Let not your heart be trou­bled.

THE third Circum­stance 3 Third cir­cumstance, the Com­fort it selfe sufficient against all feare of e­uill which may trou­ble vs. is in these words: and it containes the Comfort it selfe; Le [...] not your heart be troubled I haue fore-warned yo [...] of many things which [...] know are grieuous vnt [...] you: I haue told you o [...] my suffering, that one o [...] my Disciples will betra [...] me, and that the best o [...] them will deny mee, an [...] that I my selfe must go [...] from you, and whither [...] goe you cannot com [...] [Page 19] now. These heauy spee­ [...]hes did (no doubt) asto­ [...]ish and confound them, [...]nd cast down their harts [...]to the gulfe of excee­ [...]ing sorrow: and there­ [...]re comes hee in here to [...]ise them vp againe and [...]mfort them. But how­ [...]euer the occasion of [...]is Doctrine ariseth of [...]e former premonitions, [...]et we may espie in them compleat consolation, [...]uen vnto vs by our [...]ord, against all that may [...]ouble vs.

There are two euils, [...]e feare whereof trou­ [...]les men: first, the feare [Page 20] of sinne; next, the fear [...] Two things men feare, Sinne and Death. of death, and that which followes it. The wicked in their life time feare no­thing more then death [...] Sinne they feare not; yea [...] it is a pastime to them to do [...] Prou. wickedly: onely they feare Death and Iudgement they cannot eschew it, al [...] their care is to delay it. In Wicked men feare nothing more then death, till death come, then are they vexed with feare of their sinne. their death by the con­trary, they feare nothing so much as their sinne now they flye death, a [...] the center of their sor [...] rowes; then they sha [...] seeke it, as the remedie o [...] their remorses. There i [...] no death so horrible [Page 21] which they would not [...]illingly imbrace, proui­ [...]ed it might free them [...]om the conscience of [...]eir sin; yea, they would [...]e content to be smothe­ [...]ed quick; Mountaines fall Reuel. [...]pon vs and couer vs.

But the godly in their But the godly in their life feare no­thing more then their sinnes. [...]fe feare nothing so much [...]s their sinnes: they [...]ourne for former sins, [...]nd with good Ezekiah, [...]ecount them in the bitter­ [...]esse Esay. of their soule: they [...]ght against present sins, [...]anding with the armour [...]f God vpon them, and [...]rough his grace ouer­ [...]ome it: they are in con­tinuall [Page 22] feare of sinne t [...] come; if it renew the for [...] they are still making pre­paration to resist it. An [...] And there­fore feares no death when it comes. therefore they feare n [...] death, at least are not [...] uercome with the fea [...] thereof; they defie it, the prouoke it, they preue [...] it; I meane, they know will come, but ere it con [...] they desire it, and are pr [...] ­pared for it ere it be pr [...] ­pared for them. Sime [...] sight makes them sing [...] meons Song; Now Lor [...] let thy Seruant depart [...] peace: and they resol [...] with S. Paul, I desire to dissolued that I may be wi [...] [Page 23] Christ. But indeed feare­full is their estate, who at one time haue to fight [...]oth against the terrours of sinne, and horrour of death. It is a godly po­ [...]icie in the spirituall war­fare, to diuide your ene­mies; first ouercome your sinnes, vanquish them ere [...]he forces of death can [...]oyne with them; so shall [...]ou not be afraid to en­ [...]ounter with death; for Death is a biting Serpent, [...]nd Sinne is the sting [...]ereof: take the sting from the Serpent, and without danger you may [...]mbrace it. Take Sinne [Page 24] away, and Death shal n [...] be terrible.

Against both these [...] ­uils Compleat Comfort against both these feares gi­uen here. the Lord Iesus he [...] furnisheth vs with suffi­cient comfort: against th [...] feare of sinne hee sets th [...] buckler of Faith, whic [...] is able to quench the fie [...] ­darts Ephes. 6. of the Diuell, in thes [...] words, Yee beleeue in Go [...] beleeue also in mee. Again [...] the feare of death, th [...] graue, and all that may follow them, hee sets th [...] meditation of these hea­uenly mansions prepare [...] for vs: and in respect o [...] both, premits the com­fortable Exhortation, Le [...] [Page 25] [...]t your heart bee trou­ [...]ed.

For vnderstanding No exemp­tions from trouble promised to Chri­stians. [...]hereof wee must con­ [...]der two things: first, [...]at our Sauiour here [...]omiseth vs not exemp­ [...]on from trouble: next, [...]at hee requires not we [...]ould be without all [...]nse of trouble. The first [...]euident, he hath plainly [...]ld vs, In the world you Chrisost. in. Mat. hom. 7 [...]all haue affliction: If any [...]an will follow me, he must [...]ke vp his crosse & follow [...]ee. It is a prettie obser­ [...]tion of Chrisostome, so [...]one as our Lord was [...]orne, Herod persecuted [Page 26] him and slew him in [...] members, the innoce [...] infants; so soone agai [...] as he was baptised, Sat [...] tempted him: to teach [...] that if wee be such Ch [...] ­stians, as in whose he [...] Christ is conceiued a [...] formed, wee must loo [...] for persecutions fro [...] men, for tentations fro [...] Satan. As a shadow fo [...] lowes the body (saith M [...] ­carius) so Vbi Spiritus, [...] Macar. hom. 15. Neyther is it required that Chri­stians should haue no sense of their trou­ble. persecutio & pugna. T [...] second is as cleare: if [...] should be without sen [...] of trouble, where we [...] the praise of Patience? fo [...] what commendation is [...] [Page 27] [...] suffer that which grie­ [...]eth thee not? this were [...]orse then Stoica [...], is beastly stupiditie, not [...]mmended for a vertue, [...]t condemned for a [...]ce, Thou hast stricken [...]em, and they haue not [...]rrowed.

But the meaning of the But onely that their hearts be not ouer­come of trouble. [...]xhortation is, howso­ [...]uer it be that sore trou­ [...]les be abiding you, and [...]at the sense of your [...]ouble will be grieuous [...] you also, yet [...], Let [...]ot your heart be sha­ [...]en and perturbed with [...], so that you quit your [Page 28] comfort and confiden [...] in mee. Here then is t [...] victorie of a Christia [...] that no trouble can oue [...] come his heart: his goo [...] may be stolne, his na [...] be slandered, his bo [...] may be killed, his co [...] ­science may be racked his heart may be shak [...] and sore moued, but ca [...] ­not be remoued, becau [...] The inuin­cible heart of a Chri­stian can­not be o­uercome with in­ward ten­tations. it is fixed on the Lord, h [...] Spirit dwels in it, and b [...] secret grace vpholds i [...] Inward temptations can­not do it, vnder these it [...] the voice of Saints, whic [...] once was vttered by pati­ent Iob. Iob, O Lord, thoug [...] [Page 29] thou wouldst s [...]ay me, yet wil I trust in thee: and by the Apostle, We are persecuted, 2 Cor. 4. but not for saken; wee are in doubt, but wee despaire not; we are cast down, but we pe­rish not; we are afflicted on [...]uery side, but not left in di­stresse: the word [...] signifies such straitnesse of place, as out of which [...]here is no forth com­ming: the godly may be [...]raited with trouble, yet [...]euer so, but that they [...]aight for an issue: some­ [...]me they are without [...]ense, but no time altoge­ [...]her without hope of bet­ [...]er.

[Page 30]Farre lesse can out­ward Farre lesse can it be o­uercome with out­ward. tentations doe it [...] Though the earth should b [...] moued, and the mountaine [...] fall into the bottome of th [...] Psal. Sea, yet the Christian keeps his comfort, God i [...] my help, and my hope, & m [...] stength, in trouble ready to b [...] Greg. moral. lib. 31. found. Vir Deo subditus no [...] ­uit inter transeuntia star [...] aduersis non frangitur, pro­speris non eleuatur, hab [...] ­enim pondus desuper ins [...] ­dentis, timor scilicet Dei il­lum cohibet: A man sub­iect to God knowes ver [...] well to stand in the mid [...] of transitorie things: he [...] is not broken by aduer­sitie, [Page 31] nor puft vp with prosperity, the weight of [...]im that is aboue him, [...]eepes him equall and [...]onstant in euery estate, [...]o wit, the feare of his God restraines him.

And this inuinsible This inuin­cible heart of a Chri­stian is not from him­selfe, but frō Christ dwelling into it. [...]eart flowes not from a­ [...]y strength that is in [...]an: How weake a crea­ [...]re the strongest man is, [...]ay bee seene in Peter; [...]ppose a pillar of the Church, the voyce of a [...]amsell shooke him, and [...]ade him deny his Ma­ [...]er: All our strength is [...]eere, that Christ dwells [...] our harts by Faith, and [Page 32] he who craues of vs tha [...] our heart should not b [...] troubled, keepes it him­selfe, & defends it agains [...] all that will assault it: we [...] preuaile by the power o [...] Rom. 8. Philo de sa­crificijs A­belis & Cains. his might, and throug [...] him are made more the [...] conquerours. It is obser­ued by Philo, the heart and the hornes, or brain [...] Why the hornes & the heart were not offred vn­der the Law. were neuer offered in th [...] Law leuiticall, with th [...] sacrifices, for they are th [...] fountaines & secret arke [...] wherein lurkes, and ou [...] of which floweth all im­piety, but what euer wa [...] in the type, this is in th [...] truth. As the heart is by [Page 33] nature, the Lord will not [...]ue it, yet till the heart [...] renewed and giuen to [...]e Lord, hee will accept [...]thing can come from [...]an: this is the maine sa­ [...]fice, My Sonne giue me [...]ne heart: This is the se­ [...]et sanctuary wherein [...]od will dwell, and with­ [...]t which hee will not [...]ell at all. This is the But now God will haue no Sacrifice without the heart [...]rt of Sion, and city of [...]auid, which must bee [...]ongly kept, or else the [...]manent city cannot be [...]eserued: therefore the [...]rd Iesus, arming his [...]sciples against trouble, [...]gins first at the heart; [Page 34] let not your heart be trou­bled. Magnum enim fort [...] dinis fundamentum est, Cyr. in Ioan. cap. 14. mus non turbatus, ani [...] autem nondum supernaf [...] datus gratia, timidus, & stabilis nimium est. A g [...] ground of fortutude i [...] heart not troubled, therwaies it not bee­stablished with heaue [...] grace is out of meas [...] fearefull & instable: the fore the Apostle when blesseth the Philippia [...] Phil 4. prayes, that the peac [...] God which passeth all [...] ­derstanding, may prese [...] their hearts: so shall [...] the heart be troubled. [Page 35] But here it is demaun­ded, Seeing our Sauior was troubled himselfe, how saies he to vs, let not you hart be troubled? how requires our Sa­uior of vs that we should [...]t be troubled, seeing was troubled himselfe? testifies this same E­vangelist, [...], Now is my [...]le troubled: and a­ [...]in, when Iesus had said [...]ese things, [...], Iohn 12. 27. Iohn 13. 21 hee was troub­ [...] in the spirit: & more significantly is the same [...]pressed by S. Marke, Mar. 14. 33 [...]en hee entred to his a­ [...]ny in the Garden, [...], hee began to be a­ [...]nished, and transpor­ted: [Page 36] the words impor [...] strange motion, & scar­ly vtterable, which sense of that wrath [...] to our sinnes, wrou [...] in the Lord.

The answer is, the trou­ble The trou­ble of Christ far different from ours. of our Lord was fa [...] different from ours, b [...] in the end, & in the ma­ner or measure there for hee was troubled, the end hee might kee [...] vs that we should not troubled with that trou­ble which was due to [...] sinnes. 1 In the end thereof. Other Physitian to cure the deadly dise [...] of their Patients, prep [...] a bitter potion for the [Page 37] [...] may well taste it themselues, but the Pati­ [...] must drinke it out: our Physitian per­ [...]ing well that the bit­cup of wrath would [...]e consumed vs, drank [...]t himselfe, and leaues more to vs, but to tast O wonder! the Physi­ [...] drinkes out the por­ [...], and the Patient is [...]ed! He suffered for [...]faction of his Fathers [...]ce: we suffer not for [...]faction: away with [...] presumption to [...]ke our sufferings can satisfactory: We suf­onely that we may be [Page 36] made conformable to h [...] death. Againe, as for th [...] 2 In the me­sure therof. measure hee dranke o [...] the full cuppe, dregs an [...] all, of that wrath due [...] our sinnes. It would ha [...] confounded Angell an [...] Man to haue drunke that cuppe, as our Lo [...] himselfe said to the so [...] of Zebedeus, Can ye drin [...] of that cup whereof I m [...] drinke? No, it is impos­ble: None but hee tro [...] the wine-presse of [...] wrath of God: Let [...] flesh be silent heere, a [...] reserue him his ow [...] glory.

