25. In the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels Thirdly great in respect of the prisoners that shall be arraigned For when he shall come in the clouds of heaven every eye shall see him even those that peirced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wayle Apoc. 1. 7. before him Nay then The Kings of the earth and great men and rich Apoc. 6. 15. men and the chiefe Captaines and the mighty men and every bond man and every free man shall be arraigned And therefore it may well be called a great day for if the particular day of the destruction of Ierusalem was so grievous that the Prophet cryed out The great Zeph. 1. 14 15 16 day of the Lord is neer it is neer hasteth greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord the strong man shall cry there bitterly That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and heavinesse a day of destruction and desolation a day of obscurity and darkenesse a day of clouds and blacknesse a day of Iâ—â—l 2. 10. 11. the trumpet and alarum against the strong Cities c. And againe the earth shall tremble before him the heavens shall shake the Sunne and Moone shall be darke and the starres shall withdraw their shining and the Lord shall utter his voyce before his host for his host is very great For he is strong that doth his work For the day of the Lord is great very terrible and who can abide it What shall be the generall day of the destruction of the whole world when the Elements shall melt with 2 Pet. 3. heat the heavens shall passe away with a noyse the earth shall reele and stagger like a drunken man and the world shall burne Good Lord what a great day will this be when all the Saints out of heaven all the damned out of hell all the dead bodies out of the earth must appeare Not an Angell spared not a divell respited not a Saint or sinner rescued but all must be summoned to give their attendance and to make their appearances Once the world was destroyed with water but now it shal be consumed with fire For the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels 1 Thes 1. 7 8. in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them which know not God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Let thy heart dwell seriously in this meditation but a little imagine that thou sawest the world on fire the Iudge sitting the dead standing before him the sinnes of all men revealed the divels accusing Eccles 7 38. them it would beat downe many sinnes in thee Remember the end and thou shalt never doe amisse Christ speaking of that day saith That there shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and Luke 21. 25 26 upon the earth trouble among Nations with perplexity the Sea and the waters shall rore and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things that shall come on the world for the powers of heaven Iudgement terrible to all but especially to the wicked shall be shaken Others Sessions and assizes be fearefull to malefactors what shall Gods assizes bee when the Ancient of dayes shall sit whose garments are white as snow and the haire of his head is like pure wooll and his throne like a firy flame Then Dan. 7. 9. fulminabit dominus e Caelo the Lord shall thunder from heaven and the highest will give his voyce And if the thunder and ratling of a cloud be so terrible what terrour shall there bee when he shall thunder that sits above the clouds For then Terra tremet Mare mugiet the earth shall quake the Sea rore the ayre ring the World burne and if Tota terra the whole pillars of the earth must move how should this move man who is but a cold of earth If virtutes Coeli the powers of heaven must tremble what will befall those mindes of mudde and earth that have never a thought of heaven If the Angels of God shall stand then at a gaze how agast will the wicked be whose portion is with the Divell and his Angels If the Heavens must cleave and the Elements bee rent asunder how will earthly hearts faile and breake If the righteous shall scarce be saved Vbi impius Where shall the wicked and the sinner appeare If S. Ciprian is said so Ciprian much to feare diem Iudicii the day of Iudgement that he cleane forgot diem martyrii the day of Martyrdome and earthly torment and no marvell Nam timor mortis nihil ad timorem Iudicis the feare of temporall death is nothing to the feare of him that hath power of eternall life and death And if they be in such amaze Ad quos judex For whose glorie and good the Iudge shall come how shall they stand amazed Contra quos Index against Apoc. 20. whom and for whose eternall shame and paine the Iudge shall 1 Coâ— 1. 25. come If Heaven and earth shall flie before him Quomodo stabimus ante potentissimum quem nemo potest vincere how shall we be 1 Tim 1. 17. able to stand before the most mightie whom none can vanquish For the weakenes of God is stronger than men Ante prudentissimum quem nemo potest fallere before the most wise whom no man can deceive For he is God only Wise and in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge and understanding Ante piissimum quem nemo potest corrumpere before the most just whom no man can corrupt His judgement will be Rectum judicium a right and a true judgement he cannot faile either Ignorantia legis as not knowing the Law For he gave the Law and he will judge according to the Law nor yet ignorantia facti As not seeing the fact For his eyes goe thorow the World Ye may interprete them if ye will 7. thousand thousand eyes For he is Totus oculus All eye Aug. The consideration of this should stirre us up to be carefull and circumspect in all our wayes that we never treade our shooe awry nor offend this Iudge in any thing that at this great day we may find him a gentle and a loving Lambe and not a Lion of Iuda For as to the wicked the Iudge is terrible so to the godly friendly and as to the wicked this great day is a day How can the wicked stand before the uncorrupt Iudge of redemption But to proceed a little further this day is called a day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellencie For never day was like unto it In the day of Israel when he went out of Aegypt The Sea fledde Iordan was driven backe the mountaines skipped like Rammes and the little hills like yong Sheepe In the day of Iosua the Sunne stood still in Psal 114. Heaven from morning to noone
up thy Dan. 5. 2. 22. selfe against the Lord of heaven c. And so a number that see the judgement of God upon their fathers and friends and yet they come not their owne hearts and say with David It is I that have sinned and my fathers house and what have these sheepe done let thy 2 Sam. 24. 17. hand be upon mee and my fathers house and not upon this people The fall of Adam was the juster in that he tooke no heed by the fall of Angels The sinne of the old world was the greater they saw Gen. 8. and heard both of the fall of Angels and of the fall of Adam and yet these examples could not make them beware Thus Paul reasoned with the Romanes for that they learned not by the example of the Iewes he calleth them to a second view of it Behold saith hee the bountifulnesse and the severity of God towards them which have fallen severity but towards thee bountifulnesse if Rom. 11. 22. thou continue in this bountifulnesse or else thou shalt be cut off This is the end of all Scripture to apply examples and doctrines to us for the increase of knowledge and conscience Thus Absalom is an example to all rebels how they lay their hands on the Lords 2 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 15 Acts 5. 2 Pet. 2. 2 Reg. 9. annointed Achitophel to all bad counsellors Ananias to all lyers Herod to all persecutors Balaam to all greedy wretches Iezâ—bel to all proud women Therefore Moses upbraideth Israel that they seeing the examples of them that worshipped Baal-peor yet runne into the same sin he maketh them stocks blocks beasts without eyes saying The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare unto this day Deut. 29. 4. To apply this Hath France been plagued so that their channels have overflowed with blood not with water Hath God plagued Flanders that their children be fatherlesse their wives widdowes their houses turned over unto strangers their lands to aliens hath Germany been grieved Scotland distressed and we regard it not we are blinder than Pharoah and more beasts than Nebuchadnezzar To tame a Lion they use to beat a little dogge before him So to tame us of a Lion-like nature God hathbeaten France Flanders Germany c. Tune tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet O England looke unto thy selfe end let thy neighbours fire make Examples not regarded aggravate punishment thee take heede of approching flames As God said of Babell Come downe and sit in the dust so virgin daughter Babel c. So say I Come downe and sit in the duste o virgin daughter England There is no throne o daughter of the Chaldeans For thou shalt no more be Esa 47. 1. called tender and delicate Take the milstones and grinde meale lose thy locks make bare thy feete uncover thy legges passe thorow the flouds Thy filthynes is discovered and thy shame shal beseen Thou shalt no more be called the mother of kingdomes Lay thy hand therfore O virgin daughter England upon thy heart repent of thy sinnes and God will repent of his plagues turne away from thy sinnes and God wil turne his face from thy sinnes and blot out all thy misdeeds And thus much being spoken as touching the end of Sodomes punishment I come now unto the punishment it selfe and that is double First fire Secondly Eternall fire But first fire For among the judgements of God fire ever hath beene a principall We use to say that fire and water have no mercy and it is so therefore when God would punish notorious sinnes he plagued them with fire When the uncleane lusts of Sodome cried up to heaven The Lord rained fire and brimstone from Gen. 19. the Lord out of Heaven upon them and destroied them When Israell lusted after flesh God sent fire into the host which burnt amongst Numb 11. 1. them and consumed the utmost part of the Host When the Captaines of Ahaziah came prowdly against Elisha the man of God they 2 Reg. 1. and their Fifties were consumed with fire The two notable whoremongers of Iuda were burnt with fire in so much as it Luk. 9. grew to a proverbe in Iuda The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and Gen. 6. like Abab whom the King of Babell burnt in the fire The Samaritans refusing to lodg the Lord Iesus the Apostles would have prayed 2 Pet. 3. for fire to come from heaven to destroy them When Christ Iesus will come to judgement he will come in fire Once the world was drowned and then it shal be burned For The heavens shall passe in manner of a tempest the Elementes shall melt for servent heat the earth Mat. 25. 41. and all that is therupon shall burne And when he will judge the 2 Thess 1. 8. world to a certaine set punishment it is to fire Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire This is the punishment of the damned For when the Lord shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire they shal be throwen into a burning Lake The paines of hell are described many wayes they are called Vermis conscientiae a worme of Conscience Tenebrae exteriores utter Mar. 9. 4. Mat. 22. 13 Apoc. 20. Luk. 6. 25. Mat. 25. 41. 2 Thes 1. 8. Esa 30. Apoc. 19. darkenesse Secunda mors the second death fletus stridor dentium weepings and gnashing of teeth the place of Divels losse of Gods presence want of his countenance Tophet and the vallie of mourning but chiefly fire and the burning lake O what an horror is it ever to feele a gnawing worme ever to lie in darknesse to see death ever to weepe and gnash our teeth to be among Divels to fry in fire But as the Poet unable to se out the sorrowes of Niobe Fire fearefull hell fire more fearefull was driven to wrappe up her heade in a cloud so words fayle me you cannot heare it my tongue cannot expresse it all our hearts cannot comprehend it the paines of hell are unspeakeable as the joyes of heaven are incomprehensible As the one cannot be 1 Cor. 2. 8. perceived by the eye nor received by the eare nor conceived by the heart no more can the other If a man were in the fire an hower He would give a hundred thousand pound to come out of it and yet our fire is no more to hell fire than a painted fire is to our fire Horresco referens I tremble I quake rehearsing it Tremble o tremble yee blaspemers that tosse Gods name like to a tennis balle The flying booke of Gods vengeance which is Zach. 5. 1. 2. 3. twenty cubites long and tenne cubites broad wherein is written Ier. 5. 8. 9. the curse that goeth forth oyer the whole earth will seize upon them and cut them of on this side and on that Tremble yee whoremongers which like stoned
of the sea yet shall but a remnant bee saved The Atheists erre also who say Non est Deut There is no God no Divell no heaven no hell contrary to that of our Saviour Goe yee cursed into everlasting Hell fire The Lucianists and Epicures erre who place all happinesse in Mat. 25. 34. 41. the pleasures of this life contrary to that of the Apostle If in this life only we have hope in Christ wee are of all men the most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. The Philosophers and Pagans erre who define felicity to be the abundance of riches joyned with vertue and not the fruition of God in Christ Iesus contrary to that of our Saviour This is life Iohn 17. 3. eternall to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent this indeed is felicity this is happinesse The Pepâ—sians erre who say that the heavenly Ierusalem is in this earth contrary to that of Paul who saith Ierusalem which is above is free which is the Gal. 4. 26. mother of us all The Origenists erre who say that the Divels shall bee saved contrary to Math. 15. The Chiliasts or Millinaries erre who say that Gods Kingdome shall last but a thousand yeeres contrary to that of the Apostle which saith That wee shall be ever 1 Thess 4. 17. with the Lord and indeed there shall never bee end of this life it shall be eternall eternall not in respect of beginning but in respect of ending it shall continue for ever and unto this end Paul saith That Christ hath abolished death and brought life of immortality 2 Tim. 1. 10. unto light by the Gospell they that have an entrance into this life shall never see end of it Suppose that the whole world were a Sea and every hundred yeeres expired a bird must drinke up one drop of it in processe of time it would come to Heaven set out by comparison of the Wombe and World passe that this huge Sea shall bee dryed up but yet many millions of yeeres must bee passed before this were done Now if a man should injoy this happy life but for the space of time in which the Sea is drying up hee would thinke his case most happy and blessed but behold the Saints shall injoy this happie life not onely for that time but for ever it is an everlasting life wee shall never see end thereof And as for the glory and happinesse of this life the quantity and quality may bee gathered from the situation of the place for Coelum Empyreum is higher than all the Heavens for Paul nameth it the third Heaven and it is called The Land of the living as if 2 Cor. 12. Psal 27. the Land which we now inhabit were a Land of dead men indeed We be dead but our life is hid with Christ in God Now if in this Col. 3. 3. Region of dead men the creatures bee so noble precious what are they in Heaven in terra viventium in the land of the living In this land of the dead behold the greatnesse of the Heavens the brightnesse of the Stars the beautie of the Earth the plainenesse of the fields the highnesse of the Mountaines the greatnesse of the Vallies the Flouds and Rivers running like the veines in a mans body Si omnia haec in terra mortuorum if all these things bee in the land of the dead what shall bee in the Land of the living Againe wee know that there bee three places in this life the first is the Wombe the second the World the third Heaven betweene these places there is a proportion For Heaven is so much greater than the World as the World is greater than the Wombe and the more excellent as well for continuance of time as greatnesse of place As touching continuance of time the first life is no longer than nine moneths the second life is fourescore yeeres the third is infinite and eternall Furthermore the diversity of dwellers in Heaven and Earth doe notably set forth unto us the difference of these two places Haec terra plena peccatorum this Earth is full of sinners 2 Pet. 3. 13. illa justorum that of just and righteous men for there dwelleth righteousnesse this of Men that of Angels for there are a company of innumerable Angels here penitents inhabit there such as have their sinnes forgiven them doe dwell Here men Hebr. 12. 22. militant there men triumphant here friends and enemies there friends onely and the elect If the inhabitants doe so differ how much doe the places differ There God shall be fulnesse of light to the understanding abundance of Peace to the Will Bern. continuance of eternitie to the Memory there the wisedome of Salomon shall bee ignorance the beautie of Absolon deformity the strength of Samson debility the treasure and wealth of Princes povertie Cur ergo in Aegypto haeremus Why doe we still sticke and stay in Aegypt Why doe wee not goe the direct way to Canaan Why feed we of acornes and not of the Tree of Eternall life the gift of God through Christ Life Why drinke wee of broken Cysternes and not of the waters of life If wee had but a little sight of this Heavenly Ierusalem wee would despise Babylon for in Heaven wee shall see God and bee equall with the Angels there wee shall partake of so great joyes as no Geometrician can measure so many as no Arithmetician can number and so wonderfull as no Rhetorician can utter had hee the tongue both of Men and Angels O ineffabilis delectatio O unspeakeble delight where God is their object a looking glasse for their eyes musicke for their eares hony for their taste sweet balsome for their smell a posie of all delights for their Heavenly hands Seeing then that there bee such and wee looke for such things Let us bee diligent to bee found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2 Pet. 3. 4. But to proceed As hee would have them to looke for eternall life so here he telleth them how they shall come by it namely by Christ for eternall life is the gift of God and commeth of meere mercy not of any desert of ours we never brought stone to this building The builder and worker is God we never brought one dish to this baÌ„ket Omnia parata sunt all things are ready we never spun 2 Cor. 5. 1. Mat. 22. one thread of this garment the garment is Christ alone therefore wee are willed to put on the Lord Iesus wee never deserved Rom. 13. 14. the least drop of the joyes of Heaven we be servi inutiles unprofitable Luk. 17. 10. servants Et quid possunt inutiles servi mereri nisi flagellum And what can unprofitable seruants deserve but the whip Quaeris merita quoth Aug. non invenies nisi poenam Doest thou seeke Merit thou shalt finde nothing but punishment if we stand at Aug. the
understanding What blindnesse hath possessed our braine And how hath a covering of brawne covered our hearts that wee give no Majestie to God That which Paul said of the Gospel If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded their mindes So say I of Gods wonders This sinne of England is written with an Iron penne and with a point of a Diamond God revealeth himselfe Ier. 17. 1. to the World six wayes 1 By his Word 2 By Visions Act. 26. 18. Esa 1. 1. 3 By Dreames 4 By Wonders or Miracles Numb 12. Iohn 5. Mat. 28. 19. 5 By Sacraments 6 By Types and figures By foure or five of these meanes God hath made himselfe knowne to us especially by wonders yet wee know him not wee are greater fooles than Nabal and verier beasts than ever was Nabuchadnezzar 1 Sam. 25. Dan. 4. Ier. 8. 5 6 7. God must end us before hee mend us wee are turned backe to a perpetuall rebellion Wee give our selves to deceit and will not returne no man repents him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Every one turneth to his race as the horse to the battell Even the Storke in the ayre saith God knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the judgement of the Lord. This is a nation that heareth not the voice of the Lord nor receiveth Discipline shall not these two great earth-quakes this yeere the one in the day the other in the night worke in us a feare of Gods majestie It is a token Amâ—â— 1602. that God is angry and so applied by the Prophet The earth trembled and shoke the very foundations of the Earth were seene at thy chyding at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure Psal 18. When God would take revenge of the people in the dayes of Tiberius hee overthrew with an earth-quake twelve Cities of Asia and in Constantines dayes ten or eleuen townes in Campania Lipisius when the Iewes under Iulian had tooles of silver to reedify Gods dominion is in all creatures especially in man Ierusalem the earthquake in the night destroyed their worke in the day fire from heaven burnt up their tooles The righteous will see this and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth and who is wise that hee may observe these things that God is a God of Majesty and magnificence for it is he alone that doth wondrous things The fifth thing here attributed to God is Dominion which is the authority of commanding and making Lawes unto all men in the world by which meanes God ruleth and hath a dominion or Kingdome in every one of us whereof the Lord Iesus speaketh in the knitting up of his prayer to God For thine is the Kingdome c. Of this David speaketh The Lord hath prepared his Mat 6. 13. Psal â—03 19 22. Throne in Heaven and his Kingdome ruleth over all And againe Praise the Lord all works of his in all places of his dominion And againe Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and thy dominion endureth Psal 145. 13. throughout all ages And here learne a profitable lesson that when wee obey the Word of the Lord and suffer it to rule and overrule our passions then hath God a Kingdome and wee ascribe Dominion to him hereof the Lord Iesus spake For when Luk. 17. 20 21. hee was demanded of the Pharises when the Kingdome of God should come He answered them and said The Kingdome of God commeth not with observation neither shall men say Loe here or loe there for behold the Kingdome of Heaven is within you he meant not the Kingdome of glory but of grace For this dominion or Kingdome is threefold of Power Grace Glory The Kingdome of Power is whereby God subdueth his enemies and Tyrants of his Church and crusheth them in pieces like a potters vessell and of this Kingdome the Prophet thus Psal 2. 9. Psal 93. 1. Psal 97. 1 2. speaketh The Lord reigneth and is cloathed with Majesty the Lord is clothed and girded with power c. And againe the Lord reigneth let the people tremble hee sitteth betweene the Cherubins let the earth bee moved the Lord is great in Zion and high above all people His Kingdom of Grace is that wherby God ruleth in his elect through his Spirit inwardly as his Word outwardly whereof the Prophet speaketh thus With righteousnes shall he judge the poore Esa 11. 4 5 6. and with equity shall hee reprove c. Iustice shall bee the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye with the kidde and the calfe and the Lion and the fatte beast together and a little Child shall lead them When the corruption of our nature beginneth to bee like the house of Saul weaker and weaker and faith repentance zeale knowledge and other graces of the Spirit stronger and stronger in us and wee now beginne to love feare trust and serve and obey God then is the Kingdome of grace in us The Kingdome of Glory is that wherein the Angels and Saints We count our selves subjects of Christs Kingdome of grace but are rebellious departed now are and wee shall bee hereafter when mortality shall be swallowed up of life when wee shall sing the songs of our triumph O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory The songs of our joy such as none can understand save the hundred forty and foure thousand which are received up from 1 Cor. 15. the earth But here hee meaneth chiefely the Kingdome of grace for God is a King everlasting immortall invisible and onely wise Wee 1 Tim. 1. 17. are then his subjects The Lawes are the Word Psal 2. 8. Psal 119. 105. Ephes 6. 12. The enemies of this Kingdome are Satan sinne death Hell domination the flesh and the wicked The time of it is to the worlds end Mat. 28. 20. The place is this world and the world to come Apot. 5. 10. But ô foolish men how doe wee pray for this dominion and Kingdome of the Lord when in our works wee destroy it When wee rebell against the Word like a rebellious nation Ezech. 2. 3 4. and like impudent children and stiffe-hearted As the horse rusheth into the battell so we rush into our sinnes we sinne Ier. 8. 6. Ephes 4. 19. with greedines wee draw it with cordes of vanity wee love the wicked we loath the godly we freeze in love we boile in malice Esa 5. we sell vertue we buy vice we refuse Christ we chuse Barrabas wee lay away life and embrace death wee overthwart the will of God in all things wee follow our owne wills and desires wee are traytors to God in
this Apostle Nay better for Iudas Iscariot was Christs steward his pursebearer disburser of all things for Christ and his company and yet a theefe a traytor a devill Non omnes filii Sanctorum qui loca sancta tenent They are not all the sonnes of Saints nor Saints themselves which hold the places of Saints God oftentimes bestoweth upon wicked men lofty titles and high places partly to their greater condemnation the mighty shall be mightily tormented and partly for the punishment of ungratefull people as Saul over the Israelites Againe in that Iude was not ashamed of his name but in the very first inscription of this Epistle setteth downe his name wee which are the Ministers of God are taught not to be ashamed of our calling though scornefully by scorners of Religion wee are termed Priests The Iewes though they mocked Christ when bowing their knees they cryed Haile King of the Iewes against their wils they honoured him for indeed he was King of the Iewes and of the Gentiles So these gracelesse contemners of our glorious calling when they thinke to vilifie us by calling us Priests against their wils they magnifie us their reproachfull scoffes should not daunt us nor discourage us in our calling for he that hath called us and sent us will bee with us as hee was with Moses and as he was with Ieremie Be not affraid Exod. 3. 12. Ier. 1. 8. of their faces I will be with thee Secondly the person writing is described by his calling for he calleth himselfe Servum Dei The servant of God Of servants there bee three sorts Some are servants by slavish and voluntary subjection these the Apostle calls The servants of sinne Qui facit peccatum servus est peccati He which Iohn 8. 34. Rom. 6. 16. committeth sinne is the servant of sinne and they which serve sinne Duram serviunt servitutem serve an hard service for the wages of sinne is Death Secondly There be servants by condition which are either born such by nature or taken captives in Warre or bought with money To these servants Saint Paul speaketh thus Servants obey those which are your Masters according to the flesh with feare and Ephes 6. 5 6. August de Civu Dei lib. 19. Cap. 15. trembling and with simplicitie of heart not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ Nomen istud culpâ mervit non natura This name of servant not nature but sinne deserved For the name of servant was never heard of till Noah cursed Canaan the sonne of Cham Who discovered his fathers nakednesse Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he bee Gen. 9. 25. Thirdly Servants by Office Calling and Profession and these are of two sorts for men are either the servants of God generally or particularly Generally they are Gods servants which acknowledge Servants of God divors kinds of them To be Gods servant the greatest honour him for their Lord and doe that service which is due to him Hi veri servi Dei These are the true servants of the true God and such servants must wee bee if wee will be saved Particularly they are the servants of God who in some severall calling doe service to God as Magistrates and Ministers these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a speciall service be the servants of God Now Iude professeth himselfe a servant of Iesus Christ First by condition because by Christ hee was redeemed and delivered from the slavery of Sinne and tyranny of Satan Secondly by Office and calling also hee was the servant of Iesus Christ not onely in his generall calling as hee was a Christian but also in his particular as he was an Apostle And note that Saint Iude doth not call himselfe a governor a or teacher or an Apostle but the servant of Iesus Christ as Paul doth and as Iames and Peter did For this is the best title above the title of Lords Dukes Phil. 1. 1. Iam. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Esa 40. 23. Kings Emperours who perish For God bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the Earth as Vanitie It is more to bee the servant of Iesus Christ than to be the greatest Prince Potentate or Personage in the World for if the servants of Iesus Christ though never so poore base and beggerly yet happy and blessed if not the servants of Iesus Christ though never so rich noble and great yet miserable and wretched This knew Paul and therefore trode all his titles under his feet as Phil. 3. 5 6. dung so that he might know Christ and serve him This service lasteth for ever as a colour set on with oyle And the Lord Iesus as Man is called a servant as God he was Lord of men and Angels for he was the man Iesus and the Lord Iesus Gods service is perfect 1 Cor. 8. freedome Gods servants on Earth are freemen in Heaven Citizen with the Saints Free Denizens of the celestiall Ierusalem their Ephes 2. 19. Rom. 6. 22. fruit is in holinesse and their end everlasting life What honour should wee desire but this to bee the servants of God Godlinesse 1 Tim. 1 6. is great gaine and to serve God hath promise both of this life and the life to come If the service of Salomon was so good a service That they were counted happy that stood before him 1. Chro. 12. What is the service of God and how happy are his servants Many thinke themselves much graced and honoured if they can get into some Noblemans service and weare his Livery as did Doeg and the servants of Saul how much more honour is it to 1 Sam. 22. bee Gods servant Who will make us of servants Sonnes heires Ephes 5 6. and coheires with Christ The Israelites found Gods service to be the best service 2 Chron. 12. 8. Cyrus at the conquest of Babylon offered largely to them that would serve him but God offereth more largely Theodosius held it more noble to be membrum Ecclesiae quam caput imperii a member of the Church than the head of the Empire So we may resolve that it is better to be a servant of God than Lord of all the World For while wee serve him all other creatures in earth and in heaven serve God needs not our service wee need his Lordship us But if we will be Gods servants we must addict our selves wholy to his service and to serve God in earth as the Angels doe in heaven for so wee pray Thy Will be done in earth as it is in heaven And for this end were wee created therefore saith the Mat. 6. 10. Apostle Wee are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesus unto good workes And what better worke than to serve the Lord Iesus Nay the service of God is the end of our Redemption For he Luke 1. 74. hath delivered us from the hands of our enemies that wee should serve him without feare in holinesse
and the same operation Tres sunt in trinitate non statu sed ordine non essentia sed forma non potestate sed specie unus status essentiae potestatis quia sunt unus Deus There bee three persons in the Trinity not in state and condition but in order not in essence but in forme not in power but in kinde for there is one and the same state of essence and power because these three persons bee but one God But to leave this The persons of the Trinity are here distinguished they are sanctified of God the Father and reserved unto Iesus Christ The persons of the Father and the Sonne are discerned as in all other places Pater quasi fons exuberans filius ut rivus defluens ille ut Sol hic ut radius ille ut os hic ut vox procedens nonautem separantur sicut nec rivus a fonte nec radius a Sole nec vox abore quia aqua fontis est in Rivo solis lumen in radio oris virtus in voce The Father as the fountaine abounding the Sonne as the river flowing he as the Sunne this as the beame hee as the mouth this as the voice proceeding they are not separated as neither the river is separated from the fountaine nor the beame from the Sunne nor the voyce from the mouth for the water in the fountaine is in the river as the light of the Sunne is in the beame and the vertue of the mouth in the voyce The distinction of the persons obscurely delivered in the Old Testament in the New is made clearer than the noone-day For at the Baptisme of Christ the Sonne was seene The holy Ghost descended like a Dove Againe Christ bade them Baptise In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Againe Mat. 3. 16. this was Pauls farewell to the Churches The grace of our Lord Iesus the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you c. Mat. 28. 19. Againe Saint Iohn saith That there are three that beare witnessein Sanctification not available without preservation heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Also the place Luk. 1. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God doth 1 Iohn 5. 7 8. sufficiently prove the Trinity which places the Confession of Belgia quoted against Iewes Mahomitans Marcion Mans Sabellius Samositanus c. The third title of honour here given unto the Elect is reservation that they are reserved unto Christ Iesus that is as St. Peter saith They are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation All former blessings without this is to small purpose 1 Pet. 1. 15. in that God not onely calleth us but sanctifieth us and not only so neither but also reserveth us in Christ Iesus This maketh Luke 6. 38. up the measure of our joy till the Bushell runne over So Paul told the Corinthians that God had called them and would confirme 1 Cor. 1. 8. them unto the end that they may bee blamelesse in the day of Lord Iesus This is the Anchor of our hope as the Sun at noone day as the Moone in the Full that God preserveth us for ever He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe the Lord is thy keeper the Psal 121. 4 5. Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand the Sunne shall not burne thee by day nor the Moone by night He that keepeth a sicke man sleepeth but he that keepeth us never sleepeth his eyes are alwaies open day and night like the gates of the new Ierusalem Apoc. 20. Christ giveth this reason why his sheepe doe not perish My sheepe saith hee heare my voyce and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck Iohn 10. 27 28. them out of my hand Our life is like a Ship in the Sea beaten with winde tossed with waves turmoyled with all kind of troubles and were it not that Christ is in this Ship we were like to sinke nor with Peter into the Sea but with Iudas into hell And this point is most notably handled by Master Calvin who affirmeth that Gods providence is over all the parts of our life we cannot Calvin libro 1. cap. 17. Instit. saith he take heat nor cold without danger by heat wee may surfeit and by colde catch an ague if wee mount up an horse In lapsu unius pedis periclitatur tota vita in the sliding of one foot is the danger of our life if wee enter into a Ship we are but an inch from death if we walke in the streets so many tiles so many deaths hang over our heads walk into the Forrests or Fields so many beasts so many enemies that conspire our destruction shut thy selfe in a Garden there a Serpent may kill thee Latet anguis in herbis And to recapitulate all this Bibulus a noble Romane riding thorough the streets in great pompe a tile fell from the house and strooke him so deepe into the head that it killed him Pope Adrian drinking at a Fountaine was choked with a flye Anacreon the Poet was choked with the graine of a Grape Gregory the 13. was suddenly strangled with a rheume and it is said of Plato that he dyed in a Gods providence watcheth over all especially his dreame and of Publius Crassus that hee dyed laughing Into these dangers might wee have fallen if God had not preserved us Marvellous is the providence of God in our lives Iob in his misery saw the want of it and therefore wished saying Oh that I were as in times past when God preserved me when his light shined upon Iob. 29. 2 3 4 5 6. my head and when by his light I walked through the darkenesse as I was in the dayes of my youth when Gods providence was upon my Tabernacle when the Almighty was with me and my children round about me when I washed my pathes with butter and when the rocke powred me out Rivers of Oyle c. In all the parts of our life God miraculously preserveth us miraculously doth he preserve us in our conception and therefore saith the just man Thou hast powred me out like milke turned me to Curds like Cheese thou hast cloathed mee with skinne and flesh and joyned mee together with bones and sinewes thou hast given me life and grace and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit Miraculously did hee nourish us in our Mothers wombe Psal 8. 2. miraculously nine moneths preserved hee us miraculously did he deliver us out of the wombe of our Mother for at our birth Psal 34. not onely women but Angels did assist us miraculously God keepeth us in our youth For CHRIST speaking
