according to his labour writes on this sort I will say a thing which may seeme to excéed the opinion of many but it shall not excéed the truth Although a man shall doe some worthy and couragious thing In epist ad Olymp. and yet without labour and danger he shall receiue no great reward For euery man shall receiue his owne wages according to his labour not according to the greatnes of the worke but according to the qualitie of the labour and suffering And he proues this by examples out of the scriptures For Paul glorieth not 2. Cor. 12. Iob. 1.1 27.6 but in his infirmities and tribulations Iob before his calamities which he suffered was a iust man and righteous and that feared God and of wonderfull godlines for his heart reprooued him not for his daies past But all this Sathan accused and said Doth Iob feare God for nought Iob. 1.9.10 hast not thou O God made an hedge about him and about his house about all that he hath on euery side But when he had lost al that he had and was striken with grieuous boyles and yet retained patience Sathan departed and could cauil and wrangle no more against him Lastly saith he Christ Our Lord bare in his glorious body the marks and scars of his wounds carried them into heauen for none other cause but to teach vs that the worke of his passion farre surpassed in dignitie all his other workes miracles For as odours doe disperse their swéete smell farther when they are mooued so the vertues of the godly being stirred by patience yéeld foorth a more acceptable sauour both to God and men Therefore that Christs word may dwell in vs we must haue an honest and good heart and we must heare the word and we must heare and kéepe the word and we must bring foorth fruit with patience Wherefore since the word of God is so beneficiall and profitable for vs and must be heard after this manner let vs all beseech our heauenly father that we may be partakers of that inestimable commoditie of the scriptures and may be right and worthy hearers readers and kéepers thereof Art thou young Let the word of Christ dwell in thée plenteously for if a child be taught in the trade of godlines Pro. 22.6 he will not depart from it Psal 119.9 when he is olde And wherewith shall a young man redresse his way but in taking héed thereto according to Gods word and Timothie knowing the scriptures from a child 2. Tim. 3.15 1. Tim. 4.6 and being nourished vp in the words of faith and of good doctrine did continually followe it Art thou old Let the word of Christ dwell in thée plenteously for it will teach thée to repent for thy former sinnes to bewaile the vanities of the world to prepare for thy dissolution to fixe thy faith on Christ Iesus who hath ordained a Mansion for thée in heauen and therefore to say with old Symeon Lord Luk. 2.29.30 now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Art thou vertuous and a louer of the word Let the word of Christ dwell in thée plenteously let vs be led forward to perfection Heb. 6.1 let vs followe the direction of the scripture till we come to heauen Matt. 2. â— as the wiseman trauelled by the leading of the Starre till they came to Christ The kingdome of God is compared to a graine of musterd seede Matt. 13.31 which at the first is the least of all séedes but when it is sowne it becomes first an hearbe then the greatest of hearbes then a tree then the birdes make nests in the branches thereof so the godly must procéede from the séede of godlines to the hearbe of godlines from the hearbe to the trée from the trée to branches so great that birdes may make nests in them that is their fruits and good workes must be so manifest that others may be brought to the feare of the Lord by their president When Eliah was gone a daies iourney in the wildernes and sate and slept vnder a Iuniper trée Gods Angell cald vpon him vp and eate and when he slept againe the Angell the second time cald vpon him 1. King 19.5.6.9.13.15 vp and eate for thou hast a great iourney and when he had trauelled 40. daies and was lodged in a caue the Lord cald vpon him what doest thou heere Eliah and when he was brought foorth to the mount the Lord said vnto him What doest thou héere Eliah goe and returne by the wildernes vnto Damascus and doe thus and thus So when we are entered into the way of life we must vp and eate and strengthen our selues first with milke then with stronger meate we must walke from vertue to vertue we must remember that we haue a great iourney to goe we must alwaies thinke that euery blessing of God bestowed vpon vs is a farther calling and prouocation to godlines and that we heare a voyce that cals vs forward thou hast yet a greater iourney to goe what doest thou héere Eliah Art thou vitious yet labour and desire that the word of Christ may dwell in thee plenteously and hearken attentiuely to the word and thou shalt see the admirable efficacie thereof If Polemon a drunken and intemperate young man when he rushed with his complices into Xenoâ—rates schoole Laert. lib. 4. after a contemptuous sort were so altered by the Oration of the Philosopher that afterward he embraced sobrietie much more can the doctrine of Christ dutifully and héedefully heard mooue a sinner to renounce wickednes When the chiefe Priests and Pharises had sent messengers to take Iesus as he was preaching to the people the messengers tarâ—ying till he had ended his sayings not with a purpose to learne but to entrap him in his words were so pricked in heart and changed that they returned without doing their message and being asked why they had not brought Iesus Ioh. 7.46 Confess l. 5. c. 13. 14. they aunswerad neuer man spake like this man Saint Austen reports of himselfe that being yet polluted with the errour of the Manichet hearing Ambrose preaching not with an intent to beléeue his doctrine but with a purpose to marke his eloquence though he contemned the matter and was delighted with the words onely yet with the words which he loued there came to his minde also the things which he neglected and when he opened his heart to consider quà m disertè diceret pariter intrabat quà m verè diceret how eloqently he spake it entered also into his minde how truely he spake Therefore since the hearkening to the word brings such profite though it shew thy vanities and spots and faults and imperfections yet despise it not nor throwe it away from thée as the Ape when he beholds his deformitie in the glasse doth throw it from him and seekes by all meanes to breake
c First he remooues doubtfulnes in that he saith that it is a true saying that we are saued by Christ Iesus As though he should thus say there is no doubt to be mooued in this spéech for that is before spoken is firme and vndoubted and certaine and cannot deceiue any and therefore farewell they that make doubtes touching the maine points of the Christian faith For these words this is a true saying may fitly be referred to the foregoing words which entreated of the pith and summe of our saluation And by this phrase he shewes the certaintie of his doctrine like as Christ in the gospell declares the infallibilitie of his doctrine when he saith Verily verily I say vnto you Wherefore the faithfull must diligently note and remember this singular comfort in whatsoeuer troubles and afflictions For our faith is continually battered and beaten on by manifold tentations and trials Christ saies That the time shall come Ioh. 16.2 that whosoeuer killeth the godly will thinke that he doth God seruice and that the godly shall be betraied of their parents Luk. 21.16.17 and of their brethren and kinsmen and friends and shall be hated of all men for his names sake And when Paul had made report of his owne persecutions and afflictions which came vnto him at Antiochia at Iconium and at Lystri 2. Tim. 3.11.12 he adds presently a generall conclusion Yea and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Now in the mids of these afflictions and aduersities what can staie and helpe vs but a cléere and a good and a sound and a setled conscience grounded on the faith of Christ Iesus And therefore the Apostle witnesseth that the faith in Christ Iesus is a most sure and vndoubted faith this is a true saying And this summe of our saluation may be easily prooued because the whole scripture doth agrée therein For that man is naturally wicked and ill disposed Psal 14.2.3 how plainely doe Dauid and Isaiah teach Dauid when he saith that the Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God And what was the sequele of Gods search All are gone out of the way they are all corrupt there is none that doth good no not one Isaiah when he saith Isai 64.6 that we haue all beene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy cloutes and we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the winde haue taken vs away Man being so polluted was not able to saue himselfe for then sacrifices could haue appeased and pleased God but sacrifices were not able to performe that Psal 50.5.9.10.11.12.13 for it is said in the psalme by the Lord That he will not reproue for sacrifices or burnt offrings that haue not beene continually before him I will take no bullocke out of thine house saith God nor goates out of thy foldes for all the beasts of the forrest are mine and the beasts on a thousand mountaines I know all the foules on the mountaines the wild beasts of the field are mine If I be hungrie I will not tell thée for the world is mine and all that therein is will I eate the flesh of â—â—ls or drinke the bloud of goates And another Prophet saith Isai 1.11.12.13 what haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offrings of rams and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the blood of bullocks nor of lambes nor of goates when ye come to appeare before me who hath required this of your hands to tread in my courts Bring no more oblations in vaine incense is an abomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new moones nor Sabbaths nor solemne daies it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies And most euidently speakes the holy ghost by the mouth of Paul Heb. 10.1.2.3.4 that the lawe hauing the shadowe of good things to come and not the very Image of the things can neuer with those sacrifices which they offer yeare by yeare continually sanctifie the commers thervnto For would they not then haue ceased to haue bene offered because that the offerers once purged should haue had no more conscience of sinnes But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance againe of sins euery yeare For it is vnpossible that the blood of â—uls and goats should take away sinnes If then legall sacrifices and ceremonies were insufficient to abolish and take away our naturall corruption there must of necessitie be some other meanes This meanes is Iesus Christ who is all in all Col. 1.19.20 for it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell and through peace made by that blood of that his crosse to reconcile to himselfe through him all things both which are in earth and which are in heauen Gen. 3.15 22.18 49.10 God promised that Christ the séede of the woman should breake the Serpents head and that in him all the kinreds of the earth should be blessed and that the scepter should not depart from Iudah nor a lawgiuer from betwéene his féete vnto Shiloh that is Christ the Messiah come and the people shall be gathered vnto him Dut. 18.18 Act. 3.22 Christ is he at whom Moses pointed when he foretold the children of Israel that the Lord their God should raise vp vnto them a Prophet euen of their brethren like vnto him Christ is he whom the types and ceremonies of the lawe prefigured and signified and namely the Paschall lambe for the Baptist cryes Ioh. 1.29 Matt. 27.51 Behold that lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And therefore the vaile and partition of the holiest place from the vtter part of the temple did rent from the top to the bottome when Christ suffered to shew that now there is no more distinction of nations Act. 10.34.35 and God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him Christ is he which hath this testimonie of God the father from heauen This is that my beloued sonne Matt. 17.5 Ioh. 8.12.51 in whom I am well pleased heare him And he himselfe cals vs vnto him saying that he is that light of the world and he that followeth him shall not walke in darkenes but shall haue that light of life and that if a man keepe his word he shall neuer see death He saies of himselfe that he is greater then the temple greater then Ionas Matt. 1â— 6.1.22 greater then the wise Salomon And in the great and last day of the feast of the tabernacles he cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Ioh. 7.37 Ioh. 17.11 15.17.21.24 And to make it manifest that our saluation is most déere vnto him he praies most earnestly for the faithfull that they may be kept in the
