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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20536	Ten sermons tending chiefely to the fitting of men for the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper VVherein amongst many other holy instructions: the doctrines of sound repentance and humiliation, and of Gods speciall fauours vnto penitent sinners, and worthy communicants are largely and effectually handled. The six first, by I. Dod. The foure last, by R. Cleauer. Whereunto is annexed, a plaine and learned metaphrase on the epistle to the Collossians, written by a godly and iudicious preacher. There is also set before the sermons, a short dialogue of preparation: containing the chiefe points that concerne the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper, taken for the most part, out of the sermons following: and collected into a method for the benefit and ease of those that desire direction in this matter.	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634.	1610 (1610)	STC 6945; ESTC S114601	221,900	292

you may raigne with his owne sonne therefore doe you lead such a life as becomes heires of such a kingdome and adorne your selues with such graces as may beseeme the spouse of Christ and those that are the chosen people of the Lord euen such as are called vnto holinesse and vnto whom God hath manifested his loue and seeing hee hath forgiuen you so many sinnes and doth continually passe by so many of your infirmities doe you put on tender mercy c. he reckneth vp diuers of those particular vertues whereby hee would haue them shine forth before men and first he willeth them to put on tender mercy not only to haue but to put on a mercifull heart many haue this grace which doe not put it on that is doe not stirre vp their hearts nor make them sensible of the wants and necessities and distresses of their poore brethren the bowels of compassion are not so moued within thē that they out of a fellow-feeling of their griefes doe proceede from pitying of them to releeuing of them but the Apostle would haue men so to be indued with these graces that they put them forth for the vse of others as occasion is offered The next vertue which wee must put on is kindnesse wee must not be fierce nor froward tart nor sower in our speeches or cariage but be affable and amiable in our conuersation that so we may not discourage nor discountenance those that haue to speake or deale with vs. But how may we attaine to this kindnesse get humblenesse which is the next vertue for whence commeth it to passe that men are so harsh and rough so loud and full of crying in their speeches that very true reason is because they are proud therefore the same mind should bee in vs that was in Christ Iesus who was still ready to beare with infirmities and to pray for his sorest aduersaries The next grace is meekenesse which consisteth in this that wee bee not busie and violent in our owne priuate matters but content to part with our owne right so farre as Gods glory and a good conscience doe require Another vertue is long suffering which is fitly ioyned with the former for some might say Obiect I haue shewed meekenes and peaceablenesse in my behauiour but all will not serue the turne I am still vexed with vnkindnesse and indignities and must I still put vp all yes surely you must suffer long Answ therein imitating the Lord himselfe for hath hee not borne long with you did not he spare you many yeeres before your conuersion and are you so reformed now that you neede not his long suffering and patience Oh Obiect but those with whom I haue to deale are very full of infirmities and defects Beare with them then vers 13. Answ you are not without imperfections your selfe they put you to the triall now you know not how soone you may put them or some others to the like and therefore seeke rather to mend faults then to finde faults and to helpe men out of them rather then to bee imbittered against them for the same But there is a quarell betwixt vs and what shall wee make of that The Apostle telleth you how to make briefe worke how to make the best cheapest most Christian end of all controuersies that is freely to forgine one another Obie Obiect But who could euer put vp such wrongs and sit downe by such iniuries Answer Answer Christ Iesus could and therefore it is added Euen as Christ Iesus forgane you euen so doe ye There is none of the elect of God but must be driuen to confesse that our Sauiour hath passed by farre greater matters in him then hee can doe in any man yea and doth so still euen euery day and houre or else it would goe full ill with him which being so they would not sticke to forgiue and forget one anothers trespasses and offences of what kind and of what degree soeuer These vertues if wee can get and exercise it is certaine that we haue the wedding garment and therefore may boldly and comfortably stand before him that hath pure and fiery eies for say that he hate all iniquitie as indeede hee doth with a deadly hatred if we do so too God and