comparison of fifteene hundreth myles What wonder seeing as the most learned Philosophers haue obserued the least fixed conspicuous starre which feemeth to bee but a golden naile fixed into this seiled house containeth the greatnes of the earth eighteene fold Others of the greater sort are esteemed to bee more than an hundreth sold greater than the whole earth It is most certaine that if the whole bodie of the earth were where a star is it should not appeare so great as that little blacke spot that we see into the Moone Nay certainelie though an hundreth Earthes as great as all this were joyned in a cluster or in one masse they should not there appeare so great as a little more in the Sun for seeing a star which is of such a bignesse and such a brightnes seemeth to bee but a sparkle as much of earth as would come to the greatnesse of a starre beeing corpus opacum a bodie darke and duskish shuld not in any way bee able to bee an object for our sight heere below Fye on foolish Atheimse that will not looke vp to the Heauens for to consider what an Arme it can bee which turneth about with a continuall whirling Bodies of such a quantitie The sicke man Oh that wee could vnder value our selues as wee should to acknowledge our stupiditie Hee is not a man indeede but a beasâ—… that can not say and thinke with that wise Agure Surelie I am more brutish than any man and haue not the vnderstanding of a man The Pastour Oh that wee were wise for wisedome is better than Rubies Oh that wee were wise for the man that wandreth out of the way of vnderstanding shall remaine in the congregation of the dead Wee are such muddie worldlings that wee cannot thinke of that immortalitie of pure and refined pleasures that are aboue The sicke Man But to the purpose Is there not a Temple in Heauen wherein the Sainctes conueene for the seruice of their God The Pastour S. Iohn saith That hee sawe no Temple therein for the Lord God Almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it The sicke Man I vnderstand not howe the Lord God can bee said to bee the Temple thereof O Lord sette bounds and limiâ—…s to my curiositie Let the loue of thy selfe haue the preheminence in swaying all my desires A Temple or Church properlie signifie a particular house appointed for Gods seruice for so it is that such an house should not bee in heauen But the Lord himselfe shall bee to all the Sainctes in steede of such an house The Temple is a place properlie for offering vp of sacrifices for instruction of ignorants for comforting of these that are afflicted To declare vnto vs that there shall bee no neede of such thinges the Scripture teacheth that there shall bee no Temple but that the Lord and the Lambe shall bee the Temple that is shall bee in steede of sacrifice instruction comfort joye all other good things vnto his owne so that hee shall bee All in all No created Spirit is able to conceiue wade thorow such mysteries The sicke Man The summe of your discourse as I perceiue is that though that Citie want a Temple God himselfe by his presence shall bee in steede of all thinges which are helpefull vnto vs heere But it would seeme by another place of the Reuelation that in the Heauen there is a Temple There was giuen mee a reede like vnto a rod saith S. Iohn and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God The Pastour By that Temple is to bee vnderstood the Church of God on earth as the most Learned esteeme They also thinke that this Calamus mensorius measuring Reede is the rule of holie Scriptures wherby Sectes Heresies are discerned from the trueth of Religion By this Temple heere I say Wee must vnderstand the Church of Christ according to this it is said to the Faithfull Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you The hearts of all the faithful are a Temple which God hath consecrate vnto himselfe for his Spirit to dwell in The sické Man O my God keepe still mine heart in an holie spirituall temper Soften and season it with the dew of thy Grace Inlighten the eyes of my mistie minde that beeing made quicke and nimble they may sharplie discerne and with a liuelie vigour apprehend their blessed object euen God himselfe the Soueraigne felicitie of my Soule O Lord of immortalitie make heauenlie meditations only to lodge into mine heart which may bread therein thoughts of a more noble and spirituall temper then ordinarlie arise and are fostered in earthlie minded men ' who drinke vp iniquitie like water and feede vpon it as the horse Leech vpon corruption The Pastour The Lord giue eare to your desires Oh that wee could consider how our drousie thoughts and dull affections are so glued vnto the vvorld as though Eternitie of happinesse were lodged vpon earth and the short time of pleasures had its residence onelie in the Heauens Such follies and fancies by the subtilitie of Sathan are moulded into vnstable and vnhallowed braines There is a secret influence of folie from the corruption of our Nature whereby except that Gods Grace stand in the gap and debarre it all the wisedome of God shall seeme to bee but follie vnto the Soule of man The sicke Man The Lord giue vs wisedome in all things But to follow our purpose seeing wee are now speaking of that heauenlie Ierusalem I would gladlie heare you declare the differences that are betweene the heauenly and the earthly Ierusalem The Pastour There bee many notable differences worthie our obseruations 1. The earthlie was builded into dust and now it hath the salt of Gods curse sown vpon it The other hath its foundation into the Heauens blessed for euer 2. That which is below had not a gate for euerie Tribe neither were all Israel free Denizens therein But as for the Citie aboue The gates thereof said Ezekiel shall bee after the name of the Tribes of Israel The name of the Citie from that day shall be IEHOVAH SHAMMAH The Lord is there S. Iohn saith That hee saw this Citie enuironed with a wall both great and high with twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels and names written thereon which are names of the twelue Tribes of the Children of Israel 3 That which was earthlie was abhorred by the Gentiles and at last by them destroyed and now by Turkes possessed and subdued But as for Ierusalem aboue The Nations of them which are saued shall walke in the light of it the Kings of the earth doe bring their honour glorie into it 4 These of the earthlie Ierusalem could not see without the light of the Sunne by day and of the Moone by night It behoued them to haue
that God can loue you who is so vnworthie to bee loued I thinke it verilie and I am perswaded God I confesse cannot loue sinne in man but hee may loue man in sinne God inuiteth not these whom hee loueth not Come vnto mee saith hee all yee that are wearied Your wearinesse cryeth vnto you that which was said to the blind man Bee of good comfort arise the Master calleth thee an humble confession in the mouth is the speach of contrition in the heart God hath sworne that hee liketh not a sinners death Hee is more glad to finde vs for to helpe vs than we can rejoyce to find him for to be helped by him Who can thinke but hee is glad to finde vs that tooke such paines to seeke vs that not caring for the vnwholesome and noysome night aire came to our doore hauing his head full of dewe and his lockes full of the droppes of the night which is more such was his loue and liking of vs that for to saue our life hee would die a cursed death The last wordes of your complaint are that yee are one who is vnworthie to bee loued * I had rather heare a sinner calling himselfe wretched and vnworthie with the Publican than boasting of his worthinesse with the Pharisee The swelled hydropie words of thankesgiuing that we are not lik other mē are a sure toking of a deadlie incurable disease Man naturallie goeth about to lessen impaire his faultes yea oftē rather than he will cry guiltie hee will fasten his follie by consequent vpon his Maker Adam said The woman which thou gauest me gaue me of the tree made me to eate Many are caried down the muddie streame of ouerweening their owne worth Our greatest worthinesse is in the sense of our own vnworthinesse and in the seeking of Christs worthinesse That man is worthie before God who findeth himselfe vnable to doe that which is worthie and vnwilling to doe that which is vnworthie The verie strife and battell betweene grace and nature in theregenerat is a victorie in Gods eyes A broken imperfectiō if it be sincere without guile is put vp in his merciful count book for a perfectiō indeed such is the mercie of God while we mislike our selues These were the wisest words of Agur in Gods account when hee said I am more fool◅sh than any man S. Paul was neuer more dearelie beloued of God as when hee hating himselfe called himselfe the first of sinners Cast your eyes off your selfe and looke vnto God your strength your stay The Name of the Lord is a strong towre the righteous runneth into it is safe The sicke Man O that I could practise your precepts O that my God would inspire mee with such a blessed and liuelie vigour of his Spirite that might quicken my Soule to euerlasting life O that it would please my God stronglie to refresh mee with the comfort of his countenance But alas out of this most filthy puddle of my heart arise such filthie vapours which so ouer-cloud the Sunne of righteousnesse that I am not able to behold his face while he did shine vpon mee his most bright and vnspotted beames were fullie darkened The more the heate of his word did beate vpon mee the more my conuersation became stinking and loathsome like a carion cast out before the Sunne this I cannot denie at the rememberance thereof I finde my selfe charged afresh vpon