garments How should the sea part it selfe and stand vpon heapes as it did to giue the children of Israel passage and to set them frée from their enemies Howe shoulde the earth open and swallowe vp people as it hath done to execute Gods iust iudgements An example whereof wee haue in Corah Dathan and Abiram and since their time hath bene séene in the worlde Howe should all this come so to passe vnlesse onely it were to set foorth the glorious and fearefull name of the Lorde This made the people to wonder at the great power and might of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ in taming the raging of the Sea and breaking the extreame force of the blustering windes For hee rebuked the winde and the waues of water and they presently ceased and it was calme againe as before And all they that sawe and behelde the same were sore amazed and sayd Who is this that commandeth both the windes and water and they obey him Glorifying God because they neuer sawe any such thing The hurtfull creatures that God hath made euen by them his glorie doth more appeare The white hath a fairer shewe being compared with blacke the comfort of the daie is made more manifest by considering the discomfort of the night and darkenesse after sicknes wée are more thankefull for our health and hurtfull creatures do make vs more to estéeme the benifit of gods goodnes in the helpe of those creatures which are for our vse and profit For God in great wisedome hath made as well hurtfull things as others that by contraries a fuller knowledge might grow in man to the praise of God that hath done all so well Concerning which hurtfull creatures let vs not be too rash but bridle our thoughts with wisdome and moderation For although presentlie and at the verie first sight wée knowe not the good of a creature yet God is not therefore presumptuously to bee misliked for creating the same who maye doo with his owne as pleaseth him best Againe many creatures there are which séeme to serue to no vse yet most certaine it is that God hath made nothing in vaine And a man néede not to say What is this Wherefore is that For he hath made all things for their owne vse Wherein let vs referre all to Gods secret wisedome who knew what was best for his glorie And although the vse of them be vnprofitable to vs yet is it wel knowne to God and let vs be of the same mind with the Apostle saying Of him and through him and for him are all things to whom be praise and glorie for euer Amen Neither let vs be backwards in giuing God this glorie due vnto him séeing the creatures themselues do glorifie God in their obedience The starres shine in their watch and reioyce When he calleth them they say Here we be and so with chearfulnesse they shewe light to him that made them And of al the rest of gods creatures so it may be said Lastly and principally God hath made man for his glory For as he hath made all things for his owne sake so hath he made euen the wicked for the day of euill Because the iustice of God shall appeare to his glory euen in the destruction of the wicked For as the scripture saith vnto Pharach For this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shewe my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the world Again as God would haue his power knowne by suffering with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destrustruction so also was it his pleasure to declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glorie Who hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hath made vs accepted in his beloued Although God hath made the wicked against the euill day to shewe his glory by his iustice yet doth his glory more consist in the workes of mercy For mercy reioyceth against iudgement and his mercy is ouer all his woorkes His wrath reacheth to the third and fourth generation but his mercy vnto thousands Aboue all other creatures as God is gracious and mercifull For mans vse vnto man so also is he more bountiful vnto him then vnto all the rest For he hath created all things for mans vse graunting vnto him most largely and that more liberally then any prince his gift can be in all his royaltie For man was the world made and ordeined not for angels nor for others creatures but onely so farre foorth as they serue for the vse and benefit of man And what greater comfort can there be to the godly then to thinke as God hath principally created the heauenly Angels for his glory so also secondarily for their benefit There be reuenging Angels as in the Psalme 78. 50. God sent euil Angels among the Egiptians and also in the destruction of Sodom the which laie on sure stroakes on the wicked and there be comfortable Angels which wayt vppon the godly As it is in the Psalme The Angell of the Lorde tarrieth rounde about them that feare him and deliuereth them As the Angels for the defence of Iacob against the iniurie of his brother Esau the Angell in the firie furnace with the thrée children the Angell that deliuered Peter the Apostle out of prison Thou hast man saith the Prophet lower then the Angels and yet behold the goodnesse of God in that hee hath made them seruaunts vnto man And if hee hath ordeined the Angels to helpe vs much more other creatures to serue vs in our néede to cherish and to comfort vs to féede vs and to cloath vs. Let vs looke vppon other creatures and consider the heauens the moone and the starres which God hath ordeined and it shall make vs to say in ioy and comfort O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him The Sun as it chéereth all other creatures so is it a great comfort vnto man and it is a pleasure vnto him to beholde the faire beautie thereof and giueth him courage in all his worke and labour The Moone hath her diuers obseruations and great profit which is the schoole mistresse vnto the husbandman to teach him to sowe and to plant and a chiefe director vnto the Sea-man to order his voyages and nauigations by Sea to marke the ebbe and the flow by the new and the change And with the husbandman and the Sea-man we may yet learne further with great delight and singuler helpe that God hath sent Sée how the sea doth swell in waues and rise in mountaines and roare as it were for discontentment that it cannot ouerflow the face of the earth For by the course of nature the
11. 12. According to the eternall purpose which he wrought in Christ Iesus our Lord. By whom we haue boldnesse and entraunce with confidence by faith in him 1. Thes 5. 24. Faithfull is he which calleth you which will also do it Hebr. 10. 23. Let vs kéepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised Rom. 8. 38. 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And therefore I cannot nor I may not doubt of my saluation So farre then it is against reason to say that this doctrine maketh men negligent or dissolute that contrariwise this alone dooth open vs the way to search out and vnderstand by the power of the holy Ghost Gods deepe secrets 1. Cor. 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. The things which eye hath not séene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans hart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirit For the spirit searcheth all things yea the déepe things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Now we haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God It maketh vs painfull in good workes Ephe. 2. 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them 1. Iohn 3. 24. For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and thereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit that he hath giuen vs. Gal. 5. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that we cannot do the same things that we would Knowing this infirmitie to be in vs it stirreth vs to good workes And chap. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Be not deceined God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that also shall he reape For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption And he that soweth to the spirit shal of the spirit reape life euerlasting Rom. 6. 1. What shall we say then Shall we continue stil in sin that grace may abound God forbid Hebr. 10. 24. And let vsconsider one an other to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes Iam. 3. 17. The wisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peâ—â—eable gentle easie to bee intreated full of mercy and good workes without iudging and without hipocrisie It maketh vs inuincible against all temptations and vexations For how shall he stand sure and constant against so many grieuous temptations both within and without against so many assaults of fortune as the world doth terme it that is not well resolued in this point of Gods predestination toward him and of his election in Christ Iob. 13. 15. Loe though hée slaie me yet will I trust in him Rom. 8. 28. Also we know that all things worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose Verse 31. What shall we then say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs Verse 35. 37. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or peril or sword In all which things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. Iohn 16. 33. Maruell not though the world hate you In the world ye shall haue affliction but in me ye shall haue peace Be of good comfort I haue chosen you out of the world and none shall take you out of my hands Rom. 15. 3. Through Christ we reioyce in tribulations that we may say with the Apostle We are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not Ia. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse temptations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect work that ye may be perfect and intire lacking nothing Of the which number of the elect he is that findeth himselfe in this daunger and trouble Rom. 8. 16. 17. 18. The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. Luke 23. 43. Iesus said to the théefe on the crosse Verily I say vnto thée To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice This part is to be considered and weighed and that with great modestie principally in these two considerations First that the height of Gods iudgements may at all times bridle our curious fancies Secondly that we doo not apply it to any man particularly or any certaine company For the first let it be sufficient that we vnderstand generally that there be vessels prepared by Gods iudgement and appointed to destruction The which séeing God doth not reueale vnto vs who they are we ought both in example of life and praier diligently to endeuour to winne and recouer to their saluation yea euen very such of whom by séeing their horible vices we almost dispaire Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 1. Pet. 2. 12. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euil of you as of euill dooers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifie God in the day of the visitation And chap. 3. 15. 16. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be readie alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you And that with méekenesse and reuerence hauing a good conscience that when they speake euill of you as of euill dooers they may be ashamed which blame your good conuersation in Christ 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. For though I be frée from all men yet haue I made my selfe seruant vnto all men that I might winne the moe And vnto the Iewes I become as a Iewe that I may winne the Iewes to them that are vnder the lawe as though I were vnder the lawe that I may win them that are vnder the lawe to them that are without the lawe as though I were without the lawe when I am not without the
perceiue the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes and haue a desire to leaue and forsake them before we hunger and thirst for this grace This is euen the light of the world which did shine abroad and yet the world knewe it not Christ came vnto his owne his owne receiued him not Oh howe secret are God his iudgmeÌ„ts that his grace is hid from some and appeareth vnto other And yet howe is this grace hid But froÌ„ them that make more account of their pleasures and fulfilling of their lusts who make more account of their wealth and riches as it is set downe in the parable of the séede cast in the earth then they do of this grace yea of this rich grace who cleaue vnto the world and loue the world more then God In whose mindes and hearts the God of this world that is to say the diuil doth raigne by his temptations As the Apostle witnesseth writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4. 4. If our gospell and if this grace of God be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ should not shine vnto them And as the world knew him not and his owne people to whom he was sent receiued him not so as many as did receiue him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beléeue in his name and so are partakers of his grace Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Which grace although it hath bine a mistery hid since the world beganne and from all ages yet nowe is made manifest to his saincts to his beloued and those that do receiue him To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of this glorious mistery among the gentiles which riches is Christ the hope of glory in euery one of vs that are saued Whom we preach saith the Apostle admonishing euery one and teaching euery man in all wisdom that wée may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus and that euery one may be capable of this grace For God that commaunded the light to shine out of darkenesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath sent vs foorth to preach that this his grace may euery where appeare Which doth appeare and shewe it selfe to all but so that the repentant sinners the faithfull beléeuers those onely that are made righteous in Christ do receiue the same Who as by this grace they are receiued into the fauour of God their sinnes being forgiuen them so are they not in any sort to take a libertie vnto themselues to sinne againe The lawe entred hereupon that the offence should abound and be made notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded their grace abounded much more That as sin had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sinne yâ— grace may abound God forbid How shal we yâ— are dead to sinne liue yet therein After the Apostle had shewed that by grace the mercy of god wée were saued fréely beloued fréely iustified and made righteous he sheweth also howe we are sanctified that is by practisiing all good workes so continning in this grace As we reade Tit. 3. 8. This is a true saying these things I wil thou shouldest affirm teach that they which haue beléeued in god might be carefull to shew foorth gods workes The good spirit of god and his grace it teacheth vs how we should be sanctified that is by denieng all vngodlinesse worldly lusts also by liuing soverly righteously godly in this present world They who beléeue are also iustified made righteous and they who are iustified yâ— is made righteous are also sanctified made holy This worke therefore of sanctification procéeding from the grace of god is liuely expressed in this text which I haue read vnto you And so much for the generall proposition The grace of God hath appeared vnto 〈◊〉 Vnto this generall proposition may be added thrée other principall parts of this text As first what is the effct of this Diuisicâ— grace that is sanctification wherein this sanctification coÌ„sisteth which is mortification viuification or yâ— I may vse more plaine euident termes in vtterly foresaking the lusts of our flesh our owne will desires imbracing all the is good leading a life agréeable to God his will Which part is set downe in these words teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse worldly lusts and yâ— we should liue soberly and righteously godly in this present world The second part is a perswasion reason mouing vs to this sanctification that is the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of god set downe by the circumstance of Christ his comming At which time the godly shall be receiued in to the kingdome of god in these words looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of the mighty god of our sauiour Iesus Christ The third part setteth downe the cause of this sanctification and yâ— is Christ who hath redéemed and purged vs to his purpose yâ— we might performe all good workes in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs yâ— he might redéeme vs from all iniquitie purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes The grace of god hath appeared vnto all and teacheth vs. In the life of man there are two teachers There is the wicked spirit of the diuil being accompanied The eâ—fect of this grace with our be â—raâ—eng flesh the naughty examples wicked 〈◊〉 of the world this teacher moueth vs to all 〈◊〉 worldly luâ—ts which fight against the soule this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an 〈◊〉 multitude of schollers The other teacher is the spirit of God the grace of God which hath but a fewe followers because yâ— fewe imbrace the godly 〈◊〉 Mortification which 〈◊〉 Of which distinction I might 〈◊〉 stand on bring 〈◊〉 matter of godly edifieng but I leaue 〈◊〉 The grace of God teacheth vs howe farre héeretofore wee haue gone astray and openeth vnto vs howe loâ—t 〈◊〉 but â—aies haue bene wherein wée haue so â—elighted and howe greatly wée haue offended GOD. Whereas otherwise the eies of our vnderstanding are shut vp and we togither with the world and wicked company are carried away And first it sheweth vs how greatly we haue offended concerning religion and the seruice of God mentioned in these words Teaching vs to deny vngodtinesse which hath respect to that dutie we owe vnto God comprehended in the foure first commandements God hath created vs to serue and to worship him and to come to the knowledge of his wil as he
