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
lawe as pertaining to God but am in the lawe through Christ that I may winne them that are without the lawe to the weake I become as weake that I may winne the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some And this I doo for the Gospell sake Rom. 1. 14. I am debter both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians both to the wise men and vnto the vnwise Philip. 2. 12. 13. Make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling lest that through the deceit of sinne ye should fall away or else lest ye be any offence to the weake For it is God that worketh in you both the will the déed euen of his good pleasure Concerning the second that we do not apply this doctrine to any man particularly or to any certaine company For in this also it differeth from election Because election as hath beene said is reuealed to vs by the spirit of God within our selues not in others whose hearts we cannot know And Reprobation is euer hid from men except it bee disclosed by God contrary to the common course of things 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 lewdly wickedly But this trust ought not to incourage any man to maintaine and continue in his sinne 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 Iam. 4. 13. 14. 15. 16. Goe too now yée that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a citie continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine And yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrowe For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a litle time and afterward vanish away For that yée ought to say If the Lord will and if we liue we will do this or that Now if we cannot promise the continuance of life vnto our selues how much lesse may we assure our selues of Gods mercie at our pleasure Luke 12. 19. 20. The rich man said vnto his soule Soule thou hast much good lain vp for many yéeres liue take ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But God said vnto him O foole this night will they setch away thy soule from thée 2. Tim. 2. 25. The minister is willed to instruct the euill disposed with méeknesse and such as are contrary minded prouing if GOD at any time will giue them repentance Therefore repentance is not at our pleasure or leasure 1. Pe. 1. 14. 15. 16 17. 18. 19. Fashioning not your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be yée holy in all manner of conuersation And if yée call him father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling heere in feare Knowing that yée were not redeemed with siluer and gold and such corruptible things Hebr. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall sée the Lord. And if we obserue this order wee shall receiue great fruite of this doctrine especially in these foure considerations First it maketh men humble and to submit themselues to God Secondly it maketh the grace of God to be better knowne of the elect seeing it is not common to all Thirdly it bringeth a godly care to receiue faith when it is offered and to labour to increase it Fourthly it doth confirme vs against all offences All which reasons are more plainly set downe in the last part of this eight chapter Deo gratia A Praier for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie O Most gracious God and heauenly Father by whose disposition Kingdomes and Kealmes are gouerned and by whose power Kings Princes raigne we giue thée hartie thanks that in thy great mercy thou hast set such a Prince and Quéene ouer vs vnder whose godly and peaceable gouernment we enioy glad tidings of thy Gospell and the truth of thy word in manifest sort deliuered vnto vs with peace and quietnesse and other worldly great blessings of thine in a plentifull measure Endue her so with heauenly gifts that her heart may be alwaies framed to the obedience of thy will that by her godly and gracious gouernment thy name may be glorified thy Church edified the poore members of Christ relieued vertue aduanced and vice beaten downe and punished that so in wealth she may surpasse that prosperitie y◠was in the daies of King Salomon and that in life and health she may so be preserued long among vs to thy glorie and our comfort that the yeares of her royall fathers gouernment may bee doubled vpon her And although we for our parts haue and doo daily prouoke thy wrath against vs and haue worthily in respect of thy blessings deserued the contrary as for the heauenly vlessings of thy Gospell and truth ignorance idolatry and superstition for wealth and prosperitie penury and scarcitie for peace and quietnesse troubles and warres for our health and the continuance of our life diseases and death yet in thy mercy be fauourable vnto vs mollifie our hard and stonie hearts that we may repent mortifie sinne in vs that there may be séene amendment in our liues and conuersation that we may yéeld our soules and bodies to the obedience of thy blessed will and commaundements whereby thy manifold and good blessings and benefits may be both increased and continued toward vs. That the heauens may send downe their raine that the earth may giue forth her plentifull encrease that our garners may be full and plenteous with all maner of store that our shéepe may bring forth thousandes that our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decaie no leading into captiuitie and no complaining in our stréets wherein we shall be blessed who haue the Lord for our God As for her enemies who séeke her destruction let them fall into the pitte that they haue digged for others and let their owne shame light vpon them And let thy crowne florish vpon her head whom thou hast annointed that in the maintenance of thy truth and of thy people it may be knowne that though the heathen rage so furiously togither and the Kings of the earth stand vp in armes against thée and against thine annointed that thou breakest the bowe and knappest the speare in pieces that thou art able to turne the swordes of her enemies to murther themselues And though the horse bee prepared vnto the battaile yet the victorie is from thée who can mightily confounde her foes and put a hooke in their nosthrilles and turne them backe the same way they came The straunge deliuerances which thou hast wrought in her behalfe both
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
fire and that very gréeuous also he sent deuouring grashoppers such as was neuer before neither after them should bee the like which did eate vp euerie gréene thing within the land hearbes of the field and frutes of the trées for the space of thrée dayes there was such a darknes in his land that none sawe an other neither did they rise from the place where the darknesse tooke them The lord left not there but yet was more gréeuous for he smote all the first borne of Pharaohs land the first borne both of man and beast from the first borne of Pharaoh himselfe that sat on the throne vnto the first borne of the captiue that sat in prison And there was a great crie in Aegypt for there was no house where there was not one dead Finally God made an ende of those punishments with the fearfull and vtter ouerthrow of Pharaoh himselfe and all his hoste in the midst of the sea They themselues confessing that it was the strong hande of the lorde himselfe in these words The lord fighteth for them In the Prophecie of Iâ—el 1. 3. 4. Tell you your children of it saith the Prophet and let your children shewe to their children and their children to an other generation whether such a thing hath bene in your dayes or in the dayes of your fathers That which is left of the palmer worme hath the grashopper eaten and the residue of the grashopper hath the canker-worme eaten and the residue of the canker-worme hath the caterpiller eaten And these small creatures doth God call his great hoste shewing himselfe no where so strong as when hée worketh by weake and slender meanes When the lorde by his Prophet Moses Deutro 28. had feared the people by foretelling so many gréeuous punishments yet further to let them vnderstand howe strong hée was If thou wilt not keepe saith hee and do all the workes of this lawe and feare this glorious and fearefull name The Lorde thy God then the Lorde will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seede euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore diseases of long durance Moreouer he will bring vpon thée all the diseases of Egypt whereof thou wast affraid and they shall cleaue vnto thée And euery sicknesse and euery plague which is not written in the booke of this lawe will the lord heape vpon thée vntill thou be destroyed So true it is that the Prophet speaketh The arme of the Lord is not shortened but his hand is stretched out still Strong in his wrath stronger in his punishments and so strong that flesh and blood cannot endure the least thereof but is readie as it were to fall in pieces when it is remembred and when they heare of it The Lord the Lord strong and able to punish and 2 yet such is his nature that hee is more enclined to mercie Slow to anger And therefore to comfort the weake spirites of mankind that they should not vtterly faint and be dismaid through the consideration of his fearefull power he addeth these words which follow that is That he is mercifull and gracious slow to anger For as a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion no them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust So the Lord saith My spirit shall not alway striue with man because he is but flesh And here is his gratious mercy séen in that he doth not alway presently punish and out of hand The olde world had a hundreth yeares space a long time to be thinke themselues and to repent And after all this time it pleased the Lorde to looke downe vpon the earth before he gaue the last sentence and said vnto Noah An end is come Before God would procéed to his fierce vengeance against Sodome and Gomorrha although their sinnes were excéeding gréeuous and the crie therof ascended vp to heauen yet he said he would go down and sée whether they had done altogither according to the crie and if not that he might know As though he had wished and desired in his heart it had bene otherwise In the Epistle of S. Peter it is remembred of some in the latter dayes who hearing the Prophecie of the latter ende of the worlde and séeing it not come to passe after a long time should scoffe and mocke thereat and say Where is the promise of his comming for all thinges continue alike from the beginning of the creation To whom the Apostle thus answereth That a thousand yeares in the sight of the Lord is but as one day and that the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but that he is patient and would haue no man to perish but would that all should come to repentance The Lord is a mercifull and gracious God in forbearing Wisâ— H. 20. His mercy is vpon all and though it be in his power to destroy yet he maketh as though he sawe not the sinnes of men because they should amend Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes and the Lord would in mercy passe by our infinite efâ—ences if so be yet in time we would returne Although we haue gréeuously offended yet he doth not straightway execute his anger but patiently waiteth to sée whether his louing kindnesse and long suffering may prouoke vs to the obedience of his will and to do that earnestly and with a good heart from the which before we went so farre astray Hée dooth not punish vs according to our desert nor reward vs after our iniquities but sheweth himselfe most fauourable that our hearts may relent and serue him Although the Israelites kept not the couenant of their God as it is Psal 78. 38. 41. and walked not in his lawe but sinned against him more and more yet was he so mercifull vnto them that he forgaue them their misdéeds and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his wrath away and would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise For he considered that they were but fleshe and that they were euen as a winde that passeth away and commeth not againe God considering our frailtie and weakenesse is patient toward vs and so tender hearted that he would haue no man to perish And therefore before any punishment that God did vse against his people he gaue them warning thereof by his prophets that they might haue iust cause to say that the Lorde was gracious and mercifull As we reade in the booke of Nehemiah cap. 9. 30 31. that God did forbeare them many yéeres and protested among them by his spirit euen by the hand of his Prophets but they would not heare therefore he gaue them into the hands of the people of the lands Which point of Gods mercy let euery one of vs apply vnto himselfe and bethinke our selues how God doth beare with vs from day to day and what diuerse and often warnings hee vseth toward vs to moue vs to
continue constant But this is one of the vnchaungeable properties of god as to be stedfast in his promises According to that of the Apostle Saint Iames 1. 17. Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights with whome is no variablenesse neither shadowing by turning All his promises are yea and Amen that is to say certaine truthes For as he is aboundant in goodnes so also is he aboundant in truth God is alwaies mindful of his promise although it bee to a thousande generations As the Psalme doth testifie concerning the Israelites That God remembred his holy promise and Abraham his seruant For as he promised that his séed shuld increase into multitudes so also was it his promise that they shuld possesse the gates of their enemies For although they were a long time euil intreated and held vnder cruell slauery and bondage yet God for his promise and mercy sake at length did set them frée And brought them into a good and plentifull land flowing with milke and honie and abounding with all Gods blessings but so that it pleased God to trie them by many extremities Wherein our fraile nature is too weake for if god do not performe when we looke for it wée are readie straightway to say Is the promise of the Lord come to an end and hath he forgot to be good and gratious Should we receiue good at the Lords hand and not euill saith Iob And is it not for vs to wait and staie the Lords leisure And although many fall away for want of present performance yet let not vs doubt the goodnesse of God which is a sure staie in the time of néed if we be stedfast in hope and not too impatient in trouble And why should not we wait for the goodnesse of god although our miseries be great Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the latter raine If God for diuers necessary considerations regarding that which is most for his glory and our good do withdraw his helpe in this world yet he requites it in an other world graunting vs a better matter then we can desire of him And so it falleth out that when we thinke his promise doth vs least good then doth it turne to our best aduantage and greatest comfort requiting earthly miseries with heauenly ioyes So excéeding good is he vnto vs by vsing all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare and so doth hée helpe and staie vs lest we should fall away from him Yet fraile flesh is readie to fall away euery houre and 4 doth often fall away for all gods goodnes neuerthelesse the Reseruing mercy c. mercy of the Lord is such that he lifteth vs vp againe As the Psal 90. 3. saith When we are fallen into destruction yet the Lord hath a comfortable word and biddeth vs Come againe The Lord hath mercy in store and his goodnes is so great that he reserueth mercy for vs. It is too manifest that there are but a fewe that cleaue to the Lord and again that infinit thousands cast themselues away yet is the Lord so pittifull that he reserueth mercy for thousands The day of his wrath last iudgement is but one day but he delaieth that day many a thousand daies yéeres because he would Offering mercie haue no man perish but all to come to repētance Reseruing mercy by offring repentance saying At what time so euer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I wil put out all his wickednes out of my remembrance saith the Lord. If the wicked wil return from all his sinnes that he hath committed and kéep al my statutes and do that which is lawfull right he shall surely liue shall not die And in an other place if he returne he shall saue his soule aliue Euery where in the scriptures doth God shew forth his mercy by his seruants the Prophets warning his people early late in season and out of season Yet as the raine that falleth vpon the barren ground hath no effect so the mercy of God being offered doth not alwaies enter into our hearts Yea so hard a matter it is euen for those which pertaine to God to receiue his mercy offered that vnlesse God himself do turne their harts by giuing them repentance they shuld Giuing repētance neuer be saued What then shal we say to them that are left in their sinnes Surely as he is mercifull to his seruants so his reuenging hand is vpon the vngodly For on them he will raine suares fire and brimstone as saith the Psalme The more the God did offer mercy vnto his people the more they did refuse it Neuerthelesse saith God Psal 89. My mercy will not I vtterly take away nor suffer my truth to faile According as the Prophet Esay remembreth Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a smal remnant we should haue bin as Sodom and should haue bin like vnto Gomorrha Euen as a firebrand is taken out of the fire halfe burnt so doth the Lord reserue mercy euen when we deserue destruction and so it fareth with vs as with a théefe who is brought to the gallowes to suffer death with the halter about his neck yet by som extraordinary fauour is saued Doubtlesse by our sin desert al are lost and in the way of damnation but yet by the mercy and fauour of god whē many are left in their sins and sent to eternal punishments some after a wonderfull sort are saued And y◠which is more to be wondred Sauing thousands at euen thousands are saued As we read in the Reuelation of S. Iohn of such a Tribe wer sealed 12. thousand vntil it came to many thousands yet in respect of many other also y◠shal be saued they are but a few thousands Reseruing mercy for thousands as it were by a thousand meanes For A pluralitie of Gods mercies there is a pluralitie of gods mercies and more waies hée hath to bring vs vnto him then we can wel consider of Hée calleth vs vnto him by offering repentance he assisteth vs with his grace to do good moueth our mindes inwardly by infinit good inspiratiōs giueth vs space to repent by diuers occasiōs opportunities incouragements allureth vs outwardly with exhortations promises Feareth vs by his gréeuous punishments shewed vpō others for an example laieth gēlle correctiōs vpō vs as pouerty aduersitie losses sicknes threatneth vs with eternal death least we should vtterly be lost destroied with others Yet further are ther his preuenting mercies whereby he either vseth meanes to withdraw vs from our wickednesse or hindereth and stoppeth the euill intents of the diuell and the worlde kéeping vs from euill company and from euill counsell arming vs and giuing vs strength against them So soone as we rise in the morning we go
