Scripture calleth this cause The spirit of faith or the spirite â—f beleeuing Gods second cause of our â—eleeuing is his blessed and â—oly word read and preached 〈◊〉 the ordinarie means of our â—ith which worketh vpon â—wo forcible and perswasiue â—enses the eye and the eare â—he one for the reader of the word the other for the hearer of the word preached or read For the eare God hath ordayned a voyce to call vpon â—s by the paynes of preaching For the eye his sacred word is written or printed that it may be read and vnderstood of vs and our children and this is the cause of our beleeuing which is called The word of Faith Aske a Christian then why he beleeues the Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie his answer is because the Scripture records it there is the word of faith but reply vpon him and aske him why he beleeues the scriptures his reason is without reason in himselfe for he saith The finger of God is there If you vrge and say Why doest thou beleeue and I do not I heare the word as well as thee Saint Paule will answer with an out crie O depth That is a matter of amazement not of argument saith S. Ambrose But what might be the cause that stayeth and vpholds the hearts of the sonnes of men along the misery of this life in this word of beleeuing Surely eternall life the saluation of our soules the last article of our Christian faith is the finall cause and anchor-holde of out beleeuing in Christ Iesus For the hope whereof the holy ones of God purge theÌ„selues both in soule and body that they may be acceptaâ—le vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thereâ—ore S. Peter calleth eternall â—ife the end of our beleeuing â—uen the assured glorification â—f soule and body which by â—aith wee expect in the other world In respect whereof also it is that this faith goeth not alone like some bankrupt but is royally attended with a troupe of good works semblable to the causes thereof For the spirit of faith is not barren but is in continuall motion in stirring and quickning vp the harts of gods children euery day to goodnes Neither is the word of faith verball onely But liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword enters throgh euen to the diuiding of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the maâ—row and is a discerner of the thought and the intents of the heart The people of God therefore whose hearts are thus powerfully moued by the spirit of faith to beleeue and thus effectually counselled by the word of faith to liue well endeauour nothing else but that their liuing may be answerable to their beleeuing that so their soules might bee saued For this sacred faith of Christ first of all purifieth the heart now if the fountaine be cleare and cleane the whole streame that issueth thence will be cleane also Secondly this faith of Christ worketh by loue and bringeth foorth good workes I should euer therefore distrust that I neuer was a true beleeuer vnlesse I felt my heart sanctified by grace and my and working the deedes of haritie This doubtlesse was â—he faith of the primitiue â—orld while the bloud of Christ was yet warme in the â—earts of those beleeuers Witnes all those Churches â—olledges Hospitalls Enâ—owments Rents Reuenews â—ands Liuings Pensions and â—â—l other such donations and â—onsecrations appropriated â—nd giuen to the maintenance of religion and learning to â—he succour of the poore and â—o the perpetuating of Gods worship here on earth vntill â—he second comming of Christ. For the people then liued and beleeued as men knowing that the faith of Christ is not fruitlesse and that by the fruites therof they are assured of their election past and of their perfection by Christ to come that their good deedes should follow them where nothing else â—ould and that according to the proportion of their workes wrought in earth by grace in Christ they should through the mercie of God and not of merit bee allotted a portion of happines hereafter in the heauens And therefore vnderstanding their weldoing here to be necessarie to their well being for euer they studyed nothing else but to goe on in that race of goodnesse that they might attaine at the last the blessed end thereof euen the reward of mercy promised vnto them by the word of faith written vnto them in the bloud of our faith sealed assured vnto theÌ„ by the death of our faith stirred vp moued herevnto by the spirit of faith Christs vicegerent on earth whose they were encouraged thereunto by the bloud of so â—any faithfull beleeuers that â—yed for the faith of Christ â—nd continue therein vnto â—heir liues end by the exubeâ—ant and abundant riches of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus their Ruler and Redeemer O Blessed Paule faithfull and beleeuing was the world when as yet the bloud of Christ was warme in meâ—s hearts and when the faithfull beleeuers inflamed with the loue of God and ouerioyed with the glad tydings of the Gospell thus bespake Gods seruants that preached thâ— faith vnto them Blessed in thâ— Lord will our goods pleasâ—â—â— you Behold we lay them dowâ— at your feete will our eyes 〈◊〉 you good Take ought of ouâ—â— that is neere and deere vnto 〈◊〉 euen our right eyes Will our liues steede you Wee esteeme theâ— not for the testimonie of the faitâ— of Iesus Christ as for all manner of tribulations that can happen for Iesus Christ sake We accompt them not worthy 〈◊〉 the glory that shall bee receiued A blessed and beautifull â—ace of time it was O Paule when the prime beleeuing Christians had no other fault â—ound in them no not by â—heir verie enemies as Plinius â—ecundus an heathen testifieth 〈◊〉 Traian the Emperour but his was all hee could certifie â—gainst them to the state that â—hey oft times assembled â—emselues together before â—ay in the caues and holes of the earth to sing Psalmes â—nd prayses to the Lord of â—ife Christ Iesus which seruice for feare of persecution they durst not performe publikely O then was the time hoâ—y Paule that faith wrought â—y Gods loue and not by selfe loue by good workes and not by goodly wordes what time the beleeuing Christians were knowne not â—o bee of the tribe of Naphtaâ—â— giuing goodly wordes but of the tribe of Ioseph beeing fruitfull boughes euen fruitfull boughes by a Well whose branches run ouer the wall When Placilla the wife of Theodosius a beleeuing Empresse would resort vnto the Almes houses and Hospitalâ—s of the poore to see them succoured and releeued and when her nice Gentlewomen that wayted oâ— her would dehort and disswade her not to debase her selfe to come into such meane places and neere such nastie people shee with teares in her eyes would reâ—ply and say O I wouâ—d not doe thiâ— and this onely