gospell that toward the latter end of the world heresies and errour shall so abound that if it were not for Gods grace and his instructing spirits euen the elect should bee deceiued and togither with the rest should be danmed For damnation is the effect of superstition and heresie and the diuell blinding vs and deceiuing vs dooth vse that forcible meane to draw vs from the knowledge of God and of our owne saluation Which thing the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians 2. Epistle chapter 2. dooth witnesse vnto vs that false teachers shall come vnto vs to deceiue vs â—y the working of the diuell But among whome shall they preuaile among none but them that perish because they receiued not the laue of the truth that they might be â—â—ued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beléeue lies and that all they might be damned which beléeued not the truth Many are the heresies that are sprung vp in the worlde and where the word of God is not their guide and the spirit of God doth not teach them there is nothing but wandring going astray in the vanitie of their thoghts For the true God the heathen worship the Sun the Moone and the Starres the Turke his Mahomet another people fall downe before Images créepe to crosses goe in pilgrimage to the reliques of Saintes put the only hope of their saluation in their good workes and if that serue not they make account that the praiers of them that are liuing shall doo them good after they be dead and release them being in torments They make their praiers vnto Saintes and thinke by pardons and indulgences and such meanes to haue their sinnes forgiuen them bee they neuer so many so great so hainous and so gréeuous But when the grace of God dooth teach vs instruct vs and lighten our mindes then all blind superstitions and vngodly heresies vanish away at the triall of the truth euen as the fogges and mistes doo breake away when the Sunne appeareth in his force And well may such false opinions vanish away because they are but vanities Copper beareth a shewe of golde and may bee flourished ouer to deceiue the eye of the simple but when it commeth to bee tried by the touchstone it appeareth to be a vaine thing and a thing of no account in comparison of gold So all superstition and heresies may goe for true religion in the mindes of simple and ignoraunt people but when they come to the touchstone the true triall I meane the word of God then if the grace of God do worke in our hearts by the reading and hearing of the word then wee beginne to denie the vngodlinesse of false religion and daily more and more wee growe in this grace and in the knowledge of his truth The ignorant mindes of the Heathen worshipping the Sunne the Moone and the Starres when GOD graunteth them of his knowledge as no doubt GOD vouchsafeth some they shall vnderstand that the Sunne the Moone and the Starres are but Gods creatures and that there is a Creator that made them and a Redéemer that died for them For the mercy of God shall be preached throughout the world and then shall the end of the world come The Turkes although many of them and that the most part of them mocke and scoffe at our crucified Christ yet the seale of God remaineth sure and some are called to the knowledge of the truth and God forbid yâ— the grace of God should be denied vnto them although thousands of them do perish They may be inwardly touched and God may vouchsafe them of fauour and make them partakers of his mercy and they may beleeue althogh they make not so ample profession of their faith and beliefe Those whom we call Papists who are deceiued concerning the truth of religion and the certaintie of their saluation and giue their names and consent vnto falshood before they haue had iust triall of the truth many of them are not perswaded nor euer will yéeld to be perswaded because the grace of god to them hath not as yet appeared For why they are carried away with high conceits of their owne deceiued mindes They thinke their owne inuentions and traditions to be of equall force with Gods word whereas they should in all humble sort submit themselues theâ— unto they thinke so highly of themselues that by their owne good workes they may deserue heauen so that the saluation of God which commeth by his grace and mercy is troden vnder their féete What are pilgrimages and reliques and praiers to saints and purgatorie but mans inuentions Which they can neuer approue to be good neither shall they euer finde warrant for them in Gods word The grace of God teacheth them to deny the vngodlinesse of mens deuices inuentions and traditions and so much the more because God hath pronounced a curse to them that shall adde or put too or diminish and take away any thing from his word I protest saith the spirit of of God vnto euery man Reu. 22. 18. 19. that heareth the words of the Prophecie of this booke if any man shall adde vnto these things God shal adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke Daungerous therefore are the deuices and traditions of men and likewise in a most dangerous estate are they who are ruled by them because that in them are contained many thinges that are contrary to the will of God and to his word What is it for vs to be perswaded that we shal be saued by our good workes although good works be necessary and commanded when the truth of Gods word shal direct vs that only by the grace and mercy of God we are saued and not by good workes let them beare neuer so glorious and glistering a shewe in the sight of men and séeme neuer so much to be approued Ephe. 2. 8. By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe The most righteous men next vnto our sauiour Christ that euer liued when they make their praiers vnto God what say they Say they with the Pharisée I fast twise a wéeke I giue almes to the poore I pay tithe of all that euer I possesse No they come not in with such titles and with so glorious a stile Bâ—t as we reade Dan. 9. O Lord be mercifull vnto vs that haue sinned we haue committed iniquitie and done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy commandements O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thée and vnto vs open shame As Daniel so also righteous Abraham confesseth of him selfe I am but dust and ashes and as one of no account God regardeth the humble
and those that confesse their sinnes as for the proude and them that vaunt and boast and make so great account of their good workes God beholdeth them a farre off A lowly an humble and contrite spirit is the onely sacrifice that god accepteth The grace of god worketh lowlinesse and humblenesse in our hearts it frameth vs to confesse our sinnes and by all meanes to endeuour to amend and neuer boast our selues of our good workes or to trust to be saued by them but rather by the mercy of god Although questionlesse they that do not practise good workes and as much as in them lieth labour to lead a holy and godly life shall neuer enter into the kingdome of god nor into the rest of blessed soules And therefore it followeth very well in my text The grace of God teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Which are nothing else but the workes of the flesh which cannot agrée or at lestwise ought not to be séene in them that are sanctified by the grace of God These worldly lusts and workes of the flesh are such that no man can be ignorant of and they are too too manifest Which are as the Apostle reckneth them vp adultery fornicatiō vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witcheraft hatred debate emulatiōs wrath cōtention seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and such like Whereof saith he I tolde you before as I also haue told you before that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god For the performance of our inordinate affections and euil concupiscences the wrath of god commeth If we be led by the works of the flesh we shall die the death Well are they called in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4. 22. Deceiueable lusts because they deceiue vs in the end In the beginning is ioy and pleasure but in the end is destruction According as we reade Prou. 14. 12. There is a way which séemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the waies of death Let euery one of vs thinke that the grace of god dooth thus perswade vs that forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh wee should arme our selues with the same minde as to mortifie the déeds of the flesh and to cease from sinne That hencefoorth wee should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of god For it is sufficient and more then should haue béene that wee haue spent the time past as the wicked doo in this world Wherein it will séeme straunge to them that we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot And therefore they wil not spare to speake euill of vs to defame vs and to cast out many slaunders against vs. Wherein let vs be patient and referre the matter to God they shall answere for their ill deeds and giue accounts to him that is readie to iudge them All the punishments of this life death and death again in another world the seuere iudgement of God who is it that hath any sparke of grace that will not relent and haue remorce that will not now learne to deny their worldly lusts knowing that it shall cost them deare Who in this life would leape into the sea knowing he shall be drowned Who is it that would throw himselfe into the fire knowing that he shall be consumed All worldly lusts are vnderstood by the vncleannesse of the flesh because principally and aboue the rest we are giuen thereunto And therefore 1. Thess 4. 3. This is the will of God euen our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication That cuerie one of vs should know how to possesse his vessell that is his bodie in holinesse honour and not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles and Heathen and wicked persons which know not God 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that we are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs If any of vs destroy the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy which we are For our soules our hearts and consciences are the place wherein God should dwell They that follow their worldly lusts and delight in the workes of the flesh and are led by them it is a token that they are past grace and that God hath deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. So when we do refraine and frame our selues another way it is a token that gods grace doth worke with vs. And that we may say as the Apostle that no fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers buggerers théeues railers extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God And such were some of vs yea such by nature are we all and who can say that either he is not or at leastwise was not in the number So that if it be otherwise we are washed we are sanctied and made clean in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our gracious God who sendeth his grace into our hearts For such is the vertue of that spiritual fellowship which we haue with Christ that as the soule naturally ioyned to the bodie bringeth forth her effects so Christ dwelling in vs by faith and by the holy Ghost after a spirituall maner and by a spirituall vertue doth shew his power in vs to inable vs to resist sinne and to bridle the corrupt desires of the flesh Christ by his death hath abated the power of sinne that it can no longer be rancke in vs to do what we wil but dooth by little and little die vntill it be wasted and worne away For as when y◠hart of a man hath receiued a deadly wound he is accounted for dead although he liue a while because he cannot escape death so sinne in the death of Christ hath receiued a deadly wound And by reason of that neare coniunction which by faith we haue with Christ we are said to be dead with him vnto sinne I beseech you therfore brethren saith the Apostle Rom. 12 by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God As indéed it cannot be that where the grace of God doth worke effectually but that we should deny our worldly lusts or at leastwise by little and little cause them to die in vs. They who by a true faith laie holde of Christ and his merits and do apply vnto themselues the death of Christ with all his benefits are also desirous to offer themselues acceptable vnto god For they that by the grace of god are made righteous by the same grace are also made holy séeing that Christ is made vnto vs both righteousnesse and sanctification as we read 1. Cor. 1. 30. Holinesse is a necessary consequent of the grace of god whereby they that are truly touched in all thankfull sort shewe themselues to god and doo approue themselues vnto him in all vprightnesse and innocencie of life Our minds our
sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill So that the iustice of God shall appeare to his glory euen in the destruction of the wicked Ro. 3. 5. Nowe if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God what shall we say Is God vnrighteous that punisheth I speake as a man For thus the wicked vse to reason and yet them selues shal be found in fault and the workers of their ouerthrow Ro. 9. 19. The wicked say Why doeth he yet complaine and find himselfe agrieued at vs For who hath resisted his wil séeing he hath thus determined of vs The Apostle aunswereth them O man who art thou which pleadest a gainst God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and an other to dishonour What and if God woulde to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction In this matter we ought not to dispute or to be inquisitiue but rather in high estimation to reuerence the will of God and perswade our selues that we are of the number of those on whom Gods mercy shall be shewed and labour by all meanes by praier and all other holy and vertuous exercises to assure our selues of the same Election proceedeth only from the will of God but not because he did foresee what was in vs. Deut. 4. 37. And because he loued thy fathers therfore he chose their féede after them and hath brought thée out of Egipt in his sight by his mightie power Ezech. 16. 59. 60. Thus saith the Lord God I might euen deale with thée as thou hast done Neuerthelesse I will remember my couenant Ioh. 15. 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeined you that ye go and bring foorth frute and your frute remaine Rom. 9. 10. Rebecca when shée had conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac ere that the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euil that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said vnto her The elder shall serue the yoonger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and I haue hated Esau For he saith to Moses I will haue mercy on him to whom I will shewe mercy and I will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 11. 5 Euen so at this present time is there a remnant through the election of grace And if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace But if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke What then Israel hath not obtained that he sought but the election hath obtained it and the rest haue bene hardened According as it is written God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not sée and eares that they should not heare vnto this day Tim. 1. 9. Who hath sauid vs and called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe For wée are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them He hath chosen vs to doo good workes and not to be carelesse because we are chosen but rather to assure to our consciences our election by good workes According as we read Collos 1. 10. That ye might walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of god strengthned with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse Giuing thanks c. Ephe. 1. 5. 11. Who hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil In whom also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsaile of his owne will Although the causes of Reprobation procéed principally from the secret and hidden purpose of God yet are there also sufficient causes in our selues Among the rest these thrée Driginall sinne that is that naturall corruption wherein we are born Secondly the daily sinnes and offences which we commit Thirdly Vnbeliefe Gods hidden purpose Rom. 9. 13. I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Where he saith not only that Esau was ordained to be hated before he did any euil for in so saying he should not séeme to exclude any thing but actuall sinne and incredulitie but also saith expresly before he was borne Wherefore he excludeth originall sinne also If the Apostle had grounded reprobation vppon mans corruption the case had bene cleare and resolute if it had bene true But forasmuch as he saith plainly if so pleased God and it was not in their power to change this his good pleasure he bridleth mans wisdom that it might reuerence and wonder at Gods misteries as it is most iust to do And also encourageth the elect to honour the grace of god which is declared and made famous by such a comparison Causes in our selues of reprobation Originall sinne Psal 51. 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me Ephe. 2. 3. By nature we are the children of wrath Iohn 3. 19. And this is the comdemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light because their déedes were euill Their owne corruption is a cause in themselues of their owne damnation Actuall and daily sinne Ephe. 4. 17. Hencefoorth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their mindes hauing their cogitations darkened and being strangers from the life of god through the ignoraunce that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hart which being past féeling haue giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with gréedinesse 1. Cor. 9. 10. Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of god Gal. 6. God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Rom. 8. 13. If we liue after the flesh ye shall die But if mortifie the déeds of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue Vnbeliefe Exod. 5. 2. And Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should heare his
