The Way to Blessedness, Treatise · Part 5
Psalme I. Verse V. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
HEEre the Prophet further aggravates the cursed estate of wicked persons, by a double consequent certainely attending them. 1. They shall not stand in the judgement. 2. They shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous. Whence arises this conclusion.
PropositionThe ungodly shall not stand in the judgement.
Little explication shall need: who were the ungodly was before opened: The word strictly taken is confined to the breach of the first table; and in this place, though I would not absolutely restraine it to that sense, yet it is very probable, that it doth here especially point out such as neglect God in his worship,1 Tim. 1… 9. and the word sinners, the unrighteous;1 Pet 4.18. they are joyned often: certaine is it, where ungodlinesse is rooted, there unrighteousnes flourisheth, and where unrighteousnesse is fruitfull, ungodlinesse is there deepely grounded.
2. Iudgement is double, either in this life or the other: the temporall judgements see described, 1 Pet. 4. 17. Psal. 82. 8. and 96. 13. For hee commeth, for hee commeth to judge the earth: and is either exercised in the inward court of the conscience, or in the outward by afflictions. Secondly, the judgement of that other life, is called the generall judgement, and the judgement of the great day, (Iude 6.) the judgement after death, Heb. 9.27.
3. To stand in judgement, is a phrase of speech signifying to overcome, or to bee cleere when wee are judged: compare Rom. 3. 4. with Psal. 5. 5. So the Latines say, that a man falls in judgement, when he looseth the day. So then they shall not stand in judgement, is all one as if it were said, they shall be cast in judgement, yea cast downe for ever and shall rise no more.
The sense then is: Such as are without the feare of God, and care to please him, as Atheists, hypocrites, both when God rises here to judgement, either sitting in their conscience, or dealing with them in outward things by sicknesse or the like; and especially when hee calls them to that great and generall Assises, shall utterly fall and bee swallowed up in condemnation, and finally be cut off, and receiue their portion with the Devill and his Angels.
Proofe.Proofe. Psal. 7. 11. 12. to the 17. verse, and 9.16.17. Pro. 19.29. Nothing is more common in the Scripture, then the denunciation and execution of temporall and eternall judgements upon ungodly and wicked persons.
Grounds.The grounds may bee manifest to children: for this falling in judgement, or condemnation arises necessarily from these two causes; 1. the guilt of the person judged appearing upon sufficient evidence: 2. the uprightnesse of the Iudge pronouncing sentence according to the fact. Now ungodly persons are not onelyonly guiltie, but the evidence palpable; for ungodlinesse, despising God, his word, worship and service, is that rebellion and treason against the King of Kings, compared to witchcraft and Idolatry: 1 Sam. 15.23. and the evidence undeniable; 1. the conscience accusing,1 Iohn 3.20. Rom. 2. 15. 16. and with it God the faithfull witnesse, greater then the conscience. 2. The Iudge inflexible to any partialitie. Rom. 3. 5. 6. and 2. 11. Pro. 17. 15.
Instruction.1. Howsoever flesh and bloud dreame of immunitie, and impunitie, and presumptuously counterfeit a mercy in God swallowing up his justice, yet is it impossible, but that there should be a judgment wherein men should receiue according to their workes.Eccles. 3.17. and 11.9. And as among men there are Sessions and Assises, some dayes more generall for all, some more private and purchased sittings: so shall we finde that God hath sometimes a Iayle-deliverie, when he enters into judgement with some particular Nations, or persons, besides that great and terrible day of the Lord, when all creatures shall be called to reckoning, see Psal. 7. 11. Prov. 11. 21. 31. Ier. 25. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 17. 18. The generall deluge of waters swallowing the old world, and that more particular and fearefull vengeance of fire and brimstone drinking up the fiue Cities, and the private destruction of Ieroboam, Ahab, and their families; and infinite other precedents, are abundant witnesses of this truth.
But doe we not see wicked rebells often flourish, and liue in wealth and prosperitie, yea die also and are buried peaceably, and pompously?
Answer: To remoue this stumbling stone; Certainly if the godly be here judged, much more the wicked; and if David and other Saints are corrected, no doubt but the reprobates are here also afflicted: for although their especiall judgement is to come, yet now they goe not free without the whip.Eccles. 9 2. All things come alike to all; when the righteous bee scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare? 1 Pet. 4.18.which is spoken of temporall judgements, as manifestly appeares by the former verses: see also Pro. 11. 31.