but so and sâ— yea much more for the loue â— beare to my Sauiour Christ anâ— to his blessed members 〈◊〉 meane soeuer they bee for I 〈◊〉 him my selfe and all I haue 〈◊〉 thousand wayes O sacred Paule that was â—etime when men beleeued â—nd loued God so sweetely â—â—at they would not bee alluâ—ed by the enticements of the â—orld to fall from the faith â—f Christ as did couetous 〈◊〉 â—mas they beleeued and loâ—ed him so wisely that they â—ould not bee deceiued with â—he vanitie of wretchednesse 〈◊〉 fayle in their sacred seruic◠〈◊〉 did prowd hearted Diotreâ—â—â—â—es that loued the prehemiâ—ence they beleeued and loâ—ed God so resolutely that â—â—ey could neuer bee vtterly â—an quished either by sinne â—eath or Sathan as many milâ—â—ons of vnbeleeuing and â—isbeleeuing Christians are But O blessed God of heaâ—eÌ„ earth how is the case in â—ese ourdaies altered For the â—iuell hauing heretofore rayâ—d vp diuers heresies and â—hismes in all ages to hinder peach and vtterly to ouerthrow this sacred acte of beleeuing and true seruice of God as first against the faith of Gods creating the world he raysed vp the Marcionites Carpocrations and Nicolaitaâ—â— against the word of grace and redemption of man by Christ he stirred vp the Ebionites Gnostiques Arâ— rian and Sabellians and against the assurance of glory for his Saints hee enraged the auncient Cathari Pepusians and Anabaptists and many other such like damnable miscreants against all the articles of our Christian faith but now in this dotage of the world he like cursed Caligula that monster of men wisheth this holy people that beleeue in Christ had but one head that hee might strike it off at once euen with this one blow and hellish blast â—here is no God to the vtter â—olishing of all the ground â—orke of our Christâ—an faith Oh that the diuell could but â—ish this onely as hee desired â—nce to sift and winnow â—eter But it is a thousand pitties â—o see and behold how much â—e hath preuayled with milâ—ions of thousands euen in the Christian world Else how â—urst so many damned misâ—reants insult euen ouer God â—imselfe Let him make speede â—nd hasten his workes that wee may see it Yea that dare breath defiance and out face Gods â—udgments by denying them â—nd saying There is no plague this proâ—hesying is but words this preaching is but winde and in the ende fall away from all that â—s called God as did Pharaoh saying Who is God that I should serue him and what is Iehouah that I should yeeld vnto him These are such against whom there is no law in England which is to bee feared will bee the prouoking of Gods iudgements vpon this our Land and state in particular wherein there is so much care taken and so many good laws made and that most worthily for the preseruation of the kings crowne and dignitie that whosoeuer speaketh against it is held a cursed Trayâ—or and that most iustly and is worthy to die an ignominious and cruell death and that most deseruedly yea particular and priuate mens cases their lands liuings titles pleas and wrongs are by good and wholesome lawes redressed yet there is no extant and positiue Law Statute or Ordinance against these impeaâ—hers of this holy faith and against the open cursed and damnable Blasphemâ—rs deâ—ierâ— and defiers of the eternall God Oh England this is a worke worth the best intendments consultations and determinations both of thy Princes Peeres and people that such hellish roaring Boyes and such damned crues may not once bee named within the territories where thy renowned king is stiled the defendor of the faith For wee see that of such as make profession of faith the Oracle of faith telleth vs All haue not faith God sent Noah in the worlds infancie to preach this faith of the Messias Abraham in the worlds childhood had the signe of the couenant of this faith for the same purpose Dauid in the worlds youth beleeued and defended the same The Prophets in the worldes middle age guided the beleeuers vnto it Gods owne Sonne in his first comming preached it to the worlds old age his Apostles and Preachers to this our age the worlds dotage and all these found vnbeleeuers and missebeleeuers in all their times And last of all when Christ shall come againe to iudge the liuing and the dead Shall he finde faith on the earth In his first aduent hee had not as he himselfe affirmeth where to lay his head but when he commeth againe to iudgement hee will not haue where to set his foote if the world continue as it hath â—one along time eloyning â—rom Christs Church and â—poyling it of the meanes of â—he Gospells preaching those â—acred donations endowments which the faith of the â—ormer and better ages conâ—ecrated as the lands and reâ—enewes of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God heere on earth â—or the perpetuating of his ministerie and seruice No â—eloued these are the dayes of â—inne and wherein sinne aâ—oundeth because the loue of God in the world waxeth â—old These are the dayes where â—n such a faith is professed by â—any that is no where to bee â—eene by good workes but â—ard onely in some certaine â—oodly wordes such a faith â—s I told you before was the â—ith of Lucius learned Parâ—ot like and tunable to the eare hauing no semblance or qualitie of Gods spirit in it but onely this that not working by loue it is inuisible Africa was accounted in auncient time the mother of monstrous shapes but Europe Christian Europe is become the grandmother of many strange wonderments For as Saint Augustine sayth Hee that beleeueth not now seeing the world beleeueth is aprodigious and portentous amazement to himselfe And many there are who albeit they liue in the profession of this holy beleefe yet they profite not in it because they abuse the holy meanes thereof neither doe they practise the religious manner and methode of attaining vnto it For firstâ— they abuse the meanes by comming â—reuerently and irreligiously â—ot as beleeuers to heare the Word of this faith preaâ—hed Elias Gods Prophet when â—ee comes where he heareth God hee couereth his face with his mantle in reuerence of Gods Maiestie For beleeuers the nearer they come to God the more modest they are Ezechiel hearing GOD speake vnto him wanting a vayle falles with his face to the earth making the earth his mantle to shew his reuerence and feaâ—e to Gods maiestie Peter seeing Christ comming towards him cryeth out Depart from mee for I am a sinnefull man as acknowledging he was not worthy to breath in the place where Christ was Abraham when hee talkes with God about Sodome sayth thus Let not my Lord bee angrie if I dust and ashes speake vnto him And the Syrophenician comming to receiue comfort from Christ stands behind him daring not to speake but entendeth onely to touch not his body nor his garment but euen the very hemme of his vesture and