we are of one mind and of on side he will neuerlay any of our sins vnto our charge Thus haue wee heard what the wedding garment is now it is further to be considered Who must bestow the wedding garment Reuel 19.7.8 how we may come by it and the way is to goe vnto Christ Iesus for it for his spouse must be cloathed and decked by himselfe who is the Bridgrome and therefore he exhorteth the Church of the Laodiceans that was poore and miserable and blind and naked to buy of him white raiment Reu. 3.17.18 which is the righteousnesse of Saints Renel 19.8 that their filthy nakednesse might not appeare but bee couered through the righteousnes of Christ which maketh vs as righteous heere Psal 31. as we shall bee when wee come to heauen though we cannot see it so clearely nor apprehend it so fully Now we see where it may be bought the next question will be how it must be bought And for answer thereunto How it must bee gotten we must know that three things are to be performed The first is Put off our ragges that we must put off our owne filthy and ragged cloathes to wit our sinfull and corrupt natures and our bad and vile conuersation as the Apostle willeth the Ephesians Cast yee offeoncerning the conuersation in time past Ephes 4.22 the old man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts This then is the first dutie by sound and hearty repentance to make a riddance of all grosse sinnes and to purge our selues as much as possibly we can from all infirmities for certaine it is that the wedding garment can not be obtained vntill wee bee fit for the same The old man and the new will not agree together Wherefore when the Prophet Isaiah exhorteth men to come and buy Isa 5.5.7 c. he saith Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his own imaginatiōs c. now then we forsake them when with purpose of heart wee cleaue vnto the Lord and depart from iniquitie and that is as farre as any man huing can goe to intend and desire to doe all good duties and to leaue the contrarie euils The next thing required of him that would buy this white raimēt is Desire it that he must much esteem and desire it for the thirstie soule alone shall be satisfied with good things Now that we may get this spirituall affection Isa 55.1 we must labor to haue a sight of our miserable estate while we are naked and destitute of this raiment and of our happy case when we shal be adorned therwith which being well considered of will make vs more to affect it then all the treasures of

that they might not deceiue themselues hee declareth vnto them more particularly what sinnes they should wash away take away the euill of your workes c. herein including an answer to another obiection that the hearts of some might make concerning their sacrifices and their praiers c. before mentioned for they might reply vpon the Prophet in this manner you finde fault with our oblations and tell vs that God loathes our sacrifices and seruices what then would you haue vs doe should we leaue off these workes of piety and quite giue ouer seruing of God Not so saies the Prophet but take away the euill of your workes doe the works still but remoue that which God hates in them re●ine the matter but reforme the manner of them Now whereas some might be so shamelesse as to say we haue done so already and doe so still who can charge vs with the euill of our works or with hollownes and hypocrisie in the performance of them To that he makes answer in these words take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies As if hee should say if you might be iudged by men like your selues you would make a good shift but in religious exercises you appeare before the Lord who hath firie eies and espieth the least blemish in your seruices and therefore looke that he see nothing in them displeasing vnto him for otherwise howsoeuer men commend you and your workes God will reiect both them and you After this he proceedeth and sheweth that if they must take away the euill of their best workes much more must they desist from their euil workes and therefore hee addeth cease to doe euill And yet this is not inough but he exhorts them further to do wel and because they were ill scholers and altogether vnskilful in heauenlie matters he bids them learne to doe well as who should say vers 17. you are naturally wittie to inuent mischiefe and iniquitie but for good you haue no wisdome nor sound vnderstanding you know not what to doe nor how to doe you haue neither a good iudgement nor a pure affection nor know how to get either of them and therefore learne to doe well Then for their better direction he commeth to the particular seeke iudgement c. as if hee should haue tolde them in more words you haue beene giuen to oppression heeretofore and haue done much wrong to poore men that could not make good their parte against you this hath been your sinne to deale craftily and vnrighteously but now take a better course seeke iudgment that is labour to finde out what is right and when you know it practise it accordingly and deale with