Lord Iesus Christ cōfirme saying Luke 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome of heauen And in another place Wide is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in therat Mat. 7 13. Luke 13.23 and contrariwise Straight is the gate and the way narrow that leadeth to life and few there be that finde it This doth he speake as S. Luke noteth in an answere to one that had asked him saying Lord are there fewe that shal be saued Those men therfore are not the disciples of Iesus Christ but rather most pernitious instrumentes of Satan that affirme that the gospell is no ioyfull tidings because many doe perish for want of especiall grace that all men shal be saued by a certaine kinde of faith which they haue by nature of God the creator of heauen and earth euen they that neuer heard the Gospel or beleeued in Iesus Christ alwais excepting such as euen in this life by their owne mallice and perpetuall ingratitude haue purchased eternall paines for they doe maintaine merites they forge a faith to saluation without Gospell and without Christ they promise eternall life to hypocrites and to such as think themselues either to be no sinners or to be saued with their sinnes or to haue remission of their sinnes without Iesus Christ to be short they giue assurāce of saluation to all idolaters and sinners in the worlde in case by their workes they obstinatly make not neither shewe themselues abhominable truely they belye Iesus Christ for so should the gate of heauen be very large and wide and not onely many should enter in therat but euen the most part of the worlde as these men doe verily inferre albeit contrary to the expresse protestation of Iesus Christ 9 This is a pollicy of the deuill wherby he seeketh to rock men on sleepe in their sins and to lead them to death vnder colour of sauing them Eph. 2.12 First where S. Paul speaking to the Gentiles saith Before yee beleeued yee were without Christ and were aliants from the common wealth of Israell and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world Doth he not euidently shewe that all heathen that knew not Christ to beleeue in him and so not they onely that were more wicked then the rest are out of Christ the onely sauiour of the worlde are depriued of the promise of the couenant and are without hope and without God Phil. 2.16 Acts. 5.20 Eph. 6.15 Act 14.3 and 20 32. and 13.26 what reason or ground can they then lay holde of whereby to the contrary to maintaine that such men can haue any hope of saluatiō or that they shal be saued in the kingdom of Christ Moreouer as the gospell is called the worde of life of peace of grace saluation so can ther be no other faith that shal bring forth peace life and saluation but that which is grounded vpon the Gospell Faith therfore in God the creator vnknowen as a redeemer in Iesus Christ can bring no saluation or life euerlasting doth not this errour likewise abolish the holy ministery that is to say preaching and the vse of the sacraments sith men may be saued without thē Is it not also a dispensation to all the corruptions and vices of the soule euen to an infinite number of sins cōsidering that only those men shal be damned that of their perticular malice shall haue declared a perpetual ingratitude against God the creator or that hauing heard the gospel haue publickly reiected it and so what a folly is it or may it be to suffer for the name of Iesus Christ for let a man be an idolater let him neuer come at Sermon let him neuer cōmunicat the sacraments let him make profession of no religion let him burne in couetousnes and ambition yea let him foster vp hatred malice and enuy yet if otherwise he liue honestly after the maner of the world it is enough in their doctrine for his saluation 10 These are such monstrous opinions that the very shew of thē may suffise to confound them Now let vs returne to our purpose and with Iesus Christ conclude to the contrary namely that the number of those that shal be saued is very small for if vnto men there be giuen no other name whereby we may be saued Act. 4.12 but only the name of Iesus Christ such as boast that they beleeue in God and obey not Christ who commaundeth that wee should also beleeue in him can be no pertakers of the saluation that is in him Likewise if vnto those that know not Christ wee doe adioyne all those that albeit he be preached vnto them Iohn 14.1 doe not beleeue in him neither liue as the members of Christ euery one may easilye vnderstand the truth of his sentence who is the self truth namely that few shal be saued and that in respect of the others it is a small flocke that shal be partakers of the eternall kingdome And herein doe we gather two points that should mightily induce vs to amend our liues First that we must practise the exhortation that Christ himselfe gathereth thereof when he saith Labour to enter at the narrow gate but how by putting of the olde man by denying our selues and the worlde in breefe by daylye amendment Luke 13.24 Let vs therefore beware of the broad way and consequentlye of these cursed dispensations to offend God when we are attempted hereto let vs remember that as sin leadeth vnto death so must we seperate our selues from the multitude that walketh in the broad way that leadeth to destruction euerlasting neither must we hearken to those that say all the worlde doeth thus most men doe liue thus we cannot make a world apart if thou followest this world take the broad way thou shalt with the world go into destruction 11 Secondly the more stedfastly that we vnderstand and beleeue that there shal be few saued the more earnestly let vs praise God who hath chosen vs to be of that small number and hath called vs to bring vs in at the narrowe gate to be of his euerlasting kingdome let vs beholde the multitude that goe by the brode gate to destruction let the horror of their woe kindle our harts that we may praise God for his great mercy toward vs and walke cheerefully in the straight way that leadeth to heauen let vs couragiously reiect all desires of the flesh allurements of the worlde and all other temptations to the ende that by dayly amendment of life we may finally enter at the narrow gate that leadeth to the kingdome of eternall glory Thus we see how the consideration of this title of the kingdome of heauen attributed to the Church to the holye ministerye to the restauration of man consisting in righteousnes peac e and ioy in the holy ghost
