whom by good right we should loue more than our selues See then more than a sea of ioy proceeding from the happines of the seruants of God Let vs now vnderstand the great deapth of ioy which we shall feele entering into the ioye of our Lord. The cause why wee should loue God saith Saint Bernard is God him selfe Bernard in tract de diligendo deo And the measure which wee ought to keepe in this loue is to loue him without measure and so infinitlie But according to that wee knowe him 1. Cor. 13.12 we loue him But now we knowe him but in part and as it were in darknes euen so very little and obscure is the loue which we beare him But when wee shall knowe him as he is wee shall loue him according as he is What shall our loue bee towards him then 1. Cor. 15.24 when Iesus Christ hauing giuen ouer his kingdome to God his Father God the Father the Sonne and the Holie ghost one onlie God 1. Cor. 15.28 shall bee all things in this man Iesus Christ and in vs and when wee shall knowe him as hee is beholding the brightnes of his face and his Godhead then raigning immediatly in vs filling vs with all happines Without doubt this contemplation of the glory of the diuine maiestie shal bring forth in vs an infinite loue towards God Now to returne to the meditation of Saint Augustine if according to that we loue each one wee should reioyce of his happines Then as in this blessed felicitie each one of vs shall loue God without comparison more than himselfe and more than all the Angels and elect with vs so shall we feele more ioy without comparison of the blessednes and glorie of God than of our owne or of al the Angels and the elect with vs. And if then wee shall loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our vnderstanding yet so as al our hart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not be capable of the excellencie of this loue Surelie wee shall so feele ioy with all our heart with all our vnderstanding and with all our soule as yet all our heart al our vnderstanding and all our soule shall not bee able to comprehend the fulnes of this ioye Howsoeuer it bee then that this full ioy yea more than full through the greatnes of it whereof all our heart all our vnderstanding all our soule shall not be capable cannot enter into vs It shall remaine that we filled with the sea of ioye of the felicitie of the Angels and of all the elect shall enter into this great deapth of ioye proceeding from the contemplation of the glorie of our God And this shal be the ioy of the Lord Matth. 25.21 into which all his faithfull seruants shall enter Now when this felicitie so great and ioy incomprehensible shall indure so manie yeares as there bee drops of water in the sea Of the eternitie of the life to come or graines of sand in the whole earth yet should not this be a perfect happines For howsoeuer the continuance shall seeme to vs infinite yet the end will once come And indeed the drops of water and the graines of the sand are numbred before God But this our felicitie and ioy shal last without end Such shall bee the life euerlasting As also Saint John saith Apoc. 22.5 1. Tim. 1.17 we shall raigne in heauen world without end We shall bee the kingdome of that immortall king whom Esai calleth the father of eternitie Esai 9.6 who hath promised life and immortalitie to those that shall beleeue the Gospell 2. Tim. 1.10 Also death shall then bee swallowed vp into victorie The author and prince of life 1. Cor. 15.45 hauing vanquished the diuell Act. 3.15 who had the rule ouer death shall make vs partakers of the life that is euerlasting And as we shall be vnited to the fountaine of life Heb. 2.14 Apoc. 21.6 so shall it run in vs eternallie For as the fountain of this life which we shall inioy hath no beginning so the life that procedeth from it shall haue no end The mercie of GOD saith S. Bernard is from eternitie to eternitie vppon those that feare him from eternitie because of the predestination to eternitie because of the glorification The one hath no beginning the other hath no ending This therefore shall be a happines incomprehensible for the greatnes and infinite for the eternitie of it Behold also how we shall then inioy a ful and perfectioy Ioh. 16.22 which shal neuer be taken away from vs. Now this life is promised and assured to all the children of God in as much as they are heires of God the fountaine of life Rom. 8.17 Psal 36.10 Ioh. 14.6 Ioh. 3.15 coheires and members of Iesus Christ who is the way the trueth and the life who also hath so oftē protested that whosoeuer beleeueth in him he hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. Let vs conclude then that the children of God are truelie and onlie blessed being assured to inioye this great and incomprehēsible happines of life euerlasting which is purchased promised and kept for them in Iesus Christ our Lord. How we shall knowe that we are the children of God CAP. 2. OF this conclusion it followeth that there is no greater ioy or contentmēt in this present life or any thing more sure or more necessarie for the happie ouercomming the difficulties of it thā to knowe and feele that wee are the children of God For this foundation being laid wee ought to bee assured that whatsoeuer shall happen vnto vs can bee none other than the blessing of a father and so consequentlie a meane aide and way disposed by his prouidence either to leade vs vnto life euerlasting or to increase our glorie in it True it is that GOD onelie knoweth his owne 2. Tim. 2.19 whom hee hath chosen before the foundation of the world to bee his children 2. markes of our adoption Yet there are two principall meanes by which he giueth vs to vnderstand who are his children the one is outward by markes visible vnto men the other is inward by testimonies which he that is the child of GOD feeleth in himselfe The outward marke lieth in this Of the outward mark that we be mēbers of the church of Christ Now wee call that the church of Christ in which the word of God is trulie preached the Sacramēts are purelie ministred and one onelie God is called vpon in the name of his onelie sonne Iesus Christ Matth. 13. First this Church is often called the kingdome of heauen because that by it wee enter in thether so that it is as it were the suburbs or the gate of it Whereof it followeth that being the true members of the Church we are in the way and forwardnes to enter make our abode in heauen Mat. 21.13 It is also