and performeth nothing but that which is wondrous wise and also in respect of vs who cannot enter into the depth of Gods counsailes nor any way of our selues can we attane vnto the knowledge of his workes it may also well be termed a misterie For flesh and blood cannot conceaue the things which are of God which onely are knowen and perceiued by the spirit of God We speake wisdome among them that are perfect not the wisdome of this world neither of the princes of this world which come to naught But we speake the wisdom of God in a mistery euen the hid wisdome which God had determined before the world vnto our glory Which none of the princes of this world hath knowne For had they knowne it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory When our first parents had offended thy hid themselues from God because this grace and mercy was hid from theÌ„ vntil God reuealed it vnto them saying The séed of the woman should breake the serpents head This grace of God is hid froÌ„ the wise who maketh account to be saued by their workes and who also are puffed vp with the same conceipt of their owne wisdome For the Scribes and the Pharisées and the Doctors of the lawe refused yea and condemned the grace of God to them offered From whom the grace of God was hid who had eyes to sée would not sée it According as we read in the 9. tha of the gospel after S. Ioh. V. 41. If ye were blind saith our Sauiour Christ to the Pharises ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we sée therefore your sinne remaineth Which is the iust iudgment of God vpon those the are wilfully blind wil not be partaker either of the grace of god or of their owne saluatioÌ„ Ioh. 9. 39. I am come saith Christ vnto iudgement into this world the they which sée not might sée that they which sée might be made blind Indeed this grace of god is offered vnto al but few there be yâ— do receiue it therefore few shall be saued Yet so the this matter commeth to passe through their owne fault and the whole world is left without excuse they especially who haue eies to see and sée not or rather wil not sée whose damnation in time to come wil be most iust But how hath this grace of God appeared It hath appeared not only wheÌ„ men least looked for it but also in such a time when it might doo most good wheÌ„ it might best be accepted As if Christians being vnder the Turkish slauery might be set frée when as they looked for nothing but perpetuall misery in the time of most cruel extremitie or as if one lying in a dangerous sicknes looking for nothing but death should haue remedie eueÌ„ then wheÌ„ al hope were past or as one being taken of the enemy preseÌ„tly to be slain yet shuld be rescued set frée And what greater slauery then the thraldom of the diuill and what greater death then the death of yâ— soule and what greaenemy then he whose hatred neuer endeth Yet such is the mercy of god yâ— when we haue deserued death damnation he commeth with these glad tidings Repent amend for the kingdom of God is at hand The Angels sing it Luk. 2. 14. Glory be to God in the high heauens and peace in earth and toward men good will Hereunto do all the prophets witnesse as saith the Apostle S. Peter preaching vnto Cornelius Act. 10. That through the name of Christ all that beleeue in him shuld receiue forgiuenesse of sins Yea our sauior Christ appeared vnto the Apostle S Paul from heauen as we reade Act. 26. Sending hun forth to open the eies of the people yâ— they might return froÌ„ darknes to light and from yâ— power of satan vnto god yâ— they might receiue forgiuenes of sins inheritance amoÌ„g them yâ— are sanctified by faith Which thing he witnessed most earnestly vnto the Ephesians Act. 20. 18. Ye know saith he from the first day that I came into Asia after what maner I haue bin with you at all seasons seruing the Lord with all modesty and with many teares tentations which came vnto me by the laying await of the Iewes And how I kept back nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you taught you openly throughout euery house Witnessing both to the Iewes to the Grecians meaning therby all sorts of people repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ Yea he is very carefull yâ— this grace of God might bee preached vnto all to their bettering and to their profit in that he warneth Timothie and by him all other ministers preachers and teachers counsailing him and them to instruct with méekenesse them that are contrary minded prouing if at any time they may receiue this grace And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the deuill which are taken of him at his will Tit 3. 3. We our selues also saith the Apostle were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull hating one an other But when the bountifulnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man apreared not by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth aâ—d the renuing of the holy Ghost Which he shead on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Without controuersie greate is the misterie of godlinesse which is God is manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit séene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beléeued on in the world and receiued vp in glory Which misterie although it lay in the beginning of the world as hid and vnknowne yet nowe is reuealed hath appeared and this sauing health hath nowe shewed it selfe the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all hath bene made manifest vnto all That which was foretold by the prophets and holy men and was reuealed but to a fewe hath appeared as glorious as the sunne in his brightnesse whose beames are spread ouer the world this great grace hath béene and must be preached to all nations and to the end of the world is like to be offered vnto all It appeareth vnto all yet all â—â— not receiue it Christ came to saue sinners and his merâ—â—â—â— preached vnto them they are negligent wilfull and 〈◊〉 they make litle or no account and onely the repentent they are partakers of this grace For this is the condemnation of the world that light being come into the world men loued darknesse rather then light because in the workes of darkenesse all their delight was set And howe can this grace being offered take any place in our hearts before we haue remorce of our wicked waies before we féele and
one commending vnto vs the feare of God the other exhorting vs to the studie and knowledge of the word of God And although the Prophet Dauid dâ—â— greatly commend the studie of the lawe of God in his first Psalme yet also throughout his Psalmes he maketh speciall exhortations vnto the Feare of God As amongst the rest principally in this hundreth and twelfth Psalme Blessed is the man hée saith not that floweth in riches For godlines is great riches if a man bee content with that hée hath Hée saith not that enioyeth his pleasures because they fight against the soule Hée saith not that is aduanced to honour and promotion for it is an easie matter with the Lorde to bring them downe that are exalted Hée saith not that haue the fauoure of Princes for that may bee daunted by tales of ill will and buried in displeasure Hée saith not that are strong and valiant For the Lorde hath no pleasure in the strength of a man but hée delights in them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy Hée saith not who are wise For the wisedome of man is but foolishnesse in the sight of God and hée that will bee wise indéed must denie his owne wisedome that God may endue him with true wisedome Hée saith not they are beautifull for they are but snares to catch fooles But aboue all others Blessed is the man that feareth the Lorde and delighteth greatly in his Commandements His seed shall be mightie vppon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Riches and treasures shall be in his house Two great worldly blessings His seede shall be mightie and his generation blessed And againe Hee shall enioy plentie and abundance of riches and treasures Fully and sufficiently shall hée be satisfied to his contentment hée shall not néed to go farre as Merchants venture their liues vpon the seas to become wealthie Per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa per ignes but it shall be in his house because God shall make all things prosper about him And this was the blessing that was promised to Abraham when God had tried him whether his feare were planted in his heart I will surely blesse thee and will greatly mâ—ltiply thy seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand which is vpon the sea shore And in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed because thou hast obeyed my voyce because I haue perceiued my feare to bee within thée In stéed of wealth and treasures and worldly blessings this was Gods promise vnto him Gene. 15. 1. I am thy exceeding great reward Feare God and keepe his Commaundements For this is the whole dutie of man As if hée had said it is altogither and wholly the blessed estate of man According to which course and perfect rule wée ordering our liues wée shall doo those things which are pleasaunt and acceptable and so bee presented holie and blamelesse in the sight of God at that dreadfull day when we shall bee called to our accounts and when the secrets of all hearts shall be open and made manifest Somewhat I minde God willing to vtter vnto you concerning the feare of God in generall sort for the better lightning of that which I shall intreate off and so to passe purposely to the commodities and commendations thereof The feare of God is nothing else but a reuerent awe VVhat the true feare of God is and obedience due vnto him whereby we are loth to offend him not so much because he is able to punish vs as principally because his loue is shed abroad in our hearts and our mindes fully possessed therewith And that it may be the better knowne of vs we must seperate it from a false kind of feare For as the true feare of God bringeth life with it so the contrary feare betokeneth death Therefore the true feare of God is such as whereby we reuerence God and are most willing in all louely sort to do his Commaundements as childreÌ„ are obedient to their parents or if it may be said more tenderly But as for the other kinde of feare A false feare it is either seruile and â—lauish when we are driuen to this obedience for feare of punishment or else it is that wherewith the lawlesse and vnruly sort of people who haue not the true feare of God before their eyes are frighted and wonderously amazed do stand in horrible dread what shall become of them As they that are appointed to execution their feare is deadly so these considering how gréeuous the iudgements of God shall be against them for those heinous sinnes which they haue committed there is nothing before their eyes but the feare of death The which feare I must needs confesse the godly in a sort and for a time may be touched with and yet by the power of their reléeuing saâ—iour they are raised vp to comfort and the good spirit of God doth seale in their hearts the mercies of God the father through the forgiuenes of their sinnes in the blood of Christ But as for the wicked and vngodly who are voyd of the grace of God who spend their liues in all maner of leaudnesse and naughtinesse they are not onely ouertaken and inwrapped in this deadly dreadfull and desperate feare but they are ouercome thereof and as a ship in the sea that is suncke and past hope of recouery they are vtterly ouerwhelmed Three effects of the true feare for euer And yet there is a more certaine knowledge of the true feare of God consisting in these thrée effects First that 1. whereas corruption and naughtinesse lurketh in our harts and would faine haue a vent and issue the feare of God doth kéepe that euill backe and doth so restraine bridle and kéepe in our corrupt and euill inclinations that they shall not in any case breake foorth to the dishonour of God 2 and our owne shame and confusion The second effect note or marke of the true feare of God is by departing from euill For hée that feareth God truly departeth from euill and sinne vnfainedly deâ—esting and abhoring the same both in himselfe and others The third effect 3 and note whereby the feare of God is knowne to bee in vs is when we are purposely set to amend our former euil liues and stedsastly determined with the Prophet Dauid to kéepe the Commandements of our louing and gracious God Which matters would desire a longer discourse and hereafter God willing somwhat may be spoken but at this present they cannot be stood vpon Onely that which I promised that lieth vppon me to performe namely to set foorth the commodities and commendations of the true feare of God For nothing doth more perswade mens mindes theâ— the consideration of the high and great commodities and aduantages of that wherunto we would perswade them The feare of God is to kéepe our selues not so much The commodities of the feare of God within the order of the
returne vnto him By which forbearing many are wonne to God as also the worst sort are hardned against the day of wrath heaping vnto themselues vengeance against the day of the declaration of Gods iust iudgement Wherein all both the best and the worst cannot say otherwise but that the lord is gratious mercifull in forbearing Slow to anger and of great kindnesse yet Correcting not so slowe that hée will neuer strike or that he will suffer his patience to be abused but when he is throughly prouoked hée putteth his anger in effect Neuerthelesse as the wicked féele the waight of his anger so towardes his people hée dooth so moderate the same that in wrath hée remembreth mercie and causeth his punishments to be but remedies to his his owne people as the Surgion vseth cutting and launcing for the benefit of him whome hée so handleth The scourges and afflictions 2. Macc. 6. 12. 17. that God sendeth amongst his people are not for destruction but for a chastening For it is a token of his great goodnesse and of his gratious kindnesse not to suffer sinners long to continue but straightwaies to punishe them For the Lorde dooth not long wayte for vs as for other Nations whome hee punisheth when they are come to the fulnesse of their sinnes but thus hée dealeth with vs that our sinnes should not be heaped vp the full so that afterwards we should be the more gréeuously punished And therefore he neuer withdraweth his mercie from vs and though hée punish vs yet dooth hée neuer vtterly forsake vs. So slowe hée is to anger that hée punisheth them that goe wrong in a measure warning them by putting them in remembraunce of the thinges wherein they haue offended that they might leaue their wickednesse Furthermore hée maketh them féele his rodde by a little and little giuing them space to repent If saith the wise man thou haste punished the Egyptians the enemies of thy children hauing deserued death with so great consideration and requesting vnto them giuing them time and place that they might chaunge from their wickednesse with howe great circumspection wilt thou punishe thy owne children When thou doest chasten vs thou punishest our enemies a thousand times more to the intent that when we iudge we shuld diligently consider thy goodnesse and when we are iudged we should hope for mercie We are neuer further off frō God then when he doth most fauour vs and he is neuer more truly serued then when he striketh vs with his rod. These effects of Gods anger and his corrections may more truly be termed chastisements then punishments according to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 10. 24. O Lorde correct mee but with iudgement let thy punishment be lenified and moderated with mercy let it not proceede in thine anger least I bee consumed and brought to nothing In the Psalme 85. God saith by the mouth of his Prophet If my children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgements then will I visit their transgression with the rodde and their iniquitie with strokes and scourges For as sinne and the breaking of Gods commaundements is the cause of correction so is correction the remedie to bring vs into the way againe By which forcible mean of Gods fauour we are so humbled and altered that it procureth amendment in vs. Yea it wrought mightily with the heathen king Nebuchadnezer and brought him to the worship of God This forcible meane of Gods fauoure I say of his fauoure for otherwise where hee dooth correct vs hee might destroy vs preuailed so with King Dauid that after he felt the stroke of his correction hée desired that the Lorde woulde instruct him in his lawe and furthermore that it gréeued his heart to sée the wicked transgresse Gods lawe Finally howe great the goodnesse of the Lorde is in correcting vs wée may well perceiue by the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned with the worlde For those whome GOD loueth those doeth hee chasten as for the wicked and vngodly hée letteth them runne on still till they haue filled vp the measure of their sinne and then in steade of correction whiche mighte conuert them they shall féele the gréeuous and heauie burthen of Gods wrath vtterly to destroy them Correction bringeth with it time and place to repent but a suddaine destruction cutteth off all repentance For the grace of God doth often accompany correction as alwaies his wrath is ioyned with destruction The Lord is mercisull and gratious slow to anger to bring the wicked to repentance whom the Apostle Rom. 2. doth greatly reproue for their hardnesse of heart and for abusing his gratious mercy and long suffering Despisest thou saith he the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thée to repentance Againe he is mercisull and gratious and slow to anger in respect of the godly because hee dooth not put his anger in full execution against them And that when he striketh them being moued thereto by his anger it is for their great good and benefit A more large exposition of that which goeth before is 3 Abundant in goodnesse seene in these words Abundant in goodnesse and truth Reseruing Mercy c. Which words giue vs to vnderstand how God vseth all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare by inriching vs with his benefits and powring downe his blessings vpon vs and not onely that but effectually performing whatsoeuer faithfully he hath promised dealing with vs and alluring vs as we sée how carthly fathers go about to winne their children to all vertue and goodnesse by faire words and promises and sometimes bestowing gifts vpon them And this onely and most substantiall argument doth the Apostle S. Paul vse Act. 14. 17. as it were by most sensible meanes to draw the minds of the heathen people from their Idolatry to the true worship of God For saith he although God suffered you to walke in your owne waies yet that you might be without excuse he left not himself without witnesse among you in that he did good and gaue you raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling your hearts with foode and gladnesse All which benefits although hée might haue withdrawne because you abused them to his dishonour yet still was he aboundant in goodnesse when you were most vnworthie of them A maister will not doo good to that seruant that shall disgrace him a father will withdrawe his heart from an vnkinde childe Although a mans iealousie bee such that hauing iust cause to forsake his wife for her lewdenesse hée will neuer be intreated to receiue her yet is the Lorde aboundant in goodnesse Let my people saith hee put away her fornications and I will receiue her againe into fauoure The Lordes workes are not as mans workes and hée is aboundant in kindnesse farre contrarie to our nature who can hardly or neuer incline our hearts
