the minde Also froÌ„ his pietie and Fatherlie loue wherewith he embraceth his children prouiding for their profit and health and therefore is called Father So saieth GOD by Ieremie thou shalt call mee Father and shalt not cease to goe in after mee Ietem 5. Malâ—ch 1 Esay 63 And againe I am become the Father of Israell and Ephraim my firste begotten I will bring them thorough the Riuers of waters into the right waie and they shall not dashe their foote against a stone that is they shall followe my steppes accompanie mee and doe after my will and I will keepe them safe in all their waies that no hurte shall happen or come vnto them no wronge destruction nor calamitie shall light vpon them Moreouer â—say 6 Esaie recordeth honourable and triumphant titles which GOD the Father giueth to Christ to the ende euerie one shoulde knowe what profit our Sauiour Christ hath brought vnto vs by his natiuitie death resurrection and assension into heauen for thus doeth the Prophet declare the magnificence honour glorie renowme power and greatnesse of Christe of vvhich there is none but redowndeth greatlie to our vse and profit where he is called Emanuell that is God with vs. Ierem. 5 Esay 7 â—say 9 A child is born vnto vs a son is giuen vnto vs who is the chiefe of all whose name shall bee called wonderfull Counsailour the mightie God the father of the Worlde to come and the prince of peace Innumerable and infinite are the thinges that may be applied to his great maiestie nay rather which hee attributeth to himselfe Math. 9 Esay 40 Iohn 10 Psal 78 1 Pet. 2 Iohn 15 For he calleth himselfe a phisition because he healeth mens mindes and bodies cureth both the invvard and outward vices Hee also calleth himselfe a shephearde because with great care and watchfulnesse he ouerseeth his flocke and gathereth togither the lost sheepe and feedeth and nourisheth them with the wholsome food of his worde So Christ calleth himselfe a fruitefull vine his father the Husbandman and vvee the branches cleauing to the vine whom he pruneth and cutteth awaie the vnpro fitable branches that is he cutteth off our vain lustes to the end vve might bring forth more fruit but those that he findeth vnfruitful and yeelding no yearelie increase by which metaphor hee meaneth those that bring forth no fruites of faith as vnprofitable and dry branches hauing no sap he casteth into the fire Paule vseth the like metaphor taken from tilling the ground and building a house 1 Cor. 3 for taking awaie and quenching the discordes vvherein the Corinthians were intangled and waxed proud with the names of their teachers enuying one another as wee see the like in this our age he warneth them all that if they had learned anie sound doctrine they should not attribute it to the ministers but confesse they receiue it from God the author of all good thinges We saith he are fellowhelpers and as it were laborers hired to doe the worke of the Lorde let vs approue our labour to him and lette our paines appeare vnto him Yee are the husbandrie and ground of the Lord which we make fruitfull vvith the seede of sound doctrine yee are the edifice building which ariseth to his glorie Moreouer that vvee may speake more of that which belongeth to the greatnesse maiestie of God there can nothing be thoght vpon or conceiued in minde so high mightie famous excellent notable and reuerend and to bee short nothing for nuÌ„ber or any other vertue so perfect which may not deseruedlie be applied to God His wisdome whereby he ruleth all thinges in this vvorlde Psal 31 32 103 146 Ephâ—â— 2 Esay 25 Prou. 1 preseruing and keeping it by his vnsearchable counsell and prouidence is incomprehensible not to be expressed infinite so that the order and course of so great things doth rauish al men with an admiration and loue of the maker His fortitude strength and power wherewith he ouerthroweth the enimie and vpholdeth the godlie is vnconquerable and cannot be ouercome For there is nothing but yeeldeth to his power there are neither castles bulvvarkes and fortresses be they neuer so strong but yeelde to his power Psal 18.47 84 16 22 144. His iudgement and iustice wherevvith hee distributeth to euerie one his owne and according to his vvorthinesse deserts revvardeth him is right lavvfull holie syncere laudable and of great equitie so that he deserueth blame of none vnlesse it be of such as are of a corrupt iudgement His mercie clemencie and gentlenesse which is largelie declared by all the prophetes Psal 32 56 Col. 1 is endelesse and excelleth all his other vertues For all those that feare his iustice flie to his mercie as to a sanctuarie and desire his ayde it taketh desperation from their fearefull mindes by it the spirite the comforter dooth make glad and vphold them that are readie to fall and planting in them a hope and faith to obtain saluation driueth them to the throne of grace where they finde mercie and as the Dutchman saith Remis ende quiit scheldinghe van misdaet that is Remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes Hebru 4 so that nothing can bee imputed to them nor accuse them to death Which when Paul did pro oue in himselfe being made of a persecutor an apostle he thus strengthneth the wauering and doubtfull mindes of men prouoking them by his example to the mercie of God When first saith hee I was a persecutor 1 Tim. 1 Iohn 16 blasphemer and outragious I obtained mercie for that which I did ignoranthe through vnbeliefe that is vvanting faith and not knowing the vvil of God For he thoght he did God good seruice in persecuting the christians But to the ende almenne might knovve the reason of their faith and that euerie one might bee assured all sinnes are satisfied by the bloud of Christe to them that beleeue Paule constantlie and firmelie pronounceth This is a true saying and vvorthie of all menne to bee embraced that Christe Iesus came into the vvorlde to saue sinners whereof I am the chiefe But therefore didde I obtaine mercie that in me firste hee might shevv his clemencie to make me an example to those that shoulde after beleeue in him to eternall life that is in hope and expectation of the kingdome of heauen Which benefite seeing it ought wholie to bee attributed to our Heauenlie Father vvee ought not to defraude him of his due praise and commendations To the king sayeth hee immortall of this worlde inuisible and to the onely vvise GOD bee all honour praise and glorie world without ende Amen 1 Pet. 1. Peter also giueth the like praise to god the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ for the mysterie of our saluation who according to his abundant mercy hath regenerated vs into a liuely hope by this the Ie. Chr. is risen again froÌ„ the dead into an imortal inheritaÌ„ce vndefiled vncorrupt and laid vppe in the
the dawning of the daie for after the darkenesse of the night is past the minde is more Iustie and apte to conceiue holsome and good thoughts That the holy prophets did so Psal 5. Psal 16 Cap. 87. Cap. 26 the bookes of the Bible doe euery where testifie so Dauid being brought into a strait cried My God my God early wil I awake to thee I wil stand before thee betimes and see Farly in the morning shal my prayer come vnto thee And Esay faith thus The Lorde made me listen betimes in the morning that I might heare him as a maister that is a warner which waketh the eares of the drowsie Againe my soule desired thee in the night but betimes in the morning wil I awake vnto thee in soule and spirit By which words the Prophet sheweth all his minde and the powers and faculties of his soule and spirit both vitall and animal and al that was within him to be alwaies fixed on God so that hee passed no parte of his life without the remembrance of him but referred to God all his words and deeds and eueriâ— thought that came into his minde Cal to mind at night the things thou didst in the day Chap. 50. CAll to mind at night all the things thou hast either done or saide the day before and before thou goe to sleepe take an account of thy selfe howe thou hast spent the day aske of thy minde what faulte it hath cured and what vice thou hast resisted which way thou hast bettered thy life what increase thou hast made of godlinesse and how thou hast profited in vertue Quo praetergressus quid gestuÌ„ in tempore quid non Cur isti facÌ„to decus affuit aut ratio illi Virg in viâ—◠〈◊〉 Quid mihi praeteritum Cur haec sententia sedit Quam melius mut are fuit miseratus egentem Cur aliquem fracta persensimente dolorem Wherein thou went'st too far what 's don in time what not Why this thing was so comely don why reason ruld in that What thing thou didst let stip why that sentence did preuaile Which might haue bin for better chang'd pittying the pooâ—e Why thou wast with a contrite mind so touched with his griese For it cannot bee vttered howe quiet and peaceable the minde wil be and how sweet and pleasant a sleepe wil follow after thou hast once conceiued in thy mind a purpose to ameÌ„d thy life For with this very thought thou shalt shake off the clowdie feares of thy minde And seeing that often times the things which we haue seene and doone in the day time doe trouble vs in our sleepe let vs carefully take heede that the day be spent in honest and vertuous exercises leaste any thinge come to our mindes that may disturbe our sleepe in the night and make it vnquiet and altogether troublesome Let no man flatter himselfe in his sinne or any way seeke to extenuate his fault Chap. 51. IF thou chance to do any thing foolishlie or turne thy wil contrary to reason to execute that which is neither comly nor honest do not perswade thy mind to flatter it selfe in error or to diminish thy fault by any excuses because the excuse of sin bringeth forth boldnesse and ministreth occasion to commit the like againe Psal 140. For when Dauid marked what wickednes sprang from this fault of the minde Thou shalt not incline my heart saith hee to frame excuses with naughty wordes for my sinne In which words he praieth that a wicked mind might be far