and with small force and others which seemed to be very weake and feeble haue by the grace of God resisted the greatest princes of Europe which could not ouercome them with all theyr forces and haue receaued therby great disgrace Let vs then conclude that there is nothing so strong as the house of God that is to say the Church which by his fauour is inuincible and inexpugnable for any power as Dauid sayeth Psal 46.5 God is in the middest of it therfore shall it not be mooued God shall helpe it very earlye when the nations raged and the kingdomes were moued God thundered and the earth melted the Lorde of hoastes is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge How are the Apostates then so vnwise as euen in the time of warre to geue ouer such a houlde where they may sleepe and watche at ease hauing such a watchman as the god of Israell who for the great care he hathe to keepe all those that be his doeth neither slumber nor sleepe daye nor night as saieth the Prophet I will not suffer my foote to slippe Psal 121.3 for he that keepeth the will not flumber beholde he that keepeth Israell will neither slumber nor sleepe Considering that God doth neuer forsake them that truste in him and repose themselues and all their affaires on his prouidence though he saw himself in extreame daunger becaufe of the conspiracye of his sone and of all the people that were risen against him neuerthelesse he was neuer daunted at it Psal 3.4 as he doth shewe I did call vnto the Lord with my voice he heard me out of his holye mountaine I laide me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustayned me I will not be affrayed for ten thousands of the people which should beset me rounde aboute O Lorde arise helpe me my God for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheeke bone thou haste broken the teethe of the wicked Saluation belongethe vnto the Lorde and thy blessinge is vppon thy people Imitatinge then this his example whatsoeuer stormes or tempestes we shall see let vs diligentlye take heede that we goe not out of the house of the Lorde to shunne them as the Apostates doe But contrarily let vs beseeche God to warrant vs and saue vs that he woulde shewe vs so much fauoure as to take aside and place vs in some corner thereof when we shal be yet more in safetye then in all the castelles of the worlde And takinge this reasolution Let vs say with him Psal 27.4 One thinge haue I desyred of the Lorde and that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of my life For what can we looke for out of the pauillion of God but as Esaye sayeth Feare and the pitte Esay 24.17 and the snarres which are vpon the inhabitauntes of the earth and he that flieth from the noise of the feare shall fall into the pit and he that commeth out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windowes from an high are open and the foundations of the earth doe shake By these kindes of speech Psal 5. Gal. 6. the Prophet would signifie nothing els but the cursing and wrath of God which is spread euery where where sinne is which is the seede thereof and of all miseries that are in the world beside if then we wil find the blessing of God and the felicity which doth depend theron we must search where his grace is and his grace is where his righteousnes is 1. Cor. 1.4 Matth. 25. and his righteousnes is in Iesus Christ and Iesus Christ is in his house and in his Temple that is to saye in his Church where he doeth abide vnto the ende of the world as he also hath bene there since the beginning thereof and not any where els where a mā may be happy For there lieth the blessing and the blessed seed which was promised vnto Abraham from whom as from a spring it was deriued to all his family posterity whosoeuer would be participant thereof must first be adopted by faith ingrafted into the body of lesus Christ for there is none but he alone in whom the father taketh pleasure Mat. 3.17 now those which are vnited vnto him by faith are knowē to be his members so that the rest of the whole world this litle flocke onely excepted which the sheepheard hath gathered vp is within the compasse of this wrath and curse of God Are not then the Apostates wonderfull miserable that hauing the meanes to be as happye as Angels haue voluntarily abandoned it to become for euer as miserable as deuils If a man should aske them whether they do not thinke a man accursed that is iustly banished and cut of from the body of the Church where is only saluation and life I doe not doubt but they would answer by and by it were so what can they then thinke of themselues who voluntarily haue excommunicated themselues Ioh. 1. leauing Iesus Christ who is the fountaine of all good and all liberty to yeeld and put themselues vnder the power of the Deuill who is the cruellest tyrant both of soules and bodies that they could haue chosen declaring thereby that they loue darknes more then light death more then life bondage more then liberty and to liue vnder the dominion of a most barbarous murtherer as Satan is then in the kingdome of Iesus Christ who is the support shelter and refuge of al poore afflicted persons Where were ye a while agoe ô ye poore soules in the Church Mat. 13. that is to say in the kingdome of heauen and now ye are gone downe to the bottom of hell to be banished perpetually with Antichrist and the prince of darkenes Ioh. 8. who for not hauing perseuered in the truth no more then you haue hath ben cast down from the highest degree of glory that it was possible for him to haue to the bottom