portion which passeth all vnderstanding and afterward thou shalt dwell with Angels with Christ with God the Father where is fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore thou shalt never die never whither no rust shall eate thee nor moth consume thee thou shalt see no sorrow thou shalt heare no complaint neither be afraid of the least evill successe Thou shalt iudge the quicke and the dead acquit the innocent condemne the guiltie and doe little lesse than a pettie God in one word thou shalt doe more and haue more than can be told by man or by Angell all that be good before God shall commend thee preserue thee or rather thou them for ever and ever And now in the last place let vs make application Then is not that life base that is led without it A miserable Vse 1. service is that which is begun continued and finished without a good conscience being accompanied with lying swearing dissembling and deceiving is it not they that thus liue are worse then beasts and no creature the devill excepted more wretched Be thou then assured that such a life is odious to God hatefull to his Saints and an vndoubted fore-runner of the second death He that layeth the foundation of his service with ignorance infidelitie and disobedience in the fiery tryall shall be blowne vp when the match of Gods vindicatiue iustice shall lay hold on this blacke powder how shall that man be able to stand Wee may muzzle the mouth of our conscience not suffer it to speake and deale with it as an vniust Land-lord with his poore tenant when he in some iust cause is to giue evidence against him put it to silence by an over ruling commaund but when Christ shall come to iudgement and take part with conscience then shall it speake freely boldly truely as ever did faithfull witnesse at the barre having the chiefe Iudge for his friend How will a Iudas looke at that day who was so pittifully deiected before the Pharisees whom he tooke for his friends and expected comfort from them How will the Drunkard stagger and reele not with wine but with the fume of a bad conscience What face can the hypocrite hold vp that hath dissembled all his life long where shall the vniust the fornicator adulterer lyer with all the wicked and vngodly appeare I am sure of this that though such and a thousand moe haue blind erroneous and cauterized consciences burned with an hot yron for the present yet at that generall assize being lanced with the sharpe edged knife of Gods revenging hand they shall all bleed freshly and to death eternall This kind of men may looke bigge set the best side out eat drinke and be merrie but I shall never beleeue that their hearts laugh with their faces O matchlesse miscreants of all mischiefe sonnes of blood and slaues of perdition you may sooner separate your soules from your bodies then conscience from your soules or damnation from either Goe then your wayes laugh and be fat play and dance sing to the Tabret and Harpe put death iudgement and hell farre from you tread vnder foot the blood of the new couenant crucifie againe the Lord of life make a mocke of sinne and shipwracke your owne consciences yet know that God one day will call you to account and dash out your braines with the heele of his vengeance In the next place seeing this is so let vs in the feare of Vse 2. God get knowledge and mixe our service to God and man with sinceritie walke according to the rule doe nothing without a precept haue a true patterne for all our proceedings and runne to the Law and to the Testimonie of the Gospell obey the one and beleeue the other so shall we haue good and pure consciences one whereof though the world may fume and chafe is worth more than ten thousands of gold and silver What can be of greater price what should we preferre aboue it O conscience whereunto shall I compare thee who or what is like vnto thee Is not knowledge good obedience better and art not thou of these two simples compounded There is no evill in thee thou art all good and very good There are foure things Pro. 30. â—9 30. comelie statelie in their going a Lyon the strongest among beasts and tunneth not away from any a Grey hound an hee Goaâ—e and a King against whom there is norising vp but he that hath a complete good conscience surmounts them all But conscience least I should ecclipse and obscure thy same when I would speake and spread it I will therefore giue thee thy charge a large commission Conscience that thou mayest execute thine office throughly Conscience his Charge speake thou in the language of Canaan be thou mighty in the Scriptures and that thou mayst not build Babel and pull downe Bethel let euery man haue thy sentence in his mothers tongue Goe to and fro through the world passe by no Citie Burrow Village Hall House nor Cottage but let them heare thy voyce sounding in their wals speake truely plainely boldly crie aloud spare no mans person of whatsoever cloth his coate be cut Be thou a good linguist make it knowne thou art a skilfull Artist and declare an exact Method in thy proceeding And Conscience first goe thou to all Christian Princes Kings and Emperours speake gently to them and intreate them to cry to God for wisedome that they may wisely goe in out before the great people committed to their charge will them yong and old to tread in the steps of Hezekiah Iosiah pull downe the high places burne the groues with fire over turne Baals Altars and cause all his Priests to fall by the sword Bid them send Levites through their Lands spread the truth of God for their subiects haue immortall soules in their mortall bodies tell them that is the way to get a good Conscience and how thou art of more worth than a golden Scepter Put them in mind how a bad one was the cause Saul his kingdome and Iâ—roboam became the subiect of Gods vengeance Let this Poesie be stamped about the borders of their Crownes that the more religious the more royall Conscience step on to the honorable Lords and because they affect breuitie not prolixitie say to them in a few sentences that Nobilitie without pietie and a good conscience is like a painted Sepulchre or blazing comet good for nought except to gaze vpon that they feare God or else they haue no curbe to bridle them that they honour the King keepe their houses well but the Church better that they exceed others as much in goodnesse as they doe in greatnesse and that without a second birth none can enter into the kingdome of heaven Bid them blaze their Armes continue their ancient Scutchions but take this for their Motto that The more holy the more honorable Conscience See that thou meet with the intelligent Counsellors and graue Iudges of the State and Nations
couetous when he hath gotten goods the Prodigall hauing satiate his soule with the huskes of pleasures the ambitious when he hath climbed to the highest pitch of honour thinke they liue the onely Iouiall life and yet all dwell and breathe in the chambers of death and as the Apostle speakes are dead while they be aliue no better than walking ghosts in the formes of liuing men Let such buy and build plow and sow marry and beget many children yet the vntimelie birth is better than they The basest life exceedes as much the best meere being as Adam the red earth whereon his body was made but this life excels all others Gods only excepted more than men do beasts or Angels Deuils Why then let the worth of it moue thee the withering of this is worse than the death of the Gourd of Ionah And will not this consideration that all thy actions are but as so many beautifull sinnes and distastfull vnto the Lord set thee a worke to obtaine it Then call to mind how it maketh all things beautifull and well pleasing to the eye Will not our flesh tremble to see a body without a soule the teeth closed the eyes open the lips shrunke and the bloud set blacke and swart in the face and members is not such an obiect odious to man Euen so yea worse are we being dead in sinne to God and good persons Yet if all that 's said will not moue thee to this then know No life here no escape of death hereafter And immortalitie We collect hence that Life spirituallis eternall Doct. 10. It is not like the Lillies that flourish to day and wither to morrow Methushelah liued long yet died at the age of 969. but he that once hath the life of grace shall see no corruption Mortality shall put on immortalitie and though the body perish yet this life is in the soule being a more excellent subiect for as he that puts off his apparell doth not leaue his naturall life in it so he that layes downe the body loseth not the life of grace and immortalitie with it For as the naturall life is in the body not in the apparell so the spirituall life is in the soule not in the dead corpse after the separation Mat 19. 29. Mark 10. 17. Ioh. 5. 24. 1 Cor 15. 53. For Christ hath purchased eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. Reas 1. Christ was a holy person yea God aswell as man and he obeyed freely these two made the satisfaction of Christ sufficient And there is a proportion betweene Adams sinne and Christs sufferings 1. Finite sinne offending Adam Christ Adam Christ Adam Christ 1. Finite suffering satisfying 2. Finite sinne offended the infinite God 2. Finite suffering satisfied the infinite God 3. Finite sinne infinitely offended the infinite God 3. Finite suffering infinitely satisfied the infinite God So that life must be infinite because the satisfaction was infinite in value and worth and equall to the offence in remouing eternall death God hath promised eternall life and hee is faithfull and Reas 2. cannot denie himselfe 1 Ioh 2. 25. Christ from whom this life is deriued liueth for euer and Reas 3. maketh intercession Heb 7. 25. Reu 1. 18. Else it were better with the wicked than the faithfull of all Reas 4. men they were most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. And the word is called eternall 1 Pet. 1. vlt. And we read of an eternall house an eternall weight an eternall kingdome an eternall crowne and an eternall inheritance This 1. Confutes those heretikes that hold the soule is Vse 1. mortall 2. the Papists also who say that a man may haue true spirituall life and lose it But we see that Christ hath brought life and immortality or immortall life and if this life should end then it were mortall This makes also for the comfort of such whose friends Vse 2. are departed in the Lord why be of good cheare they are not dead but liue for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing This vse is of great vse were it well vsed This likewise might and ought to encourage all to goe Vse 3. on with cheerefulnes and Christian resolution and not be afraid of death seeing after it followeth eternall life death like a dore le ts the soule passe a better roome of habitation And here we haue a strong motiue to moue vs to labour Vse 4. for this life Is it immortall incorruptible why then striue for it What man would not liue long why liue this life once and liue for euer and that thou maist thou must 1. Be vnited to Christ for euery branch that abideth not in Helpes to life spirituall him is cast out and withereth All spirituall life floweth from this coniunction For as the graft hath life from the vnion with the stocke so haue we from Christ Ioh. 15. 2. Heare the Gospell preached for the word of is God spirit and life and he that beares this voyce though he were dead yet shall be liue What though we cannot quicken our selues yet we may vse the meanes And the Angell may trouble the water and Christ come and heale vs when we are at the wels mouth and vnable to helpe ourselues 3. Pray often Dauid neere about 19. times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme prayeth Lord quicken me Lord giue me the spirit of life c. Did he thus sure then it was good for him to be practised of all such as would be quickned and enliued Finally and aboue all things resist no good motion that thou hast in the vse of Gods ordinances or at any time else for this is to driue the author of all life from vs. Entertaine them therefore and kindle those sparks by obeying of them so shall thy soule liue and not dye Through the Gospell Here is manifested the instrumentall cause by which death is abolished and life brought vnto vs whence let this be noted that Though all grace come by Christ yet it is deriued vnto man by Doct. 11. meanes of the Gospell For that declareth how it may be attained and no other Reas 1. writing God giues his spirit with the Gospell not by the Law Reas 2. Gal 3. 2. and hence it is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. This must worke in vs a loue to the Gospell and a care Vse 1. to continue it amongst vs. Had we but one herbe in our grounds that would cure all diseases would we not hedge about it water it and by all meanes seeke to preserue it it from perishing Why the Gospell is this herbe that tree whose leaues onely cure all the nations We must make much of them that bring this Physicke Vse 2. for the wounded spirit how should such men be respected Pray we that the word may runne and be scattered to the Vse 3. foure ends of the world otherwise death will reigne life