more in his doctrines both of grace and glory Sixescore witnesses were present at the place in whose â—ight he was receiued vp Two Angels from heauen spake vnto them that were present and preached his returne to iudgement The words were specified which â—e and the Angels vttered at â—is departure The sequell â—hereof related at large to wit whither the multitude went which saw him ascend and â—nd what they did and many â—ther things which followed â—re as a cloude of witnesses to the confirmation hereof For as the truth of his ascension is irrefragable so the effects thereof are vnutterable For first by his ascention he hath opened heauen vnto vs that was shut against vs and hath Made vs sit together with him in heauenly places Secondly hee hath taken possession of heauen for vs in our nature and in our names as he told his disciples before Saying I goe to prepare a place for you and I will come againe and take you vnto me Thirdly hee hereby accomplisheth our Christian comfort in triumphing ouer Hell all the powers of darkeâ—â—nesse hauing led Captiuitie captiue and giuen gifts vnto men by sending downe his holy spirite the informer and â—omforter of his choâ—â— And lastly his Receiuing â— hath filled all things as the â—postle speaketh the earth â—ith his mercie hell with his â—stice heauen with the maâ—festation of his glory euen the blessed Angels And now there hee is â—â—r aduocate with the Faâ—â—er our intercessor in all â—â—r necessities our master of â—quests in all our suits there â—â—e turneth away the eyes of â—â—d the Father from our â—nes to looke vpon his â—â—edience and meritoriâ—s righteousnesse and dayâ—â— prepareth a way for vs â— to the throne of grace For these causes hee is â—scended into the height 〈◊〉 that Maiestie where â—â—d vouchsafeth to display his glory to the view of men and Angels in the face of Iesus Christ. The perfect knowledge of the superexcellency of which place of happines we caÌ„ in no wayes attain vnto in this life but in possessing it in the other world we shall fully enioy it In the meane while our holy faith is confirmed hereby which for the corporall presence of Christ embraceth the spirituall that we may not be troubled with doubtings and say in our hearts Who shall ascend for vs into heauen Our hope is ascertained of obtayning heauen and of the perfection of our ioy therein and our loue is enflamed that our conuersatioÌ„ tending towards heauen where our treasure is our heart may be there also MAnifold is the vse of this his glorious exaltation Let therefore the â—ealous soule come hither â—earne to forsake the world â—nd to be receiued vp on high â—or where the head is of neceâ—sitie there must the members â—e also Let vs ascend the degrees of this great mysterie â—rom the manifestation thereof in the flesh let vs go on to â—e iustification in the spirite â—rom iustification spirituall â—o vision Angelicall FroÌ„ Anâ—elicall reuelation to Propheâ—call promulgation From the â—reaching thereof to praying â— faith and so to the exaltaâ—ion in glory For thus it was â—â—eete that Christ by these â—eanes of suffering might â—ring his chosen to rest For 〈◊〉 he had gone any other way â—ee might haue entered himselfe but could not haue brought vs in with him Let vs then stand as it were vpon the poynt of the promontorie of Nebo and looke into the holy land and revew the lowest step in this Iacobs ladder which is Christs exinanition in the flesh and see how the power of God hath made it knowne vnto Aâ—gels by celestiall vision and vnto men by degrees of holy Christian faith vntill it hath brought vs vp vnto the supereminent glory Goe I say from his humanitie in the flesh to his diuinitie a glimpse whereof was seene in his transfiguration on the mount from his passion on the crosse in his humiliation to his power in his resurrection from his minoritie in respect of his Father to their qualitie in the height of glory Not that the deitie in his ascent could bee exalted but that our nature in the person of the Sonne of God was first raysed vp from the dead and then receiued vp in to euerlasting glory When therefore we reade that Christ was receyued vp by a cloude wee vnderstand the cloudes of obsequiousnesse not any helpe it afforded him as the fierie chariot did Elias wee conceaue the clouds seruice not any ayde it yeelded the cloudes ministery not any assistance that it occasioned For the matter or subiect that ascended is â—properly the humane nature of Christ for the deitie is neither contayned in place nor subiect to motion So the auncient Fathers spake The Sonne of God had of ours whereby hee hanged on the crosse and of his owne whereby he ascended into heauen For the humane nature ascended and the ascent was wrought through the power of the diuine nature And this is the cause that Tertullian calleth Iesus the sequestrator of God and man for of either party he had that was committed vnto him and he keepeth the pledge of the flesh in himselfe the earnest of all mankinde For as he hath left vnto vs the earnest of the spirit so he hath taken from vs the earnest of the flesh carryed it into heauen as a pledge of the whole family which hereafter shall bee brought thither also Thus is Christ our treasure in heauen and assuredly where our treasure is there will our hearts be also If Christ bee our treasurâ— let vs follow him in heart where hee is in body let vs follow him with paces of loue because his returne in the iudgement day will bee terrible The hand writing that was against vs is now cancelled the curse was Earth thou art and to earth thou shalt returne But the blessing is purchased This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Christ therefore in this life by his grace doth ascend vnto our hearts when the feare of the Lord of hoasts receiueth therein plantation hee descendeth into our hearts when wee take his counsels to heart hee issueth from our hearts when wee runne afrer him in our affections in the sweete perfume of his pretious oyntements feeling our owne defects and againe he ascendeth aboue our hearts when by the eyes of holy fayth wee see as with an Eagles eye the prey a farre of as Stephen did euen Iesus standing at the right hand of God Let the sanctified soule come hither and see it selfe in heauen three manner of wayes whiles it is on earth First in conuersation for Our conuersation is in heauen saith the Apostle Secondly in our affeâ—ctions For they that abide in charitie abide in God Thirdly by right of possession For Christ is ascended to prepare vs a place Let the oppressed and distressed soule come hither and looke vp Seeing wee haue an high Priest which is passed into the heauens Iesus the Sonne of God let vs