1. Therefore even those, who most seeme to flourish, hauehave often some scourge, which wholy distasts all their pleasure, nay many times some little crosse (hardly so to bee called) embitters all their abundance, that they liue in it without ioy, or comfort. Do but remember Ahab so vexe with Naboths deniall, that all his Kingly delights could yeeld him no content. And looke on Haman so troubled with the stiffe knee of Mordecay, that all his preferment, and favour with the King nothing availed him. Ester. 5. 13. wee see not the heart of any of these, nor know where they are pinched: wee perceiue some of them liue in great plentie; But neither life, nor health, nor content consists in abundance: we see some of them laugh,Pro. 14. 13. but euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heavines. Certain is it that the nature of man takes more pride in building, planting, purchasing, then content, or ioy in any of these things, when we inioy them. And I know, that Salomon, when he had tried all earthly things found in them nothing but vainity, and vexation. The certain knowledge of death, and ignorance, what should become of his soule after death, forced the great Emperour to sigh, and lam…nt his poore estate. Animula vagula, blandula quae nunc abibis in loca? Poore wandring soule, what place now remains for thee? Oh thinke how deeply this thought must wound a worldly Christian, who hath so much Christianitie, that he knowes an hell, and so little faith (nay no faith) that he cannot expect heauen? who desiring and enioying his portion in this world, can looke for no other in the world to come, but that of the rich Glutton (Luk. 16. 25.) Thou in thy life time receiuedst pleasure, therefore now art thou tormented? verily were there no other affliction for these men, but this very thought, it were sufficient to distast a whole world of pleasure, and earthly riches, which any man can enioy in this present life, and to make him in his owne feeling most miserable, who in the eyes of carnall men appeers very happie, and glorious: and as that Philosophical Poet writeth:B…ethius. If any man could looke through their skin, and outward dressings, he should soone perceiue these great commanders, the greatest slaves to the most base, and cruell masters, even their owne tyrannising lusts.
2. Whatsoever they injoy as good, is not giuen them as good by God. The Lord bestowes good things upon the righteous for their good Deut. 13. 9. yet deales not so with wicked persons. But what*1. Sam. 18. 21. Saul most lewdly did, that doth God most iustly. He giues many good things to bee as snares to ungodly men. Psal. 69. 22. Nothing indeed is good, further then it is sanctified by God; what good did the Quayls to the Israelits, when they were sent in w…ath, or Saul who was giuen in anger? who desires any honour from the King with his displeasure? But aboue all the rest, the last trencher for the reckoning spoileth all the feast: and the very thought of the same makes the meat bitter as death. For that generall day, when all creatures shall be assembled to the great iudgement, it hath infinite witnesses: I will cite onelyonly some. Before the flood Enoch (in the infant-world) foretold it. Iude 14. 15. In the law this Prophet, as here, so Psal. 9. 16. 17. In the Gospell they are infinite. Th…s the Apostle 2. Cor. 5, 10. and the Iudge himselfe Math. 25. 31. to the end of that chapter: as verily as Christ is alreadie come in humiliation to bee iudged, so shall he come in glory to iudge: neither will I stand further to proue a thing confessed, and with reason confirmed by the heathens. OnelyOnly let us note, that as all things shall be framed to the infinite comfort of the faithfull, so to as much terrour to the ungodly. The Iudge shall bee their Saviour, their witnes the same Iudge, and their owne peaceable conscience: the sentence, Come you blessed: the earth the place of all their sorrow burning, and heaven open to entertaine them into the everlasting habitations of glorie. On the other side all compo…ed to the affrighting of the wicked. The Iudge that Lambe whom they so despised, now the Lion of Iudah: The witnesse hee, and their owne stinging conscience: the earth where they placed all their hopes, consuming; the prison even hell gaping, and the executioner readie to carrie them to that Tophet prepared of old, burning with fire and brimstone.