to say and sweare falsely for hatred fauor or gaine let Malachies prophecie he remembred where the Lord saieth thus Mal. 3.5 I will come neere to you in iudgement and I will be a swift witnes against the southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages vexe the widowe and the fatherles and oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of hostes For what shall it profite a man Matt. 16.26 to win the whole world and to loose his soule or what shall he giue for a recompence of his soule Bernard since that day shall come in quo plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba conscientia bona quam marsupia plena in which a cleane heart shall more auaile then a subtill tongue and a good conscience more then a full purse Because that Iudge will neither be deceiued by wordes not be wrested by gifts For the great and last iudgement shall be after another manner then the iudgements that are holden in this world Rom. 14.10.11.12 It shall not auaile to run away For we shall all appeare before the iudgement feare of Christ and euery one of vs shall giue accounts of himselfe to God Dan. 7.9.10 It shall not auaile to denie the faults for the booke of euery mans conscience shall be opened and euidence giuen of euery mans doings It shall not auaile to endeuor to beguile the Iudge for Christ knoweth all men And hee needeth not that any should testifie of man Ioh. 2.25 2. Pet. 3.7 for he knoweth what is in man It shall not auaile to trust in riches honours and treasure for the earth with all the riches and workes thereof shall be burnt vp What is it then that will auaile at that day Euen this that Christ acknowledge vs for his owne seruants and Christ will acknowledge and confesse those onely to be his Matt. 10. â—2 33 who haue beléeued in him and confessed him before men Saint Ieromes words are most worthy of obseruation when he thus speakes of himselfe Whether I eate or drinke In com in Matt. or doe any other thing alwaies that voyce seemeth to sound in mine eares Arise ô yee dead and come to iudgement as often as I muse on the day of iudgement so often doe I tremble with my whole heart and body for we must after such a manner passe ouer the pleasantnes of our life as that the bitternes of the iudgement to come be neuer forgotten Againe as the remembrance of the day of iudgement will curbe vs from hardnes of heart and continuing in sinne so it will comfort and chéere vs in our afflictions and miseries And therefore our Sauiour proposed the parable of the fig-tree saying Luk. 21.28.9 â—0 31 Behold the fig-tree and all trees when they now shoote foorth ye seeing them knowe of your owne selues that summer is then neere so likewise ye when ye see these things come to passe knowe ye that the kingdome of God is neere And when these things begin to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere In which words Christ not onely meanes that those troublesome times shall be as certaine a signe of his comming as we certainely knowe that summer approacheth when trées bud foorth but he signifieth another thing besides For whereas in winter trees being drawne together with roughnes of colde séeme to be the stronger but when in the spring that hardnes is dissolued they appeare weaker and as it were clouen and opened that new tendrels and springals may breake out so the strength of the Church is not hindred when afflictions doe soften it in the eyes of men For as the inward iuyce dispersed through the whole trée when it is softned it encreaseth force to renew that which was before as it were dead so the Lord doth bring foorth the full restoring of his children from the corruption of the outward man The summe is this that by the feeble and fraile state of the Church we should not coniecture a destruction and decay but rather hope for immortall glorie vnto which the Lord prepareth his eiect by the crosse and tribulation For that which the Apostle speaketh of the seuerall parts must be applied to the whole body of the Church 2. Cor. 4.16 namely That though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily In the meane time art thou afflicted with pouertie want and scarsitie bee of good comfort a day is at hand when thy Sauiour will came to giue thee the glorie of Heauen that exceedes pearle pretious stones all the golde and treasure of Ophyre all things of this world most desireable Art thou molested with sicknes and infirmitie of bodie Be of good comfort a day is at hand when thou shalt be partaker of that Kingdome where is no sicknes no sorrowe no enemie no enuie no danger no death no feare of death Art thou falsely slandered and vniustly accused and oppressed wrongfully and depriued of thy right Be of good comfort a day is at hand when the cause of the Poore and Fatherles and widow shall be righted And no Bribes no partialitie no gloses no fleights no fetches shall either suppresse trueth or oppresse the true 2. Thess 1.6.7.8.9.10 For it is a righteous thing with GOD to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble the godlie to them which are troubled rest when the Lord IESVS shall shew himselfe from HeaueÌ„ with his mightie Angels in flaming Fire rendring vengeaÌ„ce vnto them that doe not know God which obey not vnto the Gospel of our Lord IESVS CHRIST which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lorde and from the glory of his power when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made merueilous in all them that belieue in that day And when the royall Psalmist saieth That precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 He giues vs notable coÌ„solation and doeth defend vs as it were with a Buckler not onely against the terrors of death and dartes of Sathan in the publike persecutions of the Church but also against priuate griefe and sorrow For he witnesseth that the Church is subiect to the Crosse and afflictions but yet that the godly can neuer bee brought so neere the gates of Death that they can see nothing but death and destruction before them And he admonisheth that those afflictions and griefes of the godlie are not tokens of Gods Anger and of their casting off from the face of God as worldlings iudge who when they sée the godly to be vexed outwardly destitute of all succour they assault them the more vehemeÌ„tly and insult vpon them the more proudely and hee teacheth that though now and then some members of the Church are slaine by Enemies and Tyrants yet that
wearie of well doing he meaneth that we should not be wearie of succouring and reléeuing the néedie and wretched But if we refer well doing to the exhortation in the sixth verse Keckerman in analys Gym Log. where the Apostle exhorts the hearers to maintaine their Minister saying Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods then the meaning is that Paul procéeding in his exhortation to maintaine the Minister doth in these words preoccupate and preuent an obiection which some might make saying If we be so liberall to the Ministers and continue in it we shall wast consume our substance To which the Apostle answeres that we shall not consume but encrease our store for God will not forget our workes of pietie charitie that please him so well but in due time we shall reape if we faint not But howsoeuer we refer well doing either to the reléeuing of the néedie or to the maintenance of the Ministerie this exhortation serues also for continuing in good workes of what sort or nature soeuer they be The reason and motiue why we should continue in well doing is this For in due season we shall reape if we faint not Eccakein Eclúesthai To be wearie and to faint is all one thing and to faint or to be wearie is as it were to be dissolued and loosed as if one ioynt or finew were separated from another So that Paul saith that in due season we shall reape the fruit of our good works if we make no breach and interruption of well doing and if we conioyne one vertue to another vertue and one good worke to another good worke as the ioynts and sinewes of the body are compacted and vnited among themselues and as the linkes of a chaine are knit and fastned one to the other The Apostle had said before Verse 7.8 Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruptiō but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting In which words he vseth a Metaphor borrowed spéech cōparing the life aswell of the godly as of the vngodly vnto sowing of séede as though the Apostle in those words did say generally that euery one shal receiue either a reward or a punishment according to his déeds done in this world And he procéedes in the same metaphoricall spéech saying In due season we shall reape if we saint not In which words he puts a difference betwéene the time of sowing and the time of reaping Now is the time to sowe and to doe good to other while Christ doth shine vnto vs in this life by his Gospel but the time of reaping and of haruest shall be in the world to come Ecclus. 11.4 Salomon saith He that obserueth the winde shall not sowe and he that regardeth the cloudes shall not reape that is he that will alwaies looke for happie and prosperous successe in well doing shall neuer doe good For men will euer be vngratefull and the world will euer recompence euill for good to the godly And therefore least we should be wearie and faint in well doing S. Pau sets before vs a most ample and large reward when he compares eternall life vnto an haruest or a reaping What doe good workes merite then since they are rewarded No for well doing is the path leading to Heauen but Heauen it selfe and eternall life is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. When we doe well we are in the way to Heauen and well doing shall be plenteously rewarded but none by his godlines deserues the reward In psal 120. for God rewarding our works dona sua coronat crowneth his owne gifts saith S. Augustine Why is it called a reward then Not because it is a reward merited but freely giuen of Gods mercie and because as the day labourer workes all the day and receiues his wages in the euening so when we haue done good workes all our life long in the euening of our daies that is in the end of our life we shall receiue the reward of euerlasting ioy Although good workes cannot saue vs nor make vs righteous before Gods iudgement throne Isai 64.6 Psal 130.3 for all our righteousnes is a menstruous cloath and if God should be extreame to marke what is done amisse who may abide it yet we must labour diligently to abound in all good workes and to perseuere in them whether we consider God or whether we consider our neighbour or whether we consider our selues If we respect God we must doe well and continue in well doing that his commaundements may be obeyed 1. Io 5.3 1. Thes 4.3 1. Pet. 1.14 Tit. 2.14 Eph. 4.30 Gal. 5.22 Matt. 5.16 Eph. 5.1 that his will may be done that we may shew our selues obedient children to God our father that we may shew our selues thankefull for our redemption by Christ that we may not grieue the spirit of God but walke according to the same that God by our good workes may be glorified and that we may be good imitators and followers of God If we respect men we must doe well and continue in well doing Luk. 6.38 1. Pet. 3.14 1. Cor. 10.32 that our neighbour may be holpen in worldly things that he may be wonne by our example to godlines that we may preuent the giuing of any offence and that by doing good we may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries Lastly if we respect our selues we must doe well 2. Cor. 5.17 Eph. 5.8 2. Pet. 1.8 10. Iam. 2.17 2. Tim. 2.6 Psal 89.32 Gal. 6.9 and continue in well doing that we may shew our selues to be new creatures that we may walke as the children of light that we may be assured of our faith and saluation that we may discerne true faith from counterfait and dead faith that faith and the gifts of God may be continued vnto the end that the punishments of sinne both temporall and eternall may be auoided and that the reward may be obtained which God fréely in mercie hath promised to men for their good workes These are the causes for which we must doe well and continue in well doing not to merite eternall life by our good works for when we haue done all that we can doe we are vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 and we haue done but that was our commanded dutie but we must doe good workes continue in them for Gods glorie our brethrens edification and the declaration of the truth of our faith This doctrine we propose this doctrine we perswade this doctrine we vrge presse and therefore our aduersaries slaunderously abuse our Church when they call vs licentious Libertines and those that open a schoole to sinne wickednes that dehort and disswade men from good works For though we teach not that good workes are to be done because they merite the reward
iourney except he trauell forward continually We must goe to heauen and the iourney is long for we must ouercome many tentations and kéepe many commaundements and doe many good workes and endure many tribulations before we can come thither The time for trauelling to heauen is this life whose daies are short and we cannot be sure of to morrowe Why then doe we loyter in the waie Nay why doe we slumber When there are many impediments in our waie as when it is hard to finde or théeues lye in ambush or the passage is rough and vneasie is it not néedefull that the Traueller should walke so much the more spéedily In the path of life there are many trials many conteruailes of Sathan many difficulties therefore we must neuer loyter but hold on continually If a friend offer vnto vs the meanes whereby we may be deliuered from inconueniences doth not he abuse his friend that neglects those meanes God daily affoordes vs his grace by meanes of which we are certainly freed from the daunger of leesing our soules and shall we abuse the long suffering of God in not apprehending the grace and fauour of the Almightie At a word is not he to be blamed iustly that omits the opportunitie and iust occasion to obtaine any thing It is vsually said that time and tide tarrie for none And Ausonius thus describes the statue and representation of Occasion and opportunitie which Pâ—â—dias carued that she stoode on a wheele to shew her rowling inconstancie that she had wings on her féete to shew her haâ—tie departure that she had a loâ—ke of haire on her forehead to shew how hardly she can be discerned and that she must be apprehended when she offers her selfe that the hinder part of her head was bald to shew that she could not be caught if she were once escaped and that her companion is Repentance to shew that sorrowe waits on those as a due portion that reiect iust occasion of doing good when it is offred vnto them Apelles the famous painter was wont to complaine that he had lost that day in which he had drawne no line and shall not the godly be grieued if they haue spent a day without procéeding and profiting in godlines and in the feare of God One saies that we must chiefly be héedfull of two times the morning and the euening that is we must consider what we will doe and what we haue done for so we shall in good sort both dispose our time and order our dutie And therefore Catoes manner was to repeat in the Euening what he had done séene or read in the day before and to recall himselfe to an account not onely for his busines but for his leisure The wise man fully perceiued that time is most pretious and the losse of time vnrecouerable Which thing if all men would consider the sharpe reprehension of the graue Censurer of depraued manners should not be renued in our age when he saies That we haue not little time Sen. but we leese much time that we receiue not a short life but make it short that we want not life but are wastfull of life and that whereas men are sparing in keeping their patrimony when they come to losse of time they are most prodigall in that in which couetousnesse and pinching deserues commendation If we must thinke all time lost wherein we haue not thought of God as Bernard saies when we call our selues to a reckoning how slender a part of our life shall we finde imparted on God how few houres spent in his seruice how rare the thoughts directed and erected towards Heauen Let many carefully recount what they haue thought spoken done in the day what shall they sée but innumerable wicked vnbridled thoughts idle words redounding neither to the profite of the speaker nor hearer backbitings slaunders lyings blasphemies swearings and a whole haruest of vanitie and iniquitie Indéed all our life is the time appointed of God for the laying hold on his grace which bringeth saluation vnto beléeuers but let vs suppose euery day to be our last day and this time to be the accepted time and this day to be the day of saluation and then we will in no case permit this time of grace to slip and slide away and we shall performe the Prophets exhortation Esai 55.6.7 Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call ye vpon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous hiâ— owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is very readie to forgiue Wherefore let vs not curiously prie into other mens actions but descend euery man into his owne soule and sée how we haue laboured in Gods vineyard And that we may be the willinger to worke in the vineyard and to employ the talents with which we are entrusted to the glorie of our Maister Christ and the edifying of his elect let vs haue an eye to that wages and pennie which shall be paied vnto vs in the Euening when this transitorie and wretched life is ended And what is that peÌ„nie It is eternal life it is our Masters ioy it is the glorie of heauen it is the wiping away of all teares it is the resting from all labors it is the end of sorrowe sicknes trouble care hatred anger it is the beginning perpetuall enioying of true pleasure ioy blessednes Austen saith excellently Soliloq c. 21. If thou O Lord hast ordained for this base corruptible body so great and so many blessings from the heauen aire the earth the sea the light and darkenes the heate and shadow the deaw and shewers the wind and raine the birds and fishes the beasts and trées and the varietie of hearbs plants which successiuely serue our turnes ease our tedious loathing what maner how great infinite are those good things which thou hast prepared for those that loue thée in that heaueÌ„ly countrie where we shall sée thée face to face If thou bestowe so great things on vs now being in prison what wilt thou bestowe vpoÌ„ vs when we are in the Palace If thou giue vs such comforts pledges of thy loue in the day of teares what wilt thou giue vs on the mariage day If thy gifts are so infinite diuerse which thou impartest both on thy friends and enemies how swéete and delectable shall those be which thou wilt bestowe vpon thy friends alone And elsewhere he saith Enarrat in Psal 85. ô my brethren thinke on and consider the good things which God giueth to sinners and by them vnderstand what he kéepeth for his seruants God giueth the heauen and the earth God giueth fountaines fruits health children plentie abundance to sinners that doe blaspheme him daily He that giueth these things to sinners what must we suppose doth he reserue for his faithfull people This hath béene the wisedome of the Saints when
