space of an houre euery Saboth in the morning before Common prayer vvherby I might the better both traine them to * remember Eccles 12 1. novv their Creator in the dayes of their youth and instill into their tender minds the vvonderfull consonancie concord of many notable senteÌ„ces vvith the vvord of God vvhich novve and then met theÌ„ in their vveekly lectures of * The study of humanitie is a dead darke and erronious labor without the knowledge of Diuinitie wherby it is quickned enlightened rectified and so it becommeth easie pleasant and profitable to the students humanitie and vvithall bring theÌ„ in disliking of other discord and vnseasonable speeches vvhich commonly in some Poets are vvithout all modesty But besides these the learned vvell knovv vvhat excellent sayings most consonant and conspiring vvith the vvord of God are scattered in heathen authors Greeke and Latine vvhich it vvere a great fault in the maister either lightly to ouerpasse vvith silence as vnprofitable or to leaue his scholers ignorant of those maruellous lights of Nature vvhich the Lord had left among the Heathen to the intent that they should be vvithout * Rom. 1 4. excuse euen testimonies of his vvill according to his vvritten vvord vttered by their ovvne mouthes hovvsoeuer yet the same vvere quickly quenched and vtterly turned to mere * Ro. 1 21. Eph. 4 17. mataeologie and foolish thoughts through the vanitie of their darke hearts and mindes For albeit they had the Shepherds Kalender or Plovv-mans alphabet of the vvorld vvherein vvas vvritten in great capitall letters that euery vnlearned man among them might plainly read * Rom. 1 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that vvhich may be * In steed of this knowledge of god is publikely protested by an ancient Record the ignorance of God and that in a solemne Altar at Athens their chiefe Vniuersity of learning wisdom Act. 17 23. See the cause why Rom. 1. v. 21. 24. 28. known of God as the Apostle vvell noteth to the Romans vvhich might haue taught them as much in effect for the true and distinct knovvledge of the godhead as the Lavve and vvord of God did instruct the Ievves Rom. 2 15. For by the very sight of the visible heauens ouer their heads declaring the glorious excellencie of the maker Psal 19 1. they might euidently see and certainly discerne his * Rom. 1 20. deitie and Godhead likevvise his * 1. Cor. 1 21. wisedome the sonne of God * Psal 136 5. Prou. 3 19. and 8 27. c. Heb. 1 2. by vvhom the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all the creatures in them the secoÌ„d person in Trinitie And his * Rom. 1 20. eternall povver the holy Ghost * Genes 1 2. mouing and extending ouer all creatures * Hebr. 1 3. sustaining comforting and conseruing them the third person also in that diuine Trinitie Albeit I say they might clearely see that this God that created heauen and earth the sea and all things that in them are * Act. 14 15. c. left not him selfe vvithout vvitnesse amoÌ„g them in that he did them good * Matth. 5 45 made his sunne to arise vpon them and gaue them raine from heauen and frutefull seasons filling their hearts vvith food and gladnesse * Act. 17 25. c. giuing to all life and breath and all things for in him vve liue and moue and haue our being as also certaine of their ovvne Poets haue sayd yet vvere they so far from Dauids thoughts vpon the vievv of these heauens vvho in holy meditation confessed thus vnto God * Psal 8 3. c. VVhen I behold thy heauens euen the vvorks of thy fingers the Moone and the stars vvhich thou hast ordeined vvhat is man think I that thou art mindfull of him the son of man that thou visitest him c. that contraryvvise they * Psal 32 9. like the horse and mule vvhich vnderstand not * Rom. 1 25. turned the truth of God vnto a lye and vvorshipped the creature forsaking the Creator vvhich is blessed for euer And so vvhiles they * Rom. 1 22. 1. Cor. 1 22. professed them selues to be vvise they became starke fooles as the Apostle also vvitnesseth These heathen vve haue in this our Discourse declared vvho they vvere vvhat time they vvere seuered hovv long they continued separate from Gods people and by vvhom and hovve they vvere called and recoÌ„ciled to their brethren againe Of them therfore here vvill I vvrite no more but this vvhen in the yeare of the vvorld 3577 Alexander the great had subdued the Medes and Persians many other nations as vve haue briefly touched in this treatise the Greeke tongue vvhich though 600 years before that time it vvas very famous and florishing as may specially appeare by Homers vvorks for all the honor both of learning and Nature yet then chiefly began to be generally studied in all the vvorld insomuch that euery nation as they vvere subiect to the Grecians so they coueted chiefly to come in fauour by speaking their language But after that the Romanes had brought vnder the Grecians vvere also conquerors of the vvorld the Latin tongue likevvise grevv to be coÌ„mon among all nations vvhich held on til the coming of Christ VVherfore Pilat the Lord guiding his vvauering mind and pen both for the matter maner was not content to vvrite Christs Title in Luke 23. 38. Hebrue the Ievves tongue only but in Greeke and Latine the tongues of the heathen also that so it might appeare though Pilate thought of no such mysterie that asvvel the Gentiles heathen as the nation of the Ievves vvere to take notice reap benefit of Christs death and passion Novv the Theme or purport of my vvriting I desired such as might be both most necessarie for all sortes and least handled of any in particular VVhich thing in this kinde of studie in these our days vvherin mouing and vvorking in vs conceiue comfortable hope
