the Prophets that did teach the trueth and the godly people that coÌ„fessed the same many years and yet all that time perswaded themselues that they had the true seruice of God and that their doings did much please God yea the face of Gods Church was so blemished and brought to such a small number of true professors that the Prophet Elyas complayneth that there was not one left but he himselfe alone whose life also they sought after Consider wil this historie and the working of God with his Church and true Religion The Prophet Samuel had taught the people the true seruice of God the worthie king Dauid maintained the same all his time but with great difficultie Salomon his sonne a Prince of most singular wisedom and knowledge perfectly instructed in the wayes of the Lord fel from God and corrupted Gods Religion with the false seruices inuented by man so that the Lord was so offended therwith that hée cut off from the rule of his posteritie the most part of the kingdome For the ten Tribes were neuer after him vnder the gouernance of his successioÌ„ neither did they afterward walke in the feare of God but in Idolatrie and false Religion till at the last God sent the Assyrians to inuade them in that wise that they ouercame them carried them forth of their owne countrey dispersed them in many countries among the heathen sent strangers to inhabite their land and so vtterly destroyed that kingdome 3 This was a fearefull iudgement of God where he had but one small kingdome in the whole world that bare the face of his Church where his true honour was maintained and that so dodainly of twelue tribes ten should fall from God to Idolatry and false Religion yea and the other also during all the time of Roboam and his sonne Abia after him so that during all this time there was not in the world any Church or people where the sincere Religion and pure word of God was receiued by publique authority and coÌ„mon order although God reserued alwaies some that priuatly serued him feared his name faithfully who were alwaies so hated and punished by the Idolaters that their liues were bitter vnto them 4 In those dayes did the Idolaters make the selfe same reasons arguments against the Prophets and their doctrine which Idolaters do make nowe against Gods people and his true Religion concerning generalitie The faithfull theÌ„ liued among those Idoters with no lesse perill and danger then the Christians haue done in Spaine and in other Countries where the Gospell hath not free passage The Prophets were then imprisoned and driuen out of their countrey like seditious heritiques the causers of all euill as the true preachers in some places of Christendome now are 5 After the death of the wicked Kinges of Iehuda God visited his people with some light of the truth by the meanes of Asa and King Iosaphat after him who restored although not perfectly the true Religion banished the false and destroyed the Altars of the Idolaters The which reformation was done not without great difficultie and trouble and continued but a small time in that same order For Ioram the sonne of King Iosaphat ouerthrew the true seruice of God condemned it and brought in the place therof the superstitions and Idolatries of the Kings of Israel and so the Church continued neuer perfectly reformed but alwayes afflicted till the time of Ezekias For although Aza Iosaphat Ioaz Amazias Vzzias Ioatham attempted a reformation and were indifferently good Kings yet was not the Church cleansed of all the Idolatries and false counterfait Religion as it appeareth by the Prophets Eâ—ia Amos Isai Osea Micha But the worthy King Ezechia in the first yeare of his raine began to reforme Religion brake downe and banished all Idols and Images hill Altars and what so euer was against Gods commandement restoring Gods true Religion after the rule of Gods word The which thing as he brought to passe not without great troubles and difficulties so it continued in puritie but a little time For his sonne wicked Manasses who raigned after him put away and did forsake the true way and brought in againe al manner of Idolatry false Religion did grieuously punish and persecute the faithful people and true Prophets Hée shed saith the Scripture innocent blood excéeding abundantly In like manner did his sonne Ammon also who raigned after him 6 This grieuous change remained thus vntill the good king Iosias made a newe and godly reformation which ought to be a glasse to all Princes to behold themselues in But this godly reformation of this good king did not continue for his sonne all the kings of Iuda after him forsooke the waies of God and restored againe the idolatrie and false religion of their fore-fathers and so continued till God sent the king of Babylon to destroy their Cittie Temple and countrey who also led them captiue into Babylon where they continued many yeares in great affliction as it appeareth by the Prophets Ieremie and Daniel so that in fiue hundred years and aboue in the dayes of all the kings of Iehuda Gods religion was set forth and receiued in publique order sincerely and perfectly and the contrary vtterly banished and abolished But in the times of Dauid Ezechias Iosias as Iesus the sonne of Syrach witnesseth All Kings except Dauid Ezechias and Iosias committed wickednesse For euen the Kings of Iehuda also forsake the lawes of God 7 With what difficultie and troubles Gods religion and true seruice was restored after the returne of Gods people from Babylon how short a time it coÌ„tinued in puritie what trobles grieuous persecutioÌ„s the true seruants of the Lord suffered it is partly set foorth in Esdras and Nehemiah after in Hester and then in Machabes And although vnto the comming of Christ there was an outward face and beautifull shewe of Gods