others as you would be dealt withall giue ouer your crueltie and exercise mercy and bee so farre from oppressing any more that now ye releeue the oppressed and so farre from doing hurt hereafter that you foorthwith striue to doe good especially to the poore and such as stand in most need of your helpe and relife not such poore as by their owne lewdnesse and misdemenour haue cast them selues and doe still plunge themselues further in miserie but iudge the Fatherlesse and defend the Widdowe and stretch foorth your helping hand to releeue such as are most worthy of it and haue most neede of it Hauing thus vrged them to sound repentance that they might haue no pretence to keepe them from setting vpon it he remoueth certaine doubts that might arise in their harts to hinder them Vers 18. And before hee commeth to them he maketh proparation thereunto saying come let vs reason together As though he should say now I haue plainely proued that it stands you vpon to repent and haue shewed you how you should repent I know you shall haue diuers reasons from your selues and from the world to the contrarie but hearken not what your flesh or your friends say but what God saith come let vs reason together Now Obiection 1 the first obiection to keepe them from turning vnto God as may appeare by the answer heere set downe is this You haue charged vs to be worse then beasts or Sodomites to be full of crueltie and blood and our consciences tell vs no lesse seeing then we are sunke so deepe in our iniquities it seemes our state is vnrecouerable and so it is bootelesse for vs to set vpon the worke of repentance Nay saith hee not so Answer for though you be so stained with sinne and impiety as I haue said that not onely your hands but your soules and bodies and all bee wholly imbrued with bloody and cruell dealing and your sinnes be as red as skarlet or crimson which are double dyed and died in the woll so that you thinke it impossible to be brought to any whitnesse and purenesse againe as indeede in regard of men it is impossible yet God is able to make you as white as snow Albeit you haue receiued a double die of sinne one in your conception and another in the whole course of your conuersation all your life long Yet the Lord is of that power that hee is able to make you white as well There is no sinne so hainous no sinner so abominable but vpon his humiliation and conuersion hee can and will make him as cleane and as pure as iust and as righteous as Adam was before his fall and as if hee had neuer transgressed at all Not that hee shall be without infirmities but in Gods account and acceptance through Christ hee shall be as holy as the Angels are now in heauen or as hee himselfe shall be when he is an heire of glory in that blessed kingdome Psalm 32. For wheresoeuer sinne is pardoned there it is couered from Gods eies hee will except neither against the greatnesse nor against the multitude of them but where sinne hath abounded Rom. 5.20 grace shall much more abounde Thus much for the first obiection The second might be this Obiect 2 if wee should get a pardon for all our transgressions and be at peace with God our own consciences yet the law is so perfect and we so imperfect that so holie and pure and we so vnholy and impure that we shall neuer hold out in a constant course of obedience thereunto but shall presently foule our selues againe after that wee haue beene washed and therefore as good neuer a whit as neuer the better as good neuer to beginne as not to continue For that he answereth Ans verse 19. that if they doe but consent and bee willing to obey for so it is in the originall they shall eate the good things of the land Which is in effect as if hee should haue said when once you haue truely and thorowly repented you are not any longer vnder the rigor of the Law but vnder grace you come not to a rigorous and seuere Iudge but to a mercifull and kind father that lookes not for perfect obedience but accepts of a minde that is willing to know

milke for vs if wee bee of geater growth in Christianitie he hath stronger meat for vs. Secondly let vs therefore labour to bee meete guests for this heauenly banquet which that we may bee let vs obserue the rules giuen vs in this text viz. First if wee will haue any refreshing at this feast wee must buy it which is twice repeated to shew that it is a matter of necessitie and a matter of weight that neerely concerneth vs not that wee can giue any thing answerable to the worth of that which wee shall receiue for grace is an vnmachable treasure but heereby these two things are signified First How we must buy that as in bargaines betwixt man and man he that buieth a thing must part with somewhat so must wee in this purchase of ours Part with sin And what is it that wee must part withall with nothing but our owne sinnes which will doe vs no good but infinite hurt if wee retaine them still and with those things which can be no longer kept without sinne as wealth and libertie and credit and life it selfe when God calleth for them Mat. 