unto mee there saving that the holy Ghost Act. 20. 24. witnesseth in every Citie saying that bonds and afflictions abide me but I passe not at all neither is my life deare unto my selfe so that I may fulfill my course with joy and the ministration which I have received of the Lord Iesus c. And how desired hee it in the Iewes Brethren Rom. 10. 1. my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved And he biddeth Timothy lay hold on it saying Fight the good 1 Tim. 6. 12. fight of Faith lay hold on eternall life whereunto yee are also called c. And when the Church would triumph it is in this Now is Salvation in Heaven and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the Apoc. 12. 119. power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them day and night before God And this was the earnest Psal 67. 1 2. prayer of the Church God bee mercifull unto us and blesse us and cause his face to shine among us that thy way may be knowne upon earth Tit. 2. 11. thy saving health among all nations not a bodily health but a spirituall heavenly health When Paul will commend the grace of God and make way for it in the Gretians hee calleth it a saving grace The Physitian can give thee but health as the Ier. 9. Physitians of Gilead did The Lawyer can but pleade for thee as Many regard more vaine pamphlets than found doctrine Tertullus did for the Iewes The Magistrate can give thee but thine owne as Salomon did to the two harlots The musitian can give thee but pleasure and tickle thine eare a little as the Sonnes of Asaph did The historiographer can give thee but the knowledge of the times But the Divine offereth thee salvation Act. 24. 1 Reg. 3. 2 Sam. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 16. he writeth and speaketh of salvation Hereupon saith Paul to Timothie Take heed unto thy selfe and unto thy doctrine and continue therein for in so doing thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee If one should come from the Prince and offer to every one of you an acre of Land how would you heare him as they heard Paul at Troas till midnight But wee from God offer you an inheritance in heaven and yet yee regard it not Pausanias wrote of Act. 20. Nettles Erasmus of Foolishnesse Demosthenes of the shadow of an Asse Musonius of the wooll of a Goate Virgil of Gnats but Iude wrote of salvation If Alexander slept alwaies with Homers Iliades under his pillow If Lepta forgot to sleep reading Tullie de oratore If Cyprian read daily Tertullius Apologiticon If Chrisippus read Logicke so that he had perished but for Melissa his mayd how should the Church read this Epistle There be many that follow the Apostles diligence in writing but then it is in foolish filthie bawdie matters To this purpose wee have gotten our songs and sonnets our palaces of pleasure our unchast fables and tragedies Our fathers had their spirituall inchantments as Gui of Warwicke Bevis of Hampton Arthur of the round table and a number of such vanities as Garagantua Howleglasse Frier Rushe the Fooles of Gotham strong illusions of the Divell to keepe them from reading the Scriptures And we like new borne Moabites that wallow in our vomit have gotten the Court of Venus the Castle of love Perce-pennylesse c. But if he was so carefull to write of salvation wee must be as carefull to heare and learne salvation The Iaylor made inquirie after it saying to Paul and Silas Sirs what must we doe to be saved And let us also search and enquire after salvation For many never Act. 16. 29. looke in what state they stand whether in the state of grace and salvation or in the state of death and damnation But as it was said of Bonosus the Emperour That he was borne not to live but to eate to drinke and to scrape in the ground like molles or to play like the dormise of India that sleepe all winter and play all summer There are none but must have a care of salvation except they be Reprobates The scoffing Iewes cried Da Iohn 6. nobis semper hunc panem give us evermore of this bread The man in the Gospell would eate of the bread of heaven and therefore cryed Happie is he that eateth bread in the Kingdome of Heaven Balaam prayed to die well O that my soule might die the death of the righteous Luk. 14. Numb 23. 10. and that my last end might be like unto his There is none so wicked but he would be saved but if that wilt be saved examine thy Every man to be carefull to know in what state he stands in selfe and aske thy soule whether thou beest a dogge or a Lambe a Citizen or a stranger a sheep or a goate to stand on the right hand or the left All men know their state saving Christians the Merchant can tell whether he gaineth or loseth the Mariner can tell his Mat. 25. 40. course whether he be right or wrong on the sea the Husbandman knoweth his times for earing and reaping the Physitian knoweth his body whether it bee in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consumption or in good estate But we looke not whether we be saved or damned but looke into thy selfe as thou doest into the world whether thou beest even with God whether his debt-booke bee discharged whether thy sinnes bee forgiven or no whether God hath given thee Faith to apprehend his promises whether the fruites of Faith appeare in thee or no. A prisoner will looke unto himselfe before the Assises and looke into thy selfe before the Iudgment day empanell a Quest on thy selfe and let thy heart bee the Foreman of the Iurie And note that he calleth it Common salvation not proper to Abraham Isaak Iacob David Peter c. but common to all 1. First hee calleth it common salvation First to admonish all men to lay hold of it So saith Paul to Timothie lay hold of eternall life And also to admonish Ministers to neglect no sheep of God not the very least Paul said that he was a debter both to the Grecians and Barbarians both to the wise and vnwise that hee was not Rom. 1. 14. 16. ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it was the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth to the lew first and also to the Grecian And further he saith that hee made himselfe a servant unto all men that he might winne the more that unto the Iewes he became as 1 Cor. 9. 20 21 22. a Iew that hee might winne the Iewes to them that were under the law as though he were under the law that hee might winne them that were under the Law to them that were without law as though he were without law that he might winne them
amaenitas Veris abundantia Autumni Bern. requies Hiemalis There shall bee the fairenesse of Summer the sweetenesse of the Spring the pienty of the Autumne and the Winters rest Nay God shall bee all in all unto us Heaven is described in the Apocalyps that the walls are of precious stones 1 Cor. 13. the gates pearles the porters Angels the streetes payed with gold the City Interlaced with crystall rivers the bankes set with trees of life which beare fruit monethly and the leaves cure the Nations Their Sunne is the countenance of God their day never endeth their felicity never decayeth their state never altereth You have beene in mount Horeb where you saw thunderings and lightenings now are yee called to mount Thabor where yee shall injoy the glory of Christ Iesus and say with Peter Bonum est hic esse It is good to bee here Let them make account of this life who make their Lusts their guides their Belly their god their Kitchin their faith the World their Friend and are not onely in it but of it But our Countrey is Heaven our friends Angels our companions the Saints our Father God our mother the Church our brother Christ our guyde the holy Ghost our inheritance Ierusalem that is from above The Saint by loving another as himselfe hath as many joyes as fellowes and for that they all love God more than themselves they take more pleasure of his blisse than all their joyes besides the damnation of their friends grieveth them not because it standeth with the glory of God which is more to them than all their blisse And thus yee see the joyes of life and yet all that I have said of Heaven where wee shall leade a life eternall and possesse a Paradise of infinite pleasure is nothing it is but stilla mari a drop of water to the whole sea scintilla igni comparata as a sparke compared to the great fire of Aetna it is nothing there In Heaven no decay or damping of ioy needeth no Sunne to shine no Moone to give light no porters the gates of it are open continually there is food better than the Mann that fell from Heaven apparell finer than Aarons Ephod Ecclus. 18. 9. Exod. 16. Exod. 30. Psal 133. 2. Mat. 24. Apoc. 2. Hebr. 12. 22. Mat. 17. Esa 11. perfume sweeter than the perfume of the Tabernacle a building more stately than Salomons Temple there is Paradise without any Serpent to tempt us Mount Horeb without any Thunder to feare us Mount Thabor without any change to greeve us Libanon without any Wildernesse to rent us there is mirth without mourning and such joyes and delights that if all the plants of the Earth were Pennes if all the Earth were Paper if all the Sea were Inke if every Man Woman and Childe were a good Pen-man yet they were not able to expresse the thousandth part of these joyes Hic in terris omnium rerum est vicissitudo here in earth all things alter and change after Day commeth Night after Winter Summer after Sickenesse Health after Life Death after Youth old Age after Pleasure Paine but there is Day without Night Summer without any Winter Health without any Sicknesse or Sorrow Life without Death Youth without old Age Pleasure without any Paine there is the Beauty of Absolon without Deformity the Strength of Samson without any Debility the Wisedome of Salomon without any Folly We shall come from Faith to Sight Aug. Epist. 121. Proâ—e Viduae from the Glasse to the Face from Aenigma to a plaine Truth Hic enim ambulamus per fidem non per aspectum here wee walke by Faith and not by Sight Nunc in spe â—unc in re Now in Hope then in Deede Nuncforis tunc domi Now abroad then at home For when this earthly house of this Tabernacle shall bee destroyed wee shall have an house not made with hands but eternall in Heaven For 2 Cor. 5. 1. as the Father said Quid ibi deesse potest ubi Deus est cui nihil deest What can there bee wanting where God is to whome nothing is wantings O beati visio videre Regem Angelorum Sanctum sanctorum Deum Coeli Rectorem terrae Patrem viventium O blessed sight to behold Aug. lib. despir c. cap. 57. the King of Angels the Holy of holies the God of Heaven the Ruler of the Earth the Father of the Living Woe to mee miserable creature quoth August which am not where the holy Saints bee for your life is without all gunne-shot and danger of death your knowledge without errour your love without offence your joy without any annoy I alas am in the region of the shadow of death I know not my end I would depart hence but I know not when I would dye and this haply shall bee my last day But many have no regard at all of this life they looke too much to the pleasures of the world which makes them not to looke into the powers of the life to come not to looke to eternity It is said of Moses that he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the Hebr. 11. 25. people of God in Aegypt then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season The wicked the Infidels have made a Covenant with death and are Divers errors concerning eternall life with Hell at an agreement they beleeve not eternall life they hold with the Sadduces that there is no resurrection nothing maketh us loth to dye but unbeliefe Withipoll wished to live five hundred Esa 28. 15. Mat. 22. yeers though but in the shape of a toade Paulus tertius said at his death Nunc tria experiar Now shal I trie three things Num sit Deus whether there bee a God num anima sit immortalis whether the soule bee immortall num sit vita post mortem and whether there be a life after death The Borussians and the Irish cry to their dead Quare mortuus es Why diddest thou dye Thou hadst wife children corne cattell oh why didst thou dye They have no hope But brethren things present will bee past and things future will 1 Thess 4. bee present and last for ever this life is no life It were long to rehearse all the errors that Satan hath troubled the Church withall in this point I will name but some of many first the Libertines erre who say that all men shall be saved all shall goe to Heaven contrary to that which our Saviour saith Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter the Kingdome of Heaven And Mat. 7. 14. againe Many shall come in that day and shall say Lord Lord have not wee prophesied in thy name cast out Divels in thy name and done many miracles in thy name But he shall answere them Depart from me for verily I know you not And the Prophet telleth us That though the Esa 10. 21. number of the children of Israel bee as the sand
understanding What blindnesse hath possessed our braine And how hath a covering of brawne covered our hearts that wee give no Majestie to God That which Paul said of the Gospel If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded their mindes So say I of Gods wonders This sinne of England is written with an Iron penne and with a point of a Diamond God revealeth himselfe Ier. 17. 1. to the World six wayes 1 By his Word 2 By Visions Act. 26. 18. Esa 1. 1. 3 By Dreames 4 By Wonders or Miracles Numb 12. Iohn 5. Mat. 28. 19. 5 By Sacraments 6 By Types and figures By foure or five of these meanes God hath made himselfe knowne to us especially by wonders yet wee know him not wee are greater fooles than Nabal and verier beasts than ever was Nabuchadnezzar 1 Sam. 25. Dan. 4. Ier. 8. 5 6 7. God must end us before hee mend us wee are turned backe to a perpetuall rebellion Wee give our selves to deceit and will not returne no man repents him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Every one turneth to his race as the horse to the battell Even the Storke in the ayre saith God knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the judgement of the Lord. This is a nation that heareth not the voice of the Lord nor receiveth Discipline shall not these two great earth-quakes this yeere the one in the day the other in the night worke in us a feare of Gods majestie It is a token Amâ—â— 1602. that God is angry and so applied by the Prophet The earth trembled and shoke the very foundations of the Earth were seene at thy chyding at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure Psal 18. When God would take revenge of the people in the dayes of Tiberius hee overthrew with an earth-quake twelve Cities of Asia and in Constantines dayes ten or eleuen townes in Campania Lipisius when the Iewes under Iulian had tooles of silver to reedify Gods dominion is in all creatures especially in man Ierusalem the earthquake in the night destroyed their worke in the day fire from heaven burnt up their tooles The righteous will see this and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth and who is wise that hee may observe these things that God is a God of Majesty and magnificence for it is he alone that doth wondrous things The fifth thing here attributed to God is Dominion which is the authority of commanding and making Lawes unto all men in the world by which meanes God ruleth and hath a dominion or Kingdome in every one of us whereof the Lord Iesus speaketh in the knitting up of his prayer to God For thine is the Kingdome c. Of this David speaketh The Lord hath prepared his Mat 6. 13. Psal â—03 19 22. Throne in Heaven and his Kingdome ruleth over all And againe Praise the Lord all works of his in all places of his dominion And againe Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and thy dominion endureth Psal 145. 13. throughout all ages And here learne a profitable lesson that when wee obey the Word of the Lord and suffer it to rule and overrule our passions then hath God a Kingdome and wee ascribe Dominion to him hereof the Lord Iesus spake For when Luk. 17. 20 21. hee was demanded of the Pharises when the Kingdome of God should come He answered them and said The Kingdome of God commeth not with observation neither shall men say Loe here or loe there for behold the Kingdome of Heaven is within you he meant not the Kingdome of glory but of grace For this dominion or Kingdome is threefold of Power Grace Glory The Kingdome of Power is whereby God subdueth his enemies and Tyrants of his Church and crusheth them in pieces like a potters vessell and of this Kingdome the Prophet thus Psal 2. 9. Psal 93. 1. Psal 97. 1 2. speaketh The Lord reigneth and is cloathed with Majesty the Lord is clothed and girded with power c. And againe the Lord reigneth let the people tremble hee sitteth betweene the Cherubins let the earth bee moved the Lord is great in Zion and high above all people His Kingdom of Grace is that wherby God ruleth in his elect through his Spirit inwardly as his Word outwardly whereof the Prophet speaketh thus With righteousnes shall he judge the poore Esa 11. 4 5 6. and with equity shall hee reprove c. Iustice shall bee the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye with the kidde and the calfe and the Lion and the fatte beast together and a little Child shall lead them When the corruption of our nature beginneth to bee like the house of Saul weaker and weaker and faith repentance zeale knowledge and other graces of the Spirit stronger and stronger in us and wee now beginne to love feare trust and serve and obey God then is the Kingdome of grace in us The Kingdome of Glory is that wherein the Angels and Saints We count our selves subjects of Christs Kingdome of grace but are rebellious departed now are and wee shall bee hereafter when mortality shall be swallowed up of life when wee shall sing the songs of our triumph O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory The songs of our joy such as none can understand save the hundred forty and foure thousand which are received up from 1 Cor. 15. the earth But here hee meaneth chiefely the Kingdome of grace for God is a King everlasting immortall invisible and onely wise Wee 1 Tim. 1. 17. are then his subjects The Lawes are the Word Psal 2. 8. Psal 119. 105. Ephes 6. 12. The enemies of this Kingdome are Satan sinne death Hell domination the flesh and the wicked The time of it is to the worlds end Mat. 28. 20. The place is this world and the world to come Apot. 5. 10. But ô foolish men how doe wee pray for this dominion and Kingdome of the Lord when in our works wee destroy it When wee rebell against the Word like a rebellious nation Ezech. 2. 3 4. and like impudent children and stiffe-hearted As the horse rusheth into the battell so we rush into our sinnes we sinne Ier. 8. 6. Ephes 4. 19. with greedines wee draw it with cordes of vanity wee love the wicked we loath the godly we freeze in love we boile in malice Esa 5. we sell vertue we buy vice we refuse Christ we chuse Barrabas wee lay away life and embrace death wee overthwart the will of God in all things wee follow our owne wills and desires wee are traytors to God in
on Pilgrimage c. The Friers under a colour of wilfull povertie begged and robbed the world The Nunnes under a shew of single life filled the world full of bastardie Sexcenta millia capita infantum in Gregorii piscina reperta sunt there were six hundred thousand Childrens heads found in Gregories fishpoole The Priests by a colour of Masses made merchandise of soules and filled Iudas satchells The Abbeies under a colour of almes and hospitalitie robbed most parishes of their Ecclesiasticall livings they stole a goose and gave a feather greater theeves than ever was Barabbas they gave a meales meate and robbed a parish of their Church maintenance The Confessors under pretence of auricular confession knew the secrets of all Kingdomes It was the Popes fishing net it hath deposed more than two hundred lawfull Princes it made Fredericke Barbarossa the Popes Footstoole at Venice it exiled the King Desiderius into Lions The Pope under shew of Bulls or pardons hath robbed God of his glorie men of their money and soules of salvation he hath gotten thereby in America foure millions yearly they are like their fathers the Pharisies They devoure widowes houses even under a colour of long prayers wherefore they shall All Atheists before regeneration and conversion receive the greater damnation The whore of Babylon giveth poyson in a golden cup Beda Venerable Beda saith that the serpent in paradise had vultum virgineum a virgins face that hee might deceive Heva a virgin for he is a deceiver Yea from the beginning Math. 23. 14. Apoc. 18. Iohn 8. 44. Apoc. 20. 2. and abode not in the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Dominicans under the pretence of preaching the Franciscans under pretence of chastitie Nam virilia amputarunt the Carmelites under shew of virginitie and the Augustines under pretext of povertie have erected the Papall Kingdome by hypocrisie under colour of religion But Babylon is fallen even Rome the Queene of pride the nurse of idolatries the mother of whordomes the sinke of iniquitie Sentina malorum lacuna scelerum yea the Romish Iezabel is throwne downe and if the palmes of her hands and her skull or any thing of her remaine with us let us pray that it may bee buried also This Dagon is fallen downe twise once in King Edwards daies and againe in our dayes let it never rise againe Let this golden Diana be beaten downe for ever Let this whore of Apoc. â—8 Babylon perish and let her smoke rise up for evermore and let all that love the Lord Iesus say Amen But to proceed in the description of the wicked Secondly they are here described by their impietie hee saith that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God without Faith without religion they denie God the only Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ so Paul said Ephes 2. 12. Phil. 3. 17 18. of the Ephesians before their conversion They were without Christ alienes from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant and promise and had no hope and were without God in the World And such were the Philippians They were enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose Ephes 4. 17 18. end is damnation whose God is their bellie and whose glorie is their shame which mind earthly things Such were all the Gentiles spiced with impietie For they walked in the vanitie of their minde having their cogitations darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them The world is full of such Atheists they swarme like bees in Hibla they abound like lice in Aegypt all the dust was turned into lice and in England all or most mens profession is turned into Atheisme Machivelisme saying that Religion is but policie to keep men in awe Many are of the Luk. 12. fooles religion to eate drinke play but to remember no God to pluckedown to build up to gather in but not to serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Et velut infernus fabula vanaforet Alas men live as if no death should follow and as if Hell were but a fable There be many now like that Captaine that warred under Adrian the Emperor called Similus who at his death caused this Epitaph to be written upon his tombe Hic jacet Similus c. Here lieth Similus a man that was of many yeares and lived only but Seven many yeares without God but seven yeares in God many yeares wickedly but seven yeares religiously many yeares like an Atheist Atheists consuted by reason and sense but seven yeares like a Christian So a number of us may say that we have lived many yeares and yet but few yeares for God many yeares in sinne and wickednesse but few yeares in vertue and godlinesse There is a double life of Nature Grace In the one all live but in the other the elect only In all ages Atheists have abounded in Davids dayes The foole said in his heart there is no God In Salomons dayes they cryed A quicke dog is better Psal 14. Prov. 9. than a dead Lion We know what we have here but we know not what we shall have in another world In Esayes dayes For there were that said We have made a covenant with death and with Hell are Esa 28. 15. we at agreement In Christs time For there were Sadduces that denyed the Resurrection and affirmed that there was neither Angell nor spirit In Peters dayes For there were that said Where is the promise of his comming and so denyed the last Iudgement In 2 Pet. 3. Chrysostomes time they cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. give us that which is present let God alone with that which is for to come In Calvins time for then there were such that tooke away all difference betweene good and evill vertue and vice sinne and righteousnesse And in our dayes wee have that deny God and Christ and heaven and hell Angells Spirits and all David calleth them fooles Salomon calleth them Epicures Esay noteth them as blasphemers Christ calleth them Sadduces Chrysostome Nullifidians Calvin Libertines wee call them Machiavels ungodly men Such are worse than the Divell For hee confesseth God but these perhaps deny that there bee Divells so did the Sdaduces these men therfore shal feele Divels before they beleeve Divels I would not be in their coate for the Kingdome of England no not to be Monarch of the world for ten thousand yeares Divels are seene they are felt they are heard yet these men deny them but I will remit them to Philosophie to bee counselled that Sensus non fallitur circa proprium objectum sense cannot be deceived about his proper object The very Heathen will condemne us Tullie saith Non temerè nec fortuitò sati aut creati sumus sed profectò fuit divina quaedam vis quae generi consuleret humano nec id gigneret quod cum exantlavisset labores omnes tum
it otherwise it will not be sure and stedfast It is a sheild but God must frame it and strengthen it So that the slaunder of the Papists redoundeth to God not to us But I may say to Act. 13. 48. Hebr. 6. 19. Ephes 6. 17. 2 Thess 2. 11 12. you as Paul said to the Thessalonians God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve lyes that all they might be damned which beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse God hath fed them with lyes because they received not the truth they beleeve not But to leave this and to returne againe to these Israelites These Israelites wanted faith and so all the parts of a Christian as the root giveth sappe to all the branches the Sunne light to all the Planets the earth nourishment to all plants the water life to all fishes So faith giveth life and allowance to all our actions For without it splendida opera sunt splendida peccata our glistering works are but glistering sinnes therefore is it said that by faith Abel offered unto God a greater sacrifice than Caine c. by faith Hebr. 11. 4 5. 7 8. Enoch was taken away that he should not see death By faith Noah being warned of God and moved with reverence prepared the Arke By faith Abraham when he was called obeyed God c. Faith is the eye wherewith we see God it is the mouth wherby we speake to God the hand whereby wee touch him the foote whereby wee goe unto him saith Ambrose Thus Stephen the ring leader of Martyrs saw Ambros Act. 6. Luk. 18. Luk 2. Iohn 1. him with the eyes of faith The Publicane spake to him with the mouth of faith Simeon embraced him with the armes of faith Thus Andrew walked to Christ with the foote of a lively faith Thus all must come to Christ not with the legges of their body but of faith We must draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith Hebr. 10. 22. being sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water But the Infidells like Polypheme the Giant want eyes like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the river Ganges they want mouthes like the Cripple in the third of the Acts they want legges For by faith Christ dwelleth in us by faith we eate him by faith we put him on by Ephes 3. Iohn 6. Gal. 3. Gal. 2. 20. faith we live in him therefore wanting faith we want all Many therefore want all the parts of Christianity for few beleeve but are Cyphers in the Church of God and shall be Cyphers in the Kingdome of God But to cut up the veines and arteries of this vice and make an Anatomie of it we can all say I beleeve in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost yet few beleeve and are perswaded of the love and power of God but rest in the creature not in the Creator if they see not meanes If God give us friends wee make Idols of them and trust in them as the Iewes did in Esay 31. Psal 52. 7. Ier. 5. 2 Chro. 16. the Aegyptians if money we thinke never to want as it is said of Doeg hee trusted in the multitude of his riches and strengthened himselfe in his malice if armour we trust in them as the Iewes did if Physitians wee trust in them as Asa did if wisdome wee thinke to smooth all causes and to wade thorough all bad matters Want of faith the cause of al sinne and misery as the false Prophets These are our treasures and our hearts are upon them as Mat. 6. We make flesh our arme Thus what for friends money munition physicke cunning God is not regarded the helpelesse trust in friends the poore in money the souldier Ier. 18. Jer. 17. in armour the sicke in Physitians the cunning in their wisdome like Achitophel But of all others our infidelity appeareth in our running to witches wherein I say with Elisha Is it not because there is no King in England as 2 Reg. 1. Here I could wish my voice as a trumpet or as the voice of Stentor who had the voice of fifty men Satan is a deceiver and shall we trust in him A lyer and shall we beleeve him an enemy and shall wee crave ayde of him Absit God forbid Most men beleeve not For our faith hath a triple foundation First that Christ is true God and therefore can help 1 Tim. 2. Secondly true Man and therefore will helpe Hebr. 4. Thirdly that he is one Person not by confusion of substance but by the union of natures for God and man make but one Christ and Mat. 11. 11. Psal 30. will help us for if a Father will helpe his Sonne in his wants how much more will hee helpe us Let us therefore put off our sackecloath and girde us with gladnesse let us rejoice for ever For now is salvation in Heaven and strength and the Kingdome of our Apoc. 12. 10. God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is throwne downe c. Hence commeth all mischiefe that wee beleeve not God which appeareth in our life If a sicke man should have two Physitians the one prescribing a present remedy the other a present poison if he should follow the latter would wee not conclude that either he would not be healed or else that hee beleeved not the other so standeth the case betwixt God and us either wee would not bee saved or else wee doe not beleeve God This is manifest in two men Adam and Abraham the one the father of all men the other of the faithfull Now Adam eate of Gen. 3. the tree which God forbad and why because he beleeved not Act. 7. God but Satan and so doe most men But Abraham when God commanded him to leave his Countrey and kindred he did so Gen. 22. when God commanded him to offer his Sonne he did it For he Esa 1. beleeved God and so doe few men But let us not listen to Satan and our owne flesh but to God promising happinesse if we obey him Thou hast here two counsellors the flesh and the spirit The flesh bids thee follow thy lustes but the spirit saith if thou doest so thou shalt perish For he that soweth in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but hee that soweth in the spirit shall of the spirit Gal. 6. 8. reape life everlasting now whether of these wilt thou beleeve Yet in all this I doe not speake of the justifying faith but that the wicked have not no not so much as the Historicall faith to beleeve the Scriptures Nam Faith a chiefe instrumentall cause of salvation Fidestriplex Iustificans Miraculosa Historica For faith is threefold There is a lively justifying Faith a miraculous and an historicall faith but the former is most rare like a blacke swanne or Phoenix in Arabia In all
so carefully keepeth all our members Custodit omnia ossa he keepeth all our bones abstergit lachrymas ab oculis hee wipeth the teares from our eyes docet manus praeliari he teacheth our hands Psal 34. Psal 116. Psal 144. 1. to warre and our fingers to fight dirigit gressus nostros in via pacis he directeth our going in the way of peace totum denique corpus custodit to conclude he keepeth the whole body For the Lord saith David is thy keeper the Lord is the shadow at the right hand Ought we not then to give our eyes our hands our feet and the Psal 121. 5. whole body unto his service that as we have given our members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity to commit iniquity So now to give over our members servants unto righteousnesse in holinesse for being freed from sinne and made the servants of God our fruit must be in holinesse and our end shall be life eternall Againe God punisheth uncleannesse many waies our members are the members of Christ shall we take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Againe they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost If any man defile 1 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 3. the Temple of God him shall God destroy A Noble man will not lodge in a hoggs coat nor Gods Spirit in a filthy uncleane unchast body Quid luci cum tenebris what communion hath light 2 Cor. 6. 14. with darkenesse what concord hath Christ with Belial what part hath the beleever with the unbeleever or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Againe our members shall be glorified in heaven Let them therefore glorifie God in this life for as no uncleane beast might tarry upon the Lords Mountaine so no polluted person shall passe thorow the gates Apoc. 221 of the new Ierusalem God punisheth this sinne many wayes First with beggery for he that feedeth harlots shall never bee rich for indeed it is a sinne Prov. 29. 3. against nature for whereas other men sowe for an Harvest these defilers of the flesh which plough with othermens heifers sowe that which they dare not reape Secondly he punisheth defilers of the flesh with infamy for their reproach shall never be done away Prov. 6. 33. Thirdly with lothsome diseases for the most righteous God hath appointed that they which will taste of the sweet of sinne shall be filled with the gall of punishment it bringeth corruption of the blood dissolution of the sinewes rottennesse of the marrow aches in the joynts crudities in the stomacke paines in the head gowtes and palsies heavinesse in the heart and stinging of the conscience Fourthly Yea and after all these it shall be punished with hell fire For it is written for fornication uncleannesse inordinate Col. 3. 6. affection c. the wrath of God remaineth on such And againe whoremongers Heb. 13. 4. and adulterers God will judge for is stabunt moechi without shall be dogges and inchanters and whoremongers c. onely Apoc. 22. 15. such as be Virgins follow the Lambe Know ye therefore yee Apoc. 14. Gal. 4. Numb 5. Deut. 23. 3. defilers of the flesh there is no place for you in heaven you must rest and dwell in the tenement in hell The Bastard Ismael hath no place in Abrahams house the unclean Canaanite hath no room in the host of Israel The misbegotten Ammonite hath no accesse into Gods Tabernacle As the whoremongers and defilers of the flesh have neither foot nor furrow nor inch of roome in Gods Kingdome Sunt in felle nequitiae they are in the gall of Acts 8. 21. bitternesse as Simon Peter said of Simon Magus The holy Ghost joyneth a whore and a dogge together Thou shalt not bring the Deut. 23. 18. hire of an whore nor the price of a dogge into the house of God And Ieremy compareth these adulterous beasts unto neighing horses and Ier. 5. 8. the Wise man likens them to an Oxe going to the slaughter and cals Prov. 7. 22. the whore a deepe ditch and a narrow pit And they that enter into her Prov. 2. 19. hardly returne againe to take hold of the way of life The guests and Whoredome and all uncleannesse odious companions of harlots are in Hell nay in the depth of Hell Heaven will not receive them O that men could-see into Hell they should see as many defilers of the flesh as many whoremongers as of any sin against the second table Many make little reckoning of this sin of whoredome which the Apostle meaneth by defiling of the flesh but if the punishment provided for it already spoken of cannot let you see the grievousnesse of this sinne then listen to that which now I shall say unto you First it taketh away the heart of a man so saith the Prophet Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart As Hos 4. 11. Nabuchadnezzar had the heart of a beast so these defilers of the flesh have beastly hearts Et praestat bestiam esse quà m bestialiter Seneca vivere A man had better be a beast than live beastly Secondly This sinne is so much the greater because it hath a lawfull remedy To avoid fornication saith the Apostle let every 1 Cor. 7. 2. man have his wife and every wife her husband And againe They that cannot abstaine let them marry A poore theefe is pittied that stealeth to satisfie hunger but he that stealeth and hath enough of his owne his sinne is the greater and the more to be punished Prov. 6. 33. so hee that hath a lawfull remedy and such a remedy as God hath ordained and yet runnes a whoring his sinne is the more abominable and deserveth greater punishment Such was Davids sinne hee had many wives and concubines and yet hee 2 Sam. 11. 5. c. tooke another mans Wife and therefore his sinne was horrible Thirdly by this sinne of whoredome Satan gaineth two soules at once a theefe may steale alone the drunkard may be drunken alone the murtherer blasphemer idolater usurer c. may sinne alone but the whoremonger killeth two soules at one clap If the blood of Abel cryed for vengeance how much more shall those soules cry for vengeance whom these defilers of the flesh have brought to destruction yet these defilers care not how many they abuse and whores and harlots care not how many they lead to the divell they open their quiver against every arrow Eccles 26. 22. Fourthly Defilers of the flesh whoremongers are the Divels factors Satan is a tempter so are they and therefore when they goe about to defile any they should answere them as Christ answered Mat. 4. 1. Peter when hee counselled him to save himselfe Come behind mee Satan thou art an offence unto mee I reade of a certaine Matron Mat. 16. 23. that being intised by a desire of the flesh an
that we could learne to abhorre pride Pride hath been in all places in all sorts even in the godly and swelling by considering how much the Lord abhorreth it as many Scriptures shew Salomon saith that The feare of the Lord is to hate evill as Pride and arrogancie c. And againe hee saith All that are proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord. And Prov. 8. 13. Cap. 16. 5. 19. againe he saith He that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction And againe the Holy Ghost affirmeth that the Lord beholdeth every one that is proud and abaseth him For certainely when the Lord shall Iob 40. 6. come to judgement that day of his comming shall burne like an Oven and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall bee as stubble and Mal. 4. 1. the day that commeth shall burne them up and shall leave them neither root nor branch therefore let us not be high-minded proud and swelling as many are for it is a thing most vaine 1 Tim. 64. First in respect of God for he resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble he putteth downe the mighty from their seat and exalteth Luke 1. 51. the humble and meeke Secondly in respect of men who will not regard it When pride commeth saith the Wise man then commeth shame for when men Prov. 11. â— will be exalted above their vocation then God bringeth them to confusion Thirdly in respect of themselves who inherit nothing by it but folly for The foolish that is the proud inherit folly yet Cap. 14. 18. this sin of Pride hath troubled all places yea the whole world it troubled Paradise for Adam was proud and would be like unto Gen. 3. Aug. God Sed dum rapere voluit Divinitatem amisit foelicitatem but whilest he endeavoured to snatch the Divinity he lost his felicity It troubled the Israeliticall Church they would be as good as Moses in the Kingdome and as Aaron in the Priest-hood it troubled the Apostles for they strove for superiority yea it Numb 16. Mat. 18. 2. Pet. 2. 4. troubled heaven it selfe for pride was the sinne of the Angels Let all men therefore beware of this sinne for first it is naturall for every one hath some sparkes of pride in him Againe whereas all other sinnes are occupied about evill subjects or about indifferent things as drunkennesse about wine whoredome about women covetousnesse about wealth gluttony about meat only pride is to be feared in well doing and therfore the better that a man doth the more jelous let him be of himselfe to look to himselfe that this sinne of pride overtake him not for what hast thou that thou hast not received Nay Paul beganne to be proud through the abundance of his revelations but lest he should be exalted above 1 Cor. 4. 7. measure there was given unto him a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him because he should not be exalted above measure Augustine 2 Cor. 12. 7. having overcome many sinnes yet overcame not the sinne of pride it did dog him like a blood-hound Luther strove more with this sinne than any sinne doe what hee could like a sea it came upon him This stained all the workes of the Pharisees they fasted but then they disfigured their faces they prayed Mat. 6. but it was in the Market-place they gave almes but yet they Pride expressed many wayes in things that pertaine to God and man blew the trumpet Habet quisque naevos superbiae every man hath staines and markes of pride in him secundum plus aut minus either more or lesse the most godly have it but some are all pride as Erasmus said of the Fryer that hee was all belly Generally pride is expressed either in things concerning God Ierome or in things appertaining to men In the things that concerne God there is the pride of the Atheist whereby he striveth to remove the sense of the being of God and the pride of the heretike when he assaults the attributes of God or his persons and the pride of the Papist who will scale the high Fort of heaven by the broken ladder of his owne merits and the pride of the curious who will search into things not revealed and the pride of the persecutor who will pursue by slaunders or violence the power of Gods ordinances and the pride of the impenitent who dare live and dye in his sinnes without care of Gods threatnings Againe pride is expressed against God as first when a man imagineth himselfe to be God and would bee so conceited of men as Caligula who being an open mocker of all religion at length fell to thinke that there was no other God but himselfe Secondly when men imagine that what they have they have it of themselves and so sacrifice to their nets as the Prophet speaketh Thirdly when in their hearts they say He shall not raigne over us Who shall controle us and so contemne the ordinances of God his Word his Sacraments their worke their power Fourthly when a man shall thinke he is perfect and breakes not the Law and that they can by their owne strength runne the way of Gods Commandements Psal 119. Fifthly when in heart they say We will do this and this who shall let us we will go thither and thither who shall hinder us Sixthly when men will disobey the will of God breake his yoke and burst his bonds asunder Thus is pride against God shewed manywayes Pride against man discovereth it selfe sundry wayes also As by oppugning the fame of the best men By bragging and boasting By striving for offices and highest places By costly apparell of purpose to be counted better men then they be By painting of the face to be thought a beautifull creature not being so By envying the good of another as if he deemed himselfe either only worthy or else the most worthy The proud man will acknowledge no superiour nor equall by his good will hee useth his equals as inferiours his inferiours as servants his servants as slaves his slaves as beasts and when he is climed up on high he pluckes up the ladder Vsually the basest are proudest after him if he can that no man shall come up after or but such as he pleaseth Thus pride is expressed both to God and man David was farre from this pride Lord saith he I am not Psal 113. 1. high-minded I have no proud lookes I do not exercise my selfe in matters that are too high for me c. But few are like David many men forget themselves to be men they take to them the name of God Act. 12. Esa 14. 13. as Herod did they will make their nests in the starres as Nabuchadnezer did The Bactrians said of Alexander that his pride was such that if his body had been answerable to his heart he would set one foot on the land and the other on the sea For
the highest degree as God complaineth I have nourished and brought up Children but they have rebelled against mee The Oxe doth know his owner the Asse his masters crib but Israel Esa 1. 2 3 4. hath not knowne my people hath not understood We are a sinfull nation a people loden with iniquity a seed of the wicked corrupt children We have forsaken the Lord and provoked the Holy one of Israel to anger We professe to serve God but in works wee deny God we have a shew of godlines but inwardly wee deny the power of it our profession Tit. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 3. is like the apples and grapes of Sodom faire to the sight but if you touch them they vanish to smoke so all our profession standeth in words not in works as Iames said Ostende mihi fidem per opera Shew mee thy faith by thy works so Ostende Iam. 2. mihi regnum Dei per subjectionem tuam Shew mee the Kingdome of God by thy subjection by thy obedience which is due to his Word apply thy heart to keepe his statutes alwayes unto the end Bee not deceived God will not thus bee mocked in fine wee shall receive the reward of Rebels Quid dicta audiam cùm facta videam What should I heare words when I should see deeds as Moses said to Israeel laying out their severall rebellions So might I lay out the rebellions of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 egge and bird all naught our Fathers naught and wee also our Fathers have forsaken God and kept not his Law and we have Notorious sinners Satans subjects done worse than our Fathers and walke every one after the stubbornesse of his heart As well may wee spit on Christ Iesus buffet and beate him with a reed and cry with the mockers Haile King of the Iewes as kneele in the Church and say Thy Kingdome come Lord and yet in our deeds promote the kingdome of Satan disobey and not receive the Word which is the power of God Rom. 1. 16. to salvation to every one that beleeveth Therefore hee so highly extolleth it saying The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations 2 Cor. 10. 5. and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Wee pray to be like the Angels we must strive then to come neere Mat. 6. them in obedience Three properties are noted in the Angels Obediunt Libentissimè Citissimè Fidelissimè most Willingly Speedily Faithfully They are willing to obey and so wee read that one Angell with speed killed an hundred fourescore and five thousand of the Assyrians in one night We must be like Angels if we looke Esa 37. to live with Angels they praise God day and night so must we Esa 6. But it may bee said of most of us that which Vivaldus said of Corasius Erat foris Cato intus Noro he was a Cato without a Nero within foris Angelus intus Diabolus an Angell without a Divell within foris Agnus intus Lupus a Lambe without a Wolfe within Deum ore laudabat corde factis negabat hee praised God with his mouth but denied him in heart in deeds tales sunt mancipia Diaboli such are the slaves of Satan God doth not raigne as a King in them his grace hath no dominion over them they are in the snare of the Divell and are taken of him at his will In this sence Christ called the Iewes the sonnes of the Divell Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your father will yee doe so 2 Tim. 2. 26. Iohn 8. 44. 1 Iohn 2. 14. Iohn saith in the contrary I write unto you babes because yee have knowne the father Impij servi sunt tot daemoniorum quot vitiorum the wicked are the servants of so many divels as they have sinnes and transgressions it is the divell that hath dominion over them not God by his grace As there is in the body a palsy that striketh the one halfe and an Apoplexy that striketh the whole body so there is in our soules a spirituall palsy if not an Apoplexy our understanding is not lightned with the doctrine of God and our will is not enflamed with the Love of God to doe his will as it becommeth us Hereupon Saint Augustine crieth out Augusta foeda est domus Aug. animae meae Straight and filthy is the house of my soule but when thou commest vnto it ô Lord it shall bee enlarged and mundified of thee it is ruinous Lord repaire and amend it it is filthy Lord clense it and wash it there be many things in this Christ will dwell and raigne in a pure soule house of my soule which may offend thy sacred eyes but who shall purge it and purify it or unto whom shall I cry but unto thee Ab ocultis meis purga me Clense mee from my secret sinnes Let this bee our prayer and pray with that spirit wherewith Augustine prayed it and no doubt God will heare thee and have a Kingdom in thy soule This testimony is true the Heavens have sealed unto it and the living God hath spoken it of the children of men and blessed are wee if wee beleeve it there is more happinesse in one day of Gods service and under his Dominion then in ten thousand dayes of vanity in which Satan hath dominion and wee fall from the Lord of life The sixth and last attribute is Power wherein the excellent praise of God consisteth which is the ability in God to do what hee listeth like unto the former attributes but not all one with them haec enim magis conjungi quà m confundi velim I had rather conjoine these things than confound them as Calvin said in another case Of this power speaketh David O Lord my God thou art Psal 104. 1. exceeding great thou art clothed with glory and Majesty And of this power speaketh Esay Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted Heaven with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in Esa 40. 12. a measure and weighted the mountaines in a weight and the hilles in a balance And of this power of God speaketh Salomon Who hath Prov. 30. 4. ascended up to Heaven or descended Who hath gathered the Wind in his fist Who hath bound the Waters in a garment Who hath established all the ends of the world What is his Name or his Sonnes Name if thou canst tell And in respect of this power Christ said Ecce vobiscum sum Behold I am with you to the end of the world whereupon Mat. 28. 20. Aug. Augustine finely Iturus erat Christus ad dextram Patris per mortem praesentia Corporali In regard of his Corporall presence he was by death to goe to the right hand of his Father and in regard of his