by my workes But on the contrarie all appearing christians are not true christiās For to many that will say Lord Matt. 7.22 Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied by thy name cast out diuels by thy name don manie great works Christ wil thus professe I neuer knewe you depart from me yee that worke iniquitie So that the visible outward Church in this world hath good and bad hath worthy vnworthy hath elect and reprobate Matt. 13.24 Mat. 13.47 Mat. 13.3 For it is the fielde wherein there growes wheate tares and it is the draw-net which cast into the sea gathereth of all kindes of things and it is the receiuer of the séede of Gods word which sowne fell foure wayes some by the way side some vpon stony groūd some among thornes some in good ground And all this is plainely set foorth by our Sauiour in the parable of them that were called vnto the marriage Of which parable partly out of the words of Christ partly out of the circumstance of the time persons when and to whō they were spoken we may gather this to be the sense meaning The King that made a mariage for his Sonne is God the Father The Kings Sonne is Christ The mariage is the blessednes of heauen which the elect after this life shall for euer enioy with Christ The first worthier sorte that were called are the Iewes The seruāts whom the King sent are the prophets The calling to the marriage is the drawing to faith and repentāce This calling the Iews despised being giuē to the loue of earthly things many of them chiefly the rulers of the people contumeliously entreated the prophets slew them Therfore God destroied them by his hoasts warriors that is by the armies of the Romans First vnder the cōducting of Vespasian after of Titus his sonne and hée burnt vp Ierusalem their Citie with fire Afterwards reiecting the Iewes God sent the Apostles vnto the Gentiles and called thē into the place room of the Iews in whose stéed they were are and shall be vnto the ende of the world as wel good as bad that is as well elect as reprobate of whō the one are of euill made good by the holy Ghost the other are left in their natural wickednes The marriage garmēt is true holines which is of 2. sorts th' one is the holinesse of Christs sacrifice imputed vnto vs by Faith the other is an holines wrought in our mindes by the sanctification of the holie Ghost which shews it selfe by holines of life Whosoeuer are not clothed which this wedding garment shal be throwne out from the marriage into vtter darknes that is into the eternall torments of Hell and that shall bee done by the Seruants that is Gods holie Angels Therefore beeing all inuited and called to the marriage of the Kings Sonne that is to the fruition and participation of the ioyes of heauen Wée must neither contemne and refuse the abundant mercie of God that so louingly bids vs either by addicting our selues whollie to the vanitie and mucke of this world or by despising of Gods Messengers who are sent to inuite vs neither must wee presume to approach without the marriage garment making onely a bare profession naked shew without any sinceritie For though we spin Hypocrisie with neuer so small a thréede so that the eyes of man cannot discerne it yet when the King of heauen whose eyes are ten thousand times more bright then the Sunne shall come in to sée the Guests hée will pull off the vizard from the masked dissembler and discouer the counterfeiter and as the Hypocrite pretends onely loue amitie to Christs religion and entends far otherwise with his heart So the King shall Ironically and colourably call him Friend but a painted friēd and therefore hée shall say How camest thou in hither and hast not on a Wedding garmēt Binde him hand and foote Take him away and cast him into vtter darknes Wherefore that wee may examine our selues our soules and consciences the better whether wée are arrayed with the Wedding garment or not and that we may labour and pray that we may be more and more apparelled therewith whereby we may neuer be cast out of the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that we may know how to professe CHRIST aright For it is a most important matter and to professe is not enough except wee professe aright it shall be vnfolded First what the Wedding garment is without which wee cannot be partakers of Heauenly blessednes secondly what Hypocrisie is and how detestable and odious it is in the sight of God The Wedding garment is Iustification 1 What the Wedding garmēt is and Sanctification or Faith good workes or to belieue well and to liue well All this is but true holinesse which is of two sorts Namely the righteousnes of Christs sacrifice imputed to vs by Faith and inherent righteousnes wrought in vs and brought into vs by the holy Ghost So that this garment is of two colours partly red partly white It is red by reason of Christs blood shead on the Crosse for the purging of our soules and this is our Iustification and Righteousnes before God It is white by reason of holy harmeles cōuersation which shines before the world this is the putting on of the new man Christ Iesus the washing of our robes the makīg of them white in the bloud of the lambe our sāctification holines in the eyes of men Iustificatiō is attained by Faith sanctification brīgeth forth good works iustificatiō cānot be wtout faith faith cānot be wtout good works iustification therfore holines are inseparable companions where the one is there is also the other They agrée in the efficient cause For God is the Author and worker of them both by the merit of Christ They agree in the instrument which is Faith for faith receiues Iustification and Faith brings foorth sanctification they agrée in the scope ende that is our eternall life but iustificatiō as the cause sāctification as the way therfore the Apostle saith Eph. 2.10 that we are Gods workmāship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which god hath ordained that we should walk in them What then is this true faith by which we are iustified before God accounted righteous absolued frō the guiltines of all our sins Rom. 11. reputed as holy as if wee had neuer sinned had our selues fulfilled all the cōmandements of God Faith is the means helpe instrumēt whereby a sinner doth apprehēd Christ which all his benefits Eph. 3.17 Luk. 2.11 doth applie them particularly to himself is ioyned to Christ doth liue in Christ This faith is liuely effectuall both in respect of our affections in respect of our actions It is liuely in respect of our affectiōs for it works in
mount vp to the Heauen and his head reach vnto the clouds yet shal he perish for euer like his dunge and they which haue seene him shall say where is he he shall flee away as a dreame and they shall not finde him shall passe away as a vision of the night so that the eye which had seene him shall doe so no more his place shall see him no more Christ speaking of the euill seruant that shall say in his heart Matt. 24.48 My maister doth defer his comming and therefore shall begin to smite his fellowes to eate and to drinke with the drunken that seruants Maister will come saith he in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not wâ—re of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with hypocrits there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And what is the portion of hypocrites What but that spoken of in the scripture Iob. 13.16 which saith that the hypocrite shall not come before God It is gréeuous to be tortured in fire and brimstone it is gréeuous to be thrust out of the blessed companie and out of heauenly glorie it is greeuous to know that there shall be none end of these torments but how vnspeakable and intollerable anguish shall it be to be secluded and separated from the very sight of heauen and of the king of immortalitie so that nothing shall be seene heard or felt but lamentation woe and mourning Wherefore if we will auoid these extreame and exquisite paines we must in no case presume to come to the wedding but in the wedding garment One saies of earthly glorie Cic. lib. 1. Offic. and reputation of this world Compendiaria est via ad gloriam vt qualis quisque haberi vult talis sit It is the readie way to glory that euery one be such a one indeed as he would seeme to be Much more it may be said of eternall glorie that the direct way to it is to be such Christians indeed as we appeare outwardly to be that is to be godly in word and godly in worke Seneca saies That it makes a far greater matter what manner of person thou appeare to thy selfe Epist 87. then what manner of person thou appeare to other and that none can long beare a counterfaite shewe ficta in naturam suam citò recidunt fained things doe soone returne to their owne nature but those things that are supported by truth and doe rise from soliditie they growe greater and better as he writes to Nero the Emperour God is the souÌ„der searcher â—éer of hearts God is not mockt God cannot be blinded God will quickly desire the guest that is not fitly apparrelled God will challenge him and say vnto him Friend how camest thou in hither and hast not on a wedding garment God will punish him commaund his Angels to take him away and to cast him into vtter darkenes 1. Cor. 2.11 where shall be wéeping gnashing of téeth None knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him therefore euery one must seuerally enter into the closet of his own mind and examine his owne soule priuately whether his heart be sincere before the Lord and whether his soule be frée from hypocrisie and dissimulation God deceiues none and may be deceiued of none his eyes are the infallible touchstone that trie our faith whether it be true liuely and effectuall But the fruits of good workes are the touchstone wherby men make iudgmeÌ„t of faith Matt. 22.33.35 Matt. 7.16.17.18 And for this cause our Sauiour saith Either make the tree good his fruit good or else make the tree euil his fruit euill for the tree is knowne by his fruite do meÌ„ gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles so euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruit a good tree caÌ„not bring forth euil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of an euill treasure bringeth forth euill things for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Where there is séene zeale and deuotion charitie and commiseration patieÌ„ce humilitie an earnest endeuour sincere desire to kéepe the lawe of God it may be said that there is a Christian faith and there is an vnfained Christian Where there is seene coldnes in religion neglect of the word praier and sacraments enuie strife malice couetousnes deceit dissimulation pride incontinencie swearing drunkennes and other markes of the flesh it may be said that there is no manifest step and trace of true faith there is no sincere Christianitie there is no signe of the marriage garment Where there is séene haunting of the Church listning to sermons and outward fauour countenance to the word of God and frequenting of the vse of the Sacraments and continuall boasting of faith profession yet without the life and soule of faith and profession which is performance and practise it may be said that there is false semblance and hypocrisie or else what manner of thing is hypocrisie It is said of Epicurus Cic. â— Tuscul that he did put on but the bare habite of a Philosopher and was not a Philosopher in truth It may as truely be spoken that many in this age put on but the naked shape of Christians and are not Christians indéed and that many colour their wickednes by outward pretence of religion and by bearing Bibles in their hands and the word in their mouth though it be neuer setled in their hearts being like the Carbuncle that hath a firie shew yet neuer flames and like those that vse muske and pomanders to conceale their vnsauorie and stinking breath Diogenes séeing one clothed in a Lyons skin Laer. l. 6. cap. 2. flattering himselfe as if he were thereby valorous Wilt thou not cease saith he to disgrace the apparell of valour may it not be said to him that hath but a shew of godlines 2. Tim. 3.5 and religion and by works denieth the power thereof Wilt thou not cease to disgrace the profession of Christianitie Plut. in regum Imperat. apoph For as Alexander the great when some commended the frugalitie of Antipater in that he led an austere life exempt from all deliciousnes he said that Antipater wore a white cloake outwardly but inwardly his heart was wholly of purple colour wherein he glaunced at his dissembled parsimonie and thriftines whereas else his heart desired honors and the purple robes of Princes euen so against the outward zeale and pietie and protestations and humilitie of some in our time it may be obiected that these are but the disguised cloakes of hypocrisie seruing onely for the shadowing shrowding of irreligiousnesse impietie falsehood and haughtines 2. Mace 6.23 There was once an