And this comfort ha [...] [Page 37] of his trouble, beside satisfaction of his Fa­ [...]rs iustice, and our re­conciliation with him, greater the trouble of The grea­ter Christs trouble was, the lesse cause of trouble haue we. [...] Lord was, the lesse [...]se hath his Saints to troubled in their suffe­ [...]gs with him. No mar­ [...] Martyrs in the mid­st of horrible deaths [...]e triumphed, aboun­ [...]g Christs trouble makesmar­tyrs tri­umph vn­der trou­ble. with glorious ioyes: [...]s easie to swim where [...] head is borne vp: the [...]ters of Marah bitter be­ [...]e, are made sweet now the crosse of Christ Ie­ [...]: why then may not his [...]ts willingly drinke of [...]m?

[Page 40]And now to conclu [...] this first point of t [...] comfort proponed way of exhortation as [...] began it, let vs remark t [...] louing care of Iesus t [...] ward his owne, that pro­uides the comfort or uer the trouble co [...] Sometime the Lord giues com­fort before the trouble come. These three things m [...] wee obserue in God working with his Sain [...] Sometime he giues the comfort before troub [...] sometime comfort trouble, alway comfo [...] after trouble. Sometim [...] I say, the Lord prepar [...] them with comfort be­fore the trouble com [...] [Page 39] [...] Elias got a double din­ner before his forty daies [...]sting, and Iacob at the [...]er Iaboc was confirmed [...] wrestling with God, [...]fore hee encountred [...]th Esau, and the three [...]isciples, Peter, Iames, [...]d Iohn saw the glory of [...]r Lord transfigurated Mount Tabor, before [...]ey saw his bloudy ago­ [...] in the garden.

Sometime again in the Sometime he giues comfort in the midst of trouble. [...]ddest of trouble the [...]rd furnishes strong [...]nsolations: Potiphar put [...]seph in the prison, but [...]od went with him to [...]e prison, this made the [Page 40] prison more pleasant t [...] him, then had been Puti­phar his palace. Nebuchad­nezzar caused the three children to be cast in th [...] fire, but the fourth liketh son of God he saw walk­ing with them. What comfort haue wee hee to make vs patient in af­fliction, since in our tro­bles God the Father pro­tests that hee is troubl [...] with vs: the Sonne in li [...] manner complaines th [...] he is persecuted when are persecuted, and S. [...] ­ter witnesses, that the [...] ­ly ghost is euill spoken by such as speak euil o [...] [Page 41] [...]r Christs sake, I may be [...]old to say in name of all [...]e children of God, they [...]aue found by experi­ence, that there is more [...]y in Christs crosse, then [...]l the crownes of the World without Iesus Christ, are able to af­ford.

And thirdly, wee are But alwaies comfort after trou­ble. [...]er sure that the end of [...]ouble to a Christian is [...]mfort, trouble may abide the Euening, but ioy com­eth Psal. 30. 2 Thes. 1. 7. in the Morning. It is [...]ighteous thing with God render rest to them that Psalme▪ Heb. 12. [...]e troubled with vs. Our [...]ares are the seed of ioy, [Page 42] Blessed are they who sow i [...] teares, for they shall reap in ioy. No chastisement sweete for the present but afterward it brings th [...] quiet fruit of righteousnes [...] to them who therby are ex­ercised. After that our Sa­uiour was tempted in th [...] wildernesse, Angels ca [...] and ministred to him: an [...] after his agony in t [...] garden, an Angell appea­red from heauen comfor­ting him, such shall be t [...] end of all the troubles his Saints.

[...]e beleeue in God, beleeue also in mee.

FOllowes now the con­firmation Confirma­tion of the former comfort wherein. of the com­fort conteined in the pro­ceeding exhortatiō. First against the terrors of sin, [...]ext against the terrours [...]f death, arma quippe his [...]inistrat Iesus Discipulis [...]is, quibus queant omnia [...]perare aduersa, for in Cyrill. in Ioan. [...]ese few words our Sa­uiour furnishes armor to is Disciples, by which [...]ey may be able to o­uercome all contrarie [...]ings whatsoeuer. [Page 44] Against sin our Sauio [...] sets the bulwarke, or ra­ther 1 Faith in Christ is set against the fear of sinne. as the Apostle cals i [...] the Buckler of Faith, whi [...] is able to quench the fie [...] darts of the Diuell. As th [...] Ephes. 6. Israelites stinged with fi [...] ­ry serpents in the wilder­nesse looked vp to the ty­picall brazen serpent, an [...] were healed: so doe ye li [...] vp the eyes of your sou [...] to the true Sauiour, an [...] your sinnes shal not be a­ble to trouble you.

Where it is to be mar­ked, how he ioynes the Faith res­pecteth all the three persons of the blessed trinitie. two, ye beleeue in Go [...] beleeue also in mee. Th [...] words may be read eith [...] [Page 45] [...] the Indicatiue moode, Creditos, or the Impera­ [...]ue Credite: but the sense [...] the same. Faith in any [...]ne of the persons of the [...]lessed Trinity, necessari­ [...]y imports faith in the [...]ther two: for albeit the persons be three, the es­sence is one.

And againe, there is [...]o comfort in the Fa­ther, without the Sonne, [...]eyther can any beleeue [...] him, and through [...]eleeuing come to him, [...]ut by the Sonne, for [...]ee dwelleth in light in­ [...]ccessible, whom none [...]an know till the sonne, [Page 46] who is [...], the bright­nesse Hebr. 1. 3. of his glory, and i [...] graued forme of his per­son reueale him. Yea wit [...] out the Sonne, he is a con­suming fire, but in hi [...] hath proclaimed himse [...] to be wel pleased. Doub [...] lesse, if wee saw cleere [...] how the three persons [...] the blessed trinity conc [...] ioyntly in the worke [...] our saluation, as we ma [...] see, if wee looke right [...] in the mirror of the Gos­pell, it would rendre vn­to vs vnspeakeable con­solation. But of this, he who pleases may▪ read [Page 47] our Treatise of the Bap­tisme of Christ.

This place serues to A proofe of Christs diuinity a­gainst Ar­rians. [...]ooue the Diuinity of Christ Iesus. Ye beleeue in [...]d, beleeue also in me: quod [...]n consequeretur si Chri­ [...]s non esset Deus, the con­sequence saith Augustine [...]ere not good, if Christ [...]ere not God: but this Aug. in Ioan. tract. 67. [...]llowes very well, credi­ [...] in Deum, credite etiam illum, cui natura est non [...]pina esse aequalem Deo, [...]netipsum exinaniuit for­ [...]m serui accipiens, non [...]men formam Dei amit­ [...]ns, Ye beleeue in God, [...]eleeue also in him, [Page 48] whose nature it is, and no [...] robbery to be equal wit [...] God, hee humbled him selfe, accepting the form of a seruant, not amittin [...] the forme of God.

But it is needlesse he [...] But A­theists ra­ther in this age are to be encoun­tred with, pretending Faith which they haue not. to encounter with Ar [...] ­ans; their heresie is burie [...] and I will not open th [...] Sepulchre to offend th [...] Saints of God with th [...] loathsome and stinkin [...] smell thereof. I wish th [...] age were as quyt of A­theists, who come to th [...] Church as Achab we [...] to the Campe, changing their garment, but no [...] their heart. Euery ma [...] [Page 49] [...]ow prattles of Faith; & [...]ath it in his mouth, I be­leeue, but all hath not [...]aith, saith the Apostle. [...]aith is a rare iewell: a [...]ewell I call it, for what­soeuer thou touchest by [...]aith, it becomes thine [...]wne, but so that it Faith is a rare Iewell no larger then Ele­ction. [...]uches nothing but the [...]wne proper obiect, to [...]it, that whereunto the [...]romise of GOD in his [...]ord directs it: and a rare [...]well I call it, because it no larger then Electi­on, it may be common to [...]any in respect of pro­ [...]ssion, but proper to [...]aints onely, in respect of [Page 50] participatiō. Many are cal­led, few are chosen, & vnto these few elect onely, is i [...] giuen to beleeue. It may be confirmed by learning & long experience, but [...] not at the first begotten by any of those, Sentit [...] antequam discitur, we fee [...] Cyp. lib. 2. Epis. 2. it before we can learne i [...] nec per mor as temporū lo [...] ­ga agnitione colligitur, se [...] compendio gratiae matur ā [...] hauritur. And it is wrogh [...] by rypening grace, no [...] by length of time, no [...] greatnesse of knowledge▪

That therefore wee be not deceiued in so great [...] matter as is faith, the only [Page 51] remedy giuen vs heere a­gainst No com­fort against sinne, and wrath, but by true Faith, and what need we haue to try it. the guilt of sin, and [...]errour of the wrath to [...]ome, let vs ponder that [...]recept, try your selfe if you [...]e in the faith. There is a [...]ith which S. Paul calls [...]nfeined, to distinguish it [...]om faigned faith, called 2 Cor. [...]uely and laborious, to di­stinguish it frō that which Iames calls a dead faith. [...] there were but one kind [...] faith, & euery man had, 2 Tim. 1. [...]ere needed no such pre­ [...]pt, try if ye be in the faith, [...]ut since it is not so, it ly­ [...]h Iam. 2. euery man in hand, to [...]oke to himselfe, that he [...]mbrace not a false faith, [Page 52] in stead of the true, a fai­ned faith for a sincere, [...] dead and idle faith, for [...] liuing & laborious faith.

Leauing to discusse a [...] Faith three manner of wayes de­scribed. length of Faith, wee wil [...] shortly consider the na­ture, and the threefold o­perations thereof. S. Pau [...] 1 It is a sub­sistance of things ho­ped for. cals it, [...], A reall subsistanc [...] of things hoped for: an [...] so Faith is called not for­maliter, but effectiue, be­cause it maketh things 2 It is an e­uidence of things not seene. hoped for after a sort to be present. Againe, he [...] ­cals it, [...], The euidence o [...] Aug. in Ioan. tract. 68. things not seene; Fide [...] [Page 53] [...]redit quod non videt: nam [...] vides, non est Fides; Faith [...]eleeues that which it [...]ees not: now wee walke 2 Cor. 5. [...]y Faith, after this wee [...]all walk by sight; when [...]ght shal come Faith shal [...]ease. Thirdly, hee cals it [...], Heb. 6. 19. The Anchor four soule sure and sted­ [...]st, 3 It is the anchor of our soule which holds vs fast that we driue not away with the winde of tentations. which entreth into [...]at which is within the [...]aile. This world is fi [...] ­ed by the Spirit of God [...]y a Sea weltring and [...]ormy, our soule and [...]onscience in it is likened [Page 54] to a Ship rossed to and fro with many contrary windes of restlesse tenta­tions: the Anchor which keepes vs stedfast that we be not driuen away with the winde, and preserue [...] vs sure that we sinke not vnder the waues, is ou [...] Faith: the Rocke where­upon it fasteneth the gripes thereof, is abou [...] within the vaile, the Lord Iesus: the Cords or Ca­bles that holdeth sure to­gether the Ship and the Anchor, are the promises of Gods mercy made with this three-fold vni­uersalitie, of all sinnes, all [Page 55] times, all persons, Repen­ [...]ance intervening. This funiculus triplex qui non [...]cile rumpitur: that three­ [...]ld cord, which is not [...]fily broken: were the [...]ormes of our life neuer [...] deadly, wee haue this [...]omfort, we may be mo­ [...]ed, but cannot be remo­ [...]ed: we may be sore tos­ [...]d, but cannot suffer [...]ipwracke, our Anchor fastned not vpon sand [...] slipping ground, but [...]pon the Rocke, it will [...]t come home to vs, but [...]ill draw vs home vn­ [...] it.

Therefore Philo spea­king [Page 56] of Faith, called Faith how commen­ded by Philo. [...], The onely su [...] seale and infallible goo [...] [...], The sola [...] Philo lib. de Abrahamo. of our life: [...], The fuln [...] of good hopes: [...], The auer [...] of euils: [...] but the bringer of good. The learned rec [...] Defined by Scult. Theologs expresse t [...] nature of Faith by t [...] definition; Fides est fi [...] ­cia Scultet. idaea conci­on. in Deum plane filia [...] concepta ex agnitione Ch [...] ­sti, & amore Patris, [...] homo in amplexum Dei r [...] & ait Abba Pater: Fa [...] [Page 57] a filiall confidence in [...]od, conceiued of the [...]owledge of Christ, and [...] th [...] loue of the Father him, whereby man [...]nneth vnto God, and [...]yeth vnto him Abba [...]ther.