religion among the Iewes yet was it so defaced and vtterly falsified with traditions of the Pharises who were at that time in estimation that Christ himselfe doth testifie that their seruice was but vain traditions of men Mat. 15. and the commandemnet of God was not obserued All that time there were no Prophets to instruct them in the right way for immediatly after the captiuitie al prophesying ceassed in Israel Nowe peruse the Historie of our Sauiour Christ in the foure Euangelists you shal perceiue in what state Christ found his true religion what paines and trauaile he tooke to restore the true sincere honouring of God with how great difficultie he brought it to passe and at the last how it cost him his life After whose death the crueltie of theÌ„ who would séeme to haue and maintaine the true honouring of God ceassed not but stirred most vehement persecution against the true Church of Christ and dispersed it thoughout all the worlde With what paines troubles and difficultie true Christianitie was planted and false Religion put awaye Saint Lucas partly
mentioneth in the Acts of the Apostles who spent their liues in the building of Christes Church 8 After Christs death the cruell tyrant Nero the Emperor did persecute the Church most cruelly after whose time the Church was in some quiet but not long For Domitian the Emperour did persecute Christes Church to destroy his true religion most hainously Nerua his successor was friendly to the Christians Traian after him a cruell persecuter and enemie And then Hadrian after whose time the Church had rest for a while For shortly after the Christians that were in Asia and also in the West partes were cruelly disquieted Shortly after this time did England receiue the Christian Faith and was the first Countrey of all the world that receiued the Faith of Christ by publicke authoritie Lucius being the first Christian King But the puritie of Christes truth did not long here continue not much aboue one hundreth yeares 9 Seuerus the Emperour wrought all the meanes that might be to destroy Christes Church and to subuert the true Religion with most sharpe persecution after whose time there was some quiet But shortly after the cruell tyrant Maximinus did sore molest the faithfull and likewise after him Decius Gallus Hostilianus Lucius Valerianus Galienus granted the Christians peace Aurelianus did persecute them And Dioclesianus more like an infernall Serpent then an earthly man did as it were deuoure the Church most cruelly In this time was the greatest persecution that hath béen before the tormentors were much more weary in shedding the Christian blood and cruelly tormenting the faithfull thē the holy Martyrs were in suffering the paines There were in this persecution within thirty daies aboue seuentéene thousand Christians killed most spitefully Eusebius Eccle. Hist lib. 8. cap. 9. 10 But Constantine the good Emperour became a Christian set the Church in peace and was the first Emperour that did by publike authoritie put downe Gentilitie and truely maintained Christianitie But that lasted not long For within short time after Iulianus the Apostata béeing Emperour went about to vndoe all that Constantine had done vsed wonderfull pollicies to destroy the Christian Religion and did afflict the faithfull very gréeuously After this time the Church was gréeuously molested by the Arrians after with Humes Vandales Gothes and so continued many yeares till all good learning began wonderfully to bée decayed And at the length albeit the Church séemed to be at rest yet hath it béene euen vnto this day miserably afflicted and wonderfully defaced by two Vicars of the Diuell put in commission at one time about eight hundred years since The one Mahomet for the Eest the other Antichrist of Rome for the West The one forraine the other a more néere and domestical enemie to Christians For during these foure hundred yeares Rome hath béene Topheth and the valley of Hynnom and the very Altar whereon hath béen sacrificed the body of Gods children Whose tyranny and outrage is such that the Kings and Potentates of the world haue béene and are greatly damnified and iniured by her as appeareth by many notable pageantes which shée hath played afore our time among which this one shal serue for many 11 Pope Innocent being displeased with George Pogiebracius king of Bohemia for fauouring of Iohn Hus and his religion that is to say for playing the part of a godly Prince did excommunicate and depose him appointed his kingdome to Mathias But Fredericke the Emperour would not thereto consent and especially after the death of the aforesaid George when the Emperour and the Bohemians leauing out Mathias did nominate Vladislaus sonne of Casimirus King of Polonie to bée king of Boheme for the which great warre and trouble kindled betwéene him and Fredericke the Emperour wherein the Emperour had béene vtterly ouerthrown had not Albertus Duke of Saxonie rescued the Emperour and expressed the vehemencie of Mathias This fire of dissention being kindled by the terrible thunderbolt of the Popes Excommunication did yet a greater mischiefe For it hindered the sayd Mathias in his expeditiō against the Turkes wherein he should haue been set forward and aided by Christian Princes and Byshops The like curse and excommunication hath béen denounced by the Antichristian Byshop Pius Quintus for the like cause as wée all know against Q. Elizabeth but the same hath béen altogither turned to her her peoples good by him that can and will blesse where Baalam curseth What should I need to set before you the bloody broiles of France and of the Low-countries thereto adioyning wrought and brought to passe by this domestical enemy vnder the colour and name of a holy league therby to maintaine Idolatry and