2. In all the judgements of God the wicked shall fall: that is, howsoever before his abominable wickednesse be found out, hee is full of jollitie and pride, yet when once hee is touched with the whip, his heart melts away, his hopes perish, his countenance falls, and all his pride and pompe sinkes as low as hell. That even the temporall judgments thus strongly worke upon them, see Iob .8. 13. 14. and 11. 20. Pro. 10. 28. Consider Cain, Gen. 4. 6. 13… and Ahab, 1 King. 21. 27. Belteshazzar, Dan. 5. 6. Oh how approved a truth is that,Pro. 28. 1. The wicked flie when none pursueth, but the righteous is bold as a Lion. While the furnace is heating seven fold, and the Souldiers stand readie to binde those royall young men, when the Kings countenance was chang…d with furie, then did their hearts flame (as the furnace) with zealous courage, and with faces hardned they could tell the proud King to his face;Dan. 3.17.18. Our God can, and will deliver us from thee, but if not, wee will not serue thy Gods, nor worship thy golden image. For they, knowing that when they are weake in themselues,2 Cor. 12 9… 10. then are they strong through the power of his might, who delights to glorifie his power in infirmitie, can strengthen themselues with an invincible confidence;Psal. 27.1.2.3. The Lord is my light and my salvation, the strength of my life: of whom then shall I be afraid? Psal. 46.2.when the wicked mine enemies came about me, &c. though an host pitched about mee, I should not bee afraid. We will not feare though the earth bee moved. 2 Tim. 1. 12. and 4. 18.I know whom I hauehave beleeved. The Lord will deliver mee from every evill worke. But when such stormes arise on the wicked, they are done; their heart is in their heeles: and wee shall heare them as Numb. 14. 2. Would God wee had died in AEgypt, or in this wildernes, would God we were dead. 1 Kiug. 22. 25.They shall run from chamber to chamber to hide themselves. For the last judgement… that then they shall fall and perish, is more manifest and confest then needs any proofe. Rev. 6. 15.16.17. The reas…n is evident: of the former, because, as when a lame mans staffe is taken away, he cannot but fall, so wicked men forsaking the fountaine of life, and trusting in pits, when now they are dry, their hopes are utterly lost. Againe, they hauehave no right to any good thing, but are as theeues, who while they are in their woods and coverts, frollicke, but when apprehended, they are utterly dejected. For the other the truth is, there is nothing left for comfort, but all without and within are full of infinite horrour.
Reproofe.1. How fearefull then is that infidelitie and securitie of men denying this truth, and therefore never preparing for that day? Some are so fast a-sleepe, rocked by the pleasures and delights in the flesh, and so ravished with the dreames of sensualitie, that they neither can, nor desire they could awake: some so plunged in profits, either the swe…tnesse of gaine so bewitching, or worldly cares so possessing head and heart, that they hauehave neither power or leasure to thinke of this, or any thing else belonging to their eternall good. True it is, that especiall warning is given concerning these things, Luke 21. 34. 35. Mark .13. 33. and the mischiefe following fore-told us there by the Iudge, but all the senses are so busied abroad in the world, that there is none at home to answer him. Should any friend thus call to us, nay any man in the way, Take heed to your selues, whatsoever wee were doing, we would looke about us and consider the danger; but, as if our Lords warnings were onelyonly of course, wee take no care of them, or of our selues. How wofull will bee the end of this drowsinesse? how fearefull our awaking? For what will you doe now in the day of your visitation, and destruction which shall come? To whom will you flie, or where will you leaue your glory? Thou who hast spent all thy time in vanitie, what wilt thou doe in the day of visitation, of thy sicknesse and trouble, when thy pleasures fall like dry leaues in Autumne, and all worldly commodities and comforts stand by mute, and all amort? Then thou wilt cry;Pro. 5.12. 13. How hauehave I hated instruction, and mine heart despised correction? and hauehave not obeyed the voice of them that taught mee, nor inclined mine eares to them that instructed mee? Especially when by some smarting blow the Lord hath slayed off that skinne of thy conscience, so that now with infinite torment thy hellish sinnes like a worm gnaw & eate into thy soule: when thou seest the armies of thy rebellions, more frightfull then so many hellish fiends, mustered up before thine eyes, and all armed with fierie darts kindled by Satan, invading on everie side, and wounding thy naked soule; and worse then all this, the fierie wrath of God, and terrours of the Almightie to fall downe upon thy head. Then, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver mee from the wrath to come? Then the Minister must bee sent for, then the word read and applied; then oh! that I could heare, oh! that I could beleue, oh! that I could pray: oh for a drop of faith, of repentance, of merciemercy! But then who can know whether God will hide himselfe, whether the word shall profit, or his eare be stopt to thy petitions? Then shalt thou see in his colours, and heare with unspeakable affrighting, that cursed Satan tell thee out of the booke of truth,Psal. 32. 