forth to fight with two great mightie giants the World and the Diuell And whom do we take with vs but a traytor euen this brittle flesh of ours which is readie to yéeld vs vp to the enemy at euery assault Only he which suffereth Satan to compasse vs doth preuent him and staie him from destroying vs. Amongst the rest as the Pardoning 2. Cro. 30. 8. Col. 2. 13. Ier. 31. 34. chiefest are there his pardaning and forgiuing mercies whē he putteth all our wickednes out of his remembrance that they shall not bee once mentioned against vs. And so prepareth our harts vnto him by writing his lawes in our hearts making vs hearts of flesh which before were stony and stubborne and making vs obedient being before sinfull and disobedient He reserueth mercy for vs by receiuing vs vnto mercy As the Apostle S. Paule testifieth of himselfe that he being the chiefest sinner and a great offender aboue many yet was receiued vnto mercy his iniquitie transgression Receiuing and sinne being forgiuen not imputed vnto him nor layd to his charge The fift consideration set downe in my text is concerning 5 the holy and righteous nature of God which abhorreth and punisheth wickednesse Whose mercy as it reacheth vnto thousands yet lest he should séeme thereby to fauour sinne and sinners by forgiuing iniquitie transgression Not making the wicked innocent and sinne therefore he addeth these words And not making the wicked innocent For although he fauour repentant sinners yet as touching them that are obstinate and continue in sinne he reckoneth not them among the innocent Shutting vp the declaration of his owne holy righteous nature by setting downe his iustice and seueritie against sinne to make vs beware lest we prouoke his anger by sinne and to strike a terrour and a feare into the hearts of all sinners and offenders giuing them to vnderstand what they are to look for if neither his mercy nor his threatenings will preuaile It séemes that the wicked are innocent because God doth not punish them and because in a maner they do what they list without controulment So they runne their course and God doth suffer them not because they are innocent but because their vengeance may be the heauier It is with them as it was with Shimei who cursed Dauid concerning whom he gaue a charge vnto his sonne Salomon saying Behold Shimei cursed me with a horrible curse but afterward he came vnto me and I sware vnto him that I would not slay him with the sword But thou shalt not count him innocent For thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to doo vnto him Therefore thou shalt cause his hoare head to goe downe to the graue with blood Which after fell out worthily because he brake the commaundement that the King had giuen him vppon paine of death and which he most willingly gaue his consent vnto so that his blood was vpon his owne head and his death came to him through his owne default Such is Gods gracious goodnes to suffer the wicked for a time deferring their punishment which euery houre they deserue and hée might put in execution and will no doubt performe it all in Quod differtur non aufertur his time For either they be cut off by a violent death or some way or other God sheweth his greeuous iudgements on them Though God withhold his hand yet he striketh at length and they shall not alwayes scape scotfrée that thinke themselues to be innocent When the Ammorites had filled the measure of their sinne Gods destruction came vpon them and when the time of the wicked is come they shall know themselues to be guiltie The teares go among good corne vntill the haruest but at haruest the teares are burnt and the good corne is brought into the barne preserued The wicked are among the iust and often are so taken in this world but in the world to come they paie for it when the iust and innocent shall be receiued into ioy Who thoughte themselues more holie then Corah Dathan and Abiram that murmured against the seruant of God Moses but the earth deuoured them to shewe that there was neither holinesse nor innocencie in them Some mens sinnes go before vnto iudgement and some follow after Some are punished in this life for an example vnto others and some escape vntill their dying day But as after death commeth iudgement so then shall it heauily be laide to their charge neither shall they be pronounced innocent As God is holie and innocent so no wicked and vncleane person shall come into his rest For without the gates of his heauenly Citie shall be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and all wicked persons who when their houre is come shall be rewarded according to their desertes A guiltie life will haue a fearefull death and torments wayt in an other world for carelesse finners in this world Guiltie and innocent can neuer agrée no more can life and death heauen and hell which may well put vs in mind of our estate least we be numbred and plagued among the guiltie and vngodly Else when we looke for mercy we may méete with iudgement For commonly this is in euerie mans minde and this is his resolution if they can escape the daunger of mans lawe although they be neuer so much faultie they thinke themselues as cleare as the best and that no man is able to laie any thing to their charge It may bee that we may goe for honest in the sight of the world but before god and in his fight we shall neuer be taken for innocent Againe this clause is well put in to make vs not to be too bold or to presume of gods mercy because as wee see his mercy and gracious kindnesse is so often remembred Although God be mercifull yet is he also iust and will not at the end account vngodly and wilfull sinners to be innocent A couetous man is desirous of more wealth then he can Conclusion well vse and a curious and searching minde would enter further into the knowledge of god then it can perfectly conceiue Wherfore let it suffice vs to know that onely which god hath reuealed of himselfe and that which is more necessary and néedfull for vs to vnderstand Euen that hée is iust and righteous to feare vs from sinne and to make vs desirous to continue in well doing Also that he is gratious and mercifull that we should not vtterly be discouraged if we haue offended god but that we should hope for mercie if we vnfeinedly and truly repent For God reserueth his mercy for such by forgiuing them their sinnes and so receiuing them vnto mercy Mercy and truth saith the Prophet haue met togither righteousnes and peace haue kissed each other The worlde is ouerflowne with wickednesse and many doe rather presume of Gods mercie then that euer they are like to be pertakers therof And here is the dump and this is
him not to hurt me If he thus said The spotted shal be thy wages then all the shéep bare spotted if he said thus the party coloured shal be thy reward then bare al the shéep party coloured Thus hath God taken away all your fathers substance and giuen it vnto me And the angell of god said vnto me in a dreame Iacob lift vp now thy eies and sée all the héegoats leaping vpon the shée-goats the are party-coloured For I haue séen all the Laban hath done vnto thée And now arise get thée hence out of this country and returne into the land where thou waste borne Then his wiues aunswered and said vnto him Haue wée any more portion and inheritaunce in our fathers house Therefore all the riches which god hath taken from our father is ours and our childrens now then whatsoeuer God hath said vnto thée doe it Then Iacob rose vp and set his sonnes and his wiues vpon camels and he carried away all his flocks and all his substance which he had gotten and so fled Which thing when Laban heard he made haste and ouertooke them and spoke angerly vnto Iacob And againe he said I am able to doe you euill But the God of your father spake vnto me yesternight saying Take héede that thou speake not to Iacob ought saue good Iacob said vnto Laban Except the God of my father the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had béene with me surely thou hadst sent me away nowe emptie But God beheld my tribulation and the labour of mine hands and rebuked thée yesternight Then Laban said Now therefore come and let vs make a couenant Gene. 27. 41. Therefore Esau hated Iacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him And Fsau thought in his mind the daies of mourning for my father will come shortly then I will slay my brother Iacob Gene. 32. Now Iacob went forth on his iourny and he was to méete with Esau And Iacob fearing his brother praied vnto God and said I am not worthy O Lord of the least of thy mercies which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruaunt I pray thée deltuer me from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau For I feare him least hee will come and smite me and the mother vpon the children Gene. 33. And as Iacob lift vp his eyes and looked behold Esau came and with him foure hundred men So Iacob went and bowed himselfe to the ground seuen times vntill he came neare to his brother Then Esau ranne to méete him and imbraced him and fell on his necke and kissed him and they wept And Esau said What meanest thou by all this droue which I met Who answered I haue sent it that I might finde fauour in the sight of my Lord. God chaunged Esaus murthering minde and malicious heart and turned it to loue his brother Iacob and to imbrace him louingly and friendly Concerning the hardning of hearts howe it pertaineth to God Rom. 9. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth Deut. 2. 30. Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let vs passe by him For the Lorde thy God had hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate because he would deliuer him into thine hand as appeareth this day Iosh 11. 20. It came of the Lord to harden their harts that they should come against Israel in battell to the intent that they should destroy them vtterly and shewe them no mercy but that they should bring them to naught as the Lord had commanded Moses 1. Sa. 2. 25. Ely warned his sonnes saying If one man sin against an other the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sin against the Lord who will pleade for him Notwithstanding they obeyed not the voice of their father because the Lord would â—ley them Iohn 12. 40. He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not sée with their eyes nor vnderstand with their hearts and should be conuerted and I should heale them To you saith Christ to his Disciples all thinges are opened that pertaine to the kingdome of heauen but to them which are without all thinges are spoken in parables God hath made mankinde of two sorts the one contrarieto the other the one to declare his mercy the other to declare his wrath and iudgement in both to set foorth his glory Rom. 9. 22. 23. The which thing the Apostle for our better vnderstanding doth teach vs by similitudes and comparisons Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honor and an other to dishonor What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that he might declare the riches of his glory vppon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glory 2. Tim. 2. 19. 20. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie Notwithstanding in a great house are not only vessels of gold of siluer but also of wood and of earth and some for honor and some for dishonor And that we may know and apply it to our selues whether wee pertaine to God or no he setteth downe the tokens and markes Verse 21. 22. If any man therefore purge himselfe he shall be a vessell to honour sanctified and méete for the Lord and prepared vnto euery good worke Fly also from the lustes of youth and follow after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart Rom. 8. 29. 30. Those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whome he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified Concerning the other sort whom he made to declare his wrath and iudgement thus we reade Exod. 4. 21. And the Lord said to Moses when thou art entred and come into Egipt againe sée that thou doe all the wonders before Pharaoh which I haue put in thy hand but I will harden his hart he shall not let the people goe Cap. 10. 1. Againe the Lord said vnto Moses Goe to Pharaoh for I haue hardned his hart the hart of his seruants that I might worke these my miracles in the midst of his realme Caep 9. 16. Of Pharaoh God said And indéed for this cause haue I annointed thée to shewe my power in thée and to declare my name throughout all the world cap. 14. 4. I will harden Pharaohs hart that he shall followe after you so I will get me honour vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his host the Egiptians also shall knowe that I am the Lord. Pro. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne
How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offred himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing god That this grace might not be in vaine God gaue with his sonne vnto his people all things pertaining to saluation and euerlasting life Rom. 8 3â— 32. What shall we then say to these things If god be on our side whom can be against vs Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Iohn 17. 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. 22. 23. 24. 26. Thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that hee should giue eternall life to all them that thou hast giuen him I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them and now am I no more in the worlde and I come to thée holy father kéepe them in thy nâ—â—e euen them whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as we are while I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name The glory that thou gauest me I gaue them that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me for thou louedst me before the foundation of the world I haue declared vnto them thy name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them He openeth this secret when men least looke for it Gen. 3. 15. When God was appointing punishment vnto our first parents he interlaceth this comfort I wil also put enmitie betwéen thée meaning the serpent or the dinel by the serpent and the woman and betwéene thy séede and her séede He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his héele Gen. 22. 18. When Abraham thought there was no way but death with his sonne because God had so commanded God altered his commandement and hauing tried his obedience he said That in his séede all the nations of the earth should be blessed Ephe. 2. 4. 5. God which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ by whose grace ye are saued Rom. 5. 6. 8. 10. For Christ when wee were yet of no strength at his time died for the vngodly God setteth out his loue toward vâ— séeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And when we were his enemies God reconciled himselfe vnto vs by the death of his sonne 1. Cor. 2. 7. 8. We speake the wisedome of god in a mistery euen the hid wisdome which god had determined before the world vnto glory Which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne for had they knowne it they wold not haue crucified the Lord of glory Collos 1. 25. 26. I am a minister according to the dispensation of god which is giuen me vnto you-ward to fulfill the word of god which is the mistery hid since the worlde began and from all ages but now is made manifest to his saints Eze. 16. 6. 8. 9. And when I passed by I sawe thée polluted in thine owne blood and I said vnto thée when thou wast in thy blood Thou shalt liue euen when thou wast in thy blood thou shalt liue Passing by thée and looking vppon thée behold thy time was as the time of loue and I spread my skirts ouer thée and couered thy filthinesse yea I sware vnto thée and entered into a couenant with thée saith the Lord God and thou becammest mine Then washed I thée with water yea I washed away thy blood from thée and I annointed thée with oyle Ephe. 2. 12. Ye which were without Christ and were aliants from the common-weale of Israel and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without god in the world Now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neare by the blood of Christ 1. Pet. 2. 10. Which intime past were not a people yet are now the people of god which in time past were not vnder mercy but now haue obtained mercy Men are blinded and yet thinke they see Iohn 9. 41. Iesus said vnto them If ye were blinde ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth Iohn 3. 19. This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light Iohn 1. 10. 11. He was in the world and the world knew him not he came vnto his owne and his own receiued him not Philip. 3. 6. Concerning the lawe I was vnrebukeable saith the Apostle of himself examining no more but his outward life Then in mercy God causeth their dangerous estate to be set before them by preaching of the lawe Rom. 3. 20. By the lawe commeth the knowledge of sin Lawe chap. 4. 5. The lawe causeth wrath chap. 5. 20. The laws entred thereupon that the offence should abound that it might appeare to be notorious in the sight of god Rom. 7. 9. For I once was aliue without the lawe but when the commandement came sinne reuiued and verse 14. The lawe is spirituall but I am carnall Rom. 2. 15. Which she we the effect of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one an other or excusing 1. Tim. 1. 9. 10. The law is not giuen to a righteous man but vnto the lawlesse and disobedient to the vngodly and to sinners to the vnholy and to the prophane to murtherers of fathers and mothers to men-stealers to liars to the periured and if there bee any other thing that is contrary to wholesome doctrine Gal. 5. 19. 20 21. 22. Moreouer the workes of the flesh are manifest which are adultery fornicatioÌ„ vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennesse gluttony and such like whereof I tell you before as I also haue tolde you before that they which doo such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god but verse 18. are vnder the curse of the lawe Deut. 25. 15. Rom. 7. 13. Sinne that it might appear sinne wrought death by the lawe 2. Cor. 2. 16. It is the sauour of death vnto death It casteth downe to hell it feareth and woundeth our consciences 2. Cor. 3. 9. It is the ministration of condemnation Ro. 7. 7. I knewe not sinne but by the lawe For I had not knowne lust except the lawe had said Thou shalt not lust 2. Tim.