and writings and examinations that Gallus went about to poyson him but hee spake so hainous a matter with so calme a countenance so fainte voice and so remisse gesture that Cicero the Aduocate of the person accused gathered by his gesture and action that hée spake fainedly and therefore saide Tu nisi fingeres Callidî sic ageres ô Callidius Wouldest thou so pleade the cause vnlesse thou didst dissemble So when these keye-colde Christians say that they hate sinne embrace vertue belieue in Christ loue his Gospell and their brethren they do it so remissely and faintly that it may be excepted said against them would you so slenderlie and negligently speake of these things if you were so well resolued On the contrary there are some so forward in citing scripture in reprehending of sinne in glorious protestation of their faith hope and charitie in listning to the Word read preached as it may be thoght that they are mounted high in the steps of mortification and that they are crucified to the world and the desires thereof but if we approch to the fig-trée that flourisheth with such faire gréene leaues we shall finde no fruite thereon Matt. 21.19 but shall thinke that those Iewes are reuiued that were woont to talke of the Prophet by the walles and in the doores of houses Ezek. 33.30.31.32 and to speake one to another euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you heare what is the Word that coÌ„meth from the Lorde yet when they sat before the Prophet and heard his wordes they would not doe them but with their mouthes they made ieasts and their hearts went after couetousnes the Prophet was vnto them as a ieasting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can sing well For they heard his wordes but they did them not It were to be wished that it were not true that one saith that if the closet of mens hearts were vnlockt the cloudes of the countenaÌ„ce chased away there would be séene strange moÌ„sters lodging in the heart as straÌ„ge as Nilus and Ganges Lybia Câ—ucasus haue brought foorth There would be found the bloody Tyger the cruell Lyon the sauage Wolfe the venemous Basiliske the Aspe that brings into a deadly drowzinesse the stinging Scorpion the counterfeiting Crocodile the false Foxe and the dissembling Hiena And it would appeare that oftentimes fained godlines couers crueltie En vetereÌ„ PharisaismuÌ„ recenteÌ„ papismum and a godly shewe shrowdes wickednes whereas on the otherside naked vertue is oftentimes coursely attired and lodgeth in a homely cottage and boasteth not of lofty titles and scornes popular applauses and followes not great Patrones but séekes by all means to liue retiredly in a secret habitation If then Hypocrisie be so odious in the eyes of God and shall bee so sharpely punished in the worlde to come and bée so daily and vsually found in the liues of men For these dayes are no freer then Paules time wherein there were some that did professe that they knewe God but by workes denyed him and were abhominable and disobedient Tit. 1.16 and vnto euery good worke reprobate Let vs stedfastly cleaue to the Lorde with full purpose of heart and let vs abandon hypocrisie that wee may please the Lorde and let vs reiect dissimulation that wee may be blessed and let vs auoyde counterfeiting that wee may not bee fashioned according to this present Worlde and let vs not presume to carrie the Name of CHRIST without sinceritie of Faith and christian life and godlines of conuersation and continuance in well-doing For it is not enough to begin well except we perseuere Greg. in Homil. Quum desiâ—eria bona concipimus semen in terram mittimus When we conceiue goods desires we cast séede on the ground and when wée begin to doe well then springs vp the blade and when we profite in well doing then appeare the eare and when wee are rooted and stablished in well doing then there is full Corne in the eare Let vs not fall away from well dooing Gal. 6.9 Chris in Mat. â—4 Hom. 53. till the Haruest come that our workes may be plenteously rewarded for in due time we shall reape if we faint not The money of this world if it be enclosed in a bag it remaines alone but if it be curraÌ„t and goe from hand to hand it is multiplied by the vse thereof So the Faith of a Christian if it be kept close prisoner in the heart it not onely abides alone but it is lessened by idlenes and waxeth sloathfull and at last falles to nothing but if it be daily exercised in the scriptures and stirred vp by good spéeches and confirmed by good workes it will not onely multiplie but also neuer cease to growe and encrease till it bring vs to the marriage of the Lambe of God CHRIST IESVS in heauen where wee shall haue the end of our Faith Euen the saluation of our soules The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great Shepheard of the sheepe Hebr. 13.20.21 through the blood of the euerlasting Couenant make vs perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in vs which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise foreuer and euer Amen Hovv to vanquish Sathan 1. Pet. 5.8.9 Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the Diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith MAn naturally is desirous of peace quietnes abhorreth vexation trouble yet when he hath obtained his desire being too secure and yeelding himselfe a captiue and slaue to the suggestions of the flesh and Sathan he abuseth ease tranquillitie to his owne hurt and destruction And therefore that we may auoide securitie and be héedfull the scriptures do often shew vnto vs how full of dangers our life is in that they compare it sometimes to a Pilgrimage sometimes to a Warfare Note what the Patriarke Iacob said when Pharaoh asked of him how olde he was Gen. 4â— 9 The whole time saith he of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirtie yeeres fewe and euill and full of trouble haue the daies of my life bene Note what penitent Iob said of his life Is there not an appointed Time for man vpon earth and are not his daies Iob. 7.1.2.3.6 as the daies of an hireling As a seruaÌ„t longeth for the shadowe and an hireling longeth for the end of his worke So I haue had as an inheritance the monethes of vanitie pinefull nights haue bene appointed vnto me my daies are swifter then a Weauers shittle Note what Moses the man of God saith Psal 90.3.5.6.10 Thou ô Ood turnest man to destruction Againe thou sayest Returne yee sonnes of Adam thou hast ouerflowed them they are as a sleepe In the morning he groweth like the grasse in the morning it flourisheth groweth in the euening
a woman vanisheth away wheÌ„ a child is borne The billowes and surging Seas may dash against Christs Church Matt. 16.18 but for that it is stablished and setled on CHIST the Rocke the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it For as Physitians vse Serpents Vipers in Triacle for the help of men so God vseth Sathan in tentation for the profite of his childreÌ„ and for this purpose so ordereth his tentations that as he should blind the hearts of the disobedient and at last punish them eternally so he should only trie make knowne the Faith Hope Patience and Constancie of the godly that Gods Grace may be sufficient for them and that after they haue bin tryed for a while they may receiue the crowne of glorie that neuer withereth Therefore if hee would friendly insinuate himself pretending to do vs good that he may the sooner drawe vs out of the narrow way let vs oppose the expresse will and commandement of God against him not depart therefrom either to the right hand or to the lefte hand If he go about to rip vp our conscience with the knife of the Law to daunt vs with the vglinesse and haynousnes of our sinnes Gen. 4. Matt. 27. 1. Ioh. 1.9 as hee dealt with Cayne and Iudas let vs remember that if wée faithfully and penitently acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sinnes and the blood of IESVS CHRIST his Sonne clenseth vs from all vnrighteousnes And to the beléeuer God hath twise thundred this most comfortable voyce froÌ„ heauen Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased If he perswade vs to murmure in dearths or be discontent with the flourishing state of some vngodly persons as he threw this stuÌ„bling block before Dauid Psal 33. 73. Iob. 27.7 Ierem. 12. and before Iob before Ieremias let vs submit our selues vnder Gods mighty hand and cast all our care vpon him for he cares for vs all and not feare because it is our Fathers pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome If he would puffe vs wâ—th pride for well doing and make our hearts swell with prosperitie let vs consider that when we haue done all we are vnprofitable seruants and that we are but stewards of Gods gifts and shall one day be called to an account for our stewardship If when he is expulsed once or twise yet he returne againe Exod. 14. for as Pharaoh stird vehemently to bring backe the Israelites when they were departed out of Egypt and as the spirit raged and fomed mightily when he was expelled out of him whom he had possessed from his infancie Matt. 9.20.21 so the Pharaoh that tyrannized ouer the soules of sinners if he léese his praie he vncessantly attempts to winne it againe and generally as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 12.43.44.45 when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh throughout drie place séeking rest and finding none he saith I will returne into mine house from whence I came and if he finde the roome emptie swept and garnished he taketh seauen other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse then the beginning therefore to escape that lamentable pernition if Sathan returne after his expulsion let vs betake our selues to earnest prayer and then as the Lyon feares at the sight of a Cocke and flies at the crowing of a Cocke so this roaring and ramping Lyon feares at the sight of a faithfull person and flies at his prayer For as some remedies against poyson are hoate and some cold so the remedies against tentations and troubles are either the mildnes and coldnes of patience or the vehemencie and ardentnes of prayer What if thou canst not still vse long and set prayer and vttered with tongue either for that thou art vnlearned or for that thy busines hinders and stops it or for that the time and place forbid it Yet pray continually in heart and pray earnestly in minde and pray zealously in spirit August ad ProbaÌ„ as it is reported that the Christians in Egypt were accustomed to vse often yet short prayers and to vtter them forcibly yet spéedily least the intention and heedfulnes which is requisite for him that praieth per productiones moras euanescat hebitetur should vanish away and become dull by long staie doe this and thou shalt trie vndoubtedly that such prayer though bréefe yet it is an ayde to the soule a sacrifice to God a scourge to Sathan For though while our life is in this pilgrimage it cannot be without sinne and tentation for our profiting is knowne by tentation neither doth any knowe himselfe except he be tried neither can any be crowned except he ouercome neither can any ouercome except he striue neither can any striue except he haue an enemie and trials though then the Sea can no more be without tempests then the world without tentations yet we must valiantly by vehement praier resist the assault and batterie and when the surge of triall flowes vpon vs we must call and crie with the Apostles when the ship was couered with waues Maister saue vs Matt. 8.25 we perish and then we shall sée that the windes and stormes will cease and that he doth nâ—â— sléepe that séemed to sléepe for a little season And aboue all things we must take héede that we resist Sathans suggestions and allurements in the beginning for he could not preuaile ouer vs vnles we did encrease his strength by our vices and did giue him roome to enter in and dominiere in vs by our iniquities For this cause the Apostle speaking of anger saith Ephes 4.26 that the Sunne must not go downe vpon our wrath and that we must not giue place to the Diuell As if he said that anger or any other sinne will growe past cure like a wound that by delaie waxes incurable if it be not repressed spéedily and because continuance in sinne makes an entrance for Sathan who hauing entered vpon our hearts doth péece-meale at last wholy possesse them therefore we must betimes shut the doores against so hurtfull a guest For as a Serpent easily conuaies in the rest of his body if he get an entrance for his head so Sathan that subtile and slippery serpent if we permit one sinne to créepe into vs and giue consent thereunto he insinuates his whole traine and he drawes vs from consent to practise from practise to delight from delight to custome from custome to boasting in sinne from boasting in sinne to obdurate hearts Hier. in epist Dum paruus est hostis interfice vt nequitia elidatur in semine kill the Enemie of the soule while he is but little that vngodlines may be crusht in the séede as the Cockatrice is most safely slaine in the shell before he be hatcht and brought forth Suppose that we had séene Adam in his tentation when thoughts arose