of the pit of all misery and confusion without al hope of recouery Gen. 3.23 When our first parents saw themselues so shamefully banished and thrust out of the garden of paradise where they did abound in all dainties end brought by their ingratitude and rebellion to the miserable estate wherunto they came afterwards had they not great cause to lament all their life so great and horrible a change which happened vnto them by their owne fault would they not haue bene desperate at that time if God had not sodenly preuented them by his mercye and lifted vp their hope which was altogether beaten downe by the promise which he made vnto them of the seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 which should bruise the serpents head If the Apostates either could or would consider the miserie whereinto they haue cast themselues headlong by their reuolting they haue no lesse cause to be grieued then our first parents had for
authoritie or power ouer them for notwithstanding their defection and Apostacie he doth not cease to be still their Lord and their Iudge as he is also vnto the Deuils and vnâ—o other reprobates But this is it whiche wee â—olde that they be not the children of God Gal. 3. nor comprehended within his couenant Rom. 9.8 that â—o them the promises of saluation concerning their efficacye and operation doe not â—ppertaine Gal. 4.6 and that they haue not the spirite of adoption which hath ingrauen and â—ealed the grace of God in their heartes and maketh them to cry Abba father But now to speake properly God is God onely of those who by faith are ingrafted into the family of Abraham and made the children of the promise by reason whereof ten tribes of Israell hauing seuered themselues from the couenant of God vnder the crowne of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat God doth denounce vnto theÌ„ by his Prophet that he doth not acknowledge them any more for his people And to assurr â—n better therof he commandeth the Prophet to call his last sonne his name Locrian for ye are not sayth he my people Hos 1.9 therefore will I not be your God To the Iewes also who made their boast that they had God to be their father Iesus Christ who knew verie well that they had broken his couenant reiecting and persecuting him so obstinately as they did he I say who is the onely meanes and grounde thereof sayd vnto them Ioh. 8.42 Ioh. 8.44 If God were your father then would you loue me for I proceded forth and came from God neither came Iâ— my selfe but he sent me Ye are of your father the Deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe 〈◊〉 hath beene a murtherer from the beginning â— aâ— abode not in the truth because there is no truthâ— him When he speaketh a lye then speaketh heâ— his owne for he is a lyer and the father thereoâ— By this speech which Iesus Christ had witâ— the Iewes it may well be thought that theâ— were farre ouer-shot in their reckoning tâ— thinke they were the children of God becauâ— they were circumcised and bare about theâ— the tokens of his couenant seeing they were so farre of from being accounted for such as â—he doth rather esteeme them the seed and progenie of the Deuill because they yelded themselues wholly obedient to his hests which are to loue vntrueth and to seeke the death of all those who loue preach or fauor in what sort soeuer the truth We must not then iudge by outward apearance of those that are of the house and family of God For there are many of whom his name is called vpon and who say vnto him Lorde Lorde Math. 7.21 which shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen but he onely that doth his will Many sayth Iesus Christ speaking to the Iewes will say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out Deuils And by thy name done many great workes And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquity And Saint Paule speaking to the Iewes in the same sorte who thought theÌ„selues to be vnited vnto God because they had receiued the law the circumcision and other badges of the couenant Did he not say vnto them reprehending that vaine considence which they put in these outward things Beholde thou art called a Iewe Rom. 2.17 and restest in the law and gloriest in God and knowest his will allowest all things that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the law and perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darkenesse an instructor of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest another teachest not thou thy selfe Thou that preachest a man should not steale doest thou steale Thou that sayest a man shoulde not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idoles committest thou sacrilege Thou that gloriest in the lawe through breaking the law dishonourest thou God And a litle after he doth conclude verse 28. For he is not a Iewe which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within c. If then the onely obseruation of the ceremonies of the lawe though they were ordained of God and auctorised by his worde were neuerthelesse vnable to knit the people vnto God howe commeth it to passe that the Apostates are so foolishe as to thinke that for hauing betaken themselues to papistry againe that is to say for hauing returned to their owne vomit and abhomination they are entred againe into the couenant of God who is the God of them onely that by faith words and workes doe professe and shewe that they are and will continue his people for euer If â—hen thou hast withdrawne thee from it and â—o cause thy selfe to be in