heauen which shall be immutable and without chaunge and without swaruing For then shal we do nothing but that which good is and that with a constant minde alwaies to perseuere and to continue in laâ—ding and praising God and dooing his will as now the Angels of heauen doo And this may suffice concerning Freewill both that we may know what power of Fréewil was giuen to man in his first creation and also what is to be thought and how we ought to be perswaded of it When by mans Fréewill he came to his downefall then he proued Gods word to be true Thou shalt die the death whereas before he was in the state of life and immortalitie For he was created immortall with this condition if he had continued in Gods obedience but being wilfull and carelesse he came to his death and was in the way to hell when he thought to climbe vp into heauen When he was immortall he knew not what it meant but when through his follie hee perceiued his dayes to bee shortened he wondred at the one and gréeued to remember the other The estate of immortalitie wherein our first parentes were created was nothing else but a continuance and endurance of life and a freedome from death And although it be now vsuall and common and nothing more common then for euerie one of vs to die yet at the first it was not so If our first parents had obeied they had neuer suffered death but when they gaue themselues to sin and to deceitfull vanities then they knew themselues to be mortall and then death came vpon them As we read Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death but euerlasting life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And in the first Chapter of the same Epistle verse 12. As by one man meaning Adam the first man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned so that the cause and only cause of death is sinne And because the best sort of men and women are sinfull though not in that degrée and in that measure as the wicked and vngodly are yet because euen they also haue procured the wrath of God through their sinne they must néedes vndertake the punishment of sinne which is death But there is a great difference to bee considered off For death to the godly is life and happie are they that are deliuered out of this miserable and wretched world For they knowe that while they are here they are absent from God that is from the enioying of his presence And againe they know that if their earthly house their bodies of dust and claie be destroyed they shall haue a building giuen of GOD that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens For therefore they sigh desiring to be cloathed with their house which is from heauen that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of life and their earthly mansion chaunged for an euerlasting habitation In the godly there is a great desire of death what moueth them hereunto Euen this that they may enioy immortalitie and be made partakers of that part of the image of God which by the meanes of sinne they were depriued off and put from But as for the vngodly it is nothing so with them For they tremble and shake at the remembrance of death as we reade of Naball who when his wife tolde him heauie newes which was toward him his hart died within him The sea men when they are tossed vp and down with the waues of the sea and néer to be cast away their ship drowned their soule melteth within them so the wicked their hart dieth within them al the parts of their body quake their soules within ar sore vexed miserably tormented with yâ— present forethought as it were feeling of yâ— euerlasting death and those endlesse torments which they shall endure And this moueth them in a wonderful secret sort to that feare they are in that they know by death they shal be taken from all their ioy and that they shall passe from this short life which they haue here in this world to death and from this light death which is no more but a seperation of the soule from the bodie to a second death which is euerlasting death And from death to these torments which are the worme of a continuall guiltie conscience the wrath of God increasing their punishment from time to time the restlesse crueltie of the diuell and hellish spirits to punish them where there shal be nothing else but wringing of hands weeping and gnashing of teeth Felix the gouernour shooke and trembled when he heard Paule disputing of righteousnesse and temperaunce and of other waightie matters as of death the resurrection and of the iudgement to come and willed him to depart out of his presence Much like to king Belshazzar who when he sawe a hand writing vpon the wall wherby was declared the end of his kingdome and the ende of his life his countenance chaunged his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his loines were looced and his knees smote one against the other The feare of death is in them as it was in king Saul 1. Sam. 28. 20 who when he was tolde howe neare his death did approach he was sore affraied his soule fainted within him and he fell along on the earth neither was there any strength in him he refused meate and would not be comforted because through the sorrow of his death he had a taste of the death and torments which were to come The cause why we lost this benefit of immortalitie is sin and disobedience which brought vs to our death and to our last home The difference of death betwixt the godly and the wicked is this the one sort is greatly desirous to die the other are greatly affraied of death That man was created vnto immortalitie we may perceiue in that one part of man neuer dieth which is his soule Furthermore the bodie also shall receiue immortalitie at the day of resurrection when the generall iudgement shall be and when all flesh by the sound of a Trumpet shal be summoned togither from the foure quarters of the earth Then the bodies of all that haue bene departed from the beginning of the world togither with them that shall die vnto the end of the world being raised vp shal be ioyned vnto their soules and both shal be immortall and shall liue for euer either to receiue ioyes and euerlasting blisse or torments which shal neuer haue end The one sort to liue with God and his Angels the other sort with the diuel and the fiends of hell Which immortalitie of the bodie is confirmed by that of the Apostle writing to the Corinthians 1. Cor 15. 52. 53. In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpet shall the dead be raised vp incorruptible and we shall bee chaunged For this corruptible must
life in the spirite Spirit for righteousnesse sake Which spirit quickneth our mortall bodies beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Whereby we are ridde from the spirit of bondage which is in feare and are indued with that of adoption which bringeth foorth good frutes which the father accepteth though indéed they be of small perfection not aunswerable to that high calling which is in Christ God doth not only by imputation accept our workes but Affliction the end of this fight also by affliction trieth our obedience before we come to that spirituall rest which he hath prepared for vs and we in hope enioy Yea we are heires with Christ Howe or in what respct If so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Which affliction and persecution is the end of our spirituall fight the entraunce into glory Which in this world is to vs as a proofe of our patience our patience a helpe to experience our experience a furtherer of our hope which hope maketh vs not ashamed The proffite of affliction because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts by the holy ghost which is giuen vs. Againe it maketh our infirmities and imperfections knowen vnto vs it correcteth our sinfull desires the euill lusts of our flesh it bringeth vs to a mutuall and harty loue one of an other it bréedeth in vs a couragious mind to withstand the assaults of Sathan it increaseth in vs the hope of our election frameth vs to immortality worketh a most effectual and gladsome Perseuerance in affliction is the stay of the spirituall man comfortable meditation of the life to come Only we are to take héede of this downfall that we faint not because the crowne of glory is not giuen but to him that ouercommeth and endureth vntill he come to the end of his race Moreouer vnto these commodities which come vnto vs by reason of these afflictions there are also added most Consolatiō in affliction comfortable consolations For it is the will of God that wée suffer affliction for his name sake and blessed are they that do so And if God be on our side who can be against vs All things come from the prouidence of God if with gladnesse wée receiue blessings from the Lord why should wée not in all obedience receiue punishment correction also Wée knowe also that al things worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God and to them that are called of his purpose Yea our afflictions indéed light afflitions which are but for a moment cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glory Not that wée in respect of those afflictions are worthy of the same but because it pleaseth the father to giue vnto his children the kingdome of heauen Let vs therefore with all patience wait for the perfection of our adoption euen the redemption of our soule and body And though wée sigh while wée are in the flesh yet are wée not alone for our bretheren also which haue the first frutes of the spirit sigh togither with vs yea euery creature groneth with vs also and trauelleth in paine euen to this present time vntill it be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God And séeing euen the creatures shall be restored how comfortable should our hope bée while wée looke not on the things that are séene for they are but temporal but on the things which are not séene which are eternall For the which with patience wée abide knowing that our hope is not of those things which wée sée and shall in time most certainly come to passe Not only our bretheren and euery creature sigheth with vs but also the spirit is partaker of our gronings and while wée offer vp our praiers to god in our afflictions and extremities the spirit helpeth our infirmities and in a greater measure maketh request for vs with infinite sighes which The spirit a helper of our infirmities ignoraunce cannot bée expressed Yea hée helpeth also our ignoraunce in that according to the pleasure and will of God he maketh request for the saints and he which searcheth the harts knoweth what the meaning of the spirit is Moreouer the finisher of our hope and the crowne of our glorie euen Christ Iesus which is dead yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of God he maketh intercession and request also for vs. Nowe then are there any accusers of whome we The assured confidence of saluation which wee haue in God through Christ ought to be affraied before God seeing that God absolueth vs as iust can sathan charge vs or doeth his accusations anie whit auaile séeing that through faith in Christ wée haue peace towards god and our conscience is deliuered from the guilt of sinne Who shall laie any nay the whole burthen of our sinnes to our charge It is god that cleareth it is god that iustifieth yea it is Christ that vnladeth vs. Come vnto me saith he ye that are heauie laden and I will ease you and refresh you Who shall condemne vs Is it not Christ that hath redéemed vs who also shall come to be A caueat our iudge Only let vs cast aside our high mindes which are lifted vp with merit and desert and confessing our vnworthinesse Humility is greatly requited to Iustification in all feare and humilitie let vs approach vnto the throne of grace there to receiue these bounteous almes and rich treasures which the gifts of Sheba nay the wealth of Salomon cannot accomplish which neither siluer gold or precious stones yea the delicatest treasure in the worlde nay the worlde it selfe may match and counteruaile Which heauenly treasure could by no other meanes be bought and purchased for vs but by the precious blood of Iesus Christ who as an innocent lambe without spot How our righteousnesse and iustification is accomplished was offred vp for our sinnes euen the iust for the vniust who being frée from sinne and knowing no sinne yet was made sinne for vs that is a sacrifise for sinne that we might receiue I say this rich treasure euen the righteousnes of God in him redemption and iustification So that the punishment of our sinnes is swallowed vp in victorie that with the Apostle we may in ioy burst foorth and say O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Who shal seperat vs then from the loue of Christ shall tribualtion or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all day long Wée are counted as shéepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things wée are more then conquerers