Dei opera assiduitate And yet all men wonder at these things not because they August Tract 24. in Iohn be greater but because they bee rarer Miracles and the workes of God waxe vile by assiduitie August Oh brethren It is as great a worke of God to keepe us in body from the Divell For if hee might have his minde hee would teare us in a thousand pieces and there should not bee a man left a live upon the Earth Hee that deceived Eva he that slew Iobs children and Gen. 3. Iob 1. 1 Reg. 22. Act. 19. Tob. 3. cattel hee that was a lying Spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets hee that wounded the seven sonnes of Sceva a Iew overcame them and prevailed he that killed Sara her seven husbands in seven nights would kill us every night if God kept us not Let us therefore commit our selves to God Tertullian saith Tertul. libro de Patientia Si injuriam apud Deum deposueris ultor est si dolorem consolator est si morbus medicus est si damnum restitutor est si mortem resuscitator est If thou indurest wrong for Christ sake hee is a revenger if sorrow God preserves bodies and soules hee is a comforter if sickenesse he is a Physitian if losse he is a restorer if death hee is a reviver he is the resurrection and the life He is quoth one in our sickenesse a restorer in our prisonment a deliverer in our saile a marriner in our cities a Mat. 9. Psal 146. Psal 107. Psal 127. Exod. 15. Act. 17. 1 Cor. 13. Psal 30. 5. watchman in our buildings a carpenter in our battels a souldier in our life a keeper in our death a restorer Blessed be God who alwaies keepeth us In how many Agues Palsies Gouts Apoplexies hath God kept us in how many sicke nights hath hee watched at our bed side and joy hath come in the morning But if I would speake of our spirituall Deliverance Preservation from Satan in our Soules Where shall I beginne or Where shall I end Dies citiùs quà m dicta tempora citiùs quà m verba deficerent The day sooner than words the time sooner than speech should faile mee A most large field is offered mee to walke in but I will confine my selfe God hath kept us in Soule from the great sinnes of the World though wee cannot say with Christ Which of you can accuse mee of sinne yet wee can say who can accuse us of notorious grosse open sinnes Wherein wee have beene scandalous to the Church of God Iohn 8. 46. Wee are content to walke by good report and evill report and are loth to give occasion of offence in any thing August hath a patheticall speech to noto how God keepeth us in Soule Quantum inquit debeo diligere Deum redimit me cum perieram quando ignoravi 2 Cor. 6. 3. docuit me quando erravi reduxit me quando peccavi corripuit me quando cecidi erexit me quando steti tenuit me quando ivi deduxit Aug. me quando veni suscepit me quando clamavi exaudivit me How much am I bound to love God I had perished if hee had not redeemed me when I was ignorant he taught me when I erred hee reduced mee when I sinned he corrected me when I fell hee erected mee when I stood hee held mee when I went hee led me when I came hee received mee and when I cryed he heard me Therefore this was Saint Augustines praier Custodi me Domine hic ubique nunc semper intus foris antè retro circum circa in me nullus pateat locus insidiis Diaboli Preserve me ô Lord here and every where now and ever within Aug. lib. Medit. and without before and behinde round about mee that no place may lie open for the snares of the Divell Christ praying for his Apostles and in them for us saith thus I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou keepe them from evill If God kept us not in Soule the Divell would destroy us all Iohn 17. 15. not a man in the World should be saved all should goe to Hell note his malice to Adam hee was by Satans envy formed and deformed made and marred in one day hee lodged not say the Fathers one night in Innocencie Wee read of one in the Gospel that had a deafe Divel of another that had a dumbe Divell of Mary Magdalen that had seven Divels of a man that had a legion of Divels that is No safety from Sathan except God preserve eight hundred Divels For a Legion containeth five hundred footemen and three hundred horsemen Ecce tetendit Satanas ante pedes nostros laqueos insinitos c. Behold Satan layeth before Mar. 2. Luke 5. Luke 7. Luke 8. August in soliloq our feete saith Augustine infinite snares hee filleth our wayes with deceits to catch our poore Soules Hee layeth snares for us in Riches in Poverty in Meate in Drinke in Sleepe in Waking in Word and Worke and in every thing In Riches wee are proud in Poverty wee murmur and steale in Meate wee surfet in Drinke wee are drunken in Dreames wee wander c. It is reported of Anthony that on a time looking up to Heaven hee saw all full of snares and hee cryed out Who shall deliver us Answere was made I the Lord will deliver you Oh then let us alway pray with Augustine Dominetur carni anima animae ratio rationi gratia c. Let the Soule rule the Flesh Reason the Soule Grace Reason and subdue mee to thy will Lord both within and without sharpen my Tongue to sound forth thy praises illuminate my minde inlarge my heart to receive thee give me a wise and understanding heart c. Iovem Iunonem a juvando dictos esse ait Cicero Cicero saith that Iupiter and Iuno were so called a iuvando of helping Sed hoc in Deum quoth Lactantius optimè quadrat but this saith Lactantius Lactan. lib. 1. cap. 10. doth best of all befit God Qui juvat servat salvat who both helpeth us keepeth us and saveth us who by Faith Ephes 8. 17. quencheth all the fiery darts of the Divell That wee have not filled our eyes with vanity our eares with slander nor our mouthes with blasphemy nor our bellies with gluttony nor our bodies with lechery nor our hands with bribery it is Gods worke For seedes of all sinne are in us by nature and wee are no better than others but hee reserveth and keepeth us wee neede not then feare what man can doe unto us Nay Ephes 2. 4. wee need not feare the day of Death or the day of Iudgement For in the last day it shall be said to every one reserved and kept of God Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso this day shalt thou be with Luke 23. me in Paradise And in the last day
divine power have yee not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning have yee not understood it by the foundation of the Earth Hee sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the inhabitants thereof are as Grasse-hoppers he stretcheth out the Heavens as a curtaine and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in And Salomon reasoneth thus Who hath ascended up to Heaven and descended who hath gathered the Wind in his Prov. 30. 4. fist who hath bound the Waters in a garment who hath established all the ends of the World what is his name or his Sonnes name if thou canst tell And God reasoning with Iob saith Where wast thou when Job 38. 4 5 6. 8. I layd the foundations of the Earth declare if thou hast understanding who hath layd the measures thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched the line over it whereupon are the foundations thereof set or who hath layd the corner-stone thereof or who hath shut up the Sea with doores When it issued and come forth out of the Wombe c. The world is Schola Dei the Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke And the Apostle affirmeth Psal 19. 1. that God left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gave us raine from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse O every showre of raine is a Preacher and tels us there is a God Note this that nothing was made of it selfe nor for it selfe but for another The Heavens we see doe serve the Ayre the Ayre serveth the Earth the Earth the Beasts the Beasts serve Man Man therefore not made of himselfe was made to serve another which can bee no other but God The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake If all things therefore Man which Pro. 16. 4. confuteth Atheisme Againe it is an arrow yea a hammer against Atheisme that all men have a conscience of sinne and are affraid of it Conscience is a witnesse either with us or against us either to excuse us or accuse us It beareth witnesse of what of secret particular actions Against whom against thy selfe To whom to God seeing neither men nor Angels know the secrets of thy heart Let all Atheists barke against the God-head as long as they will Intùs est vermis qui illos mordet within there is a worme that gnaweth them In that men are afraid and ashamed of sinne it argueth that there is a God we see that all creatures purge themselves of their corruption The Sea her froth the water her skumme the earth her vapours the birds their feathers the wine his lees the fire his smoke the oile his some Man therfore that would avoid his sinne and be rid of it hath a conscience of God and proveth there is a God But alas Religion beggeth in these dayes Probitas laudatur alget our religion is in imagination not in faith in opinion not in judgement in the braine not in the heart in word not in deed and effect They professe they know God but inwardly in their works they doe denie him being abominable disobedient and unto every Few truly religious but many Epicures and Atheists good worke reprobate they have a shew of godlinesse but have denyed the power thereof O vile times the worst that have beene ever since the creation of the world and if these dayes should not be shortned no flesh should be saved but for the Elects sake God hath shortned them We Tit. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Mat. 24. 22. Esa 58. 1. 1 Reg. 19. Mar. 3. had need crie aloud and not spare lift up our voices like trumpets For ordinary speaking hath no proportion with extraordinary sinning We cannot come to you as God came to Elias in a still wind in a soft voice we must have Stentors voice be like Iames and Iohn the sonnes of thunder The Heathen said of their infidels Plus amant bovem quā Iovem they love the oxe more than Iupiter we may say of many Christians Plus amant coenam quam coelum cibum quam Christum they love more their supper than heaven more their meat than Christ they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like lapwings that delight in dung like Vespatian who took a tribute of urine Many nations have lived without cloaths without King without armour but never any without God as Tullie said Nulla gens tamfera tamimmanis c. never nation was so wilde so cruell so barbarous but have acknowledged and confessed that there was a God Neere the river Ganges in India be men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without mouthes that live by the sent of flowers among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men without hearts that beleeve nothing Socrates said Hoc scio quod nihil scio I know this that I know nothing and they hoc credo quod nihil credo I beleeve this that I beleeve nothing they have set downe their rest Non esse Deum non esse daemonem non esse coelum non esse infernum there is no God there is no divell there is no heaven there is no hell and therefore they say Our life is short and tedious and in the death of a man there is no recovery neither was any knowne that have returned Wisd 2. 1 2 3. 4 5. from the grave wee are borne at all adventure and wee shall be hereafter as though we had never beene for the breath is as smoake in our nosthrills and the words as a sparke raised out of the heart which being extinguished the body is turned to ashes and the spirit vanisheth as in the soft ayre c. Come therefore let us enjoy the pleasures that are present c. These wilde Bores roote up the Lords vineyard these Foxes destroy the grapes these Ionas's trouble the ship of England For Christs Psal 80. 13 14. Church is Christs ship tossed with waves but let us runne with the Apostles and awake our Saviour that hee may hurle out Mat. 14. these Ionas's Thirdly the wicked are here described by their carnalitie and libertie they turne grace into wantonnesse for ungodlinesse hath two branches iniquitie in life and manners and impuritie in religion of the first he saith They turne grace into wantonnesse of the second it is said that they denied God and Christ Iesus Of the Act. 6. Rom. 8. first sort were the Libertines that disputed with Steven Paul had to doe with such hereticks vile men that said faciamus mala ut inde veniat bonum Let us doe evill that good may good come thereof Gods grace ought to lead to repentance Or let us be evill that God may be good let us commit iniquitie that Gods glorie may bee revealed let sinne abound that grace may superabound But their judgement is just and their damnation sleepeth not such are all presumptuous sinners Rom. 6. 1. that will sinne of purpose
man hath made to be esteemed but the bloud of Christ was so precious that as a Father saith Tanti quid valet what is Aug. of equall price with it The least drop of Christs bloud was of such value in regard of the person that it was able to redeeme tenne thousand worlds but lesse than Christs bloud could not redeeme one Soule And there were divers and sundry effusions of his bloud The first bloud he shed was at his Circumcision when hee was but De passione Dom. cap. 36. eight dayes old which S. Bernard cals Maturum martyrium a timely martyrdome to which end hee further addeth Vix natus est Coeli gloria Coeli divitiae deliciae dulcis Iesus ecce recenti ortui crucis dolor copulatur Scarce was sweet Iesus come into the world who was the Glory the Riches the Delight of Heaven but he underwent the painefulnesse of the Crosse The second effusion of bloud was in his Agony whereof Saint Bernard speaketh thus Ecce quam rubicundus quam totus rubicundus Behold how red and how wholly red hee is For Saint Luke affirmeth that his sweat was like Drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground The third effusion was at his whipping O cum quanta quantitate put as illum sanctissimum sanguinem è conscisso corpore flagellato distillassein terram Oh in what abundance thinke yee did the most sacred bloud of his powre downe from his torne and scourged body even to the ground The fourth effusion of bloud was when the crowne of thornes was despightfully clapt upon his head Nec hicputo defuisse rivos sanguinis saith Bernard nor can I thinke that at this time there wanted rivers of bloud The fifth and last effusion of bloud was upon the Crosse where his Hands and Feete and Side were pierced Quis unquaÌ„ tam gravia tam pudenda passus fuit who was ever thus cruelly Bern. and shamefully handled Contendunt passio charitas illa ut plus ardeat ista ut plus rubeat his passion and love did strive together that that it may be hotter this that it may bee the redder O suavissime universorum Domine c. O blessed Iesus the most gracious Lord and Saviour of all thy chosen how can I render thee As Christ gave himselfe for us so should we give our selves to him sufficient thankes For thy garment is dipt in bloud and the chastisement of my peace hath beene upon thee from the beginning of thy dayes unto thy death yea and after thy death Thus Christs bloud was often shed to redeeme us Heare this you that Apoc. 19. 13. make so small account of your soules and learne to esteeme them at a greater price Heare this you that are so carelesse of your sinnes and learne to shunne them as Hell heare wee this all of us and learne to be more thankefull to Christ for his benefits Persius wept when he saw a Toade and being asked why he wept hee answered that hee bewailed his ingratitude who served not the Lord that had made him a Man and not a Toade Christs face was buffeted his eyes were blinded his hands nayled his feet pierced his side launched that wee may give our eyes hands feet heart to Christ in his service that as wee have given our members weapons of unrighteousnesse unto sin so Rom. 6. 13. we should give our selves unto God as they that are alive from the dead and give our members as weapons of righteousnesse unto God Finely saith one O stulti cur Satanae in membris vestris servitis O yee fooles Why serve ye Satan in your members Ille non creavit non redemit non sanctificat nos non pascit nos hee hath not created us not redeemed not sanctified us nor feedeth us Quae haec insania Christum relinquere à quo omnia bona Diabolo servire qui est homicida what madnesse is this to leave Christ from whom we receive all good and to serve the Divell who is a murtherer Iohn 8. 44. Stultum est servire Diabolo qui nullo placatur obsequio It is a foolish thing to serve the Divell whom no obedience no service will content But the wicked shall one day curse these members that have served the Divell Vae vobis inquient pedes maledicti qui per gressus saltus illicitos me ad infernum traxistis woe to you shall Greg. they say cursed feet which by unlawfull leaping and dancing have drawne me to Hell Vae vobis manus rapaces woe to you ravenous hands Vae tibi cor maledictum woe to thee cursed heart which seldome or never thoughtest of God O cursed tongue which hath uttered so many obscene and filthy words O cursed eye which never sheddest teare for thy sinne and therefore many thousand yeares shalt thou weepe and no man shall pitty thee God challengeth both heart and body My sonne give mee thy heart Whereupon one descanteth very finely fili mi Mat. 22. 13. per creationem fili mi per redemptionem da mihi cor tuum per dilectionem Pro. 23. Holcot devotionem My Sonne by Creation my Sonne by Redemption give mee thy heart by Love and devotion And the same Author compareth Christ to a Falcon and hee saith thus Falconi volanticor datur pro mercede to the flying Falcon the heart of the Fowle shee taketh is given her for her reward this Falcon is Christ Ipse volavit de Coelo in uterum hee flew from Heaven into the Wombe of the Virgin out of the Wombe into the Manger out of the Manger into the World from the Christs passions ought to move us to dutifulnesse and thankefulnesse World unto the Crosse from the Crosse into the Grave from the Grave to Heaven againe Ergo cor vendicat pro praeda therefore hee challengeth â—hy heart for his prey And Saint Chrysostome that golden-mouthed Doctor bringeth in Christ thus speaking Ego propter vos factus sum homo propter vos ligatus propter Chrysost vos in patibulo mortuus ecce precium sanguinis quod pro vobis dedi ubi est ergo servitus vestra pro tanto pretio for your sakes I became man for your sakes was I bound for your sakes dyed I upon the Crosse Behold the price of bloud that I payed for you where is therefore your service and dutie for such a price your service to him that gave himselfe for you that hee might redeeme you Vide quid pro te patior vide dolorem cum Angelus venit de coelis ad consolandum vide clavos quibus confodior ad te clamo qui pro te morior See what I suffer for thy sake see my sorrow which was so great that an Angel from heaven was made to come to comfort mee See the nailes wherewith I was pierced and thrust through I crie to thee which died for thee c. A most elegant Prosopopeia What heart of flint
us unto an holy calling Not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given us through Christ Iesus before the World was It is true of all men that Christ said of his disciples non vos me elegistis yee have not chosen mee but I have chosen you yea God so preventeth us with his grace that hee findeth nothing past or to come whereby God chose us and bee reconciled unto us For who hath given unto him first that is provoked him by his good workes A lively example wee have in these two brethren Esau and Iacob both twinnes both inclosed in one wombe yet hee rejected the one and chose the other Non ex operibus not by workes but by him that calleth Deus coronat opera Rom. 9. 11. sua non merita nostra God crowneth his gifts not our merits Cui daret justus judex coronâ—â—â— nisi cui dedisset pater misericors indebitam gratiam To whom should the just Iudge give the crowne but unto whom the Father of Mercy giveth undeserved Grace And he addeth Ne dicas ideo electus sum quia credebam Aug. tract 86. in Iob. si enim credebas jam cum elegeras non ipse te sic judicium esset penos lutum non penes figulum Doe not say I am elected because I did beleeve for if thou diddest beleeve thou haddest now chosen him and not hee thee and so the Iudgement had beene in the power of the clay and not of the potter But heare what Christ saith Yee have not chosen mee but I have chosen you I say therefore with Saint Ambrose Iustitia nostra magis constat remissione peccatorum quam perfectione virtutum our righteousnesse consisteth more in the remission of our sinnes than in the perfection of our vertues Even as David declareth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose Psal 32. 1 2. sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne One Father saith thus when wee were not God made us when wee were sinners hee Iustified us when we were in prison hee freed us when wee were mortall hee glorified us Another Rom. 5. 1. Luke 4. 18. Rom. 8. 30. Father saith God by his Wisedome hath foreknowne us by his Gospell hee calleth us by his Faith hee justifieth us by his Iustice hee damneth us by his Grace he saveth us So that all is of his meere goodnesse and no cause to expostulate with God His Iudgements are just but yet secret Secret things saith Deut. 29. 29. Moses belong to the Lord our God but the things revealed belong unto Five signes of Election two internall us But if the Heavens declare the glory of God let us speake to his glory Secreta Dei sunt adoranda non scrutanda Secret things are to bee adored not searched It is not good to eate too Prov. 25. 27. much Hony so to search their owne glory is not glory It is reported of Augustine that being about to write his bookes of the Trinity hee was taught by a childe who laded the Sea into a little spoone to whom Augustine said that hee laboured in vaine for his little spoone could not containe the Sea To whom the child replied that his little Wisedome his shallow braine could not containe the depth of the Trinity But you will say how shall wee know our election that wee may bee comforted against all the assaults of Satan that wee may say with the sweet singer of Israel Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill for thou art Psal 23. with mee thy rod and thy staffe shall comfort mee And with Paul I 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. 8 have fought a good fight I have kept the Faith I have finished my course from hence forward there is laid up for mee a crowne of glory which the Lord will give mee at that day and not to mee onely but unto all them also that love his appearing I answere that no man can bee deceived in the state of his election but hee that deceiveth himselfe for wee may know whether wee stand in the state of Grace or no. Danaeus maketh Danaeus in Isagog five signes of election As the comming of the Swallow is a signe of the Spring as the putting forth of the figge-tree is a signe of Summer as the whitenesse of the region is a signe of Harvest So there bee many undoubted signes of our election 1 The first is the inward testimony of Gods Spirit the seale and earnest-penny of our Salvation For it is God that hath Sealed us and hath given us the Earnest of his Spirit in our 2 Cor. 1. 22. hearts The Apostle compareth the Word to a writing the Spirit to a seale that ratifieth all Clamat in nobis Abba the same Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. Luke 11. 11. Spirit beareth witnesse to our Spirit that wee are the children of God And because wee are Sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father And if God be our Father how can wee doubt of our inheritance If wee aske Fish he will not give us a Serpent If Heaven he will not give us Hell 2 The second signe is our faith which is knowne by the effects as the Eagle by her feathers as the tree of Life by the fruits of it Thus Paul bade the Corinths try their faith Prove your selves whether yee are in the Faith examine your selves c. Qui 2 Cor. 13. 5. credit salvabitur he that beleeveth shall bee saved and this faith may be knowne to us if wee will search our selves Christ asked Mar. 16. 16. Iohn 8. the woman taken in Adultery where her accusers were So aske thy heart where thy sinnes are and if thou doest beleeve it will say with the woman that they are all gone Qui enim credit transit Three externall signes of Election a morte ad vitam Hee that beleeveth in him is passed from death to life for all that are borne of God overcommeth the World And this is the victory that overcommeth the World even our Faith Iohn 3. 1 Iohn 5. 4. Hereupon Paul triumpheth over Death Hell Hunger Cold Nakednesse Perill Sword and concludeth That neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Power nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature Rom. 8. 38 39. shall bee able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 3 The third signe is the conformity of our will to Gods will to love that which God loveth and to hate that which God hateth therefore wee pray that Gods will may bee done on Earth as it is in Heaven He that doth the will of God shall abide Mat. 6. for ever
darkened the daughter of Sion in his Wrath that is brought her from prosperity to adversity so hath he darkened Northwalsham And as The Lord cast downe from Heaven Outward afflictions make way to repentance and mercy unto the earth the beauty of Israel that is hath given her a most sore fall so hath hee cast from Heaven to earth the beauty of Northewalsham And as the Lord destroyed the habitations of Iacob so hath hee your habitations and laid wast your dwelling places In the Lowe-Countryes when we see Cities burnt men slaine Churches ruinated Corne-fields Gardens and Orchards destroyed we say then the Spanyards have beene here So whosoever shall see Northwalsham burnt and consumed with fire as it is hee will say The Lord hath beene here The Lord hath done Lament 2. 17. that which he purposed hee hath throwne downe and not spared But Brethren comfort your selves God will receive you if yee will turne For hee is gracious and mercifull long-suffering Psal 103. and of great goodnesse hee will not alway bee chiding neither keepeth hee his wrath for ever Pray therefore with the Prophes Comfort us againe after the time that thou hast plagued Psal 90. 15. us and for the yeares wherein we have suffered aduersity and GOD will restore your losses It is as easye a matter for him to restore them as at the first to give them Thus Iob bare his losses patiently The Lord saith hee gave Iob. 1. 21. and the Lord hath taken away as it pleased the Lord so it is come to passe blessed bee the name of the Lord. Cyrill said of the Cyril Eunomians that they had taken away his goods from him but not Christ from him Augustine said that if GOD should give him all things that were not enough except GOD gave himselfe also to him and then hee had enough Weepe not Agar a well shall spring up in the wildernesse Feare not Sampson a jawe-bone shall slay a Aug. Gen. 21. 15. Iudg. 15. 1 Reg. 12. 1 Reg. 17. whose army of Philistines Die not Elias The Ravens shall bring thee flesh and bread Bee not discomforted widowe of Sarepta the meale in the barrell and the oyle in the cruse shall not waste Faynt not Iewes Five loaves shall Iohn 6. feede five thousand Feare not Daniel Abacucke shall bring thee meate from Iewry Feare not yee men of wallsham Dan. Exod. Ezra 4. God can encline the hearts of all the Countrey to doe you good as hee did the hearts of the Aegyptians to lende to Israell hee can reedifye your Towne as hee did Ierusalem by Nehemiahs Hee can restore your losses as hee did the losses of Iob that you shall be richer at the last than at the first Hee that commanded the whale to cast Ionas on the dry land after three daies hee that turned the rocke into a river and the Flint stone into a springing well Mat. 12. Nomb. 20. he that saved Paul in the depth of the Sea can save you and your goods and will if you rest upon him only rely on Act. 27. the Lord. My brethren know that his eye is not dimme his Esa 39. eare is not heavy his arme is not shortened his heart is not diminished God preserves them that rely on him if we turne to him Hee is rich to all that call upon him be not wanting to thy selfe in faith and God will not be wanting unto thee in help beleeve and throwe not your selves downe so Rom. 10. much The earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compasse of the world and they that dwell therein He made you rich when yee were Psal 24. poore and being poore he can make you rich againe Seeke his kingdome and the righteousnes thereof and all these earthly things shall be Mat. 6. 33. cast unto you THE SIXTEENTH SERMON VERS VIII Likewise notwithstanding these sleepers also defile the flesh and despise goverment Where reprehension doth not amend execration follows SAint Iude in these 8 9 10. and 11. Verses noteth three things First A description of the wicked Secondly A confutation Thirdly An execration For hee ariseth by degrees as the Eagle mounteth in her flight higher and higher So Inde from Description to Confutation from Confutation to Execration Hee proceedeth in the zeale of God as Iehu marched in his chariot valiantly like the fire that first smoaketh and then flameth like the Sunne that warmeth in the morning and burneth at noone tide so at last hee accurseth them woe to them quoth Iude Let them be written among the fooles let them be put out of the Booke of life neither let them be written with the righteous Let their table bee made a snare before them And their prosperitie their ruine let their eyes bee blinded that they see not and make their Psal 69. 22 23 24 25 27. Ioynes alwayes tremble powre out thy anger upon them and let thy wrathfull displeasure take them Let their habitation be voyd and none dwell in their tents lay iniquity upon their iniquity and let them not Three kindes of sleepers mentioned in Scripture come in thy righteousnesse Hee prayeth God with Ieremy to powre out his wrath upon them he desireth God with David to arise and scatter them to drive them away as smoke and as waxe melteth before the fire so they might perish and that God would Ier. 10. 25. Psal 69. 1 2. Psal 74. 11. withdraw his hand even his right hand out of his bosome and consume them Now for the description he painteth them out as Zeuxis did the Grapes that deceived the birds as Parrhasius did the sheete that deceived Zeuxis And first he calleth them sleepers Secondly defilers of the flesh Thirdly despisers of Government Fourthly Raylers speaking evill of them that are in authority Fifthly he noteth them to be envious like Caine. Gen. 4. Sixthly Rebellious like Corah Seventhly Covetous like Balaam Numh. 16. Cap. 16. 9. Thus as the Leopard hath many spots so had they many sins as Iosephs coat had many colours so had they many wickednesses Ier. 5. A vertice ad calcem non erat sanitas from toppe to toe there was no soundnesse but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruptions Esa 1. 4. they were a monstrous people A man may say of them as Virgil spake of Polipheme that one-eyed Gyant Monstrum horendum informe ingens cui lumen ademptum An huge shapelesse horrid monster without an eye For they had a monstrous body having a drowsie head a lecherous flesh a railing tongue a blasphemous ignorant mouth an envious eye a rebellious hand a covetous heart like Virgils Alecto â—ui nomina mille mille noâ—â—â—di artes that a thousand names a thousand wayes to doe mischiefe a strange body compact of vile members the head of an Asse the flesh of a Goat the tongue of a Serpent the eye of a Basiliske the hand of a Monkey
World for sinne The drowning of the old World the burning of Sodom the destruction of Ierusalem were assured tokens that the Lord would not put up the infinite iniquities of the World but will judge it and punishit the pleading of the Conscience foretelleth a judgement to come the sentence of of death pronounced in Paradise and renewed with such terrour on mount The Lord Iesus Christ shall iudge Sinai did evidently assure us that God meant to call men to judgement the lesser judgements in this life are fore-runners to this great and last judgement the dragging of men out of the World by death is nothing else but an Alarum to judgement God hath promised that there shall be a judgement I will contend with thee in iudgement saith God The nations shall see my iudgements saith God I will sit and iudge the people saith God Now all the promises of God are Yea and Amen so firmely ratified that Heaven and Earth shall passe away but his Word and promise shall not passe The day and the night may faile in their courses the Sunne and Moone may faile in their motions the Earth may faile and totter upon her props the Sea and Rivers may faile and bee emptied of their waters but the promises of God shall not faile God promised a floud and it came Et qui verus erat in diluvio cur non in iudicio He that performed it in the one why should he not performe it in the other The Iustice of God requireth that there shall be a judgement Hîc optimi pessimè agunt Here the best men are the worst used and most wronged Here Iezabel sits braving in a window whilest Ieremy lies sticking in the mud Here Dives sits in his palace cloathed richly faring daintily while Lazarus lies at his gates naked and hungry Here Herod will please Herodias though it be with the head of Iohn the Baptist Nonne visitabit haec shall not God visit come to iudgement for these things Certainly iudgement will come and then downe go the wicked and up the godly horrour hell and death shall be the doome of the wicked heaven ioy and life shall be the lot of the righteous Thus yee see there shall be a Iudgement I will passe on to the next Who shall be the Iudge in this Iudgement The Lord The Lord saith Enoch commeth with thousands of his Saints to give iudgement c. And in that the Lord shall be our Iudge there will be first rectum iudicium a right and true iudgement for the Lord is true and cannot faile either Ignorantia legis as not knowing the Law For he gave the Law and will iudge according to the Law nor yet Ignorantia facti as not seeing the fact for his seven eyes goe thorow the World Yee may interpret them if yee will seven thousand thousand eyes Zach. 4. Againe if the Lord bee the Iudge there will bee aequum iudicium his Iudgement will be righteous and good for Necerrat ipse nec sustinet errantem He can neither sinne himselfe nor yet indure a wilfull sinner wee cannot corrupt him he hath no need of our goods But when he saith The Lord shall be the Iudge and come to iudgement yee shall understand that this word Lord is taken sometime essentially and then it signifieth all the three persons in the Trinity and so it is taken in the Psalme The Lord even the most mighty hath spoken and called the round World c. And indeed in Christ shall iudge in his humanity respect of authority the whole Trinity shall be the Iudge but sometime this word Lord is taken personally and then it signifieth the second person in the Trinity as here in this my Text The Lord shall come to Iudgement For in respect of the execution of this iudgement Christ alone shall iudge And why Christ And not the Father and the Holy Ghost First because Saint Iohn tells us The Father hath given all iudgement to the Sonne Iohn 5. And as Saint Bernard expounds the words non ut Filius suus sed ut Filius Hominis not as hee is the Sonne of God but as hee is the Sonne of the blessed Virgin borne in the world 2. The Sonne iudgeth and not the Father because it best befitteth a King to iudge his owne subiects and we are now the immediate subiects of the Sonne Indeed in our creation wee were absolutely the subjects of God but by rebelling against God we became the slaves and vassals of the Divell and not the subjects of God yet now being redeemed from death and from him that hath the power of death the Divell by the precious bloud of the Sonne of God we are become the subjects of the Sonne not that this is to be understood Exclusive as excluding from the worke of our redemption the Father and the Holy Ghost sed AppretiativeÌ„ as the Schoolemen speake but because the price of our redemption was paid by the Sonne and not by the person of the Father or Holy Ghost and in that the Sonne did sustinere poenas undergoe our punishment et procurare praemia purchase our reward hee must dispensare praemia poenas both dispose of our punishment and reward But forasmuch as there be two natures in Christ the Divine and humane it may be questioned in what forme or Nature hee shall iudge Saint Augustine answereth Eadem forma iudicabit te qua sub Iudice sâ—etit pro te In the same nature he shall iudge thee wherein he stood before the Iudge for thee he shall iudge us not as God but as man according to that in the Gospell Yee shall see the Sonne of Man not of God but of Man comming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Veniet qui Deus non qua Deus he that shall iudge us is God but he shall not iudge us as he is God Vrsinus in his Catechisme pag. 451. giveth three reasons of this Quia per eum Mediatorem glorificanda est Ecclesia per quem iustificata est because the Church is to bee glorified by that Mediator by which she was iustified SecundoÌ„ ob consolationem nostram dum scimus illum fore Iudicem qui redimit nos est enim frater noster caro nostra Secondly for our comfort to give us to understand that he shall bee our Iudge which redeemed vs and is our brother and our flesh Tertio propter iustitiam Dei quia filium hominis contumelia affecerunt Thirdly for the Iustice of God because the Sonne of Man hath beene much reproched with many contumelies and slanders If any man will object that Christ saith That Though Christ shall come in humanity yet with power and great glory he came not to iudge the World but to save the World I answere that these words are not to be understood of his second but of his first comming into the World then indeed he came to save the World but now to iudge the