before taught and maintained For thereof the diuell gathereth two consequences no lesse daungerous than false either that our Church is not the true Church so that we are not the children of God or that there is no assurance of perseuerance in the faith consequently no certaintie of being the childrē of God which haue had borne in aparance the markes of adoption The other offence consisteth in the grieuous long afflictiōs which we indure for the prosperitie of the wicked deriding our miseries the apprehension of our own troubles giue occasion to doubt whether God care for vs or whither he loue vs or no. And this ordinarie condition to those that make profession of our religiō causeth many to condēne it haue it in detestatiō as the mother nurse of al calamities As touching the 1. point cōcerning those that reuolt Of the certaintie of the doctrine notwithstanding the reuolts it is a small stūbling block to trouble vs for this was foretold vs and it is a disease wherwith the church hath alwaies bin afflicted Many shall be called saith Iesus Christ but few chosen And the parable of the seed falling in diuers sorts of earth sheweth Matt. 20.16 that with much a doo the 4. part of those that shal heare professe the Gospel Matth. 13. shall cōtinue to the end S. Paule hath foretold expreslie 1. Tim. 4.1 that in the latter times many shal fall from the faith Act. 20.30 And he aduertiseth the Ephe. that euen frō among themselues there should rise vp mē that should teach peruerse things And the Cor. that there shall be in the church not only diuisiōs 1. Cor. 11.19 but also heresies 2. Pet. 2.1 Saint Peter speaketh yet more largelie As there hath been saith he false prophets among the people of Israel so shal there be false teachers amongst you which shall secretlie bring in damnable errours and manie shal follow their damnable waies by whom the way of trueth shall bee blasphemed Now we must thinke the accomplishing of such prophecies so much the lesse strange because such hath bin the condition of the church of God at all times Gen. 6. What reuolt was there in the house of God before the flood eight persons onlie being foūd saued in the Arke and yet amongst them one hypocrite who after was cast off and accursed Gen. 9.25 Now the church of God being inlarged in the posteritie of Sem againe there was seene such a reuolt Gen. 12. that the church of God was onlie found in the familie of Abraham himselfe being pulled out of idolatrie In the time of Elias the reuolt was so great in Israel 1. Reg. 19.10 that hee thought he had bin left alone At the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ the Apostacie was so generall that almost all the Church at the least the principal members of it lift vp themselues against the Sonne of GOD and crucified him When Iesus Christ had gathered manie Disciples he was forsaken of the most part of them yea Iohn 6.66 Iudas also the Apostle fellfrom him sold him and betraied him Mat. 26.14 Mat. 26.65 Mat. 26.69 2. Tim. 1.15 Iesus Christ being taken prisoner by his enemies all his A postles fled away and forsooke him Saint Peter himselfe denied him thrice Saint Paule complaineth that all they of Asia had reuolted 2. Tim. 4.16 And saieth in an other place that all had forsaken him He noteth Alexander the Copper Smith Hymenaeus and others 2. Tim 4.14 who hauing beenethe chiefe members of the Church were become heretikes and enemies of the truth Now it is the same Church and we must no more be astonished at such reuolts than at a man hauing rheums all his life whereby hee casteth out of his bodie aboundance of humours that shoulde continue in the same disease still euen in his olde age Herein rather we ought to acknowlege the holines of God wherewith also he would his Church should be adorned For he purgeth his Church not being able to indure that hipocrits should any l̄og time keepe the place and title of his childrē aproching to his Maiestie And hereunto we may aplie that which Moses saith Leuit. 10.3 whē he saw the fire had deuoured Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron for offering before the Lorde strange fire This is it which the Lorde hath spoken saying I will be sanctified in those that approch vnto me will bee glorified in the presence of all the people shewing therby that the nearer mē approch vnto him by honorable offices in his church and profession of his worde so much the lesse will hee suffer their corruptions but punisheth them more sharply to the end that as the nearer the peece of wax approcheth to the fire so much the more the heat of it appeareth in melting it In like maner the holines of God may better be knowne in the reuolt of hypocrites approching vnto him so he may be the more glo rified of the people in such iudgements This is also the cause why manie who before they had the knowledge of the gospell seemed in outward apparance very good people Asterward being ioined to the church become wicked and dissolute in their liues very persecutors It is the vengeāce of god that pursueth thē punishing their ingratitude their loue of the world and of the flesh which they brought nourished in the church and the contempt of the honor that God did them when he made thē aproch vnto him receiuing thē into his house speaking to them by the preaching of his word presenting vnto thē vpon his holy Table his own Sonne Iesus Christ for the foode of their soules So farre off is it then that we should be troubled for such reuolts that on the contrary seeing that they are the vengeances of GOD wee ought so much the more to feare and to continue the more constantly holily in the church of GOD. Psal 101. And indeede if wee did at this day see Dauid execute that protestation which hee did make of purging his house from vicious and wicked persons would we thinke you depart from it doubting of the holinesse of it Shall we not rather be confirmed to tarrie there stil desiring to liue holilie But more what damage receiueth the Church in such reuolts The glorie of it before God consisteth not properlie in the greatnesse of the number but in the holinesse of them The health of a man consistethnot in the abundance of humors which will cause some deadlie disease at the last for euen they that areladen with them take medicines to purge them that they might bee the more whole Esay 1.22 This is it which God hauing spoken of his Church of Israel that her siluer was turned into drosse her wine mingled with water added for a great benefit that he would take cleane away al her scomme and remoue al her lead from
