heard and without anye iudgement whose generation yet no man may number when he shall be cutt off from the ground of the liuing which punishment shall go vpon him for the transgression of my people his graue shal be giuen with the condemned and his crucifying with the theeues whereas hee did neuer violence nor vnright neither hath there beene anye deceitfulnes in his mouth yet hath it pleased the Lord to smite him with infirmity that when he had made his soule an offering for sinne he might see long lasting seede and my righteous seruant saith the Lord shall with his wisedome iustify and deliuer the multitude for he shall beare away their sinnes therefore will I giue him the multitude for his part and hee shall diuide the strong spoile because he shal giue ouer his soule vnto death and shal be reckoned among the transgressors which neuerthelesse shall take away the sinnes of the multitude and make intercession for the misdoers here it is plaine and manifest to be seene of all Iewes and Gentiles Heathen and Turkes how euidently Christ was prophesied of by Esay that all men may well know that hath desire of eternall life that hee it is in all tokens whom the Iewes haue put to death being the first promised seed to Abraham for the prophet declareth the order of his iudgement the maner of his deth euen to be crucified with theeues in al points as his persecutors and Iewes did handle and intreate him moste barbarously and hardly being an innocent lambe Wherfore touching the contemtuous disdainfull and reprochfull handling of Christ vnto death Of Christes death they came to apprehend him in the garden like furious enimies with clubs and staues they rent and teared his clothes he was tossed among the high priests and scornfull pharasies Math. 26. then hasted away to the iudge there beset with false accusers hudling vp false witnes against him Luk. 23. then posted ouer to king Herod there dispited in most abiect maner of him his soldiours Mark 15. then brought again before Pilate heuily reuiled oppressed with the spite and hatred of the Iewes crying crucefige crucefige then like barbarous tyrants and sauage beasts void of all mercie and humanitie spitted on his face buffeted him with fistes with railing raging mocking and disdaining him with scoffes griping him with bonds scurging him with many stripes crowning him with sharpe thornes Iohn â—9 putting a reed for a scorne in his hand thus compa ssing him about with al reproch then hasting him to his deth making him to beare his crosse nailed his tender flesh wounded pearced him and crucified him betweene two theeues wagging their heads at him in mo st dispiteful maner And thus was the king of glory crucified being obedient to the crosse and huÌ„ble vnto death and pacient to indure the hard speakinges of sinners against him and yet praying to god for them thus was he a pure vndefiled lambe wounded for our offences his precious bloud shed for our sins by which hee tooke away the curse of the law from vs and made vs at an attonement with God and brought redemption to the world Wherfore al ye people of the earth I cal you here to the presence of Christes death to behold what he hath suffered for you vpon his great loue Therefore let your eies gush out with teares and let your harts make inwarde sorrow and lamentation for your sins repenting for his kingdome againe is readie at hand therfore examine thy hart where and what is and ought to bee thy loue again to Christt hat hath thus bought thee with his tender blood and prepared for thee euerlasting life so that looke into thy selfe how faithfull thankfull and louing thou oughtest to be for such his goodnes toward thée for scarse will any dye for a good man but Christ dyed for thée Rom. 5. being both vngodly a sinner and an enimie to purchase to thee euerlasting life O what aboundant loue is this And wilt thou be therefore vnthankfull Then wo be to thee that art more then vnnaturall more then vnkinde and more theÌ„ hard harted Alas where art thou thou froward Iewe that vpon obstinate enuie wilfull blindnes and of an vnmercifull mind diddest dispise the king of glorie And will not you now ye people from age to age take example to beware how you seale your hartes with the hard ware of a Iewes wilfulnes hardnes and blindnes againe Now then that this day you heare his voice the very voice of your good shepheard that gaue his life for his sheepe harden not your harts as your fathers did in the wildernes so could not enter the land of rest and promise no more shal you enter Christes kingdom vnles ye receiue his gospell with true loue and faith toward him Wherefore do not crucifie Christ againe in thy hart by obstinate sinne by wilfull blindnes and carelessenes like a Iew and Turke despising the humanity of Christ that was so humble by being malicious and vnkind to him that is so good by being cruell and froward to him that is so mercifull by enuying and persecuting him that is a pure innocent when as in mans wisedome it is wickednes to scorne the good cruelty to deale hardly with the simple and innocent foolishnes to iest with holy thinges madnes to hate him that loueth lewdnes to refuse good doctrine and wicked furiousnes to reiect and make light of s aluation therefore awake and beate downe thy churlish hart thy pernicious nature and stiffe conceit and put on louing kindnes and mercy faith and hope and be quick in will and mind to receiue Christ and be constant in retaining him and so let thy loue be sure and stable toward him Reu. 5. for no treasure is of so great certaintie as the perfect and immouable loue of Christ who standeth at the dore of thy hart and knocketh and if thou wilt heare his voice and open thy hart to receiue his wordes he will come in and sup with thee and thou