Tim 3. Mar. 10. Iohn 8. Iudg. 3. Iudg 15. words and in workes this is both to have a shew of godlinesse the power of godlines this is to have both leaves fruit this is to be a true child of Abraham We read of the strength of Shamgar who slew six hundred men with an Oxe goad of Samson who slew a whole Army of the Philistines with a jaw bone of David who smote down a Giant with a pibble stone of Hercules 1 Sam. 17. who overcame a Lion and a Beare and threw downe the birds of Stinphalida and put downe an Amazon a mighty warrior and cut off the head of Hydra but as Lactantius said Lib. 1. cap. 9. these are nothing hee is a stronger man who overcommeth his wrath than hee that overcommeth a Lion he that treadeth under his desires than hee that casteth downe Birds and ravenous fowles he that suppresseth his lust than he that suppresseth the Amazons Hercules for all his strength was a slave to Omphale and sate spinning in a womans attire at her feete with a Rocke and a Distaffe He that is slow to anger is better than a mighty man and hee that ruleth his owne minde is better than hee that winneth a Prov. 16. 32. Citie We are desirous to know the state of our Salvation our Election and Glorification Let us then beginne where God beginneth at the renouncing of our lusts For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and Tit. 2. 12. worldly lusts None can looke for the blessed hope but they that have denyed ungodlinesse worldly lusts None can say There is layd up for mee a crowne of righteousnesse but such as can say I have fought a good fight except they have striven against 2 Tim. 4. 7. their lusts Election is a thing revealed by steps As therefore it is madnesse to a man that climbeth a ladder to labour to set his foot at the first step on the highest step of the Ladder but to beginne at the lowest and so goe to the highest Paul maketh these steps Vocation Iustification Sanctification Glorification Rom. 8. so that if I would come to Glorification the highest step and is in Heaven with God then must I beginne at the lowest step But to prosecute this worthy point farther If I be called of God then am I justified if justified then am I sanctified if sanctified now then shall I be glorified hereafter Paul saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Yea but who Rom. 8. are those Which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit So then if I would know whether I be in Christ Iesus or no I must looke how I walke how I tame the flesh and the lusts of it If I finde that God in mercy hath wrought in me a change a hatred of sinne a love of vertue a zeale to his Gospell a care of his Glory a quenching of my lusts and concupiscence then is the conclusion inferred I am in Christ Iesus I am elected Thus wee If no sanctification no assurance of glorification make our election sure to our selves as the Apostle counselleth us Make your election and calling sure by good works it is known to God before the foundations of the World were laid but it is knowne to us by the effect of it so that still our rule holdeth Rom. 8. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 10. If we will know whether wee bee elected to live in Heaven with God we must ever looke how we lead our lives in earth with men Wee must give all diligence joyne vertue godly manners with our Faith and with Vertue Knowledge and with Knowledge 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. Temperance and with Temperance Patience and with Patience Godlinesse with Godlinesse Brotherly kindnesse and with Brotherly kindnesse Love For if these things be among us and abound they will make that wee shall not bee idle nor unfruitfull in the knewledge of our Lord Iesus Christ If these things bee then are wee happy if God hath changed us from carelesse to careful men and women from drinking riot whoredome prophanenesse to holinesse of life then are wee Gods then Heaven is ours Now live like a Christian among men and ever live like a Saint among the Angels of Heaven But now live in sinne in lusts and pleasures follow the flesh and then rot in the reward of it goe to the Divell and his angels the end of these thing is death I pray you Rom. 6. therefore as you love your life with God another day and assurance of it to your soules in this world Give your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God and fashion not your selves according Rom. 12. 1 2. to this World but bee yee changed by the renewing of your minde and whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whosoever things are pure whatsoever things pertaine to Phil. 4. 8. love whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue or if there bee any praise thinke on these things This desire is the fruit of our life and there is not in the world a better portion This we have chosen and in this we will dwell untill the fulnesse of time that we shall say in our course Nunc dimittis Lord now let thy servant depart in peace These shall assure us that we are the Lords cared Luk. 2. for heere and elected else-where to live with him for ever THE THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XIX These are makers of Sects naturall men having not the Spirit Sectaries cause division in the Church AS before in the former verse he called them Mockers walkâ—ng after their owne ungodly lusts so here he calleth them Sectaries not keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace not remembring that there is Ephes 4. 3 4. but one body one Spirit one faith one God and Father over all which is above all and in us all But these Sectaries set Altar against Altar and cut in sunder Christs seamelesse coate they divide Christ Such were the Corinthians one said I am Pauls another I am Apollos a third I am Cephas a fourth I am Christs Is Christ divided This dividing of Christ 1 Cor. 1. 12. is a signe that men are carnall unregenerate so reasoneth the Apostle Yee are carnall for whereas there is among you envying and 1 Cor. 3. 3 5. strife and divisions are yee not carnall and walke as men Who is Paul And who is Apollos but ministers by whom yee beleeved There was a rough Altar in Ierusalem to note the imperfection of the law and there was but one Altar to note the unity of the Church Well Exod. 27. said Ierome Meum propositum est antiquos legere singula probare tenere Iorome quae bona sunt à fide Ecclesiae Catholicae non recedere My purpose is to
increase in it Hereupon the Apostles prayed unto the Lord Increase our faith habent enim omnes virtutes suas conceptiones nativitates incunabula aetatis incrementa all vertues have Luke 17. 5. their conceptions births infancies increasings Hereupon Paul exhorteth the Iewes of Thessalonica To increase more and more Our progresse in Religion is compared to building in this Verse 1 Thess 4. 1. 1 Cor. 9. 24. and to a race 2 Pet. 3. 18. Ephes 4. 14. Pro. 4. 18. Cant. 6. 9. To the growth of trees To the ages of men To the morning light To the Moone which waxeth All which note a progresse in Christianity houses are edified from the foundation to the wals from the wals to the roofe in a race men runne on to the goale trees grow bigger and bigger men waxe taller and higher the morning light is brighter and brighter untill the noone day the Moone waxeth so must Christians we must neither stand still in Religion nor goe backward wee must not stand still in Religion like the Sunne in Gibeon nor goe backe like Ahaz his Diall but wee must goe forward it is not enough to keepe one talent but we must gaine by Mat. 25. 28. it like good land that giveth not his owne seed but much more as well was he punished that hid his talent as hee that spent his Luke 16. masters goods riotously to stand still in Religion is all one as Good men grow better dayly to goe backward Non progredi est regredi not to goe forward is to goe backward but truly the man who hid his talent is better than wee For wee cannot shew that love and that zeale that knowledge that hath beene in us in times past The Church of Ephesus lost her first love but I would that our Churches were like it they hated the evill wee hate the good they examined the Apoc. 2. 4. Luk 12. 45. false apostles wee examine none they suffered persecution we persecute others we smite our fellow servants Iulian the Christian is become Iulian the Apostata Simon Peter is become Simon Magus Ioseph is become Pharao Lambes are turned into dogges doves into serpents Wee have bene idle in the Lords vineyard Mat. 20. not one houre but eleven houres as the Master and Owner of the vineyard said unto the men whom hee found standing doing nothing in the market stead Why stand yee here idle So may God say to us Quare statis otiosi in Ecclesia Why stand yee here idle in the Church Wee have stood still with the figge-tree not three yeeres but threescore yeeres I feare me God will say to us as of the figge-tree Never fruit grow on thee hereafter so to Mat. 11. 14. us Never Faith never love never knowledge bee in thee hereafter It is a principle in Divinity a Maxime in that art that good men goe forward waxe better For such as bee planted in the house of Psal 92 13 14. the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God they shall bring forth more fruit in their age they shall bee fatte and well liking They are like the Cypres-tree that bringeth most fruit when it is an hundred yeere old like the Eagle that reneweth her age like the Hart that reneweth his strength by snuffing up a snake into his nosthrils Every branche saith our Saviour that beareth Iohn 13. 2. not fruit in me hee taketh away and every one that beareth fruit hee purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Wee must bee as the Sunne when hee riseth in his might wee must increase and grow in goodnesse and so daily more and more in Gods favour we must Iudg. 5. 31. Cant. 6. 9. looke forth as the morning we must be faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an army with banners For though our gifts and graces be small at the first yet we must grow up and increase more and more our ditch must become a flood and our flood a sea For as Salomon saith A wise-man will heare and increase Ecclesiast 24. 35. in learning and a man of understanding will attaine to wise counsels yea and further hee affirmeth Give admonition to the Wise and he will be the wiser teach a righteous man he will increase in learning Examples Pro. 1. 5. we have in the Church of Thiatyra of whom Christ speaketh Pro. 9. 9. thus I know thy works thy love and thy service and thy faith and thy patience and thy workes and that they are more at the last then at the Apoc. 21. 19. first Another principle is that the evill decease they are ever learning and never come unto the knowledge of the truth like the Almond-tree 2 Tim. 3. 7. that is soonest blossomed and soonest blasted they We are most of us non-proficients in plenty of meanes goe backward Yea and they proceed from evill to worse Wee grow in yeeres but doe we grow in grace and knowledge as S. Peter exhorteth saying Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ We draw neere unto our graves but doe wee Esa 1. 4. Ier. 9. 3. 2 Pet. 3. 18. draw neerer God and heaven Alas there bee more dunses and non-proficients and bankerupts in religion then in all trades and artes of the world besides wee creepe like snailes wee glide like wormes wee goe like the messenger of ill newes slowly Wee learne little wee know little wee doe little if in forty yeeres to come we learne no more then in forty yeeres past our graves will meete with us in the way and it will bee too late to learne when wee are come into the land of darkenesse and place where all things are forgotten Will God shew a miracle to the dead or shall the Psal 88. 10 11. 12. deadrise and praise God Shall his loving kindnesse bee declared in the grave or his faithfulnesse in destruction Shall his wonderous works bee knowne in the darke and his righteousnesse in the land of oblivion We may say with the Apostle that whereas concerning the time wee Hebr. 12. 5. ought to bee teachers wee our selves had need to be taught the first principles of the Word of God for we are such as have need of milke not of strong meate Alas wee are still children still at our milke still in our A. B. C. still in the Crosse-row of Divinity for what know wee now that wee knew not tenne twentie thirty forty yeeres agoe We are like the women that Paul speaketh of Alwayes learning and never comming to the knowledge 2 Tim. 3. 7. of the truth like Tantalus that perished for thirst in the middest of the waters and wee in the middest of doctrine as yet we are in the doctrine of beginnings of Christ nay wee have not begun yet for of Faith Repentance Baptisme Imposition of Hebr. 6. hands and of the Resurrection of
of the riches and wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearcheable are his judgements and his wayes past finding â—ut Yea so wise a God is hee that deprehendit astutos in astutia that hee taketh the wilie and subtill in their craft and subtiltie nay there is no Wisedome there is no understanding there is no Counsell against the Lord. Let us Prov. 21. alwayes then submit our selves to this onely wise God who knoweth how to deliver us out of temptation and trouble and to 2 Pet. 2. punish the wicked for with him is wisedome and strength hee hath counsell and understanding Iob 21. 22. I am come unto the second title and that title is that hee calleth him a Saviour yea our Saviour a title of great comfort hee is able to save us hee is willing to save us what now is wanting to our full consolation There is power there is will in him to save us upon these two pillars resteth our faith So Saint Peter comforted the dispersed Church for having shewed how that through the aboundant mercy of our God wee are elect and regenerate to a lively hope and how faith must bee tried hee commeth at last to this salvation here spoken of and telleth them that they shall one day receive the end of their faith even the salvation of their soules The which salvation in Christ is no new thing but a thing prophesied of old salvation is the thing that wee all long for for there is none so wicked but he would bee saved and no salvation but in Christ There is no other name given unto men by which they shall bee saved save onely by the name of Act. 4. 12. Iesus hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour so called at his birth This day is Luke 2. 11. borne a Saviour which is Christ the Lord so named before his birth Thou shalt call his name Iesus for bee shall save his people from their Mat. 1. 21. sinnes And thus called after his birth and Ioseph called his name Iesus a title knowne in Heaven honoured in Earth and feared in Hell He is a Saviour a powerfull Saviour when he Mat. 1. 25. was weakest then did he the greatest works that ever were done hee was powerfull in his life in doing miracles in giving sight Christ is properly called the Saviour to the blind eares to the deafe tongues to the dumbe legges to the ame life to the dead O but more powerfull at his death in saving the world For then the Sunne was darkened the earth trembled the stones clave in pieces the graves opened the dead raised his death reached to Heaven to earth to Hell the Angels rejoyced the Divels trembled and all men were comforted Let Satan boast like Rabsache that God cannot deliver Ierusalem out of his hands that God cannot deliver the elect from his power he is a lier the God of peace shall tread him under our feete shortly our Michael hath cast downe the Dragon we may sing the â—o Paean the joyfull triumph with the Saints Now is salvation in Heaven and strength and the Kingdome of God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is throwne downe which accused them day and night before God and they overcame him with the blood of the Lambe For indeed Christs death was our life his sacrifice our satisfaction Lact. his labour hath eased our burthens his wounds our curing his stripes our healing his curse our blessing his damnation our absolution Finely saith one Thou art sicke hee is the Physician of thy soule yea dead in sinne hee is thy Saviour and reviver thou art starved through sinne hee is the bread of life thou art thirsty hee is the water nay dead with thirst hee is the ever-springing well the River of Paradise one drop whereof is more than all the Ocean The Graecians for an earthly deliverance by Flaminius cried so loud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the earth gave an Eccho and a rebound that their cry made the Fowles of the ayre to fall downe dead their voice and shoute was as the sound of a thunder how much more cause have wee to reioice in the Lord Iesus who saveth both body and soule and delivereth from dangers of this life and the life to come The Angels sung at his birth Glory be to God on bigh Luk. 2. in earth peace good will towards men No tongues of men or Angels are able to expresse this benefit it is a greater my stery than so for so the Apostle confesseth saying Without controversy great is the mystery of godlines which is God is manifested in the flesh justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentils beleeved on in the world and received up in glory Moses saved Israel from Pharao Christ saveth us from the Divell hee from Aegypt Christ from hell hee brought them into the land of Chanaan Christ will bring us Exod. 12. Col. 1. into heaven hee sprinkled the dore posts with the blood of the Lambe Christ our hearts with his owne blood The Papists are injurious to Christ and breake in upon his titles and offices making him either no Saviour or else but a little Saviour in ascribing salvation to Agnus Dei to the blood of Martyrs to Crosses Masses Papists doe as much incroch upon Christ as the Turkes doe they will not acknowledge election justification to come from grace as a right Popish doctrine tends to the disgracing of Grace Father but from workes a stepmother all their doctrine savours of pride blaspheming grace and the worke of grace Note their doctrines de igniculis virtutum insitis à natura of sparkes of vertue grafted in us by nature de gratia operante cooÌ„perante of operating and cooÌ„perating grace de puris naturalibus of pure naturals they will not suffer any body to call God Father and yet is hee the Father of Mercies and God of all 2 Cor. 1. 3. comfort The Church of Rome saith That all the actions of men unregenerate bee not sinne that originall sinne needeth no repentance that a man by meere naturals may love God feare God and beleeve in Christ that a regenerate man may fulfill the whole Law as said the Trident Councell that wee may doe works of supererogation Et quid nunc relinquitar Christe Iesu And what is now left for Christ Iesus The Iesuites aske Why is it not as honorable for God as great glory to powre in an inherent righteousnesse into us as to give us a reputed or imputed righteousnesse But so they may aske Why God kept not Adam from falling Had it not bene as honorable to have kept him from falling No no for then wee had not knowne the sweetnesse of the Messiah So it may seeme as honorable Gen. 3. 15. for God to have kept us from sicknesse but then we had not knowne the goodnesse of the Physician
No peace to the wicked in which we fall from the Lord of life One day in thy Courts saith David is better than a thousand other where I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse Sed impiis non est pax there is no peace unto the wicked their hearts never rest they are never quiet their sinne lyeth at the doores Esa 57. 20. Gen. 4. 7. alwayes dogging them and ever ready to pull out the very throat of their soules As good men have the first fruits of the Spirit and certaine tastes of heavenly joyes in this life So on the contrarie the wicked have certaine flashings of hell-flames on earth and are as the sea which alwayes rageth and never resteth And as the good man when he dyeth bequeatheth his body which is earthly to the earth and sinnes which are divellish unto the Divell and his goods that are worldly to the world and his soule that is heavenly to heaven So the wicked when he dyeth bequeatheth his goods to the world his body to the earth his soule to the Divell But some will say The wicked are merry and quiet none so merrry as they they sing like birds in May like Nightingales in a cleare night I must distinguish and say that some wicked are blockish and senselesse like swine their consciences are seared like dead flesh Mat. 7. 6. 1 Tim. 4. 2. others are desperate having an hell in their conscience trembling like Agag but yet both states damnable For is the fish that skippeth in the net or the bird that singeth in the snare or the prisoner that is merry in the iayle in any good case No 1 Sam. 13. 1 Thes 5. 3. Esa 9. 6. Ephes 2. 17. no Even so is it with the wicked when They crie peace peace sudden destruction shall come upon them as upon a Woman in travell But there is peace to the godly Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds c. Christ is their peace Pacem Evangelizavit iis qui prope iis qui procul he preached peace unto them that are neare and unto them that are afarre off To this end he died rose againe ascended into heaven the first was the lowest step of his humiliation in earth the second the highest steppe of his exaltation in earth the third the highest steppe of his glorification in heaven In the first he suffered in the second he conquered in the third he triumphed the first tooke away sinne and destroyed death and him that had the Lordship of Death The second brought Righteousnesse for he rose againe for our justification The third Heb. 2. 14. Rom. 4. 25. bringeth glory and all to this end to make peace between God and man Thirdly peace is taken for prosperitie and happy successe of all things as in the Psalme O pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall Psal 122. 6. prosper that love thee peace be within thy walls and plenteousnesse be within thy palaces Peace and plentie are here Synonymies the one openeth the other he prayeth for plentifull peace or peaceable plentie God hath promised his Church this peace saying The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods in the fruit of thy body in the Prosperitie is termed peace fruit of thy cattell in the fruite of thy ground the Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure even the Heaven to give raine unto thy land in due season and to blesse all the workes of thy hands thou shalt lend to many Deuter. 28. 11 12 13. nations and not borrow thy selfe The Lord shall make thee the head and not the taile thou shalt be above only not beneath c. Iacob blessing Iudas saith That he shall bind his Asse fole to the Vine his Asses colt to the best Vine he shall wash his garments in wine his Cloake with the Gen. 49. 11 12. blood of the grape that is he shall have all prosperitie and this prosperitie Iude wisheth unto them saying peace be multiplied upon you Esay prophecied of the wealth and abundance of the Church saying Thou shalt sucke the milke of the Gentiles and shalt Esa 60. 16 17. sucke the brests of Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy redeemer the mightie one of Iacob For brasse I will bring gold and for Iron I will bring thee silver and for stones Iron I will also make thy government peace and thine exactors righteousnesse violence shall no more be heard in thee neither desolation nor destruction c. And God wisheth that his Church had hearkened to his commandements Then had thy prosperitie beene as the Flood and thy righteousnesse as the Waves of the Sea In six evils God would have delivered Esa 48. 18. Iob. 5. Psal 65. 11. Mal. 3. Iob. 1. Gen. 26. 1 Reg. 10. 27. it the clouds shall droppe fatnesse upon it God would open the windowes of heauen and powre downe a blessing with plenteousnesse God hath inriched the members of his Church in all ages as Iob in Huz Isaac in Gerar Salomon in Israel who had silver as stones Yea this peace and plentie is proper and peculiar to the Church onely to the godly the wicked have no right nor interest in the blessings of the earth For the elects sake God made Gen. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Iohn 3. Mar. 13. Apo. 6. Rom. 8. the world For them he enriched it for them he redeemed it for their sakes he preserveth it for their sakes hee deferreth his comming to judge this world That the wicked enjoy ayre fire water let them thanke the godly who are coheires with Christ in all things the wicked are usurpers intruders into all Gods blessings they have no right to any furrow or foot of land The faithfull only are coheires with Christ in whose right they are invested into all the benefits of this life Thou art no more a servant but a Sonne saith Paul now if thou be a Sonne those art also the heyre of Gal. 4. 7. God through Christ As a bastard hath no inheritance among the legitimate Children So the wicked as bastards have no inheritance among the faithfull They may say of God and heaven as the tenne Tribes said of David and his Kingdome What portion have we in David we have no inheritance in the Sonne of Ishai So they have no portion in heaven no inheritance in the Sonne of God Christ Iesus they are Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant and promise But the godly have right and interest in earth and heaven also In their elder brother Christ Iesus heaven is theirs heaven and earth is theirs land and sea are theirs yea all theirs men and Angels are subject unto them Prosperitie oft hurt to the Church All things are ours saith the Apostle whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World
in dishes after the manner of an Alphabet like Bonosus who as one saith was borne not to live but to drinke like Tiberius Nero called Biberius Mero like Iezabel that painted her face wee powre out our selves in all excesse of riot and so turne all grace to wantonnesse But let us thinke it sufficient for us that we have spent the time past of this life after the lusts of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse in gluttonie 1 Pet. 4. 3. 4. drinkings and in abominable Idolatrie Wherein it seemeth to them strange that yee runne not with them unto the same excesse of riot c. They be vile creatures that are unkinde to their Sires as the Hippotamos of Nilus that eateth his damme as the Pelicane that sucketh the heart-blood of the old one as the wilde Asse that kicketh her damme as the Viper that eateth out the belly of the old one and such be we God may say of us as Ieremie of the Ier. 5. 7. Iewes I have fed them to the full yet they committed adulterie and assembled themselves by companies in harlots houses They rose up in the morning like fed horses every man neyed after his neighbours wife Here I have to deale with two sortes of men the first are they that refuse the grace gifts goodnes of the Lord in the land of the living Such were the Stoickes that would enjoy no more than they could carry with them they said with Bias Omnia mea mecum porto All that is mine I carry with me that with Crates hurled their silver into the Sea Such were the Essenes in Christs time that had a bed but a span-broad that strawed thornes under them lest they should sleep too long Such were the Hermites in the primitive Church as Antonie Macarius Paulus Thebaeus Hilarion Such were the Monks in Ieromes dayes of whom he maketh three kindes Anchorites Caenobites and the Enobites which fled all company Oppidum illis erat carcer the towne was their prison solitudo autem erat Paradisus the wildernesse was their paradise their bread was acornes their drinke water their meate rootes their bed cold ground Biberunt non è calice sed è concha they dranke not out of a cup but out of a shell Amicti erant non pannis sed pellibus they were clad not with cloth but with skinnes such were our Fryers that professed wilfull poverty such were women the Anchoresses that had no more ground than they scraped with their nayles but God hath given the earth and the fruits thereof to the Sonnes of men So saith the Psalmist The Heavens even the Heavens are the Lords but he hath given the earth to Psal 115. 16. the Sonnes of men It is as lawfull to enjoy the creatures of God as to live The wicked eate the bread of wickednesse and drinke the Pleasure oft ends with sudden destructiō drinke of violence which is unlawfull but to eate the bread of righteousnesse and to drinke the wine well got is lawfull Many are theeves both to their backs and bellies and unthankfull Prou. 4. 17. unto God but so must not wee Christ was present at the Iewes feasts he came Edens bibens eating and drinking therefore they said that he was Edax bibax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if Luk. 7. 34. he had surfeited wee are the heires of heaven and coheires with Christ and have right in all the creatures of God all is ours heaven is ours heaven and earth is ours if thy garments be silke 1 Cor. 3. thou maiest put them on if thy table be furnished with meate thou maiest eate what thy stomacke craveth if thy Hounds will take the beasts of the land or thy Hawk the fowles of the aire thou maiest doe it I speake not to justifie the abuse of the world that have turned all into riot and usurped upon al the creatures of God with such men or monsters rather I meddle not but in the sinne wherein I found them in that I leave them I speake only of the recreation that God hath given unto his Saints in this wearie life From the heavens in the Sunne Moone and Starres from the ayre in fowles and birds some made for meate some for mirth from the earth in trees fruits and flowers and hearbs some made for necessitie some for pleasure as seeing and smelling from the Sea in variety of fishes Whereupon the Prophet exclaimeth saying O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches so is the great and Psal 104. 24. wide Sea also wherein are things creeping innumerable both small beasts and great If by faith thou art made a member of Christ his right is thine in all the creatures of the world and in his name and to his glory thou maiest use them But we are not troubled with Stoikes Essenes Hermites Monkes Fryers Anchoresses c. but with Epicures qui ducunt dies in bonis subitò descendunt ad infernum which a learned man englisheth thus They sleepe soundly and drinke profoundly and goe to the Divell roundly and that is no lye For they live waxe fat and grow in wealth their seede is established in their sight Iob 21. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. with them and their generation before their eyes their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not upon them their bullcoke gendreth and faileth not their Cow calveth and casteth not her calfe They send forth their children like sheep and their sonnes dance they take the tabret and the harpe and rejoyce in the sound of the organes they spend their dayes in wealth and sodenly they goe downe to the grave Their throates are sepulchers their stomacks sponges their bellies graves their hands talons their fingers loadstones they eate with Ceres and drinke with Bacchus and sport with Venus Apollo must tickle their eares with the Lute the Muses must sound in that service the Graces must waite on their trencher Ganimede must fill them the cup they are sorry that their patrimonies are Voluptuous mens practises described no larger their bellies no wider their throats no deeper their lives no longer that they might live still in all pleasure So that the saying of S. Iames may be verified in them Yee have lived in Iam. 5. 5. pleasure on the earth and in wantonnesse yee have nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter They wish with Philopenus a necke as long as a Cranes necke that they may feele the sweetnesse of their meate a long time in their companie is the tabret harpe lute and a paire of cards sooner than the New Testament and as the Prophet speaketh The harpe the viall the timbrell and pipe and wine Esa 5. 12. are in their feasts they regard not the workes of the Lord neither consider the worke of his hands God calleth them to prayer fasting mourning
will not be moved with it O Iesu take away these stony hearts and give us fleshly hearts O duri indurati obdurati filii Adae O durate indurate and obdurate sonnes of Adam quos non movet tanta benignitas whom such great gentlenesse and courtesie cannot move Let us sorrow with Corinth wash Christs feet with Mary let us weepe bitterly 2 Cor. 7. with Peter that wee serve God no better The Sunne knew Christ and therefore against kind was eclipsed the wind knew Luke 7. Mar. 15. Mar. 2. Mat. 14. Mat. 28. Iohn 1. 10. him and therefore left blustring at his word the Sea knew him and therefore bare him up that hee walked drie foote upon the waters the Earth knew him and therefore opened when hee rose the Divels knew him onely vile man knoweth him not Hee came among his owne and his owne received him not but let us receive him and serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse let us obey his commandements feare his judgements and submit our selves 1 Sam. 3. 18. to his blessed will and pleasure saying with Eli It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good THE TENTH SERMON VERS IV. Which were of old before ordained to this condemnation c. Destruction the end of the the ungodly HAving thus described the wicked Which were before of old ordained to condemnation by their life hee commeth now to describe them by their end and here hee preventeth an objection by a figure called Praeoccupatio lest they should take offence and say why doth God suffer these wicked men Hypocrites Atheists Wantons Libertines Blasphemers why doe they prosper why is pride unto them as a chaine why doe the wicked live Psal 73. 6. Iob 21. 7 8. 9 10 11 12 13. and waxe old and grow in wealth their seede is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eyes their houses are peaceable and without feare and the rod of God is not upon them their Bullocke gendreth and faileth not their Cow calveth and casteth not her calfe they send forth their Children like Sheepe and their sonnes dance they take the Tabret and Harpe and reioyce in the sound of the Organs they spend their dayes in wealth and suddenly they goe downe to the grave Iude answereth them That God hath ordained them to Iudgement Fret not thy selfe therefore because of the ungodly neither Psal 37. 1. bee envious for evill doers For they shall soone be cut downe as the grasse and withered like the greene hearbe Here they fare well here they have cappe and knee and all the honour that may bee but Respice finem they walke upon ice in the end they fall For evill doers shall bee cut off yea the armes of the wicked shall be broken the Psal 37. 9 10. 20. wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall bee consumed as the fat of Lambs even with the smoke shall they consume away Looke not therefore to their lives but to their end their end is damnation The enemies of Gods Church and Children shall not long flourish For tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soule that doth evill In the end God will raine upon them fire brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke Wheat and Chaffe goe together till they come to the flaile but then the wheat is reserved and the chaffe burned Sheepe and Goats goe together Rom. 2. 9. Psal 11. 6 7. Mat. 3. 12. Mal. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 1. Deut. 32. 19. till they come to the fold but then they are separated Gold and Drosse goe together till they come to the Fornace but then the Gold is the purer and the Drosse is moulten Respice ergo finem looke not unto their lives but unto their end O that they were wise then they would understand this they would consider their latter end For surely the prosperity of the wicked shall not continue it shall have an end and their hope shall be cut off God Prov. 24. 19. hath appointed them to Iudgement they shall have no inheritance in the Kingdome of God Thou seest Pharaoh in his Chariot Exod. 14. pursuing Israel but looke againe and thou shalt see him in the Sea feeding Haddockes Thou seest Nebuchadnezzar in his Palace of Babel vaunting and bragging Is not this great Babel that I have built for the use of my Kingdome by the might of Dan. 4. 27. my power and for the honour of my Majestie but looke againe and thou shalt see him in the wildernesse amongst brute beasts Thou seest Herod in his Throne honoured as an Angell but looke againe and thou shalt see him on the ground amongst Act. 12. wormes Thou seest Dionysius in his Chaire of Gold in Siracusa but looke againe and thou shalt see him in Corinth teaching Boyes tossing a Scepter inferulam A Christian must not bee like Polipheme the one-eyed Giant If with one eye wee see Damocles in a bed of Gold with the other eye wee shall see a Sword hang over him in a haire to dash that pleasure If thou lookest on the prosperity of the wicked looke on his end also which is Damnation Antiochus shall not ever make havoke of the Church the rich man shall not ever ruffle in Silke and purple Senacherib 2 Mach. 9. Luke 16. shall not ever raile on the daughter Sion Sapor of Persia shall not ever bee drawne in a Chariot by foure Kings there will be an Prov. 23. 18. end there will bee an end and their hope shall bee cut off They here used more the Greeke word signifieth noted or written in a booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a phrase often used The Prophet Mal. 3. 16. Malachi useth it saying Then spake they that feared God and the Lord harkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared God and thought upon his name And Christ our Savior useth the very phrase saying Rejoyce not that the Luke 10. 20. spirits are subdued unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven And Saint Iohn useth also the same phrase I saw the dead both small and great stand before the throne and the bookes Apoc. 20. 12. were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of Life And againe the same phrase is used in the description of the heavenly Ierusalem And there shall enter into it no uncleane thing neither whatsoever worketh abomination or Iyes but they which are Gods decree hath two parts Election Reprobation not to be enquired into written in the Lambes booke of Life Not that God needeth any Booke for this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our capacitie For hee is God onely wise in him are hid all the treasures of Wisedome Knowledge and Vnderstanding hee knoweth all from everlasting and is the cause of all the Knowledge that is in all both