6. Heb. 2.14 rose againe for our iustification when by dying he mortified our old man by rising againe raised vs vp into newnes of life when by his death he destroyed him that had the empire of death did he not by destroying this kingdome of Satan bring the kingdom of heauen nearer vnto vs And in deed this kingdom of heauen was neuer so neare our fathers other the beleeuing Iews in old time Wel had they the promise that the seed of the woman should bruse the serpents head but we do see the performance thereof in Iesus Christ who by his death hath ouercomen the deuill and the power of Hell Well had they the pascall lambe to figure vnto them that for the auoyding of eternall death they must be washed in the bloud of Christ But as Iohn the Baptist euen with his finger pointed to this Lambe Iesus Christ saying Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1 2â— so this lambe did afterward really shed his bloud for the remission of our sinnes to free vs from eternall death Well did they stay and ofter innocent beastes in sacrifice as it were laying their sinnes vpon them that by their death signifying the death of Iesus Christ to come they might haue as it were an assured pledge of the remission of their sins consequently hope of life But there was not as yet any payment or satisfaction for sinnes And therefore these sacrifices were as it were bonds with sureties wherein man the principall debtor Coloss 2.14 acknowledgeth the debt Iesus Christ vndertooke as a pledge and surety 5 In this sence did Iesus Christ in his death make ful paymeÌ„t for the sins of al the elect consequently also of those that liued vnder the first testament as the Apostle saith which also S. Paul vnder the same coÌ„sideration termeth the former sins Coloss 2.14 Heb. 9.15 Rom. 3.24 not that they were not pardoned to the beleeuing Iews But because vntil that day there was no price laid downe for the satisfaction of Gods Iustice And in that sence dothe the same Apostle say that he nailed those obligations to his crosse as hauing then satisfied discharged the same And therefore were the expiatorie sacrifices circumcision with other like ordenances of the law abolished at his death Neither could they haue been kept as necessary but that they would still haue been witnesses that Christ stood yet bound Besides not content to haue by this abolition as it were canceled these obligations he hath also ordeined Baptisme and his holy supper to be vnto vs as it were authenticall acquittances and witnesses of payment made 6 It is likewise the benefite for the which he coÌ„mandeth vs to amend adding this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand For it is as if he had said Behold this is the time that I will breake the serpents head and destroy him that hath the empire of death and banish the prince of the world Now do I goe to make payment for al the sins of the elect to crucifie the old man that he may no longer raigne in them to purchase for them newnesse of life To be short to reestablish them in state requisit coÌ„uenient for the children of God Is not the kingedome of heauen then very neere at hand Amend therefore for it is time that you feeling your iustification and attonement to be made with God shold be at peace in your consciences should renounce the deuil the flesh the worlde and your selues mortifie the olde man who is crucified with me and become new creatures by vertue of my resurrection But if contrariwise you remayne hardened in your sinnes and will not giue ouer and mortifie the ambition pride couetousnes fraude whore dome insolencie dronkennes ryot hatred enuy malice and other corruptions and doe not amend by growing in al good workes shal you not so much as in you lyeth quench the kingdome of heauen that is in you and with most villanous ingratitude treâ—d vnder foote this incomprehensible benefit heere offered The heathen that neuer heard speaking hereof for their continued impenitency shall be iustly coÌ„demned The Iewes who had some knowledge albeit obscure and a farre off shal be more grieuously punished because they did not amend But you to whom this kingdome of heauen is neare at hand vnlesse ye amend shall incurre a condemnation without comparison more horrible and fearefull And the beleeuing Iewes who neuer sawe this kingdome of heauen but from far off and obscurely and yet as the Apostle saieth to the Hebrewes did beleeue it and reioyced and walking in the feare of God did amend Eph. 3.9 shal be your iudges to your confusion 7 We are furthermore to consider the preaching of the Gospel signified also by this kingdome of heauen Iesus Christ saieth Verily I say vnto you among them that are begotteÌ„ of women arose not a greater then Iohn Baptist Heb. 11. notwithstanding he that is the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he He doth not heere meane that the least in the christiaÌ„ Church shal either in piety or in glory in the kingdome of heauen excel Iohn Baptist but that they shal be greater Prophets then he that is to saie that they shal be able more amply perticulerly and euidently to speake of euery thing that concerneth our redemption saluation in Iesus Christ And indeed what euident assured knowledge hath there been reuealed to the Christian Church concerning the person of Iesus Christ that he was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary very God and very man likewise of his offices that he hath receaued the anoynting of the holy Ghost to be our Priest king Prophet Consequently of his sufferings death resurrection ascentioÌ„ into heaueÌ„ of the certitude of our iustification saluatioÌ„ not by workes but by grace by the merits of his death Moreouer how the Gospel of saluation was directed to the Gentils wherby there was reuealed to the world a mistery secret Mat. 11.11 which as S. Paul saith hath from the beginning been hiddeÌ„ in God coÌ„teining a wonderful wisedome then reuealed to the Angels And albeit the ancient fathers weâ—e neuer destitute of the spirit of God Yet had they it not euer without coÌ„parison so plentifully as it hath bene communicated by the preaching of the Gospell 2. Cor. 3.8 And therefore doth S. Paul call it in excellency the ministery of the spirite And Iesus Christ termeth it regeneration Mat. 19.28 as wheÌ„ he saith to his Apostles ye that haue followed me in regeneration shall sit vpon twelue thrones Truely therefore in regarde of the preaching of the Gospell Iesus Christ did saye that the kingdome of heauen was at hand and that therefore we must amend As indeed Mat. 19.28 what excuse may we pretend if hauing such a sonne of light before our eyes we be neuerthelesse giuen