shalt for so entertaining him and his righteous doctrine sup with him at his heauenly table of euerlasting benediction and blessednes Thus perswade thy selfe that no man loueth thee more intirely nor regardeth thy saluation more tenderly then Christ doth and seing we confesse by nature that loue is allured by nothing so much as by loue The loue of Christ passeth all things then O thou earthly man and vnthankfull hart loue Christ againe for thy soules health that so aboundantlye loueth thee So that let neither the pompe of this worlde nor pleasure of fleshly delightes nor kindred nor countries or nations nor profession nor condition of liuing nor causes diminish thy loue from Christ and from thy brother or neighbour for Christes sake Seing there is one father of all whome wee are tauht of Christe to call father dayly which will acknowledge thee to bee his chyld if thou like wise acknowledge all
it bee to late to knocke when the dore shall be shut and to late to crye for mercie when it is the time of iustice for hee shall thus come according to Mathew Math. 25. in his glorie and all the holy Aungels with him and then sit vpon his seat of iudgement and all nations gathered before him seperating the one from the other as a shepheard diuideth the sheepe from the gotes and shall set the sheepe on the right hand and the gotes on the left and then shall hee ioyfully say to them on the right hand Come yee blessed children of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And then hee shall say to them of the left hand depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuels and his angels wherin the Apostle setting before our eyes the glorious maiestie of Christes comming and the effecte of his comming may séeme to pricke all mens harts euen to bléed for sorrow of their sinnes to think vpon this fearfull sentence of Christ who thus commeth as saith Iohn Baptist with the fanne in his hand Matth. 5. and will purge his floure and gather the wheat into his barne béeing the righteous and the chaffe which are the wicked he will burne with vnquechable fire by which wée plainly sée the seperation of the good from the ill with the deserts and rewardes of bothe parties Ephe. ◠and with the whole manner of the latter iudgement which no people high or low shall escape for all things in heauen and in earth according to Paul to the Ephesians shall bee gathered togither in Christe and Christe as a iust iudge shall deuide them into two parties and will showe vnto bothe a iust cause of his iudgement Math. 25. that the iust may knowe with what well dooinges they haue attained so great felicitie and ioye and the ill may know with what offences they haue deserued euerlasting punishment for Christe shall say with a mylde and mery cheare to them which hath doone the déedes of righteousnes and mercy for his name sake Come yee blessed of the Lord inherit the kingdome and be clothed with your heauinly mansion Wherfore stirre vp your hartes to imbrace this ioyfull voyce of voyces which hath powre to kendle and inflame all humble harts to run after godlines with all looue power and might of the soule without wearynes to obtaine the ioy of Christes kingdome for which cause stoppe not your eares harden not your harts follow not your lusts EPhes 1. hunt not after worldlynes but thrist after righteousnes and walke in the narrow way and guyde the féete of thy conscience in the holy path that leadeth and conducteth to this eternall saluation and moste blessed Cittie the ioye wherof is so superabundant the glory so triumphant the blessednes so heauenly the pleasure so swéet the treasure so excéeding Cor 1.2 the place so incomparable that the eye hath not séene nor the eare euer heard nor the hart could euer thinke the ioye which is prepared in heauen for vs for suche is the inheritance as to bee made the glorious Sonnes of GOD crowned with glorie and immortalitie for euer Cor. 2.5 where death is chaunged to euelasting lyfe nakednes clothed with Gods brightnes sorrowes turned to perpetuall ioy and all our infirmities are chaunged into to eternall and incorruptible happines In respect wherof séeing wée knowe of a certaintie that if our earthlye mansion or corporall presence wherein wee now dwell were destroyed that wee haue a building or Cittie ordained of GOD beeing an habitation not made with handes but eternall in heauen the verry kingdome of Christe and re st of GOD for which wée should sigthe and grone desiring to bee clothed with our mansiō which is from heauen but yet wée must bee héere clothed and not naked as men without good lyfe for as long as wee are in this tabernacle and world wee shoulde sigth with the s obbes of true repentance and grone with the gréefe of godly sorrow abhorring sinne and wickednes in that wee would not be found vnclothed but would be clothed vpon with the garment of righteousnes that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of lyfe Reue. 3. To the obtayning wherof Christe counsell vs to buye of him golde tryed in the fyre that wee may bee riche and to buye of him white rayment that wee may be clothed which is treuth and righteousnes that our filthie nakednes doo not appeare as if wee were sotted in the corruption and lustes of the olde Adam thereby indaungering our selues because we neither seeke for the garments of Godlynes with pure diligence and looue nor knock with the hand of stedfast vnfeigned faith nor aske with deuotiō of sincere prayers the giftes of his grace to bee found at the great mariage of the Kings sonne without our wedding garments and so s ubiect to the Ministers of Gods wrath who shall bee commaunded and charged to bynde vs hand and foote and to cast vs moste dreadfully into vtter darknes Wheruppon print and establishe this for