the old world there were but eight beleevers but two Iosua and Caleb and in Christs time we read but of an hundred and twenty beleevers As Aegypt was full of lice Nilus full of Crocodyles Golgotha full of dead mens skulls so is the world full of Infidells He destroyed them that beleeved not And hence commeth it to passe that so many are damned even because they want faith Perditio tua ex te ô Israel thy destruction commeth of thy selfe ô Israel Ex nobis quod damnamur It is of our selves that wee bee damned blame not God but thine owne infidelity For all things Hos 13. Man 5. are possible to them that doe beleeve And therefore Hemingius in his Enchiridion distinguisheth of the word that There is Duplex verbum Damnans Salvans That there is a double word a Damning and a Saving word The damning word is the Law the saving word is the Gospell The Law offereth grace to them that doe it Yee shall keepe therefore Deut. 2. 27. Gen. 3. 5. Levit. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 4. 9. my statutes and my iudgements which if a man doe he shall live in them But the Gospell offereth grace to the beleevers For Christ is the end of the Law unto every one that beleeve For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Faith is ever a chiefe doer in matters of salvation and therefore said Hemingius in his Enchiridion that Causa imperans salutis est pater the Iohn 3. 16. commanding cause of our salvation is God For God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Sonne to save the world Causa obsequens est filius the obedient pliant cause is the Psal 40. 7. Sonne In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will I am content to doe it thy Law is written in my heart Causa consummans est Spiritus Sanctus the consummating cause is the holy Ghost so saith the Apostle But yee are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. but yee are iustified by the grace of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God The instrumentall cause is double Exhibens Recipiens Rom. 1. 18. The exhibiting Cause is the word the receiving cause Faith as therefore a Smith worketh not in cold iron so a preacher worketh not on an Infidell There is no life of God in us till we beleeve Ephes 4. 18. till then our cogitation is darkened and we are strangers from the life of God He that beleeveth in him shall not be condemned but hee that Iohn 3. 18. beleeveth not is condemned already because he beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God A tree liveth not without moisture Without faith no accesse to God nor a bird without aire nor a fish without water nor a Salamander without fire So the soule liveth not without faith The just doth live by his faith this is the spirit and soule of the inward man we Hab. 2. have a name to live yet are we dead if we want faith I live by faith in the Sonne of God saith Paul who loved me and gave himselfe for Gal. 2. 20. me Infidels therefore are dead men What is the cause that wee profit no more by the word wee beleeve not the preacher that may bee verified of our people which God said to Ezechiel concerning the Iewes They come unto Ezech. 33. 31 32. thee saith God as people useth to come and my people sit before thee and he are thy words but they will not doe them For with their mouthes they make jests and their heart goeth after their covetousnesse and loe thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but doe them not So we come to the Sermon heare the preacher but we doe not heare him with such zeale and affection as we should wee beleeve not but abuse the word to our owne condemnation why care wee no more for heaven but are so worldly truely we beleeve not God what is the cause that wee live in sinne seeing it is damnable For the wayes of it is death wee beleeve not the Scriptures what is the Rom. 6. 23. 2 Cor. 4. 4. cause of all disorder even infidelity The God of this world hath blinded their eyes our eares are open to heare but not our hearts to beleeve Satan stealeth away the word lest we should beleeve and so be saved But let us make much of the word that wee may Mat. 13. 19. have faith to beleeve For faith nay one dramme of faith is of more worth than all the treasure in the world This that good merchant well knew that sold all to buy it For hee that beleeveth shall not be condemned for every beleevers cause is removed Mat. 13. 24. from the Court of Gods justice into the Court of Gods mercy where hee that beleeveth is not condemned Therefore our care must be with S. Paul that we may be found having the righteousnesse of Christ by faith For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 1. Iesus as all beleevers are and untill thou beest a beleever thou belongest not to God For as the Eagle refuseth her birds till they can mount and soare to the Sunne and as the Raven acknowledgeth not her young ones till they be blacke So God rejecteth the infidels and receiveth none till they beleeve None are the Sonnes of God but the faithfull the rest are bastards I confesse there be degrees in faith The first is a rudiment or entrance Gal. 3. Mat. 12. 20. Rom. 14. 1. Hebr. 10. 22. Rom. 4. 18. which Christ calleth Smoking flaxe The second is a weake faith Him that is weake in faith saith Paul receive unto you The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assurance of Faith Such a faith was in Abraham who above hope beleeved under hope But no faith is abominable and may easily be discerned from a weake faith As a sicke man is knowne from a dead man So a weake faith from no faith Even a desire of Faith is a token of faith For Gods spirit worketh God giues grace according to the measure of Faith that but no faith is accursed For he that beleeveth not is còndemned already There be degrees in faith three examples we have The first of the Ruler of the Synagogue who beleeved that his daughter should revive if Christ would but touch her But the Iohn 3. 18. Iohn 4. woman with the bloody issue beleeved that she should be whole if she touched but the hemme of his vesture But the Centurion beleeved that his servant should doe well if Christ spake but the Luk. 8. Mat. 8. word here is Gradus positivus the positive degree the
comparative and the superlative and all good Accedens ad flumen tantum haurit quantum urna capere potest A man comming unto the river or fountaine he draweth as much as his vessell will hold the defect or want is not in the flood or fountaine but in the vessell so draw from Christ from his word and Sacraments as Rebecca out of the well of Iacob there is no defect in Christ or in the word and Sacraments but in the vessell the heart that doth not beleeve Accede aegrotus sanaberis debilis confortaberis famelicus satiaberis Come thou sicke man and thou shalt bee healed Esa 55. thou weake one and thou shalt be strengthened thou hungry one and thou shalt be satisfyed But come Non pedibus corporis sed cordis not with the feet of thy body but of thy heart Non ambulando sed credendo not in walking but in beleeving Faith is Illuminatio mentis the light of the minde Infidells are blind and shall not see heaven they are filii irae children of Luk 15. Act. 15. wrath and they that beleeve not cannot be saved Faith is Gods gate whereby God enters into our soule the light that found the lost groate the purifier of our heart the conqueror in the race the pole-starre for the sayler the life of the soule and by Faith Christ dwells in our hearts O help us Lord wee beleeve ô help our unbeleefe he must beleeve that comes to God and as is our faith so is our blessing faith is the victory that overcometh the world O Lord increase our faith The second example used for Confirmation of his former proposition That we must strive for faith is taken from Gods vengeance upon the Angels who because they kept not their estate but left their habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines of darkenesse to the Iudgement of the great day So that here in these Angels Observe First Their sinne Secondly Their punishment Thy sinne of these Angels I will not precisely discusse their sinne like Adams sinne was not alone but many First there was pride in them as it appeareth by Pauls words to Timothie where handling the office of a Minister among other 2 Tim. 3. 6. things he would not have him to bee a young scholler Lest hee being puffed up fall into the condemnation of the Divell that is lest being proud of his degree hee bee likewise condemned as the Divell was for lifting up himselfe by pride so that it is manifest What was the Angels sinne that pride was the sinne of the Angels But besides pride there were many other sinnes in them as Infidelity Ingratitude Envy and Rebellion Denique quid non to conclude what not not one vice but many even a troope an armie of sinnes For sinnes are like Pismires in a moll-hill like Bees in an hive like Motes in the Sunne there are many ever together not one sinne alone they grow like clusters of grapes sinne is like the linke of a chaine take hold of one linke and draw the whole chaine so take hold of one sinne and draw a number Other things concerning Angels as their names their number their orders I dare not define 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us bee Rom. 12. 3. Iob 4. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Psal 78. 49. Iohn 8. 44. Wisd 2. 24. wise unto sobriety Iob nameth folly or pravity in the Angels as if that were their sinne Paul nameth pride Peter onely calleth it their sinne Asaph calleth them evill but noteth not the kindes of of their evill what the evill or sinne was which they committed Christ nameth murther to be their sinne and saith That the Divell was a murtherer from the beginning The Wise man nameth envie Iude here nameth Apostasie but the time the manner and the circumstance of their fall is not plainely expressed in the Scripture and in that they are not it teacheth us Sapere ad sabrietatem not to presume to understand above that which is meete to understand but Rom. 12. 3. Pro. 25. 27. Ro. 11. 33. Col. 1. 18. that we understand according to sobriety Too much honie is not good who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Many are puffed up with a fleshly minde as though with Moses God had revealed to them the Creation of the world as though with Stephen they had seene Gen. 1. Act. 6. 2 Cor. 12. Apoc. 1. Ezra 4. the heavens open as though with Paul they had beene lifted up to the third Paradise as if the Angell had talked with them as he did with Iohn in Pathmos and with Ezras in Ierusalem Such are Holcot Briccot Dionysius Areopagita whom they call Aquilam seu volucrem Coeli the Eagle or bird of heaven and make nine orders of Angels but no man hath so tasted Ionathans honie combe but he may see and oversee many things in this and in all other questions If any man aske what Angels be I say that they be spirits of essence but having neither body nor soule For they differ from bodies in that they have no flesh from soules in perspicuity understanding what the soule cannot Indeed they sometimes take bodies unto them as the Angell that appeared to Abraham Mat. 22. 30. Gen. 18. Iudg. 13. Mat. 26. to Manoahs wife to Marie So that in respect of their essence they are called spirits and as the Apostle speaketh Ministring spirits but in respect of their office they are called Angels Wherupon David He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Angell is a name of office not of nature Some make them of a fiery nature as Hemingius in his Enchiridion I see no soundnesse in it For sometime they have their denomination from heat as the Seraphins sometime for knowledge and brightnesse The Apostacy of the Angels irrecoverable as the Cherubins sometime they have appeared in a firy nature so they appeared to Elisha and his servant for the mountaine was full of Chariots and horses of fire that is Angels to defend them from the Syrians And so againe while Elias and Elisha Esay 6. 2 Reg. 6. 17. 2 Reg. 2. 11. Psal 114. went walking and talking together Behold there appeared a Chariot of fire and horses of fire and did separate them twaine And David saith He maketh his spirits his Messengers and a flaming fire his Ministers And as they have appeared in these formes so have they appeared in other formes also as pleaseth the Creator but to leave this The sinne of Angels is notorious and their punishment is as famous they are falne from light to darkenesse from Heaven to hell from felicity to misery Valerian fell from a golden chaire to a cage of iron Dionysius fell from a King to a Schoolemaster Alexander the third fell from being Pope to be a Gardener in Venice Nabuchadnezzar fell from a man to a beast but the celestiall Dan. 4. spirits
without measure torment without ease Where the worme dieth not and the fire is never quenched Where the wrath of God shall seaze upon body and soule as the flame of fire doth on pitch and brimstone Oh who can expresse the paines of fire and brimstone stinch and darknesse Without hope of release and comfort Men and Angels cannot doe it if that they should summon a Parliament together for the same end and purpose For as S. Iohn said of the 1 Iohn 3. 2. elect It doth not appeare what we shal be so say I of these evill Angels and of all the rable of the reprobats it doth not appeare what they shal be Iudas Herod Pilate have been many hundred yeares in fire already but yet the greatest is to come Then shall thy lascivious eyes be afflicted with the sight of ghastly spirits thy curious eares affrighted with the hideous howling of damned Divels and reprobates thy dainty nose shal be cloyed with noysome stinch of Sulphur thy delicate tast pained with intollerable hunger thy drunken throate shal be parched with intollerable thirst thy mind tormented to thinke how foolish thou wert for earthly pleasures to lose heavens joyes and incurre hellish paynes thy conscience shall ever sting thee like an Adder and thou shalt weepe more teares than there is water in the Sea For the water of the sea is finite but the weeping of a reprobate shall be infinite If any man will aske how it can stand with Gods justice to punish a finite sinne with an infinite punishment S. Gregorie Greg lib 4. Moral cap 12. answereth two manner of wayes First he saith Corda non facta pensat deus God pondereth our hearts not our deeds peccant cum fine qui vivunt cum fine their sinne hath an end because their life hath an end but if they could have lived without end they would have sinned without end Aequum ergo est ut nunquam careat supplicio qui nunquam voluit carere peccato ut nullus daretur illi terminus ultioni qui noluit ponere terminum crimini It is right and just that he should never want punishment which never would want sinne that no end should be given to him of revenge which would make no end of sinning Secondly he answereth thus Quantò major est persona eò major est injuria in illum commissa The greater the person is so much the greater is the trespasse and injurie done unto him An injurie a trespasse done to a meane man a common person that person can bring but his action upon the case against him but a trespas done against a noble man is scandalum magnatum against thy prince and Sovereigne it is death for it is Crimen lesae Majestatis Seing then God is infinite the punishment of the trespasse done against him must be infinite also An other objection is made quomodo paenae inferni perpetuae esse possunt how the paines of hell can be everlasting and how bodies How the pains of hell are eternall can live in those everlasting fires Augustine answereth that the Salamander liveth in the fire and is not consumed in the fire and we have certaine creatures called Crickets that live in hot Aug. de Civitat Dei lib. 21. cap. 2. 4 5. Ovens and Chimnies take them out of those hot places and they dye And further he saith that the ashes of Iuniper being raked up in the coles of Iuniper keepe fire all the yeere an end And againe saith he Take me a Peacocke and dresse it and it will not putrifie but abide sweet all the yeere an end Take me snow and wrap it up in chaffe and it preserves it but take fruit and lay them in chaffe it melloweth and rotteth them Take unslaked lyme and bring it into the Sunne it is cold and throw it into the water and it burneth The adamant is not broken but with the blood of a goat and who can give a reason of this Apud Garamantas there is a fountain so cold in the day that a man cannot drink of the water thereof and so hot in the night that a man cannot touch it for scalding There is a fountaine in Epirus if ye bring torches that burne unto it it puts them out but if ye bring torches that be out it kindleth them There is a stone in Arcadia called Asbestos which being once kindled can never be quenched And there is a stone in Thracia that burneth in the water but put out with oyle The horses of Cappadocia conceive with the wind Thus God dealeth strangely with his creatures why not with the fire of hell these evill Angels and all the damned besides Semper comburentur nunquam consumentur they shall alwayes be burning but never consumed Thirdly it is demanded how the evill Angels and mens bodies Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 10. can be tormented in the same fire Augustine answereth as the soule of the Epulo was tormented in this fire when his body was in hell Lastly note that the day wherein the Angels shall be judged is called a great day He hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darkenesse unto the iudgement of the great day It is called a great day and it is so called in three respects Great in respect of the Iudge who is thus described by Daniel I beheld till the thrones were Dan. 7. 9 10. set up and the ancient of dayes did sit Whose garments was white as snow and the hayre of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire A firy streame issued and came forth from before him c. And he is described by Saint Iohn thus Apoc. 20. 11 12. And I saw a great white throne and one sitting thereupon from whose face fled heaven and earth and I saw the dead both small and great stand before the throne and the bookes were opened and there was another book opened which was the booke of life and the dead were judged after those things which were written in those bookes And againe the same beloved Disciple describeth him thus I saw heaven open and behold a Apoc. 19. 11 12 16. white horse and he that sate upon him was called faithfull and true and he judgeth and fighteth righteously and his eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crownes and he had a name written which no man The day of the last judgemenr why called the great day knew but himselfe and hee hath upon his garment and upon his thigh a name written The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Thus yee see the greatnesse of the Iudge and in respect of him this day is called a great day Secondly it is called great in respect of the Assistants the Angels Dan. 7. 10. For Thousand thousands shall minister unto him and tenne thousand thousands shall stand before him And hee shall come to judgement Mat.
whose hands are full of blood The Drunkard whose body is as the swill-tub the irreligious person that seldome prayeth seldome giveth thankes or heareth Gods Word Quaeres quae spes quoad animi solatium hisce What hope of heaven and happinesse can these men have how thinke they to escape this fire of hell Scientes prudentes vivi videntesque pereunt knowing understanding alive and seeing they shall perish GOD shall raine upon them snares fire brimstone this shall bee their portion to Psal 11. drinke So much for the first punishment of the reprobate Fire The second punishment of the reprobate is eternall fire fire and eternity of fire All paines here have an end but the paines of hell have no end Whereupon Augustine Miseris erit mors fine morte finis sine fine defectus sine defectu c. To these miserable Aug. lib. de Spiritu anima cap. 56. wretches there shall be a death without death an end without end a decay without decay because their death shall ever live and their end shall ever begin and their decay knoweth not how to decay death shall presse them but not extinguish them sorrow shall torment them and not drive away their feare the fire shall burne them and not consume them nor yet dispell their darkenesse for in this fire is obscuritie darkenesse and in this obscurity and darkenesse feare and trembling and in this combustion and burning sorrow they shall alwaies suffer torment and alwayes shall feare because they shall be tormented without hope of pardon If after so many thousand yeeres as Eternity of torments in hell aggravate misery they have haires on their heads they might have an end of their torment there were some hope and they might indure those torments more quietly but because they have no hope that ever their paines shall be either eased or ended desperatione deficiunt they faile they faint and quaile thorow despaire Et ad tormenta non sufficiunt and they are no way able to indure those torments Ibi erit tortor semper caedens there shall be a tormentor ever beating them Et vermis semper corrodens and a worme alwayes gnawing them Etignis semper comburens a fire alwayes burning them For their worme shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched sinnes shall bee detected and the sinnes shall be punished Esa 66. 24. and that for ever they shall see divels but not God Quod est omnium meseriarum miserrimum which of all miseries is most miserable For if Absalom tooke it so grievously that hee 2 Sam. 14. 32. was banished his Fathers presence and could not see his face how grievously shall the Reprobate be afflicted to be banished Gods presence and not to see his face for they shall be punished with eternall perdition from the presence of God and glory 2 Thes 1. 9. of his power But to follow this point a little further all men in misery comfort themselves with hope of an end the prisoner with hope of a gaole-delivery the mariner with hope of arrivall the souldier with hope of victory the prentise with hope of liberty the gally-slave with hope of ransome onely the poore caitiffe in hell hath no hope he shall have end without end death without death night without day morning without mirth sorrow without solace bondage without liberty Let fire and eternall fire move us common fire is quenched with water wilde fire with milke and vinegar but hell fire is not quenched their worme dyeth not and the fire never goeth out And Mar. 9. 44. why should not wee beleeve this seeing that their is a certaine stone in Arcadia called Asbestos which being once kindled never goeth out never can be quenched If this be in a stone how much more in the power of God This earthly fire except it be nourished with wood and other combustible matter will out but the fire of hell never goeth out it alwaies burneth and never ceaseth The reason is because our fire is not In loco proprio in his proper place sed violenta but in a violent The fire of hell is in his proper place for the breath of the Lord kindleth it We Greg in moralibâ—â— see Aetna to burne alwayes for it hath burnt from the beginning of the world and still doth burne why should not then hell fire burne alwayes and why should not we beleeve that men shall alwayes live in the fire of hell seeing wee see and know the Salamander to live in the fire If this may be by the power of nature why may not that by the power of God The paines of hell be such that all the Arithmetitians in the world cannot number them nor all the Geometritians measure them The terrours of hell should deterre from sinne nor all the Rhetoritians expresse them Quid hora ad diem c. saith one what is an houre to a day a day to a month a month to a yeere a yeere to a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeeres to eternity Mathuselah lived almost a thousand yeeres but the yeeres that are past are nothing we have nothing of time but that which is present The Pigmaeans lived onely seven yeeres never reached unto eight yeeres And their be certaine creatures bred and borne at the river Hispanis that live but a day in the morning they are bred and brought forth at noone they are at their full strength at night they make their end and are gone compare our yeeres with eternity and wee are in the same state and condition The reason of this endlesse punishment is the infinite Majesty of God words against common persons beare but common actions against noble men they be Scandala magnatum against Princes they be treason so the person of God aggravateth the sinne If any aske then how Christs death could satisfie the justice of God seeing it was not eternall I answer that he did it thorow the excellency of his Person and the perfection of his merits The remembrance of these paines in hell will drive away the remembrance of sinne as the Adamant is contrary to the Loadstone and suffereth it to draw no iron to it behold the weight of hell paines in Christ How sweat he how cryed he Deus meus deus meus quare dereliquisti me My God my God why hast thou forsaken me How did teares of blood trickle from him If hell paines were so grievous unto him what will they be to us Onely this difference is betwixt Christ and us that hee sustained all mens sinnes wee but our owne sinnes our paine therefore not so great as his but yet of greater and longer continuance his was but temporall ours eternall if we repent not We must suffer the vengeance of eternall fire The remembrance of fire and eternall fire swalloweth up all our cogitations How can our hearts endure or how can our hands be strong in that day When the Lord shall have to doe with us the
so carefully keepeth all our members Custodit omnia ossa he keepeth all our bones abstergit lachrymas ab oculis hee wipeth the teares from our eyes docet manus praeliari he teacheth our hands Psal 34. Psal 116. Psal 144. 1. to warre and our fingers to fight dirigit gressus nostros in via pacis he directeth our going in the way of peace totum denique corpus custodit to conclude he keepeth the whole body For the Lord saith David is thy keeper the Lord is the shadow at the right hand Ought we not then to give our eyes our hands our feet and the Psal 121. 5. whole body unto his service that as we have given our members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity to commit iniquity So now to give over our members servants unto righteousnesse in holinesse for being freed from sinne and made the servants of God our fruit must be in holinesse and our end shall be life eternall Againe God punisheth uncleannesse many waies our members are the members of Christ shall we take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Againe they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost If any man defile 1 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 3. the Temple of God him shall God destroy A Noble man will not lodge in a hoggs coat nor Gods Spirit in a filthy uncleane unchast body Quid luci cum tenebris what communion hath light 2 Cor. 6. 14. with darkenesse what concord hath Christ with Belial what part hath the beleever with the unbeleever or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Againe our members shall be glorified in heaven Let them therefore glorifie God in this life for as no uncleane beast might tarry upon the Lords Mountaine so no polluted person shall passe thorow the gates Apoc. 221 of the new Ierusalem God punisheth this sinne many wayes First with beggery for he that feedeth harlots shall never bee rich for indeed it is a sinne Prov. 29. 3. against nature for whereas other men sowe for an Harvest these defilers of the flesh which plough with othermens heifers sowe that which they dare not reape Secondly he punisheth defilers of the flesh with infamy for their reproach shall never be done away Prov. 6. 33. Thirdly with lothsome diseases for the most righteous God hath appointed that they which will taste of the sweet of sinne shall be filled with the gall of punishment it bringeth corruption of the blood dissolution of the sinewes rottennesse of the marrow aches in the joynts crudities in the stomacke paines in the head gowtes and palsies heavinesse in the heart and stinging of the conscience Fourthly Yea and after all these it shall be punished with hell fire For it is written for fornication uncleannesse inordinate Col. 3. 6. affection c. the wrath of God remaineth on such And againe whoremongers Heb. 13. 4. and adulterers God will judge for is stabunt moechi without shall be dogges and inchanters and whoremongers c. onely Apoc. 22. 15. such as be Virgins follow the Lambe Know ye therefore yee Apoc. 14. Gal. 4. Numb 5. Deut. 23. 3. defilers of the flesh there is no place for you in heaven you must rest and dwell in the tenement in hell The Bastard Ismael hath no place in Abrahams house the unclean Canaanite hath no room in the host of Israel The misbegotten Ammonite hath no accesse into Gods Tabernacle As the whoremongers and defilers of the flesh have neither foot nor furrow nor inch of roome in Gods Kingdome Sunt in felle nequitiae they are in the gall of Acts 8. 21. bitternesse as Simon Peter said of Simon Magus The holy Ghost joyneth a whore and a dogge together Thou shalt not bring the Deut. 23. 18. hire of an whore nor the price of a dogge into the house of God And Ieremy compareth these adulterous beasts unto neighing horses and Ier. 5. 8. the Wise man likens them to an Oxe going to the slaughter and cals Prov. 7. 22. the whore a deepe ditch and a narrow pit And they that enter into her Prov. 2. 19. hardly returne againe to take hold of the way of life The guests and Whoredome and all uncleannesse odious companions of harlots are in Hell nay in the depth of Hell Heaven will not receive them O that men could-see into Hell they should see as many defilers of the flesh as many whoremongers as of any sin against the second table Many make little reckoning of this sin of whoredome which the Apostle meaneth by defiling of the flesh but if the punishment provided for it already spoken of cannot let you see the grievousnesse of this sinne then listen to that which now I shall say unto you First it taketh away the heart of a man so saith the Prophet Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart As Hos 4. 11. Nabuchadnezzar had the heart of a beast so these defilers of the flesh have beastly hearts Et praestat bestiam esse quà m bestialiter Seneca vivere A man had better be a beast than live beastly Secondly This sinne is so much the greater because it hath a lawfull remedy To avoid fornication saith the Apostle let every 1 Cor. 7. 2. man have his wife and every wife her husband And againe They that cannot abstaine let them marry A poore theefe is pittied that stealeth to satisfie hunger but he that stealeth and hath enough of his owne his sinne is the greater and the more to be punished Prov. 6. 33. so hee that hath a lawfull remedy and such a remedy as God hath ordained and yet runnes a whoring his sinne is the more abominable and deserveth greater punishment Such was Davids sinne hee had many wives and concubines and yet hee 2 Sam. 11. 5. c. tooke another mans Wife and therefore his sinne was horrible Thirdly by this sinne of whoredome Satan gaineth two soules at once a theefe may steale alone the drunkard may be drunken alone the murtherer blasphemer idolater usurer c. may sinne alone but the whoremonger killeth two soules at one clap If the blood of Abel cryed for vengeance how much more shall those soules cry for vengeance whom these defilers of the flesh have brought to destruction yet these defilers care not how many they abuse and whores and harlots care not how many they lead to the divell they open their quiver against every arrow Eccles 26. 22. Fourthly Defilers of the flesh whoremongers are the Divels factors Satan is a tempter so are they and therefore when they goe about to defile any they should answere them as Christ answered Mat. 4. 1. Peter when hee counselled him to save himselfe Come behind mee Satan thou art an offence unto mee I reade of a certaine Matron Mat. 16. 23. that being intised by a desire of the flesh an
and with his foot pusht it off againe Hildebrand caused Henry the 4. to stand three dayes at his gates bare-footed and bare-legged before hee would open his gates unto him Thus have they tossed government up and downe and have put them out of their places Chrysostome and Tertullian call them the chiefe men of the earth and next to God and Saint Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most excellent Our latter Papists 1 Pet. 2. 13. call civill Magistrates carnall Lords humane creatures and is not this to take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soveraigne and supreme authority from them that ought to have it which Iesus Christ denyed to his Ministers and servants saying The Kings of the Gentiles Luke 22. 25. beare rule over them and they that beare rule over them are called gratious Lords but you shall not so Let us therefore Brethren be subject to the higher power and never despise government Let us subject our selves to every ordinance of Ro◠13. 1. man for the Lords sake For by them we reape much good for governours are appointed of God For the punishment of evill doers but 1 Tim. 2. for the laud of them that doe well under them we lead a quiet and a godly life and where as there is no government there is no order and whereas there is no order Ibi ruinae ostium patet the doore is open to ruine and destruction Hereupon saith a Father Malum quidem est ubi est nullus principatus c. It is a passing evill whereas there is no government for take from the Quier the Chanter and the Song will neither be in good tune nor in good order take from the Souldiers the Captaine and the same cannot march on either in due number or decent manner take from the Ship the Pilote and it must needs miscarry take from the flocke the Shepheard and they must needs be scattered and so take from the people Governours and they must come to destruction ye see therefore the good of Government And to disobey oras Iude speaketh To despise Government it is dangerous Paul saith They that resist shall receive to themselves Rom. 13. damnation And he reckoneth up disobedient persons among those that shall not come into the Kingdome of God I will conclude Gal. 5. with the admonition of Salomon My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not on any pretence with them that are seditious Prov. 24. 21. and despise not government If Governours be impious pray for their piety if tyrannous pray to God to inspire them with clemency Pray for Kings saith Paul yea though they were such as Gentiliter vixerunt lived Heathenishly saith Optatus Milenitanus THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON VERS IX Yet Michael the Archangel when hee strove against the Divell and disputed about the body of Moses durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said the Lord rebuke thee Raylers confuted by Michael the archangels example THese words containe the confutation of those heady and unruly spirits that despise government and hee confuteth them two waies first Michaell the Archangell would not raile in a dispute betweene him and Satan how dare then these pesants base and vile men take upon them to speake evill for there is no comparison betweene men and Angels for God hath made men lower than the Angels indeed in the last day our Psal 8. 5. Mat. 22. honour shall be like unto them but not till then Secondly Michael and the Angels durst not rayle on the Divell that cursed creature how dare then these chips and draine of the people and skum of the world raile on Rulers and dignities ordained of God Or the reason may thus be contracted An Archangell would not give judgement these men judge and censure all estates an Archangell dispute these condemne hearing no cause an Archangell durst not raile these dare speake all evill for Pride is a chaine unto them and cruelty covereth them as a garment They are Ps 73. 6. 8 9. licentious and speake wickedly they talke presumptuously They set No Scripture lost that is necessary for salvation their mouth against Heaven and their tongue walketh thorow the earth This History Totidem syllabis is not recorded in the Bible and yet we must not thinke that Iude fained it but rather that there is much Scripture lost which we have not seeing that Antiochus in the Law and Dioclesian in the Primitive Church burned the Scriptures and all Libraries we want the Booke of the battels of the Lord mentioned by Moses the Booke of the righteous Numb 21. 14. cited by Iosua and we want much of the Chronicles of Israel Ios 10. 13. 2 Reg. 16. and Iuda we have not the Bookes of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer the Booke of Nathan the Prophet and the Booke 2 Chron. 12. 15. of the Prophecie of Ahiah wee want many of Salomons Bookes who wrote of beasts stones herbes trees from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hysope on the wall as you may read 1 Reg. 4. Origen 1 Reg. 4. Origine lib. ◠de principiis saith that this Text was taken from a Booke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ascention of Moses so say Clemens Alexandrinus Didimus and Athanasius For so say they Paul alledged Epimenides Aratus and Menander why might he not then quote this saying Others saw that it was delivered by tradition from hand to hand Tit. 1. 12. Act. 17. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 23. 2 Tim. 3. 8. So Iannes and Iambres are named and that speech uttered by the Apostle Remember the words of the Lord Iesus how that he said It is a blessed thing to give rather than to receive It is not orderly so written in any place of Scripture yet it is gathered by divers places Acts. 20. 35. in effect Papists here cry out that Iude alledged some prophane Author or some tradition ergo non solum haerendum est Scripturis therefore we must not onely cleave unto the Scriptures I confesse Paul cited some things from prophane Writers but it was not to confirme any dogmaticall conclusion concerning faith and beleefe for as touching these things they cited only the Scriptures but when they came to intreat of manners then they borrowed some things of the Ethnicke and Heathen and that to this end to shame Christians But Christ said Scriptum est it is written non traditum est not is it a tradition Thus Sadnele answered Turrianus and so I in this cause answer Stapleton Staphilus and the Iesuites Michael is here named who is also named by Daniel and by Dan. 12. 2. Apoc. 12. 7. Saint Iohn this Michael is here called an Archangell but I will first speake concisely of Angels then of Archangels In the Scripture five good Angels are onely named The first is Michael as here in this my Text and also by the Prophet Daniel the Dan. 10. 13. Dan. 8. 16. Luk. 1. Esdr
4. second was Gabriel named also by the Phrophet Daniel and by the Evangelist S. Luke as it appeareth in his Gospel the third is Raphael of whom ye may read in the history of Tobias the fourth was Vriel mentioned in Esdras 4. the fifth was Ieremiel recorded in the 4. of Esdras 5. yet there bee infinite good Angels For Thousand thousands minister unto him and tenne hundred thousand stand Divers Angels named their office and order before him These Angels pitch their tents round about us they keepe in our wayes they rejoyce at the conversion of sinners they behold the face of our heavenly father they carry our soules into Abrahams bosome they be ministring spirits sent forth for their Dan. 7. 10. Psal 34. Psal 91. Luke 15. Mat. 16. 22. Hebr. 1. 14. sakes that bee heires of salvation though wee see not these Angels for they be spirituall and intellectuall substances yet they attend upon us they ride and journey with us As there be Angels so there be Archangels as Michaell here is called an Archangell How hee came to be an Archangell there bee differences in opinion but I will passe that over with silence Some learned men thinke that by the Archangell is meant Christ and that there is no other Archangell but hee but others thinke that one and the same spirit may have both the name of an Angell and an Archangell by reason of a greater or lesser worke of God committed to him of God so saith Basill a celestiall spirit is called Basil lib. 3. adversus Eunomium an Archangell when being accompanied with other Angels in the worke of the Lord hee is a guide and Leader to them Nam inter Angelos est ordo there is an order among Angels So wee read Esa 6. Pro. 25. 27. of Cherubins and Seraphins But I will not be curious where God hath kept secret Hony is good but too much hony is not good Praestat dubitare de occultis quà m litigare de incertis It is better to doubt of secret things than braugle about incertaine As for this disputation betwixt Michael and Satan it was not feigned but true and reall not corporall but spirituall they have not Vocem articulatam an articulate voyce they bee spirits and Gen. 18. have neither flesh nor bones as wee have and so consequently neither tongue nor mouth to speake or dispute with yet God giveth them speech and so they spake to Abraham As men fight with swords speares and staves so the spirits good and bad contend with spirituall weapons as with will understanding and memory Wee read of foure notable contentions betweene the good and bad Angels the first in Heaven for saith Saint Iohn I saw a great battell in Heaven Michaell and his Angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his Angels fought Apoc. 12. 7. and prevailed not The second in the Kingdome of the Persians when as the Angell of the Persians resisted Gabriel one and Dan. 10. 13. twenty dayes The third in the house of Raguel where Asmodaeus Tob. 6. was vanquished by Raphael The fourth and last in mount Nebo upon the top of Pisgah and of this battel speaketh Iude in this present Deut. 34. 1. place The matter of this strife was that the Divell tooke upon him to reveale the Sepulchre of Moses whom God buried secretly lest the Israelites should commit idolatrie with it as they did with the Numb 21 brasen Serpent which cured the stings of the fierie Serpents So Ierome speaketh of the grave of Hilarion how sixteene blind men received Ier sight there Eusebius of Spiridions daughter how shee rose from Euseb the dead to tell of things lost So Ambrose speaketh of the tombe Satan desire to deceive with false apparicions of Saint Agnes and of Gervasius and Prothisius how that their bodies were full of bloud and their bones full of marrow a hundred yeares after their buriall And there is no end of this madnesse Ambr. God seeing this hid Moses body lest the people should worship it Satan laboured to reveale it that thereby he might bring the people to idolatry For Satan will move every stone to set up idolatry yea even Moses body But concerning Moses body we learne first that it is said That Deut. 34 6. the Lord buried him and therefore to bury the dead is no contemptible worke it is a worke fit for Gods Minister Againe it should seeme that no man knew the grave of Moses yet the Divell knew where it was and therefore because Moses was one whom the Iewes being alive did greatly reverence For he was a Preacher Mighty in word and in deed the Divell would have made an Idoll of his bodie and have the people worship it being dead So then wee may learne that if God would not have Moses body worshipped much lesse the image of Moses or any Saint Againe if the Divell would have had Moses body to beguile the people the which he could not have then no doubt that which hee can have hee will not omit that is to take upon him Moses shape or the shape of a Saint or an Angell to beguile us withall Therefore let every good man say with Paul Wee are not ignorant of Satans wiles wee know his fetches his devices he tooke upon him 2 Cor. 2. 11. the shape of Samuel the shape of an Angel therefore I will beleeve 1 Sam. â—8 14 no apparisions no revelations I will onely rest upon the Word wherein is contained all things nessarie to salvation But in that Satan durst contend with Michael an Archangell see his boldnesse and cruelty hee laboureth to seduce men and Angels For Hee was a murtherer from the beginning so that he is like Iohn 8. 44. an old hangman flesht in bloud and cruelty Christ calleth him the Envious man and Saint Peter calleth him a roaring Lion hee roareth in Court in Countrey in Cities in Cloysters in Shops Mat. â—3 1 Pet. 5. 8. and Ware-houses in Schooles and Vniversities Vbique praedam quaerit every where hee seeketh for his prey Iohn calleth him the red Dragon which had seven heads and tenne hornes and he nameth him Appollyon and Abaddon So it is said that the beast spake by the Apoc. 12. Apoc. 9. Apoc. 13. Iob 1. mouth of a greater beast meaning the Divell Thus we read that hee did set upon Iob onely for that hee feared God after the returne from Babylon presently hee set upon Iehosua but the Lord reproved him even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem But this is most strange that he durst encounter with Christ Hee came unto him and said If thou be the Sonne of God command these stones be made zach 3. 1 2. Mat. 4 3. Ephes 6. 12. bread c. Paul saith that wee Wrastle not with flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers against worldly governors against the governors of the darkenesse of