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
sée that nothing is so rife there as corruption sinne and vanitie desiring to be deliuered from this bodie of sinne and from this vale of misery Let him that hath bought a yoke of oxen reioyce to proue them let him that hath purchased a farme make hast to furnish it and to possesse it let him that hath newly married a wife weary himselfe in his blinde pleasure let him that hath store of corne take care to build new barnes let him that hath wealth and riches and great store rest himselfe thereupon But let as many as are well minded with the Prophet Dauid say The greater sort craue worldly goods and riches do imbrace But Lord grant vs thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace For thou thereby shalt make my heart more ioyfull and more glad Then they that of their corne and wine full great increase haue had The Apostles wishing ioy to them that they wrote vnto mention not any worldly matters but the things that they wish vnto them are Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ They pray that God would open the eies of their minde and increase his knowledge in them How without our desert he hath chosen vs vnto life before the foundations of the world how through his mercie and precious death of his deare sonne we are redéemed and saued How of the enemies of God we are made his deare children by adoption howe by his grace and holy spirit we are not only called but also directed into newnesse holinesse of life how by his prouidence he suffereth vs not to want as also by the same how he turneth away all hurtfull things from vs and lastly how he nourisheth and cherisheth within vs the stedfast hope of the life to come That we may reioyce with the Apostle Eph. 1. 2. Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ Wherein although our chiefest ioy ought to be placed in heauenly things yet are we to be aduised that we do not make too base account and too vile a reckoning of those comforts and blessings which God hath graunted to vs in this world As to enioy publike peace and quietnesse to haue obedient wiues and tractable children trustie seruants and faithfull friends and such like tokens of Gods fauoure toward vs. And therefore hath God granted vs wisedom to estéeme of euery thing in his due place For if concerning those creatures of God which we think to be altogither vnprofitable the wise man willeth vs not curiously and disdainfully to aske What is this wherefore is that For God hath made all things for their owne vse howe much more concerning the blessings of this life ought we reuerently to be affected and also thankfully to accept of them But al the ioy of the godly concerning these worldly matters and blessings of this life is in the sober moderat vse of them wheras the wicked do abuse them to riot and excesse Wresting them from those ends for the which God hath appointed them which are his glorie our comfort and the mutuall benefit one of an other Wherin the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 29. doth wisely counsel vs. This say I brethren because the time is short heereafter that both they which haue wiues bee as though they had none and they that reioyce as they that reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not For the fashion of this world goeth away and here we haue no certaine dwelling place Whereas the ioy of the wicked in these worldly blessings which are no blessings to them but matters of further condemnation for their abusing of them is out of measure and altogither sinful Such as was in the daies of Noah they ate they dranke they married and gaue in marriage and such as was in the daies of Lot they bought they sold they planted they built their hearts being oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and they altogither ouercome and drowned in the cares of this life euen then when the latter day and the day of their destruction did suddeinly come vpon them To these may be added another ioy as comfortable to the Reioyce in infirmities soule conscience of a godly man as any of the rest And the is when they reioyce of their infirmities Not y◠any should reioyce in their sins but y◠by the grace of God by the power of his holy spirit we haue the mastry ouer those sins wherof we haue manifest proofe in our selues y◠they would haue the mastry ouer vs wherby we should become y◠bondslaues of y◠diuel and wherby we shuld throw our selues headlong into hell Wicked inclinations grow with vs euen from the cradle which as time age and yéeres procéed come on take strength begin to master vs and rule vs. Our field is all growne ouer with thistles and thornes and our life is nothing else but a platforme of vices And as the foure complexions in man are mingled in the constitution of the nature of man yet one quallitie is predominant ruleth the rest for either we are sanguine and pleasant or cholericke and angry or melancholicke and sad or phlegmaticke and heauie so is the soule of man infected with the pollution of sinne and with the mingle mangle of naughtie corruptions that he can discern no remnant of that perfection wherin it was first created that you may well say the soule of man is nowe become a mixture of sinnes yet one sinne among the rest challengeth the chéefest roome and beareth the greatest sway One is giuen to pride and euerie one noteth him by that vice another to drunkennesse and hée is knowne to be a tosseposse another to theft and robbery and he is pointed at and priuily marked for that another to fighting and he is called a slasher and a swingbuckler another to whoredome and the beast is spued at and his company loathed for suspition of a French disease and so in all vices if a man list to runne through them Wherin the wicked folow the course of their wicked nature and y◠with a great delight felicitie as though it were the only ioy to be desired and y◠with such gréedines as though they could neuer be satisfied and withal such blindnes headlong affection that may wel be pitied but it is a doubt it will neuer be amended y◠in mercy they might be saued That the Apostle might wel say of them 2. Tim. 2. 26. that they are in the snare of the diuel are taken of him at his wil. Yea they reioyce in his seruice and wil by no means be deliuered although they be neuer so much perswaded therunto no not after seuen seuen yéeres but offer their eares to be bored through in token of perpetual seruice and sell themselues to worke wickednesse as
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
and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice maruell not For so it is like to come to passe So that there are feares and cares inough and matters to make them guiltie and their soules heauie that haue set their hearts vppon honour howsoeuer at the first it haue a glorious shew in the sight of the world but as for delight to speake and say it truly there is none When the wise King had shewed me thus much what Pleasure flawes crackes and rents there were in the chéefest delights of worldly men it was a matter too easie to iudge of the rest and of the meaner sort Which could terme no otherwise but méere foolishnesse and madnesse toyes and trifle The viole and harpe and musicall instruments how do they delight the hart What a ioy is it to spend our time in minstrelcie and dancing But what if musicke haue his mourning and that such foolish mirth doo ende in heauinesse What is beautie but the prouoking of lust and the forgetfulnes of God which maketh vs with an impudent face to say when we are called to God from this and all other earthly vanities I am maried to bewtie haue set my hart on vanity therfore he saith not haue me excused but in plaine tearmes I cannot come And when we thinke of braue apparell and delicate fare as though that were a thing to be desired let vs remember the rich man which was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicately euerie day who though hée flaunted on the earth and made the worlde his chiefest heauen yet afterward fried in torments and found the dolefull hell to he his dwelling place for euer Now what purpose is it for vs to desire to liue long Long life when there are no true delights but shewes and shadowes thereof When all things in our life are vaine what pleasure is it to liue séeing that as it is most certaine the longer we liue the more sinfull wée are This life of ours must haue an ende and peraduenture a fearefull or an vngodly end which if we could but remember and thinke vpon it would abate and pull backe our reioycing hearts although all our delight were to liue How much better were it to prepare our selues against the day of death Séeing that a short life is sometime a great blessing of God when as the course of sinne shall be cut off in vs And againe when we are taken away from wofull times to come and from those miseries which fall vppon the world VVisedome 4. Enoch was taken away least wickednesse should alter his vnderstanding For wickednesse deceiueth and bewitcheth the minde and the vnstedfastnesse of concupiscence doth soone peruert the simple heart And because the soule of this holy man pleased God therefore hasted he to take him away from wickednesse Yet the people see vnderstand it and consider no such things in their hearts how the grace and mercy is vpon his Saints and his prouidence ouer the elect The wicked and vngodly although they liue long in great prosperitie and sée not the graue in many yeares yet is their estate accursed and they liue long to their greater vengeance and condemnation vntill the measure of their sinne be filled vp to the brim and that the iudgement of GOD wayt for them at the doore Séeing then that these delights which worldly minded men make so great account of come to nothing and are in themselues but méere vanities and as it were shaddowes without a bodie and therfore may fitly be compared to Sâ—dome Apples which in outward sight and shewe are very faire and beautifull but when we come neare to touch them they fall to ashes Let vs returne to the true delight and only paradice of the soule I mean the word of God in VVord which paradice is the trée of the knowledge of good euil the trée also of life and immortalitie wherein are perfections to be found and such as may well content the heauenly Angels and blessed soules Which is the onely instruction of wisedome the guide of our life the light in darknesse which sheweth vs a way to enter into paradice although Cherubins and the blade of a sword shaken be set to kéepe the way of the trée of life I meane it sheweth vs the way into the highest heauens although there be many lets and hinderances to kéepe vs backe And the way that it onely Feare chaulketh out vnto vs is this The feare of the Lord and the especiall regard of his wil and commandements which hath the promises and blessings of this life and of that also which is to come By which direction of the feare of God we reade that the famous Patriarch Abraham was safe from the iniuries of straungers Lot deliuered from the deuouring fire that came downe from heauen and from those dreadfull iudgements Noah escaped the drowning flood and perished not with the vngodly Iob that worthie mirrour of all succéeding ages preserued from the rage wicked intent of the diuel Iacob set frée from the murthering hand of his brother Esau Ioseph from misery exalted to honour Enoch taken from the wicked world and translated into heauen By which examples and testimonies drawne out of the word of God we sée the high and great commendations of the feare of God and that there is no worldly delight to be compared vnto it In a word the chiefest commodities and blessings that the heart of a naturall man can desire and the greatest glory that he can wish to rise vnto all are included and comprehended within the feare of God Vnto the which that I may as I would exhort you let vs call to our remembrance the words that God spake vnto his people by his seruant Moses saying O that there were such a heart in them to seare mee and to keepe all my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them and with their children for euer O that they were wise then would they vnderstand this then would they know that the feare of God doth make a blessed life and a happie end That we may perceiue that the fear of God doth teach vs to be vpright and iust and to eschue euill as it did Iob that so God may grant our requests as he heard and granted the praiers of Cornelius that it may come to vs as it did vnto Iudeth that none be able to bring an euill report of vs because we feare God Finally that it may be said of vs as it was of King Dauid that hée was a man after Gods owne hart because that with all the power that was in him he did performe those things which God woulde haue him and that we may be minded as he was I had rather be a doore keeper saith he in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the Pallaces of Princes And so as people indued with wisedome and with an heauenly spirit let vs passe by these delights of the world which
through our sin and vngodlines we lose not our happie estate in the world to come As touching the knowledge of our selues that is of our The knowledge of our selues excellent estate wherein we were created of our fall wherby we lost and forfaited that estate and howe againe we are restored vnto the same the word of god doth thus instruct Mans excellent estate vs. That god by his infinit goodnesse created man according to his image and likenes to this end that he should be good holy immortall happie and partaker of all his benefits hauing then and in his time of innocencie Fréewil to fulfill and performe those things which god required at his hands and to do his will and commandements Lastly in graunting him the rule gouernment ouer all his creatures The knowledge of our fall consisteth herein and so His fall we are taught that man being created in so excelleÌ„t estate continued not in his innocencie and vprightnesse but fell away by his disobedience from god and from his excellent estate The causes of whose fall were the temptations of the Diuel the enemy of all mankinde the enticement of Eue his wife his infidelitie in not veléeuing gods word to be true and doubting the punishment which god foretold lastly his own high mind and wicked wil by which means he disobeyed god and so became sinfull The sequele and effects of his disobience sin and fall were theirs that thereby he prouoked gods wrath against himselfe that according to his deserts he was vexed with infinit miseries and that he brought death vppon himselfe and vpon all his posteritie And so through sin he chaunged the image of god into the image of the diuel and caused that his ofspring and posteritie should be by nature the children of wrath and subiect to miserie death and damnation Concerning the restoring of man we reade that gods His restoring mercy herein is great and singular who according to his infinit and vnspeakable goodnesse pittying mans miserie of his méere grace â—nd fauour did giue his owne sonne to death for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And that the meane whereby man should be restored was that the sonne of god should be incarnat and take our flesh of a godly woman and pure virgin being conceiued of the holy ghost and thereby pure and without sin Who in our flesh performed perfect obedience to make vs acceptable who by dying in the flesh did satisfie Gods wrath and by death ouercame death and him that had the power of death that is the diuell who deliuered the faithfull children of Adam and set them frée from the bondage of Sathan who procured them to be adopted the sonnes of God being by nature the children of wrath who sanctified them and inducd them with the gifts and graces of his holy spirit that they might be framed to expresse the image of God in their liues and conuersation that they might be holy both in bodie and soule and so recouer their former estate and become fellowe heires with Christ of euerlasting life being immortall and blessed and eternally glorified And thus when in our painfull endeuours we shal perceiue that God hath graunted vnto vs to vnderstand his will and his word it will bréed an inward comfort in our hearts and consciences which shall be a sufficient witnesse vnto vs both of Gods loue and fauour and of his sauing and euerlasting mercies toward vs. God gaue the heathen people a land wherein were riuers Conclusion of waters and fountaines a land of wheate and barley and of viniards and figge trées and pomegranates a land of oyle and honie a land wherein was no scarcitie a land whose stones were iron and out of whose mountaines they dig brasse they possessed great and goodly citties and houses full of all manner of goods they wanted no earthly commodities that their hearts could desire All which blessings although they enioyed them to the full yet in respect of the word of God they were all but as vaine shadowes The great blessings of his word and of his lawes he gaue onely to his owne people He dealt not so doth the Prophet say with the Heathen nay he dealt not so with any nation vnder the Sunne neither had the Heathen knowledge of his lawes Which great blessing and the onely treasure of all treasures we enioying through the mercy and fauour of God shall we be found so negligent as not to search and spend some time and studie therein The time shall come saith Christ that ye shal desire one of the daies of the sonne of man and shall not sée them What if God should send a famine not of bread nor of bodily foode but of his precious word What if he should punish vs by Idolatry by giuing power to a straunge nation to ouerrunne vs. We may wander from sea to sea and from the North euen to the East then we may runne too and fro to séeke the word of the Lord and yet not be partakers of our desires Now we may reade let not the opportunitie slip vntill the time come that we may wish and want We neuer lightly know what health is till sicknesse come and then we may be nearer to death then to recouer our health What was it to Moses that he could sée that pleasant land and goodly lebanon and could not enter into it And what comfort will it be to vs to thinke that we had time to reade and search the word of God when we shall be debarred from the vse therof O that we could be perswaded to reade and search that we might finde eternall life or that the loue thereof were planted in our hearts that we might bee desirous still to heare reade and meditate in the same who in so doing are pronounced blessed Blessed is the man whose delight is in the lawe of the Lord and therein doth he meditate that is continually spend a great part of his time in that holy and heauenly and sauing exercise Which blessing God of his mercy grant vs and frame our mindes to the earnest desire of reading and vnderstanding his wil and and his word and I pray God giue effect to the same and prosper it To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost c. Some reade the word for fashion sake Idle readers Mat. 13. 19. Much like the high way seede And some being touch't by gods good grace Christian workers Mat. 5. 6. Do reade it for their neede Yet is the wisest naturall man 1. Cor. 2. 14. Herein but ignorant and blinde And daily must we pray to God Praier for vnderstanding Eph. 1. 16. 20. Iam. 1. 5. Colloss 1. 9. To light our darkned minde And if that profit we do meane To get and gaine thereby We must not reade but once and twice To satisfie the eye But often must the cud be chu'd Read often if we minde truly to profit Ps