euermore in thy hart how greeuous and lamentable it shall bee abooue all greefes and s orrowes when Christe shall say to his Reapers or ministring Angels Take those cursed bynde them lyke tares in sheaues to be brent And al so print it in thy hart and mynde as in a remembring Booke or looking glass e how heauie and lamentable a case it shall bee to beholde the looke of Christe Math. 1◠when his lippes shall wagge with furie and indignation and his toung sparkle out the fierie streames of a wasting and consuming fire when hee turneth to them that stande on the left hand with dyrefull and terrible voice saying Goe away from mee you cursed and execrable of my Father which are woorkers of iniquitie and regarded not righteousnes departe you to fire which neuer shall bee quenched Math. 25. which is prepared for the deuill and his Angells Oh consider how sorrowfull and heauie shall this departure bee into all heauines from whence you shall neuer bee redéemed nor pittied how bitter and gréeuous shall that sentence bee how lamentable shall those cursed soules bee whiche shall neuer againe be comforted that must forsake the presence and sight of Christe for euer that must bee depriued from heauen from ioy from all pleasure for euer that hath loste the glorious and renowned inheritance of new Ierusalem for euer that hath lost the hapines which others inioy for euer-and now are departed into bitter torments greeuouslye to bee vexed for euer what a losse is that O wretched people what a paine is this you may faint to think it And therefore awake vp ye drunkards and wéepe mourn and howle all yée gluttons and wine sippers least you go with Esau from your byrthright and s up the pottage wine dregges of hell fire ye vncleane persones come to the waters of lyfe
and washe you cleane and cleanse your corrupted harts by washing away your euill thoughtes wicked lusts and sinfull déedes in the blood of Christe by true repentance and newnes of lyfe least you be cast hedlong from the inheritance of heauinly pleasure into the filthie lake of perpetuall sorrowe and miserie and all yée Inhabiters of the earth striue against sinne and cast from you the fellowship of Ipocrisie enuy pryde couetousnes with all other sinnes and cut of from your hartes the cloisters of euill thoughtes and the braunches of wicked imaginations that you may bee found woorthie at the great day of the LORD to bee translated into the kingdome of glorie Wherefore consider the terrour of the day of iudgment and beholde how all kyndreds dooth stand shaking and be wailing before the highe Iudge that it may inforce vs to teares for to thinke on that daye when shall bee séene that moste great lamentable and euerlasting seperation departing of the elect from the dampned and this departing shall be such as that the one parte shall be cast into hel Mark 9. into the fire that neuer shal be quenched out of which no wéeping teares can restore vs where sayth Mark that the worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out when shall be fulfilled that heauie voice Wo be to you that are riche Luke 6. for you haue therein your consolation woe bee to you that are full for you shall hunger woe bee to you that now laugthe Math. 11. for yee shall waile and weepe and theÌ„ shall bee heard that voyce of terrour and wretchednesse saying Woe bee vnto thee Châ—rasin Woe bee to thee Bethsaida whiche so little regarded and estéemed the Myracles and the Doctryne doone in thee which if they had bene done in Tyre and Sydon they would haue repented in sackcloth and ashes Therefore I say to thee it shall be easier for Tyre and Sydon at the day of iudgement then for you And wo be to thee Capernaum which art lift vp euen to heauen being so proud thou shalt be brought downe into hell for if the miracles and doctrine done in thee had bene done in Zodome they had remained vndestroyed till this day therefore it shall be easier for the land of Zodome in the day of iudgement then for thee wherefore beware ye carelesse people howe you refuse the doctrine of Christ least you heape to your selues an hard iudgement at the day of the Lord make ye readie that you may go vp to the house of the Lord Esay 2. and to the house of the God of Iacob and walke in his pathes for Christ hath told signes wonders and tokens of his comming And he hath sent you many a Ionas to recall you to repentance and to teach you his doctrine of saluation therefore turne to God least that Nyniuie rise in iudgement against you and the woe of Bethsaida ouertake you for as it happened in the time of Noye so shall the comming of the sonne of man be they eate they drank they married wiues and were married Luk. 17. euen vnto the same day that the floud came and destroyed them all like wise also as it chanced in the daies of Lot they eate they dranke they bought they sold they planted they bilt and euen the same day that Lot went out of Zodome it rayned fire and brimstone from heauen and destroyed them all And after these examples shall it be in the day when the sonne of man eppeareth and then two shall be in bed the one receiued the other forsaken two grinding at the mill the one receiued the other forsaken Therefore harken O earth and ye indwellers of the earth to this terrible day of the Lord yea cast off your mantle of securitie and slacknes and open your blunt hartes and dull eares giuing a carefull eare to the sentence which the Apostles doe giue Matth. 19. Matth. 25. that shall sit with Christ in iudgement saying take cast the vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse And Iohn Paul saith That all vncleane persons that worke abominations Reuel 21. 