outward before men they which haue the inward markes which consist in the testimonie of the holy Ghost in our hearts in the peace of our consciences and in the holy desire of our soules feele these graces which assureth them that they are the children of GOD chosen to eternal life yea more certainly than we are assured by the light of the Sunne that we see by the heat that we feele that the Sun shineth And in deed they haue the white stone whereof mention is made in the reuelation Reue. 2.17 in that stone a new name of the childe of god writtē which none can know but he that receiueth it The world saith Christ cānot receiue the spirit of truth because it hath not seen him neither hath known him Ioh. 14.17 but ye know him saith hee to his Apostles for hee abideth with you and shall be in you As touching the outwarde marke of beeing a member of the visible Church it is also verie certaine in respect of God inasmuch as speaking to vs and sealing his words by the sacraments he neither wil nor can deceiue or lie But if mē hearing his word cōmunicating at the Sacraments reiect in their hearts the spirituall graces which are offered vnto them and so abide vnfaithfull and wicked within when notwithstanding they are helde for faithfull and the childrē of god because of the outward profession it is no meruaile if God at the last do discouer them cast them off shewing therin that they wer neuer his And this is it that S. Iohn saith of such 1. Ioh. 2.19 They went out frō amongst vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they would haue tarried with vs. But this is that it might appeare that all are not of vs. They that are once grafted in Christ can not perish for the giftes of God are without repentance Ro. 11.29 But euerie plant Matt. 15.13 saith Iesus Christ which my father hath not planted shall bee pulled vp Matt. 13. The parable of the seede falling into diuers sortes of earth teacheth vs two points to this purpose First that manie shal heare the gospel but without frute Secondlie that it shall be their own falt For if entring into the Church they bring their cares and loue to the world without hauing will to forsake them so as it like thornes choake the good seede of the word 2. Tim. 2.19 And so hauing no moisture of the grace of God they wither at the first sunne of persecution a man may see the cause of their reuolte to wete because they were not the children of God Saint Paule hauing said that God knoweth who are his addeth and whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of Christ let him depart from all iniquitie shewing thereby that if there bee anie which ioyne themselues to the Church calling vpon the name of Christ and doo not depart frō iniquity they discouer thereby that God neuer tooke them for his Which thing is good to be noted For manie thinke that to be of our Church nedeth nothing but to chāge the masse to the preaching and to the communicating at the Lords supper And when they vnderstand that to be the childe of God is required to renoūce themselues to leaue couetousnes ambition drunkennesse the world and all pompes to be short that they must put off the olde man and be a new creature not beeing disposed to do this they leaue the preaching and returne to the Masse Now be these the children of God that reuolt that they should make those that are in deed and continue to doubt Nay rather they are the children of the world who hauing brought the world in with them haue also carried the world away with them They therefore that haue once beleeued who also beleeuing feele a desire to liue according vnto god are assured that they cannot perish He that beginneth this good work in them Phil. 1.6 wil accōplish it euen vnto the day of christ And to this purpose saith S. Augustine verie wel Aug. de cor rect gra ca. 12. to 7. He which made vs good maketh vs also to perseuer in goodnes but they that fal and perish were not of the number of the predestinate It remaineth that considering in the fall of hipocrites the double mercie of god toward vs. First that he hath receiued vs into the number of his children Secondly that he will continue this grace towards vs euen to the ende there remaineth I say that we feele our selues double bound to practise the exhortation of S. Paule beseeching vs by the mercies of God to offer our selues a liuing sacrifice holy pleasing to God Rom. 12.1 not to be fashioned like this wicked world but rather endeuouring to this that being tranfformed by the renuing of our vnderstanding we may approoue and follow the good and perfect will of God And let vs remember that which S. John saith 1. Iohn 3.3 That they that haue hope to liue with Iesus Christ and to see him as hee is do purifie themselues as he is pure That afflictions ought not to make vs to doubt of our adoption but rather confirme vs. CHAP. 6. LET vs now come to that stūbling blocke and trouble that proceedeth from our afflictions What apparaunce is there saieth the flesh that wee are the Children of GOD Our goods are violently taken from vs our possessions are confiscate and our Offices and Estates are taken away We are driuen out of our Countrey yea from Countrey to Countrey like vagabonds wee are hated of father and mother and of our other kinsfolk frends we are drawen and kept in prison wee are derided and brought into extreame calamities miscries we are as sheepe of the shambles apointed to the sword to the gallowes and to the fire To bee short wee see nothing but the signes of the wrath and the curse of God vpon vs. And that which more is the Church which wee haue said was the kingdome of Christ and the house of God how is it assailed by the mightie men of this world whome also we see to come to the end of their enterprises to oppresse tread vnder foote rent and scatter this Church exercising al crueltie against it as hūgrie wolues vpon a flock of sheep forsaken of their shepheard They triumph in their victories and wee hang down the head weep bowing down our necks vnder the yoke of afflictions They increase in riches we consume in pouertie they are aduaunced to honours and dignities and we are despised as rebels wicked and seditious people See what the flesh saith and yet these are but discourses and complaints of great ignoraunce or infirmitie For what is that which troubleth and offendeth vs in this condition and estate Euen that whereby wee ought rather to be confirmed in the assuraunce that wee are the children of GOD and indeede happie First if GOD had promised
Kingdome Hee hath suffered sayth Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.21 Leauing vs an example that wee should followe his steps Let vs not then thinke it strange as he faith in an other place 1. Pet. 4.12 when wee are as in a fornace for our triall as if an vnwonted thing had come vnto vs. Butrather in as much as wee communicate with the afflictions of Christ Let vs reioyce that when his glorie shall appeare wee also may reioyce wath gladnes Now let vs vnderstand how he addeth that suffering iniurie for Christes sake wee are happy forasmuch as the spirit of God which is the spirit of glory resteth in vs and the feeling which we haue causeth vs to glorifie him though of the blinde worlde he is euill spoken of Seeing then the heauenly father hath vouchsafed vs such loue 1. Ihon. 3.1 that wee are called the sons of God although the world persecute vs because it knoweth neither the Father nor vs Let vs saie boldlie with S. Ihon We are now the children of God And although it dooth not yet appeare what we shal be yet