of God the Sonne and of God the holy Ghost that they equally and ioyntly seuerally infallibly and eternally doe know with which knowledge is ioyned Will Power and Effect how to deliuer the godly out of c. Oh sweet oh precious oh sauing knowledge of the glorious Godhead in Trinitie Vnitie thus concurring thus co-working for the Elects well-fare Now then to this holy God and soueraigne Lord Father Sonne and holy Ghost one and the same God in nature and number God ouer all blessed for euer be all all honor glorie faith loue feare obedience praise yeelded by vs by ours and by all his redeemed eternally Amen Amen Amen To this truth doe the holy Prophets Apostles beare witnesse Reade Gen. 6.5 Psal 104. throughout and Psal 145. c. But most pregnant for this purpose is that place Act. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 18. where the Apostle Iames auoucheth that all the workes of God are knowne to him from the beginning And as knowne so likewise are they ordered For saith our Apostle 1. Cor. 12.6 It is he that worketh all in all things Tripliciter operatur Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The anomie disorder and euill of the action God permitteth the action it self God ordereth In good creatures God worketh his will not onely by them but also in them as in Dauid c. In the rest not in them yet by them as in Iudas c. Let vs now at length come to make some vse by way of position and obseruation both of the absolute soueraigntie of our God as he is Lord and also of his infinite knowledge and prouidence which as Salomon saith doth equally reach vnto all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen to euery haire of euery head and to euery bird of euery feather Matth. 10. cap. 6. And sith the Apostle 2. Tim. 3.16 affirmeth that the right vse of all holy truth is to teach to improue to correct instruct in righteousnesse we will haue some eye vnto the same in our applicatiō And first forasmuch as the Lord Iehouah who properly to speake is Lord onely doth of right as you haue heard challenge to himselfe full absolute and vniuersall Power in and ouer all things persons c. let vs all learne alwayes and in euery estate thus to acknowledge him to be our Lord and our God yea let the greatest Lords and highest Powers vpon earth acknowledge that their places power are of from this Lord and being deriued from him are dependant vpon him limitted by him and subiect vnto him and consequently that they must bee countable vnto him in a most strict account For sayth King Salomon Sap. cap. 6.3 The rule is giuen you of the Lord and your Power by the most High which will trie your workes and search out your imaginations c. Turne not therfore your power and places of eminencie into carnall Pompe or priuate gaine much lesse into personall reuenge and cruel oppression but with holy Dauid sing Mercie and Iudgement to the Lord c. Psal 101. For you exercise but a Ministerie of Iustice and Mercie vnder his holy Maiestie and not any absolute dissolute lawlesse Authoritie which is little better then plaine tyrannie Secondly seeing this high and holy Lord of heauen and earth giueth this subordinate Power to men let vs and all learne to obey them in the Lord that doe command and rule ouer vs in the Lord * Rom. 13.1.2.3 c. and that for Conscience sake Thirdly let vs all from hence learne that we are not our own nor any thing that we haue is absolutely ours but the Lords and therefore that our selues and all that wee haue ought to beat his command in all things times estates and so to make all serue for his honour and glorie cheerefully conscionably constantly Fourthly sith we are all g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-seruants vnder one and the same Soueraigne Lord and Master howsoeuer otherwise wee differ in place and partes office and administration yet let no man lift vp his heart aboue that which is meet but in loue learne to serue helpe and honour one another in the Lord as becommeth fellow-seruants that are equally interessed in the Title and honour of the heauenly Inheritance h Rom. 8.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly let vs with these heads of duetie consider our dignitie and safetie vnder the Shield and sauing Power of this our Soueraigne Lord and God and comfort our selues in the same vnder all the basenesse of our outward estate and contempt of the world also vnder the enmitie and hostilitie of Sathan and of sinners of Pope or Papist and sing we a sweete and sacred Requiem and Al-hayle to our blessed King Queene Prince State our selues and ours so long as GOD is our Lord and wee continue his faithfull seruants in Iesus Christ Care and feare be remoued from vs and let heauenly comfort and confidence accompanie vs vntill we haue finished our course in the faith seruice of the Lord our God euen of this Lord that knoweth how to deliuer all his from euill and to bring them to neuer-ending Honour And thus may wee profit by the knowledge and faith of this point that God is the Lord our Lord absolute in Power glorious in praises doing wonders wonders I say for his seruants safetie as appeareth in vs this day Oh how blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Iehouah euen the people whom he hath chosen for his Inheritance Psa 33. So much of the first word in our Text. Now let vs come to make some vse of the