beholde and see if there were any damnable heresie of olde wherewith they haue not endeuoured by all the wit and strength of skill they could to brand vs withall which is all the issue for ought I can see of all these controuersies They tearming vs Simonians for once mentioning of grace and saluation Eunomians and Pepusians for attributing as they say too much vnto faith to womanâ—for that a woman was our dread Soueraigne Originists and Proclians for teaching that the Image of God by sin is extinctin man and that the fume of concupiscence is not vtterly extinct Sabellians Eutichians Swinkefeldians yet let the indifferent reader iudge whether wee partake in one iota with these heretickes They terms vs Donatists for admitting the iust onely into the elect Church of God Maniâ—chees for abandoning all free will in our selues to worke well of our selues Arrians for neglecting humane traditions Nouatians for refusing Popish penance Aetians for omitting oblations and feasts for the dead Iouianists for casheering a slippery and perplexed faith Vigilantians for not admitting the adoration of reliques Nestorians for not keeping the consecrated hosts Xenaits for abolishing Images Lampetians for putting from vs the bondage of vowes and indeede what not to to make vp a bead-rowle of rablement against vs. Thus they do fat please themselues with these and the like as persions of slander and reproch as if they had vowed neuer to sacrifice vnto their Idoll Iupiter Latialis Papa Turcissimus but as the Lindians did to Hercules with curfning and raylings Thus the tongues of our aduersaries who hate peace hath bin a furnace to refine vs in Besides many cart loades of Pamphlets frought with these and the like obliques what riuers of bloud what burnings both of the liuing and of the dead hath the Christian Catholicke world in these dissentions of that bloudy and Antichristian Synagogue botâ— by wofull experience knowne and by barbarous crueltie endured And haue they thinke you who haue beene neuteralizing sequestrators taking part on no side but standing by and looking on endeuouring onely a Cassandrian pacification haue they I say escaped their virulencie Let Cassander himself Fricius the Adiaphorists Interimists and the nameles Apologists of France who haue sought peace and an end of controuersies tell if it hath not happened vnto them amidst these garboyls as it did vnto the foolish shepheard that interposed himselfe betweene two rammes furiously raging and running with all might and violence the one at the other Neither suffiseth it to compose these controuersies that wee admit as absolute Catholickes the whole sacred booke of God the three Catholike Symboles or Creedes to wit that of the Apostles that of Athanasius and that of Nice eueÌ„ in the very leturgy of our Church together with all the holy diuinity coÌ„prized in the fower first generall cousels vnlesse wee also receiue from theÌ„ TranssubstantiatioÌ„ Purgatorie and the Popes transcendent supremacy with all other nouelties hatched from the Conuenticle of Trent in this dotage of the world which strange proiects were then deuised that the holy Fathers of Italie might no way bee inferiour to the Apostles nor the Pope of Rome to Christ Iesus himselfe The fire of God sayth Basil affoordeth light without burning but hell fire burneth without light Hell fire therefore is the portion for those that despise the glorious light of Gods truth and desire like the Salamander to noozell themselues in the flames of furious contentions and continuall controâ—erâ—ies But without controuersie sayth the Context Great is the Mystery of Godlinesse And confest it is on al hands that vnles we beleeue the Catholike faith we cannot be saued a summe whereof is this modell of Scripture prefixed Let vs therfore be wise now at the last to lay aside all distracting controuersies both transmarine and domesticke and let vs studie to bee quiet For wee see by many wofull experiences what is the miserable issue of calling in question long receiued trâ—thes And how at the first this hellish fire of Contention may be more easily put out before it breake foorth into such scorching flames as now in fest the Church of God in West Frizeland Oh England bee thou wise by the lamentable and wofull example of thy bâ—rdering neighbours and remember that God coÌ„maÌ„ds loue peace on al hands in Prince Peers Priests and people It is the new and eleuenth commandement giuen from mount Sion as a supplement to the tennefrom mount Sinai nay as their complement for true Euangelicall concord and loue is the fulfilling of the Lawe See the Patriarchâ— loue Abraham yeelds to Lot It is indeed no great maruell sayth a father if the seruant become any thing for the loue of the brethren seeing the Lord of life became a curse for the seruant Shall we not loue that which is good and pleasant where God promises his blessing and life for euermore as the Psalmist speaketh Shall not wee detest that which hindereth true and cleare interpretation of the Scriptures that rayseth sects that giues offence to weake ones and doth vtterly dash and â—uinate all church pollicie and gouernment Shall not wee hate that which impeacheth and hindereth our valour that we fight not couragiously the Lords battayle against Antichrist Doth not the Apostle reade us a lecture in our own bodyes of the meÌ„â—bers of consent Let vs assure our selues that wee can neuer be owners of Christ his seamlesse coate if we rend and deuide the church of God by needles and fruitles factions The harmony of other reformed churches vrge vs to conformitie in our owne if wee haue grace And the spirits of all well disposed will euer wish with Paule Vtinam abscindantur qui nos inquietant The ignorance also of many thousand who vnderstand not the things controuerted no not their names much lesse their natures doth admonish vs to bee wise at the last lest they of Gath and Askalon laugh at our singular folly And the degrees of scandall which follow these outrages as vnaduised anger subiecting vs to the danger of iudgment because we are manslâ—yers mutuall hatred making vs lyable to the censor of a councell and shewing vs to be carnall and mutuall detraction castâ—g vs into the fire of Gehenna should deterre euery honest heart from kindling or stirring and the least sparke either publikely or priuately that should disturbe the Churches sacred peace Besides the wounding of our owne consciences in such garboyles by hindering of our prayers and Preachings in the worke of Christs ministerie bids vs beware if euer we will bee warned of such scandalous courses For how can we preach peace or perswade mutuall reconciliation betweene others when wee our selues are the firebrands of contention to stir vp the coales of factions and sidings among the poore ignorants And whiles one says he is Pauls another sayes he is Apollos are yee not carnall Let vs therefore neuer listen to This I say this thou