and readie Marke the minde but of a worldly man that accounhimselfe greatly beholding to another is not this his courage that he could finde in his heart to die in his quarrell and to offer his seruice before he commaunded thereunto The readinesse of our Sauiour Christ whose example if it be too high for imitation yet that of the Apostle Saint Paule heerein is notable and able to giue the weakest minde great courage Get thée behind me Sathan saith Christ vnto Peter thou art an offence vnto mée because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men The Prophet Agabus Act. 21. tooke Pauls girdle and bound his owne hands and féete and said Thus saith the holy Ghost So shall the Iewes at Ierusalem binde the man that oweth this girdle and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles Then his friends perswaded him and besought him with teares that he would not go vp to Ierusalem To whom Paul answered and said What do ye weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not to bee bounde only but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus And in an other place And now behold I goe bound in the spirite vnto Ierusalem and knowe not what things shall come vnto mee there Saue that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery citie saying that bands and afflictions abide me in Ierusalem but I passe not at all neither is my life deare vnto my selfe This is a notable example of incouragement beside the promise of excéeding great reward Hee that looseth his life for my sake shall finde â—â— But weake mindes are soone offended and fraile flesh cannot beare out these bitter brunts neither stand to the triall of so worthie a cause when we shall behold as it were great mountaine to fall vpon vs and great surges readie to swallow vs vp No doubt we shall méet with hinderances inow and those mighty hinderances yet greater renowne it is to ouercome our selues then to winne a citie both are hard to do and to accomplish but the first most hard and to flesh and blood impossible True it is that we should cast off all hinderances in this so waightie a matter and deny our selues and in this combat betwixt the spirit and flesh and blood we should shewe our selues conquerers but our hearts for the most part are so faint that strawes can make vs stumble We blâ—nch at the least matters and are astund euen at the very name of persecution When King Hezechiah heard of his death he wept sore and so do many of vs carry the like affliction that in no sort we can brooke affliction The purâ—â—â—ion is too bitter although health and immortallitie bee the effect of it Why is it that we are readie to put finger in the eie when we heare that we must endure trouble but that the world aâ—desh and blood do carry more sway with vs then Gods spirit and that the ioy of this life can abide no sorrow Although God hath appointed this to be our lot Ye shall weepe and lament yea furthermore although we heare that our sorrow shal be turned into ioy Gladly we would be at peace with the world but when the world shall hate vs that beginneth to breake vs then are we surprized of sorrow and for the time swallowed vp of griefe The Prophet Ieremy a man of great courage patience and constancie before he could frame himselfe to drinke of this bitter cuppe as one most passionate breaketh out into these words and in the presence of God Cursed be the day wherin I was borne oh that my mother had bene my graue or her wombe a perpetuall eonception How is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow And againe chapter 19. Woe is me my mother that thou hast borne mee a contentious man and a man that striueth with the whole earth I haue done them neither hurt nor wrong yet euerie one doth curse me According to that of the Prophet Dauid They hated mee without any cause and that thou ô God knowest Yet should this matter be so farre from mouing vs to heauinesse that therein we should reioyce As the Apostle S. Paule doeth moue vs by his example Gal. 6. 14. God forbid saith he that I should reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world Our Sauior Christ hath foretold vs that we should be hated of all men for his name and for the profession of his truth And lest any of vs should faint he addeth further But hee or they that endure to the end they shall be saued What if the world and the mightiest in the world hate ve what if they séeke our blood Feare not their feare saith the Apostle neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts Feare not them saith our Sauiour which haue power ouer your bodies and whose furie and rage can goe no further but rather feare him who after the body is distroied by death can cast both soule and body in hell God hath commanded vs vnto this wéeping and lamentation Foure principalâ— reasons to persâ—â—dâ—â—s to vndertake perseâ—cution w◠〈◊〉 the first is Gods Commandement and appointed vs vnto this trouble and sorrow and persecution let vs not therefore feare men to auoid gods commandement but rather glorifie God by withstanâ—â—ng euill men and such as are bent to resist and deface to suppresse and vtterly to roote out gods truth And because the world is giuen to nothing more then to oppresse gods truth therefore ought we the more to maintaine it and not to regard our liues in respect of the defence therof Striue for yâ— truth vnto death saith the wise man Eccle. 4. 28. And defend iustice for thy life God hath created vs for his glory and if we loue God and his loue be setled in our hearts wée ought to the vtmost of our power to maintaine his glory Dearely beloued saith the blessed Apostle thinke it not straunge concerning the firy tryall It pleaseth God to try you by the extremities of this wicked world whether ye will like valiant souldiours stand to the defence of his cause We count it a glorious matter and worthy of immortall fame to spend our liues in the defence of our prince and country yet is it more glorious if wée be called thereunto not to refuse any torment and extremitie in shewing our dutie and our loue to God and his Church Re. 2. 10. Vnto the Angell of the church of Smirna it was said Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold it shall come to passe that the diuell shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall haue tribulation tenne daies that is a long time Bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Hee that ouercommeth shall not bee hurt of
VVisedome heauenly gifts and graces and see how by the feare of God we are furthered in them that we may fully and perfectly knowe that there is no happinesse that man can desire which the feare of God doth not reach vnto And first concerning that excellent gift of wisedom It is said that The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome and a good vnderstanding haue all they that do therafter And what greater commoditie can there be then wisedome For it maketh men gracious among Princes and great men And by daily experience we sée that they that excell in wisedome excell in credit also Whereas Kings and Princes haue bene despised of their subiects Nobles also mightie men haue bene little set by of their inferiours for want of wisedome applying themselues to their lusts and to the vanitie of their humours whereby they departed from the seare of God so that there was no wisdom found in them Wherby they became as the Prophet doth set them forth Psa 49. 20. Man being in honor hath no vnderstanding but is compared vnto the beasts that perish And againe as we read Pro. 3. 35. The wise shall inherit glory but fooles dishonour though they be exalted When king Saul saw that Dauid 1. Sa. 18. was very wise he was affraid of him and whē he vnderstood that the Lord was with him then was hee more and more affraid and Saul became alwaies Dauids enemy And when Ecc. 24. 11. the Princes of the Philistins went forth at their going forth Dauid behaued himselfe more wisely then all the seruants of Saul so that his name was much set by No other cause was there that brought Ioseph from a prisoner to the estate of a Prince but that the feare of God had planted wisedome in his heart for the which he was so highly honoured among straungers The feare of the Lord is the onely step to wisedome as we read Psal 25. 12. What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will hee teach the way that hee shall chuse Nay further The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding All earthly secrets may be found out but as for The hidden mistery of saluation the wisedome of God and the secret of the Lord concerning the spirituall vnderstanding of his heauenly will and secret blessings Let the depth say It is not in me and the heigth say I cannot attaine vnto it Onely he that feareth God is partaker therof So saith that worthy seruant of god Iob. 28. Behold to man he said the feare of the Lord is wisedome The feare of God doth not onely leade vs to that wisedome which may serue for this present life but by steppes and degrées it dooth bring vs to that wisedome which maketh vs partakers of saluation which is a most principall benefit and blessing Ye men and brethren saith the Apostle Act. 13. 26. Children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluation sent For the word of God may well be termed the word of saluation because it is the foode of our soules and sheweth vs the way to life and how wée should be partakers thereof Which heauenly wisedom no doubt the heathen people haue and as yet do want because they are such of whom the Prophet speaketh The feare of God is not before their eyes And as one saith Stultorū plena sunt omnia They all run after vanitie and such things that cannot profit whereby they can neuer attaine vnto true happinesse which ought to be their chéefest delight And that especially if they had the grace to cōsider what notable and worthy effects it hath to make them partakers of that happinesse which they would full gladly enioy For it worketh A remedie against sinne in the people of God thus much that it expelleth driueth out sinne it kéepeth the deadly poyson of the diuels temptations from our hearts and mindes It bringeth the quiet frute of peace and maketh a merry and chéerfull A quiet conscience Long life heart whereas the guiltinesse of sinne doth make the heart heauie and the countenance sadde It giueth long life and increaseth the dayes of man who so desireth to sée good dayes let him resort vnto her The treasures of wisedome are with her and shée raineth downe knowledge and vnderstanding Yea it greatly furthereth vs in that which is our excéeding comfort and that is That Our requests heard granted God will performe the lawfull requests and godly desires of them that thus feare him For it is no more with them but séeke and finde aske and haue Whereas all other are neuer partakers of their desires especially to their good For as they that were found without the Arke of Noe had no life So they whose hearts the feare of God doth not possesse reape and receiue no blessing from God Hée that possesseth her shall thus bee blessed in this life And furthermore also he shall be happie at his latter end A happie death Ecclesi 1. 13. 18. O well art thou and happie shalt thou be saith the wise man Whosoeuer feareth God it shall go well with him at the last and hee shall finde fauoure in the day of his death and in the end he shall be blessed What a great commoditie and aduantage is this that how troublesome soeuer the life of them that feare God shall bee in this worlde yet their latter ende shall bée blessed Happie is the man whiche feareth the Lorde For hée will place his minde vppon his Commaundements therein dooth the feare of God consist and in that feare there is our happie estate The feare of God is the fountaine of life the roote of wisedome the Crowne of ioy yea heauen it selfe to them that looke for heauen And these are the principall commodities which the feare of God dooth bring béeing sufficient and forcible inough to make vs in loue therwith and to set our whole mindes thereon Which being so furnished sheweth it selfe vnto us as it were crowned with a garland of all the blessings gifts and graces of God much like a Princes Diademe which is set out and garnished with precious stones of all sorts and those also of high account But who can sufficiently commend it and set foorth the praises thereof as it deserueth sitting as it were a Ladie and a Quéene about the throne of God whose commendations well we may admire and wonder at but who can reach so farre as fully to expresse them The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome and a The commēdation of the feare of God is that the praise thereof endureth for euer good vnderstanding haue all they that do thereafter The praise thereof endureth for euer Amongst the rest this séemeth to be the only commendation of the feare of God that the praise thereof endureth for euer All flesh is as grasse and fadeth the
by the word of god he may direct not only his own life in the feare of god but also may gouerne his realme in the same feare That so he and his people might be preserued and presented blamelesse in the sight of god which is the greatest comfort of the soule and therefore can bee no greater delight The word of god is the séede of grace which being sowne in the furrows of Christian harts increaseth multiplieth excéedingly It is the spirituall sword that cutteth the flesh from the spirit which seperateth all impure thoughts from the mind and abandone th all lustful desires from the hart It is the sacred fire that burneth away the superfluous humours of worldly desires and worldly vanities It is the wholsom leauen that seasoneth edifieth the soule It is the swéete bread that féedeth the people of God It is the true key that openeth vnto vs Christ Iesus the doore and onely way to the kingdom of heauen And when this wisedom of the word of God entereth into our hearts and when this knowledge delighteth our soules then shall counsell preserue vs and vnderstanding shall kéepe vs. For it doth not only conuert the heart of some vnto the true feare of God It conuerteth It preserueth and call backe the sinner y◠goeth astray but it daily preserueth other some in the same feare causeth them to hold on in a right course But how Chiefly by meditating musing on the word of God by ordering the course of our liues therafter and setting our whole delight theron The King as I said before and chéefest in a realme was commanded to read the word of God all the dayes of his life An example wherof we haue in Ioshua who was appointed of God to be the Prince and gouernor ouer all the people of Israel who by name was thus commanded Let not this booke of the lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein that thou maiest obserue and doo according to all that is written Prosperitie therein For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe When we will signifie a great pleasure and delight we say it is a pleasure and delight for a King and euerie one woulde wish that hée were partaker of Kings delights Beholde then which and what is his cheefest delight and let it be of the same precious account with thée as it ought to be with the king And this delight in reading the word of God in hearing it preached and expounded vnto vs the daily musing and meditating thereon what we haue read and heard and what hath bene taught vs this delight doth bring with it the hatred and detestation of sinne and shall in time bréede in vs the loue and reuerent feare of God and at last make vs partakers of heauenly ioyes In consideration of which effects that the word of God worketh within vs the Prophet Dauid in his psalms doth highly extoll it in this sort The word of God is more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then honie and the honie combe Moreouer by thy word is thy seruant made circumspect and wary to kéepe himselfe within the compasse of thy feare and in keeping of thy word there is great reward Wherupon he also sheweth the great delight he had therein I am as glad saith he of thy word as Psal 119. one that findeth great spoyles I loue it aboue gold and precious stones my soule hath cleaued thereunto and loued it exceedingly If I had not had a delight therein I should haue gone astray and perished Yea therin