1. Cor. 6. and lyes the fearefull vnbeleeuing murtherers whoremongers sorcerers Idolaters couetous drunkardes extortioners theeues weakelens cursed speakers enuious persons continuing to death without repentance from the bottome of the heart shal haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death for as the trée falleth so doeth it lie whereupon beware ye wicked worldlings sinners the delay and hold off froÌ„ time to time driue off froÌ„ true repentance amendment of life least your sinnes lie heauie vpon you and your heart grow hard in these sinnes can not repeÌ„t and so heape to your selues the treasure of wrath against the day of vengeaÌ„ce according to the prophesie of Enoch Saint Iude. saying behold the Lord shall come with thousands of saints to giue iudgement against all meÌ„ to rebuke all that are vngodly among them of all their vngodly deedes which they haue committed of all the cruell speakings which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him TheÌ„ shal the Lord cry with a loud voice Reuel 14. like a lion that roareth vnto his angels to thrust in the sharpe sicle and gather the clusters of the earth and to cut downe the grapes of the earth the wicked and sinfull people and cast theÌ„ into the great winefat of his wrath and the winefat is troden wtout the citie of new IerusaleÌ„ yea it is trodeÌ„ in the place of extreme darknes in the hideous dungen of hel in al horror of bloody sorrowes for the reward of sinne is death and hell where it stincke with brimstone that cannot be abodden where behold with piteous eyes how the soules of the dampned bewayle in woe where all mirth and ioye are turned to woes where all songes and musicke are wooes where feasting and banketting be woes where daunsing and loue toyes be wooes playes and pastimes be woes and where golde and siluer and all gay things of this worlde are chaunged into wretchednesse and woes And of all other this is the most dreadfull woe Eâ—trenseâ—â—â— which is the depriuation of hope from comming out of those wooes And thus the miserable dampned soules are euermore tormented with fire and brimstone and the smoke of their tormentes ascendeth vp for euer and euer And neuer haue rest day and night and they crye piteously to the Lorde and hee heareth not and though they neuer cease from teares yet the Lorde regardeth them not And then they knowe when it is too late that all worldly thinges are vanities and miseries and they woulde repent and it helpeth not and thus they weepe and wayls in dolourouse tormentes and gnawe their tongues in most rigorous paine And so in great burning they drink of the cup of Gods intollerable wrath and heauie displeasure and indignation and they still burne and neuer are burned they seeke death and death
righteousnes vnto eternall life That all that beleeue in him walking after the spirite and not after the fleshe might be pertakers of his heauenly kingdome and made the sonnes of God For which cause to the better confirmation of our faith and hope of saluation It is requisite to shewe the ordenance and promyse of God from the beginning touching our iustification in his sonne Iesus Christ that thereby wée may be stirred vp by the great goodnes of god for to séeke by Christe Cor. 1.2 the riches of his glorious inheritance vpon the Sainctes Ephe. 11. hée béeing ordained thereto of God before the beginninge of the worlde was made vnto our glory Touching whome in this Booke of mans glorification wée must especially looke vnto Christes two coÌ„mings séeing that hée is the Author and finisher of our redemption and hath adopted vs to be the sonnes of glory by appearing once in the fleshe to put sinne to flight by the offering vp of him self to death whome the Father raysed vp to lyfe and is entred into heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs and shall come againe to chaunge our vile bodyes Phil. 3. to be facyoned lyke to his glorious body Wherfore in that wée haue such an high Aduocate in heauen by whome wée haue an incorruptible crowne of blessednes propounded and set before vs Let vs walke woorthy and laudable vnto God according to the grace giuen vs in Iesus Christe that wée may obteine the rewarde thereof And now to consider the purpose of the heauenly Father how hée hath blessed vs in all manner of heauenly thinges by Chris te according as hée hath chosen vs that wée should be Saints through the beloued Iesus It followeth that wée kéepe alwayes a ioyfull remembrance that as the glory of the last house or teastament of God was greater then the first so is it in the manner of the two commings of Christ for first hée came in the humilitie of the fleshe to be to vs a sauing health béeing borne of the Virgin Mary by the woorking of the holy Ghoste very man and mortall and yet the same very GOD and immortall who béeing in the shape of God and equall with God Collos s â— Phil. 2. in whome dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodyly yet did he neuerthelesse make him self of no reputation takeing vpon him the shape of a seruant and became lyke vnto man and was founde in his apparell as a man humbling him self to all obedience for though hé e were Gods sonne yet learned hée obedyence Heb. 5. by those things which hée suffered and was made perfect Ihon. 1. and the cau se of eternall saluation vnto al that obey him according to Iohn In the beginning was the woord and the woord was with God and the woord was God and this woorde was made fleshe beeing the lyfe and light of men giuing power to all that beléeue in him to be the sonnes of God for it pleased the father to send his sonne in the sinfull fleshe béeing without sinne and by sinne dampned sinne in the flesh and loused the woorkes of the deuill Rom. â— Whome he maketh heire of all things béeing the brightnes of him self bearing vp all thinges with the woord of his power for so it was the will of the Father