1. 1. 2. Ios 1. 8. Mat. 13. 23 That more delight be found And often must the land be til'd To make a perfect ground Causes why men vnderstand not the Scriptures Naturalll blindnesse Worldly wisedome No loue and hartie affection to reade the Scriptures A forestalled and preiucate minde An vnrepentant heart They read not to mend their liues and edifie their soules Necessary rules to vnderstand the Scriptures Praier that Gods spirit may take away our blindnesse To deny our selues A mind desirous to learne A renued and reformed heart A mind wholy setled on the loue of God The principall scope the glory of God the amendment of our liues and maners and the reformation of our errours Causes why we do not take profit by the Scriptures Slacknesse in reading Ignorance of certaine words and names Ignorance of the chiefe drift of the matter Ignorance of the effect of the law and the Gospell To erre from the rule of faith contained in the Creede and from the consent of scriptures by extrauagant opinions which haue not warrant in the word Contempt of Interpreters and godly Ministers whose learning and reading is sufficient to instruct thee to satisfie and resolue thee Of God Exodus 34. 6. 7. So the Lord passed before his face and cried The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger abundant in goodnesse and truth Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne not making the wicked innocent SImonides a learned and wise Philosopher being on a time demanded what God was gaue not any suddaine answere but tooke a pause and stood much in doubt what answere to make At last perceiuing with himselfe that he was vnable presently to resolue the question desired a day longer to thinke on the matter which time being expired and his answer looked for he desired two daies more At the two daies ende being vnreadie as before he prolonged to giue his iudgement and still doubled the time Wherupon the other maruelling and desirous to know the cause wherfore he refused to answer séeing he could delaie the time no longer but that he must néeds speake somewhat He burst forth into these words saying The longer I consider of it the more darke your question séemeth to be to me and more intricate For it laie not in his wisedome nor in the wisedome of any man to comprehend the infinit nature of God Canst thou measure the earth or sounde the depth of the sea or perfectly discerne how high the heauen is from the earth If these matters be vnpossible vnto thée much lesse shalt thou be able to set downe what God is who filleth the heauen and the earth and all places Which thing when thou settest thy selfe about to knowe it is as if thou were placed in the midst of a labyrinth or maze wherein thou maeist goe too and fro and when thou thinkest thy selfe almost out then art thou intangled as if there were no end The longer wee muse vppon this mistery to know what God is the longer we may and yet neuer the nearer So that we may say as the Astrologians and Chaldeans answered King Nabuchadnezer It is a rare thing and none can declare it vnlesse it bee God himselfe whose dwelling is not with flesh More safe therefore it were only reuerently to think of God his sacred and incomprehensible maiestie and not to medle with so waightie a matter but that it hath pleased God himselfe to vtter the same to his seruant Moses and so to all posteritie For as God did not shewe his maiestie vnto Moses when he desired to sée him but only his hinder parts so also bicause Moses had not the capacitie to cōceiue the nature and essence of God therfore he let him vnderstand what he was by his properties and qualities in these words The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnes and truth Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sin and not making the wicked innocent This Text standeth especially vpon these two principall points his iustice and his mercy which are the two notable effects of his nature and wherunto may be referred all that is spoken of him in the scriptures Which here in a fewe words is liuely set downe and described Of the which we may consider in order as they lye nothing vnto vs these fiue thinges First his sacred Maiestie and the force of his power Secondly his gentle disposition inclined rather to mercie Thirdly how hée vseth all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare and loth that any should offend Fourthly howe hée offereth and performeth mercy vnto sinners Fiftly his holy and righteous nature abhoring and punishing wickednesse These wordes which I haue reade vnto you did God giue forth of himselfe vnto Moses at the deliuery of his lawe principally to strike a maiestie and reuerence into the hearts of the people that they might haue care to fulfill his lawe and not to set light by it For although God did shewe himselfe so friendly and so fauourable vnto his people yet would hee not haue them too much to presume Therefore hée vseth a maiestie to remoue all contempt For as by nature wée are giuen to disdaine and to despise and are most prone vnto contempt so was it most requisite that this meane should be vsed to restraine and bridle our disordered nature The experience whereof we may sée in children toward their parents For the familiaritie which parents vse to their children doth make them lesse to be regarded And if their parents doo commaund them to doo any thing they will grudge thereat whereby they growe to such boldnesse that this familiaritie dooth bréede within them an inwarde kinde of contempt But if in their countenance iesture and all their behauiour the parentes shewe a gouernment agréeable to their estate to holde their children in dutifull subiection then will they vse great reuerence vnto their parents and stande in awe of them and in willing sort will be most readie to obey In like sort God would not haue his people so much to presume of his fauoure and good will toward them as though they could vse the same at their will and being his creatures they should lift vp themselues as though they were equall to their Creator But being their God and their Creator therby they should vnderstande that his moste highe supremacie was so great aboue them that by righte and authoritie hee mighte commaunde them To plante in their heartes suche a dutifull care as was méete and conuenient For nothing dooth sooner abrogate and abolish the waightie consideration of lawes which is the bond of ciuilitie and societie among men then contempt and againe nothing can more confirme and establish them then a dutifull care ioyned with reuerence Therefore had God an especiall regard of the estimation and reuerent account of his lawe least the Maiestie thereof togither with his authoritie might be neglected and little set
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
mercy and compassion yea he onely forgiueth because he onely is offended I euen I saith he am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Yea though they were as redde as scarlet and as a menstruous cloth as the starres of the skie and as the sande of the sea-shore which is innumerable Euen originall sinne which Originall sin is the roote of all mischief within togither with al the branches thereof the lusts of the heart the euill motions of the minde the consent of reason the déed performed He forgiueth all our negligence in not kéeping his commandemeÌ„ts and our transgression and rebellion against them he hath deliuered vs from the guilt and from the punishment and hath fréely inriched vs with life eternall by the merites and intercessions of Christ Iesus our mediatour who is our redemption and sanctification and satisfaction that we might bee deliuered from condemnation for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes that are passed This is that righteousnesse of God through the faith of Iesus euen the remission of sins wherunto all the prophets witnesse The Apostle speaketh by way of proclamation Be it knowne vnto you therefore men and bretheren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenes of sins and from all things from which ye cannot be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euery one that beléeueth is iustified By way of consolation and comfort for they are glad tidings Litle children I write vnto you because your sinnes are forginen you for his name sake By way of doctrine And ye knowe that he was made manifest that he might take away our sinnes In whome we haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Neuerthelesse though we be fréed from the punishment yet are we subiect Affliction and correction to the correction which it pleaseth god to lay vpon vs either for the triall of our faith and patience or to bring vs to humilitie or for some other occasion which he in his wisdome best knoweth The second branch of the righteousnesse of God by faith 2. Imputation of Christ his righteousnes is the Imputation of Christ his righteousnes wherby we are iustified stand as righteous before the iudgement seat of God not being cloathed with our merits but being inriched with his mercy In coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of which righteousnes we are to cite to summoÌ„ our selues before the tribunall seat of Gods iudgement where we shal vnderstand what is that righteousnes which is required at out our haÌ„ds eueÌ„ a most perfect and absolute obedience of the lawe which reqireth VVhat is the true righteousnesse Man is altogither sinne the heart and a most heauenly purenesse And séeing that man is full of corruption and wickednesse and from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing in him but wounds and swellings and sores and that the head is sicke and the whole heart is heauy contrariwise Christ being man and taking our sinfull flesh vpon him yet being without sinne is in most glorious sort apparelled with righteousnesse yea euen the hemme of his vesture lacketh not vertue being so gloriously arraied in a vesture of broydered gold and néedle worke as the Prophet speaketh from Christ haue we all our clearnesse and puritie all our attire wherein we shine as Angels of light by whom all righteousnesse is deriued vnto vs which the prophet in the person of Iehoshua liuely Zacharâ—ah 3. 3. expresseth Now Iehoshua was clothed with filthy garmeÌ„ts and stood before the Angel and he spake vnto those yâ— stood by him saying Take away the filthie garments from him And vnto him he said Beholde I haue caused thine iniquitie to depart from thee I will cloath thee with change of raiment And I said let them set a faire diademe vppon his head so they set a faire diademe vppon his head and cloathed him with garments and the Angel of the Lord stood by What may be the filthie garments Euen the vncleannesse of our wickednes the impurity of our thoughts our abhominable and daily weltring in our sinnes and vntill they are taken away howe ougly and contemptible are we in the sight of God Which place of the Prophet though some interpret it of Christ in that he was cloathed in our flesh and bare our sinnes yet in respect of vs it may haue this sence and meaning For what are wée else before it please god to take mercy vpon vs He it is that cleanseth vs from our sinnes for his name sake he it is that sawe vs when when we were polluted in our bloode and then he said we should liue euen when we were polluted in our blood he said Thou shalt liue Behold I haue caused thine iniquitie to depart away from thée and I will cloath thée with change of raiment For hee What the rich garment is wherewith the polluted sinner is aâ—â—aied was made sinne for vs that knewe no sinne that wée should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Yea where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more that as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse to eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lorde Which righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ is imputed vnto all and vpon all that beléeue By this imputation we are cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ through whome we behold the face of God to be vnto vs most chéerefull by whome we haue an enteraunce vnto the father by whose puritie and holinesse all our spottes are couered Without which imputation all our workes are vnrighteous for by the righteousnesse of faith are all our workes made perfect and being ingraffed into Christ and made partakeres of his righteousnesse our The effect of this righteousnesse workes are accounted before God as iust and righteous in whome all our imperfections are blotted out and those workes which are done of faith are accepted through the imputation of Christ his righteousnes For as in vs there is nothing but sinne so in Christ is all our sufficiency vpon whom as vpon the sacrifice was cast that curse of man that his condemnation might be our absolution and our happinesse his righteousnesse according to that of the prophet Dauid who knew it by his owne experience to be most true that the man is blessed vnto whome God imputeth righteousnesse without workes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not sin that the lord might only be iust and a iustifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus Who tooke vpon him our person was accused for vs and iudged as a sinner not for his owne but for the faults and transgressions of other being himselfe pure and
without spot that he might vndertake that punishment that was due vnto our sins and endue vs with his righteousnes So that now we are iust and righteous in him not that we can satisfie the iudgement of God by our owne workes but that we are accounted iust and righteous through Christ who is ours through faith Who is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse satisfaction and redemption that he that reioyceth might only reioyce in the Lord for whose sake we are fréely accounted both iust innocent before god in whom are seene the glorious treasures of God that wée might bée inriched by him For if wée looke for saluation wée are taught by the very name of Iesus that it is in him if wée séeke for any other gifte of the spirit they are to bée found in his annointing if wée séeke for strength it is in his dominion if we séeke for cléerenesse it is in his conception if we séeke for tender kindnesse it sheweth it selfe in his birth whereby he was made in all things like vnto vs that he might learne to sorrowe with vs. If we séeke for redemption it is in his passion if we séeke for absolution it is in his condmnation if wée séeke for release of the curse it is in his crosse if we séeke for satisfaction it is in his sacrifice if wee séeke for clensing it is in his blood if wée séeke for reconciliation it is in his going downe into hell if we séeke for mortification of the flesh it is in his buriall if wée séeke for newnesse of life it is in his resurrection if for immortalitie it is in his victory ouer death if we seeke for the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen it is in his entraunce into heauen if wée séeke for defence for assurednesse for plentie and stoare of all good thinges it is in his kingdome And therefore this is the diademe and bewtifull crowne that is sette vpon our heads the fine linnen and the silke and the broidered worke wherewith wée are couered these are the ornaments wherewith wée are decked the bracelets on our hands and the chaine that is put about our neckes this is the frontlet on our face the earings in our eares this is the garment of siluer and gold wherewith wée are cloathed this is the fine flower the hony and the oyle whereby we become so bewtiffull Euen the remssion of our sinnes and the imputation of Christ his righteousnesse who hath put away our transgressions like a cloud and our sinnes like a mist and filled our harts with ioy and gladnesse that in a sure confidence we may break out and say Nowe there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Reioice therefore O ye heauens at the goodnes and mercie of the Lord for he only hath done it shout ye lower partes of the earth brast foorth into praises yee mountaines 3. Sanctification The lawe is fulfilled of the regenerate by reason of Christ O forrest and euerie trée threin The third braunch is sanctification and holinesse of life whereby as before being vnregenerate we hated the lawe and the lawe was vnto vs the cause of death nowe being reconciled to God of our owne accord respecting our former rebellion we are readie and obedient to doe the will of God yea and all our delight is therein so nowe vnto vs it ceaseth to bee a curse and condemnation for the lawe of God is writte in our harts whereby we vnderstand the will of God and are stirred vp to the obedience thereof So then through faith the lawe is not made of none effect but it doeth rather establish the lawe For without Christ the lawe is not fulfilled yea it setteth our concupiscence on fire and maketh vs subiect vnto condemnation but in Christ we find the exact righteousnesse of the lawe for he is the end of the lawe to eucrie one that beleeueth by whom also we are sanctified and our hearts framed to the obedience of the lawe which though it be vnperfect yet doth it aime at perfection And this obedience procéedeth from faith which through the merit of Christ obtaineth the holie spirit which spirit doth make vs newe harts doth exhilarat vs doth incite and inflame our harts to doe the lawe willinglie Nowe the lawe in the regenerate that is in those whose sinnes are forgiuen vnto whom the righteousuesse of Christ is imputed who are sanctified bringeth foorth good frutes Therefore euill actions procéede not from the lawe and from The workes of the regenerate no cause of iustification the regenerate but from sinne and our corrupt nature Neither let vs thinke so highly of these frutes as though from thence our iustification were deriued For though we hate sinne in other men and especially in our selues although we delight in all things which are agréeable to the A true doctrine of good workes will of god although all our actions and conuersation do expresse the same yet are they but signes and tokens of our loue to God and arguments to vs of our election and frutefull examples to drawe others to that excellent knowledge which is in Christ The lawe in the regenerate a mind rightly formed and ruled perswaded on thing but corruption also which hath her seate in the regenerate an other thing for it striueth against the spirit and the lawe of the In the regenerate is a fight betwixt the flesh and the spirit An especiall comfort in this fight is that we are vnder grace mind so that they cannot either liue as wel as they would or be so voide of sinne as they could wish Neuerthelesse this is their comfort that they are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace whereby enioying the fauour mercie fréegoodwill and beneuolence of God towarde vs in Christ the reliques of sinne are not imputed vnto vs but we are reputed and accounted before God as men fullie and perfectly iust He hath giuen vs his spirit the fulnes whereof we do not enioy because in this life there will alwaies remaine in vs remnants of sinne which fight against the spirit Which conflict the Apostle plainly setteth forth before our eies hauing sufficient experience thereof in himself For the mind of a regenerate man is spirituall but he himself is carnall sold vnder sinne and that which he hateth that doth he in his flesh there is no good thing To wil is present but he findeth no means to perform that which is good yea euil togither continually is present with him and though his inner man delight in the lawe of God yet doeth he sée an other lawe in his members rebelling against the lawe of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in his members And that euen the godly might know that they are laden The profit of this fight with infirmities therefore is this sting left in their flesh that they might alwaies haue recourse vnto the Lord who is able to beate downe
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
execute his election VVHen God determined with himself the things before The foundation of that election which is manifest vnto vs. meÌ„tioned he by a more manifest order of causes which notwithstanding was eternal as all things are present to him disposed orderly all the degrées whereby he wold bring his elect vnto his kingdom Forasmuch therfore as he is merciful yet could not forget his iustice before al other things it was necessary that a mediator shuld be appointed by whoÌ„ maÌ„ might be perfectly restored and that this shuld be done by the mercy grace which doth appear in the saluation of his elect But maÌ„ being so weak that he cannot abide the waight of gods wrath doth so much flatter himselfe in his most miserable blindnesse that he cannot perceiue it because he is wholly in bondage to sin so that the lawe of god is to him as death so farre is he vnable of himselfe to recouer his liberty or to satisfie the lawe of God in the very least â—ote God therefore the most mercifull father of the elect moderating in such sort his iustice with his infinit Iesus Christ our mediator mercy appointed his onely sonne who was the very same substance and God eternall with him that at the time determined he should by the power of the holy ghost be made very man to the end that both the natures being ioyned in Iesus Christ alone first all the corruption of man should Iustification and santification in christ be fully healed in one man who should also accomplish all iustice and moreouer should be able inough to sustaine the iudgement of God and be a Priest sufficient and worthy of himself to appease the wrath of God his father in dying as iust and innocent for them that were vniust sinners couering our disobedience purging all our sinnes which were laid vpon him And finally with one onely offering and sacrifice of himself should sanctifie al the elect mortifieng and burying sin in them by the partaking of his death and buriall quickening them into newnesse of life by his resurrection so that they should finde more in him then they had lost in Adam And to the intent this remedy should not be found ordained in vaine the Lord god determined to giue his son with al things appertaining vnto saluation to theÌ„ whoÌ„ he had determined in himself to choose on the other side to giue theÌ„ vnto his son that they being in him he in theÌ„ might be coÌ„summate made perfect in one by these degrées that follow according as it pleased him to bring foorth euery one of his elect into this world For first when it pleaseth him to disclose that secret which he had purposed froÌ„ before al beginning at such time as meÌ„ least looke for it As meÌ„ are blinded and yet think they sée most cleare when as in very déede death and damnation hangeth ouer their heads hée commeth suddenly setteth before their eies the great danger Externall vâ—caâ—ionâ— wherein they are and that they might be touched more sharply and liuely he addeth to the witnesse of their owne conscience being as it were a sléepe and dead the preaching of his lawe examples of his iudgements to strike them The lawe with the horrour of their sinnes Not that they should remain in that feare but rather that beholding the great danger thereof should flie to that onely mediator Iesus Christ In whom after the sharpe preaching of the lawe he setteth The Gospell foorth the swéete grace of the Gospell but yet with this condition that they beléeue in him who onely can deliuer them from condemnation and giue them right and title to the heauenly inheritance Yet all these things were but vaine if he should only set before mens eyes these secrets by the externall preaching of his word written and published in the Church of God which notwithstanding is the ordinary meanes whereby Iesus Christ is communicate vnto vs. Therefore as touching his elect vnto the externall The inward calling preaching of his word he ioyneth the inward working of his holy spirit the which doth not restore as the Papists VVhat Free-will is after the fall of Adam imagine the remnants or residue of Fréewill For what power soeuer of Fréewill remaineth in vs serueth to no other vse but willingly to sin to flie from God to hate him and so not to heare him nor to beléeue in him neither yet to acknowledge his gift no not so much as to thinke a good thought and finally to be children of wrath malediction But contrariwise changeth their hard hearts of stone into soft hearts of flesh draweth them teacheth them lighteneth their eyes and openeth their sence their heart their eares and vnderstanding First to make theÌ„ to know as we haue said before their own misery and next to plaÌ„t in them the gift of faith wherby they may perform the condition which is ioyned Faith hath two parts Faith which doth apprehend iustificaon by Christ and sanctification to the preaching of the gospel And that standeth on two points the one wherby we know Christ in generall beléeuing the story of Christ and the prophecies which are writ of him the which part of faith as we shal declare in due place is sometimes giuen to the reprobate The other which is proper and only belonging to the elect consisteth in applying Christ who is vniuersally and indifferently preached to all men to our selues as ours And that euery man make himselfe sure of his election which hath bene hid before al time in Gods secret and afterwards reuealed vnto vs partly by inward testimony of our conscience through the holy Ghost ioyned to the externall preaching of Gods word and partly also by the vertue and power of the same spirit who deliuering the elect from the seruitude of sinne perswadeth and conducteth them to will and worke the things which pleased God These then be the degrées whereby it pleased God to create and forme by his especiall grace that precious and peculiar gift of faith in his elect to the intent that they may imbrace their saluation in Iesus Christ But because this faith in vs is yet weake and only begunne to the end that we may not only perseuer in it but also proffit which thing is most necessary for all men to do first according to the time that our adoption is reuealed vnto vs this Baptisme faith is sealed in our hearts by the sacrament of Baptisme and afterward euery day more and more is confirmed and sealed in vs by the sacrament of the Lords supper Of the The Lords supper which two Sacraments the principall end is that they bée sure and effectuall signes pledges of the communion of the faithfull with Christ who is their wisdome iustice sanctification and redemption For this occasion it is so oftentimes mentioned by Saint Paul that we being iustified by faith haue peace with
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
God hath raised vs vp togither and made vs sit togither in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Philip. 1. 23. For I am greatly in doubt on both sides destring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Luke 23. 43. Iesus said to the théefe that repented Verily I say vnto thée To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice And chapter 16. 22. And it was so that the begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Wisâ— 3. 1. But the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Eccle. 12. 7. And dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit returne to God that gaue it Then shall they enioy fully that vnspeakeable comfort prepared Rom. 8. 18. For I account that the affictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Mat. 25. 34. Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world 1. Cor. 15. 42. 43. 53. The bodie is sowne in corruption and is raised in corruption It is sowne in dishonour and is raised in glory it is sowne in weakenesse and is raised in power For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie 1. Cor. 2. 9. The things which eye hath not séene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him By whose vertue and spirit they haue proceeded and gone forward from faith to faith as shall manifestly appeare by the whole course of their life and good workes Rom. 1. 17. The righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith â—â— 2. Reâ— 1. 2â—1 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of God of Iesns our Lord. According as his godly power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowkledge of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto Ioine moreoner vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperaunce and with temperaunce patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue For if these things be among you and abound they wil make you that ye neither shal be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ For he that hath not these things is blinde and cannot sée farre off and hath forgotten that hee was purged froÌ„m his olde sinnes Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall For by these meanes an entering shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the cuerlasting kingdom of out Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Whereas altogither contrary the Reprobate conceiued borne and brought vp in sin death and the wrath of God when they depart out of this world they fall into another gulfe of destruction and their soules are plunged in that endlesse paine vntill the day come that their bodies and solues being ioined again they shall enter into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels 〈◊〉 Psal 5 â—â—â—5 Behold I was borne in iniquitle and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me Ephe. 2. 3. And were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Rom. 7. 14. sold vnder sinne Rom. 5. 14. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned Dani. 12. 2. And many of them that sléepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Iohn 5. 28 29. Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done cuill to the resurrection of condemnation Luke 16. 22. 23. 24. The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell torments he lift vp his yes and sawe Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his hosome Then he cried and said Father Abraham haue merry on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his singer in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame But Abraham said Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented Mat. 25. 41. Then shall he say to them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels The seuenth Chapter After what sort this doctrine may be preached with most profit SInte wee haue nowe declared the effect of this doctrine VVhat discretion the matter requireth it remaineth also that wee shewe what order we thinke best to be obseruâ—â— in preaching and applying the same to euery particular man Whereas many find this matter so sharp and strange that they flie from it as from a dangerous rocke it is partly to be attributed to the malice and arrogancy of men And partly to the rashnesse and lacke of discretion of them that teach it and thirdly it is to be imputed to their ignoraunce which cannot orderly apply the same to themselues which faithfully and truly hath bin taught of others Concerning them which sinne of malice it onely appertaineth to GOD to amend them Which surely he hath done alwaies in his reason and likewise will do from time to time to whom he hath appointed to shewe mercy But for others which remainâ— obstinate in their sinne and wickednesse there is no cause why we should be moued either for their number or authority to dissemble Gods truth And as touching the second sorte I haue thought these things principally to be obserued in preaching this misterie First as in all other things so chiefly in this matter of predestination they ought to take diligent héede that in stéede of Gods pure and simple truth they bring not soorth vaine and curious speculations or dreames Which thing they cannot choose but do which goe about to compasse and accord these secret iudgments of God with mans wisdome so do not onely put difference betwirt predstinatioÌ„ and the purpose of god which thing they must néedes do but seperate the one froÌ„ the other For they either imagine a certaine naked and idle permition or else make a double purpose and counsell in God From the which errors they must néeds fall into many and greate absurdities For sometimes they are constrained to diuide
God for if righteousnesse be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Rom. 10. 4. For Christ is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beléeueth And chapter 11. 5. 6. Euen so then 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 Ephe. 2. 4. 5. 8. 9. 10. But God which is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ by whose grace ye are saued For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of god Not of woorkes least any man should boast himselfe But that we should be carefull to shewe foorth good workes therefore hée speaketh in the next verse Verse 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them 1. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was 1. Pet. 2. 12. And haue your conuersation honest among the gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifle god in the day of the visitation Perseuerance in faith is requisite vnto saluation Mat. 10. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name But hee that endureth to to the ende shall be saued Mat. 24. 45. Blessed is that seruant whom his maister shall finde so doing Now we need not feare lest this doctrine make vs negligent or dissolute For this peace of conscience whereof we speake ought to be distinct and seperate from foolish securitie and he that is the sonne of God seeing he is moued and gouerned by the spirit of God wil neuer through the consideration of Gods benefit take occasion of negligence and dissolution Rom. 5. 1. 2. Then being iustified by faith we haue peace toward god through our Lord Iesus Christ By whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of god Rom. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. Therfore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the déeds of the body by the spirit ye shall liue For as many as are ledde by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Ephe. 1 4. Aâ— he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue 2. Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind 1. Iohn 3. 20. 21. 24. If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things Beloued if our heart condemne vs not then haue wée boldnesse towards God For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby wée know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit which hée hath giuen vs. This matter of Predestination is obscure aboue all others vnto the wit of man but opened and reuealed vnto vs by the word of God The Scripture therfore witnesseth that they that are predestinate vnto saluation are first called and that so effectually that they heare and beleeue and fructifie then also are they iustified and sanctified and in the life to come glorified Iohn 6. 44 45. No man can come vnto me except the father which hath sent me drawe him by the force of gods word and by the secret working of his spirit And I will raise him vp at the last day As it is written in the Prophets And they shall be taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father commeth to me Acts. 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church by the Apostles preaching from day to day such as should be saued Iohn 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. â—ée beléeue not for ye are not of my shéepe as I said vnto you My shéepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall ueuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand My father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained vnto eternall life beléeued And chap. 16. 14. And a certaine woman named Lidia a celler of purple of the city of the Thyatirians which worshipped God heard vs whose heart the Lord opened that she attended vnto the things that Paul spake Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye shall heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation according to the day of temptation in the wildernesse And. chapt 42. For vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Consider by litle and litle and try diligenly if thou be iustified and sanctified in Christ through faith For these two be the effects or ftuites whereby the faith is knowne which is their cause 2. Cor. 13. 5. Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith examine your selues knowe ye not your owne selues except ye be reprobates Rom. 8. 30. Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified As for this thou shalt partly knowe by the spirit of Adopion which crieth within thee Abba father Gal. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. That hée might redéeme them which were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts which crieth Abba father Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Nowe if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of GOD through Christ Rom. 8. 15. For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father And partly by the vertue and effect of the same spirit which is wrought in thee Rom. 16. 17. 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 1. Iohn 3. 24. For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he
from the secrete and malicious conspiracies treasons and trecheries of vnnaturall subiects and from the sauage cruelties of forraine foes doo giue sufficient cause not only to vs but euen to the enemie also to say That there is no God that can deliuer after this sorte but onely the Almightie that hath established her All these benefites O Lorde wée confesse doo procéede from thy goodnesse and from thy mercy toward vs. To thée belongeth praise and honour and power but to vs shame and confusion Yet grant vnto vs good Lord that we may both receiue these thy benifits thankfully and that we may performe our duties accordingly Increase her daies continue her gouernment defend her from her enemies keepe her in thy feare and after this life grant her all happinesse euen to rule and raigne with thée for euer among the blessed soules Grant also to vs that we may haue the benifit of thy truth and Gospell long among vs and that thy blessings of peace and prosperitie may be séene in this land So shall we be bound more and more to praise and magnifie thy name for thy great and infinit goodnesse towards vs For her Maiesrie and for vs thy seruants and her faithful subiects thus we conclude our praiers O Lord blesse and kéep vs O Lord make thy face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs O Lord lift thou vp thy countenance vpon vs and giue vs thy peace All which benifits and blessings we begge of thée O heauenly Father for Iesus Christ his sake in that forme of prater which he himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. A secret Meditation to God before the deliuery of the word LEt the words of my mouth O Lord and the meditation of my heart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight Set thou a watch before my mouth and so kéepe the doore of my lippes that speaking before this congregation assembled here in thy holy name I may specially intreat of those things which tend to thy glory the good of thy Church the discharge of my dutie the comfort of the afflicted conscience the euerthrow of sinne and the aduauncement of vertue through Iesus Christ our Lord. So be it I. D. A publque forme of Praier O Most mightie God most gracious and mercifull father we stand before thy maiestie defiled with the filthinesse of many and most gréeuous sinnes whereof we confesse we are not able to answere thée one of a thousand if thou O Lord shouldst enter into iudgement with vs. For in sinne were we conceaued and borne and therefore are guiltie of originall corruption and in sinne haue we liued and continued and therefore stand guiltie of actuall transgression which hath broken foorth vppon vs in thought word and déede from time to time continually euen vnto this present Wherefore we humbly craue thy mercy and the grace of forgiuenesse in Iesus Christ for therein we confesse standeth the only hope of our comfort and welfare And forasmuch as it hath pleased thée to giue thine owne sonne to be a flaine sacrifice for our sinnes and to offer the grace of reconciliation by the preaching of the Gospell to all them that repent and beléeue the same good Lord we beséech thée vouchsafe to make vs of that blessed number worke true repentance in our hearts increase our faith and giue vs grare to bring foorth the frutes thereof that so it may appeare that we haue not receiued thy holy grace in vaine And for this purpose good Lord we beséech thee blesse the Ministery of thy word at this present gius me grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken sincerely and boldly giue grace to this people to he are it attentiuely and reuerently giue grace to vs all to beléeue it stedfastly to follow it obediently and constantly to continue euen to the end That seruing thée faithfully in this life we may liue and raigne with thée for euer in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Praier which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lord God which hast left vnto vs thy holy word to be a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holy spirite that out of the same word we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An excellent speech of M. Deering a little before his death whereby thou maist clearly see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all such as painfully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bedde and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face and thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Saâ—ob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there â—â—â—o saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ And we haue all néed of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I féele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather choose a thousand times séeing God hath appointed the seperation the sentence of death then the sentence of life Soli Deo laus gloria gratia IN euery Sermon for the most part these points are to be vsed The declaration of the order of the text by opening the circumstances The diuision The doctrine The confutation The vse and application Exhortation or reprehension or both The Conclusion wherin the chéefest matters must be remembred and briefly collected that the auditorie may the better kéepe and carry away those things which are necessary and for their vse All which although I haue not vsed I haue left the matter to the discretion of them that shall haue knowledge better to handle their matters then I haue handled mine Let thy text be applied to thy auditorie and haue care to vtter those thinges that are most waightie to be touched and of thy auditorie to be remembred Be circumspect wise and discréete Endeuour to be briefe and pithie There is an other Methode as profitable which Maister Vdall vseth in his Commentary vpon the Lamentations of Ieremy Consisting on these thrée points the Doctrine Reason Vse Some only learne for knowledge sake but that is curiositie And some for praise great paines do take but that is foolish vanitie Some learne for gaine but lightly those do leaue the text and vse the gloze But learning ioynd with vertues lore doth leade to Christianitie The glory of God and people taught the way is to eternitie To the Right Worshipfull and one
forgetfull This third part setteth downe the cause of our sanctification in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people zealous of good workes The cause of our sanctification lieth The cause of sanctification partly in the death and passion of Christ and partly in the power of his holie spirite who is his vicegerent and deputie here on earth Before it pleased our sauiour to die for vs and by the shedding of his pretious bloud to clense vs from our sinnes we were altogither polluted and as the Prophet saith lying in our bloud Gréeuous sinnes in the sight of God miserable wretches appointed to death because through our iust desertes we were to looke for nothing els but eternall tormentes In which miserable and wofull estate our pitifull Sauiour séeing vs to be in gaue himselfe and offered himselfe most willingly to doe vs all the good he could and to make vs of a defiled and vnclean◠people cleane and holy And because in the lawe of Moses sacrifices were offered vp for the sinnes of the people and beastes slaine and bloud shed as we reade Heb. 9. 22. All thinges were by the lawe purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission and forgiuenesse therefore it pleased our Sauior Christ to shed his dearest bloud that as the Prophet Esay ca. 53. saith by his stripes we were healed so by his bloud we might be clensed Which thing the Prophet Dauid meaneth in his 51. Psal which is the Psalme of his repentance wherein he sheweth his heartie griefe and his vnfeigned sorrow for those hainous sinnes whereby he had prouoked Gods wrath against him Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to thy compassions put away mine iniquities Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne Purge me with hisope and I shal be cleane wash me and I shal be whiter then snowe Now if the bloud of bulles and goates and heiffers in the time of Moses lawe which law God ordained though Moses was the minister if the bloud of these beastes in Moses lawe sprinckling them that were vncleane did sanctifie and clense them by an outward kinde of clensing and sanctification Howe much more saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 14. shall the bloud of Christ that most perfect and absolute sacrifice who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God At the time of his death and passion this matter was most notably declared when as his side being pierced through with a speare there issued out from thence both water and bloud to giue out a most effectuall signification that hée was the cause of our sanctification and cleansing from our sinnes Which is prooued by that which we reade I. Corinth 6. Knowe ye not saith the Apostle that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkardes nor railers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God And such were some of you and who can say my heart is cleare But ye are washed but ye are sanctified and made cleane in the name of the Lord Iesus that is by the shedding of his bloud and also we are sanctified and made cleane saith hée by the spirite of our God According to that of the Prophet Dauid in the Psalme aforesaide Wash me throughly and cleanse me from my sinne and establish me with thy frée spirit which may assure me that I am drawne out of the slauery of sin and that my guiltinesse shall be no more laid to my charge The law entred thereupon that the offence should abound that is the it might be known to be notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more That as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raign by righteousnesse and sanctification vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The which grace that is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the blood of Christ the good spirit of God the holy Ghost doth certifie vnto our hearts And therefore it is well said to be the comfortor as our Sauiour Christ promised that after his ascention vp into heauen hée would send the comfortour Ib. 14. 16. and 16. 7. By the vertue of which spirite the power of sinne is beaten downe and our hearts are renued our mindes altered our liues chaunged and we become new creatures which before were foule and filthie ougly and loathsome through the deformitie of sinne and now are we sanctified and made holy But wherefore hath Christ redéemed vs from all our 〈◊〉 of good workes iniquitie and purged vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto himselfe if it bee not to this intent and purpose that wee should bee zealous of good workes A thankfull minde would aske how so great benefits might be requited and if no recompence could be made as certainly it cannot it would be desirous to know how part of a mends might be made and would be maruellous readie to put in practise any dutie which might shewe the thankfulnesse thereof Thou néedest not in this matter to go farre to enquire and search it out only this is required of thée that thou maiest shewe thy thankfulnesse bee zealous of good workes For we are the workmanship of God esperially by grace created anew in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Heere are all carnall gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenance of their profession all libertie of life will be borne out well inough Who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and make their profession their shame making Christ his death to bee nothing else but as it were a boude vnto their lewde life Here may we sée that the Lord hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our hands besides a profession of the truth but that he bought with his bloud a zealous addicting of our selues to Christian conuersation It is a wonder to sée how the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christ his blood how mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that they will not giue ouer any libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas the life of Christ was giuen to purchase a new conuersation as well as a new profession For he gaue himselfe for vs that we might giue our selues vnto him being a peculiar people zealous of good workes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue himselfe for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slender a purchase with so great a price as if he had a déep and sorrowfull sigh or a good word at our last breath that would suffice him no his life was
giuen to wicked waies with gréedinesse and are so subiect to the bondage and slauery of the diuell and of sin that we thinke no way better then the broad way that leadeth to destruction thinking that heauen is in this world and that hell is but an old wiues tale saying vnto our selues Peace peace and all is in safety when sodainly either death shall ouertake vs or the latter day bring vs to iudgement True it is that which the eie seeth not the heart rueth not and the diuell hath diuers deuices to blinde the eies of our vnderstanding to make vs still to run on vntill it be too late to turn backe Being destitute of the grace of God and not as yet regenerate we are holden vnder the euill spirit of bondage setting all our delight in earthly and transitorie things yéelding vp our selues to our fleshly desires being strangers from God and strangers from our redéemer strangers from the life to come and altogither vnacquainted with his grace Wherby although we may think we are in the estate of fréedome and as fréemen yet are we of no better account then the basest seruants that liue and againe vnder such a maister whose seruice is nothing els but tyrannie shaddowed ouer with flattery a roaring lion seeking after his pray a gréedy wolfe clothed in a shéep skin But as Christ came into the world to destroy the workes of the diuel so hath he caused his grace to be published and sent his spirit into our hearts to open the eies of our vnderstaÌ„ding to turn our harts and make them relent to make vs sée how cruell our maister is whome we serue and how dangerous an estate we are in being nothing but bondage slauery death destruction And this is the peculiar effect of the spirit of God and of his grace to shew vs our miserable estate by the law of God to strike our consciences with the rememembrance of our sinnes that we may vnderstand that we are in a desperate estate vnlesse we fly to Christ for succor Wherfore being directed by the spirit of god our stubburn harts are made to yéeld and to shed abundance of teares in consideratioÌ„ we haue offended God Which spirit of fréedom prouoketh vs to flie vnto Christ our only succour by a stedfast faith to take hold of the promises of gods mercy through the death of Christ whereby it commeth to passe yâ— our sins are forgiuen and although we are vnworthy therof are we accounted numbred among the children of God This is that spirit of adoption that maketh vs reioyce vnder the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD. Which maketh our ioy so much the more aboundant in consideration of our fearefull estate whereby we were so miserable So that wee may boldly triumph with the Apostle saying Reioyee in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce For what greater ioy can there be then the ioy and peace of a quiet conscience being fully resolued of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the fauoure of God who hath aduanced vs to so high a dignitie as of his enemies to make vs his sonnes and children Wherefore in meditation of our former estate let vs follow the Apostles counsaile 1. Pet. 1. 17. Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare and liue not carelesly as thongh we might doe what we list much like to wanton children which had néed continually to be corrected with the rod. But as the Apostle saith Brethren be not children in vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnesse be children but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age so manie I say brethren as concerning wickednesse and vngodly behauiour let vs be children but as concerning the feare of God let vs grow from strength to strength vntill we be of a ripe age A dutifull seruaunt standeth alwaies in feare and distrust that that which he doth to his maister be not perfitly and sufficiently done as one desirous to continue his maisters fauour and good liking toward him So also a dutifull child should be careful still to please his father for feare not onely of loosing his fathers good wil but also of hindering himselfe from the which otherwise his father would leaue him and do for him How much more should an adopted child looke vnto himselfe and to his waies because he is taken in but of fauour without any desert and onely vpon pitie and compassion rather then vpon any other consideration Wherefore it is not for vs to make a triumph of our adoption and to make our boast and vaunt of it but rather in a godly sort to humble our selues through feare forecasting with our selues how to continue Gods good will toward vs which through our negligence and carelesse behauiour may be remooued For as they that come to goods to landes and possessions by fauour friendship and by adoption through their own foolishnes may dispossesse themselues of all so if a godly wisdome be not vsed the benefit of adoption may greatly be disgraced in vs and we may bring our selues into that case as iustly to thinke that we are none of Gods children So did that godly king Dauid and that holy blessed Apostle S. Peter by their infamous sinnes so alter the certaintie of their adoption as though they had quite béen forsaken of God So the it is not without great cause that the Apostle vseth these words Let him yâ— standeth take héed least he fall As if he had said let the adopted children of God take héed lest they offend God and let the testimony of a good coÌ„science be alwaies a reioycing vnto them and that the certaintie of our adoption may alwaies be warranted vnto vs. Where is therefore our ioy or where is our chiefest care grounded and setled not in the things of this world neither in this world Better it is to be in the house of mourning then to be in the house of laughter better it is to mourne for our â—innes past then in worldly sort to reioyce of our adoptions Considering that wheÌ„ Adam and Eue were in the chiefest worldly ioy and thought themselues in the estate of Angels and in high fauour with God they procured theÌ„selues to be mimiserable wretches and not worthie the name of gods children Who before had a blessing if they had continued in the fauour and grace of God and could haue perceiued their happie estate or if at lestwise they could haue foreséen the danger that would haue followed but instéede of a blessing they receiued a curse and instéed of fauour great displeasure Although we may be certified of our adoption yet it behâ—ueth vs so long as we dwell in this world and are compassed with this our sinnefull flesh to be circumspect and wise to be warie and watchfull knowing that the broade way is as neare vnto vs as the narrowe way the right hand as neare as the left the diuel tempting the world inticing the flesh yéelding nay fighting and resisting the good spirit
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
lament Which although we ought not to wish for yet being laide on our shoulders wee must both patiently and thankfully beare it According to the answeres of Ely the Priest and Hezekiah the King though in an other case It is the Lord let him doo what seemeth him good The Iere. 10. 19. word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken The will of the Lord be done Act. 21. 14. 2. The next thing mentioned in the text is the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked concerning ioy and sorrow in these wordes And the world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow Wherein it is worthy the consideration to know and vnderstand what is meant by this word world VVhat is meant by this word world Which generally is taken for the heauen the earth the sea and all thinges therein contained Yet more néerely it is taken for the people that dwell in the world Also the customes and fashions of the people are meant by this word world According to our prouerbe and vsuall phrase This is the world that is this is the dealing of the men in the world and this is practised now adaies Againe it is taken for a spéech of woonder It is a world to sée that is it is a maruellous matter Also for those chiefe desires wherwith men are much led and ouertaken in the world as honour dignitie and promotion riches pleasures All which are of chiefest account and doe most raigne in the world Confirmed by S. Iohn 1. Ep. cap. 2. ver 15. Loue not the world neither the thinges that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him For all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life that is ambition promotion and honour is not of the father but is of the world And the world passeth away and the lust thereof but hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Elswhere it signifieth the wisdome of worldly minded men 1. Cor. 1. 21. For seeing the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisdome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue ca. 26. And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world neither of the Princes and great men of this world which come to nought Sometimes it is taken for the elect people of God according to that we reade Iohn 3. 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And although it be manifest that Christ his death is sufficient for all yet this benefite of his death doth rather properly pertaine to the elect that is to them that truely and vnfainedly haue repented them of their sinnes applying the mercies of God in Ieus Christ to the comfort of their distressed soules and relying and depending wholly vpon Gods promises But most commonly it is taken for the worser sort of the people in the world As it is said that Sathan is the prince of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. Nay the God of the world because the most part serue him more then then God and in whose heartes and mindes and consciences he doth both rule and raigne The godly are against him and against his procéedinges and therefore by this word world the godly in the world are not meant but rather opposed against them that liue in the world Which is confirmed by the spéech of our Sauiour in his praier to God for the elect and godly Iohn 17. I pray for them which haue knowne me beleeued in me I pray not for the world The world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world And in the fiftéenth chapter of the same Gospell verse 19. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And in this last sence this word World is taken for wicked and naughtie men for the haters and persecutors of Gods truth and his Gospell We know we are of God saith Saint Iohn 1. Epist cap. 5. 19. and the whole world lieth buried in wickednesse and is giuen ouer to euill doing In the world saith Christ ye shall haue trouble afflictioÌ„ persecutioÌ„ ye shal be hated of al men for my sake the Gospels be of good comfort I haue ouercom the world Hauing opened vnto you what is meant by the world The ioy of the world and of the wicked it followeth that I should shew you the difference concerning ioy sorrow betwixt them that are of the world and them that are not of the worlde The worlde hath many things wherein it reioyceth but it is an vsurped and a couâ—erfeit ioy no true and sound ioy For the kingdome of God is not meate or drinke or any thing that the world yéeldeth but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Ro. 14. VVorldly matters 17. As they are of the worlde so are worldly matters the chéefest cause of their ioy as to be in honour and high promotion with Haman and Absolon although they know not how neare they are to the fall to swimme in wealth and riches to fare deliciously euery day and to go in purple fine silke with the rich glutton spoken of in the Gospell to enioy large dominions and great possessions faire houses and pleasaunt orchiards swéete gardens with all things that may satisfie the eie and fill the soule with pleasure like to King Nabuchodonosor that bâ—sted of his beautiful pallace Yea they imagine such continuance that they call their houses lands after their owne names as though they should endure for euer The viole tabret singing and dancing feasting banquetting riot and brauery this is the life the ioy of the world while the troubles of Ioseph are not remembred and the poore altogither forgotten in their sight This was the sinne of Sodom Pride idlenesse fulnes of bread contempt of the poore and néedie So that although the people of Sodome be consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen yet it séemeth that their posteritie remaineth and will remaine vntill the wordes ende till fire come downe from heauen the second time and make a wofull and finall destruction The iestures also and dispositions of the world are giuen vp to foolish reioycing and if any be sober and sadde they are not for their company Childish and péeuish gigling prophane laughter dissolute mirth wanton striking out disordered lifting vp the voice and mirth with incontinencie in euerie place All their life is spent in meriment and pastime as though God had not called euery one to painfulnesse and labour in that course of life wherein he hath placed them In time of diuine seruice when we should