shee receyued a comfortable compellation from Christ for hee owned her and sayde Daughter bee of good cheare thy beleefe hath saued thee For the more vereeundious and modest wee are in this our hearing of God and in our comming vnto him the more bright and beautiful wee are in his sacred sight If wee would thus serue the Lord in feare and reioyce be fore him with trembling wee should not goe so often to Church and so often return againe neuer the better oft-times the worser wee should not so often heare in vain nor so often see and not discerne But the manner is now with many to come as sathan did for company or custom or worse came also when the sons of God were assembled before him to the diuels Chappell according to our English Prouerbe Where God hath his Church the Diuell hath his Chappell For euen in the great assemblies while some are there hearing the word attentiuely others sleepe profoundly while some reade others prate while some lift vp their eyes to heauen others point out the finger to note some vanity in the next pue while som pray otheâ—s scoffe while some sing others curse while some sigh for their sinnes others laugh at sinne while others sit hearkening to the Sermon vnto the end others make hast to bee gone and thinke euery houre two vntill they heare the Peace of God which they will scarce vouchsafe to take with them nor the Grace of GOD neither Cease therefore to maruell at our fruitlesse hearing the Word if this bee our demeanour when we present our selues before our God were we perswaded of God as wee ought and surely hee that will come to God must beleeue that God is and of his sonne Christ Iesus of whom the voyce from Heauen and not from men was this Heare him wee could not thus abuse our time when wee assemble our selues to heare this Word of faith preached vnto vs. But those that thus deâ—mean themselues the Propheâ—ie of Esay is fulfilled which God in his iust iudgâ—ment â—ringeth vpon them for their neglect of him in making their hearts fat Their eares heauie and their eyes dimme that they may not see with their eies nor heare with their eares nor vnderstand with their hearts and should bee conuerted and God should heale them These are such that come into the house of God without feare and offer the sacrifice of fooles for albeit they liue wickedly yet they imagine that they haue made GOD beholding vnto them for sitting an houre or two in his seruice It was otherwise in Saint Iohn the Diuine who in heauenly meditations and seruice of God was rauished in the Spirite on the Lordes day and in that holy extasie heauen was opened vnto him and hee saw God the Angels the Elders and the soules of the Saints clothed in white robes whereas these diuelish hearers are ready to faint for water yet sit as Hagar Abrahams bondmaide did by the fountaines of waters and doe not see them are ready to perish for foode and yet doe not see the heauenly Manna that is reached out vnto them And as they thus abuse the holy meanes of their beleeuing so also they vse not the heauenly and orderly proceeding in the practise of their beleefe For a true Beleeuer at his very first awaking in bedde is present with God in his thoughts words and meditations as Dauid speaketh and after hee is vp hee taketh vnto him blessed wordes as â—head directeth eyther publikeâ—y or priuately and offereth â—God his morning sacrifice in â—prayer and then addresseth and addicteth himselfe to his calling and therein abideth performing his earthly vocation with an heauenly mind And if a true beleeuer happen into any company he sits oft times still and retired to himselfe watching and waiting oportunity when hee may speake words that may minister grace vnto the hearers And if a true Beleeuer haue any leysure not that hee will bee at any time idle he sayth to himselfe Now will I retire myselfe into my closet and there will I powre out my heart vnto my God If a true beleeuer prosper in the worke of his handes he is thankefull and not proude If hee suffer aduersity hee makes his patience knowne vnto all men without murmuring or repining assuring himselfe that it proceedeth not of Gods hatred but of his singular loue tâ—ward him that hee is afflicted for God delighteth not in the misery of his Creatures for if hee did hee would neuer haue made man a Paradise to liue in euen in his innocency but God knoweth in his wisedome that by afflictions his dearest children are weaned from the loue of the World and take liking of the other world And thus hauing past the day recalling to mind Gods great mercies recounting his owne many and manifold infirmities and imperfections magnifieth Gods fauours in all craueth pardon for his great vnthankefulnesse and so reposing himselfe in bedde in his Sepulchre hauing now made as it were his last will to God acknowledging himselfe a stranger and Pilgrime here as all his Fathers were and beleeuing that the time will come that as he is awaked and riseth from bedde in the morning so shall he bee raysed from his graue and sleepe of death to liue with GOD in Christeternally But the vnbeleeuers and fruitles professors in their carriage are quite contrary For their awaking is to euill and that is euer present with them Their morning Mattens is cursing and swearing and that shall distill one day into their bowels as water like oyle into their bones Their vocation is to bee busie bodies in other mens matters Their society is to seeke out the riotous to runne with them to excesse their retirednesse is to study out mischiefe to complot against their brethren to circumuent by politique stratagems their harmelesse associates If these prosper no man is able to endure their pride their disdaine their curiosity their statelinesse If they bee afflicted the whole Countrie shall ring of their impatience murmuring rauing and blasphemie And thus hauing lost the day they couch themselues in their beds of beastlinesse at night as if they had made a couenant with death and the diuell neuer to be good This is the fruit of infidelitie and thus godlesse professors demeane themselues as if Barrahas had suffered and Christ had beene let goe as if Christ were yet in his graue â—nd that Caiphas should bee â—udge of quicke and dead But true beleeuers know that without faith it is impossible to please God let vs prate what wee will and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne let vs doe what wee will and this faith must worke by loue or else all is in vaine let vs liue how we will let vs then begge this blessed boone of God that wee may beleeue and that hee would helpe our beleeuing that wee may haue both the groundworke of faith to builde vpon the trust of faith to resolue vpon the boldnes of faith