that in him should all fulnes dwell Heb. 1. and that in him all thinges should haue their béeing that hée might be all in all Thus the Almighty Creator hath performed his blessed promyse Collossians â— when hée sayde that the séede of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head and when long after he sayd vnto Abraham vnto thy séede will I giue this land Gen. 3. for one that come out of thine owne body shall be thyne heire and thy seede shall bee as the starres in number And Abraham beléeued the Lord and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Gen. 15. And also the Lord sayde againe to Abraham when he was 89 yeare olde I will make my couenant betwéen mée thée and will multiply thé e excéedingly for behold my testameÌ„t is with thée that thou shalt be a father of many nations my bond betwéen mée thée thy séed after thée shal be an euerlasting testament Gen. 17. I wil be good to theÌ„ giue theÌ„ the land wherin thou art a stranger euen all the lande of Canaan for an euerlasting possession and wil be their God for Saâ—a shall beare a sonne and thou shalt call his Name Isac and she bare Abraham a sonne euen the same season which the Lord had appointed Thus it pleased the Almightie God to choose vs and not we him shewing foorth hereby the abundancie of his loue and mercie in that he hath mercie vpon theÌ„ which are not yet in the worlde and in that he declareth his great goodnes in multiplying his louing kindnesse towarde those that are present and to them that are past and to them that are to come for after that Adam thorough sinne brought in the corruption of nature that the euill seede of wickednesse was sowen in all mens hearts whereby death raigned by meanes of sinne then this darnell and cockle of vice and iniquitie did grow ripe in the first generations of Adam that they walked after their owne stubborne and fleshly will neglecting Gods goodnes That the Lord was thereby prouoked to bring his water floud vpon the world and destroy all mankind except Noye and his houshold And then after that the ofspring of Noye was againe multiplied to a great people by processe of time they waxed also vngodly and wicked but the Lord had giuen his raine bowe for a couenant that he would neuer destroy the world with watermore And then the most highest did choose him a man from among them whose name was Abraham whom he loued and to him onely God shewed his wil and made an euerlasting couenant with him promising him as is aforesaid that he will neuer forsake his seede and so in his old age gaue him Isaac the first testimonie of Gods promise and couenant begun so faithfully performed in Christ Iesus to the ioy and comfort of man in that we see euidently that God is righteous and true and hath giuen vs an assured hope of our election that by that onely seede of Abraham we shal enioy the euerlasting possession of that new blessed land of Canaan the first lande of promise Therefore this record we must beare in our selues that God is true and that what hee do or say can no man change what he promiseth he can not but perfourme And nowe the more to confirme this ioye faith hope which Abraham our first father of beliefe had to God in respect of the birth of Isac and prosperitie of his seede The Lorde to our example tryed whether righteous Abraham would beare an immutable minde towardes his God to loue him aboue all the dearest thinges which he
seruants to prophesie which is with vnders tanding to offer vnto God by Christ the sacrifice of lande the frute of those lippes which confesse his name Wherfore it is apparent that it is the duety and part of princes and gouernours to follow herein the example of Iehosaphat causting the word of god plainly to be taught among their subiects in the mother language as Moyses law was to the children of Israell And it is the duetie and charge of the pastors and ministers to imploy al their diligence to manifest the holy will of God according to the scriptures by teaching and instructing that euerye where the scripture may be fulfilled according to the prophecie of Ioel and Ieremie that sonnes and daughters can prophesie and the law written in their hartes so that it standeth you vpon to haue care of your soules Coloss 2. Mich. 3. that no man make you shoote at a wrong marke Wherefore Micheas thus prophecieth of the dewe of the gospell of Christ saying In the latter daies the hill of the Lords house shall be set vp higher then anye mountaines and the people shall prease vnto it the multitude of gentils hast to it for the law shal come out of Syon and the word of God from Ierusalem and reforme the people of farre countries Nath. â—â— for out of Bethlem shal come the captain which shall be the gouernar in Israel whose out going hath beene from the beginning and froÌ„ euerlasting he shal stand fast giue food in the strength of the Lord in the victorie of the name of the Lord his god when they bee conuerted he shal be magnified to the farthest parts of the world Wherby it is declared that in spite of all the aduersaries the tread downe the holy sanctuarie of true righteousnes will they nill they the promise which God gaue to Abraham that all nations should bee blessed in his s eede shal by Christs passion extend to all parts of the world to the praising glorifying of god And likewise Esoras doth plainely foretell the ioyfulnesse of Christes comming in his humanitie saying O ye heathen Esdr 4. â— looke for your shepheard he shal giue you euerlasting reste for hee is nighe at hande that shall come in the ende of the worlde be readie to the reward of thy kingdom for the euerlasting light shall shine vpon you for euermore Flye the shadowe of this world receiue the ioyfulnes of your glorie I testifie my sauiour openly O receiue the gift