account amongest â—hine owne thou doest declare openly and blamely with a shamelesse face that thou wilt neuer be of that number againe Art thou so vnwise as to beleue that God will be a father â—nto him by force who doth disdaine him and doth refuse to be of his people and to be accounted in his house among his children Moreouer since there is no agreemeÌ„t betwene Christ and Beliall 2. Cor. 6.15 1. Cor. 10.21 and that No man can be partaker of the Lorde his table and of the table of Deuils Hauing reiected Iesus Christ his part â—n betaking himselfe to Antichrist and his company and returning to the masse renounced the death sacrifice of the sonne of God Art thou so brutish as to thinke that denying Iesus Christ to be thy brother Iohn 1. his father can account thee for his sonne considering that â—e is the onely author meane of our adoption and that with out him God doth not onely not hold vs for his freindes and confederates but doth esteeme vs for his mortall foes And therefore S. Rom. 5. Paule doth exhort vs to withdraw our selues from the companye of Idolaters and Infidels if we desire that God should adopt vs to be his children 2. Cor. 6.17 Come oâ— sayeth he from among them and seperate youâ— selues sayth the Lorde and touch no vnclean thing and I will receiue you and I will be a father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord almighty 1. Ioh. 2.23 Saint Iohn sayeth that whosoeuer confesseth the sonne hath also the father and contrarily whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father that iâ— the reason wherefore when he was circumcised the name of Immanuell was giuen him to leâ— vs vnderstand that there is none but he alone that can cause vs to come neere vnto God and set vs into his
of men keeping backe the truth in iniquitie Psal 21.8 And Dauid sayth Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies and thy right hand shall find out them that hate thee thou shalt make them like a fiery ouen in the time of thine anger the Lord shall destroy them in his wrath and the fire shall deuoure them Their fruit shalt thoâ— destroy from the earth and their seede from among the children of men for they intended euill against thee and imagined mischiefe but they shall not prenaile therfore shalt thou put them apart and the strings of thy bowe shalt thou make ready againsâ— their faces Considering that the dominion oâ— our Lord God is stretched ouer all things and by consequent his iustice not being bounded or limited in any place who is he that can escape and saue himselfe by his owne power when as he shall summon him before him Dauid speaketh to this ende Psal 139.7 Whether shall goe from thy spirite or whether shall I flie from thy presence If I ascend into heauen thou aâ—â— there if I lye downe in hell thou art there Couâ— a man who had committed treason and griâ—â—uously incensed the king against him be at suerty or ease in any part of his kingdome Vpon what then can the Apostates ground and establish then rest being wheresoeuer they shal become vnder the dominion of our Lord God from whose eies they can not hide themselues but he will espye them out wheresoeuer they lye and can not shunne the power of his handes but that he can ouertake them and ouerthrowe them whensoeuer he thinketh it good If then there remaine in them any spark of light and iudgement to weigh and ponder these things and as much conscience to apprehend and lay hold on them it is not possible but that they should feele in their hearts most terrible terrors and torments For as there are no greater consolations then those which come by a liuely apprehension of the mercy of Godâ—â—o on the other side there are no crueller pains then those which springe of the sence and feeing of his wrath and iudgements But some will say that the Apostates haue commonly â—heir consciences feared with a hot iron and â—isensed with the Lethargicall drowsines that â—hey apprehend no more the wrath then the â—race of God the threatnings then the promiâ—es the cursings then the blessings which I â—rant and likewise that they striue as much as in them lieth to expell out of their hearts and mindes all thoughts which come vnto them aswell of God as of religion yet they can not so choke the synteresis of the conscience but it will set before their eies and call to mind some times such things as they would willingly but yet are not able vtterly to blot out of their memorie for the power of the word of God and his iudgement is so great that it causeth it selfe to be felt and vnderstoode euen in creature that are without life as the sea the windes thâ— waues the tempests the stones the trees thâ— mountaines Psal 29.3 as Dauid saith The voice of thâ— Lord is aboue the waters the God of glory maketh it to thunder the Lorde is vpon the greaâ— waters the voice of the Lord is mighty the voicâ— of the Lord is glorious the voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars yea the Lorde breaketh the Ceders of Lebanon he maketh them also to leapâ— like a Calfe Lebanon also and Chirion like 〈◊〉 young Vnicorne Psal 114.1 And in another place When Israell went out of Egypt and the house of Iacoâ— from the barbarous people Iuda was his sanctification and Israell his dominion The sea sawe it fled Iordan was turned backe the mount ainâ— leaped like Rams and the hils as Lambes Whâ—â— ailed thee ô sea that thou fleddest ô Iordan whâ— wast thou turned backe ye mountaines why leâ—ped ye like Rains ye hils as Lambes The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Iacob