a fearefull word that although they dreame of mercy yet they shall finde the contrary For God will neuer recken them to be innocent nor euer reserue his mercie for them And although they crie Lord Lord yet shall they not enter into his kingdome For when they thinke to enter into his rest it shall be said vnto them Depart from me I know you not Let vs alwaies remember that the Lorde is strong and that his anger is fearefull and that his punishments are intollerable and hell torments euerlasting that so the feare of the Lord may still be before our eyes and that we may be affraide to offend his maiestie Then shall his mercy stand vs instead when wée fall and haue offended whereas otherwise we shall be bolde to commit sin and flatter our selues that god wil be merciful when as indéed we do but deceiue our selues and shal surely find hell when we thinke to go to heauen God graunt that the knowledge of God may turne to our good and that through our defaulte in flattering of our selues and presuming too much of Gods mercy we fall not away from mercy To whose mercy I commende you desiring you not to forget his iustice For God is a consuming fire and wilfull and obstinate sinners shall neuer escape his euer-during wrath To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost be all glory and praise both now and euer Amen Deo gratia solique gloria Of his Creation Genesis 1. 1. In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth AS I haue set downe vnto you the knowledge of God by his properties and qualities so also is he further knowne by the consideration of his workes As saith the Psalme The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Amongst the workes of God first in order most notable is the worke of his creation wherein his power and wisedome is manifestly séene giuing vs a larger and more delightfull knowledge of him then that we should busily occupie our studies in searching the secret and hidden nature of God The spirit of God beginneth first with the declarion of this most excellent worke bréeding the knowledge of God in our mindes as it were by a wonder In the beginning God made the heauen and the earth Which sentence dooth affoord vs these thrée instructions First the consideration of the creation of the world Diuision and the creatures thereof and whither the world and the creatures were made to endure and to continue for euer Secondly how the world and all the creatures therin conteined were made Thirdly the cause the ende and vse wherefore they were made The world it selfe how beautifull a pallace is it and as it were a heauen in respect of hell beneath as it selfe also is a thing of nothing in respect of heauen aboue The heauen glistereth with the glorious sight of the Sunne the Moone and the starres The Sunne reioyceth to runne his course euen his spéedie and haiâ—ie course and as it were the glory of all Gods creatures commeth forth with a maiestie forbidding the eyes of all earthly creatures to behold it which by his force dooth burne the mountaines seuen times more then doth the heat of a furnace God giueth light to the darknes it self and causeth the Moone to appear when the light the glorious beames of the Sun are gone down The infinit multitude of the stars shew forth his wonderfull wisdome and decketh the heauens much more then all the precious stones costly ornaments the are in princes courts Cast down your eies behold the creatures on the earth The mighty lion which is a figure of gods power at whose roaring all the beasts of the forrest do tremble the rauening beare the instrument of his wrath as the example of the mocking children that did disdain the Prophet Elisha doth testifie the nourishing cloathing creatures the cow the shéep and the goat to the praise of his goodnes Wherin also the trées do instruct vs the oliue trée with his fatnesse the figtrée with his swéetnesse the vine trée with his cherishing How do the hearbes set forth the wisedom of God In that he hath giuen to euery hearbe his propertie some for comfort some for delight some to continue life some to restore life as none know it better then the expert Phisitian to whoÌ„ God hath opened his wonderfull works therin Besides these looke vpon the lilly of the field whom God hath so richly arraied that Salomon in all his roialty is not like to one of these A woÌ„der it is to sée how he hath hid great treasure in the lower parts of the earth not only tin lead brasse and iron but siluer also gold precious stones The earth the world euery part therof giue manifest witnesse what God hath wrought Euery element is furnished with his creatures the aire with birds the earth with trées hearbs and inestimable treasure and as the waues of the sea are innumerable so are the creatures therein conteined euen as the stars of the skie which no man can terme call by their names but only God himself To euery beast of the field and to euery foule of the heauen Adam gaue names but the creatures of the sea as the hidden work of God Adam saw not man knoweth not neither caÌ„ they euer be searched out that we may wonder at Gods wonders Some haue said that there is no creature on the earth but the sea doth yéeld the like Among the creatures of the sea none setteth forth the work of Gods creation so much as the huge great whale which ouerturneth mightie ships and striketh a feare into the hart of man As saith the Psalm 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisdom hast thou made theÌ„ all The earth is full of thy riches so is the wide great sea also wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beastes There goe the ships and there is that Leuiathan whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein When the wise man had delighted himself with the remembrance of the works of Gods creatioÌ„ either being rauished with the delight or vnable to satisfie his mind he breaketh forth saith Who hath seen all the creatures of God that he might tell vs For when he hath searched to the vtmost of his power yet may he truly say There are hid yet greater things then these be and we haue séen but a fewe of his works He doth not measure the knowledge of man in this matter that he hath attained the one halfe but leaueth him in the very enterance as though he had had but a glimce of some and not a sight of all As Adam being placed in Paradice had not a full view of all the secretes thereof neither had he any vnderstanding of the trée of life but assoone as he had tasted of the trée of knowledge for his rebellion and disobedience
he had created them wondring as it were with himselfe that so great wickednesse should ouergrow and ouerwhelme his excellent goodnesse as though light had bene put out in vtter darkenesse and life for euer swallowed vp of death For after a while God sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euil continually Then his mercy and his wrath did strine togither now for pittie he mourned and then in iustice he thought vpon punishment to destroy them from the face of the earth All the workes of God were verie good but let vs be hold yâ— works which are now brought into the world which being neuer made by God are crept in by the diuels malice and mans corruption as breaches and blots of Gods order and of his good creation Such are sinne deformitie confusion tyrannie calamitie death and destruction Which workes deserue hatred and lamentation and are farre from praise and commendation For they are the horrible deprauation of the order first made by god For god hath not made death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing For he created all things that they might haue their being and the generations of the world are preserued and there is no poison of destruction in them Concupiscence is not of the father but of the world Sinne came of the diuell Death through sinne The Diuell the father Sinne the mother and Death the childe the childe of perdition and euerlasting condemnation 3 The third and last matter of waight which I gaue you The vse and end of Gods creation and of his creatures to consider of was the end and vse of Gods creation why and wherefore all his creatures were made Which is twosold First and principally herein God regarded his owne glory Secondarily and consequently the vse and benefit of mankind The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith Salomon which the Prophet declareth in these words The heauens declare the glory of God and as yet is more plainly expressed in the wordes of the Apostle writing to the Romanes Chapter 1. 20. For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes But so vaine are men by nature and ignorant of God that they cannot know him by the good thinges that are séene neither consider by the workes the morkemaister For they haue thought the fire or the winde swift aire or the course of the starres or the raging water or the lights of heauen to be gouernours of the worlde and gods Who though they had such pleasure in their beautie that they thought them gods yet should they haue knowne how much more excellent he is that made them For the first authour of beautie hath created these thinges Or if they maruelled at the power and operation of them for in his creatures God sheweth his power yet should they haue perceiued thereby howe much hée that made these thinges is mightier For by the beautie and greatnesse of the creatures the Creator being compared with them may bee considered Hée walketh vppon the cloudes and bringeth the windes out of his treasure hée ruleth the raging of the sea the Lorde God of hostes is his name hée is the Lorde of power Which is partly séene in the thunder and lightening whereat not only the cruell beastes of the forrest doo tremble but euen the hearts of wicked men which are giuen to dishonour and to blaspheme God doo quake Which is the feare of all creatures and the amazement and astonishment of the whole world The foolish gods of mortall men what power haue they in their woorkes or what glorie One hath a scepter and cannot rule an other hath a sword in his hand and cannot wounde his enemies or defend his friendes or saue himselfe but GOD sheweth his power and glorie heerein by destroying his enemies out of heauen and thundering vppon them For as the Prophet Samuell â—â— Sa. 7. 10. offered the burnt offering the Philistines came to fight against Israell but the Lorde thundered with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistines and scattered them so they were slaine before Israell But more fearefully hée shewed his power by this meanes against the Egiptians Exodus 9. 23. For when Moses stretched out his rodde towardes heauen the Lord sent thunder and haile and lightning vppon the grounde and the Lorde caused haile to raine vpon the land of Egipt So there was haile and fire mingled with the haile so gréeuous as there was none the like throughout all the land of Egipt since it was a Nation And the haile smote throughout all the lande of Egipt all that was in the field both man and beast also the haile smote all the hearbes of the field and brake to pieces all the trées of the fielde This is not vsuall but then it was for his glorie Moreouer God shewed his glorie his power and his might to his owne people to strike a feare into their hearts and that they should not transgresse his lawe For at the deliuery of his lawe he shewed his terrible maiestie by thunder and lightning by fire by a cloude and darkenesse So that the people said Beholde the Lorde our GOD hath-shewed vs his glorie and his greatnesse and we haue heard his voyce out of the midst of the fire Yea when they sawe the thunders and the lightnings and the sound of the Trumpet and the mountaine smoaking they fledde and stood a farre off The Prophet Dauid prayeth that God would be reuenged of them Cast forth thy lightning saith hée and teare them shoote out thine arrowes and consume them And in an other place as hee speaketh of the thunder The Lorde thundred out of heauen and the highest gaue his thunder hailestones and coales of fire so hee speaketh also of his lightening Hee sent out his arrowes and scattered them hee cast foorth lightenings and destroyed them The heauens declare his Godhead by the creation of those beautifull creatures whiche the Heathens haue taken for Gods the Sunne the Moone and the starres his Godhead and his goodnesse in sending downe raine and showers and causing fruitfull seasons to fill our hearts with ioy and great gladnesse According to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles meaning their idoles and silly gods that can giue raine or can the heauens themselues giue showers Is it not thou ô Lorde our God Therefore we will wayt vpon thee for thou hast made all these things The extraordinary course of Gods creatures when it pleaseth Almightie GOD so to worke dooth wonderfully set foorth his glorie How should the fire loose his strength and forget to burne as we reade of the thrée children that were cast into the firie furnace which was made excéedingly hotte and yet they were not hurt nor any smell of fire about their
the blacke Moore which was in the kings house heard that they had put Ieremiah in the dungeon And he went vnto the king and said My Lord the king these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet whome they haue cast into the dungeon and he dieth for hunger in the place where he is for there is no more bread in the citie Then the king had compassion and committed the matter vnto the Eunuch to take order for Ieremiahs reliefe The widow of Zarephath in great famine hauing but a handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruse when she and her sonne had spent that she looked for nothing else but present death But the Lorde did comfort her by the mouth of his Prophet Eliah saying The meale in the barrell shall not be wasted neither shall the oyle in the cruse be diminished vntill the time that the Lorde send raine vpon the earth and there be plentie And according to the words of the Prophet it fell out so vnto her When the Prophet Eliah had thought to haue giuen vp his life being in distresse the Angel of the Lord had brought him a cake and a pot of water and set the same at his head and touched him and awaked him out of his sléepe and sayd vnto him Vp and eate So hee arose and did eate and drinke and walked in the strength of that meate fortie dayes and fortie nights And if it bee lawfull to bring in forraine histories into suche wâ—â—ghtie matters I will shewe you a thing as straunge as the former which is recorded in the historie of the warres of the lowe Countries Page 79. The words of the Author are these Now when I call to mind the wonderful workes of God I cannot passe ouer but tell you how that after the murther and massacre of Narden and the whole towne on a flaming fire a yoong Lad was saued by running out of the gates of the towne into a little gardain full of rootes The father of this boy was murthered and his mother being rauished was hanged vp by the armes of the Tyrantes Spaniards and when the fire came and tooke holde of her house shée beeing tied by the armes could not get away so that shée was burnt in her owne house The yoong Lad hauing not eaten any thing for the space of thrée whole dayes togither wept bitterly both for the death of his parents as also by reason that he was hungerbit But God who neuer forsaketh his sent him reliefe For the very same night there came vnto him a wel-fauoured yoong man in white apparrell who gaue him whereon to féede and said Wéepe no more my fatherlesse childe for I will neuer leaue thée Eate and be of good cheare for they that haue murthered thy father and mother shall haue a double plague light vppon them Thy teares shall be turned into ioy and gladnesse and their laughing into teares and mourning and forthwith the yoong man vanished out of sight When my father and mother forsake mee saith the Prophet the Lord taketh me vp And there ye sée that they that haue neither father nor mother want not no not when they are in great distresse Wonderfull are Gods woorkes and infinite are his mercies and his wayes past finding out Oh what is man fraile man wretched and miserable man that God should thus regard him may we well say with the Prophet And shall that God that prepared for man ere euer he was now forsake man when hée is if hée be not most vnkindly and too vnkindly forsaken of man It cannot be it can nâ—â—â—r be And therefore in all distresses let vs cast our eyes vpon him and thinke of such examples of his loue and rare prouideÌ„ce as these are which I haue recited vnto you and be sure that he knowing what we haue néed of will neuer forsake vs. All this it pleaseth God to worke in our behalfe God worketh for his owne glorie to the intent that he should be praised and honoured of vs. O Lord our God saith the Prophet howe excellent is thy name in all the world And againe Psal 146. 7. 9. Blessed is the Lord which giueth bread to the hungrie that relieueth the straungers the fatherlesse and the widow When Iacob met his brother Esau in token of good will he gaue him a rich present and therwithall acknowledged Gods bountifulnesse toward him in these words God hath had mercy on me and therfore I haue all things When Daniel was relieued by gods prouidence he gaue thanks and said O God thou hast thought vpon me and thou neuer failest them that seek thee and loue thee When our Sauiour Christ fed the people euen a great multitude with 5. loues 2. fishes he looked vp to heauen and gaue thankes We are earnest to craue good thinges of God but slowe to giue thankes To giue thankes for that which is receiued is a way to helpe vs to more in time to come to be thankfull for the old brings with it a new benefit and a new good turn But bicause by nature we are very backward in this dutie therfore God putteth his people in mind thereof by his prophet Moses When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe saith he thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath giuen thee Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God lest when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein and thy beastes and thy sheepe are increased and thy siluer and gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is increased then thy heart be lifted vp and thou forget the Lord thy God who fed thee in the wildernesse with Manna froÌ„ heauen who brought forth water for thee out of the rocke of flint And again Bewaâ—â— as though he could not speake it too often to such as were dull of hearing as Christ had his disciples Watch twice or thrice and yet found them sléeping Beware least thou say in thine heart My power and the strength of mine owne hand hath procured me this abundance But remember the Lord thy God for it is he and he onely which giueth thée power to get substance and onely in his blessing is all abundance Let not this be our first care if our store be increased to pull downe our barnes and make them larger but rather let vs lift vp our eyes to heauen in consideration that God hath so blessed vs and let vs pray that god will vouchsafe to giue vs the vse of his blessings to his glory and our comfort For to euery one to whom god hath giuen riches and giueth him power to eate thereof and to take his part and to enioy his labour this is the gift of god Otherwise a man may sée much good and peraduenture reioyce and boast of it but he shall neuer come to enioy it And then what profit and comfort is it to him that