haue I had as great delight as in all maner of riches and dearer it hath bene and is vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer And therefore in the Gospell it is rightly compared Mat. 13. vnto a treasure hid in the field which when a man hath found he hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that hée hath and buyeth that field Also vnto a pearle of great price which when one lighteth vpon he goeth his way and selleth all that he hath to get it And among men he that hath a treasure his minde for the most part will be vppon his treasure and whether he be abroad or at home where his treasure is there will his heart be also So he that hath a pearle of great price his eye will be stil vpon it alwayes looking and beholding it It shal be either set in a King and Signet that it may be vpon his finger or with some chaine of gold or some cipres or the like it shall be hanged about his necke such store wil he make of it Therefore in great wisedome did God prouide for his people that they might alwaies haue his word in remembrance and take a delight therin that they might alwaies mus◠and meditate thereon Deut. 6. For they were commanded to write his word not in their halles or parlours or inner roomes of speciall account but also vpon their gates And yet a little nearer that it should be wrought vpon their garments not onely that their eyes should still behold it as a pearle most precious and an incomparable treasure but that their tongues might also be talking thereof and teaching their children both when they sat in their houses and when they walked by the way and when they laie downe when they rose vp All other delights which flesh and blood is wont to hunt after are both transitory and of small continuance and also comfortlesse by reason of the manifold cares as also the A confutation of the chiefest worldly delightes and excellencies A◠miseries which folow after For to let passe the meaner and baser sort which are not worthie to be spoken of let vs trie and examine the chiefest worldly delights let vs walke a while with King Salomon into this earthly paradice And first let vs beholde the glittering shewe of wealth and riches how either pride steppeth foorth and puffeth vp the minde and setteth vs a flaunt to all prodigalitie or couetousnesse créepeth within vs to make vs néedie more then néedes For the couetous man who Riches especially maketh wealth and riches his delight his iewell and his God what dooth hée else but in great plentie liue in miserie neither dooth hée further vse or enioy his goods but onely to behold them with his eyes Such toyle and labour in getting such care and breaking of sléepe to kéepe them such feare in loosing as though we had resolued with our selues to liue and die therewith as though our liues should end when any trouble casualtie or calamitie should make vs loose our goods Farre vnlike to wealthie and godly Iobe who béeing brought to miserie and losse of all gaue manifest proofe that his onely delight was not placed in his wealth and riches but with a patient contented and godly minde vttered these words Naked came I into the worlde and naked shall I
approch to the reading of gods word with sanctified minds and circumcised hearts When we are to come into the presence of the prince we prepare our selues with all reuerence and humilitie that our requests may be heard and our desire granted and so doth the maiestie of God lye hid in the scriptures as though God were there to speak vnto vs therefore a double reuerence is to be vsed that is the greatest reuerence that may be when we come to the reading of the scriptures The counsel of Salomon Eccl. 4. 17. is this Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God which also giueth vs warning that we come not vnreuerently to the reading of the word of God For as a foole commeth hastily without deliberation and knoweth not that he offendeth so he that commeth without reuerence committeth folly although he thinke in comming to the reading of the same he doth full wisely Iacob in comming to his brother Esau made seuen curtesies they which will come dutifully to the reading of the word of God cannot come with too much reuerence And herein consisteth an VVith deniall of thy owne wisedome especiall point of reuerence to haue that high estimation of the word of God as to thinke there is no wisedome to be found else where but only therein For they that swel with the thought of their owne wisedom and thinke themselues wise inough although they neuer read the word of God do greatly disgrace the maiestie thereof and aduance themselues in their owne folly God graunt saith the Prophet Dauid That the wisedome of Achitophel may be turned into foolishnesse and so it fareth with them that stand in admiration of their owne wisedome that they are fondly puft vp in their fleshly minds and are the farther off from wisedome and knowledge by how much the more they thinke themselues fraught and loaded therwith Seest thou a foole saith Salomon there is more hope of him then of such a one as is wise in his owne conceit There is hope of a foole that he may be wise because he wil heare instruction but of him which is wise in his own conceit there is no hope to make him wise because he thinketh he knoweth that which he should learne A foole when he holdeth his peace is counted wise for he is lowly in his owne conceit and doth not presume of wisedome but for the desire thereof he will seperate himselfe to séeke it and occupie himselfe in all wisedome Whereas he that is selfe-conceited sheweth himselfe a foole indéed in that being voyd of wisedome he will not search after it as if a hungry man should not care for foode imagining with himselfe that he is full inough alreadie What kept the Scribes and Pharises and other such great Doctors from the knowledge of the misteries of God but the fonde conceit of their owne wisedome and knowledge And such were also the Athenians who thought their learning to be so profounde that they scorned at the simplicitie of the gospell But beholde howe they are ouertaken for god confoundeth the wisedome of these men that are so selfewise and casteth away their vnderstanding And this is a great punishment that the word of God is vnto them foolishnesse neither can they perceiue or féele the swéet comfort therof and that through their own default and through their own pride To the wilfull blinded Iewes the word of god is a stumbling block and to the wise and learned Grecians it séemeth but foolishnesse But better it were farre away for them to acknowledge and forsake their owne foolishnesse then to drowne in their owne wisedome And he that will truly profit in the reading of gods word must laie downe that high conceit and humbly submit himself with al reuerence to be taught as the sacred word shall instruct him Deny thy own knowledge and learning and so shalt thou finde both knowledge and wisedome to satisfie thy soule When thou hast resolued with thyself to submit thy wisdom Not to reade onely but to search to the wisedom of god let thy hart cleaue therunto and let thy mind be still desirous to read it as the suckling and yoong tender infant crieth for the swéete milke whereby it is nourished and maintained So the Apostle S. Peter 1. Epist 22. doth counsell vs that as new borne babes wée should desire the sincere milke of the word of god that we may grow by it Euen as the hart desireth the water brooks so let our soules neuer rest til we haue quenched our thirst with this water of Paradice and satisfied our selues with this swéete milke and heauenly Manna A little milke will not content the infant and a litle foode will not breake hunger and a little strength will not bee auailable to put backe the force of the enemy He that will resist the diuels temptations must be throughly armed with the word of god he that will be a perfect man in Christ must growe from strength to strength from milke to strong meat from the principles of religion to the misteries of saluation that he may at length proue what the good and perfect will of God is At our first enterance to read we be but as babes and although we be of great yeares and ripe discretion yet if we deny not our owne wisedome and become as babes to learne and to be taught by the word of God we shal neuer know the way that leadeth vnto life And as the infant cannot be throughly satisfied but still and often calleth so if we thinke to grow from children to men to godward we must often read and often search his word Humane knowledge I meane the knowledge of the Arts and liberal Sciences commeth not by meane paines and the knowledge of God which he hath reuealed in his word cannot be obtained vnlesse we search for it most diligently He that findeth a veine of gold and siluer diggeth and searcheth with labour and sweate till he commeth where myne is and where is plentie And if we finde any swéetnesse in the word of God as doubtlesse they that be diligent shall finde great comforts it is not wisedome to rest vntil we haue filled our soules with all heauenly pleasures Yet there withall we must take héede that we be not ouerthrowne To search but not too farre in our desire of searching Still let vs auoyd extremities and kéepe the meane let vs not be desirous to know more then God hath set downe for vs to know For many thinke themselues not wise inough vnlesse they know all and wiser they would be then either they are or may or can be Hony is swéete but ouermuch annoyeth it is good to search the word of God but it is daunger to search too farre The secrets of God are as the Sun to our eyes the more we behold it the more our eyes do dazle and the more wée search aboue our capacitie the more our wittes are confounded They that
their sinnes and wickednesse deserue that Gods word should be hid from them for the knowledge of God entereth not into a sinfull soule or who stubburnly refuse it and will not bee taught thereby or who are of such a faithlesse heart that will not beléeue it and yéeld themselues thereunto Such are not onely blinded through their owne naturall weaknesse but moreouer God for a punishment vnto them doth giue them vp to a contrary sence to beléeue lies vanities vntruthes and such deceits that in so doing they may procure vnto themselues damnation because they wold not receiue the loue of the truth that they might be saued Indéed some things there are in the scripture according Some matters hard as we reade in the Epistle of S. Pet. cap. 3. v. 16. that are hard to be vnderstood No doubt to make vs not to thinke lightly of them or that our wisedome is able to comprehend them without the helpe of the spirit of God and also to make vs humble in our owne conceit and diligently and earnestly to craue of God in our daily praiers that he would make vs partakers of the knowledge of his wil. Many things are hard to be vnderstood which they saith the Apostle that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest and peruert as they do also other scriptures vnto their owne destruction The faults being remoued wherewith vnskilfull readers are ouertaken there is no cause to say that the scriptures are hard The vnskilfull and the vnlearned reading the scriptures and giuing that interpretation that their owne sancie or want of wisedome doth affoord them they may soone wrest and peruert them and easily mistake For the wisedome of man is but foolishnesse in Gods matters But when we settle our selues to the reading How the scriptures are easie and how to reade them to profit by them of the scriptures we ought therewithall to frame our selues to praier that it would please God to lighten our vnderstanding that otherwise is altogither darke and foolish by nature to open our eyes which are shut vp in the compasse of our own ignorance And thus reading the scripture with praier for Gods assistance that it would please God to grant vs wisedom to vnderstand them and that we may not be ouerruled by our owne foolish fancies when we read them with an earnest desire to profit by them then shal the scriptures be easie to vs which before thought them to be too hard Again in reading of the scriptures we ought not to be ouer rash to giue our iudgement out of hand especially in waightie matters but to compare one sentence and place of scripture with an other and alwaies to haue an eye that they agrée to the articles of our beliefe And if we cannot so be satisfied but that still doubts do arise we ought to haue recourse to them that haue further knowledge If there be any strife about landes and possessions we craue the sentence of the Iudge if any disease be in the bodie straightway we sende for the Phisitian So if any doubt or controuersie doo arise in matters of religion the learned Minister is to aunswere and resolue them by the word of God and to shew them the true meaning thereof Many thinges are harde to them that are vnsiable and vnconstant such as are readie to bee carried away with euerie winde of vaine doctrine alwaies wauering sometimes in one minde and sometimes in an other to such it is no maruell if the scripture be hard and little for their profite The nature of man as it is giuen to heare newes so it is maruellously inclined to searche out all secretes yet none are more confounded in their owne wisedome and none more driuen to vncertainties then they bee But as for those matters whiche are for our saluation and for the instruction of our liues they are most easie to be read knowne and vnderstood euen of the meanest and simplest that search thereafter in all humblenesse of minde The second principall matter which I noted vnto In them ye thinke to haue eternall life you in this portion of scripture wherehence my text is taken is the effectuall reason to moue vs to performe the commandement of our Sauiour Christ Search the scriptures The commandement is great For in them ye thinke to haue eternall life And they are they that testifie of me Health is more to be desired then wealth and a man will giue all that he hath for his life yet the life here spoken off doth farre excéede this life as farre as the heauen doth the earth and the way to procure that life is more easie then to preserue this mortall and transitorie life No way so easie as to search and finde to read and to be comforted to vnderstand wherein true life consisteth and to enioy it And because we should not finde this easie way and to kéepe vs from all searching therefore the diuell caused the word to bee closed vp in an vnknowne tongue and in the meane time we were carried away with vanities and held in darknesse and ignorance lest when we should heare others or read Gods word our selues we might vnderstand and beléeue that so we might be saued He blinded the world and cast a mist of ignorance before their eyes and kept away the comfortable sunshine of the word hindred the message of glad tidings and carried away the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ in a cloude that it might not comfort our hearts consciences that we might not be partakers of the blessed benefits of God toward vs in Christ Iesus As the forgiuenes of our sins the fauour of God a holy life a quiet conscience a stedfast hope of euerlasting life and of the ioyes that are to come We were hindred from this searching that we should not tread the right way to euerlasting life and saluation but that we should goe a by way to euerlasting death and condenmation In the latter times there shall be many false teachers so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie elect And this deceit is no meane sleight but the indaungering of our soules that we shall neuer be partakers of euerlasting life And therefore we are willed to trie the spirits to trie such false teachers by the touchstone of Gods word and to examine their doctrine whether it be agréeable to the scripture Search the scriptures for in them ye shall haue life that is ye shall be assured that ye shall not be deceiued in the way of life Therefore the scripture may be compared vnto the starre that led the wise men vnto Christ so that when they came where he was it stood still Musicke doth not onely alaie raging and furious mindes but doth drawe them also to a further desire thereof so the word of God doth not only asswage and beate downe the euill inclinations of our hearts but also bréedeth in vs a minde to order our steppes aright to liue well to refraine from