we knowe as hee also addeth that when Christ shall appeare we shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as hee is Col. 3.3 Let vs be contented to be dead in this worlde and to haue our life hid with Christ in God beeing assured that when Christ our life shall appeare we shall also appeare in glorie If the Diuell will gather of our afflictions that we are not the children of GOD let vs say boldlie that he is a lyar or let him first plucke out of the ranke of God his children the Martyres the Apostles the Prophets and other of the best and most approoued children and seruants of GOD which haue beene afflicted as well as wee and more than wee Euen the holie Virgine and Christ himselfe But rather seeing that wee beare their liuerie let vs acknowledge our selues the children of GOD with them and let vs say with a holie resolution with Saint Paule Rom. 8.38 that there is neyther death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor heighth nor depth nor anie other creature which can separate vs from the loue of GOD which he beareth vs in Iesus Christ our Lorde That the faithfull haue the common afflictions of the children of Adam because of the excellent fruites of them testimonies of their adoption and of the loue of God toward them CAP. 9. TO bee yet better confirmed in this trueth let vs now consider how the afflictions themselues euen those that are common to the childrē of Adam serue for our profite and saluation First 1. Fruit to awake vs out of our sinnes for as much as the reliques of sinne abide still euen in the most perfect in this life which maketh them hardened in their faults and inclined to offend God We haue neede of helpes to be waked to be humbled and drawen from our sinnes to keep vs in the time to come and so to dispose vs to a perfect obedience holie and acceptable vnto God And to this ende tend the afflictions of the children of God which for this cause are called chastisements corrections and medicines of our soules The children of Jacob hauing committed a detestable crime in selling then brother Joseph Gen. 42.21 but they neuer thought of it vntill that beeing in Aegypt pressed with reproches and imprisonment they called to minde their sinne saying one to the other surely we haue sinued against our brother for we saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought vs and wee woulde not heare him and therefore is this trouble hapned vnto vs. Manasses King of Iuda hauing set vp Idolatrie againe persecuted those that woulde purelie serue the Lorde 2. Chro. 33 so as Ierusalem was full of blood and hauing shut his eares to the admonitions of the Lorde at the last was taken by the army of the king of the Assyrians bound with manacles fettered in chaines and carried prisoner into Babylon Then being in affliction he was exceedingly humbled before God hee prayed to the Lord and was heard and caried backe vnto Jerusalem Then hee pulled downe all Idolatrie reformed the seruice of God and commanded Iuda to serue the Lorde the God of Israell Yea the poore pagane marriners of whom the historie of Ionas maketh mention seeing the continuaunce of the tempest concluded to cast lots to know who was the cause of that affliction and God making it to appeare that it was the sinne of Ionas Ion. 1.7 thereof is come a common Prouerb in a daungerous tempest that there is some fonas in the ship And this proceedeth of a feeling and apprehension of the prouidence and iustice of GOD this little sparke yet still remaining in man of the image of God whereby we thinke that it is hee that afflicteth that he is iust doth nothing but iustlie and so that afflictions are corrections of our sinnes Therefore Jeremie iustly reproueth the blockishnesse of the people of Israel in this that being afflicted Ierem. 8.6 no man saide what haue I done See now why God to make vs more liuelie feele his iudgements to the intent to wake vs vp to conuert vs vnto him sendeth vs oftētimes afflictions which after a sort answere haue some conformitie to our sins As for example EZechias king of Iuda sinned by ambition or vain confidence in shewing all his treasures to the Embassadors of the king of Babel and GOD tolde him by the Prophet Esay that all his treasures should be transported into Babel Esa 39 Dauid offended God in committing adultery 2. Sam. 11 and in putting to death Vriah and GOD chastised him in this 2. Sam. 13 that Amnon his sonne defiled his sister Thamar and that Amnon was slaine by his brother Absolom that Absolom laie publikely with his fathers Concubines 2. Sam. 16. 22 according to that which God had saide vnto him 2. Sam. 12 11 Thou hast done it in secrete and I will doo it in the sight of all the people The child borne in adultry died 2. Sam. 12 10 he was threatned that the Sword should not depart from his house Now as the afflictions bring vs to the feeling of our sinnes 2. Fruit amendment of life and first in workes to wake vs vp and to humble vs so therof riseth the resolutions and protestations to fall into them no more but to amend them And this is it that is seene in those that by tempest of sea or some grieuous disease are in manifest danger of death They examine their cōsciēce their sinnes infirmities then come before them they aske pardon and make protestations to liue better in time to come The same also we see in children that are beaten of their fathers This is it which the Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth vs saying That no chastisement for the time seemeth pleasant
Christ had said blessed are they which suffer for righteousnes sake he addeth as a reason 2. For the promises 1. Of the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.10 For theirs is the kingdome of heauen They that through zeale and charitie imploye themselues to maintaine the innocencie and right of an other and aboue all the trueth of God incurre ordinarilie the hatred of the world lifting vp it selfe against them to bring them to ruine But let them comfort themselues for what can they leese seeing the kingdome of heauen is theirs and cannot bee taken from them Yea farther seeing these persecutions assure them and prepare them to come thether Iesus Christ addeth that wee are blessed Mat. 5.12 and that wee ought to skip for ioye when anie iniurie is offered vs either in word or deed 2. For the reward lying on vs for his names sake For your reward saith he is great in heauen Note that he saith in heauen for it shall be speciallie in the life to come that we shall receiue it Yet notwithstanding in an other place he promiseth recompence in this present life 1. In this life For marke what he speaketh to his Apostles Mar. 10.29 Verelie I say vnto you that there is none that shall forsake house or brethren or sisters fathers mothers or wife or children or lands for the loue of me and of the Gospell which