that is giuen you and be glad giuing thanks vnto him that hath called you to the heauenly kingdome In this he sheweth how much he is inflamed with the glad foresight of the sauiour that shuld come kindlyng the hartes of the Gentiles to the expectation of heauenly rewards Wherein he is able to rauish all mens hartes with exceeding ioy in pronouncing the glad tidinges of such a blessed sauiour comming that bringeth the rewardes of glorie and euerlasting life to al that will receiue and imbrace his gospell And seing the comming of Christ in the flesh was ioyfull and filled the world with the oyle of gladnes and treasures of grace and goodnes how much more we now looking for him to come in the end of the world in the glorie of his father in all power to giue the rewardes of glorification and eternall life ought to awake and arise vp from all worldly and fleshly vanities and prepare our hartes to holines and righteousnes that with the aboundant ioy of a pure faith and a cleere and a stedfast hope we may meete our sauiour comming in the cloudes And touching Christes comming in his humanitie it pleased God that he should appeare in the flesh in all meeknes Zach. 9. Iohn 12. Luke 9. Math. 21. Mark 11. lowlines and humblenes of obedience to teach vs the will of his father in all truth of righteousnes according to Zacharie Reioyce O Syon and bee glad O daughter Ierusalem for loe thy king commeth vnto thee euen the righteous and sauiour lowly and simple is he hee rydeth vpon an Asse he will giue doctrine of peace vnto the heathen and his dominion shall be from the floudes to the end of the world and shall be a sauing health to all nations by this consider ye men vpon the earth how worthy Chris t is and how precious a pearle he is in all mens harts and yet to shewe the contempte of this transitorie world and the vanitie thereof and to teache vs the true path steppes of vertue and holynes dooth hé ere make him self to the eyes of all Ierusalem a looking glasse of all low lines and humblenes of hart ryding into the Cittie in all plaines and simplenes sitting vppon an asse as one of no reputation and nothing estéemed but like an inferiour and yet an eternall king a captaine an heauenly Father and sauiour of the world by whoÌ„e we are to note that the true path to vertue and holynes is humilitie obedience and lowlynes for among the conferences of men it is a most accepted thing to common rea son to haue our gouernour our captaine our maister or teacher of whome we are to be gouerned guided or instructed to be gentle humble mé ek louing tractable curteous and mercifull-by that meanes winning drawing our harts voluÌ„tarily to loue him follow him imbrace his will then how much more are we bouÌ„d to god that all the world sleping in their sin wallowing in their wickednes that it pleased him not to coÌ„e vnto vs with the sharpe rod or with the naked or scored sword to the s laughter but to sende his déere sonne Christ in the humilitie of the fleshe to be like vnto vs being such a true gentle captaine guide so louing and bountifull a redemer so humble lowly a tearher so pure of demenor conuersation as that he is the only true lodestoÌ„e of loue to drawe all men which are of them selues stubburn froward disdainfull and wilfull to the louing imbracing of him therby the redier to followe his doctrine of eternall peace saluatioÌ„ to vs ward And therfore beholde the abundaÌ„t loue mercy of god who thus after so excelleÌ„t a meanes seketh to draw vs froÌ„ our earthly corroptioÌ„ and froÌ„ the bdoÌ„age of death to his heuinly grace eternall kingdome we being of our selues a froward generation touching goodnes in the sin did dwell in vs as a common rotto all mankinde if the God of mercies had not sent this our redéemer to clense and wash away our filth and foulenes and therefore let no man boaste of him selfe any thing for wee haue nothing which wée haue not receiued of Christ neither according to the saying of Ieremie Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisdome nor the strong in his strength Ieremie 9. nor the rich man in his riches but who will reioyce let him reioyce in Christe who is our only saluation Wherfore o ye
souereigne Kings Quéenes yée swéet Lordes and Ladies yee loouing Fathers and mothers yée wise Maisters mistresses yee obedient sonnes and daughters yée diligent and dutiefull seruants and maides reioyce and be glad and behold your king and precious Sauiour Christe ryding into Ierusalem lowly and humbly and now aryse and lyft vp your eyes of repentance to heauen and reioyce and beholde how hée is ready to come in all glory and maiestie with all the powers of heauen to crowne you with glorious and heauenly glorification Therfore cast of from your hartes the euill mantell of pryde disdaine arrogancie haughtines vnmercifulnes frowardnes sinne and vnrighteousnes and put on the mantel of Christes humblenes lowlynes mercifullnes goodnes holynes and righteousnes that you may mé ete Christe with ioy and receiue the incorruptible crowne of eternall glorie for thus saithe the Lord I will set his dominion in the sea and his right hand in the floodes he shall call mee Psalme 89. thou art my Father my God and my strong saluation and I will make him my first borne higher then the Kings of the earth Esay 55. my mercy will I keepe for him for euermore and my couenance shall stand fast with him his seede also will I make to indure for euer and his throne as the dayes of heauen of whome hée sayeth My seruaunt whome I will giue for a witnesse Esay 52. prince and captaine to the people will I keepe to my selfe hee is myne elect in whome my soule is pacified I will giue him my spirit that hee may shewe foorth iudgement and equitie among the Gentiles hee shall not be an outcryer nor