13.44 To this purpose is it said that the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasur hide in the field which when a man hath found hee hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that hee hath meaning all that hee hath by nature renouncing all his carnall affections and withdrawing his heart from the things heere below for it is not intended that euery man should sell all his substance and earthly possessions and commodities but onely that hee should withdraw his confidence from these and his immoderate loue of these being content to forsake them quite rather then to forgoe Christ and to forfait his owne saluation so that as the price wee pay for any thing is altogether alienated from vs so must sin be though neuer so much esteemed and beleeued before time And so are these words expounded in this very Chapter verse 7. Let the wieked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations c. Many forsake some ill waies but not their owne or if they doe leaue their olde waies and works outwardly yet they doe not forsake their owne imaginations but to leaue anothers sinne for the procuring of this pearle is as if one should buy cattle or grounds c. with another mans money which is plaine theeuery and will not go for currant pay the Lord would haue all penitent sinners both to forsake their owne waies and their owne imaginations A second thing in buying is that wee must receiue and retaine the thing bought Receiue and retaine grace and so would God haue vs to hold fast grace when wee haue got it Therefore the wise man exhorteth vs buy the truth and sell it not likewise wisdome and instruction and vnderstanding Wee may chaffer for other things as we will buy and sell and sell and buy c. but heere wee must not doe so when once wee haue obtained heauenlie wisdome and gotten religion in our hearts wee must get as much increase to it daily as wee can but neuer let goe any of that we haue And thus much for buying and the things to be obserued therein A second thing required in the text is that wee must eat and this standeth in excellent proportion with naturall food If a man come where there is great store of meat and varietite of choice wines and he see others haue a notable appetite and himselfe none all the cheere that is set before him will doe him no good but rather vexe and trouble him euen so it is in the spirituall feast 1. Cor. 11.24 and therefore Christ exhorteh vs so often to feed vpon him take eat saith hee shewing vs what that is viz. to beleeue in him Iohn 6.51 in which regard hee is said to dwell in our hearts by faith whereas vnbeliefe chaset hhim thence and will let him haue no roome nor place of abode in our soules Therefore let vs make account that as the naturall food so the spirituall also is to be receiued into our stomackes and there to be as it were digested before wee can haue benefit by it Without siluer Hence wee see that God offereth vs the greatest and most excellent things without money or money worth The best things are best cheape Doct. 3 Nothing can be gotten at a lower rate then things that are of geatest worth God giueth nothing on our delert Reuel 22. Therefore are we bid to drinke of the water of life freely and as grace so also glory is without any desert of ours bestowed vpon vs for the gift of God saith the Apostle is eternall life Rom. 6. Now the reasons why heauenly things are not set at sale but to bee had of free cost are these First Reasons because God will haue the praise of his mercy if he should take any thing of vs hee should lose a great part of his glorie From his glorie We are too ready to boast now when wee are pardoned sanctified and saued of his free grace and not by our owne workes in that God puts life and strength into vs to be working instuments of our owne happinesse though not of our iustification what then should wee doe if God should make vs our owne Sauiours and propose heauen vnto vs as a price bidding vs winne it and weare it Secondly grant that God were desirous of some consideration from vs in regard of that kingdome which hee offereth vnto vs Our penurie Ephes 2. hee knoweth full well that wee haue nothing to giue but are meere beggers and could but pay God with his owne for in our selues wee are poore miserable naked and destitute of all goodnesse Indeed wee haue in vs matter enough to deserue Gods wrath but none at all to procure his fauour Thirdly if wee had somewhat to giue yet it were in no sort correspondent to that which wee shall receiue The inualuablenesse of Gods gifts for the graces of Gods spirit and the crowne of glorie are vnualuable so that nothing that is in the possession of any creature may bee laid in the ballance against them Therefore when Simon Magus would haue bought but one gift of working a miracle Act. 8.19.20 towit that on whomsoeuer he should lay his hands he might receiue the holy Ghost Peter answered Thy mony perish with thee because thou thinkest the gift of God may be obtained by money Much more then may this be spoken of sanctifying gaces which are far more excellent they are not to be obtained by money or by any earthly treasure for there is no price that can come neere them For the confutation of Papists Vse 1 that would buy out heauen by their owne meritorious works they are euen like Simou Magus their father and would rob God of his honour which hee will not giue vnto any other plainely manifesting vnto all the world that they