for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Heereby doth the holie Ghost teach vs that the first thing that is to bee preached in the Church and sounded into our eares that especially and aboue all things we are to learne in the Gospell whereupon principally wee should set our heartes and mindes To be briefe the same which we ought chiefly to practise is this first sermon of Iesus Christ and of his forerunner Saint Iohn Amend your liues for the kingdom of heauen is at hand Now the word which the holy Ghost doth ordinarily vse throughout the new Testament and namely in this first sermon whereby to expresse Amendement signifieth vnderstanding aduice and wisdome after the knowledge of our error corruption and transgression Thus the Amendement whereto wee are heere exhorted consisteth in this that where before time we haue beene so foolish and vnaduised as to followe our owne corruptions and so to offend God wee may heereafter obtaine vnderstanding and sense euermore walking in the feare and obedience of God 2 Out of this Sermon therefore considering the propertie of the word which Iesus Christ doth vse we gather two things the first that it is an extreme folly to liue according to the flesh and so to giue ouer our selues to sinne and contrariwise that the beginning of wisedome is the feare of God Psal 111.10 Prouerb 1.7 walking in his waies The second that man naturally is inclined to this folly namely to giue himselfe ouer to his lustes and consequently to offende God for otherwise it were in vaine by so notable a reason to exhort him to shunne the same As concerning the first point The holy Scripture in many places tearmeth sinners fooles sinne â—â—oli â—nesse Moses foreshewing the corruption and rebellion of he I raelites Deut. 32.5 saith thus They haue corrupted themselues towarde God they resemble not his children but are a froward crooked generation Iere. 4.22 Do ye thus reward the Lord O ye foolish people and vnwise My people saith the Lord are foolish they haue not knowen me they are foolish children haue no vnderstanding They are wise to do euill but to doo well they haue no knowledge Againe See saith Saint Paul that ye walke diligently not as fooles but as wise men And writing to Titus Titus 3.3 he speaketh more plainly saying We our selues were in time past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasures Prou. 1.22 liuing in malitiousnes and enuie Salomon in his Prouerbs doth vsually so take it Wisedome saith hee crieth out O yee foolish how long will ye loue foolishnes and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning and the fooles hate knowledge And so in many other places But that we may the better vnderstand what a foolishnesse it is to offend God the holy Ghost especially in the olde Testament and sometimes also in the new doth signifie this Amendement by conuersion and turning to the Lord. Oh Israel sayth the Lord by Ieremie Iere 4.1 Iere. 31.18 If you returne returne vnto mee Againe Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted Againe I desire not the death of a sinner saith the Lord but rather that hee conuert from his wickednes and liue Exech 33.11 Conuert ye O ye house of Israel Likewise sometimes in the new Testament Bee yee better aduised that is to saie Amend saith S. Peter and S. Iohn Act. 3.19 and conuert And S. Paul saith that hee shewed them of Damascus and others that they shoulde repent and turne to God and doo workes worthie amendement of life Act. 26.20 This phrase of speech teacheth vs that mans life resembleth a pilgrimage wherein whosoeuer offendeth God by walking after the world and the flesh he doth as it were turne his back to God to heauen and to life and goeth to the deuill to death and to hell fire And contrariwise that conuerting and turning to God by Amendement of life hee turneth his backe to death to hell and to the deuill and goeth to God draweth neere to him and directeth his course to heauen to life euerlasting Is there therefore anie greater foolishnes than to offend God that is to saie to turne from God and life euerlasting and to go after the deuill and death If anie man should voluntarily call himself into the fire or into some riuer either stab himselfe or drinke poison men would not saie that he were a foole but rather that hee were frantike and besides himselfe What shall wee then saie to those who willingly offending God do cast themselues into hell fire and into the bottomlesse pit of eternall death To the ende therefore that we may amend it is requisite that we retire conuert vnto God and returne to him But how Euen by ceasing to offend him and by walking according to his word for so do we turne backe from the deuill from death and from hell Let vs I saie conuert and turne vnto God yea let vs drawe neere vnto him yet as Saint Austen saith not by changing of place Prosper in his sentences out of S. Austen for hee is euerie where but by alteration of manners for as he addeth According as we grow like or vnlike vnto him so doo we eyther approch or she backe from him 3 For the second point This exhortation Amend that is to saie Be ye wiser and better aduised together with the reason thereunto added whereby to induce vs so to doo doo sufficiently as is aforesayde shew that man of his owne nature is inclined to this folly and rage namely to apply himselfe to all corruption sinne and so for the amending of his life ought to become wiser and better aduised Now notwithstanding we might note many examples of this folly yet at this present we will consider onely of seuen of the chiefest And in the meane time as the number of seuen doth commonly signifie perfection so will we thereby declare that man is perfectly foolish vntill he change his minde that he may amend And these be the follies 1. Not to beleeue that there is a God 2. To account more of man than of God 3. To thinke to liue euer 4. Not to know wherefore we liue 5. To iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance 6. To beleeue our enemies sooner than our friends 7. To thinke our selues wise 4 These seuen follies are the cables of vanitie and the roapes that drawe on iniquitie Of these doth Esay saie Wo vnto them that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie Esa 5.18 and sinne as with cart ropes For by these cordes and cables hee vnderstandeth certaine false opinions and peruerse imaginations wherewith the deuil quenching in men all feeling of sinne apprehension of God draweth them as it were with cordes and cables to all iniquitie and consequently to the pit of hell Of these he setteth downe three examples The first of prophane persons scorners of God who saie Let him make speed