the way much like to him that ranne after his shadow to catch it when it ranne away from him as fast as he followed it Where shal a man think sée fortune chance more then in drawing of lots but as we shall read Pro. 16. 33. This fortune matter is ruled by God The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition therof is of the Lord. Looke into all waightie matters which were commited vnto lots and you shall plainly sée and perceiue gods worke liuely set downe Especially in the historie of Ionas the Prophet and of Achan that sold the Babylonish garment Iosh 7. and of the choosing of Matthias vnto the Apostleship in which businesse after they had made their praiers vnto God that he would shew them out the man whom he had chosen they committed the matter to lots and the lot fell on Matthias So you sée what a follery the deuised spéech of fortune is and yâ— those matters which we think to be done by chance are brought to passe by gods appointment Yet some more wise theÌ„ the rest letting passe Destinie all spéeches of fortune and chance haue surely thought and stedfastly affirmed that the affaires of men and men themselues are ruled by destiny And herehence come those spéeches He was borne to this or to that he was marked to be of this or that condition his destinie was to die by such or such a death One dares not go such a way for théeues an other if he sée a swoorde drawne thinketh hée shall be thrust through with it an other feareth to dwell in rotten houses lest by this meanes they should come by their destinie and a thousand such like feares doo possesse their Multi fata vitantes in fata inciderâ—nt hearts being readie to tremble at euery shaking of a leafe That which the wicked feareth doth often fall vnto them but the righteous is bolde as a Lyon and putteth his trust in God and is not amazed with such vaine feares and is fully perswaded that so long as he kéepeth himselfe in the feare of God and doing well no euill shall come vnto him Contrariwise they that thinke all is dispatched by destinie feare euery houre lest they be dispatched them selues and in stéed of a quiet heart and minde there is nothing but faintnesse and feare of trembling What carke and care to defende themselues and to preuent mischiefes and yet all in vaine if Gods prouidence bee otherwise whereunto we must haue speciall regarde in all our actions and endeuours and so to rest our selues contented with Gods will whatsoeuer falles out If any bee giuen to lewdenesse or any naughtie disposition if any hurt come or any gréeuous trouble or hazard of life surely will they say he was borne vnder an ill Planet and vnder an vnlucky signe Which indéed is not so but rather Gods punishment laide vppon him who oftentimes giueth ouer some to an euill mind and lets them runne on that their punishment might bee the greater and bringeth many to their death by his secret and most iust iudgements But suppose that the Plannets and the Starres the heauenly influences and celestiall bodies doo worke any inclinations in the mindes of men or foreshewe some gréeuous euents yet these leaude inclinations and fearefull euents cannot come nigh them nor touch them nor hurt them that frame their liues according to the rule of Gods word No better witnesses in this matter then they that haue beene more priuie hereunto then the common sort To the proofe whereof I will shewe two examples or euidences and instances Socrates a learned Philosopher being iudged by one that was skilfull to be dull sensuall and inclineâ— to sundry foule vices They that were present knowiâ—g the wisedome and vertue of Socrates laughed him to scorne for his great iudgement and other of his frinds were verye muche agréeued and displeased with him to heare him say so Nay saith Socrates let his iudgement nothing mooue you For certainly such a one had I bene had not the instruction of Philosophy amended the corrupt inclination of my nature Well then if the instruction of Philosophy may so much preuaile as to alter our mindes and inclinations much more shall the word of God and the force of his holy spirit be effectuall in vs to the full performance of so good a purpose The other proofe to disprooue all matters of destiny taken out of one of the destiny writers is this Take no notable thing or any great matter in hand neither begin any long iourny in the houre of Mars if you can by any meanes know when it is Then followeth that which dasheth all by his own confession But saith he who so euer put their whole trust in God and do guide their liues by the rule of his holy word be they neuer so simple and vnlearned God will so direct them that they shall auoid all such daungers and perillous times And contrariwise the wicked being learned yea thogh they know the times shall not haue power to auoid them As I haue séene saith he in many which afterward they did well consider though too late It is not therefore blinde chaunce nor heauy destiny but Gods prouidence which in great wisedome ordereth all things and bringeth all things to passe and hath the times and seasons and all plagues and punishments in his hand to send them foorth or to keep them back All which he disposeth to the benefit and good of his chosen children as also to the destruction of the wicked and vngodly and to the greater manifestation of his owne glory partly by his mercy Haman the Agagite as we shall reade in the history of Ester hated Mordecay the Iewe vnto death the reason was onely this because Mordecay bowed not his knée vnto him One mans death could not satisfie his â—nger he thinketh in his mind to destroy a number euen th whole nation of the Iewes To bring his matters to pale what is his pollicy First he doth falsly and that gréeuouâ— accuse the Iewes to the king to procure his hatred and heauie displeasure against them and furthermore to make his purpose sure he offereth to bring into the kings treasury tenne thousand talents of siluer if so be the king woulde giue foorth commaundement that all the people of the Iewes might be destroyed The King yéedeth Haman maketh haste and being in iocund ioy foorthwith Haman causeth a gallowes to be made for Mordecay and all his minde runneth vppon sheading blood The king is requested in the Iewes behalfe Mordecay his good déed that that hee did for the king in opening treason that was practised against him is called to remembraunce and the cause of this pretended murther made manifest that it was onely the mallice that Haman had conceiued against Mordecay for no matter of waight God turneth the heart of the king and maketh him to call back his wicked decrée Mordecay is honoured as the onely man whom the king
the dagge charged cannot shoote off or the poinado readie can do no hurt No counsell and no practise against Gods care and prouidence and mercy What hindered king Saul from killing Dauid who afterward was king in his place Or who hindered the desperate Iewes from killing the Apostle S. Paul Or how came it to passe that Esau after he had purposed the death of his brother Iacob yet in stéed of crueltie shewed him mercy There was no other cause but Gods working and his prouidence who defendeth his with a stretched out arme and turneth his wrath against the rest Where also we may learne in the examples before remembred that none méete sooner with harme then they that most meant it they dig a pit for others and fall into it themselues they thinke it shall not so fall out but they know not what Gods power is and how he bringeth his matters to passe Which he so doth that we may haue iust cause to say Doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth and ruleth all things by his prouidence And the more that we may wonder hereat and glorifie God certain it is that Gods prouidence doth then shine most brightly when our matters are most troublesome yet how troublesome soeuer they be God directeth all to a good end to the good of the one and the punishment of the other to his iustice and to his mercy The thunder séemes to shake the heauens the lightning to burne vp all raine and haile and tempestes make men agast and yet in a moment God taketh away all and maketh the weather faire The blustering windes are vp the sea rageth riseth vp in mountains and threatneth to ouerflow the earth and suddainly there is no such matter but a still and quiet calme The Aramites they come in multitudes and readie to swallow vp the Israelites nothing before them but feare and hunger and famine and death and suddainly againe safetie and plentie and peace As if one in a dreame had séene dreadfull things as to bee slaine by his enemies or deuoured of wild beasts or drowned in the sea but when he was awake it was nothing so In all extremities God helpeth his by his gratious and mightie prouidence yet so that he will haue vs also to put Nomb. 14. 44. too our helping hand and not to stand still idlely and looke that God should do all for vs neither are we againe to put our selues rashly into daunger and so to tempt God If God do offer vs meanes of deliuerance let vs not neglect them or be slow to vse them if he foresheweth daungers let vs not rush into them as king Ioas did who although he were a godly king yet through his rash enterprise lost his life who being foretold what would fall out yet foolishly would aduenture God hath graunted vnto men the reason to beware and also to consult of doubtfull and daungerous matters which God vseth diuersly to the performance of his prouidence Let wisedome and care and diligence be vsed and commit thy wisedome and counsels to Gods will and then God will further our causes Be flothfull and negligent and sée what will follow euen dangers and mischiefs before thou art aware Yet let vs wade further into the affaires of men and search these two waightie points concerning prosperitie and aduersitie What greater prosperitie can there be in the world then is the prosperitie of a king yet nothing is more ruled by gods prouidence then this matter as though God had especiall care of them that should represent his owne person Wherein he hath alwaies regard to them who walke vprightly to kéepe his statutes and commandements As it was said vnto Ioshua Meditate in the lawe of the Lord that thou maiest obserue and do according to all that is written therein For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe and I will be with thée saith the Lord whither so euer thou goest Which is confirmed by the example of king Dauid who gaue his sonne Salomon this charge Take héede to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his waies and kéep his statutes and his commandements and his iudgemeÌ„ts and his testimonies as it is written in the lawe of Moses that thou maiest prosper in all that thou doest and in euery thing whereto thou turnest thée That the Lord may confirme his word which he spake vnto me saying If thy sons take héed to their way that they walke before me in truth with all their hearts and with all their soules thou shalt not said he want one of the posteritie to sit vpon the throne of Israel Nowe marke howe the prouidence of God doth worke vpon this foundation and vpon this ground King Saul when hee thought vppon no such matter was made king by Gods appointment for God commanded the prophet to annoint him king who so continued vntill he disobeied Gods commandement And then he that annointed him was the messenger to tell him that God had dispossessed him of his kingdome Because saith he thou hast cast away the word of the Lord the Lord hath cast away thée that thou shalt not be king ouer Israel any more The Lord this day hath rent the kingdome of Israel from thée and hath giuen it to thy neighbour that is better then thou The like we reade of king Salomon the sonne of Dauid who had so large a promise with this excription if he kept the couenant of God Salomon brake it and in stéed of worshipping the true God he followed after other Gods euen strange Gods and such as his godly father knewe not Wherefore the Lord said vnto Salomon Forasmuch as this is done of thee and thou hast not kept my couenant and my statutes which I commanded thee I wil surely rent the kingdome from thee and will giue it to thy seruaunt As we reade 1. K. 11. 26. Ieroboam Salomons seruaunt and the â—uerscer of his works lifted vp his hand against the king and this was the cause The Prophet Ahijah met with Ieroboam and the prophet caught his garment and rent it in twelue péeces and bid him take ten péeces vnto himselfe signifying that the most part of the kingdome should be his because his maister king Salomon did most worship God aright but fell away from him by idolatry And that the prouidence of God may be more manifest we reade that after Ieroboam rebelled against Salomons son which sate in his throne I say this young and vnwise king he gathethereth a greater power to go against him But the word of God came vnto Shemaiah the man of God saying Thus saith the Lord Ye shal not go vp nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel Returne euery man to his house For this thing is done by me They obeied therefore the word of the Lord returned and departed And so was Ierochoam king Salomons seruant established in the crowne and the true heire put by
them that oppresse them yet they that haue respect to gods working herein receiue much comfort by gods good spirit and perceiue oftentimes gods gratious and mightie hand in deliuering and defending them that he may be praised of them for his mercie wherof they haue so rare comfortable experience Otherwise god hath such great care ouer the godly that euen the angels of his wrath which are farre more mightie then tyrants and all the oppressors of the earth euen those wrathfull angels shall not hurt them As we reade Reue. cap. 7. 2. Those angels to whome power was giuen to hurt the earth and the sea they were charged not to hurt the earth neither the sea vntill the seruants of god were sealed in their foreheads Those houses in Egipt whose doore postes were sprinckeled with blood were safe from the destroying angell when other houses not so marked were stroken with death The angels that came to destroy Sodome confessed they could doo nothing till Lot was gone out of Sodome The diuel could not hurt Iob without gods leaue If then neither angels nor diuels much lesse can tyrants and wicked men hurt vs when gods pleasure is to the contrary But if his pleasure be so that they shall preuaile against vs let vs flie vnto god by true repentaunce for our sinnes and waite patiently his good leisure when it shall please him to send helpe and redresse For hée vseth then to sende remedie and comfort when men thinke none God ruleth all things according to his good pleasure and will his order of gouernment is moste beautifull and excellent his iudgements moste right and vnblameable the meanes that he vseth and whereby hée worketh are diuerse and wonderfull as is best knowne to his wisedome and hid from mans vnderstanding Turning all to the good of his people sometimes restraining the power of the wicked and sometimes making them to fulfill and obey his will against their owne willes So that the godly may say I haue bene yoong and now am old and yet sawe I neue◠wonderfull workes and that my soule knoweth right wel The last part of this text which I haue read vnto you doth shewe out the punishment of God and their il successe which distrust Gods prouidence Which is made manifest in the iudgement of God against the prince that gaue out such distrustfull words and said Though the Lord would make windows in the heauen could it come so to passe But it was answered him that he should sée great plentie but should not eate thereof And so it caine vnto him for the people trode vpon him in the gate and he died For in this fearefull example let vs censider of what estate countenance and calling this man was that said If God would open the windowes of heauen could it be so By his estate and degrée he was a prince and one of the kings chiefest nobles and such a one on whome the king leaned who should haue glorified God most For the higher the degrée is the more doth God require at their hands If a meane man had spoken it there had not bene so great cause of offence neither should it haue bene so much regarded But séeing a noble man and that a prince did speake it eueris one thought so too and all their hearts no doubt were daunted According as we reade Eccle. 13. 24. When the rich man speaketh euery one holdeth his toong and looke what he saith they praise vnto the cloudes But if the poore man speake they say What fellow is this and though he speak wisely yet can it haue no place When king Abimelech had told his seruants waightie matters they were all affraied The worde of a magistrate superior and high calling pearce farre and that which they speake is in euery mans mouth It preuaileth much among the lower sort either to drawe them to good or to mooue them to the contrary If their spéeches and déedes be otherwise then well vs maketh great men great examples as we reade And he smote downe the chosen men that were in Israel According as we sée in a realme when the heades and chiefe doers of any rebellion be cut off and put to death the rest their courage is gone and all things are quiet If the sinne and offence be notorious in persons of account God sometimes maketh their punishment to be notorious also that y◠matter may be remembred and that there may be a feare in euery mans heart that they do not the lyke How highly his and all such spéeches do offend and displease God we sée by his example Farre be it therefore that any should distrust gods prouidence either in féeding and nourishing vs as wee say there is no mouth but God sendes meate and as it is in the Psalme He giueth foode to all flesh for his mercy endureth for euer Or that we should distrust him and his power in other matters whatsoeuer for god is aboue all and ruleth all But yet the nature of man is too distrustfull and lightly none do put their trust in god but they that know gods prouidence and are fully perswaded thereof And yet to sée how backward men be that euen the very best haue bene found faultie herein as Moses an excellent prophet and one that saw gods wonders and his miracles the disciples also that were continually in Christ his presence and did so often sée his mightie and straunge working When the people of Israel murmured for want of flesh and were destrous to satisfie their lust and not their hunger God spake vnto Moses and told him that the people should not eate flesh a day or two or fiue or ten or twentie but a whole moneth vntill it came out at their nosthrils God heard them granted their request But how in his anger as the words doo import which follow Because ye haue contemned the Lord which is among you and haue wept before him saying Why came we hither out of Egypt Which plentie when Moses had heard from god yet he doubted greatly and measured gods power by his simple reason and therewithall gaue foorth distrustfull spéeches saying Sixe hundred thousand footemen are there of the people among whom I am and thou saiest I will giue them flesh that they may eate a month long Shal the shéep and the béeues be slain for them to finde them either shall all the fish of the sea be gathered togither for them to suffice them And the Lord said to Moses Is the Lordes hand shortned Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to passe vnto thee or no. Our Sauior Christ to try what was in man hauing a great multitude present and minding to reléeue to féed them he saith to one of his disciples Whēce shal we buy bread that these may eate This he said to proue him for he himselfe knew what he would do Philip his disciple answered him Two hundreth peniwoorth of bread are not sufficient for them that euery man