such things as lie hidden in obscure and darke corners Heb. 4 13. To the same purpose is it said that all things are open and naked to his eies and that his eies are a flame of fire noting vnto vs that hee pierceth and looketh through and through euery mans heart euery mans conscience and euery mans conuersation Reasons First Reasons 1 the Lord hath vndertaken to bring euery secret thing into iudgement therefore must hee needs take notice thereof 2 Secondly See Master Cleauers Sermon on Ioh. 6. Doct. 2. where this point is more largely handled it is his office to reward euery one as he knoweth his heart and his workes and therefore must hee of necessitie search into the same for otherwise hee could not proceed like a righteous Iudge to giue to euery one an equall and perfect reward First for reproofe of those that because they are admitted by the Minister and allowed amongst men and iudged to bee Christians as men that can bee touched for no grosse sinne Vse 1 haue a very good opinion of themselues as if there were nothing else required of them but let such know Note that there must bee a second suruey and search and where the Minister ends God will begin and if they cannot hold out in the second examination and triall made by the Lord their case will bee little better then his who is found sitting at the table without a wedding garment therefore it stands men vpon to see that they bee fitly qualified before they intrude themselues into the Lords presence for he hath firie eies to looke quite through them and pure cies that can endure no iniquitie in them and therefore before they come to this great Supper they must by searching finde out their speciall sinnes and bewaile them determining to leaue and forsake them and repairing to the meanes to get strength against them Secondly for consolation Vse 2 seeing wee shall not meet the Minister onely at the Lords table but God himselfe in his own person this may comfort the hearts of those that haue examined their soules and lamented their sinnes and haue a true desire to bee reconciled vnto the Lord and to obtaine such mercies as doe belong to penitent persons they shall receiue according to their harts desire and expectation euen strength against their corruptions and temptations and freedome from or abilitie vnder all maner of crosses and afflictions for there the Lord of glory will manifest his presence in giuing to euery one as he knoweth the integrity of their hearts Earthly Kings though they bee present cannot looke on euery guest nor examine of what country or condition euery one of them is Note but the king of heauen hath an eie to euery particular person considering what they are and how affected and prepared what they did the day before what thoughts they had what praiers they make the night before and that very morning hee marketh and obserueth what their hopes are what their desires are what they expect for the present and what they purpose for afterwards in a word hee taketh particular notice of euery good thing in his Saints to reward it and of euery infirmity to helpe them out of it And saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment In that the King seeing this man at his table doth reproue him and condemne him for his want of good preparation the doctrine is that It is not sufficient to come to Gods wedding feast Doct. 3 but wee must come as fit guests for so great a banquet Fitnes requisite in Gods guestes and such a glorious presence Iudas ate and dranke the blessed bread and wine as well as Peter yet because hee had a cursed and carnall heart it was his bane and laid him more open to euery hellish temptation and made him more liable to euery curse and plague of God this was all that hee got by it Matth. 25. So the foolish virgins went to meet the bridegrome with lampes in their hands making a glorious shew and doing many things in the worship and seruice of God yet because they had not oyle in their vessels as well as in their Lampes that is had not inward graces in their hearts and consciences as well as outward semblances and shewes thereof in their carriage and behauiour therefore their lights were quickly out and when others were receiued as fit and meet guests they were reiected and excluded as vnfit an vnworthy of the Bridgroomes feast and company so that outward tearmes and colours of Religion will not serue the turne many shall crie Lord Lord who yet shall bee bid to depart from Christ Mat. 7.22.23 because they are workers of iniquitie They bragge they haue Propheced and cast out diuels and done many great works by his name but they did nothing for his name but