6. In the great water flouds, they shall not come neere him. When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes, and though you make many prayers, I will not heare. Esay 1. 15.He will tell thee, remember how long the Lord hath sought thee: sometime hee commaunded in the thundrings of the Law; sometime hee intreated in the still voice of the Gospell; but thou despisedst both. Remember how long he patiently hath waited for thy returning, but thou hast contemned the long-suffering of God calling to repentance, and hardned thy selfe in thy rebellion. Remember how graciously hee stood knocking at thine care, to enter into thy heart, but thou hadst barred the entrance, and set it open for the world: then entred I in, and hauehave there kept possession to this howre. Know therefore thy Saviour is gone, thy time is past, and mercy is now out of season, and the judgements of God, and beginnings of hell hauehave taken hold of thee. But aboue all the rest, in that last and terrible day of the Lord, whither wilt thou turne thee when thou shalt heare; Take that slothfull (much more that lewd and rebellious) servant, and cast him into utter darkenesse: there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeths. Where wilt thou seeke for helpe? from the world? It is all on fire, and all thy workes wherein thou delightedst. In thine owne heart? there thy conscience hath alreadie kindled the fire of hell. In the Saints? those thou derided'st on earth. In the good Angels? they defie thee as the enemie of God, and vassall of Satan. In the evill Angels whom thou served'st? they wrought thy damnation, and are thy tormenters. In that mercifull Saviour? the date of merciemercy is out, and this is the day of judgement, vengeance, and recompence. 1. Thy consorts are witnesses against thee. Thy conscience confesseth guiltie. 2. The heavens shut thee out, which thou in thy life neglectedst. Hell stands open for thee, the Angels detest thee, the Saints, even thine owne Father, Mother, and children abhorre thee, the frownes of that angry Iudge strike through thy soule with infinite horrour; and which is most fearefull, the gracious Saviour of all the world laughes at thy destruction: & thou shalt heare him, who hath so long besought thee in vaine to bee reconciled to him, openly sentence thee,Mat. 25.41. Depart from mee thou cursed into everlasting fire prep…red for the Devill and his Angels. Mat. 7.After that sentence what canst thou say for thy selfe? what excuse can all the world yeeld thee? wilt thou say? Lord, Lord hauehave not… I professed thy name? was I not baptized? have I not in thy name prophecied? but thou shalt heare; I know thee not, depart from mee tho… worker of iniquitie: thou carelesse servant neglecting dutie, thou curser, thou swearer, thou Sabboth-breaker: what? wilt thou plead for further audience? why then didst not thou giuegive audience? Alas! thou canst not plead that worst of a fooles excuses, to say, I had not thought; for he will tell thee to thy face, I fore-told thee of this day: I warned thee againe and againe, I hid nothing from thee of all that thou seest and feelest, but testified it to thy face; I will not hold thee guiltlesse. Thou wilt not bee able to say so much as, Lord have merciemercy upon mee, for if thou shouldest, thou shouldst soone heare a bitter answer… with what face dost thou now call for merciemercy? Thou hadst no merciemercy on thy selfe; I offered thee grace, I importuned thee to receiue it, I even thrust merciemercy upon thee, but thou waitedst upon lying vanities, and forsook…dst thine owne merciemercy, Ion. 2. 8. Thou hadst no merciemercy on my members, abused'st, reviled'st, spoked'st of them the worst of evill, and discouragdst them all thou couldst. Thou shewedst me no merciemercy, thou piercedst, crucifiedst mee, thou trampledst my bloud under thy feete. Oh how shall we then cry for sorrow of heart, and houle for vexation of minde!Iob. 3. Esay 65. 14. Let the day perish wherein I was borne, why died I not in the birth? why did I not giuegive up the ghost, when I came out of the belly? Cursed bee the day that ever I was borne: O that my mother had beene my grave. Oh that I might once liue againe, oh that at length I might die, oh death, oh anguish, oh hell, oh infinite torment without measure, without end! Oh that now there were an heart in us to consider our latter end.2 Cor. 5.11. Wee knowing the terrours of the Lord, desire to perswade you, and wee are made manifest to God, oh that wee were also made manifest to your consciences, that you might be worthy to escape all these things (Luk. 21. 36.) that you might lift up your heads with joy at that day, that wee that sow, and you that grow, we that reape, and you that are reaped, might rejoyce together.
ExhortationLet us therefore be exhorted to fasten first in our memorie, then in our heart this great and terrible day of the Lord. Let us set open our eares to those heavenly summons, and know that it is not in vaine that our Iudge, who desires to bee our Saviour, so often warnes us to take heed. Binde it as a signe upon thine hand, and set it as a frontlet betweene thine eyes; make thy soule to bee affected with it, that thou mayest feare, and depart from evill, and turne this terrible day to thy comfort and everlasting happinesse.