speaking vnto vs but because God speaketh by them and therefore whosoeuer despiseth or resisteth them when they preach the worde of God hee doth despise and reiect God in them 6 The premises doo sufficiently shew in what reuerence wee are to holde the ministerie of the worde what a blessing it is to enioye it how earnestly and diligently wee shoulde frequent sermons especially in consideration of the benefites which wee reape by them as illumination reconcilement to God and participation of saluation and lyfe euerlasting For this cause doth the Deuill our auncient enemie labour to diuert men heerefrom and to bring them out of taste saying vnto some If God woulde speake vnto vs either by himselfe or by his holie Angelles wee woulde verie willingly beleeue and obeye him alledging to others That they can reade Gods word in their houses that they haue verie good bookes and that they can heare no better instructions in the sermons of men than in the preachinges of Iesus Christ written by the Euangelists neither anie better doctrine than in the writings of the Prophets Apostles But hereto we aunswere that our selues are also in duetie to read the holy Scriptures as hereafter we will more at large declare In the meane time it is abhominable rashnes and presumption in man to seeke to alledge reasons against the expresse declaration of the will of God Albeit we should not vnderstand for what cause God would speake vnto vs by the ministery of men or that thereby he would bring vs to saluation yet might it become vs to humble our selues in his sight and without replying to obey his commandements ordinances as certainly beleeuing that to his elect hee appointeth nothing but in his wisdome goodnes to his owne glorie and to their felicitie and saluation And in deed first euer since the fall of Adam men haue bin so estranged from God by reason of sin and their own corruptioÌ„ that they cannot abide the presence of God especially when he speaketh to them And therefore this was in olde time a common saying Iud. 13.22 We shal die for we haue seene God Likewise the people of Israel hearing God speaking vnto theÌ„ in mount Sinay Exod. 20.19 sayd vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and wee will heare thee but let not the Lord speake least we die And God accepting this confession of their infirmitie together with their demaund saide vnto Moses They haue sayd well and therefore I will heereafter speake vnto them by the ministerie of men Deut. 18.17 raising them vp Prophets and putting my words in their mouthes This experience of the people of Israel that they were not able to heare God speaking vnto them theyr demand that hee would speake to them by men the approbation thereof and Gods promise to send them prophets do declare that it is an intollerable presumption if in stead of vsing the ministerie of men we wil needs haue God himselfe to speake vnto vs. 7 Neuertheles albeit God would not offer himselfe in such maiestie as to terrifie men when he speaketh vnto theÌ„ yet may we note sundrie notable reasons that moue him to vse the ministerie of men First it is a good proofe of our humilitie obedience in that he is content we should be taught and brought to saluation by the ministrie of men that be like vnto our selues sometime our inferiors for so will God haue the glory of our faith and saluation to himself but if himself shuld speak vnto vs or send his Angels some might say It is no maruell though men obey for who will not beleeue God when himselfe speaketh vnto vs Who dare disobey him But sith they bee men and many times of lowe degree yea euen such as want the perswasiue wordes of mannes wisedome 1. Cor. 2.4 â— as Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe then as hee also addeth Faith must bee from God and not from man And therefore is it not requisite that the holye Ghost shoulde perswade vs that when vve heare men speaking vnto vs wee heare God speaking by them and so doo receiue their worde not as the woordes of men but as the worde of God In this sense doth he also say that the pastors doo beare the treasure of the heauenly doctrine as it were in earthen vessels to the end to trie our humilitie and faith 2. Cor. 4.7 whether without respect of the base and meane estate of the men wee can finde in our hearts to esteeme of and accept the heauenly treasure which they present vnto vs. Secondly is it not a great honour that God doth to man when from among men hee chooseth some to bee his embassadors as it were his owne mouth to preach and proclaime his will together with the mysteries of our saluation and to beare witnesse of his great mercie goodnesse and loue towardes vs and of that eternall glorie which he hath prepared for vs in heauen 8 Thirdly the establishment of preaching is an excellent conuenient meane to maintaine loue vnion and truth among men If there were no preaching but onely priuate reading of Gods word we shuld presently find a horrible confusion in the doctrine when euery one shall expound the holy Scripture after his owne sense vnderstanding As also by experience we doo but too plainly see that they which contemne preaching doo finally fall into diuerse opinions and errours Heereto had S. Paul especiall regard when he writ to the Ephesians There is one bodie and one spirite Ephes 4. â—4 euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and thorough al in al. But vnto euerie one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gifte of Christ Wherefore hee sayth when he ascended vp on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men Hee gaue vnto some to bee Apostles others to bee Prophets others to be Euangelists and others to be pastours and doctors for the gathering together of the saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnitie of faith knowledge of the son of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Iesus Christ by whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together by euerie ioynt receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue through the grace that is ministred according to the measure of euerie member 9 By this discourse the Apostle Saint Paule doeth manifestlye declare that this gathering together of the Saintes this building vp of the bodie of Christ our full growing vp in him that is