works thereof comprehended in these thrée propositions All both Iewes and gentiles are vnder sinne that is are iustly condemned for sinne All haue sinned and are iustly depriued of the glory of god that is of euerlasting life All the world is subiect to the iudgement of god And herein is the praise of his iustice in that we deserue it as also the praise of his mercy in that fréely in Christ he forgiueth vs so great damnation So that here it resteth that there is but one way of But one way of saluation saluation to wit Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse apprehended by faith For the gospell of Christ is the power of god vnto saluation to euery one that beléeueth to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian Vnto which faith although VVorkes that works are necessarily adioyned and are as the light which is séen togither with the flame yet they auaile not vnto iustification but rather signifie that a man is inwardly iustified before god Therefore although faith be not without workes yet faith alone without workes doth Faith onely iustifieth iustifie The lawe manifesteth sinne and death which was before the lawe it causeth wrath and dooth not reconcile vs vnto God but the true reconciliation and purification The righteousnesse of God commeth only from the righteousnesse which is of God And séeing righteousnesse is not sound by the law it is necessary and behoouefull that we looke for righteousnesse elsewhere And because man could not accomplish any righteousnesse therefore least hée should vtterly perish God exhibiteth a way which he promised of olde whereby he should be iustified and saued before him Christ is our righteousnes without the lawe The matter and grounde of this righteousnesse is Christ apprehended through faith who is offered vnto all because all haue sinned Which righteousnesse is fréely giuen without any merit of ours for wée are iustified freely by his grace through the God the au thour of this righteousnesse redemption that is in Christ Iesus The authour of this righteousnesse and iustification is God for hée so loued the world that hée gaue his only begotten sonne to bee offered vp for our sinnes and to make full satisfaction that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Whom GOD set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Righteousnes in the death and resurrection of christ The materiall cause is the death and resurrection of Christ for hée was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification The cause formall or instrumentall is faith whereby as it were with an hande wée apprehende the righteousnesse of GOD. For with the heart man beléeueth vnto saluation and to righteousnesse Christ is our reconciliation through faith while wée laie holde of the promises The end of this righteousne what of Gods mercy in him The finall cause is the glorie and praise of the goodnesse of God in that being enemies hée reconcileth vs vnto him Wherefore we are not saued by workes or partly by faith and partly by woorkes but all our reioycing is excluded by the VVe are iustified not by workes but by faith lawe of faith And our iustification dependeth onely vpon GOD that his glorie might be established for the promise of God is through faith and not by the lawe For as the lawe is the cause of wrath so is faith the appeasing of our consciences whereby we vnderstand that we are iustified And if any man make the lawe his grounde and his rocke hée is fallen from grace for they are vtterly abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe So that they that put their confidence in the workes of the lawe Christ shall profit them nothing By whome onely wee obtaine to bee called the sonnes of god and the heires of the kingdome of heauen by whome we are deliuered and redéemed from the lawe that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes For GOD hath giuen the spirit into our hearts that we may cry Abba father Which spirit we receiue by faith and not by the workes of the lawe for they that are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse and vnder moste dreadfull feare And the generall proposition of the Apostle is that no man is iustified by the lawe for the lawe is not of faith but the iust shall liue by faith For by faith wée are the séede posteritie and children of Abraham and heires by promise and fellowe heires with Christ of his euerlasting kingdome By the lawe and the couenant there is a difference betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles but by by faith there is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bonde nor frée there is neither male nor female For all are one in Christ Iesus Therefore by faith is iustification whereby the scriptures foresawe that the gentiles should bee saued and that the lawe could giue no life and that by the lawe there was no righteousnesse because the scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shuld be giuen to them that beléeue Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace that the promise might be sure vnto all both them of the lawe and to them of the seede of Abraham Wherefore séeing the righteousnesse of man by nature is nothing else but wickednesse and hipocrisie backsâ—iding by excuse boasting by vaine knowledge without practise and that the lawe cannot be fulfilled because the corruption of man is quite contrary vnto it and abhorreth the lawe and that we are all vnder sinne and so by the lawe vnder damnation in that it letteth vs to vnderstand the hugenesse of our sinne and the curse and punishment due thereunto euery mouth is stopped and all the world subiect vnto the iudgement of god and to that damnation which the law of god and the corruption of our nature requireth And that the Apostle might bring vs to the perswasion of the iustice of faith which is the pathway and the highway vnto saluation he saith that we know that whatsoeuer the law saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe So that there is but one way of saluation euen the righteousnesse of god There are three braunches of the righteousnesse of God by saith Remission of sinnes by faith whereof are thrée especiall braunches Remission of sinnes Imputation of Christ his righteousnesse Sanctification newnesse and holinesse of life Remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes is giuen to the church and faithfull of god in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse their sinnes are blotted out and the account made voyd that they shall not be called vnto iudgement neither shall any punishment be exacted at their hands Whereby all satisfaction falleth to the ground in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse the Lord putteth away the remembrance and punishment of our sinnes forgiueth al our infirmities redéemeth our life from the graue and crowneth vs with
voice and let Israel goe I knowe not the Lord neither wil I let Israel go Iohn 6. 64. There are some of you that beléeue not For Iesus knew from the beginning which they were that beléeued not Ioh. 10. 26. But ye belieue not For ye are not of my shéep as I said My shéep heare my voice and I know them and and they follow me Ioh. 12. 36. While ye haue light beléeue in the light that ye may be the children of the light These things spake Iesus and departed and hid himselfe from them And though he had done so many miracles before them yet they beléeued not in him That the saying of Esay the Prophet might be fulfilled that he said Lord who beléeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Therfore could they not beléeue because that the Prophet saith againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not sée with their eyes nor vnderstand with their heart and should be conuerted and I should heale them 1. Pet. 2. 6. Wherefore it is conteined in the scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beléeueth therin shall not be ashamed Vnto you therfore which beléeue it is precious but vnto them which be disobeient the stone which the builders disalowed the same is made the head of the corner And a stone to stumble at a rock of offence euē to thē which stūble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained 2. Thess 2. 10. 11. They that wil not beléeue God shall send them strong delusions that they should beléeue lies and so be damned Rom. 11. 20. The Apostle speaking of the Iewes and the Gentiles saith of the Iewes That through their vnbeliefe they were broken off and that the Gentiles stand by faith 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. If your gospel be then hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of infidels that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them The third Chapter How God putteth in execution his eternall counsaile as well toward the elect as the reprobate THe Lord God that he might put in execution his eternall counsaile to his glory prepared a way according to his infinit wisedome indifferent both to those that hée would choose and those also which he would refuse For when he determined to shewe his infinit mercy in the saluation of the elect and also his iust iudgement in the condemnation of the reprobate it was necessary that he should shut vp both vnder disobedience and sinne to shew his mercy to all those that beléeue that is to say to the elect because faith is a gift of God which properly belongeth to the elect and contrariwise to haue iust cause to condemne them to whom it is not giuen to beléeue nor to know gods misteries Therefore god did this in such sort and with such wisdome that the whole fault of the reprobates damnation lieth in themselues and on the other side all the glorie and praise of the elects saluation belongeth wholly to his only mercy For he did not create man a sinner for then hée The creation of man should haue béene with reuerent feare be it spoken the author of sinne which afterwards he could not iustly haue punished but rather he made him after his owne image to wit in innocency puritie and holinesse Who notwithstanding without constraint of any neither yet forced by any necessity of concupisence as touching his will which Mans fall as yet was not made seruant to sinne willingly and of his owne accord rebelled against God binding by his meanes the whole nature of man to sinne so consequently to the Adam fell not by chaunce death of body soule Yet we must confesse that this fall came not by chaunce or fortune séeing his prouidence doth stretch foorth it selfe euen to the smallest things Neither can we say that any thing doth happen that God knoweth not or careth not for except we would fall into the opinion of the Epicures from the which God preserue vs neither yet by any bare or idle permission or sufferaunce which is seperate from his will sure determination For séeing he hath appointed the end it is necessary also that he should appoint the causes which leade vs to the same ende Vnlesse we affirme with the wicked Manichées that this end happeneth at all aduentures or by meanes of causes ordained by some other God Furthermore we cannot thinke that any thing happeneth contrary to gods wil except we deny Enchiri ad Laurent Cap. 99. blasphemously that he is omnipotent and almightie As Saint Augustine noteth plainly in his booke De correptione gratia Cap. 104. We conclude therefore that this fall of Adam did so procéede of the motion of his will that notwithstanding it happened not without the will of god whō it pleaseth by a maruellous and incomprehensible meane that the thing which he doth not allowe forasmuch as it is sinne should not happen without his will And this is done as we said before that he might shewe the riches of his glory towards the vessels of his mercy And his wrath and power vpon those vessels which he hath made to set foorth his glory by their shame and confusion For the finall end of Gods counsaile is neither the saluation of the elect nor The finall end of Gods counsell is neither saluation nor damnation but Gods glory the damnation of the reprobate but the setting foorth of his owne glory in sauing the one by his mecy and condemning the other by his iust iudgement Thē to auoid all these blasphemies vnto the which the infirmity of our wittes doth draw vs let vs confesse that the corrupion of the principall worke that God hath made which is man is not happened by chaunce nor without the will of him who according to his incomprehensible wisdome doth make gouerne all things to his glory Albeit we must confesse in despite of mans iudgement which was limitted in the beginning within a certaine compasse after was miserably corrupted that the whole fault of his damnation lieth in man Forasmuch as betwixt the secret and incomprehensible The whole fault of mans perdition is in himselfe and not of God will of God and the corruption of mans nature which is the very first occasion of the reprobates damnation the will of the first mā was a meane which being created good hath willingly corrupted it selfe thereby opened the doore to the iust iudgement of god to cōdemne all those to whom it doth not please him to shew mercy And if they would yet obiect cauil saying y◠they cannot resist the will of God let vs suffer thē to their owne destruction to plead against him who will be able inough to defend his iustice against their
God For whosoeuer hath obtained the gift of true faith hath also by the same grace and liberality of God obtained the gift of perseuerance So that in all manner of temptations and afflictions he doubteth not to call vpon God with sure confidence to obtaine his request as far as it is expedient for him knowing that he is of the number of Gods children who cannot faile him Moreouer he neuer swarueth so from the right way but at length by the benefit of Gods grace he returneth againe For although faith sometime séeme in the elect as it were for a time hidde and buried so that a man would thinke it were vtterly quenched which God suffereth that men might know their owne weakenesse yet it doth neuer so farre leaue them that the loue of God their neighbour is altogither Loue. plucked out of their hearts For no man is iustified in Christ who also is not sanctified in him and framed to good workes which God prepared that we should walke therein This then is the way whereby God by his mercy doeth prepare to the full execution of his eternall counsaile them amongst his elect whome it pleaseth him to reserue till they come to ripe age and discretion As touching the other whom he calleth into his kingdome so soone as they are borne or in there tenuer yeares he vseth a more short way For séeing he doth comprehend in that his frée couenant whereof Iesus Christ is the mediator not only the faithfull but also their posteritie into a thousand generations calling the same by expresse words holy there is no doubt but the children of the Saints which appertaine to election whom he only knoweth he hath giuen to his son who will not cast them out The chiefe matters with places of scripture for proofe The orders and degrees whereby the faithfull the elect and chosen children of God are made partakers of their saluation And the principall degree whereby God would bring his elect to his kingdome was in appointing his onely sonne to be our Mediator and Redeemer Ephe. 2. 3. 4. In times past we had our conuersation in the lusts of the flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others But god which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs togither in Christ by whose grace ye are saued Ioh. 3. 16. 17. For god so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For god sent not his sonne into the world that he shuld condemne the world but that the world by him might be saued The sonne of God by the power of the holie Ghost was made man Mat. 1. 20. While Ioseph thought to put away his wife the Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in a dreame saying Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary for thy wife For that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost Luke 1. 34. 35. Mary said vnto the Angel How shall this be that I shall conceaue and beare a sonne séeing I know no man And the Angel Gabriel answered and said vnto her The holy Ghost shall come vppon thée and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thée therefore also that holy thing which shall be borne of thée shall be called the sonne of God To the end that both natures being ioyned in him the corruption of man might be healed Ioh. 1. 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we sawe the glory thereof as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father full of grace and truth 2. Cor. 5. 19. 21. God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himself not imputing their sinnes vnto them For he hath made him to be sin for vs which knew no sin that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Who should accomplish all iustice Rom. 8. 3. That that was impossible to the lawe in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousnesse of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 5. 18. As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefit abounded toward all men to the iustification of life 1. Cor. 1. 30. We are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption And should be able inough to sustaine the iudgement of God Rom. 3. 25. God hath sent forth his sonne to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood Esay 53. 4. 5. 6. 10. Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like shéep haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all yea the Lord would break him and make him subiect to infirmities when he shall make his soule an offring for sinne 1. Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God And by the one and onely sacrifice of himselfe might sanctifie the elect killing and mortifying sinne and quickening them to newnesse of life through the vertue of his resurrection Rom. 6. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. How shall we that are dead to sin liue yet therein Know ye not that all we which haue bene baptised into Iesus Christ haue bin baptised into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if we be graffed with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we bee to the similitude of his resurrection Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth we should not serue sinne Colloss 2. 13. Y◠which were dead in sinnes and in the circumcision of your flesh hath he quickened togither with him for giuing you all your trespasses And chapter 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ séeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God The most part of the chapter pertaineth to this effect and no time lost in the reading Ioh. 17. 19. For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the truth Heb◠9. 13. 4. For if the blood of bulles and of goats and the ashes of an heiffer sprinkling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh
25. 26. Instructing them with méekenesse that are contrary minded shewing their faults out of the lawe of God prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance that they may know the trueth And that they may come to amendement out of the snare of the diuell which are taken of him at his will Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard it they were pricked in their heart and said vnto Peter the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Not that they should remaine in feare but beholding their danger might flie to Christ 1. Ihon. 2. 1. 2. My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocat with the father Iesus Christ the iust And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Ihon. 2. 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beléeue in his name Ihon. 3. 16. 17. 18. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beléeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beléeueth not is condemned alreadie Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the righteous but the sinners vnto repentannce Ro. 1. 16. The gospel is the power of saluation to euery one that beléeueth And so almost in euery leafe of the whole scripture Called they are to comfort by the preaching of faith Ro. 8. 17. Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Ro. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Chap. 5. 1. Then being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Chor. 5. 18. All things are of God which hath reconciled vs vnto himself by Iesus Christ and hath giuen vnto vs the ministery of reconciliation For God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinne vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now theÌ„ are we imbassadours for Christ although God did beséech you through vs we pray you in Christ his stéede that yée be reconciled to God For he hath made him to be in sinne for vs that knowe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him 1. Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew not of mortall séede but of immortall by the worde of god who liueth and endureth for euer Coloss 1. 27. 28. God would make knowne which is the riches of his glorious ministerie among the Gentiles which riches is Christ in you the hope of glorie Whome we preach admonishing euery man in all wisedome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus Gene. 3. 8. Adam and Eue heard the voice of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the coole of the day So God chooseth his best time to winne vs not in the time of our offence when indéede he might iustly destroie vs but after we haue committed sinne in mercy he calleth vs that we shall remember and haue remorse for that which we haue done Iohn 6. 47. Verely verely I say vnto yâ—â— He that beléeueth in me hath euerlasting life The outward preaching profiteth not vnlesse the inward working of Gods good spirit be ioyned vnto it Ihon. 6. 44. No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me drawe him by the power of his spirit â—â—d v. 65. Iesus said no man can come vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my father Mat. 13. 10. 11. His disciples said to him Why speakest thou to the people in parables And he said because it is giuen vnto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of god but to them it is not giuen Iohn 4 10 Iesus said vnto her If thou knowest the gift of god who it is that saieth to thée Giue me drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and he would haue giuen thée water of life Iohn 3. 3. Iesus said vnto Nicodemus verely verely I say vnto thée except a man be borne againe he cannot sée the kingdome of god 1. Cor. 2. 11. 14. For what man knoweth the things of a man sauing the spirit of a man which is in him euen so the things of god knoweth no man but the spirit of god But the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of god For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he knowe them because they are spiritually discerned 2. Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of god Ezek. 11. 19. The spirit of god worketh in vs by altering our hearts And I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit within their bowels and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies and I will giue them a heart of flesh Chap. 36. 26. Iohn 16. 13. When the spirit of truth is come he will leade you into all truth Psal 119. 18. Open my heart that I may vnderstand the wondrous things of thy lawe Ephe. 1. 9. 16. 17. 18. Hee hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure which hee had purposed in him I make mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory might giue vnto you the spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him That the eyes of your vnderstanding may be lightened that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the saints And what is the excéeding greatnesse of his power toward vs which beléeue Esay 50. 5. The Lord God hath opened my eare and I was not rebellious neither turned I backe Psal 119. 73. Thine hanâ—s haue made me and fashioned me O giue me vnderstanding therefore that I may learne thy commandements Collo 1. 9. We cease net to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding Iere. 31. 34. And they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying Knowe the Lord For they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I wil forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their sinnes no more 2. Tim. 2. 25. Prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance and open their hearts Luke 24. 16. 45. When our Sauiour Christ talked with the two disciples that went to Emaus their eyes were holden that they could not know him Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Acts. 16. 14. And a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the citie of the Thyatirians which worshipped
looking for of iudgement Vppon this gift of faith and perseuerance the godly doubt not to call vpon God in all afflictions Rom. 8 38. 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor any creature shall be able to seperate mée from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 2. Cor. 1. 21. 22. It is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Iom 1. 6. 7. 8. 9. He that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde and carried away Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. A wauering minded man is vnstable in all his waies Hebr. 4. 16. Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and find grace to help in time of néed Hehr. 10. 21. 22. Séeing we haue a high Priest which is ouer the house of God let vs drawe neare with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinckeled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bedies with pure water 1. Iohn 4. 17. Herein is the loue perfect in vs that we should haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement by reason of this perseuerance wherewith he hath inabled vs. Yet the godly may swarue and fall as did Moses Aaron Dauid Peter but at length by Gods grace they returne againe 1. Iohn 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not finally For his séed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is borne of God Through the power of his word and the operation of his holy spirit 2. Pet. 1. 10. Wherfore brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall No man is made righreous but hee that is made holie and framed to good workes Ephe. 2. 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephe. 1. 4. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy without blame before him in loue The way whereby God by his mercy doth prepare his elect to his kingdome is by the mediation of our sauiour Christ while they stedfastly beleeue not onely that he is their perfect sacrifice but their aduocate and intercessor to God for them Heb. 9. 13. 14. 15. 16. For if the blood of Bulls Goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinckling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifieng of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God And for this cause is he the mediatour of the newe Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance 1. Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator betwéene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus As concerning infants which die assoone as they are borne who are elected and chosen vnto life by Gods secret purpose the way is more speedie For they are presently in the hands of God Because he accepteth the children of the faithfull Gene. 17. 7. Moreouer I will establish my couenant betwene me and thée and thy seede after thée in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be god vnto thée and to thy seede after thée Exo. 20. 6. Shewing mercy vnto thousands to them that loue me and kéepe my commandements 1. Cor. 7. 14. For the vnbeléeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but nowe are they holy Chap. 5. After what sort almightie God doth execute and effectually declare his counsaile touching Reprobation BY these things whereof we haue spoken it may easily The old Adam is the foundation of the reprobation which mans iudgement can attaine vnto appeare howe God maketh them to goe to their owne place whom he created to that end that he might be glorified in their iust condemnation For as Christ the second heauenly Adam is the foundation very substance and effect of the elects saluation so also the first earthly Adam because he fell is the first author of the hate and so consequently of the damnation of the reproued For whē god moued with these causes which he onely knoweth had determined to create thē to this end to shewe foorth in them his iust wrath power he did likewise orderly dispose the causes and meanes whereby it might come to passe that the whole cause of their damnation might be of themselues as hath bin declared before in the third chapter Whē man then The iudgement of God towards infants that are reprobate was fallen willingly into that misrable estate whereof we haue spoken in the chapter before God who hateth iustly the Reprobate because they are corrupt in part of thē he doth execute his iust wrath assoone as they are borne and towards the rest that be of age whō he reserueth to a more sharpe iudgement he obserueth two waies cleane contrary one to the other For as concerning some he sheweth How Reprobaton is first manifested No calling to the Cospell them not so much fauour as once to heare of Iesus Christ in whome onely is saluation but suffereth them to walke in their owne waies and runne headlong to their perdition And as for the testimonies that God hath left to thē of his diuinitie serue them to no other vse but to make thē without all excuse yet through their owne default séeing their ignoraunce and lacke of capacitie is the iust punishment of the corruption wherein they are borne And surely as touching that they can attaine vnto in knowing God by their light or rather naturall darkenesse albeit they neuer failed in the way but so continued yet were it not in any wise sufficient for their saluation For it is necessary for vs that shall be saued that we know God not onely as God but as our father in Christ The which misterie flesh and bloud doth not reueale but the sonne himselfe to them whome his father hath giuen him As An vnprofitable calling or of none effect concerning others their fall is more terrible For he causeth them to heare by preaching the outward worde of the gospell but because they are not of the number of the elect being called they are not And forasmuch as they are not able to receiue the spirit of truth therefore they cannot beléeue because it is not giuen vnto them Wherefore when they are called to the feast thy refuse to come so that the worde of life is folly vnto them and an offence finally the sauour of death to their destruction There
children of God that is euidently proued which wée tooke in hand to shewe that is forasmuch as we were predestinate by the eternall counsell and decrée of God the which he had determined in himselfe to be adopted in his sonne therefore we were giuen to him Whereof the conclusion The confidence to perseuere and to be saued is sure and certaine followeth that since by the most constant will of God which onely is grounded on it selfe and dependeth on none other thing we are predestinate and no man can take vs out of the hand of the sonne Also séeing that to continue and perseuere in the faith is necessary it followeth I say that the hope of our perseueraunce is certaine and so consequently our saluation so that to doubte any more of it is euill and wicked So farre then it is against reason to say that this doctrine maketh men negligent or dissolute that contrariwise this alone doth open vs the way search out and vnderstand by the power of the holy Ghost Gods déepe secrets as the Apostle plainly teacheth to the end that when we know them albeit wée knowe them here in this world but after a sort so that wée must daily fight with the spiritual armour against distrust we may learne to behaue our selues not idely but rather to perseuere valiantly to serue and honour God to loue him to feare him to call vpon him that daily more and more as saith Saint Peter asmuch as in vs lieth we may make our vocation and election certaine Moreouer how shall he stand sure and constant against so many gréeuous temptations both within and without and against so many assaults of fortune as the world doth terme it that is not well resolued in this point which is most true That is that God according to his goodwill doeth all things whatsoeuer they be and what instruments and meanes soeuer he vseth in working of the same for the commodity of his elect Of the which number he is that findeth himselfe The election only dooth comfort vs in all afflictions in this daunger and trouble As touching the other point which concerneth Reprobation because no man can call to mind the determinate purpose of election but at the same inistant the contrary will come to remembraunce besides that in the holie scripture these two are oftentimes ioyned togither it must néedes be that such as estéeme this part curious or vnprofitable and therefore not to be talked off The doctrine of Reprobation cught not to be suppressed neither applied to any particular company but wisely handled doo great iniury to the spirit of God Therefore this part is to be waied and considered but with such modestie that the height of gods iudgements may at all times bridle our curious fancies in such sort that we doo not apply it particularly to any man nor to any certaine company For in this also it differeth from election because election as hath bene said is reuealed to vs by the spirit of God within our selues not in others whose hearts wee cannot know And Reprobatiou is euer hid from men except it be disclosed by God contrary to the common course of thinges For who can tell if god haue determined to shewe mercy at the last houre of death to him which hath spent all his life past lewdely and wickedly But this trust ought not to incourage any man to maintaine and continue in his sinne and vngodlinesse For I speake of those things which we ought to consider in others for the examples of such mercy of god are very rare neither any man that is wise will promise to himselfe through a vaine securitie and trust that thing which is not in his owne power It is therefore sufficient if we vnderstand generally that there be vessels prepared to perdition The which séeing God doth not reueale vnto vs who they are we ought both in example of life and praier diligently endeuour to winne and recouer to their saluation yea euen very such of whom by séeing their horrible vices we almost VVe must labour to winne all men dispaire And if we obserue this order we shall receiue greate fruite of this doctrine For First by the knowledge héereof we shall learne humbly The doctrine of Reprobation maketh men humble to submitte our selues to the maiestie of God so that the more we shall feare and reuerence him the more we ought to labour to confirme in our selues the testimonie of our election in Christ It maketh the grace of God to be better knowen of the Elect. Secondly when we shalldiligently consider the difference which through the mercy of God is betwixt men which are all a like subiect to the selfe same course and malediction it cannot be but we must acknowledge and imbrace more earnestly the singular goodnesse of GOD then if we did make this grace common to all men indifferenly or else referred the cause of the inequalitie of this grace to men It bringeth a Godly care Thirdly when we knowe that faith is an especiall gift of God shall we not receiue it more willingly when it is offered and be more carefull to haue the same to increase then if we should imagine as some do that it is in euerie mans power to turne and repent when he will because they say the Lord would that all men should be saued and will not the death of a sinner Fourthly when we sée the doctrine of the Gospell not only despised of all the world but also cruelly persecuted It doth confirme vs against all offēces and when we sée so great falshood rebellion among men what thing can better confirme and fortifie vs then to be assured that nothing chaunceth by fortune that God knoweth his and that they which commit these things except GOD turne their hearts are those which are destinate not by chaunce but by the sure and eternall counsell of God to be as it were a glasse wherein the anger and power of God doth appeare Truth it is these things can neuer be so commodiously and perfectly treated of that mans reason and witte cannot finde out some thing to reply alwaies to the contrary yea and so kindleth with desire of contradiction that it is readie to bring an action against god and to accuse and blame him as chiefe author of all things But let the diuel roare and discontent himselfe and the wicked kicke and winse yet their owne conscience shall reprooue and condemne them when as ours being confirmed in the truth by the grace and mercy of god shall deliuer and frée vs in the day of Christ To whom with the father and the holy ghost praise glory and honour be giuen for euer So be it Notes and proofes To ground our righteousnesse vpon workes destroieth the foundation of the Gospel but the sure foundation is to be grounded on faith if faith be builded vpon the eternall counsell of God Gal. 2. 21. I doo not abrogate the grace of