superstition and to roote out the religion and seruice of almighty God It is too too manifest they haue felt it all the world cannot but condemne it But what better can be expected Can any good come from Rome No verily For as Babylon is full of Ostriches as Africa yearely bréedeth some monster and as Sodome and Gomer sendeth forth yearely noysome stinches So the Church of Rome is the nource and fountaine which sendeth forth error treason rebellion and vtter desolation if it were possible of all christian kingdomes 12 Now weigh and consider with your selues this same briefe rehearsal of the seate of Gods church how the church of the Israelites was afflicted in the time of the kinges then carried into a strange country captiues after their returne and redeifiyng of the temple what great perils and troubles it sustained till after the dayes of the Machabees next consider the historie of Christ and the Acts of the Apostles After this the ten not able persecutions which the Church suffered vnder most cruell tyrants from the eight yeare of Nero by the space of thrée hundred and twenty yeers vnto the time of Constantine and from his time thrée hundred yeares after by the Arrians and barbarous Hunnes Vandals and Gothes by whose meanes good learning was decaied ignorance brought in and then marke with aduisement how that from that time hitherto Mahomet hath vsurped and afflicted the East Church and the Pope the West for he began to exercise his proud power ouer the Church about the same time that Mahomet brought in his religion Consider I say with aduisement in all these times how little while Gods Religion was maintained in the church what perillous changes were in the kingdome what excéeding cruelty was alwaies vsed against the people of God as though they had bin heretiques his word condemned as heresy and the cause of all euils and you shall easily perceiue that neither Gugall Silo nor Mispah can assure the Lords tabernacle any rest and that Religion kéepeth not her place and standing any long time 13 The vse and profite which is to bée made héereof vnto our selues is this that forsomuch as God hath giuen vnto vs his word and the ministerie thereof in such wise that we haue amongest vs blessed be his name therefore his true religion
make the eares of them that heare it to tingle O sentence intollerable which depriueth sinners of all good things and bringeth them to all woe The Lord sometime accursed the Fig-trée and immediately not onely the leaues but also the body and rootes were wholy withered Euen so that feareful curse of the last day shal be no lesse effectual For on whomsoeuer it falleth it shal so scortch them and shal so make them destitute of Gods grace that they shal neuer more be able to doe to speake to thinke or to hope for any good thing 31 Then therefore the wicked being stricken with this thundering sentence will lift vp their mouthes towards heauen wil spue foorth their shamefull blasphemies against God the Iudge they will curse this day and the houre wherein they were borne and their Parents which begat them and the wombs which bare them the aier which gaue them breath and the Earth which hath borne them but they shal not be suffered any long time to speake these things against the Iudge 32 For suddenly the Spirite of the Lord shal ouerwhelm them and shal with great violence caste them downe headlong into the déepe Apoc. 18. as in Saint Iohns Reuelation appeareth in these wordes Then a mightie angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the Citie of Babilon bee cast Apoc. 20. and be found no more And againe Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire And this déepe shal be shut vp with gates of brasse and with yron barres which cannot bee broken with any force nor cut in sunder by any arte and there they shal drinke of the cup of the Lords wrath and the smoke of their torments shal ascend worlde wtout end they shal not rest day nor night 33 On the contrarie part the iust being in the fruition of ful blessednesse and of euerlasting glorie shall haue in their mouthes the prayses of the Lorde and giuing of thankes and shal with singing and with mirth extol the name of their Lorde and God with whom they shal reigne without ende 34 But although wée heare of those things often yet neuerthelesse wée are not awaked from the sléepe of sinne before wee be ouerwhelmed with the night of death and of darkenes Why doe we which haue this time now looke for another time which peraduenture wée shal neuer haue Now is the accepted time now is the day of saluation There is nothing more profitable for a man then to knowe his time and therefore in our worldly businesse wée obserue times and seasons as a conuenient time to eare a fitte time to sowe to plant and such like Yea the brute beast by the instinct of nature can make choyce of his time for benefite The Swallowe when winter approacheth prepareth himselfe to take his flight into a warmer Countrey The Bée and the Ant in the time of summer prepare their foode against winter And the Prophet Ieremie saith that the Storke knoweth his appointed time If brute beastes deuoide of reason haue this foresight to make choise of time for their good and if man him selfe in a worldly regarde can make choyse of a fitte and due time to gette earthly and transitorie things how much more prouident ought hee to bee for heauenly things that to attaine these hée lose not his fittest time to attaine saluation 35 The olde worlde that liued in the dayes of Noah knewe not their time that was the cause they then perished with the flood The Cities of Sodome and Gomer knew not their time that brought fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads to their destruction The foolish Virgins knewe not their time therefore when their Lorde came they being altogether vnready were shut out of the Lords ioy Let vs then knowe the season how it is time now that wee should awake out of sleepe Rom. 13.36 1. Thes 5. Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober least the darkenesse come vpon vs wherein we can neither walke nor worke Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes that day and time wherein we shall appeare before God and his Angels and before the whole worlde to answere our cause and either to receiue a Crown of glory or else perpetual shame and confusion Let vs know that we haue here a very short time limitted vnto vs. wherein wée must so endeuour our selues that for short and transitory things we lose not that which is eternall If wee haue this consideration of that great day of the Lorde wée shal not only be the more secure in death but also be the better prepared to méet with our Lord and Sauiour when he shal come to iudgement CHAP. IIII. Concerning Hell and the torments thereof THere is nothing that the Diuell laboureth more then to perswade men that there is no hel that so the more easily hée may leade them thether as it were blindfolde by the way of sinnes while they haue no feare of any punishment euen as shéeues are wont to bee ledde with a vaile before their faces when they are going to the gallowes as Ezechias was serued whose eyes Nabuchadnezer commanded to be put out whē he was caried away captiue into Babilō 2 But it may bée shewed by many reasons and authorities that there is a hel For as a Princely magnificence requireth that a King haue a beautiful Pallace for to entertaine the best sort of men and a prison for the worst Euen so the king of kings and Lord of all glorie and principalities hath a Pallace wherein there are many mansions as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel testifieth which is the kingdom of heauen and he hath also a darke prison or dungeon which is hel 3 The lawe of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences be driuen into exile for euer euen so God doth banish from his presence Luke 16. the impenitent sinners into hel For so it is said of Diues that he dyed was carried into hel Esay 5 And the prophet saith Hel hath inlarged it self hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth among them shall discend into it Also S. Iohn saith that the feareful and vnbeleeuing and murderers Apoc. 21. the whormongers sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And Christ Iesus saith Feare him which hath power to cast body and soule into hell 4 But forsomuch as God hath not made Death nor the kingdom of Hell vpon earth Wisd 1. We must vnderstand that the principal procurer of this Hell is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse who béeing in
are to challenge the benefite of Christs death and passion and the gate of Heauen is set open but the said water of life must haue his vse in time or els it helpeth not and when the yéere of Iubile is past the gate of Heauen wil be fast shut vp Euery mans life is his yéere of Iubile so that when his life is ended the Iubile is past and hée is barred from the gate of life 44 And because manie while they liue here are ouerwhelmed with the cares of this worlde and passing on in their way do promise vnto themselues a long life and a large yéere of Iubile the Lord foreséeing their perill doth after this mnaner carefully admonish them Striue yee to enter in at the straite gate as if he should say vse no delaies in the way but make haste runne apace while the yéere of Iubile lasteth while ye haue time of repentance and while the gate of saluation is open For many shall séeke to enter in but because they come too late they shall not enter They shall knocke in vaine at the gate they shall crie in vaine Lorde Lorde Math. 25. open to vs and in vaine they shall wishe to haue one day of repentance 45 And for whome I beséeche you are these thinges so often spoken Are they spoken for those that are dead and stand without knocking and saying Lorde open to vs No verily they are not spoken vnto them for they haue no profite thereby But they are spoken to vs and for vs and to him I say this is spoken The gate of heauen is nowe opened vnto you now is the time of your Iubile come now the kingdome of Heauen is offered vnto you ye are now called vpon to enter by the straite gate loose not this oportunitie for the gate will be shut much sooner then you think of euen before you be aware then shal ye be most miserable and vnhappy for euer yée shall desire but one houre to be giuen you of this most pretious time wherof now ye make so little account and it shall not be giuen vnto you 46 There is a third sort of men which séeke soone enough to enter in by the straite gate but yet being ouercome with the straits in the way doe not at last enter in To these the Lord speaketh Striue ye to enter in by the straite gate because many I say vnto you shall seeke to enter that is to say they shall make a proofe whether they can enter or not but they shal make it daungerous they shal assay whether they can enter by those straites but because they séeke not with all their strength to enter therefore in the ende they shall not enter 47 There are of this sort an innumerable multitude of men which whē they heare their sinnes wickednesses by the word of God condemned doe for a while purpose to forsake them to enter in at the straite gate of vertuous life and to forsake their drunkennesse fornication contention strifes and such like from which the Apostle commaundeth vs to abstaine So that these séeke to enter and begin to enter but soone after they returne with the dogge to his vomite and with the sow to her mire againe 48 And some many times renue their desires they oftentimes conceiue the