the Conscience with terrours and vexations O the dead slubber of securitie wherein I haue sleept vnto this houre my custome euer was to post ouer my sinnes in the lump with a generall slumbert confession There is nothing within me but matter of feare I feele my faith fainting I feare my sinnes I feare the wrath of God I feare the force of Sathan the king of feare I may be well bee called that which Ieremie called Pashur viz. Magor-missabib that is Feare round about yea I not onelie feare but I feele a fearefull wrath My stubburnesse and stonie heart hath brought vpon my Soule Gods brasen hands Now is hee doing to mee that which of olde hee threatned against these that were like mee If yee walke stubbornlie against mee I will walke stubbornlie with you In my youth I was guided by the guise of times my delight was to goe with the droue now I am lost beeing cold dead frozen in the dregges of my vncleannesse The Pastour The force of temptation wringeth such words out of you as thogh yee had none hope at all Your Soule Sir is like the Moone into an ecclipse There bee darknesse and changing of collours for a time because your sinnes like an earth come betweene you and the beames of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse I haue seene the Moone in her ecclipse for a space as though shee had not beene at all into the heauens but as shee darkened by little and little so after the greatest darknesse was past the light returned by degrees Despaire not Sir of an infinite mercie let not your heart be wasted with wearinesse Though the earth of your sinnes which in comparison of Gods mercie is but a point ouershadow the Soule for a space while it is in this low region the time shall come that God shall mount your Soule aboue the circle of the Starres wherevnto the shadow of such an earth is not able to attaine Thogh God for a space walke stubbornlie with you hee is not stubborn Whē yee shall beginne to walke humblie with your God God shall walke no more stubbornlie with you but shall deliuer you from all your feares Build your selfe vpon your holie Faith The sicke Man I may well say with Iob My stroke is heauier than my groning Whereon can my Faith lay hold God is armed with wrath and Sathan is armed with despight I see nothing for the present but blowes and bloody battels most dreadfull feares teare in pieces mine heart strings sucke out the inmost of mine heart blood The Pastour Though there be many aduersaries yet Christ is with you Make all your boast of him who is the Captaine of your Saluation Hee hath winne the field he hath tread vnder foote principalities and powers and hath ledde Captiuitie captiue Hee whose Faith is founded vpon him shall neuer bee confounded His fresh bleeding wounds are cuer filled with compassions * Though God by our sinnes bee moued to shew some wrath heere is our great comfort There is no condemnation to these that are in Christ Belieue yee not the Scriptures I know yee belieue If Christ bee with vs who shall bee against vs These who thinke that their sinnes ouer-reach Gods mercie make the Centre to compasse about the Circumference Though hee should receiue a world of sinners in the bosome of his mercie it will not for that
tempestuous Sea All these things that shall appeare are called Fore runners sent before to tell all the Faithfull that when they shall see them that they lift vp their heades and looke vp for to see their Redemption that is neere S Luk compareth the time of all these things that appeare before the Lords comming to the spring time when trees begin to budde When the buds shoote foorth saith hee yeâ—… know that Summer is at hand So likewise yee when yee see these thinges come to passeâ—… know that the Kingdome of God is nigh at hand The sicke Man All these fore-said things bee buâ—… buds as I see forewarning vs of the Summer season wherein the Lord shall come But what is that which S. Matthew saith that after all these thinges shall appeare the SIGNE of the Sonne of man in Heauen What is that which hee calleth the SIGNE of the Sonne of man in Heauen What SIGNE thinke yee that to bee that shall bee seene in Heauen after that the world shall bee made new The Pastour The interpreters varie much in their opinions concerning this Signe what sort of Signe it should bee Some thinke that it shall bee the signe of the Crosse vpon which the Lord hang This SIGNE as some think shal be seene into the Aire before the comming of the Lord Such a signe as some write was that which Constantine saw in the Aire while he was going to battell against the enemies of Christ With this signe was heard a voyce vttered in these words IN HOC SIGNO VINâ—…HS Others thinke that by the SIGNE of the Sonne of man is to bee vnderstood Christ Himselfe who is called The Signe of the Sonne of man as Circumcision in Scripture Language is called The signe of the Circumsion I incline rather to thinke with Beza that that signe shall bee some great Majestie and vnspeakable glorie aboue all compasse of comparison glorious which shall appeare whereby the comming of that Lord shall bee knowne to all not to bee the comming of a creature but of Him who is Lord of all the creatures hauing a name aboue all names The Kings and Princes of the earth while they are among the multitudes of their Subjects by some glistering jewell will be discerned from all the rest or by the great respect that is carried to their persons by these that are about them All sheaues fell down before Iosephs sheaues So all creatures at his approach shall fall downe before him As before Ioseph in his progesse was a cry Abrech how the knee so at the comming of this Lord the Angels in a manner shall cry Abrech At his Name euerie knee in Heauen and Earth and vnder the Earth shal bow Before behind and aboue that Bodie of God both white and ruddie the chiefest among ten thousand shall bee such a glorie and throng of Majestie as shall bee a certaine signe that it can bee none other but the Prince of Eternitie hee being among his most bright and glorious Angels like a Sunne among the Starres The wordes of the Earth cannot beare such a signification as may expresse the glorie of this Signe Mine hearte is without mee while I think vpon the glorie of that Lord whom all cyes shall see that day with his golden Head and busâ—… Lockes Christ shall bee clothed in his triumphing apparell with such a brightnesse that the Moone shall be confounded and the Sunne ashamed as these who beeing clothed in course rayment are ashamed to be seene among these who are pasmented with gold In a word at his presence all powers shall shake and all creatures at his bâ—…cke shall obey The sicke Man After that that Signe shall appeare What thinke yee shall bee done The Pastour When Christ the desire of all Nations shall bee readie to come Hee shall send before him his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather his dispersed and despised Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heauen to the other S. Paul saith That the Trumpet shall 〈◊〉 and the dead shall arise This shall not bee a brasen Trumpet but a â—…stiall which shall found so shrill with a princelie noise that all the creatures on Earth in Heauen and Hell shall heare it S. Paul hath three notable sayinges concerning the sound that shall bee heard at Christs comming First hee saith That hee shall descend with a shoute Secondlie With the voyce of the Archangel Thirdlie With the Trumpet of God The sicke Man The remembrance of that shout maketh mine eares to tingle and my heart stringes to tremble What a shout thinke ye that that shall bee The Pastour Some thinke that it shall bee a great noyse dinne such as is heard into hudge great assemblies It may bee a shout of victorie or of praise The Angels and millions of Sainctes who sing his praise continuallie cannot keepe silence that day They shal be all about Christ that day shouting for the joy of that desired day The worde shout in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properlie signifieth that sounding voice which the Mariners vse to others euerie one for to moue another to row Others thinke it to be like a cry of Souldiers qualis est militaris convasatio while they trusse all their baggage for to remoue The sicke Man For what cause chieflie shall this shout bee To whom shall it bee directed The Pastour It shall bee chieflie for the Glory of God It shall bee directed to the dead who are to bee raised vp by the power of God and by the meanes of his Seruants the Angels who at the raising vp of all creatures shall shout like Mariners heauing vp that which is heauy by force of their armes What Archangel that shall be or what shall bee that voyce One saith verie well Dies Domini revelabit The day of the Lord shall reueale it The Lord prepare vs for it O what a Glorie when Christ shall appeare with hands as gold rings set with the Berill and with a bright Bellie ouer laid with Saphires The sicke Man Is it your judgement that Christ the Iudge of the World shall come downe from Heauen with a great Majestie The Pastour It is certaine of the day of his comming againe may well bee said that which was said of his first comming This is the day which the Lord hath made In that day hee himselfe shall come downe in a Charet of a Cloude as hee ascended into a Cloude All the Glorie of Heauen shall bee seene that day The Father shall bee there in vnspeakable Glorie The Holie Ghost shall bee there with vnspeakable Majestie All the Saintes and Angels shall bee about Him like burning Lampes and glistring Suns The sicke Man What passage of Scripture letteth vs see clearlie the Glorie of his comming to judgement The Pastour That passage of Daniel