Consider for motiues, first the great consequence depending on it. It is not a light matter, that little concernes thee: but thy life, or death, thy unspeakable happinesse or miserie (and that not for a day, but for ever) which then is in action. Now in great affaires we never content our selues with any measure of diligence: how shamefull and full of unbeliefe then is this negligence?
Secondly; It is impossible to keepe our feete in the right way from errour, if we hauehave not this often in remembrance: for, as there are infinite wayes mis-leading us, so there is no meanes better to direct us in the right way, then by remembring our end.
But how should we fasten this day in our hearts?
First by faith, perswading our hearts that this is truth, and to that end observing, not onelyonly the frequent testimonies of the Lord in the word, but also the assent even of our reason, and the confession of our conscience, scoring up our faults against that day. Even the heathen themselues upon firme and undeniable grounds hauehave built this conclusion; now indeed when we beleeue it, and hauehave brought our hearts to yeeld unto it, we shall not easily forget it.
Secondly; Labour by prayer for sense and feeling of the Spirit, that God would take out this securitie and awake thy sluggish heart to wait upon him, and expect his comming.
Proposition 2. PropositionThe sinners shall not stand in the congregation of the just.
For explication of the words, who are to bee accounted sinners was before delivered pag: 45. namely such as liue in any open and notorious breach of Gods commaundement.
Secondly; The Congregation signifieth here a certaine Assembly or societie of men gathered together, and so intends nothing else but the Church. Now the Church is diversly taken: sometime for the Catholike Church, that is, the whole bodie of Christ, comprising in it all the faithfull, from the first to the last member of his mysticall bodie living in the world. (Thus you will finde the word taken, Ephe. 1. 22. 23.) sometime for some member of that bodie, distinguished according to divers respects incident to it: thus the Church is divided into the triumphant, which raignes with Christ in heaven, or militant, which fights under his banner against sinne, the world and Satan here on earth. The militant Church hath many subdivisions, and is either visible in severall Congregations, professing openly the name of Christ; or invisible, which are the faithfull in those Congregations, confessing also in heart the Lord Iesus and his truth: who although (as men) are visible, and may bee discerned by any bodily eye, yet as the faithfull, and truely sanctified, cannot ordinarily or generally be distinguished from many hypocrites living with them in the same assemblies. So likewise the visible Church hath many branches: some greater as of a whole Province, so we distinguish the Greeke and Latine, East and West Churches; some lesser, as the Church confined to any one Citie; the Churth of Rome, the Church of Corinth; and some private, shut up in one familie, see Rom. 16. 5. Philem. 2. There is also a distinction of a true Church, which continues in all fundamentall truth delivered by Christ and his Apostles; or false, which declines to some hereticall doctrines, and departs from the foundation, either from that rule of faith or manners: Thus as the Marcionits, Arrians, Macedonians, &c. erring in matter of faith concerning the Godhead or manhood of Christ, or concerning the blessed Spirit. So the Nicolaitans maintaining filthy and promiscuous lusts, were false Churches, howsoever they were sound in divers other points of Christian doctrine. Now the Congregation here mentioned cannot be stretched to any other, but either the invisible, or tryumphant Church.
3. Lastly the just are those Saints of God, which being justified by the blood of Christ, are also sanctified by his Spirit.
So the sense is. Howsoever here on earth wicked Atheists, heretickes, and hypocrites may come in sheepes cloathing, and not onelyonly creepe into the flocke, but also rule and tyrannise in the visible Church, yet as they are no members of the true invisible Church, so when that great Shepheard shall separate the goats from the sheepe, these wolues in sheepes cloathing shall bee uncased, and cast out into their owne place with dogges.
Proofe. Proofe.Mat 25. ver. 31. to the end. Revel. 21. last ver. and 22. 14. 15.
The grounds are 1. In the nature of sinners;Grounds. Truth and lies, vertue and vice cannot stand together. As therefore in the creation there was a separation of light from darknesse, so in this perfect renovation.
2. From the nature of the Iudge, who is of pure eyes and cannot endure sinne, but is a consuming fire to such.
3. From the time; It is the season when Christ shall wipe off all spots and wrinkles from his Church, but these are spots and blots in the Assemblies. 2 Pet. 2 13. Ephe. 5. 27.