spirit and yet neuer bring foorth But the Lord is not fed with barren desires it is not enough to haue a will to enter but we must also labour and striue to enter For I say vnto you many shal séeke to enter many shall haue a will to enter many shal haue a desire to enter many shal prooue to enter but because they wil not striue and labour with all their strength therefore they shal not enter For the kingdome of God suffereth violence and the violent draw it vnto them 49 When there is a Comicall or Tragicall play at the Theater or Curten doe yée not sée many times how men do throng and shooue with great labour to enter betimes that they may heare and behold the same for the which they think their pains their time their labour and their cost well bestowed But in the kingdome of heauen there shal be such glorious sights and so far excelling those worldly vanities and prophane delights that the beholders of them shall bée made happy with the beholding therof And we must not tarry til our seruants go before vs to prepare the way but euery man by himselfe be hée rich be he poore be hée noble or vnnoble euerie one must séeke to prepare and make his owne way and must striue labour and endeuour all that wee can if wée will bee at those delightfull and happy sights 50 These things considered which of vs will not sustaine the labour and trauell to enter in at the straite gate Who wil not willingly suffer himselfe to be pained and aflicted for a time I doubt not but that there are many which would enter but they cannot therefore they cannot because they know not how to enter For without skill we must not looke to enter by those straite and low gates If the gate belowly and thou lookest to go in without stooping with a fight vp body not once bowing downe thy heade is it not like that thou shalt hurt thy forehead and yet be stopt from entrance Euen so the gate being strait except thou know how to conforme thy selfe to the fashion of the crosse and to enter as it were stooping or side-waies thou shalt desire to enter in vaine Therfore this is that which the Lord saith heere Striue to enter in at the straite gate because many I say vnto you shall seeke to enter in and cannot and all because they cānot fashion themselues to the crosse and know not the manner of entring in by the straites Therefore thou must conforme thy selfe to the maner of the crosse that is to say thou must determine with thy selfe to endure with a valiant mind all manner of afflictions and tribulations and after this maner thou shalt easily enter 51 Thus the Lord himselfe entred For thus it behoued Christ to suffer that is to say it was requisite for Christ to be crucified and so to enter into his glorie Thus the Apostle Peter Thus the Apostle Saint Andrew and thus all the elect haue entered into the kingdome of heauen For they all following the figure of the crosse with many tribulations and with great labour haue entred into the straits of this gate 5 But now to come to the last and most vnhappy sort of men which do not onely not striue to come in but also doe not so much as thinke vpon any entrance And how many thinke you are there to be found in this number verily there are very few which are not to be reckned amōg this kind of men What man is hée that forgetteth not the feare of God and his own saluation To how many doe these words agrée Isaiah 5.12 The harpe and Viole
come nigh our dwelling O most blessed Tabernacle O most safe refuge O region most resplendant and glorious All thy inhabitants weare crownes of glory sit in thrones of Maiestie liue in life eternall and possesse a paradice of infinite pleasures which as S. Bernard saith are so many that they cannot bée numbred of such eternitie that they are without all ende so precious as they cannot be estimated so great as they cannot bee measured For the which cause the Apostle saith neither the eye hath seene nor eare heaerd 1. Cor. 2. Apoc 2. nor the heart of man conceiued what things God hath prepared for those that loue him And Christ saith No man knoweth it but he that enioyeth it 2 Yet notwithstanding as it is reported of a skilfull Geometrician that finding the length of Hercules foote vpon the hill Olympus made a portraiture of his whole bodie by that one part Euen so by those demonstrations which in Gods word are found we may make a coniecture of this Tabernacle and the felicitie in the same although we can not expresse the full perfection thereof 3 We haue therefore a most comfortable description of this Tabernacle in the 21. and 22. chapters of Saint Iohns reuelation comparing it vnto a citie which is made of pure gold with a great and high wall of the pretious stone called Iaspis The wal wherof had also twelue foundations made of twelue distinct precious stones which he ther nameth also 12. gates made of 12. rich stones called Margarites and euery gate was an entire Margarite The stréetes of the citie were paued with gold enterlayed also with pearles pretious stones The light of the Cittie was the clearenesse and shining of Christ himself sitting in the middest therof from whose seat proceeded a riuer of water as cleare as Christall to refresh the Cittie and on both sides of the bankes there grew the tree of life giuing out perpetual and continual fruit there was no night in that Cittie nor any defiled thing entred there but they saith he which are within shal raigne for euer and euer 4 By this description wherein Saint Iohn vseth such words as hée could and not as hée would hée giueth vs to vnderstand that the greatnes of the felicity prepared for vs in heauen is such that as I noted before we may very well thinke with S Paul that no tongue of man is able to declare it nor heart imagine it 5 This cittie or tabernacle shall in amplenes and in beauty