for their owne credit or gaine or for some carnall respect or other and therefore seeking and seruing themselues the Lord esteemeth them wicked and vngodly persons and punnisheth them accordingly Now the reason of this point is because the Lord comman deth vs as well to come worthily as to come and as the praiers of the wicked are an abomination vnto him so are all other seruices of theirs to the vncleane all things are vncleane if men bee dead in sinnes and trespasses and liue vnder the power of presumptuous sinnes the things that are most helpfull and profitable in themselues are made hurtfull and pernicious vnto them so that they are thereby made more impure and more vnholy Vse 1 Sith there will be such strict examination and such a sharpe sentence of condemnation past vpon those that doe not get them wedding apparell when they come to this wedding feast this serueth to humble euery one that hath at any time come to this roiall feast without his wedding garment as euery one hath so often as he came to any of the meanes of saluation before hee was effectually called Note It was Gods wonderfull mercie that wee were not destroied in the time of the vnregeneracy for abusing his gracious and glorious presence and that hee did so patienly forbeare vs and at length put it into our hearts to put off our foule garments and to sue vnto him for white and pure raiment And albeit the Lord haue graciously spared vs yet should wee iudge our selues worthy to haue beene destroyed and be cast downe for our old sinnes lest they bring vpon vs new iudgements Secondly let vs labour to put on this wedding garment Vse 2 seeing it is so requisite and needfull for euery worshipper of God to be cloathed therewith What the wedding garment is Now if wee would know what it is the Apostle describeth it in part Coloss 3.12 Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy c. As if hee had said sith God hath chosen you to eternall glorie in the heauens and proposed vnto you a kingdome that

be made truly religious by which our mindes that are blind may be inlightned our hearts of crooked may be made straight of proud may be made humble and of fraudulent may be made true and faithfull And those meanes are the Word the Sacrament Prayer and the like which are the steps whereby we must ascend vnto this honorable estate for it is as possible for men to make stayres to climbe vp vnto the sky as for vs without these to ascend vnto heauen by any deuices of our owne framing The word is the key that must open hell gates to set vs at liberty from the bonds of sinne of Sathan and of death and to vnlocke heauen gates that we may haue entrance into glory in which respect it is that Christ saith vnto Peter that he would giue vnto him and consequently to all Ministers of the Gospel the keyes of the kindom of heauen that is the dispensation of the word which maketh the way vnto heauen ly open to al such as by faith receiue the same into their hearts So that we shold not come vnto the means with a base cōceit or light estimation therof but with a large ample desire and expectation of taking benefit thereby If men can once espy a way how they may rise in the world either to great wealth or promotion they wil be most industrious and laborious in that course they will refuse no paines in seedes time though the weather be vnseasonable and cold and their worke euery way troublesome but they will put themselues to it with all care and industry in hope though it be but an vncertaine hope of bettering their estate So those that liue by faires and markets wil nor faile one of them ordinarily neither heate nor cold winde nor raine nor any the like impediments shal hinder them from pursuing their commodity and why then should we be negligent and play the sluggards while our seedes-time lasteth the Lord biddeth vs plough vp the fallow ground of our hearts that hee may sow therein the seede of life which will neuer faile to yeeld vs a plentiful haruest if we can waite vpon him for the same And why should we be slack and carelesse when our chiefe market daies and faire daies come and not rather set our hearts and endeuours to seeke after those things which all that seeke shall finde and being found will make vs men for euer This should be an encouragement vnto vs Vse 3 not to thinke any thing too much that we can doe or suffer in or for the profession of Christianity Oh but it is an hard matter may some say to fast and pray Obiect and mourne and grieue our hearts continually for our sins Difficulties in Christianity and when we haue done all to be derided and maligned persecuted and slaine for a good cause and besides all these to feele Gods hand scourging vs sometimes with pouerty and want sometimes with feares terrors sometimes with temptations and inward conflicts c. These things seeme very great and very tedious indeed Answ to flesh and bloud but in truth they are but small yea matters of nothing if we consider what is the vse of them and what wil be the end of them therefore let vs remember for our