1. 1. 2. Ios 1. 8. Mat. 13. 23 That more delight be found And often must the land be til'd To make a perfect ground Causes why men vnderstand not the Scriptures Naturalll blindnesse Worldly wisedome No loue and hartie affection to reade the Scriptures A forestalled and preiucate minde An vnrepentant heart They read not to mend their liues and edifie their soules Necessary rules to vnderstand the Scriptures Praier that Gods spirit may take away our blindnesse To deny our selues A mind desirous to learne A renued and reformed heart A mind wholy setled on the loue of God The principall scope the glory of God the amendment of our liues and maners and the reformation of our errours Causes why we do not take profit by the Scriptures Slacknesse in reading Ignorance of certaine words and names Ignorance of the chiefe drift of the matter Ignorance of the effect of the law and the Gospell To erre from the rule of faith contained in the Creede and from the consent of scriptures by extrauagant opinions which haue not warrant in the word Contempt of Interpreters and godly Ministers whose learning and reading is sufficient to instruct thee to satisfie and resolue thee Of God Exodus 34. 6. 7. So the Lord passed before his face and cried The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger abundant in goodnesse and truth Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne not making the wicked innocent SImonides a learned and wise Philosopher being on a time demanded what God was gaue not any suddaine answere but tooke a pause and stood much in doubt what answere to make At last perceiuing with himselfe that he was vnable presently to resolue the question desired a day longer to thinke on the matter which time being expired and his answer looked for he desired two daies more At the two daies ende being vnreadie as before he prolonged to giue his iudgement and still doubled the time Wherupon the other maruelling and desirous to know the cause wherfore he refused to answer séeing he could delaie the time no longer but that he must néeds speake somewhat He burst forth into these words saying The longer I consider of it the more darke your question séemeth to be to me and more intricate For it laie not in his wisedome nor in the wisedome of any man to comprehend the infinit nature of God Canst thou measure the earth or sounde the depth of the sea or perfectly discerne how high the heauen is from the earth If these matters be vnpossible vnto thée much lesse shalt thou be able to set downe what God is who filleth the heauen and the earth and all places Which thing when thou settest thy selfe about to knowe it is as if thou were placed in the midst of a labyrinth or maze wherein thou maeist goe too and fro and when thou thinkest thy selfe almost out then art thou intangled as if there were no end The longer wee muse vppon this mistery to know what God is the longer we may and yet neuer the nearer So that we may say as the Astrologians and Chaldeans answered King Nabuchadnezer It is a rare thing and none can declare it vnlesse it bee God himselfe whose dwelling is not with flesh More safe therefore it were only reuerently to think of God his sacred and incomprehensible maiestie and not to medle with so waightie a matter but that it hath pleased God himselfe to vtter the same to his seruant Moses and so to all posteritie For as God did not shewe his maiestie vnto Moses when he desired to sée him but only his hinder parts so also bicause Moses had not the capacitie to cōceiue the nature and essence of God therfore he let him vnderstand what he was by his properties and qualities in these words The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnes and truth Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sin and not making the wicked innocent This Text standeth especially vpon these two principall points his iustice and his mercy which are the two notable effects of his nature and wherunto may be referred all that is spoken of him in the scriptures Which here in a fewe words is liuely set downe and described Of the which we may consider in order as they lye nothing vnto vs these fiue thinges First his sacred Maiestie and the force of his power Secondly his gentle disposition inclined rather to mercie Thirdly how hée vseth all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare and loth that any should offend Fourthly howe hée offereth and performeth mercy vnto sinners Fiftly his holy and righteous nature abhoring and punishing wickednesse These wordes which I haue reade vnto you did God giue forth of himselfe vnto Moses at the deliuery of his lawe principally to strike a maiestie and reuerence into the hearts of the people that they might haue care to fulfill his lawe and not to set light by it For although God did shewe himselfe so friendly and so fauourable vnto his people yet would hee not haue them too much to presume Therefore hée vseth a maiestie to remoue all contempt For as by nature wée are giuen to disdaine and to despise and are most prone vnto contempt so was it most requisite that this meane should be vsed to restraine and bridle our disordered nature The experience whereof we may sée in children toward their parents For the familiaritie which parents vse to their children doth make them lesse to be regarded And if their parents doo commaund them to doo any thing they will grudge thereat whereby they growe to such boldnesse that this familiaritie dooth bréede within them an inwarde kinde of contempt But if in their countenance iesture and all their behauiour the parentes shewe a gouernment agréeable to their estate to holde their children in dutifull subiection then will they vse great reuerence vnto their parents and stande in awe of them and in willing sort will be most readie to obey In like sort God would not haue his people so much to presume of his fauoure and good will toward them as though they could vse the same at their will and being his creatures they should lift vp themselues as though they were equall to their Creator But being their God and their Creator therby they should vnderstande that his moste highe supremacie was so great aboue them that by righte and authoritie hee mighte commaunde them To plante in their heartes suche a dutifull care as was méete and conuenient For nothing dooth sooner abrogate and abolish the waightie consideration of lawes which is the bond of ciuilitie and societie among men then contempt and againe nothing can more confirme and establish them then a dutifull care ioyned with reuerence Therefore had God an especiall regard of the estimation and reuerent account of his lawe least the Maiestie thereof togither with his authoritie might be neglected and little set
her painted feathers thinkes her selfe fairer then any beast and none so bewtifull as she but when shée turneth downe her eyes and looketh on her blacke and dirtie legges then shée lets fall her plume of feathers with the conceit whereof shée looked so aloft Many looke so high that they knowe not the ground they treade on and fouly would they take scorne if it should be tolde them that they were but dust and earth The Prophet Ieremy to pull downe the high stomackes of the people to whome he was sent doth not doubt to call them so repeating it often in their eares that they might remember it O earth earth heare the word of the Lord. Which thing that godly Abraham well remembring freely and of his owne accord confesseth when he made his request vnto God for Sodome Behold saith he now I haue begunne to speake vnto my Lorde I am but dust and ashes Fewe there be that thinke so and more fewe that will acknowledge it Hée that is of base degrée vaunts himselfe of nobilitie and they that come of noble blood lift vp themselues to the skies as if the staffe should boast it selfe that it were no wood They neuer looke downe to the earth from whence they came nor consider the graue wherunto they must go Dust and ashes earth and wormes meate To consider that we came of the dust is not only profitable to bring vs to humilitie and to knowe our selues but also to put vs in minde of our latter ende that we may be the better prepared vnto God and learne to deny our selues and forsake the world Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne to my first mould to the wombe of all things that is the earth Dust was my first creation and dust shall be my latter end and my dissolution And yet it is woorth the marking to sée howe GOD dooth set foorth his glorie héerein that that creature which hee made of dust and earth should haue continued for euer and neuer died if the same creature had continued in his obedience and truly performed that which hée moste easily had commaunded Although man was created of the dust in his first beginning yet God caused him to increase and multiply by naturall seed and by lawfull matrimony Wherein also Gods worke is daily wonderfull and miraculous For although the parentes doo their indeuoure yet it is God that frameth the childe in the wombe of the mother by his mightie power neither dooth that matter alwaies come to passe after a naturall sort For monsters oftentimes come from women not by the meanes of the parentes but God hath so ordeaned it that they should bee tokens of his iudgementes And that the childe in the wombe is the worke of God let vs search it out in his word The wise man vttereth it in this sort In my mothers wombe was I fashioned to be flesh in tenne moneths Wisedome 7. 2. I was brought togither into blood of the seede of man and by the pleasure that commeth with sleepe The pleasure that commeth with sléepe then séede the seede is turned into blood and after commeth flesh But wherehence are bones and sinewes the order the shape and the proportion of the bodie The Prophet Dauid Psal 139. 14. declareth it and saith I am woonderously made And speaketh of God his woorke thus Thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe my bones are not hid from thee though I was made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth thine eyes did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all my members written which in contiuuance of time were fashioned when as there was none of them before After séede and blood and flesh and bones and sinewes and all things prepared and set in order then comes the soule but not from the soule of the parents for God giueth the soule by his secret power and vnsearchable working aske not how but content thy selfe and wonder Yet if thou desirest to haue this matter more plainly shewed thée turne to the tenth chapter of Iob and reade his words which are these directing his speech vnto God Hast thou not powred me out as milke and turned me to curddes like cheese thou hast cloathed mee with skinne and flesh and ioyned mee togither with bones and sinewes And thou hast giuen me life and grace that is reason and vnderstanding and many other gifts whereby man excelleth all earthly creatures Whē God had made man hee breathed into him the breath of life and he was a liuing soule Yet this is not sufficient to declare how man was created in the image of God and according to his likenesse Which image and likenesse is not so to be vnderstood that either in body or in soule we doo resemble God himselfe For God hath no such forme and substance neither doth he consist of flesh or blood or bone God is a spirit and altogither incomprehensible Neither let it any thing at all moue vs so to be perswaded because wée reade in the scripture The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it the eyes of the Lorde beholde all things his eares are open to the praiers of them that feare him he deliuered his people by a mightie hand and a stretched out arme he will make his enemies his footestoole Not that God hath either mouth or eyes or eares or hands or armes or féete but it is so set down in respect of our weaknesse who are not able to vnderstand heuenly matters but by earthly similitudes and by familiar examples and comparisons And because we are too earthly minded therfore by such spéeches we are lifted vp to the consideration of more excellent things In the shape and proportion of mans bodie he is more comely and beautifull then all the rest of gods creatures yea and God hath planted in his face and countenance a maiestie that all other creatures might feare him and reuerence him yet we must not thinke with our selues rudely and grosly that the image of God consisteth in y◠outward proportion lineaments and shape of the bodie although herein God hath graunted mankind a superioritie dignitie and worthinesse Because the bodies of all other creatures are framed as it were groueling on the ground but mankind is made vpright to beholde the heauens and those things that are aboue the heauens and that by a supernatural and extraordinary sight The image of God is not this outward shape and proportion but the inward and most vertuous qualities of the soule Wherefore it was no maruell that God said Let vs make man taking counsell of his wisdome and power Concerning all things else that he made he onely said Let it be so and they were so but hauing further care of mankind as of a matter more waightie he taketh more aduicement and mindeth to shewe a greater excellency in the creatiō of man and woman to whose soules he gaue so great gifts and graces Whereby the way let vs