Of this is euident the In faith there is a twofold working power. [...]o-fold operation of [...]ith: first, there is in faith apprehending vertue, 1 An appre­hending Vertue. [...] which the beleeuer re­ [...]iues and applyes to [...]selse Iesus Christ, as is offered in the Word 2 A randring vertue. [...]d Sacraments. Second­ [...] there is in Faith a ran­ [...]ing vertue, (so to cal it) [...]hereby the beleeuer [Page 58] goes out of himselfe int [...] the Lord. By the fir [...] Christ becomes ours: b [...] the second wee resig [...] our selues vnto Chris [...] and become his: Qui cr [...] ­dit in Deum, transit [...] Deum; the phrase in m [...] significant manner im­ports thus much, that who beleeues in God passeth out of himse [...] into God, hee become [...] partaker of the diuine n [...] ­ture: Pet. hee liues not an [...] more in himselfe, b [...] Christ liues in him, an [...] makes him say with t [...] Apostle: Now thankes [...] to God I liue, yet not I, [...] [Page 59] Christ liueth in me: for by [...]ith he being planted in [...]hrist Iesus draweth sap [...] grace from him, which [...]akes him to become [...]ch as Christ is, and to [...]nder vnto him the fruit [...] his owne plantation, [...]ost acceptable to him.

These then are the two These are the two hands of Faith, by the one it giues, by the other it receiues. [...]nds of Faith: by the [...]st it receiues from God, [...]y the second it giues vn­ [...] God: this is a point [...]t commonly marked [...] this age: many would [...]ioyne these two, which [...]od hath conioyned to­ [...]ther, as if Faith had but [...]e hand for receiuing, [Page 60] and not another for gi­uing: they thinke ther [...] is no more but to receiu [...] mercy from God, forge­ting that by the sa [...] Faith they must rend [...] sonne-like obedience t [...] their Father. This is n [...] Faith, but presumptio [...] Infidelis fiducia, faithle [...] confidence. For why, b [...] ­leeuest thou that God become thy Father? a [...] ­prehendest thou him be so in Christ? then sh [...] They who haue not the ren­dring ver­tue, had neuer the appehen­ding ver­tue. mee that thou hast re [...] ­dred thy selfe to be [...] sonne: let mee see his mage. Naturall Fathe [...] beget children like vn [...] [Page 61] themselues, and shall our [...]eauenly Father bring [...]rth children to another [...]age, then his owne? Be [...]hamed O you licenti­ [...]s liuers, to call God [...]ur Father: Out of your [...]ne mouth shall yee be [...]dged. If I be a Father, Mal. 1. 6. [...]here is mine honour, saith [...]e Lord of hosts, vnto you [...]at despise my name? No, [...], your answere is that [...]hich our Sauiour gaue [...]nto the Iewes; Yee are Licentious liuers are proued to be without true Faith. [...] your Father the Diuell, [...]cause you doe his workes. [...]r canst thou say, I be­ [...]eue in Iesus, who in thy [...]fe doest not expresse the [Page 62] vertue of Iesus? Hee is powerfull Sauiour: th [...] Angel gaue the reason [...] his Name; He shall be [...] ­led Iesus, because he sau [...] his people from their sinn [...] thou art yet in thy si [...] thou canst not say wi [...] the Apostle, I was a per­cuter, Cor. I was a blasphem [...] but now thankes bee God I am another thi [...] Such I was, but now I [...] Tim. cleansed: thou art still [...] same man thou we [...] there is no change of t [...] manners, and art still [...] eased vnto the death. [...] all those that came Christ in the Gospel, no [...] [Page 63] went away as they came: [...]me came blinde, and [...]ent away seeing: some [...]me lepers, and went a­ [...]ay cleansed: some para­ [...]ique, and went away [...]nfirmed: some posses­ [...]d with euill spirits, and [...]ent away deliuered: [...]ou art not as one of [...]em, thou hast not [...]ught him, thou hast not [...]uched him, thou hast [...]awne no vertue out of [...]m; the Physitian hath [...]t cured thee, how then [...]st thou, I beleeue in Ie­ [...]s? thou art not planted him; for all that are in [...]m, get vertue from him, [Page 64] which workes in the [...] the similitude of his ow [...] life. Here is the miser [...] of this age, that a cou [...] ­terfeit Faith is currant [...] ­mong many, who co [...] ­tent themselues with it, [...] if it were a true faith.

If it were not so, I would haue told you.

HEre is a confirmati­on The com­fort giuen vs is the greater because it is told from him who is the true and faithfull witnesse. of the first degree [...] the Comfort: It is no [...]ine word I haue spoken [...] you, it is true, and you [...]all finde it so; if it were [...]t so, I would haue told [...]u. If wee would reape [...]e fruit of this Comfort, [...]ee must consider who [...]e is that giues it: hee is [...]lled the faithful witnesse; Reuel. 1. 1 Ioh. 5. 20. [...]e true one: God hath gi­ [...]n vs a minde to know him [...]ho is true. What his ser­ [...]nts spake of our Lord [Page 110] and his glory, they spa [...] with a warrant: Wee f [...] 2 Pet. 1. 16 lowed no deceiuable fa [...] when wee opened to you [...] power and comming of [...] Lord Iesus Christ, but w [...] our eyes, wee saw his M [...] ­stie. What himselfe spa [...] hee spake out of certai [...] knowledge: and w [...] now hee speaketh in [...] eares, wee shall one [...] see it with our eyes. rael sung it of old; As [...] Psal. haue heard, so haue we s [...] Neyther can so much be told vs as afterward we shall see. in the Citie of our God: a [...] so shall we; yea, wee sh [...] see much more then e [...] we heard: for the glo [...] of these Mansions [Page 111] [...]ngue is able to expresse, [...]e shall be forced to con­ [...]sse with that Queene of 1 King. 10. [...]eba, that the halfe of [...]e glory of our Salomon [...]s not told vs in our [...]ountry. Peter, Iames [...]d Iohn got but a transi­ [...]rie glance of that glory [...] Mount Tabor: if a [...]nce of it did so rauish [...]em, how shall the full [...]ht thereof replenish vs, [...]ely let vs pray with [...]t sweet Singer in Is­ [...]ll; Psal. 106. 4. 5. Remember mee O [...]rd with the fauour of thy [...]ple: visit mee with thy [...]uation, that I may see the [...]icitie of thy chosen, and [Page 112] reioyce in the ioy of thy peo­ple, and glory with thine in­heritance.

And here againe is to The per­fection of Christs Propheti­call office, hee hath left no­thing vn­told, need­full for vs to know. be obserued the perfecti­on of Christs Propheti­call office: what he hat [...] told vs is true, and he hath left nothing vntol [...] which is needfull for [...] to know, that—wee ma [...] be saued. So witnesse [...] S. Iohn; Many other sig [...] Iohn 20. 30. 31. did Iesus in presence of [...] Disciples, which are [...] written in this Booke: [...] these things are written t [...] we might beleeue that Ies [...] is the Christ, the Sonne God, and that in beleeu [...] [Page 113] [...]ee might haue life through is name. With him agrees [...]. Paul, who protests hee [...]ad deliuered to the El­ [...]ers Acts 20. 27 of Ephesus, the whole [...]ounsell of God: and yet it recorded of him, that [...]hen he opened his cause [...] the Iewes and Brethren [...]f Rome, Hee preached to Acts 28. 23 [...]em concerning Iesus, out [...]f the Law of Moses and of [...]e Prophets: yet are the [...]duersaries so shamelesse [...] to affirme, that though [...]ow the Euangelists and [...]postles be ioyned with [...]oses and the Prophets, [...]et in all their writings [...]e counsell of God, con­cerning [Page 114] our saluation [...] not to be found. And grant that a­ny point needfull to saluation were not reuealed by him, what An­gel or man were able to reueale it?

But admit it were a [...] they say, that all thing needfull for vs to know were not told vs by ou [...] Lord and his holy Pe [...] men. Who is hee that able to reueale that whi [...] the great Angell of t [...] Couenant, the Doct [...] & Prophet of his Chur [...] hath not reuealed? T [...] last Booke of holy Scr [...] ­ture, is the Booke of t [...] Reuelation, it is come fro [...] the right hand of that [...] ­ler, who sitteth on t [...] Throne. S. Iohn saw closed with seauen seal [...] [Page 115] [...]nd he mourned, because [...]one in heauen nor in [...]arth were able to open [...]t, yet the Lambe opened [...]t, which if hee had not [...]one, the Proclamation made by the Angell wit­ [...]esseth, that none was [...]ble to haue done it. This [...]ame may wee say of all [...]he remanent Bookes of [...]oly Scripture; the Lamb [...]ath loosed to vs the Seales of them all: hee [...]nely hath opened and [...]euealed them vnto vs. And if any part of the [...]ounsell of God needfull [...]o be knowne for saluati­ [...]n, be yet vnsealed & not [Page 116] reuealed to vs, I pray them tell vs who is he i [...] heauen or in earth, wil [...] do that which the Sonne of God hath left vndone [...] It is a blasphemie again [...] the Sonne of God, to say hee hath not taught v [...] that which is needfull fo [...] vs, or that any other shal [...] come after him to reueal [...] that which our Lord hath not reuealed vnto vs.

And no lesse iniuriou [...] The perfe­ction of his Priest­ly office is no lesse certaine. Heb. are they in this, that they dare derogate from the sufficiencie and perfecti­on of his Priestly office. Hee hath offered himselfe once, and once onely, and [Page 117] that for all his owne, a [...]ropitiatorie sacrifice, for the full satisfaction of his Fathers Iustice: yet are not they ashamed to say, that hee hath satisfied for vs onely in a part, & that which hee hath not done must be supplyed by our owne satisfactions, or of others for vs. But if these [...]gnorant men had but a taste of that bitter cuppe which our Sauiour drank for our sinnes, the horror whereof made him to sweat a bloudy sweat, they would feele and be forced to confesse that it were impossible for any [Page 118] creature to make satisfa­ction to diuine Iustice fo [...] the smallest sinne tha [...] euer was committed by man. Neyther can thi [...] blasphemie be excuse [...] by this pretence, that ou [...] workes and sufferings be [...] come satisfactory by th [...] vertue of Christs merit [...] for the meriting and satis­factorie power of Chris [...] is personall; Hee hath by Heb. 1. 3. himselfe purged our sinnes Hee transferres to hi [...] Our Lord transfersto his Saints the benefit of his me­rit, but not the vettue of meri­ting. Saints the benefit of his merits, but not the power of meriting: that is the glory of a Sauiour, which hee reserueth to himselfe [Page 119] and will not giue to ano­ [...]her. And as it is perso­ [...]all, so it is perfect: hee [...]ath in such sort done his worke for vs by him­ [...]elfe, that he hath not left [...]ny part thereof to bee one or supplied by ano­ [...]er: for which wee haue [...]at most cleare testimo­ [...]ie of the holy Oracle: [...]ee is able perfectly to saue Heb. 7. 25. [...]l them who come vnto [...]od by him. Woe therfore [...]ill be vnto them, who are say that hee saueth [...]ot perfectly, but in a art.

Thus haue we finished he first degree of the [Page 120] comfort, with the confir­mation The con­clusion of this first degree of Comfort. thereof: wherei [...] wee see our Sauiour pre [...] seth to draw vp our hart [...] and allures vs to follo [...] him vnto his Fathe [...] house. It is the mann [...] of Bridegroomes to see [...] their Bride in the hou [...] of her Father, and th [...] to carry her home to t [...] house of their Father: [...] did our immortall H [...] ­band vnto vs, he sent ne [...] ther Angell nor Arc [...] angell for vs, as Isaac se [...] Eliezer to bring Rebe [...] from Padan Aram: su [...] was his loue, hee ca [...] himselfe, and sought v [...] [Page 121] [...]e found vs not worthy Wherein we may see how our Lord after the man­ner of earthly Bride­groomes, hauing sought and marryed vs in our Fathers house, doth now inuite vs to goe with him to his Fathers house. [...] be loued; for wee were [...]owned in debt, filthy [...]d loathsome Lepers, [...]ead in sinne and trespas­ [...]s, yet his loue ouercame [...]l these impediments; [...]ill entertainment got [...]ee in our Fathers house, [...]orse then Iacob got from [...]aban; they spitted on his [...]ce, they buffetted his [...]eeks, they scourged him [...]nd crowned him with [...]ornes; yet still his loue [...]uer-came all, and he pa­ [...]iently suffered till hee [...]ad relieued vs from our [...]ebt, cleansed vs from [...]ur filthinesse, clothed vs [Page 122] with change of raymen [...] and married vs vnto hi [...] selfe, then he ascended o [...] high, and inuites vs t [...] follow him, and goe wi [...] him to his Fathers hous [...] where hee promiseth [...] better entertainement Here they gaue him Euill en­tertaine­ment got our Hus­band in our fathers house, but better abi­deth vs in his Fathers house. crowne of thornes, the [...] he shall giue vs a Crow [...] of glory: here they spi [...] ­ted on his face, there h [...] Father shall imbrace v [...] and kisse vs with the kiss [...] of his mouth: here the [...] made him a companio [...] of theeues, there he sha [...] make vs a companion o [...] Angels. He longs to hau [...] [Page 123] vs where himselfe is; hee prayes the Father wee may be there to see his glory; he cryes in louing manner vpon vs, Come to mee, I will refresh you: In my Fathers house there is roome enough for you; Come and see, O daughter, hearken and consider, and Psal. 45. 10 11. incline thine eare, forget al­so thine owne people, & thy Fathers house, so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beauty. Oh that we might answere the Lord with that voyce of true Israe­lites captiued in Babel: If I Psal. 137. 5. 6. forget thee O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget (to [Page 124] play;) if I doe not remem­ber thee, let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth: if I preferre not Ie­rusalem to my chiefe ioy: We are heere in a strange land, shall we forget Our Sion and Ierusalem which is aboue. Alas, that wee are bewitched with the pleasures of Babel, and do not long as we should to see our Fathers house, that wee may be for euer with the Lord.