was he in all goodnesse after that God had giuen him a newe heart insomuch that the scripture testifieth of him that he was a man after Gods owne heart The Apostle S. Paul the remembrance of his earnest and cruell persecution made him most earnest in his office and profession I thank God saith he which hath made me valiant to fight vnder his banner and strong to indure all trouble and persecution when as before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor And againe 1. Cor. 19. 9. 10. I am the least of the Apostles which am not meete to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the church of God But yet by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace which is in me was not in vaine for I laboured more aboundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me The remembrance of our sinnes is no hinderance to godlinesse but it maketh vs the more forward If I haue done any wrong to any man saith Zacheus I restore him fourefold This effect also had the remembrance of sinne in that sinnefull woman Marie Magdalene out of whom our Sauiour Christ cast seuen diuels euen she that was notorious for her lewde and light behauiour Who as by repentance she died vnto sinne so the memory of her sinne is dead and buried vnto her in this respect because she liueth still in the glorious remembrance of that righteousnesse which penitent sinners obtaine by faith She is honorably mentioned wheresoeuer the gospell of Christ is read and heard of all men speake of her teares of her sins no one is mentioned and knowne But touching the remembrance of her former sinnes sée what it wrought The precious oile wherewith she was wont to annoint her selfe y◠she might be more pleasant to the sences of her louers she nowe poureth out and for loues sake bestoweth it vppon her Sauiour The eies which were wont to cast wanton lookes vpon the dissolute did now gush out with water serued as conduits at the féete of Christ The haire which before had béene wrapt in gold had bene coloured pleated broidered laid out and beset with pearles was now imploied to a farre other vse that the honour receiued from the féete of Iesus might put out the shame which before it had taken from the eies of leaud amorous beholders Hauing washed and dried she could not satisfie her selfe till she had also kissed her sauiours féete whose mercy now had eased her heart of that deadly sting which the lippes of wantons had imprinted and left behinde them The remembrance of sinnes past is gréeuous that vertue practised in stéede thereof may be more comfortable The one burthensome the other ioyfull Yea what is it that should procure our trouble séeing we are vouchsafed so great a priuiledge as to be accounted of God to be his children What ioy should it be vnto vs that wee are lifted vp vnto this high dignitie as to be the saints of God temples of the holy ghost members of Christ Lordes ouer all the Angels of God to bee our friendes our helpers and aiders the watchmen appointed of God to watch ouer vs that no hurt should come vnto vs otherwise then it pleaseth our good and gracious God who as we may fully perswade our selues doth all for our good and all for the best citizens of heauen thrones of God heires of God brethren and sisters of Christ and fellow heires with him in the kingdome of heauen Finally whether it be the world or life or death whether it be Angels principalities or powers whether they be things present or things to come euen all ours and we Christs and Christ Gods And yet beholde this is not the one halfe of that dignitie the one halfe of that excellent glorie whereunto hereafter we shall attaine being heires with Christ and members of his bodie For where the head is there shall the members be And as we haue receiued of the fulnesse of his grace so shall wée also be partakers of the fulnesse of his glorie Hauing giuen vs an assuraunce thereof alreadie because hée is gone to prepare vs euerlasting dwelling places in such sort that in time to come when all things are prepared for vs he will come againe Iohn 14. 3. to receiue vs vnto himselfe and to entertaine vs most friendly most bountifully most honourably most roially Dearely beloued saith Saint Iohn 1. Epistle 3. 2. now are wee the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be And we knowe that when hée shall appeare we shall be like him being glorious members of a glorious head The certaintie of our adoption and this dignitie that wee are heires in hope and shall be hereafter in sure possession is a steppe to our glorification The full fruition and enioying wherof wée shall not receiue till this life bee ended For by death wee must bee translated to the possession of so great and waighty matters and of such a wonderfull glory Our life is hid with Christ and vntill we come to Christ as the Apostle S. Paul desired to haue his bodie dissolued and to be with Christ our life and our glorie shall not appeare And euery one that hath this hope in himselfe purgeth himselfe euen as hée is pure Touch none vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will be a father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters sath the Lord Almightie Séeing then we haue these promises dearly beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse both of the flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God remembring that we are heires let nothing hinder or barre vs from our inheritance which is so glorious that it shall excéed in glory Being heires of that saluation which is most precious of that kingdom which is most glorious of those ioyes which euer shall be endlesse Vnto the which the Lord in his good time bring vs and whereof in his sauing gracious mercies it may please him to make vs partakers To God the Father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one euerliuing God be rendred all praise dominion and power now and for euermore Amen Gratia Deo solique gloria TO THE RIGHT REVEREND AND venerable Minister of Gods Church Maister Alexander Nowell Deane of Paules S. I. wisheth all the blessings of God in this life and in the life to come perpetuall ioyes WEake meates are fittest for weake stomakes and strong meat for valiant people and bitter potions are most welcome to them that knowe and vnderstand what their effect and operation is To write of the remedie of sorrow and to perswade to the bearing and enduring of bitter sorrow might seeme a paradoxe in most mens mindes were it not that your Worship knew these matters better then I am able to set them downe and expresse them But I thought good to direct these vnskilfull Treatises vnto
ofscouring of all things vnto this time and a gazing stocke vnto the world In the time of the Prophet Zachariah they that followed the word of the Lord were continued in the world and estéemed as monsters Heare now saith the Prophet Zachariah cap. 3. 8. Heare now ô Iehoshua the high priest thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are monstrous persons So likewise was it in the daies of Esay the Prophet cap. 8. 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and as wonders in Israel and such as are thought not worthie to liue Moreouer their estate in worldly matters what is it but hunger thirst nakednesse imprisonment to be buffetted to haue no certain dwelling place Be not dismaid at this estate but rather with Moses frame thy self to take part with the godly in their sorrow yea although thou mightest liue in y◠pallaces of princes For he that will liue godly must looke and make account of sorrow and séeke for no ioy When Baruch was sory because he could not be partaker of his desire and of his ioy he had this answere from God by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremiah Seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not Let vs remember what Christ said My kingdome is not of this world And why should the desire of ioy so tickle our minds or sorrow daunt vs and throw vs downe or any griefe discourage vs When all things goe according to our will then doo we easily slide into the forgetfulnesse of God but sorrow and miserie maketh vs knowe God and our selues I said in my prosperitie saieth Dauid I should neuer bee cast downe But it is good for mee that I haue bene troubled And many there are who haue giuen God more thankes for their sorrow and misery then for all the prosperitie that euer they enioyed So greatly it did instruct them and so great good it did them Sée howe profitable it is to haue sorrow rather then ioy If our estate be ioyfull and sorrow dooth not assault vs yet let vs wéepe with them that wéepe and pray to God to turne away his heauie hand from them on whom he hath laid sorrow Let there be fellow-féeling in thée of the sorrowes of others as if the case were our owne and let vs helpe to beare their burthen Consider if thou canst be without sorrow if thou countest thy selfe amongst the number of those that are godly Record with thy self what duties and good things thou hast omitted which thou shouldest haue done either to God or man either to our selues or others to our own charge committed to our hands and to our gouernment as wife children seruants or to strangers to our friends or to our enemies Let vs call to mind what euil we haue done wherby God hath bene dishonoured our neighbours iniuried our selues defiled other by our example allured to wickednes Let vs not be wilfully forgetfull that we haue omitted our dutie in praier and inuocation to God and in performing our humble seruice vnto him That we haue omitted the ministring to the necessitie of the Saints and the helpe we should haue shewed to the néedie brethren that wee haue omitted many good opportunities which haue bene offered for the increase of our vertues faith patience mercie and such like That we haue neglected the carefull visiting of the poore destitute which lie in our stréetes and complaine for their great miseries and are readie to perish before our eies for lacke of reliefe That we haue omitted many exercises of praier of preaching of reading and meditating in the law of God that we haue omitted many things which appertaine to godlinesse and true sanctification Againe let vs remember on the other side that we haue committed much wickednesse priuately publikely openly secretly in our soules in our bodies at home and abroad against God and men in our conuersation and in our communication All which being duly considered haue we not iust cause to chastice our selues by sorrowe and to afflict our selues by wéeping How canst thou but grieue in minde to sée the wicked flourish and they that are most against God and godlines The wicked to flourish and against the godly to beare the greatest sway in the world and they that indéede ought to be vile and of no account with vs yea although their personages and places and wealth and riches be great to sée them in greatest estimation and most honoured of the people This made the prophet Ieremy to muse and to wonder and the prophet Dauid almost to fall from God My féete had welny flipt Reade the ps 73. 37. Iob. 21. Where this matter is excellenly set downe and resolued The Prophet Ieremy 2. Esd 3. 21. 4. 1. in his 12. chap. ver 1. O Lord if I dispute with thee thou art righteous yet let me talke with thee of thy indgements Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Why are they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse They doe not only liue when the good are taken away but also to the great admiration and grief many times of Gods children they greatly flourish they liue waxe old and grow in wealth and their séede is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eies their houses are peaceable without feare and gods rod is not vpon them neither are they in trouble and plauged as other men whome God more fauoureth therfore kéepeth them from the wantonuesse of this sinful world Lest as the world is lulleda sléep till their last sléep come vpon them so also they might grow in such forgetfulnes as to doubt whether there were a God that ruled the earth whether euer they should be taken frō the earth by death whether there were a iudgemēt day in the which they should be called to an account whether there were a heauen for the godly or a hell for the wicked As though the worlde should endnre for euer and the flonrishing estate of the wicked should neuer haue an ende I sawe saith the wiseman Eccle. 8. 10. the wicked buried and they returned that is other came in their places as bad as they and they that came from the holy place were yet forgotten in the citie where they had done right This also is vanitie yet though a sinner do euil anhundred times and God prolongeth his daies I knowe it shall bee well with them that feare the Lord and do reuerence before him But it shall not be well to the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies he shal be like a shadow because he feareth not before God In this world it commeth to the righteous according to the worke of the righteous This hath troubled many in all ages not only of the weaker sort but many of them also which haue bene stronger Iob Dauid Ieremy euen such as haue bene partakers of Gods secretes And why should not the same matter moue thée to sorrow also When
vnto thée from thy God For I will set mine eies vpon them for good and I wil bring them again to this land and I wil build them and not destroy them and I wil plant them and not roote them out saith the Lord. Therfore they shall come reioyce in the height of Sion and shall run to the bountifulnesse of the Lord euen for the wheat for the wine and for the oile for the increase of shéep bullocks and their soule shal be as a watred garden they shall haue no more sorrow Then shal the virgin reioyce in the dance and the yong men the old mē togither for I wil turn their mourning into ioy wil comfort them giue them ioy for their sorrows And y◠voice of ioy and the voice of gladnesse and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride shal be heard in their stréets as also the voice of them y◠shal say Praise the Lord of hostes because the Lord is good for his mercy endureth for euer Hagar Abrahams handmaid being ready to wéepe out her hart with sad mournfull teares and pittious lamentable cries God caused her to behold ioy and gaue her the life of her infant when it was ready to die with thirst promised her moreouer that of him shuld come a great people What trobles did king Dauid endure whē he was a subiect vnder king Saul who continually sought his death and most cruelly and vndeseruedly to shead his innocent blood how many feares how many flights how many dangers Where death was God made life appeare where contempt was God gaue credit and when his crosses were ended God gaue him his crowne to reioyce him Which made him thankfull to God saying Thou hast turned my mourning into ioy thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded mee with gladnesse Therefore shall my tongue praise thee and not cease O Lord my God I will giue thankes vnto thee for euer Ieremiah the Prophet beaten cast into prison readie to starue for hunger like to be put to death but the Lord hi◠him Who had regard of his trouble and of his sorrow and sent him ioy with great credit For in the sight of them that were led into captiuitie Zabuzaradan the chiefe steward according to the commaundement of king Nabuchodonozor who willed him to looke well vnto him and to doo him no harme but euen as he himselfe would desire to be dealt withall loosed him from the chaines which were on his hands and intreated him most kindly saying If it please thée to come with me into Babel come and I wil looke wel vnto thée but if it please thée not to come with me into Babel tarry still Behold all the land is before thée whither it séemeth good and conuenient for thée to go thither go So the chiefe steward gaue him vittailes and a reward and let him go If we looke vpon the deathfull sorrow of chaste Susanna do we not in reading her storie reioyce with her to sée what ioy of heart God sent her The Apostle Saint Peter being in prison his bands were loosed the prison doore set wide open and he by an Angel willed to come forth so was his ioy increased vpon the suddain beyond expectation Tolet goe other examples I will vse but this one King Ashuerus through the accusations of wicked Haman gaue out his letters that the Iewes should be slaine throughout his dominions A pittifull thing it was to sée and heare the outcries of the poore distressed Iewes Mardocheus gréeuously mourning yea Hester the Quéene her selfe fainted and fel down in a swoune Yet behold after a while the kings heart and mind is changed after a while life ioy yea and a solemne and a yearly remembrance of that ioy throughout their posterities and generations After a tempest a calme after stormie weather faire All which examples ought to be sufficient incouragements vnto vs not to be daunted or dismaied for any sorrow but rather to sustaine our selues with the hope of ioy to come After pouertie may come wealth after sicknesse Psal 107. 41. health after imprisonment libertie after shame by false reports credite againe after miserie dignitie after hatred good will after sorrow ioy and who knoweth what a day may bring foorth The seruant that endureth much drudgery that is beaten vndeseruedly that continueth painfully that performeth faithfully is in time released and with riches store and plentie blessed when as to remember what great miserie hee hath abidden and gone through is one of his chiefe ioyes Experience prooueth this to be true and the example of Iacobs seruice vnder Laban vnrequited by his grudging maister but plentifully rewarded by God himselfe dooth shewe howe thy sorrowes may bee turned into ioy Feare not saith Tobit to his sonne though thou bee poore for thou hast many things if thou feare God For indéed all Gods blessings especially pertaine to them that feare him though otherwise enioyed by vsurpation and an easie thing it is with God suddeinly to make a poore man rich The sorrowes of sicknesse may ende in ioyfull health King Hezekiah had fiftéene yeares added to his daies and it reioyced him more then his kingdome Compare Iosephs imprisonment with his honour and Susannais credite with her shame and Mordecais miserie with his dignitie and Esaus hatred Pro. 16. 7. toward Iacob altered to good will and louing affection and sée whither it be not true that Christ hath said set downe in the behalfe and respect of the godly Ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shal be turned into ioy It was a benefite and a ioy to Hezekiah to haue his daies prolonged and it was promised to king Iosiah for a great blessing to haue his daies cut off But the cause of this blessing and ioy was the great sorrowe that he tooke considering the great plagues that were to come vpon his people As it was answered by Hulda the Prophetesse These euils which you haue heard read vnto you shall come vpon this land because of their idolatry But to the king that sent you thus shall you say Thus saith the Lord because thy heart did melt when thou heardst what was spoken against this place and didst rent thy clothes and wéepe before me I haue heard it saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather Esay 57. 1. thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not sée all the euil which I wil bring vpon this place Moses wéepeth and mourneth to himselfe that he could not be partaker of his desire as to enter into that promised plentifull pleasant land that hée could not sée that goodly mountaine and Lebanon and was angry with his people who were the cause that he was bereaued of his ioy but in that he was taken vp into paradise and placed in the heauens were not all sorrows think you fully and most aboundantly requited with ioy The world