dead That is in the faith of the Resurrection of the dead For these who were to be baptized first did rehearse the Creede and when they came to the Resurrection of 〈◊〉 dead at these words they were baptized Others of the Learned take the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the dead The custome beeing of olde that these who were baptized were baptized about the Graues where the dead did lye for to testifie that they did belieue the Resurrection from the dead Some by baptising heere vnderstand that washing and ablution of dead bodies After this signification Cuppes are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be baptized or washen This washing of the dead bodies before their buriall as some thinke was common to the Iewes who in hope of the Resurrection did both them and make them cleane This was also a custome among the Pagans to wash and anoint the dead bodies Such were called Pollinctores This also appeareth to haue beene done in the dayes of the Apostles by the Christians In the Actes it is written of Tabitha that being dead they washed her and layed her in an vpper Chamber All these baptizings and washings were in hope of the Resurrection As for the Pagans they wrought the wroke as Peter on Tabor spake not knowing what hee said or as Cajaphas prophesied not vnderstanding the prophecie which hee preached This by the moste Learned is approued Others interprete to bee baptized for dead not for the dead or about the Graues of these that are buried but for dead say they that is as dead to sinne for to destroy and mortifie sinne which is the chiefe ende of Baptisme This say they is a maine argument for to proue the Resurrection For if there were no Resurrection to what purpose should men crucifie their sinnes Behold how these few words To bee baptized for dead hath troubled so manie braines Where wee may learne the shallownesse of mans witte God with that little Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath giuen all the Doctours of the Church a taske that may teach them humilitie an Antidote for to cure our swelling knowledge The sicke Man That which ye say is trueth Oh that men were wise in this point that they could consider the weaknesse of their wits But to come to our purpose concerning the Resurrection Manie a time haue I in my Spirit wondered at the greatnesse of that worke The Pastour It shall be a great worke indeede But if anie Saducean spirit would doubt of it it must also doubt more of the creation I take the creation to haue beene a greater worke It is more to haue made our bodies of nothing than to gather their dust together which is now but dispersed This was a Fathers argument Vtique idoneus est reficere qui facit quare miramur quarenon credimus Deus est qui fecit Considera authorem tolle dubitationem That is It is easie for God to mak ouer againe that which he hath once made why marueill wee yea why belieue wee not God hath made all Consider the Maker and doubt no more The sicke Man Let mee heare some-thing out of Scripture concerning this point The Pastour There bee many moste famous passages for the probation of that great worke both out of the olde and New-Testament I know said Iob that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall beholde and not another though my reines bee consumed within mee Daniel is cleare in this Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake Some to euerlasting life and some to shame and euerlasting contempt The Prophet Ezekiel by way of similitude setting the deliuerance of Israel pointeth at the Resurrection Behold O people saith hee I will open your Graues and cause you to come vp out of your graues Christ in the New-Testament made numbers of the Sainctes to come out of the dust of death What they were no man can tell their names whether it was Moses or Ioshua Samuel Dauid Iosaphat Iosiah or who no tongue can tell But this wee know that after Christ arose by the power of his Resurrection hee made manie to come out of their Graues The graues were opened and manie bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of the graues after his Resurrection and went into the holy Citie and appeared vnto manie The sicke Man O but that was wonderfull Think yee that after that they did returne to their Graues The Pastour The most Learned esteeme that they neuer did returne back to dust but that they waited on Christ vntill the day of his Ascention in which day they did accompanie him vp to the Heauens where with their Head Christ they were receiued into Glorie with the great applause of all Angels and Sainctes whose Spirits aboue are desiring continuallie to see the day when Soule and bodie shall bee joyned for to bee glorified together for euer The sicke Man After that the dead are risen and the liuing changed what thinke ye shall immediatelie follow before we meete with the Lord himselfe The Pastour In the judgment of some so soone as the dead shall bee raised and the liuing changed before that we shall meete with Christ into the cloudes there shall be a sore mourning both among the Godlie and the wicked for the piercing of that Lord Euery one of the Godlie in that day shall say as the Butler said to Pharaoh I 〈◊〉 remember my faultes this day Such a mourning was neuer heard since the world was founded as shall be heard that day for a space Christ himselfe hath declared this saying Then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne when they shall see the Sonne of man comming into the Cloudes All shall bee agast at the first sight of that High and loftie One that inhabiteth Eternitie S Iohn saith Behold hee commeth with Cloudes and euerie eye shall see him and they also which pierced him And all the Kinrides of the Earth shall waile because of him The Prophet Zacharie compareth this mourning to the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon for the death of good Iosiah Some thinke that onelie the wicked shall mourne in that day In my judgement it is the most true opinion Others by reason of these foresaid passages thinke that all both Godlie and vngodlie at the first sight of Iesus shall uaile with great lamentations while they shall behold him whom they haue pierced All at the sight of him who was pierced for and by our sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plangent that is shall strik their brests with their hands the signe of great doole After that the Lord hath suffered his to mourne for a space in
his sight Hee shall incontinent command them to come and by vertue of his word they shall all as with winges flie vp into the Aire there for to meete their Lord The strength of their heart the joye of their glorie the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they sette their mindes So soone as they shall come to him hee shall wipe all teares from their eyes Then shall these mourning Mordecais put off the Sack-cloth of their doole for to bee arrayed with the Kings royall apparell the White linnen of heauen the glorious Liuerâ—… of Christ Iesus These hauing celestiall Crownes vpon their heads shall glaunce in glorie like shinning Suns that all that euer took breath may see how it shall bee done to them whom the King of Heauen will honour When the Godlie shall see themselues so powerfullie deliuered from so fearefull dangers they shall cry to Christ as the Israelites said to Gideon Reigne thou ouer vs because thou hast deliuered vs According to their desire hee shall reigne ouer them in all prosperitie Then shall his curled Lockes bee fullie dryed of the Dew and doole droppes of the night of all afflictions The sicke Man When the Lord shall come to Iudgement in what place thinke yee that hee shall sit downe as Iudge for to pronounce his sentence The Pastour It is thought by some that Christ and all his Angels shall come down to the Earth that the sentence may bee pronounced in the presence of the wicked who for feare of distresse and destruction like creeping wormes shall striue to hide themselues vnder Rockes and Mountaines for to couer themselues from the face of the Lambe Glad would they be for to haue the cliftes of the rockes and the secret place of the Graue for a Shelter in that day That shall be a day of trouble and of treading downe a day of perplexitie and of crying to the mountaines Then shall the Wicked in fearefull qualmes of griefe beeing haltered with horrours wish that the Rockes and Mountaines would skippe like Rammes for to leape vpon them that thereby they might bee hid from the Lambe But from that Royall Presence there shall bee none escape * The Angels of great power shall haile them away by force before his great Tribunall where all the euill they haue committed and all the good they haue omitted both publicke scandales and secret sinnes shall bee ript vp and set in open view before all the world to their perpetuall infamie This is the trueth of Gods word Iudge nothing before the time saide S. Paul vntill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden thinges of darknesse and will make manifest the counsell of the hearts O mercifull God! what is this What can foolish man thinke in himselfe while hee concealeth his since Behold here it is written that at that day God shall make manifest the counsell of the hearts The world saith often that Thought is free But behold here how the verie euill thoughts of the wicked in that day shal be spread out and laide in broad-band before the face of God of Angels and of men What an awâ—…and should this bee for to make vs watch better ouer our most secret thoughts seeing in that great day before so many famous witnesses GOD Sainctes and Angels the most secret counsels of the heart shall bee made manifest O then then shall the blacke Mores hiddes and Leopardes