I goe to prepare a place for you.

THe second degree of 2 The secōd degree of the com­fort, is a considera­tion of the right wee haue to these hea­uenly man­sions. the comfort is in these words: the disciples and others his Saints might haue said, Lord, it is ioyfull for vs to heare of thy Fathers house, and of the many Mansions which are in it; but what is that vnto vs? what right or interest haue we in it? To this doubt, the Lord opposeth this se­cond degree of comfort; wherein that which hee spake generally in the [Page 126] first, hee applies particu­larly to them: the Mansi­ons of my Fathers house are for you and such as you are: I shall make you a right vnto them; for this cause came I into the world; for this cause goe I vnto my Father, that I may prepare a place for you.

This comfort is most Without this, the first degree of comfort could not availe vs. And why? necessary: for what auails it vnto vs to heare of the ioyes of that life to come, and of the glory of that kingdome, vnlesse wee know, that it belongs vnto vs? The wicked hea­reth tell of it, but shall [Page 127] euer see it, yea, they may st of the powers of the life come, but shal neuer en­ [...]y them. These are cur­ [...]d with a curse more [...]arefull than that of the [...]amaritan Prince, hee be­eued not the word of [...]e Lord, spoken by Eli­ [...]a the Prophet, that Sa­aria then straited with [...]amine, shold haue plen­ [...] of victuall vpon the [...]orrow; thou shalt see with 2 Kin. 7. 2. [...]ine eyes, but shalt not eat [...]ereof, said the Prophet. [...]o is it with the wicked, [...]ey shall see the Sonne [...]f man come in his glory, [...]ut they shall not be with [Page 128] him: yea, they shall [...] banished from his pr [...] ­sence, they shall see t [...] godly at the right ha [...] of Iesus, but shall not [...] gathered with them. T [...] is their curse; from t [...] which, the Lord prese [...] vs.

In this second deg [...] Foure words to be conside­red in this second de­gree of comfort. these foure words are [...] be considered. First sai [...] our Sauiour, I goe, nam [...] ­ly, to my Fathers hou [...] Secondly, wherefore? [...] prepare. Thirdly, what [...] prepare? A place. Fourt [...] ­ly for whom? for you.

The first word then 1 The first word, I goe. I goe. Our Sauiour ca [...] [Page 129] to the world but tarri­ [...] Our Saui­our came into the world, but tarried not in the world. not in the world; two [...]d thirty yeares liued he [...]on earth. Now he hath [...]cended on high, and [...]th by example & word [...]ouokes vs to follow [...]m: he is that great Ea­ [...]e which fleeth ouer his [...]ung, fluttering with [...]e wings, alluring vs to [...]ee after him: hee calleth [...]on vs by his word, My [...]ople, Come out of Babel, [...]me out of Egypt, ye are [...]t in bondage there, ye [...]e oppressed there: Rise, [...]d follow me, Come and [...]e the beauty of my Fa­ [...]ers house. Is it not a [Page 130] shame for vs to lye back and linger in this iourny Most part among vs hau [...] liued as long as our Lor [...] yea, many twise as long shall we still desire to li [...] long in this absence fro [...] him? It was promised b [...] Esay, that vnder the king­dome of Christ, there sh [...] Esay 65. 20 be no more a child of yeare [...] Since hee hath lent most part of vs to liue heere a longer time then he took to himselfe, it is shame for vs to desire more. nor an olde man that ha [...] not filled his daies. An [...] these Fathers who sa [...] the day of Christ, but a fa [...] off, were ioyfull to dy [...] that they might enioy him. Thus is it saide o [...] Isaac, that he died full [...] ­daies; and shall not we, t [...] [Page 131] whom this day of our [...]ord hath shined more earely, long to be dissol­ed, that we may be with [...]ur Lord. I grant long [...]fe is one of God his pro­ [...]ised temporal blessings, [...]ut it is a far greater bles­ [...]ng so to liue, that thou [...]e content to die: so to [...]se the daies which God [...]ath lent thee, that thou [...] and not in neede of any [...]ore, spending euery day [...] if it were thy last day, [...]ke Israell in Egypt, with [...]ynes girded vp, and thy [...]affe in thy hand for the [...]urney, euer looking and [...]nging, when the Lord [Page 132] shall command thee [...] remoue.

Againe, it is to be o [...] As the death of our Saui­our, so the death of Saints is but a go­ing to our Father. serued that our Sauio [...] speaking of his death, c [...] it a going to his Fathe [...] S. Luke calls it the time [...] his assumption, namely, [...] into heauen. If we co [...] consider this, it wo [...] banish from vs the pr [...] ­phane feare of deat [...] There is one family, sa [...] S. Paul, whereof God the Father, part of th [...] Family is in heauen, an [...] part is vpon earth. As [...] ­rusalem was distinguish [...] into two cities, the supe [...] ­or, and inferiour, so is t [...] [Page 133] Church: The superior ci­ [...] hath in it the compa­ [...] of Saints triumphant: [...]e inferiour consists of [...]e company of Saints [...]ilitant, yet both make [...] but one family. Now [...]en, since our death is [...] other thing, but a pas­ [...]g from the lower [...]use, vp into the higher, [...] the transplanting of a [...]ee from one part of the [...]ords vineyard to a bet­ [...]r, why shall we grudge it. But of this more [...]ay be seen in our Trea­ [...]es of the eight to the [...]omanes, and defiance to [...]ath.

[Page 134]The doctrine of th [...] Comfort­lesse is the doctrine of the church of Rome cōcerning▪ death. Stepmother-Church o [...] Rome comes far short o [...] this comfort: the deat [...] of her children they call [...] downe-going to an hou [...] in hell, to wit, Purgatory not an vpgoing to our fa­thers house in heauen▪ [...] comfortles religion▪ Phi­sitians are they of no va­lue: miserable are the [...] who are blinded by them Their religion tells the that in thy life-time tho [...] canst not be sure of salua­tion, and in death it as­sures thee thou must g [...] into purgatory, the pain [...] wherof differeth nothing [Page 135] from the paine of hell, ex­ [...]ept that it is of shorter [...]ontinuance, and there [...]eedes them with vaine [...]opes that they wil bring [...]hee out againe, but can­ [...]ot tell thee when. If thou [...]ue thy soule O man, [...]ust not in such deceit­ [...]ll trumpery, hazard not [...]y soule downe-ward, [...]ee that religion which [...]rofesses this for a princi­ [...]le, For the death of her chil­dren shee defines to be a down. going, not an vp-go­ing to the house of our father. that it cannot make [...]ee sure of saluation. If [...]ou wouldst haue rest to [...]y soul belieue in Christ, [...]enounce thy selfe, con­ [...]nt thee with his merits, [...]e instructed by his word, [Page 136] there thou shalt learn [...] that it belongeth vnto al [...] his redeemed, which he [...] spake vnto one: This nigh [...] thou shalt be with me in Pa­radise. From the place o [...] our Pilgrimage al that di [...] in the Lord, goe by [...] straight course to Para­dise, they know no Pur­gatory. Vbi euolauerit Macar. hom. 22. corpore anima si rea sit, p [...] ­testates tenebrarum eam [...] ­ripiunt, Sanctis vero ast [...] Angeli qui eorum anim [...] ad suam partem pertra [...] So soone as the soule fl [...] eth out of the body, if be guilty, the powers [...] darkenesse carries it vi [...] [Page 137] lently with them as their prey, but the holy Angels carries the soules of ho­ly men vnto their place, as they carried Lazarus his soule into Abrahams bosome: no word heere of any mid-place, and no lesse cleare in this point is Nazianzen. Credo omnem Nazi. orat. 24. in [...]au­dem Caesarij. animam Deo charam, poste­aquam corporis vinculis so­luta hinc excesserit, hilarem ad dominum suum conuola­re, & beatitudin [...]m recon­ditam imaginatione qua­dam percipere. I beleeue that euery soule beloued of God, so soone as it is loosed from the body, [Page 138] flyes ioyfully vnto the Lord, and there en­ioyes that happines which in heauen is laied vp for it.

But no lesse cruell and But more comfortles and cruell are they when they send down infants vn­baptized, to a house of hel, bap­tised by themselues and called Infernus nō baptizatorū merciles are they toward young children dying without Baptisme: for these, if the want of Bap­tisme be not supplied by martyrdome, they con­demne to another house of hell, which they cal [...] infernus non baptizatorum the hell of such as are no [...] baptized. Our Sauiour commanded to bring th [...] young children, and sai [...] of such is the kingdome [...] [Page 139] heauen, but these new do­ctors will banish young ones from him, and grant them no place in his king­dome. S. Paul saith, that children of beleeuing Pa­rents are holy, being born within the Couenant; but the Pope sends them downe to a house in hell, for want of the seale of the Couenant: But be­cause they still bragge of Antiquity, we wil let you heare the voyce of Anti­quity plainely against them. This cruell opinion is condem­ned by Augustine.

First, of this purpose Augustine writes in this manner. Proinde respu­endi [Page 140] sunt a corde Christi­ano, qui putant ideo dictum multas esse mansiones, quod extra regnum coeloru [...] erit aliquid, vbi maneant beati innocentes, qui sine Baptis­mo ex hac vita emigrarunt, quia sine illo in regnum [...]a­lorum intrare non poterunt. Therefore they are to be reiected, yea, spewed out of a Christian heart, who thinke, because our Saui­our sayes, there are many Mansions, that therefore without the kingdome of Heauen, there is some place, wherein blessed innocents, dying without Baptisme shall remaine, [Page 141] because without it they Let Ca­tholique Romanes consider what fals [...] Catholicks they are in Augustine his minde. cannot enter into the kingdom of heauen: Haec [...]ides non est fides, quia non [...]st vera & Catholica fides: This faith is no faith, be­cause it is no true Catho­ [...]ique faith. Dare ye so di­ [...]ide the house of our Fa­ther, that some Mansions therof ye make to be in the kingdom of heauē, others of them without the king­dom of Heauen? Absit vt [...]ui volunt habitare in regno [...]oelorum in hac stultitia ve­ [...]int habitare vobiscum: Far [...]e it from vs, that they who would dwell in the kingdome of heauen, [Page 142] should dwell with you in this foolish opinion.

With Augustine agreeth With Au­gustine agreeth Bernard. Ierem. 1. 5. Bernard: I read, saies he, that the Lord spake of Ie­remie, Before thou came out of the wombe, I sanctified thee: And of Iohn the Bap­tist, Qui ex viero, Domi­num in vtero sensit, who in the womb of his owne Mother Elizabeth was touched with a feeling of his Lord, in the wombe of Marie the blessed Vir­gin; Bern. Epist. 174. [...] had fallen out ( [...] [...]ee) that any of [...] died in the [...], meaning of Ie­ [...] or Iohn, who will [Page 143] say, being thus sanctified by the Spirit, that they should haue beene con­demned? Hee that plea­ses to heare more, let him [...]urne ouer to his 77. Epi­ [...]tle, written to Hugo de Bern. ad Magi. Hug. de sancto victore. epist. 77. [...]ancto victore, because [...]ome new vpstart of that [...]ime had taken in hand to [...]roue the absolute neces­ [...]ty of Baptisme out of [...]hese wordes of Iesus to [...]icodemus, Except a man Iohn 3. 5. [...]e borne of water, and of the Not the want, but the neglect and con­tempt of baptisme is preiudicial to saluatiō. [...]pirit, hee cannot enter into [...]he kingdome of Heauen. [...]ernard there improues [...]hat sence, and by forci­ [...]le reasons euinces, that it [Page 144] is not the meaning of Christ in that place, esta­blishing this conclusion, that the want of Baptism cannot be pr [...]iudiciall to saluation, Tantum si aqu [...] non contemptus sed sola pro­hibeat impossibilitas, pro­uiding it be not the con­tempt thereof, but impos­sibility to get it, that cau­ses the want of it. And to Ibid▪ Papists tea­ching o­therwaies are decla­red long since by the fathers to be affir­mers of new in­uentions. strengthen his iudgement hee bringeth in the con­sent of auncient Fathers that were before▪ him. Mirror si nouus iste noua­rum inuentor assertionum et assertor inuentionum in­uenire in hoc rationem po­tuit, [Page 145] quae sanctos latuit pa­ [...]res Ambrosium & Au­ [...]ustinum, nam si nescit, v­ [...]erque profecto idem sensit, quod fatemur, et nos sentire. Legat librum Ambrosu de [...]orte Valentiniam, & Au­gustini de vno bap. smo, lib. 4. I maruell saies he if this [...]ew inuentor of new as­ [...]ertions, and assertor of [...]nuentions could find out [...] reason for his new opi­niō, which was vnknown to the holy Fathers, Am­brose and Augustine, if he be ignorant of it, let him know that both these were of that same minde concerning this point, [Page 146] wherof I am, let him read the booke of Ambrose o [...] the death of Valentiman and Augustine his fourth booke of one Baptism [...] These are the wordes o [...] Bernard; Let Papists be ashamed to lurke vnder the shadow of Antiqui­ty, since they are asser­tors of nouelties, and such nouelties as haue beene by diuers ancient Fathers so plainely con­demned, long before ou [...] time. The se­cond word in the se­cond de­gree of cō ­fort is. To prepare.