not imagine that there are more gods then one because God said Let vs make but rather the authoritie of the Trinitie is proued vnto vs that though there be thrée persons in the Godhead yet there is but one God For as God the father createth so is God the sonne the wisedome of all the creation and from God the holy Ghost procéedeth the vertue and power of all things The excellent qualities of the soule and wherein the image of God consisteth is especially to be séene in these two points namely Holinesse and Holinesse and Righteousnesse Righteousnesse yet furthermore they had Frée-will and by their creation were immortall and frée from death and last of all God gaue vnto them this great priviledge as to haue the soueraigntie the rule and gouernment ouer all his creatures By which we plainly vnderstand that our first parents in their time were frée from all sinne which time is called their time of innocency In respect whereof Salomon searching the nature of man and comparing the time of his iniquitie to the time of his innocency doth thus pronounce of him Onely loe this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought many inuentions and are gone astray through their owne foolishnesse and so are the cause of their owne destruction and are fallen away from the image of God which hee had planted in them The image of God consisteth in the depth of wisedome in the vnmeasurablenesse of power in the infinitnesse of his goodnesse and mercy being perfect holy perfect righteous doing all things according to the pleasure of his own will in whom onely dwelleth life and immortalitie The most of which qualities if not all man at the first was indued withall which were and are in God in the highest degrée but to man they were giuen onely in a measure and in a farre inferiour degrée and that with a condition if so be hee did continue in the obedience of gods commaundements This image of God in our first parents is nothing else but the natural conformitie and disposition of the soule and of all the functions powers and operations thereof vnto the lawe of god whereby fréely and voluntarily it inclineth vnto true and perfect holinesse and righteousnesse that according to that rule he might serue god his Creator all the dayes of his life For as god is a spirit so will he be worshipped in spirit and truth and in sinceriie of heart and minde hating all manner of counterfait and false worship wherunto the nature of man is now too much inclined and had rather worship any thing then god himselfe Also his dealing to his neighbour should bee inst and vpright but such are vanished out of the world and now there is nothing but subtiltie and craft and wrongfull dealing and all iniury and oppressien practised good hearbes are plucked vp and nothing is now to be séene but wéedes The holinesse that god requireth of vs and according to the which our mindes and hearts were first framed is the holy obedience and true worship of god ioyned with a sincere loue of god procéeding from an effectuall faith in the knowledge of God his word and his works In stéed wherof now ratgneth idolatry the loue of the world and worldly lustes the ignorance of God his word is more rife then the knowledge of the same and none more accepted then they that most despise it The righteousnesse also which God nowe requireth and wherwith we are inabled is such a louely respect and friendly regard of our neighbours that we haue care of them as of our selues and wish no otherwise vnto them then to our selues and doo vnto them as we would other should do vnto vs and that not outwardly for a fashion but inwardly and from the heart not in a word onely but in déed yea in our thought secrets This holinesse and righteousnesse was once planted but neuer came to perfect growth the good corne is choked vp and as we say il wéeds grow apace The dayes of this present euill worlde are such that now the age wherein we liue may well be termed an iron age and worse if worse may be in respect of the first age and the beginning of the worlde which time was a golden and precious time when the hearts and mindes of men were as fine and pure as golde or if there bee any thing that may bee saide to be more pure Now is there a vaile cast ouer our mindes and consciences our faces are couered as it were with visors and a thicke skinne is growne ouer the heart all shame is banished and a holie minde and a true and sound heart is either very rare or no where to be founde Which in the beginning was not so So that now we had néede daily to haue these wordes often repeated vnto vs. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle Who shall rest in thine holy mountaine and bee receiued into heauen when this life is ended None but suche as walke vprightly and woorke righteousnesse and that speake the truth from their heart Who doo not abuse their tongue in slaundering nor doo any euill to their neighbours nor receiué and beléeue a false report against them In whose eyes a vile and wicked person is contemned and who maketh much of them that feare the Lord who performeth his oath and chaungeth not his mind although it be to his owne hinderance Who giue not their money to vsury séeking thereby the vndooing and vtter impouerishing of their neighbors who take no rewarde against the innocent or stande against them and doo them harme And they that doo these things and whatsoeuer else may stand with an vpright conscience in the feare of God they shall neuer bee mooued that is they shall not be cast from Gods presence as they shall bee that doo the contrary but their part shall bee in the kingdome of heauen and their soules onely shall rest among the blessed soules Let vs looke into our first creation and let that be our example and our patterne and let that be the high way for vs to walke in In the soule of man there are two especiall parts first his vnderstanding and reason secondly his will and desire and all the motions affections and inclinations that procéede from the same His vnderstanding by his creation was furnished with all knowledge méete and conuenient for him so that hée néeded not any to teach him but God had endued him with that knowledge which might haue well directed him chiefly in those things that pertaine to the worship and seruice of God to his owne saluation and the benefite of his neighbour And not only his vnderstanding and reason was fraught with all knowledge but his will also and his desire was most readie to performe the worship of God his will and desire was most readie to the obedience of Gods commandements Then by his vnderstanding hee was able to discerne the trueth perfectly
God hath raised vs vp togither and made vs sit togither in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Philip. 1. 23. For I am greatly in doubt on both sides destring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Luke 23. 43. Iesus said to the théefe that repented Verily I say vnto thée To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice And chapter 16. 22. And it was so that the begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Wisâ— 3. 1. But the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Eccle. 12. 7. And dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit returne to God that gaue it Then shall they enioy fully that vnspeakeable comfort prepared Rom. 8. 18. For I account that the affictions of this present time are not worthie of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Mat. 25. 34. Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world 1. Cor. 15. 42. 43. 53. The bodie is sowne in corruption and is raised in corruption It is sowne in dishonour and is raised in glory it is sowne in weakenesse and is raised in power For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie 1. Cor. 2. 9. The things which eye hath not séene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him By whose vertue and spirit they haue proceeded and gone forward from faith to faith as shall manifestly appeare by the whole course of their life and good workes Rom. 1. 17. The righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith â—â— 2. Reâ— 1. 2â—1 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you by the knowledge of God of Iesns our Lord. According as his godly power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowkledge of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto Ioine moreoner vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperaunce and with temperaunce patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue For if these things be among you and abound they wil make you that ye neither shal be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ For he that hath not these things is blinde and cannot sée farre off and hath forgotten that hee was purged froÌ„m his olde sinnes Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall For by these meanes an entering shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the cuerlasting kingdom of out Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Whereas altogither contrary the Reprobate conceiued borne and brought vp in sin death and the wrath of God when they depart out of this world they fall into another gulfe of destruction and their soules are plunged in that endlesse paine vntill the day come that their bodies and solues being ioined again they shall enter into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels 〈◊〉 Psal 5 â—â—â—5 Behold I was borne in iniquitle and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me Ephe. 2. 3. And were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Rom. 7. 14. sold vnder sinne Rom. 5. 14. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned Dani. 12. 2. And many of them that sléepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Iohn 5. 28 29. Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done cuill to the resurrection of condemnation Luke 16. 22. 23. 24. The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell torments he lift vp his yes and sawe Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his hosome Then he cried and said Father Abraham haue merry on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his singer in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame But Abraham said Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented Mat. 25. 41. Then shall he say to them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels The seuenth Chapter After what sort this doctrine may be preached with most profit SInte wee haue nowe declared the effect of this doctrine VVhat discretion the matter requireth it remaineth also that wee shewe what order we thinke best to be obseruâ—â— in preaching and applying the same to euery particular man Whereas many find this matter so sharp and strange that they flie from it as from a dangerous rocke it is partly to be attributed to the malice and arrogancy of men And partly to the rashnesse and lacke of discretion of them that teach it and thirdly it is to be imputed to their ignoraunce which cannot orderly apply the same to themselues which faithfully and truly hath bin taught of others Concerning them which sinne of malice it onely appertaineth to GOD to amend them Which surely he hath done alwaies in his reason and likewise will do from time to time to whom he hath appointed to shewe mercy But for others which remainâ— obstinate in their sinne and wickednesse there is no cause why we should be moued either for their number or authority to dissemble Gods truth And as touching the second sorte I haue thought these things principally to be obserued in preaching this misterie First as in all other things so chiefly in this matter of predestination they ought to take diligent héede that in stéede of Gods pure and simple truth they bring not soorth vaine and curious speculations or dreames Which thing they cannot choose but do which goe about to compasse and accord these secret iudgments of God with mans wisdome so do not onely put difference betwirt predstinatioÌ„ and the purpose of god which thing they must néedes do but seperate the one froÌ„ the other For they either imagine a certaine naked and idle permition or else make a double purpose and counsell in God From the which errors they must néeds fall into many and greate absurdities For sometimes they are constrained to diuide