cryed Lord establish me Psal 51. 12. 119. 116. 4. When men are carried about with euery winde of doctrine For what one man maketh firme another in teaching Ephes 4. 14. the contrary dissolveth weakeneth He that runs to euery Physician to know the state of his body shall proue a weake and infirme Patient 5. Vnmortified lusts if they be let loose and cherished 2 Tim. 3. 7. in the heart the soule like him that standeth on a slippery place will be reeling sliding 6. Finally when men will cast their eyes on their owne infirmities and not looke to him that accepteth the minde and honest intent of the heart for the deed they shall still Rom. 7. vlt. be wauering doubting And now to come to another Collection which is that The best way to saue and secure the soule is to commit it into Doct. 10. the hands of God For that which was the best to Paul and others will be the safest way for vs also Psal 32. 7. 71. 1. Iudg. 12. 3. Dan. 5. 17. Esth 4. 16. For we are weake and our enemies be many powerfull Reas 1. subtill and malicious Sathan could fetch a prey out of Paradise one from amongst the Apostles God hath all the properties of a good keeper 1. he is wise Reas 2. Iob. 9. 4. Psal 121. 3. 4. 2. powerfull 3. watchfull 4. faithfull He hath giuen lawes to be faithfull and then shall not hee This discouereth the indiscretion of many For some put their confidence in Chariots and Horses others in the arme of flesh Millions as the Papists in the Creatures but passe by the Creator But can those stay the swelling flouds from drowning the earth from deuouring the plague and pestilence from destroying and Sathan with all his huge hoast from tempting and condemning These men stand Iob. 26. 7. on the Ice leane on a broken staffe and as the Lord is said to doe the earth hang the security and safetie of their soules vpon nothing But ye that would be wise and preserued from all dangers Vse 2. cast your care vpon Godâ— make him your secret place and haue your eye alwaies towards him For it s he and there is not another that can keepe you safe and secure at all times in all dangers And in regard whatsoeuer we weene its no easie matter practise these two Rules following to further thee Helps to commit the to god 1. Learne to commit lesse matters of this life to him and to trust him with smaller things for he that cannot doe the lesser it 's impossible for him to doe the greater Hee that will not trust God with his earthly substance can neuer credit him with his soule and salvation This Rule is worthy the consideration and practise 2. Striue to keepe thy soule holy and vnspotted from all sinne We will blush to commit into the custody of our friend any thing that is polluted and vncleane and can we haue the hearts to commend into the hands of God who is Holines it selfe a corrupted impure and a soule defiled with sinne What if we could doe it will he receiue it thinke we No verily And there be certaine times when we are to commit our Speciall times when to commit the soule to God Psal 4. vlt. soules especially into the hands of God And that ordinary or extraordinary The ordinary is the Morning and Euening David in the euening would commend his soule into the Lords hand for he knew that his sleepe might be his death and his bed his graue but in so doing he should sleepe soundly and securely It were an excellent thing if we could giue God our last thoughts before we close vp our eyes then would we when we awake finde our mindes fixed on him And what if death should come Yet our soules would be with him and preserved in safetie And in the Morning we must ordinarily doe this Prou. 27. 1. for who knoweth what a day may bring foorth The wise King compares a day to a woman with child who often laboureth at an vnlooked for houre And haue wee not seene our Mother the day bring to light strange and vnexpected birthes The extraordinary times of committing our selues to God are in troubles or at death This did that good Prophet in time of persecution Into thy hand I commâ—nd my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Psal 31. 5. Iudg. 12. 3. And when Stephen was stoned to death hee Act 7. 59. cryed Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and Christ when his houre was come Father into thy hands I commend my Soule Luk. 23. 46. Let vs then trust the Lord with smaller matters keepe our soules vnspotted Morning and Euening commend them constantly vnto him so in afflication persecution and death we shall haue ability and boldnes to doe the same Vse makes perfect a good habit is hardly got So not easily lost For he that hath vsed to commit his soule to God in the times of peace shall with ease doe it in time of danger Yea let such a man but dreame of death or drowning in his broken sleepe his mind will reflect it selfe on the Lord and he run vnto him for perservation Grounded Christians know the truth of this by experience And in Conclusion know that the oftener we commit our soules vnto God and draw the neerer him in this duty why let death come how and when and where it can or shall come we shall feare it the lesser or any euill but embrace it entertaine it shutting vp the eyes of our bodies with the which our minds now see God as through a paire of spectacles and more clearely and comfortably behold him with the naked eye of our spirits Now whereas Paul maketh mention of the Lords ability we note thence that God is a God of Power Doct. 11. He is called the strong and mighty God all-sufficient that can doe whatsoeuer hâ—e will Gen. 17. 1. Exod. 34. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 18 Apoc. 1. 8. Math. 19. 26. The Reasons follow For he is the first Ens or being and altogether perfect and Reas 1. independant he hath his beginning of himselfe and doth not participate of any borrowed power or exhibited ability Therefore no impotency or imperfection can be found in him hee being of himselfe and the sole cause of all created power Againe he is one most simple and pure act immutable Reas 2. eternall and euery way blessed Therefore hee cannot be hindered or resisted Neither is he subiect to any passion for he is not compounded of any simples Passion proceeds from matter and presupposeth an imperfection Before we come to apply this poynt we will speake somewhat of his power for our better vnderstanding and information The power of God is that whereby he is able to doe all things The Power of God defined possible I say possible for there be that contradict his essence and the nature
he sought him out found him And here it may seeme to appeare that these people were at Rome when they forsooke Paul and also probably that they met with him with his chaine and would not take knowledge of him but turned themselues from him and that by the opposing of these seuerall persons actions directly one against another Now in this Verse we haue a description of Onesiphorus The Logicall resolution 1. It s said that he was at Rome that was the subiect place where for a time he abode 2. He is described by an effect For he sought 3. By the manner how very diligently And 4. By the successe of his seeking he found whom he sought Againe here be two things layd downe in these words concerning Paul the one that he was at Rome the other that he was prisoner and in distresse there But when he was at Rome This word But is diuersly vsed The Theologicall exposition in Scripture Sometime exclusiuely I haue lost none that thou gauest me But the sonne of perdition 2. Inclusiuely Now is layd vp for me a crowne of righteouses and not for me only But for al them that loue his appearing 3. Discretiuely He gaue them all none excepted change of rayment But vnto Beniamin three hundred pieces of siluer 4. Oppositiuely Not Iesus But Barrabbas And in the last sense it seemes to be taken here They of Asia sought me not or He was not ashamed But c. opposing it to shame and then the arguments are diuâ—rs I haue thought it might be read For making it the third argument of a Syllogisme or Reason to proue that Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Pauls chaine He sought me out very diligently To seeke in Scripture is sometimes taken in the worst sense also for prayer c. Here it signifies searching and going from place to place very studiously and inquisitiuely And found me That is came where I was and did meete with me The Difference betwixt Inuenire and Reperire is this When we goe on a thing we doe inuenire when a thing comes on vs we doe reperire The one seemes to be an act per se the other per accidens Let no man once doubt that Onesiphorus was ashamed The Metaphrase of me being poore in bonds for he being at Rome where I was prisoner in chaines very diligently and studiously inquired for me and trudged from place to place vntill he had met me found me out And would hee ever haue done this if he had beene ashamed of me or scorned me No verily be thou assured of that my sonne For hee being at Rome c or when he was at Rome When Doctrines deduced he was there and heard or knew of Pauls troubles he then sought him and refreshed him whence note that When the faithfull are afflicted then they are to be refreshed Doct. 1. Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and come againe to morrow will giue thee if thou now haue it Prou. 3. 28. I am 2. 15. c. For that 's the fittest time Now a morsell of bread or cup Reas 1. of cold water to a dry and hungry stomacke will be right welcome comfortable A word now spoken to the weary and wounded soule is in its sittest season and how gladly will it be receiued Againe we know not what a day or hower may bring Reason 2. forth our brother may be dead or swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines in the meane time And will not that be pitifull fearefull Now sleepe hence forward the houre is come c. could not but pierce the sluggish hearts of Peter and Iohn Besides we may haue our goods taken from vs or in Reason 3. future time want all oportunity to doe good when we be willing the which though the world neuer dreame of such a thing is an heauy curse Would it not greeue the husband to much haue good seed and yet want ground and time to sowe it In so doing we make God our debtor and the sooner Reas 4. the better is it not And here the best may be taxed for omitting of the Vse 1. present occasion or poore mans necessity We are prone to commit sin instantly and to put off good and charitable duties from time to time and to doe them lingringly But beloued this should not be so we gather fruit when it is the ripest cut downe corne when it is hardest let bloud when it groweth ranckest and shall we not refresh our brethren being poorest Let vs be otherwise minded Is thy brother hungry now Vse 2. feed him thirstly now giue him drinke burdened with sinne now comfort him sicke or in bonds now visit him And doe but obserue the Lords proceeding and thou shalt see that alwayes in the greatest straites then he hath declared his arme of mercy In the middest of the sorrowes sayth the Prophet of my heart the Lord comforted my soule In my daies marke the best haue their dayes of affliction he heard me Then goe thou and doe likewise Canst thou tell how it may fall out with thee in future time Death will come and it s a righteous thing with the Lord to depriue those of meanes of comfort then when as they would not comfort others in great sorrow at that houre Wee may runne from the poore and his homely bed and cottage but God and his swift curse will one day overtake vs. Wherefore I in the name and mercy of God beseech you to minde this thing Say not Pharisaically see to it thy selfe Little doest thou know how the very presence of thy friend in time to come may comfort thee And I wish that the experience of the want of it may sometime teach thee the worth of it I may truly say that if men knew the sting of death burden of sin or extremitie of hunger by experience they would runne to and fro to comfort and refresh the afflicted but men haue not felt the one therefore they neglect the other A morsell of bread or cup of small beere nay a word spoken in due season may not saue the body but a soule from death Then seriously assiduously minde this one thing Thou wilt reply we shall endanger our selues in so doing Obiect 1. Sol. 1. Onesiphorus might haue said so being at Rome but would that haue serued his turne 2. Thou therefore must do it and leaue the euent to God Epaphroditus was neare vnto death and regarded not his life in this case for the service of his brethren Phil. 2. 30. But they are visited with strange and noysome diseases Obiect 2. Sol. Why such haue most need of all others the greater miserie the more need of mercy I am a Minister and my people haue the plague may I Quest 1. visit such It s generally held no thou maist not being a publike Answ person for thy death may be the death in mans iudgement of many a soule And a generall