to approach neere vnto God and the full perswasion of faith to die in that so wee may goe on from faith to faith vntill wee haue our perfect blisse in Christ for euer Albeit our condition be that wee liue in these last and worst times as Lot in Sodome and as Abraham in Vr of the Chaldes yet hauing the rocke of our faith in Heauen the Father determining the word directing the holy Ghost mouing and these 3. are one hauing the records of our faith on earth the Spirit witnessing to our Spirite that wee are the sonnes of God the water of Baptisme the seale of our Redemption in Christ the bloud of the holy Martyres as the signes of the power of faith in weakenesse and these three aâ—gree in one wee may bid defiance to the Diuell and quiet our conscience in Christ for euermore Concluding that wee can be iustified no other way in the sight of God but onely by this holy faith in the bloud of Iesus but beeing there by onceiustified wee are in direct order towardes God wee are through the gate and in the happie way that leadeth to Abrahams bosom euen eternall life For God can direct vs in the best way vnto himself that leadeth to euerlastiâ—g felicitie in turning vs from â—ur euill wayes and returâ—ing vs to himselfe by reâ—entance and so on to good workes the assurance to our â—elues of our election in CHRIST from good workes to Gods mercy and â—rom thence to glory whereâ—nto this faith teacheth vs â—hat CHRIST is already â—ntered and whether hee â—ill vndoubtedly bring all â—hat loue him that looke â—nd long for his comming â— consummate and perfect â—is our holy seruice in the Heauens where is the fulnes â—f ioy and happinesse in the presence of God for euermore O Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe and encrease my Christian faith WOnderfull art thou O Lord God in thy manifold works maruellous in thy Almighty power and vnsearchable in thy diuine secretes The goodly frame of heauen and of earth shew shy power the disposition of all things therein tell of thy great wisedome and the passages of so many millions of particulars point out this gracious prouidence in all and yet the workes of thy mercies surpasseth all this For which O heauenly Father wee magnifie and praise thy name and multiplie our thankefulnesse vnto the in Iesus Christ from day to day For it hath pleased thee good Father to elect vnto thy selfe and to call â—ut of this Worlde out of this world I say beeing â— sincke of sinnefulnesse a deepe â—den of despayre an Asphatites of â—ll filthinesse a dead sea of sensuâ—lity the vale of the children of Hinnon a Babylon of beast linesse a Sodome of sorrow a Gomorrah of vngodlinesse a Seboim of security an Adamah of Adulterie and a world of wickednesse to chose I say one of this route a remnant of people to bee thy beloued Spouse and wife of the Lambe to bee a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people the loue of Christ all faire vndefiled and without spotte the onely Doue to bee like an Orchard inclosed a well sealed vp a fountaine of liuing water a Paradise of all pretious delectable and desirable fruites and to be the mysticall body of Christ which hee doth quicken with his owne spirite And these heauenly Father thou hast sealed with thine owne fignet dignified with thine owne fauours and as it were diâ—sied by thine effectuall and sauing grace in giuing them the holy faith of thy Christ and our Iesus thine onely sonne and our Sauior to purifie their hearts to purge their consciences from dead workes to serue thee the Father of light and life and so to be blessed by thee with light and life euerlasting O Lord now behold mee poore silly wretch that lyes here beneath in this miserable world creeping in the dust and crawling in mine owne infirmities My soule cleaueth vnto the ground my belly vnto the earth I haue nothing in mee but sinne sensuality aâ—d shame Blind I am in mine owne vnderstanding for I know thee not obstinat in my will for I little â— regarde thy Counsels corrupted in mine affections for I haue no minde vnto thee My parents were of this world I am borne in the world and the world is all my silly selfe looketh after I cannot attaine to so much at to know my selfe how then shuld I know and discerne thinges aboue my selfe much lesse vnderstand the things that appertaine vnto thee O Father and to the glory of thy Kingdome Euery good and perfect gift commeth feom thee who art the Father of lights O bowe downe thy goodnesse then vnto mee most mercifull Father and extend thy bounty vnto me poore wretch that most humbly desires thy grace and fauour that thou wouldest bee pleased to giue mee a portion and measure of thy blessings in the faith and fauour of thy sonne Grant vnto mee faith O Lord without the which I cannot please thee without the which I cannot hope for any good nor haue any euidence of these things which are not yet euident without the which I cannot come to Christ nor doe any good works nor bee raysed from sinne nor know thee O God nor resist the Diuell nor ouercome the world nor be iustified nor bee saued O blessed Father grant this mercy vnto mee without the which I desire not to be without which I cannot bee but a Cimmerian wretch a stranger vnto thee an Atheist a profane person an Infidell a cast away and a Firebrand of Hell What prayse can bee to thee O Lord in the deepe in the land of obliuion in the place of the damned Shall the dead praise thee shall the bottomlesse pitte celebrate thee shall the damned sing vnto thee no no The beleeuing the repenting the sorrowfull soule for sinne whome thou shalt shine vpon with the light of thy countenance in the faith of Christ that soule O God that soule shall euer bee magnifying thy mercies extolling thy goodnesse and celebrating thy greatnesse fro age to age What euer I doe what euer I thinke what euer I say without it hee seasoned with this grace of faith it is sinne O blessed plant of Paradise O heauenly Iewell of incomparable valuation Deare Father bestowe this blessing vpon me shut not vp my life with vnbeleeuers which shall neuer see thy face but rectifie me in al parts to the right vse of the sacred meanes of obtayning this fauour of faith It commeth by hearing of thy Word O sanctifie mee throughout that I may attentiuely hearken what the Lord will say For hee will speake peace vnto my soule and loue to his Saintes that they returne not to folly O holy Lord Looke backe vpon mine humbled Suite signe my petition for thy tender mercies sake in Christ. So shall my Sacrifices bee alwayes acceptable vnto thee as Abels my conuersation holy as Enochs my preaching powerfull as Noahs my offeringes delectable as Abrahams so shall I contemne