in his heart and when he was straitned betwéene the commaundement of his Creator and the request of his yoke-fellowe should we not haue cried out and said vnto him ô thou wretch Bernard inser om sanct take heede to thy selfe see thou doe it not the woman is seduced beleeue not her entisements Should this haue béene our perswasion to Adam that he should looke to himselfe and shal we not perswade our selues after the same manner when we are compassed thronged with the like tentations As the dogge that stands by the table Chrys hom 3. de Laz. if he that eateth cast some bone or crust vnto him he tarrieth and waites still for more but if nothing be giuen him at length he departs and waites for sustenance no longer so Sathan that gréedie and biting dogge standing about our life if he receiue from vs some vngodly spéeches or wicked doings he remaines and expects longer but if we nourish him not by word nor déede he forsakes vs and séekes after another preie Therefore if we will subdue Sathan we must quickly flée all appearance of euill 1. Thess 5.22 we must spéedily flée the time the place the opportunitie to commit sinne we must by and by feare the baite suspecting that it couers the hooke and we must neuer forget that the fowler carries himselfe most guilefully when he calls and allures most pleasantly And this is the adiuration and coniuration that repels Sathan namely a true and stedfast faith that knowes the mercies of God towards mankinde reuealed in Gods word and that assureth and perswadeth vs of those mercies towards our selues also and that depends and relies wholly vpon those mercies and that is not barren idle or dead but abounding with good workes The summe of all is this we must liue soberly and watchfully and wâ—y because we haue an Aduersarie to witt the Diuell that as a roaring Lyon doth walke about seeking whom he may deuoure But we must be of good courage and coÌ„stantly beléeue on Christ the séede of the woman that hath bruised the Serpents head and hath not onely vanquished the infernall powers but also is our grand-captaine in these spirituall wars and hath promised victorie to those that fight valiantly vnder his banner Ioh. 16.33 and hath willed vs to be of good heart because he hath ouercome the world and commaunds his holy Angels to pitch a campe round about the godly and to put those wicked spirits to flight We reade 2. King 6.14 that when the king of Aram had sent horses and charets and a mightie hoast and they came and compassed the citie Dothan by night where the Prophet Elizâ—us lay and when the seruant of the man of God arose early to goe out saw the citie coÌ„passed with horses and charets he said vnto Elizans alas Maister how shall we doe his Maister answered feare not for they that be with vs are moe then they that be with them Then Elizeus prayed and sad Lord I beseech thee open his eyes that he may see and the Lord opened the eyes of the seruant and he looked and behold the mountaine was full of horses and charets of fire round about Elizeus Euen so forasmuch as we are weake of our selues and vnable to defend our selues and we haue a great companie of spirituall foes which inuent a thousand waies to entrap vs and to bring vs to euerlasting shame and lay waite to ensnare vs both in wealth and pouertie both in pleasure and affliction both in our words and in our workes and are vigilant when we are negligent let vs beseech our mightie and mercifull God to haue mercie on vs and to encrease our faith that being harnessed in compleate Armor we may doe valiantly and tread downe Sathan our Arch-enemie vnder our feete and we may haue the eyes of our minds opened to behold the inuincible charets and spirituall horsemen that are on our side and that being strengthened through the power of his might we may be able to resist and stand against all the assaults of that wicked one and that holding the faith and finishing our course and fighting a good fight we may in the end triumph eternally with our Sauiour Christ Iesus in the kingdome of Heauen Amen PRACTISE MVST ACCOMPAnie profession Tit. 3. 8. This is a true saying and these things I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might be carefull to shew forth good workes These things are good and profitable vnto men AS he caÌ„not rightly be called a good Citizen or commonwealths man that doth not obserue the lawes of the cittie or common-wealth so he cannot be truely called a Christian that followes not the direction of the Christian faith and of the Church of God And that we may followe this it is necessarie that we knowe what it is What it is the Apostle declares a little before Verse 3.4.5.6.7 saying We our selues also were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in maliciousnes and enuie hatefull and hating one another but when that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by the worke of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life In which words the holy Apostle shewes first what we are by nature namely vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in malitiousnes spight and hatred Secondly he shewes the cause of our saluation namely the bountifulnes and loue of God our Sauiour by which two namely our owne vildenes and Gods mercy he excludes vtterly in the matter of saluation our righteousnes and our merites Thirdly he shewes the manner how we are saued namely by regeneration and the renuing of the holy ghost and in Christ we haue aswell the one as other Out of all which this may be gathered that this is the summe of our saluation that God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And therefore whosoeuer haue not this faith they are destitute of the spirit of God For heereby shall we know the spirit of God 1. Ioh. 4.2.3 euery spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist But because in this summe of the Christian faith either distrust and doubling or carnall securitie and the libertie of the flesh doe assaile vs S. Paul preuents and stops both those when he saith This is a true saying and these things I will thou shouldest affirme
name of God and that they may be kept from euill and that they may be sanctified by the word of truth and that they may liue in vnitie and concord and that at last they may be with him in heauen to be hold his vnspeakable glorie This is he Matt. 13.2 vnto whom the multitudes resorted and that taught with authoritie and at whose doctrine they were astonied and at whose gratious words they maruailed And Christ is he whom the Apostles preached Act. 4.11.12 namely that he is the stone cast aside of the builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen 1. Tim. 2.5.6 whereby we must be saued And that there is one God and one Mediator betwéene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus which gaue himselfe a ransome for all men to be that testimonie in due time 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 And that if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Ioh. 14.6 So true is it which our Sauiour saies to Thomas I am the way and the truth and the life Aug. super Ioan. Which words Saint Austin thus interprets Ambulare vis ego sum via falli non vis ego sum veritas mori non vi◠ego sum vita Wilt thou walke I am the waie wilt thou not be deceiued I am the truth wilt thou not die I am the life Man is héere a pilgrim and a soiourner and a traueller and hath no abiding Citie and the place we séeke for and aspire vnto is Heauen Euery Christian aimes at this marke and sailes to this Harborow and runnes to this goale yet there is but one right way path course Namely CHRIST IESVS And therefore Christ sayes to Thomas that hée is the way to the heauenly Father and to euerlasting ioyes If any be trauelling towards Rome Cōstantinople Ierusalē or any other famous place that he may trauell the beter he enquires the certaine way So they that will trauell to Heauen must learne the true way which is to walke in Christ and by Christ through Christ Man is sinfull and heauen is purer man is mortall the ioyes of Heauen eternal man is carnall and cannot discerne spirituall things And therefore since flesh and blood as it is méerely naturall vnregenerate cannot inherite the Kingdom of God man must néedes walke in the right and straight path CHRIST IESVS And Christ is mot onely the way to Heauen but also the doore of Heauen as he sayes Ioh. 10.9 I am the doore by mee if a man enter in hee shall be safe and hee shall goe in and out and finde pasture Christ is not onely the doore of heauen but he hath the Keye of heauen Reu. 3.7 for hée is the holie one the true one who hath the key of Dauid who opēs none shuts shuts none opēs CHRIST hath not only the key of heauen but hée is the Light of heauen For that Citie néedes nor Sunne nor Moone to lighten it Reu. 21.23 but the glorie of God doth enlighten it the light thereof is the Lambe Christ Iesus CHRIST is not only the light burning lampe of Heauen but the leader féeder of the heauenly Saints for they shall hunger no more nor thirst no more neither shall Sunne or any heate scorch them because the Lambe which is in the mids of the Throne Reu. 7.16 17. shall féede them leade them to the fresh and liuely Fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes CHRIST is not onely the gouernour and leader of the heauenly soules but heauen is his kingdome And therefore the théefe saide to Christ hanging on the Crosse Lord remēber me when thou cōmest into thy kingdom And Christ presently answered him Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. to teach vs that as the first Adam for sin was shut out of earthly Paradise the Cherubims or Angels kept the gate thereof with a flaming sword Gen. 3. So Christ the secōd Adam hath satisfied for sin hath sheathed the sword of Anger in the scabberd mercie hath opened the heauenly Paradise to all belieuers CHRIST is the true Iordane that doeth wash away the spots of our sinnes like Naamans leprosie and the true Arke that saues our soules frō sinking in iniquitie and the true ladder of Iaacob whereby we mount to heauen and the true Ioseph that féeds our soules in the naturall famine and scarcitie of grace and godlines and the true Moses that conducteth vs through the wildernes manifold Assaults of this wicked world the true Ioshuah that leades vs into the land of Promise and the heauenly Canaan flowing with milke and honie the tender-harted compassionate Samaritane that powreth into our wounds of minde both corrasiue wine to fret clense them restauratiue oyle to heale cōfort them Therefore since man is by nature odious in the sight of God since man cannot saue himself since sacrifices oblatiōs are vnauaileable since Christ is that alone recōciler of God man promised before the law expressed represented in the ceremonies of the law preached vnto all Belieuers by God himselfe frō heauē by the blessed Apostles in their sermons writings Let vs all relie on this sure foundation say with Paul God forbid that wee should reioice but in the Crosse of Christ Iesus Gal. 6.14 For this is a true saying that we sinners are saued not by our own works of righteousnes but by the bountifulnes mercie of the Lord in Christ Iesus our Sauiour 2. Tim. 3.16 And without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlines which is GOD is manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirite séene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles belieued on in the World and receiued vp in glorie Secondly the holy Apostle stops the securitie libertie of the flesh when he saith These thinges I will thou shouldest affirme That they which haue beleeued God might bee carefull to shew foorth good works It is naturally engraft in all men to pamper the flesh and the concupiscences thereof and they are loth to haue their pleasing Appetites and Affections brideled But it is the dutie part of the minister to rebuke sinne and to perswade to holines of life Trusse vp thy loynes saith the Lord to Ieremiah Ier. 1.17.18 And arise and speake vnto them all that I commaund thee Bee not afraide of their Faces least I destroy thee before I destroy them For I behold I this day haue made thee a defenced Citie an yron Pillar and walles of brasse against the whole land against the Kings of Iudah against the Princes thereof against the
him Iam. 4.4 for the amitie of the world is the enimitie of God and whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God Let vs remember that wee are in the latter end of the world And therefore they that haue wiues 1 Cor. 7.29.30.31 must be aâ— though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world goeth away that is let vs not fixe and tie our affections on earthly things Heb. 13. â—4 For we haue hâ—ere no continuing Citie but wee seeke one to come but let vs hunger and thâ—rst after â—ighteousnessâ— that we may be filled with eternall blessednesse through our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus Amen KNOW THIS THAT GOD WILL bring thee to iudgement Luk. 21.36 Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the Sonne of man WHen our Sauiour had shewed the terriblenesse of that last and great day wherein hee will come to iudge all flesh and to giue to euery one after his doings hee exhorts all men to haue these things in continuall remembrance that they may attaine to eternall blessednes escape euerlasting wretchednes For they that are drawne from sinne neither by the loue of God nor the desire of heauenly blessings nor by the embracing and following of vertue yet if they giue héede to that they heare they must néedes be terrified and consequently something refrained from euill by the expectation and looking for of this dreadfull iudgemâ—nt And therefore our Sauiour propounds this as a meaneâ— to reclaime obdurate and obstinate offenders and concludes the fearefull description of the day of doome with this admonition Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that wee may stand before the Sonne of man And that which in this Euangelist is spoken briefely in Saint Matthew is expounded and amplified more largely where Christ saith Watch therefore Matt. 24.42 c. for ye knowe not what houre your Maister will come Of this be sure that if the good man of the house knewe at what watch the theefe would come hee would surely watch and not suffer his house to be digged through therefore be yee also readie for in the houre that yee thinke not will the sonne of man come Who then is a faithfull seruant and wise whom his Maister hath made ruler ouer his household to giue them meate in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall finde so doing Verily I say vnto you he shall make him ruler ouer all his goods But if that euill seruant shall say in his heart my Maister doth deferre his comming begin to smite his fellowes and to eate and to drinke with the drunken that seruants Maister will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Likewise our Sauiour saith in S. Marke Take heede watch and pray Mar. 13.33.34 c. for ye know not when the time is For the Sonne of man is as a man going into a strange countrey and leaueth his house and giueth authoritie to his seruants and to â—uery man his worke and commandeth the porter to watch Watch yee therefore for yee know not when the Maister of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning least if he come suddenly he should finde you sleeping And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men Watch. Now to the end we may be the more prepared and the more watchfull and the more earnest in praier let vs weigh with our selues first the dreadfulnes of the last iudgement secondly why the day thereof is not knowne thirdly whereunto the expectation and remembrance thereof is profitable 1. The dreadfulnes of the last iudgement The fearefulnes of the last iudgement the Lord describes in the foregoing words when he saith Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and the waters shall roare and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world Luk. 21.25.26.27 for the powers of heauen shall be shaken and then shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloud with power and great glorie Thus also it is expressed in Saint Matthew Matt. 24. â—9 30.31 And immediately after the tribulation of those daies shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kinreds of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the fower windes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other The substance of Christs words is this that then all Elements and heauenly bodies shall both suffer strangely in themselues to affright the wicked and shall also work strangely on the wicked by casting vpon them diuerse torments as well of soule as of body and that all Creatures aboue and beneath shall be cryers and trumpetters to summon men before that horrible Tribunall seate which because they haue contemned therefore they haue persisted still in all vngodlines How the Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken and the sea and floods shall roare in such ghastly sort that men shall be readie to yeeld vp the ghost through feare and anguish At this time we cannoâ— coniecture but the euent it selfe will declare and though the manner thereof be not knowne to vs yet to God it is well knowne But howsoeuer it shall be because the vse of the scripture is by the darkening of the Sunne Moone and Starres and by the like things as Christ héere foretels to discipher and signifie the extreame stormes and tempests of Gods wrath vengeance therefore those threatning predictions in the old Prophets may be applied to the last day of Iudgement in which they prophesie that the world shal be in such anguish perplexitie as that men shal thinke the Sun to be darkened the Moone to be bloodie the Sars