which turneth the rock into water pooles and the flint into a fountaine of water And in another place Glorye be to the Lord foreuer let the Lord reioyce in his workes he looketh on the earth and it trembleth he toucheth the maintaines and they smoke And in the prophesie of Nahum Nahum 1 3. The Lord is slowe to anger but great in power and will not surely cleare the wicked the Lord hath his way in the whirlewinde and in the storme and the cloudes are the dust of his feete He rebuketh the sea and drieth it and he drieth vp all the riuers Bashan is wasted and Carmell and the flower of Lebanon is wasted The mountaines tremble for him the hils melt and the earth is burnt at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein Who can stand before his wrath or who can abide in the fiercenes of his wrath his wrath is powred out like fire and the rockes are broken by him By these passages it doth appeere how God when it pleaseth him doth cause euen the most senseles and moste brutish creatures in the worlde though they haue not offended him to feele the force of his wrath As men sometimes in their anger will breake a pot or a glasse though those things â—e nothing culpable of the fault of the seruant or the maide who hath caused the maister to be wroth And seeing he can cause himselfe to be hard and knowne of sicknesses of death and of the deuils who are constrained to obey his word presently how were it possible that the wicked should exempt theÌ„selues from his fury that he should not make them tast thereof when and in what sort it pleaseth him Although then the Apostates being departed from God woulde faine perswade themselues that they are well at ease and make the best shew outwardly they can with the Papistes yea and laugh and scorne with them of religion yet they can not so wel disguise themselues but that a man may oftentimes perceiue the worme which gnaweth their harts and that the laughter which appeereth in the outward lippes is but a Sardonian laughter full of anguish and griefe like vnto those who laugh when they are tickled which is not naturall but noysome and greeuous That the Apostates are without God though they thinke and defend the contrary Chap. 6. THe Apostates complaine of vs and say we do them wronge to thinke so of them and to cast in their teeth that they are without God considering they make their praiers vnto him and that they ferue and worship him in the assemblies of the synagogues where they meete But when all things shall be diligently examined and our reasons well weighed euery one will confesse that that which we say is most true And first of al when we say of them that they are without God it is not our intent to say that they are no more vnder the dominion of God as though he had no more
of the minde as the ripenes of witte vertue and learning if all these be not blessed of God and accompanied with his grace they can neither profite nor benefite anie way him who possesseth them but contrarily without the blessing of God all will turne to his misery Esay 5 1 Tim 6.9 his riches shall serue to no other end but to set on fire and continue his desires to puffe vp his hearte with pride to cause him nether to regard nor make acoumpt of his poore neighboures to put his trust in vaine corrupt and vncertaine thinges to be at superfluous prodigall expences and which is a great deale worse and most dangerous Luk. 3. to withdrawe him from the kingdome of god to let as thornes weedes to hinder the good seed of the word of god from growing and fructifying in him His frendes in stead of good counsaile wil flatâ—er him Mat. 13.22 will seeke by him their owne profite â—ot his They will withdraw him froÌ„ the feare â—k seruice of God to entice him to follow the â—anities of this world In prosperity they will â—ugh with him sooth him vp but in aduerâ—ty they wil flitte forsake him Concerning â—he bodily goodes as health they wil abuse it to â—ugh sport leap dance play to hauÌ„t company 〈◊〉 feasts to quaffe to coÌ„mit folly excessewith â—ut al measure their strength they wil employ to beate strike maime rauishe steale spoile and oppresse in euery respect al those whome they suppose to be weaker then themselues lesse able to make resistaunce They will vse their beautie and good fauour if they haue anie be it either in their speach or in their countenance in steade of a baude to seduce and circumuent all those with whom they can acquaint themselues into whose fauour they can insinuate As for the goodes of their minde as it might be quicknes and dexteritie of witte they will employ them to inuent craftes and subtities to cosen and deceiue those with whome they haue to deale and to boaste when by some subtill slight they shall haue gotteÌ„ allured some one to intrappe him in their net if they haue learning it will serue but to pusse theÌ„ vp to vaunte of and by a vaine ostentation to cause themselues to be esteemed among men to conclude it is not possible for a man without God who is the chiefest good to vse or acquaint him self with any other good thing For al creatures be good god by his owne testimony after be had created all thinges in sixe dayes 1. Tim. 4 4. approued that which he had done without any exception spake of his workes that all in generall euery one in particular were good Gen. 1.31 that is to sayâ— commodious necessarie pleasant profitable wholesome But in that consideration that he do by his grace blesse the vse of them For as the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 4.5 They be all sanctified