spottes clearelie bee seene Then shall all the hidde murthers and all the counsels therof be made manifest Were hee a King hee shall not bee able to couer himselfe Then shall all the hidde Fornications and Adulteries yea the verie plots and counsels for such things though not effectuate all shall bee brought to light O yee most vyle hearts in that day ye shall bee vnboweled and anatamised before the eyes of all that euer breathed on earth What thinke yee O sinners who will not remember this Will yee not thinke vpon this that the day is fast comming except that by speedie repentance yee preuent the wrath God shall discharge vpon you the thunder-bolts of his vengeance Vengeance shall beate vpon your braines and breastes wherein your sinnes were bred The sicke Man Oh that men were wise for to lay such meditations neerest their heart alas such thoghts in our hearts are often but rawe and euill digested Wee oftest misse the corne and choose the chaffe such are the follies which are euer afloate in our braines But to come to the maine purpose which wee haue in hand let me see what warrand these haue in Scripture who say That Christ shall come downe to the Earth for to sit in his last Assise The Pastour They ground their Assertion vpon the wordes of Iob who saith I knowe that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the Earth In the French version it is Il demeurera le dernier sur laterre That is as our oâ—…version hath Hee shall stand the last vpon the earth By this it would appeare that Christ the Iudge shall come downe to the Earth where hee shall haue a Iudgement seate for to doe Iustice vpon that Element where sinne did most abound Other learned Diuines thinke otherwise viz. That Christs Throne wherevpon he shall sit that day shall bee erected in the Aire The sicke man Seeing some are of that opinion that Christ shall judge hee beeing vpon the earth what place thinke they that hee shall choose for to sit downe into The Pastour As for the particular place where that last Iudgement shall be giuen some think that it shal be into the â—…ire ouer the valley of Iehoshaphat neere by the Mount of Oliues which is not farre from Ierusalem Their chiefe ground is from that of Ioel I will said the Lord gather all Nations in the Valley of Iehoshaphat and will plead with them there There will I sitte to judge the Heathen round about The opinion of some is that where Christ was crucified and put to open shame and railed vpon there shall he chiefly in that day make manifest his Glorie This great Iudge in all appearance shall judge the world in righteousnesse and conuince the world of sinne and of righteousnesse where hee himselfe was most vnrighteouslie judged and condemned Many of the Learned Schoole men thinke that he shall come down toward the mount of Oliues Their ground is this That Christ ascended from the mount of Oliues and that there the Angels said vnto the men of Galilee that were gazing vp toward heauen that as they had seene him goe into heauen so should hee come againe These bee probable conjectures But in my judgment no man can assuredlie tell in what particular place this great Iudge shall sitte downe for to pronounce his Iudgement This is most certaine that hee shall come downe Behold hee commeth
owne seeing it is said That the Father is he who shall put all things vnder his feete The Pastour The most learned Diuines haue considered that the Apostle there speaketh not of Christ as hee is Filius Dei eternus simpliciter simplie the Sonne of God but as hee is in the fo◅me of a seruant for that cause as is well remarked by the best wits none can affirme that in Christ is Secundaria divinitas a Diuinitie of a baser rancke * This wee must all know that Christ the Sonne the Father beeing but one GOD worke with one and the selfe same power As God the Father and hee are one so what power Christ man hath in subduing his enemies it may bee said to bee from the Father Because the Trinity is such a deepe mysterie as no humane Wit can search it thorow so the actions of the three Persons are such as no man can clearelie discerne them It is much for our shallow-wits to know the borders of Gods ways It is good in Gods mysteries s◅pere ad sobrietatem that our wisedome bee sober and not drunke with a giddie curiosity neither must wee d◅aw to the other extremitie as to flatter our selues in a sluggish dulnesse hauing no care to search the Scriptures with the men of Berea for to knowe that which it hath pleased God to reueale to vs It is good to seeke out carefullie though not curiouslie the knowledge of Gods reuealed will so farre as can make for the comfort of our Soules The sicke Man Certainelie the knowledge of such things is verie needfull for the comfort of these that are for to leaue this world And therefore I who loo◅ not for long sojourning heere desire to know the more earnestlie what good things the Lord hath prepared for his owne into that other world The hope of Glorie is like a strong hold against the feare of Death O◅ that I were that which I would bee There is now resting only one difficultie in the words of the Apostle which I neuer as yet could well vnderstand It is said That when all things shal be subdued vnto the Father then shall the Sonne also himselfe bee subject vnto him that put all thing◅ vnder his feete Is not the Sonne euen now subject vnto the Father If not how is it said That hee shall bee then subject vnto him The Pastour Christ as God is not at all subject vnto the Father but all the Godlie are subject both to Him and to the Father But as man Christ is with vs subject vnto the Father According to this a Father said well Christus in quantum Deus est cum illo nos subjectos habet in quantum sacerdos nobiscum illi subjectus est That is To Christ as God wee are subject as to the Father but as Christ is our Priest hee is with vs subject vnto the Father Moreouer it may bee saide that after the last Iudgement Christ shall bee subject vnto the Father because then all the Faithfull which are his Mysticall bodie shall bee perfectlie subject to the Father Christ the Head of the Church since his incarnation hath in his owne Person bene subject vnto the Father perfectly and so is hee yet But in his mysticall members below there is a miserable rebellion of flesh against the Spirit But when all shall bee gathered together in one Bodie into Glorie thē shall Christ be perfectlie subject vnto God both Quoad naturam suam tum quoad corpus mysticum In his humane Nature and in his mysticall Bodie which are the faithfull When all the Elect with their Head Christ shall be perfectlie subject vnto God then shall Christ bee fullie and finallie subject to the Father This seemeth to bee the true meaning of the wordes This is made cleare by the wordes following viz. That this subjection shall bee that God may bee All in all But this wee must vnderstand that this subjection of Christ and of his mysticall Bodie is not anie disgrace or disparagement to our Head Christ or to vs The trueth is that it is a moste Princelie honour to bee the Prince of Heauens subject It were better to bee the least subject of Heauen than the greatest commander of Hell The seruice of our God is greatest libertie The more perfect this subjection be the greater is our Glorie The subjection of a creature to God is the verie Image of God in the creature Gods Image in Adam was chieflie in his subjection to Gods will which was defaced by his rebellion which is the verie Image of the Deuill The sicke Man Wee are much beholden to our God who in his great mercie hath reuealed vnto vs all these things into his word His word may well bee called A Lanterne vnto our steps a light which enlighteneth the eyes burning clearer thā any Cresset-light warning from dangers The Pastour Indeede Gods word is a word of life and of light It is a sauing word the power of God to Saluation This power is onelie peculiar to the mightie operation of this word There bee in the creatures words and lines of words for to declare vnto man that there is a God that so man may be without excuse Day vnto day vttereth speach and night vnto night sheweth knowledge Their Line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world But all these wordes and lines are but lines of words concerning the creation All that they can say is but that there is a God a mouer a primum ens a first Be-ere whereby all things haue their beeing But in all these lines of words there is not one word of Christ the Redeemer There is not a day where the Gospel shinneth not that can vtter any speach or shewe any knowledge of that which concerneth mans Saluation wrought with the bloodie sweate of God There is not a word let bee a line in any worke of Nature concerning the great mysterie of Godlinesse Christ manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into glorie The sicke Man O words worthie to bee written with the point of a Dyamond Seeing it is so this should mak vs to esteeme so much the more of the glorious Gospel which is the power of God to saluation of all beleeuers The Pastour The Gospel indeede is like a m◅st rich treasure digged into a fielde for which a man that hath found it will goe and sell all that hee hath that hee may buy that fielde for the treasures cause This Gospel is like a Sunne newly created in the heauens which shineth both day and night both in life and death with most glistring wholesome Beames wherby the vnwholesome cloudie night aire of iniquitie is rarified scattered and dispersed As the Sun in the heauens by its heate maketh al