5. He descrieth her coulers to be purple and o The Pope can be content to weare Christes skaâ—let robe because howsoeuer it was put vpon Christ in mockerie it represented a kinglie maiesty Mat 27 28. but yet he will haue it also adorned with golde precious â—â—ones pearles that so it may be the true liuerie of Antichrist Reuel 17 4. skarlet as the Pope himselfe and his Cardinals euen at this day vse to weare Reuel 17 4. And finallie to remoue all doubt of that cruell citie the Angel certifieth Iohn that it is that great citie which ruleth ouer the kings of the earth which then when S. Iohn wrote that Reuellation was Rome Reu. 17 18. And that in it that is within the far wide vsurped power iurisdiction thereof was found the bloud of all the Prophets and Saintes that were slaine vpon the earth Reuel 18 24. No maruell then if the Romanes beginning so cruellie with Christ and ioining with the Iewes to crucifie the Lord of glorie hold on stil in all impious and superstitious rage against the true christians and being absurde and reprobate in doctrine concerning the faith be derided and detested of all good men whom Christs seruants shall at length vanquish most gloriouslie and reward them double according to their workes The spirit of God hath commaunded so and we are sure it will be so and haue good hope to see it so Reuel 18 6. for their great city that is their former large vsurped power ouer manie countries and nations is alreadie diuided into three partes Reuel 16 19 for of that large Romish corporation some nations are become true Christian protestants as England Scotland Germanie Denmarke c. some hold still the Romish religion as Italie Spaine and the countries vnder their tyrannie some are neither as the kingdomes and countries won from Antichrist by the Turke Reuel 9 verse 14. 15. 20. with all other Atheists Sectaries among the two former sorts The Lord hath graciously begun their ruine in diuerse of those tenne kingdomes which sometime wholly bent their power to assist the Beast Reue. 17. verse 12. 13 but now a good part of them forsake and hate the Beast Reu. 17. verse 16. 17. And as we haue heard that those deuillish spirits are gone forth vnto the kings of the earth to gather them in their holy League as they call it to the battell of the great day for their vsuall speech is that they hope for a day but the holy Ghost saith of God almighty so we looke when they shal be gathered as blessed be God we saw a faire beginning in the yeare 1588 when they compassed the p With such glorious tâ—tles it pleaseth the Lord to beautifie the professors of his word as Da. 7 18 8. v. 10. 24. Pâ— 105 15. Tents of the Saints about the beloued Citie Reuel 20 9 at q S. Iohn setting down Arâ—nageddon addeth withall that it is so called in Hebrewe wherby he would haue vs to search the old TestameÌ„t for the true sense meaning of the storie so much also he meant by Abaddon before in which word he expresseth the Prophets therunto alledged paraphrastically the more to stir vp our desire in seeking out the truth Ar-mageddon Reuelat. 16 16. For Saint Iohn alluding to Magiddon or Mageddon which was a region in Iudaea towards the mediterrane sea in the tribe of Manasses calleth it Ar-mageddon the mountaine of the slaine and of purpose addeth Ar mountaine to Mageddon because of mount Tabor which being strongly enuironed with other neare mountaines Ier. 46 18 was within the coast of Mageddon wheron Barak and Debora with their armie expecting the comming of Sisera most wonderfully discomfited king Iabin and his complices the maine Reliques of the Canaanites and most despitefull enemies of Gods Church Iudg. 4. verse 6. 12. 15. 5. verse 18. 19. Psal 83. verse 9. 10. In that Mageddon also at the brooke Kishon Elias slue the idolatrous Prophets of Baal 1. King 18 40. The holy Ghost therefore leading vs to that place and victorie would put vs in most certaine hope and expectation of the like and verie rare victories of the idolatrous Papistes the sworne aduersaries of the true Church of Christ And for confirmation of this Truth Debora by the power of the spirit winding in all Gods aduersaries together on an heape concludeth her Epinice or song of her triumph with this acclamation so let all thine enemies perish ô Lord. Amen read Psalm 83. Thus haue we brieflie seene how the Lord God being before all beginning Psal 90 2. from euerlasting hath by his wonderfulâ— workmanship of the world declared his eternall power and Godhead vnto men creating all things for the benefit of maÌ„ and man himselfe to feare and loue the Lord who being created in holie innocencie and made the soueraigne of all earthlie creatures wittingly and wilfullie transgressed the commaundement of his Lord whereby he most iustlie procured eternall death to himselfe and to all his posteritie But the Lord vnspeakably rich in mercie found out a Redeemer euen of the seede of the woman the Man Iesus Christ the righteous the verie son of God who after manie promises of his comming in sundrie ages when the fulnesse of time was come being miraculouslie conceiued by the holie Ghost in the wombe of a virgin became man to suffer for man that death which all man-kind had rightly deserued and so both freeing vs from the punishment of sinne and clearing vs from the guiltinesse thereof hath set vs at peace againe with God and purchased an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued for vs in heauen and not committed anie more to our owne keeping as it was to Adams for the Lord himselfe sustaineth our lot Psal 16 5. and keepeth vs by his power through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to be shewed in the last time 1. Pet. 1 4. requiring of vs that we should not nowe liue vnto our selues but vnto him that died for vs and rose againe that we likewise should rise to a newnesse of life in holinesse righteousnesse and Christian sobrietie in this present world looking for the blessed q This is the true marke of all the godly and faithful generally both vnder the old Testament the new a secure hope and expectation of the last iudgement in the second comming of Christ Luc. 12 36. 21 28. Phil. 3 20. 1 Th. 1. ver 3. 10. 2 Thes 3 5. Hâ—b 9 28. and 11 3. Iam. 5 8. Re 22 20. hope and appearance of our Sauiour Iesus Christ to euerlasting life Resolue now thy selfe Christian Reader resigne all earthly r ChristiaÌ„s ought by the counsell of the holy Ghost to examine proue them selues whether they be in the faith feele the spirite of Christ working in them 2 Cor. 13 5 for by Christs spirit of adoption which is a witnesse in our hearts that