the wicked rise vp men hide themselues but when they perish the righteous increase Prou. 28. 28. When the righteous are in authoritie the people reioyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people sigh If it vexe thy minde to sée the wicked in great prosperitie The godly to be oppressed and to flourish much more ought it to grieue thée to sée the good oppressed troden vnder foote despised yea and destroyed Which made the Prophet Abacuc to crie out and say O Lord how long shall I crie and thou wilt not heare euen crie out vnto thee for violence and thou wilt not helpe Why doest thou shewe mee iniquitie and cause me to behold sorrow for spoyling and violence are before mee and there are that raise vp strife and contention Therefore the lawe is dissolued and iudgement doth neuer goe foorth For the wicked doth compasse about the righteous therfore wrong iudgement proceedeth The oppression of the poore and of the godly is a crying sinne and pierceth the cloudes and howe can it but pierce thy heart to heare of it much more to behold it This made Quéene Hester when shée heard of the cruell decrée against the Iewes to be so sadde and heauie yea furthermore to venture her life for the safegard of her people If I perish saith she I perish Alasse how can I suffer and sée the euill that shall come vpon my people So she spake for them vnto the King and preuailed The Prophet Ieremiah being cast into the dungeon and like to perish it gréeued Ebedmelech the blackmore and hee pittied his case and spake for him vnto the King and did himselfe helpe him out of the prison My Lord the King saith he these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet whom 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 Wâ—e is me saith Mattathias the Priest wherefore was I borne to sée this distruction of my people Macc. 2. 7. 13. 14. What helpeth it vs to liue any longer And hee rent his cloathes and put on sackcloth and mourned verie sore If in a countrey saith the wise man Eccle. 5. 7. thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice be not astonied at the matter For he that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they He doth not forbid them to grieue and mourn at it but willeth them not to be dismaid nor vtterly to be discouraged and discomforted because that God did regard it And in the fourth chap. ver 1. So I turned considered all the oppressions yâ— are wrought vnder the sun and behold the tears of yâ— oppressed and none comforteth them And â—o the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them and none comforteth theÌ„ And if the world do not regard it should not yâ— godly pitie it and pray for the comfort of the afflicted and put to their helping hands to relieue them If one member of the body reioyce al the members reioyce with it and likewise is it so in grief and pain Now if we be members of Christ his bodie why should not the miserable estate of others grieue vs as if it were our own Again what more apparant cause may there be of griefe Sinne to be so rife and vnpunished and sorrow in the godly then to sée sinne so rife and vnpunished Mine eies gush out with teares saith Dauid because Psal 119. 158. the vngodly keepe not thy lawe When we not only heare but sée and behold the cruell dealings of the world their intollerable pride their filthinesse of the flesh and riotousnesse of life their great falshood lying deceit vndermining one of an other their enuie hatred mallice their slanders reproaches backbiting and all iniquitie which nowe raigneth Ezâ— 9. 4. 2. Kin 22. 19. Esd 8. 70. 71. in our whole life mercifull God what fountaines and what wells of teares should it cause in vs Hos 4. 1. Heare the word of the Lord saith the prophet ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood therefore shal the land mourne And if the sence lesse creaturres be so affected howe should not we be moued They that endeuour to liue well are a pray vnto others and wicked men are countenanced out and mighty sinnes are borne withall theft robbery adultery murder O Lord that a murderer shuld find any one friend in a christian common weale But of nobles of Iudges of magistrates it were too intollerable A poore thiefe packs to tiburne but a manqueller and a murtherer can shift his legs out of the shackles and his necke out of the haulter Oh that the chiefest were not guiltie in all the trespasses aforesaid The multitude of offendoures doth proue them to be guilty And a fearefull thing it is and a lamentable for want of due punishment and due execution of lawes will pull downe gods vengeance on the land All which doe moue vs not only to be sorry and agréeued but to pray that God would turne his wrath from vs because of those grieuous sinnes wherewith the whole land is ouerflowne Where hence ariseth another great sorrow to sée that Gods threatnings not to be regarded nor his mercies accepted Gods threatnings are not regarded neither are his mercies accepted For if they were our liues should not be vnreformed and sinnes should not goe vnpunished This made the prophet Ionas aweary of the ministry prouoked Christ himselfe to shed forth teares for Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem howe oft would I haue gathered thee together as a henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and ye would not Oh if thou hadst knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hid from thy eies For where Gods mercy patience and long sufferance can take no place neither yet the threatnings of his iudgements preuaile then doe gréeuous punishments hang ouer the heads of that people and it is to be feared and doubted howsoone God will powre downe his wrath vpon them A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himself but the foolish goe on still and Ezek. 11. 13. are punished The pitiful man the godly minded foreséeth heauie punishments and praieth for the offendours Oh that my head were full of water saith the prophet Ieremy chap. Iere. 14. 17. 9. 1. and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people This destruction was not yet come but the Prophet foresawe that it would come and therfore he wept for sorrow But one of the greatest griefs and sorrowes is to sée religion Religion and the feare of god to be scorned mockt at and them
similitude and comparison of a woman in childbirth respecting her Throes and her ioye A woman when shee trauelleth c. Which confirmation by a similitude is more apparant in the application which is the second part of the similitude being furnished with thrée proofes Wherof the first is That he would see them againe The second That their hearts should reioyce The third That their ioy should no man take away from them Ye shall weep and lament But the Apostles counsell is Proposition comfortable Weepe as though ye wept not And Christ his words are heauenly Your sortow shal be turned into ioy He speaketh not of the sorrow of the wicked that their sorrow shall be turned into ioy for their sorrowes shall remaine Many shall be their sorrowes and great shall be their plagues And although they haue bene young and lustie as an heifer of thrée yeares old which neuer felt sorrow but liued in pleasure yet when their sorrow and mourning shall come it shall be so gréeuous that they shall be giuen to skritch and crie out yea it shall pittie the harts of others and they shall moue others to wéepe for them Their gladnesse and ioy shall be taken away saith the Prophet Esay 16. 9. 10. there shall be no singing nor shouting for ioy for I haue caused their reioycing to cease So likewise the prophet Ieremy 48. 33. speaketh of the ioy of the Moabites Ioy and gladnesse is taken from the beautifull field and from the land of Moab and I haue caused wine to faile from the wine-presse none shall tread with shouting My heart shall sound saith the prophet for Moab like a shamne As the custome was to play heauie and graue tunes at burialls Those euils and sorrowes which happen to the godly The worldly sorrowes of the godly turned into ioyes in this life God turneth to our good and as the Apostle saith All things fall out to the best to them that loue God so that we may reioyce though for a season we be in heauinesse This is God able to do because he is almightie and most readie and willing because he is most gracious vnto his people How long was patient Iob troubled yet his troubles and sorrowes had a happie end and his losses recompenced to his great contentment and ioy of heart The people of Israel how gréeuous was their affliction in Egipt and that for the space of many yeares vntill that the crie of their sore oppression came vp into the presence of God And God heard their crie and sent them reliefe For it pleased God to remember his holy promise so that in his due time he brought foorth his people with ioy and his chosen with gladnesse and he gaue them the landes of the heathen and they tooke the labours of the people in possession The portion of the godly is to haue many troubles and so to passe along this life toward the kingdome of rest and ioy After vexation some rest after trouble peace after paine pleasure doth ensue to the praise of Gods mercy who in time shall moderat what is amisse send vs some comfort for our recreation For as he seeth our griefes noteth our wrongs so when most néed is he will comfort vs and send vs ioy in our heauinesse Through the féeling whereof the Prophet Dauid vttereth these words The Lord is my strength and my shield my hart hath trusted in him and I am helped therfore my heart daunceth for ioy and in my song will I praise him True obediēce wants no crosses in this world to wait vpon it yet crosses haue their crownes Ioseph a iust man and one that feared God from his youth beeing subiect to sorrow and misery vpon false accusation was cast into prison whose féete they hurt in the stockes the iron entred into his soule Vntil the time came y◠this cause was knowne when as the word of the Lord tried him The king sent and deliuered him the prince of the people let him goe frée He made him Lord also of his house ruler of all his substance That he might informe his princes and teach his senators wisedome Ioseph had honour and great wealth as well as libertie when God his time was come to turne his sorrow into ioy Whose posteritie when they were in a manner tired through slauerie and bondage and pinched with extréeme pouertie in a time vnlooked for God brought them forth With greate substaunce and gaue them fauour in the sight of their enemies so that they caried away from them their iewels of siluer and gold Sée and consider the end of the troubles of the godly when God will not only had his oppressed people libertie but also great substaunce happy passage mighty deliueraunce infinite good turnes if they had had eies to sée his miraculous and bountifull working in their behalfe that in their songs they might haue praised him and in their hearts they might haue giuen sufficient credit to all his promises But to their great hurt they gaue no credit vnto his word but thought scorne of that pleasaunt land Shadrake Meshake and Abednago because they would not worship the golden image which Nabuchodonozor the King had set vp they were cast into the firy furnace But behold in their extreme sorrow the comfortable presence of Gods Angel then followed the fauour of the King who before did so greatly hate them and after that promotion and dignitie and the chiefest offices in the realme Ioy vpon ioy to make sorrow to be forgotten Feare not the issue then of your woe whatsoeuer it is if you cleaue to God and hold fast by the word of his promise So true is that in 126. ps v. 6. 7. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy And he y◠now goeth on his way weping beareth forth good séed shal doubtlesse come again with ioy and bring his sheaues with him Bondage in Egipt a wearisome pilgrimage in the desert after the bondage but after their wearisome pilgrimage followed y◠ioyful possession of y◠plentiful land of of Canaan Then was their mouth filled with laughter and their toong with ioy Then said they among the heathen the Lord hath done great thinges for them The Lorde hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce Such as their bondage in Egipt was so gréeuous also was their captiuitie vnder king Nabuchodonozor and the Chaldeans yet it pleased God to remember his poore afflicted and beloued remnant Go ye out of Babel flie ye from the Chaldeans with a voice of ioy Baruc. 4. I sent you out with wéeping mourning but with ioy and perpetuall gladnesse will I bring you againe And like as the neighbours of Sion saw your captiuity so also shall they shortly see your saluation frō God which shall come with greate glorie brightnesse from the euerlasting and they shall gather them from the East to the West to the praise of his honor O Ierusalem behold the ioy that commeth
would honour and Haman himselfe was hanged on the same trée which he had prepared for Mordecay Was this Hamans destiny or was it Gods prouidence to bring it so to passe for the benefit of his people and for the ouerthrow of this proude and wicked Haman King Darius because the spirit was excellent in Daniel preferred him aboue all other rulers and gouernours in his kingdome and further thought in his mind to set him ouer the whole realme And because the king had so preferred Daniel his enemies being moued with enuy they sought occasion against Daniel and preuailed so farre against him that he was cast among the lions to be deuoured of them God shutteth the mouthes of the lions the hungry lions that Daniel may be preserued The accusers of Daniel and they which sought his blood by the kings commandement they their wiues and their children are cast into the denne of lions and the lions had the maistry of them and brake all their bones a pieces ere euer they came at the ground of the denne The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his stéed saith Salomon in his Prouerbes Looke into the selfe same history of Daniel and there shal ye read of Susanna the wife of Ioachim a beautifull and that which is rare a chaste and godly woman also Through her beautie two wicked Iudges were inflamed and hauing gotten time and occasion to come priuily into her presence néedes she must yeeld vnto them or else no way but death She refuseth and committeth her cause to God and crieth out The wicked Iudges they beare witnesse against her that she would haue bene naught with a yoong man And when she was led to death God raised vp the spirit of a yoong child to trie out the matter and the Iudges being founde guiltie were stoned to death and Susanna deliuered Was this their destinie or or was it the manifestation of the iustice of God in his iudgement God knoweth by his wonderfull prouidence howe to bring the mischieuous intents of the wicked to naught turning all to the setting forth of his glory by shewing his iustice on the one sort and declaring his mercy vnto the other to the comfort of the godly and to the terrour of the wicked For as god hath a prouident and fatherly care ouer the godly not only prospering their estate of life by his manifold blessings and helping them in all their necessities but furthermore asswaging their griefes and easing comforting them in all their miseries distresses so also hath he a stroke in the practises of the wicked that they shal be able to do no more then that which he hath determined shall giue thē leaue to do As our Sauior Christ answered Pilat when he said vnto him Answerest thou nothing knowest thou not that I haue power to loose thée and power to condemne thée Iesus answered said vnto him Thou couldest haue no power vnlesse it were giuen thée frō aboue Which also is confirmed by the sayings of the Apostles Act. 4. 28. concerning the death of Christ Doubtlesse say they against thy holy son Iesus whom thou haddest annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues togither to doo whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done Diuers waies hath god to restraine the mallice of the wicked and to breake their mightie purposes Sometimes he casteth a dumpe into their mindes and taketh away their vnderstanding sometimes although their sences be fresh and and their mindes currant and marnellous readie as a lyon to the praie yet before they come to the déede God casteth a feare into their hearts or stoppeth them some way or other that they cannot do as they would Sometimes god giueth them leaue a degrée further as to beginne and to put their mischiefe in practise but before their matters come to an ende he crosseth all and they stand amazed to thinke what was done Absolon he laieth his plot to put his father out of his kingdom and vseth flattering means and stealeth away the hearts of the people his minde was currant and his sences fresh he taketh counsell of the matter and it goeth forward The trumpet is blowne and the people rebelliously are vp in armes against their lawfull king the matter beginneth now to be set on foote Achitophel he giues mischéeuous counsell but god turneth it into foolishnesse The armies méete but vpon a sodain Absolon and his army are discomfited and dismaid and before he can come to the victory and to enioy his fathers kingdome and his crowne he hangeth vpon an oake being caught by the long locks and haire of his head and thus taken vp betwéen the heauen and the earth he hangeth til Ioab one of the chief captaines of his fathers army came and thrust thrée darts through him and dispatched him of his life King Pharaoh he cannot away with the people of god that dwell in his land hee is affraide they will be more mightie than his people He taketh vppon him to be wise and to stop the increase of the people and giueth commandement to slaie the men children the midwiues fearing god they kéepe them aliue Yea he that afterwarde was moste against him was preserued aliue by his owne daughter and daintily kept as one of the kings stocke so long as he would himselfe When this deuice failed he laieth vpon them sore oppression and gréeuous burthens and taskes them to the death belike to make them flie his land God taketh such order in their behalfe that they should depart out of his kingdome I know not how but the king will not giue them leaue and when they were going out he pursued after them to destroy them and in the pusuit lost his owne life and many moe of his people The histories of France can tell that although their persecuting king be in his complet harnes and in his roialtie shall shew his valour among his friends and subiects yet while he is Iusting a splinter of Momorance his speare shall enter as the arrow did betwéene the ioynts of king Ahabs Brigandine that he died and shall strike him through the holes of his eyes into the braines that he dieth euen a little before that he ioyeth to sée and beholde the death of a fewe poore Christians Marke and wonder at the estate of our Soueraigne and gratious Quéene Elizabeth whom pray we that God may long continue among vs to his glory and our comfort What mallice and mischiefe against her One curseth an other reioyceth to performe treachery the third in a holy and deuout minde counteth it religion to murther her whome God hath annointed and established to rule and gouerne vs. Poysoning assaied Sorcery and witchcraft put in practise She taketh them to be her friends which are come to dispatch her of her life Either in her countenance they sée Gods presence or in their hearts is a fainting feare that
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