shall not now in this world receiue an hundred folde as much houses brethren sisters fathers mothers children and lands with persecution and in the world to come life euerlasting Now the purpose of Iesus Christ is to teach vs that when by persecution it shall happen that wee shall be constrained to forsake father mother brothers sisters and lands he will giue vnto vs in that poore vile and base estate cansed through persecution more ioye contentment and happines than if wee had recouered an hundred fathers for one and an hundred times as much lands and possessions as was taken from vs. And experience maketh the faithfull to feele the trueth of this promise And we should feele it much more aboundantlie if the mouth of our faith were greater But yet in this weakenes of faith doo not we knowe that the wicked in their aboundance are poore and wee in our pouertie are rich Their couetousnes is insatiable and like vnto fire which the more wood you put on the greater it is As for vs wee finde contentment and rest in the prouidence of GOD which neuer forsooke those that put their trust in him In the time of Eliah 1. King 17. manie had greater store of foode than the widdowe of Sarepta vnto whom he was sent but she hauing this blessing of the Lord that the oyle failed not in the cruse nor the flowre in the barrell she had more than the richest in the countrie As he that hath a spring of running water in his house may say that hee is more assured and hath more plentie of water than he that hath it in a cesterne and that all broken Besides this great happines that we feele our selues to be the children of God that being pilgrimes in this world the end of our voyage is to come to heauen which also wee see open and Iesus Christ reaching out his hands vnto vs to gather vs into his glorie giueth vs more contentment without comparison in eating of bread and drinking of water than the vnfaithfull haue in all delicates hauing nothing in their hearts but the world and the earth and liuing or rather languishing in continuall feare to be sodainlie depriued of all that wherein they set their whole felicitie This is it which Dauid noteth Psal 37.10 saying A little that the righteous hath is more worth than the great aboundance of the wicked Yea the verie ordinary experience teacheth vs that GOD prouideth for our necessities both more aboundantlie than euer we looked for also by such meanes as we neuer thought accomplishing in his children persecuted that which Saint Paule saith 1. Tim. 4.8 That godlines hath the promise of this present life and of the life to come If then as it is said the contented bee rich and that it is not the aboundance which giueth this contentment but the feeling that wee are the children of a father that is almightie which loueth vs with a loue incomprehensible in his beloued sonne who hath taken vpon him to make vs happie It must needes followe that euen in this life we recouer an hūdred times as much as we haue lost through persecution And who is he that can doubt if he carefullie meditate this sentence of Saint Paule Rom. 8.31 He that hath loued vs so much as he gaue his owne and onlie sonne vnto the death for vs much more shall he giue vs all other things with him And indeede seeing wee are the members brethren of him whom God hath appoynted the vniuersall heire of all things let vs not doubt but that all things are ours As also the goods of the house appertaineth to the pupils although the Tutor gouerne it and giueth it them by portion and that which is more hee shall sometimes appoint to euery one his diet according to that which by the coūsell of the Phisition shall bee thought fit Mat. 6.33 And indeede if wee seeke first the kingdom of God and his righteousnes Let vs not doubt following the promise of Iesus Christ but that all other things shall be added In the meane time we must especially lift vp our vnderstanding to the reward promised in the life euerlasting For true it is that besides this contentment whereof wee haue spoken God to shew that it hapneth not for lacke of power to enrich his children that pouertie and other afflictions do often follow and accompanie the profession of the Gospell dooth oftentimes dispose that they which haue forsaken father mother their worldly goods for the name of Iesus Christ finde afterwardes many which serue them for fathers and mothers and obtaine after greater possessions in following the Gospell than they had before Alwayes this is not the purpose of Christ to haue vs to rest vpon so bare recompence as to giue vs goods which are common to the wicked and the infidels Saint Paule proposeth to the bondslaues of men for recompence of their faithfull seruice Col. 3.24 the inheritance of Heauen The children then of the house of God shold do thēselues great wrong to looke for at the hands of a Father so mightie so rich so liberall earthlie and transitorie riches other commodities of the flesh Hee esteemeth it not agreeable to his greatnes nor to the anguishes and trauailes of those which haue forsaken father mother their goods and their life for his seruice to giue them things so vaine to the ende that they should not set their mindes thereon thinking that their felicitie lay in them The Master of a house who keepeth his inheritance for his Sonne doth not thinke
vngodlie for an end of his felicitie Yea if we were called to suffer death for the name of Iesus Christ 2. Not to feare death What other thing is this death but after a long conflict the day of victorie the birth of a blessed soule after a great trauaile the hauen desired after so furious tempests the end of a dangerous and troublesome voyage the healing of all wounds and sicknes the deliuerance from all feare and terrour the accomplishment of our sanctification the gate of heauen the entrance into paradise the taking possession of the inheritance of the father the day of our mariage with the Lambe the inioying of our desires Who is it then among vs who feeling with S. Paule the bondage of sinne would not crie out with him Alas wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And feeling the good that death bringeth vnto vs will not also say with him I desire to be dissolued Phil. 1.23 and to be with Christ If death wherewith God threatned our first parents is a feeling of the wrath of God in the soule in the body because of sinne Gen. 2.17 Wee may well say that death and life are two twinnes vnited and knit together vntill the separation of the soule and the bodie and this separation which is cōmonlie called death is rather the deadlie stroke of death the bodie beeing then exempt from paine and the soule from vice corruption waighting vntill the rest of death bee swallowed vp in victorie at the day of the resurrection It is then an abuse to call life a continual death and to call that death which is the