high mynded his voice shall not bee heard in the streates a brused â—eede shall hee not breake and the s moking flackes shall hee not quench but faithfully and truely shall hee giue iudgement hee shall neither bee ouer seene nor hastie that hee may restore righteousnes to the earth for I the Lord hath called the in righteousnes and do lead the by thee hand therfore will I also defend and giue thee for a couenaÌ„t of the people and to be the light of the Gentiles that thou mayest open the eyes of the blynde let out the prisoders and them that fit in darknes out of the doungeon house In this the Prophet foretelling that Christe shoulde come in the fleshe death shewe that by his meanes only wée shall bee brought to an attonment and peace with GOD the Father expressing the perfectionn of looue and pleasure which GOD the Father hath in his sonne Christe béeing one selfe same nature in another according to Mathew Math. 3.17 This is that belooued Sonne in whome is my delight and according to the saying of the Prophet Dauid in the second Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thée and héerin wé e learne that if Christe is so béeloued of God béeing God according to the fortie nine Psalme the Father of heauen saith to his sonne God Thy seat shall be for euer and euer then how muche are wée bound to looue so beloued a God and Sauiour to vs giuing him all the praise honor and thankes euermore lyfting vp pure hands for so great treasures of vertue and goodnes for his cléernes of trouth and iudgement for the light and brightnes of his moste holy and blessed doctrine for his aboundant swéetnes of his excéeding and bountiful loone toward vs moste miserable sinners in that hée of his meere mercie and goodnes hath broughte vnto vs redemption and delyuerance out of the bondage of sathan sinne and death calling vs to holynesse of lyfe thereby by imitating him to be made by righteousnesse the sonnes of God and pertakers of the euerlasting kingdome And further the Lord saith My seruant shall deale wis ely therfore shall he be magnified exalted and greatly honored like as the multitude shall meruaile at him because his couÌ„tenaÌ„ce shal be so deformed and hard fauoured aboue the sonnes of men yea he shall haue neither beautie nor fauour wheÌ„ we look vpoÌ„ him there shal be no fairnes in him we shall haue no lust vnto him hee shall be the most simple and dispised of all which yet hath good experience in sorrowes and in firmities but wee shall reckon him so vile and base that we shall not regard him how be it of a trueth hee only takes away our infirmitees Whervpon consider according to Paule that Christ dooth make him self of no reputation and taketh vpon him the shape of a seruant and became lyke vnto man and was found in his apparell as a man and that he abasing him self in respect of all worldly wisdome was of the wis e according to the wisdome of this world dispised scoffed and s corned at hée béeing him self verry wisdome it self and the fountaine therof and he being beautie it self and the Author of all beautie and fairnes woulde shewe him selfe without beautie and fauour to condemne the vanitie of fleshly beautfe and extoll the excellencie and woorthines of the spirituall and heauenly beautie of the soule wherfore O yée Children and Daughters of men yee are become so nyce so arogant and coy because of your faces and so proude of your beauties Come from your vaine looking glasses The contempt of fleshly beautie and beholde héer I offer vnto you the bright shyning glasse of all excellencie euin Christe your King and Sauiour the Author and Giuer of all beauties and godlynesse to beholde him béeing without fauoure and fairnesse beeing lowely mé eke and most humble being simple and not gorgeous how hee condemned and dispised your vaine fleshly pleasure and gaynes euen in the cleere example of his owne person giuing you himselfe for a rule that you reioice not in apparell nor vainely conceaue of your vaine flesh and outward comlines of nature but onely in the beautie of your soules by adorning and decking your inward man with all spirituall rayments of holines and precious ornaments of righteousnes which will neuer decay whereas the flesh and all that pertaine to his furniture is as S. Peter saith as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse Pet. 1.1 the grasse therof withereth and the flower fadeth away but the word of God endureth for euer Moreouer the prophet saith that we shall dispise him and yet he beareth our paine Esay 53. and we shall so contemtuously thinke of him as that we shall iudge him as though he were plagned and cast downe of God wheras he notwiths tanding shal be wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednes for the paine of our punishment shall bee laid vpon him and with his stripes shall we be healed hee shall be pained and troubled and shall not open his mouth he shall be led as a sheepe to be slaine The prophesie of Christes death yet shall he be as stil as a lambe before the shearers and not open his mouth he s hall be had away his cause not