next head of doctrine touching the knowledge of this Lord The Lord knoweth The Atheist beleeueth not the truth of this Text but saith Is there any such knowledge in the Almightie Others hold the Paynims principle that tho God knoweth all yet say Non vacat Ioui c. The Lord hath no leisure to attend vpon euery trifle which one thus well answereth That as God vouchsafed to create the least and basest things Sicut non dedecuit Deum infima creare sic nec creata curare so hee disdaineth not to regard and order the same The common sort of Christians will bee brought to yeelde perhaps that the Lord vnderstandeth and knoweth all and potentially is able to doe what hee will but hardly can bee brought to confesse a particular and practike knowledge in God which extendeth it selfe to all and euery least creature thing whatsoeuer vnder heauen in heauen Yet must euen this also be beleeued or else this Truth of doctrine which is the ground of our hope and safetie is violated Finally the weake Christian which yet is not wholly voide of faith in God not duely pondering this point of holy truth seeing the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the good doth thereupon conceiue amisse of the Lord his
would hold them euen with might main in durance and in bondage videlicet if the Lord should not step forth with force to rescue and deliuer them out of all as of old he deliuered his beloued Israel By this then wee are aduertised of many things worthy on consideration As first to seâ— what is the naturall propertiâ— and practice of euill things and persons yea and of their fatheâ— the Deuill as Christ our LORD speaketh Iohn 8. namely to incline to hurt and to hold vnder the bondage of affliction distresse and death all the godly euen the good and faithfull seruants of the Lord and hereunto will bend all their strength of wit will power c. Insomuch as the Lord our good GOD is faine to arme himselfe with power euen with a strong hand and stretched out arme oftentimes to deliuer them according to that which is written in the Psalme 37. Psal 37. The Saluation of the righteous commeth of the Lord who is also their strength in the â—ime of trouble Secondly and consequently being hereby admonished to apprehend on the one side our perpetuall danger and on the other side our ignorance to discerne and weakenesse to decline the same wee must learne to walke the more wisely and circumspectly to stand vpon our Gard to keepe Sentinell and continuall watch to arme our selues as the holy Word forewarneth in the fifth and sixth Chapters of the Epistle to the Ephesians And finally in humilitie faith feeling and true thankefulnesse to professe and say with the Psalmist All our helpe hope comfort and saluation standeth in the name knowledge mercie power and goodnesse of the Lord our God the God of our strength hope and happinesse which hath made and doth rule both heauen and earth Lastly we are herein taught that there is no strength power or wisedome against the Lord or against his Seruants safetie My Father is stronger then all and no man can â—ake out of his hand sayth our blessed Sauiour Iohn 10. And â—he Apostle sayth That the weakâ—esse of God is stronger then men â—ea then all men and Deuils Care and feare away then with Gods Elect. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Lord euen our Lord knoweth â—ow with force to crush our â—oes that otherwise would cruelâ—y crucifie vs al our comforts â—nd that no lesse outragiously â—hen the Iewes did Iesus our Lord â—r then the Iesuites and Papists â—f the Romish List would haue â—one our deare and dread Soâ—eraigne c. as you shall â—eare more at large anon in the â—ast place and passage of our Sermon It followeth in the Text The Lord hath knowne to deliuer the godly The state of the case in hand you see concerneth them that are godly all them none else Impietie hath no part in Gods protection heere promised the vngodly person is sequestred from this saluation The word here vsed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commeth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colere which doth signifie both to haue one in high estimation and honour and also to affect and loue in speciall maner and measure Of this roote and primitiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the nownes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in English one truely religious another irreligious a third superstitious And to these three sortes you may reduce all that liue in the visible Church but the Accent is set vpon the head of the godly For the Lord hath chosen to himselfe the Man that is godly Psal 4. But you will aske me Who be they whom the Apostle calleth godly I answer and marke it well The godly are they that rightly know the true God and doe duely worship him in Iesus Christ. Or take it thus Whosoeuer truly knoweth or endeuoureth to know loue feare and obey the true God in the faith of Christ is indeede godly in the account of Heauen whose part is in this and in all the promises of grace and saluation recorded in holy writ And seeing this point is of so great importance giue me â—eaue yet further to lay it open vnto you that you may the better discerne of the thing and of your estate thereby To know God aright which is the ground of true godlynes is to know and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in his holy word and in Iesus Christ Secondly in this knowledge to cleaue vnto God in the faith and loue of his holy Maiestie as to our onely Lord God in Iesus Christ Thirdly in the life of this knowledge faith and loue to serue obey and honour the Lord by doing his will according to the measure of Grace that we haue receiued humbly sincerely cheerefully prudently and constantly 2. Pet. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Looke vpon the man or woman that is indeede partaker of the godly Nature not Essence more plainely to say that is renued by the spirit of grace and standeth in the state of grace iustified and sanctified in Iesus Christ for this is the partie that the Apostle intendeth to bee pious looke I say vpon his or her disposition affections and meditations as they doe manifest themselues for they can not lie long hid where indeede they are marke also their speeches prayers actions sufferings trials comforts and triumphs in life and in death and you shal finde them all more or lesse seasoned with faith pietie and the feare of God with zeale of his glorie humilitie repentance patience hope and ioy in the holy Ghost Euen thus shal you finde the godly qualified and sanctified in heart and life resolutely set to walke with God as others are dissolutely disposed to walke like themselues with the world 1. Iohn 2.16 In the lust of the eye in the lusts of the flesh or in the pride of life That is in the loue and desires of worldly Profit Pleasure or Preferment some be sotted with this some with that carnall delight not any sinner lightly with all but all with some one of these which is enough without radicall Repentance to sequester them for euer from the hope and helpe of this and all other blessings promised to the godly Thus then you see in part how precious and profitable a thing true pietie is by which all things must be squared our doctrine and doings our and your speeches pleasures and very apparell must bee such as becommeth true godlynesse 1. Tim. 2.10 there called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle saith is profitable for all things times estates and purposes as that which hath the promises of this life and of that which is to i 1. Tim. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come Come we now then to speake comfortably to all that are truely religious and godly though it bee but in the beginnings and infancy of the true feare of God Behold how the holy Ghost in the writings of the Sanctuarie which are our Euidence for our heauenly inheritance dooth grace you with Titles of holynesse and of
The Seale of the Churches safetie OR A Sermon preached at NORWICH the fift of Nouember 1616. Wherein is opened the sealed assurance of the safetie of the CHVRCH in all times and estates meete for all Christians to know and acknowledge to the glorie of God and their owne comfort in life and death By N. COLT one of the Preachers appointed by publike authoritie for the common-place there 2. TIM 2.19 The foundation of God remayneth sure and hath this Seale The Lord knoweth c. PSAL. 3.8 Saluation belongeth to the Lord and his blessing is vpon his People LONDON Printed by W. Stansby 1617. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND RELIGIOVS Magistrates Christian Societies and other Inhabitants of the Citie of NORWICH sauing-health in IESVS CHRIST RIght Worshipfull and right deare to me in the Lord J ingenuously acknowledge that when J did obserue the publike testimonie that God gaue to the word of his Grace in the Sermon following euidenced not onely by your religious attention therunto with gracious aspect and long continued patience in hearing mee for the space almost of two houres but also by the generall and thankefull recognition of the same by many very many of sundrie sorts in your Citie I did as was meet hereat much reioyce in spirit before the Lord gaue him the glorie and blessed you in praying for you The next day going forth into the streets of your Citie to see and salute some of my friends I found vpon discourse that many were desirous to inioy the seruice of my Pen vpon this subiect for their further vse wherewith when J had acquainted some of eminent place and amongst others that learned and graue Diuine Master Doctor Suckling Deane of Norwich who hauing beene himselfe a hearer of me did I beleeue euen out of his feeling and conscience assure mee that herein J might doe good seruice to God and to his people Vpon these and other Christian incouragemēts I said in my heart Surely this thing seemeth to come of the Lord whose J am and whom I serue in the Gospell of his Sonne who also best knowes what to doe with me and my seruice So J did and indeed durst not but consent at least to trie what herein the Lord would be pleased to doe by mee for you Whereupon J returning home did surueigh my written Meditations and Notes and thereby recouered some losses of memorie recollected my spirits and put on hard for God and his people and by the helpe of his holy grace finished thus this little Frame and Jmpression of the publike Seale of the Churches safetie And when this weake conception of my barren brest was brought to light by the hand of a publike professed Midwife J meane the Printer remembring well that as J stood for Father and therefore tooke vpon me to giue it a Name sutable to the nature of the Matter