by the worde of God and thankes geuing vnto the faithfull only and to those which haue knowen the trueth For as he sayeth in another place Tit. 1.15 vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds consciences are defiled Is not then the condicion of the Apostates wretched that being without God without his grace they are also miserable in all things that is to say that the bread which they eate the bed whereon they lie the verie coate and shirte which they put on the light which doth lighten them the woode and fire which warmeth theÌ„ the aire which they breath in the water wherewith they wash themselues the earth which doth beare and nourish them and al thinges generally which they vse are vncleane vnto them Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. and bringe a wretchednes vpon them For ther is nothing but the word of God which we beleue and obserue the obedience which we performe vnto him and the feare of his name wherein we walke that doth make vs holie and happie in all thinges As the Prophet saieth Psal 1.2 that he which delighteth in the Lawe of the Lord and in his Lawe doth meditate daye and night shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bringe forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall neuer fade so whatsoeuer he shaldo shal prosper And in an other place Psal 119 165 They that loue thy law shal haue great prosperity they shall haue no hurt And as they who loue God serue him doe prosper in all their affairs vnder his fauour blessing so the wicked who go astray from him blaspheme him thoughe that for a time they haue the winde at will though it seeme to them to the whole world that all things do fall out vnto them according to their minde neuertheles al their felicitie in the ende being accursed and not fauored of god doth finish in great misery As Dauid also saith Psal 1.6 The way of the wicked shall perish But as the wicked caÌ„ not be happy without god being the author of all felicity so they can be no lesse being seperated froÌ„ Iesus Christ who is the only means therof He is the blessed seede which at his coÌ„ming by his obedience first hath takeÌ„ away all the malediction which had bene brought into the worlde by the disobedience and rebellion of our first parentes against the commandementes of God And then secondly hath brought afterward againe the blessing which God had promised to Abraham for him Gal. 3. and his seede That is to saye for those that should beleue in the promise to him made This is also the reason why among other names which are giuen vnto him by Esay this is one amongst the rest namely the name of Prince of peace Esay 9.6 Peace in the Hebrue tongue signifieth prosperity and happy successe it seemeth theÌ„ since the spirit of god hath so named Iesus Christ that he woulde teach vs by the name which he giueth him that he onely at this present is the spring of happines of all good whatsoeuer in the world So the Angels bringing tidinges of his birth into the world Luk. 2.11 told the shepheards of Iudea to whom they disclosed it first Vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a Sauiour vers 14. which is Christ the Lord. Glory be to God in the high heauens peace in earth and towardes men good will And the Prophet speaking of his kingdome sayd Psal 27.3 The mountaines and the hilles shall bring peace to the people by iustice vers 6. And a litle after in the same Psalme He shall come downe like the raine vpon the mowen grasse and as the showers that water the earth Also we see that the Apostle in all his Epistles doeth wish euen in the beginning vnto those to whome he writeth the
ill which she receiued of her louers whom she followed and resolued in the end to leaue them and returne to her husbande saying I will goe and returne to my first husbande for at that time was I better then now But this conuersion hath hapned to those onely who fighting against temptations and being not able to vanquishe them because of their weakenes haue yeelded themselus hoping to take heart againe and fight after they had shrunke away the grace of God assisting them to declare and make manifest his power in their infirmitie 2. Cor. 12. which can not be looked for at their handes who in pride of hearte not being pressed with any other temptation then with their owne concupiscences nor led with any other counsel then their owne carnall wit haue willingly departed from the Church as it were making no account of God or of all his blessings hoping to find a better party thē in his house howsoeuer it should fall out it should be euer open vnto them whensoeuer it pleased them to returne after they had assayed other estates But these poore soules doe deceiue themselues making their reckoning thus without their host of whose wil aduise they make no account as though the one and the other were in their power and as though they had the keies of the kingdome of heauen tied at their girdles to open and shut go out and come in at all times whensoeuer it pleaseth them For as God speaketh by his Prophet My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes Esay 55.8 sayth the Lorde for as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes my thoughtes aboue your thoughtes Gal. 6.7 They must not then thinke that God will suffer himselfe to be so mocked and that he doeth apply himselfe to all their foolish vaine imaginations as they dreame nor that it is in their power to returne vnto him when they list Rom. 9.16 For all this is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God