cōfort when wee are in this strait and difficult and vnpleasant way Note that wee are going to be installed into a kingdome and who is there that being offered a Baronrie or a Lordship yea though it be but a Farme if so be he will take the paines to come for it who is here I say that would take exception and say Alas the aire is clowdie and the weather vncertaine nay it begins to raine or haile or snow alreadie and therefore I will euen stay at home and neuer wet my foote for the matter Nay if there be but likelyhood of some smaller gaine the weather fowle and the waies deepe and themselues somewhat out of temper also yet they will aduenture to goe through all and rather ferry ouer than come short of that profit that is offered how much more then ought we to breake through all impediments and swallow vp all difficulties with the consideration of this that our iourney tendeth not to the getting of some small commoditie or to the purchasing of some worldly possessions or to the obtaining of any earthly preheminēce or preferment whatsoeuer but that we are trauelling towards our owne countrey where we shall receiue an inualüable and eternall crowne of glory And albeit we must passe through many rough and craggie and thornie waies and meete with sundry things that wil be very irksome and vnpleasant yet let vs account withall that we shall find many sweet comforts and ioyes vnspeakeable and glorious in the middest of our pilgrimage and in the end shall haue the fruition of that happines which will make amends for all And this was it that made the Apostle Paul so comfortable in the middest of al his sufferings Therefore we faint not saith he but though our outward man perish 2. Cor. 4.16 17 yet our inward man is renued daily For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of Glory Where we may note that when he speaketh of the happinesse of another life he magnifieth the same exceedingly both for the worth of it for the continuance of it calling it a farre most excellent and eternall weight of glory To be excellent is much to be most excellent is farre more to be far most excellent is yet an higher degree but when he calleth it a farre most excellent and withal an eternall weight of glory it maketh a great addition vnto all the former and sheweth that it is inded an inconceiueable vnutterable happines that in the heauen wee shal enioy but one the other side hee counteth his affliction light and momentany because it passeth as it were in a thought and is a thing of nothing being laid in the ballance against the neuer-sading blisse that we shall shortly come vnto And as for that weight that is in the tributions of this life it is but as an heauy bagge of gold that will make the heart of the owner light in the very cariage of it and so much the more light by how much weightier it is And therefore by all these motiues we should perswade yea euen compell our soules vnto patience vnder the crosse of Christ and to perseuerance in the practise of all the duties of godlinesse a patterne of which patience we haue in the Hebrewes Who after the had receiued the light endured a great fight in afflictions Hebr. 10.33.34 Partly saith the Apostle while ye were made a gazing stocke both by reproches and afflictons and partly while ye became companions vnto them which were so tossed to and fro For both ye sorrowed with me for my bonds and suffered with ioy the spoyling of your goods

and kingdome to be established vnto him yet notwithstanding all this kindnes whē he fel from God and from religion 2. Chron. 24.20 21.22 he forgot Iehoiada and cruelly murdered his son Zecariah an holy Prophet of God for doing the message of the Lord vnto him in reprouing him and his princes for their idolatry To this point our Sauiour giueth further testimony telling his Disciples what should fall out vpon the preaching of the Gospell Mat. 10 21. The brother shall betray the brother to death and the father the sonne and the children shall rise against their parents and shall cause them to dye What nearer bonds then these especially that of children to their parents who haue bene the meanes of their life of their education and in a word of all the good things that they either do or shall enioy and that not without great paines and charges and troubles vnto themselues yet for all this if children be impious and their parents religious they will not sticke to betray them and to put them to death So that by these proofes it is cleare and euident that no bands of kindnesse or of nature will hold where the bands of religion are wanting And there is reason for it for First Reasons the Diuel hath the disposing of al vngodly mens hearts and therefore vntill such time as he grow kinde vnto Gods children nothing in the world but Gods ouerruling hand can make his lims true and trusty friends vnto the members of Christ for Sathan hauing the command of them will enforce them will they nill they to be vnkind vnthankfull and vncourteous vnto Gods seruants that haue bene most beneficiall vnto them