The next word here is, of preparing, I goe (saith our Sauiour) to prepare: This leads vs by the hand [Page 147] to take vp the greatnesse of that glory: for it must be a great glory which is prepared by the Lord. And this will appeare the better by a twofold com­parison: first, of the works of God with the workes of man: next, of the works That it must be a great glo­ry which God pre­pares, will appeare. among themselues. As for the first, when men of great power make prepa­ration some great thing answerable to their pow­er is expected of them. I 1 By compa­rison of the workes of men with the workes of God. cease to speake of those workes, whereunto the luxurious humours of men haue carryed them without necessitie or any [Page 148] good vse; as the Pyra­mides, the Labyrinth, and Plin. lib. 36. cap. 14. Sphynx of Egypt, the tem­ple of Diana, the Sepul­chre of Mausolus, the wals of Babell, the Capitoll of Rome, and many moe. Of all which it is true which Panciroll speaketh of one Panciroll. de 7. mundi miraculis. of them; Nulla alia aedifi­candae Pyramidis causa fuit, quam vana & stulta osten­tatio, vt scilicet nec pecunia ipsa, nec etiam plebs otiosa esset: There was no other cause why the Kings of Egypt builded their Pyra­mides, one whereof was twentie yeares in build­ing, three hundred and [Page 149] threescore thousand men cōtinually working ther­at, no other cause (saith hee) was of all this vn­profitable labour, but a vaine and foolish osten­tation, that neyther their money nor their men should be idle.

But these, as I said, I Noah was an 120. yeare pre­raring the Arke, at length he finished it a vessell of huge quan­titie. [...]eaue, and turne mee to holy Scripture. Noah was an hundred and twentie years preparing the Arke. No doubt, as the Lord commanded him to build [...]t, so his wisedome dire­cted him how to build it. Here was a long prepara­tion, and it produced a [Page 150] great worke: it behooued to be a great vessell, there were but eight reasonable soules in it, Noah the Fa­ther, Iaphet, Sem and Cham, his three Sonnes, with their wiues, but be­side these, it contayned all kindes of creatures, beasts of the earth, birds of the ayre, male and female. Of what huge quantitie it was, may appeare by this; the Floud continued for Gen 7. 11. the space of a yeare and tenne dayes: for it began in the sixe hundred yeere of Noah, the second Mo­neth, and seauenteenth day of the Moneth, the [Page 151] earth was not dry, ney­ [...]her did Noah come forth Gen. 7. 13. 14. 15. [...]ll the sixe hundred and [...]ne yeare, the second Moneth, the twentie sea­ [...]enth day of the Moneth. [...]ow from the time the [...]rke began to rest on the oppe of the Mountaines [...]f Ararat, it was a quarter Gen. 8. 4. 5. [...]f a yeare wanting seauen [...]ayes, before the toppe [...]f any mountaine was [...]eene. Of this appeares [...]hat a huge Vessell it [...]as.

Againe, great prepara­ [...]on Dauid and Salomon made long preparati­on for building the temple. was made by Dauid [...]nd Salomon for building [...]f the Temple: seauen [Page 152] yeares was it a building; at this worke he had con­tinually tenne thousand men that by course hew­ed wood in Lebanon: 2 Chron. 2. 18. fourescore thousand Ma­sons that hewed stones in the mountain, threescore and tenne thousand that bare burdens, three thou­sand and sixe hundred Ouerseers or Masters of The work was a wonder of the world, for where great men make great preparati­on, great workes are expected to follow. the worke; and it was a great worke, the Kings of the earth maruelle [...] & were astonished when they saw it. The second Temple built after the Captiuitie, was nothing comparable to the first [Page 153] It is true Haggie prophe­ [...]ed that the glory of the [...]cond house should ex­ [...]eed the glory of the first [...]ouse; but that was not [...] respect of the building, [...]ut in respect of the per­ [...]nal presence of the Son [...]f God, who taught in [...]at Temple: yet was this [...]cond Temple so great a [...]orke, that the Disciples [...]ondred to see the stones [...]ereof, and Titus when [...]ee destroyed it, turned [...]im to his Captaines and [...]yed, Pugnauit hodie pro [...]obis Deus, ô Commilitones: God hath this day fough­ [...]en for vs, O fellow soul­diers: [Page 154] for hee perceiued the strength of that hous [...] greater then that hee was able to destroy it, if th [...] Lord had not bin agains [...] it. Thus you see whe [...] men of power make grea [...] preparation, there fo [...] ­lowes great workes,

Ahasuerus made a grea [...] Ahasuerus after long preparati­on made a royall ban­quet. Esth. 1. 4. feast to all the Princes [...] an hundred twentie an [...] seauen Prouinces, for n [...] other end, but to she [...] the riches and glory [...] his Kingdome, and th [...] honour of his Maiestie fo [...] the time it lasted, to th [...] Princes an hundred an [...] fourescore dayes, to th [...] [Page 155] common people it lasted [...]eauen dayes. The place [...]as the court of the Gar­ [...]en of the Kings Palace; [...]he Tapestrie was of white, greene, and blew, [...]astned with cords of fine [...]innen and Purple, in sil­ [...]er Rings and Pillers of Marble; the beds were of Gold and siluer, vpon a [...]auement of Porphyre, [...]nd Marble and Alaba­ [...]er If so great things be done by men when they pre­pare them for it, what shall wee looke for from our God? and blew colour. If [...] great works were done [...]y a worme of the earth, [...]o shew the greatnesse of [...]is Maiestie, what shall [...]ee looke for from the Lord our God? how great [Page 156] must that glory be, whic [...] is prepared by himself for his Saints of all [...] Prouinces, not to indu [...] for a time, but for eu [...] and euer?

Secondly, if wee sha [...] 2 It appeares by the compari­son of the workes of God a­mong them­selues. compare the workes [...] God among themselue [...] wee may lay this for ground, that the inuisib [...] workes of God are alwa [...] most excellent: some [...] his Creatures are vnde [...] ­standing Spirits onely without flesh; such as t [...] Angels: some are fl [...] only without vndersta [...] ­ding, the one is subiect [...] sense, not so the other, b [...] [Page 157] how farre doth the one excell the other? Yea, in man who consists of a [...]oule and of a body, doth [...]ot the inuisible soule far excell the visible body? And seeing this visible Seeing his visible works are so glori­ous, his in­uisible workes must be much more glo­rious. world, the place of our [...]oiourning, is so beauti­full as we may behold it, what shall wee thinke of that inuisible Palace, the place of our endlesse ha­bitation? The great Ci­ties of Campania seeme but little cottages to them who stand on the toppe of the Alpes, and when we shall once be exalted to the mountaine of our [Page 158] GOD, the most stately and gorgeous building which are now, shall ap­peare nothing at all; yea [...] as the Moone coueret [...] her selfe with a pale vail [...] at the brightnesse of th [...] Sunne, so shall all the glo­ry of flesh evanish, whe [...] that glory of the Sonne of God shall be reuealed▪

But here may be de­manded, Our man­sions in re­spect of Gods de­cree were prepared before the world. Mat. 25. 34 how saith o [...] Sauiour, I goe to prepare [...] place for you? Was it n [...] prepared before the fou [...] ­dation of the world? Co [...] ye blessed of my Father, [...] herit the Kingdome prep­red for you from the fo [...] [Page 159] dation of the world. The answere is, both these are [...]rue: it was prepared be­fore, and yet is preparing But in re­spect of the execution of the de­cree, they are still in preparing. [...]till. Distinguish the de­ [...]ree from the execution [...]f the decree: in respect [...]f the decree it was pre­ [...]ared, in respect of the [...]xecution it is preparing [...]et. And this prepara­ [...]on stands in these three; [...]st, in possession: se­ [...]ndly, in intercession: [...]irdly, in effectuall ope­ [...]tion.

For the first: Christ Ie­ [...]s And this preparati­on stands in these three. hath ascended vnto [...]auen to possesse it for [...] and vnto vs, to sease [Page 160] our nature in that con­quered 1 In posses­sing vs in these man­sions pla­ces. Tertul. de resur. carnis. Kingdome. O [...] this Tertullian, in name o [...] all the Saints, gloryeth i [...] this manner: Quemadmo­dum nobis aharabonem Spi­ritus reliquit, ita à nobis a [...] ­rabonem carnis accepit, & vexit in Coelum pignus to­tius summae illuc quando [...] redigendae: Securae esto [...] caro & sanguis, vsurpast [...] enim Coelum & Regnum Dei in Christo: As t [...] Lord hath left behind him vnto vs, the earne [...] of his Spirit, so hath h [...] taken frō vs the earnest [...] our flesh, & carried it in [...] heauen, as a pledge th [...] [Page 161] the whole summe, name­ly, all that are his, euen in their bodies, shall come thither also: therefore O flesh and bloud be glad, and rest in assurance, for thou possessest that King­dome of heauen already in thy head, the Lord Ie­sus Christ.

The second point of 2 In interces­sion for vs, that wee may haue the place there, which hee hath meri­ted. this preparation is his In­tercession for vs: Christ is not entred into the holy places which are made with hands, and are similitudes [...]f the true Sanctuary, but [...]s entred into the very hea­uen, to appeare now in the [...]ight of God for vs. Thus [Page 162] then prepares hee that place for vs, when by his continuall Intercession hee prayes that the plac [...] may be asigned vnto eue­ry one of vs, which he [...] hath merited vnto vs [...] The typicall high Pries [...] And this intercessi­on is not generall but parti­cular for e­uery one of his Saints by name. had the names of all th [...] twelue Tribes of Israe [...] vpon his brest, when he [...] appeared before God t [...] pray for them: but ou [...] high Priest knowes parti­cularly by name all h [...] Saints, for whom hee i [...] terceeds: I haue called th [...] Esay 43. 2. by thy name, for thou [...] ­mine. Yea, not one [...] knowes hee our person [...] [Page 163] but all our seuerall infir­mities: For we haue not an Heb. 3. 15 high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sinne.

And lastly, this prepa­ration 3 In effectu­all operati­on, by which hee drawes vs vp to these Mansions prepared for vs. stands in his effe­ctuall operation in vs, ac­cording as hee promised; And I, if I were lift vp from the earth, will draw all men vnto mee, to wit, all that are mine. Then prepares he that place for vs, when by his attractiue vertue hee drawes vs vp vnto it: Parat quodammo­do Aug. in Ioan. tract. 68. mansiones, cum mansio­nibus [Page 164] parat mansores: The Lord after a sort (saith Augustine) prepares a mansion place, when hee prepares them who shold remaine in it. Ita Domine, para quod paras, nos enim tibi paras, & t [...] nobis paras, cum locum paras, & tibi in nobis, & in te nobis; tu enim dixisti, Manete in me, & ego in vobis: Euen so, Lord, prepare that which thou art preparing, for thou preparest vs to thy selfe, and preparest thy selfe vnto vs, when thou preparest a place for thy selfe in vs, and for vs in thee; for thou saidst, Abide [Page 165] yee in mee, and I in you. Iohn 15. S. Peter ioynes these two together; An inheritance 1 Pet. 1. 4. 5 kept in the heauens for vs, and whereunto we are kept by the power of God through faith. This is for our great comfort, that hee who hath prepared that King­dome for vs, prepares vs for it: hee hath ascended on high, and is now draw­ing vs vp after him. We In the My­stical body all the life is in the head, and hee will not faile to draw all his mem­bers after him. speake it of the naturall body, where the head goes through, it will draw the whole body after it: this is much more true in the mysticall body; for whereas in the naturall [Page 166] body there are moe vitall parts then one, in the my­sticall there is no vitall part but the head: so long as there is life in the head, and that shal be for euer; for Christ is now risen from the dead, and can dye no more, the members shall not want life. Such as are in him feeles vertue flowing frō him, to draw them vp to himselfe, to renew and prepare them for these new Heauens, wherein dwelleth righteous­nesse, and into the which no vncleane thing can enter. Aboue all things let vs take heede that wee finde [Page 167] this attractiue vertue in our selues: for thereby shall wee know that our Lord is preparing a place for vs in these heauenly Mansions.

Now that our Sauiour Limbus pa­trum alto­gether e­lumbat, can finde no footing in this place. saith, I goe to prepare a place for you: we haue shewed [...]n what sense hee saith it. And therefore they are farre mistaken who abuse this place, to proue, that the way to the heauenly Mansions was vnpassa­ [...]le, and heauen inaccessi­ [...]le before the resurrecti­on & ascention of Christ: [...]o affirme the Prolocu­ [...]ors [...] on Heb. 9. v. 8. for Babell, that the [Page 168] Patriarkes & other good men of the olde Testa­ment, were in some other place of rest before the comming of Christ, and not in heauen; and name­ly, that they were in a place called Limbus Pa­trum, which in their mind is the vppermost house of hell. A strange opinion, as if there could be any rest but in heauen, or that soules could haue rest in any house of hell. And with this they abuse ano­ther place of the Apostle to the Hebrewes, The way Heb. 9. 8. into the holiest of all was not yet opened, while as yet [Page 169] [...]he first Tabernacle was standing.

For answering where­of Another place vin­dicate frō the h [...]nds of Papists which they would abuse to proue that none of the godly before Christ, went into heauen. we must know, that the Apostles purpose there, is [...]o declare vnto the He­brewes, that the seruice of the Leuiticall Priest-hood & first Tabernacle, could not of it selfe, giue salua­tion, but figured that sal­uation which comes by the bloud of the high Priest. Now albeit the Leuiticall seruice of it [...] could neyther saue Priest nor people, yet so many of them as were spirituall, and in vsing of the Typicall sacrifice, [Page 170] looked by the eye of faith vnto the true sacrifice, be [...] leeuing remission of sin [...] through the bloud o [...] Christ, these were saue [...] by faith in Christ t [...] come, no lesse then we are saued by faith in Chris [...] that is come. And where the Apostle saith, the way [...] to heauen was not open during the time of the first Tabernacle, it doth not import, that the way to heauen was closed all that time, but that it [...] not manifested then [...] made so clearly apparen [...] as now it is by the com­ming of Christ: for the [Page 171] Apostle vseth not the word [...], which signi­fieth The diffe­rence of the words [...] and [...], declares the way was open then albe­it not so cleare as now. to open that which was closed, but hee vseth the word [...], which signifieth to make mani­fest and cleare a thing which is darke and ob­scure. Now there is a great difference betweene these two; to say that the way of heauen was ob­scured with shadowes & couerings, which were re­moued by Christs com­ming, and the way to [...]eauen more clearly ma­nifested; and to say, that the way and dore of hea­uen was closed & locked [Page 172] vp before, til Christ came and opened it: and ther­fore the Iesuites them­selues are forced to trans­late this word as I haue alledged; The way of the holiest was not yet manife­sted. They had the same Couenant of Grace that wee haue, but they had it infolded & couered with figures and shadowes, we haue it outfolded and clearely proponed with­out figure or shadow. The Sunne before his rising sends out a light, where­by any man that hath eyes may see the way wherein he should walke, [Page 173] but when it riseth, it brings with it a greater light, whereby the way is more clearly manifested. The Lord Iesus before his in carnation sent out a light, which shewed the way of saluation to so many as were appointed for it, and by that light they walked vnto it; but much more clearely hath hee manifested it by his owne comming. These words are abused, when another sense is inforced vpon them.

When Moses testifieth of Henoch, that hee walked with God, and hee was no [Page 174] more seene, for God tooke Gen. 5. 24. 2 Kin. 2. 11. When the Scripture saith, God tooke vp Henoch & Eliah into heauen, if the do­ctrine of the Romish Church be true, it must be said, they were carri­ed downe to a house in hell. him away. The Doctors of Rome must make this Commentary vpon it, God took him away, that is, tooke him downe to an house of hell called Lim­bus Patrum, or else they must renounce their opi­nion: and where the Spi­rit of God saith, that E­lijah went vp by a whirle­winde into heauen, these babling builders of Babell will haue it expounded this way; that hee went downe to Limbus: When Lazarus dyed, his soule was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosome: [Page 175] now say they that the [...]lace called Abrahams [...]osome is now in heauen, [...]ut before Christs death [...] was a place in hell, Lim­bus Patrum. But I pray [...]ou what reasonable man [...]ill thinke that holy An­ [...]els carry the soules of [...]en vnto another place [...]en that wherein they [...]well themselues? Origen Origen. in Iob. [...]riting on that place of [...]b, And naked shall I re­ [...]rne, saith in this man­ner; I shall returne thither, [...]here Adam and the rest [...] mine elders are gone; [...]here the tabernacles of the [...]ghteous are, the rest of the [Page 176] faithfull, the consolation o [...] the godly; where Abra­hams bosome is, and th [...] company of Angels, the king­dome of Christ, where i [...] light, life and glory, and th [...] sight of God. Darest tho [...] say these things are to b [...] found in any house o [...] hell? Fie, that they are not ashamed to maintain such false and ridiculou [...] fables.

The third word here, is 3 The third word in this second degree of Comfort is, A place. what goes he to prepare A place. Not a place o [...] punishment, but as he [...] said before, A mansion place, a place of euerlast­ing rest and ioy. Still th [...] [Page 177] comfort rises by degrees. O what a mercy is this! [...]f a place were assigned to [...]s according to our de­seruing, the earth would [...]ot beare vs. It is the [...]urse of the wicked when [...]hey dye, they goe downe Acts 1. 25. [...] their place; so was it with Iudas: and when [...]entence shall be giuen [...]ut against them, the [...]rth shall open & swal­low them; but the com­ [...]assion Gods great mer­cy, that man shold haue a place in heauen. of the Lord, and [...]assion of his Christ, hath [...]eed vs from this misera­ble condition. For our [...]nne we were cast out of [...]arthly Paradise, and yet [Page 178] the Lord out of his loue hath giuen vs a place in the heauenly Paradise: The Angels lost the plac [...] of their habitation there, & shall neuer recouer it, bu [...] man is raised vp into thei [...] roomes, to sit with Chris [...] Ephes. 2. 6. in the heauenly places.

But the last word com­pleates 4 The fourth and last word is, For you. the Comfort, fo [...] you: I goe to prepare a pla [...] for you. It were no mat­ter of comfort to heare o [...] that place, and of th [...] great preparation mad [...] in it, if it were not for vs for as wee shewed in th [...] beginning, our Sauiou [...] here vnderstands not th [...] [Page 179] twelue Disciples onely, when hee saith, I goe to prepare a place for you: there is one of the twelue [...]ath no place there; Iudas Acts 1. 15. went to his owne place, and many beside the twelue that shal haue place there, [...]s afterward our Sauiour expounds himself. Alway Particular application of Gods promises, is necessa­ry for our comfort. wee see it is not sufficient [...]or true consolation to haue a generall sight of eternall life, but a parti­cular application of the promises thereof is neces­sarily required in vs. And this is the very essentiall difference which distin­guisheth true iustifying [Page 180] faith from all other kind [...] of faith whatsoeuer. Th [...] Papists mistake it farr [...] when they teach there i [...] no more in faith then No­titia Coster. en­chir. cum assensu, a know­ledge with assent. For Papists mistake far the nature of Faith, when they take from it this par­ticular ap­plication. suppose thou knowe [...] the promises of eterna [...] life, and assentest to them also, that they are true i [...] the generall, if thou ha [...] not the assurance (which iustifying Faith renders that they are thine, wha [...] comfort hast thou? Th [...] damned Diuels know & confesse the Son of God they know his word [...] true, both his promises [...] [Page 181] mercy, and threatnings [...]f iudgement; but they [...]re sure that mercy be­longs not to them, and iudgement cannot goe by them, therfore they trem­ble saith S. Iames: where [...]f they thought and as­sented not to the truth of Gods word, it would not moue them at all, neither would they tremble for [...]he iudgement more then they reioyce at the mer­cie. Thus haue these re­probate Spirits, an assen­ [...]ing knowledge, then the which no more is in the Papists faith, according to their owne doctrine.

[Page 182]And thus they mista­king From this they fal in­to another inconueni­ence, to de­ny that a man in this life can be sure of sal­uation. the nature of Faith [...] are forced to fall into an [...] other in conuenience, tha [...] in this life no man can b [...] sure of saluation, vnlesse it be by extraordinary re­uelation. Indeed for them it is necessary to affirm [...] this; for it is impossible that their Religion can giue any man assurance of saluation: and there­fore hath their Counsel [...] of Trent decreed in this Consil. Trid. Ses. 6. Can. 5 manner: Si quis dixerit h [...] ­minem renatum teneri ex­fide ad credendum, se cert [...] esse de numero praedestina­torum, anathema sit: If any [Page 183] man say that a regene­rate man is bound of faith [...]o beleeue that hee is cer­tainely of the number of [...]hem who are predestina­ted to life, let him be ac­cursed. This is their com­fortlesse Doctrine. That a re­generate man may be and is sure of sal­uation is proued a­gainst the Counsell of Trent.

But as hee who liues, [...]eeles life sensibly, and [...]an say, I liue: and hee who hath a Iewell in his [...]and which others see [...]ot, can say confidently [...] haue it: so the regene­rate man iustified by [...]aith, hauing receiued the [...]pirit of Adoption, cal­led, The earnest of our in­heritance: Ephes. 1. 14. The witnesse of [Page 184] God who witnesseth to o [...] 1 Iohn 5. 10 Spirits that we are the so [...] of God: The seale of Go [...] Rom 8. 16. by whom wee are sealed a­gainst the day of redēptio [...] Ephes. 4. 30. can as certainly say th [...] I haue it. And albeit ma­ny are deceiued concer­ning it, to thinke with t [...] Math. fiue foolish Virgins th [...] haue that which th [...] haue not: is it therefo [...] reason to affirme that [...] are deceiued, and no [...] can be assured?

Considering that rege­nerate For hee hath all these rights & sureties of his hea­uenly in­heritance. men haue all the [...] securities of their heauen­ly inheritance giuen th [...] from the Lord: fi [...] [Page 185] Charter; secondly, Con­firmation; thirdly, Sea­ [...]ing; fourthly, Possessi­on. 1 A Char­ter giuen him by the Lord. Our Charter is the word of the Lord, and promises made vs in the Gospell of grace. There [...]s one clause of our Char­ter, As the Father hath ap­pointed Luke 22. 29 a Kingdome to mee, [...]ol appoint it to you. There [...]s another; Feare not little Luke 12. 32 [...]ocke, it is the Fathers will [...]o giue you the Kingdome. If reprobate man or Angell would quarrell (as no doubt they will in the day of tentation) our [...]ight to the kingdome of heauen, wee should haue [Page 186] such principall clauses o [...] our Charter, registred i [...] our hearts, to produce a­gainst them, that would disturbe our peace.

Secondly, we haue th [...] 2 A confir­mation past there­upon. Lords Confirmation pa [...] vpon our Charter. O [...] this speakes the Apostle [...] So God willing more abun­dantly Heb. 6. 17. 18. to shew vnto t [...] heyres of promise, the stabi­litie of his counsell, ha [...] bound himselfe by an oa [...] that by two immutable thing [...] wherein it is impossible th [...] God should lye, wee might haue strong consolation. T [...] Lord hath not only spo­ken the word, but hat [...] [Page 187] confirmed it with an [...]ath, to shew to the heires [...]f promise, these are re­generate men, the stabili­ [...]e of his counsell: let the aduersaries marke this. Beside this, the death of [...]e Testator hath inter­ [...]ened, and hath subscri­ [...]ed the Testament with [...]is owne bloud, and con­firmed it in our hearts by giuing vs his owne Spi­rit, as his witnesse, his [...]arnest and his owne seale assuring vs that the pro­mised saluation is ours. And therefore S. Paul speaking to the Corinthi­ans 1 Cor. 1. 6. saith, The testimonie of [Page 188] God hath beene confirmed in you. Truth it is, many in our dayes, know this Charter, and can speake of it, who haue not the testimonie thereof confir­med in their hearts, but sure his Saints elected, called, and iustified haue it.

Thirdly, wee haue our 3 A seasing conforma­b [...]e to his Charter. Seasing giuen vs, when his seruants, Preachers of the Gospell, as his Depu­ties and officers, in his name, seases and infefts vs in his promised King­dome: and this is done vpon earth, so oft as they deliuer vnto vs in the [Page 189] holy Sacrament, that [...]read which is his body, [...]hat wine which is his [...]loud. A donation reall [...]s made to vs of Christ, and of all that which hee hath conquered vnto vs, that which generally is proposed in the word, particularly is applyed in the Sacrament to euery true, penitent, and belee­uing receiuer: for it is not a naked signe or symboll which there is put into our hands, but an effectu­all exhibiting instrument of Christ Iesus, and of all that by his death he hath merited vnto vs.

[Page 190]Last of all, we haue pos­session 4 Possession. of it, not onely as wee said hath hee carryed our nature into the hea­uens, & possessed it there, but hee hath deliuered to vs the keyes of the King­dome, Faith and Prayer, by the which, when wee knocke, hee openeth, and giues vs euen in this life, an entrance to it, that we may after a sort view and behold the glory thereof, as Moses from the top of Pisgah viewed Canaan: & this is a present pledge of that future redemption of the possession abiding vs hereafter, when we shal [...] [Page 191] more fully inioy it then [...]ow we can.

Thus haue wee seene in And yet no man hath this assurance at all times in a like measure. a part what sure and vn­doubted warrants, Saints called and iustifyed, haue of their saluation; yet it is to be obserued, that this assurance continues not with them alway in a like measure: they are ma­ny a time exercised with doubtings, & desertions, for their greater humilia­tion: but this is sure, true Religion approues no doubting, farre lesse pre­scribes it, but rather im­proues it, and by strong arguments taken out of [Page 192] the word, strengthens Faith, and remoueth all causes of dubitation fur­nished by infidelitie. But that I may eschew repeti­tion, he that lists may read this matter entreated at greater length on the eight to the Romanes, where we haue also pro­ued that Saints called once by grace, and iusti­fied by Faith, are sure of finall perseuerance.

By your Patience.

FOllowes now the se­cond 2 Second part of the precept, By your Pa­tience. point, wherin the armour is recommended to vs, by which we should keepe and possesse our soules, to wit, by Patience. Nobile vincendi genus pati­entia: a noble and worthy sort of victory is Patience. And not without cause is The exam­ple of God the Father teacheth vs Patience. it recommended vnto vs. We are the Seruants of that God who is called [Page 259] The God of Patience: Quā ­uis Aug. de temp. ser. 223. nihil pati possit, Patien­tia vero à patiendo nomen acceperit, patientem tamen Deum fideliter credimus: Albeit hee can suffer no­thing, and Patience hath the name from suffering or passion, yet we faith­fully beleeue that hee is a How Pati­ence is as­cribed to God. patient God. Sicut zelus, sicut ira, sicut poenitentia, ita est in illo Patientia: As Zeale, and Anger, and Repentance are in God, so is Patience in God. Zelat sine liuore, irascitur sine perturbatione, poenitet sine mutatione, ita & patia­tur sine passione: He hath [Page 260] Zeale without spight, he hath Anger without per­turbation, hee repents without alteration, so also is hee patient without passion. Nam si tanquam nostra, cogitemus ista in illo, nulla sunt: For if wee thinke of Zeale, Anger, Patience, as they are in vs, wee must know that such are not at all in the Lord: yet hee is patient, and causeth his Sunne to Math. shine, and his raine to fall vpon the iust & vniust, Et serui debent ingeniū Domini Tertull. ser. de Patien­tia. sui imitari, and it becomes seruants to imitate the manners of their Lord.

[Page 261]Beside that, we are the The exam­ple of Christ tea­cheth vs patience. Souldiers of that Captain who obtained the grea­test victorie that euer was conquered, by patient suffering. The Samari­tanes held him at the port, the Disciples inflamed with ire called for fire from heauen, but patient Iesus reproued them; Yee know not of what spirit yee are. The Pharisees reuiled him, and said hee had a Diuell, but our Lord re­uiled them not againe. Iu­das came to betray him, and our Sauiour went out and embraced him: O wonderfull Patience! [Page 262] Quod dolosis proditoris la­bijs August. de temp. ser. 223. non negauit osculum pacis: that to the deceit­full lips of the false trai­tor, hee denyed not the kisse of his mouth. The men of warre buffetted him, scourged him, moc­ked him, but hee like the Lambe, was dumbe be­fore the shearer: so hee who by his word requires Patience, by his example teacheth vs Patience, as that singular grace wher­by we are able to get most glorious victory, yea, to become more then Con­querours through him that loued vs.

[Page 263]His Saints in like man­ner True Christi­ans after Christs example haue ad­uanced his kingdome by Pati­ence. following the exam­ple of their Lord, haue aduanced his Kingdome more by the patient suf­fering of the shedding of their owne bloud, then euer any Monarch of the world could aduance [...]is Kingdome by the shed­ding of the bloud of o­thers: Quo acriora suppli­cia Iust. Mart. in dialogo cum Tryph. in Christianos adhibita fuerint, eo plures alij fideles comparantur, quemadmo­dum si quis partes Vitis prae­cidat, vt aliae fructuosiores rursus germinent: The sharper punishments be vsed against christians, the [Page 264] more is the number of faithfull ones encreased: as men cut off the bran­ches of the Vine tree, that others more fruitfull may come in their roome, so is it with the Church Who knowes not saith Cyprian, how the corne of the Church hath brought out most abundant en­crease, being watered with the bloud of the A­postles and other Mar­tyres? Quo plus sanguinis Cyprian de dupl [...]nart. effusum est, eo magis efflo­ruit fidelium multitudo, hoc latius sparsit suas pro­pagines illa beata Vitis à Christo stirpe surgens: The [Page 265] greater quantity of bloud The bloud of Martyrs the seed of the church. was shed, the more flou­rished the multitude of beleeuers, and the more largely did that blessed Vine-tree, springing from the roote Christ Iesus, spread out her branches. For this cause said Tertul­lian, that Sanguis Mar­tyrum Tertull. est semen Ecclesiae: The bloud of Martyres is the seed of the Church. And this the Aduersary is forced to confesse, that albeit in the Primi­tiue Church there were as many thousand Chri­stians as were able to haue giuen battle to the [Page 266] persecuting Emperours, yet they had rat [...]er ouer­come by patient suffe­ring, then violent shed­ding of the bloud of any other: Ita vere Catholi­cos Cost. enc [...]ir. pia quaedam tenuit mi­sericordia: Such was then the tender compassion of true Catholikes.

But how vnlike the The cruel­ty of the Romane Church shewes it to be Anti­christian. Church of Rome now is to the Church Primi­tiue, let any indifferent man discerne by their fruits. If they bee the flocke of Christ his sheep, what is the cause their teeth are so bloudy? Quid Cyprian de simplicitate Praelat. facit in pectore Christiano [Page 267] Luporum feritas, & Ca­num rabies? Should the fiercenesse of Wolues, and fury of Dogges be in the breasts of Chri­stians? Were not such Wolues and Dogges, actors of that Tragicall Murder of Paris, and plotters of the Powder-Treason? Thus euen their workes doe bewray them. It is a shame to shrowd such beastly cru­eltie vnder a Christian name: It is a double sinne to couer the iniury Malach. vnder the garment of God. This may well proue them successors to Ro­mane [Page 268] Persecuters, but not to the patient suffe­rers of the Church Pri­mitiue: Non enim conue­nit Erasm. en­chirid. mili­tis Christ. Epist. ad Volsium. vt hoc argumento nos Christianos declaremus, si quam plurimos occideri­mus, sed si quam pluri­mos seruauerimus: For it is not an argument to proue our selues to bee good Christians, if wee slay many, but rather if we saue many. If wee be otherwise minded, Fie­ri potest, vt citius in Tur­cas degeneremus, quam Turcas in partet nostras pertrahamus: It may come to passe that wee dege­nerate [Page 269] into Turkes, then draw Turkes to bee of our Religion: For by the shedding of bloud, Fiet vt latius fortasse reg­net Pontifex aut huius Car­dinales, non vt latius reg­net Christus: It may be The Popes Kingdome & his Car­dinals may be aduan­ced by bloud shed­ding, not so Christs. perhaps that the Popes Kingdome, and of his Cardinals, may be en­creased, but the King­dome of Christ by such meanes cannot be aduan­ced: but leauing them, wee returne to our selues. Our Sauiour here fore­warneth his Disciples of great troubles they were to sustaine for his names [Page 270] sake, the armour hee re­commends vnto vs, is not the Sword; the Pope may vse it, because Pe­ter did it without a war­rant, but the watch-word giuen by our Lord vnto vs all is, Possesse your Soule by your Patience: This is the weapon whereby I ouer-came, and this same doe I recommend to you.

As the Thunder (saies Patience compared to the Lau­rell tree, which can­not bee Thunder­slaine. Plinie) ouerthrowes any tree but the Lawrell, so persecution and tentati­on ouercomes any man, but not a patient man. Impatience makes a man [Page 271] a prey to euery one that pursues him, but hee who hath Patience is inuinci­ble. Euery iniury offe­red to a patient man, re­turneth backe to him that did it: Eodem exitu, Tertull. de Patientia. quo telum aliquod in pe­ [...]ram constantissimae duri­tiae libratum & obtusum: No otherway then a dart shot at a hard Rocke, eyther falleth downe blunted, or is beaten backe vpon him, who Impati­ence the mother of all euill. shot it. Impatientia ex­hedra est omnium delicto­rum: Impatience is the receptacle and right lod­ging place of all sinnes: [Page 272] Malum enim est impatien­tia boni: For euill is but the impatience of good: who would commit ad­ultrie if hee were pati­ent of Chastitie? Patien­tia Ibid. vero Charitatis est fir­mamentum: Ira, Discor­dia, Simultas, locum in pectore non habent, in quo dominatur Charitas: But Patience is the sure kee­per and stablishment of Charitie: Anger, Dis­cord, Hatred, haue no place in that heart, in the which Charitie ouer­rules: Though all the world were against such a man, hee resteth quiet [Page 273] in his owne minde, and possesseth his soule in Pa­tience.

Where, by the con­trary, Impati­ence driues a man out of his vvits. the impatient man at euery light offence is carryed out of his owne wits, and put beside himselfe, and becomes like one who teareth his Iob 18. 4. owne soule, as Bildad spake of Iob. Hee that would see the right Image, and liuely portraiture of an impatient man, let him consider this Historie set downe by Saint Marke: There met him a man, who Mar. 5. 5. 6. had an vncleane Spirit, who had his abiding among [Page 274] the graues, and no man The image of an im­patient man. might binde him, no not with chaynes, because that when hee was often bound with fetters and chaynes, hee plucked the chaynes a sunder, and brake the fet­ters in pieces, neyther could any man tame him. Both night and day hee cryed in the mountaines and in the graues, and strucke him­selfe with stones. But here is the great inconsidera­tion of men: A man this way bodily possessed, is pityed of all that behold him: but though hee be spiritually possessed, and oppressed by the enemies [Page 275] of his soule, to raging, railing, blaspheming, whoring, and all sort of impietie, who doth re­gard it? Alwayes, to re­turne great is the praise of Patience, that it makes a man possesser and ma­ster of himselfe.

The reason of this is, Patience is neuer a­lone with­out the rest of the Graces. because Patience is ne­uer alone, all the rema­nent Graces of the Spi­rit frequent the Palace of Patience, there are they preserued, and en­tertayned. As vices are linked together, so are Vertues: they march in battle against the spiri­tuall [Page 276] enemie, in comely The order how Gra­ces march in the spi­rituall war­fare. order, after this manner: Truth goeth before, and leadeth them, bearing in her badge, the Lanterne 1 Truth, with Fore­sight and Feare. of the Word, to shew them the way wherein they should walke a­gainst the Prince of dark­nesse: At the one hand of Truth stands Fore-sight, as in a Watch-tower, euer looking out to dis­couer the approaching of the enemie: at the other hand stands Feare, with this watch-word in her Banner, Walke circum­spectly. In the second rancke after Truth fol­lowes [Page 277] Faith foot for foot; 2 Faith, with Loue and Holinesse. for Faith followes No de­ [...]eiuable Fables: and Faith hath in the right hand the Sword of the Spirit, and in the left, A Buckler able to quench the firie darts of the Diuell. Vpon the right hand of Faith stan­deth Charitie or Loue; for, Faith worketh by Loue, and Loue carries in her Banner The complement of the Law: on the other hand stands Holinesse; for The Heart is purified by Faith; and Holinesse bea­ [...]eth in her Banner The Image of God. In the third rancke, at the backe [Page 278] of Holinesse stands Humi­litie, 3 Th [...]se are attended by Humili­tie an [...] [...] Meeknesse. hauing in her badge the similitude of a man mortified and dead with Christ. Beside Humilitie, at the backe of Loue, standeth her sister Meek­nesse, bearing in her badge the similitude of a Lamb. In the fourth rancke stan­deth Patience, Domina & Philo de congressu, &c. regina virtutum: the La­dy and Queene of Ver­tues, 4 Patience bearing the Stan­dard. bearing a high Stan­dard, not vnlike that of of Constantine the Great, hauing in it this name, [...], with this Dictum, [...], for in Christ, and through him Pati­ence [Page 279] ouercomes at the length. In the fift rancke, at the backe of Patience stands Experience: for, Patience brings forth Ex­perience; Rom. 5. and Experience 5 Experience with Hope and Forti­tude. beareth in her badge an open written Booke, con­tayning a Register of the Lords manifold former deliuerances: Experience hath vpon the one hand Hope, whose badge is a brazen Piller: and on the other hand Fortitude, in the similitude of an armed man, hauing on his head the Helmet of saluation, and on his bo­dy the Brest-plate of righ­teousnesse, [Page 280] When Patience is sore put at, and some­what moued out of her place by vehement trou­ble, shee leanes backe vpon the piller of Hope, and Hope succours her with this Dictum, Spera meliora: From Hope shee lookes ouer, and reades the Booke of Experience, whose first Dictum is, Remember the dayes of old: betweene these two Pa­tience begets Fortitude, by whom the battle is a­gaine renewed. In the 6 Perseue­rance. last roome followeth Per­seuerance, hauing in her Badge a Crowne holden [Page 281] vp on high with both her hands, with this Di­ctum, He that perseueres to the end shall be saued. Through all these flyes Prayer like a winged Che­rub. Round a­bout all these flyes Prayer. When Truth is sore impugned, and Faith be­ginnes to faint, Loue lan­guisheth: when Patience is sore put at, and Hope beginneth to houer, or any other of the rema­nent Graces waxes weak, then Prayer goes vp, as a speedy messenger, to the great Captaine of the Lords Army, Iesus Christ, and procures for helpe to be sent from [Page 282] him, which without fai­ling comes alway in the time of neede. And this is the way whereby the Saints of GOD pos­sesse their Soules in Pati­ence.

Of this it is euident, No true Patience can bee, where Truth, Loue, and Faith, &c. are not. that no true Patience can bee, where Truth, Faith, Loue, and the rest of these Graces are not: and therefore the grea­test sufferings of Ethnikes, Heretiques, and others voyd of Faith, Truth, and Loue, are iustly ex­cluded from the praise of Patience: Ethnici multa tu­lerunt animo forti, nulla [Page 283] tamen cum solida consola­tione: Ethnikes haue suf­fered many things with a strong, or rather an obstinate heart, but with­out any solide consola­tion. Curtius a Romane Aug. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 5. cap. 18. Knight armed and vpon horsebacke, precipitated himselfe and his Horse head-long into a gulfe of the earth, for a good, which in his ignorance he supposed might there­by come to the Citie of Rome: this was fury, not Fortitude. And many other naturall men, out of the like madnesse, to shew their magnanimitie [Page 284] and stoutnesse of minde, Patience of Eth­nikes is not wor­thy to be called Pa­tience. haue not onely endured horrible paines inflicted by others vpon them, but haue made an end of themselues by poyson, by fire, and many sorts of cruell death: this is not to possesse their soule in Patience: this is not saith Augustine, magna­nimitie, August. de ciuit. lib. 1. cap. 22. but pusillanimi­tie the Daughter of Im­patience, which because it cannot endure, it seekes to eschew that which grieues it. Soli Christiani Cyprian de Patientia. sicut veram Sapientiam, ita & veram habent Patien­tiam: Onely the Christian [Page 285] as hee hath true Wise­dome, so hath hee true Patience. And of all o­ther Patience, beside Christian Patience, that is true which S. Iames speakes of all other wise­dome: Aug. de temp. ser. 223. Non est ista Pati­entia desur sum descendens, sed terrena, animalis, dia­bolica: cur enim non sit superborum falsa Patientia, sicut superborum falsa Sa­pientia? This Patience comes not from aboue, but is earthly, sensuall, and Diuellish: seeing proud men haue their owne false sapience, what maruell they haue also [Page 286] their owne false and de­ceitfull Patience.

And of this same na­ture Sufferings of Here­tikes in like man­ner are not to be esteemed Patience. is the Patience of Heretiques: they may make a shew of volun­tary Religion in not spa­ring the body, but seeing they haue not the truth of GOD, how can they haue true Patience? The Baalites of Idolatrous Is­raell launcing themselues with kniues: the Gymno­sophists of India, who pine and distresse their bodyes with labour not required at their hands: the Poenitentiaries of Rome (so much boasted [Page 287] of) who scourge them­selues, and spare not their owne flesh: the foure religious Orders of superstitious men a­mong the Turkes, who in hard vsing of their bodies goe beyond these I haue spoken of: yet are they all strangers from this Praise of Pati­ence. Cum ergo vider is Aug. ibid. aliquem patienter aliquid ferre, noli continuo lau­dare Patientiam, quam non ostendit nisi causa pa­tiendi: quando illa bona est, tunc ista vera est: When therefore thou seest any man suffer any [Page 288] thing patiently, prayse not thou incontinent his Patience, for patient suf­fering cannot bee com­mended, vnlesse the cause of the suffring be known: if the cause bee good, then the Patience is good also.

Circumcelliones, a most A sort of Heretiques vvho soght the praise of Martyr­dome by murthe­ring them­selues. August. de Haeres. ad quod vult Deum. pernitious branch of the Heresie of the Donatists, were so desirous to ob­tayne by suffering, the prayse of Martyrdome, that they would throw themselues downe head­long from high places, or cast themselues into fire or water: But Augustine [Page 289] in his learned Disputes, Aug. de temp. serm. 223. pulleth from them the Praise of Patience: Quid miseri faciunt, qui cum non solum impietatis ad­uersus Deum, sed etiam ipsius, quam in se exercu­erunt crudelitatis, luant poenas, insuper & quaerunt Martyrum glorias? What doe these miserable men, who when they suffer punishment of their im­pietie toward GOD, and crueltie toward them­selues, yet out of such suffering seeke the glo­ry of Martyrdome? An impatiens passio coronabi­tur? Shall an impatient [Page 290] passion bee crowned? Aut quomodo innocens iudicabitur cui dictum est, diliges proximum sicut te­ipsum, si homicidium com­mittit in seipso, quod com­mittere prohibetur in alte­ro? Or how shall hee be iudged innocent, who is commanded to loue his neighbour as himselfe, if hee commit murther in himselfe, which hee is forbidden to commit in another? Si enim parrici­da The worst sort of ho­micide is selfe-mur­ther. eo sceleratior est, quam quilibet homicida, quod non tantum hominem, ve­rum etiam propinquum ne­cat, & quo propinquiorem [Page 291] quis (que) necat, tanto imma­nior iudicatur: sine du­bio peior est, qui se occide­rit, quia nemo est homini seipso propinquior: For, if a parricide be so much the more wicked then another homicide, be­cause he not onely slayes a man, but a kinsman, and the nearer the man bee to him whom hee slayes, the more beast­ly is hee that slew him esteemed to bee of all men: then out of doubt much worse is hee that slayes himselfe, seeing there is none nearer to a man, then a man himselfe.

[Page 292]But how is this that In what sense Pati­ence is [...]aid to be ours. our Sauiour calleth Pa­tience ours: for so saith hee, By your Patience pos­sesse your soules? Pati­ence is ours, euen as the Soule is ours, to wit, by the gift of God, wee haue it not of our selues; Hee is the Father of lights, from whom descends eue­ry good gift. The Pela­gians of olde attributed this grace to the power of mans free-will: the Papists of our time af­firme the same. But as Augustine said to the Aug. d [...] temp. serm. 223. one; Error iste super­bus est: This is a proud [Page 293] error: so say wee to the other. For, what is the Creature wandring from the Creator, vnlesse the Lord bee mindefull of him; Et eligat eum gra­tis, & diligat gratis: and Neyther Patience nor any o­ther grace haue wee by the po­wer of our owne free­will. choose him of his free grace, and loue him of his free grace? Other­wise, Prae cecitate non vi­det eligenda, & prae lan­guore fastidit diligenda: such is his blindenesse, that hee sees not what hee should choose, and such is his languishing weakenesse, that hee loathes that which hee should loue. Si quis per [Page 294] naturae vigorem bonum Concilium Arasicau▪ num. aliquod, quod ad salu­tem pertinet cogitare, aut eligere posse aliquem affir­mat abs (que) illuminatione & inspiratione S. sancti, hae­retico fallitur spiritu: If any man affirme, that man by the strength of nature, can eyther thinke or choose any good per­tayning to saluation, hee is deceiued by an Here­ticall spirit. Nulla tibi Fulgent▪ ad Gallam vid. facultas inesse potest vo­luntatis aut operis, nisi id gratuito munere diuinae mi­serationis acceperis: There is no abilitie in thee, ey­ther to a good will, or [Page 295] a good worke, vnlesse thou receiue it by the free gift of diuine com­miseration. Dei est om­ne Cyp. lib▪ 2. epist. 2. quod possumus: It is GOD who workes in vs both the will and the deede: Falluntur ergo qui Aug. ibid. Patientiam tribuunt viri­bus voluntatis humanae, non quas habent ex diui­no adiutorio, sed quas ex libero arbitrio: They are therefore farre deceiued, who attribute Patience to the strength of man, not that which hee hath by heauenly helpe, but that which he hath of his owne free will.

[Page 296]But because wee haue Patience a singular preserua­tiue to keep the heart in peace. at length spoken of Pa­tience, in our Anatomie of a Christian, wee con­tract our selues, and shortly conclude this▪ Our Sauiour hauing fore­warned his Disciples of manifold troubles abi­ding them, armes them against all with this one, Possesse your soules in Pa­tience. Here is a Preser­uatiue able to keepe peace in thy heart, and to banish all perturba­tion. And it serues for all tentations, for all pla­ces, for all persons. Are thy tentations immedi­ately [Page 267] from GOD? re­member, In tentati­ons in­ward im­mediately comming from God. Psal. 25. 10. member, All his pathes are mercy and truth to such as keepe his Couenant and his Testimonies: his worke can neuer come against his word. The way wherein hee walkes may seeme rough and vnpleasant to thee for a time, but waite thou for the end, and thou shalt see it comfortable. This moued Iob to resolue, Though the Lord would slay mee, yet will I trust in him: and by it Dauid also did strengthen him­selfe in great extremitie of trouble, Why art thou [Page 298] cast downe my Soule? Psal. 43. 5. and why art thou disquie­ted within mee? Waite vpon GOD: I will yet giue him thankes. In the beginning of the thir­teenth Psalme, how great­ly Dauid was troubled yee may perceiue by his owne words, How long, Psa. 13. 1. 5. wilt thou forget mee Lord, for euer? How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee? But how com­fortable an end his trou­ble had yee may see by the last Verse: But I trust in thy mercy: my heart shall reioyce in thy salua­tion. I will sing to the [Page 299] Lord, because hee hath dealt louingly with mee. And if thy trouble come In tentati­ons out­ward com­ming from men. 2▪ Sam. 16. 11. 12. from men, remember the answere Dauid gaue when Shimei cursed him: and that which our Sa­uiour said vnto Pilate, Thou couldest haue no po­wer at all ouer mee if it were not giuen thee from aboue. And so knowing it is not man, but God with whom thou hast to doe, Possesse thou thy Soule by thy Patience.

Againe, in all places keepe in minde this war­ning of our SAVIOVR, [Page 300] Possesse your Soules by your In all pla­ces this watch­word should sound in our eares; Possesse your soule. Patience. Thou know­est not in what place Satan hath laid his snare to entrappe thee, or how sodainely the occasion may arise, which may driue thee to Impatience Arme thee therefore be­fore Euen in our owne houses. it come, and re­member thy Watch­word, not onely when thou goest abroad, but euen at home in thine owne house, Sit tibi do­mus Chrisost. in Mat. hom. 11. tua, quasi quidam Certaminis locus, & pa­laestra virtutis: There is no place free from the [Page 301] Tempter: when the calme is greatest, then is a con­trary winde most to be feared: Suppose thou knowest not from what airth, yet it is great wisdome before the blasts of perturbations breake out vpon thee, to pro­uide patience, by which thou maist possesse thy soule in peace.

And last, it serueth This watch­word in like man­ner serues for all e­states of men. for all persons and states of men. It is not possi­ble that any man of any rancke, can liue a peace­able life, without this grace of Patience. There [Page 302] is a conscientious Ser­uant 1 Masters & Seruants. like Iacob, and hee hath a churlish Master like Naball, who defrau­ded him of his wages: There is againe a sim­ple, and honest hearted Master like Mephiboseth, and hee hath a trayte­rous Knaue to his Ser­uant, like Ziba. There 2 Kings and Subiects. is a good King like Da­uid, and hee hath a false Counseller like Achito­phell: there is againe a faithfull Counseller like Obadiah, and hee hath aboue him an Idolatrous King like Achab. There