the holy supper to the end that by participation in his body bloud we might the more be strengthened in this assurance that Christ is ours together with all his benefits so feede our soules spiritually to life euerlasting And indeed as ther is no saluation but in Christ so doth not Christ any whit profit vs except we belieue that he is ours together with all his benefits Well is he presented vnto vs in the preaching of the Gospell but ther be yet two other points those very notable in the cōmuniō of the holy supper For God who in his preaching speaketh generally to al men in his holy supper directeth his particular promise as it were by name to euery the cōmunicants therin And not so satisfied he also deliuereth them a seale and visible token to assure thē that his pleasure is that Christ with al his benefits should as certainely belong to euery of thē as they see touch and tail that they be partakers of that bread wine that is deliuered vnto thē He thē that careth not to be cōfirmed in this assurance that Christ with all his benefits is his is possessed with too much pride if hee thinketh it needles either that he prophane it as not feeling what a comfort and ioy it is to haue assuraunce of his saluation in Iesu◠Christ The second reason is that we presenting our selues at the Lords table may by so doing make as it were a publike protestation that we haue no fellowship with Idolaters and heretickes neither with the world But that we take our selues to be the children of God the mēbers of the body of Christ that we looke for life and saluation through him onely and so shew forth the benefit of his death al this in remembrance of him to his glorie The first reason declareth how necessary the vse of the holy supper is in regard of our selues The second how requisite it is to the glorie of God and the edification of our neighbours We might also add a third reason That is that the holie Supper is a seale of our vnion knitting together into one bodie vnder our head Iesus Christ as S. Paule expressely saith That we who are many are but one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread And thus those men that voluntarily do abstaine therefro do depriue their soules of their food Christ of his glorie and by their euill example doe minister offence to their neighbours To conclude They seperate or rather keep them selues seperate from the bodie of Christ Hereby it appeareth that they which be negligent and care not for communicating in the Lords Supper when he giueth them opportunitie do deserue not onely not to be accompted members of Christs Church Nomb. 9.9 but also to incurre the most horrible iudgement and vengeance of God As God in old time declared by Moses That the man that did not celebrate his passeouer should be cut off from among the people and beare his owne sin because he offered not the offering of the Lord in due season 2 Againe we see in sundrie reformed Churches a number of negligent hearers of sermons but yet are there many more that care not for communicating in the Lords Supper and that vpon sundry considerations first some that liue in bad consciences in whordome theft drunkennesse or other iniquities from which they are not determined yet to abstaine do forbeare the communion as doubting least they should aggrauate their condemnation according as saith S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation These men doe resemble those who lyuing in fornication do refuse to marrie least thereby their fornication which they are not minded to giue ouer should be the more grieuous as being conuerted into adultery They may also be likened to those who hating their neighbours when they say the Lords prayer Our father which art in heauen c. do leaue out this petition forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs as imagining that if they should say that they should pray to God not to forgiue their owne sinnes because they forgiue not their neighbours But as they who lyuing in fornication and will not marry least they should forsake their adultery are in a wofull estate so the others that aske no forgiuenes for their transgressions and seek to continue in hatred against their neighbours are worthy double condemnation one in respect of their hatred that they continue the other for their sinnes for the which they aske no forgiuenes Euen so they that forbeare the holy Supper in respect of their bad consciences do pronounce sentence against themselues namely that they deserue double death first for their sinne which they do continue in wicked consciences and secondly because they seperate themselues from the communion of Christ in whom onely is the fulnesse of life What shall they then doe Let them put away their wicked conscience Let them dissolue the bands of Sathan Let them come forth of hell If they say that they can not so farre master their affections Why haue they married themselues to fornication hatred theft and other like iniquities vpon condition that they will neuer be diuorced from the same surely that is a token that they do not steadfastly beleeue that there is a hell prepared for such liners Or at the least the pleasure that they take in their sinne doth quench all remembrance thereof Otherwise the sole apprehension of this horrible and vnquenchable fire would force them to giue ouer the wickednesse that leadeth and draweth them thereto And indeed if in a mightie tempest they should chaunce to finde themselues vpon the sea in daunger of drowning they would a thousand times protest to forsake their bad consciences that so they might submit themselues to the obedience of God But how can they lie downe and sleepe vpon a pillow of fornication theft hatred and other wickednesse giuing themselues as a pray to Sathan if God in his long suffering should not recouer them Let them flatter themselues at their pleasures for if they continue in abusing the pacience of God and abstaining from the holy Supper to the end to goe on in a wicked conscience their estate is most woefull and accursed As he therefore who wanting the gift of continencie and liuing in fornication ought to abhorre it and to prouide himselfe of a remedie by marriage so as often as they haue aduertisment or heare of the celebration of the Lords supper let them at the least thinke themselues wakened and summoned to renounce their wicked consciences and by participating in the holy supper to seperate themselues from the societie of the wicked to glorifie God and to be confirmed in faith and courage to goe forward from good to better 3 Others doe forbeare the communion because they will not submit themselues to Ecclesiasticall orders and discipline If wee might admit