perceiue the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes and haue a desire to leaue and forsake them before we hunger and thirst for this grace This is euen the light of the world which did shine abroad and yet the world knewe it not Christ came vnto his owne his owne receiued him not Oh howe secret are God his iudgmeÌ„ts that his grace is hid from some and appeareth vnto other And yet howe is this grace hid But froÌ„ them that make more account of their pleasures and fulfilling of their lusts who make more account of their wealth and riches as it is set downe in the parable of the séede cast in the earth then they do of this grace yea of this rich grace who cleaue vnto the world and loue the world more then God In whose mindes and hearts the God of this world that is to say the diuil doth raigne by his temptations As the Apostle witnesseth writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4. 4. If our gospell and if this grace of God be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ should not shine vnto them And as the world knew him not and his owne people to whom he was sent receiued him not so as many as did receiue him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beléeue in his name and so are partakers of his grace Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Which grace although it hath bine a mistery hid since the world beganne and from all ages yet nowe is made manifest to his saincts to his beloued and those that do receiue him To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of this glorious mistery among the gentiles which riches is Christ the hope of glory in euery one of vs that are saued Whom we preach saith the Apostle admonishing euery one and teaching euery man in all wisdom that wée may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus and that euery one may be capable of this grace For God that commaunded the light to shine out of darkenesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath sent vs foorth to preach that this his grace may euery where appeare Which doth appeare and shewe it selfe to all but so that the repentant sinners the faithfull beléeuers those onely that are made righteous in Christ do receiue the same Who as by this grace they are receiued into the fauour of God their sinnes being forgiuen them so are they not in any sort to take a libertie vnto themselues to sinne againe The lawe entred hereupon that the offence should abound and be made notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded their grace abounded much more That as sin had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sinne yâ— grace may abound God forbid How shal we yâ— are dead to sinne liue yet therein After the Apostle had shewed that by grace the mercy of god wée were saued fréely beloued fréely iustified and made righteous he sheweth also howe we are sanctified that is by practisiing all good workes so continning in this grace As we reade Tit. 3. 8. This is a true saying these things I wil thou shouldest affirm teach that they which haue beléeued in god might be carefull to shew foorth gods workes The good spirit of god and his grace it teacheth vs how we should be sanctified that is by denieng all vngodlinesse worldly lusts also by liuing soverly righteously godly in this present world They who beléeue are also iustified made righteous and they who are iustified yâ— is made righteous are also sanctified made holy This worke therefore of sanctification procéeding from the grace of god is liuely expressed in this text which I haue read vnto you And so much for the generall proposition The grace of God hath appeared vnto 〈◊〉 Vnto this generall proposition may be added thrée other principall parts of this text As first what is the effct of this Diuisicâ— grace that is sanctification wherein this sanctification coÌ„sisteth which is mortification viuification or yâ— I may vse more plaine euident termes in vtterly foresaking the lusts of our flesh our owne will desires imbracing all the is good leading a life agréeable to God his will Which part is set downe in these words teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse worldly lusts and yâ— we should liue soberly and righteously godly in this present world The second part is a perswasion reason mouing vs to this sanctification that is the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of god set downe by the circumstance of Christ his comming At which time the godly shall be receiued in to the kingdome of god in these words looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of the mighty god of our sauiour Iesus Christ The third part setteth downe the cause of this sanctification and yâ— is Christ who hath redéemed and purged vs to his purpose yâ— we might performe all good workes in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs yâ— he might redéeme vs from all iniquitie purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes The grace of god hath appeared vnto all and teacheth vs. In the life of man there are two teachers There is the wicked spirit of the diuil being accompanied The eâ—fect of this grace with our be â—raâ—eng flesh the naughty examples wicked 〈◊〉 of the world this teacher moueth vs to all 〈◊〉 worldly luâ—ts which fight against the soule this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an 〈◊〉 multitude of schollers The other teacher is the spirit of God the grace of God which hath but a fewe followers because yâ— fewe imbrace the godly 〈◊〉 Mortification which 〈◊〉 Of which distinction I might 〈◊〉 stand on bring 〈◊〉 matter of godly edifieng but I leaue 〈◊〉 The grace of God teacheth vs howe farre héeretofore wee haue gone astray and openeth vnto vs howe loâ—t 〈◊〉 but â—aies haue bene wherein wée haue so â—elighted and howe greatly wée haue offended GOD. Whereas otherwise the eies of our vnderstanding are shut vp and we togither with the world and wicked company are carried away And first it sheweth vs how greatly we haue offended concerning religion and the seruice of God mentioned in these words Teaching vs to deny vngodtinesse which hath respect to that dutie we owe vnto God comprehended in the foure first commandements God hath created vs to serue and to worship him and to come to the knowledge of his wil as he
bread and they that know the right vse therof will be also readie to giue thanks to God when they haue refreshed themselues Whereas they that are giuen to their pleasures are like to swine that are gréedie of the maste so that their flesh being prompt their lusts may abound In the Epistle to the Gal. where other sinnes are noted by one name the sin of lecherie is expressed by diuers names as adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse to note vnto vs the pronesse of mans nature and their gréedie desire to sin Watching and waking night day deuising and casting how to bring their naughtie purpose to passe making only account of them that shall further them in their desires and serue their turnes spending all their wealth nay further then that wasting al their strength and yet more laying their soules to pawne for the enioying of a little pleasure vntill their wealth bee turned to pouerty their strength to weaknesse sicknesse and loathsome diseases vntill all hope bee turned to dispaire life to death and saluation to damnation Wherefore the holiâ— spirit of God knowing the sinfull hastinesse and vnsatiable desire of mankind herein draweth the excesse into a meane and for extremitie enioyneth vs sobrietie and for auoiding all mischiefes dooth set vs downe a remedie For sobrietie is the moderatour of the minde and dooth restraine our vnbrideled affections It is a gift that dooth kéepe the mind from pleasures altogither and in those that be lawfull it kéepeth vs from the excesse and abuse of them The gift of chastitie is rare and the coÌ„trary is to rife which causeth the Apostle to vse these words Good it were for a man not to touch a woman and I could wish it were with other as it is with my self neuerthelesse to auoid fornication let euerie man haue his wife and euery woman her owne husband And againe if they cannot abstaine let them marry for it is better to marry then to burne And that they might vse the benifit of marriage soberly and not in excesse as a remedy to theire concupiscence and not as a libertie to the flesh he giueth counsaile further This I say brethren because the time is short Let them that haue wiues be as though they had none Vnto the which agreeth that of the Apostle S. Peter 1. Epi. 4. 7. Now the ende of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in praier As if he had said as much as is possible let the whole time of our life be spent in holinesse knowing this that no vncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of God Let vs walke honestly not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse but let vs put on the Lord Iesus Christ and be clothed with the garment of holinesse neither let vs take thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it I beséech you receiue not the grace of God in vaine Pride and brauery in apparrel excesse in building no Apparrell measure in expences this is the fashion of the world And the ouerplus and ouerlashing that euerie one is giuen vnto declareth howe farre we are by nature from sobrietie and that sobrietie and a measure is the gifte of the grace of God True it is that men are too too giuen to pride and braue apparrell and many doo set their glorie and their felicitie therein whose glorie is to their shame and whose felicitie and happinesse is sinfull Lightly they are but scorned and contemned in the sight of others who shall beholde theire vanitie while they thinke thereby to be honoured And as we reade that God regardeth the humble so he beholdeth the proud afarre of The prophet Esay the apostle S. Paul séeing the excesse of apparell and this vice of pride more to abound in women dooth especially note it and rebuke it in them The Prophet Esay in his third chapter sheweth the vanitie of the women in his daies and howe God would punish theire excessiue desires his words are these The Lord also saith Because the daughters of Sion are hautie and walke with stretched out neckes and with wandring eies walking and musing as they goe and making a tinkling with theire féete Therefore shall the Lord make the heades of the daughters of Sion bald In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tiers the swéet balles and the bracelets and the bonnets the tiers of the head the tablets and the earings the ringes and the muflers the costly apparrell and the vailes and the wimples and the crisping pinnes and the glasses the fine linnen and the hoods and the launes And in stéed of swéete sauour their shal be stincke and in stéed of a girdle a rent and in stéed of dressing of the hair baldnesse and in stéed of a stomacher a girâ—ing of sackcloath and burning in stéed of beautie No man can be ignorant that apparrell was ordained to couer our nakednesse to kéepe vs warme and to preserue our health and not to shew our brauery or to spend our thrift thereon And because the Apostle did perceiue that women were more faultie herein therefore he counsaileth them 1. Tim. 2. 5. That if they will be accounted to be godly and sober that they should lay aside all brauery and array themselues in comely apparel with shamefastnesse modestie not with broidered hair or gold or pearles or costly garments but as becommeth women that professe the fear of God that they shuld deck themselues with good works and shewe their brauerie in their almes and relieuing those yâ— stand in néed The Apostle S. Pet. 1. Epi. 3. 3. Likewise hath almost the same words and giueth a little more light to this perswasion The apparrelling of women let it not bee so much outward saieth hée in breivered haire and gold put about and in glorious apparell But if they will be commended for their modestie and sobrietie let the hid man of their hearts be vncorrupt with a méeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by And if they delight in braue apparrell let this be theire apparrell and no other For euen after this manner in time past did the holy woman which trusted in God tier themselues and were subiect to their husbands A note well put in And were subiect to theire husbands For many of them being too wilfull and too stately altogither against the wills of their husbands and beyond their husbands power and abilitie bring them into debt and pouerty and make them oftentimes to vse vnlawful meanes to maintaine their brauery Which is a token of incontinency that they had rather please the eies of others then their owne husbands For commonly lewde women are noted by their braue attire Braue without and foule within painted sepulchers and rotten bones Better it were braue within and comely without modest and sober at home and abroad in euery place To this warning which is giuen to
belong to God and yet liue in sin what is it if we come to the church and in an outward shew of good works would haue others to thinke vs to be Gods deare children when neither our owne heartes and consciences neither yet the spirite of God can testifie that we are such as we would séeme to be both before God and in the sight of men S. Iohn saith plainly 1. Ioh. 1. If we say that we haue any company with God and walke in darkenesse doing that which displeaseth God we lie and the trueth is not in vs. Loue and obedience to God shew forth our adoptiō but they that passe not for the commandementes of God shew that there is no loue and obedience in them 1. Ioh. He that saith he knoweth and loue God and yet keepeth not his commandements is a lier Some falsly perswaded themselues that they loue God when they hate their neighbours but the same Apostle telleth them If any man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a liar He that saith he is the light and hateth his brother he is still in darkenesse he that loueth his brother dwelleth in the light but he that hateth him walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth for darkenesse hath blinded his eies And moreouer he saith Hereby we manifestly know the children of god from the children of the diuel he that doth not righteously is not the child of god neither he that hateth his brother As the tree is knowne by his frute so is our adoption made knowne vnto vs by godly and christian affections Let vs not therfore any further deceiue our selues in thinking we are the adopted children of god when as yet we haue a greater delight in sin then in god For then our sinful liues shall declare the contrary against vs and shall make vs to be ashamed of our boasting whatsoeuer we shall think or say for our selues It is not our fond and vain imaginations that the spirit of god doth witnesse vnto but a sanctified heart and a cleane soule and a pure life is the house that the spirit of god doth dwel in and which also doth giue such manner of people a full assuraunce that they pertaine to god and that as they are the sonnes of god in this life so shall they be the saints of god in another life Also this is no small token of our adoption when we féele our hearts inclined and our minds maruellous desirous Hearing God◠word to heare the word of god preached According as we read Iohn 8. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therfore heare them not because ye are not of God For who do more scorne and disdain to heare gods word and do make a iest of it then they who as we terme thē are gracelesse and make litle reckoning whether they be accounted the children of god or no. So that by the contrarie it may euidently appeare that they in whome the grace of god hath taken effect do greatly reuerence and greatly regard the word of god Because not only from time to time it is a meane to seale gods promises in our hearts and to make vs more and more to reioyce in the Lord but also by little and little the selfesame marke in their foreheads And although I might recite more I wil adde but one other token of Gods adoption in his children and that is that they are sorrie Sory to see others offend whē they see other do wickedly and endeuour to withdraw them from their wicked waies giuing them counsell and admonishing them to the contrary hating their sinnes and louing their soules Exhorting also their brethren and sisters to continue in the grace of God according to the counsell of the Apostle Let vs exhort one another and prouoke vnto good workes Take héede brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God But exhort one an other daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Praying continually that the spirit of God which hath assured vs of our adoption may rule and raigne in vs and that from so holy a roote may spring godly blossomes as faith loue mercy patience humilitie chastitie desire of Gods word hartie good will to his ministers diligence in praier togither with all increase of righteousnesse They that earnestly and with a good heart heare Gods word and bring foorth worthie frutes they that reuerence and regard the ministers of Gods word they that exercise themselues in all good workes they whose delight is in them that feare God and who make much of the Godly and who also are sorrie to sée others fall from God they no doubt are such who may certainelie assure themselues of their adoption and of the loue and fauour of God So much for the second part of this text noting out vnto vs the assurance of our adoption and confirming vs in the same set downe in these words The same spirit beareth witnesse wiih our spirit that we are the children of God 3. The third part which followeth is nothing else but ioy and comfort honour and dignitie If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with The worthinesse of adoption Christ In which words are conteined the worthinesse of our adoption and that in as high degrée of honour as may be Nowe we are no more seruants subiect vnder the feare and bondage of the lawe but the sonnes of God hauing obtained his fauour through the meanes of our elder brother Christ Iesus If sonnes we are more then sonnes and that is heires and that not of an earthly patrimonie Heires but of the kingdome of heauen Heires of kings or emperours nay more then that heires of God yea and fellowe heires with Christ our Sauiour which sitteth at the right hand of God far aboue al principallitie might and power and dominion in most excellent dignitie A seruant lightly is neuer preferred to that dignitie as to be made an heire and how should it come to passe y◠wee being seruants and bondslaues vnder the spirit of bondage feare should obtaine so great a fréedome and dignitie as to be the heires of God but only through the bountifulnesse of God which passeth all the preheminence and dignitie y◠man can gine or is or would be willing to giue especially to a seruant And how should we that are seruants sinners perswade our selues of so great a dignitie as to be made heires if it were not that the spirit of God did assure our hearts y◠our reconciled God had made vs his children his sonnes and of sonnes heires It is not a thing vsuall in the world that the sonnes of any one man should all be heires no although their progenitors were nobles Our prouerbe is that a man of smal wealth is called bnt ayonger
brother be it that he be a gentleman and of a good house yet he may be farre both from the title and from the possession of an heire Which makes yonger brothers oftentimes to come to hard miserable ends while they séeke euill waies to maintaine their gentry and theire state to hold vp their port and countenance which by their pride commeth to a fall and which by humilitie would haue bin both increased and exalted The humble in soule cōscience god regardeth he maketh thē heires who thinke full basely of themselues God oftentimes taketh the poore out of the mire and placeth him among the princes And the poore and sorrowfull spirite the repentant and sanctified minde is royally furnished euen as Mordecay was cloathed in royall apparell because hee had the fauour of the king and had the crowne royall set on his head who looked to haue his head smitten from his shoulders The whip and stripes belong to a seruaunt and yoonger gracelesse brethren come neuer to inheritance So we being seruantes to sinne and gracelesse in the sight of God should neuer haue come to the royaltie of heires if god by his mercy had not graunted vs repentance vnto life and sowed the séede of his grace in our heartes establishing our weake spirites with a sound faith and confirming the same with the certaintie of this hope that we shall be heires Heires not one or two but euen all heires as many as are his sonnes and children heires of that inheritance which cannot be taken from vs vnlesse through our owne fault and negligence we fall away from it before we come to the full possession thereof Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thée and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne The father accepting his repentance caused the best robe to be brought forth and put vpon him a ring to be put on his finger and shooes on his féete and killed the Yoongest fatted calfe and reioyced and was merry What could he haue done more for his sonne euen the eldest sonne the heire making the yoongest sonne an heire too as well as his eldest brother Indéede the eldest in euery common weale doth carry away inheritance neither is the yoonger pertaker with him But as the Prophet saith God seeth not as man neither is his iudgement as mans is The first borne in earth hath the honour and the wealth but in Gods account it falleth not out so alwaies It is not impossible for the rich to be saued and for the eldest to be heires euen Gods heires yet the yoongest haue often preuailed with God and béen most accounted Iacob haue I loued and Esa◠haue I hated Ismael the heire in fight but Isaac was the true heire euen the heire of promise by gods appointment Dispised Ioseph came to honour and to a kingdome although the youngest of all his brethren when as it was said to Reuben the eldest brother thou shalt not be excellent thy dignitie is gone The woman of Canaan receiued and strangers honoured and they that thought themselues to be the only children of God debarred and they that thought themselues nothing else but heires shut out from the kingdome of heauen Promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the West but God pulleth downe one and setteth vp an other Yea there shall come many from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit at table in the kingdom of heauen And behold there are last which shal be first and there are first which shal be last None think you but the children of Zebedeus to be heires whose mother made request for them vnto Christ that her sonnes might sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand in the kingdome Nay saith Christ that may not be granted but it shal be ginen to them for whome it is prepared of my father He is not a true Israelite which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is the true Israelite which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So not all are heires which séeme to be heires but happy are they whosoeuer that haue the seale of Gods spirit within them and warranting their harts that they are heires heires by promise and heires of al Gods precious promises The worldlings which carry a faire shewe may be far from this inheritance because what through pleasures and what through cares of worldlie desires they are hindred from séeking after this inheritance The rich they made excuses when as the poore the halt the maimed and the blind yea the beggers in the stréete were made partakers of the marriage feast God calleth by his word and by his grace from day to day from time to time such as are despised in the world and such as are reckoned to be the offscouring of all such as make least account of themselues euen such and so manie as shal be saued so many as shal be heires Go saith Christ to Iohns disciples Math. 11. and shewe Iohn what thinges ye haue heard and séen The blind receiue their sight and the halt go the leapers are clensed and the deaf heare the dead are raised vp and the poore receiue the gospel The poore and humble in spirite receiue the inheritance which no man thought should euer haue béen heires This is Gods doing and it is maruellous in our sight Hearken my beloued brethren saith the Apostle S. Iames. cap. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of the world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that loue him Let not the poorest be dismaied who though they haue no inheritance in this world yet if they be rich in god rich in faith rich in all holy obedience to Gods will if here they haue none inheritance no not so much as the breadth of a foote yet shall their lot and portion fall out in a large roome in the kingdome of heauen so that they may say with ioy that they haue a large inheritance Their ragges and poore estatehere shal be requited with roial robes elswhere and they shal be heires in heauen which shall farre surmount the estate and dignitie of a king here on earth although it be as glorious and glistering as euer was that of Salomon Whose estate séemeth to be expressed by the words of the Prophet Although ye haue lien among the pots yet shall ye be as the winges of a doue that is couered with siluer winges and her fethers like gold Againe they that thinke themselues the heires of God and the eldest in holinesse of life shall come farre short such as hypocrites are and whose holinesse is but counterfeite and publicanes and harlots shall go before them into the kingdome of God because repentance is séene in the
a price or it may be the readers leisure may not serue The matter is so notable that although I be iudged too tedious yet I must set it downe and when you haue read it I hope you will thinke neuer a whit the worse of me The matter is set downe as followeth All this while the quéene and the bishops who had kept This may serue for priuate reading but not otherwise the archbishop almost now thrée yeares in prison seeing by no meanes they could preuaile with him to turn him from his religion did secretly suborne certaine men which when they could not ouerthrow him by argumentes and disputation should by intreatie and faire promises or any other meanes allure him to recantation For these men wily enough for their own profit perceiued how great a wound they should receiue if the archbishop had stoode stedfast in his sentence and contrariwise how great profit they should get if he as the principall standard-bearer should sing a retreit By reason whereof the wilie papistes flocked about him labouring by threatning flattering entreating and promising and all other meanes especially Henry Sydall Friar Iohn a Spaniard De villa baccina that they might driue him from his former sentence to recantation They set foorth how acceptable it would be both to the King and Quéene and especially howe gainfull to him and for his soules health it would be They added moreouer how the Councell and Noble men beare him good will They put him in hope that he should not only haue his life but also be restored to his auncient dignitie Saying it was but a small matter an so easie that they required him to do only that he would subscribe to a fewe words with his owne hand Which if he did there shuld be nothing in the realm that the Quéene would not easily graunt him whether he would haue riches or dignitie or else if he had rather leade a priuate life in quiet rest in what place soeuer he listed without all publike ministery only that he would set his name in two words to a little leafe of paper But if he refused there was no hope of health pardon for the Quéene was so purposed that she would haue Cranmer a Catholike or else no Cranmer at all Therefore he should choose whether he thought it better to ende his life shortly in the flambes and firebrands now readie to be kindled then with much honour to prolong his life vntill the course of nature did call him For there was no middle way Moreouer they exhorted him that he would looke to his wealth his estimation and quietnesse saying he was not so old but that many yeares yet remained in this his so lustie age And if he would not do it in respect of the Quéene yet he should do it for respect of his owne life and not suffer that other men should be more carefull for his health then he was himself Saying that this was agréeable to his notable learning and vertues which being adioyned with his life wold be profitable both to himself and to many other But being extinct by death should be fruitfull to no man that he should take good héede that he went not too farre yet there was time inough to restore all things safe and nothing wanted if he wanted not to himselfe Therefore they would haue him to lay hold vpon the occasion of his health while it was offered lest if he would nowe refuse it while it was offered he might héereafter séeke it when he could not haue it Finally if the desire of life did nothing moue him yet he should remember that to die is gréeuous in all ages and specially in these his yeares and flower of dignitie it were more gréeuous but to die in the fire and such torments is most gréeuous of all With these and the like prouocations these faire flatterers ceased not to sollicite and vrge him vsing all Compare this Archbishop with Eleazar the Scribe 2. Mac. 6. 18. and no doubt thou shalt be much moued meanes they could to drawe him to their side whose force his manly constancie did a great while resist But at last when they made none end of calling and criing vpon him the Archbishop being ouercome whether through their importunitie or by his owne imbecillitie or of what minde I cannot tell at length gaue his hand It might be supposed that it was done for the hope of life and better daies to come But as we may since perceiue by a letter of his sent vnto a lawier the greatest cause why hee desired his time to be delaied was that he would make an end of Marcus Anthonius which he had begunne But as it was manifestly plaine howsoeuer it was done it was plaine against his conscience How bee it so it pleaseth God that so great vertues in this Archbishop should not bee had into much admiration of vs without some blemish or else that the falshood of the popish generation by this meanes might be made more euident or else to minish the confidence of our strength that in him should appeare an example of mans weake imbecilitie See howe vnder the baite the hooke was hidden howe honny was mixed with sorcerie and how poison was offred in a golden cup. Peter a chiefe Apostle Cranmer a péere of the realme and a piller of Christianity O Lord howe are the mightie ouertaken I had almost said ouerthrowne Let none therefore presume of their owne strength but rather aske strength and courage of God by praier because as the Apostle saith As to beleeue so also to suffer is Gods gift Philip. 1. Setting before our eies the examples of Peter and Iohn who perceiuing what was like to come to passe betooke themselues to praier saying And no◠ô Lord behold their threatenings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word Whose praier the place being shaken where they were assembled in token of Gods presence the Lord heard In so much that with great power the Apostles gaue witnesse of the resurrection of the Lord Iesus and great grace was vppon them all and being filled with the holie Ghost they spake the word of God beldly Act. 29. Courage without feare constancie without wauering patience without offence hope without distrust are no small matters The Apostles praied yea Christ himselfe praied and that with such feruencie that the very blood trickled downe and Gods Angel was faine to comfort him Let vs all therefore as many as be so minded prepared and readie to this daungerous matter pray with the Apostles O Lord increase our faith let no kind of 1. Macca 2. 21. wauering ouerturne vs O Lord giue boldnesse constancie courage and strength And in so dooing let vs commit our selues soules and bodies to our heauenly father Iesus Christ as vnto a faithfull Creator and an assured preseruer and a moste stedfast performer of all his promises And so much for the burthen imposed Ye shall weepe and