the World in respect of this as did Moses the powers of darkenesse and the gates of hell as the walles of Iericho shall fall downe before mee as those did before thy Ioshuah I shall subdue all mine enemies bee they neuer sâ—many neuer so mighty neuer so malitious as did Dauid his Worthies and shall sanctifie all my corrupted actions affections healing that which halted and binding vp the broken parts as did thine Holy Prophets So shall I triumph ouer hell vanquish â—death and liue with thee for euer O Lord thou art not wont to quench smoaking flaxe nor to breake a brused reed nor to let a repenting soule goe pensiue from thy presence O looke vpon me with one glimpse of thy countenance and enflame mine heart with zeale that feeles it selfe touched with the fire of thine Alter Oh saue me for thy pitty sake and take mee ouâ— of the multitude of vnbeleeuers that I may seeke and serue thee for euer Distill thy heauenly dewe into my bowels Let it runne like oyle into my bones Let it bee as a fruitful and effectuall plantation in mine hart that I may not be one of the number of those that say they haue faith and professe it also but without fruite but of those who with neuer altering resolutions treade the trace of that sacred faith that worketh by loue ouercommeth the world holdeth alwayes the sacred truth and leadeth into the wayes of eternall ioy and happiâ—nesse by thy effectuall and sauing grace Grant this O Father of Heauen for Christ Iesus sake thy blessed Sonne and mine eternall Sauiour Amen GOD RECEIVED vp in Glory Explication THis Mystery of Mankind you see hath now led vs from Gods humiliation in the flesh to GOD iustified in the Spirit from vision of Angels to reuelation vnto men from thence to beleeuing and now are wee come to the exaltation therof for God was receyued vp in Glory That is Christ Iesus God and man in our nature is ascended vp into heauen to take possession in our nature of that glory which hee had in himselfe from all eternity but hath purchased it for vs his redeemed Church with his most precious bloud For it was necessary that Christ â—hould suffer aud so enter into â—lory Not that this was of â—bsolute necessity that he must needs suffer For in respect of himselfe this glory was his â—rom euerlasting but was necessary he should enter into â— by suffering onely in reâ—pect of vs that the humiliaâ—ion of the Sonne of God becomming Man might be the â—ause of the exaltation of the â—ature of Man For when he â—ersonally assumed the naâ—ure of Man and became Man Man became God â—lmightie hauing all powâ—r and a name aboue all â—ames that the abasing of â—e diuine Maiestie and perâ—on of the Sonne of God â—ight bee the high aduanâ—â—ng and exaltation of the â—â—rme of a seruant For when God began to be Man and Man began to be God God began to be a Man in subiection and humilitie and man to be God in the height of perfection For if God were humbled as much as hee might be in that he became Man was not Man exalted as much as hee might be in that he became God Herein vndoubtedly appeared the wisdome and power of our God that his Sonne in obedience to the Father beeing abazed to the lowest degree of humiliation for vs should by his owne power and not as Enoch and Elias were by anothers power be exalted to the supreme height of exaltation in the sight of all the world both of men and Angels Therefore we beleeue that hee which Ascended is the same that Descended first into â—o the lowest parts of the â—arth Descended when his â—ody was layde in the graue Descended when his soule separated from the body went â—o the place where the soules departed were Descended when his Deitie exhibited â—t selfe into the lowest pit to â—he terror of the diuels and â—urther despayre of the damâ—ed Descended when the power of his passion did exâ—end it selfe euen to those exâ—reme parts Descended when â—e suffered those extreme anguishes and torments which for our sakes by his Fathers will he was willing to endure Descended when he deliuered those that deceased before his resurrection and brought them by the power of his sufferings into the place where they now are And he that thus Descended is the same that Ascended farre aboue all heauens to fulfill all things Euen hee our Lord Christ that in our nature was accompted but a most despicable man yea a worme and no man that vndertooke our sinnes the cause of his suffrings that endured a cursed death the punishment due for our transgressions euen he that in the entrance of this bottomlesse sorrow had his soule heauy vnto the death and made strong cries and teares to bee deliuered and in the progresse thereof had clods of bloud breaking from him and when he was deepest in vttered that dreadfull clamor expressing a most horrible passion My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Euen hee I say now tâ—â—umphes ouer all the powers of hel and the heauens stoope downe and receiue him vp in glory And this the power and mighty hand of our God hath wrought for vs to the glory of his great name which be praysed and blessed for euer By God wee vnderstand â—he hypostaticall vnion of the diuine and humane natures â—n the person of Christ Iesus By Receiued vp wee conceiue not a momentany but by degrees of time a locall motion ascending from an inferiour place to an higher and by Glory is meant that hee was exalted aboue these visible heauens and receiued throgh the spheares the cataracts of heauen opening vnto him euen that hee might sit at the right hand of God in great Maiesty and highest glory for euermore in the heaueÌ„s of the blessed The circuÌ„staÌ„ces of this article of our Christian faith is most euidently in all the particulars set down in holy wâ—it The place where he was receiued vp was mount Oliuet neere to Ierusalem the cittie where he was so abased euen there there I say was hee taken vp into the glory of the father in the sight of his cursed enemies The manner of his ascent was a cloud receiued him vp The heauens stoope downe to doe homage vnto the heire of heauen and earth For by the same power whereby he made all things in the begining hee also lift vp himsele aboue all things that are created His passage naturall without either change or diffusion of his natures His Session also actuall For according to his true naturall being hee sits at the right hand of God and according to his personall being he is euery where The time of his ascent was â—ortie dayes after his resurreâ—tion from the graue For so â—ong was he conuersing with â—is people after his passion â—hat they might bee the more â—scertayned of the truth of his â—rising from the dead and â—ight be informed and confirmed the