and Sacraments was not utterly rejected Paul acknowledgeth them a glorious Church Certainely tares and uncleane vessels are in the Church yet let us endeavour our selves to be good corne and not goe out of the Churh but follow the counsell of Augustine Corripiat homo quod potest quod non potest patienter ferat let a man reprove what he can without danger of Schisme and what he cannot let him patiently suffer but let him never make separation For first in the Church there be many more that feare God and worke righteousnesse than the outward eye can discerne this deceived Elias but the foundation of God standeth firme God knoweth who are his Secondly 2 Tim. 2. 19. even of them that are vile and naught some of them are touched with griefe of conscience for their sinnes and hunger and thrist after righteousnesse Thirdly a man is not to be condemned for some particular fact for the brightest fire hath some smoke the clearest water some mud the face of Venus a Molle and the most heavenly affection some infection of earth In multis peccavimus Iam. 3. 2. omnes In many things we offend all But I may fitly apply that to our Brownists and Separatists which the religious Emperour said to one of that humour Si tam sanctus sis c. If you bee so holy that you will not communicate in the Word and Sacraments with us your even fellow Christians set a ladder to the clouds and clime up to heaven alone In this point the Donatists were ridiculous who meeting in an assembly with the Catholikes for the allaying of some controversies and being intreated by the Tribune to sit downe with the rest answered they stood of purpose because it is written Cum sceleratis non sedebo I will not sit downe with the wicked To whom Saint Augustine wittily and effectually replyed Cur ergo ad nos intrare vobis non fuit religio c. why then make you no conscience to enter the same place with us seeing it is written also in the precedent words Ad mulignos non ingrediar I will not goe unto the wicked and with the ungodly I will not sit downe But let the Brownists and all of the Separation leave their evill speaking let them returne home to their mother the Church of England for doubtlesse The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the governement Prov. 13. 17. of his Mother the Ravens of the Vallies shall picke it out and the young Eagles eate it and so to leave our evill-speaking Separists An evill speaker is a murtherer with his tongue By the way observe that if men will doe evill they must heare evill it is no rayling to rebuke him sharpely that doth wickedly Some finding fault with Saint Augustine for his tartnesse and sharpenesse in reproving answered wittily Emendate vitam ego emendabo verba mend you your wayes and I shall mend my words Cessate perversè agere cease you from doing evill and I shall cease to reprove and rebuke For where sinne is ranke and red Boanarges the sonne of thunder is more necessary than Barnabas the sonne of consolation They speake evill An evill speaker is a murtherer Et gladium portat in lingua non in vagina and the sword that murthereth with all he carryeth in his tongue not in his scabbard A man may say to these evill speakers as Christ said to Peter Pone gladium in vagina put up thy sword into thy sheath These are like Cockes fed with garlicke that overcome others with ranknesse of breath not with strength of body Vincunt clamore non veritate they overcome with clamours and out-cryes not with verity and truth But if at the day of Iudgement they must give an account for every idle word Mat. 12. 36. what for their evill words And if the wrath of God is wont to fall on the children of unbeleefe it must needs fall upon these evill speakers for they are altogether wrapped in unbeleefe If Sodome and Gomorah were destroyed from heaven for sinning against nature what vengeance remaines for these evill speakers that offend the God of nature If then Thou longest after life and wouldest see good dayes refraine thy tongue from evill and thy Psal 34. 12 13. lips that they speake no guile Pambo a man utterly unlearned in the Scriptures on a time came to Saint Hierome to be taught some Scripture without booke he turned him to the first verse of the 39. Psalme I said I will take heed unto my wayes that I offend not in my tongue A lesson that our evill speakers will not learne for they offend more in the tongue than in hand foot eare eye or any member besides their tongues are like unto the sting of Adders to a sword yea a sharpe sword to a razor and to arrowes their tongues are fire yea a world of wickednesse being set on fire of Hell They speake evill of those things which they know not c. They rayle in their ignorance on things which they know not Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem the birds have no such enemy as the Owle nor the Passenger no such enemy as the blind worme nor the Mariner no such enemy as the Mermaid so the learned no such enemy as the ignorant Saint Peter speaking of the Epicures and Atheists of the world saith They knew not and that willingly And Paul said of the Gentiles that they walked In mentis vanitate in the vanity of their mind having 2 Pet. 3. 5. their cogitation darkned and being strangers from the life of God thorow Divers kindes of ignorance the ignorance that is in them The like he said of the Idolaters That they were vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darknesse and when they professed themselves to be wise they became Ephes 4. 17. Rom. 1. 21 22. Esa 40. 21. fooles c. So Esay said of the Iewes Know ye nothing have ye not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning have yee not understood it by the foundation of the earth Thus Christ said of the Pharisees for denying the resurrection Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures neither the power of God Paul imputed all his malice Mat. 22. 29. and his blasphemy to his ignorance I was saith he a blasphemer a persecutour an oppressor but I was received into mercy for that I did it ignorantly through unbeleefe As there be degrees in sinne so is 1 Tim. 1. 13. there a gradation in ignorance It is a sinne to be ignorant in that we should know but a greater to be ignorant in that wee are bound to know There is Ignorantia Simplex and Affectata Simple and affected Ignorance Or there is Ignorantia Ideotarum of Idols Sophistarum of crafty men Or as some Invincibilis inconquerable Vincibilis conquerable Or as others Voluntaria willing Involuntaria unwilling Or as others Negativa negative
in heart and therefore he shall not inherit the earth which hee so much wisheth Cursed be the covetous for he doth not long after righteousnesse but after riches and therefore hee shall never be satisfied Cursed bee the covetous for he is not mercifull but hard-hearted therefore he shall finde no mercy Cursed be the covetous for he is no peace-maker but a make-bate and therefore he shall be called the child of the divell Cursed be the covetous for he is not pure but filthy in heart and therefore he shall never see God Cursed be the covetous for he cannot suffer the losse of his wealth for righteousnesse sake and therefore the Kingdome of Hell is his And is it thus is covetousnesse the occasion of so much evill Let us take heed and beware of covetousnesse and let us have our conversation Luke 12. 15. farre from covetousnesse for it is Gods owne saying I will never forsake thee nor leave thee so that thou maist boldly say Heb. 13. 5 6. The Lord is my helper Let us not bee like Moles which make Covetousnesse excludes out of heaven many holes and digge many dens in the earth and yet are not satisfied but still labour and digge Let us not build many houses digge many cellers fill many barnes and yet bee unsatiable and unthankefull and in all abundance and plenty will not say Blessed bee the name of the Lord which Iob did in his greatest Iob 1 21. poverty The covetous Cormorant when his barnes were full and his houses furnished was satisfied saying as it were Soule thou hast sufficient Eate drinke and take thine ease but many having ynough and more than ynough are not satisfied but as the Luke 12. 19. Beare seeketh after hony and the Hart chased for the soile and the Eagle for the carkasse and the Woolfe for bloud so the covetous man for gold for gaine Vbi hoc cadaver ibi hae aquilae Where this carkasse is there be these Eagles Their feet run to evill and make haste to shead bloud such are the wayes of every one that is Prov. 1. 16 19. greedie of gaine hee would take away the life of the owners thereof As Vultures smell a dead carkasse a great way off As Eagles flying aloft in the Ayre behold the little fishes swimming below in the waters and deuoure them Sic avari lucrum longè Aug. odorantur so the covetous smell their gaine afarre off they say with Vespatian who tooke a tribute of the peoples urine Suavis odor lucri ex re qualibet the savour of gaine is sweet from every thing according to that of Salomon The bread of deceit is sweet Prov. 20. 17. to a man but afterward his mouth shall bee filled with gravell Iosephs golden cup was found in Beniamins sacke and if God rifle us and search us and our sackes I feare that much evill gaine will bee found amongst us Protestants That as a Cage is full of birds Ier. 5. 27 29. so our houses are full of deceit whereby many are become great and waxen rich Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule be avenged on such a people as this is These covetous men have no part with God no portion in Christ no fellowship with the Saints As there be no Serpents in Ireland no Owles in Crete no wild beasts in Lebanon so there be no covetous men in Heaven For without shall be dogges and inchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters but covetous Apoc. 22. 15. men are Idolaters therefore not in Heaven Yea and moreover they lose both Heaven and earth like Aesops dogge that lost both the shadow and the beefe Therefore Salendine the Emperour of the East dying caused a man to carry a sheete in Damascus on the end of a speare and to say Ecce trophaea Imperatoris Behold the King of the East carryeth nothing with him but a winding sheet And surely As wee brought nothing into the world so we may carry nothing out Great men have their Porters to 1 Tim 6 7. see that men carry no more out than they brought in and if he chance to spie a silver spoone or a piece of plate in a mans bosome Soft sirrah saith he whither carry yee this plate you brought it not in you must not carry it out Now death is Gods Porter and performeth this O terra cinis O dust and ashes Earthly minds uncapable of heavenly things why art thou greedy and yet men are most greedy of the world and then too when they are ready to leave the world as old men which is monstrous in them Membra frigescunt cupiditas autem calescit their members grow cold but their desire still waxeth warme Caro senescit at affectus iâ—venescunt the flesh waxeth old but their affections grow yong gray heads but greene affections Finis vitae non imponit finem avaritiae the end of their life makes no end of their covetousnesse but still he loadeth himselfe with thicke clay for gold is but red clay and silver white clay Hab. 2. 6. These men are like the dogs snowt that is ever cold like Tantalus that standeth in the water and yet is ever dry Hee hath enlarged his desire as Hell and is as death that cannot bee satisfied As Hab. 2. 5. the Raven feedeth not her yong till they be blacke as the Eagle acknowledgeth not her birds till they can soare to the Sun So God acknowledgeth not them that are drowned in the world and are carryed away by the deceit of Balaams wages that is covetousnesse If yee be risen with Christ seeke the things that are above Col. 3 1 2. where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections upon heavenly things and not upon worldly These bastard Eagles they cannot mount like Noah's Raven they seize upon carrion As dust cast into the eyes hindreth sight so covetousnesse hindreth our sight that we looke not to heaven it is like the Swallowes dung that put out the eyes of Tobias Wee see not the powers of the Heb. 6. 5. 2 Pâ—â— 2. 14. world to come Our hearts are brawned and exercised with covetousnesse they thinke on nothing else from Munday to Sunday from Ianuary to December The Wise man saith that there is not à viler thing than to love â—â—ney Money doth all now in the world Give Balaam money and Eccles 10. 9. he will curse the people of God whom before he blessed Give 2 Pet. 2. Iehoakin money and he will spoile the poore rob the fatherlesse undoe the widdow pervert all justice Give Achan money and Ier. 22. Ios 7. he will steale the execrable thing the Babylonian garment and the wedge of gold give Iudas mony and he will sell his Master betray Christ Iesus give the Souldiers money and they will Mat. â—6 â—ap 28. lye cog sweare resweare forsweare Christs Resurrection and say that
like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice Thine eyes shall looke upon strange Women and thy heart shall speake lewde things c. Fulnesse of bread that is Epicurisme was one of the sinnes of Sodom and no doubt it was a hand to pull uncleanenesse the sooner upon them Raine engendreth Ezech. 16. Snow so Epicurisme engendreth whoredom Paul exhorting to a Christian life beginneth with sobriety as the first staffe of the Tit. 2. 12. ladder for hee that liveth not soberly to himselfe will not live righteously with men nor holily with God Saint Peter speaking of the last day beginneth with sobriety as an helpe to prayer and to all Christian vertues This hee learned of his 1 Pet. 4. 7. Master who gave this covenant to all To take heede to your selves Luke 21. 34. lest at any time your hearts bee not overcome with surfeiting and drunkennesse Paul reckoneth drunkennesse among the workes of the flesh which exclude us out of the Kingdome of Heaven As no Gal. 5. 20. Numb 5. Iudg. 12. Iudg. 7. Deut. 23. Aug. 1 Tim. 5. Leper might bee in the campe of Israel as no Gileadite might passe over Iordan as no fearefull man might enter into the warres of Madian as no bastard might enter into the Sanctuarie so no Drunkard no Epicure shall enter into Heaven A Drunkard an Epicure is Dead being alive as Paul said of the wanton Widowes a voluntary divell and uncurable disease a breach unrepairable a common opprobrie of mankinde of all sinners wee see fewest drunkards reformed the Adulterer may become chaste a thiefe a true man the swearer have a sanctified tongue but these come seldome to Repentance Wee should eate to live and live to praise the Lord but wee live to eate and drinke Sardanapalus his Epitaph might bee graven on our tombes Haec habeo quae edi quaeque exaturata libido hausit c. for our belly is our God our kitchen our Religion Phil. 3. 18. our altar our dresser our Minister our Cooke our whole felicitie in eating and drinking most mens bodies are as spunges to receive all liquor their throats open sepulchres their bellies graves to burie all Gods creatures there is not that bird that flyeth that fish that swimmeth that beast that moveth that is not buried in their bodies the earth is weary of such unprofitable burdens the creatures by them abused will bee a witnesse against them as Saint Iames speaketh in another case from the French the Spaniards and Turke wee have Iam. 5. 1 2. Soph. 1. 9. learned strange attire from the Italians wee have learned pride and Atheisme and wantonnesse from the Dutch wee have learned to drinke we never learne from any nation any good thing Nature teacheth sobriety and temperance And it is a wonder that wee should bee such Epicures for among all the creatures God hath given to none so little a mouth as he doth to man according to his proportion which argueth that man should be more temperate in meat and drinke than other creatures and not to be spots in feasts Well noteth Augustine that God hath not given to man talons Aug. and clawes to rent and teare in pieces as to Beares and Leopards nor hornes to push as to Bulls and Vnicornes nor a sting to pricke as to Waspes and Bees and Serpents nor a bill to strike as to Eagles and Ostriches nor a wide mouth to devoure as to Dogges and Lions Againe the mouth of man is not bent to the earth as the mouth of other creatures os homini sublime dedit to note that he must not eate and drinke as other Ovid. creatures I say of meate as Paul said of fornication Meat for the belly and the belly for meat but God shall destroy both it and them 1 Cor. 6. 13. Fire is to warme us not to burne us water is to wash us not to drowne us weapons are to defend us not to kill us so meats and drinkes are to refresh us not to oppresse the body and vitall spirits If ever Satan hath the vantage of us it is in our fulnesse for then eyes eares tongue heart and all members are out of frame then we forget God Christ Heaven Hell and all This is the Caveat that God gave his people When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which Deut. 8. 10 11 12. he hath given thee lest when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe thou forget the Lord c. Israel sate downe to eate and to drinke and rose up to 1 Cor. 10. 7. play So we at our feasts handle nothing but cards dice bowles c. The false witnesses are noted to be Sonnes of Belial such are 1 Reg. 21. meetest for villany Gods Spirit and drinke are set as opposite by the Apostle Be not drunken with wine saith he wherein is excesse Ephes 5. 18. but bee filled with the Spirit When wine is in wit is out and where drinke is in Gods Spirit is out we cannot be full of them both at one time and if Gods Spirit be not in us the uncleane spirit is in us God will have the hand of the Father to be first Deut. 21. 21. on the riotous child O that we had the Spirit of zeale O that one Epicurish drunkard were so served O that the streets of this Towne were sanctified that all England might heare it and tremble at it It was a good argument in the Primitive Church against drunkards that it was but the third houre of the day that is Act. 2. 15. nine of the clocke but it is not so now for our men beginne at Sun-rising and continue to Sun-setting and often call for a candle because the day is too little for them The Idolaters served god Bel in the day and god Belly in the night we serve god Dan. 14. Belly day and night The Holy Ghost maketh mention of a great cup belike great Iudg. 5. 25. men drunke in great cups Amos reproveth them for drinking in bowles but we I thinke shall drinke in Troughes and eate in Amos 6. 6. Chargers not in platters It may be said of many that was said God punisheth drunkennesse and gluttony of Bonosus the Emperour that wee are borne not to live but to eate and drinke to feast and banquet wee strive to match with Heliogabalus who at one supper was served with sixe hundred Ostriches and to match Vitellius who had at one feast two thousand fishes and seven thousand birds This Epicurisme of ours God will punish and hath punished it with three yeeres dearth when did God smite the Amalekites he did it in the middest of 1 Sam. 30. 16 17. their glossing as in a time wherein their sinne was ripe When came God to Balthazar but in his cups and banquets and when did God strike downe the chosen men of Israel but then for Dan. 5.
this my text Blacknesse of darknesse for evermore yet all these doe but shadow out the matter they cannot paint it lively Tophte and Gehinnon shadowed out hell there they sacrificed their children to Moloch in hot brasse had a noise of instruments to darken the cry of their children Christ alludeth unto it in the word Gehenna Ier. 19. 4 5. Mat. 5. 2. But as all the ioyes of the elect heere are but earnest pennies and first-fruits of heaven for here is but the seed-time there is the harvest There is fulnesse of ioy and pleasure for evermore so all Psal 16. 11. the paines and torments that the wicked suffer here they are but moll-hilles to mountaines as a sparke to the fire as a drop of water to the maine Ocean nothing in respect of that which they shall feele there all the paines of Achitophel Saul Iudas Francis Spira are nothing to their paines now Christ having reckoned up many plagues as how that nation shall rise up against nation and Kingdome against Kingdome Luke 21. 10 11 25 26. and great earth quaks shall be in divers places and hunger and pestilence and fearefull things and great signes shall there bee from heaven in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and upon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexity For mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things that shall come on the world at last he addeth Initium dolorum haec these are but the beginnings of sorrow as if he should have said All these things are but smoake in respect of the terrible fire ensuing as a muster of souldiers before the terrible bloody battel What will the end be if the beginning be so grievous If his little finger be so heavy what will be the weight of his loines He beateth us on earth with whips but he will beate us in hell with Scorpions as Rehoboam said of the ten tribes The torments invented by tyrants and inflicted upon the Saints and servants of God have beene most hideous and fearfull as the teeth of wild beasts hot glowing Ovens and Furnaces caldrons of boyling oyle fiery brazen bulles powning to death in morters rowling in barrelles of nayles rosting upon spits boaring with angers parting the nayles and fingers ends with Needles nipping the flesh with pinsers racking and rending asunder the joynts with wilde horses no pitty no remorse taken whilest there was either flesh or blood or synew or bone but the torments of Hell are greater the mourning of Hannah the griefe of Iob the sorrow of David the lamentations of Ieremie the bitter smart of Ierusalem were great as much as mortality could beare yet all nothing to the mournings grief The torments of Hell opposed to the ioyes of Heaven sorrowes and lamentations of the wicked in Hell If all griefes and woes and as many besides as ever wrung and wrested the spirit and heart of man since the breath of life was breathed into him were put together to part the torments of Hell among them part after part as if they would empty the store-houses and breake the streame of it yet hath the hand of Hell an unmeasurable portion behinde to distribute to her children an endlesse patrimony of how ling and wringing and gnashing which all the foreprized griefes and torments of this life have scarce beene shadowes and counterfeits of all the paines in the World are nothing to the paines of Hell therefore saith our Saviour If thy hand and thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt and maimed than having two hands and two feete to bee cast into everlasting fire Mat. 18. 8. Againe as two contraries set together the one doth set out the other as blacke being set by white seemeth the blacker and gall set by honey seemeth the bitterer for contrariorum contraria est ratio therefore whatsoever can bee said of the joyes of Heaven may bee said of the paines of Hell Well of the one Paul saith The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard the heart of man cannot comprehend nor containe the great joyes of Heaven 1. Cor. 2. 9. then of the other side it may be said of the paines of Hell that the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the heart cannot conceive the paines of Hell O brethren if all the trees and plants in the World were pennes all the Earth paper all the water of the Sea Inke and all creatures in Heaven and Earth Pen-men yet are they not able to set out the paines of Hell No if a man had the learning of Moses the understanding of Esay the zeale of Elias the thundering tongue of Iames and Iohn the eloquence of Apollo yet they cannot give thee a shadow of the torments of Hell Againe as touching Heaven it is said of the faithfull But ye Heb. 12. 22. 23. are come to Mount Sion to the City of the living God to the colestiall Ierusalem to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of just and perfect men but the wicked come to mount Ebal where the sixe Tribes cursed to the valley of Achor they come not to the celestiall but the infernall Ierusalem c. not to the company of innumerable Angels but to a company of innumerable Divels not to the spirits of perfect and just men but to the damned spirits of wicked and vile men not to Iesus the Mediator of the New testament but unto Belzebub the Prince of darkenesse Againe as touching the elect Augustine saith they shall have joy every way joy within joy without joy beneath and joy above and joy round about them Ioy within for they shall have The damned tormented in all parts in hell peace of conscience joy without for they shall have the fellowship of God and Angels joy above from the sight of God joy beneath from the beautie of the World For there shall be a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousnesse and joy round about them for they shall see all the delights that may be God shall be a glasse to their eyes musicke to their eares a Iubilee to their hearts yea God shall bee unto them all in all as 1. Cor. 15. Is it thus with Gods elect then the damned shall have sorrow within and sorrow without sorrow above and sorrow benath and sorrow round about them sorrow within from the worme of their conscience sorrow without by meanes of the accusation of the Divels sorrow above for the angry Iudge sorrow beneath for the gaping gulfe of hell fire ready to swallow them up and sorrow round about them for the world burning For à dextris erunt peccata accusantia à sinistris infinita daemonia subtùs horrendum Chaos inferni desuper Iudex
3. For Instruction But first it serveth for terrour it is a wonderfull terrible doctrine to the wicked for how can it be but terrible when the Lord shall come with thousand of his Saints to give iudgement against all men and to rebuke c their hearts shall faile them for feare Luk 21. Apoc. 9. 6 They shall seeke death in those dayes and shall not find it This hath been their day wherein so farre as they could they have done their will The next is the Lords day wherein they must suffer his will how can it be but terrible when they shall see the Sonne of man in the clouds above to condemne them beneath hell mouth open ready to devoure them before the Divels haling No way for the wicked to escape Iudgement them behind them the Saints and all their dearest friends forsaking them on their left hand their sinnes accusing them on the right Iustice threatning them on all sides the world made a bone-fire terrifying them how can it be but terrible when the hilles cannot hide them nor the Mountaines cover them from the presence of the Iudge For hee is here and there and every where If they mount and soare up to heaven he is there if they goe into hell he is there too So that pati intolerabile latere impossibile it is not possible to indure nor possible to avoid the iudgement How can it be but terrible when God shall raine upon them fire and brimstone storme and tempest This shall be their portion to drinke when God shall powre even the vials of his wrath upon them and they shall feele the masse of his displeasure Here the wicked are iudged that they may bee amended but there their iudgement shall be that they may be confounded For there will be no place for repentance If Foelix trembled to heare tell of iudgement What will poore Foelix doe when he must feele Iudgement both in the sentence and execution If Iohn and Daniel at the sight of a mild Angell fell upon the earth as dead Dan. 4. 8. Apoc. 1. 17. How shalt thou miserable sinner indure the presence of the terrible Iudge If Haman could not abide the angry countenance of Assuerus Hest 7. 9. how shalt thou ô wicked man iudure the angry countenance of this frowning Iudge If Adam for the commission of one sinne ranne from God in great feare and hidde himselfe among the trees that were in the garden Gen. 3. 8. whither shalt thou runne ô sinnefull Adamite that hast committed as many sinnes as starres in the sky or sands by the sea Imo horum numerus numero non clauditur ullo Yea the number of them is not to be numbred Whither I say wilt thou run or where shalt thou hide thy selfe from this terrible Iudge If the drowning of the old World the burning of Sodom the opening of the earth to swallow up Corah c. and such like the Iudgements have such horrour in them who can expresse the horrour of this day when many millions of wicked shall be turned into hell with all the people that forget God If it be such a shame to doe penance for one fault in one congregation where men will pray for the offendour what a shame will it be when all our faults shall bee discovered before all the whole world without all hope of pitty and help and all workers of iniquity shall be cast alive into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Looke therefore to your selves yee generation of Vipers and wash your hands and clense your hearts For certainly the Iudge of all the world will doe right 2. This doctrine of Iudgement serveth for comfort to all penitent Christians they may lift up their heads rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious For the Lord shall then come be glorified 2 Thess 1. 10. in his Saints and made marvailous on them that beleeve Hereupon The consideration of the general iudgement should instruct us saith Augustine Quare non gaudes cum venerit iudicare te qui venit iudicari propter te Why dost thou not rejoyce when he shall come to judge thee that came to be judged for thee hee hath beene thy advocate to pleade thy suites to God his Father and certenly when hee comes to judgement hee will not goe against his owne pleading He is thy brother and carries a most brotherly affection unto thee and will he condemne his owne brother He is thy head and hath performed all the offices of an head unto thee and can he then faile thee when thou hast most need of him hee died for us to redeeme us a people peculiar unto himselfe and will he faile us in the last act of our redemption Oh no no lift up your heads then and in patience possesse your soules What though hee bee terrible to the wicked to thee hee will bee kind and mercifull thou shalt not bee wronged by false witnesses neither shalt thou bee iudged by common fame or outward appearance The Iudge will not be transported either by passion or spleene nor will condemne thee to satisfy the people as Pilate did Iesus and besides nothing shall be remembred but what good thou hast wrought and done thy sinnes shall be cleane blotted out of remembrance they shall bee buried in the heart of the earth and drowned in the bottome of the sea they shall never rise up to Iudgement against thee Rejoice therefore poore penitent thou shalt find Christ a friend no foe a Iesus no Iudge a Saviour no confounder thou shalt find Heaven and not Hell Angels not Divels Gods right hand not his left hand everlasting life and not everlasting death 3. This doctrine of judgement serveth for instruction First it should restraine uncharitable censuring and judging one another Who art thou that judgest another mans servant hee standeth or falleth to his master Christ is the Lord of quicke and dead Iudge therefore nothing before the time If wee could consider that we should every one give accompt to God himselfe as Rom. 14. 12. wee should find worke enough to looke to our owne score and little leasure to forestall God in this matter of judging 2. Are there matters of difference among us Let the Saints judge them and end them God will bee contented to put his cause to them at the last day For we know that the Saints shall judge 1 Cor. 6. 2. the World and therefore why should we refuse their arbitrement 3. It should order and moderate our sorrowes for our dead friends We should not sorrow as people without hope seeing we beleeve that all that sleepe in Iesus God will bring with him 1. Thess 4. 13 14 17 18. we shall meet together againe in that day and ever live together with the Lord and therefore wee should comfort one another with these words 4. This summons to judgement gives a dreadfull warning admonition to the world even to all men every where to repent
treacherous domesticall enemy and not only so but also a tyrannicall enemy it will not be pleased except it raigne a most secret enemy for she sits at the fountaine and poy soneth all she lets in the Divell and suffers him to set up his holds and fortifications in us and is never quiet till it bring the soule into actuall high treason against God snibbe her punish her chastise her tame her therefore lead all thy thoughts into captivity and bring them to the obedience of Christ The Iewes would not listen to the Prophets but walked after their owne fleshly 2 Cor. 10. lusts and therefore saith God unto his Prophet Speake thou now unto the men of Iudah and to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem saying Ier. 18. 11 12. Thus saith the Lord Behold I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you returne you therefore every one from his evill way and make your wayes and your works good But they said desperately as men that had no remorse but were altogether bent to rebellion and to walke after their fleshly lusts Surely we will walke after our owne imaginations and doe every man after the stubbornesse of his own wicked heart This is our case thus wee say Let them teach let them preach their bellies full it is but one Doctours opinion The Iewes for all Ezechiel followed their covetousnesse They come unto you saith God as a people useth to come and my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their Bad thoughts must be banished mouthes they make iests and their heart goeth after their covetousnesse and lo thou art unto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but do them not This English people in the like sort giveth us the hearing but not the doing they are covetous still bribers oppressours usurers and still they follow their lusts c. Quid odit Deus nisi propriam voluntatem What doth God hate but our owne proper will What doth God punish but our will Let thy will cease and Hell shall cease Non erit tibi infernus Thou shalt feele no hell for if thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will refraine from wicked workes and honour thy God not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word I will cause thee to mount upon thâ— high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Iacob c. The heart is warily to be kept from two things A vanis cogitationibus inordinatis affectibus from vaine cogitations and inordinate affections or wandrâ—ng lusts From these two let thy heart bee free wherein the Spirit dwelleth As Painters use to blanch and make white their tables wherein they doe paint and to draw out the shape and forme of any thing so make thou cleane and expunge the tables of thy soule thy understanding and will as touching thy desires and lusts that is as touching thy thoughts and cogitations that the finger of God that is the Holy Ghost may paint good things in thy heart The heart of the evill is as an high-way continually trampled upon worne with their affections by the instigation of Satan For what affection doe the wicked represse What lust doe they resist What did they ever deny the flesh that it longed for or desired God may now complaine of us as hee did of his owne people Wherefore is this people of Ierusalem turned backe with a perpetuall rebellion they gave themselves to deceit and would not returne I harkened Ier. 8. 5 6. and heard but none spake aright none repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done every one turned to his race as the horse rusheth into the battell drawing iniquity with cordes of vanity and sinne like Esay 5. 18. cart-ropes they use allurements occasions and excuses to harden their hearts in sinne and as the Apostle speaketh They are past feeling and have given themselves to wantonnesse to worke all uncleannesse Ephes 4. 19. with greedinesse The malicious pursue their revenge the drunkard his cups the whoremonger his pleasures the covetous their gaine Sed aequum est ut qui nunquam voluit carere vitio nunquam careret supplicio It is meete and right that he that would never want sinne should never want punishment but that God should raine upon them snares and fire and brimstone storme and tempest evermore To these men it shall be said as unto Babylon Reward her even as she rewarded you and give her double according Psal 11. Apoc. 18. 8. to her workes and in the câ—p that shee hath filled to you fill her the double in asmuch as she glorified her selfe and lived in pleasure so The Word of God the chiefest meanes to restraine lusts much give you to her torment and sorrow Cor verò bonorum est ut hortus conclusus the heart of good men is as a garden shut up and as a fountain sealed whereof no man must taste no man must drinke Cant. 3. 7. but God as the bed of Salomon that had threescore strong men round about it of the valiant men of Israel but the heart of the wicked is as a vessell withour a cover ad accipiendam omnem spurcitiem to receave all filthinesse all uncleannesse as Paul speaketh of the Gentiles They kept not their vessels in holinesse but in the lust of concupiscence 1 Thess 4. 5. It intertaineth any sin whatsoever Againe Let thy heart be free and at liberty from affections there is nothing that troubleth and disquieteth the heart so much as our naturall affections and passions as are love and hatred joy and sorrow hope and feare anger and desire c. These are the winds which vehemently tosse and trouble this sea these are the clouds which darken this Heaven these are the weights which doe depresse the spirit Let us therefore cast away every thing that presseth downe Hebr. 12. 1. and the sinne that hangeth on so fast As our bodily eyes cannot behold the Sunne and the starres in cloudy and darke weather so our spirituall eyes the eyes of our soule cannot see God nor heaven the seate of God when they are obscured and darkened with the clouds of lusts passions As in a cleere pure water all things are seene even unto the least sand which in a troubled foule water cannot bee so the soule is blind and seeth not when passions and lusts obscure her Beware therefore lest the two wings of thy soule understanding and will bee not defiled with the bird-lime of earthly things that is to say wicked affections Rule therefore thine affections by the Word of God Let this Word be a lanterne unto thy feet and a light unto thy pathes For Psal 119. 105. of our selves we are but darkenesse and cannot see except we bee lightened with Gods Word Refraena