the earth in the Spring to grow greene and the Cornes to come vp at the first with small green points and after to shoote vp to the shot bled after that to come to the Seede that at last beeing cut downe in a white ripenesse it may be lay◅e vp into Girnels Euen so the Gospel like a Sunne shining from the heauens commeth after the colde frostie season of the dead Winter of our Nature and by its Beames warmeth vs and wakeneth vp the seede of grace sowen into our heartes by the good hand of God After that with its heate by little and little it ripeneth these sowne graces at last while wee are ripe and while the graces of God in vs are come to their perfection the Lord sendeth his seruāt Death to cut vs downe with a sickle After that by Death we are cut downe the Lord treasureth vs vp into euerlasting Tabernacles the Girnels of the Prince of Heauen farre from the keene rasors of lying tongues Now seeing the day is f◅r spent here I shall pause leauing that which hath bene said to your nights meditations By that grace of God I shal returne in the morning earelie He that made Peter safelie to walk vpon the swelling waues vphold you so that ye sinke not at the rising of any boisterous blaste of temptation Gods Children in this world are lik these three Children in the fierie furnace though such fire seeme to bee a consuming fyre it shall not bee able so much as to sindge their apparell The sicke Man But before yee goe Sir according to your good former custume by your deuote prayers committe my Soule to the armes of my Sauiour I euer feare that my false heart giue mee the slippe As God hath giuen you a diuine tong so Lord giue me a sanctified eare the sweetest spirituall musick and harmonie of Gods seruice Oh that with Peter I could gird my coate and swimme thorow all the swelling seas of temptations that I might come vnto my Lord. Offer vp I pray you Sir for mee the Christian sacrifice of prayer Resigne my Soule into his mercifull hands Oh that I could with you homage mine heart vnto God in feruent supplications wee are not able as I see to stand a moment in the right way without Gods vnderpropping hand Alas Sir I finde in my prayers great distractions which wonderfullie blunt the edge of my deuotion while my mouth is speaking to God my minde is speaking with follies and phansies If a man speaking vnto a Prince should nowe turne him vnto this man and now to that man would not that Prince at last commaund him silence enjoyning him with all speed to packe him out of his presence as being a man who knoweth not what is matchable to such a Majestie Many a time alas haue I at prayer babled out with my lippes many sauourles words which haue wrought nothing but the sadding and grieuing of Gods Spirit O Lord make this meditation of mine owne vnworthinesse bee like a whet-stone to my prayers that by helpe thereof I may pray better than euer I did before Giue mee grace at all times but speciallie in prayer to keepe watch and ward ouer my thoughts that I neuer let loose the bridle vnto them as most foolishlie often I haue done rushing my Soule ouer head and eares into the myres of earthlie mindednes Now good Lord make mee fresh and nimble in my Spirit for prayer Oh for that Spirit of spirituall groans which maketh intercession for the Sainctes according to the will of God I desire your helpe in prayer The night is noysome I lye downe I say when shall I arise and the night beginne I am full of tossing vnto the dawning of the day The Pastour I rejoyce with my Soule to heare you I know no surer token of Gods Spirit within a man than a ben◅nes to prayer Reprobates with Herod may gladlie heare Preachers But they all in Scripture are branded with this blot They call not vpon God Desire of conference with God is a most sure token of friendship betweene God and man Can two walke together except they bee agreed Can two speake together except they be friendes Hypocrites I knowe will make long prayers which are but lip labour which our Lord calleth much babling But their heartes in their prayers wander from God goe to worldly toyes so that while they are speaking one thing with the mouth their hearts are vpon another subject Thus Scripture calleth A drawing neere to God with the mouth while the heart is farre off * God cannot bee scorned but knoweth howe much is behind though Ananias would seeme to bring all Hee who can pray from his heart by his prayer as with a piercing keye is able to vnlocke the celestiall treasures of God where out of hee will draw comfortable cordials for distressed Soules in their gasping agonies Let vs now bend our knees most humblie before our Maker and worship him both with heart mouth the most pleasant harmonie of a Christian Soule The Lord set all our hearts rightlie on worke For the heart of man in prayer is most bent to play reakes in wandering from God A Prayer for the sicke Man O Great and Omnipoten◅ GOD whose Eyes are ten thousand time brighter than the Sunne at Noone Day Our sinnes cannot bee hidde from The◅ Faine would wee confesse them but alas for this hardnesse of hear◅ Smite O LORD smite these our hearts of yron soften them with the fire of thy Spirit till my sighs sobs they melt within our boweles O◅ LORD who shall not feare thee to whom is giuen all power both in heauen and earth When we remember thy last Sessions which shall bee in that great last judiciall day it maketh all the haires of our head to start vp Wee are instructed by thy diuine Word that the fashion figure of this world shall passe away and that all Thrones shall bee remoued that that most Royall glorious Throne may bee erected for the comming of the Son of man O LORD in that great and terrible day all thinges must compeare naked before Thee Then shalt thou bring to light the things which were hidde in darknesse and shalt make manifest the most secret counsels of mens hearts From thy face nothing shall bee able to procure escape Happie shall that Soule be on whom in that day thou shalt bleink with a reconcealed face O gracious GOD whose goodnesse is bottomlesse and greatnesse immeasurable Now speake home to the hearte of thy seruant heere who in his fainting weaknesse hath desired me to powre out this prayer for him All his desires are toward thee stampe vpon his Soule the Image of thy selfe Giue him a pawne and a pledge of thy fauour make him assured that in that day hee shall finde thee a fauourable Iudge who shall cry on him among the rest of thy Children Come
in Thessalonica in that they receiued the word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daylie whether these thinges were so As for difficulties we acknowledge that there bee many and great in Scripture but as for that which is absolutè simpliciter absolutelie simplie necessarie for our Saluation it is clearelie set down in Scripture if there be any difficulty in one place that which is there obscure will bee made cleare in some other parte of Scripture This much by the way concerning the obscuritie of Scripture Now to come to the wordes of S. Paul In the first verse it is said For wee know that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building of God an house â—… made with hand eternall in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some after this manner expourâ—… these words after that this body like a Taber nâ—…ele is takeÌ„ away from 〈◊〉 Soule the Soule shall bee in a beâ—… estate euen in euerlasting Glorie â—… to the Heauens The French marginall note vpoÌ„ this is that that eternall house in the he 〈◊〉 is the bodie after the resurrectionâ—… So long as we are here in the sinfull bodie the bodie is but like a Tubernacle vnconstant weake fraâ—… But in the heauens it shall be like 〈◊〉 house that is constant firme strong So corpus gloriosa ejus conditio the bodie and its glorious estate in thâ—… opinion of some is heere called 〈◊〉 house by that house then wee must vnderstand the glorie that is prepared for the Sainctes in he iuen which for its constancie and commoditie â—… called an house According to thâ—… the Apostle in the secoÌ„d verse saith That wee groane earnestlie desiring to bee cloathed vpon with our house which is from heauen That house from heauen is that Glorie which is from heauen Others of the Learned interpret that worde Superindui to bee cloathed vpoÌ„ vt siquis indâ—…tus est thoracâ—… superinduitur pallio Puâ—…o autem sic Explicanâ—…um ex versa 4 Sancti capiunt corpore câ—…lesti it â—… indui vt noâ—… prius exvantur corpore mortaliâ—…sed superinduantur câ—…lesti Sâ—… immortali hoc est â—… per 〈◊〉 transâ—…tationem absorbiator 〈◊〉 ab immortalitate Thus would hee say That the Sainctes beeing huing at the end of the world desired not to cast their mortall bodies from them but desire them to bee changed and cloathed aboue with immortalitie Mortalitie is one 〈◊〉 which must be put off that immortalitie may bee put on Others thinke that there be mention heere made of a double cloathing Alijs placet saith Beza primam vestem dici Christi justitiam alteram vero illius justitiae praemium quorum sententiae nolim praejudicium afferre the one they make to bee the righteousnesse of Christ the other the glorie purchassed by that righteousnesse S. Ambrose speaking of these words In this wee groane c. If so bee that beeing cloathed wee shall not bee found nacked saith Vt haec sit sententia destruendum quidem hoc tabernaculum morte sed ita tamen ut non pâ—…reat Imo ut corruptibilitate deposita restituatur nobis immortalitate induendum That is The Tabernacle of this bodie shal be dissolued by Death not so that it shal perish but that all corruption being taken away it may put on incorruption euen euerlasting glorie For if the bodie did perish then in that case the Soule should bee naked Now while wee are in the Tabernacle of the bodie beeing burdened with sinne and corruption wee grone not desiring to bee vncloathed that