end of a thousand deaths and the beginning of the true life It is then also against reason that wee haue horrour of that which we ought to desire and desire the continuance of that the onlie end whereof bringeth vs to eternall felicitie And to this end Saint Chrisostome saith verie well that it which is called life and death haue deceaueable visours Life deformed and accompanied with manie miseries calamities hath a faire pleasant visour which maketh it to bee desired and Death so faire happie and to be desired hath one deformed and fearefull Let vs put off then saith he these visours we will change our minds when wee shall finde vnder the faire visour of life nothing but matter of heauines and displeasure and vnder the soule hideous visour of death such a beautie and felicitie as we shall incontinently be taken with her loue So long as we liue we haue cruell enemies which neuer cease making warre with vs whome wee can neuer vanquish but by death And indeed wee cannot make the world to die in vs except we die our selues Sinne which is in vs liueth in vs and fighteth against vs vntill wee dying it also die with vs. And by death alone the deadlie assaults of Satan our chiefe enemie die foorthwith But yet why should we feare it which cannot come vnto vs but by the will of him who is our heauenlie father yea and at such a time as he appoynteth As Dauid said Lord my times that is to say Psal 31.16 all the minutes of my life are in thy hands There is no creature more enemie to man nor more able to hurt than the diuell And indeed he is called the enemie the murtherer Mat. 13.39 Iho. 8.44 1. Pet. 5.8 Iob 1. 2. and the roaring Lyon seeking whome he may deuour But the historie of Iob sheweth plainlie that GOD holdeth him brideled so as hee can attempt nothing nor goe either forward or backward more than GOD will permit him And this which is more he hath not power to enter so much as into the swine Luk. 8.32 without the leaue of Christ What is this then that wee should feare men Are not they also vnder the prouidence power and gouernment of our GOD It is GOD saith Hannah the mother of Samuel 1. Sam. 2. ◠who weigheth their enterprises so as they cannot passe one ounce of the waight ordained of GOD. It is he that slaieth and maketh aliue againe 1. Sam. 2.6 which bringeth downe to the pit and lifteth vp againe he maketh poore and maketh rich he abaseth and exalteth To bee short It is he alone as Dauid saith Psal 115.3 which doth whatsoeuer he will Now wee doubt not but he will do that which he hath promised vs and wee knowe that he hath promised vs yea and that he hath taken vpon him to make vs happie If then the doctrine of the prouidence of God importeth that he hath not onlie ordained in his eternall counsell the end and issue of his worke which is his glorie and the saluation of his elect but also the fit meanes according to his infinite wisedome and requisite for the execution and accomplishment of it let vs be assured that there is no creature that can let or alter his wil as Saint Paule saith If God be for vs who shall bee against vs. Let vs also bee assured Rom. 8.30 that whatsoeuer happen vnto vs is the way whereby he hath ordained to leade vs to life and euerlasting glorie Saint Paule speaking of Iesus Christ saith Col. 1.16 that all creatures are of him stand by him and are for him As also he saith in an other place that of him and by him and for him all things are Wherefore then doo wee feare our enemies Ro. 12.36 seeing euen this that they are is by the power and will of him who is our head and sauiour for asmuch as they can neither enterprise nor consult neither yet bee aliue one moment without the will of Christ And besides this seeing their life and being is for him and for his seruice that they might be to his members as fire to purifie them a rod to correct thē medicines to heale them a bridge for them to passe vpon ouer the desert of this world into the land of promise ladders to helpe them to ascend into heauen instruments to glorifie them as a knife that cutteth the cords by which we are held in the earth hindered to go vnto God to be where Iesus Christ our head is Also what threatning can the most mightie of the world threaten vs with more horrible to make vs turne from the seruice of God than those wherewith God threatneth all those that turne away from him Mat. 10.28 Luk. 12.24 Feare not saith Iesus Christ those that can kill the bodie and yet so and when GOD will and the bodie which within a verie little after must needes die and can doo nothing more but feare him who after hee hath killed the bodie hath power to throwe both soule and bodie into euerlasting hell fire him I say vnto you feare indeede In like maner what promises can the world make vs greater or more certaine to draw vs vnto it than those which our God hath made
vs to keepe vs in his seruice and in his house promising vs euerlasting life Now the Church is his house and this good GOD hath called you my brethren thither and hath receiued you He hath nourished you in it sometime He hath there giuen you the seale of your adoption He hath begun to clothe you with the liuerie of his children and hath fashioned you like to the image of Iesus Christ A great part of your way is past In this your trauaile of childhood you haue passed manie torments If the greatest tormēts come the happie deliuerance approacheth He that shall continue vnto the end Mat. 14.13 shall be saued They that are reuolted and doo reuolt make you to feele in their vnhappines how happie you are to be the children of God elected to eternall life 3. To keep our selues from apostacie and dissimulation For it is vpon this election and so vppon the good pleasure of God that your perseuerance doth depend Acknowledge in it both his infinite mercie supporting you and pardoning you daylie so manie faults and sinnes and also his incomprehensible goodnes leading you as it were by the hand to the inioying of eternall life Abhorre you and detest that miserable yea cursed and vnhappie state of these Apostates that ye may also hate and detest the ambition and the pride the euill conscience the despising and abuse of the gifts of GOD the loue of the world and those other vices which threwe them headlong into ruine And on the contrarie loue search and follow all that which God hath ordained to nourish godlines faith charitie humilitie in vs and other gifts and graces which proceed from the election and are meanes ordained by the prouidence of GOD to guide vs to the happines promised to those which shall continue vnto the end Keepe your selues hereafter from these false Nicodemites who to auoid the crosse will abandon by a sacrilege vntollerable their bodies to idolatrie and so consequentlie to the diuell in reseruing as they say their hearts vnto God Will the most careles husband among them content himselfe if his wife giuing ouer her bodie to whoredome should say vnto him that she keepeth neuerthelesse her heart vnto him 1. Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your owne saith S. Paule yee are bought with a price Then glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which both appertaine vnto God Againe 2. Cor. 7.1 Clense your selues from all filthines both of bodie and spirit finishing your sanctification in the feare of God Perseuer constantlie in the Church which is your mother 4. To vse the holie ministerie that you may bee the heires of the father It sufficeth not to keepe your soules from poyson ye must nourish them that they may liue Rather than we will suffer our bodies to die of hūger wee will sell all to get bread and wee would runne through the fire in such a case to saue it At the least let vs followe those that in the time of famine forsake their Countries to finde foode The soule is more precious than the bodie Ioh. 6.27 And therefore must wee labour more to haue the bread abiding vnto eternall life than for it that perisheth Alwaies thinke with your selues our soules must liue and it is to tempt GOD to desire to liue without foode Therefore wee must seeke foode that wee maye liue Now true it is that to reade and meditate the worde of GOD in the house and to keepe there the familie is a holie exercise and very profitable for the noriture of the soule Col. 3.16 Psa 1.2 Act. 17.11 Deut. 6 Psa 119 Act. 2.42 It is cōmaunded of GOD and such as are negligent in this duetie shewe that they haue no care of the life of their soules yet this doth not suffice Wee must confesse the name of God and call vpon him in the assemblie Wee must heare the sermons 1. Tim. 3.15 and communicate at the holie Sacraments wee must ioyne and keepe our selues vnited with the Church which is the piller and sure ground of trueth and the mother of the children of God This onelie title of mother giuen to the Church Gal. 4.26 teacheth vs that there is no entrance into the life that Iasteth euer except wee bee conceiued in the wombe of this mother that she beare vs and bring vs forth giue vs sucke of her breastes finallie except shee hold and keepe vs vnder her conduct and gouernment vntill being vnclothed of this mortall flesh we be made like vnto the Angels Act. 11.26 In ancient time the faithfull were called disciples For the Church is also called the schoole of Christians wherein according to the infirmitie that is in vs we must be the disciples of Christ all the daies of our life This Church is also often signified by a Temple and the holie ministerie is ordained of GOD to build it Therefore whosoeuer despiseth it 2. Cor. 3.6 cannot be builded in this Temple to be there a liuing stone 1. Tim. 3 15 Heb. 3.6 Ephe. 2.19 2. Cor. 3.8 This Church is the house of God the faithfull his household seruants children Therfore whosoeuer doth not enter and abide in the Church cannot call himselfe the child or household seruant of God The preaching of the Gospel is the ministerie of the holie ghost of life of glory whosoeuer refuseth to heare it hath not the spirit of Christ and consequentlie pertaineth not vnto him Rom. 8.9 so abideth in death and euerlasting shame See how ye must thinke in your selues of the benefite vtilitie yea and the necessitie of the holie ministerie to say with Dauid Psal 84.2 O Lord of hosts how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule desireth greatly yea and longeth after the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God Blessed are they which dwell in thy house and praise thee continuallie Let the tast and need of this spirituall food cause those that are now depriued of it to say with Dauid Like as the Hart desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after thee O God My soule is a thirst for God Psal 42.1 yea euen for the liuing God saying Alas when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God When we shal be depriued of our countrie wife husband traffick goods dignities and other thinges pleasant to the flesh let all these bee nothing to vs but let vs say with Dauid I haue asked one thing of the Lord which I will still require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life Psal 27. to behold the faire beautie of the Lord and carefullie to visite his temple If Dauid a man excellent in faith and all vertue a prophet and as an Angell amongst men confesseth so roundlie and so often the neede that himselfe had to bee in the Temple of the Lord feeling himselfe as it were rauished with a most
punish vs yet more rigorouslie than hetherto thou hast done that for one stripe wee should receiue an hundred If thou shouldest transport the kingdome of thy sonne from vs to the Turkes and the Iewes If thou shouldest send such a famine of thy word as running through the forrests to haue some refreshing and finding none our soules should faint Yea Lord if thou shouldest throw vs down into hell we confesse that it were verie right and yeeld our selues guiltie acknowledging that we haue well deserued it Notwithstanding O good God and father there is mercie with thee yea thy mercies are infinite to swallowe vp the multitude and grieuousnes of our sinnes Thou art a God gracious pitifull slowe vnto wrath abounding in mercie and trueth keeping mercie for thousands pardoning iniquitie transgression sinne Thou hast said that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but rather that hee turne and liue Conuert vs then O Lord that we may be conuerted and that we may liue before thee We are poore sinners we confesse it but yet thy sonne Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Behold vs then O Lord not in our selues for wee are vnworthy of thy grace but behold vs in the face of thy sonne Iesus Christ and for his sake bee at tone with vs and be mercifull and fauourable vnto vs that in the multitude of our sinnes the greatnes of thy grace may shine if thou regard our iniquities who is he that is able to stand before thee Wee haue been vnfaithfull but thou remainest still faithfull Thou canst not renounce thy mercie and goodnes we haueforsaken thee but thou hast promised not to forsake vs. Wee haue forgotten thee but thou hast said that though a mother should forget her childe yet wouldst not thou forget vs. Thou hast made a couenant with vs wherein thou hast promised to pardon our sinnes and to remember our iniquities no more Thou hast promised that though our sins were as red as scarlet thou wouldest make them as white as wooll if they were as red as crimson that they should be made as white as snowe We are heauie laden and labour with our iniquities But Iesus Christ hath called vs to him and hath promised to refresh vs. Haue pitie thē on vs O Lord haue pitie vpon vs. Let our miseries moue the bowells of thy mercie Forgiue vs O our GOD forgiue vs for thine owne sake for the glorie of thy name and for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake Impute vnto vs the goodnes that is in him that the euill that is in vs may not be imputed Thou hast pumshed the iust that thou mightest pardon the wicked Accept thou the merites of his death and passion for satissaction of all that is in vs worthie of thy wrath and indignation and make vs to feele the fruites of our reconciliation with thee If thou wilt afflict our bodies haue yet pitie of our soules If thou wilt impourish vs on the earth depriue vs not yet of the riches of heauen If thou wilt take away the bread of our bodies yet leaue vs the spirituall bread of our soules Though wee bee in reproach among our enemies yet let not thy name be blasphemed Though we bee accursed of the world yet let vs bee blessed of thee Though the world hate vs yet let thy loue abide vpon vs. O Lord we are thine forsake vs not Thou hast saide I am the Eternall this is my name I will not giue my glorie vnto Images nor my praise vnto another For thine owne sake then euen for thine owne sake haue mercie vpon vs. For why shall thy name bee blasphemed for our sakes Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue glorie and honour in shewing foorth the riches of thy graces of thy truth and of thy might Thou art the God of glorie sanctifie thy name in drawing light out of our darknes and lift out of death making perfect thy power in our infirmitie and thy great grace in our vnworthines to thy praise and glorie Heare the blasphemies of thine enemies boasting them selues in their counsels and their forces triumphing and reioycing in our confusion as if we were not thy people thy children thy Church as if wee were cast off of thee as if thou were not able to helpe or keepe vs. Neuerthelesse thou art our creatour and wee are the worke of thy hands Thou art our shepheard wee are thy flocke Thou art our father wee are thy children Thou art our God wee are thine inheritance Thou art our redeemer wee are the people whome thou hast bought It is thou also O our God who by thy word alone hast created the heauen and the earth the sea and al that is in them it is by thee that all things liue be and haue their mouing it is of thee by thee and for thee that all things are It is thou which dooest whatsoeuer thou wilt And there is neither counsell wisedome nor strength against thee Represse then O Lord the rage and furie of thine enemies breake their forces dissipate their counsels confound them in the bold enterprises which they haue taken in hand against thee and thy sonne lesus Christ Maintaine the rest of thy flocke which thou hast kept vntill this day Establish againe the Churches that are ruined and dispersed Suffer not the memorie of thy name to be abolished from the earth rather let thy word sound and thy Gospell bee preached where it hath not yet been heard to gather thine elect vnto thee and to magnifie thy name And that so wee may see it florish more more and the kingdome of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord to bee aduanced for euer more Amen The necessitie and benefite of affliction GReat trouble and vexation the righteous shall sustains By Gods determination whilest heere they doo remaine Which grieuous is and irksome both for flesh and bloud to beare Because by nature we are loath to want our pleasure heere And eke because our enemie that auncieat deadly foe Satan with cruell tyrannie the worker of our woe Doth still prouoke the wicked sort in sinne which doo delight To please themselues make great sport to vexe vs with despite Yet doo the righteous by the crosse moe blessed things obtaine Than anie waie can be the losse the dolor or the paine The losse is that which in few daies would passe fade and decay Euen of it selfe the gaine alwaies can no man take away All earthly estimation the crosse may cleane deface But heauenlie consolation the soule dooth then imbrace Afflictions worldly pleasures will abandon out of minde Then is the soule more earnest still the ioyes of heauen to finde These worldly riches goods and wealth by troubles may depart Then inward ioyes and sauing health may wholly rule the heart In trouble friends doo start aside as cloudes doo with the winde But Gods assistance doth abide to cheare the troubled minde Jfwe should feele these losses all at once by sudden change We may not be dismaid withall though it seeme verie strange Iob lost his frends he lost his wealth and comfort of his wife He lost his children and his health yea all but wretched life When all was gone the Lord aboue did still with him remaine With mercie kindnes and with loue asswaging all his paine Teaching him by experience that all things fickle be Which subiect are to humane sence and yeeld all miserie But godlinesse within the heart remaineth euer sure In wealth and woe it is her part true comfort to procure Affliction turn'th these worldly ioyes to greater paine and woe Because the loue was linck'd with toyes religion is not so For when mans heart doth most delight in pleasure wealth and pride Religion then will take her flight she may not there abide Where by our soules in wofull plight continually remaine Yet haue not we the grace or might from such lusts to refraine In which estate mest willingly though tending right to hell We compt our chiefe felicitie and loue therein to dwell Therefore the Lord which is aboue regarding vs below With mercie pitie grace and loue that alwases from him flow Doth mix with griefe these earthly things wherein we doo delight Which to our soules all sorow brings or else remoou'th them quite Then dooth the holie word of God most comfortable seeme Which we before we felt the rod mere follie did esteeme The world which earst most pleasant was now loathsome seem'th to be It doth appeare as in a glasse all fraught with miserie Then feare we hell then flie we sinne then seeke we heauen the more To vse good meanes we then begin which we despisde before Then can we pray then can we call to God for strength and grace Which things before might not at all with vs haue anie place Then heare we with attentiuenes then read we with all care Then pray we with great feruentnes no trauaile then we spare Then shall we see feele and confesse the state wherein we dwelt To be nothing but wretchednes though worldly ioyes we felt Because the soule by godlinesse more comfort doth receaue In one day than by worldlinesse for euer it can haue Then we with Dauid shall confesse that God from heauen aboue By humbling vs doth well expresse his mercie and his loue For ere we felt the scourging rod we er'de and went astray But now we keepe the law of God and waite thereon alway Then forreligion loue the crosse though it doo bring some paine The ioy is great small is the losse but infinite the gaine FINIS