subiect so likewise that you were to me herein in stead of publik Witnesses J hereupon eft-soones resolued that it was no lesse reasonable then religious for mee when I had done with it what J would could to return it home againe vnto you that so you might take it as your owne possesse it patronize it and imploy it in your seruice as you shuld thinke fit Welcome then in gracious loue Thou louing truly religious Citie of Norwich this written Monument and real Euidence of my true loue respect and thankefulnesse to thee thine in Iesus Christ and let this be as God hath appointed it some weake meanes to propagate thy Memorie and Honor vnto Posteritie And now my holy Brethren Heb. 3.1 partakers of the heauenly vocation giue me leaue vpon this occasion to speake a good word vnto you from the Lord our good God in Jesus Christ. Seeing the Lord of Heauen and Earth hath in speciall mercy seated your free and faithfull Citie within the pale of this English Paradise and in the same doth still betrust and honor you with the vnspeakable treasure of his heauenly Truth and holy Ordinances and that in the hand of many able and faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ whom hee hath sent and set as blessings to your Citie euen as the celestiall Light Salt of the same seeing also that you doe happily inioy and sway the Sword of ciuill Gouernement and vnder the same are blessed with Health Peace Plentie and other comfortable conditions of life and estate And finally seeing the Lord Iehouah the great Patrone and Protector of this our English Israel hath also made you and your Citie glorious by great deliuerances both in generall and in special from extreme dangers of vtter desolation and namely in that your singular preseruation from the rage and ruines of Kets Campe and whiles you liue vpon earth propagate the memorie thereof vnto your posteritie by a religious obseruation of the time matter and mercy of GOD towards you therein Also in your and our late admirable freedome from the fierie effects of that hellish Popish powder-treason Let all these gracious ample euidences of Gods fauor and fatherly prouidence to you yours affect inlarge and settle your Christian soules so deeply in the true faith feare and loue of God as may cause you to abound more and more in euery good word and worke appertayning vnto you and therein giue God the glory due to his Name send in daily vnto him Tributs of dutie Presents of affection both in priuate and publike And finally liuing and dying giue his holy Ministers and faithfull People that liue with you iust cause daily to blesse you in praying for you which verily vpon tryall will prooue not the weakest way to build vp your Houses your Honour and Happinesse both in Earth and Heauen But lest I should seeme ouer-bold or busie with you my good Brethren Fathers who otherwise do aboūd with good Monitors and doe happily carry the best about you in your owne brests I will here seasonably suspend my officious Pen conclude with praier to God on your behalfe That it would please his holy Maiestie aboundantly to blesse vnto you and yours all the means and helps of holinesse and this amongst the rest which you do inioy vntill that good worke of his Grace which is begun in you shall be perfected for the praise of his glorious rich Grace in Iesus Christ In whom J shall willingly rest Yours all in all Offices of pious loue and seruice in my place and measure N. COLT LONDON the third of IVNE 1617. The SEALE of the CHVRCHES safetie c. 2. PET. 2.9 The Lord hath knowne to deliuer the godly out of temptation and to reserue the vniust to the day of iudgement to be punished WHen this solemne taske of sacred dutie was lately put vpon mee by the hand of publike Authoritie which I haue reason much to respect though the lets both publike and priuate which did wrestle with mee in the Worke were neyther few nor weake yet perceiuing that my calling hereunto was
gouernement and knowledge of things here below and so also becommeth impatient and heartlesse to his owne great hurt and the offence of Heauen All these must learne to know and beleeue if they will bee saued that in God our Lord assuredly there is an eternall absolute and infallible knowledge of all things whatsoeuer together with wisedome will and power to rule order and dispose of them accordingly vntill euery thing be brought to that period and end which he hath appointed for his owne glory the saluation of the Elect and ruine of the Reprobate rout For the holy Word of â—he Lord doth here witnesse the same and his holy workes doe confirme it abundantly Now the meditation of all that herein hath beene said and truely taught out of these two words ioyned together The Lord knoweth referred to both the parts of this Prophecy as the same ought to be might me thinkes strike a strange terrour into the soule of any sinner which is not too too forlone and hardened in sinne when he shal come to himselfe and consider that hee hath sinned against a Lord First of infinite knowledge which perfectly knoweth the number and nature of all his sinnes whatsoeuer Secondly of infinite Iustice and therefore cannot let escape the least particular sinne which he was euer guiltie of originally or personally vnlesse hee find mercie in the Mediatour vpon his true repentance and faithfull conuersion from the power of Satan to the liuing