to consume thee no tempest to affright thee no colde â—o molest thee no heate to offend no plague to kill thee no calamity to afflict thee O Christian soules endeauour to ascend to your Christ Iesus vnto and into this glorie and bee not discouraged eyther with the long distance from you or with the maruellous height aboue you For with as much faciâ—itie as the Diuels were deâ—ected from Heauen in Gods â—ispleasure you shall be lifted â—p to Heauen by the fauour of Christ. The hand of the Lorde of Hostes that cast them out â—nto the bottomlesse pitte â—hall bee stretched foorth to â—eceyue you vp into glorie â—nd that in a moment in the winckling of an eye Oh how amiable are our goings towardes the Lorde of Hostes Sanctuarie in the progresse of diuine vertues Humility doth lift vs vp aboue the earth Pouertie in Spirite aboue the water Contrition aboue the ayre Good workes aboue the fire Faith Hope Loue Discretion Constancie Temperance Righteousnesse aduanceth vs aboue the seuen Planets our conuersation aboue the Emperiall Heauens Purity of heart dooth bring vs vp to the sight of God and vnto the glory of the blessed For three places God hath appointed hâ—â— Children to liue in the Wombe this Earth the Heauens In the wombe in a narrow place for a short time some nine monethes In the earth a place of greater extent and a longer season some seauentie yeares And lastly in Heauen a place of extent without limit and for terme without time euen for euer and euer And as the second place farre exceedeth the first both in largenesse of Extent and in continuance of time so the third place of our most happie being incomparably surpasseth the second in both for it is without limmit of locall scite and without all determinatioÌ„ of time for length of dayes O Christ come vnto vs and into vs with these thy graces that wee may come to thee and into that glory where thou ruâ—est and raignest with God the Father and the Holy spirite for euermore O Lord lift vp mine heart vnto theâ— O Eternall God and most mercifull Father in Christ Iesus who dwellest in the thrones of immortality and blisse vouchsafe to looke vpon vs thy humbled Creatures that lye here beneath and groane to bee deliuered from the bondage of our corruption into the freedome of thy goodnesse Thou hast taken vp from vs our Lord Iesus and hast set him at thy right hand in Maieâ—ty and great glorie O when shall wee come â—nd behold the beautie of thine â—ouse and the blessednesse of thy Saintes Lâ—sten Lord vnto our supâ—lications and for our Aduocates â—ake that pleades our cause beâ—ore thee in heauen Let vs be dissolued that we â—ay bee with thee and with our â—eloued Iesus Who for vs men â—â—me downe from Heauen and â—as humbled to deâ—th that wee might liue with thee for euer Behold O Lord God how wee runne after him in the sweet sauour of his diuine perfumes WheÌ„ hee liued here with vs on earth he disdayned not Matâ—eâ— a publican hee abandoned not Peter a denyer of him nor cast away Paule a perâ—ecutor nor despised Marie Magdalen a courtezan nor refused to hear a Cananaatish woman the blinde the lame the dumbe the deafe yea the possessed with diuels hee had compassion vpon Therefore now wee wretches here beneath albeit our conâ—â—tion is farre worse then any of those yet wee conceiue comfort that now in his glorified estate he will also grant vs his pittie and compassion and by the power of his grace whereby hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe will conquer our stubborn and disobedient hearts and makâ— them plyable and conformableâ— to his sacred Lawes That we may not reason in our vnderstanding nor enclineâ— our affections downewards but as he is receiued vp in glory so we may set our selues and soules to seeke and search after him in all heauenly things O Lord the dead prayse thee not they that goe downe into the pit doe not remember thee what benefit is there in our blood what glory is there to thee in the land of obliuion where thou art not once thoght vpon O God let the deuouring and despayring gulfe bee the portion for the diuels and the damned that neuer seeke thee in thy beloued Let that vale be for the children of Hinnon that bottomlesse pit for the Locusts that lake of brimstone for thy Christs enemies that second death for the desperate that weeping and wayling for the heathen that hath not knowne thee that hell for the dâ—spisers of thy Sonnâ— that euerlasting fire for the Abaddon and his seruants but as for those that sue for fauour vnto thee and lye at thy mercy gate for grace and beg but the crums let them be deliuered because of thy beloued let them reioyce on thy saluation let them see the sight of thy saints and bee glad with the light of thy countenance for euer O speake comfortably vnto their soules and let their hearts euermore reioyce before thee Oh tender hearted Father giue them a tast in this life of the happinesse of the other and a glimpse of that glory wheâ— into Christ Iesus is receiued That so our hearts may bee enflamed our wills enclined our affections setled and our whole selues knit vnto thee that neither sinne nor Sathan life nor death things present nor things to come may separate vs from the loue and exceeding thirst and desire of beeing where Christ our treasure is Let not the diuell with any of his subtill and slie delusions carrie vs downeward in tempting vs with our vnworthinesse our euill our wretchednesse in putting into our mindes that we are predestinate and ordayned of old to destruction and that whatsoeuer we do â—r say or pray it auailes not for â—t cannot alter thy decree and so â—y this meanes cast vs into desâ—erate carelessenesse But O Lord â—each our soules to reason and â—ommune with our owne hearts 〈◊〉 going vpwards where Christ â—esus is receiued vp in glory that â—e beleeuing and louing thee our God liuing in thy grace calling â—pon thee dayly may worke out â—ur saluation with feare and â—embling And do thou O God ascertain â—ur conscience that these things â—re the actions and affections of â—ose that are ordayned to blisse â—â—d life euerlasting in the merits of thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord. To this blessed purpose assist vs O God in all the occurrences of our life at home and abroade in businesse and in leasure in prosperitie and aduersitie in sickenesse and in health that we may still haue our minds lift vppe vnto thee through the power of our Prince of peace Christ Iesus and euer vse these things of this life to further our saluation in him that at the last when wee shall come 〈◊〉 our fatall and finall dissolution iâ— this world the way of all flesh we may bee receiued vp by thy goodnesse and ministerie of thy blessed Angels into those