sée that nothing is so rife there as corruption sinne and vanitie desiring to be deliuered from this bodie of sinne and from this vale of misery Let him that hath bought a yoke of oxen reioyce to proue them let him that hath purchased a farme make hast to furnish it and to possesse it let him that hath newly married a wife weary himselfe in his blinde pleasure let him that hath store of corne take care to build new barnes let him that hath wealth and riches and great store rest himselfe thereupon But let as many as are well minded with the Prophet Dauid say The greater sort craue worldly goods and riches do imbrace But Lord grant vs thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace For thou thereby shalt make my heart more ioyfull and more glad Then they that of their corne and wine full great increase haue had The Apostles wishing ioy to them that they wrote vnto mention not any worldly matters but the things that they wish vnto them are Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ They pray that God would open the eies of their minde and increase his knowledge in them How without our desert he hath chosen vs vnto life before the foundations of the world how through his mercie and precious death of his deare sonne we are redéemed and saued How of the enemies of God we are made his deare children by adoption howe by his grace and holy spirit we are not only called but also directed into newnesse holinesse of life how by his prouidence he suffereth vs not to want as also by the same how he turneth away all hurtfull things from vs and lastly how he nourisheth and cherisheth within vs the stedfast hope of the life to come That we may reioyce with the Apostle Eph. 1. 2. Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ Wherein although our chiefest ioy ought to be placed in heauenly things yet are we to be aduised that we do not make too base account and too vile a reckoning of those comforts and blessings which God hath graunted to vs in this world As to enioy publike peace and quietnesse to haue obedient wiues and tractable children trustie seruants and faithfull friends and such like tokens of Gods fauoure toward vs. And therefore hath God granted vs wisedom to estéeme of euery thing in his due place For if concerning those creatures of God which we think to be altogither vnprofitable the wise man willeth vs not curiously and disdainfully to aske What is this wherefore is that For God hath made all things for their owne vse howe much more concerning the blessings of this life ought we reuerently to be affected and also thankfully to accept of them But al the ioy of the godly concerning these worldly matters and blessings of this life is in the sober moderat vse of them wheras the wicked do abuse them to riot and excesse Wresting them from those ends for the which God hath appointed them which are his glorie our comfort and the mutuall benefit one of an other Wherin the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 29. doth wisely counsel vs. This say I brethren because the time is short heereafter that both they which haue wiues bee as though they had none and they that reioyce as they that reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not For the fashion of this world goeth away and here we haue no certaine dwelling place Whereas the ioy of the wicked in these worldly blessings which are no blessings to them but matters of further condemnation for their abusing of them is out of measure and altogither sinful Such as was in the daies of Noah they ate they dranke they married and gaue in marriage and such as was in the daies of Lot they bought they sold they planted they built their hearts being oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and they altogither ouercome and drowned in the cares of this life euen then when the latter day and the day of their destruction did suddeinly come vpon them To these may be added another ioy as comfortable to the Reioyce in infirmities soule conscience of a godly man as any of the rest And the is when they reioyce of their infirmities Not y◠any should reioyce in their sins but y◠by the grace of God by the power of his holy spirit we haue the mastry ouer those sins wherof we haue manifest proofe in our selues y◠they would haue the mastry ouer vs wherby we should become y◠bondslaues of y◠diuel and wherby we shuld throw our selues headlong into hell Wicked inclinations grow with vs euen from the cradle which as time age and yéeres procéed come on take strength begin to master vs and rule vs. Our field is all growne ouer with thistles and thornes and our life is nothing else but a platforme of vices And as the foure complexions in man are mingled in the constitution of the nature of man yet one quallitie is predominant ruleth the rest for either we are sanguine and pleasant or cholericke and angry or melancholicke and sad or phlegmaticke and heauie so is the soule of man infected with the pollution of sinne and with the mingle mangle of naughtie corruptions that he can discern no remnant of that perfection wherin it was first created that you may well say the soule of man is nowe become a mixture of sinnes yet one sinne among the rest challengeth the chéefest roome and beareth the greatest sway One is giuen to pride and euerie one noteth him by that vice another to drunkennesse and hée is knowne to be a tosseposse another to theft and robbery and he is pointed at and priuily marked for that another to fighting and he is called a slasher and a swingbuckler another to whoredome and the beast is spued at and his company loathed for suspition of a French disease and so in all vices if a man list to runne through them Wherin the wicked folow the course of their wicked nature and y◠with a great delight felicitie as though it were the only ioy to be desired and y◠with such gréedines as though they could neuer be satisfied and withal such blindnes headlong affection that may wel be pitied but it is a doubt it will neuer be amended y◠in mercy they might be saued That the Apostle might wel say of them 2. Tim. 2. 26. that they are in the snare of the diuel are taken of him at his wil. Yea they reioyce in his seruice and wil by no means be deliuered although they be neuer so much perswaded therunto no not after seuen seuen yéeres but offer their eares to be bored through in token of perpetual seruice and sell themselues to worke wickednesse as
as the worlde giueth giue I vnto you Therfore let not your heart be troubled nor feare The worlde can giue but outward comforts if it shewe neuer so much fauour but as for the inward comfort of the minde and conscience it cannot reach thereinto it is past the power thereof and must let that alone to the working of an other And if it were not for the heauenly comfort the heart of the godly would soone fall away And vnlesse our Sauior Christ had perceiued such weaknesse and such doubtfulnesse in the féeble and vnconstant nature of man hee would not haue vttered these words to make their comfort stedfast and sure in him Ye haue heard saith he how I said vnto you I goe away and will come vnto you If ye loued me ye would verily teioyce because I said I goe vnto the father for my father is greater then I. As if hee had saide If ye loued mee throughly and my loue were stedfast in you your hearts would reioyce and no troubles should mooue you and no discomfortes should perswade you to the contrary This haue I spoken vnto you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beléeue and your hearts then might abound with ioy For surely those things which I haue promised shall come to passe and therefore doubt nothing and let your hearts be confirmed and setled in ioy Ouer and besides I will send the comforter vnto you my holy spirit the comforter of the elect and chosen which shall not suffer your hearts to faile but stil shal raise them vp in comfort in their greatest griefes and sorrowes What cause therefore haue the godly séeing these great comforts as mightie proppes may staie them from falling though in the sight of the world there be great cause of sorrow but séeing they are we aned from the world and are not of the world what cause haue they I say to cast downe their hearts with sorrow and penâ—â—uenesse Wherefore let the counsell of the wise man take place with them Giue not ouer thy minde to heaninesse The ioy of the heart is the life of man and a mans gladnesse is the prolonging of his daies Griefe and sorrow shorten the time and bring age before the time Wherefore comfort thy heart and driue sorrow farre from thée For sorrow hath slaine many and there is no profit therin Sorrow did slaie the hearts of the Canaanites because God had weakened their hearts According to the confession of Rahab of whom we reade Iosh 2. when she talked with the spies I know saith she that the Lord hath giuen you the land and that the feare of you is fallen vpon vs and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you And when we heard of you our hearts did faint and there remained no more courage in any of vs all This is one of Gods great punishments toward them that do not liue in his feare and obedience that he wil giue them a trembling heart and a sorrowful mind Le. 26. 36. to throw them out of their possessions and to make them haue no ioy of their goods Which we may partly see in the example of churlish Nabal denying to giue comfort to them that were greatly distressed Who when his wife had told him what heauie things were toward him his hart died within him and he was like a stone For the Lord smote Nabal with that sorrowe that hee died Samu. 25. 38. But séeing in all wel-doing God doeth comfort our hearts why should we be enemies to our selues and to our owne welfare With the Apostles imprisoned let vs sing Psalmes to testifie the ioy of our hart to Godward Speaking vnto our selues in Psalmes and himnes and spirituall songes singing and making melodie to the Lord in our hearts And séeing all our hope is or ought to bee in God who is our only treasure why should not our hearts be there also Saying with the blessed virgine My soule doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour Who although he be absent from vs yet hath he promised to come againe and to sée vs and to comfort our hearts and to make them reioyce So that when your redemption shall drawe nigh then lift vp your heads and when your ioy shall approach let your hearts also be lifted vp with excellent comfort Considering what hath béene fortold long agone by the Prophet Esay 65. 13. 14. Concerning the sorrow of the wicked and the ioy of the Godly Thus saith the Lord God Behold my seruants shall eate and yee shal be hungry Behold my seruants shall drinke and yee shal be thirsâ—ie Behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shal be ashamed Behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall houle for vexation of mind Foure times Behold for the certaintie thereof and in token of admiration as also to establish the hearts of the godly with ioy As for all worldly ioy which doth not agrée with God and godlinesse let vs vtterly abandon it and banish it farre from vs neither let our hearts in any sort delight therein Because they be meanes to drawe vs from God All these will I giue thée if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Wherefore if thou mightst be set vpon the highest mountaine there to beholde the ioy of earthly maiestie if thou mightst be possessed and inthroned in the glory thereof yet farre is it that thy heart should be setled in any certain comfort Take hold of that comfort and ioy which Christ thy sauiour and redéemer hath promised which though thou canst not sée as yet in due time thou shalt be partaker therof Let thy heart therefore rest vpon this and despise the other for the one shall vanish the other shall neuer decaâ—e Which is very well confirmed by the last place of proofe in the application Your ioy shall no man take from you I will see you againe your harts shall reioyce and your Your ioy shall no man take away from you ioy shall no man take from you Which toy is so much the more estéemed because it is no common ioy no worldly ioy where sorrow and trouble may follow as a chaunge For worldly ioyes are often taken away and haue diuers ellipses alterations and chaunges Soone come and soone gone soone ripe and soone rotten Moses could not sée that goodly mountaine and Lebanon which if he had séene the sorrow and trouble of the back-sliding people would haue danted his ioy Besides his longing would soone haue bene satisfied and there is a kinde of glut in worldly ioyes But although he could not sée that goodly mountaine of Lebanon yet he was brought into the highest mountaine farre more goodly beautifull and pleasant then all the mountaines of the world being full of oliue braunches for Noahs doues Where such ioyes are setled and are hereafter to be séene which suffer no chaunge no alteration no