alone which sheweth mercy Phil. 2. and doeth graunt both will and power to performe to whome soeuer he will A man sayth Saint Augustine to this purpose may kill himselfe but so that being deade he can not raise himselfe to life againe Psal 36. So when we haue once separated our selues from God by consequent from life which doeth not abide any where else but onely in him let vs not thinke that there is any one who hath that power besides him nor that it can otherwise be brought to passe then by a true repentance from which the Apostates being excluded Heb. 6. the wrath of God doth hang ouer them and so consequently they abide in death which they shewe euidently then when they are exhorted to returne vnto God and to enter againe into his church For they neuer finde themselues ready to performe it but still delay driue it of vntil such time as the wheele of the iudgement of God going ouer them al at once euen then when they are not aware therof they find themselues crushed and ouer whelmed on the sodaine like Esope his frog 1. Ioh. 2.19 Also S. Iohn taketh Apostacy for a signe of reprobation whē he saith If they had bene of vs that is those whom God hath elected they would haue cōtinued with vs but leauing our company they haue sheewed therby that they were neuer of vs though they haue beene with vs no more then corrupt humours which are not mēbers of the body though they be in the body or the tares which are not of the wheat although they be in the same field with the wheate Rom. 10. For if the continuing in faith and the confession of the same be an argument certayne proofe of our election the forsaking thereof contrariwise shall it not be a marke and token of reprobation Heb. 10. And if the sinne against the holy Ghost be an enuious and obstinate hatred that the diuells and men that loue lying doe beare to the trueth of the Gospell Heb. 6.4.10.26 which is as contrary vnto them as light to darknes what is it possible for a man else to iudge of the Apostates who hauing receaued followed approued beleeued and confessed the trueth for a time do now reiect and blaspheme it do condemne it by worde deed haue it in greater detestation then those who neuer made profession thereof then that the spirit of God being vtterly departed frō thē hath geuē place to the spirit of blasphemye Mat. 12.44 which findeth the house empty swept and garnished then he goeth and taketh vnto himself seuen other spirits worse then him self which being entred dwell ther so that the end of such men is a great deale worse then the beginning whereof we shall haue experience euery day in many who are as it were trumpets to soūd the battell to good mē furies which cease not gadding rūning here ther to incense stirre vp all contentious and troublesome persons that they can meete with all like vnto themselues against the Church And as a candle of tallow if it be put out hauing bene once lighted it stincketh a great deale more then if it had neuer bene burned and as pott likewise wherein there hath ben some precious liquor if after ther should be mingled some other which were naught al that rottē together would yeld a most corrupt and filthy smell so the good things being corrupted with the euil in these wicked men haue made thē worse by the halfe And as among the enemies of Iesus Christ there was none worse or more traiterous then Iudas when he was sequestred from his company wherein he had heard so manie good lessons and seene so many notable examples And as among the Christians of the primitiue Church the heretickes and blasphemers who did seperate themselues from the body of the Church were of all the wickedest so in these last times the Apostates haue ben found to be the dreggs of our Church when as they were tryed Mat. 9. The naughty humors which doe impaire the health of the body which haue bin cast out the soueraigne phisition purging thē The huskes and chaffe which haue bene seuered from the graine by the fanne and flayle Mat. 3.12 god sweeping his flower and to be the verie scumme which commeth out of the pott whē as the fire is first brought nere vnto it to make the flesh sethe which is in it the drosse which hath ben drawen from the gold whē the goldsmythe putteth it into the fornace to purifie it The excrements which haue bene cut of Ezech. 14. Wisd 3.6 from the body to bewtifie it and make it faire when God as a barber tooke the rasor and scissers to paire the nailes and cut the haires thereof Esay 7. Finally though our churches be diminished by the departing of the
the Church of God and wouldest shew them by thine example the way to followe and enter in For it is the schoole and only place where it is possible for anye man to learne to be happie and if they refused to followe thee being not drawne of the Father without whose fauour none can come to Iesus Christ thou art yet at the least discharged of thy dutie towardes them and towardes God But what if a woman be so willfull that she will torment her husband without ceasing if he doe not consent vnto her to commit idolatrye and goe to the Masse with her ought he not in this to obeye her to liue with her in friendshippe and to continue peace in his house To aunswere to this question when that chanceth it is a great temptation for the husbande who ought then to praye vnto God earnestly that he woulde strengthen him to abide constantly in the obedience of his holye will without declining from the same in any sorte Gen. 3. And not doe as Adam did who willing to please his wife displeased God breaking his commaundement whereby a thousande and a thousande euils ensued vnto him and all his posteritie 1. King 11. Neither as Salomon who to the ende he might not offende the strange woman which he had taken to wife against the commaundement of God was by them brought euen to that poynt namely to build Temples to their Idols and forgate himselfe so muche that he worshipped and offered sacrifice vnto them 1. King 12. Which was the cause that of three parts of his Realme two and more were taken away from his sonne Reheboam and translated to lereboam the sonne of Nebat Deut. 13. If there had bene founde in olde time amonge the people of Israell a woman which woulde haue entised her husband to goe and serue straunge Gods the husband was commaunded by and by to make her knowen vnto the Magistrate that she might be condemned and after sentence giuen that he might cast at her the first stone to stone her So farre was it in those times from the husbands to be permitted to beleeue their wiues to obey them worship strange Gods with them Let them then alledge no more such excuses to cloke their disloyalty There are some also who when they are vrged to enter into the Congregation of the Church that alledge for their excuse that it is good to waite vntill all things be at a better staye and more at quiet but they staye for that they will not be of a long tyme ready Gen. 3. for doe they thinke that the Deuill who beareth a deadly hate against the Church who hath sworne to make warre euen from the beginning of the world will euer cease to prouoke stir vp by almeans possible the tyrāts the heretiks the Philosophers the hypocrites the whole synagogue with all her adherents against it Apoc. 20. to persecute it especially in these last times wherin he is loosed more fierce then euer he was before seeing the day of his iudgement draweth neare wherin he shal be condēned to the bottōles pit of hel for euer Apoc. 9. Do they think also that the 2. Antichrists that is to say Mahomet the Pope the one in the East and the other in the West would not striue with al their might to maintaine their tyranny which they haue vsurped in the Church of God to this end 2. Thes 2. they would not endeuor stil to put out the light of the gospell of the word of God which is the sword wherby the one the other shall in the end be destroied Doe they thinke moreouer that the truth can be without enemies in the world where the deuil the father of lies beareth rule men being liers vnfaithfull by nature be his bondslaues Moreouer what doth the Apostle promise vs more in the end and latter age of the worlde 2. Tim. 3. This knovve saith he to Timothe That in the last daies shal come perillous times for men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobediēt to parents vnthākful vnholy without natural affection truce breakers false accusers intemperdte fierce despisers of thē which are good traiterous heady highminded louers of pleasure more then louers of God hauing a shewe of godlines denying the power thereof Matth. 24. And hath not Iesus Christ admonished vs foretold vs that there shall be so great tribulation as was not from the beginning of the world nor is at this present nor shal be hereafter We must not then hope that in this wretched world Psal 12. 119. where good men are abased where there is no faith no law that can hold backe the malice of men that we shal euer haue rest that shal be permanēt or sure By reason wherof the delaiers must not flatter thēselues nor feede this vaine hope nor thinke that in the Church of Iesus Christ so lōg as it endureth in the world there should euer be peace which wil not be troubled by the deuil the wicked Let vs tary to se those happy times enioy that rest which we desire Psal 110. vntill Iesus Christ put all his our enemies vnder his footstoole that the son hauing abolished al principalities all powers strength Heb. 1. 1. Cor. 15. giue the kingdome to his Father God be all in all Finally there are some that alledge for their excuse when they are exhorted to come to the Churche that they praye vnto God in their houses that is sufficient for them but they abuse thēselues 2. waies first in that they thinke that beinge out of the bodye of the Church their praiers and other exercises can be acceptable vnto God for if the father approueth no oblation but that which is offered vpon the altar that is to say which is presented vnto him by the sonne howe can they assure themselues that their praiers are heard granted of him seeing they are not members of the bodye of Iesus Christ And also that they be cast of and denied of him which knoweth his sheepe and those which are in his sheepefolde My sheepe sayth he heare my voice Ioh. 10. and I know them and they follow me Considering then that they doe followe not the pastor and heare not his voice Thereof it insueth that they are not numbred among his sheepe and consequently that they and all that proceedeth from them is abhominable before God Therfore he saith speaking of such persons who being separated from the Church content themselues to make their praiers priuately Matth. 7. Euery one that sayth vnme Lord Lord shall not enter into my kingdome of heauen but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heauen Many will say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out Deuils and by thy