Instruction.Here therefore is manifestly taught us, that no sinner that is, no man liuing in wilfull sinne, and maintaining it in his practise, is, or can be a true member of Christ, or his Church, but indeed a very spot, and blot in it. Tru… is it that as a field is called a corne field, wher there is much and perhaps more weed then good graine, and a heape of corne, where there is more chaffe, not from the greater, but better part: so a Congregation where many Atheists, and hipocrites are mi…gled with the faithfull is called a true church, though indeed those are but as ill humours in the bodie, rather griefs, then any parts of it.1 Ioh. 2. 19. They were not of us, they were not all of us, see Math 7. 23. Hence called (as before) spots and blots. The reasons also, confirming this truth, are apparent. For first every member is, and cannot but be of the same nature with the head: monsters are they, which hauehave the head …f one kinde, the bodie, or any member of an other, the head of a man, the foote of an oxe. But the nature of Christ is the divine nature, pure, and holy, fre… from sinne, therfore also his members hauehave by in fluence from him been changed into the same diuine nature in that they fly the corruption which is in the world through lust, 2. Pet. 1. 4. see also Heb. 7. 26. Secondly he cannot be a member of Christ, who by the ordinances of God powerfully working on him by the Spirit, is not renewed, and changed. He that beleeueth, and is baptised, is saued, but he that beleeveth not is damned. We are buried in him by baptisme;Mark .16… 16. the Gospell preached begets us in Christ: Rom. 6 4.5.But the Gospell, and baptism where they are made effectuall by the worke of the Spirit clense,1 Cor. 4. …5. and wash from sinne, and bring to us that sanctification, whereby we are purged. Iohn .15. 3. Eph. 5. 26. Thirdly sinne doth not onelyonly separate from God… Esa. 59. 2. but when it is in dominion, divides us utterly from the government of Christ, makes his sweet, and …asie yoke gri…vous, and loaths…me. If we are members of Christ he is our head, and King, but where sinne hath dominion, Christ his sceptre hath no place.
2. Howsoever wolves in sheeps clothing may creepe into the flock of Christ, of which Christ hath given us warning Mat. 7. 15. and the Apostle Act. 20.29. 30. yet they shall certainly be uncased, not onelyonly in the finall iudgement, where their hipocrisie shall be stript nak…d before all the world, and their filthines bared to every eye, but here also, so farre, that the Elect of God shall cle…rely disc…rne, and avoyd them as Math. 7. 16. God will lay open their falshood, and discover their dissembling, see Ierem. 29. 20. 21. 22. 23. Neither is any thing in scripture more evident, then this dealing of the Lord, who whensoever such Foxes hauehave entred among his people, hath stirred up some eminent person, and filled them with singular gifts to resist them, least the faithfull might be deceived, and drawn away by their hypocrisie. Thus God opposeth Moses, and Aaron against Iames, and Iambres: Elias, and Elizeus against the Pri…sts of Baal: I…remiah against Hananiah, Ahab, and Zedekiah; Christ and his Apostles against the Scribes, Pharises, and Iewish false teache…s. Thus afterwards as haeretikes began to spring in …he church, h… raised up many faithfull pastors to cut downe their lies, and display their hypocrisie, which is evident in the storie of the Church: and eminent this way was that holy Augustine, who was called, and indeed was the mall of heretickes.
The reasons also are cleere and plaine: First and esp… cially, the louelove of God to his Church, who as he hath sent his sonne to bring them out of the power of darkenesse, and the shadow of death, so also hath given his Spirit to guide and lead them into all truth, and his word as a touch-stone to try these spirits whether they are of God.
Secondly; The vigilancie and care of those whom God hath set as watchmen, who being not hirelings but faithfull Pastors, doe not flie when they see the wolfe, but giuegive warning to the sheepe.
Thirdly; There is a spirit of discerning, Philip. 1. 10. which God poures out to the faithfull in divers measures according to their place which they hold in the body of Christ: to some more, to some lesse, to all some; so that even babes to whom S. Iohn writes, may try the spirits whether they are of God. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. For even these, comparing the doctrine of these hypocrites either with the Scripture, or the rule of faith written by God in their hearts, and finding the disagreement can refuse and abhorre it, see 1 Ioh. 2. 19. 20. 21.
Refutation.Here is offered a very fit occasion to lay open the hypocrisie of that false Church, and her apostacie which challengeth to be not onelyonly the true, but alone Church and Spouse of Christ, True it is, that as the body of that Antichristian Synagogue is covered with sheepes clothing, so the head hath put on the front of the Lambe, Rev. 13.11. but indeed the body when it is stript, easily discovers it selfe to be the beast, and the head when it speakes in the doctrine proclaimes the Dragon. You shall know these false Prophets which come in sheepes clothing by their fruits, Math… 7. 16.that is by their teaching, which is the proper fruit of a Teacher. They teach perverse things saith the Apostle, (Acts 20. 30…) to draw Disciples not after Christ, but after themselues. How by their traditions and vaine inventions they hauehave made the word of God of no effect, may appeare by these few points of their religion.