Secondly there is in all vnregenerate men abundance of pride which maketh them to thinke that whatsoeuer is done for them either by GOD or men it is due debt and nothing more then their deserts do require and therefore when they are sat and full they spurne with the heele against the giuers And this let vs set downe for a certaine ground that they which shew themselues vnfaithfull and disloyal vnto GOD notwithstanding all his benefites will neuer be true and firme friends vnto vs how nearly strongly soeuer they are linked vnto vs in outward respects he that is not Gods friend can neuer be our faithfull friend Thirdly wicked men do loue sinne better then any benefite and therefore will they fall out with their kindest friends rather then with their beloued corruptions and be discourteous vnto any yea aduenture the damning of their own soules eternally rather then crosse their wretched lusts and set themselues against their sinfull affections For instruction Vse 1 to teach vs a point of wisedome that seeing all sinners are so vnfaithfull therefore we should beware how we trust them and how we commit our selues or our secrets vnto them for albeit their lookes be faire and smooth and their speeches and outward cariage seeme louing and kind yet if they feare not God they will lye in waite for an aduantage and do vs a mischiefe before we be aware if we take not the better heede of them and therefore let vs not expose our selues vnto them Indeed our Sauiour did lay open himselfe vnto Iudas because he knew that Iudas was appointed for that work and the will of his Father must needs be fulfilled but we not hauing the like reason must not imitate our Sauiour herein nor acquaint such persons with our counsels much lesse let vs prouoke them and cast our selues into their danger for if they haue vs once in the snare there is no hope of mercy except the Lord worke for vs extraordinarily Let men therefore looke heedfully vnto themselues and beware as of others so of vntrusty seruants of vngodly children yea of vnholy yoke-fellowes for there is no fidelity to be expected where the true feare of God is not planted in the heart They are bound to pray for them to instruct them and shew them any kindnesse that ciuility or Christianity bindeth them to performe but herein their wisdome must appeare that they bee not too open-hearted vnto them nor too ready to put them in trust in matters of great importance Secondly Vse 2 here is matter of comfort to all such as are faithfull in their dealings that would rather lay downe their liues then deale dishonestly or discourteously this is a great grace of God to require friendship to their friends to shew themselues thankfull for benefites receiued And indeed true and sound thankfulnesse can be in none but onely in those that are truly gracious wicked men may be glad of a good turne and in outward complement of words and behauiour make a semblance and shew of thankfulnesse but to be truly ioyfull as seeing GODS hand in a kindnesse receiued and heartily and in conscience to loue the party whom God hath made an instrument of that good with a desire and indeauour to requite the same this cannot possibly be in any but in GODS people Verse 21. Truly the Sonne of man goeth his way as it is written of him but woe be to that man by whom the Sonne of man is betraied The death of Christ and the manner and meanes of it were prophesied of before yet is not Iudas therby excused Whence ariseth this point that A wicked man may fulfill the will of God to his owne condemnation Doct 4 The wicked ful fill Gods will to their ruine and do that which God hath foretold to his vtter destruction God had said that Iudas should be a traitour he is a traitour God had determined Christ had cōfirmed it that he should be a diuel he is such an one yet al to his wo. So was it declared before vnto Abraham that Pharaoh should grieuously afflict the Israelites he did accomplish Gods will in that behalfe and verified that which God had forespoken but to his owne vtter ruine 2. Sam. 12.11 In like sort the Prophet Nathan in Gods name denounced before hand this iudgement against Dauid that he would raise vp euill against him out of his owne house Absolon effected it accordingly but to his owne ouerthrow So Herod and Poutius Pilate the high Priests and the Gentiles consulted together Act. 4.27 28 to put to death the holy Sonne of God and therein did nothing more then Gods hand and his counsell had determined before to be done yet notwithstanding they perished in their sinnes as many of them as repented not And to heap together no more proofes in a matter so euident we may note in the Scriptures how the enemies of the Church are compared to Goldsmithes Dan 11.31 Zach. 13 9. for that they purged Gods people from their drosse and to Launders because they washed away their spots c. and yet heauy iudgements are denounced and haue bene from time to time executed vpon them for such works And good reason it should be so First Reasons because they are not allured vnto it by vertue