Lord and from the disobedience of the wicked to the wisedome of the iust c. Thirdly of infinite power also and authoritie to cast both soule and bodie into Hell-fire perpetually vnrecouerably And lastly of infinite Eternitie to giue the impenitent sinner eternitie in that vnspeakeable miserie Oh consider this all that forget God together with his vnspeakeable knowledge power and iustice Make vp your peace with GOD in time in time I say lest he teare you in pieces and there bee none to deliuer you out of his hand that knoweth how to reserue not preserue the wicked to Iudgement to be punished eternally Moreouer let me tell you as I verily beleeue that the ignorance vnbeliefe or obliuion of this holy Truth that GOD knoweth absolutely all things euen all secrets of all mens mindes and manners and that hee hath absolute power in and ouer all as the Lord of Lords the ignorance I say and vnbeliefe of this truth is the maine cause and root of all Atheisme Prophanenesse Hypocrisie Neutralitie and to come neerer the point in hand of all sinnefull feare and despaire in dangers and distresse also of carnall confidence sinnefull securitie and shifting by corrupt courses to helpe our selues in time of need also of all base grosse and weake conceits of God and of his gouernment and finally of all impatiencie murmuring c. vnder affliction Whereas on the contrarie the sound and sanctified knowledge of GODS infinite power and wisdome to performe whatsoeuer he will and hath reuealed in his Word will helpe to afford all good Christians vnspeakeable animation affiance loue awe peace patience constancy and comfort to cast all their cares and burthen vpon the Lord as hee hath commanded and so to rest in peace and sacred securitie c. Finally that I may grow to an end in the application of this first part of the Text seeing the Lord bringeth his iudgements to light euery morning as his holy Word doth witnesse in his knowledge and power performing the same let vs learne hence-forth to make due and daily obseruation thereof that wee may say as Thusidides did in another case I haue experience of this and that Truth of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfilled eyther in mercie or iustice so ioyne experimentall knowledge and faith with literall and spirituall How many Christians continue weake in faith and patience c. because they bee wanting this way to God in dutie for God hath so done his maruailous workes that they ought to be had in remembrance and to themselues in wisedome Neglect not then this helpe of holinesse if you would grow vp faster in all holy feare faith loue and obedience c. Learne also this lesson of all the wise-hearted Patriarchs Prophets and Princes of the Lord his people 1. Sam. 17.37 specially of holy Dauid Psal 48.7 c. in his blessed Booke of Psalmes And so let vs proceede in the Text to the next word Deliuer The Lord knoweth to deliuer This is one singular effect of the foresaid Cause Deliuerance to the godly The knowledge of God is neyther idle nor vnfruitfull but operatiue and effectuall and that vnto these two ends principally so farre forth as it concerneth Man namely to saue the godly and to wrecke the wicked And of these because the saluation of the iust is of special consequence for the glorie of Gods sauing power and Fatherly Prouidence therefore it is here set in the first place and hath the preeminence And a singular President mee thinkes it is of good Gouernment and of the right vse of all that knowledge and power wherewith the Lord hath furnished vs or any of vs whether we be Magistrates Ministers or Masters of Families In the extent of mercie and iustice First to bee guided by knowledge euen by Diuine knowlege and vnderstanding of Gods will Secondly to limit it by the power and place which wee hold in charge Thirdly specially and aboue the rest to doe good to the good to preserue and deliuer the Iust so sauing them that should be saued in the first place Let Noah bee first shipped in safetie in GODS Arke before the flouds of Iustice ouerflow the World And let Lot be gone from Sodome yâ— Angels of the Lord before yoâ— fire the place of his Repose Consider what I haue sayd and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things to doe his will And thus much briefely oâ— the connexion of the effect with the cause and of the Apostles order in putting the safety of the Saints in the first place and passage of Gods most holy Gouernment Againe further obserue here with me that the Lord our God taketh the ground of his doing good to his seruants euen â—rom his owne eternall and vnchangeable knowledge wil and goodnesse which worketh freeâ—y of it selfe and from it selfe all the effects of mercie and saluaâ—ion promised to his Saints Let then our helpe also and seruice which wee yeeld to the people of God in our places not be base inforced mercinarie or any way corrupt at the root but â—ngenuous free and faithfull that so we may in our measure become merciful and iust as our heauenly Father is to vs. The Text followeth The Lord knoweth to deliuer The word here vsed doth properly signifie to take by force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. Eripere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to deliuer with strong hand as if the Apostle should tell all the godly that otherwise all euils and enemies dangers distresses