But first let us remember that Pietie consisteth either in inward or outward duties to God: the one being as the soule, the other as the body of religion. Of the first those are principall, knowledge, louelove, feare of God, faith in him, and his word. Of the second, Prayer, hearing the word, administration of the holy mysteries, and right observation of the Sabboth. Now how grossely the Papists in their doctrines hauehave perverted all these parts of Gods worship, may very briefly appeare to them who will duely consider it. For knowledge, they deliver that hellish proposition, Ignorance is the mother of devotion, to which their other doctrines and practise are squared; labouring to hold the mindes of their people in grosse darkenesse, and therfore not onelyonly forbidding on great penalties the common acquaintance and use of scriptures, but affirming, that he is a friend to heretikes, who maintaines an ordinary reading of Scripture:T. W. …gainst Doct. White & S…aplet. rel…, cap. …. qu… 3. art. 4. nay that it is pernicious and impious. For louelove, they hauehave utterly broken the bond of spirituall marriage; First by that Saint-adoration, deifying holy men, and allowing them Altars, prayers &c. Secondly, also by their digressing and wilfull departing from the word, and Ordinances of Christ, which is a manifest breach of louelove: Ioh. 14. 24. For the feare of God, (the very bond of our Covenant, Ier. 32. 40.) first they hauehave made it in vaine by the traditions of men, Esay 29. 13. Secondly, in place of that filiall feare (knitting our soules to him in reverend louelove) they plant an hellish feare of God in the hearts of their people, to be afraid to approach unto him by prayer, as being a great King, and a rigide observer of all that is amisse. For faith, they hauehave wholy unsinued it, not onelyonly in teaching faith (and prayer of faith) to creatures, as a right object of both, but delivering no other faith, then that which is common to many reprobates and Devils.
For that second kinde, their invocation of Saints, asking of them, whatsover a creature should aske of God: the neglect and contempt of the word, setting up against it, the false light of their traditions, perverting the Sacraments, despising the Sabboth (a sinne so notorious among them and maintained) make evident what religion they professe, and whence they had it. But especially obserue their rejecting of Christ in all his o…fices, as King as Priest and Prophet, (allowing him indeed the names) but det…acting in effect the power and exercise of these digniti…s from him. For first, whereas the Lord God hath given us onelyonly Christ to be his King over us, the head & Monarch of his Church,Mark. 10.42. 43.44. (Psal. 2. 6. Ephe. 1. 22. 23. Col. 1. 18.) and absolutely interdicted all …itles,1 Pet. 5.3. and exercise of Lordly authoritie to his very Apostles; they doe not onelyonly ascribe full power to the Pope over the universall Church on earth, nay under the earth also (namely that which they dreame to be in a purgatorie) yea even of that which is in heaven, (for*So Clement 5 they take upon them to commaund Angels:) but also call him openly (and justifie those titles) the head, the Monarch, and Spouse of the whole Church. Nay saith Bellarmine;Bellar de eccles. lib. 3. c. 5. Hee is the supreame head, to giuegive outward influence of doctrine, faith, and Sacraments. Secondly; for the Priesthood of Christ, they abase that perfect sacrifice, and whereas the Scripture so highly prefers it before the Leviticall, they as low depresse it by the same argument… namely the frequent, and indeed infinite repeatings of it; and to supply it, they adde their owne satisfactions and merits, whereby they remoue temporall punishments, and hauehave invented a new sacrifice of Christ, unbloodie, and a new priesthood of Masmongers. Thirdly whereas Christ is our onelyonly Prophet, or Teacher Mat. 23. 8. so that men and Angels are accursed who bring any other doctrine, they hauehave so tied the eare of the Church to the tongue of the Pope, that they do not only ascribe unto him an u…erring power in teaching, but most brasenly affirme,Bellar. de Roman… Pontif. l. 4 c. 5 p. 804 that if the Pope should erre in commanding vices, or forbidding vertues, the Church were bound to beleeue that vice were good and vertue naught. So is their practice: for whereas God pronounceth surfeting and dru…kennesse to be sinnes excluding from life: they affirme that eating of flesh in Lent, though in all sobrietie, is a greater sinne then it: the breach of the Popes more heinous rebellion… then the breach of Gods commandement. Thus to burne in lust is a filthy and hatefull sinne in the sight of God; they teach that marriage in a votarie is greater: so that when God commaunds, they which cannot containe let them …arrie: this command of God in their votaries they call and maintaine a sinne, a very great sinne: so to liue in burnings in a vota…ie (which is a foule sinne in Gods account) is not onelyonly with them an holy estate, but full of merit and super…rogation. Thus their doctrines (the f…uit of false Teachers) discover them: so that (those blind ones, from whom the God of this world hath concealed the …ight of the Gospell, excepted) every one sees through their grosse hypocrisie. Certaine is it, that all those doctrines wherein they differ from us, hauehave neither su…ficient ground from the scriptures (but are devises and traditions of men) nor hauehave any aime to the glory of God, but wholy tend to the advancing of the Pope, and enriching his Treasurie and Clergie.