Ier. 20. 3 4. Balaam say Moriatur anima mea Let my soule dye the death of the righteous and let my last end bee like unto his Iulian tooke his bloud Numb 23. 10. in his hands being strooken with an arrow from Heaven and threw it up into the Ayre saying Vicisti Galilaee O man of Galile thou hast gotten the victory Calvin writing upon the hundred and fifteenth Psalme verse sixteene telleth a notable story how God suddenly shut up the mouth of a Blasphemer and made him dumbe who derided God saying Coeli coelorum Domini The Heaven of Heavens unto the Lord and the Earth hath he given to the children of men as though men in Earth might live at randome Thus Esay traverseth the scorners of Ierusalem saying Heare the Word of the Lord yee scornefull men because yee have Esa 28. 14 15. said Wee have made a covenant with Death and with Hell are wee at an Scoffers and mockers punished agreement though a scourge runne over and passe thorow it shall not come at us for wee have made falshood our refuge and under vanity are wee hid But saith God I will lay Iudgement to the rule and Righteousnesse to the ballance and your covenant with Death shall bee disannulled and your agreement with Hell shall not stand now therefore bee no mockers lest your bonds increase So heare this yee scorners of Norfolke God will meete with you one day Hee will wound the head of his enemies and the hairie scalpe of him that walketh in Psal 68. 21. Psal 21. 8 9. his sinnes and his right handshall finde out all these mockers that hate him Hee shall make them like a fiery Oven in the time of his anger The Lord shall destroy them in his wrath and the fire shall devoure them These mockers shall not alwayes doe him this dishonour but God will draw his hand yea his right hand out of his bosome and consume them Psal 74. 11. Foure notable scoffers I knew in my time that held of one ging the first dyed mad the second hanged himselfe the third is a begger and yet was richly left the fourth is strooken blind Let men take heed if God be God they shall not goe unpunished for they open their mouth against Heaven David cryeth out that hee was a worme and not a man a shame of men and Psal 22. 6. 7. the out-cast of all people that all that saw him had him in derision they made a mow and nod the head at him but yet hee gathereth heart and insulteth over these his enemies saying Let the wicked be put to confusion and to silence in the grave and let these lying lips bee made Psal 31. 17 18. dumbe which cruelly proudly and spightfully speake against the righteous Herod and Pilate scoffed at the Lord Iesus his simplicitie made a May-game of him the rascall souldiers flouted Iuke 22. him but hee left the vengeance to his Father who met with them all One saith that the scoffers shall bee punished in Hell in their tongues quoting Luke 16. 24. for said hee In quo membro peccamus in codem plectemur In what member wee sinne in the same must wee be punished as the Envious in their eyes the Gluttons in their throats the Lecherous in their bodies the Malicious in their hearts the Covetous in their hands the Scoffers in their toungs but this is but a speculation a quiddity for surely the damned are tormented in all parts but yet chiefely in that part that hath offended paena peccato respondet the punishment is answerable to the sinne The World is full of these mockers for men are come to a wonderfull height of sin and are growne to be most notoriously wicked and ungodly so it is said that cursed Cham mocked his Father Noah I smael mocked godly Isaac because it is like I smael Gen. 2. 22. Gen. 21. seeing godly Isaac performing some duties of Religion Prayer Thankesgiving or the like hee laughed him to scorne The Athenians mocked Paul What will this babbler say So the Scribes Act. 17. Mat. 26. 68. and Pharisees mocked our Saviour saying Haile King of the Iewes The Iewes mocked Saint Peters Sermon saying These Scoffing a kind of persetion men are ful of new wine they are possessed with the spirit of the Buttery The children of Bethel mocked Elisha saying Goe up bald pate This was the complaint of godly Ieremy O Lord I am in 2 Reg. 2. 22. Ier. 20. 7. derision dayly everie one mocketh me and as it was so it is still and shall bee the World is full of such lewd and wicked men as Nilus of Crocodiles such mockes-God that mocke and mow at all good duties scoffing and scorning all Religion flowting and misusing all Gods faithfull Ministers raile upon them and revile them yea if any man feare God and worke righteousnesse attend to reading exhortation and doctrine pray evening and morning and at noone-day instruct their families with Abraham and will not sweare with the swearer drinke with the drunkard nor runne with the prophane in all excesse of riot this man shall bee derided mocked scorned jested at and railed upon branded with many odious names but let these mockers take heed God will come in judgement hee will bee a swift witnesse and a sharpe Iudge against them Looke on that cursed Cham and scoffing Ismael behold Gods vengeance upon those fortie two boyes that mocked Elisha What became of them that mocked and misused the Prophets of the Lord What became of them that mocked and misused Christ Iesus our Saviour and yee shall see none of them escaped unpunished This mocking is a kinde of persecution these mockers are persecutors Ismael did but gybe and fleere and flout at Isaac yet Gen. 21. Gal. 5. 29. Mat. 27. 39. Paul calleth it persecution those that railed on Christ despited him as much as they that crucified him with their hands as those that ranne him to the heart with a speare The wicked now persecute the Saints and laugh and gybe and fleere at them to the full but God shall laugh at them another day hee will yee mockers Hee will laugh at your destruction and mocke you when Prou. 1. 26 27. your feare commeth like suddaine desolation and your destruction shall come like a whirlewind when affliction and anguish shall come upon you c. The rich mans tongue burned in Hell and could not have a spoonefull of water and shall not these tongues fry in Hell Luke 16. that raile that jest that mocke at Honesty and Religion Who say that they will beleeve their hound before a Preacher for hee will not hunt counter God will burne one day these tongues For if that tongue that mocketh his earthly Father and Mother shall bee pulled out As Agur said The eye that mocketh Prov. 3. 17. his Father and despiseth the instruction of his Mother let the Ravens in the valley pick it
out and the young Eagles eateit what shall the tongue doe that mocketh God his heavenly Father the 2 Cor. 5. 20. Church his Mother the Saints his fellow brethren members of Christs Body the holy Ghost his Schoole-master the Preachers the messengers of God the Gospell the Word of life the two Sacraments the two dugges of life the Food of our soules Into their secrets let not my soule come saith old father Iacob Many Scoffers and railers smite with the tongue condemne us of singularity precisenesse puritanisme they would not have us so odde but to be good fellowes boone companions sport and play drinke and swill like other men and to Gen. 49. 6. walke as the world doth But let us answere these men as Alexander answered Parmenio counselling him to a thing undecent and unseemely Facerem si Parmenio essem at Alexandro neutiquam licet I would doe this if I were Parmenio but it is no way beseeming Alexander to doe it So will wee answere Atheists Papists Worldlings We would doe such and such things we would drinke with the drunkard sweare with the swaggerer and runne into all excesse of riot if wee were Atheists Papists prophane worldlings At Protestantibus Christianis non licet But it is not lawfull for Christians and Protestants so to doe God bee thanked wee are free now from open persecution the Moone is not turned into bloud the Dragon pursueth not the woman the daughters of Sion are not Apoc. 6. Cap. 12. Lament 2. 1. 2 Reg. 21. darkened the Church is not blacke as Cant. 1. our bloud is not powred out like water as in Ierusalem the Preachers are not scattred abroad as Moses in Madian Daniel in Chaldaea Hosea in Israel Ieremy in Iuda Iohn in Asia Peter in Samaria Philip in Alexandria Thomas in Aethiopia Bartholomew in India Andrew in Scythia SimoÌ„ in Persia Iudas in Mesopotamia Marcus in Colonia Nathanael in France Ioseph of Aramathia in Scotland and Paul in England yet are we not free from all persecution for wee are persecuted with the toung the woolf cannot bite yet can he barke the wicked cannot smite with the fist yet can he smite with the toung these serpents cannot sting yet can they hisse as they said of Ieremy Come let Ier. 18. 18. us smite him with the tongue and let â—â— not give heed to any of his Words so good men shall be sure to bee smitten with the tongue These voices are oftentimes heard Oh these holy men oh these Bible-men oh these precisians Puritans mortified men men of the spiritlare not others holy and honest and good as well as they Oh take heed Dathan Corah and Abiram went to hell for as liâ—lle as Numb 6. 16. that and thither shall these go if they repent not The first Christians wanted not these derisions mockings and scoffings Tertullian in Apologetico saith that they in the Primitive Church were called Asinarij Semissij homines Crucifixi discipuli Galilaei Nazareni heards of Asses vile Fellowes the disciples of a man crucified Galilaeans Nazarites eaters of mans flesh drinkers of mans bloud for that they received the Sacraments Libanus scholler to Iulian the Apostata scoffed at Christ asking what the Sonne of the Carpenter did then in heaven To whom the Schoole-master of Antioch answered Concinnat loculos Iuliano he was making coffins for Iulian. So he died within 3. daies saith the Tripartite History The same Tripartite History telleth of one Lucius Lib. 7. cap. 12. Samasatensis who mocking at Christianity said that he got nothing by it but the increase of his name in one syllable For The godly usually mocked for well doing before he was christened hee was called Lucius but after that he was called Lucianuâ— but he mocked and barked so long at Christ that in fine he was torne in pieces of dogs one dog are another A wicked witnesse mocketh Iudgement saith Salomon but judgements Prov. 19. 28 29. 2 Sam. 6. 21 21. are prepared for the scornefull that is mockers Finely did David answere Michol It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Fathers house c. And I will yet bee more vile then thus and will bee low in my owne sight c. So let us answere these huswifes dames scoffers mockers God hath not chosen them nor their Fathers house and we wil be yet more vile seeing it is before our God But yet howsoever Iulian flowt at Christ Diagoras jest at religion Dionysius scoffe at the last Iudgement Ismael the bastard 2 Reg. 2. 19. mocke Isaac Senacherib laugh at the virgin Sion and nod his head at Ierusalem yet how le they weep they and lament this sinne in hell Oh brethren hee that heard our men how in their secret meetings they deride the Preacher the Word the Auditors the Church the assemblies how they canvice every professour his life how they censure all men how they open their mouth against heaven and their tongues walke thorow the earth how they talke on their Ale-bench sparing neither Magistrate not Minister nor private man would wonder that such iniquitie should be in the world yet are they no sooner in danger but they tremble But the vilenesse of this sinne of mocking shall yet more plainely appeare if yee marke the cause of it it is ever lightly for doing well and refraining evill For this cavse Cain disdained and hated his brother Abell because his owne works were evil 1 Iohn 3. 12. his brothers good a vile spirit that cannot abide vertue but so greedily thirsteth after sinne which is of the Divell drinke not with the drunkard and they mocke thee sweare not with the swearers and they mocke thee be not vaine in words in apparell in behaviour and they mocke thee Heare the Word read of it talke of it and by and by a yong Saint and an old Divell you will to Heaven ere your bones bee cold with a number of such mockes and divellish taunts but Iudgements are prepared for these Prov. 19. 29. sinne seene and sorrowed for hath pardon promised but sinne jested at and played withall hath vengeacne threatened It is the 2 Sam. 24. voice of a Christian to say I have sinned but it is the voice of a reprobate to say Tush let them preach I will sinne still and Prov. 14. 9. so verifieth the saying of Salomon The foole maketh a mocke of sinne he doth not know the grievousnesse thereof nor Gods judgements against the same It is strange that one reporteth that in Collecke a towne in Germany Anno. 1505. certaine vaine persons hopping and dancing in the Church-yard being admonished by the minister to cease and contemning it ranne round about till at last they fell all downe dead And note that these vile men shall be in the It is damnable to scoffe at the Saints last times they have beene at all times For sinne is as ancient as Satan who was a murtherer from
the dead and of eternal Iudgement we can say nothing Here I am to speake to two sorts of men the one is proud and say they have enough they eede not to learne as Laodicia said I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing the Apoc. 3. 17. other is dull and saith hee cannot learne The first is confuted by the Apostle If any man thinketh hee knoweth any thing he knoweth 1 Cor. 8. 2. 1 Cor. 13. 9. nothing yet as hee ought to know Wee see here in a glasse in a darke speaking Letus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us not presume Rom. 12. 3. to understand above that which is meet for us to understand but that wee understand according to sobriety Plura nescio quà m scio I am ignorant of many moe things than I know Ignorantiam meam non ignoro Aug. Origen Cal. I am not ignorant of my ignorance Hoc unum scio quòd nihil scio this one thing I know that I know nothing as I should know The other the dull man hee belyeth God hee belyeth not man but God for God hath said wee may learne If thou callest Pro. 2 3 4 5 6. for knowledge and cryest for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for treasures then shalt thou understand the feare We must bee diligent and constant in seeking Knowledge of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God for the Lord giveth Wisedome out of his mouth commeth Knowledge and Vnderstanding And again the Wise man saith That all the wayes of God are plaine to them that will understand meaning that the Word of God is Pro. 8. 9. easie to all that have a will and a desire unto it so bee thou willing to understand the Lords Word and Way and thou shalt understand it there is no want but Will Aske saith our Saviour and it shall be given you seeke and yee shall finde knock and Mat. 7. 7. it shall bee opened unto you so that if so bee wee would but take a little paines our knowledge would not bee at the ebbe as it is Ephorus and Theopompus were two Schollers the one needed a bridle the other a spurre the one went on too fast the other too slow it is not the bridle but the spurre that wee need Our faith I must confesse is a little stronger our knowledge a little greater our lives a little better than in the time of Popery for theÌ„ we were blind indeed not as whelps that see after nine daies not as the man in the Gospell that saw men walke like trees but blinde as Beetles blinde as the men of Sodom that groped for Lots doore but alas how weake is our Faith how small is our Knowledge how cold is our Zeale in respect of that which we might have had if wee had applied our hearts to Wisedome What know wee at fourescore yeeres old that a child knowes not at eight yeeres old If a childe should never grow in height nor Wisedome it were prodigious even so wee are children still nay monsters But bee not saith the Apostle children in 2 Cor. 14. 20. understanding but as concerning maliciousnesse bee children but in understanding be of ripe age But wee have inverted the order Let us follow the counsel of the Wise man In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening let not thy hand rest that is doe good in thy Eccles 11. 6. youth doe good in thy age yea at all times bee not weary of sowing and bee not weary of working Of well doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not the seede time is nothing Gal. 6. 9. the growth is nothing the harvest is all in all to doe well in youth is nothing to doe well in age is nothing but to continue till death to the last gaspe is pietie in deede If the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and doe Ezech. 18. 24 26 according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall hee live All his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not bee mentioned but in the transgresston that hee hath committed in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them hee shall dye for when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity hee shall even dye for the same hee shall even dye for his iniquity that hee hath done As well may we drowne in the Havens mouth as in the middest of the boysterous sea as well fall through the peevishnesse of age as through the lusts and concupiscences of youth but of many it may be said Caput canum cor vanum a gray head and a greene wit Anni multi acta stulta dies vberes fructus steriles facies rugosaâ—at We must build here against the time to come lingua nugosa many yeeres but foolish acts plentifull dayes but barren fruits a wrinckled face but a trifling toyish tongue The wicked is like the Vintner in the Gospell who broached his best wine first and after that which is worse like Nebuchadnezers Iohn 2. 10. Image whose head was all of gold whose shoulders were of silver whose belly was all of brasse whose legges were all of yron and feete of clay still worse and worse O brethren wee build apace but it is with bloud as the Prophet sayd They build up Sion with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquity but Sion shall bee Mich. 3. 10 12. plowed up as a field and Ierusalem shall bee an heape c. And Woe unto Hab. 2. 12. to him that buildeth a towne with bloud and erecteth a Citty with iniquity But if wee build not in zeale faith knowledge our houses here shall fall or bee desolate even great and faire without inhabitant the foundation is not good but if wee doe good and Esa 59. be rich in good workes if we bee ready to distribute and communicate Then shall wee lay up for our selves in store a good foundation against the time to come Wee have no houses in Heaven wee 1 Tim. 6. 19. cannot say with Paul Wee know that if the Earthly house of this Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5. 1. bee destroyed wee have an house that is to say a building not made with hands but eternall in Heaven We have faire houses here but what have wee in Heaven Are wee built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner Ephes 2. 20. stone Can a man goe a long journey with standing still Did the Istaelites goe into Canaan Or the wise men to Bethlem with never moving Heaven is a long journey wee must not stand still but runne wtih patience the race that is set before us Heb. 12. 1. And can wee goe to heaven with doing nothing With learning nothing Beleeving nothing We weave Penelopes webbe Ipsa texuit retexuit what she woave in the day shee
did undoe in the night so wee learne and unlearne whatsoever wee learne on the Sunday wee forget in the weeke day we may say of our comming to Church as Peter said of his fishing Master wee have Luke 5. 5. travelled all night and have taken nothing So wee have come to the Church twenty thirty forty fifty sixty yeeres some more and have gotten nothing have learned nothing got no Faith no Zeale no Knowledge But to proceed As they must edifie themselves increase and goe forward so the thing that they must increase and goe forward in is Faith for that is the foundation of all Christian Vertues it is Alpha and O mega absque ea nemo potest placere Deo Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14. 23. Without it no man can please God for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Omnia ergo splendida opera Paganorum Infidelium sant splendida peccata all the glistering workes of Pagans and Infidels bee glistering sinnes their prayers almes fastings the patience of Socrates the justice of Aristides the piety of Epaminondas Faith the originall of all good workes the constancie of Phocion they were but bastard-workes not right workes they are begotten of Hagar not of Sara the free-woman they spring from the waters of Marah not of Siloh from the bitter poole Exanthe not the sweet flood of Hispanis they proceed from feare or vaineglory not from faith For as unto the Tit. 1. 15. pure all things are pure so unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but their mindes and consciences are defiled It is true in all workes that Paul said of prayer How shall they call on him in whom Rom. 10. 14. they have not beleeved Even so how can they glorifie God or love God or serve God in whom they never beleeved Paul making a Catalogue of good men beginneth with Faith and saith By faith Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain Heb. 11. 4 5 7. 8 20 21 33-34 By faith Enoch was taken away that hee should not see death c. By Faith Noah being warned of God of the things which were not yet seene moved with reverence prepared the Arke c. By Faith Abraham when hee was called obeyed God offered Isaac c. By Faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau By Faith Iacob when hee was a dying blessed the sonnes of Ioseph and thus hee goeth on and at the last concludeth that by faith they subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the armies of the Aliants c. In every good worke three things are to be considered Origo Finis Vsus The beginning The end and Vse The originall or beginning of every good worke is faith faith is as the Mother and the holy Ghost the Father of all good workes Faith begetteth Love and Love blossometh forth in Vertue and Vertue buddeth foorth in good Workes whereupon Saint Peter inferreth this exhortation Ioyne moreover Vertue with your Faith and with Vertue Knowledge and with Knowledge 2 Pet. 1. 5 7 8. Temperance and with Temperance Patience and with Patience Godlinesse and with Godlinesse Brotherly-kindnesse and with Brotherly-kindnesse Love Secondly the end is the glory of God Hereupon saith the Apostle Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoever yee doe doe all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 1 3â— Thirdly the use is manifold First they are unto us signes of our election and therefore Saint Peter would have us to make our election calling sure by them Indeed our election is sure in it selfe 2 Pet. 1. 10. for God cannot change yet we must confirme it in our selves by the fruits of the Spirit Secondly they edifie others Hereupon saith our Saviour Let your light so shine before men that they may see No life of grace without Faith your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Thirdly that they may stop the mouth of the Adversary For which cause we are willed to have honest conversation among the Gentiles that wheras they doe backbite us as evill doers they may see our good works and glorify Mat. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 12. our Father which is in Heaven Here is the triall of a Christian that proveth us either sonnes or bastards this proveth us dead or alive by Faith wee live this is the spirit and soule of the inner man wee have a name to live yet are wee dead if wee want Iohn 1. 12. Faith There is a double life of grace and of nature Infidels Vnbeleevers are strangers from the life of grace As a tree liveth not without Ephes 4. 18. moysture nor a bird without aire nor the fish without water nor a body without a soule so neither the soule without faith For in that wee live now in the flesh wee live by the Faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved us and gave himselfe for us Yee see Infidels eating Gal. 2. 20. drinking sporting playing yet are they dead they are alive to the world but dead unto God but the faithfull they are dead with Christ unto the world but their life is hid with Christ with God and when Christ which is their life shall appeare then shall they Col. 2 3 4. also appeare with him in glory Pandora carried deadly poyson in a painted boxe and Lusimachus the cutter a leaden sword in a golden sheath and many men a dead soule in a living body the body is alive but the soule is dead as Paul said of the voluptuous widow But shee that liveth in pleasure is dead while shee liveth To conclude faith joyneth us to Christ For Christ dwelleth in 1 Tim. 5. 6. our hearts by Faith Christ uniteth us to God 1 Iohn 5. God assureth Ephes 3. 17. us of life For in him wee live and move and have our being So that no faith no Christ no Christ no God no God no life God Act. 17. 28. so loved the world that hee gave his only be gotten Sonne that whosoever Iohn 3. 16 18. beleeveth in him should not perish but have life everlasting hee that beleeveth in him shall not bee condemned but hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because hee beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God Knowledge is the fountaine of all vertue and Faith is the sea in which they all runne and where they jointly end their course But it is to bee observed that hee calleth it not simply Faith but holy Faith yea most holy Faith he riseth to the superlative degree as David extolled Bashan above all mountaines saying The mountaine of God is like the mountaine of Bashan it is a high mountaine Psal 68. 15. as the mount Bashan As Salomon extolled his huswife above all women saying Many daughters
Temple When a man shall trespasse against his neighbour and he lay upon him an oath to cause him to sweare and the swearer shall come before 1 Reg. 8. 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38. thy Altar in this house then heare thou in Heaven and doe and iudge thy servants that thou condemne the wicked to bring his way upon his head and justify the righteous and give him according to his righteousnesse When thy people Israel shall bee overthrowne before the enemy because they have sinned against thee and turne againe unto thee confesse thy name and pray and make supplication unto thee in this House Then heare thou in Heaven and bee mercifull unto the sinne of thy people Israel And when Heaven shall be shut and there shall bee no raine because they have sinned against thee and shall pray c. Then heare thou in Heaven and pardon the sinne of thy servants When there shall bee famine in the land when there shall bee pestilence when there shall be blasting mildew grashopper or caterpiller when their enemy shall besiege them in the Citties of their land or any plague or any sicknesse and they make their prayers before thee heare them and bee mercifull unto them c. Thus prayer is a remedy against all mischiefe Physicians for divers diseases have divers remedies but a Christian for all and every disease hath but one only remedy and that is prayer For Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved fides est janua ad misericordiam Ioel. 2. 32. oratio est clavis quae januam reserat Faith is the gate to mercy and Prayer is the key to unlocke this gate Hereupon saith Saint Iames Is any man among you sicke Let him pray and the prayer Jam. 5. 13 15. of faith shall save the sicke Prayer is profitable powerfull and pleasant it is every way profitable first to obtaine every good thing Verily verily saith Christ I say unto you whatsoever yee aske Prayer prevalent with not only the creature but Creator the Father in my name hee will give it you Secondly to prevent judgements present or future Note for this purpose the prayer of Salomon before mentioned Thirdly to confirme and strengthen us in all spirituall graces By Christs prayer was Peters faith kept Iohn 16. 23. 1 Reg. 8. 33. Luk. 22. 32. Col. 1. 9. Act. 8. 22. from sayling and the Apostle prayed for the Colossians That they might bee filled with knowledge c. increasing therein and strengthened Fourthly to obtaine remission of sinnes For which cause Saint Peter said to Simon Magus Pray God that if it be possible the thought of thy heart may bee forgiven thee Whereby hee giveth us to understand that if remission of sinnes may bee obtained by any meanes prayer is the meanes And this also Christ hath taught us when hee willed us to pray thus Forgive us our trespasses as wee Mat. 6. forgive them that trespasse against us Fifthly prayer sanctifieth all Gods creatures unto us so saith the Apostle The creature is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer To conclude prayer is profitable 1 Tim. 4. 5. unto all things it is like unto Iacobs ladder by which Gods blessings descended downe upon us or as Catena aurea a golden Isidor de fâ—uctu Orandi chaine by which we ascend up to God And as prayer is profitable so is it powerfull For it prevaileth over all creatures whether reasonable or unreasonable and of reasonable both visible as man and invisible as Angels whether evill or good yea it prevaileth with the Creator himselfe Daniel by prayer stopped the Dan. 6. 12. mouthes of Lions among whom hee was cast by Davids prayer 2 Sam. 15. 31. Gen. 32. was Achitophels wisdome turned into foolishnes by Iacobs prayer was Esaus wrath alayed by Mardochaeus and Esters prayer was Hamans malice like Sauls sword turned into his owne bowels by Est 4. 6. cap. 7. 10. 2 Reg. 19. 15. Ezechias prayer was the whole host of Senacherib overthrowne one faithfull mans prayer is more forcible than the power of an whole army Witnes the example of Moses who lift up his hands Exod. 17. 11. while Israel fought against Amalech and prevailed When Marcus Aurelius had almost lost his army in Germany for want of water the Christians in his campe prayed and God sent raine in great Eusib abundance And Theodoret affirmeth that Theodosius in a battell Theodo that hee fought being in danger to be overthrowne and his men ready to fly prayeth and God giveth him the victory For as Origen saith One man prevaileth more in prayer then innumerable sinners do with fighting Orig. By prayer the Divels are cast out for there is a kinde of Divels that go not out but by fasting and prayer Mat. 17. 11. If Christ would have prayed hee might have had more then Mat. 26. 53. twelve legions of Angels to guard him and defend him At Elishaes prayer the mountaines were full of charrets and horses of 2 Reg. 6. 17. fire round about Many admirable and extraordinary things have Gods children in all ages effected by prayer By prayer Abraham obtained favour for Ismael by prayer Moses divided the red sea by prayer Ioshua made the Sunne to stand still in the middest of heaven by Prayer pleasant to God and man prayer Anna became fertile by prayer Ezechias procured a longer life by prayer Iudith destroyed Holofernes and Ester saveth the Iewes by prayer Susanna is saved from the unjust Iudges Daniel from the Lions and Peter from Herod by prayer the Leper is cured the Publican justified the Divels scared Heaven gates opened the fetters loosed and iniquity vanquished by prayer wee have accesse unto the throne of grace It is a great blessing that God in his Word vouchsafeth to speake to man but not comparable to this that man should talke with God Yee see the power of prayer Thirdly prayer is a pleasant thing to God and man To God and therefore resembled to the incense Let my prayer come forth as the incense and let the lifting up of my hands bee an evening Psal 141. sacrifice For as the sent of incense is pleasant to the nosthrils of man so are the prayers of the Saints unto God for when they Chrysost ascend to heaven God seemeth to smell a sweet savour like the incense Prayer also is pleasant and delightfull unto man For if it were a pleasure to Iacob for to speake to Rachel and to Ionathan with David what a pleasure is it for a devour soule to speake unto God Oratio locutio est ad Deum quando legis Deus tibi loquitur quando oras cum Deo loqueris Prayer is a speaking to God when Aug. thou readest God speakes to thee when thou prayest thou talkest with God The child is never better then when it is in the fathers or mothers lappe so
answere that prayer hindereth no labour it is opus animi non corporis a worke of the mind not of the body for why the husband-man at the plough the pilot at the helme the mariner at the oares the coblar at his Last the weaver at his Loomes the woman at her rock may pray and yet lose no time the heart may bee occupied as was Moses heart at the red Sea Epiphanius calleth Christians Bees that have Exod. 14. wax in their hands their clawes to note their worke and hony in their mouthes that is Hymnes Psalmes prayers to glorify God as is said of the Primitive Church These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication c. One calleth prayers Gods Grashoppers Gods Nightingales Onuphrius who praise him in the day and pray in the night and good men will pray alway with all manner of prayers and supplications in the spirit Ephes 6. 18. 2 Tim. 1. 6. and watch thereunto with all perseverancy c. O stirre up thy heart that is dull rowze it up to God blow the coale but spit not upon it Benajah is said to kill a Lion in the snow It is a great glory to kill a Lion greater to kill him in the snow when the hands are 2 Sam. 23. 20. cold and the body frozen that a man cannot draw his sword so the soule is cold congealed the spirit is dull the mind languishing in good things but if thou canst then put heate unto it to wrastle with the Divell that roaring Lion in prayer and meditation 1 Pet. 5. 8. it is thy glory with God men Angels In other vertues thou overcommest another in this thou overcommest thy selfe This world is a sea our soules are as vessels tossed on it our vertues Apoc. 15. as wares to be transported to the Haven prayer is as a prosperous wind to carry them forward Now as in the straites of Magellane of three shippes scarce one is saved so in the sea of this world of an hundred scarce one is saved for why Men pray not The Lord looked downe from Heaven upon the children of men to see Psal 14. 2 3 4. if there were any that would understand and seeke after God all are gone out of the way they are all corrupt there is none that doth good no not one doe not all the workers of iniquity know that they eate up my people as they eate bread they call not upon the Lord. On these God powreth out wrath For so the Prophet prayed saying Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not Ier. 10. 25. upon thy name Prayer is as a spirituall chaire wherein the soule sitteth downe at the feet of the Lord to receive the influences of his graces est porta regalis per quam Dominus in cor intrat prayer is the regall gate by which the Lord entreth into the heart the first fruits of future glory Manna that had in it Omne delectamentum the delicacy and taste of every sweet the Ladder of Iacob by which we must ascend into heaven By this note God distinguisheth his house from all houses My house shall bee called an house of prayer and his people from all Prayer comforteth in all estates the people of the world they are a people that delight in prayer and the praises of God are ever in their mouth others are houses Mat. 21. 12. of banqueting as the houses of Iobs sonnes or houses of sporting as the houses of the Philistins where Samson plaied or Iob. 1. 1 Reg. 16. Iudg. 16. Mich 3. Luk. 12. houses of cruelty as were the houses of the Iewes or houses of receit as the barnes of the foole or houses of destruction as those of Ieroboams and Baasha but Gods house is an house of prayer all other came to nought the houses of Iobs sonnes were blowne down with the winde the houses of the Philistins fell upon their heads and slew them the houses of the Iewes were turned into a field the barnes of the foole came to a strange heire the Palaces of Ieroboam and Baasha became a proverbe Prayer is a conjoyning of God and man together in doctrine God speaketh unto us and therefore the Word is called The Spirit 2 Thess 2. 8. of Gods mouth and in prayer wee speake to God and powre out our griefes into his lap Call upon mee in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Oratio est Deo sacrificium Psal 50. 15. Prayer is a sacrifice to God musicke unto the Angels a banket to the Saints an helpe to them that pray a remedy for the penitent a weapon against their enemies Te orante fugit daemon When thou prayest the Divell takes him to his heeles and is gone Resist the Divell by prayer and hee will flye from you Vis omnia patienter ferre sis homo precum Wilt thou carry all things patiently Iam. 4. 7. be a man of prayers Pray continually in all things give thanks Wilt thou roote up vices and be inriched with vertues Bee a 1 Thess 5. 17 18 man of prayers Cease not to pray to be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all Wisedome and spiritual Vnderstanding Wilt thou overcome Col. 1. 9. troubles bee a man of prayer for Saint Iames will have thee troubled and afflicted to pray Wilt thou know the subtilty of Iam 5. 13. Satan and vanquish his temptations Bee a man of prayers Pray with all manner of prayer and supplications and then neither rule nor power nor worldly rulers nor the governours of the darkenesse of this world shall cause thee to fall Wilt thou trample under-feet thy corrupt and evill affections Bee a man of prayers Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation I never knew a man of much praying a man of much sinne no not of the superstitious Mat. 26. 41. sort touching the grosse sinnes of the world Per preces charitas pascitur fides augetur spes corroboratur spiritus exhilaratur cor pacatur detegitur veritas vincitur tentotio renovantur sensus totus homo immutatur fit melior by prayer Charity is fed Faith increased Hop strengthened the Spirit exhilarated the Heart pacified Verity discovered temptation vanquished the Senses renewed and the whole man is altered and bettered Paul prayed and God answered him My grace is sufficient for Prayer the food of the soule thee The Philosophers affirme God to bee the perfection of all creatures the creature then is so much the more perfect by how much he is neerer unto God in prayers and supplications 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. wee draw neerer unto God then at other times therefore the perfecter for we draw neere unto God not in walking but in loving not with the feete of our bodies but with the affections of our hearts Let us draw neere saith the Apostle
with a true Heb. 10. 22. heart in assurance being sprinkled in our heatts from an evil conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water All living creatures have their nourishment every one in their kinde some live of the Earth as Molles other some of the Water as Fishes some of the Ayre as the Camelion some of the fire as the Salamander other creatures more noble than they live by meat as the naturall man but others more noble than he as the Angels by meditations contemplations The Soule therefore being a spirituall substance as the Angels is nourished and fed with the same meate that they bee Here is the difference their vision of God is Col. 3. 3. Ephes 4. 18. cleere and manifest ours obscure and darke their life perfect ours imperfect their life is a life of glory ours is called the life of grace As the sea followeth the moving of the Moone for as shee increaseth that waxeth so the perfection of a Christian life dependeth on prayer as our prayers increase so doth our perfection in Christianity increase also For seeing the heart is the beginning of life and of workes Et quale cor talia opera and as our heart is such be our workes if the heart therefore be devout and well ordered our workes will bee devout and good also if otherwise our workes will be vile and naught For unto Tit. 1. 15. the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mindes and consciences are defiled To conclude it is no little proofe of the vertue of prayer to behold the two principall glories and testimonies which the Father gave to Christ Iesus in prayer for in his transfiguration while hee prayed His face did shine as the Sun and his cloathes were as Mat. 17. 2. white as the light and in his Baptisme while he praied The Heavens were opened unto him the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted Mat. 3. 15. upon him This should incourage us to pray and to pray alwayes to pray and to pray continually even every moment as the least occasion is offered prayer should bee the key to open the day and the locke to shut in the night when wee rise in the morning we should pray with Abrahams servant and say O Lord God Gen. 14. 12. I beseech thee send me good speede this day when we lay us down at night to pray with the sweet Singer of Israel Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death and whatsoever wee take in hand Psal 13. 3. either by day or night to prevent it with the blessing of the Psalme Prosper the worke of our hands O prosper thou our handy worke Egredientes de hospitio armet oratio regredientibus de platea occurrat Psal Ier. Ep. intercessio when thou goest out of the house let prayer arme thee Prayer the means whereby wee receive all good things when thou returnest into thy house let prayer meete with thee prayer is vinculum invincibile wouldest thou binde the Almighty that he may not hurt thee Prayer is the band by which hee is tyed and wouldest thou untie him to doe thee good Prayer must doe it Prayer is Clavis Scripturae it is our Oedipus to resolve our doubts it is our Commentary to understand Gods Word Oratio est Deo sacrificium Diabolo flagellum oranti subsidium Prayer is a sacrifice to God a scourge to the Divell and a helpe to our Aug. selves in all our troubles And againe Orationis purae magna est virtus velut fidelis nuntius mandatum peragit penetrat quò caro non pervenit Great is the power of pure prayer for it is a faithfull Aug. in Psal 36. messenger shee delivers her errand and pierceth thither whither flesh cannot come And this was it which made Bernard to say Nemo nostrûm parvipendeat orationem suam dico enim vobis quodipse ad quem oramus non parvipendet eam postquam egressa est ab ore nostrùm ipse scribit eam in libro suo unum in duobus indubitanter sperare possumus quoniam aut dabit quod petimus aut quod novit utilius Let none of us lightly esteeme his prayer I tell you that hee to whom we pray doth not lightly esteeme it after it is out of our mouth he writes it in his booke and one of these two wee may doubtlesse expect either that hee will grant our petition or that which hee knoweth to bee better for us Call upon mee and I will heare thee saith God Aske and you shall have saith Christ Before they cry I will heare them saith Iehovah The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him saith David O then let us call and cry unto him by earnest and hearty prayer night and day but let us pray in knowledge with understanding in faith by beleeving in remorse with seeking in zeale without cooling in attention without wandering in reverence without contemning in constancy without revolting and in love without revenging Let our eyes bee fastned hearts fixed knees bowed mouthes opened and our hands lifted up as to the King of Kings and as Iacob would not let the Angell goe till he were blessed so let not God goe till wee be heard Finely said one Orat misericordia non orat miseria orat innocentia non orat nequitia orat judex desiderat parcere non orat reus ut indulgentiam mereatur accipere Doth mercy pray and shall not miserie piety intreate and shall not iniquity the Physician request and shall not the sicke the rich begge and not the poore the innocent pray and not the guilty the just and he that never sinned fall downe and the sinnefull sinner stand upright the Sonne of righteousnesse bee humbled and the sonne of wickednesse waxe proud shall the judge intreate and desire to pardon and the traytor not begge to bee forgiven Is not Christi actio Christiani institutio Christs practice our president But hee prayes and shall not wee pray Wee must pray for our bodies that they may be preserved for our soules The Holy Ghost the Author of prayer that they may bee saved for our estates that they may bee maintained for our thoughts that they may bee sanctified for our words that they may bee seasoned for our actions that they may bee ordered by Gods Spirit But Saint Iude doth not onely exhort to prayer but also sheweth how wee must pray In the Spirit the which words may be understood two manner of wayes either of the Author of prayer or of the Manner of praying If we understand it of the Author the sense is good for Gods Spirit causeth prayer and every good worke For wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for us Rom. 8. 26 27. with sighs that cannot bee expressed for hee that searcheth the
the heart of man conceive Even for thousands and thousand yeeres What Arts and Sciences have beene found out by man yet cannot the eye see nor the eare heare nor the tongue utter nor the heart conceive of Life eternall The Apostle maketh a glorious comparison and yet speaketh but of an earthly building and of earthly and corruptible things So the Prophet Esay describeth the Church militant and triumphant but yet by earthly things For it passeth his skill and cunning to set out the perfect beauty and glorie of it God is infinite so the reward layd up for the just is infinite like unto himselfe the infinite God giveth infinite paines to sinners and infinite joyes unto the just Peter having but a glimmering of Heaven was ravished and cryed out Master here is good being let us build Tabernacles one for thee another for Moses and another for Elias How great then is Mat. 17. 4. the full sight of Heaven There bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such joyes as are not possible for a man to utter Mount Thabor was a goodly 2 Cor. 12. 4. Mount but in the celestiall Mount in Heaven you shall see that that eye never saw riches without measure glorie without comparison life without death day without night solace without ceasing joy without ending a land that floweth with milke and hony there wee shall see the City of the living God the celestiall Ierusalem a company of innumerable Angels the congregation of the Hebr. 12. 22. first borne which are written in Heaven the Spirits of just and perfect men Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament and the bloud of sprinkling speaking better things than the bloud of Abel But to reason from the lesse to the greater If here in an Inne bee so many pleasures what are in our owne home For whiles wee are strangers in the body wee are absent from the Lord but when wee 2 Cor. 5. 6. shall remove out of the body wee shall ever dwell with the Lord and abide in Heaven which is our home If in a prison our senses are filled with so many delights what shall bee in a Palace There shall bee fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore If here in a Iayle there bee so many pleasures to entertaine us such variety Psal 16. 11. of colours for the eye such melody and sweete sounds for the eare such fragrant odors for the nose such multitude of dishes for the taste if in Mount Horeb are so many things What are in Mount Sion in our owne Countrey For here wee are but strangers and pilgrimes but wee seeke another Countrey and wee desire a Hebr. 11 13 16. better that is to say an Heavenly If a corruptible body feele Our glorified boâ—y shall have Spirituall and Heavenly qualities such great sweetnesse what shall a glorified body feele For our bodies shall one day bee glorified Though they be sowne in dishonour they shall bee raised in glory though sowne in weakenesse they shall be raised in power though sowne a naturall body it shall be raised a spirituall body There is no comparison betweene Light and Hebr. 11. 13 16. 1 Cor. 15. 42 43. Darkenesse Gold and Lead Glasse and Pearle Men and Angels Heaven and Earth Corruption and Glory Weakenesse and Power Honour and Dishonour Our life is hid with Christ in Col. 3. 3. God and when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall wee also appeare with him in Glory For life is threefold Of Nature Grace and Glory The life of Nature is sweete the life of Grace sweeter and the life of Glory sweetest of all and this life of Glory is hid with Christ in God and in this life of Glory there shall bee in our bodies first Claritas beauty and cleerenesse in so much that as Saint Chrysostome saith that the bodies of the Saints shall bee septies clariora Sole seven times brighter than the Sunne Secondly in this life of Glory there shall bee in our bodies spirituall agility and hence is it that some ascribe the activity and quicknesse of our soule spirit to a glorified body saying that such bodies are not spirits but spiritualized bodies Thirdly in this life of Glory there shall be in our bodies Impassibility For though here we suffer of every thing yet there wee shall bee subject to no corruptible passion or suffering Lastly in this life of Glory there shall bee in our bodies Immortality here indeed orimur morimur at our byrth wee beginne to dye accedimus wee enter into the world succedimus wee succeede one another in the world and last of all decedimus wee depart all out of the world but in this life of Glory wee shall have immortall bodies And as the body so the soule in this life of Glory shall bee glorified and this her glory consisteth of two things in her union with God and in our vision of God both of these may be gathered out of that of Saint Iohn When hee shall appeare we shall bee like him and see him as hee is wee shall be like unto him there 1 Iohn 3. is our union we shall see him as hee is there is our vision Others adde to the beatitude of the soule two other actions one the fruition the other the eternall retention of God and it is a question among the Learned in which of these foure the felicity of the soule doth consist some in her vision of God some in her fruition of God some in her retention of God I will not determine onely I say that in this life of Glory both soules and bodies shall have triumphum gaudium triumph and joy they shall triumph over Death for Death shall bee no more over him that hath the Lordship of Death the Divell for hee shall never bee able to hurt him Againe they shall have joy God all in all to the glorified Saints first in the Majestie of God secondly in the humanity of Christ thirdly in the society of Angels and Saints Vide intùs extrà suprà infrà circumcircà ubique gaudium Looke Aug. within thee and without thee above thee and beneath thee about thee and every-where there is joy Nay Gaudium super gaudium joy above joy joy surmounting all joy and without the which there can be no joy within thee shall bee joy in the glorification of body and soule without thee in the company of the blessed Saints and Angels above thee in the sight of God beneath thee in the beauty of the Heaven and Earth For there shall bee a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth 2 Pet. 3. righteousnesse round about us in the delight of all our senses for God himselfe shall bee the object of all our senses Erit enim speculum visui Hee shall bee a glasse to our eyes musicke to our eares hony to our mouthes a flowre to our hands balme to our nose Ibi erit candor Aestatis
fault betweene him and thee if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother If parents were as carefull to winne the soules of their children as they are to save their bodies and masters to do the same to their servants by instructing their family God should have more glory and they more comfort but to complaine of this Vbi incipiam aut ubi desinaem Where should I beginne and where should I make an end All the foundations of the earth are out of course most men have no conscience of them that be under them and an heauy judgement remaineth for them their judgement is just and their damnation sleepeth not Paul would not 2 Pet. 2. have the husband to leave the wife nor the wife the husband for that the one may save the soule of the other for marke his words For what knowest thou ô wife whether thou shalt save thy husband 1 Cor. 7. 16. or what knowest thou ô man whether thou shalt save thy wife Even so what knowest thou ô Father whether thou shalt save thy child And what knowest thou ô master whether thou shalt save thy servant doe thou thy duty leave the successe to God For neither is hee that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God 1 Cor. 3. 7. that giveth the increase So the Minister is said to save men Take heed saith Paul to Timothy to thy selfe and to thy doctrine and continue 1 Tim. 4. 16. therein for in so doing thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee And yet to speake strictly and properly there is no Saviour but God for there is salvation in no other neither is there any Act. 4. 12. other name given unto men whereby they shall bee saved that is no other cause or meane Yet it is said that grace saveth The grace Tit. 2. 11. of God bringeth salvation to all men And that the Word saveth For it pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them Many coÌ„curre in the worke of Salvation that beleeve And that faith saveth By grace are yee saved through faith And that the Sacraments save us so saith Saint Pâ—ter The figure that now saveth us even Baptisme c. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Ephes 2. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 21. And that Ministers save us so said Paul afore Agrippa that God had appeared unto him for this purpose To open the eyes of the Gentiles that they may returne from darkenesse to light from the power Act. 26. 18. of Satan unto God meaning that they might bee saved and that God saveth us Ego sum ego sum praeter me non est Salvator I am Esa 42. I am and besides mee there is no Saviour that Christ saveth us for the Apostle saith That hee is the Saviour of all men but especially 1 Tim. 4. 10. of them that beleeve That the Holy Ghost saveth us and all this is true in a godly sense grace saveth as the origen the roote of all 1 Iohn 5. the Word as a meanes under God faith as the instrument Sacraments as helpes and leaders to Heaven Ministers as Legates from God God as the efficient cause Christ as the materiall Iohn 3. 16. 1 Iohn 3. 2. 1 Cor. 6. 11. the Holy Ghost as the applying cause And by the way note that if the Minister under God saveth men how then dare some say that they doe no good Doe they no good that save mens soules Yes their lips feed many The Prov. 10 11 20 21. mouth of a righteous man is a well of life the tongue of a just man is as fined silver the lippes of the righteous doe feed many But many thinke that the Preacher doth no good they thinke that they can goe to heaven without a guide they thinke themselves wise and to see into all duties as farre as the Minister Well it may be that they are wise in some respect yet as the little eye of the Eagle can see from the height of Heaven and the great eye of an Owle cannot see the Sunne so great men and old men may oversee that which base men and poore men may see being learned in the Word Hereupon said Elihu Surely there is a spirit in man but Iob 32. 8 9. the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Great men are not alway wise neither do the Ancient alway understand judgement David said I have had more understanding than all my teachers Psal 119. 99 100. for thy testimonies are my meditation I understand more than the ancient because I keepe thy precepts As Polypheme had but one eye so these Cyclopeans see but with one eye they see but the world they see not Heaven Oh how long shall wee charme these Psal 55. Mat. 7. deafe Adders How long shall wee give holy things to dogges and cast pearles to swine How long shall wee play on Orpheus harpe to these Asses How long shall wee sow seed in this barraine ground We pray to bee delivered from these unreasonable 2 Thess 3. 2. and evill men Shall Titius Sabinus his dogge bring meate to the mouth of his dead Master and hold up his head in Tyber from sinking because sometime hee gave him a crust of bread And shall not the people love the Pastour that giveth theÌ„ the Bread of Heaven and saves their soules Shall dogges be kinder than men Or is there no good to bee done to a Parish but bodily The saving use should bee made of the Word good Christ fedde foure or five thousand with five barly loaves and two fishes but we reade not that hee did it above twice and that in necessity But hee bestowed three whole yeeres in preaching to them the greatest good that hee did in his life was in Iohn 6. Mat. 14. Mat. 5. Mat. 13. Luke 24. Luke 10. Mat. 12. Act. 10. 38. teaching them In the Mount In the Ship In the Temple In their Houses In the Fields Yea in all places for he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Divell These men therefore that say that wee doe no good have lost their senses and their soules also For the living soule as touching the naturall life hath foure powers and foure touching the spirituall life that is Appetitive Retentive Digestive Expulsive It must desire the Word Hereupon saith S. Peter As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word so did David I will saith 1 Pet. 2. 2. he go to the Altar of God even unto the God of my joy and gladnes c. 2. It must keepe for Blessed are they that heare the Word and Luk. 11. 28. keepe it So did the Corinths for which cause Paul did much praise them saying Now I commend you brethren that yee remember all my 1 Cor. 11. 2. things and keepe the ordinances as I delivered them to you 3. It must digest it into good manners and to this purpose
Is this to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord Iesus Erubescat Sol confundatur Luna Let the Sunne blush and let the Moone bee ashamed Did the Heavenly souldiers thus did the shepheards thus did Mary thus We make melodie Luk. 2. Ephes 5. 19. but not to the Lord our rejoycing is not good God will turne our feasts into mournings 1 Cor. 5. 6. Amos. 8. To this riotous time God fitted this earth-quake a rare worke of God the earth being seventeen hundred miles thick odde it being 800. miles and odde to the Center as saith Munster what a work of God is it to shake the whole Globe the whole wombe of the earth being so mighty A great earth-quake there was in the raigne of King Henry the sixth thorow the world in the even of S. Michael which continued two houres with thunder and lightning so that the beasts rored and the fowles of the ayre cryed out but in this Queenes time there have beene two earth-quakes a thing not observed in the raigne of one Prince of this Land this five hundred yeeres A new starre appeared in Heaven in this Queenes raigne Anno. 15. that was never seene before 26. acres of ground removed in Hartfordshire and three acres at another time in Devonshire strange monsters have appeared strange Comets have beene seene Hate your sinnes the Iudge is at the doore THE EIGHT AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XXIIII Now unto him that is able to keepe you that yee fall not c. We can neither stand nor rise being fallen without Christ THis is the Epilogue the conclusion the last part of this Epistle and it containeth two things First A commending them to God and his Grace And secondly A celebration of the name and praises of God The first is double for hee commendeth them two wayes to God for this life and the life to come Againe for this life two wayes first that they fall not but persist and stand in the grace begun Secondly that they may bee pure perfect absolute untill the day of Christ Lastly for the other life that they may bee glorious lambs and not goats sonnes and not bastards citizens and not strangers built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ Ephes 2. 20. himselfe being the chiefe corner stone that they may follow the Lambe on mount Sion and there sing the songs of their joy Apoc. 14. 3. which none can understand save the hundred forty and foure thousand which were bought from the earth Now in the first part of this prayer Saint Iude noteth two things First the weaknesse of man ready to fall All our sufficiencie is of God Secondly the power of God able to keepe us Touching our weakenesse we neither rise when wee are fallen nor stand when wee are risen of our selves all is of God for we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency 2 Cor. 3. 5. is of God Cum Christo nil nobis deficit With Christ nothing is wanting unto us for as Paul saith I am able to do al things through the Phil. 4. 13. helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Sine Christo nil nobis sufficit and without Christ nothing is sufficient for us For as the branch cannot Iohn 15. 4 5. beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee I am the vine yee are the branches hee that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruit In eo omnia possumus absque eo nil possumus in him we can doe all things without him we can doe nothing And therefore Paul willeth us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might for all our sufficiencie Ephes 6. 10. Iohn 15. 5. Psal 18. 1 2. is of God Hence is it that David saith unto God I love thee dearely oh Lord my Strength the Lord is my Rocke and my Fortresse c. Wee can neither beginne nor continue nor make an end of our selves but by God therefore Paul commendeth the Churches to God ever as hee onely that keepeth them that the whole worke of our salvation may bee ascribed unto him Initium incrementum finis the beginning the increase and the end Wee are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us Wisedome 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption that according as it is written He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord. Wherein hee noteth three things What wee are of our selves what in God and the end of all that God may have the glory Thus Paul commendeth the Church of Thessalonica to God saying Now the very God of Peace sanctifie you throughout and I 1 Thess 5. 23. pray God that your whole spirit and soule and body may bee kept blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and thus he commended the Church of Ephesus at Miletum to God saying Now brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is Act. 20. 32. able to build further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified And thus hee commended the Church of Rome to God To him now that is of power to stablish you according to Rom. 16. 25. my Gospell and preaching of Iesus Christ by the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world beganne c. And thus did the Apostle commend the Church of the Iewes to God whether it was Paul or Luke or Barnabas it skilleth not The God of peace saith hee which brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Heb. 13. 20 21. Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in all good workes to doe his Will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ Here by the way let mee answere one cavill in Popery they urge that wee are bidden to stand fast to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus to goe forward to Wee cannot but fall except we bee preserved continue I answere that all those places are meant conditionally if God doth assist us with his Spirit Sit unus contextus instar mille Let one context bee in stead of a thousand as namely that of Pauls to the Thessalonians where hee telleth them that it is God which worketh in us both the will and the deed even of his good pleasure 2 Thes 1. Psal 4. 1. He biddeth them worke yet he explaneth it by and by that it is God that worketh Agimus passivè quatenus è coelis suggeritur facultas Calvin agis ageris tunc bene agis cum à bono ageris Spiritu Wee worke passively because wee are holpen from Heaven power is ministred unto thee thou workest and art wrought and then thou workest well when thou
sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere For the uncertainty of our owne righteousnes and danger of vaine glory it is the safest way to repose all our confidence in Gods only mercy and bounty Then is it not as hee disputes Lib. 1. de justificatione cap. 4. wrought by charity but contrariwise charity doth arise from faith I will conclude with Bernard Omnia merita Dei dona sunt ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est quà m Deus homini all our merits are the gifts of God so man is rather a debtour to God for them then God to man So much as touching this life Touching the other life hee commends them to God that they may behold the presence of his glory with joy for in the life to come wee shall have plenitudinem gaudy fulnes of joy Here all Psal 16. joy is at an ebbe it is mixed with some sorrow light with darkenesse heate with cold health with sicknes life with death glory with ignominy but there is joy and nothing but ioy no change no alteration day without night light without darkenesse summer without winter youth without age life without death there we shall have all teares wiped away from our eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall Apoc. 21. 4. there bee any more paine but they shall have perpetuall ioy death The ioyes of Heaven fill all powers of soule body and Hell shall bee cast into the lake of fire and shall bee destroyed for ever The second death shall have no power upon them that be in heaven but they shall bee the Priests of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeeres That is for ever We looke too much to Apoc. 20. 6 5 14. Hebr. 6. the pleasures of this world which maketh us care lesse for Heaven but looke into the powers of the world to come vide intùs extra supra infra circumcirca ubique erit gaudium Looke within and without above and beneath and round about and yee shall find ioy every where within shall be ioy for the glorification of the body and soule for our Saviour even The Lord Iesus shall change our vile body and make it like his glorious body according Phil. 3. 21. to the working whereby he is able to sub due all things unto himselfe It is much to have our bodies changed more to have our vile bodies changed but to have our vile bodies so changed that they shall be facioned like the glorious body of the Lord Iesus is most of all and must needs fill us with ioy Wee shall have ioy without by reason of the company of the blessed Angels for wee shall inioy not onely the celestiall Ierusalem but also the company of innumerable Angels which shall glad us and reioice us exceedingly Wee shall have ioy above in the sight of God for wee shall bee like God and see him as hee is Wee shall have ioy beneath of the beauty of Heaven and of the world for 1 Iohn 3. 2. Wee looke for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. Wee shall have ioy round about of the delight of all our senses when God shall bee the obiect of them all for he shall be a glasse unto our eyes musicke unto our eare hony to our taste a flowre to our hands and sweet Balsamum to our smell there shall be the fairenes of the Summer the sweetnes of the Spring the plenty of the Autumne the rest of the Winter yea God shall 1 Cor. 13. bee all in all unto us This life is as a seed-time in teares as the travell of a woman as a weary prentice-hood as a tedious iourney but the harvest is in the life to come there shall we reape joy there Psal 126. 5. are wee delivered of our child birth and forget our sorrow for ioy that salvation is come our sorrow shall be turned into ioy A Iohn 16. 21 22. woman when shee travaileth hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soone as shee is delivered of her Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world In this world wee have sorrow but in Heaven joy there wee shall rejoice and our joy shall no man take from us Looke to Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith and let the same animate us that did him hee for the joy that was set before Hebr. 12. 2. him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God Let us so doe and wee shall follow the Lambe and be partakers of the price of our high calling which is in Christ Iesus tantum gaudebunt quantum amabunt tantum amabunt quantum cognoscunt Deum sic cognoscunt ut cogniti Rom. 8. sunt so much shall they reioice by how much they love and so The land of the living cōpared with the land of the dead much shall they love by how much they know God and they so know as they are knowne The situation and height of Heaven may teach us the quantity and quality of the glory of heaven Coelum Empyraeum is 1 Cor. 13. higher greater and more excellent than all Heavens the Scripture calleth it The land of the living as if the earth which we inhabit were the land of dead men and indeed Wee are dead and Psal 116. 9. our life is hidde with Christ in God and when Christ which is our life Col. 3. 3. shall appeare then shall wee also appeare in glory Now if in this land of dead men the creatures bee so precious what shall they bee hereafter in the land of the living In this dead land see the greatnesse of the heavens the brightnesse of the Sunne and Moone and starres the beauty of the earth how pleasant is it to see the height of the mountaines the plaines of the fields the greenenesse of the vallies the fountains of waters the current of the streames and rivers which like veines runne thorow the earth the mines of gold and silver pearle the mines of metals If all these bee in the land of the dead what is in the land of the living There shall bee a new Heaven and a new earth and new creatures 2 Pet. 3. 15. Againe there be three places in this life The first is in the wombe from our corruption The second is in the world from our birth The third is in Heaven after death Betwixt these three there is a proportion looke how much the world is bigger and pleasanter than the wombe so much is Heaven bigger and fairer than the world as well in length of time as in beauty Touching durance the first life in the 2 Mathab 7. wombe is not above nine moneths the second life is foure score yeeres at the most the third is infinite and
eternall the Psal 90. 1 Cor. 13. wombe of the mother is nothing to the world and the world is nothing to heaven seeing one starre is bigger than the earth Iob 38. Againe the difference of the inhabitants maketh a difference betwixt Heaven and earth that is full of living men this of dead Luk. 9. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rom. 3. men that of iust men this of sinners this of men Rom. 3. 24. that of Angels Dan. 7. here dwell the penitent there the perfect here dwell the militant there the triumphant here dwell friends and enemies there friends onely and the elect there Hebr. 12. 23. Iob 7. Apoc. 14. God shall be plenitudo lucis nostro intellectui fulnesse of light to our understanding Multitudo pacis voluntati multitude of peace to our will Et continuatio aeternitatis memoriae and continuance of eternity to our memory It is said of the Swannes that they sing dying Cantator Cignus funeris ipse sui And we like Swans in the assurance of the glory that shall bee revealed to us should live and die reioycing For we shall be made an eternall joy and glory from generation to generation salvation shall The happines of Heaven set out by comparison bee our walles and praise our gate we shall have no more Sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnes of the Moone shine unto us for the Lord shall bee our everlasting light and our God our glory our Sunne shall never goe downe neither shall our Moone be hidde for the Lord shall be our Esay 60. 15 18 19 20 21. everlasting light and the dayes of our sorrow shall bee ended wee shall bee all righteous and possesse the land for ever Wee shall come with Israel from Mount Horeb where was nothing but thunder lightning and clowdes to mount Thabor where wee shall injoy the glory of Christ Iesus and say with Peter Bonum est hîc esse It is Mat. 17. good for us to bee here Let them make account of this life who make the world their friend and are not onely in it but of it whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they looke 2 Cor. 4. 3. not for future things wee are here pilgrimes our Countrey is Heaven our friends the Angels our companions Apoc. 21. the Saints our City the new Ierusalem how can wee sit among the rivers of Babylon and not weepe to remember the heavenly Sion O curvae in terris animae coelestium inanes O crooked soules on earth and devoid of heavenly things Wee marvell at the Pigmaeans that are but a cub it high and live but seven yeeres and yet our life to eternity is not seven yeeres nor seven dayes nor seven houres nor one houre it is but a moment 2 Cor. 4. 17. so S. Paul calleth it Saturne one star is thirty yeeres in motion in circuit and we may goe round about the world in three yeeres and odde dayes so little a space is it What is a drop of water to the whole Sea An acre of land to the mappe of the world the light of a candle to the brightnes of the Sunne the life of a child to the yeeres of Methusalah the conceite of a foole to the experience of Noah who saw two Worlds or one drop of raine to all the waters in the Clowds which drowned a whole world Such is our life to eternity and the glory of this world to the glory of Heaven a thousand yeeres are but a day nay S. Iohn calleth 2 Pet. 3. all the time since Christs comming but an houre he maketh sixteene hundred yeeres but an houre to eternity to the dayes 1 Iohn 3. everlasting Oh thinke oftner of heaven and the glory of it Oh seeke the things that bee above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of Col. 3. 1. God set your affections upon Heavenly things and not upon earthly Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they might see the hope of their calling Ephes 1 17. the riches of the glorious inheritance And pray you for it for as yet these things are hid from our eyes videmus tantum terrena we behold onely earthly things If in a golden game some should step aside and runne after flies and feathers would wee not count them mad so is it in Christianity our life is a race wee all are runners heaven is the goale eternall life the prize but many step aside after flies and 1 Cor. 9. vanity We tire our selves in the way of wickednes and destruction and Wisd 5. 7 8 9. wee have gone thorow dangerous wayes but we have not knowne the way of the Lord what hath pride profited us Or what profit hath the pompe One day in Heaven more ioyous than many in the greatest honour of riches brought us All these things are passed away as a shadow and as a poast that passeth by If a man knew the thoughts of Alexander Magnus when hee died of the poison of Styx after all his victories or the thoughts of Iulius Caesar receiving in the Senate 52. wounds and all deadly after that hee had conquered the world hee shall see that they tooke little pleasure in their former honors and victories Philip Mornay saith of Carolus quintus whom of all men the world judged most happy that hee cursed all his honors in his old age his victories trophees riches saying Abite hinc abite longè Get yee hence get yee away a sarre off hee found more joy in one dayes contemplation of Heaven than in all his Imperiall life Then then was his mourning turned into joy and his sacke loosed and hee girded with gladnesse Hee that knew the Psa 30 11. thoughts of the soule of the rich man in hell hee shall see that hee crieth Woe woe to all the wealth honour pompe and glory of the world and had rather bee one day in Paradise than tenne thousand yeeres in this world hee curseth gold house land credit and saith Vae domni lutâ—ae ob quam perdidi auream in coelis Wo to this house of clay that hath made me lose an house 2 Cor. 5. 1. of gold in Heaven In Saint Lukes Gospell wee doe reade that when some spake of the temple how it was garnished with goodly stones and consecrate things O saith our Saviour are these the things that yee looke upon The dayes will come when a stone shall not bee left upon a Luk. 21. 6. stone So say I O then looke up higher Againe in Heaven is the presence of glory As there is no light but that which is derived from the Sunne so there is no glory but that which is derived from the glory of God that is true everlasting glory As there is no right Balme but in Gilead no right incense but in Sheba so there is no true glory but the Heavenly glory Gloria mundi ut fumus The glory of the world is but