Why then should not the starres haue this power by nature as well as other things So that it seemes they haue a kinde of motiue soule as all other creatures that mooue haue either a vegetatiue sensitiue or reasonable soule This that I hold is no new opinion and there be many strong reasons by learned Philosophers to proue it the which I omit only alleadging such as I my selfe haue conceiued And if it be a truth that they also hold that now the Sunne is nearer the earth by many degrees then in former time it will follow that there is a vacuity in Nature which they deny for the Orbes doe also descend and what supplieth the place But we omit this as somewhat intricate and not much edifiable and render other Reasons of the doctrine And this day must be in regard of the wicked and godly Reas 2. persons For many a man liuely here in sinne commiting many close adulteries thefts murders the like the which neuer come to light And the vpright man doth performe many a good duty in secret giue almes and pray in priuate and yet is wronged in this world Therefore God hath appointed a day wherein he will reward euery man according to his workes And as the Father finished his worke and rested the son Reas 3. his and now keepeth a rest so must the holy Ghost perfect the worke of sanctification and then keepe an eternall Sabbath For there must be an end put to the worke of Renouation as there was of Creation and Redemption Last of all this must be that the Sonne of God may be Reas 4. seene in his glory as he was in his humiliation that he with his very presence may wound the hearts of all such as in the dayes of his flesh pierced him through with many sorrowes Then shall he tread all his foes vnder foote fully breake the head of the deuill that crooked serpent render vp his kingdome into the hands of his father and ioyntly with him raigne for euer and euer This serueth to confute the opinion of the Sadduces who Vse 1. who denied the resurrection of Hymeneus and Philetus who held the resurection past already and the rabble of all such as cry where is the promise of his comming are not all things a like from the beginning 2 Pet. 3. 3. And here we must learne not to iudge any mans finall Vse 2. condition before the time Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant for he standeth or falleth to his owne Master Euery mans fatte must stand of its owne bottome and if any erre is not his errour with him We must all appeare before the tribunall seare of Christ to receiue iust recompence of all our actions Let vs therefore brethren no longer iudge one another for he that doth this is not an obseruer of the Law but a iudge And Vengeance is mine I will pay sayth the Lord God Almighty And He that thinketh he standeth let him take heede least he fall Be not many censorious Masters for there is one that iudgeth euen the Lord. This poynt must also learne vs patience in all wrongs Vse 3. troubles and persecutions What if iust Iob be reputed an hypocrite Paul that man of God a pestilent fellow a mouer of sedition a preacher of false doctrine and not worthy to liue Iesus Christ the righteous the Carpenters sonne to haue a Deuill to be a Drunkard and wine bibber a friend to Publicans and sinners an enemie to Caesar a speaker of blesphemy Yet the remembrance of this day did cause them to endure the crosse despise the shame resist vnto bloud and neuer to deny their innocency to the death And this ought for to worke the same glorious effects in vs when we are crossed and cursed of Turke and Pope Papists and Deuills We must know that our Redeemer liueth that he shall iudge the quicke and dead and that it is vnto them a day and signe of perdition but vnto vs that be faithfull of ioy and saluation and that from God and of God Moreouer we from hence are to learne not to mourne as Vse 4. men without hope when our faithfull friends are gone hence and are not to be seene Why they are not dead but a sleepe they shall awake at this day out of the dust the Lord shall shake the earth withdraw the curtaines of the graue call by his powerfull voice and Lazarus withall that lie with him in their beds shall come foorth Paul makes 1 Thes 4. 14. 15. c. this vse of it when the people of God were puiling and would not be comforted Why saith he what doe you weepe as the Heathen that haue no hope shall not the Lord that raised vp Christ raise vp your mortall bodies send his sonne in the clouds with the voice of a trumpet and shall not you and they be gathered together come before him and then being carried into the great throne of his Maiesty for euer remaine together Wherefore comfort your selues with these words And we in these latter times are to make the same vse also For whatsoeuer is written aforehand is written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. 4. And from this doctrine the wicked and profane may be Vse 5. stricken with terrour and feare For what an immeasurable obiect of wrath and indignation discouereth it selfe to all such when the earth shall tremble the mountaines like men frighted shall skip out of their setled places the sea roare the waters boyle like an hot and raging cauldron the Sunne be turned into bloud the starres fall as the tree that after a pinching frost casteth her leaues and fruit from the firmament and the whole frame of Nature flame with fire yea the heauens themselues shrivle and passe away as a paper scroule and all the elements from the lowest depth to the highest ascent shall melt with heate and burne like a fornace I say when these things shall be where will the vngodly and the sinners appeare Now shall the drunkard drinke the deepest violls of the Lords vengeance spue and fall and neuer rise any more the Fornicatour and Adulterer shall burne in torment the very marrow of their bones shall frie and their proud flesh be consumed by fire the Vsurer and Couetous man shall haue their gold and siluer to eate vp their flesh like rust and their thicke clay falsly got shall presse them downe to the nethermost hell the Epicure and dainty feeding person shall be pinched with hunger and thirst and shall not haue so much as one drop of cold water to coole their tongues the swearer who hath dipt his tongue red in the wounds of Christ shall be pierced through with many sorrowes In a word that soule which hath bathed it's selfe in the pleasures of sinne without repentance shall die the second death Wherefore while it is called to day returne and cause
at the least as the Rev. 10. 2 the Angell is said to set one foote on the sea another on the shore we haue one being in our text for the better rise borrowed a second from farre But vsuallâ— either from the scope and the connection the words generally vnited not particularly abstracted the doctrines be collected And for the heads we haue set them downe with little or noe amplification at all For to me I am sure and to the Corrector Printer and Reader I iudge it would had we done otherwise haâ—e beene more painfull chargeable and not much profitable But we haue confirmed them at large First By Precept Secondly Example Thirdly Reasons and last of all we haue mixed our whole discourse with familiar and delightfull similitudes for the better alluring out of the drouping affections and the inclining of the froward will both to embrace the truth and put it in speedy execution By Precept vnderstand some proposition equiualent to the doctrine propounded By Example that which hath in it the force of a commaund For the act is concrâ—â—e with the precept and cannot except notionally be abstracted For euery good action effected hath its rule by which it is guided And by Reason conceiue a third argument in producing whereof the point in hand is more strongly confirmed For as when two colours are controuerted we fetch a light hold that betwixt them by which the better is the better discerned by the eye of the body So When truth is in suspence in the producing of a third Argument the which we call a reason and disposing it with the doctrine in forme of a Syllogisme it s the more conspicuous to the eie of our vnderstanding And the reason we vse Reasons is in that we are to deale with men who haue reason but want faith And vntill the iudgement be soundly convinced the Wil will not be throughly reformed For as the needle guideth and maketh way for the thread so doth the act of the faculty of the vnderstanding direct the act of the faculty of the Will And we haue vsed similitudes for diuers reasons 1. For they haue great force to convince the iudgement 2. They allure the affections 3. They better the memorie And 4. They bring many things to speedy remembrance we had long forgot As the shooemaker with his skinne draweth on a close shoe the huswife with corne calleth the chickens from vnder the wings of their damme and the Dittie brings to minde the matter and author on 't so will a similitude draw doctrines into mens shallow vnderstanding call out the dead affections and bring the truth to remembrance committed to memorie long agone And this one thing would I wish the man of God to take knowledge of and to haue respect of both in writing of bookes and preaching of Sermons first throughly to informe the iudgement and then soundly to seeke to reforme the Will Lay loade on that aboue all For with more ease may a man pâ—ynt out the truth to thousands than perswade hundreds to practise it For the faculty of the Will is the most corrupt of all other and the Will is an vnwilling agent to goe to worke Similitudes therefore here be of good vse and application must soundly set it on Furthermore we haue as the matter handled would affoord vsed definitions distributions subdiuisions trialls motiues and directions all which be of great vse in their proper order Finally to our power we haue endeuoured to comfort the feeble-minded strengthen the weake raise vp the declined christian and pull downe the proud minde of man breake his flinty heart and convert him to God by a close searching and insinuating application And Gentle Reader if any phrase in this treatise seeme tart vnto thee when we come to presse a point why I must giue thee to vnderstand that our people are not like other people For it 's well knowne that in all sea-faring and hauen townes of which ours is not the least in our kingdome there is such a concourse of all kinds of people from other countries as dayly inhabitants that we haue men as of warre and worth resolution and religion fearing God honouring the king the number whereof the good Lord increase an hundred times so many as they be that the eares and eyes of all the world may heare and see them so haue we sinne and sinners of all sorts With vs if any where thou maist finde old mother Ignorance cloathed with the robes of the blacknesse of darknesse hauing two vnnaturall but to her naturall twinnes in her lappe Profanesse and Superstition and this is her daily Ditty I sit as a Queene I am no Rev. 18. 7 widdow I shall see no mourning neither let Preachers prate what they please will I euer be remoued And we haue too aged father Pride cloathed in Purple and fine linnen who being drunke with wealth as Lot with wine hath lien with his daughter Couetousnesse committed incest and she is deliuered of a monster the which some call foxe-fur'd Scarlet-robde but I mercilesse remedilesse Vsury This Ostrich can eat and digest any kinde of mettall especially money This Canniball like a pickrell in a pond or sharke in the sea the lesser fishes deuoures the poorer sort with a plausible invisible consumption The greatest Clerkes now fie in our Kingdome may seuen times more spit this strumpet in the face yet she hath a whores forehead and will not be ashamed Meager and Pale-face't enuie hath his roost with vs. He lookes like a Ghost wrapped in a winding sheete or peeping out of a coffin for with the hot pursuite of spotlesse purity innocent pietie he hath so fret his flesh and worne his spirits that he is fallen into a neuer-tobe-cured deadly consumption This insatiable cormorant feedes on the tenderest corps drinkes the purest blood and still cryes for more as Rachel did for children or else he will dye And as risibilitie is an inseparable adiunct to a reasonable creature so is damning drunkennesse to these Cinque-ports Therefore we are sure of this guest Sometimes we haue met him staggering in the streetes with long lockes red eyes wounds in his face and a stinking breath flying from his mouth and his attire with spuing falling and tumbling in the mire polluted from his felt to his foot Many times he lyes speechlesse yet when he speakes it s the very language of Hell This Chymist by a virtuall power and dayly habit can turne bodies into barrels men into beasts and then as the Diuels possessing the swine carried them headlong into the riuer so doth this Deuill soule or body wherein he resteth into the gulfe of that sea whose streames are fire and brimstone We haue now and then disorder put in who lying winde or rather wine bound falles to wooing and wedding He comes as Sathan said of himselfe from compassing the earth to and fro and Iob. 1. 7. he marryes not till death according to the iniunction of God
conceiue that the Preacher speaketh out of spleene not of affection and therefore they regard not their words And they are wise for the world to come and louing to their children therefore they doe this For herein consisteth Reas 4. true affection and the principall dutie of good Parents to their children What then be those Parents that neuer practise this Vse 1. point Nay who neuer so much as once minde it may we not from the rule of contraries conclude that they are profane and impious they will prune their plants breake their horses and traine their hawkes to the lure yet neuer dresse the plants of the Sanctuary instruct their Sonnes or take the least toyle to make them faithful of the Lords family Doe they not rather by rotten speech lewde example and wicked courses make them two-fold worse than children of the Devill If they procure them a competent portion a profitable calling which be good we grant they thinke they haue done their dutie but what haue they done all the while for their soules and to make them the Lords sonnes the vnreasonable creatures will feed their yong till they can prey of their own wing so that thus farre they are equall to them Let them then that would bee accounted religions shew Vse 2. it in the imitation of these Godly parents Prouide food raiment for the body but especially a spirituall portion for their soules Worke faith in their hearts grace in their persons and in thus doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and thy children Let their eares heare not thy trickes of youth but what God hath done for thy soule in the daies of old Let thy practise be a Patterne worthy their imitation say to thy sonne doe thus aswell as this that it may be said of thee a Godly father a Godly childe And doe not deferre the time but take the season teach them while they are yong and let these reasons moue thee 1. For then they will remember it when they are old Pro. Children to be taught yong why 23. 13. dye cloth in the wooll not in the webbe and the colour will be the better the more durable 2. To deferre this dutie is dangerous For thou maist bee tooke from them Who then shall teach them after thy departure or what if they dye in that condition must not thou answere for their bloud 2. Kin. 2. 24. 3. Besides what if they come to faith will it not be with the more difficulty fallow ground must haue the stronger teame great trees will not easily bend and a bad habit is not easily left and a better come by If their memories bee stufft with vanity as a table-booke the old must bee washt out before new can be writ in 4. What shall I more say God workes strangely in children 1 Kin. 14. 13. and rare things haue beene found in them and what a comfort will it be for parents in their life to heare their children speake of good things and at the last day when they can say to Christ here am I and the children thou hast giuen Heb. 2. 13. me And here children must attend to their fathers instruction Vse 3. and not despise their mothers counsaile least the Rauen of the valley plucke out their eies and the yong Eagles eate it Pro. 30. 17. Some care not for the instruction of their Parents other can out-runne them but can they escape the hand of God and hee that obeyeth not his Parents speech shall certainely be destroyed 1 Sam. 2. 25. We reade here of good women but there is no mention made of their yoke-fellowes the mothers bee commended not the fathers whence let be noted that Faithfull wiues may haue faithlesse husbands Good women Doct. 6. may be vnequally yoked 1 Sam. 25. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 13. And this comes to passe through beauty for that being Reas 1. in a man may much preuaile with the weaker sex For why did the sonnes of God take the daughters of men to their wiues Was it not because they were faire So might it fall out with the daughters of God Gen. 6. 2. beauty preuailes much in this matter Gen. 12. 12. Couetousnes also may be a cause Honest maides be often Reas 2. poore haue but small portions wicked men sometimes rich and mighty and that may worke mightily Hester 2. 16. And if there be but such a motion how will carnal Parents presse their daughters to it Sometimes men affecting and knowing the person to be Reas 3. religious will like the Shechemites serue the true God to gaine fauour By this diuellish dealing many haue beene deceiued Iosh 9. 4. Gen. 34. 9. 14. It often falleth out that when persons marry they are Reas 4. both faithlesse and so the Lord calling the wife and passing by the husband that woman becomes vnequally yoked 1 Cor. 7. Whence we are taught not to iudge wiues by the cariage Vse 1. of their husbands neither husbands by their wiues For in so doing wee may commend or condemne without cause or reason Nabal the foole may haue a wise Abigail and Hester a good Queene an vnbeleeuer All wiues that haue good husbands must first praise God Vse 2. for such Secondly Make much of such Thirdly Pitty and pray for those that haue not such and fourthly In their liues endeuour to walke worthy of such else they may receiue the greater condemnation in being yoked to such And good wiues that haue bad husbands are 1. to seeke Vse 3. out the true cause if some carnall respect did not make them to marry such if it did they must acknowledge their sinne with great sorrow if not be patient For it is but a fatherly correction and God may worke great good out of it aiming at another end they are not aware of Hester 4. 14. for the present 2. They must be subiect to their husbands that though they obey not the word yet they may without the word by their good conuersation be wonne to the word 1. Pet. 3. 1. The wiues good actions must be their husbands instructions 3. Let this teach them to loue Christ their first husband the more perfectly For by the badnes of the one you may iudge the better of the goodnes of the other This is to draw good out of euill and worthy to be remembred 4. Such must admire the mercy of God to them that they had not themselues beene bad their husbands good and liue in hope that through the blessing of the Almighty they may proue instruments to saue their soules And if this fall out how would that man affect then his wife more than euer he disliked her From this doctrine the women maids or widowes that Vse 4. intend to marry may learne a lesson to beware in their election least they fall into the like condition And the better to direct thee let these rules be obserued in the choyce of an husband In the choyce
we note that Power loue and a sound minde should moue vs to be resolute Doct. 1. in good actions and to stirre vp all other gifts we haue receiued Againe we obserue as they bee in opposition with the word feare that Doct. 2. The Spirit of power expelleth feare For the weaker is easily subdued by the stronger Men of strength will with ease ouercome feeble Infants Besides we collect that Loue driueth away feare Perfect loue casteth it out as another Doct. 3. Apostle writeth 1 Ioh. 4. 18. And this may be obserued also that A sound minde putteth away the Spirit of feare Doct. 4. He that knoweth all the dangers in his voyage and hath skill to guide the Barke will not feare shipwracke Ignorant Pilots so iniudicious Christians are timorous persons Reasons For 1. It will teach a man why he should feare 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 2. What to feare and what not to feare 3. When he is to feare when not to feare And 4. How to feare for kind measure Wouldest thou then not feare as the wicked doe then striue for a sound mind a profound Iudgement And as they depend one on another we gather that Power loue and a sound minde are of absolute necessity for a Doct. 5. resolute Christian Preacher or private person For Power without Loue can worke but will not Reasons 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Loue without power would worke but cannot And Power and Loue can and will but a sound minde is requisite to guide both Woe then to those that stand in the Sanctuary of God to feede his flocke and haue none of the three neither seeke for them It had beene good for such they had gone to plow or Cart. I say no more of them but the Lord haue mercy vpon them In the name then and feare of God let vs striue for these Vse 2. three this cord will not easily be broken Get wee power loue sound minds so shal we be resolute in good courses and fight valiantly the battels of the Lord. Sleepe not with the veyle of darknesse ouer thine eyes couer not thy heart with the mantle of hatred neither be thou like the cripple that is alwaies crawling or relying on his crutches But get thou the annoynting of grace from aboue that thine â—â—es may be opened loue shed abroad in thy heart and strength and nimblenes to run through the whole man Omit not the season neglect not the meanes least thou seeke one day and shalt not be heard And finally we note another thing that Doct. 6. Power loue and a Sound mind are the gifts of God Man by his fall lost all Learne then whom to praise for them if thou best them whither to goe for them if thou want them VERS 8. Be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord neither of mee his prisoner But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God TWo things in generall in this verse are to be obserued The Logicall resolution 1. A Dehortation 2. An Exhortation In the Dehortation are three things 1. What the Apostle dehorts from viz. Shame 2. Whereof Timotheus must not be ashamed viz. 1. Not of the Testimony of Christ 2. Neither of Paul his prisoner And 3. The ground why hee must not bee ashamed is contained in the word Therefore In the Exhortation three things also may be noted 1. To What the Apostle exhorts him and that is to suffer afflictions 2. What afflictions such as accompany the Gospell 3. How he must suffer according to the power of God And the word Therefore may also be a ground to the Exhortation as to the Dehortation The Theologicall Exposition Be not therefore This word therefore presupposeth two things 1. An inference drawne from some precedent reason 2. A thing to be omitted or performed subsequent Ashamed Shame is an effect that followeth the commission of some evill and alwayes is a companion of true repentance But by not being ashamed Paul intendeth more as Boldnes resolution constancy perseuerance Of the testimony of our Lord. That is the Gospel of Christ and it may be called his Testimony for 2. Reasons 1. For Christ did seale it with his bloud 2. Because in the Gospel testimony is giuen of Christ Testimonies are either divine or humane they be inarteficiall arguments hauing little force of arguing or prouing a thing and that they borrow from the artificiall for they haue it not in their owne nature Now the Gospel is a divine testimony and hath great power and authority because the author of it Christ was trueth it selfe and they that penned it were carried by the Spirit and could not erre Neither of me his prisoner There be two sorts of prisons and prisoners spirituall or corporall of spirits or of persons Peter speaketh of spirits in prison where note by the 1 Pet. 3. 19. way that soules departed are in place contrary to the iudgement of some But here is meant a corporall or personall prisoner for so was Paul at that present And he ioynes himselfe with Christ because his cause was coupled with Christs The Exhortation followeth But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel or Doe thou suffer together for the Gospel This word Partaker intimates 2. things 1. Companions or diuers persons 2. A thing devided or shared amongst them The persons Companions to Timotheus was Paul and others the thing they had part of was afflictions And afflictions are such as either wound the soule or body for man consisting of a double substance may suffer two kinds of torments But man onely can hurt the body not the soule of Paul was in their fingers Of the Gospell Gospel in Greeke is glad tydings and Gospel some deriue of God and speech saying it is an old Saxon word signifying Gods speech or good speech The sense is Endure such troubles as accompany the Preachers and embracers of the word of God and of Christ According to the power of God There is some difficulty in the vnderstanding of this phrase and my Authors say nothing to content me Some vnderstand them thus Being moued by or with the power of God others reade Being perswaded by the Gospel which is according to the power of God that is in which the power of God doth plainly shew and declare it selfe For my part I take this to be the truth that Paul wold haue Timotheus to suffer as he was able and had or should receiue ability from God And hee seemes to answere a secret obiection that might arise in his sonnes heart He might thus reason How am I able being yong and weake to endure such great troubles as accompany Paul and other strong Christians Paul takes away this thus Why Timothy doe thou suffer according to thy power beare what thou art able for that 's all I require of thee or that the Lord will afflict thee withall Being that the Lord hath