and concludeth his Epistle with it Grace bee with you Amen for wee must not doubt of Gods promises but beleeve stedfastly That all the promises of God are in Amen diversly used in Scripture Christ yea and are in him AMEN Againe this word Amen teacheth us to desire earnestly 2 Tim. 4. 22. and fervently the thing wee pray for For the prayer of the righteous availeth much if it bee fervent David was fervent in his Iam. 9. 16. Psal 106. 48. prayer Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever and let all the people say Amen And verily this word Amen noteth our desire our earnest fervent desire to bee heard and to obtaine it is in effect thus much O Lord thus bee it unto mee what my tongue or soule have begged give it me grant it me Amen Amen So Lord even so Lord. FINIS THE TABLE OF THE Sermons upon Saint IVDE Points handled Serm. 1. THe holy Ghost the Author of all Scripture Fol. 1. Two Iudases 1 Iscariot 2 Brother of Iames 1 Some Scriptures doubted of 2 A threefold office of the Church concerning Scripture 3 Honourable titles given the wicked why 4 Stormes should not discourage the godly ibid. Three sorts of servants ibid. Gods service most happy 5 Gods service perfect freedome ibid. Brings all good to us 6 All other service vile or dangerous 7 Mans dignity in three things 8 Priviledges of Gods servants ibid. Pope abuseth the title of servant 9 Servants must imitate their Master obey him 10 Gods servants rewarded ibid. Servants may not Lord it over the rest of the Family 11 Godly profession brings more glory than honourable alliance 12 13. Sermon 2. VOcation the first step to Salvation 15 Before calling wee are children of wrath not capable of Christ 16 The happinesse of having the Gospell 17 Vocation Externall Internall Invitation Admission 17 18 Externall calling unprofitable without internall 18 The efficacie of Gods Word in the ministery thereof 19 Vocation diverse in respect of time and place 20 None called for desert ibid. Sanctification followes vocation 21 God as he beginne will finish till he glorifie ibid. Sanctification three-fold Imputed unto us Wrought in us Wrought by us 22 Difference of righteousnesse of Iustification and Sanctification 23 Papisticall doctrine tends to licentiousnes ours to holinesse ibid. Faith and Workes joyned in the person justified in the act of justification 24 Sermon 3. CHrists Priesthood two parts Redemption Intercession 26 Redemption hath two parts Reconciliation and Sanctification ibid. Reconciliation consists in two points Remission of sinnes and imputation of Christs righteousnesse 27 Iustification what it is ibid. Adoption what it is ibid. Benefits of Adoption and Iustification 27 Sanctification consists in mortification and vivification 28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his beginning godly sorrow his companion the Spirituall combat ibid. Sanctification but in part as our knowledge ibid. Divers acceptions of holinesse 29 Wee must bee holy because God is holy 30 Wee must bee holy because it is the end of our Redemption 31 Without holinesse no salvation ibid. Wee must bee holy because called Saints ibid. All our holinesse is from God 32 The persons of the Trinity distinguished 33 Preservation in the state of Grace the chiefest blessing 34 Gods providence preserves in all accidents of life 35 God frees from all afflictions 36 God preserves his Scriptures and Saints 37 Gods preservation of soule and spirituall estate most gracious 38 39 Sermon 4. MErcie Peace and Love three most excellent gifts 40 How these three flow from the Trinity ibid. How mercy in God 41 A rule for Christian salutations ibid. Mercy fourefold ibid. Generall mercies bestowed on all ibid. Speciall mercies on the elect ibid. The long suffering of God 42 The greatest mercy concernes salvation ibid. Our election is of Mercy ibid. Gods abundant mercy in Christ 43 Mercy seven-fold ibid. All that wee have is of mercy ibid. Misericordia communis peccantium portus ibid. Peace three-fold 44 Peace the ornament of the Church and signe of Christs Kingdome ibid. God the Author of Peace 45 A commendation of peace ibid. Contention cause of destruction 46 Vnion makes powerfull ibid. True peace to bee sought and imbraced 47 Righteousnesse cause of peace ibid. Peace of Conscience passeth all understanding 48 Prosperity profiteth not without peace of Conscience ibid. The wicked have no peace 49 Christ dyed rose ascended to perfect our peace ibid. Peace is used for outward prosperitie 50 All priviledges spirituall and temporall belong to the godly ibid. Yet sometime God withholds outward blessings 51 Sermon 5. God loves the fountaine of mercy peace and all good things 52 Gods love is most abundant immeasurable immutable unspeakeable 53 How God is said to be love ibid. Love of man to man the most excellent vertue 54 No Love to man without the love of God 55 True love rare among men 56 That love which is truely Christian must be embraced all other abandoned 57 Not sufficient to have grace but there must be a desire of increase till we come to glory 58 Sermon 6. FAith the most necessarie and excellent vertue 61 Sonnes three-fold by Nature by Doctrine by Adoption or Inspiration 62 Faith set out by it's attributes that wee might labour for it 63 Many carelesse to get Faith or maintaine it ibid. Faith must bee maintained to the death 64 A foure-fold fight and flight of Ministers ibid. The zeale of Idolaters and Heretickes for false religion should make us to be zealous for Gods truth 65 Divers degrees of zeale ibid. God lookes to the truth of our zeale not the heate 66 God accepts according to that a man hath if in truth ibid. Love ought to bee shewed in all our instructions and reprehensions 67 What love required in Ministers to their people ibid. Wee must be zealous in the matter of Religion and industrious for our soules 68 Salvation ought to be our onely ayme to have it assured to our selves and propagated to others 69 Many more regard humane writings yea vaine pamphlets than Scriptures 70 All men ought to labour to get assurance of salvation 71 Salvation common in three respects ibid. As salvation is common so the Church Catholicke 72 Writing the most safe meanes to performe God truth ibid. Traditions bring errors to the Church 73 Exhortation powerfull urged in meekenesse 74 The Minister must exhort and the people suffer the Word of exhortation 75 Sermon 7. GOds truth must bee maintained 76 Faith the gift of God a fruit of the Spirit ibid. Divers acceptions of Faith 77 Divers excellent attributes of saving Faith ibid. Faith a worke of the Trinity 78 The meanes to beget Faith outwardly the Ministery of the Word inwardly the operation of the Spirit 79 True Faith in few in all ages ibid. True Religion most ancient and Scriptures before all other writings 80 As God is immutable so his truth and Religion ibid. Though types and shadowes vanish truth and