be far beyond the reach of mans reasō to comprehend Yet the greatnes and amplenes may partly be conceiued by the view of the starres For if the least of them be of such greatnes as all the Princes of the world haue not within their power so much compasse and space and yet an innumerable multitude of stars haue place in the firmament where there remaineth stil roome and space for many moe how great then is the amplenes and capacity of heauen it selfe The which giueth iust cause to the Prophet Baruch to cry out say Bar. 3.24 O Israell how great is the house of God and how large is the place of his possession 5 And now what shal wée say of beautie delicacie and glory of paradice This our earthly worlde which is as it were in comparison of that other but a stable of beasts a place of exile and a vale of misery and tears if this be so decked garnished by the great and most skilful worke-maister that it séemeth not to be a stable of beasts but a garden of delight and pleasures the firmament adorned with so many stars like goldē knops the earth paued with swéet smelling hearbs and glorious flowers decked shith flourishing trées and gréene woodes watered with seas and riuers replenished with great maiestie of cities and townes garnished with all manner of fruits and spices and furnished with all liuing creatures as beastes fowles and fishes scruing for mans necessary vse pleasure If I say this frame of the world be made so glorious for man which is but a seruant and also for so smal a time in respect of the eternity to come what then shal wée imagine that the habitation prepared for the eternity and the Kings pallace it self shal be Surely no lesse then the power and wisdome of the maker who is omnipotent and wisdome it selfe could make and finish 6 But the chiefe praise of a citie consisteth in this to haue many Citizens which are noble peaceable and quiet the which are to bée found in most excellent manner in the celestiall Hierusalem For if wée consider the holy Angels doth not Iob say Iob. 25.3 Can his Souldiers bee numbred And the Prophet Daniel saith Dan. 7.10 A hundred thousand ministred vnto him and tenne thousand thousands stood before him And if wée consider the number of holy men that shall bée there then harken to the wordes of Saint Iohn in the Reuelation I beheld Apoc. 7.9 and loe a great multitude which no man coulde number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stoode before the throane and before the Lambe cloathed with white long Robes and Palmes in their hands And this multitude shal not be confused but passing wel ordered 7 As touching the Nobilitie of these heauenly Citizens what shal wée say when as they shal be triumphant kinges princes the sonnes of God and after a sorte Gods themselues and inhabitants of the kingdome belongeth to the body cōsisteth in the change and glorification of our flesh after the general resurrection that is to say whereby this corrupted body of ours shal put on incorruption and of mortal become immortall All this flesh I say of ours which now so burdeneth and grieueth the soule which is now subiect to so many chaunges vexed with so many sicknesses infected with so many corruptions oppressed with so many crosses and vexations shall bée freed from all these and made perfect to endure for euer with the soul without any alteration For it shal be deliuered from al the infirmities diseases pains troubles and incombrances of this life and in stéed thereof it shal haue a most perfect and glorious estate which shall neuer fade and decay any more Mat. 15. And then saith Christ they shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father And if one Sunne can lighten and fil the whole world with his brightnes if the maiesty glory of his beames be such and so great that some Ethnickes doe worship him for God and if he haue bene called of the auncients the Father of gladnesse the eye of the world and the fountaine of light What shal so many glorified bodies of the blessed be surely they shal be so many suns so many lampes and so many shining lights to lighten the heauenly Hierusalem 11 Nowe to say somewhat concerning the soule as the principal part of man Wée must vnderstand that although there be many things which make vs
our selues then may we boldly come to the Lords Table whereat we shall enioy Iesus Christ God and man by the benefit of faith and shall feele moreouer a great increase and augmentation of the same But we must note that it is vnpossible for vs to be vnite and made one with Christ and to be made partakers of the treasures and riches which are in him vnlesse we first renounce Antichrist and his kingdome and vnlesse we detest all Idolatrie superstition and traditions of men directly contrary to the pure seruice of God bounded and limitted out in his word For séeing that God is our onely Creator and hée giueth himselfe wholy vnto vs in the person of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST the true Isaac Gene. 17.18 in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed it is great reason that likewise by Faith wee giue vp our selues Gen. 12.18 yéelde vs wholy vnto God And thence is it that God in his Lawe doth rightfully require of his people that they haue no other Gods but him Eccle. 20.2 And that they loue him with all their heart with all their soule with all their strength and vnderstanding that is to say with all their parts aswel inward as outward And thence is it also that God doth not only rebuke and reprooue al them that halt on both sides but commandeth also 1. Reg. 18.20 Deut. 13.1 and 17.5 that they which sacrifice vnto strange Gods should be put to death And to this purpose S. Paul minding to warne the Corinthians to flée from Idolatry vseth an argument taken from the knittting together and vnion that we haue with Iesus Christ our Lord in the Supper 1. Cor. 10.16 speaking after this sort The cup of blessing which wée blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ And the bread which wée breake is it not the Commmunion of the body of Christ As if he would say that séeing the Corinthians came not to the Supper to bée partakers simply of earthly Elements but to be partakers really and in déede of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ to bée made one with him by faith and to be made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones that therefore it were too great wickednesse abhomination to be present in the assemblies of Infidels or to be partakers of their idolatrie And therefore the Apostle addeth afterward 1. Cor. 10.21 that the Corinthians cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord and of the cup of diuels and that they cannot bée partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of Diuels Whereby he signifieth that it is impossible to serue God and the diuel together and that whosoeuer doth communicate with Idolatrie doeth manifestly renounce our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore seeing that darkenesse is no more contrarie to light vice to vertue death to life Paradice to Hell then the Pope and his doctrine is contrary to our Lord Iesus Christ and to his holy Gospel it behooueth all true faithfull people to withdraw themselues wholy from Poperie and cast off without delay the yoke of that Romish Antichrist that they may giue themselues wholy to the seruice of this Sauiour and Redéemer Iesus Christ But if so be that the CoÌ„munion that we haue with the sonne of God and the promises of the heauenly Father cannot intice perswade vs to yéeld our selues wholy to God to put our trust in him onely to serue and worship him onely according to his will but that we wil yet cleaue vnto Antichrist his seruants Ministers yet at the least let the threatnings iudgements of God hinder vs and feare vs so to doe as when it is sayde Goe out of her my people that ye bee not partakers in her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And againe Apoc. 14.9 â—0 11 If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his foreheade or in his hand the same shal drink of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe And that stinke of their torment shal ascend-euermore and they shal haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name And againe The fearefull and vnbeléeuing the abhominable murtherers Apo. 21.8 whoremongers sorcerers idolatrors and all lyers shal haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Let this therefore be well printed in our hearts that we be not seduced and destroyed with the vaine seruers of this worlde which thinke it is a thing not impossible to serue God and the Diuell Iesus Christ and Antichrist to follow the commandements of God and of men and to satisfie the affections of the spirite and of the flesh all at once 2. We must haue repentance THe preparation whereof we spake before touching faith which applyed vnto euery one of vs particularly Iesus Christ with all his riches and blessings can haue no place in vs vnlesse it bring foorth also in vs a true repentance that is to say a true misliking of euill a burning loue and affection of goodnesse as we sée the example in Dauid Peter Paul and other holy men We must haue a sorrow and vnfeined grief for that we haue offended God for that wée haue before times wickedly abused our creation redemption and Baptisme for that wée haue prouoked God with all our members for that we haue abused our vnderstanding heart tongue féete and hands for that wée haue giuen and set foorth our soules and bodies which are the Temples wherein God would dwell to infidelitie idolatrie superstition filthinesse blasphemie whoredome extortion vsurie robberie gluttonie drunkennesse ambition excesse ryot other worldly vanities which is asmuch as if we would haue lodged God the father the sonne and the Ghost in a most stinking and filthy priuie Wée must therefore bée sorry for our wicked life passed vsing a true and seuere examining of our selues which may bring foorth in vs a displeasantnesse and horrour of our forepassed renting and breaking by al manner of meanes of the Lawe of God to follow the will of the Diuell of the world and of the flesh Nowe the breaking of the breade of the Supper which is omitted in the Passeouer of the Papists should cause vs to acknowledge and detest our wickednesse that is to say whatsoeuer is founde in vs contrary and repugnant to the pure and holy Lawe of GOD. For in that that the bread is broken for vs or rather in that that wée breake the bread of the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ it signifieth vnto vs that in déede it is we that it is our sinnes and iniquities which haue crucified and put to death the Lorde of life who is the very same
their own saluation and the saluation of their brethren but rather to make themselues greater in their goods and honours and to satisfie their owne affections And therefore it commeth to passe that as soone as the diuell lifteth vp his hornes against the Church of God and persecutions be at hand they melt away by and by in afflictions as doth waxe before the fire they are offended and parched with the Sunne of the crosse they are sorie for the good they haue done they repent themselues that they were so hasty to confesse the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in the assembly of the faithful they wish they had neuer known GOD nor his word nor his Church nor his Ministers because they make greater account as Esau did of one messe of pottage q Ge. 25.38 than of the birth-right and blessing of the heauenly father But let such manner of persons knowe that it shall no more profit them that they made a faire beginning and iolly holding vp of their buckler then it did Cain Esau Saule Iudas For séeing that sentence is generall that whosoeuer continueth vnto the end he shall be saued it followeth by the contrary that all they which doe not continue constantly in the confession of the sonne of God are hindered by their goods and honours loue of the world ease of their flesh to set forth and declare with a continuall traine the benefit of our redemption it followeth I say that such persons shal goe to ruine and euerlasting destruction Last of all this acknowledging must not onely be priuate but publike in the face and presence of the whole Church and therefore as Dauid saith r Psa 116 12.13.14 What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefites towardes me I wil take the cuppe of saluation and cal vpon the name of the Lord. I wil pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the presence of all his people ſ Psal 40.9.10 And againe I haue declared thy righteousnesse in the great congregation Loe I haue not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart but I haue declared thy truth and thy saluation I haue not concealed thy mercy thy truth from the great congregation So then this ought to be wel printed in the heart of the weake those that are ashamed to confesse and praise openly our Lord Iesus Christ For séeing that God doeth auouch vs openly for his people and giueth himselfe fréely vnto vs and to our children in the person of his welbeloued Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ wee can doe no lesse then auouche him publikely for our God and Sauiour in the person of that same his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. 4. Of Loue. FAith Repentance and Acknowledging of GODS benefits cannot haue place in vs and in vaine are we called Christians or that we bragge of our selues for the practise of the Commandements of the first Table which concerne the seruice of God before mentioned vnlesse we shew the effects by the kéeping of the Cōmandements of the second Table which concerne the loue of our neighbor without which wée cānot worthily present our selues to the holy Table of Iesus Christ our Lord. And therefore it is that Iesus Christ himselfe in the Sermon of the Supper which he made to his Apostles the same night that he was betrayed and deliueuered to death for vs did diligently beat this point into their heads saying By this shall all men knowe that yee are my Disciples a Iohn 13 35. if yee haue loue one to another b Iho. 15.12.13.14 And againe This is my commandement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you Greater loue than this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his friendes Yee are my friendes if yee doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you To this same ende tendeth also that that the same night IESVS CHRIST washed the féete of the Apostles c Ihon. 13.12.13.14 15. after which washing hée said vnto them Knowe yee what I haue done to you yee call mee Maister and Lorde and yee say well for so I am If I then your Lorde and Maister haue washed your feete yee also ought to wash one anothers feete For I haue giuen you an example that yee should doe euen as I haue done to you Wee must therefore according to the commaundement and example of the Sonne of GOD be furnished with true and hote loue that we may worthily present our selues to the Lordes Table If wée will haue a true description of this loue wée must take it of Saint Paule which painteth it out in liuely colours writing to the Corinthians in this sorte d 1. Co 13 4. Loue saith hée suffreth long and is bountifull Loue enuyeth not loue doeth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne things it is not prouoked to Anger it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth It suffereth all things it beleeueth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things Sée what manner of loue ours ought to bee euerie one of vs must endeuour that all the partes of this description may rightly agree vnto vs. Wée are many wayes and in sundrie sortes exhorted to this loue and brotherly concorde in the holy Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ First in that that wée must waite one for another e 1. Cor. 1.35 and that it is not lawful for euery one of vs to celebrate the Supper particularlie and aparte but when the whole congregation is assembled together all the faithfull together must take eate and drinke the Bread and Wine of the Supper according to the commandement of Iesus Christ f Mat. 26.26 Mark 14.21 Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11 14. Take yee eat yee and drinke yee all of thit It is a true figure anst testimonie of the vanitie that ought to bee among vs. Moreouer in that that wée béeing all gathered togeather in one house of God which is his Church wée do there all call vpon one selfe same father which is in Heauen wée haue all one selfe same heade Aduocate and intercessour g Mat. 12. Iohn 11.17 1. Tim. 2. 1. Iohn 2. which is Iesus Christ We are all quickened with his holy Spirit which dwelleth in vs in that that we all haue one selfe same Word of God in that that we all eate of one selfe same Spiritual meate and drinke all of the selfesame spirituall drinke in that also that we all pretend as brethren to one selfesame inheritance which is the kingdome of heauen ought not this to enflame vs with true and hote loue Finally the making of the bread and Wine of the Supper doth teach vs also what vnitie and concord we ought to haue one with another for as we sée that the bread is made of many cornes and yet notwithstanding afterwardes is but one selfe same lumpe of bread as wée