from him wherewith the wicked being indued do adde sin vnto sin diminish extenuate their faults will suffer no blame to be laid on them By which their blindnes and ignorance it commeth to passe that wheÌ„ their minds are once hardned in sin are giuen ouer to euill affections Proâ— 18. become euery day worse and worse til at length they fal without any hope of recouery At which that saying of Salomon aimeth when he faith The sinner ouerwhelmed in the depth of his sinne des piseth that is perswadeth himselfe he hath doone no euill neither is hee much mooued with the remembrance of his sinne but faith hee shame and confusion followeth such a one Whereby he sheweth him both to hazard his good name and also to get such a note of infamie that hee shall hardly againe deserue the name of an honest and praiseworthy man They also are intangled in the same euill who when they haue offended and fallen into sinne will not acknowledge their fault nor by any means be brought to confesse it no though their conscience like a haugman doe almoste wring out a confession yet will they bee silent and saie nothing thinking to burie al thinges in forgetfulnesse whose practise in this is like vnto childrens who cannot abstaine from those thinges they are forbidden especiallie if there bee any hope it will bee kept secret and hidde from their parentes Of which wee haue examples in Adam and Cayne and their posteritie to whome that fault is fallne by inheritaunce Therefore whosoeuer desireth to sette their minde at reste and quiet and to leaeu no tormente in their conscience let them not denie the faultes they commit nor attempt to couer them ouer with silence but let them bee anatomysed and layde open before the face of almightye GOD because the acknowledging of sinne and the confession of faultes may obtayne pardon and purge clense and purifie the minde from filthie pollutions but keeping them secret and dissembling them maketh the crime a great deale woorse The vvhich Dauid tried in himselfe saying Psal 2â— Because I helde my peace my bones consumed within me when I cryed all the day The torture and torment of his sorrow and griefe made him to send out howles and cries but he did not declare or confesse his faulte yet afterwarde he thought to lay open his offence to God whom hee knew to be ready and easily intreated to forgiue sinne if hee hartilie repented and hated vice Therefore taking vnto him faith I saide quoth hee I woulde confesse mine iniquitie against my selfe and thou O Lorde hast forgiuen mee my sinne For such is the loue and gentlenesse of God towardes man and such is his mildenesse and mercie that whensoeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne he presently pardoneth his offences The which he declareth by Esaie in this sorte And it shal come to passe that I wil heare before they call Cap. 65 Cap. 18 and whilest they are yet speaking I will bowe downe mine care Whereby he sheweth howe prompt and ready his fauour and grace is that if a man doe but conceiue in minde a purpose of amendement of life hee presentlie forgiueth him his former transgressions for thus saith Ezech. At what time soeuer a sinner doeth repent him of his sinne I will put it cleane out of remembraunce saieth the Lorde Wee must acknowledge all good thinges to come from the Lord. Chap. 52. IF any
death nor life neither Angels nor the inuisible creatures neither principalities nor powers neither thinges present nor things to come nor any other creature can seperate mee from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord so that Paule boldly pronounceth Psal 50 that he which is grafted into God though Christ will boldly withstande all terrors whatsoeuer happen vnto him against the rage and fury of the enemy against the horrour of death whether it bee procured by the enemy or by sicknesse or whether it come by the course of nature Seeing then there is nothing of more force to take away the feare and terrour of death out of mens mindes then by a firme faith in GOD through Christ by which wee haue a certaine hope of our resurrection and an expectation of euerlasting happinesse hither should all men hasten and desire to come euerie one should embrace and followe this wholesome doctrine imprinte it in their mindes and strengthen themselues in all daungers when they are brought to extremities herewith shoulde they quiet their consciences and by thinking on this remooue all griefe of heart shaking off all sorrowe and lamentation which commeth to them by the death of their parentes and friendes Hitherto tendeth that liuely comfort of Paule Thes 4. wherewith hee incourageth the Thessalonians with the expectation of the resurrection and a certaine hope of eternitie willing them to staye their teares and not to mourne for their friendes departed out of this life after the manner of the Gentiles saying I woulde not haue you ignoraunt brethren concerning them that are a sleepe as it were but fallen a sleepe and not dead that you greeue not at them as those that haue no hope of the resurrection For if wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and risen againe so also can God raise them with him that are fallen a sleepe and bring them to their former estate Our conuersation saith he is in heauen from whence vvee looke for our Lorde Iesus Christ who vvil transforme our vile bodies Phil. 4 and make theÌ„ like to his glorious bodie according to his power wherewith hee subdueth all thinges In which wordes Paule vvarneth all men that they comforte and strenthen then themselues in afflictions with the loue and desire of immortalitie and that they feare nothing in the whole course of this life that may withdrawe them from a better life to which Christ hath opened vs the waie by the power of his resurrection Wherefore vvhen wee come to the last daie of our life and death presseth vppon vs vvhich is fearefull to al men vnlesse Christ doe holde them vppe or where there commeth any thought of death to them that are founde and in perfecte health or if pouertie oppresse vs or any disease or any other discommodities of this life trouble vs let vs cast all our hope desire and prayers on Christ who hath payed the punishment due vnto vs by his death who hath pardoned all our offences who is the propitiation for our sinnes who is our aduocate as Iohn saieth and mediatour vvith GOD the Father Colos 3 1. Iohn 2. 1. Tim. 2 Esay 50 Ephet 2 Colol 1. Iohn 1 who is the reconciler of GOD and man and who as Paule saieth hath giuen himselfe to bee a redemption and sacrifice for vs. In him standeth our saluation and the resurrection of life by him wee haue accesse and entraunce in one Spirit to GOD the Father by his bloudshedding wee haue obtayned redemption and remission of sinnes because it pleased the father that al fulnesse should dwel in him and make all thinges pleasing vnto him by his bloudsheading Seeing therefore wee haue an high prieste as the Authour saieth to the Hebrewes Heb. 4 who hath pearsed the heauens euen Iesus Christ the Sonne of GOD who tempted in all things and yet without sinne was affected with the feeling of our infirmities Let vs come with saith to that throne of grace that wee may obtaine mercie of him that will helpe vs in due season beeing sustained with the helpe of so greate a guide and attended on with so sure a guard we shall be able to resist the monsters of the Diuell who so soone as the light of the Gospell appeared vanished awaie yea wee shall preuaile against sinne Death and Hell and shall bee carryed out of the vncertaine state of this life to the desired hauen and to a blessed habitation And if it fallout in the course of this life that anie discommoditie or misfortune happen vnto thee if it chaunce thou fall into any incombraunces of this life if oppressed with pouertie greeued with diseases troubled with thy enemies if oppression and calamitie come vppon thee if wickednesse abound if the innocent bee iniured and their liues taken awaie from them if sounde and wholesome doctrine bee contemned if heresies and wicked opinions doe bud forth and naughtie errours are sowne abroade in such a confusion of thinges wee must go vnto Christ and require of him the helpes of our saluation let vs rest wholie on him let vs as it were with an Anchor take fast holde on him And to bee shorte let vs haue that saying of Dauid in our mindes Psal 15 I will alwaies sette the Lorde before mine eyes because hee is on my right hande that I cannot bee remooued In which wordes hee sheweth hee had his eyes alwaies fastened on GOD and trusted to his helpe not doubting nor carryed awaie with euerie blast of doctrine but was stable and constant Ephe. 4. Hebru 1 Psal â—â— and coulde not bee remooued from the faith he had in God and that onelie for this cause that hee hadde tryed GOD to bee his propitiation and to assist him in all thinges so that hee boldelie brake out into these speeches Beholde the Lorde is my helpe my heart hoped in him and he helped me my flesh reioiced in him and I wil willingly confesse him Of the greatnesse of the name of Iesus Christ his maiestie and power wherewith we must only resist magicall inchantments and ouercome the illusions of the Diuel or any other hurt that shall happen to body and mind Chap. 57. SEeing that a little before I haue shewed inchantmentes and magicall artes are to be rooted vppe and no man should vse sorcery and witchcraft It remaineth that I shewe by the way with what force and power with what wordes and praiers minds assailed afflicted and intangled in the iuglings of the Diuel may bee cured Then by what meanes wichcraft may be taken away which the ministers of the Diuell do bring vpon men and vexe their mindes and bodies They enter secretly into mans bodie and do violently assaile his nature and spoile the same of power or at least wise weaken it These euill spirits do enter into our meate and drinke and breath which we take from the aire and into such thinges as we receiue into our bodies and wherewith we liue and all other things that