name done many great workes And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquity Let vs then conclude that the praiers which are made at home priuatly done by some particular man can not be acceptable vnto God if he be not a member of the Church and he can not be a member of the Church except he be vnited with the body the head For those that thus withdrawe them selues from the assemblies whatsoeuer exercise of religion they performe in their houses they make a sect by themselues and by consequent are excōmunicated The seconde is that a faithfull mā ought not to withdraw himselfe from frequenting of the assemblies which be made in the name of God by his people in certaine daies that are appointed wherin they are called together to sanctifie publikely his name for the reasons which followe First of all it is forbidden them Heb. 10.24 Let vs consider one an other sayeth the Apostle to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not for saking the fellowship we haue among our selues as the maner of some is but let vs exhort one an other that so much the more because ye see that the day draweth neere For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuour the aduersaries And afterward when God commandeth euerye one so expresly to sanctifie the day of rest is it not to the end that the people may inore conueniently assemble themselues to heare the worde of God preached and by their confessions praises and publike praiers whiche they make together ioyne and vnite themselues still more and more in the one and selfe same faith and religion and waite for the performance of the promises which God hath made to be in the midst of such assemblies and to powre vpon them aboundantly his spirite his graces fauors and holy blessings as Dauid saith As the devv of Hermon vvhich falleth vpon the mountaine of Sion Psal 133.3 there the Lorde appointed the blessing life for euer And this is the reason why this good wise king esteemed so much these holy assemblies that there was nothing in the world more deare and pretious in his eyes then to be in the middest of them at the dayes wherein they were called together as it appeareth by an innumerable multitude of places in the Psalmes Psal 26.8 O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thy house the place vvhere thine honor dwelleth Psal 43.3 And in an other place Send thy light thy truth let thē lead me let them bring me to thy holy mountaine and thy tabernacles Againe other where Psal 138.1 I vvill praise thee vvith my vvhole heurt enen before the Gods vvill I praise thee I vvill vvorship tovvards thine holy temple praise thy name because of thy louing kindnes for thy truth And in many other places he sheweth the delight which he had to resort to the publike cōgregatiōs of the church the singular pleasure contentation of minde he receiued in them doth teach euery one by his example to seke after frequent thē because there is no better means to preserue nourish increase faith thē that to be edified in the knowledge feare of God in all true kind of godlines religion 1. Cor. 14. Ephes 4. as the Apostle teacheth the Corinthians the Ephesiās Moreouer those that abstaine frō thē do they not detest the church of God Iesus Christ who is euer in the middest of those that are gathered together in his name Doe they not make themselues vnworthy of the great blessings that God imparteth to them so aboundantly 1. Cor. 11. Matth. 18. as though they were heathen and publicās Do they not forsake the company of Iesus Christ of the Patriarchs prophets Apostles of al the elect children of God which are all members of the church Deut. 23. To go to the bastards the Ammonits the Moabits who by the ordināce of God were in old time banished from the tabernacle and from the couenant of God O wretched soules which do not knowe the dayes of their visitation who turne their backes to the sheepehearde when he seeketh them and shut the dore on him when he commeth to knocke But to come to the ende of this speech and treatise I say in a word that the delayers whatsoeuer faith they suppose or feigne themselues to haue They are indued with none at all for the true faith is alwayes ioyned with confession as the Apostle saith which ought to be publike and in the sight of men Rom. 10. Matth. 10. Matth. 5. for our light ought not to lye vnder the bushell but to be Set on high vpon a candlesticke to lighten all those that come into the house We ought to beare the badge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in our foreheades Apoc. 7. which is the place most eminent and apparant in all our bodie we ought not to hide our scarfes nor to turne our coates nor feare to be knowne by our liuery to the souldiers of Iesus Christ He hath died for vs not secretly in an vnknowne corner or closed frō the knowledge of the world but in the open place of the sculles where they had wont to execute the guiltie and euil doers Iohn 19. and was lifted vp on high on the crosse betweene two theeues and hath dronke swallowed vp this shame ignominy in the middest of the world that we might be honoured before God What vilanous and detestable ingratitude then is in them which woulde dissemble that and conceale such an act to as all the trumpets in the world can not sufficiently sound and spread abroad He is not ashamed euen nowe that he is in his glory to acknowledge and auouch vs for his brethren and shall we be ashamed to confesse him to be our Sauiour God by his grace and perfect goodnes grant to the delayers to know and vnderstand betime the great fault which they commit by dissembling so long that they may by a true repentance speedily preuent the fearefull iudgement of God which hangeth ouer their heads if they hasten not So be it