the vessells of mercie which hee hath prepared to glorie To be short hee teacheth vs that the declaration of his wrath agaynst sinne and consequently of his holynesse and iustice in punishing the same also of his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee will and lastly of his great mercie to the elect do all serue to the manifesting of the glorie of God As nothing therefore doth better beseeme God than the manifesting of his glorie so for the iustifying of God and the shutting of the passage agaynst all such blasphemies it sufficeth with the Apostle Saint Paul to maintaine that his glorie shineth in his mercie to the elect in his iustice against the vessels of wrath prepared to perdition and in his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee wyll For such as are not content wyth this reason doo shew themselues to bee enemies to the glorie of God Besides that this phrase of speech which hee heere vseth when hee sayeth Who is it doeth shew that in whatsoeuer God doth for the manifesting of his glorie man is not to murmure or replie especially considering that it was and is the purpose of all Gods workes Prou. 16.4 For hee hath made all things for himselfe sayth Salomon euen the wicked for the daie of his calamitie 15 The same Apostle in another place verie notablie confirmeth the premises saying God hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe Rom. 11.32 that hee might haue mercie on all The purpose of Saint Paule in this place is to shew that the Gentiles were vnbeleeuers euen vntill the resurrection of Iesus Christ and the Iewes after it to the ende that the Gentiles beeing conuerted by the preaching of the Gospell might confesse that hauing so long remayned in vnbeleefe plunged in idolatrie and giuen ouer to all wickednesse Ephe. 2 1◠euen as Saint Paul sayth without Christ without God and without hope It was vndoubtedly a worke of meere wonderfull mercie of God to receiue graft them into the Church by preaching of the Gospell Likewise that the Iewes after their incredulitie which hath now continued aboue fifteene hundred yeeres receiuing the Gospell whensoeuer it shall please God to call them thereto may also confesse that theyr saluation proceedeth neither from the worthines of theyr ancestors neyther from the merites of their works but from the soueraigne and meere mercie of God Beholde here a number both Iewes and Gentiles reprobates vesselles of wrath whome God hath shut vp in rebellion and vnbeleefe in whose iust perdition Gods mercie shal the more shine vpon a small number of his elect If anie man list heereat to take occasion to murmure in that hee cannot comprehend Gods iudgements let him with Dauid remember that they are wonderfull deepe And in lieu of labouring and seeking to finde out the reason of them let him in maintenance of Gods iustice with Saint Paul crie out and saie O the deepnes of the riches Psal 36.7 both of the knowledge and of the wisedome of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen vnto him first Rom. 11.33 and hee shall bee recompenced For of him and thorough him and for him are all thinges to him bee glorie for euer Amen Heere wee see how the Apostle by the tenour of this exclamation beating down the pride rash presumptiō of man teacheth vs to containe our selues in all sobrietie modestie and humilitie in the sight of God to reuerence his iudgements which hee hath sayd to bee incomprehensible In our selues to feele that there is in God a depth of wisedome which swalloweth vp mans vnderstanding to confesse that he is not bound to his creature to acknowledge that it is not possible for vs to comprehend his waies and finally that in this wonderful worke we must glorifie God for euer How horrible therefore are the blasphemies of those that dare accuse God of iniquitie and vniustice because hee openeth not vnto them the treasures of this heauenly wisdome wherby they may vnderstand the reasons of his incomprehensible iudgements workes waies which cannot possibly be found out 14 The prophet Esaie rehearseth that hee receiued from God this commandement Go saie vnto this people ye shall heare in deed but ye shall not vnderstand Esay 6.9 ye shall plainly see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie shut their eies least they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale thē This is a commandement that seemeth verie strange for it doth not only foreshew the hardning of the heart of the Iewes and consequently their destruction but also that preaching shall be the occasion to blind them and to harden their hearts Shal we therefore saie that God is the author of their hardnes blindnes sin and destruction that proceed therof God forbid And therefore note what S. Paul said to the vnbeleeuing Iewes It was necessarie the word of God should first haue bene spoken to you Acts 13.46 but seeing ye put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles Moreouer wherefore hath God wrought in the harts of some by his holy spirit giuen ouer others to hardnesse of heart and blindnesse True it is that as a iust iudge he hath punished the wickednes of vnbeleeuers in hardning them yet must we ascend to the eternall decree of God who hath elected those whom he would to conuert them giuen ouer the others to be hardned Now albeit thou canst not vnderstand why he hath chosen those rather than the other why he causeth the doctrine of saluation to be preached to some with such efficacie of his holy spirit that thereby they do conuert beleeue but vnto others without any efficacy of his spirit wherby they harden thēselues so increase their condēnatiō also how God hardneth yet is no author of the hardnes of hart either of the sins that thereof doo proceed yet see thou reuerence the incomprehensible iudgements of God and consider what went before this commandement giuen vnto Esaie Esay 6. Hee saith that hee sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throane and lifted vp and the lower parts therof filled the temple The Seraphims stood ouer it couering their faces with two wings and crying one to another Holy holy holy Lord God of hoasts the whole world is ful of his glorie This teacheth vs to humble our selues before this holy most holy one and to reuerence the iudgements of this king that sitteth vpon the throne Iohn 12. 42 as most holy and most righteous and in the execution whereof shineth his glorie Whereuppon Saint Iohn hauing alleadged this sentence of Esaie touching the blinding and hardning of the Iewes expresly doeth note that the Prophet spake