smoke and as chaffe that vanisheth as a dreame and vision in the night that tarrieth not as if an hungry man dreameth and Esay 29. 8 9. thinketh that hee eateth and when hee awaketh his soule is empty and like a thirsty man which thinketh de drinketh and behold when hee is awaked his soule is faint so in the world to come men shall say O what hath pride profited us Or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought us Or what good hath the glory of the world done us Where is the glory of Salomon the power of Alexander the edifices and buildings of Nabuchadnezar The nine hundred chariots of Sisera The authority of Augustus which commanded the whole world to bee taxed What did vaine glory the multitude of servants the power of the world the hugenesse of their armies their abundance of wealth and troupes of flatterers profit these All was as a shadow all was as smoke All are passed away as a shadow and as a poast that passeth by as a shippe that Wisd 5. 9 10. passeth over the waves of the waters which when it is gone the trace This world fraudulent turbulent momentany thereof cannot bee found neither the path of it in the floods In mundi foelicitate videbis plus fellis quà m mellis in the felicity of this world yee shall see more gall than hony more wormewood than sugar the world is full of thornes not of roses it promiseth a man that which hee shall never have and leaveth a man in the chiefe of his pleasures this world is a coffer of sorrows a schoole of vanity a market of frauds a labyrinth of errors a flood of teares a sweet poyson the joy of this world hath sorrow his security is without foundation his labours without fruit his teares without purpose and his purposes without successe his hope is vaine sorrow certaine and joy fained An heathen man could say that he would not be wrapped againe in his swadling clothes to gaine much The Apostle calleth it a sea of glasse a sea for the troubles of it or glasse for the bitternesse of it or because Apoc. 15. God seeth into it as wee see into a glasse Now rich now poore now full now empty now honourable now despised now alive and now dead and never certen the pompe therefore of it Saint Iohn compareth to the Moone crescit decrescit it increaseth Apoc. 12. 1. Iob 14. 10 11 12. and decreaseth Man is sicke and dieth and man perisheth and where is hee As waters passe from the Sea and as the flood decayeth and drieth up so man sleepeth and riseth not for hee shall not wake againe nor bee raised from his sleepe till the Heaven bee no more And as it is written in another place Our dayes are more swift than a poast they Iob 9. 25. have fled and seene no good thing Xerxes that great Emperour was weary of all pleasure and offred rewards to the inventers of new pleasures and yet when these new pleasures were found hee was not contented As Elkanah said to Hannah Why weepest thou am not I better to 1 Sam. 1. 8. thee then tenne sonnes So saith God to us Why weepe yee and sorrow yee why doe yee thus vexe and torment your selves am not I better unto you than ten worlds Is not heavenly glory better than all earthly Why doe yee leave the fountaine of Paradise Ier. 2. 10. and drinke of the broken and troublesome cysternes of this world Why in this golden race do yee step aside after flies and feathers O taste see how sweet the glory of God is looke ô looke into the powers of the world to come As the inhabitants 1 Pet. 2. 3. of Nylus are deafe by the noise of the water so many are deafe when they should heare of Heaven the world maketh such a noise in their eares they savour not the things which are of God Mat. 16. These Ravens feed of nothing but garbage like Noahs Raven Gen. 8. these Lapwings make their nests in the ordure these Betles never sing but in a bed of dung these Eagles never seaze but upon a Mat. 24. 28. carkasse Vbi cadaver ibi Aquilae Where the dead carkasse is thither the Eagles resort Where there is buying selling bargaining profit gaine thither fly these Eagles their hearts are exercised with Covetousnes they are brawned in it they thinke of 2 Pet. 2. 14 16. nothing but the world and the glory of it but these men shall see one day the glory of Christ to their shame and confusion but Christ comfort both in this life and that to come the elect shall see Christs humanity more glorious than ever the Apostle saw it on Mount Thabor apparebit Christus in similitudine carnis Christ shall appeare in the similitude of flesh that both Mat. 17. August in Man 1. cap. 26. the eyes of man might bee blessed in him that the eye of the heart might bee refreshed in his divinity and the eye of the body in his humanity that going in or out our humane nature might find in him food and delight Christ hath made to his Mat. 10. Church a double promise the one of his spirituall presence by grace the other of his Heavenly presence in glory the first is performed the second not yet The Saints therefore pray Come Lord Iesus come quickly And if wee pertaine to God we will Apoc. 22. looke for his comming and desire it wee will looke for the appearance of the glory of our great God and of our Saviour Christ Iesus but if we love the world the Love of God is not in us Tit. 2. 3. 1 Iohn 2. 15. THE FORTIETH SERMON VERS XXV That is to God onely Wise and our Saviour be Glory and Maiestie c. The six Atributes of God WEE are now come to the last thing contained in this Epistle which is a thankesgiving to God with a description of his Attributes For he ascribeth to God Wisedome Salvation Glory Majestie Dominion and Power For I divided this Epistle into the Saluation Precation The generall Proposition The Confirmation by divers examples The Confutation and Lastly the Conclusion And the conclusion into two Prayer and Thankesgiving this is a Thankesgiving to God hee beganne with Prayer and endeth with thankesgiving for the worship of God doth consist and stand upon two parts Precatio Wee cannot thinke on Christ without thankfulnesse Gratiarum actio Prayer and Thanksgiving And these both the Apostle 〈◊〉 included â—â— one verse saying Let both your requests â—ee shewed unto God in prayer and supplication with giving of thankes â—ut to leave this Saint Iude cannot speake of God without thankefulnesse thus Paul concluded the Epistle to Rome saying To him now that Rom. 16. 25 27. is of power to establish you according to my Gospell c. to God I say onely wise bee praise through Jesus Christ for
Wisedome let him aske of God Iam. 1. 5. who giveth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be given him Ieremie speaketh generally Every man is a beast in his owne Ier. 10. 14. knowledge not some but all not a few men but every man So saith David The Lord looked downe from Heaven upon the children of Psal 14. 2. men to see if there were any that would understand and seeke after God but all are gone out of the way all are corrupt c. Paul calleth the Ephesians darkenesse not darke but darkenesse night it selfe Yee Ephes 5. 8. were sometime darkenesse quoth hee and hee prayeth God to lighten them The God of our Lord Iesus Christ and Father of Glory give unto yo◠the Spirit of Wisedome and Revelation through the knowledge Ephes 1. 17. of him And let this be our prayer that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ and Father of Glory would give us the Spirit of Wisedome and he give us all the Spirit of Wisedome that wee may bee wise unto Salvation for that which Christ said of Laodicea is true of all Thou saiest thou art rich and increased in Apoc. 13. 17 18. goodnesse and hast neede of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be made rich and white raiment that thou maiest bee cloathed and that thy filthy nakednesse doe not appeare and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou maiest see that is suffer the eyes of thy understanding to be opened We are blind not as whelpes that see after nine dayes not as the man in the Gospell who saw men walke like trees but wee be as blind as beetles as blind as the men of Sodom who groped for Lots doore for what see wee that the Gentiles saw not And Gen. 19. yet saw they nothing for the Apostle affirmeth that they walked Ephes 4. 17 18. in the vanity of their minde having their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardnesse of their hearts God by the Gospel openeth our eyes that wee may turne from darkenesse to light and from Act. 26. 18. Col. 2. 3. the power of Satan unto God All the treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge are in Christ Wisedome and Knowledge are in Angels and in No true wisedome in man till God infuse it men as well as in Christ how can then all Wisedome and Knowledge bee hid in him Yes they have it from Christ for Wisedome and Knowledge is in Angels by Vision in Men by Revelation Col. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 22. Prov. 9. 1. but in Christ by union for hee is the Power and Wisedome of his Father he is Wisedome and the Church and House Wisedome wherein all must learne Wisedome wee know not all things that appertaine to God nor are we ignorant of all things which are proper to beasts but we know some things and are ignorant of others which are peculiar to men and so far we see as God hath illuminated us and no further for as all fountaines come from the Sea and all lights from the Sun so all Wisedome from God there may bee Science in the wicked but not Sapience Scientia est rerum humanarum Sapientia rerum divinarum Aug Science is of humane and earthly things Sapience of divine and heavenly things there is in the wicked Wit but not Wisedome or if there bee any Wisedome it is the wisedome of the world and of the flesh but the Wisedome of the Spirit they have it not They that are of the flesh saith the Apostle savour Rom. 8. 5 6 7. the things of the flesh but they that are of the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit for the Wisedome of the flesh is Death but the Wisedome of the Spirit is Life and Peace because the Wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God Achitophel was wise but not in God nor for God the Grecians were wise but not spiritually the Philosophers 2 Sam. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 2. 14. were wise but yet in part and in the least part for from whence commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence came this division of the gods into majores minores into greater and lesser gods from whence came the furies of Epicures with their Attomies which cannot bee divided from whence the fate of Stoickes bending fast and tying straight Iehova himselfe from the doting of Aristotle dreaming of the Worlds eternity which of these knew the World to be made of nothing the Word to bee made flesh Christ to be borne of a virgin the righteousnesse of one man to be conferred to another to make him righteous in three substāces or parts to be but one God For all Wisedome Religion flow from one fountaine that is God Quem qui nescit licèt videat caecus Lactantius est licet audiat surdus est licet loquitur mutus est licet vivat mortuus est Whom whoso knoweth not though he seeth yet is he blind though he heareth yet hee is deafe though he speaketh yet is he dumbe though he liveth yet is he dead for this is life nay life eternal To know God to be the only very God Iesus Christ whom he hath Iohn 17. 3 25. sent The World knowes not God saith our Saviour But I have knowne you and these have known me Seneca the Philosophers said Fortunam à Deo petendum sapientia à nobis Fortune is to be begged and craved of God Wisedome of our selves Nemo inquit Deo ob sapientiam gratias egit No man hath thanked God for Wisedome But there was no grace in these lips they spake proudly The Philosophers affirme reason to be seated in the head as in a Tower and from thence as a lampe to shine unto our counsels God saves by Christ and as a Queene to moderate the will Well it is God that is onely Wise and his Wisedome appeareth in the creation in disposing so orderly and placing so seemely all things in their place and degree as is most wonderfull to behold with such beautie and proportion in every creature that unlesse wee bee too too blockish wee may cry out with David O Lord how wonderfull are thy workes in Wisedome hast Psal 8. thou made them all And again Great is our Lord and great is his power yea his Wisedome is infinite To see the goodly order of Heaven it will make a man to be astonished at the Wisedome of God more than the Queen of Saba was at the wisedom of Salomon to see how God preserveth his Church by his power and knowes wayes and meanes by his Wisedome to deliver it might ravish us with the consideration of his wisedome to cry out with Paul O the depth Rom. 11.
so God might have given us continuall light but then wee had not felt the comfort of it as now wee doe by darkenesse one contrary openeth another so that still the reason of the Apostle is good By grace are Ephes 2. 8. yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God And againe Wee are justified freely by his grace through the redemption Rom. 3. 24. which is in Christ Iesus As poverty causeth wealth to seeme Lact. lib. 2. c. 8. de orig erroris good as darkenesse commendeth light and sicknes health and death life so our imputed righteousnes the glory of God Wee are as passengers on the sea wee have many waves to overturne our shippe God biddeth us undoe our Cables cast out our anchors Hebr. 6. and fasten them in Christ but a sister of ours that saileth with us unlooseth our Cables and casteth out our anchors on the sand on our works not on Christs works But still to prosecute this point base miserable men will not bee beholding to God but they will barter or cope with God as our men doe in Ice-land and give him so many pilgrimages fast so many dayes heare so many Masses and doe so many works till God bee satisfied but our sinnes are infinite and Gods Majesty is infinite and our works are finite how therefore can they answere that which is infinite In finitum ac infinitum nulla est comparatio There is no comparison betweene that which is finite and that which is infinite The Papists are like the madde man Thraselaus who comming to the haven Piraeum imagined all the shippes to bee his but being cured of that madnesse saw If wee see our sinnes we will extoll Gods grace his poverty so they imagine all their works to bee good Heaven to bee this earth Purgatory to bee theirs all to bee theirs but when they shall see their sinnes truely they will bee of another minde as was Cardinall Poole who said that Gods grace cannot bee extolled too high nor mans righteousnesse cast downe too low so said Luther so said Staphilus so said Turrian wishing that hee had never written against Sadele The third title is glory For shutting up his Epistle with thankesgiving he ascribeth to God glory glory is the commendation of our lippes from the bottome of our hearts for benefits received The Apostle calleth it the cabves of our lips they in Hebr. 13. the Law offered unreasonable calves wee the calves of our lips they offered strange flesh wee our owne flesh they beasts wee our selves Whereupon Paul I beseech you brethren by the mercies of Rom. 12. 1. God that yee offer your bodies a quicke an holy and lively acceptable sacrifice to God God himselfe prescribeth this order in trouble first to call upon him secondly a promise of hearing us thirdly a precept to give thanks Call upon mee in time of trouble I will heare Psal 50. 15. thee and thou shalt glorify mee Wee performe the first God the second but wee performe not the last wee pray in misery but wee give not God glory after that wee bee delivered from that misery Thus the Israelites when God slew them they sought him Psal 78. 34 35 36. and they returned and sought God earely and they remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their Redeemer but they would not glority and praise him for their deliverance but flattered him with their mouth and dissembled with him with their tongue Ten lepers prayed loud in their trouble for they lifted up their voices and said Iesus Master have mercy on us but they were mute as fishes Luk 17. 13. 17. after their deliverance but one glorified God for his clensing witnes our Saviour himselfe Are there not ten clensed where are those nine they have not returned to give God praise save onely this stranger The tenth man with them returned to give thanks and glory to God but not the twentieth not the hundred man with us will glorify God Many pray loud in their misery like the prisoners in the castle The sicke man in his griefe with Ezechiah Esa 38. turneth his face to the wall and prayeth earnestly unto the Lord like a Crane and a Swallow so doe they chatter and mourne as Doves with their eyes lifted up on high So the Mariner in a storme prayeth as the mariners in Assyria who cried every man Ionas 1. 5. to his God and cast the wares that were in the ship into the Sea for the safety of themselves so the souldier in the battell prayeth earnestly to God as the Souldiers of Asa the husband-men in a drought pray for rayne like the Tenne Tribes but when health commeth when it is calme with the mariner when the victory is obtained of the souldier when a gracious raine is fallen to the husbandman they forget thankefulnesse and robbe God of his glory Many in their sicknesses Thankesgiving the chiefest dutie of a Christian promise great zeale and goodnesse and thankefulnesse but they are like the man in Erasmus his Naufragium who in a storme promised the virgin a picture of waxe as bigge as Saint Christopher but when he came to shore would not give a tallow candle Wee promise mountaines but yeeld mole-hils Paul saith As Ephes 5 3 4. for fornication and all uncleannes or covetousnesse let it not be once named among you as it becōmeth saints neither filthines neither foolish talking neither jesting which are things not comely but rather giving of thanks As though the life of a Christian should bee spent onely in praising God as if our tongues were given us onely to that end as if hee had said Iest not Raile not Speake not ribauldrie but rather give thankes use thy tongue to Gods glory and whether 1 Cor. 10. 31. yee eate or drinke or whatsoever yee doe doe all to the glory of God They that have not glorified God here shall not bee glorified in the life to come those tongues shall burne in Hell this is to lay a good foundation Paul willeth Timothy to charge rich men that that they doe good that they bee rich in good workes 1 Tim. 6. 19. that they be ready to distribute and communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Now there is not a better worke than to glorifie God therefore give thankes and sing with the heavenly souldiers Gloria in excelsis Glory bee to God on high Those tongues shall not sing the New song nor follow the Apot. 14. Lambe that here have given God no glory Let thy heart meditate of Gods goodnesse and let thy tongue utter it it is that which God requireth Let them confesse before the Lord his Loving kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men Nicephorus Psal 107. 15. reporteth of Nestorius the Hereticke that after his
heart is as the kitchin wherein things are prepared for God the vessell is at tilt when dregs and lees wanton and filthy speeches bee drawne from the heart the quiver is empty when never an arrow can bee drawne out never a word that savoureth of goodnes but all our speeches are for our profit or our pleasure wee are men of polluted lippes CHRIST is the fountaine of the water of life and Esa 6. Esa 35. faith in the heart is as the leads or pipes that receive it and hold the water and confession is as the cocke of the conduite Rom. 10. the spowte that lets out the water to all commers Earthly men seldome talke of CHRIST but wee have not so unfruitfully learned CHRIST nor so unhappily given witnesse of his trueth but better things belong to us in better wayes wee will runne our course in a better hope lay downe our bodies Let them talke of the world that make it their portion wee looke for a City whose builder and maker is God Let the Aegyptians talke of their walled The godly talke of God and praise him Cities Nabuchaduezzar of his buildings the foole of his barnes the voluptuous of his hawks and hounds wee will speake of God and our care shall bee to glorify him hee is a God of glory and his is glory to him will wee give glory and honour and thanks for evermore THE ONE AND FORTIETH SERMON VERS XXV To God onely Wise and our Saviour bee Glory Majesty Power and Dominion How Majesty is ascribed to God THere bee six Attributes here in this verse of God Wisedome Salvation Glory Majestie Dominion and Power Wee have handled and heard of three of them that is of his Wisedome Salvation and Glory and I am to speake of the other three Majesty Dominion and Power Majestie is his incomprehensible greatnesse which worketh wonders and bringeth forth most excellent and rare workes to ascribe therefore unto God a power and an incomprehensible might whereby hee doth the workes of wonder is to render majestie to God Hereupon said David Blessed bee the Lord God even the Psal 72. 18 19. God of Israel which onely doth wondrous things and blessed bee his glorious name for ever and let all the earth be filled with his glory so bee it Therefore is David so earnest with the tyrants and great men of the world to give this Majesty to God and addeth often Vno oris halitu that the voyce of the Lord doth all Give unto the Lord O yee mighty give unto the Lord glory and strength give unto Psal 29. 1 2 3 4 10. the Lord glorie due unto his name worship the Lord in his glorious Sanctuary Miracles admired for the the rarenesse The voice of the Lord is upon the Waters The God of glory maketh it to thunder the Lord is upon the great Waters the voice of the Lord is mighty the voice of the Lord is glorious c. The Lord sitteth upon the floud and the Lord doth remaine King for ever Hee repeateth one thing often over for wee passe over all the workes of God without consideration like horse and mule that have no understanding and they are buried in the grave of oblivion Wee Psal 22. will not confesse before the Lord his loving kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men They that dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death being bound in miserie Psal 107. 8 10 14 15. and yron hee brought out of darkenesse and shadow of death and brake their bands asunder Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his loving kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men The like hee saith of the sicke whose soule abhorreth all manner of meate and they are hard at deaths doore and of the mariners which goe downe to the Sea in ships and fee the wonderous workes of God and to all these one and the same conclusion is repeated Let them confesse before the Lord his loving kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men Wee see many wonders but wee give not God praise in them a wonder lasteth but nine dayes Vilescunt omnia Dei miracuâ—â— all Gods miracles are vile and are not regarded Augustine said God doth not now miracles ob duas causas for two causes First Ne vilescant miracula as I said before Secondly Ne terrena semper Aug. lib. 9. de civitate Dei quaeramus that wee should not alwayes seeke after earthly things it is as great a miracle to governe the World as to feed Iohn 6. five thousand men with five loaves and two Fishes Et tamen illud ownes mirantur hoc nemo yet all men wonder at that none at this Non quia majus sed quia rarum not because it is the greater but because it is rare it is as great a miracle to raise a barley kernel as to raise a dead body out of the grave Vilescit tamen 1 Cor. 15. ob assiduitateÌ„ yet this is not respected because of assiduity whereas the other is thought impossible The Israelites saw the light of Aegypt turned into darkenesse the waters into bloud the dust into lyce the bitter waters of March into sweete the Psal 105. Heaven open to give them Manna the rocke open to give them drinke the flint stone turned into a well yet doubted of Gods Psal 78. Majestie in giving them bread The Pharisees saw and perceived the blind to see the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to walke the dead to live yet blasphemed God The Luke 7. Iewes saw the fiery and cloven tongues yet railed on the Apostles as men not full of the Spirit but full of new wine Wee Act. 2. in England have seene wonders in Heaven as strange starres never seene before blazing Comets at other times and wonders in Anno 16. Eliz. the Sea as fishes at the I le of Tennet two and twenty yards long and wonders in the Earth as trees to remove in Dorset-shire and Hereford-shire yet have wee ascribed to God no Majestie Nay God reveales himselfe six wayes greater wonders than these have we seene for God did restore to us the light of the Gospell in the greatest darkenes of the world hee did unhorse the Pope in the time of King Henry the eighth and increased the light of it as the noone-day in the dayes of Edward the sixth and after it was eclipsed hee restored the light of it in the daies of Queene Elizabeth he hath put down the Northerne tumults hath drowned the Spanish Navy Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that hee doth for the sonnes of men But alas we have eyes but wee see not eares and heare not wee have hearts like mules and understand not wee see no more than beasts wee are as stockes and blockes what folly hath Ier. 5. 21 23. wrapped up all our
For not everie one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of the Father which is in Heaven 4 The fourth signe is a strife against sin For as the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so doth the Spirit against the Flesh And they that are Christs Have crucified the Flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 17. 24. And hee that is elected will cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. Meaning the corruption which yet remained The Law in our members which rebelleth they will tame and give no way to the motions of the flesh 5 The fifth and last signe is the reformation of our whole life a generall walking in the paths of righteousnesse holinesse as our election is knowne unto God from all eternity For the foundation of God remaineth sure and hath his seale The Lord knoweth 2 Tim. 2. 19. who are his so is it knowne to us by our workes and therfore wee are willed To give all diligence to make our election and calling sure by good workes if wee can so live that at the last when we 2 Pet. 1. 10. shall leave this World wee can say with Simeon Lord now lettest Luke 2. thou thy servant depart in peace It is an undoubted signe of our election Our election is perfected by many degrees Paul nameth three degrees of it Vocation Iustification and Glorification for so runne his words Those whom hee knew before hee predestinate and whom hee predestinate them also hee called and whom Rom. 8. 29 30. hee called them also hee Iustified and whom hee Iustified them also hee Glorified But others make other degrees The first to be Christs with his gifts 1 Cor. 3. Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 4. 25. Ephes 2. 10. 2 Tim. 4. 8. The second degree is our Adoption The third is our Vocation by the Gospell The fourth is Iustification The fifth is our Sanctification The sixth is our Glorification These are the signes of our election and this election is every God reprobateth in Iustice as well as elocteth in Mercy way free Never man layd hand on this worke never man brought stone to this building but all is from God and his Mercy Let us therefore throw downe our crownes with the Elders and let us say with David Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy name give the praise And if our reason cannot comprehend this our election Psal 115. 1. let our Faith comprehend it Vbi ratio definit sides incipit where Ambr. reason faileth faith beginneth Let our reason bee as Hagar our faith as Sara if reason will presume let Sara let faith take her downe a pegge The other part of Gods decree is Reprobation here named of Iude Of old ordained to condemnation Now whereas many grant election but not Reprobation Reprobation is proved by many places of Scripture Christ saith Every plant which my Heavenly Mat. 15. 13. Father hath not planted shall bee rooted up And Paul speaketh of Vessels of wrath ordained to destruction And Esay telleth us that Rom. 9. 22. Tophet is prepared of old it is prepared even for the King hee hath made Esa 30. 33. it deepe and large c. yet many are squeamish of Reprobation utterly denying it And Ierome was once of the minde hee said that God elected some but reprobated none Now if he deny all reprobation this must bee wrapped up amongst the rest of his errors Haec patrum pudenda tegi patior I love to hide these imperfections 1 Cor. 3. of the Fathers for they did not ever build gold upon the foundation but sometime hay and stubble c. Indeed God reprobates none but for sinne but for sinne he reprobates And thus God is righteous and his judgements just thus Christ divideth the whole world into two parts Corne and Tares Goats and Sheepe the Tares shall bee bound up in bundels and cast into the fire the Goats Mat. 13. 25. shall stand at Christs left hand and shall heare Goe yee cursed into everlasting Hell fire prepared for the Divell and his angels and marke that he saith prepared for the Divell and his angels If of five senses we want foure we cannot deny this Reprobation But what should I light a candle at noone-day or powre water into the Sea or bring the breath of a man to helpe the blast or gale of wind Magna est veritas praevalet great is truth and prevaileth for wee cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. Reprobation standeth with the glory of God for as his Mercy appeareth in Election so his Iustice in Reprobation and his Iustice in punishing sinne is as lawfull as holy as glorious as his Mercy in Christ Iesus For in God they are equall and not qualities but of the essence of God For hee is Iustice and Mercy it selfe God is not made of mercy only as a loafe is of Corne or wood of Trees but of Iustice also And Gods glory shineth as much in his Iustice as in his Mercy God hath made all things for his glory and the wicked for the day of vengeance Shall wee then reason against God and say Why doth he thus Absit God forbid Againe all the works of God have their contraries wherein God not the author of evil but the disposer the infinite Wisedome of God appeareth In Physicke one thing bindeth and another looseth one thing comforteth nature and another thing destroyeth it In the state of the World there is light and darkenesse hony and gall sweet and sowre prickes and roses faire and foule hearbes and weeds In the creation of the creatures every thing hath his contrary the Woolfe to the Sheepe the Weesell to the Cony the Mouse to the Elephant the Dragon to the Vnicorne the Spider to the Flie the Lion to the Beasts the Eagle to the Birds Againe in the Church there are contraries the Elect to the Reject Cain against Abel Ismael against Isaac Hagar against Sara Esau against Iacob Pharaoh against Moses Saul against David the Pharises against Christ the false god against the true God Againe all vertues have their contrary vices Falshood against Truth Hatred against Love Faith against Infidelity Temperancie against Riot Prudence against Folly Liberality against Covetousnesse Chastity against Incontinency Fortitude against Pusillanimity So God hath them that are elected to life and fore-written to judgement for in the whole state of the world God hath shewed himselfe the Authour of Iustice and Mercy If there were no Darkenesse wee should not know the benefit of Light If no sicknesse wee should not know the benefit of health If no death wee should not know the goodnesse of life So Hell makes the blisse of Heaven seeme the greater and this destruction of the wicked the
be evill company and therefore the Holy Ghost gives this rule to those that would not bee ensnared with the strange woman Walke thou in the way of good men and keep the way of the righteous Prov. 3. 29. A fifth hand to pull downe this sinne upon them might bee their high estimation of earthly things and their too great liking of them for this love brings in lust This the Apostle affirmeth That the love of money and riches breeds noysome lusts which in short Sodomes sins abound in England time drawne men in perdition And thus yee see the meanes how Sodome came to this uncleanenesse and Hell full of uncleane persons For if yee could see into Hell ye should find it so full of 1 Tim. 6. 9. whoremongers adulterers fornicators that scarce there is any roome left for idolaters blasphemers cursed Sabath breakers damnable mocke-preachers biting usurers cruell murderers c. Many are of the Corinthians minde that whordome is a thing indifferent and of the Gentiles opinion which maintayned the same thing that the Corinthians did But contrariewise 1 Cor. 7. Act. 15. the Counsell of Gangra affirmed that the Church admired virginitie honored mariage praised widowe-hood and condemned fornication And so must we For every man must keepe his vessell in holynesse and not in the lust of concupiscence as doe the heathen our bodies are The temples of the holy Ghost If the materiall temple must 1 Thess 4. 1 Cor. 6. 19. be kept cleane much more the mysticall Finely saith a Father Quia templum dei sumus c. because we are the temple of God and the chiefe chaplaine of this temple is chastitie we must not Tertull. suffer any uncleane or unworthy thing to be brought thither lest God who dwelleth there taking displeasure to see his mansion defiled should forsake it Well Sodome was destroyed and the Cities about it it was the Metropoliticall Citie and the little townes about it learned of it but God destroyed them both Wee see therefore those to bee most vile Cities which are most large and great and most subject to ruine as Babylon Ninive Ierusalem Carthage Constantinople Corinth Athens Rome under Tiberius the Emperor thirteene Cities of Asia fell downe with an earth-quake and six under Trajan and twelve under Constantine in Campania Ferraria In Italy Anno 1569. in the space of forty houres by reason of an earth-quake many palaces temples houses were overthrown Fardentius in hunc locum with the losse of many a man amounting to forty hundred thousand pounds Burdeaux was mightily shaken with an earth-quake which reached to Spaine and marveilously shooke the Pyrenean hils What a mighty earth-quake was in the yeere 1171. that the City Tripolis and a great part of Damascus in Antiochia and Hulcipre the chiefe City in the kingdome of Loradin and other cities of the Saracens either perished utterly or were wonderfully defaced At Venice Florence and divers other places there were great earth-quakes in the yeere 1539. and did much harme When Arrius heresie was entertained at Antioch God punished it with earth-quakes I passe over with silence Paris Antwerpe Gant Magline c. all which Cities and many others God hath punished for their sinnes Little townes of the Countrey learne of the greater and shall perish together with them and therefore the Prophet having denounced Gods judgements against some Countries and Cities he maketh this demand What is the The greatest Cities as most sinfull so most punished wickednesse of Iacob is not Samaria and which are the high places of Iuda is not Ierusalem meaning that Samaria and Ierusalem which should have beene an example to all Israell of true repentance holinesse was the puddle and stewes of all idolatry Malach. 5 6. and corruption Therefore will I make Samaria saith God as an heape of the field and for the planting of a vineyard and I will cause the stones thereof to tumble downe into the Vallie and will discover the foundations thereof And as the Prophet saith What is the sinne of Iacob is not Samaria and what is the sinne of Iuda is not Ierusalem So say I What is the sinne of Norffolke is not Norwich and what is the sinne of England is not London For men are led by example more than by doctrines But let not our little townes follow our great Cities in evill lest God come in judgement against them as hee did against Sodome and the Cities about it Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is hee whom other mens harmes make to beware THE FIFTEENTH SERMON VERS VII Are set forth for example and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire Sodomes punishment an example to all uncleane persons THE Apostle having laid fourth the sinne of Sodome which was uncleannesse for They followed strange flesh and most horrible pollutions hee commeth now to the second part of this verse which containeth Sodomes punishment and Gods judgements upon the Cities round about But before he commeth to Sodomes punishment he setteth downe unto us the end thereof and saith They are set forth for an example For howsoever every example is not our imitation yet every example is our instruction It teacheth whoremongers to take heed of whoredome and all men of turpitude and filthinesse Gods judgements Esa 26. 9. are in the earth to teach the inhabitants of the world to learn righteousnesse to learne them to feare God and to sinne no more Paul applyed every example of Israel to the Corinthians saying These are ensamples for us that we should not lust after evill things as 1 Cor. 10 11. c they lusted neither be ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sat downe to eat and drinke and rose up to play Neither let us commit fornication as some of them have committed fornication and fell in one day three and twenty thousand neither let us tempt Christ as some of them have tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents neither murmure yee as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of All examples are lor instructions and cautions the destroyer now all these things came upon them for ensamples and were written to admonish us upon whom the latter ends of the world are come that he will plague us as he punished them if we be subject to the like vices Thus Daniel aggravated the sinne of Balthasar by this that he profited not by the example of his father For Daniel told him that his fathers heart was puffed up and his mind hardened in pride whereupon he was deposed of his Kingdome and honour and he was driven from the Sonnes of men and his heart was made like the beasts his dwelling was with the wilde Asses he was fed with grasse like an Oxe and his body was wet with the dewe of heaven c. But saith he Thou hast not humbled thy heart though thou knew est all these things but hast lift