lo st 〈◊〉 â—ight the starres of heauen did fall and the 〈◊〉 â—oor the your spirits â—ring but your 〈◊〉 men and come â—oorth you Astrologers and cast your figures looke to the houses of heauens toâ—â—ther the detriments and degrées of the planets and starres what are you now confounded then beholde saith the Prophet the Lord will destroy the tokeÌ„s of witches and make the southsayers go wrong Esay 44. make the cunning of the wise foolishnes bring the councell of the Magitioners to nought for sayeth the Lord I will destroy the wisdome of their wife and the vnderstanding of their lerned shall perish so that now ye fall to the ground quaking to se the signe of the sonne of man appearing to se the day of fire that is come to trye euery mans woork whereat O how yee lament and cry but what for your spirits and familiars which made you to bee counted cunning men whiche promised you dreames and shewed you vi sions which serued your pleasure to vex men and to bewitche with O beholde sayeth Christ many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord Math 7. haue we not in thy name prophisied and in thy name haue cast out deuils in thy name haue done many myracles but sayeth the Lord I will knoweledge to them that I neuer knew theÌ„ depart from me ye workers of iniquitie And now yée Idolaters false woorshpers and Apocrites sée how you doe nothing but wé epe what for your pictures your cerimonies your offerings your golden Ladies your wooden saincts for wante of your masses to eas e you or of bulles frome Roome to pardon preserue you this day beholde saieth Esay they are the strawe and you are the fire you shall burne and neuer be quenched Esay 33. yea all that you haue thus conceiued is stubble strawe and your spirit shal be the fire that it shall consume you and shal be burnt like lime thornes for now confouÌ„ded shal be all woork maisters of errors and shal be turned to fire and smoke and shall burne for euer with that great beast and false prophet which shal be cast into a ponde of burning brimstone Esay 45. Esay 65. Therfore let s uddain fearfulnes run through you to consider the terror and vengeance of this heauie and ferefull day of bitter wrath and indignation and who shall be able to indure it wherfore away with all vanities and so runne your race of lyfe that you may finde mercy at the great day of the Lord so that cleanse your consciences from sinne filthines and buy the milke of heauenly nurishment the wine of heauenly gladnes hope and the garments of righteousnes that you may be filled and clothed with all godly lyfe and conuersation that you may be bolde and and not affeard at the appearing of the Lord in the dreadfull day of iudgement Moreouer yée enuious men reuenger théefe murtherer blasphemer lyar quariler and deceiuer why dooest thou now shake for feare that wunt to be so lusty a thretner so feirce and stout a reuenger against thy poore neighbour or enemie Deut. 32. what art thou become a lump of feare and is the day come that hath shaken a sunder thy ioynts and hart stringes that thou so wretchedly doost wéepe Rom. 12. or why wéepest thou because thou canst haue no more thy mynde to hurt and sting thy neighbour and enemie and so backbyte him alas wretch the direfull day is come that the Lord sayeth vengeaunce is mine and I will reuenge yea the time is come the hée will spend all his arrowes vpon thee and will reward thy enuious reuenging hart euen into thy bosome except thou hast imbraced repentance in time for beholde God sayeth the fire is kindled in his wrath and shall burne vnto the bottome of hel Zache 5. for the flying booke of cursse which was entred into the houses of theues swearers murtherers lyers reuengers quarrellers and malicious sinners is brought foorth that they may bée iudged and thereby consumed being adiudged to be s ectered with chaines of fire and led through the gates of hel to be brent in the pit of burning brimstoÌ„e for euer Wherfore awake quickly out of your s lumbring â—eâ— of sin turne vnto the Lord your God for he is gracioê° and mercifull and redy to pardon wickednes so that you â—â—cuse your hartâ— become 〈◊〉 creatures in holines and purenes working out your saluation with earnest deuotion for consider the dreadefull voyce which the watchemen soundeth of the day of the Lord saying that it shall come as a snare to all them that sit on the face of the earth wherby ye ought to take heede to your selues lest your hearts be ouercome with surfetting and drunkennes with lusâ—es and cares of the worlde and so haue your heartes as it were giued to sinne Therefore repent for the kingdom of God is at hande Matth. 13. which as the Apostle saith is like to a net cast into the sea that gathereth of all kinde of fishes which when it is full men do draw to land and sit and gather the good into vessels and cast the bad away and so shal it be at the end of the world the sonne of maÌ„ shal send foorth his angels and they shall seuer the good from the bad and gather out of his kingdome all that offende and doeth iniquitie and shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth and then shal the iust man shine as bright as the Sonne in the kingdome of the Father wherein ye are warned carefully to watch and abide in Christ least you be founde cursed children forsaking the right way for which cause arme your selues with goodnesse of life Matth. 2. â— that when he shall s ende his angels with great voyce of trumpet to gather together his chosen from the foure windes and from the one ende of the worlde to the other you may be found profitable seruaÌ„ts and well doing Peter 2.3 For it is written that the heauens shall perish with fire and the elements consume with hearte and the earth burne with all that is therein And seeing that all these things shall thus vndoubtedly perish what maner of persons ought we to be in conuersation godlinesse in righteousnesse and holinesse looking for the comming of that day in which the whole worlde shal be vtterly burnt vp and consumed no doubt seeing that such thinges are most assuredly to be looked for we ought to be diligent so to liue as to be founde true children of the light sprinkled in our heartes with the blood of Christ Heb. 10. from an euill conscience knowing that euery 〈◊〉 that bringeth not foorth good fruite shall be â—ewen downe and cas t into the fire Matth. 7. for Chri st saith That not all that say to me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that