is altogether to want our bodie but that putting off the corruptions of the bodie wee may bee cloathed with immortalitie of life which shall swallow vp mortalitie with all cumbers and inconuenients whatsoeuer The Soule of man hath an ardent desire to bee clothed with immortality but hath not will to want its bodie without which it thinketh its selfe naked according to this the Apostle saith In this we groane earnest lie desiring to be cloathed vpon with our house which is from Heauen That is With glorie and immortalitie fast firme like an house If so bee that beeing cloathed wee shall not bee found naked That is Shall not want the cloathing and couering of our bodies The sicke Man My braine is so sore troubled that I cannot bend my Spirits so high for the vnderstanding of these things which are so far aboue my reach Happie is hee who with Dauid is not exercised in great matters which are too high for him Lord inlighten my mistie minde and make mee to know thee and thy Son Iesus Christ and him crucified Lord also helpe mee in the knowledge of all that may increase the knowledge of him into my Soule I haue heard you Sir at large vpon the last judgement and all the proceedinges thereof Yee haue also cleared some difficulties which this night did runne into my minde Nowe lest vaine thoughts should draw mine heart aside vnto toyes let â—…t please you to turne your purpose concerning the joyes of Heauen While I did behold but the outâ—…id of Heauen mine heart was euer rauished at the sight of that Tapestrie embroydred like most glorious Arrasse cloath O what Glorie muste bee within where the Lord himselfe is with all his endenized Citizens of glorie Let me heare you a little therevpon There by the grace of my God I hope to bee within a little space O what place of perfection and blisse my Soule longeth to dwel into that azured Palace Let mee heare of its Glorie The Pastour The prince of Philosophers most subtile in Naturall Science speaking of the heauens said That it was much to get any little knowledge therof All his knowledge câ—…ld reach no further but from motion to motion till hee come to the fiâ—…st Mouer who by the force of his Almightie arme turneth about these relestiall bodies But hee knew no more the great Mov â—… thâ—…n yee would know a man a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpâ—…n the toppe of an Hill displaying aâ—… Ensigne or Standart While the Mouer were casting his Standart yee might perceiue the motion of a Banner and by that motion yee might easilie judge that there bee a Mouer and yet for all that be ignorant not knowing the man who is the caâ—… of all the motion whether he were your foe or your friend The Pagans saw the motions of the heauens as wee see the shaking of a tree moued by the winds I see the Tree shaken and the Branches rushing one vpon another I heare also the noyse I also know that the Mouer is that which wee call the Wind But whence this mouer commeth and whether it goeth or what moueth it no earthlie tongue can tell Pagans which haue not Gospel writteÌ„ in quicke Letters by the dead knowledge of Nature will come from ens to ens that is from beeing to being till they come to ens entium
bee powred vpon the desolate These bee the wordes of the Prophet of which Christ said Who so readeth let him vnderstand The meaning is this By this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abomination of desolation The most learned vnderstaÌ„d that Romane armie which vnder Vespasian and Titus fearefullie wasted the land of Iudea sacked the Citie of Ierusalem It was said To stand in the holy place that is in the holie Land of Iudea neare vnto Ierusalem the holie Citie In these wordes Christ foretold of the ruine of that Citie according to Daniel who of before had particularlie set downe the time Thus as yee see the Romane armie was called The abomination of desolation that is Abominatio desolans seu vastans abominablie destroying This is more cleare in S. Luke When yee shall see Ierusalem compassed with Armies then know that the desolation thereof is neare When that destroying and abominablie desolating Armie compassed that holie Citie then did the abomination of desolation stand in the holie place Some of the Learned interpret this abomination standing in the holie place to bee that profanation of the Temple Collocata ibi Aquila multis patratis quae per legem non licebant vnde etiam mâ—…x sequutum est Templi vrbis geniâ—… excidium By placing therein the Eagle the Romane Ensigne and by doing diuerse other thinges forbidden by the Law wherevpon the desolation of Temple Citie and of Nation did ensue The sicke Man I thinke now that I vnderstaÌ„d by you that which by reading hitherto I haue not vnderstood What other thing could ensue but an abomination of desolation where the Messiah was cut off If for the blood of Cain vengeance was to be taken on the murtherer seuen-fold for the blood of Lâ—…mech if his brags were true seuentie and seuen fold what vengeance must bee taken vpon the shedders of the Blood of God which not onelie with the blood of Abel did cry vnto God from the ground but also from the heauens wherein the Sun cloathed in doole wrapped for a space in his mourning weede would not looke vpon that creature wherevpon his Master was slaine But for to leaue this Ierusalem which is now abominablie desolate Let me heare something of the spirituall Ierusalem The Pastour The spirituall Ierusalem is called Ierusalem which is aboue also the Citie of the liuing God the heauenlie Ierusalem and also the holie Ierusalem descending out of heauen from God The sicke Man Thinke yee that in all these passages of Scripture Ierusalem bee taken after one sense The Pastour I answere that the spirituall Citie Ierusalem in Scripture is taken two wayes either for the Church below wherein God as in a Citie calleth the Godly to immortalitie and happinesse Or it is taken for the heauens where the Godlie actuallie possesse that which they had heere but in hope In the first sense the Church militant on earth is called Ierusalem aboue and the heauenlie Ierusalem The sicke Man Seeing by that Ierusalem is vnderstood the Church heere below wherfore is it called Ierusalem aboue and the heauenlie Ierusalem I thoght euer that such a Ierusalem did signifie the heauens The Pastour It is called Aboue and heauenlie because all the true Godlie the denizens thereof minde the thinges that are aboue Though their bodies bee heere their heartes are into the Heauens For our conuersation as S. Paule saith is in heauen For this spirituall exaltation of heartes the Church in the New-Testament is called The mountaine of the Lords house established in the top of the mountaines exalted aboue the hill One speaking of this Ierusalem which S. Paul called Ierusalem aboue the mother of vs all noteth quickelie these things In hoc quod dicitur sursum originis altitudo Quod Ierusalem Pacis multitudo Quod mater Foecunditatis amplitudo Quod nostrum omnium Charitatis latitudo It is called Aboue from the highnesse of its Kinred aâ—…d pedegree It is called Ierusalem from aboundance of peace It is called Free from its great liberties It is called â—… Mother because of its fruitfulnesse It is called the Mother of vs all to teach vs charitie and loue Are wee not all the Children of the Church our Mother Why then as Ioseph said to his brethren See that yee fall not out by the way The sicke Man I haue often heard of Ierusalem that most famous Citie of the Land of Iurie but I could neuer well know wherfore it was so called Bethlehem Bethel Bethauen are easilie known by their significations viz. House of Bread house of God house of wickednesse But as for Ierusalem I vnderstand not its signification The Pastour Learned men are of diuerse opinions concerning the name thereof Some thinke that it bee so called from Iebus which was its name while the Iebusiens dwelt there Hierom thinketh that it is so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Greeke word which signifieth holy according to this in Scripture it is called The holie Citie others are of the opinion that Sem the sonne of Noah called it Salem that is Peace and that Abraham called it Iehouah Iâ—…eh The Lord will prouide or see Thus at last Salem Iireh put together by Dauid made IerusaleÌ„ that is Vision of Peac while it was called Salem Melchizedech was King thereof called by the Apostle King of Salem The sicke Man Let mee heare a little of the situation of that Citie and of that Land of Canaan The Pastour From Britaine it lyeth toward the South East One calleth it Centrum terrae vmbilicus the Center nauell of the Earth In it were two mouÌ„taines of great renown mount Sion mouÌ„t Moria Sion like an halfe Circle as writters record did lye at the South side of Ierusalem On it was builded the strongest Fortresse of the Citie There before Dauid's tyme was the strong Hold of the Iebusites so strong as they thoght that blind lame meÌ„ were able to keepe it against whomsoeuer This Mountaine was higher than all the rest Sion signifieth drynesse because the Hill was dry without any myre or dirt As for mount Moriah this was the Hill wherevpon that Temple was builded Then Solomon beganne tâ—… build the house of the Lord at Ierusalem in mount Moriah The ground wherevpon that statelie House did stand was that threshing floore of Ornan the Iebusite which Dauid wold buy from him for the full price The occasion was this Dauid hauing caused number the people the Lord was exceeding wroth so that in reuenge hee sent out his Angel who killed with the sword of Pestilence threescore and ten thousand men At last Dauid lifting vp his eyes saw the Angel betweene the heauen and the earth with a drawne sword stretched out ouer Ierusalem which hauing seene hee and the Elders of Israel cloathed in sacke cloth fell vpon their faces At
awake And they that bee wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for euer and euer The sicke Man That as much is said as well of all the Faithfull as of Prophets Preachers thē shall the righteous shine forth as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Behold how all the Righteous shall shine foorth as the Sunne Likewise Deborah in her song said Let them that loue the Lord bee as the Sunne when hee goeth foorth in his might By this it would seeme that seeing they all shall bee like Sunnes that their glorie shall bee equall Moreouer let mee reason as I when I was a Scholler haue heard reason in the Schooles wee are not saued by anie worth that is in our selues but onelie by the righteousnes of Christ Iesus Now for to be saued a man by Faith must apply vnto his soule the whole righteousnes of Christ for Christs righteousnesse diuided cannot saue Seeing then I a poore Crafts-man or labourer b◅ my Faith receiue the whole righteousnesse I receiue as much as Moses or Elias Peter Iames and Iohn so seeing that Righteousnesse is the onelie meritorie cause I hauing it all by imputation muste also receiue the glorie in as great a measure as they For what can they haue except that righteousnesse which can deseiue at Gods had any thing that is Eternal Though a man should giue his bodie to bee burnt for the cause of Christ hee doeth nothing but that which hee is oblished to doe By this then it would seeme that seeing by the on lie righteousnes of Christ eternall happinesse is merited and that all that haue Faith must apply vnto themselues that whole righteousnesse without any diuision that whosoeuer hath Faith to bee saued shall receiue as great a degree of glorie as any of the Apostles Otherwise if ye make difference ye would seeme to attribute some part of heauens glorie to the worth of mans doings or suff◅rings The Pastour Indeede Sir the m◅tter is full of difficulty many things would seeme to make for that opinion Particularlie the Parable of the Talents for to him that had gained but two Talents with his two as well as to him who had gained fiue with his fiue shal be said Intra in gaudium Domini Enter into thy Masters joye To all was said alike Enter into joye Not thou enter into the greatest joye with thy tenne Talents and thou into a lower Chamber with thy foure Talents Indeede the arguments are both strong for and against both the opinions yea so strong that they made a verie learned man after reasoning to and fro to say Vtramque sententiam esse probabilem habere argumenta ex Scripturis Neutram tamen ex Scripturis certo confirmari posse That is Both the opinions are probable and haue argumentes out of Scriptures but by no argument out of Scriptures can it bee certainelie prouen that there shall bee degrees of glorie in a greater measure in some than in others And therefore that learned man seeing the matter so vrged with most forcible arguments leaueth it vndiscussed as beeing a thing the knowledge whereof is not absolutelie necessare for Saluation There bee manie deepes in Scriptures where the grossest Elephants must swimme Things absolutelie necessarie for Saluation are into the plaine shallow foords of the Gospel where the litle Lambes of Christ may wade ouer for to enter into Canaan So long as wee are heere wee know but in part Multa sunt reservanda futurae scholae There be many things here whereof wee must leaue off the searching out till from these little Classicke Schooles below wee passe Master into Gods celestiall Vniuersitie aboue It is great wisedome for man to learne heere Sapere adsobrietatem To bee sober in his search The sicke Man I thanke GOD for this well imployed time Oh that all my words had beene from my youth concerning such spirituall purposes Alas for euill spent yeares Oh that yong men would learne in time to spend well their golden houres Happie is hee who weareth out the short time of this sinfull life at the sincere seruice of his God My Soule now with the pinched forlorne is returning home to the good fare of my Fathers house Haue yee yet any more to say concerning the thinges that are aboue The Pastour If ye would haue a short description of all these things take it vp in these few words Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither haue entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him No man can so imagine of such joye pleasure and contentment to bee there but the thing it selfe shall bee manie stages aboue all humane imaginations It shall bee our wisedome to imagine that they cannot bee imagined When I thinke of that euerlasting and exceeding weight of glorie which passeth all vnderstanding my meditation is dazeled and my tongue is tacked the one not beeing able to conceiue nor the other to describe these thinges which eye neuer saw eare neuer heard and which could neuer enter into the heart of man This is the godlie mans non vltra his outmost bounds There is no created capacitie on earth which can conceiue an euerlasting and exceeding weight of glorie The greatnesse of this glorie putteth mee to silence Sight and Sense Feeling and Fruition shall one day teach vs that which now eye can not see nor care heare nor heart conceiue So soone as we shall see God as hee is wee shall know him and his glorie as wee are knowne Then shal we see with our eyes that which now wee belieue with Faith which is the substance of thinges hoped for a demonstration or euidence of things not sene So lōg as we are here in this muddie mortalitie we liue in a valey of teares where wee are forced to hange downe our heades and hange vp our Harpes as beeing captiues in Babel Aboue are the comfortes of Syon where joyes afresh are infinitlie redoubled Now Sir according to your desire I haue spoken at large of this worldes vanitie and also of the last judgement and of Heauens glorie and of Hells horrour thinke ye that this discourse hath made any motion in your heart for to make you striue with a stronger straine to draw neerer vnto your God The sicke Man I thank God from mine heart that mine heart is in another temper and tune than when yee came first vnto mee God by his Spirit in your words as by a soft sweete breath hath refreshed my Soule By Faith my spirituall eye I see nowe Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse arising vpon mine heart with the brightnesse of his beames Mine heart now burneth within mee and panteth with an vnuterable longing for a sight of the face of my God Nowe Lord drawe the Curtaine that
swelling word which by the accent shall giue notice that they are not such as they say Certainelie Humilitie is one of the fairest flowers in the whole garland of spirituall vertues Whereas Pride a spirituall tympanie bloweth vp the heart and maketh the Arteries to swell with vncleane spirits Humilitie tempereth the blood and quieteth the Spirit with such a calmenesse as that wherein the Lord appeareth to Elijah Some if they bee not Whoores or Theeues they thinke that they cannot faile and yet in one sinne are all sinnes for who faile in one faile in all That which God said by his Prophet is notable If a man beget a sonne that is a Theefe or a Murtherer or that doeth any one of these thinges Obserue the words Anie one Thogh hee doe all these things Shall be liue hee shall not liue He hath done all these abominations See howe hee who hath done but any one is heere also said to haue done all these abominations See how all sinnes by a little bore creepe in with a deceitfull pace If one poisonfull herbe bee in the Potte death is there What shall I say more of Humilie the rarest vertue in women This I will say The lowliest heart is euer in highest in Gods account it euer hath the best share of his fauours As streames of waters runne to the lowe valleyes so doe the graces of God flow to the humble Soules Shame and confusion of face is the ordinatie end of all the puffes of pride and of all vnlawfull daliance This sentence neuer lighted false Pride must gette a fall This is Scripture Though the Lord bee high yet hath hee respect vnto the lowlie But the proud hee knoweth a farre off Bee constant in all thy wayes striue to keepe peace with thy neighbours For this end set a porter at thine eare for to hold out fal◅e reports an open eare and a loose tongue are two deadlie foes to all sacred friendshippe Where such are triffles are taken for truethe after that a matter it throughlie sifted most mens r◅ports are found to bee but babbling Let the true feare of God harbour in thine heart continuallie The feruent zeale of many is agueish lik feuers which come goe by fits and starts Ahab could crouch whē hee heard that the Dogges should licke his blood Till Pharaohs sorcerers were fearefullie plagued none of them could pronounce This is the finger of God Bee not like the wicked who neuer feare God but when hee is in a tempest Fooles are so stiffe and steelie that for God they will not stir an inch till his judgement cause them to stagger Striue to liue by precept not by example Many thinke themselues to bee well beause they are not so euill as many others In this they are like the Drapers who giue luster to a Karsey by laying it to a Rugge The deeper damnation of some in the poole and puddle of perdition shall bee a verie small comfort for these that are in the shallow foordes of the floodes of fyre kindled with the brimestone beames of euerlasting burnings The fore-skinne of an vncircumcised heart is so thicke and brawnie that no precepts can pierce through it till the Spirite himselfe make a way Oh then seeing wee are all a broode of corrupt loynes it standeth thee in hand to bee earnest with that Spirit of grace that he would teach thee to keepe watch and ward ouer all thy wayes If any creature offende thee bite not at the stone but lift vp thine eyes to God None euill is in the Citie but that which hee hath done At diuine Seruice be not chill nor colde Bee feruent in thy prayers while thou speakest to God with thy mouth suffer not thine hearte to wander vpon toyes it is more difficile to pray than to preach wicked men may preach but they cannot pray God hath branded them with this blot they call not vpon God The Lord put into thine heart the juice and sappe of his Grace My Spirit is so wearied that I am not able to expresse my minde The Pastour The Psalmest said well The Lord will perfite that which concerneth mee Hee who hath begun in you his graces shall perfite that which concerneth you yea and shall make his grace to bee made perfect in your weaknesse The sicke Man O my Lord lead mee in the land of vprightnesse O God with Thee is the Fountaine of life In thy Light wee shall see light Reuiue mine heart O Lord with some new supplye of strength from aboue Let the wordes of my mouth and the meditations of mine heart bee acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength my Redeemer Aboue all thinges my louing Spouse beware of euill companie the corruption of good manners and fuell of folie It is good to vse companie as Moses did his Rod so lōg as it remained a Rod he remained with it but so soone as it became a serpent incontinent he fled from before it Bee not like these most vile persons who for to varnish their appearances of euill with alledging innocencie say That they care not what men say of them and that they cannot hinder men to speake Away with such wordes such vaine partlings cannot secure the Conscience neither content the scandalized beholders of euill appearances If thou doe not euill doe not euill lik Be not altogether carelesse what others say of thee but in all securitie of life striue for a good name which is better than precious oyntment There is no such folie as folie practised with profession of wisedome Hypocrites may warilie watch ouer their words and outward actions but none but Nathanaels haue hearts without guile Consider well I pray thee that wee are now come to the dregges of dayes and extremities of time and also to the extremities of sinne for auoiding of the sands we rush vpō the rocks We liue in the last and most corrupt age wherein the verie confluence of all the corruptions of former ages haue made their Randie-vowes So as all may see it is vtterlie impossible except the Lord work wonders that anie keepe themselues so passinglie pure from all spice of contagion but some one infection or other shall sticke vnto them vnto Gods dishonour and their owne disgrace O how manie rubs are in the way to life eternall My best beloued let such instructions sinke deeplie down into thine heart that thou bee not like Hypocrites who are more thoughtfull for plausible conueiances and outward plastering appearances than for anie substance of godlinesse Bee truelie godlie and not prophane like these who say what the Prophets will must into the house of Rimmon one thing or other must they doe wherein God must bee mercifull vnto them As for thee bee a Church wife and also an House-wife It is not seemelie for women to bee gading heere and there shee is most happie
Iudge his Consistorie The day of this life wherein onelie wee can worke declineth a pace The fearfull night cloud hath taken post So soone as it shall come man shall bee discharged to worke any more It is good often to consider le◅ wee should dote and dreame of Immortalitie heere that the short threed of this life will bee soone drawne out to an end that by such thoughts we may learne in time not to bee taken vp with abortiue earthlie pleasures which perish in the budde What is this earth but a muddie myre What is poore mans life on this earth but a map of miserie The best of it is white and blacke checker work mixed with paines pleasures lashes and laughters Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse This godlie mans death should bee warning for vs Death knocking at our neighbours doore should remember vs of our mortalitie There is no case of humane calamitie but it is insident to all In this our old friend wee may see and reade that we haue none abiding heere Hee is nowe gone to his long home by the way of all flesh Aboue the rolling circumference of heauen hee hath found the center of his rest Natures necessitie subjecteth all flesh to mortalitie Hee is gone before vs from the land of the shadowe of death thorow the valey of the shadow of death vnto euerlasting felicitie and we all soone o◅ since must all treade the same way Let vs prouok our watchfulnes with this that wee shall goe to him but hee shall no more come to vs Let vs worke while the day lasteth Before wee bee benighted by death let vs wot where we shall get a lodging So long as wee haue breath and being let vs like Moses bee instant with God in prayer that hee would so teach vs to number our few and euill dayes that vvee may apply our heartes to vvisedome and to vvell doing Wee haue all great neede to goe to this Schoole for the learning of that lesson because death in this narrow passage of mortalitie stealeth vpon vs all with insinsible degrees The course of our dayes is like the course of the Sunne the ruler of the Day whom our owlish eyes cannot perceiue to moue though hee rejoyce as a strong man to runne a race we know him to be more swift than winde yet while wee behold him in his course wee cannot perceiue his motion It is euen so of our life Our dayes runne fast away but wee perceiue not how It is not long that wee stand but when wee beginne to fall wee are like the Yce which thaweth sooner than it froze Our life like smoke or chaffe is carried away as with a gale winde and yet we cannot consider Oh that this meditation like the Rowell of a Spurre could pricke vs forward in our voyage from grace to glorie Nature hath taught the ◅sillie Birdes the Cranne Storke and Swallows our winter strangers to know their seasons As if they had numbered the dayes of their absence they come precisely at their appointed Spring The Salmons also in their season returne to the place where they were spawned They like skilled Airthmeticiens number well the dayes of their absence and for no rubs in the way will they be moued to cracke their tryst All this haue they learned in the Schoole of Nature But men who should haue grace with Nature forget to desire to returne to their God who at the first spawned or as Scripture speaketh breathed within them their liuing Soules Men are often worse than the beasts who wold faine know their duety but cannot Many mē can but will not lik these whom S. Peter calleth Willinglie ignorant The God of grace giue vs wisedome that before our day bee spent and our Sunne set wee may weigh well and consider how wee may so liue to die that wee may die to liue Happie is the man whom God his white man hath in this life marked with the mourning marke The way to Heauen is not so easie as manie dreame Oh how many lets bee within vs and without vs Oh howe manie weightes hang ◅o fast on whereby the vnstable Soule of man is tossed and swayed hither and thither Seeing this holie man of God such a strong Oake hath beene so sore shaken what may we poore little shrubs expect O but we haue great neede to coffer vp some comfortes against the euill day All worldlie helpes depart from vs when we depart out of this life but Gods fauour faileth neuer When all thinges haue forsaken vs then onelie hee will stand by vs and at last will draw vs out of this myrie lake of miserie Happie and thrise happie is the man that is holie heere whome the Spirite of God may point out with an Ecce Behold a true Israelite Such a man after death shall obtaine a name which shall giue him after death a second life O thrise blessed is hee whom God in mercie remoueth in time that his eyes should not see the euill to come The world now is come to its dregs From little to little our zeale is come to its last gaspe Now if euer the Church is a Lillie among the thornes Our sinnes are become like Oakes but our vertues are pinched smal lik graines of mustard seede Wee look in drumblie waters and therefore we cannot see our sinfull blots and blamishes Lord teach vs to grow better that so long as we sojourne in these mansions of dying wightes wee may striue without guile to glid thorow this world that at last following this our olde deare friend wee may come to him and to all the Sainctes into to that celestiall Palace a place of plentie peace and pleasures for euermore Another discourse of the same sort O How hard a thing is it for the liuing to remember that wee are but weedes of a day fading and flying vanities Wee are all heere like poore Trauellers who haue farre to goe and little to spend In our most constant estate below we are like Ionahs gourd that sprang vp into a night withered into another euen a ◅oish vanitie This life said a Father is miserarable Our death is vncertaine If it surprise vs vnawares whither shall wee goe where shal we learne that which wee haue neglected heere Men for the most part wallowing in their sins while they looke most for life are by their expectation surprised of Death But Oh then whether shall they goe Alas that we cannot consider while we haue time and breath Man naturallie is so dull and dumpish that hee cannot imagine that he is possest with a melting mortalitie The best of vs in spirituall matters are pure blind Wee cannot see farre off no that which is neere euen this mortalitie among vs yea within vs That which hath breath can