the Tiryans Sydonians of whome Iesus Christ sayth If his vertues and miracles had beene done among them Math. 11.21 they woulde haue conuerted and amended their liues And therefore God should haue chosen them that they might not haue bene damned And contrariwise the saying in the booke of Wisedome that Enoch was taken awaie by death least mallice should haue corrupted his heart doth shew Wisdo 4.10 Gen. 5.24 that he should haue beâ—â— reproued and condemned for the mallice foreseene wherewith hee might haue beene corrupted if hee had liued And thereof it must also followe that God had beene deceyued in foreseeing the thing that should neuer haue come to passe 19 As this error therefore which allotteth vnto man for the foundation of his election himselfe his free will and his woorkes doth diuerte him from the feeling and acknowledgement of the loue goodnesse grace good will and power of God and puffeth him vp in false and most pernitious opinion of his owne vertue and merites to his ouerthrow and destruction withall doth depriue God of his glorie so contrariwise the doctrine of election vnderstood and beleeued in manner as wee haue before declared doth teach and admonish vs to attribute the whole glorie of our saluation to one onely God incessantly to praise him to reuerence his power and infinite goodnesse wholy to depend vppon him and to walke in all humilitie confessing that in vs there is neither beginning nor preparation wherby God should be bound to choose and doo well by vs and therefore that all good namely our election is the pure gifte and free grace of the goodnes of God vnto vs. And to conclude This doctrine ingendereth in vs an assured certainty of our saluation infusing comfort and ioy into our harts with a zealous affection to consecrate our selues to the seruice of God with our whole hearts all the dayes of our liues 20 As for Gods prouidence the onely remembraunce that nothing befalleth vs but by the eternall will of him that hath elected vs in his sonne Iesus Christ ought to bring forth in vs many notable fruites First this doctrine teacheth vs to banish the prophane opinion of the heathen that imagined that all things came by fortune attributing to an idoll forged in theyr braines that thing which appertained onely to one God namely the euent of all that was done But as this is an intollerable idolatrie and sacriledge so representing theyr Goddesse fortune blinde they tooke awaie all feare of offending God and all desire to liue wel And in deede if all calamities and prosperities should befall man not by any conduct of prouidence iudgement or reason but by aduenture who would feare to doo euill for feare of correction and punishment Who would desire to liue well when hee should stande in doubte whether in well dooing hee shoulde bee blessed But when wee doo beleeue that all commeth by the prouidence of God who seeth all things and loueth righteousnesse and hateth iniquitie The onely remembrance that it is God that sendeth both good and euill will moue our heartes to feare correction punishment for doing euill and to hope for prosperitie and blessing in liuing in righteousnes and holines Thus will the knowledge of Gods prouidence stand vs in great stead to induce vs to amend our liues 21 The second fruit that groweth hereof is a true sanctification of the name of God For beleeuing all thinges to come of the will and prouidence of God all-wise all-righteous all-good and almightie euen euerie affliction calamitie that befalleth vs First the remeÌ„brance that he is righteous wil breed humilitie as knowing that it is in iustice that he afflicteth vs for our sinnes So Manaâ—les king of Iuda 2. Chro. 33 being grieuously afflicted in prison was by this doctrine moued to acknowledge his sinnes and consequentlye to humble himselfe before God Dan. 9 So Daniel speaking of the captiuity of the Iewes in Babylon confessing the sinnes both of the people and of himselfe among other things sayth To vs O Lord belongeth confusion but thou art righteous In this sense doeth Ieremie reproue the children of Israel Iere. 8.6 for that in their affliction no man said What haue I done Not that God alwayes taketh occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but because hee neuer afflicteth vs wrongfully or before wee haue deserued it And therefore shoulde the knowledge that it is hee that afflicteth vs humble vs and make vs confesse that hee is righteous Thus also shall wee beware of murmuring against God and saie with the Prophet Dauid O Lorde I helde my peace and opened not my mouth for it is thou that haste done it 22 Which is more this doctrine will teach vs to sanctifie his name that we shall praise him euen in our afflictions And in deed beleeuing that this God that punisheth vs is good and a well dooer also that louing vs in Iesus Christ without comparison better than a carnall father can loue his children Secondly that vndoubtedly he willeth the thing that is to our health and profite beleeuing moreouer that he is almightie and so can doo what hee will Thirdly that beeing infinitely wiser than we hee better than our selues doth knowe wherein our good and saluation doeth consist This feeling I saie of his goodnesse loue power and wisedome will force vs to conclude that all the affliction that hee saieth vppon vs is to our profite and good albeit in the iudgement of the flesh we thinke otherwise This is a true sanctification of the name of God and induceth vs to loue him when we are thus assured by the goodnes loue power and wisedome of him that afflicteth vs that the same affliction is good and profitable for vs and renouncing the contrarie iudgement of our flesh wee doo praise blesse God in the same when our spirite shall find that to be good which our flesh thinketh to be bad and that our spirite shall make vs to praise God for that which maketh our flesh to weepe To this purpose is the example of Iob verie notable For hee Iob 1 when hee lost all his goods and children sayde The Lorde hath giuen and the Lord hath taken awaie blessed be his name Afterward being extremly tormented in bodie he sayd Iob. 2.1 If wee haue receiued good from the hande of God shall wee not receiue euill First hee acknowledged all his affliction to proceede from the will and prouidence of God Next he felt that God by whose prouidence he was afflicted is as is aforesaid all good all wise and almightie And therefore in this sanctification of Gods name he concluded that affliction was good and profitable And this was the cause and reason that he blessed God in his affliction 1. Thes 5.18 as also S. Paul admonisheth vs to yeld thanks vnto God in all things 23 Againe this doctrine teacheth vs not to regard man that afflicteth vs but God who vseth him for our affliction