Reproofe.Heere that blockishnes of people, some hellishly ignorant, some obstinately wilfull is to bee rebuked, who though they liue in open, and confessed sinnes, and rebelliously maintaine themselues in that course, neyther reforming, nor purposing to reforme themselues, nay hating, and scorning the name of reformation, so desperately impure, that they laugh out the name of puritie, yet still suppose themselues members of Christ, and such as shall stand in the Congregation of the iust. There are many who imagine themselues free from those grosse, and apparent sinnes of the time, or at least from that measure which they see, or suppose to see in others, and consider themselues in the f…attering glasse of their owne partiall opinions, as being no common drunkards, swearers, whoremasters, theeues, oppressours, nay keeping their Church well, living honestly among their neighbours, and by them esteemed, and called honest men, hence thinke all safe, though in the meane time they liue in many actuall sinnes, both of commission, omission, yea such as are palpable. For aske even one of these. Indeede I perceiue you doe not fill your mouth with the grosser oaths, nor abuse the wounds, bloud, and body of your Saviour to his dishonour, as too many, but doe you not sweare at all? Doe you not vse the Masse, our Lady, your faith, and troth in oaths? Well now; And hath not Christ commanded, Sweare not at all? Is not this then a confessed breach of Gods commandement, and doe you not liue in this, and refuse to be reformed? So againe. I see you are no common dru…kard, to abuse your selfe (as many doe) who are every weeke, and most dayes in the weeke distempered, and are turned into beasts with drinke. But doe you not spend too much time in the Ale-house? doe you not ordinarily drinke more then is su…ficient? nay tipple when you hauehave no need at all? But especially if you question them in sinnes of omission. Doe you not leaue undone many necessary duties? doe you not continually neglect reading, and private meditating in the word? doe you not let passe private, and Houshold prayers, and the like? Aboue the rest, negligence in performance of dutie they account as nothing: as demaund of them, what zeale hauehave you in prayer? what hnnger for the word? what diligence in service? what thirst of righteousnesse? what longing after God? They cannot denie that they are very deficient, nay indeed that they hauehave no sense of these things. And alas! dost thou not know, that sentence is past for sinnes of omission? Mat. 25. Dost thou not know that the curse belongs to those, who doe the worke of God negligently, Ier. 48. 10. But what marvaile if these flatter themselues, when even the most enormous livers sing peace to their owne soules, and make no doubt to goe to heaven through the midst of all profanenesse. For aske them; Is it not sinne to breake the Sabboth, to doe thine owne worke upon Gods day, to absent and with-draw thy selfe from the Assemblies? Is it not sinne to sweare, to curse, to raile, to slander, to speake basely of those that desire to feare the Lord? what wretch can deny this, who yet practiseth it continually, and fouly scornes to amend and repent, or to heare of repentance, but hates his reprover, and dete…ts any admonition, though spoken from the mouth of God?
ExhortationLearne here to know thy estate and thy selfe, and shake off that securitie of men in a matter of such importance: goe upon sure grounds, and such as cannot deceiue thee, And for motiues remember;
First; That a wise-man will bee diligent to know the estate of his flocke, and of his heards:Pro. 27. 23. a man that is carefull to thriue in the world, must often cast up his account: and is it not more needfull to know the estate of thy soule?
Secondly; Thou knowest not how suddainely the day of thy account shall come, or whether then the Lord will giuegive thee any leasure or heart to doe it, or whether hee will then suffer thee to come nigh him.
But what meanes are to bee used?
First, learne not to trust in thine owne heart,Ier. 17. 9. for it is deceitfull aboue all things. Remember Prov. 12. 15. and 14. 12. The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes, but hee that heareth counsell is wise. Secondly, take the word of God in thine hand,Heb. 4. 12. and apply thy heart to that rule: It will discover thy heart to thy eyes, for God hath purposely given it to this …nd: It is a discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart.