VIEVV.

GOD finishing his worke, did take a view, and Gen. 1.31 saw all that hee had made, and loe, it was very good: Dauid praying for Ierusalem, desired God to take a gracious view thereof, and to Psal. 48.12.13. tell the towers therein. Man (being as it were a litle world) he was created; but he for­got his maker: Mans sin the cause of his sor­row and ruine. Ierusalem a glorious Citie, was named holy, but she forsooke her Lord: the one hath lost his inno­cencie, and the other her sanctitie: man is now become mehuman, (troubled,) & Ierusalem Iericho, execrable to the Lord. Leesing of gods fauor makes vs subiect to the diuels fury. And wheras God before did take a view of them with great loue and de­light for their preseruation: Now Sa­than pursueth and compasseth them with great malice and dispite for their [Page 40]confusion. Simile. For behold, Man is afflicted, and Ierusalem is deiected. But as Nehe. 2.13 Nehe­miah, went about the wals of Ierusa­lem mourning, and Iosh. 6.15. Ioshua about the wals of Iericho marching; the one to view the breaches for to build them vp; the other for to view the strength, for to throw them down: so man must now 2 Cor. 13.5 looke into himselfe with sound iudge­ment, Man must examine & looke into himselfe. and compasse about his owne heart, and the thoughts thereof, which haue beene a long time ruinated by sinne, desiring God in all humilitie and repentance, that he would vouchsafe to raise him vp, and make him a new and perfect 1 Cor. 3.9. 2 Cor. 5.2. building, sanctified and holy vnto the Lord; and that from hence­forth he would be his gracious deliue­rer, and a strong tower, and Psal. 18.2 rock of defence to saue him from his enimies; and to endue him with a liuely faith & strong courage to 1 Pet. 5.8 9. resist the force and subtiltie of Sathan, and to compasse him about with the wisedome of the spirit, and power of the Word of God, to make him to fall, to Iam. 4.7. flye, and to [Page 41]depart, being neuer able to rise nor to to returne againe to hurt or to destroy the soule.

Wherefore let euery man and wo­man, being tempted after this sort, Mans con­sultation in temptation and hovv he ought to answere Sathan. make question, examine, and take view of themselues; saying: I am made and Gen. 2.7. created; and shall I not worship? I am saued and Eph. 1.7. redeemed; and shall I not reioyce? I am Thes. 4.3. sanctified and cleansed; and shall I not giue praise? I am Eph. 4.21 22 taught and instructed; and shall I not learne? I am a Mat. 25.14.15. steward, and haue receiued; and shall I not account? I am Gen. 2.7 dust and earth; and must I not dye? I haue a 7. soule, and if so I 17. sinne; must I not be iudged? Behold I will now there­fore Mat. 4.10 worship God my Father, and him onely will I serue: I will Luk. 1.47. reioyce in Christ my Sauiour, and him onely will I loue: I will Psal. 89.1 giue praise to God my comforter, and his helpe will I craue: I will Psal. 119 15.16. study in Gods word, for his law is my delight: I will Mat. 25.20.21. encrease my talent, and I shall finde reward: I will Psal. 90.13 learne to dye, and it will keepe me [Page 42]from sinne: I will Mat. 7.1. The Chri­stian pro­fession in holines & righteous­nes with true since­ritie is a greatwork and paine­full fight. iudge my selfe, and I shall not be iudged of the Lord. This is a worke and a great worke, a fight and a strong fight, for euery Christian man and woman to worship God a­right in true Phil. 1.9, 10, 11. knowledge without su­perstition; to Rom. 10.3, 4. trust in Christ alone in a liuely faith without arrogation: to 11, 36, glorifie him alone in a pure heart without dissimulation, to read & heare his word in an humble spirit without 12, 3. presumption, to exercise our calling in a iust 1 Thes. 4.6. course without corruption: to spend our dayes in a 11. quiet life with­out Phil. 2.2, 3. contention: and to cease from sin in a settled minde without Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. & 2. Pet. 2.21 relapsion. For the enemies of man are many, and the entisements great to draw him from the Lord.

The diuell he is subtill, blinding the soule to bring it to idolatry: mans mind is Luk. 18.11, 12. proud, bragging of selfe righteous­nesse, and refusing Christ: the Gal. 5.17 flesh is rebellious striuing against the spirit, & prouoking him to sin: the Iam. 4.4 world is entising, hating God, and turning man [Page 43]from heauen: hell is deuouring, expe­cting his destruction: death is 1. Cor. 15.55. cruell, watching to Luk. 12.20. arrest him: and furies and Reue. 9.3, 4. Locusts are readie to torment him.

Consider then and take a view, is it an easie thing for a man to obtaine knowledge and faith, that he might be­come the true seruant & child of God and free from so great enimies? how ought we rather, earnestly to labour and seeke for knowledge, that wee might not be snared with idolatrie, the most shamelesse Hose 2.2. whore and harlot of impietie? how ought wee continually to pray for faith, that wee forsake not Christ our onely and alone Sauiour? and of what conuersation and holynes of life ought we to be, Eph. 6.11. that we might not be condemned with the world? Rom. 13.14. see therefore, take and put on the whole armour of God; yea, put on Christ Ie­sus himselfe, who is our strength, 1 Cor. 1.30 righ­teousnesse, and sanctification, for hee is our head, Eph. 5.23 30. and we his members, hee is our captaine, and we his souldiers: he is [Page 44]that Lyon Reue. 5.5. of the tribe of Iudah, which hath led captiuitie captiue, and giuen guifts to men, and if so we belieue in him, we are his Israel, of the faith Rom. 4.12 of Abraham. We must not be dis­couraged, but take a good heart to fight a­gainst Sa­than, for God is our helpe.

Let not our simplicitie in the light of the Gospel, discourage vs to fight against the subtiltie of Sathan, in the darknesse of error: for God will in­struct our soules in wisedome, and guide our tongues to speake for his glory: for 1 Cor. 1.25 the foolishnes of God is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God is stronger then his enemies. Why then should we feare in the euill daies, when as our heauenly and spirituall captaine is readie to defend vs: our furniture good and strong able to preserue vs: The strong and hea­uenly fur­niture for our spiritu­all combat. For how can we haue a better helmet then Eph. 6.17 saluation, for to ward and beare off the blowe of condemnation: or a sharper 17. sword then the word, to cut a sunder superstition: or a stronger 16. shield then faith, to repell the dartes of temptation: or a sounder 14. brest­plate then righteousnesse to beare the [Page 45]shot of iniquitie, or a more religious 14. girdell then veritie, to compasse the soule, to keepe out heresie: or what fitter 15. shooes then the shooes of peace, Our de­liuerance is in and by Christa­lone. to walke in the path of charitie. Wee see then our estate and danger what it is; and our recouerie and safetie from whence it comes: the view of the one is fearefull, but the obtayning of the other ioyfull. Man therefore must know himselfe, & confesse that throgh his owne foolishnesse he hath Rom. 7.23 been ta­ken, bound, and led, whither he would not, or at least, where he should not, as the Philistines did Iudg. 16.21. Sampson: but let him reioyce and be thankefull vnto God, for Christ hath 1 Cor. 15.53.54. broken the chaines of death, and shaken in pieces the pillars of darkenesse, and crushed the Gen. 3.15 head of that subtill serpent to his euerlasting destruction. Let vs now then with Ps. 121.1. Dauid lift vpour eies to hea­uen from whence commeth our salua­tion, and pray with him: saying, Ps. 90.13 Lord teach me so to number my dayes, that I may apply my heart vnto wisedome.

The vse then hereof is, Vse. that no man or woman can either giue glory vnto god, be obedient to his word, reioyce in his promises, or be thankful for his mercy, vnlesse they take a true view of them­selues, Th [...] sight of our selues brings vn­to vs the knowledge of our sins. what they are, and then they shall see their being, to be created: their nature corrupted: their will infected: their knowledge darkened: their faith abated: their sinne hated: death pro­cured, and hell prepared. And then, euen then will they be forced to cry out, and not before, saying, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man or woman that I am, who shall deli­uer me from the body [...]f this death? So Gen. 3.7.8. Adam when hee saw his nakednesse, then did he feare; and when 1 King. 22 34 Ahab felt his hurt, then did he flye: wrath and death are the swift arrowes of God, wounding the heart of the wicked, to make them see their misery: but most happy are they, that with the discerning and taste of sinne, can say vnto their soules as the children of the Prophets said vnto 2 King. 4.40. Elisha, O thou man of God, death is in the pot: So O thou image of [Page 47]God, Rom. 6.23 death is in sin: taste not there­fore, nor feede no more thereof; and then shalt thou finde life vnto thy soule, and health vnto thy body: wis­dome will be thy guide, and glory shall be thy crowne: For Rom. 2.10 vnto euery one that doth good, and continues in wel-doing, shall be honor, and glory, immortalitie and eternall life.

TRINITIE.

THe 1 Kin. 7.21 Porch of the Temple in Ierusalem was suppor­ted with two pillars, and not with one: So euery cause in iudgement should be proued by two Deu. 19.15 witnesses, and not by one: Peters conscience did not con­demne him, till three Mat. 26 69.71.72 witnesses did ac­cuse him: and the malicious Scribes and Pharises would not presume to ac­cuse Christ (whom they hated) vnder two 60. witnesses at the least. But as two twinnes may be diuided, as appeared by Gen. 25.12 Iaakob and Esau: so two witnesses may be confuted as were the wicked Susan. 1.54.58. Mans te­stimonie may erre. Iudges. Mans testimonie may be cor­rupt, either through couetousnesse and malice, or else it may erre through folly and ignorance: and so by the one or by the other, all men are Ps. 116 11 lyars. [Page 50]But now behold a Trinitie of truth without falshood; The per­fection of the Trinity. a Trinitie of peace without discord; a Trinitie of power without feare; a Trinitie of holinesse without sinne; a Trinitie of mercy with­out hate; a Trinitie of iustice without corruption: a Trinitie of vnitie without diuision; and a Trinitie of eternitie with­out end: a doctrine Eph. 3.9.10. misticall to the world, but reueiled by the word.

God is this Trinitie: for in the Ioh. 1.2 begin­ning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 3 and that Word was God: All things were made by it, and without it was nothing that was made. 4 In it was life, and the life was the light of men. God Gen. 1.3. said, and it was done: God 4. saw, and it was good: God 22. The Trini­tie seene in the crea­tion. blessed, and it brought forth: the act vvas in power; there is God the Father: the sight was in loue, there is God the Sonne: the blessing vvas in grace; there is God the holy Ghost: blessed, because 1 Ioh. 3.1. loued; loued, because Gen. 1.27 created: and yet man created must 1 Ioh. 1.7 vvalke in the light, be­cause vvithout the Ioh. 3.19. light hee can haue [Page 51]no life, and without Ioh. 15.4.7. life, hee can haue no loue. If wee haue life, wee must a­bide in God with loue, Except we abide in God, we are yet still dead in our sinnes. for hee hath loued vs; and prayse him for his good­nesse, for hee hath blessed vs, other­wise our life is but death, our light but darknesse, and our wealth but woe. For what benefit is it vnto vs to be created, if wee be not loued of God? but if wee doe liue in sinne we cannot 1 Ioh. 3.6.8 abide in God, nor God in vs, yet wee are still his crea­tures, but not beloued of him: the cause is not in him but in vs: for Gods worke in the creation is good, but mans worke in the transgression is e­uill: and Eph. 1.4. election it is the fruit of Gods loue; but Rom. 7.11 reiection it is the fruit of mans sinne. Sinne was foreseene in the knowledge of God, and so was it fore­warned in the loue of God: where­fore obedience was necessary to be shewed from the creature to the Crea­tor, Obedience necessarie for feare of punishmēt. and to that end was the precept gi­uen, and the law instituted; threatning punishment by death from the Creator to the creature, if hee did disobay: So [Page 52]the Rom. 7.12 Law then was good, holy and iust, which did prohibit sinne: but mans will was proud and obstinate which would not obay, but committed sinne; for the will of man in his Gen. 1.27 creation, was holy and powerfull, able and sufficient to re­sist sinne, but being puffed vp in pride, ( 3.5.6. aspiring for a Deitie, and not con­tent with his estate,) contemned Gods precept, and thereby pulled downe Gods heauie wrath vpon him and his posteritie: and therefore Adam being the roote of all mankinde, Sin is the poison and baine of all mankinde. by his sinne, hath now corrupted and made vn­fruitfull all the tree. Yet God in great mercy, as he tooke pittie vpon the root so hath hee in his tender loue, anew Rom. 11.24. ingrafted in a right Oliue tree many of the branches; and others in his iustice hath he vtterly cut off, & remoued for euer: but notwithstanding, his Maiestie it greatly to be magnified both in the 22. The holy Trinitie the efficient cause of mans sal­uation. one, and in the other.

And the efficient and onely cause of Gods mercy and mans saluation, is the euerlasting and admirable loue of [Page 53]the Trinitie, consenting in vnitie; and as it were holding graciously a heauen­ly parliament; therein consulting how to restore man to his former estate, & to deliuer him from eternall captiuity, The wise­dome and mercy of the trinity. yet so, that God being most iust, might execute his iustice against man, and be­ing most louing, might shew also his mercy vnto man. O wonderfull and heauenly wisedome to reconcile and vnite so strange a conclusion! O great and infinite mercy to pardon and for­giue so great a transgression!

But now let vs more plainely and a little further behold & see to our great comforts, the mystery of the Trinitie; To know the mistery of the Tri­nity is most necessary for man. without knowledge whereof, sinne cannot be discouered; repentance pro­cured; faith established; hope confir­med; loue continued; patience embra­ced; nor ioy encreased. It is most true, that by the Rom. 7.7. The Law is the ordi­nance of the King. Law commeth the know­ledge of sinne, and the Law it is the or­dinance of the King; and therefore whosoeuer breaketh the Law, offend­eth the King: if then we acknowledge [Page 54]not God the Father, to be our heauen­ly King, wee cannot submit our selues vnto his law; and so consequently haue no knowledge of sinne, nor motion to repent.

And further, if any haue a faithfull and true friend, him will he beleeue: in him is his hope: and him will he loue: But man not knowing God the sonne, who like a most faithfull Ioh. 15.14 15. friend hath laid downe his life for him, how can man Rom. 10.14 beleeue or hope in him, of whom he hath not heard, or at least wise will not learne to know? And Gal. 5.22 loue, pati­ence, and ioy, being the fruits of the spirit, how can they remaine or abide in that man, Acts. 19.2 who hath not heard, whe­ther there be a holy Ghost or not; or at lest wise will not desire to be taught and instructed therein? For as no man can Ioh. 1.18 cap. 14.6. come vnto God the father but by God the son; so none can ver. 26.20 Sanctifica­tion, re­demption, and electi­on, doe goe and con­sort toge­ther. come vnto God the sonne, but by God the holy Ghost: for we are sanctified, be­cause we are saued, and wee are saued because we are elected: The loue of [Page 55]the Eph. 1.3.4.5.6. father begetteth, the loue of the sonne redeemeth, and the loue of the holy Ghost sanctifieth: the spirit giueth faith: the sonne giueth life: and the father receiueth vnto grace: Heb. 11.6 without faith we cannot please God, 1. Ioh. 1.2. without the sonne, we haue no life, and Ioh. 14.11 with­out the father wee cannot be in the sonne. The ioynt and coope­rate work­king of the Trinitie, in the re­demption of man. For the whole Trinitie euer was, and is cooperating and coadiuting working, and helping together to bring man to saluation, and therefore none of the persons in the Trinitie, must be omitted, or forgotten, either in the anologie of our faith, or in the offering of our prayers; for in the mistery of the Trinity, all are as one, The es­sence of the Trinitie is coequall, although the persons be distin­guished for the glory of God, and capa­city of man and one is as all: For their eternitie and glorie is coequall, being but one and the selfe same God, in nature, es­sence and substance; although it hath pleased God in the effects and propri­etie of his iustice, mercy and grace, to manifest himselfe vnto man by three seuerall persons, for the better capa­citie and vnderstanding of man, to [Page 56]apprehend the great misterie & worke of his saluation; and to behold the infinit wisdome and iustice of God in the order and manner of his redemp­tion: as also to stoppe the mouth of Satan, that he should not vpbraid God of iniustice, in punishing him alone and sparing man, who likewise had offen­ded God, God tooke our nature vpon him in the per­son of Christ. aswell as he. And therefore God himselfe tooke vpon him our na­ture distinguished from the Godhead but Ioh. 12.27.28. strengthned, vpheld and sanctified by his spirit, to the end that his per­son, thus being in the loue of God, and named his onely sonne Mat. 1.22 Iesus the sauiour of the world, should actually, really and truely stand before Gods iudgement seate, Christ be­ing the pledge for man vnto God dyed and suffred for vs, to answere and pay the debt of our obe­dience. as the bayle & pledge of man, to answere for mans sinne, not onely for the guiltinesse thereof, but also for the punishment thereof; which Christ performed and 1 Ioh. 3.16. endured in his loue for man: for in him there was no 1 Pet. 2.22. sinne, and therefore by 1 Ioh. 2.1.2. him (they which doe beleeue and trust in him) [Page 57]are iustified before God: and he also suffering for sinne, by his power hath 1 Cor. 15.55.56 ouercome Satan, sinne, death, and hell, to free & deliuer the penitent and faithfull from eternall death. The admi­rable loue of the Tri­nitie, vnto man. And so the loue of the father is bestowed vp­on vs in the loue of the sonne; and the loue of the sonne in the loue of the father: for Ioh. 17.22.23. whom the father hath elected, the sonne hath saued, (by satis­fying his fathers iustice, through his obedience, and purchasing his fathers loue through his righteousnesse:) and whom the sonne hath saued, the father also hath elected: for he neuer cast away nor condemned the obedi­ent, but they that are saued by the son, are obedient in the sight of the father, as being ingrafted into the sonne; and through faith made perfect members of the son; and through loue are freely iustified by the son: and whom the fa­ther hath elected, and the sonne saued, those also the holy Ghost hath sealed vp vnto eternall life and sanctified: For there are 1 Ioh. 5.7 three witnesses and euiden­ces [Page 58]in heauen of mans saluation, Our salua­tion assu­red by three wit­nesses. God the father, in loue and wisdome beget­ting: God the sonne in loue and righ­teousnesse begotten: God the holy Ghost in loue and grace proceeding: and these three are one, Trinitie in v­nitie, and vnitie in Trinitie, not deuided in the deitie nor differing in nature, but distinguished in the persons, and seue­red by order, and that onely for the better apprehension of man in the plaine and true vnderstanding of the misterie of the Trinitie, declaring vnto vs the louing & free establishment and eternall ratification of the saluation of man in the wonderfull and infinit mer­cy and wisedome of God: Our con­sciences must be fully satis­fied of the loue of the Trinitie. So that now if wee faile of the seale and witnesse of any of these persons in the Trinitie, to assure our consciences of Gods loue & mercy towards vs, wee faile of all.

For as in the convaiances & graunts of temporall possessions three things are required to make a perfect deed & assurance in Law, Simile. (to wit) signing, seal­ing and deliuering, and yet all these [Page 59]three are but the act of one; How the heauenly in heritance is assured vn­to man. so in pas­sing the great Charter, or magna charta of our heauenly inheritance three things were required, Loue electing, there is the signing: Loue redeeming, there is the sealing: Loue directing, there is the deliuering: and yet these three are but the act of one. The Fa­ther electing, the Sonne redeeming, the holy Ghost directing, and 1 Ioh. 5.7 yet but one God. And further also to haue the doore opened whereby we might enter to haue possession of this heauenly in­heritance, according to the forme of this heauenly Charter, wee must make petition vnto three, and yet they are but one in vnitie of consent and action.

Like as a King hauing one onely Sonne, Similitude of the vni­tie of the Trinitie. and one most faithfull Coun­sellor, sendeth his Son with his Coun­sellor to warre against an enimie, fur­nishing them with al strength and pro­uision for the seruice: and the victo­ry being gotten by the Sonne, hee gi­ueth the honour principally to his Fa­ther, and yet the King will neither [Page 60]grant redemption of captiues, and pri­soners without the Sonne, nor title of honor and dignitie to any without his Counsellor, making attestation to all his people, that as his Sonne, and his most faithfull Counsellor hath done nothing without his will and direction, giuing the glory vnto him; so neyther will he doe any thing without the con­sent of his Sonne, (who hath as it were freely offered his life in warre for the pleasure and honor of his Father,) nei­ther yet without consent of his Coun­sellor, (who hath faithfully obayed his commandement, and not disposed of his treasure without the liking of him and his Sonne,) and therefore all per­sons whatsoeuer that would haue ac­cesse vnto the King, hee willeth and commandeth that they make petition to his Sonne, by the helpe and motion of his faithfull Counsellor, without whom the King will neither graunt or admit either presence or petition. In like manner God the King of Kings, hath sent his Mat. 3.16.17. onely sonne Iesus Christ, [Page 61]accompanied with his faithfull Coun­sellor the holy Ghost, Christ sent of his Fa­ther, ac­companied with the holy ghost to ouer­come sin, death, and hell. furnishing him with all strength and power from a­boue, to make warre against his eni­mies, Sathan, sinne, death and hell: and his Sonne 1 Cor. 15. ouercomming and getting the victory by Ioh. 10.17 18 laying down his life at the will & pleasure of his Father, and giuing the glory and honour vnto him alone: his Father hath witnessed and proclaimed vnto the whole world, that he hath Mat. 28 18.19. giuen al power and iudge­ment to his Sonne, and the riches of grace vnto his faithfull Counsellor the Ioh. 14.26 holy Ghost, to dispose thereof at the liking and consent of the Father and the Sonne. And therefore whosoeuer will enter into the gate of euerlasting life, to haue possession of eternall glory; he must make petition to the Father by the 1 Ioh. 2.1.2. mediation of the Son, and to the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost, without whose ioynt acceptance and consent, it is decreed in heauen by the wisdome of the Father, and that for the glory and honour of [Page 62]the Sonne, that none shall enter into his heauenly and celestiall rest: The know­ledge of the Trinity brings great com­fort vnto the soule. so that wee see the Trinitie in vnitie, and vnitie in Trinitie of the eternall Deitie distin­guished in person, for the comfort of man, but one in essence for the praise of God.

And therefore whom God the Fa­ther hath elected, those the Sonne hath saued; and whom the Sonne hath sa­ued, those the holy Ghost hath sancti­fied; and whom the holy Ghost hath sanctified, those the Sonne hath saued; and whom the Sonne hath saued, those the Father hath elected: So that this three-fold cord (the meanes of our sal­uation,) it must not be broken, it is like Sampsons locks, they must not be cut off, for if they be, we shall leefe our strength, and become captiues vnto Sathan. O the goodnesse and louing kindnesse of the Lord, so plainly to re­ueile the misterie of our saluation, it springing and arising from the foun­taine of his mercy, and yet agreeing with the sincerity of his iustice: teaching [Page 63]vs thereby that as we haue cause to re­ioyce, so wee should tremble and feare before him, for as hee is mercifull, so is hee iust, and therefore our seruice vn­to him, must be in a louing feare, and fearing loue, all the dayes of our liues, to prayse and to glorifie him for e­uer.

The vse of all then is this: Ʋse. that wee consider the glory of mans estate in his first creation what it was, The estate of man be­fore sinne, and after sinne. hee being made after the image of God in holi­nesse and righteousnesse, then able to resist sinne, had hee not afterward wil­lingly and wilfully yeelded himselfe to be ouercome of Sathan; and so hee o­baying sinne, wee may consider the mi­sery of man, by his consenting there­vnto, (the wages thereof being eternall death:) and that the onely way and meanes to free him from this death, was the admirable and incomprehen­sible loue of the Trinitie, freely issuing from the goodnesse of the Deitie, who fore-seeing that sinne would striue a­gainst obedience, ordayned a Law to [Page 64]preuent sinne, and pronounced iudge­ment and death, against the breakers of the Law, that neither Men nor An­gels might thinke themselues to be as Gods, but as creatures bound to serue and obay God their Creator, and ma­ker both of heauen and earth.

And further wee are to marke and note the infinit wisedome of God, The wise­dome of God in punishing sinne, and yet pardo­ning sinne. how in the worke of mans redemption hee executes his iustice against man, and yet shewes mercy vnto man, declaring himselfe a iust God in mercy, and a mercifull God in iustice. Which saying may seeme like vnto Sampsons riddle: Out Iudg. 14.14. of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetnes: For through sinne the Law raigned vnto death, ne­uerthelesse where Rom. 5.20 sinne abounded, theregrace abounded much more; that as by the offence of one, the fault came 18. on all men to condempnation, so by the iustifying of one, the benefite a­bounded toward all men to the iustifi­cation of life. For Adam dyed, but Christ suffered; Adam sinned, but Christ [Page 65]obayed; iustice tooke hold vpon the one; and Mercy was shewed toward the other: and how this was wrought it is plaine, that ther was no iustifying righ­teousnesse in Adam, but that onely the Wisedome, Loue and Holinesse of the God-head, (the Trinitie in Vnitie, and Vnitie in Trinitie,) ordayned a meanes for man to passe from Death to Life, as hee made a way for Israell to passe through Iosh. 4.5. Iordan, into the land of Ca­naan: Yea, light Luk. 1.79 hath shined vnto them that sit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death. And therefore how ioyfully may the faithfull now triumph and say, 1 Cor. 15 55.56.57. O Death, where is thy sting? O graue, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the Law. But thankes be vnto God, which hath giuen vs victory, through our Lord Iesus Christ.

If so then sinne deserued death, and the iustice of God could not be appea­sed but by death, euen by the suffering of the body and soule vnder his heauie hand and displeasure; both which the [Page 66]whole and perfect Mat. 26.38.39. humanitie of Christ did feele, when hee yeelded himselfe obedient vnto the death, (euen the death of the Crosse,) yet after 28.6. raysed vp his body from death to life, by the power of the Deitie, hauing then fully satisfied the execution layde vpon him by his Fathers iustice, for the debt of our obedience, and so God in his loue and infinit wisdome ordayned a means to free vs from the same, euen by his onely Sonne Iesus Christ, whom hee sent into the World to dye for vs, and was witnessed from heauen to be the onely Mediatour for our saluation, (if we doe beleeue in him.) God re­deeming vs we must not lightly estee me of sinne, which cau­sed the death of Christ. God therefore thus taking care for vs, and shewing mercy to saue and redeeme vs from e­ternall death: wee must not hereafter either lightly esteeme of sinne, giuing our carelesse consent, or passage there­vnto; nor slenderly account of the great riches and treasure of our saluati­on, so deerely bought and purchased by the most precious bloud of Christ, and graciously giuen vnto vs, by [Page 67]the goodnesse of the Trinitie, vnder a threefold witnesse and eternall ve­ritie.

But if Man or Woman regard not their saluation, but doe embrace sinne, contempning God and all goodnesse, and despising the riches of his great loue and mercy, not taking any care for to doe their duties either to God or man, nor hauing any pittle or re­morse to their owne bodies and soules, but like cruell tyrants and murthe­rers of themselues do runne headlong and desperately vpon the sword of Gods iustice: Eternall life decree­ed for the elect in the high court of the Tri­nitie: and eternall death there also de­creed for the repro­bate, who is an eni­mie to the Trinitie. then let them know and be most certainely perswaded that as the Trinitic, in their most high and gracious Court of mercy, hath cer­tainely and euerlastingly decreed for the elect, faithfull, and truely belee­uing Christians, eternall and euerlast­ing life, with God in heauen: so the same Trinitie, in their most iust, most equall, and most righteous Court of Iustice, hath certainely and euer­lastingly decreed for the reprobate, [Page 68]wicked and vnbeleeuing eternall death with the Diuell and his Angels in Hell fire for euermore. And were it not that the place, iudgement, and torments, which are appointed for all sinners, in Gods Iustice, were most certaine, what needed then a Sauiour, so wonderfully begotten in the loue of the Trinitie, to be reueiled vnto the World in Gods Mercy? Wherefore O wicked Men and Women, deceiue not your selues; Gods Worke and Word is not in vaine: Re­pent, for death is at hand, the Mat. 3.10 Axe is layd vnto the roote of the tree, and euery Tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire.

CHRIST.

THe Sunne in the firmament giueth light vnto the Earth, but the sonne of God giues Ioh. 1.4. life vnto men; the one nourisheth the sense, but the other comforteth the soule: the one Ps. 19.6. compasseth the heauens, but the o­ther searcheth the hart: nothing is hid from the heat of the one, and nothing can be kept secret from the Psal. 33.13.14. know­ledge of the other: the one is glorious in his light, yet sometimes shadowed with Cloudes: and the other was Luk. 2.52 gracious in his life, but sometimes wronged with Mat. 11.19. reproach. Behold therefore as when the sunne shineth in his strength, so now the sonne of God sheweth him­selfe in his power, what he is, and what he did.

Christ from all Ioh. 1.1. eternitie, 3.16. begotten [Page 72]in the loue of his father, Gen. 3.15 promised in paradise, Exod. 12.5.13. prefigured in the Law, Isay. 11.1.2. prea­ched by the Prophets, Ioh. 1.29. reueiled in the Gospel, Mat. 1.20 sanctified in the wombe, Idem. borne of a Virgin, manifested in the flesh, and declared mightily to be the Sonne of God: whose birth was hono­red by the appearance of a glorious Mat. 2.2. Starre, hee being the light of the world: whose dignitie was proclaimed by the 2.1.2. wise-men of the East, he being the King of the Iewes: whose office was published by an Luk. 2.10.11. Angell from heauen, he being the Sauiour Christ the Lord: whose 13. praise and honour, was sung and set foorth by a multitude of hea­uenly Souldiers, he being our spiritual Captaine: whose Mat. 3.16. Baptisme was so­lemnized by the presence of the holy Ghost, hee being the second person in the Trinitie: whose 17. name was gi­uen by his heauenly Father from a­boue, he being his beloued sonne in whom he was well pleased: vouchsafed to be led Mat. 4.1. aside of the spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the diuel, [Page 73]that wee might not be ouercome of temptations: and 2. fasted forty dayes, and fortie nights that we might learne to abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule: the 11. Angels ministred vnto him, that wee might vnderstand the great and painefull worke, that hee was to vndertake for our redemption: hee Mat. 5.2. preached and taught the Gospel of the kingdome, that wee might know the way vnto saluation: he 15.30. healed euerie sicknesse and euerie disease amongst the peo­ple that we might perceiue the corrup­tion of our nature, and the perfection of his loue: he put to silence the Mat. 22.16. He­rodians, Saduces and Pharises, that we might wonder at his wisedome; and studie to be wise as serpents, Mat. 10.16. but inno­cent as doues: he fed 14.19.20 many thousands with small prouision, but so blessed it that it did suffice: he Ioh. 2.9. turned water in­to wine: the Mat. 8.27 windes and seas obayed him: the 29. diuels trembled and were cast out before him: at his word the Mat. 21.19. figge tree withered: Ioh. 11.43.44. Lazarus came [Page 74]forth out of his graue: the Mat. 17.27 fish brought tribute money out of the sea; the Luk 19.30 colt was sent & became tame to beare him; men and children Mat. 21.8 9. spread there gar­ments and cast boughes in the way, and went before him, singing that heauenly song, Hosanna, in the highest; his Mar. 14.15 chamber was ready trimmed in Ierusalem; his supper prepared; his will obayed; and all this did he, to shew his mercy, power and dignitie, that wee might acknowledge him to be the Lord of heauen and of earth, and the graci­ous Sauiour of the world.

And further this eternall Word, Christ vvil­lingly suf­fred death to accom­plish the vvork of our re­demption. this heauenly King, this Sonne of God, this Sauiour Christ the Lord, to whom all creatures, and principalities, and pow­ers are subiect, did most willingly sub­mit himselfe vnder the heauie hand of his Father, for to finish and accomplish the great worke of our Redemption: for after his Ma. 4.1. Baptisme he was tempted by Satan, but then hee ouercame: but when hee was to drinke of the 26.38. cuppe of his Fathers wrath, vndertaking the [Page 75]account and punishment for vs, he then was heauie vnto death, and groned vn­der the waight and burden of our sins; he went into the garden; his soule sigh­ed; hee Lu. 22.44 sweat water and bloud; hee prayed; hee cryed vnto his Father say­ing; If it be Mat. 26.39 possible, let this cup passe from mee: yet not my will, but thy will be done. After that he was traiterously 49.50. appre­hended, falsely 60. accused, iniuriously 67. buffetted, wrongfully Mat. 27.3.4. condempned, ridiculously 29. crowned, scoffingly salu­ted, vilely 38. accompanied, and cruelly nayled vpon the Crosse: and in his paine and vnspeakable agony; his hea­uie and mourning eyes beheld his ene­mies laughing and 39. triumphing; his chaste and pittifull eares heard them 40. taunting and reuiling; his sacred lips tasted of their bitter potion 43. Gall and Vineger; and his innocent heart was Ioh. 19.34 pierced with a speare, vnto the death: thus he suffered, and thus he dyed, en­during sorrow, shame, and death for vs.

But (will some say) could sorrow, Obiection touching the suffe­ring of Christ. Answere. shame and death, take hold vpon the person of the Sauiour of the world?

Yea, his humanitie suffered, and in all obedience & patience endured the sen­tence of his Fathers iustice, receiuing not for himselfe, but for vs, the punish­ment and reward of sin: but the sancti­tie and innocencie of his humanitie, & the glory and maiestie of his Deitie, were witnessed and manifested at the time of his death, by Mat. 27.45 darknesse of the heauens mourning, the 51. vaile of the Temple renting, the earth quaking, the stones cleauing, the graues opening, the 52. dead bodyes of the Saints arising, and the 54. hearts of the liuing trembling and fearing: for euen the Centurion & his Souldiers, who led Christ to his ex­ecution, beholding these things, great­ly feared and said; truely this was the sonne of God. And his body being thus dead and cruelly martyred, it was of many priuately pittied and lamented; but by 57. Ioseph of Arimathea, a faith­full Christian, and honorable Counsel­lor, [Page 77]it was openly and boldly begged of Pilate, tenderly taken downe from the Crosse, carefully 59. wrapped vp in cleane linnen clothes, and richly en­tombed in a new sepulchre, hewen out of a rocke, wherein neuer man lay; o­dours and costly Mark. 16.1 oyntments by holy Women, were plentifully prepared to embalme it; and his Disciples with great heauinesse and sorrow did mourne and bewaile it; but they which Psal. 126 5. sow in teares shall reape in ioy; Christ went sorrowing in his passion, and carried 6. precious seede with him (Faith and Patience,) but he returned triumphing at his Re­surrection, and hath brought his sheaues with him, (Ʋictory and Glory.) The great and infinit loue of God to man to die for him.

The immortall God tooke vpon him the person of mortall man to dye for man, that man might liue in him, and sleepe no more in sinne: the glo­rious Sonne of God was made a meane seruant, to Mat. 11.28. beare the burden of our in­iquitie, that we might be 29. eased from the yoke of eternall misery. The hea­uenly Ioh. 10.11 Shepheard was willing to lay [Page 78]downe his life for his silly sheepe; and the 1.4. light and life of the world suffered it selfe for a time to be darkned, and co­uered with the vaile of death, that in the end by force breaking through the barres and clouds of darknesse and of death, Christ hath ouercome death for vs. it might shine more glorious and gracious vnto the Sonnes of men: for what greater glory vnto God, then victory ouer his enemies, euen Satan, sinne, death and hell? and what greater grace or fauor vnto man, then a free grant of his libertie from cruell capti­uitie, and a rich gift of an immortall in­heritance in eternall felicitie. Christ our Sauiour is Mat. 23.6 risen from the dead, death hath lost her 1. Cor. 15.55 sting, and hell her might, the earth also trembled & Mat. 28.2 quaked when hee brake open the gates of darknesse and of the graue; and a most glorious 2. Angel descended from heauen to role back the great and waighty stone from the doore of the sepulchre, The glori­ous witnes and testi­mony of Christs re­surrection. which was both sealed vp, and guarded strongly with a watch, that Angell as his seruant sat without vpon the stone staying & at­tending [Page 79]ther to giue testimony of his re­surrection vnto the faithful; at the sight whereof the keepers were astonied, and became as dead men: and in the Sepul­chre there were two infallible and Ioh. 20.12 An­gelicall witnesses testifying his resurre­ction; one Angel sitting at the head, an­other at the feet, where his most sacred and crucified body once was laid: the Mat. 28.11. Watch came into the citie Ierusalem, and shewed vnto the high Priests all the things that were done, but they stopped vp the Souldiers mouthes with 12. mony, that they should not 13. declare this wonder and this truth, lest that they for their crueltie and infidelitie should be hated of the whole world, for putting of the Lord and Sauiour of the world to death. But to confound this wicked proiect of theirs; Christ after his Resurrection appeared vnto Mar. 16.9 Mary Magdalen, and to his Disciples, in 7. Galile, yea, Thomas was willed to put his Ioh. 20.27 finger into the print of the nayles, wherewith Christ was nayled vnto the Crosse, and to put his hand [Page 80]into his side: hee Luk. 24.36.43. talked and did eate with his Disciples, he Ioh 20.22 breathed on them, and said; Receiue the holy Ghost, for all Mat. 28.18. power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth: and after hee had spoken vnto them, he was Mar. 16.19 receiued into hea­uen, where he sitteth at the right hand of his Father, and from thence will come at the last day in great glory and maiestie, to iudge both quicke & dead. And these things are Ioh. 20.31 written that wee might beleeue, that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God, and that in beleeuing wee might haue life through this name, for e­uermore. Amen.

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. that euery man & woman must learn to know the nature, dignitie; What be­nefit it is to haue perfect knovv­ledge of Christ. office, goodnesse and power of Christ: in knowing whereof, their faith shall be more strengthened, their hope confirmed, and their patience in­creased: For as in humane studies; artes, and morrall learning, Simile. it is no profitable manner of teaching to demonstrate conclusions before the principles be taught: so in attaining vnto spirituall [Page 81]knowledge and increase of grace, God himselfe, who is the fountaine of all things, must be first knowne, and then wee shall praise him in his workes, and reioyce in his mercy, who hath giuen life and saluation vnto men, which was the cause and end for which Christ came into the world.

A woman in trauaile, Simile. being deliue­red, if shee should desire but to see the feete onely of the Babe, and not the head, face, and body, would shee not be counted a strange, vnkinde and foo­lish woman? So man being in trauaile and sorrow vnder sinne; Christ must be fully & perfectly vnder­stood. but saluation hauing appeared by the comming of Christ into the world, is it sufficient for vs to looke onely vpon the death of Christ, it being the last extreame (or foote as it were of his sufferings & pas­sion,) and not to behold the dignitie of his nature, (hee being God?) the pre­heminence of his gouernment, (he be­ing the head of the Church?) the beau­tie of his goodnes, (he hauing loue and mercy shining in his face?) and the [Page 82]painefulnesse of his labour, (hee sustai­ning and bearing it in his body.) If wee should omit the view of the whole pro­portion and nature of Christ, and take knowledge but of a part thereof, wee then shall see and discerne him as the Mar. 7.24 blinde man did the men, whom hee saw, and tooke for trees: so looking but vpon the death of Christ we onely shall see him crucified on a tree, his huma­nitie suffering both shame and sorrow, which can giue vs little comfort: But wee must lift vp our eyes as Ge. 24.63 Isack did when hee looked and saw a far off Re­becka his beloued comming: and not cast them downe as Abraham did when he 23.2.3. sat by the corps of Sarah mour­ning: & then we shall see Christ beauti­full, shining as the Sunne, and comming like a Bride-groome but of his cham­ber, 1 Mat. 25 6 apparrelled in great maiestie and glory, hee being God al-sufficient, both by his power creating vs, and also in his mercy redeeming vs: and so must wee behold the Deitie of Christ with all his attributes, and properties, in feare [Page 83]and admiration: and consider of his humanitie with all his actions and suffe­rings in ioy and consolation: for by the one he is able to doe all things for vs; and by the other he hath shewed him­selfe willing to come vnto vs; that wee might freely come to him, and to his Father also, by beleeuing in his name, that hee is God and a Sauiour vnto vs; (by destroying sinne, death and hell for vs;) that we might be made heyres of eternall life through him, and being sealed with his spirit, and sanctified by his grace, might in the end be made Mat. 5.28 perfect, as his Father which is in hea­uen is perfect.

And therefore they that desire to be members of Christ, must necessarily learne to know him aright, not in part but in all, that the whole nature of man might feare and sorrow to commit sinne, (which is the sting of death) and to reioyce and desire to doe the works of holinesse and righteousnes, to be in­grafted into Christ; without whom there is no Eph. 2.4.5 saluation, and in him we cannot [Page 84]be, vnlesse we doe know, Rom. 10.9 beleeue, con­fesse, loue, obay, and honour him as we ought to do euen withall our Mat. 22.37 hart, with al our mind, with all our strength, and with all our soule.

How great then is their error, A fearefull thing to neglect the knowledge and wor­ship of Christ. and sinne, that haue neglected this know­ledge? and how fearefull is their estate, that haue contemned, and daily doe blaspheme the name of Christ? but they must know, that for this their neglect and contempt, they shall surely Eccl. 11.9 come vnto iudgement, and that before him whom they haue dispised, and he shall then giue Reu. 14.7. sentence against them in the honour of his Maiestie, and puritie of his iustice, because they haue beene inrepentant and malignant sinners, and refused the grace offered, and saluation; choosing rather to walke and abide in in the way of death, then in the way of life; and therefore their portion shall be with the wicked, and their sinne shall neuer be done away. But blessed are the faithfull, for their Reu. 21.14 right is in the tree of life, which is in the [Page 85]middest of the Paradise of God, and their ioy shall be euerlasting, and none shall take it away from them.

HEAVEN.

ADam sinning was Gen. 3.24 cast out of Paradise: but Abraham beleeuing was brought in­to 24.3. Canaan: the earth is cor­rupt, and the soules of the Saints are greiued, the world was 7.19.20. drowned; and it shall be 2. Pet. 3.7 burned. Iaakob being Gen. 28.11.12. wea­ry was comforted with his dreame, and Steuen at his Acts. 7.55.56 death was refreshed with his ioyfull sight: the Reuel. 12.2.6. woman in tra­uell, (the Church afflicted,) is strength­ned, because her child is receiued, and a place for her is also prepared. The hope of rest and reward makes la­bour and trouble easie. The pil­grime endures his iourny in hope of his rest: and the Souldier the fight in hope of his honor: and our glorie, rest abiding place, ioy, comfort, and Cana­an, is Heauen; where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father (hauing all [Page 88]power giuen vnto him both of things in heauen, and of things in earth.

Heauen is taken diuers wayes in the scriptures; as for Mat. 3.2 grace, begetting: for 13.11.19. doctrine, directing: for 18.3.4. glorie, ex­alting: we cannot be glorified, except we be edified; we cannot be edified ex­cept we be sanctified: For grace is the doore, knowledge is the keye, and glo­rie is the ioy of the kingdome of hea­uen. The glory of heauen is incom­prehensi­ble. To describe this glorious heauen; what man is hee that can declare it, when Paul was astonished, and could not reueale it? for the tongues of An­gells cannot sufficiently expresse it, Acts 22.18. nor the heart of man (were it a sea of wise­dome) sufficiently apprehend it, nor the eies of the Saints, were they as pure and as quicke as the light) sufficiently discerne it. It is a Mat. 13 44.45. treasure hid, and a Idem. pearle most precious; wee must sell all that we haue, and buy it: although in this world we doe behold it, as the ieweller doth the ragged Diamond, Simile. or any other precious stone, being rough, vncut, vnpolished, and the beautie hid: [Page 89]but the Iewellers knowledge appre­hends the vertue of the one, and the faith of the godly beholds the glory of the other: for we now see in Rom. 8.24. part, but af­ter this life ended we shal possesse the ful­nes of those ioys, in the heauenly kingdome which we hoped for. Is this world, Heauen is to be pre­ferred be­fore this world. thinke you, glorious in creation; pleasant in varietie; beautifull with delight; rich in possession; and comfortable in fru­ition? Heauen is farre more glorious; for it is the? Psal. 35.17. throne of Almightie God, the King and onely Lord of all the world, but the earth is his footestoole, and the creatures therein are his ser­uants, all being mortall, vanishing and vaine; the pleasures thereof momen­tarie, the beautie fading, Vntill wee die, & our bodies be changed we cannot see the glo­rious, and heauenly kingdome with these eyes. the riches fly­ing and the comfort ending. Indeed heauen is hid from our earthly eyes, by the glorious firmament which is as a courtaine drawne before vs, being spangled with starres and beautified with the Sunne and Moone, glittering and shinning, that we cannot looke in­to the chamber of the heauenly Brid­groome, [Page 90]vntill such time as our cor­ruption, 1. Cor. 15.53. shall put on incorruption, and our mortalitie, put on immortalitie: And the felicitie in heauen is infinite, The felici­tie in hea­uen great. for there is Reu. 22.5 light without darkenesse, 21.4. ioy without sorrow, glorie without shame, varietie without want, beautie without blemish, riches without cor­ruption, and comfort without ending? for the 22.1. fountaine of life is there euer running, the 2. tree of life is there euer growing, the 19.7. Angels and Saints are there still reioycing, and their glorie and life is euer continuing; their loue is 14.4. holy without corrupt affection, their thoughts are heauenly without any earthly 5. cogitation: there is the Nat. 22.3. wedding feast prepared for Christ and his Cant. 6.2 espouse; Reu. 19.7 4.4. 7.13. there are the roabes laid out, and the crownes set foorth for the faithfull and elect; there are the florishing 9. Palmes of peace, to be put into their hands; and the 5.9. new song written, to be plan­ted in their hearts; there are the 20.4. seates set vp for iudgement; there is the [Page 91]glorious Angell, that shall blow the last 11.15. trumpet; and there dwelleth God for euer, who will come in great 20.11.12 power and Maiestie, to iudge both quicke and dead. I must be 2. Cor. 12.4. silent, the glorie of the heauenly place hath dimmed my vn­derstanding? it exceedes all earthly ca­pacitie, for it is a spirituall and eternall felicitie, vnseene, vnheard, not to be conceiued, yet most certaine: that for the Saints and holy, it is appointed, The ioyes of heauen should draw eue­ry one to be willing to forsake the world. prouided, and ordained. What man then that is young? that would not be olde, to hasten to his graue; that his soule might enter and dwell in this heauenly paradise? What man that is rich, that would not sell all that he hath to obtaine a crowne of glorie in this kingdome? What man that is poore, that would not desire to be clothed with the glorious roabes laied vp in this place? What man that is wise, that would not long to taste of the Reuel 2.7 tree of life, which is in the middest of this heauenly garden? What man that is strong, that would not be a 3.12. pillar in [Page 92]this pallace; what woman that is faire and beautifull, that would not wish to be decked and adorned with the mor­ning 2.28. star, shining in this court, which giues great grace & glorie vnto all the Saints? Simile. It is not to be questioned, but that any one, hauing an estate for life in land, would be willing to surrender it for an inheritance, and hauing brasse would be glad to exchange it for gold: our life is short: our riches drosse: our pleasure vanitie: our libertie, captiuitie: who then but should be most glad, to leaue this mortallitie for immortallity, things which are vile, for honorable: vaine, for durable: bonds, for freedome and felicitie? Our bo­dies are but as pri­sons, and the world as a wil­dernesse. For as no prison is faire, nor wildernesse pleasant, no more should any take delight to continue long in the prison of this earthly bo­die, (the outward man:) nor in the wil­dernesse of this world, (the troubles of this life:) because the one is infected, and the other filled with manie euills. Wherefore let vs with Dauid thrist af­ter God, as the hunted & chased Ps. 42.1.2 hart [Page 93]doth after the water brooke; and with Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23 still longing to behold and see his face, as Gen. 45.18. Iaakob did to see Ioseph, whom his soule loued.

The vse hereof is, Vse. that wee consider of the great mercy of God in Christ Iesus, for our election, creation, redem­tion, sanctification, vocation, preserua­tion, and glorification: for had not God shewed mercy vnto vs in Eph. 1.4. loue, in his election & foreknowledge before the foundations of the world were laied, and sent his sonne to die for vs to satis­fie his iustice, which otherwise should haue taken hold vpon vs for our sins; hell, not heauen, had beene the dwel­ling, place for vs. And therefore we are to reioyce and wonder at the louing kindnesse of the Lord, by reason that wheras naturall loue in euerie creature is begotten by a reciprocall and retur­ning liking or affection from one to the other; Gods loue to vs is of his free grace. yet the spirituall loue in God to man, is begotten of his free Eph. 1.5.6 grace, without any reciprocall wor­thines [Page 94]or affection from man to God, for God hath begotten vs vnto himself, by himselfe, and in himselfe, and for himselfe: and we are fallen away from God, by our selues, & from our selues: and although it be repugnant to na­ture for loue to linke it selfe to hate, or one contrarie to embrace another, yet behold the loue of God to man; God hath loued vs which were his enemies. man hath Rom. 5.10 1. Ioh. 4.10 hated God, but God hath loued man, redeeming him, and will also glo­rifie him: A mercy aboue all mercies, a worke aboue all workes, a strange worke; for God to make vs of nothing being but a dead lumpe of clay; to saue vs when we were nothing, being but a filthy lumpe of sin, and now to glori­fie vs with him in heauen, that wee also might be made perfect, as hee himselfe is perfect. Glorifica­tion is the most hap­pie fruit of our re­demption. For without our glorifica­tion, our creation and redemption, vocation and sanctification, had not beene so comfortable, as now they are vnto vs: the Apostle Paul plainely proouing, that 1. Cor. 15 19. if the elect and ser­uants of God had but onely saluation [Page 95]in this world, without hope of glorie in the life to come; they were of al men most miserable. For we know that this world, it is at Iam. 4.4. enmitie with God, and the godly by the wicked are Heb. 11.36.37. persecu­ted, afflicted, and tormented: The godly to be deli­uered from hell, and not to as­cend to heauen, their estate were not so happy, but com­passed with miserie, li­uing in this world. there­fore if so redemption onely were gran­ted vnto vs from the paines of hell, and yet we still to rest and dwell vpon the face of the earth, amongst the wicked and vngodly; what ioy? nay, what in­finite, sorrow would not vexe our soules and bodies, when as wee should see the wicked florish and God disho­noured; his name blasphemed, his word despised: his Law contemned, and his worship scorned and propha­ned: besides we must be in continuall Eph. 6.10.11. fight and warfare, against the world the flesh and the diuell, being on euery side assaulted, 2. Cor. 12.7. buffetted and distressed: but being once glorified and receiued vp into heauen wee shall be free from all vexation, feare and daunger; and for euer bee deliue­red from Satan, sinne, and death: and [Page 96]this is the comfort of all the afflicted children of God in this world, that if they Rom. 8.17 suffer here with Christ, they also shall be glorified with him in heauen: for Reu. 14.13 blessed are all they, that hereafter die in the Lord, (so saith the Spirit,) for they rest from their labours, and their workes follow them.

Another vse hereby ariseth, to as­sure vs of the resurrection from the dead, and of the day of iudgement, for whosoeuer hath Ioh. 5.29. done well shall be raised vp at the last day vnto eternall life; and whosoeuer hath done euill, vn­to eternall death: Let euery one there­fore tremble and feare, and with the Mat. 25.10 wise Virgins labour and watch, with oyle in their Lamps, that they may en­ter with Christ into his heauenly rest, and glorious kingdome, For Reu. 21.8. without shall be the fearefull and vnbeleeuing, and the abhominable, and murtherers, and whore-mongers, and Sorcerers, and Ido­laters, and all Lyars; who shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

PRESVMPTION.

PResumption, it is a bolde assuming or selfe conceit, either in the hautinesse, or ignorance of the minde, to doe, command, or omit, what the will liketh, without respect or feare of any controll or punishment by the higher power. In the first kinde, in hautinesse of the minde: our Gen. 3.6. Parents Adam and Eue transgressed, in taking and ea­ting of the forbidden fruit. 1 King. 20 42 Ahab and 1. Sam. 15 9. Saul offended, the one in sparing A­gag, the other Benhadab: the Mat. 12.38.39. Scribes and Pharises presumed in asking of a signe, as if they might command Gods power at their will and pleasure: But the resurrection from the dead by the parable of Ionas must be vnto the faith­full and beleeuing, the closing vp and conclusion of all miracles. For as in the [Page 100]seauenth day God Gen. 2.2. rested from crea­ting, We are not presumptu­ously to ex­pect and looke for miracles: for they haue an end. so in the appointed time Mat. 12.38.39. Christ ceased and rested from doing Miracles: because that as he made all things very good in the creation; so what he spake and promised in his word, they are 2 Cor. 1.20 yea, and Amen, without alteration: therfore miracles in these times are not presumptuously eyther to be wished or expected for; but in the time of necessi­tie when all outward meanes faileth, then are we to trust in the omnipotent power of God, desiring his helpe and mercy, that aboue our apprehension and expectation, hee would send vnto vs his immediate helpe and saluat on, which hee hath euer promised, and will faithfully performe vnto them that put their trust in him. Wilful and proud pre­sumption. The worldly wise, (shall I not say the Atheists?) they pre­sume of their fine and ouer-reaching wits, esteeming with the 1 Cor. 1.23 Grecians, the preaching of the Gospell foolish­nesse: but vnto them it shall be the Mat. 9.55 sauour of death vnto death, and the heauy witnesse against them in the day [Page 101]of condemnation: the rich men pre­sume of their riches, and with the Mat. 11.23 Ca­pernaims doe aduance themselues on hie, and doe oppresse and dispise the poore; but they shall be cast downe to hell, for their riches are corrupt, and they heape vp treasure of vengeance a­gainst the day of death. The strong and mightie presume of their strength and potencie, as did 1. Sam. 17 10 Goliah, defying the God of Israell; and as did king 2 Kin. 14 8 Ama­ziah, chalenging Iehoash, and his peo­ple to come into the field and fight a­gainst him: but the one as a Dog, was stroken and killed with a stone; and the other, as a Thistle, was stamped and troden to the ground. Beware there­fore of Presumption in hautines of the minde, which is the sinne of Lucifer: for the Pro. 8.13. feare of the Lord is to hate euill, as Pride and Arrogancy, and the euill way: and the mouth that speaketh lewde things I doe hate, (saith the Lord.)

In the second kinde of Presumption, Wilful and ignorant presump­tion. in ignorance of the minde: many there be which doe obstinately refuse the [Page 102] ^o waters of Shiloah that runne softly, and are carryed away head-long with the strong streame of Superstition or affection, to the sea of desolation, reloy­cing with Rezin, and the sonne of Re­maliah, embracing eyther new and strange doctrine with the Libertines, or else doting vpon deceirfull vanitie, with the Romaines; whereas they may easily and safely resort at home, if they would, vnto the sanctuary of the Lord and congregation of the faithfull, to heare the heauenly oracle of God; (his Word truely preached, his Name most ioyfully magnified, and to behold the gladnesse of the Hearers, they being greatly comforted and edified therby.) For wee all (if wee did regard our pro­fession) should reioyce in the? Eph. 4.3.4.5. vnitie of one body, as spirituall members, knit to Christ our head; abounding in loue one towards another, being called by one Spirit: wee all making shew and seeming, and pretending to worship one God, to embrace one faith, to serue one Lord, to honour one Father, and [Page 103]to professe one truth. And certain­ly there is no way but one vnto salua­tion, (which is Ioh. 14.6. Christ Iesus,) whom the Church of England most truly pro­fesseth and sincerely imbraceth.

But some exceptions are taken a­gainst our loose and carnal Gospellers, Loose pro­fessors are an occasi­on of great offence & scandall to the gospel. who by their euill examples, and pre­sumptuous liuing, doe scandalize and slander the profession of our Church of England, whereby the ignorant doe fall away, and make a separation from vs: But wee wish with the Apostle, that Rom. 10.1 all might be saued, yet it is impossible but that some Mat. 18.7 offences must come, & be in the Church of God, but woe be to them by whom the offence commeth: for al were not holy amongst the Apo­stles, but there was one a back-slider, Mat. 27.70. denying his Master, and another Luke. 22.3.4. co­uetous which had a Diuell: the good corne hath Tares growing amongst it, and they must grow together vntill the Haruest: the Goates doe liue amongst the Sheepe, and they must feede toge­ther vntill the day of Mat. 25. separation: many [Page 104]were the Scribes and Pharises, but few were the disciples, and therfore not the multitude but the regenerate and san­ctified do make the Church of Christ. Wherefore let not presumptuous igno­rance beguile and blind the soules of the simple, but let them search the Ioh. 5.39. Scriptures, and also Acts 2.17 try the Spirits? whether they be of God or not, for the not knowing of the Scriptures is the cause why men doe erre and are decei­ued.

Be wise now then ye presumptuous ignorant, and learne, and come vnto the knowledge of the truth: for Christ knocketh at the doore of your hearts and saith; Pro. 9.4.5. who so is simple let him come to me, and to him that is desti­tute of wisedome hee saith; come and eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne: forsake your way ye foolish, and yee shall liue, and walke in the way of vnderstanding, Pro. 8.9. for all my words are plaine to him that will vnderstand, and straight to them that would finde knowledge.

O suffer not your selues to be led aside out of the way to Canaan, Some im­perfecti­ons in the Church must not cause an vtter fal­ling away from the Church. be­cause briars are in the wildernesse, nei­ther be perswaded to refuse the kernel, because the shell is rugged, nor to leaue the liuing water because the fountaine is troubled. For as a shippe may saile and be in a right passage, and come safely to the hauen, Simile. although it may haue either too many or want some tacklings: so although ourchurch may haue (which yet is not graun­ted,) either too many outward rites, or want some reformation; yet all confesse she holdeth and keepeth her maine course and faithfull passage to Christ alone the hauen of her rest: and although she be weather beaten (as it were) with the blasts and stormes of reproach, and blacke with the touch of some pretended imperfection: yet she is Can. 4.1. faire and louely in the sight of God, and he wil graciously adorne her, and make her all Psal. 49.13. glorious within; and in the end take her and receiue her, as his most beautifull and belo­ued [Page 106] Reu. 21.9 espouse to rest and dwell with him in heauen for euermore.

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. that euery man and woman doe beware of proud thoughts, and peruerse ignorance: the two daughters of Presumption, begot­ten by Satan the father of sinne, and pride, and author of all error and here­sie. And as to much 1. Cor. 8.1 knowledge (saith the Apostle) puffeth vp, (if it be not seasoned with grace,) so much igno­rance maketh blind, if so it refuse the meanes for knowledge (which is the light and sight of the soule.) Where­fore as we are taught not to presume to vnderstand that which is not meete to vnderstand, Rom. 12.3 so likewise we must take heede that we do not neglect to learne that which is most necessarie for vs to know. Simile. For as the spider gathereth her poyson from the fulnesse of the flie, receiued from the sweetnesse of the flower: So Satan frameth and gathe­reth his poisoned argument, to make a man proud and Presumptuous, from the fulnesse of mans knowledge, [Page 107]which hee hath receiued from the sweetnesse and bountie of Gods mercy and also as the sodain lightning dazel­leth the eye & maketh it feareful to be­hold the light; so the flashing and sub­till perswasions of Satan, tempered with some shew of light, and mingled with feare, doe shut vp the Mat. 6.23 eye of the soule, that it dare not open the lidde, or looke out for better vnderstanding, it being shut vp and closed in the dark­nesse of ignorance. And when men are thus caried away with the furie of Presumption, better hope is there to tame a Beare robbed of her Whelpes, and to remooue a foole from his folly, then such from their pride and error: An ill cu­stome corrup­teth the soule. for custome changeth nature, and con­tinuance in sinne expelleth grace: and as age swalloweth vp youth, so igno­rance shutteth out faith; for without Rom. 10.14. knowledge wee can haue no faith; and without 4. faith there is no hope of saluati­on. Then a man being either Presump­teously ouer wise, or to preposterously ignorant; by the first hee despiseth [Page 108]faith, and by the second he cannot at­taine vnto it. So then there being want of true faith in both, neither of them can be in the estate of grace, but in a most daungerous and fearefull con­dition of Condemnation. And as the Dan. 2.34. stone spoken of in Daniel, smot the image vpon his feete, Simile. as well, as it did remooue his head: Ignorance as well as proud wil­fulnesse punished. so the wrath of God will not onely destroy the haugh­tie and proud thoughts of man, which may be compared to the head of fine gold; but also hee will iudge the base and ignorant affections, which may be compared to the feete of that image, which being broken together, became like chaffe of the Summer flowers, and the winde carried them away. Simile. Wherfore let euery one in the apprehension of knowledge do as the Marriner, Humilitie and faith, the means to bring vs, to true wisdome. who in his voyage at Sea, scaleth the degrees or height of the heauens by his poale staffe, and sound­eth the bottom of the sea by his plum­met. So the rule and line to bring vs to the true knowledge of the height and [Page 109]depth of the wisedome and loue of God, (while wee saile in the sea of this world,) it must be humilitie and a liue­ly faith, expressed and exercised in the workes of holines and righteousnesse, without the which wee cannot behold his goodnesse toward vs nor beleeue in him.

MEDESTIE.

MOdestie, it is the meane be­tweene impudencie, and stupiditie or dulnes, hating pride, and auoyding folly: it is the Vsher, as it were, vnto all other Vertues, as the Prime-Rose commeth vp before all other Flowers; for in the face of children it appeareth in the blush, as the flower in the budde: yea, it is an Herauld vnto mens & womens Vertues, signifying their praises vnto all beholders: and it doth not onely con­sist in the outward habit and counte­nance of man, but also in the very hart, True and Christian Modestie, and the parts ther­of. in the word, and in the deede. For art thou fearefull to enter into the secret counsell of God? there is thy Modestie, confessing thy indignitie: art thou vn­willing to tempt the Lord thy God ei­ther in his power or in his graces? there [Page 112]is thy Modestie shewing thy sanctitie: art thou condemning thine owne me­rits? there is thy Modestie, preferring Christs mercy: art thou contempning vaine singularitie? there is thy Mode­stie, eschewing flattery: art thou tem­perate in thy feeding? there is thy Mo­destie, shewing content with sufficiencie: art thou comely in thy apparell about thee, without costlinesse, and decent in thy furniture within thy house, without curiousnesse? there is thy Modestie, shewing humilitie: art thou sparing and religions in thy speech? there is thy modestie, shewing wisdome & pietie: art thou meek in suffering of wrongs? there is thy Modestie, shewing charitie: art thou quiet and righteous amongst thy family? there is thy Modestie, shew­ing integritie? art thy patient in tri­bulation? there is thy Modestie, shew­ing faith and constancie: art thou not couetous in getting or keeping thy riches? there is thy Modestie, shewing liberalitie: art thou not licentious and wanton in thy flesh? ther is thy Modesty, [Page 113]shewing chastitie: Finally, what vertue is it, that is not accompanied with Mo­destie? for without it a man cannot be truely righteous towards men, nor tru­ly religious towards God: and there­fore the Apostle Peter aduiseth vs; Let the 1 Pet. 3.4 hid man of the heart be vncorrupt, with a meeke and quiet spirit, which is be­fore God a thing much set by: And Paul willeth that Women doe 1. Tim. 2.9 array them­selues in comely apparrell, with shamefast­nesse and Modestie, not with broydered bayre, or gold, or pearles, or costly appar­rell: But (as becommeth Women that professe the feare of God,) with good works. For as Loue is 1. Cor. 13.13 preferred before Faith and Hope, in respect that it remaineth for euer in the minds of the holy An­gels in heauen: so Mod [...]sti [...], it is to be preferred before all other morrall and ciuill Vertues: because men want­ing it, they quickly goe astray, and are worthy to be reproued. Moreouer, it is the signe of penitencie, the shield of innocency: for our first Parents sin­ning in Paradise, and in sorrow ashamed [Page 114]of their fact, Gen. 3.7. perceiuing their naked­nesse, in Modestie made themselues aprons or breeches: and 39.12. Ioseph to ma­nifest and maintaine his innocencie in modestie, made hast to eschew & flie his Mistresses companie. 9.23. Shem & Iapheth are called blessed for their Modestie in couering their fathers shame; & 1. Pet. 3.6 Sarah praysed for her Modestie, the Matron Princesse of all holy women:) yea, Christ himselfe, the example of all ex­amples, dignified this vertue of Mode­stie; for he was lowly & holy in his life, and meeke and patient in his death, and hee hath left a lesson vnto vs for the making much and embracing of this Vertue, saying; If thine 1 Mat. 5.29 30 eye or hand cause thee to offend, (meaning any vn­chast or immodest affection,) plucke it out, and cast it from thee.

For like as the water which commeth out of a sweet fountaine refresheth the heart when it is dry, Simile. and oyle being in­wardly taken encreaseth fresh bloud to make a chearefull countenance: so Modestie being the gracious gift of [Page 115]God, it reioyceth the soule, thirsting af­ter pietie, and it doth disperse by the in­ward keeping of a pure and vndefiled conscience, amiablenesse into the coun­tenance. And so God hereby is much glorified, our brethren by our good example edified, and the modest per­son, iustly praised and commended.

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. that euery man and woman doe beware of all vnciuill and immodest words and actions, for Pro. 25.11 euill words corrupt good manners, and euill works corrupt good natures: the infection of the care is poyson to the soule, and an euill obiect to the eye is a dart vnto the heart: immodest words are not without immodest works, nor immodest workes without immodest words, the one as fire enflameth; Simile. and the other as death destroyeth. Immode­stie imbra­ceth all euill. For im­modest thoughts are as pouder, immo­dest works as shot, & immodest words as match to giue fire to a murthering & deuouring Peece, (a shameles soule) drawne forward by Satan, planted by subtilly, & discharged by presumption.

No sinne so forward to aide and as­sist presumption as immodestie, no sin so bold to send and breath out blasphe­mie, as presumption: Gen. 9.22.25. Chams impu­dent and immodest gasing vpon, and report of his Father Noahs shame, brought his curse: and 2. Sam. 16 7.8. Shemies im­modest rayling vpon, and reuiling of his Lord and Soueraigne King Dauid, procured his death: 1. Sam. 17 10 Goliahs and Isa. 37.10 Se­nacheribs blasphemie, no doubt were first hatched and begotten in the seed of impudency and mmodestie: for what sinne is not nursed and cherished by immodestie? when men and wo­men doe thereby cast away all shame and honesty, as do those that are proud and hautie, the drunkards and adulte­rers, extortioners and back-biters, rai­lers and lying Pleders, murtherers and blasphemers: are not all these branded with the marke of impudencie, & beare vp their streamer and sailes in the sea of sensualitie? being without the feare God, and delighting in iniquitie, Eccl. 3.29 draw­ing sinne vnto them as it were with cart­ropes [Page 117]and casting out their anchor into the pit of hell. O giue not therefore, I beseech you, any passage or liking vnto the least sinne at all, (for it is baine and poyson to your soule:) but especially vnto immodestie; for it is the first touch to blase out thy discredit (whosoeuer thou art) and the last link to hold fast al thy sinnes, in extreame rage and villa­nie. But let vs remember the lesson of our Sauiour Christ, teaching vs to learn of him to be Mat. 11.29 meeke and lowly in hart; and that wee doe striue to be humble and modest, sober and watchfull, to re­sist and flye sinne, and all 1 Cor. 5.9. apparance of euill; and certainely in the end wee shall find euerlasting comfort and rest vnto our soules, which God grant, for his Sonne Iesus Christ his sake, vnto vs all. Amen.

DESPAIRE.

DEspayre, it is a wilfull forsa­king of faith & confidence in God, and in his promi­ses, which ariseth eyther by beholding inwardly in the minde, the seueritie of Gods iustice for sinne: or else by missing outwardly in this world things pleasurable or profitable to sa­tisfie the lusts and desires of the flesh. In the first degree are such, which are possessed with a guilty conscience for sinne, and with horror doe behold the fearefull presence of God, ready to take speedy vengeance against them for the same, and being without grace not able to apprehend and apply vnto them­selues Christ Iesus, the onely Physition to heale their sinnes, and to cure this fit and malady of desperation, doe either [Page 120]preoccupantly as they thinke to flye from the face of God, lay violent hands vpon themselues as did Mat. 27.5 Iudas: or els perseuerantly, by leading of a wicked life, doe in their malice blaspheme and denie God; as did Iulian. But against this sinne prayed Dauid, saying; Psa. 19.13 Lord keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sins, that they may not haue dominion, nor raigne ouer me, so shall I be free and vp­right, and made cleane from much wic­kednesse.

The Diuell most boldly and often doth tempt and assay the deere chil­dren of God, to bring them to the plunge, and to throw them downe if he could, into the pit of Despaire. But although their faith may for a time, ei­ther through the fearefull sight of their sinnes, or through the stormes of af­flictions be ouer-shadowed & clouded with feare (which is the handmaide to Despair, Feare is the hand­maid, and discon­tent the mother of Despayre.) and may vtter forth cries and groanes, with grief and torment, which all are signes of discontent (the mother of Despaire,) yet neither weaknesse of [Page 121]faith, nor strength of sorrowes are able to draw and bring the elect to the e­state of de paire (which is a wilfull ma­licious, and finall laps or falling away from God for euer.

For Iob. 3.3. Iob lamented the day of his birth, and desired of God that he might be cut off; for the 6.4. arrowes of the Al­mightie saith he, are in me, the venime whereof doth drinke vp my spirit, and the terrors of God fight against me: and Dauid cried out in his affli­ction for feare and said, Psal. 88.14.15.16. Lord why doest thou reiect my soule and hidest thy face from me? I am afflicted and at the point of death, from my youth, I suffer thy terrors, doubting of my life, thine indignation hath gone ouer me, and thy feare hath cut me off: and in another place the Prophet fainting in in his miseries, beholding the prosperi­tie of the wicked, saith, Ps. 73.2.13.14. as for me my feete were almost gone, my steps had well neere slipt, certainly I haue clensed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocencie, for dayly I haue [Page 122]beene punished and chastened euery morning; yet he trusted in the Lord; & Christ himselfe at his passion in the sorrow of his soule, (by reason of the heauie burden of our sinnes which he bare vpon the crosse,) cried out with a loud voyce saying, Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? and yet he was faithfull and obedient vnto the death.

And many of the Prophets and ser­uants of God in the time of griefe and sorrow 1. King. 19.4. Ionah. 4.3. In the time of afflicti­on there is infirmitie in the dea­rest Saints haue desired death, the which wish and desire ariseth of the in­firmitie of the flesh by the sorrow of the spirit, but this weakenesse of nature should be strengthened by faith, and we are taught that in patience we must possesse our soules, and not to faint in temptations, yeelding cowardly vnto Satan, throwing from vs the shield of faith, and laying downe the sword of the spirit, forgetting to pray, and to cal to Christ our Ioh. 15.14. friend for helpe: for if so we hope and trust in him, though we should faint in our fight, yet he is [Page 123]present with vs and will come in, to re­leeue and refresh vs; for he is the 4.14. water of life; though we should be wounded, yet hee is our Chirurgion to heale vs: for he is the true Luk. 10.33. Samaritane: though wee should fall yet hee is our pillar of strength and cheife Act. 4.11. corner stone to beare vs vp; though we should be lead away captiue, yet hee is our cap­taine to Isa. 61.1.2. rescue vs, being the spirituall Reue. 5.5. Lyon of the tribe of Iudah, which hath lead Ibid. 5.5. captiuitie captiue, and hath most valiantly 1. Cor. 15.54.55. triumphed ouer the world, the flesh, the diuell, hell and death: and not onely for himselfe, but also for vs, that we might learne in all fearefull trials and temptations to put our trust in him, who is both faithfull louing, readie, and able to helpe and deliuer vs. Not to feare nor be ouer­come in temptati­ons.

Feare not therefore, O ye of little faith, when as ye are tempted and as­saulted by Satan, turne not your backe vnto your enemie, but keepe your Iob. 5.17. ground, stand fast and Mar. 13.7. fight a good fight, Lnk. 21.9. resist the diuell and he will flie [Page 124]from you: his voyce is 1 Pet. 5.8. roaring, but his throate is choaked by the word of God: his darts are Eph. 6.16 fiery, but they are quenched in the fountaine of faith: his arrowes are Psal. sharpe, but they are broken vpon the rocke of hope? his armour is inchanted, (he being the sub­till and deafe Adder,) but it is cut a­sunder with the sword of the spirit: his countenance is a Mt. 14.26. terrible, but is cast downe by the Gal. 6.14 presence of Christ: he 1. Sam. 17 10.49. brageth, but he hath no might (against the Saints:) he nibleth at the Gen. 3.15 heele, but he is nipped on the head.

Behold, Satan flyes if we doe resist. now hee flyeth; pursue ther­fore and ouercome, the victory is yours, but the glory is the Lords; for he hath giuen strength to your weake­nesse; God doth furnish vs with all strength & power. courage to your faintnesse; and spirit to your dulnesse, for to prepare and strengthen you to fight: hee hath also furnished you with wisdome for to order, with faith to fortifie, and with hope for to supply the battaile, and hee there leaueth you not but still stirreth you vp by watchfulnes and diligence, [Page 125]to espie; by prayer and intercession to perseuere; by fortitude to resist, & with resolution to pursue your enemie. Wilfull forsaking and falling from God is mans vt­ter destru­ction. But if man doe wilfully forsake the Lord, and not put his trust in him, then the diuell is subtill for to tempt, and strong to ouerthrow both body and soule, and to cast them into the pit of Despaire: The meanes & degrees of despaire. For he will first driue man into solitarie musing, and then the minde grieueth, the heart fainteth, faith fayleth, feare encreaseth, sinne appeareth, the Con­science trembleth, the furie rageth, and the tormented & distressed man with­out all pittie to himselfe peirceth his owne body and soule with the poisoned and incurable dart of c [...]uell murther: Murther the issue of despaire. by reason whereof hee throweth him­selfe headlong and most desperately downe in the bottomlesse pit of euer­lasting darknesse, from thence neuer to returne to behold the cheerefull and comfortable presence of God his ma­ker, The mise­rable con­dition of the mur­therer of himselfe. but at the day of iudgement hee shall see the glorious and fearefull face of God his iudge, whose voyce shall be [Page 126]as Reue. 4.5. Thunder, pronouncing and decla­ring fearefull woes, sorrowes and eter­nall death, vnto the damned and re­probate: And what hope or warrant is there for any inrepentant sinner, that hee shall finde saluation? and who so great & malicious a sinner against God, dying without repentance, as hee that doth destroy the 1 Cor. 3.16.17. temple of God, de­facing his Gen. 1.26. image, despising his law, con­tempning his promises, and flying from his presence? but there is a most sure iudgement denounced from heauen, that whosoeuer shall destroy the tem­ple of God, him will God destroy; and whosoeuer Deut. 32.41. sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, and no in­repentant murtherer shall enter into the kingdome of God.

But the f [...]lo dese, The feare­ful distract and end of a Felo de se. the murtherer of himselfe, by his instant and sodaine ex­ecution vpon himselfe, hee working and labouring in bloud; paine & death, destroying Nature, and distracting the minde, it is to be feared, and more pro­bable, that hee hath no vse of the [Page 127]qualities and graces of the soule, wher­by he might repent & call vpon God, so that hee wilfully casting himselfe a­way from God, (not trusting & depen­ding vpon his prouidence and mercy,) The busi­nesse and strength of Satan in the execu­tion of the Felo de se. Satan is most strong and busie as well to strangle the soule as the body, ha­uing entred into the man with his con­sent and action to make himselfe away, that he might neuer come in compa­nie or sight, either of God, Angels, or Men.

But O foolish, sinfull and desperate man, to think by thy cruell and bloudy death, to flie from the prefence of God thy maker, and that after this life thou thoughtst to haue no more motion or feeling of euill, nor vnquietnes of con­science (which when thou wast liuing vpon the earth, was as a thousand hels vnto thee,) but that after death, thou shalt be as the beast that Ps. 49.20 perisheth and shall neuer rise to iudgement. O how greatly art thou deceiued? forgetting that the more a man seeketh to hide himselfe, and flie from God as Gen. 3.8. Adam [Page 128]did, yet God will follow him and Iere. 23.24. find him out in the middest amongst the dead, as hee did Adam amongst the thickest of the trees in Eden. for Reuel. 20 13 there is neither place, nor time, nor force, nor sauour that can hide or deliuer man from the sight and hand of God, who is the Iudge both of the quicke and of the dead.

And as in this fearefull tragedie of man by laying violent hands vpon himselfe, Satan tri­umpheth in the de­struction of man. the Diuell is the first Gen. 3.1. plotter of his fall; so he is the 1. King. 22 20.22. Iob. 2.4.5. chiefest trium­pher in his destruction, and that be­cause he hath competitors and compa­nions to feele and endure the wrath of God as well as hee: for nothing more Mat. 8.29 tormenteth Satan in his punishment vnder Gods hand, then the remem­brance of mans felicitie by Christ, the which if hee can intise man to refuse or neglect, then reioyceth he, and all euill spirits with him, as much at the damna­tion of man, as the Luk. 15.10 Angels of heauen at the conuersion and saluation of man.

And within this compasse of distrust and despaire, Want of outward and tem­poral bles­sings must not make vs to de­spaire and forsake God. are also comprehended and included (as is said before,) al those which for want of outward meanes to satisfie the lusts and desires of the flesh; as for riches, being in pouerty; for plea­sures, being in payne; for reuenge, be­ing in malice, or for pride, being in dis­content, (although they haue no touch or feeling of the sting of conscience for their sinnes,) yet doe they lay violent hands vpon themselues, as did 1. Sam. 31 4. Saul and 2. Sa. 27.5 Achitophel; forgetting Gods care and power which he Psal. 107 2.6. sheweth toward his children, when they are in any di­stresse: but Rom. 8.5. these men or women being fleshly minded, and making this world, & the pleasures thereof their God and Mammon; for the want of satisfying of their vngodly lusts which 1 Pet. 2.11 fight against the soule, they therefore throw them­selues head-long by their owne hands into the pit of hell. The reme­dy [...]ainst Despaire. But the remedie a­gainst this sinne is Eph. 6.10 11 faith with^t patience; and prayer with hope; without which a man is naked and without strength, [Page 130]and is ready daily vpon euery assault to be ouerthrowne of Satan; and therefore instead of 2. Cor. 7.10.11 worldly griefe we must em­brace godly sorrow; instead of Exod. 14.13 amaze­ment, quietnesse of minde; instead of Mark. 9.24 weaknesse, we must pray for strength of faith; instead of feare shew forth Eph. 6.10 fortitude by grace; instead of appa­rision of sin (presenting death) we must behold the Mat. 9.2. absolution of sinne by Christ, who hath conquered death; in­stead of horror of conscience we must seeke for 1. Tim. 1.19 peace; instead of prosecuti­on of Gods wrath, Psal. 3.4. hope and assure our selues of his mercifull and gracious preseruation in Christ Iesus.

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. that wee consider the malice and subtilty of Satan in seek­ing the destruction of man, The ma­lice and subtiltie of Satan. by drawing him to feare and discontent, and casting Faith nad Hope our of his his heart (which might bring vnto him ioy and peace,) as also the weaknesse of man to resist the temptation, he forsaking God, and trusting to himselfe. We must be watch­full. By which wee are taught to be watchfull and carefull in [Page 131]holy meditations and prayer, and not to embrace and loue the riches of this world and pleasures of this life, Plenty & pleasure make sinne to abound. lest by liuing too much in wantonnesse and plentie, or scraping too much together in couetousnesse and crueltie, our sins doe abound and at one time or other, the sight and view thereof will be fear­full and terrible vnto vs, not able to be endured, when as God in his iustice may leaue vs vnto our selues, to be a pray vnto Satan, hell and death. Not to muse too much vp­on sorrow and affli­ction. And that also in our tryals, crosses and af­flictions in this life, wee sorrow not a­boue measure, nor muse too much ther­on with worldly thoughts, but rather with a godly sorrow to desire pardon of almightie God for the same, praying for his grace and helpe to comfort vs in the time of neede assuring our selues through faith and patience, to haue a most happy issue & ioyfull deliuerance in the end, when it shall seeme fit and conuenient vnto God for his glory and our good. And euery one is to be ad­uised (for feare to be lead into this most [Page 132]dangerous temptation of despaire) to beware of solitarinesse, To beware of solitari­nesse. when either the motions of feare, or of doubt, couetous­nesse or pride, want or disgrace do beat vpon our hearts, as the seas doe vpon the rocks, striuing and fretting (as it were) to throw downe our bodyes and soules euen vnto hell. Satan ta­keth his aduantage of time & place to di­stractand ouerthrow man. For as Satan ta­keth his opportunitie of time and place, to beget sin in infidelitie in the thought of man; so he taketh likewise his time and place to execute his malice and cruelty vpon man (in as much as in him lieth,) & no fitter place for the accom­plishing of this his purpose, then pri­uate walks, gardens, or solitary woods or wildernesse, for so he tempted 2 Sa. 11.2 Da­uid, and presumed also to tempt our Sa­uiour Mat. 4 1. Chirst.

And therefore wee must be diligent and circumspect, When we are alone, to medi­tate vpon good things. that when wee are walking and meditating in priuate pla­ces then to thinke especially vpon God and to prav vnto him, calling for grace to sanctifie our thoughts and to streng­then our faith, for then when wee are [Page 133]alone Nature feareth, the Diuell most fiercely assaulteth, and the Soule with­out Gods especiall aide fainteth and falleth, if not surprised and led captiue vnto sinne and death. And wee are also further hereby to learne, that not onely those who lay violent hands vpon themselues by taking away their liues, Wilfully to weaken or suppres Nature by worldly sorrovv is a most grie­uous sinne. are in the case of despaire, and murthe­rers of themselues: but also they who by fretting and vexing, and grieuing doe surpresse Nature, weaken their bo­dies, and disquiet their soules; by means whereof they hasten their end, and shorten their dayes; for 2 Cor. 7.10. worldly sor­row causeth death; and the heart op­pressed and surfeted with griefe & cares can haue no faith, hope, or ioy in God. Simile. For as the flye the more she laboureth and fluttereth about the candle light the sooner she burneth, Not to beate too much vp­on the things of this vvorld. and consumeth her selfe: so man the more hee busieth himselfe, and laboureth about the get­ting and obtayning of the things of this world; the sooner hee is snared, ta­ken, and destroyed. Wherefore a wise [Page 134]and religious moderation of our cares in faith and hope preserueth the soule and body, and bringeth vnto vs salua­tion, health and peace, which passeth all vnderstanding, because our trust and confidence is in the Lord our God for euermore.

FAITH.

ALL the precious peebles and pearles in the sea, the purest gold and siluer in the earth, and the sweetest Mirrh and Cassia in the East, are not to be preferred and estee­med before Faith, it being a Rom. 10.17 diuine, spiritual and heauenly gift, beautifying, enriching and making sweet & Heb. 11.6 accep­table before the presence of Almighty God, the body and soule of man: It is like Gen. 28.12 Iacobs Ladder, by which we must ascend in loue to God, and descend in charitie to man: Simile. It is the Ambassadour of the soule, crauing aid of God in time of neede, according to his promise in the loue of Christ: It is without limit or circumscription, following and at­tending Gods presence at all times, and in all places: It is without feare coura­giously [Page 137]breaking through Heb. 11.3.4 fire and water, stopping the mouthes of Lions, The vertue and povver of Eaith making valiant in battaile, fighting a­gainst the world, the flesh, the Diuell, hell and death: it is without excesse, making a man humble in prosperitie, and patient in aduersitie: it is without enuy, forgetting wrongs and iniuries, leauing reuenge vnto the Lord: it is without fraud, being innocent from e­uill, and wise vnto that which is good: it is without want, making many rich, being content with that they haue: it is without worldly sorrow, being daily comforted and reioycing in the Lord: it it alwayes meditating on heauenly things, being euer willing to forsake all and follow Christ: the reason is, The sub­iect, pro­iect, and obiect of Faith. because God is the subiect or matter whereup­on it worketh; Godlinesse is the pro­iect or purpose whereunto it tendeth; and Heauen is the obiect or delight, whereunto it looketh.

To define it; it is the Heb. 11.1. ground of things which are hoped for, and the e­uidence of things which are not seene: [Page 138]without it wee cannot Ibid. 6. please God; by it we Ibid. 3. vnderstand that the world was ordayned by the word of God, and do as it were see and behold him which is invisible: It is infinit in apprehension, sound in iudgement, strong in belee­uing, discreet in applying, and ioyfull in inioying. Yea, it maketh and frameth the whole man ready and willing at all times to surrender and shew it selfe obe­dient vnto the will of God. And by this liuely Faith, Faith plea­seth God, obtaineth a blessing and despi­seth the vvorld. Abels offering was accep­ted: Enochs body glorified: Noahs fami­ly preserued: an inheritance promised to Abraham: a childe giuen to Sarah: and a blessing bestowed vpon Iaakob: by this Faith the rebuke or Crosse of Christ was greater riches vnto Moses then the treasures of Egipt, and greater glory vnto Paul then his high autho­ritie when hee was called Saul: by this Faith wonders in former times were effected; Kingdomes subdued; and the promises obtained. Wherfore we which now liue, and our posteritie after vs, if wee will be counted faithfull and the [Page 139]true children of Rom. 4.16 Abraham, we must dayly and continually striue to appre­hend, know, beleeue, apply, and enioy Christ Iesus the Son of God, the Saui­our of the world: but our apprehensi­on must be ioyned with humilitie, sup­pressing the wisdome of the flesh, and bringing it in subiection vnto the wis­dome of the spirit: our 1. Cor. 2.12.13. knowledge must be grounded vpon the word and truth of God, not vpon the precepts and doctrines of men: our faith must lay hold onely vpon Christ, as he is perfect God, able to redeeme vs, and as he was perfect man, willing to die for vs. We must reioyce in his promises which are gracious, true, and eternall, yea and Amen: and we must refuse our owne righteousnesse, which is by the works of the law, for if righteousnesse, (iustifying righteousnesse) be by the Law, then Christ died without a cause, Gal. 2.21 Rom. 4.14 Faith is made voide, and the promise is of none effect: for to him that 4. wor­keth, the wages is not counted by fa­uour, but by debt: and saluation [Page 140]commeth only by fauor and by grace, not by the workes of the law, because Rom. 3.9. all are vnder sin, both Iew and Gen­tile, and there is none that is righte­ous, and that doth good, no not one: Our applying also of Christ must be speciall and particular euen vnto our owne soules, By faith we apply Christ vn­to our selues. (confessing our sinnes and vnworthynes, and beleeuing that he is a Sauiour euen vnto vs:) for general knowledge comforteth not the soule vnto eternall life, Not gene­rall knovv­ledge, but especiall applicati­on prof­fiteth the soule of man. but the speciall ap­plication is the soules consolation; when as wee apprehending, knowing and beleeuing the Trinitie of the Per­sons in the vnitie of the God-head, we can apply vnto our selues, the loue of the father electing, the loue of the Son redeeming, and the loue of the holy Ghost sanctifying and comforting vs; & so we applying the loue of God vn­to our selues, we shall haue the fruition and enioying of his holy spirit in the comfort of his presence and assurance of his loue and mercy toward vs for euermore, we at all times remembring [Page 141]the nature and end of Faith which is heauenly and holy, The na­ture & end of Faith is to worke holines & righteous­nesse. that we might exer­cise our selues continually in the works of godlinesse, to the praise and glory of God, and saluation of our owne soules.

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. that wee careful­ly and especially doe consider of the vertue, power, and worthines of Faith, which vnto the soule is a quickning & refreshing, Faith is the quickning of the soule and body, for ioy and peace. as fire or heate is vnto the body; for without Faith wee are dead, not able to apprehend or perceiue the mysterie of our saluation: and Faith it giues ioy to the heart, sight to the eye, speech to the mouth, readinesse to the hand, and quicknesse to the feet, to thinke, behold, speake, worke, and ef­fect all for the honor and glory of Al­mightie God. And in time of feare, it is a comfort, in time of fight a shield, in time of trouble a rocke, and in time of death a sure pledge vnto vs of eter­nall life with God in heauen for euer­more. All which benefits and comforts, who then so vnwise, that would either neglect or forsake them? but without [Page 142] Faith we cannot attaine vnto them; Without Faith no­thing is sanctified, nor can prosper. for nothing can be sanctified or blessed in vs, or vnto vs without Faith, whether it be our bodies or soules, our children or seruants, our goods or labors, meat or drinke, sicknesse or health, life or death; all without Faith is sinne, or bringing forth sinne, either in enioying or insuffering.

Our prayers without Faith are tur­ned into sinne; No holy exercise without Faith can be comfor­table to the soule. our reading or hearing the word of God without Faith is vn­profitable vnto vs, and bringeth forth sinne, (being the sauor of death vnto death vnto vs:) for Faith in her pro­per nature brings forth Loue and Obe­dience vnto eternall life, it being the roote of all diuine worship, Loue and Obedience the fruits of Faith. and Chri­stian righteousnesse: for without Faith we cannot beleeue in God, nor in his Sonne Iesus Christ, nor trust in his pro­mises, nor call vpon him for grace, and whosoeuer beleeueth not, and will not call vpon the Name of the Lord, and trust in him, nor in his life time will en­deauour to attaine vnto Faith and hope [Page 143]in the blessed promises of Christ, that man is already condemned in the fore­knowledge and iudgement of God. Also without Faith wee cannot be partakers of the blessed Sacraments, nor be ad­mitted into the Church of God, nor be able to discerne aright of the body and bloud of Christ, and whosoeuer re­ceiueth, and discerneth not the same aright, 1 Cor. 11.29 eateth and drinketh his owne damnation. Finally, without Faith wee cannot feare & eschew the iudgements of God, but presumptuously runne into them, continuing and delighting in sin, and that man or woman that thus sin­neth without repentance, liuing with­out Faith, shall surely die without mer­cy; Reue. 21.8 For no vnbeleeuer shall enter into the kingdome of God.

Seeing then that Faith is thus neces­sary for the comfort and saluation of man, we must vse the meanes to attaine vnto this Faith, and to strengthen it, and to continue it in vs, which is by hea­ring and reading of the Word of God, receiuing the Sacraments, Rom. 10.14 exercising [Page 144]our selues in prayer and in godly con­ference and meditations, and in the works of righteousnesse, and then shall our Faith flourish and bring foorth plentiful fruit in loue to God, charity to man, and euerlasting peace vnto our owne soules.

And hereby all Parents and Masters of Families are to take note and heed, Al parents & Masters of families must haue a godly care of their chil­dren and seruants, to bring them vp in the knowledge and Faith of God. that they accordingly haue a diligent care to traine and bring vp their chil­dren and seruants in the knowledge and feare of God, by those ordinary and good meanes which are offered and ap­pointed of the Lord, and commanded in his word, lest for want of knowledge they die without Faith, and so their bloud shall be required at their hands: for ignorance cannot be the mother of deuotion, but of infidelitie and super­stition, which causeth many to runne head-long into the pit of condemna­tion.

SECVRITIE.

SEcurity it is the minds whol content or delight setled in the pleasures of this world: the which enioying, it cares for nothing, it employeth it selfe to nothing, nor feareth any thing; it is an vnfruitfull branch, springing from a a full (but a corrupt) tree, [...]rosperitie: whose seede is tares, whose fruite is teares, (when as men doe possesse the blessings of God in this life, but doe not dispose them to the glorie of God and comfort of their owne soules. Prosperitie the cause of Securi­tie; and destructi­on of the soule.) For prosperitie (if it be not moderated with humility and thanks-giuing:) it doth not onely lull men asleepe in Securitie, but it maketh them blind, Psal. 10.5.6. that they are not able toperceiue either the euill past, present, or to come: much like vnto those, Simile. who foolishly will gaze vpon the [Page 145]Sunne, vntill the brightnesse thereof doth bleare their eyes, and make them blind, and so the glory of prosperity doth bleare & blind the soules of men, that they make a 2. Pet. 3.3.4. mocke at the iudge­ments of the Lord, and sitting in the seate of iniquity; say in their harts; wher is the promise of his comming? let him make hast that we may see it: and so contempteously & desperatly they Amos. 6.3. to 7. put away the euill day farre from them, as did the Gen. 7.5. wicked before the flood, and as did the men of 19.24.25. Sodome and Go­morrah, who neither beleeued nor feared the threatnings of Almightie God: so that the waters drowned the one, and the fire consumed the other, and that for their horrible and cry­ing sinnes, which grew and encreased by reason of Ezek. 16.49. Securitie, ease, pride and fulnesse of bread, where in they did a­bound: And therefore our Sauiour Christ aduiseth vs against this sinne to Mat. 26.41. watch and pray, for we 24.44. know not the time when the Lord will come vnto iudgment, and happy are they that [Page 148]shall not be found secure, and sleeping: For Gen. 9.21. Noah in his Securitie and sleepe discouered his shame; 19.33. Lot committed sinne; Iudg 26.19. Sampson lost his locks; 13.8. Holy­fernes his head; and the foolish Mat. 25.10. Excesse a g [...]at meanes of securitie. Vir­gines heauen. And the roote of Securi­tie is plentie and excesse, which either lifteth vp the heart with pride and pre­sumption, or else besotteth it with dul­nesse and stupiditie: The rich and mightie are infected with the first; Pride ma­keth man secure. and the carnall and fleshly minded ouer­whelmed with the second. Dan. 4.27 28. Nebuchad­nezar in his prosperitie vaunted and said; is not this great Babell, that I haue built for the house of the kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Maiestie? and the Luk. 12.19.20. rich man flattered himselfe in his riches, promising presumptuously vnto him­selfe both ease and long life: But Ne­buchadnezar he was instantly told that his kingdome was departed from him; and the rich man presently euen in a night was taken from his treasure. The carnall and fleshly minded like brute [Page 149]beasts doe follow their filthy appetite and lusts, Stupiditie and dulnes maketh man secure vsing and frequenting their dayly sports with Gen. 10.8.9. Nimrod, their feast­ings with Dan. 5.1. Baltazer: their drinking with 1. King. 20.16. Benhadad: their whoring with 2. King. 9.22. Iezabell: and their idlenes with mar­ket Mat. 20.6. gazers, and streete walkers: pre­ferring their delights and pleasures be­fore pietie and godlinesse, and lusting after the Exo. 16.3 flesh-pots of Aegypt with the children of Israel; wishing rather to enioy the things of this world and the ease of the flesh for a season, with the hazard of their soules, then to suffer a little paine in this life, to gaine euerlasting felicitie in the life to come. But they all must know that so long as they are puffed vp with pride, Pleasure is the high­way to de­struction. decei­ued by riches, and besotted with plea­sures, they are in the broad way, lea­ding to destruction, their lamps are out, they are dead in sleepe, the Mat. 25.10. brid­grome is passed by, the gate is shut and their being shall be without, not on the hils nor in the valleys, but in 22.13. hel­fire with the diuell and his Angels for [Page 148]euermore: and then, but too late shall they finde that the smooth streame of Securitie hath a deep bottome, The end of Security most bit­ter. to swa­low vp their feasting with mourning, their mirth with heauines, their laugh­ing with weeping, their singing with howling, their embracing with wring­ing of hands, and their daintie feeding with gnashing of teeth.

And within this compasse of Secu­ritie, Negli­gence, a member of Security Negligence also may be inclu­ded; which is knowledge without care, not regarding what is commaunded by God vnto vs: and although it see­meth not in presumpteous manner di­rectly to oppose or withstand what is commaunded, yet in effect it bringeth forth the issue of disobedience to the dishonour of God and destruction of our owne soules (without repentances. For it is a greater sinne to Mat. 21.28. neglect, then not to doe, because in neglect­ing there is sinne with knowledge, but in not doing there may be sinne by ig­norance; and Ier. 48.10 cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently: [Page 149]but he that Luk. 12.47. knoweth his maisters wil and doeth it not shall be beaten with many stripes: And surely greater was the sinne of Ion. 1.2.3 Ionas to neglect his go­ing to Nineue then the sinne of Acts 9.1.2. Paul in hastening to Damascus, for the one would notwhat he knew; and the other knew not what he did. Luk. 23.34. Christ he prai­ed for the simple people that were his persecutors, because in ignorance they knew not what they did: but the Scribs and Pharises they wilfully Mat. 27.25. neglected their saluatiō, in desiring that his blood might be vpon them and their chil­dren, although they saw & knew both by his workes and word, that he was the Mesias, and Sauiour of the world: So then by this sinne man Rom. 2.5. heapeth vp for himselfe wrath against the day of wrath, as the euill Mat. 25.18.30. steward did, who wilfully neglected the time to put out his talent; whereas otherwise by watchfulnesse and diligence wee should become Eph. 5.16 wise and sober redee­ming the time because the dayes are euill.

For most certaine it is, that that man must perish by the sword, that when he heareth the alarum & Trumpet sound hee will not prepare himselfe to the battaile: and he must famish and starue in Winter, that will not gather in Sum­mer: so those that 1. Cor. 6.1 2. neglect the time, and despise the grace that is offered vn­to them from aboue, (for their repen­tance and turning to the Lord,) when they cry they shall not be heard, when they knocke it shall not be opened vn­to them; but God in his iustice will take away his grace and blessings from them, and bestow them vpon others, that shall bring forth better fruits then they; and then too late shall they re­pent, when they haue lost the Gen. 27.38 bles­sing with Esau, and neglected the co­uenant of grace with 1. King. 2.42. Negligēce a grieuous sinne. Shemei. This sin of negligence it is a sluggish & bewitch­ing sin, begotten by presumption, and nourished by case, delightfull to the flesh, but painefull to the soule; it hath a Reu. 9.7.10 Locusts face, but a Scorpions taile, the beginning sweet, but the end bitter [Page 153]vnto death: for when God and his word, righteousnesse and iudgement, mercy and truth, wisedome and pietie, peace and loue is neglected and despi­sed: what then remaineth but a feare­full and perpetuall separation of the wicked from the presence of God, who through their negligence and securitie haue suffered their garments to be de­filed, their bodies infected, their soules peruerted, their faith subdued, and their hope drowned, and they themselues fallen and suncke downe into the bot­tomlesse pit of eternall death, where is darknesse, and woe, lamentation, weep­ing and howling for euermore?

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. that we haue a care how we spend our time here in this world; that it be in watchfulnesse and diligence, in holines and righteousnes, for the time will come that we must render an account of our stewardship, and if we haue done wel we shall receiue a gracious and blessed reward, but if we haue done euill, our talent shall be ta­ken from vs, and we to be bound hand [Page 152]and foote, and cast into vtter darknesse, because while we liued in this world, we would not so much as stir and put forth our hand or foote to walke in the way of light, and doe the workes of righte­ousnesse: The gacious time of be­leeuing & working is onely in this life. for the time of beleeuing and working is onely in this life, because the commandement and promise is giuen and made vnto man, and man dying, his body becommeth senselesse and without motion, and turneth vnto dust, & cannot put in action the things which are commanded: but his soule is eternall and a spirituall substance, as­cending vnto God; After death all works doe cease, and the soule ascendeth vnto God. and after the disso­lution of the soule from the body, faith, hope, and the workes of the law doe cease, because these were the meanes of apprehension of the promises, and per­forming of obedience vnto God in this life, but after this life finished, euery faithfull soule shall truely, really, and fully behold the comfortable presence of Almightie God, and receiue the pos­session of those ioyes promised and ho­ped for, and shall no more be bound [Page 153]by the law, because once being glorifi­ed, the soule of man shall be absolutely perfect for euer in holinesse and inno­cency, praysing and giuing all honour and glory, and obedience continually vnto the Lord for his saluation.

And as the soules of the righteous after death, The soules of the righ­teous are free from any curse. are free both from the works and from the curse of the law; so the soules of the wicked after death are likewise free from the works of the law, but not from the curse of the Law, for by death the law ceaseth, but after death the curse continueth, and no man can worke out his saluation after death, be­cause the reward and iudgement of Al­mightie God hath relation and respect vnto our actions done here in this world, whether they be good or euill. The soule presently after death receiueth her abso­lute and eternall reward or iudgement And as God in his reward for a blessing of eternall life, maketh no delay, but crowneth the soules of the righteous with eternall glory; so in his reward for a curse of eternall death, he maketh no delay, but punisheth the soules of the wicked with eternal shame & confusion.

Wherefore let euery one take heed how he liueth and how he dyeth; for as the tree falleth, so shall it rise againe: after death there is no intercession; Gods iudgement as it is without delay, so it is without alteration: and if so then wee haue no feare nor feeling of our sinnes in this life with repentance, wee shall haue no taste nor feeling of Gods mercy in the life to come by any assu­rance: for those that dye without faith, and are not reconciled vnto God, are as withered and fruitlesse branches, Simile. cut off, and ordained for the fire; and as all the water which is cast vpon a dead plant is in vaine, Praiers for the dead are vaine. and cannot reuiue it; so the prayers for the dead, which haue died in their sins without faith and re­pentance are in vaine, and cannot re­deeme them: and for the faithfull be­ing departed out of this life, prayers need not, for their soules are speedily receiued into glory, being elected in the loue of the Father, redeemed by the death and passion of the Son, & sanctifi­ed by the grace of the holy Ghost: and [Page 157]without this election, redemption, and sanctification, there can be no saluati­on. And for the elect there needs no Purgatorie; nor yet for the reprobate; Purgatory an idle & needlesse fiction. for the Purgatorie doctrine is both fri­uolous and dangerous: friuolous, be­cause it cannot redeeme the reprobate, nor benefit the elect: dangerous, be­cause it giues encouragement vnto sin­ners to continue in their sinne, hoping of a Purgation after death, which is impossible, and contrary to the course of the iustice and mercy of God in his election and reprobation, whereunto he hath appointed a place, either hea­uen or hell without participation. For as there cannot be a meane betweene e­lection and reprobation to make an in­different estate in saluation; so there cannot be a meane betweene heauen & hell, to make an indifferent place for purgation and redemption.

And therefore tremble and feare, Simile. O ye wicked men and women, that liue securely and at ease, and doe daily re­ioyce and cheere vp your hearts in the [Page 156]time of your youth, walking in your owne wayes, in pleasures and delights; but know assuredly, that for all these things, God will bring you to iudge­ment; and hell not Purgatorie shall be the place of your torment, appointed for the Diuell and his Angels, and for all that doe liue vngodly in this world.

HELL.

SAmpsons Iudg. 16.21 bonds by the Philistines were not so great, nor Ier. 52.9. Zedekiahs cap­tiuitie by the Babilonians so grieuous, but that the bonds and captiuitie of death and Hell are farre more intollerable, infinite, and eternall.

But I suppose that some doe doubt whether there be any Hell or no; Some doe doubt whether there be a Hell or no. and doe flatter themselues saying; If there be no Hell, then neither the iustice of God can hurt me, nor the mercies of God doe me any good; and therefore I neither feare the one, nor respect the other; but I will liue as I list, and after death I feare no euill.

To answere and satisfie such, Proofe that there is a Hell. let any behold but with the eye of reason, and [Page 161]I will euidently shew and demonstrate that there is a Hell, and place of punish­ment for all offenders against God. Nature di­stinguish­eth be­tweene good and euill: then much more God in his loue and iustice hath ap­pointed a place di­stinguish­ed for the good, and for the bad For doe we not see in the naturall creatures without sense, that there is light and darkenesse, fire and water, sweete and sower, beautie and deformitie, loath­somenesse and pleasing scents? and in the creatures sensible, doe we not per­ceiues simplicitie and crueltie, protecti­on and destruction, some offending, others reuenging; euery one eschewing danger, & seeking after good for them­selues? And in man doe we not see an heauenly spirit in a earthly body, pray­sing vertue, and dispraysing vice? In­stiruting by iustice, a Rom. 13.3.4. reward for the good, and punishment for the wicked? And to what purpose hath God so or­dayned and distinguished his creatures, but that euery man in the light of na­ture might know that there is good and euill, ioy and sorrow, paine and plea­sure, sweet and sower, life and death?

And although in respect of the crea­tures, al these things are but momentary [Page 162]and temporall, yet by way of compa­rison, mans soule which is eternall, be it holy, or be it sinnefull, shall finde an e­ternall blessing, or an eternall curse and punishment; and for a man to say, that there shall be an eternall blessing, or an eternall curse and punishment, without either a subiect or person to receiue it, or without a place to containe it, were most absurd: and therefore vnlesse men will deny the immortalitie of the soule ( Gen. 1.26. 1. Cor. 15.45 which hath her being and essence from the life and eternitie of God) they cannot but confesse and feare the pu­nishment of Isa. 9. to 12. Ps. 9.17.11 6. Mat. 25.41 Reu. 6.8. Mark. 9.43 44. 2. Pet. 2.4. Hell, ordained from all beginnings, for the wicked and vn­godly.

For if God in the creation hath made a distinction betweene his crea­tures in respect of goodnes & beautie, how much more in his sentence and iust iudgement, (in respect of mens workes, to whom he hath giuen a law?) shall hee make distinction betweene man and man, betweene the good and the bad, betweene the estate of the one, [Page 163]and the estate of the other, which shal not be temporall but eternall, as well for the body as the soule at the gene­rall resurrection? and although the bo­dy resteth without motion in the graue after the departure of the soule from it; yet we must not thinke that there­fore we shall not come to iudgment, or suffer the paines of Hell; for God doth not forget a sinner, but his body as well as his soule is vnder iudgement, although not so presently as his soule; for the body must returne vnto the earth, and rest in the graue, The body doth rest in the graue after death for two re­spects. for two re­spects; the one, because the body is 1. Cor. 15.53. mortall, and therfore it must returne to dust and be chaunged, that it might be made immortall; and the other, be­cause the number of Gods elect, is not yet Reu. 7.3.14.6.7. Compleat and full, which being fulfilled, then Isa. 26.19 commeth the the day iudgement and resurrection of the dead; and then shall the 1. Cor. 15.42. bodies of all men be ioyned to their soules, and be made immortall, and they shall Mat. 24.30. see the sonne of man comming in the [Page 164]Cloudes with great power and glory, Mat. 25.31. Reu. 20.11. sitting vpon the throne, & shal iudge the quicke and dead; and Ioh. 5.29. those that haue done good shall rise vnto eternall life, and those that haue done euill vnto eternall death. Therefore the resting of the bodie in the graue, is, (if a man haue liued and died wickedly,) but the renewing of his sorrow at the re­surrection; that when hee thought himselfe free from feeling any more paine, then he shall rise vp from death, to be Mat. 22.13. bound hand and foote, and to to be cast into vtter darkenesse, where shall be weeping, and wayling, and gna­shing of teeth; for the Mar. 94.4 Isa. 66.24. Dan. 7.11. worme of the wicked shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, nor their tor­mentes ended, but their place and dwelling shall be Mat. 25.41. euermore with the diuel and his angels, in that Reu. 21.8. The wic­ked vpon the earth finde and inuent tor­ments for the godly; how much more hath God or­dained tor­ments for thewicked in Hell? lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the the second death.

For if wicked men and cruell tyrants vpon the earth, could or­daine and finde a place of torment [Page 165]for the children of God that displea­sed them; Nay, for Christ himselfe; shall not God then much more, in his iustice prouide a place of torment for Satan and his members which con­tinually dishonour and blaspheme his holy name? Gen. 37.24. Ioseph by the hand of the wicked was cast into the pit, Ier. 38.6. Ieremiah into the dungeon, Dan. 6.86 3.21. Daniel into the Den, Shadrach, Meshach and Abedne­go into the fornace, and Mat. 27.33. Christ in Gol­gotha was racked and crucified vpon the crosse: and must not the vngodly, and reprobate then thinke, that God, the King, and Iudge of the whole world hath for them a pit, a dungeon, a den, a fornace, a Golgotha, a crosse? yea, a pit without bottome, a dungeon without light, a den without mercy, a fornace without water, a golgotha without com­fort, and a crosse without redemption. O better therefore is it to suffer afflicti­on for a while vpon the face of the earth with holy Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, then to goe downe quicke into the pit for euer, with rebellious [Page 166] Num. 16.33. Corah, Dathan, and Abiram: and better is it to feare God that can Mat. 10.8. de­stroy both bodie and soule, and cast them into Hell, then to forsake God, & feare man that can but hurt the bodie onely: The day of iudge­ment is not far off. For he that hath promised to come to iudgement, wil Iam. 5.8. come shortly and will not tarrie; he hath his Mat. 3.12 fanne in his hand; his Reu. 4.2. throne is set vp for iudgement; the 10 2. booke is opened; his Angel is readie to thrust his 14.15. sharpe sickle on the earth, for the haruest is ripe; the sound of the last 11.15. trumpet is readie to be blowne, Gods heauenly 19.1. Court is full of his Saints; the soules of the afflicted doe now reioyce, and cry with a loud voyce, 6.9.20. How long Lord, how long? The great sorrovves of the re­brobate at the day of iudgment. make hast and auenge our blood: Satan hath preferred the indightment, ( Reu. 12.10. who accuseth man before God, day and night) the guilty conscience trem­bleth; the wicked are Mat. 22.12. speechlesse; and cannot deny their offence; thesentence is pronouncing; Reu. 4.5. thunder and light­ning filleth the throne; the 11.15.18 shoute of the holy Angels and Saints encrease [Page 167]the sorrows of the damned; 21.1. old things are passed; all worldly pleasures ended; the 9.2. bottomlesse pit openeth and smo­keth; light and comfort vanisheth; darkenesse encreaseth; the 14.10.11 fire deuou­reth; the worme gnaweth; death li­ueth; and the time of torments neuer endeth.

Who then, (that knowing this, Euery one ought to feare sin, Hell being the place for all in­repentant sinners. but will tremble and feare to sinne; Hell being the place appointed for all ob­stinate and inrepentant sinners? for the wages of sinne is death; and euery one that hath transgressed shal come & stand, not before a dumbe and corrupt iudge, but before the mightie, eternall, onely wise, iust, righteous, and feare­full God, who wil reward euery man ac­cording to his workes, for there is no respect of persons with him.

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. that no man doe liue and spend the course of his life here in this world without feare of the dreadfull iudgements of God, and thinking vpon death and Hell: lest by forgetting the punishment, hee doth [Page 168]despise the grace, & so his hart should ei­ther proudly be puffed vp, saying with Exod. 5.2 Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? or sense­lesly be dulled, saying with the Ps. 14.1. foole, there is no God. For Caines Gen. 4.13 punish­ment made him both acknowledge the power of God; & the reward of sin, and the ouerflowing of the world by water, the burning of Sodome by fire, the destruction of Aegypt by plagues, and the remoouing of kingdomes by warre, doe teach and shew vnto vs the sinceritie of Gods iustice, that hee will neuer suffer sinne to goe vnpunished, but as he hath made himselfe knowne vnto all the world in Maiestie and glo­rie by his works; and in truth and righteousnes by his word, God will be magni­fied in his iudge­ments a­gainst the wicked. so by his iudgements and punishments he will be magnified in the destruction and ouer­throw of the wicked and vngodly, who haue blasphemed his name, broken his law, and made a mocke at his com­ming vnto iudgement: but certainly, he will come vpon them at vnawares as a theefe in the night, when they [Page 169]shall not be able to resist being dead a sleepe in their sinnes, and then shall they heare his fearefull voice, (being Reu. 19.16 God will call all to account. the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords calling vnto them, Come, make account of your talent and stewardship which was deliuered and commended vnto you, for ye must be no longer stewards: I haue bin ab­sent, but ye haue beene negligent: I haue beene patient but yee haue beene disobe­dient: I haue beene bountefull, but ye haue beene vnthankefull. I gaue you trust but ye haue deceiued me. I gaue ye a law, but ye haue despised me. I sent vnto you my Mat. 22.34.35. seruants, but ye haue euill entreated them. I sent vnto you my 37.38. Sonne but ye haue killed him. I planted Isa. 5.2. you as a vine but ye haue brought forth wilde grapes. I built you as a temple, but ye haue polluted it. I chose you as a spouse but ye haue re­fused me: Wherefore I will now iudge you for all your wickednes and abhomina­tion, saith the Lord; for Amos. 2.4 three trans­gressions, and for foure I will not turne to you, because ye haue cast away my waies, and haue not kept my commandements, [Page 170]your lyes haue caused you to erre, after the which your Fathers haue walked. Yee haue Ibid. 6. sold the righteous for siluer, and the poore for shooes. Yee haue 7. gaped ouer the head of the poore in the dust of the earth, & peruerted the waies of the meek. Ye haue Amos. 6.3 put farre away the euill day, and approched to the seate of iniquitie. Ye haue 4. lyen and stretched out your selues vpon your beds of yuorie. Yee haue eaten the Lambes of the flocke, and Calues out of the stall; Amos. 6.5 singing to the sound of the Ʋi­oll; drinking wine in bowles; and annoint­ing your selues with the chiefe ointments, but none of you haue sorrowed for the af­fliction of Ioseph. Wherefore I 8 abhorre both your persons and your pallaces: and although yee seeme to be as high as 2.9. Ce­dars, and as strong as Okes, (proud and oppressing,) yet behold, I will now destroy your fruit from aboue, and your roote from beneath: for I am euen 13. pressed vnder you, (by reason of your iniquities,) as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues: I can beare you no longer. Yee haue heaped vp venge­ance for your selues against the day of [Page 171]wrath. For the Ibid. 14. flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not streng­then his force, neyther shall the mightie saue his life. Come therefore, take, binde, and Mat. 25.30 cast these euill, slothfull, and vnpro­fitable seruants into vtter darknesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Most certainely then the reward of sinne is death, The mise­ry of Hell: being most fearfull & terrible. and as certaine the place for sinners is Hell, the lake burning with fire and brimstome for euermore. Woe worth therefore those pleasures which must be sawced with torments, and woe worth those persons that must liue in hell, a prison, (a lothsome prison) from whence there is no redemption; torments (grieuous torments) of which there is no remission; there is eternitie without end; extremitie without mean; watching without sleepe; paine without ease; crying without comfort; wringing of hands without hope; gnashing of teeth without loue; knocking, but none will open; calling, but none will answer; strugling, howling, turning, tossing in the fire, cursing, banning, suffering, [Page 172]yet neuer dead; dying, yet euer liuing; the senses daily quickned to feele the torments, and the soule continually vn­derstanding, to perceiue and endure her eternall condemnation with the diuell and his Angels. Whose heart so stonie, that will not relent? whose presumpti­on so great, that will not feare? whose minde so cruell, that will not pittie his owne soule, the which this night before to morrow, (it reioycing and continu­ing in sinne,) may goe to hell? for mans life is but as a Ps. 396. spanne, as a Iob. 14.2.7.1.2. shadow, as a thought, a blast, a bubble, a flower, and all our dayes are but Gen. 47.9. few and euill.

O let none, whether high or low, rich or poore, in what estate soeuer he be, liue wickedly and pleasurably in a day, to goe to hell in the night; or in a night, to goe to hell in the day, but let them spend their time in holinesse and righteousnesse, not in Rom. 13.13 surfetting and drunkennesse, not in chambering and wan­tonnesse, not in strife and enuying, not in coueting and oppressing, not in lying and [Page 173]swearing, that so they may dye ioyfully and dwell with God eternally in hea­uen, where is fulnesse of ioy, and plea­sures for euermore. For what shall it profit a man to enioy the pleasures of the flesh for a season, and to winne the whole world, and leese his owne soule?

PRAYER.

PRayer, it is the daughter of Rom. 10.14. faith, begotten by 14. know­ledge, and nourished by zeale; Psa. 6.6. feare keepes her waking, but 9. hope makes her reioy­cing, the Ps. 51.3.4 sight of our sins presents the feare, but the 25.14. beholding of Gods mer­cy doth bring the ioy.

The parts of Prayer to make it sweet and pleasant vnto God are fiue: The parts of Prayer. the Knowledge of him; Faith in him; Psal. 119.139.111 Prayer if it be not per­fect and effectuall, it is to no purpose. Zeale to him; Feare of his wrath; and Hope of his loue: For Prayer without Knowledge, is but blinde deuotion: without Faith, but abhomination: without Zeale, but lip verberation: without Feare, but presumptuous in­trusion; and without Hope, but despe­rate deploration. Therefore a man to hope of pardon and haue no feare of [Page 176]sinne, is to presume of mercy: to feare and haue no zeale, is to flye the rod: but not to care for God, and to seeme zealous, and haue no faith, is a vaine profession, without religion; For, Rom. 10.14 how shall they call on him, in whom they haue not beleeued? and to make shew of faith without knowledge, is as an eye with­out sight, not able to direct, but cause a man to fall into the ditch; For, Ibid. 14 how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard?

Most dangerous then it is to neglect the reading of the Scriptures, A dange­rous thing to refuse & neglect the rea­ding of the Scriptures which must beget faith, and direct prai­er, and en­crease know­ledge ex­ceedingly. and hea­ring of the word of God, by which wee must come to the true & perfect know­ledge of him; for therein wee shall vn­derstand and learne of his nature, which is holy; of his wisdome, which is infinit; of his power, which is omnipotent; of his glory, which is incomprehensible; of his truth, which is infallible; of his Law, which is incorrupt; of his iustice, which is inflexible; of his iudgements, which are importable; of his enquiring knowledge, which is inpreuentable; of [Page 177]his mercy euer abounding, The scrip­tures de­clare the glory, wis­dome, power, iu­stice, mer­cy & good­nesse of God: the malice of Satan: and the misery of man. The scrip­tures bring comfort & ioy to the godly and elect. The bles­sed estate of the god­ly in hea­uen. of his loue euer flowing; of his grace euer calling; of his spirit euer sanctifying; of his bles­sings euer alluring; of his goodnesse e­uer visiting man to come vnto him: therein also shall we vnderstand of his glorious Angels, praysing and obeying him; of the Diuels fearing and trem­bling before him; of his creatures way­ting and attending him; and of sinfull man tempting and prouoking him. But to the ioy of the elect, they may behold therin heauen gates opened vnto them, the Sonne of God Christ Iesus recei­uing them, his Father kissing them; the holy Ghost ouer-shadowing them; the Angels saluting them; rich garments made ready for them; crownes of glo­ry bestowed on them; their heads an­noynted; their eyes wiped; their cheeks washed; their lips sanctified; their hearts purified; their hands strengthened, Christ his glorious comming for the cō­fort of his Saints. and their feete prepared for to meete the Lambe Christ Iesus; for he hath called and inuited vnto his wedding many people; his espouse, the church, is louely [Page 178]and all glorious within; hee is com­ming to meete her, his heauenly pal­lace is most sumptuously trimmed, his prouision and delicates are infinite, his officers and waiters are the Angels, and Archangels; the dowry and ioynture which he doth bestow vpon his espouse is the kingdome of heauen; & the gifts and rewards which he bestoweth vpon his guests, are glory, and honour, im­mortalitie and eternall life: Christs fearefull comming for the de­struction of the wic­ked. this being done, the throne is set vp for iudge­ment; the earth, sea, and hell doe bring forth the wicked and reprobate to ap­peare before the Lambe, whom they most cruelly had persecuted and slaine; but he is risen, The court of iudge­ment. and now triumpheth in power and Maiestie: the high Court of iustice is set; the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, and Saints, are there openly aduanced and preferred; there is great silence in heauen, the most large and high commission of the Sonne of God is read; the bookes are opened; the pri­soners are brought vnto the barre, they are arraigned, indicted, accused, found [Page 179]guiltie, condemned, taken, bound, and throwne into the bottomles pit of hell, The mi­serie of hell. with the Diuell and his Angels: there is howling, roaring, weeping, gnashing, turning, burning, wishing, wanting, dy­ing, but euer liuing; stung, but neuer cured; tormented, crying for ease, Conside­ration of the iudge­ment, or thinking of the ioyes threatned, and pro­mised: may mooue a­any soule to pray and de­light in prayer continu­ally. Prayer without know­ledge is vaine. but neuer to be heard, nor neuer to be re­leased.

What heart will not tremble to heare and read of this iudgement? what soule will not pray night and day to be clen­sed from her sin, to be freed from this death? and what seruant of the Lord wil not reioyce, praying continually for grace and helpe to continue faithfull and obedient vnto God, that hee may be saued: And most certaine it is that without the knowledge of these things, our many and babling prayers are but like Pharaohs seuen thinne and blasted eares of Corne, and like his seauen il-fa­uoured and leane fleshed kine, far vnfit to be an offering, or present for the Lord: for without knowledge prayer cannot be framed: Smile. Gen. 41.1. without faith it [Page 180]cannot be holy, without zeale it can­not be feruent, without feare it can­not be sorrowfull, and without hope it cannot be comfortable: A fearefull sinne to keepe and take away the Scrip­tures from the people And therefore how cruell are those Scribes and Pha­rises, which lock vp the booke of know­ledge, the word of God, and the sacred Scriptures from the simple people; commanding them to pray, but in ig­norance; to worship, but in suppersti­on; they calling vpon Saints & Images, yea sometimes vpon diuels? for many to whom they pray being cannonized for Saints, haue been in their life time most diuelish, vile, and wicked men.

But if they knew the Scriptures, God only must be worship­ped and called vp­on. they onely would pray to God, who is most iealous of his honour, & will not haue it to be giuen vnto any other: for him on­ly must we worship, & him alone must wee serue, because none but he hath created, redeemed, and sanctified vs; none but he hath truely taught, giuen wisedome, and blessed vs: and none but he shall come in glory, to raise vs vp, and to iudge both quicke and dead, [Page 181]and to giue reward vnto euerie one ac­cording to his workes.

And for our further instruction wee are to learne that Prayer is a speech which we make vnto God, Prayer, what it is. with great re­uerence and worship; a petition, with a repetition of Gods iustice and mercy: a confession, with sorrow for our sinne; and a profession, with a protestation for amendement of life.

Wherefore wee must take heede of the carnall and worldly mens breuiate or short cut in Praying, A cauiate against short mumbling Prayers. who to colour and excuse their owne sluggish and dull deuotion, doe condemne those that make long Prayers in zeale and griefe of heart: affirming that a short Mise­rere or the Paternoster, is sufficient to please God, & obtaine pardon for their sinne.

Indeed, it must in some sort be gran­ted, that in time of necessitie when as a man cannot either be suffered to make his Prayers vnto God, Acts 7.57. as Steuen could not, for his enemies ran vpon him all at once and stoned him: or be watched, [Page 182]as Daniel was: Dan. 6.11. Acts 9.24.25. 2. Sam. 6.7. or be pursued, as Paul was: or be sodainely stroken with death as Vzzah was: in all these and such like cases, a short Prayer and faithfull, be it but a word, yea, a thought from the hart calling vpon God, is a most forcible & effectuall Prayer in the sight of God. The Lords Prayer a president and pat­terne for all our Prayers to be founded & groun­ded vpon it.

And the Prayer set downe by Christ was not deliuered by way of exception against any other Prayer, but as princi­pally to be vsed as a special forme, then which none can be better, so by way of direction to shew that all our Prayers must be built and framed vpon the same substance and foundation, and al­so to shew his wonderfull wisdome in compiling so infinit a matter in so short a methode; and to condemne the long Prayers of the Scribes & Pharises, who thought to be heard for their long and much babling, which was meerely for­mall and hypocriticall: but our Sauiour Christ himselfe after the deliuery of that Prayer, & also the Apostles conti­nued long in praying, & vsed some other forme and manner of prayer, but neuer [Page 183]varied from the matter and substance therof. Sundry occasions may iustly cause and enforce long Prayer. For sometime the sight of sin cō­demning, sometime outward affliction pressing, sometime inward motions re­belling, sometime the loue of God in­flaming, sometime his benefits perswa­ding, sometime dangers approching, and lastly, death appearing, maketh a man or woman to poure out their souls before God, with long & many suppli­cations, which either to the sorrowfull or ioyful in the Lord do seem but short, easie, comfortable & pleasant: and ther­fore Dauid, Psal. 119.164. hee often prayed vnto the Lord, euen seuen times a day, and he de­sired that hee might continue in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his life, to behold his glorious beautie, and to heare his holy oracle or word: whose example may condemne, and make all those ashamed which blasphemously doe scoffe & deride at the word of God, and at all holy exercises, saying; Tush, Atheistical scoffers at holy exer­cises. to follow the Church, & to heare many Sermons, it doth but increase melan­choly, and hinder mens callings in their [Page 186]outward busines: Indeed to such it is the sauour of death vnto death, and as poyson to their soules, they preferring Mammon before Manna: but the time will come that a little, nay a tittle of the word shall be as deere to be bought to comfort their soule, 2. King. 6.25. as bread was in Sa­maria to comfort the bodie, & yet they shall not finde it. For doe they not by their contempt of reading and hearing of the word, openly oppose and with­stand the wisdome and the gracious or­dinance of God appoynted for mans saluation?

O ye foolish men! No grea­ter bles­sing or comfort for the bo­die and soule in this life, then Pray­er. what greater com­fort inwardly to the soule, or blessing outwardly to the body, then by faithfull prayer to call vpon the Lord for to blesse our labours; and to heare or read his holy word, to direct vs in all our wayes? And notwithstanding we haue twelue howers in in the day to follow our worldly busines in getting of out­ward riches, promotions and prefer­ments, in seeking and getting whereof wee are neuer wearie; yet for vs to [Page 185]spend two howers in the day in holy exercises to obtaine heauenly riches, Much time is spent in wordly busines but little in godly and holy exer­cises. as faith, hope, wisedome, charitie, meeke­nesse, patience, honour, and glorie, and that for euer; we account euery minute too much and euerie hower tenne. If so therefore our outward callings (as ye will say) must be followed with such la­bour and diligence, & as it were night and day, without any intermission, why then, how much more should our inward calling be followed with dili­gence, watchfulnes & prayer? A farre greater & more spe­ciall labor to get grace, then to get worldly riches. For euerie wicked man by his toyling and laboring may get riches, (through Gods suffe­rance, and that in his wrath:) but it is a farre greater labour for his Saints to obtaine the heauenly graces (through Gods mercy, and that in his loue:) Hea­uen gates are not opened vnto any, but to those that watch and pray continu­ally; Heauen is not easily obtained. none can be Citizens & free of the heauenly Ierusalem, but such who haue faithfully and painefully serued for it, euen night and day, Gen. 29.18. as Iaakob did for Ra­hel: the Lord heareth none but such [Page 186]as prayse God earnestly with Dauid, Psal. 34.1. Mat. 26.75 Gen. 27.34 & weepe bitterly for their sinnes with Pe­ter. Esau sought a worldly blessing with long entreatie and many teares, and thinkest thou to haue a heauenly blessing, Mat. 7.21. with crying and calling onely, Lord, Lord, when as thou neuer caredst to doe and performe the will of the Lord? Learne therefore, that the con­fession of the mouth without faith in the heart, or a cry of the voyce with­out griefe of the minde for sinne, it is not an offering but an offence; no obla­tion, but an abhomination before the Lord: wee cannot ascend vnto the hea­uenly hill of Sion, 1 Sam. 14.4.13. but wee must with Ionathan get vp the rocke, as it were with all foure, hand and foot, heart and eye; We must not return vnto the world when wee are in the way ascen­ding vnto heauen. for the way is narrow, raggy, steep, and dangerous, troubles without, and feares within, and therefore wee must make sure footing, and not look down­ward, nor behinde vs, nor shake hands with the enimie, lest he pluck vs downe head-long to our vtter ruine and con­fusion.

Let vs therfore highly esteeme and labour for the gift of Prayer, which being truely taught, and diligently sought, wee shall be made learned in Knowledge, strong in Faith, feruent in Loue, reuerent in Feare, and ioyfull in Hope, to our eternall comforts, and Gods glory, for euer.

The vse hereof is, Ʋse. To know God. that we diligently seeke and learne to know God and his word, whereby we may be thus taught (as before is declared) to make & frame our prayers vnto him in true Know­ledge, perfect Faith, sound Zeale, reue­rent Feare, and ioyfull Hope: To be re­uerent in our praiers without presumpti­on in the presence of God. and not to present before him ignorant, faith­lesse, idle, presumptuous, and fruitlesse speeches, with carelesse behauiour, de­claring our foolishnesse before him, and offending his eares, prouoking his pa­tience, and procuring his wrath: for the incense to be offered vnto God, must be of the sweetest perfume; the sa­crifice, of the fattest of the flocke; and the first born must be without blemish which is dedicated to him. Exod. 4.10. Moses being [Page 188]wise, doubted and thought not himselfe eloquent enough to speake vnto Pha­raoh; Gen. 33.3. and Iacob being discreet, feared to present himselfe before his brother Esau: But how many now a dayes be­ing blinde without knowledge, lame without charitie, colde without zeale, dead without faith, Imperfect and pre­sumptuous Praiers are abhomina­ble in the sight of God. presumptuous with­out feare, and vaine without hope, doe (as it were hand ouer head) without all care, respect and reuerence; rush into the presence of God, seeming and ma­king shew to come near vnto him with their lips, when their heart is far from him; and can this seruice and sacrifice be acceptable vnto the Lord? nay, hee doth detest and hate it, for whithout a cleane heart and pure hands, without true knowledge, and liuely faith; and without godly zeale and christian loue our prayers are as poyson, and our sa­crifices as Serpents to sting and infect our soules with death: for so was it with Nadab and Abihu, Leu. 10.1.2 who offred strange fire, and an vnholy sacrifice before the Lord.

It hath beene and is the common course in this world, Outward professi­ons are deligently learned; but hea­uenly know­ledge is greatly neglected. that euery man with great care doth striue to bring vp his children in some morrall studyes or mechanicall science or trade, for other­wise they will be far vnfit for the Court or Citie: but alas, how few doe take care and paines to traine vp their chil­dren or seruants in the knowledge of Gods word, and to exercise them in Prayer, teaching them the way to god­linesse, Godly in­struction begets o­bedience, know­ledge, loue and thank­fulnesse. and shewing them Christ Iesus the rocke of their saluation; and how Satan in his malice sought and deuised their confusion, that therby they might be made fit to giue all obedience, ho­nour, and glory vnto God for their de­uerance, and to offer vp prayers and praises in his holy sanctuary for his most mercifull and gracious preseruati­on? The end therefore of prayer is to nourish repentance, to exercise our faith, to continue our patience, to con­firme our hope, and to put our trust in God for euermore.