to léese their brightnes the earth to tremble the Sea to roare and all things else to manace a present ruine not as if it were so indéed but because men shall be so straitned as that they shall thinke it is so And because those notable reuengements of God on the Babylonians Tyrians Egyptians Iewes other nations were as it were paintings out of the great day of iudgement and forerunners thereof we may fitly apply vnto that day such descriptions as the Prophets haue made of those reuengements Behold then what Isaiah saith speaking of the punishment of the Babylonians Behold the day of the Lord commeth Isa 13.9 c. cruell with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land waste and he shall destroy the sinners out of it for the stars of heauen and the planets thereof shall not giue their light the Sunne shall be darkened in his going fâ—rth and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Therefore I will saith the Lord shake the heauen and the earth shall moue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hoasts and in the day of his fierce anger and it shall be as a chased Doe and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp and I will visite the wickednes vpoÌ„ the world and their iniquitie vpon the wicked and I will cause the arrogancie of the proud to cease and will cast downe the pride of tyrants Behold againe what the same Prophet saith speaking of the punishment of all vngodly enemies of the Lords Church Isai 34.1.2 c. Come neere yee nations and heare and hearken ye people let the earth heare and all that is therein the world and all that proceedeth thereof for the indignation of the Lord is vpon all nations and his wrath vpon all their armies he hath destroyed them and deliuered them to the slaughter and their slaine shall be cast out and their stinke shall come vp out of their bodies and the mountaines shall be melted with their blood and all the hoast of heauen shall be dissolued and the heauens shall be folden like a Booke and all their hoasts shall fall as the leafe falleth from the vine and as it falleth from the figge tree Behold againe what Ezekiel saith Ezek. 32.4 c. speaking of the punishment of Egypt I will leaue thee vpon the land saith the Lord God and I will cast thee vpon the open field and I will cause all the foules of the heauen to remaine vpon thee and I will fill all the beasts of the field with thee and I will lay thy flesh vpon the mountaines and fill the vallies with thine heigth I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest euen to the mountaines and the riuers shall be full of thee and when I shall put thee out I will couer the heauen and make the starres thereof darke I will couer the Sunne with a cloud and the moone shall not giue her light all the lights of heauen will I make darke for thee and bring darkenes vpon thy land saith the Lord God Behold againe what the Prophet Ioel saith speaking of the plagues that should light vpoÌ„ the Iewes Ioel. 2.1.2.31 Blowe the trumpet in Zyon and shoute in mine holy mountaine let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord is come for it is at hand a day of darkenes and of blacknes a day of clouds and obscuritie the Sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood When we behold these and the like spéeches let vs suppose that they are foretellings of the last iudgement When the Psalmist saith The God of Gods euen the Lord hath spoken and called the earth from the rising vp of the Sunne Psal 50.1.3.4 vnto the going downe thereof our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuour before him and a mightie tempest shall be moued round about him he shall call the heauen aboute Zephan 1.14 c. the earth to iudge his people When the Prophet Zephania saith The great day of the Lord is neere it is neere and hasteth greatly eueÌ„ the voyce of the day of the Lord the strong man shall crye there bitterly that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble heauines a day of destruction desolation a day of obscuritie darkenes a day of clouds and blackenes a day of the trumpet alarme against the strong cities and against the high towers and I will bring distresse vpon men saith the Lord that they shall walke like blind men because they haue sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be powred out as dust and their flesh as the dongue neither their siluer nor their gold shal be able to deliuer them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shal be deuoured by the fire of his iealousie for he shall make euen a speedie riddance of theÌ„ that dwell in the land When the Prophet Daniel saith I behold Dan. 7.9.10 till the thrones were set vp and the ancient of daies did sit whose garment was white as snowe and the haire of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame his wheeles as burning fire a firie streame issued came foorth from before him thousand thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousands stood before him the iudgement was set the bookes opened When these things are spoken what else is it but that the Diuine saith And I sawe a great white throne Reu. 20.11.12.13 and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth heauen and their place was no more found and I sawe the dead both great small stand before God the bookes were opened another Booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes And the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes This is the second comming of Christ much differing from his first comming For in his first comming he appeared humble in the shape of a seruant in his second coÌ„ming he shall appeare stately in the shape of the King of Kings and Iudge of all in his first coÌ„ming he was subiect to reproach in his second comming he shall shine in glorie in his first coÌ„ming he appeared weake in his secoÌ„d comming he shall appeare in heauenly power in his first comming he did vndergoe the iudgement and condemnation of the reprobate in his second comming he shall iudge and condemne all the wicked and reprobate In his first comming he fought like little Dauid against Goliah without worldly furniture in his second comming he will descend like armed and angrie Dauid 1. Sam. 25 21.22 against vnthankefull Nabal and will say as Dauid said
such death and tribulations are not a reproach vnto them but a thing glorious in Gods sight and pleasing vnto him Rom. 5.3 Therefore the Apostle saieth That we reioyce in Tribulations That is we iudge afflictions to be a glorious thing which God will after chaunge into glorie and this is the peculiar wisdome of the Church which the world perceiueth not Lastly hee affirmeth that there remaines a life and iudgement after the death of the bodie For if the death of the godlie be not neglected of God but is pretious in his sight and on the contrarie * Mors impiorum pessima vulgata translatio ex Graeco Psal 6.8 If the death of the vngodly bee euill there must néedes remaine a iudgement wherein this shall bee made manifest to all Tyrants shall receiue punishment for their crueltie but the godly shall be â—dorned w th eternall glorie For if God number the teares of the faithfull and put them into a Bottell Ps 34.21 How can he suffer the blood that is shed for the confession of his diuine Name to perish and vanish away to nothing Doest thou quake and tremble at the remembrance of that horrible day 2. Pet. 3.10 in which the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melte with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp Bee of good comfort For thy Iudge is also thy Sauiour he is thy Brother he is thy head and thou a member of his bodie Hee loues thée most ardently hee is thy Iesus That is SAVIOVR Patrone Aduocate Redeemer Intercessor Hee layed downe his life for thée Ioh. 5.24 He hath sworne with an oath that if thou belieue in him thou shalt haue eternall life He maketh request for thée and who shall condemne thée He coÌ„meth to finish the troubles of the World and to auenge himselfe of his enemies and to deliuer the godly from the hands of sinners and he commeth not to condemne thée but to absolue thée and not to torture thée but to rid thée from all miserie and to make manifest thy full Redemption and to frée thy bodie also from all calamities to performe that promise of eternall life which so often he hath made vnto thée in his sacred word For he that heareth his word belieueth God that sent him hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed froÌ„ death to life Therefore as Christ saith Surely Reu. 22.20 I come quickly So thou mayest say with the Euangelist Amen euen so come Lord Iesus It is for the wicked that haue no part in Christ to tremble and be dismaied at the very mention of the great day For what haue they to doe with it Amos. 5.18.19.10 the day of the Lord is as darknes and not light as if a man did flie from a Lyon a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him shall not the day of the Lord to the wicked be darknes not light euen darknes and no light in it Zach. 9.9 But the Prophet Zachariah bids the Daughter of Zyon to reioyce for the comming of her King And vpon good reason Isai 35.4 for as another Prophet testifieth The same day that brings wrath vengeance to the vngodlie brings a recompence and saluation to the godly For which cause the holie Apostle Paul sets this downe for a marke of the faithfull by which they may be knowne Namely 1. Cor. 1.7 2. Tim. 4.8 that they wayre for the appearing of CHRIST and loue his comming Therefore if we shall happeÌ„ to liue at such time as Christ shall come to Iudgement against the beholding of those ghastly signes which shall be ioyned with his CoÌ„ming we must coÌ„fort our selues with Christs promise that then our Redemption draweth neere that is that he will take vs to himselfe into heauen finally deliuer vs from all miseries In the meane time let vs belieue with the Apostle That there is layed vp for vs the crowne of righteousnes which the Lorde the righteous Iudge shall giue vs at that day not to vs only but vnto all them that loue that his appearing And when we sée the clowds of the Heauen let vs be admonished of these things For as when Christ Ascended Act. 1.11 a clowde tooke him out of sight and as Christ shall so come againe euen as he was takeÌ„ vp that is in the clowds 2. Thess 4.17 so the clowds shall as a Charret to lift vs vp to eternal glorie and we shal be rapt vp into the clowdes to meete the Lorde in the Aire Psal 20.3 c. When we heare the Thunder which is the terrible and mightie voice of God let vs suppose that we heare the lowde voice of the high Iudge pronouncing the Sentence both of the shéepe and goates When wee sée the swift and bright and sudden flashes and flakes of lightning Let them call to our mindes the sudden and vnexpected and * Epipháneian 2. Tim. 4.8 cleere and perspicuous comming and appearing of the supreme Iudge For as the lightening that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen shineth vnto the other part vnder Heauen so shall the Sonne of man be in his day Luk. 17.24 And since these things must be so For heauen and earth shall passe and be changed but the word of the Lorde abideth for euer what manner persons ought wee to be in holy conuersation godlines looking for and hasting vnto the coÌ„ming of that day of God by which the heauens being on fire 2. Pet. 3.11.12.13.14 shal be dissolued the Elements shall melte with heate But we looke for new Heauens and a newe Earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnes Wherefore seeing we looke for such things Let vs be diligent that wee may bee found of him in peace without spot and blameles Let vs take heed to our selues Luk. 21.34 least at any time our hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that day come on vs at vnawares There are thrée Robes and Garments belonging to a true Christian The first is a Purple robe the second is a white robe the third is a golden robe If we will attaine to true happines and holines Iude. vers 23. wee must cast off our owne polluted rags and denie our selues and we must put on these rich pretious garments First we must be arraied in a purple garment dyed and dipped in the blood of the Sonne of God That is Gal. 3.27 wee must fréely receiue forgiuenes of sinnes and be reconciled to GOD through CHRIST and Faith in his blood and this is our Iustification Next Rom. 13.13 wee must be clothed with a white robe That is it becomes vs to be renued in the spirit of our mind and to serue God in holines and
hee is faint and his soule longeth So shall the multitude of all Nations be that fight against Mount Zion This is true generally of all the ioyes of the vngodly although Literally the Prophet compares onely the glorie and power of the Assyrians and their Adherents that oppugned the Churche of GOD to the pleasure of those that dreame they eat drinke whereas it is a false and illuding pleasure In a Mappe or Chart are seene Kingdoms and Prouinces and Cities and Seas and diuerse Countreyes and yet all this is paper and ynke which is blurred corrupted with one drop of water The heart of man possessed with the vaine delites of the world is such a map Hee that thinks that he shall or doth possesse Towers and Castels and honors and Treasures and what not shall find all these to be but as paper and yuke and a table painted in the imagination which one Ague or other sicknes by the approching of death vtterly defaceth and dissolueth Let the wicked flatter himselfe neuer so much Iob. 20.6.7.8.9 yet his reioycing is short and the ioye of Hypocrites is but a moment though his excellencie mount vp to the Heauen and his head reach vnto the clowdes yet shall he perish for euer like his Dung and they which haue séene him shall say where is he He shall flie away as a Dreame and they shall not finde him and shall passe away as a vision of the night so that the eye which had séene him Hom. 2. ad popul Antioch shall doe so no more and his place shall sée him no more Therefore S. Chrysostome affirmes that in he hath laughed at the follie of some men who in their last Wils and Testaments haue bequeathed the vse of some Houses and Fieldes to one man and the Lordship of them to an other man whereas in trueth the vse onely of these things is granted vnto men and not the Lorship For the earth is the Lords and all that is therein Howsoeuer men perswade themselues yet we are in this life but Guests Strangers and Pilgrims and we haue the world for a lodging place not for an abiding Citie Let vs therefore vse this world as if wee did not vse it for the fashion of this world passeth away Let vs not set our hearts on riches though they encrease Let vs not set our affections on earthly things but on heauenlie things Fixing our heartes there where true ioyes are found Againe on the other side when we are afflicted we must not be dismaied but we must remeÌ„ber that afflictioÌ„s are very profitable vnto vs For they stirre vs vp to praier they trie and prooue our Faith whither it be true or temporarie onely they worke Patience in vs which the holie Ghost powreth into our hearts by suggesting and affoording manifolde consolations They cause vs to yéeld obedience to the commaundements of God they humble vs in that they shew vnto vs our weaknes and enforce vs to depend vpon God they mooue vs to repentaÌ„ce clense away the drosse of iniquitie that hangs so fast on they bréed at length the praises of God in our minds mouthes and instruct vs both to comfort other with that comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God and to Sympathize and be compassionate towardes them that are in other or the like case And who will not with patience endure afflictions if he consider that they are sent from the gratious prouidence of God which measureth them out vnto vs according to our strength and as hee foreséeth that they will redound to our saluation For as the best and skilfullest Physitians do heale dislike diseases by dislike curings remoouing some by swéete medicines some by bitter though to some they applie searing to some launcing to some oyle to some gentle Plaisters yet by most variable meanes they seeke one and the same health So GOD if hee scourge vs seuerely hee cures our soules as it were by Searings and cuttings if he refresh vs with prosperity hee comfortes vs as it were with oyle and pleasant plaisters working by diuerse courses one and the same saluation If Tribulation pricke thée and thou wilt deriue the name thereof from a †Tribulus Thistle yet the Lord will so order it that it shall but pricke thee to amendment and forsaking of sinne or pricke thee to runne the race that is set before thee to eternall life with more diligence and watchfulnes Or if thou account Tribulation to be as a Threshing-toole as the * Triâ—â—la name thereof also may seeme to importe Yet as the Threshing toole doeth not crush or bruise the good graine but onely exempts it from the dâ—â—r and chaffe that after the Chaffe is separated and blowne away from the good Corne it may be conuerted to Bread the strengthening of mans hart So Tribulation by the gratious appointmeÌ„t of the Lord shall not extinguish our Faith and godlines but by little and little abandon and chase away the relicts of our naturall pollution that our vertue and good workes may bee layde vp in Gods garner and we obtaine the ende of our Faith euen the saluation of our soules This is euidently declared by Saint Peter when he saieth that Affliction is layed vpon vs for the triall of our Faith 1. Pet. 1.7 that it being much more pretious then Golde that perisheth though it bee tried with Fire might be found to our praise and honor and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ And he vseth a most apt similitude in comparing affliction to a fire For as fire workes diuerse effects vpon things of diuerse natures for it melts waxe and hardens claye it purgeth gold and burneth drosse so affliction hath diuerse operations according to the persons on which it is inflicted for it consumes the wicked with impatience or obdurates them with distrust but the godly are thereby mollified to mortifie their concupiscence to cal on God to fashion themselues to his holy will to manifest their faith in taking tribulation patiently that the Lord may temper the bitternes thereof with his loue and gentlenes If then affliction be but a purging fire it is to be feared of chaffe and not of pure metall For it is the chaffe that is burnt and turned into ashes in the fornace but gold is there purified and refined Aug. in Psal 60. The fornace is the world the gold are the righteous the fire is tribulation the goldsmith is God The goldsmith doth what he listeth and when he punisheth we must suffer for he commaunds vs to suffer and he knowes how to purge vs. Although the chaffe flame to burne and consume vs yet the chaffe is turned into ashes and we are made cleane thereby And therefore séeing affliction is so beneficiall to our saluation and God vseth it as a remedie to reforme our imperfections it must be so far off from our hearts to suppose our selues miserable in wrestling with tribulations that with the
all their distresses so that by faith they subdued kingdomes wrought rigteousnes 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 Consider these things well and may we not truely say Rom. 8.28.35.36 c. that all things worke together ioyntly for the good and saluation of them that loue God and may we not say who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword In all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loued vs. For we must be perswaded with the Apostle that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. We thinke amisse if we thinke that God doth chastise vs by crosses because hee hateth vs. Was not Abraham beloued of God the Patriarkes beloued of God and Moses and Dauid and the Prophets beloued of God yet all these sayled in the Sea of Tribulation Luk. 22.40.41 c. 24 26. Which is most of all was not CHRIST our Sauiour most déerely beloued of GOD yet was he not afflicted troubled tossed tormented and doth not the Scripture testifie that he must suffer many things and so enter into his glorie Wherefore by Tribulation the Lord maketh vs like the Image of his own Sonne and being faithfull we are the children of God and if wee be Children Rom. 8.17.18 wee are also heires euen the heires of GOD and heires annexed with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For wee must count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy to be laied in comparison with the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs. Let vs then run with patience the race that is set before vs Hebr. 12.1.2 c. looking vnto IESVS the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God Let vs consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners least we shuld be wearied faint in our minds For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth If we endure chastening God offreth himselfe to vs as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not If therefore we be without correction whereof all are partakers then are we bastards and not sonnes When fathers chastise their vnruly sonnes by remouing them from their table by correcting them with stripes by giuing them vilde and reproachfull termes or after any other fashion yet when they doe thus they loue their sonnes and cease not to be fathers nay they shew themselues most of all to be fathers when they doe these things Shall men that are often transported with furie and rage be thought to punish their sonnes whom they loue not of crueltie but of care and loue and is it not much more méete to thinke that the loue of God in afflicting his children doth excéede the greatest loue and affection whatsoeuer of earthly and naturall fathers for as Parents when their children are too much delighted with their play mates thereby departe farther from them then they should doe cause their Seruants or some other to fraye them that being terrified they may runne home to their parents and wander no farther So God oftentimes not onely permits other things to afflict and molest vs but also himselfe now and then séemes to threaten vs and to shew an angrie and seuere countenance towards vs not to confound and discourage vs but to reclaime and bring vs home vnto himselfe againe Gregor in Iob. lib. 23. cap. 22. And what is this life but a way to Heauen our abiding Citie and desired Countrey and therefore we are often exercised with tribulation to the end we should not loue the way to our countrey more then our countrey it selfe We sée manie Trauellers when they behold plesant and alluring Fieldes in the way to turne aside and to fall from their former haste and to preuent this God doth make the way of this world rough vneasie to his Elect that are trauelling towards him least whiles they are delighted with the ioyes of this present life they should forgot their Countrey to which they trauell Solon one of the seuen Sages of Greece when his friend bewailed his miserie immoderately hée tooke him with him into the Castle of Athens from which he might behold the Citie vnder him and hee willed his friend to cōsider what sorrow there had bene and then was would be after vnder so many Roofes thereby admonishing him to take griefe and miserie more patiently that was generally incident to all mankinde And hee said also that if all men should lay their Troubles into one common masse and heape out of which euery man should take his equall portion Hée that did endure great anguish were better to rest content with his portion that befalleth him then take it by due proportion out of that generall heape If then no new thing happeneth vnto vs when we are afflicted but such as agréeth with the nature condition of man we must arme our selues with patience that thereby we may possesse our soules and declare our selues to be the Sonnes of God For God afflicteth the Faithfull and the vnfaithfull also but yet in diuerse manners The Faithfull he afflicteth as a Father the vnfaithfull as a Iudge And therfore the Faithfull haue comfort in their sorrow knowing that light will rise out of darknes and that their bitter potion will bréede health of soule but the vnfaithful murmure vnder the hand of God increase their affliction with impatiencie as the Horse that is fallen vnder the loade hurts himselfe by too much strugling Saint Austin sayes excellently As by one and the same fire De Ciuit. Dei lib. 1 cap. 8. Golde shineth and Chaffe smoketh and vnder one and the same threshing instrument the stubble is broken and the graine purged and the Fome is not mixed with the Oyle because it is wroong out vnder one and the same presse So one and the same force of Affliction when it comes it approoueth purifieth and clarifieth the good but it condemnes spoyles and destroyes the wicked And therefore in one and the same affliction the wicked doe detest and blaspheme God the good doe pray and praise God So great is the difference not what things euery one suffereth but what manner of person euery one is that suffereth For wish the like agitation and moouing the Puddle stinckes loathsomely and the Oyntment smells fragrantly One sayes of pleasures that we
righteous dealing shal not only be approued applauded in this world of God Angels and men but also shall be adorned with eternall reward in that other life Pro. 19.17 The wise King of Israel saies He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him in that which he hath giuen Men desire commonly to commit their money and goods to trusty persons that will re pay surely according to promise In Epist Therfore as Saint Austin sayes If thou wilt be a good Marchant and a notable Vsurer giue that which thou canst not keepe to th' ende that thou mayest receiue that which thou canst not leese giue a little that thou mayest receiue an hundreth folde giue of thy temporall possession that thou mayest obtaine the euerlasting inheritance Who is it the will not most gladly Till the Fielde that will neuer misse to yéelde increase And who desires not to bee guided in his iourney by signes and directions that hee may not swerue straye Heare then In serm de verb. Domin what the same Father sayes Foecundus est ager pauperum The Fielde of the poore is fertile and soone yeeldes fruite to them that giue Via coeli est pauper The poore man is the way to Heauen by which wee come to our heauenly Father Begin therefore to bestowe on the néedy if thou wilt not erre from the straight way As flowing Wells Clâ—m Alex Pedag lib. 5. cap. 7. though they be emptied yet they returne to their former measure and fulnes and the more they are exhausted the more they are replenished the purer the water is So giuing to the poore which is the fountaine of liberalitie that giues drinke to the thirsty and succour to the néedy is encreased filled againe Hom. 33. aâ— pop Antioch as milke comes againe in the breasts that haue bin suckt And for this S. Chrysostome doubts not to call liberalitie to the poore â—he gainefullest Arte Trade in the world Hâ—m 37. ad pop An. And he asketh the question whether a man can be so ignorant as not to know that God commaunded vs to giue Almes not so much for the benefite of the poore that take as for the recompence of them that giue Hee that would enter into a Potentates Pallace procures the Porters fauor to be admitted wilt thou be admitted into the Pallace of Heauen the poore are the Porters as our Sauiour witnesseth when he saies Make yee Friends with the riches of iniquitie Luk. 16.9 that when ye shal want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitatioÌ„s He that giues Almes is like one that agréeth with the owner of an Orchard to eate as much as he caÌ„ wtin the Orchard but to carry no fruite out of the Orchard which condition because he findes somwhat strict he eates in the Orchard till he be satiate carries indéede no apples with him out of the Orchard yet while he is eating he now then flings an apple ouer the Orchard wall or hedge which when he comes foorth he may find and enioy So they that are rich in the world and rich in God though they haue receiued their riches on this condition that they shall carrie away nothing with them out of the world yet they shew a godly wisedome while they vse héere the blessings of this life and in bestowing on the poore they doe as it were cast ouer the wall of the Orchard that which they shall finde recompenced in the world to come A man that knowes certainely that after a small time he shall be remooued into a strange countrey where forsaking his natiue soile he shall liue in neede all daies of his life if he be not sottish he will be well content to haue his goods carried before him into that countrey where he shall after enioy them though for a little space he want them where he now dwels and who will not account them foolish that knowing the brittle and fading state of this life and the short abode that they haue héere doe refuse by Almes and liberalitie to the poore to send their goods before them into Heauen where they most assuredly knowe that they shall liue in all affluence and plentie and receiue the eternall reward specially since now we liue Heb. 13.14 not in our abiding citie and true countrey but in a strange countrey and since by liberalitie to poore and distressed Christians our goods are conueyed into our vnmooueable abiding place What follie is it then to leaue our riches there whence we must depart and not to send it thither before hand Chrys in Matth. Hom. 6. whither we shall goe Place therefore thy substance there where thy countrey is Hee that placeth his treasure in Earth hath not what to hope for in Heauen Why should hee looke vp toward Heauen where he hath nothing layed stored vp for him Manus pauperis est Gazophylacium Christi Petr. Rau. in quadam Serm. The hand of the poore is the Treasury of Christ and whatsoeuer the poore receiue Christ doth accept as giuen to himselfe Giue therefore earthly things to the poore that thou mayest receiue heauenly things giue a crumbe and piece that thou mayest receiue the whole giue to the poore that it may be giuen to thée For whatsoeuer thou giuest to the poore thy selfe shalt haue whatsoeuer thou giuest not to the poore another shal haue And all this the Sonne of Syrach hath summarily comprehended in few words when he saith EccluÌ„â— 19.9.1.11 12.13 16. Helpe the poore for the commaundements sake and turne him not away because of his pouertie Lose thy money for thy brothers and neighbours sake and let it not rust vnder a stone to thy destruction Bestow the treasure after the commandemeÌ„t of the most Hâ—gh and it shall bring thee more profit then gold lay vp thine almes in thy secret chamber and it shall keepe thee from all affliction A mans almes is as a purse with him shall keepe a mans fauour as the apple of the eye and afterward shall it arise and pay euery man his reward vpon his head it shall fight for thee against thine enemies better then the shield of a strong man or speare of the mightie If the plentifull reward of liberalitie moue thée not Fourth motiue to mercy Prou. 21.13 Prou. 28.27 yet haue remorse at the terrible manaces against the vnmercifull Heare Salomon He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore he shall also cry and not be heard Againe He that giueth to the poore shall not want but he that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses Doest thou not tremble at the remembrance of the fearefull iudgement of Sodome that was destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen How grieuous a punishment was it to be heard of how grieuous to be séene nay how grieuous to be suffered And wilt thou knowe their sinnes that caused this horrible
shall not lose his reward And who knowes not Christs verdict of the two mites of the poore widowe Luk. 21.1.2.3.4 For when he saw the rich men cast their gifts into the treasurie and a certaine poore widow also to cast in thither two mites he said Of a truth I say vnto you that this poore widowe hath cast in more then they all for they all haue of their superfluitie cast into the offrings of God but she of her penurie hath cast in all the liuing that she had Therefore it is not the quantitie of the gift but the minde and the manner of the giuing that is respected of the Lord. But perhaps some will say I haue wife children and familie my selfe why should I giue I know not what want I and mine may haue I haue people of mine owne to maintaine The rather for this cause thou must reléeue the poore that by a small portion which thou giuest nay lendest to the Lord thou maiest prouide his blessing and fauour for thy wife and familie after thy departure If thou wilt haue care for thy familie and children canst thou doe it better then in leauing them sure bonds and obligations of debt not confirmed by the hands and seales of mortall men but by the vndoubted promise of the king of kings and Lord of Lords The Apostle prooues out of the Psalme that he that sparseth abroad and giueth to the poore his beneuolence shall remaine for euer and be euerlasting and he shall neuer want to giue to the poore For God that findeth seede to the sower 2. Cor. 9.9 will minister likewise bread for foode and multiplie the seede and encrease the fruit of his beneuolence And the same Apostle elsewhere wils vs not to be wearie of well-doing Gal. 6.9 For that in due season we shall reape if we faint not In which places he compares the bestowing of almes and releefe on the poore to sowing and sparsing of graine vpon a fruitfull soyle And S. Chrysostome saith well Semen vocatur elâ—emosyna quia res haec non tam sumptus est quam redditus Almes is called seede because it is not so much a charge as a reuenue Depaenis 7. ser If corne saith he be shut vp close in the house of the husbandman it encreaseth not but is consumed of vermine but if it be sparsed on the ground it is not onely kept safe but also encreased so the wealth that is shut vp in chests and kept vnderlocks and bars soone flées from the owners but if it be distributed in liberalitie to the afflicted it remaines not onely surely kept but riseth also to more encrease He that hidâ—â—â— is treasure vpon earth Chrys hom 9. in Matt. and sends it not by liberalitie to heauen doth as if an husbandman should take séede and not sowe it on fertile soyle but scatter it into the water where he can neither enioy it nor preserue it from corruption Id. hom 5. in Matt. For where séede is fitly sowne there followes multiplying of fruits And if thou find a fat and fruitfull ground thou wilt not only manure it and till it plenteously with thine owne seede but thou wilt also borrow seede of other reckon it a great losse if thou shouldest be sparing in tillage thereof since then if thou be liberall to the poore thou sowest on a field that will yéeld encrease with manifold vsurie linger not nor procrastinate but vnderstand this That by sparing thou shalt leese and by sparsing thou shalt gather When we sow our séede we doe not so much looke vpon the emptying of our barnes as hope for the fruitfull haruest to come and that also when we are vncertaine of the euent for the rust and Caterpiller and vnseasonable stormes may frustrate our expectation Shall we be so chéerfull to commit our seede to the ground and shall we linger to commit our séed of almes into Gods hands and into the heauens where no tempests nor calamities can hurt it and where vnspeakable fruit shall be gathered For in sowing of graine the séedtime and haruest are of one nature he that sowes wheate or barlie or any other graine shall at haruest reape the same sort of graine but in sparsing of the séede of almes it is not so For we sparse siluer and we sparse bread and we sparse cloathes and we sparse other earthly things but if we sparse in faith and with a willing minde we reape mercie and we reape a recompence and we reape heauen and those incomprehensible blessings that transcend and exceede mans séeing hearing and vnderstanding Say not that thou wilt take order on thy Testament that somewhat shall be bestowed on the succouring of the néedy therfore that thou wilt bestow little or nothing while thou liuest For knowest thou that thy legacie shall alway be performed according to thy purpose and may not many that at this present time stand in néede depart out of this world before thy Testament be in force and so thou léese the offered opportunitie of doing good and is not thy gift after thy death like a candle lighted at thy backe that cannot guide thy féete in darkenes and hast thou forgotten the counsell of the sonne of Sirach Ecclus. 14.12.13.14.15.16 Defraud not thy selfe saith he of the good day and let not the portion of the good desires ouerpasse thee shalt thou not leaue thy trauels vnto another thy labours for the diuiding of the heritage giue and take sanctifie thy soule worke thou righteousnes before thy death for in Hell there is no meate to finde Remember that death tarrieth not and that the couenant of the graue is not shewed vnto thee doe good vnto thy friend before thou die and according to thine abilitie stretch out thine hand and giue him Wherefore while thou hast space be diligent in imparting thy knowledge in counsell vpon the simple thy wishes on the desires of them that want thy power on the helping of the néedie * Nosse incoÌ„silijs velle in desiderijs posse insubsidijs for these things thy neighbour must haue if he want them Thy life is a race to the goale of eternitie so runne then that thou maiest obtaine and thou shalt runne the nimbler if thou throwe from thée vpon the distressed somewhat of this worlds wealth that presseth thée downe so waightily Chrysost hom 5. de auar A Lyon or a Libard saith an ancient Father or a Beare or some other such wild beast while it is shut and pind vp in the darke it rageth and fumeth horribly euen so when riches are shut vp and hid closely they rage worse then lyons and trouble all things But if thou bring them out of darkenes and sparse them on the bellies of the needy where before they were sauage beastes they will become shéepe where before they were rocks they will become harboroughs where before they caused shipwrack they will bréede a calmenes For as in shipping too
they haue séene the beautie and brauerie of this world not to be bewitched and beguiled therwith but thereby to climbe vp as it were by staires and steps to the contemplation of the happines of that other world As it is reported of Fulgentius when he fled the persecution of the Arrians and soiourned at Rome and when he sawe the glorie of the citie and Senate of Rome that he spake thus to the companions of his exile How beautifull may the heauenly Ierusalem be if earthly Rome doe so shine and if in this world there be giuen such dignitie and honour to those that loue vanitie and errour what honour and glory shall be giuen in heauen to the Saints that loue veritie and vertue It is too apparant how gréedily we doe gape after earthly treasure and fading riches which is either lost by shipwracke or cōsumed by fire or stolne by théeues or taken away by fraude and oppression or corrupted and empaired by rust canker and long space of time or at last left behind in death But how backward and vnwilling are we to labour for the riches and wealth that neuer decaieth Wherein we forget why God hath placed the mettals which we so much estéem in the bowels and entrailes of the earth and hath displayed the face and cope of heauen where the true treasure is stored vp namely because we should not so gréedily séeke and search for the one but thirst and long after the other Neither hath he onely laid open the heauen to our view and fight that we might alway remember the maker thereof and for what place we were ordained after the race of mortalitie is finished but whereas other creatures are so formed that they bend downward to the earth God hath giuen to men a shape erected and lifted vp toward heauen that they may more easily contemplate heauenly and spirituall things When Anaxagoras was asked for what purpose he thought himselfe to be borne he said It was to behold the Heauen and Sunne Which spéech though otherwise men haue much admired Instit l. 3. c. 9. yet Lactantius laughed at it affirming that he brake foorth into these words not knowing what true answere to yéeld and that if a man indéed with wisedome indéed should be demanded why he was borne he would answere presently that he was created to serue God his Creator Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.20 But with Lactantius fauor doth not the Maiestie of God cléerely shine in the outward beautie of the heauen and doth not the heauen declare and proclaime his glorie and doth not God as it were stretch out his hand to lift vs vp from groueling on the ground to behold the fairenes of his worke and thereby also to extoll his power wisedome goodnes and mercy Wherefore we must blush to beare a crooked minde in a straight body and to suffer our soule to wallowe in dirte and drosse of the earth whose conuersation should be in heauen and which was created for heauenly and diuine things Heauen then is the pennie giuen for working in the Lords vineyard and that we may be diligēt in that working let vs fixe our minds in the consideration of the celestiall and new Ierusalem where that pennie of immortalitie shall be deliuered vs whose Ruler King is the sacred Trinitie whose lawe is perfect charitie whose walls are of Iasper and the citie pure gold like to cleere glasse Reu. 21.18.21 Reu. 22.1.2 Heb. 12.22 1. Cor. 13.12.13 1. Pet. 2.24 whose gats are pearles and euery gate is of one pearle whose inhabitants are Angels the Spirits of iust perfect men where is the pure riuer of water of life the tree of life and where all vnperfect things shall be done away we shal no more see darkely through a glasse but cleerely face to face shall knowe God as we are knowne Of all which good things Christ Iesus the Shepheard Bishop of our soules who his owne selfe bare our sinnes on his body on the tree that we being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnesse and by whose stripes we were healed make vs euerlasting beholders possessors for his endles incomprehensible goodnes and mercies sake that at last as the marriner after surging stormes quietly arriues in the harbor and the patient after drinking of a bitter medicine obtaines health and the souldiour after brunts in the battell is rewarded by his Captaine so we diligently continually walking in our calling and in the narrow way to life may in the end be partakers of the end of this way which is endles ioy blessednesse and may rest in the kingdome of Christ with the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints of all ages Amen HYPOCRISIE VNMASKED Matt. 22. 11. Then the King came in to see the guests and sawe there a man which had not on a wedding garment 12. And he said vnto him Friend how camest thou in hither hast not on a wedding garment And he was speechles 13. Then said the king to the seruants bind him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth THe name of a Christian is deriued from Christ our Sauiour signifieth a scholler of Christ one that followes the precepts life of Christ and one that hath fellowship with Christ and is engraft into Christ But as the Apostle saith of the Iewes Rom. 9.16 that all they are not Israell that are of Israell so it may be said truely that all are not Christians in déede that beare the Name of Christ For there are two sorts of Christians the one appearing and séeming the other right and true They are onely seeming Christians that are baptized and are of the outward congregation and professe Christ yet without true conuersion and repentance that is they are dissembling Hypocrites and christians but in tongue Of these séeming Christians our Sauiour saith Many are called but few chosen Matt. 20.16 They are right and true christians who are not only baptized and professe the Faith of Christ but also are indued with a liuely Faith doe declare the same by fruits of Repentance and by faith are made the members of Christ and partakers of his anointing that is by Faith and the holy Ghost 1. Ioh. 2.27 who is signified by the name of annoynting true christians are ioyned to Christ and engraft into him euen as a branch is fastned to the stocke and a member knit to the head whereby wee are made partakers of his iuyce and of his life and being truely made one with him do bring forth fruits worthy of our calling All true Christians are appearing christians For Christ saith Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Iam. 2.18 And S. Iames saith Shew me thy faith out of thy works and I will shewe thee my faith