HEere is cluster, and multiplicitie of Christian Catechisme, as including and concluding these foure Articles of the ca­tholique faith. 1. The re­surrection of the flesh, touched in the standing of the dead before God. 2. The iudgement of the quicke and the dead, noted in the opening of the Bookes, out of which they haue the sentence of iudgement reade them. 3. The Com­munion of Saints. 4. Euerlasting life, not obscurely insinuated by the other booke, entitled: The Booke of life, heere spoken of.

This sentence is an absolute descriptiō of the iudge­ment, wherin we haue these circumstāces. 1. The per­sons standing in the iudgement to bee tryed. All. 1 Greate, 2. Small, of what note & marke soeuer they be 2. The manner of trial & proceeding with them, by the billes of enditement found out against thē in the opening the bookes. 3. The doome definitiue of dou­ble nature. 1. Absolution. 2. Condemnation accor­ding to the propertie and condition of their workes.

The precedencie is an introduction to this, which telleth vs the person of the iudge in the immediate verse before, which is Christ the Sonne of God, the Sonne of man, John. 5.22. to whome all the iudgement is commit­ted by the father, being the predestinate man, by whome he will iudge the world in righteousnes, Act. 17.31. whose maiest­ie is there depicted vnto vs, in his orient colours, an­swerable in effect to that which Augustine saith: vide­bitur terribilis, qui visus est contemptibilis, demonstra­bit potentiam, qui demonstrauit patientiam. He shall be seene terrible, that hath bene seene contemptible, and he shall manifest his power, as hee hath shewed his patience. And thus I pretermit the purport of the premises with this sentence of monition giuen you out of Augustin: August. in Psal. 66. Deut se corrigendos, dent se dirigen­dos, ei qui videt iudicandos. Let them yeeld to be cor­rected, let them yeeld to be directed, to him that one day shall see them all detected.

That which is first in nature, is heere handled first in order: the learning of the resurrectiō, the fore run­ner of the iudgement & the consequents thereof: taught in the verie entrie in these wordes. I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God. The re­surrection is the hand that holdeth vp religiō by the head: the life and soule of it, the first stone that we are to lay in our spiritual building, or rather the founda­tion that beareth vp the building, the anker of our hope, the certaintie of our saluation, called by Ter­tullian, Ianua regni caelestis. The doore whereat wee enter into the Kingdome of heauen, the Godly ther­by going to the ioyes, the wicked to the tormēts pre­pared for them: the referēce of our faith by the same Godly Father, Fiducia Christianorum est resurrectio mortuorum: Our Christian expectation is the corpo­rall resurrection, which is grounded on the Doctrine of Saint Paul, who bringeth in bundles of reasons for it by order of iust consequence thus: If there were no resurrection. 1. Then were our preaching vaine. 1. Cor. 1 [...] 1. 2. Your faith of none effect. 3. VVee should be found false wit­nesses. 4. The dead were quite vndone. 5. VVe were yet in our sinnes. 6. Of all men, Christians were most mi­serable. As if he shold haue said, take away the resur­rection, and take away altogeather, our preaching, your beleeuing, burne the Bible, throw downe pul­pits, lay our churches euen with their foundations, [Page]play the Epicures & belli-gods, and liue as ye list. For the Bookes are found lyars, the Prophets & Apostles haue fed vs with fables, & they are as Fountains dry­ed vp. But our foundations are in the holy hilles, and not in the valleies of humane reasons, we know what wee beleeue, and wee lay stedfast holde of the resur­rection & of faith towards Christ. Psal. 3.21. VVho shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able euen to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe. But yet there is more oppugnation, and insurrection, against this sweete Article of the resurrection, then against any parcell of Diuinitie beside: the deuill and his blacke guard, bending and banding themselues against this, withall the might and mallice that they can. 1. By Gentils. 2. By Iewes, without and within the Liber­ties of the Church. Without, by the Peripatecians, and almost al the broode of Brainsicke Philosophers and schoole of Epicures, among whome, heere what Seneca, Seneca ad Martiam. one of the best of that bunch, saith: Mors omnium solutio est et finis, extra quam mala nostra non exeant. Death is the Period and determination of al things, beyond which they cannot goe. And he stan­deth to reason it, and maintaine it in this wise: Quo modo potest miser esse qui nullus est? How can he be a wretched man that is no man? But there are in the Church that speake proudlye and peruersly against [Page]this excellent Diuinity, eyther marring it altogether, or (which is little better) making it in their owne moulds, casting cloudes & fume vpō the cleare light of the Scriptures, making a spiritual resurrection cō ­sisting in our renuāce & regeneration. Such were the Sadduces among the Iewes, put to a non plus, Mat. 22.33 and si­lence by our Sauiour: Such were Hymeneus and Phi­letus, while the Apostles liued & taught among them, taxed by saint Paul in his letter to Timothee. 2. Tim. 2.1 [...] Such were the Athenians verie troublesome to the same A­postle, no sooner he touched this text of the resurrec­tion, how be it they heard him willingly the forepart of the Sermon: Act. 17.32 and suth are the mockers & scoffers of whom saint Peter speaketh that this last age shuld bring foorth, 2. Pet. 3.4 who shall haue in derision whatsoeuer Preachers out of Scriptures shall tell them of the re­surrection, the iudgement & the worlds destruction, Such was Simon Magus, from whome came the sect of the Simonians. Such were the Valentinians, Carpo­cratians, Cardonians, Archotici, Seuerians, Basilidi­ans, Hierarchites, with rablements of such Locusts & Caterpillars, of whome Augustine hath entreated. Such were the Manichees that were mainely bent a­gainst this Article, against whom saint Augustin wor­thyly disputeth: such a one was Martion, who was no faithfull friend to the resurrection, as Tertullian in his fift Booke witnesseth. But that euerie mouth may [Page]be stopped, God gloryfied, our faith strengthned, we shall. 1. by authorities of Scriptures. 2. Sacred ex­amples. 3. Reasons irrefragable. 4. The whole course of nature make good this proposition, and winde it vp with the vse, and applycation that it giueth, and passe on to the rest.

1. In both the instruments the olde and the new, wee are compassed with cloudes of witnesses in the cause. Isaiah. 26.19 The Prophet Isaiah thus speaketh in it. Thy dead men shal liue: euen with my body shall they rise. Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of hearbes, and the earth shal cast out the dead. Liuely illustration heerof is in the dead bones, Ezech. 37.10 which by Ezechiel his prophecying vpon them, recouered their ioyntes, Dan. 12.2 sinnewes, flesh, skinne, life. Daniel mak­eth this as cleere as the Sunne, when as hee saith: Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to euerlasting life, and some to shame and perpetuall contempt. Psal. 17.16 Dauid is as plaine and open in the point. As for me, I will behold thy presence in righ­teousnes: and when I wake vp after thy likenesse, I shal be satisfied with it. Job. 19.25 But Iob striketh the naile to the head, who amidst all his perturbations and passions, maketh this profession. I am sure that my redeemer liueth, and hee shall stand the last on the earth. And though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodye, yet shall I see God in my flesh, whome I my selfe shal [Page]see, and mine eyes shall beholde, and noue other for mee, though my reines are consumed within mee. There be more places in the olde Testament besides these: but these are bones enough to choake them that are so impudent as to say, that the olde Charter performeth no testimonie to this present article: or if there bee any one to be found, that it was vn­knowne to the Fathers of those times. I am driuen to deale with the proofes of the new Testament, as Salomon did with the brasse in the Temple: it was so much he would not weigh it: they are so many, we cannot stand vpon them.

2. Examples of such as haue been raised from the dead, doe nourish and fortifie our faith in the re­surrection, 1. Ki. 17.22 2. Kin. 4.35 Math. 9.25 Luke. 7.15 Ioh. 11.44 Act. 9.40 Act. 20.10 as of the widdowes Sonne of Zarephath raised by Elijah: of the Shunamites Sonne restored by Elisha, of Iairus his Daughter, the widdowes Sonne of the Citie of Naijm, Lazarus that had lyen in his graue foure dayes, brought from death to life againe by Christ, Tabytha by Peter: Eutichus by Paul.

3. There are fundamentall reasons on the side of the resurrection that ought to sway with vs. 1. We draw the first from the Iustice of God, which would that the bodie which hath partaked with the minde, in the good or badde inclinations thereof, should bee rewarded accordinglye: which not being so [Page]perfourmed in this life, it could neuer be serued in nūber, measure, proportiō, without the resurrection. 2. We also dispute from his infinite goodnes, which plenteously rewardeth the well dooer: and his anger implacable, (worser, as Chrisostome faith, then a thou­sand helles) which must make an end, or rather no end with the workers of wickednes: both which were quite voided, were there a nullity of the resurrection. 3. We further argue from the immutabilitie of his veritie, his promises being signed by the finger of his spirit, and sealed with the blood of the Lambe, of ho­nor, glorie, peace, a crowne of immortalitie, the frui­tion of the tree of life, the sight of the glorious face of God, the societie with his Angels and Saints, the con­gregation of first borne, new names, white garments, pleasures at the right hand of God, abundance of ioyes for euermore: all which must take place by the resurrection. 4. Finally, our dignitie and excellencie aboue all other creatures, (wherein we goe as much beyond them, as the Moone doth the smaller Stars in glory) challengeth the same: which without the con­dition of the life to come, should be many wayes in­feriour vnto them. For as the earth with the other e­lements are of longer standing then man: so there be among Birdes, Beastes, Fishes, that are of greater strength and longer life then he. And whereas almost all creatures immediately after they bee producted [Page]can shift for themselues, and haue eyther no, or little neede others: man-kinde onely must haue need of great attēdance, & assistance, his time is shorter then of many of thē, & his miseries more then any of thē. Therfore there must be an other life to recōpence it.

4. But because it pleaseth the Philosophers to ar­raigne the Scriptures of follie, and measure Diuinitie by the line of humane wisedome, and cannot main­tain this maxime of their schoole a priuatione ad ha­bitum impossibilis regressus, from the priuation to the habit, the returne is impossible, vnles they flatly dis­claime the resurrection: and the Atheist rubbeth his filthines against Gods holynes, and scorneth whatso­euer is spoken out of scriptures, (whereby our fore­cited testimonies, examples, reasons, grounded vpon them, concerne not their professiō) we wil deale with them, by their owne learning, the order of nature, which is euerie ones Schoolemaister, and that shall stint the strife that is between vs, & make the questi­on questionles.

There be many good resemblances in the workes of nature, of the resurection in creatures of al kindes. 1. Vegetatiue. 2. Sensitiue. 3. Rationall, which albe­it they bee not proofes so pregnant: yet giue they good enforcement to the present argument.

1. Out of things vegetatiue, that haue but a grow­ing life: groweth verie good probabilitie of this sa­cred [Page]misterie. 1. Cor. 15, [...]6 As of Corne, (which is Pauls compari­son, and brought in by him to prooue the resurrecti­on) which first rotteth, and dyeth in the ground, and againe in the spring, the renewing time of the season, reuiueth and flourisheth, yea the earth with all her stirpes, hearbs, plants, yeild to the wrath & wracke of the winter, and decay, & die away: and draw their breath againe at the returne of the times, and put on their new habit and attire with which they statelie mantle and adorne the surface of the earth, and plen­tifullie serue for the vse of man.

2. To come to thinges sensitiue: there be among them sensible and significant signes of the resurrecti­on, Historians of verie good worth make report, that there bee certaine Beares and Mice, who sleepe whole winters without repast, and that in such sort, as by no agitation, and compunction that is vsed, they can be perceiued to stirre, vntill the spring of the yeare, when they awake againe, and shew themselues abroad out of their Caues and Dennes. The Indi­an Bird the Phoenix (as witnesseth Lactantius) is burnt to ashes by the power of the Sunne, and out of the same ashes another is quickned, wherby that kind is preserued. The Lyon missing of her pray, is longer from her whelpes, who returning finding them dead, roareth so outragiously as she recoue­reth them.

[Page] 3. But in the reasonable and royall creature, which is man, this matter is manifested, he is conceiued an infant in his mothers wombe, where of liquid seede thinges of sundry natures are producted, as flesh, bones, sinewes, veines, haire: in the wombe he is qua­lified with vitall Spirits, where he liueth, moo­ueth, feedeth, at the last out of the wombe, as out of a winding sheete, hee commeth into the world. Who is so stockish as cannot heere perceiue, special good token, & tipe of the resurrection? To presse this point further, that man may bee instance of mans re­surrection, dooth not euerie man euerie day as it were dye by his sleepe, which is the ligature of his sences and reason, there being such cognati­on betweene death and sleepe, as sleepe is termed by Philosophers, Imago mortis, the Image of death, and by Homer, Frater mortis, the Brother of death.

For what office doth hee performe of a liuing man, while hee lyeth like a tymber logge in his dead sleepe. But his sleepe being dispelled, hee is a new man, and returneth a fresh to his wonted labours, Doe wee not also see how many are cast into sownes and traunces, which for a time seeme to depriue them of breath and life: and yet doe recouer themselues againe. These bee to mee ve­ry good memorialls of my good resurrection, [Page]and they preach the like to you. Finally, the verie distinction of the times, readeth this Diuinity lecture vnto vs, while the day is buried in the darkenes of the night, as it were in a Sepulcher, & so rowleth a stone ouer it, as it cannot, vntill the dawning, breake out a­gaine. The like we say of the night which dyeth by the day. The seasons die and depart from vs, and liue and returne againe: all thinges by deformitie are re­formed. These be Tertullians arguments in Apolo­getico to prooue the resurrection against the Gētils. But to the aduersaries of this Doctrine, it seemeth a­gainst reason, and to bee impossible, that of nothing any thing should be made, & so that a body, by death as they say, resolued into nothing, should become a bodie againe, we answere them heerein, that it is su­prarationem, non contra rationem: aboue reason, but not against reason it should be so. And Potentia fa­cientis est ratio facti. Aug. Epist. 3. ad volus. Considera authorem, tolle dubita­tionem, it is Augustines saying: The power of the do­er is the reason of the deede. Consider the Author & doe away all doubt, the reason of the resurrection of the creature, is the power of the creator, there being nothing of impossible condition with God, that im­plieth not a contradictiō, as the schoole-mē doe dist­inguish. And it is false they say: that the bodie by death is dissolued to nothing, for it is but turned into his element, the earth, the Rocke from which it was [Page]first hewed, the pitte from whence it was first digged and to take vp the forme of the speech of the Philo­sopher, in materiam priman, into his first matter, of which it was first made, into which it shal be marred, & out of which it shal be made againe. Why should it seeme to you harder for God, to restore that which once was, then to create at the first of nothing that which neuer was? Are Artificers and workemen in Metalles able to dissolue such vessels as they list, & to make them new againe? Can Glasiers doe the like in that brittle ware? to let passe Potters, and Plodders in clay, who can marre and make any vtensill of that fragile nature, as many times as they please. And shall not the great maister work-man of the whole world be able to doe the like? Spend & disperse my bodie, so farre as force of imagination wil suffer you, suppose a Beast eateth it, an other beast prayeth vp­pon him, and that beast againe is deuoured by birds, those Birds are incorporated by men, and so my sub­stance is after many concoctions and degrees, trans­fused into many mens substance: the Lord shal sun­der and deuide them againe, aswel as the Craftes-mē can part sundrie metals that are moulten together.

But we are not to conceiue, that euerie thing that giueth increase to the bodies substance, is to rise a­gaine in the resurrection: but that euerie one shall haue such sufficiencie of dimensions, as shal serue for [Page]a perfect and absolute bodie. But be it that the bodie is to take vp that stature in the resurrection, which is laide downe by dissolution (as some stiflie de­fend it, whome wee will not offend in it, with the re­strictions and cautions that Augustine speaketh of, that we free it of deformitie, De Ciuit. lei lib, 22, cap, 20. infirmitie, tarditie, im­puritie) and be it neuer so piece-meale diuided ac­cording to the former supposition, the like whereof Augustine maketh in the same place, euerie part must againe bee restored to the right owner, as being but borrowed for the time, as the same father saith.

But wee conclude this, with these graue and re­uerend words of this man: Absit vt sinus vllus, secre­tumque naturae, ibidem. ita recipiat aliquid subtractum sensi­bus nostris, vt omnium creatoris aut lateat cognitio­nem, aut effugiat potestatem. Bee it farre from vs to thinke that any secret place, or conueyance of nature, should so hide any thing remooued from our sences, as it may be kept from the knowledge of the Creator, or escape his power.

It remaineth that wee reape the Haruest of this Doctrine, and the Vintage this Diuinitie giueth vs: much being to be gathered and gleaned from hence.

1. The resurrection is a comfort to the Godlye, and a corsiue to the wicked. So our Sauiour Christ [Page]saith of it: Ioh. 5.29. They shall come foorth that haue done good to the resurrection of life: but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation.

Heare the Godlye sowe in teares, they shall then reape in ioy: heere they labour and are heauie loden, there they shall rest from their labours, and take out their generall quietus est. And that is the re­koning Dauid maketh of it saying: Psal. 16.9. Mine heart is glad, my tongue reioyceth, and my flesh also doth rest in hope, the effect of the resurrection as the addition sheweth: For thou shalt not leaue my soule in graue, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corrupti­on. Wherefore the resurrection is stiled by Peter, Act. 3.19 Ma. 5.4.6 Reu. 17.1 Reuel. 21 the time of refreshing: for the hungrie shall bee sa­tisfyed, which is their refreshing: the mour­ners comforted, which is their refreshing: all teares wiped away from our eyes, which is our refresh­ing: death shall bee no more, nor sorrowe, nor crying, nor any more paine, which is our grati­ous generall refreshing.

The resurrection as Augustine saith: August Psal. 10. Est for­midenda malis propter paenam: amanda bonis prop­ter coronam. It is fearefull to the wicked for the stroke of Iustice: it is welcome to the Godlye for the crowne of righteousnes. As two that are cast into the Gaole, the one for a Capital, the other for a common offence, entertaine the time of the [Page]assises and comming of the Iudge, with contrarie af­fection, as being this mans absolution, & the other mans condemnation, and therefore the one is incou­raged, and the other is cast downe, when this time commeth: so the good in the resurection holde vp their heads, for their gaole deliuerie and redemption is at hand, the bad hang downe their heads, and are out of soule, for their swift damnation commeth. This calleth vpon vs for our speedie repentance, least that day as a snare vnawares come vpon vs: For such as this time leaue vs, such shall that time finde vs: Qualis quisque in isto die moritur, Iug. hesych pist, 8 talis in die illo iu­dicabitur: as a man dyeth in this day, so shall he bee iudged in that day.

2. The certaine expectation of the resurrection, and the due and duetiful meditation of it, serueth to rouse vs vp from our beddes of security, to take vs by the elbowes and set vs on our feete, and much fruite groweth vpon the stalke. It powreth water vpon the Furnace of our furious affections and cooleth them, it is the watch and the dyall by which we are direct­ed to spend our time, and it is the fanne that fifteth and winnoweth the pelfe from the corne, the staffe of our iourney towards heauen more fortunate then Iacobs was, with which he passed ouer Iordan, the starre that leadeth the Godly wise to the heauen­ly Bethlehem, where Christ is, as the Commet led the [Page]wisemen of the east to Bethlehem where Christ was.

He that hath a yerely great inheritance may spend somewhat liberally, but he that oweth more then he is worth must not spend an idle penny, as being to stand to the curtesie of his creditor that will call him to a reckoning. It so fareth with vs, we are already much cast behinde hand, as hauing spent too much time already vpon our pleasures and our sinnes: it remaineth now that we apply our selues to the Ap­postles counsell, to redeeme the time, because the daies are euill, and to ioyne in petition to God with Da­uid; O let me liue and recouer my selfe, before I goe hence, and be no more seene. The serious thought of this draue Ierom to his dumpes, and pricked him in the quickest vaine, whatsoeuer he went about, hea­ring the voice of the iudgement sounding in his eares, of which he saith thus: siue vigilo siue dormio, siue aliquidaliud ago, videor mihi audire vocem hanc in aure mea, surgite mortui, venite ad iudicium: whe­ther I awake or sleepe, or whatsoeuer else I doe, I seeme to heare this voice, ringing in mine eares. Awake ye dead and come to iudgement. The sound of this trumpet awaketh vs all, and it is a Spur to the Godly to prick them vnto vertue, and a bridle to the wicked to holde them in frō vice. While the Apostle fed vpō this, as vpon a restoratiue. That the resurrec­tion of the dead should be of the iust and vniust, how [Page]it wrought, he telleth vs. In this respect I endeauour my selfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience towards God and man. Act. 24.15.16.

3. The faith in the resurrection serueth to scatter our inordinate passions, which naturally strangle vs for our deceased friends and to keepe them with­in the limits and boundes of orderly modera­tion.

While we consider how death that slayeth vs all, is slaine in the electe by the generall resurrection, that non obijt, sed abijt: non amisimus sed premisin us. He is not lost, Gen. 15.15 Num. 27.13 but left for a while, he is but gone with Abraham to his fathers, as heere liuing, but among strangers: he is but gathered to his people with Mo­ses, as being heere but scattered: his flesh slee­ping and resting in hope with Dauids, Psal. 16.9. easing himselfe after such wearysome labours of this life, which being finished hee ariseth there fully to his endlesse felicitye, his soule all the while being in Gods custodye, and his spirit in the hands of the Lord of the spirits of all flesh, as Dauid teach­eth vs in his last wil and testament, leauing his king­dome to his Son, his carkas to the soyle, and to God his soule, Psal. 31.5. saying: Into thy hands I commend my spi­rit, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord thou God of truth, which the second Dauid of the seede of Da­uid sampleth, committing his soule to no other kee­per, [Page]then to the Creator as being there moste sure, as the Apostle saith: Luk 23, 46 I know whome I haue be­leeued, and I am perswaded, 2. Tim. 1, 12 that hee is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day.

4. While wee assertaine our selues of the resur­rection, and rest our selues in that as Doues in the cleftes of the rockes, we are armed and prepared a­gainst the terror of death, for wee consider howe God hath turned it into our benefit, and made it our entrance into a better life, our passage from a prison to a pallace, from a tabernacle to an abi­ding Cittie: from a region of death, to the land of the liuing: from the life of men, to the life of Angelles: from a bodie of humillitie, to a bodie of glorye: from the vale of teares, to that mount of Sion, where the Lambe is gathering the Saints about him, to the copartnershippe of those ioyes, which hee himselfe enioyeth according to that which the Apostle saith: 2, Cor, 5, 1 VVee knowe that when our earthlie house of this tabernacle shall bee dissolued: wee haue a building giuen of God, which is an house not made with handes, but eternall in the heauens.

What man hath beene thrown into a deepe dun­gion without light of Sun or Mooneful of Serpents, and all vile creatures, would not bee glad to bee [Page]set at libertie? our death & resurrection is this great mutation, the bodie being the prison of the soule, and the graue the prison of the bodie: the bodie be­ing as ful of sinnes as any prison is of Serpents in this life, and heauen being the pallace of our endlesse pleasures. What man maketh not hast for his life out of an olde house readie to fall? our bodies are no better then old clay: cottages ready to drop downe: our spirit is but vapour and fume, our garments are corruption, the worme and cancker, our portion, the earth, the wombe that did conceiue vs, and the earth, the wombe that must receiue vs. If a skilfull Pilote shall foresee and foretell a storme, shall not the Mariners hast all that they may towards the Ha­uen? Christ our great Ship-maister hath forespoken many stormes in the sea of this world: hie we there­fore to heauen, which is our hauen, to the key-side of the kingdome of God, & to the land of the liuing, the landing place of vs all. In the ioynd Battell with the worldly enemie, when our souldiers are strooken with gun shot on al sides, and our fellowes fall before vs, and behinde vs, on the right hand, and the left, what a happie turne is it for the enemie to turne his backe to vs, and betake him to his heeles, and how would this quicken and hearten our Spirits? but by the resurrection, all the ranckes and Classeis of our enemies, the deuill, death, condemnation, turne vs [Page]their backe partes and flie away from vs. The day labourer is glad whē the day is at an end, for thē his rest and his reward beginneth: the end of this life is the end of our labour, and then our rest and reward without end beginneth.

Euerie man is glad at the departure of Winter, and at the approach of Sommer: this life of ours is but a troublesome Winter, the life that is to come is the ioyfull Sommer season.

Hee is a brainelesse begger indeede, that would not put off his rotten ragges, to bee clad with roy­all robes: our hides that couer vs are paltrie lea­ther coates, and as filthy as any Beggers weedes: but in the other life wee shall bee cloathed with the white garment of Christes innocency, who shall change the vile rayment of our bodies, and shall decke them with all glorie and Maiestye suta­ble to his bodye. The traueller that hath beene long in farre parts, is a glad man when his busines are at an end, that he may returne to his wife, children, and friendes: our life is but a weariesome pilgrimage, of fewe and euil daies: by death and the resurrection wee haue a merrie meeting withall our kindred, and deare friendes departed in the Lordes feare. Hee that is out-lawed and banished for debt, is made a merrie man by his calling home againe, and the cancelling that debt: wee liue heere debtors [Page]and banished men, the Lord calleth vs home by the way of our death, and throweth all our tickets of ac­counts into the sea. Why therfore should not our hearts skip like Rammes within our bellyes for ioy? If Dauid, Paul, Peter, Iohn, or any of these great men and deare Saints of God, the fingers of Gods hand, and sacred actuaries and pen-men of his Counsells, might be sent downe from heauen vnto vs, we wold bee glad to take the widest perambulation that is, to looke anie of them on the face: but in the resurrecti­on, we shall see all the glorious companie of the pro­phets, the fellowship of the Apostles, the noble ar­mie of Martirs, and his holy Angels, yea Christ him­selfe face to face, wherefore we haue cause to wish & welcome this our resurrection.

5. I note also this aduantage in the resurrection that the faithfull haue: it is their Bul-warke and wall of brasse against all temptations, the Cittie of refuge amidst their persecutions in this world, the soule of the inward man, and blessed bee God which hath shewed vs this kindnesse in a strong Cittie. This was armour of proofe to Iob against all the fierie Dartes of the diuell throwne against his patience, Iob, 19.25, whereby hee was more then Conqueror, whilst his heart like Mount Sion, which could not be remooued, was fix­ed and fastened vpon the resurrection.

And this was as it were the latter gracious raine [Page]in the heate and drought of summer, which refresh­ed the inheritance of God, euen the soules of his Saints, and as the sweete wood throwne into the waters of Marah that tooke away the bitternesse of it, when in the daies of Antiochus they were vnder the Crosse, and endured strange torments: for they looked as the Spirit of God saith: for a better resur­rection. Heb. 11.3 [...] Dauid by this Target that couered his heart could fight like a man, and breake euerie Speare that was lift vp against him, & was in a readines for euerie enimie when he came in the gate, of which he doubted not to make this godly boast saying. Though I walke through the middest of the shaddow of death, Psal. 23.4 I will feare none euill: for thou art with me, thy rod & thy staffe comfort me. Phil. 1.21 This made Paule to say that it was life for him to die, because it was lucre and gaine to him. And the same Apostle being the mouth of the rest saith: Therfore we faint not, 2. Cor. 4.2 because we know though the outward man perish, the inward man shal be renued dayly, while we look not on the things that are seene, but on the thinges that are not seene. For that which the left hand of nature pulleth down, the right hand of the creator shall builde vp againe. The de­struction of our earthly mansion is the construction of our heauenly habitation, it is the same Apostles profession: 2. Cor. 5 VVe know that when the earthly house of this tahernacle be destroved: we shall haue a house not [Page]made with hands, Iudg. 5.23. but eternal in the heauens. For this cause curse ye Atheists as the Angel did Meroz be­cause they goe not out with vs to fight in the Lords cause in the resurrection. Sa. 1.21 As Dauid pronounced a curse on the mountaines of Gilboa that the clowdes might neuer drop vpō those clods, because there the shieldes of the mightye were cast downe: so a cursle of all cursses and the full viall of the Lordes malidiction bee powred vppon the bodies and soules of all vnrepentant Atheistes, whose hearts are soe hooped and bound about with infidelitie, as they haue throwne downe this shield and buckler of all their expectation, which is the re­surrection:

But the blessing of the Lord be on the mountains of Armenia which gaue rest vnto the Arke: and bles­sed bee all those Christian bodies and soules that rest vpon this, and let this rest with them, the Arke and the Cofer of his moste gracious pro­mises. And oh that Dauids fooles that say there is no God, and so no resurrection, who I feare are too rife in this Royall Cittie, had the markes of knowledge set vppon them, as the Leprous person had, whose garments were split, whose head and lippes were couered, who was inioyned to pro­claime, as he passed by, I am vncleane, I am vncleane: that all that see them might point at them, and say, [Page] There, there: Behold an Atheist, behold an Atheist, who are dead while they liue (by the sentence of Socrates) because all the cares of their life are but to liue: Non viuit cui nihil est in mente nisi vt viuat. He liueth not, that mindeth nothing but to liue, or as the Romaine Emperor said: cui nihill in vita dulcius est vita: to whome nothing in this life is sweeter thē life: whose estate therein is no better then a stone, viuit et lapis saith S ^t. Augustin: a stone it selfe liueth. But they are dead & dead againe, as S ^t. Iude saith: & to be plucked vp by the rootes, Mar. 11.13 as the Fig-tree blasted by Christ his lippes: dead by natural vegetation, dead by spiritual execration. From the subiect of the resurrection, we are led by the hand of the Text, to the tractat of the iudgement. And first to the circumstance of the persons in the iudgement to bee tryed, Al great and small, without any difference of sex, or sorte. So saith Esay in the person of God: Isai. 45.23. Euerie knee shall bowe vnto [...], &c S ^t. Paule confirmeth it, saying: VVe shal all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, Ro. 14.10. not one shall escape: so he concludeth it in the same place, fiue or one of vs [...] giue accounts of himself to God. Ro. 14.12. Iohn. 5. This proposition is alwaies indefinitely deliue­red. All that are in the graues shal heare the voice of Christ, and come foorth to iudgement. All nations shal bee gathered before him. Mat. 13.15. Hee shall giue to euerie one according to his works. Wherefore the Lordes [Page]judgement is compared to a Barbers Raser, which shall haue the haire of the head and the feete, euen the hyest and the lowest, the Pesant and the Prince. Isai. 7.20. Isai. 8.8. It is compared to a violent rage of waters, which shall not onely fil the channells, and the vallies below, but shall couer the toppes of the prowdest moun­taines. Men lay their nettes for the smaller fish, but the Lord trāmeleth for the great Leuiathan, Iob. 40.20. and cast­eth a line vnto his tongue, and peirceth his nostrilles with a hooke, Isai. 27.1. he hath Tewe for the great Dragon, & the crocodile in the waters, as the prophet Esay saith. There is no running behinde a tree with A­dam, behinde a Tent with Sara, or couering our selues with a vaile with Thamar. There is no running into the hoales of Rockes, or into the Caues of the earth from the glorie of his Maiestie. The Moun­taines cannot couer vs, the hilles cānot hide vs, from the anger of him that sitteth vpon the Throne, and of the Lambe. Isai. 22. Psalme. 62. Ioel. 2.9 Though we make our nest in a Rock, yet shall we bee as a tottering wall, and as a broken hedge. Gods iudgement shall runne vpon the wall, climbe vp vpo the houses, & enter in at the windows like a Theefe. No secret or sacred place shall then shrowde vs: [...]ephan, 1 but Ierusalem shall bee searched with lanterns: whereby make coniecture what shall bee become of Babilon. When the judgement of waters came vpon the first world, there was an Arke and [Page]a Barke to rescue Noah and his famely. When the iudgement of fire, licked vp Sodom and Comorra like drie stubble, yet Lot was exempted, and the little Ci­tie Zoar appointed him to runne vnto. But the vni­uersal iudgement spareth none, there is no couenant to be made with it. Isa. 30.33. Wisd. 6. Tophet is prepared for the King and the mightie shall be mightely tormented. The Lord puts this text into his seruant Ieremies mouth: Say vnto the King & the Queene. Humble your selues, Iere. 13.18 sit downe, for the Crowne of your glorie shall come downe. The greate mountaine before Zorobabell shall be made plaine: it is the prophecie and apho­risme of the Prophet. Corrupt Iudges shal then stand at the Barre before their judge, and be condemned, as Shebna was. Isai. 22.8. The jdle, jdoll Bishopes and Mini­sters shall then be cut of in that day, as he once cut of three of thē in a moneth. Zach. 11.8. Blasphemers who now throwe out oathes as mad men throwe stones, shall be sentenced to death, Leui. 24.10 as that Sonne of the Egiptian was, that was ouerwhelmed with stones and died: False witnesses, Zach. 11.5 vnder the burden of whom the earth now groaneth, shall then be serued with a witnes, & shall reape the fruite, their wickednes haue plowed, as the accusers of Daniel were handled. Dan. 6.24 All theeues and especially the Clerophagi of our time, that in­grosse the patrimonie of the Church, and say among themselues: Come let vs take to our selues the house [Page]of God in possession, who haue alreadie broken downe the carued workes therof with axes, & ham­mers shall be condemned in the iudgement with A­chan, who stole a wedge of golde and a Babilonish garment, Josue. 7. and bee led to execution. All Polititians & counterfeit Christians, that look vnder the brow, and runne with the streame and tide of the times, to engrosse the prosperitie and plenteousnes thereof, shall in the iudgement be stroken out of life, Actes. 5. as Ana­nias, and Saphira were. Our Popish heretiques, and all maintainers of Hereticall Prauitie and Pur­loyners and Barterers of Gods holy misteries, rather then they shall want executioners, their own parents shal be glad of the office, Zach. 13.3. & shal thrust thē through.

Finally let all the sort of Schismatiques that fight vnder the standard of their grand Captaines Korah and his complices, Numb. 16. and would vnioynt gouernment, tremble at their judgement, the earth opening and swallowing vp Dathan, and couering the congrega­tion of Abiram. Of which saith saint Augustin: Quis dubitauerit hoc esse sceleratius cōmissum quod est gra­uius vindicatum? Who dooth doubt that this is hey­nously committed, which is of the Lord so highlye punished? When a Noble man in case of treason is brought to Westminster Hal to be arraigned, the people in admiration thereof, runne in flocks and heapes thither: But what a sight will there bee that [Page]judgement Hall, where the Lord wil hold his Assises, so many Princes & Potētates, shal stād without gard or retenue, naked, & trembling, yearning, & eating their tongues through griefe, & shal receiue sentence not onely capital, but eternall. If al the bodies that e­uer were borne, might bee now seene in one heape, what a fearefull spectackle would it make? but there shall bee this obiect in the generall iudgement, to strike vs all with amazement.

2. The next circumstāce is the maner of the trial, & iudicial proceeding with the persons cōuented in the iudgment, & that is, by the bookes & euidences that are put in against thē: wherin what is ment by these bookes, & how many bookes there are, it is to be cō ­sidered. By the bookes I vnderstād the certaine & in­fallible knowledge of God, his remēbrance & care of al things, especially of such as cōcerne his chosē ones: so as their nūber & names are before his eyes, as if he had amanuenses, registers & Scriueners to make en­rolmēt of thē. For as he numbreth the stars & calleth thē al by their names: as he keepeth tale of the haires of our head, so as not one of thē fal away frō vs with­out his foreknowledge: as his prouidēce stretcheth it self to the hādful of meale of the womā of zarepthah, & to the pitcher of oyle of the preachers widow: to the fal of a sparrow frō the house top to the cloathing of the lilleis, & grasse of the field: to the prouission of the young Rauens that call vpon him: so much more [Page]keepeth hee a Kalender of our dooings, and setteth our secret sins in the sight of his countenance. Thus Metaphoricallie in this sence are Bookes giuen to God, the spirit heere alluding to the custome of the wise, to Princes, Vniuersities, Merchants, Maisters of families and such like. Princes vse to haue a bill of the names of such as appertaine vnto them, that they may knowe what number they haue, & how to pro­uide for them in time. So the Lord hath his court in heauen, to which he hath not chosen al, but some be­fore the foundations of the worlde were laide. Now the number and names of such, he keepeth in as sure and sweet remembrance, as if hee had put them into writing Tables for the purpose. As God said to Mo­ses, I know thee by thy name: Exo. 35.12 as Christ saith of himself to the Church. Iohn 10.3. He calleth his owne sheepe by name, & else where: Luk. 10.20 willing them to reioyce, because their names were written in heauē. Vniuersities doe the like: when they admitte any into their corporation, they cataloguize their names: Merchants and Houshoul­ders serue their memories in matters of moment, by notes that they keepe of them. So this is the reason and cause of the Metaphor, and the signification of the Bookes, so often remembred in diuine lear­ning. Gods minde therfore is his book: the Tables of our hearts are the writing Tables, aswel as parchmēt skrolles, wherein are thinges engrossed. The omni­science [Page]of God is the writing it selfe. Things are said to be written in a booke, that is in the sacred secrets of his brest, as he knoweth them altogether.

We finde three bookes giuen to God in the Scrip­tures. 1. One is of his Prouidence, & foreknowledge of all things before euer they were. 2. Another is of the iudgement. 3. The other is of life. The sweete singer of Israel saith. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, Psal. 139.16. and in thy booke were all my mem­bers written, which day by day were facioned, when as yet there was none of them. There is the first booke of his prouidence, & foreknowledge. 2. The second which is the book of iudgement hath two Tomes or volumes. 1. The first is his vnderstanding of all our workes and wordes, according to which hee will a­ward Iudgement in the day of iudgement: so as this is insteed of a rolle in Gods hand, wherein the names of all delinquents are set downe, and the qualitie of their dooings. 2. The other Tome is the booke of e­uerie ones conscience, which shall performe testimo­nie to things done and vndone, which may also bee entitled the booke of life, that is of this life: which di­uine operation in the conscience accusing or excu­sing, scientia conscientiam the knowledge, the consci­ence, hath the name of a booke, because in that in a manner is read, whatsoeuer by the agent hath bene hid. 3. The third book is inscribed the booke of life, [Page]that is of Gods predestination to eternal life: which is begun in this life by our stedfast faith in Christ, ac­cording to the words of Christ, Hee that beleeueth in me hath eternal life, that is the inchoation & first fruits therof, after death it must haue consummation & perfectiō. So the book of life is a register or role in the Lords right hād of the names of such as are pre­ordinated to euerlasting life, whom God will alwaies acknowledge to be his, Iohn. 13.8. 2. Tim. 1.19 as our Sauiour saith: I knowe whom I haue chosen, as St. Paule saith: The Lord know­eth who are his. This book is oftē spokē of in the scrip­tures, as by Moses: Exo. 32.32. when he saith: Rase me out of thy book which thou hast written. Psal. 69.29 By Dauid, Let thē be put out of the book of life, & not be writtē among the righ­teous. By Isaiah he shal be called holy, Isai. 4.3. that shalbe writ­ten among the liuing in Ierusalem. Ezech. 13.9 By Ezechiel, They shal not be written in the writings of the house of Isra­el. By Daniel: Dan. 12.1. Euery one shal be deliuered, that shalbe found written in the book. The new Testament doth often intreate of it: Luk. 10.20 Christ toucheth it saying: Reioyce because your name is written in heauen, that is, in the book of life: Phil. 4.3. so doth Paule when he saith, I beleeue thee faithful yoake-fellow helpe those women which la­boured with me in the Gospel, with Clemēt also, & with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life: so doth the spirit elsewhere in the Reuelatiō. There shal enter in it no vncleane thing, Reuela. 21.27 neither what­soeuer worketh abhominatiō [...]

Now these bookes shal be opened, that is the Lord whose fiery eyes of his omnisciēce peirceth al things, that holdeth the ball of the worlde in his hands, and keepeth a perfect reckoning of our doings, shal set e­uery ones seueral sinne in his sight. And this diuine power shal smite open the doores of our cōsciences, which shal cal to remēbrāce our forepassed misdeeds & conuict & condemne them. For there is a booke that is writtē in our hearts, which is of the workes of the law, the Lord hauing imprinted in thē the notiōs of thē: as naturally enduing the verye heathens with iudgement to deuide good from euill, & to discerne betweene thinges honest and dishonest, that no man might hold vp for his defence, the target of ignorāce. This we shall soone perceiue by our cursory confe­rence of the ten cōmaundements, with their politick sanctions. 1. Of the first which teacheth that there is a God whom we al stād bound to worship, the Ora­tor Cicero saith: Cicero Legibus. Nulla gens tam sera nulla tam barba­ra natio, in quibus non misideat deorum opinio. There is no natiō so wilde and barbarous, that is not perswa­ded that there is a God. The Athenians did set vp an Alter, Ignoto Deo, the vnknowne God. Protagoras, Act. 17. Abderites that said: VVhether there be Gods or no, I haue nothing to say, was by the Athenians banished for it.

2. To the second, which is an inhibition of Idola­try the Persians gaue consent, who as Strabo writeth [...] [Page]abhomination, burned and destroyed their Temples and their Images. Cornelius Tacitus storyeth it of the auncient Germaines, that they held it verie vnbesee­ming the heauenly Maiestie, to mure him vp within priuat walles, & according to humane shape to sha­dow him. And Numa the secōd King of the Romains (as Plutarch relateth) held it verie heynous, that any should comprehend the inuisible God, vnder the si­militude of a visible creature.

3. The third precept against blasphemie, and pro­phane vse of this great name, was as duely practised among them. Theophrastus noteth Pericles with his inckhorne for an absurd fellow, as shewing to a friēd of his in his sicknes, certaine charmes, which old Bel­dams had tyed about his neck, vnder which the name of God was inuocated and prophaned. Tullus Hosti­lius was stricken out of life, by a thunder bolte, and was depriued of solemnitie of funeralles, because it was in his minde to haue called out Iupiter, and so to haue cast abuse vpon his name.

4. The fourth of the Sabaoth, was by them solem­ly obserued: which their Lawes in that behalfe pro­uided, aboundantly doe testifie, but heerein wee are to giue them the blame, that they pestred and cloyed the Religion of the Sabaoth with such a crew of jdle and nastie ceremonies.

Now this common sentence of theirs, then in eue­rie [Page]ones mouth, That which thou wouldest not haue done to thee, doe not to another, is the somme & Epito­mie of the cannons of the second Table: but yet let vs in a word particularize vpon them.

5. How they esteemed of Parents, and of the aged, and gray headed, that goe also in Diuinity, vnder the name of parents, bee their owne Authors judges. It is Menanders saying:

The same Poet also saith:

Valerius giueth vs a memorable example of a Daughter, who being charged vpon paine of death, not to bring any succour to her Mother, being ad­iudged to die by famishment in prison, hauing ac­cesse to her, releeued her nothwithstanding with the milke of her brestes, which was so admired as it ef­fected the womans pardon. But how could this haue bene saith Valerius, had not the verie instinct of na­ture, weitten this law of loue within her heart? hence it is that Solon, thought it superfluous to giue a de­cree against Parricides, as not imagining that any could so put off nature, as to bereaue them of their life, of whome they had their life. And how they ro­garded [Page]those that were in yeares, Parents for their age, this custome of theirs sheweth

They did account it a prodigious impiety and capital, for the young men not to rise vp, and to doe reuerence to the aged.

6. Murther was of that execrable nature vnto them, as Romulus confoundeth these two words to­gether, homicidium and parricidium: adiudging ho­micide & Paricide al one: yea the punishment ther­of was so exquisite, as there was not a man slaine by priuate hād within the walles of Rome, for the space of sixe hundred and twentie yeares after that Citye was founded, as Dion Halicarnasseus doth report.

7. How by nature the heathens abhorred whore­dome, and were therin a law vnto themselues, before the law of God was giuen: the examples of Pharao, & Abimilech shewes, who assaulted Sara in ignorance that she was anothers wife.

8. Theft, by the Athenian Law-giuer, Draco was punished by death: & by Solon by double dāmage: and by the Romaines, according to the proportion of the fellony, yea Vsurie which is thefts Daughter, is consorted by Cato the elder to murder.

9. They made such prouision against false testi­mony [Page]as it was enacted among thē, that none shold be a witnes in his own cause though the matter were neuer so meane as Cicero saith. Cic. 2. Osi. And their saw also excepted against such, who were knowne to be ene­mies to that person, against whome they should giue witnes, as the same Orator telleth vs, giuing vs this reason for it: Ementiuntur enim sape in eos quos o­derunt: Men will easily lye against such whome they hate: among the Indians euery lyar was verie sharp­ly censured.

10. The last was verie requisite to curbe our af­fections: Sophocles calleth this affection of coueting that is an others, a furious commaunder. It was the answere of Leonides to Xerxes, egging him to defec­tion, and promising him the Grecian monarchie, vp­pon that condition: If thou knewest what thinges were honest in this life, thou wouldest forbeare to couet that which is anothers: as for mee I had rather die then doe it.

But heere the natural mans conscience is as a book clasped, and shut vp, euery mā being willingly igno­rant of that, which the Lord with an iron pen hath thus written in his heart, eyther not acknowledging his misdoings with Giezi, who could say to his Mai­ster, 2. King. 5. Thy seruant was no where, or else pleading a good intention in defence of a bad actiō, 1. Sam. 15. as Saul did to Sa­muel that vnder colour of sacrifice would protect [...] [Page]disobedience. If there bee but a bush in the thicket of Paradice, Gen. 3. thither will Adam conuay himselfe to shrowde his nakednesse: and if there bee any shift in the worlde though it bee neuer, so balde and miserable, the Sonnes of Adam will be boulde with it. Dauid would neuer haue knowne the man that was Nathans declamation, and the principall of the Parable: if the Preacher had not pluckt him by the sleeue, and roundlye made him the applycation of it, saying: Thou art the man. The accusers of the woman taken in adultery, drewe a formall Bil of inditement against her, 2. Sam. 12. Iohn. 8. and followed it to the full: But when Christ wylled them to lay their handes vppon their owne hartes, they put vp their papers and shrunke away suddenly.

If an othe would haue gone for payment, Peter had a lustie one at commaundent in the deniall of his Maister, to put of a daunger, I know not the man. So long as there were eleuen els, vpon whom Christes prediction of a traytor to come out of the company of the twelue, Math. 26. might be cast, Iudas would make a question of it, though hee knew it to be que­stionles, Maister is it I? But in the iudgement Adam shal be put besides his apron of figge leaues, Sara be­sides her Tent, Thamer besides her maske, and euerie mans conscience shal say vnto him, as Achab to Elias: Hast thou found me, O my enemy? Quando Deus [Page]iudex erit, alius testis quam conscientia tua, non erit. [...] iudicem ius [...]um, et conscientiam tuam, August. [...] Psalme. 36 noli [...] ­mere nisi causam tuam. Si causam malam non habueris nullum accusatorem pertimnesces: nullam falsum testem refelles, nullum verū requires. Whē God (saith Augustin) shal be thy iudge, there shal bee no other witnes then thy conscience Betweene this iust judge & thy conscience doubt nothing but thy cause: if thy cause bee not bad thou shalt feare no promooter, thou shalt not challendge any false witnes, nor call for any that is true. Againe saith the same father: In­terrogat te non alium de te: interrogat te, non vt discat a te, sed vt coufūdat te. He asketh thee, not any other of thee: hee asketh thee, not to learne of thee, but to confound thee. Augustin giueth vs a coppie of the in­ditement by the iudge, which shal be put to the con­science to reply vnto, formed in this wise: Suscepi do­lores tuos vt tibi gloriam darem: suscept mortem tuam vt in eternum viueres, conditus iacui in sepulchro vt tu regnares in caelo. Cur quod pro te pertuli perdidisti? Redde mihi vitam tuam, pro qua meam dedi. Tu des­pexisti in [...]omine deum, in infitmo salutem, in via redi­tun, in Iudice veniā, in crace vitani, in supplicijs me­dicinam. I vndertooke thy sorrowes to bring thee to glorie, I suffered this death to giue thee eternal life: I lay buried in earth, that thou mightest raigne in heauen: why hast thou lost that which I haue [Page]bought? Giue mee this life, for which I gaue thee mine. Thou hast despised in man, this God: in infir­mitie, this strength: in the way, thy returne: in the iudge, thy pardon: in the torments, thy medicines. To all this shall the conscience, which is insteed of a thousand witnesses giue testimony & consent, which shall be as Barnard saith: Testis, Iudex, Tortor, wit­nes, Iudge, Executioner: Ipsa accusat, Ipsa iudicat, ip­sa punit, Ipsa damnat. That inditeth, that iudgeth, that punisheth, that damneth. The shield of igno­rance which we shal then hold vp, shal be turned in­to a spiders web. The conuiction of the conscience is an argument vnresistable. The truth wherof by sencible experience is known to euery one, that hath but a dramme of ordinarie vnderstanding. For how­soeuer we may bleare the eyes of men, yet we cannot plucke out the eyes of our minde and knowledge. We may beguile a Iudge by subtiltie, and terrifie an informer by our insolencie, but wee cannot escape the arraignment & iudgement of conscience, which maugre our hearts, shall sift our misdeedes to the coursest branne, bring them to the light, proclaime them on the house top, and shall set downe torments before vs, for time and times, and when there shal be no more time, and set nothing but terrors about vs, which the Poets vnderstand, fuciarum taedis ardenti­bus, by the burning tapers of furious and hellish [Page]hagges. To conclude, our selues being iudges, wee cannot be acquainted. And there cannot be a grea­ter punishment in humane inuention, then thus to carry our accuser in our bosome, and this is the Ope­ning of the bookes, heere spoken of Gods omnisci­ence calling into our knowledge all our misdeedes and our vnrestie conscience in the guiltines thereof, openly acknowledging them.

We haue many dueties red vs in this lecture of the opening of the bookes. 1. As first of humiliation and repentance. This was that the Apostle would inferre out of the Sermon that hee made to the Athenians of the iudgement, the Text whereof was: Act. 17.32 The Lord hath appointed a day wherein he wil iudge the world in righteousnes. For all our new Doctrine, wee keepe still the old conuersation. But for Gods sake let vs thinke of the counte day, and preuent the iudgemēt to come with newnes of life, as Iacob by rewards sent before him, aswadged the furie of his Brother E­sau. Let vs meete the Lord in the way, Amos. 4.12. 1. Sam. 25. it is the coun­sell of the Prophet Amos: As Abigail met Dauid in the way to her great good. For by this she staied the sword of his vengeance: and by this wee shall stay a more deuouring sword, drawne long agoe out of the scabbard of his patience. To this end saith the A­postle: If we would iudge our selues, 1. Cor. 11.31 we should not be iudged. A former iudgement taken out of our selues, [Page]shalbe a Supersedeas to the second judgement that must else come out against vs. To the due perfor­māce wherof these foure things are required. 1. A due examinatiō of our selues, 2. Kings. 5 because the flesh is as Gie­zie that lyeth to his Maister, that is to his soule, and will not acknowledge what it hath done. Where­fore as Elisha examined him: so must the soule exa­mine the bodie. Iudg. 16.6. And as Dalilah examined Sampson in what part his strength was, so is euerie one to ex­amine himselfe in what part his weakenes is. As Ie­hu did examine Iehonadab, 1. King. 10.15 whether his heart stood right toward him, so wee are to examine our selues whether our heart stand right towards God. Paul willeth vs to trye althings: wherefore it followeth by needful consequence, 1. Thes. 5. that we should trie our selues.

Isaack tryed his Children before he blessed them. Salomon tried who was the right mother: The Ephra­mites were tried before they could passe Iordā: Gra­siers try their Oxen, Merchans their golde, wisemen their seruāts. Therfore we are much more to try our selues. 2. Hauing found out our sinnes in the next roome, we must confesse them vnto the Lord. In this duetie lyeth a great part of Gods glory, as Iosua saith to Achan: My Son giue glory to God and confes what thou hast done: Iosue 7 Cypian. It is Ciprians graue saying, Somnium narrare vigilantis est, et vitia confiteri sanitatis indi­cium est. To deliuer our dreame, it is a token of [Page]wakefulnesse, and to acknowledge our misdeedes, it is a signe of healthfulnesse: which Seneca sheweth by similitude when he saith: Vulnera clausa plus cru­ciant. Seneca. Woundes that are stopped, are more paineful to vs: which hath iust application vnto the stoppage of our spiritual woundes. And how they will tormēt vs Gregory deliuereth: Si non confessus lates, incon­fessus damnaberis. it vncōfessed thou hast hid, Greg. vncon­fessed thou shalt be damned. 3. Vppon this our con­fession wee must proceede vnto a iudgement and condēnation of our selues, to stop the greater iudge­ment and condēnation. Wherfore August. saith: Aug. Pec­catum puniendum est aut ate, aut a deo: si punitur a te, tune punitur sine te: si vero a te non puni­tur, tecum punietur. Sinne must eyther bee pu­nished by thee or by God, If it be punished by thee, it shall bee punished without thee. If it be not pu­nished by thee, it shal be punished with thee. Wher­fore Bernard taketh bond by decree of himselfe to performe this part of duetie. Bernard in Canti. serm. 24. Hee saith hee wil pre­sent himselfe to his judge, Iudicatus non iudicandus, alreadye iudged, and not bee iudged. 4. Lastlye to saue our selues from destruction, let vs call for the Psalme of mercye for our neck-verse, which is so infinite, as no affection of nature, or propor­tion of creature is able to expresse. The height of the heauen aboue the earth, the widenesse from the [Page]east to the west, the tender loue of Parents to their Children, of Eagles to their young ones, are but light shaddowes and resemblances thereof, they are not equall rules and measures of it. The mercie of God is the mother that conceiueth vs, the nurse that feedeth vs, and that which shall keepe vs for euer and euer saith Cassiodorus.

2. It is also caution & prouision against rash iudge­ment, it is the vse and applycation, the Apostle mak­eth of it in two places: 1. Cor. 4.3. as when he saith, Iudge no­thing before the time, vntill the Lord come, who ligh­ten things that are hid in darknes, and make the coun­sels of the heart manifest. Ro. 14.10. Againe, VVhy doest thou iudge thy Brother, for we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ. To God onely appertain­eth the iudgement, and the iudiciall seate he keepeth onely to himselfe, wherefore Christ saith: Iudgement is mine. Wherefore what a presumption is this for the prisoner that must stand at the Barre to be iudg­ed, to take the roome on the bench that belongeth vnto the Iudge? the Lord wil be sure to recompence this saucines with retaliation of iudgemēt, as he insi­nuateth in this his cautiō, Iudge not & ye shal not be iudged. But this is the common disease of our nature and as kinde vnto vs, as the skinne that we carrie a­bout vs, we wil giue iudgemēt of a mans inclination if wee but see his outward behauionr and action. [Page]As if he looketh downeward wee will note him for an Hypocrite: If vpward, wee conclude him to bee proud: If silēt too seuere, if somewhat pleasant & tal­katiue to be too remisse. If somewhat frugal too co­uetous, if somewhat liberal too careles, if somewhat costly in apparrel too lasciuious, if somewhat famili­ar a flatterer, if somewhat graue, stoical. There was a fellowe shot his fooles bolte at Pompey, and argued him of effeminate nature, for hee scratched his head forsooth with one of his fingers, & that was the lux­ate logique to conclude it. This Hydra doth more hurt then any one can diuine, yea euen in the church among vs: while he that is formall taketh the other side to be too peeuish, and those that would reforme take vs to be too Popish. For my part I shal iudge of them in loue, and if they shall iudge of vs according to their lusts, I shall leaue them to their lusts: to con­tend with them, wee haue no such custome nor the church of God: we will not take vp the Lordes pecu­liar Chayre, which hee hath in the hearts and the reynes of men. In many things we sinne all, the Lord be mercifull vnto vs all.

3. It traineth vs to the timely reuerence and feare of the name of the Lord, and to giue him his glorie: the spirituall learning deducted from the iudgement which the Angell giueth vs. Feare God and giue glo­ry to him, for the houre of his iudgement is come. For [Page]be our sinewes neuer so hooped about with iron, and our hearts harder then the neither most milstone, the hāmer of Gods iudgemēt wil break & mollifie them, or else there is no Iron instrument in the worlde can doe it. The Cananites were as contumacious a people as any vnder the Sunne: yet the comming of Moses, Ioshua & the people of Israel in military ma­ner, so perplexed & apalled thē, as their hearts mel­ted in their bellies as waxe before the Sun. And shall not the cōming of the great Iehouah, riding vpon the heauēs as vpon an horse, & flying with the wings of the winde, like a man of war, putting on the haber­geon, & swoord of justice, which shal thē be dronken with blood in heauen, more strike vs out of heart, & take our spirits from vs? Elias his comming to the Priestes of Baal, was their stupefaction & destructi­on: wherefore Christ his comming in wrath and in­dignation, his face burning, and his lippes full of in­dignation, must needes haue a more terrible opera­tion in vs. Psalme. 18 If the earth trembleth and quaketh, and the mightie foundations of the hilles shake, & be re­mooued because he is wrath: how shall hee not rend asunder the foundations of our hearts, and make them to stacker like a drunken man, when hee shall come to execute the furiousnesse of his wrath? Math. 2. If Herod & Ierusalem were so trobled at the birth of Christ: what an intricate maze of miseries & troubles [Page]shall encircle the wicked in that great day, when he shall come to iudgement? Exod. 17. If the thunder clappes and fire flashes on Mount Sinai, when the Law was published, so quelled all the people, as they crouch­ed vnto Moses, and besought him, that hee might speake vnto them, and not God: when the whole world shall bee set on fire, Et incandescet eundo, and it shall flame as it goeth, and shall climbe vp to the midst of heauen, and the highest shall sound his shrill trumpet, to the dolefull and bloodie battell, what shall become of vs? Hest. 14. If Queene Hester was throwne into a traunce, at the sight of the Maiestie of King Assuerus: at the sight of the ineffable glo­rye of the King of glorye, how shall not all pal­pitation and extremitye of passion possesse vs? If the sight of one Angell put Daniel to an extasie, Dan. 9. what effect shall the fight of so manye myriads of Angels haue with vs? which must accompanie the iudgement? Math. 28. The warders of the Sepulcher were dead men at Christes resurrection, wherefore deade and dead againe shall the wicked be in the ge­nerall iudgement.

If the armed Soldiers sent to attache Christ in the garden, Iohn. 18. were so throwne backward at these milde words of Christ, I am the man: when euerie word shal be a deadly wound to the wicked in the iudge­ment, how shall they be able to abide it? whose [Page]brestes and sides, shall then bee able to receiue the quiuer of his arrowes, which must licke vp all their blood and deuoure their flesh.

This Doctrine therefore of the opening of the bookes, openeth all our hearts: wherfore goe we not about to pluck out the eyes of al knowledge of God, with Dauids vaine man that saith: Tush God doth not see it, the God of Iaacob doth not regard it, who is there noted for a noddy for his labour: O thou foole, shal not he that made the eye see? The Lord is not liable to the scorne that was throwne vpon Baal, Cry low­der, for Baal may be otherwise imployed, or coasting a­bout the Countrie, or happily hath betaken himselfe to his pillow and is at rest. His seauen eyes saith Zacha­rie runne through the world: the circles thereof are broader then the Moone: And as he is Totus oculus, as Augustine saith: so he is totus manus, he is all hand to strike: and let this serue for the Doctrine of this place.

But there is an other wrighting booke besides these, that is to be opened, bearing heere the Title of the booke of life, namely of our eternall life, begun in this life, and finished by our death. But wee must likewise distinguish of this, as it is of two sortes.

1. The first is a wrighting in opinion and not in­deede, the iudgement of the faithfull which is led by charitie, being led blind-folde by the Hypocrisie of [Page]many, who make shewes of Godlynes, & vse strange fallacies betweene the Temple and the Alter, to the enchauntment of their soules, as staring vp with their eyes, eleuating their hands, smiting of their brests, hanging downe their heads, wagging their lippes, sighing, weeping, and looking demurely, with ma­ny such mockeries, which easily coozen credulous charitable Christians. But howsoeuer these haue a name that they liue, the courtesie of Christians ma­king the best construction of their painted professi­on, and wrighting them in the Church booke: they are not indeede in the wrightings of the house of Is­rael, or in the legend of the liuing. For the Lord will strippe them of these vaine shewes, and bewray their hollowe hearts and discouer all their knauerie.

2. The second sort, is vncreated prescience, and e­ternall foreknowledge, by which he acknowledgeth, and hath acknowledged those whom he hath preor­dinated to be his. Of this saith Augustine, Liber iste apertus non admonet deum qui sunt sernandi, sed pre­destinationem eorum significat, quibus aeterna dabitur vita. Neque enim nescit eos Deus, aut in hoc libro legit vt sciat: sed potius ipsa eius praescientia de illis quae fal­li non potest, liber est vite in quo sit scripti id est prae­cognitj. This booke that is opened, doth not learne God who are to bee saued: but it signifieth the pre­destination of such, to whome eternal life shall be gi­uen. [Page]Neyther are they vnknowne to God, neyther readeth hee in this booke to knowe them: but rather his very foreknowledge it selfe of thē, which cānot be deceiued, is the booke of life, in which they are writ­ten, that is to say, foreknowne.

Now heere we are to open the vaine of the liuely­est and sweetest question in the Bible. VVhether hee whose name is once entred into the booke of life, may e­uer be blotted out, that is, whether an elect childe of God, cā euer be a reprobate? Our answere is nega­tiue that he cānot: & the affirmatiue part is most de­testable, & diuelish. True faith doth not know what this meaneth, to houer between hope & feare, as the Rauen ouer the Arke between heauen & earth. Our faith layeth holde vpon the omnipotencie of God, as being in security of his wil, it being ours by promises before the best witnesses in heauē & earth, vnder the wrighting of his hād, & the seale of the blood of the Lambe: whatsoeuer hee would haue vs beleeue, hee hath liberallie promised of his owne accord, which hee would neuer haue done, had hee not minded to stand to his bargaine, and to be as good as his word.

But let vs carrie away the cause from euerie gaine­sayer by the power, and strong hand of argument.

Of the iust saith the Psalmist. 1. Argumēt salme. 1. His leafe shall not fade, as a tree planted by the right hand of God, and ingrafted into the stocke Christ Iesus; he so ordering [Page]their goings, as they shall not turne aside to vngodly counsailes, to the waies of the wicked, or take vp the seate & chaire of the scorneful.

The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the kingdome of Christ, which is the church, saith: 2. Argumēt Isai. 9.7. He shal sit vpon his kingdome to order it, and to stablish it with iudgemēt and Iustice from hence foorth, euen for euer. But this justice is established by faith in the regenerate, by which we stand. 1. Cor. 1. yea by which we liue, Aba. 2 If this be, out of crie true, of the whole church, it can­not but be verified of euery singular member therof.

Ieremie pleasureth vs with as plaine a place as can be, saying: I wil put my feare in their hearts, 3. Argum [...] Ier. 32.40 that they Shal not depart from me. This so satisfied Augustine, as he often to this purpose produceth it.

Hosea singeth the selfe same song, taking his text from the Lordes owne mouth. 4. Argum [...] Hose. 2.19 I wil marry thee vnto me for euer in righteousnes. I wil marry thee vnto mee in faithfulnes. This Sermon is made to all the elect. And the reason stādeth thus: Christ knitteth the in­dissoluble marriage knot with the Church, faith being the marriage ring that ioyneth thē. Therfore those whome hee hath thus conioyned to himselfe, who shall put a sunder?

The Lord by the mouth of the Prophet Amos saith: 5. Argum [...] Amos. 9.1 [...] I will plant thee vpon their land, and they shall bee no more pulled vp againe out of their land. The plāts are [Page]the elect: the plot wherein they are planted is the church, as ingrafted into Christ: they are planted therein by a true and liuely faith. Now to these is this promise made, they shall be no more pulled vp.

The Church is founded vpon a Rocke, 6. Argumēt Math. 7. which all the driuings of tempests cannot stirre: that is the machinations of the deuil and all his darlings.

Hell gates shall not preuaile against this Rocke. 7. Argume. Math. 16. 8. Argum. Iohn. 6.37.

It is Christs saying, All that the Father giueth mee shall come to me, and him that commeth to me, I cast not away. For this is the will of my Father that sent mee, that of all which he hath giuen mee, I should lacke no­thing, but should raise it vp againe at the last day. Here is the whole forme & structure of our saluation, and the compasse and dimensions of it. For whereas the father hath giuen vs all to Christ, 1. Heere is our e­lection: So that we holde of Christ as in Capite, our mediator in whome wee were chosen before the ground-worke of the world was laide. And whereas those that are thus giuen cannot bee kept from him, but must come vnto him: 2. There is our effectuall and liuely vocation, our comming to Christ being by the feete of our faith: nowe in that it is added, that such as come vnto him, he wil not cast away. 3. There is our justification, and the gift of perseuerance in Christ. The conclusion, I will raise him vp againe at the last day. 4. Is the hand that pointeth at our glori­fication. [Page]Vpon the former wordes of Christ, 9. Argumēs Rom. 8.29. the A­postle Paul paraphraceth in this wise: Those whome he knew before, he also predestinate, and whome he pre­destinate, them also he called, and whome he called them also he justified: and whom he justified, them also he glo­rified, which are the foure ringes and linckes of one chaine that are impartible, let down from heauen, to draw vs vp thither. 1. The first is our predestination to life in Christ. 2. The second is our effectual calling to Christ. 3. The third is our Iustification by Christ. 4. The fourth is our glorification with Christ. The last cannot be brokē from the first, nor the first from the last, wherefore it is impossible the predesti­nate should perish. The reason heereof layeth in the nature of God, his will and counsel answering his na­ture, his nature being without variablenesse or sha­dowe of change: as he telleth vs saying: Mal. 3.6. I am Iehouah and I change not, it is no way subiect to repentance, to which Balam perfourmeth testimonie: Nu. 23.19 God is not as man that hee should lye, neither as the Sonne of man that he should repent: hath hee said and shall he not doe it? and hath he spoken, and shall he not accomplish it? It is Augustines apt inference, Shall man say That I haue written, I haue written? (which was Pilats speech of the title and inscription that was set vpon Christes Crosse) and shall God goe from his hand wrighting, or alter? Let God be true and euerie man else a lyar, [Page]that he may be iustified in his sayings, & cleere when he is iudged.

It is Christs asseueration. 10. Argum. Iohn. 10. No man can tyke my sheepe from my hands. Heereupon it is concluded that the elect being deliuered by the father into the hands of his Sonne, and ioyned vnto him by a liuely faith, can­not be snatched from him.

It is Christ his gracious promise, 11. Argu. Iohn. 14. I wil aske my fa­ther & he shal giue thee another comforter, & he shal abide with you for euer, wherefore the holy Ghost dwelleth with them for euer, with whome hee hath once bene.

If any thing could blotte or teare out our names out of the Booke of life, 12. Argum. it is sinne. For that is onelye to be feared, Exo. 32.33 because God hath said whoso­euer hath sinned against me, I will put him out of my Booke. But this shall not scare vs, as being to be vn­derstood of preapared, and presumptuous sinne, which goeth downe to the graue with vs, which a fi­nal impenitencie doth accōpany. For as God could not be stopped by the foreseene sinnes of his Saints, from making entrie of their names into the Lambes booke of life, so when sin hath done the extent of his spight, it shall neuer seperate his loue towards vs, wherin it thus pleased him at the first to enrole vs. We are worthie whose names should be raced & de­faced: as hauing shewed our sins as Sodom, cast down [Page]our selues vpon the bedde of sinne, as Iezabel vp­pon a bedde of fornication, drinking iniquitie as an Asse drinketh water, as Iob saith, and drawing iniqui­tie with cordes of vanitie, and sinne as it were with cart-ropes, as Isaiah saith: & the Lord punisheth our iniquities by the rodde, and our sinnes by scourges: but his mercie will hee neuer take from vs, it being tyed to vs by an euerlasting couenant. Yea because wee are written vnto life by God, wee shall not sinne contumaciouslie and stubbornely, or continue in it as the wicked doe. Our Faith may bee much perplexed with doubts, ouershaddowed with cloudes, shaken with tēpests, winnowed by Sa­than, and the shield and breast plate thereof may be tryed to the vttermoste by all the fierye dartes of the deuill: our faith may be challenged the field, and endure a fierce fight, and bee in an agonye, and blodye sweate as Christ was in the garden: it may bee as the last sparke of a fire readye to goe out, as the last gaspe that a mans dying spirit gi­ueth: yet shall it kindle and recouer againe, and in all these thinges be conqueror.

Bee the Sunne neuer so much vnder a cloude, it will breake out againe, and appeare vnto vs in his perfect beautie. Though fire bee couered vnder ashes, it will execute his nature. Though the Philistimes take the Arke of the Lord, they shall [Page]restore it to the Isralites againe. These are aplycati­ons to faith, which howsoeuer assaulted with temp­tations, and borne downe a while, shal rise vp againe and haue the vpper hand of them, the Lord being faithfull and iust, & not suffring vs to be tryed aboue that which wee are able to beare. There is an Apo­plexie of sinne in man, which seemeth to stop his life altogether, but he shall recouer againe. Thus there was in Dauid an Apoplexie of adulterie, which he o­uercame: thus there was an Apoplexie of idolatrie in Salomon, which wee doubt not hee subdued: thus there was an apoplexie of crueltie in Paule, while he was a Saul, which the Lord did driue from him: thus there was an apoplexie of periurie in Peter, which his repentance shooke off. It is with a Christian, as it was with Eutichus, that fell from the third lofte, and was taken vp dead, of whome Paule said: Trouble not your selues, for his life is in him. Act. 20. Be not ouer trou­bled deere friendes in the Lord, the life of the inward man is in vs all, howsoeuer Sathan would stifle and strangle it.

OUr election is in God, 3. Argum. and not in man, for electi­on was before euer there was man. For wee were e­lected as Paule saith, Ephes. 1.4. before the foundations of the world were laide, at what time there was nothing but God, wherefore our saluation is cock-sure as be­ing wholye in God. For what is the reason that the [Page]heauens keepe their certaine motions? the Sunne, Moone, Starres, their certaine courses? the day and night their successiue returnes? It is because the rule and gouernment of them is absolutely in God, and not in any other creature, whether Angel or man.

All thinges in God are stable and vnchangeable: 14. Argum. wherfore his decree of our election is vnmooueable.

Gods election is eternall: 15. Argu. that which is eternall is inuariable, as admitting no beginning, ending or changeing.

He that changeth his purpose, 16, Argum. doth it in the sight hee hath of a better way, or else because hee cannot compasse it. Hence it is, that being not able to doe as we would, we doe as we can. But be it farre from vs to thinke any of these in God. For as his wisedome is vncreated, nothing can be better then that he hath purposed: & as his power is illimmited, and absolute­ly omnipotent, it cannot as the armes of Sampson be manacled.

The reasons producted against this infallible diui­nitie, are simple God wot, and wil hold no tacke with vs, wee will single out the best, and scatter them like foame.

They oppose this Text out of the Reuelation, 1. Obiection Reuel. 3. 1 [...] Hold that which thou bast, that no man take away thy crowne, that is to say, they of beauenly glory, to which the Apostles sentence hath reference. 1. Cor. 10 Let him that [Page]thinketh be standeth, take heede least be fall. Wee an­swere that the Crowne there spoken of, is the Crowne of the ministrie, the spirit there directing admonitiō to the Bishop of Philadelphia to perseue­rance in his function: least being remisle and de­fectiue therein, hee be deposed, and another con­secrated. But let it carrie the construction, they giue it: they shall gaine nothing by it. For the loosing of the Crowne of glorie is of double meaning.

1. In respect of our selues. 2. In respect of God. In the first respect which is of our selues, there is no­thing more certaine then that wee may loose it be­ing so sinfull as wee are, and death and not glo­rye being the stipend of iniquitye. But second, in respect of God that hath chosen vs: of Christ in whom we are chosen, this crown can neuer be taken from our heades, being set on by him that can neuer repent himselfe of any thing that he dooth.

Whereas they obiect to vs the churches of the E­phesians, Thessalonians, 2. Obiect. Ephes. 1.4. 1. Thes. 14 1. Pet 1.1. and scattered Iewes, who were called Elect by the Apostles, and yet ma­nie of them afterward were relapsed: wee answere that there are two sortes of judgements.

1. There is a judgement of certainty, 2. There is a judgement of charitie. 1. That which is of cer­taintye is in God onely: it is in men but in part, so farre foorth as they haue certificat from God of [Page]any mans estate. 2. But that which is of charitye is belonging to vs all: it being our parte to leaue the Lordes sacred secrets to himselfe, and to iudge the best of euerie one, that giueth his name to Christ, maketh a good profession, and sheweth the fruites thereof in outward conuersation, God hauing reuealed to vs nothing to the cōtrary. 2. Also the elect are so called of the chiefe part, as an heape of corne is called corne though it standeth moste vp­pon chaffe.

But they thinke they hold vp Alax his shield vnto vs, when they tell vs of that which Moses saith, 3. Obiection Exod. 32. Blot me out of the Booke of life. 1. I wil not answere them that that is ment of the Booke of the Lawe which hee had penned, as some men doe: because it is a base exposition, and vnworthye a man of such a spirit, as if hee had throwne out these wordes in his hastinesse, and heate of his blood. 2. Neyther will I vnderstand them of the Booke of this present life, as if hee chose rather to bee strangled then to liue in his bones, albeit manye Captaines are content to dye for the common good, and there­fore some would charge vs with this sence. But be­cause it seemeth as golde that is too light, we wil not receiue it. 3 Neyther shall I giue them reference to the book of the couenant, to the Catalogue of com­munion of Saints, & of the church: as if Moses would [Page]be out of the Rubrick in the Kalender of the church: because we take it, that Moses had a further prospect and a higher reach then this.

4. Wherefore wee will willingly receiue the mea­ning they doe like of, that is: of depriuation of eter­nall life, as if hee should haue said, put mee out of thy predestination booke, implying this condition, if it be possible. But he knewe it to be impossible. If anie shall thinke it an absurditye in him to come in with an impossible conditiō, I choake them with the like of our Sauiour Christ, who not being ignorant that he could not possible auoide the deadly cuppe of the red wine of Gods wrath, that was giuen him to drinke, yet put vp this forme of petition to his fa­ther, Father if it bee possible let this Cup passe from me.

The like prayer hath Dauid against his enemies, 4. Obiect. Psal. 69.29. Let them be blotted out of the book of life, wee reply thus to that, that their names were neuer in the booke of life, but in the charitable opinion of men, whom their hypocrisie beguiled.

This Doctrine is much vseful, but the chiefest grace it hath, is the cōfort it giueth vs in the greatest tēpta­tiōs that besiedge vs: while we haue in liuely & loue­lye remembrance, the loue of God towards vs, wher­by wee are grauen with an iron penne, in leade or stone for euer, in the Booke of Gods minde, and [Page]so can neuer bee expugned or forsaken. VVhy then should wee bee afraide in the daies of euill, when the iniquities compasse vs to the beeles? It is Dauids sweete aphorisme with the double spirit of Elias to haue a plause, and aclamation giuen vnto it. I know nothing more detestable to God, and dange­rous to our selues, then to dispaire of Gods mercie: which is to turne his truth into a lye, and set Sathans suggestions before his gracious promises. Wherfore we are of Hieroms minde, that Iudas his treason was not so great as Iudas his desperation. The reason whereof is giuen by Isidore, because his transgression was but the death of the soule: but his desperation the introduction into the verie hell of damnation. Wherfore put but off the helmet of this hope, which couereth the braine panne, and the Target of faith, which hideth the heart, and we perish vnquestiona­bly. Wherfore be we not worser then Lyons to rise vp against our selues, but behold the Lambe of God, whose blood let it bee sprinckled on the dore postes of your hearts. One deep swalloweth vp another: the depth of his mercies, the depth of our sinnes. Des­peration is a disease incurable. For the Phiscitian would put to his helping hand, and recouer vs: and wee with our nailes vndoe all againe. Nil miserius misero non miserante seip sum. Nothing is more miserable then a miserable man, that commisera­teth [Page]not himselfe. Though it was the saying of an heathen, a Christian well may vse it. Qui nihil potest sperare, desperit nihil. He that can hope for nothing let him dispaire of nothing. Christ hath sowed in teares, that wee might reape in ioy: He hath troden the wine-presse of Gods wrath, that wee might drink the wine of his loue, & be drunken with it. He hath borne the heate and burden of the day, that the wages might be ours: He hath giuen vs a cup of sal­uation, that we drincking it down, might driue away all dread and desperation: wherefore we hold vp our heads & stand fast against all the assaults of our ene­mies in this life, after which we shal enioy the place to which we haue of old by the Father been written and prepared, and which by Christ of late hath bene purchased, & to which by the spirit vnto the day of redemption we are sealed. Now to these three per­sons, one eternall and euerliuing God, bee all honor, praise, power, thankes-giuing, ascribed in the congreation of Christ Iesu, now and for euer. Amen.