in execration yea maranatha or excommunicate to death That is to saie let him bee cut off from the Church as the reprobate shal be at the comming of Christ whereof they are warned in this word Maran-atha which signifieth The Lorde commeth Yet is there more This Priest dying for vs hath killed sinne and corruption in his owne bodie as is before declared And to the end that sinne might die in vs and that we might practise this saying of the holy Apostle Saint Peter Inasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 that is to saie in his humanitie let vs arme our selues with the same minde which is that wee hauing suffered and beeing dead with him as concerning the corruption of the flesh shoulde desist from sinne to the ende that hence forwarde wee shoulde liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the will of God And this is the amendement that Iesus doeth commaunde Saint Iohn sayth that Christ hath made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God This is another reason to moue vs the more seruently to amende in respect as well of the one office as of the other First Apoc. 1.6 seeing wee are raysed to this honour to bee kinges shall wee bee so miserable and senselesse as to make our selues the vile and wretched bonde men of Sathan and the seruauntes of sinne and the worlde If a king redeeming a poore bonde man whome his master diuersely tormented shoulde besides so farre fauour and honour him as to adopt him for his child Were it not a frantike or senselesse parte in him to forsake such honour and preferment and to returne to liue vnder the tyrannie and thraldome of his olde master Yet this doo they who beeing deliuered from the tyrannie and crueltie of Sathan and made kinges in Iesus Christ doo giue themselues to the lustes and pleasures of the flesh and the allurementes of the worlde thereby returning themselues into the wretched bondage of the deuill to abide eternally vnder his tyrannous dominion Let therefore this title King aduertise and admonish vs so to amende our liues that forsaking and vtterly renouncing the dominion and tyrannie of Sathan and the corruptions of the flesh wee may effectually shew our selues to bee spirituall Kinges and that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is in vs. Moreouer in as much as wee are also made Priestes let vs remember that if wee will amende our liues wee must with the kingly Prophet Dauid offer contrite and broken heartes pulled downe and humbled with the feeling of our sinnes with condition that wee will heereafter beware and take heede of the same Let vs also call to minde that we must offer our bodies a liuely holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is our reasonable seruice and not to forme our selues after this worlde Psal 51.19 but bee transformed by the renuing of our mindes to the ende wee may proue what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God Neyther let vs forget alwayes to offer vnto God thorough Iesus Christ the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing which is the fruite of our lippes confessing and acknowledging his name Rom. 12.1 To conclude let vs remember his benefites and communication wyth vs for God is delighted with such sacrifices Beholde therefore howe this honour which wee receiue of Iesus Christ Heb 13 16 euen to bee kings and priests to our God may be a mighty inducement vnto vs to amend our liues 14 There doth yet remaine the office of a Prophet which also doth admonish vs to amend because hee hath reuealed vnto vs all that hee hath knowen of his father Iohn 15.15 and declared as well what wee must doo in obeying him as what wee are to beleeue to our saluation And this is an incomprehensible benefite as wee may euydently consider by the miserable and wretched estate of those to whome the worde of God comprised in the Lawe and the Gospel is not preached And this doth Saint Paul in few words represent vnto vs saying They are not in Christ neither haue anie portion in the commonwealth of Israel but are straungers to the couenant of the promise Ephes 2 12 without hope and are without God in the world And in deede if Gods worde bee as Dauid calleth it a light to our steps those men to whome the worde is not directed Psa 119.105 are poore and blinde cannot choose in all their wordes and deeds but stumble and fall All that they doo is sinne because they doo it wythout faith whereof the word is the foundation Much lesse also haue they any knowledge of the remission and satisfaction of theyr sinnes in the bloud of Christ Rom. 14. 25 10.17 and therefore all theyr sinnes doo remaine and shall be imputed vnto them to be in the daie of iudgement most horribly and eternally punished If they then that neuer heard this prophet shall bee iustly punished in eternal fyre what iudgement and vengeance are they to expect for theyr ingratitude and rebellion that heare this Prophet and by him eyther by reading or hearing his worde doo vnderstand the will of God and yet doo make no care of amendement of lyfe by obeying the will of God vnto them reuealed Luke 12.47 and by them knowen The seruant sayth Iesus Christ that hath knowen his masters will and hath not done it shal be punished much more grieuously than hee that neuer knew it And surely the sins committed by those that know the wil of God are not only transgression against the lawe but also contempt misprision against the maiestie of God And in that regard doth Iesus Christ denounce agaynst many townes wherein the Gospell was preached a more horrible and terrible iudgement than against Sodome Gomorrha and other townes that heard the word of the Lorde Seeing therefore that this worde Math. 10.15 to vs addressed by this prophet Iesus Christ doeth tend to illuminate and to exhort vs to amendement of life Let this office and name of Prophet attributed to Iesus Christ make vs to remember our bonde and duetie whereby wee are bound to amend and to yeld obedience vnto all that our Prophet Christ doth teach ordaine and command as being assured that as they that will not heare this Prophet to obey him shall bee rooted out so contrarywise they that shall heare and obey him shall by the path of good workes proceeding of faith apprehending the iustice of Christ attaine to the fruition of life euerlasting In this sort must these two names and titles Iesus and Christ serue to make vs to feele our bond and dutie and to inflame our affections to amend all the daies of our lyfe The seuenth cause of Amendement gathered of the signification of this worde Amend Chap. 7. IN the first Chapter of the first booke we haue declared that the holy Ghost commanding vs to amend doeth ordinarily vse two wordes