of it in that measure 6. Finally some men haue most excellent and acute vnderstandings now the more clearely the intellect receiueth a fearefull obiect the more will the heart be troubled If one through the dimnes of the eye take a Lyon for a tame beast he wil not be shaken with equall terrour as he wil that by the clearenes of his sight discerneth the beast in his owne kind and nature And this is a most true position that the best wits be the most wounded in heart at their effectuall calling because sin and the punishment be the more clearely apprehended and men ordinarily more then women from the acutenes of the vnderstanding But some may obiect It s from God not man that one is Obiect 1. thus humbled for God in this doth all True yet the Lord worketh according to the condition Sol. of the subiect about which he is excercised And women are often more cast downe then men be at Obiect 2. this season We grant it Yet that comes from the weaknes of the sexe Sol. And shall you not see one more terrified at the drawing of the sword then another is in beholding it sheathed into the very bowells Thus you haue heard how the Lord prepareth a sinner before effectuall vocation cutting off and fitting of him to be grafted a new at which time he is like a branch slâ—pped from the body of the tree and ready to wither and dye in his owne apprehension And then the Lord speaketh vnto the poore perplexed soule by his Spirit in the promises of the Gospell and that peraduenture when he the least expecteth any such comfortable tydings secretly saying and whispering the sinner in the eare of his soule Be of good comfort for thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Now hee giueth Christ to him and him vnto Christ so that the penitent person is come home into his desired place and the liberty of Gods children Now from this that hath beene said we may deduce many Conclusions from the precedent discourse things for our further instruction and to confirme vs concerning the certainty of our effectuall vocation 1. Here we see that the law is necessary to be preached that like a schoolemaster it may whip vs to Christ for to find comfort in the time of neede 2. That the true sight of our sinnes and humiliation is a companion of effectuall vocation for the sicke haue need of the Phisition and Christ calleth none but such as are lost in their present apprehension 3. That euery sigh for sinne and compunction of spirit is not to be effectually called for Reprobates like Ahab and Iudas may for a time be much deiected yet neuer receiue Christ whereby to be truly iustified 4. We learne from hence that effectuall vocation is an action sensibly to be felt by the persons who be the proper subiects of it and a worke though on Gods part secretly effected yet on mans easily apprehended 5. And here men that haue not endured so much humiliation as others yet are not to despaire of their spirituall condition for the Lord doth not call all his a like To one hee reveileth some little sinne at the first least he should be swallowed vp of overmuch heauines yet by the punishment thereof he commeth to coniecture what is due vnto him for the rest And when the poore sinner hath got power against this then he will reveale vnto him some other of greater nature for hauing had experience of Gods former mercy he is made the more bold and able for to wrestle with greater transgressions and Sathans more fell and fierce temptations the which vsually come in the latter end of this spirituall combate For like a cunning Captaine that would raze downe the walls he first dischargeth his lesser pieces and if they will not effect it then he giueth fire to his greatest Ordinances and roaring Cannons 6. And for conclusion let him that is neuer so much deiected not be out of heart as though the Lord could not raise thee vp againe and comfort thy soule for as his mercy so his power is infinite The deeper the foâ—â—dation is layed the firmer will the building be and the more we be huâ—â—led and broken at our preparation the more shall we be â—â—le to stand fast after our effectuall vocation Wherefore read pray meditate heare the word receiue the Sacraments and seeke to the Phisition of thy soule and at one time or other through one of these conducts he will seale to thy soule a certificate for the remission of all thy sinne and thou with comfort shalt say Now soule returne vnto thy rest Doâ— but vse the meanes tarry the Lords leisure and he shall come that will come and comfort thy heart say not that no man euer felt what thou doest for many haue and found pardon peace vnspeakeable But when thou are come home to thy long desire hâ—uen A Caution and the Lord hath heard the voyâ—â— of thy weeping then see 1. thou faile not to performe the vâ—â—es that thou madest â—â— him in the daies of thy former affliction least a worse â—hing follow Neither thinkâ— it thine honour that thou hâ—st bâ—â—â—e 2. more teâ—â—efied and deiected in thy preparation then thy brethren as the manner of â—oâ—e iâ— but be thou the moâ—e ashamed that thy heaâ—t was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—◠〈◊〉 â—ust exhibite more power to â—â—ll â—hâ—â— hoâ—e then â—he rest oâ— his children And by how â—uâ—h the more 〈◊〉 Lord â—â—th â—â—mbled 3. thee aboue others be â—hou so 〈◊〉 the more 〈◊〉 in all good workes For the more pâ—ines and labour the Husbandman taketh in tilling his ground the more corne he expectâ—th from it at the time of harueâ—â— and shall â—ot the Lord looke for the like from alâ— his manured and well â—â—lled closes yes vndoubâ—â—â—ly And here I will adde some particulars that he who is of where in the that is called hath experience fectually called knoweth by experience whereof men in the estate of nature are ignorant 1. He knoweth now what a featefull thing it is to be a stranger from the life of God and to haue him for his enemie and would not for the 〈◊〉 of a world be one â—â—ture in his former condition 2. How vnable he is of himselfe either â—â— answre the Lords call or to beleeue in him though he would and find in himselfe a mind to both 3. What an enemy sin and Sathan is to the sonnes of men Now he perceiueth the sting of the one and the fiery darts of the other and how deepe they will strike pierce into the very ioynts and the marrow 4. He can tell you that a wounded spirit is the extreamest of all extreamities and that peace with God passeth all vnderstanding 5. That Christ was God aswell as man or els he had not beene able to haue borne the full burden of one mans sins much lesse of the whole world of the elect this is a
we doubt of it or of Christs sufficiency A second we may draw from his person for hee is God Reas 2. and man Therefore our onely and absolute Sauiour He must be man that saved vs. 1. That the iustice of God might be satisfied in that nature whereby he was offended for in Heb. 2. 17. no wise he tooke vpon him the nature of Angells 2. That we might be his brethren and 3. He haue a fellow feeling of our infirmities the better to succour vs and comfort vs Heb. 4. 15. when we are tempted And he must be God two natures in one person 1. That his merits might be sufficient to satisfie the infinite wrath of the father for the worthines of the merit comes from the dignity of the person 2. That hee might ouercome him that had the power of death that is the Deuill Christ was stronger then he And 3. That he Rom. 14. 4. vlt. might be able to raise himselfe from death so that he might be able to raise himself from death so that he is our only Saviour for none was euer like him before him or euer shall be after him this is our Kinsman And he may be called our Sauiour from his properties Reason 3. for he is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. and made higher then the heauens He is infinite in knowledge power and presence neither can hee euer sleepe or slumber Finally he may be called a Saviour 1. In respect of his Reason 4. doctrine 2. Example 3. His mediation And 4. by his merit Heb. 7. 25. and that is principally So that he is a Saviour every manner of way For all the promises are yea and Amen in Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 1. 20. And here we might shew the misery of the Iewes Turkes and Heathens who put no confidence in him neither haue Vse 1. heard of him As also the Papists that put their confidence and place their hope in Mary and their owne merits This should teach vs to be acquainted with him and to Vse 2. repose al our confidence and trust in him for our saluation And that so much the rather seeing eternall life consisteth Ioh 17. 3. in the knowledge of him and the obedience of his doctrine For this is a sure way Who hath abolished death The note is this that Death by Christ is destroyed Doct. 6. Oh death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie But thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor 15. 55. c. Reasons For he onely it is who hath borne our infirmities and the burthen of our sinnes paid our debt dissolued the workes of the Deuill quickened vs by his spirit tooke away the law of ordinances broke downe the partition wall cancelled our bond and satisfied the iustice of the father for the first and second death The which if any should deny these reasons may serue to confirme it 1. For the law requireth both after the fall therefore Christ must satisfie for both or he had not discharged the full debt and payment 2. They that are not partakers of his sufferings shall dye the first and second death who calls this into question 3. What had we suffered if he had not died the separation of soule and body and of both from the fauour of God for euer and euer had we not And 4. Haue we not a double life from Christ then a two-fold death was abolished by the rule of contraries But it may be obiected that his sufferings were finite Obiect 1. Sol. 1. True in respect of time but there is another infinitie in regard of degree or quantitie the which Christ endured 2. The course of originall sinne is stopped in all his members 2. that they do not sinne for euer therefore it was not necessary that Christ should suffer for eternitie But some may further obiect how is this manifested in Obiect 2. scripture and when did he suffer for it Were not the bodies of those beasts whose bloud was Sol. I. brought into the holy place by the high Priest for sinne to be burnt without the campe and did not Christ suffer Heb. 13. 11. 12 without the gate What can be vnderstood by this but the second death For is it not a priuation of all ioy and the infliction of the torments of hell for a season 2. And was not Christ in his agonie in great perplexitie when he cried My soule is heauie to heath My God let this cup passe from me And why hast thou forsaken me In what sence Christ may be said to suffer the second death Yet this is warily to be vnderstood For we may not in any wise so much as thinke that God the father did euer wholly withdraw his loue from Christ Iesus or separate his affection from him the second death so accepted is to vndergoe the full iustice and implacable anger of God for all eternitie the which may not here in that sence be admitted For the father did neuer with draw his loue from his sonne indeed Though for the present hee looked on him as hee was our suretie and a sinner by imputation with the strict eye of a seuere iudge and creditor who would not remit one farthing of his due debt but exact a ful perfect satisfactiō At which time Christ felt the most bitter pangs in his passion and that torment the which was equiualent to the second death This should worke in vs both loue and thankfulnes to Vse 1. Christ who hath wrought so great a worke for vs. How should we praise him for so great a fauour If a Physician remoue a disease or preuent death in vs will we not pay him and commend him And is it not thanks-worthy to haue corruption remoued death destroyed and that temporall and eternall David would glorifie God in that hee had deliuered his soule from the nethermost part of hell And 1 Sam 25. 32. 33. did he not blesse God and blesse Abigail and blesse her counsell in that she was a meanes to preserue Nabal and his familie from death and shall we not doe so much who are our selues preserued from death eternall I wish that wee did but well consider this thing then we would be more affected with Christ more thankfull to him for the remouall of so great an euill Againe this may comfort euery christian heart in its greatest Vse 2. troubles Doth corruption fight within thee and striue to put out the sparke of grace Be of good comfort for it shall neuer preuaile When that serpent death shooteth out his venemous sting why consider its tooke from him And that which thou seemest to see is but like the Enchanters serpent counterfeit Let the deuill tempt thee why haue recourse to Christ who hath destroyed his plot redeemed thee out of his hands and tooke his power from him And
if the remembrance of the second death cause thee to quake and tremble yet feare not for the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against thee This ought alwaies in these pangs of terrour to wipe all teares from thine eies And the reason we are so often astonished is because we doe not minde oâ— beleeue this thing For if we did we would cry out with ioy O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie This salue is good for the fourefold forenamed soare This Physicke like Moses rod will remoue all death whatsoeuer Wherefore in thy greatest feare call to mind that death by Christ is abolished And hath Christs death destroyed death then haue a Vse 3. care that ye bring it not againe into the world Giue not food to this infant reuiue not him by any meanes For as Iudas his master it will one day betray thee lift vp his heele against thee Adam could bring in death but he must be more then a meere man who can vtterly destroy him yet striue thou to tread this serpent vnder thy feet bruise his head against the stones suffer him not to crawle or creepe For in so doing thou shalt be blessed But may some say how might I destroy death Quest Ans 1. In a word diuerse wayes 1. Thou must auoyd sinne for by sinne death came into the world Sinne to death is like fuell to the fire food to the faint wine to the weake and Physicke to the distempered patients so that he who sinnes reviues death restores to him his sting and pulleth him with speed vnto the doore and into the very inward parts of the soule And for thy better direction consider what sinnes haue brought death corporall spirituall 1. Drunkennes Deut. 21. 20. 2. Gluttonie Luk. 12. 20. 3. Vnthriftinesse Pro. 6. 12. 15. 4. Idlenesse Ezek. 16. 49. 5. Pride Acts 12. vlt. 6. Lying Acts. 5. 5. 7. Scoffing of the Prophets 2 Kin. 2. 23. 8. Ignorance Hos 4. 6. 9. Infidelity Iude 5. 10. Disobedience to Parents Pro. 30. 17. 11. Want of preparation to the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 30. Finally all sinne whateuer brings death For the soule that sinneth shall die the Ezech. 18. 4. death Wouldst thou then crucifie this Barrabas that too often escapeth when Christ is executed see good dayes on earth haue grace to flourish in thee the first death to bee advantage to thee and escape the second why auoyd sinne and all the occasiâ—ns thereof abandon and flee Behold I haue told thee before 2. Thou must mortifie thâ— earthly members crucifie thy 2. inward corruptions and strâ—ue to be clensed from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit For as a disease in the body may cause death as well as some outward accident so may some secret corruption cherished in the heart as soone as some externall and grosse transgression 3. Cherish the life of grace within thee For if it flourish 3. death shall perish When corne and cockle grow together that which is the more watered will be the further from withering then feed the spirit and the flesh shall pine away 4. Often meditate of the efficacie of Christs death For as 4. the great flame will draw the lesse sparke of heate out of the finger if held to it so bring the eye of our mindes close to this obiect and death will pine away The lesser shall bee deuoured of the stronger We haue some who hold Christs death to worke this How Christs death kils death in vs. death in vs not onely as meritorious or by way of meditation but operatiuely as an efficient cause produceth its effect Yet to me it seemes to be otherwise For though it be certainly true in the two former respects yet the last is doubtfull and that for these reasons 1. Death is a meere priuation and therefore being nothing cannot produce by way of causation any perfect effect 1. Death is a meere priuation and therefoer being nothing cannot produce by way of causation any perfect effect 2. The death of Christ was a curse therefore causeth good by accident not of its owne nature Whereby the way we see an other errour to be in those who hold that Christs death without his actiue obedience is absolutely sufficient for our iustification But the succeeding arguments may serue to confirme the contrarie 1. That obedience which the law requireth is necessarie for our iustification But the law requireth actiue obedience therefore actiue obedience is necessarie for our iustification The former proposition I suppose will be granted neither can the latter vpon any good ground be denied Because the iustice of the Law is still inforce time not changing the nature of it 2. That obedience which was to haue iustified man before his fall is requisite to iustifie him being fallen But actiue obedience was to haue iustified man before his fall Therefore actiue obedience is requisite to iustifie him being fallen What can be obiected against this argument for the present I perceiue not 3. That obedience which Paul opposeth to his owne righteousnes which was of the law concurreth to our iustification But the actiue obedience of Christ Paul opposeth to his owne righteousnesse which was of the Law Phil. 3. 9. Therefore the actiue obedience of Christ concurreth to our iustification For who euer commenting on that text excludeth Christs actiue obedience And to say the truth passiue obedience is rather a satisfying of the threat than a fulfilling of the lawes precept 4. If the actuall breach of the Law made man vniust then the actuall obseruation of it must make him righteous But the actuall breach made him vniust therefore the actuall obseruation of the law must make him righteous Except we should maintaine that our surety Christ was bound onely to pay the forfeiture and not the principall which may not be admitted For man after his fall incurred a doubled debt both which Christ was to discharge else hee had not satisfied the full payment to God our creditor And doth not actiue obedience the one as passiue the other It s death that must remoue death life that must procure life For contrary effects must haue contrary causes such as life and death be A sharp powder or water may eate off the thicke filme that couereth the eye and hindereth sight but there is another internall principle is the cause of seeing In like manner the death of Christ may remoue what hindereth life Yet there must be another primarie cause for the procuring and conseruing of it For conclusion Christ in suffering obeyed and in obeying suffered Wherefore what God hath ioyned together let no man renta sunder And if death through Christ be abolished and by no Vse 4. other then deaths destruction was no easie action For who but he could haue done it If it had bin to haue bin abolished by another shall wee thinke then that the father would not haue spared his onely sonne But you may
to the Lady for wee will not wrong them and Christ together he was enabled having put them vp againe to travell into Italy where this house is and there having receiued the Sacrament then dyed Many more such as this the Bookes mention And doe ye not now easily beleeue that these things are harder to be credited being related then if in grosse or implicitely they had beene vttered I may say of these as a man replied once hearing a strange tale that he gaue small credit to and the Relater demanding said Why sir doe you not beleeue this the person replied truely it s too much for one to credit it himselfe but if the persons present will take my part we will beleeue it amongst vs. And I thinke the Miracles in the three Bookes of the Lady of Loretto and their Legend are too many and too great for any one Protestant in the world after they haue knowledge of them to beleeue them Therefore we will leaue the ignorant Papists who never read or heard them to giue credit to them I speake not these things mistake me not to moue laughter but to make them if possible ashamed of their doctrine and that we thereby seeing their most palpable blindnesse and error might be the rather induced to prayse God for our light and the truth we pertake of But to omit them and their false Doctrine Let vs come Vse 2. nearer home and learne what to iudge of such as haue no knowledge of God at all Why surely they haue no faith in him neither for the Lord hath put these together like man and wife and therefore they may not be put asunder Christ propounds this Question When the sonne of man sayth he shall come shall he finde faith on the earth From the vse of this Doctrine we may make answere Surely very little For if knowledge be but amongst few as that is a truth then is faith rarely to be found This must moue vs all to get knowledge of God if wee Vse 3. would haue faith in him yea the best must grow herein for the better we know him the more confidently shall wee beleeue in him For it s so in all other things When I know the firmenes of the Land I will the better rest my foote on it the strength of my staffe the rather leane my whole body vpon it and the faithfulnesse of a friend put and repose my confidence in him And we must know God 1. In his power how that he is able to doe whatsoever he How God is to be knowne will this confirmed Abrahams faith and moved him to offer his sonne to whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seede be called For he considered that God was able even to raise him vp from the dead Heb. 11. 18. 19. 2. We must know him in his truth and iustice This made the Apostle to be of great courage in his perilous voyage and Sarah to expect a sonne after she was past the naturall course of conceiuing because shee iudged him faithfull which had promised Heb. 11. 11. Act. 27. 25. And here we Iustice either Revenging or Rewarding 2 Thes 1. 6. 7. are to vnderstand that the iustice of God is either revenging or rewarding It s a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you ther 's Revenging iustice and to you that are troubled rest with vs that is Rewarding Rom. 2. 6. 7. 8. iustice The one accompanieth the truth of his promises the other the truth of his threatnings And if we were more acquainted with this it would strengthen our faith in the performance of all his promises to vs and the many threats giuen out against the wicked 3. We are to know God in his stabilitie How that time changeth not his nature neither altereth his purpose He had no beginning therfore cannot either be yong or grow old He consisteth not of either matter or forme but is one most simple and pure act so that he is not incident to any shadow of turning What the Lord hath said it shall Iam. 1. 17. stand for euer for God is not like man that he should repent or change his purpose Did we know this it would wonderfully support our weake faith and stay our staggering mindes Did we vnderstand that the affection of our friend we most affect were constant it would make vs the more confidently to rely on him But feare of mutation weakens perswasion 4. We are to vnderstand that God is soveraigne Lord that there is none higher then he For if we should trust in an inferiour we might be deceiued But know this that he is aboue all and then thy faith cannot faile thee in beleeuing in him To put confidence in an inferiour Lord were dangerous in policie but in Divinitie desperate 5. We must know God in Christ For without him he is a severe Iudge a consuming fire But if we know him in Christ Iesus he is our Father and all his attributes that otherwise would be terrible will be most comfortable Thinke on this Finally We are also to know God in the distinction of Persons One Deitie yet three subsistences Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and we should haue some apprehension of their seuerall operations For otherwise we cannot beleeue as we should and ought for his full glory and our certaine salvation And thus briefely I haue poynted out some things in God and of God that must be knowne if we would obtaine Faith to the eternall conservation of our soules Rules to come to the knowledge of God God is knowne either 1. In his Word 1. The Law Psal 19. 2. The Gospell Rom. 1. 17. Or 2. In his Workes 1. Of Creation RoÌ„ 1. 20. 2. Of Providence Act. 14. 17. And this Doctrine with that hath beene delivered may Vse 4. serue to informe Ministers how to deale with their people Parents with their children and Masters with their servants If they would haue them faithfull to God to themselues they must make them acquainted with God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ for to know this is â—tâ—â—all life Ioh. 17. 8. 1. When men heare much but practise little or nothing 〈◊〉 of the soules setling 2 Pet. 3. 17. The neglect of this causeth men to be plucked away and to fall from their former stedfastnes For euery act of godlinesse is like the blow and stroke of a Mallet that stablisheth rivetteth and setleth the soule on a firme foundation like a pile or poste in the earth by often beating 2. Too much confidence in sanctification and too little in iustification We must fixe and fasten our faith in the obedience of Christ and make his life and death the sure foundation of our establishment For such shall neither stagger or be moved Rom. 8. 1. 3. Omission of private and often prayer the contrary to this like a strong Cord doth binde vs fast vnto the tree of Christ David therefore
on it selfe for offending so good a God so mercifull a Father 4. Finally Loue with godly sorrow will make the man of God pine away Amnon did thus for the loue of Thamar and we must know that true Loue hath the like yea stronger operations In a word Loue will produce admirable effects of patience bountifulnesse long-suffering and passing by of great and many wrongs and iniuries So that no Loue no observation of the patterne And here we see that men without Faith and Loue can Vse 1. doe nothing that is good before God Paul desired to be kept out of the hands of men without faith for he accounted them vnreasonable and evill 2 Thes 3. 2. Would we then practise the Apostles doctrine then let Vse 2. vs striue for faith and loue these two support the estate of a Christian as the two pillars did the house of the Philistims if these be removed the foundation of our obedience and salvation faile and fall Faith and Loue include all the duties of the Conenants of grace and all the Commandements are reduced to Loue for at the beginning wee were created Note in Loue the breach of the Law set all enmity so the observation of it produceth amitie hence Loue is stiled The bond of perfection Many boast of their great faith but wee may say of their Loue as Lot did of Zoar that it is a very little one for who of Loue to God escheweth euill and doth good or of affection to man passeth by a fault and is liberall He that would soare to heauen wanting either of these may assoone see a bird mount on high and take her stand who wanteth one wing Faith like the hand taketh hold on Christ and Loue like the feete must carry vs to him And amongst many other duties What a fearfull thing is it to come to the Lords Supper without faith or affection to God and man We will not come at the earnest invitement of an enemy to his Table for feare of danger or dislike Yet when we are haters of God and our neighbours too liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another wee stay not our steppes But doe not such persons eare their owne iudgement For they want that wherewith they should feed truly on Christ or giue them an appetite to this food if they haue not affection and faith for as the mouth and stomacke be to the body so be Faith and Loue to the soule Thou wilt say How may I know when an action is Quest done in faith and loue If it be done in faith 1. Thou must be in the faith that Answ What action is done in faith is in Christ and Christ in thee 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2. It must be guided by the rule of faith 2 Pet. 1. 19. 3. It must be done with faith not doubtingly Rom. 14. 23. 4. And last of all it must be done to the obiect of our faith viz. in obedience to God in Christ and for his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. If an action be done in Loue. 1. It s done so freely that What in loue there is not the least expectation of any future recompence Gen. 23. 15. 2. So secretly that if possible none might Math. 6. 2. ever come to the knowledge thereof 3. So cheerefully as there is equall or rather greater ioy in the doing then Ruth 1. 13. 2 Cor. 9. 7. Philem. 10. receiuing of the like fauour 4. So affectionately that the more good we doe to any the more wee finde our hearts enflamed with the loue of that person These foure things accompany an action done in the truth of affection For a good heart is constreined by loue it will vpbraid no man it knoweth that its better to giue then to receiue and it neuer waxeth weary or repenteth for well-doing And there cannot be a surer signe of an heart sprinkled with loue then to reioyce that it is willing and able to doe good to God or man If we take the words in the other senses then these be the points to be collected First that The essentiall parts of a Christians patterne consist of faith Doct. 8. and loue Againe that All our actions are to be done in faith and loue Doct. 9. Quest 1. Why Faith before Loue 1. Because faith is the roote loue the branch 2. Salvation Answ is tyed to the Gospell the principall obâ—ect of faith Why both faith and loue Quest 2. Ans 1. For faith or loue alone is not sufficient 2. Because the one hath regard to the fulfilling of the Gospel by the obedience of faith but the other looketh to the Law which is perfected by Loue. Which is in Christ Iesus From the fourefold interpretation we may note so many Doctrines 1. That Faith and loue are giuen to man of God through Christ Iesus 2. That Faith and loue in Christ should stirre vs vp to keepe the patterne 3. That The obiect of faith and loue is Christ Iesus 4. That Faith and loue are comprehended in Christ Iesus And whereas our Apostle hath now brought in this phrase fiue severall times in this short Chapter we may note diuers things worthy our instruction 1. That We are hardly brought to beleeue that all grace and mercy comes through Christ Iesus Diuine truths are not easily beleeued 2. That The best things may often for good ends be mentioned 3. That When we speake of any grace or fauour receiued wee should consider through whom it is conveyed to vs. viz. Christ Iesus 4. That The often repetition of the same thing is profitable 5. That What the people most naturally are prone to doubt of that is principally and often to be Preached 6. That An holy heart is not weary in writing or speaking the same things often VERS 14. That worthy thing which was committed vnto thee keepe by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs. IN these words Paul persisteth in the exhorting The Logicall resolution of Timothy and hauing perswaded him to keepe the patterne in the former Verse it seemeth he now would haue him to be carefull to keepe that whereby the patterne of sound words may be kept by him 1. We may here also obserue to what he is exhorted and that is to keepe 2. What he must keepe and that 's called a worthy thing committed c. 3. Whereby he is to keepe it or the meanes whereby he came by it is laid downe which is the Holy Ghost The which Holy Ghost is said 1. to dwell 2. the place is mentioned where viz. in vs. That worthy thing or that good thing By thing no doubt The Theologicall exposition is meant faith and loue and the graces of the spirit so that this Verse serueth to confirme that exposition we gaue in the former And thing is put for things as tree for trees Gen. 3. 2. worke for workes Psal 95. 9. Heb. 3. 9. Ship for Ships 1. King 10. 22. compared
be marked that The best man may be forsaken These left Paul Doct. 8. Quest Ans Did these neuer returne to the truth afterward God knoweth not we and though we hope the best of some yet let vs feare the worst for the good of our selues VERS 16. The Lord giue mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine WE may not thinke that this complaint and commendation The Coherence are here annexed without reason or relation to the percedent verse For thus I conceiue it is Paul hauing prest Timothy by many maine and forcible arguments not to be ashamed of the doctrine of the Gospell In the 13. ver giueth him a direction what to doe that he may not be ashamed which is to keepe the patterne of sound words for he that worketh by a true and streight rule shall haue no cause to be ashamed of his workmanship But in regard this might seeme hard to Timothy he tells him what he must obserue that he might be able to follow this forme of doctrine viz. Keepe the graces of God from decaying that are in him Oh but he might suggest this thing is as hard as the other Now Paul secretly grants him this and therefore tells him that he can no wayes doe that but by the assistance of the holy Ghost ver 14. And hauing giuen him this good rule least his sonne should be puffed vp with presumption and omit all subordinate helpes he tells him how many haue fallen away ver 15. for Timothy might thus conceiue Well if the Holy Ghost be and dwell in me I will feare the lesse or he might be temped to be carelesse from that ground for the preseruation of these worthy things And last of all least vpon the Mement of so many Revolters and that of Phygellus and Hermogenes he might be too much on the other side againe deiected for man on both hands is incident to fall into extremities he bringeth in a worthy example of loue boldnes stedfastnes and resolution in this Onesiphorus to hearten and imbolden him This may seeme to be the true scope of Paul and dependance of these foure last verses Or it may be thus Paul may put Timotheus in minde of these mens falling away and of this good mans resolution that he by the shame which befell the one and the prayse accompanying the other might be the more disswaded from declining and perswaded to stand fast For doubtles these instances of coutrary persons proceedings carry with them the seedes and force of an argument being by Paul thus produced But to omit that wee come to the words the which consist of a petition and a reason In the petition we may obserne 3. things 1. To whom it 's The Logicall resolution preferd the person is the Lord. 2. The thing petitioned for and that 's mercy 3. For whom this petition is put vp and that is for the house of Onesiphorus Thus much for the prayer or petition In the Reason are 3. things also or t' is threefold 1. Onesiphorus refreshed Paul 2. He did this often And 3. He was not ashamed of his chaine And though the Reason seeme but twofold why he prayed to God for this man yet we may without breach of the Reasons rule apprehend it to be threefold as we haue demonstrated out of the word Often The Lord giue That is God the Father impart conferre The Theologicall Expâ—sition or grant Mercy I would here vnderstand mercy to be taken in a large extent as for outward and inward blessings with whatsoeuer is profitable or comfortable for soule and body or for all the like refreshings I was in my troubles refreshed with may be the Apostles meaning To the house of Onesiphorus House in the Hebrewe is of building in Greeke of dwelling in our English from custody or tuition And the word house may be borrowed from the Almaine huis which is of hu to defend Whereby the way we may take the description of an house the which is a building wherein man doth inhabite or dwell for safetie and tuâ—tion By house in this place is meant the people whereof Onesiphorus had charge whether wife children or seruants by a Metonymie For he often refreshed me That is did by his personall presence praiers conference and gifts many a time recreate and comfort me both in body and minde And was not ashamed of my chaine That is When I was vsed like a theefe or malefactor and went vp and downe with irons on my heeles or hauing a keeper was led being chained by the hand he tooke knowledge of me and did not passe by me as they of Asia did accounting it a disgrace to their reputation As I cannot but iustly complaine against and condemne The Metaphrase all Asia of which company were Phygellus and Hermogenes in that they were ashamed to visit or refresh me So I must needs highly commend Onesiphorus for many refreshings whereby he comforted me both in soule and body and tooke acqnaintance of me esteeming it no disgrace or shame although I was chained and vsed like a Malefactor For the which his kind dealings towards me I beseech the Father of all mercy to comfort and blessâ— all his whole familie wife children â—â—d servants both in soule and body with all earthly and heauenly benefites euen as he hath comforted and refreshed me in all my miseries and great afflictions by his presence prayers conference and other fauours The Lord giue mercy c. Whereas many fell away and Doctrines deduced one mentioned that was resolute and Paul brings him in to be imitated of Timothy we may note this instruction that One good mans Example is to be preferred and followed before Doct. 1. a world of wicked persons We may not follow a multitude to doe euill Exod. 23. 2. No one Lot in Sodom one woman in the South one Michaiah is to be respected before al other vncleane Sodomites lazie Damosells and hundreds of false Prophets 2 Pet. 2. Luk. 11. 31. 1 King 22. 8. For he hath the truth on his side he followes the narrow Reas 1. way that leadeth to heauen Now the truth is to be preferred more then errour though Millions swerue to the one and a few embrace the other Againe God will excuse no man for so doing It will be Reas 2. a cold plea for a man to say I saw few of that stampe but multitudes of this I did as the most did when he shall come to the time of reckoning the great day of his account This iustly meetes with some in our dayes who hold Vse 1. neighbours fare good fare and to doe as the most the best way But haue these many the truth on their side doe they keepe the forme of sound words What a madnes would we esteeme it if a man when he is conuented before the iudge and accused for theft should say why all my
be The Iudge of all the world But in regard the most little consider this day or dreame of their latter end or if they doe vsually like Agrippa put it off vntill it be too late let these following Motiues somewhat preuaile with thee to practise it speedily 1. Remember that he may come suddenly in the dead of Motiues to prepare for the day of iudgment the night when thou little dreamest of such a matter Was it not a dreadfull summoning to the rich foole This night shall thy soule be fetched from thee Suddennes makes an evill a double curse We may die in our sleepe and what a fearefull thing would this be if we be tooke away in our sinnes for as death leaueth vs so shall iudgement find vs. 2. We cannot hide our selues or the least of our sinnes from his all-seeing eye For all things are naked and bare before him with whom we haue to deale 3. Consider his power he can send his Angells to fetch vs before him from the foure endes of the world be we neuer so strong in might or potent for number 4. Call to minde that he is strict and iust in all his proceedings not one can escape death if sinne be found vpon him 5. That there shall be no delay or bayle when he commeth iudgment shall be executed speedily 6. And last of all let it be well thought on what the iudgment is where the torments shall be with whom and how long The paine shall be in soule and body the place that darke and infernall pit the persons Sathan and all the damned from the presence of God and the spirits of iust and perfect men and the continuance for all eternity What heart so hardened conscience so seared or person so desperate reprobate weighing these things in the equall ballance of his owne minde and consideration that would goe on in a sinfull course and not amend Yet if this will moue nothing I say no more but the Lord haue mercy vpon thee for thy case is fearefull dreadfull The fourth Note we obserue is that The best man is not to rely vpon the merit of his workes but Doct. 4. the free mercy of God at the day of iudgement Math. 25. 37. 38. c. For he hath many falls into euill If we say we haue no sinne Reas 1. we deceiue our owne selues and the truth is not in vs And There is none that doth good and sinneth not no not one Even in many things we sinne all Besides our sinnes the best workes we performe be imperfect Reas 2. For as chaffe groweth vp with the corne so doth sinne cleaue to our perfectest actions Grace and corruption like fire and water mixed hinder the acts one of another from absolute perfection Away then with the Merit Mongers that plead through Vse 1. desert for saluation Had Onesiphorus neede of mercy that did so many good workes shal the Papist hold workes of supererogation We might say of Supererogation Canst thou stay the Sunne in his swiftest motion gather the wind in thy fist remoue the earth out of its center or stoppe the hot burning fornace with straw and stubble then plead afterward for merit yet these things be easier to mortall man then the other yet both impossible But they obiect Why then doth Daniel exhort the King Obiect 1. to Redeeme his sinnes by righteousnes Dan. 4. 27. 1. The Hebrew phrase is not truly turned Sol. 2. It s but an exhortation to repentance inducing him for to breake off his former cruelty he had committed the which is needfull for all persons 2 Tim. 2. 25. Christ bids the people to Make them friends of their riches Obiect 2. of iniquitie that when they want they may receiue them into everlasting habitations Luk. 16. 9. Sol. 1. They is not to be referred to the riches but to the persons as is plaine by the parable's application 2. No other thing is meant but that they would testifie of their goodnes and charitie towards them and pray for them Why then doth God command good workes Obiect 3. Sol. 1. To manifest that he approueth and alloweth them 2. That we might be prouoked to doe them 3. To comfort vs in the assurance of the truth of our faith 4. To strengthen the weaknes of our beleefe that often staggereth But God hath promised a reward to them Obiect 4. True but 1. It s of his free mercy not for our merits Sol. 2. He crownes his owne graces in vs. And we cannot Merit for 1. He workes both the will and deed of his good pleasure 2. There is no equall proportion betwixt our workes and salvation For they be finite imperfect temporall it is infinite perfect eternall 3. A worke of merit must be aboue that which is required at our hands aboue Gods due we haue none such For God hath created redeemed sanctified vs freely 4. We confesse that God might condemne the best for if he should Marke what is done amisse no meere man could abide it And he of his mercy can saue the worst Let the best therefore not presume neither the worst vtterly despaire 5. And we read of a threefold promise of reward 1. Vnder the Couenant of workes 2. Of faith 3. After we beleeue in Christ But this is all out of the Lords mercy and dignity not for our merits or desert 6. And if that be a truth that Christs merits doe not proceede from him or are procured by him without relation to the free promise of his Father the which some hold how then can man merit condignely Yet the Protestants maintaine good workes and no barren faith doe they allow as the lying Aduerâ—aries know well enough though they send vs all to hell with our fruitles faith Onely we say that by faith we are iustified without the workes of the law for were it otherwise Christ had died in vaine And this is our firme position that as fire cannot be without heate ayre without leuity water voyd of humidity or the earth be abstracted from all gravity No more can a true liuely faith be without some fruites worthy amendment of life Good workes are the way to heauen and a necessary condition if man haue time and meanes to be obserued yet they are not the sole cause of raigning When the Figtree saith our Lord puts foorth his leaues ye know that the spring draweth neere But is that a cause of the spring or the spring of that So when we bring foorth good workes we know we haue a true faith but faith is the cause thereof not the contrary and so consequently of mans salvation Bellarmine himselfe saith that in regard of the vncertainty of mans workes and our owne presumption the safest way is to depend on the mercy of God Thus by the ouerruling hand of God a second Caiphas hath once againe prophecied aright And let this doctrine reach vs to practise Christs lesson Vse 2.
which is that When we haue done all we can to confesse our selues vnprofitable seruants Let vs neuer dispute with our Maker plead perfection or by our selues iustifie our selues or expect the least reward Surely he that is well acquainted with his owne inward corruption and actuall transgressions will neuer boast of his owne worthines And no one point which the Papist doth defend hath caused me to doubt more of their finall good estate then this For if they were borne againe of the water and spirit they by their owne frailty would haue learned experience to haue beene farre from the least thought of merit Wherefore in thy best condition say Lord thy mercy is my merit thy free fauour my felicity Where Paul in the twelfth verse and now againe in this maketh mention of the last day we note that A good mans minde is often carried to thinke on the day of Doct. 5. iudgement Iob. 19. 25. Psal 17. vlt. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Phil. 3. vlt. For when they cast their eye on the poore creatures the Reas 1. which groane for our sinnes and shall not be freed vntill that time how should a good man who is mercifull to his beast but remember that day wherein they shall be deliuered into the liberty of Gods sonnes Gods children haue many false tales father'd on them and Reason 2. with strange aspersions are they besprinkled the which as vpon Eagles wings fly through towne and tauerne country and citie Gath and Ascalon vnder the great broad seale of good fellowship neuer to be reuerst or contrould vntill the Ancient of daies the searcher of all hearts that impartiall iudge haue the hearing of the case which must be at that day The faithfull feele and find in themselues many great infirmities Reason 3. of soule and body the which shall neuer be perfectly cured till Christ shall appeare So that the very losse of a tooth or of the least member will carry a good mans minde to that day wherein he beleeueth to be made perfect And he is so affected with his Sauiour he hath such a secret Reason 4. loue to all the Saints of God the which he neuer saw and a desire to behold the great possession his Father hath prepared for him the which he shall not fully behold and in soule and body absolutely pertake of and ioyntly enioy vntill Iesus come to iudge the world that his minde is often carried thither And is it not the great day of reaping the yeere of Iubilee and the marriage of the Lambe and his beloued Shall not the Diuell and all his soule spirits that haue persecuted the Saints of God be rewarded according as they haue rewarded vs and all the faithfull take possession of that glorious and immortall kingdom where they shal all with one tongue and heart with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious sing glory to God praise to the Lambe without the least inward opposition or interruption the which is their chiefe desire that heere on earth they ayme at that wherein their greatest blessednesse consisteth for euermore So that wonder not then if the faithfull haue their mindes often carryed to thinke on the day of iudgement And if this bee thus as it is indeede What shall wee Vse 1. thinke of such who neuer minde this day verily they are much affected with earthly pleasures and profits and haue little regard of the greatest good Many men in the Inne of this world are like the swaggerers and prodigals in a Tauerne who call freely eate and drinke laugh and are fat but neuer minde either the reckoning or the time of haruest for they haue sowne no good seed neither haue wherewith to discharge the shot therefore suffer these things willingly to slip and absent themselues out from their mindes because they haue or can expect no commodity by either But the faithfull man is of a contrary mind for he is sparing in expence and hath scattered much good graine the which will bring a goodly crop at his Masters appearing the great day of reaping both of which cause him often to looke vpward And by this Doctrine wee may proue whether wee bee Vse 2. like minded or not to the most faithfull person Doest thou againe and againe thinke on this day Is thy minde often carried to this obiect So arest thou on high with the wings of faith and a sound eye to this hill why then thou art a right bird truely bred and not of the bastard brood Euery crosse base imputation false report ach in the ioynts corruption in the flesh and spirit each good action faithfull prayer motion of true affection towardes Christ and his members heauen and holinesse will carry the mind of him or her that's truely religious vpright hearted to this Mountaine Marriage day and time of refreshing So that findest thou this in thy selfe then be of good cōfort for thou art of the Brides company and one that shall see the euerlasting light sit downe and reape ioy and gladnes life and glory in the largest fields of Gods goodnesse the heauenly Canaan the new Ierusalem which is aboue But if thou art destitute of these kinde of motions eleuations then striue for these properties that are the inseparable breathings and mouings of an holy heart sound minde and blessed person The very frame of nature stretcheth forth her necke and peepeth vpward to this season And shall the Eagles of the Churches owne breeding neuer flutter with their wings and cast vp their piercing eyes to this rich prey but stand a pruning that were a thing incredible Therefore haue this in thy selfe and bee blessed for euer We may further collect where Paul prayeth for mercy against that day that All our prayers are to be grounded on Gods promises Gen. 23. Doct. 6. 9. 12. 2 Sam. 7. 25. 1 King 8. 25 c. For our Apostle knew full well that such a time would come and that the Lord would reward euery good worke at that season by vertue of his former promises Because that they are all Yea and Amen in Christ Iesus Reas 1. not one but shall be performed sooner or latter Againe otherwise wee can haue no hope to bee heard Reas 2. For no faculty can or ought to extend it selfe beyond its adequate and proper obiect it is limited by its peculiar Rules The eye of the vnderstanding and foote or hand of faith may leade vs to God the first Ens and cause of all things but beyond that they cannot passe for there is nothing further to act or rest on Hee therefore that prayeth without a promise denyeth his owne request What madnes then is it for the Papist to pray to Saint Vse 1. and Angell Can they make promises in Christ or haue we any such ground giuen vs of God Vaine wishes are reprehended hence as when men pray for impossibilities and this doth meete with those that vse vnlawfull imprecations and also the blind devotion of